bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A SAÚDE DOS TRABALHADORES DA SAÚDE DURANTE A PANDEMIA DA COVID-19: ENTRE O PRAZER E SOFRIMENTO NO TRABALHO
Authors: Máximo Thaís Augusta , Torres Tatiana , Lopes Maria Luiza Benício , Pereira Antonio Jeimison da Silva
Published: March 2024

Durante a pandemia da Covid-19, que se propagou no Brasil no ano de 2020, a atuação dos trabalhadores da saúde mostrou-se essencial e suscitou a necessidade de atenção à saúde mental desses profissionais. Desta forma, este artigo intenciona investigar e apontar as vivências de prazer e sofrimento experienciadas pelos trabalhadores. Trata-se de uma pesquisa qualitativa que contou com a participação de 51 trabalhadores da saúde da região Nordeste, entre 24 e 60 anos, de diferentes categorias. Foram realizadas entrevistas semiestruturadas, utilizando-se o aporte teórico da Psicodinâmica do Trabalho, construindo-se um corpus textual que foi processado por um software de análise textual. Posteriormente, foi realizada a análise dos dados pelos pesquisadores que apresentaram quatro classes temáticas: Óbito como sofrimento, Estratégias de manutenção da saúde, Reconhecimento no trabalho e Trabalho multiprofissional na pandemia. A partir das análises, destacou-se o reconhecimento no trabalho como peça fundamental para superação do sofrimento, transformando-o em prazer e contribuindo para manutenção da saúde do trabalhador. Sendo assim, mostram-se basilares medidas que preconizem a valorização e reconhecimento dos profissionais, seja ele social, da gestão do trabalho, dentre as categorias, mas principalmente da gestão pública, assumindo o compromisso de oferecer condições de trabalho adequadas.
Application of Peer Teaching in Training Students to Teach Japanese (Mogi Jugyou) in Microteaching Courses
Authors: Herniwati Herniwati , Judiasri Melia Dewi , Funaki Noa
Published: March 2024

This study aims to describe students' use of the peer teaching method in carrying out Japanese teaching practice (mogi jugyou) in microteaching courses. The peer teaching-learning method is a cooperative learning strategy for mutual respect, mutual understanding of the role given, having active and cooperative tendencies, and provides an assessment or evaluation after the teaching process is complete. This study aims to apply peer teaching in Japanese teaching practice (mogi jugyou) for third-year Japanese language education students in microteaching courses. The research method used was quasi-experimental research carried out on 3rd-degree (6th Semester) students with a total of 32 people. The initial stage is to plan teaching practice activities (mogi jugyou), implementation, and process observation of Japanese language teaching activities (mogi jugyou) in class and from teaching videos. The results of the study conclude that peer teaching is expected to make it easier for students to practice teaching Japanese in front of their classmates. Students were able to participate actively and are able to solve problems together using Japanese language teaching practice (mogi jugyou) during lectures. With peer teaching, students are able to practice teaching effectively, and the objectives and goals of the Japanese language learning materials provided can be achieved. It was also concluded that students have higher confidence when teaching students at schools, especially during PLSP.
Immigrant’s Cultural Alienation in Elaine Chiew’s Face
Authors: Sari Tribuana , Hartati Nariswari , Trisnawati Ririn Kurnia , Hadiningrum Indriyati
Published: March 2024

This research focuses on the cultural alienation of an elderly Chinese immigrant narrated in Elaine Chiew’s Face (2019). Face is a story that highlights the life of Yun, an elderly Chinese woman who moves to London and feels alienated from her surroundings. To analyze the data, the descriptive qualitative method and Seeman’s theory of alienation (1959) are employed. This research discovers that alienation undergone by elderly can be resulted from powerlessness, meaninglessness, normlessness, isolation, and self-estrangement. Powerlessness rises when the elderly immigrants could not cope with bullying problem, while feeling meaninglessness comes from their inability in doing productive activities like what they had in their home-land. Incapability to adapt with the culture, norms, and values in the host-country results in their normlessness detaching them more from their surroundings. It worsens due to the language barrier, no same-aged friends, and geriatric bladder issues. Lastly, their social functions that do not work well lead them into self-estrangement. The findings of this research show that cultural alienation experienced by elderly immigrants could lead them into identity crisis.
Values in Dongeng Ditioeng Memeh Hoedjan by Prince Aria Soeria Atmadja for Civic Education: Ethno-pedagogical Study
Authors: Jakawali Gifari , Jamal Mujtaba , Rahman Rahman , Robandi Babang
Published: March 2024

"Ditioeng Memeh Hoedjan" is an ancient literary fable that was created and written by Pangeran Aria Soeria Atmajda, who was also the 20th Regent of Sumedang (1883-1919). This fable contains character values that portray virtuous behaviours that every individual should possess. This study aims to describe and analyze the character values contained in the fable "Ditioeng Memeh Hoedjan" using Sundanese ethno-pedagogical perspectives. The analysis of this fable will be further transformed into a Lesson Plan (RPP) for teaching Civics Education to elementary school students. The research method employed in this study is qualitative descriptive. The data for this research were obtained from the manuscript of the "Ditioeng Memeh Hoedjan" fable, which is housed in the Geusan Ulun Museum in Sumedang. The research findings indicate that out of the ten pages in this fable, ten paragraphs contain character values. Based on the classification, four paragraphs discuss religious values, 1 paragraph discusses integrity values, three paragraphs discuss tolerance values, and two paragraphs discuss creative values. The analysis of these values demonstrates positive behaviours that we can emulate to become knowledgeable individuals, far from being arrogant or conceited. These values can mainly be applied to elementary school students in Civics Education, which upholds the values of Pancasila, such as being obedient to religion, exhibiting friendly behaviour, acquiring knowledge, and avoiding harmful behaviours.
Linguistic Transculturation in Raya and The Last Dragon Movie
Authors: Harida Ratri , Vongphachan Phoutsavad , Putra Tomy Kartika , Arifin Adip
Published: March 2024

Southeast Asia provides a big market for “global” culture. Disney released Raya and the Last Dragon to seize the opportunity. The movie claimed itself as a Southeast Asian-inspired fantasy movie with diverse cultural images. This descriptive research involves collecting and analyzing non-numerical data from articles about Southeast Asian culture, Raya and the Last Dragon, and the movie script. This research focuses on finding the semantic-linguistic traits of transculturation within the movie. The semantic-linguistic transculturation within the movie was shown in 1) the names of the characters, 2) the use of mantra or magical chant, and 3) the use of American English informal contraction, slang, portmanteau, and compound words. Raya and the Last Dragon is a movie that shows linguistic transculturation through the use of the character’s name, words and phrases that relate to South Asian culture, mantras and magical chants, and the use of informal English contractions, slangs, portmanteaux, and compound words. The study of other linguistic transculturation levels will provide challenging goals for the other researchers.
Psychological Analysis of Georgia Cotton in Ticket to Paradise Movie
Authors: Wicahyani Kadek Fania Natasya , Agung I Gusti Ayu Mahatma , Daeli Ritueli
Published: March 2024

A movie is a medium to convey a story that is packed in the form of moving pictures. Conflicts that appear in a movie can influence the psychological aspect of the character, especially the motivation of each character to do something after facing a conflict or having a problem. This study was conducted to analyze how psychological aspects affect the character’s feelings and behavior in a movie entitled “Ticket to Paradise”. This study applied a qualitative method. The data were collected by note-taking the scene in the movie that contained psychological aspects of Georgia Cotton. The study focused on the data that showed action triggered by psychological aspects. The data were categorized and analyzed using Bernhardt's theory of the psychological aspect of human motivation (1945). The findings were presented in a table and explained descriptively. This study identified that the aspect of organic needs or appetites should be fulfilled to reach Georgia’s satisfaction, the aspect of wants could influence Georgia to solve a problem,  Georgia’s behavior was affected by the aspect of emotion, the aspect of feeling and experience influenced Georgia in making a decision, and social motives shown by Georgia as a social creature in a society.
Authors: Pauzi Rizqi Yanuar , Ihtiaringtyas Suci , Wahyudin Wahyudin
Published: March 2024

Resistensi antibiotik saat ini menjadi tantangan global terutama di bidang kesehatan. Tuberculosis merupakan penyakit yang disebabkan oleh bakteri Mycobacterium tuberculosis yang saat ini telah berevolusi menjadi strain-strain yang resisten terhadap antibiotik . Multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) merupakan strain Mycobacterium yang memiliki resistensi terhadap obat-obat TB garis pertama seperti isoniazid dan rifampicin. Penderita TB lebih dari 10 juta orang setiap tahun, sedangkan penderita MDR-TB pada tahun 2022 sekitar 410.000 orang. Pengobatan pada pasien MDR-TB memiliki efek samping berupa toksisitas. Senyawa antimikroba yang berasal dari tumbuhan memiliki potensi dalam menghambat pertumbuhan MDR-TB sehingga bisa digunakan sebagai alternatif pengobatan. Telaah terkini membahas beberapa potensi senyawa tumbuhan terhadap MDR-TB di suatu negara. Artikel ini menyajikan beberapa senyawa antimkroba dari berbagai spesies tumbuhan dari berbagai negara terhadap MDR-TB. Hasil telaah didapatkan sekitar 21 senyawa dari berbagai spesies tumbuhan yang memiliki potensi dalam menghambat MDR-TB. Senyawa-senyawa ini dapat dikembangkan lebih lanjut terutama meneliti efek sampingnya terhadap tubuh sehingga bisa digunakan sebagai alternatif pengobatan MDR-TB.
Authors: Prameswari Shafira Audy , Afifah Afifah , Pratiwi Meidy , Rahmania Firda , Fatah Muhammad Riski , Ningsih Elisa Fitria , Maulana Krisna , Khaerunnisa Ghina Eka Nur
Published: March 2024

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is still a serious health problem that needs attention in Indonesia. Management of this disease can be done with conventional therapy that has been commonly practiced. However, advances in DM treatment approaches have side effects such as hypoglycemic coma, liver disorders, and kidney disorders. The way to overcome this is by combining medicinal plants and conventional therapy. However, the lack of scientific research or testing that illustrates the effectiveness of herbal plants is still a problem in the use of herbal plants. This literature study provides a scientific overview of the effectiveness of herbal extracts as complementary therapy for DM. The literature search was conducted through online data sites PubMed, Science Direct, Research Gate, and Google Scholar using the keywords (Antidiabetic) AND (Herbs) from 2013 to 2023. From the search results, 13 articles were obtained that met the eligibility criteria. Based on tests conducted in each article obtained, all herbal extracts studied have anti-diabetic properties that can reduce blood glucose levels depending on the dose given. This finding suggests that herbal extracts can be utilized as complementary therapy for people suffering from DM.
HUBUNGAN ANTARA PENGETAHUAN, SIKAP DAN PERILAKU DOKTER DAN PERAWAT TERHADAP KUALITAS PELAYANAN MASA PANDEMIK COVID-19 DI RSI BANJARNEGARA
Authors: Nitiprodjo Abdul Hakim , Kusumawinakhyu Titik , Septianawati Paramita , Ujianto Agus
Published: March 2024

Masa pandemik Covid-19 dan adaptasi kebiasaan baru menuntut tenaga medis melakukan pelayanan yang mengutamakan keselamatan pasien dan diri sendiri, namun tetap melakukan tindakan yang menjaga keamanan untuk mengurangi penyebaran virus Covid-19. Pengetahuan akan aturan layanan di masa pandemik serta sikap dan perilaku dokter dan perawat untuk melakukan inovasi pelayanan tetap harus berdasarkan mutu layanan dan standar operasional prosedur. Tujuan penelitian ini menganalisa hubungan antara pengetahuan, sikap dan perilaku dokter dan perawat terhadap kualitas pelayanan di masa pandemik Covid-19. Penelitian ini merupakan deskriptif korelasi dengan pendekatan cross sectional. Populasi penelitian adalah tenaga kesehatan yang meliputi dokter dan perawat yang bekerja di RSI Banjarnegara. Data dianalisis dengan uji korelasi Spearman. Berdasarkan hasil penelitian dari uji analisis dapat disimpulkan bahwa terdapat hubungan bermakna antara pengetahuan, sikap dan perilaku dokter dan perawat terhadap kualitas pelayanan di masa pandemik Covid-19.
Kata kunci: kualitas pelayanan, masa pandemik Covid-19, pengetahuan, perilaku, sikap
Photographic Identification of Tooth Prints After High Temperature Exposure
Authors: Khaerunnisa Rahmadaniah , Oscandar Fahmi , Syukriani Yoni
Published: March 2024

Tooth prints is a very potential tool in forensic identification as the enamel rod patterns on tooth surface is individually unique. This study was aimed to detect changes of tooth prints after teeth were exposed with high temperatures. Forty-five extracted teeth were divided into 5 groups, then exposed to various high temperatures for 15 minutes in a furnace. To ensure practical application, a highly reproducible digital photographic method to detect tooth prints was developed. Before and after the heating process, tooth prints were photographed. The image data was analysed using an open-source biometric software, and the number of matching points of each tooth was compared before and after treatment. Results showed the decreasing number of match points of tooth prints in accord with the increasing of temperature exposure (P < 0.05). The number of tooth print matching points can be confidently observed at temperatures 600°C or lower. The consistence of matching points shows the prospect of tooth print analysis to become a reliable identification method. This digital photography technique offers a straightforward method for routine dental recording in daily practice by dentists and identification by forensic odontologists. It opens further direction for standardization of pattern analysis, database development, and daily protocols.
Keywords:
dental photography; forensic identification; high temperature; tooth prints
TRAUMATIC BRAINSTEM INJURY DUE TO BLUNT FORCE TRAUMA: AN AUTOPSY CASE REPORT
Authors: Wiryaningsih Made Ayu Mira
Published: March 2024

Trauma is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in patients under 35-years of age and the sixth leading cause of death worldwide, but primary traumatic brainstem injury after blunt force trauma to the head is a rare event. A forensic autopsy was performed on a 35 years old female who was found dead in an apartment building with both her hands and feet tied together and mouth closed with duct tape. External examination showed the victim suffered from blunt force trauma to the head, face, both arms and legs. Internal examination of the body showed hematomas on the scalp, temporal muscles and deep neck muscles and organs, subarachnoid, intraventricular and brainstem haemorrhage and contusion, along with signs of asphyxiation. Trauma to the occipital region of the head not only can cause traumatic brain injury but can also cause trauma to the brainstem as a result from acute hyperflexion of the neck. Haemorrhages and contusions of the brainstem can lead to changes in the respiratory system, depending on the location of the lesions. Cause of death was concluded to be force trauma to the occipital region causing primary brainstem injury with the mechanism of death of asphyxia.
CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING: LITERATURE REVIEW
Authors: Levina Gina
Published: March 2024

Carbon monoxide (CO) is known as a colorless, odorless, tasteless, and non irritating gas. CO produced from burning gasoline, wood, charcoal, propane, or other fuels. CO competes with oxygen to bind with Hb, forming COHb and leads to shifting the oxyhemoglobin dissociation curve to the left, reducing oxygen-carrying capacity, and oxygen release into the peripheral tissue. Tissue hypoxia due to CO induces vascular permeability and increased interstitial fluid accumulation with decreased circulating blood volume affecting multiple organs. Three clinical sequences consisted of symptoms consistent with CO poisoning, recent history of CO exposure, and elevated HbCO levels should be present in diagnosing CO poisoning. The current mainstay of CO poisoning treatment is high flow, normobaric (NBO) oxygen therapy administered as soon as possible.
GAMBARAN PEMBUATAN SURAT KETERANGAN KEMATIAN DI RSUD KABUPATEN BULELENG
Authors: Klarisa Klarisa Klarisa
Published: March 2024

Pemberlakuan pembuatan Surat Keterangan Kematian atau sertifikat kematian yang disertai dengan pengisian Surat Keterangan Penyebab Kematian menggunakan format yang dikeluarkan oleh Kementerian Kesehatan di RSUD Kabupaten Buleleng dimulai pada tahun 2020. Tujuan penelitian ini adalah mengetahui gambaran pengisian surat keterangan kematian di RSUD Kabupaten Buleleng setelah diterapkan format SKK yang baru. Penelitian menggunakan data sekunder yang diperoleh dari Instalasi Kedokteran Forensik Pemulasaraan Jenazah sebanyak 721 buah SKK periode November 2021 hingga April 2022 dengan metode deskriptif potong lintang. Hasil menunjukkan sebanyak 10,16% membutuhkan perbaikan yaitu perbaikan pada poin penyebab kematian sebanyak 7,2%, kelompok penyebab kematian 1,1%, pengisian baris kematian sebelum 7 hari sebanyak 1,6%, kekurangan pengisian identitas sebanyak 0,13% dan kesalahan pengisian yang menerangkan Death On Arrival sebanyak 0,13%. Kesimpulannya, pembuatan Surat Keterangan Kematian di RS ini masih membutuhkan perbaikan untuk pengisiannya.
Penerapan Teknologi Tepat Guna Mesin Pemipih Emping Untuk Meningkatkan Produktivitas Perajin Emping Di Sumberadi, Mlati, Sleman
Authors: Sulistyaningsih Eka , Mulyono Aris Budi , Guswantoro Nur Adinda , Melati Adinda Arum Tirta , Herawati Shefina
Published: March 2024

Emping melinjo is a processed product from melinjo whose manufacturing process is by flattening old melinjo fruit which was previously roasted. In the process of making melinjo chips, which is quite time consuming and tiring, is the flattening process. The purpose of this activity is to make a chipping flattening machine to increase the productivity of cracker craftsmen. The chip flattening machine uses a pressing system to optimize the productivity of the melinjo chips home industry in Sumberadi, Sleman..The chip flattening machine uses a driving motor in the form of an electric motor with specifications of HP and an angled iron as the frame.Before being handed over to partners, the machine has been tested for several times at the Materials Testing Laboratory of the AKPRIND Institute of Science & Technology, Yogyakarta.In this test, it was found that the process of flattening melinjo seeds for making chips only takes 10 seconds.It is much more effective than manual creation which takes 3 minutes.In addition, the number of chips produced in the same period of time using the machine will be more than the manual process.
Prevalence of Malocclusions Among Schoolchildren from Southwestern Romania
Authors: Petrescu Stelian-Mihai-Sever , Pisc Radu Mircea , Ioana Tamara , Mărășescu Felicia Ileana , Manolea Horia Octavian , Popescu Mihai Raul , Dragomir Lucian Paul , Dragomir Lucian Constantin , Florea Ștefan , Bărăscu-Petrescu Roxana Adina , Ionescu Mihaela , Rauten Anne-Marie
Published: March 2024

Malocclusions have a continuously increasing prevalence from a generation to another as a result of climate changes, soil, atmosphere and water pollution. All of these aspects have unfavorable consequences on the nutritional scheme. Thus, nutrition together with other etiopathogenic factors contribute to complex alterations in the somatic development of the entire organism and, implicitly, of the cephalic extremity. The study included 4147 children from randomly selected schools from Vâlcea County, Romania. The aim of this study is to determine the prevalence of malocclusions in schoolchildren from Vâlcea County, Romania, according to the three main classes of malocclusions (according to Angle’s classification), age groups (from 6 to 10 years old and from 11 to 14 years old), gender (male and female) and place of origin (rural and urban). It is also aimed to compare the results obtained with similar ones from the specialized literature.
Impacts of a Local Government Funded Free Cat Sterilization Program for Owned and Semi-owned Cats
Authors: Cotterell Jennifer Lee , Rand Jacquie , Barnes Tamsin S. , Scotney Rebekah
Published: March 2024

In Australia, traditional methods of cat management by local government (councils) animal management officers (AMO) have been ineffective, with cat-related calls and cat impoundments continuing to increase, resulting in many healthy cats being euthanized. This has detrimental effects on the mental health of AMOs, pound and shelter staff and veterinarians. The City of Banyule, Victoria implemented a free cat sterilization, microchipping and registration (licensing) program in 2013-14. Initially targeted to three low socioeconomic suburbs with the highest cat-related calls and intake, where enforcement action had little effect. An average of 4.1 cats/1000 residents per year were sterilized over eight years. The program was available to all cats in the area, including stray cats being fed by caregivers, provided they took ownership of the cats. There were no limitations on the number of cats enrolled per household and free transport was provided if required. The program was later expanded city-wide. Over eight years, city-wide cat intake decreased by 66%, euthanasia by 82%, with an increase in proportion of cats reclaimed by owners from a baseline of 6% of intake (2012-13) to 16% (2020-21). Cat-related calls decreased in the target area by 51% and city-wide by 36%. The council’s financial outlay was $84,000, which resulted in decreased costs as-sociated with cat-related calls of $266,225.00. Instead of traditional trap-adopt- kill, proactive management of urban cats based on targeted sterilization should be utilized by government and animal welfare agencies in Australia and internationally. These types of programs are effective at reducing intake and euthanasia and are cost-effective.
The First Two Years of COVID-19 Hospitalization Characteristics and Costs: Results from the National Discharge Registry
Authors: Ferrante Pierpaolo
Published: March 2024

ABSTRACT
Background: To date, the COVID-19 pandemic has been the foremost health concern for humankind in the new millennia. This paper aims to describe the related hospitalizations in Italy during the first two years of the health emergency.
Design and methods: This is a retrospective, population-based study of Italian hospitalizations for patients diagnosed with COVID-19 during the 2020-2021 period, extracted from the National Hospital Discharge Registry. The outcome variables considered include hospital admissions, costs, and length of stay, among other hospitalization-level variables. Costs were estimated through the charges associated with the Diagnosis-Related Group and Major Diagnostic Categories coding system, plus an additional cost attributed to COVID-19 admissions. To these charges was added an extra cost defined by the ministry of health.
Results: In Italy, there were 357,354 hospitalizations for COVID-19 attributed to 298,856 patients in 2020 and 399,043 hospitalizations for COVID-19 attributed to 333,447 patients in 2021. COVID-19 patients faced a transfer rate thrice that of other patients. Hospitalizations were concentrated predominantly in the northern regions, particularly in the first year. Hospitalization rates varied by age in a sine wave pattern, peaking in the youngest and oldest age groups, with mortality rates escalating with age— tending to remain below 3% for those under 44 but surging to 40% in individuals over 75.
The financial impact of COVID-19 hospitalizations was substantial, with total costs reaching €3.97 billion in 2020 and €4.99 billion in 2021. Costs per admission and per day also rose, from €11,112 and €807 in 2020 to €12,503 and €844 in 2021, respectively. Excluding the added financial burden of COVID-19, costs would have been notably lower. Hospitalizations involving continuous invasive mechanical ventilation were particularly costly (about 24.000 euros x admission), reflecting the significant resources required for these treatments.

Conclusion: Implementing a protective pad around the entire health system that leverages networks of family doctors and nurses, connected in real time to the entire health system, can be crucial. Such a network, tasked with monitoring the local epidemiological situation, protecting vulnerable individuals also through telehealth visits, and establishing a triage system for infections in the initial phase, may effectively help in managing virus spread and protecting hospitals from unpredictable waves of admission demand. Strengthening primary health care could be a decisive factor for the future and enhance the system's resilience in facing new challenges.
Response of a Triangular Hill Joined with a Semicircular Alluvial Valley under Incident SH Waves
Authors: Wang Guangzheng , Liu Jianze , Wang Zhuang , Li Yang , Zhang Xuefeng , Yang Fazhan
Published: March 2024

Under the same seismic load, different local topography will have different effects, which is an important research field in seismic engineering. Hills are connected with valleys is a very typical terrain. Taking this terrain as an example, its response to the most destructive SH waves in the earthquake is studied. By simplifying and dividing the model, the wave functions satisfying the wave equation and boundary conditions in each region are constructed by using the complex function and moving coordinate method. The equations satisfying the boundary continuity conditions are established. With the help of calculation software, the numerical results are obtained. The influence of different parameters on ground motion is discussed.
Judging Rainfall Intensity From Inter-tip Times: Comparing ‘Straight-Through’ and Syphon-Equipped Tipping-Bucket Rain Gauge Performance
Authors: Dunkerley David
Published: March 2024

The inter-tip times (ITTs) of tipping-bucket rain gauges potentially provide the highest-resolution intensity data that can be acquired from this type of gauge. At an intensity of 100 mm h-1, a typical gauge with a sensitivity of 0.2 mm of rainfall would be expected to tip every 7.2 seconds. However, TBRGs are often equipped with syphons, to reduce the dynamic calibration error that results from continued (and unmeasured) inflow to a bucket as it tips. This increases the accuracy of rainfall depth recording, but the time to fill and empty the syphon can reduce the ability of a TBRG to respond to (and for the ITTs to reflect) short-term intensity fluctuations. This ability is already limited by the discretisation arising from the filling and emptying of the buckets themselves. Laboratory tests with controlled water inflow rates were performed using two high-quality TBRGs, one a 'straight-through' design and the other syphon-equipped. These confirmed that at all intensities at which the syphon operates, a regular sequence of fixed-duration ITTs (such as the 7.2 s mentioned above) does not occur. Rather, the ITTs are perturbed by the syphon cycling. The gauges were also co-located in the field, and linked to carefully synchronised event data loggers. Data collected during several rainfall events revealed differences in the ITTs, and again confirm that the ITT sequence of a syphon-equipped TBRG exhibits artefacts related to syphon operation, that are not present in the 'straight-through' data. These artefacts can result in ITT differences of many minutes, depending on the rainfall intensity, and are problematic for the use of ITTs to estimate intensity. Peaks and troughs in the intensity profile also differed between the two gauges. It is recommended that in the application of TBRGs for studies where short-term intensity data are required, 'straight-through' gauges should be used, and syphon-equipped gauges avoided.
Forecasting the Performance of the Energy Sector at the Saudi Stock Exchange Market by Using GBM and GFBM
Authors: Alhagyan Mohammed
Published: March 2024

The future index prices are viewed as a critical issue for any trader and investor. For this craving, various models have shown up in the literature. The Geometric Brownian motion (GBM) is one of the popular models. This work examines four types of GBM as per the presence of memory or kind of volatility. These models include classical GBM with memoryless and constant volatility assumptions, SVGBM with memoryless and stochastic volatility assumption, GFBM with memory and constant volatility assumption, and SVGFBM with memory and stochastic volatility assumption. These models are utilized in an empirical study to forecast the future index price of Energy Sector in the Saudi Stock Exchange Market. The assessment was led by utilizing two error standards, mean square error (MSE) and mean absolute percentage error (MAPE). The outcomes showed that the SVGFBM occupies the highest level of accuracy according to smallest values of MSE and MAPE. While the accuracy of GBM come in the tail of the list models under study. These results have affirmed the positive affection of combining memory and stochastic volatility assumption into the GBM model, which agreed findings of numerous earlier works. Furthermore, the findings showed the GFBM models are more accurate than GBM models regardless of the type of volatility. While, under the same type of memory, the models with stochastic volatility assumption are more accurate than the corresponding models of constant volatility assumption. In general, all models considered in this work uncovered high accuracy through the value of MAPE ≤ 10%. This indicates of the ability of applying these models in a real financial environment. Through this empirical study, we can say that the Energy Sector in Saudi Arabia is predictable and stable and afterward we urge financial investors and stockholder to trade and invest in this sector.
The Impact of Climate Change Transition Innovations on the Default Risk Evidence from Low-Carbon Patents in China
Authors: Huang Yujun , Huang Zhihao
Published: March 2024

In the process of climate change mitigation and adaptation, the focus on climate risks driven by transition innovations has received widespread attention from governments, regulators and investors. Based on the identification of low-carbon patents through the Green and Low-carbon Technology Inventory in China, we construct low-carbon innovation measurements of listed firms in China from 2015 to 2021 then an empirical model is used to investigate the impact and mechanism of climate transition innovations on the default risk. The baseline regression model shows that low-carbon innovations can mitigate the default risk of firms. Moreover, our findings are supported by instrumental variable regressions that use time costs of innovation. In addition, the mediation effect demonstrates that investor attention, total factor productivity, and technology spillovers are paths for transition innovations to affect the default risk. This study reveals that low-carbon technological advances have a positive effect on climate transition risks. Further, it provides empirical evidence for listed companies to develop low-carbon innovations.
Potential Inhibitors of Lumpy Skin Disease’s Viral Protein (DNA Polymerase): A Combination of Bioinformatics Approaches
Authors: Zia Sabbir , Sumon Md-Mehedi , Ashik Md-Ashikur , Basar Abul , Lim Sangjin , Oh Yeonsu , Park Yungchul , Rahman Md Mafizur
Published: March 2024

Lumpy skin disease (LSD), caused by a virus within the Poxviridae family and Capripoxvirus genus, induces nodular skin lesions in cattle, spreading through direct contact and insect vectors, significantly affecting global cattle farming. Despite available vaccines, their effectiveness is limited by poor bioavailability and adverse effects. Our study aimed to identify potential inhibitors targeting LSD-associated DNA polymerase protein, selecting LSDV039 for further investigation through comprehensive analysis and computational methods. Virtual screening revealed rhein and taxifolin as potent binders among 380 phytocompounds, with respective affinities of -8.965 and -7.195 kcal/mol. Canagliflozin and tepotinib exhibited strong affinities (-9.858 and -8.856 kcal/mol) among 718 FDA-approved antiviral drugs. Molecular dynamics simulations of canagliflozin, tepotinib, rhein, and taxifolin highlighted taxifolin's superior stability and binding energy. Rhein displayed compactness in RMSD and RMSF but fluctuations in Rg and SASA, while canagliflozin demonstrated stability compared to tepotinib. The study highlights the promising potential of repurposed drugs and phytocompounds as LSD therapeutics. However, extensive validation through in-vitro, in-vivo, and clinical trials is crucial for their practical application.
Ultrasound and Clinical Parameters in Patients with Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis Related to Dermatological Diseases: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Desiderio Flora , Puliani Giulia , Mariano Maria , Guerrisi Antonino , Elia Fulvia , Solivetti Francesco Maria , Barnabei Agnese , Sperati Francesca , Morrone Aldo , Appetecchia Marialuisa
Published: March 2024

Background: Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (HT) is an autoimmune disease that progressively leads to thyroid gland destruction and hypothyroidism. Patients produce antibodies against two thyroid-specific antigens: thyroglobulin and thyroid peroxidase. As a result of the abnormal amount of thyroid hormone produced and its autoimmune etiology, patients with HT display a higher frequency of either autoimmune or non-autoimmune dermatological disorders. On ultrasound examination, HT can be detected by observing an enlarged thyroid gland with hypoechoic parenchymal regions or by observing a small gland indicating atrophy and diffusely heterogeneous parenchyma. Changes in the parenchymal vascularity can be observed as decreased or increased levels of vascularization. Objective: This study aimed to analyze the role of clinical data and ultrasound evaluation of patients with HT in suggesting an association with dermatological disorders. Patients and methods: Complete dermatological and endocrinological assessments as well as ultrasonography of the thyroid and lymphnodes were performed in HT patients. Results: The data obtained showed that a family history of thyroid disease, increased diameter of the inferior thyroid artery, and the presence of cervical lymphadenopathy were more frequent in the group of patients with dermatological diseases. Taken together, our results suggest the usefulness of ultrasound in determining a possible association between HT and dermatological disorders.
PointNet++ Network with Contextual Feature and Mutual Learning for Point Sets
Authors: Hu Xi , Xie Xiaolan
Published: March 2024

The research of object classification and part segmentation is a hot topic in computer vision. A considerable number of studies have been carried out about deep learning on 3D point clouds. However,it is challenging to achieve effective feature learning due to sparsity of point clouds. Recently, a variety of Transformers have been adopted to improve point cloud processing and display great potential. Nevertheless, large numbers of Transformer layers tend to incur huge computational and memory costs. PointNet++ is one of the most influential neural architectures for point cloud understanding. Although the accuracy of PointNet++ has been largely surpassed by recent networks, this does not mean that PointNet++ has no potential.Thus, this paper offer two major contributions that significantly improve PointNet++ performance. Firstly, we introduce a novel contextual feature extraction (CFE) block that significantly enhances the feature extraction capabilities of PointNet++ networks. Secondly, to further enhance feature fusion, we seamlessly integrate a mutual learning (ML) block into the network architecture. By embedding these two innovative blocks within each layer of the network, we not only enrich the network's functionality but also impart it with greater robustness and adaptability. The specific experiments were conducted on the S3DIS (6-fold cross-validation) and Modelnet40 datasets with 86.5% and 92.7% accuracy, respectively, which proved that our model is comparable or even better than most existing methods for classification and segmentation tasks.
Noninvasive Ambulatory Electrocardiographic Markers from Patients with COVID-19 Pneumonia: A Report of Three Cases
Authors: Kimata Motohiro , Hashimoto Kenichi , Harada Naomi , Kawamura Yusuke , Kimizuka Yoshifumi , Fujikura Yuji , Kaneko Mayuko , Kiriu Nobuaki , Sekine Yasumasa , Iwabuchi Natsumi , Kiyozumi Tetsuro , Kawana Akihiko , Matukuma Susumu , Tanaka Yuji
Published: March 2024

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has affected medical practice. More than 7,000,000 patients died worldwide after being infected with COVID-19; however, no specific laboratory markers have yet been established to predict death related to this disease. In contrast, electrocardiographic changes owing to COVID-19 include QT prolongation and ST-T changes; however, there have been no studies on ambulatory electrocardiographic markers of COVID-19. We encountered three patients diagnosed as having COVID-19 who did not have a prior history of significant structural heart diseases. All had abnormalities in ambulatory echocardiogram parameters detected by high-resolution 24-h electrocardiogram monitoring: positive late potentials (LPs) and T-wave alternans (TWA), abnormal heart rate variability (HRV), and heart rate turbulence (HRT). Case 1 involved a 78-year-old woman with a history of chronic kidney disease, Case 2 a 76-year-old man with hypertension and diabetes, and Case 3 a 67-year-old man with renal cancer, lung cancer, and diabetes. None of them had a prior history of significant structural heart disease. Although no significant consistent increases in clinical markers were observed, all three patients died, mainly because of respiratory failure with mild heart failure. LP, TWA, HRV, and HRT were all positive in three cases with no significant structural cardiac disease at the initial phase of admission. There is a possibility that LP, TWA, HRV, and HRT have the potential to be risk stratifiers of COVID-19 pneumonia in the early phase of admission. Further accumulation of data regarding ambulatory electrocardiographic markers in patients with COVID-19 is needed.
An Influence of Structural Parameters of Nanoporous Alumina Matrices on Optical Properties
Authors: Muratova Ekaterina , Ponomareva Alina , Shemuhin Andrey , Balakshin Yuriy , Evseev Aleksandr , Moshnikov Vyacheslav , Zhilenkov Anton , Kichigina Olga
Published: March 2024

. In this work, two types of nanoporous alumina membranes were prepared using different acids and were tested. Structural features of the samples were investigated by scanning electron spectroscopy and further by different types of fractal dimension estimation methods. Transmission and scattering of accelerated He+ ions were studied in experiments on ion irradiation of dielectric channels based on porous alumina. Ion accelerator was used as a source of the He+ beam with an energy of 1.7 MeV. A scattering of ions was studied by Rutherford backscattering spectrometry. Helium transition through nanoporous alumina at various angles between the normal to the sample and the beam direction were observed. It is shown that the porous structure of anodic aluminum oxide is excellent as a dielectric matrix of nanocapillaries. Owing to the small angle scattering, it allows the transportation of the accelerated charged particles through the dielectric capillaries, and, as a result, localization of high energy ion irradiation effects. Additionally, according to the transmission UV-Vis spectra the energy gaps of samples obtained were calculated.
The Impact of Air Pollution on Asthma Severity among Residents Living near the Main Industrial Complex in Oman: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: AL-OKLA Souad Mahmoud , Alrasbi Fatima Alzahra , Al Marhubi Hawida Said , Al Mataani Shima Salim , Al Sawai Yusra Mohammed , Mohammed Hasa Ibrahim , Al Mamari Muna Ali Salim , Al Balushi Salwa Abdullah Abdulrahim , Abbady Abdul Qader
Published: March 2024

Background:
Asthma is a widespread chronic respiratory disease that poses a significant public health challenge. The current study investigated the associations between air pollution and asthma severity among individuals residing near the Sohar industrial port (SIP) in Oman. Despite the presence of multiple major industrial complexes in Oman, limited knowledge regarding their impact on respiratory health is accredited. Hence, the primary objective of this study is to offer valuable insights into the respiratory health consequences of industrial air pollution in Al Batinah North.
Methods:
The state health clinics' records for patient visits related to asthma were collected for the timeframe spanning 2014 to 2022. Exposure was defined as the distance from SIP, Majan Industerial Area (MIA) and Sohar Industerial Zone (SIZ) to determine high, intermediate, and low exposure zones (12 km, respectively). Exposure effect modifications by age, gender, and smoking status were also examined.
Results:
The conducted cross-sectional study of 410 patients (46.1% males and 53.9% females) living in over 17 areas around SIP revealed that 73.2% of asthmatics were under 50 years old, with severity significantly associated with closeness to the port. Risk ratios were estimated to be (RR:2.42; CI95%: 1.01–5.78), (RR:1.91; CI95%: 1.01–3.6), and (RR:1.68; CI95%: 0.92–3.09) for SIP, MIP and SIZ areas, respectively, compared to the control area. Falaj Al Qabail (6.4 km) and Majees (6 km) had the highest number of asthma patients (N. 69 and N. 72), and highest percentages of severe asthma cases among these patients (28% and 24%) with significant risk ratios (RR:2.97; CI95%: 1.19–7.45 and RR:2.55; CI95%: 1.00–6.48), correspondingly. Moreover, severe asthma prevalence peaked in the 25-50 age group (RR:2.05; CI95%: 1.26–3.33), and this linkage between asthma and age was much more pronounced in males than females. Smoking and exposure to certain contaminant (dust and smoke) increased also the risk of severe asthma symptoms, but their effects were less important in the high risk zone, suggesting much more important risk factor. A neural network model accurately predicted asthma risk (94.8% accuracy), with proximity to Sohar Industrial Port as the most influential predictor.
Conclusion:
The study highlights the High asthma burden near Sohar Industrial Port, linked to port proximity and smoking and wind direction as major risk factors. These findings inform vital public health policies to reduce air pollution and improve respiratory health in the region, prompting national policy review.
Assessing Reliability, Resilience and Vulnerability of Water Supply from SuDS
Authors: Sulis Andrea , Altana Martina , Sanna Gianfranco
Published: March 2024

In the last decades, the impacts of urbanization on the hydrological cycle have led to an increase in the frequency and magnitude of urban flooding events, also amplified by the effects of climate change.
Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) provide a revolutionary change in this field, improving the sustainability and resilience of cities. This research explores the integration of different SuDS with the aim of significantly reducing both flow volume and celerity of floods in a residual urban catchment area of metropolitan city of Querétaro (Mèxico), where extreme rainfall frequently occurs. This catchment is a representative suburb of urban pressure and environmental degradation problems. Currently, managing storm water under climate uncertainty through a multi-disciplinary approach is a major concern in this urban area.
A 1D-2D coupling model of shallow water equations, finite volume method, unstructured meshing method, and hybrid parallel computing application defined the optimal configuration of SuDS at catchment scale to reduce the flood vulnerability in Querétaro. Specifically, in this paper we explore the management issues of the proposed SuDS configuration that acts as a water resource system with multiple purposes. A generic simulation model called MODSIM was applied to simulate the designed urban drainage system under a balanced IPCC future climate scenario in terms of reliability, resilience and vulnerability against water scarcity.
Towards Cognition-Aligned Visual Language Models via
Zero-Shot Instance Retrieval
Authors: Ma Teng , Organisciak Daniel , Ma Wenbao , Long Yang
Published: March 2024

The pursuit of Artificial Intelligence (AI) that emulates human cognitive processes is a cornerstone of ethical AI development, ensuring that emerging technologies can integrate seamlessly into societal frameworks requiring nuanced understanding and decision-making. Zero-Shot Instance Retrieval (ZSIR) stands at the forefront of this endeavour, potentially providing a robust platform for AI systems, particularly large visual language models, to demonstrate and refine cognition-aligned learning without the need for direct experience. In this paper, we critically evaluate current cognition alignment methodologies within traditional zero-shot learning paradigms, using visual attributes and word embedding generated by large AI models. We propose a unified similarity function that quantifies the cognitive alignment level, bridging the gap between AI processes and human-like understanding. Through extensive experimentation, our findings illustrate that this similarity function can effectively mirror the visual-semantic gap, steering the model towards enhanced performance in zero-shot instance retrieval. This work not only benchmarks the cognition alignment of AI, but also sets a new precedent for the development of visual language models attuned to the complexities of human cognition.}
SIRT1 Serum Concentrations in Lipodystrophic Syndromes
Authors: Salvatori Luisa , Ceccarini Giovanni , Magno Silvia , Tozzi Rossella , Contini Savina , Pelosini Caterina , Santini Ferruccio , Gnessi Lucio , Mariani Stefania
Published: March 2024

Abstract: Lipodystrophies (LDs) are rare, complex disorders of the adipose tissue characterized by selective fat loss, altered adipokines profile and metabolic impairment. Sirtuins (SIRTs) are class III NAD+-dependent histone-deacetylases linked to fat metabolism. SIRT1 plays a critical role in metabolic health by deacetylating target proteins in tissues including liver, muscle and adipose tissue. Circulating SIRT1 levels have been found to be reduced in obesity while increased in anorexia nervosa and in patients experiencing weight loss. We evaluated circulating SIRT1 levels in relation to fat amount in 32 lipodystrophic patients affected by congenital or acquired LDs compared to non-LD subjects (24 with anorexia nervosa, 22 normal weight and 24 with obe-sity). SIRT1 serum levels were higher in LDs as compared with normal weight subjects (mean ± SEM: 4.17 ± 0.48 vs. 2.59 ± 0.20 ng/mL) or subjects with obesity (1.7 ± 0.39 ng/mL), whereas they were close to those measured in anorexia nervosa (3.44 ± 0.46 ng/mL). Our findings show that within the LD group there was no relationship between SIRT1 levels and the amount of body fat. The mechanisms responsible for secretion and regulation of SIRT1 in LD deserve further investi-gation.