bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Direct Deposition of Copper Atoms onto Graphitic Step Edges Lowers Overpotential and Improves Selectivity of Electrocatalytic CO2 Reduction
Authors: Thangamuthu Madasamy , Burwell Tom , Aliev Gazi , Ghaderzadeh Sadegh , Kohlrausch Emerson , Chen Yifan , Theis Wolfgang , Norman Luke , Fernandes Jesum , Besley Elena , Licence Pete , Khlobystov Andrei
Published: January 2024

Minimizing our reliance on bulk precious metals is to increase the fraction of surface atoms and improve the metal-support interface. In this work, we employ a solvent/ligand/counterion-free method to deposit copper in the atomic form directly onto a nanotextured surface of graphitized carbon nanofibers (GNFs). Our results demonstrate that under these conditions, copper atoms coalesce into nanoparticles securely anchored to the graphitic step edges, limiting their growth to 2–5 nm. The resultant hybrid Cu/GNF material displays remarkable electrocatalytic properties in CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR), exhibiting selectivity for formate production with a faradaic efficiency of ~ 94% at a low overpotential of 0.17 V and an exceptionally high turnover frequency of 2.78×106 h− 1. The Cu nanoparticles adhered to the graphitic step edges significantly enhance electron transfer to CO2, with the formation of CO2∙− intermediate identifiedas the rate-determining step. Long-term CO2RR tests coupled with atomic-scale elucidation of changes in Cu/GNF reveal nanoparticles coarsening, and a simultaneous increase in the fraction of single Cu atoms. These changes disfavour CO2RR, as confirmed by density functional theory calculations, revealing that CO2 cannot effectively compete with H2O for adsorption on single Cu atoms on the graphitic surfaces.
Extrarenal clinical features are reported for most genes implicated in genetic kidney disease
Authors: Serrano Benjamin , Savige Judy
Published: January 2024

Background: Genetic kidney disease is typically suspected where there is a positive family history or extrarenal features. This study examined how often these criteria might be expected in genetic kidney disease.
Methods: Two hundred and fifty-five genes from the Genomics England ‘green lists’ for Congenital Kidney Anomalies of the Kidney and Urinary Tract (CAKUT)(n=57), the Ciliopathies and Cystic kidney diseases (n=90), Haematuria (n=5), Renal proteinuria (n=55) and the Renal Tubulopathies (n=48) were examined for mode of inheritance and, in OMIM, for reported clinical features in different systems (neurological, cardiac etc) that would be obvious on history or physical examination.
Results: Biallelic inheritance alone was recorded for 148 of the 248 genes (60%) with an OMIM entry.
Extrarenal features were associated with 221 genes (89%) including those for Haematuria (5, 100%), Renal ciliopathies (86, 97%), CAKUT (52, 91%), Renal tubulopathies (41, 85%) and Proteinuric renal disease (37, 76%).
The median number of affected systems was 4 (range 0 – 10). More extrarenal features were associated with CAKUT (4, 0 – 10) and the Ciliopathies (5, 0 – 9) than for Haematuria (2, 2-5), Proteinuria (3, 0-7) and the Tubulopathies (3, 0-7) (p<0.00001).
The commonest systems affected were growth and musculoskeletal (164, 66%), neurological (147, 59%), and ocular (133, 54%).
Conclusions: The biallelic inheritance means that a family history is absent for many genes affected in genetic kidney disease. While extrarenal features are reported with most genes, extrarenal anomalies are more common in CAKUT and the ciliopathies. However data are limited on how often features occur in affected individuals.
The association between vitamin E intake, vitamin D intake and colorectal cancer: evidence from NHANES 2007–2018
Authors: Zhu Mengjia , Zhang Dian , Wang Xinjie , Chen Angli , Hu Weiling
Published: January 2024

Background: We aimed to investigate the relationship between dietary and supplemental intake of vitamin E and vitamin D and colorectal cancer (CRC) using the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data from 2007 to 2018 in the United States.
Method: Data from the NHANES database covering the period 2007 to 2018 were collected. Total vitamin D and vitamin E intake were determined using recall questionnaires for both dietary and dietary supplement intake. CRC patients were identified based on survey questionnaire data. To examine the relationship between vitamin E and vitamin D intake and CRC, we conducted weighted multivariate regression analysis and interaction analysis.
Results: Our study included a total of 27,635 participants, among whom 183 individuals (0.6%) were diagnosed with colorectal cancer. After adjusting for all covariates, multivariable logistic regression analysis indicated that total vitamin E intake was not associated with the occurrence of colorectal cancer (P > 0.05). The intake of total vitamin D was also unrelated to the likelihood of colorectal cancer (P > 0.05). Interaction tests revealed no significant impact of these relationships.
Conclusion: In summary, the intake of both vitamin D and vitamin E is not associated with the occurrence of colorectal cancer.
Automatic visual inspection of mechanical assemblies via 3Dpoint cloud classification with deep neural networks
Authors: Boughrara Assya , Jovančevic Igor , Dosljak Velibor , Orteu Jean-José , Belloc Mathieu
Published: January 2024

In this work, we are focused on conformity control of complex aeronautical mechanical assemblies,typically an aircraft engine, at the end or in the middle of the assembly process. A 3D scannercarried by a robot arm provides acquisitions of 3D point clouds which are further processed by deepclassification neural networks. The Computer-Aided Design (CAD) model of the inspected mechanicalassembly is available, and the proposed approach relies on it. The models are trained on syntheticdata, generated from the CAD models.
A Music Score Segmentation Method Based on Deconstruction And Reconstruction
Authors: Jiang Tianhao , Zhang Chi , Wang Zhong
Published: January 2024

Optical music recognition (OMR), which focus on digitizing and translating music score images, has been studied for some decades. However, some OMR processing, which is aimed at recognizing a whole music score image, still has low accuracy. We propose DAR, a music score segmentation method based on deconstruction and recon- struction, by which measures can be extracted through a series of operations instead of a single model, which can improve accuracy without a large amount of data. We also introduce a method to determine the accuracy of measure segmentation, which can show the advantage of our method.
Identification and study of Prolyl Oligopeptidases and related sequences in bacterial lineages
Authors: Nayak Soumya , Sowdhamini Ramanathan
Published: January 2024

Background:
Proteases are enzymes that break down proteins, and serine proteases are an important subset of these enzymes. Prolyl oligopeptidase (POP) is a family of serine proteases that has ability to cleave peptide bonds involving proline residues and it is unique for its ability to cleave various small oligopeptides shorter than 30 amino acids. The S9 family from MEROPS database, which includes POP, is classified into four subcategories based on active site motifs. These protease subfamilies assume a crucial position owing to their diverse biological roles and potential therapeutic applications in various diseases.
Results:
In this study, we have examined ~32000 completely annotated bacterial genomes from the NCBI RefSeq Assembly database using computational techniques to identify annotated S9 family proteins. This results in the discovery of 61,660 bacterial genes that contain domains and sequence signatures of S9 family members (referred to as POP homologues). We have classified these sequences into distinct subfamilies through machine learning approaches and conducted a comprehensive analysis of their distribution across various phyla and species. We notice significant enrichment of POP homologues in distinct phyla and species.
All bacterial phyla showed diverse domain architecture in genes containing S9 family domains.
Distinct subclusters and class-specific motifs were identified, using phylogeny and motif-finding, suggesting difference in substrate specificity in POP homologues.
Conclusions:
We present a comprehensive study presenting the distribution, classification and domain architecture of S9 family proteins. In addition, our study also demonstrate that, despite belonging to same subfamily (S9A), POPs can be different in their substrate and substrate binding capabilities. This can enable future research of these gene families that are involved in many important biological processes.
Intermittent intravenous paracetamol versus continuous morphine in infants undergoing cardiothoracic surgery: a multi-center randomized controlled trial
Authors: Zeilmaker-Roest Gerdien , de Vries-Rink Christine , Rosmalen Joost van , Dijk Monique van , de Wildt Saskia N. , Knibbe Catherijne A. J. , Koomen Erik , Jansen Nicolaas J. G. , Kneyber Martin C. J. , Maebe Sofie , Berghe Greet van den , Haghedooren Renata , Vlasselaers Dirk , Bogers Ad J.J.C. , Tibboel Dick , Wildschut Enno D.
Published: January 2024

Background To determine whether intermittent intravenous (IV) paracetamol as primary analgesic would significantly reduce morphine consumption in children aged 0–3 years after cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass.Methods Multi-center, randomized, double-blinded, controlled trial in four level-3 Pediatric Intensive Care Units (PICU) in the Netherlands and Belgium. Inclusion period; March 2016 - July 2020. Children aged 0–3 years, undergoing cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass were eligible. Patients were randomized to continuous morphine or intermittent IV paracetamol as primary analgesic after a loading dose of 100 mcg/kg morphine was administered at the end of surgery. Rescue morphine was given if Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) scores for pain exceeded predetermined cutoff values. Primary outcome was weight-adjusted cumulative morphine dose in mcg/kg in the first 48 hours post-operative. For the comparison of the primary outcome between groups, the non-parametric Van Elteren test with stratification by center was used.Results In total, 828 were screened and finally 208 patients were included; parents of 315 patients did not give consent and 305 were excluded for various reasons. One hundred and two patients received intermittent IV paracetamol, 106 received continuous morphine. The median cumulative morphine consumption in the first 48 hours postoperative in the IV paracetamol group was 5 times lower (79%) than that in the morphine group (median, 145.0 (IQR, 115.0-432.5) mcg/kg vs 692.6 (IQR, 532.7- 856.1) mcg/kg ; P < 0.00001). The rescue morphine consumption was similar between the groups (p = 0.38). Non-inferiority analysis of IV paracetamol showed no differences between groups in number of NRS scores indicating pain (p = 0.61).Conclusions In children aged 0–3 years undergoing cardiac surgery, use of intermittent IV paracetamol reduces the weight-adjusted cumulative morphine consumption in the first 48 hours after surgery by 79% with equal pain relief showing equipoise for IV paracetamol as primary analgesic.Trial Registration Clinicaltrials.gov, Identifier: NCT05853263; EudraCT Number: 2015-001835-20.
Preparation, Investigation, and Comparison of Nickel-Agarose Coated Adsorbent Immobilized by Cibacron Blue Dye Ligand
Authors: Mofidian Roozbeh , Jahanshahi Mojtaba
Published: January 2024

In this study, we looking forward to a method to obtain the best formula to make an agarose-coated adsorbent. Determining the type and number of experiments was designed by Taguchi software and our variables included stirring speed, agarose concentration, nickel dosage, and surfactant percentage. 2@NAC-CB particles have been prepared by three phase emulsion method. The results showed that the particle size decreases with increasing stirring speed, despite increasing the initial concentration of the surfactant led to a decrease in the size of the adsorbent particles. However, by increasing the surfactant concentration and stirring speed, the best result was obtained at 4% surfactant concentration and 950 rpm speed. The behavior of agarose-coated adsorbent in different conditions was calculated by measuring the bed expansion coefficient and the axial dispersion coefficient for the slurry phase when measured in a standard coupling. Also, the agarose coating of the metal core has been investigated to produce different geometries in the construction of suitable adsorbents for the purification of numerous protein products. The final result showed that the production of spherical porous adsorbent nanoparticles from natural protein in the above method can be widely used for protein purification in the industry.
Identification of the modal parameters of a concrete bridge deck using traffic loads
Authors: Talebi Meisam , Tabrizian Zahra , Amiri Gholamreza Ghodrati
Published: January 2024

Structural health monitoring has increased in recent decades and several methods have been introduced for this purpose. Most non-destructive structural damage detection methods are based on vibration response processing and changes in the structural parameters. For long-term health monitoring of structures, it is more practical to use operational loads as the vibration source. This article presents a method that processes the forced vibration response to different loading conditions for identification of the modal parameters of a concrete bridge deck under traffic loading. In this methodology, the free vibration response of the concrete bridge deck has been estimated using the random decrement technique based on empirical mode decomposition. The natural frequencies and mode shapes of the concrete bridge deck have been predicted using frequency domain decomposition. The proposed method has been validated using numerical models of 2D and 3D concrete bridge decks and investigation of the effects of the load path and speed of moving loads for different loading scenarios. The results show that the proposed method is reliable for modal identification of a concrete bridge deck under traffic loads and that more complex load patterns which are closer to real conditions leads to more accurate modal parameters. In addition, the degrees of freedom adjacent to the load path produce more precise results.
RETRACTED: Finite Element Analysis of characterization parameters the Double Cracks in Linear Elastic DCFEM
Authors: Mohammed Bentahar , Arbi Youcef Moulai , Mahmoudi Noureddine
Published: January 2024

The authors have requested that this preprint be removed from Research Square.
Daphnetin improved URSA model mice fertility by regulating the imbalance of Th17/Treg cells
Authors: Long Shenggen , Zhang Zhiqin , Tan Jun
Published: January 2024

We have previously reported daphnetin had a positive effect on improving the balance of T helper 17 (Th17) cells and Foxp3 + regulatory T cells (Treg) in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells from patients with unexplained recurrent pregnancy loss, but its definite mechanism remains elusive. This study aims to deeply explore the regulatory effect of daphnetin on the imbalance of Th17/Treg cells in the unexplained recurrent spontaneous abortion (URSA) model mice. Forty mice were divided into four groups: normal pregnancy (control), URSA model, daphnetin low dose (1mg/ (kg· day) and daphnetin high dose (4mg/ (kg· day). The proportion of Th17/Treg cells in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) was detected by flow cytometry. The level expression of orphan nuclear receptor γ t (RORγt), signal transduction and transcriptional activator 3 (STAT3), forked transcription factor P3 (FoxP3) and signal transduction and transcriptional activator 5 (STAT5) in decidual tissues were detected by real-time PCR. Then, we alculated Embryo absorption rate and observed the ultrastructural changes of decidual tissues by transmission electron microscope. Compared with the URSA model group, daphnetin significantly decreased the ratio of Th17/Treg in PBMCs. At the same time, daphnetin decreased the expression of Th17-related cytokines RORγt and STAT3 and increased the expression of Treg-related cytokines FoxP3 and STAT5. What's more, daphnetin decreased the absorption rate of embryo and improved the ultrastructure of decidual tissue of URSA model mice. The above data showed that daphnetin could improve the imbalance of Th17/Treg cells of URSA model mice by regulating RORγt, STAT3, FoxP3 and STAT5, which finally repair damaged decidual tissue and decrease the absorption rate of embryo of URSA model mice. Daphnetin may provide a new approach for URSA treatment in the future.
Investigating the Impact of Pillar Shape on Flexible Erythrocyte Separation through Deterministic Lateral Displacement
Authors: Wu Jiangbo , Zhang Wenyu , Du Xiaoze , Liu Jie , lv Yao , He Yongqing
Published: January 2024

The deterministic lateral displacement (DLD) method has gradually moved beyond the separation of spherical rigid particles and has been successfully applied to the field of biological cells, especially to the separation of disc-shaped flexible erythrocytes. Different shapes of micropillars in the DLD device significantly affect the sorting performance of erythrocytes. We investigated the effect of the flow field in the gap of micropillars of different shapes (circular, triangular, I-shaped) on the behavior of erythrocyte tumbling motion. The simulation results showed that in the I-shaped pillar DLD device, compared with the circular and triangular pillars, the erythrocytes exhibited a stable and continuous flipping motion during the movement along the array offset direction, which enabled the effective separation size to be maintained at a high level. In addition, the formula for calculating the critical diameter of the I-shaped pillar DLD array for separating erythrocytes was obtained by fitting, which provides strong support for more efficient design of the I-shaped pillar DLD device dedicated to erythrocyte sorting.
Influence of Composite Sediment fingerprinting in identifying the sources of suspended sediments of a semiarid reservoir
Authors: Shanmugam Jagannathan , Mookiah Mathiazhagan , Karuppanan Saravanan
Published: January 2024

Sediment source fingerprinting is intended to provide the source of the sediment carried in fluvial systems. The suspended sediment load carried by a river or stream will be a mixture of sediment from many sources and sites within the contributing catchment. This study uses sediment fingerprinting approach to investigate the sources of sediments into the wellington reservoir of Tamilnadu, India. The sediment samples were analyzed for several potential fingerprint characteristics in the laboratory. By comparing the fingerprint of the sediment sources using multivariate mixing model, the contributions from each sources were ascertained. The uncertainty from the mixing model was quantified using Monte Carlo method. The sediment fingerprinting results indicate that Agriculture lands contributes higher amount of sediments 56.01%, followed by Fallow lands with 28.24% of sediments and Forests with 15.69% of sediments. The montecarlo uncertainty analysis reveals the average error of 2% in the suspended sediment samples. The results helps in understanding the potential regions of soil erosion that should be considered for watershed management against sedimentation.
Development and Characterization of Sodium Alginate/Gum Arabic Beads using Encapsulation Technique with Dimocarpus longan Extracts for Food Industry
Authors: Fuangchoom Varunya , Narkprasom Nukrob , Jaturonglumlert Somkiat , Varith Jaturapatr , Ramaraj Rajeswaran , Rattanawongwiboon Thitirat , Narkprasom Kanjana
Published: January 2024

Encapsulation can be accomplished by a variety of methods. Extrusion is used to obtain granules with encapsulated liquid active ingredients for food and pharmaceutical applications and has been used for volatile active compounds. This work aimed to study the microencapsulation of the total phenolic compound of longan extract through the extrusion method. According to the findings of the study of the encapsulation process of longan extract, the optimized condition of longan beads was 1.5% sodium alginate and 4% calcium chloride. Under these conditions, the total phenolic compound, antioxidant activity, and encapsulation efficiency of longan extract beads were 3.845 mgGAE/gbead, 55.06%, and 66.95%, respectively. A study of the combination of sodium alginate with natural polymers (gelatin, pectin, and gum arabic) found that alginate/gum Arabic longan beads had the highest encapsulation efficiency of 74.86 ± 0.171%. The effect of pH on the stability of total phenolic compounds (pH 2, 5, and 8) found that longan beads exhibited good stability under acidic conditions were studied. Finally, to study the effect of gamma irradiation on sterilization and the physical of longan beads, A gamma irradiation dose of 7.5 kGy could effectively sterilize microorganisms and strengthen the longan beads. These results indicate that longan beads can produce beads rich in phenolic compounds that can be used as natural supplements and antioxidants in various food products.
Enhancing the blast resistance of an elite thermo-sensitive genic male sterile line (TGMS) Longke638S and its derived hybrid varieties by incorporating Pigm gene
Authors: Wang Kai , Fu Chenjian , Fu Xingxue , Qin Peng , Hu Xiaochun , Zhang Xuanwen , Deng Zhao , Yan Tianze , Jiang Nan , Li Yanfeng , Fu Jun , Deng Yiwen , Zhou Yanbiao , Xiao Gui , He Zuhua , Yang Yuanzhu
Published: January 2024

Rice blast, caused by the fungus Magnaporthe oryzae, is one of the most destructive diseases of rice worldwide. The utilization of host resistance (R) genes in rice breeding program is considered as the most economical, effective, environment-friendly strategy for rice blast control. The R gene Pigm, shows high, broad-spectrum and durable resistance to rice blast. Here, we report the successful integration of Pigm into Longke638S (LK638S), an elite thermo-sensitive genic male sterile (TGMS) line in hybrid rice production in China. The integration significantly enhanced the blast resistance of LK638S and the derived hybrid varieties demonstrated exceptional performance in both yield and blast resistance. The improved line Longzhen36S (LZ36S), which recovered 91.84% of the recurrent parent genome. LZ36S exhibited a high blast resistance frequency of 96.4% against 28 blast isolates. Furthermore, the LZ36S-derived hybrids exhibited enhanced resistance to both seedling and panicle blast compared to LK638S-derived hybrids carrying the heterozygous Pi2 gene, all without yield penalty. A total of ninety LK638S derived hybrid varieties have been state or provincial approved and certified with an annual promoting area exceed 964.0 thousand hectares. The LZ36S-derived hybrids can serve as improved versions with enhanced blast resistance, making them viable replacements for LK638S-derived hybrids in commercial production. Moreover, sixteen LZ36S-derived hybrid varieties, all possessing moderate (MR) or high (R) level blast resistance, along with excellent yield and grain quality, have been state or provincial approved and certificated. These LZ36S-derived hybrids show great potential for rapid commercialization, with promoting area of ~ 200 thousand hectares by 2023.
An Impact of Thermal Radiation and Brinkman Ratio on MHD Flows Due to Shrinking/Stretching Sheet with Multiple Slips and CNTs
Authors: Mahabaleshwar U. S. , Mahesh R. , Bognár G , Oztop Hakan F.
Published: January 2024

This paper analytically solves the Newtonian fluid movement over a semi-infinite porous expanding/contracting boundary with multiple slips in the company of carbon nanotubes (CNTs), thermal radiation, and a magnetic field. There are two distinct kinds of CNT models used, namely single-walled CNTs (SWCNT) and multiple-walled CNTs (MWCNT), with the possibility of fluid sliding in accordance with Navier’s and second-order slips. The dimensionless and similarity transformations with the radiative heat flux approximation are applied to the transformation of governing equations into ordinary differential equations (ODEs). Since the flow field solution contains a shift exponential function, the balanced heat equation between temperature and thermal radiation leads to a linear ODE with exponential-type coefficients. The result of the energy equation is then expressed as a function of incomplete gamma functions using the Laplace transform. Significant performances of SWCNTs and MWCNTs to the fluid flow and heat transfer are evaluated by varying physical parameters such as Prandtl number, Brinkman ratio, viscosity ratio, thermal radiation, and multiple slip parameters. These findings have industrial applications, such as polymer manufacture and oil extraction, as well as medicinal applications.
Response of Citrus Germplasm Seedlings to Candidatus Liberibacter Asiaticus Infection under Controlled Greenhouse Conditions
Authors: Bisi Rayane Barcelos , Albrecht Ute , Bowman Kim D.
Published: January 2024

Huanglongbing (HLB) is a major disease of citrus associated with phloem-limited bacteria in the genus Candidatus Liberibacter that affects all known citrus species and relatives, with many commercial cultivars being greatly damaged. Testing cultivar tolerance to HLB in field conditions is difficult because of the erratic spread of the bacteria, scion and rootstock interactions, and influence of many biotic and abiotic factors on the tree response to the disease. This study aimed to validate the effect of CLas infection on different citrus species and hybrids thought to have different levels of tolerance to the disease using CLas graft inoculation under controlled greenhouse conditions. Young potted seedlings from 12 different citrus germplasm selections were graft-inoculated with CLas or mock-inoculated. Plants were monitored periodically during 18 months for canopy growth, HLB and nutritional leaf symptoms, and leaf CLas titers. The leaf nutrient content was measured at the end of the experiment. Roots were also assessed at 18 months after inoculation (mai) for CLas titers and biomass distribution. There were significant differences in most analyzed variables of healthy and infected plants. Some plants of all cultivars were successfully infected; however, overall, the CLas transmission rate was low and inconsistent. Ct values of roots were generally higher than those in leaves at 18 mai. HLB symptoms were not observed on seedlings until 1 year after inoculation; at 18 mai, infected trees of all cultivars were HLB symptomatic. Significant shoot and root biomass reductions (44%–75%) in infected ‘Cleopatra’, ‘Duncan’, ‘Olinda Valencia’, ‘Sunburst’, and ‘Valencia 1-14-19’, considered susceptible to HLB, were measured. These cultivars also showed more severe HLB symptoms than the presumed tolerant cultivars such as Microcitrus inodora, Rich 16-6 trifoliate orange, and US-897. This study provides new knowledge of the efficacy and value of greenhouse screening of citrus germplasm for response to HLB to support the development of new cultivars with improved HLB tolerance or resistance.
https://www.texilajournal.com/academic-research/article/2443-statistical-investigation-of
Authors: Eleojo Abalaka Grace , Yinusa Agbaje Toyese
Published: January 2024

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2019/2020, employees worldwide started the working from home (WFH) job pattern which required public sector organizational leaders to deal with problems arising from management of remote working staffs that were overwhelmed with trying to place a dividing line between their jobs and place of residence alongside learning new skills. This study is a descriptive, analytical, and explanatory cross-sectional survey utilizing both qualitative and quantitative data to determine the policies and processes that existed in State public sector organizations for the management of employees during an emergency such as COVID-19 that required remote working as well as their training requirements. Fifty-four public sector organizations participated in the study. Data collected from 54 in-depth interviews of organizational heads and questionnaire administered to 50 human resource managers revealed that availability of WFH policies and guidelines is significantly associated with self-confidence to engage employees remotely. Factors like availability of resources, ICT proficiency, flexibility, work-life balance, virtual platforms, and project management tools proficiencies influence effectiveness of engaging remote work in the public sector. This study revealed that 64% of public sector administrators require additional trainings for effective staff engagement. When organizational executives and HR managers successfully practice employee engagement, staff are enabled to create personal schedules that balance their jobs and lifestyle in the novel post-COVID-19 WFH realities. Such practices are likewise advantageous to organizations as staffs WFH would experience improved health and productivity thus lessening expenses associated with absenteeism and staff turnovers as well as augmenting corporate advancements. Keywords: Employee Engagement, SHRM Policies, WFH, COVID-19.
Unveiling the Nexus: Vulnerability to Psychological Distress and Childhood Violence among Adolescents in Zimbabwe
Authors: Chipalo Edson , Obasi Odii Ikenna
Published: January 2024

Exposure to multiple forms of violence increases the risk of developing psychiatric illnesses such as depression, PTSD, and other mental health problems. Despite this, studies investigating the relationship between psychological distress and childhood violence exposure are limited. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of childhood violence across psychological distress and examined the association between vulnerability to psychological distress and experiencing childhood violence among Zimbabwean adolescents. Utilizing data from the 2017 Zimbabwe Violence Against Children Survey (ZVACS), a representative household survey of adolescents aged 13 to 19 (n=5344), we employed chisquare tests to determine the prevalence estimates across independent and dependent variables. Additionally, four sets of logistic regression models (both unadjusted and adjusted) were performed to predict significant associations between independent and dependent variables. Prevalence results indicated that among adolescents experiencing moderate-to-severe psychological distress, 35.3% had experienced childhood physical violence, 27.2% emotional violence, 15% sexual violence, and 51.2% had been exposed to multiple forms of violence. Similarly, regression results indicated that adolescents with moderate-to-severe psychological distress had higher odds of experiencing childhood physical violence (aOR=2.13), emotional violence (aOR=3.69), sexual violence (aOR=1.93), and multiple forms of violence (aOR=2.59) compared to their counterparts without psychological distress in the past 30 days. These findings underscore the need for interventions that prioritize education and increased access to mental health treatment programs. Moreover, addressing evolving cultural norms and enforcing existing legislation to curb violence are crucial steps to mitigate the risk of further victimization in Zimbabwe. Keywords: Psychological distress, emotional violence, sexual violence, physical violence, childhood, adolescence, Zimbabwe.
The Essence of Monitoring and Evaluation Systems for Good Governance of Catholic Institutions in Zambia
Authors: Phiri Jonas
Published: January 2024

Monitoring and evaluation (M&E) are a process that involves collecting and analysing data to measure progress toward achieving specific goals and objectives. This process helps organisations to identify what is working and what is not and to make informed decisions on how to improve their programs and projects. This paper focuses on the necessity of M&E in Catholic institutions in Zambia, Lusaka in particular. It underscores the fact that there is no good governance in these institutions due to inadequate M&E mechanisms. The only means of M&E are meetings. The research was done in Lusaka District and some parts of Central Province. It was conducted in 7 institutions. The sample size was 257. There were 252 questionnaires which were administered purposively and randomly to those in the first line, middle and top leadership, and management positions, and 5 in-depth interviews were carried out purposively. It identifies the causes of poor governance as inadequate results-based M&E systems, deficient focus on Key Result Areas (KRAs) and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), and irregular monitoring of institutional activities. The recommendations were that there was need to build capacity in the areas of performance management, stewardship approach to management (good governance), and to enhance M&E systems. Theoretically, the results can be generalised to all Catholic institutions in Zambia. Keywords: Catholic Institutions, Good Governance, Key Performance Indicators, Key Result Areas Monitoring and Evaluation, Stewardship.
Topological Relation Aware Transformer
Authors: Manzambi Ndongala Nathan
Published: January 2024

We present a Topological Relation Aware Transformer (T-RAT), a specialized head transformer to open sets, an element of the topology τ generated by the set S, the set of all pre-existing relations between input tokens of the model. From this topological space (S, τ), we present the way to spread each open set to one head of our Transformer. T-RAT improves exact match accuracy in Text-To-SQL challenge (62.09%) without any enhancement of large language models compared to the baseline models RAT-SQL (57.2%) and Light RAT-SQL (60.25%). Keywords: Deep learning, Natural Language Processing, Neural Semantic Parsing, Relation Aware Transformer, RAT-SQL, Text-To-SQL Transformer.
Uma Abordagem para Geração e Visualização de Regras de Associação de Acesso a Conteúdos de Portal de Notícias
Authors: Silva Tayna Arruda , Guedes Luiz Affonso
Published: January 2024

This paper aims to develop and visually association rules through a data mining project approach, using a data set of history navigation contents of an online news portal of a Brazilian magazine. The rules found allow us to understand users and subscribers access trends sequences through frequent items by applying the Apriori algorithm. To achieve this objective, the concepts of exploratory data analysis – EDA, scientific data visualization, knowledge discovery in databses – KDD and association rules were used. The result is a dataset and and visualization using parallel bar diagrams for the association rules found which bring together the main features of publications to frequently read together in sequence.
Modelo híbrido de aprendizado de máquina para extração de características em imagens de radiografia de tórax
Authors: Oliveira Rodrigo , Figueredo Caroline , Silva Luciano , Farias Paulo César , SantAnna Angelo Márcio
Published: January 2024

O diagnostico de doenças com imagens e auxílio de sistemas computacionais de Inteligência Artificial v em sendo desenvolvidos e aplicados em varios contextos clínicos. A Indústria 4.0 tem um papel fundamental nesse processo e pesquisas recentes demonstram que transferência de aprendizado de redes neurais convolucionais pre-treinadas como ResNet-50, VGG-16 e Inception podem contribuir significativamente no resultado das prediçoes para classificação de imagens. Contudo, na maioria das vezes, o treinamento de redes neurais requer um tempo de execução consider avel. Este artigo propõe um método rápido e eficiente para treinamento com menor tempo de execução baseado em algoritmos de aprendizado de máquina para modelagem preditiva de imagens de radiografia de torax de pacientes saudaveis e com pneumonia. O trabalho consiste em desenvolver uma modelagem híbrida usando a ResNet-50 para extração de características, a análise de componentes principais para reduzir a dimensão das variáveis preditoras e o modelo Random Forest para classificar as imagens. Algoritmos geneticos foram utilizados para otimizar os parametros do modelo Random Forest. Os resultados dessa abordagem permitiu alcançar valores relevantes de desempenho quando comparado com os encontrados na literatura por arquiteturas robustas de redes neurais. O classificador híbrido Random Forest proposto alcançou 93%, 79%, 88% de ROC-AUC nos conjuntos de treino, teste e validação, respectivamente.
Sobre a Aplicação de Regressão Kernel na Predição das Propriedades Mecânicas de Vergalhões de Aço: Novos Resultados
Authors: Bessa Jéssyca , Barreto Guilherme , Barroso Darlan
Published: January 2024

As propriedades mecânicas do aço dependem fortemente da composição química e dos parâmetros utilizados durante o processamento termomecânico. Tendo em vista garantir a qualidade e redução de custos na fabricação do aço, in umeros estudos tem obtido sucesso na predição dessas propriedades por intermedio de técnicas de aprendizado de máquina, que são capazes de lidar com o grande numero de variáveis envolvidas. Neste artigo, revisita-se a regressão kernel, bem sucedida em estudos recentes, em uma nova abordagem mais eficaz e eficiente.
IoT-based Smart Home Security System with Machine Learning Models
Authors: HIZAL Selman , ÇAVUŞOĞLU Ünal , AKGÜN Devrim
Published: January 2024

The Internet of Things (IoT) has various applications in practice, such as smart homes and buildings, traffic management, industrial management, and smart farming. On the other hand, security issues are raised by the growing use of IoT applications. Researchers develop machine learning models that focus on better classification accuracy and decreasing model response time to solve this security problem. In this study, we made a comparative evaluation of machine learning algorithms for intrusion detection systems on IoT networks using the DS2oS dataset. The dataset was first processed to feature extraction using the info gain attribute evaluation feature extraction approach. The original dataset (12 attributes), the dataset (6 attributes) produced using the info gain approach, and the dataset (11 attributes) obtained by eliminating the timestamp attribute was then formed. These datasets were subjected to performance testing using several machine learning methods and test choices (crossfold-10, percentage split). The test performance results are presented, and an evaluation is performed, such as accuracy, precision, recall, and F1 score. According to the test results, it has been observed that high accuracy detection rates are achieved for IoT devices with limited processing power.
Impact of Risk Production of Laying Hens Livestock in Ringinsari Village, Kandat District, Kediri District
Authors: Laily Dona Wahyuning , Roidah Ida Syamsu , Rozci Fatchur , Purnamasari Ika
Published: January 2024

Laying hens farming is one of the livestock industries that has the potential to develop in Indonesia. Raising laying hens, like other agricultural and food businesses, has many potential risks in its operations. The purpose of this research is to identify production risk sources, determine the likelihood of production risk in the aying hen business, and develop a management strategy for each source of risk in the laying hen business. A case study of laying hen breeders in Ringinrejo, Kandat District, Kediri Regency, was used as the research method. This location was chosen with care because it is a viable laying hen production area. Descriptive analysis is used to identify risk sources; z-score analysis is used to determine risk probability; and risk mapping is used for analysis to identify mitigation and prevention strategies. The research results show that the sources of risk found in this study are sources of disease risk and sources of drinking water risk. Production risks of significant value are obtained from disease risk sources, which have a probability value of 83.15% and drinking water has a probability of 13.57%. Alternative strategies, recommended for managing sources of disease risk are prevention strategies including the use of antibiotics and vitamins, as well as mitigation strategies implemented to reduce the occurrence of significant impacts by separating chickens identified as having disease and carrying out treatment. In summary, a prevention strategy is proposed by paying attention to drinking water quality raw materials and making efforts to filter the water to make it sterile.
OPTIMIZATION OF TOFU WHEY CONCENTRATION IN COCONUT MILK NATA DE SKIM
Authors:   Universitas Brawijaya, Saleh Nuriyya , Widjanarko Simon Bambang ,   Universitas Brawijaya
Published: January 2024

One of the uses of coconut milk scheme is for the production of Nata De Skim Santan using Acetobacter xylinum bacteria and the addition of tofu whey substrate. This study aims to determine the effect of whey concentration on the characteristics of nata de coconut milk and the right optimum whey concentration on making nata de coconut milk. The independent variable used X1= Whey concentration with a lower limit of 0% (-1) and an upper limit of 50% (+1). The responses observed were yield (Y1), nata thickness (Y2), and moisture content (Y3). The results showed that the use of whey concentration had an influence on the characteristics of nata de coconut milk with Fvalue for the yield model, thickness model, moisture content model, and whey was 17.94, 24.83, 14.72, and 14.72. The optimum concentration of whey that is right for making nata de coconut milk was 49.07% with a desirability value of 0.89, the optimum yield was 29.71%, the optimum thickness was 1.13 cm, and the optimum moisture content was 89.7%.
PENGARUH PENGGUNAAN SARI KULIT BUAH NAGA MERAH TERHADAP KADAR SERAT KASAR, DAYA SIMPAN, DAN KARAKTERISTIK SENSORIS MI BASAH
Authors:   Universitas Dipogengoro, Bethany Rahma Vashti , Dwiloka Bambang ,   Universitas Dipogengoro, Hintono Antonius ,   Universitas Dipogengoro
Published: January 2024

Kulit buah naga merah mengandung serat, antioksidan, dan antimikroba yang cukup tinggi sehingga apabila digunakan pada pembuatan mi basah dapat memperkaya kandungan nutrisi dan memperpanjang umur simpan mi basah. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui pengaruh penggunaan kulit buah naga merah dalam bentuk sari terhadap kadar serat kasar, daya simpan, karakteristik sensoris pada mi basah. Penelitian dirancang menggunakan Rancangan Acak Lengkap terdiri dari 5 ulangan dan 4 perlakuan yakni penggunaan sari dengan konsentrasi 0% (P0); 30% (P1); 60% (P2); dan 90% (P3). Sampel mi basah dengan perlakuan P3 memberikan hasil terbaik dengan kadar serat kasar sebesar 2.10%, daya simpan selama 43.2 jam, tekstur kenyal serta berwarna merah muda. Peningkatan konsentrasi sari yang digunakan meningkatkan kandungan kadar serat kasar, daya simpan, dan daya terima panelis terhadap produk mi basah.
Correlation Between Platelet Index, Neutrophil-Lymphocyte Ratio, and Mean Platelet-Volume Lymphocyte Ratio with Lesion in Chronic Coronary Syndrome Based on SYNTAX Score
Authors: Fathurohim Zainal , Tri Tjahjono Cholid , Zulhaidah Arthamin Maimun , Kurnianingsih Novi
Published: January 2024

Background: Platelet aggregation and inflammation have been associated with atherosclerosis, and inflammatory parameters such as mean platelet volume (MPV), platelet distribution width (PDW), neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and mean platelet-lymphocyte volume ratio (MPLVR) are often used. However, the relationship between these inflammatory parameters and the SYNTAX Score in CAD remains uncertain. Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between angiographic SYNTAX score, NLR, and platelet parameters (MPV, PLR, MPLVR). Material and Methods: We conducted a study involving patients undergoing elective coronary angiography from January 2023 to June 2023 at Dr. Saiful Anwar General Hospital, who were 18 years of age or older and had CAD. All participants willingly agreed to be part of the study. We collected complete routine blood counts and performed blood biochemistry assessments 24 hours before the coronary angiography procedure. Pearson's correlation was used to examine the relationship between the variables. Result: A total of 366 individuals meeting the study's inclusion criteria were included. MPV, PLR, MPLVR, NLR, and PDW showed weak to negligible correlations with the SYNTAX Score, displaying correlation coefficients of 0.260, 0.190, 0.320, 0.470, and 0.290, respectively, all with p-values <0.001. Conclusion: This study in individuals with coronary artery disease revealed a limited to negligible correlation between the SYNTAX Score and inflammatory parameters including MPV, PLR, MPLVR, NLR, and PDW.
Mobile-Delivered Mindfulness Intervention on Anxiety Level Among College Athletes: Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Gao Yu , Shi Lu , Fu Ning , Yang Nan , Weeks-Gariepy Tracy , Mao Yuping
Published: January 2024

Background

College athletes are a group often affected by anxiety. Few interventional studies have been conducted to address the anxiety issues in this population.

Objective

We conducted a mobile-delivered mindfulness intervention among college athletes to study its feasibility and efficacy in lowering their anxiety level and improving their mindfulness (measured by the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire [FFMQ]).

Methods

In April 2019, we recruited 290 college athletes from a public university in Shanghai, China, and 288 of them were randomized into an intervention group and a control group (closed trial), with the former (n=150) receiving a therapist-guided, smartphone-delivered mindfulness-based intervention and the latter receiving mental health promotion messages (n=138). We offered in-person instructions during the orientation session for the intervention group in a classroom, with the therapist interacting with the participants on the smartphone platform later during the intervention. We used generalized linear modeling and the intent-to-treat approach to compare the 2 groups' outcomes in dispositional anxiety, precompetition anxiety, and anxiety during competition, plus the 5 dimensions of mindfulness (measured by the FFMQ).

Results

Our intent-to-treat analysis and generalized linear modeling found no significant difference in dispositional anxiety, precompetition anxiety, or anxiety during competition. Only the “observation” facet of mindfulness measures had a notable difference between the changes experienced by the 2 groups, whereby the intervention group had a net gain of .214 yet fell short of reaching statistical significance (P=.09). Participants who specialized in group sports had a higher level of anxiety (β=.19; SE=.08), a lower level of “nonjudgemental inner experience” in FFMQ (β=–.07; SE=.03), and a lower level of “nonreactivity” (β=–.138; SE=.052) than those specializing in individual sports.

Conclusions

No significant reduction in anxiety was detected in this study. Based on the participant feedback, the time availability for mindfulness practice and session attendance for these student athletes in an elite college could have compromised the intervention’s effectiveness. Future interventions among this population could explore a more student-friendly time schedule (eg, avoid final exam time) or attempt to improve cognitive and scholastic outcomes.

Trial Registration

Chinese Clinical Trial Registry ChiCTR1900024449; https://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.html?proj=40865