bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Penyelesaian Sengketa Pada Rancangan Aturan Pengadaan Barang Jasa Publik: Apresiasi, Kritik, Rekomendasi
Authors: Wibowo Richo Andi
Published: November 2023

AbstractThis article aims to appreciate the design of the dispute mechanism embodied in the draft of the public procurement bill. Nonetheless, many important issues have not been successfully clarified; those shall be addressed by the National Public Procurement Agency as the initiator of this bill. Moreover, to ensure the principle of meaningful participation, it is encouraged to provide more public discourse by inviting wider stakeholders to scrutinize the bill. To support the idea, it is essential to provide preliminary information on the debate that occurred on the task force team for dispute mechanisms. This paper also discusses problems which shall be addressed and clarified. It is argued that many problems highlighted here due to the point/essence discussed on the preliminary task force were not accommodated in the bill. Moreover, this research also found some norms on the draft that can be questioned from the conceptual point of view; some also can be doubted on its feasibility for implementation. This lacking may be caused by the time constraint for preparing the bill or because the government does not really concern on the matter. Nonetheless, as an essential issue, they have to be addressed. The conceptual and practical suggestions embodied in this paper may be considered as a recommendation to be utilized by the legal drafters.
AbstrakTulisan ini bertujuan untuk memberikan apresiasi terhadap desain penyelesaian sengketa hukum yang telah berhasil terbadankan di Rancangan Undang-Undang (RUU) Pengadaan Barang Jasa Publik (PBJP). Namun masih banyak hal dan substansi yang harus dilakukan oleh Lembaga Kebijakan Pengadaan Pemerintah (LKPP) sebagai inisiator RUU. Guna memastikan RUU ini tetap menjadi regulasi yang mengindahkan asas partisipasi yang bermakna, maka diskusi yang lebih luas dengan para pemangku kepentingan perlu lebih didorong. Tulisan ini juga bertujuan untuk memberikan informasi pada pembaca mengenai perdebatan yang telah terjadi saat mendiskusikan desain penyelesaian masalah hukum di RUU PBJP. Dibahas pula mengenai hal-hal yang masih perlu dipertimbangkan untuk dibadankan dalam RUU PBJP; misalnya ada aneka substansi yang telah didiskusikan oleh tim kecil yang membahas konsep penyelesaian sengketa hukum, namun tidak berhasil terbadankan dengan optimal dalam draft RUU. Selain itu, ditemukan pula norma di draft RUU yang dapat dipertanyakan rujukan konseptualnya; ada pula yang dikhawatirkan fisibilitas-nya untuk dapat diterpakan di lapangan. Aneka permasalahan ini mungkin terjadi karena terbatasnya waktu dalam penyusunan draft atau karena Pemerintah tidak terlalu fokus pada isu ini. Namun mengingat masalah yang ada esensial, maka perlu segera diperbaiki. Untuk itu, aneka masukan konseptual dan teknis telah terbadankan di tulisan ini sebagai rekomendasi.
Road to Net-Zero Emission in Indonesia: Legal Loopholes in National Carbon Tax Scheme
Authors: Wahyuni Indria , Harris Rahadyan Fajar , Sujatmoko Emanuel
Published: November 2023

Indonesia is committed to accelerating the achievement of Net-Zero Emissions by 2060. The Carbon tax is a new instrument that it believes could encourage the achievement of carbon neutrality. Through the Harmonisation of Tax Regulations Act, the Government regulated several carbon tax provisions, which were initially going to be implemented on April 1, 2022, and then postponed to July 1, 2022. Unfortunately, the carbon tax implementation has been delayed until an undetermined time. Implementing legal interpretation, this research comprehensively analyses carbon tax provisions in the Harmonisation of Tax Regulations Act. The research will examine the ability of current carbon tax arrangements to accelerate the achievement of Zero Emissions. This work uses normative juridical methods with a conceptual and statutory approach to provide recommendations. The results show that the carbon tax arrangement does not contain substantial clarity, and various implementing regulations are needed. Article 13 of the Harmonisation of Tax Regulation Act contains vague norms that need to be elaborated. The paper recommends the urgency of legislative review mechanism for the Harmonisation of Tax Regulation Act, especially Article 13, and the need to harmonise it with related laws.
Reservoir Draw-Down Impact on Slope Stability of Mmhpp Rock Fill Dam Using Lem and Stress-Fem with Mohr-Coulomb Criteria
Authors: Pandey Binaya Raj , Knoblauch Helmut , Zenz Gerald
Published: November 2023

Rapid draw-down in an earthfill dam has serious implications for dam safety regarding slope stability. The evaluation of reservoir draw-down impact on slope stability was carried out considering the case study of 8 hours of rapid draw-down of the Middle Marsyangdi Hydroelectric Power Project (MMHPP) rock-fill dam using the Limit Equilibrium Method (LEM) and stress-based Finite Element Method (FEM). The time-dependent factor of safety (FOS) was evaluated and found that the 8 hours of rapid draw-down undertaken in October 2012 for reservoir flushing was unsafe with a draw-down rate of 1.91m/h. The resulting FOS of 1.28 and 1.27 using LEM and FEM was classified as unsafe as per the US Army Corps of Engineers’ guideline, the minimum required factors of safety should be greater than 1.3. The minimum safe allowable draw-down rate of 0.76m/h for 20 hours was identified. Applying three layers of horizontal filter materials and increasing the upstream dam’s permeability provided adequate FOS results for all cases by increasing seepage discharge to reduce the destabilizing excess pore water pressure. Several gradual draw-down rates were also tested and found that FOS increases with decreased draw-down rates, as it reduces the excess pore water pressure controlled with stabilizing existing water load.
AI in Educational Technology
Authors: Zhao Ting
Published: November 2023

This article focuses on artificial intelligence in educational technology, starting with an introduction to educational technology, an interdisciplinary field of study that covers the design, development, utilization, and evaluation of technology and digital tools in educational Settings. A detailed description of its definition in an academic context - a multidisciplinary field of computer science and cognitive science that deals with the development of computational systems that exhibit intelligent behaviour, describing its areas of coverage and scope of application. It then introduces the benefits of AI in education technology, specifically addressing personalized learning, adaptive learning systems, automated scoring and feedback, virtual tutors and chatbots, data analytics, as well as content recommendations and natural language processing, accessibility and inclusion. Then it introduces the main concepts of AI personalized learning: AI personalized learning uses the power of artificial intelligence to meet the unique needs and preferences of individual learners, as well as its key principles and main characteristics. Adaptive learning systems harness the power of artificial intelligence and data analytics to tailor the learning experience to each student's needs and abilities, as well as its core principles and strengths. It also introduces the main operating principles of automated grading and feedback: it uses artificial intelligence and computer algorithms to evaluate and evaluate student assignments, tests and exams without the direct involvement of human graders, and its associated benefits. Secondly, the main concepts of virtual tutor are introduced: Virtual tutor is a computer-based system that uses artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms to provide students with personalized and interactive educational support and its key characteristics and main advantages, and then the nature and benefits of chatbots and help in the field of education. The final conclusion summarizes the benefits and future challenges of integrating AI into educational technology.
Adaptive Multi-source Domain Collaborative Fine-tuning for Transfer Learning
Authors: Feng Le , Yang Yuan , Tan Mian , Zeng Taotao , Li Zhiling , Tang Huachun , Niu Zhizhong , Feng Fujian
Published: November 2023

Fine-tuning is an important technique in transfer learning that has achieved significant success in tasks that lack training data. However, as it is difficult to extract effective features for single-source domain fine-tuning when the data distribution difference between the source and the target domain is large, we propose a transfer learning framework based on multi-source domain called adaptive multi-source domain collaborative fine-tuning to address this issue. This approach utilizes multiple source domain models for collaborative fine-tuning, thereby improving the model's feature extraction capability in the target task. Specifically, this approach employs an adaptive multi-source domain layer selection strategy to customize appropriate layer fine-tuning schemes for the target task among multiple source domain models. The objective is to extract more efficient features. Furthermore, a novel multi-source domain collaborative loss function is designed to facilitate the precise extraction of target data features by each source domain model. Simultaneously, it works towards minimizing the output difference among various source domain models, thereby enhancing the adaptability of the source domain model to the target data. In order to validate the effectiveness of the proposed the adaptive multi-source domain collaborative fine-tuning framework, it is analyzed and compared with the most widely used fine-tuning methods by applying them to seven publicly available visual categorization datasets commonly employed in transfer learning. Experimental results demonstrate that, in comparison with the existing fine-tuning approaches, our method not only enhances the accuracy of feature extraction in the model but also provides precise layer fine-tuning schemes for the target task, resulting in state-of-the-art performance.
Geological Characteristics and Controlling Factors of Shale Gas in the Permian Shanxi Formation, the Southern North China Basin
Authors: Wang Wei , Liang Qingshao , Tian Jingchun , Zhang Xiang
Published: November 2023

Energy resources exploration has been taking place in the Southern North China Basin (SNCB) for decades, but no big breakthroughs have been made. A case study focusing on the Lower Permian Shanxi Formation in the Taikang Uplift of the SNCB is presented in this paper; based on the practice of shale gas exploration, we summarize the geological characteristics, geochemical characteristics, mineral characteristics, and pore type and analyze the exploration potential shale gas. The type of organic matter in the studied strata is mainly type III, the vitrinite reflectance (Ro) is between 2.1% and 3.4%, the average total organic carbon content is 1.66%, the mineral of shale is mainly composed of quartz and clay, and the main reservoir space types are mineral pores and microfractures. Through comprehensive evaluation, the sedimentary environment, organic matter abundance, physical properties, and mineral composition control the shale gas accumulation in the studied area.
Spent coffee grounds as a suitable alternative to standard soil in ecotoxicological tests
Authors: Mendes Luís André , Domínguez Jorge
Published: November 2023

Eisenia andrei is considered in OECD and ISO guidelines to be a suitable replacement for Eisenia fetida in ecotoxicological assays. This suggests that other alternative materials and methods could also be used in standard procedures for toxicity testing. The guidelines also favour using less time-consuming procedures and reducing costs and other limitations to ecotoxicological assessments.
In recent years, spent coffee grounds (SCG) have been used to produce vermicompost and biochar and as an additive to organic fertilizers. In addition, the physico-chemical characteristics of SCG indicate that the material is a suitable substrate for earthworms, with the organisms performing as well as in natural soil.
In the present study a battery of ecotoxicological tests was established with unwashed and washed SCG and a natural reference soil (LUFA 2.2). The test substrates were spiked with different concentrations of silver nitrate. Survival and reproduction of the earthworm E. andrei were assessed under the different conditions, along with substrate basal respiration (SBR) as a proxy for microbial activity. Seedling emergence and the germination index of Lepidium sativum were also determined, following standard guidelines.
Exposure to silver nitrate had similar effects on earthworm survival and reproduction, as the estimated effective concentrations (EC10 and EC50) in unwashed SCG and LUFA 2.2 overlapped. A hormetic effect was observed for SBR in LUFA 2.2 spiked with 12.8 mg/kg but not in unwashed SCG. Both SBR and root development were inhibited by similar concentrations of silver nitrate in washed SCG.
The findings indicate that unwashed SCG could potentially be used as a substrate in E. andrei toxicity tests and support the eventual inclusion of this material in the standard guidelines.
General purpose programmable photonic processor for advanced radiofrequency applications
Authors: Capmany Jose , Perez-Lopez Daniel , Gutierrez Ana , Sanchez David , Hernandez Aitor Lopez , Gutierrez Mikel , Sanchez Erica , Fernández Juan , Cruz Alejandro , Quiros Alberto , Xie Zhenyun , Benitez Jesus , Bekesi Nandor , Santome Alejandro , Perez-Galacho Diego , DasMahapatra Prometheus , Macho Andres
Published: November 2023

Programmable photonic circuits manipulate the flow of light on a chip by electrically controlling a set of tunable analog gates connected by optical waveguides 1,2. Light is distributed and spatially rerouted to implement various linear functions by interfering signals along different paths. A general-purpose photonic processor can be built by integrating this flexible hardware in a technology stack comprising an electronic monitoring and controlling layer and a software layer for resource control and programming 3,4. This processor can leverage the unique properties of photonics in terms of ultra-high bandwidth, high-speed operation, and low power consumption while operating in a complementary and synergistic way with electronic processors. These features are key in applications such as next-generation 5/6G wireless systems, autonomous driving, and aerospace, where a number of functionalities such as reconfigurable filtering, frequency conversion, arbitrary waveform generation, and beamforming are currently provided by microwave photonic subsystems 5, which cannot be scaled down. Here we report the first general-purpose programmable processor with the remarkable capability to implement all the required basic functionalities of a microwave photonic system by suitable programming of its resources. The processor is fabricated in a silicon photonics platform and incorporates for the first time to our knowledge the full photonic/electronic and software stack. Our findings indicate that this processor can work in frequency ranges of up to 100 GHz featuring power consumption values in the order of a few watts. The possibility of implementing all the functionalities with a single chip opens the path to scale down the processor size to dimensions compatible with the requirements of next-generation millimeter-wave base stations and satellites 6,7. We anticipate that this photonic processor will be useful in an unconstrained number of applications such as photonic computing 8, advanced communications 9, lidar 10, and microwave spectroscopy 11
Reversible Watermark Algorithm Based on the Diamond Pixel Pairs Complementary Embedding
Authors: Zhang Zhengwei , Li Fenfen , Li Xiu , Liu Yu , Zhang Xinlei , Jin Shenghua
Published: November 2023

To enhance the invisibility of existing reversible watermarking algorithms and improve the embedding capacity, a reversible watermarking algorithm based on diamond pixel pairs complementary embedding is proposed. To prevent pixel value overflow, the carrier image is preprocessed and divided into blocks first. Then the pixel blocks are divided into two half-planes, gray and white. Finally, the watermark is embedded in the horizontal and vertical directions: the target pixel in the smooth pixel block and the 4 reference pixels in the cross neighborhood are subtracted, and the histogram is constructed according to the difference value. The first embedding is performed in the gray half-plane using the histogram shift method, and then the second embedding is performed in the white half-plane. The same method is used in the vertical direction to embed to balance the distortion caused by the horizontal embedding process. The experimental results show that under the same embedding capacity, the mean PSNR (Peak to signal noise ratio) of this algorithm is 6.92 dB higher than that of the non-complementary embedding scheme; compared with other related algorithms, under the same PSNR value, this algorithm has better embedding performance.
Localization-enhanced second harmonic generation in twisted WS2 spirals
Authors: Xu Jinyou , Wang Qian , Tong Tong , Chen Ruijie , Wang Xinchao , Sun Qinjun , Chen Jie , Gu Zhiyuan , Yu Ying , Wei Hongyan , Hao Yuying , Zhao Yuzhou , Fan Xiaopeng
Published: November 2023

In moiré crystals formed by stacking twisted two-dimensional (2D) layered materials, surprisingly diverse correlated optical and electrical properties can be realized by a subtle change in twisted angle. In this work, we report the observation of localization-enhanced second harmonic generation (SHG) in twisted WS2 spirals, thereby adding insight into moiré physics. The twisted WS2 spirals with various twisted angles are synthesized on a Euclidean or non-Euclidean surface by a well-designed water-assisted chemical vapor deposition. Compared to WS2 monolayer, the minimum and maximum SHG signals in different regions of the twisted WS2 spirals are enhanced by a factor of 4–12 and 26–136 at similar thickness, respectively, as the twisted angle between adjacent layers decreases from 20° to ≈ 0°. The significant SHG enhancement is explained by the evolution of structural symmetry and moiré potentials in these WS2 spirals at different twisted angles. Their layer-dependent photoluminescence and Raman spectra show significantly changed peak position and intensity, confirming the strong local confinement effect of moiré potentials in these spirals. These findings provide an efficient method for the rational growth of 2D moiré structures and the implementation of a localization-enhanced SHG, endowing them great potential for exploring strong coupling correlation physics and applications in twistronics.
Assessing the economic and nutritional value of pollination services in Nepal
Authors: Devkota Kedar , Santos Charles Fernando dos , Borges Alice , Timberlake Thomas
Published: November 2023

Pollination is a key agroecosystem service crucial for agriculture production and integrates economic growth, social inclusion, and environmental protection. Understanding the economic value of pollination and its impact on human health and nutrition is essential for effective pollinator conservation and management. This study evaluates the economic and nutritional value of pollination and assesses changes in reliance on pollination over the decades in Nepal. We estimate the economic value of pollination services in Nepal at US $477 million, representing 9% of total agricultural revenue. Pollinator-dependent crops, particularly fruits and vegetables are the source of essential nutrients; 40% of plant-based vitamin A and 14% of vitamin C are directly attributable to insect pollination. The cultivated area of these pollinator-dependent crops has increased by 91% in Nepal during the two decades – 3.7 times faster than equivalent increases in non-pollinator-dependent crops. However, the decline in wild pollinators poses a threat, leading to potential pollination deficits and crop losses. Therefore, our study underscores the importance of conserving and managing pollinators to ensure sustainable agriculture, food security, and nutrition. Targeted efforts, including policy interventions and conservation strategies, are needed to safeguard pollinator populations and enhance pollination services.
The impact of country and exposure to sugary drink marketing on youth brand preference and recall
Authors: Remedios Lauren , Roy-Gagnon Marie-Hélène , Vanderlee Lana , Hammond David , Kent Monique Potvin
Published: November 2023

Background
Consumption of sugary drinks (SD) among children and adolescents is a prevalent public health issue both within Canada and worldwide. This problem is exacerbated by the powerful marketing of such beverages to youth, which is known to influence a wide range of dietary behaviours.
Methods
A secondary analysis of the International Food Policy Survey Youth Wave 2019 was conducted to assess the impact of self-reported exposure to SD marketing within the past 30 days or SD brand advertisements on youth brand preference and brand recall overall, by country, and by youth age group. Ordinal, multinomial, and binary logistic regression were used as appropriate to examine these associations.
Results
Youth brand preference and recall was positively associated with self-reported exposure to general and brand-specific SD marketing across all countries. No statistical interaction was observed between youth age and SD marketing overall or within countries. Soft drinks, sports drinks, and fruit juice brands were most commonly recalled by all youth.
Conclusion
Similar results were observed among children and adolescents within all countries. Global marketing policies should consider older children and adolescents to adequately protect and support child health.
Identification and characterization of the fish predators of the Crown-of-Thorns Starfish (CoTS) larvae from South China Sea
Authors: Yang Litong , Zhang Ying , Su Nan , Hu Jian Xing , Gao Qian , Zheng Fanyu , chen Chang
Published: November 2023

The Crown-of-Thorns Starfish (CoTS) present a significant threat to coral reefs and their associated ecosystems owing to their predatory habits and high reproductive capacity that often result in population surges and outbreaks. Although manual removal of adult sea stars is presently the primary control method, several studies have demonstrated that planktivorous fish may be considerably effective in controlling CoTS by predating on the larvae. In this study, we assessed the predation potential of larvae of CoTS by five species of common coral reef fish (Chaetodon auripes, Arothron hispidus, Ostorhinchus taeniophorus, Amphiprion ocellaris, and Lates calcarifer). The findings demonstrate that the oriental butterflyfish (C. auripes) had the highest consumption rate, which increased with CoTS larvae density and feeding time. Predation of CoTS larvae by butterflyfish was not influenced by the stage of the larvae's development or the presence of the preferred food source Artemia. These results emphasize the effectiveness of butterfly fish as a predator for CoTS larvae, and their potential to play a crucial role in CoTS population management.
There are multiple clocks that time us: Cross-sectional and longitudinal associations among 14 alternative indicators of age and aging
Authors: Drewelies Johanna , Homann Jan , Vetter Valentin , Duezel Sandra , Kühn Simone , Deecke Laura , Steinhagen-Thiessen Elisabeth , Jawinski Philippe , Markett Sebastian , Lindenberger Ulman , Lill Christina M. , Bertram Lars , Demuth Ilja , Gerstorf Denis
Published: November 2023

Aging is a complex process influenced by mechanisms operating at numerous levels of functioning. Multiple biomarkers of age have been identified, yet we know little about how the different alternative age indicators are intertwined. In the Berlin Aging Study II, we examined how levels and seven-year changes in indicators derived from blood assays, MRI brain scans, other-ratings, and self-reports converge among older adults. Weincluded eight epigenetic biomarkers (incl. five epigenetic “clocks”), a BioAge composite from clinical laboratory parameters, brain age, skin age, subjective age, subjective life expectancy, and future health horizon. We found moderate associations within aging domains, both cross-sectionally and longitudinally. However, associations across different domains were infrequent and modest. Notably, participants with older BioAge had correspondingly older epigenetic ages. Our results suggest that different aging clocks are only loosely interconnected and that more specific measures are needed to differentiate healthy from unhealthy aging.
Hepatitis B Vaccination Uptake and Associated Factors Among Communities Targeted for Mass Vaccination in Gulu: a Cross-sectional Study
Authors: Kimera Andrew , Atuyambe Lynn , Mutyaba Huzaifa , Nantongo Claire , Namagembe Agnes , Nalumansi Anna Maria , Basenero Andrew , Auma Prisca , Mukiza Nelson , Mutyoba Joan
Published: November 2023

Background
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is associated with several acute and long-term complications and vaccination is the cornerstone of prevention. A recent outbreak in Gulu, Uganda, one of the districts covered by a mass vaccination campaign, suggests low uptake of HBV vaccination. This study aims to determine uptake and completion of HBV vaccination and associated factors among residents of Gulu, Uganda.
Methods
A cross-sectional study was conducted in Gulu, Northern Uganda, among 434 adults (> 18 years) living in both urban Gulu (Gulu city) and rural Gulu (Gulu District) for at least 5 years. Data was collected on socio-demographics, perceptions, and knowledge of HBV vaccination using a pretested questionnaire. We also assessed the uptake, completion, and associated factors of HBV vaccination. In addition, 10 key informant interviews were conducted and qualitative data was analyzed using thematic analysis.
Results
Out of the 434 respondents, 41.9% had received at least one dose of the hepatitis B vaccine, 32.5% had received at least 2 doses, and only 20% had completed all 3 doses, with an overall completion rate of 47.8%. Factors associated with vaccine uptake were gender, residence, risk perception of Hepatitis B infection, perceived safety of the vaccine, and awareness of mass vaccination. Factors associated with completion of hepatitis B vaccination were Residence, knowledge, and perception of being at risk of acquiring Hepatitis B.
Conclusion
Low Hepatitis B vaccine uptake and completion rates were observed in Gulu. To enhance vaccination coverage, future initiatives should prioritize awareness, education, and dispelling of vaccination myths. Additionally, increased government investment in training health workers can serve as a valuable strategy to improve information dissemination and awareness among the population.
Application of wind photovoltaic microgrid with hydrogen energy storage system in industrial aquaculture enterprises
Authors: zeyuan su , yu zhao , yanyan zhu
Published: November 2023

The high electricity consumption problem of industrial aquaculture has been the bottleneck limiting the large-scale promotion of this new aquaculture technology. At the same time, aquaculture enterprises also need a certain amount of heat energy and oxygen. Taking into account the features of the hydrogen energy storage system that generates heat and oxygen during the process of storing and releasing electrical energy, the wind photovoltaic microgrid with hydrogen energy storage system is proposed and applied to industrial aquaculture to realize the integrated supply of thermal energy, electrical energy, and oxygen to reduce the energy cost of enterprises. In this paper, the microgrid cogeneration energy storage model with wind turbines, solar arrays, thermal storage system, oxygen storage system, and hydrogen storage system is built using the Matlab/Simulink program. In the meantime, the model was put in a Penaeus Vannamei industrial aquaculture enterprise in Guangdong to simulate the energy supply of the microgrid with hydrogen energy storage system, and the system's costs and benefits were then compared to those of the microgrid battery energy storage system. The simulation findings confirmed that the system can satisfy the business's energy needs at a lower cost and with more financial success than the current battery energy storage microgrid system. The research results are expected to provide new ideas and methods for reducing energy costs in industrial aquaculture.
Analysis of free-living seabirds from Brazil as potential hosts of Toxoplasma gondii and Leptospira spp
Authors: Acosta Igor C.L. , Chiebao Daniela P. , Serafini Patricia P. , Canani Gabriel , Pena Hilda F.P. , Heinemann Marcos B. , Souza-Filho Antonio F. , Campolina Cynthia , Marques Caio A. , Neves Tatiana S. , Efe Marcio A. , Nunes Guilherme T. , Labruna Marcelo B. , Bugoni Leandro
Published: November 2023

Dispersal patterns of zoonotic pathogens can be strongly influenced by mobility and contact among hosts. Toxoplasmosis has been documented in many avian species, however, there is few information regarding free-living seabird populations.Leptospiracan infect domestic and wild animals, with birds being potential carriers of the bacteria. The continental shelf of the southwestern Atlantic Ocean is a foraging area for seabirds breed locally, as well as migratory seabirds wintering in the area, which may come into contact with each other in prey aggregation areas and contribute toLeptospiraspread. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the prevalence of important zoonotic pathogens in free-living seabirds, encompassing species that nest on islands as well as migratory visitors sampled at sea. Blood samples were collected from 322 birds of three local breeders (Phaethon aethereus,Sula leucogasterandS. dactylatra) in the eastern coast of Brazil (Abrolhos archipelago), and two migratory species using the area during the pre-laying (Pterodroma arminjoniana) and the non-breeding periods (Thalassarche chlororhynchos). Serological agglutination tests for detection of anti-Toxoplasma gondiiand anti-Leptospiraspp. antibodies were performed. None of the seabirds in this study was reagent to anti-Leptospiraspp., whereas 34.5% (n = 111) of the animals presented antibodies againstT. gondii. Antibody titers in seropositive birds ranged from 10 to 640. There were seropositive birds in all sampled localities. This study provides the first records forP. arminjonianaandT. chlororhynchosas seropositive toT. gondii, suggesting their potential role as sentinels for the disease. These findings indicate the circulation of the parasite in the Brazilian coastal and oceanic regions, suggesting the influence of anthropogenic activities over the studied regions that could lead to the ingestion ofT. gondiioocysts by the birds. The epidemiological involvement of migratory birds as hosts of pathogens, as well as the role of the historical introduction of invasive vertebrates on Brazilian islands. Therefore, seabird colonies need to be better understood to be included in the risk analysis of the wildlife cycle of toxoplasmosis.
Pathogenic microorganism DNA high-throughput genetic sequencing was used to diagnose peritoneal dialysis-related peritonitis as an infection with mycobacterium tuberculosis
Authors: Xu Rui-feng , Gao Wu-niri , Hu Ta-la , Wang Xi-feng , Zhao Jian-rong , meng yan
Published: November 2023

Peritoneal dialysis-associated peritonitis is a serious complication of peritoneal dialysis, and prevention and treatment of peritoneal dialysis-associated peritonitis are important to improve the long-term survival and quality of life of patients. However, peritoneal dialysis-associated peritonitis due to Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection is relatively rare and not easily diagnosed. Here, we present a case of peritoneal dialysis-associated peritonitis infected by Mycobacterium tuberculosis identified by pathogenic microbial DNA high-throughput genetic sequencing. This case suggested that pathogenic microorganism high-throughput genetic sequencing could be considered to improve the detection rate of pathogenic microorganisms in patients with complex conditions, and then targeted drugs could be selected for treatment as early as possible based on the test results so that the patient's condition could be improved as soon as possible.
Novel Machine Learning Model for Fast and Accurate Diabetes Prediction
Authors: Sarkar Prosanjeet , Pawar Santosh
Published: November 2023

Diabetes mellitus, one of the fastest spreading chronic diseases in the world and is related to anomalous, undeniably escalated levels of glucose in the blood. People with diabetes are at an increased risk of developing complications like strokes, diabetic retinopathy, renal failure, and neuropathy, among others, which raise the rates of morbidity and mortality. Making things even worse when medical science confirms that there is no cure for this disease yet! Even though there is no cure for diabetes. In developing nations, diabetes has emerged as the second leading cause of mortality. The primary step towards controlling and minimizing the risk factor of diabetes is the early detection of diabetes. The advancement of public healthcare facilities has prompted the gathering of sensitive and important healthcare data. The adoption of machine learning algorithms in conjunction with the analysis of acquired data facilitates the early detection and prognostication of diseases. The aim of this study is to propose a reliable and efficient novel machine learning model for predicting diabetes mellitus with better accuracy. For diabetes prediction, eight different classifiers were employed, i.e., Naïve Bayes (NB), Logistic Regression (LR), Decision Tree (DT), Random Forest (RF), Support Vector Machine (SVM ), K-Nearest Neighbour (KNN), XGBoost (XGB), Novel machine learning model. For experimental evaluation, the Pima India diabetes dataset (PIDD) and Diabetes dataset are used. During the analysis, it was observed that the novel machine learning model outperformed other classifiers with 99.6% accuracy on the PIDD and 99.8 % accuracy on the Diabetes dataset. The findings reveal the resilience of a newly developed machine learning model in identifying diabetes mellitus at an early stage.
Green synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using Alstonia scholaris extract: Evaluation of their antioxidant, enzyme inhibitory, antimicrobial, and antimutagenic activities through in vitro and in silico studies
Authors: Shirsat Shubhangi D. , Chakranarayan Manjusha , Achal Varenyam , Rai Mahendra
Published: November 2023

Alstonia scholaris is used as a traditional medicine for the treatment of various human and livestock diseases as it contains diverse types of biologically active compounds. In the current study silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were synthesized by an eco-friendly method using Alstonia scholaris leaf extract (aqueous and methanolic). The synthesized nanoparticles (NPs) were characterized by UV-visible spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), x-ray diffraction (XRD), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Green synthesized AgNPs were evaluated for their antioxidant, enzyme inhibition, antimicrobial, and antimutagenic potential. The AgNPs exhibited efficient antioxidant activities and considerable enzyme inhibition potential against α-amylase, and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) enzymes. Meth-AgNPs showed strong antioxidant activity and high enzyme inhibitory effect as compared to Aq. AgNPs. Both AgNPs demonstrated significant antimicrobial activity. Synthesized AgNPs did not show any antimutagenic activity while Meth. AgNPs have demonstrated lower toxicities than previously reported AgNPs. Plant extracts are complex and contain several phytochemicals, which participate in the reduction and capping of AgNPs. Thus, despite the popularity of plant extract-mediated synthesis of AgNPs, the exact mechanism is still unclear. Here, we have used molecular simulation to reveal the interaction of phytochemicals and AgNP. Molecular dynamics simulation trajectory analysis showed that all phytochemicals- AgNP complexes reach an equilibrium within 100 ns. In addition, molecular docking experiments were performed to understand the mechanism of enzyme inhibition. The data from molecular simulation and dynamic support the capping of phytochemicals on the surface of AgNPs and is also responsible for the antioxidant, enzyme inhibition, and lower toxicity of AgNPs.
Regional Prevalence of Hemoglobin C across Saudi Arabia: An Epidemiological Survey
Authors: Aljabry Mansour , Sulimani Suha , Alotaibi Ghazi , Aljabri Hassan , Alomary Shaker , Adam Izzeldin , Aljabri Omar , Alzahrani Mansour Khater , Alsultan Abdulrahman
Published: November 2023

Introduction: HbC is a common structural hemoglobinopathy especially in West Africa. Prevalence and regional distribution of HbC in Saudi Arabia are widely undocumented. patients with homozygous HbC disease may have mild hemolytic anemia whereas combination with hemoglobin S (HbS) leads to a clinically severe phenotype.
Aim: The current epidemiological study, considered the largest from Saudi Arabia, aimed to evaluate the prevalence of the HbC variant among the couples participating in the premarital screening program from 2011-2018.
Methods: Data from the PMSGC program was obtained for premarital screening and genetic counseling. The collected data were then entered into the SEHA platform, a centralized electronic repository for the 13 designated regions in Saudi Arabia. Hemoglobin electrophoresis samples are analyzed using either HPLC, capillary electrophoresis, or a combination of both methods to confirm the presence of abnormal hemoglobin bands.
Results: This study included 1,871,184 individuals from 2011 to 2018. Of those, 49.8% were males and 50.2% were females. 112,618 (6.0%) had an abnormal test. Total number of Hb C cases were 778 (0.04%). HbC trait (HbAC) was detected in 764 participants while homozygous HbC (HbCC) and combined heterozygous (HbSC) were found in nine and five cases respectively. The regions near the Red Sea have higher rates than the central and eastern regions.
Conclusion: HbC is a rare variant in Saudi Arabia with varying regional frequencies. HbC variant is more common in Mecca and Madina regions . The geographic area of HbC distribution differs from the areas with high prevalence of HbS, which explains why HbSC disease cases are overwhelmingly rare.
The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index-2: The validity of a two-item sleep quality screener in Brazilian adults
Authors: Menezes-Júnior Luiz Antônio Alves , Carraro Júlia Cristina Cardoso , Machado-Coelho George Luiz Lins , Meireles Adriana Lúcia
Published: November 2023

Background: Several instruments are available to assess sleep quality, including the 19-item Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). As shorter measures may be desirable for use in clinical settings or population-based research, we evaluated the validity of a 2-item sleep quality screener, the PSQI-2.
Methods: The PSQI-2 inquiries about sleep duration and subjective sleep quality over the past 30 days, scoring each from 0 ("very good"; > 7h of sleep) to 3 ("very bad"; < 5h of sleep). The sum of the two items generates a score from 0 to 6; the higher the score, the worse the sleep quality. This study was conducted with 1,762 adults in a population-based household survey with stratified sampling between October and December 2020 in Brazil. Concurrent validity was assessed using the full PSQI as the reference test.
Results: As PSQI-2 scores increased from 0 to 6, a substantial increase has been found in the prevalence of individuals with poor sleep quality (p <0.05). The PSQI-2 had excellent internal consistency (α = 0.94 and ω = 0.85) and known-group validity, with higher scale scores found in individuals with symptoms of depression and anxiety. Considering PSQI > 5 (poor sleep quality) as a reference, the best cut-off point of the PSQI-2 score was > 2, with a sensitivity of 77.9% and specificity of 73.8%. The concurrent validity revealed acceptable performance of the PSQI-2 for the PSQI > 5 and > 7, and exceptional performance for the PSQI > 10.
Conclusion: The PSQI-2 presents good/excellent validity evidence for screening sleep quality in a sample of Brazilian adults.
Association between chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and bone mineral density: a Mendelian randomization analysis
Authors: Yang Fangjun , Xie yinyin , Zhang qian
Published: November 2023

Background: Previous observational studies have reported an association between chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and bone mineral density (BMD). The nature of the relationship remains ambiguous, as it is uncertain whether it is causal in nature or influenced by shared genetic factors or confounding environmental variables. Traditional observational epidemiology is prone to the influence of unmeasured confounders and reverse causality, necessitating supplementary analyses to establish causality. The present study aimed to investigate whether there is a causal relationship between COPD and BMD using a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis.
Methods: In this study, we utilized single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that have been found to be strongly associated with COPD as instrumental variables (IVs). The primary outcomes of interest were BMD measurements at five specific anatomical sites, namely, the whole body, femoral neck, lumbar spine, forearm, and heel. These BMD measurements were primarily obtained from the summary statistics of a genome-wide association study (GWAS) and the International Genetic Factors Consortium on Osteoporosis (GEFOS) consortium. Two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) was used to explore the causal relationship between COPD and BMD. The primary analysis method employed in this study was the inverse variance weighting (IVW) method. Additionally, multiple sensitivity analyses were conducted to assess the robustness and reliability of the current MR. To make our results more robust, we also performed a confirmatory MR between BMD and osteoporosis (OP).
Results: Our study findings indicate the absence of a causal relationship between COPD and BMD at five specific anatomical sites. The results of the primary IVW MR were generally supported by our sensitivity MR. Nor did our confirmatory MR Analysis of COPD and OP support a causal relationship between COPD and BMD.
Conclusions: Our MR Study does not provide evidence for a causal relationship between COPD and BMD. Associations observed in epidemiological studies may be attributed, at least in part, to shared genetic effects or environmental confounders.
Evaluating Pakistan's Mental Healthcare System Using World Health Organization's Assessment Instrument for Mental Health System (WHO-AIMS)
Authors: Dayani Komal , Zia Mekaiel , Qureshi Onaiza , Baig Maria , Sabri Taha
Published: November 2023

Background: Pakistan is confronted with significant mental health challenges, which necessitate the urgent need for a comprehensive assessment of its mental healthcare system. A holistic understanding of the mental health landscape is essential to identify strengths, weaknesses, and existing gaps within the system, which can inform targeted interventions and policy enhancements to improve mental healthcare delivery and accessibility.
Objective: The primary objective of this study is to conduct an in-depth analysis of Pakistan's mental healthcare system across various dimensions, guided by the World Health Organization's Assessment Tool for Mental Health Systems (WHO-AIMS).
Methods: Data for this study wereobtained through desk research, including an examination of existing policies and legislation, and consultations with various health facilities across Pakistan. This comprehensive analysis focused on six domains within the WHO-AIMS framework: (1) policy and legislation, (2) mental health services, (3) integration of mental health into primary care, (4) public awareness and collaboration with other sectors, (5) human resources, and (6) monitoring and research initiatives.
Results: The findings from our analysis revealed valuable insights within the six domains. We identified areas of strength and opportunities for improvement in Pakistan's mental healthcare system. These insights serve as the foundation for revising and updating national priorities for mental healthcare delivery and advocacy efforts. Key areas of focus include enhancing policy and legislation, expanding access to mental health services, improving existing initiatives for better integration of mental health into primary care, improving public awareness and public-private partnership, addressing human resource challenges, and strengthening monitoring and research initiatives.
Conclusion: This study provides a roadmap for refining and enhancing Pakistan's mental health ecosystem and informs the prioritization of mental health campaigning efforts. Ultimately, our study contributes to ongoing efforts to improve mental healthcare accessibility and quality in Pakistan.
On the energy of high-frequency characteristics and the lock-in phenomena of transonic buffet
Authors: Wei Lianyi , Zheng Guannan , Lu Weishuang , Yan Chang , Yang Guowei
Published: November 2023

The limit cycle oscillation (LCO) in the transonic buffet on the fixed supercritical airfoil OAT15A under Ma = 0.73, AoA=3.5° and Re≈3×106 , is successfully simulated by means of the Reynolds Stress Model. Higher-frequency characteristics related to vortex shedding is investigated through the sparsity-promoting dynamic mode decomposition (SP-DMD) and the wavenumber-frequency spectrum analysis. The modal analysis on the LCO pressure field reveals that the vortex modes whose frequencies gather around 3000 Hz correspond to acoustic waves and vortex shedding, and these vortex modes contribute quite a bit to the LCO behaviour and interact with the shock according to the energy criterion. On the other hand, the velocities of the shock-induced perturbation, Kelvin-Helmholtz vortices and acoustic waves are clearly identified in the wavenumber-frequency spectrum. Further, the buffet lock-in phenomena under prescribed pitch conditions are also studied by evaluating the energy exchange between the flow and the airfoil. From the energetic point of view, the trough of the energy map indicates the buffet lock-in onset while the upper zero energy exchange boundary offers the exit of the lock-in. The energy exchange between the flow and the airfoil alters the intensity of the shock and triggers the lock-in. Under the coupled interaction between the buffet and the airfoil motion, the onset of the lock-in is lowered compared to the flutter boundary, narrowing the flight envelope.
The effect of reward-induced arousal on the success and precision of episodic memory retrieval
Authors: Lloyd Beth , Nieuwenhuis Sander
Published: November 2023

Moment-to-moment fluctuations in arousal can have large effects on learning and memory. For example, when neutral items are predictive of a later reward, they are often remembered better than neutral items without a reward association. This reward anticipation manipulation is thought to induce a heightened state of arousal, resulting in stronger encoding. It is unclear, however, whether these arousal-induced effects on encoding are ‘all-or-none’, or whether encoding precision varies from trial to trial with degree of arousal. Here, we examined whether trial-to-trial variability in reward-related pupil-linked arousal might correspond to variability in participants’ long-term memory encoding precision. We tested this using a location memory paradigm in which half of the to-be-encoded neutral items were linked to later monetary reward, while the other half had no reward association. After the encoding phase, we measured immediate item location memory on a continuous scale, allowing us to assess both memory success and memory precision. We found that pre-item baseline pupil size and pupil size during item encoding were not related to subsequent memory performance. In contrast, the anticipation of instrumental reward increased pupil size, and a smaller anticipatory increase in pupil size was linked to greater subsequent memory success but not memory precision.