bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Analysis of the shapes of clay vessels from the Chekanovsky Log-2 burial ground of the An-dronovo (Fedorovo) Culture in the foothills of Altai
Authors: Savko I.A. , Kholoshin P.R. , Demin M.A. , Sitnikov S.M.
Published: March 2023

The shapes of 32 vessels from the burials of Chekanovsky Log-2 cemetery were examined by a technique applied within the historical-and-cultural approach to study pottery shapes. The analysis was carried out at the levels of general proportionality of the shape, its natural structure, and the formedness of the functional parts. The aim of the study was to characterize the pottery traditions of the Andronovo population in terms of pottery shaping and to clarify their cultural dynamics. As the result, two mass traditions were identified, manifested by vessels of similar overall proportionality (35–36 degrees) but of two different structural types: ‘Lip+Neck+Pre-Shoulder+ Body+Body Base’ (5 parts) and ‘Lip+Pre-Shoulder+Body+Body Base’ (4 parts). Comparative analysis of the ves-sels from two excavated sections of the burial ground (northern and southern), making use of the information about other morphological features of the vessels (decoration and surface treatment), as well as about the speci-fics of the burial ritual, enabled revealing the dynamics in the development of the considered pottery traditions and the cultural composition of the population that used the burial ground. It appears that the vessels of 5-part shapes with a fully formed body and a more pronounced neck tend to the classical Andronovo (Fedorovo) period. They are characterized by burnished surface and ornamentation with fine-toothed stamps in a variety of geometric mo-tifs. The vessels of these shapes prevail in the burials of the northern dig, which demonstrated considerable cul-tural homogeneity. The vessels of 5-part shapes with a partly-formed body and a lower neck, along with 4-part shapes, probably became more widespread in the Late Fedorovo period. These items were less thoroughly bur-nished, but, more often, smoothed, with simplified ornamentation applied with a coarse-toothed or smooth stamp. These traditions are represented to a greater extent in the southern dig, which, in addition, appeared to be not so homogeneous due to the distribution of squater pots of various structures. This peculiarity may attest to the in-creasing complexity of the cultural composition of the population and intensification of cultural contacts at the late stage of the burial ground.
Analyzing the determining factors of funding speed on equity crowdfunding
Authors: Arisanti Ike , Oktavendi Tri Wahyu
Published: March 2023

This research aimed to figure out the determining factors of funding speed on equity crowdfunding in Indonesia using a quantitative method. This research used the secondary data sourced from the equity crowdfunding platforms. The collected data were then analyzed using a statistical test instrument (STATA 15). The results showed that only project duration affected funding speed. Business Category, Gender, Yield, Equity Share, and Profitability did not affect Funding Speed. Thus, investors only paid attention to project duration. This research impacted fintech policy, especially on the importance of comprehensive information in the prospectus reports of fund-demanding parties.
Linguistic Markers of Intercultural Competence in Student Blogs
Authors: Hanegreefs Hilde , Pluymaekers Mark , Hoefnagels Ankie
Published: March 2023

This study combines insights from psycholinguistics and text analysis to identify linguistic markers of intercultural competence (ICC) in 1,635 blogs about intercultural experiences, written by 672 Hotel Management students. By combining holistic ICC frameworks with a text-analytical approach at word level, we were able to demonstrate that blogs with a high perceived level of ICC contain significantly more I-words, more insights words and less quantifiers. These markers of ICC constitute concrete cues for teachers when assessing reflective writing assignments and allow them to pinpoint concrete areas for improvement in their feedback and interaction with students.
Handling Microstructural Changes and Hardness of the AlSi10Mg Alloy Through SC Doping and Direct Aging Treatment
Authors: Martinez Fellipe , Dos Santos Junior Carlos , Leal Jaderson , Silva Argos , Gouveia Guilherme , Spinelli Jose
Published: March 2023

The effects of 0.4wt.% Sc addition on a typical Al-Si10-Mg alloy were systematically investigated in the present research. Samples with and without Sc produced refined dendritic arranged microstructures with sensitivity to the aging treatment after solidification, particularly in the case of the alloy without Sc. After being exposed to 300°C for 90 minutes, the dendritic spacing nearly doubled in the Al-10wt.%Si-0.45wt.%Mg samples. The rapidly solidified microstructures were constituted by the -Al dendritic phase surrounded by eutectic phases/intermetallics such as Si, Mg2Si and Al3Sc (in the case of the alloy containing Sc). 255°C and 300°C were deemed most appropriate temperatures for aging treatments, with four exposure times of up to 120 minutes tested for each alloy. The heat treatments allowed the Vickers hardness profiles to be plotted and compared. Moreover, in order to detect both Sc- and Mg- precipitates after aging, specific samples have been prepared for either SEM or TEM analyses. At first, the results pointed to a strong precipitate-related hardening effect formed as a result of the Sc addition to the alloy. All samples containing Sc showed a higher hardness value when compared to their respective treated samples without Sc. Secondly, when comparing the Al-10Si-Mg-Sc alloy samples among themselves after being treated at different conditions, high temperatures and excessive treatment times can become detrimental to the hardness. This was due to the growth of larger Sc-bearing precipitates of approximately 1 µm in size under such conditions, having less pronounced hardening effect. The best condition (255°C for 60 min) for as centrifuged samples in Cu-mold produced very fine dispersion of Mg- and Sc- intermetallics (~200 nm in size) with a peak hardness of 110 HV.
An In-Vitro Approach to Model EMT in Breast Cancer
Authors: Isert Lorenz , Mehta Aditi , Loiudice Gabriele , Oliva Altea , Roidl Andreas , Merkel Olivia
Published: March 2023

During the progression from ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) to invasive breast cancer (IBC), cells have to overcome the physically restraining basement membrane (BM) which compartmentalizes the epithelium from the stroma. Since the extracellular matrix (ECM) of the epithelial and stromal compartment is biochemically and physically distinct from one another, the progression demands a certain degree of cellular plasticity being essentially required for a primary tumor to become invasive. The Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition depicts such a cell program equipping cancer cells with features allowing for dissemination from the epithelial entity and stromal invasion on the single-cell level. Here, we investigated the reciprocal interference between an altering tumor microenvironment and the EMT-phenotype in vitro. BM-typical collagen IV and stroma-typical collagen I coatings were applied as provisional 2-D matrices. Pro-inflammatory growth factors were introduced to improve tissue mimicry. Whereas the growth on coated surfaces did only slightly affect the EMT-phenotype, the combinatorial action of collagen with growth factor TGF-β1 induced prominent phenotypic changes. However, the EMT-induction was independent of the collagen type and cellular accessibility for EMT-like changes was strongly cell line dependent. Summarizing the entire body of data, we computed an EMT-phenotyping model that was used to decide on cellular EMT-status and estimate EMT-like changes. We confirmed that miR200c-mediated reversion of mesenchymal MDA-MB-231 cells is reflected by our EMT-phenotype model emphasizing its potential to predict the therapeutic efficacy of EMT-targeting drugs in the future.
The Effects of Postural Training on Gait Kinematics in Individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
Authors: Bahiraei Saeid , R Oviedo Guillermo , Hosseini Elham
Published: March 2023

This study examines the effects and durability of postural exercise on gait kinematics in people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Thirty-four men with mild IDD were assigned to either the training group (n = 19) or the control group (n = 15). The TG performed the intervention over 8 weeks, 3 days/week, 1 h/day. The results indicated that the intervention program had a significant effect on some variables of gait. Also, in the TG between post-test and follow-up, there was no significant difference, which indicated that gait variables were maintained by the TG one month after the end of the program. This study provides evidence that postural exercises can be used as an effective intervention for improving gait in individuals with IDD.
Absorption of Tar Content in Producer Gas using Used Cooking Oil in a Packed-bed Column
Authors: Putro Firman Asto , Waluyo Joko , Al Haq Bahaul Fahmi , Hidayat Wahyu Nur , Pranolo Sunu Herwi
Published: March 2023

The tar content in producer gas may cause crusting on the engine if it is utilized as a fuel gas, thus it needs to be removed. This study aims to determine the liquid phase mass transfer coefficient in process of removing tar from producer gas in a packed-bed contactor column. This process is carried out continuously using used-cooking oil as absorbent. This was carried out by contacting the producer gas as a product of cacao pod-husk gasification at temperature range of 491-940oC at a certain counter-current flow rate with used-cooking oil in a column with a Raschig ring packing bed. The study used packed-bed materials with specific surface areas of 29.3927 m2/m3, 49.7532 m2/m3, 95.4113 m2/m3, 96.8182 m2/m3, 101.6840 m2/m3, and 105.0128 m2/m3, and with the linear velocity of used-cooking oil ranging from 0.0229 m/s to 0.0827 m/s. A mass transfer coefficient mathematical model has been constructed based on the research results. The model applies to the ranges (As.dt), (DL/dt.vL), and (µL / ρL.vL.dt) from 2.2397 to 8.0020, 2.26.10-10 to 1.72.10-9, and 0.0331 to 0.3102, respectively, with an average error of 9.33%. The average tar removed was 87%
The Study of Adherence to Drug Therapy at the Stage of Outpatient Follow-up in Patients with Acute Myocardial Infarction (Data from the PROFIL-IM Registry)
Authors: Kalaydzhyan E. P. , Kutishenko N. P. , Lukina Yu. V. , Sichinava D. P. , Martsevich S. Yu. , Drapkina O. M.
Published: March 2023

Aim. To assess adherence  to the recommended therapy at the stage of outpatient follow-up and its impact on long-term outcomes  in patients after acute myocardial  infarction based on the materials of the prospective PROFILE-IM registry.

Material and methods. The PROFILE-IM register included 160 patients who applied to one of the polyclinics in Moscow after a myocardial  infarction. The combined endpoint (CE) included death from any cause, cardiovascular events (nonfatal myocardial infarction,  nonfatal cerebral stroke), emergency hospitalizations for cardiovascular diseases, significant  cardiac arrhythmias. Patients' adherence to therapy was assessed using the original questionnaire "Scale of Adherence of the National Society of Evidence-based Pharmacotherapy" (NODF) and a direct standardized patient survey by a doctor about taking medications. Visits to the doctor were carried out every two months,  data from the first year of patient follow-up are presented.

Results. In a personal  interview  with a doctor,  the ratio of the proportion  of committed, partially  committed  and non-committed patients  did not change  significantly over the entire follow-up period, while the proportion of committed patients was 81-85%. The "NODF Adherence Scale" showed that the proportion of non-committed patients was about 10 times higher than with direct patient responses to the doctor, and the proportion of non-committed  and partially committed  patients remained high at all stages of follow-up (respectively 28% and 10% at the beginning of the study, 18% and 10% at the end of the study).  Among the main factors  of non-commitment, there was a decrease  in the importance  of forgetfulness and an increase  in factors  such  as fear  of side effects  of medications, doubt  about  the need  for long-term use of medications  and  well-being. A  direct relationship of adherence with the male sex, the presence of hypertension, a feedback  relationship with alcohol consumption was revealed. The risk of CE in non-committed patients was higher compared  to the group of committed  and partially committed  patients (p<0.01).

Conclusion. The proportion of non-committed and partially committed patients remained high at all stages of follow-up. There was a direct relationship between adherence to therapy with the male sex, the presence of hypertension in the anamnesis, and a feedback relationship with alcohol consumption. Low adherence to therapy significantly increased the risk of cardiovascular events.
Ethics Principles for Artificial Intelligence–Based Telemedicine for Public Health
Authors: Tiribelli Simona , Monnot Annabelle , Shah Syed F. H. , Arora Anmol , Toong Ping J. , Kong Sokanha
Published: March 2023

The use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the field of telemedicine has grown exponentially over the past decade, along with the adoption of AI-based telemedicine to support public health systems.

Although AI-based telemedicine can open up novel opportunities for the delivery of clinical health and care and become a strong aid to public health systems worldwide, it also comes with ethical risks that should be detected, prevented, or mitigated for the responsible use of AI-based telemedicine in and for public health. However, despite the current proliferation of AI ethics frameworks, thus far, none have been developed for the design of AI-based telemedicine, especially for the adoption of AI-based telemedicine in and for public health.

We aimed to fill this gap by mapping the most relevant AI ethics principles for AI-based telemedicine for public health and by showing the need to revise them via major ethical themes emerging from bioethics, medical ethics, and public health ethics toward the definition of a unified set of 6 AI ethics principles for the implementation of AI-based telemedicine. (Am J Public Health. 2023;113(5):577–584. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2023.307225 )
Reconstruction of a Pediatric Lateral Femoral Condyle After Septic Necrosis with a Free Vascularized Fibular Epiphysis
Authors: El-Gammal Tarek Abdalla , Refai Omar Ahmed , Morsy Mohamed , Eisa Amr Atef
Published: March 2023

Case:

A 5-year-old girl presented with severe valgus deformity of the right knee after septic necrosis of the lateral femoral condyle. Reconstruction was performed using the contralateral proximal fibular epiphysis on the anterior tibial vessels. Union was evident after 6 weeks, and full weight bearing was permitted after 12 weeks. Two years of follow-up showed no deformity or length discrepancy and 90° range of motion.

Conclusion:

The pattern of 1 femoral condyle resorption due to osteomyelitis is a rare presentation. The presented method of reconstruction could be implemented as a novel technique to reconstruct the growing knee joint in such a condition.
The critical role of recycling of post-Grenvillian, Neoproterozoic sediments for Phanerozoic Laurentian clastic systems: evidence from detrital-zircon and -monazite geochronology and textures
Authors: Moecher David P. , Zotto Steven C. , Samson Scott D.
Published: March 2023

Lithic and quartz arenites of the Central Appalachian Basin deposited by late Paleozoic Laurentian fluvial systems are widely interpreted to be sourced by recycling of late Precambrian and early Paleozoic clastic sequences in the Appalachian Orogen. U-Pb and (U-Th)/He age distributions for detrital-zircon and Th-Pb age distributions for detrital-monazite, detrital-zircon and monazite textures (including detrital diagenetic monazite, which prove recycling), sandstone petrology, heavy-mineral abundances, and other detrital proxies are all accounted for by the following: 1) lithic arenite is directly sourced from late Neoproterozoic metasediments in the proximal Appalachian fold and thrust belt via transverse drainages, 2) the late Neoproterozoic sediments were recycled from early Neoproterozoic, post-Grenvillian clastic sequences, 3) Cambrian quartz arenites along the Laurentian margin were recycled from Neoproterozoic sequences with local cratonic input, 4) although dominated by sediment of ultimate Grenvillian age, quartz arenites require ∼ 40% of Paleoproterozoic and Archean input, interpreted to be recycled from late Neoproterozoic to Devonian clastic sequences of the northern Appalachians and/or southern (Scottish–Irish) Caledonides in the distal reaches of a longitudinal drainage system. Ordovician to Mississippian clastic sequences and their metamorphosed equivalents in the Appalachian crystalline core were also likely sediment sources. Quartz arenite does not result from mixing of lithic arenite with other sources because of differences in textural and compositional maturity, and in heavy-mineral characteristics. Input from the Laurentian craton, commonly cited as the source for Paleoproterozoic and Archean detrital zircon in the eastern Laurentian clastic systems, is untenable here because of: 1) the presence of Paleozoic monazite derived from Appalachian Neoproterozoic and early Paleozoic metasediments, 2) abundant detrital chromite, and 3) abundant Paleozoic detrital muscovite. Multiple recycling explains all observed sedimentologic and mineralogic characteristics of the two lithic types. Incorporation of published detrital-zircon data for Paleozoic to modern clastic sequences in eastern Laurentia reveals that Grenville-age zircons experienced at least five and potentially ten recycling events since entering the clastic system in the Neoproterozoic. Recycling also explains the abundance of quartz pebbles in conglomerates of the quartz-arenite lithofacies, and the range of detrital-muscovite 40Ar/39Ar ages in quartz arenites of the Appalachian Basin.
Clinical Features and Outcomes of COVID-19 Infection among Pregnant Women in South Africa
Authors: Basu Jayati , Chauke Lawrence , Magoro Terrance
Published: March 2023

Background and Objective: Studies among COVID positive pregnant women are limited. Previous studies reported high rate of symptoms, comorbidities, and poor fetal/neonatal outcome among women of different ethnicity. To date, no study was reported among pregnant African women. This study was conducted to determine the clinical features and outcomes of COVID-19 positive pregnant women in Ekurhuleni District in South Africa. Methods: Retrospective record review of 103 COVID-19 infected pregnant women during the period of April to September 2020 was performed. Clinical features, symptoms, comorbidities, laboratory results, maternal, and neonatal outcomes were analyzed. Descriptive statistics (mean + standard deviation, number, and percentages) and inferential statistics (Chi-square test) were calculated. Ethical clearance was obtained from the Human Research Ethics Committee of the University of Witwatersrand, South Africa. Results: Majority of patients (90%) were of African ethnicity and symptomatic (53%). The most common symptom, comorbidity, and laboratory abnormality was cough (62%), hypertension (23%), and high LDH (20%), respectively. Thrombocytopenia and lymphocytopenia occurred among 9% and 15% of the women, respectively. Although association was not significant, symptoms were more common among women who were HIV positive, had comorbidity, and had abnormal results. The most common complications were preterm labor (8%) and macerated stillbirths (6%). Six (6%) mothers died. Conclusion and Global Health Implications: COVID-positive pregnant South African women were commonly symptomatic, but incidence of adverse fetal outcomes was low. High rate of preterm labor, macerated stillbirths, and maternal deaths was a concern. This study has several strengths. It included all COVID-positive women over a 6-month period at all healthcare facility levels, such as clinics, community health centers/midwifery units, district, and regional/tertiary hospitals conducted in an African country. Previous studies primarily included hospitals, which increased a high probability of mainly including severely-ill women. The study might benefit the health care workers in other African countries.
An Investigation of Multicomponent Gas Flow in Porous Media
Authors: Azni Ahmad Shazryz , Tutolo Benjamin , Kantzas Apostolos
Published: March 2023

The complex gas dynamics in tight and shale reservoirs have become an important research topic in the oil and gas industry. This study proposes a steady-state flow test using adsorbing and non-adsorbing gases of single and binary gas components through tight adsorbing and non-adsorbing cores to investigate the true permeability value of its diffusion and slip counterparts.

A steady-state flow permeability test was chosen to capture the complex gas dynamics in nanopore throats and the presence of organic matter. 1-D experiments in adsorbing (shale) and non-adsorbing (sandstone) cores are conducted under high overburden pressure at room temperature. The pressure difference and gas flow rates across the cores are measured. Helium (base case) is flowed, followed by adsorbing gases (N2 and CH4). This is followed by flowing gas mixtures to verify whether the single component values can be used in multicomponent systems. The results are compared to existing theoretical and analytical models.

The apparent gas permeability for shale and sandstone decreases as the gas changes from non-adsorbing to adsorbing. This observation is not in line with the proposed hypothesis of the current models, where the flow mechanisms in tight and shale formations are treated like parallel resistors, where the total permeability is the addition of each component. The adsorbing gas significantly influences gas permeability when comparing the Klinkenberg plots for single and binary gas. The binary gas permeabilities skewed heavily to the gas with higher adsorbing capacity. Besides that, the adsorbing gas permanently changes the shale pore throat morphology by decreasing the pore radius, which significantly affects the flow mechanisms in shale.

The study centered on the dissection of the flow mechanisms (viscous flow, surface diffusion, and Knudsen diffusion) contributing to the permeability calculations. Viscous flow dominates the more permeable porous media, while Knudsen diffusion is in the shale. Besides that, the binary gas mixture in a standard steady-state flow test in permeability estimation is introduced. The binary gas mixture in permeability measurement introduces the effect of gas flooding on the measured permeability. The more adsorbing gas actively displaces the less adsorbing gas and contributes to the surface diffusion permeability.
Evaluation of Flow Units and Capillary Pressures of the Giant Chicontepec Tight Oil Paleochannel in Mexico and a Fresh Look at Drilling and Completions
Authors: Gutierrez Oseguera Alejandra , Aguilera Roberto
Published: March 2023

The Chicontepec Paleochannel is a giant shaly sandstone reservoir(s) with volumes of OOIP ranging between 137 and 59 billion STB (Guzman, 2019), which has been equated recently to the Permian Basin. However, the oil recoveries are very small, ranging between 0.32 to 0.75% of the OOIP. Thus, the objective of this study is to evaluate flow units and capillary pressures of Chicontepec, as well as drilling and completion methods, with a view to improve the characterization of the reservoir(s) and, thus, oil recoveries.

Current cumulative oil production of Chicontepec is 440.38 million STB. Although it is a significant volume, it represents a very small percent recovery from the reservoir (0.32 to 0.75% of the OOIP). To help improving recovery, a method is developed for characterizing the tight Chicontepec paleochannel using flow units and capillary pressures. Like in the case of many tight unconventional reservoirs, the capillary pressures can go to very high values, reaching 55,000 psi in the Chicontepec case. Therefore, a special procedure is developed to generate a consistent interpretation of all the available capillary pressure curves for the entire range of pressures.

Results highlight the important oil recovery potential of the Chicontepec Paleochannel (Misantla-Tampico Basin), which has been equated recently to the Permian Basin in the United States and has been termed by Guzman (2022) "a premier super-basin in waiting." The assessment is supported by quantitative formation evaluation work performed by Gutierrez Oseguera and Aguilera (2022). Although natural fractures are present, most wells must be hydraulically fractured to achieve commercial success.

Process or delivery speed (the ratio of permeability and porosity) for the Chicontepec samples used in the capillary pressure experimental work range between 159.1 md and 0.17 md (porosity in the denominator is a fraction). Flow units show pore throat apertures (rp35) ranging from less than 0.1 microns to about 4.5 microns. These values and flow units compare well with data available for prolific unconventional reservoirs such as the Cardium sandstone in Canada and the giant Permian Basin in the United States. The radius rp35 refers to pore throat aperture at 35% cumulative pore volume.

The novelty of this study is the development of a consistent procedure for interpreting the entire range of pressures measured during mercury injection capillary pressures. Such pressures go up to 55,000 psi for the core samples considered in this study. The integration with flow units and formation evaluation suggests that the potential of the Chicontepec unconventional reservoirs can rival successful results obtained in the Cardium sandstone and the Permian Basin. Some ideas are advanced regarding drilling and completion for Chicontepec based on the results of the present study and production success in the Permian Basin.
Utilizing Gas/Water Displacement in Oil Sands Reservoir for Lean Zone Mitigation
Authors: Xu Jinze , Aghabarati Hossein , Zamani Amir , Zambrano Jose Araujo
Published: March 2023

Water-saturated lean zones are notoriously challenging for steam-assisted gravity drainage (SAGD) operations since they increase heat loss and impair the SAGD performance. This study proposes mitigating lean zone effects using gas/water displacement to reduce lean zone impacts and improve SAGD performance. At the beginning of this study, we conduct a literature review on lean zones and gas-water displacement. We then develop a three-dimensional homogenous model to simulate SAGD scenarios with and without lean zone mitigation (LZM). Our findings reveal that lean zones have negative effects on SAGD performance, mostly owing to the pressure imbalance between lean and rich zones, which causes steam channelling and energy loss. LZM demonstrates significant advantages of using non-condensable gases (NCG) to displace water and balance pressure between the rich and lean zones, hence minimizing steam channelling and saving energy.
An Analytics Based Approach to Improving Digital Learning Efficacy in the Energy Sector
Authors: Lougheed Dylan , Adamson Jeremy , Anderson David , Amortegui Ruben
Published: March 2023

The supply of skills to fill modern job requirements in the energy sector has been overextended by the pace of advancing technology and increasing attrition. Underpinning this problem is the inadequate availability of effective training. This learning gap results primarily from four factors: Scarcity of qualified expertise, budget constraints, time requirements and curriculum relevance.

Properly deployed online learning addresses these factors, but has so far not been widely adopted in the energy sector. It is hypothesized the adoption rate could be increased by focusing on what drives lesson completion velocity, or the pace at which a student completes their coursework. By encouraging learning methods that create positive momentum, they are more likely to have sustained engagement and complete their course.

In this study of over 1600 students, multiple online-learning methods were tested to determine which method results in the highest lesson completion velocities. Three different learning methods were evaluated against completion velocity. These methods include: Unstructured, Cohorts and Enrolments. The Unstructured group were provided with access to digital courses without any program to follow. ‘Enrolments’ represents a single learner who has given him/herself specific time-bound learning goals. And ‘Cohorts’ is similar to Enrolments but where a group of learners are assigned to the same learning schedule and have visibility into each other's learning progress.

Students have the option of learning in any one, or a combination of these formats. Two years of online learner data was reviewed. Other variables included within the analysis included the learner's job title, course and organization. The data was analyzed to determine what drives learner engagement.

A Shapiro-Wilk test indicated the data was highly non-normal, which meant parametric approaches were not appropriate to use. It was found that the ‘Cohort’ method was most correlated to higher lesson completion velocity. When learners were part of a Cohort, the student completed an extra course day per month in comparison to the Unstructured approach (the baseline), representing an 82% increase.

Within the confidence interval of the data, ‘Enrolment’ was not observed to increase the number of lessons completed. However, Enrolment did affect the completion velocity. Job title and organization was also found to influence completion velocity.

Continuing education requires significant improvement to address the widening skills gap in the industry. While digital learning technology will undoubtedly play a strong role in fulfilling future training requirements, it is important to understand what drives learner engagement. To the knowledge of the authors, no study of this scale has been previously performed in the oil and gas digital learning space. The results of this study could be used to help design new, or improve existing online training programs.
Improving Sustainability Through the Utilization of Recycled Produced Water for Drilling Operations and the Associated Benefits
Authors: Heath Garett , Hadley Dylan , Okesanya Temi , Horton Dave
Published: March 2023

In order to improve the global sustainability benchmarks of the drilling industry, there is a need to adopt more eco-friendly practices that will diminish the adverse environmental impact of drilling operations. Responsible energy development should prioritize environmental protection and sustainable practices, including the drilling fluid system selection.

An efficient environmental approach involves the recycling of produced water as a drilling fluid to combat its detrimental disposal requirements as well as reducing the usage of freshwater and potentially carcinogenic oil-based mud in drilling operations. While field data have shown that recycled production water can have superior performance and lower costs, the widespread utilization of produced water has experienced slow adoption due to its unique set of challenges. These challenges include variability in ionic composition, increased corrosion, and scaling potential, along with health and safety considerations, which reduce its overall desirability. These factors are further compounded by a general lack of technical knowledge around water chemistry dynamics, treatment, and system management. There is a need for a "playbook" that demystifies the technical complexities of produced water, thereby bridging a crucial gap in the drilling fluids literature and accelerating the adoption of this lower environmental footprint fluid.

This paper presents a comprehensive overview and pragmatic insight into the usage of produced water for drilling operations from real-life case studies in Western Canada. This paper is designed as an aid to understand the associated screening, testing, treatment, and practical pitfalls of using production water as a drilling fluid, which is illustrated with real-life data. The aim is to encourage and accelerate the adoption of production water as a sustainable source of superior drilling fluid systems by more operators and drilling fluid service providers. Consequently, improving the environmental sustainability of the drilling industry.
Thermodynamic Phase Equilibrium Composition Determination of Ethanol Steam Reforming by Direct Minimization of Gibbs Free Energy Using Peng-Robinson Property Method
Authors: Isah Abdullahi , Eterigho Elizabeth Jumoke , Olutoye Moses Aderemi , Garba Mohammed Umar , Asli Umi Aisah
Published: March 2023

Thermodynamic equilibrium analysis of ethanol steam reforming was carried out by direct minimization of Gibbs free energy method using Aspen Plus (V8.8). Equilibrium compositions of each species were analysed for temperatures ranging from 873 to 1173K, steam-to-ethanol molar ratios (S/C) of 2:1 -6:1 and pressure at 1atm. Due to high temperature and reduction of CO2, there is shift in equilibrium which resulted to increase in hydrogen formation. The predominant reactions which contributed to the increase in hydrogen formation are incomplete ethanol steam reforming, ethanol decomposition, methane steam reforming and water-gas shift reaction, which in turn make H2/CO ratio significant, with regard to steam-to-ethanol feed ratio of 6. Methane formation is negligible when the reforming is operated between 1093K and 1173K for all the steam-to-ethanol molar feed ratios. This implies that higher carbon deposition (4.17×10-23 kmol/s) observed at 1173K with respect to steam-to-ethanol molar feed ratio 2 could be due to methane decomposition, Boudouard reaction and CO2 reduction. However, the least rate of carbon deposition is 2.48×10-23 kmol/s relating to feed ratio 6 at 1173K, which implies that high carbon formation is significant at temperature above 1173K and steam-to-ethanol molar feed ratio 2. In view of the high H2/CO ratio attained within the considered temperatures (873-1173K) and steam-to-ethanol molar feed ratio of 6, the syngas is recommended to be used for electricity generation via solid oxide fuel cell.
Relationship between opium consumption and lipid profile in drug addicts and non-addicts on Kharameh cohort study
Authors: Baeradeh Najibullah , Hosseini Seyed Vahid , Moftakhar Leila , Jafari Fatemeh , Johari Masoumeh Ghoddusi , Rezaianzadeh Abbas
Published: March 2023

Background
Drug abuse is known as one of the most important health, medical, and social problems. Furthermore, this study was performed to evaluate the relationship between opium and lipid profiles.
Methods
This cross-sectional study was conducted on 10,663 individuals, aged 40 to 70, living in Kharameh (south of Iran). Demographic information, lipid profile, and the history of use of opium, alcohol, and cigarettes in participants were investigated. To check the lipid profile, blood samples were taken from all participants. The prevalence of opium use was calculated. Linear regression was used to examine the relationship between opium use and the lipid profile of an individual. A significance level of 5% was considered for the tests, and STATA software was used for analysis.
Result
Among the 10,663 participants in the study with a mean age of 52.2 ± 8.22 years, about 55.7% were women. The prevalence of opium use among the participants in the study was estimated at 16%. Multiple linear regression results revealed no statistically significant relationship between opium use and lipid profile.
Conclusion
Contrary to the beliefs that there are about the effects of opium on reducing lipid profile levels, in our study, there was no correlation between LDL, triglycerides and opium consumption.
Rollator Usage Lets Young Individuals Switch Movement Strategies in Sit-to-Stand and Stand-to-Sit Tasks
Authors: Herzog Michael , Krafft Frieder C. , Stetter Bernd J. , d’Avella Andrea , Sloot Lizeth H. , Stein Thorsten
Published: March 2023

The transitions between sitting and standing have a high physical and coordination demand, frequently causing falls in older individuals. Rollators, or four-wheeled walkers, are often prescribed but can paradoxically increase fall risk. This study investigated how rollator support affects sit-to-stand and stand-to-sit movements. Twenty young participants stood up and sat down under three handle support conditions (unassisted, light touch, and full support). As increasing task demands may affect coordination, a challenging floor condition (balance pads) was included; this may also bridge the gap to older individuals. Full-body kinematics and ground reaction forces were recorded, reduced in dimensionality by principal component analyses, and clustered by k-means into movement strategies. Rollator support caused the participants to switch strategies, especially when their balance was challenged, but did not lead to support-specific strategies. Three strategies for sit-to-stand were found: forward leaning, vertical rise, and hybrid; two in the challenging condition (exaggerated forward and forward leaning). For stand-to-sit, three strategies were found: backward lowering, vertical lowering, and hybrid; two in the challenging condition (exaggerated forward and forward leaning). Hence, young individuals adjust their strategy selection to different conditions. Future studies may apply this methodology to older individuals to recommend safe strategies and ultimately reduce falls.
Carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic health risk assessment of river Ganges in different climatic conditions and regions of Uttarakhand, India
Authors: kumar Prashant , Kothari Ashish , Mandal Anindita , Yadav Shashi Ranjan Mani , Singh Bhupender , Omar Balram JI , Bhadoria Ajeet Singh , Gupta Pratima , Mirza Anissa Atif
Published: March 2023

Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) and Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), the two most significant physicochemical indicators, we find higher in water samples from plain regions than from hilly regions. Mean levels of As, Pb, Hg, Cd, Cr, Zn, and Ni were 5.48, 1.060, 4.4, 0.728, 3.5, 2.93, 26.56, and 7.68 (µg/L), respectively, in water samples, was within normal ranges, except Arsenic, which was found in higher at shukartal site > 10 µg/L. A marked correlation was observed between the physicochemical quality of water and bacterial density. The presence of specific bacterial strains, e.g. Enterococcus, Pseudomonas, Klebsiella, and Proteus spps., in higher concentrations suggests a significant level of faecal contamination in water. The Most Probable Number, Escherichia coli count, total coliform count, faecal streptococci count and faecal coliform count were discovered in the regions of Rishikesh, Roorkee, and Shukartaal, indicating that the total bacterial count was higher than the permitted range (GR1, GRR, and GS). The spatial distribution of the Hazardous index (H.I.) in the study area revealed a rising trend of environmental leaching from mountainous parts to plain regions. Children were at a higher carcinogenic risk compared to adults both males and females. The study recommends prevention and safeguarding against anthropometric variables.
Intelligent product art design based on smart equipment and machine learning algorithm: Practice effect and trend analysis
Authors: Mengyao Chen , Yu Tian
Published: March 2023

With the development of the society, people's material needs are increasing rapidly. Based on this background, intelligent household furniture products with high-tech content are integrated into the field of interior design, and then gradually infiltrated into people's production and life. And from a smart technology perspective, we analyze the art design of smart home products based on machine learning algorithm. This algorithm can make the actual classification results of the test samples consistent with the network output values, and the error values can also meet the accuracy requirements, so as to effectively determine the defect types of the parameter samples. Among them, the art design of smart home products includes home equipment network group, embedded gateway implementation, cloud server construction and interaction design, independent product auxiliary control system and other parts. Finally, through the simulation test results of the intelligent positioning function of the product, we can know that the communication efficiency of the product basically meets the requirements. Interior design products are indispensable in people's home life, and play an important role in the whole indoor environment, such as art paintings, bonsai, woven art, etc. In addition, household appliances and lamps will also affect the aesthetic feeling of the whole interior design. This study tries to introduce machine learning technology in the field of interior art design to make it more intelligent, and a kind of effective algorithm design is completed.
A new portable Fresnel magnifying loupe for nystagmus observation: A clinical education and clinical practice setting study
Authors: Tsunoda Reiko , Fushiki Hiroaki , Tanaka Ryozo , Endo Mayumi
Published: March 2023

Background
Dizziness is a common complaint of patients treated by primary care physicians. It is predominantly caused by peripheral vestibular disorders; however, central nervous system disorders should be excluded. Examination of the eye movements and nystagmus can help differentiate between central and peripheral diseases; however, it is often not performed appropriately. In medical education practice, nystagmus observation may facilitate an understanding of vestibular function and nystagmus characteristics. Thus, we proposed a medical education practice to master nystagmus observation using a recently developed portable Fresnel magnifying loupe that could be shielded by one eye.
Methods
Thirty-three students from the Department of Physical Therapy and the Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Therapy of the Mejiro University participated in this study. Postrotatory nystagmus was measured and compared using the new loupe and control methods, namely the naked eye and Frenzel goggles; we rated the ease of visibility using a five-point scale.
Results
The number of cases of nystagmus was significantly higher with the new loupe than with the naked eye (p = 0.001). In addition, there were no significant differences in the nystagmus counts between the observations using the new loupe and Frenzel goggles (p = 0.087). No significant difference was observed in the visibility of eye movements between the loupe and naked eye (p = 1.00). The Frenzel goggles provided better visibility compared to that by the loupe (p = 0.034); however, none of the participants reported poor visibility using any of these methods.
Conclusions
The Fresnel magnifying loupe was superior to the naked eye and equivalent to the Frenzel goggles for nystagmus observation. Moreover, it has several advantages, such as being lightweight, thin, durable, and portable, compared with the Frenzel goggles. The loupe does not require a power source and can be observed under normal room light. It can be used without contact with patients and disinfected with alcohol. Furthermore, it is less expensive than the conventional Frenzel goggles and can be easily used in student practice.
Trial registration:
This study was approved by the Medical Research Ethics Committee of Mejiro University (approval number: 21medicine-021).
The effect of female smoking on in-vitro fertilization outcome
Authors: Hussein Rawaa , Alhalabi Marwan
Published: March 2023

Background: to assess the effect of female smoking on in-vitro fertilization (IVF) outcome.
Methods: A total of 186 women undergoing IVF treatment cycle at Orient Hospital between December 2020 and December 2021 were classified into two groups smokers and non-smokers (93 patients for each group). An analysis of this prospective cohort study was done , where the outcome involved the following: number of oocytes retrieved, number of Metaphase II oocytes (MII), oocytes quality, maturation rate, fertilization rate, embryos' quality )embryos grade I) and clinical pregnancy rate.
Results: the only significant difference was found in the number of grade I embryos which was lower in smokers’ group (p-value= 0.017<0.05) while there was no measurable effect of female smoking on other studied IVF outcomes.
Conclusion: Female smoking was associated with decreased quality of embryos (lower number of grade I embryos in smokers’ group) which may affect cumulative pregnancy rate.
The integration of social accountability in the medical curriculum: a qualitative study to the change process as perceived by educational staff and students
Authors: Oudbier Janique , Boerboom Tobias , Peerdeman Saskia , Suurmond Jeanine
Published: March 2023

Background. In addition to (pre)clinical skills and knowledge there is more and more attention for social accountability within the medical curriculum. The integration of social accountability into the medical curriculum requires an organizational change process, which is affected by many factors. This study aims to investigate; the reaction of educational staff and students to this change; the perceived consequences resulting from this potential change; and the change antecedents that affect the reaction to change and change outcomes.
Methods. This study used a qualitative design in which semi-structured individual interviews were conducted with 28 educational staff members and 16 students at a medical school in the Netherlands, in 2021. The grounded theory method was used to qualitatively analyze the interviews.
Results. Most participants were in favour of more attention for social accountability within the medical curriculum but their reaction depended on their career stage, perceived autonomy, level of focus on either solutions or problems, their degree of participation in the change process, and their perceived expertise. Participants perceived several potential consequences of the change, such as a higher workload, reduction of organizational commitment, and withdrawal from the change. Examples of important antecedents of change were resources such as finances and time, a common vision, and principal support.
Conclusions. The reaction of educational staff and students to the integration of social accountability in the medical curriculum and their perceived consequences resulting from this change can be positively stimulated by taking the involved antecedents into account during the organizational change process.
Adsorption activity of spent coffee ground biochar for the removal of Vivizole Red 3BS dye from aqueous solution
Authors: Dima Admasu Adamu , Zewge Feleke , Chebude Yonas
Published: March 2023

Spent coffee ground (SCG) is rich in carbon, and slow pyrolysis can convert biomass into biochar that can be used as an adsorbent to remove dyes. In one-step carbonization and activation of SCG, iron (III) chloride and K2CO3were used as a catalyst and solid-state activator, respectively. The predictive model for the removal of the dye by the activated SCG biochar was evaluated through response surface methodology- central composite design (RSM-CCD). ANOVA result analysis showed that among the model terms, the effect of pH was the most significant in removing the Vivizole Red 3 BS 150 % (VR 3BS) dye. The optimum values suggested by the CCD were an initial dye concentration of 20 mg/L, pH 3, an adsorbent dose of 0.5 g per 100 mL, and a contact time of 60 min, where the optimum removal of the dye was 94 %. The optimum conditions were validated using synthetic and textile wastewater, and the percent removals of the VR 3BS dye by the activated SCG were 96% and 90 %, respectively. The dye removal efficiency of activated SCG biochar was more significant than that of commercial activated carbon. The Langmuir model best described the adsorption isotherm. Adsorption kinetic data fitted well to the pseudo-second-order model. Both intraparticle and film diffusions affected the dye's adsorption rate. The thermodynamics study has shown that the adsorption process was a spontaneous, less random, exothermic process governed by a physical sorption mechanism. Thermal regeneration of the exhausted biochar improved VR 3BS dye removal efficiency.