bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Theoretical and methodical foundations for the interaction strategies development for linguodidactic training program students
Authors: Temuryan Christina T.
Published: July 2023

Importance. Research on interaction in foreign language teaching started in the 1960s. Researchers now determine the impact of interaction on the process of foreign language teaching as beneficial in general. However, the study of the characteristics of interaction that increase its effectiveness when used with students of a certain age or language level continues. Due to such heterogeneity, the skills of a teacher, whose role in the process of interaction in a foreign language classroom is described as the decisive one, are especially important. Materials and methods. The materials for this research are the works in such fields as foreign language teaching and psychology. Research methods include research literature analysis and classification. Result and Discussion. In the course of the research, various approaches to the definition of interaction were studied and a definition relevant for foreign language teacher training was proposed. The role of interaction in the process of teaching a foreign language to students of different ages and language levels was also considered, the role of interaction strategies as a component of the professional communicative competence of a foreign language teacher is analyzed. In addition, the models proposed by the researchers for the development of interaction strategies for foreign language teachers is described. Conclusion. Despite the fact that interaction is now considered an integral element of a foreign language lesson, there are currently a number of models aimed at developing interaction strategies in foreign language teachers, but as of now no model has been proposed for the development of these strategies in trainee teachers.
Hockey player anthropometric data as the variability basis of the game adaptation method in amateur student teams
Authors: Zobkov Dmitry A.
Published: July 2023

Importance. The conditions of planning a component of sports training aimed at the game adaptation of students with special anthropometric indicators and engaged in hockey in non-professional student teams are considered. The necessary conditions for structuring include: the characteristics of the necessary motor game actions and their adequacy when performed by players with appropriate anthropometric parameters; improving the vestibular apparatus while ensuring static and dynamic equilibrium in gaming activities, as well as correcting the time parameters of motor actions that ensure the effectiveness of gaming interaction. The studied anthropometric indicators determined the prerequisites for optimizing the process of game adaptation of players with the peculiarities of anthropometric development, which served as the basis for an appropriate modification of hockey players training process content. The purpose of the research is a comparative analysis of athletes anthropometric data of the hockey team “Derzhava” for development of individually differentiated components of hockey players sports training with the anthropometric development peculiarities.
Research methods. The methodological basis of the research is a system-structural, individually differentiated approach, which allowed structuring the training process taking into account the data of hockey players anthropometry. Analysis of scientific and methodic literature on the research problem, systematization, pedagogical observation, instrumental diagnostic method: InBody – body composition analyzer based on the bioelectric impedance analysis (BIA), methods of mathematical statistics, generalization.
Result and Discussion. The anthropometric data of hockey student club “Derzhava” athletes are analyzed, athletes with special anthropometric indicators affecting the speed of game adaptation in the preparatory period are identified. The results of the study can be used as additional information by coaches of amateur sports teams, where the game specifics require certain anthropometric indicators of various types players.
Conclusion. The necessity of the hockey players with special anthropometric data sports training structure modifying is substantiated.
Czech-Slovak corps in the summer of 1918
Authors: Mironov Vladimir V. , Salnikov Pavel E.
Published: July 2023

Importance. An interest in the history of the Civil War in Russia, in which there are many “white spots” is presented. These include the participation of the Czech-Slovak corps in the foreign intervention in Russia and the nature of its relations with the anti-Bolshevik forces. In the summer of 1918, the Czech-Slovak corps, waging an active struggle against the Soviet government, seized control of the Trans-Siberian railway. The numerical superiority over the local Bolshevik forces, the best training, preparation, suddenness of the advance, as well as the enthusiasm of the legionnaires allowed them to take over a number of large cities in the Volga region, the Urals, Siberia and the Far East in a short period of time. This in turn led to the formation of local anti-Bolshevik forces – the Committee of Members of the Constituent Assembly (KOMUCH) and the Provisional Siberian Government in Omsk.
Research methods. A historical and systematic method was used to identify the role of the Czech-Slovak corps in the escalation of the Civil War in Russia, taking into account the “Czech-Slovak factor” in international relations of that time.
Results and Discussion. Based on a thorough analysis of documents and directives prepared by the Bolsheviks, anti-Bolshevik forces, allies in the Entente, the military and political leadership of the Czech–Slovak corps, it is shown that the corps pursued its goal – to get to Vladivostok, to achieve which the seizure of cities and the overthrow of Soviet government were carried out. At the same time, contact was established with local cells of Social Revolutionaries mainly through commerce. In addition, in relations with the allies, the corps continued to pursue its goals, helping the People’s Army of the Committee of Members of the Constituent Assembly until the moment when it ceased to meet its interests. It is stated that the corps was involved in foreign intervention, since its successes in the struggle against Soviet government forced the Entente countries to reconsider its role in Russia.
Conclusion. The Czech-Slovak corps not only initiated the “sharp” stage of the Civil War in Russia, but also became a catalyst for a number of processes both in Russia and in the world that led to further escalation of the conflict.
DİVAN ŞİİRİNDE ŞERBET
Authors: AYDIN Fatıma
Published: July 2023

Divan şairleri, yaşadıkları dönemin özelliklerini eserlerine yansıtmışlardır. Bu eserlere baktığımızda dönemin yeme-içme kültürü hakkında ilginç bilgiler karşımıza çıkmaktadır. Divanlarda geçen içecekleri alkollü ve alkolsüz içecekler olarak iki grupta inceleyebiliriz. Bahsedilen alkolsüz içeceklerin başında şerbet gelir. Şerbet bal veya şekerle tatlandırılmış alkolsüz içecektir. Yaş ve kuru meyvelerden, baharatlardan, bitkilerden, bal ve şekerden şerbet yapımında faydalanılabilir. Şerbet, tatlı ve ferahlatıcı oluşu, sağlık alnında kullanışı ile şairler için olumlu hayallere zemin hazırlamıştır. Fakat sağlık alanında kullanılan şerbetlerin bazılarının acı olması, zehirlerin kimi zaman şerbetlere karıştırılarak verilmesi gibi özellikleri ile de olumsuz kavramlarla ilişkilendirilmiştir. Divan şairleri sevgilinin dudaklarını, ağzını, yüzünü ve ellerini şerbete benzetmişlerdir. Sabahları çiçekler üzerinde oluşan çiğ şairler tarafından şerbet olarak hayal edilmiştir. Somut kavramların yanında soyut kavramlar da şerbet olarak hayal edilmiştir. Kavuşma, aşk, sevgi, vicdan, muhabbet, merhamet, lütuf, barış, vefa, cömertlik veya adalet gibi olumlu kavramlar şaire tatlı gelişleri ile şerbete benzetilmiştir. Aynı zamanda ayrılık, ölüm, ecel, zaman ve pişmanlık gibi olumsuz kavramlar acı birer şerbet olarak ele alınır. Şerbetler, Türk kültüründe kimi geleneklerde hâlâ yaşamaktadır. Nişan/söz kutlamalarında, lohusa ziyaretlerinde veya Ramazan sofralarında şerbet ikram edilmektedir. Bugün unutulan şerbetle ilgili bazı geleneklere de Divanlarda rastlanılmıştır. Şerbetin dilimize olan etkilerinin başında deyimlerde kullanılması yer almaktadır. Bu nedenle divanlarda geçen “nabza göre şerbet vermek” gibi deyimler de incelenerek örneklendirilmiştir.
The influence of learning technology on the formation of research skills in primary school students: Action research
Authors: Yespolova Gulden , Irodakhon Kholdarova , Bekzod Baydjanov , Rabiga Bazarbekova , Zhupat Astambayeva
Published: July 2023

This study aims to determine the effectiveness of the author's teaching technology in developing schoolchildren's research skills, the challenges an elementary school faces, and how the entire process of developing research skills works. Quantitative and qualitative research techniques were used. Participants were from No.15, No.1, No.46, and No.16 schools in Ust-Kamenogorsk (East Kazakhstan). A random selection was made of an EG comprising 176 students and a CG comprising 173 students. To test the hypothesis that the author's teaching technology in studying natural science fosters the effectiveness of generating research skills, the research methodology employed an experimental pretest-posttest learning CG and EG study. As a result of the introduction of the developed technology in the EG, the levels of formation of these skills among students from the CG and the EG differ significantly. Finally, the developed technology can be used in the practical activities of teachers in elementary schools and serve as the basis for creating methodological materials that perform the developing function of teaching "Natural Science."
DATA ANALYSIS OF COMMERCIAL AIRCRAFT LANDING ON THE RUNWAY AIRPORTS IN INDONESIA
Authors: PASSARELLA Rossi , NURMAINI Siti , RACHMATULLAH Muhammad Naufal , ARSALAN Osvari , KURNIATI Rizki , ADITYA Aditya , AFRIANSYAH Indra Gifari , FATHAN Rifqi , YOUSNAIDI Rani Silvani , VENY Harumi
Published: July 2023

A runway excursion is a runway safety issue in which an aircraft exits the runway improperly. Therefore, we believe it is necessary to conduct a data investigation of commercial airplanes landing at the airport in order to provide criticism, learning, and social control to airlines and air service policymakers in Indonesia so that they can become involved in protecting public transportation users, particularly those using air transportation. This study focuses on the procedural safety of commercial airplanes landing on the runway at airports in Indonesia. The data utilized for landing analysis is historical ADS-B data collected and acquired from the Flightradar24 website in 2019. The approach utilized in this study is exploratory data analysis (EDA), in which we explored the dataset to find trusted data (128 tier-1 data points). The results of this study showed that the aircraft that was the object of research was unlikely to land at the Touch Down Zone (TDZ), while the rest showed that its landing was highly likely outside the TDZ.
PERSPECTIVES OF MULTIFUNCTIONAL INTEGRATED SUBURBAN-URBAN RAIL TRANSPORT DEVELOPMENT
Authors: KAGRAMANIAN Artur , AULIN Dmitriy , TRUBCHANINOVA Karyna , CABAN Jacek , VORONIN Anatoly , BASOV Alexsandr
Published: July 2023

Main requirements for rolling stock design and organization of the operating system are determined by membership in a certain transportation category for which such a transportation facility is designated. Thus, a specific feature of rolling stock operation is considered to the maximum extent, and functional correspondence with stated tasks is ensured. The significant disadvantage of the existing structure of rolling stock traffic is the necessity of time-space agreements of passenger traffic due to the necessity of shifting different transport types with the minimum time consumption. The solution to such an issue can be found in the development and use of a universal (multifunctional) integrated transport system. The list of issues arising during the creation of a multifunctional transport system can be funnelled into two groups: social and economic and organizational and technical. The first group is social and economic and shall conceptually solve issues of the multifunctional system feasibility for certain urban settlement conditions (conglomerate of urban settlements). The second group consists of organizational and technical issues. This study proposes to eliminate certain material issues in the sphere of suburban and urban traffic by the infrastructure improvement with the significant traffic increase and fluctuations.
ITS-PRO-FLOW: A NEW ENHANCED SHORT-TERM TRAFFIC FLOW PREDICTION FOR INTELLIGENT TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS
Authors: KAZICI Halil Ibrahim , KOSUNALP Selahattin , ARUCU Muhammet
Published: July 2023

Short-term traffic flow prediction plays a significant role in various applications of intelligent transportation systems (ITS), such as road traffic control and route guidance. This requires the development of intelligent prediction approaches for accurate and timely traffic flow information. To handle this issue, this paper emphasizes the potential of a new idea to propose a high-quality and intelligent prediction of short-term traffic flow in ITS. The proposed model, referred to as ITS-Pro-Flow, takes the benefits of the well-known Profile-Energy (Pro-Energy) as a landmark solution, relying on past observations and current conditions to forecast future short-term traffic flow volume. ITS-Pro-Flow has an effective prediction mechanism due to its unique enhancements over Pro-Energy. The distinctive feature of ITS-Pro-Flow is that it dynamically adjusts the contributions of past predictions and current observations for a particular prediction, which is equally performed in Pro-Energy. We prove the performance of ITS-Pro-Flow through extensive simulations with 2 datasets, in comparison to Pro-Energy and IPro-Energy. Performance results clearly indicate that ITS-Pro-Flow provides more accurate predictions than other schemes.
Utilization of Jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus L.) Waste towards Sustainable Energy and Biochemicals: Attainment of Zero Waste Technologies
Authors: Sarangi Prakash Kumar , Srivastava Rajesh Kumar , Singh Akhilesh Kumar , Sahoo Uttam Kumar , Prus Piotr , Dziekański Paweł
Published: July 2023

Valorization of food and fruit wastes has the potential for the production of sustainable energy and biochemicals. Approximately 70% of the weight of the original jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus L.) fruit is lost during processing as waste in the form of peeled skin and core, both of which have not been utilized and, thus contribute to disposal as well as pollution issues. The major components, cellulose, and hemicellulose, can be biologically transformed easily into bioenergy sources like ethanol, methanol, and butanol; valuable phenolics and biotechnological products like pectin, citric acid, bromelain, ferulic acid, and vanillin; and many other products. These residues can also be utilized as essential sources for the biological transformation process leading to the production of numerous products with added value, such as phenolic antioxidants, phenolic flavor compounds, and organic acids. Thus, the value addition of jackfruit waste can support the sustainable solution towards food and nutritional security. In this way, zero waste can be achieved through novel biorefineries which are critically highlighted in this paper. Furthermore, novel technologies for the conversion of jackfruit wastes are summarized with recent findings.
A Walk Through Agn Country—For the Somewhat Initiated!
Authors: Antonucci Robert R. J.
Published: July 2023

Some key issues in AGN and galaxy formation are discussed. Very successful Unified Models explain much of the variety of AGN with orientation effects; ingredients are shadowing by a dusty “torus" and relativistic beaming. A spinoff result is described which is important for the formation of massive elliptical galaxies. It’s the most spectacular and unequivocal AGN feedback phenomenon known. This is the so-called “alignment effect" in powerful radio galaxies at z > 1. One of them is a BAL radio galaxy! I explain a very robust derivation of the reddening law for nuclear dust, which reveals a dearth of small grains. Then the quasistatic thin accretion disk model, thought by many to explain the energetically dominant optical/UV continuum, is thoroughly debunked. Much of this was known when the model was proposed 35 years ago. A new argument is given that trivially falsifies a huge superset of such models. It’s possible to see the central engine spectrum with the atomic and dust emission surgically removed! Few noticed this breakthrough work. The far IR dust emission in Cygnus A is 10% polarized, and so far high nuclear dust polarization is seen in all radio loud objects, but no radio quiet ones.
Inhibition Roles of Calcium in Cadmium Uptake and Translocation in Rice: A Review
Authors: Liu Junli , Feng Xiaoyu , Qiu Gaoyang , Li Hua , Wang Yuan , Chen Xiaodong , Fu Qinglin , Guo Bin
Published: July 2023

Cadmium (Cd) contamination in rice grains is posing a significant threat to global food security. To restrict the transport of Cd in the soil-rice system, an efficient way is to use the ionomics strate-gy. Since calcium (Ca) and Cd have similar ionic radii, their uptake and translocation may be linked in multiple aspects in rice. However, the underlying antagonistic mechanisms are still not fully understood. Therefore, we first summarized the current knowledge on the physiological and molecular footprints of Cd translocation in plants and then explored the potential antagonistic points between Ca and Cd in rice, including exchange adsorption on roots, plant cell wall compo-sition, co-transporter gene expression, and transpiration inhibition. This review provides sugges-tions for the Ca/Cd interacting study in rice and introduces the ionomics research to better control the accumulation of Cd in plants.
Using Low-Cost Sensing Technology to Assess Ambient and Indoor Air Quality in New York during and after the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Holder Justin , Jordan Jamelia , Johnson Kera , Akinremi Ayodele , Roberts-Semple Dawn
Published: July 2023

Air pollution is a leading cause of death in the United States, and is associated with adverse health outcomes, including increased vulnerability to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The AirBeam2 was used to measure particulate matter with a diameter of 2.5 micrometers or smaller (PM2.5), to investigate differences between indoor and ambient levels at seven private homes in New York during and after the COVID-19 lockdown. Measurements taken in 2020 winter, spring and fall and in fall 2022 showed that 90% of the time, indoor PM2.5 levels exceeded outdoor levels both during and after the COVID-19 lockdown, p = 0.03, and exceeded safety levels. Higher indoor PM2.5 levels attributed to little or no ventilation from cooking and smoke in the kitchen and basements, were significantly greater in fall than in winter. Higher ambient PM2.5 levels were attributed to vehicular traffic at a street-facing sampling site. PM2.5 sources identified in this study may help in devising control strategies to improve indoor air quality (IAQ), and consequently alleviate respiratory health effects. These findings may be used as a basis for in-house modifications including natural ventilation and use of air purifiers to reduce exposures, mitigate future risks, and prevent potential harm to vulnerable residents.
Recent advances in Intraoperative Brainstem Auditory Evoked Potentials During Microvascular Decompression Surgery for Hemifacial Spasm
Authors: Park Sang-Ku , Lee Hyun Seok , Cho Kyung Rae , Park Kwan
Published: July 2023

Brainstem auditory evoked potentials (BAEPs) testing is very important when microvascular decompression (MVD) is performed with hemifacial spasm (HFS). The reason for this is that the vestibulocochlear nerve is located right next to the facial nerve, so the vestibulocochlear nerve may be affected by manipulation by surgery. The BAEPs test method for detecting vestibulocochlear nerve damage during surgery has been developed a lot and is helping a lot during surgery. In most HFS patients with normal vestibulocochlear nerve, the degree of vestibulocochlear nerve damage caused by surgery is reflected very well in the BAEPs test waveforms. Therefore, a real time test is the best way to minimize the damage to the vestibulocochlear nerve. The purpose of this study was to review the most recently published BAEPs test used in MVD surgery and to find out in detail the relationship between the vestibulocochlear nerve damage and the BAEPs waveforms.
Optical Fiber Embedded Beam for Subgrade Distributed Settlement monitoring：Experiments and Numerical Modeling
Authors: Li Zhen , Yuan Kun , Zhao Li guo
Published: July 2023

In this study, Brillouin optical time-domain analysis (BOTDA) sensing technology was utilized for monitoring settlement in a similarity model of a highway subgrade. As contact winding cannot be used for an optical fiber that is buried directly in soil, uncoupling between. the fiber and the soil can occur. Thus, an optical-fiber-embedded beam (OFEB) was developed, and a method for measuring and calculating the beam deformation was proposed. A calibration test and a test on a similarity model of a subgrade were carried out to investigate the applicability and monitoring accuracy of the OFEB. It was concluded that the OFEB can accurately measure beam deflection, where the maximum relative error between measurements by the optical fiber and a displacement transducer was approximately 5%. The OFEB was embedded directly into a similarity model of a subgrade to monitor settlement. The deflection deformation of the OFEB was found to be close to the subgrade settlement over a certain settlement range with a relative error below 8.1%. Thus, the OFEB can be used to realize measure large-range distributed settlement in a subgrade. A numerical simulation was performed to identify appropriate beam dimensions and material design parameters, thereby extending the measurement range before decoupling of the OFEB and soil occurs. The enhancement of the measurement range and accuracy of the OFEB based on the preliminary experiments carried out in this study enables further investigation of settlement monitoring.
Sport fishing in Brazil: the current state
Authors: Lubich Chiara , Siqueira-Souza Flávia , Freitas Carlos
Published: July 2023

Sport fishing has ecological, economic, and social importance, but there are few studies that characterize it according to the sustainability tripod. Due to this gap, we present a systematic review of the literature to evaluate the current situation of sport fishing in Brazil. The papers on the subject were systematically evaluated based on quantitative criteria. Additionally, in order to create a list of the species of interest of sport fishers, the survey of 22 papers was carried out regarding the species caught. A total of 70 complete papers published between 1994 and 2021 were included in the study. Since the 1990s, publications have increased quantitatively, with most studies coming from the South-Eastern region of Brazil (39.19%). The papers published discussed, in the majority, the sport fishing carried out in marine environment (55.38%), and the focus was “fishing and fishers” (30%). Evaluating the sustainability tripod, most of the papers provided only information regarding the ecological aspect (58.57%). About 330 species of marine and freshwater fish of interest to sport fishers were dealt with in the studies. This information reflects the current state of knowledge about Brazilian sport fishing, and it can serve as a basis for the management of the activity and the target species used by fishers. Additionally, the present review can serve as an aid for future research on this topic.
Implementation of Non-Cash Financial Transactions as a Payment System for Non-Civil Servant Employee Service Expenditures at the Cilegon City Regional Secretariat
Authors: Karimah Ahyarani , Widyaningsih Ika Utami , Shavab Firli Agusetiawan , Sari Titis Nistia , Nupus Hayati
Published: July 2023

Non-cash Financial Transactions began to be carried out gradually in the Cilegon City Government in 2018 with the issuance of Cilegon Mayor Regulation Number 20 of 2018 concerning Online Disbursement Orders and Implementation of Non-cash Transactions in the Cilegon City Area. This study aims to find out the procedure for the payment and the constraint in the process of Non-cash Transaction disbursement in the spending of personnel service expenditure of Non-civil Servant in the Cilegon City Regional Secretariat. The researchers used a descriptive qualitative method. The data were collected using triangulation. Triangulation is a process of gathering several techniques of taking existing data sources. In this study, the data were obtained using observation, interview, library research, and documentation. The result of this study shows the procedure of implementation of Non-cash financial transactions as a service payment system for Non-civil Servant employees in Cilegon City Regional Secretariat runs quite effectively through some aspects namely, fast, easy, accurate, and safe.
Do Intellectual Capital and Corporate Governance have Value Relevance to the Market Performance? Evidence from Indonesia
Authors: Hardiana Nadhira , Hartati Noorina , Suryani Pesi , Gaol Lasando Lumban , Zulfiati Lies , Dahlifah
Published: July 2023

We examine whether intellectual capital and corporate governance have value relevance to market performance. Intellectual capital is measured by VAIC™ (Pulic, 1998). We use annual report data from companies listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX) and Corporate Governance Perception Index (CGPI) data from the Indonesian Institute for Corporate Governance (IICG) in the period of 2015–2019. Preliminary findings suggest that intellectual capital does not have value relevance to market performance, but corporate governance does have value relevance to market performance. This paper contributes to stakeholders in making economic decisions.
The Influence of Managerial Ownership and Firm Size on Corporate Environmental Disclosure
Authors: Sholikha Nikmatus , Al Saudi Ibnu , Himawan Hilmi Satria
Published: July 2023

Companies in the primary and chemical industry sector are involved in producing chemical substances. These industries process raw materials obtained through mining, agriculture, and other sources into materials, chemical substances, and chemical compounds to become final and intermediate products used in different industries. This study aims to investigate and prove the effect of managerial ownership and firm size on corporate environmental disclosure. The ratio used in this study is the percentage of managerial shares, total company assets, and corporate environmental disclosure reports. This is quantitative research with the type of ex-post facto (cause and effect) research. The population of this study is a manufacturing company in the primary and chemical industry sector listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange. The sample was selected using a purposive sampling method to obtain ten samples of primary and chemical industry companies from 2017 to 2021. The data analysis method used in this study was Eviews 12 software. The results of the model estimation test show that the selected model, the Random Effect Model (REM), becomes a regression analysis method. This study indicates that partially managerial ownership does not significantly affect environmental disclosure. Moreover, firm size gives positive findings and significantly affects corporate environmental disclosures. The R-Square value of this study is only 3.8% because the results of the F test state that managerial ownership and simultaneous firm size do not significantly affect corporate environmental disclosures.
Tag-based annotation creates better avatars
Authors: Liu Minghao , Cheng Zeyu , Sang Shen , Liu Jing , Davis James
Published: July 2023

Avatar creation from human images allows users to customize their digital figures in different styles. Existing rendering systems like Bitmoji, MetaHuman, and Google Cartoonset provide expressive rendering systems that serve as excellent design tools for users. However, twenty-plus parameters, some including hundreds of options, must be tuned to achieve ideal results. Thus it is challenging for users to create the perfect avatar. A machine learning model could be trained to predict avatars from images, however the annotators who label pairwise training data have the same difficulty as users, causing high label noise. In addition, each new rendering system or version update requires thousands of new training pairs. In this paper, we propose a Tag-based annotation method for avatar creation. Compared to direct annotation of labels, the proposed method: produces higher annotator agreements, causes machine learning to generates more consistent predictions, and only requires a marginal cost to add new rendering systems.
Effect of a ketogenic diet on nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) progression: a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Chirapongsathorn Sakkarin , Rintaravitoon Wiwit , Tangjaturonrasme Bhagawat , Chotsriluecha Samitti , Pumsutas Yanisa , Kanchanapradith Achariya , Treeprasertsuk Sombat
Published: July 2023

Background
Despite the popularity of a ketogenic diet, no randomized, controlled trials have evaluated its efficacy on nonalcoholic fatty liver (NAFLD) progression.
Methods
We conducted 8-week, open-label randomized controlled trial involving 24 patients with NAFLD who were randomly assigned to either the home delivery ketogenic diet or general lifestyle advice counselling DASH diet. The primary outcome was reduction of hepatic steatosis as measured by transient elastography. Secondary outcome included metabolic profiles, and anthropometrics.
Results
There were no significant differences between groups in liver stiffness and steatosis measurement after dietary interventions. Subjects on a ketogenic diet had lost more weight than subjects in control group at 8 weeks (mean change [95% CI], -6.16 [-7.22, -5.10] vs. -2.14 [-4.49, 0.21] kg; P=0.001). The decrease in waist circumference, systolic blood pressure, fat mass and visceral fat area were significantly greater among subjects on a ketogenic diet than among those in control group. Laboratory parameters including AST, triglyceride and HDL were also significantly decreased among subjects on a ketogenic diet than among those in control group.
Conclusions
A ketogenic diet produced a significantly greater weight loss (absolute difference, approximately 4 percent) than did the general lifestyle advice intervention for the first 8 weeks. A ketogenic diet was associated with a greater improvement in some risk factors for coronary heart disease and NAFLD. However, a ketogenic diet did not reduce steatosis but not worsen NAFLD progression. Longer and larger studies are required to determine the long-term safety and efficacy of the ketogenic diet.
First registration 26/04/2022, Clinical trial registration number: TCTR20220426005.
The impact of biosolids biochar on biomethane production from the anaerobic digestion of chicken manure
Authors: Hassan Soulayma , Ngo Tien , Khudur Leadin S. , Krohn Christian , Dike Charles Chinyere , Hakeem Ibrahim Gbolahan , Shah Kalpit , Surapaneni Aravind , Ball Andrew S.
Published: July 2023

This is the first study that specifically investigated biosolid-derived biochar for mitigating ammonia stress and methane production during the anaerobic digestion of chicken manure, using both pristine and modified biochar with potassium hydroxide (KOH) solution. Batch mesophilic anaerobic digestion (37 ℃) was carried out over 18 days. Compared to chicken-manure-only controls, a significant increase in methane formation was observed in digesters amended with biochar and KOH-modified biochar, producing 220 L kg-1-VS and 262L kg-1-VS of methane, respectively, compared to 139 L kg-1 VS from control digesters. Moreover, the use of biochar and KOH-modified biochar resulted in a significant reduction of 8 days in the lag phase. Total Ammonia Nitrogen (TAN) concentration was reduced in digesters with biochar and KOH-modified biochar by 25% and 35.5%. respectively. QPCR data revealed that the number of 16S rRNA gene copies was around 50,000 and 41,000 times higher in biochar and KOH-modified biochar digesters, respectively, compared to control digesters on day 18. In addition, adding biochar and alkali-modified biochar to digesters created a mixture of pathways (acetoclastic, hydrogenotrophic and methylation), leading to a robust archaeal community. The results showed that biosolids biochar additives enhance the anaerobic
Online Short-term Ship Response Prediction with Dynamic Buffer Window Using Transient Free Switching Filter
Authors: Majidiyan Hamed , Majidiyan Hamed , Enshaei Hossein , Howe Damon
Published: July 2023

Ship response prediction is one of the emerging interests in seakeeping, given the extensive range of applications for autonomous control of marine vehicles. In particular, the shortterm prediction and online updates of the ship response have been in the practical attention span. Despite a body of studies on different predictors, the asymptotic properties of estimators concerning the time series sample size have not been addressed specifically. The predictors only have been analysed for a fixed observation window regardless of the intrinsic statistical characteristics obtainable in the time series. To this end, the current research has considered the performance of two nonlinear and linear based regressors: support vector regression (SVR) and the adaptive Seasonal Auto-Regressive and Integrated Moving Average (SARIMA) model on the time series data obtained from a simulated semisubmersible platform in different sea states. The experiment demonstrated that the prediction accuracy highly depends on the observation window length with respect to the statistical properties of the responses in various wave conditions. Therefore, an innovative filter using the weighted average of the proposed functions has been introduced to dynamically adjust the buffer window based on the signal statistical characteristics. The promising results showed that the filter not only could contribute to promoting any predictors used in autonomous onboard decision-making, guidance, and stabilization systems for present and future intelligent onboard control systems, but the proposed mechanism can be employed in dynamic systems in other disciplines too.
Identifying the multiple drivers of Cactus diversification
Authors: Thompson Jamie , Hernández-Hernández Tania , Keeling Georgia , Priest Nicholas
Published: July 2023

Our understanding of the complexity of forces at play in the rise of major angiosperm lineages remains incomplete. The diversity and heterogeneous distribution of most angiosperm lineages is so extraordinary that it confounds our ability to identify simple drivers of diversification. Using Machine Learning in combination with phylogenetic modelling, we show that 11 separate abiotic and biotic variables significantly contribute to the diversification of Cactaceae. We reconstruct a comprehensive phylogeny, build a dataset of 39 abiotic and biotic variables, and predict the variables of central importance, accounting for interactions. We use state-dependent diversification models to confirm that a rich range of eleven abiotic and biotic variables shape Cactus diversification. Of highest importance is latitude, plant size, and growth form, with lesser importance identified in soil composition, bioclimate, topography, geographic range size, and chromosome count. Our results reveal the need to account for the complexity underlying macroevolution of iconic angiosperm families.
Hippocampal sharp-wave ripples correlate with naturally occurring self-generated thoughts in humans
Authors: Iwata Takamitsu , Ikegaya Yuji , Smallwood Jonathan , Fukuma Ryohei , Oshino Satoru , Tani Naoki , Khoo Hui , Kishima Haruhiko , Yanagisawa Takufumi
Published: July 2023

Core features of human cognition, for example, the experience of mind wandering, highlight the importance of the capacity to focus on information separate from the here and now. However, the brain mechanisms that underpin these self-generated states remain unclear. An emerging hypothesis is that self-generated states depend on the process of memory replay, which, in animals, is linked to sharp-wave ripples (SWRs) originating in the hippocampus. SWRs are transient high-frequency oscillations that exhibit circadian fluctuations and, in the laboratory, are important for memory and planning. Local field potentials were recorded from the hippocampus of 11 patients with epilepsy for up to 15 days, and experience sampling was used to describe their association with ongoing thought patterns. SWRs were correlated with patterns of vivid, intrusive ongoing thoughts unrelated to the task being performed, establishing their contribution to the ongoing thoughts that humans experience in daily life.
Assessing the Prevalence of Anemia Post-COVID-19 Infection in Adult Members of a Southeastern U.S. Integrated Healthcare System
Authors: Hudgins Alexander F. , McDonald Bennett , Bush Patricia A. , Harding Jessica L , Kolailat Imanii , Martinez Monica , Segall Marni , Thompson Sierra G. , Patzer Rachel E , Han Jenny E. , Cribbs Sushma K. , Walker Tiffany A. , Wiley Zanthia , Neuman Robert , Pigott Terri , Ofotokun Igho , Gander Jennifer C.
Published: July 2023

Background
COVID-19 may cause or worsen anemia, leading to fatigue, lower quality of life, increased risk of comorbidities, and significantly associated with worse outcomes in patients hospitalized with COVID-19. Little is known among a community-based population. We aimed to investigate the incidence and risk factors of anemia post-COVID diagnosis in a community-based population.
Methods
We identified all adult members of KPGA with a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19 between January 2020 and March 2022 and followed through March 2023. Anemia was defined using hemoglobin (Hgb) labs 180-days (±30-days) and 365-days (±30-days) after COVID-19 diagnosis and sex-specific thresholds. Potential risk factors included demographics and clinical characteristics (defined by diagnosis codes) at the time of COVID-19 diagnosis. Hospitalization with COVID-19 was used as a marker of COVID-19 severity. Logistic regression among individuals not diagnosed with anemia pre-COVID investigated the association between each risk factor and anemia 180- and 365-days post-COVID-19 infection. We stratified fully adjusted model by hospitalization with COVID-19 to assess effect modification.
Results
We included 3,450 and 3,043 individuals who met the inclusion criteria and had Hgb results available 180- and 365- days post-COVID-19 diagnosis. One-third of our population had anemia 180-days (n=1,100, 32.17%) and 365-days (n=1,007, 33.09%) post-COVID-19, with approximately 11% of the cohort being newly diagnosed cases of anemia. In the fully adjusted models females (vs. males) (OR=1.71, 95% CI: 1.42, 2.06), Black or African American individuals (vs. non-Black individuals) (OR=2.34, 95% CI: 1.98, 2.76), adults diagnosed with kidney disease (OR=1.79, 95% CI: 1.42, 2.25) or diabetes (OR=1.26, 95% CI: 1.12, 1.64), and adults hospitalized with COVID-19 (OR=1.43, 95% CI: 1.15, 1.78) were more likely to be diagnosed with anemia 365-days after COVID-19 diagnosis. Analyses stratified by hospitalization status showed a possible effect modification between hospitalization status and post-COVID-19 anemia.
Discussion
Our study showed that one in three people in a community-based population have anemia 180-days and 365-days after their first COVID-19 diagnosis. Anemia can cause fatigue, a lingering symptom of COVID-19 infection. Though more research is needed, ongoing surveillance of COVID-19 patients for anemia may be an important component of management of long COVID-19.
Graph Neural Networks for Neurological Diseases Detection in EEG Signals
Authors: Awais Muhammad , Belhaouari Samir Brahim , Kassoul Khelil
Published: July 2023

Epilepsy is a neurological disorder that affects a large portion of the world's population1. It is characterized by recurrent seizures2, which are caused by abnormal electrical activity in the brain3. This condition can lead to various symptoms, such as muscle contractions, loss of consciousness, and convulsions. Here, we present a novel approach for detecting seizures and other neurological diseases in electroencephalogram (EEG) signals and highlight the potential of graph neural networks in EEG signal analysis, suggesting that this method could effectively tackle various challenges related to EEG data processing and analysis. The method involves constructing a graph representation of the EEG signal by extracting frequency-based, statistical-based, and Daubechies wavelet transform features from the EEG signals, using a sliding window with 30% overlap. A Graph Convolutional Network (GCN) model, combined with Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) architecture (GCN-LSTM) and Balanced Random Forest (GCN-BRF), is then employed to process the EEG signals and improve the accuracy of seizure detection. Our experimental findings show that both the GCN-LSTM and GCN-BRF models significantly improved the accuracy of seizure detection, surpassing the performance of previously published methods. Despite reducing the complexity of our approach by decreasing the number of channels used, we observed that its performance remains unchanged. This means that even with fewer channels, our approach continues to deliver comparable results without compromising its effectiveness. We anticipate our work to be a significant step forward in the field of neurodegenerative diseases, illustrating the ability of GCN-LSTM and GCN-BRF models to accurately detect seizures in EEG signals. Our findings highlight the promising potential of graph neural networks in EEG signal analysis, providing a new avenue for future research. Furthermore, the utilization of graph representation offers a clear and visually distinguishable method to differentiate seizure signals from normal signals.
Eco-friendly biosynthesis and characterization of silver nanoparticles from Solanum lycopersicum (Tomato) peel waste and its application in disinfecting metallic surfaces
Authors: Ali Esraa , Abd-Elhalim Basma T. , Hesham Esraa , Ahmed Shimaa , Mostafa Habiba , Gamal Ahmed , El-Sayed Salwa M. , Hemdan Bahaa , Bakry Ashraf , Ebeed Naglaa , Elhariry Hesham , Galal Ahmed , Abu-Hussien Samah H.
Published: July 2023

According to their special physio-chemical properties, Nanoparticles have gained worldwide attention as a new bio-alternative for chemical control agents. This investigation aims to the eco-friendly synthesis of nanosilver particles from tomato peel extract (TPE-AgNPs) and evaluates their characteristics and inhibitory activities against pathogenic bacteria and fungi as well as their role in metallic surface disinfecting. To initiate biosynthesis, tomato peel extract was mixed with silver nitrate (AgNO3) solution until the color changes to reddish brown. Ultraviolet (UV-Visible) spectroscopy, Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) techniques were used to characterize biosynthesized TPE-AgNPs. Results recorded that obtained TPE-AgNPs had a strong score (238nm) of Plasmon resonance (SPR) by SPR of 4.5. Functional groups of carboxyl, hydroxyl, and phenolic groups existed and were detected by the FTIR spectrum. The synthesized TPE-AgNPs had an amorphous nature which was confirmed by XRD analysis. TEM analysis showed spherical TPE-AgNPs sized from 4.44-27.59nm. The biosynthesized TPE-AgNPs had a negative zeta potential of -68.44 mV. The inhibitory activities of synthesized TPE-AgNPs were evaluated against eleven microbial pathogenic using well diffusion method, inhibition zone diameter (IZD) was measured in centimeters. Results showed that B. subtilis and E.coli was the most sensitive pathogens with IZD of 4.0 and 0.92cm, respectively However, L. monocytogenes and S. sonnei were the most resistant pathogens with IZD of 0.92 and 0.90 cm, respectively. Synthesized TPE-AgNPs from tomato peels had good inhibitory potentials against pathogenic fungi with IZD of 3.0 and 0.92cm against A. solani and C. albicans, respectively. Applying the use of TPE-AgNPs as bio disinfectant significantly decreased the microbial load of metallic blades and proves its efficiency as a disinfectant agent after 120min. of contacting. So, more applications on disinfecting metallic surfaces such as dentistry are indeed needed.
Climate Change Impacts on Agricultural Trade and Food Security in Emerging Economies: Case of Southern Africa
Authors: Sabola Gift Andrew
Published: July 2023

Climate change has been a significant threat to sustainable agriculture impacting trade and food security. This research investigates the impacts of climate change on agricultural trade and food security in emerging economies focusing on Southern Africa. The research employed the panel Generalised Method of Moments (GMM) using times series data for the period 2012 to 2021 obtained from a sample of 12 Southern African countries selected based on data availability. The main independent variable to the research was climate change variables (temperature and precipitation). Other control variables included were population growth, food inflation and agricultural growth. The study found significant negative effects of climate change on agriculture trade. Whilst temperature changes were found to have insignificant effects, precipitation changes were found to have significant positive effects. The research recommends concerted efforts towards climate change adaptation and mitigation for sustainable agriculture.
Hair cortisol and endocannabinoids measurement in patients with adrenal incidentalomas: A case-control study
Authors: Mytareli Chrysoula , Athanasouli Fani , Andreadaki Evangelia , Thanasoula Foteini , Angelousi Anna
Published: July 2023

Purpose
The role of endocannabinoids (ECs) in the regulation of the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenocortical axis has been already studied; however, data are scarce in humans. The aim of our study was to analyse the ECs [anandamide (AEA) and 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG)] and cortisol (F) levels in the hair samples of patients with adrenal incidentalomas (AIs) in comparison with controls and assess their association with the hormone profile.
Methods
Forty-four patients with AIs [32 with non-functioning AIs (NFAIs) and 12 with possible autonomous secretion (PACS)] and 44 controls were recruited. Basal and post-1mg overnight dexamethasone suppression test (ODST) F, adrenocorticotropic hormone, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate and 24-h urinary free cortisol were analysed. After hair collection, EC and F levels were measured by liquid chromatography tandem-mass spectrometry.
Results
There was no difference between the groups regarding the age, sex and metabolic status. Significantly decreased hair AEA and 2-AG levels were found in patients with AIs compared to controls (p < 0.001 and p = 0.002 respectively) as well as between NFAI or PACS and controls (p < 0.001 or p = 0.002 and p = 0.038 or p = 0.02 respectively). Among the AI patients, EC levels tended to be lower in PACS group. AEA hair levels were negatively correlated with F levels post-1mg ODST (rs=-0.257, p = 0.033). We did not find any significant difference comparing hair F between the groups.
Conclusion
Our findings suggest that hair ECs measurement could be a potential biomarker in the evaluation of patients with AIs, while hair F analysis is not a useful diagnostic test for mild hypercortisolemia.