bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Pemetaan Posisi Hilal Terhadap Gunung Agung Dalam Penentuan Awal Bulan Kamariah Di Lokasi Rukyat Pantai Loang Baloq Mataram
Authors: Syuhada Nurnadiyah , Lina Her , Bemi Sado Arino
Published: June 2023

This study aims to determine the new moon's position towards Mount Agung in mapping at the beginning of the Lunar Month at the Loang Baloq  Beach Rukyat location. Loang Baloq Beach has been a routine location for the new moon sightings carried out by the Mataram BMKG team since 2013. However, The hilal is rarely reported to be visible at Loang Baloq Beach. The presence of Mount Agung hinders the condition of the new moon. Based on the study's results, it can be determined that the condition of Loang Baloq Beach does not meet the ideal assessment criteria. This is because the west is not clear at Azimuth 294o46'36.40". Then the west horizon of the Loang Baloq beach is blocked by the presence of Mount Agung in the Karangasem district of the island of Bali. In addition, the existence of Mount Agung causes the western horizon of the Loang Baloq coast always to be unclean or always cloudy, even though the local weather conditions are hot/sunny, Although Loang Baloq Beach does not meet the ideal criteria as a place for the sighting of the new moon. However, this location has enough potential for the sighting of the new moon compared to other locations in Mataram. Even if the new moon's position from Loang Baloq is right on Mount Agung, the new moon cannot be seen, but if it is to the left and right of Mount Agung, it is still possible to see the new moon. It is also possible to see the exact position of the new moon on Mount Agung if the height of the new moon is above Mount Agung. The mapping of the new moon position is carried out in the months of Muharram, Safar, Rabiul Awal, Rabiul Akhir, Jumadil Awal, Jumadil Akhir, Rajab, Shaban, Ramadhan, Shawwal, with the results of the appearance of the new moon being to the left of Mount Agung. In contrast, the month of Dzulqoidah, Dzulhijjah with the appearance of the new moon is right with Mount Agung. When the hilal position is right at Mount Agung, the observer shifts to another location, Tanjung Mina, North Lombok Regency.
FATWA MUI, PSAK DAN PRAKTIK MUSYARAKAH
Authors: Widyarini  , Hadi Syamsul
Published: June 2023

Penelitian deskriptif kualitatif ini bertujuan untuk melihat penerapan akad musyarakah pada BMT â€œXâ€ serta mengkaji kepatuhannya terhadap standar-standar yang telah ditetapkan. Penelitian ini menggunakan dua sumber data. Sumber data primer didapat melalui wawancara dan pengamatan yang terjadi di BMT, sedangkan data pembanding berasal dari kepustakaan yang berupa Fatwa MUI dan PSAK No. 106 (Musyarakah). Kesimpulan penelitian ini menunjukkan bahwa BMT â€œXâ€ belum sepenuhnya dapat menerapkan akad musyarakah sesuai dengan aturan. Terdapat beberapa praktik yang masih belum sempurna. Adanya beberapa bagian fatwa MUI dan PSAK yang belum sejalan, sehingga masih banyak kerancuan yang terjadi pada praktik dilapangan.
A pilot study to disentangle the infant gut microbiota composition and identification of bacteria correlates with high fat mass
Authors: Mancabelli Leonardo , Milani Christian , Fontana Federico , Liotto Nadia , Tabasso Chiara , Perrone Michela , Lugli Gabriele Andrea , Tarracchini Chiara , Alessandri Giulia , Viappiani Alice , Bernasconi Sergio , Roggero Paola , Mosca Fabio , Turroni Francesca , Ventura Marco
Published: June 2023

Background: At birth, the human intestine is colonized by a complex community of microorganisms known as gut microbiota. These complex microbial communities that inhabit the gut microbiota are thought to play a key role in maintaining host physiological homeostasis. For this reason, correct colonization of the gastrointestinal tract in the early stages of life could be fundamental for human health. Furthermore, alterations of the infant microbiota are correlated with the development of human inflammatory diseases and disorders. In this context, the possible relationships between intestinal microbiota and body composition during infancy are of great interest. Methods: In this study, we have performed a pilot study based on 16S rRNA gene profiling and metagenomic approaches on repeatedly measured data on time involving a cohort of 41 Italian newborns, which is aimed to investigate the possible correlation between body fat mass percentage (FM%) and the infant gut microbiota composition. Results and conclusion: The taxonomical analysis of the stool microbiota of each infant included in the cohort allowed the identification of a specific correlation between intestinal bacteria, such as Bifidobacterium and Veillonella, and the increase in FM%. Moreover, the analysis of the infant microbiome’s metabolic capabilities suggested that the intestinal microbiome functionally impacts the human host and its possible influence on host physiology.
Dépérissements de hêtres adultes après 2018 en Franche-Comté
Authors: Mirabel Mathieu , Gaertner Pierre-Antoine
Published: June 2023

Après l’exceptionnel épisode de sécheresse-chaleur 2018, des dépérissements de hêtres (Fagus sylvatica L.) adultes sont apparus au moment de la feuillaison au printemps 2019 le long d’un axe Gray-Belfort, sur les secteurs de basses altitudes (< 600 m). L’importance du phénomène tient autant à son impact au niveau des arbres qu’à son étendue (plusieurs milliers d’hectares) et affecte une zone au cœur de l’aire de distribution et de production du Hêtre. L’anomalie 2018 de déficit hydrique sur cette région peu habituée à en connaître en a constitué le facteur déclenchant. Ce dépérissement a été brutal (mortalité de branches voire d’individus), et se produisait sur des hêtres possédant un houppier le plus souvent complet avec une ramification dense. Afin de mieux appréhender le phénomène, différentes études ont été initiées : quantification spatiale du dépérissement, suivi des trajectoires de récupération ou de dégradation des hêtres selon la sévérité des symptômes initiaux, identification de facteurs de vulnérabilité.
Messages clésLe déficit hydrique exceptionnel de 2018 est à l’origine des dépérissements de Hêtre.Des études sont en cours pour préciser le devenir des peuplements.
Forêts en crise et biodiversité : menaces et opportunités. Effets des dépérissements et de leur gestion sur la biodiversité forestière
Authors: Bouget Christophe , Cours Jérémy , Sallé Aurélien
Published: June 2023

Les effets des dépérissements sur la structure des peuplements, la quantité et la qualité des ressources, la composition des paysages et les communautés biologiques ont été analysés. Dans les pessières bavaroises, la richesse spécifique augmente généralement en zones perturbées, où certaines espèces rares réapparaissent. Dans les sapinières pyrénéennes, les effets du dépérissement aux échelles du peuplement et du paysage sont interdépendants. Dans les chênaies de plaine, les réponses des guildes d’insectes des houppiers sont contrastées. Les coupes sanitaires altèrent la structure du peuplement, et modifient la composition initiale des communautés par un effet additif au dépérissement. Les nombreuses incertitudes sur la dynamique des communautés soulignent l’importance de disposer de longues séries temporelles. Des réflexions opérationnelles sont engagées pour une sylviculture de rétention saisissant l’opportunité des crises, dans le respect des équilibres économiques et phytosanitaires.
Messages clésLes effets des crises forestières sur la biodiversité sont différents selon le contexte.L’effet des crises forestières sur la biodiversité est amplifié par les récoltes sanitaires.Des suivis sur le long terme sont indispensables pour diminuer l’incertitude sur les prédictions.
The European DEMO HCPB Breeding Blanket: Design Status at the Conclusion of Pre-Concept Design Phase
Authors: Zhou Guangming , Hernández Francisco Alberto , Pereslavtsev Pavel , Kiss Béla , Retheesh Anoop , Maqueda Luis , Park Jin Hun
Published: June 2023

Significant design efforts were undertaken during the Pre-Concept Design (PCD) phase of the European DEMO programme to optimize the Helium Cooled Pebble Bed (HCPB) breeding blanket. A gate review was conducted for the entire European DEMO programme at the conclusion of the PCD phase. This article presents a summary of the design evolution and the rationale behind the HCPB breeding blanket concept for the European DEMO. The main performance metrics, including nuclear, thermal hydraulics, thermal mechanical, and tritium permeation behaviors, are reported. These figures demonstrate that the HCPB breeding blanket is a highly effective tritium-breeding and robust driver blanket concept for the European DEMO. In addition, three alternative concepts of interest were explored. Furthermore, this article outlines the upcoming design and R&D activities for the HCPB breeding blanket during the Concept Design phase (2021-2027).
3D Analysis of the Upper and Lower Arches Using Digital Technology: Measurement of the Index of Bolton and Correspondence between Arch Shape and Orthodontic Arches
Authors: Pasini Marco , Carli Elisabetta , Giambastiani Federico , Giuca Maria Rita , Tripodi Domenico
Published: June 2023

Introduction: Due to the great development of digital technology, through CAD (Computer - Aided Design) and CAM (Computer - Aided Manufacturing) systems, digital models could be used in orthodontic treatment planning decision-making, as there are numerous studies in the literature that support the validity of measurements of digital models of anterior teeth and the total coefficient of Bolton analysis. The aim of the study was to compare the average length value of the current upper and lower arches with that of a hypothetical nickel-titanium wire and the accuracy of the Bolton index measurement. In the present study, 138 dental casts were analyzed using Ortho3Shape software. Using the Ortho3Shape software, it was possible to measure the real and ideal lower arch lengths and, with regard to Bolton analysis, the values of the anterior and total Bolton coefficients. By comparing the values obtained with those of the study by A. Anand Kumar et al. using CBCT and plaster casts, the reliability of the measurements obtained with such CAD/CAM orthodontic software was evaluated. Considering the validity of digital measurements demonstrated by the studies and systematic reviews in the literature, it can be stated that CAD/CAM digital models can be a viable alternative to plaster models in the coming years, as they can facilitate model preservation and retrieval. For future studies and research, it would be preferable to use intra-oral scanners (IOS) in order to ensure greater accuracy, requiring only one step and ensuring a better outcome for the patient.
Sex, Age, and Regional Disparities in the Burden of Asthma in Mexico from 1990 to 2019: A Secondary Analysis of the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019
Authors: Lopez-Bago Ana , Lascurain Ricardo , Hernandez-Carreño Pavel E. , Gallardo-Vera Francisco , Argueta-Donohue Jesus , Jimenez-Trejo Francisco , Fuentes-Zavaleta David A. , Beltran-Ontiveros Saul A. , Becerril-Camacho Delia M. , Contreras-Rodriguez Victor A. , Diaz Daniel
Published: June 2023

Asthma is the most prevalent cause of chronic respiratory diseases. Herein, we evaluate asthma burden in Mexico based on results from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD 2019) study 2019. Using data from the GBD 2019, we estimated asthma prevalence, incidence, mortality, and disability-adjusted lived years (DALYs) counts and crude and age-standardized rates per 100,000 people with a 95% uncertainty interval (UI) by sex and age at the national and subnational levels in Mexico from 1990 to 2019. At the national level, asthma affected 3.35 million (95% UI, 2.59-4.37) people, with 606.0 thousand (433.0-811.1) new incident cases and 1,655 (3-1,931) deaths during 2019. Asthma caused a slightly higher burden in females and affected mainly age groups between 1 and 14 years of age. The burden of asthma gradually decreased from 1990 to 2010. However, during the last decade (2010-2019), prevalence increased by 8.2%, as did incidence by 11.3%, whereas mortality and DALYs decreased by 23.3 and 1.6%, respectively. Finally, the burden of asthma displayed a heterogeneous pattern of disease at the subnational level. In conclusion, asthma causes a significant health loss in Mexico that differentially affects the population distributed among the states of the country, thus causing health disparities that should be addressed to provide sustainable asthma diagnosis and control to reduce its burden, especially at early stages of life.
The Fingerprint of Fortified Wines – From the Sui Generis Pro-duction Processes to the Distinctive Aroma
Authors: Perestrelo Rosa , Jaouhari Yassine , Abreu Teresa , Castillo Mariangie , Travaglia Fabiano , Pereira Jorge A.M. , Câmara José de Sousa , Bordiga Matteo
Published: June 2023

Historically, fortified wines originated in Europe, and they have in common a high alcohol content to increase their shelf-life during long journeys to northern Europe and the American continent. Nowadays, the world’s better-known Marsala, Port, Sherry, and Vermouth due to their high alcoholic content, sweet taste, and intense aromatic profile, are designated as dessert wines and sometimes served as aperitifs. This review gives an overview of the traditional vinification process, including the microbiota and autochthonous yeast, the use of aromatic botanicals, and regulatory aspects of the main Italian, Portuguese, and Spanish fortified wines. The wine-making process is essential to defining the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that characterize the aroma of each fortified wine, giving them an organoleptic fingerprint and “terroir” characteristics. The various volatile and odorous compounds found in fortified wines during oxidative and thermal aging are discussed in the last part of this review.
A Tutorial on Agricultural IoT: Fundamental Concepts, Architectures, Routing, and Optimization
Authors: Effah Emmanuel , Thiare Ousmane , Wyglinski Alexander M.
Published: June 2023

This paper presents an in-depth contextualized tutorial on Agricultural IoT (Agri-IoT), covering the fundamental concepts, assessment of routing architectures and protocols, and performance optimization techniques via systematic survey and synthesis of related literature. The negative impacts of climate change and the increasing global population on food security and unemployment threats have motivated the adoption of the wireless sensor network (WSN)-based Agri-IoT as an indispensable underlying technology in precision agriculture and greenhouses to improve food production capacities and quality. However, most related Agri-IoT testbed solutions have failed to achieve their performance expectations due to the lack of an in-depth and contextualized reference tutorial that provides a holistic overview of communication technologies, routing architectures, and performance optimization modalities based on users’ expectations. Thus, although IoT applications are founded on a common idea, each use case (e.g., Agri-IoT) varies based on specific performance and users expectations as well as its technological, architectural, and deployment requirements. Likewise, the agricultural setting is a unique and hostile area where conventional IoT technologies do not apply, hence the need for this tutorial. Consequently, this tutorial addresses these via the following contributions: (1) a systematic overview of the fundamental concepts, technologies, and architectural standards of WSN-based Agri-IoT, (2) an evaluation of the technical design requirements of a robust, location-independent, and affordable Agri-IoT, (3) a comprehensive survey of the benchmarking fault tolerance techniques, communication standards, routing and medium access control (MAC) protocols, and WSN-based Agri-IoT testbed solutions, and (4) an in-depth case study on how to design a self-healing, energy-efficient, affordable, adaptive, stable, autonomous, and cluster-based WSN-specific Agri-IoT from a proposed taxonomy of multi-objective optimization (MOO) metrics that can guarantee an optimized network performance. Furthermore, this tutorial established new taxonomies of faults, architectural layers, and MOO metrics for cluster-based Agri-IoT (CA-IoT) networks and a 3-tier objective framework with remedial measures for designing an efficient associated supervisory protocol for cluster-based Agri-IoT networks.
 A Manual and Machine Learning Based Case Investigations for Detecting the Lymphatic Spread of Canine Cancers
Authors: Sahoo Dr. Anjan , Kashyap Kanchan Lata , Mishra Dr. Nilamadhab , Nath Dr.Indramani , Panda Dr. Susen , Pati Dr. Sanghamitra , Dehur Budheswar
Published: June 2023

The objective of the current investigation is to identify the first or first draining node or sentinel lymph node (SLN) from the primary tumor mass in a regional lymphocenter. Four different indirect lymphography (IL) methods were employed in 96 canine patients with different types of cancer between 2018 and 2021. The IL technique involved intradermal, submucosal, and peritumoral injections of 2ml contrast agent in the four-quadrant principle which were divided into equal aliquots. Lymphatic mapping with lipiodol (iodized oil) was 100% in squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck, anal sac apocrine gland adenocarcinoma, mast cell tumor, squamous cell carcinoma of the skin, mammary carcinoma, and with methylene blue dye, 100% detection was achieved in testicular tumor and mammary carcinoma. Instead of a very short washout time of 2 minutes, Iohexol showed an excellent detection in indirect CT lymphography for histiocytic sarcoma and in indirect radiographic lymphography for lymphosarcoma. The significance of contrast and blue dyes in detecting the lymphatic spread of canine cancers is clearly emphasized in the current investigation. The nature of cancerous tissue was again analyzed through image and machine learning approach in this work. Supervised machine learning technique is applied in this work for automatic classification of cancerous and non-cancerous regions. Various statistical and texture-based features are extracted from X-Ray images and support vector machine with linear, polynomial, multilayer perceptron (MLP), and RBF kernel functions are applied for classification. Highest 95.53%, 94.64%, 93.05% sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, respectively, is achieved using RBF kernel function.
Reasons and Motivations for Working as A White-Collar Gig Worker
Authors: Batmunkh Altanshagai , Lakner Zoltan
Published: June 2023

Flexibility is perceived as a primary reason for working as a gig worker. However, there are not enough studies that investigate gig workers' motivations. Hence, this study aims to examine the motivation of white-collar gig workers using a sample size of 327 gig workers in Mongolia, a developing country’s labor market. The purpose of this study is to investigate intrinsic and extrinsic motivation factors for white-collar gig workers and their impact on behavioral intentions such as those of remote workers, freelancers, and any representatives of digital gig workers, not location-based gig workers. The primary data used in this study were collected through questionnaires from an online platform that attracts white-collar gig workers. The characteristics of this group are analyzed using Smart PLS4.0 software through the PLS-SEM technique to test the hypothesized relationships. Overall, the study contributes to an extension of current literature by understanding the white-collar digital gig workforce’s motivations and reasons behind it.
Circular and Circulating DNA in IBD: from Pathogenesis to Potential Molecular Therapies
Authors: Di Vincenzo Federica , Yadid Ylenia , Petito Valentina , Emoli Valeria , Masi Letizia , Gerovska Daniela , Araúzo-Bravo Marcos Jesus , Gasbarrini Antonio , Regenberg Birgitte , Scaldaferri Franco
Published: June 2023

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), including Crohn’s Disease (CD) and Ulcerative Colitis (UC) are chronic multifactorial disorders which affect the gastrointestinal tract with variable extent. Despite extensive research, their etiology and exact pathogenesis are still unknown. Cell-free DNAs (cfDNAs) are defined as any DNA fragments which are free from origin cell and able to circulate into bloodstream with or without microvescicles. CfDNAs are now being increasingly studied in different human diseases, like cancer or inflammatory diseases. However, to date it is unclear how IBD etiology is linked to cfDNAs in plasma. Extrachromosomal circular DNA (eccDNA) are non-plasmidic, nuclear, circular and closed DNA molecules found in all eukaryotes tested. CfDNAs appear to play an important role in autoimmune diseases, inflammatory processes, and cancer; recently, interest has also grown in IBD, and their role in the pathogenesis of IBD has been suggested. We now suggest that eccDNAs also plays a role in IBD. In this review we have comprehensively collected available knowledge in literature regarding cfDNA, eccDNA, and structures involving them such as neutrophil extracellular traps and exosomes, and their role in IBD. Finally, we focused on old and novel potential molecular therapies and drug delivery systems, such as nanoparticles, for IBD treatment.
Experimental and Simulation Research on Indoor CO2 Removal Efficiency and Fresh Air Energy Savings of Living Walls in Office Spaces
Authors: Zhang Danni , Zhang Lei
Published: June 2023

Elevated indoor CO2 levels might have adverse effects on human health. However, the introduction of outdoor air to lower indoor CO2 concentrations results in significant HVAC energy consumption. Aligning with office hours and the natural light cycle, the utilization of photosynthesis in living walls offers an energy-efficient and sustainable solution for the mitigation of high CO2 levels in office spaces. This study experimentally investigates the impacts of the carbon fixation pathways, light intensity, and substrate moisture content on the CO2 removal rate of living walls at the room scale. Furthermore, the fresh air energy-saving effects of living walls under different scenarios are accurately simulated in EnergyPlus. The results demonstrate that choosing C3 plants over CAM plants in living walls yields higher CO2 removal efficiency. In a 30-m2 office room accommodating 2-3 occupants, living walls can reduce the demand for fresh air by 12.3%-27.8% and decrease fresh air energy consumption by 11.2%-28.2%. The city with the highest energy savings has energy savings that are 4.5 times greater than those of the city with the lowest energy savings. The findings of this research promote the application and development of living walls, thus providing a viable solution for improving indoor air quality.
Optimal Maintenance Schedule for a Wind Power Turbine with Aging Components
Authors: Yu Quanjiang , Carlson Ola , Sagitov Serik
Published: June 2023

Wind power is one of the most important sources of renewable energy available today. A large part of the wind energy cost is due to the cost of maintaining wind power equipment. When a wind turbine component fails to function, it might need to be replaced under the less than ideal circumstances. This is known as corrective maintenance. To minimize unnecessary costs, a more active maintenance policy based on the life expectancy of the key components is preferred. Optimal scheduling of preventive maintenance activities requires advanced mathematical modeling. In this paper, an optimal preventive maintenance algorithm is designed using the renewal-reward theorem. In the multi-component setting, our approach involves a new idea of virtual maintenance which allows us to treat each replacement event as a renewal event even if some components are not replaced by new ones. The proposed optimization algorithm is applied to a four-component model of a wind turbine and the optimal maintenance plans are computed for various initial conditions. The modeling results showed clearly the benefit of PM planning compared to pure CM strategy (about 30% lower maintenance cost).
Differences Between Hepatic and Cerebral Regional Tissue Oxygen Saturation at the Onset of Intradialytic Hypotension
Authors: Kaneko Shohei , Ookawara Susumu , Ito Kiyonori , Minato Saori , Mutsuyoshi Yuko , Ueda Yuichiro , Hirai Keiji , Morishita Yoshiyuki
Published: June 2023

Background: Intradialytic hypotension (IDH) is a critical pathological condition associated with all−cause mortality in patients undergoing hemodialysis (HD). However, few studies have investigated IDH-related changes in hepatic and cerebral regional tissue oxygen saturation (rSO2). This study investigated IDH-induced changes in hepatic and cerebral rSO2.
Methods: Hepatic and cerebral rSO2 during HD were measured using an INVOS 5100C oxygen saturation monitor, and their percentage (%) changes during IDH development were analyzed. Ninety-one patients undergoing HD were investigated, including 20 with IDH development.
Results: In patients with IDH, % changes in hepatic and cerebral rSO2 decreased at IDH onset. Additionally, the % change in hepatic rSO2 was significantly larger than those in cerebral rSO2 (P < 0.001). In patients without IDH, no significant differences were found between the % changes in hepatic and cerebral rSO2 at time of the lowest systolic blood pressure during HD. Multivariable linear regression analysis showed that the difference between the % change in cerebral and hepatic rSO2 was significantly associated with IDH development (P < 0.001) and ultrafiltration rate (P = 0.010).
Conclusion: Hepatic and cerebral rSO2 significantly decreased in IDH development and hepatic rSO2 was more largely decreased than cerebral rSO2 at IDH onset.
The Composition, Structure and Functionalities of Prolamins from Highland Barley
Authors: Xing Jinjin , Zhang Wenhui , Li Zhaomin , Wang Pengjie
Published: June 2023

The composition, structure and functionalities of prolamins from highland barley was investigated. These parameters of was compared with the widely applied prolamins (zein). There are more charged and hydrophilic amino acids in prolamins from highland barley than zein. The molecu-lar weight of prolamins from highland barley were between 30 to 63 kDa, which was larger than zein (20 to 24 kDa). β-turn helices is the main secondary structure in prolamins from highland barley, while α-helical structure is the main secondary structure in zein. The water holding capacity, thermal stability, emulsifying capacity and stability of prolamins from highland barley is quite lager than zein, while opposite results can be observed for oil absorption capacity. The diameter of fibers prepared with prolamins from highland barley was almost 6 times that of zein, while ribbon structures rather than fibers were formed by prolamins from highland barley. The results would provide the guidance for application of prolamins from highland barley.
Amphibians and Reptiles of the “Montagne Des Français”: Update of the Distribution and Regional Endemicity
Authors: Oninjatovo Radonirina Herizo , Randriamahatantsoa Bernard , Nirhy Rabibisoa Harinelina Christian , Raxworthy Christopher J.
Published: June 2023

The Harmonious Protected Landscape of Ambohitr'Antsingy Montagne des Français is one of the protected area located in the extreme northern of Madagascar. An assessment of the Herpe-tofauna community were made on the eastern and western slopes regarding the forest degrada-tion level, the availability of the streams and the habitat types in the massif during the years of 2014 and 2020. This survey was done in order to updating the herpetofaunal database and re-cording the distribution ranges of the Herpetofauna community in the PA. Three methods were used, including direct observation, systematic microhabitat searching and pitfall-traps with drift fences at three sampling sites during the day and night with headlamp. Twenty species of am-phibians and 50 species of reptiles were recorded. Four species of Amphibians, and 03 species of Reptiles (snake) are potentially new to science and/or newly recorded at Montagne des Français. One snake (Langaha pseudoalluaudi) last inventoried in 2007 has reappeared during this investiga-tion. Here, we present the mapping of all species recorded. This new database can help the manager site to update the management plan to guarantee the herpetofaunal conservation facing habitat change. That is what we think also for all of the current PA in Madagascar.
Effect of Pole Head Profile on Torque Performance of Disc-type Multi-pole Magnetorheological Brake
Authors: Yaojung Shiao , Bollepelly Manichandra
Published: June 2023

Researchers achieved high torque volume ratios in magnetorheological (MR) fluid braking devices by introducing multiple layers and multiple poles concepts. The number of magnetic poles, pole geometry and placement have a significant effect on these multi-pole MR brake performances. This research work focused on the effect of the pole head geometry in a multi-pole dual-disc MR brake for the enhancement of braking torque. The magnetic field generated by the electromagnetic coil has to penetrate through pole heads and travel orthogonally through the rotor and MR fluid layers to achieve maximum brake torque. This flow depends on the profiles of the magnetic pole head area and corresponding core dimensions. This study considered pentagon, square, hexagon, trapezoid and ellipse pole head profiles in place of the conventional circular pole and the best possible core dimensions were used for each geometry. A three-dimensional electromagnetic analysis of the MR brake is conducted to simulate the brake performance. Results showed that the hexagonal and elliptical pole heads are having better magnetic field area, magnetic intensity distribution and higher magnetic flux lines piercing through the MR fluid perpendicularly than the circular and square pole heads. An increment of 3.88% for braking torque performance is obtained, and the braking torque is significantly enhanced.
Combating the Devastating Effects of Cotton Bollworm: Case of Uzbekistan
Authors: Shokirova Gavharhon , Juraev Zuhriddin
Published: June 2023

Bollworm poses a significant threat to cotton crops worldwide, including in the Fergana province of Uzbekistan. This study aims to explore innovative approaches to bollworm control and contribute to the global understanding of integrated pest management strategies (IPM). Using an extensive literature review and field observations, the study evaluates the effectiveness of an integrated protection system in reducing reliance on chemical inputs while increasing overall efficiency. The results highlight the multigenerational life cycle of bollworm, its impact on various crops, and the need for artificial biological control methods and targeted insecticide applications. In addition, the study highlights the need to adopt globally accepted IPM practices to ensure sustainable pest management. The findings underscore the importance of collaboration among researchers, farmers, policymakers, and industry representatives in developing and implementing advanced control measures. Through integrated approaches and the incorporation of scientific advances, bollworm infestations can be contained while safeguarding agricultural productivity and minimizing environmental risks.
Ultrasonographic Evaluation of Gastric Content and Volume in Elective Pediatric Patients: A Prospective Observational Study
Authors: Demirel Asiye , Özgünay Şeyda Efsun , Eminoğlu Şermin , Balkaya Ayşe Neslihan , Onur Tuğba , Kılıçarslan Nermin , Gamlı Mehmet
Published: June 2023

Pulmonary aspiration is a serious anaesthetic complication with morbidity and up to 9% of all anaesthesia-related mortality. Aspiration risk is especially focused on fastening time. We aimed to evaluate the prevalence of 'risky stomach' defined by ultrasound imagine of solid contents and/or calculated gastric fluid volume >1.25 mL/kg in elective surgery also comparing this definition with the 0-2 qualitative rating scale used for "empty/risky stomach". This prospective study has 97 patients aged 2-18. Ultrasonographic evaluations of the gastric antrum content is scaled with qualitative assessment in supine and right lateral decubitus (RLD) position. Gastric volume was calculated. In our study, stomach content and volume were evaluated by ultrasound in 97% of children and 5.2% had Grade 2 antrum. In RLD position, antral CSA was 2.36 cm², and the median gastric volume was 0.46 mL/kg. In patients with grade 0 antrum has moderate and positive correlation between antral CSA and BMI, and strong and positive correlation between antral CSA and age like grade 1 antrum. We showed that 0.1%-4.7% of elective children had gastric fluid volumes of >1.25 mL/kg as "risky stomach". Ultrasound for gastric contents could be used routine practice to determine pulmonary aspiration risk in emergency and elective procedures.
A Systematic Review of Dynamic Forces and Kinematic Indicators in the Front and Roundhouse Kicks Across Varied Conditions and Participant Experience.
Authors: Vagner Michal , Cleather Daniel John , Olah Vladan , Vacek Jan , Stastny Petr
Published: June 2023

Impact force and maximum velocity are important indicators of kick efficiency in fighting activities. Therefore, this systematic review compared the front kick (FK) and roundhouse kick (RK), including maximal and impact force, maximum velocity, maximum angular velocity, and execution time, at different target types and experience levels. The Web of Science, SportDiscus, and PubMed were systematically searched from January 1982 to May 2022, according to PRISMA guidelines. The normalized kicking values were compared using one-way ANOVA. Eighteen articles, including FK with a pooled sample of 113 elite men, 109 sub-elite men, and 46 novices, and 25 articles, including RK with a sample of 238 elite men, 143 sub-elite men, and 27 novice men, fulfilled the inclusion criteria. The primary findings were that the impact forces of FK were higher than RK for the novice, sub-elite, and elite groups by 47% (p<0.01), 92% (p<0.01), and 120% (p<0.01), respectively. Moreover, the maximum foot velocity of RK was faster than FK for the sub-elite and elite groups by 44% (p<0.01) and 48% (p<0.01), respectively. The Elite group had 65% (p<0.01) higher knee extension angular velocity within RK than FK, and 138% (p<0.01) higher hip extension angular velocity within FK than RK.
Green Environmental Management System To Support Envi-Ronmental Performance: What Factors Influencing SMEs To Adopt Green Innovations?
Authors: Lutfi Abdalwali , Alqudah Hamza , Alrawad Mahmaod , Alshira’h Ahmad Farhan , Alshirah Malek Hamed , Almaiah Mohammed Amin , Alsyouf Adi , Alardi Mohamed Faisal
Published: June 2023

Current and dynamic developments in green technologies have led to several innovation practices in the manufacturing sector only to become the top approaches used for achieving and accelerating sustainable development (SD) in the current business markets. In addition, manufacturing firms is in need of green innovation to be able to monitor and control their operations and enhance their environmental performance. However, regardless of its many benefits, the level of green innovation adoption and implementation is still lower than expected among manufacturing industries. Thus, this study aimed to minimize the gap by developing and validating a study model underpinned by Resource based view and Institutional theories, along with the Technology-Organization-Environment (TOE) framework in combination to convince firms to adopt green innovation. The study gathered data from 179 respondents using a survey distributed to manufacturing firms, after which data was exposed to Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) approach, for analysis. Based on the approach deliverables, all the integrated constructs of the model, namely perceived benefits, top management support, coercive pressure, normative pressure and mimetic pressure all predicted green management accounting practices. Moreover, green management accounting practices were found to directly and significantly affect green environmental performance. The developed integrated model provides a clear implication to decision-makers, indicating the importance of adopting and using green practices and innovative technologies for enhancing environmental performance. Based on the results from the reviewed advanced green technologies studies, there is considerable connection between green management accounting practices and environmental performance in the context of developing economies.
Diversity, Structure and Development of the Epibiontic Commu-Nity of Paramuricea clavata (Risso, 1826) (Cnidaria, Anthozoa)
Authors: Canessa Martina , Amedeo Ilaria , Bavestrello Giorgio , Panzalis Pier , Trainito Egidio
Published: June 2023

Mass mortality events and anthropogenic impacts were increasingly documented affecting Paramuricea clavata (Risso, 1826) during the last decades. These impacts enhance the settling of epibiontic organisms on the injured colonies. The epibiosis was studied by photographic sampling carried out on the granitic outcrops of the Tavolara Channel within the Tavolara-Punta Coda Cavallo Marine Protected Area (NE Sardinia) between 2017-2023 at 35-55 m. The number of colonies and percent surface involved in epibiosis, the specific richness of the epibiontic community and the temporal evolution of the phenomenon were investigated. Almost all the investigated gorgonians (93%) showed parts involved in epibiosis, with a high percentage of covering (one-third of the surface). Out of the 37 epibiontic species recorded, the most recurrent described an ecological succession dominated by hydrozoans, sponges, bryozoans, serpulids and the parasitic soft coral Alcyomiun coralloides. Nevertheless, single colonies studied through time revealed the unpredictability of the colonization process. The peculiar habitat of a high naturalistic value of the granitic outcrops hosting the P. clavata forests demonstrates a widespread suffering condition, supported both by environmental and anthropogenic sources of stress. Such considerations make it necessary to review the current zonation of the area, where the actual vulnerability and usability evaluations are based on obsolete information.
On the Role of Urban Mobility Layout against Urban Microclimate. The Case Study of Turin, Italy
Authors: Pejovic Anja , Trane Matteo , Giovanardi Matteo , Pollo Riccardo
Published: June 2023

This paper investigates urban microclimate in relation to the typical major streets and mobility layout in Turin, i.e. boulevards with lateral minor roads, called “controviali”, an almost unique urban mobility layout. The aim is to examine the possibility of intervention in relation to the type and scope of mobility for microclimate mitigation and climate adaptation purposes. To this, this paper evaluates to which extent urban morphology and mobility features contribute to determining microclimatic conditions, to finally identify site-specific prioritised strategies to cope with its mitigation. This research is structured in two phases. The first phase is dedicated to urban-scale analysis of the streets with “controviali”, resulting in the creation of a database containing their properties and typology, to finally derive six clusters of boulevards. The second phase involves the selection of one representative case study per cluster and simulation of their microclimate conditions, performed by the software ENVI-met. The results are discussed in relation to the parameters proven in the prior literature review to have a major impact on the microclimate. The assessment of the results indicated which elements affect the climatic conditions the most, allowing for the proposal of different prioritised mitigation strategies in the conclusion.
A/D Conversion with Oversample and Average Based Precision Improvement
Authors: Mendes Gilberto , Pires Luis Miguel
Published: June 2023

This paper presents high-resolution digital measurements at low cost, combining oversample and averaging. Experiments of processing data between samples and between multiple temperature sensors in the same environment are conducted. They provide results with effective increase in the analog to digital converter bits, in correspondence with the minimization on the effects of noise. It is shown that averaging a set of small, low-cost sensors at a small microcontroller can give flexible access to improved measurement accuracy.
Comparison of Disk Diffusion, E-Test, and Broth Microdilution Methods for Testing In Vitro Activity of Cefiderocol Against Carbapenem-Resistant Acinetobacter Baumannii
Authors: Kolesnik-Goldmann Natalia , Seth-Smith Helena M. B. , Klara Haldimann , Imkamp Frank , Roloff Tim , Zbinden Reinhard , Hobbie Sven N , Egli Adrian , Mancini Stefano
Published: June 2023

The reference method for cefiderocol antimicrobial susceptibility testing is broth microdilution (BMD) with iron-depleted-Mueller-Hinton (ID-MH) medium, whereas breakpoints recommended for disk diffusion (DD) are based on MH-agar plates. We aimed to compare the performance of the commercial BMD tests ComASP (Liofilchem) and UMIC (Bruker), DD and E-test using MH- and ID-MH-agar plates with the reference BMD method using 100 carbapenem-resistant-A. baumannii isolates. Standard BMD was performed according to the EUCAST guidelines, DD and E-test were carried out using two commercial MH-agar plates (bioMérieux and Liofilchem) and an in-house ID-MH-agar plate, while ComASP and UMIC were performed according to the manufacturer’s guidelines.
DD performed with the ID-MH-agar plates led to a higher categorical agreement (CA, 95.1%) with standard BMD and fewer categorization errors compared to the commercial MH-agar plates (CA bioMérieux 91.1%, Liofilchem 89.2%). E-test on ID-MH-agar plates exhibited a significantly higher essential agreement (EA, 75%) with standard BMD compared to the two MH-agar plates (EA bioMérieux 57%, Liofilchem 44%), and showed a higher performance in detecting high-level resistance than ComASP and UMIC (mean log2 difference with standard BMD for resistant isolates of 0.5, 2.83 and 2.08, respectively).
In conclusion, DD and E-test on ID-MH-agar plates exhibit a higher diagnostic performance than on MH-agar plates and the commercial BMD methods. Therefore, we recommend using ID-MH-agar plates for cefiderocol susceptibility testing of A. baumannii.
N-acetylcysteine Amide AD4 and Thioredoxin Mimetic Peptides Inhibit Platelet Aggregation and Protect from Oxidative Stress
Authors: Eligini Sonia , Munno Marco , Atlas Daphne , Banfi Cristina
Published: June 2023

In the present study we tested the effect of small molecular weight redox molecules on collagen-induced platelet aggregation. We used N-acetylcysteine amide (AD4), the amide form of N-acetylcysteine (NAC), a thiol antioxidant with improved lipophilicity and bio-availability compared to NAC, and the thioredoxin mimetics (TXM) peptides, TXM-CB3, TXM-CB13, and TXM-CB30. All compounds significantly inhibited platelet aggregation induced by collagen, with TXM-peptides and AD4 being more effective than NAC. The levels of TxB2 and 12-HETE, the main metabolites derived from the cyclooxygenase and lipoxygenase pathways following platelet activation, were significantly reduced in the presence of AD4, TXM-peptides, or NAC, when tested at the highest concentration (0.6 mM). The effect of AD4, TXM-peptides, and NAC was tested also on the clotting time (CT) of whole blood. TXM-CB3 and TXM-CB30 showed the highest increase of CT. Furthermore, two representative compounds, TXM-CB3, and NAC, showed an increase in the an-ti-oxidant free sulfhydryl groups of plasma detected by Ellman’s method, suggesting a contribution of plasma factors to the antiaggregating effects.
Our results suggest that these small molecular weight redox peptides might become useful for the prevention and/or treatment of oxidative stress conditions associated with platelet activation.
An Analysis of Prize Money Distributions in Snooker
Authors: Hordijk Wim
Published: June 2023

Four decades of snooker rankings are analyzed in terms of prize money distributions. In particular, it is investigated how much these rankings are dominated by the top players, and also by players from the UK. The main conclusions are that (1) with an increasing total amount of available prize money, the rankings are less dominated by the top players, and (2) players from the UK have historically earned a significantly larger share of the available prize money than could reasonably be expected based on the overall percentage of UK players.
A Package of Script Codes, POSIBIOM for Vegetation Acoustics; POSIdonia BIOMass
Authors: Mutlu Erhan
Published: June 2023

Macrophytes and seagrasses play a crucial role with a variety of the functions in the marine ecosystem and respond synchronized-promptly to the changing climate, followed by ecological status. Monitoring of the seagrasses was one of the paramount topics at the marine environment. One of the fast monitoring techniques is the vegetation acoustics with the advantages compared to the other remote sensing techniques. The acoustic method alone is ambitious to sea-truth identities of the backscatterers at the sea. Therefore, a package of computer programs was developed to identify, estimate leaf biometrics (leaf length and biomass) of one of the common seagrasses, Posidonia oceanica. Some troubleshooting in the acoustical data were fixed and then solved to reach the estimates regarding to the matters encountered for the vegetation as well as fisheries and plankton acoustics. One of the trouble was the “Lost” bottom which occurred during the data collection and post-processing due to occurrence of the acoustical noises, reverberations, interferences and intense scatterers suchlike fish schools. Another problem to remove was the occurrence as studying the near-bottom echoes belonging to submerged vegetations such as seagrasses, followed by spurious echoes. Last one was recognition of the seagrass to estimate leaf length and biomass calibrating the sheaths/vertical rhizome of the seagrass and establishing relationships between acoustical units and biometrics, respectively. As a consequence, an autonomous package of the code written in language MatLab was developed to perform all processes, and the name of the package was abbreviated as POSIBIOM, POSIdonia BIOMass. This study presented the algorithms, methodology, acoustics-biometrics relation, and mapping of the biometrics for the first time, and discussed advantages and disadvantages of the package compared to the software purposed for the bottom types, habitat and vegetation acoustic. The future studies were recommended to improve the package.
Effects of Algal Extracellular Polymeric Substances on the Formation of Filamentous Manganese Oxide Particles in the near-Bottom Layer of Lake Biwa
Authors: Furuta Seiko , Ikegaya Hisato , Fujibayashi Megumu , Hashimoto Hideki , Suzuki Shiro , Okano Kunihiro , Ichise Satoshi , Miyata Naoyuki
Published: June 2023

Filamentous manganese (Mn) oxide particles, which occur in the suboxic zone of stratified waterbodies, are important drivers of diverse elemental cycles. Although these particles are considered to be bacteriogenic, the environmental factor responsible for their formation has not been identified. Based on this study of laboratory cultures of a model Mn(II)-oxidizing bacterium, the supply of algal extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) was shown to stimulate Mn(II) oxidation and thus the production of filamentous Mn oxide particles. This observation was consistent with results obtained for naturally occurring particles collected from a near-bottom layer (depth of ~90 m) in the northern basin of Lake Biwa, Japan, that is, most Mn particles resembling delta-MnO2 were associated with an EPS-like gelatinous matrix, which contained dead algal cells and was lectin-stainable. In the lake water column, EPS produced by photosynthesis sank to the bottom layer. The analysis of the quality of water samples, which have been collected from the study site for 18 years, reveals that the annual average total phytoplankton biovolume in the surface layer correlates with the density of filamentous Mn particles in the near-bottom layer. Among different phytoplankton species, green algae appeared to be the key species. The results of this study suggest that algal EPS production induces the formation of filamentous Mn oxide particles in the near-bottom layer of the northern basin of Lake Biwa.