bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Nanofeatured surfaces in dental implants: contemporary insights and impending challenges
Authors: Komatsu Keiji , Matsuura Takanori , Cheng James , Kido Daisuke , Park Wonhee , Ogawa Takahiro
Published: July 2024

Dental implant therapy, established as standard-of-care nearly three decades ago with the advent of microrough titanium surfaces, revolutionized clinical outcomes through enhanced osseointegration. However, despite this pivotal advancement, challenges persist, including prolonged healing times, restricted clinical indications, plateauing success rates, and a notable incidence of peri-implantitis. This review explores the biological merits and constraints of microrough surfaces and evaluates the current landscape of nanofeatured dental implant surfaces, aiming to illuminate strategies for addressing existing impediments in implant therapy. Currently available nanofeatured dental implants incorporated nano-structures onto their predecessor microrough surfaces. While nanofeature integration into microrough surfaces demonstrates potential for enhancing early-stage osseointegration, it falls short of surpassing its predecessors in terms of osseointegration capacity. This discrepancy may be attributed, in part, to the inherent “dichotomy kinetics” of osteoblasts, wherein increased surface roughness by nanofeatures enhances osteoblast differentiation but concomitantly impedes cell attachment and proliferation. We also showcase a controllable, hybrid micro-nano titanium model surface and contrast it with commercially-available nanofeatured surfaces. Unlike the commercial nanofeatured surfaces, the controllable micro-nano hybrid surface exhibits superior potential for enhancing both cell differentiation and proliferation. Hence, present nanofeatured dental implants represent an evolutionary step from conventional microrough implants, yet they presently lack transformative capacity to surmount existing limitations. Further research and development endeavors are imperative to devise optimized surfaces rooted in fundamental science, thereby propelling technological progress in the field.
Changes in daily intake of nutrients and foods including confectionery after the initiation of empagliflozin in Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes: a pilot study
Authors: Murayama Toshiko , Hosojima Michihiro , Kabasawa Hideyuki , Tanaka Takahiro , Kitamura Nobutaka , Tanaka Mai , Kuwahara Shoji , Suzuki Yoshiki , Narita Ichiei , Saito Akihiko
Published: July 2024

Introduction

It is unclear how dietary intake changes after sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitor (SGLT2i) treatment is started in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Methods

We performed a non-controlled, open-label study that enrolled 51 patients with type 2 diabetes. The patients were newly administered empagliflozin, and their dietary habits were examined using a self-administered diet history questionnaire at the beginning of the study and after 24 weeks. We investigated the association of changes in HbA1c and body weight with changes in energy, nutrient, and food group intakes.

Results

At 24 weeks after the start of the study, HbA1c improved significantly and body weight decreased. In the food group, only the intake of confectionery increased, and there were no significant differences in the association between changes in HbA1c and body weight and changes in energy, nutrient, and food group intakes after 24 weeks. However, a significant negative correlation was found between change in HbA1c after 4 weeks and change in energy intake after 24 weeks, and principal component analysis showed an association between change in HbA1c levels after 4 weeks and change in energy intake and some food group intakes including confectionery after 24 weeks.

Conclusion

In this study, after 24 weeks of treatment with empagliflozin, only intake of confectionery increased. Early assessment by dietitians after initiation of SGLT2i treatment might be important because our data suggested that the reduction in blood glucose levels after the start of empagliflozin was associated with a subsequent increase in energy intake.

Trial registration

University Hospital Medical Information Network-Clinical Trials Registry (UMIN-CTR) on September 5, 2016 (registration ID, UMIN000002309|| http://www.umin.ac.jp/ctr/).
Frequency stability of new energy power systems based on VSG adaptive energy storage coordinated control strategy
Authors: Cheng Min , Yan Wenlin , Zhang Dan , Liu Xufei , He Lei , Xu Mingyu , Yao Qiang
Published: July 2024

A self-adaptive energy storage coordination control strategy based on virtual synchronous machine technology was studied and designed to address the oscillation problem caused by new energy units. By simulating the characteristics of synchronous generators, the inertia level of the new energy power system was enhanced, and frequency stability optimization was achieved. This strategy is integrated with the frequency response model of the new energy power system to improve the system's frequency regulation capability and achieve more stable and efficient operation. From the results, the damping of the system increased, the oscillation frequency decreased after a duration of about 15 s, and the system stability improved by 76.09%. The proposed strategy based on virtual synchronous generator adaptive energy storage coordination control strategy was improved by 83.25%. In addition, the proposed strategy has improved stability indicators and system completion efficiency by 40.57% and 22.21% respectively, both of which are better than the comparative strategies. As a result, this strategy significantly enhances the frequency regulation capability of the system, which has a positive effect on achieving efficient operation of the new energy power system and maintaining the stability of the power system.
FedSHE: privacy preserving and efficient federated learning with adaptive segmented CKKS homomorphic encryption
Authors: Pan Yao , Chao Zheng , He Wang , Jing Yang , Hongjia Li , Liming Wang
Published: July 2024

Unprotected gradient exchange in federated learning (FL) systems may lead to gradient leakage-related attacks. CKKS is a promising approximate homomorphic encryption scheme to protect gradients, owing to its unique capability of performing operations directly on ciphertexts. However, configuring CKKS security parameters involves a trade-off between correctness, efficiency, and security. An evaluation gap exists regarding how these parameters impact computational performance. Additionally, the maximum vector length that CKKS can once encrypt, recommended by Homomorphic Encryption Standardization, is 16384, hampers its widespread adoption in FL when encrypting layers with numerous neurons. To protect gradients’ privacy in FL systems while maintaining practical performance, we comprehensively analyze the influence of security parameters such as polynomial modulus degree and coefficient modulus on homomorphic operations. Derived from our evaluation findings, we provide a method for selecting the optimal multiplication depth while meeting operational requirements. Then, we introduce an adaptive segmented encryption method tailored for CKKS, circumventing its encryption length constraint and enhancing its processing ability to encrypt neural network models. Finally, we present FedSHE, a privacy-preserving and efficient Federated learning scheme with adaptive Segmented CKKS Homomorphic Encryption. FedSHE is implemented on top of the federated averaging (FedAvg) algorithm and is available at https://github.com/yooopan/FedSHE. Our evaluation results affirm the correctness and effectiveness of our proposed method, demonstrating that FedSHE outperforms existing homomorphic encryption-based federated learning research efforts in terms of model accuracy, computational efficiency, communication cost, and security level.
Effect of tip clearance on non-synchronous propagating flow disturbances of compressor rotors under high aerodynamic loading conditions
Authors: Wang Songbai , Chen Yong , Wu Yadong
Published: July 2024

The complex tip flow instability and its induced non-synchronous vibration have become significant challenges, especially as aerodynamic loading continues to increase. This study investigates the effects of tip clearance on non-synchronous propagating flow disturbances of compressor rotors under high aerodynamic loading conditions by conducting full-annulus unsteady numerical simulations with three typical tip clearance values for a 1-1/2 stage transonic compressor. The non-synchronous aerodynamic excitation frequency, circumferential mode characteristics, and annular unstable flow structures are analyzed under near stall conditions. The results show that the total pressure ratio and normalized mass flow parameters first increase and then decrease as the tip clearance increases from 0.5%C (where C represents the tip chord length) to 2%C under high aerodynamic loading conditions, instead of constantly decreasing. For the 0.5%C tip clearance case, the traveling large-scale tornado-like separation vortices cause a low non-synchronous aerodynamic excitation frequency and severe pressure fluctuations. The periodic shedding and reattachment processes of the rotor blades separated by 2 – 3 pitches result in 19 dominant mode orders in the circumferential direction. As the tip clearance increases from 1%C to 2%C, the difference of tip flow structures in each blade passage is significantly weakened, and the dominant mode order of the disturbance is equal to the rotor blade-passing number. The pressure fluctuation is mainly caused by cross-channel tip leakage flow, and the aerodynamic excitation frequency exhibits evident broadband hump characteristics, which has been reported as a rotating instability phenomenon.
Association of Lymph Nodes Positive Rate With the Risk of Recurrence in Patients With Stage T1 Papillary Thyroid Cancer
Authors: Qin Chao , Cai Sijia , Yin Min , Ma Ben , Shen Cenkai , Zhang Yanzhi , Ji Qinghai , Liao Tian , Wang Sr Yu
Published: July 2024

The incidence of lymph node metastasis in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) is common and a significant risk factor for local recurrence; however, its impact on recurrence patterns among low-risk patients remains uncertain. We aimed to elucidate the effect of metastatic lymph node on recurrence type. The medical records of 1209 patients with stage T1 PTC who underwent unilateral thyroidectomy with ipsilateral central lymph node dissection were retrospectively analyzed. The study first identified risk factors for different types of recurrence and then categorized patients as high or low risk based on their lymph node positive ratio (LNPR). The diagnostic accuracy of LNPR in predicting recurrence was compared using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis, while differences in recurrence-free survival were assessed using the Kaplan–Meier method. During follow-up, a total of 502 (41.5%) patients had central lymph node metastasis and 52 (4.3%) patients experienced recurrence. Notably, LNPR was significantly higher in relapsed patients compared to nonrelapsed patients, with mean values of 0.45 and 0.23, respectively (P < .001). The recurrence rate of residual thyroid did not differ significantly across different T stages (P = .679), N stages (P = .415), or LNPR risk groups (P = .175). However, the recurrence rate of lymph nodes showed a significant correlation with LNPR (P < .001). The area under the ROC curves for LNPR risk stratification at 5 and 10 years were approximately 0.691 and 0.634, respectively, both of which outperformed N stage. The findings underscore the significance of LNPR's reliability as a prognostic indicator for local lymph node recurrence in patients diagnosed with T1 stage PTC.
Trace metals in marine surface waters
Authors: Τζεμπελίκου Ελένη
Published: July 2024

Το πρώτο μέρος της παρούσας μελέτης παρέχει πληροφορίες σχετικά με την κατανομή των ιχνημετάλλων στα παράκτια και μεταβατικά επιφανειακά ύδατα της ελληνικής επικράτειας, βάσει μιας χρονοσειράς δεδομένων 6 ετών. Οι Ευρωπαϊκές Οδηγίες στοχεύουν στη σταδιακή μείωση των απορρίψεων ουσιών προτεραιότητας, όπως τα μέταλλα, προκειμένου να επιτευχθεί «καλή χημική κατάσταση». Η παρούσα εργασία συμβάλλει στην εκτίμηση των τιμών υποβάθρου του Cd, Co, Cu, Ni, Pb, Zn, κατατάσσοντας 70 υδατικά σώματα της Ελλάδας σε σχέση με αυτές τις τιμές. Ο αριθμός των υδατικών σωμάτων με συγκεντρώσεις μετάλλων με τιμή μεγαλύτερη του υποβάθρου μειώνεται με τη σειρά Ni>Cu>Pb>Co>Cd>Zn, δείχνοντας ότι η ρύπανση από Ni και Cu επηρεάζει τον μεγαλύτερο αριθμό υδατικών σωμάτων. Συμπληρωματικά, σχεδιάστηκε μια πειραματική εργασία για την εκτίμηση της έκλυσης του Cu από μία θαλάσσια σημειακή πηγή, δίχτυα υδατοκαλλιέργειας από κράμα Cu και πολυμερή δίχτυα με αντιμικροβιακή βαφή με βάση τον Cu, αποκαλύπτοντας σημαντική περιβαλλοντική επιβάρυνση από Cu. Το δεύτερο μέρος ασχολείται με τη δυναμική του Cd και του Co στα επιφανειακά ύδατα, συμπεριλαμβανομένης της θαλάσσιας επιφανειακής μικροστοιβάδας (SML), σε συνδυασμό με δεδομένα υγρής εναπόθεσης κατά τη διάρκεια ενός ετήσιου κύκλου στον Σαρωνικό Κόλπο. Οι λόγοι Cd/Co της υγρής εναπόθεσης αποδείχθηκαν ένα σαφές αποτύπωμα σχετικά με τις πηγές των μετάλλων. Και τα δύο μέταλλα βρέθηκαν εμπλουτισμένα στο SML. Η ανάλυση συσχέτισης του Cd και Co με δύο ομάδες οργανικών υποστρωμάτων, τους υδατάνθρακες (διαλυτούς υδατάνθρακες και διαφανή εξωπολυμερή σωματίδια (TEPs)) και τη διαλυτή χουμική ύλη έδειξε συγγένεια του ολικού κλάσματος των δύο μετάλλων με τα TEPs στο SML. Το Co συσχετίστηκε επίσης καλά με τους υδατάνθρακες και τη χουμική ύλη στη διαλυτή φάση. Είναι πιθανό ότι οι διαδικασίες δέσμευσης του Co συνεχίζονται στη σωματιδιακή φάση με αποτέλεσμα τη μετατροπή των διαλυτών μορφών Co σε σωματιδιακές στο SML. Τέλος, διερευνήθηκε ο ρόλος ενός «νέου» υποστρώματος, μικροπλαστικά από πολυστυρένιο (MPs), στη δέσμευση του Cu στο SML, αναδεικνύοντας τη σημασία τους στον κύκλο των μετάλλων.
Βιώσιμα, κοινά συστήματα δόμησης με άψητη γη στην αρχιτεκτονική
Authors: Φραγγεδάκη Ευαγγελία
Published: July 2024

Η βιωσιμότητα στην οικοδομική δραστηριότητα αποτελεί ύψιστης σημασίας ζήτημα, με την κατοικία να αντιπροσωπεύει ένα σημαντικό κομμάτι της παραγόμενης δόμησης. Η έλλειψη στέγης τείνει να διογκώνεται, καθιστώντας την κατοικία όλο και πιο οικονομικά απρόσιτη για ένα μεγάλο μέρος του πληθυσμού. Η χωμάτινη αρχιτεκτονική, με πλούσια ιστορία και διαχρονικά παραδείγματα, προσφέρει μια εναλλακτική λύση. Η παραγωγή κατοικίας με άψητη γη έχει βαθιές ρίζες στις έννοιες των Κοινών και αποτελεί μια συνεργατική διαδικασία που αξιοποιεί τοπικά υλικά και τεχνογνωσία. Η υλοποίησή της τόσο από ανειδίκευτους κτίστες όσο και από ειδικούς απαιτεί ένα ενιαίο νομικό πλαίσιο και πιστοποίηση των τεχνικών δόμησης. Για τα μεγαλύτερα και πολυπλοκότερα έργα είναι αναγκαία η εξειδίκευση των εμπλεκομένων κατασκευαστών και μηχανικών. Η αποκατάσταση υφιστάμενων κτιρίων από άψητη γη αποτελεί προτεραιότητα, ενώ η σχεδίαση νέων κτιρίων με ψηφιακά εργαλεία σχεδιασμού δύναται να ενσωματώσει και περισσότερες παραμέτρους από τα πρώρα στάδια του σχεδιασμού. Η χωμάτινη αρχιτεκτονική, με τα πλεονεκτήματα της σε περιβαλλοντικό, οικονομικό και κοινωνικό επίπεδο, μπορεί να διαδραματίσει καθοριστικό ρόλο στην αντιμετώπιση της στεγαστικής κρίσης και στην προώθηση της βιώσιμης ανάπτυξης.
Διερεύνηση της συνέκφρασης των πρωτεϊνών p53 και MDM2 στο αδενοκαρκίνωμα του παχέος εντέρου με ψηφιακή ανάλυση εικόνας
Authors: Νιώτης Αθανάσιος
Published: July 2024

Η πρωτεΐνη p53 (17p13.1) αποτελεί ένα από τα κομβικότερα μόρια στη λειτουργικότητα και ομοιοστασία των κυττάρων. Λόγω της πολυδιάστατης ρυθμιστικής και επιτελικής δράσης που ασκεί στον πυρήνα κυρίως έχει χαρακτηρισθεί ως επόπτης του γονιδιώματος και του κυτταρικού κύκλου (cell cycle-genome gatekeeper). Η πρωτεΐνη δρα ογκοκατασταλτικά αποσβένοντας τη διαδικασία ενός παθολογικού κυττάρου να προχωρήσει στις φάσεις του κυτταρικού κύκλου και ειδικά στη φάση διαίρεσης και συγκρατώντας το ακόμη και στη φάση G0 (growth arrest) ή ευοδώνοντας τον αποπτωτικό του θάνατο. Δρα ακόμη ως μεταγραφικός παράγοντας στη διαδικασία παραγωγής και συντήρησης ενδογονιδιακών μη κωδικοποιούμενων περιοχών Σε συνάφεια με το μόριο της Murine double minute 2 (MDM2-12q14.3), η οποία λειτουργεί ως πρωτοογκογονίδιο σχηματίζουν δίπολο ανάδρομης αυτορρύθμισης. Σκοπό αποτέλεσε η συνδυασμένη διερεύνηση της έκφρασης των πρωτεϊνών σε καρκινώματα παχέος εντέρου και η επίπτωσή της στα κλινικοεργαστηριακά χαρακτηριστικά των εξετασθέντων ασθενών. Υλικό και Μέθοδοι: Σε ιστούς σαράντα (n=40) καρκινωμάτων αναλύθηκαν ανοσοϊστοχημικά και με ψηφιακή ανάλυση εικόνας (digital image analysis) τα εξεταζόμενα μόρια. Αποτελέσματα: Yπερέκφραση του μορίου p53 παρατηρήθηκε σε 27/40 (67.5%), ενώ της MDM2 σε 28/40 (70%). Η έκφραση της p53 πρωτεΐνης συσχετίσθηκε ισχυρά με το βαθμό διαφοροποίησης (p=0.001). Παράλληλα, η MDM2 συσχετίσθηκε θετικά με το στάδιο των καρκινωμάτων καθώς και το μέγεθος του νεοπλάσματος (μέγιστη διάμετρος) στα καρκινώματα του παχέος εντέρου (p=0.024, p=0.001). Η σύγχρονη υπερέκφραση των μορίων παρατηρήθηκε σε υποκλάσματα των καρκινωμάτων και οριακά συσχετίσθηκε με επιθετικότερη βιολογική συμπεριφορά. Συμπεράσματα: Το σύστημα των πρωτεϊνών P53/MDM2 εμφανίζει αποσυγχρονισμένη έκφραση σε διάφορης ιστογενετικής προέλευσης καρκινώματα και συσχετίζεται σε υποκλάσματα αυτών με επιθετική βιολογική συμπεριφορά. Η διαταραχή της έκφρασης των μορίων απηχεί διαφορετικές γενετικές υπογραφές.
Invectives as a Means of Creating an Image of the Enemy in the Information War (Based on the Materials of Telegram Channels of War Correspondents)
Authors: Kolobova Svetlana , Malygina L.
Published: July 2024

Due to the current geopolitical situation, research aimed at studying the information war waged in the media space is relevant. The article examines the invectives with which military journalists create an image of the enemy in conditions of not only military, but also information confrontation. The research material was ten Telegram channels of war correspondents, which made it possible to consider a specific cross-section of the current communicative situation concerning their own and strained relations with the collective West, from the point of view of influencing the audience through linguistic means. 154 examples of invectives used by the authors of Telegram channels in the course of commenting on the military conflict were revealed. The methods of linguistic stylistic, lexico-semantic and contextual analysis are used. The results of the study showed that the image of the enemy is created using a variety of linguistic means carrying an invective function. The image of the enemy is also based on stereotypical ideas formed about a particular nation or political leader.Understanding the mechanisms of creating an enemy image can help reduce the "degree of tension" of mass communication media, including recognizing manipulations of enemy media, contributing to the linguistic security of the media space.
A New Phenomenon in The Country's Communicative and Artistic Space: The Orel Magazine "Russian Field"
Authors: Bobylev B. , Kovaleva E.
Published: July 2024

The article is devoted to the communicative, stylistic, and content-functional analysis of the first four issues of the Orel literary and journalistic journal "Russian Field". Russian Russian literature has recently become more and more in demand in the communicative field of Russian national life and culture, acting as a means of preserving and restoring the traditional value dominants of the "Russian world". The topic of the war in Novorossiya appears as one of the actively developed topics in the magazine, when covering which the desire to fit today's experience into the context of Russian mentality and history is clearly manifested. It is emphasized that a new page of literature is opening before our eyes, which, at the same time, is an organic continuation of the Russian classics, its line that begins with the "Sevastopol Stories" by L.N. Tolstoy. The conclusion is made that the very fact of the emergence and positive dynamics of the formation of a new magazine in Orel in the conditions of our crisis, critical time is evidence of the active development of the artistic and communicative space of Russia, as well as visual confirmation that the art of words, combining the inner depth and the outer beauty of the Russian language, was and remains the core of our culture and history, national worldview and intercultural communication.
Wilson's disease - clinical picture, factors influencing disease progression, treatment methods
Authors: Korga Monika , Pawlik Paweł , Zaroda Przemysław , Wawrzkowicz Jakub , Niewinna Patrycja , Dąda Paweł , Mańdziuk  Dominika , Żuchowski Michał , Kołodziej  Klaudia , Kołodziej  Wojciech
Published: July 2024

Wilson's disease, also known as hepatolenticular degeneration, is a rare genetic metabolic disorder that leads to excessive accumulation of copper in the body, particularly in the liver and brain. This results in the gradual damage of these organs and leads to a variety of clinical symptoms. The symptoms of Wilson's disease can be diverse, leading to a broad spectrum of clinical manifestations including fatigue, jaundice, hand tremors, mood disorders, difficulty walking, speech disturbances, as well as neurological and psychiatric issues.The treatment of Wilson's disease typically involves the oral administration of copper-chelating agents, which help the body to eliminate the excess copper. In some cases, symptomatic treatment related to liver or brain damage may also be necessary. The diagnosis of Wilson's disease is based on laboratory tests, imaging studies (such as MRI or CT scans), and the assessment of clinical symptoms. Due to the variety of symptoms, patients are often misdiagnosed, and untreated Wilson's disease inevitably leads to death. Genetic testing can also be useful in confirming the diagnosis. Although Wilson's disease is a chronic condition, with appropriate treatment and monitoring, its symptoms can be effectively managed, and further damage to the liver and brain can be prevented. Regular monitoring of copper levels in the blood, as well as liver and brain function, is crucial for the effective management of Wilson's disease.
Transanal irrigation: best practice in the community
Authors: Greener Mark
Published: July 2024

Chronic constipation, which is common and often difficult to treat, has numerous origins, including neurological and other conditions, and adverse reactions to drugs, especially opioids. Chronic functional constipation lacks a clear underlying cause. Increasing evidence suggests that transanal irrigation (TAI) aids faecal evacuation and is well tolerated in many people with bowel dysfunction who do not adequately respond to first-line treatments. Recent papers offer insights that help nurses and other healthcare professionals implement best practice in the community, including discussing any need for assistance before starting TAI, agreeing the most appropriate device with patients and optimising the irrigation protocol. Training, careful follow-up and ongoing supervision improve adherence and success. Further studies are needed, however, and patients who do not respond adequately or are unable to tolerate TAI should be referred to a specialist service.
Incontinence: living with a stigmatised health condition
Authors: Chatterton Chris
Published: July 2024

This article shares the personal account of the author who is living with double incontinence, and the impact this condition can have on the individual and their carers.
A lastest technology trends study on quantum computing using CPC-based patent information and Big Kinds analysis information
Authors: Ryu Giho , Noh Dong-Hun , Kim Kyeong-Tae , Park Ki-moon , Kim Tae-Man
Published: July 2024

Quantum computing technology, which utilizes the laws of quantum mechanics to solve complex problems that are intractable for classical computers, is a rapidly emerging field worldwide. To study the latest trends, we extracted patent information based on CPC codes and used Big Kinds, a platform that provides information by analyzing article information, to overcome the patent non-disclosure period. We also conducted a correlation analysis using Pearson’s coefficient to verify the significance of the relationship between them, and found a significant correlation. As a result that it is a high level of interest in quantum computing technology in recent years. Especially in Korea, patent applications are mainly dominated by IBM. Moreover, through Big Kinds analysis, we discovered that this is a fast-growing technological field that is expected to show a significant increase in patent applications in the future. The results of this study are expected to serve as useful basic data for establishing trend information on the latest technology and technology development strategies for domestic startup companies that aim to discover and enter new technology markets in the future.
On the edge of completeness: The struggle to negotiate an ‘urban’ identity in Leesburg, Virginia
Authors: Shayer Ryan , Oliver Robert , Cowell Margaret
Published: July 2024

Leesburg, Virginia, located approximately forty miles northwest of Washington’s downtown core, has historically avoided the intense urban development pressures that many of Washington’s more proximate suburban locations (i.e. Fairfax, Falls Church, Ashburn and Arlington) have experienced. Yet, Leesburg's position in Loudon County – one of the fastest growing counties in the United States in terms of population growth over the past two decades – now means that the Town of Leesburg is no longer situated in the metropolitan fringe. We posit that a recent development named Virginia Village represents a key turning point in the town’s urban development history, specifically because the project reveals the uncertainty of the town’s planning agenda and reveals the difficulties of protecting an authentic sense of place and small town-feel that distinguishes Leesburg from its neighboring suburban localities.
Business Unit Development: Vorteile und Herausforderungen für beteiligte Mitarbeiter
Authors: Scharpf Dominik , Viljoen Altus , Hein Andreas , Krcmar Helmut
Published: July 2024

Der anhaltende Mangel an Fachkräften in der IT-Branche stellt eine zentrale Herausforderung für Unternehmen dar und erschwert den Fortschritt bei der digitalen Transformation. Infolgedessen gewinnt der Einsatz von Low-Code/No-Code (LCNC) sowohl in der Praxis als auch in der Wissenschaft zunehmend an Interesse, um auch Mitarbeiter außerhalb der IT-Abteilung dazu zu befähigen, als sog. Business Unit Developer eigenständig Digitalisierungs- und Automatisierungslösungen zu entwickeln. Bisher konzentriert sich die wissenschaftliche Literatur auf die technischen Aspekte von LCNC, während Fragen zur optimalen Einführung in Unternehmen unbeantwortet bleiben. Diese Forschungsarbeit untersucht die praktische Implementierung von Business Unit Development Programmen in Unternehmen, um Auswirkungen auf beteiligte Mitarbeitende zu identifizieren. In Kooperation mit den Stadtwerken München (SWM) wurde eine umfassende Einzelfallstudie durchgeführt, bei der die Umsetzung einer Business Unit Development Initiative untersucht wurde. Die Ergebnisse zeigen unter anderem, wie das Business Unit Development von teilnehmenden Mitarbeitern wahrgenommen wird sowie welche individuellen Vorteile sich für diese ergeben. Zudem wird ersichtlich, mit welchen Herausforderungen Mitarbeitende im Rahmen des Business Unit Developments konfrontiert sind und wie sich die Entwicklung und der Einsatz von LCNC-Anwendungen auf deren Arbeitsalltag auswirkt. Die Ergebnisse tragen zu einem besseren Verständnis über den praktischen Einsatz von LCNC in Unternehmen bei und zeigen neue Forschungsfelder auf. Zudem können die Ergebnisse Unternehmen dabei unterstützen, organisatorische und strategische Entscheidungen im Rahmen des Aufbaus und der Skalierung einer Business Unit Development Initiative zu treffen.
The impact of Brexit on Slovak healthcare professionals in the United Kingdom – the fallouts and consequences
Authors: Kordoš Marcel
Published: July 2024

his research paper is devoted to the analysis of the effect of Brexit on Slovak healthcare workers in the UK. The main objective of the research is to estimate the impact of the fallouts and the extent to which Brexit has had on Slovak healthcare professionals living and working in the UK. It is supposed in the paper that the impact of the changes affected Slovak healthcare workers so much that they are considering leaving the UK and coming back to Slovakia. The estimation is based on the questionnaire survey conducted within the framework of the APVV project output, from which questions related to migration were analyzed. The main method used for the statistic estimation is the Pearson Chi-square test, along with hypothesis verification, which is the way the survey results are interpreted and analyzed. The results have shown that Brexit has significantly impacted Slovak healthcare workers, as many of them are considering returning to Slovakia. Deteriorating working and living conditions are forcing them to consider the question of their future to stay in the UK. Brexit indirectly contributes to the increased discomfort of Slovak healthcare professionals, both in work and in everyday life, especially in terms of the increased cost of living, the feeling of increased discrimination, stagnating working conditions, and imaginary distancing from their relatives, friends, and acquaintances living in Slovakia in particular because of new regulations implemented when travelling between countries.
Resiliencia de las áreas económicas locales de Argentina frente a la pandemia: una propuesta de análisis para los años 2020 y 2021
Authors: Rivas Bergant Agustín , Niembro Andrés
Published: July 2024

El análisis de la resiliencia económica regional ha ido ganando centralidad a partir de la crisis financiera internacional del 2008-2009 y más recientemente con la pandemia de COVID-19. En Argentina, unos pocos estudios cuantitativos han analizado las crisis de inicios y fines de los años 2000, pero la evidencia sobre la resiliencia frente a la pandemia es todavía limitada. Debido a la escasez de estadísticas económicas subnacionales, se propone primero el cálculo de un índice (mensual) de actividad económica local, que luego será utilizado como insumo para un primer análisis integral de la resiliencia de las 85 áreas económicas locales (AEL) de Argentina durante 2020 y 2021. Los resultados muestran impactos heterogéneos y diferentes capacidades de las AEL para resistir y recuperarse a los shocks, cuestiones que se vinculan además con sus distintas estructuras productivas. Es clave considerar estas heterogeneidades al momento de generar políticas que respondan a futuras crisis.
Assessing the Walkability and Pedestrian Facilities at Major Intersections in Rajshahi City, Bangladesh
Authors: Ahmed Siddique Sabbir ,   Rajshahi University of Engineering & Technology, Rajshahi-6204, Bangladesh
Published: July 2024

For more than a half of a century, vehicular-mobility rate is thriving so much that it already has taken all the attentions of sidewalk infrastructure facilities, commonly called “pedestrian”. At present, pedestrian facilities represent one of the essential challenges in terms of traffic safety and sidewalk environment, mainly for the urban dwellers of the Asian cities like in Bangladesh, as the average median walkability rating for the Asian countries is only 58.43. Currently, Rajshahi city has been severely affected regarding the safety and mobility of pedestrians, as there is no maintenance of supporting infrastructures, amenities and services at all. The impetuous and excessive increase of urbanization and motorization combined with limited attention to sidewalk facilities and public-transport opportunities resulted in a decrease in the overall pedestrian mode share. Considering the facts and to maintain the comfortable moving of the citizens, identifying the existing conditions of the walkability and pedestrian facilities of Rajshahi city must be considered as the topmost priority. This study aims to apply the principles of Global Walkability Index (GWI), incorporating a “field walkability survey” together with an ADB study, in four major intersection points of Rajshahi city; namely, zero point (CBD), Uposhohor, Kazla and Railgate. Each area will be assessed based on nine parameters of equal weight, with the average of each parameter transformed into a rating system from 0 to 100. The resulting walkability index will classify the areas into red, yellow and green zones for walking and assess Rajshahi city’s global standing based on safety, security and convenience. Keywords: Walkability, Pedestrian facilities, Asian cities, Walking environment, Walkability indicators, ADB study, Public transport
INTERNAL STRUCTURE AND EXTERNAL RELATIONS EVIDENCE OF THE UCLA LONELINESS SCALE FOR APPLICATION TO INDONESIAN YOUNG WOMEN
Authors: Surijah Edwin Adrianta , Nanik Nanik
Published: July 2024

Evaluating one’s loneliness can yield significant benefits as it has been linked to numerous physical and mental health concerns. However, assessing loneliness faces difficulties due to inconsistent findings regarding its factorial structure. This study aims to investigate the internal structure evidence of the UCLA Loneliness Scale among Indonesian unmarried young adult women. A total of 318 participants completed the loneliness, well-being, extraversion, and neuroticism trait scales. Confirmatory factor analysis and bi-partial correlation were conducted to evaluate the validity evidence based on internal structure and relations to external variables. The results suggested that Model 2 (two correlated factors) is the best fit, χ 2 (151, n = 318) = 363.33, p = .000; CFI = .87, TLI = .85, RMSEA = .06, compared to other models tested (unidimensional & three factors). Also, UCLA-LS has two orthogonal structures consisting of favorable and unfavorable items (r = .83, p = .000; r = .72, p = .000, respectively) and negative correlations with well-being (r = -.42, p = .000) and extraversion (r = -.43, p = .000). Conversely, it correlates positively with the neuroticism subscale (r = .22, p = .000). This implies that perceived loneliness is unique among unmarried young adult women in Indonesia, and this scale may become a valuable tool to predict other widespread public health problems associated with loneliness
Pantangan Pernikahan Ngalor-Ngetan : Studi Kasus di Desa Bologarang, Penawangan, Grobogan, Jawa Tengah
Authors: Dwijayanti Kartika
Published: July 2024

Pantangan pernikahan merupakan sebuah kepercayaan yang berisi larangan dalam melakukan prosesi pernikahan. Pantangan pernikahan yang berlaku di Jawa antara lain, weton, sampir ratan, sasi suro, Ngalor-ngetan dan lain-lain. Tujuan penelitian ini adalah untuk mengetahui sejarah dan konstruksi sosial yang terbentuk dari pantangan pernikahan Ngalor-ngetan. Selain itu, penelitian ini juga bertujuan untuk menganalisis upaya yang dilakukan dalam pantangan pernikahan Ngalor-ngetan. Penelitian ini menggunakan pendekatan kualitatif, dengan jenis deskriptif, dan desain studi kasus. Data diperoleh melalui observasi, wawancara, dan dokumentasi. Penelitian ini menemukan bahwa pantangan pernikahan Ngalor-ngetan muncul dari pemikiran nenek moyang sejak zaman dulu. Masyarakat Desa Bologarang mengatakan Ngalor-ngetan berasal dari sejarah kebogerang dan kedekatan antara raja-raja zaman dahulu. Sedangkan, konstruksi sosial mengenai pantangan pernikahan Ngalor-ngetan dimulai dari proses eksternalisasi dengan adanya ilmu titen. Kemudian, proses tersebut terobjektifikasi melalui kebiasaan-kebiasaan masyarakat setempat yang secara bertahap terinternalisasi menjadi sebuah aturan tidak tertulis yang disetujui dan dipatuhi oleh masyarakat secara umum. Masyarakat yang melaksanakan pernikahan Ngalor-ngetan, melakukan ruwatan sebagai obat atau penawar dari adanya pantangan pernikahan. Ruwatan yang dilakukan antara lain sangkane di ubah, mengelilingi sendang, dan nanggap wayang. Dengan adanya penelitian ini dapat dijadikan pedoman bagi masyarakat Desa Bologarang yang belum mengetahui mengenai ruwatan pantangan pernikahan Ngalor-ngetan. Secara teoritis penelitian ini dapat dijadikan materi dalam pembelajaran IPS kelas VII tema 4 tentang keragaman kebudayaan. Selain itu, penelitian ini akan melengkapi penelitian sebelumnya, dan bisa dijadikan referensi bagi pembaca untuk mempelajari apa itu celana pernikahan Ngalor-ngetan.
Analisis Penggambaran Unsur Magis dalam Film Animasi Cinderella dan Frozen (Kajian Sastra Bandingan)
Authors: Salsabila Dinda Iqlima , Falah Fajrul
Published: July 2024

The research presents a comparison between two Walt Disney animated films, namely the animated films Cinderella and Frozen. The research aims to provide an analysis of intrinsic elements and magical elements that can be compared using a comparative literature approach from Sapardi Djoko Damono's theory. The research was carried out through several stages, namely the planning stage, the implementation stage, and the reporting stage. Data collection techniques are carried out by reading, recording, and documenting processes. The data search focuses on intrinsic elements in the form of setting, characters and characterization, as well as themes used in the animated films Cinderella and Frozen. The analysis is reviewed using qualitative research methods and comparative descriptive writing techniques which will present a comparative discussion of data from a literary work in the form of a film. The results of the research show that there are similarities and differences in the selection of intrinsic elements of background, characters and characterization, themes, as well as realism of magical elements used in the animated films Cinderella and Frozen.Keywords: comparative literature, magical, animated film, cinderella, frozen.  Penelitian menyajikan perbandingan antara dua film animasi Walt Disney, yaitu film animasi Cinderella dan Frozen. Penelitian bertujuan untuk memberikan analisis unsur intrinsik dan unsur magis yang dapat saling dibandingkan dengan menggunakan pendekatan sastra bandingan dari teori Sapardi Djoko Damono. Penelitian dilakukan melalui beberapa tahapan, yaitu tahap perencanaan, tahap pelaksanaan, dan tahap pelaporan. Teknik pengumpulan data dilakukan dengan proses pembacaan, pencatatan, dan dokumentasi. Pencarian data berfokus pada unsur intrinsik berupa latar, tokoh dan penokohan, serta tema dalam film animasi Cinderella dan Frozen. Analisis diulas dengan metode penelitian kualitatif dan teknik penulisan deskriptif komparatif yang akan memaparkan pembahasan komparatif dari data-data karya sastra berupa film. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa terdapat persamaan dan perbedaan pemilihan unsur intrinsik latar, tokoh dan penokohan, tema, serta realisme unsur magis yang digunakan dalam film animasi Cinderella dan Frozen.Kata kunci: sastra bandingan, magis, film animasi, cinderella, frozen.
Roti Ganjel Rel: Mengungkap Cerita dan Eksistensi dari Warisan Makanan Khas Kota Semarang
Authors: Safitri Rahma Danisa Eka , Nugroho Alga Brian , Fauziyah Ikhda Ni'matul , Putri Bilkys Ciera , Purnomo Afrizal Haris , Umam Sirojul , Bashori Muzakki
Published: July 2024

This research investigates a traditional food unique to Semarang, Central Java. Roti Ganjel Rel is a traditional bread originally called Ontbijkoek, consumed by colonial nobles during the Dutch era. This bread holds significant historical and cultural values beyond its role as food. However, with modernization, its popularity has declined, particularly among the younger generation. Many people are beginning to forget or are unaware of this bread, raising concerns about losing this culinary heritage of Semarang. This study uses a mixed-methods approach, combining qualitative and quantitative techniques, including observation, interviews, questionnaires, and documentation. It covers various aspects, such as the origins of Roti Ganjel Rel, the ingredients and tools required, and its development and current existence. Findings from the questionnaires reveal that while most respondents are aware of Roti Ganjel Rel, a considerable number are still unfamiliar with it. The research aims to provide information about Roti Ganjel Rel as a traditional food of Semarang, ensure its preservation, attract tourists, and promote this culinary heritage. By documenting and promoting Roti Ganjel Rel, the study seeks to preserve not only a food item but also the identity and history of Semarang for future generations. Penelitian ini merupakan penelusuran makanan khas sebagai ciri khas makanan di Kota Semarang, Jawa Tengah. Roti Ganjel Rel merupakan salah satu makanan tradisional khas Semarang. Awalnya roti ini dinamakan Ontbijkoek dan hanya dikonsumsi oleh kaum kolonial bangsawan pada zaman Belanda. Keberadaan Roti Ganjel Rel tidak hanya sekadar sebagai makanan, tetapi juga mengandung nilai sejarah dan budaya yang mendalam. Namun, seiring dengan perkembangan zaman dan modernisasi, popularitas Roti Ganjel Rel mulai meredup, terutama di kalangan generasi muda. Banyak yang mulai melupakan atau bahkan tidak mengenal roti ini, yang menyebabkan kekhawatiran akan hilangnya salah satu warisan kuliner kota Semarang. Penelitian ini dilakukan menggunakan metode campuran (mixed-methods) yaitu kualitatif dan kuantitatif melalui observasi, wawancara, kuesioner dan dokumentasi.  Penelitian ini mencakup beberapa hal seperti asal usul Roti Ganjel Rel, bahan dan peralatan yang dibutuhkan, serta bagaimana perkembangan dan eksistensi Roti Ganjel Rel. Hasil dari penelitian melalui kuesioner dapat disimpulkan bahwa sebagian besar mengetahui Roti Ganjel Rel tetapi masih banyak juga yang belum mengetahui Roti Ganjel Rel ini. Tujuan dari penelitian ini memberikan informasi tentang Roti Ganjel Rel sebagai makanan tradisional khas Kota Semarang, menjaga eksistensinya agar tidak punah, menarik minat wisatawan, serta memperkenalkan dan mempromosikan warisan kuliner khas Kota Semarang.
Language Teachers and Gender Role Attitudes: Sociocultural Perspective
Authors: Permata Kartika Indah , Azizah Siti - , - Nafisah - , Wati Wiwit Rahma
Published: July 2024

Schools and universities have been well-known as one of the social institutions in charge of socializing norms and values in children in terms of how they construct the concept of gender roles in society.  Sociocultural-bound attitudes of teachers play important roles in shaping or challenging the practices that highlight inequality. This study aims to investigate the influence of gender role attitudes on teacher behavior. Using the quantitative method, the data was collected by distributing questionnaires to 90 language teachers. From the F-test and T-test analysis results, it was found that there was a significant influence between variables (p≤0.05), in that, teachers’ gender role attitudes had an important impact on their teaching behavior. Then, the implication of this study is further drawn using symbolic interaction theory.
The rising threat of wildfire: an examination of global forest fire occurrence over the past two decades
Authors: Luo M. , Xie W. , Li D. , Wan T.L.
Published: July 2024

Forest fires are among the top three most destructive natural disasters affecting forests globally. Forest fires occur every year across many regions worldwide, with an increasing trend of longer durations and greater severity. This has led to exacerbated impacts from these events.
Our study consolidates and analyzes primary forest fire data from diverse sources, including the World Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the Global Forest Resources Assessment Report, the Global Wildfire Information System (GWIS), the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA),
and other relevant agencies. It integrates scientific insights to assess recent trends and provides an extensive review of global forest fires from 2002 to 2022. Considering the evolving forest fire situation, we evaluate current prevention technologies and outline the future of forest fire
monitoring technologies, specifically focusing on low-orbit satellite initiatives for fire observation, involving companies and their constellation development stages.
In-situ studies on environmental degradation in Al 7075 in saltwater environment under tensile loading
Authors: Goswami Ramasis , Moser Alex , Arcari Attilio
Published: July 2024

We report the crack growth on peak aged Al 7075 under tensile loading in a saltwater environment to investigate whether hydrogen plays a role in the initiation and the subsequent growth of the crack. As the hydrostatic stress is at a maximum ahead of the notch, it has been speculated that hydrogen would diffuse to region of maximum hydrostatic stress and initiate the crack. An elastic-plastic finite element (FE) model is developed to determine the stress distribution around the circular notch at the edge of the plate. The crack growth was monitored using a camera attached with an optical microscope, and various regimes corresponding to hydrogen evolution, pit formation and growth, crack nucleation and initial growth and rapid crack growth leading to failure have been identified. We observe the crack was nucleated in a region associated with the highest hoop stress instead of the maximum hydrostatic stress from the base of a pit at the circular notch. We demonstrated the crack growth rate in a salt water environment is governed mostly by the dissolution of grain boundary MgZn2 precipitate, rather than the hydrogen induced decohesion mechanism.
Screening the phytochemicals in Perilla leaves and phytosynthesis of bioactive silver nanoparticles for potential antioxidant and wound-healing application
Authors: Sharma Ashish Ranjan , Sharma Garima , Nath Sudarshini , Lee Sang-Soo
Published: July 2024

The rich phytochemical profile of Perilla frutescens leaf extract (PLE) makes it a compelling bioreducing agent for the green synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), offering diverse biomedical applications. In this study, the PLE-mediated phytosynthesis of AgNPs was confirmed by UV-vis spectra with maximum absorbance at 440 nm. The spherical PLE-AgNPs of <20 nm in size were further characterized by Dynamic light scanning, Transmission electron microscopy, and Scanning electron microscopy. Moreover, High-resolution transmission electron microscopy, Selected area electron diffraction and X-ray diffraction validated the crystalline structure of PLE-AgNPs. The energy-dispersive X-ray and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy established the presence of carbon, oxygen, and nitrogen groups, along with silver, in the PLE-AgNPs. FTIR results confirmed the presence of phytochemicals as the capping agents for PLE-AgNPs. The Gas chromatograph-mass spectrometry analysis revealed the presence of terpenoids, furan derivatives, phenolic compounds, hydroxides, imidazole, aldehydes, etc., in PLE. In addition, the presence of phytochemicals was also confirmed in the as-synthesized PLE-AgNPs. The 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity, hydrogen peroxide scavenging activity, and ABTS radical scavenging activity affirmed the strong radical scavenging effect of PLE-AgNPs with an IC50 of 51.58 μg·mL−1. The wound-healing potential of PLE-AgNPs was confirmed by in vitro cell scratch assay in human keratinocyte HaCaT cells. These integrated findings emphasize the significant biomedical advantages and potential applications of PLE-AgNPs in clinical applications.
“I’m Only Human”: A Self-Referential Sense of Humor and Meaningful Living
Authors: Chastain Drew
Published: July 2024

I argue that a self-referential sense of humor is positively self-accepting by acknowledging imperfection, abnormality, or average status, without genuinely intending ridicule on oneself. Instead, standards of perfection, normality, and greatness are the implicit targets of ridicule, which can provide a form of bonding among those having this sense of humor, who can then find commonality amongst themselves and relief from the pressure of those exacting standards. This self-accepting sense of humor helps to make life more meaningful by facilitating contentment with imperfection both with respect to oneself and one’s situation. While a sense of humor can certainly be helpful for improving character, a perfectionist argument such as this should be balanced by acknowledgement of the value that can be gained from simply accepting ourselves just as we are.