bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Utility of Neuro-QOL in Idiopathic REM Sleep Behavior Disorder
Authors: Barone Daniel A. , Sarva Harini , Hellmers Natalie , Wang Fei , Xu Zhenxing , Krieger Ana C. , Henchcliffe Claire
Published: August 2024

Introduction
Idiopathic rapid eye movement (REM) sleep behavior disorder (iRBD) can affect quality of life (QOL) for both patient and bed partner; has been less well-studied. Utilizing the Neuro-QOL, we aimed to investigate QOL complaints in subjects with iRBD, and whether QOL changes were associated with phenoconversion to neurodegenerative illness.
Methods
We prospectively enrolled subjects from the “REM Sleep Behavior Disorder Associations with Parkinson’s Disease Study (RAPiDS)” cohort and evaluated them via the NeuroQOL, both at baseline and then at follow-up evaluations. Determination of phenoconversion was ascertained from physical examination and medical chart review.
Results
Of those who completed both evaluations, there were 33 subjects with iRBD, with an average age of 61.9 ± 13.0 years, with 13 women and 26 men. Various QOL changes were found among those who phenoconverted versus those who did not; but following correction, none of these changes were significant.
Conclusions
This is the first time the Neuro-QOL has been studied in iRBD. QOL can be affected in this condition, but other screening tools will likely be needed for future studies.
Overdiagnosing Giant Bullous Emphysema as Metastatic Adenocarcinoma: A Case Report
Authors: Lee Jiyun , Park Eunsu
Published: August 2024

Background
Giant bullous emphysema is characterized by large bullae occupying at least one-third of the hemithorax and leading to compression of the surrounding lung parenchyma. Overdiagnosis can occur because of the atypical appearance of hyperplastic type II pneumocytes, which may be mistaken for malignant cells.
Case Presentation:
A 48-year-old male with a history of smoking and occupational exposure presented with dyspnea and drowsiness. Initial chest X-ray revealed a tension pneumothorax, and subsequent chest CT revealed extensive bullous emphysema and lung cancer in the right middle lobe (RML). Pathologic examination initially indicated resected bullae to metastatic adenocarcinoma, but upon review, it was determined that the reactive alveolar cells were misdiagnosed as malignant.
Conclusions
This case emphasizes the need for thorough histopathological assessment and prudent interpretation of atypical cellular morphology.
Seismic behavior of precast wall slab wall structure under near and far field earthquakes.
Authors: Chougule Shashiraj , Bharti S D , Shrimali M K , Datta T K
Published: August 2024

Significant damages in precast wall-slab-wall (WSW) systems due to past earthquakes in near-field zones were reported in the literature. This led to research on the seismic behavior of precast structures. Most of them concentrated on precast framed structures. Comparatively, fewer studies have been conducted on WSW systems, especially in exploring their performance in near-field earthquakes. This study focuses on the analysis of a 5-story precast WSW structure and the corresponding monolithic WSW structures under near-field (NF) and far-field (FF) earthquakes. The normalized backbone curves (M-θcurves) of precast and monolithic wall slab connections are modeled using link elements at the slab-wall interface. A default plastic hinge is assigned at a distance of 0.1L from the slab-wall interface. Three types of earthquakes are considered: far-field (FF), near-field forward directivity (NFD), and near-field fling step effect (NFFE). Nonlinear time history analysis (NLTHA) is performed in the computer program SAP2000 using an ensemble of 7 different earthquake records for each type. The earthquake records are normalized for three levels of peak ground acceleration (PGA): 0.4g, 0.6g, and 0.8g. The responses of interest include top story displacement (TSD), maximum inter-story drift ratio (MIDR), base shear (BS), and maximum acceleration (MA). Comparative studies utilize the ensemble average of responses. The findings reveal that the theoretical analysis of precast frames shows greater vulnerability compared to conventional monolithic frames (as commonly practiced without specifying M-θ curves at the slab-wall interface). Moreover, NFFE lead to increased top story displacement and MIDR responses in all types of precast and monolithic WSW structures under study.
Extended RIC and fractional-order modeling in Chronic Obstructive Respiratory Disease: Association with functional capacity and accuracy predicting abnormal functional performance
Authors: Ribeiro Caroline O. , Lopes Agnaldo J. , Melo Pedro L.
Published: August 2024

Background The contribution of respiratory models to understanding functional capacity abnormalities in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) has not yet been investigated. Thus, the aims of this study were: (1) To investigate the associations between the extended RIC (eRIC) and the fractional-order (FrOr) models with changes in Glittre-ADL and handgrip tests and; (2) To evaluate the accuracy of these models in predicting abnormal functional capacity in COPD. Methods The study was carried out in a group of 40 adults with COPD and a control group of 40 healthy individuals, both evaluated by respiratory oscillometry, spirometry, Glittre-ADL test and handgrip test. eRIC and fractional order models were also used to quantify biomechanical changes and obtain physiological information. The ability of model parameters to predict abnormal functional performance was evaluated by investigating the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC). Results and discussion Inverse relationships were observed between central airway resistance from the eRIC model and the handgrip test (p < 0.005), while repiratory compliance (C) was directly related with handgrip strength test and inversely associated with the Glittre-ADL test time (p < 0.05). The FrOr model showed direct associations among respiratory damping (G) and elastance with the Glittre-ADL test (p < 0.02), while significant inverse relatinships were observed with the handgrip test (p < 0.05). Modeling parameters (peripheral resistance, total resistance and histeresivity) achieved high prediction accuracy (AUC > 0.90) in predicting non-normal functional capacity in COPD assessed by the Glittre-ADL test. Considering abnormal changes evaluated by the handgrip test as a reference, C (AUC = 0.810) and G (AUC = 0.786) obtained the highest predictive accuracies. Conclusions Parameters obtained from the eRIC and the fractional order models are associated with non-normal exercise performance in COPD and may help predict poor functional performance in these patients.
LUMEN-PRO: Automating Multi-Task Learning on Optical Neural Networks with Weight Sharing and Physical Rotation
Authors: Zhou Shanglin , Li Yingjie , Gao Weilu , Yu Cunxi , Ding Caiwen
Published: August 2024

The democratization of AI encourages multi-task learning (MTL), demanding more parameters and processing time. To achieve highly energy-efficient MTL, Diffractive Optical Neural Networks (DONNs) have garnered attention due to extremely low energy and high computation speed. However, implementing MTL on DONNs requires manually reconfiguring & replacing layers, and rebuilding & duplicating the physical optical systems. To overcome the challenges, we propose LUMEN-PRO, an automated MTL framework using DONNs. We first propose to automate MTL utilizing an arbitrary backbone DONN and a set of tasks, resulting in a high-accuracy multi-task DONN model with small memory footprint that surpasses existing MTL. Second, we leverage the rotability of the physical optical system and replace task-specific layers with rotation of the corresponding shared layers. This replacement eliminates the storage requirement of task-specific layers, further optimizing the memory footprint. LUMEN-PRO provides flexibility in identifying optimal sharing patterns across diverse datasets, facilitating the search for highly energy-efficient DONNs. Experiments show that LUMEN-PRO provides up to 49.58% higher accuracy and 4× better cost efficiency than single-task and existing DONN approaches. It achieves memory lower bound of MTL, with memory efficiency matching single-task models. Compared to IBM-TrueNorth and Nanophotonic, LUMEN-PRO achieves 597× and 68× energy efficiency gain, respectively.
Evaluating Cancer Patients’ Experiences with Doctor-Patient Communication: Development and Validation of a New Assessment Instrument
Authors: Yang Hsin-Yi , Lin Yung-Chang , Shen Wen-Chi , Chen Shin-Cheh , Wang Chao-Hui , Chen Mei-Ling
Published: August 2024

Introduction
Effective communication between doctors and patients is crucial for the well-being of individuals diagnosed with cancer. This study aimed to develop and validate a cancer-specific Doctor-Patient Communication Satisfaction Scale (DPCSS-Cancer) from the patients' perspective.
Methods
Initial items were generated through literature review. Content validity was assessed via feedback from five experts, while face validity was determined through cognitive interviews with 13 patients. The revised DPCSS-Cancer was subsequently tested in a sample of 200 cancer patients to assess test-retest stability, internal consistency, factor structure, and criterion-related validity.
Results
The development process resulted in a 15-item DPCSS-Cancer across two dimensions, using a 4-point rating scale (1 = strongly disagree to 4 = strongly agree). The item-level Content Validity Index (I-CVI) ranged from 0.8 to 1.0, with a scale-level CVI of 0.96. Following expert and patient feedback, no items were eliminated, but modifications were made to item wording. In formal testing, the overall Cronbach’s alpha was 0.96, with 0.89 for the first dimension and 0.95 for the second. Test-retest reliability was established at 0.82. The two-dimensional structure was partially confirmed. Criterion-related validity was supported through a significant positive correlation with a measure of trust in the physician (r = 0.86). Factors contributing to higher DPCSS-Cancer scores were identified.
Conclusion
The DPCSS-Cancer shows satisfactory reliability and validity, making it a viable patient-reported outcome measure for assessing cancer patients' satisfaction with doctor-patient communication.
Constraint Embedding for Prompt Tuning in Vision-Language Pre-Trained Model
Authors: Cheng Keyang , Wei Liutao , Tang Jingfeng , Zhan Yongzhao
Published: August 2024

Prompt tuning, which fine-tunes the feature distributions in pre-trained Vision-Language (VL) models by adding learnable tokens or contexts into image and text branches, has emerged as a popular method for enhancing task-specific performance. However, this approach may result in overfitting specific target data distributions, thereby undermining the original generalization capabilities of frozen models such as CLIP. To tackle this issue, a novel framework named Constraint Embedding for Prompt Tuning (CEPT) is proposed for optimizing the learnable prompt tokens. To maintain the feature extraction capabilities of the pre-trained CLIP model while extracting relevant data features for downstream tasks, the Block Consistency Constraint (BCC) approach is proposed. This approach adjusts the feature extraction step by ensuring that block-wise embeddings are aligned, thereby preserving the original generalization performance of the pre-trained VL model. Additionally, to achieve a more harmonious distribution of image-text features in the potential space, the Distribution Constraint (DC) strategy is introduced. This strategy enhances multimodal data feature alignment by evenly dispersing different classes of data features and concentrating the same class of image features within the potential space. Finally, CEPT surpassed the state-of-the-art for base-to-novel generalization, achieving a harmonic mean improvement of over 1.04%. Additionally, for few-shot learning, it demonstrates an average improvement of 1.63% across five few-shot scenarios.
Magnetic field-assisted enhancement in efficiency of hybrid TiO2/spinel ferrite nanocomposite-based DSSCs
Authors: Jabbar Hashim , Abdullah Basil A , Abdulsalam Noor , Gatia Sumaia H.
Published: August 2024

The possibility of tuning and enhancing the performance of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) containing magnetic nanoparticles (NPs) by external stimulus such as magnetic fields may find applicability in a wide range of applications, including photovoltaic devices. Here, pure TiO2 NPs and TiO2/CoFe2O4 photocatalytic nanocomposites with different CoFe2O4 NP concentrations (1–5 wt.%) are prepared, followed by investigating their morphological, chemical, structural, and magnetic properties by FE-SEM, XRD, and VSM measurements. The power conversion efficiency (η) is examined under internal and external magnetic field effects using solar cell (I-V) characteristics measurements, involving an improvement in the interaction of light with the anchored dye molecules of the nanocomposites with spinel ferrite crystal structure. The performance of short circuit current (JSC) increases by 12.3% for pure TiO2 NPs when applying an external magnetic field of 700 Oe. By systematically investigating the impact of magnetizing and demagnetizing fields caused by CoFe2O4 NPs on the efficiency of DSSCs with TiO2 photoanode, remarkable enhancements in JSC and η (up to about 60% and 28%) are observed under the application of the external magnetic field, which can be related to the shortening of the time required for the charge carriers to recombine due to an increase in the force exerted on the velocity of the electrons. However, η of the fabricated DSSCs is reduced by increasing the CoFe2O4 NP concentration. The reliability of the hybrid nanocomposites is confirmed by repeating the experiments for at least 3 times, indicating no obvious changes in the degradation efficiency.
Theoretical Study of the Synergistic Effect between Glyceryl Monooleate Lubricant and Carboxymethylcellulose in Reducing the Coefficient of Friction of Water-Based Drilling Fluids
Authors: Baruqui Aline Carvalho , Nascimento Regina Sandra Veiga , Nascimento Marco Antonio Chaer
Published: August 2024

Context
Drilling fluids must reduce the coefficient of friction between the drilling equipment and the drilled rock or well casing. Friction forces become particularly relevant in drilling with a high angle gain, in which cases oil-based fluids are generally used. The latter are highly lubricating, but harmful to the environment. For environmental and economic reasons, there is great interest in the development of new additives that enable the use of water-based drilling fluids in all phases of well drilling. Preliminary experimental results show that there is a synergistic effect between the lubricant additive, glyceryl monooleate (GMO), and carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), a polysaccharide used in water-based drilling fluids as a rheological modifier, resulting in extremely low friction coefficients. This work aimed to clarify, through theoretical calculations, the interaction between CMC and GMO, as well as their role in reducing the coefficient of friction of water-based fluids.
Methods
Calculations based on Density Functional Theory (DFT) were used to predict which, CMC or GMO, preferentially binds to the metal surface. The interactions between the polysaccharide and the surfactant were studied through a combination of classical molecular dynamics and DFT calculations. Finally, dynamic calculations were carried out involving fragments of the polysaccharide, the surfactant and hematite, representing the metal surface. The results pointed to the preferential binding of CMC to hematite. Regarding the interaction between polymer and surfactant, it was found that the polar part of the GMO interacts with the CMC through hydrogen bonds while the nonpolar carbon chain remains close to the polymer due to hydrophobic interactions. Molecular dynamics calculations showed that GMO increases the binding energy of CMC to hematite and also that this increase in the binding energy is highly influenced by electrostatic interactions.
PB-Raft: A Byzantine fault tolerance consensus algorithm based on weighted PageRank and BLS threshold signature
Authors: Shi Haoran , Chen Zehua , Cheng Yongqiang , Liu Xiaofeng , Wang Qianqian
Published: August 2024

Addressing the challenge of balancing consensus efficiency and Byzantine fault tolerance in prevalent consensus algorithms within consortium blockchains, this paper proposes an improved Raft algorithm——PB-Raft, based on the weighted PageRank algorithm and BLS threshold signature. First, it improves the leader election process through the weighted PageRank algorithm, constructing a weighted directed graph among nodes, computing the PageRank values of each node, and reducing the election timeout for node with the highest PageRank values to improve leader election efficiency and thereby enhance algorithm's consensus efficiency. Then, it improves the log replication process through BLS threshold signature, transforming the log replication process into a threshold signature verification process, achieving Byzantine fault tolerance during the log replication process, and hence improving the algorithm's security. Finally, the PB-Raft algorithm was simulated in Go language on Hyperledger Fabric, and through multiple tests using Caliper, it was shown that compared to the Raft algorithm, PB-Raft's leader election efficiency increases by approximately 30$\%$, and it has Byzantine fault tolerance capability, increases throughput by about 10$\%$, and reduces consensus delay by about 30$\%$. These results demonstrate that the PB-Raft algorithm not only possesses Byzantine fault tolerance capability but also enhances consensus efficiency, offering new insights and viable solutions for the design of consortium blockchain consensus algorithms.
Groundwater Modeling in Agricultural Arid Area under Different Scenarios, East Nile Delta, Egypt
Authors: Abdulaziz Abdulaziz M. , Abdelghany Osman , Ahmed Alaa
Published: August 2024

The East Nile Delta represents the natural extension of the Nile Delta that recently showed significant changes in groundwater system related to both agricultural and urbanization land development. The current study presents a GIS-based 3D groundwater flow model to outline a safe framework for pumping stress management to the upper 100 m of Quaternary aquifer located North of Ismaelia Canal. Model construction comprised 93 borehole data to model a 19-layer grid of the fluvial Quaternary deposits. The finite difference MODFLOW 2000 accomplished simulation to predict groundwater head distribution across the aquifer system in both steady and transient states. Steady state model is calibrated to the 1991-groundwater hydrogeological map of Egypt, and subsequently provided the initial conditions for the 1991–2005 transient simulation. The transient model is considered calibrated as the calculated head matches the field observations of 2004–2005. Using severe aquifer stress strategy, three scenarios are proposed to manage the reported local rise in groundwater head and evaluate the potential aquifer production during drought. This involved using several infiltration rates from irrigation return and pumping stress to model predictions extending to the year 2030. Results showed pumping controls to the rising groundwater head especially towards the North where confinement conditions prevail with two subregions, northern and southern, requiring different schemes of management. Optimum pumping and infiltration rate are determined for these subregions and for the unconfined parts of the Quaternary aquifer. During drought, a maximum of 500 million m3/yr are producible from the unconfined aquifer with standard discharge of 5000 m3/d that may induce drawdown less than 0.5 m. The water budget of modeled aquifer indicated that pumping stress is predominantly balanced by seepage from Ismaelia canal and Damietta branch with slight contributions from irrigation canals and drains. Details of water budget and changes in groundwater head to pumping stresses across the modeled area are presented and discussed in detail. The model results provide a scientific platform to delineate efficient and sustainable management to the East Nile Delta Quaternary aquifer associating active dynamic land development.
Mechanical properties and durability of asphalt–concrete mixture modified with recycled concrete and porcelain aggregates
Authors: Hamad Waleed A. , Khoshnaw Ganjeena J.
Published: August 2024

Asphalt–concrete mixtures have various applications in engineering construction projects, with their performance influenced by external, internal, and environmental factors. Several studies have focused on modifying their required properties and performance. Researchers have utilized recycled concrete as an additive or replacement for natural aggregate in asphalt and cement concrete mixtures, yielding acceptable results. This research introduces another waste construction material, porcelain waste, as aggregates replacing recycled concrete aggregates in different proportions to modify the mechanical properties and durability of a binder–asphalt concrete mixture. This is an additional effort to save the environment from different waste construction materials. Following the Marshall requirements, the properties of the samples with optimized quantities were investigated using wheel trucks and Bohme abrasion tests. The modified mixture exhibited an increase in bulk specific gravity by 6% to 2.24, enhanced the Marshall flow from 3.5 to 4.6 mm, and an increase in the stability by 5%, yielding the highest value of 33 kN. Subsequently, the mechanical properties and durability of the mixtures were affected with an increase in the rutting resistance. The highest abrasion resistance and service life were obtained when 25% porcelain replaced the recycled concrete aggregates, but the mixture became more temperature susceptable. Therefore, this study achieved economical, environmentally-friendly, and safe pavements.
Role of Proximate Determinants on the Fertility Rate Among Currently Married Women in Somalia via Bongaart’s Model: Findings From 2018-19 Sdhs Data
Authors: Mohamud Liban Ali , Nasir Jamal Abdul
Published: August 2024

Background
High fertility leads overpopulation and underdevelopment. All continents, including Africa, undertaken fertility decline. Somalia has a high fertility rate of over 6 births per woman. However, no national or sub-national studies have explored fertility determinants in Somalia. This study seeks to address this gap by examining intermediate fertility variables' impact on fertility in Somalia.
Methods
The study utilized secondary data from the Somalia Health Demographic Survey (SDHS) conducted between 2018 and 2019, employing Classical Bongaart's Aggregate and Disaggregate models.
Findings:
At the national level, postpartum infecundity caused a 51.14% reduction in Somalia's fertility rate, while marriage contributed to a decline of 48.01%. Contraception had a minimal effect, lowering the rate by only 0.79%. Sub-group analysis showed employed individuals contributed most to the Marriage Index (72.05%), with primary or higher education having a significant impact (65.77%). Unemployed individuals with no education had the highest contribution to the Postpartum Infecundability Index (75.48% and 59.48%, respectively). The Contraception Index had relatively low contributions, with urban areas and individuals with primary and higher education contributing the most (1.09% and 1.64%, respectively).
Conclusion
The study found nationally, longer breastfeeding and delayed marriage reduced fertility. In sub-groups, education and employment reduced fertility through the Marriage Index, while residence and employment decreased fertility through the Postpartum Infecundability Index. The Contraception Index had a smaller impact, but higher contributions in urban areas and among those with higher education.
The King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences Learner Corpus: A Longitudinal Resource for Researching the Development of Academic Writing Proficiency in EFL Learners
Authors: Nafjan Eman Al , Alfelaij Alaa , Binsuwadan Nouf Ali , Alfawaz Norah , Althowaini Banan Mohammed , Mohammed Sarah , Jawhar Sabria
Published: August 2024

The King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences (KSAUHS) Learner Corpus is a new longitudinal corpus of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) academic writing at the university level that complies with the FAIR principles. Collection began in 2022, the corpus captures writing development during a period of emerging language technologies. The corpus currently contains over a million words from 158 learners across four proficiency levels (CEFR A1-B2). Texts span four trimesters and multiple academic genres, including paragraphs and essays in rhetorical modes like cause-effect, argumentation, and summarization. Metadata includes learners' parents’ first language background, other foreign languages, academic focus, and reference tool preferences. The corpus enables research into multiple dimensions of second language writing development to inform EAP pedagogy and assessment. Avenues for investigation include: lexico-grammatical development, cross-linguistic influence, individual differences, instructional interventions, impacts of task conditions and language technologies, and longitudinal trajectories. Ongoing corpus expansion aims to expand size, representation, and accessibility. This unique resource promises data-driven insights into the textual features and factors that characterize and facilitate intermediate and advanced EFL writing proficiency in university contexts.
Development of an Investment Recommender System Using Factor Analysis, ANFIS, and MMNN
Authors: Asemi Asefeh , Asemi Adeleh , Ko Andrea
Published: August 2024

The main goal is to present two investment recommender systems (IRS), by combining clustering, factor analysis, Adaptive Neuro Fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS), and Multimodal Neural Network (MNN). The aim is to merge each method with advanced techniques to improve the precision and efficiency of investment recommendations. To develop and implement the IRS, clustering and factor analysis are initially used to detect patterns and connections among variables aiding in grouping individuals into several categories. Then ANFIS is developed in MATLAB using data derived from factor analysis to prove rules for recommending clusters of investment types. Furthermore, MNN was created using Python making use of TensorFlow and Keras libraries using same data for ANFIS. This network is pre-trained with data to predict investment types. The performance of both models is assessed by metrics RMSE and MSE on test data to gauge their accuracy of recommendations. An assessment of the IRSs illustrates its effectiveness in offering investment recommendations. Both models highlight promising performance as shown by the error rates on the test data. By combining clustering, factor analysis, ANFIS and MNN a holistic strategy appears for tailoring investment advice. This approach effectively merged methods with innovative machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL) techniques. This paper proposes the personalized IRSs that are useful for investment advice. By integrating clustering, factor analysis, ANFIS, and MNN, IRS provides a unique approach with using Explainable artificial intelligence (XAI) to increase the accuracy of investment recommendations. These systems use the strengths of each method in combining them.
A Novel Non-Rodent Animal Model of Hydrochloric Acid-Induced acute and chronic lung injury.
Authors: Solopov Pavel A. , Biancatelli Ruben Manuel Luciano Colunga , Day Tierney , Dimitropoulou Christiana , Catravas John D
Published: August 2024

Hydrochloric acid is one of the most prevalent and dangerous chemicals. Accidental spills occur in industrial plants or during transportation. Exposure to HCl can induce severe health impairment, including acute and chronic pulmonary diseases. We have previously described the molecular, structural, and functional aspects of the development of chronic lung injury and pulmonary fibrosis caused by intratracheal instillation of HCl in mice. Although mouse models of human disease have many advantages, rodents are evolutionary far from human and exhibit significant anatomical and physiological differences. Genetic and anatomic similarities between rabbits and humans are significantly higher. Rabbit models of HCl-induced lung injury have been used sparsely to evaluate acute lung injury. In this study, for the first time, we utilized rabbits as a model of HCl-induced pulmonary fibrosis and chronic lung injury. We present molecular, histological, and functional evidence that demonstrate the utility of using this model for studying new pharmaceutics against pulmonary fibrosis.
Effect of N-acyl homoserine lactone on biofilm characteristics and formation in a Poly-hydroxybutyrate-hydroxyvalerate-supported solid phase denitrification system
Authors: Zhang Shusong , Zhou Simeng , Shen Wenting , Xu Peng , Fan Yueting
Published: August 2024

Quorum sensing (QS) plays an important role in biofilm formation, and its involvement in biofilm formation during heterotrophic denitrification has remained underexplored. This study investigated the impact of N-acyl homoserine lactone (AHLs) on biofilm characteristics and formation in a Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate (PHBV)-supported SPD system. The effects of AHLs from SPD system on biofilm formation were conducted by batch experiments. The results revealed that exogenous addition of N-(3-Oxotetradecanoyl)-L-homoserine lactone (3-oxo-C14-HSL) resulted in the highest concentration of TB-EPS, reaching 254.2 mg/L. 3-oxo-C14-HSL has a more pronounced effect on TB-PN synthesis. However, exogenous addition of 3-oxo-C12-HSL increased the negatively charged LB-EPS content, resulting in the electrostatic exclusion and reduced cell attachment capacity and a lower degree of microbial adhesion. Furthermore, the presence of exogenous 3-oxo-C14-HSL AHLs promoted the formation of tryptophan-like proteins and humic acids. The biofilm thickness and adhesion force in EPS were 47.75 uM and 4.0 uN, respectively, when adding 3-oxo-C14-HSL. Confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) studies demonstrated that the 3-oxo-C14-HSL-mediated QS system enhanced the formation of bioaggregates and increased biofilm thickness in biological denitrification. These findings confirm the involvement of AHLs-mediated QS in the regulation of biofilm characteristics and formation in SPD systems. The insights gained from this study contribute to the theoretical understanding of QS and provide practical guidance for biofilm acclimation in SPD systems.
Towards Smart Home Automation Based on Containerization
Authors: tarhouni mounira , ALOUI ibrahim
Published: August 2024

This article describes an advanced container-based smart home automation system that is optimized for the administration of IoT devices and sensors. Using Docker and Docker Compose on a Raspberry Pi, the system provides streamlined and efficient operations. A Dockerized Django backend handles data processing and authentication with high efficiency. Integrated AI programs improve the system’s capabilities such as text classification.A Flutter-based mobile application facilitates user engagement and provides a variety of features such as facial recognition login, complete weather management, voice commands and advanced smart surveillance. The containerized architecture improves the system's efficiency while simultaneously ensuring scalability, making it an effective option for modern home automation demands.
Job preferences of Master Public Health candidates in Northeast China based on discrete choice experiments
Authors: Cheng Huaizhi , Tian Ruotong , Chen Dongquan , Shang Jiesen , Gao Lingxiao , Dong Xiaoyu , Guo Bin , Liu Guoxiang
Published: August 2024

Background
The shortage of health workers in rural and remote areas is a key issue for global health systems, including China. Public health undertakings in Northeast China face the risk of a talent gap. In September 2023, the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) held a symposium on promoting the comprehensive revitalization of Northeast China in the New Era, proposing to support the comprehensive revitalization of Northeast China with high-quality population development, strengthen the development and utilization of human resources, and increase policy support for the revitalization of talent.
Methods
The questionnaire was designed by discrete choice experiments, and 1208 public health master’s candidates from six universities in Northeast China were investigated online via the Powercx system network survey platform in April 2024. The mixed logit model was used to analyze the job preferences of public health master candidates.
Results
All 7 attributes included in the study had statistically significant effects on the job preferences of public health master’s degree candidates (P < 0.05). They tended to choose jobs with higher monthly income (12,000 CNY/month), located in cities with good working environments and with bianzhi when seeking jobs. There is heterogeneity in job preference, and different preference characteristics are displayed in different subgroups.
Conclusion
This study revealed that public health master’s degree candidates in Northeast China were more willing to choose jobs with higher monthly incomes, working places in cities and better working environments. The way to formulate a combination of policy packages is more attractive than improving a single aspect alone. Since the preferences of each subgroup are different, the preference characteristics of the target population should also be considered when formulating the policy package to meet the challenges of talent attraction and retention.
Investigating practices and difficulties in communicating with patients about COVID-19 vaccination among healthcare workers in Italy
Authors: Polla Giorgia Della , Giudice Grazia Miraglia , Cirillo Raffaele , Sansone Vincenza , Napolitano Francesco
Published: August 2024

The aims of this cross-sectional study were to understand the healthcare workers’ (HCWs) practices and difficulties in communicating with patients about COVID-19 vaccinations, to investigate the factors associated, and to identify targets to improve the efficacy of the COVID-19 immunization strategy. Questionnaires were administered between November 2021 and March 2022 in three immunization centers in Italy. More than half of HCWs (56.8%) reported to often/always recommend COVID-19 vaccination to their patients, and the recommendations for other vaccinations were provided by 50.4% of the participants. Physicians/medical residents, males, and those who recommended other vaccinations to their patients were more likely to often/always recommend COVID-19 vaccination. The participants’ perception of difficulties in communicating with patients about COVID-19 vaccination and the impact of sources of information on patients’ knowledge about vaccination, explored using a ten-point Likert-type scale, resulted in a mean value of 6.3 and 7.9, respectively. A higher level of perception regarding difficulties in communicating with patients was more likely to be found among nurses/midwives and younger HCWs. It is important to reduce HCWs’ perceived gap regarding difficulties in communicating with patients, supporting them through health policy to recommend vaccinations, and engaging them in increasing uptake rates.
Incidence of Depression, Anxiety and Stress among Final- Year Medical Students versus Internship Graduates of Faculty of Medicine, Sana'a University 2023
Authors: Al-Haddad KM , Raja'a YA , Al-Nuzaili AF , Al-Hakimi AA , Zayed AA , Al-Yosefi MA , Al-Madhfari RH , Khaled AR , AY Raja'a , Al-Garbani GA , Al-Yazidi NA , Al-Selmi SF
Published: August 2024

Background: Depression, anxiety, and stress among medical students are significant health issues due to their impact in the challenging journey in medicine.
Objective: To assess the relief in depression, anxiety, and stress attributed to graduation of final year medical students of Faculty of Medicine and Health science, Sana'a University, Yemen in 2023.
Methodology: Cohort design was employed. Volunteers were 408 with a response rate of 99.8%. They were contacted electronically through faculty registries. The Final year respondents were 212 and the interns were 197. The data were collected by using questionnaire that including socio-demographic characteristics and a validated self-administered questionnaire DASS-21 to assess depression, anxiety and stress. The collected data were analyzed by using (SPSS) version 26. Ethical Clearence Cetrificate was taken from The Faculty of Medicine, Sana'a University.
Results: Final year medical students had incidence rates of 74.1% depression, 66 % anxiety and 62.7 % stress. While, internship graduates 63.96% were depressed, 56.9% anxious and 45% were stressed. The relief were significant from depression (p=0.032) and stress (p<0.0001), whereas not significant P=0.067 for anxiety.
Conclusion: The rates of depression, anxiety and stress are high among both cohorts. The relief attributed to graduation was significant for depression and stress.
Modeling studies on the Interactions of Endocrine Disruptive Compound BPA and its Analogs with dsDNA
Authors: Shukla Anamika , Pandey Anwesh , Kumar Devesh
Published: August 2024

BPA and its derivatives have been used heavily in the manufacture of epoxy resins and polycarbonate plastics. They are mainly used in food packaging materials, dental sealants and thermal receipts. Human beings are subjected to the exposure of BPA through their diet via consumption of packed food materials. Previous studies have revealed diverse disadvantages of BPA and its halogen derivatives on plants growth and also on human body. Present work is dedicated to the detailed study of interaction between DNA and BPA derivatives through computational tools. Five different BPA derivatives namely BPA, BPAF, BPS, TBBPA and TCBPA were selected as ligands for the study whereas 5 DNA sequences with PDB ID 1BNA, 1DSC, 1RMX, 2ROU and 195D were taken as macromolecular targets. Firstly, geometry optimization of the ligands was performed and then they were subjected to three computational analysis methods, Molecular Docking, Molecular Dynamics and Quantum Mechanical/Molecular Mechanical (QM/MM) respectively. Such investigations would aid in better understanding of the toxic mechanism of BPA and bring about new scientiﬁc insights about other Bisphenol A analogues.
Comparative Analysis of Finetuning Strategies and Automated Evaluation Metrics for Large Language Models in Customer Service Chatbots
Authors: Ilse Benjamin , Blackwood Frederick
Published: August 2024

Customer service chatbots have become integral to the efficient operation of many businesses, offering scalable solutions to handle vast volumes of customer interactions. However, ensuring that these chatbots generate accurate, contextually appropriate, and coherent responses remains a significant challenge, particularly as the complexity of customer queries increases. The research presented introduces a novel approach to optimizing chatbot performance through an in-depth comparison of various finetuning strategies and evaluation metrics, demonstrating that Domain-Adaptive Pretraining (DAPT) provides superior accuracy, robustness, and relevance in customer service scenarios. A comprehensive experimental analysis was conducted across three distinct large language models, revealing that while DAPT excels in producing high-quality, resilient responses, parameter-efficient finetuning methods offer a resource-efficient alternative suitable for environments with limited computational capabilities. The study’s findings have critical implications for the development and deployment of customer service chatbots, emphasizing the need for careful selection of finetuning strategies aligned with specific operational requirements.
Genomic Assessment of Potential Probiotic Lactiplantibacillus plantarum CRM56-2 Isolated from Fermented Tea Leaves
Authors: Engkarat Kingkaew  , Naoto Tanaka  , Yuh Shiwa  , Jaruwan Sitdhipol  , Rattanatda Nuhwa  , Somboon Tanasupawat
Published: August 2024

Lactiplantibacillus plantarum is a widely studied species known for its probiotic properties that can help alleviate serum cholesterol levels. Whole-genome sequencing provides genetic information on probiotic attributes, metabolic activities and safety assessment. This study investigates the probiotic properties of strain CRM56-2, isolated from Thai fermented tea leaves, using Whole-Genome Sequencing (WGS) to evaluate the safety, health-promoting genes and functional analysis. Strain CRM56-2 showed bile salt hydrolase (BSH) activity, assimilated cholesterol at a rate of 75.94%, tolerated acidic and bile environments and attached to Caco-2 cells. Based on ANIb (98.9%), ANIm (99.2%), and digital DNA–DNA hybridisation (98.3%), strain CRM56-2 was identified as L. plantarum. In silico analysis revealed that it was not pathogenic and contained no antibiotic-resistance genes or plasmids. L. plantarum CRM56-2 possessed genes linked to several probiotic properties and beneficial impacts. The genome of strain CRM56-2 suggested that L. plantarum CRM56-2 is non-hazardous, with potential probiotic characteristics and beneficial impacts, which could enhance its probiotic application. Consequently, L. plantarum CRM56-2 demonstrated excellent cholesterol-lowering activity and probiotic properties.
Behavioural Responses of Tropical Bed Bug Cimex hemipterus (F.) (Hemiptera: Cimicidae) to Coloured Harbourage
Authors: Abd Hafis Abd Rahim  , Abdul Hafiz Ab Majid
Published: August 2024

Population of the tropical bed bug Cimex hemipterus (F.) (Hemiptera: Cimicidae), a temporary ectoparasite on both humans and animals, have surged in many tropical countries. Tropical bed bugs preferences when selecting a suitable harbourage and oviposition site were investigated. Two-choice and three choice colour assays were conducted to determine whether bed bugs will choose black, red or white coloured harbourages. Then, 50 1st instar were reared in containers containing black, red and white (control) paper served as the harbourages and observed for 12 weeks. Both fed and starve male, female and nymph strongly preferred red and black coloured harbourage compared to white coloured harbourage. Oviposition assays showed that female bed bugs prefered to laid their eggs on red coloured harbourages compared to black coloured harbourages. Rearing experiment showed that there was no significant difference (p > 0.05) between final population size of tropical bed bug. However, tropical bed bugs reared in container with red paper (600 ± 89.238) have the highest number of individuals followed by black (473 ± 133.841) and white (485 ± 84.234) paper. Bed bug preference towards coloured harbourage provide useful information for those developing new bed bug control method or improving bed bug infestation monitoring devices.
Food Source Identification of Macrozoobenthos in the Mangrove Ecosystem of Lubuk Damar, Aceh Tamiang, Indonesia: A Stable Isotope Approach
Authors: Ananingtyas S. Darmarini  , Yusli Wardiatno  , Tri Prartono  , Kadarwan Soewardi  , Irwan Iskandar  , Musti’atin  , Sonja Kleinertz
Published: August 2024

Changes in the existence of mangroves will have an impact on changes in food webs in their respective areas. The purpose of this study was to determine the food source of the macrozoobenthos community within the Lubuk Damar mangrove ecosystem. Stable isotopes, carbon and nitrogen were used to describe the food sources for macrozoobenthos in the mangrove ecosystem of the Lubuk Damar Ecosystem, Aceh Tamiang, Indonesia. The stable isotope analysis of 13C and 15N was carried out using Isotopic-Ratio Mass Spectrometry. Potential food sources at the study site based on stable isotope ratios ranged between –29.08‰ to –20.66‰ (?13C) and 4.07‰ to 5.63‰ (?15N); macrozoobenthos –25.00‰ to –14.76‰ (?13C) and 5.59‰ to 7.73‰ (?15N). The potential food sources tested at the study site consisted of seven sources, but not all food sources in the ecosystem were consumed by the invertebrate community. This study shows that mangrove leaf litter serves as a food source for some invertebrates, such as the bivalves, gastropods, polychaetes, sipunculans, brachiopods and crustaceans. The results of this study evidence that the examined mangrove ecosystem has a function as a provider of food sources in the surrounding waters, therefore its existence is very important supporting diversity of coastal waters.
Status of Hawksbill Turtle and Green Turtle in Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia
Authors: Sarahaizad Mohd Salleh  , Shahrul Anuar Mohd Sah
Published: August 2024

This paper highlighted the annual distribution, seasonality and reproduction status of two species of sea turtles in Negeri Sembilan, Peninsular Malaysia between January 2016 and July 2020 (55 months). These data were officially provided by the Department of Fisheries Malaysia (Negeri Sembilan’s state), as a part of a conservation effort made by them to protect the endangered species, as the turtle’s population residing in Negeri Sembilan is one of the smallest in Malaysia. Current status shows that the hawksbill turtles, Eretmochelys Imbricata population in Negeri Sembilan is in stable decline with an average of <30 nests per year, and an average of <10 nests per year for the green turtle, Chelonia mydas. The overall sum was 122 nests collected for both species from 2016–2020. This paper updated the status of the hawksbill and green turtle after 30 years from the first study recorded by Mortimer et al. in 1993.
Mangrove Health Index, Community Structure and Canopy Cover in Small Islands of Bunaken National Park, Indonesia: Insights into Dominant Mangrove Species and Overall Mangrove Condition
Authors: Joshian Nicolas William Schaduw  , Trina Ekawati Tallei  , Deiske A Sumilat
Published: August 2024

Mangrove ecosystems are crucial for protecting littoral regions, preserving biodiversity and sequestering carbon. The implementation of effective conservation and management strategies requires a comprehensive understanding of mangrove community structure, canopy coverage and overall health. This investigation focused on four small islands located within the Bunaken National Park in Indonesia: Bunaken, Manado Tua, Mantehage and Nain. Utilising the line transect quadrant method and hemispherical photography, the investigation comprised a total of 12 observation stations. Nain had the greatest average canopy coverage at 76.09%, followed by Mantehage, Manado Tua and Bunaken at 75.82%, 71.83% and 70.01%, respectively. Mantehage had the maximum species density, with 770.83 ind/ha, followed by Bunaken, Nain and Manado Tua with 675 ind/ha, 616.67 ind/ha and 483.34 ind/ha, respectively. The predominant sediment type observed was sandy mud and the mangrove species identified were Avicennia officinalis (AO), Bruguiera gymnorrhiza (BG), Rhizophora apiculata (RA), R. mucronata (RM), and Sonneratia alba (SA). On the small islands, S. alba emerged as the dominant mangrove species based on the importance value index (IVI). In addition, the Mangrove Health Index revealed that only 6.79% of the region exhibited poor health values, while 50% of the region was categorised as being in outstanding condition. These findings indicate that the overall condition of mangroves on these islands was relatively favourable.
Heavy-light $N+1$ clusters of two-dimensional fermions
Authors: Givois Jules , Tononi Andrea , Petrov Dmitry S.
Published: August 2024

We study binding of NN identical heavy fermions by a light atom in two dimensions assuming zero-range attractive heavy-light interactions. By using the mean-field theory valid for large NN we show that the N+1N+1 cluster is bound when the mass ratio exceeds 1.074N^21.074N2. The mean-field theory, being scale invariant in two dimensions, predicts only the shapes of the clusters leaving their sizes and energies undefined. By taking into account beyond-mean-field effects we find closed-form expressions for these quantities. We also discuss differences between the Thomas-Fermi and Hartree-Fock approaches for treating the heavy fermions.