bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Integrative Omics Analyses Reveal Molecular Changes of Irreversible Electroporation on Pancreatic cancer in Mice
Authors: Fang Chengyu , Liu Jingqi , Xu Lei , Lou Wenjing , Wang Yujue , Jiang Tianan
Published: July 2023

Purpose
Irreversible electroporation (IRE) is a local ablative technique with encouraging results in treatment of pancreatic cancer. However, the high recurrence rates make adjuvant therapy necessary. To develop effective adjuvant therapies with IRE, we aimed to analyze the molecular changes of pancreatic cancer after IRE..
Methods
KPC cell line was used to set subcutaneous or orthotopic pancreatic cancer mouse models. Both models were randomized to either sham surgery and IRE, and named control group or IRE group, respectively. The subcutaneous tumor models were used to evaluate IRE efficacy by recording the tumor volume and survival time. Orthotopic tumor models were employed to analyze the molecular changes of tumor tissues using transcriptomics, proteomics, and single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) a day after IRE.
Results
IRE transiently inhibited tumor growth and prolonged the survival time of subcutaneous tumor models. Transcriptomics and proteomics analyses showed that T helper 1 (Th1) and T helper 2 (Th2) cell differentiation as well as T helper 17 (Th17) cell differentiation pathways were most significantly downregulated in the IRE group compared with the control group, indicating that IRE significantly affected CD4+ T cells. Furthermore, scRNA-seq revealed that the proportion of CD4+ effector T cell of CD4+ T cells decreased significantly, whereas the proportions of CD4+ naive T cells and regulatory T cell (Tregs) increased significantly in the IRE group. Gene set enrichment analysis revealed that tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and interleukin (IL)-17 signaling pathways of CD4+ effector T cells, and the IL-17 signaling pathway of CD4+ naive cells were significantly downregulated after IRE.
Conclusions
IRE can effectively treat pancreatic cancer in mice and significantly altered the distribution and functions of CD4+ T cells in pancreatic cancer.
Marginal abatement cost curves of climate-smart agricultural practices to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions from smallholder dairy farms in Kenya
Authors: Caulfield Mark E. , Graham Michael , Gibbons James , McNicol Louise , Williams Prysor , Chadwick Dave , Gakige Jesse , Wilkes Andreas , Kimoro Bernard , Arndt Claudia
Published: July 2023

While livestock play a vital role in supporting livelihoods of many people in Africa, they are also a major source of greenhouse gas emissions (GHG). An increasing population coupled with growing demand for livestock products means that there is an urgent need to implement cost-effective Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) practices that can reduce emissions from livestock systems in Africa. The objective of this research was therefore to assess the effect of implementing CSA practices on milk yields and GHG emission intensities (EI) from three dairy production system types (no-graze, semi-intensive, and extensive) in Kenya. The research developed marginal abatement cost curves (MACC) to assess of the economic costs and trade-offs for the use of CSA practices in each of the dairy production systems. The research was conducted on 666 dairy farms in four counties in Kenya. Data from a farm survey and participatory workshops were used to categorise farms into production systems, estimate carbon emissions using the Agrecalc (Agricultural Resource Efficiency Calculator) tool, assess the effects of the use of CSA practices on milk yields and GHG EI, gain information on the costs of implementing CSA practices, and develop the MACCs. Our results showed that common CSA practices enhance milk yields and reduce GHG EI in dairy production systems. However, these benefits were not equally experienced by all production systems, with only clear statistical effects observed in extensive production systems. In these systems, farms using five or more CSA practices saw a 44% increase in milk production and a 25% reduction in GHG EI compared to farms not using any CSA practices. The MACCs revealed that the costs associated with the implementation of the CSA practices were higher for extensive production systems, but increased milk production meant that the net increases in value production were higher for extensive production systems. This indicates that upfront investment costs are important barriers to the use of CSA practices. Our results provide strong evidence that rural development projects are likely to be more successful when targeting farm types and using a “toolbox” approach. Moreover, the results demonstrate the importance for the establishment of policy and financing mechanisms to facilitate financing and decreasing the perceived risks involved in investing in CSA practices.
Psychosocial factors related to school satisfaction in times of pandemic in adolescents from northern Chile
Authors: Portilla-Saavedra Diego , Moya-Vergara Rodrigo , Castillo-Morales Katherin , Espinoza-Tapia Ricardo , Bilbao Maria
Published: July 2023

Chile is a country that was impacted not only by the effects of the pandemic but also by the political and social crisis at the end of 2019. Given this context, the present research aimed to examine the relationship between positive experiences, school-based support, mental health issues, and school satisfaction during the pandemic among adolescents in northern Chile. A hierarchical regression analysis was conducted to explore how these factors were associated with the school satisfaction of the adolescents. The results indicate that positive experiences and school-based support were significant factors in explaining school satisfaction during the pandemic. However, when considering the inclusion of mental health symptoms in the model, it was also found to be significant and reduced the effect of positive experiences on school satisfaction. These findings suggest the importance of considering the wide range of adolescent perceptions towards the pandemic, from positive evaluations of interpersonal and school experiences to associated mental health problems. Chilean schools and universities should take into account the inclusion of preventive campaigns and greater emotional health care for their students. Moreover, they should emphasize concrete support actions during the current post-confinement period.
Unraveling the origin of local chemical ordering structure in
Fe-based solid solutions
Authors: Wu Yuye , Yan Keyu , Xu Yichen , Niu Jiejue , Li Yue , Gault Baptiste , Zhao Shiteng , Wang Xiaoxiao , Li Yunquan , Wang Jingmin , Skokov Konstantin , Gutfleisch Oliver , Wu Haichen , Jiang Daqiang , He Yangkun , Jiang Chengbao
Published: July 2023

Local chemical order (LCO) can exert pronounced effects on both structural and functional properties, tailoring LCO domains at (sub-)nanoscale could offer an alternative material-design concept for yet unexplored performance. However, the origin of LCO remains an open question, making accurate manipulation of LCO extremely challenging. Here we selected the Fe-Ga magnetostrictive materials and demonstrated that LCO tetragonal structures play a significant role in optimizing the magnetostrictive properties. The “full-lifecycle”, including formation, evolution and dissolution of LCO, is concretely studied from the atomic-scale up by combined experimental and theoretical studies. The dynamic precipitation and dissolution processes of LCO L60 domains during isothermal aging are directly observed based on in-situ high-resolution transmission electron microscopy images, and the corresponding mechanisms are revealed by first-principles calculation. Based on the results, we evidence that LCO domain is a frozen-intermediate-states of a kinetically-slow solid-state phase transformation leading to the formation of the long-range-ordered equilibrium phase with a face-center-cubic structure. We confirm the reversibility of LCO during cycling treatments. Our findings shed light on the origin of LCO in a range of material systems, and we discuss directions for developing materials with superior performance by manipulating LCO domains.
Comparative Analysis of Machine Learning Algorithms for Crop Recommendations
Authors: Vyapari Chinmay , Bhosale Prathamesh , Parkar Prof. Ameya
Published: July 2023

India's economy heavily relies on agriculture, which serves as a crucial industry for its growth and survival. The country is recognized as one of the largest producers of various agricultural products. Soil, an essential component of crop cultivation and non-renewable natural resource, plays a pivotal role in sustaining life. Traditionally, farmers utilized their experience to select the most appropriate crops based on soil characteristics. However, the current agricultural landscape calls for a recommendation system utilizing machine learning algorithms to determine the ideal crop for specific type of soil.
Crop recommendation systems have gained significant attention in the field of agriculture, aiding farmers in making informed decisions about suitable crops for their specific conditions.
Domperidone-associated Ventricular Arrhythmia and Sudden Cardiac Death: A
Descriptive Literature Review
Authors: Maideen Naina Mohamed Pakkir , Barakat Ibrahim Ramadan , Jumale Abdurazak Hassan
Published: July 2023

Background:

Domperidone is an antiemetic and prokinetic agent that is widely used to treat nausea and vomiting, gastroparesis, and as a galactagogue.

Objective:

This review article focuses on QT prolongation, torsades de pointes, severe ventricular arrhythmia, and sudden cardiac death associated with the use of domperidone or domperidone-containing products.

Methods:

The online databases, such as Medline/Pubmed/PMC, Google Scholar, Science Direct, Ebsco, Scopus, Web of Science, Embase, and reference lists, were searched using keywords like Domperidone, Cardiotoxicity, QT prolongation, Cardiac arrhythmia, Torsades de pointes, Ventricular arrhythmia, and Sudden Cardiac Death, to identify published articles relevant to domperidone-associated cardiotoxicity.

Results:

Domperidone has been linked to an increased risk of QT prolongation, torsades de pointes, severe ventricular arrhythmia, and sudden cardiac death, according to a number of epidemiological studies and meta-analyses.

Conclusion:

Domperidone can only be used to treat nausea and vomiting in patients between the ages of 12 and 60, and a maximum daily dose of 30 mg has been set by a number of regulatory bodies. The risk of severe ventricular arrhythmia and sudden cardiac death caused by domperidone should be made clear to clinicians along with the recommendations from regulatory bodies to avoid any potential complications.
Interleukin-6 Signaling in Atherosclerosis: From Molecular Mechanisms
To Clinical Outcomes
Authors: Papastamos Charalampos , Antonopoulos Alexios S. , Simantiris Spyridon , Koumallos Nikolaos , Sagris Marios , Theofilis Panagiotis , Oikonomou Evangelos , Siasos Gerasimos , Tsioufis Konstantinos , Tousoulis Dimitris
Published: July 2023

Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is a cytokine centrally involved in several immune responses and it
has been recognized as a driver of enhanced atherothrombotic risk. Immunity and inflammation are
intrinsically involved in atherosclerosis progression. This generated ‘inflammation hypothesis’,
which is now validated in large-scale clinical trials. Abundant evidence supports the distinctive
role of IL-6 in coronary artery disease. The focus on this cytokine stems from epidemiological
studies linking high plasma concentrations of IL-6 with greater risk for adverse cardiovascular
events, genetic studies which implicate a causative role of IL-6 in atherosclerosis and murine data
which support the involvement of IL-6 in various pathophysiological cascades of atherothrombosis.
The fact that high IL-6 levels are equivalent to increased cardiovascular risk created an unmet
need to address those who are at ‘residual inflammatory risk’. Moreover, the opposing effects of
IL-6 underlined the importance of deciphering specific signaling cascades, which may be responsible
for different effects. Finally, murine data and some small clinical trials highlighted the possibility
of reversing the pro-atherogenic effects of IL-6 by directly targeting it. While IL-1 blockage was
proved effective, it is reasonable to examine if moving more downstream in the inflammation cascade
could be more selective and effective than other anti-inflammatory therapies. In the present review,
we examine the role of IL-6 as a biomarker of ‘residual inflammatory risk’, its vital role in
the pathophysiology of atherosclerosis progression and the possibility of targeting it to stall coronary
artery disease progression.
The Biogenetic Synthesis of Metallic Nanoparticles and the Role they Play
in the Anti-inflammatory Drug Treatment
Authors: Kurup Meena , Kumar Mohan , Ramanathan Sambathkumar , Chandira Rajappa Margret
Published: July 2023

Background:

Nanoscience and nanotechnology have resulted in the continuous development
of new nanomaterials with remarkable properties that make them appealing for pharmaceutical
applications. The biocompatibility of metallic nanoparticles is of increasing interest for research scientists
currently working towards developing novel nano-based medicines, industrial chemicals, and antigens.
There is also a particular interest in using them to counter mutations that up-regulate inflammation
enhancers to produce a range of inflammation-related pathologies.

Aim:

The following review discusses the anti-inflammatory mechanisms of metallic bioconjugated
(silver, gold, zinc oxide, titanium dioxide, and selenium) nanoparticles. The current study focuses on
nanoparticle manufacturing technologies and the inflammatory response.

Methodology:

A thorough search was conducted in several databases, including Scopus, Embase,
Cochrane, and PubMed. The search terms used included: Alzheimer's disease, mechanism of action,
neuroinflammation, the reaction of Mast cells to stress and neuroinflammation. The study included all
publications published in English.

Results:

Green-synthesised nanoparticles can suppress the NF-B and cyclooxygenase-2 pathways,
preventing the production of proinflammatory cytokines and ROS scavenging mechanisms. Metallic
nanoparticles with anti-inflammatory properties, such as stability and specific targeting, have been
briefly discussed.

Conclusion:

The current research focuses on metallic nanoparticles employed as anti-inflammatory
medication molecules, although nanoparticles have applications in various areas (medicine, chemical
engineering, and agriculture). Nanoparticles have a large surface-to-volume ratio, which can help
them to penetrate cell membranes, and because of their solid ligand-binding capabilities, nanoparticles
have been used in the medical treatment of inflammatory pathologies.
Treatmant of Malunion Comminuted Fracture Os Tibia in Maltese Dog
Authors:   Fakultas Kedokteran Hewan, Universitas Brawijaya, Malang, Putri Novi Aprilia Shania , Panggabean Rudi H. , Dian Vidiastuti
Published: July 2023

A comminuted fracture is a type of fracture where the affected bone is divided into three or more pieces of different sizes. Improper handling of fractures can potentially lead to malunion and chronic pain. In malunion, the fractured bones are fused but in an abnormal position. Malunion occurs due to inaccurate bone reduction or excessive mobilization during the healing period. The purpose of this article is to describe a surgical method in handling a case of comminuted fracture of the tibia in a dog. A Maltese dog, 3 kg weight, was brought to the clinic due to gait immobility with lifting the right hind leg and limping. In the previous month, the dog suffered from a comminuted fracture of the right tibia and had been treated with plates and screws. During the physical examination, the dog showed good general condition, while the rear right leg was raised. Radiographic results at the medio-lateral and caudo-cranial projection showed the malunion bone due to a shift in the fracture fragment of the diaphysis of right tibia after plate and screw implantation in the comminuted fracture. In the present correction, the plate and screw were replaced by intra-medullary pins combined with wire implementing the Open Reduction and Internal Fixation (ORIF) method. Atropine sulfate premedication was given subcutaneously at 0.02 mg/kgBW. Anesthesia was induced using a combination of 10% ketamine and 2% xylazine, and maintained by a 2% isoflurane inhalation. Postoperative therapy given included Penicillin Procaine G®, Dexamethasone® (0.5 mg/kgBW,IM), Tramadol® (5 mg/kgBW,IM), Viccillin® (10 mg/kgBW,IM), and Cyanocobalamin® (100 mcg/ kgBW, IM). There was no postoperative complication observable, and the patient was brought home on the third day post-surgery when its affected feet was able to touch the floor. The study showed that ORIF method could be performed to correct malunion in a case of comminuted tibia fracture.
IMPLEMENTASI MODEL WATERFALL DAN PENGUJIAN SYSTEM USABILITY SCALE (SUS) PADA PEMBUATAN WEBSITE PROGRAM STUDI INFORMATIKA BERBASIS WORDPRESS
Authors: Wijayanto Hendro , Kumarahadi Yovita Kinanti , Prabowo Iwan Ady
Published: July 2023

Information technology is currently developing very rapidly. Especially after the Covid-19 Pandemic which makes activities and work done online. Communication allows the exchange of information between users and recipients. The Informatics Study Program is one of the study programs at STMIK Sinar Nusantara Surakarta. Currently there are no special services available as a medium for delivering information for students and the wider community. So it is necessary to have a website that is useful for conveying information related to the activities of the Informatics Study Program. One of the widely available Content Management System is WordPress. In this study, the design and construction of a WordPress-based study program website uses the Waterfall model. Which stages in the Waterfall model consist of needs analysis, system design and software design, design and development, implementation, testing and maintenance. In the testing phase, the System Usability Scale (SUS) model is used to test the usability level or usability of the website. The test results show the usability level in the precentile ranks of 91.6%. With the category of being included in the class A scale or letter grades level and having an adjective rating level of BEST IMAGINABLE or ACCEPTABLE in the acceptability ranges. This assessment is based on 40 respondents consisting of Education Personnel, Lecturers, Students and the General Public.
TaqI polymorphism of the vitamin D receptor gene in children with growth hormone deficiency
Authors: Bolshova O.V. , Ryznychuk M.O. , Kvachenyuk D.A.
Published: July 2023

Background. The nuclear receptor for vitamin D mediates most of the biological functions of this vitamin. It belongs to the steroid hormone receptor family, the gene for which (vitamin D receptor — VDR) is located on chromosome 12q13.1. Genetic variability has been reported in the VDR gene, in which more than 470 single nucleotide polymorphisms have been identified. One of the most common polymorphisms in the VDR gene is rs731236 (TaqI). The purpose was to study the TaqI polymorphism of the VDR gene in children with growth hormone deficiency (GHD). Materials and methods. The TaqI polymorphism of the VDR gene (rs731236) was determined using the polymerase chain reaction, followed by analysis of the length of restriction fragments detected by agarose gel electrophoresis in 28 prepubescent children with GHD. Results. In the group of patients with GHD, the proportion of heterozygotes for T/C TaqI polymorphism of the VDR gene (rs731236) is 1.28 times higher than among healthy individuals. There were 0.68 and 0.90 times fewer patients carrying T/T and C/C genotypes than in the control group. The presence of a homozygous TT genotype increases the risk of developing GHD, but not significantly (odds ratio (OR) = 1.89, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.66–5.39; p = 0.23), and the presence of a homozygous CC genotype is protective (OR = 0.75, 95% CI 0.17–3.22; p = 0.70). When analyzing alleles in patients with GHD, the following data were obtained: carriage of the T allele for the polymorphic loci TaqI rs731236 of the VDR gene is associated with the risk of GHD (OR = 1.24, 95% CI 0.65–2.36; p = 0.52) but not significantly. The ratio of allele (pТ = 0.554, qС = 0.446) frequencies practically does not differ from 1 : 1, which indicates the preservation of allele frequencies in the Ukrainian population. Conclusions. In children with GHD, the proportion of the T/C genotype is 1.28 times higher than in the group of healthy persons. The presence of a homozygous TT genotype increases the risk of developing GHD but not significantly (OR = 1.89, 95% CI 0.66–5.39; p = 0.23). Carriage of the T allele for the polymorphic locus TaqI rs731236 of the VDR gene is associated with the risk of the growth hormone deficiency (OR = 1.24, 95% CI 0.65–2.36; p = 0.52) but not significantly.
“Design a Simulation of Power Systems Stability in Presence of Photovoltaic Systems.”
Authors: Somkuwar Nikita , Malekar Prof. Vaishali
Published: July 2023

Abstract: The use of renewable energy resources has gained so much attention and popularity in the world as alternative energy to the conventional thermal, hydro and nuclear energy. But the increasing use of fossil fuels like coal, gases and petroleum product will create a deficiency in future along with some other issues like increasing price, environmental pollutions. Again increasing demand of electrical energy for a luxurious society forces the power engineers to think of alternative energy sources in the form of wind, solar, biomass etc. Among these resources, solar energy is the most promising and emerging as popular source of electrical energy in society having potential utilization for remote rural communities. However, there are many potential use of solar photovoltaic (SPV) being a sustainable solution. There is a lot of opportunity for such technologies to provide a cost-effective solution to demand of electricity for the rural poor peoples of developing nations. In addition, development and increasing number of micro grids and standalone off grid and on grid challenges which needs to be addressed for effective and operation requires improvements in system design and control. However, installation of solar photovoltaic (PV) for electricity generation might be not a good mitigation for the problem whereby some internal issues to be rectified and to be stabilized for the better power quality to be generated. Therefore, in this paper we use one of the methods for the better power quality. This paper presents the design and simulation of an active power filter (APF) supported by a PV plant by using P-Q theory algorithm to control APF.
Evolution of Business Intelligence Tools
Authors: Solanki Vatsalya Vijay
Published: July 2023

Abstract: Business Intelligence (BI) encompasses tools, technologies, and practices that help organizations collect, analyze, and transform data into valuable insights necessary for decision-making process. It involves data collection, warehousing, analysing, and visualization. BI enables companies to leverage their data for a competitive advantage, driving growth and innovation. Key trends include self-service BI, advanced analytics, and AI-driven insights. BI empowers organizations to unlock data value and make informed strategic decisions
The Development of a Bibliotherapy Program to improve School life Adaptive Ability for the lower grade students of elementary school
Authors:   Korean Association For Learner-Centered Curriculum And Instruction, Lee SunJoung , Yu Hyeongkeun , Shin Hyosun
Published: July 2023

The purpose of this study was to construct and implement a program utilizing in group counseling for gifted underachievers in the elementary school and assess and validate its effect on their social/emotional self-concept. Main objectives are as follows : developing an effective way to construct the program for gifted underachievers in the elementary school to participate in group counseling; validating its effect on the social/emotional self-concept.
This program is based on Counseling Program Development Model by Park In-woo(1995). The program consist of ten sessions including social/emotional self-concept improvement activities.
Twenty students were randomly assigned into an experimental group and a control group consisting of ten students each. The test tool was ‘Self-concept Test’ of Jeong Jong-jin(1996). For data processing, ‘Mixed ANOVA’ from SPSS/Window 12 was used to analyze statistical results.
The results showed that the scores of social/emotional self-concept were increased significantly in the experimental group comparing with the control group.
The change in household consumption patterns in Jordan: 1997–2017
Authors: Aljaloudi Jameel
Published: July 2023

This study aims to determine the change in consumption patterns of the Jordanian household during 1997–2017, as well as to estimate the income elasticities. The data from the household expenditure and income surveys conducted by the Jordanian Department of Statistics in the years: 1997, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2013, and 2017 were used. Graphs were prepared and percentages were calculated to measure changes in household consumption patterns. The average household expenditure index was used to measure the impact of income on changing consumption patterns (Selim, 2014). To estimate income elasticity, a pooled data regression model was adopted (Sugiarto & Wibowo, 2020). The estimated model is statistically significant at a level of 0.05. The study found a decrease in the percentage of household spending on the food group and an increase in the percentage of spending on the non-food group during the study period. This change in the family’s consumption pattern coincided with an increase in its income. Value of income elasticity was < 1 for food, clothing, and housing. It was > 1 for transportation and communication, education, and health. Therefore, we conclude that the consumer behavior of the Jordanian family is fully consistent with the theory of consumer behavior and its applications.
PCQD-AR: Subjective Quality Assessment of Compressed Point Clouds with Head-mounted Augmented Reality
Authors: Fan Chunling , Zhang Yun , Zhu linwei , Wu Xinju
Published: July 2023

In this letter, the colored point cloud quality assessment in Augmented
Reality (AR) environment was fully studied through subjective test.
Firstly, we present a point cloud dataset, named Point Cloud Quality
Dataset-AR (PCQD-AR), including ten reference point clouds and their 90
distorted versions, which were encoded by the reference software of
Video-based Point Cloud Compression (V-PCC) under different pairs of
geometry and texture quantization parameters. Then, the impact of
geometry and texture distortions on perceived quality of point clouds in
the AR environment was discussed in detail. Moreover, we evaluate the
performance of existing objective point cloud quality assessment metrics
on the proposed dataset. The subjective dataset including the values of
Mean Opinion Score (MOS) will be released after acceptance.
Policy Analysis Matrix: An Analysis of the Effectiveness of State Agricultural Policy for the Dairy Sector in Ukraine
Authors: Dibrova Anatolii , Chan-khi Oksana
Published: July 2023

Dairy production in Ukraine, as well as worldwide, is an important sector of the economy which ensures the food security of the country. The Ukrainian dairy sector has many unsolved systematic problems, foremost of which is the decrease in cow productivity and the number of cows. This directly influences the decrease of total milk production, and, as a result, a deficit on the food market. Today, the Ukrainian government has to focus on improving dairy sector support in order to ensure its effectiveness in the future. PAM-analysis was used to evaluate the effectiveness of state agricultural policy in the dairy sector. Research results show that the production system of Ukraine can ensure profitable milk production in private and social prices. But, while dairy producers benefit from cheap internal resources, state policy in the dairy sector impacts profitability of milk production by production trade factors.
Agricultural Policies in the Context of Regional and Global Food Security Concerns - the Case of the Asian Region
Authors: Grochowska Renata , Kosior Katarzyna
Published: July 2023

The paper discusses the effects of changes in Asian agricultural policies on regional and global food security. It also takes account of the consequences of the “rise of Asia” for the European Union food sector. The Asian region is vitally important for future world food security. On the one hand, it suffers from volatility of agricultural commodity prices; on the other hand, individual countries introduce export barriers reducing supply in the global market as was the case during the 2007-08 food crisis. Therefore, the key question arises as to whether regional integration agreements like ASEAN (Association of South-East Asian Nations) or ASEAN+China can shape agricultural policies of these countries and their food self-sufficiency status. Despite ASEAN’s intention to establish an ASEAN Economic Community by 2015, there was a lack of solidarity during the 2006-08 crisis to ensure food security in the region. Yet, given increasing demands from economic, demographic and climatic pressures, more intense regional cooperation can be expected in the near future. Thus, it is of interest to explore possible common solutions for food security policy in the region as well as their impact on national, regional and global food policies. It is still uncertain whether the Asian countries will adopt outward- or inward-looking policy strategies. There were some initiatives set up, however, due to many controversies between net rice exporters and importers, they failed. Therefore, in what direction will agricultural policies in Asian countries be heading in the foreseeable future? Will Asian countries further develop market mechanisms supporting agricultural prices like export quotas and bans, or will they shift to more “green” and trade-neutral policy instruments consistent with the World Trade Organization’s requirements?
Changes in Agricultural Production in Poland After Accession to the European Union
Authors: Roman Michał , Nuszkiewicz Krzysztof
Published: July 2023

The first part of the paper presents the issue of the Common Agricultural Policy and next it presents the development of Polish agriculture in the structures of the European Community. The paper presents the changes in the agrarian structure in Poland after the accession to the European Union. Special attention is paid to crop and livestock production.
Sezonowość cen nawozów mineralnych w wybranych krajach Unii Europejskiej
Authors: Zalewski Arkadiusz
Published: July 2023

Charakterystyczną cechą rynku nawozów mineralnych jest sezonowość zakupów i związane z nią sezonowe wahania cen. W artykule analizowano wielkość i rozkład sezonowych wahań cen nawozów mineralnych w Polsce, Niemczech, Francji, Irlandii i Słowenii. Przeprowadzone badania wskazują na występowanie wyraźnej sezonowości cen nawozów na wszystkich analizowanych rynkach. Badane rynki różniły się amplitudą wahań sezonowych. Sezonowe wzrosty cen nawozów w badanych krajach obserwowano najczęściej w okresie styczeń-marzec, natomiast sezonowe spadki cen występowały przeważnie od maja do lipca. Największe sezonowe zmiany cen obserwowano w przypadku nawozów azotowych. Pozostałe grupy nawozów mineralnych charakteryzowały się wyraźnie mniejszymi wahaniami sezonowymi.
Local Food Systems and Rural Development in Bulgaria
Authors: Peneva Mariya , Kazakova-Mateva Yanka
Published: July 2023

Recently there has been a renewed interest in alternatives to shorten the food supply chain, allowing more direct links between producers and consumers and localizing food systems. This paper examines alternative local food chains as part of rural development and how to encourage and facilitate their growth in order to contribute to rural vitality and sustainable agriculture. It focuses on some research findings of the Bulgarian team in the project entitled “Farming transitions: Pathways towards regional sustainability of agriculture in Europe” (FarmPath), financed by the 7th FP of the EC. The innovative initiatives that define development of new alternative forms of agricultural local food supply chains, combined with nature-friendly production practices, rural tourism, traditional food production and development of the territory of three rural areas are presented and analysed. The sustainability dimensions that the alternative supply chains may lead up to in the rural regions were also drawn.
Implementing quality assurance practices in teaching machine learning in higher education
Authors:   University Hassan II, Faculty of Science, Ben M’Sik, Laboratory LTIM, Casablanca, Morocco, Chemlal Y. , Azouazi M. ,   University Hassan II, Faculty of Science, Ben M’Sik, Laboratory LTIM, Casablanca, Morocco
Published: July 2023

The development of machine learning and deep learning (ML/DL) change the skills expected by society and the form of ML/DL teaching in higher education. This article proposes a formal system to improve ML/DL teaching and, subsequently, the graduates' skills. Our proposed system is based on the quality assurance (QA) system adapted to teaching and learning ML/DL and implemented on the model suggested by Deming to continuously improve the QA processes.
Stability analysis and Hopf bifurcation of a delayed prey–predator model with Hattaf–Yousfi functional response and Allee effect
Authors:   Laboratory of Analysis, Modeling and Simulation (LAMS), Faculty of Sciences Ben M'Sick, Hassan II University of Casablanca, Bouziane S. , Lotfi E. M. ,   Laboratory of Analysis, Modeling and Simulation (LAMS), Faculty of Sciences Ben M'Sick, Hassan II University of Casablanca, Hattaf K. ,   Laboratory of Analysis, Modeling and Simulation (LAMS), Faculty of Sciences Ben M'sik, Hassan II University of Casablanca, Casablanca, Morocco; Centre Régional des Métiers de l'Education et de la Formation (CRMEF), Casablanca, Morocco, Yousfi N. ,   Laboratory of Analysis, Modeling and Simulation (LAMS), Faculty of Sciences Ben M'Sick, Hassan II University of Casablanca
Published: July 2023

The Allee effect is an important phenomena in the context of ecology characterized by a correlation between population density and the mean individual fitness of a population. In this work, we examine the influences of Allee effect on the dynamics of a delayed prey–predator model with Hattaf–Yousfi functional response. We first prove that the proposed model with Allee effect is mathematically and ecologically well-posed. Moreover, we study the stability of equilibriums and discuss the local existence of Hopf bifurcation.
Repair of Worn-Out Parts of Auger Presses by Surfacing Method
Authors: Koriuchev Nikita , Kovtun Oleksii , Shehovsov Daniel , Tkalenko Illia
Published: July 2023

In the briquetting process of various finely dispersed materials using the auger pressing method, an important issue is extending the service life and repairing worn-out elements, such as the auger, die, and lining. This study provides a literature review and industrial experience in repairing worn-out parts of industrial presses. It formulates the main approaches for restoring abrasive surfaces and presents the results of experimental studies aimed at prolonging the lifespan of augers in briquette presses using surfacing methods, including using powders obtained from solid alloy waste.
Illustrating Geometric Algebra and Differential Geometry in 5D Color Space
Authors:   Airborne HydroMapping GmbH, A-6020 Innsbruck, Austria, Benger Werner
Published: July 2023

Geometric Algebra (GA) is popular for its immediate geometric interpretations of algebraic objects and operations. It is based on Clifford Algebra on vector spaces and extends linear algebra of vectors by operations such as an invertible product, i.e. divisions by vectors. This formalism allows for a complete algebra on vectors same as for scalar or complex numbers. It is particularly suitable for rotations in arbitrary dimensions. In Euclidean 3D space quaternions are known to be numerically superior to rotation matrices and already widely used in computer graphics. However, their meaning beyond its numerical formalism often remains mysterious. GA allows for an intuitive interpretation in terms of planes of rotations and extends this concept to arbitrary dimensions by embedding vectors into a higher dimensional, but still intuitively graspable space of multi-vectors. However, out intuition of more than three spatial dimensions is deficient. The space of colors forms a vector space as well, though one of non-spatial nature, but spun by the primary colors red, green, blue. The GA formalism can be applied here as well, amalgamating surprisingly with the notion of vectors and co-vectors known from differential geometry: tangential vectors on a manifold correspond to additive colors red/green/blue, whereas co-vectors from the co-tangential space correspond to subtractive primary colors magenta, yellow, cyan. GA in turn considers vectors, bi-vectors and anti-vectors as part of its generalized multi-vector zoo of algebraic objects. In 3D space vectors, anti-vectors, bi-vectors and covectors are all three-dimensional objects that can be identified with each other, so their distinction is concealed. Confusions arise from notions such as “normal vectors” vs. “axial vectors”. Higher dimensional spaces exhibit the differences more clearly. Using colors instead of spatial dimensions we can expand our intuition by considering "transparency" as an independent, four-dimensional property of a color vector. We can thereby explore 4D GA alternatively to spacetime in special/general relativity. However, even in 4D possibly confusing ambiguities remain between vectors, co-vectors, bi-vectors and bi-co-vectors: bi-vectors and bi-co-vectors - both six-dimensional objects - are visually equivalent. They become unequivocal only in five or higher dimensions. Envisioning five-dimensional geometry is even more challenging to the human mind, but in color space we can add another property, "texture" to constitute a five-dimensional vector space. The properties of a bi-vector and a bi-co-vector becomes evident there: We can still study all possible combinations of colors/transparency/texture visually. This higher-dimensional yet intuitive approach demonstrates the need to distinguish among different kinds of vectors before identifying them in special situations, which also clarifies the meanings of algebraic objects in 3D Euclidean space and allows for better formulations of algorithms in 3D.
Investigation on Encoder-Decoder Networks for Segmentation of Very Degraded X-Ray CT Tomograms
Authors:   Bordeaux University Talence, FRANCE, Dulau Idris , Beurton-Aimar Marie ,   Bordeaux University Talence, FRANCE, Hwu Yeykuang ,   Institute of Physics, Academia Sinica Taipei, TAIWAN, Recur Benoit ,   Institute of Physics, Academia Sinica Taipei, TAIWAN
Published: July 2023

Field of View Nano-CT X-Ray synchrotron imaging is used for acquiring brain neuronal features from Golgi-stained bio-samples. It theoretically requires a large number of acquired radiographs for compensating reconstruction noise reinforced by the brain features sparsity. However reducing the number of radiographs is essential in routine applications but it results to degraded tomograms. In such a case, traditional segmentation methods are no longer able to distinguish neuronal structures from surrounding noise. We investigate several existing deep-learning networks and we define new ones to segment brain features from very degraded tomograms. We demonstrate the superiority of the proposed networks compared to existing ones.
Sex Classification of Face Images using Embedded Prototype Subspace Classifiers
Authors:   Department of Information Technology, Uppsala University, Centre for Image Analysis, SE-751 05 Uppsala, Sweden, Hast Anders
Published: July 2023

In recent academic literature Sex and Gender have both become synonyms, even though distinct definitions do exist. This give rise to the question, which of those two are actually face image classifiers identifying? It will be argued and explained why CNN based classifiers will generally identify gender, while feeding face recognition feature vectors into a neural network, will tend to verify sex rather than gender. It is shown for the first time how state of the art Sex Classification can be performed using Embedded Prototype Subspace Classifiers (EPSC) and also how the projection depth can be learned efficiently. The automatic Gender classification, which is produced by the emph{InsightFace} project, is used as a baseline and compared to the results given by the EPSC, which takes the feature vectors produced by emph{InsightFace} as input. It turns out that the depth of projection needed is much larger for these face feature vectors than for an example classifying on MNIST or similar. Therefore, one important contribution is a simple method to determine the optimal depth for any kind of data. Furthermore, it is shown how the weights in the final layer can be set in order to make the choice of depth stable and independent of the kind of learning data. The resulting EPSC is extremely light weight and yet very accurate, reaching over $98\%$ accuracy for several datasets.
JengASL: A Gamified Approach to Sign Language Learning in VR
Authors:   School of Computer Science, University of Auckland, New Zealand, Shaw Alex , Wünsche Burkhard C. ,   School of Computer Science, University of Auckland, New Zealand, Mariono Kevin ,   School of Computer Science, University of Auckland, New Zealand, Ranveer Aiden ,   School of Computer Science, University of Auckland, New Zealand, Xiao Manhui ,   School of Computer Science, University of Auckland, New Zealand, Hajika Ryo ,   School of Computer Science, University of Auckland, New Zealand, Liu Yitong ,   School of Computer Science, University of Auckland, New Zealand
Published: July 2023

Learning sign language has many advantages ranging from being able to communicate with millions of hearing impaired people, to improving cognitive function and communication skills. Sign language is recognised as an official language in 74 countries, including Germany, Japan, and the UK. Despite that only a small percentage of people attempt to learn sign language. In this research we investigate how virtual reality and gamification can be used to make learning sign language more enjoyable and motivating. We present JengASL, a gamified approach using 3D hand models, gesture recognition, and interactive gameplay in Virtual Reality to teach American Sign Language. We evaluate this system with a pilot study using eight participants and found that while it is less effective for sign memorisation than traditional 2D image-based learning methods, learning is more, but not significantly more, enjoyable and motivating.
Reconstruction from Multi-view Sketches: an Inverse Rendering Approach
Authors:   Universitat Politècnica de València Camino de Vera 46022, Valencia, Spain, Colom Joan , Saito Hideo ,   Keio University Hiyoshi Kohoku-ku 223-8522, Yokohama, Japan
Published: July 2023

Reconstruction from real images has evolved very differently from reconstruction from sketches. Even though both present similarities, the latter aims to surpass the subjectivity that drawings present, increasing the task"s uncertainty and complexity. In this work, we draw inspiration from reconstruction over real multi-view images and adapt existing methods in this area to work over sketches. We leverage inverse rendering as a refinement process for 3D colored meshes while proposing modifications for the domain of drawings. Compared to previous reconstructions from sketches, our proposal recovers not only shape but color, offering an optimization system that does not require previous training. Through the results, we evaluate how different quality factors in sketches affect the reconstruction quality and report how our proposal adapts to them compared to directly applying existing inverse rendering systems for real images.
Real-time Light Estimation and Neural Soft Shadows for AR Indoor Scenarios
Authors:   Computer Vision and Mixed Reality Group, RheinMain University of Applied Sciences Wiesbaden Rüsselsheim, Germany, Sommer Alexander , Schwanecke Ulrich ,   Computer Vision and Mixed Reality Group, RheinMain University of Applied Sciences Wiesbaden Rüsselsheim, Germany, Schoemer Elmar ,   Institute of Computer Science, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Germany
Published: July 2023

We present a pipeline for realistic embedding of virtual objects into footage of indoor scenes with focus on real-time AR applications. Our pipeline consists of two main components: A light estimator and a neural soft shadow texture generator. Our light estimation is based on deep neural nets and determines the main light direction, light color, ambient color and an opacity parameter for the shadow texture. Our neural soft shadow method encodes object-based realistic soft shadows as light direction dependent textures in a small MLP. We show that our pipeline can be used to integrate objects into AR scenes in a new level of realism in real-time. Our models are small enough to run on current mobile devices. We achieve runtimes of 9ms for light estimation and 5ms for neural shadows on an iPhone 11 Pro.
Interactive experience of information visualization in mechanical design
Authors: Chen Ran , Xie Jun , Guo Song
Published: July 2023

Information visualization is a new area of research in mechanical design, and user subjective satisfaction can be improved by experiencing visual interactions. With this as a starting point, this paper introduces a visualization layout algorithm and establishes an information visualization model to calculate the interaction experience of information visualization in mechanical design. Firstly, the layout algorithm in visualization is positioned in two-dimensional or three-dimensional space, and the gravitational repulsion is applied to the nodes in the space based on Coulomb’s law. Then the number of nodes of the graph in space is input, and their mutual repulsive forces are calculated in each iteration. Finally, the average entropy of the forces in the space is used, the obtained fusion weights are calculated according to the extreme value nature of entropy, and the results of their calculation are fused into the mechanical design, citing the service robot for visualizing the interactive experience. The experimental results show that the comfortable speed of the user in view 1 is 1.1m/s, 1.0m/s and 0.9m/s for robots with heights of 700mm, 1000mm, and 1600mm, respectively, and the comfortable speed of the user in view 3 is 1.0m/s, 0.9m/s, and 0.9m/s, and the comfortable speed of view 3 is better than that of view 1. It indicates that the test of users’ subjective satisfaction can be added to the information visualization interaction experience of mechanical design, and the information visualization interaction is verified by subjective satisfaction to provide effective comparison data for mechanical visualization interaction.