bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Intensified Transesterification of Algae oil using Ultrasonic Cavitation
Authors: Deshpande Dhundiraj Padmanabha , Maheshwari Utkarsh , Rangarajan Vivek
Published: February 2024

The fatty Acid methyl Ester (Biodiesel) was Produce from Algae oil using transesterification reaction. The variables choose for study were reaction temperature (30, 40 and 50°C), catalysts weight base oil (5wt%, 7.5wt% and 1wt%), reaction time (30mins, 45mins and 60mins) and methanol: oil molar ratio (6:1, 9:1 and 10:1). Based on the results of the optimization study, the reaction temperature, residence time, catalyst concentration and molar ratio of methanol: oil have influenced on biodiesel yield. Biodiesel using highest methyl esters yield (99.3%) was achieved under optimized (1%) NaOH catalyst concentration at 40°C,9:1 methanol: oil molar ratio is required to conduct reaction at 45minsresidence time.. Further, the quality of biodiesel produced from algal oil meet the specifications of the ASTM standard diesel fuel D-975 regarding viscosity, flash point, density. Additionally, it was found that produced biodiesel is a high quality fuel.
IL18 in acute pancreatitis: Machine learning and two-sample Mendelian randomization study
Authors: Zhou Kena , Liu Leheng , Bao Jingpiao , Wang Chuanyang , Wang Xingpeng , Jiang Weiliang , Wan Rong
Published: February 2024

Objective
Acute pancreatitis is a common disease whose treatment is limited to symptomatic support, thus finding effective biomarkers is of great significance for early diagnosis and therapy.
Methods
Bioinformatics and machine learning were applied to evaluate the expression, clinical features, biological function and immunological effects of the characteristic genes in AP. Meanwhile, AP mice models were constructed to verify the results in vivo. Finally, Mendelian randomization studies were performed to determine the causal relationship between IL-18 and AP through genome-wide association studies.
Results
A total of 100 core genes were obtained via differential analysis and PPI interaction network. IL18 was identified as the characteristic gene for AP by machine learning through three algorithmic. The expression of IL18 was increased significantly in AP (P < 0.001). The AUC value of IL18 in the diagnosis of AP was 0.917, exhibiting high clinical value. Moreover, IL18 was associated with various immune cells involved in the progression of AP. Through inverse variance weighting (IVW), we found that the OR for IL18 and AP was 0.908 (95%CI = 0.843–0.978, p = 0.011).
Conclusions
IL18 is a pivotal biomarker predicting the clinical prognosis and immune response in AP, which is proved to serve as a protective factor.
The Need of Continuing Professional Development of Secondary-Level Teachers in Karachi
Authors: Hassan Ammad , Kang Muhammad Akhter , Shaheen Fayyaz Ahmed
Published: February 2024

The purpose of this study was to examine the need or continuing professional development (CPD) among secondary-level schoolteachers in Karachi. The education budgets of developing countries may not allow for the implementation of a continuous professional development system. The researcher proposed that schools hire a team of educational experts to work on the training of a small number of master trainers who will provide on-the-job training to untrained teachers in their respective schools. This concept of continual professional development fits well within the Karachi schools, which have limited financial resources. In this qualitative research, data were gathered from interviews with male and female teaching faculty members from 6 different private and 3 different public sector secondary-level schools in Karachi. The interviewed teachers agreed that CPD should be compulsory for teachers and schools and should motivate their staff to continue profession development; additionally, they must have a mechanism for doing so. To encourage teachers to seek professional development opportunities, schools should attract/motivate teachers to engage in CPD through rewords, especially cash rewards such as salary increases. Schools also have proper mechanisms for checking the CPDs of their staff, and promotions/appraisals should be associated with CPD programs.
Complement propagates visual system pathology following traumatic brain injury
Authors: Borucki Davis , Rohrer Baerbel , Tomlinson Stephen
Published: February 2024

Background:Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is associated with the development of visual system disorders. Visual deficits can present with delay and worsen over time, and may be associated with an ongoing neuroinflammatory response that is known to occur after TBI. Complement activation is strongly associated with the neuroinflammatory response after TBI, but whether it contributes to vision loss after TBI is unexplored.
Methods: Acute and chronic neuroinflammatory changes within the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus (dLGN) and retina were investigated subsequent to murine controlled unilateral cortical impact. Neuroinflammatory and histopathological data were interpreted in the context of behavioral and visual function data. To investigate the role of complement, cohorts were treated after TBI with the complement inhibitor, CR2-Crry.
Results: At 3 days after TBI, complement C3 was deposited on retinogeniculate synapses in the dLGN both ipsilateral and contralateral to the lesion, which was reduced in CR2-Crry treated animals. This was associated with microglia morphological changes in both the ipsilateral and contralateral dLGN, with a more amoeboid phenotype in vehicle compared to CR2-Crry treated animals. Microglia in vehicle treated animals also had a greater internalized VGlut2+ synaptic volume after TBI compared to CR2-Crry treated animals. Microglia morphological changes seen acutely persisted for at least 49 days after injury. Complement inhibition also reduced microglial synaptic internalization in the contralateral dLGN and increased the association between VGLUT2 and PSD95 puncta, indicating preservation of intact synapses. Unexpectedly, there were no changes in the thickness of the inner retina, retinal nerve fiber layer or retinal ganglion layer. Pathologies were accompanied by reduced visual acuity at subacute and chronic time points after TBI, with improvement seen in CR2-Crry treated animals.
Conclusion:TBI induces complement activation within the dLGN and promotes microglial activation and synaptic internalization. Complement inhibition after TBI in a clinically relevant paradigm reduces complement activation, maintains a more surveillance-like microglia phenotype, and preserves synaptic density within the dLGN. Together, the data indicate that complement plays a key role in the development of visual deficits after TBI via complement-dependent microglial phagocytosis of synapses within the dLGN.
Inferior Vena Cava Injuries: Are we doing what we really must?
Authors: de Carvalho Rodrigo Barros , Jimenez Laísa Simakawa , Pedro Renato Nardi , Calderan Thiago Rodrigues , Kruger Vitor Favali , Mantovani Mario Eduardo de Faria , Fraga Gustavo Pereira
Published: February 2024

Purpose: The Inferior Vena Cava (IVC) is one of the most frequent injured intraabdominal vessels and its treatment requires prompt action.
Despite advances in reanimation in last decades, there has not been proportional improvement in IVC mortality.
This report aims to discuss the mortality predictive factors including the adherence to balanced reanimation and damage control surgery (DCS) in daily trauma assistance, their repercussions on outcomes, comparing our institution outcomes to literature.
Methods: Retrospective design analysis database records of trauma patients at Clinic Hospital of University of Campinas (HC-Unicamp) were performed to investigate IVC injuries patients with emphasis on the mortality predictive factors.
Results: 74 patients were identified with IVC injury from January 1990 to August 2017. The mechanism predominant was penetrating with 87,8% (76,3% Gunshot). On arrival, 37,8% of all victims was hypotensive and the ISS median was 24,5. Regarding location of IVC, 68,5% were infrarenal, 12,2% were suprarenal, 18,9% retrohepatic. Simple repair was performed in 60,8%. Ligation was in 27% and atriocaval shunt was in 4,1%. There was not enough time to specific procedure in 8,1%. Associated intraabdominal injuries were present in 97,3%, and the mean of transfusional requirements was 9,1± 6,9 packed red blood cells. The overall mortality rate was 52.7%, with a mortality rate for infrarenal injuries of 39,2%. The DCS was adopted in 33,8% with 68% of mortality.
Conclusion: A solid comprehension of shock reanimation has progressively been disseminated; however, trauma care professionals must assure that they are being applied with balanced reanimation and DCS.
Study on improving the resistance of indica thermo-sensitive genic male sterile (TGMS) line by using the broad-spectrum blast resistance gene Pi-ja
Authors: Zhang Ying , Zhang Aifang , Jiang Jianhua , Dang Xiaojing , Wang Dezheng
Published: February 2024

At present, it is one of the common methods to seek and utilize the broad-spectrum resistance genes to improve the resistance of breeding parents to rice blast. In this study, a japonica rice line 7001S containing a broad-spectrum Pi-ja gene resistant to rice blast was used as a female parent to hybridize with five indica thermo-sensitive genic male sterile (TGMS) lines, Guangmo S, Xiner S, WA918S, W226S and W869S, respectively, using SSR marker RM27322 to identify Pi-ja genotypes, five indica TGMS lines containing a broad spectrum Pi-ja resistance gene to rice blast were established. Furthermore, the five indica TGMS lines with a broad-spectrum Pi-ja resistance gene were used to cross with restorer lines R2877, R900 and PR6547, the correlation between rice blast at seedling stage and panicle stage and the increase of plot yield were studied. The results showed that the resistance of TGMS lines and their combinations with and without Pi-ja gene were significantly different. Pi-ja gene could significantly enhance the resistance of TGMS lines to rice blast at seedling stage and panicle stage. Further plot yield tests showed that for combinations with or without Pi-ja gene, the correlation between panicle blast resistance variation and plot yield (r = 0.436, P = 0.157) was significantly higher than that between seedling blast resistance variation and plot yield (r = 0.130, p = 0.687). This study provides a technical basis for the breeding of rice varieties with broad-spectrum resistance to rice blast by molecular marker-assisted selection.
T cell immune status in patients with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: A case-control study
Authors: Xiong Xiao-feng , Zhu Min , Wu Hong-xia , Wu Zuo-hong , Fan Li-li , Cheng De-yun
Published: February 2024

Background
Immune inflammatory response plays an important role in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, the cellular immune status of patients with COPD at different phases is unclear. Herein, we aim to investigate the distribution and functional status of T cell subsets in different phases of COPD (acute exacerbation of COPD [AECOPD] and stable COPD [SCOPD]).
Methods
This is an observational case-control study undertaken in West China Hospital. The distribution of T cell subsets in peripheral blood of AECOPD, SCOPD, and healthy controls (HCs) was measured using multi-color flow cytometry, and the functional status was analyzed by additional staining of activation markers.
Results
A total of 43 HCs, 43 SCOPD patients, and 64 AECOPD patients were evaluated. The total number and percentage of lymphocytes and the CD4+/CD8 + T cells ratio were significantly lower in AECOPD patients when compared to HCs. HLA-DR expression in CD3+, CD4+, CD8+, CD8 + TCR aβ, and CD4 + TCR aβ T cells was upregulated in the AECOPD group. Similarly, the expressions of HLA-DR, CD57, and PD-1 were higher in T cell subsets in the AECOPD group. Compared with the SCOPD and HC groups, the AECOPD had a significantly lower proportion of CD4 + CD27 + CD28 + T cells, but opposite results were found for CD4 + CD27-CD28- T cells. In addition, the proportion of CD4 + CD39 + T cells and CD4 + CD25 + FoxP3 + T cells was significantly higher in the AECOPD and SCOPD groups when compared to the HC group (P < 0.05).
Conclusions
The distribution of nearly half the T cell subsets in AECOPD patients was significantly different from that in SCOPD patients and HCs. AECOPD patients may have cellular immune suppression, immune dysfunction, abnormal activation, and higher senescence depletion of T cells.
Trial Registration:
The study has been registered in the China Clinical Trials Registry on September 19, 2018 (ChiCTR1800018452).
Optical Tamm states in 2D nanostructured magnetophotonic structures
Authors: Mathmann Baptiste , Haidar Oumaima , Talbi Abdelkrim , Tiercelin Nicolas , Mir Abdallah , Boudouti El Houssaine El , Rouhani Bahram Djafari , Lévêque Gaëtan , Akjouj Abdellatif , Dusch Yannick
Published: February 2024

We numerically explore optical Tamm states (OTS) supported by a photonic structure composed of a nanostructured metallic layer on top of a distributed Bragg reflector (DBR). Several polarizations, incidences and patterning are assessed to map OTS and their properties. We then gain magnetic control of the OTS by adding a cobalt layer below the metal pattern and switching its magnetization. This control, widely used in plasmonics, takes advantage of the Transverse Magneto-Optical Kerr Effect (TMOKE). The simulated TMOKE signal of this structure has an amplitude of the order of 10-3 and, compared to conventional magnetoplasmonic structures, provides high energy confinement between the metal stripes. In addition to the opening of the metallic layer that allows better access of the analyte to the sensitive area, this paves the way for higher sensitivities in bio- and chemical sensing applications.
Interleukin-35: A key player in chronic inflammatory Type 1 and autoimmune diabetes
Authors: Bala Asis , Chakraborty Ratul , Mukherjee Ashis K.
Published: February 2024

Interleukin-35 (IL-35) is a protein that was recently discovered and is composed of IL-12α and IL-27β chains. It is produced by the IL12A and EBI3 genes. Interest in the study of IL-35 has grown significantly in recent years, as evidenced by numerous scientific publications. Clinical research has revealed that patients who are negative for C-peptide have significantly lower serum levels of IL-35, which is accompanied by a decrease in the proportion of IL-35+ Treg cells, regulatory B cells, and CD8+ FOXP3+ cells that produce IL-35. This article highlights the potential importance of IL-35 expression in regulating the immune response and its role in chronic inflammatory Type 1 and autoimmune diabetes in the context of pancreatic inflammation, including its ability to control cytokine proportions, regulate B cells, and provide protection against autoimmune diabetes. Nonetheless, additional research is required to determine the exact mechanism of IL-35, and clinical trials must be carefully planned.
Left coronary artery to main pulmonary artery fistula in a dog
Authors: Agudelo CF , Lukac B , Bockay A , Vargova N , Kackova G , Figurova M , Hornak S
Published: February 2024

A vascular communication between the left coronary artery and the main pulmonary artery (coronary fistula) was diagnosed as an incidental finding in a 3-year-old female Tatran hound by echocardiography as part of preanesthetic evaluation. The history, clinical examination, and diagnostic imaging did not reveal evidence of trauma or endocarditis which could have led to this condition. Transthoracic echocardiography revealed dilation of the left coronary sinus secondary to an abnormal vessel shunting blood into the main pulmonary artery. Computed tomography confirmed this diagnosis. Coronary artery fistula is a very rare finding in human and animals. According to the authors, this is the first clinical case of a congenital fistula between the left coronary artery and the main pulmonary artery in a dog.
Detection and analysis of Short Linear Motif based protein-protein interactions with SLiMAn2 web server
Authors: Mezghrani Alexandre , SIMON Juliette , Reys Victor , Labesse Gilles
Published: February 2024

Interactomics is bringing a deluge of data regarding protein-protein interactions (PPIs) which are involved in various molecular processes in all types of cells. However, this information does not easily translate into direct and precise molecular interfaces. This limits our understanding of each interaction network and prevents their efficient modulation. A lot of the detected interactions involve recognition of short linear motifs (SLiMs) by a folded domain while others rely on domain-domain interactions. Functional SLiMs hide among a lot of spurious ones, making deeper analysis of interactomes tedious. Hence, actual contacts and direct interactions are difficult to identify.
Consequently, there is a need for user-friendly bioinformatic tools, enabling rapid molecular and structural analysis of SLiM-based PPIs in a protein network. In this chapter, we describe the use of the new webserver SLiMAn to help digging into SLiM-based PPIs in an interactive fashion.
Effect of an acute bout of high- vs. low-intensity physical exercise on attentional networks.
Authors: Sanchis-Navarro Enrique , Luna Fernando Gabriel , Lupiañez Juan , Huertas Florentino
Published: February 2024

The effects of physical exercise on attentional performance have received considerable interest in recent years. Most of previous studies that assessed the effect of an acute bout of exercise on attentional performance have generally been approached by analysing single attentional functions in isolation, thus ignoring the functioning of other attentional functions, which characterizes the real perception-action environmental conditions. Here, we investigated the effect of two different intensities (low vs. high) of acute exercise on attentional performance by using the ANTI-Vea, a behavioral task that simultaneously measures three attentional functions (phasic alertness, orienting, and cognitive control) and the executive and arousal components of vigilance. 30 participants completed three experimental sessions: the first one to assess their physical fitness and baseline performance in the ANTI-Vea, and the other two sessions to assess changes in attentional and vigilance performance after an acute bout of high- vs. low-intensity physical exercise (in a counterbalanced order between participants). Beneficial effects on some accuracy scores (i.e., overall higher accuracy in the attentional sub-task and fewer false alarms in the executive vigilance sub-task) were observed in the low-intensity exercise condition compared to baseline and high-intensity. Additionally, the RT score of phasic alertness was increased after the low-intensity exercise in comparison with baseline. The present findings suggest that a bout of acute exercise at low-intensity might induce some short-term beneficial effects on some aspects of attention and vigilance.
Family-Friendly Work Conditions and Participation in Paid Work among Malaysian Women
Authors: (surname) Nadirah (given name) Mat Pozian , Miller Yvette D , Mays Jenni
Published: February 2024

Family-friendly work conditions (FFWCs) are designed to improve women’s engagement in paid employment. We conducted an online survey to assess the extent to which accessibility and use of eleven specificFFWCs were associated with paid work participation among Malaysian women with young children (N = 215). Availability of FFWCs was not associated with work participation. Utilisation of paid maternity leave was positively associated with work participation, after accounting for potential confounders. Future research is needed to confirm FFWCs impact on women’s work participation, in samples that adequately represent informally employed women and those who have left paid work.
Many-objective Optimization Algorithm Based on the Similarity Principle and Multi-mechanism Collaborative Search
Authors: Gan Wei , Li Hongye , Hao Pengpeng
Published: February 2024

In order to efficiently solve many-objective optimization problems and maintain a good distribution of solutions, an evolutionary algorithm based on the elimination of similar individuals (ESEA) is proposed in this paper. Considering that environmental selection based on Pareto- dominance relations often yields a small number of dominance-resistant individuals (DRIs), which are difficult to be eliminated naturally during the algorithm iteration process, these DRIs can significantly impact the algorithm's performance. To enhance convergence and stability, ESEA proposes a method to suppress the generation of DRIs by introducing a redundant protection mechanism. Through the elimination of distance-similar individuals in 2D or 3D objective spaces, the ESEA can effectively remove high-density individuals to maintain population diversity and good distribution. By introducing the ISDE+ indicator and eliminating angle-similar individuals in high-dimensional objective spaces, the proposed ESEA can mitigate premature convergence and promote exploration across different regions of the search space, thereby enhancing the likelihood of discovering diverse and potentially superior solutions.
The proposed algorithm is compared with five state-of-the-art optimizers on 21 test problems. The experimental results demonstrate the promising performance of the proposed algorithm while effectively searching for the ideal Pareto front. It is evident that eliminating similar individuals and performing multiple mechanism joint searches can enhance the selection pressure towards the ideal Pareto front. Furthermore, the proposed ESEA can not only find a set of well-distributed points on the entire Pareto-optimal front, but also effectively maintain boundary solutions very well.
The effect of COVID-19 disease on patients diagnosed with skin cancer in the dermatology clinic
Authors: Alyanak Alper , Aktaş Nurhan Döner , Emir Büşra , Güray Türkan , Yazıcı Ayşe
Published: February 2024

Objective: We aimed to define the impact of the pandemic on patients presenting to dermatology clinic with skin cancer.
Methods: In our study, the characteristics of patients who attended our dermatology clinic before six months and after six months of March 11, 2020, and whose biopsies diagnosed as basal cell carcinoma (BCC), squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), and malignant melanoma (MM) were evaluated and compared regarding before and after COVID-19 pandemic
Results: Patients with BCC attending to the dermatology clinic were found to be younger in the pandemic period (p<0.05). Gender, duration of skin tumors, primary lesions, and their locations were found to be not statistically significant (p>0.05).
Conclusion:Patients with suspicious skin lesions could be encouraged to visit a hospital with appropriate COVID-19 protection. Alternatively, teledermatology could be used to evaluate whether the lesions should be excised or biopsied.
Factors associated with Virological non-suppression among adult PLHIV after receiving Intensive Adherence Counseling at Taso Mbale, Eastern Uganda: A Cross-sectional Study
Authors: Apio Alice , Soita David Jonah , Masaba JP , Matovu JKB , Mukunya David , Ojera Samuel
Published: February 2024

Background: According to the Joint United Nations Program (JUNP) on HIV/AIDS through the ambitious 95-95-95 target, 95% of people living with HIV (PLHIV) on antiretroviral treatment (ART) should be virally suppressed. Viral load (VL) non-suppression has been found to be associated with ART adherence, and intensive adherence counseling (IAC) has been shown to lead to VL re-suppression by over 70% in PLHIV on ART. Although Uganda has employed the IAC intervention program since 2015, there is paucity of research data on HIV viral load non-suppression after IAC.
Methodology: This was a Cross-sectional study, conducted in TASO Mbale. Data were abstracted for all clients with non-suppressed viral load between Jan 2018 to August 2021 from the TASO Mbale program database and various parameters were considered. These parameters included the IACs done, the repeat VL done, presence of an opportunistic infection, sex, age, and the current regimen. A client was considered to have a non-virological status if there were >1000 copies of CD4 cells. The clients were followed for a maximum period of 43 months. A total of 13428 person months was observed for different periods. The data were then analyzed using statistical software Stata version 14. Bivariate analysis was done for all covariates. Hazard ratios (HRs) were estimated as a degree of association between viral non-suppression and client features, via a Cox proportional hazards regression.
Results: A total of 442 PLHIV after IAC were enrolled, of whom 60 (13.6%) had VL non suppression following IAC. The overall rate of VL non-suppression was 4.47 (3.41-5.75) per 1000 person-months (PM) of observation after IAC. ART regimen was statistically significant with viral load suppression especially DTG-3TC-LPV/r based regimen had (AHR=5.78, 95%CI, 1.137-29.384, p=0.034). Poor adherence level to ART had significant contribution to viral load non-suppression (AHR=4.88, 95%CI: 1. 607-14.836, p=0.005).
Conclusion: Virological non-suppression after IAC was found at 13.6% and associated with patients’ poor adherence level. Viral load suppression was associated with DTG-3TC-LPV/r and AZT-3TC-LPV/r based regimens. The findings lend a huge boost towards the third UNAIDS target of 95%.
Progression of the faecal microbiome in preweaning dairy calves that develop cryptosporidiosis
Authors: Hares Miriam F , Griffiths Bethany E , Barningham Liam , Vamos Ecaterina E , Gregory Richard , Duncan Jennifer S , Oikonomou Georgios , Stewart Christopher J , Coombes Janine L
Published: February 2024

Background Cryptosporidiosis is a diarrheal disease that commonly affects calves under 6-weeks-old. The causative agent, Cryptosporidium parvum, has been associated with the abundance of specific taxa in the faecal microbiome during active infection. However, the long-term impact of these microbiome shifts, and potential effects on calf growth and health have not yet been explored.
Methods 346 calves from three dairy farms had one faecal swab collected during the first week of life (W1). Thereafter, sampled calves were monitored for diarrhoeal disease and those that suffered a diarrhoea event were tested for C. parvumby lateral flow test (LFT). Calves that experienced diarrhoea and tested positive for C. parvum by LFT were assigned to the Cryptosporidium-positive (Cp+) group (n=32). Matched healthy (H) controls with no history of diarrhoea were selected from the remaining cohort (n=33). The selected subset of calves (n=65) were observed until weaning, collecting a faecal swab, at approximately Week 5 (W5) and Week 10 (W10) after birth, resulting in a total of 191 samples (W1; n=65, W5; n=64, W10; n=62). 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing was performed on all extracted samples.
Results Analysis of the longitudinal microbiome showed significant changes in the microbial diversity and composition across all three time points. Whilst Firmicuteswere elevated in the Cp+ group at W5 compared to the H group, no other significant differences were detected between H and Cp+ groups. Whilst the core microbiota showed some taxa were exclusive to each group, the role of these taxa in health and disease has yet to be determined. Antibiotics were also found to have an impact on the relative abundance of some taxa. Though there was a difference in daily live weight gain between H and Cp+ groups, it did not reach significance at either W5 and W10, suggesting that Cp+ calves can catch up to their healthy counterparts once the infection has resolved.
Conclusions The findings of this study illustrate the changes in the microbial diversity and composition during the preweaning period in dairy calves. The results also indicate that the faecal microbiome is not predictive of cryptosporidiosis and imply that cryptosporidiosis doesn’t cause long-term gut dysbiosis. This study furthers our understanding of the parasite-microbiome relationship and its impact on the bovine host.
Characterization and application of the Synthesized 3D Poly (Vinyl Acetate)/Acrylamide Superabsorbent
Authors: El-Toony Mohamed , Gh Eid , NM Maziad
Published: February 2024

Different polyvinyl acetate ratios were mixed with acrylamide and nanoparticle ferric chloride and then exposed to varying doses of gamma irradiation. The optimal gamma irradiation dose for achieving final cross-linking and obtaining a superabsorbent hydrogel was determined to be 20 kGy. The hydrogel was foamed to create a three-dimensional structure to enhance groundwater decontamination efficiency. The resulting polymer was chemically, thermally, and morphologically characterized. The porosity was evaluated using the Brunauer, Emmett, and Teller method (BET) and Positron Annihilation Lifetime Spectroscopy (PALS). The foam exhibited significantly greater water swelling compared to the hydrogel with the same composition, increasing it by a factor of 4,818. When comparing the foam, hydrogel, and commercially available poly electrolytes (polyacrylamide) in terms of electric conductivity (EC), ion exchange capacity (IEC), and hardness, the foam displayed exceptional fantastic properties. Many groundwater patterns were studied, such as turbidity, pH, total dissolved solids (TDS), chemical oxygen demand (COD), biological oxygen demand (BOD), turbidity bacterial cells’ disinfection, and rotavirus.
Digital Handwritten Answer Sheet Evaluation System
Authors: Kulkarni Madhavi , Adhav Gayatri , Wadile Kunal , Chavan Rohini , Deshmukh Vrushali
Published: February 2024

The world is moving towards computerization. Manually checking the answer sheets takes a lot of time and effort from the schoolteachers and college professors. To address this challenge, our project aims to streamline the evaluation process by converting handwritten student responses into digital text and comparing them with predetermined model answers provided by educators. This is made possible through the integration of cutting-edge technologies such as optical character recognition (OCR), natural language processing (NLP), and machine learning algorithms. By the utilization of advanced BERT (Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers) models and cosine similarity algorithms, our system ensures accuracy and efficiency when evaluating student answers. Rather than focusing on answer length, the project's main goal is to optimize mark distribution based on key terms. This will save educators time and effort while advancing a fair and uniform evaluation process. Additionally, this approach helps students understand concepts more clearly and motivates them to give exact and accurate answers, which helps produce results that are fair and equal.
Design and Experimental Testing of Dish Type Solar Thermal Collector for Cooking Application
Authors: Anmute Yohnnes , Gzate Yewondwosen
Published: February 2024

Ethiopia is the country which use fossil fuel as main source of energy. About 83% people of the country live in countryside area and use fossil fuel as a source energy for both baking and cooking purpose. Among this 70% of the energy is used for baking injera which needs a high temperature in range of 180–220℃ in a control environment. Thus, substituting it by renewable energy is an admirable solution of the season. The thermal energy is collected using 2𝑚2 area parabolic dish collector to the heat transfer fluid through spiral copper coil absorber. The experimental setup is manufactured from locally available material. Leakage of fluid was difficult to control during experimental test. Instruments like thermocouple, infrared thermometer and Pyranometer are used in the experimental test. Thus, HTF is heated by parabolic dish collector at the absorber plate and attain up to a temperature of 253℃ and the average day thermal efficiency was around 51.44%.
Optimization of routine pediatric CT examination in Hawassa city, Sidama region Ethiopia
Authors: Worassa Emnet Kebede , Abegaz Andargie Baye , Nigusse Teklehaimanot Mezgebe , Safaye Boko Loko
Published: February 2024

Computed tomography (CT) has considerable impact in patient care. However, it is the most irradiating medical imaging technique in diagnostic radiology department. Optimization of pediatric CT is not well-practiced in developing countries. Protocols for some age groups were missed, and scan parameters are not adapted to the patient body size and age group. Furthermore, there are no established diagnostic reference levels to enhance dose optimization for pediatric patients at the local, regional, and national levels. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the optimization of routine pediatric CT examinations in Hawassa city, Ethiopia. A total of 360 pediatric dose records were reviewed for routine pediatric CT performed between January 1st, 2021 - May 30th, 2022. The data were analyzed using the statistical package for social science version 25 software. The Local Diagnostic Reference Levels (LDRLs) were established at the 75th percentile of CT dose quantities. The average KVp, mAs, and scan length used for pediatric head, chest, and abdomen CT were (112.8, 260.6, and 19.8), (112.9, 64.7, and 31.5), and (113.3, 79.4, and 32.9) respectively. The range of the established LDRLs in terms of volumetric CT dose index for the head, chest, and abdomen CT were (31.5 to 47, 2.3 to 6.1, 1.7 to 4.7) mGy. Whereas the range in terms of dose length product per scan for the head, chest, and abdomen CT were (723.4 to 1126.7, 55.9 to 258.9, and 38.1 to 242.5) mGy cm respectively. The obtained results show that the LDRLs for volumetric CT does index for head and chest CT were equivalent to the international studies. Whereas the local DRLs in terms of dose length product per scan were higher than the reports other studies except in Japan where the values for chest CT were comparable to the results of this study. Finally, the findings suggested that non-optimized pediatric head and chest CT were performed across all age groups.
The role of marketing strategy in the activities of medical institutions under the conditions of COVID-19
Authors: Bondarenko Alla , Hordiienko Vita , Koroshchenko Valeriia
Published: February 2024

The article is devoted to the topical issues of analyzing the impact of COVID-19 on the marketing activities of medical institutions. Attention is paid to the analysis of the main innovations in the field of medical marketing that arose in response to the challenges caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Changes in society's priorities were analyzed, as well as ways of adapting the marketing activities of business entities in the health care sector were investigated. Determinants of the micro- and macro-environment of medical institutions, which significantly affect the functioning of such institutions in the conditions of challenges of a different nature, in particular in the conditions of epidemics, are determined. An analysis of the competitiveness of a separate medical institution in the region of Ukraine was carried out. The authors proposed an innovative version of Maslow's matrix, which in its essence is more about safe behavior and physiological needs of the consumer. The authors paid attention to the peculiarities of maintaining pages in social networks, setting up targeted advertising, development of health care sites, partnership between medical institutions, virtual assistance of doctors and other important parameters of marketing activity. Three main interrelated topics were chosen for social media posts: COVID-19, hospital, laboratory. Based on the results of the research, recommendations were developed for improving the marketing activities of a private medical center in the context of a pandemic. The authors developed a media plan for the popularization of a comprehensive examination of the human body after suffering from the coronavirus disease. Using the example of a medical center, the implementation of new marketing trends in the work of a medical institution is described (digitalization, updating pages in social networks, implementation of online patient records, maintenance of expert accounts). Outcomes were assessed by monitoring the number of patient records. The effectiveness of the implementation of marketing innovations in the activities of these business entities in the conditions of pandemic challenges has been proven. The advantages of introducing such innovations into the activities of medical institutions and the prospects for their improvement have been studied
Socially responsible marketing in the context of industry 4.0: bibliometric analysis
Authors: Illiashenko Anastasia , Chygryn Olena
Published: February 2024

Socially responsible marketing is an important tool for promoting environmentally sustainable production through the implementation of "green" production processes, "green" supply chain management and "green" products, and requires companies to engage in appropriate decisions, actions and practices that simultaneously meet ethical, economic, legal and environmental challenges. The development of Industry 4.0 is a key priority, as it determines the exponential growth of productivity, efficient use of time and cost reduction. The study aims to analyse the relationships between social responsibility and Industry 4.0 using bibliometric analysis tools. A thorough study of the relationships between the concepts of social responsibility and Industry 4.0, the study of thematic orientation and authorship of publications, systematisation and structuring of scientific works according to the main directions of research was carried out using the VOSviewer 1.6.19.0 software, a tool with functions of intellectual text analysis that can be used for construction and visualisation of bibliometric networks. The analysis results showed a rapid increase in the interest of scientists and confirmed the importance of socially responsible marketing in the world's advanced countries. The study of the topic and content of scientific studies shows that today socially responsible marketing should be a component of the management system of a modern enterprise, which recognises the importance of environmental problems and builds a transparent relationship with its consumers. The analysis of the affiliation of scientists proved that they belong to China, the USA, and European countries to a large extent. A retrospective analysis of scientific research revealed three stages of the development of publishing activity: the development of corporate relations, analysis of the impact of enterprise activities on the environment, and digitalisation processes. The authors single out promising socially responsible marketing; research areas: green economy, corporate social responsibility, and carbon-free economy.
Arctic digital airmobile cyberphysical platforms technologies
Authors: Bengert A. A. , Vinokur M. V. , Yezhov D. A. , Bidenko S. I.
Published: February 2024

This article is aimed at characterizing the physical-geographical and socio-geographical conditions of the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation. The necessity and possibility of using unmanned vehicles to support activity in the Arctic are demonstrated. The cyber capability of the Arctic zone is determined in terms of observability, controllability, and security criteria. The characteristics of unmanned vehicles used in Arctic operations are given. General principles for the formation of singleand group airmobile intelligent platforms are formulated. Digital technologies and methods for using unmanned airborne platforms are described in the context of typical piloting episodes and tasks, situation analysis in a given area, ice reconnaissance, provision of communication networks in poorly equipped water areas, navigation systems support, etc. The limitations of using airmobile unmanned technologies in Arctic conditions are outlined.
Characteristics of marine litter on Russian High Arctic islands under modern conditions
Authors: Valeeva T. A. , Mandryka O. N.
Published: February 2024

The study used data on the pollution of the coastline of the Russian Arctic National Park with marine litter to examine its composition and determine its origins. Marine litter is shown to accumulate on the islands of the Russian Arctic despite the absence of garbage patches in the Arctic Ocean. The analysis identified plastic as the main type of marine litter polluting the coasts. Monitoring also helped to identify the main source of pollution—fishing. The obtained results can be used to develop a plan designed to prevent industrial and consumer waste from reaching the coasts of islands.
Methodology for assessing the effectiveness of Arctic-oriented innovative scientific research
Authors: Gogoberidze G. G. , Rumiantseva E. A. , Lazareva I. M. , Skalaban E. V. , Usova E. A.
Published: February 2024

The article examines various approaches to assessing the effectiveness of innovative scientific research and analysis tools. The main principles and stages in the effectiveness analysis of research projects are identified, which served as a basis for the methodology designed to assess the effectiveness of Arctic-oriented research projects. The methodology is proposed for four main types of research activities, including basic research, exploratory research, applied research, and development work. It is indicated that it is possible to assess the effectiveness of scientific activities conducted by organizations using aggregate indices while taking into account the type of organization implementing Arctic-oriented scientific projects.
Parâmetros fisiológicos e comportamentais do recém-nascido submetido ao primeiro banho no contexto hospitalar: revisão de escopo
Authors: Hansen Milena , Munhoz Oclaris Lopes , Demori Carolina Carbonell , Rangel Rosiane Filipin
Published: February 2024

Objetivo: mapear a produção do conhecimento científico acerca dos parâmetros fisiológicos e comportamentais de recém-nascidos à termo submetidos ao primeiro banho no contexto hospitalar. Método: revisão de escopo desenvolvida em seis bases de dados, com buscas realizadas em setembro de 2022. Foram incluídos estudos experimentais ou observacionais, disponíveis em português, inglês e/ou espanhol, sem recorte temporal. Seguiu-se as diretrizes do Joanna Briggs Institute e do Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews. Resultados: foram selecionadas 22 produções para a síntese de evidências, as quais foram publicizadas entre 1981 e 2022. Parâmetros de choro, agitação e temperatura corporal são influenciados no primeiro banho do RN. A maioria dos estudos recomendou banho de imersão, adiado por 24 horas, realizado por profissionais de saúde, no quarto da mãe/alojamento conjunto, com uso de aquecedor radiante após o banho. Conclusão: todo banho impacta na estabilidade fisiológica e comportamental do RN. Porém, o primeiro banho de imersão adiado por no mínimo 24 horas mantém o RN mais calmo, diminui a incidência de hipotermia, aumenta taxas de aleitamento materno exclusivo e tempo de contato pele a pele.
A integralidade e intersetorialidade da atenção primária à saúde na rede de atendimento a violência contra a mulher
Authors: Dos Santos Theônia Raquel , Farias Priscilia Janaina Dantas de Lima , Ferreira Maria Ângela Fernandes , Amorim Karla Patrícia Cardoso
Published: February 2024

Objetivou-se analisar a atuação da Atenção Primária à Saúde no cuidado às mulheres em situação de violência doméstica e familiar, em um município no interior do Nordeste brasileiro. Trata-se de uma pesquisa qualitativa de cunho exploratório-descritivo envolvendo sete profissionais lotados na Atenção Primária à Saúde (APS) e na Gestão. A coleta dos dados ocorreu entre fevereiro e março de 2022, através de entrevistas semiestruturadas e um diário de campo. Os resultados revelam uma rede de atendimento fragilizada, desarticulada, sem fluxos e protocolos, onde o diálogo entre os serviços se limita através dos encaminhamentos individuais. Além disso, os profissionais desconhecem a maioria dos serviços dessa rede, impossibilitando a oferta de um cuidado integral, intersetorial e resolutivo. Entretanto, apontam potencialidades, a exemplo do reconhecimento do estratégico e importante papel da APS como porta de entrada para as mulheres em situação de violência.
Cuidados na atenção primária à saúde para a dignidade no final da vida
Authors: Da Silva Nataniele Kmentt , Cordeiro Franciele Roberta , Blumentritt Júlia Brombila , Corrêa Izadora  Martins
Published: February 2024

O objetivo deste estudo foi descrever os cuidados realizados por profissionais de equipes da atenção primária à saúde visando a dignidade de pessoas em final de vida no domicílio e conhecer os aspectos facilitadores e dificultadores. Trata-se de uma pesquisa qualitativa com 12 profissionais de cinco Estratégias de Saúde da Família. Foram realizadas entrevistas semiestruturadas, entre outubro e novembro de 2022, cujos resultados foram organizados no programa Atlas.ti e submetidos à análise de conteúdo. As participantes foram enfermeiras, médicas, técnicas de enfermagem e agente comunitária de saúde, as quais relataram não atender com frequência pessoas em final de vida. A identificação dessas pessoas no serviço ocorre pelos agentes comunitários de saúde, prontuários e busca direta do serviço por pacientes e familiares. Para tentar promover dignidade, visitas domiciliares e encaminhamentos para serviços de saúde são estratégias para assegurar a longitudinalidade do cuidado, assim como o acolhimento, acesso a equipes especializadas e comunicação efetiva com os envolvidos no cuidado. O diálogo, a equipe qualificada, a inserção da família nos cuidados e o acompanhamento da equipe são fatores facilitadores do cuidado centrado na dignidade. A sobrecarga de trabalho, a limitação de recursos, as fragilidades na comunicação e os vínculos familiares enfraquecidos dificultam a manutenção da dignidade das pessoas em final de vida no domicílio.
Understanding the Factors Affecting Green Purchase Behavior of Consumers with Special Reference to Uttar Pradesh, India
Authors: Kaushal Shailesh Kumar , Khanna Priyaka , Gupta Pankaj
Published: February 2024

The purpose of this study is to examine the factors affecting green purchase behavior of consumers in Uttar Pradesh, India. The Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) contains five factors: attitude, subjective norm, perceived behavioral control, purchase intention, and purchase behavior to explain consumers' purchase behavior. This research investigates the determinants of the purchase intention for green products leading to the purchase behavior for the same. The data collected from 300 respondents for the study were analyzed using Confirmatory Factor Analysis and Structural Equation Modeling to validate the Theory of Planned Behavior. The study results indicate that attitude has a significant positive relationship with the purchase intention towards green products. The strength of the significant relationship between subjective norms and purchase intention was good. The relationship between perceived behavioral control and purchase intention was significant. The results of the last hypothesis were significant, which means there was a significant positive relationship between purchase intention and purchase behavior. This study is useful for policymakers, entrepreneurs, marketers, and academicians and gives insight into how to increase purchase intention and purchase for different kinds of green products.