bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Perceptions and motivations for healthy lifestyles among first-degree relatives of colorectal cancer patients: A qualitative study
Authors: Wang Wenxia , Fang Shuyan , Zhang Shuang , He Meng , Zhu Xiangning , Dong Yueyang , Ma Dongfei , Zhao Yanjie , Meng Xiangfei , Gao Shizheng , Zhi Shengze , Sun Juanjuan , Song Dongpo , Sun Jiao
Published: February 2023

Background
Compelling data indicate that adherence to healthy lifestyles can potentially prevent 20–70% of colorectal cancer (CRC) cases and deaths. As a major population in the development of CRC, the lifestyle behaviour of first-degree relatives (FDRs) of CRC patients is attracting more attention.
Objective
To understand the knowledge of first-degree relatives (FDRs) about colorectal cancer (CRC) and healthy lifestyles and explore their perceptions of and motivations for healthy lifestyles for CRC prevention.
Methods
A qualitative descriptive study using inductive thematic analysis was performed. Sixteen FDRs of CRC patients were recruited using purposive sampling. Face-to-face semi-structured interviews were conducted to gain insight into FDRs’ perceptions and motivations regarding healthy lifestyles for CRC prevention.
Results
Limited knowledge of CRC makes FDRs less likely to emphasise the prevention of CRC through a healthy lifestyle. Influenced by the culture of Chinese medicine and life experience, the participants gradually developed a perception of healthy lifestyles with Chinese characteristics. The participants’ ability to maintain a healthy lifestyle was greatly influenced by family duty-related factors.
Conclusions
Social culture and family duty-related factors should be taken into consideration when undertaking health interventions or education programmes on healthy lifestyles for FDRs of CRC patients. Encouraging nurses to act as liaisons between the government, hospitals, and the community and providing them with professional and communication skills to enhance their skills has great potential for nurses to deliver health education and management for communities at risk of CRC.
The role of lysosomal membrane stability, malondialdehyde levels and DNA damage as pollution biomarkers of terrestrial environments using Eobania vermiculata
Authors: Aikaterini Itziou
Published: February 2023

The current work investigates the role of neutral red retention assay, malondialdehyde contents and DNA damage through comet assay as biomarkers of terrestrial environmental pollution using the land snail Eobania vermiculata. Snails were collected near a lignite power station located about 6 km near the city of Ptolemaida in the district of Kozani. The results of the study showed significantly lower neutral red retention times, higher malondialdehyde contents and higher formation of single-stranded DNA fragments in the haemolymph of snails collected from the polluted area compared to control animals. In support of our data, the values of pollution biomarkers showed significant correlations, thus encouraging their use in terrestrial pollution biomonitoring studies and highlighting the effects of pollution in terrestrial environments.
Influence on the Magnetic Field on the Scale Formation in a Microfluidic Channel under A Low Reynolds Number Flow
Authors: Huang Chiung-Yi , Lin Che-Hsin
Published: February 2023

This study presents an external magnetic array to rapidly investigate the calcium carbonate formation in a microfluidic channel. The system was made by a copper coil capillary as the heat exchanger, a high-precision thermostatic water tank, a magnetic drive pump, and an external magnetic array. Different concentrations (3 mM and 10 mM), magnetic treated efficiency (magnet length 4.0 cm and 14.0 cm, treatment time 24 hr and 72 hr), and temperature (25oC to 50oC) of test solution were discussed during the experiment. The concentration of calcium ion, electrical conductivity, and pH value were measured to record the subtle change during water treatment. In addition, the SEM and the XRD were used to analyze the particle size distribution and morphology of calcium carbonate under different magnetic treatments. As the results of the experiments, (1) the particle size of calcium carbonate decreased when a magnetic field was applied to the solution in a microfluidic channel under a low Reynolds number flow, (2) the aragonite didn’t appear in the microfluidic channel, and (3) the physicochemical properties of the solution weren’t altered by the magnetic treatment. Consequently, the small particle size can inhibit microchannel from blocking, and the outcome of this study provides an alternative method to minimize the scale problem in micro heat exchangers.
Automatic apraxia detection using Deep Convolutional Neural Networks and similarity methods
Authors: Bringas Santos , Nieto-Reyes Alicia , Vicedo Cristina , Duque Rafael , Lage Carmen , Montaña José Luis
Published: February 2023

Dementia represents one of the great problems to be solved in medicine for a society that is becoming increasingly long-lived. One of the main causes of dementia is Alzheimer’s disease, which accounts for 80% of cases. There is currently no cure for this disease, although there are treatments to try to alleviate its effects, which is why detecting Alzheimer’s disease in its early stages is crucial to slow down its evolution and thus help sufferers. One of the symptoms of the disease that manifests in its early stages is apraxia, difficulties in carrying out voluntary movements. In the clinical setting, apraxia is typically assessed by asking the patient to imitate hand gestures that are performed by the examiner. To automate this test, this paper proposes a system that, based on a video of the patient making the gesture, evaluates its execution. This evaluation is done in two steps, first extracting the skeleton the skeleton of the hands and then using a similarity function to obtain an objective score Automatic apraxia detection using Deep CNNs and similarity methods of the execution of the gesture. The results obtained in an experiment with several patients performing different gestures are shown, showing the effectiveness of the proposed method. The system is intended to serve as a diagnostic tool, enabling medical experts to detect possible mobility impairments in patients that may be signs of Alzheimer’s disease.
Decentralized Classification in Sensor Networks via Sparse Representation and Constrained Fractional Programming
Authors: Ye Zhonghua , Zhu Hong , Fang Xueyi
Published: February 2023

This paper investigates the problem of decentralized classification algorithm in sensor networks, i.e., the data about the agriculture are sensitive (or private) stored in the sensor network nodes without sharing or collecting them together. The contributions of this paper are: i) two new classification algorithms are proposed based on the sparse representation and constrained fractional programming. One is for the centralized environment while the other is for the decentralized environment, where the decentralized network node is able to process its own data to extract useful information by implementing some local computation, communication, and storage operations. Especially, by collaborating with its neighbors, it can achieve the same classification result compared with that of the centralized algorithm; ii) to reduce the redundance of the original data, we form a new classification strategy by combining the sparsity transform with the classifier; iii) to improve the robustness of the classifiers, we construct a constrained fractional programming to enforce the discriminant ability of the classifier so that the transformed coefficient vector should be closer to the class center of itself but being far away from centers of other class; iv) to handle the proposed centralized/decentralized classification problems, we decouple the constrained fraction via the Dinkelbach algorithm and alternating minimization. Especially, we cast the decentralized classification problem as a set of subproblems with consensus constraints so that it can be solved in the network environment via the inherent information communication and local computation ability of alternating direction method of multiplier. Finally, numerical examples are provided to verify the effectiveness of the proposed algorithms.
MYD88L265P and MYD88other variants show different molecular characteristics and prognostic significance in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma
Authors: Qin Yan , Qiu Tian , Xie Zucheng , Chen Xinrui , Liu Peng , Yang Jianliang , He Xiaohui , Gui Lin , Zhou Shengyu , Jiang Hongxin , Zhang Changgong , Yang Sheng , Tang Le , Shi Yuankai
Published: February 2023

Purpose
This study aims to investigate the clinical and molecular differences between diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) patients with MYD88L265P and MYD88other.
Methods
DLBCL patients with MYD88 variations were collected from the Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College (CHCAMS), and Suzhou Municipal Hospital from February 6th, 2007 to May 20th, 2022. Clinicopathological parameters and treatment outcomes between MYD88L265P and MYD88other were investigated.
Results
A total of 132 patients with MYD88 variations from a cohort of 475 DLBCL patients were included, among which, 78 were MYD88L265P, while 54 were MYD88other. MYD88L265P was more common in non-GCB subtype than MYD88other (83% vs. 60%, P = 0.004). Besides, MYD88L265P was significantly related to higher proportion of testicle/ central nervous system involvement (31% vs. 6%, P < 0.001), PIM1 mutation (71% vs. 39%, P < 0.001), and PIM1 hypermutation (28% vs. 11%, P = 0.018), compared with MYD88other. Compared with MYD88L265P, MYD88other were more likely to have higher percentage of advanced stage (60% vs. 42%, P = 0.044), extranodal site ≥ 2 (45% vs. 28%, P = 0.044), elevated LDH (55% vs. 35%, P = 0.033), positive CD10 expression (36% vs. 16%, P = 0.009), BCL-6 translocation (20% vs. 8%, P = 0.033), and NOTCH pathway gene alteration (24% vs. 13%, P = 0.040). In non-GCB DLBCL subtype, patients with MYD88other were significantly associated with worse PFS than those with MYD88L265P (P = 0.010).
Conclusion
The findings of this study indicate that DLBCL patients with MYD88L265P and MYD88other are likely to be two subgroups with different clinical and molecular characteristics. The survival of patients with MYD88other is not superior than those with MYD88L265P, even poorer when focusing on the non-GCB subtype.
Correction to: There is at most one continuous invariant mean
Authors: Boros Zolt\'an , Lovas Rezső L. , Pasteczka Paweł
Published: February 2023

A mistake in the formulation of Lemma~1 has been corrected. A preliminary section to the proof of Theorem~1 is added.
Mathematics Subject Classification (2010). Primary 26E60, Secondary 39B12, 39B22.
Altruistic behavior and International Environmental Agreements
Authors: Sacco Armando
Published: February 2023

In the last three decades International Environmental Agreements (IEAs) has been widely analyzed. Classical models predict that only coalitions formed by few countries can be stable, generating a rich literature devoted to solve the small coalition puzzle. The fundamental idea behind the great part of the literature is that players are selfish: to achieve a large stable coalition it is necessary to design an agreement that include a credible system of incentives or punishment.
The aim of this model is to study the effects on equilibrium strategies and on the stability of an IEA when players do not look at their on interests only, but they take care of the wellness of the other players in coalition. Following the approach of the Paris Agreement in 2015, countries that join the coalition do not decide the emission collectively, but each country sets its own emission. The model is the usual two-step game: first the players has to choose if they want to join the coalition or not, in the second step they solve a Nash differential game to find the optimal emissions. The stability of the coalition is studied in two cases: i) with the classic internal and external stability, ii) defining an altruistic stability condition.
The Move From Fujita Type Exponent to a Shift of It for a Class Of semilinear Evolution Equations With Time-dependent Damping
Authors: Ebert Marcelo Rempel , Marques Jorge , NASCIMENTO Wanderley NUNES DO
Published: February 2023

Note: Please see pdf for full abstract with equations.
In this paper, we derive suitable optimal Lp−Lq decay estimates, 1 ≤ p ≤ 2 ≤ q ≤ ∞, for the solutions to the σ-evolution equation, σ > 1, with scale-invariant time-dependent damping and power nonlinearity |u|p,
utt + (−Δ)σu + μ/1 + t ut = |u|p, t ≥ 0, x ∈ Rn,
where μ > 0, p > 1. The critical exponent p = pc for the global (in time) existence of small data solutions to the Cauchy problem is related to the long time behavior of solutions, which changes accordingly μ ∈ (0, 1) or μ > 1. Under the assumption of small initial data in Lm(Rn) ∩ L2(Rn),m = 1, 2, we find the critical exponent at low space dimension n with respect to σ, namely,
pc = max {¯p(γm), ¯p(γm + μ − 1)}, γm :=n/mσ, μ > 1 − γm,
where ¯p(γ) := 1+ 2/γ is the well known Fujita exponent. Hence, pc = ¯p(γm) if μ > 1, whereas pc = ¯p(γm +μ−1) is a shift of Fujita type exponent if μ ∈ (0, 1).
2010 Mathematics Subject Classification. 35L15, 35L71, 35A01, 35B33, 35E15, 35G25.
A New Method for Calculating the Inductance of Planar Spiral Square Coils Used in Wireless Power Transfer
Authors: Cetin Ramazan , Agcal Ali
Published: February 2023

The planar spiral square coil (PSC) is one of the most common structures used in wireless power transfer (WPT) applications. In this paper, a new self-inductance calculation method is proposed for PSC. The self-inductance of the coil should be calculable in order to comprehend the interaction between the coil and the WPT system. In this paper, A new self-inductance calculation method for PSC is proposed by using Greenhouse's method of calculating the inductance between the conductors. The proposed new greenhouse method has been tested for various square sizes, spaces between conductors, the number of turns, and conductor widths. Also, the proposed new method was compared with Current sheet method, modified Wheeler method, and Ansys Maxwell 3D simulation results in terms of calculation error rate. The self-inductance calculation error rate of this method was lower than in all other studies and was below 0.4% in all cases.
Synergetic Antibacterial Activity of CuO-Ag Janus Like Nanoparticles
Authors: Fomina Marina , Sizova Elena , Nechitailo Кseniya
Published: February 2023

This work provides a comparative evaluation of the antibacterial activity of CuO-Ag Janus particles and a bicomponent mixture of CuO and Ag particles against a recombinant strain Escherichia coli K12 TG1 with cloned luxCDABE genes of marine bacteria Photobacterium leiognathi 54D10. An original method for the preparation CuO-Ag nanoparticles by simultaneous electrical explosion of twisted Cu and Ag wires in a mixture of argon and oxygen gases was used. The CuO-Ag Janus nanoparticles have been found to be the most bioactive with respect to the studied biosensor, causing 50% inhibition of bioluminescence (EC50 = 0.03 ± 0.001 mg/ml) (p < 0.05). At the same time, an order of magnitude less pronounced inhibitory effect was observed with CuO particles doped with 70 nm silver nanoparticles (EC50 = 0.25 ± 0.002 mg/ml) (p < 0.05). Against this background, the nominal toxicity values of CuO and Ag as monocomponent nanoparticles were 2–32 times lower compared with the bicomponent nanoparticles. A dose-dependent inhibition of bacterial luminescence developed over time was noted. Thus, as a result of the contact of E. coli with CuO-Ag Janus particles, 100% suppression of bacterial luminescence from the first minutes of contact occured, starting with a content of 2.0 mg/ml, and within the next 180 minutes, the effect of bioactivity prolonged in the final concentration of nanopowder (EC100 = 0.0625 ± 0.002 mg/ml) (p < 0.05). CuO-Ag Janus particles exhibit more pronounced antibacterial activity compared to CuO, Ag nanoparticles and their mechanical mixture.
Identification of Potential Biomarkers for Nonsurvivor Sepsis Patients via Microarray Technology: A Study Based on GEO Datasets
Authors: Ma Yan , Shan Shichao , Luo Cheng , Mo Jianlan , Hu Zhaokun , Jing Ren
Published: February 2023

Background: The mechanism of sepsis especially non-survivors has not yet been identified.
Objective: To identify the key genes concerned with non-survivor sepsis (NSS) and analyze its molecular mechanism.
Methods: The original data were obtained from the GEO database and then screened deferentially expressed genes (DEGs). GO and KEGG analysis were performed to analyze the functional annotation of DEGs. The protein‑protein interaction (PPI) network and related analysis of hub genes were then carried out. Further, potential hub genes were confirmed in the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced septic mice by western blotting and immunohistochemistry.
Results: we obtained 188 DEGs and 32 hub genes between NSS patients and healthy volunteers. Among of them, the top 10 hub genes including STAT1, ISG15, HERC1, EIF2AK2, RPL27, LY6E, IFI44L, XAF1, RSAD2 and HERC6 were studied, which predict sepsis based on receiver operator characteristic curve analysis. GO analysis found that these hub genes were enriched in positive regulation of biomedical process including translation, response to virus and suppression of mitochondrial depolarization, etc.;cell component including mitochondrial inner membrane; molecular function containing ligase activity, etc. The KEGG pathway analysis showed that these hub genes are obviously enriched in influenza A infection and leukocyte trans-endothelial migration. Furthermore, 20 mg/kg of LPS injection up-regulated the expression of ISG15, RPL27, LY6E and HERC6 in the lung tissues compared with control mice.
Conclusion: These identified 188 DEGs and 10 hub genes were associated with NSS, especially ISG15, RPL27, LY6E and HERC6 genes expressed in the lung as the most vulnerable organ.
The importance of environmental and disturbance conditions in different growth stages of plants of temperate forest in the Sierra Norte of Oaxaca, Mexico
Authors: Gutiérrez Erick , Flores-Galicia Nihaib , Trejo Irma
Published: February 2023

Environmental conditions and disturbances are important factors that could influence ecological processes. For this reason, it is essential to know the relationship between them. The objective of this study was to analyze the effect of environmental conditions and disturbance on three growth stages (adults, germinated individuals, and seeds) of conifers, oaks, and other broadleaf species that compose the temperate forests of the highlands of the Sierra Norte of Oaxaca, Mexico. For this purpose, we established 0.1 ha plots along an altitudinal gradient ranging from 1950 m to 3250 m asl where we sampled vegetation, placed traps for seed rain, and quantified seed germination. We recorded climatic, edaphic, topographic, light, and disturbance conditions. We recorded a positive influence of anthropogenic disturbances on conifers in all their growth stages analyzed. For oaks and other broadleaf species, climatic variables such as temperature and precipitation showed a negative effect on adults and seeds, while disturbance showed no effect. Our results indicate that environmental conditions and anthropogenic disturbances have a differential effect on the biological groups that compose these forests and depending on the growth stage of the biological groups.
Lignin Containing Cellulose Nanofiber Based Nanopapers with Ultrahigh Optical Transmittance and Haze
Authors: Zhang Weiwei , Zhang Xiuqiang , Ren Suxia , Dong Lili , Ai Yuwei , Lei Tingzhou , Wu Qinglin
Published: February 2023

In this study, lignin containing cellulose nanofiber/glycerol (LCNF/Gly) composite films at different mixing ratios were developed with LCNFs extracted from commercial poplar pulp through 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-l-oxyl radical (TEMPO) mediated oxidation followed by high-pressure homogenization. The obtained LCNFs with the diameters ranged from several to tens of nanometers, were decorated with residual hydrophobic lignin nanoparticles (16.31 wt%) around the nanofibers, and showed the reversible aggregation in aqueous solution. With the incorporation of glycerol, the resulting LCNF/Gly films exhibited excellent light management properties, maintaining outstanding optical transmittance (87%) and ultrahigh haze over 92%, with superior ultraviolet (UV) blocking function for UVB and UVC. Meanwhile, the brittleness and fragility of the LCNF/Gly films are greatly reduced and the elongation at break of the films are increased from 1.58 to 7.48% with the increase of glycerol mass ratio, endowing the composite films excellent ductility for applications in food packaging, solar cell, anti-glare film and flexible optoelectronic devices.
Automated correction angle calculation in
High Tibial Osteotomy planning
Authors: Przystalski Karol , Paleczek Anna , Szustakowski Karol , Wawryka Piotr , Jungiewicz Michał , Zalewski Mateusz , Kwiatkowski Jakub , Gądek Artur , Miśkowiec Krzysztof
Published: February 2023

High tibial osteotomy correction angle calculation is a process that is usually performed manually or in a semi-automated way. The process, according to the Miniaci method, is divided into several stages to find specific points: the center of the femoral head, the edges of the tibial plateau, the Fujisawa point, the center of the ankle joint, and the Hinge point. In this paper, we proposed an end-to-end approach that consists of different techniques for finding each point. We used YOLOv4 to detect regions of interest. To identify the center of the femoral head, we used the YOLOv4 and the Hough transform. For the other points, we used a combined method of YOLOv4 with the ASM/AAM algorithm and YOLOv4 with image processing algorithms. Our fully-automated method achieved a mean error rate of 0.5◦ (0-2.76◦) ICC 0.99 (0.98-0.99) 95%CI on our own dataset of standing long-leg Anterior Posterior view X-rays. This might be the first method that automatically calculates the correction angle of high tibial osteotomy.
Systematic analysis and experimental validation of the prognostic and immunological effects of SPP1 tumor-associated macrophage features in colorectal cancer
Authors: Li Yizhang , Yang Zhenwei , Liu Jialong , Wang Haizhou , Wang Fan , Zhang Hailin , Zhao Qiu , Liu Jing
Published: February 2023

Purpose
Tumor associated macrophages (TAM) influence colorectal cancer (CRC) development, and their clinical significance has been widely established. We intend to depict a full macrophage landscape in order to increase our understanding of CRC heterogeneity and give improved precision medicine techniques.
Methods
Use Seurat and Cellchat to conduct single cell analysis on GSE178341 to determine the interaction between cells and understand the influence of core cell subsets on immune response. SsGSEA was used to quantify the immune related cells of TCGA patients and further cluster them into subtypes. The effectiveness of combined COX and LASSO, SPP1 TAM characteristics in predicting prognosis was validated in several GEO datasets.
Then, Cell line culture and Quantitative real-time PCR were used to validate the hub genes of SPP1 TAM features.
Results and Conclusion
To summarize, we built a more comprehensive macrophage atlas to highlight the wide range and heterogeneity of macrophages present in people at various MMR stages. SPP1 TAM is not only enriched in dMMR patients, but also shows two characteristics of immune response, which may explain the reason why some dMMR patients have poor response to immunotherapy. The prognosis model constructed by Hub DEG SPP1 related to it has different responses to immune response and chemotherapy drugs, which provides new clues to inhibit the potential efficacy of SPP1 TAM.
The immunological profiles of T-cell large granular lymphocyte leukemia: results from a single center in China
Authors: Ge Meili , Huo Jiali , Liu Yilin , Zhao Fei , Chen Lingyun , Huang Jinbo , Wang Shichong , Wang Min , Jin Peng , Li Xingxin , Ren Xiang , Zhang Jing , Nie Neng , Zheng Yizhou , Jiang Erlie , Shao Yingqi
Published: February 2023

To characterize the immunological profiles of T-cell large granular lymphocyte leukemia (T-LGLL) in China, we studied and correlated the proportion among T lymphocyte subsets, CD3−CD16/CD56+ NK and CD19+ B cells in 39 T-LGLL patients. Our study identified increased percentage and absolute number of CD3+CD8+ T cells, meanwhile decreased CD3+CD4+ T cells and CD4/CD8 ratio in T-LGLL cases. Interestingly, there were significant correlations between CD3+CD8+ T cells and T-cell large granular lymphocyte (T-LGL). The significantly decreased percentage and absolute number of normal CD3−CD16/CD56+ NK and CD19+ B cells, which were significant correlations with CD3+CD4+ T, CD3+CD8+ T or CD4/CD8 ratios, were observed. Also we found that the percentage of CD3+CD8+ T cells in αβ T-LGLL was significantly higher than that in γδ T-LGLL. Thus, changes of T lymphocyte subsets, normal NK and B cells, and the correlations among them in Chinese patients with T-LGLL were determined.
Relationships Among Apparent Electrical Conductivity and Plant and Terrain Data in an Agroforestry System in the Ozark Highlands
Authors: Ylagan Shane , Brye Kristofor R. , Ashworth Amanda J. , Owens Phillip R. , Smith Harrison , Poncet Aurelie M. , Sauer Tom J. , Thomas Andrew L.
Published: February 2023

Minimal research has been conducted relating apparent electrical conductivity (ECa) surveys to plant and terrain properties in agroforestry systems. Objectives were to identify i) ECa survey relationships with forage yield, tree growth, and terrain attribute within ECa-derived soil management zones (SMZs) and ii) terrain attributes that drive ECa variability within a 20-year-old, 4.25-ha, agroforestry system in the Ozark Highlands of northwest Arkansas. The average of 12 monthly perpendicular (PRP) and horizontal coplanar (HCP) ECa surveys (August 2020 to July 2021) and 14 terrain attributes were obtained. Tree diameter at breast height (DBH) and height (TH) measurements were made in December 2020 and March 2021, respectively, and forage yield samples were collected during Summer 2018 and 2019. Apparent EC-tree property relationships were generally stronger within the whole site (averaged across tree property and ECa configuration, |r| = 0.38) than within the SMZs (averaged across tree property, ECa configuration, and SMZ, |r| = 0.27). The strength of the SMZs’ terrain-attribute-PRP-ECa relationships were 9 to 205% greater than that for the whole site. In whole-site, multi-linear regressions, Slope Length and Steepness Factor (10.5%), Mid-slope (9.4%), and Valley Depth (7.2%) had the greatest influence (i.e., percent of total sum of squares) on PRP ECa variability, whereas Valley Depth (15.3%), Wetness Index (11.9%), and Mid-slope (11.2%) had the greatest influence on HCP ECa variability. Results show how ECa relates to plant (i.e., DBH, TH, and forage yield) and terrain data within SMZs in agroforestry systems with varying topography and could be used to precisely manage agroforestry systems.
The utilization of bio-ethanol for production of 1-butanol catalysed byMg-Al mixed metal oxides enhanced by Cu or Co
Authors: Frolich Karel , Malina Jan , Hájek Martin , Mück Jáchym , Kocík Jaroslav
Published: February 2023

Ethanol, as a renewable raw material, is important source for preparation of higher alcohol and other add-value chemicals, which are currently produced from raw fossil materials. The Guerbet reaction is possible way to transformation of ethanol to 1-butanol (important for many kinds of industries), which consists of four steps: dehydrogenation, aldol condensation, dehydration, and hydrogenation. The reaction requires catalysis to favour 1-butanol, because of elimination of side reactions. The transformation was caried out via heterogeneous catalysis (Mg-Al mixed oxides with copper or cobalt) in the microflow reactor at three reaction temperatures (280, 300 and 350°C), which was the main aim of this work. The novelty especially lay in the statistically analysis of results from characterisations and catalysis (almost always omitted), which provided new perspective on the catalysis of the Guerbet reaction. The catalyst stability was proved by long term catalytic tests. The higher ethanol conversion, clear correlations of catalytic and characteristic data were achieved by copper dopped catalysts, compared to dopped by cobalt. Moreover, copper is more environmentally friendly, cheaper, and more used metal than cobalt.
Hot Tea Drinking and the Risk of Esophageal Cancer; A Hospital-based Case-control Study Tea Drinking and Risk of Esophageal Cancer
Authors: Pournaghi Seyed-Javad , Ahmadi Ali , Hamedi Andishe , Gholamalizadeh Maryam , Doaei Saeid , Lashkardoost Hossein
Published: February 2023

Purpose: One of the modifiable risk factors for esophageal cancer(EC) is hot beverages, but different studies have reported conflicting results. We aimed to identify the role of drinking habits in the development of EC in Iranian people.
Methods: This hospital-based case-control study was carried out on 96 people with EC and 187 subjects as controls in North Khorasan province, Iran. Socio-demographic factors and drinking habits were collected by using validated questionnaires. The association between EC and drinking habits was estimated after adjusting the effects of confounding factors such as ethnicity, education level and family history of cancer in STATA software with 95% CI.
Results: The average temperature of tea drinking in case groups were significantly higher compared to the control groups (56.9±5.9 vs 52.9±4.6ÕC, P=0.001). The tea temperature above 65° C and consumption of tea more than four times in one day, increased the risk of EC (OR: 6.1, 95% CI: 1.4-26.2, P=0.01 and OR: 10.3, 95% CI: 3.9-27.5, P<0.001, respectively). There was no significant association between cooking methods of foods and the risk of EC.
Conclusion: This study showed an association between tea temperature and the volume of tea consumption with the risk of EC. Avoiding hot food and drink may help prevent ESCC. It is suggested to design the appropriate educational intervention about prevention of these risk factors.
Evaluation of Bengali Handwritten Mathematical Equationusing Convolutional Neural Network
Authors: Khan Tashfiq Nahiyan Khan , Dewanjee Rachita Dewanjee , Shorna Nushrat Jahan Shorna , Sowad MD Mejbah Ur Rahman Sowad , Shawon Md. Tanvir Rouf Shawon
Published: February 2023

Humans are naturally capable of solving mathematical expressions, but machines lack the abilityto comprehend an issue through a visual context. Computers are gradually becoming moreadvanced and catching up with the subtlety and inaccuracy of real life. The need for an automatedsystem to check answer scripts of mathematical equations has become unparallel, especiallyfor Bengali handwritten scripts. This study checks each line of the solution of a mathematicalequation to evaluate its correctness using a deep learning approach. In contrast to earliermethods, this paper introduces a CNN architecture to verify the accuracy of a handwritten mathematicalequation in addition to solving the problem. The model reads a handwritten equationand validates its mathematical symbols and operations. A dataset has been created to evaluatethe models performance which is named ”BHQED”. The experimental result shows that theaccuracy of the proposed CNN architecture is 92.25% and the recall is 90.65% on our solelycreated dataset. To further boost the performance, this study applies the pretrained ResNet18model and substantially outperforms the CNN with an accuracy of 94.57% and recall of 93.69%.
The issue of loneliness for democracies – alienation, demobilisation, polarisation?
Authors:   , Langenkamp Alexander
Published: February 2023

The commulative thesis investigates the relationship between perceived loneliness and political participation. the results of four published papers indicate that loneliness causes distrust and sense of alienation, which leads to political demobilization as well as polarization.
The Influence of Empowering Leadership on Employee Agility: Focusing on the Mediating Effects of Role Breadth Self-Efficacy and Intrinsic Motivation
Authors:   Human Engagement Institute, Ankhtsetseg Ganbold , Lee Hyuneung
Published: February 2023

The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between empowering leadership, role breadth self-efficacy, intrinsic motivation, and employee agility. To this end, data collected from 228 organizational members were analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM). The findings of the study are as follows: First, empowering leadership had a significant positive relationship with employees' role breadth self-efficacy. Second, empowering leadership had a significant positive relationship with employees' intrinsic motivation. Third, role breadth self-efficacy and intrinsic motivation both had significant positive relationships with employee agility. Finally, role breadth self-efficacy and intrinsic motivation fully mediated the relationship between empowering leadership and employee agility. The results imply that empowering leaders can facilitate employees' proactive and adaptive behavior by building confidence in their ability to perform integrated roles and enhancing their intrinsic motivation.
Latent Transition Analysis of Middle School Students' Fandom Activity and School Adjustment Competency
Authors:   Human Engagement Institute, Lee Sangmi , Kim Namhee
Published: February 2023

The purpose of this study is to use Korea Children and Youth Panel Survey 2018 (KCYPS 2018) data to identify latent profile types for fandom activity in the first year of middle school and school adjustment competency in the third year of middle school, and to analyze the transition patterns and predictive factors to each time point. For this purpose, latent transition analysis was conducted. Fandom activities were found to be active when academic helplessness was high or life satisfaction was low. Female students were more likely to be in the online type and male students were more likely to be in the normal type of fandom activity. It was found that the lower the academic helplessness, the higher the life satisfaction, the more positive parenting attitude, the higher the grades, the higher the likelihood of belonging to the excellent school adjustment group. In the passive type of fandom activity, based on the poor school adjustment group or the average school adjustment group, the lower the academic helplessness, the higher the possibility of transfer to the excellent school adjustment group. Through the analysis of the latent profile, it was possible to distinguish the latent classes for the middle school student fandom activities and the school life adjustment group. Individual factors, family factors, and school factors affecting school life adjustment, which were not identified in previous studies, were analyzed inclusively. It is meaningful in that it revealed that factors such as academic helplessness, life satisfaction, parenting attitudes, and academic achievement satisfaction were important in the transition of the potential profile type of fandom activities to school adjustment. Previous studies have used only KCYPS 2018 1st year data as cross- sectional data, but this study is meaningful in that it used longitudinal data including data from 3rd year to analyze metastasis.
Dynamic response of a space flexible arm with a moving mass
Authors: Zhao Liang
Published: February 2023

The dynamic characteristic of a space rotating flexible arm with moving mass were investigated. The space arm with moving mass can rotate around the fixed end in horizontal and vertical planes simultaneously. And the lateral deflections of the arm in the two planes were considered. The equations of the structure were derived by the Lagrange’s equation with the assumed mode method. And a system of binary second order linear differential equations is gotten. Based on the central difference method, a conditionally stable algorithm for solving the equations is established. Due to the coupling of lateral displacements of the arm in horizontal and vertical planes, the increase of the angular velocity in one plane will increase the lateral displacements in the other plane. When the angle between the arm and the horizontal plane increases, the component of gravity along the normal direction of the beam will decrease, resulting in a decrease in lateral displacements in vertical plane, however, it will lead to a decrease in stiffness in horizontal plane and thus an increase in lateral displacements. Compared with moving mass, moving load ignores the influence of inertial force, so the calculation results of moving mass and moving load are different. The conclusions provide calculation basis for the design of similar structures.
Novel application of robust GWO-KELM model in predicting discharge coefficient of radial gates: a field data-based analysis
Authors: Roushangar Kiyoumars , Alirezazadeh Sadaghiani Arman , Shahnazi Saman
Published: February 2023

Accurate determination of discharge capacity in radial gates as commonly designed check structures is of great importance in hydraulic engineering research. The discharge coefficient plays the most dominant role in calculating the flow discharge through the radial gates. The main goal of this study is to adopt Grey Wolf Optimization-based Kernel Extreme Learning Machine (KELM-GWO) to further improve the prediction accuracy of the discharge coefficient of radial gates. To compare the supreme performance of the proposed model, kernel-depend support vector machine (SVM) and Gaussian process regression (GPR) were employed. An extensive field database consisting of 546 data samples gathered from different types of radial gates was established for building prediction models. The modeling results indicated that the proposed KELM-GWO model (correlation coefficient [R] = 0.927, and root mean squared error [RMSE] = 0.018) and SVM model (correlation coefficient [R] = 0.940, and root mean squared error [RMSE] = 0.022) demonstrated better performance under free and submerged flow conditions, respectively. Moreover, it was found that the applied kernel-depend approaches can be suitable options to predict the discharge coefficient of radial gates under varied submergence conditions with a satisfactory level of accuracy.
Assessment of groundwater quality in Vavuniya and Mullaitivu, Sri Lanka using multivariate statistical techniques and a Water Quality Index
Authors: Meegahakumbura S. P. S. , Nanayakkara Nadeeshani
Published: February 2023

Groundwater is the primary source of potable water in the Northern province of Sri Lanka. Extensive development projects, comprising resettlements after the civil war, resulted in more groundwater extraction. This study focused to assess water quality considering drinking by developing a Water Quality Index (WQI), applying Hierarchical Cluster Analysis (HCA) and Principal Component Analysis (PCA), and developing spatial distribution maps. Findings revealed more than 50% of samples reported total dissolved solid (TDS), hardness, and alkalinity values above the Sri Lankan drinking water quality standards (SLS 614:2013). 7 and 13% of sampling sites were in the ‘Excellent’ and ‘Poor’ subclasses, respectively. PCA results explained >77% of variability by the first four principal components (PCs). PC1 and PC2 reflect geogenic processes while PC3 reflects natural processes like high rainfall and PC4 indicates anthropogenic pollution sources. HCA rendered 122 sampling sites into three clusters. An integrated map of the WQI and three clusters discovers a predominant analysis of potable water quality, highlighting the deterioration of groundwater quality mainly in the study area's 18 Grama Niladhari Divisions (GNDs). Artificial recharging at the household level and introducing proper sanitation facilities and regulations in agricultural practices shall be implemented to improve the WQI further.
Electro-Fenton mineralization of real textile wastewater by micron-sized ZVI powder anode
Authors: Xue Wenjuan , Hong Xiaoting , Du Yingying , Chen Bin
Published: February 2023

The diverse compositions and complex nature of the textile wastewater make it imperative to find an economical and suitable degradation pathway. The degradation of real textile wastewater on a novel heterogeneous electro-Fenton system was carried out with a composite anode of magnetically fixed micron ZVI coupling with a Ti/RuO2-IrO2 sheet. The influences of different variables such as mZVI dosage, H2O2 amount, applied voltage and pH value on both total organic carbon and chemical oxygen demand removal efficiencies and energy consumption were investigated. The optimized parameters were simultaneously verified by using electrochemical workstation Tafel curves and Nyquist plots. The optimal operating conditions for evaluating the wastewater treatment were H2O2 dosage of 0.10 mol·L−1, applied voltage of 5.0 V, mZVI amount of 1.0 g·L−1 and initial pH value of 3.0. The high TOC and COD removal efficiencies of 92.44 and 82.84% could be achieved simultaneously in 60 min, respectively. XRD, XPS and SEM-EDS were used to investigate the interaction between the pollutant and the mZVI. GC-MS analysis was performed on untreated and treated wastewater to determine the degradation of pollutants in dyeing wastewater during the electro-Fenton process and to effectively propose a suitable degradation mechanism for this system.
La responsabilidad parental desde la experiencia de familias migrantes latinoamericanas usuarias de Chile Crece Contigo
Authors: Grau Rengifo María Olaya , Cárdenas Sánchez María Elvira , Espejo Yaksic Nicolás
Published: February 2023

Nos proponemos analizar cómo significan los padres migrantes en Santiago de Chile su ejercicio de responsabilidad parental y examinar cómo se percibe este ejercicio desde la mirada de las profesionales del sistema Chile Crece Contigo (en adelante, ChCC). Para esto, se realizaron entrevistas a familias migrantes latinoamericanas con hijos de hasta cinco años, un grupo de discusión y entrevistas a las encargadas de las salas de estimulación de los Centros de Salud Familiar de la Región Metropolitana. Se evidenció que los padres migrantes toman decisiones en relación con sus hijos sobre lo que consideran que significa el buen ejercicio de la responsabilidad parental, donde prima como motivación el interés superior de los niños. Por otra parte, que el apoyo que brinda el Estado en el ejercicio de crianza tiene distintas miradas desde la perspectiva de los padres, lo que pone de manifiesto la responsabilidad parental como un deber y un privilegio preferente frente al Estado y, en este caso, frente a los profesionales del ChCC en representación de esta. Por último, se evidencian tensiones y desafíos que permitirían complejizar el tratamiento de la responsabilidad parental desde la diversidad cultural, como la falta de tiempo frente al deseo de hacer presencia en la crianza, lo que va de la mano con las tensiones sobre la corresponsabilidad; la utilización de métodos de disciplina violentos en la crianza como práctica aceptada; y, por último, el ofrecimiento de un sistema de apoyo en la crianza, frente a la carencia de una competencia intercultural de la política pública.
Dimensión geoespacial de la segregación académica y social del rendimiento de alumnos en las escuelas de educación secundaria en Lima Metropolitana
Authors: Muelle Luis Edgardo
Published: February 2023

Este estudio analiza y compara la segregación académica y social por nivel socioeconómico, entre los distritos de Lima Metropolitana, res­pecto al rendimiento logrado por los alumnos en los test de matemática, lectura y ciencias aplicados durante el Censo Escolar 2019 en segundo grado de educación secundaria. Para medir la segregación, utiliza el índice de disimilitud, que destaca la importancia de las escuelas privadas; el índice de información mutua, que informa sobre la segregación inter- e intraes­cuelas; y el índice de aislamiento, que mide la probabilidad de distinguir los alumnos pertenecientes a una misma categoría social. Asimismo, se presenta el índice de autocorrelación de Moran, que visualiza la existencia de conglomerados social y académicamente diferenciados según la ubicación territorial de las escuelas. Estos índices revelan una estructura heterogénea de la segregación cuya intensidad varía según la composición social de las escuelas públicas y privadas en cada distrito de la región metropolitana. Los patrones de localización geográfica ayudan a entender los efectos de proximidad y diferenciación social, escolar y residencial, y plantean una mayor reflexión geoespacial para monitorear mejor el funcionamiento de las escuelas y promover la igualdad de los aprendizajes.
Legal Regulation of Food Waste Handling in Russia
Authors: Epishov A. P. , Voronov A. V. , Kovalenko M. A.
Published: February 2023

Problems dealing with legal regulations of food waste handling are an acute sphere for the Russian Federation. Foods with expiring period and food losses can contaminate the environment and harmful and dangerous substances, which they exude, can get into near-by springs, rivers and arable fields. Water from contaminated rivers and springs, as well as bread cultivated on such fields can be consumed by peoples living in surrounding villages and towns, which can ruin their health. Today the effective system of food waste regulation includes numerous legislative and normative acts inscribed in different legislative blocks: general legislation, legislation on wastes, veterinary legislation and legislation on technical regulation, sanitary and epidemiologic legislation. However, there are a lot of problems dealing with food waste handling that have not been exposed in a proper way. The Federal Law dated June 24, 1998 N 89-FZ ‘Concerning Wastes of Production and Consumption’ does not provide the definition of ‘food waste’. The requirements for obligatory separate stocking of foods are stipulated only by legislation on technical regulation and sanitary and epidemiologic legislation. The requirements for utilization of foods are envisaged by veterinary legislation, legislation on technical regulation and sanitary and epidemiologic legislation. The owner of food waste can chose ways and conditions of utilization and possible methods of food waste destruction. After analyzing the effective normative acts covering requirements for food waste handling the authors came to the conclusion that the major part of these legislative blocks does not provide conditions of priority utilization of food waste.