bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Analysis on ocular biometric parameters in adult cataract surgery
Authors: Ragunathan R. , Anthony A. K. R. , Waisundara W. M. A. M. , Dayawansa K. R.
Published: September 2023

Introduction: Biometrics are crucial in calculating IOL power for best refractive advantage in cataract surgery. Regional data provides insights on corneal astigmatism and facilitates forecasts but data for Sri Lankan population is lacking.Objective: To identify ocular biometry characteristics in Sri Lankans and compare with other populations.Method: A cross-sectional retrospective study assessed ocular biometry characteristics in consecutive cataract surgery candidates at a tertiary unit in National Eye Hospital of Sri Lanka between February and August 2021. Data from 237 eyes in 237 candidates of age over 40 and under 80 years were analysed. Data on Keratometry(K), axial length(AL) and IOL power were statistically analysed through SPSS software. Sample was divided as: age between 40-60 years and 60-80years. Descriptive statistics and unpaired t-test to compare means between groups were utilised.Results: Mean Age was 62.71±7.89 years. Mean AL was 23.11±1.11mm (range 21.00-30.56)mm with majority between 22-24mm(72.6%). Mean K was 44.25±1.57mm. IOL powers most used were between 23-25D (46.3%) (range 4D,28D). Mean astigmatism was 0.82±0.78D and 26.6%, 5.9% and 1.3% had over 1.0D, 2.0D and 3.0D respectively.Discussion: In males mean K was lower (43.80±1.62 vs 44.61±1.44) (p=0.00) and AL was longer (23.31±1.20 vs 22.94±1.01) (p=0.013). The older age group had shorter AL (p=0.006) and higher astigmatism(p=0.049). AL in our sample was shorter than Caucasians but comparable with other South Asian studies. Astigmatism prevalence was lower than other studies.Conclusion: This study gives an insight of ocular biometrics, corneal astigmatism and common IOL powers in this sample. A larger sample size study may project figures for entire Sri Lankan population.
Spherical equivalent (SE) outcomes after suture manipulation in post operative deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty (DALK) patients
Authors: Elvitigala D. C. , De Silva S. C. , Niruththan K. , Wariyapola D. H. H.
Published: September 2023

Introduction: Deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty (DALK) is a successful intervention among other surgical options for treating keratoconus. However after DALK surgery there are other post operative refractive morbidities which affects patient satisfaction. This study analyzes how suture manipulation in post-DALK patients affects the Spherical Equivalent (SE) outcome and whether it’s adhering to the corneal coupling concept.Objective: To determine the pre and post suture manipulations adhered to the concept of corneal coupling and the effect of timing of suture removal on the Spherical Equivalent (SE) outcome.Methodology: This retrospective study involved 40 manipulations in 18 patients who underwent DALK from 2020 to 2021 for keratoconus. All the Surgeries performed by single Consultant Eye Surgeon using big bubble (BB) technique. All grafts anchored using 16 interrupted 10/0 nylon sutures. Data was obtained from hospital and patient records. Objective and Subjective SE, Mean K readings were monitored.Conclusion: Pre and Post suture manipulations adhered to the corneal coupling and there was no statistically significant SE change. Furthermore, it was observed that delaying the removal of sutures resulted in minimal changes in the SE.
The influence of preoperative counselling on the incidence and the adaptation of postoperative dysphotopsia
Authors: Salvin K. A.
Published: September 2023

Dysphotopsia, also known as the post-operative edge effect, is a common complication that can occur after cataract surgery. It is characterized by the perception of abnormal visual sensations. While the exact cause of dysphotopsia is not definitively established, it is widely accepted that the resolution of this issue is primarily achieved through neuroadaptation.This study has focused on the impact of preoperative counselling on the post-operative adaptation to dysphotopsia. By explaining the possibility and the nature of dysphotopsia to patients preoperatively (phacoemulsification), the study found that it significantly increases the rate of adaptation to dysphotopsia after surgery. Importantly, this counselling did not change the incidence of dysphotopsia, but it did improve patients’ ability to adapt to these abnormal visual sensations postoperatively.
Decomposition and nitrogen mineralization of Gliricidia sepium leaf green manure under diverse nutrient management strategies in irrigated lowland rice cropping systems in Sri Lanka
Authors: Herath U. S. , Wickramasinghe W. M. D. M. , Rankoth L. M. , Egodawatta W. C. P.
Published: September 2023

The utilization of green manure has become an essential strategy for enhancing soil fertility and substituting synthetic fertilizers. The decomposition and release of nutrients through mineralization processes are influenced by soil microbial activity, which in turn depends on the nutrient management practices employed. depending on nutrient management approaches. The study aimed to investigate the decomposition and N mineralization of Gliricidia sepium leaf green manure in an irrigated lowland rice ecosystem under different nutrient management systems (NMS), for a duration of eight weeks. Litterbags were placed at two soil depths, namely the topsoil, and subsoil, within three NMS; 100% Department of Agriculture (DOA) recommended inorganic fertilizer application (CNM), 50% of DOA recommended inorganic fertilizer combined with the organic fertilizer application (INM), and 100% organic fertilizer application (ONM). The treatments were arranged in a randomized complete block design and litterbags were retrieved weekly to determine dry mass, total N content, and total organic carbon content remaining in the leaves. The rate of decomposition and nutrient release was estimated using an exponential decay equation and analysis of variance was carried out using the repeated measures MIXED model. A consistent biphasic pattern of decomposition and mineralization was observed across all NMS treatments and soil depths, characterized by an initial rapid phase followed by a slower phase. However, significant differences (p<0.05) were observed among the treatments. The ONM treatment combined with topsoil placement exhibited a shorter time for 50% and 80% reduction in biomass and nitrogen content. Approximately 80% of the nitrogen content was released into the soil solution within 4-5 weeks of green manure incorporation, regardless of the nutrient management system employed. These findings suggest that with proper application rates and appropriate depth of placement, Gliricidia sepium green manure can effectively replace a significant portion of mineral nitrogen fertilizer, thereby enhancing nutrient use efficiency in lowland rice-based systems.
The butterflies and burnets (Lepidoptera: Hesperiidea, Lycaenidae, Nymphalidae, Papilionidae, Pieridae, Zygaenidae) of the Nature Reserve Bosco della Fontana (Lombardy, Italy)
Authors: Hardersen Sönke
Published: September 2023

Insects are declining at an alarming rate in many parts of Europe and this also applies to butterflies, one of the most well-studied groups of insects. They are popular with the public and are considered good biodiversity indicators. Bosco Fontana, an isolated protected area, which contains one of the best preserved lowland forests of northern Italy, is surrounded by a highly modified landscape and is known to host some important butterfly populations. To investigate the butterflies and burnets, a total of 22 standard surveys, lasting 25 minutes each, were carried out in four different habitat types of Bosco Fontana in the years 2020 and 2021. The surveys confirmed the presence of 36 species of butterflies and 3 species of burnets for the reserve. Statistical analysis revealed that the butterfly and burnet assemblages of the grasslands, ecotones and forests were distinct, but similar in the two study years (datasets available as supplementary information). Many nemoral species were confirmed for Bosco Fontana, with relict populations of Favonius quercus and Argynnis paphia present only in a few residual forests in the Po Plain. Five species typical of grasslands and other open habitats and belonging to the local species pool of the Po Plain in the province of Mantua, were never detected at Bosco Fontana in the study years. The ecological significance of their absence is discussed.
In Memory of Prof. Giovanni B. Agus
Authors: Bavera Pietro Maria
Published: September 2023

Giovanni Battista Agus was born in mid-December 1943 and passed away on 31 August 2023. He would soon have turned 80, but he didn't look that way at all, he was so enthusiastic about life and such was the desire to do more, having had the gift of a very clear mind and a curious spirit, right up to the end.
Adolescent hope and optimism: A scoping review of measures and their psychometric properties
Authors: Chongwo Esther J. , Too Ezra K. , Mabrouk Adam A. , Abubakar Amina
Published: September 2023

There is much research examining adolescent hope and optimism, but there is limited information on the available measures, particularly the most frequently used measures and their psychometric properties. We conducted a scoping review to: (1) identify measures of hope and optimism for use among adolescents; (2) determine the most frequently used measures of adolescent hope and optimism; (3) document the psychometric properties of the identified measures. We searched five bibliographic databases and Open Grey for relevant articles published from database inception to 03 May 2023. The search included the key terms ‘adolescents’, ‘optimism’, ‘hope’ and ‘measures’. We targeted adolescents aged 10–19 years without country or gender restrictions. We identified 86 measures of optimism and 64 measures of hope for use among adolescents from 803 eligible studies. Most of the included studies (n = 341, 42.5%) originated from North America. We identified 22 most frequently used measures used across 603 (75.1%) of the included studies, with 509 (84.4%) of them providing their psychometric properties. The reported validity of the tools included face, content, construct, criterion, convergent, discriminant, predictive validity and measurement invariance. There are several measures of adolescent hope and optimism. The most frequently used measures of these constructs demonstrated sound psychometric properties, especially reliability. However, most of the evidence originates from high-income countries. There is a need for development, cross-cultural adaptation and validation of these tools to other settings.Contribution: Hope and optimism are character strengths that have been consistently linked to positive health outcomes in adolescents. Based on increasing research on adolescent hope and optimism, there have been measures developed to assess these constructs but there is no study summarising the available measures, particularly regarding the most frequently used measures and their reliability and validity across contexts. This study aimed at filling this gap. Information on this will be useful to various stakeholders to make evidence-informed choice on selection of the most relevant instrument for use in adolescents in their contexts.
The influence of foundation restoration type and ceramic thickness on the final color of zirconia-reinforced lithium silicate ceramic
Authors: Nikanjam Saeed , Tayebi Soudeh
Published: September 2023

Background:

Similarity in the appearance of a monolithic restoration with the adjacent teeth is necessary. This study aims to influence the foundation material type and ceramic thickness on the final color of zirconia-reinforced lithium silicate (ZLS) ceramic.

Materials and Methods:

In this experimental study, the A2 translucent blocks of ZLS were sectioned into rectangular specimens with thicknesses 1, 1.5, and 2 mm (n = 15). Substructure materials include resin composite (B1, D2, A2, A3, and C3), nickel chrome alloy, amalgam, and white and black substrate. Substructure material of resin composite with A2 color was proposed as the control group. The value of the color difference (ΔE00) is calculated by the CIEDE2000 formula. Data analysis was accomplished by two-factor repeated measures ANOVA and one-sample t-test (α =0.05).

Results:

The mean value of maximum ΔE00 with a black substrate (12.13 ± 0.17) at 1 mm ceramic thickness and the mean value of minimum ΔE00 with B1 resin composite foundation material (0.02 ± 0.17) at 2 mm ceramic thickness are visible. The significant effect of the foundation restoration type, thickness, and interaction between them is visible on ΔE00 (P < 0.001).

Conclusion:

Different thickness is required to meet ideal esthetic outcomes with different substrates. Under the conditions of this investigation, zirconia-reinforced lithium silicate over black, white, nickel–chromium, and amalgam did not meet acceptable outcomes.
Phellinus igniarius ameliorates renal aging in a rat model of focal and segmental glomerulosclerosis
Authors: Wang Zhou-Ting , Tang Yue-Wen , Wan Feng , Yang Ru-Chun , Guo Yan , Zheng Jie , Li You-Gui , He Wei-Ming
Published: September 2023

Objective:

To comparatively investigate the ameliorative effect of Phellinus igniarius (P. igniarius) on renal aging in a rat model of focal and segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS).

Methods:

The FSGS model was established in rats by uninephrectomy combined with tail vein injection of doxorubicin. The FSGS rats were randomly divided into the model group, the P. igniarius decoction group, the P. igniarius polysaccharides group, and the P. igniarius polyphenols group. Molecular indicators of cell senescence, renal function indexes, and podocyte injury markers were tested after ten weeks of intragastric administration. Besides, the pathological renal lesions and the ultrastructural changes were observed.

Results:

FSGS developed in the model group within ten weeks and showed segmental glomerular scarring and renal aging. Following the 10-week intervention, 24 h proteinuria, serum creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, P16INK4α, thrombospondin-1, and transforming growth factor-β1 were decreased in each treatment group, whereas albumin, erythropoietin, nephrin, and podocin were increased; the pathological renal injury was alleviated, and the number of senescent cells was reduced, especially in rats treated with P. igniarius decoction.

Conclusions:

P. igniarius ameliorates renal aging and renal injury in the FSGS rat model. Compared with the effective constituents (polysaccharides and polyphenols), P. igniarius decoction has a better curative effect, which is expected to provide a new therapeutic idea for FSGS.
Inhibitory effect of Cyrtomium falcatum on melanogenesis in α-MSH-stimulated B16F10 murine melanoma cells
Authors: Zhou Xian-Rong , Oh Jung Hwan , Karadeniz Fatih , Lee Hyunjung , Kim Hyo Eun , Jo Migeon , Seo Youngwan , Kong Chang-Suk
Published: September 2023

Objective:

To explore the anti-melanogenic potential of Cyrtomium falcatum.

Methods:

The effects of Cyrtomium falcatum crude extract and its solvent fractions on tyrosinase activity, melanin content, and the expressions of melanogenesis-related genes and proteins were analyzed in α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α-MSH)-stimulated B16F10 cells.

Results:

α-MSH treatment significantly increased tyrosinase activity, and extracellular and intracellular melanin content, as well as the expression levels of tyrosinase, microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF), tyrosinase-related protein (TRP)-1, and TRP-2 in B16F10 cells. Treatment with Cyrtomium falcatum crude extract and its solvent fractions reduced tyrosinase activity and extracellular and intracellular melanin content and downregulated the expression levels of tyrosinase, MITF, TRP-1, and TRP-2 in a dose-dependent manner.

Conclusions:

Cyrtomium falcatum has potential anti-melanogenesis effects and can be used as a potential source material in cosmeceutical industry for the research and development of novel lead molecules with whitening properties.
Evaluating the Effectiveness of Conventional Prostheses Against Dual-Mobility Prostheses in the Treatment of Femoral Neck Fractures in Two Separate Groups of Patients: A Clinical Trial Study
Authors: Parhamfar Mohammad , Hosseini Alireza , Khashei Mostafa , Motififard Mehdi , Taravati Amirmohammad , Shirazinejad Somayeh , Afsharirad Ali , Sadeghian Amirhossein , Chaleshtori Ali Sherafati
Published: September 2023

Background:

Femoral neck fracture is a common posttraumatic injury in the elderly. Currently, orthopedic surgeons conducting total hip arthroplasty (THA) for hip fractures have various prosthetic alternatives. Dual-mobility cup THA is recommended for hip fracture patients to reduce prosthesis dislocation. Therefore, the goal of this research is to evaluate the effectiveness of conventional prostheses against dual-mobility prostheses in treating femoral neck fractures in two groups of patients.

Materials and Methods:

The current clinical investigation involved patients with femoral neck fractures. Among approved 84 patients, 44 and 40 were undergoing conventional THA (group A) and dual-mobility THA (group B), respectively. Patients were observed regularly after surgeries, and the same measurements were performed. The data were assembled and entered into SPSS software (version 25, IBM Corporation, Armonk, NY, USA) and analyzed. In all analyses, a P value of less than 0.05 was considered significant.

Results:

Eighty-four cases with an average age of 63.97 years were evaluated. In postoperative follow-up, there were no statistically significant differences between the groups in terms of Harris hip score, SF-36, and infection (P > 0.05). However, patients who received conventional implants had more dislocation postoperatively (P = 0.045). Regarding the rehabilitation costs, there were no statistically significant differences between the groups, so the group using the conventional implants incurred a higher cost (P = 0.041).

Conclusion:

According to the results, both dual mobility and conventional implants had optimal functional outcomes in patients with femoral neck fractures.
Etiopathology, Clinical and Imaging Characteristics of Border Zone Strokes
Authors: Shah Divyang , Bhutani Neeraj , Varma Anoop Ranjan , Singh Kunwar Karni , Agarwal Priya , Bhargava Abhishek
Published: September 2023

Introduction:

A border zone infarct (BI) is defined as an infarction that is localized to watersheds or border zones in the brain. BI is further classified into cortical border zone infarct (CBZ) and internal border zone infarct (IBZ). This study was conducted to explore the clinical and radiological characteristics of BI.

Materials and Method:

The study was conducted on eligible 400 acute ischemic stroke patients out of which 52 BI patients (diagnosed by the radiologist on DWI MRI images), patients >18 yrs of age were selected and divided into two groups of IBZ and CBZ infarct patients. The degree of intracranial and extracranial stenosis and characteristics on clinical presentation were assessed. The data were collected and analyzed using SPSS version 20.0 software at significance level p-value <0.05.

Results:

25% and 75% of CBZ and IBZ patients, respectively, had history of presyncope or syncope before stroke. On vascular evaluation, 3.9% and 51.9% were in MCA and ICA stenosis group, respectively. Evidence of cardio embolism was found in 17.3% of patients. 53.3% of CBZ and 53.8% of IBZ patients were in ICA stenosis group, and 6.7% of CBZ and 7.7% of IBZ patients were in MCA stenosis group, with a statistically insignificant relation (p-value >0.05).

Conclusion:

Association of BI with events causing hypotension or hypovolemia is well-established in our study, association of BI with large vessel atherosclerosis is common, and its contribution to CBZ and IBZ seems to be equal.
A Study of Diffusion Tensor Imaging in Central Post-Stroke Pain: Traveling Beyond the Pain Pathways
Authors: Porey Camelia , Naik Suprava , Bhoi Sanjeev Kumar , Jha Menka , Samal Priyanka
Published: September 2023

Introduction:

Central post-stroke pain (CPSP), seen in the aftermath of a stroke, is an underdiagnosed entity but quite a disabling complication. All the postulated theories regarding the pathogenesis of CPSP point to its origin in the central pain pathways. However, this study attempts to demonstrate the role of other contributing areas in the generation of CPSP.

Materials and Methods:

In this single-center tertiary care hospital-based study, 24 patients with both ischemic and hemorrhagic strokes of variable durations were recruited, and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) imaging with diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) acquisition was done. Fractional anisotropy (FA) and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values of the spinothalamic tract (STT), corticospinal tract (CST), superior thalamic radiation (STR), basal ganglia (BG), and primary somatosensory cortex (SSC) were compared between normal and abnormal sides and also in extrathalamic lesions separately.

Results:

Significant differences with lower FA were noted in STT, CST, STR, and SSC and higher ADC values in BG, STR, CST, and SSC on comparison between the normal and lesion sides. On individual sub-analysis, ischemic stroke had significant changes in the FA value of CST and the ADC value of STR and CST, while hemorrhagic stroke had significant changes in the FA and ADC values of STR and SSC, as well as the FA value of STT. In the analysis of the extrathalamic strokes, significance persisted in all the studied parameters except the BG. The CST abnormalities were evident even in patients with clinical motor improvement. On multivariate analysis, visual analogue scale score severity was correlated with thalamic lesions.

Conclusion:

Contrary to the belief that STT is solely responsible for CPSP, the role of CST, STR, BG, and SSC as contributing areas is evident from this study and may be more well established if studied in a larger population.
Study to Compare the Efficacy and Cost-Effectiveness of Various Disease Modifying Drugs in the Management of Multiple Sclerosis in India- An Observational Study
Authors: Sehrawat Mukul , Madhusudhan Santhosh K. , Bakkappa Shubha D. , Devendrappa Srinivas L.
Published: September 2023

Background:

Real-world data on the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of multiple sclerosis (MS) disease-modifying drugs (DMTs) is lacking in the Indian setting. The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of DMTs, and the secondary objective was to evaluate cost-effectiveness and the quality of life (QoL) in these patients.

Method:

Seventy-four patients fulfilling study criteria were recruited in the retrospective observational study, of which 69 completed the study. Primary outcome was measured by annualized relapse rate (ARR), and secondary outcome was measured by WHOQOL-BREF scale, modified Kuppuswamy scale, and rating of DMT scale through a subjective questionnaire.

Results:

Patients on natalizumab, rituximab, and glatiramer acetate showed the highest reduction in ARR. The highest reduction of ARR (2.5) was produced by natalizumab and least by Peg-IFNβ1a (0.5). In QoL analysis, teriflunomide group had the highest average score for both physical health (22.7, SD 4.7) and psychological (21.3, SD 4.0) domains, whereas natalizumab group had the lowest average score. Socio-economic status analysis showed DMF, IFNβ 1a, peg-IFNβ 1a, rituximab, and glatiramer acetate are affordable to the upper middle class and above, whereas natalizumab could be afforded only by high-class strata. Teriflunomide was most affordable annually. Study of adverse drug reactions showed natalizumab was very well tolerated by the study participants.

Conclusion:

Natalizumab, an infusion DMT, was highly effective in terms of reducing the ARR. Rituximab, an off-label DMT, was found to be very effective. Teriflunomide was overall an effective DMT in terms of affordability, QoL balance, and an acceptable ARR reduction.
Apogeotropic Posterior Semicircular Canal BPPV—A Case Series from South Rajasthan
Authors: Vats Ajay K. , Vats Shreya , Kothari Sudhir , Khamesra Renu
Published: September 2023

Apogeotropic variant of posterior semicircular canal benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (apo-PSC-BPPV) is a rare peripheral vestibular disorder, characterized by paroxysms of positionally triggered dizzy spells associated with non-positional disequilibrium. It is diagnosed by observing characteristic diagnostic oculomotor responses (torsional downbeating positional nystagmus) during positional testing (Dix-Hallpike and enhanced straight head hanging tests), in conjunction with a response to physical therapy. Much rarer anterior semicircular canal benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (ASC-BPPV) elicits identical oculomotor responses during positional testing. Propter hoc, response to physical therapy at short-term follow-up is crucial in distinguishing the apo-PSC-BPPV from ASC-BPPV. We are presenting a case series of seven patients of apo-PSC-BPPV (of which three were bilaterally affected), who attended our otoneurology center, between February 1, 2023, and July 31, 2023. Demographic profile, clinical course, and physical therapy with responses at short-term follow-up at 1 hour and after 24 hours are discussed.
Effect of Eating Stevia-coated Fennel Seeds on Salivary pH: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Yavagal Puja C. , Divyapriya G. K. , Veeresh D. J. , Nadaf Nousheen
Published: September 2023

Background:

Sugar-coated fennel seeds may exhibit cariogenic challenge, hence substituting sugar with stevia may be beneficial.

Aim:

The aim of this study was to assess and compare the effect of eating stevia-coated fennel seeds, sucrose-coated fennel seeds, and roasted fennel seeds on salivary pH.

Methodology:

A randomized controlled, Latin square design trial involving 15 female research participants aged 20–23 years were allocated to three intervention groups. Assessment of salivary pH after eating stevia-coated fennel seeds (Group A), sucrose-coated fennel seeds (Group B), and roasted fennel seeds (Group C) was done using salivary pH indicator strips at the baseline and after eating 1.5 g of fennel seeds at 1, 20, and 60 min. IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, version 21 (IBM Corp., Armonk, N. Y., USA) was used for statistical analysis. The significant level was fixed at P < 0.05. The inter- and intragroup comparisons of the mean salivary pH were done using one-way and repeated measures ANOVA, respectively, followed by Tukey’s post hoc test.

Results:

There was a significant increase in salivary pH (P < 0.01) at all time intervals from the baseline after eating stevia-coated fennel seeds compared to sucrose-coated and roasted fennel seeds.

Conclusion:

Eating stevia-coated fennel seeds showed a significant increase in salivary pH from the baseline compared to sucrose-coated and roasted fennel seeds, and hence, may serve as an anticariogenic mouth freshener.
Inter-rater Reliability of the Traditional Chinese Montgomery–Åsberg Depression Rating Scale using a Structured Interview: A Preliminary Study
Authors: Chen Ling , Lin Yu-Hsuan , Cui Yuqing , Flint Jonathan
Published: September 2023

Objectives:

The Montgomery–Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) is a commonly used tool for assessing depression, but there is no version available in traditional Chinese. In this study, we intended to develop such a version.

Methods:

With a structured interview guide, three raters independently administered the MADRS to a sample of study participants with depressive disorders. The inter-rater reliability was assessed using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs).

Results:

Twenty study participants completed the assessment by three raters. The data showed significantly higher inter-rater reliability (p < 0.05), with ICC values ranging from 0.90 to 0.97. The high correlation coefficients observed in the total scores between each pair of raters (0.98, 0.98, and 0.99), indicated a high degree of consistency and agreement.

Conclusion:

These findings support the use of the traditional Chinese MADRS as a reliable tool for assessing depressive symptoms in traditional Chinese-speaking Taiwanese populations.
Optimized Deep Learning Model for Disease Prediction in Potato Leaves
Authors: Shrivastava Virendra Kumar , Shelke Chetan J , Shrivastava Aastik , Mohanty Sachi Nandan , Sharma Nonita
Published: September 2023

Food crops are important for nations and human survival. Potatoes are one of the most widely used foods globally.  But there are several diseases hampering potato growth and production as well. Traditional methods for diagnosing disease in potato leaves are based on human observations and laboratory tests which is a cumbersome and time-consuming task. The new age technologies such as artificial intelligence and deep learning can play a vital role in disease detection. This research proposed an optimized deep learning model to predict potato leaf diseases. The model is trained on a collection of potato leaf image datasets.  The model is based on a deep convolutional neural network architecture which includes data augmentation, transfer learning, and hyper-parameter tweaking used to optimize the proposed model. Results indicate that the optimized deep convolutional neural network model has produced 99.22% prediction accuracy on Potato Disease Leaf Dataset.
An intelligent approach for anomaly detection in credit card data using bat optimization algorithm
Authors: Sikkandar Haseena , S Saroja , N Suseandhiran , B Manikandan
Published: September 2023

As technology advances, many people are utilising credit cards to purchase their necessities, and the number of credit card scams is increasing tremendously. However, illegal card transactions have been on the rise, costing financial institutions millions of dollars each year. The development of efficient fraud detection techniques is critical in reducing these deficits, but it is difficult due to the extremely unbalanced nature of most credit card datasets. As compared to conventional fraud detection methods, the proposed method will help in automatically detecting the fraud, identifying hidden correlations in data and reduced time for verification process. This is achieved by selecting relevant and unique features by using Bat Optimization Algorithm (BOA). Next, balancing is performed in the highly imbalanced credit card fraud dataset using Synthetic Minority over-sampling technique (SMOTE). Then finally the CNN model for anomaly detection in credit card data is built using full center loss function to improve fraud detection performance and stability. The proposed model is tested with Kaggle dataset and yields around 99% accuracy.
The Use of eVTOL Aircraft for First Responder, Police, and Medical
Transport Applications
Authors: Doo Johnny
Published: September 2023

Advancements in electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft have
generated significant interest within and beyond the traditional aviation
industry. One particularly promising application involves on-demand,
rapid-response use cases to broaden first responders, police, and medical
transport mission capabilities. With the dynamic and varying public service
operations, eVTOL aircraft can offer potentially cost-effective aerial mobility
components to the overall solution, including significant lifesaving
benefits.

Multi-agent Collaborative Perception for Autonomous Driving: Unsettled
Aspects discusses the challenges need to be addressed before
identified capabilities and benefits can be realized at scale:

Mission-specific eVTOL vehicle development

Operator- and patient-specific
accommodations

Detect-and-avoid
capabilities in complex and challenging operating
environments

Autonomous and artificial
intelligence-enhanced mission
capabilities

Home-base charging systems
for battery power platforms

Simplified
operator and support training

Vehicle/fleet maintenance and
support

Acceptance and participation
from stakeholder services, local and state-level leadership, field
operators, and support team members

Click
here to access the full SAE EDGETM
Research Report portfolio.
Priložnosti, izzivi in zagate pri obravnavi vsebin iz klasične kulture in književnosti v gimnaziji
Authors: Karlin Neža
Published: September 2023

Pouk klasične kulture in književnosti je prostor, kjer dijaki poleg splošnega znanja in razgledanosti pridobivajo tudi sposobnosti ču­denja, avtorefleksije, samokritičnosti in strpnosti. Proces ni nikoli zaključen, to za raziskovanje samega sebe velja že iz antičnih časov; kot bi rekel Kavafis, je včasih pomembna zlasti pot. Dijake po gimnaziji čaka še dolgo zorenje v »umetnosti življenja«, učiteljska prizadevanja ne obrodijo vedno takojšnjih sadov, morda občasno naletimo tudi na gluha ušesa. Važno je, da ne ustvarjamo fiktivnega prepada med snovjo in življenjem; tega se nenazadnje dijaki učijo celo preko ra­zvozlavanja jezikovnih ugank zapletenih latinskih ali grških stavkov. Pouk klasičnih jezikov je skozi generacije izkazal in potrdil svojo vzgojno-izobraževalno vrednost. Novi časi vsekakor zahtevajo sveže učne pristope, ne pa nujno novih vsebin, saj človek išče odgovore na ista temeljna bivanjska vprašanja, kot jih je iskal v antiki.
A. E. Housman: Fragment grške tragedije
Authors: Housman A. E. , Movrin David
Published: September 2023

Alfred Edward Housman (1859–1936), ki je kasneje postal angleški pesnik in eden največjih filologov svojega časa, je svoj zafrkantski »fragment« objavil pri triindvajsetih, leta 1883, v reviji Bromsgrovian. Revijo je izdajala Bromsgrove School, kjer se je šolal kot najstnik (1870–77); na šolo, ki je prva prepoznala njegov jezikovni in pesniški talent, se je za kratek čas (1881–82) vrnil kot pomožni učitelj po ne­pričakovanem študijskem porazu na Oxfordu. Kot ugotavlja Ralph Marcellino, ni naključje, da besedilo paro­dira predvsem Ajshila, ki je bil Housmanov najljubši pesnik. V njem odzvanja Oresteja, zlasti drami Agamemnon in Prinašalke pitnih darov, verjetno zato, ker so ju dijaki na šoli, kjer je poučeval, pri pouku največ brali. Prav ta ciljna publika je znala ceniti norčevanje iz retoričnih figur ter sintaktičnih konstrukcij, ki jim jih je njihov pomožni učitelj vbijal v glavo.
Francesco Petrarca, Pisma v antiko
Authors: Škamperle Igor
Published: September 2023

Pri Slovenski matici je izšla imenitna knjiga izbranih pisem italijan­skega pesnika Francesca Petrarce, ki je po svoji vsebini, številnih aluzijah ter idejnih odvodih v okviru antičnega izročila za ljubitelje književnosti in humanizma prava poslastica. Prevajalca Anja Božič in Brane Senegačnik sta pripravila posrečen izbor iz sicer obsežne zbirke Petrarcovih pisem domačim oziroma prijateljem (Rerum fa­miliarum libri), ki sta ga razdelila na tri dele: Prijateljem, V spodnji svet, kjer gre za antične avtorje, ter pisma V zgornji svet, namenjena Petrarcovim sodobnikom.
Sistem Informasi Manajemen Audit PT. Trio Motor Banjarmasin (Studi Kasus : Audit Part)
Authors: Herpendi Herpendi , Yahya Hilmanadi
Published: September 2023

Penelitian ini bertujuan membangun Sistem Informasi Manajemen Audit (SIMA) di PT. Trio Motor Banjarmasin. Masalah yang ditemui saat ini pada PT. Trio Motor Banjarmasin yaitu kerap terjadi selisih pencatatan pada stok unit dan suku cadang. Hal ini terjadi dikarenakan lemahnya pengawasan dan tidak sinkronnya data cabang dengan PT. Trio Motor. Selisih stok tersebut terjadi salah satunya karena kecurangan bagian gudang dan menyebabkan kerugian pada cabang tersebut. SIMA dirancang menggunakan UML dan dibangun dengan Framework Codeigniter serta SQL Server sebagai databasenya. Metode pengembangan sistem menggunakan model Waterfall dan pengujian menggunakan Blackbox Testing. SIMA berhasil dibangun dan dilakukan pengujian menunjukkan hasil setiap fungsinya berjalan dengan baik (berhasil). Dengan sistem yang dibangun (SIMA) proses audit menjadi lebih efektif dan efisien sebab data diambil secara otomatis lewat fitur scan dan terintegrasi dengan sistem transaksi pada bagian kasir dan gudang sehingga menjadikan adanya data yang sinkron antar bagian tersebut. Dengan demikian proses pencocokan dengan jumlah fisik unit menjadi lebih akurat disebabkan data yang telah tersedia.
Sistem Pakar Diagnosis Kerusakan Sepeda Motor di Bengkel Rahmat Cort menggunakan Metode Forward Chaining
Authors: Mulyani Sri , Natsir Fauzan
Published: September 2023

Beberapa masyarakat yang memakai sepeda motor sebagai sarana transportasi umum, dan beberapa juga mengandalkan sepeda motor sebagai sumber penghasilan tambahan. Penelitian ini memiliki tujuan untuk mengembangkan sebuah sistem pakar yang dapat mendiagnosis kerusakan sepeda motor. Masalah yang umum terjadi adalah banyak bengkel servis yang tidak memiliki mekanik berpengalaman untuk melakukan diagnosis yang tepat terhadap masalah yang dialami sepeda motor dan seringkali hanya mengandalkan perkiraan. Sebagian mekanik cenderung mengandalkan intuisi mereka, yang pada akhirnya bisa mengakibatkan hasil perawatan yang kurang optimal dan membuat pelanggan merasa kecewa. Metode yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah Forward Chaining, yang bertujuan untuk membantu menganalisis kerusakan dan memberikan solusi dari masalah yang terkait dengan sepeda motor. Hasil dari penulisan ini diharapakan agar mempermudah proses diagnosis kerusakan sepeda motor dengan mencocokkan beberapa gejala yang dialami sehinngga diharapkan dapat membantu pengguna motor dan para mekanik untuk menghemat waktu, tenaga dalam memudahkan mendeteksi kerusakan pada sepeda motor tersebut. Perancangan sistem pakar ini dirancang menggunakan metode inferensi pelacakan ke depan (forward chaining) dan dirancang dalam bentuk website agar mempermudah pengguna dalam menggunakannya.
On a decomposition of $p$-adic Coxeter orbits
Authors: Ivanov Alexander B.
Published: September 2023

We analyze the geometry of some $p$-adic Deligne--Lusztig spaces $X_w(b)$ introduced in [Iva21] attached to an unramified reductive group ${\bf G}$ over a non-archimedean local field. We prove that when ${\bf G}$ is classical, $b$ basic and $w$ Coxeter, $X_w(b)$ decomposes as a disjoint union of translates of a certain integral $p$-adic Deligne--Lusztig space. Along the way we extend some observations of DeBacker and Reeder on rational conjugacy classes of unramified tori to the case of extended pure inner forms, and prove a loop version of Frobenius-twisted Steinberg's cross section.

Comment: \'Epijournal de G\'eom\'etrie Alg\'ebrique, Volume 7 (2023), Article no. 19
Las huellas del yanqui en la vida y obra de Hudson
Authors: Wilson Jason
Published: September 2023

Este ensayo está dividido en tres partes. La primera parte busca la evidencia de su pasado yanqui y puritano a través de detalles, ya que Hudson apenas tocó el tema. Trato de indagar en la influencia de la Biblia leída a diario en inglés como su formación; el odio de su madre a los ingleses e Inglaterra, como enemigo después de la guerra de Independencia; finalmente, cómo hablaba Hudson y cómo escribió su ficción en contra de las demandas puritanas de su madre. La segunda parte trata de la enorme admiración que Hudson tenía por Thoreau, como ejemplo de su identidad norteamericana o yanqui, y sus inclinaciones hacia los indios norteamericanos y el naturalismo. La tercera parte explora la tardía fama norteamericana, la Rima de Epstein y la película sobre Mansiones verdes y el destino de Rima que siguió a Hollywood y no a la novela de Hudson.
The Inverse Problem for Singular Perturbed System with Many-Sheeted Slow Surfaces
Authors: Кононенко Л.И.
Published: September 2023

Рассматривается сингулярно возмущенная система обыкновенных дифференциальных уравнений с малым параметром, описывающая задачу химической кинетики. Данная система исследуется с помощью метода интегральных многообразий, который служит удобным аппаратом изучения многомерных сингулярно возмущенных систем дифференциальных уравнений, позволяющим понижать размерность системы. Интегральное многообразие состоит из листов и при малом параметре $\varepsilon=0$ является медленной поверхностью. Для системы сформулированы прямая и обратная задача. Прямая задача заключается в следующем: по известным правым частям системы найти решение системы или доказать его существование. Обратная задача состоит в нахождении неизвестных правых частей системы дифференциальных уравнений по некоторым данным о решении прямой задачи. Сначала мы рассматриваем вырожденный случай, когда $\varepsilon=0$, при этом имеем некоторые ограничения на размерность медленных и быстрых переменных, на задание правых частей в виде многочленов (здесь степень многочлена равна 1), на количество листов медленной поверхности. Затем переходим к невырожденному случаю $\varepsilon\neq 0$. В случае одного листа медленной поверхности ранее была доказана теорема существования и единственности решения обратной задачи для этого случая. В данной работе рассмотрена система с медленной поверхностью, состоящей из нескольких листов. Доказана теорема существования и единственности решения такой системы. Доказательство опирается на результат, полученный ранее для системы с медленной поверхностью, состоящей из одного листа.
Diversifikasi Ikan Lele Menjadi Olahan Pangan di Kecamatan Bukit Raya
Authors: Zhamil Rahmad , Anesta Rinalsi , Fajri Khairil
Published: September 2023

Diversifikasi olahan hasil perairan adalah penganekaragaman jenis produk olahan hasil perairan dari bahan baku yang sudah atau belum dimanfaatkan dengan tetap memperhatikan faktor mutu dan gizi sebagai usaha penting bagi peningkatan konsumsi produk perairan baik kualitas maupun kuantitas dan peningkatan nilai jual. Adapun beberapa olahan yang akan dipaparkan adalah stick ikan lele dan abon ikan lele. Ikan lele (Clarias Sp.) merupakan salah satu ikan air tawar dengan komoditas tinggi yang ekonomis. Ikan lele memiliki harga berkisar 19.000 - 25.000 per kg, tergantung jenisnya, harga tersebut dapat dijangkau oleh seluruh lapisan kalangan masyarakat. Ikan lele (Clarias sp.) merupakan jenis ikan konsumsi air tawar dengan tubuh memanjang dan kulit licin, salah satu pangan sumber protein karena kandungan proteinnya berkisar antara 22,0 – 46,6%. Oleh karena itu, olahan berbahan dasar ikan lele dapat menjadi alternatif sumber protein. Keunggulan lele dibandingkan dengan produk hewani lainnya adalah kaya akan asam amino leusin dan lisin. Leusin merupakan asam amino esensial yang sangat diperlukan untuk pertumbuhan anak-anak dan menjaga keseimbangan nitrogen. Leusin juga berguna untuk perombakan dan pembentukan protein otot.
Pengembangan Ekonomi Dan Sosial Desa Tanjung Bungo Kecamatan Kampar Kabupaten Kampar Dengan Membuat Kerajinan Ketupat
Authors: Oktria Freshila
Published: September 2023

Ketupat menjadi salah satu makanan yang khas disajikan pada saat hari lebaran. Ketupat memiliki sejarah dan filosofi yang mendalam sehingga saat ini ketupat masih dijadikan sebagai makanan tradisi yang kerap ada pada saat hari raya Idul Fitri. Ketupat dalam bahasa jawa berarti kependekatan dari Ngaku Lepat (mengakui kesalahan) dan Laku Papat (lebaran). Pengembangan Usaha Masyarakat Kecil Menengah (UMKM) dengan memanfaatkan potensi ketertarikan masyarakat dengan ketupat dapat menjadi peluang dalam pengembangan potensi Desa. tujuan penulisan dari jurnal ini adalah memberikan gambaran serta cara pembuatan sangkar ketupat yang mana diharapkan dapat memberikan ilmu bagi tiap pembaca dalam hal menganyam dan pembuatan sangkar ketupat menggunakan daun kelapa yang diharapkan mampu menjadi penunjang perekonomian keluarga di Desa Tanjung Bungo Kecamatan Kampar Kabupaten Kampar.
Budidaya Belut Dengan Pakan Fermentasi
Authors: Simbolon Evri Ridhohan , Marasi Merina Vita , Saragih Rita Hulina , Tambunan Ruth Hartati , Suyanda Suyanda , Hutagalung Uci Natalia
Published: September 2023

Belut (Monopterus albus Zuieuw) merupakan salah satu biota perairan yang memiliki kandungan gizi tinggi. Belut memiliki kandungan protein yang tinggi. Daging belut mempunyai manfaat yang besar bagi tubuh manusia antara lain memenuhi kebutuhan protein, mendukung pertumbuhan, perkembangan dan kecerdasan otak, menjaga kesehatan mata, memenuhi kebutuhan mineral, serta meningkatkan konsentrasi dan daya tahan tubuh. Pengabdian ini dilaksanakan di Senio yang merupakan salah satu nagori yang ada di kecamatan Gunung Malela, kabupaten Simalungun, provinsi Sumatera Utara, Indonesia. Diharapkan dengan adanya proses budidaya belut dengan teknik pakan fermentasi ini dapat meningkatkan produktivitas hasil budidaya belut tersebut, sehingga dapat meningkatkan perekonomian masyarakat.
Facilitating Communities of Practice: A Case Study
Authors: Ojasalo Jukka , Wait Marius , MacLaverty Ronan
Published: September 2023

Communities of practice (CoP) have become a popular source of knowledge-sharing and learning in organizations. However, several problems occur in managing them and more knowledge about this area is needed. This article addresses this knowledge gap and aims to understand and describe how to facilitate communities of practice in a large corporation. The research draws on a qualitative case study based on interviews with people involved in CoPs in a large multinational technology company and the analysis followed the method introduced by Gioia et al. (2013). The findings relate to participants' conceptions of the nature of CoPs, how CoPs align with the organizational structure of the company in which they operate, and a CoP’s working model. This research extends the knowledge of how to facilitate CoPs, with several findings about the characteristics and challenges of CoPs and potential solutions to their problems. It also helps practitioners who are responsible for establishing and leading CoPs in organizations by proposing a pragmatic approach to doing that.
“It Is Nice To Be Seen, Not Gazed At”: A Reflection of Using PhotoVoice and Critical Participatory Action Research With Queer, Trans, Black, and Indigenous People of Color in Substance Use Disorder Counseling
Authors: Gorritz Frank , Riddle Logan , McCalla Jay , Byrd Jacklyn
Published: September 2023

This article focuses on the reflexivity process associated with studying Queer, Transgender, Black, and Indigenous People of Colors’ experiences in substance use disorder counseling. Specifically, this article explores the authors’ experience working with QTBIPOC in substance use disorder counseling, studying QTBIPOC counseling research, researching QTBIPOC lived experiences in substance use disorder counseling, and utilizing QTBIPOC affirming research methods in understanding QTBIPOC lived experiences. This article is especially important as it interrogates what it means to identify as a Queer researcher while studying the lived experiences of QTBIPOC. This article also includes implications for conducting counseling research in studying QTBIPOC lived experiences with culturally responsive frameworks.
Flexibility & Iteration: Exploring the Potential of Large Language Models in Developing and Refining Interview Protocols
Authors: Parker Jessica , Richard Veronica , Becker Kimberly
Published: September 2023

This article investigates the potential of Large Language Model (LLM) tools like ChatGPT in aiding researchers in the development and refinement of interview protocols. We found that ChatGPT could generate appropriate interview questions, craft key questions, provide feedback on protocols, and simulate interviews, indicating its potential to reduce time and effort, particularly when human resources are limited. This article builds upon previous authors’ insights and suggestions regarding developing and refining interview protocols to maximize the chances of achieving research aims, especially for novice researchers. Additionally, the researchers highlight the flexibility of these tools in adapting to different research contexts and cultural considerations. Ethical considerations and human oversight are emphasized as critical components in the responsible implementation of these tools. The research also paves the way for further exploration into the integration of LLMs into other aspects of research processes and offers suggestions for the use of LLMs in interview protocol development and refinement. The findings encourage a broader discussion on the evolving role of technology in academic research and present an exciting avenue for future studies in hybrid human-AI engagements in scholarly pursuits.