bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Empirical Discovery of Hyperspherical 5th Dimensionality by Application of Dirac Electron Hypertube Resonance to Kaluza-Klein Cyclicality
Authors: Amoroso Richard L
Published: September 2023

Motivated by assumptions that Quantum Mechanics (QM) is not the basement of reality and that additional dimensionality (XD) is required to complete and extend the Standard Models (SM) of Particle Physics and Cosmology, experimental protocols utilizing putative properties of Kaluza-Klein-like (KK) cyclicality embedded within Dirac’s electron hypertube model in conjunction with a Dirac covariant polarized vacuum is developed to produce a new type of low-energy tabletop cross section based on topological phase transitions rather than high energy collision sprays as in the LHC. The model is presented in a highly theoretical axiomatic manner utilizing off-the-shelf parameters generally marginalized by the mainstream physics community. When successful the protocol leads to obsolescence of the highly efficacious 100-year supercollider run producing a paradigm shift with an inherent new set of Unified Field (UF) transformations beyond the Galilean Lorentz-Poincaré transformations of the SM to 3rd regime natural science: Classical – Quantum - UF.
Integrated Multi-Omics Analyses Reveal That Autophagy Mediated Cellular Metabolism Is Required for the Initiation of Pollen Germination
Authors: Zhou Xuemei , Zhang Qiuyu , Zhao Yuliang , Ding Shanshan , Yu Guang-hui
Published: September 2023

Autophagy is an evolutionarily conserved mechanism for degrading and recycling different cellular components in both normal development and stress conditions. Our recent research demonstrated that autophagy-mediated compartmental cytoplasmic deletion is essential for pollen germination. However, how autophagy regulates pollen germination to ensure its fertility remains largely unknown. Here, we applied multi-omic analyses to investigate the downstream pathways of autophagy in the process of pollen germination. Although ATG2 and ATG5 play similar roles in regulating pollen germination, high-throughput transcriptomic analysis reveals that silencing ATG5 has greater impact on the transcriptome than silencing ATG2. Cross-comparisons of transcriptome and proteome analysis reveal that gene expression at mRNA level and protein level are differentially affected by autophagy. Furthermore, high-throughput metabolomics analysis demonstrates that pathways related amino acid metabolism and aminoacyl-tRNA biosynthesis can be affected by both ATG2 and ATG5 silencing. Collectively, our multi-omic analyses reveal a central role of autophagy in cellular metabolism, which is critical for the initiation of pollen germination and the guarantee of pollen fertility.
Identification of Breast Cancer Metastasis Markers Using Machine Learning Approaches with Gene Expression Profiles
Authors: Jung Jinmyung , Yoo Sunyong
Published: September 2023

Cancer metastasis accounts for approximately 90% of cancer deaths, and elucidating markers in metastasis is the first step in its prevention. To characterize metastasis marker genes of breast cancer (MGs), XGBoost models that classify metastasis status were trained with gene expression profiles from TCGA. Then, a metastasis score (MS) was assigned to each gene by calculating the inner product between the feature importance and AUC performance of the models. As a result, the 54, 202, and 357 genes with the highest MS were characterized as MGs by empirical P-value cutoffs of 0.001, 0.005, and 0.01, respectively. The three sets of MGs were compared with those from existing metastasis marker databases, which provided significant results in most comparisons. We noticed that the set of MGs with the median EP cutoff showed better performance than the other two sets, suggesting the importance of the cutoff used in determining MGs. They were also significantly enriched in biological processes associated to breast cancer metastasis. The MGs that could not be identified by statistical analysis (e.g., GOLM1, ELAVL1, UBP1, and AZGP1) as well as the MGs with the highest MS (e.g., ZNF676, FAM163B, LDOC2, IRF1, and STK40) were verified via the literature. Additionally, we checked how close the MGs are located to each other in the protein–protein interaction networks. We expect that the characterized markers will help understand and prevent breast cancer metastasis.
Rising Cancer Impact and Pollution as Hazards
Authors: Patil Abhinandan , Singh Neha
Published: September 2023

Comprehensive studies into the various causes of this ubiquitous disease have been prompted by the worldwide increase in cancer incidence. There are many potential causes of cancer, but environmental factors are of particular concern now. This abstract explores the complex link between environmental factors and the growing cancer epidemic, shedding light on the role that our immediate environment plays in the emergence of cancers. The environment can contain carcinogenic agents that gradually influence the course of cancer, including air pollutants, water contaminants, workplace exposures, and industrial activities. The ways through which environmental carcinogens may cause DNA damage and unchecked cell proliferation are discussed in this abstract. Environmental justice and the moral necessity to reduce inequities in exposure and health effects are highlighted to underline the disproportionate impact on vulnerable groups. The study presented here highlights the need for preemptive action to reduce environmental risks. Society can reduce the hidden threat posed by environmental carcinogens through strict legislation, sustainable practices, and community-driven initiatives. In order to lessen the cancer burden and secure a healthier future for all, the authors of this abstract argue that there must be a concerted effort to create surroundings that promote health and well-being.
Quantitative Investigation of the Fracture Aperture during Temporary Plugging and Diverting Fracturing
Authors: Wang Yubin , Sun Baojiang , Wang Tianju , Hao Zhiwei , Wang Bo
Published: September 2023

Hydraulic fracturing is an efficient method to develop oil/gas resources economically. Temporary plugging and diverting fracturing (TPDF) can generate diversion fractures perpendicular to the initial fractures and enhance the stimulated area. The aperture of the diversion fractures determines its conductivity and the oil/gas production. This work established a fluid-solid fully coupled simulation model to investigate the fracture aperture influenced by various factors during TPDF. The factors include the permeability of the tight plug, the length of the tight plug, Young’s modulus, rock tensile strength, in-situ stress contrast, the leak-off coefficient of the fracture surface, and fluid injection rate. Results show that the aperture of the previous fracture can be enlarged, and the aperture of the diversion fracture can be decreased by the tight plug. The aperture at the diversion fracture mouth is much smaller than that along the diversion fracture. Reservoirs with low Young’s modulus and high rock tensile strength can generate the diversion fracture with a wider aperture. Moreover, increasing the fluid injection rate can effectively increase the fracture mouth aperture. In this way, the risk of screenout can be lowered. This work is beneficial for the design of the TPDF and ensures safe construction.
Earnings Management and Financial Distress among the Firms Listed at Nairobi Securities Exchange: Pre and Post Covid Analysis
Authors: Kamau Charles Guandaru
Published: September 2023

Earnings management and financial distress are two critical facets of financial management in corporations that have lately been the focus of thorough research from both scholars and practitioners. The purpose of the research is to evaluate the influence of financial distress on the earnings management of companies listed at the NSE during the pre- and post-COVID eras. Multiple linear regression was applied in this study to examine the causal association between earnings management and financial distress. To assess the effect of financial distress on earnings management, the study analyzed data from 37 listed companies during the pre-COVID and post-COVID periods. The methodology also takes into account control factors like firm size, GDP, and inflation. The pre-COVID research indicates a significant positive correlation between financial strain and earnings management. In contrast, the correlation between financial distress and earnings management is not statistically significant in the post-COVID analysis. However, research shows that firm size has a statistically significant negative influence on managing earnings. The results of this study show that smaller firms are more inclined to engage in earnings management during the post-COVID era than bigger ones.
PEIPNet: Parametric Efficient Image-Inpainting Network with Depthwise and Pointwise Convolution
Authors: Ko Jaekyun , Choi Wanuk , Lee Sanghwan
Published: September 2023

Research on image-inpainting tasks has mainly focused on enhancing performance by augmenting various stages and modules. However, this trend does not consider the increase in the number of model parameters and operational memory, which increases the burden on computational resources. To solve this problem, we propose a Parametric Efficient Image InPainting Network (PEIPNet) for efficient and effective image-inpainting. Unlike other state-of-the-art methods, the proposed model has a one-stage inpainting framework in which depthwise and pointwise convolutions are adopted to reduce the number of parameters and computational costs. To generate semantically appealing results, we selected three unique components: spatially-adaptive denormalization (SPADE), dense dilated convolution module (DDCM), and efficient self-attention (ESA). The SPADE was adopted to conditionally normalize activations according to the mask to distinguish between damaged and undamaged regions. The DDCM was employed at every scale to overcome the gradient-vanishing obstacle and gradually fill-in pixels by capturing global information along the feature maps. The ESA was utilized to obtain clues from unmasked areas by extracting long-range information. In terms of efficiency, our model has the lowest operational memory compared with other state-of-the-art methods. Both qualitative and quantitative experiments demonstrate the generalized inpainting of our method on three public datasets: Paris StreetView, CelebA, and Places2.
A Descriptive Review of Medication Overuse Headache - from Pathophysiology to the Clinic
Authors: Ljubisavljevic Srdjan , Ljubisavljevic Marina , Damjanovic Radomir , Kalinic Sreten
Published: September 2023

Purpose of review: Medication overuse headache (MOH) is an important problem worlwide areas of different controversy regarding its entity. This article reviews the risk factors, comorbidities, pathophysiology, clinical presentation, effective management and prognosis of MOH, by summaries and integrates the results and finding in previously performed more than 15000 studies (from the year of 2010 to 2023) available from the scientific database of the University Medical Library in the University Clinical centre of Niš, which aimed to investigate and define a complexcity of this type of headache.
Recent finding: It has been proposed that all acute migraine medications can lead to MOH, with differences in the propensity of different agents to cause the problem. Early data suggests that triptans and other pain killers used for the acute treatment of migraine, may be an exception. Recent studies show that practicioners and the general public are still largely unaware of the problem of medication overuse and its damaging effects.
Summary: Although it is likely that MOH does occur and restricting the amount of acute medications is necessary to prevent it. It is also possible that increasing amounts of acute medications are simply a reflection of poorly controlled headaches, rather than a couse. Further researches need to be developed to identify more precisious mechanism in MOH effecitive management and its evolution.
Trajectory Tracking Predictive Control for Unmanned Surface Vehicles with Improved Nonlinear Disturbance Observer
Authors: Fu Huixuan , Yao Wenjing , Cajo Ricardo , Zhao Shiquan
Published: September 2023

The motion of Unmanned Surface Vehicles (USVs) is frequently disturbed by the ocean wind, wave and current. A poorly designed controller will lead to failures and even safety problems during actual navigation. In order to obtain satisfied control performance of the motion for the USVs, a Model Predictive Control (MPC) based on improved Nonlinear Disturbance Observer (NDO) is proposed. Firstly, the USV model is approximately linearized and MPC is designed for the multivariable system with constraints. In order to compensate the influence of disturbances, an improved NDO is designed, with which the calculation time for the MPC saved a lot. Finally, comparison experiments are conducted between the MPC with NDO and the MPC with improved NDO, and the results show that they have similar performance to the USVs. However, the proposed method has less parameter to be tuned and it is much more time-saving compared to the MPC with traditional NDO.
Breeding for Resistance to the African Sweetpotato Weevils, Cylas puncticollis and Cylas brunneus in Uganda: A Review of the Current Progress
Authors: Yada Benard , Musana Paul , Chelangat Doreen M. , Osaru Florence , Otema Milton A. , Katungisa Arnold , Oloka Bonny M. , Ssali Reuben Tendo , Mugisa Immaculate
Published: September 2023

In sub-Saharan Africa, sweetpotato weevils are the most devastating pests of cultivated sweetpotato, causing estimated losses of between 60% and 100%, primarily during dry spells. The predominantly cryptic feeding behavior of the Cylas spp within the roots makes their control difficult, thus host plant resistance is one of the most promising lines of protection against these pests. However, progress in breeding for weevil-resistant cultivars has been slow in part due to the complex hexaploid genome of sweetpotato, which complicates conventional breeding in addition to the scarcity of varieties with significant levels of resistance for use as sources of resistance. Pollen sterility, cross incompatibility and poor seed set and germination in sweetpotato are also common challenges to improving weevil resistance. Accurate phenotyping of sweetpotato weevil resistance to enhance efficiency of selection has been equally difficult. Genomics-assisted breeding though in its infancy stages in sweetpotato has the potential application in overcoming some of these barriers. However, it will require the development of more genomic infrastructure; particularly single nucleotide polymorphism markers (SNPs), robust next generation sequencing plat-forms together with relevant statistical procedures for analyses. With the recent advances in genomics, we anticipate that genomic breeding for sweetpotato weevil resistance will be expedited in the coming years. This review sheds light on Uganda's efforts to date to breed against the Cylas puncticollis (Boheman) and Cylas brunneus (Fabricius) species of African sweetpotato weevil.
Response Characteristics and Water Inflow Prediction of Complex Groundwater Systems under High-Intensity Coal Seam Mining Conditions
Authors: Hua Zhao lai , Zhang Yao , Meng Shihao , Wang Lu , Wang Xue jun , Lv Yang , Li Jinming , Ren Shaofeng , Bao Han , Zhang Zhihao , Zhao Linger , Zeng Yi fan
Published: September 2023

With the gradual improvement of coal mining efficiency, the disturbance of groundwater system caused by the high-intensity mining mode also increases, which is a more severe challenge to the prevention of mine safety and the protection of water resources in mining areas. How to accurately describe the dynamic changes of the groundwater system under mining and quantitatively predict mine water inflow is a major problem in the current research. Based on the full analysis of the response characteristics of groundwater system to the extraction disturbance, this paper forms a kind of method to establish a mine hydrogeological conceptual model that can accurately represent the water inrush process, and uses the MODFLOW non-structural division grid to accurately characterize the formation structure, and finally make accurate water inflow prediction. Taking the Caojiatan Coal Mine in Shaanxi Province, China as an example, a numerical model of unstructured mine water inrush was established for the first time, and the changes of water inflow source and water inflow intensity were quantitatively evaluated. Compared with the traditional water inflow prediction method, it is found that the prediction accuracy is improved by 12%~17% by detailing the response characteristics of complex groundwater system under high-strength coal seam mining conditions. The method is of great significance and promotion value for the comprehensive understanding of the disturbance characteristics of human underground engineering activities, such as coal mining, on the groundwater system, and for accurately predicting water inflow.
Optimization of the ANN model for Energy Consumption Prediction of Direct Fired Absorption Chiller for a Short-Term
Authors: Hong Goopyo , Seong Namchul
Published: September 2023

With an increasing concern for global warming, there have been many attempts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. About 30 % of total energy has been consumed by buildings and much attention has been paid to reducing building energy consumption. While there are many ways of reducing building energy consumption, accurate energy consumption prediction becomes more significant. As mechanical systems are the most energy-consuming components in the building, the present study developed the energy consumption prediction model for a direct-fired absorption chiller by using the ANN technique for the short term. The ANN model was optimized and validated with the actual data collected through a BAS. For the optimization, the numbers of input variables and neurons, and the data size of training were applied. By changing these parameters, the predictive performance was analyzed. In sum, the outcome of the present study can used to predict the energy consumption of the chiller as well as improve the efficiency of the energy management. The outcome of the present study can be used to develop a more accurate prediction model with a few datasets in that it can improve the efficiency of building energy management.
Can a Motorcycle Paramedic Increase the Survival of Patients after OHCA?—20 Years of Experience in Ljubljana
Authors: Škufca Sterle Mateja , Podbregar Matej
Published: September 2023

Background and Objectives: Despite advancements in modern medicine, the survival rate of patients after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) remains low. The proportion of OHCA patients that could be saved under ideal circumstances is unknown. A significant portion of patients experience cardiac arrest due to irreversible conditions. The survival of patients with reversible causes de-pends on the prompt initiation of basic life support (BLS) and early defibrillation. In order to in-crease the chances of survival, the motorcycle paramedic project was implemented in Ljubljana in 2003. The motorcycle paramedic is equipped with an AED. In the case of OHCA with a shockable rhythm, he performs defibrillation before the arrival of the emergency medical team (EMT). The purpose of the research is to determine whether the motorcycle paramedic, by reducing the re-sponse time to patients experiencing OHCA, increases the survival rate of these patients. Materials and methods: A retrospective analysis of OHCA within the area covered by Ljubljana Emergency Medical Service (EMS) was conducted for the period from January 2003 to December 2022. Results: Between January 2003 and December 2022 EMT performed resuscitation on 3352 patients. The motorcycle paramedic was simultaneously activated and arrived at the scene before the EMT in 316 cases. In 16 patients, Return of Spontaneous Circulation (ROSC) was achieved before the arrival of the EMT. The group in which the motorcycle paramedic arrived at the scene before the EMT showed a higher ROSC compared to the other group (44.3 % vs 36.9%) and a larger proportion of patients were discharged from the hospital (18.7% vs 13.0%). The proportion of patients with favorable neurological outcomes was also statistically significantly higher (15.9% vs 10.6%, p=0.004). Con-clusion: The study has demonstrated that the implementation of the motorcycle paramedic into the EMS in Ljubljana has increased the survival rate of OHCA patients.
Exploring the Hypoglycemic Mechanism and Milk Production Effects of Fenugreek: A Systematic Review
Authors: Terbeche Yasmine , Messire Gatien , Berteina-Raboin Sabine , Amirouche Ammar , Benyamina Amine , Serreau Raphaël
Published: September 2023

This scoping review comprehensively explores the existing literature on fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum), a versatile herb known for its culinary and traditional medicinal uses. The review focuses on two key aspects: the hypoglycemic mechanism of fenugreek and its impact on milk production in breastfeeding women. By systematically analyzing and synthesizing the available evidence, this review aims to enhance our understanding of fenugreek's potential applications and identify research gaps for future systematic reviews. The search strategy targeted English-language animal studies published within the last five years that specifically investigated fenugreek's hypoglycemic mechanism and its effects on milk production. A total of 15,236 articles were initially identified from databases such as PubMed, Sci finder and ScienceDirect. After a rigorous selection process, including thorough evaluation of titles, abstracts, and full-texts, a subset of articles (including those titled "Impact of Fenugreek on Milk Production in Rodent Models of Lactation Challenge" and "Fenugreek Stimulates the Expression of Genes Involved in Milk Synthesis and Milk Flow through Modulation of Insulin/GH/IGF-1 Axis and Oxytocin Secretion") were included for detailed analysis. The findings 18 articles from the included studies demonstrate promising results regarding fenugreek's potential to stimulate milk production and regulate blood glucose levels. However, further research is necessary to unravel the underlying molecular pathways, establish optimal dosage guidelines, and assess long-term side effects. Overall, this scoping review offers valuable insights for lactating women seeking to enhance milk production and individuals managing blood sugar levels, providing potential alternative approaches for supporting lactation and glycemic control.
Assessment of Peste Des Petits Ruminants Antibodies in Vaccinated Pregnant Ewes of Kazakh Breed Fine-Fleeced and Determining the Decreasing Trend of Maternal Immunity in Their Lambs
Authors: Amanova Zhanat , Turyskeldy Sholpan , Kondybaeva Zhanat , Sametova Zhanna , Usembai Abdurakhman , Kerimbaev Aslan , Bulatov Yerbol
Published: September 2023

In this article, we first assessment of peste des petits ruminants (PPR) antibodies in vaccinated pregnant ewes of Kazakh breed fine-fleeced immunized with the PPR vaccine and the duration of maternal immunity in their lambs. Ewes in the last trimester of pregnancy of gestation were immunized with a vaccine from the Nigeria 75/1 strain of the PPR virus (PPRV) produced by the Research Institute of Biological Safety Problems (RIBSP), Kazakhstan. Serum samples from lambs born from vaccinated and unvaccinated ewes were collected a week after birth and at intervals of 7 days for 18 weeks after birth. Serum samples collected from lambs were tested for PPR antibodies using competitive ELISA and Virus neutralization test (VNT). Maternal antibodies (MAs) in lambs born from vaccinated ewes were detected up to 18 weeks with a tendency to decrease starting at week 14 and by the end of the experiment receded below the protective level (<1:8). In the blood serum of a 14-week-old lamb with MAs (1:8), post vaccination with a field dose (103 TCID50) of the vaccine against PPR, the titers of protective antibodies to the PPRV increased to 1:16 on 14 day post vaccination and lamb protected from infection upon field PPRV. A lamb of the same age with MAs in the 1:8 titer was 100% protected from infection with the field PPRV. Therefore, it is recommended that lambs of the Kazakh fine-wool breed be immunized from the age of 14 weeks or older to avoid a period of susceptibility.
Right to Left Shunt Evaluation in Cardiac Patent Foramen Ovale Using Bubble Contrast Transcranial Color Coded Doppler: Focused on Cryptogenic Stroke Case
Authors: Ji Myeong-Hoon , Seoung Youl-Hun
Published: September 2023

Traditional diagnosis of patent foramen ovale (PFO) in the heart has involved the use of transcranial doppler (TCD). However, TCD is essentially a blind test that cannot directly visualize the location of blood vessels. Since TCD relies on qualitative assessments by examiners, there is room for errors, such as misalignment of the ultrasound's angle of incidence with the actual blood vessels. This limitation affects the reproducibility and consistency of the examination. In this study, we presented an alternative approach for assessing right-to-left shunt (RLS) associated with PFO using contrast transcranial color-coded doppler (C-TCCD) with bubble contrast. The patient under consideration had been diagnosed with an ischemic stroke through imaging, but the subsequent cardiac work-up failed to determine the cause. Employing C-TCCD for RLS screening revealed a confirmed RLS of Spencer’s three grades. Subsequently, transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) was conducted to evaluate PFO risk factors, confirming an 8 mm PFO size, a 21 mm tunnel length, a hypermobile interatrial septum, and persistent RLS. The calculated high-risk PFO score was 4 points, categorizing it as a very high-risk PFO. This case underscores the importance of C-TCCD screening in detecting RLS associated with PFO, especially in cryptogenic stroke patients when identifying the underlying cause of ischemic stroke becomes challenging.
Understanding the Interactions of Climate and Land Use Changes with Runoff Components in Spatial-Temporal Dimensions in the Upper Chi Basin, Thailand
Authors: Hormwichian Rattana , Kaewplang Siwa , Kangrang Anongrit , Supakosol Jirawat , Boonrawd Kowit , Sriworamat Krit , Muangthong Sompinit , Songsaengrit Songphol , Prasanchum Haris
Published: September 2023

Climate and land use changes are major factors affecting runoff in regional basins. Understanding variation by considering interactions among hydrological components is an important process for water resource management. This study aimed to assess the variation of future runoff in the Upper Chi Basin, Northeastern Thailand. QSWAT hydrological model was integrated to 3 CMIP6 GCMs including ACCESS-CM2, MIROC6, and MPI-ESM1-2-LR under SSP245 and SSP585 scenarios during 2023 – 2100. Land Change Modeler (LCM) was also used for future land use simulation. The results revealed that future average of long-term precipitation and temperature tended to increase while forest land tended to decrease and be replaced by sugarcane plantations. The accuracy assessment of baseline year runoff calculation by QSWAT during 1997 – 2022 showed acceptable result as can be seen from R2, NSE, RSR, and PBIAS indices. This result could lead to temporal and spatial simulation of future runoff. Likewise, runoff of 2 SSPs scenarios tended to increase consecutively, especially in SSP585 scenario. In addition, in case of long-term spatial changes in the subbasins scale, over 90% of the area, from upstream to outlet point, tended to get higher due to 2 major factors including future increased precipitation and changes in cultivation, which would be influential to groundwater and interflow components respectively. Methodology and result of this study can be useful to stakeholders in understanding changes in hydrological system so that they can apply it to develop a strategy for water resource management and handling factors affecting different dimensions properly and sustainably.
In Vitro Evaluation of Antioxidant and Anti-Glycation Activity of Crocin from Different Saffron Extracts
Authors: Ronsisvalle Simone , Panico Annamaria , Santonocito Debora , Siciliano Edy Angela , Sipala Federica , Montenegro Lucia , Puglia Carmelo
Published: September 2023

Crocin, a glycoside carotenoid showing several health benefits, is mainly obtained from saffron (Crocus sativus L.), whose quality and content of phytochemicals can be strongly affected by environmental conditions. Therefore, in this work, the crocin content and the in vitro antioxidant activity of saffron extracts obtained from three different varieties (Greek, Sicilian, and Iranian saffron) were assessed. Crocin content in saffron extracts was quantified by ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. The antioxidant activity of saffron extracts was evaluated using the oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) assay and nitric oxide (NO) radical scavenging test. The Maillard reaction was used to assess the anti-glycation activity. Although the Sicilian and Iranian saffron extracts contained higher amounts of crocin compared to the Greek one, ORAC values and % NO inhibition were higher for the Greek variety that showed a total phenolic content about two-fold greater than that of the other two extracts. Sicilian and Greek saffron had similar anti-glycation activities, while the Iranian saffron was less effective. These results suggest that the antioxidant activity of saffron extracts could be ascribed to their naturally occurring complex mixture of phytochemicals, deserving further investigations as supplement to prevent pathological conditions induced by radical species.
Efforts to Overcome the Industrial Revolution 4.0 Through Lesson Study
Authors: Dani Nur Rohmah , Sumarni Sri , Roemintoyo Roemintoyo , Waluyo Waluyo
Published: September 2023

In recent years technology in the Industrial Revolution era 4.0 is developing very rapidly. The Industrial Revolution 4.0 is very influential in changing behavior in the world of education, business, and the industrial world. Skills and competencies become the main things that need to be considered. Besides that characteristics in the era of the Industrial Revolution 4.0 are also very influential on employment. From here, a change is needed to overcome the problem by carrying out learning activities using lesson study, which in turn can improve learning the material provided can be delivered and the objectives of learning can be achieved. This study aims to determine the development of learning innovations through lesson study on mixed methods. The research method used is descriptive qualitative. The results of the study stated that students were ready with the efforts to face the Industrial Revolution 4.0.
Pengaruh Lingkungan Pembelajaran Jarak Jauh Terhadap Motivasi Belajar Mahasiswa Program Studi Pendidikan Teknik Bangunan Universitas Negeri Jakarta
Authors: Zahid Fairuz , Saleh Rosmawita , Anisah Anisah
Published: September 2023

Selama pandemi COVID-19, terjadi perubahan pada sistem pembelajaran yang digunakan di Universitas Negeri Jakarta. Perubahan dari pembelajaran konvensional ke pembelajaran jarak jauh mengakibatkan perubahan pula pada lingkungan pembelajaran yang di alami mahasiswa. Dari perubahan tersebut dapat mempengaruhi motivasi belajar yang dimiliki mahasiswa. Sehingga penelitian ini dilakukan dengan tujuan untuk mencari pengaruh Lingkungan Pembelajaran Jarak Jauh terhadap Motivasi Belajar Mahasiswa. Proses pengambilan data penelitian ini dilakukan pada semester berjalan 117 di Universitas Negeri Jakarta dengan jumlah responden sebanyak 192 Mahasiswa. Teknik pengambilan data yang digunakan adalah angket atau kuesioner dengan menggunakan metode penelitian kuantitatif deskriptif untuk mengolah data yang didapatkan. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan terdapat pengaruh positif dan signifikan dengan kategori sedang dari variabel Lingkungan Pembelajaran Jarak Jauh terhadap variabel Motivasi Belajar. Dengan pengaruh yang ditimbulkan dari variabel Lingkungan Pembelajaran Jarak Jauh terhadap variabel Motivasi Belajar adalah sebesar 30,7%, sementara 69,3% lainnya ditimbulkan dari variabel lain yang tidak dimasukkan ke dalam penelitian ini. Sehingga disimpulkan bahwa Lingkungan Pembelajaran Jarak Jauh berpengaruh positif terhadap Motivasi Belajar
Redefining the Role of Public Health Professionals Serving Black Youths Seeking Mental Health Care: Implications for Training and Mentoring
Authors: Hampton-Anderson Joya N. , Novacek Derek M. , Zhen-Duan Jenny , Latimer Saundra , Perry Tyler , Renard Destini
Published: September 2023

Attrition rates for Black youths in mental health treatment settings are high, and the extant literature suggests this may be because treatment is not meeting their unique needs. Public health professionals, defined here as all individuals who work to increase the well-being of youths, can play a major role in changing these outcomes.

The purpose of this article is to suggest a broader scope of practice, or a redefined role, for public health professionals who work with Black youths seeking outpatient mental health care and to explicate ways in which training and mentoring can help accomplish this goal.

Bolstered by a socioecological conceptual model, we suggest 3 standards of practice that we believe must be satisfied to meet the requirement for this redefined public health professional role: using a sociocultural framework, exercising flexibility in one’s assigned role, and understanding and incorporating culturally specific strengths and protective factors into care. (Am J Public Health. 2023;113(S2):S140–S148. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2022.307194 )
Stratified Simple Random Sampling Versus Volunteer Community-Wide Sampling for Estimates of COVID-19 Prevalence
Authors: Keith Rachel J. , Holm Rochelle H. , Amraotkar Alok R. , Bezold Megan M. , Brick J. Michael , Bushau-Sprinkle Adrienne M. , Hamorsky Krystal T. , Kitterman Kathleen T. , Palmer Kenneth E. , Smith Ted , Yeager Ray , Bhatnagar Aruni
Published: September 2023

Objectives. To evaluate community-wide prevalence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection using stratified simple random sampling.

Methods. We obtained data for the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 in Jefferson County, Kentucky, from adult random (n = 7296) and volunteer (n = 7919) sampling over 8 waves from June 2020 through August 2021. We compared results with administratively reported rates of COVID-19.

Results. Randomized and volunteer samples produced equivalent prevalence estimates (P < .001), which exceeded the administratively reported rates of prevalence. Differences between them decreased as time passed, likely because of seroprevalence temporal detection limitations.

Conclusions. Structured targeted sampling for seropositivity against SARS-CoV-2, randomized or voluntary, provided better estimates of prevalence than administrative estimates based on incident disease. A low response rate to stratified simple random sampling may produce quantified disease prevalence estimates similar to a volunteer sample.

Public Health Implications. Randomized targeted and invited sampling approaches provided better estimates of disease prevalence than administratively reported data. Cost and time permitting, targeted sampling is a superior modality for estimating community-wide prevalence of infectious disease, especially among Black individuals and those living in disadvantaged neighborhoods. (Am J Public Health. 2023;113(7):768–777. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2023.307303 )
A Mortality Surveillance Collaboration Between a Health System and Public Health Department
Authors: Simpson Scott A. , Loh Ryan , Elliott Laura , Everhart Rachel , Bass Conlin , Bol Kirk , Boylls Steve , Podewils Laura
Published: September 2023

We describe a collaboration between a health system and public health department to create a mortality surveillance system. The collaboration enabled the health system to identify more than six times the number of deaths identified through local system medical records alone. This powerful epidemiological process, combining the nuanced data captured through clinical care in health systems with subsequent data on mortality, drives quality improvement, scientific research, and epidemiology that can be of particular benefit to underserved communities. (Am J Public Health. 2023;113(9):943–946. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2023.307335 )
Impact of the Choose Well Initiative on Contraceptive Access at Federally Qualified Health Centers in South Carolina: A Midline Evaluation
Authors: Beatty Kate , Smith Michael G. , de Jong Jordan , Weber Amy , Adelli Rakesh , Khoury Amal
Published: September 2023

Choose Well (CW) is a statewide contraceptive access initiative to reduce unintended pregnancy among patients utilizing federally funded family planning services. We examined CW’s impact on contraceptive access at South Carolina federally qualified health centers from 2016 to 2019, which reported significantly higher increases in providing the full range of contraceptive methods and training onsite. CW prioritized ensuring change sustainability through obtaining funding and institutionalizing changes. (Am J Public Health. 2023;113(11):1167–1172. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2023.307384 )
Exploring the Role of MRI in the Detection of Atypical Liver Hemangiomas and Exclusion of Metastases
Authors: Kavaja Floren , Veselaj Fahredin
Published: September 2023

Background: In this article, we highlight the importance of utilizing multiple imaging modalities, including CT, MRI, and abdominal Doppler ultrasound, to accurately differentiate between atypical liver hemangiomas (LH) and metastases. Case report: We introduce a 57-year-old male patient who presented with severe abdominal pain. Initial CT scan findings showed hypodense liver lesions and a well-defined hypodense mass in the sub-diaphragmatic region, raising suspicion for metastatic liver lesions, and prompting further evaluation. To differentiate between atypical hemangiomas and metastases, an MRI scan was performed, revealing a hyperintense signal on T2-weighted images and a hypointense signal on T1-weighted images, consistent with the characteristics of LH. These characteristic signal intensities aided in ruling out metastatic liver lesions, which typically present with a more solid and homogeneous appearance. Contrast-enhanced MRI played a crucial role in confirming the diagnosis. The liver lesions demonstrated moderate vascularization during the early phase of contrast enhancement, followed by progressive centripetal filling during the portal venous and delayed phases. This enhancement pattern is consistent with the slow flow within the dilated vascular spaces of liver hemangiomas. The lesion in the right liver lobe is almost completely filled with contrast, further supporting the diagnosis of hemangioma. Abdominal Doppler ultrasound can provide additional information regarding the vascularity of liver lesions. In this case, the Doppler examination likely helped to further confirm the presence of a hemangioma, as these lesions typically demonstrate increased vascularity compared to metastatic lesions. Conclusion: The comprehensive imaging evaluation utilizing CT, MRI, and abdominal Doppler ultrasound allowed for the confident differentiation of atypical liver hemangiomas from metastatic liver lesions in this case. This emphasizes the importance of a multimodal imaging approach in cases of liver lesions with overlapping features, leading to improved patient management and outcomes.
Management of Impacted Lower Second Molar with Extra Alveolar Tads: A Case Report
Authors: Abazi Miranda , Abazi Arben , Sadiku Saranda
Published: September 2023

The aim of this case report is to present an orthodontic technique combined with skeletal anchorage (TADs) in the retromolar region to pull out a right horizontally impacted mandibular second molar (MM2) beneath the third molar (MM3). This treatment approach was performed by extracting the adjacent MM3 lying over the MM2. A miniscrew was inserted in the retromolar region. It required minimal surgical exposure—mucosal incision, crown uncovering, and attaching a bondable button for uprighting MM2 with an elastic chain. Disimpaction was done for several days without any side effects.
Investigating the Role of Proximal Femoral Morphology in Noncontact ACL Injuries: A Comparative Study
Authors: Musliu Dijon , Shatri Jeton , Bexheti Sadi , Kafexholli Ardita , Jashari Redon , Mahmuti Agron , Berisha Lavdim , Karakushi Ardian , Kida Qerim
Published: September 2023

Background: Non-contact anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury is a common and debilitating injury among athletes, with high recurrence rates and long-term consequences. Identifying individuals at risk of ACL injury can help prevent or reduce the severity of these injuries. The present study aimed to assess the alpha angle (AA) in ACL rupture patients in both the injured (ipsilateral) and non-affected (contralateral) extremities, compared to a control group. Methods and Results: This case-control study included 105 subjects (78.1% male and 21.9% female) aged between 15 and 45 years of both sexes involved in sports. The case group consisted of 54 patients with sport-related, noncontact ACL ruptures identified by MRI. Fifty-one patients, 10(19.6%) of whom were female, with no ACL rupture, were included in the study as a control group. Hip radiographs were taken in all the subjects using the modified Dunn View with the patient in the supine position, hip flexed 45o and abducted 20o. OsiriX software was used to obtain the measurements. Most injuries were caused by football (58.1%), followed by jumping sports (23.8%) and skiing (18.1%). The mean AA was 49.27 o (SD=4.93) for subjects without ACL rupture and 54.84o (SD=6.17) for subjects with ACL rupture, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.001). Results also showed a statistically significant difference in the AA on the ipsilateral (54.84o [SD=6.17]) and contralateral (49.48o [SD=7.04]) hips of the case subjects (P<0.001). The logistic regression analysis indicated a statistically significant difference in AA between the case and control groups and between hips of the same subject with an OR of 1.12 (P=0.041) and 1.2 (P=0.000), respectively. Conclusion: Alterations in proximal femur morphology should be considered a potential risk factor for ACL injury, and AA can be a significant predictor of ACL injury. We recommend that young athletes actively participating in sports have their hip AA measured so those with higher AA can follow special prevention programs.
A Morphologic Approach of Lip Prints in a Sample of Albanian Population in Kosovo
Authors: Abazi Miranda , Musliu Erik , Sadiku Saranda , Veliu Egzon , Prokshi Rina
Published: September 2023

Background: Cheiloscopy (lip-print studies) is an important tool for the identification of human bodies in social and criminal issues. Lip prints present the labial mucosa with characteristic grooves and lines specific to every person. The purpose of this study was to analyze the lip prints among an adolescent sample of the Albanian population in Kosovo, to determine the most prevalent lip-print pattern in both genders, and to determine if there are any differences between male and female lip prints. Methods and Results: A total of 100 adolescents aged from 12 to 18 were randomly selected from schools in southeastern Kosovo. The lip prints were classified according to Suzuki and Tsuchihashi's classification (1970). For the analysis, the lips were divided into four quadrants: right upper quadrant, left upper quadrant, right lower quadrant, and left lower quadrant. The analysis was done using a magnifying glass. In the present study, the slightly prevalent lip-print pattern among all subjects was Type II (25.0%), followed by Type I (20.0%), Type III (17.0%), Type IV (16.0%), Type I′ (16.0%), and Type V (6.0%). The lip prints of Type IV were slightly more common in female subjects (24.0%), followed by Type II (20.0%), Type I (18.0%), Type III (18.0%), Type I′ (12.0%), and Type V (8.0%). Type II was slightly more common in male subjects (30.0%), followed by Type I (22.0%), Type I′ (20/0%), Type III (16.0%), Type IV (8.0%), and Type V (8.0%). However, some differences between the sexes, with a tendency toward the predominance of Type IV in women and Type II in men, were not statistically significant, and there was no significant difference between the lip patterns by quadrants in women and men.
In vivo Evaluation of the Antiviral Effects of Arabian Coffee (Coffea arabica) and Green Tea (Camellia sinensis) Extracts on Influenza A Virus
Authors: Alfaifi Sarah , Suliman Rania , Idriss Mona , Aloufi Abeer , Alolayan Ebtesam , Awadalla Maaweya , Aodah Alhassan , Asab Omar , Al-Qahtani Jarallah , Mohmmed Nahla , Alosaimi Bandar
Published: September 2023

This in vivo study was conducted to evaluate the antiviral activity of Arabian coffee (Coffea arabica) and green tea (Camellia sinensis) extracts against the influenza virus. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used to determine the active components in each extract, and eighty experimental mice were treated. Electrophoresis was performed to detect protein expression, and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to analyze gene expression and quantify viral RNA. Lung tissue histopathology was processed to observe pathological signs. Oral administration of all extracts reduced the viral quantification in mice lungs by 61.6% in the early phase of infection, measured by PCR. From the extracts tested, unroasted green Arabica coffee (AC) extract in protective groups showed remarkable body weight stability of 16.76 g, a survival rate of 100%, and healthier lung tissue, compared to other groups. The antiviral effects of the tested AC and GT (green tea) revealed that AC extracts induced veridical effects, increased body weight, and improved survival rate. Those natural extracts may interfere with viral replication and reduce virus infection. The observed anti-influenza activity demonstrated by reduced symptoms and increased survival rate in animal models suggests that AC extracts might be used as a promising prophylactic agent against influenza viral infections. The active compound in the unroasted green AC extract requires further in vitro analysis as to which viral proteins are targeted by the natural extract and which molecular mechanism this antiviral inhibition is interfering with.