bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Xenopus laevis Oocyte Array Fluidic Device Integrated with Microelectrodes for A Compact Two-Electrode Voltage Clamping System
Authors: Misawa Nobuo , Tomida Mitsuyoshi , Murakami Yuji , Mitsuno Hidefumi , Kanzaki Ryohei
Published: February 2023

We report on a compact two-electrode voltage clamping system composed of microfabricated electrodes and a fluidic device for Xenopus laevis oocytes. The device was fabricated by assembling Si-based electrode chips and acrylic frames to form fluidic channels. After the installation of Xenopus oocytes into the fluidic channels, the device can be separated in order to measure changes in oocyte plasma membrane potential in each channel using an external amplifier. Using fluid simulations and experiments, we investigated the success rates of Xenopus oocyte arrays and electrode insertion with respect to the flow rate. We successfully located each oocyte in the array and detected oocyte responses to chemical stimuli using our device.
Deep Learning Accelerators’ Configuration Space Exploration Effect on Performance and Resource Utilization: A Gemmini Case Study
Authors: Gookyi Dennis Agyemanh Nana , Lee Eunchong , Kim Kyungho , Jang Sung-Joon , Lee Sang-Seol
Published: February 2023

Though custom deep learning (DL) hardware accelerators are attractive for making inferences in edge computing devices, their design and implementation remain a challenge. Open-source frameworks exist for exploring DL hardware accelerators. Gemmini is an open-source systolic array generator for agile DL accelerator exploration. This paper details the hardware/software components generated using Gemmini. The general matrix-to-matrix multiplication (GEMM) of different dataflow options, including output/weight stationary (OS/WS), was explored in Gemmini to estimate the performance relative to a CPU implementation. The Gemmini hardware was implemented on an FPGA device to explore the effect of several accelerator parameters, including array size, memory capacity, and the CPU/hardware image-to-column (im2col) module, on metrics such as the area, frequency, and power. This work revealed that regarding the performance, the WS dataflow offered a speedup of 3× relative to the OS dataflow, and the hardware im2col operation offered a speedup of 1.1× relative to the operation on the CPU. For hardware resources, an increase in the array size by a factor of 2 led to an increase in both the area and power by a factor of 3.3, and the im2col module led to an increase in area and power by factors of 1.01 and 1.06, respectively.
Dynamic Photoresponse of a DNTT Organic Phototransistor
Authors: Campajola Marcello , Di Meo Paolo , Di Capua Francesco , Branchini Paolo , Aloisio Alberto
Published: February 2023

The photosensitivity, responsivity, and signal-to-noise ratio of organic phototransistors depend on the timing characteristics of light pulses. However, in the literature, such figures of merit (FoM) are typically extracted in stationary conditions, very often from IV curves taken under constant light exposure. In this work, we studied the most relevant FoM of a DNTT-based organic phototransistor as a function of the timing parameters of light pulses, to assess the device suitability for real-time applications. The dynamic response to light pulse bursts at ~470 nm (close to the DNTT absorption peak) was characterized at different irradiances under various working conditions, such as pulse width and duty cycle. Several bias voltages were explored to allow for a trade-off to be made between operating points. Amplitude distortion in response to light pulse bursts was also addressed.
Data-Driven Robotic Manipulation of Cloth-like Deformable Objects: The Present, Challenges and Future Prospects
Authors: Kadi Halid Abdulrahim , Terzić Kasim
Published: February 2023

Manipulating cloth-like deformable objects (CDOs) is a long-standing problem in the robotics community. CDOs are flexible (non-rigid) objects that do not show a detectable level of compression strength while two points on the article are pushed towards each other and include objects such as ropes (1D), fabrics (2D) and bags (3D). In general, CDOs’ many degrees of freedom (DoF) introduce severe self-occlusion and complex state–action dynamics as significant obstacles to perception and manipulation systems. These challenges exacerbate existing issues of modern robotic control methods such as imitation learning (IL) and reinforcement learning (RL). This review focuses on the application details of data-driven control methods on four major task families in this domain: cloth shaping, knot tying/untying, dressing and bag manipulation. Furthermore, we identify specific inductive biases in these four domains that present challenges for more general IL and RL algorithms.
Online Calibration Study of Non-Contact Current Sensors for Three-Phase Four-Wire Power Cables
Authors: Yan Peiwu , Zhang Wenbin , Yang Le , Zhang Wenying , Yu Hao , Huang Rujin , Zhu Junyu , Liu Xi
Published: February 2023

Three-phase four-wire power cables are a primary kind of power transmission method in low-voltage distribution networks. This paper addresses the problem that calibration currents are not easily electrified during the transporting of three-phase four-wire power cable measurements, and proposes a method for obtaining the magnetic field strength distribution in the tangential direction around the cable, finally enabling online self-calibration. The simulation and experimental results show that this method can self-calibrate the sensor arrays and reconstruct the phase current waveforms in three-phase four-wire power cables without calibration currents, and this method is not affected by disturbances such as wire diameter, current amplitudes, and high-frequency harmonics. This study reduces the time and equipment costs required to calibrate the sensing module compared to related studies using calibration currents. This research offers the possibility of fusing sensing modules directly with running primary equipment, and the development of hand-held measurement devices.
Novel Sensing Technique for Stem Cells Differentiation Using Dielectric Spectroscopy of Their Proteins
Authors: Cho Young Seek , Gwak So-Jung
Published: February 2023

Dielectric spectroscopy (DS) is the primary technique to observe the dielectric properties of biomaterials. DS extracts complex permittivity spectra from measured frequency responses such as the scattering parameters or impedances of materials over the frequency band of interest. In this study, an open-ended coaxial probe and vector network analyzer were used to characterize the complex permittivity spectra of protein suspensions of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) and human osteogenic sarcoma (Saos-2) cells in distilled water at frequencies ranging from 10 MHz to 43.5 GHz. The complex permittivity spectra of the protein suspensions of hMSCs and Saos-2 cells revealed two major dielectric dispersions, β and γ, offering three distinctive features for detecting the differentiation of stem cells: the distinctive values in the real and imaginary parts of the complex permittivity spectra as well as the relaxation frequency in the β-dispersion. The protein suspensions were analyzed using a single-shell model, and a dielectrophoresis (DEP) study was performed to determine the relationship between DS and DEP. In immunohistochemistry, antigen–antibody reactions and staining are required to identify the cell type; in contrast, DS eliminates the use of biological processes, while also providing numerical values of the dielectric permittivity of the material-under-test to detect differences. This study suggests that the application of DS can be expanded to detect stem cell differentiation.
Distributed Relative Localization Algorithms for Multi-Robot Networks: A Survey
Authors: Wang Shuo , Wang Yongcai , Li Deying , Zhao Qianchuan
Published: February 2023

For a network of robots working in a specific environment, relative localization among robots is the basis for accomplishing various upper-level tasks. To avoid the latency and fragility of long-range or multi-hop communication, distributed relative localization algorithms, in which robots take local measurements and calculate localizations and poses relative to their neighbors distributively, are highly desired. Distributed relative localization has the advantages of a low communication burden and better system robustness but encounters challenges in the distributed algorithm design, communication protocol design, local network organization, etc. This paper presents a detailed survey of the key methodologies designed for distributed relative localization for robot networks. We classify the distributed localization algorithms regarding to the types of measurements, i.e., distance-based, bearing-based, and multiple-measurement-fusion-based. The detailed design methodologies, advantages, drawbacks, and application scenarios of different distributed localization algorithms are introduced and summarized. Then, the research works that support distributed localization, including local network organization, communication efficiency, and the robustness of distributed localization algorithms, are surveyed. Finally, popular simulation platforms are summarized and compared in order to facilitate future research and experiments on distributed relative localization algorithms.
A Doherty Power Amplifier for Ultrasound Instrumentation
Authors: Choi Hojong
Published: February 2023

The ultrasound instrumentation uses linear power amplifiers with low power efficiency, generating unwanted heat and resulting in the deterioration of the echo signal quality of measured targets. Therefore, this study aims to develop a power amplifier scheme to increase power efficiency while maintaining appropriate echo signal quality. In communication systems, the Doherty power amplifier has shown relatively good power efficiency while producing high signal distortion. The same design scheme cannot be directly applied to ultrasound instrumentation. Therefore, the Doherty power amplifier needs to be re-designed. To verify the feasibility of the instrumentation, a Doherty power amplifier was designed to obtain high power efficiency. The measured gain, output 1-dB compression point, and power-added efficiency of the designed Doherty power amplifier were 33.71 dB, 35.71 dBm, and 57.24% at 25 MHz, respectively. In addition, the performance of the developed amplifier was measured and tested using the ultrasound transducer through the pulse-echo responses. The output power with 25 MHz, 5-cycle, and 43.06 dBm generated from the Doherty power amplifier was sent through the expander to the focused ultrasound transducer with 25 MHz and 0.5″ diameter. The detected signal was sent via a limiter. Afterwards, the signal was amplified by a 36.8 dB gain preamplifier, and then displayed in the oscilloscope. The measured peak-to-peak amplitude in the pulse-echo response with an ultrasound transducer was 0.9698 V. The data showed a comparable echo signal amplitude. Therefore, the designed Doherty power amplifier can improve the power efficiency used for medical ultrasound instrumentation.
A Video Target Tracking and Correction Model with Blockchain and Robust Feature Location
Authors: Jiang Yiru , Han Dezhi , Cui Mingming , Fan Yuan , Zhou Yachao
Published: February 2023

In this paper, a cutting-edge video target tracking system is proposed, combining feature location and blockchain technology. The location method makes full use of feature registration and received trajectory correction signals to achieve high accuracy in tracking targets. The system leverages the power of blockchain technology to address the challenge of insufficient accuracy in tracking occluded targets, by organizing the video target tracking tasks in a secure and decentralized manner. To further enhance the accuracy of small target tracking, the system uses adaptive clustering to guide the target location process across different nodes. In addition, the paper also presents an unmentioned trajectory optimization post-processing approach, which is based on result stabilization, effectively reducing inter-frame jitter. This post-processing step plays a crucial role in maintaining a smooth and stable track of the target, even in challenging scenarios such as fast movements or significant occlusions. Experimental results on CarChase2 (TLP) and basketball stand advertisements (BSA) datasets show that the proposed feature location method is better than the existing methods, achieving a recall of 51% (27.96+) and a precision of 66.5% (40.04+) in the CarChase2 dataset and recall of 85.52 (11.75+)% and precision of 47.48 (39.2+)% in the BSA dataset. Moreover, the proposed video target tracking and correction model performs better than the existing tracking model, showing a recall of 97.1% and a precision of 92.6% in the CarChase2 dataset and an average recall of 75.9% and mAP of 82.87% in the BSA dataset, respectively. The proposed system presents a comprehensive solution for video target tracking, offering high accuracy, robustness, and stability. The combination of robust feature location, blockchain technology, and trajectory optimization post-processing makes it a promising approach for a wide range of video analytics applications, such as surveillance, autonomous driving, and sports analysis.
Effect of Fractal Topology on the Resistivity Response of Thin Film Sensors
Authors: Kopnov Gregory , Das Sudhansu Sekhar , Gerber Alexander
Published: February 2023

We discuss the effect of topological inhomogeneity of very thin metallic conductometric sensors on their response to external stimuli, such as pressure, intercalation, or gas absorption, that modify the material’s bulk conductivity. The classical percolation model was extended to the case in which several independent scattering mechanisms contribute to resistivity. The magnitude of each scattering term was predicted to grow with the total resistivity and diverge at the percolation threshold. We tested the model experimentally using thin films of hydrogenated palladium and CoPd alloys where absorbed hydrogen atoms occupying the interstitial lattice sites enhance the electron scattering. The hydrogen scattering resistivity was found to grow linearly with the total resistivity in the fractal topology range in agreement with the model. Enhancement of the absolute magnitude of the resistivity response in the fractal range thin film sensors can be particularly useful when the respective bulk material response is too small for reliable detection.
Comparing Direct Measurements and Three-Dimensional (3D) Scans for Evaluating Facial Soft Tissue
Authors: Gašparović Boris , Morelato Luka , Lenac Kristijan , Mauša Goran , Zhurov Alexei , Katić Višnja
Published: February 2023

The inspection of patients’ soft tissues and the effects of various dental procedures on their facial physiognomy are quite challenging. To minimise discomfort and simplify the process of manual measuring, we performed facial scanning and computer measurement of experimentally determined demarcation lines. Images were acquired using a low-cost 3D scanner. Two consecutive scans were obtained from 39 participants, to test the scanner repeatability. An additional ten persons were scanned before and after forward movement of the mandible (predicted treatment outcome). Sensor technology that combines red, green, and blue (RGB) data with depth information (RGBD) integration was used for merging frames into a 3D object. For proper comparison, the resulting images were registered together, which was performed with ICP (Iterative Closest Point)-based techniques. Measurements on 3D images were performed using the exact distance algorithm. One operator measured the same demarcation lines directly on participants; repeatability was tested (intra-class correlations). The results showed that the 3D face scans were reproducible with high accuracy (mean difference between repeated scans <1%); the actual measurements were repeatable to some extent (excellent only for the tragus-pogonion demarcation line); computational measurements were accurate, repeatable, and comparable to the actual measurements. Three dimensional (3D) facial scans can be used as a faster, more comfortable for patients, and more accurate technique to detect and quantify changes in facial soft tissue resulting from various dental procedures.
A Cerium Organic Framework with {Cu2I2} Cluster and {Cu2I2}n Chain Modules: Structure and Fluorescence Sensing Properties
Authors: Tan Bin , Li Zi-Wei , Wu Zhao-Feng , Huang Xiao-Ying
Published: February 2023

In this work, a copper iodine module bearing a coordination polymer (CP) with a formula of [(Cu2I2)2Ce2(INA)6(DMF)3]·DMF (1, HINA = isonicotinic acid, DMF = N,N’-dimethyl formamide) is presented. The title compound features a three dimensional (3D) structure, in which the {Cu2I2} cluster and {Cu2I2}n chain modules are coordinated by N atoms from a pyridine ring in INA− ligands, while the Ce3+ ions are bridged by the carboxylic groups of INA− ligands. More importantly, compound 1 exhibits an uncommon red fluorescence (FL) with a single emission band maximized at 650 nm belonging to near infrared (NIR) luminescence. The temperature dependent FL measurement was applied to investigate the FL mechanism. Remarkably, 1 could be used as a FL sensor to cysteine and the nitro-bearing explosive molecule of trinitropheno (TNP) with high sensitivity, demonstrating its potential FL sensing applications for biothiol and explosive molecules.
BATMAN: A Brain-like Approach for Tracking Maritime Activity and Nuance
Authors: Jones Alexander , Koehler Stephan , Jerge Michael , Graves Mitchell , King Bayley , Dalrymple Richard , Freese Cody , Von Albade James
Published: February 2023

As commercial geospatial intelligence data becomes more widely available, algorithms using artificial intelligence need to be created to analyze it. Maritime traffic is annually increasing in volume, and with it the number of anomalous events that might be of interest to law enforcement agencies, governments, and militaries. This work proposes a data fusion pipeline that uses a mixture of artificial intelligence and traditional algorithms to identify ships at sea and classify their behavior. A fusion process of visual spectrum satellite imagery and automatic identification system (AIS) data was used to identify ships. Further, this fused data was further integrated with additional information about the ship’s environment to help classify each ship’s behavior to a meaningful degree. This type of contextual information included things such as exclusive economic zone boundaries, locations of pipelines and undersea cables, and the local weather. Behaviors such as illegal fishing, trans-shipment, and spoofing are identified by the framework using freely or cheaply accessible data from places such as Google Earth, the United States Coast Guard, etc. The pipeline is the first of its kind to go beyond the typical ship identification process to help aid analysts in identifying tangible behaviors and reducing the human workload.
Receiving Robust Analysis of Spatial and Temporary Variation of Agricultural Water Use Efficiency While Considering Environmental Factors: On the Evaluation of Data Envelopment Analysis Technique
Authors: Dong Hongguang , Geng Jie , Xu Yue
Published: February 2023

With accelerated urbanisation, continued growth in water demand and the external pressure of water demand from the South–North Water Transfer Project, agricultural water use in Jiangsu is facing a critical situation. Therefore, it is important to explore the spatial and temporal variation in agricultural water use efficiency in order to clarify the pathway for improving agricultural water use efficiency. Firstly, the Super-Slacks-Based Measure (SBM) model was utilized to measure agricultural water use efficiency in Jiangsu Province, China, from 2011 to 2020, and secondly, a fixed-effects model was used to investigate agricultural water use efficiency and the factors influencing it in 13 prefectures in Jiangsu Province in both time and space. The results show that (1) the overall value of agricultural water use efficiency in Jiangsu Province is below 1, which means that agricultural water use efficiency in Jiangsu Province is low and far from the effective boundary, and there is more room for improvement in agricultural water use efficiency; (2) a total of 92% of prefectures in Jiangsu Province have input redundancy, which seriously inhibits the progress of agricultural water use efficiency in Jiangsu Province, among which the redundancy of total agricultural machinery power and agricultural water use is the highest; (3) Regarding total factor productivity and its decomposition index for agricultural use in Jiangsu Province, in the time dimension, the number of professional and technical personnel inputs has a positive impact on agricultural water use efficiency. In the spatial dimension, the number of professional and technical personnel inputs, industrial structure and arable land area have a positive impact on improving regional agricultural water use efficiency, among which the industrial structure has a smaller contribution to agricultural water use efficiency.
Une approche des dynamiques d’implantation des habitats à la fin du Néolithique provençal
Authors: Caraglio Agnès
Published: February 2023

L’espace provençal du 3e millénaire av. n. è. laisse entrevoir un certain nombre d’éléments qui mettent en scène la complexité archéologique de la fin du Néolithique. En Provence, le travail de J. Cauliez a ouvert la voie à un cadre chronoculturel plus robuste et tissé une trame plus diversifiée des composantes céramiques de la fin du Néolithique. Cependant, les dernières analyses des vestiges archéologiques liés à ces contextes requièrent à notre sens une étude complémentaire fondée sur les logiques d’implantation des sites d’habitat afin de mieux saisir l’ensemble des mécanismes socio-culturels émergeant à l’aube de l’âge du Bronze. Grâce à la mise en place d’une base de données relationnelle couplée à un système d’information géographique, il a été possible de générer de nouvelles informations spatiales sur un corpus de sites du Néolithique final provençal (260 gisements appartenant strictement au Néolithique final, et respectivement, 8, 19, 29 et 7 gisements attribués aux 4 horizons définis par J. Cauliez). Ainsi, après des analyses statistiques multivariées exploratoires sur les données spatiales, il a été possible de caractériser finement les implantations de chacun des gisements étudiés à l’échelle de la Provence et de dégager des tendances principales dans les choix d’installation de ces populations à partir du milieu du 3e millénaire av. n. è.
Struktur Populasi Gastropoda (Terebralia palustris) Di Area Ekowisata Mangrove Gampong Baro Kabupaten Aceh Jaya
Authors: Fitriani Fitriani , Suriani Mai , Bahri Samsul , Gazali Mohamad , Rahmi Mira Mauliza
Published: February 2023

ABSTRAKEkowisata mangrove Gampong Baro mempunyai beberapa tempat yang dapat dikunjungi, bentuk dari aktivitas kunjungan ini secara langsung memberikan dampak terhadap  beberapa jenis biota pada ekologi mangrove adalah jenis Gastropoda. Penelitian ini dilaksanakan pada Bulan Oktober 2021-Januari 2022 di area mangrove Gampong Baro Kabupaten Aceh Jaya Provinsi Aceh, dengan tujuan untuk mengetahui nilai kepadatan, distribusi ukuran dan pola distribusi dari Terebralia palustris. Pengambilan data dilakukan di 3 stasiun pengamatan dengan menggunakan metode transek kuadrat. Pada setiap stasiun pengamatan di pasanng  plot utama ukuran 10 x 10 m untuk pengambilan data mangrove dan disetiap plot utama dibuat subplot ukuran 1 x 1 m  untuk pengambilan data gastropoda.  Hasil  dari penelitian menunjukan bahwa kepadatan Terebralia palustris bernilai antara 4-16 ind/m2, ukuran sebaran Terebralia palustris berkisar antara 3-12,3 cm. Indeks pola distribusi sebaran adalah Id<1 yang artinya pola sebarannya merata/seragam. Hubungan kerapatan mangrove dengan kelimpahan gastropoda Terebralia palustris antar stasiun dianalisis menggunakan Regresi Linear Sederhana diperoleh nilai r= 0,9663, yang berarti memiliki korelasi yang sangat kuat antara kepadatan gastropoda Terebralia palustris dengan kepadatan mangrove
Point of Care Ultrasonography (POCUS): O Uso de Aparelho Portátil de Ultrassom Fora do Ambiente da Sala de Imagem
Authors: Gilson Soares Feitosa
Published: February 2023

Este editorial trata da importância do POCUS ao mesmo tempo em que contempla a importância do conhecimento médico à beira do leito.
The role of entrepreneurship in the economic development of the country
Authors: Krysko Zhanna
Published: February 2023

Introduction. In all countries of the world, entrepreneurship is considered to be a universal tool for the participation of citizens in the economic life of the country, an important factor of economic growth, job creation, structural adjustment aimed at strengthening the economy. By creating small and medium-sized business structures, entrepreneurs provide themselves with work and income, higher than they could receive, when in the category of employees, and, in addition, they create new goods and services, which allows expanding the economic opportunities of both the region and the state in general.
The goal of the article is to study the role of entrepreneurship in the socio-economic development of the country, as well as outline ways to improve the policy of regulation and support of small enterprises in the regional economy.
Methods. The methods of economic, systemic, structural analysis and generalization are used.
Results. Entrepreneurial activity in Ukraine has been analyzed, trends in the development of small and medium-sized enterprises under the influence of a favorable business climate were considered by means of the analysis of the dynamics of economic entities development based on the statistical data. It is proved that the birth and development of entrepreneurship is a complex socio-economic phenomenon and is determined by deep changes in the field of socio-cultural relations that arise as its result. At the same time, the change of such relations affects all key aspects of people's lives: social life; moral and ethical norms; mentality; spiritual and material values; norms of socio-economic behavior. It has been established that in modern economic conditions, regional leaders assign a significant role to medium and small enterprises, which, thanks to their flexibility, are more adapted to constantly changing market conditions. The management of territorial communities, using complex and systematic measures to create a favorable environment, contributes to increasing the competitiveness of regional medium and small enterprises that are able to compete with large companies.
Formation of strategic priorities for the development of pork breeding in agricultural enterprises as the basis of innovative development of the industry and food supply of the country
Authors: Ibbatulin Marat , Khahula Bohdan , Svynous Nadia
Published: February 2023

The article is devoted to the formation of strategic priorities for the development of pig farming in agricultural enterprises, as the basis of innovative development of the industry and food supply of the country. Domestic pig farming as an industry began to revive and developed. Powerful factors of pressure on it are the constant increase in the cost of feed, energy resources, and veterinary services. Based on the generalization of the research results, we substantiated the strategic priorities in the development of pig farming for each of the investigated groups of agricultural enterprises - producers of pig farming products. It has been established that one of the main factors that will restrain the development of pig farming in the corporate sector of the agrarian economy, as an export-oriented industry, in the near future is a complex epizootic situation caused by the manifestation of ASF. Such a situation requires the state veterinary and phytosanitary service to intensify its activities in conducting monitoring and selective control on the ground.
It is obvious that state support by means of subsidizing agricultural producers working on technologies with low indicators and high resource intensity does not contribute to their achievement of production efficiency, but only slows down the process of their exit from the industry, which leads to the irrational spending of budget funds.
In order to effectively develop pig farming by enterprises of the corporate sector of the agrarian economy, it is necessary to simultaneously solve a number of tasks, namely: to create institutional and economic conditions for the involvement of average producers in terms of efficiency indicators and production scales in the innovation-investment process for the development of resource-saving and ecologically safe innovative technologies in the shortest possible time; provide additional support to enterprises in the organization of production of their own grain feed, subsidizing the construction of feed mills and elevators, which will fully satisfy the existing needs of pork producers.
The effectiveness of the use of financial resources as budget allocations should be carried out on the basis of national and regional programs for the development of pig farming, indicating the sources of funding and forecast indicators of the development of the industry.
PERAN KEPUASAN KERJA SEBAGAI MEDIATOR TERHADAP FAKTOR-FAKTOR YANG MEMPENGARUHI KINERJA ASN BAPPEDALITBANG KABUPATEN PASER
Authors: Irma Yusnita  , Amir Fikri  , Mieta Istiandra
Published: February 2023

This study aims to determine the Role Of Job Satisfaction As A Mediator On The Factors Affecting The Performance Of The State Civil Apparatus Bappedalitbang, Paser District. This study uses a quantitative method with a correlational approach, namely research that seeks to explain the relationship between the independent variable and the dependent variable through the role of the mediating variable. Furthermore, the data were analyzed using the Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) equation model with the Partial Least Square (PLS) analysis technique with the stages of measurement model analysis and structural model analysis. From the results of the study it can be concluded that there is a positive and significant effect of motivation on performance both without and with job satisfaction as a mediating variable, there is a positive and significant influence on performance both without and with job satisfaction as a mediating variable, there is a positive but not significant influence of leadership on performance both without and with job satisfaction as a mediating variable, there is a positive but not significant effect of work discipline on performance both without and with job satisfaction as a mediating variable, there is a positive and significant effect between job satisfaction as a mediating variable on performance, there is a simultaneous influence of motivation , ability, leadership and work discipline on performance.
EFFICACY OF ZINC SULFIDE- CHITOSAN NANOPARTICLES AGAINST BACTERIAL DIABETIC WOUND INFECTION
Authors: Mustafa H.N.  , I. Al -Ogaidi
Published: February 2023

This study was aimed evaluation, Zinc sulfide-chitosan nanoparticles (ZnS-chitosan NPs) as an antibacterial agent. The nanoparticles of Zinc sulfide-chitosan were synthesized using a single-step colloidal process. Different factors were optimized, which included pH, temperature, reaction time, concentrations of chitosan and Zinc chloride .The optimal conditions was achieved at pH 7, temperature 60℃, reaction time 60min, with 0.04 mg/ml of Zinc chloride, 2.5 ml 0.1mg/ml Sodium sulfide   and 0.009 M chitosan. The size of ZnS-chitosan NPs size was tested by using FESEM which were 35nm, surface morphology was done by using AFM. Moreover, X-ray Diffraction (XRD) characterized the crystal structure. While the nature of functional groups present in ZnS-chitosan nanoparticles was determined by Fourier transforms infrared (FT-IR) analysis. The sensitivity of bacterial isolates to antibiotics were tested, the bacteria were more sensitive, resistant, and moderate range to ten antibiotics. Different concentrations (12.5, 25, 50, 100, 200, and 400 μg/ml) of ZnS-chitosan NPs were investigated against multidrug resistance (MDR) Staphylococcus aureus (Gram-positive bacteria) and Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa (Gram-negative bacteria). The minimum inhibitory concentration of ZnS-chitosan NPs against pathogenic bacteria was 100 μg /ml for Staphylococcus aureus and Acinetobacter baumannii, while 50 μg /ml for  Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Cytotoxicity effects of ZnS-chitosan on normal cell lines (WRL-68) were investigated by MTT assay. The results showed that the ZnS-chitosan nanoparticles no cytotoxic effect on normal cell line.
MINIMIZATION OF WATER NEEDS IN IRAQI AGRICULTURE IN LIGHT OF THE PREVAILING CROPPING COMBINATION DURING
Authors: Assad A. Abdullah  , Zuhal R. Kadhim
Published: February 2023

The research aims to study the optimal allocation of irrigation water that is used to irrigate various agricultural crops at the level of Iraq. In order to achieve the goal of the research, two economic models were formulated according to the linear programming technique. The first model aimed to minimize the water needs of the prevailing crop combination during the average period (2017-2020), while the second model aimed to maximize the total profit margin of the water unit for the crop combination that minimizes the water needs during the same period. The first model was estimated with two proposed plans. The first proposed plan included non-imposing legislative restrictions related to the allocation of certain areas for basic agricultural crops that bias the food security requirements of the population, as well as crops that were recently banned from import by the Iraqi government, while the proposed second plan included the imposition and addition of restrictions of legislative areas that did not appear in the table of the optimal solution for the first plan. Results indicated that there is a surplus of water resource for the proposed economic plans according to the two estimated models, its quantity amounted to about 363.361, 9.178 million m3 for each plan, respectively, compared to the total amount of irrigation water needed for the current cropping combination, which was estimated at about 4.736726 billion m3 during the average mentioned period. Results of the analysis of the two estimated models also showed a preference for the results of plans with legislative restrictions as a result of the expansion in the cultivation of most basic and important crops and vegetables for local consumption.
STUDYING THE GROWTH AND PRODUCTIVITY OF SAFFRON UNDER DIFFERENT AGRICULTURE TECHNIQUES
Authors: Razan K  , R. Aziz  , K. Al-Maari  , F. Al-biski
Published: February 2023

This study was conducted at Abi – Jarash farm, Damascus, Syria, during 2018/2019 and 2019/2020 growing seasons. The aim of this study was comparing the effect of three different cultivation techniques of saffron (Crocus sativus L.), which were soilless cultivation, within the nutrient film technique (NFT), and the technique of cultivation in substrates (mixture of peat moss- perlite), in addition to cultivation in soil. An increasing in the vegetative growth measurements was recorded with​​ cultivation  saffron in the soil, compared to the cultivation without soil, within the nutrient film technology (hydroponics) ,and the technology of cultivation in the substrates (peat moss and perlite mixture)، Flowering was poor in the hydroponics technique, while non  significant differences were observed among the cultivation technique in the peat moss–perlite mixture, and the cultivation in the soil  in first and second seasons . Cultivation in the soil achieved a significant increase in the rate of corms multiplication (corm plant-1), and the weight of daughter corms produced from one plant, whereas, a qualitative superiority appeared within the nutrient film technique, in which the percentage of commercial corms (˃ 8 g) reached 100%, and the average weight of the produced corms was 13.65,16.07 g in first and second seasons, respectively .
THE EFFECT OF THE SYNBIOTIC ON REDUCING BODY WEIGHT, FEED CONSUMPTION, ACTIVITY AND HEALTH STATUS OF EXPERIMENTAL ANIMALS
Authors: W. F. J. Al-Fahdawy  , A. A. Alshaikh Daher
Published: February 2023

The current study aims to demonstrate the effectiveness of the synbiotic of eukaryotic and prokaryotic probiotics on the average weights of experimental animals (male rats) per week, the weights of the fed they consume, their activity and their health status daily by dosing each group with a probiotics and synbiotic except for the two control groups (positive and negative) were used. The results showed  a decrease in the weights of experimental animals that were dosed with probiotics L.GG, S.boul., L.GG+ S.boul. and the synbiotic (L.GG+ S.bou.l+Psy) even though they were fed a standard diet with adding 10%Kcal, the synbiotic group L.GG+S.boul. +Psy was the most efficient and capable in reducing the rats weight by 11.7% as compared to the positive control group (cont2). The synbiotic group was closest to the negative control group (cont1), at a rate of 4.06%, since the latter feeds on a regular standard diet only, and the decrease in the body weights of the experimental animals of the dosed groups is accompanied by a decrease in the amount feed of consumed for the group of rats that were dosed with synbiotic, reaching a decrease of 8.34% when compared with the cont2 group, while the percentage of feed consumption  was 0.73% when compared with the cont1 group. All dosed groups showed an inmprovment in activity and health status compared to the both control groups.
AN ANALYSIS OF THE IMPACT OF SOME SOCIO-ECONOMIC VARIABLES IN REGULATING THE CULTIVATION AND MARKETING OF THE RICE CROP IN IRAQ
Authors: Noor.A.A  , A.D.K AL-Hiyali  , Muhammed. KH. M
Published: February 2023

This research was aimed to study the results of the application of agricultural legislation and the variables affecting compliance with such legislation, as well as knowing the role of agricultural legislation in supporting the agricultural policy steps in Iraq. The results showed that the variable of providing loans increases the probability of farmers’ commitment to the governmental agricultural plan to a large extent, amounting to about (28.7), and the variable of the sale price of the crop to the state has an impact on the probability of commitment to the plan at a degree of (1.02) greater than the chances of non-compliance with the agricultural plan, as well as the variable value of the returns achieved under The existence of government support to a degree or a fixed rate of (1) in favor of adhering to the agricultural plan. As for the farmers' decision to market their crops to the state, it was found that the most influential variables were the commitment to the agricultural plan, almost six times (6.25), which will increase the probability of marketing the crop to the state compared to the commercial one. The other variable was the provision of loans with a double degree of about (2.72). The research concluded that paying attention to the aspect of financing and providing agricultural loans to farmers will lead to farmers getting rid of the financial restrictions imposed on them by the private sector. Also, the continuation of providing support will lead to an improvement in the level of farm income for farmers and not to search for other means to obtain income and thus adhere to the government legislation drawn up. The research recommended the need to provide government support and use modern technologies to increase production rates and achieve greater returns for farmers, and the presence of a supervisory body working to ensure that farmers do not violate the imposed government legislation.
The Significance of Hand Tool Skills in the Fourth Industrial Revolution: A Focus on the Construction Concept
Authors: Mhlongo Khethukuthula Mayisatshaba , Khoza Samuel Dumazi , Skosana Ndlelehle Miskien
Published: February 2023

The study investigated the significance of hand tool skills in the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) era in teaching the construction concept in a civil Technology subject. The construction concept is one of the most practical concepts in civil Technology that is learnt in the Further Education and Training stream in the South African education curriculum. It deals with issues that cut across bricklaying and plumbing among others. Purposive sampling was used to select six teachers to take part in the study. Classroom observation and semi-structured interviews were used as instruments for data collection. The Technological Pedagogical and Content Knowledge framework was used to support the study. Data were analysed descriptively for classroom observations and through verbatim quotes for interviews with teachers. The study's findings discovered that teachers lack knowledge and understanding of 4IR and that they fail to use instructional practices that prepare learners for the 4IR jobs because of a lack of support from school officials. Teachers also lack the essential technologies to prepare learners that would thrive in the 4IR workplaces; hence their instructional practices are still using hand tools in the construction concept, which is not significant to the current trends. The study recommends that the Department of Education needs to train teachers to be ready to prepare learners for the 4IR jobs within the construction sector.
Curbing the Persistence Problems Facing the Effective Teaching and Learning of Social Studies in Nigerian Schools
Authors: Birabil T. S. , A. Nwadibia
Published: February 2023

This study is aimed at curbing the persistence problems facing the effective teaching and learning of social studies in Nigerian school. The sorry state at which the subject is currently passing through in the country has been the song in many mouth and stakeholders are yet to address the problem holistically. This paper therefore stepped in to highlight some of these challenges to includes; lack of adequate textbooks, poor teacher’s qualification, absence of logical scheme of work, methodological problem, short period given to the subject, lack of instructional materials, large class size, poor attitude of both teachers and students, to mention but a few. For the teaching and learning of social studies to overcome these challenges, several recommendation were made to aggressively address these problems as a means of promoting effective teaching and learning of the subject.
Orbitofacial Photometric Analysis in Nigerian Children
Authors: Ozioko Onyinye Mary , Egwu Ogugua Augustine , Finbarrs-Bello Elizabeth
Published: February 2023

Aim: This study was conducted to gather data on the normal measurements of facial features in healthy children from South-East Nigeria. The aim was to measure the distance between the pupils (IPD), the distance between the inner corners of the eyes (ICD), and the distance between the outer corners of the eyes (OCD) in order to establish a reference for ophthalmological assessments and diagnoses. The study was based on the understanding that these orbitofacial measurements and canthal indices are important tools for anatomists and craniofacial surgeons in evaluating systemic syndromes, craniofacial abnormalities, and post-traumatic telecanthus. Method: A sample of 120 healthy subjects within the age range of 1 to 5 years was enrolled in this study. The photographs of the face were captured non- invasively using a Nikon D 90 camera, orbitofacial landmarks were identified and measured using Image J Software. The data was then analyzed to determine the normal measurements for these facial features in healthy children from South- East Nigeria. Results: showed that all parameters measured (IPD, ICD, OCD) were higher in females than in males, but the difference was not statistically significant. Conclusion: The study presents a primary data base for orbitofacial anthropometric indices of children in South-East Nigerian which can be used as a reference for ophthalmological assessments and diagnoses. This data can be used to aid in the diagnosis of craniofacial abnormalities and post-traumatic telecanthus, as well as to evaluate systemic syndromes. Additionally, this study can be used as a benchmark for future studies on this topic in the same population or other population as well.
New Insights for Revealing the Effect of FDI on Pakistan's Economic Growth: Evidence from the Auto Sector
Authors: Waqar Muhammad , Piracha Sajawal , Khan Wasif , Abbas Said , Afzaal Muhammad , Shahid Muhammad
Published: February 2023

FDI is one of the important pillar for the development of economic sectors and industries for promoting the high growth of valuable products and improve the quality of useful industrial products. However, as a result of globalization, a country's economic development is no longer completely reliant on its own resources. The foreign direct investment (FDI) made by multinational corporations improves the quality of life for locals by creating employment for them and raising their level of living. FDI may have both positive and negative effects on the expansion of the economy, depending on the factors. South Asia's leading liberal economy is Pakistan. Pakistan permits 100% foreign ownership in its secondary industry due to its open economy and fast-paced private sector. Pakistan's tertiary sector has seen a sharp growth in FDI inflows when compared to other economic sectors. Pakistan's primary sector of the economy is characterised, like other emerging countries, by poor productivity, inefficient labour, energy deficits, and less incentives. However, it seems that the incentives and other variables have only had a modest impact on Pakistan's FDI levels in recent years. The economic development of Pakistan is negatively impacted by foreign direct investment. FDI has a significant influence on Pakistan's short- and long-term economic development.
Recyclage des effluents de lavage de filtration au sein d’une filière de production d’eau potable : un guide professionnel pour faciliter les projets
Authors: PIERONNE P. , RAGUÉNÈS I. , HERCULE-BOBROFF S. , HERSANT B. , LE GOALLEC O. , LORET J.-F.
Published: February 2023

Les usines de production d’eau potable disposent d’un levier d’amélioration de leur empreinte environnementale, via le recyclage interne des effluents de lavage de leurs filtres. Cette pratique, déjà existante en France, diminue les prélèvements dans les ressources en eau, limite les rejets et peut conduire à une économie énergétique. Toutefois, en raison d’éventuels risques sanitaires liés à la qualité de la ressource et au type de traitement, chaque projet de recyclage est considéré comme un cas particulier, et soumis à autorisation spécifique. Le cadre réglementaire du recyclage étant assez général en France, il a fallu le compléter par un cadre sanitaire. Ainsi les acteurs locaux désireux de mettre en place de tels projets et les autorités sanitaires locales chargées d’instruire les dossiers disposent depuis 2017 de lignes directrices publiées par l’Agence nationale de sécurité sanitaire de l’alimentation, de l’environnement et du travail (Anses), qui s’appuient sur des études et retours d’expériences de la Fédération professionnelle des entreprises de l’eau (FP2E). Pour compléter ce document de référence, la FP2E a édité en 2021 un guide destiné à accompagner les maîtres d’ouvrage, les maîtres d’oeuvre, les concepteurs et les opérateurs, dans la conception et la gestion opérationnelle de leurs projets de recyclage. Ce guide, également diffusé aux agences régionales de santé (ARS), synthétise les principales recommandations de l’Anses et illustre de façon concrète leur application pour les grandes configurations de filières rencontrées sur le terrain. Après une brève présentation du guide FP2E, des retours d’expérience de trois services d’eau potable ayant adopté le recyclage d’effluents de lavage sont exposés, avec dans chaque cas une description des motivations et des modalités de mise en oeuvre et une synthèse des principales étapes du projet. Ces exemples montrent que cette pratique, vertueuse pour l’environnement, est suffisamment encadrée pour assurer la sécurité sanitaire. Elle est donc à promouvoir plus largement.