bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Diagnosing Polypoidal Choroidal Vasculopathy Using Color Fundus Photography, Optical Coherence Tomography, and Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography
Authors: Park Sejun , Lee Junwoo , Park Jong Beom , Kim Eung Suk , Yu Seung-Young , Kang Min Seok , Kim Kiyoung
Published: October 2023

Purpose: To compare the diagnostic accuracy of differentiating polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) from exudative age-related macular degeneration (AMD), using color fundus photography (CFP), optical coherence tomography (OCT), and swept-source OCT angiography (SS-OCTA) without using indocyanine green angiography (ICGA).Methods: Treatment-naive eyes with exudative AMD that underwent CFP, OCT, SS-OCTA, and ICGA imaging before treatment were identified. Images of each patient were categorized into two sets (set A, CFP + OCT; set B, CFP + SS-OCTA). In set B, both the en face and cross-sectional B scans were analyzed. Each set was reviewed by two graders, and it was determined whether the presumed diagnosis was PCV. Sensitivity, specificity, and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) for the diagnosis of PCV were assessed for each set by comparing diagnoses that included ICGA. The number of polypoidal lesions in each set was calculated and compared to ICGA.Results: A total of 94 eyes from 94 patients with AMD were included in the study, of which 66.0% were male, and the mean age was 71.8 ± 9.0 years. The PCV diagnosis rate using ICGA was 45.7%. The sensitivity was 0.88 for set A and 0.93 for set B, while the specificity was 0.94 for set A and 0.96 for set B. The AUC was 0.90 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.83–0.97) for set A and 0.96 (95% CI, 0.90–1.00) for set B. Set A detected 1.28 ± 0.91 polypoidal lesions, while set B detected 1.47 ± 1.01; ICGA showed 1.51 ± 0.86.Conclusions: This study highlights that, without using ICGA, both CFP combined with OCT and CFP combined with SS-OCTA demonstrate high sensitivity, specificity, and AUC in diagnosing PCV. It is evident that SS-OCTA contributes to enhancing sensitivity, specificity, and AUC for PCV diagnosis.
Alkenone Uk’37 index differs between thermally separated populations of fin whales and krill
Authors: Rita D , Borrell A , Víkingsson G , Aguilar A
Published: October 2023

Although habitat temperature is an important determinant of species distributions, its measurement is difficult in mobile marine organisms. Chemical tracers such as alkenones constitute an alternative tool for gauging marine habitat temperature, something particularly relevant in the current scenario of global warming. The unsaturation index of alkenones, the Uk’37 index, can be used to estimate sea surface temperature (SST) in living organisms. Here, we analyse alkenone concentrations in a predator species, the fin whale, and its prey, the northern krill, both sampled in 2 areas with different SSTs: SW Iceland and NW Spain. In NW Spain (but not in SW Iceland), alkenone concentrations were higher in krill than in fin whale blubber, suggesting that they may biodilute along the trophic transfer. Consistently with local SST, the Uk’37 index was lower in the Icelandic samples of both fin whales and krill than in those from NW Spain, confirming the ability of this index to distinguish populations that are thermally separated. Whales are migratory animals; thus, the alkenones present in their blubber are a mix of those ingested locally and in recently visited regions. Consistently, the Uk’37 index showed a higher correlation with the local SST in krill than in fin whales. Alkenone turnover rates should be considered when using this proxy to assess the thermal range of the feeding habitat of a species. We conclude that the Uk’37 index is a potentially efficient tool to study the behaviour of whales, thus providing an alternative perspective to other chemical tracers.
Arap Dilinde ve Kur’ân’da Deyimlerin Etkisi
Authors: Al-badaren Zaid , Yılmaz Muhammet
Published: October 2023

Deyimler, satırlar dolusu bilgileri kısa bir şekilde ifade eden edebî ve belâği sözler manzumesidir. Verilmek istenen mesajı kısa ve çarpıcı bir şekilde ifade etmek için her dilde sıkça kullanılmaktadır. Arap dilinde de yazılı metinlerde ve günlük hayatta sıkça kullanılan deyimler, dil kullanımının önemli bir parçasını oluşturmaktadır. Deyimler, Kur’ân’ın anlaşılmasında da önemli bir yere sahiptir. Bu kısa ifadeler, etkileyici manalarıyla insanın ruhuna işleyerek duygu dünyasında derin izler bırakır ve anlatımı kolaylaştırıcı bir işleve sahiptir. Deyimler, toplumların kültürü hakkında bilgi veren önemli kaynaklardan biridir. Zira deyimler verilmek istenen mesajı zihne yaklaştırır ve sağlam bir şekilde yer edinmesini sağlar. Deyimlerin oluşumunda dinî, edebî, siyasi, kültürel, psikolojik, eğitici/öğretici, iletişimsel ve zihinsel faktörlerin etkileri olduğu bir gerçektir. Günlük hayatta ibret ve mevize aracı olan deyimlerin, Arap dili kurallarının teşekkül sürecinde kendisiyle istişhâd edilen kaynaklardan olması, dilbilimi açısından önemini artıran diğer bir husustur. Hacimli bir çalışmayı mucip olan deyimler konusu, bu makalede Kur’ân-ı Kerîm’in anlaşılması bağlamında inceleme konusu edilmiştir. Deyimlerin Arap şiiriyle ilişkisi, Kur’ân-ı Kerîm’in anlaşılmasındaki katkısı, rolü ve önemi, çalışmamızın temel konusudur.
EFFECTIVE TAX RATE DITINJAU DARI PROFITABILITY, LEVERAGE DAN SIZE PADA PERUSAHAAN SEKTOR KONSTRUKSI DAN BANGUNAN
Authors: Purwaningrum Desyani , Fandil Fandil
Published: October 2023

Tax Avoidance adalah proses pengendalian tindakan agar terhindar dari konsekuensi pengenaan pajak yang tidak dikehendaki Tujuan penelitian ini adalah untuk mengetahui pengaruh profitability, leverage, dan size terhadap effective tax rate. Populasi dalam penelitian ini adalah Perusahaan Sektor Konstruksi dan Bangunan Yang Terdaftar Di Bursa Efek Indonesia Tahun 2019-2021 yang berjumlah 23 perusahaan. Sampel dalam penelitian ini menggunakan metode Purposive Sampling, di mana diperoleh sampel sebanyak 10 perusahaan. Variabel independen dalam penelitian ini adalah Return On Asset, Leverage dan Size, variabel dependen dalam penelitian ini adalah Effective Tax Rate. Metode pengumpulan data menggunakan dokumentasi. Metode analisis yang digunakan adalah uji regresi linier berganda. Hasil penelitian ini menunjukkan bahwa Profitability berpengaruh signifikan terhadap Effective Tax Rate. Leverage, Size tidak berpengaruh signifikan terhadap Effective Tax Rate. Angka koefisien determinasi (Adjusted R Square) sebesar 0,0175. Hal ini berarti bahwa pengaruh profitability, leverage, dan size berperan sebesar 17,5% dapat menjelaskan Effective Tax Rate.
Analisis Rasio Keuangan Yang Mempengaruhi Pertumbuhan Sisa Hasil Usaha Pada PT. BPR Arto Moro Semarang Periode 2020-2022
Authors: Munasikhin Munasikhin , Novandalina Arini , Budiyono Rokhmad
Published: October 2023

Sisa hasil usaha  merupakan pendapatan yang diperoleh dalam satu tahun buku dikurang dengan biaya, penyusutan, dan kewajiban lain termasuk pajak dalam tahun buku yang bersangkutan. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui pengaruh CR (Current Ratio), DER (Debt To Equity Ratio), TATO (Total Assets Turnover) dan NPM (Net Profit Margin) terhadap laba pada PT. BPR Arto Moro periode 2020-2022.

Populasi dalam penelitian ini adalah laporan keuangan PT. BPR Arto Moro Semarang. Sampel dalam penelitian ini adalah laporan keuangan PT. BPR Arto Moro Semarang periode 2020-2022. Variabel bebas (independen) dalam penelitian ini adalah CR (Current Ratio), DER (Debt To Equity Ratio), TATO (Total Assets Turnover) dan NPM (Net Profit Margin) sedangkan variabel terikat (dependen) dalam penelitian ini adalah Laba. Metode pengumpulan data yang digunakan adalah metode dokumentasi. Metode analisis dalam penelitian ini menggunakan analisis statistik deskriptif, uji asumsi klasik (uji normalitas, uji multikolinearitas, uji heterokedastisitas, uji autukorelasi), analisis regresi linier berganda dan pengujian hipotesis (uji t statistik, uji koefisien determinasi).

Berdasarkan hasil penelitian, maka peneliti menyarankan untuk pihak manajemen PT. BPR Arto Moro Semarang dapat memaksimalkan kinerja perusahaan, lebih menggunakan modal sendiri daripada modal pinjaman, serta meningkatkan pemberian pinjaman yang produktif dan mengurangi pengeluaran yang dapat menekan pertumbuhan sisa hasil usaha
PENGARUH MOTIVASI, LINGKUNGAN KERJA, DISIPLIN KERJA DAN KOMPENSASI TERHADAP KINERJA KARYAWAN PT BPR SINAR MITRA SEJAHTERA SEMARANG
Authors: Ernawati Fidyah Yuli , Budiyono Rokhmad , Siswanto Agung
Published: October 2023

Kinerja adalah suatu hasil kerja yang dicapai seseorang dalam melaksanakan tugas-tugas yang diberikan kepadanya yang didasarkan atas kecakapan, pengalaman, dan kesungguhan serta waktu. Tujuan penelitian ini untuk mengetahui pengaruh Motivasi, Lingkungan Kerja, Disiplin Kerja, Dan Kompensasi terhadap Kinerja Karyawan PT. BPR Sinar Mitra Sejahtera Semarang. Populasi dalam penelitian ini adalah karyawan PT BPR Sinar Mitra Sejahtera Semarang sebanyak 41 karyawan. Sampel dalam penelitian ini menggunakan sampling jenuh (sensus) sehingga diperoleh sampel sebanyak 41 karyawan. Variabel dependen dalam penelitian ini adalah Kinerja Karyawan, variabel independennya adalah Motivasi (X1), Lingkungan Kerja (X2), Disiplin Kerja (X3), Kompensasi (X4). Metode analisis menggunakan analisis regresi linier berganda. Berdasarkan hasil analisis data disimpulkan bahwa Motivasi tidak berpengaruh signifikan terhadap Kinerja Karyawan dengan nilai signifikansi 0,586 > 0,05. Lingkungan Kerja tidak berpengaruh signifikan terhadap Kinerja Karyawan dengan nilai signifikansi 0,723 > 0,05. Disiplin Kerja tidak berpengaruh signifikan terhadap Kinerja Karyawan dengan nilai signifikansi 0,324 > 0,05. Kompensasi berpengaruh signifikan terhadap Kinerja Karyawan dengan nilai signifikansi 0,032<0,05. Nilai koefesien determinasi sebesar 56,9%. Saran yang dapat diberikan kepada perusahaan adalah untuk memperhatikan Kompensasi karena variabel ini yang mempengaruhi kinerja karyawan. Untuk peneliti selanjutnya agar menambahkan variabel independen lain sehingga nilai koefesien determinasi lebih meningkat.
PENGEMBANGAN LKPD BERBASIS DISCOVERY LEARNING UNTUK PESERTA DIDIK KELAS VII PADA MATERI FOTOSINTESIS
Authors: Nur Ardini Familiyatul Hikmah  , Nur Kuswanti  , Nindha Ayu Berlianti
Published: October 2023

Abstract: The Curiculum 2013 requires students to be active in learning through scientific approaches, but the reality encountered by teachers is still dominant which results in students feeling bored and dislike the material. The general purpose to be achieved from this research is to develop discovery learning-based student worksheets for grade VII students on Photosynthesis material. This research is a development research that uses the ADDIE development but it was only limited  to  the  ADDE  (analyze,  design,  development,  evaluation)  stage.  The  research  data  were obtained through questionnaires and documentation. The LKPD development process produces 3 LKPD drafts according to the ADDIE model stages which are limited to the ADDE stage. The results of the research on the LKPD validity test showed that the LKPD was declared valid with a validity value of 3.47 which was categorized as very valid by the validator.

Keywordsâ€‹: â€‹â€‹ Development, LKPD, Discovery Learning, Photosynthesis

 

 

Abstrak: Kurikulum 2013 mengajak peserta didik untuk aktif dalam pembelajaran melalui pendekatan ilmiah, namun kenyataan yang ditemui guru mendominasi pelajaran yang mengakibatkan peserta didik merasa bosan dan dan cenderung tidak menyukai materi yang diajarkan. Tujuan umum dari penelitian ini adalah mengembangkan lembar kerja peserta didik (LKPD) berbasis discovery learning untuk peserta didik kelas VII pada materi Fotosintesis. Penelitian ini merupakan penelitian pengembangan yang menggunakan model pengembangan tapi hanya terbatas pada tahap ADDE (analyze, design, development, evaluation). Data penelitian didapat melalui metode angket dan dokumentasi. Proses pengembangan LKPD menghasilkan 3 draft LKPD sesuai dengan tahapan model ADDIE yang terbatas pada tahap ADDE. Hasil penelitian pada uji validitas LKPD menunjukkan bahwa LKPD dinyatakan valid dengan nilai validitas sebesar 3,47 yang dikategorikan sangat valid oleh validator.

Kata kunci: Pengembangan, LKPD, Discovery Learning, Fotosintesis
ANALISIS KEMAMPUAN PEMECAHAN MASALAH SISWA DALAM MENYELESAIKAN SOAL CERITA OPERASI BENTUK ALJABAR
Authors: Robiatul Maghfiroh  , Siti Khabibah  , Gunanto Amintoko
Published: October 2023

This research aims to describe the problem solving skills of students in grade VIIILIPS BI and the factors that cause or affect students have low, moderate, and high problemsolving abilities. This research is a qualitative descriptive study. The subjects in this studywere 19 students of Grade VIII LIPS BI SMP Nurul Jadid Paiton Probolinggo. Theinstruments in this study are test and interview instruments. The data collection techniques inthis study are test and interview methods. While, the data analysis techniques in this study aredata reduction, data presentation and drawing conclusions. The results showed that therewere 6 students with high problem solving skills, 12 students who had moderate problemsolving skills, and there was only one student with low problem solving skills. The polya stagethat is difficult for students to do in the problem solving skills test is the second polya step,which is at the stage of making a problem solving plan. While the contributing factor to theproblem-solving skills of grade VIII students is a lack of appreciation for math lessons,students lack interest in math lessons and students dislike mathematics
Muhammad Syahrurâ€™s View About of Ummiyatu Muhammad or Illiterate of Prophet Muhammad SAW
Authors: Ahmad Fakhruddin Fajrul Islam
Published: October 2023

We have known that many Muslims consider his beloved prophet MuhammadSAW was illiterate. It was based on many evidences, Quran evidences, prophetic hadithevidences, and history evidences. However, this claim is still far from right because it hasbeen known that Prophet Muhammad had great intelligences. Before being a prophet orapostolate, Muhammad was known with many epithets among his people, such as al-amien.He was also wise man who could give solution when many tribes at Mecca want to fightjust to appoint of who has the right to put â€œhajar aswadâ€. Muhammad Syahrur, a modernIslamic scholar, denied that claim and tried to reveal the real meaning of ummi in Quran.Fortunately, Muhammad Syahrur did not writing about this topic only in his masterworkâ€œal-Kitab wa al-Qurâ€Ÿan; Qiraâ€Ÿah Muâ€Ÿashirahâ€. However, this topic is still an interestingtopic to be discussed.
PENGEMBANGAN LEMBAR KERJA PESERTA DIDIK BERBASIS PENDEKATAN SAINTIFIK PADA MATERI PEMANASAN GLOBAL
Authors: Diana Nur Nadiya Fitriya  , Nur kuswanti  , Oktaffi Arinna Manasikana
Published: October 2023

This research was conducted based on the science learning process which is stillcentered on the teacher (teacher center) and is still fixated on textbooks, so it requireslearning resources in the form of LKPD. The purpose of this study was to determine thefeasibility of student worksheets developed based on the validity of the LKPD based on thescientificoapproach. The type of research used in this researchiisdevelopmentjresearchjusing thejADDIE developmentpmodel whichjconsists of severalstagesk namely, Analysis,iDesign, Development, Implementation,iandEvaluation.oHowever, the implementation stage could not be implemented due to the covid19 pandemic. The subjects ofithis studyiconsisted of experts (material experts andvalidation experts). The expert provides an assessment of the validity level of the LKPDbasedpon the scientificoapproach developed by the researcher. Basedpon theiresults ofithevalidators, validation results obtained based on the assessment of two validation expertsand one material expert with an average score of 3.45% and 3.43% with the Very Validcategory as LKPD on global warming material. Thus , the developed LKPD has met theeligibility criteria.
PENGEMBANGAN ALAT EVALUASI BENTUK PILIHAN GANDA MENGGUNAKAN APLIKASI QUIZIZZ MATERI CAHAYA DAN ALAT OPTIK KELAS VIII SMP
Authors: Inayatul Ainiyah  , Lina Arifah Fitriyah  , Nur Kuswanti
Published: October 2023

Abstract: Evaluation as one of the learning activities to measure students' abilities in the learning process. The implementation of online learning evaluations is an alternative during the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of this study was to determine the process of developing a multiple-choice evaluation tool using the quizizz application on light materials and optical instruments for class VIII SMP. Development of evaluation tools using quizizz using ADDIE. The data obtained during the development implementation were in the form of qualitative data obtained from the validator's comments and quantitative data obtained from validation by three validators. The research results from this development are (1) the development of an evaluation tool is carried out based on the ADDIE model. (2) the results of the validation by three validators got an average score of 95% in the very good category. The developed questions can be used with revisions.

Keywordsâ€‹: â€‹â€‹ Development, Evaluation tool, Quizizz.
PANDEMI COVID-19 & MAKNA SOSIAL
Authors: Bambang Amir Alhakim  , Ishomuddin
Published: October 2023

Abstract: This study aims to understand the social meaning of some community members for the occurrence of the covid-19 outbreak (pandemic). The method used to reveal the social meaning is descriptive qualitative. In practice, the writers use Max Weber's theory of social action based on "verstehen" and analyzed by Mile, Huberman and Saldana's interactive model to reveal the social meaning of several community members in East Java, Indonesia. The results of this study are as follows: Some community members believe that this covid-19 outbreak (pandemic) is truly seen as a test from God. Some other members of the public think that the COVID-19 outbreak (pandemic) is an engineering or scenario by certain countries to weaken the nations of the world, including Indonesia, for the sake of mere (material) power ambitions. Several other members of the public assumed that this COVID-19 outbreak (pandemic) did exist but had been engineered in such a way that it tends to be exaggerated as a form of terror to the community and tends to blame the government. And, some other community members consider this a disaster and indeed the time has come for the calamity to come during the twin year, 2020 AD.

Keywordsâ€‹: â€‹â€‹ covid-19 pandemic, social meaning, society, Indonesia
JEJAK MUâ€™ALAF TIONGHOA HAJI BAMBANG SUJANTO (HAJI LIU MIN YUAN) SOSOK DISIPLIN DAN PEKERJA KERAS: MENCARI KEYAKINAN AGAMANYA (KAJIAN PERILAKU MAKNA KONVERSI KE AGAMA ISLAM)
Authors: Bambang Amir Alhakim
Published: October 2023

This research focuses on the conversion behavior of a Chinese Mu'alaf who is known as an important figure among the East Java Chinese ethnic group. He is Haji Bambang Sujanto or known by his Chinese name Haji Liu Min Yuan, Chairman of the Haji Muhammad Cheng Hoo Surabaya Foundation as well as one of the important figures of PITI (Pebina Iman Tauhid Islam) East Java. The important thing that needs to be underlined in this research is to find the meaning behind the act of converting to Islam from Haji Bambang Sujanto (Haji Liu Min Yuan) so that later lessons can be learned as life lessons on how the problem of religious belief is very fundamental in one's life to seek happiness. essential. As a study, this journal reveals individual phenomena and their social meaning after making changes in religious understanding (conversion) which then have implications or continue with more meaningful individual and social actions (behavior).
On the Semantics of Selfies (SoS)
Authors: Schneider Tobias Matthias , Carbon Claus-Christian
Published: October 2023

Selfies are taken to communicate about mental conditions, aims, loves, and commitments. Until now, we lack a unified nomenclature or established classification system for selfies. We can retrieve information about the different types of selfies from various indicators. Most commonly, this is done by analyzing metatags, hashtags, or the linked message of the respective post. Alternatively, we can categorize the depicted selfie's subject or analyze how viewers describe the impression a selfie has on them. We refer to this latter approach as Semantics of Selfies (SoS). In the present study, participants (N = 132) were asked to generate spontaneous associations of selfies from a pool of 1,001 selfies in total. Cluster analyses revealed five main categories (Aesthetics, Imagination, Trait, State, and Theory of Mind) constituting a characteristic semantic profile for selfies. Consequently, the present article provides an understanding of how certain selfies affect viewers to perceive specific qualities in the self-portrayed person in a very compact visual form.
External assessment of teachers’ roles during children’s free play and its relation to types of children’s play
Authors: Rüdisüli Cornelia , Duss Isabelle , Lannen Patricia , Wustmann Seiler Corina
Published: October 2023

Teachers in early childhood education and care (ECEC) assume various roles in children’s free play, such as tutor, classroom manager, co-player, and director. Recent research has shown that teacher-related characteristics such as work experience and classroom-related characteristics such as children’s age are significant predictors of teachers’ roles. However, these roles have mostly been assessed through self-report rather than external observation using standardized scales. Furthermore, it is unclear how teachers’ roles depend on the types of children’s play, such as construction play and dramatic play. To address these research gaps, we observed 80 teachers during 291 observation cycles in childcare centers and kindergartens in Switzerland. We developed a standardized observation scale to simultaneously assess both teachers’ roles during children’s free play and the types of children’s play. Additional teacher- and classroom-related predictors were assessed with an online questionnaire for teachers. The results of a multilevel regression analysis showed that the roles observed differed in the type of play in which children engaged. However, teacher- and classroom-related predictors were more relevant and explained more variance in teachers’ roles than the types of children’s play. The findings may stimulate self-reflection by ECEC teachers on the roles they assume during children’s free play.
Coordinating economic growth and carbon emission reduction in China: evidence from the optimal levels of energy price distortions
Authors: Sha Ru
Published: October 2023

Distorted energy prices cause resource mismatch and hinder the coordinated development of economic growth and carbon emission reduction (CDEC) in China. Therefore, it is essential to determine the optimal levels of energy price distortions. This paper first measures the price distortions of fossil and renewable energy sources and applies a panel smooth transition regression model to assess the optimal threshold values for the degree of energy price distortions. The results show that 1) Fossil energy price distortions are negative, and the price distortion for renewable energy is positive. 2) Energy price distortions inhibit CDEC, and this effect is regionally heterogeneous. 3) The panel smooth transformation model results indicate that distorted energy prices have a nonlinear impact on CDEC. CDEC is significantly hampered in the low regime by distorted fossil energy prices and facilitated in the high regime. In contrast, the distorted renewable energy price shows positive in the low regime and negative in the high regime. We also obtain the optimal intervals for the degree of energy price distortions that promote CDEC. With the target of “growth” and “carbon reduction,” this study provides a reference for improving the energy pricing mechanism and exploring the effective ways of CDEC.
Green finance pilot reform and corporate green innovation
Authors: Wang Huaiming , Du Dongying , Tang Xiaojian , Tsui Stephanie
Published: October 2023

This study investigates the impact of the green finance pilot reform on corporate green innovation using the formation of the China Green Finance Pilot Reform in 2017 as a quasi-natural experiment. It shows that the green finance pilot reform increases corporate green innovation. Furthermore, by highlighting the differences between green enterprises and heavily polluting enterprises, it also shows that the positive relationship between the green finance pilot reform and corporate green innovation is more pronounced in green enterprises than in heavily polluting enterprises. The mechanism analysis shows that the green finance pilot reform mainly affects corporate green innovation by easing financing constraints and reducing financing costs. The heterogeneity analysis indicates that the positive relationship between the green finance pilot reform and corporate green innovation is more pronounced in non-state-owned enterprises and large-scale enterprises. As a result, the effect of the green finance pilot reform on corporate green innovation gives rise to certain green innovation incentives. It is thus necessary to optimise the external corporate governance environment by promoting the green finance pilot reform and further offers practical implications for corporate green innovation decision-making.
Detecting the magical yellow-blue demarcation off the Yellow River Estuary from the space
Authors: Li Peng , Chen Shenliang , Ji Hongyu , Fan Yaoshen , Fu Yutao , Ran Baichuan , Ke Yinghai
Published: October 2023

River deltas rank among the most ecologically and socio-economically valuable environments on the planet. The Yellow River Delta in China is not only home to young wetland ecosystem, but also to world-renowned tourism resources. One of these was the unique yellow-blue demarcation line (YBDL), formed in the Yellow River Estuary (YRE) as a result of the meeting of terrestrial sediment-laden river water and clear sea water, which had developed into a famous attraction and generated significant tourism revenues. Moreover, its distribution was of vital ecological and geomorphological importance due to association with the dynamics of estuarine turbidity plume. However, little is yet known about the dynamics and influencing factors of YBDL. In this study, we proposed an integrated method for extracting YBDL from satellite imagery and investigated the spatiotemporal distributions of YBDL during the flood season (June-October) from 2016 to 2022 using multi-source satellite imageries. The average relative error of our algorithm reached 10.53%. The results indicated that the YBDL started to frequently occur after 2018, mainly distributed within 10 km off the YRE, with two types of short straight and long curved shapes. July was the period with the highest frequency and most widespread distribution of YBDL. The riverine water and sediment discharge controlled 45.9% of the variations in YBDL length, and the extreme flooding, as well as the implementation of Water-Sediment Regulation Scheme, significantly increased the distribution extent of the YBDL. The morphology of river distributary mouths dominated the changes in the YBDL distribution centres, and the north distributary mouth experienced dramatic evolution in the last three years, with an increased YBDL distribution. Tidal currents could promote the development of YBDL at the front of the river mouth plumes while inhibiting the YBDL on the other side. This study is the first systematic investigation of the spatiotemporal evolutions and driving mechanisms of YBDL in the YRE, which could provide a reference for tourism planning and YRE National Park construction.
Diclofenac, ibuprofen, and paracetamol biodegradation: overconsumed non-steroidal anti-inflammatories drugs at COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Ferreira Beatriz L. , Ferreira Dionisia P. , Borges Swanny F. , Ferreira Adriana M. , Holanda Fabricio H. , Ucella-Filho João G. M. , Cruz Rodrigo Alves S. , Birolli Willian G. , Luque Rafael , Ferreira Irlon M.
Published: October 2023

The consumption of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) have increased significantly in the last years (2020–2022), especially for patients in COVID-19 treatment. NSAIDs such as diclofenac, ibuprofen, and paracetamol are often available without restrictions, being employed without medical supervision for basic symptoms of inflammatory processes. Furthermore, these compounds are increasingly present in nature constituting complex mixtures discarded at domestic and hospital sewage/wastewater. Therefore, this review emphasizes the biodegradation of diclofenac, ibuprofen, and paracetamol by pure cultures or consortia of fungi and bacteria at in vitro, in situ, and ex situ processes. Considering the influence of different factors (inoculum dose, pH, temperature, co-factors, reaction time, and microbial isolation medium) relevant for the identification of highly efficient alternatives for pharmaceuticals decontamination, since biologically active micropollutants became a worldwide issue that should be carefully addressed. In addition, we present a quantitative bibliometric survey, which reinforces that the consumption of these drugs and consequently their impact on the environment goes beyond the epidemiological control of COVID-19.
A review of the taxonomic diversity, host–parasite interactions, and experimental research on chytrids that parasitize diatoms
Authors: Danz August , Quandt C. Alisha
Published: October 2023

Diatoms (Bacillariophyta) are a major source of primary production on Earth, generating between 1/4 to 1/2 of all oxygen. They are found in almost all bodies of water, the ice of mountains, the arctic and the antarctic, and soils. Diatoms are also a major source of food in aquatic systems, a key component of the silica cycle, and are carbon capturers in oceans. Recently, diatoms have been examined as sources of biofuels, food, and other economic boons. Chytrids are members of the Kingdom fungi comprising, at a minimum, Chytridiomycota, Blastocladiomycota, and Neocallimastigales. Most chytrids are saprobes, plant pathogens, or parasites, and play an important role in aquatic ecosystems. Chytrid parasitism of diatoms has been reported to cause epidemics of over 90% fatality, though most of the information regarding these epidemics is limited to interactions between just a few hosts and parasites. Given the ubiquity of diatoms, their importance in natural and economic systems, and the massive impact epidemics can have on populations, the relative lack of knowledge regarding parasitism by chytrids is alarming. Here we present a list of the firsthand accounts of diatoms reported parasitized by chytrids. The list includes 162 named parasitic chytrid-diatom interactions, with 63 unique chytrid taxa from 11 genera, and 74 unique diatom taxa from 28 genera. Prior to this review, no list of all documented diatom-chytrid interactions existed. We also synthesize the currently known methods of infection, defense, and experiments examining diatoms and chytrids, and we document the great need for work examining both a greater breadth of taxonomic diversity of parasites and hosts, and a greater depth of experiments probing their interactions. This resource is intended to serve as a building block for future researchers studying diatom-parasite interactions and global planktonic communities in both fresh and marine systems.
Sports competition tactical analysis model of cross-modal transfer learning intelligent robot based on Swin Transformer and CLIP
Authors: Jiang Li , Lu Wang
Published: October 2023

Introduction

This paper presents an innovative Intelligent Robot Sports Competition Tactical Analysis Model that leverages multimodal perception to tackle the pressing challenge of analyzing opponent tactics in sports competitions. The current landscape of sports competition analysis necessitates a comprehensive understanding of opponent strategies. However, traditional methods are often constrained to a single data source or modality, limiting their ability to capture the intricate details of opponent tactics.

Methods

Our system integrates the Swin Transformer and CLIP models, harnessing cross-modal transfer learning to enable a holistic observation and analysis of opponent tactics. The Swin Transformer is employed to acquire knowledge about opponent action postures and behavioral patterns in basketball or football games, while the CLIP model enhances the system's comprehension of opponent tactical information by establishing semantic associations between images and text. To address potential imbalances and biases between these models, we introduce a cross-modal transfer learning technique that mitigates modal bias issues, thereby enhancing the model's generalization performance on multimodal data.

Results

Through cross-modal transfer learning, tactical information learned from images by the Swin Transformer is effectively transferred to the CLIP model, providing coaches and athletes with comprehensive tactical insights. Our method is rigorously tested and validated using Sport UV, Sports-1M, HMDB51, and NPU RGB+D datasets. Experimental results demonstrate the system's impressive performance in terms of prediction accuracy, stability, training time, inference time, number of parameters, and computational complexity. Notably, the system outperforms other models, with a remarkable 8.47% lower prediction error (MAE) on the Kinetics dataset, accompanied by a 72.86-second reduction in training time.

Discussion

The presented system proves to be highly suitable for real-time sports competition assistance and analysis, offering a novel and effective approach for an Intelligent Robot Sports Competition Tactical Analysis Model that maximizes the potential of multimodal perception technology. By harnessing the synergies between the Swin Transformer and CLIP models, we address the limitations of traditional methods and significantly advance the field of sports competition analysis. This innovative model opens up new avenues for comprehensive tactical analysis in sports, benefiting coaches, athletes, and sports enthusiasts alike.
Electrical synapses for a pooling layer of the convolutional neural network in retinas
Authors: Tsukamoto Yoshihiko
Published: October 2023

We have an example of a synergetic effect between neuroscience and connectome via artificial intelligence. The invention of Neocognitron, a machine learning algorithm, was inspired by the visual cortical circuitry for complex cells to be made by combinations of simple cells, which uses a hierarchical convolutional neural network (CNN). The CNN machine learning algorithm is powerful in classifying neuron borderlines on electron micrograph images for automatized connectomic analysis. CNN is also useful as a functional framework to analyze the neurocircuitry of the visual system. The visual system encodes visual patterns in the retina and decodes them in the corresponding cortical areas. The knowledge of evolutionarily chosen mechanisms in retinas may help the innovation of new algorithms. Since over a half-century ago, a classical style of serial section transmission electron microscopy has vastly contributed to cell biology. It is still useful to comprehensively analyze the small area of retinal neurocircuitry that is rich in natural intelligence of pattern recognition. I discuss the perspective of our study on the primary rod signal pathway in mouse and macaque retinas with special reference to electrical synapses. Photon detection under the scotopic condition needs absolute sensitivity but no intricate pattern recognition. This extreme case is regarded as the most simplified pattern recognition of the input with no autocorrelation. A comparative study of mouse and macaque retinas, where exists the 7-fold difference in linear size, may give us the underlying principle with quantitative verification of their adaptational designs of neurocircuitry.
Recognition of motor intentions from EEGs of the same upper limb by signal traceability and Riemannian geometry features
Authors: Zhang Meng , Huang Jinfeng , Ni Shoudong
Published: October 2023

Introduction

The electroencephalographic (EEG) based on the motor imagery task is derived from the physiological electrical signal caused by the autonomous activity of the brain. Its weak potential difference changes make it easy to be overwhelmed by noise, and the EEG acquisition method has a natural limitation of low spatial resolution. These have brought significant obstacles to high-precision recognition, especially the recognition of the motion intention of the same upper limb.

Methods

This research proposes a method that combines signal traceability and Riemannian geometric features to identify six motor intentions of the same upper limb, including grasping/holding of the palm, flexion/extension of the elbow, and abduction/adduction of the shoulder. First, the EEG data of electrodes irrelevant to the task were screened out by low-resolution brain electromagnetic tomography. Subsequently, tangential spatial features are extracted by the Riemannian geometry framework in the covariance matrix estimated from the reconstructed EEG signals. The learned Riemannian geometric features are used for pattern recognition by a support vector machine with a linear kernel function.

Results

The average accuracy of the six classifications on the data set of 15 participants is 22.47%, the accuracy is 19.34% without signal traceability, the accuracy is 18.07% when the features are the filter bank common spatial pattern (FBCSP), and the accuracy is 16.7% without signal traceability and characterized by FBCSP.

Discussion

The results show that the proposed method can significantly improve the accuracy of intent recognition. In addressing the issue of temporal variability in EEG data for active Brain-Machine Interfaces, our method achieved an average standard deviation of 2.98 through model transfer on different days’ data.
Comparative analysis of lifestyle behaviors and dietary intake among obese and non-obese individuals following bariatric surgery: a secondary data analysis from 2020 to 2022
Authors: Althumiri Nora A. , Bindhim Nasser F. , Aldabaeab Abdulaziz E. , AlMousa Norah , Aljabbary Rugayah , Alumran Arwa
Published: October 2023

Objective

The aim of this research is to perform a comparative examination of lifestyle habits and dietary consumption between obese and non-obese subjects who have undergone bariatric surgery. This is done with the intent of investigating the disparities in obesity outcomes attributable to these elements.

Method

This study involves a secondary analysis of cross-sectional data obtained from the Sharik Diet and Health National Survey (SDHNS). To ensure a representative distribution of participants, the SDHNS employs a proportional quota sampling strategy, with stratification based on age, sex, and geographic location within Saudi Arabia’s 13 administrative regions, utilizing the ZDataCloud® system for this purpose. The data, collected between 2020 and 2022 from over 15,000 participants, were screened to identify the eligible records of individuals who underwent bariatric surgery.

Results

Within the entire sample, a mere 5.0% (806 individuals) had undertook bariatric surgery, with females comprising 54% of this specific subgroup. The average age within this group was 38.85 years (SD 13.02) and range (18–87). Post-operative results showed that 33% of these individuals remained classified as obese. Utilizing the backward likelihood ratio regression model, it was determined that factors including age, decreased consumption of fresh juices and chicken, as well as current tobacco use, were significantly associated with persistent obesity.

Conclusion

The findings of this study suggest an association between the non-obese group and healthier lifestyle choices, including the consumption of high-protein diets and fresh juices, alongside a decreased prevalence of smoking. These observations underscore the significance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle for positive weight loss outcomes following bariatric surgery.
Primary lipoblastic nerve sheath tumor in an inguinal lymph node mimicking metastatic tumor: a case report and literature review
Authors: Chen Chengxin , Cao Jiachen , Song Lingxie , Wang Wenjie , Guo Dandan , Shi Qi , Zhang Ying , Chen Yunzhao , Liu Chunxia , Li Feng
Published: October 2023

Lipoblastic nerve sheath tumors of soft tissue are characterized as schwannoma tumors that exhibit adipose tissue and lipoblast-like cells with signet-ring morphology. They have been documented to arise in various anatomic locations, including the thigh, groin, shoulder, and retroperitoneum. However, to our knowledge, this tumor has not been previously reported as a lymph node primary. We present herein the first case of a benign primary lipoblastic nerve sheath tumor arising in an inguinal lymph node in a 69-year-old man. Microscopic examination revealed a multinodular tumor comprising fascicles of spindle cells, as well as adipocytic and lipoblast-like signet-ring cell component in the context of schwannoma. Despite the presence of some bizarre cells with nuclear atypia, no obvious mitotic activity or necrosis was observed. Immunohistochemical analysis showed strong and diffuse expression of S-100, SOX10, CD56, and NSE in the spindle cells as well as in the signet-ring lipoblast-like cells and the mature adipocytes. Sequencing analysis of the neoplasm identified six non-synonymous single nucleotide variant genes, specifically NF1, BRAF, ECE1, AMPD3, CRYAB, and NPHS1, as well as four nonsense mutation genes including MRE11A, CEP290, OTOA, and ALOXE3. The patient remained alive and well with no evidence of recurrence over a period of ten-year follow-up.
Comparison of robot-assisted thoracic surgery versus video-assisted thoracic surgery in the treatment of lung cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective studies
Authors: Huang Shibo , Huang Xiaolong , Huang Zhilong , Luo Raoshan , Liang Weiming
Published: October 2023

Introduction

Previous studies have compared robot-assisted thoracic surgery(RATS) with video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) in the treatment of patients with lung cancer, but results were conflicting. The present meta-analysis aimed to compare the clinical outcomes of RATS with VATS in the treatment of patients with lung cancer.

Materials and methods

Web of Science, PubMed, Cochrane Library and Embase were comprehensively searched for randomized controlled trials or prospective cohort studies comparing the clinical outcomes of RATS and VATS from inception to 22 July 2023. The Cochrane Risk of Bias tool was used to assess risk of bias. Meta-analyses of length of hospital stay, postoperative duration of drainage, postoperative complications, operative time, conversion, estimated blood loss, the number of dissected lymph nodes and stations, 30-day readmission and 30-day mortality were performed.

Results

In total 5 studies were included in the meta-analysis. A total of 614 patients were included, of which 299 patients were treated by RATS and 315 patients treated by VATS. Blood loss was significantly less in RATS group than that in VATS (MD = −17.14, 95% CI −29.96 ~ −4.33, P = 0.009). More nodes stations were dissected in RATS group compared with VATS group(MD= 1.07, 95% CI 0.79 ~ 1.36, P < 0.001). No significant difference occurred between RATS and VATS in length of hospital stay(MD= −0.19, 95% CI −0.98~0.61), readmission(OR=0.74, 95%CI 0.36~1.51, P=0.41), operative time(MD=11.43 95% CI −8.41~31.26, P=0.26), conversion(OR=0.58, 95% CI 0.29~1.17, P=0.13), number of dissected lymph nodes(MD=0.98, 95% CI −0.02~1.97, P=0.05), upstaging rate(OR =0.67, 95% CI 0.38 ~ 1.18, P =0.16, I2 = 0%), time of chest tube drainage (MD= −0.34, 95%CI −0.84~0.15, P=0.17), post-operative complications(OR=0.76, 95% CI 0.52~ 1.11, P=0.16) and total cost(MD = 3103.48, 95% CI −575.78 ~ 6782.74, P=0.1, I2 = 99%).

Conclusion

RATS is a feasible and safe treatment that can achieve better surgical outcomes compared with VATS in terms of short-term outcomes. Except of higher total cost, RATS has obvious advantage in lymphadenectomy and control of intraoperative bleeding. However, large sample and long follow-up randomized clinical trials comparing RATS with VATS are still necessary to better demonstrate the advantages of RATS for lung cancer.

Systematic review registration

https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/, Identifier CRD42023446653.
Association of lipid lowering drugs and the risk of systemic lupus erythematosus: a drug target Mendelian randomization
Authors: Wu Tong , Ye Ling , Wang Shenglan , Huang Jie , Zhang Jing
Published: October 2023

Background and objective: An interaction between low-density lipoprotein level, lipid-lowering drugs, and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) was reported by previous studies. However, whether lipid-lowering drugs provided protective effect for reducing the risk of SLE was unclear. We aimed to clarify this causal relationship through a drug-target Mendelian randomization (MR) study.

Methods: Genetic instruments—single nucleotide polymorphism (SNPs)—were utilized to proxy inhibition of the three genes—3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase (HMGCR), proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9), and Niemann-Pick C1-Like 1(NPC1L1), which was corresponded to three lipid-lowering drugs—statins, evolocumab, and ezetimibe. Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol was selected as the biomarker for the measurement of the inhibitors of HMGCR, PCSK9, and NPC1L1, and the genetic data were acquired from the Global Lipids Genetics Consortium, which consisted of 1.3 million participants of European ancestry and 146.5 thousand participants of East Asian ancestry. The genetic dataset of SLE was acquired from two large-scale GWAS studies; one recruited 23,210 participants (7,219 SLE cases and 15,991 controls) of European ancestry and the other one recruited 12,653 participants (4,222 SLE cases and 8,431 controls) of Chinese ancestry. The primary analysis used the inverse variance weighted (IVW) method. Four additional sensitivity analyses, colocalization analysis, and stratification analysis were performed.

Results: The primary analysis showed that inhibition of PCSK9 (evolocumab) was associated with a significantly lower risk of SLE [odds ratio (OR) 0.51, 95%CI 0.34 to 0.76, p = 0.001] in the European population. The secondary analyses had similar findings. Stratification analysis demonstrated that the preventive effect of PCSK9 inhibition for SLE was similar in both males and females. However, the results were not replicated in the East Asian population. The inhibition of HMGCR (statins) and NPC1L1 (ezetimibe) did not cause a lower risk of SLE.

Conclusion: Evolocumab might provide a protective effect on the risk of SLE in the European population, but statins and ezetimibe might not have the protective effect. Further research is necessary to elucidate the specific mechanisms and potential therapeutic applications of PCSK9 inhibitors (evolocumab) in the context of SLE protection.