bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
From St. Petersburg to Naples: A Historical Analysis of Russo-Neapolitan Diplomacy during the Risorgimento
Authors: Kanel I.V.
Published: September 2024

The article analyzes Russo-Neapolitan relations in the context of the Risorgimento — a period of Italian unification marked by significant social and political changes in 19th-century Europe. We explore how the geopolitical situation, particularly following the Franco-Austrian War of 1805-1806, catalyzed Neapolitan closeness with the Russian Empire, viewed as a potential protector against aggression from France and Austria. Amidst instability, Neapolitan leadership sought reforms, including the abolition of feudalism and the introduction of new legal norms, aligning with Russia's ambitions to strengthen its positions in Italian territories. However, French and Austrian influence, along with internal conflicts in Naples, hindered deeper connections with Russia. As a result, despite initial enthusiasm, Russian-Neapolitan diplomacy encountered significant obstacles, leading to the search for alternative alliances with other powers. The article highlights the interconnection between internal reforms and foreign policy, examining the influence of foreign nations on the Italian unification process and the political dynamics of Naples.
MOVEMENT OF MOVEMENTS: RUSSIAN ACTIVISM IN EXILE AND THE POROUS POLITICAL OPPORTUNITY STRUCTURE
Authors: Henry Laura A. , Sperling Valerie , Sundstrom Lisa McIntosh
Published: September 2024

What happens when a social movement must relocate to continue its advocacy? Such a “movement” of movements has been going on—in a partial, fragmented way—since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, raising a host of issues for Russian social movements. Past research has identified several broad trends in Russian civil society prior to the war: enduring, evaporating, and adapting forms of activism. These terms captured, respectively, organizational types that had persisted since the 1990s, those unable to survive, and those that adapted to Russia's increasingly repressive environment. This article examines a new trend in Russian civil society, escaping, in light of the concept of political opportunity structure. Specifically, we find that Russian feminist and environmental activists operating beyond Russia's borders experience a porous political opportunity structure that crosses state boundaries, creating new opportunities for activism as well as constraints.
Computational and experimental studies of vibration-protective properties of a pneumatic wheel of the MTZ-82 BELARUS tractor with external spring-hydraulic mini-suspension
Authors: Novikov Vyacheslav V. , Pozdeev Alexey V. , Chumakov Dmitry A. , Kolesov Nikolay  M. , Timoshin Nikolay V. , Kagochkin Timofey A. , Skribunova Valeriya E.
Published: September 2024

BACKGROUND: Currently used in various sectors of the national economy, numerous wheeled suspensionless vehicles on pneumatic tires have a low level of vibration protection of the frame and limited cross-country ability. Therefore, the development and study of the design characteristics of a pneumatic wheel with increased elastic-damping properties and cross-country ability is a relevant technical problem.
AIM: Development of the design and study the vibration-protective properties of a pneumatic wheel with an external spring-hydraulic mini-suspension to improve the ride smoothness and cross-country ability of large-sized suspensionless vehicles.
METHODS: A description of the design of a wheel with mini-suspension and a support roller is presented. The wheel modeling was carried out in the PascalABC software, which takes into account the nonlinearity of the total force of the pneumatic tire and the spring-hydraulic mini-suspension, which is installed parallel to the tire at an angle to the vertical axis of the wheel. The test method consisted of comparison of free and forced vibrations of the rear pneumatic wheel of the MTZ-82 BELARUS tractor with a 400-965/15.5-38 tire, which operated without and with mini-suspension at a vertical load of 0.6 tons and various excessive pressure in the tire.
RESULTS: The results of computational and experimental studies show that if the tire is radially compressed by 75 mm, the excess pressure inside the pneumatic wheel almost does not change, and if the pressure in the tire decreases from 1.6 to 0.4 bar, the resonant vibration frequency of the standard wheel axle decreases by 25%, while the dynamic coefficient remains unacceptably high (more than 5), leading to the tire breakaway from the supporting surface. Installing a mini-suspension parallel to the wheel in the form of a spring-hydraulic shock-absorbing strut leads to an increase in the resonant frequency by 1 Hz, however, the resonant peaks are reduced by almost 3 times to a dynamic coefficient of 2.5...2, which significantly increases the ride smoothness of suspensionless vehicles and reduces the likelihood of wheel breakaway from the supporting surface.
CONCLUSION: It was found with the studies that the proposed wheel with a mini-suspension as a spring-hydraulic strut and a support roller has a relatively simple design, ensures high vibration-protective properties with small amplitudes of kinematic disturbance and can be used to improve the ride smoothness and cross-country ability of wheeled suspensionless vehicles.
Questões de multimodalidade em um texto da TAG Livros no Instagram
Authors: Ribeiro Ana Elisa
Published: September 2024

O objetivo deste artigo é discutir elementos do design de um texto composto por seis peças publicadas pela TAG Livros no Instagram, por ocasião do Dia Internacional Contra a Homofobia, a Transfobia e a Bifobia, em 17 de maio de 2022. Embora a questão política e humanitária abordada seja de enorme relevância, deteremo-nos nos elementos que compõem as peças, produzindo um exercício de leitura de seus processos de produção e consumo, à luz da multimodalidade. As peças foram selecionadas diretamente do perfil da TAG Livros, baixadas e organizadas para análise. Os resultados desta incursão teórica pelas peças, em especial informada pelos livros Multimodal discourse e Reading images, de Kress e Van Leeuwen (2001; 2006), favorecem indagações e reflexões sobre nossa concepção de texto e design. O escopo e o alcance dos estudos linguísticos e mesmo da formação de linguistas também está em pauta, diante de objetos tão complexos e, ao mesmo tempo, socialmente presentes. Algumas categorias da abordagem são postas em debate, a partir da materialidade das peças. Nas considerações finais, deixamos novas perguntas quanto a composições semelhantes à que focalizamos aqui, além de propor um exercício constante de ampliação de horizontes aos linguistas e aos professores de leitura e produção de textos.
plataforma digital “Kahoot” na Educação Básica brasileira
Authors: Dias Reinildes , Puttin Andressa Biancardi
Published: September 2024

Este artigo concebe que aprender inglês é essencial na Educação Básica Brasileira onde os multiletramentos, em uma perspectiva decolonial e emancipatória, podem ser desenvolvidos em prol de uma cidadania plena. Para isso, os professores precisam sintonizar suas práticas pedagógicas às demandas da sociedade de hoje, onde os dois aspectos, multimodalidade e diversidade, estejam imbricados no processo de educar os alunos, denominados geração “P” (de participativos). O saber nesta língua adicional precisa ser decolonizado para incluir tópicos de relevância social que incitem debates e o desenvolvimento de consciência crítica na busca de uma aprendizagem transformadora e emancipatória. A página inicial e algumas atividades do ambiente digital gamificado Kahoot foram escolhidas para uma análise documental crítico-interpretativista, a fim de investigarmos como elas contribuem para uma pedagogia atual em consonância com as mudanças advindas das tecnologias digitais, como revela o nosso referencial teórico. Nossa análise evidencia que as diversas alternativas presentes no Kahoot para o desenvolvimento do saber em inglês, pari passu com as possibilidades de incluir os dois aspectos dos multiletramentos e a gamificação, podem contribuir para que os alunos assumam um papel agentivo e transformador para aprender, ser autônomo, capaz de jogar e vencer no processo de aprimorar a comunicação em inglês nas práticas sociais pela linguagem.
Interação e multimodalidade no Instagram
Authors: Casagrande Thais de Castro , Almeida Patrícia Vasconcelos , Goulart Ilsa do Carmo Vieira
Published: September 2024

O presente texto traz discussões relacionadas às interações linguísticas em ambiente digital. Mais especificamente, este estudo reforça que a apropriação dos recursos tecnológicos requer habilidades específicas de práticas de leitura no universo informatizado. Para discutir isso, utiliza-se como referencial bibliográfico autores como Lévy (1999), que disserta sobre a cibercultura; Ribeiro (2009), com discussões sobre letramento digital; Kleiman (2014), acerca da linguagem heterogênea e dinâmica presente no contexto virtual, além de Rojo (2013), Kress (2003, 2010), Kress, Leite-Garcia e Van Leeuwen (2000) com estudos sobre a multimodalidade. Mencionam-se, ainda, debates sobre a Linguística Aplicada e interatividade e, por fim, apresentou-se a descrição de uma página na web do Instagram buscando ampliar questões sobre as interações linguísticas no ambiente digital por meio das redes sociais.
Una mirada espiritual a la muerte en la unidad de cuidados intensivos pediátricos
Authors: Çaksen Hüseyin
Published: September 2024

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Possible Role of the Pineal Gland in the Human Memory System
Authors: Sisakhti Minoo , Batouli Seyed Amir Hossein
Published: September 2024

Purpose: Pineal Gland (PG) is a midline brain structure and part of the epithalamus, a dorsal posterior segment of the diencephalon. Most findings on the role of this structure in brain function are relevant to melatonin secretion, and only a few reports are available on its involvement in brain cognition.
Materials and Methods: Due to some suggestions on the role of the diencephalon areas, including the PG, in the human memory system, we used data from two previous MRI studies on 32 and 295 healthy individuals, in order to identify first, if the PG shows activations in fMRI and during a memory retrieval task as well as showing functional connectivity with other brain structures, and second, if there are any associations between the PG volume and the memory scores of the individuals.
Results: Using a standard PG atlas, our results showed significant activations in PG during memory retrieval, with the strength of these activations increasing with the increment of the cognitive load of the task. Also, PG showed functional connectivity with other brain structures during fMRI, the pattern of which also changed with the cognitive load of the retrieval. Finally, the volume of the PG showed significant associations with the scores of the memory tests.
Conclusion: Our knowledge of the PG still needs improvement, and we hope our findings here could be a help for that as well as a help to better understand the mechanisms of memory storage and retrieval in humans.
Evaluation of Root Canal Morphology of the Maxillary Permanent First Molar among Iraqi Population: A Cone Beam Computed Tomography Study (Retrospective Study)
Authors: Al-Assadi Hamsa Zaki. , Al-Qrimli Ali Fadhil , Thyab Samer Aun
Published: September 2024

Purpose: Endodontic success mainly depends on the complete root canal system debridement, both mechanically and chemically. The maxillary first molar possesses one of the most complex root canal anatomy. The purpose of this study was to map the maxillary first molar's root canal anatomy and its variations. Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT) was used to determine the prevalence of the Second Mesiobuccal Canal (MB2) and its possible relation to the gender of the patient in the Iraqi population.
Materials and Methods: Images from documented archives of CBCT scans for 415 patients who had maxillofacial diagnosis or root canal treatment were used in this study. Totally 656 maxillary first molars (336 females and 320 males) were included. The root canal configuration, frequency of MB2, and its two-sided symmetry were observed. The (chi-square test) was used to calculate the gender correlation. The P-value of less than 0.05 (p < 0.05) was considered significant.
Results: In 61.1% of the cases, the MB2 canal was discovered with high bilateral symmetry (73.6%). Genders did not show any statistically significant differences.
Conclusion: The existence of MB2 canal in the maxillary first molars is high and approximately more than half of the cases. No relation was found between the existence of the MB2 canal and the gender of the patient. CBCT is a clinically efficient method for the diagnosis and improvement of root canal therapy.
Antibacterial Activity of Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles Synthesized by Green Eichhornia Crassipes Extract Method
Authors: Rasheed Zahraa Raad , Abd Ahmed Najem , Hassan Karim H
Published: September 2024

Purpose: Zinc Oxide Nanoparticle (ZnO NPs) production has become more common because of the benefits of the green strategy, which include its ease of use, environmental friendliness, and cheap operating costs. In order to accomplish the goal of green chemistry, the green synthesis process also uses safe solvents like water and ethanol. ZnO NPs are among the metal oxide-NPs used in antibacterial and bioremediation applications.
Materials and Methods: Energy Dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-Ray Diffractometer (XRD), and Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM) were used to analyze the green-produced ZnO NPs.
Results: ZnO nanoparticles have an average size of 22.89 nm, which is corroborated by FESEM pictures, indicating that the particles are tiny. The excellent purity of ZnO NPs has been confirmed by EDX data. The antibacterial activity of ZnO NPs was assessed against a few dangerous pathogens. Zinc oxide nanoparticles were shown to have an interesting antibacterial action against both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria at micromolar concentrations because they exhibit the maximum diameter of inhibition zone at concentrations 100 mg/ml of  S. aureus, E. coli, K. pneumonia, Acintobacret spp, S. fecalis  reaching (27,19,18,17, and 14) mm, respectively while S. pneumonia were resistant.The ZnO NPs recorded at a concentration of 12.5 mg/ml lowest areas of the inhibition zone against the same isolates reaching (16, 11, 11, 12, and 10) mm while S. pneumonia were resistant, respectively, as well.
Conclusion: ZnO NPs, since they have excellent antibacterial properties, and are biocompatible, they will open up a new line of inquiry for antibacterial agent research because they are stable, nontoxic, and harmless.
Assessment of Carotid Artery Vibrations by Using Optical Flow Methods on Ultrasound Images and Optical Flow
Authors: Rabiee Saba , Rangraz Parisa , Shalbaf Ahmad
Published: September 2024

Purpose: This study aims to extract carotid wall vibrations non-invasively and evaluate changes in the carotid artery caused by age, BMI, and sex. Such evaluation can increase the possibility of detecting wall stiffness and atherosclerosis in the early stages and prevent heart attack and death.
Materials and Methods: To extract small vibrations of the carotid wall, the image-tracking method, and optical flow with four different methods were used. The study involved twenty participants, comprising six females and fourteen males, with a mean age of 36.25 years, mean weight of 75.2 Kg, and mean BMI of 25. The posterior wall motion and vibration were extracted using ultrasound RF signals.
Results: 4 optical flow methods, Gunnar-Farneback, Horn- Schunk, Lucas-Kanade, and Lucas-Kanade derivative were used for all samples, and covariance, correlation, P-value, and R-squared were estimated. Results showed the differences in parameters such as age and BMI with carotid wall vibration. These values for age are (Cov = -0.1891, Corr = -0.6770, P-value < 0.001, r2 = -0.4590) and for BMI are (Cov = -0.0564, Corr = -0.6510, P-value < 0.001, r2 = 0.4238), respectively. For gender as a new parameter, a comparison between men’s and women’s vibrations was estimated.  The range of measured vibrations by optical flow methods is about 0.0002 µm to 0.1µm, and the mean standard deviation is 0.04967 µm.
Conclusion: The results presented that gender affects the vibration of the vessel wall, which in men is more than in women. In addition, increasing age and BMI may increase the stiffness of the carotid wall and reduce vibrations that were evaluated previously. Using the Gunner-Farneback method as image tracking for small vibrations is the best way with the highest accuracy.
Advancing Oncology through Imaging: Evaluating FDG-PET's Role in Cancer Diagnosis and Staging
Authors: Elhaie Mohammadreza , Koozari Abolfazl , Abedi Iraj , Monsef Abbas
Published: September 2024

Purpose: Fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (18F-FDG PET) represents a valuable functional molecular imaging technique. Through non-invasive means, 18F-FDG PET allows for the assessment of glucose metabolic activity in living biological systems. Its utility in oncology is well established, with applications in tumor diagnosis, staging, and treatment monitoring.
The purpose of this study is to conduct a systematic review assessing the indicative value and effect on the clinical management of 18F-FDG PET/CT for various cancer types based on the current literature.
Materials and Methods: An inclusive search of the PubMed, Google Scholar, and Science Direct databases was performed to identify relevant studies published from 2022 to the present. Records were screened according to predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. A full-text review of the eligible studies was independently conducted by two reviewers.
Results: Twenty-one primary research articles met the inclusion criteria and encompassed several cancer types. Evidence demonstrates superior detection, characterization, and staging compared with anatomical imaging alone. Advantages have been substantiated for head/neck, lung, and brain cancers, as well as lymphomas. The significant associations between 18F-FDG uptake and clinical features validated the molecular profiling capacity.
Conclusion: 18F-FDG PET provides crucial metabolic tumor information, augmenting conventional approaches. Specific diagnostic values have been established for diverse oncological applications. While technical refinements are ongoing, 18F-FDG PET plays an expanding role in multimodal cancer algorithms according to guidelines. Continued investigation aims to further optimize these techniques and clarify their comparative effectiveness.
Chemical Analysis of Pomegranate Flower Essential Oil in Türkiye
Authors: Kırcı Damla , Gümüşok Safa , Kılıç Ceyda Sibel , Demirci Betül
Published: September 2024

Punica granatum L. (Pomegranate) grows naturally in a wide area from northwest Türkiye to western and northern Pakistan and is also cultivated throughout subtropical and tropical regions of the world. Pomegranate is in the form of a spiny shrub or a small tree. The barks, fruit peels, flowers, and seeds of the plant are used in traditional medicine due to their ellagitannin and polyphenol content and are used to treat circulatory system disorders. In this study, essential oil (EO) of P. granatum flowers was obtained by hydrodistillation and analyzed by GC-FID and GC-MS. As a result, the chemical composition of the essential oil obtained was elucidated. As a result, nine compounds representing 99.9% of the essential oil of P. granatum flowers were characterized, with hexadecanoic acid (52.4%), linoleic acid (15.2%), heptacosane (10.1%), and pentacosane (10.1%) as the major components. Notably, this research marks the first comprehensive examination of the essential oil of pomegranate flowers in Türkiye.
PERSEPSI MAHASISWA TERHADAP GENDER EQUALITY
Authors: Astuty Delfriana Ayu
Published: September 2024

Gender equality is one of the modern paradigms as an effort to create the concept of social justice for all individuals in various fields, including the realisation of the concept of justice for all students, both men and women on campus. Access to information, freedom and participation in every activity, supervision/control of existing policies and the benefits/impact of openness are 4 main indicators in realising gender equality. Perception is a process that occurs in an individual in terms of selecting, organising and translating suggestions, information, in order to form a pattern / picture that has meaning. This study aims to determine how students perceive gender equality. The research method used is descriptive analytic with a cross sectional approach. Based on the analysis that has been done, the majority of respondents' perceptions of gender equality are in the good category, namely 208 people (76.7%) and 63 people (23.3%) in the moderate category and based on the knowledge and attitudes of respondents about gender equality, the majority are in the good category located in the information access indicator, namely 262 people (96.6%), then moderately located in the indicator of the benefits of openness, namely 20 people (7.4%). The results of this study are expected to improve students' perceptions and understanding and contribute to the formulation of policies related to gender equality in higher education. Key words: Perception, Student, Gender equality
BURSA SEYYAHINDAN CİHAN SEYYAHINA EVLİYA ÇELEBİ SEYAHATNAMESİNİN KÜLTÜR COĞRAFYASI BAKIMINDAN DEĞERLENDİRMESİ: BURSA ÖRNEĞİ
Authors: Erhan Kübra , Sarıusta Faruk , Erdoğan Hatice
Published: September 2024

Kültür, fiziki ve beşeri çevrenin uzun bir süreçte toplumda oluşturduğu karakteristik bir yaşam tarzı olarak tanımlanır. Çeşitli bileşenleriyle bir grubu, bir topluluğu diğerlerinden ayıran kültür, toplumun değerlerini, tutum ve davranışlarını, dili, inancı ve geleneklerini, ekonomik yaşantısını içeren karmaşıklar bütünüdür. Türk kültürü tarihi açısından önemli eserlerden biri Evliya Çelebi Seyahatnamesidir. Gezip-gördüğü yerler hakkında tarihi, coğrafi, sosyolojik ve etnografik bilgilerle 17. yy Dünya ve Türk kültürüne ışık tutan Seyahatname, seyyahın gözlemleri ve deneyimleriyle kaleme aldığı eseridir. Eserde, seyyahın ziyaret ettiği yerleşmelerin coğrafi, idari, sosyolojik ve ekonomik yapıları, tarihi olayları, önemli kişi ve hikayeleri, kimi zaman genel, kimi zaman ayrıntılı bilgilerle aktarılmıştır. Osmanlının ilk başkenti ve Osmanlı şehir prototipi olarak Bursa’nın somut ve soyut kültürel ögeleri ile çalışmanın konusunu oluşturmaktadır. Çalışmanın amacı, şehrin 17. yüzyıldaki kültürel özelliklerini kültür coğrafyası açısından incelemektir. Bu bağlamda Bursa şehrinin konu edildiği 2. Cilt temel alınarak, kültürel unsurlar değerlendirilmiş ve MAXQDA ile doküman analizi yapılmıştır. Metinsel verideki kategoriler arasındaki bağlantıları tespit etmek için kodların birlikte oluşma modelinden yararlanılarak, aktarılan bilgilerin büyük bir çoğunluğunun kültürel (yerleşim özellikleri, mimari, ekonomik yapısı, kültürel yapısı) özellikler ile bağlantılı olduğu ortaya çıkartılmıştır.
Endoscopic transorbital approach for the removal of a frontal lobe foreign body: a case report
Authors: Gervais Charles , Pelletier Conrad , Laroche Mathieu , Lavergne Pascal
Published: September 2024

Low-velocity orbital penetrating injuries may result in an intracranial retained foreign body that requires surgical removal. We describe the endoscopic transorbital removal of a retained umbrella tip in the frontal lobe, which was secondary to trauma to the orbital roof. This technique facilitated the complete removal of the foreign body without causing additional damage to the surrounding tissue. The patient had a successful postoperative recovery. We also discuss the utility of the transorbital neuroendoscopic procedure in managing these traumatic injuries.
Competing endogenous RNAs (ceRNAs) and drug resistance to cancer therapy
Authors: To Kenneth K. W. , Zhang Hang , Cho William C.
Published: September 2024

Competing endogenous RNAs (ceRNAs) are transcripts that possess highly similar microRNA response elements (MREs). microRNAs (miRNAs) are short, endogenous, single-stranded non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) that can repress gene expression by binding to MREs on the 3’ untranslated regions (UTRs) of the target mRNA transcripts to suppress gene expression by promoting mRNA degradation and/or inhibiting protein translation. mRNA transcripts, circular RNAs (circRNAs), long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), and transcribed pseudogenes could share similar MREs, and they can compete for the same pool of miRNAs. These ceRNAs may affect the level of one another by competing for their shared miRNAs. This interplay between different RNAs constitutes a ceRNA network, which regulates many important biological processes. Cancer drug resistance is a major factor leading to treatment failure in patients receiving chemotherapy. It can be acquired through genetic, epigenetic, and various tumor microenvironment mechanisms. The involvement of ceRNA crosstalk and its disruption in chemotherapy resistance is attracting attention in the cancer research community. This review presents an updated summary of the latest research on ceRNA dysregulation causing drug resistance across different cancer types and chemotherapeutic drug classes. Interestingly, accumulating evidence suggests that ceRNAs may be used as prognostic biomarkers to predict clinical response to cancer chemotherapy. Nevertheless, detailed experimental investigations of the putative ceRNA networks generated by computational algorithms are needed to support their translation for therapeutic and prognostic applications.
Integrating toyota production system for sustainability and competitive advantage in medical device software design
Authors: Lim Lyn Ryan , Tan Albert Wee Kwan
Published: September 2024

This research explores the integration of the Toyota Production System (TPS) and sustainability into the software design and development processes of a medium-sized medical device company dealing with resource constraints and evolving customer requirements. Through an analysis of TPS principles and how they relate to manufacturing and software development challenges, the research seeks to strengthen efficiency and competitiveness. It provides an adaptable implementation plan that fosters a competitive strategy and promotes sustainability through efficient software practices. The paper presents a roadmap for systematically integrating TPS and sustainability in alignment with international best practices, positioning the company to thrive in the expanding medical software market. This framework addresses immediate operational issues while laying the groundwork for long-term success and compliance with industry standards.
Letters by Prof. Antoni T. Jurasz and concerning him from 1944-1961
Authors: Jurasz Antoni
Published: September 2024

Poniższe listy dostarczają nowej wiedzy o okolicznościach, jakie w 1947 r. zmusiły prof. Antoniego T. Jurasza (1882-1961), wybitnego polskiego chirurga , bohatera września 1939 r., organizatora kliniki chirurgicznej w Poznaniu i dziekana Polskiego Wydziału Lekarskiego w Edynburgu do emigracji do USA i przyjęcia amerykańskiego obywatelstwa. Mając 61 lat, A. T. Jurasz musiał rozpocząć nowe życie. Listy pozwalają lepiej zrozumieć jego osobowość i powody, dla których na zawsze opuścił ojczyznę.
The impact of market share and banking sector indicators to the profitability of Islamic commercial banks in Indonesia
Authors: Rofiatun Nurul Fatimah
Published: September 2024

This research has aimed to provide the empirical evidence from the impacts of market share of depositor funds, market share of financing, Total Equity and Size to the profitability (ROA) of Sharia commercial banks in Indonesia. Data used in this paper is secondary data panel with the samples are 4 Sharia commercial banks in Indonesia and in the period of 2010-2015. Data had been analyzed using the data panel regression. According to the result of research, it can be concluded that market share of depositor funds, Total equity and Size have positive and significant impacts to ROA, while the market share of financing has a negative and insignificant relationship to ROA.
Synthesis of Ag/Cu decorated 3D self-assembled nanowire TiO2 Photocatalyst for Hydrogen Production: A Promising Pathway towards Sustainable Energy Generation
Authors: Wadhai Sachin , Thakur Pragati
Published: September 2024

Here synthesis and characterization of TiO2 with different morphologies along with the cost-effective bimetallic decoration on optimized 3D self-assembled nanowire TiO2 (NWT) photocatalyst (Ag/Cu-NWT) with overwhelming hydrogen production rate is reported. All the photocatalysts were well characterised by different characterization techniques. Initially, the effect of morphology change obtained by changing the NaOH concentration has been studied for TiO2. Morphology obtained at 10 M NaOH solution i.e., NWT (678 μmol/g) showed better hydrogen production than morphology obtained at 5M (410 μmol/g), 15M (210 μmol/g) and 20M (160 μmol/g) NaOH solutions. Further with the aim to achieve comparable or better activity low cost photocatalyst as compared to Pt-TiO2 system, NWT was decorated with various Cu percentages and then with minimal percentage of Ag on optimized Cu-NWT photocatalyst. The observed trend for photocatalytic hydrogen production has been found to be P25 TiO2 < NWT < 1.0Cu-NWT < 0.5Pt-NWT ≤ 0.1Ag/1.0Cu-NWT. The marked increase by a factor of 103 in hydrogen production for the optimized bimetallic 0.1Ag/1.0Cu-NWT (10,184 μmol/g) photocatalyst compared to P25 TiO2 (99 μmol/g), nearly threefold increment in hydrogen production than optimized 1.0 Cu-NWT (3,907 μmol/g) photocatalyst and comparable hydrogen production as compared to 0.5Pt-NWT (10,050 μmol/g) may be attributed to the successful synthesis of a highly porous NWT morphology, which offers large surface area, increased light absorption combined with the synergistic effects of surface plasmon resonance (SPR) and the Schottky barrier for H+ reduction to H2 gas. The optimization of TiO2 morphology and inexpensive bimetallic decoration strategy opens up promising opportunities for the development of cost-effective photocatalysts in the realm of energy and environment.
Shaping Tomorrow's Doctors: The Impact of Socioeconomic and Institutional Factors on Medical Education Quality in Brazil
Authors: Brito Quécia Hosana Fatel , Silva Flávia Guimarães Menezes , Menezes Rodrigo C. , Avena Kátia de Miranda , Andrade Bruno Bezerril , Quintanilha Luiz Fernando
Published: September 2024

Background.
Education has a transformative power in society, promoting economic and social development. In medical education, the quality of training results in the graduation of well-prepared doctors and directly influences the care provided to the population. In Brazil, the quality of medical training is assessed through the National Student Performance Exam (Enade). This study aims to analyze the institutional, social, and economic determinants of the quality of medical education in Brazil.
Methods.
An ecological study was conducted with 933 Brazilian higher education institutions participating in the Enade for the Medicine course from 2007 to 2019. Public government websites were used to analyze institutional, social, and economic aspects of medical training quality. Group comparisons and a multivariable logistic regression model were conducted to examine the associations between geographic and institutional characteristics with the Enade score, categorizing institutions into high and low score groups.
Results.
The average Enade score of medical schools in Brazil was 2.7, with the highest proportion of high scores in the South (62.4%) and Central-West (57.3%) regions, and low scores in the North (76.4%), Southeast (64.1%) and Northeast (52.6%) regions. The proportion of medical schools with high Enade scores increased over time (p < 0.001), and they demonstrated significantly higher performance in general knowledge tests (+ 10.6%; 64.4 vs 58.20) and specific knowledge tests (+ 16.0%; 65.4 vs 56.4). Geographic location was a determining factor of Enade results. Factors associated with better student performance in Enade included a well-rated didactic-pedagogical organization (OR: 1.62 [CI: 1.10–2.40]), a more qualified faculty in terms of academic degrees (OR: 1.81 [CI: 1.27–2.59]), and being publicly administered (OR: 5.74 [CI: 3.44–9.95]).
Conclusion.
This study highlights significant variations in training quality among medical schools nationwide, with the Center-South region showing a higher proportion of institutions achieving high Enade scores compared to more socioeconomically vulnerable regions. Institutional characteristics such as a well-rated didactic-pedagogical organization, a highly qualified faculty, and public administration are associated with better exam performance.
Species composition, morphological variation, and host preferences of epiphytic bryophytes in dominant forest types in central Himalaya
Authors: Bargali Ravinder , Joshi Rajendra Kr.
Published: September 2024

Bryophytes are the second largest group of land plants constituting an essential part of the forest ecosystem. Only limited studies have been carried out on the epiphytic bryophytes of the Himalayan region. The present study was done to assess the species composition, morphological variation, and host preferences of epiphytic bryophytes on the stem bark of four dominant phorophytes namely; Quercus leucotrichophora A.Camus, Quercus floribunda Lindl. ex A.Camus, Quercus semecarpifolia Sm. and Pinus excelsa Wall. in their respective forest sites i.e. Kailakhan (1845–1950 m), Lands’ End (2000–2230 m), Naina Peak (2400–2600 m) and Sigri (2100–2450 m), respectively. The effect of tree canopy and substrate on the epiphytic bryophytes was also analyzed. Fifty-nine bryophyte species were recorded in all phorophytes belonging to 44 genera, 25 families, and nine orders. The maximum number of species belonged to the family Brachytheciaceae (seven) followed by Thuidiaceae (six). Three morphological forms (acrocarpous mosses, pleurocarpous mosses, and leafy liverworts) and five growth forms (tuft, mat, turf, pendant, and weft) were found in collected bryophyte species. Species richness varied from 23 on Q. leucotrichophora to 40 on P. excelsa. A maximum (of 32) species were reported from girth class D (P. excelsa) and a minimum (of nine) from girth class A (Q. floribunda). Tree bark pH and moisture content were found significant factors for the distribution of epiphytic bryophytes in forests. On the basis of regression analysis, Bark pH contributed to 8.64% of species richness, while moisture contributed 21.67% to species of the epiphytic bryophytes. The present study will be highly useful in assessing conservation status and predicting the effect of changing abiotic factors on bryophyte distribution and productivity.
Automatic Detection, Classification, and Segmentation of Sagittal MR Images for Diagnosing Prolapsed Lumbar Intervertebral Disc
Authors: Sayed Md. Abu , Rahman G.M. Mahmudur , Islam Md. Sherajul , Islam Md. Alimul , Park Jeongwon , Mahmud Hasan , Akram Himon , Shahriar Rahat
Published: September 2024

Magnetic resonance (MR) images are commonly used to diagnose prolapsed lumbar intervertebral disc (PLID). However, for a computer-aided diagnostic (CAD) system, distinguishing between pathological abnormalities of PLID in MR images is a challenging and intricate task. Here, we propose a comprehensive model for the automatic detection and cropping of regions of interest (ROI) from sagittal MR images using the YOLOv8 framework to solve this challenge. We also propose weighted average ensemble (WAE) classification and segmentation models for the classification and the segmentation, respectively. YOLOv8 has good detection accuracy for both the lumbar region (mAP50 = 99.50%) and the vertebral disc (mAP50 = 99.40%). The use of ROI approaches enhances the accuracy of individual models. Specifically, the classification accuracy of the WAE classification model reaches 97.64%, while the segmentation model achieves a Dice value of 95.72%. This automatic technique would improve the diagnostic process by offering enhanced accuracy and efficiency in the assessment of PLID.
Reconfigurable Robot Swarms for Terrain Traversal with Passive Coupling Mechanisms
Authors: Yi Sha , Singh Shashwat , Seo Allison , Pierre Ryan St. , Sycara Katia , Temel Zeynep
Published: September 2024

In biological swarms, army ants and bees have demonstrated the ability to form functional structures for collaborative tasks. Achieving similar functionality with robot swarms requires forming connections between robots using electrical, magnetic, or mechanical means. Our research introduces the PuzzleBots—robot swarms equipped with passive coupling mechanisms that enable collective behavior. These mechanisms leverage the individual mobility and dexterity of each robot to achieve complex assemblies. By coupling together, PuzzleBots can form both rigid and flexible structures that significantly enhance their ability to navigate challenging terrains. Rigid structures offer high load-bearing and transportation capabilities, while flexible structures provide compliance with environmental geometries. We demonstrated that these assembled structures can be precisely controlled using our distributed Model Predictive Control framework, enabling them to traverse rough and discontinuous terrains. Our results show that passive coupling in robot swarms not only improves terrain traversal capabilities but also enhances adaptability to different environments through reconfiguration, surpassing the capabilities of individual robots.
Identification of reproduction-related genes in the hypothalamus of the sheep (Ovis aries) using the ONT full-length transcriptome sequencing technology
Authors: Wang Tong , Ji Zhibin , Xiao Xue , Zhu Dejie , Li Hengyi , Li Xinyu
Published: September 2024

The hypothalamus is the coordination center of the sheep (Ovis aries) endocrine system and plays an important role in the reproductive processes of the sheep. However, the specific mechanism by which the hypothalamus affects sheep reproductive performance remains unclear. In this study, the hypothalamus tissues of high-reproduction small-tailed Han sheep and low-reproduction Wadi sheep were collected, and full-length transcriptome sequencing by Oxford Nanopore Technologies (ONT) was performed to explore the key functional genes associated with sheep fecundity. The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were screened and enriched using DESeq2 software through Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG). Approximately 41.75 million clean reads were obtained from the hypothalamus tissues of high- and low-reproduction sheep; after quality control, 32,194,872 high-quality full-length sequences and 2,114 DEGs were obtained, including 1,247 upregulated genes and 867 downregulated genes (P adjust < 0.05, |log2FC|>1). Some DEGs were enriched in oocyte meiosis, progesterone-mediated oocyte maturation, estrogen signaling pathway, GnRH signaling pathway and other development-related signaling pathways. The constructed protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks identified the reproduction-related genes, such as GSK3B, PPP2R1B, and PPP2CB. The results of this study will enrich and supplement the genomic information available for small-tailed Han sheep and Wadi sheep, as well as expand the understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying the regulation of animal reproduction by the hypothalamus, and also provide reference data for further investigations on the mechanism of high reproduction in sheep.
Damage constitutive model and mechanical properties of a concrete‒limestone composite after acid corrosion
Authors: Wang Jie , Du Bin , Shen Mingxuan , Li Yukun , Yuan Shisong
Published: September 2024

Long-term erosion by acidic solutions in karst regions leads to continuous deterioration of the physical and mechanical properties at the interfaces of engineering structures, adversely affecting their operational performance. To investigate the degradation patterns of the mechanical properties and corrosion mechanisms of the concrete‒limestone composite (CLC) after exposure to acidic corrosion, three kinds of CLC samples treated with acidic solutions of different pH values were fabricated. Mechanical property analysis was conducted via triaxial compression testing methods. Lemaitre's strain equivalence hypothesis was utilized, and on the basis of the assumption that the strength of rock microelements follows a Weibull distribution, the damage to microelements due to acidic corrosion was combined with compressive failure. The study results indicate that acidic corrosion significantly affects the mechanical properties and failure modes of CLCs. As the pH of the solution decreased from 7 to 5 and then to 3, the peak strengths of the samples decreased by 16.6% and 11.92%, respectively, whereas the elastic moduli decreased by 25.36% and 23.13%, respectively. Furthermore, with increasing confining pressure, the peak and residual strengths of the composite significantly improved; the residual strength increased from 8.2 MPa to 86.93 MPa as the confining pressure increased from 0 to 10 MPa. Finally, by introducing a damage constitutive model corrected for postpeak residual strength, the stress‒strain full-process curves of CLCs under different degrees of acidic corrosion were more accurately simulated. The validation results confirm the applicability and accuracy of the established model, providing a theoretical basis and technical support for understanding and predicting the mechanical behavior of limestone–concrete structures in acidic environments.
Cooperative metaheuristic algorithm for global optimization and engineering problems inspired by heterosis theory
Authors: Cai Ting , Zhang Songsong , Ye Zhiwei , Zhou Wen , Wang Mingwei , He Qiyi , Chen Ziyuan , Bai Wanfang
Published: September 2024

Swarm Intelligence-based metaheuristic algorithms (MAs) are widely applied to global optimization and engineering design problems. However, these algorithms often suffer from two main drawbacks: susceptibility to the local optima in large search spaces and slow convergence rates. To address these issues, this paper develops a novel cooperative metaheuristic algorithm (CMA) inspired by Heterosis theory. Firstly, the CMA population is divided into three subpopulations for cooperative evolution. Subsequently, the Particle Swarm Optimization algorithm is employed to conduct global and local searches. To enhance global search capability and prevent the algorithm from getting trapped in the local optima, Levy flights are utilized. For fine-tuning local searches, the Ant Colony Optimization algorithm is applied, utilizing path exploration and pheromone updates to guide and refine the search process. Then, the global optima of the three subpopulations are shared through a ring information exchange mechanism, combined with an elite attribute-based learning strategy to accelerate convergence. Additionally, to ensure population stability and diversity, a similarity-based strategy is used to dynamically adjust the communication frequency among subpopulations, facilitating smooth transitions between exploration and exploitation. To validate the effectiveness of CMA, this study evaluates the algorithm using 26 well-known benchmark functions and 5 real-world engineering problems. Experimental results demonstrate that CMA outperforms the 10 state-of-the-art algorithms evaluated in the study.
Study on the occurrence characteristics of arsenic in copper matte
Authors: Wang Dawei , Tang Jinyao , Song Yuxia
Published: September 2024

The occurrence characteristics of arsenic in matte phase are unclear, which leads to the current treatment technology not being able to remove arsenic from matte phase significantly, thus causing a large amount of arsenic to affect smelting links such as copper converting and electrolytic refining. This paper uses instrumental analysis such as XRD, SEM-EDS, MLA and chemical analysis methods such as chemical phase extraction to comprehensively analyze the occurrence characteristics of arsenic in matte phase. The results show that the occurrence states of arsenic in matte are mainly arsenic sulfide, arsenic oxide, arsenate and residual arsenic. Most of the arsenic is in residual state in matte; arsenic in matte is extremely stable and difficult to exchange with the outside world; in high-grade matte, the arsenic content is relatively high. The main occurrence state of arsenic is copper-based complex alloy compounds, in which the arsenic content is about 1%-10%. Since the metal bond between Cu-As is extremely stable, it is difficult to separate arsenic from it, which is also the key to the difficulty in completely removing arsenic from matte.
Longstanding outdoor anti-/deicing performance of photothermal mosquito-eye-like micro-nanostructure arrays
Authors: Zheng Yongmei , Zhou Maolin , Zhu Lingmei , Gao Chang , Yu Dongdong , Luo Qaing , Hou Yongping
Published: September 2024

Photothermal icephobic surfaces, poised to revolutionize the anti-icing technology landscape, face significant hurdles in stability, photothermal efficiency, and cost-effectiveness that impede their transition to practical applications1-6. Here, inspired by the superhydrophobic and antireflective micro-nanostructures of mosquito compound eyes7,8, we show a strategy to design a stable and efficient icephobic surface with mosquito-eye-like micro-nanostructure (IPMM). The unique bionic micro-nanostructures are created through the self-assembly of candle soot on the microspine. The IPMM demonstrates an impressively low adhesion force of 25.4 µN at -5°C. The distinctive mosquito-eye-like micro-nanostructures of the IPMM achieve a high robustness against liquid pressure, facilitating the rapid rebound of impacting droplets even at temperatures as low as -9°C. Furthermore, the mosquito-eye-like micro-nanostructure enhances photothermal efficiency by capturing geometric light. Under one sun illumination, the IPMM exhibits a temperature rise rate of up to 9°C·min-1, resulting in remarkable photothermal defrosting (2.03 kg·m-2·h-1) and deicing efficiencies (13.32 kg·m-2·h-1). During outdoor photothermal deicing test, the IPMM eliminates an ice layer (8 mm thick) within 1360 s, notwithstanding the adverse effects of temperature variations induced by cold wind. This studying offers a feasible approach for crafting icephobic surface endowed with stable anti-icing and photothermal deicing properties, poised to propel the anti-icing field towards greater economy, simplicity, and efficiency.
Evaluation of Flood Hazard Vulnerabilities and Innovative Management Strategies in Afghanistan's Central Region
Authors: Mushwani Hayatullah , Arabzai Abidullah , Safi Lutfullah , Ullah Hayat , Afghan Amirullah , Parven Afshana
Published: September 2024

This study assessed flood hazard vulnerable areas and highlighted flood management strategies in central Afghanistan to enhance flood resilience. The study utilized geospatial techniques, AHP, a comprehensive literature review, and key informant interviews for flood management strategies. The lack of region-level flood management policies, flood hazard mapping, and poor flood management governance are key challenges. This study found significant flood vulnerability in Panjsher, Parwan, Wardak, Kapisa, and Kabul. Geographic Information System (GIS) methods categorize flood hazard vulnerable areas as follows: very high (3750 km²), high (4327 km²), moderate (5481 km²), low (6923 km²), and very low (8365 km²) From a total land 28,846 Km2. Interviews revealed flood management and solution strategies, such as pre-flood strategies (local plans, building codes, drainage systems, dams, monitoring, stakeholder engagement) and post-flood strategies (shelter, medical care, evacuations, infrastructure recovery, economic restoration, and public health). Therefore, the government and responsible NGOs are encouraged to implement flood hazard management strategies to reduce the risk and vulnerability to flood hazards.