bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Socioeconomic, health, and social connectedness factors associated with self-rated health of octogenarians and nonagenarians in South Korea: Urban and rural comparison
Authors: Kang Heewon , Kim Dong Ha
Published: October 2024

Background
The aging population, including octogenarians (aged 80–89) and nonagenarians (aged 90–99), is rapidly increasing. Understanding their self-rated health in urban and rural settings is vital for public health policy development. This study examined factors associated with self-rated health among octogenarians and nonagenarians across urban and rural areas of South Korea.
Methods
We analyzed data of 21,896 older adults (aged 80–99) from the 2023 Korea Community Health Survey. Self-rated health was assessed on a 5-point scale and categorized as "good" or "poor." Variables included age, residence area (urban/rural), sociodemographic characteristics, health behaviors, healthcare utilization, morbidity, and social interactions. Descriptive statistics were used to examine variable distributions, and logistic regression models identified factors associated with self-rated health in each age group and residential area.
Results
Among octogenarians, 18.7% in urban areas reported good self-rated health, compared to 15.0% in rural areas. In contrast, a smaller proportion of nonagenarians reported good self-rated health in urban areas (13.6%) than in rural areas (14.7%). Octogenarians in both rural and urban areas with higher education (urban odds ratio [OR] = 1.15, 95% CI = 1.07–1.24; rural OR = 1.15, 95% CI = 1.10–1.22) and higher income (urban OR = 1.18, 95% CI = 1.07–1.31; rural OR = 1.09, 95% CI = 1.01–1.18) reported better self-rated health. However, this association was less pronounced among nonagenarians. Characteristics such as regular walking (OR range 1.41 [95% CI = 1.23–1.62] among rural octogenarians to 2.25 [95% CI = 1.89–2.69] among urban nonagenarians), good self-rated oral health (OR range 2.48 [95% CI = 1.98–4.00] among rural nonagenarians to 3.50 [95% CI = 3.01–4.07] among urban octogenarians), and participation in social activities (OR range 1.24 [95% CI = 1.09–1.41] among rural nonagenarians to 1.67 [95% CI = 1.29–2.16] among urban octogenarians) were consistently associated with good self-rated health across all age groups in both rural and urban areas.
Conclusions
Characteristics associated with self-rated health differed significantly between octogenarians and nonagenarians in rural and urban areas. Public health strategies must support health-promoting behaviors such as regular walking, enhance oral health services, improve healthcare accessibility, reduce environmental stressors, and strengthen social support networks to promote health among octogenarians and nonagenarians.
Plasmodial slime moulds (Myxomycetes) in Swedish and Nordic folk biology
Authors: Svanberg Ingvar , Ståhlberg Sabira
Published: October 2024

Background A few Myxomycetes taxa played an important role in the folk biology of pre-industrial Sweden and adjacent Nordic countries (Denmark, Norway, Finland) in northern Europe. Folk biology commonly contains knowledge of far more taxa than those of immediate economic importance. The species of little or no practical use are often overlooked by ethnobiological research, but these organisms are not of less interest for the understanding of human relationships with biota. Local knowledge about the entire biota in a given environment must therefore be studied to comprehend folk biology.
Methodology This qualitative study analyses and reviews historical data available in archives and published ethnographic collections as well as scattered notes in literature using a historical ethnobiological approach.
Results Peasants in the Nordic countries recognized three taxa of myxomycetes. Scrambled egg slime, Fuligo septica (L.) F.H.Wigg., attracted interest in particular and is known by many local folk names. Scrambled egg slime had no practical value, yet it was well known in folk biology and associated with a supernatural malevolent being in the shape of a hare or cat, which on behalf of a witch stole milk or butter. This belief caused violent actions such as whipping and burning of the organism. Two other taxa, Lycogala epidendron (L.) Fr. and Mucilago crustacea F.H.Wigg., have also been observed in folk biology, but data on how they were perceived is sparse.
Conclusions The sudden appearance of strange shapes and clear colours of myxomycetes in damp weather created both fear and curiosity, and required explanations, interpretations and actions. Our example of the economically irrelevant myxomycetes in Sweden and nearby Nordic countries indicates that interpretations in pre-industrial societies of natural phenomena and various organisms, connections with beliefs and perceptions about the surrounding environment and possible consequent actions should be studied alongside economic plants and animals, providing a deeper understanding for the ethnobiological study of folk biology and highlighting the multidimensional relationships between humans and biota.
The transition from internal oxidation to external oxidation of Ni-Al alloy and its critical Al content
Authors: Zhang Heng , Xiang Junhuai , Bai Lingyun , Xiao Botao
Published: October 2024

The isothermal oxidation behavior of Ni-xAl (x=9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 at.%) alloy in pure oxygen at 900℃ was studied. The scales of Ni-xAl (x=9, 10, 11 at.%) with lower aluminum content are composed of an outer layer of NiO and an inner layer of NiO+NiAl2O4. Internal oxidation of Al occurs beneath the scales, resulting in a faster corrosion rate. The outer layer structure of the scales of Ni-xAl (x=13,14 at.%)with higher aluminum content is similar to that of the Ni-Al alloys with lower aluminum content, but the innermost layer forms a continuous and dense Al2O3 protective layer, providing good protection for the alloy without the internal oxidation of Al. Ni-12Al is very unique, with both internal and external oxidation characteristics, and its oxidation behavior falls between protective and non-protective. Due to slight differences in the composition of the alloy in different regions, its oxidation behavior is similar to Ni-9Al, Ni-10Al, and Ni-11Al in areas with slightly lower aluminum content, while its oxidation behavior is similar to Ni-13Al and Ni-14Al in areas with slightly higher aluminum content. It can be inferred that 12 at.% Al is the critical concentration of the alloy for the transition from internal oxidation to external oxidation.
Paeonol Affects Quorum Sensing System and Exopolysaccharides That Biofilm-Eradicating of Porcine Escherichia coli
Authors: Yang Hongzao , Liang Yuan , Yang Zhuo , Liu Lin , Ran Lei , Liu Jingjing , Ma Chenjun , Wei Wei , Zhang Suhui , Zhu Maixun , Chen Hongwei
Published: October 2024

Background Escherichia coli (E.coli) is one of the bacteria that readily forms biofilms, posing a serious threat to food safety. Natural bioactive compounds represent an effective means to eradicate biofilm resistance, offering a novel therapeutic approach for reversing bacterial biofilm resistance. The present study aimed to clarify that paeonol could eradicate biofilm of porcine E.coli (NO. Ec032), and to explore the mechanism of paeonol eradicating Ec032 biofilm. Results The results indicated that the concentration of paeonol at 2,048 µg/mL and the intervention time at 3 hours significantly reduced the number of viable bacteria in the mature biofilm of Ec032, achieving the highest biofilm eradication rate. The total fuorescence intensity of bioflm bacteria was signifcantly decreased by 83.56%. RT-qPCR was suggested that paeonol might influence the expression of quorum sensing (QS) system and flagellum movement-related genes in biofilm bacteria, thereby reducing biofilm maturity. The Data Independent Acquisition (DIA) proteomic technique was found that paeonol could significantly decrease flagellar motility and extracellular polysaccharide content in exopoly saccharides (EPS) components, and loosen the structure of the mature biofilm. Simultaneously, paeonol could also act as a QS inhibitor (QSI) to inhibit the production of Chromobacterium violaceum 026 (CV026) violacein. In addition, molecular docking revealed that the outer membrane proteins regulator (OmpR) may be a key target of paeonol. Conclusions In summary, the research demonstrated that paeonol could act as a QSI, reducing the volume of biofilm by affecting the expression of QS and EPS matrix-related genes and proteins, thereby biofilm-eradicating of Ec032. Furthermore, this research provided a scientific basis for the development of paeonol as a novel biofilm scavenger and presented a reference for the prevention and treatment of E.coli biofilm-associated infections (BAI).
Pediatric ventriculoperitoneal shunt failure and cerebrospinal fluid protein
Authors: Yates Charles F , Colditz Michael J , Maclachlan Liam , Wood Martin J , Ma Norman , Jardim Amelia , Chaseling Raymond , Campbell Robert
Published: October 2024

Purpose Ventriculoperitoneal shunts (VPS) are a life-saving intervention for hydrocephalus. Device failure is extremely common, and carries great morbidity for patients, their families, and the healthcare system. Predicting shunt failure remains a substantial challenge. Clinically, cerebrospinal fluid protein (CSFp) is suspected to contribute to VPS obstruction, this is widely debated, and definitive evidence is lacking. We assess the value of CSFp in predicting VPS failure due to non-infective causes.
Methods: A retrospective review of VPS procedures at the Queensland Children’s Hospital between 2014-2019 was conducted. The relationship between CSFp level and outcome were explored. Outcome variables were early VPS failure (< 90-days), and late VPS failure (<1-year). A CNS infection was reason for exclusion. A logarithmic correction was applied to CSFp (Log-CSFp) for statistical modelling.
Results 552 procedures were assessed in 243 patients. 87 (15.8%) VP shunts failed within 90-days, 129 (23.4%) within 1-year. 77 patients (31.7%) experienced an episode of <1-year VPS failure. Multivariate analysis found Log-CSFp was predictive for early VPS failure (OR 1.19, 1.05-1.35, p=0.005), and late VPS failure (OR 1.15, 1.01-1.32, p=0.042) independent to hydrocephalus aetiology, patient age, and CSF red blood cell count. Older patient age was a significant protective factor for early (OR 0.94, 0.89-0.99, p=0.023) and late VPS failure (OR 0.89, 0.84-0.95, p<0.0001) respectively.
Conclusion CSFp holds prognostic value for VPS failure in pediatric patients, a relentlessly unpredictable complication of VPS devices, informing procedure timing, patient follow-up and risk-stratification.
Decoding Early Parkinson's: A Network-Based Approach to Drug Target Identification
Authors: Dey Ashmita , Chakraborty Mrittika , Maulik Ujjwal , Bandyopadhyay Sanghamitra
Published: October 2024

Despite the abundance of large-scale molecular and drug-response data, current research on early-onset Parkinson's Disease (EOPD) markers often lacks mechanistic interpretation of drug-gene relationships. This limits our understanding of how drugs exert their therapeutic effects. While existing studies provide valuable EOPD markers, the mechanisms by which targeted drugs act remain poorly understood. We propose DTI-Prox, a novel workflow that addresses these limitations by identifying potentially overlooked EOPD markers and suggesting relevant drug targets. DTI-Prox utilizes network proximity and node similarity to identify functionally relevant connections between drugs and genes. The constructed functional network's validity is further strengthened by statistically significant drug-target pairs. Finally, DTI-Prox prioritizes drug-target pairs based on shared pathway analysis, paving the way for target discovery, drug repurposing, and patient stratification strategies. This approach holds promise for advancing our understanding of EOPD treatment efficacy and potentially leading to improved therapeutic strategies.
Populated anthromes: from exploratory analysis of demographic data to mapping
Authors: Gobbo Maximiliano Soares Lemos Araujo , Araujo Thiago de Oliveira , Salema Claudia de Oliveira Faria
Published: October 2024

This research, developed in R software, sought to analyze Brazilian population data as a source for the construction of regional mapping of anthropogenic biomes, with an eye to its application in national territorial management. Following the guidelines of global mapping of anthromes, the stages of exploratory analysis, mining, merging and plotting of census data were carried out to recognize and identify relevant characteristics of population groups for the construction of the mapping of Brazilian populated anthromes. Sequentially, static and interactive mappings were constructed to verify the spatialization of census information in the maps. In addition, validation and uncertainty studies of the mappings were produced to confirm the quality of the products generated in this research. Given the results obtained, it was found that the regional mapping of populated anthromes significantly approximated the population information to the local reality, compared to the global mapping of terrestrial anthromes. It was also found that the data source analyzed provided sufficient information for the distribution of the population in the mapping of populated anthromes, characterizing and specializing it according to the original data. Furthermore, the statistical analyses proved that the modeling used in this investigation generated relevant results that ensured the quality of the mapping. Thus, it was proven that the data used and the modeling were suitable for future use in constructing the regional mapping of Brazilian anthromes. In addition, an analytical format was established that can be replicated in different territorial contexts that aim to apply anthrome modeling in territorial management.
Assessing the Impact of Climate Change on Food Security in Northern Ghana: Causes and Coping Strategies in the Upper East Region
Authors: Gifty Akapule , Tahiru Abdul-Wahab , Tandoh-Offin Patrick , Garti Helene
Published: October 2024

Food insecurity remains a significant developmental challenge, particularly in rural areas, despite ongoing efforts to mitigate it. To better understand the persistence of this issue, this study investigates the causes of household food insecurity and the coping strategies employed by households in Zorkor Goo, Zorkor Kanga, and Zorkor Kadaare communities within the Bongo District of Ghana’s Upper East Region. A descriptive cross-sectional survey was conducted, sampling 196 households systematically from these communities. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire covering socio-demographic factors, causes of food insecurity, household coping strategies, and dietary intake. The analysis was performed using SPSS (Version 21.0), with food security status and dietary intake assessed via the FANTA Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS) and Food Consumption Score, respectively. The study identified key factors contributing to food insecurity, including soil infertility, poor rainfall patterns, food spoilage, extravagant funerals, large family size, high unemployment, and lack of education. Major coping strategies among households included meal skipping, reducing meal size and frequency, migration, asset sales, and basket weaving. The findings revealed that 96.4% of households were severely food insecure, and over two-thirds (67.3%) exhibited poor dietary consumption. Notably, household employment levels, education, and food consumption scores were significantly associated with food insecurity (P < 0.001). These findings underscore the need for targeted interventions addressing the root causes of food insecurity and enhancing household resilience in these communities.
Dressed Emotions : How Attire and Emotion Expressions Influence First Impressions
Authors: Hareli Shlomo , Hess Ursula , Hanoch Yaniv , Elkabetz Shimon
Published: October 2024

Both the way a person dresses and their emotion expressions influence interpersonal perception, yet the combined impact of attire and emotional expressions remains understudied. We investigated how attire, as a signal of status, interacts with emotional expressions to create first impressions. Study 1 examined inferences drawn from formal versus casual attire in business and leisure contexts. Study 2 explored how these dress styles, combined with expressions of anger, sadness, and neutrality, affected observers' perceptions of the expresser’s traits and emotion expressions across both contexts. Results indicate that even though attire consistently informs inferences about status, dominance, and to a lesser extent, affiliation across contexts and genders, emotion expressions exert a stronger influence on these judgments. Attire also impacted on emotion perception, affecting ratings of secondary emotions and the perceived authenticity of expressions, with emotions of formally dressed individuals perceived as less authentic. These findings suggest that when emotional information is available, observers rely more heavily on it than on stereotypes associated with dress formality or gender. Emotions may take precedence because, unlike attire, they offer insights into the expresser's momentary state of mind.
Alfalfa growth promotion and Fusarium root rot biocontrol by Actinomucor elegans AD-G14
Authors: Ren NaiPeng , Hao· NingKe , Cao Yang , Liu XiangPing , Li Guoliang
Published: October 2024

Fusarium root rot in alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) known as an important soil-borne disease, infects root crown and root tissues of plants in many regions of the world. A fungal strain, AD-G14was selected from 73 isolates from rhizosphere soil and root of healthy alfalfa as a potential biological control agent. It exhibited significant antagonistic effects against four Fusariumstrains that isolated from rotten alfalfa root. Based on morphology and the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and 18S rDNA gene sequences, AD-G14 was identified as Actinomucor elegans. The sterile fermentation broth of AD-G14 was effective in inhibiting mycelial growth and spore germination of various Fusarium strains. Moreover, AD-G14 significantly increased the plant height and above-ground biomass of alfalfa that had been affected by root rot. The effectiveness of AD-G14 in controlling Fusarium root rot reached a significant rate of 43.97%. Inoculation with AD-G14 led to a significant increase in the activities of peroxidase (POD), catalase (CAT), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) and significantly decreased the malondialdehyde (MDA) content in alfalfa plants affected by Fusarium root rot. These findings indicate that AD-G14is effective in controlling Fusarium root rot in alfalfa and holds promise for development as a biocontrol agent.
Heterogeneous III-V/Si Micro-Ring Laser Array
with Multi-State Non-Volatile Memory for
Ternary Content-Addressable Memories
Authors: Cheung Stanley , London Yanir , Yuan Yuan , Tossoun Bassem , Peng Yiwei , Hu Yingtao , Vaerenbergh Thomas Van , Zhang Chong , Kurczveil Geza , Liang Di , Beausoleil Raymond
Published: October 2024

In this work, we introduce programmable memory elements embedded within III-V/Si light sources which facilitate non-volatile wavelength tuning. These non-volatile III-V/Si micro-ring lasers (MRLs) exhibit non-volatile wavelength shifts of ~ 80 pm with ~ 40 dB signal extinction ratio while consuming 0 electrical static tuning power. An array of 5 cascaded MRLs is also demonstrated with each laser capable of 4 programmable non-volatile states, thus yielding 1024 unique states altogether. Write/erase operations were performed up to 100 cycles with non-volatile time duration lasting up to 24 hours and most likely beyond. We also explore the use of these non-volatile MRLs as storage elements in wavelength-division multiplexed (WDM) enabled optical ternary content-addressable memory (O-TCAM) search applications. As a result, this work provides new opportunity for realizing photonic memory applications in next generation non-volatile photonic systems.
spacedeconv: deconvolution of tissue architecture from spatial transcriptomics
Authors: Zackl Constantin , Zopoglou Maria , Stauffer Reto , Ausserhofer Markus , Ijsselsteijn Marieke E. , Sturm Gregor , de Miranda Noel Filipe da Cunha Carvalho , Finotello Francesca
Published: October 2024

Investigating tissue architecture is key to understanding tissue function in health and disease. While spatial omics technologies enable the study of cell transcriptomes within their native context, they often lack single-cell resolution. Deconvolution methods can computationally infer tissue composition from spatial transcriptomics data, but differences in their workflows complicate their use and comparison. We developed spacedeconv, a unified interface to different deconvolution methods that additionally supports data preprocessing, visualization, and analysis of cell communication and multimodal data. Here, we demonstrate how spacedeconv streamlines the investigation of the cellular and molecular underpinnings of tissue architecture in different organisms and tissue contexts.
Dissection of core promoter syntax through single nucleotide resolution modeling of transcription initiation
Authors: Danko Charles , He Adam
Published: October 2024

How the DNA sequence of cis-regulatory elements encode transcription initiation patterns remains poorly understood. Here we introduce CLIPNET, a deep learning model trained on population-scale PRO-cap data that predicts the position and quantity of transcription initiation with single nucleotide resolution from DNA sequence more accurately than existing approaches. Interpretation of CLIPNET revealed a complex regulatory syntax consisting of DNA-protein interactions in five major positions between -200 and +50 bp relative to the transcription start site, as well as more subtle positional preferences among transcriptional activators. Transcriptional activator and core promoter motifs work non-additively to encode distinct aspects of initiation, with the former driving initiation quantity and the latter initiation position. We identified core promoter motifs that explain initiation patterns in the majority of promoters and enhancers, including DPR motifs and AT-rich TBP binding sequences in TATA-less promoters. Our results provide insights into the sequence architecture governing transcription initiation.
A New Deterioration Mechanism for Icebergs
Authors: Cenedese Claudia , Ward Nash , McElwaine Jim , Condron Alan
Published: October 2024

Icebergs are a primary mechanism for the long-distance transport of terrestrial sediment in the marine environment. During the last ice age, icebergs transported sediment more than 2000 km across the North Atlantic. In addition, sediment plays a key role in marine nutrient fertilization, phytoplankton growth, and CO2 drawdown. However, the effect sediment has on the deterioration of icebergs, as well as rates of sediment loss to the marine environment, are poorly understood. Here we present a completely new mechanism for iceberg deterioration which has previously gone undiscovered. We conducted the first laboratory investigation into the effects of sediment on iceberg deterioration and found that it increases the melt rate in three ways. First, as expected, there is less ice to melt. Second, a sediment plume may form which enhances the heat flux towards the ice. Third, sediment layers induce an iceberg to break into multiple pieces, dramatically increasing the overall rate of ice melt. The latter mechanism has never been reported previously. Our results provide a parametrization that includes the effects of sediment on iceberg deterioration. Our findings have significant implications for more accurately modeling iceberg break-up and for the potential of icebergs melt water to trigger abrupt climate change.
High-performance Nano-PTFE reinforced nickel mold for defect-free micro injection molding of surface micro structures
Authors: Guan Tianyu , Su Quanliang , Song Rijian , Chen Yixin , Fang Fengzhou , Zhang Nan
Published: October 2024

Interest in electroformed nickel (Ni) molds has continued to increase due to their high precision, low cost and high surface finish. Nevertheless, pure Ni molds still rely on extra surface treatments employing release agents to achieve defects-free demolding and meanwhile, mitigate the residual contamination. To address these issues, lubricants-retaining Ni mold was achieved by doping low surface tension polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) nano-fillers into the Ni matrix via electrodeposition. The introduction of surfactant mixtures facilitated the successful incorporation of PTFE into the Ni matrix, causing them to perfectly integrate and form as a whole. Such mold exhibited excellent mechanical performance with the enhanced hardness of 452 Hv (2.3-fold increase), low surface roughness of 23 nm in Sa and low surface energy of 28.1 mJ/m2 (33.6% decrease), resulting in a maximum reduction of 28.6% in demolding force. This Ni-PTFE mold can withstand more than 1500 demolding cycles without the need for additional demolding agents or the removal of residual contaminants. Importantly, no PTFE nanoparticles were detected on the produced COC chips, as confirmed by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy analysis and Raman spectroscopy, confirming no contamination to the polymer and no lubrication degradation of such mold. Polymer chips produced from such mold displayed well-defined structures and excellent biocompatibility, rendering them suitable for microfluidic applications. Finally, this facile and cost-effective method enables creating a reusable, high-resolution mold with low surface energy, ensuring defects-free demolding for the mass production of polymer parts.
Cıvatalı Bağlantı Elemanlarının Tekrarlı Kullanımı Durumunda Sürtünme Değişikliklerini Entegre Eden Cıvatalı Bağlantı Simülasyon Modelinin Geliştirilmesi
Authors: Tanrıkulu Barış , Karakuzu Ramazan
Published: October 2024

Cıvatalı bağlantı elemanları günümüzde birçok mekanik uygulamada sıklıkla kullanılmaktadır. Özellikle kritik uygulamalarda, kilitleme yükü değeri, montajlanan parçaların yaşam ömrü için önem arz etmektedir. Cıvatalı bağlantı elemanları tekrar kullanılabilir elemanlar olmasına rağmen sürtünme katsayılarındaki değişim, her sıkım esnasında kilitleme yükünün giderek düşmesine sebebiyet vermektedir. Bu durum, özellikle kilitleme yükünün önem arz ettiği uygulamalarda, beklenmedik sonuçların meydana gelebileceğini ortaya koymaktadır. Çalışma kapsamında, bağlantı elemanlarının tekrar kullanımı durumundaki sürtünme katsayısı değişimi deneysel olarak belirlenmiş ve bu veriler ışığında yüzey kayma mesafesi bazlı sürtünme değişim modeli geliştirilmiştir. Sayısal simülasyon çalışmalarında tekrar kullanım etkisinin göz ardı edilmesinden dolayı, bu etkinin tahmin edilebilmesine olanak sağlayan modellerin geliştirilmesine ihtiyaç duyulmaktadır. Elde edilen kayma mesafesi bazlı sürtünme modeli, cıvatanın 5. sıkım sonucunda göstermiş olduğu davranışı, sayısal simülasyon yazılımı ile tahmin edebilmiştir. Model sonucunda elde edilen tork çıktıları, deneysel veri sonucunda elde edilen veriler ile kıyaslanarak hata payları çıkarılmıştır. Kayma mesafesi bazlı sürtünme modelinin, sürtünme katsayısının sabit kaldığı varsayımına dayanarak gerçekleştirilen simulasyonlardan elde edilen çıktı torkundaki hata payını, %19,5’ den %4,48’e düşürdüğü gözlemlenmiştir.
Production and Characterization of Porous Anorthite Ceramics Using Sugar Process Solid Waste, Chamotte and Coal Powder Additives
Authors: Kaya Vacide Selin , Sütçü Mücahit , Yalamaç Emre , Ertuğrul Onur
Published: October 2024

Press filter cake is a solid waste produced during sugar production process and includes carbonates and organic components. In this study, coal powder in different percentages (from 10 wt.% to 50 wt.%) was mixed with 35 wt.% press filter cake and 65 wt.% chamotte composition to produce porous anorthite ceramic products with different apparent porosity percentages. The anorthite phase was observed as the dominant crystalline phase in all fired samples. The firing shrinkage values sharply increased after adding higher than 40 wt.% coal powder to composition. In addition, apparent porosity values were changed from 49% to 70%. Compressive strength values reduced from 18 MPa to 1.73 MPa while percentages of ground coal were increasing. Microstructural analysis also showed that the porosity values of the sintered samples showed important changes depending on the amount of coal additive. The thermal conductivity values showed a reduction from 0.113 W/mK to 0.064 W/mK while increasing the percentage of ground coal. Micro-computed tomography (Micro CT) analysis was performed for 40wt. % coal powder added composition and the total porosity value was found as 60.2%.
Modeling Gravity Gradients from Surface Gravity Anomaly Data
Authors: Uzun Sibel
Published: October 2024

Gravity gradients are useful to characterize near mass anomalies since they are much more sensitive to short wavelength anomalies than gravitational accelerations. Estimating gravity gradients from surface gravity data is based on numerical implementations of solutions to geodetic boundary value problem for determination of disturbing potential. One of methods to solve this problem is least-squares collocation which is basically based on data and a defined covariance function. This study deals with estimating gravity gradient tensor components from along track surface gravity anomaly data. The Least-Squares Collocation solution is based on a stationary local covariance function defined for the disturbing potential which allows upward continuation of the observations to a desired altitude. The modeling method is evaluated in using Earth Gravitational Model 2008(EGM2008) and real airborne gravity gradiometry data collected over Southern Texas, Oklahoma region. The results show that modeled gravity gradients estimated in both on the ground and at a certain altitude have basically good agreement with EGM08 gradients. Modeled gradients including horizontal components in the east-west direction exhibit some discrepancies in comparison to the airborne gradiometry data, which may be attributed to some measurement errors in the gradient data.
Electrodeposited ZnO Nanostructures on ITO Surfaces: Exploring Their Efficacy for Cholesterol Biosensing Applications
Authors: Erol Mustafa , Aykaç Ahmet , Dikici Tuncay , Yurddaşkal Metin , Kartal Uğur , Uzunbayır Begüm , Özdemir Erdem Tevfik
Published: October 2024

In this study, ZnO nanostructures were prepared by electrochemical anodization of electrodeposited Zn on ITO/glass substrates for cholesterol detection. The efficiency of the developed ZnO nanostructures in the detection of the Cholesterol oxidase (ChOx) enzyme was determined by the cyclic voltammetry method. The XRD and SEM results confirmed the synthesis of ZnO nanostructures prepared by the anodization method with various parameters. The effect of electrodeposition and anodization time on the morphology was observed. Cyclic voltammetry of ZnO/Zn/ITO/glass and Pt/ZnO/Zn/ITO/glass electrodes in electrolytes with various cholesterol concentrations was performed. The detection limit of the obtained Pt/ZnO/Zn/ITO/glass structured electrode was calculated as 0.965x10-3M. The resulting material with a layered structure may have potential applications in electrochemical sensors and biosensors in biomedical applications. In addition to biosensing performance, this study proposes a new approach for the development of ZnO-based biosensors that does not require expensive infrastructure and raw material costs, making it possible to develop high-sensitivity biosensor electrodes with lower detection limits with improvements to be made in future studies.
Dielektrik Kaplı İletken Silindirden Saçılan Alanın Minimizasyonu
Authors: Yelkenci Tanju
Published: October 2024

Bu çalışmada, TM polarize düzlem dalga ile aydınlatılan, dielektrik malzeme ile kaplı sonsuz uzun, mükemmel iletken, dairesel bir silindirin RKA (radar kesit alanı)’ nı en aza indirmek için analitik yönteme dayalı bir analiz önerilmektedir. Silindirik yapıdan saçılan alan, farklı bölgelerde Bessel ve Hankel fonksiyonlarının sonsuz seri toplamı cinsinden ifade edilerek analitik olarak belirlenmiştir. Burada temel yaklaşım olarak kalınlık veya permitivite veya frekansın sabit olduğu varsayılarak, iki değişken parametreye bağımlı bir fonksiyonelin parametrik analizi yapılmış ve yapının RKA’nı en aza indirgeyen parametreler belirlenmiştir. Elde edilen sonuçların tutarlılığı, uzak alan ifadeleri gözlemlenerek gösterilmiş ve önerilen yöntemin başarısı çeşitli durumlar için tartışılmıştır.
Mechanical Performance on Flax Fibre Epoxy Composites Filled with Montmorillonite Nanoclay for Lightweight Applications
Authors: Celik Aybike , Pekbey Yeliz
Published: October 2024

The objective of this study is to investigate the mechanical performance on develop flax/epoxy composite filled with montmorillonite nanoclay for lightweight applications. For this purpose, firstly, nanoclay at different weight percentages montmorillonite nanoclay such as 0.5, 1, 1.5 was dispersed homogeneously into epoxy resin with the help of ultrasanitization process. For better nanoclay distribution in composite, the montmorillonite nanoclay concentration higher than 1.5% was not analyzed. Secondly, using this mixture, flax fiber based composites were produced by vacuum bag molding process. Finally, the mechanical properties of flax/epoxy composites filled with different percentages montmorillonite nanoclay were determined with tensile, flexural, and in-plane shear test.
From the experimental results obtained, the addition of montmorillonite nanoclay indicate positive effect on the performance of the composites compared with the neat composite samples, if the montmorillonite nanoclay distribute homogeneously in the epoxy. The composites added with 0.5 wt.% nanoclay showed the highest tensile modulus and tensile strength. Moreever, the elasticity modulus of composite samples with 0.5% nanoclay addition is approximately 87% higher than the pure composite. Also, the composite samples loaded with 1.5 wt.% of montmorillonite nanoclay performs better under flexural loading conditions.
Of mice and men: a semiquantitative analysis of Kv4.3 expression in mouse and human midbrains
Authors:   , Hartmann Sebastian
Published: October 2024

Idiopathic Parkinson syndrome is one of the most common neurodegenerative diseases and plays a major role in clinical neurological practice. However, the exact pathogenesis has not yet been fully elucidated. It is assumed that a combination of genetic and environmental factors fuels a neurodegenerative process during aging, which result in a selective loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra. In rare instances, Parkinson disease (PD) is caused by single toxic-gain of function mutations for instance a single amino acid exchange (A53T) in the gene coding for a-synuclein (SNCA). A central event in idiopathic and mono-genetic PD is the formation of intracytoplasmic accumulation of α-synuclein in so-called Lewy bodies. On this basis, a mouse model was developed that overexpresses human α-synuclein through an A53T mutation in the SNCA gene. In previous work, this mutation was found to lead to both oxidative dysfunction and enhanced expression of Kv4.3 channels in middle-aged mice. Given the central role of aging in the pathogenesis of neurodegeneration, this study analyzed Kv4.3 protein expression in dopamine midbrain neurons using immunohistochemical methods in aged male transgenic A53T SNCA and wildtype mice. Using semi-quantitative analysis of confocal images of fluorescent Kv4.3 immunosignals, I found significantly reduced Kv4.3 protein expression in old A53T SNCA animals compared to those in age-matched WT mice. To improve comparison between mouse models and human brain tissue, I also developed a protocol for identical histological processing of human and murine brain sections and Kv4.3 immunohistochemistry. This protocol will be useful to study Kv4.3 expression in DA neurons of human control brains and in various stages of PD.
Parallel processing of geographical data in a mobile application
Authors:   , Department of Geoinformation Software Development, Tomsk Scientific Research and Design Institute of Oil and Gas, Gomboin Aleksander B. , Korikov Anatoly M. ,   Tomsk State University of Control Systems and Radioelectronics (TUSUR)
Published: October 2024

This article presents an approach to parallel processing of geographical data in mobile applications using advanced technologies. A technique for the efficient distribution and processing of data on gas and oil fields, etc., using parallel computing on mobile devices, is considered. This method involves the use of parallel streams on a mobile device. The research is carried out in order to improve the performance and speed of processing geographical data, which is critically important for real-time applications. The impact of this approach on response time and data processing quality is also analyzed. The proposed approach demonstrates significant improvements in comparison with traditional methods of processing geographical data, ensuring faster and more efficient operation of mobile applications. This makes this approach an important tool for improving the efficiency and usability of mobile geoinformation applications.
Noise immunity of the U-Net fully convolutional neural network model for semantic segmentation of fir trees on UAV images
Authors:   National Research Tomsk Polytechnic University, Malkin Artem Y , Markov Nikolai G. ,   National Research Tomsk Polytechnic University
Published: October 2024

The paper studies the noise immunity of a modified model of a fully convolutional neural network U-Net with robust Cauchy loss function and Focal Loss function when solving the problem of segmentation (pixel classification) of noisy images of fir trees infected by pests. It is shown that the accuracy of multiclassification of such trees decreases with the increase of area noise and the amplitude of impulse noise on the fragments of the training sample. At the same time, the level of accuracy degradation depends on the modified U-Net loss function used for training. For the model with robust Cauchy loss function, there is a slower decrease in noise immunity with increasing values of noise parameters.
A problem-oriented model of the process of preparing a student startup at a university
Authors:   National Research Tomsk State University, Cherneta Svetlana G. , Zakharova Alexandra A. ,   Tomsk State University of Control Systems and Radioelectronics (TUSUR)
Published: October 2024

The work is aimed at solving different issues related to student startup preparation, where the main one is a lack of understanding of the real requirements of the consumer for the product. The study identified the grounds of the problem. An assessment has been carried out to better understand the influence of the identified reasons and grounds, as well as the proposed alternatives to solving the problem using the hierarchy analysis method. A model of the process of preparing a student startup with a depth of decomposition up to the fifth level is proposed. This model allows eliminating several root causes of the problem simultaneously. The model contains stages that allow: to link the process under study with the research process at the university and increase the number of projects based on scientific and technical developments of the university; to develop a product concept focused on the problem of the consumer and with his participation; to efficiently translate the identified needs and wishes of consumers into technical characteristics of the product through the method of structuring the quality function QFD.
LA RESOLUTION POLITIQUE DE LA CRISE MALIENNE DE 2012 PAR LA COMMUNAUTE ECONOMIQUE DES ETATS DE LAFRIQUE DE LOUEST (CEDEAO)
Authors:   Universite de Kara (Togo)., Adjeta Essossinam
Published: October 2024

The armed conflict constitutes one of the greatest obstacles to development in Africa in general and in the West African sub-region in particular. ECOWAS, which is one of the sub-regional organizations whose mission is to prevent or resolve these conflicts, seems to be sometimes ineffective, especially with regard to the outbreak of the Malian armed conflict in 2012. The aim of this study is to evaluate the mission of resolving this Malian crisis by ECOWAS. The documentary analysis made it possible to define the context of the Malian armed conflict, the intervention of the mission of the sub-regional organization and its limits. The results of the research indicate that ECOWAS, which should play the role of peacekeeper, seems to be failing in its mission since the proposed solution to the Malian crisis will come later from France, the former metropolis, through the military operation serval.
OPEN & DISTANCE LEARNING (ODL) AMONG UNIVERSITY STUDENTS DURING THE COVID-19 ENDEMIC IN MALAYSIA: AN EVIDENCE FROM PUBLIC UNIVERSITY
Authors:   Faculty of Business and Management, Universiti Teknologi MARA Cawangan Terengganu, Malaysia., Faizuddin Ahmad Fadullah Muhammad , Khairi Ismail Mohd ,   Faculty of Business and Management, Universiti Teknologi MARA Cawangan Terengganu, Malaysia., Asiah Mahmood Nor ,   College of Business Administration, Prince Sultan University, 66833 Riyadh, Saudi., Mohd Mustapha Haslinawati ,   Pusat Tamhidi, Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia, Nilai, Malaysia., Idayu Ah Khaliludin Nur ,   Pusat Tamhidi, Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia, Nilai, Malaysia., Ilyana Ismarau Tajuddin Nur ,   Pusat Tamhidi, Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia, Nilai, Malaysia., Diyana Bt Mustapha Nur ,   Faculty of Business and Communication, INTI International University, Malaysia.
Published: October 2024

Because of the COVID-19 epidemic, several educational institutions all around the world had to postpone classes. In Malaysia, the suspension began in March 2020. Throughout the first semester, this scenario persisted, requiring educational institutions to move to online classrooms and changing the academic calendar for the following years. The reality of online learning has sparked a discussion about a new pedagogical approach in which teachers and students must learn how to manage online learning and make the most of online tools. Students must first understand the challenges presented by online distance learning in order to do this (ODL). This essay will examine how students perceive the difficulties of online education in the wake of the COVID-19 epidemic. 495 UiTM Terengganu students who actively participated in online learning activities served as the study's sample. Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) and Logistic Regression were used to examine the difficulties of online learning. In this study, the data was analysed using EFA and Logistic Regression to determine what factors account for the ODL issues that UiTM Terengganu students face. The results show that for most students, the internet and technology provide the biggest obstacles. Interaction between students and lecturers, psychological problems, challenging examinations, and self-management were also mentioned as obstacles.
BLEEDING DISORDER
Authors:   Prof. & Head, Department of Pediatric & Preventive Dentistry, National Dental College & Hospital, Derabassi, S.A.S Nagar, Punjab., Dua Dr. Rohini , Arora Dr. Sanjana ,   Senior Lecturer, Department of Pediatric & Preventive Dentistry, National Dental College & Hospital, Derabassi, S.A.S Nagar, Punjab., Rani Dr. Heena ,   Postgraduate Student, Department of Pediatric & Preventive Dentistry, National Dental College & Hospital, Derabassi, S.A.S Nagar, Punjab.
Published: October 2024

Blood is a form of connective tissue made up of two main components: Red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets make up the fluid which is known as plasma and a cellular component. Disorders related to blood and bone marrow fall under hematopoietic system disorders. Bleeding disorders are conditions where blood does not clot correctly. Normally, platelets clump together to create a plug at the location of a blood vessel injury. Clotting factors, which are proteins found in the blood, collaborate to form a fibrin clot. This clot holds the platelets in place, assists with healing, and helps reduce blood loss.Hemorrhagic disorders can be either inherited or acquired and may result from issues like blood vessel abnormalities, deficiencies in clotting factors, or problems with platelets.
ENHANCING FRAUD DETECTION SYSTEMS AGAINST ADVERSARIAL ATTACKS USING MACHINE LEARNING
Authors: Alkhudhayr Ali
Published: October 2024

Fraud detection systems play a crucial role in maintaining the integrity and security of financial transactions and various operational processes. However, these systems are increasingly vulnerable to adversarial attacks, which can undermine their effectiveness. This paper explores methods to enhance the robustness of fraud detection systems against such attacks. We introduce novel adversarial attack models, propose advanced adversarial training techniques, and develop real-time detection and prevention mechanisms. The proposed methods are evaluated across multiple domains, including financial transactions, cybersecurity, and customs, demonstrating significant improvements in system resilience and accuracy.
DECODING THE BALLOT: PREDICTING INDIAN GENERAL ELECTIONS WITH MACHINE LEARNING
Authors:   Indus International School Pune, Pune, Maharashtra, 411057, India., R. Mandhyan Gaurav , Bose Shreea ,   Department of Computer Science and Information Systems, BITS Pilani, Hyderabad.
Published: October 2024

This paper explores the complexities of predicting election outcomes in India, focusing on the winning party and the probability of incumbent reelection. Leveraging historical voting data and socio-economic indicators from the Socioeconomic High-resolution Rural-Urban Geographic (SHRUG) dataset and the Lok Dhaba database, the study employs advanced machine learning models to forecast electoral results. The main goal of this paper is to find these models ability to forecast the victorious party and determine the likelihood of reelection is the main goal. Several models, including Random Forest, Gradient Boosting, and Decision Tree, were assessed to meet these goals. With an accuracy of 99.89%, the Random Forest model outperformed the rest of them. This is because of its ensemble learning strategy, which lowers overfitting and increases predictive power. Additionally successful were the Decision Tree and Gradient Boosting models, which yielded accuracies of 98.75% and 99.78%, respectively. The study faced challenges such as computational complexity and potential bias introduced by the dataset, particularly due to the historical dominance of the Indian National Congress (INC) party. Despite these challenges, the models provided valuable insights into voter behaviour and electoral trends. The implications of this study are significant for political analysts and campaign strategists. Accurate predictions can guide the development of targeted campaign strategies and enhance understanding of electoral dynamics. Future research should address dataset biases and explore more efficient algorithms to improve the robustness and applicability of these predictions in real-world scenarios.