bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Ethanol production from the glucose-based medium in the presence of inhibitors using immobilized Saccharomyces cerevisiae in the stirred tank bioreactor and its modeling
Authors: Ünsal Selime Benemir Erkan , Tufan Hilal Nur Gürler , Canatar Muge , Yatmaz Ercan , Yavuz Ibrahim , Germec Mustafa , Turhan Irfan
Published: July 2023

This study aimed to examine the influence of inhibitors including acetic acid (AA), formic acid (FA), and phenol (P) on ethanol production from the glucose-based medium using immobilized Saccharomyces cerevisiae in a bioreactor. Results showed that the highest ethanol yields and productions were determined as 45.64% and 38.10 g/L, 44.8% and 36.67 g/L, and 44.46% and 39.07 g/L by the addition of 2.5 g/L AA, 0.5 g/L FA, and 0.5 g/L P into the fermentation medium, respectively. Regarding mathematical modeling, the models MGM (AA), Huang (FA-P) were the best models to predict the experimental ethanol production. It was determined that the values forecasted with the models MMF (AA-FA), Weibull (P) agreed with the actual biomass growth. Besides, to forecast the observed values of the substrate consumption, the most suitable models were Weibull (AA-FA-P). Consequently, the immobilized-cell ethanol fermentations with inhibitors were successfully performed and their limit values were determined.
Disease burden at time of transplant is a primary predictor of outcomes in pediatric MDS: A single center experience
Authors: Bleakley marie , Dahlberg Ann , Stevenson Phil , Bhatt Neel , Burroughs Lauri , Carpenter Paul , Mallhi Kanwaldeep , Summers Corinne , Tarlock Katherine , Thakar Monica , Milano Filippo , Deeg H.
Published: July 2023

Hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) remains the only curative therapy for pediatric myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) in all but rare cases. While HCT outcomes for pediatric MDS are similar across the largest registry and single center trials, factors identified as contributing to inferior outcomes vary from study to study. We performed an analysis to provide more clarity on the prognostic implications of disease characteristics including blast burden and cytogenetic abnormalities in the current era. We conducted a retrospective analysis of 36 consecutive children (<18 years of age at HCT) who underwent allogeneic HCT for MDS between June 2000 and October 2019 at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center. Overall survival (OS) was 77% (95% CI 64-92%) and Relapse-free survival (RFS) was 71% (95% CI 57-88%) at 2-years post-HCT. Patients with < 5% blasts by morphology in the bone marrow at time of HCT showed superior 2-year OS at 87% (95% CI 74-100%) as compared to 54% (95% CI 32-93%) in patients with ≥5% blasts, consistent with an HR of 4.6 (CI 1.14-18.7, p=0.03). The inferior outcomes in patients with ≥ 5% blasts were due to increased relapse incidence (HR 7.6, CI 1.5-39.3) with no difference in NRM or acute GVHD. OS and RFS were comparable to what has been observed in other large, single center studies (OS 77%, RFS 71% at 2 years) and compared favorably to outcomes from the largest multi-center retrospective analyses. The primary disease factors that correlated with inferior OS and/or RFS and relapse were higher disease burden at time of HCT and administration of chemotherapy pre-HCT.
Serum Histones in Dogs with Septic Peritonitis as a Prognostic Biomarker
Authors: Handel Karin W. , Nivy Ran , Ginsburg Isaac , Avital Yochai , Horowitz Michal , Bruchim Yaron
Published: July 2023

Septic peritonitis (SP) is a life-threating condition. Extracellular histones exert cytotoxic, prothrombotic and proinflammatory effects. Determining prognosis for dogs suffering from SP remains challenging. Our objective was to investigate serum general histones concentrations (sHs) as biomarkers of disease severity and outcome in dogs with naturally occurring SP. Blood samples were collected upon admission and 24 hours post hospitalization from 21 dogs with SP and from 7 healthy controls. Serum general histone concentrations (median;IQR) upon admission were higher in dogs with SP compared to controls (34.2 ng/ml;39.1 ng/ml vs. 7.3 ng/ml;1.7 ng/ml; P = 0.001) and sHs significantly decreased 24 hours post-hospitalization (34.4 ng/ml; 39.3 ng/ml vs. 24.2 ng/ml; 11 ng/ml; P = 0.018). Serum histones were higher among survivors compared to non-survivors (45.5 ng/ml;37 ng/ml vs. 24.0 ng/ml;12 ng/ml; P = 0.03). This data demonstrates that serum general histone concentrations significantly increase in dogs with SP and decrease after hospitalization. Future studies are warranted to investigate the reverse relationship between outcome and sHs.
The Impact of Leprosy on Quality of Life of Patients and Their Families
Authors: Fouad Hager , Atallah Rabie Bedir , Fouda Ibrahim
Published: July 2023

Background Hansen's disease (HD), often known as leprosy, is a bacterial disease with a long history that is still prevalent today. This infection can manifest in a number of different ways, causing damage to peripheral nerves, skin, and testes. The functional activity limitations (FALs) caused by leprosy are well understood. Physical and mental well-being, autonomy, social connections, perspectives, and the natural setting all contribute to one's QoL. Aim to measure how leprosy affects patients' and their families quality of Life. Subject and Methods: This cross-sectional study involved 100 patients and their families. All of them were recruited from Dermatology, Venereology & Andrology Department Outpatient Clinics, Al-Azhar University Hospitals (Damietta), and Dermatology and Leprosy Hospitals in Tanta and Damietta. The quality of life of leprosy patients was evaluated using the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) Results There was a significant relationship among (DLQI) result of patients and different lesion sites except for mucous lesions. Regarding family questionnaire, participants reported to be sympathetic were the highest percent in Feeling to see leprosy patient and in Feeling to have a leprosy family member. Conclusion Disability is the most important element in determining how severely leprosy affects quality of life. Therefore, there is still a need to raise awareness about lepromatous leprosy and its effects on patients' quality of life and the general public's understanding of the disease.
Enhancement of synchronizability in chronic migraine patients related to the increase of connectome interhemispheric connectivity
Authors: Hüttebräucker Tomás , Planchuelo-Gómez Álvaro , García-Azorín David , Guerrero Ángel , de Luis-García Rodrigo , Risau-Gusman Sebastián
Published: July 2023

The structure of the brain can be characterized as a set of interconnected regions, using the concept of connectome. It has been shown that the connectome is altered in patients with migraine, presenting a series of structural connections differences with respect to healthy subjects. Relating these structural alterations to the specific characteristics of migraine is a difficult task. One approach is to study the effects of these alterations on the dynamic processes that can take place in the connectome. An ubiquitous process in brain networks is the synchronization of neuronal populations. It depends not only on the network but also on the properties of the units being synchronized. Fortunately, the contribution of the network structure can be calculated independently, thus defining the network synchronizability.
Connectome synchronizability and structural connectivity were assessed using diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging data from 56 female patients with episodic migraine, 60 female patients with chronic migraine (CM) and 39 female healthy controls (HC). We found that whole-brain synchronizability was significantly larger in CM than in HC. The analysis of the synchronizability of subnetworks showed that differences between CM and HC were larger for subnetworks involving regions from different hemispheres. Moreover, the number of interhemispheric streamlines was significantly larger in CM than in HC, whereas no such difference appeared between intrahemispheric streamlines. The largest contributions to these differences come from the interhemispheric connections from three regions: left superior frontal gyrus, right precentral cortex, and right caudate.
The Collaborative Mobility Model based on the Archimedean Spiral of Group Intelligence
Authors: Shi Feiyang , Wang Wei , Zhang Yiguo
Published: July 2023

Existing mobility models in the military domain focus on reconnaissance, siege and tracking, with fewer node movement scenarios for high-altitude precision military strikes.This paper combines the motion characteristics of Archimedean spiral and the idea of cluster mobility model to cluster nodes within the cluster and use the cluster head node to control nodes within the cluster to achieve intelligent node control. And our model is compared with the classic PSO and RPGM models. Experiments show that our proposed mobile model has excellent network performance and movement capability compared to the POS and RPGM models, and has broad application prospects.
ANALISA STRATEGI MENGEMBANGKAN BAHAN AJAR UNTUK MEMAHAMI PEMBELAJARAN MATA PELAJARAN SEJARAH LOKAL
Authors: KHOLIQ MURIAM
Published: July 2023

The learning success of a student is influenced by many factors both from internal factors such as learning motivation from the students themselves and external factors such as the environment and professionalism of a teacher. history is a branch of science that researches and systematically investigates the overall development of society, past events, and critically evaluates the results of the research. The development of historical teaching materials with the hope of increasing the achievements and abilities of historical research has several stages as follows: (1) Initial analysis; (2) Product Design; (3) Development; (4) Field trials. In history lessons, students are expected to be able to extrapolate facts that existed in the past so that they are used for future learning until they know the benefits of history. Historical learning is based on several things, namely: (1) knowledge and understanding of terms, concepts, facts and events: (2) critical thinking, students can develop practical skills of students in understanding historical facts; (3) must be able to develop students' skills in understanding history practically; (4) developing talent interest in history learning; (5) develop healthy social behavior.
Genetic characterization and virus isolation of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus
Authors: CHEN YAPING , LIU ZHENGLIANG , LIU DONGYU
Published: July 2023

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) is an acute, febrile, highly contagious infectious disease characterized by reproductive dysfunction and respiratory failure. Its high morbidity and mortality have caused significant economic losses to the swine industry. With the continuous development of PRRSV, its genetic variation is also increasing, which causes great difficulties for the clinical prevention and control of infections casued by the virus. Monitoring the genetic variation of the virus and vaccine immunity at any time is the current research focus. In this study, patients suspected of having PRRSV were sampled, and the virus was successfully isolated. The genomic variation characteristics of the new isolate of HLJ03 were determined, especially the molecular characteristics of GP5 and NSP2, and the main focus was placed on the analysis of genetic variation. The results provide important information for further investigation of the molecular prevalence of porcine PRRSV and create a basis for the prevention and control of porcine PRRSV infections.
Key role of the local veterinary administration in combating infectious diseases of wild animals: New duties vs. old habits in the context of the Animal Health Law
Authors: DZIKOWSKI ANDRZEJ , ANUSZ KRZYSZTOF , BOGDAN JANUSZ
Published: July 2023

Regulation (EU) 2016/429 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 9 March 2016 on transmissible animal diseases and amending and repealing certain acts in the field of animal health, ‘Animal Health Law’, changed the rules for combating infectious diseases of animals, in particular of non-domesticated species. An in-depth legal research by the authors revealed certain features of combat against transmissible diseases in wild animals. New normative regulations are presented, confronted, and evaluated. The authors conclude that the European law has changed the content of national statutes, although their literal wording has remained unchanged. Different definitions and designations of veterinary surgeons in the Animal Health Law are discussed. An algorithm of conduct aimed at the uniformity of the work of public veterinary administration is presented. New duties and the need for high legal competences of the District Veterinary Officer are discussed. The effectiveness and consistency of the regulations are assessed. Interpretational and legislative postulates are indicated.
Animal experiments in statements of the Church of England
Authors: SMYKOWSKI KRZYSZTOF
Published: July 2023

The aim of the article is to analyze the statements of the Church of England on the ethical aspects of conducting experiments on animals. From the rich teaching of this community on eco-theological topics, several documents were selected that deal with these issues. They show the evolution and development of teaching and an attempt to relate moral norms to the legislation of the United Kingdom. The Church of England recognizes the need to include the 3R principle in scientific research, supplementing it with the postulate of human responsibility for animals.
Antimicrobial activity of marjoram and thyme essential oils in poultry meatballs
Authors: DROZD ŁUKASZ , SZKUCIK KRZYSZTOF , ZIOMEK MONIKA , NAJDA AGNIESZKA , KNYSZ PRZEMYSŁAW , BEŁKOT ZBIGNIEW
Published: July 2023

The aim of the study was to evaluate the possibility of using essential oils from marjoram and thyme to inhibit the growth of microorganisms in poultry meatballs. In the first stage, the values of minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) against 10 pathogenic bacteria were determined by serial two-fold dilution method. In the next stage, tests of the level of acceptance of smell and taste by the evaluation committee were carried out and the total number of microorganisms and the number of psychrotrophic microorganisms were determined in chicken fillet meatballs produced with the addition of essential oils of marjoram and thyme in the amount ensuring concentrations of: 0.1 mg/g, 0.5 mg/g and 1 mg/g. The control sample consisted of meatballs without the addition of essential oils. Microbiological tests were carried out on the day of making the meatballs and on the 3rd and 6th day of storage at +4°C. In the study of sensory characteristics, it was found that with the increase in the concentration of essential oil the acceptance of the smell and taste of meatballs significantly decreased. The studies of minimum inhibitory concentrations have shown that essential oils of marjoram and thyme have an inhibitory effect on the growth of microorganisms, and their effectiveness depends on the concentration of the essential oil and the type of bacteria. The highest effectiveness of marjoram essential oil was shown in inhibiting the growth of Klebsiella pneumoniae and Salmonella Enteritidis, for which the MIC value was 0.625 mg/ml. The strongest inhibitory effect of thyme essential oil was found against the following bacteria: Klebsiella pneumoniae and Salmonella Typhimurium, for which the MIC value was 0.039 mg/ml. The research showed that the addition of essential oils significantly reduced the total number of microorganisms in the meatballs. Statistically, a lower total number of microorganisms than in the meatballs without the addition of essential oils was found after 6 days of storage of the balls with the addition of oils at a concentration of 1 mg/g. Essential oils from marjoram and thyme have an inhibitory effect on the growth of microorganisms in poultry meatballs, and their effect depends on the type of oil and the concentration used. However, the use of essential oils in high concentration results in the lack of acceptance of the smell and taste.
Evaluating evolutionary algorithms for simulating catchment response to river discharge
Authors: Singh Ravindra Kumar , Kumar Satish , Pasupuleti Srinivas , Villuri Vasanta Govind Kumar , Agarwal Ankit
Published: July 2023

Evolutionary algorithms (EAs) are proficient in solving the controlled, nonlinear multimodal, non-convex problems that limit the use of deterministic approaches. The competencies of EA have been applied in solving various environmental and water resources problems. In this study, the storm water management model (SWMM) was set up to authenticate the capability of the model for simulating catchment response in the upper Damodar River basin. Auto-calibration and validation of SWMM were done for the years 2002–2011 at a daily scale using three EAs: genetic algorithms (GAs), particle swarm optimisation (PSO) and shuffled frog leaping algorithm (SFLA). Statistical parameters like Nash–Sutcliffe effectiveness (NSE), percent bias (PBIAS) and root-mean-squared error–observations standard deviation ratio (RSR) were used to analyse the efficacy of the results. NSE and PBIAS values obtained from GA were superior, with the recorded flow with NSE and PBIAS ranging between 0.63 and 0.69 and between 1.12 and 9.81, respectively, for five discharge locations. The value of RSR was approximately 0 indicating the sensibly exceptional performance of the model. The results obtained from SFLA were robust and superior. Our results showed the prospective use and blending of the hydrodynamic model with EA would aid the decision-makers in analysing the vulnerability in river watersheds.
Tumor Microenvironment Heterogeneity, Potential Therapeutic Avenues,
and Emerging Therapies
Authors: Peng Xintong , Zheng Jingfan , Liu Tianzi , Zhou Ziwen , Song Chen , Geng Yan , Wang Zichuan , Huang Yan
Published: July 2023

Objective:

This review describes the comprehensive portrait of tumor microenvironment
(TME). Additionally, we provided a panoramic perspective on the transformation and functions of the
diverse constituents in TME, and the underlying mechanisms of drug resistance, beginning with the
immune cells and metabolic dynamics within TME. Lastly, we summarized the most auspicious potential
therapeutic strategies.

Recent:

TME is a unique realm crafted by malignant cells to withstand the onslaught of endogenous
and exogenous therapies. Recent research has revealed many small-molecule immunotherapies exhibiting
auspicious outcomes in preclinical investigations. Furthermore, some pro-immune mechanisms
have emerged as a potential avenue. With the advent of nanosystems and precision targeting, targeted
therapy has now transcended the "comfort zone" erected by cancer cells within TME.

Conclusion:

The ceaseless metamorphosis of TME fosters the intransigent resilience and proliferation
of tumors. However, existing therapies have yet to surmount the formidable obstacles posed by
TME. Therefore, scientists should investigate potential avenues for therapeutic intervention and design
innovative pharmacological and clinical technologies.
Artificial Intelligence and Natural Language Processing Inspired Chabot
Technologies
Authors: Singh Deepti , Manju  , Jatain Aman
Published: July 2023

Chatbots use artificial intelligence (AI) and natural language processing (NLP) algorithms
to construct a clever system. By copying human connections in the most helpful way possible,
chatbots emulate individuals and serve as virtual assistants. They easily interface and respond
to customers' requests. In the modern technical environment, these conversation agents or chatbots
are considered the next-generation invention. Chatbot has become more popular in the business
field right now as it can reduce customer service cost and handle multiple users at a time. There are
many techniques used to involve such intelligent experts in daily business. A comprehensive analysis
of the methods is needed to determine the viability of the different strategies. This paper tracks
the progress of this invention and further clarifies the influence of chatbots on numerous businesses.
Besides, a survey of the multiple chatbot methodologies suggested by various researchers is provided.
Along with the survey, a chatbot e-commerce customer service is designed to provide an efficient
and accurate answer for any query based on the dataset of frequently asked questions. This
chatbot can reduce customer service costs and can handle multiple customers at the same time.
Analysis of the state of the art on Team Management in SMEs
Authors:   Fundación Universitaria Tecnológico Comfenalco., Puerta Guardo Fabio Andrés , Landazury Villalba Luis Fernando ,   Fundación Universitaria Colombo Internacional.
Published: July 2023

Effective team management is crucial for the success and growth of SMEs. This research aims to analyze the evolution of team management in SME projects between 2010 and 2020. Through a comprehensive bibliographic review methodology in the Scopus, and Web of Science databases, the main authors, most cited publications, associated factors, and methodologies used were identified. Selected original scientific literature, and review in English and Spanish, published between 2010 and 2020 for bibliometric analysis. The results highlight the importance of human resources management in achieving objectives and improving processes in SMEs. It is concluded that both individual management and team management are equally important for the proper functioning of SMEs
Articulating Architecture: the Joint in Radouan Mriziga’s ’55’.
Authors: D'Hollander Elias
Published: July 2023

Choreographer Radouan Mriziga (Morocco, Belgium, 1985) performs a version of his solo 55 (2014) in the Palais de la Dynastie in Brussels (2015). He constructs a floor plan within a building that he leaves almost untouched, in a moment where choreography and architecture seemingly come together as equal interlocutors. This article will research when and how this moment takes place and argue that 55 and the Palais de la Dynastie come together by way of joints, physical as well as architectural. It will do so building on the work of philosopher Jacques Derrida and architectural practitioners/theorists Madeline Gins and Arakawa to speculate on the implications of this articulated approach to architecture, both on the Palais de la Dynastie as well as 55.
Christoph Menke: Theorie der Befreiung
Authors: Ester Marvin , Maruy Van Den Broek Rodrigo
Published: July 2023

Rezension von Christoph Menke: Theorie der Befreiung. Berlin: Suhrkamp 2022
Cabuya (Furcraea andina, Asparagaceae): una persistencia biocultural para la reproducción del ser social Puruhá en la microcuenca del Río Guano (Andes Ecuatorianos)
Authors: Aguirre Merino Christian Paúl , Jarrín Zambrano Ginno Sidney , Guilcapi Pacheco Edmundo Danilo , Montenegro Ocaña Fabián Ramón
Published: July 2023

Antecedentes y Objetivos: Los Andes Centrales del Ecuador han sido el escenario del desarrollo cultural de la etnia indígena Puruhá. Este desarrollo ha estado vinculado a la presencia de la cabuya desde la apropiación socio-ecológica de su paisaje (cabuyales) hasta sus ecosistemas xerófilos de la estepa espinosa. Investigaciones previas demuestran una multiplicidad de usos de la cabuya en la etnia Puruhá, pero no se habían focalizado en el análisis de la persistencia biocultural de esta planta para la reproducción de su ser social (relaciones, prácticas y patrones socio-ecológicos que se producen y reproducen para la existencia y pervivencia de un grupo étnico particular). Por ello, el objetivo del estudio fue registrar los indicadores de la cabuya como una etnoespecie clave.
Métodos: Se realizaron 107 salidas de campo para la aplicación de metodologías participativas como la observación participante y la entrevista en lengua Kichwa. Un total de 135 indígenas fueron entrevistados en varias ocasiones (Máx.=94/ x̅=68/Mín.=32; 121 mujeres y 14 varones). Los usos históricos se documentaron mediante la revisión bibliográfica de literatura especializada.
Resultados clave: Se registraron un total de 50 usos etnobotánicos asociados a los contextos actual e histórico de la cultura Puruhá, todos estos valorados altamente desde las funciones de la estructura psico-socio-cultural entre 86 y 93%. La etnotaxonomía registró una diversidad de 11 nombres vernáculos asociados a los usos etnobotánicos de la cabuya, mientras que la insustituibilidad fue registrada desde el periodo prehispánico de Integración (800 DC-1534 DC) hasta la actualidad (siglo XXI).
Conclusiones: Los resultados confirman que el proceso tecnológico que conlleva la fabricación y uso socio-ecológico de los artefactos bioculturales de Furcraea andina, visibiliza una rutinización en las actividades habituales de los puruháes y una persistencia cultural identitaria de alrededor de 1200 años que ha posibilitado continuamente la reproducción del ser social Puruhá.
Medvednica mountain streams in spatial planning of Zagreb
Authors:   Zagreb, Croatia, Faber Marko , Prelogović Vedran ,   University of Zagreb, Faculty of Science, Department of Geography, Zagreb, Croatia
Published: July 2023

This paper addresses the role of Medvednica Mountain streams in the past and present spatial planning of the City of Zagreb. A description of their main characteristics is followed by an examination of their historical role in spatial planning and spatial plans, and of their impact on the urbanisation of Zagreb over four characteristic periods from the second half of the 19th century to the time of writing. A survey was also conducted to determine the ways in which the people of Zagreb use these streams and their views on their potential development. The international practice of planning and management of urban streams is explained in selected examples. Finally, on the basis of the survey, field research, and a synthesis of foreign and domestic planning practice and literature, the authors summarise the results and findings of the research.
Formation and comparison of scenarios of geopolitical development of the Western Balkans
Authors:   Student in Geography, University of Zagreb, Faculty of Science, Department of Geography, Zagreb, Croatia, Bačan Danijel
Published: July 2023

The paper examines the geopolitical situation of the Western Balkans, a region defined along state borders by the European Union. The region includes Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Kosovo, North Macedonia and Serbia. For the purpose of the research, a survey was conducted among geography students in eight cities of the Western Balkans and in Zagreb. The survey was conducted according to the Delphi method in two rounds. By conducting research using a survey and the Delphi method, three scenarios of geopolitical development through 2031 were formed: "Euro-Atlantic integration", "Status quo" and "Reconstruction of the Western Balkans". By comparing the scenarios, it is apparent that the geopolitical development of the region in the next ten years will mostly follow the "Status quo" scenario, that is, according to the current geopolitical patterns of the region.
Evaluating the Acceptability and Appropriateness of the Augmented Reality Home Assessment Tool (ARHAT): Qualitative Descriptive Study
Authors: Fields Beth , Fitzpatrick McKenzie , Kinney Lauryn , Lee Jenny , Sprecher Bryce , Tredinnick Ross , Ponto Kevin , Shin Jung-hye
Published: July 2023

Background

The Augmented Reality Home Assessment Tool (ARHAT) is a mobile app developed to provide rapid, highly accurate assessments of the home environment. It uses 3D-capture technologies to help people identify and address functional limitations and environmental barriers.

Objective

This study was conducted to gain stakeholder feedback on the acceptability and appropriateness of the ARHAT for identifying and addressing barriers within home environments.

Methods

A qualitative descriptive study was conducted because it allows for variability when obtaining data and seeks to understand stakeholders’ insights on an understudied phenomenon. Each stakeholder group (occupational therapists, housing professionals, and aging adult and caregiver “dyads”) participated in a 60-minute, web-based focus group via a secure Zoom platform. Focus group data were analyzed by 2 trained qualitative research team members using a framework method for analysis.

Results

A total of 19 stakeholders, aged from 18 to 85+ years, were included in the study. Of the occupational therapists (n=5, 26%), housing professionals (n=3, 16%), and dyads (n=11, 58%), a total of 32% (n=6) were male and 68% (n=13) were female, with most living in the Midwestern United States (n=10, 53%). The focus group data demonstrate the acceptability and appropriateness of the workflow, style, measurement tools, and impact of the ARHAT. All stakeholders stated that they could see the ARHAT being used at many different levels and by any population. Dyads specifically mentioned that the ARHAT would allow them to do forward planning and made them think of home modifications in a new light.

Conclusions

Stakeholders found the ARHAT to be acceptable and appropriate for identifying and addressing functional limitations and barriers in the home environment. This study highlights the importance of considering the workflow, style, measurement tools, and potential impact of home assessment technology early in the developmental process.
Efficacy of a Multimodal Digital Behavior Change Intervention on Lifestyle Behavior, Cardiometabolic Biomarkers, and Medical Expenditure: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial (Preprint)
Authors: Howard-Wilson Sakeina , Ching Jack , Gentile Sherri , Ho Martin , Garcia Alex , Ayturk Didem , Lazar Peter , Hammerquist Nova , McManus David , Barton Bruce , Bird Steven , Moore John , Soni Apurv
Published: July 2023

BACKGROUND

The US Preventive Services Task Force recommends providers offer individualized healthy behavior interventions for all adults, independent of their risk of cardiovascular disease. While strong evidence exists to support disease-specific programs designed to improve multiple lifestyle behaviors, approaches to adapting these interventions for a broader population are not well established. Digital behavior change interventions (DBCIs) hold promise as a more generalizable and scalable approach to overcome the resource and time limitations that traditional behavioral intervention programs face, especially within an occupational setting.

OBJECTIVE

We aimed to evaluate the efficacy of a multimodal DBCI on (1) self-reported behaviors of physical activity, nutrition, sleep, and mindfulness; (2) cardiometabolic biomarkers; and (3) chronic disease–related medical expenditure.

METHODS

We conducted a 2-arm randomized controlled trial for 12 months among employees of an academic health care facility in the United States. The intervention arm received a scale, a smartphone app, an activity tracker, a video library for healthy behavior recommendations, and an on-demand health coach. The control arm received standard employer-provided health and wellness benefits. The primary outcomes of the study included changes in self-reported lifestyle behaviors, cardiometabolic biomarkers, and chronic disease–related medical expenditure. We collected health behavior data via baseline and quarterly web-based surveys, biometric measures via clinic visits at baseline and 12 months, and identified relevant costs through claims datasets.

RESULTS

A total of 603 participants were enrolled and randomized to the intervention (n=300, 49.8%) and control arms (n=303, 50.2%). The average age was 46.7 (SD 11.2) years, and the majority of participants were female (80.3%, n=484), White (85.4%, n=504), and non-Hispanic (90.7%, n=547), with no systematic differences in baseline characteristics observed between the study arms. We observed retention rates of 86.1% (n=519) for completing the final survey and 77.9% (n=490) for attending the exit visit.

CONCLUSIONS

This study represents the largest and most comprehensive evaluation of DBCIs among participants who were not selected based on their underlying condition to assess its impact on behavior, cardiometabolic biomarkers, and medical expenditure.

CLINICALTRIAL

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04712383; https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT04712383

INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT

RR1-10.2196/50378
Effects of Digital Physical Health Exercises on Musculoskeletal Diseases: Systematic Review With Best-Evidence Synthesis (Preprint)
Authors: Nagel Johanna , Wegener Florian , Grim Casper , Hoppe Matthias Wilhelm
Published: July 2023

BACKGROUND

Musculoskeletal diseases affect 1.71 billion people worldwide, impose a high biopsychosocial burden on patients, and are associated with high economic costs. The use of digital health interventions is a promising cost-saving approach for the treatment of musculoskeletal diseases. As physical exercise is the best clinical practice in the treatment of musculoskeletal diseases, digital health interventions that provide physical exercises could have a highly positive impact on musculoskeletal diseases, but evidence is lacking.

OBJECTIVE

This systematic review aims to evaluate the impact of digital physical health exercises on patients with musculoskeletal diseases concerning the localization of the musculoskeletal disease, patient-reported outcomes, and medical treatment types.

METHODS

We performed systematic literature research using the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines. The search was conducted using the PubMed, BISp, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science databases. The Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network checklist was used to assess the quality of the included original studies. To determine the evidence and direction of the impact of digital physical health exercises, a best-evidence synthesis was conducted, whereby only studies with at least acceptable methodological quality were included for validity purposes.

RESULTS

A total of 8988 studies were screened, of which 30 (0.33%) randomized controlled trials met the inclusion criteria. Of these, 16 studies (53%) were of acceptable or high quality; they included 1840 patients (1008/1643, 61.35% female; 3 studies including 197 patients did not report gender distribution) with various musculoskeletal diseases. A total of 3 different intervention types (app-based interventions, internet-based exercises, and telerehabilitation) were used to deliver digital physical health exercises. Strong evidence was found for the positive impact of digital physical health exercises on musculoskeletal diseases located in the back. Moderate evidence was found for diseases located in the shoulder and hip, whereas evidence for the entire body was limited. Conflicting evidence was found for diseases located in the knee and hand. For patient-reported outcomes, strong evidence was found for impairment and quality of life. Conflicting evidence was found for pain and function. Regarding the medical treatment type, conflicting evidence was found for operative and conservative therapies.

CONCLUSIONS

Strong to moderate evidence was found for a positive impact on musculoskeletal diseases located in the back, shoulder, and hip and on the patient-reported outcomes of impairment and quality of life. Thus, digital physical health exercises could have a positive effect on a variety of symptoms of musculoskeletal diseases.
Postpandemic Evaluation of the Eco-Efficiency of Personal Protective Equipment Against COVID-19 in Emergency Departments: Proposal for a Mixed Methods Study (Preprint)
Authors: Berthelot Simon , Longtin Yves , Margni Manuele , Guertin Jason Robert , LeBlanc Annie , Marx Tania , Mangou Khadidiatou , Bluteau Ariane , Mantovani Diego , Mikhaylin Sergey , Bergeron Frédéric , Dancause Valérie , Desjardins Anne , Lahrichi Nadia , Martin Danielle , Sossa Charles Jérôme , Lachapelle Philippe , Genest Isabelle , Schaal Stéphane , Gignac Anne , Tremblay Stéphane , Hufty Éric , Bélanger Lynda , Beatty Erica
Published: July 2023

BACKGROUND

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on emergency department (ED) care in Canada and around the world. To prevent transmission of COVID-19, personal protective equipment (PPE) was required for all ED care providers in contact with suspected cases. With mass vaccination and improvements in several infection prevention components, our hypothesis is that the risks of transmission of COVID-19 will be significantly reduced and that current PPE use will have economic and ecological consequences that exceed its anticipated benefits. Evidence is needed to evaluate PPE use so that recommendations can ensure the clinical, economic, and environmental efficiency (ie, eco-efficiency) of its use.

OBJECTIVE

To support the development of recommendations for the eco-efficient use of PPE, our research objectives are to (1) estimate the clinical effectiveness (reduced transmission, hospitalizations, mortality, and work absenteeism) of PPE against COVID-19 for health care workers; (2) estimate the financial cost of using PPE in the ED for the management of suspected or confirmed COVID-19 patients; and (3) estimate the ecological footprint of PPE use against COVID-19 in the ED.

METHODS

We will conduct a mixed method study to evaluate the eco-efficiency of PPE use in the 5 EDs of the CHU de Québec-Université Laval (Québec, Canada). To achieve our goals, the project will include four phases: systematic review of the literature to assess the clinical effectiveness of PPE (objective 1; phase 1); cost estimation of PPE use in the ED using a time-driven activity-based costing method (objective 2; phase 2); ecological footprint estimation of PPE use using a life cycle assessment approach (objective 3; phase 3); and cost-consequence analysis and focus groups (integration of objectives 1 to 3; phase 4).

RESULTS

The first 3 phases have started. The results of these phases will be available in 2023. Phase 4 will begin in 2023 and results will be available in 2024.

CONCLUSIONS

While the benefits of PPE use are likely to diminish as health care workers’ immunity increases, it is important to assess its economic and ecological impacts to develop recommendations to guide its eco-efficient use.

CLINICALTRIAL

PROSPERO CRD42022302598; https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=302598

INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT

DERR1-10.2196/50682
MultiScale Object Detection in Remote Sensing Images using Deep Learning
Authors: Radhika Ch. , Nikhila D. , Shivani D. , SiriPriya B , Reddy Bhavana
Published: July 2023

Abstract: With a rapid development in aerial technology, applications of Remote Sensing Images (RSI) have become more diverse. Remote sensing object detection is a difficult task due to complicated background, variations in the scales of the objects and proximity between objects of same scale. RSI’s are commonly captured from satellites with wide views, which leads to largescale images. The proposed model detects the objects at different scales. Feature Extraction and providing additional information about the object is done using Residual Neural Network101 (ResNet101) and ZFNet. Further, single scale and multiscale object detection is implemented using You Only Look Once (YOLOV5) and Faster Region based Convolutional Neural Network (Faster RCNN). A comparative study is done on all these techniques to evaluate the performance measures like Mean Average Precision and Accuracy.
Greenhouse Monitoring and Controlling for Cultivation of Plant
Authors: Biradar Dr. Rajkumar L.
Published: July 2023

Abstract: Agriculture is a major part of our lives as human beings. A lot of research has been carried out in order to be able to develop a monitored and controlled greenhouse system/environment that will help in solving the main problems relating to agriculture which is to enable the increase in the crops being cultivated all year round in the comfort of a small space like the home, and also to reduce human interaction in a small-scale greenhouse environment. Greenhouse monitoring and Control System is the approach in which the rural areas farmers will be benefitted by this Greenhouse environment. This project focuses on the Generic architecture and it can also be applied for many other automation-based application. So accordingly, an automated greenhouse monitoring and control system was proposed for the sole purpose stated above. The methodology used in building the greenhouse monitoring and control system is a wired connection. The system was built using a number of connection wires, sensors, LCD, a cooling system, LEDs, LDRs, Arduino board among a few other components. The result obtained was a fully functioning system that was set to monitor and control the greenhouse environment
Kh. Faizhanov’s Historical Heritage
Authors: Mukhetdinov D. V.
Published: July 2023

The article, which continues the cycle of works timed to the 200th anniversary of Khusain Faizkhanov (1823-1866), considers the evo lution of methods of historical research of the scientist. It shows the stag es of Kh. Faizkhanov’s formation as a historian and reveals the factors of transformation of his views and approaches. The fi rst experience of prepa ration of independent research work was received by Kh. Faizkhanov ap proximately in 1859–1860 when he was writing the general history of the population of the Middle Volga Region. Under the infl uence of his own fur ther discoveries in source study and in-depth research methods, Kh. Faiz khanov, probably, started preparing special scientifi c works on the history of Volga Bulgaria, Kazan, and Kasimov Khanates in 1862. The fi rst of them is considered lost, the other two were not fi nished but were found in the form of manuscripts, the analysis of which made it possible to claim that they were defi nitely included in the later work of Sh. Marjani “Mustafād al- ʼaḫbār fī aḥvāl Ḳazān va Bulg̣ār”. The contradictions within the work of Sh. Marjani itself lead to the idea that Kh. Faizkhanov’s work on Volga Bulgar ia suff ered the same fate.
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Authors: Cirstoiu Cristina , Dilkes Silas , Mills Daniel , Sivarajah Seyon , Duncan Ross
Published: July 2023

The detrimental effect of noise accumulates as quantum computers grow in size. In the case where devices are too small or noisy to perform error correction, error mitigation may be used. Error mitigation does not increase the fidelity of quantum states, but instead aims to reduce the approximation error in quantities of concern, such as expectation values of observables. However, it is as yet unclear which circuit types, and devices of which characteristics, benefit most from the use of error mitigation. Here we develop a methodology to assess the performance of quantum error mitigation techniques. Our benchmarks are volumetric in design, and are performed on different superconducting hardware devices. Extensive classical simulations are also used for comparison. We use these benchmarks to identify disconnects between the predicted and practical performance of error mitigation protocols, and to identify the situations in which their use is beneficial. To perform these experiments, and for the benefit of the wider community, we introduceQermit– an open source python package for quantum error mitigation. Qermit supports a wide range of error mitigation methods, is easily extensible and has a modular graph-based software design that facilitates composition of error mitigation protocols and subroutines.
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Published: July 2023

When error correction becomes possible it will be necessary to dedicate a large number of physical qubits to each logical qubit. Error correction allows for deeper circuits to be run, but each additional physical qubit can potentially contribute an exponential increase in computational space, so there is a trade-off between using qubits for error correction or using them as noisy qubits. In this work we look at the effects of using noisy qubits in conjunction with noiseless qubits (an idealized model for error-corrected qubits), which we call the "clean and dirty" setup. We employ analytical models and numerical simulations to characterize this setup. Numerically we show the appearance of Noise-Induced Barren Plateaus (NIBPs), i.e., an exponential concentration of observables caused by noise, in an Ising model Hamiltonian variational ansatz circuit. We observe this even if only a single qubit is noisy and given a deep enough circuit, suggesting that NIBPs cannot be fully overcome simply by error-correcting a subset of the qubits. On the positive side, we find that for every noiseless qubit in the circuit, there is an exponential suppression in concentration of gradient observables, showing the benefit of partial error correction. Finally, our analytical models corroborate these findings by showing that observables concentrate with a scaling in the exponent related to the ratio of dirty-to-total qubits.
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Published: July 2023

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