bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
AIRPORT AS A FACTOR SHAPING THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC SITUATION IN THE MUNICIPALITY IN A CHANGING REALITY
Authors: PIOTROWSKA-TRYBULL Marzena , KOZUBA Jarosław , SIRKO Stanisław
Published: December 2023

Airports, as a component of air transport, combine air transport with other modes of transport to strengthen the transportation accessibility of a place in space, attract investors, and stimulate the development of the area. Taking into account that these issues are less exposed in relation to their immediate surroundings, research was undertaken to determine how representatives of the authorities and residents of communes (taking into account the nature of the communes and the size and location of the airport) perceive airports, located within their communes, in the context of their impact on the socio-economic situation in the communes. This was achieved by analysing the communes' strategic documents and data on the operation of communes and airports from 2016 to 2021. These data were obtained from the Civil Aviation Authority, the Central Statistical Office, the International Air Transport Association, and the International Airports Council. In an effort to better understand the relationship between the airport and the commune in which it is located, poll research was carried out using survey and interview techniques. The research focused on 10 airports spread across Poland. A total of 1,200 surveys were conducted among residents of communes, and 10 interviews were conducted with representatives of local governments and the port. To analyse the collected data and present the results, Statistica v.13.3 and R/RStudio software were used.
OPTIMIZATION OF COLLECTION ROUTES USING THE CENTRE OF GRAVITY METHOD: A CASE STUDY
Authors: STOPKA Ondrej , ĽUPTÁK Vladimír , POLIAK Miloš , STOPKOVÁ Mária
Published: December 2023

The paper deals with the implementation of research concerning the collection routes of a selected company and subsequent streamlining processes in the field of distribution logistics. Specifically, the paper is focused on the optimization of collection routes of textile waste for the customer, i.e., a contractual partner of the company under investigation. The objective of the paper is to analyse step by step the current state of logistics of supplying a specific warehouse, followed by the application of the centre of gravity method for proposing a warehouse relocation. Finally, the individual routes to collection points are optimized. In general, optimization is done for two basic reasons: profit maximization and logistics costs minimization, which ultimately has a positive impact on earnings. The outcome is to determine the optimal routes with respect to costs and traffic while considering complications that may occur in a given transport territory.
INFLUENCE HOT PLASTIC DEFORMATION ON THE STRUCTURE AND PROPERTIES OF CARBON STEEL OF THE RAILWAY WHEEL
Authors: VAKULENKO Igor , PLITCHENKO Sergey , BOLOTOVA Dariy , ASGAROV Khangardash
Published: December 2023

The study is devoted to the explanation of the influence of hot plastic deformation on the properties of railway wheels. The shape of individual elements of the wheel provides for a different degree of hot compression, which determines the mechanism for the development of the recrystallization at austenite. With a decrease in the degree of the hot deformation, a certain proportion of grains with a low energy of linear stretching are formed in austenite. As a result, of the low mobility of such boundaries, the likelihood of preservation of part of the substructural state of the austenite increases, which should affect the formation of a colony of perlite during the cooling of the carbon steel. Against background preservation and a dependence of strength properties on the dispersion of the pearlite colony, the appearance in austenite of grain boundaries with a low energy of linear tension leads to a qualitative change in the plastic properties of railway wheel steel. The increase in plasticity of carbon steel with an increase in dispersion of the pearlite colony is due to a decrease in the effect of solid solution hardening and an increase in the role of the ferrite-cementite interface in the development processes of strain hardening carbon steel. The results obtained can be useful for improving the technology of manufacturing all-rolled railway wheels.
FREE FARE PUBLIC TRANSPORT AS A DETERMINATE ON PUPILS TRAVEL BEHAVIOR AND PREFERENCES IN THEIR DAILY TRAVELS TOWARDS SUSTAINABLE MOBILITY – THE CASE OF GDYNIA (POLAND)
Authors: GRZELEC Krzysztof , HEBEL Katarzyna , HELBIN Maciej , KOŁODZIEJSKI Hubert , WYSZOMIRSKI Olgierd
Published: December 2023

The concept of influencing changes in transport behavior towards sustainable mobility, which is gaining popularity in the 21st century, is free public transport (FFPT). It is estimated that the number of cities in which attempts were made to introduce FFPT exceeds 100. Most of them are located in Europe, especially in France and Poland. FFPT has mostly been restricted to specific city areas or market segments in the hope of increasing demand for public transport services. Because of this, a number of publications on free fare results refer to specific cases in cities. The main aim of this article is to examine the impact of free fares on the behavior and transport preferences of pupils in Gdynia, Poland. On the basis of the study of preferences and transport behavior of the inhabitants of Gdynia, carried out earlier by the team in 2010, 2012, 2015, and 2018, a preliminary description of the behavior and transport preferences of students was prepared. The research of the pupils was conducted twice: before and after the introduction of free travel entitlements. The results of the research carried out, and the data analysis, confirmed that FFPT had no impact on demand for public transport services or the travel behavior of pupils. According to the authors, the lack of positive effects of FFPT on travel behavior in the segment of students, or even more broadly, for achieving the purposes of sustainable mobility, results from the interaction of the following factors: specificity of students' travel behavior determined by the schedule of school activities, pupils' positive attitude to cars as urban transport means, not covering all means of public transport services of FFPT in Gdynia (the city rail is not covered by FFPT), short period of time since FFPT has been introduced. The results of the presented studies could not be verified due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The authors emphasize that before introducing FFPT, politicians should rely on the analysis of anticipated changes in the behavior of residents and the impact of FFPT on the economy of public transport, sustainable mobility goals and political and social results. This article complements the current knowledge on the results related to the introduction of FFPT for a selected group of residents.
Efficient Indexing of Meta-Data (Extracted From Educational Videos)
Authors: Kumbham Shalika , Debnath Abhijit , Krothapalli Sreenivasa Rao
Published: December 2023

Video lectures are becoming more popular and in demand as online classroom teaching is becoming more prevalent. Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs), such as NPTEL, have been creating high-quality educational content that is freely accessible to students online. A large number of colleges across the country are now using NPTEL videos in their classrooms. So more video lectures are being recorded, maintained, and uploaded. These videos generally contain information about that video before the lecture begins. We generally observe that these educational videos have metadata containing five to six attributes: Institute Name, Publisher Name, Department Name, Professor Name, Subject Name, and Topic Name. It would be easy to maintain these videos if we could organize them according to their categories. The indexing of these videos based on this information is beneficial for students all around the world to efficiently utilise these videos. In this project, we are trying to get the metadata information mentioned above from the video lectures.
Project-based Digital Science Module (DSM): An Analysis of Students' Self-regulated learning and Scientific Writing Ability
Authors: Mukhid Abd. Mukhid , Harianto Rony , Rufii Rufii
Published: December 2023

The purpose of this study is to analyze the self-regulated learning and the ability to write scientific papers of students after learning with the Project-Based Digital Science Module (DSM). This research is a mixed methods by analyzing quantitatively and qualitatively. The research instrument used to obtain data is using a product assessment sheet and a self-regulated learning questionnaire. Data analysis uses N-Gain to determine the increase in self-regulated learning scores and student scientific writing skills scores, and uses linear regression analysis to determine the effect of self-regulated learning on student scientific writing skills. The results obtained showed N-Gain score of learning independent is 0,65 and scientific writing ability is 0,94, then significant’s score from linear regression by using SPSS is 0,22 < 0,05. This result showed an increase in self-regulated learning and the ability to write scientific papers of students on each indicator after learning using the Project-Based Digital Science Module (DSM). In addition, based on the results of data analysis, it can be seen that there is an influence of self-regulated learning on the ability to write scientific papers of students after learning using the Project-Based Digital Science Module.
Effect of Microstructural Change under Pressure during Isostatic Pressing on Mechanical and Electrical Properties of Isotropic Carbon Blocks
Authors: Byun Tae-Sub , Lee Sang-Hye , Kim Suk-Hwan , Roh Jae-Seung
Published: December 2023

In this study, carbon blocks were fabricated using isotropic coke and coal tar pitch as raw materials, with a variation in pressure during cold isostatic pressing (CIP). The CIP pressure was set to 50, 100, 150, and 200 MPa, and the effect of the CIP pressure on the mechanical and electrical properties of the resulting carbon blocks was analyzed. Microstructural observations confirmed that after the kneading, the surface of isotropic coke was covered with the pitch components. Subsequently, after the CIP, granules, which were larger than isotropic coke and the kneaded particles, were observed. The formation of these granules was attributed to the coalescence of kneaded particles under the applied pressing pressure. This granule formation was accompanied by the development of pores, some remaining within the granules, while others were extruded, thereby existing externally. The increase in the applied pressing pressure facilitated the formation of granules, and this microstructural development contributed to enhanced mechanical and electrical properties. At a pressing pressure of 100 MPa, the maximum flexural strength was achieved at 33.3 MPa, and the minimum electrical resistivity was reached at 60.1 μΩm. The higher the pressing pressure, the larger the size of the granules. Pores around the granules tended to connect and grow larger, forming crack-like structures. This microstructural change led to degraded mechanical and electrical properties. The isotropic ratio of the carbon blocks obtained in this study was estimated based on the coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE). The results confirmed that all carbon blocks obtained proved to be isotropic. In this study, a specimen type named CIP-100 exhibited the best performance in every aspect as an isotropic carbon block.
An Investigation of the Protective Influence of Dates Fruit Against Nephrotoxicity in Wistar Albino Rats Induced by Gentamicin
Authors: Ibrahim Nasir Adam , Basher Nosiba suliman , Idriss Hajo , Aleissa Mohammed Saad , Nasr Fahd A. , Mohammed Abdullah , Abdella Faiza I. A.
Published: December 2023

Nephrotoxicity is a common adverse effect associated with gentamicin administration. The current study investigated the potential protective effects of dates fruit against Gentamicin-induced renal nephrotoxicity in female albino rats. Date fruit antioxidants were measured using a spectropho-tometer, and GC-MS was performed using a Perkin Elmer Clarus 600 GC and Turbomass mass spectrometer. Thirty experimental animals were assigned at random to one of three Prevention and Treatment subgroups. Gentamicin (GM) administration at a dose of 100mg/kg resulted in renal toxicity, as evidenced by alterations in kidney function tests and histological changes in the proximal convoluted tubules. Date fruit improved kidney function (albumin, total protein, uric acid, urea, creatinine) and tubule histology, according to the findings. The GC-MS analysis reveals the presence of 20 chemicals. Date fruit antioxidants include 14mg/gallic acid total phenolic, 32.22 mg/rutin equivalent total flavonoid, and 1000 ug/ml DPPH free radical scavenging. According to the study, date fruit and Gentamicin performed the best. Date fruit had a significant impact on prevention during Gentamicin treatment.
A Unified Field Theory
Authors: Hardy Devin
Published: December 2023

This paper introduces a Unified Field Theory through the generalization of General Relativity, following the methodology outlined by Einstein for incorporating complex metrics in the pursuit of a comprehensive Unified Field Theory.
The Effect of Pathogenic Tumor Suppressor Gene Variants on COVID-19: A Report of Three Cases with Varied Severity and Outcomes
Authors: Skitchenko Rostislav K. , Barbitoff Yury A. , Fedyakov Mikhail A. , Anisenkova Anna Yu. , Mosenko Sergei V. , Apalko Svetlana V. , Glotov Andrey S. , Glotov Oleg S. , Shcherbak Sergey G.
Published: December 2023

The COVID-19 pandemic has created unique challenges for people with comorbidities, including hereditary diseases and cancer cancers. Several studies have reported a link between the presence of disease-causing genetic variants and the outcome of the COVID-19 infection. In this study, we used clinical exome sequencing in a cohort of 840 COVID-19 patients to identify pathogenic and likely pathogenic genetic variants present in these individuals. While we did not identify any statistically significant differences in the overall burden of pathogenic variants between different patient groups, we discovered three known pathogenic alleles associated with hereditary cancer syndromes, including a frameshift mutation in MSH6 and two missense mutations in TP53. The patients carrying these mutations presented with different severity of the disease and outcome. Thus, a 58-year old male subject with an MSH6 mutation developed a severe form of COVID-19 that resulted in death, even though the patient had few pre-existing conditions and no evidence of malignant tumors. On the other hand, two female subjects carrying pathogenic TP53 variants successfully recovered from the disease despite suffering from various forms of cancer. Our results highlight the importance of personalized approaches to the diagnosis, management and treatment of COVID-19 in patients with specific genetic mutations. Further studies are needed to elucidate the complex relationship between these mutations and COVID-19.
Analyzing Syntactic Structural Dependency in NLP
Authors: Thomas Hardjono , Patel Rodolfo , Dave Paul
Published: December 2023

This paper introduces a novel graph polynomial approach for differentiating tree structures in dependency grammar. Utilizing this polynomial representation, we develop a metric to assess the similarity in syntax. This approach offers a detailed and inclusive analysis of the dependency structures and relationships in sentence construction. We employ this polynomial method to examine sentence structures across various languages in the Parallel Universal Dependencies treebanks. Our analysis includes comparing the syntax of original sentences and their translated counterparts in diverse languages, alongside a comprehensive study of syntactic typologies within these treebanks. Additionally, we explore the application of our methodology in evaluating the syntactic diversity within language corpora.
Effect of Nursing Intervention Combined with Voice Training on Voice Recovery in Patients with Unilateral Vocal Cord Paralysis after Thyroid Surgery
Authors: OUYANG Jie , Xiaoqin WANG
Published: December 2023

Objective: To assess the recovery of voice in patients with unilateral vocal cord paralysis after thyroid surgery following treatment with nursing intervention combined with voice training. Methods: Thirty patients with unilateral vocal cord paralysis and hoarseness for 6-12 months post-thyroid surgery were selected. They first underwent two weeks of psychological and cognitive intervention, followed by a psychological resilience assessment, and then proceeded with 12 weeks of voice training. This training primarily included muscle relaxation exercises, breathing training, and phonation exercises. A comparative analysis was conducted on the patients' voice parameters before and after the training, including jitter, shimmer, maximum phonation time (MPT), noise to harmonic ratio (NHR), and the Voice Handicap Index (VHI) scores. Results: After psychological and cognitive intervention, scores for optimism, resilience, and self-strength among the 30 patients increased. Post-voice training, reductions were observed in jitter, shimmer, NHR, and VHI scores, the Maximum Phonation Time (MPT) increased compared to pre-training, with the difference being statistically significant (P<0.05). Conclusion: Nursing intervention combined with voice training can effectively improve voice quality in patients with unilateral vocal cord paralysis after thyroid surgery.
Epstein Barr Virus Enhance Risk Development of Gastric Cancer in Young Adults with H. pylori Infection
Authors: Huy Duong Quang , KHANH PHAM HONG , DUAT NGUYEN QUANG , Khien Vu , Ha Hoang , Anh Le Huu Phuong , Lam Le , Tung Nguyen Lam , Falcone Franco H , Robinson Karen , Winkler Gerlof Sebastiaan , Stolnik Snow , Song Le Huu , Huyen Tran thi thanh , Trang Tran thi huyen
Published: December 2023

Gastric cancer (GC) is a global health concern, the majority of GC are H. pylori inflammation-related cancers. The H. pylori infection as well as bacterial virulence factors are not sufficient in predicting risk development of gastric cancer (GC) among populations with high prevalence of H. pylori infection such as East Asia. Among H. pylori infectious patients in Vietnam, compared to gastritis group, among gastric cancer patients the prevalence of EBV was significantly greater. The coinfection with EBV and CMV was highest in gastric cancer (46,7%) follows by peptic ulcer (16,7%) and gastritis (15.2%). This difference becomes even more evident in the younger group. Therefor EBV showed a certain role in the development of GC in Vietnam, especially in young patients positive for H. pylori.
Clinical Evaluation of Alveolar Permeability as a Biomarker of Potential Harm
Authors: Makena Patrudu , Baxter-Write Sarah , Jones Bobette , Chen Peter , Prasad Gaddamanugu L
Published: December 2023

The lung epithelium regulates gas exchange and is the first line of defense against airborne toxicants and microbial infections. Disruption of the integrity of lung epithelium results in altered permeability and severely impacts normal lung functions. To develop biomarkers of potential harm (BoPH) for assessing adverse health effects of cigarette smoking, we have evaluated lung barrier function. In a single-center, ambulatory, clinical study we measured lung permeability, as the half-life (T1/2) of inhaled 99mTC-DTPA, in 17 subjects consisting of 6 Smokers (SMK), 5 Moist Snuff Consumers (MSC), and 6 Non-Tobacco Consumers (NTC) at three weekly test visits. Smokers, relative to MSC and NTC, exhibited significantly faster clearance of the inhaled probe (shorter T1/2), indicating increased lung permeability. NTC and MSC had comparable clearance times of the inhaled probe (longer T1/2). Least squares regression modeling showed that the variability of the test was minimal and was not significant. Prediction profiling showed that the repeatability of the lung permeability test was robust and was able to differentiate the tobacco product use groups in this study. Thus, altered lung barrier function may serve as a BoPH for assessing the effects of tobacco use.
Thirty Risk Factors for Alzheimer’s Disease Unified by a
Common Neuroimmune-Neuroinflammation Mechanism
Authors: Weaver Donald F.
Published: December 2023

One of the major obstacles confronting the formulation of a mechanistic understanding for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is its immense complexity – a complexity that traverses the full structural and phenomenological spectrum, including molecular, macromolecular, cellular, neurological and behavioural processes. This complexity is reflected by the equally complex diversity of risk factors associated with AD. However, more than merely mirroring disease complexity, risk factors also provide fundamental insights into the aetiology and pathogenesis of AD as a neurodegenerative disorder since they are central to disease initiation and subsequent propagation. Based on a systematic literature assessment, this review has identified 30 risk factors for AD and then extended the analysis to further identify neuroinflammation as a unifying mechanism present in all 30 risk factors. Although other mechanisms (e.g. vasculopathy) were present in multiple risk factors, dysfunction of the neuroimmune-neuroinflammation axis was uniquely central to all 30 identified risk factors. Though the nature of the neuroinflammatory involvement varied, activation of microglia and the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines was a common pathway shared by all risk factors. This observation provides further evidence for the importance of immunopathic mechanisms in the aetiopathogenesis of AD.
Recent Trends on Polymeric Foams and Porous Structures for Emi Shielding Applications
Authors: Antunes Marcelo
Published: December 2023

Polymer-based (nano)composite foams, especially those having a microcellular structure, containing suitable conductive (nano)fillers, have been shown to act as good shielding materials, hence coming as promising to act as shields in electronic devices, limiting/avoiding electromagnetic interference (EMI) pollution. Nevertheless, due to their high (micro)structural complexity, related to their multiphase nature, there is still a lot of unawareness behind the shielding mechanisms acting in these materials, coming as a necessity to study their microstructure-cellular/porous structure-properties relations, especially in terms of their electrical conductivity and EMI shielding efficiency (EMI SE). To target and control the electrical conductivity through a controlled distribution/dispersion of conductive nanofillers, single or combined (nanohybrids), as there is a direct relation between electrical conductivity and EMI SE, as well as the main EMI shielding mechanisms working on the developed microcellular structure of the foams, which are expected to be absorption-dominated or absorption/multiple reflection-based, are two of the main objectives when combining polymer foaming with the addition of conductive nanofillers. The present review work considers the recent developments and trends on polymer-based foams containing conductive nanofillers, especially carbon-based such as carbon nanotubes or graphene-based materials, as well as similar porous structures created using trending technologies such as 3D printing, for EMI shielding applications. It is divided in different sections, starting with the strategy of microcellular foaming to develop polymer-based foams with enhanced EMI shielding characteristics, especially focusing on technologies and methods using supercritical CO2 (sCO2); continuing with the use of polymer foams as templates to synthesize carbon foams with improved EMI shielding performance for high use temperature applications; the recent strategy of combining different functional (nano)fillers to create hybrid nanofillers/nanohybrids to be used at lower amounts as conductive fillers in polymer foams; the control and selective distribution of the nanofillers in terms of favoring the formation of a more effective conductive network and hence promote the enhancement of the EMI SE; the very recent use of computational approaches to tailor the EMI shielding properties of composite foams; and the very trending possibility of creating cellular components with varied porous structures from these materials using 3D printing; to finish, some future perspectives are discussed.
Promoting Fish Sustainable Consumption in Portuguese 4th-Grade Students: Comparing Face-to-Face and Online Learning Methodologies
Authors: Silva Ana Rita , Boaventura Diana , Sequeira Vera
Published: December 2023

Consuming fish sustainably means consuming less and better, considering environmental, social, and economic impacts. This demands more knowledge to make informed decisions. In this study, the main goal was to understand how sustainability education can be used as a tool to raise awareness and promote new habits regarding the sustainable consumption of fish in 4th-grade students at primary school. During the COVID-19 pandemic, face-to-face and online learning methodologies were used in two different groups of students to understand whether the teaching method impacted learning. A sequential explanatory mixed methodology was applied, with a pre-test/post-test design, combined with focus group sessions. Between the pre and post-tests three learning modules were performed. The results showed that the students were unaware of many aspects related to fish sustainable consumption, but the developed activities significantly increased their knowledge of the subject and impacted students to change their consumption behaviours. It was also found that the construction of knowledge by the students after the activities was achieved either by face-to-face or online learning. Interviews from focus group sessions showed that students got to know new fish species, learned about the concept of minimum landing size and closure season and that fish are labelled like other types of food.
Moving Principal Component Analysis Based Structural Damage Detection for Highway Bridges Under Moving Vehicles
Authors: Yuan Ye , Zhu Xinqun , Li Jun
Published: December 2023

With the deterioration of the bridge performance and ever-increasing amount of traffic, the bridge safety is becoming a concern for engineering community. A method that can assess the bridge's condition in real-time is urgently needed. The main factors that hinder the bridge condition assessment are the uncertain operational environments. A new moving principal component analysis (MPCA) based method is developed for structural damage detection of bridges in operational environments in this paper. Two main operational environmental factors: the environmental temperature and traffic loads, are studied in the assessment process to verify the robustness and practicality of the proposed method. The numerical and experimental results show that the proposed method is effective and accurate to assess the bridge condition in operational environments.
Computational Insights into Polydatin: Unraveling Therapeutic Opportunities through Interactions with Rab Proteins
Authors: FERRARI IVAN VITO , Ravagnan Giampietro
Published: December 2023

Molecular docking, a computational method predicting how molecules bind to target proteins, is employed in this study to explore Polydatin's interactions with Ras-related protein Rab (Rab) proteins using the Mcule Database. This database validates the docking results and offers insights into the pharmacological properties of Polydatin. Notably, specific Rab proteins like Rab-5A, HRas, and Rab-18 exhibit robust interactions with Polydatin, indicated by favorable binding energies.These findings illuminate the potential roles of Polydatin in therapeutic and biological contexts, emphasizing its interaction with Rab proteins. The Mcule Database enhances the credibility of the study, providing additional perspectives on Polydatin's applications. The observed interactions, particularly with key proteins like HRas, present a promising avenue for modulating cellular signaling pathways. This modulation holds therapeutic potential, potentially addressing conditions associated with pathway overactivity, including specific cancer types.
The Natural Centella asiatica Extract Acts as a Stretch Marks Eraser: A Biological Evaluation
Authors: Boira Cloé , Meunier Marie , Bracq Marine , Scandolera Amandine , Reynaud Romain
Published: December 2023

Stretch marks are far from being exclusively appearing on pregnant women and appear whenever the body experience a rapid growth. Into the dermis, collagen fibres are altered associated with a loss of orientation and the elastic network is disrupted leading to a fibrotic organisation. This results to epidermal tearing which produce skin lesions. Centella asiatica is a well-known medicinal plants rich in triterpenic actives molecules and traditionally used to treat wounds and help skin repair. The aim of this study was to evaluate Centella asiatica extract as a natural way to solve stretch marks concern and understand its mechanism of action. We have first evaluated the fibroblast’s proliferation based on scratch assay model and their genes expression by RT-qPCR. At the ex vivo level, elastin fibres were quantified by immunofluorescence. Collagen fibre’s orientation and their occupation of the dermis were analysed after Sirius red staining and specific software analysis. We have proven that Centella asiatica has stimulated fibroblasts proliferation, reduced extracellular matrix degradation and fibrosis. On stretch marked skin explant, Centella asiatica increased the occupation of collagen fibres and elastin production. Based on the mechanisms behind the formation of stretch marks, Centella asiatica restores dermis network by optimising fibres organisation for a visible skin remodelling effect.
Electric Scooter and Bicycle-Related Trauma in a Hungarian Level-1 Trauma Center – a Prospective 1-Year Study
Authors: Süvegh Dávid , Juhász Ádám , Al-Smadi Mohammad Walid , Veres Dániel Sándor , Viola Árpád
Published: December 2023

Background and Objectives: In recent years, electric scooters have gained widespread popularity as an easy and affordable mode of transport in urban areas worldwide. Simultaneously, trauma centres have observed an increasing number of associated injuries to users. While injury patterns associated with other vehicles are now well-researched, electric scooter-related injuries are a new topic in the literature. Our study aims to investigate the disparities in injury patterns and other critical accident characteristics among bicycle, electric scooter, and scooter riders. Materials and Methods: In this one-year prospective observational study, we examined patients who sustained injuries while riding bicycles, electric scooters, or scooters between April 2021 and March 2022 at Hungary's largest trauma centre in Budapest. During this one-year period, we identified 1938 patients, 1378 cyclists, 370 electric scooters and 190 scooter users. We collected basic demographic information, recorded injury type and severity, time of day the injury occurred, and alcohol intoxication. Results: While 4.6% of cyclists and 5.8% of scooter riders had consumed alcohol, 26.8% of electric scooter riders were intoxicated at the time of their accident. 45.8% of electric scooter-related injuries occurred at night, compared to only 9.2% and 14.1% of bike and scooter-related injuries, respectively. Sober patients were more likely to suffer mild and severe limb injuries (Odds Ratio (OR): 3.85, P = .0001 and OR: 3.26, P = .0001), but less likely to experience mild and severe head injuries (OR: 0.1, P = .0001 and OR: 0.25, P = .0001) than intoxicated patients. Cyclists had significantly fewer cases of severe head trauma than those injured while using electric scooters (OR: 0.34, P = .0166). Conclusions: Severe craniofacial injuries are more common in intoxicated patients and in patients injured using electric scooters.
A Wind Field Reconstruction from Numerical Weather Prediction Data Based on a Meteo–Particle Model
Authors: Bucchignani Edoardo
Published: December 2023

In the present work, a methodology for wind field reconstruction based on the Meteo Particle Model (MPM) from Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP) data is presented. The development of specific wind forecast services is a challenging research topic, in particular for what concerns the availability of accurate local weather forecasts in highly populated areas. Currently, even if NWP Limited Area Models (LAMs) are run at spatial resolution of about 1 km, this level of information is not sufficient for many applications, for example to support drone operation in urban contexts. The coupling of MPM with the NWP Limited Area Model COSMO has been implemented in such a way that the MPM reads the NWP output over a selected area and provides wind values in the generical point considered for the investigation. The numerical results obtained reveal a good behavior of the method in reproducing the general trend of wind speed, as confirmed also by the power spectra analysis. The MPM is able to step over the intrinsic limitations of the NWP model in terms of spatial and temporal resolution even if the MPM inherits the bias that inevitably affects the COSMO output.
Modeling the Spatio-Temporal Dynamics of Village Land in an Agropastoral Area of Niger for a Contextualized Diffusion of Agroecological Intensification Options
Authors: Jangorzo Nouhou Salifou , Loireau Maud , Sadda Abou-Soufianou , Sami Mari Ousmane , Saïdou Abdoul-Aziz , Issoufou Hassane Bil-Assanou
Published: December 2023

Spatio-temporal variability and dynamics in Sahelian agro-pastoral zones make each local situation a special case. These specificities must be considered to guide the dissemination of agricultural options with a view to sustainable development. The territorial scale of municipalities is not sufficient for this necessary contextualization; the scale of the “village terroir” seems to be a better option. This is the hypothesis put forward by the Global Collaboration for Resilient Food Systems program. By analyzing the links between farm managers and their cultivated land, as well as the spatio-temporal dynamics of “village terroirs” in three regions of Niger (Maradi, Dosso and Tillabéri), this study provides evidence of the existence and functional usefulness of the village terroir for farmers, their land management and their activities. It demonstrates the usefulness of contextualizing agricultural options at this scale. It is based on data collected through participatory mapping and surveys. Their analysis elucidates the links between “terroirs village” and the specific functioning of the agro-socio-ecosystems acting on each of them, thus laying the systemic and geographical foundations for a model of the spatio-temporal dynamics of “village terroirs”. This initial work has opened up new perspectives in modeling and sustainable development.
Operational Insights and Future Potential of the PED-Database
Authors: Civiero Paolo , Turci Giulia , Alpagut Beril , Kuzmic Michal , Soutullo Silvia , Sánchez María Nuria , Seco Oscar , Bossi Silvia , Haase Matthias , Massa Gilda , Gollner Christoph
Published: December 2023

The COST Action ‘PED-EU-NET’, JPI Urban Europe, IEA EBC Annex 83 and EERA JP Smart Cities can be considered as the main promoters and pioneer initiatives of the research on Positive Energy Districts (PEDs), that collaborated to develop a tool called 'PED Database'. The tool aims to map, filter, sort, and compare PED experiences, providing a balanced overview of the technological and non-technological solutions adopted in different PED projects and case studies around Europe and beyond. The paper aims to present the collaborative step-by-step process leading to the PED DB implementation, describing the adopted methodology, the current results and potentials of the online version platform and introducing its future possible developments towards a more user-friendly and stakeholders-tailored tool.
Hypofractionated Radiotherapy for Hematologic Malignancies during the COVID-19 Pandemic and Beyond
Authors: Febin Antony Febin , Dubey Arbind , Skrabek Pamela , Tsang Lung Fung (Alex) , Lambert Pascal , Bybel Bohdan , Ahmed Naseer
Published: December 2023

Purpose
Radiotherapy is integral in the management of hematological malignancies (HM). Standard radiotherapy dose fractionation regimens range between 20-50 Gy in 10-25 fractions over 2-5 weeks. This study presents the outcomes of patients with HM treated with hypofractionation radiotherapy (HFRT) during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Methods
Patients (N=36) were treated with HFRT between January 2020 and September 2022. The outcomes measured were the overall response rate (ORR), freedom from local progression (FFLP), and overall survival (OS).
Results
Median follow-up was 13.2 months. Thirty-three patients (92%) had non-Hodgkin (NHL) or Hodgkin lymphoma (HL). Eighteen patients (50%) had aggressive and 9 (25%) had indolent NHL. Nineteen patients (53%) presented with stage I/II and 15(42%) with stage III/IV disease. Twenty-five (69.4%) and eleven (30%) received consolidative and definitive RT, respectively. Twenty patients (56%) received treatment to the neck and/or thorax, and 9 (25%) to the abdomen or pelvis. Total dose ranged from 18 to 42.5 Gy in 6-17 fractions/ 2.67-5 Gy per fraction. Median dose in 2 Gy fractions for an alpha/beta (α/β) ratio of 10 amounted to 39 Gy (SD ± 13.86), and 43.6 Gy (SD ± 12) for an α/β of 3. The most commonly used fractionation scheme was 39 Gy in 13 fractions. ORR was 94.4% for the entire cohort, and 100, 94.4, and 83.3% for indolent NHL, aggressive NHL, and HL patients. Two-year FFLP was 76% (95% CI: 34-93%) for the entire cohort, and 100, 87 (95%CI: 56.4-96.5%) and 42% (95% CI: 1.1-84.3%) for the indolent NHL, aggressive NHL, and HL patients. Two-year OS for the entire cohort was 80% (95% CI:59.9-90.5%), and 100, 66.1 (95% CI: 36.4-84.4%) and 100% for the indolent NHL, aggressive NHL, and HL patients. Only one patient presented with grade two pulmonary toxicity.
Conclusion
HFRT in HM provides excellent local control without any increase in toxicity.
Cultural Fluctuation of Lake Communities by the Shrinkage of Lake Limboto, Indonesia
Authors: Baga Magdalena , Jahja Mohamad , Sakakibara Masayuki , Kasamatsu Hiroki
Published: December 2023

The fluctuation of the conditions on Lake Limboto affects people's activities around the lake. They try to survive by facing the problem of the lake, which is shallowing and narrowing. Yet the lake is predicted will be disappeared in 2030. This means that the productivity of the lake also diminishes. This article aims to analyze how the communities around the lake respond to the evolution and shocking prediction toward the lake into their daily activities. This study uses an interdisciplinary approach by integrating some fields of study to understand and solve the problems. One of the approaches involves interviewing people around the lake. Nevertheless, the base of the study is socio-cultural studies, which uses also old texts and oral literature as the support of the study. The research needs the theory of cultural studies to look at the survival and resilience of the people of lake so that they form their special daily activity. The results of the study show that some people know that there is a prediction of disappearing of the lake, but they have not anticipated it, as if this problem is only a government affair. They still live at the lake bank, try to survive and to be resilience even in poor conditions.
Harnessing Drones, Doves and Sentinel-2 Imagery for Assessing the Composition and Trajectory of Restoration
Authors: Trotter Lewis , Cross Adam T , Rice Erin , Robinson Todd P
Published: December 2023

Natural vegetation restoration can take decades to achieve and requires information on species composition and trend to inform management strategies. Here we demonstrate the potential and portability of drone, dove and Sentinel-2 imagery for species level classification and trajectory monitoring using three study sites with different revegetation histories. Drone imagery (4 cm) was classified using random forests. Dove (3 m) and Sentinel-2 (10 m) images were acquired close to the anniversary of the drone flights and converted into fractional cover maps showing the proportion of exotics, natives and other land covers using ordinary least squares (OLS) and geographically weighted regression (GWR). The time series of fractional cover maps were converted into positive and negative slope and second-order curvature and summarised as one RGB composite to illustrate trend and observe exotic expansion. Drone classification accuracies ranged from 73%-76% when applied to the full plant species list and between 93% and 97% when grouped into natives, exotics, and other land covers. GWR outperformed OLS for all fractional cover mapping and GWR with dove imagery was more accurate than with Sentinel imagery. The combination of very high-resolution drone acquired imagery with the versatility of dove acquired imagery arms land managers with highly accurate species composition and their spatio-temporal dynamics to promote timely intervention.
Late Quaternary Paleoecology and Environmental History of the Hortobágy, an Alkaline Steppe in Central Europe
Authors: Szilágyi Gábor , Gulyás Sándor , Vári Tamás Zsolt , Sümegi Pál
Published: December 2023

Hungary's first national park was created in 1973 in the Hortobágy area to protect Europe's largest contiguous steppe area with its flora and fauna. The Hortobágy National Park - the Puszta was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List as a cultural landscape in 1999. The park's outstanding importance is due to the predominantly non-arboreal steppe vegetation, home to a unique bird fauna, and the alkaline and chernozem soils with a complex, mosaic-like spatial structure. In addition, the landscape of the Hortobágy has a pastoral history stretching back thousands of years. Several hypotheses have been put forward, which suggest that the alkaline soils and the habitats that cover them were formed as a result of human activities related to river regulation that began in the second half of the 19th century. However, palaeoecological and palaeobiological studies over the last 30-40 years have pointed to the natural origin of the alkaline steppes, dating back to the end of the Ice Age. For thousands of years human activities, in particular grazing by domestic animals, hardly influenced the natural evolution of the area. Drainage of marshy and flooded areas began in the 19th century, and the introduction of more and more intensive agriculture, had a significant impact on the landscape. This paper aims to describe the past natural development of this special alkaline steppe ecosystem, with particular reference to the impacts of past and present human activities, including conservation measures.
Successfully Managed Alcoholic Ketoacidosis With Sepsis Leading to Mods: A Case Report
Authors: Roy Ishita , Roy Nilanjan
Published: December 2023

We present the case of a 28-year-old male with a history of alcohol dependency and smoking, who presented with chest pain, shortness of breath, and altered sensorium. He exhibited severe metabolic acidosis, low platelet count, and acute kidney injury. Alcoholic ketoacidosis (AKA) was suspected due to ketonuria, metabolic acidosis, and ketonemia, compounded by electrolyte abnormalities and radiographic findings of pneumonia.Prompt intervention included electrolyte correction, thiamine supplementation, broad-spectrum antibiotics, and diuretics. Thiamine played a pivotal role in the patient's recovery, with significant improvement in consciousness observed within a day. After six days, the patient was discharged in stable condition, showing normal renal and hepatic function during follow-up.This case emphasizes the need for early recognition and comprehensive management in AKA, highlighting
Adipose Stromal Cells-Derived Secretome Attenuates Cisplatin-Induced Injury In Vitro Surpassing the Intricate Interplay Between Proximal Tubular Epithelial Cells and Macrophages
Authors: Rendra Erika , Uhlig Stefanie , Moskal Isabell , Thielemann Corinna , Klüter Harald , Bieback Karen
Published: December 2023

(1) Background: The chemotherapeutic drug cisplatin exerts toxic side effects causing acute kidney injury. Mesenchymal stromal cells can ameliorate cisplatin-induced kidney injury. We hypothe-size that the MSC secretome orchestrates the vicious cycle of injury and inflammation by acting on proximal tubule epithelial cells (PTECs) and macrophages individually, but further by coun-teracting their cellular crosstalk. (2) Methods: Conditioned medium (CM) from adipose stromal cells was used, first assessing its effect on cisplatin injury in PTECs. Second, effects of cisplatin and CM on macrophages were measured. Lastly, in an indirect co-culture system the interplay between the two cell types was assessed. (3) Results: First, CM rescued PTECs from cisplatin-induced apoptosis by reducing oxidative stress and expression of nephrotoxicity genes. Second, while cisplatin exerted only minor effects on macrophages, CM skewed macrophage phenotypes to the anti-inflammatory M2-like phenotype and increased phagocytosis. Finally, in the co-culture system, CM suppressed PTEC death by inhibiting apoptosis and nuclei fragmentation. CM lowered TNF-α release. While cisplatin inhibited macrophage phagocytosis, PTECs, and CM to a greater extent, enhanced it. CM strongly dampened the inflammatory macrophage cytokine secretion triggered by PTECs. (4) Conclusion: ASC-CM surpasses the PTEC-macrophage cross-talk in cisplatin injury. The positive effects on reducing cisplatin cytotoxicity, on polarizing mac-rophages and on fine-tuning cytokine secretion underscores MSCs CM benefit to prevent kidney injury progression.
Traditional News Media as Agents of Authenticity: Nigerian Audience Weathering the Onslaught of New Media Streaming
Authors: Anyanwu Chukwuma , Imiti Aghogho Lucky , Anyanwu Chikodi Joy
Published: December 2023

The Nigerian media have traversed through all manners of leadership— military, democratic—finally settling into democratic governance. Experience from previous regimes exposed them to the vagaries of power and how to cope with them. The coming of the internet with its social media handles threw the journalists of these media into confusion as the citizens have taken the reigns of news/information peddling from under them, turning them into agents of confirmation and authenticity of information. The objective is to interrogate how online media/information/news streaming has taken the audience away from the traditional media by being on the ‘spot’ at all hours with their avalanche of “Breaking News.” Deploying survey method (opinion poll, OPL), and relying on purposive sampling technique, the authors purposively selected WhatsApp Group Platforms (WGP), as the most suitable of the new/social media with access to all manners of news sources. Findings reveal that audiences currently resort to the traditional media to confirm the authenticity of news and information carried online in a sort-of-when-in-doubt-watch-the television; listen to radio or read the newspaper/magazine. It concludes that online news streaming has become the coveted bride of present day information and news seekers albeit a most unreliable one at that.