bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Unexpected Similarities Between Strong and Electromagnetic Interactions
Authors: Comay Ofer
Published: May 2024

In this article, many experimental similarities between electromagnetic fields (which are applied in systems of electrons, atoms, and liquids) and strong interaction fields (which are applied in systems of quarks, nucleons, and nuclei) are reviewed. The currently accepted theories describing electromagnetic fields differ fundamentally from those describing strong fields. Therefore, the many similarities are quite surprising, and some are not adequately explained even today. Several such unexplained similarities are listed among the top open problems in particle physics, such as the “EMC effect,” the “proton spin crisis,” and the “strong CP problem.” This paper highlights, for the first time, the underlying common characteristics of these problems, potentially offering valuable contribution to future explanations.
Effectiveness of Chemical Sanitizers Against Salmonella Typhimurium in Nutrient Film Technique (NFT) Hydroponic Systems: Implications for Food Safety, Crop Quality, and Nutrient Content in Leafy Greens
Authors: Mensah Abigail A. , Lewis Ivey Melanie L. , Moodispaw Margaret R. , Ilic Sanja
Published: May 2024

Hydroponic farming systems play an increasingly important role in the sustainable production of nutrient-rich foods. The contamination of surfaces in hydroponic fresh produce production poses risks to the food safety of crops, potentially endangering public health and causing economic losses in the industry. While sanitizers are widely used in commercial hydroponic farms, their effectiveness against human pathogens on surfaces, and their impact on plant health and quality are not known. In this study, we evaluated the efficacy of chemical sanitizers in eliminating Salmonella Typhimurium from inanimate surfaces in commercial hydroponic Nutrient Film Technique (NFT) systems. Further, we assessed the impact of sanitizers on the yield, quality, and nutritional value of lettuce and basil. Sanitizers (Virkon, LanXess; Sanitate 12.0, Bi-oSafe Systems; Kleen Grow, Pace Chemical Ltd.; Green Shield, United Labs Inc.; Zerotol, BioSafe Systems; Bleach, Pure Bright), were tested against Salmonella Typhimurium inoculated on NFT surfaces (nutrient reservoirs, growing channels, top covers, drain lines). The effective treatments were then tested for their impact on lettuce and basil in a split-plot experiment conducted in commercial NFT units. Crop yield, color, and nutrient content were measured throughout the crop life cycle. While all quaternary ammonium compounds (QAC), SaniDate 12.0 (200ppm), Zorotol (5%), and Virkon (1%) eliminated Salmonella Typhimurium from commercial NFT surfaces, chlorine-based sanitizer treatments were statistically similar to water treatments on most surfaces. All chemical sanitizers impacted the yield, color, and nutritional value of lettuce and basil. SaniDate 12.0 (200ppm) was the least detrimental to crops and was identified as a potential candidate for further validation in commercial hydroponic settings. The findings of this study will be translated into recommendations for the industry and will contribute to the development of future food safety guidelines and policies.
Fine-Grained Recognition of Mixed Signals with Geometry Coordinate Attention
Authors: Qingwu Yi , Qing Wang , Jianwu Zhang , Xiaoran Zheng , Zetao Lu
Published: May 2024

With the advancement of technology, signal modulation types are becoming increasingly diverse and complex. The phenomenon of signal time-frequency overlap during transmission poses significant challenges for the classification and recognition of mixed signals, including poor recognition capabilities and low generality. This paper presents a recognition model for fine-grained analysis of mixed signal characteristics, proposing a Geometry Coordinate attention mechanism and introducing a low-rank bilinear pooling module to more effectively extract signal features for classification. The model employs a residual neural network as its backbone architecture and utilizes the Geometry Coordinate attention mechanism for time-frequency weighted analysis based on information geometry theory. This analysis targets multiple-scale features within the architecture, producing time-frequency weighted features of the signal. These weighted features are further analyzed through a low-rank bilinear pooling module, combined with the backbone features, to achieve fine-grained feature fusion. This results in a fused feature vector for mixed signal classification. Experiments were conducted on a simulated dataset comprising 39,600 mixed signal time-frequency plots. The model was benchmarked against a baseline using a residual neural network. The experimental outcomes demonstrated an improvement of 9% in the exact match ratio and 5% in the Hamming score. These results indicate that the proposed model significantly enhances the recognition capability and generalizability of mixed signal classification.
Water Footprint Reduction in Oil and Gas Refineries through Water Reuse: A Systematic Review
Authors: Hashemi Fallah , Young Stephanie , Hashemi Hassan , Leiviskä Tiina , Shafea Leila , Khedri Masoumeh , Borj Babak Pouladi , Sayyadi Abbas , Hajivand Marjan
Published: May 2024

Oil and gas refineries are highly water-intensive industrial settings, with effluent containing a significant level of pollution stemming from diverse organic and inorganic compounds. Besides adhering to discharge standards for industrial effluent, incorporating treated oil refinery effluent (ORE) into the production cycle can play a pivotal role in curbing water consumption. In recent years, there has been research into different approaches to reclaiming ORE. Yet, selecting treatment methods that are technically, economically, and environmentally effective is crucial to preventing resource waste. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the last two decades of literature on methods and technologies used for ORE treatment. Based on the inclusion criteria, the final screening included 82 studies, with acceptable agreement assessed using Cohen's inter-examiner kappa equal to 0.86. The included studies were of biological treatment (n = 27), physicochemical processes (n = 12), advanced purification processes (n = 16), membrane-based technologies (n = 15), and green technologies (n = 13). This comprehensive review showed that the advanced membrane-based techniques are effective in the removal of pollutants from ORE for several reasons, such as reducing the consumption of chemicals, high efficiency, and ease of setup and maintenance. However, combined methods with a focus on membrane-based processes (e.g. UF-RO) are the most promising options for the reclamation of ORE. Since some effluent treatment methods require the use of chemicals and energy to run, future research should focus on environmentally friendly methods and the use of renewable energy.
Policy Entrepreneurs, Ideology and the Quest for a Just Transition: Sustainability, Climate Governance and Democracy
Authors: von Malmborg Fredrik
Published: May 2024

The concept of policy entrepreneurs has gained increasing attention in studies of climate policy and governance since it foregrounds the role of agency in understanding policy change. However, agency of policy entrepreneurs in the policy process is largely political and conceals the power that shapes how public problems and policies are framed and defined. Thus, policy entrepreneurs should be confronted with the challenge of generating legitimacy, accountability and justice of their actions and the implementation of their targeted policy change. Drawing on political-philosophical theories of liberal and deliberative democracy this paper outlines a conceptual framework for critical analytical as well as normative research on strategies and impacts of policy entrepreneurs. Empirical research on the strategies and impacts of policy entrepreneurs in recent policymaking on climate policy and governance in the EU and Sweden identifies several democratic deficits. In all, the paper brings ideology and politics into research on policy entrepreneurs. It is suggested that not only the strategies used, but also the ideologies of actors that use them, is the causal mechanism that links the policy entrepreneurs to the outcomes, and thus if their advocacy will facilitate or hamper a just transition to climate neutrality and sustainability.
Management of Urinary Incontinence in the Neurogenic Bladder and Its Relationship with Satisfaction and Lifestyle of People with SCI
Authors: Neves Videira Lorena Gomes , Corbo Letícia Noelle , Avila Marla Andreia Garcia , Martins Giovana Pelosi , Schoeller Soraia Dornelles , Kappler Christoph , Faleiros Fabiana
Published: May 2024

One of the most common complications of neurogenic bladder secondary to spinal cord injury (SCI) is urinary incontinence, possibly related to bladder-emptying methods and changes in quality of life. This study aimed to identify the occurrence of this complication in adults with SCI and analyze its relationship with bladder-emptying methods, satisfaction, and lifestyle. This is a quantitative, exploratory, cross-sectional study. The variables were collected using the Bowel and Bladder Treatment Index during a telephone interview with 290 participants from February to November 2021. According to the results, 70% of the participants were male and 74.1% performed clean intermediate catheterization (CIC) as the main bladder-emptying method. Moreover, 55.6% were considered incontinent in the last year. Emptying by normal urination and bladder reflex triggering had a statistically significant relationship with urinary incontinence. A statistical association was observed between all the variables of satisfaction and lifestyle with urinary incontinence. Although CIC reduced urine leakage, a considerable number of participants still presented with frequent urine leakage. Urinary incontinence negatively altered satisfaction with the bladder-emptying method, effectiveness of bladder management, quality of life, and personal and social relationships.
Effect of Roller Burnishing and Slide Roller Burnishing on Fatigue Strength of AISI 304 Steel: Comparative Analysis
Authors: Duncheva Galya , Maximov Jordan , Anchev Angel , Dunchev Vladimir , Anastasov Kalin , Argirov Yaroslav
Published: May 2024

The new slide roller burnishing (SRB) method has been developed to produce mirror-like surfaces. Unlike conventional roller burnishing (RB), SRB is implemented through a unique device that allows the axes of the deforming roller and the rotary workpiece to cross resulting in a relative sliding velocity that can be controlled (in magnitude and direction) by varying the crossing angle. In the present work, the effect of SRB on the fatigue behavior of AISI 316 steel fatigue specimens was investigated by comparing with a conventional RB using the basic correlation in surface engineering: finishing–surface integrity (SI)–operating behavior. To obtain a more representative picture of the comparison, we implemented each method (RB and SRB) with two combinations of governing factors: (A) a radius of the roller toroidal surface of 3 mm, a burnishing force of 250 N and feed rate of 0.05 mm/rev (RB-A and SRB-A) and (B) a radius of the roller toroidal surface of 4 mm, a burnishing force of 550 N and feed rate of 0.11 mm/rev (RB-B and SRB- B). Both SRB-A (crossing angle of –45°) and SRB-B (crossing angle of –30°) achieved mirror-finish surfaces. SRB-B lead to the greatest fatigue strength and, thus, the longest fatigue life among all tested processes. SRB-B created the deepest zone (>0.5 mm) with residual compressive macro-stresses and a clearly defined modified surface layer, whose thickness of more than 20 m is about twice that created by the other three processes.
Masterminding the Giant : Shannonian Entropic Threshold Perplexity AI
Authors: A Mageed Dr Ismail
Published: May 2024

Undoubtedly, there is a potential impact of large language models like ChatGPT in revolutionizing information retrieval and knowledge discovery, particularly in the context of the vast amount of electronic material available. On another strong note, the current work offers a first time ever mathematical approach to accurately fine tune perplexity AI, which sets a giant step ahead towards accurate next generations AI. Having started this world leading discovery, the upper and lower bounds of perplexity AI, namely , , respectively, are obtained for the first-time ever. Concluding remarks combined with emerging open problems and next research phase are provided.
IEEE Terms Analysis of 2019–2024 IEEE Xplore Data on the Topic of Energy Systems
Authors: Chigarev Boris
Published: May 2024

Relevance of the subject. Keyword selection is critical to finding relevant literature and requires justification for querying abstract databases and other sources to ensure accuracy and completeness. The topic of Energy Systems is of great importance due to the introduction of renewable energy sources, modern control methods, and complex energy systems during the energy transition. The aim of this study. The goal of this paper was to identify keywords that would be useful to subject matter experts when collecting literature on a particular topic, based on entries in the IEEE Terms field. Data. Bibliometric data were exported from the IEEE Xplore platform in the following order: for 2019-2023, 2000 records sorted by relevance, for 2024, 1680 records current as of April 11, 2024. Analytical methods applied and software used. VOSviewer, Scimago Graphica implementing the Clauset-Newman-Moore algorithm and agglomerative hierarchical clustering method implemented in Multidendrograms. Results. The main issues of the Energy Systems topic are presented in tabular and graphical formats. The fpgrowth utility offers flexible data preparation options, which makes it worthwhile to conduct a separate study to analyze the score of co-occurrence terms given by its algorithm.
Vehicle to Vehicle Communication with LoRa network
Authors: Cortes Filipe , Carvalho Rafael , Pires Luis Miguel
Published: May 2024

The primary objective of this experiment is to enhance road safety and mitigate the occurrence of accidents by leveraging Low Power Wide Area Networks (LPWAN), specifically focusing on the Long Range (LoRa) network. Through comprehensive research into LPWANs and their various applications, we have designed and implemented a novel approach employing two mobile robots. These robots are utilized to emulate a typical traffic scenario, with one robot leading the way, skillfully maneuvering around obstacles, while the other robot closely follows behind, tracing the same path. The leading robot is tasked with collecting data from its internal environment, the external surroundings, and its operator through an array of sensors. Subsequently, this data is transmitted to the trailing robot. The follower robot's role is to analyze the data received and formulate decisions based on this information. Its objective is to mimic safe driving behavior, particularly when the received data deviates from the expected norms. In such instances, the follower robot will opt to decelerate significantly, thereby minimizing the risk of collision. By implementing this innovative system, we aim to significantly enhance driving safety and reduce the occurrence of accidents on the road.
Mitigating Endemic COVID-19 Risks in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease and Kidney Transplantation: A Narrative Review
Authors: Khan Behram Ali , Noppakun Kajohnsak , Bruminhent Jackrapong , Chuenkitmongkol Sunate , Habibullah Zainab , Kiertiburanakul Sasisopin , Rengganis Iris , Teo Boon Wee
Published: May 2024

Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), particularly those with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) undergoing dialysis or kidney transplantation, face ongoing challenges in relation to the risk of COVID-19. In addition to their underlying condition, factors such as immune-evasive variants, immunosuppressive therapies, and the need for dialysis contribute to poor COVID-19 outcomes in this population. Severe COVID-19 can lead to the deterioration of CKD/ESKD, resulting in acute kidney injury, septic shock, and respiratory failure. Moreover, patients with CKD/ESKD have shown impaired response to COVID-19 vaccination, with seroconversion failures associated with the burden of immunosuppressive treatments, further heightening their vulnerability to severe disease. Despite the current endemic, it is crucial to acknowledge the ongoing significance of COVID-19 as a serious threat to patients burdened with chronic diseases like CKD and ESRD. Understanding the impact of COVID-19 on these patients is essential, as they remain at risk of severe disease progression. This paper presents the results of a literature review to enhance our understanding of COVID-19-related risks in patients with CKD/ESKD. Expert insights and illustrative scenarios provide practical perspectives and highlight the importance of risk stratification based on clinical factors for guiding targeted measures and treatments to mitigate COVID-19 risks in these vulnerable patients.
Development Of Sentiment Analysis Model In Kazakh Language To Analyze Reviews
Authors: Akhmedov Sanzhar , Nugumanova Aliya
Published: May 2024

Sentiment analysis has become an important tool for understanding public opinion across languages and domains. Recently, there has been an increase in the number of studies on sentiment analysis in low-resource languages such as Kazakh. This is important to ensure that modern text analysis technologies are accessible to all users, regardless of their language background. The aim of the study is to create a sentiment analysis model for analyzing texts in Kazakh. As part of this work, we aim to use fine-tuning techniques on our own dataset for already existing models, thus improving their accuracy and efficiency for analyzing Kazakh language texts. This paper presents a manually collected dataset "KazIntTelCom" from the city information service 2GIS, consisting of user reviews, manually annotated by the authors taking into account the polarity of sentiment (i.e. negative positive or neutral). This dataset was used to fine-tune two pre-trained multi-lingual Transformer-based sentiment analysis models taken from the HuggingFace platform. The distillBERT and XLM-RoBERTa models were used for tuning. Also, the models were tested on the dataset "KazSAnDRA". The results show that accurate tuning even on a relatively small dataset gives a significant increase in performance, which is confirmed by an increase in the accuracy index by 20%-30%. In addition, false misses and false detections are analyzed, which allows us to identify directions for further improvement of the models. The contribution of this work, in addition to the dataset, is the analysis of model errors, which will help future developers to make more accurate settings of hyperparameters of training for sentiment analysis in Kazakh. These results are important for natural language processing and their adaptation to low-resource languages, promoting more inclusive and equitable access to modern analytical tools. Thus, this study demonstrates the effectiveness of the Transformers architecture for sentiment analysis in Kazakh and opens new opportunities for further model improvement.
Laparoendoscopic Rendez-Vous: An Effective and Safe Approach in the Management of Cholecysto-Choledocholithiasis
Authors: Percario Rossana , Panaccio Paolo , Caldarella Maria Pia , Trappoliere Marco , Marino Maria , Casolino Vincenzo , Farrukh Maira , Cericola Severino , Di Russo Simone , Di Giacomo Carla , De Nobili Giovanni , Grottola Tommaso , Di Sebastiano Pierluigi , Di Mola Francesco Fabio
Published: May 2024

Background:

The two-stage technique combining the Endoscopic Retrograde CholangioPancreatography (ERCP) with common bile duct (CBD) clearance carried out before the laparoscopic cholecystectomy represents the most common approach for CBD stones. Over time, different techniques have been proposed to manage cholecysto- choledocholithiasis (CCL) advantageously in one stage. Among these, the laparoendoscopic rendez-vous (LERV) addresses the CCL issue with a laparoscopic cholecystectomy with insertion of a guide wire performed at initial stage of the procedure, followed by the clearance of the bile duct carried out by the endoscopists. The goal of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safeness of LERV procedure recording results and complications, also making a comparison between our results and current literature.

Methods:

We reviewed our experience of all consecutive patients with cholecysto-choledocholithiasis managed with LERV between January 2018 and December 2023. LERV success rate, operative time, length of hospital stay, stone recurrence, incidence of endoscopic and surgical complications were analysed.

Results:

A total of 120 patients underwent LERV in our facilities. We reported a 97% LERV success rate, 1.6% conversion-to-open rate, a median intraoperative time of 122 (range 95-220) min. The median hospital stay was 4 (range 2-38) days. An overall morbidity of 15% was reported (18/120): 15 Clavien-Dindo type 1/2, 2 type 3a and one type 3b. In two cases a re-operation during the hospital stay was necessary. At a median follow-up of 14 months (3-59) five patients experienced stone recurrence requiring redo-ERCP in two cases.

Conclusion:

LERV offers the significant advantage of a single stage procedure and hospitalisation along with a lower risk of post-ERCP pancreatitis, failed CBD cannulation and complications. Our experience confirms safety and effectiveness of the technique for CCL management.
Large-Scale Solar Potential Analysis as a Use Case of Urban Digital Twins
Authors: Shirinyan Evgeny , Petrova-Antonova Dessislava
Published: May 2024

Solar radiation impacts diverse aspects of city life, such as harvesting energy with PV panels, passive heating of buildings in winter, cooling loads of air-conditioning systems in summer, and urban microclimate. Urban digital twins and 3D city models can support solar studies in the process of urban planning and provide valuable insights for data-driven decision support. This study examines the calculation of solar incident radiation at the city scale in Sofia using remote sensing data for the large shading context in a mountainous region and 3D vector building data. The building footprints and the terrain are preprocessed using GIS. The solar calculation uses a raytracing algorithm in 3D CAD at the city scale. To evaluate the performance, two cases were considered at the city and district scale, respectively. The total face count of meshes for the simulations constituted approximately 2 000 000 faces. 64379 roofs for the whole city and 4796 buildings for one district were selected. All calculations were performed in one batch and visualized in a 3D web platform. Using a 3D CAD environment establishes a seamless process of updating 3D models and simulations while preprocessing in GIS ensures working with large-scale datasets. The proposed method showed moderate computation time for both cases and could be extended to include reflected radiation and dense photogrammetric meshes in the future.
Emerging Opportunistic Colpodella Species: Nutrient Uptake and Approaches to Diagnose Infections
Authors: Salti Mahdi I , Sam-Yellowe Tobili Y
Published: May 2024

Colpodella species are free-living opportunistic pathogens that cause human and animal infections and use ticks and flies as vectors. Trophozoite and cyst stages of Colpodella species can be distinguished from stages of the prey Parabodo caudatus using Sam-Yellowe’s trichrome staining. Colpodella species obtain nutrients by attaching to their prey, aspirating the prey’s cytoplasmic contents into a posterior food vacuole and encysting. It is unclear whether both trophozoite and cyst stages are present during infection. Molecular techniques identified Colpodella species in all reported infections. However, no morphological information was reported to aid life cycle stage identification in hosts. This review discusses the increased incidence of Colpodella infection in animals and in vectors and the need to identify stages used for transmission and pathogenesis. The potential for zoonotic infections through tick and fly bites is a public health concern. We previously used Sam-Yellowe’s trichrome staining to identify life cycle stages of Colpodella sp. In order to gain a better understanding of transmission and pathogenesis, identifying Colpodella life cycle stages in infected tissue and in vectors will provide important insights regarding nutrient uptake in hosts by determining whether attachment of trophozoites to host cells occurs, and identifying trophozoites and cysts in infected hosts.
Treatment Management Challenges in Naïve and Experienced HIV-1-Infected Individuals Carrying the M184V Mutation
Authors: Mimtsoudis Iordanis , Tsachouridou Olga , Akinosoglou Karolina , Metallidis Symeon
Published: May 2024

M184V is a single-base mutation in the YMDD domain of reverse transcriptase (RT). The M184V resistance-associated mutation is related to virological unresponsiveness to lamivudine (3TC) and emtricitabine (FTC) and induces high-level resistance to these two antiretroviral agents. M184V is rapidly selected in the setting of non-suppressive antiretroviral therapy (ART) and accumulates in the HIV reservoir. There were continuous efforts to evaluate the impact of M184V mutation on the treatment outcomes in people with HIV (PWH). Since lamivudine remains an extensively used part of recommended antiretroviral combinations, M184V is commonly detected in patients with virological failure. ART guidelines do not recommend the use of drugs impacted by resistance-associated mutations as they have been confirmed to comprise a risk factor for virological failure. However, previous authors suggest that 3TC/FTC can remain active even in the presence of M184V. Obtaining the viral resistance profile for each individual both treated or ART-naïve is a key challenge for lifelong treatment management.Given the potential benefits of lamivudine in the ART combinations, the investigation of M184V remains of high interest for clinicians and researchers. This is a review of literature for the challenges in treating both naïve and experienced individuals carrying the M184V resistance mutation, including virological failure, virological suppression, and resistance to ART.
Making the Research and Innovation Ethical: A Conceptual Framework for Ethics Assessment of Nanotechnology Innovations
Authors: Lakshmanan Skanthesh , Padikkal Varyam Vinayak , Nirmal Ghosh Oriparambil Sivaraman
Published: May 2024

In the current era of emerging technologies and cutting-edge inventions, it is equally important to consider the ethical aspects of research and innovations to have an ethical space for the sustainable progress and safety of humanity. The field of nanotechnology research and innovation often faces criticism due to its potential adverse impacts on health, the environment, limited accessibility, high costs, and concerns about data privacy. Therefore, it is crucial to address and resolve these ethical issues systematically. In this regard, we present our findings and methods for exploring the application of the ethics technology assessment method by considering its relevance at different stages of innovation development. Specifically, the present work provides a conceptual framework for ethics technology assessment focused on evaluating a significant innovation in nanotechnology within the domain of food safety with specific reference to mycotoxin remediation. By leveraging the value-sensitive design approach, we described various strategies for analyzing the ethical implications of nanotechnology-based innovations in mycotoxin remediation. Through comprehensive ethics technology assessment, nanotechnology-based innovations can be guided toward becoming more value-oriented, thereby making substantial contributions to social progress.
Perioperative Buprenorphine Management and Post-Operative Pain Outcomes: A Retrospective Study with Literature Review and Recommendations
Authors: Desai Amruta , Parikh Shruti , Bergese Sergio
Published: May 2024

The prevalence of patients on buprenorphine therapy presenting for elective surgery has increased. Buprenorphine is a widely used medication for management of patients with chronic pain. It is also used for maintenance therapy for patients with a history of opioid use disorder (OUD). Due to lack of standardized protocol for managing patients on buprenorphine peri-operatively, we performed a retrospective analysis to compare pain score outcomes and post-operative opiate requirements between patients who continued versus discontinued buprenorphine. We identified 35 patients, 11 continued buprenorphine and 24 discontinued buprenorphine. The average Post-Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU) pain score was 7.54 for those who discontinued pre-operative buprenorphine and 5.59 for those who continued (P value 0.0339). The average post-operative Morphine Milligram Equivalent (MME) use was 86.13 for those who continued pre-operative buprenorphine and was 107.70 for those who discontinued buprenorphine (P value 0.6439). The results from our study correlate with several previous studies which showed lower PACU pain scores in patients who continued buprenorphine. There is a benefit of decreased pain post-operatively when pre-operative buprenorphine is continued and having a decrease in relapse in those with a history of OUD.
Fiscal Resilience in Times of Crisis: The Impact of Government Consumption Alongside Oil and Non-Oil Revenues on Saudi Arabia’s GDP Growth
Authors: Abdelkawy Nagwa Amin , Al Shammre Abdullah , Almutairi Altaf Mohammad
Published: May 2024

This study investigates the impact of General Government Final Consumption Expenditure (GC) on GDP growth in Saudi Arabia during major economic crises from 1990 to 2022, focusing on periods marked by fluctuations in oil and non-oil revenues. By integrating these revenue streams, the research provides a more comprehensive analysis of fiscal policy effectiveness during economic downturns. Using an Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) model, the study reveals that Government Consumption significantly stabilizes and stimulates the Saudi economy amidst revenue volatility. Key findings highlight the dual role of Government Consumption (GC) as both a buffer against immediate economic shocks and a stimulus for economic recovery. The study contributes to the discourse on fiscal policy in oil-dependent economies by demonstrating the critical role of diversified revenue strategies in enhancing economic resilience. Recommendations are offered for policymakers to optimize fiscal strategies, ensuring robust economic recovery and long-term stability in volatile markets. This research underscores the necessity for Saudi Arabia to refine its fiscal policies towards greater economic diversification and stability.
Kesiapan Diri Remaja Yang Hamil Di Luar Nikah Dalam Menjalani Pernikahan Dini Dan Berkeluarga (Married By Accident)
Authors: Sasmita Ajeng Fitriani , Herdi
Published: May 2024

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui kesiapan diri yang dimiliki oleh ketiga pasangan subjek remaja yang hamil di luar nikah di Kelurahan Kota Baru Bekasi Barat. Penelitian ini memfokuskan pada kesiapan menikah terhadap ketiga pasangan subjek remaja yang hamil di luar nikah terkait dalam kesiapan dirinya dalam menjalani pernikahan dini dan juga dalam berkeluarga di usia yang masih sangat muda. Pengambilan sampel menggunakan teknik purposive sampling berjumlah 6 orang. Penelitian ini bersifat kualitatif dengan metode fenomenologis. Pengumpulan data dilakukan dengan wawancara mendalam (in depth interview), observasi dengan turun secara langsung mengamati para subjek serta juga dengan menggunakan studi dokumentasi. Data tersebut didukung dengan adanya tambahan dari hasil wawancara dengan tenaga kesehatan di Kelurahan Kota Baru Bekasi Barat yaitu dengan bidan yang menangani kasus kehamilan di luar nikah tersebut. Hasil penelitian ini menunjukkan bahwa ketiga pasangan subjek remaja yang hamil di luar nikah tidak memiliki kesiapan diri dalam menghadapi sebuah pernikahan dan dalam membangun keluarga di usianya yang masih sangat muda.
Hubungan Efikasi Diri dan Dukungan Sosial dengan Prokrastinasi Akademik Siswa Sekolah Menengah Pertama
Authors: Az'zahrah Siti Haniifah , Herdi Herdi
Published: May 2024

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menganalisis hubungan antara efikasi diri dan dukungan sosial dengan prokrastinasi akademik pada siswa kelas IX di SMP Negeri 1 Cibadak. Penelitian ini menggunakan metode korelasi dengan pendekatan kuantitatif. Subjek dalam penelitian ini adalah 165 siswa kelas IX. Pengambilan sampel menggunakan teknik simple random sampling. Alat pengumpulan data menggunakan tiga instrumen penelitian, yaitu instrumen Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) yang merupakan hasil adaptasi dari Ramadanti (2021), sedangkan instrumen General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSES) dan instrumen Procrastination Assessment Scale-Student (PASS) diadaptasi oleh peneliti. Hasil uji validitas menunjukkan semua butir valid. Uji reliabilitas pada GSES sebesar 0.720, MSPSS sebesar 0.864 dan pada PASS sebesar 0,902. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa tidak terdapat hubungan antara efikasi diri dan dukungan sosial dengan prokrastinasi akademik, hal ini menjelaskan bahwa efikasi diri dan dukungan sosial tidak terbukti sebagai faktor yang mempengaruhi prokrastinasi akademik.
Revolutionizing Education with Interactive Tech Boosts Global Learning Outcomes
Authors: Jaxongirmirzo Mamatisakov
Published: May 2024

This study explores the impact of innovative technologies—such as computer programs, mobile applications, interactive textbooks, 3D modeling, and virtual experiences—on enhancing learning and teaching processes. The research adopts a mixed-methods approach to analyze how these tools affect students' mastery and engagement across various educational disciplines. Preliminary results indicate that these technologies significantly improve comprehension of complex subjects and increase student engagement, particularly highlighting the effectiveness of interactive textbooks and online platforms in ensuring timely course completion. The findings suggest that integrating these modern methods into educational curricula can greatly enhance learning efficiency and outcomes, recommending further exploration into long-term effects and optimal implementation strategies.
Highlights:

Technologies like 3D modeling boost understanding of complex concepts.
Tools such as apps enhance student participation and interest.
Modern tech improves course completion and learning outcomes.

Keywords: Educational Technology, 3D Modeling, Interactive Learning, Digital Tools, Animations
Lessons in rearing mealworms for plastics degradation
Authors: Jung Carina , Carr Matthew , Cropek Donald
Published: May 2024

The primary objective of this research is to determine if plastics-degrading gut bacterial communities from a nonoptimal insect host can be successfully transplanted into the gut of the optimal mealworm host for large scale composting. To achieve this goal, foundational questions about basic mealworm husbandry needed to be addressed, including proper housing and feeding regimes, expected plastics degradation rates, and survivability on plastics as a food source. This technical note serves as a mealworm husbandry protocol and a guide for lessons learned in the early stages of experimentation dealing with establishment of plastics-degrading mealworm colonies.
Power Struggle and New Media Actor Contestation in Indonesia during the Post Pandemic
Authors: Santoso Didik Haryadi , Budianto Heri , Haq Naziful
Published: May 2024

In the new media space, narratives and discussions about covid-19 are still ongoing. Virtual audiences debate each other over the discourse that occurs. Research on the Covid-19 discourse has been carried out by many international researchers and Indonesian researchers. However, it is still not clear to the public who and how these actors fight in new media. How is the power struggle and contestation between the actors and those involved? This research uses the web crawler’s method and the SNA (Social Network Analysis) method in collaboration with astramaya.id. Data research is limited to 2019 to 2021 considering and considers the high number of narratives, discourses, and discussions about Covid-19. The results of the study show that the contestation of actor networks in the Covid-19 pandemic discourse is divided into three main actor clusters, namely the government cluster, the scientist and buzzer cluster, and the popular scientific info provider actor cluster. The power struggle occurs in 3 (three) lines, namely the state, the media industry, and social media actors. The fight occurred instantly and pragmatically and, in the end, gave birth to hegemonic discourse and hegemonic actors in the discourse on the post pandemic.
Metal Expandable Packer Isolating Shallow Water Aquifers on a Middle East Appraisal Well
Authors: Hazel Paul , Arianna Sirugo , B.V. Eni , Wood Kevin
Published: May 2024

During the planning phase of an offshore exploration well, Eni Abu Dhabi BV (Eni) had recognized the challenge of isolating shallow water aquifers across a 16″ drilled hole section, using a single stage 13-3/8″ cement sequence. Through a multi-team approach, a combination of first-stage cement, a Metal Expandable Packer (MEP) and a contingency second stage-cement operation was identified as a solution to positively seal the C annulus and prevent Sustained Casing Pressure (SCP).

The well was drilled using a 16″ bit across the shallow UER and Simsima aquifers. From regional experience, cementing challenges were clearly understood. These formations are notoriously difficult to achieve a cement only seal, this seal providing the Well Barrier Element (WBE), as defined by regulatory guidelines. When cementing, the slurry can be impacted by a combination of water contamination and potential cement losses due to a combination of Equivalent Circulating Density (ECD), low fracture gradient, pore pressure, and formation permeability.

To address these challenges, the 13-3/8″ casing included an MEP and a second stage contingency Port Collar, both positioned shallow of the planned primary stage Top of Cement (TOC). This solution provided an effective single-stage MEP and cement combination to address the risk of SCP and negate the need for implementation of a second-stage cement operation or bringing cement to surface.

This was the first deployment of the MEP within the C annulus in the Middle East region. The combination of cement and MEP technology to address and eliminate the risk of SCP has many applications through the region, reducing risk, cost, rig time, and methane emissions.
Innovative Solutions for Zonal Isolation Challenges in a Middle East Reservoir with Narrow Operating Windows
Authors: Masoud R. , Quintero E. , Martanto R. , Edgar D. , Pohl J.
Published: May 2024

Zonal isolation during the primary cementing operation is a must; failure to achieve it can lead to problems including loss of production, safety concerns, regulatory non-compliance, increased cost of drilling the well, remedial cementing operations, loss of well integrity, and decreased life of the well. This is a case study of two successful primary cementing operations with an operating window (pore-fracture pressure) of less than 10 lbm/ft3 in carbonate reservoirs sections.

In this study, a managed pressure cementing (MPC) technique was employed to address challenges posed by a narrow annular gap and the necessity for increased equivalent circulating density (ECD) while cementing. Our approach incorporated an engineered heavy-weight slurry, a specially designed wellbore shielding spacer, and an environmentally friendly loss circulation material (LCM) capable of sealing formations up to 3,500 mD. The cementing design aimed to control the operating window between the reservoir pore pressure and fracture pressure, without inducing detrimental losses to the formation.

Because the ECD during the primary cementing operation was above the fracture pressure, the pressure concerns had to be addressed to ensure safety, proper cement placement, and achieve a quality cement bond for zonal isolation. A unique cementing approach was implemented whereby the operator combined industry best practices with the shielding component and the LCM and MPC operation. This allowed the operational parameters, such as pumping rate and pressure, to be adjusted during the execution of the cementing job to ensure that the ECD surges were mitigated for a near constant bottomhole pressure (BHP) during the placement of cement in the annulus. The operation was successful with cement reaching the top of desired depth and successfully isolating the zone.

This paper covers the details of the design, execution, and evaluation of two cementing operations which combined the novel shielding component with LCM and MPC operations. This novel combination of materials and technique allowed the top of cement to reach the desired depth and ensure well integrity in both cases. It can be applied in wells where the ECD during cement placement is only slightly above the fracture gradient.
Unraveling Concentric Casing Failures: Insights from Two Decades of Investigative Endeavors
Authors: Egbe Peter I. , Azim Muhammad K. , Muzairie Thamer
Published: May 2024

Structural well integrity of concentric casing strings set across shallow aquifers, or indeed other corrosive formations is a critical aspect of life cycle well integrity assurance efforts. Regardless of the region (Middle East, North Sea, Gulf of Mexico, West Coast of Africa, or Asia Pacific), wells in these different regions with and without corrosion protection systems, have shown varying degrees of damage profiles due to corrosion impact. For instance, corrosion damage particularly due to shallow aquifer activity has been observed to be the result of different modes of longline corrosion cells set up on the casing strings. Irrespective of the mechanism, a loss of casing integrity due to corrosion results in a loss of primary containment which may impact on well life cycle, environmental protection, loss of production avails or wells asset, and requiring significant resources for remediation.

The paper aims to identify the corrosion mechanism behind some example failures using an integrated data approach consisting of downhole wireline corrosion logs, drilling, completion and production data to minimize such future occurrence in the field. The approach highlights the significance of continuously evolving investigative methods to uncover previously unforeseen integrity issues. Cutting-edge technologies, including electromagnetic testing, ultrasonic imaging, and advanced potential profile tools were deployed to enhance the ability to conduct further thorough assessments of well integrity. Dynamic and static potential profile measurements, along with electromagnetic time domain tools, were utilized to assess corrosion trends and understand the underlying mechanisms affecting the assurance of well integrity from a corrosion perspective.
Culturable endophytes from carnivorous plant traps in the UK: commonality of endophyte species across host species and sites.
Authors: Shaw Brandon James Paul , Ryves David B , Glanville Helen , Young Erica B , Millett Jonathan
Published: May 2024

Fungal endophytes are ubiquitous plant symbionts existing asymptomatically inside plant tissues but playing a crucial role in plant health and function. Endophytes have been extensively studied in many plants, such as agricultural systems, but in carnivorous plants which may engage microbes to aid in digestion, they are poorly understood. To address this deficiency, this study aims to assess the presence and host specificity of fungal endophytes in carnivorous plant traps. Five carnivorous plant species were sampled from two in-situ sites and greenhouse grown plants. Fungal endophytes were isolated from the traps of five carnivorous plant species: Drosera rotundifolia, Drosera anglica, Pinguicula vulgaris, Dionaea muscipula, and Sarracenia purpurea. These represent a range of trapping mechanisms, native and introduced species. We included different carnivorous plant species growing at the same site, and the same species at different sites to test for host and site specificity. Endophytes were cultured on malt extract agar and identified by sequencing the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region. The isolated fungal endophytes were composed of species from common Ascomycota genera (Alternaria, Cladosporium, Colletotrichum, and Didymocyrtis). Fungal endophytes were present in all plant species, this expands our understanding of endophyte distribution in carnivorous plants, representing the first endophytes isolated from D. anglica and D. muscipula and the first endophytes from the traps of D. rotundifolia and P. vulgaris, along with five new fungal endophyte species in carnivorous plants. There was some host specificity; S. purpurea was the only host plant with Colletotrichum spp., whereas Alternaria spp. were found across multiple hosts and sites. The trap endophytes cultured here differed to root endophytes of Drosera and Pinguicula found in previous studies of plants at the same site, suggesting that above and below ground endophytes may differ, perhaps offering different functions in separate plant tissues.
Effect of tobacco–radish rotation for different years on bacterial wilt and rhizosphere microbial communities
Authors: Dai Yuhao , Li Jixiu , Wang Zhenzhen , Yang Shaoqi , Xiao Qingju , Gao Zipeng , Zhang Fengjing , Zhao Chenran , Yang Liang , Chen Shaopeng , Ding Wei
Published: May 2024

Tobacco bacterial wilt is a major limiting factor for tobacco production and development, and it is more likely to occur under perennial single cropping of tobacco. In recent years, the rotation of tobacco-radish has gradually become popular. Therefore, we studied the effects of years of tobacco–radish rotation on tobacco bacterial wilt occurrence and rhizosphere microorganisms. The results indicated that both SY and TY could significantly reduce the risk of tobacco bacterial wilt occurrence, and SY had the lowest disease index. The rotation of radish plants significantly increased the soil pH but decreased the contents of alkali-hydrolysed nitrogen and organic matter in the soil. Alkali-hydrolysed nitrogen and pH are the key factors affecting the composition of the bacterial community. Furthermore, radish rotation changed the composition of the soil microbial community, increased the diversity of the bacterial community, and significantly altered the bacterial community structure. At the genus level, the abundance of Sphingomonas species negatively correlated with Ralstonia increased significantly, while the relative abundance of Rhodanobacterspecies positively correlated with Ralstoniadecreased significantly. Disease index, pH and available phosphorus were the main factors affecting the variation in different bacterial genera. The network analysis results showed that Ralstoniawas less connected in the network than in the CK group, and the SY treatment group had a more complex bacterial network structure. Overall, 2 years of tobacco and radish rotation improved the bacterial community structure of the rhizosphere soil and alleviated the harm caused by tobacco bacterial wilt, which is highly important for the stability and health of the rhizosphere soil ecosystem.