bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Influence of Corona Virus Disease (COVID-19) on Consumption and Purchasing Patterns of Poultry Products from Three Selected Districts in Sri Lanka
Authors: Jinasena N. K. , Anupama Y. A. H. , Shehara O. K. D. C. , Mutucumarana R. K. , Basnayake B. M. R. L.
Published: August 2024

The study reported herein investigated the effects of COVID-19 pandemic on purchasing and consumption patterns of poultry products among the communities in Kandy, Gampaha and Galle districts of Sri Lanka. A pre-tested questionnaire was used to collect data from 629 respondents. The questionnaire explored different socio-economic and health factors affecting on consumption and purchasing frequencies of chicken meat, meat products and eggs before and during the pandemic. The results revealed that the pandemic has made an impact on consumption frequencies of chicken or processed chicken products. Weekly purchasing amount of chicken or processed chicken products has been declined during the pandemic. Many respondents increased their egg consumption during the pandemic. Stocking poultry products during the pandemic has also increased. The study concluded that though the purchasing frequencies and the amount of chicken or processed chicken products have been changed consequently to the pandemic, neither the purchasing method nor purchasing brand has been changed. The pandemic had no influence on buying patterns for eggs but has contributed to increased egg consumption frequency among the public.
Navigating Supply Chain Risk: Exploring the Influence on Supply Chain Integration and Agility Performance in Sri Lankan Apparel Manufacturing Companies
Authors: Punchihewa P.S.D. , Rodrigo P. D. S. D.
Published: August 2024

The ever-changing and volatile nature of today's economic climate places a significant strain on supply chain management. Manufacturing organizations, particularly in developing nations like Sri Lanka, are exposed to a number of hazards that could impair overall performance and disrupt supply chain operations. Utilizing the Resource Based View (RBV) and Dynamic Capability View (DCV), this study sought to determine the effects of supply chain risk on supply chain integration and agility performance. The study is quantitative and cross-sectional, with data collected by a standardized questionnaire. 165 apparel manufacturing plants registered under the Board of Investment (BOI) in Sri Lanka were selected for the survey with the systematic random sample. Data analysis was performed using SPSS 20.0 and Structural Equation Modeling with Smart PLS. The findings show that supply chain risk has a significant positive impact on supply chain integration. Furthermore, Supply chain integration impacts on the agility performance. The results support the presence of mediation of supply chain integration on the supply chain risk and agility performance. These findings point to a positive and significant relationship between supply chain risk and supply chain integration. In addition, supply chain integration has a positive effect on the agility performance. The findings corroborate the existence of a mediating effect of supply chain integration on supply chain risk and agility performance. The results of this study indicate that organizations mitigate supply chain risk by fostering customer and supplier partnerships that boost agility and flexibility. Moreover, supply chain integration can assist businesses lessen the negative effects of supply chain risk on their agility performance by enhancing coordination, communication, and responsiveness across the various phases of the supply chain.
A Comprehensive Analysis of the Literature to Determine Whether the Quantity and Quality of Market Inputs Utilized for Valuation Have a Significant Impact on the Accuracy of the Fair Value of PPE
Authors: Prathapasinghe D. , Jayasekara B. E. A. , Adams L. M. F.
Published: August 2024

This study researches the impacts of market inputs on the accuracy of Fair Value (FV) assessment for Property, Plant, and equipment (PPE). It aims to address the gaps and limitations in the existing literature by examining the relationship between market inputs and the valuation accuracy of PPE across various businesses and settings. Prior research has focused on FV assessment of specific asset classes or industries. The research goals are to look at the significance of market inputs in FV assessment and decide their general importance in PPE valuation. This study demonstrates the significance of relevant and trustworthy market inputs for valuers in arriving at reliable FV estimates. The main results of the study show that Valuers should use a combination of income-based and market-based methods to value PPE assets for accounting purposes taking into account industry-specific factors that can affect the FV. The study offers suggestions for valuation practitioners, regulators, and accounting professionals to increase the accuracy and dependability of PPE valuations based on its findings. This study supports to improve the credibility of value opinions, encourage consistency and transparency in reporting, and ultimately make it easier for stakeholders to make informed decisions by implementing these recommendations. By examining the significance of market inputs and highlighting inconsistencies in empirical evidence, this study concludes that it contributes to our understanding of FV estimation for PPE.
Western theory in lesser-known, non-Western literary translation: Perils of Venuti’s foreignization in English translations of Sinhala novels
Authors: Dissanayake Aditha Unayangi
Published: August 2024

Existing approaches for non-Western literary translations introduced by Western scholars evolve from their own dominant Western cultural contexts. Whether these approaches from dominant Western cultures address the constraints of translating literature written in lesser-known, non-Western languages remains under-examined. The current study aimed to examine the suitability of applying approaches that have evolved from dominant Western cultural contexts to translations of literature from lesser-known, non-western cultures. The study examined the suitability of Venuti’s foreignization strategy to the translations of three Sinhala novels; “Viragaya” by Martin Wickramasinghe translated as “The Way of the Lotus” by Ashley Halpe, “Charita Tunak” by K. Jayatilake translated as “The Grain and the Chaff” by Ediriweera Sarachchandra and “Hevanalla” by Siri Gunasinghe, translated as “The Shadow” by Hemamali Gunasinghe. The findings showed only the translator of “The Shadow” uses Venuti’s foreignization strategy. “The Way of the Lotus” uses the domestication strategy and “The Grain and the Chaff” uses both strategies approximately equal number of times. “The Shadow” achieves cultural communication however due to the lesser-known status of the Sinhala culture, the translation lacks aesthetic features. In using the domestication strategy, “Way of the Lotus” preserves aesthetic features but fails to achieve cultural communication. By using both strategies, “Grain and the Chaff” ensures the translated text which communicates the source culture to a great extent while preserving the aesthetic features. The study identified approaches that evolve from Western cultures for non-Western literary translations are not suitable for literature written in lesser-known, non-Western languages.
Measurement Model to Assess Sustainable Agriculture Potential of Sri Lankan Rice Farmers Derived Using Rural Livelihood Assessment Framework: Studied in Mahaweli-Block (H)
Authors: Ariyarathne S.M.W.P.K. , Nanayakkara K.G. Madurika , Thushara S.C.
Published: August 2024

This paper describes a systematic method that identified constructs and indicators of a measurement model to assess rice farmers' Sustainable Agriculture Potential (SAP). The method used the Rural Livelihood Assessment Framework (RLAF) definition to define SAP's primary constructs. The capital assets defined in RLAF (human, social, financial, physical, and natural) were then explained using previous Sustainable Agriculture (SA) research findings. An initial 130 indicators were framed into five-point Likert scale questions to form a research questionnaire. The questionnaire was initially administered among 64 selected farmers in a dominant rice cultivation region (Mahaweli Block H) in Sri Lanka. The responses were analyzed using the measurement model analysis technique using the Partial Least Square Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM). Based on this analysis, 87 questions were identified as effective measures of the farmers' SAP. The refined questionnaire was surveyed among 386 rice farmers randomly selected in the same region. The responses were analyzed using the PLS-SEM techniques for each capital asset in the form of measurement models. The analysis proved those 87 questions (indicators) are productive and can explain farmers' SAP compositely. The researcher believes the model will be helpful for future researchers in assessing the strengths of SAP and the nexus between SAP and other variables, such as their ability to adopt more organic-centric farming and resilience to other varying factors impacting their farming. Furthermore, the method used to maximize the variance explained in developing indicators and ruling out the less productive indicators could be insightful for researchers in future studies.
Presence of Leishmania donovani DNA in wild-caught biting midges Culicoides sp. at a Leishmaniasis disease endemic area in Sri Lanka; An alternative vector for disease transmission
Authors: Wimalasiri U. , Wijerathna T. , Gunathilaka N. , Wijegunawardana A. , Rodrigo W.W.P.
Published: August 2024

Biting midges, belonging to the Ceratopogonidae family, are a group of dipteran insects implicated as vectors for various parasites and viruses. In Sri Lanka, where leishmaniasis is endemic, biting midges are found in high densities, causing significant biting nuisance. This observation raises the possibility that these insects may serve as potential vectors for leishmaniasis in these areas. To investigate the presence of Leishmania donovani parasites within biting midge populations in a leishmaniasis-endemic area of Sri Lanka, a study was conducted in the Medawachchiya Medical Officer of Health area, Anuradhapura District. Biting midges were collected using cattle-baited net traps in December 2021. Morphological identification keys were used to classify the collected specimens, which were then surface sterilized and subjected to DNA extraction. Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) targeting the kinetoplast minicircle gene specific to L. donovani was employed to detect the presence of parasite DNA. The resulting PCR amplicons were visualized using gel electrophoresis. Out of the 42 biting midges collected, all were morphologically identified as Culicoides imicola. Interestingly, 4.76% (n=2) of the field-caught samples were positive for L. donovani DNA. These findings suggest that L. donovani circulates within biting midge populations. These insects may act as vectors for leishmaniasis transmission in the country. Therefore, it is strongly recommended to continue studying biting midges in Sri Lanka to enhance our understanding of their role in disease transmission.
Adult sickle cell disease and SARS-CoV-2: an increasingly common comorbidity for a rare disease
Authors: Boggan Michaela , Edwards Christopher L. , Meek Jordan , Wood Mary , Bryson W. Jeff , Sollers John J. , Parker Debra O. , Barker Camela S. , Miller Jessica , Downey Brianna , Lockett Asha , Rosales Jazmin , Munroe, Jr. Courtney , Wax Noa , Scott Sharena
Published: August 2024

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a collection of genetic lesions that manifest in the diminished effectiveness of hemoglobin. We collected and reviewed the recent and extant literature on SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) and SCD. We posit an answer to the question associated with any adaptive responses to COVID-19 in individuals with SCD. We collected papers from MEDLINE and all available published papers on COVID-19 and SCD. Unlike a formal meta-analysis, given the early phase of this review in the pandemic, we did not seek unpublished papers. We found an emerging literature where case studies dominated, and traditional large N epidemiological studies were absent. Patients with SCD share many comorbid illnesses with an increased risk of mortality associated with contracting COVID-19. There is sufficient empirical justification to accelerate research on the impact of a viral pathogen like COVID-19 on individuals with SCD.
 
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List of all authors:

Michaela Boggan,1,2,3 Christopher L. Edwards,1,2,3 Jordan Meek,1,2,3 Mary Wood,4 W. Jeff Bryson,5 John J. Sollers,1,2,3 Debra O. Parker,1,2,3 Camela S. Barker,2,5 Jessica Miller,2,6 Brianna Downey,2,5 Asha Lockett,2,5 Jazmin Rosales,1,2,3 Courtney Munroe, Jr.,2 Noa Wax,2,5 Sharena Scott,1,2,3 Bridget Pittman,1,2,3 Merell Turner,1,2,3 Hillary T. Dietahin,1,2,3 Eric Smith,1,2,3 Alexandria McDougald,1,2,3 Samantha Beavers,1,2,3 Lakaiya Meadows,1,2,3 Maya Walker,1,2,3 Andrea Richardson,1,2,3 John J. Sollers, IV,2,8 Grace D. Donahue,2,8 Goldie Byrd,7 Malik Muhammad,1,2 Alvin Kidd,9 Walter Charles,1,2 Jonathan Livingston,1,2,3 Shiv Sudhakar10
 

1North Carolina Central University; 2NCCU Psychoneuroendocrine and Rare Diseases Laboratory; 3NCCU Debra O. Parker Research Incubator; 4Duke University Medical Center; 5Fielding Graduate University; 6Bridges Point Sickle Cell Foundation; 7Wake Forest Medical Center; 8Thomas Moore University; 9Livingston College; 10California Northstate University, United States
Something has sort of opened up for me: psychology students’ reflections after participating in an apprenticeship training model
Authors: Laugen Nina Jakhelln , Grøtte Torun , Ryum Truls , Vogel Patrick A. , Brattland Heidi , Holgersen Katrine Høyer
Published: August 2024

Typically, psychotherapy training comprises of didactic approaches and clinical practice under supervision, with students rarely having the opportunity to observe other therapists’ work in real time. Many trades and professions employ apprenticeship to teach new skills. However, it is rarely employed in psychotherapist training. This qualitative study was part of a pilot study that developed and tested the feasibility of an apprenticeship model to be used in psychotherapy training, and investigated how students experienced such training. Ten first-year clinical psychology students joined experienced therapists as observers and/or co-therapists. Each student attended up to 8 therapy sessions with different therapists/patients. The students wrote reflective log entries after each session. In sum, 66 log entries were collected and analyzed with reflective thematic analysis. Five themes were generated, reflecting how the students changed their perspectives from an internal focus to an increasingly external focus: Being informed by emotions, What sort of therapist will I become? Shifting focus from me to the other, The unpredictable nature of therapy, and Growing confidence in therapeutic change. The students gained insights into the dynamic nature of therapy, therapists’ responsiveness, and how internal and external foci of attention inform the therapeutic work. Such tacit knowledge is difficult to convey via didactic methods and might receive limited attention in clinical programs. Apprenticeship training is a promising supplement to traditional training.
Trauma focused-cognitive behavioral therapy training effectiveness in promoting professional development of psychotherapists working with unaccompanied minors in Greece: a non-blinded randomized control trial
Authors: Yotsidi Vasiliki , Anastasiou Theodora , Doulgeris Konstantinos , Theodosiou Panagiota , Richardson Clive
Published: August 2024

The need to develop psychotherapists’ skills to respond to current treatment challenges, such as addressing trauma due to the refugee crisis, is increasing. However, there is a dearth of evidencebased training for psychotherapists who work with refugees, especially in frontline countries. A randomly selected sample of 80 clinicians working with unaccompanied minors (UAMs) in Greek accommodation centers nationwide participated in an intensive trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (TF-CBT) training (n=44) or a control-group (n=36) and completed the Professional Quality of Life Scale, the Work and Meaning Inventory and a questionnaire to assess knowledge and therapeutic skills, in pre-andpost measurements. Clinicians with 1-3 years of experience with refugees reported higher burnout (p=0.012, M=25.78 vs M=22.04) and secondary traumatic stress than those with less than a year (p=0.014, M=22.03 vs M=18.04). Positive meaning at work increased in both groups at post-test (TF-CBT group: p=0.019, M=15 vs M=13.6, and control group: p<0.001, M=15.17 vs M=13.42). The TF-CBT training group outperformed the control group in knowledge and skills (p=0.021, M=10.15 vs M=8.75) and identified a lower number of children with post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms (p=0.009, M=6.94 vs M=4.33) post-training. This study provides preliminary evidence on TF-CBT training effectiveness in equipping psychotherapists to work with UAMs, while their professional quality of life warrants further research.
Left atrial appendage emptying velocity and left ventricular function as predictors of inotropic support in patients undergoing elective off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting
Authors: Arora Varun , Gujja Srikanth , Thosani Rajesh , Sharma Kamal , Pandya Himani
Published: August 2024

Background:

Patients undergoing elective off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) are at risk of hemodynamic instability, ischemia, arrhythmia, and dysfunction. These events need to be managed by pharmacological supports or relieving of mechanical obstruction (octopus) of the heart to maintain the hemodynamic stability. There is a paucity of data on the effect of left ventricular (LV) dysfunction on left atrial appendage (LAA) emptying velocity. We evaluated the relationship between LV function and LAA emptying velocity and requirement of inotropic support perioperatively.

Materials and Methods:

In this prospective open-label all-comer study, fifty patients undergoing elective off-pump CABG under general anesthesia, we measured LAA emptying velocity by pulsed wave Doppler and evaluated if it could predict the need for inotropes perioperatively. It is a case series of 50 patients without a comparator arm. We measured pulsed wave Doppler across the mitral valve leaflet and early mitral inflow velocity (Evel) and late mitral inflow velocity, tissue Doppler at the lateral annulus of the mitral valve (e’) and also calculated the ratio of Evel and e’. Need for inotrope in the intraoperative and postoperative period was captured perioperatively. Vasoactive-inotropic score (VIS) was calculated for all the patients.

Results:

The VIS was significant (P < 0.0001, with odds ratio of 131.6 and confidence interval of 95% (0.9–1). However, there was no significant correlation between ejection fraction (EF) and VIS (P = 0.87). In patients with the need of inotropes, LAA emptying velocity was significantly increased in the postgrafting period as compared to the pregrafting period (75.64 cm/s vs. 57.9 cm/s, P < 0.001).

Conclusion:

The assessment of LAA emptying velocity value was a useful predictor of the need of inotropic support during off-pump surgery, especially during Obtuse marginal and Ramus grafting. This study paves the need of larger case–control studies to validate the findings.
Environmental averaging
Authors: Shvydkoy Roman
Published: August 2024

Many classical examples of models of self-organized dynamics, including the Cucker–Smale, Motsch–Tadmor, multi-species, and several others, include an alignment force that is based upon density-weighted averaging protocol. Those protocols can be viewed as special cases of “environmental averaging”. In this paper we formalize this concept and introduce a unified framework for systematic analysis of alignment models.A series of studies are presented including the mean-field limit in deterministic and stochastic settings, hydrodynamic limits in the monokinetic and Maxwellian regimes, hypocoercivity and global relaxation for dissipative kinetic models, several general alignment results based on chain connectivity and spectral gap analysis. These studies cover many of the known results and reveal new ones, which include asymptotic alignment criteria based on connectivity conditions, new estimates on the spectral gap of the alignment force that do not rely on the upper bound of the macroscopic density, uniform gain of positivity for solutions of the Fokker–Planck-alignment model based on smooth environmental averaging. As a consequence, we establish unconditional relaxation result for global solutions to the Fokker–Planck-alignment model, which presents a substantial improvement over previously known perturbative results.
Gender-specific associations among neck circumference, the rs9939609 FTO gene polymorphism, and the 14-year risk of metabolic syndrome in the Korean adult population
Authors: Baik Inkyung
Published: August 2024

OBJECTIVES: Limited data exist on the relation between neck circumference (NC) and the risk of developing metabolic syndrome (MS). This study investigated gender-specific associations between NC and the 14-year risk of MS and explored the impact of the FTO rs9939609 polymorphism on these associations.METHODS: This population-based prospective cohort study involved 2,666 participants (1,301 men and 1,365 women), who were free of MS at baseline (2005-2006). Incident MS cases, defined by the presence of 3 or more criteria regarding blood pressure and blood levels of glucose, triglycerides, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, were identified through biennial examinations until 2020. NC measurements taken at baseline and between 2013 and 2014 were analyzed using Cox proportional hazard regression to determine gender-specific associations with MS risk.RESULTS: Controlling for potential confounders such as waist circumference (WC), significant associations were observed in both genders. Individuals in the highest NC quartile exhibited more than a 2-fold higher MS risk than those in the lowest quartile; with hazard ratios of 2.37 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.74 to 3.22) for men and 2.65 (95% CI, 1.89 to 3.72) for women (p for trend <0.001). No significant interaction was found between the FTO polymorphism and NC. In diagnostic test analyses, NC and WC demonstrated comparable area under the curve values in both genders.CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that NC is as effective as WC for predicting the incidence of MS.
Об условиях инвариантности разбиений специального вида относительно $(v,3)$-матриц
Authors: Burov Dmitry Alexandrovich
Published: August 2024

Описаны неразложимые $(v,3)$-матрицы, относительно умножения на которые инвариантны системы импримитивности группы сдвигов пространства $V_v = \{0,1\}^v$, слабо рассеиваемые операцией модульного сложения. Показано, что использование таких матриц существенно влияет на стойкость LAX-алгоритмов.
Парамедиальные cильно зависимые $n$-арные операции
Authors: Cheremushkin Aleksandr Vasil'evich
Published: August 2024

В работе доказываются аналоги теорем о строении парамедиальных $n$-квазигрупп и некоторых их обобщений применительно к случаю сильно зависимых $n$-арных операций.
Link between periodontitis and diabetic retinopathy: Inflammatory pathways and clinical implications
Authors: Zhao Yu , Shen Quan-Quan
Published: August 2024

The bidirectional relationship between periodontitis and type 2 diabetes mellitus has been well-established. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms remain unclear. Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is an important complication of diabetes, but there are few studies on the relationship between DR and periodontitis, especially on the intrinsic inflammatory pathway mechanism. This article reviews the latest clinical data on how diabetes promotes susceptibility to periodontitis from the epidemiological and molecular perspectives, with a special focus on the key roles of systemic inflammation and endothelial dysfunction in the interplay between DR and periodontitis. Comprehension of the intertwined pathogenesis of DR and periodontitis can better guide the development of comprehensive management strategies for glycemic control and periodontal health, with the aim of mitigating the progression of DR and enhancing overall well-being.
Selection of dialysis methods for end-stage kidney disease patients with diabetes
Authors: Hu Yao-Hua , Liu Ya-Li , Meng Ling-Fei , Zhang Yi-Xian , Cui Wen-Peng
Published: August 2024

The increasing prevalence of diabetes has led to a growing population of end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) patients with diabetes. Currently, kidney transplantation is the best treatment option for ESKD patients; however, it is limited by the lack of donors. Therefore, dialysis has become the standard treatment for ESKD patients. However, the optimal dialysis method for diabetic ESKD patients remains controversial. ESKD patients with diabetes often present with complex conditions and numerous complications. Furthermore, these patients face a high risk of infection and technical failure, are more susceptible to malnutrition, have difficulty establishing vascular access, and experience more frequent blood sugar fluctuations than the general population. Therefore, this article reviews nine critical aspects: Survival rate, glucose metabolism disorder, infectious complications, cardiovascular events, residual renal function, quality of life, economic benefits, malnutrition, and volume load. This study aims to assist clinicians in selecting individualized treatment methods by comparing the advantages and disadvantages of hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis, thereby improving patients’ quality of life and survival rates.
Gut microbiome: A revolution in type II diabetes mellitus
Authors: Jeyaraman Madhan , Mariappan Tejaswin , Jeyaraman Naveen , Muthu Sathish , Ramasubramanian Swaminathan , Santos Gabriel Silva , da Fonseca Lucas Furtado , Lana José Fábio
Published: August 2024

Type II diabetes mellitus (T2DM) has experienced a dramatic increase globally across countries of various income levels over the past three decades. The persistent prevalence of T2DM is attributed to a complex interplay of genetic and environmental factors. While numerous pharmaceutical therapies have been developed, there remains an urgent need for innovative treatment approaches that offer effectiveness without significant adverse effects. In this context, the exploration of the gut microbiome presents a promising avenue. Research has increasingly shown that the gut microbiome of individuals with T2DM exhibits distinct differences compared to healthy individuals, suggesting its potential role in the disease’s pathogenesis and progression. This emerging field offers diverse applications, particularly in modifying the gut environment through the administration of prebiotics, probiotics, and fecal microbiome transfer. These inter-ventions aim to restore a healthy microbiome balance, which could potentially alleviate or even reverse the metabolic dysfunctions associated with T2DM. Although current results from clinical trials have not yet shown dramatic effects on diabetes management, the groundwork has been laid for deeper investigation. Ongoing and future clinical trials are critical to advancing our understanding of the microbiome’s impact on diabetes. By further elucidating the mechanisms through which microbiome alterations influence insulin resistance and glucose metabolism, researchers can develop more targeted interventions. The potential to harness the gut microbiome in developing new therapeutic strategies offers a compelling prospect to transform the treatment landscape of T2DM, potentially reducing the disease’s burden significantly with approaches that are less reliant on traditional pharmaceuticals and more focused on holistic, systemic health improvements.
Acceptability and Feasibility of Provision of COVID-19 Services by Community Health Workers to Remote Gold Mining Communities in Suriname
Authors: Vreden Stephen , Heemskerk Marieke , Hiwat Hélène , Cairo Hedley
Published: August 2024

Gold mining communities in the Amazon region typically have limited access to public health services. In Suriname, the Ministry of Health Malaria Program (MoH-MP) works with community health workers (CHWs), people from mining communities without a formal medical degree, to provide malaria diagnostic and treatment services. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the MoH-MP trained 21 of these CHWs in COVID-19 outreach and testing, using rapid antigen tests for symptomatic persons in their communities; afterward, a mixed methods research approach was used to investigate whether including COVID-19 services in the tasks of the CHWs was feasible and accepted among gold mining populations. Also, CHWs took part in active case detection missions to proactively offer COVID-19 testing to all inhabitants of specific mining areas, regardless of symptoms. In the 6 months of field implementation (May–October 2022), 1,300 persons were tested for COVID-19, among whom 28.7% were women. Eight percent tested positive. Of the 312 asymptomatic persons tested, 2.2% tested positive. Qualitative semi-structured interviews with the CHWs and quantitative pre- and postintervention surveys revealed that the communities appreciated the nearby and free COVID-19 testing opportunity. The intervention motivated individuals who otherwise would not have been tested to test for COVID-19. Twenty-nine percent of those who had tested at least once for COVID-19 reported that their most recent test was conducted through the services of the CHWs. The results suggest that integrating COVID-19 testing into other CHW services can lower health access barriers in difficult-to-reach populations in remote communities.
CRITICAL BUCKLING LOAD SOLUTION OF THIN BEAM ON WINKLER FOUNDATION VIA POLYNOMIAL SHAPE FUNCTION IN STODOLA-VIANELLO ITERATION METHOD
Authors: IKE Charles Chinwuba
Published: August 2024

The critical buckling load analysis of thin beam on Winkler foundation (BoWF) is crucial for BoWF subjected to in-plane compressive load. This paper presents the Stodola-Vianello method for the approximate solution of the governing ordinary differential equation (ODE). The Stodola-Vianello method expresses the ODE in iteration form after four successive integrations have been used in reformulating the equation. The problem then reduces to iteration in algebra. By deriving algebraic buckling shape functions that satisfy the boundary conditions, and substitution into the Stodola-Vianello iteration formula derived successive iterations of the buckling shape function would yield better approximations of the buckling shape. The existence condition for convergence which is the identity of the nth and (n +1) iterations are used to find the eigenvalue from which the buckling load is determined. The candidate problem solved is a BoWF with Dirichlet boundary conditions. It is found that one iteration yields sufficiently accurate buckling loads which differs from the exact solution by 0.129% for  0.0807% for  and 0.0567% for  where bl4 is a parameter measuring the beam structure – Winkler foundation interaction. The negligible difference in the critical buckling load found is because an approximate algebraic one-parameter shape function was used in the iteration. The paper has demonstrated the effectiveness of the Stodola-Vianello iteration for solving the stability of thin beam on Winkler foundation.
A INFLUENCE OF OPERATING PARAMETERS ON DECOLORATION OF INDIGO CARMINE SOLUTIONS USING GAMMA RADIATIONS
Authors: Fartode Swati Anoop , Fartode Anoop P. , Shelke Tushar R.
Published: August 2024

Abstract: It has been observed that the process parameters influence the extent of decoloration of synthetic dyes during gamma radiolysis in aqueous solutions. The influence of some factors viz. concentration of dye, dye solution pH, addition of H2O2 on the colour bleaching of Indigo Carmine dye in aqueous medium was studied using 60Co gamma radiation source (dose rate was 0.386 kGy/hr). The dose required for the thorough decoloration was observed to be the direct function of the dye concentration in the solution. Further, when pH of solution was increased, the extent of decoloration reduced, for all the concentrations. H2O2 addition had the accelerating effect on the overall decoloration. The addition of H2O2 was governed by the critical value which corresponds to optimum dose of H2O2 that is required for maximum decoloration.
AN MODERN AND TRENDY AESTHETIC SALON BUSINESS MODEL TOOL - STYLE N' SMILES
Authors: Rose Dhiviya
Published: August 2024

In today's fast-paced world, people are always looking for ways to save time and optimize their daily routines. One area where this is particularly true is in personal grooming. Style N' Smiles is a proposed system for a salon business that aims to create an online presence and promote their services to a wider audience. The website's objective is to showcase the salon's services, highlight their expertise, promote special offers, provide contact information, and offer online booking for customers. The design emphasizes a modern and trendy aesthetic, with an intuitive and easy-to-use interface that is accessible on both desktop and mobile devices. The website includes high-quality images and videos to showcase the salon's services and the expertise of its staff. The online booking system is integrated into the website to allow customers to easily book appointments at their convenience. The website also features a blog section that provides beauty tips and trends to engage customers and build a community around the brand. To ensure the proposed success this paper also provides comparative studies on existing user experience, services offered, social media integration, and search engine optimization. Overall, Style N' Smiles is designed to help the salon attract and retain customers by providing a convenient and engaging online experience.
FUTURE FACTORY: A CASE STUDY ON ENERGY AND CARBON REDUCTION IN A BIO-PHARMACEUTICAL PLANT
Authors: Wang Hua , Yu Jian
Published: August 2024

Manufacturing industry is recently facing many challenges such as shorter product life cycles, diversified demands and green manufacturing. According to the deployment of carbon peaking work in Zhejiang province of China, pharmaceutical and chemical companies must accelerate product upgrading and green technology transformation of production methods to promote the carbon emission peaking. To this end, the bio-pharmaceutical company named Conba optimizes, upgrades and innovates existing technologies and equipment when applying energy-saving and consumption-reducing processes, so that they can better meet the application conditions of energy-saving and consumption-reducing technologies in the actual production process. Using the key production parameters of the equipment and equipment monitoring technology, Conba improves the utilization rate of operating equipment and reduces unnecessary energy consumption through data analysis to build a future factory with high energy efficiency, green environment protection and comfortable work environment.
APPLICATION OF HYBRID APPROACH FOR WOLAITA LANGUAGE PART OF SPEECH TAGGING
Authors: Shirko Birhanesh Fikre
Published: August 2024

The main purpose of this study is to develop part-of-speech tagger for Wolaita Language using hybrid approach. Part of speech tagger is one of the subtasks in NLP application which is important for other Natural Language Processing (NLP) applications, like parser, machine translator, speech recognizer and search engines. PoST is a process of tagging a corresponding part of speech tag for a word that tag defines how the word is used in a sentence. The PoST for Wolaita language is not enough yet to be used as one vital module in other natural language processing applications. In this study, the development of PoS tagger using hybrid approach that combines HMM and rule based approaches was conducted for Wolaita language. In general HMM model need large data to increase the performance and the rule based model learner rule based on the language features. The HMM tagger, tags the words based on the optimal path for a given sequence of words and transformation based learning (TBL) is a rule based approaches that learns rule directly from the training corpus without expert knowledge. The developed hybrid approach of Wolaita language PoS tagger uses HMM tagger as initial annotators and rule based tagger as a corrector based on fixed threshold values. For implementation and experiment purpose the researcher used python programming and NLTK. For training and testing the models, 1256 sentences or 15,268 words  are collected from three different categories (Bible, Social media in Wolaita language (Wogetta FM 96.6 ) and Wolaita language department) and annotated data manually. For tagging purpose 26 PoS tag are identified. From entire corpus, 90% for training and the remaining of entire corpus for testing purpose. The performance of the taggers, are tested by using different experiments. After experiment the researcher found that the performance of HMM, rule based and hybrid taggers shows 88.14%, 93.19% and 94.82% respectively. Generally, hybrid approach showed the better performance to assigning part of speech tag for Wolaita language.
DETERMINATION OF CHANGES IN MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF METAL OF FEEDWATER PIPELINES BENDS AND “HOT” STEAM OF THE SECOND POWER UNIT OF PIVDENNOUKRAINSK NPP FOR THE SECOND 100,000 h OF OPERATION
Authors: Gozhenko S.V.
Published: August 2024

An analysis of the results of periodic testing of hardness of metal of pipelines bends of power unit No. 2 of Pivdennoukrainsk Nuclear Power Plant (PNPP) after ~100,000 and ~200,000 h of operation was carried out. It is shown that during the operation of feedwater and “hot” steam pipelines during the second 100,000 h of operation, the aging of the metal is observed, which is manifested in a partial, at least in their surface layers, uneven decrease in the strength of the metal. An increased rate of aging of the metal of pipeline bends is observed in areas where the metal was subjected to the greatest plastic deformation during the pipe manufacturing process (compressed and stretched sides of the bends). The critical parameter among the normalized mechanical properties of bending metal is the tensile strength, which is the first to reach a critical level when extrapolating the obtained data. While maintaining the rate of change in the mechanical properties of the metal at the level of the second 100,000 h of operation for post-project operation, the projected residual resource of metal bends of feedwater pipelines and "hot" steam is ~590,000 and ~380,000 h, respectively.
DISSOLVED OXYGEN CONCENTRATION WATER DYNAMICS WITH DISCHARGE OF THE NUCLEAR POWER PLANT UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF TEMPERATURE EFFECT
Authors: Kuznietsov P.M. , Biedunkova O.О.
Published: August 2024

This article presents the results of studies on the dynamics of changes in the concentration of dissolved oxygen (DO) in the river in the zone of influence of water discharge from a nuclear power plant (NPP). Water is use in the power generation cycle of a NPP, mainly for cooling to remove heat. Moreover, the operation of the cooling system of a NPP requires a large amount of water, and meanwhile, the removal of heat from the systems and components of a NPP results in the discharge of cooling system effluent with an increased temperature, which can affect the chemical quality of the water body. One of the main chemical quality indicators used to determine the ecological status of a water body is DO concentration, but this indicator is highly dependent on temperature. Аfter all, the discharge of water from a NPP with a temperature effect is highly susceptible to affect DO concentration. The popuse of this study is to determine the spatial and temporal changes in the concentration of DO with the establishment of variability factors and correlations between the concentration of DO and water temperature of the Styr River in the area affected by the temperature effect of the Rivne NPP. Overall, the studies conducted indicate that there is no negative impact of the nuclear power plant wastewater discharge.
HYDROGEN BARRIER COATINGS AND THEIR PERMEATION RESISTANCE
Authors: Tolstolutska G.D. , Azarenkov M.O. , Bilous V.A. , Kuprin O.S. , Ishchenko M.G.
Published: August 2024

This review discusses the state of the art in hydrogen permeation for a variety of coatings. Hydrogen ingress into structural materials can be detrimental due to corrosion and embrittlement. To enable safe operation in applications requiring protection from hydrogen isotopes, recent advances in material design and performance characterization of barrier coatings to prevent hydrogen isotope absorption ingress and permeation are summarized. Alternative coating concepts can provide greater resistance to hydrogen isotope permeation along with other improved properties such as mechanical strength and thermal resistance. The information presented here focuses on recent findings of promising hydrogen barriers including oxides, nitrides, carbon, carbide, MAX phases, and metals and their mechanical strength, hydrogen uptake, and radiation resistance.
Food Preference and Demand in a Ramp Task in Guinea Pigs (Cavia porcellus)
Authors: Walker Thomas W , Hoult Cameron , Cameron Kristie E
Published: August 2024

Guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus) are popular pets and used as laboratory animals, however, their dietary preferences are under-studied. It is important for guinea pig owners and carers to increase the opportunity for good animal welfare by providing personalized and enriching dietary options. Thus, this study aimed to assess the use of paired-stimulus and multiple-stimulus-without-replacement preference assessments to determine the food preferences of seven male guinea pigs and test the validity of the methods by testing the demand for the most- and least preferred foods as reinforcers for climbing an elevated ramp. Generally, the preference assessments identified the same foods as the most preferred for each guinea pig, but not the least preferred foods. Guinea pigs climbed up to the steepest angle for both most and least preferred foods, but a non-linear least squares regression and demand analysis indicated faster climbing and inelastic demand for most preferred foods compared to slower climbing and elastic demand for least preferred foods. Both preference assessment methods were valid in identifying a preferred food, however, the multiple-stimulus-without-replacement assessment was more efficient to conduct. High-preference foods such as parsley and dandelion are recommended as future training reinforcers for guinea pigs and as foods to consider using as enrichment in captive guinea pig systems to encourage good welfare.
El uso del material concreto en el ámbito de las relaciones lógico/matemáticas en niños del subnivel inicial 2
Authors: Saltos Freddy Fabian Andrade , Ochoa Luis Enrique Cáceres
Published: August 2024

El ámbito de las relaciones lógico-matemáticas abarca habilidades esenciales para la comprensión del entorno, por lo que el uso de materiales concretos se presenta como un recurso clave para el aprendizaje en estos niveles. La presente investigación tiene como objetivo explorar los aspectos relacionados con el uso del material concreto en el ámbito de las relaciones lógico/matemáticas en niños del subnivel Inicial 2, desde una revisión sistemática de literatura científica. Se adoptó un enfoque cualitativo con alcance descriptivo y carácter documental, en la cual se utilizaron bases de datos como Scielo, Dialnet y Scopus, reconocidas por su alto impacto y calidad en la producción científica. Se consideraron publicaciones de los últimos diez años y se empleó el programa informático COVIDENCE, que facilitó la revisión de 63 documentos, de los cuales se seleccionaron y extrajeron los datos de 7, mientras que el resto fue descartado por duplicación y por no cumplir con los criterios de inclusión. Los resultados evidencian que, mediante la exploración y manipulación de materiales estructurados y no estructurados, los niños pueden llevar a cabo la comprensión de conceptos y acciones matemáticas, entre ellas las cualidades sensoriales, cantidades, posiciones y formas, atributos mesurables, todas ellas esenciales para la comprensión de su entorno.
Efeito da granulometria de amostras de serragem de Eucalyptus na análise de densidade e pentosanas via NIR para as indústrias de celulose
Authors:   , Nogueira Thales Augusto Pinto Coelho
Published: August 2024

A implementação efetiva da espectroscopia no infravermelho próximo (NIR) nas indústrias enfrenta desafios, como o tamanho da partícula das amostras e o número de processos operacionais. Este estudo analisou diferentes metodologias de calibração de modelos NIR para a variável pentosanas em três granulometrias (18, 40/60 e 100 mesh). Foram coletadas 100 amostras de serragem e 100 de cavacos de diversas espécies de Eucalyptus em 14 municípios do Rio Grande do Sul. Utilizou-se um espectrofotômetro MPA II da Bruker para obter os espectros NIR, analisados com o software OPUS 8.1. As amostras foram divididas em 80% para calibração e 20% para validação, usando o algoritmo de Kennard e Stone. Os modelos foram ajustados com base no menor erro quadrático médio na predição (RMSEP) e maiores coeficientes de determinação (R²c e R²p). Dentre os materiais avaliados, Eucalyptus dunnii e seus híbridos apresentaram teores significativos de pentosanas. Apesar das diferenças visuais, os espectros das diferentes granulometrias mostraram comportamento semelhante. Os modelos desenvolvidos exibiram coeficientes de determinação acima de 80%, demonstrando robustez na explicação da variação dos dados. O modelo calibrado para 18 mesh foi recomendado por sua precisão e menor custo operacional, demonstrando grande potencial para auxiliar nas etapas de seleção no melhoramento genético florestal nas indústrias de celulose. Palavras-chave: Melhoramento Genético; Qualidade da Madeira; Análise não destrutiva.
Root canal configuration of human permanent anterior teeth: a cross-sectional study using cone-beam computed tomography in the Pakistani population
Authors: Nasim Hina , Shakeel Kazmi
Published: August 2024

Objective: To analyse and document internal root morphological variations in permanent anterior teeth using cone-beam computed tomography.
Methods: The cross-sectional, retrospective study was conducted from January 21 to June 19, 2021, at Jinnah Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Body Scan, and comprised data from July to December 2020 related to all the patients who had been referred to the centre for dental cone-beam computed tomography scan. The scans were evaluated at the Radiology Department of the School of Dentistry at Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Medical University, Islamabad, Pakistan. The morphology of the roots and root canals in all permanent anterior teeth was examined. Root canal configuration was categorised using Vertucci's classification. Data was analysed using SPSS 20.
Results: Of the 211 patients, 116(55%) were females and 95(45%) were males. The overall mean age was 39.9±1.02 years (range: 15-65 years). All the permanent anterior teeth exhibited a single root, with the exception 2(0.9%) mandibular right and 4(1.9%) left canines which had double roots. Type I root canals were observed in all 211 (100%) maxillary right central incisors, maxillary left central incisors and maxillary left canines. Among maxillary right canines, 208(98.6%) had type-I root canals, and the corresponding value for maxillary right lateral incisors was 209(99.1%), and for maxillary left lateral incisors, the value was 210(99.5%). Root canal polymorphism had no significant association with gender (p>0.05).
Conclusion: The presence of type-I root canal was common in permanent anterior teeth, and there was significant association of root canal polymorphism with gender.
Key Words: Cone-beam computed tomography, Dental pulp cavity, Anterior teeth, Vertucci’s classification.