bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Problem-Based Learning Integration in Stem Education to Improve Environmental Literation
Authors: Widowati Chairunnisa , Purwanto Agung , Akbar Zarina
Published: August 2021

This study aims to see the integration of problem-based learning in STEM education can improve the environmental literacy of elementary education students. The research is qualitative and uses the literature study method. Searching journals from the Science Direct search engine, Science Education Journal, ERIC, Google search engine, and others with the keywords Problem-Based Learning, Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), environmental literacy, scientific literacy resulted in 3,298 journals. Derived from Sciencedirect 2016 journals, ERIC 873 journals, Indonesian Science Education Journal 49 journals. Through the above process, 8 journals were obtained. The appropriate journal was then analyzed and extracted. Journals that mostly show the STEM integrated Problem Based Learning learning method as one of the learning methods which is expected to be able to increase the literacy of students. This achievement is determining environmental problems, initiating ideas, mastering environmental problems, controlling environmental problems, creating products as a form of overcoming environmental problems and testing these products. This is because environment-based learning is effective in improving the attitudes and knowledge of students. Based on the results of the literature review, it can show that the application of STEM education that is integrated with the PBL learning model can improve environmental literacy in basic education students.
Fulfillment of the Principle of Justice in Making Birth Certificates for Children Born Outside of Legal Marriage Between Both Parents
Authors: Purwasaputri RR. Alysia Gita , Sudarsono Sudarsono , Fadli Moh.
Published: August 2021

The problem in this study is related to the fulfillment of the principle of justice in making birth certificates intended for children born outside of marriage which is carried out legally between the two parents.  This article is normative juridical research with a statutory and conceptual approach.  The results of this legal research show that the principle of justice for illegitimate children can be fulfilled by adjusting the provisions regarding the making and issuance of birth certificates for illegitimate children based on the provisions on the status of illegitimate children in the Indonesia Constitutional Court Decision Number: 46/PUU-VIII/2010. Its cause in contrast to the provisions of the Indonesia Marriage Law regarding the distributive status of children outside of marriage, justice for children in the provisions of the status of children outside of marriage in the Indonesia Constitutional Court Decision Number: 46/PUU-VIII/2010 is more commutative. Furthermore, the provisions regarding the status of children out of wedlock in the Constitutional Court Decision Number: 46/PUU-VIII/2010 are teleologically more able to provide benefits and fulfill the purpose of establishing the rule of law and in line with the principle of child protection, namely the best interests of the child. The decision of the Indonesia Constitutional Court Number: 46/PUU-VIII/2010 can be implemented by creating a civil relationship between the child out of wedlock and the biological father and the family of the father. In addition, the Indonesia Constitutional Court Decision Number: 46/PUU-VIII/2010 also has an impact on the administrative field, namely by being able to issue birth certificates for children out of wedlock by including the name of the biological father, so that it is not limited to only including the name of the biological mother.
The Effect of Combined Exercise with Coffee Consumption on Fasting Blood Sugar Levels and Abdominal Obesity in Overweight Middle-aged Prediabetic Men
Authors: Taheri Ali Reza , Talebi Nahid
Published: August 2021

Pre-diabetes is defined as an increase in blood glucose levels above normal, but not to the extent that it is considered diabetes. One way to control the progression of diabetes is to eat a healthy diet and exercise. Accordingly, the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of combined exercise and coffee consumption on fasting blood sugar and middle-aged pre diabetic men. In this study, 44 overweight middle-aged men with (body mass index of 28.3 ± 2.8 kg / m2) were purposefully selected and randomly divided into four groups of 11: Exercise Combination, coffee consumption, combined exercise + coffee consumption and control group were divided. Pre-test and post-test groups including weight, body mass index, percentage of fasting fat and blood glucose were measured 24 hours before and after the project. The training groups then performed the training protocol for 8 weeks, three sessions per minute and 90 minutes each session. The coffee and exercise + coffee group consumed 10 grams of coffee every other day. Data were analyzed using covariance test and significance level of 0.05. The results showed a significant decrease in body mass index, fat percentage and serum concentration of fasting blood glucose in the exercise groups compared to the control group (P> 5%). This study showed that combined exercise with coffee can be effective in controlling fasting blood sugar and abdominal obesity.
Development of Preventive Measures to Eliminate Incomplete Factors in Shoe Manufacturing Enterprises
Authors: Normatova Shakhnoza Anvarovna , Boltaboev Ulugbek Abdusalimovich
Published: August 2021

This research paper describes the development of footwear to optimize the working conditions and maintain the working capacity of workers in Uzbekistan, to raise production to a higher level, to attract future young professionals to these enterprises, to provide them with harmless and comfortable jobs, to bring labor protection in line with world standards. The results of the study of unfavorable factors of production at extractive enterprises and preventive measures to eliminate are described and conclusions are given.
Investigation of the Causes of Violations of the Radioactive Balance between Radionuclides of the Uranium Decay Chain
Authors: T.I. Soliyev , A.M. Muzafarov
Published: August 2021

Throughout the literature, it is mentioned that 15 radionuclides in the uranium decay chain have a constant radioactive equilibrium. Theoretical calculations give the value of the activity of each radionuclide in the uranium decay chain.This article examines various factors that affect the coefficient of radioactive equilibrium between radionuclides in the uranium decay chainThe concept of the coefficient of violations of nuclear equilibrium between radionuclides is adopted to determine the degree of violations in the uranium decay chain.Many nuclear-physical factors influence the radioactive balance between radionuclides. The most important of them is the recoil energy that the daughter nucleus receives when splitting from the mother nucleus.Another critical factor in the violation of the radioactive balance between radionuclides is the technological factor: leaching (acid, mini-reagent, bicarbonate, etc.) when leaching uranium by underground leaching of uranium.In addition, as a theoretical result of the study, the article presents a graphical relationship between the number of nuclear masses and the recoil energy of radionuclides in the uranium decay chain.
Issues of Regulation of Blockchains in the Digital Economy and World Experience in Reducing, Preventing the "Hidden Economy"
Authors: Khidirberdievich Avazov Ergash , Mamadillayevich Ziyodullayev Sodiqjon
Published: August 2021

This article describes the circulation of cryptocurrencies, its characteristics, international regulatory practices, as well as the attitude of Central Banks to cryptocurrencies. In our country proposals for regulating the circulation of cryptocurrencies have been developed. Ensuring regional economic security is an important aspect of regional policy. The main goal in this regard is to increase the competitiveness of the country and its regions. This article analyzes the main factors influencing the "hidden economy", its formation and development.
The Effect of Competence, Independence, Accountability, and Audit Evidence on Audit Quality
Authors: Nugraha Bardan , Syafdinal Syafdinal
Published: August 2021

This study aims to determine the effect of competence, independence, accountability, and audit evidence on audit quality. The sample used in this study were auditors who work at the Public Accounting Firm in Bandung and obtained 36 auditors as respondents. The data source used is primary data obtained by distributing questionnaires. This study uses a non-probability sampling method with purposive sampling technique and multiple linear regression analysis methods using the Statistical Program for Society Science (SPSS) software. Based on the research result, it can be concluded that the variable competence, independence, accountability, and audit evidence partially affects audit quality.
Montelukast and Coronavirus Disease 2019: A Scoping Review
Authors: Sharifinejad Niusha , Sharafian Samin , Salekmoghadam Sana , Tavakol Marzieh , Qorbani Mostafa
Published: August 2021

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an emerging worldwide issue, that has affected a large number of people around the world. So far, many studies have aimed to develop a therapeutic approach against COVID-19. Montelukast (MK) is a safe asthma controller drug, which is considered as a potential antiviral drug for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). This review has a systematic approach to investigate the reports on the use of MK as a part of treatment or a prophylactic agent in COVID-19. The search was conducted in PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus databases and yielded 35 studies containing the influence of MK on SARS-CoV-2. Ultimately, MK appears to be worth being used as an adjuvant therapeutic and prophylactic drug against SARS-CoV-2. Nevertheless, more clinical trials are required to accurately investigate its effectiveness.
Los efectos de estado de la política pública ambiental en territorios indígenas
Authors: Biffi Isla Valeria
Published: August 2021

A partir de la implementación de un programa de conservación de bosques en comunidades nativas, analizo cómo población indígena entiende al Estado como institución rectora ambiental y cómo se desempeña como usuaria de política pública. Los resultados de este estudio etnográfico sugieren que la implementación del esquema de incentivos económicos para la conservación genera una débil conexión estatal como institución ambiental, pero refuerza su papel como proveedor de oportunidades de desarrollo. Con este programa, la población indígena ha construido interpretaciones alternativas a la conservación de bosques como un activo para atraer futuras oportunidades de desarrollo y de los incentivos económicos como recompensas y propinas. Finalmente, estas desviaciones sobre la conciencia ambiental del programa se entienden por el fuerte componente administrativo sobre la rendición de cuentas que las comunidades hacen al Estado. De hecho, el principal efecto de estado del programa es la burocratización de las comunidades, con el fin de que puedan adaptarse al ideal estatal de instalar la cultura de la auditoría.
Ovarian Expression Profile of KISS1 and NGF Genes in Indian Goat
Authors: Dige Mahesh Shivananad , Mishra Chinmoy , Singh Manoj Kumar , Bhusan Saket , Kaushik Rakesh , Rout Pramod Kumar
Published: August 2021

Background: Litter size is one of the most important economic traits that translates into higher returns for farmers. KISS 1 and NGF genes plays significant role in female reproduction. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the potential variation in the of expression levels of KISS1 and NGF genes in ovarian tissue of two different goat breeds with diverse prolificacy. Methods: Phenotypic records pertaining to litter size of Barbari and Jamunapari goats were collected. Total RNA was extracted from both breeds' ovarian tissues for real-time PCR quantification of the KISS1 and NGF genes, using GAPDH and β-actin as endogenous controls. The target gene’s expression levels were measured and the fold-change was determined. Result: The phenotypic recording revealed that Barbari goats are more prolific in nature than Jamunapari goats. The expression levels of KISS1 and NGF genes were higher in Barbari goat and lower in Jamunapari goat (P less than 0.05). The results of this study can be used to further discover the crucial role of KISS1 and NGF genes in reproduction for improving the prolificacy in goats.
O LUGAR DO DISCURSO E A GUERRA DE NARRATIVAS: a imprensa política no Maranhão Oitocentista
Authors: SANTOS EDYENE MORAES DOS
Published: August 2021

Este artigo pretende apresentar um breve apanhado sobre os impressos políticos e sua influência nos contextos que contribuíram para a construção do Estado Nacional. A imprensa Oitocentista no Maranhão foi peça importantíssima para dimensionar debates em torno da vida político-partidária da província e ajudou a desencadear ações que demandaram medidas do Estado Imperial. As relações entre jornais, partidos, classes políticas e governo serão o objeto de análise deste artigo, considerando as dimensões que as narrativas sobre os fatos e o discurso político jornalístico alcançaram na vida sociopolítica do Maranhão no século XIX.
Impact of Short-Duration Research Experiences on STEM Self-Efficacy among Early-Stage, Rural, First-Generation College Students
Authors: Hanna Jandy , Carreon Hannah , Fultz Micheal , Harvey Erica , Howley Caitlin , Norton Michael , Richards-Babb Michelle , Riley Sarah , Sine Abby , Heatherly Sue Ann
Published: August 2021

In rural West Virginia, the First2 Network aims to improve STEM persistence by including students in creating solutions to STEM attrition. A research program for rising first-year students in STEM majors is discussed here. The authors assessed students’ STEM education and career plans, identity, efficacy, and sense of school of belonging before and after the program. Students’ STEM identity, efficacy, and school belonging improved after participation.
Attributes of 3D Computer Models for Learning the Structure of Atom by Undergraduate Science Teacher’s Students
Authors: Akıllı Mustafa
Published: August 2021

This paper focuses on examining the effectiveness of three-dimensional (3D) computer models on student teachers’ academic achievement, mental model construction, and spatial ability used in learning the “atomic models” topic in this study. The students were randomly assigned into two groups: the treatment group (TG) where 3D computer models were used and the control group (CG) where models were not used for teaching. The treatment group was instructed using 3D computer models, while the traditional learning process was adopted in the control group. With the help of SPSS software, the independent-groups t-test and one way MANOVA were performed between the control and treatment groups. Cohen’s d and eta-squared values were calculated for the effects of the computer models. Through this study, it was seen that the instruction using 3D computer models contributed to students' achievement, mental model construction, and spatial ability more than the traditional instructional process.
Microfinance Banks, Small and Medium Scale Enterprises and COVID-19 Pandemic in Nigeria
Authors: Adebola Bako Yusuf , Adebola Oyegoke Adebusola , Florence Idowu Afolasade , Ayomitunde Aderemi Timothy
Published: August 2021

Corona virus otherwise known as COVID-19 has left indelible marks on both human beings and businesses globally. When the virus emerged in Wuhan, China in late 2019, it was viewed as China`s problem. Nobody ever envisioned that the novel virus could spread and result into global pandemic within few months. Meanwhile, the aftermath effects of COVID-19 on various socio-economic activities might not be different from global financial crisis of 2008, which left no economy unaffected. Against this backdrop this study was carried out with a view to investigating the impact of microfinance credit on entrepreneurship development amidst COVID-19 pandemic using some selected small and medium enterprises engaging in essentials such as food and consumables, oil and gas and pharmaceuticals in Sango-Ota industrial estate of Ogun state, Nigeria. Primary data were collected with the aid of well-structured set of questionnaire from 100 SMEs which was done purposively. After subjecting the collected data to a rigorous analysis, it was discovered that over 90% of enterprises under investigation used microfinance credit for their businesses during COVID-19 pandemic. Similarly, the study submitted that micro credit increased the stock of goods of the selected and at same time orchestrated a moderate rise in profit for the majority of the SMEs selected for the survey. Consequently, the important findings that originated from this study brought the following recommendations for the policy makers, financial institution and all the stakeholders engaging in SMEs in Nigeria that credit from micro finance has the capacity to facilitate the development of entrepreneurship through expansion of outputs and profitability of SMEs in Nigeria. And as such, the policymakers in Nigeria should create an enabling environment that will facilitate microfinance institution to provide better credit and other financial facilities to SMEs in the country.
La Consommation d’Alcool durant la Grossesse
Authors: Fruscione Margaux , Franco Renata da Rocha Campos , Xavier Maria Raul
Published: August 2021

Objectif: Comprendre les attitudes, les pensées et les sentiments qui empêchent ou favorisent la consommation d'alcool avant et pendant la grossesse. Méthode: recherche descriptive qualitative avec vingt femmes enceintes, non diagnostiquées comme dépendantes de l'alcool. Procédure: application du questionnaire AUDIT avec une description des caractéristiques de la consommation avant et pendant la grossesse; et un guide d'entretien semi-structuré divisé qui couvre les thèmes suivants: la consommation d'alcool et ses circonstances; informations et connaissances sur les conséquences de la consommation d'alcool pendant la grossesse; dépistage et prévention. Résultats: Les boissons les plus consommées sont principalement le vin, la bière et le champagne. Le risque de conséquences néfastes pour le bébé est la première raison de la décision d'arrêter de boire pendant la grossesse, et l’on note surtout une hésitation par rapport aux conséquences de la consommation d'alcool pendant la grossesse.
Relações Entre Crenças, Atitudes e Saúde Mental de Idosos na Pandemia da covid-19
Authors: Ferreira Heloisa Gonçalves
Published: August 2021

Contextualização do tema e problema: A saúde mental de idosos encontra-se em risco durante pandemia da covid-19. Características da amostra: 384 idosos usuários da Internet. Instrumentos: Questionário (informações sociodemográficas, crenças/atitudes sobre covid-19), PHQ-2 para avaliar depressão, versão curta UCLA-BR para aferir solidão, escala de Suporte Social e Escala Breve de Resiliência. Procedimento: Idosos responderam on-line aos instrumentos para investigar frequências e relações entre indicadores de saúde mental e crenças/atitudes. Resultados: 15,1% apresentaram triagem positiva para depressão. Autoconfiança para realizar isolamento domiciliar relacionou-se significativamente com menor frequência de saídas de casa e melhores índices de saúde mental. Piores índices de saúde mental associaram-se a uma percepção mais forte sobre a ameaça da covid-19 à saúde. Discussão: A autoconfiança em realizar isolamento domiciliar e as crenças sobre a gravidade e vulnerabilidade à doença são componentes psicológicos relevantes de serem trabalhados em intervenções para promoção da saúde mental e maior adesão ao isolamento domiciliar.
Sobrecarga Emocional ante a Malformação Congênita e o Enfrentamento de Cuidadoras
Authors: Cunha Ana Cristina Barros , Sales Elora Correia , Silva Patricia Pinheiro da , De Albuquerque Karolina Alves
Published: August 2021

Casos de crianças com malformações congênitas aumentaram após a epidemia de infecção pelo vírus Zika, resultando em impacto e sobrecarga emocional para cuidadores. O objetivo deste estudo foi analisar a sobrecarga emocional e o enfrentamento da malformação congênita por cuidadoras parentais. Doze cuidadoras, pacientes da Maternidade-Escola da Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), responderam aos instrumentos: Protocolo de Dados Gerais, Questionário “Momento da Notícia”, Escala de Enfrentamento de Problemas e Escala de Impacto da Sobrecarga sobre Cuidadores (Zarit Burden Interview Scale). Estratégias de “Busca por práticas religiosas” e “Focadas no problema” foram as mais adotadas pelas cuidadoras, que apresentaram nível de sobrecarga emocional leve a moderado. Conclui-se que a malformação congênita deve ser considerada como um importante estressor para a família.
Reasons that Lead Women to Weight Loss: A Study in Southern Brazil
Authors: Rompkovski Cintia Stadtlober , Lourenço Mariane Lemos , Balbi María Eugenia , Fedalto Mayra Bruna , Carvalho Denise Maria Woranovicz
Published: August 2021

The objective of this study was to understand why adult women in Brazil desire and attempt to lose weight. In a qualitative approach using semi-structured interviews, participants were 25 adult women in southern Brazil aged 19-59 who have tried to lose weight or modify their bodies. Thematic categories emerged: motivations and influences to lose weight, external and internal pressure to lose weight, and influences from the media and the ideal of beauty which point to factors like the media, family, and society step in nutritional education of Brazilian women. These factors influence decisions related to weight loss and pursuit of a beautiful body; this cult of thinness influences women to lose weight and makes physical appearance an essential dimension of the female identity. Programs are also needed that regulate the media in its use of models involving standards of beauty which are followed and copied by the general population.
UJI NILAI GIZI DAN KAPASITAS ANTIOKSIDAN PADA LOLOH TANAMAN CEMCEM (Spondias Pinnata (L.F) Kurz.) DAERAH DESA BEBALANG, KECAMATAN BANGLI, KABUPATEN BANGLI, BALI
Authors: Aryasa I Wayan Tanjung , Artini Ni Putu Rahayu , Juliari Putu Gede Ayu Erika
Published: August 2021

Masyarakat Bali tentunya sudah tidak asing lagi dengan minuman penuh khasiat yang bernama Loloh Cemcem. Minuman khas desa terbersih di Bali, yakni Penglipuran, Bangli ini merupakan minuman sejenis jamu yang kini sudah tersohor di seluruh wilayah luar Bangli. Daun cemcem adalah tanaman herbal yang diolah sebagai bahan baku untuk membuat loloh cemcem. Mulai dari memetik daun cemcem, mencuci, kemudian dimasukan ke dalam mesin penggilingan selanjutnya disaring untuk mendapatkan sarinya. Loloh cemcem memiliki rasa asam, manis, asin dan sedikit pahit. Rasa asam dari loloh cemcem didapat dari komposisi tamarin alias buah asam. Kemudian rasa manis dan asin didapat dari komposisi gula juga garam. Sedangkan rasa pahit didapat dari daun cemcem. Dari latar belakang tersebut perlu dilakukan penelitian untuk melihat nilai gizi dan kapasitas antioksidan dar loloh cemcem.  Untuk melakukan penelitian ini dialakukan dengan beberapa metode analisis untuk penentuan kadar protein mengggunakan metode Kjeldahl, penentuan kadar karbohidrat menggunakan metode anthrone, penentuan kadar lemak menggunakan metode titrasi, penentuan vitamin C menggunkan metode spektrofotometri UV-Vis dan menentukan kapasitas antioksidan menggunakan metode DPPH. Dari pengujian didapatkan hasil loloh cemecem 1 dan loloh cemcem 2 untuk kadar protein sebesar 0,7631% dan  0,7647%, untuk kadar karbohidrat  sebesar 4,2779% dan 3,1700%, untuk kadar lemak sebesar 0,0087% dan 0,0017%, kadar vitamin C sebesar  26,7932 mg/100 g dan 27,0748 mg/100 g, dan kapasitas antioksidan sebesar 23,50 mg/L GAEAC dan 25,38 mg/L GAEAC.
Epithelial Ablation of Miro1/Rhot1 GTPase Leads to Mitochondrial Dysfunction and Lung Inflammation by Cigarette Smoke
Authors: Sharma Shikha , Wang Qixin , Muthumalage Thivanka , Rahman Irfan
Published: August 2021

Cigarette smoke (CS) exposure results in lung damage and inflammation through mitochondrial dysfunction. Mitochondria quality control is sustained by Miro1 (Rhot1), a calcium-binding membrane-anchored GTPase by its interaction with PINK1/Parkin during mitophagy. However, the exact mechanism that operates this interaction of mitophagy machinery in Miro1 degradation and CS-induced mitochondrial dysfunction that results in lung inflammation remains unclear. We hypothesized that mitochondrial Miro1 plays an important role in regulating mitophagy machinery and resulting lung inflammation by CS in mouse lung. We showed a role of Miro1 in CS-induced mitochondrial dysfunction and quality control mechanisms. The Rhot1Fl/Fl (WT) and lung epithelial cell-specific Rhot1 KO were exposed to mainstream CS for 3 days (acute) and 4 months (chronic). The cellular infiltration, cytokines, and lung histopathology were studied for the inflammatory response in the lungs. Acute CS exposure showed a notable increase in the total inflammatory cells, macrophages, and neutrophils associated with inflammatory mediators and Miro1 associated mitochondrial quality control proteins Parkin and OPA1. Chronic exposure showed an increase infiltration of total inflammatory cells and neutrophils versus air controls. Histopathological changes, such as pulmonary macrophages and neutrophils were increased in CS exposed mice. The epithelial Miro1 ablation led to augmentation of inflammatory cell infiltration with alteration in the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines and histopathological changes. Thus, CS induces disruption of mitochondrial quality control mechanisms, and Rhot1/Miro1 mediates the process of CS-induced mitochondrial dysfunction ensuing lung inflammatory responses.
Sustainability Challenge of Eastern Europe - Historical Legacy, Belt and Road Initiative, Population Ageing and Migration
Authors: Jakovljevic Mihajlo , Cerda Arcadio A. , Liu Yansui , García Leidy Y. , Timofeyev Yuriy , Krstic Kristijan , Fontanesi John
Published: August 2021

Historical legacy of Eastern European and Balkans’ health systems was mutually interdependent and shaped by local socioeconomic circumstances. Three distinctive systems of risk sharing and health financing to develop since the late XIX century were the Bismarck, Beveridge, and Semashko systems. Modern day healthcare systems in these countries are challenged by population ageing, accelerated innovation in medical technology, growing purchasing power and rising demand for healthcare services. Supply side changes contribute to demand side efficiency bottlenecks in financing, driving the costs of the already expensive medical care up. All of the nations have a large share of citizens experiencing difficulty with affordability and access to medical care, particularly in rural and remote areas. Network of Health technology assessment agencies have mushroomed over the past three decades. Principles of health economics theory and cost-effective resource allocation are slowly gaining ground in governing authorities’ mindset and decision-making process. For many years to come, pharmaceuticals and medical services will remain dependent on out-of-pocket spending. Currently accelerating and spreading 4.0 Industrial Revolution, together with the Belt and Road Initiative, are likely to substantially impact the further economic development of this vast region. Post-Pandemic ‘Green’ Recovery strategies adopted by many of the Eastern European governments shall also make this transition towards sustainable development more difficult and challenging given the large dependency of all these economies upon traditional carbon fuels.
Urban Planning, Information Technology and Artificial Intelligence: The Theory of Evolution
Authors: Das Anutosh
Published: August 2021

This article is an effort to scrutinize the role of Information Technology development in the chronological transformation of Urban Planning domain using the exploratory research approach. In this research, it is argued that the theoretical and practical understanding of Urban Planning should absorb and integrate the bright outcome of the rise of Information and Technology to foster congruent future urban development. The article addresses the trends of transformation in the urban planning domain through the myopic lens of the expansion of information and communications technology era followed by investigating the key drivers shaping the interaction between modern-day urban planning and information technology considering both the dark and bright sides into account.
Perfect Reconciliation in Quantum Key Distribution with Order-Two Frames
Authors: Lizama-Pérez Luis Adrián , López-Romero José Mauricio
Published: August 2021

We present an error reconciliation method for Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) that corrects 100% of errors generated in regular binary frames transmitted over a noisy quantum channel regardless of the quantum channel error rate.
In a previous investigation, we introduced a novel distillation QKD algorithm whose secret key rate descends linearly with respect to the channel error rate. Now, as the main achievement of this work, we demonstrate an improved algorithm capable of retaining almost all the secret information enclosed in the regular binary frames. Remarkably, this technique increases quadratically the secret key rate as a function of the double matching detection events and doubly quadratically in the number of the quantum pulses. Furthermore, this reconciliation method opens up the opportunity to use less attenuated quantum pulses, would allow greater QKD distances at drastically increased secret key rate. Since our method can be implemented as a software update, we hope that quantum key distribution technology would be fast deployed over global data networks in the quantum era.
Effects of a Brief e-Learning Resource on Sexual Attitudes and Beliefs of Healthcare Professionals Working in Prostate Cancer Care: A Single Arm Pre and Post‐Test Study
Authors: McCaughan Eilis M. , Flannagan Carrie , Parahoo Kader , Bingham Sharon L. , Brady Nuala , Connaghan John , Maguire Roma , Thompson Samantha , Jain Suneil , Kirby Michael , O'Connor Seán R.
Published: August 2021

Sexual issues and treatment side effects are not routinely discussed with men receiving treatment for prostate cancer and support to address these concerns is not consistent across settings. This study evaluates a brief e-learning resource designed to improve sexual wellbeing support and examine its effects on healthcare professionals’ sexual attitudes and beliefs. Healthcare professionals (n=44) completed an online questionnaire at baseline which included a modified 12-item sexual attitudes and beliefs survey (SABS). Follow-up questionnaires were completed immediately after the e-learning and at 4 weeks. Data were analysed using one-way, repeat measures ANOVAs to assess change in attitudes and beliefs over time. Significant improvements were observed at follow-up for a number of survey statements including ‘knowledge and understanding’, ‘confidence in discussing sexual wellbeing’ and the extent to which participants felt ‘equipped with the language to initiate conversations’. The resource was seen as concise, relevant to practice, and as providing useful information on potential side effects of treatment. Brief, e-learning has potential to address barriers to sexual wellbeing communication and promote delivery of support for prostate cancer survivors. Practical methods and resources should be included with these interventions to support implementation of learning and long-term changes in clinical behaviour.
Metabolic and Lipoprotein Profiling of Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma Patients of African Ancestry
Authors: Elebo Nnenna , Omoshoro-Jones Jones , Fonteh-Fru Pascaline , Devar John , De Wet van Zyl Christiaan , Vorster Barend Christiaan , Smith Martin , Cacciatore Stefano , Zerbini Luiz F. , Candy Geoffrey , Nweke Ekene Emmanuel
Published: August 2021

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a lethal cancer with a characteristic dysregulated metabolism. Abnormal clinicopathological features linked to defective metabolic and inflammatory response pathways can induce PDAC development and progression. In this study, we investigated the metabolites and lipoproteins profiles of PDAC patients of African ancestry. Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy was conducted on serum obtained from consenting individuals (34 PDAC, 6 Chronic Pancreatitis, and 6 healthy participants). Seventy-five signals were quantified from each NMR spectrum. The Liposcale test was used for lipoprotein characterization. Spearman’s correlation and Kapan Meier tests were conducted for correlation and survival analyses respectively. In our patient cohort, the results demonstrated that levels of metabolites involved in the glycolytic pathway increased with the tumour stage. Raised ethanol and 3-hydroxybutyrate were independently correlated with a shorter patient survival time, irrespective of tumour stage. Furthermore, increased levels of bilirubin resulted in an abnormal lipoprotein profile in PDAC patients. Additionally, we observed that the levels of a panel of metabolites (such as glucose, lactate) and lipoproteins correlated with those of inflammatory markers. Taken together, the metabolic phenotype can help distinguish PDAC severity and be used in predicting patient survival and in informing treatment intervention.
Preparative, extraction, and analytical methods for simultaneous determination of legacy and insensitive munition (IM) constituents in aqueous, soil or sediment, and tissue matrices
Authors: Crouch Rebecca , Smith Jared , Stromer Bobbi , Hubley Christian , Beal Samuel , Lotufo Guilherme , Butler Afrachanna , Wynter Michelle , Rosado Dale , Russell Amber , Coleman Jessica , Clausen Jay , Bednar Anthony
Published: August 2021

No standard method exists for determining levels of insensitive munition (IM) compounds in environmental matrices. This project resulted in new methods of extraction, analytical separation and quantitation of 17 legacy and 7 IM compounds, daughter products of IM, and other munition compounds absent from USEPA Method 8330B. Extraction methods were developed for aqueous (direct-injection and solid-phase extraction [SPE]), soil, sediment, and tissue samples using laboratory-spiked samples. Aqueous methods were tested on 5 water sources, with 23 of 24 compounds recovered within DoD QSM Ver5.2 limits. New solvent extraction (SE) methods enabled recovery of all 24 compounds from 6 soils within QSM limits, and a majority of the 24 compounds were recovered at acceptable levels from 4 tissues types. A modified chromatographic treatment method removed analytical interferences from tissue extracts. Two orthogonal high-performance liquid chromatography-ultraviolet (HPLC-UV) separation methods, along with an HPLC–mass spectrometric (HPLC-MS) method, were developed. Implementing these new methods should reduce labor and supply costs by approximately 50%, requiring a single extraction and sample preparation, and 2 analyses rather than 4. These new methods will support environmental monitoring of IM and facilitate execution of risk-related studies to determine long-term effects of IM compounds.
Students’ Perspectives on Satisfaction with Distance Education in Ghana: A Cluster Analysis
Authors: Agyapong Kingsley
Published: August 2021

This study sought to categorise students based on the preferences that influenced their choice of distance education program in Ghana.  Questionnaires were used to collect data from 120 students taking part in the University of Education, Winneba (UEW) distance education (DE) programme at the Kumasi Girls Senior High School [SHS] Study Center. Respondents were segmented into three clusters (highly, moderately, and least satisfied) based on four preferences (price, quality, packaging, and social boding) that influenced their satisfaction with the distance education programme. Results from both hierarchical and non-hierarchical cluster analysis with squared Euclidean distance and Ward’s method showed that the highly satisfied cluster was driven by the quality of service and the competitive fees structure of the UEW distance education programme. Further analysis of the differences between the clusters indicated that satisfaction with the UEW distance programme significantly differs across the three segments.
Agronomic Performance and Flowering Behavior in Response to Photoperiod and Vernalization in Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) Genotypes with Contrasting Drought Tolerance Behavior
Authors: Abu-Elenein Jamal , Al-Sayaydeh Rabea , Akkeh Zahera , Al-Ajlouni Zakaria , Al-Bawalize AbdRaheem A. , Hasan Shireen , Alhindi Tareaq , Albdaiwi Randa , Ayad Jamal Y. , Al-Abdallat Ayed M.
Published: August 2021

In dry environments, the appropriate matching of reproductive development with water availability is considered very crucial for crop success. In this study, the role of variations in flowering time and drought tolerance in selected barley genotypes with contrasting drought tolerance behavior was studied under field and controlled conditions. For this purpose, field trials were conducted for two consecutive seasons at three diverse locations where the studied genotypes were subjected to either rainfed conditions or rainfed plus supplementary irrigation under two different sowing dates. Furthermore, reproductive meristem development was assessed in two selected barley genotypes, Rum (drought tolerant) and Steptoe (drought-sensitive), in response to both vernalization and water stress under two different photoperiod conditions. Variation in the number of days to heading was more pronounced under rainfed conditions than under well-water conditions. For agronomic performance, Rum was superior under all tested environments, which assures its general adaptability to dry environments. Under controlled conditions, the transition to reproductive meristem was faster under vernalized long-day conditions compared to vernalized short-day conditions. The progress of shoot apical meristem development and heading under long-day conditions was significantly faster in Rum compared to Steptoe. A pronounced effect of drought stress was observed on shoot apical meristem development in Steptoe. Under short-day conditions, vernalized Rum plants subjected to drought showed an advanced meristem development stage and a significantly earlier heading compared to non-stressed plants. This early heading in stressed Rum plants under short-day conditions was accompanied by higher gene expression of the Vrn-H1 and Vrn-H3 genes. In conclusion, the integration of vernalization and photoperiod signals in drought-tolerant barley genotypes was associated with early flowering time and higher productivity in dry environments.
Modeling SARS-CoV-2 substitution processes: predicting the next variant
Authors: Hallak Keren Levinstein , Rosset Saharon
Published: August 2021

We build statistical models to describe the substitution process in the SARS-CoV-2 as a function of explanatory factors describing the sequence, its function, and more. These models serve two different purposes: first, to gain knowledge about the evolutionary biology of the virus; and second, to predict future mutations in the virus, in particular, non-synonymous amino acid substitutions creating new variants. We use tens of thousands of publicly available SARS-CoV-2 sequences and consider tens of thousands of candidate models.
Through a careful validation process, we confirm that our chosen models are indeed able to predict new amino acid substitutions: candidates ranked high by our model are eight times more likely to occur than random amino acid changes. We also show that named variants of interest were highly ranked by our models before their appearance, emphasizing the value of our models for identifying likely variants of interest and potentially utilizing this knowledge in vaccine design and other aspects of the ongoing battle against COVID-19.
Ferulic Acid Inhibits Catamenial Epilepsy Through Modulation of Female Hormones
Authors: Dhillon Harleen Kaur , Singh Tanveer , Goel Rajesh Kumar
Published: August 2021

Approximately 40% of women with epilepsy experience perimenstrual seizure exacerbation, referred to as catamenial epilepsy. These seizures result from cyclic changes in circulating progesterone and estradiol levels and there is no effective treatment for this form of intractable epilepsy. We artificially increased progesterone levels and neurosteroid levels (pseudo-pregnancy) in adult Swiss albino female mice (19-23 g) by injecting them with pregnant mares' serum gonadotropin (5 IU s.c.), followed by human chorionic gonadotropin (5 IU s.c.) after 46 hours. After this, ferulic acid (25, 50, 100 mg/kg i.p.) treatment was observed for 10 days. During treatment, progesterone, estradiol, and corticosterone levels were estimated in blood on days 1, 5, and 10. Neurosteroid withdrawal was induced by finasteride (50 mg/kg, i.p.), a 5 α-reductase inhibitor on treatment day 9. Twenty-four hours after finasteride administration (day 10 of treatment), seizure susceptibility was evaluated with the sub-convulsant pentylenetetrazol (PTZ) dose (40 mg/kg i.p.). Four to six hours after PTZ, animals were assessed for depression like phenotypes using tail-suspension test (TST). Four to six hours following TST, animals were euthanized, and discrete brain parts (cortex and hippocampus) were separated for estimation of norepinephrine, serotonin, and dopamine as well as glutamic acid decarboxylase enzyme activity. PMSG and HCG treatment elevated progesterone and estradiol levels, assessed on days 1, 5, and 10 causing a state of pseudo-pregnancy. Treatment with finasteride increases seizure susceptibility and depression-like characteristics possibly due to decreased progesterone levels and elevated estrogen levels coupled with decreased monoamine and elevated corticosterone levels. Ferulic acid treatment, on the other hand, significantly decreased seizure susceptibility and depression like behaviours, possibly as a result of increased progesterone, restored estradiol, corticosterone, monoamine, and glutamic acid decarboxylase enzyme activity. We concluded that ferulic acid exhibited antiepileptic effects in a mouse model of catamenial epilepsy and comorbid depression due to its restorative effects on circulating hormones and cerebral monoamine and glutamic acid decarboxylase enzyme activity.
Analysis of Genetic Variability and Agronomic Performance of Indian Lettuce (Lactuca Indica Linn.)
Authors: Oliya Bal Kumari , Kim Moon Young , Ha Jungmin , Lee Suk Ha
Published: August 2021

Lactuca indica is a undomesticated medicinal crop in the Asteraceae family. Present study was carried out to identify elite genotype for cultivation and breeding improvement of lettuce. Data was recorded for 19 morphological and developmental traits across 38 accessions (Acc). In addition to this, the morphological cluster was compared with the simple sequence repeat (SSR) marker. The genotypic mean square variance was significant for all characters. The higher extent of genotypic and phenotypic coefficient of variation obtained for basal branch, leaf blade width, and node number. The broad-sense heritability (H2B) ranged from 45.85% (seed length) to 98.59% (node number), whereas genetic advance as a percentage of the mean (GAM%) ranged from 9.33 to 191. Vegetative characters such as node number, plant hight, basal branch were conjugated with high H2B and high GAM% indicating additive gene effect and selection of these traits based on phenotypic observation is effective for better gain. Reproductive traits, including bolting duration, flowering duration, and seed weight were linked with high H2B, and moderate GAM% trevealing that these traits are amenable to genetic improvement, these traits also showed a significant positive correlation. Acc 55 and 8 showed the best performance for the majority of the attributes could be good material for further research and breeding. In the Wards’ phylogenetic tree of morphological traits, accessions were clustered based on their phenotypic characters rather than the geographic origin. Morphological characteristics showed no or very week corelation with the SSR genotyped data.
Table-to-Text Generation with Accurate Content Copying
Authors: Yang Yang , Cao Juan , Wen Yujun , Zhang Pengzhou
Published: August 2021

Table-to-text generation is an important task in natural language generation that aims to generate smooth, informative text based on structured data. In this paper, we propose a novel transformer-based autoregressive model that incorporates table content copying and language model based generation. At first, we propose a word transformation method to process a target text. By using target text containing fields and position information, we can help the model learn the relationship between target text and table and gain the position of where to copy. We then propose two auxiliary learning goals: table-text constraint loss and copy loss. Table-text constraint loss is introduced to effectively model table inputs, whereas copy loss is exploited to precisely copy word fragments from a table. In addition, we change the maximization-based text search strategy to reduce the probability of problems such as sentence repetition and inconsistency. On the WIKIBIO dataset, our model improves its BLUE scores from 45.47 to 46.87 and ROUGE scores from 41.54 to 42.28, outperforming state-of-the-art baseline models on automatic evaluation metrics. On the ROTOWIRE test set, compared with the best baseline model, our model gets 4.29% higher on CO metric, and 1.93 points higher on BLEU.
In Situ Atomic-Scale Observation of Dislocation Climb and Grain Boundary Transformation in Nanostructured Metal
Authors: Chu Shufen , Liu Pan , Zhang Yin , Wang Xiaodong , Song Shuangxi , Zhu Ting , Zhang Ze , Han Xiaodong , Sun Baode , Chen Mingwei
Published: August 2021

We report atomic-scale observations of grain boundary (GB) dislocation climb in nanostructured Au during in situ straining at room temperature. Climb of a dislocation occurs by stress-induced reconstruction of two atomic columns at the edge of an extra half atomic plane in the dislocation core. Different from the conventional belief of dislocation climb by destruction or construction of a single atomic column at the dislocation core, the new atomic route is demonstrated to be energetically favorable by Monte Carlo simulations. Our in situ observations also reveal GB transformation through dislocation climb, which suggests a means of controlling microstructures and properties of nanostructured metals.
Complementary Approaches for Military Women with Chronic Pelvic Pain: A Randomized Trial
Authors: Crisp Carol D , Baldi Robert , Fuller Matthew , Abreu Eduardo , Nackley Andrea G
Published: August 2021

Introduction: Active-duty (AD) women suffer with chronic pelvic pain (CPP) while providers tackle diagnoses and treatments to keep them functional without contributing to the opioid epidemic. The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of non-invasive, self-explanatory mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) or self-paced healthy lifestyle (HL) interventions on CPP in AD women.Methods: We conducted a six-week interventional prospective study with AD women aged 21–55 at Mountain Home (MTHM), Idaho. Women were randomly assigned to MBSR (N = 21) or HL (N = 20) interventions. The primary outcome was pain perception. Secondary outcomes were depression and circulating cytokine levels.Results: Women in the MBSR group exhibited reduced pain interference (P < .01) and depression (P < .05) alongside decreased IL-4 (P < .05), IL-6 (P < .05), eotaxin (P < .05), MCP-1 (P = .06), and IL-1ra (P < .01) and increased VEGF (P < .05). Those in the HL group did not have changes in pain, however, did exhibit reduced depression (P < .05) alongside decreased GM-CSF (P < .05) and increased TNFα (P < .05), SDF-1 (P < .01), and IL-1ra (P < .01).Conclusion: AD women receiving MBSR or HL had reduced depression scores and altered circulating cytokine levels, however only those receiving MBSR had reduced pain perception. Findings support MBSR as an effective and viable behavioral treatment for AD women suffering from CPP.