bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
WITHDRAWN: An accurate interpolation-based iterative frequency estimator of 2D multi- frequency sinusoids
Authors: Peng Yuqin , Tu Yaqing , Mou Zelong , Yang Huiyue
Published: October 2024

There are many domains in which frequency estimation of two-dimensional (2D) multi-frequency sinusoids is of great concern. In this paper, based on 2D spectrum interpolation, an accurate and efficient method is proposed to estimate 2D multi-frequency in noise. The method estimates the order of the signal, adopting a coarse-fine strategy, effectively corrects frequency leakage and suppresses interference between frequency components. To obtain the coarse estimation, 2D spectrum interpolation and 2D discrete Fourier transform (2D-DFT) are adopted after the order of sinusoids has been estimated. The fine estimation, with subtraction strategies converting sinusoids into 2D single-frequency sinusoid, suppresses interference from other frequency components. Next, 2D spectrum interpolation is used to obtain an accurate frequency estimate, which accuracy is further improved through iteration. Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed method is capable of achieving the Cramer-Rao lower bound (CRLB) and outperforms other recently proposed frequency domain methods for 2D multi-frequency sinusoids.
Prediction Model for Identifying a High-Risk Group for Food Insecurity among Elderly South Koreans
Authors: Han Myeunghee
Published: October 2024

This study aimed to identify the highest risk group for food insecurity in elderly South Koreans. A cross-sectional study was conducted using data from the 2022 Korea Community Health Survey. Subjects were divided into four groups; A: Sufficient quantity and variety of food, B: Sufficient quantity but not variety of food, C: Sometimes insufficient quantity and variety of food, and D: Often insufficient quantity and variety of food. Decision tree analysis was conducted to build a prediction model of food insecurity. Individuals who were not receiving basic livelihood assistance, were living with a family member, and had a diploma beyond college level were the highest proportion (75.8%) in Group A. For Group B, those who were not receiving basic livelihood assistance, were living alone, and had depression were the highest proportion (49.4%). In Group C, those who were receiving basic livelihood assistance, had no depression, and were living alone were the highest proportion (44.2%). Finally, those who were basic livelihood assistance, showed depression, and were living alone were the highest proportion of Group D (14.3%). The food insecurity of the elderly in South Korea is associated with basic livelihood assistance, depression, education level, and household type.
Periplaneta americana extract in improving antigenic emulsifier-induced recurrent oral ulcers in rats by inhibiting TLR4/NF-κB and activating Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathways
Authors: Li Weijun , Chen Yi , Li Kailing , Chen Zhongze , Zhang Jingyu , Zhao Guanhua , Sun Fanfan , Xiao Peiyun , Yang Yongshou
Published: October 2024

Recurrent oral ulcers (ROUs) of oral mucosa disease are difficult to cure and relapse easily, and immune imLbalance or dysfunction is considered an essential factor in their occurrence and recurrence. Periplaneta americana extract (PAD), a raw material used in Kangfuxin Liquid and Yunnan Baiyao toothpaste, contains a variety of growth factors such as polypeptides and sticky sugar amino acids that promote tissue repair; this can encourage the growth of the granulation tissue and reduce inflammation on the wound surface. This study aimed to investigate the interventional potential of PAD on recurrent oral ulcers in rats and to elucidate the underlying mechanism of action involving the TLR4/NF-κB and Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathways. A rat model of recurrent oral ulcer (ROU) was established using an oral antigen emulsifier. Rats in the ROU group were administered PAD by gavage for 7 days. To observe the effect of PDA on ROU mice. HE staining revealed that PAD restored the structure of the oral mucosal tissue and reduced inflammatory infiltration. FCM revealed that PAD upregulated CD3+ and CD4+ levels and the CD4+/CD8+ ratio in peripheral blood T lymphocytes. ELISA revealed that PAD increased the content of IgA, IgG, IgM, VEGF, IL-2, and IL-10, while decreasing IL-6 and TNF-α content. Microplate analysis revealed that PAD significantly increased CAT content in the serum of ROU rats and reduced GSH, NO, SOD, and MDA levels. IHC staining, RT-qPCR, and Western blotting revealed that PAD downregulated Keap1 and IκBα expression, inhibited the TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway, upregulated Nrf2 and HO-1 expression, and activated the Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway. These fndings suggest that PAD improved immune imbalance and oxidative stress in ROU rats by activating the Nrf2/HO-1 pathway and inhibiting the TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway, thereby promoting the healing of oral ulcer wounds.
Thermal and Flow Optimization via Generative Design Simulations of the Curing Press Manifold Used in Tire Production
Authors: Çağlayan Ahmet Çağrı , Akyüz Fikret Kemal , Feyzioğlu Ahmet , Ersoy Sezgin
Published: October 2024

The tire industry involves complex processes that require high temperatures and pressures for tire production and processing. Serious environmental problems can occur at this stage of production. Therefore, in addition to maintaining product quality in this production system, considering environmental factors and at the same time increasing efficiency is an important gain. In this production; rubber compound is placed in molds using curing presses and shaped under high temperatures and pressures. Manifold blocks are used to feed the molds in these presses and to ensure equal temperature distribution between the molds. However, existing manifold blocks tend to deform in a short time under high temperatures and pressures and require constant maintenance. These changes can affect production continuity, reduce production quality and increase maintenance costs. Therefore, a more durable and low-maintenance manifold solution was needed to be investigated. In this study, Thermal Flow Analysis was performed on the Curing Press Manifold using the "Manufacturer Design" method and the appropriate operating level of the system was determined.
Fecal microbiota-based: An interpretable GBM-SHAP machine learning model for the diagnosis of ankylosing spondylitis
Authors: Li Mengpan , Zhang Wei , Ma Yichao , Wu Jiangpeng , Liu Wencai , Qi Chaofan , Long Siping , He Jin , Mo Fengbo , Ma Xiaojun
Published: October 2024

Background: Previous studies had shown a significant correlation between ankylosing spondylitis（AS） and the human gut microbiome, and emerging machine learning (ML) techniques can provide a reliable bridge between them. Achieving early diagnosis of AS through human gut microbiota with the help of ML is the paper’s objective.
Methods: The fecal metagenomic sequencing data derived from NCBI that pertain to AS, which processed by data filtering tools: Trimmomatic (Trimming sequence) and Bowtie2（decontamination）. Then, the processed data were classified by Kraken2 and estimated species abundance by Bracken. And we carried out species diversity analysis and actualized the visualization of species abundance. After that, univariate logistics regression and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression were utilized to analyze these fecal microbes. Then, the screened biomarkers were utilized to model construction. During the study, six models (include: LR, AB, HLP, BAG, GBM, XGB) were structured for selection, and the optimum model be applied as the tool of diagnosis AS. During this procedure, the behavior of model was contrasted by ten-fold cross-validation, ROC curve, precision recall curve, calibration curve and radar plot. Besides, confusion matrix and five-fold ROC were utilized to make further efforts to emerge the superiority of model. And Shapley Additive Explanations (SHAP) visualized the contribution of some biomarkers in the model.
Results: Totally 211 samples were subsumed in the study which were randomly separated into two sections (training set and test set) in the proportion 3:1 and two parts are utilized to establish and validate ML models. In the alpha diversity analysis, significant difference between the healthy population and AS (P = 0.0237) was demonstrated. In addition, PCA results in beta diversity also showed a significant difference in community structure between the two groups (P=0.001). From the results of LASSO regression analysis, 82 fecal microbes were selected for model construction. According to the performance matrixs of the models, GBM model performed best. In addition, SHAP showed the top ten fecal microbes that contributed to the model construction, which further explaining the model.
Conclusion: The construction of ensemble machine learning model GBM based on fecal microbes was meaningful for early diagnosis of AS and targeted clinical treatment.
Tackling Food Waste in Urban Landscapes: A Systematic Review of Household Food Waste in Asian Countries
Authors: Andik Silvia Dewi Sagita , Rakowska Joanna
Published: October 2024

The concern surrounding food waste is influenced by, among others, societal factors. Previous research suggests that urbanization has a significant impact on the food system, leading to increased food waste. Moreover, reducing food waste leads to sustainable production and consumption. Thus the aims of this research are to analyse the factors that influence food waste behavior in urban landscapes and to develop a solution to tackle food waste behavior among households in Asian countries. According to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, 41 articles were selected out of 7.058 papers retrieved from the Scopus database and Web of Sciences database and reviewed.. The results indicated that there were five domains essential in reducing household food waste, namely household attributes, psychological factors, behavioural factors, situational factors, and food attributes. The systematic review suggests that understanding the consumer needs, family needs, consumption pattern and increase the awareness of negative impact on food waste enables mitigating household food waste production in urban landscape.
JEL Codes : D12, D13, N35, Q01
Spheroid Morphology of Lung Cancer Cell Lines Correlates with Oncological Profiles
Authors: Oishi Kaido , Matsumoto Keitaro , Hashimoto Shintaro , Uchida Fumitake , Hara Ryosuke , Nishimuta Masato , Matsumoto Takamune , Iwatake Mayumi , Tomoshige Koichi , Doi Ryoichiro , Machino Ryusuke , Obata Tomohiro , Nagayasu Takeshi
Published: October 2024

We assessed the correlation between Multicellular tumor spheroids (MCTS) morphology and the oncological profile of lung cancer cells. MCTS were generated in five lung cancer cell lines and classified into Type–A MCTS, which showed strong aggregation, and Type–B MCTS, which showed weak aggregation. Drug resistance was higher in Type–A MCTS, and invasive ability was higher in Type–B MCTS. The oncologic profile of lung cancer cell lines correlated with MCTS morphology. MCTS morphology could thus be used in basic oncology research and as a clinical prognostic tool.
Psychometric properties of the Arabic Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-5) in a non- clinical sample of Arabic-speaking adults
Authors: Sawma Toni , Nour Pio BD El , Malaeb Diana , Sakr Fouad , Dabbous Mariam , El-Khatib Sami , Fekih-Romdhane Feten , Hallit Souheil , Obeid Sahar
Published: October 2024

Background: Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is a highly prevalent psychological disorder with a frequent distribution among the general population and in primary care configurations. GAD-5 is one of the many present scales with little research on, but has the potential to orient clinical decisions due to its unique features. Validating a simple and cost-effective tool to assess the GAD in the Arabic-speaking population, primarily residing in the Middle-East and North-Africa (MENA) region, would be highly beneficial. The study aimed to translate GAD-5 into Arabic and evaluate its psychometric properties, including internal reliability, sex invariance, composite reliability, and correlation with a measure of psychological distress.
Methods: A total of 629 Arabic-speaking adults were recruited in May 2023. A self-administered anonymous survey was distributed through social media using a Google Forms link. We used the SPSS AMOS software v.28 to conduct the confirmatory factor analysis of the GAD-5 scale.
Results: The fit indices deriving from the confirmatory factor analysis indicated that the one-factor model of the GAD items was acceptable. The convergent validity for this model and the internal consistency of the scale were good. Configural, metric, and scalar invariance was supported across sex. A higher mean anxiety score was seen in females compared to males. Higher GAD-5 scores were significantly associated with higher anxiety, depression and stress as measured by the Depression, Anxiety and Stress 8 items (DASS-8) scale, showing convergent and concurrent validity.
Conclusion: Our findings confirmed the briefness, validity and reliability of the Arabic version of the GAD-5 scale which support its employment as a screening tool in the general population. Considering these results, we advise using it for therapeutic and research motives among the Arabic-speaking individuals.
Anatomical and Histological Analyses of Ankle Plantar Flexors: Insights into Connective Tissue Composition and Muscle Architecture
Authors: Yeo In-Seung , Kim Miri , Lee Hyung-Jin
Published: October 2024

Purpose
The tibialis posterior (TP), flexor digitorum longus (FDL), and flexor hallucis longus (FHL) are muscles that contribute to the stability of foot and ankle movements, playing a crucial role in achieving optimal gait. However, a comprehensive examination of the anatomical characteristics and histological variances of each muscle has not been conclusively established.
Methods
A total of 10 un-embalmed cadavers were dissected, and muscles from each cadaver were consistently harvested from the musculotendon junction. The ratio of collagen and elastic fibers was assessed through three immunohistological analyses, focusing on distinct histological characteristics in type I (slow twitch) and type II (fast twitch) fibers. Additionally, Ultrasonography was utilized to compare and analyze the thickness, fascicle angle, and muscle fiber length of each muscle.
Results
Concerning the relative proportion of elastic fibers to collagen, the TP exhibited the highest collagen content (21.9 ± 0.30%, mean ± standard deviation), while the FHL had the highest elastic fiber proportion (48.4 ± 0.44%). The TP predominantly comprised slow type muscle fibers (36.88 ± 0.83%), whereas the FHL contained a higher density of fast type muscle fibers (32.46 ± 4.02%). US analysis indicated that the TP had a relatively thick thickness (2.0 ± 0.2mm), compared to the FDL (1.2 ± 0.1mm) and FHL (1.1 ± 0.1mm). Additionally, the fascicle length was notably longer in the TP (25.6 ± 4.1mm).
Conclusion
Our anatomical and histological findings indicate that the tibialis posterior (TP) is the thickest with a significant physiological angle and a high collagen content. This characteristic enables the TP to provide stability by transmitting a constant force to the calf. On the other hand, the flexor hallucis longus (FHL) exhibits the highest elastic fiber content, confirming its ability to exert instantaneous, swift, and powerful force.
Design of Cryptographic Based Secured Medical Applications Using Iot Enabled Mobile Edge Computing
Authors: Anandh Sugel , Narayan S.R.Sylaja Vallee , Mathew Tina Elizabeth
Published: October 2024

The universally built Internet of Things (IoT) devices are operated promptly for the processing of data with the interconnected real time external objects. The devices are connected with the sensors or microprocessors to transfer the information to the cloud. While Cogitate the real time medical applications IoT are the privileged technology which can be used to update the data frequently without the help of human beings. This improves the productivity of the medical employees with the automation. Nevertheless, the security of the information transferring is the crucial task in this field since attackers can easily steal the data that are sensitive and this would mislead the treatment. Herewith, we propose an innovative Mobile Edge Computing (MEC) based secured transmission of data which utilizes the Blockchain for the cryptographic process. The proposed employs process such as pre-processing the data acquired from the medical IoT sensors for cleaning and brims the missing data. The initial and advanced statistical order is used to extract the features from the pre-processed data followed by the Sooty Tern optimization (STO) based feature selection. Apparently, the selected features are transmitted to the clinics or cloud or the patient relatives through the highly secured blockchain based MEC. Previously, the collected data from the sensors are transmitted to the block via the communication layer. simulations are executed to analyse the productiveness of the proposed work and made the compaartive study. The security of the proposed work is advanced than the earlier approaches.
Beyond Traditional Techniques: Utilizing Neural Networks to Improve and Compare the Performance of OFDM and OTFS
Authors: Chennamsetty Sneha , Boddu Subbarao
Published: October 2024

Two popular modulation techniques for current 4G, 5G, and beyond wireless communication systems are Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiplexing (OFDM) and Orthogonal Time Frequency Space (OTFS). While OFDM performs quite well in static channels, it suffers greatly in situations with excessive mobility. On the other hand, OTFS operates in the delay-Doppler domain providing robustness in these kinds of high-mobility channels. The potential of neural network (NN) models for OFDM and OTFS performance improvement and comparison analysis is investigated in this work. We proposed a framework for analyzing and contrasting the effectiveness of both modulations in different NN models. To compare and enhance the performance of OFDM and OTFS systems, this paper explores the wide range of Neural Network (NN) models, such as feedforward Neural Networks (NNs), Recurrent Neural Networks (RNNs) with particular architectures like Gated Recurrent Units (GRUs), and Long Short Term Memory (LSTM) networks. Out of the four proposed models, the RNN model promises better performance when compared to the rest and the traditional method which is the non-NN model. Furthermore, the proposed framework optimizes some features of OFDM and OTFS by utilizing NNs’ learning capabilities, which results in higher performance. The results show that this strategy can improve wireless communication performance, especially in dynamic channel conditions.
The Value of 3D Printed Bolus in Adjuvant Intensity-modulated Radiotherapy After Radical Mastectomy for Breast Cancer--A Prospective Cohort Study
Authors: Wang Yaxue , Hu Wendie , Li Bohan , Du Yujie , Zhou Xinhui , Li Fengyan
Published: October 2024

Purpose
Breast cancer patients may use a bolus to increase the dose of skin in radiotherapy after radical mastectomy. The 3D printed bolus (3DPB) made by individual customization has better fit and conformance. This study aims to provide some reference value for the treatment by analyzing the dosage advantages of 3DPB in radiotherapy after radical mastectomy of breast cancer.
Materials and Methods
The study included breast cancer patients who received post-mastectomy radiotherapy with 3DPB between January 1, 2022 and April 30, 2023. Researchers retrospectively collected dosage data related to patients' radiotherapy plans, prospectively observed acute and late radiotherapy side-effects in patients of this cohort. Matched sample T-test was used for data conforming to normal distribution, and non-parametric test was used for data not conforming to normal distribution. P<0.05 was considered statistically significant.
Results
A total of 35 patients were included in this cohort and median follow-up time was 16 months. In the side-effects of radiotherapy, no level 4 acute side-effects occurred. A total of 82.2% of the patients had no obvious side-effects, and 2.7% had a level 3 acute skin side-effects. Level 3 leukocytes, platelets, and erythrocytes decreased in 5.7%, 2.9%, and 2.9%, respectively. No late radiotherapy side-effects of level 2 or higher occurred. In terms of dosage, radiotherapy plans using 3DPB had better conformance (P<0. 001) and dose homogeneity (P<0. 001). The results showed that the V95% dose was higher for the CTV1, CTV2, P-CTV, P-CTV1, and P-CTV2 that covered the 3DPB (all P< 0. 001).
Conclusions
Overall, the use of 3DPB in radiotherapy of breast cancer is safe and feasible, with low incidence of acute and late side-effects. At the same time, the use of 3DPB can make the dose distribution higher and more uniform, while obtaining a more conformal target area.
A survey on bias in machine learning research
Authors: Mikołajczyk-Bareła Agnieszka , Grochowski Michał
Published: October 2024

Current research on bias in machine learning often focuses on fairness, while overlooking the roots or causes of bias. Bias was originally defined as a ”system-atic error” often caused by humans at different stages of the research process. This paper aims to bridge the gap between past and present literature on bias in research by providing taxonomy for potential sources of bias and errors in data and models, with special focus paid on bias in machine learning pipelines. Survey analyses over forty potential sources of bias in the machine learning (ML) pipeline, providing clear examples for each. By understanding the sources and consequences of bias in machine learning, better methods can be developed for its detection and mitigation, which lead to fairer, more transparent, and more accurate ML models.
Cytomegalovirus-Associated Pancytopenia in a Four-Month-Old Infant: A Case Report
Authors: Gyawali Jeevan , Pudasainee-Kapri Sangita , Agrawal Sumit , Khatri Dhan Bahadur , Adhikari Sugat , Dhunagana Prem Prasad
Published: October 2024

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a beta-herpes virus causing common infections, often asymptomatic in healthy individuals. However, it poses increased risks to immunocompromised individuals and can cause congenital infections, leading to severe disabilities. CMV infection can cause significant hematological abnormality. A four-month-old female infant was admitted for decreased feeding for two days. She was severely pale, without hepatosplenomegaly. Initial laboratory investigations revealed profound pancytopenia: white blood count of 3,000 cells/µL, hemoglobin of 4.5 g/dL, and platelets of 10,000 cells/µL. The patient was transfused with whole blood and referred to a tertiary care center. Further workup, including bone marrow biopsy, showed hypocellular marrow. The Urine CMV Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test returned highly positive with a viral load of 1,700,000 copies/mL. Genetic testing was unremarkable. This patient was diagnosed with CMV-associated bone marrow suppression, and she was prescribed valganciclovir at a dosage of 16 mg/kg/dose every 12 hours. She had shown significant hematologic parameter improvement during subsequent follow-up. Pancytopenia in infancy should include a differential diagnosis for CMV infection. The early recognition and correct infection management, including antiviral therapy and symptomatic treatment, yield a better prognosis.
Iteratively Designed Nanocarrier for Cell Cycle Arrest, Immune Boost, and T Cell Access
Authors: Meng Huan , Feng Zhenhan , Qin Mengmeng , Jiang Jinhong , Wang Meng , Zhang Tianyu , Li Yibo , Liu Xiangsheng , Zhang Jinfang , Zhao Yuliang
Published: October 2024

Recent advancements in cancer therapy have highlighted the dual role of cyclin-dependent kinase 4/6 inhibitors (CDK4/6i) in both cell cycle regulation and immune activation. However, applying CDK4/6i to immunologically unfavorable tumors is challenging due to the complex tumor microenvironment (TME), characterized by inadequate T cell recruitment and exclusion mechanisms that hinder an effective anti-tumor immunity. Here, we iteratively designed prodrug liposomal nanocarriers that integrate multiple functions: cell cycle inhibition through CDK4/6i encapsulation, immune activation via concurrent delivery of an immunogenic cell death-inducing chemotherapy agent, and overcoming T cell exclusion through the incorporation of a cholesterol prodrug. This iterative nanocarrier design effectively improves the pharmacokinetic profile of CDK4/6i, overcomes the immunosuppressive TME, achieves superior anti-tumor efficacy, and synergizes with immune checkpoint inhibitors to provide lasting effects in various colon cancer animal models.
A Personalised 3D+t Mesh Generative Model for Unveiling Normal Heart Dynamics
Authors: Qiao Mengyun , McGurk Kathryn , Wang Shuo , Matthews Paul , O'Regan Declan , Bai Wenjia
Published: October 2024

Understanding the structure and motion of the heart is crucial for diagnosing and managing cardiovascular diseases, the leading cause of global death. There is wide variation in cardiac shape and motion patterns, that are influenced by demographic, anthropometric and disease factors. Unravelling the normal patterns of shape and motion, as well as understanding how each individual deviates from the norm, would facilitate accurate diagnosis and personalised treatment strategies. To this end, we developed a novel conditional generative model, MeshHeart, to learn the distribution of cardiac shape and motion patterns. MeshHeart is capable of generating 3D+t cardiac mesh sequences, taking into account clinical factors such as age, sex, weight and height. To model the high-dimensional and complex spatio-temporal mesh data, MeshHeart employs a geometric encoder to represent cardiac meshes in a latent space, followed by a temporal Transformer to model the motion dynamics of latent representations. Based on MeshHeart, we investigate the latent space of 3D+t cardiac mesh sequences and propose a novel distance metric termed latent delta, which quantifies the deviation of a real heart from its personalised normative pattern in the latent space. In experiments using a large dataset of 38,309 subjects, MeshHeart demonstrates a high performance in cardiac mesh sequence reconstruction and generation. Features defined in the latent space are highly discriminative for cardiac disease classification, whereas the latent delta exhibits strong correlation with clinical phenotypes in phenome-wide association studies. The codes and models of this study will be released to benefit further research on digital heart modelling.
Global increases of salt intrusion in estuaries under future environmental conditions
Authors: Lee Jiyong , Biemond Bouke , Keulen Daan van , Huismans Ymkje , Westen René van , de Swart Huib , Dijkstra Henk , Kranenburg Wouter
Published: October 2024

In recent years, increased salt intrusion in surface waters has threatened freshwater availability in coastal regions worldwide. Yet, current future projections of salt intrusion are limited to local regions or changes to single forcing agents. Here, we quantify compounding contributions from changes in river discharge and relative sea level to changing future salt intrusion under a high emission scenario (Shared Socioeconomic Pathways, SSP3-7.0) for 18 estuaries around the world. We find that the annual 90th percentile future salt intrusion is projected to increase between 1.3% and 18.2% (median 9.1%) in 89% of the studied estuaries worldwide. Our analysis also indicates that, on average, sea-level rise contributes approximately two times more to increasing future salt intrusion than reduced river discharge. We further show that return levels of present day 100-year salt intrusion events are projected to increase between 3.2% and 25.2% (median 10.2%) in 83% of the studied estuaries.
Optimum Operational Conditions for Power Generation for Ngong Hill Wind Farm
Authors: OMBOTO JANE KWAMBOKA , Ngugi Kamau Joseph , Churchil Saoke , David Wekesa
Published: October 2024

The Ngong Hill Wind Farm, in Kenya, represents a significant investment in renewable energy aimed at reducing the country's dependence on fossil fuels and enhancing sustainable power generation. In order to model an optimized wind farm layout, it is crucial to accurately measure, describe, and analyze the statistical properties of the wind available in the site. This research investigates the optimal operational conditions for effective power generation at the Ngong Hill Wind Farm. The analysis is based on long-term data spanning from 2010 to 2019 and consists of ten-minute mean wind measurements and validation data collected for three months of the year 2022. The power loss due to wake effects is analysed using the Jensen wake models, and simulation for power output done with simulations in PHYTON libraries. The study shows that the yearly average Weibull shape and scale parameters are 3.29 and 9.81 m/s, respectively. The maximum power extractable at optimum efficiency is 509 W/m², corresponding to wind power class V. Predominant wind directions are from North-East to South-East. The simulation for Annual Energy Produced (AEP) at the Ngong wind farm under wake interference conditions shows a significant power loss of 28.209%, reducing AEP from 61.86 GWh to 44.41 GWh. The actual net output is 12 GWh, much lower than expected due to wake effects and turbine downtime. From the study, turbine efficiency and the overall wind farm performance is maximized by addressing wake interference and optimizing maintenance scheduling.
Finanzielle Folgen des Schwarzfahrens
Authors: Schoop Luca
Published: October 2024

Wer ohne gültigen Fahrschein öffentliche Verkehrsbetriebe benutzt, hat den eigentlichen Fahrpreis und den sog. Zuschlag zu bezahlen. Wer dies wiederholt tut, muss auch noch eine Staffelungsgebühr entrichten. Daneben ist auch eine strafrechtliche Ahndung möglich. Die Verkehrsbetriebe haben die Möglichkeit, die mit dem Schwarzfahren zusammenhängenden Forderungen im Strafverfahren geltend zu machen. Dieser Beitrag befasst sich mit der Frage, ob es sich bei diesen regelmässig geltend gemachten Forderungen um adhäsionsfähige Zivilforderungen im Sinne der Strafprozessordnung handelt. Diese Frage hat in der Praxis Relevanz, zumal seit dem 1. Januar 2024 auch im Strafbefehlsverfahren bei gegebenen Voraussetzungen über Zivilforderungen entschieden werden kann respektive muss.
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Les personnes utilisant les transports publics sans titre de transport valable sont tenues de payer le prix du billet, accompagné d'un supplément. En cas de récidive, elles s'exposent à une amende progressive. Une sanction pénale peut également être prononcée. Les entreprises de transport ont la possibilité de faire valoir les créances liées à la fraude dans le cadre de la procédure pénale. Cet article examine si ces créances, régulièrement invoquées, peuvent être considérées comme des créances civiles susceptibles d'adhésion au sens du code de procédure pénale. Cette question revêt une importance pratique, d'autant plus que, depuis le 1er janvier 2024, le ministère public peut, voire doit, statuer sur les prétentions civiles par ordonnance pénale lorsque les conditions légales sont remplies.
Penggunaan Podcast BELAPER (Belajar Asik Tanpa Baper) sebagai Media Pembelajaran Keterampilan Menyimak Siswa Kelas IX SMPN 2 Sampang
Authors: Irmawati Irmawati
Published: October 2024

Abstrak:
Keterampilan menyimak merupakan keterampilan yang begitu penting bagi siswa. Akan tetapi, pada saat ini keterampilan menyimak kurang mendapatkan perhatian yang cukup khususnya di tingkat Sekolah Menengah Pertama yaitu pada siswa kelas IX SMPN 2 Sampang pada materi teks cerita sejarah. Hal ini terjadi karena kurangnya perhatian terhadap media yang digunakan dalam proses pembelajaran. Tujuan penelitian ini yaitu untuk mengetahui pemanfaatan media podcast dalam pembelajaran menyimak teks cerita sejarah dan untuk mengetahui hasil belajar siswa dengan penggunaan media podcast dalam pembelajaran teks cerita sejarah. Penggunaan media dalam pembelajaran harus benar-benar diperhatikan karena hal tersebut bisa berpengaruh terhadap keberhasilan dalam proses pembelajaran. Podcast baru-baru ini dijadikan sebagai inovasi baru sebagai media pembelajaran. Dalam penelitian ini, media podcast diharapkan dapat meningkatkan keterampilan menyimak siswa. Metode dalam penelitian ini yaitu deskriptif kualitatif dengan teknik pengumpulan data berupa observasi, angket,  wawancara dan dokumentasi. Hasil dari penelitian ini yaitu podcast dapat dijadikan sebagai media evaluasi pembelajaran, karena dengan penggunaan media podcast ini siswa jadi lebih bersemangat dalam proses pembelajaran sehingga menarik minat siswa untuk belajar  dan guru juga terlihat lebih nyaman dengan penggunaan media podcast dalam pembelajaran.
Luminescence: The “Cold Glow” of Minerals
Authors: Nasdala Lutz , Fritsch Emmanuel
Published: October 2024

Luminescence is the eye-catching phenomenon of light emission by a mineral after some input of energy (the excitation). Although commonly used in Earth sciences only to produce images, much more can be extracted from this phenomenon. Luminescence is extremely sensitive to low levels of emitters (activators), which helps to reveal the geochemistry or the creation of defects. We give an overview of the great variety of techniques (cathodoluminescence, photoluminescence, and more), discuss vocabulary issues (such as excitation versus stimulation, or the different types of persistent luminescence phenomena), and propose wording we feel best reflects today’s knowledge. We explain the basics of luminescence spectroscopy with emission, excitation, and time-resolved spectra to obtain useful data for Earth scientists.
Luminescence Applications in Petrology
Authors: Finch Adrian A. , Dumańska-Słowik Magdalena , González-Acebrón Laura , Schertl Hans-Peter
Published: October 2024

Luminescence is a powerful tool to infer physical and chemical conditions during mineral growth. It is very subtly linked to temperature of formation, composition and structural state, and related changes during rock evolution that often cause striking contrasts in the light emitted. This information can show magma sources and the hydrothermal evolution of igneous rocks, sources and diagenesis in sedimentary systems, and the pressure–temperature evolution during metamorphism. However, luminescence is most powerful when it goes beyond imaging, coupling with spectrosco-pies and microgeochemical techniques. We present examples of luminescence spectroscopies in igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks to show how these methods elucidate geological processes. Luminescence imaging is an exciting scientific frontier in which novel methods provide ever deeper insights into petrogenesis.
Luminescence Applications in Ore Geology, Mining, and Industry
Authors: Gaft Michael , Megaw Peter K.M. , Lambeck Lex , Cantor Samuel
Published: October 2024

Luminescence applications in ore geology, mining, and beneficiation include remote prospecting, ground-based exploration, and radio metric sorting. Remote prospecting for ores with a drone or helicopter-borne luminescent sensing using laser excitation and time-delayed detection is becoming commonplace. Modern ground-based exploration increasingly utilises outlining of luminescing “fugitive calcite” veinlet halos, whose characteristics can rapidly and inexpensively give information on the overall size of a mineralised system and the principal structural controls on ore fluid migration pathways. Diamonds and scheelite have been found and recovered through X-ray luminescent radiometric sorting, while laser-induced luminescence has great potential, especially for sorting diamonds lacking X-ray luminescence, fluorite, spodumene, and rare earth element (REE)–bearing minerals. The luminescence concept is expanded here to include laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy; its fusion with X-ray techniques provides simultaneous information on both the mineralogical and chemical composition of a rock.
Uncovering the Bitcoin investment behavior: An emerging market study
Authors: Choudhary Sangita , Bondia Ripsy , Srivastava Vibhava , Chandra Biswal Pratap
Published: October 2024

Bitcoin remains a popular investment choice despite the regulatory obstacles and failures of many crypto firms. This intriguing behavior of investors necessitates calls for more in-depth research. This study explores the underlying motivations behind the intention to invest in Bitcoin by considering inaction regret aversion, overconfidence bias, herding, risk affinity, profit expectancy, perceived ease of investing, and social media influence in shaping the investors’ attitude towards investing in Bitcoin and consequently on behavioral intention to invest in Bitcoin. The study employs PLS-SEM and mediation analysis on a sample of 439 individuals from India with no history of cryptocurrency trading or investment. Path analysis demonstrates that inaction regret aversion, risk affinity, profit expectancy of Bitcoin, perceived ease of investing in Bitcoin, and social media influence are significant positive predictors of attitude toward investing in Bitcoin. Notably, profit expectancy remains the most relevant variable in the stated context. Attitude toward investing in Bitcoin positively and significantly influences the behavioral intention to invest in Bitcoin. The current study also indicates the significance of attitude as a mediator in the mentioned context.
Metastatic tumors of the orbit: clinical and instrumental diagnosis
Authors: Amiryan A. G. , Saakyan S. V.
Published: October 2024

Purpose: to assess the clinical course of metastatic orbital tumors (MOT) and the results of instrumental examination of patients. Material and methods. 50 MOT patients aged 5–84 years (ave. 56.9 ± 14.3), including 41 women (82 %) and 9 men (18 %), were examined for the clinical signs, the laterality of the lesion, the size and shape of the tumor, the presence of oncology in the clinical history and its duration. All patients underwent ultrasound examination with color Doppler imaging (CDI), plus computer tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the orbits. In all cases, the diagnosis of MOT was confirmed morphologically. Results. 32 (64 %) patients had an oncology history, which lasted from 9 months to 23 years (median 5 years). The most frequently observed metastases were those of breast cancer (27 cases, 54 %), while other types occurred much less frequently: metastases of kidney cancer (4 cases) and stomach (3 cases), cancers of the reproductive systems (2 cases), melanoma (3 cases), thyroid cancer (1 case), and sarcomas (4 cases). The primary focus could not be detected in 3 patients (6 %). OD/OS orbit damages were observed in 23 patients (46 %)/ 21 patients (42 %), while 6 patients (12 %) had bilateral damages. Clinical symptoms included exophthalmos (35 cases, 70 %), enophthalmos (6 cases, 12 %), eye movement impairment (35 cases, 70 %), ptosis (35 cases, 70 %), eyelid edema (24 cases, 68 %), pain in the orbit (7 cases, 14 %), chemosis (12 cases, 24 %), difficulty in eye repositioning (32 cases, 64 %). Decreased visual acuity was noted in 13 cases (26 %). CT symptoms included infiltrative nature of the lesion (43 patients, 86 %), and solid tumors with clear and even contours (7 patients, 14 %). Bone wall changes were detected in 7 patients (14 %). Ultrasound data revealed a heterogeneous structure and an increased acoustic density of MOT. CDI detected own vessels in the projection of the tumor (15 patients). Conclusion. Orbital metastases present a multidisciplinary problem, which requires mandatory monitoring by physicians of various specialties, as only 36% of patients have no oncology in their clinical histories. Specific history features, the patient’s complaints, typical clinical symptoms, CT (MRI) and ultrasound data should alert the ophthalmologist about a possible MOT. A mandatory examination of patients with malignant neoplasms by an ophthalmologist is necessary to exclude ocular metastases.
Episcleral circular buckling: yesterday, today, and tomorrow
Authors: Tereshchenko A. V. , Trifanenkova I. G. , Kulikov O. S. , Yudina N. N. , Sidorova Yu. A. , Plakhotniy M. A.
Published: October 2024

Searching for methods of treating primary rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) is a highly relevant issue, since this disease often leads to disability in people of young working age. The history of surgical treatment of retinal detachment began more than 200 years ago and has undergone many changes due to the evolution of knowledge of this disease. In the early 20th century, sealing of retinal breaks was first shown to be a key principle in the treatment of RRD. The two most commonly used surgical techniques today are pars plana vitrectomy and scleral buckling. Over the years, various materials have been studied as possible buckling means. At present, soft silicone fine-pored tape is the gold standard for scleral sealing. Modern laser technologies open up new vistas for extrascleral surgery in the treatment of primary RRD. The advantages of specific individual approaches or combinations thereof are under active discussion.
Surgical treatment of diabetic macular edema
Authors: Fayzrakhmanov R. R. , Pavlovsky O. A. , Lukinykh M. A. , Egorova N. S.
Published: October 2024

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) and diabetic macular edema (DME) present a serious medical and social issue of modern society. DME is one of the most common complications of DR and a frequent cause of a sudden decrease in visual acuity and the onset of disability. The review describes the main links of DME pathogenesis, including the participation of inflammatory cytokines, glycation products, reactive oxygen species, vascular endothelial growth factor and various cellular damages. The existing classifications of the disease, instrumental methods of diagnosis and treatment are presented, primarily those using angiogenesis inhibitors alone or in combination with laser treatment and intravitreal injection of an implant with dexamethasone. Various methods of surgical treatment of DR, which can impact the course of DME, are analyzed, including vitreoretinal surgery using vitrectomy with or without membrane peeling of the internal limiting and epiretinal membranes. Factors predicting the effectiveness of these surgical interventions are listed: these can be based on the general somatic condition of the patient and on the results of optical coherence tomography.
Effect of Allium Sativum (Garlic) Intake on Biochemical Parameters among Type I Hypertensive Clients – A Randomized Controlled Trials
Authors: B Sridevi. , Sree Vidhya , C Muthulakshmi. , M Kavitha
Published: October 2024

Hypertension, commonly known as high blood pressure, is a prevalent ailment that is referred to as "the silent killer." Hypertension is responsible for at least 45% of heart disease deaths and 51% of stroke deaths. The present study aims to assess the effectiveness of Allium sativum (Garlic) intake on biochemical parameters among Type-I hypertensive clients. A Quantitative approach with a true experimental pretest and post-test control group was adopted for the present study. 60 clients diagnosed with Type-I hypertension were recruited using the purposive sampling technique and were assigned to experimental and control groups. A self-structured questionnaire method was adopted to collect the demographic information. Followed by that, monitored blood pressure levels with the help of a manual sphygmomanometer and stethoscope, serum cholesterol before and after the intake of Allium sativum (Garlic) syrup. Following that, the treatment group received 100 gms of fresh garlic syrup three times daily, while the control group received a placebo along with the routine treatment. The results revealed that there was a significant difference identified in pre and post-test levels of blood pressure was calculated using a paired” test which was a statistically significant difference (P<0.005) concerning reduction in systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Hence, the findings of the present study concluded that oral supplementation of Allium sativum (Garlic) was found to be effective in reducing blood pressure and serum cholesterol among Type - hypertensive clients.
Linguistic Dimensions of L2 Performance: Complexity, Accuracy and Fluency
Authors: Şahin Kızıl Aysel
Published: October 2024

The Complexity, Accuracy, and Fluency (CAF) model has established itself as a crucial framework for examining the multifaceted nature of second language (L2) performance, providing valuable insights into learners' linguistic development. This paper presents a comprehensive overview of the CAF model, exploring its core constructs—complexity, accuracy, and fluency. It explores their definitions, the challenges associated with each construct, and the diverse approaches employed to measure them. The analysis includes a review of current research, identifying commonly used metrics, and outlining potential avenues for future inquiry. By offering a critical evaluation of the CAF framework and its measurement techniques, this paper sets out to enhance the understanding of L2 assessment and contribute to the advancement of research in this domain.
Economic Essence of Institutional Investors
Authors: Voskanian R. O.
Published: October 2024

The article investigates the economic essence of institutional investors in 2 aspects: distinction from individual investors and impact on finance stability. Within the frames of the 1st aspect arguments are provided to prove the fact that the key difference between institutional investors and individual ones is the recipient of investment returns. To study the 2nd aspect Russian and overseas academic literature is analyzed, as well as acute statistics that help classify institutional investors by three categories: proportion of the share capital, investment horizon and source of capital building-up. This classification forms a basis of identifying after-effects of realizing various investors’ right to withdrawal and their impact on finance stability. The author assumes that institutional investor can be ascribed simultaneously to different types, which can increase their influence on finance stability at the expense of combining possible effects of realizing the right to withdraw. It became clear that today minority investors do not exercise serious impact on finance stability, however, they can intensify the impact of majority shareholders (especially institutional investors) on corporate sector of finance market in drag-along and tag-along conditions.
Mechanism of Financing the System of Long-Term Nursing in Russia: Current Standing and Prospects
Authors: Nekipelova D. V.
Published: October 2024

The system of long-term nursing is an important element of the system of social welfare, which gives an opportunity to create necessary conditions for worthy life of elderly people with restrictions and disabled ones. At the same time it can decrease the burden on the Public Health System in rendering in-patient and out-patient services to these people and on households in arranging lasting care in the form of unpaid work of relatives and in the form of expenses on medication and technical means of rehabilitation. In this way relatives who have to do nursing, can keep their employment and realize themselves in society and the family will not lose incomes. In view of the increasing trend of populating aging and of growing share of people older than the retirement age establishing and developing the system of long-term nursing is a very serious goal. However, it will need a clear and stable source of financing. In Russia the system of long-term nursing has been developing as a pilot project only for 5 years and results of this work are extremely important. The article appraised the effective mechanism of financing the system of long-term nursing for elderly people and disabled ones, analyzed different variants of financing long-term nursing systems in world practice and provided feasible potential of their introduction in home practice.