bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Food related myths and use of alternative medicine in management of type 2 diabetes in northern Tanzania
Authors:   , Kasole Rose
Published: July 2023

Type 2 diabetes is a complicated health condition with multiple causes and ways of management. It is accompanied with various myths that guide people‘s health seeking behavior and they may use alternative medicines and abandoning the physician medicines. This study aimed to investigate on food related myths and use of alternative medicines in management of type 2 diabetes in Northern Tanzania. A cross-sectional analytical mixed methods design was conducted. A total of 168 were interviewed and anthropometric measurements of the patients were assessed. The X-ray fluorescence (XRF) was used to determine the mineral contents of traditional medicines. Quantitative data were analyzed by Statistical Product and Services Solution (SPSS Inc.), Nutri-Survey and GenStat software. Qualitative data were analyzed thematically. Majority of the patients consumed whole fresh milk (81.4%), ground nuts (76.4%), beef (70%), beans (70%) and sunflower oil (80%). Most of them had low intake of dietary calcium (86.3%) and protein (64%). High prevalence of overweight/obese revealed among female, with primary education, aged 41-60 years, selfemployed, married/cohabiting and from KCMC. Participants reported that carbohydrate rich diets cause diabetes, soaking/washing rice removes carbohydrate, traditional medicines treat diabetes, and use of both conventional and traditional medicines increase treatment efficacy. About 67.2% participants were using traditional medicines like soursop leaves, black plum barks, okra pods, moringa leaves and seeds, avocado seeds and lemongrass to manage their diabetes. These medicines contain calcium, magnesium, chromium and zinc as important minerals in diabetes management. Further study is warranted to look for other phytochemicals and their physiological effect.
Effectiveness of food baskets in reducing micronutrients deficiency among pregnant Maasai women in Ngorongoro, Tanzania
Authors:   , Mshanga Naelijwa H.
Published: July 2023

Micronutrients are comprised of vitamin and mineral nutrients needed during pregnancy for fetus growth, development, maturation and reducing/preventing maternal complications. In the Ngorongoro Conservation Area (NCA) micronutrient rich foods (vegetables and fruits) are lacking due to restrictions on cultivation and unavailability of vegetables and fruits in the local markets. Therefore, the current study introduced a food basket intervention and assessed its effectiveness in addressing anemia, vitamin A and iron deficiencies among pregnant Maasai women within the NCA. The quasi-experimental study included Misigiyo ward as a control group (provide education only) and Olbalbal ward an intervention group (provided food baskets and education). The study assessed hemoglobin, serum ferritin, and retinol levels during baseline and follow-up together with knowledge, attitudes towards micronutrient intake, and local dietary practices. Hemoglobin, serum ferritin, and retinol were quantitatively (duplicate) measured with Hemocue ™, Maglumi 800 ™ and vitamin A Elisa respectively. This study recruited 140 participants from both wards and found 78% of the participants had good knowledge on dietary iron, while less than a quarter (24.3%) had good knowledge on vitamin A. Moreover, 94% of the participants reported consuming African nightshade (as a wild vegetable in the rainy seasons) together with stiff porridge. Furthermore, there was a statistically significant increase in serum retinol (p<0.001) in the intervention group compared to the control group while there was no statistical significance difference in hemoglobin and serum ferritin before and after food basket intervention. The baseline serum retinol was positively associated with the follow-up serum retinol levels while baseline serum ferritin and hemoglobin were negatively associated. The food basket intervention holds promise in reducing micronutrients deficiency, especially in communities where micronutrient rich foods are scarce.
Association of Ki-67, p53 and BCL-2 bio-markers expression with Clinic-Histopathology of breast cancer among women in Tanzania
Authors:   , Mansouri Hidaya
Published: July 2023

Ki-67, p53, and BCL-2 are now emerging as markers for classifying breast cancer, guiding therapy and predicting treatment responses and prognosis. Restricted data currently exist on these molecular markers in Tanzania; hence, we assessed the expressions of Ki-67, p53, and BCL-2 and associated them with clinical histopathological features in breast cancer patients attending Muhimbili referral hospital in Tanzania. This retrospective cross-sectional hospitalbased study was carried out between 2016 and 2017. For this research, only women were chosen with proven breast cancer, complete clinical history and accessible paraffin block samples. Tissue samples were immunohistochemically stained for Ki-67, p53, and BCL-2, with respect to their specific Monoclonal Mouse Anti-Human. The relationship between Ki67, p53 and BCL-2 expressions and clinical histopathological features was determined using a multinomial linear regression model. Only 76 cases met the inclusion criteria for this study, with a mean age of 51.32 ±14.28 years. Of these, 86.4% were stage III and IV, whereas 83.5% cases had grade 2 and grade 3. Upon immunostaining, 85.5% and 57.9% were Ki-67 and BCL-2 positive, respectively. Log-linear analysis showed no statistically significant association among biomarkers expression and CH features. However, multinomial linear regression showed higher possibility for association between Ki-67+, p53- and BCL-2+ with age, grade, stage and tumor (T) stage. BCL-2 was positively correlated with Ki-67 expression contrary to p53, which was negatively correlated with BCL-2. Conclusively, there is evidence of correlation between the studied markers with CH features making these markers potential tools for evaluating treatment response in individualized therapeutic schemes.
Evaluation of anti-cancer potential of crude extracts of Annona senegalensis Pers. and Allophylus africanus P Beauv.
Authors:   , Biseko Emiliana Zacharia
Published: July 2023

The medicinal plants Annona senegalensis Pers. and Allophylus africanus P Beav. are traditionally used for the treatment of cancer in Tanzania. However, there is no scientific documentation on their therapeutic effectiveness. To evaluate the anticancer potential of A. senegalensis and A. africanus plant species from Tanzania, stem bark of the two plants were collected from Ugweno village at Kilimanjaro, Tanzania. Pulverized plant materials were soaked in dichloromethane/methanol (DCM:MeOH), petroleum ether (PE), DCM, ethyl acetate (EtOAC), MeOH and water to obtain DCM-MeOH, PE, DCM, EtOAC and MeOH extracts respectively. Anticancer activity against breast (HCC 1396), throat (HEp- 2) and colon (CT 26) cancer cell lines was assessed by the MTT cell viability assay. Results showed that anticancer activity varied between plant extracts and the cancer cell lines. The highest anticancer activity was achieved with A. senegalensis petroleum ether extract against HEp-2. The findings justify traditional use of A. senegalensis and A. africanus in treatment of cancer. This study found petroleum ether extract of A. senegalensis to have high potential for development of an anticancer agent against throat cancer. Further studies involving the isolation of pure anticancer compounds from the two plants are recommended to elucidate bioactive molecules with anticancer activity.
Effects of annual field margin insecticidal plants in attracting natural enemies and controlling bean insect pests
Authors:   , Kanyange Aurea
Published: July 2023

The research assessed the potentiality of four insecticidal plants (Dysphania ambrosoides, Hyptis Suavelons, Ocimum suave and Sphaeranthus suaveolens) with field margin in attracting natural enemies, controlling insect pests and their contribution on yields in common bean production. The study findings indicated that field margins with Ocimum suave significantly (P ≤ 0.001) attracted more natural enemies than the other three insecticidal plants. Also, there was a significance (P≤0.001) difference in incidence and severity of foliage pest damage across the treatments. Less incidence and severity of foliage pest damage was recorded in Ocimum suave treatment while the highest incidence and severity of foliage pest damage was recorded in the control. Results on yields parameters were significantly different (P ≤ 0.001) across the treatments in which Ocimum suave had significantly number of pod per plants, number of seeds per plants, 100 seed weight and grain yield (Kg/ha) as compared with the control. The study findings demonstrated the effectiveness of field margin plants in attracting natural enemies, reducing pest incidence and severity of foliage damage as well as increasing bean yields. Therefore, the use of field margins with desired insecticidal properties can offer a sustainable way to conserve natural enemies and control insect pest in agricultural ecosystems.
Maize store‒time marketing model for northern zone of Tanzania
Authors:   , Swai Jennifer
Published: July 2023

This study was carried out to create a marketing model that integrate maize store-time with five storage methods namely Perdue Improved Cowpeas Storage bags (PICS), Metal Drums, Kihenge, Polyethylene bags with insecticides and Polyethylene bags without insecticide. Trials were established following a randomized complete block design with four replications in Kilimanjaro, Arusha and Manyara regions, and treatments were monitored for weevil‟s infestation for six months consecutive. The results showed PICS bag was the most efficient storage method in minimizing insect damaged kernels as it only contributed to 1% of the insect damaged kernels, while other methods such as Metal drum, Kihenge, Polyethylene bag with insecticide and Polyethylene bag without insecticide resulted in 4%, 23 %, 29%, and 43% insect damaged kernels respectively. The correlation matrix showed similar results with coefficients of correlation of ‒0.378, ‒0.272, 0.045, 0.037 and 0.516 respectively. With regards to store-time PICS bag and Metal drum had the lowest number of insect damage throughout six-month store-time. Other methods such as Polyethylene bag with insecticide was able to keep the kernel insect free only for three months while Polyethylene bag without insecticide kept grains free of weevil infestation only for one month. The results also indicated that there was a significant relationship between marketing channels and income gained by the household with P-value = 0.04. Average store-time for the majority of the respondents was six months. This study recommends not more than seven month store-time for household income optimizations.
Ações e políticas para redução da emissão de CO2 no transporte de cargas do Brasil
Authors: Branco José Eduardo Holler , Bartholomeu Daniela Bacchi , Alves Junior Paulo Nocera , Caixeta Filho José Vicente
Published: July 2023

Dois aspectos estão se tornando cada vez mais cruciais no planejamento de sistemas de transporte eficientes: desempenho energético do transporte e emissão de CO2. O transporte inter-regional de cargas é um dos que mais emite CO2 no Brasil, em função da grande quantidade de mercadorias que precisa ser transportada em rotas de longas distâncias, majoritariamente por meio de caminhões, devido à escassez de infraestrutura intermodal. É de amplo conhecimento que o modo rodoviário de transporte apresenta elevado consumo de diesel e emissão de CO2 por tonelada de carga transportada. Caso o país não coloque em prática ações e políticas com o objetivo de melhorar a eficiência energética, o transporte de cargas deverá intensificar expressivamente seu impacto sobre as mudanças climáticas, dificultando que o país atinja a meta de redução de CO2 acordada durante a COP21. Em vista disso, este artigo tem como objetivo fazer uma análise exploratória das principais ações e políticas recomendadas para reduzir as emissões de CO2 do transporte de cargas no Brasil, e mensurar quantitativamente seus impactos. A análise fundamenta-se na matriz origem e destino de cargas projetada pela Empresa de Planejamento e Logística, usada como base para mensurar as emissões de CO2 e os impactos das ações recomendadas nesse estudo, comparando-se a emissão estimada para 2015 e 2025. Os resultados revelam que as ações recomendadas têm potencial para reduzir 39% da emissão anual de CO2 em 2025 no país, o que significa evitar a emissão de 43 milhões de toneladas de CO2 por ano no transporte de mercadorias. Além disso, as ações e políticas sugeridas resultam também em ganhos econômicos na forma de redução de custos de transporte, o que tende a favorecer a implantação das ações com baixa dependência de financiamento público.
PERANCANGAN SITUS WEB UNTUK INFORMASI PELAYANAN JEMAAT GEREJA HOUSE OF FILADELFIA DI JAKARTA SELATAN
Authors: Nauli Sukarno Bahat
Published: July 2023

Semakin berkembang dan majunya dunia teknologi, dapat mendukung untuk terciptanya manajemen yang baik dalam suatu organisasi gereja. Teknologi Informasi berguna agar manajemen dalam organisasi dapat berjalan dan bekerja dengan baik. Masalah yang dihadapi oleh House of filadelfia pada saat ini adalah belum mempunyai Sistem informasi berbasis website yang mampu memberikan informasi pelayanan bagi jemaat. Oleh karena itu perlu merancang sistem informasi pelayanan jemaat di gereja house of filadelfia berbasis web. Dengan adanya sistem informasi berbasis web site ini akan menghasilkan informasi yang akurat, tepat waktu dan relevan. Hasil penelitian dan perancangan ini sangat bermanfaat bagi jemaat di Gereja House of filadelfia.
PENGUKURAN PERANGKAT LUNAK SISTEM INFORMASI AKADEMIK MENGGUNAKAN USE CASE POINT
Authors: Rizal Saf
Published: July 2023

Sistem Informasi akademik merupakan sistem utama yang diperlukan untuk proses-proses kegiatan akademik yaitu kegiatan proses belajar mengajar yang membutuhkan tingkat keamanan tinggi dan kecepatan dalam proses pemasukan data serta pencetakan dokumen. Sistem Informasi Akademik di Universitas Satya Negara dibuat sejak tahun 2008. Pada sistem informasi Akademik melayani mahasiswa dimulai dari proses pengisian rencana studi mahasiswa, dibantu pembimbing Akademik untuk memvalidasi jumlah Sks yang diambil sampai akhirnya mahasiswa melakukan perkuliahan dan mendapatkan nilai dalam bentuk kartu hasil studi pada setiap semester. Pengukuran perangkat lunak dengan mengunakan diagram use case point pada Sistem Informasi Akademik Universitas Satya Negara Indonesia didapatkan nilai use case point (ucp) = 70,577 dengan nilai tersebut maka termasuk pada kategori kecil karena memiliki skala lebih kecil dari 99.
PEMANFAATAN METODE LSB PADA CITRA DIGITAL DALAM MENGAPLIKASIKAN STEGANOGRAFI SEBAGAI UPAYA PENINGKATAN JAMINAN KEAMANAN DALAM TRANSAKSI INFORMASI SECARA ONLINE
Authors: Kurniawan Turkamun Adi
Published: July 2023

E-mail merupakan layanan yang disediakan sistem teknologi informasi sebagai sarana untuk bertukar informasi di dunia digital. Bentuk informasi yang dapat ditukar berupa data teks, citra digital, video, audio. Berkomunikasi menggunakan e-mail memiliki banyak kelebihan namun di sisi lain rentan terhadap kegiatan digital attacker, seperti penyadapan. Untuk memenuhi aspek kerahasiaan sebuah pesan dapat digunakan teknik steganografi yaitu penyisipan pesan tersembunyi pada file gambar yang berfungsi sebagai media penampung sehingga tampak seperti pesan biasa, dimana pesan yang dikirim hanya dapat dibaca oleh penerima yang memiliki hak untuk mengetahui isi pesan tersebut. Pada Penelitian ini, digunakan suatu metode steganografi berbasiskan LSB (Least Significant Bit) untuk mengirimkan data rahasia secara aman, karena pesan yang dikirim akan hancur dengan sendirinya apabila di buka paksa atau di ganggu oleh pihak lain. Data yang dapat disisipkan tidak hanya berupa teks dan file yang berformat *.txt saja akan tetapi data yang berbentuk video dan audiopun dapat disisipkan pada citra gambar. Dari penelitian yang dilakukan dapat menjadi alternatif solusi untuk menjamin terpenuhinya aspek-aspek keamanan informasi khususnya e-mail yang meliputi confidentiality, integrity, authentication dan non- repudiation.
Philosophical Café: A philosophical dialogue and/or therapy?
Authors: Luka Janes Marina Katinić /
Published: July 2023

Since cafe philosophy got started in Croatia in 2011, it has been conducted using a method developed by its founder M. Sautet: participants themselves suggest topics to discuss and select them democratically. Conducters are required to have a degree in philosophy, and to keep the discussion on track regarding philosophical rigor and structure. The first aim of the paper is to get an insight into a spiritual climate of the moment through analysis of the selected topics. Given the phenomenology of co-occurrences of the topics, it comes clear that apart from classical philosophical issues such as time, order, truth and meaning, participants predominantly choose to discuss ethical and societal issues. It comes out that they are overall preoccupied with human relationships, actual social trends and problems, as well as their own personal development. The second aim of the paper is to test whether the cafe philosophy is understood among participants as a kind of therapy, or at least a help to live a more balanced  and happier life, and whether philosophy can be legitimately understood as a (group) therapy. The authors conclude that philosophical dialogue differs from a therapeutical one by a set of criteria, however it may have therapeutical side effects, as it usually does. Following the thought of E. Martens, philosophizing in public corresponds to an accurate understaning of philsophy as elementary cultural technik (Martens, 2009).
Challenges regarding the educational journeys of Israeli teenagers to Poland. Can P4C help teachers tackle them?
Authors: Barak Dorit
Published: July 2023

Is it imperative to travel to Poland to understand what happened during the Holocaust? Don’t these journeys inspire participants with strong nationalist feelings at the expense of more universal values of tolerance and humanity? In other words, don’t these expeditions sometimes become a lever for cultivating pure nationalism, precisely due to the heightened “Avenging Victim” self-awareness emanating from the emotional experience? Acknowledging this strong current of opinion and without ignoring these genuine risks, the article argues in favor of the necessity of these educational journeys, deeming that when it comes to preserving the memory of the Holocaust and its lessons to the younger generation, there is no substitute for visiting the places where the Holocaust occurred, for the impression that such a visit leaves on the participants, and for the enhancement of knowledge and understanding of the subject. Further, it expresses hope that philosophy for children can bring a most welcome thinking skills-based support to this latter view.
Philosophical practice with corporal actions
Authors: Sumiacher David
Published: July 2023

The paper provide some elements and perspectives regarding how it’s possible to carry out philosophical practices through corporal actions. To understand this and to be able to do it out first, we must understand some general assumptions and principles around a broad understanding of philosophy and philosophical practice. After laying these foundations, I will focus on three great ways of performing corporal actions as part of the work that is done in philosophical practice. The first has to do with the sensory uptake of the other. In this way we enormously enrich the flow of elements that we use for working with others and the development of working hypotheses. A second type of corporal actions that we can incorporate into philosophical practice has to do with the performance of bodily actions by the practical philosopher. In this case, we use our action, gestures and expressions as a way of promoting, deepening and intensifying philosophical processes that are developed through dialogue or in any way. Lastly, a third way of including corporal actions in intersubjective philosophical interactions has to do with requesting the performance of specific corporal actions from others or performing them in conjunction with them. The variety of possibilities and achievable routes in this case is immense, but here we have an indisputable potential for philosophical work with others, which is built in principle from the grasp of circumstance and the philosophical process that is developing. In each case I will be considering a broad vision of philosophical practice that includes the work of philosophical counseling, philosophy for/with children, philosophical workshops and applied philosophy in organizations.
The relationship between philosophical and psychological counselling: where do we stand?
Authors: Dalcu Alina
Published: July 2023

Nowadays we can find a wide plethora of philosophical practices ranging from the classic philosophical counselling to educational programs for children or even prevention and rehabilitation programs. How should a client know what is suited for him? What is the philosophical practitioner promising to their clients? Is it wisdom and truth as some would associate with philosophy? Is it healing and therapy? This paper tries to shed some light over the field of philosophical practices. I present the emergence of philosophical counselling, it’s historical evolution and the situation nowadays. I talk about the worldview concept and about its importance in the healing paradigm. I will analyze different critiques brought to fields of philosophical and psychological counselling and common aspects that concern both fields, trying to find both similarities and differences that would help me conclude on what is the relationship between psychotherapy and philosophical counselling and how can each benefit the other in their common purpose of alleviating human noetic distress.
A Super-twisting SMC Design for Bidirectional DC–DC Converters in Electric Vehicle Applications
Authors: Eddine Ghadbane Houssam , Anwar Zorig , Ibrahim Dehmeche
Published: July 2023

Many industrial and electrical systems, such as electric vehicles, employ DC/DC converters. Since DC/DC converters are nonlinear and time-varying systems, it is inappropriate to regulate them using linear control techniques. In this paper, a super-twisting sliding mode control (STSMC) is applied for bidirectional DC-DC converter in electric vehicle applications. The traction chain of the electric vehicle consists of a battery-supercapacitor energy storage system (ESS) linked in parallel to the DC bus through two bidirectional DC–DC converters and a synchronous reluctance motor drive (SynRM). The benefit of sharing power in an HPS, which is primarily made up of a supercapacitor and battery, is the ability to use the strengths of both sources, with the former having high specific energy and the latter having high specific power. The on-board energy storage system's performance is enhanced by this hybridization in terms of cost, mass, and charging time. In addition to the proposed control, the hybrid power system (HPS) needs a strategy for routing energy between the two sources and the motor. This strategy is based on frequency decoupling (DFS), which protects the battery from peak current during the acceleration and deceleration phases. The objective of using the control law based on super-twisting sliding mode control (STSMC) is to follow the reference trajectories in finite time with high precision, very good robustness, and a reduction in chattering. Using the MATLAB/Simulink software, a thorough simulation of an electric vehicle was performed in order to confirm the effectiveness of the suggested control approach and assess the effectiveness of the source's energy management strategy. This control method ensures a reduction in the bus voltage stress (Δv=5V) and improves the quality of the power. The overshoot voltage for a load power of 21 kw is reduced to 15V (3.2%) compared to the linear control techniques, improving the system's robustness and reliability..
Improving Random Forest with Pre-pruning technique for Binary classification
Authors: Tarchoune Ilhem , Djebbar Akila , Merouani Hayet Farida
Published: July 2023

Random Forest (RF) is a popular machine learning algorithm. It is based on the concept of ensemble learning, which is a process of combining several classifiers to solve a complex problem and improve model performance. The random forest allows extending the notions of decision trees (DT) in order to build more stable models. In this work we propose to further improve the predictions of the trees in the forest by a pre-pruning technique, which aims to optimize the performance of the nodes and to minimize the size of the trees. Two experiments are performed to evaluate the performance of the proposed method; in the first experiment we applied the Classical Random Forest algorithm (CRF) with several different trees. While in the second one, a pre-pruning technique is established on the trees in order to define the optimal size of the forest. Finally, we compared the results obtained. The main objective is to produce accurate decision trees with high precision. The effectiveness of the proposed method is validated on five medical databases; the prediction precision will be improved with 83%, 94%, 95%, 97%, and 81% for Diabetes, Hepatitis, SaHeart, EEG-Eye-State, Prostate-cancer databases respectively. The performance results confirm that the proposed method performs better than the classical random forest algorithm.
Effectiveness of Mental and Physical Training on Blood Pressure and Resting Heart rate among Prehypertensive Young Adults
Authors: Mir Imtiyaz Ali , John Anil T , Jabbar Mohammed Abdulrazzaq , Humayra Syeda , Hui Wan Cai , Ying Toh Xue , Min Tan Jen
Published: July 2023

Mental and physical training (MAP) has been reported to improve outcomes related to mental health issues, but there is scarcity in current literature with regards to its effect on blood pressure (BP) in prehypertensive population. Therefore, aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of MAP on BP and resting heart rate (RHR) among prehypertensive young male adults. Methods – A single blinded randomized controlled trial with 43 prehypertensive (BP 120-139/80-89 mmHg) participants were divided into 2 experimental and 1 control groups. Mental training group (MT) participated in mindfulness meditation, while physical training group (PT) engaged in moderate intensity aerobic exercise. Both groups underwent training for 6-weeks, 3 sessions/week, each session lasting for 20 minutes. Control group did not participate in any training and was debriefed about Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) eating plan. Participants in all 3 groups were instructed not to engage in any type of relaxation training or physical activity throughout this study. Systolic BP, diastolic BP, and RHR were assessed at baseline, at end of 3-weeks and 6-weeks intervention. Results – Mean age of participants in MT, PT and DASH group were 20.8±1.5, 20.1±1.8 and 19.8±1.8 respectively. Within group time effect demonstrated a significant difference in SBP (F=42.392, P=0.000), DBP (F=1836.863, P=0.000) and a non-significant difference in RHR (F=1.856, P=0.171), while between group analysis did not show significant difference in SBP (F=0.222, P=0.802); DBP (=0.325, P=0.739), and RHR (=0.63, P=0.939). Conclusions – All 3 interventions are equally effective in reducing the BP in pre-hypertensive young adults, however they did not have any effect on RHR.
Gas-hydrodynamics of gas-liquid flow in the reservoir-well system
Authors: Alizada Gunel
Published: July 2023

A hydrodynamic model of gas-liquid flow in the reservoir-well system is developed and the boundary problem is solved.As the volume of liquid in the mixture is very small (5-10%), its effect on the gas-liquid mixture flow was considered only in terms of density change effect. It is assumed that liquid and gas particles move in the pipe at the same speed and there is no mass transfer.The gas is assumed to be ideal and an isothermal process is considered. The solution of some equations in initial and boundary conditions is found and the continuity condition at the well bottom is written, Pc(t) - bottom hole pressure is found. The borehole productivity is then determined by setting Pq.a (t) (taken from experiment).
Distribution and sources of Ag, Au, Bi, Cu and Mo in surface soils. Case study: Mitrovica region, Republic of Kosovo
Authors: Aliu Milihate , Šajn Robert , Stafilov Trajče
Published: July 2023

The objective of this study was to investigate the spatial distribution and content of a specificanthropogenic group of trace metals (Ag, Au, Bi, Cu and Mo) in surface soils (0 - 5 cm) of the Mitrovicaregion, Republic of Kosovo. The content of metals was determined by inductively coupled plasma - massspectrometry (ICP-MS). The average content of Cu (42 mg/kg), Bi (1.5 mg/kg), Ag (0.44 mg/kg) and Au(2.7 μg/kg) exceeded the average content of metals in European and world soils by 3.4 and 1.4 times, 3.0and 7.5 times, 1.62 and 8.8 times and 2.7 and 1.8 times, respectively. The average Mo content of 0.68 mg/kgexceeded the mean Mo content in European soil by 1.09 times, while the mean content in world soils wasnot exceeded. Copper levels were also found to exceed the Dutch target value of 36 mg/kg in 152 km2 andthe Dutch action value of 190 mg/kg on 6.2 km2 of the 301.5 km2of the study area. The values of theenrichment factor (EF) for the analyzed elements are all above 1.5, indicating that their higher content is ofanthropogenic origin, mainly due to lead and zinc mining and metallurgical activities in the study area. Thequality of the soils in the Mitrovica region varies from heavily contaminated with copper and bismuth, withextremely high enrichment of Cu, Bi and Ag in the soils of the central zone (Zone I) and the urban soils ofthe cities of Zveçan and Mitrovica.
Analytical failure analysis of bio/synthetic sandwich pipe under pressure
Authors: HABBAR Ghania , HOCINE Abdelkader , MAIZIA Abdelhakim , BEZAZI Abderrezak , BETTAYEB Mohammed , BOULEDROUA Omar , RIBEIRO João , DHAOU Mohamed Houcine , Ghouaoula Abd Elhamid  , LOUZA Abdelkader
Published: July 2023

The objective of this study is to evaluate the potential applications of eco friendly-compositesbased on natural fibers. An analytical model has been developed in the present research to investigate themechanical behavior of sandwich pipes under internal pressure loading. The proposed model gives anaccurate solution for stresses, strains, and displacement on a sandwich pipe consisting of epoxy for thecore layer and reinforced materials with an alternative ply for the skin layers. The purpose of this study isto evaluate the potential applications of three natural fibers, which are pineapple leaf fiber (PALF), Alfa,and jute bio fibers in replacing synthetic glass fiber used in sandwich pipes. The solutions are obtained byusing the MATLAB numerical code. The TSAI-WU criterion was used to provide a failure analysis onthis subject. The distributions of stress, strain, and displacement through the thickness of the skins andcore are shown. Progressive strengthening of layer numbers was chosen to raise the rigidity of a biocomposite sandwich and reduce the gap compared to a synthetic sandwich, which allowed for optimalbehavior. The ultimate pressure and safety factors earned by increasing the number of biocompositelayers are important for composite transportation pressure pipelines, especially for sandwich pipes basedon PALF/epoxy.
Uçak İniş Takımları İçin Hidrolik Devre Tasarımı ve Simülasyonu
Authors: ŞENEL Mahmut Can
Published: July 2023

Hidrolik sistemler endüstri süreçlerinde ve otomasyon uygulamalarında yaygın bir şekilde kullanılmaktadır. Havacılıkta, hidrolik sistemler uçak sistemlerinin kalbi olup sorunsuz bir uçuş ve uçak işleyişi için kritik öneme sahiptir. Basit bir deyişle, makineleri tahrik etmek veya basınç altında bir sıvı kullanarak mekanik bileşenleri taşımak için bir hidrolik sistem kullanılır. Uçak hidroliği, iniş takımları, frenler, kanatlar, itme geri vitesleri ve uçuş kontrolleri gibi ekipmanlarının çoğunu çalıştırmak için her boyuttaki uçaklarda kullanılır. Böylece, hidrolik sistem kritik ve temel bileşenleri hareket ettirme ve çalıştırma işlevini yerine getirir. Bu çalışmada, hidrolik devre elemanlarından faydalanılarak uçak iniş takımları için hidrolik devre tasarımı ve simülasyonu gerçekleştirilmiştir.
Empirical Investigations: Power Quality Disturbance Classification
Authors: AKKAYA Sıtkı
Published: July 2023

In electrical power systems, one of the most essential parameters is a system signal with stable fundamental amplitude and frequency. Some disturbances have a negative impact on this stability, yet.These disturbances, known as power quality disturbances (PQDs), encompass phenomena such as sag, interruption, swell, harmonics, flicker, interharmonics, spike, notch, and transients. PQDs can ariseindividually or in some combinations. They pose unpredictable and variable effects on system componentsgiving rise to destructive outcomes. Acquisition of real-world datasets related to these disturbances is challenging due to the randomness and complex nature of power systems. Therefore, the importance of conducting experimental studies to investigate and analyze PQDs has significantly increased. This study aims to serve as a valuable resource for researchers investigating PQDs. It provides a guidance, offering insights into some types of PQDs and their characteristics. This paper supports researchers in understanding and addressing the challenges based on PQDs by presenting knowledge about these disturbances and their impacts. Recognizing the significance of experimental studies, the compilation includes methodologies, experimental setups, and tools employed for studying PQDs. It emphasizes the necessity for experimental datasets to enhance research in this field and highlights the importance of PQD investigation.
Stiffened Hollow Structural Section Joints in Fire
Authors: ÖZYURT Emre
Published: July 2023

This research examines the ability of stiffened Hollow Structural joints to withstand elevated temperatures when subjected to axial compressive loads on the brace. Extensive numerical simulations were conducted to assess the impact of geometrical factors in the main members and reinforcing plate on the fire resistance of SHS T-joints. The accuracy of the numerical models was verified by comparing them to existing test results. The findings demonstrate that the use of stiffener significantly enhances the ability of SHS T-joints to withstand elevated temperatures. The fire resistance of the reinforced joints primarily relied on the brace-to-chord width ratio and the reinforcing plate thickness to chord wall thickness ratio. However, increasing the reinforcing plate thickness beyond 1.5 times the chord wall thickness did not yield any beneficial effects on fire resistance. Additionally, factors such as half-width to thickness ratio of the chord, reinforcing length, and reinforcing type had negligible effects as long as they adhered to the required limit values based on Eurocode 3 EN 1993-1-8.
Twisted Surfaces Family in Euclidean 3-Space
Authors: Güler Erhan , Yıldız Mustafa
Published: July 2023

In this study, we examine a distinct set of twisted surfaces in the three-dimensional Euclidean space E3. Our focus lies in the investigation of the differential geometry of this surface family, including the determination of their curvatures. Furthermore, we establish the essential conditions for minimal surfaces within this framework. Additionally, we calculate the Laplace−Beltrami operator for this particular surface family and provide an illustrative example.
Zn-g-CN photocatalyst for dye photodegradation in aqueous medium its fabrication and characterization
Authors: Iqbal Aamir , Siddiqui Zeeshan Ahmed , Saeed Muhammad , Ammar Muhammad , Siddiqui Fatima
Published: July 2023

This study focuses on the formation of photocatalyts Zn/g-CN composite's, characterization, and inquiry for the degradation of Rhodamine B dye in aqueous medium. Thermal calcination of urea produced graphitic carbon nitride (g-CN). The heterojunction between Zn and g-CN increased the photocatalytic activity of g-CN. Zn and g-CN were subjected to a 3-hour, 550°C thermal treatment in a muffle furnace to create the heterojunction. Various analytical techniques like scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and UV visible spectroscopy were applied for the investigation of physicochemical properties of synthesized g-CN and Zn/g-CN composite. Analyzing the catalytic breakdown of dyes under the influence of sun light was done in a Pyrex glass beaker. For the study of dye degradation, the impact of various experimental variables including catalyst dose, temperature, and dye concentration was examined. The UV-visible spectrophotometer was used to evaluate the reaction mixture. The findings showed that Zn/g-CN nanocomposite has superior catalytic properties to pure g-CN. Using the Arrhenius equation, the activation energy of the catalyst for the degradation of rhodamine B dye was found to be 30.06 kJ/mol, significantly less than the activation energy of bare g-CN, which was 40.06 kJ/mol.
The Recyclability of Composite Materials
Authors: OZALTAY Umut Ozgur , GUNOZ Alper , KARA Memduh
Published: July 2023

In this study, the recyclability of composite materials created using various methods today, the problems that may be encountered during recycling, advantages and disadvantages were discussed. Information about the general properties of recycled composite materials was obtained and summarized.
Design of an integrated SEPIC and Buck Converter for High Step-down Applications
Authors: Ghayyoor Muhammad , Ayaz Mian Muhammad Amir , Farooq Ajmal , Ali M.
Published: July 2023

To overcome the issues related to special power supply called voltage regulator module (VRM) used for microprocessors, a special DC-DC converter will be designed in this work in which single-ended primary inductor (SEPIC) converter and the inverted form of buck converter are combine. As per available literature the problems associated with conventional VRM’s are slow transient response and narrow duty cycle. Other issue related to the voltage regulator module is the high voltage stress that occurs on switches of VRM. The solution to these problems is presented in the form of a new proposed dc-dc converter topology in which the single ended primary inductor is combined with the inverted form of buck converter. The proposed topology has the advantages of reducing the transient time at moderate duty cycle because of the parallel combination of the inductor. Similarly, the parallel combination of capacitor will step down the voltage from 12v to the appropriate voltage level required for the microprocessor. The steady state operation and transient state operation of the proposed VRM is discussed in this thesis. Various operating states of proposed converter are discussed and related equations for voltage gain, voltage stress and transient response have been derived. Output waveforms are plotted, and mathematical modeling is carried out. Simulation results for proposed and conventional VRM are obtained and from comparison of results, it is clear that proposed VRM is good in performances compared to conventional VRM’s.
A Transformer based approach for Abstractive Text Summarization of Radiology Reports
Authors: Balouch Bilal Ahmed Khan , Hussain Fawad
Published: July 2023

Abstractive text summarization has emerged as a promising approach for generating conciseand informative summaries from radiology reports. The topic of research focuses on developing a mechanism for abstractive text summarization specifically tailored for radiology reports, to generate informative summaries from the voluminous and complex information contained within reports. Manual summarization is time-consuming and prone to errors, while automated techniques can save time, reduce human bias, and improve the overall quality of the generated summaries. The mechanism involves preprocessing the text with NLP techniques, utilizing deep learning-based architectures and transformer models, and generating summaries that capture the essence of the original reports in a more concise form.Challenges such as handling complex medical terminologies, incorporating contextual information, and evaluating the quality of generated summaries are important considerations in this mechanism. The potential applications of radiology report summarization include improving report readability, facilitatingdecision-making, and enabling large-scale data analytics. In this research, Biobart-V2 model is used for summarization and Rouge-L value of 69.42% is being achieved whereas the dataset used is MIMIC III.Further research is needed to address the remaining challenges in this domain and integrate summarization into clinical practice for more effective and efficient radiology report interpretation and patient care.
An analytical study of direct normal irradiaance for concentrated solar energy applications for the mechria region of Algeria
Authors: Larbi Mohamed , Rouibah Abdelkader , GUEMANA Mouloud , LAISSAOUI Mohammed
Published: July 2023

SUN FLUX calculates solar irradiance on Earth's surface quickly and accurately. Direct solar radiation is critical for concentrated solar power plants, which determine their opening surface size based on reference radiation values. To reduce investment costs, a statistical analysis was performed using direct radiation, meteorological data from NSDRB, and cloud cover statistics to identify optimum ranges for direct solar radiation. CSP plant performance is evaluated and power tower systems are simulated using the SAM software tool.
Developments in Unmanned Surface Vehicles (USVs): A Review
Authors: Kale Semih
Published: July 2023

Unmanned Surface Vehicles (USVs) have witnessed significant advancements in recent years, revolutionizing various domains that require marine operations. This abstract presents a review of the developments in USVs, focusing on their applications, technological advancements, and associated benefits. USVs have emerged as invaluable tools for data collection studies, particularly in environmental monitoring and marine production policies. They offer a cost-effective and efficient means of gathering critical data, aiding decision-making processes in these fields. Additionally, USVs have proven instrumental in the surveillance of territorial waters, safeguarding offshore systems, and supporting oil and fuel activities in the Arctic regions. These capabilities have resulted in improved security, enhanced operational efficiency, and reduced risks for personnel involved in these operations. Technological advancements in USVs have played a pivotal role in their evolution. Enhanced autonomy, sensor integration, and communication systems have enabled USVs to operate autonomously or in collaboration with manned vessels, expanding their capabilities and versatility. Moreover, improvements in navigation systems, obstacle avoidance mechanisms, and power management have significantly enhanced the reliability and endurance of USVs, allowing them to undertake extended missions with minimal human intervention. In conclusion, the developments in unmanned surface vehicles have transformed the way marine operations are conducted. With their wide-ranging applications, technological advancements, and associated benefits, USVs have proven to be indispensable assets in various domains. As research and innovation continue to propel the field forward, USVs are poised to play an even more significant role in the future of marine operations, further improving efficiency, safety, and sustainability.
Human Sitting Postures Classification Based on Angular Features with Fuzzy-Logic Labeling
Authors: COSKUN Huseyin
Published: July 2023

Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are generally associated with sitting postures. Assessing and ensuring healthy sitting posture are indispensable aspects of reducing the occurrence of MSDs. This study aims to develop a system that allows office workers' body postures to be contactless and recognized by different classification methods while sitting on a chair and can be used for health applications. Five different sitting body postures have been determined within the scope of medical and health literature studies and relevant standards. Thirty subjects were asked to sit in these body postures for 30 seconds. While the subjects were sitting, skeleton point position defined as a pose data of the subjects were obtained from the Kinect device simultaneously. Five angles that are thought to distinguish sitting positions according to different joint positions were determined and calculated. The angle values that can take in the standard sitting position in the literature have been determined. According to these values, the angle values in other postures were determined. A rule-based fuzzy inference system was designed using angle values for labeling sitting posture data. Angle values were calculated to classify the labeled depth values, and an artificial neural network classifier was designed according to these angle values. As a result, five different sitting body postures were classified with KNN (K-Nearest Neighbours) and Neural Network (NN), respectively, with 98.9% and 97% overall accuracy values. The study was compared with other studies in the literature. In this context, a high-performance system design that can improve healthy sitting behaviors for office workers that can be used in both health applications and robot vision is presented.
Çiftçi ve Fabrika İş Birliği ile Sürdürülebilir Hasat Çizelgeleme
Authors: Sarımehmet Bedirhan , Pınarbaşı Mehmet , Alakaş Hacı Mehmet , Eren Tamer
Published: July 2023

Tarım sektöründe sürdürülebilirliğin önemi her geçen gün artmaktadır. Sürdürülebilirliğin sağlanması için ele alınan bitki türüne göre farklı optimizasyon problemlerinin çözülmesi gerektiği görülür. Bunlardan bir tanesi de hasat çizelgeleme problemleridir. Bu çalışmada çay hasadı çizelgeleme problemi ele alınmıştır. Çay hasadı çiftçi tarafından gerçekleştirilen ve çiftçi-fabrika iş birliği ile sonlandırılan bir süreçtir. Bu sebeple her iki tarafın da kısıtları ve istekleri bulunmaktadır. Sürdürülebilir bir çay tarımı için bu kısıt ve isteklere olabildiğince uyulmalıdır. Fabrikalar kendi kapasitelerine göre işleyebileceklerinden fazla çay almamalıdır. Bunun yanı sıra hasadın satışının gerçekleştiği alım yeri adı verilen yapıların da kapasiteleri bulunmaktadır. Çiftçi tarafından bakıldığında çiftçilikle uğraşan insanların genellikle asıl mesleklerinin farklı olduğu görülür. Bu insanlar hasat zamanları birincil mesleklerinden uzak kalmakta ve çay hasadı gerçekleştirmektedirler. Bu sebeple çiftçilerin hasat günü tercihlerine uymak tarımda sürdürülebilirlik için önemlidir. Bu çalışmada, bahsi geçen kısıtları ve tercihleri göz önünde bulundurup optimal çay hasat çizelgesi oluşturan bir hedef programlama modeli önerilmiştir. Kurulan hedef programlama modeli fabrika ve alım yeri kapasitelerine tamamen uymakta, çiftçilerin hasat günü tercihlerine olabildiğince uymaktadır. Mevcut sistemin aksine çiftçiler yalnızca bir alım yerine ait değil iki alım yerine ait yapılmıştır. Bu sayede model alım yeri kapasiteleri kısıtı ile çok sınırlandırılmadan çiftçilerin hasat günü tercihlerine olabildiğince uymuştur. Rize’de gerçekleştirilen örnek uygulamanın ve yapılan duyarlılık analizinin sonucuna göre geliştirilen modelin problemin çözümü için etkin olduğu, çay tarımında sürdürülebilirliği ve teşviki artırabileceği görülmüştür.