bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Socially-Aware Multiagent Learning: Towards Socially Optimal Outcomes
Authors: Li Xiaohong  , Zhang Chengwei  , Hao Jianye  , Tuyls Karl  , Chen Siqi  , Feng Zhiyong
Published: February 2025

In multiagent systems the capability of learning is important for an agent to behave appropriately in face of unknown opponents and a dynamic environment. From the system designer's perspective, it is desirable if the agents can learn to coordinate towards socially optimal outcomes, while also avoiding being exploited by selfish opponents. To this end, we propose a novel gradient ascent based algorithm (SA-IGA) which augments the basic gradient-ascent algorithm by incorporating social awareness into the policy update process. We theoretically analyze the learning dynamics of SA-IGA using dynamical system theory, and SA-IGA is shown to have linear dynamics for a wide range of games including symmetric games. The learning dynamics of two representative games (the prisoner's dilemma game and coordination game) are analyzed in detail. Based on the idea of SA-IGA, we further propose a practical multiagent learning algorithm, called SA-PGA, based on the Q-learning update rule. Simulation results show that an SA-PGA agent can achieve higher social welfare than previous social-optimality oriented Conditional Joint Action Learner (CJAL) and also is robust against individually rational opponents by reaching Nash equilibrium solutions.
Tweeties Squabbling: Positive and Negative Results in Applying Argument Mining on Social Media
Authors: Bosc Tom  , Cabrio Elena  , Villata Serena
Published: February 2025

The problem of understanding the stream of messages exchanged on social media such as Facebook and Twitter is becoming a major challenge for automated systems. The tremendous amount of data exchanged on these platforms as well as the specific form of language adopted by social media users constitute a new challenging context for existing argument mining techniques. In this paper, we describe an ongoing work towards the creation of a complete argument mining pipeline over Twitter messages: (i) we identify which tweets can be considered as arguments and which cannot, (ii) over the set of tweet-arguments, we group them by topic, and (iii) we predict whether such tweets support or attack each other. The final goal is to compute the set of tweets which are widely recognized as accepted, and the different (possibly conflicting) viewpoints that emerge on a topic, given a stream of messages.
Disorders of Nucleotide Metabolism: Purines and Pyrimidines
Authors: Nyhan William L.  , Friedmann Theodore
Published: February 2025

The disorders of purine metabolism encompass a spectrum of clinical abnormalities. Striking features are the hyperuricemia, neurologic abnormalities and unusual behavior of Lesch-Nyhan disease. Renal stone disease and deafness characterize PRPP deficiency and xanthine oxidase deficiency, as well as in orotic aciduria. In purine nucleotide phosphorylase deficiency and adenosine deaminase deficiency, there is defective immune function. Patients with deficiency of adenylosuccinase have seizures and delayed development. Myoadenylate deaminase deficiency causes myopathy. Hypouricemia is found in xanthine oxidase deficiency, molybdenum cofactor deficiency and purine nucleoside phosphorylase deficiency. Deficiency of deoxyguanine kinase deficiency leads to mitochondrial DNA depletion and hepatic failure. Deficiency of pyrimidine 5'-nucleotidase leads to hemolytic anemia. Toxic responses to customary doses of 5-Fluorouracil are found in disorders of pyrimidine metabolism, particularly dihydroprimidine dehydrogenase deficiency.
Molecular Disorders of Red Blood Cells, Platelets, and Coagulation System
Authors: Mayer Jennifer L.R.  , Root Allen W.
Published: February 2025

This chapter comprehensively describes not only the molecular origin of disorders of red blood cells, coagulation factors, fibrinolytic proteins, and platelets but also the clinical manifestations, diagnostic procedures, therapeutic approaches, and management of affected patients. Genetic mutations of the red cell membrane and enzymes resulting in severe hemolytic anemia are discussed, including hereditary spherocytosis, elliptocytosis, stomatocytosis, G6PD deficiency and pyruvate kinase deficiency. The genotypes and phenotypes of hemoglobinopathies are reviewed including sickle cell anemia, alpha thalassemia and beta thalassemia. The genetic forms of megaloblastic anemia (e.g., deficiency of intrinsic factor, transcobalamin) are presented. Molecular abnormalities of the coagulation cascade, anticoagulation pathway, and fibrinolysis are elucidated, particularly the hemophilias, von Willebrand disease, antithrombin III deficiency, factor V Leiden, protein C/S deficiency, and plasminogen deficiency. This chapter concludes with a discussion of inherited platelet problems such as Glanzmann thrombasthenia, gray platelet syndrome, and Bernard Soulier syndrome, and how clinicians diagnose and manage patients with these rare disorders.
Gene Therapy for Metabolic Diseases
Authors: Chandler Randy J.  , Venditti Charles P.
Published: February 2025

Gene therapy has recently shown great promise as an effective treatment for a number of metabolic diseases caused by genetic defects in both animal models and human clinical trials. Most of the current success has been achieved using a viral mediated gene addition approach, but gene-editing technology has progressed rapidly and gene modification is being actively pursued in clinical trials. This review focuses on viral mediated gene addition approaches, because most of the current clinical trials utilize this approach to treat metabolic diseases.
Virtualized Security Defense System for Blurred Boundaries of Next Generation Computing Era
Authors: Park Hyun-A.
Published: February 2025

This paper deals with the security problems facing with next generation computing environments. As the method, Virtualized Security Defense System (VSDS) is proposed under the application of ‘Trello’ (web application) for online patient networks, it deals with the following problems; (1) blurred security boundaries between attackers and protectors, (2) group key management system, (3) secret-collaborative works and sensitive information-sharing for group members, (4) preserving privacy, (5) rendering of 3D image (member indicator, high level of security). Consequently, although current IT paradigm is changing to more ‘complicated’, ‘overlapped’ and ‘virtualized’, VSDS makes it securely possible to share information through collaborative works.
The Transition to Open Access: The State of the Market, Offsetting Deals, and a Demonstrated Model for Fair Open Access with the Open Library of Humanities
Authors: Eve Martin Paul  , de Vries Saskia C.J.  , Rooryck Johan
Published: February 2025

In this article, we explore the state of the OA market and the current situation with respect to offsetting deals in the Netherlands. We then offer a case study of the LingOA model for a transition to open access, backed by a consortial funding mechanism: the Open Library of Humanities (OLH). We also suggest how this approach can be extended into new disciplinary spaces (in particular, mathematics and psychology, where there is already some willingness from editors).
Rethinking Openness: Challenges and New Approaches to Open Scholarly Journals
Authors: Appel Andre Luiz  , Maciel Maria Lucia  , Albagli Sarita
Published: February 2025

This paper's main objective is to present and discuss some results of a research project in progress on issues currently in debate on open scholarly journals dedicated to the publication of research outputs on an open, democratic and transparent basis. It contemplates a brief review of the literature about challenges regarding openness of the current scholarly publication system and political-economic constraints to its democratization, to support the analysis of two case studies on open publication platforms – Research Ideas and Outcomes and Wellcome Open Research – based on information available on their websites. As results, we present an analysis of publication practices and policies in action on these platforms and their policies.
Increasing Papers' Discoverability with Precise Semantic Labeling: The sci.AI Platform
Authors: Gurinovich Roman  , Pashuk Alexander  , Petrovskiy Yuriy  , Dmitrievskij Alex  , Kuryan Oleg  , Scerbacov Alexei  , Tiggre Antonia  , Moroz Elena  , Nikolsky Yuri
Published: February 2025

The number of published findings in biomedicine increases continually. At the same time, specifics of the domain's terminology complicates the task of relevant publications retrieval. In the current research, we investigate influence of terms' variability and ambiguity on a paper's likelihood of being retrieved. We obtained statistics that demonstrate significance of the issue and its challenges, followed by presenting the sci.AI platform, which allows precise terms labeling as a resolution.
Developing an Academic Publishing Service Continuum
Authors: Ammon Matthias  , Kingsley Danny
Published: February 2025

This paper describes the establishment of a continuum of publishing and preservation services for the academic community at the University of Cambridge, particularly in relation to grey literature. It sets out the initial identification of the need for this service and the process of establishing a variety of options. As the project is at an early stage, the paper discusses the particular issues such an initiative faces in a research university consisting of a large number of institutions with significant levels of autonomy.
How to Deal with Uncertainties in Computing: From Probabilistic and Interval Uncertainty to Combination of Different Approaches, with Applications to Engineering and Bioinformatics
Authors: Kreinovich Vladik
Published: February 2025

Most data processing techniques traditionally used in scientific and engineering practice are statistical. These techniques are based on the assumption that we know the probability distributions of measurement errors etc.
Software Categorization Using Low-Level Distributional Features
Authors: Bodó Zalán  , Indurkhya Bipin
Published: February 2025

In recent years, there has been a growing interest in applying deep learning techniques for automatic generation of software. To achieve this ambitious objective, a number of smaller research goals need to be reached, one of which is automatic categorization of software, used in numerous tasks of software intelligence. We present here an approach to this problem using a set of low-level features derived from lexical analysis of software code. We compare different feature sets for categorizing software and also apply different supervised machine learning algorithms to perform the classification task. The representation allows us to identify the most relevant libraries used for each class, and we use the best-performing classifier to accomplish this. We evaluate our approach by applying it to categorize popular Python projects from Github.
Feature Learning for Breast Tumour Classification Using Bio-Inspired Optimization Algorithms
Authors: Abdel-Nasser Mohamed  , Saleh Adel  , Moreno Antonio  , Tabalvandani Nasibeh Saffari  , Puig Domenec
Published: February 2025

Breast cancer is one of the most dangerous diseases that threaten women. Computer-aided diagnosis systems can be used to analyse breast images in order to detect breast tumours early. This paper proposes a new method for feature learning from breast cancer images. The learned features are used to discriminate between malignant and benign tumours. We marry the traditional feature extraction methods with deep learning approaches, in the sense that we automatically learn local descriptors from the input images without hand-crafting the feature extraction methods. The proposed technique uses a bio-inspired optimization method, called whale optimization algorithm, to learn local descriptors from the input images. The learned features are tuned to the input images and can describe the local/global arrangement of pixels in them. Unlike the usual deep learning approaches, small datasets can be used to train the proposed method. To validate the proposed feature learning method, we used two breast cancer datasets: mammographic and ultrasound images for benign and malignant cases. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method gives good classification results compared with the state of the art ones.
A Saliency-Boosted Corrosion Detector for the Visual Inspection of Vessels
Authors: Bonnin-Pascual Francisco  , Ortiz Alberto
Published: February 2025

Corrosion is one of the major causes of the structural defects that affect vessel hulls. For its early detection, intensive inspections of the inner and outer structures of the vessel hull are carried out at a great cost, where the visual assessment plays an important role. In order to reduce the cost of the visual inspections, we present a corrosion detector to identify defective areas in digital images taken from vessel hulls. Two main contributions stand out: on the one hand, a specific detector which combines color and texture features to describe corrosion; on the other hand, a prior stage which implements a generic-defect search based on the concept of saliency, and it is used to boost the specific corrosion detector. Both the original and the saliency-boosted methods provide successful detection rates, but the guidance by means of saliency allows for precision improvements.
Internal Forces and Moments on Hull Girder due to Parametric Roll Development
Authors: Acanfora Maria  , Coppola Tommaso
Published: February 2025

The accurate prediction of wave-induced forces and moments on a hull operating in severe weather conditions plays an important role in assessing ship structural strength. For ships prone to large variation of the submerged hull in wave, wave-induced loads could be influenced by the development of parametric roll. This concept is based on the evidence that the combination of all the ship rigid body motions could lead to larger loads on the hull, (such as inertial, restoring and Froude-Krylov loads), and thus to unexpected internal forces and moments on the hull structures. In this paper, we aim at a fair assessment of the variation of the internal loads in waves on ships, in presence of parametric roll resonance. A numerical model is developed and applied to simulate ship dynamics in waves and to estimate the corresponding wave-induced loads on ship structures. The applications are meant to assess the accuracy of the developed method. Particular attention is given to the horizontal bending moment and to the torsional moment. Comparison with reference design loads are presented, aiming at disclosing the severity of parametric roll phenomenon on the ship structures.
Numerical Simulation of Hot Smoke Plumes from Funnels
Authors: Fakhari Ahmad  , Cintolesi Carlo  , Petronio Andrea  , Roman Federico  , Armenio Vincenzo
Published: February 2025

The flow around ship over-structures is characterized by both separation phenomena with recirculation regions at high Reynolds number, and the fast ejection of hot smokes from chimneys. These two features are of the utmost importance for two linked goals in the ship design, namely the aerodynamic drag reduction and the preservations of passengers comfort. In particular, the latter depends on different flow aspects, among the others: the turbulent fluctuations intensity, the smoke temperature and pollutant dispersion and the flow induced noise. In this work, we present an open-source solver developed in OpenFOAM® that is especially suited for the analysis of ship over-structures. It adopts Large-eddy simulation approach and implements an in-house version of the dynamic Lagrangian Sub-grid Scale LES model along with an equilibrium stress wall function in order to deal with high Reynolds number simulations. Furthermore, a synthetic turbulent inflow generation has been developed to provide a more realistic condition. The hot smoke plumes are reproduced considering the buoyancy effect through the Boussinesq approximations. The model has been validated on different benchmark cases and an analysis of a real ship over-structure is presented.
Viscous Flow Computations for the Diffuser Section of a Large Water Tunnel
Authors: Gürkan Ahmet Yusuf  , Köksal Çağatay Sabri  , Aydin Çağrı  , Ünal Uğur Oral
Published: February 2025

A new research project, involving the construction of a modern, large, closed-circuit depressurised high-speed water tunnel to support the detailed hydroacoustic, hydrodynamic, cavitation and flow visualization based experimental campaigns, is to be completed this year in Istanbul Technical University. An extensive computational study was conducted to design mainly the most critical sections of the tunnel. The results of the simulations concerning the hydrodynamic properties of the contraction and test sections of the tunnel were previously presented in NAV2015 conference. The present paper covers the fundamental viscous flow computations focusing the design of the diffuser section of the tunnel. In order to discharge the flow from the test section with minimum energy loses, diffuser takes a critical place at the downstream side of the test section for water tunnels. Therefore, achievable minimum pressure loss is directly related with length scale of the flow separation region along the diffuser. Furthermore, this flow phenomenon directly affects the acoustical performance of the tunnel with decreasing overall back noise level as well as the flow uniformity in test section. The paper does not only cover the hydrodynamic results of a constant-expansion-angle diffuser section but involves the design of a diffuser with three-step expansion structure aiming no or minimum flow separation region. Incompressible Reynold-Averaged-Navier-Stokes computations were performed for the simulations. The effect of several design parameters, which includes the expansion ratio and length of the diffuser geometry, was investigated. The influence of the chamfered corners was also considered.
A Case for Innovative Thinking: Expanding the Boundaries of Environmental Protection as a Result of Energy Design Efficiencies in Expeditionary Yachts
Authors: Corsetti Mark W.  , Delpizzo Richard
Published: February 2025

Yachts enjoy a history of development and advancement, as all it takes is a vision of what can be, belief that it can be done and the persistence and drive to make it happen. Demands for exploration are expanding. Conventional yacht design & technology will no longer be enough. Hybrid power generation, using renewable energy resources and efficiencies are the solutions to tomorrow's expedition and adventure yachts. New technologies capital and operational expenses (CAPEX and OPEX) do not include intangibles such as emissions reductions, back-up power options, reliability, flexibility, and sustainability; in addition, corporate social responsibility cannot easily be quantified or qualified. Emerging hybrid power generators such as hydrogen fuel cells can supply efficient, clean power for a wide range of fluctuating loads. However, energy generation technology without advances in energy storage systems are meaningless; so hybrid technology enablers - such as power electronics and lithium-ion batteries – help to optimize fuel efficiency, enhance system protection, reduce vessel operating costs, improve safety and control systems, reduce emissions and could save weight and space. Energy generation and storage technology are pushing the boundaries of scalability, offering yacht owners options never before dreamed. The future of expedition and adventure yacht design is only limited by imagination.
A Shared Immersive Virtual Environment for Improving Ship Design Review
Authors: Jez Marco  , Fantoni Carlo  , Keber Marko  , Rigutti Sara  , Straga Marta  , Miceu Piero  , Ambrosio Luca  , Carnaghi Andrea  , Gerbino Walter
Published: February 2025

Ship design review (DR) involves extensive collaborative and participatory processes and requires all DR actors (designers, stakeholders, end-users) to manage a large complex decision space in addition to coping with heavy cognitive demands. Here, we present a novel system whose purpose is to optimize the balance between ship DR complexity and the users' cognitive effort. The system exploits the power of interactive multi-user immersive 3D environments based on efficient immersive Virtual Reality Mock-Ups (VRMU) obtained directly from 3D CAD models. The remote multi-user cooperative interaction is supported by tools like Oculus Rift and Oculus Touch, as well as by avatars to overcome geographic distance and increase social proximity. This will likely facilitate joined decision processes and, through enaction, the visualization of environmental features (error/feature detection, information search), thus promoting the project development towards success.
The Irradiated Noise Limits of the Rules Are Very Different: How It Is Possible for Cruise Shipbuilders to Deal with Very Different Technical Approach?
Authors: De Lorenzo Francesco  , Oliva Tomas Adrià
Published: February 2025

Noise pollution under the sea has been far away from all the existing rules up to a few years ago, but with the emergence of links between noise and environmental diseases, this problem is having an increasing attention. In this paper the authors outline the evolution of the international regulation framework, with references to the class notation issued from Registers: but the interest in this field has produced a lot of different noise criteria, practically one for every single Rule. This situation can have, as consequence, many problems for the cruise ships shipbuilders because the limits to be reached are very different from one Rule to the other.
Analysis and Dynamical Modelling of Retinal Lesions with Using of Time Deformable Segmentation Model
Authors: Kubicek Jan  , Hudak Radovan  , Timkovic Juraj  , Penhaker Marek  , Augustynek Martin  , Cerny Martin  , Oczka David
Published: February 2025

In the clinical ophthalmology, analysis of the retinal images is a routine process having a goal the proper clinical diagnosis assessing the retinal state. Unfortunately, physicians often perform the diagnosis subjectively based on their opinion which is strongly depended on their experience, and skills. Furthermore, such approach does not allow the diagnostic parameter accurate quantification. In this regard, the automatic modeling allowing for the clinical retinal features extraction is substantially important. We have proposed a fully automatic segmentation procedure based on the active contour driven by the Gaussian distribution with the goal of the retinal lesions modeling. Since the retinal lesions have approximately stable brightness spectrum without significant variations, the Gaussian energy approximation appears as an effective approach. Active contour consecutively adopts a shape of the retinal lesions whilst its energy is being minimized. Eventually, we obtain a closed and smoothed curve reflecting manifestation and geometrical features of the individual retinal lesions. On the base of the segmentation model, we have selected two clinically significant features which are tracked over the time via the linear regression model. This model allows for tracking the dynamical variations of the retinal lesions which are not stable, as it is supposed. This system allows for automatic modeling, and prediction system for the retinal lesions image data.
Investigating Subclasses of Abstract Dialectical Frameworks
Authors: Diller Martin  , Keshavarzi Zafarghandi Atefeh  , Linsbichler Thomas  , Woltran Stefan
Published: February 2025

Abstract dialectical frameworks (ADFs) are generalizations of Dung argumentation frameworks where arbitrary relationships among arguments can be formalized. This additional expressibility comes with the price of higher computational complexity, thus an understanding of potentially easier subclasses is essential. Compared to Dung argumentation frameworks, where several subclasses such as acyclic and symmetric frameworks are well understood, there has been no indepth analysis for ADFs in such direction yet (with the notable exception of bipolar ADFs). In this work, we introduce certain subclasses of ADFs and investigate their properties. In particular, we show that for acyclic ADFs, the different semantics coincide. On the other hand, we show that the concept of symmetry is less powerful for ADFs and further restrictions are required to achieve results that are similar to the known ones for Dung's frameworks. We also provide experiments to analyse the performance of solvers when applied to particular subclasses of ADFs.
Graph-Based Approaches to Structural Universals and Complex States of Affairs
Authors: Masolo Claudio  , Vieu Laure
Published: February 2025

Structural universals have been introduced in the philosophical literature on examples such as chemical molecules composed of bonded atoms of different kinds. They are useful to handle complex abstract entities such as designs of artefacts, shapes, strings, words and texts, relevant in many areas of applied ontology. We use graph-theory as a unifying framework to review and compare the formal accounts proposed by Armstrong, Bennett and Mormann. We then propose a more expressive account, combining features of Bennett's and Mormann's proposals, able to model both the mereology of complex states of affairs and the structure of the particulars involved in them. Structural universals are explicitly represented; their structure, where a same universal can be part of a structural universal several times over, can be read off the graphs representing complex states of affairs.
Mirthful and Polite Laughter: Acoustic Features
Authors: Sabonytė Regina
Published: February 2025

This paper covers the analysis of structure and acoustic features of structural units of mirthful and polite laughter. The research material consists of 100 samples of non-overlapping spontaneous laughter. The analysis revealed that the greatest difference between mirthful and polite laughter can be seen in the structure: polite laughter consists of one, whereas mirthful laughter – of one and more bouts. Some of the differences can be seen in the duration of the same structure laughter units and in the diapason of mean F0, F1, F2, shimmer, and jitter: the duration is longer and the diapason of other acoustic features of mirthful laughter is almost always wider than polite laughter.
Challenges of {BIG, Small, Right} Data
Authors: Baeza-Yates Ricardo
Published: February 2025

Big data is trendy, but there are many possible interpretations of its real impact, as well as the opportunities, risks and technological challenges. We will start with two key questions: can a company use big data? If so, should it? The opportunities are clear, while the challenges are many, including scalability, bias, and privacy on the problem side, as well as transparency, explainability, and ethics on the machine learning side. So we perform an analysis that includes all the data pipeline process. At the end we will conclude that what is important is the right data, not big data. In fact, the real challenge today, is machine learning for small data.
Person Identification with Retinal Fundus Biometric Analysis Using COSFIRE Filters
Authors: Apap Adrian  , Fernández-Robles Laura  , Azzopardi George
Published: February 2025

The structure of the vessel tree in a retinal fundus image has been demonstrated to be a valid biometric feature that can be used for person identification. Most of the existing methods in this field rely on vessel segmentation algorithms, which may be computationally intensive and may suffer from insufficient robustness to noisy images and to images with pathologies. We propose a method that matches the spatial arrangement of five bifurcations between two retinal fundus images. It does not involve vessel segmentation and as a result it is more efficient and more robust to noisy images. The method that we propose uses a hierarchical approach of trainable COSFIRE filters. The bottom layer consists of bifurcation-selective COSFIRE filters and the top layer models the spatial arrangement of the concerned bifurcations. We demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach on the benchmark Retinal Identification Database (RIDB) and the VARIA data set where we obtained an accuracy score of 100% on both sets. The proposed method does not rely on domain knowledge and thus it can be adapted to other vision-based biometric systems, such as fingerprint and palmprint recognition.
Adaptive Threshold Based Automated Identification of Severity of Diabetic Macular Edema from Retinal Images
Authors: Gupta Varun  , Sengar Namita  , Dutta Malay Kishore  , Travieso-González Carlos M.
Published: February 2025

In this paper an algorithm is proposed for detection of severity of Diabetic Macular Edema (DME) from Retinal Images, which are invariant to image rotation. The proposed work includes detection of optic disc, macula, exudates, region of interest localization and a level indicator which indicates the severity of disease as severe, moderate or normal DME. Rotation Invariant detection of macula makes this method efficient. A set of NPDR data of fundus image of an eye is used to test the proposed algorithm. The results show a better comprehensive performance of disease severity checker and computationally efficient.
Ontological Dependence, Spatial Location, and Part Structure
Authors: Moltmann Friederike
Published: February 2025

This paper presents new observations about ontologically dependent objects which cannot have a host-independent spatial location or a physical part structure, namely disturbances (holes, folds, scratches), tropes, and attitudinal objects (claims, thoughts, promises, requests). It proposes an account of such attributively limited objects in terms of Fregean abstraction, which has so far been applied only to abstract objects.
Value-Aware Enterprise Modelling
Authors: Johannesson Paul  , Andersson Birger
Published: February 2025

Enterprise modelling aims at representing and describing organisations through the use of models. As organisations can be viewed from many perspectives, there now exists a plethora of different kinds of enterprise models. As a consequence, a perennial problem in the area has been how to integrate, relate and align models. This paper suggests that a value-aware approach can help to address this issue, and it outlines how the construction of enterprise models can be informed by taking the notion of value into account. The approach chosen is ontology-based. An initial ontology for value ascription is proposed, which is used for showing how common kinds of enterprise models can be adjusted to accommodate the notion of value. The proposed approach is expected to support integration, harmonization and documentation of models as well as traceability between models.
In Silico Characterization of Hypothetical Protein AZJ53_10480 in Streptococcus pneumoniae
Authors: Hanif Nimra , Arshad Sehrish , Aqsa  , Asim Muhammad , Nadeem Amna Sadaqat , Rehman Tanzeel ur , Shafique Nimra , Khan Raees Ahmad , Manzor Moeez
Published: February 2025

Background. Streptococcus pneumoniae is a major human pathogen responsible for serious infections such as pneumonia. Despite extensive research, many proteins in S. pneumoniae, including hypothetical proteins, remain uncharacterized, limiting the understanding of the bacterium's pathogenic mechanisms.
Methods. This study utilizes in silico tools to characterize the hypothetical protein AZJ53_10480 from S. pneumoniae. Sequence alignment and phylogenetic analysis were conducted using BLASTp and ClustalW, while PSIPRED and I-TASSER predicted the protein’s secondary and tertiary structures. Molecular docking studies were performed with AutoDock Vina to assess potential interactions with the antiviral drug sofosbuvir
Results. The in silico analysis revealed that the hypothetical protein AZJ53_10480 shares structural and functional similarities with viral capsid proteins of the hepatitis C virus. The protein was found to have a mixed localization, suggesting potential multifunctionality within the bacterial cell. Molecular docking studies indicated a strong binding affinity between AZJ53_10480 and sofosbuvir, suggesting that this protein could be a potential target for therapeutic intervention.
Conclusion. This study highlights structural properties and functional roles of hypothetical protein AZJ53_10480 in S. pneumoniae of . The findings suggest that AZJ53_10480 may play a role in the pathogenicity of  this bacterium and could serve as a novel target for therapeutic development. Further experimental studies are needed to validate these findings and explore the protein's potential as a drug target.
Highlights

In silico analysis reveals structural similarities between the hypothetical protein AZJ53_10480 and viral capsid proteins.
Docking studies suggest AZJ53_10480 as a potential target for antiviral drugs like sofosbuvir.
The study provides new insights into the possible pathogenic role of hypothetical proteins in Streptococcus pneumoniae.
Evaluating the Risk Factors and Bidirectional Association of Urinary Tract Infections in Diabetes Mellitus
Authors: Khan Haris Riaz , Awan Usman Ayub , Qamar Naila , Ahmed Noman , Afghan Tahira Sher , Gul Beena , Khan Aliya , Sajid Sohail
Published: February 2025

Background. Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are the most predominant among people with diabetes mellitus (DM), with significant implications for morbidity and mortality. Various microbial agents, including bacteria, fungi, and viruses, contribute to UTIs in diabetic patients.
Objective. This review aims to examine the association between UTIs and DM, focusing on pathogenic mechanisms, risk factors, and clinical implications.
Methods. A comprehensive literature review was conducted to gather data on UTIs in diabetic patients. Relevant articles gathered from various databases, such as PubMed, Google Scholar, Semantic Scholar, and ScienceDirect were analyzed for insights into microbial colonization, pathogenic mechanisms, and epidemiological trends.
Results. Microorganisms commonly implicated in diabetic UTIs include Escherichia coli, Proteus mirabilis, Enterobacter spp., and Klebsiella spp. Elevated urinary glucose levels provide a conducive environment for microbial growth, contributing to increased infection rates. Risk factors such as female sex, obesity, glycosuria, immunosuppression, and diabetic complications (such as nephropathy and cystopathy) further exacerbate susceptibility.
Conclusion. The incidence of UTIs in diabetic populations is rising globally, provoked by antibiotic resistance among uropathogens such as Gram-negative bacteria including Escherichia coli (65-80%), trailed by Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Proteus mirabilis (2-6%), and Klebsiella spp. (3.5-13%). Whereas, Gram-positive bacteria include Staphylococcus spp. (4-6%), GBS (3%), Enterococcus faecalis (4-7%), and Candida (1%).
Biological Significance of the Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR) Test: Pandemic Reemergence of Robin Fåhraeus’s “Fibrin Coagula” – Historical Overview
Authors: Forsdyke Donald
Published: February 2025

In the pre-antibiotic era, infections were usually more frequent and serious than today. Robin Fåhraeus (1888-1958) examined the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) test for infections, which was normally carried out _in vitro _with freshly drawn blood. His extensive studies on the mechanism and physiological significance of the enhanced sedimentation of erythrocyte aggregates (rouleaux) in disease included _in vivo _simulation. This led him to propose an explanation for the finding of long white strips (“fibrin coagula”) within the blood vessels of those who had died from infections. The surge of serious infections in pandemic times has likely kindled a reemergence. He further speculated both that the weak aggregation of red blood cells (RBCs) followed the liberation of water molecules from their surfaces, and that the importance of their aggregation, which was induced by changes in serum proteins (not necessarily antibodies), extended beyond the clinic. In modern times these changes have led to immunologically significant entropic interpretations of infection-associated aggregations, whether cellular (e.g., RBC) or molecular (i.e., macromolecular polymerizations). Thus, rouleaux formation displays a process at the cellular level that can proceed in parallel at a less visible macromolecular level. It has been proposed that, when intracellular, aggregations would discriminate between self and not-self proteins in the crowded cytosol. Favoured by an associated pyrexia, this could lead, by mechanisms to be determined, to the preferential loading of peptides from proteins deemed foreign for presentation as MHC complexes to specific clones of immune cells.
Farm to Fork’s Discourse on Resources and Population
Authors: Mendonça Pedro , Alves Maria de Fátima Lopes
Published: February 2025

Farm to Fork (F2F) is an ongoing policy initiative that represents the vision for reforming the European agri-food system. The F2F text, as most policy texts, belongs to a discourse, i.e. a positioned way of representing the world, and constitutes a practical argument over what to do about food and the environment. This article’s goal is twofold: to critically question the internal logic of the F2F text and to sketch an explanatory critique that characterizes its discourse, ideological resonance, and likely socio-ecological effects. We use a simple Critical Discourse Analysis technique to map F2F’s semiotic structure and single out three key mental categories – _food affordability_, _environmental crisis_ and _adequate technology _– that represent crucial components of its practical argument. Next, we describe how the F2F construes the ecology of agriculture and food production/consumption through these categories. The F2F’s underlying ontology of resources and population is teased oud by stressing the continuities and discontinuities with Malthusianism and neo-Malthusianism, and the specific articulation of these components is identified as green neo-Malthusianism, a discourse that resonates strongly with growth-bound democracies and with the notion of research as service.
Cancer: Being or Becoming? A Whiteheadian Process Ontology Perspective
Authors: Tez Mesut
Published: February 2025

Cancer research has traditionally approached the disease as a static entity, primarily explained through genetic mutations. However, this reductionist perspective fails to capture the dynamic, adaptive, and emergent nature of cancer. This paper proposes a paradigm shift in understanding cancer through the lens of process ontology, emphasizing "becoming" over "being." By framing cancer as a dynamic process influenced by molecular, cellular, and environmental interactions, this approach offers a more comprehensive understanding of the disease. Drawing on Alfred North Whitehead’s process metaphysics, we argue that it provides a superior framework compared to other process perspectives, such as that of Dupré and Nicholson, for modeling cancer’s complexity and opening new therapeutic avenues.
TINJAUAN HUKUM ISLAM TERHADAP PRAKTIK JUAL BELI POHON MAGROVE (STUDI KASUS DESA TANJUNG KERAMAT)
Authors: Maifa Yeni , Rasyidin Rasyidin
Published: February 2025

Penulis menalaah bagaiman Praktik jual beli pohon mangrove di desa Tanjung Keramat dilakukan secara adat tanpa melihat dasar hukum jual beli dalam Islam. Dalam akadnya masing-masing pihak pembeli tidak memberi penjelasan Pembeli hanya mengatakan akan menebang pohonnya nanti dalam waktu beberapa  hari setelah akad tetapi ternyata jangka waktu penebangannya tidak sesuai dengan akad bahkan sampai berbulan-bulan. Alasan pembeli menunda penebangan yaitu karena merasa belum membutuhkan pohon tersebut dan masih banyak memiliki stok batang mangrove. Tujuan dari peneliti ialah untuk mengetahui bagaimana praktik jual beli batang mangrove di desa Tanjung Keramat, dan untuk mengetahui bagaimana tinjauan hukum Islam terhadap praktik jual beli batang mangrove di desa Tanjung Keramat. Jenis penelitian lapangan yang mana sumber data primer yang diambil adalah observasi langsung ke desa Tanjung Keramat kemudian penulis mewawancarai dua orang perangkat desa dan masyarakat yang terlibat. dengan penelitian ini. Hasil penelitian praktik jual beli pohon mangrove ini ialah transaksi jual beli yang dibayar secara kontan dan dibeli dengan cara borongan tanpa melihat atau menghitung berapa banyak jumlah atau ukuran kayu yang berada di dalam tambak masyarakat serta pengambilan barang dan pemotongan pohon ditunda sampai berbulan-bulan. Perspektif hukum Islam bagaimana praktik jual beli pohon mangrove, objeknya harus jelas dari segi akad maupun materi objek, harus diketahui ukuran dan kriteria, jual beli pohon mangrove ini tergolong jual beli yang terdapat ketidakjelasan pada akad.
PERSPEKTIF FIQH MUAMALAH TERHADAP ARISAN ONLINE DI KOTA LANGSA
Authors: Bin Muhammaddiah Muhammad Rusdi
Published: February 2025

Arisan online merupakan sistem arisan yang dilakukan melalui platform sosial media, biasanya yang mengikuti arisan ini tidak saling kenal satu sama lain dimana setiap anggota membayarkan jumlah setoran kepada admin dengan cara transfer dan sesuai dengan kesepakatan diawal. Setiap anggota yang mengikuti arisan online bersedia untuk membayar biaya admin dan bersedia dikenakan denda dalam keterlambatan membayar, sedangkan menurut fiqh muamalah tidak boleh ada denda dalam hal bermuamalah. Skripsi ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui praktik arisan online di Kota Langsa menurut Fiqh Muamalah. Penelitian ini menggunakan metode kualitatif dengan pendekatan konseptual. Teknik pengumpulan data yang digunakan yaitu wawancara secara langsung kepada admin dan member yang mengikuti arisan online serta mewawancarai ulama-ulama dayah dan perwakilan ulama dari Majelis Permusyawaratan Ulama Kota Langsa. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa praktik arisan online di Kota Langsa sudah berdasarkan rukun dan syarat akad qardh yang telah memenuhi ketentuan. Sedangkan, dalam sistem pelaksanaanya belum sesuai dengan prinsip fiqh muamalah karena terdapat ketetapan yang dibuat diawal sebagai perjanjian yang harus membayar biaya admin yang telat ditentukan serta adanya biaya tambahan sebagai denda yang ditetapkan kepada setiap member yang telat dalam membayar.
"ANALISIS HUKUM SYARIAH TERHADAP BISNIS FINTECH PEER-TO-PEER LENDING MENURUT PANDANGAN ISLAM"
Authors: Rahmad Safitri  , Dessy Asnita
Published: February 2025

ABSTRAK
Bisnis fintech peer-to-peer lending telah berkembang pesat dalam beberapa tahun terakhir, namun masih menjadi kontroversi dalam perspektif hukum Syariah. Artikel ini bertujuan untuk menganalisis hukum Syariah terhadap bisnis fintech peer-to-peer lending, khususnya dalam hal perbankan riba dan gharar.
Metode yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah metode deskriptif-analitis, dengan mengumpulkan data dari sumber literatur, dokumen hukum, serta pendapat ahli Syariah. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa bisnis fintech peer-to-peer lending dapat dikategorikan sebagai riba dan gharar, karena beberapa praktik yang dilakukan oleh platform tersebut, seperti bunga yang tinggi dan kekurangjelasan terkait risiko.
Dalam perspektif hukum Syariah, riba dan gharar dilarang, karena bertentangan dengan prinsip keadilan dan keseimbangan. Oleh karena itu, bisnis fintech peer-to-peer lending harus mengikuti prinsip-prinsip hukum Syariah, seperti menghindari bunga yang tinggi dan memastikan kejelasan terkait risiko.
Kesimpulannya, bisnis fintech peer-to-peer lending perlu dianalisis secara cermat dari perspektif hukum Syariah, untuk memastikan kehalalannya dalam Islam. Hal ini juga penting bagi pemerintah dan regulator untuk memperhatikan aspek hukum Syariah dalam mengatur bisnis fintech peer-to-peer lending.
Kata kunci: bisnis fintech, financial technology, pembiayaan, peer-to-peer lending, hukum, hukum Syariah, hukum ekonomi syariah riba, gharar
HUKUM WARIS TERHADAP HARTA BENDA DIGITAL PERSPEKTIF HUKUM ISLAM DI INDONESIA
Authors: Zubandi Thahir Rahmat , Mu'minah Nur
Published: February 2025

Kemajuan dalam bidang teknologi menjadikan manusia pada saat ini bergantung pada alat-alat digital hingga memunculkan berbagai masalah kompleks. Revolusi besar ini memungkinkan masyarakat Islam di Indonesia  mencari solusi terhadap masalah yang berkaitan dengan hukum Islam terkait alat digital sebagai sarana faraid. Tujuan penelitian dalam artikel jurnal ini adalah untuk mengeksplorasi dan menganalisis status serta mekanisme pewarisan harta benda digital dalam konteks hukum Islam di Indonesia, dengan harapan memberikan pemahaman yang lebih mendalam tentang pengakuan aset digital sebagai bagian dari harta waris. Metode penelitian yang digunakan mencakup pendekatan peraturan perundang-undangan dan analisis konseptual, dengan pengumpulan data melalui penelitian perpustakaan untuk mencari materi hukum yang relevan, serta menganalisis sumber data primer seperti Al-Qur'an dan undang-undang. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa hukum waris Islam mengatur proses pemindahan harta dari individu yang telah meninggal kepada ahli warisnya, namun tantangan dalam penerapan hukum waris terhadap aset digital masih ada, sehingga diperlukan penyesuaian regulasi agar sejalan dengan perkembangan teknologi dan kebutuhan masyarakat.
Revolutionizing FinTech with Event-Driven Architectures
Authors: Abhinav Reddy Jutur
Published: February 2025

This article serves as a comprehensive guide for financial technology architects, FinTech executives, and software engineers seeking to leverage Event-Driven Architectures (EDAs) in modern financial systems. It begins by examining the theoretical framework of EDAs and their advantages over traditional architectures in financial systems, providing technical decision-makers with clear implementation rationales. The article then delves into the key technologies enabling EDA implementation in FinTech, including Apache Kafka, Apache Pulsar, and cloud-native event buses, offering software architects practical insights for technology selection. Real-world applications of EDAs are discussed, with a focus on real-time fraud detection and dynamic credit scoring, demonstrating concrete business value for FinTech leaders. The article also highlights cutting-edge innovations in high-frequency trading, personalized financial recommendations, and regulatory compliance made possible by EDAs. Looking to the future, the synergies between EDAs and artificial intelligence are explored, particularly in the realm of predictive analytics for risk assessment, market forecasting, and customer behavior analysis – crucial knowledge for AI/ML engineers working in financial services. Finally, the article addresses the challenges and considerations in implementing EDAs, including data privacy and security, scalability and performance issues, and integration with legacy systems, providing technology leaders with a roadmap for successful implementation. This comprehensive analysis equips technical decision-makers and practitioners with valuable insights into how EDAs are reshaping the FinTech landscape and paving the way for more responsive, efficient, and innovative financial services.