bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
BBB-PEP-prediction: improved computational model for identification of blood–brain barrier peptides using blending position relative composition specific features and ensemble modeling
Authors: Naseem Ansar , Alturise Fahad , Alkhalifah Tamim , Khan Yaser Daanial
Published: November 2023

BBPs have the potential to facilitate the delivery of drugs to the brain, opening up new avenues for the development of treatments targeting diseases of the central nervous system (CNS). The obstacle faced in central nervous system disorders stems from the formidable task of traversing the blood–brain barrier (BBB) for pharmaceutical agents. Nearly 98% of small molecule-based drugs and nearly 100% of large molecule-based drugs encounter difficulties in successfully penetrating the BBB. This importance leads to identification of these peptides, can help in healthcare systems. In this study, we proposed an improved intelligent computational model BBB-PEP-Prediction for identification of BBB peptides. Position and statistical moments based features have been computed for acquired benchmark dataset. Four types of ensembles such as bagging, boosting, stacking and blending have been utilized in the methodology section. Bagging employed Random Forest (RF) and Extra Trees (ET), Boosting utilizes XGBoost (XGB) and Light Gradient Boosting Machine (LGBM). Stacking uses ET and XGB as base learners, blending exploited LGBM and RF as base learners, while Logistic Regression (LR) has been applied as Meta learner for stacking and blending. Three classifiers such as LGBM, XGB and ET have been optimized by using Randomized search CV. Four types of testing such as self-consistency, independent set, cross-validation with 5 and 10 folds and jackknife test have been employed. Evaluation metrics such as Accuracy (ACC), Specificity (SPE), Sensitivity (SEN), Mathew’s correlation coefficient (MCC) have been utilized. The stacking of classifiers has shown best results in almost each testing. The stacking results for independent set testing exhibits accuracy, specificity, sensitivity and MCC score of 0.824, 0.911, 0.831 and 0.663 respectively. The proposed model BBB-PEP-Prediction shown superlative performance as compared to previous benchmark studies. The proposed system helps in future research and research community for in-silico identification of BBB peptides.
LAE-GAN: a novel cloud-based Low-light Attention Enhancement Generative Adversarial Network for unpaired text images
Authors: Xue Minglong , He Yanyi , Xie Peiqi , He Zhengyang , Feng Xin
Published: November 2023

With the widespread adoption of mobile multimedia devices, the deployment of compute-intensive inference tasks on edge and resource-constrained devices, particularly in the context of low-light text detection, remains a formidable challenge. Existing deep learning approaches have shown limited effectiveness in restoring images for extremely dark scenes. To address these limitations, this paper presents a novel cloud-based Low-light Attention Enhancement Generative Adversarial Network for unpaired text images (LAE-GAN) for the non-paired text image enhancement task in extremely low-light conditions. In the first stage, compressed low-light images are transmitted from edge devices to a cloud server for image enhancement. The LAE-GAN, an end-to-end network comprising a Zero-DCE and AGM-net generator, is designed with a global and local discriminator structure. The initial illumination restoration of extremely low-light images is accomplished using the Zero-DCE network. To enhance text details, we propose an Enhanced Text Attention Mechanism (ETAM) that transforms text information into a comprehensive text attention mechanism across the entire network. The Sobel operator is employed to extract text edge information, while attention is focused on text region details through constraints imposed on the attention map and edge map. Additionally, an AGM-Net module is integrated to reduce noise and fine-tune illumination. In the second stage, the cloud server makes decisions based on user requirements and processes requests in parallel, scaling with the quantity of requests. In the third stage, the enhanced results are transmitted back to edge devices for text detection. Experimental results on widely used LOL and SID low-light datasets demonstrate significant improvements in both quantitative and qualitative analysis, surpassing state-of-the-art enhancement methods in terms of image restoration and text detection.
What evidence exists on the impact of climate change on real estate valuation? A systematic map protocol
Authors: Vanhuyse Fedra , Piseddu Tommaso , Moberg Åsa
Published: November 2023

Background

As natural disasters increase in both frequency and magnitude because of climate change, assets, such as buildings and infrastructure, are exposed to physical climate risk. In addition, as our societies transition towards a greener economy, the transitional climate risk will manifest itself in different forms: reputational issues, market solutions that may drive out those that do not comply, technological disruptions and policy initiatives. How both risks, physical and transitional, impact the economic value of real estate assets is not well understood and will be investigated as the main scope of this systematic map.

Method

we use systematic mapping to collate and configure existing evidence on how climate risk has affected the economic value of real estate assets. After designing a search string, English language peer-reviewed publications will be retrieved from the two largest and most popular scientific research databases, as well as a database containing policy documents. This corpus will be tested for comprehensiveness using a benchmark of 50 highly relevant articles. Once the comprehensiveness test is passed, a consistency test will be carried out on the screening of a randomly selected list of 200 articles by three reviewers. If a kappa score of at least 0.6 is achieved, one of the reviewers will carry out the remainder of the screening, with another reviewer quality assuring 10% of the screening. The retained corpus will then be distributed over the three reviewers, who will carry out the extraction of metadata according to an agreed coding strategy. The final output of the coding will consist of a heat map, showcasing where substantial evidence is available, and research gaps, providing recommendations for further research. In addition, the results will provide insight into the methodology to quantify the impact of climate risk on real estate value. Figures and tables will be designed to make it easy to comprehend the results of the mapping.
Sequential host-bacteria and bacteria-bacteria interactions determine the microbiome establishment of Nematostella vectensis
Authors: Domin H. , Zimmermann J. , Taubenheim J. , Fuentes Reyes G. , Saueressig L. , Prasse D. , Höppner M. , Schmitz R. A. , Hentschel U. , Kaleta C. , Fraune S.
Published: November 2023

Background

The microbiota of multicellular organisms undergoes considerable changes during host ontogeny but the general mechanisms that control community assembly and succession are poorly understood. Here, we use bacterial recolonization experiments in Nematostella vectensis as a model to understand general mechanisms determining bacterial establishment and succession. We compared the dynamic establishment of the microbiome on the germfree host and on inert silicone tubes.

Results

Following the dynamic reconstruction of microbial communities on both substrates, we show that the initial colonization events are strongly influenced by the host but not by the silicone tube, while the subsequent bacteria-bacteria interactions are the main driver of bacterial succession. Interestingly, the recolonization pattern on adult hosts resembles the ontogenetic colonization succession. This process occurs independently of the bacterial composition of the inoculum and can be followed at the level of individual bacteria. To identify potential metabolic traits associated with initial colonization success and potential metabolic interactions among bacteria associated with bacterial succession, we reconstructed the metabolic networks of bacterial colonizers based on their genomes. These analyses revealed that bacterial metabolic capabilities reflect the recolonization pattern, and the degradation of chitin might be a selection factor during early recolonization of the animal. Concurrently, transcriptomic analyses revealed that Nematostella possesses two chitin synthase genes, one of which is upregulated during early recolonization.

Conclusions

Our results show that early recolonization events are strongly controlled by the host while subsequent colonization depends on metabolic bacteria-bacteria interactions largely independent of host ontogeny.
Investigating the relationship between parental attitudes toward reading, early literacy activities, and reading literacy in Arabic among Emirati children
Authors: Alramamneh Yahia , Saqr Sumaya , Areepattamannil Shaljan
Published: November 2023

Emirati children’s reading skills have consistently lagged behind global standards on international standardized tests. Given the United Arab Emirates’s Vision 2031, which aims for a world-class education system, and given the importance of Arabic literacy in preserving national identity and cultural heritage, there is an urgent need to investigate the factors that influence Arabic literacy among Emirati children. Therefore, this study, using data from the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) 2016 database, aimed to examine the relationships between parents’ attitudes toward reading, early literacy activities, early literacy tasks, and Arabic literacy. Specifically, the study aimed to (1) determine the predictive value of parental attitudes toward reading for Arabic reading literacy among Emirati children; (2) examine how early literacy activities and tasks contribute to Arabic reading literacy; and (3) examine the mediating role of early literacy activities and tasks in the relationship between parental attitudes and Arabic reading literacy. The results of the study suggest that parental attitudes toward reading are an important predictor of their children’s Arabic reading literacy. Participation in early literacy activities before primary school and mastery of early literacy tasks at the beginning of primary school were both associated with reading proficiency in Arabic. Furthermore, both early literacy activities and early literacy tasks significantly mediated the relationship between parental attitudes toward reading and children’s reading proficiency in Arabic. The findings are critical for educators to adapt teaching methods, curricula, and parental involvement programs to more effectively support Arabic literacy development. The study highlights the need for an inclusive approach involving parents, educators, and policymakers to create an enabling environment for the development of Arabic literacy, which is essential for academic success and cultural preservation.
On hierarchical clustering-based approach for RDDBS design
Authors: Abdalla Hassan I. , Amer Ali A. , Ravana Sri Devi
Published: November 2023

Distributed database system (DDBS) design is still an open challenge even after decades of research, especially in a dynamic network setting. Hence, to meet the demands of high-speed data gathering and for the management and preservation of huge systems, it is important to construct a distributed database for real-time data storage. Incidentally, some fragmentation schemes, such as horizontal, vertical, and hybrid, are widely used for DDBS design. At the same time, data allocation could not be done without first physically fragmenting the data because the fragmentation process is the foundation of the DDBS design. Extensive research have been conducted to develop effective solutions for DDBS design problems. But the great majority of them barely consider the RDDBS's initial design. Therefore, this work aims at proposing a clustering-based horizontal fragmentation and allocation technique to handle both the early and late stages of the DDBS design. To ensure that each operation flows into the next without any increase in complexity, fragmentation and allocation are done simultaneously. With this approach, the main goals are to minimize communication expenses, response time, and irrelevant data access. Most importantly, it has been observed that the proposed approach may effectively expand RDDBS performance by simultaneously fragmenting and assigning various relations. Through simulations and experiments on synthetic and real databases, we demonstrate the viability of our strategy and how it considerably lowers communication costs for typical access patterns at both the early and late stages of design.
Sidewinding locomotion of flatworm-like mesh robot WORMESH-II
Authors: Rasanga Ganegoda V. C. , Hiraishi Kengo , Hodoshima Ryuichi , Kotosaka Shinya
Published: November 2023

WORMESH-II, which is the second prototype in the WORMESH series, is inspired by a flatten and soft-bodied fatworm, and its uniqueness is the use of multiple travelling waves for locomotion. In this paper, the sidewinding locomotions for WORMESH-II are talked about. This is because sidewinding is one of the most effective ways to traverse sandy terrain. The mathematical model of the sidewinding locomotion kinematics of WORMESH-II explains how synchronous multiple sidewinding waves can be used to control the movement of the robot effectively. Unlike WORMESH’s pedal-wave locomotion, sidewinding gaits allow the robot to be manoeuvred in any direction without changing the joint sequence. Relative to the wave propagation direction, velocity in the longitudinal direction is dependent on the vertical component of sidewinding travelling waves. Moreover, velocity in the transverse direction depends on the horizontal component of sidewinding travelling waves. The velocity in the longitudinal direction becomes zero when the phase shift of the travelling waves equals $$\pi $$
π
rad. The angular velocity around the instantaneous centre of rotation depends on the wave amplitude of the horizontal component of the sidewinding travelling wave along the kinematic chains, and the turning radius is proportional to the amplitude gradient along the kinematic chains. The dynamic simulation of WORMESH-II and testing with the WORMESH-II prototype confirmed the proposed method, which was based on the metamathematical explanation of locomotion.
Characterization of mechanical stiffness using additive manufacturing and finite element analysis: potential tool for bone health assessment
Authors: Marupudi Sriharsha , Cao Qian , Samala Ravi , Petrick Nicholas
Published: November 2023

Background

Bone health and fracture risk are known to be correlated with stiffness. Both micro-finite element analysis (μFEA) and mechanical testing of additive manufactured phantoms are useful approaches for estimating mechanical properties of trabecular bone-like structures. However, it is unclear if measurements from the two approaches are consistent. The purpose of this work is to evaluate the agreement between stiffness measurements obtained from mechanical testing of additive manufactured trabecular bone phantoms and μFEA modeling. Agreement between the two methods would suggest 3D printing is a viable method for validation of μFEA modeling.

Methods

A set of 20 lumbar vertebrae regions of interests were segmented and the corresponding trabecular bone phantoms were produced using selective laser sintering. The phantoms were mechanically tested in uniaxial compression to derive their stiffness values. The stiffness values were also derived from in silico simulation, where linear elastic μFEA was applied to simulate the same compression and boundary conditions. Bland-Altman analysis was used to evaluate agreement between the mechanical testing and μFEA simulation values. Additionally, we evaluated the fidelity of the 3D printed phantoms as well as the repeatability of the 3D printing and mechanical testing process.

Results

We observed good agreement between the mechanically tested stiffness and μFEA stiffness, with R2 of 0.84 and normalized root mean square deviation of 8.1%. We demonstrate that the overall trabecular bone structures are printed in high fidelity (Dice score of 0.97 (95% CI, [0.96,0.98]) and that mechanical testing is repeatable (coefficient of variation less than 5% for stiffness values from testing of duplicated phantoms). However, we noticed some defects in the resin microstructure of the 3D printed phantoms, which may account for the discrepancy between the stiffness values from simulation and mechanical testing.

Conclusion

Overall, the level of agreement achieved between the mechanical stiffness and μFEA indicates that our μFEA methods may be acceptable for assessing bone mechanics of complex trabecular structures as part of an analysis of overall bone health.
Everolimus for Children With Recurrent or Progressive Low-Grade Glioma: Results From the Phase II PNOC001 Trial
Authors: Haas-Kogan Daphne A. , Aboian Mariam S. , Minturn Jane E. , Leary Sarah E.S. , Abdelbaki Mohamed S. , Goldman Stewart , Elster Jennifer D. , Kraya Adam , Lueder Matthew R. , Ramakrishnan Divya , von Reppert Marc , Liu Kevin X. , Rokita Jo Lynne , Resnick Adam C. , Solomon David A. , Phillips Joanna J. , Prados Michael , Molinaro Annette M. , Waszak Sebastian M. , Mueller Sabine
Published: November 2023

PURPOSE

The PNOC001 phase II single-arm trial sought to estimate progression-free survival (PFS) associated with everolimus therapy for progressive/recurrent pediatric low-grade glioma (pLGG) on the basis of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/AKT/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway activation as measured by phosphorylated-ribosomal protein S6 and to identify prognostic and predictive biomarkers.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Patients, age 3-21 years, with progressive/recurrent pLGG received everolimus orally, 5 mg/m2 once daily. Frequency of driver gene alterations was compared among independent pLGG cohorts of newly diagnosed and progressive/recurrent patients. PFS at 6 months (primary end point) and median PFS (secondary end point) were estimated for association with everolimus therapy.

RESULTS

Between 2012 and 2019, 65 subjects with progressive/recurrent pLGG (median age, 9.6 years; range, 3.0-19.9; 46% female) were enrolled, with a median follow-up of 57.5 months. The 6-month PFS was 67.4% (95% CI, 60.0 to 80.0) and median PFS was 11.1 months (95% CI, 7.6 to 19.8). Hypertriglyceridemia was the most common grade ≥3 adverse event. PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway activation did not correlate with clinical outcomes (6-month PFS, active 68.4% v nonactive 63.3%; median PFS, active 11.2 months v nonactive 11.1 months; P = .80). Rare/novel KIAA1549::BRAF fusion breakpoints were most frequent in supratentorial midline pilocytic astrocytomas, in patients with progressive/recurrent disease, and correlated with poor clinical outcomes (median PFS, rare/novel KIAA1549::BRAF fusion breakpoints 6.1 months v common KIAA1549::BRAF fusion breakpoints 16.7 months; P < .05). Multivariate analysis confirmed their independent risk factor status for disease progression in PNOC001 and other, independent cohorts. Additionally, rare pathogenic germline variants in homologous recombination genes were identified in 6.8% of PNOC001 patients.

CONCLUSION

Everolimus is a well-tolerated therapy for progressive/recurrent pLGGs. Rare/novel KIAA1549::BRAF fusion breakpoints may define biomarkers for progressive disease and should be assessed in future clinical trials.
COMPUTER GAME "THE WAY TO A SECURE INTERNET"
Authors: VEDESHKINA NATALIA A. , MAXIMENKO VALENTINA A.
Published: November 2023

The computer game "The Way to a secure Internet" was created by teachers of the MDOU "D/ s № 73" of Magnitogorsk on the cross-platform environment for the development of Unity computer programs. The game is aimed at older preschool children. It is aimed at the formation of life skills of students in the information society in order to ensure the information security of children. The main educational material is the selection of rules for safe behavior when using the Internet information network by students, taking into account the peculiarities of children's perception of information. The plot of the game situation and the algorithm of sequential actions of the user in order to move from one level to another suggest the following stages of the educational course and, accordingly, game tasks for the player: get and assimilate information about the dangers on the Internet, listen (read) the rule about safe behavior on the Internet, get acquainted with the game situation, choose the right solution, applying the rule about safe behavior on the Internet. The introductory information contains options for dangerous situations in which a child may find himself in the real world with incorrect communication on the Internet. The information included in the training information introduces preschoolers to the rules of safe behavior on the Internet. The control of the assimilation of educational material is presented at the game level of solving a problem situation. When choosing an answer, the game reality is realized in one of two directions: the correct answer - the training material is learned – the player moves to the next level; the wrong answer – the training material is not learned – the player returns to the level of familiarity with the rule. The system of criteria for evaluating user behavior during the implementation of an interactive game is expressed in the accumulation of bonuses (presented in the form of stars that appear on the playing field in the process of solving game problems).
Analysis of Elliptic Curve Cryptography & RSA
Authors: Khan Mohammad Rafeek , Upreti Kamal , Alam Mohammad Imran , Khan Haneef , Siddiqui Shams Tabrez , Haque Mustafizul , Parashar Jyoti
Published: November 2023

In today’s digital world, the Internet is an essential component of communication networks. It provides a platform for quickly exchanging information among communicating parties. There is a risk of unauthorized persons gaining access to our sensitive information while it is being transmitted. Cryptography is one of the most effective and efficient strategies for protecting our data and it are utilized all around the world. The efficiency of a cryptography algorithm is determined by a number of parameters, one of which is the length of the key. For cryptography, key (public/private) is an essential part. To provide robust security, RSA takes larger key size. If we use larger key size, the processing performance will be slowed. As a result, processing speed will decrease and memory consumption will increase. Due to this, cryptographic algorithms with smaller key size and higher security are becoming more popular. Out of the cryptographic algorithms, Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC) provides equivalent level of safety which RSA provides, but it takes smaller key size. On the basis of key size, our work focused on, studied, and compared the efficacy in terms of security among the well-known public key cryptography algorithms, namely ECC (Elliptic Curve Cryptography) and RSA (Rivets Shamir Adelman).
Post-Pandemic Urban Form: Tentative Signs of Office Recentralization in Charlotte
Authors: Graves William , McShane Chuck , Kozar Jonathan
Published: November 2023

abstract: Pandemic-era disruptions to the geography of work have led some observers to suggest that the city's critical role in production may be coming to an end. While little is currently known about the magnitude of the diffusion of workers into lower-cost and high-amenity areas, there still has been much speculation on an associated diffusion of workplaces in response. We explore the changing geography of office space in Charlotte using the Adams–Muller model of intra-urban evolution to identify several trends. First, office space consumption in central business districts (CBDs) has been stagnant, and suburban space consumption has declined since Q2 of 2020. Second, we find a trend of new office space construction and consumption in new districts which are adjacent to CBDs. Our case study of Charlotte indicates that some recentralization of office space is underway, and observations suggest that similar shifts are likely to be occurring elsewhere. While this work is in the exploratory stages, should these trends be verified as robust, it appears that cities like Charlotte may have begun a new evolutionary phase in the Adams–Muller context.
Immigrants and Inequality: Evidence from a Minor-Emerging Gateway Metropolitan Area in NC
Authors: Farhat Nabeela , Sultana Selima
Published: November 2023

abstract: Socioeconomic inequalities among foreign-born populations in the United States in minor-emerging gateways are rarely discussed in existing inequality literature. This study helps to fill that gap by examining inequality and spatial integration among immigrant, US–born White, and Black populations in a minor gateway metropolitan area of Greensboro–High Point, NC. The 2020 Census five-year (2016–2020) estimate of American Community Survey (ACS) housing and demographic data, the location quotient (LQ), Lorenz curve, and Gini Index are utilized. The LQ values suggest immigrant groups are more concentrated with Black populations than White populations, but US–born Black and White populations are far more segregated than immigrant groups. Lorenz curve and Gini coefficients confirm that White populations experience the least inequality while the greatest income inequality exists among US–born Black populations, followed by immigrant populations. Further, disparities in income are greater for immigrants living in their underrepresented communities than those who live in overrepresented neighborhoods. The study concludes that immigrant populations living in segregated neighborhoods with a higher proportion of racial and ethnic minorities have lower education and English language competency than those living in neighborhoods with a higher percentage of US–born residents, and hence have lower income inequality among populations.
Police Violence as Containment of Black Bodies during Urban Renewal: A Spatial Analysis of Civilian Deaths by Police in Florida
Authors: Johns Rebecca , Viera Matt , Dixon Barnali
Published: November 2023

abstract: This study presents a geospatial analysis of police killings within two areas in Florida over a twenty-year period. Fatalities were mapped against social and economic characteristics of neighborhoods to ascertain if police violence ending in civilian death was concentrated in areas with high-minority and low-income populations, and those areas in proximity to gentrifying neighborhoods. We evaluated the theory that police violence against minority residents serves as a process of containment and ultimately supports the continued generation of wealth by a specific sector of society through the process of gentrification. The cycle of destruction and renewal in the urban landscape is deeply intertwined with processes of capital accumulation, class differentiation, and racial subordination. Both the West Florida and Southeast Florida areas contained a significantly higher proportion of fatal encounters occurring within tracts that were eligible to gentrify than in tracts that were in the process of gentrifying. Fort Lauderdale in particular had little overlap despite containing concentrated hotspots of incidents in combination with high-minority and low–NSES tracts. This same pattern is apparent in the Lakeland area in west Florida. Our findings are consistent with Laniyonu's observation that police interactions tend to increase in tracts just outside of gentrified areas, but seldom within them.
"It Feels So Real": The Value of Using Elements of Theatre to Rehearse a Profession
Authors: Silvestri Brielle
Published: November 2023

Abstract: In partnering with occupational therapy (OT) degree programs to enhance students' preparedness for the field, the applied theatre in education company, Theatre in Tandem, implemented sessions utilizing the applied theatre forms of structured improvisation and role-play to rehearse the profession. This piece documents learning possibilities found in the unpredictability of these theatre conventions: supporting the classroom curriculum, navigating realistic interactions in simulated scenarios, and creating space for the students to negotiate ambiguity as they made connections between the classroom learnings and the professional field.
Imagining New Possibilities: Career Diversity and Doctoral Education in Theatre and Performance Studies
Authors: Granshaw Michelle , Levenson Mia , Colligan Courtney , Irvine Mac , LaFave Victoria , Montez Noe , Son Elizabeth W.
Published: November 2023

Abstract: As the American Theatre and Drama Society (ATDS) celebrated its thirty-fifth anniversary at ATHE 2022, the group hosted the roundtable "Imagining New Possibilities: Career Diversity and Doctoral Education in Theatre and Performance Studies," welcoming faculty and graduate students to think expansively about the present and future of doctoral education. Co-organizers Michelle Granshaw (University of Pittsburgh) and Mia Levenson (Tufts University), along with panelists Courtney Colligan (University of Pittsburgh), Mac Irvine (Tufts University), Victoria LaFave (University of Pittsburgh), Noe Montez (Tufts University), and Elizabeth W. Son (Northwestern University), reflected on pressing questions and exciting opportunities surrounding career diversity. Faculty and students highlighted issues including how to shift program and field cultures to erase stigma and elitism and create an openness to career diversity conversations; incorporate career diversity and fields like the public humanities into programs and curriculum to serve students' individualized career paths; contextualize and understand the job market and career trajectories to help us consider ways to improve career planning and mentorship; understand how graduate education and career diversity impact student labor; and prioritize and implement equitable practices.
The Battle of Algiers, Alan O’leary (2019)
Authors: Mututa Addamms
Published: November 2023

Review of: The Battle of Algiers, Alan O’Leary (2019)

Milan: Mimesis International, 127 pp.,

ISBN 978-8-86977-079-1, e-book, $18
Influence of earthquake angle on seismic performance of concrete highway bridges
Authors: Lakusic Stjepan
Published: November 2023

This study aims to evaluate the effect of earthquake angle on the seismic performance of a concrete highway bridge. As a numerical example, a twin prestressed concrete box-girder highway bridge was analysed using finite element methods. The bridge was subjected to the 1992 Erzincan earthquake ground accelerations in 19 directions with values ranging from 0° to 90° in 5-degree increments. To evaluate the effects of different earthquake angles on seismic performance, variations in the maximum displacements, internal forces and principal stresses on the bridge deck, columns, isolator and foundation were studied . The results changed considerably for different earthquake angles. Variations in the displacement, internal forces and principal stresses occurred at different incidence angles. In other words, there is no unique angle of incidence for each structure.
Intention of Generation-Z for Switching to Islamic Banks In Banten Province A Push-Pull Mooring Approach
Authors: Pramudya Aji Kukuh , Zaelina Fitri
Published: November 2023

Research Aims: The purpose of this research is to understand the interest of Generation Z in switching behavior to Islamic banks based on the Push Pull Mooring (PPM) theory.
Methodology: The method used in this research is quantitative and the population taken as a sample is Generation Z in Banten Province. The hypothesis in this research is tested using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) and the SmartPLS 3.0 application, with a sample size of 184 respondents taken using purposive sampling method.
Research Findings: The results of the research show that the push and pull factors have a positive and significant effect on switching intention, while the mooring factors do not have an effect on switching intention.
Theoretical Contribution/Originalitity: The research focuses on Generation Z in Banten Province, and the findings may not be generalized to other regions or age groups. Additionally, the study relies on self-reported data, which may be subject to respondent bias.
Implication: Sharia banks must take the opportunity to develop and offer services that are more in line with religious values and can focus on developing products and services that meet sharia standards and prioritize Islamic ethical values to attract more customers.
Students' Interest in Using SIPINTAR Savings Products from PT. Kerinci Community Development Cooperative Bank: A Review of Promotion and Service Quality
Authors: Sarmigi Elex , Fitria Sri , Wahyuni Endah Sri , Desiana Desiana , Ashari Annisa Diyah
Published: November 2023

Research Aims: The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of promotion and service quality on students' interest in choosing SIPINTAR products at PT. Bank Perkreditan Rakyat Pembangunan Kerinci.
Methodology: This study uses a quantitative research design with a survey approach. The research sample was 60 students in Kerinci Regency while the sampling technique was the convenience sampling method. The data analysis technique used multiple linear analysis, while the hypothesis testing used the statistical t test and F test with the help of the IBM SPSS 26 application.
Research Findings: The results of this study found that partially promotion had a positive and significant effect on students' interest in using SIPINTAR products, while service quality had no effect on students' interest in using SIPINTAR PT. Kerinci Development People's Credit Bank. The results of the F test show that promotion and service quality simultaneously have a significant effect on using PT. SIPINTAR products. Kerinci Development People's Credit Bank, with the magnitude of this influence, namely 20.6%.
Theoretical Contribution: This research is beneficial for the development of the banking business, especially for regional banks.
Research limitation and implication: This study has limitations, namely only examining promotion factors and service quality in influencing the intention to save. However, the results of this study provide information that promotion is a factor in forming interest in using banking products.
RAMAN SCATTERING SPECTRA OF CARBON MATERIALS USED AS CATHODES OF AUTO-EMISSION RADIATION SOURCES
Authors:   South Ural State University, Chelyabinsk, Russian Federation, Belov K.N. , Berdnikov A.S. , Kireev V.B. , Kundikova N.D. , Prosekov D.N. , Man Fung Duc , Sheshin E.P. ,   Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Moscow, Russian Federation,   Institute of Electrophysics of the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Yekaterinburg, Russian Federation
Published: November 2023

Structured carbon materials are widely used in engineering and scientific research, in particular as materials for the auto-emission cathode of cathodoluminescent lamps. We apply Raman spectroscopy to determine the effect on fine-grained graphite (MPG-6), pyrolytic graphite, and PAN fibers when used as cathodes. Raman scattering spectra of all three materials were recorded before and after in the spectral range from 1000 to 2000 cm–1. In addition to the main lines of G, D, and D’ of carbon materials, we found a line in the range of (1450–1460) cm–1 in the initial pyrolytic graphite, in pyrolytic graphite after use as a cathode, and in the MPG-6 sample after use as a cathode. We observed the greatest change in the relative integral intensity of line D in pyrolytic graphite and MPG-6. This intensity increased in pyrolytic graphite and decreased in MPG-6 after use as a cathode. It will be possible to use the relative integral intensity of line D to evaluate the operation of a cathodoluminescent lamp.
MAGNETODYNAMICS OF A DILUTE FERROCOLLOID IN A SHEAR FLOW
Authors:   University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria, Kuznetsov A.A.
Published: November 2023

The work is devoted to a theoretical study of a dilute suspension of magnetic nanoparticles under the combined action of a simple shear flow and a constant magnetic field. The main attention is paid to the dynamics of the magnetization vector of the system. It is shown that at any nonzero temperature the magnetization takes a stationary orientation in a finite time. The direction of magnetization generally does not coincide with the direction of the field. Equilibrium and non-equilibrium magnetization components are calculated as functions of two dimensionless parameters – Mason number (i.e., ratio of hydrodynamic torque to magnetic) and Peclet number (i. e., ratio of hydrodynamic moment to thermal).
Site suitability analysis of wind energy resources in different regions of Algeria’s southwestern highland
Authors: Amrani Fatima Zohra Bochra , Marih Salah , Missoum Ibrahim , Boutlilis Fatima , Bekkouche Benaissa
Published: November 2023

This paper presents a site suitability analysis for a 20 MW wind farm project in western Algeria’s highlands. The aim is to improve the quality of the electricity grid’s service and increase Algeria’s renewable energy utilization. The wind potential of three regions, Mecheria, El Kheiter, and Naâma, was evaluated using the Weibull function and the wind atlas analysis and application program (WAsP) with a ten-year database (2011-2021) at 10 m hub height. The assessment encompassed a comprehensive analysis of various wind resource parameters, including mean wind speed, prevailing direction, and power densities. In comparison to other sites, the Mecheria region has the best wind potential, with a mean annual wind speed of 6.31 m/s, a power density of 283 W/m2, and Weibull parameters A = 7.1 m/s and k = 2.02. These promising results prompted us to design a wind farm in this region using Power Wind 90/2000 kW turbine technology facing the predominant wind directions of the site, producing 103.91 GWh of total annual gross energy produced (gross AEP) and 103.75 GWh of total annual net energy produced (net AEP). Finally, it appears that the wind resources in the selected region are well-suited for electricity generation, offering a promising opportunity to reduce the country's dependence on fossil fuels.
Grey wolf optimization and incremental conductance based hybrid MPPT technique for solar powered induction motor driven water pump
Authors: Shetty Divya , Sabhahit Jayalakshmi Narayana
Published: November 2023

The use of Solar Powered Water Pumps (SPWP) has emerged as a significant advancement in irrigation systems, offering a viable alternative to electricity and diesel-based pumping methods. The appeal of SPWPs to farmers lies in their low maintenance costs and the incentives provided by government agencies to support sustainable and cost-effective agricultural practices. However, a critical challenge faced by solar photovoltaic (PV) systems is their susceptibility to power loss under partial shading conditions, which can persist for extended periods, ultimately reducing system efficiency. To address this issue, this paper proposes the integration of Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) controllers with efficient algorithms designed to identify the peak power during shading events. In this study, a hybrid approach combining Grey Wolf Optimization (GWO) and Incremental Conductance (INC) is employed to maximize the power output of SPWPs driven by an induction motor under partial shading conditions. In order to achieve faster convergence to the global peak, GWO handles the first stages of MPPT and then INC algorithm is employed at the end of the MPPT process.  This method reduces the computations of GWO and streamlines the search space. The paper evaluates the performance of the induction motor in terms of speed settling time and torque ripple. To validate the effectiveness of the GWO-INC hybrid approach, simulations are conducted using the MATLAB Simulink platform. The outcomes are then compared with results obtained from various well-known approaches, including Particle Swarm Optimization – Perturb and Observe (PSO-PO), PSO-INC, and GWO-PO, illustrating the superiority of the GWO-INC hybrid approach in enhancing the efficiency and performance of solar water pumps during shading. The GWO-INC excels with 99.6% accuracy in uniform shading and 99.8% in partial shading. It achieves convergence in a mere 0.55 seconds under uniform shading conditions and only 0.42 seconds when partial shading is present. Moreover, it significantly reduces torque oscillations, with a torque ripple of  8.26% in cases of uniform shading and 10.56% in partial shading.
Normalized solutions for a critical fractional Choquard equation with a nonlocal perturbation
Authors: Lan Jiali , He Xiaoming , Meng Yuxi
Published: November 2023

In this article, we study the fractional critical Choquard equation with a nonlocal perturbation:

(

−
Δ

)

s

u
=
λ
u
+
α

(

I

μ

*

∣
u
∣

q

)

∣
u
∣

q
−
2

u
+

(

I

μ

*

∣
u
∣

2

μ
,
s

*

)

∣
u
∣

2

μ
,
s

*

−
2

u
,

in

R

N

,

{\left(-{\Delta })}^{s}u=\lambda u+\alpha \left({I}_{{\mu }^{* }}\hspace{-0.25em}{| u| }^{q}){| u| }^{q-2}u+\left({I}_{{\mu }^{* }}\hspace{-0.25em}{| u| }^{{2}_{\mu ,s}^{* }}){| u| }^{{2}_{\mu ,s}^{* }-2}u,\hspace{1em}\hspace{0.1em}\text{in}\hspace{0.1em}\hspace{0.33em}{{\mathbb{R}}}^{N},

having prescribed mass

∫

R

N

u

2

d
x
=

c

2

,

\mathop{\int }\limits_{{{\mathbb{R}}}^{N}}{u}^{2}{\rm{d}}x={c}^{2},

where

s
∈

(

0
,
1

)

,
N
>
2
s
,
0
<
μ
<
N
,
α
>
0
,
c
>
0

s\in \left(0,1),N\gt 2s,0\lt \mu \lt N,\alpha \gt 0,c\gt 0

, and

I

μ

(

x

)

{I}_{\mu }\left(x)

is the Riesz potential given by

I

μ

(

x

)

=

A

μ

∣
x
∣

μ

with

A

μ

=

Γ

μ

2

2

N
−
μ

π

N
⁄
2

Γ

N
−
μ

2

,

{I}_{\mu }\left(x)=\frac{{A}_{\mu }}{{| x| }^{\mu }}\hspace{1em}\hspace{0.1em}\text{with}\hspace{0.1em}\hspace{0.33em}{A}_{\mu }=\frac{\Gamma \left(\phantom{\rule[-0.75em]{}{0ex}},\frac{\mu }{2}\right)}{{2}^{N-\mu }{\pi }^{N/2}\Gamma \left(\phantom{\rule[-0.75em]{}{0ex}},\frac{N-\mu }{2}\right)},

and

2
N
−
μ

N

<
q
<

2

μ
,
s

*

=

2
N
−
μ

N
−
2
s

\frac{2N-\mu }{N}\lt q\lt {2}_{\mu ,s}^{* }=\frac{2N-\mu }{N-2s}

is the fractional Hardy-Littlewood-Sobolev critical exponent. Under the

L

2

{L}^{2}

-subcritical perturbation

α

(

I

μ

*

∣
u
∣

q

)

∣
u
∣

q
−
2

u

\alpha \left({I}_{{\mu }^{* }}\hspace{-0.25em}{| u| }^{q}){| u| }^{q-2}u

with exponent

2
N
−
μ

N

<
q
<

2
N
−
μ
+
2
s

N

\frac{2N-\mu }{N}\lt q\lt \frac{2N-\mu +2s}{N}

, we obtain the existence of normalized ground states and mountain-pass-type solutions. Meanwhile, for the

L

2

{L}^{2}

-critical and

L

2

{L}^{2}

-supercritical cases

2
N
−
μ
+
2
s

N

≤
q
<

2
N
−
μ

N
−
2
s

\frac{2N-\mu +2s}{N}\le q\lt \frac{2N-\mu }{N-2s}

, we also prove that the equation has ground states of mountain-pass-type.
Reconstruction of the regulatory hypermethylation network controlling hepatocellular carcinoma development during hepatitis C viral infection
Authors: Antropova Evgeniya A. , Khlebodarova Tamara M. , Demenkov Pavel S. , Volianskaia Anastasiia R. , Venzel Artur S. , Ivanisenko Nikita V. , Gavrilenko Alexandr D. , Ivanisenko Timofey V. , Adamovskaya Anna V. , Revva Polina M. , Kolchanov Nikolay A. , Lavrik Inna N. , Ivanisenko Vladimir A.
Published: November 2023

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has been associated with hepatitis C viral (HCV) infection as a potential risk factor. Nonetheless, the precise genetic regulatory mechanisms triggered by the virus, leading to virus-induced hepatocarcinogenesis, remain unclear. We hypothesized that HCV proteins might modulate the activity of aberrantly methylated HCC genes through regulatory pathways. Virus-host regulatory pathways, interactions between proteins, gene expression, transport, and stability regulation, were reconstructed using the ANDSystem. Gene expression regulation was statistically significant. Gene network analysis identified four out of 70 HCC marker genes whose expression regulation by viral proteins may be associated with HCC: DNA-binding protein inhibitor ID – 1 (ID1), flap endonuclease 1 (FEN1), cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 2A (CDKN2A), and telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT). It suggested the following viral protein effects in HCV/human protein heterocomplexes: HCV NS3(p70) protein activates human STAT3 and NOTC1; NS2-3(p23), NS5B(p68), NS1(E2), and core(p21) activate SETD2; NS5A inhibits SMYD3; and NS3 inhibits CCN2. Interestingly, NS3 and E1(gp32) activate c-Jun when it positively regulates CDKN2A and inhibit it when it represses TERT. The discovered regulatory mechanisms might be key areas of focus for creating medications and preventative therapies to decrease the likelihood of HCC development during HCV infection.
Alpha-mannosidosis: a case with novel ultrastructural and light microscopy findings
Authors: Leong Matthew , Sathi Bindu , Davis Amy , Hamid Syed , Wu Sandy , Woods Jeremy , Kharbanda Sandhya , Li Xiaomo , Hou Jean
Published: November 2023

Objectives

Alpha-mannosidosis is a rare genetic lysosomal storage condition leading to the systemic buildup of oligomannoside. Clinical presentation and associated conditions, as well as the full extent of histopathologic changes associated with this disease process, are not fully understood.

Case presentation

We present the case of an 8-year-1-month old patient with persistent anemia and who was initially diagnosed with Celiac disease before ultimately being diagnosed with alpha-mannosidosis. As part of his diagnostic work-up, duodenal and bone marrow biopsies were examined by pathology. Duodenal biopsies showed foamy plasma cells expanding the lamina propria which triggered a workup for a genetic storage disease; features suggestive of Celiac disease which resolved on gluten-free diet were also noted by pathology. Bone marrow analysis via electron microscopy showed cytoplasmic granules and inclusions in multiple immune cell lines.

Conclusions

Alpha-mannosidosis can occur with Celiac disease and milder forms may only be suspected from incidental pathology findings. The ultrastructural bone marrow findings from this case, the first to be reported from human, show numerous disease-associated changes in multiple immune cell lines whose contribution to disease-associated immunodeficiency is unclear.
Mercury and cadmium-induced inflammatory cytokines activation and its effect on the risk of preeclampsia: a review
Authors: Fadhila Alya N. , Pramono Besari A. , Muniroh Muflihatul
Published: November 2023

During the last decade, there has been an increase in exposure to heavy metals that can affect human health and the environment, especially mercury (Hg) and cadmium (Cd). These exposures can pollute the rivers or oceans, then contaminating marine organisms. Humans as the last consumer of this food chain cycle can be a place for the bioaccumulation of Hg and Cd, especially for people living in coastal areas, including pregnant women. Exposure to heavy metals Hg and Cd can have a high risk of triggering blood vessel disorders, penetrating the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and the placental barrier, one of which can increase the risk of preeclampsia. Several immunological biomarkers such as some cytokines associated with Hg and Cd exposure are also involved in the pathophysiology of preeclampsia, which are the placental implantation process and endothelial dysfunction in pregnant women. Therefore, countries that have a high incidence of preeclampsia should be aware of the environmental factors, especially heavy metal pollution such as Hg and Cd.