bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Review - Sorina Dora Simion, Formas y fórmulas artísticas perennes y recurrentes. Diego Rodríguez de Silva y Velázquez y su herencia, Editura Pro Universitaria, București, 2022, 239 pp.
Authors:   University of Bucharest, BILAN JANINA ELENA
Published: March 2024

El más reciente ensayo de Sorina Dora Simion nos propone una relectura de las obras de algunos de los más importantes artistas plásticos españoles de todos los tiempos, sumergiéndonos en un ambiente controlado por las ansias de pintar, de conseguir expresarse e impregnarse en la historia de la humanidad con la ayuda de un lienzo y un pincel. Esto es, Formas y fórmulas artísticas perennes y recurrentes… nos presenta una actualización de miradas hacia la obra de uno de los más destacados artistas peninsulares, Diego Rodríguez de Silva y Velázquez, mostrándonos la gran influencia que tuvo tanto en su época como en las generaciones posteriores.
PENYULUHAN MASYARAKAT MANDIRI SAMPAH (MAMA RISA) DENGAN KONSEP 3R (REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE) DI DUSUN BOMERTO
Authors: Mu’tafi Ali , Suprobo Erika Dwi , Chasanah Sri Nur , Rouf M. Lutfi , Bachri M. Mufid , Cinthya Astrid Early , Defalilah Tia I. , Nugroho Suko , Prabowo Muh. Agung , Arfina Ayu , Fatimah Siti , Yulaehah Siti , Kusumawati Bella Rista , Wardani Frida Sukmawati
Published: March 2024

Sampah masih menjadi masalah di beberapa wilayah Indonesia, termasuk Dusun Bomerto Wonosobo. Kawasan Dusun Bomerto merupakan perkampungan dengan banyak pemukiman penduduk yang berkontribusi terhadap timbulan sampah domestik. Kegiatan pengabdian kepada masyarakat dilaksanakan di Dusun Bomerto Wonosobo, dengan tema kegiatan penyuluhan masyarakat mandiri sampah (Mama Risa) dengan konsep 3R (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle). Kegiatan ini bertujuan untuk mereedukasi ibu-ibu PKK Dusun Bomerto untuk memilah sampah dan menyebarluaskan informasi kepada masyarakat Dusun Bomerto, sehingga mendorong proses pembuangan sampah di tingkat rumah tangga. Tujuan penyuluhan adalah memberikan pengetahuan kepada masyarakat Dusun Bomerto tentang pentingnya pemilahan sampah organik dan anorganik sebagai kunci awal penerapan konsep 3R yaitu mengurangi, menggunakan kembali dan mendaur ulang sampah merupakan cara yang efektif untuk mewujudkan suatu kawasan dengan tingkat kemandirian dalam pengelolaan sampah, yang akan membantu pemerintah untuk menciptakan lingkungan yang sehat, bersih dan nyaman.
Integration of Blockchain Technology in the Sustainable Supply Chain Management
Authors:   Faculty of Information Technology, University of Zawia , Libya, Khalifa Zayed , Rahal Imen ,   Faculty of Economics and Management of Sfax,  University of Sfax, Tunisia
Published: March 2024

Supply chain sustainability (SCS) aims to create long-term economic, social, and environmental value. Blockchain. Technology (BT), as a foundational technology, represents a significant development in the advancement of sustainability in the .Supply .Chain (SC). Research on the potential .impact of BT on SCS is still limited, despite its growing role in improving SC efficiency and societal changes. The main objective of this study .is to fill this knowledge.Gap by synthesizing existing literature. Most studies focus on the economic implications of blockchains, highlighting their transformative potential, including the creation of new economic models, increased operational efficiency, economic advantages, and opportunities for value creation. However, BT also offers social benefits, fostering trust among partners, enhancing food safety, supporting humanitarian logistics, and promoting social equity. Additionally, it can contribute to environmental efforts by reducing pressure on energy and natural resources and enabling the creation of environmentally friendly products. In conclusion, BT has the potential to bring about significant changes in .the .economic, .social, and .environmental .dimensions of .SCS. Keywords: Supply Chain, .Blockchain Technology, Supply Chain Sustainability.
Concomitant Cognitive Impairment in Aphasia
Authors:   M.F. Vladimirsky Moscow Regional Research and Clinical Institute, Moscow, Russia, Kotov S.V. , Shcherbakova M.M. ,   M.F. Vladimirsky Moscow Regional Research and Clinical Institute, Moscow, Russia, Isakova E.V. ,   M.F. Vladimirsky Moscow Regional Research and Clinical Institute, Moscow, Russia, Zenina V.A. ,   M.F. Vladimirsky Moscow Regional Research and Clinical Institute, Moscow, Russia, Kotov A.S. ,   M.F. Vladimirsky Moscow Regional Research and Clinical Institute, Moscow, Russia
Published: March 2024

ABSTRACT INTRODUCTION. Aphasia is observed in 30-40% of patients who have suffered a stroke, and the prognosis for the restoration of speech functions in severe aphasia is unfavorable. To date, there has been no assessment of the severity of cognitive impairment in various clinical forms of aphasia. The aim is analysis of cognitive impairment in various forms of aphasia. MATERIAL AND METHODS. 572 patients with severe and moderate post-stroke aphasia, 103 with dynamic aphasia, 89 with afferent motor aphasia, 100 with efferent motor aphasia, 98 with acoustic-gnostic aphasia, 94 with acoustic-mnestic aphasia, 88 patients — with semantic aphasia. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION. The presence of violations of non-verbal cognitive domains was revealed, and the specificity of pathology was different for each form of aphasia. All examined patients showed a decrease in mental activity, fatigue, exhaustion, most pronounced with dynamic aphasia and acoustic-gnostic aphasia. Memory loss was noted in all, most pronounced in acoustic-mnestic aphasia (p < 0,001), slightly in patients with dynamic aphasia (p = 0,08). The decrease in level of attention was most pronounced in patients with acoustic–gnostic aphasia (p < 0,001), insignificant — with efferent motor aphasia (p = 0,15). Intellectual disabilities and decreased executive functions were most pronounced in dynamic aphasia and semantic aphasia (p < 0,001). Violations of praxis were characteristic of dynamic aphasia, afferent motor aphasia and efferent motor aphasia (p < 0,001), and gnosis, including visual–spatial, for acoustic-mnestic aphasia and semantic aphasia (p = 0,001–0,002). CONCLUSION. It can be assumed that rehabilitation of patients with aphasia should include, along with speech exercises, practice aimed at restoring non-speech cognitive functions, which will increase the effectiveness of rehabilitation. KEYWORDS: aphasia, cognitive impairment, executive functions, visual-spatial functions, praxis, gnosis
Medical and Social Features of Chronic Pain Syndromes in Children and Adolescents
Authors:   Volgograd State Medical University, Volgograd, Russia, Kurushina O.V. , Barulin A.E. ,   Volgograd State Medical University, Volgograd, Russia
Published: March 2024

ABSTRACT INTRODUCTION. A review of the social, psychological and medical issues of chronic pain syndromes in children and adolescents. The impact of chronic pain on daily activity, academic performance and morbidity in adulthood in this category of patients is analyzed. MATERIAL AND METHODS. A systematic search was conducted on the RSCI and PubMed database for the period from 2000 to 2023 on the topic of chronic pain syndromes in children and adolescents, which yielded 761 matches on key features, of which we analyzed 24 sources. DISCUSSION. The review presents information according to which, in the pathogenesis of chronic pain syndromes in children and adolescents, a significant role is given to both the characteristics of the antinociceptive system and socio-psychological aspects. The main factors involved in the formation of chronic pain syndromes are presented. CONCLUSION. Chronic pain in children and adolescents has its own medical, psychological and social characteristics, which affect not only the current state of health, but also has a significant impact on later life. KEYWORDS: children, adolescents, chronic pain, medicalization of pain, depression
Diabetic Dorsopathy: from Theory to Practice
Authors:   National Association of Experts in Comorbid Neurology, Moscow, Russia, Rachin A.P. , Sharov M.N. ,   Russian University of Medicine, Moscow, Russia, Rachin S.A. ,   National Association of Experts in Comorbid Neurology, Moscow, Russia, Prokofieva Y.S. ,   Russian University of Medicine, Moscow, Russia, Parsamyan R.R. ,   Saratov State Medical University named after V.I. Razumovsky, Saratov, Russia
Published: March 2024

ABSRTACT INTRODUCTION. Currently, in the scientific literature, the problem of the relationship between pain in the lower back and diabetes mellitus is given great attention, and therefore the term diabetic dorsopathy has appeared. CONCLUSION. The treatment strategy for a patient with back pain depends on the age of presentation, the severity of disc degeneration associated with nerve compression, the stability of the functional spine, and the overall balance of the spinal column (ie, sagittal balance). Therapy for diabetic dorsopathy is based on the general principles of treating nonspecific back pain. The drugs of choice for acute back pain are non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, when choosing which you need to take into account their pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics. Artoxan (tenoxicam) according to these parameters demonstrates proper efficiency and safety. In a patient with a polyneuropathic component of back pain and diabetic polyneuropathy, it is advisable to include the drug Cocarnit in complex therapy. The quadro-effect of Cocarnit components is able to influence different points of formation of complications of diabetes and significantly improve the quality of life of such patients, restoring neurometabolic processes, reducing pain, the drug increases patient adherence to therapy. KEYWORDS: comorbidity, pain, diabetes, diabetic dorsopathy
ssessment of cutting fluids supplying method influence on contact processes when drilling stainless steel 12Х18Н10Т
Authors:   Crimean State Engineering Pedagogical University named after Fevzi Yuakubov, Bekirov E. L. , Dzhemilov E. Sh. ,   Crimean State Engineering Pedagogical University named after Fevzi Yuakubov, Selyametov R. U. ,   Crimean State Engineering Pedagogical University named after Fevzi Yuakubov
Published: March 2024

The authors have considered the process of blind holes processing during drilling operations when processing stainless steel 12Х18Н10Т. Spiral drills made of high-speed steel were used as cutting tools. There are some typical problems in this process such as difficulty of removing chips and cutting fluids supply to the machining zone. One more problem is that while removing chips along spiral grooves, they rub against the surface of the hole and thus become deformed, which results in the deterioration of surface quality. Therefore, a comparative assessment of various coolants influence was carried out depending on the method of their supply under closed cutting conditions.
Parameters optimization of pulsed laser cladding of steel 30KHGSN2A using a genetic algorithm
Authors:   Francisk Skorina Gomel State University, Nikitiuk Yu. V. , Bayevich G. A. ,   Francisk Skorina Gomel State University, Maximenko A. V. ,   Francisk Skorina Gomel State University, Aushev I. Yu. ,   State Educational Institution “University of Civil Protection of the Ministry for Emergency Situations of the Republic of Belarus”
Published: March 2024

The paperpresents the optimization of pulsed laser cladding of structural steel using a genetic algo-rithm. Using the ANSYS Workbench software, finite element modelling of laser cladding on a 30ХГСН2А steel substrate with an additive in the form of wire was conducted, considering the temperature dependence of the material's thermophysical properties. A surrogate model for pulsed laser cladding of 30ХГСН2Аsteel was developed employing a face-centered version of the central composite design experiment. The time inter-vals corresponding to the end time of the three fronts of the laser pulse and the diameter of the filler wire were considered as variable factors. The maximum temperatures in the treatment zone were used as re-sponses. In order to optimize pulsed laser cladding of 30ХГСН2А steel, the maximum temperature limit val-ues in the treatment zone were established for three moments of time that corresponded to the laser pulse fronts at the three points in the finite element model. A comparison was made between the parameters ob-tained from optimization and those derived from finite element modelling. When determining temperatures, the maximum percentage error of the results obtained via the genetic algorithm did not exceed 3.5 %
Key directions and global practices of efficiency and reliability improvement of water supply
Authors:   Sukhoi State Technical University of Gomel, Кapansky А. А.
Published: March 2024

The article reviews modern research and practical developments in the field of increasing the efficiency and reliability of water supply systems. The analysis covers both the micro level, which includes optimizing the opera-tion of individual components of the system, and the macro level, related to the management and optimization of the water supply system as a whole. Particular attention is paid to improving the efficiency of pumping units, leaks and pressure losses management, as well as water treatment processes optimization. At the macro level, the article presents a review of strategies for the optimal distribution of water between water intakes, a study of the zones of water intakes influence on the hydraulic network, dynamic pressure planning and power consump-tion management of pumping stations. The importance of monitoring and diagnostics systems for increasing the reliability of water supply systems is emphasized. Key areas of research and current problems are identified, and promising approaches to improving the management of urban water supply systems are proposed
Emotion detection from handwriting and drawing samples using an attention-based transformer model
Authors: Khan Zohaib Ahmad , Xia Yuanqing , Aurangzeb Khursheed , Khaliq Fiza , Alam Mahmood , Khan Javed Ali , Anwar Muhammad Shahid
Published: March 2024

Emotion detection (ED) involves the identification and understanding of an individual’s emotional state through various cues such as facial expressions, voice tones, physiological changes, and behavioral patterns. In this context, behavioral analysis is employed to observe actions and behaviors for emotional interpretation. This work specifically employs behavioral metrics like drawing and handwriting to determine a person’s emotional state, recognizing these actions as physical functions integrating motor and cognitive processes. The study proposes an attention-based transformer model as an innovative approach to identify emotions from handwriting and drawing samples, thereby advancing the capabilities of ED into the domains of fine motor skills and artistic expression. The initial data obtained provides a set of points that correspond to the handwriting or drawing strokes. Each stroke point is subsequently delivered to the attention-based transformer model, which embeds it into a high-dimensional vector space. The model builds a prediction about the emotional state of the person who generated the sample by integrating the most important components and patterns in the input sequence using self-attentional processes. The proposed approach possesses a distinct advantage in its enhanced capacity to capture long-range correlations compared to conventional recurrent neural networks (RNN). This characteristic makes it particularly well-suited for the precise identification of emotions from samples of handwriting and drawings, signifying a notable advancement in the field of emotion detection. The proposed method produced cutting-edge outcomes of 92.64% on the benchmark dataset known as EMOTHAW (Emotion Recognition via Handwriting and Drawing).
Towards a GDPR-compliant cloud architecture with data privacy controlled through sticky policies
Authors: Cambronero M. Emilia , Martínez Miguel A. , Llana Luis , Rodríguez Ricardo J. , Russo Alejandro
Published: March 2024

Data privacy is one of the biggest challenges facing system architects at the system design stage. Especially when certain laws, such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), have to be complied with by cloud environments. In this article, we want to help cloud providers comply with the GDPR by proposing a GDPR-compliant cloud architecture. To do this, we use model-driven engineering techniques to design cloud architecture and analyze cloud interactions. In particular, we develop a complete framework, called MDCT, which includes a Unified Modeling Language profile that allows us to define specific cloud scenarios and profile validation to ensure that certain required properties are met. The validation process is implemented through the Object Constraint Language (OCL) rules, which allow us to describe the constraints in these models. To comply with many GDPR articles, the proposed cloud architecture considers data privacy and data tracking, enabling safe and secure data management and tracking in the context of the cloud. For this purpose, sticky policies associated with the data are incorporated to define permission for third parties to access the data and track instances of data access. As a result, a cloud architecture designed with MDCT contains a set of OCL rules to validate it as a GDPR-compliant cloud architecture. Our tool models key GDPR points such as user consent/withdrawal, the purpose of access, and data transparency and auditing, and considers data privacy and data tracking with the help of sticky policies.
Fast and exact fixed-radius neighbor search based on sorting
Authors: Chen Xinye , Güttel Stefan
Published: March 2024

Fixed-radius near neighbor search is a fundamental data operation that retrieves all data points within a user-specified distance to a query point. There are efficient algorithms that can provide fast approximate query responses, but they often have a very compute-intensive indexing phase and require careful parameter tuning. Therefore, exact brute force and tree-based search methods are still widely used. Here we propose a new fixed-radius near neighbor search method, called SNN, that significantly improves over brute force and tree-based methods in terms of index and query time, provably returns exact results, and requires no parameter tuning. SNN exploits a sorting of the data points by their first principal component to prune the query search space. Further speedup is gained from an efficient implementation using high-level basic linear algebra subprograms (BLAS). We provide theoretical analysis of our method and demonstrate its practical performance when used stand-alone and when applied within the DBSCAN clustering algorithm.
A survey on multi-lingual offensive language detection
Authors: Mnassri Khouloud , Farahbakhsh Reza , Chalehchaleh Razieh , Rajapaksha Praboda , Jafari Amir Reza , Li Guanlin , Crespi Noel
Published: March 2024

The prevalence of offensive content on online communication and social media platforms is growing more and more common, which makes its detection difficult, especially in multilingual settings. The term “Offensive Language” encompasses a wide range of expressions, including various forms of hate speech and aggressive content. Therefore, exploring multilingual offensive content, that goes beyond a single language, focus and represents more linguistic diversities and cultural factors. By exploring multilingual offensive content, we can broaden our understanding and effectively combat the widespread global impact of offensive language. This survey examines the existing state of multilingual offensive language detection, including a comprehensive analysis on previous multilingual approaches, and existing datasets, as well as provides resources in the field. We also explore the related community challenges on this task, which include technical, cultural, and linguistic ones, as well as their limitations. Furthermore, in this survey we propose several potential future directions toward more efficient solutions for multilingual offensive language detection, enabling safer digital communication environment worldwide.
A lightweight convolutional neural network (CNN) model for diatom classification: DiatomNet
Authors: Gunduz Huseyin , Gunal Serkan
Published: March 2024

Diatoms are a type of algae with many species. Accurate and quick classification of diatom species is important in many fields, such as water quality analysis and weather change forecasting. Traditional methods for diatom classification, specifically morphological taxonomy and molecular detection, are time-consuming and may not provide satisfactory performance. However, in recent years, deep learning has demonstrated impressive performance in this task, just like other image classification problems. On the other hand, networks with more layers do not guarantee increased accuracy. While increasing depth can be useful in capturing complex features and patterns, it also introduces challenges such as vanishing gradients, overfitting, and optimization challenges. Therefore, in our work, we propose DiatomNet, a lightweight convolutional neural network (CNN) model that can classify diatom species accurately while requiring low computing resources. A recently introduced dataset consisting of 3,027 diatom images and 68 diatom species is used to train and evaluate the model. The model is compared with well-known and successful CNN models (i.e., AlexNet, GoogleNet, Inceptionv3, ResNet18, VGG16, and Xception) and their customized versions obtained with transfer learning. The comparison is based on several success metrics: accuracy, precision, recall, F-measure, number of learnable parameters, training, and prediction time. Eventually, the experimental results reveal that DiatomNet outperforms the other models regarding all metrics with just a few exceptions. Therefore, it is a lightweight but strong candidate for diatom classification tasks.
Factors associated with intention to be vaccinated with the COVID-19 booster dose: a cross-sectional study in Peru
Authors: Camacho-Neciosup Rodrigo , Balcazar-Huaman Ericka N. , Alvarez-Vilchez Margarita L. , De la Cruz-Galán Janith P. , Gálvez-Guadalupe Yubely , Garcia-Muñoz Edwin D. , Cerron-Daga Greysi , Failoc-Rojas Virgilio E. , Valladares-Garrido Mario J.
Published: March 2024

Introduction

The pandemic of COVID-19 continues to impact people worldwide, with more than 755 million confirmed cases and more than 6.8 million reported deaths. Although two types of treatment, antiviral and immunomodulatory therapy, have been approved to date, vaccination has been the best method to control the spread of the disease.

Objective

To explore factors associated with the intention to be vaccinated with the COVID-19 booster dose in Peru.

Material and Methods

Cross-sectional study, using virtual and physical surveys of adults with two or more doses of COVID-19 vaccine, where the dependent variable was the intention to be vaccinated (IBV) with the booster dose. We calculated prevalence ratios with 95% confidence intervals, using generalized linear models of the Poisson family with robust varying, determining associations between sociodemographic, clinical, and booster dose perception variables.

Results

Data from 924 adults were analyzed. The IBV of the booster doses was 88.1%. A higher prevalence was associated with being male (aPR = 1.05; 95% CI [1.01–1.10]), having a good perception of efficacy and protective effect (PR = 3.69; 95% CI [2.57–5.30]) and belonging to the health sector (PR = 1.10; 95% CI [1.04–1.16]). There was greater acceptance of the recommendation of physicians and other health professionals (aPR = 1.40; 95% CI [1.27–1.55]).

Conclusions

Factors associated with higher IBV with booster dose include male gender, health sciences, physician recommendation, and good perception of efficacy.
On the elephant trails: habitat suitability and connectivity for Asian elephants in eastern Indian landscape
Authors: Palei Himanshu Shekhar , Jangid Ashish Kumar , Hanumant Dhamdhere Dhanraj , Palei Nimain Charan , Mishra Arun Kumar
Published: March 2024

Identifying suitable habitats and conserving corridors are crucial to the long-term conservation of large and conflict-prone animals. Being a flagship species, survival of Asian elephants is threatened by human-induced mortality and habitat modification. We aimed to assess the habitat suitability and connectivity of the Asian elephant Elephas maximus Linnaeus, 1758 habitat in the state of Odisha in eastern India. We followed the ensemble of spatial prediction models using species presence data and five environmental variables. We used least-cost path and circuit theory approaches to identify the spatial connectivity between core habitats for Asian elephants. The results revealed that normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI; variable importance 42%) and terrain ruggedness (19%) are the most influential variables for predicting habitat suitability of species within the study area. Our habitat suitability map estimated 14.6% of Odisha’s geographical area (c. 22,442 km2) as highly suitable and 13.3% (c. 20,464 km2) as moderate highly suitable. We identified 58 potential linkages to maintain the habitat connectivity across study area. Furthermore, we identified pinch points, bottlenecks, and high centrality links between core habitats. Our study offers management implications for long-term landscape conservation for Asian elephants in Odisha and highlights priority zones that can help maintain spatial links between elephant habitats.
The role of sirtuin1 in liver injury: molecular mechanisms and novel therapeutic target
Authors: Wang Mufei , Zhao Juanjuan , Chen Jiuxia , Long Teng , Xu Mengwei , Luo Tingting , Che Qingya , He Yihuai , Xu Delin
Published: March 2024

Liver disease is a common and serious threat to human health. The progression of liver diseases is influenced by many physiologic processes, including oxidative stress, inflammation, bile acid metabolism, and autophagy. Various factors lead to the dysfunction of these processes and basing on the different pathogeny, pathology, clinical manifestation, and pathogenesis, liver diseases are grouped into different categories. Specifically, Sirtuin1 (SIRT1), a member of the sirtuin protein family, has been extensively studied in the context of liver injury in recent years and are confirmed the significant role in liver disease. SIRT1 has been found to play a critical role in regulating key processes in liver injury. Further, SIRT1 seems to cause divers outcomes in different types of liver diseases. Recent studies have showed some therapeutic strategies involving modulating SIRT1, which may bring a novel therapeutic target. To elucidate the mechanisms underlying the role of sirtuin1 in liver injury and its potentiality as a therapeutic target, this review outlines the key signaling pathways associated with sirtuin1 and liver injury, and discusses recent advances in therapeutic strategies targeting sirtuin1 in liver diseases.
Expression profiles and gene set enrichment analysis of the transcriptomes from the cancer tissue, white adipose tissue and paracancer tissue with colorectal cancer
Authors: Zhang Xiufeng , Zhu Rui , Jiao Ye , Simayi Halizere , He Jialing , Shen Zhong , Wang Houdong , He Jun , Zhang Suzhan , Yang Fei
Published: March 2024

Background

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common cancers worldwide and is related to diet and obesity. Currently, crosstalk between lipid metabolism and CRC has been reported; however, the specific mechanism is not yet understood. In this study, we screened differentially expressed long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and mRNAs from primary cancer, paracancer, and white adipose tissue of CRC patients. We screened and analyzed the genes differentially expressed between primary and paracancer tissue and between paracancer and white adipose tissue but not between primary and white adipose tissue. According to the results of the biological analysis, we speculated a lncRNA (MIR503HG) that may be involved in the crosstalk between CRC and lipid metabolism through exosome delivery.

Methods

We screened differentially expressed long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and mRNAs from primary cancer, paracancer, and white adipose tissue of CRC patients. We screened and analyzed the genes differentially expressed between primary and paracancer tissue and between paracancer and white adipose tissue but not between primary and white adipose tissue.

Results

We speculated a lncRNA (MIR503HG) that may be involved in the crosstalk between CRC and lipid metabolism through exosome delivery.

Conclusions

In this study, the findings raise the possibility of crosstalk between lipid metabolism and CRC through the exosomal delivery of lncRNAs.
Effects of three weeks base training at moderate simulated altitude with or without hypoxic residence on exercise capacity and physiological adaptations in well-trained male runners
Authors: Yi Longyan , Wu Jian , Yan Bing , Wang Yang , Zou Menghui , Zhang Yimin , Li Feifei , Qiu Junqiang , Girard Olivier
Published: March 2024

Objectives

To test the hypothesis that ‘live high-base train high-interval train low’ (HiHiLo) altitude training, compared to ‘live low-train high’ (LoHi), yields greater benefits on performance and physiological adaptations.

Methods

Sixteen young male middle-distance runners (age, 17.0 ± 1.5 y; body mass, 58.8 ± 4.9 kg; body height, 176.3 ± 4.3 cm; training years, 3–5 y; training distance per week, 30–60 km.wk−1) with a peak oxygen uptake averaging ~65 ml.min−1.kg−1 trained in a normobaric hypoxia chamber (simulated altitude of ~2,500 m, monitored by heart rate ~170 bpm; thrice weekly) for 3 weeks. During this period, the HiHiLo group (n = 8) stayed in normobaric hypoxia (at ~2,800 m; 10 h.day−1), while the LoHi group (n = 8) resided near sea level. Before and immediately after the intervention, peak oxygen uptake and exercise-induced arterial hypoxemia responses (incremental cycle test) as well as running performance and time-domain heart rate variability (5-km time trial) were assessed. Hematological variables were monitored at baseline and on days 1, 7, 14 and 21 during the intervention.

Results

Peak oxygen uptake and running performance did not differ before and after the intervention in either group (all P > 0.05). Exercise-induced arterial hypoxemia responses, measured both at submaximal (240 W) and maximal loads during the incremental test, and log-transformed root mean square of successive R-R intervals during the 4-min post-run recovery period, did not change (all P > 0.05). Hematocrit, mean reticulocyte absolute count and reticulocyte percentage increased above baseline levels on day 21 of the intervention (all P < 0.001), irrespective of group.

Conclusions

Well-trained runners undertaking base training at moderate simulated altitude for 3 weeks, with or without hypoxic residence, showed no performance improvement, also with unchanged time-domain heart rate variability and exercise-induced arterial hypoxemia responses.
Field and Economic Evaluation of Barley Productivity as Affected by Seed Rates and Slow-release Nitrogen Fertilizer Levels under Rainfed Conditions
Authors: El-Wakeel Sally E. , Mansour Mohamed , El-Azeem Ashgan M. Abd , Ebrahim Sahar A. , Noreldin Tahany
Published: March 2024

A field experiment was conducted at the north western coast of Egypt under rainfed conditions to study the effects of seed rates (70, 95 and 120 kg ha-1) and nitrogen fertilizer treatments (0, 35, 70 and 105 kg N ha-1) of Ensiabeen-40% N as slow-release fertilizer compared with 105 kg N ha-1 as Ammonium nitrate (33.5%N) on productivity of barley cultivar Giza134. This investigation was conducted during 2019/2020 and 2020/2021 winter growing seasons. The treatments were laid out in a split plot design, with three replications. Plant height, spike length, number of grins spike-1, number of spikes per m2, 1000 grain weight, biological and grain yield were recorded. In addition, total income and net return (LE)/hactare were calculated. The results indicated that mean squares due to seasons, seed rates, nitrogen levels and their interactions were significant  for most studied traits. Mean performance of the studied traits as affected by seasons, seed rates and nitrogen levels showed that, the most desirable values were obtained by SR1 for spike length (6.13cm), number of grains spike-1 (48.78 grain) and 1000 grain weight (42.15g), from SR2 for Biological yield (6.02 ton ha-1) and grain yield (1.85 ton ha-1) and from SR3 for plant height (78.28cm) and number of spikes m-2 (180.11 spike). For nitrogen level effects, N4 recorded the most favorable values for all studied traits; plant height (81.48cm), spike length (6.33cm), number of grains spike-1 (49.99 grain), number of spikes m-2 (187.60 spike), Biological yield (6.88 ton ha-1), grain yield (2.12 ton ha-1) and 1000 grain weight (42.89g). Grain yield exhibited highly significant and positive correlation with each of plant height (r= 0.833**), spike length(r=0.621**), number of grains spike-1 (r=0.768**), number of spikes m-2(r=0.880**) and weight of 1000 grains (r= 0.661**). The most contributing variable in the total variation of grain yield were number of spikes m-2, number of grains spike-1 and spike length. These variables contributed by 92.9% in the grain yield variation. The results also indicated that, the highest values in the total income were 19149 and 24990 pound.hec-1 respectively, and net return were 9492 and 15498 pound.hec-1 obtained from the interaction between seed rate of 5kg ha-1 (SR2) and 105 unit of slow release fertilizer (N4) during the two growing seasons. It could recommend this treatment to maximize the total income for the farmers in such location.
Atmospheric Corrosion of Al-Zn Coated Steel Sheets Exposed under Marine Environments in Kenya
Authors: Ondiere Vane B. , Yusuf Amir O. , Madadi Vincent O. , Onyatta John O.
Published: March 2024

Corrosion contributes to multibillion USA dollar loses due to deterioration, weakening and ultimate failure of engineering infrastructure globally necessitating further research to build more corrosion resistant materials. The aim of this study was to investigate atmospheric corrosion of aluminium-zinc coated steel roofing sheets exposed to outdoor marine environment in Kenya at Diani and Mariakani sites, representing severe marine and urban marine environments respectively. Al-Zn coated sheets measuring 130 mm x 190 mm coated with masses ranging from 60-150 gm2 were exposed for 2 years. The specimens were collected at periodic intervals following ASTM G1-90 standard method and corrosion products analyzed by Raman spectroscopy, while corrosion rate was determined by weight loss method. Corrosion rate ranged from 0.03 to 0.05 mmpy and increased with decreasing masses coating materials from 150 to 60 (gm2). Diani site recorded higher corrosion due to severe marine conditions characterized by high chlorides, RH of 81%, UV of 12mW/cm2 and a temperature of 27 ℃. Dominant rust constituents were goethite (a-FeOOH) and lepidocrocite (g-FeOOH), while  ferrihydrite and maghemite (a-Fe2O3) were measured at low levels suggesting the influence of suphur dioxide and chloride pollution on  corrosion rate at both sites. Corossion rates ˂ 0.15 mmpy at both  sites suggest excellent protection by the formulated coating media. The results of this contribute to improving the quality of the AZ metal coating media under marine environments.
A Study on Supply Chain Analysis and Marketing Margin of Catfish Seed in Mymensingh District, Bangladesh
Authors: Hridoy Shaumik Islam , Tabassum Nazia , Ethen Dilshad Zahan , Mahfuza Eshrat Jahan , Hasif Md Asraf Mahmud , Hasan Md Mahfuzul , Palash Md. Salauddin
Published: March 2024

Aims: This study examined the supply chain and marketing margin of catfish seed in selected areas of the Mymensingh district. The objectives include analyzing supply chain management, marketing margins of catfish seed production, and identifying the challenges in production and marketing systems.
Study Design: This study used a quantitative approach with a questionnaire data collection method.
Place and Duration of Study: Samples were taken from four upazilas of Mymensingh district- Gouripur, Trishal, Mymensingh Sadar, and Muktagacha. Data was collected through face-to-face interviews between mid-September and mid-October in 2019.
Methodology: The sample size was 120 including 30 catfish seed farmers, 30 paikers, 30 wholesalers, and 30 retailers. This study employed supply chain analysis, net return and net marketing margin analysis, and descriptive statistics.
Results: The study found that retailers had the highest net marketing margin of 1664 Bangladeshi Taka (Tk.) (15.21 US Dollars) for 10 kg spawn, while paikers earned the highest margin of Tk. 11148 (101.93 US Dollars) for 100,000 pieces of fingerling. The annual net return per acre from spawn production in hatcheries was Tk. 9,469,097 (86580.71 US Dollars), and from fingerling production in nurseries was Tk. 455,783 (4167.45 US Dollars).
Conclusion: The research indicated that catfish seed farms with hatcheries were more profitable than those with nurseries. Hatchery owners, nursery owners, and traders faced significant problems in their operations, such as a lack of information on quality seed, higher input prices and price fluctuations, non-availability of various inputs, and poor communication systems. Based on the result, recommendations were made to support the development of catfish seed farms and traders as a promising sector in agribusiness.
Drivers of Gully Erosion and its Socio-economic and Environmental Effects in a Tropical Semi-arid Environment
Authors: Churu Harrison , Kamau Solomon , Ng’etich Wilson , Magiroi Keziah , Alkamoi Bonface , Kebeney Syphyline , Wamalwa Fred , Mumo James
Published: March 2024

Gully erosion is a form of severe land degradation, which is more pronounced in semi-arid and arid environments due to their vulnerable ecosystems. Establishing the causes and effects of gully erosion is therefore fundamental in policy formulation and resource allocation for up-scaling context-specific gully mitigation and rehabilitation measures. Thus, this study aimed at assessing the causes and effects of gully erosion in semi-arid region, in the North-West part of Kenya. A cross-sectional survey, field measurements, laboratory analysis, focus group discussions and key informants’ interviews were used to collect data on drivers and effects of gully erosion. Descriptive statistics and content analysis were used to analyze the data. From the findings, 60 % of the respondents reported deforestation as the main driver of gully erosion. Further, 37 and 34 % of the respondents reported surface runoff and steep slopes, respectively, as major drivers of gully erosion. Soils in the region had a high dispersion ratio, with values of between 0.3 and 0.9, making them highly erodible. About 66 and 55 % of the respondents reported that the major effects of gully erosion were reduction in arable land size and death of livestock due to fatal falls, respectively. Approximately 14 ha of arable land and 1,483,600 Mg of sediment have been lost to gully erosion at the rate of about 2,410 Mg ha-1 over a period of 45 years. The average growth rate and density of gullies in the study site stood at 154 Mg ha-1 yr-1 and 0.7 km km-2, respectively. Four people and about 100 cattle had died due to fatal falls into the deep gullies. Thus, there is an urgent need to rehabilitate existing gullies while mitigating occurrence of new gullies in the study area. This would convert existing badlands into hotspots of biodiversity.
Kinetic Study of Sodium Dodecylsulfate Degradation by Solar Heterogeneous Photocatalysis Based on Tungsten Oxide
Authors: Meledje Djedjess Essoh Jules-César , Yobouet Yao Augustin , Loua Ange Victoire Mireille , Ello Aimé Serge , Eroi Séverin N’goran , Trokourey Albert
Published: March 2024

Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate or SDS is a chemical compound widely used in detergent and cosmetic formulations. This work describes the application of solar heterogeneous photocatalysis based on tungsten oxide (WO3) to the kinetic study of the degradation of sodium dodecylsulfate. The experiments were performed at room temperature to study the effect of the initial catalyst mass. The results showed that a small amount of tungsten oxide is sufficient to degrade sodium dodecyl sulfate. The initial concentrations of SDS varied between 5 and 15 mg.L-1. According to the results, more than 87% reduction is obtained after 120 min of solar irradiation of the SDS solution for a WO3/SDS mass ratio of 1/5. The detailed kinetic analysis of the photodegradation of sodium dodecylsulfate showed that the disappearance of the anionic surfactant follows a pseudo-prime model. According to the Langmuir-Hinshelwood model, the kinetics constant calculated from the linear form of this model are : k = 0.042 mg.L.min-1 and K = 0.060 L.mg-1.
My place at the mediation table: What I needed to ‘unlearn’
Authors: Brooke Sir Henry
Published: November 2007

Retiring into neutraling is a commonplace career move. Mediation consumers seek out the former senior judges and partners, even though they complain about them. For the transitioning lawyers, there's training to take, and longtime skills–make that ingrained habits–that need to be updated. London's Sir Henry Brooke gives a simultaneously serious and fun view from abroad on how the move from the bench affects the judge, and future mediation processes
Trifluormethylborane und ‐borate – neue Synthesestrategien und Anwendungen
Authors: Finze Maik , Bernhardt Eduard , Willner Helge
Published: November 2007

Mit der Synthese des [B(CF3)4]−‐Anions setzte eine neue Entwicklung im Bereich der Trifluormethylborchemie ein. Während die bisher beschriebenen (CF3)nB‐Derivate (n=1–3) ausschließlich durch die Übertragung von CF3‐Gruppen hergestellt wurden, gelang die Synthese des [B(CF3)4]−‐Anions durch die Fluorierung des [B(CN)4]−‐Anions mit ClF oder ClF3 in wasserfreier HF. Aufgrund seiner thermischen und chemischen Stabilität ist das [B(CF3)4]−‐Anion ein attraktives schwach koordinierendes Anion. In konzentrierter Schwefelsäure wird jedoch eine der vier CF3‐Gruppen zu einem CO‐Liganden solvolysiert und das neutrale Carbonylboran (CF3)3BCO erhalten. Es zeigte sich, dass diese Verbindung ein vielseitiger Synthesebaustein ist, und zahlreiche Reaktionen wurden inzwischen untersucht. Nucleophile addieren bevorzugt an das C‐Atom des CO‐Liganden. Beispiele neuer Derivate sind die Anionen [(CF3)3BCPnic]− (Pnic=N, P, As). Es ist aber auch ein Ligandenaustausch unter Abgabe von CO beispielsweise zu (CF3)3BNCH möglich. Schließlich ist (CF3)3BCO eine Komponente der konjugierten Brønsted‐Lewis‐Supersäure HF/(CF3)3BCO.
Blogging activity among cancer patients and their companions: Uses, gratifications, and predictors of outcomes
Authors: Chung Deborah S. , Kim Sujin
Published: November 2007

This study examines cancer patients' and companions' uses and gratifications of blogs and the relationship between different types of blogging activities and gratification outcomes. In an online survey of 113 respondents, cancer patients were found to be more likely than their companions to host their own blogs. Four areas emerged as gratifications of blog use: prevention and care, problem‐solving, emotion management, and information‐sharing. Cancer patients and companions both found blogging activity to be most helpful for emotion management and information‐sharing. Further, cancer patients were more gratified than their companions in the areas of emotion management and problem‐solving. Regression analyses indicate that perceived credibility of blogs, posting comments on others' blogs, and hosting one's own blog significantly increased the explanatory power of the regression models for each gratification outcome.
The persistence of behavior and form in the organization of personal information
Authors: Barreau Deborah
Published: November 2007

This study revisits managers who were first interviewed more than 10 years ago to identify their personal information management (PIM) behaviors. The purpose of this study was to see how advances in technology and access to the Web may have affected their PIM behaviors. PIM behaviors seem to have changed little over time, suggesting that technological advances are less important in determining how individuals organize and use information than are the tasks that they perform. Managers identified increased volume of e‐mail and the frustration with having to access multiple systems with different, unsynchronized passwords as their greatest PIM challenges. Organizational implications are discussed.
Maternal hypertension, antihypertensive medication use, and the risk of severe hypospadias
Authors: Caton Alissa R. , Bell Erin M. , Druschel Charlotte M. , Werler Martha M. , Mitchell Allen A. , Browne Marilyn L. , McNutt Louise‐Anne , Romitti Paul A. , Olney Richard S. , Correa Adolfo
Published: November 2007

BACKGROUND:

Hypertensive disorders occur in an estimated 5–10% of pregnancies, but few studies have examined birth defects in relation to high blood pressure and antihypertensive medication use. The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between high blood pressure, antihypertensive medication use, and severe hypospadias.

METHODS:

We used data from the National Birth Defects Prevention Study, a population‐based, multicenter, case‐control study of birth defects to assess risks for severe hypospadias in relation to self‐reported high blood pressure and prenatal exposures to antihypertensive drugs in 758 male infants with severe hypospadias and 2,058 male controls born between 1997 and 2002. Logistic regression analyses estimated ORs and 95% CIs, adjusted for potential confounders.

RESULTS:

We observed slight to moderate elevations in the risk of severe hypospadias for maternal untreated hypertension (adjusted OR 2.1; 95% CI: 1.6–2.9) and antihypertensive medication use during 1 month preconception through pregnancy month 4 (adjusted OR 1.4; 95% CI: 0.7–2.9). The association was strongest for subjects initiating medications after the fourth month (adjusted OR 5.0; 95% CI: 1.9–12.9).

CONCLUSIONS:

We observed an association between hypertension, antihypertensive medication use, and the risk of severe hypospadias, particularly when medication use began late in pregnancy. Because hypospadias occurs in early pregnancy, the data suggest that hypertension and its morphologic/physiologic precursors play an etiologic role, perhaps via compromised uteroplacental perfusion. Birth Defects Research (Part A) 2008. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
How do endosymbionts become organelles? Understanding early events in plastid evolution
Authors: Bhattacharya Debashish , Archibald John M. , Weber Andreas P.M. , Reyes‐Prieto Adrian
Published: November 2007

What factors drove the transformation of the cyanobacterial progenitor of plastids (e.g. chloroplasts) from endosymbiont to bona fide organelle? This question lies at the heart of organelle genesis because, whereas intracellular endosymbionts are widespread in both unicellular and multicellular eukaryotes (e.g. rhizobial bacteria, Chlorella cells in ciliates, Buchnera in aphids), only two canonical eukaryotic organelles of endosymbiotic origin are recognized, the plastids of algae and plants and the mitochondrion. Emerging data on (1) the discovery of non‐canonical plastid protein targeting, (2) the recent origin of a cyanobacterial‐derived organelle in the filose amoeba Paulinella chromatophora, and (3) the extraordinarily reduced genomes of psyllid bacterial endosymbionts begin to blur the distinction between endosymbiont and organelle. Here we discuss the use of these terms in light of new data in order to highlight the unique aspects of plastids and mitochondria and underscore their central role in eukaryotic evolution. BioEssays 29:1239–1246, 2007. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.