bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
IMPLEMENTASI MODEL PROJECT BASED LEARNING (PjBL) BERBANTUAN APLIKASI MODUL CHEMONDROID TERHADAP KEMAMPUAN BERPIKIR KREATIF PADA MATERI TATA NAMA SENYAWA
Authors: Meldawati Meldawati , Hamid Abdul , Mahdian Mahdian
Published: May 2023

Penelitian mengenai implementasi model Project Based Learning (PjBL) berbantuan aplikasi modul Chemondroid terhadap kemampuan berpikir kreatif peserta didik pada materi tatanama senyawa di SMK Negeri 2 Banjarmasin tahun ajaran 2020/2021. Penelitian bertujuan agar mengetahui peningkatan kemampuan berpikir kreatif, peningkatan hasil belajar, dan respon peserta didik terhadap implementasi model PjBL berbantuan aplikasi modul Chemondroid  pada materi tatanama senyawa. Metode yang digunakan adalah pre-experiment dengan desain one group pretest-posttest. Sampel penelitian ini adalah peserta didik kelas X Multimedia B di SMK Negeri 2 Banjarmasin. Pengumpulan data menggunakan teknik tes dan non-tes. Teknik analisis data menggunakan teknik analisis deskriptif dan inferensial. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan (1) Terdapat peningkatan kemampuan berpikir kreatif yang signifikan antara hasil pre-test dan post-test dengan N-gain sebesar 0,63 dalam kategori sedang, (2) terdapat peningkatan hasil belajar peserta didik dengan N-gain sebesar 0,76 dalam kategori tinggi, (3) Rata-rata nilai respon peserta didik sebesar 39,49 memenuhi level pada rentang kriteria positif. Sehingga implementasi model Project Based Learning (PjBL) berbantuan aplikasi modul Chemondroid  berpengaruh positif terhadap peningkatan kemampuan berpikir kreatif peserta didik di SMK Negeri 2 Banjarmasin.
PENGEMBANGAN MEDIA ELECTRONIC CHEMISTRY POCKET BOOK (E-CPB) TERINTEGRASI MIND MAPPING SEBAGAI MEDIA PEMBELAJARAN UNTUK MENINGKATKAN HASIL BELAJAR PADA MATERI KOLOID BERKONTEN LAHAN BASAH
Authors: Badriyah Badriyah , Bakti Iriani , Almubarak Almubarak
Published: May 2023

Pengembangan Electronic Chemistry Pocket Book (E-CPB) terintegrasi mind mapping pada materi koloid berbasis lahan basah bertujuan untuk mengetahui validitas, praktikalitas dan efektifitas. Metode penelitian yang digunakan adalah PPE yang terdiri dari (planning) (production), dan (evaluation). Subjek penelitian ini yaitu 32 orang peserta didik kelas XI MIPA 2 SMA Negeri 2 Banjarmasin. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa e-book yang dikembangkan dinyatakan valid dari aspek kelayakan  isi 94,54%, penyajian 87,27%, bahasa 86,81% dan media 93,75% dengan kategori masing-masing sangat valid. E-book yang telah memenuhi memenuhi aspek praktikalitas dilihat dari angket keterbacaan e-book pada uji perorangan memperoleh rata-rata 3,44 dan kelompok kecil memperoleh rata-rata 3,4 dengan  kategori sangat baik. Angket respon guru dan peserta didik memperoleh skor masing-masing 3,4 dengan ketegori sangat baik. Lembar praktikalitas menggunakan e-book rata rata 3,42 hari pertama, 3,60 hari kedua, 3,67 hari ketiga kategori sangat baik serta lembar praktikalitas guru mengelola kelas rata-rata 3,31 hari pertama, 3,64 hari kedua, 3,71 hari ketiga dengan ketegori sangat baik. E-book juga telah memenuhi aspek efektifitas yang dilihat berdasarkan N-gain 0,86 termasuk dalam kategori tinggi.
INFORMATION MEDIA AS A PUBLIC COMMUNICATION IN FIRE MITIGATION IN SOUTH KALIMANTAN
Authors: Yuliarti Astinana , Ariyani Erma
Published: May 2023

South Kalimantan is one of the regions in Indonesia that has a high vulnerability to fire disasters. The Fire Disaster Management Agency is an agency that has a major role as an early warning system in the process of mitigating fire disasters in South Kalimantan. The purpose of this study was to determine the use of the five elements of communication according to Harold Laswell and information media as a public communication channel carried out by the Regional Disaster Management Agency/ Badan Penanggulangan Bencana Daerah (BPBD) of South Kalimantan. The research method used was a qualitative descriptive approach. The results show that in the process of mitigating fire disasters in South Kalimantan Province, the Regional Disaster Management Agency/ Badan Penanggulangan Bencana Daerah (BPBD) of South Kalimantan Province has carried out a public communication process by implementing all elements of communication and presenting Information Media as a communication channel through direct communication with the community in the area. disaster or using conventional communication channels such as leaflets, disaster pocketbooks as well as mass and digital media communication channels such as radio and social media
DISKURSUS FEMINISME PEREMPUAN PADA ABAD 19 DALAM FILM “LITTLE WOMEN”
Authors: Agustina Dwi Pela , Asrita Stara
Published: May 2023

This study aims to find out how the discourse of 19th century women in Little Women movie. The analytical method is using critical discourse analysis method of Norman Fairclough's model with three dimensional models, dimensions of text, discourse practice and socio-cultural practice.  The results show that the emerging feminist discourse is liberal feminism.  The text dimension shows that Jo March not wanting to get married, struggling alone, being able to be empowered with his own abilities.  The dimension of discourse practice was not yet able to accept women to appear in public spaces, receive inadequate education and limited employment opportunities.  The socio-cultural practice, the people is still in the patriarchal ideology that dominates every level.
MNC MEDIA GROUP: POLITICAL ECONOMICS ANALYSIS IN COMMUNICATION AND STRUCTURATION THEORY
Authors: Ainani Muhammad
Published: May 2023

This paper discusses the construction of media coverage under the auspices of MNC Media. The method in this paper uses a descriptive approach. The analysis is based on the political economy of media theory developed by Vincent Mosco. The theoretical approach used is more specific to structuration theory. The conclusion is that there is a conflict of interest and political interest between Hary Tanoe, the leader of the MNC Group, and his media. Since the MNC Group and the Perindo Party have the same power structure, producing news content through MNC Media is nothing but a political publication of the Perindo Party itself.
A Robust Distributed Deep Learning Approach to Detect Alzheimer’s Disease from MRI Images
Authors: Ghosh Tapotosh , Palash Md Istakiak Adnan , Yousuf Mohammad Abu , Hamid Md. Abdul , Monowar Muhammad Mostafa , Alassafi Madini O.
Published: May 2023

Alzheimer’s disease has become a major concern in the healthcare domain as it is growing rapidly. Many researches have been conducted to detect it from MRI images through various deep-learning approaches. However, the problem of the availability of medical data and the privacy of the patients still exists. To mitigate this issue in Alzheimer’s disease detection, we have implemented the federated approach which is found to be more efficient, robust, and consistent compared to the conventional approach. For this, we needed deep excavation on various orientations of MRI images and transfer learning architectures. Then, we utilized the publicly available two datasets (OASIS, and ADNI), and designed various cases to evaluate the performance of the federated approach. In almost all of them, the federated approach achieved better accuracy and sensitivity. In distinguishing between two classes equally, the capability of the models was better in the found model when trained with federated approach compared to the conventional approach. In this approach. MobileNet, which is a low-cost transfer learning architecture, achieved the highest 95.24%, 81.94%, and 83.97% accuracy in OASIS, ADNI, and merged (ADNI+OASIS) test set, which was way higher than the achieved performance in Conventional approach. Moreover, in this approach, only the weights of the model were shared which keeps the original MRI images in their respective hospital or institutions, mitigating the privacy concern in the healthcare domain.
Estimation of the Relationship Structure of Quality of Life Mediated by Difficulty in Daily Life in Survivors of Breast Cancer: a Bayesian structural equation modeling approach
Authors: Watanabe Aki , Kawaguchi Takayuki , Nobematsu Ayumi , Sasada Satoshi , Kanari Nozomi , Maru Tatsuya , Kobayashi Takeshi
Published: May 2023

Background The purpose of this study was to clarify the relationship structure of quality of life (QOL) in survivors of breast cancer, including difficulty in daily life and negative experience as health-related indicators.

Methods Participants were survivors of breast cancer for more than 2 years after primary breast cancer surgery and belonged to self-help groups. The assessment used FACT-B (QOL), HADS (anxiety and depression), SOC (sense of coherence), WHODAS 2.0 (difficulties in daily life), and CAOD (negative experiences). Bayesian structural equation modeling (BSEM) was performed to analyze the hypothesized model. If the causal model was significant, multiplication of the path coefficient from anxiety and depression to QOL, and from SOC to anxiety and depression, was considered a direct effect on QOL, and from SOC to difficulty in daily life, from difficulty in daily life to negative experiences, and from negative experiences to anxiety and depression were considered indirect effects on QOL.

Results Goodness of fit of the model in the BSEM was satisfactory. The direct effect was 0.274, and indirect effect was 0.163.

Conclusions These direct and indirect approaches to difficulties in daily life are very significant because they can provide a basis for development of support strategies to increase QOL.
Enhancing the Shear Capacity of RC Beams with Web Openings in Shear Zones Using Pre-Stressed Fe-SMA Bars: Numerical Study
Authors: Elkafrawy Mohamed , Khalil Ahmed , AlHamaydeh Mohammad , Hawileh Rami , Abuzaid Wael
Published: May 2023

This paper aims to investigate the feasibility of strengthening the web opening in the shear zone of RC beams by using iron-based shape memory alloy (Fe-SMA) bars. To conduct this study, numerical analysis with ABAQUS software was employed. The research was divided into six groups of beams with web openings of different lengths (150, 300, and 450 mm), prestressing levels (0%, 30% and 60%), and reinforcement diameters (14, 18, and 22 mm) of Fe-SMA bars. The results show that the presence of web openings can cause a significant reduction in the cracking and ultimate loads of the beams, with reductions ranging from 11 to 50% and 36 to 48%, respectively. However, by adding pre-stressed Fe-SMA bars around small web openings (100×150 mm), the shear capacity of the beam is restored, and the beam exhibits behavior similar to solid beams. Additionally, activating the Fe-SMA bars by 30 and 60% resulted in almost similar cracking loads but improved load-carrying capacity of the beam with small openings by 12% and 9%, respectively, compared to the solid beam. The technique proposed for enhancing shear strength is most effective for beams with small (100×150 mm) and medium (100×300 mm) web openings as it can restore both the beam’s shear strength and stiffness. However, for beams with larger web openings (100×450 mm), the use of activated Fe-SMA beams can recover almost 90% of the solid beam's shear capacity. Furthermore, reinforcing small openings with Fe-SMA bars of different diameters enhances beam shear capacity and stiffness, while for larger openings, higher Fe-SMA reinforcement ratios could potentially restore the beam's full strength and stiffness. This study emphasizes the importance of strengthening web openings in RC beams, particularly in shear zones, and provides significant insights into how to strengthen beams with web openings, thereby contributing to developing safer structures. However, further laboratory experiments are recommended to validate, complement and extend the findings of this numerical study.
Paper-based Exosomal MicroRNA-21 Detection for Wound Monitoring: A Proof of Concept and Clinical Validation Trial Study
Authors: Pan Shin-Chen , Lai Chi-Hung , Vu Van-Truc , Vu Cao-An , Huang Chun-Jen , Cheng Chao-Min , Chen Wen-Yih
Published: May 2023

Emerging evidence has shown that microRNAs play pivotal roles in wound healing. MicroRNA-21 (miR-21) was previously found to upregulate in order to fulfill an anti-inflammation role for wounds. Exosomal miRNAs have been identified and explored as essential markers for diagnostic medicine. However, the role of exosomal miR-21 in wounds has yet to be well studied. In order to facilitate the early management of poorly healing wounds, we developed an easy-to-use, rapid, paper-based microfluidic-exosomal miR-21 extraction device to determine wound prognosis in a timely manner. We isolated and then quantitatively examined exosomal miR-21 in wound fluids from normal tissues, acute and chronic wounds. Eight improving wounds displayed lower levels of exosomal miR-21 expression after wound debridement. However, four instances of increased exosomal miR-21 expression levels were notably associated with patients with poor healing wounds despite aggressive wound debridement, indicating a predictive role of tissue exosomal miR-21 for wound outcome. Paper-based nucleic acid extraction device provides a rapid and user-friendly approach for evaluating exosomal miR-21 in wound fluids as a means of monitoring wounds. Our data suggest that tissue exosomal miR-21 is a reliable marker for determining current wound status.
Expert Systems for Farmed Fish Disease Diagnosis: An Overview and a Proposal
Authors: Hatzilygeroudis Ioannis , Dimitropoulos Konstantinos , Kovas Konstantinos , Theodorou John A.
Published: May 2023

Expert system approach, although quite old, is still quite effective in scientific areas where experts are required to make diagnoses and predictions. One of those areas is fish disease diagnosis. It is an application domain that currently employs complicated processes, which require high level skills for making accurate diagnoses. On the other hand, complete datasets for full diagnosis to be able to use machine learning techniques are not available. Therefore, in aquaculture, now more than ever, fish farmers do not have the required expertise or equipment to accurately diagnose a fish disease. For that reason, expert systems that can help in the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of diseases have been developed. In this paper, we attempt to give an overview of the expert system approaches for fish disease diagnosis developed in the last two decades. Based on the analysis of their technical and non-technical characteristics, we propose an expert system architecture and a fish disease diagnosis process aiming at improving the deficiencies of existing such systems. The proposed system can handle all kinds of fish diseases based on image and non-image data as well as on molecular tests results and can provide explanations. The diagnosis process goes through four consecutive levels, where each next level considers an additional category of parameters and provides diagnoses with higher certainty.
Synthesis, Characterization, Properties, and Biomedical Application of Chitosan-Based Hydrogels
Authors: Ye Ruixi , Liu Siyu , Zhu Wenkai , Li YuRong , Huang Long , Zhang Guozheng , Zhang Yeshun
Published: May 2023

The prospective applications of chitosan-based hydrogels (CBHs), a category of biocompatible and biodegradable materials, in biomedical disciplines such as tissue engineering, wound healing, drug delivery, and biosensing have garnered great interest. The synthesis and characterization processes used to create CBHs play a significant role in determining their characteristics and effectiveness. The processing procedure could be tailored to obtain specific features like porosity, swelling, mechanical strength, degradation rate, and bioactivity, affecting the properties of CBHs to a great extent. Additionally, characterization methods aid in gaining access to the microstructures and properties of CBHs. Especially, this review provides a comprehensive assessment of the state-of-the-art with a focus on the affiliation between particular properties and application domains. The main obstacles and prospects for the future of CBH development for biomedical applications are also covered in the review.
NCX 470, a Dual Acting Nitric Oxide (NO)-Donating Bimatoprost Derivative, Preserves Rabbit Eyes from Biochemical and Functional Changes Associated with ET-1-Induced Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury
Authors: Sgambellone Silvia , Marri Silvia , Villano Serafina , Masini Emanuela , Provensi Gustavo , Bastia Elena , Galli Corinna , Brambilla Stefania , Impagnatiello Francesco , Lucarini Laura
Published: May 2023

NCX 470, a nitric oxide (NO)-donating bimatoprost, was shown to ameliorate ocular hemodynamics and retinal physiology in rabbits following endothelin-1 (ET-1)-induced ischemia/reperfusion.
Here we used the same model to compare NCX 470 (0.1% bid) to Lumigan® (bimatoprost 0.01% ophthalmic solution, LUM) and bimatoprost administered at equimolar dose as NCX 470 (0.072%, BIM). Intraocular pressure (IOP), ophthalmic artery resistive index (OA-RI) and electroretinogram (ERG) were computed prior to treatment and at various time-points thereafter. Gluthatione (GSH), 8-Hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine (8-OH2dG), Interleukin-1beta (IL-1β), Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha (TNF-α), Interleukin-6 (IL-6) and Caspase-3 protein expression and activity were determined in retina at week 6.
ET-1 increased IOP (VEHIOP_Baseline=20.5±0.8 and VEHIOP_Week6=24.8±0.3mmHg) and OA-RI (VEHOA-RI_Baseline=0.36±0.02 and VEHOA-RI_Week6=0.55±0.01) while it reduced rod/cone responses. Oxidative stress, inflammation and apoptotic markers were also increased in ET-1-treated eyes. NCX 470 prevented IOP (NCX 470IOP_Week6=18.1±0.6mmHg) and OA-RI (NCX 470OA-RI_Week6=0.33±0.01) changes and restored ERG amplitude; these effects were only partially shared by LUM or BIM. Additionally, NCX 470 reduced oxidative stress, inflammation and apoptosis in retina of treated eyes. BIM and LUM were numerically less effective on these parameters.
Data suggest that NCX 470 repeated ocular dosing ameliorates ocular hemodynamics and retinal cell dysfunction consequent to ischemia/reperfusion via both, NO- and bimatoprost-mediated mechanisms.
Formal Calculation
Authors: Peng Ji
Published: May 2023

Formalized Calculation, using auxiliary form to calculate various nested sums, based on binary or Gaussian coefficients and providing three different expressions. In addition to computation, it introduces a large number of new concepts and methods for analysis. With just a little skill, it can easily obtain dozens of theorems. It has undergone three years of development. This article summarizes it and provides a large number of latest achievements, showcasing many analytical methods. This article includes various relationships between two types of Stirling numbers, associated Stirling numbers, generalized Euler numbers and polynomials, and provides a theorem of symmetry and extended Wolstenholme theorems.
Fiber Reinforced Mortar 3D Printed Without Extrusion. Fresh Properties, Mechanical Characteristics and Process Characterization
Authors: Ungureanu Dragoș , Onuțu Cătălin , Isopescu Dorina Nicolina , Țăranu Nicolae , Zghibarcea Ștefan Vladimir , Spiridon Ionuț Alexandru , Polcovnicu Răzvan Andrei
Published: May 2023

3D printing with cement-based materials is a promising manufacturing technique for civil engineering applications that already allows for the design and the construction of complex and highly customized structures using a layer-by-layer deposition approach. Usually, in this type of additive manufacturing, a mixture of cement, water, aggregate and additives is extruded through a specific print head and deposited in successive layers to form the desired shape. The extrusion mechanism is one of the most expensive parts of the 3D printer. Also, for low scale 3D printers, based on the shape of the extruder and the geometry limitation of the mixing blade, the 3D mixture is often limited to a narrow range of materials due to the risk of layer splitting or blockage. Therefore, there is a need to develop affordable and feasible alternatives to the current design-fabrication-application approach of 3D printers. In this paper, various new designed mixtures of fiber reinforced mortars that can be 3D printed using only a commercially available screw pump are analyzed based on their fresh properties and mechanical characteristics. The reduced facility requirements in this approach allow 3D-printing to be more available for civil engineering applications. With further innovation in the future, this method and mixtures can be extended for sustainable and economically feasible printing of single-family housing units.
Relationship between Some Myostatin Variants and Meat Pro-duction Related Calving, Weaning and Muscularity Traits in Charolais Cattle
Authors: Csürhés Tamás , Szabó Ferenc , Holló Gabriella , Mikó Edit , Török Márton , Bene Szabolcs Albin
Published: May 2023

The slaughter value of live animals can be assessed during visual conformation scoring, as well as by examining different molecular genetic information, e.g. myostatin gene, which can be re-sponsible for muscle development. In this study F94L, Q204X, nt267, nt324 and nt414 alleles of the myostatin gene were examined in relation to birth weight (BIW), calving ease (CAE), 205-day weaning weight (CWW), muscle score of shoulder (MSS), muscle score of back (MSB), muscle score of thigh (MST), roundness score of thigh (RST), loin thickness score (LTS), and overall muscle development percentage (OMP) of Charolais weaned calves in Hungary. Multi-trait analysis of variance (GLM) and weighted linear regression analysis were used to process the data. Calves carrying the Q204X allele in heterozygous form achieved approximately 0.14 points higher MSB, MST and LTS and 1.2% higher OMP and gained 8.56 kg more CWW than their counterparts not carrying the allele (p<0.05). As for the F94L allele, there was a difference of 4.08 kg in CWW of the heterozygous animals, but this difference could not be proved statistically. The other alleles had no significant effect on the evaluated traits.
Determination of the Equivalent Thickness of a Taiko Wafer using ANSYS Finite Elements Analysis
Authors: Vinciguerra Vincenzo , Malgioglio Giuseppe Luigi , Landi Antonio , Renna Marco
Published: May 2023

The successful handling of large semiconductor wafers is crucial for scaling up their production. Early-stage warpage control allows to prevent undesirable asymmetric warpage, known as wafer bifurcation or buckling. Indeed, even in a gravity-free environment, thinning an 8" or 12" semiconductor wafer can result in warpage and bifurcation. To mitigate this issue, the taiko method, which involves creating a thicker ring region around the rim of the wafer, has been widely used. Previous research has focused on the theoretical factors affecting the warpage of a backside metalized taiko wafer. This work extends the case to a front-side metalized taiko wafer and introduces the concept of the equivalent thickness of a taiko wafer. The equivalent thickness of a taiko wafer, influenced by the ring region, lies in between the thickness of the central region and that of the annular region. Because of the limited number of taiko wafers that can be produced on a production line, modelling can be beneficial. In this work we compared the results of a developed analytical model with those obtained from a finite element analysis (FEA) approach with ANSYSY® software to model the equivalent thickness of a taiko wafer. We investigated the curvature as a function of the stress of the metal layer, considering key design factors such as the substrate region thickness, the thickness of the thin metal film, the step height, and the width of the ring region. By systematically varying the thickness of the central region of the taiko wafer, we explored the curvature as a function of stress induced by thermal load in the linear regime and determined the slopes in the linear region of the curvature vs. stress curves. The aim of this study is to identify regularities and similarities with the Stoney equation and investigate the validity of the analytical approach for the case of a taiko substrate. It results that there is a good agreement between the analytical model of a taiko wafer and the numerical analysis gained by the FEA methods.
Chia Seed (Salvia hispanica L.), Incorporated Into Cookies, Reduces Postprandial Glycemic Variability but Has Little or No Ef-Fect on Subjective Appetite
Authors: Wolever Thomas M.S. , Campbell Janice E. , Au-Yeung Fei , Dioum El Hadji M. , Shete Varsha , Chu YiFang
Published: May 2023

Chia seed, high in dietary-fiber and protein, may have potential to increase satiety. However, previous studies are confounded by differences in energy intake, and none investigated doses <7g. We compared the subjective appetite and glycaemic responses elicited by 30g cookies containing 0, 3, 5 or 7g chia seed (CS0, CS3, CS5 or CS7, respectively, 140-150kcal, 7-8g fat, 4g protein, 0-2g dietary-fiber, 16g available-carbohydrate) using a randomized, double-blind, cross-over design. Overnight-fasted heathy adults (24 males, 22 females; mean±SD age 37±13y; BMI 27.4±3.9kg/m²) consumed test-cookies and had appetite and plasma-glucose measured before and intermittently for 3h after eating. Data were analyzed by ANOVA with Tukey’s test to adjust for multiple comparisons; the criterion for significance was 2-tailed p<0.025 for the primary endpoints of total area under the curve (tAUC0-3h) for hunger and fullness. Hunger tAUC0-3h was similar among treatments (p=0.49) but fullness differed (p=0.019) with tAUC0-3h after CS3>CS7 (mean±SEM) (140±9 vs 122±10mm×h, p<0.025). Mean incremental glucose AUC0-2h after CS3, CS5 and CS7, respectively, were 22%, 23% and 30% less than CS0 (p<0.05). Thus, although chia reduced glycemic responses, we were unable to demonstrate a significant effect of ≤7g chia seed on the primary endpoints of hunger or fullness tAUC0-3h versus control.
Microbiological and Physico-chemical Characteristics of Black Tea Kombucha Fermented with a New Zealand Starter Culture
Authors: Wang Boying , Rutherfurd-Markwick Kay , Zhang Xue-Xian , Mutukumira Anthony N.
Published: May 2023

Kombucha is a popular sparkling sugared tea, fermented by a symbiotic culture of acetic acid bacteria (AAB) and yeast. The demand for Kombucha is increasing worldwide mainly due to its perceived health benefits and appealing sensory properties. This study isolated and characterised the dominant AAB and yeast from starter culture and Kombucha broth after 0, 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, and 14 days of fermentation at ambient temperature (~22°C). Changes in the microbial composition were associated with variations in the physico-chemical characteristics of Kombucha tea, such as pH, titratable acidity, and total soluble solids (TSS). During fermentation, the acidity increased, and TSS decreased. The yield, moisture content and water activity of the cellulosic pellicles which had developed by the end of fermentation were attributed to the presence of AAB. Yeast and AAB were isolated from the Kombucha samples using glucose yeast extract mannitol ethanol acetic acid (GYMEA) and yeast extract glucose chloramphenicol (YGC) media respectively, using serial dilutions. Phenotypic and taxonomic identification of AAB and yeast were determined by morphological and biochemical characterisation, followed by sequence analysis of the ribosomal RNA gene (16S rRNA for AAB and ITS for yeast). The dominant AAB species in the cellulosic pellicle and Kombucha broth was identified as Komagataeibacter rhaeticus. The yeast isolates belonged to Debaryomyces prosopidis and Zygosaccharomyces lentus.
Traffic Flow Techniques Applied to the Modeling of the Intersection of East 53rd and East 56th Streets in Panama City: A Practical Case
Authors: Rovetto Carlos , Cruz Edmanuel , Nunez Ivonne , Santana Keyla , Smolarz Andrzej , Rangel José , Cano Elia Esther
Published: May 2023

Intersections within urban centers do not allow all citizens to move in a fluid manner. In this sense, this paper proposes a queuing network model based on Kendall's notation for the intersection of two urban streets (East 53rd Street and East 56th Street) in Panama City. A set of traffic lights operating under a fixed time scheme controls the vehicular flow at the intersection. The objective is to optimize the vehicular flow at the intersection by minimizing the waiting time of the vehicles using mathematical models, Linear Regressor Model, and simulations performed in MATLAB evaluating the waiting time experienced by the vehicles. Based on the results obtained, the optimal signal timing of the traffic lights is determined to minimize the waiting time for both streets.
Annual Sexual Behavior in Boer Bucks located in the Guerrero Tropics in Mexico
Authors: Ponce-Covarrubias José Luis , García y González Ethel Caterina , Ruiz-Ortega Maricela , Pineda-Burgos Blanca Celia , Guevara-Arroyo Aurora Matilde , Paredes-Alvarado Marisol , Hernández-Ruiz Pedro Enrique , Torres-Agatón Fernando , Ángel-García Oscar , Robles-Robles José Manuel , Rodríguez-Castillo José del Carmen , Valencia-Franco Edgar
Published: May 2023

The aim of this study was to evaluate the intensity of the annual sexual behavior (SB) of Boer bucks under tropical conditions in southern Mexico. For one year, 16 extensively grazing males were evaluated for SB individually with estrogenized goats. From the beginning of the experiment and every 30 days, body weight (BW), body condition (BC), testicular circumference (TC), odor intensity (OI) and SB (nudging, ano-genital sniffing, flehmen, mounting attempts, mounts with intromission, and self-urination) were recorded. The bucks showed a more intense SB during the months of November to May than during the months of June to October (p < 0.05). Greater frequency was found for nudging, ano-genital sniffing, mounting attempts, and self-urination in the months of November to May (p < 0.001). BW was lower during the months of January to August than in the months of September to December (p < 0.05). On the other hand, TC increased from October to December (p < 0.05). Similarly, the OI in males varied over time (time effect; p < 0.001). In fact, an increased odor was found from October to December. The conclusions were that breed male goats from the tropics of Guerrero have a more intense SB during the months of November to May, which corresponds to the time of the year when forage availability is the greatest.
The Association between Appetitive Traits, Body Mass Index and Eating Behaviors among Chinese Female College Students
Authors: Liu Jun , Wang Liuxi , Tao Ahui , Deng Yuanyuan , Qiu Yue , Cao Yifei , Han Shufen , Yan Xiao , Xu Xianrong , Fang Xuexian , Lian Fuzhi
Published: May 2023

Appetitive traits have been associated with eating behaviors and weight in youth. However, the relationships among adults have received less attention. In this study, we measured appetitive traits among 520 female college students from a University in eastern Chinese using the Chinese translated Adults Eating Behavior Questionnaire (C-AEBQ) and found that two food approach traits (food enjoyment and emotional over-eating) were positively while two food avoidance traits (slowness in eating and satiety responsiveness) were negatively associated with BMI. Individual trait was differentially associated with eating behaviors. Specifically, a positive correlation was found between food responsiveness and higher frequency of selecting delivery food, spicy food, and sugared beverage; conversely, satiety responsiveness was associated with higher frequency of skipping meals. Using latent profile analysis, participants were classified into four appetitive patterns: food approacher, food approacher with emotional under-eating, food avoider, and food avoider with emotional over-eating. Food avoiders had significant lower BMI and higher proportion of underweight than other three patterns. Compared to food approacher, food avoiders had higher frequency of skipping breakfast, and food avoiders with emotional over-eating had higher frequency of skipping both breakfast and lunch. No significant differences were observed in food choice and dieting behavior among four appetitive patterns. The findings suggested a correlation between an individual’s appetitive pattern and eating behaviors among female college students, those with food avoidance patterns are more likely to have irregular meals, which may contribute to their low BMI. The findings provide valuable insights for female college students to cultivate a healthy eating behavior and sustain a healthy body weight.
Step-by-Step Endophthalmitis Treatment
Authors: Kazajkin Victor , Ponomarev Vyacheslav , Zhdanov Aleksei , Ronkin Mikhail
Published: May 2023

A clinical case of atypical endophthalmitis in an 82-year-old patient who underwent complicated cataract phacoemulsification. Clinical manifestations showed signs of a bacterial process, however, the treatment was not effective. Antifungal therapy had yielded positive results, despite the low probability of a fungal etiology of the process.
Comparative Analysis of RNN Versus IIR Digital Filtering to Optimize Resilience to Dynamic Perturbations in pH Sensing for Vertical Farming
Authors: Hinojosa-Meza Rolando , Montes Rivera Martín , Vacas-Jacques Paulino , Escalante-Garcia Nivia , Dena-Aguilar José Alonso , Becerra Sanchez Aldonso , Olvera-Gonzalez Ernesto
Published: May 2023

We propose an advanced filtering scheme based on Recurrent Neural Networks (RNNs) and Deep Learning to enable efficient control strategies for Vertical Farming (VF) applications.  We demonstrate that the best RNN model incorporates five neuron layers, with the first and second containing ninety Long Short-Term Memory neurons.  The third layer implements one Gated Recurrent Units neuron.  The fourth segment incorporates one RNN network, while the output layer is designed by using a single neuron exhibiting a rectified linear activation function.  By utilizing this RNN digital filter, we introduce two variations: (1) A scaled RNN model to tune the filter to the signal of interest, and (2) A moving average filter to eliminate harmonic oscillations of the output waveforms. The RNN models are contrasted with conventional digital Butterworth, Chebyshev I, Chebyshev II, and Elliptic Infinite Impulse Response (IIR) configurations.  The RNN digital filtering schemes avoid introducing unwanted oscillations, which makes them more suitable for VF than their IIR counterparts.  Finally, by utilizing the advanced features of scaling of the RNN model, we demonstrate that the RNN digital filter can be pH selective, as opposed to conventional IIR filters.
Genetic Mapping, Candidate Gene Identification and Marker Validation for Host Plant Resistance to the Race 4 of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense using Musa acuminata ssp. malaccensis
Authors: Chen Andrew , Sun Jiaman , Viljoen Altus , Mostert Diane , Xie Yucong , Mangila Leroy , Bothma Sheryl , Lyons Rebecca , Hřibová Eva , Christelová Pavla , Uwimana Brigitte , Amah Delphine , Pearce Stephen , Chen Ning , Batley Jacqueline , Edwards David , Doležel Jaroslav , Crisp Peter , Brown Allan F. , Martin Guillaume , Yahiaou Nabila , D’Hont Angelique , Coin Lachlan , Swennen Rony , Aitken Elizabeth A. B.
Published: May 2023

Fusarium wilt of banana is a devastating disease that has decimated banana production worldwide. Host resistance to Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense (Foc), the causal agent of this disease, is genetically dissected in this study using two Musa acuminata ssp. malaccensis segregating populations segregating for Foc Tropical (TR4) and Subtropical (STR4) race 4 resistance. Marker loci and trait association using 11 SNP-based PCR markers allowed the candidate region to be delimited to a 12.9 cM genetic interval corresponding to a 959 kb region on Chromosome 3 of ‘DH-Pahang’ reference assembly v4. Within this region, there is a cluster of pattern recognition receptors, namely leucine rich repeat ectodomain containing receptor-like protein kinases, cysteine-rich cell wall associated protein kinases, and leaf rust 10 disease-resistance locus receptor-like proteins positioned in an interspersed arrangement. Their transcript levels were rapidly upregulated in the resistant but not in susceptible F2 progenies at the onset of infection. This suggests that one or several of these genes may control resistance at this locus. To confirm the segregation of single-gene resistance, we generated an inter-cross between the resistant parent ‘Ma850’ and a susceptible line ‘Ma848’, to show that the STR4 resistance co-segregated with marker ‘28820’ at this locus. Finally, an informative SNP marker 29730 allowed the locus specific resistance to be assessed in a collection of diploid and polyploid banana plants. Out of the 60 lines screened, 22 lines were predicted to carry resistance at this locus, including lines known to be TR4 resistant, such as ‘Pahang’, ‘SH-3362’, ‘SH-3217’, ‘Ma-ITC0250’, and ‘DH-Pahang/CIRAD 930’. Additional screening in the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture’s collection suggests that the dominant allele is common among in the elite ‘Matooke’ NARITA hybrids, as well as in other triploid or tetraploid hybrids derived from East African highland bananas. Fine-mapping and candidate gene identification will allow characterization of molecular mechanisms underlying TR4 resistance. The markers developed in this study can now aid the marker-assisted selection of TR4 resistance in breeding programs around the world.
An Insect-Scale Four-Winged Robot Designed by Flexure Hinge
Authors: Zhao Jiaxin , Zhang Weiping , Wu Chaofeng , Wu Guangping
Published: May 2023

This paper proposes a novel biologically inspired design for an insect-scale flapping robot. The proposed scheme employs two motors to drive four wings, mimicking the flapping motion of nat-ural four-winged insects. The vehicle incorporates two pairs of flapping wings to generate lift force, with a transmission mechanism featuring flexure hinges instead of pivot joints, resulting in reduced weight and volume. The flexure hinges also exhibit nonlinear stiffness to facilitate smooth wing motion. The vehicle is designed to be symmetrical in structure, with the wings of each section generating greater lift through the clap-and-fling mechanism. The final product weighs 6.2g, pos-sesses a wingspan of 17cm, a one-sided flapping wing angle of 103 degrees, and generates lift that exceeds its weight, attesting to its successful design.
Maximizing test coverage for security threats Using Optimal Test Data Generation
Authors: Hussain Talha , Faiz Rizwan Bin , Aljaidi Mohammad , Khattak Adnan , Samara Ghassan , Alsarhan Ayoub , Alazaidah Raed
Published: May 2023

As time continues to advance, the need for robust security threat mitigation has become increasingly vital in software. However, ensuring early effective security threat mitigation requires optimal test data and consistent test case design. It is a constant struggle to maximize test coverage through test data optimization. We conducted explanatory research to maximize test coverage of security requirements as modeled in Structured Misuse Case Description (SMCD) i.e., structured specification of misuse case, so as to improve consistency in optimal test data generation. We specified constraints upon Mal activity in Object Constraint Language (OCL) in order to minimize human dependency and improve consistency in optimal test data generation. It was evident through results that MC/DC generated optimal test data of security threats through SMCD in comparison to the Decision Coverage method thus resulting in designing a significantly lower number of test cases and yet maximizing test coverage of security threats. MC/DC generated test data with n+1, while Decision Coverage generated test data with〖 2〗^n, we, therefore, conclude that MC/DC maximizes test coverage through optimal test data from SMCD in comparison to Decision Coverage.
The Influence of Processing Conditions on the Quality of Bent Solid Wood From European Oak
Authors: Straže Aleš , Žigon Jure , Pervan Stjepan , Mikšik Mislav , Prekrat Silvana
Published: May 2023

Bending of solid wood from European oak is one of the most demanding technological processes due to its specific structural and physical properties and variability. We investigated the influence of wood moisture content (MC) and stiffness, determined by NDT, as well as previous drying methods on the bending ability of the wood. The best quality was obtained with bending specimens bent at a moisture content of at least 16 % and quarter or semi-quartersawn. The number of rejected specimens increased slightly when HF bending was used. Single-stage predrying of oak to a final MC of 8 % resulted in a high rejection rate (> 70 %) regardless of drying technique. The acceptance rate was higher for less stiff specimens where the ratio of ultrasonic velocity in the straight (vS) and bent region (vB) was less than 0.5 (vB/vS).
Research on Discharge Permit Allocation in Lushui River based on Environmental GINI Coefficient
Authors: Obin Nicolas , Ge Fei , Liu Xingwang
Published: May 2023

Water pollution is the main cause of global ecological degradation and seriously affects people's water supply. In order to respond to the water environmental protection policy and provide management departments with a basis for refining water quality, this paper used the environmental Gini coefficient (EGC) method based on four indicators such as water environmental capacity, population, land area, and gross domestic production (GDP) to represent social factors, economic factors, and environmental factors, respectively. After the optimization, for COD, the EGC based on the land area was 0.30, EGC based on population was 0.21, EGC based on environment capacity was 0.02, and the EGC based on GDP was 0.45, and the sum of EGC was 0.962. From this result, we observed that the change in the Gini coefficient of each indicator was not very big. Hence, the most significant change in the Gini coefficient was that of GDP, with a higher rate than other criteria. Then, the COD, AND, and TP discharge allocation model was constructed to obtain the total allocated discharge permit in Lushui Basin. The results found that the total discharge permit allocation of COD, AN, and TP to the Lushui basin were 51483.304 tons/year, 843.119 tons/year, and 340.926 tons/year, respectively. Based on the GIS spatial analysis technology, the distribution of unfair factors that cause pollution inequity was investigated. Finally, the reduction measures were proposed to implement environmental supervision and strengthen water environment management strictly.
Large-Eddy Simulations of a Hypersonic Re-entry Capsule Coupled With the Supersonic Disk-Gap-Band Parachute
Authors: Peri Lakshmi Narayana Phaneendra , Antonella Ingenito , Teofilatto Paolo
Published: May 2023

The goal of this paper is to investigate the aerodynamic and aerothermodynamic behaviour of the Schiaparelli capsule after the deployment of the supersonic disk-gap-band (DGB) parachute during its re-entry phase into the Martian atmosphere. Large-Eddy Simulations of compressible flows have been performed over the capsule and the flexible DGB parachute to analyse the behaviour of the turbulent wake behind the capsule and its interaction with the parachute flow-field. The simulations are performed at an altitude of 10 km and a Mach number around 2, i.e., a regime in which large canopy-area oscillations are observed. These simulations have shown a strong interaction between the bow shock, the recompression and expansion waves, high pressure, density and temperature gradients, heat flux towards the airstream and the body implying turbulence generation, ingestion, and amplification through the shock waves. This nonlinear turbulence flowfield explains the non-axisymmetric behaviour around and behind the parachute that caused the uncontrolled capsule oscillation and the mission failure.
Estimating Freezing Injury on Olive Trees: A Comparative Study of Computing Models Based on Electrolyte Leakage and Tetrazolium Tests
Authors: Rezaei Mehdi , Rohani Abbas
Published: May 2023

Winter frost injury is a major limiting factor for olive cultivation in temperate regions. The response of olive shoots to freezing stress can be used for selecting resistant genotypes to freezing. The electrolyte leakage (EL) and tetrazolium tests (TZ) are commonly used to evaluate dead tissues in cold stress studies. The temperature-response curve of dead tissues to lethal temperature (LT) is measured with models to calculate LT50 and LT90. In this study, we evaluated the accuracy and efficiency of eighteen non-linear regression models (NLRs) in calculating LT50 and LT90 of freezing stress in different olive cultivars at various stages of dormancy. After evaluating the prediction performance of NLR models, it was found that only eight models were suitable for the purpose of this research out of the 18 models examined. The 2p-logistic and Gompertz models were selected for modeling EL and TZ, respectively. Our research findings indicate that the Roughani, Kawi, and Zard varieties of olive trees exhibit the best performance in cold weather conditions. Our findings provide valuable insights into selecting frost-resistant cultivars and designing effective strategies for cold acclimation in olive cultivation.
How Accurate Should a Medical Test be to Meet Cost-Effectiveness
Authors: Chen Ermo
Published: May 2023

Medical tests' cost-effectiveness analysis reveals a strong correlation between their accuracy and analysis results. Theoretically, we provide two lower bounds that medical tests' accuracy must exceed to be considered cost-effective. Theoretically, we provide two lower bounds that the accuracy of medical tests meeting cost-effectiveness must exceed. First, medical tests' accuracy should surpass the lower bound of matching requirements for each patient to receive the most appropriate intervention based on their test results. Second, the overall lower limit should be exceeded for the medical testing to be cost-effective for the patients as a whole. Furthermore, the conclusions from this model also provide an economic explanation for the under-diagnosis of rare diseases and the challenges faced in implementing precision medicine for minority patients. A numerical simulation example validates the conclusions of this paper.
Point-MDA: Progressive Point Cloud Analysis for Extreme Multi-Scale Detail Activation
Authors: Li Manwen , Zhao Yanming , Zhou Yun , Wei Jiang
Published: May 2023

The point cloud is a form of three-dimensional data that comprises various detailed features at multiple scales. Due to this characteristic and its irregularity, point cloud analysis based on deep learning is challenging. While previous works utilize the sampling-grouping operation of PointNet++ for feature description and then explore geometry by means of sophisticated feature extractors or deep networks, such operations fail to describe multi-scale features effectively. Additionally, these techniques have led to performance saturation. And it is difficult for standard MLPs to directly "mine" point cloud. To address above problems, we propose the Detail Activation (DA) module, which encodes data based on Fourier transform after sampling and grouping. We activate the channels at different frequency levels from low to high in the DA module to gradually recover finer point cloud details. As training progresses, the proposed Point-MDA can uncover local and global geometries of point cloud progressively. Our experiments show that Point-MDA achieves superior classification accuracy, outperforming PointNet++ by 3.3% and 7.9% in terms of overall accuracy on the ModelNet40 and ScanObjectNN dataset, respectively. Furthermore, it accomplishes this without employing complicated operations, while exploring the full potential of PointNet++.