bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evaluating Circularity and Sustainability in Plastic Waste Recycling: Open and Closed-Loop Technologies
Authors: Majzoub Wafaa N. , Al-Mohannadi Dhabia M.
Published: August 2024

In a world grappling with mounting plastic waste, the pursuit of sustainable plastic waste management has become pivotal in aligning with Circular Economy (CE) goals, with a strong emphasis on resource conservation, product durability, and carbon footprint reduction. The strategic implementation of recycling methods serves as a stepping stone for transitioning from linear to circular models. This work delves into plastic waste recycling technologies, specifically focusing on open and closed-loop approaches, providing a comprehensive evaluation anchored on economic, environmental, and circularity criteria. Different recycling techniques are thoroughly examined, with particular attention given to chemical recycling methods such as pyrolysis and gasification. This work introduces a comprehensive screening model driven by a new proposed circularity metric validated through a case study to assess these recycling pathways. The results reveal the substantial potential of chemical recycling technologies compared to conventional incineration for energy recovery. Pyrolysis refinery and methanol production from plastic waste demonstrate triple and double the profitability of incineration while significantly enhancing the overall contribution of CE. This work emphasizes the imperative of a sustainable approach to plastic waste management by balancing different metrics considerations.
Decarbonization of Oil Refineries through Electrification and Low-Carbon Feedstocks
Authors: Torres Ana I.
Published: August 2024

Chemical Process Industries must navigate a series of changes in their operations to comply with increasing sustainability targets. These changes may involve the use of electricity-based operations, the implementation of carbon capture strategies, and the use of biomass or end-of-life carbon-containing waste as feedstocks. De-carbonizing oil refineries is particularly challenging as they possess highly valuable infrastructure. Discarding this infrastructure before the end of its life to build entirely new electric and biomass-based operations does not seem to be an economical or even a sustainable solution. This presentation will cover recent work in my group related to the decarbonization of oil refineries, focusing on proposing solutions that could be integrated with existing plants... (ABSTRACT ABBREVIATED)
Membrane-based carbon capture process optimization using CFD modeling
Authors: Pedrozo Hector A. , Dosso Cheick , Zhu Lingxiang , Kusuma Victor , Hopkinson David , Biegler Lorenz T. , Panagakos Grigorios
Published: August 2024

Carbon capture is a promising option to mitigate CO2 emissions from existing coal-fired power plants, cement and steel industries, and petrochemical complexes. Among the available technologies, membrane-based carbon capture presents the lowest energy consumption, operating costs, and carbon footprint. In addition, membrane processes have important operational flexibility and response times. On the other hand, the major challenges to widespread application of this technology are related to reducing capital costs and improving membrane stability and durability. To upscale the technology into stacked flat sheet configurations, high-fidelity computational fluid dynamics (CFD) that describes the separation process accurately are required. High-fidelity simulations are effective in studying the complex transport phenomena in membrane systems. In addition, obtaining high CO2 recovery percentages and product purity requires a multi-stage membrane process, where the optimal network configuration of the membrane modules must be studied in a systematic way. In order to address the design problem at process scale, we formulate a superstructure for the membrane-based carbon capture, including up to three separation stages. In the formulation of the optimization problem, we include reduced models, based on rigorous CFD simulations of the membrane modules. Numerical results indicate that the optimal design includes three membrane stages, and the capture cost is 45.4 $/t-CO2.
Modeling hiPSC-to-Early Cardiomyocyte Differentiation Process using Microsimulation and Markov Chain Models
Authors: Rajendiran Shenbageshwaran , Galdos Francisco , Lee Carissa Anne , Xu Sidra , Harvell Justin , Singh Shireen , Wu Sean M. , Lipke Elizabeth A. , Cremaschi Selen
Published: August 2024

Cardiomyocytes (CMs), the contractile heart cells that can be derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs). These hiPSC derived CMs can be used for cardiovascular disease drug testing and regeneration therapies, and they have therapeutic potential. Currently, hiPSC-CM differentiation cannot yet be controlled to yield specific heart cell subtypes consistently. Designing differentiation processes to consistently direct differentiation to specific heart cells is important to realize the full therapeutic potential of hiPSC-CMs. A model that accurately represents the dynamic changes in cell populations from hiPSCs to CMs over the differentiation timeline is a first step towards designing processes for directing differentiation. This paper introduces a microsimulation model for studying temporal changes in the hiPSC-to-early CM differentiation. The differentiation process for each cell in the microsimulation model is represented by a Markov chain model (MCM). The MCM includes cell subtypes representing key developmental stages in hiPSC differentiation to early CMs. These stages include pluripotent stem cells, early primitive streak, late primitive streak, mesodermal progenitors, early cardiac progenitors, late cardiac progenitors, and early CMs. The time taken by a cell to transit from one state to the next state is assumed to be exponentially distributed. The transition probabilities of the Markov chain process and the mean duration parameter of the exponential distribution were estimated using Bayesian optimization. The results predicted by the MCM agree with the data.
Exploring Net-Zero Greenhouse Gas Emission Routes for Bio-Production of Triacetic Acid Lactone: An Evaluation through Techno-Economic Analysis and Life Cycle Assessment
Authors: Wen Ching-Mei , Foster Charles , Ierapetritou Marianthi
Published: August 2024

Triacetic acid lactone (TAL) is a bio-privileged molecule with potential as a chemical precursor, traditionally synthesized from petroleum. Current trends are shifting towards the use of renewable biomass or CO2-derived feedstocks to enhance sustainability. However, comprehensive studies on the techno-economic viability and carbon life cycle of such methods are limited. This study assesses TAL production from conventional glucose and a novel approach co-feeding Yarrowia lipolytica (YL) with glucose and formic acid (FA), aiming for a more cost-effective and eco-friendly process. We confront the inherent challenges in this process by exploring different technology scenarios using kinetic bioprocess modeling underpinned by techno-economic analysis (TEA) and life cycle assessment (LCA) to identify the most cost-effective and sustainable routes to TAL production. A noteworthy component of our investigation centers around the prospect of recycling and utilizing the CO2 emitted from the YL bioreactor to eliminate greenhouse gas emissions inherent in aerobic fermentation processes. The study combines TEA and LCA to dissect the proposed TAL bio-production routes, evaluating the sustainability of the process and the implications of net-zero greenhouse gas emission manufacturing. We employed SuperPro Designer and Aspen software for process simulation and energy balance computations. The results underscore the benefits of CO2 recycling in TAL production, with an estimated minimum selling price (MSP) slightly increasing by 6.21-7.80% compared to traditional methods, but significantly undercutting the market price of $51000/mt-TAL and achieving net-negative CO2 emissions. This research illustrates a viable route to bio-production with net-zero emissions, providing a model for future bioprocessing and industrial practices.
PENGARUH FASILITAS HOTEL & KUALITAS PELAYANAN DEPARTEMEN PEMASARAN TERHADAP KEPUASAN TAMU DI SYARIAH HOTEL SOLO
Authors: Puji Astuti Ratih , Nisa Khoirun
Published: August 2024

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui pengaruh fasilitas hotel dan kualitas pelayanan departemen pemasaran secara simultan terhadap kepuasan tamu, fasilitas hotel secara signifikan terhadap kepuasan tamu, kualitas pelayanan departemen pemasaran secara signifikan terhadap kepuasan tamu di Syariah Hotel Solo. Peneliti akan membahas 3 (tiga) pokok permasalahan yaitu (1) apakah fasilitas hotel berpengaruh secara signifikan terhadap kepuasan tamu di Syariah Hotel Solo, (2) apakah kualitas pelayanan departemen pemasaran berpengaruh secara signifikan terhadap kepuasan tamu di Syariah Hotel Solo, (3) apakah fasilitas hotel dan kualitas pelayanan departemen pemasaran memiliki pengaruh secara simultan terhadap kepuasan tamu di Syariah Hotel Solo.
Jenis penelitian ini adalah penelitian kuantitatif dengan pengumpulan data melalui metode kuesioner. Data yang diperlukan dalam penelitian ini adalah data primer dan sekunder yang diperoleh dari hasil kuesioner yang disebarkan kepada 30 responden, teknik pengambilan sempel menggunakan accidental sampling. Teknik analisis yang digunakan untuk menganalisa penelitian ini adalah menggunakan analisis regresi linier berganda dan uji hipotesis dengan Uji Parsial (uji t) dan Uji Simultan (uji f) dengan menggunakan program SPSS 16.0.
Hasil penelitian ini menunjukkan bahwa : (1) hasil analisis data dengan uji parsial (t), menunjukan bahwa fasilitas hotelberpengaruh positif signifikan terhadap kepuasan tamu sebesar 0,019, (2) kualitas pelayanan departemen pemasaran berpengaruh positif terhadap kepuasan tamu sebesar 0,001, (3) hasil analisis uji simultan (f) yang menunjukan sig 0,000 bahwa nilai signifikan lebih kecil dari nilai standar  (0,05), sehinggafasilitas hotel dan kualitas pelayanan departemen pemasaran berpengaruh positif terhadap kepuasan tamu. Dalam penelitian ini disimpulkan bahwa bahwa fasilitas hotel dan kualitas pelayanan departemen pemasaranberpengaruh positif terhadap kepuasan tamu, secara bersama-sama bahwa fasilitas hotel dan kualitas pelayanan departemen pemasaran berpengaruh positif terhadap kepuasan tamu di Syariah Hotel Solo.
The Analysis Study of Effectiveness and Safety of Topical Treatment for Vernal Keratoconjunctivitis: A Comprehensive Systematic Review
Authors: Fazri Karin Ananditya , Ramadhani Fikar
Published: August 2024

Background: This systematic review aims to evaluate and synthesize evidence on the efficacy and safety of topical treatments for VKC, focusing on the effectiveness of treatments like cyclosporine A, tacrolimus, and other topical therapies in alleviating symptoms and improving clinical outcomes. Methods: The review followed PRISMA 2020 guidelines, including studies published in English from 2014 to 2024. Results: Eight studies met the inclusion criteria. The review found that both cyclosporine A and tacrolimus significantly reduced symptom and sign scores in VKC patients. Rebamipide was comparable in efficacy to cyclosporine and tacrolimus. Tacrolimus showed efficacy in corticosteroid-refractory cases, while cyclosporine A reduced steroid dependency and related side effects. Conclusion: Topical cyclosporine A and tacrolimus are effective in managing VKC, with improvements in symptoms and clinical signs observed across studies. Cyclosporine A is particularly effective in reducing reliance on corticosteroids, while tacrolimus is beneficial for corticosteroid-refractory VKC. Personalized treatment strategies should be considered based on individual patient responses and tolerability.
Rhythm as a Counter-cultural Political Instrument of Empowerment in James Brown’s ‘Say it Loud, I‘m Black and I’m Proud’
Authors: BELWEFI Kalthoum
Published: August 2024

Like other art forms, the tensely-rhythmical genre of funk music has often been touted as a powerful weapon to counter race-based regimes and carry overt political messages during the tension-filled period of the civil rights movement in America. More particularly, at the end of the 1950s and the beginning of 1960s, funk music, which evolved from Rhythm and Blues, jazz and soul music, inspired the African American community to break free from the fetters of institutional racial segregation and give voice to the downtrodden black race. Funk music is typified by its powerfully-rhythmical tones which echo much dynamism and energy. The song’s strong bass lines, drumbeats, syncopated beats and the recurrent refrain all along the song: “Say it Loud, I’m Black and Proud” create rhythmic patterns that awaken black consciousness and emphasize black pride. Accordingly, that rhythm is a carrier of power is the quintessence of the present paper. It is a medium of expression that conveys life-changing thoughts. In this song, rhythm is featured as an effective strategy to re-construct the new Black identity and chart a new life wherein racial equity prevails. Brown’s rhythm-driven patterns are a prelude to a new life African Americans have long been waiting for.
Pelatihan Pengolahan Sampah Organik Menjadi Pupuk Organik Cair (POC) Di Desa Jurit Baru Kecamatan Pringgasela
Authors: Hadi Sunandar Azma'ul
Published: August 2024

Pupuk organic cair merupakan salah satu pupuk yang dihasilkan dengan memanfaatkan bahan limbah rumah tangga. Pupuk organic cair ini menjadi salah satu strategi mengatasi persoalan sampah yang setiap hari kita hasilkan. Masyarakat desa jurit baru merupakan daerah dengan mayoritas masyarakat bekerja sebagai petani. Memiliki lahan yang luas, kaya akan berbagai jenis tanaman menyebabkan sampah organic menjadi menumpuk. Sampah-sampah inilah yang bisa dikelola menjadi pupuk organic cair oleh para petani di lahan pertanian mereka masing-masing. Pelatihan ini bertujuan untuk mengurangi dampak negative dari sampah rumah tangga yang kita hasilkan setiap hari untuk dikembalikan kepada alam dalam bentuk pupuk organic cair. Hasil dari kegiatan ini adalah mampu meningkatkan kualitas SDM untuk menjaga lingkungan dari dampak buruk sampah dengan cara membuat pupuk organic cair dari sampah organic.
Identification of pharmacological inducers of a reversible hypometabolic state for whole organ preservation
Authors: Sperry Megan M , Charrez Berenice , Fotowat Haleh , Gardner Erica , Pilobello Kanoelani , Izadifar Zohreh , Lin Tiffany , Kuelker Abigail , Kaki Sahith , Lewandowski Michael , Lightbown Shanda , Martinez Ramses , Marquez Susan , Moore Joel , Plaza-Oliver Maria , Sesay Adama M , Shcherbina Kostyantyn , Sheehan Katherine , Takeda Takako , Del Campo Daniela , Andrijauskaite Kristina , Cisneros Exal , Lopez Riley , Cano Isabella , Maxwell Zachary , Jessop Israel , Veraza Rafael J , Bunegin Leon , Percival Thomas J , Yracheta Jaclyn , Pena Jorge , Wood Diandra , Homas Zachary , Hinshaw Cody , Cox-Hinshaw Jennifer , Parry Olivia G , Sleeter Justin J , Weitzel Erik K , Levin Michael , Super Michael , Novak Richard , Ingber Donald E
Published: August 2024

Drugs that induce reversible slowing of metabolic and physiological processes would have great value for organ preservation, especially for organs with high susceptibility to hypoxia-reperfusion injury, such as the heart. Using whole-organism screening of metabolism, mobility, and development in
Xenopus
, we identified an existing drug, SNC80, that rapidly and reversibly slows biochemical and metabolic activities while preserving cell and tissue viability. Although SNC80 was developed as a delta opioid receptor activator, we discovered that its ability to slow metabolism is independent of its opioid modulating activity as a novel SNC80 analog (WB3) with almost 1,000 times less delta opioid receptor binding activity is equally active. Metabolic suppression was also achieved using SNC80 in microfluidic human organs-on-chips, as well as in explanted whole porcine hearts and limbs, demonstrating the cross-species relevance of this approach and potential clinical relevance for surgical transplantation. Pharmacological induction of physiological slowing in combination with organ perfusion transport systems may offer a new therapeutic approach for tissue and organ preservation for transplantation, trauma management, and enhancing patient survival in remote and low-resource locations.
Adaptive chunking improves effective working memory capacity in a prefrontal cortex and basal ganglia circuit
Authors: Soni Aneri , Frank Michael J
Published: August 2024

How and why is working memory (WM) capacity limited? Traditional cognitive accounts focus either on limitations on the number or items that can be stored (slots models), or loss of precision with increasing load (resource models). Here, we show that a neural network model of prefrontal cortex and basal ganglia can learn to reuse the same prefrontal populations to store multiple items, leading to resource-like constraints within a slot-like system, and inducing a trade-off between quantity and precision of information. Such ‘chunking’ strategies are adapted as a function of reinforcement learning and WM task demands, mimicking human performance and normative models. Moreover, adaptive performance requires a dynamic range of dopaminergic signals to adjust striatal gating policies, providing a new interpretation of WM difficulties in patient populations such as Parkinson’s disease, ADHD, and schizophrenia. These simulations also suggest a computational rather than anatomical limit to WM capacity.
Capacitismo y diversificación de la enseñanza: la producción educativa de lo infrahumano
Authors:   , Heyermann Vial Josefina
Published: August 2024

Las políticas de educación inclusiva en Chile se han fundamentado en el diagnóstico de estudiantes con discapacidad y la normalización de estos estudiantes a través del ingreso a la escuela regular. Estas políticas toman como base a la Clasificación Internacional de Funcionamiento, de la Discapacidad y de la Salud, donde se definen las características de un cuerpo sano. Así, terminan por defender a los cuerpos “normales” a través del ejercicio del biopoder hacia la población considerada como desviada de esta norma, ejerciendo mayores controles mientras más diferente sea, fomentando los espacios de exclusión. Esta investigación busca caracterizar los elementos materiales y semióticos que producen a la diversificación de la enseñanza como una estrategia legítima de educación inclusiva, a pesar de que produzca aparatos de control y exclusión. La investigación se posiciona desde la teoría de ensamblajes, que busca estudiar las formas en las cuales las relaciones entre agentes materiales, discursivos, humanos y no humanos se producen generando flujos de mutua afectación. Este análisis permitió evidenciar que la diversificación de la enseñanza es legitimada por las políticas de educación inclusiva en el proceso de producción de los estudiantes que salen de la norma como sujetos infrahumanos. De esta forma, los estándares capacitistas, evidenciados a través de los aprendizajes mínimos requeridos para la promoción escolar, resultarán claves para la categorización de los estudiantes según sus niveles de educabilidad y, por tanto, su nivel de humanidad.
Efficient evaluation of path queries over graph databases
Authors:   , Farías Valdés Benjamín F.
Published: August 2024

Las consultas de caminos regulares (RPQs) son una característica central de todos los lenguajes y estándares de consulta de grafos modernos, como SPARQL, Cypher, SQL/PGQ y GQL. Si bien SPARQL devuelve puntos finales de RPQs, en Cypher, SQL/PGQ y GQL es también posible devolver los caminos completos. En esta tesis, presentamos el primer marco de trabajo para devolver caminos que coincidan con RPQs bajo los quince modos prescritos en los estándares SQL/PGQ y GQL. El núcleo de nuestro enfoque es la construcción del grafo de producto, combinada con una forma de representar de forma compacta un numero potencialmente exponencial de resultados que pueden coincidir con una RPQ. A lo largo de la tesis, describimos como opera este enfoque a nivel conceptual y brindamos garantías de tiempo de ejecución para evaluar RPQs. También desarrollamos una implementación de referencia sobre un motor de procesamiento de grafos de código abierto, mostrando así como se puede integrar en cadenas de procesamiento de grafos existentes, y realizamos un análisis detallado sobre la ejecución de RPQs en conjuntos de datos relevantes para evaluar la utilidad de nuestros métodos en un escenario realista. En comparación con varios motores de consulta modernos, obtenemos mejoras de ordenes de magnitud y un rendimiento notablemente estable, incluso para clases de RPQs teóricamente intratables.
El foco o la flama: Orientaciones para la implementación del Plan de Formación Ciudadana en un liceo emblemático.
Authors:   , Ruz Reveco Camila
Published: August 2024

En Chile, el plan de formación ciudadana surge producto del aumento de la desconfianza en las instituciones, la disminución de la participación y los casos de corrupción política. Este plan, mandatado desde un enfoque top-down, buscaba reforzar la ciudadanía; pero, en el establecimiento estudiado presentó problemáticas asociadas a la desarticulación con otros documentos curriculares o la falta de lineamientos claros respecto a la definición de ciudadanía. Desde ahí surge el objetivo de proponer orientaciones para la implementación de un Plan de Educación Ciudadana que hiciera dialogar la Ley 20.911 y la cultura organizacional, en miras de la mejora educativa. Es así, que, desde un enfoque cualitativo del análisis del contenido, se trabajaron documentos normativos y orientadores y grupos focales con integrantes de la comunidad educativa. Estos dieron cuenta que se produce un quiebre en la coherencia curricular a nivel del Proyecto Educativo Institucional, el que no recoge la cultura institucional, afectando a la propuesta del Plan de Formación Ciudadana; y, que, a nivel de docentes y estudiantes existe una tendencia a entender la formación ciudadana desde un enfoque cívico y minimalista; contrario a los propósitos del plan que se asocia con una perspectiva de ciudadanía compleja y maximalista.Palabras Clave: Plan de formación ciudadana, ciudadanía, ciudadanía cívica, ciudadanía civil, cultura institucional.
Mediterraneización de la alimentación en preescolares que asisten a los jardines infantiles de la Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile
Authors:   , Mallea Vivanco Claudia Francisca
Published: August 2024

Antecedentes: La dieta mediterránea es el patrón alimentario con mayores beneficios sobre la salud en adultos, pero la evidencia es escasa en población pediátrica, y menor aún en preescolares. Objetivos: Mediterraneizar la alimentación que reciben preescolares en jardines infantiles y analizar su adecuación a las recomendaciones dietarias, composición nutricional y costo. Método: Estudio analítico de la dieta de preescolares asistentes a los jardines infantiles de la Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile en 2019. Se adaptó la minuta del 2019, de un mes por trimestre, hacia un patrón de dieta mediterránea, comparando la adecuación a recomendaciones nutricionales, la composición nutricional y los costos, calculados en base a precios de alimentos de cadenas de supermercados y Vega Central. Se utilizó el programa Food Processor® y el índice KIDMED para los análisis nutricionales. Se aplicó la prueba t de Student para datos pareados (comparación de la minuta 2019 vs. la mediterránea), y test de Kruskal Wallis (comparación de puntajes KIDMED) usando el programa Scipy Stats. Resultados: La mediterraneización de las minutas de alimentación de los jardines infantiles PUC aumentó en 3 puntos el puntaje KIDMED, mantuvo el aporte energético de 40,5±4,7 kcal/kg/jornada (distribuido como 50% carbohidratos, 16% proteínas y 34% lípidos) y mejoró la razón de ácidos grasos Ω6: Ω3 desde 16,5:1 a 2,9:1. El aporte proteico aumentó de 1,5±0,1 a 1,7±0,2 g/kg/jornada, siendo 0,9:1 la razón de proteína alto/bajo valor biológico. El aporte de carbohidratos fue 5,2±0,1 g/kg/jornada, mejorando la fibra a 11,1±2,9 g/jornada. El aporte de hierro fue 4,1±1,8, zinc 1,8±0,7 y magnesio 94±40,6 mg/jornada, respectivamente. El costo diario de la dieta 2019 fue $1.115,1±169,5 y el de la minuta mediterránea $1.115,5±203,9 (ns). Conclusiones: Fue posible mediterraneizar las minutas de alimentación en los jardines infantiles PUC sin aumentar el costo, mejorando la calidad lipídica, el valor biológico proteico y el aporte de fibra, preservando el aporte de micronutrientes.
Study Based Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) Agriculture: A Review
Authors: Adamu Idris A.
Published: August 2024

The world is dynamic in nature as Agriculture remains the backbone of human existence. Human being surely depends on agriculture for existence and the way agriculture is carried out keep on changing from traditional to modern method. Presently, machines are being used to carry out almost all agricultural activities. The most recently introduced method in agriculture and other related fields is the used of Artificial Intelligence. Artificial Intelligence is recently introduced in the field of agriculture because of its wide use and importance related to our daily life. The problems faced by farmers are enormous which include, low output, soil treatment, diseases and pest management couple with big data requirements, and many others.  AI is applied in agriculture in four (4) dimension ways, in crop management, weed management, disease management and soil management. This application helps to manage the cost effectiveness, accuracy and high performance in a more efficient and better ways. The paper makes a review on the application of AI in the field of agriculture for more productivity in the present teeming population. The benefits, dangers and solutions to Artificial Intelligence created problems were suggested. Automated farm machinery like driverless tractors, smart irrigation, fertilization systems, IoT-powered agricultural drones, smart spraying, vertical farming software, and AI-based greenhouse robots for harvesting are just some examples. Compared with any human farm worker, AI-driven tools are far more efficient and accurate.
Cultural Perspectives on the Impact of COVID-19 among Blaan Tribal Community of Southern Mindanao in the Philippines: A Relativist Perceptual Analysis
Authors: Franca Glenford C. , Franca Jovelyn L. , Lumogdang Leonel P.
Published: August 2024

This research explores the intricate effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on indigenous upland barangays, with a specific focus on the Blaan tribe in Southern Mindanao, Philippines. Emphasizing health, livelihood, and cultural dimensions, the study applies a relativist perceptual theory to investigate how these communities perceive pandemic threats through their unique cultural perspectives. To compile thorough information on the experiences of the Blaan community, the study uses a mixed-method approach combining participant observation, key-informant interviews, and a survey of secondary sources. Health-wise, indigenous people see COVID-19 as a direct threat and negotiate a complex interaction between traditional healing methods and contemporary treatments. The epidemic seriously affects livelihoods; it disturbs traditional crafts and subsistence farming, thereby posing financial risks and perhaps weakening of cultural identity. Essential to indigenous cultures, rituals and ceremonies are disrupted, therefore influencing the flow of cultural knowledge and spiritual well-being. The relativist perceptual theory underscores the need for understanding threats through the community's cultural lens, acknowledging diverse interpretations. The analysis suggests the importance of culturally sensitive interventions. While livelihood support programs must match indigenous traditions, public health policies should combine traditional healing with respect of cultural standards. Initiatives including community involvement and education should be culturally relevant, addressing issues in ways the values of the society will find appealing. With inclusive decision-making procedures guaranteeing policies respect the autonomy and cultural distinctiveness of indigenous people, preserving and adjusting cultural practices should be a top concern. Overall, this research provides valuable insights to guide effective, respectful, and culturally considerate interventions addressing the impact of COVID-19 on the Blaan tribe and other indigenous upland communities.
Optimizing Plankton Growth and Diversity in Biofloc Systems through Silica Supplementation
Authors: Tafdrian Muhammad Khofi Istakhfi , Subhan Ujang , Mulyani Yuniar , Iskandar
Published: August 2024

Biofloc is a fish cultivation system that relies on a collection of microorganisms, such as bacteria, protozoa, and microalgae, that live in the form of flocs or clumps. This study aims to determine the effect of varying silica concentrations on plankton abundance and diversity index in biofloc systems. Conducted from February to March 2024, the research employed a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) method with four treatments (0 ppm, 15 ppm, 20 ppm, and 25 ppm) and three replications each. The parameters observed were phytoplankton abundance, zooplankton abundance, and diversity index. Observation of plankton abundance using a 10 x 10 magnification microscope using SRC (Sedgewick Rafter-counting Cell) with a volume of 1 ml and diversity index using the Shannon Wierner method. The results of this research are that the addition of a silica concentration of 15 ppm is the best concentration with a phytoplankton abundance value of 450,729 cells/L, a zooplankton abundance of 827,778 cells/L and a diversity index of 2,662.
Environmental Waste Management: Effect of Debittered-defatted Orange Seed Flour on the Proximate, Anti-nutritional and Sensory Properties of Biscuit
Authors: Emojorho Ernest Eguono , Chiedu Udeh Charles , Okpalanma Felix Emeka , Okoh Ferdinard Nnamdi , Onuoha Love Nchekwube , Avbundiogba Eseoghene
Published: August 2024

Orange seeds were extracted from orange fruits and sundried at 30 ± 2˚C for 8 hours. The orange seeds (20kg) were steeped in water for 12 hours and cooked for 120 minutes. The boiling seeds were dehulled, oven dried at 60°C for 14 hours, ground and defatted with 100% ethanol, milled, and sieved. Debittered orange seed flour was used to substitute 10, 20, 30, 40, and 100% in biscuits to test its proximate composition, physical, and sensory qualities. The results revealed that the proximate composition of the biscuits ranged from 12.49% to 17.17% protein, 9.38% - 12.14% fat, 1.55 - 9.84% crude fiber, 1.07% - 4.01% ash, 6.37% - 11.00% moisture content, and 45.83% - 64.46% carbohydrate. With increased orange seed flour content, the biscuits' weight, volume, break strength, and thickness reduced, while their spread ratio and density increased. The anti-nutrient composition of the biscuits revealed oxalate (20.06 – 77.21 mg/100g), phytate (61.03 – 99.91 mg/100g), and tannin (0.07 – 2.09 mg/100g). Biscuits made with up to 30% orange seed flour were generally acceptable throughout sensory evaluation. Orange seeds are commonly disposed improperly during the manufacturing of juice along with other orange fruit products, causing a severe environmental impact and posing a health risk. Orange seed flour production would not only provide a novel source of flour for food manufacturing, but would also serve as an environmentally friendly recycling option.
Deshi Cotton Growth and Yield Response to Skip-row Planting in Combination with Intercrops
Authors: Sumitra Gugulothu
Published: August 2024

The experiment was laid out in randomized block design with seven treatments and three replications. Field experiment was carried out during the kharif season of 2018-19 at post graduate research farm, college of agriculture, Mahatma Phule Krishi Vidyapeeth, Rahuri, Maharashtra. Measurements were taken for growth parameters (plant height, leaf area plant-1, Number of sympodial branches and dry matter accumulation) and yield components (number of picked bolls per plant, weight of seed cotton per boll, yield of seed cotton and stalk ha-1) of deshi cotton. Results showed that plant height of cotton was influenced due to different intercrops at 60 DAS, except at 30 DAS. Intercrops viz., green gram, black gram, soybean and sesamum did not show any influence on plant height of cotton. However, pearl millet reduced plant height of cotton drastically and shown its dominance. Similar trend was observed in respect of leaf area plant-1 of cotton as regards to pearl millet. Dry matter accumulation in cotton was influenced during flowering stage only. Planting cotton with solid sole and sole skip row techniques resulted in better dry matter accumulation. Cotton grown as either sole or with intercrops recorded similar total number of picked bolls of cotton. Average weight of seed cotton per boll was higher in skip row planting of cotton + sesamum (2:1). Sole skip row planting of cotton registered the highest seed cotton yield (1966.48 kg ha-1). Skip row planting of cotton + sesamum (2:1) recorded highest stalk yield (2828.54 kg ha-1). It can be concluded that growth and yield parameters of deshi cotton drastically reduced when intercropped with pearl millet compared to other intercrops, and it is advisable to avoid intercropping hybrid pearl millet with cotton.
Evaluation of Rice Genotypes for Yield Stability and Adaptability Across Multiple Environments Using AMMI and GGE Biplot Analysis
Authors: Reshma O , Surendra P , Reddy S Bhaskar , Shivaprasad K M
Published: August 2024

The study aimed to identify elite rice genotypes with the highest yield response and broad adaptability, as well as those with specific adaptability to unique or groups of environments. Three different environments were selected for the experiment with 23 rice genotypes in Dharwad, Malagi, and Sirsi, Karnataka, during the year 2020 (Kharif season). The ANOVA revealed that environments contributed the highest (33.5%) to the total sum of squares, followed by genotypes × environments (21.7%), indicating a major role played by environments and their interactions in realizing final yield. The AMMI 1 analysis identified rice genotypes BA04, BA07, BA10, BA09, and BD07 as highly stable, positioned near the origin of the biplot with smaller ASV and Di values. The AMMI2 model revealed a positive association of genotype BD08 with the Dharwad environment and BD05 with the Sirsi environment, consistent with the recorded grain yield data. The GGE biplot genotype view identified genotype BD08 as the ideal genotype, followed by BA08, with higher mean yield and good stability, while D6-2-2 and BD10 were found to be the most unstable. The GGE biplot environment view showed that Dharwad was the most ideal for adaptability and discriminating environment, followed by Sirsi, while Malagi was the least discriminating. What-won-where biplot indicated that all the three environments fell into two mega environments. Hence, BD08 was the winning genotype in mega environment 1 consisting of Dharwad and Malagi. While the genotype BD05 was the winner in mega environment 2 i.e Sirsi.
Variability, Correlation Patterns and Principal Component Analysis (PCA) for Seed Yield and Contributing Traits in Castor (Ricinus communis L.)
Authors: Deepak Kadam Abhishek , Manjunatha T. , Hemalatha V. , Chary D. Srinivasa
Published: August 2024

Castor (Ricinus communis L.) is a vital crop for industrial applications in more than 250 products including lubricants, paints, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals etc. This study is an attempt to understand the genetic diversity in 15 male (monoecious) and 15 female (pistillate) advanced breeding lines of castor. 11 quantitative traits were subjected to analysis of variance, correlation analysis, principal component analysis (PCA) and K-means clustering. Significant genetic variability and trait correlations were noticed, revealing opportunities for targeted improvement in castor. Clustering identified six distinct genetic groups, facilitating the identification of diverse parental lines. Principal component analysis elucidated key contributors of variation, enabling informed breeding decisions. This comprehensive study provides a foundation for further improvement in seed yield, oil content and environmental resilience in castor.
Enhancing the Genetic Understanding of Rice for Strategic Breeding of High Yielding and Superior Quality Varieties
Authors: Naidu B. Nagendra , Madhavilatha L. , Maraskole Shubhangi Kshirsagar , Panotra Narinder , Singh Oinam Bobochand , Kumar Anil , Devi Okram Ricky , Laishram Bibek , Anbarasan S.
Published: August 2024

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is a staple food crop crucial for global food security. This review synthesizes recent advancements in the genetic understanding of rice and their implications for developing breeding techniques aimed at achieving high-yield and superior quality varieties. We examine the genetic basis of key traits influencing rice yield and quality, including grain size, aroma, and cooking characteristics. The paper evaluates traditional and modern breeding techniques, highlighting the role of genomic tools such as marker-assisted selection, genomic selection, and CRISPR-Cas9 technology in accelerating rice improvement. We also discuss the challenges facing rice breeding, including the genetic complexity of desirable traits, regulatory hurdles for genetically modified varieties, and environmental factors influencing breeding outcomes. Finally, the prospect for further research in rice breeding is discussed with the special focuses on sustainable breeding, climate adaptive, and nutritionally enriched rice. This review holds great utility for researchers and breeders involved in the cultivation of better rice varieties as per the growing global requirements.
Subgrouping Leprosy Patients with Neuropathic Pain in Central Brazil Based on Pain-Related Sensory Abnormalities
Authors: Bezerra-Martins Ana Maria Coelho , Cavalcante Leticia Rosseto Silva , Hongyu Kuang , Fontes Cor Jesus Fernandes
Published: August 2024

Background: Leprosy is a significant cause of nontraumatic peripheral neuropathy and neuropathic pain (NP). Generally, patients with NP exhibit a variety of symptoms and sensory signals, creating an individual phenotypic profile of pain. This involves identifying and grouping a set of symptoms and signs that characterize an individual's pain experience. Neuropathic pain can be confirmed using the DN4 screening tool, which includes 7 items related to symptoms and 3 items related to physical examination. Identifying clusters of symptoms in patients with NP and distinguishing them into subgroups through statistical analysis of the most relevant and discriminating aspects of the pain phenotype can more robustly reflect the different mechanisms or combinations of mechanisms involved in its genesis.
Objective: To identify subgroups of leprosy patients with NP based on pain-related sensory abnormalities.
Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was performed on patients with NP caused by leprosy who were treated at a school hospital in Central Brazil to characterize the painful symptoms and establish NP sensorial phenotypes. The sociodemographic, clinical, and NP phenotype characterization was performed using the Neuropathic Pain Questionnaire 4 (DN4). Identifying groups of patients with similar individual phenotypic profiles was done using exploratory factor analysis.
Results: A total of 132 patients with leprosy and associated NP were evaluated during 2017 and 2018. Most patients were female (56.8%) with borderline leprosy (72.7%) and with a mean (SD) age of 48.7 (13.5) years. Signs and symptoms related to sensory deafferentation were predominant: numbness and hypoesthesia to touch and needle pinprick. The characterization of the sample by sensorial phenotypes identified four subgroups that best described the patients with leprosy NP and that corresponded to 62% of all variations found. In two subgroups, a predominance of signs and symptoms of sensorial loss corresponded to 38% of the patients. The other two were characterized by signs of hyperactivity of the somatosensory system.
Conclusions: NP phenotypes associated with leprosy are characterized by numbness, tingling, pins, needling, and hypoesthesia to touch and needle pinprick. The sensory phenotype of leprosy-associated NP has four phenotypic subgroups. There were two groups related to sensory loss that are compatible with this long-term neuropathy and the two others with signs of pathological sensory input.
Impact of biofilm‐induced heterogeneities on solute transport in porous media
Authors: Kone T. , Golfier F. , Orgogozo L. , Oltéan C. , Lefèvre E. , Block J. C. , Buès M. A.
Published: October 2014

In subsurface systems, biofilm may degrade organic or organometallic pollutants contributing to natural attenuation and soil bioremediation techniques. This increase of microbial activity leads to change the hydrodynamic properties of aquifers. The purpose of this work was to investigate the influence of biofilm‐induced heterogeneities on solute transport in porous media and more specifically on dispersivity. We pursued this goal by (i) monitoring both spatial concentration fields and solute breakthrough curves from conservative tracer experiments in a biofilm‐supporting porous medium, (ii) characterizing in situ the changes in biovolume and visualizing the dynamics of the biological material at the mesoscale. A series of experiments was carried out in a flow cell system (60 cm3) with a silica sand (Φ = 50–70 mesh) as solid carrier and Shewanella oneidensis MR‐1 as bacterial strain. Biofilm growth was monitored by image acquisition with a digital camera. The biofilm volume fraction was estimated through tracer experiments with the Blue Dextran macromolecule as in size‐exclusion chromatography, leading to a fair picture of the biocolonization within the flow cell. Biofilm growth was achieved in the whole flow cell in 29 days and up to 50% of void space volume was plugged. The influence of biofilm maturation on porous medium transport properties was evaluated from tracer experiments using Brilliant Blue FCF. An experimental correlation was found between effective (i.e., nonbiocolonized) porosity and biofilm‐affected dispersivity. Comparison with values given by the theoretical model of Taylor and Jaffé (1990b) yields a fair agreement.
Upwelling variability off southern Indonesia over the past two millennia
Authors: Steinke Stephan , Prange Matthias , Feist Christin , Groeneveld Jeroen , Mohtadi Mahyar
Published: October 2014

Modern variability in upwelling off southern Indonesia is strongly controlled by the Australian‐Indonesian monsoon and the El Niño–Southern Oscillation, but multidecadal to centennial‐scale variations are less clear. We present high‐resolution records of upper water column temperature, thermal gradient, and relative abundances of mixed layer‐ and thermocline‐dwelling planktonic foraminiferal species off southern Indonesia for the past two millennia that we use as proxies for upwelling variability. We find that upwelling was generally strong during the Little Ice Age (LIA) and weak during the Medieval Warm Period (MWP) and the Roman Warm Period (RWP). Upwelling is significantly anticorrelated to East Asian summer monsoonal rainfall and the zonal equatorial Pacific temperature gradient. We suggest that changes in the background state of the tropical Pacific may have substantially contributed to the centennial‐scale upwelling trends observed in our records. Our results implicate the prevalence of an El Niño‐like mean state during the LIA and a La Niña‐like mean state during the MWP and the RWP.
Infragravity waves across the oceans
Authors: Rawat Arshad , Ardhuin Fabrice , Ballu Valérie , Crawford Wayne , Corela Carlos , Aucan Jerome
Published: October 2014

Ocean infragravity (IG) waves are low‐frequency waves generated along shorelines by incident seas and swell and with heights of the order of 1 cm in the open ocean. Despite these small amplitudes, they can be of much importance for ice shelf break up and errors in measurements of sea level by future satellite altimeters. A combination of numerical model results and in situ data is used to show that bottom pressure signals in the infragravity frequency band can be dominated by bursts of energy that travel across ocean basins, and can last for several days. Two particularly strong events recorded in 2008 are studied, one in the North‐Pacific and the other in the North‐Atlantic. It is shown that infragravity waves can travel across whole oceans basins with the signal recorded on the western shores often dominated by IG waves coming from the opposite shore of that same ocean basin.
An objective analysis of the QBO in ERA‐Interim and the Community Atmosphere Model, version 5
Authors: Solomon Abraham , Richter Jadwiga H. , Bacmeister Julio T.
Published: October 2014

The quasi‐biennial oscillation (QBO) is the dominant mode of variability in the tropical stratosphere, which is in large part driven by upward propagating atmospheric waves. For over three decades researchers have investigated an extratropical impact due to the vacillation of the tropical winds. The choice of a single altitude to define the QBO introduces an ambiguity into the analysis of correlations between the tropical and extratropical manifestations of this wave‐driven phenomenon. It has been previously demonstrated that using empirical orthogonal functions, this ambiguity can be resolved, by calculating the phase of the QBO from the first two principal components of the stratospheric zonal mean wind. As general circulation models begin to simulate the QBO, a standard and objective means of comparing simulations with observations should be adopted. This objective analysis of the extratropical QBO is presented for the ERA‐Interim reanalysis and a version of the Community Atmosphere Model, version 5, which exhibits a spontaneously generated QBO.
Mapping the electron energy in Jupiter's aurora: Hubble spectral observations
Authors: Gérard J.‐C. , Bonfond B. , Grodent D. , Radioti A. , Clarke J. T. , Gladstone G. R. , Waite J. H. , Bisikalo D. , Shematovich V. I.
Published: October 2014

Far ultraviolet spectral observations have been made with the Hubble Space Telescope in the time‐tag mode using the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS) long slit. The telescope was slewed in such a way that the slit projection scanned from above the polar limb down to midlatitudes, allowing us to build up the first spectral maps of the FUV Jovian aurora. The shorter wavelengths are partly absorbed by the methane layer overlying part of the auroral emission layer. The long‐wavelength intensity directly reflects the precipitated energy flux carried by the auroral electrons. Maps of the intensity ratio of the two spectral regions have been obtained by combining spectral emissions in two wavelength ranges. They show that the amount of absorption by methane varies significantly between the different components of the aurora and inside the main emission region. Some of the polar emissions are associated with the hardest precipitation, although the auroral regions of strong electron precipitation do not necessarily coincide with the highest electron energies. Outputs from an electron transport model are used to create maps of the distribution of the characteristic electron energies. Using model atmospheres adapted to auroral conditions, we conclude that electron energies range between a few tens to several hundred keV. Comparisons of derived energies are in general agreement with those calculated from magnetosphere‐ionosphere coupling models, with values locally exceeding the standard model predictions. These results will provide useful input for three‐dimensional modeling of the distribution of particle heat sources into the high‐latitude Jovian upper atmosphere.