bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Impact of Type II Diabetes Mellitus on Non-surgical Periodontal Treatment: A Non-randomized Clinical Trial
Authors: Belizário Lícia Clara Garcia , Figueredo Carlos Marcelo S. , Rodrigues João Victor Soares , Cirelli Thamiris , Garcia Valdir Gouveia , Theodoro Letícia Helena
Published: September 2024

Background/Objectives: Periodontitis (P), a chronic inflammatory condition that affects the supportive tissues around the teeth, is 3 to 4 times more prevalent in individuals with diabetes mellitus (DM), with a direct correlation between its severity and the levels of glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1c). This study aimed to evaluate the periodontal clinical parameters following non-surgical periodontal treatment (NSPT) in patients with and without type 2 DM and P. Methods: Forty patients with P were divided into two groups: Group DM/P and Group P. All patients were assessed at baseline, and 90 and 180 days after receiving NSPT. The parameters evaluated included HbA1c levels, plaque index (PI), probing pocket depth (PPD), clinical attachment level (CAL), and bleeding on probing (BoP). Statistical analysis was performed with a significance level set at α = 5%. Results: There were significant differences in HbA1c levels between the DM/P and P groups at baseline, 90, and 180 days, as expected. Importantly, HbA1c levels did not change after NSPT. Group P showed a significant reduction in both PI and BoP values at 90 and 180 days (p < 0.05). In contrast, group DM/P demonstrated a significant increase in the percentage of sites with PPD ≥ 5mm at 180 days (p < 0.05). Additionally, group P exhibited an increase in sites with PPD ≤ 4mm and a decrease in sites with PPD ≥ 5mm at both 90 and 180 days (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Our findings suggest that DM may compromise the effectiveness of NSPT, potentially hindering favorable outcomes during the follow-up period.
Assessment of Thermal Influence on an Orthodontic System by Means of the Finite Element Method
Authors: Petrescu Stelian-Mihai-Sever , Popescu Mihai , Popescu Mihai Raul , Popa Dragoș Laurențiu , Ilie Dumitru , Duță Alina , Răcilă Laurențiu Daniel , Vintilă Daniela Doina , Buciu Gabriel , Rauten Anne-Marie
Published: September 2024

The development of the finite element method (FEM) combined block polynomial interpolation with the concepts of finite difference formats and the variation principle. Because of this combination, FEM overcomes the shortcomings of traditional variation methods while maintaining the benefits of current variation methods and the flexibility of the finite difference method. As a result, FEM is an advancement above the traditional variation methods. The aim of the study is to experimentally determine the thermal behavior of two stomatognathic systems, one control and the other presenting orthodontic treatment by means of a fixed metallic orthodontic appliance, both being subjected to several thermal regimes. In order to carry out this experimental study, we examined the case of a female subject, who was diagnosed with Angle class I malocclusion. The patient underwent a bimaxillary CBCT investigation before initiating the orthodontic treatment. A three-dimensional model with fully closed surfaces was obtained by using the InVesalius and Geomagic programs. Like the tissues examined in the patient, bracket and tube-like components, as well as orthodontic wires, can be included to these models. Once it is finished and geometrically accurate, the model is exported to a FEM-using program, such as Ansys Workbench. The intention was to study the behavior of two stomatognathic systems (with and without a fixed metallic orthodontic appliance) subjected to very hot food (70 ⁰C) and very cold food (-18 ⁰C). From the analysis of the obtained data, it was concluded that, following the simulations carried out in the presence of the fixed metallic orthodontic appliance, significantly higher temperatures were generated in the dental pulp.
Constructing Bimetallic Cobalt-Iron MOF-derived Carbon for Efficiently Activating Peroxydisulfate to Improve Degradation of Organic Pollutants
Authors: Liu Qin , Zhang Hua li , Zhang Kang hui , Li Jin xiu , Cui Jia heng
Published: September 2024

Peroxydisulfate activation has garnered a lot of interest due to its benefits of broad adaptability, strong anti-interference ability, and powerful oxidation capacity. Due to their low cost and potent action, carbon materials are new green catalysts that have garnered interest. In order to effectively degrade organic contaminants in water by activating peroxydisulfate, carbon compounds are currently commonly used. Better metal ions for activating peroxydisulfate include Fe2+ and Co2+, and these metal ions can be encapsulated in carbon compounds made by calcinating metal organic framework（MOFs ）as precursors. The synthesis of carbon compounds from MOF precursors as well as their effectiveness and mechanism in reducing organic pollutants in peroxydisulfate systems. The following are the specific research contents: NH2-MIL-101 (Fe/Co) bimetallic MOFs material was synthesized by hydrothermally altering the Fe3+ to Co2+ ratio, followed by the carbonization of Fe/Co-CNs. XRD, SEM, TEM, FT-IR, and XPS were used to analyze the materials' morphology, structure, and chemical make-up. The results demonstrate that Fe/Co-CNs-2 (Co2+ doping concentration approaches 20%) has a stable three-dimensional carbon structure and effectively incorporated Co ions into the carbon material. The simultaneous encapsulation of both Fe and Co metals by the three-dimensional carbon skeleton ensures material stability and reaction activity. Tetracycline hydrochloride was reported to degrade more quickly in Fe/Co-CNs-2 than in other Co2+ doping concentrations within 30 minutes of peroxymonosulfate（PMS） activation. The degradation rate of Fe/Co-CNs-2 for 20 mg/L TC was determined to be 93.34% within 30 minutes under the following conditions: Fe/Co-CNs-2 concentration of 0.1 g/L, PMS concentration of 0.2 g/L, and pH of 7.33. The catalyst also demonstrates good stability. Last but not least, the Fe/Co-CNs-2 free radical quenching experiment revealed that singlet oxygen (1O2) is the primary active species in the reaction system, and a potential mechanism was examined by combining degradation and XPS analysis.
Enhanced Multi-Scale Attention-Driven 3D Human Reconstruction from Single Image
Authors: Ren Yong , Zhou Mingquan , Zhou Pengbo , Wang Shibo , Liu Yangyang , Geng Guohua , Li Kang , Cao Xin
Published: September 2024

Due to the inherent limitations of a single viewpoint, reconstructing 3D human meshes 1 from a single image has long been a challenging task. While deep learning networks enable us to 2 approximate the shape of unseen sides, capturing the texture details of the non-visible side remains 3 difficult with just one image. Traditional methods utilize Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs) 4 to predict the normal maps of the non-visible side, thereby inferring detailed textures and wrinkles 5 on the model’s surface. However, we have identified challenges with existing normal prediction 6 networks when dealing with complex scenes, such as a lack of focus on local features and insufficient 7 modeling of spatial relationships.To address these challenges, we introduce EMAR—Enhanced 8 Multi-scale Attention-driven Single Image 3D Human Reconstruction. This approach incorporates 9 a novel Enhanced Multi-Scale Attention (EMSA) mechanism, which excels at capturing intricate 10 features and global relationships in complex scenes. EMSA surpasses traditional single-scale attention 11 mechanisms by adaptively adjusting the weights between features, enabling the network to more 12 effectively leverage information across various scales.Furthermore, we have improved the feature 13 fusion method to better integrate representations from different scales. This enhanced feature fusion 14 allows the network to more comprehensively understand both fine details and global structures 15 within the image. Finally, we have designed a hybrid loss function tailored to the introduced attention 16 mechanism and feature fusion method, optimizing the network’s training process and enhancing the 17 quality of reconstruction results.Our network demonstrates significant improvements in performance 18 for 3D human model reconstruction. Experimental results show that our method exhibits greater 19 robustness to challenging poses compared to traditional single-scale approaches.
Two-Step Fifth-Order Efficient Jacobian-Free Iterative Method for Solving Nonlinear Systems
Authors: Cordero Alicia , Maimó Javier G. , Rodríguez-Cabral Antmel , Torregrosa And Juan R.
Published: September 2024

This article introduces a novel two-step fifth-order Jacobian-free iterative method aimed at efficiently solving systems of nonlinear equations. The method leverages the benefits of Jacobian-free approaches, utilizing divided differences to circumvent the computationally intensive calculation of Jacobian matrices. This adaptation significantly reduces computational overhead and simplifies the implementation process while maintaining high convergence rates. We demonstrate that this method achieves fifth-order convergence under specific parameter settings, with a broad applicability across various types of nonlinear systems. The effectiveness of the proposed method is validated through a series of numerical experiments which confirm its superior performance in terms of accuracy and computational efficiency compared to existing methods.
Mathematical Modelling of Physical Reality: From Numbers to Fractals, Quantum Mechanics and the Standard Model
Authors: Kupczynski Marian
Published: September 2024

In physics we construct idealized mathematical models in order to explain various phenomena which we observe or create in our laboratories. In this article, I recall how sophisticated mathematical models evolved from the concept of a number created thousands years ago and I discuss some challenges and open questions in quantum foundations and in the standard model. We liberated nuclear energy, landed on the Moon and built ‘quantum computers’. Encouraged by these successes many believe, that when we reconcile the general relativity with the quantum theory then we will have the correct theory of everything. Perhaps, we should be much more humble. Our perceptions of reality are biased by our senses and by our brain bending them to meet our priors and expectations. Our abstract mathematical models describe only in an approximate way different layers of physical reality. To describe the motion of a meteorite we can use a concept of a material point but the point-like approximation breaks completely, when the meteorite hits the Earth. Similarly, thermodynamic, chemical, molecular, atomic, nuclear, elementary particle layers of physical reality are described using specific abstract mathematical models and approximations. In my opinion, the theory of everything does not exist.
Clinical, Diagnostic, and Metabolic Characteristics Associated with Nephrolithiasis in the Black Women’s Health Study
Authors: D'Amico Maria J , Babayan Richard , Wang David , Wason Shaun , Cozier Yvette C
Published: September 2024

Background/Objectives: Nephrolithiasis is a common urologic condition and a significant source of patient morbidity and healthcare expenditure. Despite the higher prevalence of metabolic risk factors for nephrolithiasis among Black women, there have been few epidemiologic studies of kidney stones focusing on this group. Methods: We describe demographic and health characteristics, diagnostic, and metabolic profiles of women with self-reported kidney stones among participants in the Black Women’s Health Study (BWHS), a large prospective cohort of U.S. Black women. Results: Among the 2,750 BWHS participants who completed an online supplemental questionnaire assessing urologic health, 201 women reported nephrolithiasis. Of this number, 62% had completed ≥16 years of education and 82% reported access to health care. Overall, 39% reported experiencing ≥2 stones in their lifetime and 29% required surgery to treat the condition. Thirty-two percent reported having completed a metabolic evaluation, while 70% had undergone a CT-scan to diagnose nephrolithiasis. The frequency of metabolic evaluation increased with the number of metabolic components reported: 3% (0 components) to 43% (3-4 components). Conclusions: Our findings are consistent with reports of lower rates of metabolic evaluation among Black patients despite their having multiple risk factors for nephrolithiasis. Further study is needed to identify the barriers and facilitators of metabolic and diagnostic workup of nephrolithiasis in Black women.
A Survey on Real-Time Metaverse: Challenges and Opportunities
Authors: Hatami Mohsen , Qu Qian , Chen Yu , Kholidy Hisham , Blasch Erik , Ardiles-Cruz Erika
Published: September 2024

Metaverse represents a multifaceted digital universe integrating diverse technologies to create immersive, interconnected virtual environments. Key components foundational to its structure include the infrastructure layer for hardware and network support, the human interface layer utilizing virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) devices, and a decentralized layer leveraging blockchain for secure digital asset management. Further components encompass spatial computing for realistic 3D environments, the creator economy for content generation and monetization, and discovery mechanisms for navigation within Metaverse. VR, AR, blockchain, AI, the fifth-generation (5G) networks, and the Internet of Things (IoT) are central to Metaverse functionality, enabling real-time interactions and data integration. Real-Time Metaverse aims to replicate instantaneous real-world interactions, requiring advanced technological infrastructure for seamless data exchange. Critical challenges include ensuring low latency, high bandwidth, scalability, and robust security measures. Metaverse’s potential spans various domains, promising to revolutionize social interactions, entertainment, workplaces, and education through dynamic, immersive experiences. Ongoing advancements in high-performance computing, cloud services, and AI-driven technologies are essential for addressing existing barriers and achieving a cohesive, secure, and inclusive Metaverse ecosystem. Future research must focus on enhancing user experience, accessibility, and standardized interoperability to fully realize the transformative capabilities of a Metaverse.
Advanced ENF Region Classification Using UniTS-SinSpec: A Novel Approach Integrating Sinusoidal Activation Function and Spectral Attention
Authors: LI Yujin , LU Tianliang , ZENG Gaojun , ZHAO Kai , PENG Shufan
Published: September 2024

The electric network frequency (ENF), often referred to as the industrial heartbeat, plays a crucial role in the power system. In recent years, it has found applications in multimedia evidence identification for court proceedings and audio-visual temporal source identification. This paper introduces a ENF region classification model named UniTS-SinSpec within the UniTS framework. The model integrates the si-nusoidal activation function and spectral attention mechanism while also redesigning the model frame-work. Training is conducted using a public dataset on the open science framework platform (OSF), with final experimental results demonstrating that after parameter optimization, the UniTS-SinSpec model achieves an average validation accuracy of 97.47%, surpassing current state-of-the-art and baseline models. Accurate classification can significantly aid in ENF temporal source identification. Future re-search will focus on expanding dataset coverage and diversity to verify the model's generality and ro-bustness across different regions, time spans, and data sources. Additionally, it aims to explore extensive application potential of ENF region classification in preventing crimes such as telecommunications fraud, terrorism, and child pornography.
Econometric Analysis of GDP and Income Inequality in Greece: A Diachronic Study Across Pre-Crisis, Crisis, and Post-Crisis Periods
Authors: Karountzos Panagiotis , Giannakopoulos Nikolaos T. , Sakas Damianos P. , Migkos Stavros P. , Efthalitsidou Kyriaki I.
Published: September 2024

This study examines the relationship between Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and income inequality in Greece across three key periods: the pre-crisis period (2003-2008), the crisis and memoranda period (2009-2014), and the post-crisis period (2015-2020). Using data from the World Bank Open Data database, the study employs correlation analysis, and linear regression models to analyze how economic changes influence income distribution. The findings reveal that during the pre-crisis period, economic growth was moderately correlated with increasing inequality, although this relationship was not statistically significant, indicating uneven distribution of growth benefits. In the crisis period, a strong and statistically significant negative relationship between GDP and the Gini coefficient was identified, highlighting the sharp rise in inequality as the economy contracted due to austerity measures. In the post-crisis period, the relationship between GDP and inequality weakened, showing a statistically insignificant correlation, suggesting that economic recovery alone did not significantly reduce inequality. The study concludes that economic growth is insufficient to address income inequality without targeted policy interventions, particularly during periods of crisis. These findings underscore the importance of comprehensive social policies to mitigate inequality and suggest areas for future research on the impact of specific interventions on income distribution.
Potential Impacts of Diversification of Food Retail Working Hours on Consumer Behaviour and the Benefits for Local Producers
Authors: Proskina Liga , Janmere Lana , Cerina Sallija , Pilvere Irina , Pilvere Aija , Nipers Aleksejs , Proskina Daniela
Published: September 2024

The capability of large food retail chains to respond quickly to changes in consumer behaviour and their dominant market position affects all food market players and often conflicts with the interests of national food producers, which can reduce the presence of locally sourced products in the food product mix in the country. In Latvia, there have been several proposals to limit retailers' opening hours on weekends and public holidays to increase the viability of small local food producers, retailers, and catering enterprises; however, limiting retailers' opening hours without research-based arguments is unacceptable. The research studies conducted in Europe also do not give a unified conclusion. Household consumer behaviour in the food market is viewed as an essential argument for increasing domestic demand and economic stability. Accordingly, the present research aims to identify the impacts of diversification of opening hours of food supermarkets on consumer shopping habits and the implications for creating an advantage for small and medium agri-food producers in selling their products. The research applied a quantitative approach to identify the main trends in society (n=2738), with a survey including 31 variables to quantify consumer behaviour, values, and opinions and seven socio-demographic variables. If a decision were made in Latvia to close grocery shops on Sundays or reduce their opening hours on weekends, 85% of consumers indicated that they would be unlikely to change their usual shopping location and would plan to shop at a supermarket on other days. The choice between farmers' markets and local food shops on Sundays would be made by 45% of consumers, with more than half (53%) of them shopping at local food shops at least a few times a month. It could, therefore, be argued that reducing the opening hours of supermarkets and closing them on Sundays and public holidays do not provide a competitive advantage and do not divert consumers to small and medium agri-food producers.
Machine Learning Discoveries of ABC Transporter-X Synergy in ETC-1922159 Treated Colorectal Cancer Cells
Authors: Sinha Shriprakash
Published: September 2024

Often, in biology, we are faced with the problem of exploring relevant unknown biological hypotheses in the form of myriads of combinations of factors/genes/proteins that might be affecting the pathway under certain conditions. In colorectal cancer (CRC) cells treated with ETC-1922159, many genes were found up and down regu- lated, individually. A recently developed search engine ranked combinations of ATP- binding cassette (ABC) transporters-X (X, a particular gene/protein) at 2nd order level after drug administration. These rankings reveal which ABC-X combinations might be working synergistically in CRC. If found true, oncologists can further test the com- bination of interest in wet lab and determine the mechanism of functioning between the ABC and X. In this research work, we cover combinations of ABC with ubiquitin- conjugating enzymes (UBE2), Interleukin (IL), BCL and Caspase (CASP).
A Multi-Dimensional Evaluation of Turkish Public Opinion towards the United States
Authors: Tokdemir Efe , Metintaş Melike , Köstem Seçkin
Published: September 2024

Türkiye - United States relations have a multifaceted character and have spanned a long period, witnessing ups and downs throughout their historical trajectory. Türkiye’s relations with and foreign policy towards the US have been closely monitored by the public, and diverse perspectives towards the US have emerged within Turkish public opinion over time. This paper investigates the various factors that affect Turkish public opinion towards the US. Previous studies have generally examined public opinion through the demand side, exploring what features of the public predict their behavior towards other countries. In this research, we examine what exactly it is about the US that the public likes or dislikes. The research question of this article is: What are the determinants of the variation in individuals’ foreign policy attitudes towards the US in Türkiye? By answering this question through survey data conducted in 2021, we aim to present the economic, security-related, and political reasons behind the Turkish public’s positive and negative attitudes toward the US. The findings demonstrate that individuals are influenced by various dimensions pertaining to the US and its relations with Türkiye. The respondents’ demographic characteristics and political and foreign policy attitudes have resulted in disparate opinions regarding these multiple dimensions.
A Мodular approach to the development of additional professional education programs for the training of medical specialists: analysis and prospects.
Authors:   Federal State Budgetary Military Educational Institution of Higher Education «Kirov military medical academy» of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, Makiev R. G. , Sviridova T. B. ,   The branch of the Federal state budgetary military educational institution of higher education «Kirov military medical academy» of the ministry of defense of the Russian Federation in the city of Moscow, Lutikov A. S. ,   The branch of the Federal state budgetary military educational institution of higher education «Kirov military medical academy» of the ministry of defense of the Russian Federation in the city of Moscow
Published: September 2024

The modular principle of building programs of additional professional education (DPE) is becoming more and more relevant and in demand in the training of medical specialists. This principle involves dividing the educational program into small autonomous modules, each of which focuses on specific competencies, knowledge and skills. This approach allows you to organize training more flexibly, take into account the needs and interests of employers and students, as well as ensure effective mastering of the material. The purpose of the article is to analyze the modular principle of building DPO programs for the training of medical specialists. We will consider the basic principles of the modular approach, its advantages and disadvantages, as well as the prospects of modularity in improving the quality of training specialists in the medical field. Materials and methods. As part of this study, we analyzed the experience of using the modular principle of building advanced training and professional retraining programs at the Department (nursing Management) at the branch of the Military Medical Academy in Moscow (VmedA in Moscow). Results. When analyzing the data, there is an increase in the level of knowledge demonstrated during testing both in the whole period of the study (by 2.4%) and in the context of individual groups formed by areas of training in specialties/specializations (74% of groups showed an increase in the effectiveness of training in a modular system compared with the classical one). Conclusions. The analysis of the modular principle of building additional professional education programs for the training of medical specialists is important to ensure their professional growth, compliance with modern requirements and improvement of the quality of medical care, which makes this topic relevant and scientifically significant.
On the issue of legal support for long-term strategy in prevention of chronic non-communicable diseases in Russia.
Authors:   The Federal State Budget Scientific Institution “The N. A. Semashko National Research Institute of Public Health” of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Education, Zagoruychenko A. A. , Blinkova L. N. ,   The Federal State Budget Scientific Institution “The N. A. Semashko National Research Institute of Public Health” of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Education, Nechaev V. S. ,   The Federal State Budget Scientific Institution “The N. A. Semashko National Research Institute of Public Health” of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Education
Published: September 2024

The high prevalence of chronic non-communicable diseases requires improved approaches to increase the efficiency of primary health care in terms of medical examinations and preventive medical examinations. The purpose of this study is to analyze modern domestic legislation regarding the implementation of preventive measures (preventive examinations, clinical examination of the population, etc.) for the prevention of non-communicable diseases. Materials and methods. Scientific publications and regulatory documents of the Federal and regional levels were used. Methods of bibliographic, comparative analysis, study and generalization of experience were used. Results. The analysis identified some problems in the communication interaction of medical organizations in the provision of primary health care and other non-departmental institutions, as well as in the development of legal regulation in parallel with the introduction of new technologies in the prevention of chronic NCDs. Conclusions. Thus, in the future, it seems objectively justified to improve the organizational and management model and integrate a set of regulatory legal documents into a unified system for regulating the prevention of chronic non-diseases; it is also necessary to change the mentality of society in relation to health as the highest human value, and accepted and accepted documents should be compared to eliminate possible duplication.
Thirty-five Years of Reporting of Sex and Race in Clinical Studies of U.S. FDA-Authorized Orthopaedic Devices
Authors: Jiang Hongying , Kavlock Katherine , Li Qin , Mistry Shruti , Hermes Valerie , Gibbs Alonza , Adegboyega-Panox Elizabeth , Peat Raquel
Published: September 2024

Background:

At the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the mission of the Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH) is to ensure that all patients and providers have timely and continued access to safe, effective, and high-quality medical devices and safe radiation-emitting products. Although the CDRH has observed enrollment differences in some clinical trials, no systematic analysis has been conducted regarding enrollment differences in baseline demographics, to our knowledge.

Methods:

The CDRH has summarized information on study participants and their baseline demographics in public-facing documentation for all authorized medical devices that involved orthopaedic clinical studies from 1985 to 2020. Descriptive analyses and exploratory statistical testing have been conducted to investigate the reported percentages by sex and race compared with those reported in the U.S. National Census and the American Joint Replacement Registry (AJRR), respectively.

Results:

We identified 94 submissions and corresponding combined clinical trials from 261 original clinical study arms with 34,193 participants. Most of the submissions reported age and sex, while only 36 submissions (38.3%) reported racial demographics. Among the 88 trials providing enrollment by sex, the female enrollment percentage ranged from 22.2% to 88.7%, with a mean of 55.0%. In the submissions that reported racial data (38.3%), White and Black patients had a mean enrollment of 89.2% (range, 64.8% to 98.7%) and 6.2% (range, 0.4% to 20.7%), respectively. The enrollment for other minority groups ranged from 0% to 3.0%. These clinical trials have shown numerically lower female representation (55.0%) but higher White representation (89.2%) than what has been reported in the AJRR. The other racial groups have participated much less than their corresponding percentages in the U.S. population, but they are similarly represented in the AJRR.

Conclusions:

The clinical trials supporting the FDA’s authorization of orthopaedic devices had a wide range of sex and racial enrollments. It appears that female enrollment mirrors the percentage of women in the U.S. population. However, despite prior efforts, some racial groups are still underrepresented. The FDA has made a commitment to advancing health equity as part of the 2022-2025 Strategic Priorities of the CDRH. We hope that the results of this study will help health-care professionals make informed clinical decisions when using medical devices.
Challenges and Solutions in Student Teachers’ Microteaching for English Language Teaching
Authors: Yundayani Audi , Alghadari Fiki
Published: September 2024

Microteaching experience is a compulsory subject as a practical training technique that provides prospective teachers with many opportunities to design their effective teaching techniques before they are involved in real classroom experiences as English teachers. However, the challenges and solutions in conducting microteaching in student teachers in English language teaching (ELT) remain under-researched. Therefore, this study addressed this issue, notably in Indonesian English as a foreign language. Three student teachers from an English study program of a private educational higher institution were recruited as the participants. The data were collected through semi- structured interviews and analysed with Thematic Analysis (TA). The research result identified themes related to the obstacles English student teachers face in teacher training and education programs when executing the microteaching process and solution. It covers their lack of conceptual knowledge of instructional design, their incapability in classroom management, their lack of understanding of the character of students, their incapability to perceive the role of reflective teaching and their lack of self-confidence. Developing a microteaching endeavour that facilitates practical teaching experiences and enables English teacher candidates to hone their teaching abilities by improving various teaching skills is advisable.
The tourist transformation of seaports. Cases from Spain and UK
Authors: BARRERA-FERNÁNDEZ DANIEL , HERNÁNDEZ-ESCAMPA MARCO , GÓMEZ BACHILLER EVA MARÍA
Published: September 2024

Many cities around the world have transformed their old industrial ports to introduce new tourist uses. From the pioneer example of Baltimore (United States), the model has been repeated and adapted in cities on the five continents, given the obsolescence of the facilities and the demand for new consumption spaces. This paper analyzes the cases of Malaga (Andalusia, Spain) and Plymouth (England, United Kingdom) to adapt them to the visit of cruises and yachts, as well as commercial and leisure activities. The methodology is based on fieldwork and analysis of documentary sources. Five approaches have been taken into account: external accessibility, internal mobility, activities, heritage protection, and integration in the urban context. The results are presented in comparative maps and a reflection on the degree of integration achieved in both cases is included. The conclusions and methodology can be applied in other cases of cities that are currently adapting their port areas to attract a larger number of visitors.
Keywords: waterfront, historic city, urban regeneration, heritage, urban tourism, urbanism, planning
Transferencia de conocimiento ecológico en la actividad turística de observación de ballena jorobada (Megaptera novaeangliae) en Bahía de Banderas, México
Authors: CRUZ ROMERO BARTOLO , CANALES-G´ÓMEZ ERENDIRA , HERNÁNDEZ ROVELO CYNTHIA
Published: September 2024

Uno de los objetivos del ecoturismo es la transferencia de conocimiento biológico y ecológico a sus usuarios, promoviendo conciencia y actitudes responsables hacia el medio ambiente y la conservación. En este trabajo se emplean técnicas netnográficas para realizar un diagnóstico de los servicios ecoturísticos de avistamiento de ballena jorobada (Megaptera novaeangliae) ofertados en Bahía de Banderas, México. Se analiza si los usuarios de los mismos reciben conocimiento ecológico a través de la actividad describiendo; además, aspectos sobre el servicio prestado por los operadores. Los resultados indican que los servicios ecoturísticos son considerados de calidad, siendo el guía uno de los aspectos de transferencia de conocimiento ecológico más importantes; así como el avistamiento de otras especies durante los recorridos. Este análisis sugiere que estas prácticas ecoturísticas pueden constituir una herramienta sólida para la concientización ambiental de sus usuarios y el cuidado de la especie.
Palabras clave: Bahía de Banderas; ecoturismo; netnografía; especies protegidas; educación ambiental; guía ecoturístico.
The Camino de Santiago: From Religious Route to Inclusive Tourism Attraction Background
Authors: DE LA FUENTE ROBLES YOLANDA MARÍA , GARCÍA DE LA FUENTE ALMUDENA
Published: September 2024

The completion of the Camino de Santiago is a great and significant experience that we have been able of the path and with pilgrims with different abilities and different reasons for traveling the path. I met along the different stages of the way, pilgrims with different capacities and different reasons for walking the trail. It was interesting to see the multifaceted offerings of what has become a generator of tourism attracting a wide variety of visitors. The route I took was the Portuguese one, on which I walked from Valença do Minho (Portugal) to Santiago de Compostela, through forests and small towns, enjoying history, culture, etc. I witnessed how the towns through which the route passed opened up to support and even assist the hikers in this process, showing the same enthusiasm and dedication every day, as if it were the first, not losing their enthusiasm and sincerity with the passage of time. I am sure that, to a large extent, the Way's success is thanks to those citizens who open their doors and businesses and share their traditions. All this leads me to analyze how the pandemic has affected the Camino, the strategies to deal with its negative effects, and the important role that technologies play in transforming this tourism experience into one that is more inclusive and characterized by empathy and friendliness.
Keywords: Camino de Santiago, tourist experiences, inclusive tourism, social inclusivity.
SEG-2 Viewer MATLAB app user guide
Authors: Zhou Rongmao , Lee Rebekah
Published: September 2024

This technical note documents the functionalities of the SEG-2 Viewer and provides a step-by-step user guide for the application. SEG-2 Viewer is a MATLAB app that was developed at the Geotechnical and Structures Laboratory (GSL) of the US Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) for visualizing and analyzing geophysical data in SEG-2 format.
Automated Enforcement of Vehicle Tail Number Restrictions via SVM and Bayesian Optimization
Authors: Zhu Xuguang , Zou Feifei
Published: September 2024

With urban congestion intensifying, vehicular tail number restriction policies have emerged as an efficacious strategy to mitigate traffic burden. Traditional enforcement, hinging on manual verification, suffers from inefficiencies and vulnerability to human error. Addressing these drawbacks, the present study introduces a Support Vector Machine (SVM)-based license plate recognition technique, augmented by Bayesian optimization, to automate adherence to tail number restrictions. Utilizing the Bayesian optimization algorithm for the fine-tuning of SVM parameters enables the proposed system to identify license plate numbers with heightened precision and swiftness, thus streamlining the enforcement process. Comparative experimental analysis substantiates that our proposed model outperforms existing methods, demonstrating superior recognition efficiency and accuracy. This advancement heralds a significant leap towards the integration of intelligent systems in urban traffic management.
Hybrid PCOS net: A synergistic CNN-LSTM approach for accurate polycysti covary syndrome detection
Authors: Kumar Neha A. Ranjith , Varadarajan Vijayakumar
Published: September 2024

PCOS, a common hormonal disorder in women of reproductive age, manifests with symptoms like irregular periods, ovarian cysts, and hormonal imbalances. Early diagnosis and intervention for PCOS are vital due to its link with metabolic and cardiovascular complications. It is essential for enhancing overall well-being and mitigating risks like infertility and metabolic issues. This paper is centered on the development of two distinct predictive models for PCOS detection, utilizing both image and text datasets. Ensemble learning methods like logistic regression, random forest, and support vector machines are employed to capitalize on the strengths of each dataset. The resultant combined model demonstrates an impressive accuracy of 89% and an area under the curve (AUC) score of 0.83. Additionally, the investigation explores advanced deep learning techniques by integrating Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN) and Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) networks to provide features for a Fully Connected Neural Network (FCNN). This innovative approach yields exceptional results, achieving an accuracy of 96.07% with minimal loss.
Landslide hazard assessment of an urban agglomeration in central Guizhou Province based on an information value method and machine learning algorithm
Authors: Junhua Luo , Zulun Zhao , Wei Li , Liang Huang , Weiquan Zhao
Published: September 2024

The urban agglomeration in central Guizhou is located in a crustal deformation area caused by tectonic uplift between the Mesozoic orogenic belt of East Asia and the Alpine-Tethys Cenozoic orogenic belt, with high mountains, steep slopes, fractured rock masses and a fragile ecological environment; this area is the most affected by landslides in Guizhou Province, China. From 2011 to 2023, there were a total of 648 medium and large landslide disasters, resulting in 143 deaths and a direct economic loss of 1.191 billion yuan. Therefore, this study selected 12 indicators from the topography, geological structure, and external inducing factors, and conducted factor collinearity analysis using the variance expansion coefficient to construct a landslide hazard assessment index system. The statistical analysis model was combined with a variety of machine learning models, and the selection of negative sample points was restricted in various ways to improve training data accuracy and enable machine learning model predictions with sufficiently supervised prerequisites. The accuracy of the model was validated by ROC curve analysis. The AUC values of the SVM, DNN, and bagging models were all greater than 0.85, indicating that the results were credible. However, the overall accuracy was SVM > DNN > Bagging; that is, SVM was more suitable for landslide hazard assessment of the urban agglomeration in central Guizhou. Finally, field surveys were used to validate multiple sites with historical landslides in extremely high-hazard areas and analyse their development characteristics. The evaluation results can provide strong guidance for engineering design, construction and disaster prevention decision-making of urban agglomeration in central Guizhou.
Does the Serial Discontinuity Concept apply to microcrustaceans in the presence of a large reservoir along a tropical river?
Authors: Keppe Isabela de Lima , Pralon Bruno Gabriel Nunes , Silva Camila Moreira , Carvalho Vinícius Vilela , Neves Gilmar Perbiche
Published: September 2024

We aimed to assess the impact of damming on the abundance, diversity and dissimilarity of microcrustaceans (Cladocera and Copepoda) along a large tropical river, in the context of the Serial Discontinuity Concept (SDC) and the River Continuum Concept (RCC). Over a two-year period, samples were collected bimonthly at six sites along a 750 km longitudinal gradient, and ten limnological variables were measured to understand their influence on the organisms. The results revealed spatial and temporal variations in limnological variables, as well as differences in microcrustacean abundance between upstream and downstream sites, with an increase observed downstream as in RCC. Some abundant species were oppositely separated according to spatial and seasonal gradients, and the influence of pluviosity, ammonia, temperature, pH, and alkalinity. The presence of a single large reservoir was found to influence the diversity and abundance of microcrustaceans downstream, supporting the SDC's predictions. The findings contribute to a better understanding of the impact of damming on river ecosystems and the downstream transport of organisms, as well as valuable insights for the ecological restoration of dammed rivers.
Hydrogen Diffusion in Magnesium Using Machine Learning Potentials
Authors: Angeletti Andrea , Leoni Luca , Massa Dario , Pasquini Luca , Papanikolaou Stefanos , Franchini Cesare
Published: September 2024

Understanding and accurately predicting hydrogen diffusion in materials is challenging due to the complex interactions between hydrogen defects and the crystal lattice. These interactions span large length and time scales, making them difficult to address with standard ab initio techniques. This work addresses this challenge by employing accelerated machine learning (ML) molecular dynamics simulations through active learning. We conduct a comparative study of different ML-based interatomic potential schemes, including VASP, MACE, and CHGNet, utilizing various training strategies such as on-the-fly learning, pre-trained universal models, and fine-tuning. We obtain an optimal hydrogen diffusion coefficient value of 2.1 x 10-8 m2s-1 at 673 K in MgH0.06, which aligns exceptionally well with experimental results, underlining the efficacy and accuracy of ML-assisted methodologies in the context of diffusive dynamics. Particularly, our procedure significantly reduces the computational effort associated with traditional transition state calculations or ad-hoc designed interatomic potentials. The results highlight the limitations of pre-trained universal solutions for defective materials and how they can be improved by fine-tuning. Specifically, fine-tuning the models on a database produced during on-the-fly training of VASP ML force field allows the retrieving of DFT-level accuracy at a fraction of the computational cost.
Impact of tumor size and peritumoral edema on outcomes and complications in anterior midline skull base meningiomas
Authors: Qasem Lina-Elisabeth , Al-Hilou Ali , Oros Jan , Weber Katharina J. , Jussen Daniel , Prinz Vincent , Seifert Volker , Baumgarten Peter , Marquardt Gerhard , Czabanka Marcus
Published: September 2024

This study aims to describe the impact of tumor size and peritumoral edema in anterior midline skull base meningiomas on clinical outcome. Patients with these meningiomas undergoing resection between 2012 and 2022 were included. Meningiomas were divided into three groups by size and edema. The primary outcome was the Karnofsky Performance Scale (KPS) score at three months post-surgery. Preoperative KPS, KPS at discharge, KPS at last follow-up and complication rates were analyzed. Outcomes for large meningiomas (> 50 mm) were significantly worse at discharge (KPS 50%) compared to medium-sized (30–50 mm; KPS 70%) and small tumors (< 30 mm; KPS 80%; p < 0.0001). KPS at three months showed persisting significant differences: small (KPS 90%), medium-sized (KPS 85%), and large tumors (KPS 80%; p = 0.0209). KPS at discharge in large tumors was significantly dependent on edema: KPS 90% in large tumors without edema, KPS 70% with moderate edema, and KPS 50% with extensive edema (p = 0.0008). Complication rate was 28%, with 14% for small, and 35–37% for medium-sized and large meningiomas (p = 0.0613). Complication rate was higher in tumors with peritumoral edema (35%) compared to tumors without edema (23%; p = 0.2051). The outcome and complication rates suggest higher surgical risk for larger tumors with marked peritumoral edema. Surgical strategies may need to adapt to these risk factors.
Preoperative cardiac abnormalities associated with one-year mortality in elderly patients undergoing hip fracture surgery: The role of focused TTE
Authors: Fan Kaihua , Zhang Jianwei , Gao Ying , Li Weimei
Published: September 2024

Purpose
We sought to identify preoperative cardiac abnormalities associated with postoperative mortality in elderly patients undergoing hip fractures surgery, in order to provide reference for focused transthoracic echocardiography (TTE).
Methods
In this retrospective study, a total of 669 elderly patients (age over 65 years) undergoing hip fractures surgery were included, of which 58(8.7%) died within one-year after discharge. Cox regression analysis models were used to identify the prognostic cardiac abnormalities of postoperative mortality.
Results
Univariate analysis showed that age (HR 1.065, 95%CI 1.030–1.101; P < 0.001), ASA score (III, IV vs. I, II) (HR 1.855, 95%CI 1.098–3.067; P = 0.022), history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)(HR 4.446, 95%CI 1.909–10.355; P = 0.001) and atrial fibrillation (AF)(HR 3.803, 95%CI 1.803–8.024; P < 0.001), presence of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) < 50%(HR 5.009, 95%CI 2.151–11.665; P < 0.001), left ventricular dilatation (HR 3.813, 95%CI 1.730–8.403; P = 0.001), pulmonary arterial systolic pressure (PASP) > 25mmHg(HR 4.388, 95%CI 2.492–7.725; P < 0.001), moderate-severe aortic valve stenosis (AS) (HR 4.702, 95%CI 1.471–15.035; P = 0.009) were the dominant predictors of mortality within one-year. The presence of LVEF < 50%, left ventricular dilatation and elevated PASP were proved to be the independent predictors of one-year mortality in elderly patients in multivariate analysis.
Conclusion
Cardiac abnormalities derived from preoperative TTE, namely LVEF < 50%, AS, left ventricular dilatation and elevated PASP had prognostic value for elderly patients undergoing hip fracture surgery. We consider that these indices would be clinically important regarding the preoperative cardiac risk assessment of elderly hip fracture patients who are treated with surgery, which may be assessed in the focused TTE.