bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of Neighboring Transitions on Critical Angle in Conversion between EIA and EIT in 87Rb Atoms
Authors: Hassan Aisar-ul , Noh Heung-Ryoul , KIm Jin-Tae
Published: October 2024

The effects of neighboring transitions (ENT) on electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT), electromagnetically induced absorption (EIA), and the conversion between EIA and EIT in a degenerate multi-level system of 87Rb atoms were studied in terms of the angle (θ) between the polarization axes of the coupling and probe beams. The predicted critical values of θ, in which EIT transitioned to EIA, were consistent with the experimental values. In this work these results were systematically confirmed using the calculated spectra by varying the frequency spacings in the excited state of 87Rb via a factor called the ratio. We observed that when the ratio was less than 0.1, the critical angle θc was inverted. This may be attributed to the interplay between the strengths of the EIA and EIT as the ENT varied. We also discovered that by modifying the frequency spacings in the excited state of 87Rb, it becomes feasible to predict ENT and the interplay between EIT and EIA in alkali-metal atoms.
Is there an Asymmetric Effect due to Oil and Natural Gas Price Shocks on the Trade Balance of the Countries of the Central, Eastern and South-Eastern Europe?
Authors: Kurtović Safet , Maxhuni Nehat , Halili Blerim , Maxhuni Arta
Published: October 2024

In this study, the asymmetric effect of oil and natural gas price shocks on the trade balance of 11 CESEE countries was estimated. These countries are net importers of oil and natural gas, and price shocks are often the cause of imbalances in trade. Quarterly data for the period 1994Q1 to 2023Q4 and nonlinear ARDL model were used. In the long run, a significant asymmetric effect due to the oil price shock on the trade balance of Bulgaria, Czechia, Latvia and Slovenia was found, as well as a significant asymmetric effect due to the natural gas price shock on the trade balance of Croatia. Also in the long run, a significant asymmetric effect due to wholesale prices on the trade balance of Romania, Bulgaria and Croatia was found as well as a significant asymmetric effect due to industrial production on the trade balance of Croatia, Czechia and Latvia was found, in addition to a significant asymmetric effect due to the exchange rate on the trade balance of Czechia, Poland and Romania.
Study of the Structure of Monoatomic Adsorbates on Metal Surfaces Using the Sphere-in-Contact Model
Authors: Zeinalipour-Yazdi Constantinos D.
Published: October 2024

We have recently shown that the sphere-in-contact model can be used as an educational and research tool in various contexts, such as the visualization of carbon structures (e.g. graphene, carbon nanotubes, carbon nanocones and graphite), heterogeneous catalysts, metal nanoparticles and organic molecules. In this communication we present how it can be used to model the adsorbate structure of a monoatomic element on the hexagonal close-packed surface of the metal. We have used atoms of varying radius to represent the metal surface atoms and the adsorbate atoms. The study reveals that many surface symmetries are possible for a fixed adsorbate coverage by the movement of the adsorbate atoms in response to surface adsorbate-adsorbate repulsions. The movement of the particles (e.g. particle diffusion) can be seen directly in the model and this is caused by the user intervention. This has great educational but also research value as one can directly see how the adsorbate atoms reorder on the surface of a metal. We believe that this model will be useful in the rational design of catalytic materials and materials coatings with new technological applications.
Thymidine Analogue Mutations with M184V Significantly Decrease Phenotypic Susceptibility of HIV-1 subtype C Reverse Transcriptase to Islatravir
Authors: Byun Hyeonah , Papathanasopoulos Maria Antonia , Steegen Kim , Basson Adriaan Erasmus
Published: October 2024

Islatravir (ISL) is the first-in-class nucleoside reverse transcriptase translocation inhibitor (NRTtI) with novel modes of action. Data on ISL resistance is currently limited, particularly to HIV-1 non-B subtypes. This study aimed to assess prevalent nucleos(t)ide reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NRTI) resistance mutations in HIV-1 subtype C for phenotypic resistance to ISL. Prevalent single and combinations of NRTI resistance mutations were selected from a routine HIV-1 genotypic drug resistance testing database and introduced into HIV-1 subtype C-like pseudoviruses, which were then tested for ISL susceptibility. Single NRTI resistance mutations were susceptible or showed only a low level of resistance to ISL. This included thymidine analogue mutations (TAMs, i.e., M41L, D67N, K70R, T215FY, K219EQ) and non-TAMs (i.e., A62V, K65R, K70ET, L74IV, A114S, Y115F, M184V). Combinations of M184V with one or more additional NRTI resistance mutations generally displayed reduced ISL susceptibilities. This was more prominent for combinations that included M184V+TAMs, and particularly M184V+TAM-2 mutations. Combinations that included M184V+K65R did not impact significantly on ISL susceptibility. Our study suggests that ISL would be effective in treating people living with HIV (PLWH) failing tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF)/lamivudine (3TC) or TDF/emtricitabine (FTC)-containing regimens but would be less effective in PLH failing zidovudine (AZT) with 3TC or FTC-containing regimens.
Research Progress on Newton’s Iterative Methods for Nonlinear Equation
Authors: Yong Longquan
Published: October 2024

Reviewed the research progress of Newton’s iterative methods for nonlinear equation. Convergence with second order, third order, fourth order, fifth order, sixth order, seventh order, eighth order and ninth order Newton’s iterative methods are given in turn, and the efficiency index of these iterative methods are analyzed. Numerical experiments show that the convergence process of the three Newton iterative methods, and the results indicate that the convergence of the higher-order Newton’s method can be well demonstrated only when the initial point is close to the root.
Internal Marketing and Transformational Leadership Influence on Employee Customer Orientation: A Mediation Model
Authors: Qaisar Fatima Saman , Muhamad Nazlida , Sumardi Wardah Azimah
Published: October 2024

This paper explores the effects of internal marketing practices and transformational leadership on employee customer-oriented behaviour. It uses social exchange and broadened-and-build theories to extend the motivation-opportunity-ability framework to the internal marketing and customer-oriented behaviour literature. Basic psychological needs theory is applied to refine the conceptualisation of internal marketing practices for a more holistic view of employee needs by including spiritual needs. Survey data from 174 frontline employees from the service sector in Pakistan is analysed using PLS-SEM. Results reveal a positive influence of internal marketing practices and transformational leadership on employee customer-oriented behaviour. Specific internal marketing practices and strategies are offered.
Evaluation of Antiproliferative Potentials Associated with the Volatile Compounds of Lantana camara Flowers: A Selective In Vitro Activity
Authors: El Hajj Jennifer , Karam Louna , Jaber Ali , Cheble Edmond , Akoury Elias , Kobeissy Philippe Hussein , Ibrahim José-Noel , Yassin Ali
Published: October 2024

Contemporary analysis of the chemical composition of medicinal plants, and their biological activities, is important to find new potent therapeutic products. This study deciphers the chemical profiles of three essential oils (EOs) obtained from different flowers of Lantana camara, and evaluates their antioxidant and anticancer activities. The three flowers (white, pink, and orange) were collected, dried, ground, and further extracted by hydrodistillation to yield EO1, EO2 and EO3 respectively. Gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy was employed to identify existing chemical compounds in all samples. Their antioxidant activities were screened through DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) scavenging assay in addition to the FRAP (ferric reducing antioxidant power) assay. The anti-proliferative effects were evaluated on two different breast cancer cell lines, MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231, and compared to a normal human breast cell line MCF-10A, using MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium) assay. The three EOs showed notable antioxidant potential attributed to the active phytochemical compounds. Results were supported by positive correlation between the antioxidant activity and the total phenolic and flavonoid content. Most notably, EO1 (from white flowers) exhibited a remarkable dose-dependent anti-proliferative effect in both breast cancer cell lines. Marked by a sharp reduction in cell proliferation after only 24 hours of treatment, EO1 reflects its potent role as anti-cancer agent. We suggest that this highly selective activity is associated with the presence of bicyclogermacrene and epi-bicyclosesquiphellandrene in its chemical composition.
ExShall-CNN: An Explainable Shallow Convolutional Neural Network for Medical Image Segmentation
Authors: Khalkhali Vahid , Azim Sayed Mehedi , Dehzangi Iman
Published: October 2024

Explainability is essential for AI models, especially in clinical settings where understanding the model's decisions is crucial. Despite their impressive performance, black-box AI models are unsuitable for clinical use if their operations cannot be explained to clinicians. While deep neural networks (DNNs) represent the forefront of model performance, their explanations are often not easily interpretable by humans. On the other hand, using hand-crafted features extracted to represent different aspects of the input data and traditional machine learning models are generally more understandable. However, they often lack the effectiveness of advanced models due to human limitations in feature design. To address this, we propose ExShall-CNN, a novel explainable shallow convolutional neural network for medical image processing. This model enhances hand-crafted features to maintain human interpretability while achieving performance levels comparable to advanced deep convolutional networks, such as U-Net, for medical image segmentation. ExShall-CNN and its source code are publicly available at: https://github.com/MLBC-lab/ExShall-CNN
A Novel Anti-Mouse CXCR1 Monoclonal Antibody, Cx1Mab-8, Demonstrates Very High Affinity in Flow Cytometry
Authors: Li Guanjie , Suzuki Hiroyuki , Tanaka Tomohiro , Satofuka Hiroyuki , Kaneko Mika K , Kato Yukinari
Published: October 2024

CXC chemokine receptor 1 (CXCR1) is an important regulator for neutrophil granulocyte activation through binding to the ligand interleukin-8 (IL-8). Upon binding to IL-8, CXCR1 activates downstream signaling, critical for innate and adaptive immune responses. The IL-8-CXCR1 axis also plays an important role in tumor progression, especially in the tumor microenvironment. CXCR1 antagonists or anti-IL-8 monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) have been developed and evaluated in clinical trials for inflammatory diseases and tumors. In this study, we developed novel mAbs for mouse CXCR1 (mCXCR1) using the N-terminal peptide immunization. Among the established anti-mCXCR1 mAbs, Cx1Mab-8 (rat IgG2b, kappa) recognized mCXCR1-overexpressed Chinese hamster ovary-K1 (CHO/mCXCR1) and mCXCR1-overexpressed LN229 (LN229/mCXCR1) by flow cytometry. The dissociation constant (KD) values of Cx1Mab-8 for CHO/mCXCR1 and LN229/mCXCR1 were determined as 5.1 × 10−10 M and 1.3 × 10−9 M, respectively. These results indicated that Cx1Mab-8 is useful for detecting mCXCR1 by flow cytometry with high affinity and can obtain the proof of concept in preclinical studies.
Cavity Instabilities in a High-Speed Low-Pressure Turbine Stage
Authors: Da Valle Lorenzo , Torre Antonino Federico Maria , Merli Filippo , Cernat Bogdan Cezar , Lavagnoli Sergio
Published: October 2024

This study investigates the time-resolved aerodynamics in the cavity regions of a full-scale, high-speed low-pressure turbine stage representative of geared turbofan engines. The turbine stage is tested in the von Karman Institute’s short-duration rotating facility at different purge rates (PR) injected through the upstream hub cavity. Spectra from the shroud and downstream hub cavity show perturbations linked to blade passing frequency and rotor speed. Asynchronous flow structures associated with ingress/egress mechanisms are observed in the rim seal of the purged cavity. At 0% PR, the ingress region extends to the entire rim seal, and pressure fluctuations are maximized. At 1% PR, the instability is suppressed and the cavity sealed. At 0.5%, the rim-seal instability exhibits multiple peaks in the spectra, each corresponding to a state of the instability. Kelvin-Helmholtz instabilities are identified as trigger mechanisms. A novel technique, based on the properties of the cross-power spectral density, is developed to determine speed and wavelength of the rotating structures, achieving higher precision than the commonly used cross-correlation method. Moreover, unlike the standard methodology, this approach allows to calculate the structure characteristics for all the instability states. Spectral analysis at the turbine outlet shows that rim-seal-induced instabilities propagate into regions occupied by secondary flows. A methodology is proposed to quantify the magnitude of the induced fluctuations, showing that the interaction with secondary flows amplifies the instability at the stage outlet.
Analysis of Bacterial Metabolites in Breath Gas of Critically Ill for Diagnosis of Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia—A Proof of Concept Study
Authors: Filipiak Wojciech , Włodarski Robert , Żuchowska Karolina , Tracewska Alicja , Winiarek Magdalena , Daszkiewicz Dawid , Marszałek Marta , Depka Dagmara , Bogiel Tomasz
Published: October 2024

Bacterial infection of the lower respiratory tract frequently occurs in mechanically ventilated pa-tients and may develop into life-threatening conditions. Yet existing diagnostic methods have moderate sensitivity and specificity, which results in the overuse of broad-spectrum antibiotics administrated prophylactically. This study aims to evaluate the suitability of volatile bacterial me-tabolites for breath-based test diagnosing Ventilation-Associated Pneumonia (VAP). The in vitro experiments with pathogenic microorganisms most prevalent in VAP patients (i.e., Acinetobacter baumannii, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa) were performed to identify bacteria-derived metabolites using specially designed cultivation system enabling headspace sam-pling for GC-MS analysis. Thirty-nine compounds were found to be significantly metabolized by tested species and, therefore, selected for monitoring in the exhaled breath of critically ill, me-chanically ventilated (MV) patients. The emission of volatiles from medical respiratory devices was investigated to estimate the risk of spoiling breath results with exogenous pollutants. Bacterial metabolites were then evaluated to differentiate VAP patients from non-infected MV controls using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis, with AUC, sensitivity, and specificity calculated. Nine bacterial metabolites that passed verification through a non-parametric ANOVA test for significance and LASSO penalization were identified as key discriminators between VAP and non-VAP patients. The diagnostic model achieved an AUC of 0.893, with sensitivity and specificity values of 87% and 82.4%, respectively, being competitive with traditional methods. Further vali-dation could solidify its clinical utility in critical care settings.
Value of Repeat 5-HIAA Measurements as a Predictor of Carcinoid Heart Disease—A Prospective 5-Year Follow-Up Study in Patients with Small Intestinal Neuroendocrine Tumors
Authors: Kostiainen Iiro , Simonen Piia , Aaltonen Katri , Lindén Riikka , Karppinen Noora , Gordin Daniel , Rapola Janne , Schalin-Jäntti Camilla , Matikainen Niina
Published: October 2024

Background Small intestinal neuroendocrine tumors (SI-NETs) are characterized by carcinoid syndrome and carcinoid heart disease (CHD). The aim of study was to identify early risk markers for carcinoid heart disease and survival in a prospective median-term follow-up setting. Methods We measured 5-HIAA, cumulative 5-HIAA exposure (Cum-5-HIAA) based on repeat measurements, proBNP, vascular function, hepatic tumor load and transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) were assessed at baseline and during median 5-year follow-up. Of 65 patients with SI-NETs; 54 patients underwent prospective follow-up. In addition, survival was evaluated during median follow-up of 6 years. Results At baseline three patients had CHD. During median follow-up of 5 years, two patients (4%) developed CHD. Cum-5-HIAA and proBNP correlated with CHD (Westberg Score, Spearman’s ρ = 0.32 and 0.31, respectively). Cum-5-HIAA had a superior diagnostic capability, predicting CHD in receiver operator characteristics analysis with AUC of 0.98 (95% CI: 0.94–1.00) and outperformed proBNP, chromogranin A (CgA), as well as individual serum 5-HIAA measurements (AUC = 0.75, 0.85, and 0.91, respectively). Minor changes in valve regurgitation were frequently detected but did not correlate with vascular function. In 29% of tricuspid and 30% of pulmonic valves regurgitation increased or decreased. CHD, hepatic tumor load, serum 5-HIAA, and elevated aortic pulse wave velocity (PWV) associated with increased mortality in SI-NET patients. Conclusions Cum-5-HIAA is a promising biomarker for CHD risk and outperformed other biomarkers. CHD and hepatic tumor load are strongest predictors of mortality. PWV is a novel predictor of survival. The incidence of CHD was small among the SI-NET patients, probably reflecting successful treatment regimens.
A Machine Learning Tool to Non‐Invasively Detect Drought Stress in Plants
Authors: Bhat Prisha
Published: October 2024

Drought stress is a major issue in agriculture, as it is becoming more prevalent due to climate change and can reduce crop yields significantly. Low water amounts, particularly at the flowering stage, limit plants from undergoing typical growth and reproductive development, including gametogenesis, fertilization, and embryogenesis. Therefore, it is important that rice growers have a method of quickly determining whether or not their crops are undergoing drought stress to enact mitigation strategies. This study aims to use machine learning computer vision to accurately detect drought stress in plants. Before I developed models, I conducted data pre-processing on images of Setaria plants with varying water contents. Then, I built several machine learning models, including K-Nearest-Neighbors, Decision Tree, Logistic Regression, and ResNet 18. I then assessed the effectiveness of these models by calculating their accuracy scores. I found that K-Nearest-Neighbors, Decision Tree, and Logistic Regression models obtained 80.2%, 70.7%, and 75.9% accuracy scores, respectively, while ResNet18 obtained a very high accuracy of 97.3%. Therefore, these models can serve as a promising future solution for non-invasively detecting drought stress in rice plants, potentially saving crop producers millions of dollars in yield.
Improving the RAG-based Personalized Discharge Care System by Introducing the Memory Mechanism
Authors: Yang Yahe , Xu Chao , Guo Jing , Feng Tianbao , Ruan Cailian
Published: October 2024

As the performance of large language models is proven in general domains, we can consider applying them to specific tasks to improve the system’s specialization and responsiveness. In this paper, we will develop a lightweight software system based on RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation) to test whether this approach can provide effective advice and protection for patients after discharge. All patient data in this study comes from the neurology department. We will select three diseases — Acute Cerebral Infarction, Atherosclerosis, and Hypertension to test our system, and the generated results will be evaluated by professional doctors. Additionally, we will introduce a memory mechanism to enhance the system’s performance and responsiveness. Finally, we will include suggestions for system improvements and extensions. The experimental results indicate that both the foundational capabilities of large language models (such as Llama 3 and GPT-4) and the system architecture (e.g., the integration of RAG and memory mechanisms) significantly influence overall performance. By comparing different models and architectures, it is observed that the GPT-4 system combined with RAG and memory mechanisms outperforms the baseline in terms of total score and improvements, demonstrating the effectiveness of system architecture optimization in enhancing the models’ ability to handle complex tasks. Since the data still contains sensitive information of patients and hospitals after being desensitized, we cannot show all the test data. However, after obtaining the hospital’s permission, through data desensitization, we showed some of the test data. You can click here to get the prototype we developed and some test data.
Exploring Visitor Patterns in Island Natural Parks: The Relationship Between Photo Locations, Trails, and Land-Use
Authors: Calicis Eva , Costa Jorge , Pérez-Alberti Augusto , Gomes Alberto
Published: October 2024

Overtourism in national parks and protected areas can cause irreversible damage to the environment, compromising the quality of soil, water, wildlife, and vegetation. Thus, it is critical for park managers to have detailed information on visitor activities and spatial dynamics in order to prioritize actions capable of mitigating undesirable impacts in the most frequently visited areas. In this article, we use georeferenced trails and photographs from Wikiloc and Flickr web platforms to determine the spatial visitation patterns in the Atlantic Islands of Galicia National Park (AINP) from 2008 to 2023. Maps showing trail usage intensity and the distribution of photographs according to land use allowed us to identify the most frequented land uses by visitors and the areas of highest tourist pressure within the AINP. The results show that distribution patterns vary between platforms. Shrubland (37%) and marine cliffs (27%) were the most photographed land uses by visitors, while artificial areas (14%) were the most frequented by Wikiloc users. Cíes island emerges as the most popular tourist destination, as evidenced by the greater number of trails and photographs compared to Ons, Sálvora, and Cortegada. This study shows how social media data, specifically trails and geotagged photographs from Wikiloc and Flickr, can support and complement the monitoring of visitor use and impact in protected areas.
Standardizing and Classifying Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries: International Multicenter Study Using a Mobile Application
Authors: Portillo-Ortiz Nadia Karina , Ramos-Moctezuma Iván René , Sigala-González Luis Raúl , Bermúdez Bencomo Brenda Lizeth , Gomez Salgado Brissa Aylin , Ovalle Arias Fátima Cristal , Leal-Berumen Irene , Berumen-Nafarrate Edmundo
Published: October 2024

This international multicenter study is aimed to assess the effectiveness of the Pivot-Shift Meter (PSM) mobile application in diagnosing and classifying anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries, with emphasis in the need for standardization in ACL injury assessment to improve diagnostic precision and enhance treatment outcomes. Methods: The study included over 600 ACL evaluations from five Latin American countries (Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, and Mexico) performed by eight experienced orthopedic surgeons. The PSM app, using smartphone gyroscopes and accelerometers, was employed to standardize the pivot-shift test, and the data was analyzed using MATLAB software. Tests were classified into eight classes, and a neural network model was developed to categorize the injury grades. Results: Statistical analysis demonstrated significant differences between standardized and control tests, supporting the standardization's effectiveness. The neural network model exhibited high classification accuracy (94.7%), with precision, recall, and F1 scores exceeding 90%. Additionally, the model demonstrated an ability to reliably grade ACL injuries with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.80, indicating high diagnostic accuracy. Conclusions: The PSM mobile application, combined with standardized pivot-shift techniques, proved to be a reliable tool for diagnosing and classifying ACL injuries. The neural network model showed high performance in predicting injury grades, making this method a valuable tool in clinical practice for improving diagnostic precision and treatment planning.
Integrating Vision and Olfaction via Multi-Modal LLM for Robotic Odor Source Localization
Authors: Hassan Sunzid , Wang Lingxiao , Mahmud Khan Raqib
Published: October 2024

Odor Source Localization (OSL) technology allows autonomous agents like mobile robots to find an unknown odor source in a given environment. An effective navigation algorithm that guides the robot to approach the odor source is the key to successfully locating the odor source. Compared to traditional olfaction-only OSL method, our proposed method integrates vision and olfaction sensor modalities to localize odor sources even if olfaction sensing is disrupted by turbulent airflow or vision sensing is impaired by environmental complexities. The model leverages the zero-shot multi-modal reasoning capabilities of large language models (LLMs), negating the requirement of manual knowledge encoding or custom-trained supervised learning models. A key feature of the proposed algorithm is the `High-level Reasoning’ module, which encodes the olfaction and vision sensor data into a multi-modal prompt and instructs the LLM to employ a hierarchical reasoning process to select an appropriate high-level navigation behavior. Subsequently, the `Low-level Action’ module translates the selected high-level navigation behavior into low-level action commands that can be executed by the mobile robot. To validate our method, we implemented the proposed algorithm on a mobile robot in a complex, real-world search environment that presents challenges to both olfaction and vision-sensing modalities. We compared the performance of our proposed algorithm to single sensory modality-based olfaction-only and vision-only navigation algorithms, and a supervised learning-based vision and olfaction fusion navigation algorithm. Experimental results demonstrate that multi-sensory navigation algorithms are statistically superior to single sensory navigation algorithms. The proposed algorithm outperformed the other algorithms in both laminar and turbulent airflow environments. The code for this work can be found at: https://github.com/SunzidHassan/24_Vision-Olfaction-LLM.
Relative Burden of Neglected Tropical Diseases Among School-Age Children in Rural and Urban Slum Settings in Eastern Ethiopia
Authors: Mekonnen Getachew Kabew , Weldegebreal Fitsum , Desalew Assefa , Raru Temam Beshir , Umer Ukash , Urgesa Kedir
Published: October 2024

Abstract
Introduction: Despite the determination to succeed in eliminating neglected tropical diseases, these have been increasing within certain endemicities, particularly in depriving region.
Objective: This study aimed to assess the relative burden of neglected tropical diseases in rural and urban slum settings in Eastern Ethiopia.
Methods: A comparative cross-sectional study was conducted from February 25 to April 30, 2024 with a multistage random sampling technique used. A survey tool with the integration of the spectrum was employed. Data were entered using Epi-Data version 3.1 and analyzed using STATA 16. Descriptive statistics and multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to identify the risk factors and the level for statistical significance was declared at p-value < 0.05 with 95 % CI.
Result: The response rate was 93 % and the mean age of house heads was 31.6 (Range; 18. 63) with 5.7 average family size. The overall prevalence of NTDs among study participants was 22.6 % (95% CI; 20.2, 25.2); urban slum it was 15 % (95% CI; 12.2, 18.4) while it was 29.8 % (95% CI; 26, 33.9) in rural. Though there is no statistically significant difference, the relative prevalence of NTDs in rural to urban was two. The multivariable analysis provided that the risk factors associated with NTDs were government employment (AOR: 12.5 (1.17, 132.4)), good income (AOR: 0.13 (.03, 0.57)), Child playing with soil (AOR: 5.8 (1.52, 22.0)); child hand washing at critical times ( AOR: 11.2 (1.7, 74.9)), presence of flies in the child faces (AOR: 20.3 (4.7, 88.6)) and type of drinking water sources (AOR: 0.11 (0.02, 0.73)).
Conclusion: the burden of NTDs was moderate in the study area dominated by STH, Trachoma, and scabies. Socio economic and WASH factors were found to be associated with NTDs. Collaborated efforts among stakeholders are crucial to prevent and control NTDs.
Rethinking Drinking Water Provision: A Demand-Responsive Approach for Rural Areas in Developing Countries
Authors: Charan Naresh
Published: October 2024

This paper examines the role of public enterprises in providing safe drinking water in developing countries and analyses the factors influencing households' water source choices using a revealed preference model. The study, conducted in rural Nepal, reveals a substantial willingness to pay for convenient access to safe water, challenging the notion that rural households, especially women, do not value time savings from improved water access. The findings suggest that the predominant supply-driven, heavily subsidised approach of public water utilities warrants reconsideration. The paper argues that the willingness to pay exists but the willingness to charge is stymied. This policy creates a vicious cycle of poor service and poor cost recovery. The paper suggests a paradigm shift towards a more demand-responsive approach, allowing households to choose and pay for their desired service levels while ensuring a minimum level of safe water for all. This could enhance sustainability, welfare, and financial viability of public water utilities. The study concludes that public enterprises have a critical role in ensuring universal access to safe water but should adopt a more dynamic, accountable, and service-oriented approach, incorporating user preferences and contributions while retaining their core public mandate.
Effects of Baseline Blood Zinc Levels on the Humoral Immune Response after COVID-19 mRNA Vaccination: A Prospective Study in the Japanese Population
Authors: Ashenagar Mohammad Said , Hara Megumi , Yamada Gouki , Tokiya Mikiko , Matsumoto Akiko
Published: October 2024

Background/Objectives: Although the protective effects of zinc against COVID-19 are documented, its impact on the COVID-19 vaccine immunogenicity remains unknown. Methods: We conducted a prospective study involving a cohort of 79 Japanese individuals (aged 21–56 years; comprising three subcohorts) and measured their serum zinc levels pre-vaccination and anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgM/IgG levels pre- and post-vaccination over 4 months. Results: Serum zinc concentrations ranged 74–140 and 64–113 ug/dL in male and female individuals, respectively, with one male and 11 female participants exhibiting subclinical zinc deficiency (60–80 ug/dL). Mixed models for antibody titers, accounting for subcohorts, repeat measurements, and covariates (e.g., vaccine type, sex, age, height, steroid use, medical history, smoking and drinking habits, perceived stress, and sleep disturbances) showed positive effects of zinc on IgM (p = 0.012) and IgG (p = 0.013) in 45 female individuals with 255 observations. However, a similar association was not found in the 34 male participants with 162 observations. This discrepancy may be attributed to one participant being included in the subcohort with frequent repeat measurements (10 repeats in 4 months). COVID-19 mRNA vaccine immunogenicity was enhanced in the participants with high baseline blood zinc levels within the reference range. Conclusions: Our findings underscore the relevance of maintaining adequate zinc levels before vaccination, which can be achieved through a balanced diet and healthy lifestyle choices.
STRATEGI PENGUATAN DEMOKRASI AGONISTIK PADA BADAN EKSEKUTIF MAHASISWA DALAM PERSPEKTIF PENDIDIKAN KEWARGANEGARAAN (STUDI PADA BEM FKIP UNS)
Authors: Ismi Ismi , Rasyid Machmud Al , Yuliandari Erna
Published: October 2024

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk (1) Mendeskripsikan strategi untuk menguatkan demokrasi agonistik mahasiswa dalam lingkungan BEM FKIP UNS; (2) Mendeskripsikan hasil dari penguatan demokrasi agonistik terhadap kualitas demokrasi di lingkungan BEM FKIP UNS dalam perspektif Pendidikan Kewarganegaraan. Penelitian ini merupakan penelitian deskriptif kualitatif. Teknik pengumpulan data menggunakan wawancara mendalam, observasi, serta analisis dokumen. Pengambilan subjek penelitian menggunakan teknik purposive sampling. Lokasi penelitian pada BEM FKIP UNS  Kabinet Alterasi 2023. Pengujian validitas data menggunakan triangulasi sumber dan triangulasi metode. Hasil penelitian yang didapatkan adalah sebagai berikut. Pertama, BEM FKIP UNS melaksanakan penguatan demokrasi agonistik melalui kegiatan yang diselenggarakan oleh organisasi tersebut seperti Rapat Harian Terbatas (RHT), pembinaan di masing-masing kementerian, LKMM-D, dan kegiatan kepanitiaan, bentuk penguatan yang dilakukan adalah dengan menciptakan kontestasi dan perdebatan yang sehat, menciptakan kebebasan dan kesetaraan dalam berpendapat, serta adanya kepastian terhadap pluralisme. Kedua, hasil dari penguatan demokrasi agonistik terhadap kualitas demokrasi di lingkungan BEM FKIP UNS yaitu dapat meningkatkan partisipasi aktif dari anggota dan pengurus organisasi, menumbuhkan kemampuan untuk mengelola konflik secara melembaga, dan mampu bersikap terbuka terhadap adanya perbedaan dan menjunjung tinggi nilai toleransi dimana hal ini menunjukkan adanya keterampilan kewarganegaran dan sikap kewarganegaraan dalam diri anggota dan pengurus BEM FKIP UNS.
Kant'ın Descartes Eleştirisi: Cogito’dan Tecrübe Eden İstence Öznenin Yeniden Tanımlanması
Authors: Kahraman Ömer Ersin
Published: October 2024

Descartes’ın cogito önermesi, Aristotelesçi skolastik gelenekten Batı felsefesinin insanın aklına güvenerek hakikate ulaşabileceği inancıyla köklü bir kopuşu ile çağdaş felsefesinin başlangıç noktasını teşkil eder. Bu önerme ile Descartes, yalnız şüphenin kendisini bir hakikat dayanağı olarak kullanıp döneminin radikal şüpheciliğini aşmanın ötesinde, her ne kadar felsefesinin ileri aşamasında Aristoteles’in bilimin temel ilkesi olarak ele aldığı nedenselliği benimseyerek realizme dönse de felsefenin ilk sorunu olarak düşünen özneyi merkeze yerleştirir. Ancak Kant, cogito önermesini özneyi yalnız düşünen bir şey olarak arı usun kendisinde, tecrübeden bağımsız ele alması nedeniyle hatalı bulur; “Arı Usun Eleştirisi” çalışmasında temelden eleştirir. Bu eleştiri sonrası, Kant’ın epistemolojinin merkezine özneyi koyan Kopernik Devrimi ve ahlaki yargıları bağladığı özgür irade ilkesi ile özne, düşünce gibi soyut bir beceriden değil, görüngüde tecrübe edilebilen bir istenç olarak ele alınmaya başlar. Bu makale, önce cogito önermesinin felsefi önemini, sonra da Kant’ın Descartes’a getirdiği dogmatik idealizm eleştirisi etrafında Kant felsefesinin ortaya koyduğu özne anlayışını tartışmayı amaçlamaktadır.
A Genre-Based Analysis of Political Speeches of Selected Pakistani Prime Ministers in The UN General Assembly
Authors: Ali Muhammad Jawad
Published: October 2024

This study consists of gender-based exploration of two political speeches that have been delivered by Nawaz Sharif and Imran Khan at the UN General Assembly. This research aims to investigate the cognitive structure of political speeches and uncover the typical strategies employed by selected politicians to achieve their communicative goals. Bhatia's (1993) genre analysis model is taken as theoretical framework. This research is qualitative in nature and it argues that political addresses at the UN Assembly are followed by certain protocols, which distinguish them as a political subcategory. The findings demonstrate that selected prime ministers conform to this genre's structure to advance their political agendas. Additionally, it reveals that both chosen speakers employ similar strategies for the argumentative aspect of their speeches, choosing strategies based on their respective communicative objectives. It is anticipated that this research will pave a road for upcoming scholars by providing novel insights about usefulness of genre analysis in multiple contexts and it also helps them to get a lucid understanding of the political goals and the projected perception of Pakistan on the global stage.
The Food and Drug Administration’s Safety Surveillance of Adverse Event Cases Involving Cannabinoid Hemp Products, 2019–2023
Authors: Wolf Lisa , Hines Michelle , Ou Oliver , Wolpert Beverly , Nolan Nichole , Kenez Stephanie , Taylor Cassandra
Published: October 2024

Objective. To characterize adverse event (AE) cases received by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reportedly involving cannabinoid hemp products (CHPs).

Methods. We searched the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System and Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition Adverse Event Reporting System for cases reported directly to the FDA from 2019–2023 involving CHPs, which are defined as products containing 1 or more of the following: cannabidiol, delta-8 tetrahydrocannabinol, and emerging cannabinoids (i.e., other intoxicating cannabinoids often synthesized from hemp-derived cannabidiol). We abstracted and summarized information on reporting trends, consumer demographics, reporter information, product information, and AEs.

Results. We identified 610 AE cases reportedly involving CHPs containing 1 or more of the following: delta-8 tetrahydrocannabinol (n=355), cannabidiol (n=253), and emerging cannabinoids (n=36). Multiple trends and safety issues were identified, including an annual increase in the number of cases involving intoxicating cannabinoids since 2021, potential quality issues, and the occurrence of fatalities and pediatric exposures.

Conclusions. Our findings emphasize the importance of monitoring AE cases received by the FDA involving CHPs as part of a comprehensive surveillance strategy to identify trends and safety issues with these products. ( Am J Public Health. 2024;114(S8):S664–S672. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2024.307712 )
Trends in Medical Encounters Involving Cannabis-Related Disorders Among US Medicare Beneficiaries, 2017–2022
Authors: Perez-Vilar Silvia , Kazemian Sara , Greene Christina , Duenas Pablo Freyria , Radin Rose , Lindaas Arnstein , Akhtar Sandia , Wernecke Michael , Chillarige Yoganand , Kelman Jeffrey A. , Graham David J.
Published: October 2024

Objectives. To characterize cannabis-related disorder medical encounter trends in the US Medicare population during 2017 to 2022.

Methods. We conducted a descriptive study, which included 56 624 432 beneficiaries aged 65 years or older and 10 247 953 aged 18 to 64 years with disability. All were continuously enrolled in Medicare (Fee-for-Service or Advantage) for 183 or more days before the first day of the calendar year. We identified cannabis-related disorder encounters using International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision, Clinical Modification diagnosis codes and computed annual encounter rates per 10 000 beneficiaries. We used the Mann–Kendall test to analyze trends over time.

Results. Annual cannabis-related disorder encounter trends among beneficiaries aged 65 years or older ranged from 15.9 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 15.8, 16.0) to 39.3 (95% CI = 39.1, 39.5) per 10 000. Rates among beneficiaries aged 18 to 64 years with disability ranged from 274.8 (95% CI = 273.6, 276.0) to 373.7 (95% CI = 372.3, 375.2) per 10 000. Rates increased over time across both groups, with average annual increases of 4.3 (95% CI = 3.3, 5.3; P = .01) and 17.1 (95% CI = 11.0, 23.2; P = .02) per 10 000, respectively.

Conclusions. Further work is needed to explore the impact of coexisting medical conditions on outcomes that result from cannabis-related disorders. ( Am J Public Health. 2024;114(S8):S694–S697. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2024.307729 )
On the Significance of Hydrate Formation/Dissociation during CO2 Injection in Depleted Gas Reservoirs
Authors: Indina V. , Fernandes B. R. B. , Delshad M. , Farajzadeh R. , Sepehrnoori K.
Published: October 2024

The study aims to quantitatively assess the risk of hydrate formation within the porous formation and its consequences on injectivity during storage of CO2 in depleted gas reservoirs considering low temperatures caused by the Joule-Thomson (JT) effect and hydrate kinetics. Hydrates formed during CO2 storage operation can occupy porous spaces in the reservoir rock, reducing the rock’s permeability and thus becoming a hindrance to the storage project. The aim was to understand which mechanisms can mitigate or prevent the formation of hydrates. The key mechanisms we studied included water dry-out, heat exchange with surrounding rock formation, and capillary pressure. A semicompositional thermal reservoir simulator is used to model the fluid and heat flow of CO2 through a reservoir initially composed of brine and methane. The simulator can model the formation and dissociation of both methane and CO2 hydrates using kinetic reactions. This approach has the advantage of computing the amount of hydrate deposited and estimating its effects on the porosity and permeability alteration. Sensitivity analyses are also carried out to investigate the impact of different parameters and mechanisms on the deposition of hydrates and the injectivity of CO2. Simulation results for a simplified model were verified with results from the literature. The key results of this work are as follows: (1) The JT effect strongly depends on the reservoir permeability and initial pressure and could lead to the formation of hydrates within the porous media even when the injected CO2 temperature was higher than the hydrate equilibrium temperature; (2) the heat gain from underburden and overburden rock formations could prevent hydrates formed at late time; (3) permeability reduction increased the formation of hydrates due to an increased JT cooling; and (4) water dry-out near the wellbore did not prevent hydrate formation. Finally, the role of capillary pressure was quite complex, as it reduced the formation of hydrates in certain cases and increased in other cases. Simulating this process with heat flow and hydrate reactions was also shown to present severe numerical issues. It was critical to select convergence criteria and linear system tolerances to avoid large material balance and numerical errors.
Innovative Nanotechnology for Enhancing Bridging System Supports Stabilizing Drilling Deep Formations
Authors: Qassem Al Saqer , Zainab Alabdulmohsen , Abdullah Al-Shubaith , Abdullah Asiri
Published: October 2024

Drilling operations of deep oil and gas formations are exceedingly difficult tasks specifically when performed at challenging wells with narrow pressure windows, high overbalance, and cleaning hole difficulties. A flat rheology sealing-based fluid with an optimized bridging system containing a deformable polymer nano in size can overcome the challenges by controlling the equivalent circulation density (ECD), enhancing sealing package and improving hole cleaning efficiency.

A flat rheology fluid system provides excellent drilling performance with minimal changes in rheological profile through the temperature changes while drilling. Will discuss in this paper an extensive laboratory work performed to formulate a fluid containing nano-polymers to prove its ability as enhancing sealing particle with different bridging materials sizes, to form a flat rheology system, and to generate a thin stable filter cake.

Experiments were performed using dynamic HPHT fluid loss test to simulate filter cake build up, and Permeability Plugging Test (PPT) with different size ceramic disk at different differential pressures <6000 psi, and temperatures close to 320°F.

The designed system contains a dry deformable polymer used for sealing shale formations and promoting wellbore stability. The polymer is nano in scale and allows the system to seal micro-pores and micro-fractures in shale formations preventing fluid invasion and reduce fluid loss. The polymer is thermally stable and provides a steady rheological profile.

The laboratory results showed 30-50 % decrease in PPT fluid loss values when using the nano-polymer to enhance the sealing capacity of the bridging agents.

Successful field stories from rigs executing flat rheology system are also discussed. The enhanced flat fluids at different densities and temperatures were applied in the field, achieving a smooth drilling operation with excellent hole cleaning.

The nano-polymer sealing material is an innovative technology that would help to achieve flat rheology fluid while isolating the fracture tip to reduce fracture propagation and permeability of the filter cake while bridging the fracture. The technology effectively reduces the instability associated with pressure sensitive shale and minimize stuck pipe tendencies.
Experimental Study on Plugging Behavior of Multitype Temporary Plugging Agents in Hydraulic Fractures
Authors: Xu Wenjun , Jiang Feng , Wang Lei , Liao Yuanai , Qiu Shun
Published: October 2024

Various types of temporary plugging agents are used in hydraulic fracturing to promote the uniform propagation of multicluster hydraulic fractures and increase the complexity of hydraulic fractures. However, the plugging behavior of these agents in hydraulic fractures has not yet been fully clarified, making the optimization of temporary plugging formulas challenging. In this study, dozens of plugging experiments were carried out to reveal the plugging behavior of pure fiber, pure particle, and fiber-particle combination materials in hydraulic fractures. The results indicate that the high fiber concentration and long fibers are beneficial to obtaining high maximum plugging pressures. However, the low tensile strength of fibers makes it difficult to form stable plugging layers under high pressure, especially for wide fractures. For particle plugging agents, the high rigidity of the particles prevents them from compacting tightly within the plugging layer, resulting in high permeability and low temporary plugging pressure. Excessive particle diameter and concentration tend to cause rapid blockage at the fracture entrance, leading to poor plugging performance. In contrast, the fiber-particle composite plugging scheme can form a stable and tight plugging layer at lower concentrations of both fibers and particles. Moreover, replacing single-size particles in composite with multisize particles can further enhance the plugging effect, allowing for a higher plugging pressure with a lower dosage of temporary plugging agents. Comprehensively considering the effects of material concentration and size on the plugging effect, the critical plugging quantitative characterization equations for pure fiber, pure particle, and fiber-particle combination plugging schemes are established respectively, with fracture width as the independent variable and the product of material concentration and size as the dependent variable. The temporary plugging schemes for various hydraulic fracture widths can be preliminarily determined using these equations. Based on the principle of economic optimization, the optimal temporary plugging schemes with consideration of the plugging pressure requirements were selected, which have shown good field application performance.