bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Control of Musca domestica (House Fly) in Poultry Units using Delta Traps
Authors: Sundar S.T. Bino , Harikrishnan T.J. , Latha Bhaskaran Ravi , Kumar T.M.A. Senthil , Chandra G. Sarath , Pandian A. Serma Saravana , Pandian C.
Published: November 2023

Background: House fly menace is a major problem in poultry farms and nearby households. Though application of insecticides is one of the major approaches in house fly control, development of insecticide resistance is widely prevalent. Use of house fly traps is an ecofriendly alternate strategy in control of house flies. In the present study, delta traps were used to control house flies in poultry units. Methods: Red acrylic delta traps with two different pellet baits (FMP and FMPB) were placed at ground level in poultry units housing caged layer chicken with a distance of 90 cm between two traps for seven days continuously and trial was replicated six times. Trapped flies were counted, sexed and species identified. Spot cards were used to determine house fly density pre-and post-trapping. Correlation of house fly population with meteorological parameters was assessed. Result: Out of the 80410 flies trapped, 52.74 per cent (42415 flies) and 47.25 per cent (37994 flies) were trapped in FMPB and FMP pellet baited traps, respectively. Daily fly trapping pattern showed variations. Overall trap catches were dominated by female flies. Reduction in spot card count was 36.34 per cent after deployment of traps. Trap catches correlated positively with temperature, relative humidity and wind velocity. Two species Musca domestica domestica and Musca domestica vicina were identified.
confort térmico en la arquitectura vernácula de la Parroquia Chuquiribamba - Ecuador
Authors: Monteros Cueva Karina
Published: November 2023

La arquitectura vernácula de Chuquiribamba responde a las condiciones climáticas del lugar, ligada al uso de tierra transformado en adobe, tapial y bahareque, en donde destaca la práctica y transmisión de saberes ancestrales constructivos que han pasado de generación en generación. Como resultado, la parroquia presenta una arquitectura sencilla que a la vez se integra al paisaje natural, siendo este uno de los aspectos considerados para que el sitio sea declarado como Patrimonio Nacional del Ecuador. Pese a ello, se sigue dejando de lado, este tipo de construcción para optar por nuevas edificaciones con otros materiales desconociendo los beneficios térmicos que pueden presentar. El objetivo de este estudio fue evaluar aspectos bioclimáticos usados intuitivamente en cuatro tipologías de vivienda en un sitio de clima frío- templado a través del análisis de sus condiciones de diseño y de su ubicación respecto a aspectos ambientales, que son correlacionados con la aplicación de softwares de simulación térmica, que permitan reconocer los beneficios del uso del material.
Transaksi Chip Game Higgs Domino dalam Pandangan Hukum Perjanjian Syariah
Authors: Alfian Izzat El Rahman
Published: November 2023

Higgs Domino merupakan Game berbasis android yang didalamnya terdapat situs atau aplikasi yang menyediakan berbagai Game, mulai dari domino, kartu, dan slot yang menjadi sarana untuk mengumpulkan banyak Chip yang didapat dari kemenangan. Permainan Higgs Domino menjadi semakin menarik karena Game Higgs Domino menyediakan fitur Top Up (isi ulang), sedekah, dan kirim Chip (koin mas). Penelitian ini akan berfokus pada pembahasan mengenai pandangan ekonomi syariah dalam transaksi chip yang terjadi pada Game Higgs Domino. Penelitian ini menggunakan pendekatan Kualitatif untuk membedah masalah tersebut. Adapun teknik analisis data yang digunakan sebagaimana yang dipaparkan oleh Miles dan Huberman, yaitu: reduksi data, display data, dan mengambil kesimpulan atau verifikasi. Berdasarkan penelitian yang dilakukan, didapatkan hasil bahwa transaksi jual beli Chip Game Higgs Domino menurut pandangan hukum ekonomi syariah adalah bathil yang berarti hokum transaksinya haram. Letak keharaman transaksinya karena keluar dari kaidah, syarat dan rukun jual beli yang diperbolehkan dalam Islam karena transaksi yang diperbolehkan dalam Islam adalah transaksi yang tidak mengandung unsur Maysir, Gharar dan Riba. (Higgs Domino is an Android-based game in which some sites or applications provide various games, ranging from dominoes, cards, and slots which are a means to collect many chips obtained from winning. The Higgs Domino game becomes even more interesting because the Higgs Domino Game provides Top Up (refill), alms, and send Chip (gold coins) features. This research will focus on the discussion of Islamic economic views in chip transactions that occur in the Higgs Domino Game. This research uses a Qualitative approach to dissect the problem. The data analysis techniques used as described by Miles and Huberman, namely: data reduction, data display, and drawing conclusions or verification. Based on the research conducted, it was found that the transaction of buying and selling Higgs Domino Game Chips according to the view of Sharia economic law is bathil which means the transaction law is haram. The location of the haram transaction is because it is out of the rules, conditions, and pillars of buying and selling that are allowed in Islam. After all, transactions that are allowed in Islam are transactions that do not contain elements of Maysir, Gharar, and Riba.)
Apresentação do Dossiê Especial
Authors: Ferreira Antonio Quadros
Published: November 2023

A Revista Visuais publica neste seu número especial dedicado a Francisco Laranjo, os seguintes textos: Francisco Laranjo, o caminho de dentro como caminho vital da pintura, de António Quadros Ferreira; Silêncio que invade e liberta: as paisagens-pintura de Francisco Laranjo, de Domingos Loureiro; Entre universos: os ateliers de Francisco Laranjo, de Francisco Miguel Laranjo; Francisco Laranjo, num certo azul (que pode não parecer azul), de Isabel Sabino; Do mais recente ao mais antigo – In Memoriam Francisco Laranjo, de Maria de Fátima Lambert; Francisco Laranjo: a sublimação do tempo, de Mauricius Martins Farina & Marta Luiza Strambi; e Carta ao Professor Francisco Laranjo, de Sofia Torres.
A Study on Digital Transformation of Hangzhou Garden Company
Authors: Hye A. K. Mahbubul , Uddin Md Rayhan , Habib Md. Mamun
Published: November 2023

Hangzhou Garden Company is well known in the landscaping industry in China, and its business is in the real estate industry nationwide. However, the company is currently facing challenges due to the regulatory situation in the real estate market of the supply chain, so there is an urgent need for strategic transformation. This study explores strategic transformation in Hangzhou Garden Company through a comprehensive approach including literature review, case study, questionnaire survey and interviews. The assessment includes the internal and external environment of the company. Through surveys and interviews, the study identifies the company’s strengths and weaknesses in business development, product diversity, technological research and development. Furthermore, external environmental analysis examines market opportunities and threats considering policy changes, market demand and industry trends. Based on these findings, the evaluation uses tools such as SWOT analysis and IE matrix combined with insights from questionnaire analysis to formulate strategic directions. A strategic transformation plan is then developed that outlines the steps required for business structure planning, business layout planning, operational and management system planning, and digital transformation planning. This approach ensures that digital transformation is aligned with the strategic growth needs of the company. Overall, through a comprehensive SOWT analysis, this study provides a strategic roadmap for aligning digital transformation with the company's growth needs and ensuring its competitive edge and sustainable growth in China's real estate and landscaping industry.
Low-temperature pulsed-light assembly of nanoparticle silver ink
Authors: Abu-Ageel Atef , Ayres Virginia , Vanderberg Abigail , Albrecht John
Published: November 2023

The precision printing of high-conductivity metals is a foundational technology for the realization of additively manufactured electronics integration. For many applications, the quality of the printed metal is a result of a competition between the energetics of metal nanoparticle ink sintering and the tolerance of the active device and substrate materials to sintering conditions. In this work, a quantitative investigation of a novel pulsed-light low-temperature sintering process of silver nanoparticle ink that results in conductivity values competitive with processes requiring temperatures of 150°C or higher is presented. Experimentally determined conductivities are correlated with measured grain sizes, compositions and stoichiometries, and candidate oxide coverages. The impact of dense, uniform, and aligned grains on the observed conductivities is explored.
Effect of Molecular Structure of Thio-Chemicals on Corrosion Inhibition in CO2 Corrosive Environments
Authors: Yang Jiang , Wang Xintong , Wang Yefei , Yang Zhen
Published: November 2023

Carbon dioxide (CO2) is frequently present in oil and gas fields, and its use in CO2 flooding for enhanced oil recovery is growing. However, CO2 is highly corrosive to steel in oilfield fluid. The effective and economical method for controlling corrosion is the addition of corrosion inhibitors for carbon steel materials. Thio-compounds of small size have shown potential as corrosion inhibitors to enhance the performance of imidazoline inhibitors. In this study, several small thio-derivatives inhibitors including mercaptoethanol (ME), thiourea (TU), mercaptoacetic acid (TGA), and 2-mercaptobenzimidazole (MBI) were compared to inhibit the CO2 corrosion. They were used as synergists to enhance corrosion inhibition of oleic imidazoline (OIM) on carbon steel in CO2-saturated brine at 60°C. The corrosion inhibition was evaluated using weight loss and electrochemical techniques, while the surface was characterized using atomic force microscopy (AFM). Additionally, quantum chemical calculations were conducted to investigate the mechanism of corrosion inhibition. The results demonstrate that the MBI, with its aromatic group, exhibited superior corrosion inhibition performance compared with ME, TGA, and TU. The surface characterization revealed no pitting and localized corrosion at 10 ppm of inhibitor. A proposed interaction model suggests that OIM becomes protonated and forms a coadsorption layer with MBI on the carbon steel surface through electrostatic attraction. MBI adsorbs onto iron through a bidentate binding-N-S-bridge connection, effectively preventing carbon steel corrosion in the CO2 environments. This research contributes to establishing a structure-properties relationship for thio-chemicals, aiding in the development of more efficient corrosion inhibitors.
Fiber Stiffness: An Essential Parameter of the Effectiveness of Fiber-Based Lost Circulation Materials—A CFD-DEM Numerical Investigation
Authors: Henriques Cassian , Dahi Taleghani Arash
Published: November 2023

Fiber materials have become an attractive choice for lost circulation material (LCM) applications recently. While there has been significant attention on the size, aspect ratio, and size distribution of fibers, the stiffness or basically the effect of their deformability on the sealing capability has not been studied rigorously. Experimental evaluations of fibers with different material properties could be a cumbersome, time-consuming, and expensive process. Most laboratory studies are limited to one or just a few different types of materials. Hence, a novel two-way-coupled computational fluid dynamics and discrete element method (CFD-DEM)-based numerical model is used to overcome this limitation and to simulate motion, collision, deformation, and finally entanglement of individual LCM fibers moving with the fluid along a fracture. Fiber stiffness is determined by the Young’s modulus, the fiber diameter, and the fiber length. Therefore, we investigate this effect in a parametric study with a focus on the impact of the length, diameter, and Young’s modulus of the fiber on their sealing capability. An in-depth analysis reveals that the bridging mechanism for fiber LCM changes with the stiffness of the fiber. Two distinct bridging mechanisms dependent on the fiber stiffness for fiber LCMs are identified. Based on the simulation results, we developed a conceptual model for the different mechanisms that fibers use for bridge initiation. It is also observed that in determining LCM effectiveness, both the fiber stiffness and the fiber dimensions go hand in hand. Stiff fibers were associated with greater maximum plugging pressures (MPPs). The effect of using a mix of soft and stiff fibers on fracture plugging effectiveness has been evaluated. The fiber LCM effectiveness as a consequence of the bending stiffness on bridging larger fractures is also investigated.

Key Terms and Phrases

lost circulation materials; fibers; fracture sealing; bridging mechanism
Impact of a disability-targeted micro-entrepreneurship programme in Kenya: Study protocol for a randomised control trial of the InBusiness programme
Authors: Banks Lena Morgon , Kepha Stella , Zinke-Allmang Anja , Gichuki Paul M , Scherer Nathaniel , Mwandawiro Charles , Carew Mark , Njomo Doris , Chen Shanquan , Okoyo Collins , Davey Calum , Shakespeare Tom , Pereira Maria Antonella , Goyal Divya , Kuper Hannah
Published: November 2023

Background
There is a lack of evidence on the effectiveness of livelihood interventions amongst people with disabilities. In many countries, self-employment or micro-entrepreneurship is a dominant source of livelihoods for people with disabilities and their caregivers. However, this group may face heightened barriers to successful microentrepeurship, including discrimination, exclusion from training or inaccessible transport, infrastructure and communication systems. The InBusiness programme is a livelihoods programme targeted to microentrepeneurs with disabilities or their caregivers delivered by a consortium of non-governmental organisations. The programme focuses on improving the skills, practices and opportunities of microentrepreneurs, while linking them with procurement opportunities with private and public institutions. This protocol describes a randomised control trial of the InBusiness programme in eight counties of Kenya.
Methods
The randomised control trial will involve 495 microentrepeneurs who have been verified as eligible for InBusiness by programme implementers. Individuals will be randomised within counties, either being invited to enrol in InBusiness in March 2023 or allocated to a control group. Participants in the control arm will receive information about compliance with business-related laws and available social protection programmes. The trial will assess the impact of InBusiness on household consumption and individual economic empowerment (primary outcomes) as well as food security, well-being, social attitudes, unmet need for disability-related services and microenterprise profits (secondary outcomes). Baseline was conducted in March 2023 and follow-up will be 24 months from baseline (12 months from completion of the programme). Analysis will be through intention-to-treat. A process evaluation will explore fidelity, mechanisms of impact and the role of context and complementary qualitative research with participants will be used to triangulate findings across the trial.
Discussion
This study will provide evidence on the impact of a large-scale disability-targeted livelihood programme on household and individual financial security and well-being. Currently, there is a lack of evidence on the effectiveness of livelihood programmes amongst people with disabilities, and so this trial can help inform the design and delivery of InBusiness as well as other livelihood programmes targeted to people with disabilities.
Trial Registration
This study was registered with the International Traditional Medicine Clinical Trial Registry (ISRCTN13693137) on April 24th, 2023.
Digital maps burn huge carbon
Authors: Lü Guonian , Wu Mingguang , Yuan Linwang , Xiong Liyang , Cheng Ziming , Zhu Axing
Published: November 2023

Energy savings and greenhouse gas emission reduction are emerging tasks for global sustainable development. However, little attention has been given to the energy consumption of digital maps. As an integral component of modern human activities, digital maps are extensively deployed, and their usage is rapidly increasing. It is crucial to comprehend the energy consumption of these maps and explore ways to mitigate their energy usage. Our findings indicate that digital maps consume considerable amounts of energy, resulting in substantial carbon emissions at an alarmingly high rate, equivalent to 31-34% of the energy consumption of Bitcoin mining. Our results show that the power consumption of map displays is higher than that of most image-like media, including movies, electronic games, and paintings. We estimate that the global map industry consumed approximately 38.29-46.60 billion kWh of energy in 2021. In comparison to national residential electricity consumption, the industry ranked 23rd-26th, surpassing most countries in the world. In this study, we present three energy-saving methods to reduce energy consumption by up to an impressive 85%. This reduction far exceeds the expected 15% level set by The Climate Group for energy reduction in the ICT sector to achieve sustainable development. Based on our findings, we conclude that energy-saving digital maps should be considered a key transformative green technology for achieving the sustainable development goals outlined by the United Nations. The work reported in this study is also transferable to other visual media.
Preferences for pre-exposure prophylaxis for HIV among men who have sex with men and transgender women in 15 countries in Asia and Australia: a discrete choice experiment
Authors: Ong Jason , Tieosapjaroen Warittha , Bavinton Benjamin , Schmidt Heather-Marie , Chan Curtis , Green Kim , Phanuphak Nittaya , Poonkasetwattana Midnight , Suwandi Nicky , Fraser Doug , Boonyapisomparn Hua , Cassel Michael , Zhang Lei , Tang Weiming
Published: November 2023

Background:
Scaling up pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) among men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender women (TGW) in the Asia-Pacific region has been slow. We evaluated the drivers of PrEP use and forecasted PrEP uptake given different PrEP programs for MSM and TGW living in 15 countries and territories in Asia and Australia.
Methods:
Separate online discrete choice experiment (DCE) surveys for MSM and TGW were distributed in 15 Asian countries and territories and Australia between May-November 2022. We used random parameters logit models to estimate the relative importance of service attributes and predicted PrEP uptake for different program configurations.
Findings:
Among 21,943 participants included in the MSM survey and 1,522 in the TGW survey, the mean age was 31.7 (± 9.5) years and 28.1 (± 7.0) years, respectively. Despite variations in the relative importance of service attributes across countries, cost emerged as the primary driver of PrEP use for MSM and TGW, followed by the type of PrEP. The predicted PrEP uptake could improve by over 50% for MSM and 37% for TGW when switching from the least preferred PrEP service program (i.e., very high cost, PrEP implant, rare kidney problems as side effects, and a two-monthly clinic visit) to an optimal program (i.e., free access to PrEP via peer-led community clinics which offered STI testing, and a 6–12 monthly visit). Compared to those at less risk of HIV, free access was more preferred by MSM at a substantial risk of HIV, while telehealth was more preferred by TGW at a substantial risk of HIV.
Interpretation:
Tailoring services to local contexts, including ensuring affordability, preferred type of PrEP and providing differentiated services, could accelerate the uptake of PrEP among MSM and TGW in Asia and Australia.
The role of firm resources in environmental regulation: Evidence from the emission trading system in South Korea
Authors: Kim Jitae , Hong Jong Ho , Yu Jongmin
Published: November 2023

A firm's response to regulations may depend on its resources, such as finance, human capital, facilities, information, patents, brand names, and organizational processes. This study aims to examine whether it is easier for firms with many assets to reduce CO2 emissions after an Emission Trading System in Korea (K-ETS). We make a firm-level dataset from 2011 to 2019 that includes CO2 emissions and financial information for manufacturing firms that have been subject to the K-ETS. We apply regressions and log mean divisia index (LMDI) to analyze the causes of and contributions to the change in CO2 emissions before and after the ETS. The panel analysis result shows that the more assets (or intangible assets including human capital, information, patents, or brand names) a firm owns, the lower the CO2 emissions after the ETS. It is also estimated that conglomerates, including interlocking affiliates, reduced CO2 emissions more than small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). As a result of LMDI analysis, we find that conglomerates with abundant resources reduced CO2 emissions by improving energy intensity through facility investment or process improvement, unlike SMEs. This result means that firms with many resources can positively respond to the ETS and the effect of resources was a spillover within the same interlocking group.
Classification codes Q58 · Q54 · D22 · G38 · L25 · L60
Urban Flood Resilience Analysis Using GIS-Based AHP and Modified S-FRESI Approach: A Case Study of Gyor City, Hungary
Authors: ullah ibrar , Gábor Kovács , Tibor Lenner
Published: November 2023

Urban flooding has gained great attention in recent years since the population in urban areas has become more vulnerable to climatic extremes. The rate of urban flooding has increased around the globe mainly due to climate change. To cope with an increasing flooding issue, there has been an increased effort to manage flood management in urban areas. Similarly in this study, an attempt was made to develop a GIS-based thematic map to assess flood resilience in the Gyor city, Hungary. Gyor City is particularly vulnerable to flooding due to its geographical proximity at the confluence of Raba, Rabca, Mosoni, Marcal, and the great Danube rivers. Three elements i.e., hazard, Exposure, and coping capacity with each having pre-determined parameters were selected and processed through Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) technique. The product value maps of the elements were then analyzed in a Geographical Information System (GIS) using the Modified Specialized Flood Resilience (S-FRESI) approach. The resultant product map shows that 43.7% of the study area had a low to very low level of resilience, followed by 23.5% of the area with a high to very high level of resilience, while 32.5% of the area had a medium level of resilience to floods.
Color-channel Adversarial Attack with Resolution based Camouflaging
Authors: Li Guowei , Li Ping , Zhu Xinpeng
Published: November 2023

Recent studies in the vulnerability of deep neural networks in the field of image classification has aroused the interest of designing various kinds of attacks, which play a role in probing the security issues of deep neural network models. Though existing white-box attacks can offer strong attacks, most of them are vulnerable to human inspection. While some attacks are stealthy and imperceptible, their damaging effect is weakened. In this work, we propose a novel approach of crafting adversarial samples to reconcile the attack effectiveness and the imperceptibility. In particular, instead of attacking all image channels adopted in existing methods, we aim at specific color channel and the local region related to classification, wherein adversarial perturbations are exerted. In order to fool human visual system, we propose an improved bilinear interpolation approach to camouflage adversarial samples with enhanced resolution. The experiments on three benchmark datasets (MNIST, CIFAR10, IMAGENET-10) demonstrate that, compared to several strong attack methods, our model strikes a better balance between attack strength and human inspection. Moreover, the adversarial samples created by our method are more effective than those generated by the comparison methods in improving the robustness of the base classification model.
COVID-19 lockdowns' impact on birth and pregnancy, and associated inequalities, within high-income countries: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Authors: Hindes Iona , Sarwar Hawa , Gravesteijn Benjamin , Jardine Jennifer , Burgos-Ochoa Lizbeth , Been Jasper , Zenner Dominik , Iliodromiti Stamatina
Published: November 2023

We aimed to review the evidence on the impact of lockdowns on adverse birth and pregnancy outcomes (ABPOs) and related inequalities in high-income countries (HICs). Databases were searched from Jan 1, 2019-June 22, 2023, for original observational studies based in HICs which compared the rates of ABPOs, before and during lockdowns. We ran random effects meta-analyses and subgroup analyses per region, lockdown period, ethnicity group, and deprivation level, we also adjusted for underlying temporal trends. 132 studies were meta-analysed. Preterm birth (PTB) decreased in the first lockdown (RR = 0·96[95%CI:0·93 − 0·99]), when only considering studies that adjusted for long-term trends, this reduction in PTB remained (0·97[0·95 − 0·99]). The reduction was larger in Europe (0·94[0·92 − 0·96]) and Australia (0·94[0·90 − 0·99]), and only observed in white ethnicity groups (0·94[0·89 − 0·98]), and in those living in low deprivation (0·95[0·91 − 0·98]). More women screened positive for possible depression antenatally during lockdown (1·37[1·06 − 1·78]). Lockdowns affected advantaged and disadvantaged subgroups in an unequal manner.
Prototype Device for Measuring Carbon Monoxide Levels in Human Exhalation
Authors: Bekh Igor , Mamilov Serge , Porozinski Illya , Velyhotskyi Dmytro , Yashan Igor
Published: November 2023

The aim of the work is to create on the basis of a modern component base a prototype device for non-invasive control over the condition of those poisoned by carbon monoxide or smoking in the conditions of mobile ambulance, fire and rescue operations and intensive care. It is shown that • concentration of CO in the exhalation of a person who does not smoke is in the range of 1 ÷ 2 ppm, which corresponds to the values given in the literature [3]; • graph of the dependence of the sensor response (in ppm) on the time of measurement in the atmosphere of one deep exhalation of a person after 5 minutes after smoking a cigarette has well-defined maxima, and the concentration of CO in exhalation is 13 ppm higher than before smoking.
Scalable neural network models and terascale datasets for particle-flow reconstruction
Authors: Pata Joosep , Wulff Eric , Mokhtar Farouk , Southwick David , Zhang Mengke , Girone Maria , Duarte Javier
Published: November 2023

We study scalable machine learning models for full event reconstruction in high-energy electron-positron collisions based on a highly granular detector simulation. Particle-flow (PF) reconstruction can be formulated as a supervised learning task using tracks and calorimeter clusters or hits. We compare a graph neural network and kernel-based transformer and demonstrate that both avoid quadratic memory allocation and computational cost while achieving realistic PF reconstruction. We show that hyperparameter tuning on a supercomputer significantly enhances the physics performance of the models, improving the jet transverse momentum resolution by up to 50% compared to the baseline. The resulting model is highly portable across hardware processors, supporting Nvidia, AMD, and Intel Habana cards. Finally, we demonstrate that the model can be trained on highly granular inputs consisting of tracks and calorimeter hits, resulting in a competitive physics performance with the baseline. Datasets and software to reproduce the studies are published following the findable, accessible, interoperable, and reusable (FAIR) principles.
Deloading Practices in Strength and Physique Sports: A Cross-Sectional Survey
Authors: Rogerson David , Nolan David , Androulas-Korakakis Patroklos , Immonen Velu , Wolf Milo , Bell Lee
Published: November 2023

Background: This study explored the deloading practices of competitive strength and physique athletes. A 55-item anonymised web-based survey was distributed to a convenience-based, cross-sectional sample of competitive strength and physique athletes (n = 246; age = 29.5 ± 8.6 years) who had 8.2 ± 6.2 years of resistance training and 3.8 ± 3.1 years of competition experience.
Results: All athletes deloaded within training with energy and fatigue management being the main reasons to do so. The typical duration of a deload was 6.4 ± 1.8 days, integrated into the training programme every 5.8 ± 3.4 weeks. Deloading was undertaken using a proactive, pre-planned strategy (or in combination with an autoregulated approach) and undertaken when performance stalled or during periods of increased muscle soreness or joint aches. Athletes reported that training volume would decrease (through a reduction in both repetitions per set and sets per week), but training frequency would remain unchanged during deloads. Additionally, athletes reported that training intensity (load lifted) would decrease, and effort would be reduced (facilitated through an increase in repetitions in reserve). Athletes would generally maintain the same exercise selection during deloading. For athletes that supplemented deloading with additional recovery modalities (n = 118; 48%), the most reported strategies were massage, static stretching and foam rolling. Conclusion: Results from this research might assist strength and physique athletes and coaches to plan their deloading. Future research should empirically investigate the findings from this study to further evaluate the potential utility of deloading in strength and physique sports.
A Wearable and Unobstructive Qi-Compatible Wireless Charger
Authors: Lu Nanshu , Kim Sangjun , Wells Jonathan , Bhattacharya Sarnab , Nathan Hamsi , He Jiaming , Tubilla Isabella , Huh Heeyong , Kakani Pooja , Farshkaran Ali , Pasupathy Praveenkum , Zhou Jianshi , Porter Emily , Lazarus Nathan
Published: November 2023

Wearable wireless power transfer (WPT) systems offer untethered charging of wearable, implantable, and even mobile devices on the go, but face challenges in safety, efficiency, and wearability. We introduce a thin, stretchable, and safe hand band capable of watt-level wireless charging through the Qi protocol. The implementation of non-adhesive fabric encapsulation serves to protect the thin and spiral copper antenna from mechanical strain, ensuring an overall stretchability of 50%. We also created a stretchable “Ferrofabric”, characterized by a magnetic permeability of 11.3 and a tensile modulus of 75.3 kPa, that provides magnetic shielding for the antenna without compromising wearability. By addressing loss mechanisms such as the skin effect, proximity effect, core loss, and joule heating, we achieved a wireless charging efficiency of 72% and power delivery of 3.81 W in the kHz frequency range. Our WPT hand band is unobstructive to hand motion and can charge a handheld smartphone as fast as a desktop charger or power a battery-free chest-laminated e-tattoo, both with well-managed thermal and electromagnetic safety. Through a holistic electromagnetic, structural, and thermal design, our device culminated in a safe, rugged, and versatile solution for wearable WPT systems.
Osteoporosis in postmenopausal women is associated with disturbances in gut microbiota and migration of peripheral immune cells
Authors: Ma Zongjun , Liu Yuanyuan , Shen Wenke , Yang Jiaxiao , Wang Ting , Li Yiwei , Ma Junbai , Zhang Xiaoxia , Wang Hao
Published: November 2023

Background
Postmenopausal osteoporosis (PMO) results from a reduction in bone mass and microarchitectural deterioration in bone tissue due to estrogen deficiency, which may increase the incidence of fragility fractures. In recent years, the “gut-immune response-bone” axis has been proposed as a novel potential approach in the prevention and treatment of PMO. Studies on ovariectomized murine model indicated the reciprocal role of Th17 cells and Treg cells in the aetiology of osteoporosis. However, the relationship among gut microbiota, immune cells and bone metabolic indexes remains unknown in PMO.
Methods
A total of 77 postmenopausal women were recruited for the study and divided into control (n = 30), osteopenia (n = 19), and osteoporosis (n = 28) groups based on their T score. The frequency of Treg and Th17 cells in lymphocytes were analyzed by flow cytometry. The serum levels of interleukin (IL)-10, 17A, 1β, 6, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) were determined via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Additionally, 16S rRNA gene V3-V4 region sequencing analysis was performed to investigate the gut microbiota of the participants.
Results
The results demonstrated decreased bacterial richness and diversed intestinal composition in PMO. In addition, significant differences of relative abundance of the gut microbial community in phylum and genus levels were found, mainly including increased Bacteroidota, Proteobacteria, and Campylobacterota, as well as reduced Firmicutes, Butyricicoccus, and Faecalibacterium. Intriugingly, negative regulatory Treg cells and associated IL-10 concentration in peripheral circulation in steoporosis group, but other chronic systemic proinflammatory cytokines and Th17 cells were opposited. Moreover, significantly elevated plasma lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in patients with osteoporosis indicated that disrupted intestinal integrity and permeability. A correlation analysis showed close relationships between gut bacteria and inflammation.
Conclusions
Collectively, these observations will lead to a better understanding of the relationship among bone homeostasis, the microbiota, and circulating immune cells in PMO.
The IPR of the beholder: The Economics and Strategy knowledge based on IPR, patents and trademarks
Authors: Santos Ana Teresa , Mendonça Sandro
Published: November 2023

The economics and strategy literature is an useful resource for professions and policy-makers involved in patents, trademarks and other intellectual property rights (IPRs). Understanding how this knowledge accumulates is crucial for identifying, analyzing, evaluating, anticipating, and governing of stakeholders in the world of intangibles information. This paper uses bibliographic data to identify, classify and assess research documents around IPR topics from the Economics discipline and from the Strategic perspective. For this, we investigate the trajectories of IPR-related research in the top-10 journals of both economic science and business strategy. Evidence shows new contributions have trended upwards at similar rates in both disciplinary realms, but that the total volume of Strategy research is two times higher than Economics science. Stylised facts may be of use to leaders and experts in IPR offices who need to be up-to-date with the scientific literature but want to build panoramic awareness and retain critical insight.
Prediction of 30-day, 90-day and 1 year mortality after colorectal cancer surgery using a data-driven approach
Authors: Bräuner Karoline Bendix , Tsouchnika Andi , Mashkoor Maliha , Williams Ross , Rosen Andreas Weinberger , Hartwig Morten Frederik Schlaikjaer , Bulut Mustafa , Dohrn Niclas , Rijnbeek Peter , Gögenur Ismail
Published: November 2023

Purpose: To develop prediction models for short-term mortality risk assessment following colorectal cancer surgery.
Background: Individual risk prediction for mortality following CRC surgery can assist surgeons in clinical decision-making and patient-centered care. Several risk scoring systems exist to assess the risk of postoperative mortality following a CRC resection, but they are based on intra- or postoperative variables or do not represent contemporary clinical practice.
Methods: Data was harmonized from four Danish observational health databases into the Observational Medical Outcomes Partnership Common Data Model. With a data-driven approach using the Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator logistic regression on preoperative data, we developed 30-day, 90-day, and 1-year mortality prediction models. We assessed discriminative performance using the area under the receiver operating characteristic and precision-recall curve and calibration using calibration slope, intercept, and calibration-in-the-large. We additionally assessed model performance in subgroups of curative, palliative, elective, and emergency surgery.
Results: A total of 57,558 patients were included in the study population. The model showed good discrimination with an area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve of 0.88, 0.878, and 0.861 for 30-day, 90-day, and 1-year mortality respectively, and a calibration-in-the-large of 1.01, 0.99, and 0.99.
Conclusion: We were able to train prediction models for the risk of short-term mortality on a data set of four combined national health databases with good discrimination and calibration.
Using fMRI to explore the central regulatory mechanism of swallowing initiation in the post-stroke pharyngeal phase
Authors: Wu Haoyue , Wang Yunlu , Hu Wenxi , Zhu Lequn , Xing Xiangxin , Liu Jiayi , Zou Botao , Gu Lin , Wan Ping
Published: November 2023

Background
The central mechanism of swallowing initiation during the pharyngeal phase has already been investigated but not clarified. The aim of this study is to explore the central regulatory mechanisms and the pathological mechanisms involved in swallowing disorders with delayed swallow initiation during the pharyngeal phase. The full understanding of these mechanisms would provide an experimental basis for the development of more effective swallowing treatments.
Methods
We selected thirteen stroke patients with delayed swallow initiation identified by Video Fluoroscopic Swallowing Study (VFSS), with nineteen healthy subjects as control group. Functional magnetic resonance scans of relevant brain sites were obtained, in order to record and analyze the differences between the two groups in activation volume and intensity in the functional areas of the brain during dry swallowing.
Results
The activation range of the bilateral supplementary motor areas, right dorsolateral superior frontal gyrus, left middle frontal gyrus, and right precentral gyrus increased in stroke patients after stimulation of the anterior faucial pillars with ice (P < 0.05). In addition, the activation range of the left supplementary motor area, the right lateral superior frontal gyrus, and the right posterior cingulate gyrus after treatment was even larger than what was observed in healthy subjects (P < 0.005).
Conclusion
The main brain areas regulating swallowing initiation include the left supplementary motor area, the right dorsolateral superior frontal gyrus, the left cuneus, and the right posterior cingulate gyrus. Amongst them, the left supplementary motor area and the right dorsolateral superior frontal gyrus are motor centers, while the left cuneus and the right posterior cingulate gyrus are sensory centers.
Reliable Anti-Cancer Drug Sensitivity Prediction and Prioritization
Authors: Lenhof Kerstin , Eckhart Lea , Rolli Lisa-Marie , Volkamer Andrea , Lenhof Hans-Peter
Published: November 2023

The application of machine learning (ML) to solve real-world problems does not only bear great potential but also high risk. One fundamental challenge in risk mitigation is to ensure the reliability of the ML predictions, i.e., the model error should be minimized, and the prediction uncertainty should be estimated. Especially for medical applications, the importance of reliable predictions can not be understated. Here, we address this challenge for anti-cancer drug sensitivity prediction and prioritization. To this end, we present a novel drug sensitivity prediction and prioritization approach guaranteeing user-specified certainty levels. The developed conformal prediction (CP) approach is applicable to classification, regression, and simultaneous regression and classification. Additionally, we propose a novel drug sensitivity measure that is based on clinically relevant drug concentrations and enables a straightforward prioritization of drugs for a given cancer sample.
Easy attention: A simple self-attention mechanism for transformer-based time-series reconstruction and prediction
Authors: Vinuesa Ricardo , Sanchis-Agudo Marcial , Wang Yuning , Guastoni Luca , Duraisamy Karthik
Published: November 2023

To improve the robustness of transformer neural networks used for temporal-dynamics prediction of chaotic systems, we propose a novel attention mechanism called easy attention which we
demonstrate in time-series reconstruction and prediction. As a consequence of the fact that self attention only makes use of the inner product of queries and keys, it is demonstrated that the keys, queries and softmax are not necessary for obtaining the attention score required to capture
long-term dependencies in temporal sequences. Through the singular-value decomposition (SVD)
on the softmax attention score, we further observe that self attention compresses the contributions
from both queries and keys in the spanned space of the attention score. Therefore, our proposed
easy-attention method directly treats the attention scores as learnable parameters. This approach
produces excellent results when reconstructing and predicting the temporal dynamics of chaotic
systems exhibiting more robustness and less complexity than self attention or the widely-used long
short-term memory (LSTM) network. Our results show great potential for applications in more
complex high-dimensional dynamical systems.
Collaborative study of thresholds for mutagens: Hormetic responses in the micronucleus test and gene induction by mutagenic treatments
Authors: Sutou Shizuyo , Koeda Akiko , Komatsu Kana , Shiragiku Toshiyuki , Seki Hiroshi , Kudo Toshiyuki
Published: November 2023

The linear no-threshold model (LNT) asserts that the genetic effects and carcinogenicity of radiation are proportional to the dose. LNT is also applied to carcinogens and mutagens. However, most experimental data show that the dose-response curve is not linear but rather a J-shaped curve, known as a hormetic response. LNT and hormesis are mutually exclusive. Which is correct? In this study, we investigated dose-response curves of mutagens in the micronucleus test using rodent cells. Since the frequency of background micronuclei was low, detecting a further decrease was difficult. When we conducted a challenge test, where cells were pre-treated with a low dose and post-treated with a high dose, clear hormetic responses were observed. Additionally, during a cross-reaction test, where cells were pre-treated with a low dose of one mutagen and post-treated with a high dose of another mutagen, unequivocal hormetic responses were detected. To investigate gene expression patterns, human lymphoma TK6 cells were treated with mitomycin C, ethyl methanesulfonate, and hydrogen peroxide, and the expression of six genes was examined by RT-PCR. Both GADD45A and p21 genes were induced in a time- and dose-dependent manner. In conclusion, the mutagens used here exhibit hormesis, indicating that the LNT model is invalid.
Temporally Aligned Segmentation and Clustering (TASC): A generalized framework for behavior time series analysis
Authors: Zinkovskaia Ekaterina , Tahary Orel , Loewenstern Yocheved , Benaroya-Milshtein Noa , Bar-Gad Izhar
Published: November 2023

Behavior exhibits a complex spatiotemporal structure consisting of discrete sub-behaviors, or motifs. Continuous behavior data requires segmentation and clustering to reveal these embedded motifs. The popularity of automatic behavior quantification is growing, but existing solutions are often tailored to specific needs and are not designed for the time scale and precision required in many experimental and clinical settings. Here we propose a generalized framework with an iterative approach to refine both segmentation and clustering. Temporally Aligned Segmentation and Clustering (TASC) uses temporal linear alignment to compute distances between and align the recurring behavior motifs in a multidimensional time series, enabling precise segmentation and clustering. We introduce an alternating-step process: evaluation of temporal neighbors against current cluster centroids using linear alignment, alternating with selecting the best non-overlapping segments and their subsequent reclustering. The framework is evaluated on semi-synthetic and real-world experimental and clinical data, demonstrating enhanced segmentation and clustering offering a better foundation for consequent research. The framework may be used to extend existing tools in the field of behavior research and may be applied to other domains requiring high precision of time series segmentation.
Analysis of treatment response with proteins related to tumor immunity in postoperative irradiated cervical cancer patients
Authors: Mafune Shoh , Someya Masanori , Hasegawa Tomokazu , Tsuchiya Takaaki , Kitagawa Mio , Gocho Toshio , Okuda Ryu , Iwasaki Masahiro , Matsuura Motoki , Kubo Terufumi , Hirohashi Yoshihiko , Torigoe Toshihiko , Saito Tsuyoshi , Sakata Koh-ichi
Published: November 2023

We evaluated the relationship between programmed cell death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) and prognosis in patients treated with postoperative radiation for cervical cancer and the impact of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) on this relationship. Immunohistochemical analysis was performed on biopsy specimens from 42 patients who did not receive NAC and from paired samples before (biopsies) and after (resected tissues) chemotherapy from 46 patients who received NAC to determine the association of PD-L1 with radiotherapy outcomes. In the non-NAC group, patients with ≥ 10% PD-L1-expressing tumor cells prior to treatment had better recurrence-free survival (RFS) than those with < 10% PD-L1-expressing tumor cells (p = 0.001). In the NAC group, RFS was significantly lower (p = 0.005) in the group with a ≥ 5% reduction of PD-L1 expression in tumor cells after chemotherapy than in those with < 5% reduction. In multivariate analysis, only PD-L1 expression (non-NAC group) and the change in PD-L1 expression (NAC group) were associated with RFS. Our results suggest that low PD-L1 expression in a cervical tumor pretreatment is a risk factor for a poor outcome following postoperative radiotherapy. NAC also induces an immunological shift to reduce PD-L1 levels in tumor cells, which negatively influences treatment outcomes.
Assessment Of Anxiety Related To Osce Exam Among Alzaeim Al-Azahari University Medical Students 2022
Authors: Jaber Mohammed Hammad
Published: November 2023

Introduction:
This study to gather information about the Incidence rate of severe anxiety before and during OSCE exam among medical students and detect the risk factors for it, in order to increase the awareness level of medical students’ community about the effects of anxiety before and during exams on their academic achievement.
Methodology:
a cross-sectional study was done in medical students at AAU in fifth year
The results:
A total 211 sample was collected, 48.3% were male while 51.7% were female. 53.6% of participants age from 20 to 23 while 46.4% age from 24 to 26.
79.6% of participants believe that the anxiety and fear caused by your fear of forgetting the information, while 20.4% of participants don’t believe that. 75.4% of participants believe that anxiety because of the lot to comprehend and less time to practice while 24.6% don’t believe that.
93.8% of participants get an anxiety episode because of the examiner and how he is treating participants,
Conclusion :
97.2 %. of students reported feeling anxious throughout the OSCE exam, There was no collaboration between the examiner and the student which made students more anxious. The time in not enough for every station.
We recommended students to adpot healthy & effecive mean of relaxation like yoga, breathing exercises and non formal counseling