bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Gender and Islam in Village Head Elections in Kudus Regency in 2022
Authors: Setiadi Ozi
Published: November 2023

Gender relations and Islam occupy a distinctive space in the succession of village heads. This research will highlight gender relations with Islam and the involvement of female nationalists and Islamists in village head elections. This field research uses a qualitative research method of narrative data analysis. Data were obtained from unstructured interviews, documents, focus group discussions (FGD), and literature. This research found that there is a relationship between gender and Islam in the village head elections in Kudus Regency in 2022. This relationship can be seen from the involvement of Islamist and nationalist women in village head elections, as voters, candidates, to the success team. The conflict between adat and Islam which does not allow women to be involved in leadership succession, and even involved in the wider public sphere, is not a barrier. Kudus Regency women continue to respect Islam in the formal dimension, while gender equality between men and women is considered a form of justice.

 
Analisis Strategi Kontra Terorisme Swedia Dalam Menghadapi Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS)
Authors: Siregar Moza Jeanne , Prasodjo Haryo , Prinanda Devita
Published: November 2023

Artikel ini membahas terkait analisis terhadap Strategi Kontra terorisme Swedia dalam menghadapi ISIS. Swedia telah menjadi salah satu negara di wilayah eropa yang memiliki kebijakan terbuka bagi pengungsi. Namun dengan terbukanya Swedia terhadap pencari suaka telah memberikan berbagai dampak yang buruk. Sehingga pada tahun 2015, Swedia telah mengeluarkan kebijakan baru untuk membatasi para pengungsi atau imigran yang berdatangan. Hal tersebut juga dilindungi oleh adanya ancaman terorisme yang semakin bertambah. Terorisme yang dihadapi Swedia berada di skala besar hingga mengancam stabilitas keamanan negara tersebut. Menggunakan konsep Kontra Terorisme tulisan ini berusaha menjelaskan bahwa upaya Kontra Terorisme sebagai pencegahan untuk memerangi Terorisme.Berangkat dari hal tersebut, penelitian ini berupaya menganalisis Strategi Kontra terorisme Swedia dalam menghadapi ISIS. Melalui jenis penelitian yang bersifat deskriptif dengan penggunaan studi kepustakaan sebagai teknik pengumpulan data, penelitian ini menemukan bahwa Kontra Terorisme Swedia mendapat banyak kritikan dan dianggap lemah oleh penstudi dan para ahli. Meski demikian, peneliti menemukan ada lima strategi dari Kontra Terorisme Swedia yang dapat membantu memerangi terorisme, meliputi penegakan hukum, deradikalisasi, penggunaan intelijen, memperkuat lembaga-lembaga terorisme, dan melakukan kerjasama internasional maupun regional. 
Islam dan Konstruksi Politik Identitas Etnis di Lampung Barat
Authors: Yudha Gesit Yudha
Published: November 2023

This study examines the regional head and legislative elections in West Lampung where elites running as candidates are more likely to choose their partners based on ethnic representation to promote ethnic solidarity in the region. This article aims to explain the Islamic view of understanding the construction of identity politics in West Lampung. In this case, it uses explanatory qualitative which deals with the issue of regional sons becoming the main commodity in ethnic politics. The findings of this article show that Muklis Basri has established friendship and commitment to the traditional and customary leaders of Sai Batin in West Lampung. The form of his attention is that many traditional activities, and traditional Sai Batin ceremonies are made a permanent regional and tourism agenda in West Lampung Regency. Likewise, the proximity to the persuasive approach of the community, Mukhlis can attract community sympathy by paying great attention to local customs and the public interest. The existence of customary balancers has the authority to make decisions about the results of deliberations in this case mobilization to influence voters. From an Islamic perspective, the prevailing construction of blind fanaticism towards a particular group or tribe, known as ashobiyah, is considered contrary to the principles of equality and fraternity emphasized by this religion as well as the importance of viewing individuals based on their qualities, character and deeds, not their origin based on Q.S Al Hujurat:13.
Advancing Engineering With Nature initiatives in Point Hope, Alaska
Authors: Bosche Lauren , Cohn Nicholas , Midgley Taber , McDermott Ellen Jessup , Sullivan Taylor , Small Christopher , Douglas Thomas , Whitin Samuel , King Jeffrey
Published: November 2023

Growing environmental risk threatens communities in cold regions, particularly as climate change contributes to permafrost thaw, a reduction in sea-ice extent, and some of the largest rates of coastal erosion on earth. In the context of these significant and growing risks, the Engineering With Nature® (EWN®) program formed its cold regions work unit in 2021 to explore the potential to apply EWN approaches in these areas to mitigate environmental risk while supporting resilient outcomes. The work unit’s objectives include working with communities to preserve the natural environment and traditions, advancing the work unit’s understanding of coldregion environments, and providing guidance on the implementation of natural and nature-based features (NNBF) and EWN in cold regions to increase resilience. This technical note (TN) provides an overview of the EWN in cold regions technical approach as applied to Point Hope, Alaska, which includes community engagement, the integration of traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) throughout the project, and the development of cold-regions-specific knowledge and tools.
Available live crown fuel load varies by species and moisture content in Intermountain West USA conifers
Authors: Conrad Elliott T , Jolly William M , Brown Tegan P , Hillman Samuel C
Published: November 2023

Background
Accurate estimates of available live crown fuel loads are critical for understanding potential wildland fire behavior. Existing crown fire behavior models assume that available crown fuels are limited to all tree foliage and half of the fine branches less than 6 mm in diameter (one hour fuel). They also assume that this relationship is independent of the branchwood moisture content. Despite their widespread use, these assumptions have never been tested, and our understanding of the physiochemical properties that govern live crown flammability and consumption remains limited. To test these assumptions, we sampled branches from 11 common Intermountain West USA conifers and determined the corrected available fuel estimates using physiochemical measurements, diameter subsize class distributions, and a bench-scale consumption experiment. Additional branches were air-dried to explore interaction between moisture content and consumption. Corrected available live crown fuel was compared to existing models across species, and then used to determine differences in energy and the potential to evaporate water.
Results
Across the 11 common conifers, distinct patterns of sub one hour fuel distributions were strong predictors of whether the existing available live crown fuel models overestimated, approximately correctly estimated, or underestimated available fuel. Fine branchwood distributions generally fell into three archetypes: fine-skewed, normally distributed, and coarse-skewed. Based on our corrected estimates, existing models overestimated the potential canopy energy by 34% for an average-sized western larch (LAOC) and underestimated it by 18.8% for western hemlock (TSHE). Consequently, the potential amount of canopy water that could be evaporated by this amount of energy was overestimated by as much as 168.7% in the LAOC and underestimated by 120.8% in the TSHE. Furthermore, the critical fine branchwood consumption diameter varied with moisture content. Larger proportions of fine branches were consumed as the branchwood dried, and nearly all the 1 h fuel was consumed when the branches were completely dry.
Conclusions
These results suggest that available live canopy fuel load estimates should consider species and moisture content to accurately assess and map fuel loads across landscapes. This work has implications for forest and fire management in conifer-dominated forests throughout western North America, and in other similar forests worldwide.
Relationship between periodontitis and oral cancer: A two-sample Mendelian randomisation study
Authors: Xiao Ting , Hu Ge , Zhang HaoJian , Wu WenKe , Wang Hui , Huang JunWei , Zhu ZhenHua
Published: November 2023

Background
Reports suggest an association between periodontitis and oral cancer. Therefore, this study used a Mendelian randomisation analysis to investigate whether a causal relationship exists between periodontitis and oral cancer and whether periodontitis is a reliable early indicator of oral cancer.
Methods
Publicly available genome-wide association study data were used to perform a two-sample, two-way Mendelian randomisation (MR) analysis primarily via inverse variance weighting (IVW). Complementary methods were used to detect and correct the effects of horizontal polytropy.
Results
Acute periodontitis (IVW [odds ratio (OR) = 0.999, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.999–1.000, P = 0.972]; MR-Egger [OR = 1.000, 95% CI = 0.999–1.000, P = 0.843]; and weighted median [OR = 1.000, 95%CI = 0.999–1.000, P = 0.947]) and chronic periodontitis (IVW [OR = 0.999, 95% CI = 0.999 − 1.000, P = 0.725; MR-Egger [OR = 1.000, 95% CI = 0.998–1.000, P = 0.245); and weighted median [OR = 1.000, 95% CI = 0.999–1.000, P = 0.834]) did not affect oral cancer.
Conclusions
Our MR analysis did not support a causal relationship between periodontitis and oral cancer, providing a clear reference for clinicians.
Tailored Plasmon Polariton Landscape in Graphene/Boron Nitride Patterned Heterostructures
Authors: Golenić Neven , de Gironcoli Stefano , Despoja Vito
Published: November 2023

Surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs), which are electromagnetic modes representing collective oscillations of charge density coupled with photons, have been extensively studied in graphene. This has provided a solid foundation for understanding SPPs in 2D materials. However, the emergence of wafer-transfer techniques has led to the creation of various quasi-2D van der Waals heterostructures, highlighting certain gaps in our understanding of their optical properties in relation to SPPs. To address this, we analyzed electromagnetic modes in graphene/hexagonal-boron-nitride/graphene heterostructures on an dielectric Al2O3 substrate using the full ab initio RPA optical conductivity tensor. Our theoretical model was validated through comparison with recent experiments measuring evanescent in-phase Dirac and out-of-phase acoustic SPP branches [Nanoscale 13, 14628 (2021)]. Furthermore, we investigate how the number of plasmon branches and their dispersion are sensitive to variables such as layer count and charge doping. Notably, we demonstrate that patterning of the topmost graphene into nanoribbons provides efficient Umklapp scattering of the bottommost DP into the radiative region, resulting in the conversion of the DP into a robust infrared-active plasmon. Additionally, we show that the optical activity of the DP and its hybridization with inherent plasmon resonances in graphene nanoribbons are highly sensitive to the doping of both the topmost and bottommost graphene layers. By elucidating these optical characteristics, we aspire to catalyze further advancements and create new opportunities for innovative applications in photonics and optoelectronic integration.
Deep Learning-Infused Hybrid Security Model for Energy Optimization and Enhanced Security in Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: Ramu K , Rama S. V. S. , Singh Satyanand , Rachapudi Venubabu , Mary Anitha , Singh Vikash , Joshi Shubham
Published: November 2023

Many wireless sensors are placed in an ad hoc way to create a wireless sensor network (WSN), which is used to monitor system, physical, and environmental conditions and transmit the collected data to a centralized point. Base stations and several nodes (wireless sensors) make up the system. The base station of a WSN System is connected to the Internet to share data, and these networks are used to cooperatively transfer data via the network to the base station while monitoring physical or environmental factors like sound, pressure, and temperature. These data can be processed, analyzed, stored, and mined by WSN. In this study, additional optimization and a deep learning approach were used to separate a rogue node from the network's busiest node based on a variety of criteria. A deep learning model for identifying the malicious node has been offered as a solution to these challenges. This model works by computing the probability of request forwarding, reply forwarding, and data dropping in a sum-rule weighted method. It has been determined that the planned task would have both a high throughput and a decreased necessary amount of time. There has been a decrease in the overall rate of packet loss. There has been a drop from 70ms to 42ms in the delay-related hyper metrics. There has been a near threefold reduction in the percentage of missing packages, from 23–8%. The adoption of deep learning has removed hostile node behaviour that might bring down a network as a potential failure mode.
Flexible Actuation with Intrinsic Sensing for Ram Extrusion 3D Printing
Authors: Suthithanakom Setthibhak , Sithiwichankit Chaiwuth , Chaiprabha Kantawatchr , Chancharoen Ratchatin
Published: November 2023

This work presents a flexible actuation system with intrinsic sensing for a ram extrusion printhead used in liquid deposition modeling (LDM) technology. The system enables the control of extrusion flow in both pressure and volumetric modes. A mathematical model is used to design and simulate the printhead. The system incorporates real-time monitoring of extrusion pressure and flow rate, allowing for precise control and adjustment during the printing process. In addition to extrusion-flow control, the system has the capability to detect printing-material properties, providing valuable insights for further optimization of the printing process. The proposed system offers the advantage of improved pressure and flow control as well as the ability to monitor and respond to the properties of printing material. Overall, this paper enhances the performance and efficiency of ram extrusion in 3D printing.
Vision Based Trajectory Dynamic Compensation System of Industrial Robot
Authors: Zhao Nan , Murakami Kenichi , Yamakawa Yuji
Published: November 2023

This study aims to enhance the flexibility of robots in the manufacturing process to meet the growing demand for flexible manufacturing systems by constructing a dynamic compensation system. The system enables the end effector of the robot to track the trajectory contour on the horizontal plane, even if there is a deviation between the teaching trajectory and the target trajectory contour. The proposed system employs an innovative mechanism design and algorithm that enables dynamic compensation of the robot's absolute position in the XY-plane, even when the end effector is obstructed. The system uses an XY-stage and two industrial cameras, with each axis being separately controlled. To detect and compensate for errors in the end effector and target trajectory, the two cameras are aligned with the X- and Y-direction linear stage, respectively. The cameras are fixed with respect to the linear stage, and the end effector is placed on the stage work surface. Unlike traditional stereo cameras, the cameras in this system do not require calibration for their positional relationship. To verify the system's effectiveness, this study set a group of teaching and target trajectory contours with a maximum deviation of over than 8mm. Under the compensation of the system, the maximum error between the end effector and the target trajectory contour was 22.8 pixels (1.34mm), with an average absolute error of 5.4 pixels (0.32mm). Compared to the maximum error of 8.45mm before compensation, the error has been reduced by 84%.
Epigenetic Reshaping through Damage: Promoting Cell Fate Transition by BrdU and IdU incorportion
Authors: li chuang , Xu Xiaoduo , Chen Shuyan , Xu Anchun , Guan Tongxing , wu haokaifeng , pei duanqing , Liu Jing
Published: November 2023

Background:Thymidine analogs have long been recognized for their ability to randomly incorporate into DNA. However, the precise mechanisms through which thymidine analogs facilitate cell fate transition remains unclear.
Results:Here, we discovered a strong correlation between the dosage dependence of thymidine analogs and their ability to overcome reprogramming barrier. Meanwhile, we found that homologous recombination repair (HRR) pathway causes an overall epigenetic reshaping of cells and enabling them to overcome greater barriers. Moreover, extraembryonic endoderm (XEN) state appears to be a selective response behavior of cells to DNA damage repair (DDR), providing a shortcut for cells to overcome reprogramming barriers, creates a hypomethylated environment that promotes cell fate transition in multiple reprogramming systems. We term this mechanism as Epigenetic Reshaping through Damage (ERD).
Conclustion:Overall, our study sheds light on the dynamic interplay between thymidine analogs, DDR, and epigenetic modifications, providing valuable insights into the mechanisms underlying cell fate transition.
The RAVI Registry: Prospective, Multicenter Study of Radial Access in Embolization Procedures – 30 days follow up.
Authors: Guimaraes Marcelo , Fischman Aaron , Yu Hyeon , Tasse Jordan , Stewart Jessica , Pereira Keith
Published: November 2023

Background: There is a lack of registry studies about Transradial access (TRA) outcomes. This prospective registry focused on evaluating the TRA and procedure outcomes of visceral embolizations performed via TRA with 30-day follow-up.
Material & Methods: Prospective, multicenter registry included uterine fibroids (UFE), prostate artery (PAE), liver tumors (LT), and other hypervascular tumors (OHT) embolization performed in six US hospitals. Between February 2020 and January 2022,99 patients underwent one RAVI; 70 had UFE (70.7%), 16 PAE (16.2%), 7 LT (7.1%), and 6 OHT (6.1%). The mean age was 50.1 (±11.1) years and 74/99 (74.7%) were females. The primary safety endpoints included hand ischemia, stroke, and death. Procedural success was defined as the completion of the intended procedure using RA. Technical success was defined as the successful delivery of HydroPearl™ microspheres and complete embolization of the target vessel.
Results: Procedural and technical successes were 100% and 97%, respectfully. There was no stroke, hand ischemia, radial-to-femoral conversion, access-related serious adverse events, or clinically evident radial artery occlusion at 30 days. There were two deaths: one respiratory failure and one progression of liver disease. Minor RA-related adverse event included arterial spasm, hematoma, and post-procedure discomfort.
Conclusion: This prospective, multicenter, open-label registry confirmed the high safety profile and effectiveness of radial access in UFE, PAE, LT, and OHT embolization procedures without stroke, hand ischemia or access-related serious adverse events at 30 days follow-up.
Receptor-like cytoplasmic kinases belonging to different subfamilies differentially regulate SOBIR1/BAK1-mediated immune responses in Nicotiana benthamiana
Authors: Joosten Matthieu , Huang Wen , Braam Ciska , Kretschmer Carola , Liu Huan , Ferik Filiz , Burgh Aranka van der , Villanueva Sergio , Wu Jinbin , Zhang Lisha , Nuernberger Thorsten , Wang Yulu , Seidl Michael F , Evangelisti Edouard , Stuttmann Johannes
Published: November 2023

Cell-surface receptors, which are either receptor-like proteins (RLPs) or receptor-like kinases (RLKs), stand at the basis of the first layer of the plant innate immune system. The leucine-rich repeat (LRR)-RLKs SOBIR1 and BAK1 are the common regulatory co-receptors of LRR-RLPs. The tomato LRR-RLP Cf-4, which specifically detects the apoplastic effector Avr4 that is secreted by the pathogenic intercellular fungus Fulvia fulva (syn. Cladosporium fulvum), requires SOBIR1 and BAK1 to mediate resistance against this fungus. Here, by performing in vitro phosphorylation assays, we show that SOBIR1 directly phosphorylates BAK1, whereas BAK1, in turn, directly phosphorylates SOBIR1, which results in the full activation of the SOBIR1/BAK1-containing immune complex. The amino acid residues Thr522 and Tyr469, present in the kinase domain of Nicotiana benthamiana (Nb) SOBIR1, were found to be required for the intrinsic kinase activity of NbSOBIR1 and for interacting with specific downstream signalling partners, respectively. Receptor-like cytoplasmic kinases (RLCKs) are well-recognized to act as the initial cytoplasmic transducers, bridging cell-surface receptor complexes with their downstream signalling partners. Here, by knocking out multiple genes belonging to different RLCK-VII subfamilies in N. benthamiana:Cf-4, we show that members of RLCK-VII-6, -7, and -8 differentially regulate the Avr4/Cf-4-triggered biphasic reactive oxygen species (ROS) burst in N. benthamiana. This observation suggests that there are different downstream ROS regulatory mechanisms, involving different RLCKs, in N. benthamiana. In addition, members of RLCK-VII-7 play an essential role in the Avr4/Cf-4-triggered hypersensitive response (HR) and host resistance against the oomycete pathogen Phytophthora palmivora. Furthermore, SOBIR1 and BAK1 directly trans-phosphorylate members of RLCK-VII-6, -7 and -8 in vitro. Our study provides molecular evidence for the activation and signal transduction of SOBIR1/BAK1-containing immune complexes through RLCKs in N. benthamiana.
Interlaminar shear and flexural properties of three-dimensional braided glass fiber/polylactic acid composites
Authors: Wang Jing , Lv Dongyang , Chen Zejiu
Published: November 2023

To address the problem of environmental pollution caused by the transitional use of petroleum-based composites, a green and environmentally friendly thermoplastic resin compound molding process is proposed. In this study, continuous glass fiber (GF) reinforced polylactic acid (PLA) composites were prepared. The coupling agent KH550 was used to modify the preforms to enhance the interfacial properties. The three-dimensional (3D) braiding technology and hot pressing were adopted to produce the samples. Then, the crystallinity, transverse shear stress, interlaminar shear, and bending properties of samples were tested. Finally, the effects of GF content, preform thickness, cutting edge, and KH550 concentration on the longitudinal bending properties of composites were investigated. The results showed that GF improved the crystallinity of PLA, and the bending performance was better at a GF content of 40% and a preform thickness of 9 mm. The cutting edge has little effect on the mechanical properties of the composites and can be cut according to the requirements. The best mechanical properties are achieved at a KH550 concentration of 40%.
Effects of Game-based Physical Education Program on Enjoyment in Children and Adolescents : A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
Authors: Mo Weilong , Saibon Jamalsafri Bin , LI Yaming , Li Jiequan , He Yanwu
Published: November 2023

Objective: The objective of this research was to use a systematic review methodology in order to investigate the impact of a game-based physical education intervention on the enjoyment experienced by children and adolescents.Additionally, a meta-analysis is adopted to identify the factors for enjoyment promotion during their participation in physical education games.
Methods:This study involves a comprehensive search of different databases like Web of Science, PubMed, Embase, EBSCOhost, Cochrane, and Scopus. Specific criteria are established for the selection process to make sure the relevant literature included. The quality assessment of the included researches is conducted based on the guidelines outlined in the Cochrane 5.1 handbook. Review Manager 5.3 software is employed to synthesis the effect sizes. Additionally, bias is assessed using funnel plots, and to identify potential sources of heterogeneity， subgroup analyses are performed.
Results: A total of 1,907 academic papers, out of which 2 articles were identified via other data sources. The present study examined the impact of a pedagogical intervention involving physical education games on the enjoyment experienced by children and adolescents. The results indicated a significant positive effect (MD=0.53, 95%CI:[0.27,0.79], P<0.05) of this intervention on enjoyment. Subgroup analyses further revealed that both boys (MD=0.31, 95%CI:[0.13,0.50], P<0.05) and girls (MD=0.28, 95%CI:[0.05,0.51], P<0.05) experienced increased pleasure compared to traditional physical education. Additionally, children under 12 years of age (MD=0.41, 95%CI:[0.17,0.64], P<0.05) benefited from sessions lasting at least 30 minutes or more per session (MD=0.40, 95%CI:[0.19,0.60], P<0.05), occurring 1 to 3 times per week (MD=0.28, 95%CI:[0.16,0.40], P<0.05), and lasting for more than 3 weeks (MD=0.81, 95%CI:[0.29,1.34], P<0.05). These findings suggest that the implementation of physical education games can be an effective approach to teaching this subject.
Conclusions: 1) Interventions using physical games have been shown to yield beneficial outcomes in terms of enhancing the enjoyment experienced by children and adolescents. 2) The effectiveness of treatments aimed at promoting enjoyment among children and adolescents is influenced by several aspects, including gender, age, duration and frequency of physical activity, as well as the specific cycle of activity used.
Ferroptosis activates retinoic acid inflammation and ignites the development of Silicosis
Authors: Li xingjie , Tan Jinzhuo , Wu Renlan , Zhang Zongde
Published: November 2023

Lung cells damage caused by inhalation of silica and silicon crystals leads to Silicosis. Retinoic acid is a mitogen in the development of lung organs and exerts pleiotropic effects on immune reactions. How retinoic acid signaling is engaged in Silicosis remains unknown. We report here that retinoic acid signaling in dendritic cells was activated in silicosis lesions. SiO2 activates the retinoic acid signaling by provoking ferroptosis and triggers a downstream "retinoic acid inflammation" characterized by upregulating cGAS-STING signaling genes and inflammasome-associated IL-1βand IL-1α. Inhibition of ferroptosis in mice relieves silica-induced lung inflammation and fibrosis. This cellular retinoic acid response may act as a cytosolic adjuvant to promote extended and upgraded inflammation. Our work unveils a mechanism by which retinoic acid reaction induces cGAS-STING and inflammasome signaling to sustain silica-induced inflammation.
Population dynamics of the citrus nematode Tylenchulus semipenetrans Cobb, 1913 in an infested orchard in Fars province, southern Iran
Authors: Rumiani Mohammad , Karegar Akbar , Hamzehzarghani Habiballah
Published: November 2023

The citrus nematode Tylenchulus semipenetrans Cobb, 1913 is one of the most important threats limiting the growth of citrus trees around the world. In recent years, efforts have been made to control this pathogen. Determining the number of generations and population peaks of this nematode is necessary for its control. This study was conducted to investigate the fluctuations of the citrus nematode population in Fasa, an important citrus growing city in Fars province, southern Iran, between 2018 and 2019. The results showed that the lowest levels of soil nematodes including second-stage juveniles (J2s) and males, and root nematodes (eggs, juveniles and females) occurred in July. However, the peak of population levels were different for root and soil nematodes. For root nematodes, two peaks were recorded in late May and November, while for soil nematodes, two peaks were recorded in late May and December. From the results, the nematode population in the roots (especially the female ones) was less subject to fluctuations compared to the soil population. In most samples, the nematode populations in the roots decreased with increasing distance from the tree trunk. Overall, the results showed that there are two population peaks per year, suggesting that two generations of the citrus nematode occur in Fasa orchards. From a management perspective, the results of this study can be generalized to all citrus orchards with the same geographic and environmental factors.
Untangling the Mysteries of Turbulence: A Data-Driven Visualization Study of Active Flow Control in Channel and Pipe Flows Using Numerical Simulations
Authors: Sood Ajay Kumar
Published: November 2023

This is the first bibliometric study of its kind in this domain and it investigates the use of numerical simulations for research related to turbulent drag reduction in channel and pipe flows using active flow control techniques using data from two databases: Scopus and Web of Science (WOS). A bibliometric analysis of 603 research publications related to active drag reduction using numerical simulations for turbulent channel and pipe flows has been done to analyze the progress in this research domain since the year 1984. The publications have increased significantly in this domain since 2017, one of the biggest reasons for this can be the increased availability of computational resources. Maximum work in this domain has been done by developed nations such as China, USA, UK, and Japan etc. The research can be categorized into four major clusters. The first cluster focuses on research exploring types of active drag reduction methods/agents used and the mechanisms involved. The second cluster involves different types of numerical modelling techniques used for flow control and their analysis. The third and fourth cluster highlights the different types of geometrical configurations used for numerical simulations and their impact on drag reduction and heat transfer related themes respectively.
Assessment of quality of life in patients with heart failure in Khartoum state in 2022, a hospital-based descriptive cross-sectional study
Authors: Abdalla Mushrega , Alkhalifamohamed Hussam , Mohamed Raed , Abdalla Ahmed , Eltoum Hassan
Published: November 2023

Background:
Heart failure is a chronic, progressive disease that seriously impacts patients’ quality of life, influenced by several factors. Knowing how heart failure affects patients’ quality of life and its associated factors is crucial for a better patient-centered approach and management. This study aimed to assess the quality of life in patients with heart failure attending the governmental hospitals specializing in heart diseases in Khartoum state, Sudan, in 2022.
Methods:
This hospital-based descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted at the governmental hospitals specialized in heart diseases in Khartoum state from October 2022 to November 2022. A probability simple random sampling was applied, and the data were collected by face-to-face interviews method using the Short Form 36 Health Survey Questionnaire tool (SF-36). The data were analyzed using a statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) to find the correlation between the various variables. Ethical clearance was obtained from the University of Khartoum.
Results:
The study included 107 patients with heart failure. The patients' quality of life was assessed in different domains, and the mean for each was calculated. Patients had poor quality of life in all domains of the SF-36 questionnaire (Short Form 36 Health Survey Questionnaire), especially in the physical health domain (mean score of 8.4 ± 27.2). However, the highest mean was the mean of emotional health (62.6 ± 48.2). The mean of social activities was moderate (31.3 ± 40).
Conclusion:
The study concluded that patients with heart failure in Khartoum state have poor quality of life in all domains of the SF-36 questionnaire.
Oral Contraceptives in Adolescents: A Retrospective population-based study on Blood Pressure and Metabolic Dysregulation
Authors: Araújo Priscila Xavier , Moreira Priscila , Almeida Danilo Candido , Souza Alexandra Aparecida , Franco Maria do Carmo
Published: November 2023

Purpose
This study aimed to explore the relationship between oral contraceptive use and blood pressure values and in a national cohort of women adolescents and to investigate the level of coexistence of the high blood pressure levels, dyslipidemia, and insulin resistance.
Methods
This a retrospective cohort with 14,299 adolescents aged 14 to 17 years. Crude and adjusted analyses were performed using Poisson regression to estimate the prevalence ratios. Data clustering analysis was performed using machine learning approaches supported by an unsupervised neural network of self-organizing maps.
Results
We found that 14.5% (n = 2,076) of the women adolescents use oral contraceptives. Moreover, an increased prevalence of high blood pressure (4.9%), dyslipidemia (31.6%), and insulin resistance (34.7%) was observed among adolescents who use oral contraceptives as compared to those who do not. Our analysis also showed that 2.3% of adolescents using oral contraceptives had both high blood pressure levels and dyslipidemia, whereas 3.2% had high blood pressure levels combined with insulin resistance. The algorithmic investigative approach demonstrated that total cholesterol, LDLc, HDLc, insulin, and HOMA-IR were the most predicted variables to assist classificatory association in the context of oral contraceptive use among women adolescents with high blood pressure.
Conclusions
These findings suggest that oral contraceptives were associated with an increased prevalence of high blood pressure, dyslipidemia, and insulin resistance among women adolescents. Although the indication of this therapy is adequate to avoid unintended pregnancies, their use must be based on rigorous individual evaluation and under constant control of the cardiometabolic risk factors.
Odor preferred males led to a higher offspring number in the common vole
Authors: Bílková Pavlína , Vlček Jakub , Cvetković Tijana , Štefka Jan , Sedlacek Frantisek
Published: November 2023

Very recently, an interesting phenomenon was described in the common vole; vole parents with similar locomotor ability produced significantly larger litters. Positive assortative mating is a tendency to prefer individuals with similar phenotypes. We tested whether this also applies to smell similarity. Odor preference was tested in a T-maze, where each female was presented with two male odors, i. e. shavings together with feces and urine from home boxes. After female preference was established, the female was either paired with a preferred male (chosen) or paired with a non-preferred male (opposite choice). For analysis of the relationship to odour preference, genotyping of MHC Class II DRB was done using amplicon sequencing. In the set of 45 individuals from two populations, we recovered 38 nucleotide haplotypes (alleles). Similarity of alleles in parent pairs according to the indexes of Sørensen-Dice (S-D) and Jaccard were calculated. Values of these indexes in parental pairs with preferred males were higher (more similar) than in not preferred (S-D: F(1, 20) = 8.489, p =0.009, Jaccard: F(1, 20) = 6.563, p = 0.019). The number of offspring in parental pairs with preferred males were higher than in not preferred (F(1, 20 ) = 4.915, p = 0.038). However, the correlation between the mentioned indexes and the number of offspring was very low. The relationship between the success of reproduction and alleles is not clear-cut, this may be influenced by the measure of similarity we used, or by something that we could not detect.
Metabolic pathways engaged by antigen-specific T and B cells after SARS-CoV-2 vaccination in multiple sclerosis patients on different immunomodulatory drugs reveal immunosenescence and predict vaccine efficacy.
Authors: De Biasi Sara , Tartaro Domenico Lo , Rau Moritz , Paschalidis Nikolaos , Neroni Anita , Borella Rebecca , Santacroce Elena , Paolini Annamaria , Gibellini Lara , Ciobanu Alin , Cuccorese Michela , Trenti Tommaso , Rubio Ignacio , Vitetta Francesca , Cardi Martina , Argüello Rafael , Ferraro Diana , Cossarizza Andrea
Published: November 2023

Disease modifying therapies (DMT) assumed by patients affected by multiple sclerosis (MS) can influence immune response to SARS-CoV-2 and vaccination efficacy. Even if in most treated patients vaccine-induced humoral and cellular responses can be attenuated, scanty data exist on detailed phenotypic, functional and metabolic characteristics of antigen (Ag)-specific cells following the third dose of vaccine. Here, by using flow cytometry and 45-parameter mass cytometry, we broadly investigate the phenotype, function and the single cell metabolic profile (scMEP) of SARS-CoV-2-specific T and B cells up to 8 months after the third dose of mRNA vaccine in a cohort of 93 MS patients treated with different DMT including cladribine, dimethyl fumarate, fingolimod, interferon, natalizumab, teriflunomide or anti-CD20. We find that almost all patients develop a detectable and functional immune response to SARS-CoV-2. In particular, we find that different metabolic profiles characterize antigen-specific T and B cell response in FTY- and natalizumab-treated MS patients, who generate a peculiar immune response which is different from all the other MS treatment. Using prediction analysis, we finally describe a SARS-CoV-2 specific immunological signature that could likely predict protection from breakthrough SARS-CoV-2 infection.
First report of potato spindle tuber viroid isolated from pepper seeds produced in Vietnam
Authors: Tanaka Saori , Murase Ryota , Inoue Yoshimi , Masumoto Masumi , Matsuura Takayuki , Yanagisawa Hironobu
Published: November 2023

Potato spindle tuber viroid (PSTVd; genus Pospiviroid) was detected from pepper (Capsicum annuum) seeds produced in Vietnam, during an export inspection. The PSTVd isolate maintained its viability. To investigate the phylogenetic relationship between PSTVd-VN and other PSTVd variants isolated from other plants, the PSTVd isolate was classified into lethal and severe strains. Inoculated tomatoes (cv. Rutgers) caused severe stunting, with necrosis of the stems and leaf veins. Although the inoculated pepper plants were asymptomatic, the fruits were smaller than the healthy ones. To our knowledge, this is the first report of PSTVd from pepper seeds produced in Vietnam.
Vent microbes help predict thermal adaptation to climate change
Authors: Stefánsson Magnús Örn
Published: November 2023

Rapid anthropogenic climate change could push organisms out of their niches, potentially destroying the very resources on which humans rely for sustenance. Here we examine the global movement of Labyrinthulomycetes protist strains that current results indicate evolved during the Neoproterozoic snowball Earth. Our findings show the presence of a genetic variation, at an rRNA gene locus, along a thermal axis that is independent of the protists' global positions and that tropical strains were sampled on a subarctic hydrothermal vent. Assuming a global ubiquity of microbes, thermal adaptation could indicate that the protists have already adapted to the impact of climate warming. In this context, vent communities could conceivably help predict the impact of climate change on the ecology and niche retention of organisms across the warming world.
Is fiscal decentralization in help for internal conflict risks mitigation? Sub-Saharan African countries focus
Authors: TCHEUNTA Joseph Christian NZOMO , YOUNDA Derick Ulrich
Published: November 2023

Decentralization has emerged as an important tool for conflict resolution around the world in recent years. This article examines the impact of fiscal decentralization on the risk of internal conflict in Sub-Saharan Africa, where more than two decades of experimentation with decentralization contrasts with the rise of multifaceted crises. Using a new dataset of 21 countries from 2002 to 2019, the results of several econometric methods show that fiscal decentralization has a statistically significant effect on internal conflicts risk in Sub-Saharan Africa. However, this effect is contingent on how subnational governments are funded. While policies that rely on intergovernmental transfers and expenditure decentralization increase the risk of internal conflict, policies that rely on financial empowerment of decentralized communities and resource decentralization reduce the risk of internal conflict. This means that increasing regional resources autonomy can lead to secessionist tendencies. Governments should increase intergovernmental transfers and local government spending in accordance with the principle of subsidiarity.
JEL classification : H71, H72, H77, Q34.
Measuring Health Services Quality: Nurses' Perceptions and the SERVPERF Scale
Authors: Alraimi Ammar Ali , Shelke Abhijeet
Published: November 2023

This study aimed to assess service quality in the healthcare sector by employing the SERVPERF scale, with a particular focus on nursing staff perceptions. The significance of nursing staff perceptions in evaluating healthcare service quality is emphasized, as they are primarily responsible for patient care. Utilizing the SERVPERF scale, the research investigates the perceived quality of health services in hospitals and examines the predictors of service quality based on the scale's dimensions and items. The five dimensions under consideration include tangibles, reliability, responsiveness, empathy, and safety. Data were collected from a sample of 214 nurses who completed the research survey to determine their perception of service quality. The questionnaire demonstrated high reliability, with an overall Cronbach alpha value of 0.72. The study was conducted in private hospitals situated in Yemen's largest city. The findings reveal that the dimensions of healthcare service quality were rated highly, with the safety dimension scoring the highest and the reliability dimension scoring the lowest. These results have significant implications for measuring healthcare service quality. Although the study is limited to a sample from nursing departments in five hospitals, the findings offer valuable insights for healthcare sector leaders to assess service quality in hospitals.
Pedestrian detection based on improved EfficientDet
Authors: Zhang Chengpeng , Yu Miao , Min Jian , Fu Min , Zheng Bing
Published: November 2023

Pedestrian detection plays a critical role in computer vision applications, but the performance of existing algorithms utilizing visible images is inadequate when confronted with poor lighting conditions. Conversely, infrared images deliver superior outcomes in low-light environments. Based on this issue, this study proposes the Double-EfficientDet-Improved (DEDI), a dual-stream model that integrates both visible and infrared imagery by enhancing the EfficientDet network structure. Firstly, the shuffle module is integrated into the backbone network to facilitate inter-channel information exchange within the feature layers. Secondly, by controlling the gradient path of the backbone network, the feature extraction ability is improved and the robustness is stronger. Lastly, a Multi-scale Fusion Module (MFM) is incorporated into the proposed model to harmonize information from both visible and infrared images. Experimental results demonstrate that this DEDI method achieves higher mean average precision (MAP) scores of 74.72\% on the KAIST dataset and 95.13\% on the LLVIP dataset, which is better than other object detection methods.
Thermo-physical Characterisation of Plasters Containing Phase Change Materials (PCMs)
Authors: Baccega Eleonora
Published: November 2023

Phase change materials (PCMs) added into building materials largely demonstrated their effect in improving the overall thermal capacity, thus contributing to the reduction of the energy demand for heating and/or cooling. Knowing the thermo-physical properties of the enhanced materials is essential to maximize the achievable effect. The most used technique to do so is the Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), but in case of inhomogeneous materials this method turns out to be poorly reliable, mainly due to the small amount of material usually needed to carry out the test. To overcome the main limitations, an alternative set up was realized, which allowed the characterization of different plaster samples enhanced with granular PCM. More specifically, plasters enhanced with 10% by mass of two different PCMs with melting temperatures of 28°C and 27°C, respectively, were considered. At first, a steady-state test was conducted and constant thermal gradients were maintained through which the thermal conductivity of the materials used was estimated. Then, an unsteady-state test was conducted through which the specific heat and the latent heat were estimated, showing a good agreement with values provided by the PCM suppliers. The estimated properties were then validated against experimental data acquired during the monitoring activity under real outdoor conditions of different wall samples on which the PCM-enhanced plasters were applied. With the estimated properties, RMSE values were lower than 1°C for temperatures and lower than 2.50 W/m2 for heat fluxes.
Analysis of urban runoff remediation potential of zinc with Juncus effusus L. and Iris pseudacorus L. plants
Authors: Greksa Amela , Žunić Vladimira , Mihajlović Ivana , Blagojević Boško , Vijuk Mirjana , Podunavac-Kuzmanović Sanja , Kovačević Strahinja , Štrbac Mirna
Published: November 2023

Phytoremediation is a sustainable technology that uses vegetation to remediate contaminants from water, soil and sediments. In this paper, two plants, Juncus effusus L. and Iris pseudacorus L. were used in an experimental study of phytoremediation of water contaminated with zinc (Zn) within bioretention systems (BRs). Plants were grown hydroponically in jars with Hoagland nutrient and under different Zn treatments (T1-T2). Four plants of each species were maintained in jars containing only Hoagland nutrient (T1), while for other Zn concentrations were: 0.5 mg/L (T2), 1 mg/L (T3), 2 mg/L (T4) and 4 mg/L (T5). Total Zn concentration in Juncus plants range from 36.2 mg/L to 264.59 mg/L for leaves and 53.20 mg/L for roots, while the concentration of Zn in Iris plants was in the ranged from 45.85 mg/L to 193.05 mg/L. There was a significant difference (p < 0.05) between the samples of Juncus effusus L. leaves and Juncus effusus L. roots as well as between the samples of Juncus effusus L. leaves and Iris pseudacorus L. roots. Juncus effusus L. plants showed significant plant growth under both, low and high Zn concentrations and a high uptake capacity of water. On the contrary, Iris pseudacorus L. plants were affected by Zn treatments, in both leaves and roots and at the end of the experiment, the decrease in the leaf biomass was noted. However, the overall results have confirmed that both plant species have the high accumulation capacity for Zn uptake and therefore, have a great potential for phytoremediation of polluted waters.
Modeling NP-Problems with Families of Extended Graph-based Reaction Systems
Authors: Kreowski Hans-Jörg , Lye Aaron
Published: November 2023

In this paper, we continue the investigation of graph-based reaction systems. We extend the notion by input and output states as well as admitted context sequences to model explicitly input-output relations and decision problems on the inputs. Moreover, we combine extended graph-based reaction systems into families to cover infinite input-output relations and decision problems on infinite sets of graphs. This is used to model NP-problems on graphs and reductions between them as well as to prove their correctness.