bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evaluating the Financial Performances of the Publicly Held Healthcare Companies in Crisis Periods in Türkiye
Authors: Tengilimoğlu Dilaver , Tümer Tolga , Bennett Russell L. , Younis Mustafa Z.
Published: July 2023

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the financial performances of the publicly held healthcare companies in crisis periods in Türkiye by statistical analyses. For this purpose, we conducted Wilcoxon signed-rank tests. We used financial data of the publicly held healthcare companies in Türkiye and we did separate analyses for each crisis period in Türkiye in the last 10 years. The results of the analyses showed that there were no statistically significant differences between the publicly held healthcare companies’ financial performances before the crises and after the crises. This suggests that the Turkish publicly held healthcare companies’ financial performances during the crisis periods in the last 10 years were strong. Nevertheless, policy makers and company managers should remain guarded as the results does not guarantee success in possible future crisis periods that may emerge at any time and bring new challenges.
Acceleration Analysis of Canned Motor for SMR Reactor Coolant Pumps
Authors: Kanyolo Timothy , Oyando Harold , Chang Choong-koo
Published: July 2023

Recently, SMR (Small Modular Reactor) is expected to be able to operate flexibly in conjunction with a high renewable energy penetration grid as a result of improved safety and easy power control compared to large nuclear power plants. SMRs such as South Korea’s System-integrated Modular Advanced ReacTor (SMART) are designed to use canned motors (CMs) for their reactor coolant pumps (RCPs) to enhance safety. The CMs passively enhance the reactor’s safety by preventing leakage of radioactive reactor coolant. However, with motor sizes designed to be as small as possible, and the increased air gap of CMs between stator and rotor, starting torque may be insufficiently small compared to that of similar sized induction motors (IMs). Thusly, CMs may require variable frequency drives (VFDs) to start. This paper compares the torque characteristics of CMs with those of IMs for SMART’s RCPs. ETAP is then used to perform motor starting analysis for CMs started with and without VFDs. The results are presented and analyzed to find out if the VFDs deal with the CM starting torque issue.
Assessment of Landsat-8 and Sentinel-2 Water Indices: A Case Study in the Southwest of the Buenos Aires Province (Argentina)
Authors: Santecchia Guillermina , Revollo Sarmiento Gisela Noelia , Genchi Sibila , Vitale Alejandro , Delrieux Claudio A.
Published: July 2023

We performed the accuracy assessment of three different Normalized Difference Water Indices (NDWIs) in water bodies during April 2019, a period in which floods occurred in a large proportion of the Southwest of the Buenos Aires Province (Argentina). The accuracy of the estimations using spaceborne medium-resolution multi-spectral imaging, and the reliability of three NDWIs to highlight shallow water features in satellite images, was evaluated using a high resolution airbone imagery as ground-truth. It is shown that these indices computed using Landsat 8 and Sentinel-2 imagery are only loosely correlated to the actual flooded area in shallow waters. Indeed, NDWI values vary significantly depending on the satellite mission used and the type of index computed.
A Data Fusion Approach to Assessing the Contribution of Wildland Fire Smoke to Fine Particulate Matter in California
Authors: Yang Hongjian , Ruiz-Suarez Sofia , Reich Brian , Guan Yawen , Rappold Ana
Published: July 2023

The escalating frequency and severity of global wildfires necessitate an in-depth understanding and monitoring of wildfire smoke impacts, specifically its contribution to fine particulate matter (PM2.5). We propose a data-fusion method to study wildfire contribution to PM2.5 using satellite-derived smoke plume indicators and PM2.5 monitoring data. Our study incorporates two types of monitoring data, the high-quality but sparse Air Quality System (AQS) stations and the abundant but less accurate PurpleAir (PA) sensors that are gaining popularity among citizen scientists. We propose a multi-resolution spatiotemporal model specified in the spectral domain to calibrate the PA sensors against accurate AQS measurements, and leverage the two networks to estimate wildfire contribution to PM2.5 in California in 2020 and 2021. A Bayesian approach is taken to incorporate all uncertainties and our prior intuition that the dependence between networks, as well as the accuracy of PA network, vary by frequency. We find that 1% to 3% increase in PM2.5 concentration due to wildfire smoke, and that leveraging PA sensors improves accuracy.
Field Implementation of Forecasting Models for Predicting Nursery Mortality in a Midwestern US Swine Production System
Authors: Magalhaes Edison S. , Zhang Danyang , Wang Chong , Thomas Pete , Moura Cesar A. A. , Holtkamp Derald J. , Trevisan Giovani , Rademacher Chris , Silva Gustavo S. , Linhares Daniel C.L.
Published: July 2023

The performance of 5 forecasting models was investigated for predicting nursery mortality using the master table built for 3,242 groups of pigs (~ 13 million animals) and 42 variables, which concerned the pre-weaning phase of production and conditions at placement in growing sites. After training and testing each model’s performance through cross-validation, the model with the best overall prediction results was the Support Vector Machine model in terms of Root Mean Squared Error (RMSE=0.406), Mean Absolute Error (MAE=0.284), and Coefficient of Determination (R2=0.731). Subsequently, the forecasting performance of the SVM model was tested on a new dataset containing 72 new groups, simulating ongoing and near real-time forecasting analysis. Despite a decrease in R2 values on the new dataset (R2=0.554), the model demonstrated high accuracy (77.78%) for predicting groups with high (5>%) or low (5<%) nursery mortality. This study demonstrated the capability of forecasting models to predict the nursery mortality of commercial groups of pigs using pre-weaning information and stocking conditions variables collected post-placement in nursery sites.
Exploring Dynamic Asset Pricing within Bachelier’s Market Model
Authors: Nyarko Nancy Asare , Divelgama Bhathiya , Gnawali Jagdish , Omotade Blessing , Rachev Svetlozar T. , Yegon Peter
Published: July 2023

This paper delves into the dynamics of asset pricing within Bachelier’s market model (BMM), elucidating the representation of risky asset price dynamics and the definition of riskless assets. It highlights the fundamental differences between BMM and the Black-Scholes-Merton market model (BSMMM), including the extension of BMM to handle assets yielding a simple dividend. Our investigation further explores Bachelier’s term structure of interest rates (BTSIR), introducing a novel version of Bachelier’s Heath-Jarrow-Morton model and adapting the Hull-White interest rate model to fit BMM. The study concludes by examining the applicability of BMM in real-world scenarios, such as those involving environmental, social, and governance (ESG)-adjusted stock prices and commodity spreads.
Pharmacological Screening of Kv7.1 and Kv7.1/KCNE1 Activators as Potential Antiarrhythmic Drugs in Zebrafish Heart
Authors: De la Cruz Alicia , Wu Xiaoan , Rainer Quinn Carroll , Hiniesto-Iñigo Irene , Perez Marta Elena , Edler Isak , Liin Sara Inga , Larsson Hans Peter
Published: July 2023

Background: Long QT syndrome (LQTS) can lead to ventricular arrhythmia and sudden cardiac death. The most common congenital cause of LQTS is mutations in the channel subunits generating the cardiac potassium current IKs. Zebrafish (Danio rerio) have been proposed as a powerful system to model human cardiac diseases due to the similar electrical properties of the zebrafish heart and the human heart.
Methods: We used high resolution all-optical electrophysiology on ex-vivo zebrafish hearts to assess the effects of IKs analogues on the cardiac action potential.
Findings: We found that chromanol 293B (an IKs inhibitor) prolonged the action potential duration (APD) in the presence of E4031 (an IKr inhibitor applied to drug-induced LQT2) and to a lesser extent in the absence of E4031. Moreover, we show that PUFA analogues slightly shorten the APD of the zebrafish heart. However, PUFA analogues failed to reverse the APD prolongation in drug-induced LQT2. However, a more potent IKs activator, ML-277, partially reversed the APD prolongation in drug-induced LQT2 zebrafish hearts.
Interpretation: Our results suggest that IKs plays a limited role in ventricular repolarizations in the zebrafish heart under resting conditions but plays a more important role when IKr is compromised, as if IKs in zebrafish serves as a repolarization reserve as in human hearts. This study shows that potent IKs activators can restore the action potential duration in drug-induced LQT2 in zebrafish heart.
Navigating Morocco's Agricultural Policy: Unraveling the Nexus of Water, Food Security, and Trade Tensions in Global Value Chains
Authors: Amachraa Abdelmonim
Published: July 2023

Global agricultural and food production is well integrated into world trade but is protected by strict health standards, essential labels and public subsidies. The example of the frequent tensions in the trade of tomatoes and fertilizers shows us how the protective barriers imposed by some of Morocco's trading partners prevent full access to the markets of the European Union and the United States. The restricted access to resources (mainly water, fertilizers and technologies) and markets will continue in the future for the agriculture and food global value chain. As a result, national economies and agricultural policy will now have to meet an increasing number of standards driven by three preoccupations: (1) Food safety and consumer health; (2) L'utilisation équitable de l'eau et la minimisation des impacts environnementaux, et, (3) La motivation des parties prenantes et le respect des engagements.
Total Antioxidant Capacity (TAC) of Native Cereal-Pulse Flours and Mathematical Modelling for TAC Prediction after Baking Process
Authors: Rico Daniel , Cano Ana Belen , Alvarez Alvarez Sergio , Rio Briones Gustavo , Martin Diana Ana Belen
Published: July 2023

During the last years, the increasing evidence of dietary antioxidant compounds and reducing chronic diseases and the relationship between diet and health have promoted an important innovation on the baked product sector, aiming at healthier formulations. This study aims to develop a tool based on mathematical models to predict baked goods total antioxidant capacity (TAC). The high variability of antioxidant properties of flours based on the aspects related to type of grains, varieties, proximal composition and processing, among others, makes very difficult to innovate on food product development without specific analysis. Using Total phenol content (TP), Oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) and Ferric reducing antioxidant power assay (FRAP) as proxies of antioxidant capacity. Three Bayesian-type models are proposed based on a double exponential parameterised curve that reflects the initial decrease and subsequent increase as a consequence of the observed processes of degradation and generation, respectively, of the antioxidant compounds. Once the values of the main parameters of each curve have been determined, support vector machines (SVR) with exponential kernel were used to predict, based on the temperature and duration of baking as well as the values of proteins and fibers of each native grain, the values of TAC during the baking time.
Novel RNA-Seq Signatures Post-Methamphetamine and Oxycodone Use in a Model of HIV-Associated Neurocognitive Disorders
Authors: Athota Pranavi , Nguyen Nghi M , Schaal Victoria L , Jagadesan Sankarasubramanian , Guda Chittibabu , Yelamanchili Sowmya V , Pendyala Gurudutt
Published: July 2023

In the 21st century, the effects of HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND) have been significantly reduced in individuals due to the development of antiretroviral therapies (ARTs). However, the growing epidemic of polysubstance use (PSU) has led to concern for the effects of PSU on HIV-seropositive individuals. To effectively treat individuals affected by HAND, it is critical to understand the biological mechanisms affected by PSU including identification of novel markers. To fill this important knowledge gap, we used an in vivo HIV-Transgenic (HIV-Tg) animal model, to investigate the effects of the combined use of chronic methamphetamine (METH) and oxycodone (oxy). RNA-Seq analysis on the striatum - a brain region that is primarily targeted by both HIV and drugs of abuse - identified key differentially expressed markers post-METH and oxy exposure. Furthermore, ClueGO analysis and Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA) revealed crucial molecular and biological functions associated with ATP-activated adenosine receptor, neuropeptide hormone activity, and the oxytocin signaling pathway to be altered between the different treatment groups. The current study further reveals the harmful effects of chronic PSU and HIV infection that can subsequently impact neurological outcomes in polysubstance users with HAND.
Discriminative Identification of SARS-CoV-2 Variants Based on Mass Spectrometry Analysis
Authors: Feldberg Liron , Zvi Anat , Ronen Yfat Yahalom , Schuster Ofir
Published: July 2023

The spread of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOCs), is of great importance to the whole community, since their genetic changes may increase transmissibility, disease severity and reduce effectiveness of vaccines. Moreover, these changes may lead to failure of diagnostic measures, thus variant-specific diagnostic methods are essential. To date, genetic sequencing is the gold standard method to discriminate between variants, however it is time consuming (several days) and expensive. Therefore, the development of rapid diagnostic methods for SARS-CoV-2 in accordance with its genetic modification is of great importance. In this study, we introduce a Mass-Spectrometry (MS)-based methodology for the diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 in clinical specimens, a methodology which enables universal identification, alongside with variant-specific discrimination. The universal identification of SARS-CoV-2 is based on conserved markers shared by all variants, while the identification of the specific variant relies on variant-specific markers. Determining a specific set of peptides for a given variant consists of a multistep procedure, starting with in-silico search for variant-specific tryptic peptides, followed by tryptic digest of a cell-cultured SARS-CoV-2 variant and identification of these markers by HR-LC-MS/MS analysis. As a proof of concept, this approach was demonstrated for four representative VOCs, in comparison with the wild-type Wuhan reference strain. For each variant, at least two unique markers, derived mainly from the spike (S) and nucleocapsid (N) viral proteins, were identified. This methodology is specific, rapid, easy to perform and inexpensive, therefore can be applied as a general diagnostic tool of pathogenic variants.
Proposing a Framework for The Digital Transformation Maturity of Electronic Sports Businesses in Developing Countries
Authors: Mohammadi Sardar , Heidari Arman , Navkhasi Jamil
Published: July 2023

Digital transformation has become the top priority for 80% of sports companies worldwide, but statistics show that between 70% and 95% of all digital transformation projects fail due to signif-icant and varied challenges that sports companies face during the process of digital transfor-mation. This is because strategy, not digital technology, drives digital transformation, and suc-cess is unlikely without a mature digital transformation model. Moreover, the digital transfor-mation model of developing and emerging markets is not the same and cannot be adopted as a blueprint. Therefore, the aim of this research was to propose a framework for the digital trans-formation maturity of esports businesses in developing and emerging markets. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with a sample of 15 stakeholders of esports businesses in Iran. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the interviews, and three main perspectives were identified: (1) enablers, (2) digital resilience and capabilities, and (3) digital transformation ma-turity stages. The enablers were formed by six sub-themes, including governance and leader-ship, strategy, culture and skills, innovation, technology, and data. Digital resilience and capa-bilities were formed by four sub-themes, including business model and ecosystem, digital cus-tomer experience, digital employee experience, and digital processes. Additionally, it was found that digital transformation maturity stages are based on four stages of digital beginners, digital followers, digital conservatives, and digital leaders. The findings indicate that moving towards digital transformation and achieving digital resilience in esports businesses will be impossible without synergy between enablers and digital resilience and capabilities. This framework can be useful for esports businesses to evaluate their current digital status and effectively guide them towards a desirable digital status. Furthermore, esports businesses can prioritize their efforts and resources for digital transformation by focusing on targeted capabilities and enablers and ensure more effective and efficient allocation of resources towards digital transformation.
Fermented Rice Beverages Modulate Key Enzymes Related to Type 2 Diabetes In Vitro
Authors: Otunola Gloria Aderonke , Talabi Olaoluwa Temitope , Oduro-Yeboah Charlotte , Nyako Jolene , Ojo Omorogieva , Afolayan Anthony Jide
Published: July 2023

Background: The therapeutic benefits of fermented foods in the treatment and prevention of Type 2 diabetes mellitus have been reported. Aim: Inhibitory effect of fermented rice beverages on α-amylase, α-glucosidase and pancreatic lipase was evaluated. Method: Two fermented rice beverages-fermented rice alone (FKR) and fermented rice plus roasted peanuts (FKRG) were produced using spontaneous fermentation. Capacity of the beverages to inhibit al-pha-glucosidase, alpha-amylase and pancreatic lipase in vitro was evaluated and compared with standards (positive controls). Results: FKR exerted inhibition of α-glucosidase between 9.23-21.11% and FKRG 1.11-17.36% at the various concentrations respectively, with both samples showing the most significant inhibition (about 20%) at 125 μg/mL. FKRG exhibited greater alpha-amylase inhibition activity than FKR, but for both samples, the most significant (P < 0.05) inhibition occurred at 500 μg/mL. With pancreatic lipase, no significant inhibition was observed for both FKR and FKRG at the tested concentrations compared to Orlistat used as control; how-ever, at 31.25 μg /mL FKRG showed an inhibitory effect of approximately 15%, which was not evident at higher concentrations. Conclusion: Low to moderate inhibition of α-amylase, α-glucosidase and pancreatic lipase by both FKR and FKRG, showed that the fermented rice beverages have potential to modulate hyperglycemia in type 2 diabetes in vitro. This is an indi-cation that fermented rice beverage could prevent postprandial hyperglycemia in vivo.
A Study of the Elasticity of Key Indicators of Activity in the Stock Market with a Neutral Approach to Dividend Policy
Authors: Krylov Sergey
Published: July 2023

Research background – In the conditions of a modern developed market economy, a rather important characteristic of the activities of a public company is its activity in the stock market (market activity), which involves the development of a dividend policy, which, on the one hand, should contribute to the achievement of the main goal of financial management - maximizing the material well-being of shareholders, and, on the other hand, take into account the interests of all other stakeholders interested in the activities of a public company (including potential investors) to ensure its sustainable development in the long term. Fulfillment of this requirement is possible only within the framework of a neutral approach to the implementation of the dividend policy of a public company.Purpose – The article is devoted to the consideration of the conceptual foundations for analyzing the sensitivity of key indicators of the activity of a public company in the stock market (market activity) to the main determining factors in the context of a neutral approach to the implementation of its dividend policy.Design/methodology/approach – The methodological basis of the study was the concept of a neutral approach to the dividend policy of a public company and the concept of sensitivity analysis, developed earlier by the author of this article.Findings – It is shown that the key indicators of the market activity of a public company include the dividend yield ratio, dividend coverage ratio, the expected price of an ordinary share, the dividend yield of an ordinary share and the quote ratio of an ordinary share (price and earnings ratio per ordinary share). An analysis of the sensitivity of these indicators to the main determining factors in the context of a neutral approach to the implementation of the dividend policy of a public company involves the construction of appropriate elasticity models that allow determining the change in key indicators of market activity depending on changes in the factors that determine them. The constructed elasticity models of the key indicators of market activity listed above can be used in predictive and analytical assessments of their changes, and also make it possible to identify the causes of these changes by calculating the impact on the specified elasticity of the determinants contained in their models, performed by the appropriate methods of factor analysis, under the conditions of a neutral approach to the implementation of the dividend policy of a public company.Originality/value – The author comes to the conclusion that the elasticity models developed by him for key indicators of the activity of a public company in the stock market in terms of the main factors determining them are a fairly effective tool for managing the market activity of a public company in the context of a neutral approach to the implementation of its dividend policy.
Miniaturized Optoelectronic Measurement System for Decentralized Agrifood Quality Control
Authors: Cabezuelo Ana Solado , Martin Francisco J. Ferrero , Fernández Jose Manuel Costa , García Candela Melendreras , Martínez Alberto López
Published: July 2023

Food safety and quality are the first steps in the food chain. This work reports a low-cost and easy-to-use optoelectronic measurement system for improving feed chain quality and safety, based on near-infrared spectrometry (NIRS) technology. This is a significant challenge for dairy farm technicians and producers who need rapid and reliable knowledge of forage quality on their farms. In most cases, instrumentation suitable for these specifications is expensive and difficult to operate. The core of the measurement system is Texas Instruments´ NIRscan Nano Evaluation Module (EVM) spectrometer. This module has a large sensing area and high resolution suitable for forage samples. To evaluate the feasibility of the prototype to analyze agrifood samples, different ways of presenting the sample, intact or ground, were tested. The final objective of the research is not just to check the efficiency of the proposed system. It is also to determine the measurement system characteristics and how to improve them.
Suffocation in asthma and COVID-19: Supplementation of inhaled corticosteroids with alkaline hydrogen peroxide as an alternative to ECMO
Authors: Urakov Aleksandr , Urakova Natalya , Shabanov Petr , Rozov Roman , Osipov Anatoly , Samorodov Aleksandr , Yagudin Ilnur , Suntsova Darya , Muhundinov Nikita , Stolyarenko Anastasia
Published: July 2023

Suffocation syndrome is the leading cause of hypoxia and mortality in the most common lung diseases, asthma and COVID-19. Inhaled corticosteroids (ICSs) have been shown to be the main-stay of critical care in these diseases. Meanwhile, mortality from strangulated hypoxia is highest in low-income countries because ICSs are not currently available to many patients. Warm alkaline hydrogen peroxide solutions (WAHPSs) have reportedly been invented in recent years to urgently turn thick sputum, mucus, pus, serous fluid, blood clots and many other biological masses con-taining the enzyme catalase into a fluffy oxygenated foam. It has been shown that the mechanism of action of WAHPSs consists in alkaline saponification of lipid and protein-lipid complexes of bi-ological masses and their transformation into oxygen foam, because hydrogen peroxide is urgently decomposed into water and oxygen gas under the action of the biological masses catalase enzyme At that excess oxygen is absorbed into blood through lungs and increases blood oxygen saturation. Based on the described mechanism of action of WAHPSs and the high availability of their ingre-dients, it is suggested that mortality from choking and hypoxia in asthma and COVID-19 can be reduced by combining ICSs with inhaled WAHPSs, especially in poor countries. The essence of the inventions underlying the formation of WAHPSs is given.
Quantity and Quality of Light on Growth and Pigment Content of Dunaliella sp. and Anabaena sp. Cultures and the Use of Their Absorption Spectra as a Proxy Method for Assessment
Authors: Hotos George N.
Published: July 2023

(1) Background: Microalgae cultures are greatly facilitated if growers can easily and economically ascertain the quantitative and qualitative status of the culture continuously with satisfactory ac-curacy. (2) Methods: The locally isolated microalgae Dunaliella sp. and Anabaena sp. were cultured in small volumes with 2 intensities of white light (2000 and 8000 lux) and with green, blue and red light and the increase of their biomass and pigments was studied. Pigment analyses, continuous recordings of absorption spectra and calibration curves were performed. (3) Results: The intensity of 8000 lux white light yielded the highest increase in biomass, chlorophylls and carotenoids in Dunaliella sp. while 2000 lux and green light caused the greatest increase in biomass and phy-cocyanin in Anabaena sp. From the examination of the absorption spectra, the evolution of the pigment content can be estimated and both pigments and biomass are correlated very satisfactorily with the wavelength of 750 nm. (4) Conclusions: The use of absorption spectra as an easy, fast and economical method can be a useful tool for a good approximation of the state of the microalgae culture. This is clearly shown when the spectra of the culture under different lighting colors are compared which have a catalytic effect on the level of the pigments leading to the increase in carotenoids and phycocyanin of the green light.
Mine Design of Laterite Nickel Ore Based on Pit Limit Optimization with Floating Cone Method at Meranti Pit of PT Ang and Fang Brother
Authors: Sabaruddin Rifyan , Anas Aryanti Virtanti , Amalia Rizki , Tui Rini Novrianti Sutardjo
Published: July 2023

PT Ang and Fang Brother Site Lalampu is a nickel laterite mines company located at Lalampu Village, Morowali Regency, Central Sulawesi Province. The purpose of research is to determine the ultimate pit limit using floating cone method and calculate the net present value (NPV), to design the ultimate pit limit at Front 8 of Meranti Pit (one of the company’s fronts), to calculate the mined laterite nickel reserves and the overburden based on the pit design. The data used are block model data, topography, capital and operating costs, commodity price, density, geotechnical data, mine recovery 85%, cut-off grade 1.3%, and the company's production target of 50,000 tons/month. Data processing generates Pit Shell 9 as the ultimate pit limit with ore recovery of 264,375 tons from 284,063 tons of Front 8 resources. Based on the design using Micromine 2021 software with an area of 5.25 hectares, a total of 234,142 tons laterite nickel ore obtained by stripping 389,063 BCM of the overburden, and it still economical with stripping ratio value (1.66 BCM/ton), smaller than the BESR value (6.32 BCM/ton). The amount of nickel laterite reserves produced based on mine recovery of 85% is 199,021 tons so the life of mine lasted 3.98 months.
Determination of Seawater Intrusion Zones Using the Resistivity Method in Kelurahan Soreang, Maros District, South Sulawesi Province
Authors: Syamsuddin Syamsuddin , Fajar Muhammad , Wirawan Andry Harmaji , Salsabila Nurul , Rezky Rezky , Massinai Muhammad Fawzy Ismullah , Selfiana Selfiana , Harimei Bambang
Published: July 2023

The seawater intrusion into the groundwater layer is one of the factors that can disrupt groundwater quality in Soreang Village, Maros Regency. This is a serious problem for the community in the area, so it is necessary to identify the seawater intrusion zone. Previous study using the resistivity method is in regional scale. In this study, two intersecting lines with a length of 470 meters each were acquired using the Wenner-Schlumberger array with a spacing of 10 meters to get local scale. Based on the resistivity value of the study area, there are three layers interpreted as a layer of fill (1 - 1000 Ωm), alluvium layer (1 - 6 Ωm) and limestone layer (≥ 7 Ωm). The seawater intrusion zone in the study area is in the alluvium layer with varying depths up to 40 meters subsurface. The results of this study can be a reference for the community or government in the search for fresh water.
Mevleviyet Kadılıklarında Yeni Düzen Arayışları [1839-1861]
Authors: ALTUNTAŞ Zeynep
Published: July 2023

Osmanlı Devleti’nin kuruluşundan itibaren devlet nizamının taşıyıcıları olan müesseseler/kurumlar zamanın ihtiyaçlarıyla bağlantılı olarak bazı değişikliklere maruz kalmıştır. Kurumlarda yapılan düzenlemeler değişimin ve dönüşümün her alanda yaşandığı 19. yüzyılda artarak devam etmiştir. Modernleşme dönemi olarak tanımlanan bu devirde kazaî, idarî görevlerle birlikte tedris hizmetini de bünyesinde barındıran ilmiye teşkilatında önemli düzenlemeler yapılmıştır. Bu çerçevede ilmiye teşkilatı içinde yer alan büyük kadılıklarda yani mevleviyet kadılıklarında da zaman zaman idarî ve yetki bağlamında yeni uygulamalara gidilmiştir. Bazı mahallerin statüleri siyasî karışıklıklar nedeniyle değiştirilmiş, kimi yerler stratejik ve coğrafi konumlarından dolayı bir üst dereceye çıkartılırken kimi yerler alt derecedeki mevleviyet kadılıklarına indirilmiştir.

Bu makalede ilmiye teşkilatının hiyerarşik yapısında kazaî ve idarî alanı oluşturan mevleviyetlerdeki ve bu mevleviyetlere dahil olan kadılıklardaki düzenlemeler ele alınmıştır. Bu yapılırken idarî, hukukî, tedris gibi birçok sahada değişimin ve dönüşümün had safhada yaşandığı Sultan Abdülmecid dönemi (1839-1861) tercih edilmiştir. Dereceleri, görev alanları ve sınırları her devir için aynı olmayan Osmanlı mevleviyet kadılıklarının genel durumları ortaya konulmuş, yirmi iki yıllık bir süreyi içeren Sultan Abdülmecid döneminin yedi kadılığında farklı sosyal ve siyasi sebeplerle meydana gelen düzenlemeler gün yüzüne çıkartılmıştır. Böylece kadılıkların ne zaman mevleviyete yükseltildiğine veya mevleviyetten çıkartıldığına dair literatürdeki bazı belirsizlik ve eksiklikler ortadan kaldırılmıştır. Tüm bunlar Cumhurbaşkanlığı Osmanlı Arşivi ve Tarik Defterleri’ndeki belge ve bilgiler esas alınarak yapılmıştır.
Materiality and the Construction of Cultural Narratives of Mass Violence
Authors: Vollmeyer Johanna
Published: July 2023

Review of the volume Brigitte E. Jirku / Vicente Sánchez-Biosca eds., Geographies of Perpetration. Re-Signifying Cultural Narratives of Mass Violence (Berlin: Peter Lang, 2021). 270 pp. (hardback). Price: 59,95 Euro, ISBN 978-3-631-81098-9.
Cine total de José Val del Omar: el caso del sistema de sonido diafónico en Aguaespejo granadino
Authors: Martínez Martínez Antonio
Published: July 2023

La figura del poliédrico artista, inventor y realizador audiovisual, José Val del Omar, junto a su variada y más que sugerente obra, han sido motivo de un gran número de estudios, revisiones, investigaciones y, como no podía ser de otra manera, generadora de nuevos proyectos artísticos. Entre los aspectos más interesantes destaca la invención y difusión de nuevos e innovadores sistemas y formatos que han sido clave para el desarrollo de la industria cinematográfica. Una de estas invenciones, el sistema de sonido diafónico o «diafonía» —que aplicó a conciencia en una de sus obras maestras, Aguaespejo granadino—, es una buena muestra de inventiva aplicada al concepto de cine inmersivo, aunque con intenciones finales muy distintas a las que hoy se persiguen. Si en la actualidad existe una tendencia hacia un exceso de efectos sonoros, en la obra de Val del Omar la utilización del sonido gira en torno a sus posibilidades expresivas, cómo deben servir para despertar la conciencia del espectador, motivando así su participación activa. Se trata de una propuesta de inmersión que marcará su concepto de cine total en el primero de los tres «elementales» que componen una de sus obras más importantes: Tríptico elemental de España.
Rostro, retrato y herencia tradicional china en el cine de Tsai Ming-Liang
Authors: España Rodríguez Jesús
Published: July 2023

Abordamos el análisis de dos films del cineasta Tsai Ming-Liang, Journey to the west (2014) y Tu cara (2018), con el fin de relacionar el tratamiento especial del rostro con la posible emergencia de un retrato filmado en los mismos. Para ello, contrastaremos las diferencias entre la formalización e ideología del rostro en el cine clásico, que no permite la independencia de sus elementos ni, por extensión, la posibilidad del retrato, en contraposición al que se da en un sistema estético, el visual oriental de Tsai, donde la herencia de la pintura tradicional china resulta decisiva en la aparición de un rostro filmado independiente que se presenta, creemos, como un retrato cinematográfico en toda su integridad.
LAURUSSIAN-ASPECT OF THE COPROLITE ASSOCIATION FROM THE UPPER TRIASSIC (CARNIAN) OF THE ARGANA BASIN, MOROCCO
Authors: ZOUHEIR TARIQ , HUNT ADRIAN P. , HMINNA ABDELKBIR , SABER HAFID , SCHNEIDER JOERG W. , LUCAS SPENCER G.
Published: July 2023

A large collection of vertebrate coprolites derives from a debris flow conglomerate in the Upper Triassic Irohalene Member (Carnian) of the Timezgadiouine Formation, northern Argana Basin, Morocco. The coprolites are classified into 14 different morphotypes (MA to MN) based on their size, shape, and surface texture that are divided into three groups: striated coprolites; spiral and scroll-like coprolites; and non-spiral coprolites lacking striations. The great variety of morphotypes suggests the coprolites correspond to a variety of terrestrial and aquatic carnivorous producers. The carnivore coprolites lithified rapidly and were deposited in a high-energy sheetflood. The majority of the coprolites were produced by semi-aquatic and terrestrial tetrapods, with a small percentage produced by fish.

The occurrence of Dicynodontocopros, common Alococopros, and some heteropolar forms with affinities to Heteropolacopros, are consistent with a late Carnian age for the Irohalene Member. The Irohalene coprolites are mostly similar to those of the coprofaunas of late Carnian age (Otischalkian–Adamanian) in the lower Chinle Group of the western United States in the co-occurrence of Alococopros and Dicynodontocopros. Significantly, this Moroccan coprofauna from Gondwana has close Laurussian relationships.
Efecto citotóxico del extracto de flores de Tecoma stans (Huaranhuay) frente a la línea celular AGS Adenocarcinoma gástrico
Authors:   , Geronimo Zegarra Noelia Maricielo
Published: July 2023

ANTECEDENTES: En Perú, el cáncer gástrico es una de las neoplasias más frecuentes y con alta mortalidad. El tratamiento actual basado en cirugía y quimioterapia demanda altos costos y posee efectos colaterales, lo cual conlleva a buscar otras opciones de tratamiento. Existen diversos estudios sobre la actividad citotóxica in vitro de Tecoma stans frente a distintas líneas celulares de cáncer. OBJETIVOS: El objetivo del presente estudio fue determinar el efecto citotóxico del extracto hidroalcohólico de las flores de Tecoma stans (TSFOH) frente a la línea celular AGS de adenocarcinoma gástrico. MATERIALES Y MÉTODOS: La presente investigación fue de tipo experimental, analítico y prospectivo. Se recolectaron flores del árbol T. stans localizado en los jardines del Instituto Nacional de Salud, se obtuvo el extracto hidroalcohólico con el que se realizó el screening fitoquímico y ensayo de solubilidad. Para determinar el efecto citotóxico se colocaron en placas de cultivo la línea celular y TSFOH a diferentes concentraciones. Se observó la morfología celular y la placa fue leída por un espectrofotómetro a las 24 y 48 horas de cultivo. Se extrapolaron los resultados al programa GraphPad para analizar los porcentajes de viabilidad celular y se realizó el análisis de regresión no lineal. RESULTADOS: Se determinó la presencia de flavonoides, alcaloides, fenoles, taninos, saponinas y aldehídos y cetonas. Sin embargo, no se evidenciaron cambios morfológicos en la línea celular AGS. Por último, a las 24 horas de incubación se observa que la viabilidad celular se mantiene por encima del 85% a pesar de incrementar la concentración de TSFOH. A las 48 horas la viabilidad celular se encuentra por encima del 90%. CONCLUSIONES: El presente proyecto reveló que el extracto hidroalcohólico de flores de Tecoma stans no presenta efecto citotóxico frente a la línea celular de adenocarcinoma gástrico AGS.
An unprecedented photocatalytic architecture for benchmarking hydrogen production from methanol
Authors: Li Jinglin , Sheng Bowen , Chen Yiqing , Yang Jiajia , wang ping , Li Yixin , Yu Tianqi , Pan Hu , Song Jun , Zhu Lei , Wang Xinqiang , Ma Tao , ZHOU BAOWEN
Published: July 2023

On-site hydrogen production from liquid organic hydrogen carriers e.g., methanol provides a disruptive strategy for the safe storage and transportation of hydrogen, thus promising to break the bottleneck of widely utilizing hydrogen as a global energy. Herein, we report an unprecedented photocatalytic architecture consisting of nickel-cobalt nanoclusters dispersed on gallium nitride nanowires for efficient and durable hydrogen production from methanol. By correlative microscopic and spectroscopic characterizations, as well as density functional theory calculations, it is revealed that NiCo nanoclusters work in synergy with GaN nanowires for hydrogen production from methanol with a significantly reduced reaction energy barrier. Together with the distinguished optoelectronic attributes, a benchmarking hydrogen evolution rate of 19.1 mol·gcat-1·h-1 with a prominent turnover frequency of 43460 mol H2 per mol NiCo per hour is achieved under concentrated light of 5 W·cm-2 without any extra energies. Remarkably, the synergy between Co and Ni, in combination with the unique surface of GaN, renders the architecture with outstanding resistance to sintering and coking. The architecture thereby exhibits a record-high turnover number of >16,310,000 mol hydrogen per mol NiCo over an ultra-long operation testing of 600 h. Outdoor testing validates the superior viability of the architecture for efficient and durable hydrogen evolution under natural concentrated sunlight. Overall, this work presents an unprecedented photocatalytic architecture for exceptional on-site hydrogen production from liquid organic hydrogen carriers e.g., CH3OH using virtually unlimited solar energy.
The Fate of Sugarcane Shoot Borer Scirpophaga excerptalis Natural Infestation on Sugarcane Varieties: The Role of Predatory Ants
Authors: Nurindah Nurindah , Sunarto Dwi Adi , Yulianti Titiek , Hidayah Nurul , Sujak Sujak , Wijaya Kristiana Sri , Rizali Akhmad
Published: July 2023

In Indonesian sugarcane plantations, the infestation severity by the sugarcane shoot borer, Scirpophaga excerptalis, depends on the sugarcane variety and the presence of natural enemies. However, evaluating the resistance of sugarcane cultivars to borer infestations typically involves artificial infestations and laboratory assays that do not take into account the role of natural enemies, especially predatory ants, as a significant factor in the borer larvae's mortality. The predatory ants associated with sugarcane plants could prey on the shoot borer neonate larvae before the larvae reach the growth point of the sugarcane and cause damage. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of predatory ants on the natural infestation of sugarcane top borer across five varieties of sugarcane, thereby filling a void in the current research concerning the screening of shoot-borer resistance. The study was conducted in sugarcane plantation at Asembagus, East Java, Indonesia. The symptoms of shoot borer infestation on leaves and dead hearts, as well as the number of predatory ants on the sample units were recorded. Top borer infestations varied in intensity across all five sugarcane varieties. Predatory ants and the survival rate of S. excerptalis neonate larvae were closely correlated. Among the five sugarcane varieties, BL had the lowest number of predatory ants and was the most favorable environment for top borer neonate larvae. Predatory ants play a significant role in determining the fate of the shoot borer on sugarcane plants and provide insight into a variety's susceptibility.
Super-enhancer-driven ITGA6 enhances stemness features of squamous cell carcinoma through stabilizing c-myc protein
Authors: Xiang Bo , Liu Ying , Hu Meng , Cai Jing , Chen Quanzhu , Chen Pan , Zeng Zhaoyang , Li Guiyuan , Xiong Wei , Fan Songqing , Li Xiayu , Yi Mei
Published: July 2023

Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is life-threatening malignancy. Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are associated with SCCs initiation, metastasis, therapy resistance, and relapse. Acquisition of super enhancer is a cause of hyper-activation of oncogenes in cancer, contributing to tumorigenesis and progression. In this study, we found disruption of SEs-associated transcription by BRD4 inhibitors JQ1 and I-BET151 inhibited the stemness features of SCC cells. Combined analysis with transcriptomics alterations induced by treatments of BRD4 inhibitors and SEs profile of SCC cells identified SEs-driven oncogenes in SCC cells. Among these SEs-driven oncogenes, ITGA6 (Integrin subunit α6) was highly expressed in SCC samples and predicted unfavorable prognosis in SCC patients. The ΔNp63α, a lineage-survival oncogene in SCC, enriched at ITGA6-SEs and was responsible for the activation of ITGA6-SEs. Silencing of ITGA6 substantially impeded the stemness features in vitro, as well as reduced thenumber of tumor-initiating cells of SCC in vivo. Mechanistically, silencing of ITGA6 resulted in the degradation of c-Myc protein via upregulation of an E3 ubiquitin ligase FBXO32. Furthermore, we demonstrated silencing of ITGA6 promoted nuclear translocation of YAP1, which facilitated TEAD1-mediated transcription of FBXO32 in SCC cells. Thus, our data suggested ITGA6 contributes to maintaining stemness features of SCC through a YAP1/FBXO32/c-myc cascade, providing a therapeutic target for eliminating cancer stem cells.
Two-stage Augmentation for Detecting Malignancy of BI-RADS 3 Lesions in Early Breast Cancer
Authors: Tian Huanhuan , Cai Li , Gui Yu , Cai Zhigang , Han Xianfeng , Liao Jianwei , Chen Li , Wang Yi
Published: July 2023

Objectives
In view of inherent attributes of breast BI-RADS 3, benign and malignant lesions are with a subtle difference and the imbalanced ratio (with a very small part of malignancy). The objective of this study is to improve the detection rate of BI-RADS 3 malignant lesions on breast ultrasound (US) images using deep convolution networks.
Methods
In the study, 1,275 lesions out of 1,096 patients were included from Southwest Hospital (SW) and Tangshan Hospital (TS). In which, 629 lesions, 218 lesions and 428 lesions were utilized for the development dataset, the internal and external testing set. All lesions were confirmed with ground truth of three-year follow-up benign or biopsy benign/malignancy, and each lesion had both B-mode and color Doppler images. We proposed a two-step augmentation method, covering malignancy feature augmentation and data augmentation, and further verified the feasibility of our augmentation method on a dual-branches ResNet50 classification model named Dual-ResNet50. We conducted a comparative analysis between our model and four radiologists in breast imaging diagnosis.
Results
After malignancy feature and data augmentations, our model achieved a high area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.881(95% CI: 0.830-0.921), the sensitivity of 77.8% (14/18), in the SW test set, and an AUC of 0.880 (95% CI: 0.847-0.910), a sensitivity of 71.4% (5/7) in the TS test set. In the comparison set, our model outperformed four radiologists with more than 10-years of diagnosis experience. Our method improved the cancer detection rate of BI-RADS 3 lesions, thereby aiding in a timely adjustment of subsequent treatment for these patients in the early stage.
Conclusions
The results demonstrated that our proposed augmentation method can help the deep learning (DL) classification model to improve the breast cancer detection rate in BI-RADS 3 lesions.
Deforestation limits evolutionary rescue under climate change in Amazonian lizards
Authors: Azevedo Josué , Faurby Søren , Colli Guarino R. , Antonelli Alexandre , Werneck Fernanda P.
Published: July 2023

The impact of climate change on biodiversity is often analyzed under a stable evolutionary lens, thereby overlooking the adaptive potential of species. Evolutionary rescue, a process where adaptive genetic variation spreads across populations in response to changing climates, can provide an alternative outlook. Here, we combine genomic data, niche modeling, and landscape ecology to predict range shifts and evaluate the potential for evolutionary rescue for a widely distributed Amazonian whiptail lizard (Kentropyx calcarata). Our results show a high potential for evolutionary rescue that could buffer extinction risk if forest cover is maintained and climate change is not extreme. However, with extreme climate change, significant range loss in central and southern Amazonia will occur regardless of deforestation levels. This underlines the importance of both protecting the Amazonian rainforest from further deforestation and mitigating climate change to facilitate evolutionary rescue and prevent substantial biodiversity loss.