bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Análisis de redes policiales aplicado al control de la delincuencia callejera en Bogotá
Authors: Sandoval Garrido Luis Eduardo , Velásquez Monroy César Alfonso , Riaño Bermudez Laura Carolina
Published: December 2023

Los modelos de policía de comunitaria, junto con la georreferenciación del delito y el trabajo enfocado a la resolución de problemas concretos, han permitido mejorar los indicadores de atención al delito y la percepción de seguridad en las ciudades. Sin embargo, poca atención se ha prestado en estos modelos a las redes de cooperación entre patrullas organizadas por distritos o sectores urbanos, para mantener una acción articulada que compense la escasez de recursos policiales y evite su sobrefocalización. Este artículo analiza la interacción entre la red de refuerzos policiales y los homicidios y hurtos a persona en Bogotá, capital de Colombia. Se utilizan modelos de gráficos aleatorios exponenciales (ERG), análisis de redes y estimaciones gamma georreferenciadas del comportamiento delictivo. A nivel de los sectores policiales conocidos como Comandos de Atención Inmediata (CAI), se encuentra que los esquemas de organización de las redes de patrullaje están condicionados por los patrones de segregación socioeconómica de la ciudad, lo que limita el alcance de la red en el control de los delitos.
Problematyka przyszłej regulacji związków partnerskich w świetle polityki „tradycyjnej rodziny”
Authors: Lewandowska Aleksandra
Published: December 2023

Artykuł analizuje nową falę problemów społecznych w postaci nieformalnych relacji i konfrontuje ją ze stosunkowo konserwatywnym podejściem polskich polityków i ich polityką „tradycyjnej rodziny”. W artykule podjęto próbę analizy, czy dotychczasowe podejście i działania legislacyjne są skuteczne, czy też odsuwają w czasie nieuniknione – nowelizację polskiego systemu prawnego w zakresie dostrzegania kohabitacji. Autorka dostrzega zjawisko nieformalnych relacji i daje wgląd w aktualny stan regulacji prawnych, opisując problemy leżące u ich podłoża. Autorka skupia się na rozwiązaniach prawa cywilnego, gdyż regulują one większość sfer wspólnego życia partnerów. Następnie omawia tzw. „tradycyjne” podejście do tematu rodziny i związków, analizując publiczne wypowiedzi polityków, aksjologię polskiego prawa, stanowisko kościoła oraz dotychczas proponowane regulacje związków partnerskich. Na koniec konfrontuje ją z oczekiwaniami społecznymi wynikającymi z danych CBOS i GUS. Przeprowadzona w artykule analiza prowadzi do wniosku, że istnieją małe szanse na zatrzymanie rozpowszechnienia się zjawiska społecznego, jakim są związki partnerskie, a ustawodawca powinien rozważyć nowe rozwiązania prawne.
Systemowe uwarunkowania zakresu zastosowania definicji legalnej „beneficjenta” w ramach polityki spójności
Authors: Talaga Robert
Published: December 2023

Ogólne ramy wydatkowania unijnego budżetu, przyjęte przez upoważnione do tego instytucje, mają przyczynić się do realizacji wyznaczonych strategicznych celów rozwojowych przez poszczególne państwa członkowskie. Rozwinięcie i uszczegółowienie takich uregulowań należy do krajowych legislatorów, którzy pozostają upoważnieni do wydania stosownych aktów normatywnych zgodnie z obowiązującą autonomią instytucjonalną i proceduralną (Galetta 2010). W polskim systemie prawnym ustawodawca przyjmuje stosowne uregulowania ustawowe na każde kolejne okresy programowania unijnego budżetu. W ramach polityki spójności zachowano takie samo określenie i rozumienie podmiotu uzyskującego środki publiczne na podstawie umowy o dofinansowanie oraz na podstawie decyzji administracyjnej. Tak wprowadzone pojęcie dotychczas posiadało różne znaczenia w zależności od treści przepisów sformułowanych przez ustawodawcę unijnego i ustawodawcę krajowego. Istniała zatem konieczność uwzględnienia definicji „beneficjenta” zawartych zarówno w odrębnych przepisach prawa krajowego, jak i prawa unijnego niejednokrotnie również z uwzględnieniem specyfiki przeznaczenia poszczególnych funduszy. Wprowadzone w tym względzie definicje legalne miały określony zakres obowiązywania. Nie zawsze pozostawał on jednak identyczny z intencjami krajowego ustawodawcy. Jednocześnie występowały czynniki systemowe, które z jednej strony rozszerzały zakres zastosowania wprowadzonych definicji legalnych, a z drugiej strony je ograniczały.
Quantitative morphometric analysis of a river basin using GIS techniques: Case study of Miljacka River, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Authors: Ajanovic Emina , Korjenic Aida
Published: December 2023

This paper concerns the analysis of the morphometric characteristics of the Miljacka river basin using the Digital Elevation Model of the terrain in the Geographical Information System. A quantitative geomorphological analysis of general characteristics was performed, whereby the analysis was supplemented with specific parameters of the drainage system, which are of linear, areal and relief characteristics. Standard mathematical formulas and software tools for Surface and Hydrology in the GIS software environment were used to estimate the mentioned parameters, using ArcMap 10.4. By working in the Arc Map program, a database system was created, with the use of a grid system, which offers the possibility of overlaying geospatial data, extracting certain parameters and their analysis and synthesis. The analyzed parameters are indicators of the shape and recent processes in the relief. They represent a supplement in the inventory and typification of relief forms, which, thanks to GIS software, have a geographic reference, which facilitates their correlation. The importance of the conducted analysis is reflected in the fact that the obtained data have a numerical value, are verifiable and can be applied multiple times in practice for the purposes of determining erosive processes, protecting and improving space and the living environment, solving water management problems, planning economic activities and drafting spatial plans.
Estimación del número de palomas (Columba livia) en dos espacios urbanos de Lima Metropolitana mediante la aplicación de métodos de conteo por puntos y transectos en franja
Authors: Ventura P. Mayra
Published: December 2023

El objetivo del estudio fue estimar el número de palomas (Columba livia) en dos espacios urbanos del área metropolitana de Lima mediante la aplicación de métodos de conteo por puntos y transectos en franja. Para ello se eligieron dos parques, uno en el distrito de Los Olivos y otro en Comas. Se midió el área del parque y se dividió en puntos de conteo y transectos en franja. La evaluación de cada método se realizó tres veces al día durante seis días. Los datos se resumieron mediante estadística descriptiva y los contrastes se hicieron mediante la prueba de U de Mann Whitney y Kruskall Wallis. Los métodos de censado proporcionaron resultados estadísticamente similares. El método de puntos de conteo permitió evaluar a detalle la asociación con el hábitat de las palomas y dilucidar por qué se agrupan en una determinada zona del área de estudio. Por otro lado, el método de transectos en franja permitió obtener la información en un menor tiempo. La información del estudio permite tener una referencia de la población inicial en ambos parques, pudiendo establecer medidas para evaluar los métodos de control de los municipios para reducir la población de estas aves.
Percepción de la población local con respecto a los canes vagabundos en el Centro Histórico en la ciudad del Cusco, Perú
Authors: Romero Quispe Andrea , Falcón Pérez Néstor , León Córdova Daphne
Published: December 2023

El objetivo del estudio fue determinar la percepción de los residentes y comerciantes del Centro Histórico del Cusco acerca de la presencia de canes vagabundos en la ciudad. El estudio correspondió a una investigación observacional descriptiva de corte transversal. El instrumento de recolección de datos consideró la información demográfica del encuestado, la percepción acerca de los perros vagabundos como problema y la opinión de los encuestados sobre posibles soluciones y responsables de aplicarlas. La información obtenida fue transferida a una base de datos en Excel y analizada mediante estadística descriptiva e inferencial. Se encuestaron 400 personas (200 residentes y 200 comerciantes). El 66 % de los residentes y el 64 % de los comerciantes indicaron que la presencia de perros vagabundos era un problema. El 58.5 % de los residentes y el 38 % de los comerciantes opinaron que la mayoría de estos canes tenía dueño. Además, el 53.5 % de los comerciantes indicaron haber recibido quejas de sus clientes por la presencia de estos canes. Para los encuestados, los principales problemas de la presencia de canes vagabundos en la ciudad fueron los siguientes: ensucian las calles (51.5 %), afectan el turismo (40.8 %) y producen contaminación sonora (40.5 %). Según los encuestados, quienes se deben de hacer cargo de este problema son las municipalidades (50.3 %) y el Ministerio de Salud (19.8 %). Las soluciones propuestas para esta problemática fueron la esterilización de hembras y castración de machos (41 %), la eutanasia (15.8 %) y la identificación de mascotas (13.8 %). Se espera que los resultados sirvan para la implementación de un programa integral de tenencia responsable de animales de compañía en el lugar de estudio.
Development of Colloidal Silver-based Mercury Sensors in Whitening Cream
Authors: Afthoni Muhammad Hilmi , Yunita Sherly , Monica Eva
Published: December 2023

Background: Mercury, a hazardous heavy metal known for its toxicity to the human body, finds application in cosmetics due to its capacity to inhibit melanin formation. Traditional mercury analysis relies on resource-intensive and time-consuming instrumentation. Objective: This study aims to devise cost-effective and practical sensors for mercury detection. Methods: The sensor development process involves immobilizing the sensor onto paper, reacting it with mercury, scanning the outcome using a scanner, and subsequently quantifying RGB values using the ImageJ software. Results: Optimization of reagent concentrations gave a ratio of methylene blue, AgNO3, gallic acid, and ascorbic acid at 0.5:7:1.5:1 generating the best results. Additionally, pH optimization within the range of 5 to 9 demonstrates stability without necessitating the inclusion of a buffer solution. Notably, the blue variant exhibits superior responsiveness during concentration optimization. Characterization of the sensor reveals a response time of 3 minutes and minimal interference of 2.145% from other substances. The sensor exhibits a linearity range of 0.5-250 ppm, regression equation y = 8.603x + 21.124, an R-value of 0.994, and an exceedingly low p-value of 6.9924589548512 x 10-9. The sensor boasts a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.206 and a limit of quantification (LOQ) of 0.265, indicative of its precision. Further assessments reveal a percent relative standard deviation (% RSD) precision of 2.017% and a recovery rate of 96.14%. Conclusion: The sensor has exhibited stability for over one month under room temperature storage conditions. A comparison between the UV-Vis spectrophotometer and the sensor signifies no significant difference between the two methods.
Protective Factor Evaluation of Purslane (Portulaca grandiflora) Magenta Flower Variety Herbs Extract Cream Formula
Authors: Kirana Bida Cincin , Cahyani Erlien Dwi , Budiawan Antonius
Published: December 2023

Background: Indonesia is an equatorial country that is rich in sunlight all year. UV light is divided into three wavelength groups: UV-A (320-400nm), UV-B (280-320nm), and UV-C (100-290nm). Intracell chromophores in skin cell membranes such as riboflavin, porphyrin, nicotinamide, and enzymes will absorb the UV-A light. The UV-B light penetrates the dermis layer and causes DNA structure changes, which lead to wrinkles and a rising risk of skin cancer. Premature skin aging and skin cancer can be prevented with sunscreen preparation containing compounds that can protect the skin from UV radiation. Flavonoid is one of the purslane (Portulaca grandiflora) active metabolites that have the potency to be developed as sunscreen. Objective: This research aimed to determine the ability of purslane (Portulaca grandiflora) magenta flower variety herbs extract cream as a sunscreen as indicated by the %Te, %Tp, and Sun Protective Factor value. Methods: This research was an experimental study with various purslane magenta flower variety herbs extract cream formulas that were tested for their %Te, %Tp, and SPF value with a UV-Vis spectrophotometer. Results: The sunscreen cream preparation with 2.5% of purslane (Portulaca grandiflora) magenta flower variety herb extract had %Te, %Tp, and SPF values of 25.86 ± 2.41%, 36.05 ± 2.82%, and 3.97 ± 0.35 respectively. At the same time, preparations with 5% concentration of extract had %Te, %Tp, and SPF values of 8.23 ± 0.86%, 16.65 ± 0.92%, and 8.03 ± 0.38, respectively. Conclusion: The sunscreen activity of all extract concentration creams was significantly different compared to the negative control (cream base) in all parameters. Flavonoids are the compounds responsible for the sunscreen activity of purslane extract.
Green Tea Dregs (Camellia sinensis (L.) Extraction Method Effect on Cutibacterium acnes and Development of Spot Cream
Authors: Arief Maria Odelia Vania , Lieanto Caroline , Sabani Jessica Mei , Purwanto
Published: December 2023

Background: Acne is a prevalent skin health problem experienced by teenagers and adults. Green tea is one of the plants that can be used to treat acne. Green tea dregs contain catechins, which have antibacterial activity that causes acne. Objective: This study aims to determine the antibacterial activity of green tea dregs extract against Cutibacterium acnes bacteria. Methods: This study used two brewing time variations and three green tea dregs with maceration variations. The obtained extract was then analyzed for its catechin content using the total phenolic test. Section, which has a high phenolic content, was then tested for its activity against Cutibacterium acnes bacteria using the microdilution method to obtain the MIC50 value. The extract with a brewing time of 2 minutes and the ultrasonic-assisted extraction maceration method had the highest MIC50 value of 8.586 mg/mL. The MIC50 value references extract concentrations used in acne spot cream formulations. The cream obtained after the stability test is semisolid, brown, and smells like tea. Spot cream is also homogeneous and meets the pH range in cosmetic preparations of 5.5. However, the viscosity of spot cream decreased significantly after storage to 4546 cPoise from 8106 cPoise. The decrease in the viscosity of the cream was caused by the catechin content in green tea dregs extract, which is acidic, thus reducing the effectiveness of the emulator in the form of triethanolamine, which is alkaline. The decrease in viscosity of the cream also caused the spreadability of the cream to increase and the stickiness of the cream to decrease.
EFAW: a new mining attack model combining FAW attacks with the Eclipse attack
Authors: Wang Jing , Wang Zihao
Published: December 2023

Aim

The Proof-of-Work consensus mechanism is the core mechanism of the blockchain, but the existing Fork After Withholding (FAW) attack can earn more rewards by launching attacks on the mining pools under the Proof-of-Work consensus mechanism. This paper proposes a new attack model based on the FAW attack, which further increases the attacker’s reward to explore the impact of the attack method on the blockchain network and the losses caused by the attack, which is helpful for maintaining the blockchain.

Methods

This paper proposes a new mining attack model called the "Eclipse Fork After Withholding (EFAW) attack" by combining FAW attacks with the eclipse attack. In the EFAW attack, the attacker infiltrates the victim pool by dispatching infiltrator miners. At the same time, they isolate a portion of miners in the victim pool through eclipse attacks, intercepting the valid information transmitted by these isolated miners. The attacker selectively discards or strategically releases the information to gain extra rewards.

Results

In this paper, we launch an EFAW attack against a single mining pool and two mining pools, respectively, and evaluate the relative extra rewards of the attacker with theoretical analysis and Monte Carlo simulation experiments. Our experimental data indicate that this attack can earn more rewards than FAW attacks.

Conclusion

The experimental results demonstrate that the lower bound of earnings in the EFAW attack is higher than in FAW attacks, and it is directly proportional to the number of miners isolated by the attacker’s eclipse attack in the victim pool. This indicates that the EFAW attack poses a greater threat compared to FAW attacks, representing one of the major conclusions drawn from the study.
GÉNESIS, MORFOLOGÍAS Y LA CONDICIÓN RESIDUAL DE LA URBANIZACIÓN PANAMAZÓNICA
Authors: Toscano Dario , Durán Gustavo , Santelices María Paz
Published: December 2023

El presente artículo parte de la premisa de que los análisis sobre el territorio Panamazónico han tendido a comprender a los entornos urbanos amazónicos como fenómenos aislados y autocontenidos, cuando realmente son el resultado de la existencia de una red urbana históricamente interconectada por elementos físicos y no físicos, influenciados por el ámbito local e internacional. Por lo tanto, este documento tiene como objetivo proponer una desfragmentación analítica de los estudios urbanos amazónicos mediante una breve descripción cronológica y morfológica de los procesos de urbanización de la región amazónica de países como Ecuador, Colombia, Brasil, Perú y Bolivia; en donde se evidencian los hitos compartidos que han condicionado los procesos urbanos en toda la región Panamazónica, dando como resultado una urbanización de naturaleza “residual”.
CAIENA, O PLANEJAMENTO E FRAGILIDADES URBANAS DA BABEL DOS TRÓPICOS NA GUIANA FRANCESA
Authors: José Alberto Tostes
Published: December 2023

O artigo trata da abordagem sobre a cidade de Caiena na Guiana Francesa com ênfase no contexto histórico, no planejamento e nas fragilidades urbanas. Essa cidade que tem características peculiares no território da América do Sul apresenta na sua paisagem urbana traços culturais que demarcam o processo de colonização, a formação étnica e as transformações decorrentes de diferentes ciclos que marcaram a evolução do espaço edificado e urbanístico. A metodologia concebida baseou-se nos estudos do Observatório do Platô das Guianas e das análises sobre os planos urbanísticos idealizados para a cidade de Caiena a partir do final da década de 1970. As abordagens teóricas foram desenvolvidas através das concepções das produções científicas realizadas no programa de Mestrado em Desenvolvimento Regional sobre a Guiana Francesa. A relevância do artigo está em demonstrar como a realidade da cidade de Caiena se apresenta no contexto histórico, urbanístico, do planejamento concebido, bem como das fragilidades urbanas e ambientais.
In silico determination of fenthion, permethrin, and carbaryl as FFAR2 inhibitors: Type 2 diabetes mellitus pathomechanism study
Authors: Sakinah Elly Nurus , Athoillah Nabil , Putri Komang Yunita Wiryaning , Armiyanti Yunita
Published: December 2023

Background: In the last few decades, many studies have shown that pesticides have a close relationship with increasing blood glucose levels and the incidence of diabetes. Some examples of pesticides include fenthion, permethrin, and carbaryl. Recently, free fatty acid receptor 2 (FFAR2) was identified as having a critical function in preventing insulin resistance. Activation of FFAR2 will reduce fat accumulation and induce glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) secretion, which plays an important role in regulating type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) prevention.Objective: This study aims to determine a comparison of the binding ability between fenthion, permethrin, and carbaryl to FFAR2 protein for predicting the mechanism of pesticide toxicity to T2DM through an in silico study.Methods: This is an exploratory bioinformatic study. The protein structure was FFAR2 receptor (UniProt: O15552), while the ligand was fenthion (PubChem CID: 3346), permethrin (PubChem CID: 40326), and carbaryl (PubChem CID: 6129). This molecular docking was conducted in October 2022 using Asus X202XE with Intel® Core™ i3-3217U CPU equipped with BIOVIA Discovery Studio, AutoDockTools, and AutoDock Vina. Results: The binding affinity values generated after docking between fenthion, permethrin, and carbaryl with FFAR2 indicate that the binding affinity comparison is permethrin < carbaryl < fenthion. This explains that permethrin could form a stronger bond with FFAR2 protein than other pesticides. However, the visualisation results of the form of bond interactions show that permethrin does not bind to the active site of FFAR2, so it could not be called an inhibitor. This is different from fenthion and carbaryl, which could bind to several amino acid residues on the active site of FFAR2 and have the potential to become inhibitors.Conclusion: Carbaryl is a pesticide with the strongest FFAR2 inhibitor. Carbaryl could cause type 2 DM through its inhibitory pathway to FFAR2.
Southeast Australia encapsulates the recent decade of extreme global weather and climate events
Authors: Speer Milton , Leslie Lance
Published: December 2023

Southeast Australia (SEAUS) is a microcosm of the worldwide impacts of accelerated global warming (GW) since 2010. SEAUS experienced record rainfall and floods in La Niña years 2010–2012, followed by extreme heat and drought in 2013–2019. Catastrophic bushfires occurred in 2019–2020. Next, during successive La Nina years 2020–2023, SEAUS endured record rainfall, floods, and unseasonably cool summers. Accelerated GW amplifies the impacts of SEAUS climate drivers, depending on their phases. We used machine learning attribution to identify climate drivers responsible for a range of extreme events. Attribute detection can provide early extreme event alerts for SEAUS urban and rural communities.
Strategies of Screening and Treating Post-extubation Dysphagia: An Overview of the Situation in Greek-Cypriot ICUs
Authors: Mpouzika Meropi , Iordanou Stelios , Kyranou Maria , Iliopoulou Katerina , Parissopoulos Stelios , Kalafati Maria , Karanikola Maria , Papathanassoglou Elizabeth
Published: December 2023

Post-extubation dysphagia (PED) can lead to serious health problems in critically ill patients. Contrasting its high incidence rate of 12.4% reported in a recent observational study, many ICUs lack routine bedside screening, likely due to limited awareness. This study aimed to establish baseline data on the current approaches and the status of perceived best practices in PED screening and treatment, as well as to assess awareness of PED. A nationwide cross-sectional, online survey was conducted in all fourteen adult ICUs in the Republic of Cyprus in June 2018, with a 100% response rate. Over 85% of ICUs lacked a standard screening protocol for PED. The most commonly reported assessment methods were cough reflex testing and the water swallow test. Treatment approaches included muscle strengthening exercises without swallowing and swallowing exercises. Only 28.6% of ICUs acknowledged PED as a common issue. The study identified significant gaps in awareness and knowledge regarding PED screening and treatment in Greek-Cypriot ICUs. Urgent implementation of comprehensive dysphagia education programs within the units is necessary, and interdisciplinary collaboration among nurses, intensivists, and speech and language therapists is crucial to improve the quality of care provided.
An In-Depth Insight into Clinical, Cellular and Molecular Factors in COVID19-Associated Cardiovascular Ailments for Identifying Novel Disease Biomarkers, Drug Targets and Clinical Management Strategies
Authors: Altaweel Muneera , AlMusaad Abdulmohsen , Alkhazmari Gousay , Alrowaily Hussain , AlSubaiee Maram , Husain Mareyah Alshaikh , Alomayrin Nouf , Muaiweed Rafyel Al , Aleid Norah , Alarfaj Abdulrahman A , AlMukhaylid Sarah , Albahrani Zainab , Jalbani Aftab Ahmed , Iqbal Zafar
Published: December 2023

Background: COVID-19 was initially identified as a respiratory system disorder, but it has been discovered to interact with and influence the cardiovascular system. COVID-19-associated cardiovascular (CV) complications are common, resulting in high acute phase mortality and a large number of morbidities in the chronic phase, thus severely impacting patients' quality of life and health outcomes. Nevertheless, clinical, cellular, and molecular biological factors underlying the pathophysiology of cardiovascular complications associated with COVID-19 are poorly understood. Objective: This review investigates putative underlying clinical factors as well as cellular and molecular biological mechanisms by which COVID-19 leads to acute CV complications, including state-of-the-art genomic sequencing-based findings, assessing the long-term CV consequences of COVID-19, and aiming to shed light on developing strategies for differential diagnosis, risk prognostic stratification, prevention, and clinical management of CV sequlea in COVID-19 patients. Methods: For this purpose, a through review of literature and published data was carried out from first report of COVID-19 till October 2023 to find out a comprehensive account of clinical, cellular and molecular genetic factors underlying COVID-19-associated cardiovascular diseases. Results: We found that the relationship between COVID-19 and CV risk is complex and multifaceted. In addition to acute COVID-19 detertriuos effects, COVID-19 survivors may experience long-term CV effects. We provide a detailed account of the involvement of a large number of genomic alterations, microRNAs, and novel viral as well as host proteins in CVDs associated with COVID-19, which has helped identify some novel drug targets to treat COVID-19-related cardiovascular complications. Conclusions: The relationship between COVID-19 and CV risk is complex and multifaceted. While COVID-19 primarily affects the respiratory system, it can also significantly affect CV health. as compared to classical cardiovascular diseases, there are new clinical, cellular and molecular biological factors in CVDs related to COVID-19, that need specific diagnostic assays, prognostic stratification and treatment modules. Therefore, specail care is must taken to treat cardiovascular diseases associated with COVID-19.
Seismic Vulnerability Assessment at Urban Scale by Means of Machine Learning Techniques
Authors: Ferranti Gugliemo , Greco Annalisa , Pluchino Alessandro , Rapisarda Andrea , Scibilia Adriano
Published: December 2023

Seismic vulnerability assessment in urban areas would in principle require the detailed modeling of each single building and the implementation of complex numerical calculations. This procedure is clearly difficult to apply at urban scale where many buildings have to be considered and therefore it is essential to have simplified, but at the same time reliable, approaches to vulnerability assessment. Among the proposed strategies, one of the most interesting concerns the application of machine learning algorithms, able to classify buildings according to their vulnerability on the basis of training procedures applied to existing datasets. In this paper machine learning algorithms will be applied to a dataset which collects and catalogs the structural characteristics of a large number of buildings and reports the damage observed in L’Aquila territory during the intense seismic activity occurred in 2009. A combination of a trained neural network and a random forest algorithm allows to identify an opportune “a-posteriori” vulnerability score, deduced from the observed damage, which is compared to an “a-priori” vulnerability one, evaluated taking into account characteristic indexes for building’s typologies. By means of this comparison an inverse approach to seismic vulnerability assessment, which can be extended to different urban centers, is proposed.
Discontinuities Characterization and Estimation of the Geological Strength Index by AI Tools on Flysch Materials
Authors: Garzón-Roca Julio , Torrijo F. Javier , Rodríguez-Peces Martín J. , Ramos Adrià
Published: December 2023

This work studies the discontinuities features of sedimentary flysch materials in a 100 km2 area belonging to the Basque Arc. Such materials are common in this Spanish Alpine region located in the north of the Iberian Peninsula. A total of 33 outcrops are investigated by an intensive geotechnical investigation including geomechanical stations, boreholes and mechanical laboratory tests. Two flysch units are characterized: the Upper Aguinaga Formation or siliciclastic flysch, and the Lower Itziar Formation or calcareous flysch. Differences between both flysch formation are found. Joints in the siliciclastic flysch formation present an undulated roughness, with a spacing narrower and a persistence lower than in the calcareous flysch formation, which exhibits higher friction angles, although roughness is essentially planar. In addition, the potential of using Artificial Intelligence (AI) techniques, particularly Artificial Neural Networks and Support Vector Machine, to estimate the Geological Strength Index (GSI) from the Rock Quality Design (RQD) and some discontinuities features (spacing, persistence, aperture and roughness) is investigated. AI techniques are found to be satisfactory, being the Support Vector Machine with a linear kernel the technique which achieves the best performance.
Efficacy of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors vs Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors/Everolimus in Adjuvant Renal Cell Carcinoma: In-direct Comparison of Disease-Free Survival
Authors: Ossato Andrea , Gasperoni Lorenzo , Del Bono Luna , Messori Andrea , Damuzzo Vera
Published: December 2023

Background: The proven efficacy of mTOR inhibitors (mTORI), tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) or immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) therapies in metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC), suggested that these agents should be investigated as adjuvant therapy with the aim of eliminating any residual undetectable microscopic disease after curative resection. Our study aimed to compare the efficacy of these treatments through the application of an innovative method that reconstructs individual patient data. Methods: Nine phase III studies describing different treatment options for adjuvant RCC were selected. Individual patient data were reconstructed from Kaplan–Meier (KM) curves through the “IPDfromKM method”. Disease-free survival (DFS) were compared among combination treatments and control arm (placebo). Results were summarized as multi-treatment KM curves. Standard statistical testing was used, including hazard ratio and likelihood ratio tests for heterogeneity. Results: In the overall population, this study showed that two ICIs (pembrolizumab and nivolumab plus ipilimumab) and one TKI (sunitinib) showed superiority over placebo, whereas both TKI and mTORI did not. As we assessed DFS as the primary endpoint for the adjuvant comparison, the overall survival benefit remains unknown.. Conclusion: This novel approach to investigating survival has allowed us to conduct all of the indirect head-to-head comparisons between these agents in a context where no "real" comparative trials have been conducted.
Strategies for Preserving of Historical Areas within Existing Cities- Case Study (Historic Jeddah)
Authors: Aloshan Mohammed A , Elghonaimy Islam , Mesbah Essam , Gharieb Moustafa , Heba Khaled Mahmoud
Published: December 2023

Many historical areas are exposed to many problems and ongoing changes that may negatively affect those areas. One of these historical areas is Historic Jeddah in Saudi Arabia, which was placed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2014. This site is located within the scope of the second largest city in the Kingdom, which is witnessing a continuous urban movement in which the image of the city is changing in response to (Kingdom’s Vision 2030) to modernize the image of its major cities. The study aims to review the urban preservation strategies for historic Jeddah and the vision set for it through the ongoing modernization process of the city, especially with the projects that have been undertaken in it since 2021. The study follows both theoretical and descriptive approaches with the aim of reviewing current conservation strategies. This is with the aim of reaching results related to the challenges facing the area, demonstrating the effectiveness of the conservation strategies used, and deducing what could contribute in the future to the process of developing, preserving, and optimally exploiting it, without losing its value as a result of the modernization processes taking place now, but rather as a compatible part of it.
Next-Generation DNA Sequencing Identifies Mutated FANCD2 Gene as a Novel Biomarker for Monitoring Early Disease Progression and Timely Therapeutic Interventions in Advanced Phase Chronic Myeloid Leukemia Patients
Authors: Alanzazi Nawaf , Siyal Abdulaziz , Absar Muhammad , Shammas Masood , Almukhaylid Sarah , Mahmood Amer , Iqbal Zafar
Published: December 2023

Chronic Myeloid Leukemia, resulting due to chromosomal aberration t(9;22) through formation of oncogenic BCR-ABL fusion oncogene. Modern BCR-ABL inhibitors, called TKIs, have revolutionized CML treatment. CML has three stages: chronic, accelerated, and blast crisis. TKIs work well in CP-CML, where patients survive as long as the normal population, but they don't work in AP- and BC-CML. Even with advances in treatment, BC-CML has an average overall survival of less than a year, giving oncologists little time to clinically intervene. Oncologists can delay or prevent CML advancement by detecting patients at risk of disease progression early and making timely treatment decisions, especially with third and fourth generation TKIs. However, no universal molecular biomarkers exist to diagnose CML patient groups at risk of disease progression. A recent study found that all BC-CML patients have mutant FANCD2. Our study was designed to detect mutant FANCD2 in AP-CML (early progression phase) to investigate its potential as a novel biomarker of early CML progression from chronic phase to accelerated phase due to the urgent need for such a biomarker. Our study comprised of 123 CP-CML (control group) and 60 AP-CML patients (as experimental group) from Hayatabad Medical Complex, Peshawar, Pakistan, from Jan 2020 to July 2023. DNA was extracted from the patients and FANCD2 gene was sequenced using Illumina next generation sequencer (NGS) Illumina MiSeq sequencer. NGS analysis revealed a unique splice site mutation in FANCD2 gene (c. 2022-5C>T). This mutation was detected in all CP-CML patients but in none of CP-CML. The mutation was confirmed by Sanger sequencing. FANCD2 is member of Fanconi anemia (FA-) pathway gene involved in DNA repair and genomic instability. Therefore, our studies show that FANCD2 (c. 2022-5C>T) mutation as a very specific molecular biomarker for early CML progression. We recommend to clinical validate this biomarker is prospective clinical trials.
Einstein’s Reality Prevails over Bohr’s Nonlocality -Stronger Quantum Correlations with Independent States Disprove Quantum Nonlocality
Authors: Vatarescu Andre
Published: December 2023

Pure quantum states outperforms mixed quantum states in the contest (or context) of coincident detections. The probability of coincident detections should not be confused with the correlation of mixed states. The theoretical requirements for implementing the quantum nonlocality theory are not present in the experimental configurations purporting to prove Bohr’s or Bell’s nonlocality. By means of a normalization factor corresponding to the total number of initiated events, the detection probabilities obtained experimentally are too small to enable any violation of a Bell inequality. Additionally, the quantum joint probability for a Bell state can be factorized enabling a local detection of the alleged quantum nonlocality, if it existed. Correlations between independent states of qubits can easily outperform those calculated with entangled photons. © The Author 2023
Tailoring MAPK Pathways: New Therapeutics Avenues for Managing Alzheimer’s Diseases
Authors: Sharma Apoorv , Mehra Vandana , Kumar Vijay , Prakash Hridayesh
Published: December 2023

Neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's diseases are irreversible, progressive, and refractory in nature and managed very poorly. AD is manifested with the aggregation of unfolded proteins, synaptic pathology and dementia and poses challenges to the health care system globally. Only very few treatments with minimal effect are available to the patients and their caregivers. Despite numerous clinical trials which were launched for AD, unfortunately, most of them failed in satisfying the pharmacological criteria. At cellular levels, many signaling pathways have been proposed for the sterile / refractory behavior of degenerating neurons. Among those, Mitogen activated protein kinases (MAPKs) are the critical cellular networks which are involved in the development of Alzheimer’s disease. Several studies have demonstrated a favorable impact of MAPK inhibition on inflammatory programming, synaptic plasticity, and memory problems in mouse models of AD. In view of this, various clinical trials were launched with several MAPK inhibitors (with good safety profile and less side-effects) have yielded positive results in AD patients suggesting that MAPK targeting may be effective for reducing the pathogenesis of AD, but due to selectivity, dosing and patient stratification, this aspect still need development. In view of selectivity and off-target effects, only a few MAPK inhibitors have been employed in clinical trials against AD indicating a scope of development in this area. Therefore, this study focuses on MAPK based interventions as an upcoming and innovative approach for alleviating AD with special emphasis on clinical studies.
Physiological and Transcriptome Responses of Pinus massoniana Seedlings Inoculated by Various Ecotypes of the Ectomycorrhizal Fungus Cenococcum geophilum during the Early Stage of Drought Stress
Authors: Zhang Xiaohui , Zhang Jinyan , He Juan , Li Mingtao , Matsushita Norihisa , Geng Qifang , Lian Chunlan , Zhang Shijie
Published: December 2023

The impact of drought stress on plant growth in arid regions is a critical concern, necessitating the exploration of strategies to enhance plant drought resistance, particularly during the early stages of drought stress. This study focuses on the ectomycorrhizal fungus Cenococcum geophilum, renowned for its extensive genetic diversity and broad host compatibility, making it a crucial ally for host plants facing external stresses. We utilized approximately 5-month-old Pinus massoniana seedlings inoculated with different ecotypic strains of C. geophilum for 7 days of drought stress. The results showed that the inoculation of most strains of C. geophilum enhanced the drought resistance of P. massoniana seedlings under the early stages of drought stress, by influencing the water content, photosynthesis, accumulation of osmotic adjustment substances, and antioxidant enzyme activities in both shoots and roots of seedlings. These responses were further validated through transcriptome analysis. Notably, the level of drought resistance observed in mycorrhizal seedlings was irrespective of the level of drought tolerance of C. geophilum strains. This study contributes essential data for understanding the drought response mechanisms of mycorrhizal P. massoniana seedlings inoculated by distinct C. geophilum ecotypes, and guidance on selecting candidate species of ectomycorrhizal fungi for mycorrhizal afforestation in drought areas.
Wearable Smart Solution for Accurate Machine Learning-Based AF Detection Using ECG Signals
Authors: Soudani Adel
Published: December 2023

Atrial Fibrillation (AF) is known as one of the dominant cardiac disease that is associated with severe consequences such as risk of strokes. This cardiac arrhythmia can be efficiently diagnosed using EEG signals. However, AF episodes in EEG records are not always permanent for all subjects. In addition, lengthy subject preparation and ECG recording sessions makes this practice time consuming and not attractive for efficient diagnosis. One attractive solution for this problem will be the use of wearable Internet of Medical Things IoMT devices for EEG recording and AF detection. From another side the use machine learning for efficient diagnosis could provide high accurate diagnosis. However, the deployment of these wireless wearable devices faces the problems of limited processing capabilities and of energy scarcity. In this context, the design of energy efficient accurate on-sensor AF detection scheme using machine learning algorithms still requires a focused research effort. This paper proposes a wearable solution for ECG-based processing scheme for embedded AF detection. The proposed method achieved 100% sensitivity and 94.5% of specificity and accuracy of around 97.4 % for wide range of subjects while showing low energy-consumption. The obtained results show the efficiency of using Logistic Regression algorithm for accurate AF detection and attest about practical feasibility of the proposed approach in wearable IoMT devices.
Physics-Based Aircraft Dynamics Identification Using Genetic Algorithms
Authors: Peña-García Raymundo , Velázquez-Sánchez Rodolfo Daniel , Gómez-Daza-Argumedo Cristian , Escobedo-Alva Jonathan Omega , Tapia-Herrera Ricardo , Meda-Campaña Jesús Alberto
Published: December 2023

This work proposes a physics-based identification technique based on genetic algorithms. The main objective is to obtain a parametric matrix A that describes the time-invariant linear model of the longitudinal dynamics of an aircraft. This is achieved by proposing a fitness function based on the properties of the transition matrix and taking advantage of some of the capabilities of the genetic algorithm, mainly those of restricting the search ranges of the unknowns. In this case, such unknowns are related to the type of aircraft and flight conditions that are considered during the identification process. The proposed identification method is validated with a reliable nonlinear model that can be found in the literature, as well as with the calculation of the trim condition and linearization generally used in aircraft dynamics. In summary, this study suggests the genetic algorithm provided with the adequate fitness function, could be an appealing alternative for aircraft model identification, even when only a limited amount of data is available. Furthermore, in some cases, linearization using genetic algorithm can be more efficient than classical methods.
High-precision numerical investigation of a VAWT starting process
Authors: MĂLĂEL Ion , STRĂTILĂ Sergiu
Published: December 2023

For both conventional and renewable energy conversion processes, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) has been used to address more energy-related challenges in recent decades. Using CFD to investigate vertical-axis wind turbines has become more common in recent years. The main goals of this application have been to more accurately predict the turbine's performance and to comprehend the complicated nature of the complex turbulent flow. The Vertical Axis Wind Turbine (VAWT) simulation for energy-generating applications has several intricate components. One of them is being aware of the chaotic flow that occurs during the first stages of the starting process, which influences overall effectiveness. In this article, the performance of the wind turbine was increased by using a passive flow control approach. The numerical research was carried out using Large Eddy Simulation for four alternative tip speed ratios in both cases, the classic and the optimized, equipped with a vortex trap on the exterior of the blades. The power and torque coefficient variations, as well as the velocity magnitude contours, show that the starting process may begin with a significant improvement in efficiency when flow control is used.
Background gravitational waves as signature of the accelerated cosmic expansion
Authors: Cruz Cláudio Nassif , Amaro de Faria Jr. Antônio Carlos
Published: December 2023

We propose a toy model of a spherical universe made up of an exotic dark gas with temperature $T$ in thermal equilibrium with a black-body. Each particle of this exotic gas mimics a kind of particle of dark energy. So, each dark particle occupies a very small area of space so-called Planck area $L_p^{2}$, which represents the minimum area of the whole space-time given by the spherical surface with area $4\pi R_H^2$, where $R_H$ is the Hubble radius. We realize that such spherical surface is the surface of the black-body for representing the dark universe as if it were the surface of an expanding balloon. Thus, we are able to derive the law of universal gravitation, thus leading us to understand the cosmological anti-gravity. We estimate the tiny order of magnitude of the cosmological constant and the acceleration of expansion of the dark sphere. In this toy model, as the dark universe can be thought of as a large black body, when we obtain its power and frequency of emission of radiation, we find very low values. We conclude that such radiation and frequency of the black body made up of dark energy is a background gravitational wave with very low frequency in the order of $\sim 10^{-17}$Hz due to the slight stretching of the fabric of space-time.
Vaccine-Induced Immune Thrombotic Thrombocytopenia—Clinicopathologic Features and New Perspectives on Anti-PF4 Antibody-Mediated Disorders
Authors: Zhang Yi , Bissola Anna-Lise , Treverton Jared , Hack Michael , Lychacz Mark , Kwok Sarah , Arnold Addi , Nazy Ishac
Published: December 2023

Vaccine-induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia (VITT) is a rare but severe adverse event that was first observed during the global vaccination campaign against SARS-CoV-2 infection, specifically in those receiving adenoviral vector-based vaccines for Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). VITT develops 4 to 42 days post-vaccination and is characterized by the development of platelet-activating anti-platelet factor 4 (PF4) antibodies, leading to thrombocytopenia and thrombosis at unusual sites. The rise in awareness and subsequent prompt recognition of VITT was paramount in reducing mortality. Moreover, as vaccination campaigns around the world continue, a better understanding of VITT not only has important clinical implications but is also crucial for future vaccine development. In this review, we summarize the clinical features, pathophysiology, and incidence rates of VITT as well as highlight other anti-PF4 antibody-mediated disorders of growing clinical significance.
A Comprehensive Review on the Role of Resting State Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Predicting Post-stroke Motor and Sensory Outcome
Authors: Christidi Foteini , Orgianelis Ilias , Merkouris Ermis , Koutsokostas Christos , Tsiptsios Dimitrios , Karavasilis Efstratios , Psatha Evlampia A. , Tsiakiri Anna , Serdari Aspasia , Aggelousis Nikolaos , Vadikolias Konstantinos
Published: December 2023

Stroke is a major leading cause of chronic disability, often affecting patients’ motor and sensory functions. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is the most commonly used method of functional neuroimaging and allows the non-invasive study of brain activity. The time-dependent coactivation of different brain regions at rest is described as resting-state activation. As a non-invasive task-independent functional neuroimaging approach, resting-state fMRI (rs-fMRI) may provide therapeutically useful information on both the focal vascular lesion and the connectivity-based reorganization and subsequent functional recovery in stroke patients. Considering the role of prompt and accurate prognosis in stroke survivors along with the potential of rs-fMRI in identifying patterns of neuroplasticity in different post-stroke phases, this review provides a comprehensive overview of the latest literature regarding the role of rs-fMRI in stroke prognosis in terms of motor and sensory outcome. Our comprehensive review suggests that with the advancement of MRI acquisition and data analysis methods, rs-fMRI emerges as a promising tool to study the motor and sensory outcome in stroke patients and evaluate the effect of different interventions.