bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Experiences of Faith-Based Organizations as Key Stakeholders in Policy Responses to Human Trafficking
Authors: Hounmenou Charles
Published: August 2023

Faith-based organizations (FBOs) are substantially involved in the anti-human trafficking movement. Yet, limited research is available on their crucial roles in the field. This study explored their input in anti-trafficking policy implementation in the US by examining their motivations to engage in anti-human trafficking work, their distinctive competencies as stakeholders, and their experiences and challenges in providing anti-human trafficking services. A purposive sample of 16 leaders from 14 FBOs with anti-human trafficking work experience was recruited. A semi-structured interview guide was used to collect data. A thematic analysis of the data was conducted. The findings showed that FBOs have experience in various aspects of prevention, protection, and even assistance in prosecuting human trafficking cases and at multiple levels of intervention. The distinctive capacities of FBOs for policy advocacy, training, and housing services for trafficking survivors provide a glimpse of their leading roles in human trafficking policy implementation. Operating primarily outside public funding allows FBOs to develop short-term and long-term services for trafficking survivors without time constraints. The FBOs in the study reported using a non-discriminatory, survivor-centered, and trauma-informed approach in their anti-human trafficking service delivery. All the respondents in the study concurred that efforts by any FBOs to convert trafficking survivors to a particular faith are unethical and counterproductive. The implications for practice, policy implementation, and research are discussed.
Digital Pseudo-Identification in the Post-Truth Era: Exploring Logical Fallacies in the Mainstream Media Coverage of the COVID-19 Vaccines
Authors: Teneva Ekaterina Veselinovna
Published: August 2023

Because of China’s new wave of COVID-19 in May 2023, the issue of tackling COVID-19 misinformation remains relevant. Based on Lippmann’s theory of public opinion and agenda setting theory, this article aims to examine the concept of digital pseudo-identification as a type of logical fallacy that refers to supporting journalists’ opinions with ‘false’ arguments that lack factual evidence. To do so, the study applied computer-aided content analysis, as well as rhetorical and critical discourse analyses, to examine 400 articles related to four COVID-19 vaccines (‘Oxford-AstraZeneca’, ‘Pfizer-BioNTech’, ‘Sputnik V’ and ‘Sinovac’) published on the online versions of two major British and American mainstream media sources between August 2020 and December 2021. The results of the study show that journalists of the ‘The New York Times’ and ‘The Guardian’ used similar logical fallacies, including the opinions of pseudo-authorities and references to pseudo-statistics and stereotypes, which contributed to creating distorted representations of the COVID-19 vaccines and propagating online misinformation. The study also reveals political bias in both of the mainstream media sources, with relatively more positive coverage of the European vaccines than non-European vaccines. The findings have important implications for journalism and open up perspectives for further research on the concept of digital pseudo-identification in the humanities and social sciences.
Constituent Year Effects and Performance in Alpine Skiing Junior World Championships
Authors: Bjerke Øyvind , Lorås Håvard , Pedersen Arve Vorland
Published: August 2023

This study examines constituent year effect (CYE) and race performance among junior alpine skiers in the World Championships. In various junior age cohorts competing together, variation in skiing performance can be expected not only due to practice load and experience but also due to inter-individual differences in physical and psychological maturation. Within a one-year cohort, this effect has been referred to as the birth month effect or the relative age effect (RAE). In cohorts with multiple age bands, the effect is termed the constituent year effect (CYE). The CYE works in principle as the RAE but can function as a magnifying lens of the development within a larger multi-year cohort. The results of the current study indicate that CYEs are present among junior alpine skier performance in the junior World Championships. The magnitude of the constituent year effect is greater in speed events (i.e., downhill and super-G) than in technical events (i.e., slalom and giant slalom), and greater among male skiers compared to female skiers. The findings are discussed in relation to previous research on relative age effects more generally and within the sport context specifically.
Physical Fitness Tests as Predictors of High-Intensity Running Performance in Rugby
Authors: Sato Takashi , Nalbandian Minas , Takeda Masaki
Published: August 2023

Understanding the physical fitness elements that influence high-intensity running ability during rugby matches is crucial for optimizing player performance and developing effective training strategies. In this study, we aimed to investigate the relationships between various physical fitness components and high-intensity running ability in rugby. For this purpose, 60 Japanese university rugby players were randomized into four groups and two matches were played. The participants were monitored in two matches, and their running abilities were assessed using GPS sensors. The running time was divided into three running velocity categories: distance run at ≤5.4 km/h (low-intensity running); distance run at 5.5~17.9 km/h (medium-intensity running), and distance run at ≥18.0 km/h ≤(high-intensity running) and backs and forwards were evaluated separately. To determine which physical fitness test is more predictive of performance, we decided to correlate several physical test performances with the running time intensities during the matches. Independently of the position, the high-intensity running time correlated with the repeated sprint ability (RSA) and the 40 m sprint speed. The results suggest that RSA measured in the field is the most important high-intensity running ability predictor during a match for both positions.
Photocatalytic Degradation of Textile Dyeing Wastewater Using Titanium Dioxide on a Fixed Substrate: Optimization of Process Parameters and Continuous Reactor Tests
Authors: Chairungsri Woottikrai , Pholchan Patiroop , Sumitsawan Sulak , Chimupala Yothin , Kijjanapanich Pimluck
Published: August 2023

Herein, a preparation of a mixed-phase titanium dioxide (TiO2) thin layer on glass beads was developed using the modified spray method. This approach was determined to be affordable and easy to operate. Optimum conditions were investigated for the photodegradation of wastewater generated from textile dyeing by TiO2-coated glass beads as a catalyst using the central composite design (CCD). An increase in the direct dye photodegradation rate was observed at lower direct dye concentrations when TiO2 dosages were increased, and the initial pH value was decreased. The optimal conditions involving TiO2 dosage, pH, UV intensity, and dye concentrations were 3 g/L, 5.0, 3000 µW/cm2, and 50 mg/L, respectively, when administered at ambient temperatures. For the batch experiments, the direct dye removal efficiency at 93.7% was achieved within 24 h. The average direct dye removal efficiency was 67.8% and could be up to 80.2% when using a fixed-bed photocatalysis reactor during 30 d of continuous operation. The reused catalyst’s degradation efficiency was not significantly changed, indicating its capability for repeated reuse and the excellent stability of immobilized TiO2 onto the glass beads. This study additionally found that high temperatures could increase the efficiency of color removal.
Developing Place-Based Health during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Case Study of Taipei City’s Jiuzhuang Community Garden
Authors: Huang Liling
Published: August 2023

This article considers the development process of Jiuzhuang Community Garden in Taipei City to analyze the practice of community gardens and their relevance to urban health and human well-being. Previous studies have highlighted the contributions of community gardens in areas such as food supply, climate adaptation, local culture, and social interaction. Using qualitative methods, such as participatory observation, focus group discussions, and semi-structured interviews, this study demonstrates the co-beneficial relationships between various factors and the synergetic effects they bring to physical and mental health. By adopting a perspective that incorporates social infrastructure and the Satoyama Initiative, this research interprets how community gardens can support and develop place-based health concepts and respond to urban complexity. It demonstrates the pathway to enhancing urban health through interventions in urban spaces, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Through the examination of a community garden case, this study explores the potential connections between SDG 3 and SDG 11, emphasizing the role of green space provision, place identity, and participatory management in enhancing physical and mental well-being. This study also indicates the necessity of integrating the perspectives of public health and urban planning in addressing urban health issues. This integration is essential to shift away from a disease- and mortality-centered approach and towards a health paradigm centered on lifestyle and social interactions.
Optimization of Branch Airflow Volume for Mine Ventilation Network Based on Sensitivity Matrix
Authors: Hou Jie , Nie Gang , Li Guoqing , Zhao Wei , Sheng Baoli
Published: August 2023

Underground mines have gradually entered the stage of deep mining with the consumption of shallow mineral resources, which makes mine ventilation networks generally complicated and the problem of unstable supply of branch airflow volume in deep-level ventilation networks increasingly serious. The scientific distribution of the airflow volume between operation areas has become an important problem in the optimization of mine ventilation systems. This study takes the ventilation system of the Xinli Submine of Sanshandao Gold Mine as an example to analyze the airflow volume regulation demand of the deep-level section stope to further improve the coordination of the airflow volume distribution in the underground mine. The drawing and equivalent simplification of the ventilation network diagram are completed according to the engineering parameters of the target level roadway, and the sensitivity matrix is calculated using a formula. The optimization of the adjustment branch and the formulation of the adjustment scheme are carried out based on the sensitivity matrix. By realizing the adjustment objective of the branch airflow volume via comparing the airflow volume of the ventilation network before and after adjustment, the adjustment scheme can make the airflow volume distribution in the level more balanced. The results of our study show that branch sensitivity theory is theoretically feasible for analyzing and solving the problem of the mine ventilation network, which has certain practical significance for the adjustment of airflow volume in mines.
Processing-in-Memory Development Strategy for AI Computing Using Main-Path and Doc2Vec Analyses
Authors: Chung Euiyoung , Sohn So Young
Published: August 2023

Processing-in-Memory (PiM), which combines a memory device with a Processing Unit (PU) into an integrated chip, has drawn special attention in the field of Artificial Intelligence semiconductors. Currently, in the development and commercialization of PiM’s technology, there are challenges in the hegemony competition between the PU and memory device industries. In addition, there are challenges in finding strategic partnerships rather than independent development due to the complexity of technological development caused by heterogeneous chips. In this study, patent Main Path Analysis (MPA) is used to identify the majority and complementary groups between PU and memory devices for PiM. Subsequently, Document-to-Vector (Doc2Vec) and similarity-scoring analyses are used to determine the potential partners for technical cooperation required for PiM technology development for the majority group identified. According to the empirical results, PiM core technology is evolving from PU to memory device with an ‘architecture-operation-architecture’ design pattern. The ten ASIC candidates are identified for strategic partnerships with memory device suppliers. Those partnership candidates include several mobile AP firms, implying PiM’s opportunities in the field of mobile applications. It suggests that memory device suppliers should prepare for different technology strategies for PiM technology development. This study contributes to the literature and high-tech industry via the proposed quantitative technology partnership model.
Landslide Susceptibility Evaluation Based on a Coupled Informative–Logistic Regression Model—Shuangbai County as an Example
Authors: Wang Haishan , Xu Jian , Tan Shucheng , Zhou Jinxuan
Published: August 2023

Shuangbai County, located in Yunnan Province, Southwest China, possesses a complex and diverse geological environment and experiences frequent landslide disasters. As a significant area for disaster prevention and control, it is crucial to assess the susceptibility of landslides for effective geological disaster prevention, urban planning, and development. This research focuses on eleven influencing factors, including elevation, slope, slope direction, rainfall, NDVI, and distance from faults, selected as evaluation indexes. The assessment model is constructed using the information quantity method and the information quantity logistic regression coupling method to analyze the landslide susceptibility in Shuangbai County. The entire region’s landslide susceptibility is classified into four categories: not likely to occur, low susceptibility, medium susceptibility, and high susceptibility. The accuracy and reasonableness of the models are tested and compared. The results indicate that the coupled information–logistic regression model (80.0% accuracy) outperforms the single information model (74.2% accuracy). Moreover, the density of disaster points in the high-susceptibility area of the coupled model is higher, making it more reasonable. Thus, this model can serve as a valuable tool for evaluating regional landslide susceptibility in Shuangbai County and as a basis for disaster mitigation planning by relevant authorities.
People’s Intentions to Use Shared Autonomous Vehicles: An Extended Theory of Planned Behavior Model
Authors: Luo Wei , Wei Silong , Wang Yi , Jiao Pengpeng
Published: August 2023

With the advancement of technology, sharing and autonomous driving will be the two major themes in the future transportation field, and SAVs (Shared autonomous vehicles) will combine the two things. When SAVs come to market, they will affect the transportation system, so the objective of this paper is to examine people’s intentions to use SAVs and clarify the factors affecting people’s intentions to use SAVs. Due to the application of the theory of planned behavior (TPB) in traffic travel research having important practical significance, this paper used an extended theory of planned behavior model to study people’s intentions to use SAVs. Some important findings are found that the intention to use SAVs is directly affected by attitude, subjective norm, perceived behavior control, barrier, and effects of a public health emergency, and indirectly affected by perceived risk, technical interest, government policy, and environmental awareness. Moreover, perceived behavior control has the mediating effect between government policy and intention to use SAVs, between technical interest and intention to use SAVs, and between subjective norm and intention to use SAVs. According to the influence degree of related influencing factors, the corresponding development recommendations on SAVs development are put forward. The research results of this paper contribute to the subsequent listing of SAVs, promote the further development of intelligent transportation, and provide the scientific basis for future travel policy formulation and traffic planning.
Simulation of the Impact of Rangeland Management Strategies on Soil Health, Environmental Footprint, Economic Impact, and Human-Edible Nutrient Conversion from Grasslands in the Central and Northern Great Plains of the United States
Authors: Day Merri E. , Tang Minfeng , Lancaster Phillip A. , Presley Deann , Pendell Dustin L. , Fick Walter H. , Doro Luca , Ahlers Adam , Ricketts Andrew
Published: August 2023

The objective of this study was to determine the impact of combinations of management practices on the sustainability of rangelands in different ecoregions across the Great Plains. Six study sites were selected in Kansas, Nebraska, Wyoming, Montana, and South Dakota, encompassing the Flint Hills, High Plains, and Sandhills ecoregions. Twelve rangeland management scenarios were developed from combinations of stocking density (light, moderate, heavy), grazing management (continuous, rotational), and fire regime (no burn, spring burn) along with a no-management scenario. Each scenario was simulated at each site using established computer models: Agricultural Policy/Environmental eXtender model, Integrated Farm System Model, and Impact Analysis for Planning. Additionally, human-edible nutrient conversion was computed. A sustainability index was developed to encompass the three sustainability pillars (i.e., environmental, economic, and social) into a single value. Unmanaged rangelands generally had less soil (20%), nitrogen (30%), and phosphorus (50%) losses, although this was not consistent across ecoregions, and similar or greater soil carbon deposition than grazed rangelands. There was an interaction among stocking density, grazing management, fire regime, and ecoregion for many indicators of soil health, greenhouse gas emissions, economic activity, and human-edible nutrient conversion. The scenarios with the greatest overall sustainability index value had moderate to high index values for each of the three pillars (people, planet, profit). In conclusion, the ranking of rangeland management practices based on sustainability indicators was inconsistent across ecoregions, indicating that the optimal management system to improve sustainability of rangelands is not the same for all ecoregions.
Chance-Constrained Dispatching of Integrated Energy Systems Considering Source–Load Uncertainty and Photovoltaic Absorption
Authors: Li Dedi , Zong Yue , Lai Xinjie , Huang Huimin , Zhao Haiqi , Dong Shufeng
Published: August 2023

Because of their renewable and non-polluting characteristics in power production, distributed photovoltaics have been developed, but they have also been criticized for the volatility of their output power. In this paper, an integrated energy system optimal dispatching model is proposed to improve the local absorption capacity of distributed photovoltaics. First, an integrated energy system consisting of electricity, heat, cooling, gas, and hydrogen is modeled, and a mathematical model of the system is constructed. After that, the uncertainty of distributed photovoltaic power and load demand is modeled, and a typical scenario data set is generated through Monte Carlo simulation and K-means clustering. Finally, an optimal dispatching model of the integrated energy system is constructed to minimize the daily operating cost, including energy consumption, equipment operation and maintenance, and curtailment penalty costs, as the optimization objective. In the objective, a segmented curtailment penalty cost is Introduced. Moreover, this paper presents a chance constraint to convert the optimization problem containing uncertain variables into a mixed integer linear programming problem, which can reduce the difficulty of the solution. The case shows that the proposed optimal dispatching model can improve the ability of photovoltaics to be accommodated locally. At the same time, due to the introduction of the segmented curtailment penalty cost, the system improves the absorption of distributed photovoltaic generation at peak tariff intervals and enhances the economy of system operation.
Building Thermal and Energy Performance of Subtropical Terraced Houses under Future Climate Uncertainty
Authors: Xia Dawei , Xie Weien , Guo Jialiang , Zou Yukai , Wu Zhuotong , Fan Yini
Published: August 2023

Due to global temperature increases, terraced house (TH) residents face a threat to their health due to poor indoor thermal environments. As buildings are constructed by low-income residents without professional guidance, this study aims to investigate the indoor thermal comfort and energy resilience of THs under the future climate and determine the optimal passive design strategies for construction and retrofitting. By exploring the effects of building envelope structures, adjusting the window-to-wall ratio (WWR) and designing shading devices, EnergyPlus version 22.0 was used to optimize the thermal environment and cooling load of THs throughout their life cycle under future climate uncertainties. Unimproved THs will experience overheating for nearly 90% of the hours in a year and the cooling load will exceed 60,000 kWh by 2100 under the Representative Concentration Pathways (RCP) 8.5 scenario. In contrast, optimization and improvements resulted in a 17.3% reduction in indoor cooling load by increasing shading devices and the WWR, and using building envelope structures with moderate thermal insulation. This study can guide TH design and renovation, significantly reducing indoor cooling load and enabling residents to better use active cooling to combat future overheating environments.
The Role of Near-Field Communication Mobile Payments in Sustainable Restaurant Operations: A Restaurateur’s Perspective
Authors: Yu Wen-Way , Fang Chin-Yi
Published: August 2023

Mobile payments have emerged as a viable alternative to cash and credit cards and are rapidly gaining popularity worldwide. Limited research has explored the effects of mobile payments on restaurant performance from the perspective of restaurateurs. This study utilized a combination of the innovation diffusion theory (IDT) and the technology acceptance model (TAM) to investigate the influence of a near-field-communication (NFC) mobile payment environment on restaurant operating performance (ROP). Through convenience sampling, questionnaires were distributed to restaurant owners and managers, resulting in 279 valid responses. The empirical findings revealed that sales growth (β = 0.478), cost savings (β = −0.236), flexibility (β = 0.117), accessibility (β = 0.184), and trust and safety (β = 0.286) significantly impacted ROP. When considering restaurant size as a moderator for analysis, only two constructs, namely, accessibility (β = 0.108) and trust and safety (β = −0.160), showed significant impacts on ROP. These empirical insights offer valuable references to restaurateurs for enhancing ROP by leveraging the mobile payment environment.
Galaxy Rotation Curve Fitting Using Machine Learning Tools
Authors: Argüelles Carlos R. , Collazo Santiago
Published: August 2023

Galaxy rotation curve (RC) fitting is an important technique which allows the placement of constraints on different kinds of dark matter (DM) halo models. In the case of non-phenomenological DM profiles with no analytic expressions, the art of finding RC best-fits including the full baryonic + DM free parameters can be difficult and time-consuming. In the present work, we use a gradient descent method used in the backpropagation process of training a neural network, to fit the so-called Grand Rotation Curve of the Milky Way (MW) ranging from ∼1 pc all the way to ∼105 pc. We model the mass distribution of our Galaxy including a bulge (inner + main), a disk, and a fermionic dark matter (DM) halo known as the Ruffini-Argüelles-Rueda (RAR) model. This is a semi-analytical model built from first-principle physics such as (quantum) statistical mechanics and thermodynamics, whose more general density profile has a dense core–diluted halo morphology with no analytic expression. As shown recently and further verified here, the dark and compact fermion-core can work as an alternative to the central black hole in SgrA* when including data at milliparsec scales from the S-cluster stars. Thus, we show the ability of this state-of-the-art machine learning tool in providing the best-fit parameters to the overall MW RC in the 10−2–105 pc range, in a few hours of CPU time.
Reasons for Being “Zero-Dose and Under-Vaccinated” among Children Aged 12–23 Months in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Authors: Ishoso Daniel Katuashi , Mafuta Eric , Danovaro-Holliday M. Carolina , Ngandu Christian , Menning Lisa , Cikomola Aimé Mwana-Wabene , Lungayo Christophe Luhata , Mukendi Jean-Crispin , Mwamba Dieudonné , Mboussou Franck-Fortune , Manirakiza Deo , Yapi Moise Désiré , Ngabo Gaga Fidele , Riziki Richard Bahizire , Aluma Adele Daleke Lisi , Tsobeng Bienvenu Nguejio , Mwanga Cedric , Otomba John , Lulebo Aimée , Lusamba Paul , Nimpa Marcellin Mengouo
Published: August 2023

(1) Introduction: The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has one of the largest cohorts of un- and under-vaccinated children worldwide. This study aimed to identify and compare the main reasons for there being zero-dose (ZD) or under-vaccinated children in the DRC. (2) Methods: This is a secondary analysis derived from a province-level vaccination coverage survey conducted between November 2021 and February 2022; this survey included questions about the reasons for not receiving one or more vaccines. A zero-dose child (ZD) was a person aged 12–23 months not having received any pentavalent vaccine (diphtheria–tetanus–pertussis–Hemophilus influenzae type b (Hib)–Hepatitis B) as per card or caregiver recall and an under-vaccinated child was one who had not received the third dose of the pentavalent vaccine. The proportions of the reasons for non-vaccination were first presented using the WHO-endorsed behavioral and social drivers for vaccination (BeSD) conceptual framework and then compared across the groups of ZD and under-vaccinated children using the Rao–Scott chi-square test; analyses were conducted at province and national level, and accounting for the sample approach. (3) Results: Of the 51,054 children aged 12–23 m in the survey sample, 19,676 ZD and under-vaccinated children were included in the study. For the ZD children, reasons related to people’s thinking and feelings were cited as 64.03% and those related to social reasons as 31.13%; both proportions were higher than for under-vaccinated children (44.7% and 26.2%, respectively, p < 0.001). Regarding intentions to vaccinate their children, 82.15% of the parents/guardians of the ZD children said they wanted their children to receive “none” of the recommended vaccines, which was significantly higher than for the under-vaccinated children. In contrast, “practical issues” were cited for 35.60% of the ZD children, compared to 55.60% for the under-vaccinated children (p < 0.001). The distribution of reasons varied between provinces, e.g., 12 of the 26 provinces had a proportion of reasons for the ZD children relating to practical issues that was higher than the national level. (4) Conclusions: reasons provided for non-vaccination among the ZD children in the DRC were largely related to lack of parental/guardian motivation to have their children vaccinated, while reasons among under-vaccinated children were mostly related to practical issues. These results can help inform decision-makers to direct vaccination interventions.
National HPV Vaccination Program in Poland—Public Awareness, Sources of Knowledge, and Willingness to Vaccinate Children against HPV
Authors: Jankowski Mateusz , Grudziąż-Sękowska Justyna , Wrześniewska-Wal Iwona , Tyszko Piotr , Sękowski Kuba , Ostrowski Janusz , Gujski Mariusz , Pinkas Jarosław
Published: August 2023

Since 1 June 2023, a nationwide HPV vaccination program was implemented in Poland. This study aimed to identify factors associated with public awareness of the national HPV vaccination program among adults in Poland and willingness to vaccinate children against HPV. This cross-sectional study was carried out between 14 and 17 July 2023 among 1056 adults in Poland. A self-prepared questionnaire was used. Among the respondents, 51.3% had heard about the free HPV vaccination program. The major source of knowledge on the national HPV vaccination program was TV (62%). Only 31.9% of respondents correctly indicated girls and boys aged 12 and 13 as the HPV-vaccination-eligible population. Willingness to vaccinate children against HPV was declared by 63.3% of respondents. Female gender (OR: 1.42; 95% CI: 1.11–1.81; p < 0.01), age 35–64 years (p < 0.05), having higher education (OR: 1.43; 95% CI: 1.11–1.84; p < 0.01), and living in cities with more than 500,000 residents (OR: 1.51; 95% CI: 1.01–2.28; p < 0.05) were significantly associated with higher odds to hear about the national HPV vaccination program. Age 50 years and over (p < 0.05), having higher education (OR: 1.43; 95% CI: 1.09–1.88; p < 0.05), living in cities with more than 500,000 residents (OR: 1.80; 95% CI: 1.14–2.83; p < 0.05), and no children under 18 in the home (OR: 1.39; 95% CI: 1.01–1.89; p < 0.05) were significantly associated with willingness to vaccinate children against HPV.
Comparative Analysis of Structural Composition and Function of Intestinal Microbiota between Chinese Indigenous Laiwu Pigs and Commercial DLY Pigs
Authors: Li Chao , Zhao Xueyan , Zhao Guisheng , Xue Haipeng , Wang Yanping , Ren Yifan , Li Jingxuan , Wang Huaizhong , Wang Jiying , Song Qinye
Published: August 2023

Intestinal microbiota has an important impact on pig phenotypes. Previous studies mainly focused on the microbiota of feces and worldwide farmed commercial pigs, while research on the microbiota of various intestinal sections and indigenous pig breeds is very limited. This study aimed to characterize and compare the biogeography of intestinal microbiota in pigs of one Chinese indigenous breed and one commercial crossbred. In this study, we sequenced the microbiota of six intestinal segments in the grown-up pigs of a Chinese indigenous breed, Laiwu pigs, and the worldwide farmed crossbred Duroc × Landrace × Yorkshire (DLY) pigs by 16S rRNA sequencing, characterized the biogeography of intestinal microbiota, and compared the compositional and functional differences between the two breeds. The results showed that there were obvious differences in microbial structure and abundance between the small and large intestines. Laiwu pigs had higher large intestinal diversity than DLY pigs, while DLY pigs had higher small intestinal diversity than Laiwu pigs. Moreover, some specific bacterial taxa and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathways were found to be related to the high fat deposition and good meat quality of Laiwu pigs and the high growth speed and lean meat rate of DLY pigs. This study provides an insight into the shifts in taxonomic composition, microbial diversity, and functional profile of intestinal microbiota in six intestinal segments of Laiwu and DLY pigs, which would be essential for exploring the potential influence of the host’s genetic background on variation in microbiota composition and diversity.
Ice Phenology and Thickness Modelling for Lake Ice Climatology
Authors: Leppäranta Matti
Published: August 2023

Analytic methods are useful for lake ice climatology investigations that account for ice phenology, thickness, and extent. Ice climatology depends on the local climate and lake characteristics, which can be compressed into a few forcing factors for analytic modelling. The internal factors are lake depth, size, and water quality, while the external factors are solar radiation, air–lake interaction, and heat flux from bottom sediment. A two-layer temperature structure with a sharp thermocline in-between is employed for the water body and a non-inert conduction law for the ice cover. A thermal equilibrium approach results in temperature and ice thickness solutions, and a time scale analysis provides the applicability of the equilibrium method for lake ice climatology. A non-steady solution is needed for ice melting.
Models and Interpretation Methods for Single-Hole Flowmeter Experiments
Authors: Lods Gerard , Roubinet Delphine
Published: August 2023

Subsurface and groundwater flow characterization is of great importance for various environmental applications, such as the dispersion of contaminants and their remediation. For single-hole flowmeter measurements, key characteristics, such as wellbore storage, skin factor heterogeneities, and variable pumping and aquifer flow rates, have a strong impact on the system characterization, whereas they are not fully considered in existing models and interpretation methods. In this study, we develop a new semi-analytical solution that considers all these characteristics in a physics-based consistent manner. We also present two new interpretation methods, the Double Flowmeter Test with Transient Flow rate (DFTTF) and the Transient Flow rate Flowmeter Test (TFFT), for interpreting data collected during single and multiple pumping tests, respectively. These solution and methods are used as follows. (i) The impact of wellbore storage, transient pumping rate, and property heterogeneities on the interpretation of data collected during single pumping tests are studied over 49 two-aquifer cases. (ii) The effect of the skin factor heterogeneity on transmissivity and storativity estimates, as well as the variability range of the (non-unique) corresponding solutions, are analyzed for the interpretation of multiple-pumping experiments. The results presented in this work show the importance of the various properties and processes that are considered, and the need for the new models and methods that are provided.
A Novel Method for Parameter Identification of Renewable Energy Resources based on Quantum Particle Swarm–Extreme Learning Machine
Authors: Xu Baojun , Yin Yanhe , Yu Junjie , Li Guohao , Li Zhuohuan , Yang Duotong
Published: August 2023

Accurately determining load model parameters is of the utmost importance for conducting power system simulation analysis and designing effective control strategies. Measurement-based approaches are commonly employed to identify load model parameters that closely reflect the actual operating conditions. However, these methods typically rely on iterative parameter search processes, which can be time-consuming, particularly when dealing with complex models. To address this challenge, this paper introduces a parameter identification method for the generalized synthetic load model (SLM) using the Extreme Learning Machine (ELM) technique, with the aim of enhancing computational efficiency. Furthermore, to achieve better alignment with load response curves, a Quantum Particle Swarm Optimization (QPSO) algorithm is adopted to train the ELM model. The proposed QPSO-ELM-based SLM parameter identification method is subsequently evaluated using a standard test system. To assess its effectiveness, parameter sensitivity analysis is performed, and simulation results are analyzed. The findings demonstrate that the proposed method yields favorable outcomes, offering improved computation efficiency in load model parameter identification tasks.
Socio-demographic prerequisites of perinatal HIV infection in the Voronezh Region
Authors:   Budgetary Health Institution «Voronezh Regional Clinical Center AIDS Prevention and Control», Voronezh, Russia, Sitnik T. N. ,   Federal State Budgetary Educational Institution of Higher Education «Voronezh State Medical University named after N. N. Burdenko» of the Russian Federation Ministry of Health, Voronezh, Russia, Chemodurova Yu. V. ,   Budgetary Health Institution «Voronezh Regional Clinical Center AIDS Prevention and Control», Voronezh, Russia; Federal State Budgetary Educational Institution of Higher Education «Voronezh State Medical University named after N. N. Burdenko» of the Russian Federation Ministry of Health, Voronezh, Russia, Tulinova I. A. ,   Budgetary Health Institution «Voronezh Regional Clinical Center AIDS Prevention and Control», Voronezh, Russia
Published: August 2023

In order to assess the socio-demographic and behavioral characteristics of HIV-infected pregnant women in the Voronezh region, which increase the risks of perinatal HIV infection, an analysis was carried out for the period 2017–2021. The materials were official statistics and personalized data from the registers and surveillance maps of the Voronezh Regional Clinical Center for AIDS Prevention and Control. There was an increase in positive results (per 1000 tests) during screening examinations of pregnant women, with a stable proportion (34 %) over the past 5 years among those who gave birth to HIV-positive people identified for the first time when registering for pregnancy. In the cohort of HIV-infected women, an accumulation of persons with parenteral infection, escaping from medical supervision due to behavioral characteristics, was revealed. It was found that among the reasons why women are not registered for pregnancy, there is a high proportion of officially unemployed (72.5 %), insufficient level of education and awareness about HIV. Compared with the general population of pregnant women in the region, the proportion of late registration for pregnancy among HIV-infected pregnant women is 17 times higher, and the proportion of births among women who are not registered for pregnancy is 8,2 times higher. The detection of HIV in women at a late stage or after childbirth is also caused by the material benefits of the status of a single mother (63.1 % are not married), which additionally leads to the absence of an HIV examination of the child's father. With a statistically small number of births in HIV-infected women in the region, these reasons led to the implementation of vertical HIV transmission in 5.9 % of newborns in 2021
International experience of drug correction of vitamin D level depending on its initial level in blood serum and the age of the patient (review and mathematical analysis)
Authors:   High Technology Park, Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia, Krivosheev V. V. , Kozlovsky I. V. ,   BU «District Clinical Hospital», Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia, Nikitina L. U. ,   National Medical Research Center, specializing in pulmonology, Moscow, Russia, Fedorov A. V. ,   High Technology Park, Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia
Published: August 2023

Vitamin D deficiency is a global public health problem and poses a particular threat to the elderly and those with comorbidities such as obesity, diabetes, hypertension, respiratory disease, recurrent infections, immunodeficiency, and patients infected with SARS-CoV-2. D-avitaminosis is extremely common among pregnant women and has a huge impact not only on the health of the mother, but also on the health of the child throughout his later life. There is an inverse correlation between human serum 25(OH)D levels and incidence of twelve types of cancer, with prevalence of myocardial dysfunction, mortality due to heart failure, and sudden cardiac death. In this paper, an analysis of documents regulating the procedure for increasing the level of vitamin D for therapeutic purposes was carried out. It is shown that many documents are replete with contradictions and need to be corrected. Uncertainty in research results, recommendations and guidelines leads to wide variability in the knowledge, attitudes and behavior of doctors, which translates into an equally wide variability in doctors’ advice to patients on types of supplements, dosage, frequency and duration of vitamin D intake. In this regard, based on the results of numerous clinical experiments on increasing the level of 25(OH)D in the blood serum of residents of Europe, the USA and Canada, we have obtained multiple correlation equations that describe the relationship between the level of the required daily dosage of cholecalciferol and calcifediol supplements with the patient’s age, the initial level of calcifediol in the blood serum, the required value of its increase and duration of taking the drug, which can be used by practitioners when choosing a daily dosage of a vitamin for each patient, taking into account international experience. The results of multiple correlations in the authors’ studies, largely echoing some of the results of studies by foreign scientists, suggest the possibility of revising the currently existing stereotypes about the usage of higher daily doses of vitamin D to increase the level of calcifediol concentration in the blood serum of elderly patients, compared to younger ones.
SISTEM INFORMASI PERSEDIAAN BARANG DENGAN SAFETY STOCK
Authors: Sabilla Alzena , Mahendra Danang
Published: August 2023

Persediaan barang merupakan hal yang penting bagi suatu bisnis. Bisnis di bidang konveksimemiliki lingkungan yang dinamis. Sewaktu-waktu permintaan yang tinggi membuat UMKMkekurangan persediaan barang sehingga tidak dapat memenuhi permintaan tersebut. UMKM harusmempunyai strategi dalam memudahkan proses bisnis yang berjalan seperti otomatisasi denganmemanfaatkan teknologi. Dalam hal ini, sistem informasi persediaan barang merupakan salah satusolusi mengatasi masalah dalam persediaan demi memenuhi kebutuhan konsumen. Aplikasi inimenggunakan metode safety stock untuk mengetahui persediaan aman yang harus tersedia denganpermintaan yang fluktuatif. Penelitian ini menghasilkan suatu aplikasi sistem informasi persediaanbarang berbasis web yang dapat memantau jumlah persediaan dan permintaan barang.
SISTEM PENJADWALAN MENGAJAR DI SMA NU AL MA’RUF KUDUS MENGGUNAKAN ALGORITMA GENETIKA
Authors: Wahyono Nor , Subhan Akbar Agus , Minardi Joko
Published: August 2023

At SMA NU Al Ma'ruf Kudus, the management of the teacher's teaching schedule related to rooms andclasses still use conventional or manual methods and have not fully use computerized processing. Problems thatarise in the beginning of each learning year is the occurrence of a schedule that collides with several studentsteacher. Starting from the background of the existing problems, the author designed the System Web-basedinformation to be implemented for scheduling processing teaching at the NU Al Ma'ruf Kudus High School. In thisstudy, the Genetic Algorithm method used to build a scheduling information system by completing complexoptimization problems, which are difficult to perform by conventional methods. Results research shows that theGenetic Algorithm method can be used to build a teaching scheduling system. By generating a different task_IDconsists of subjects and teachers to produce the best fitness values in the shortest time short. From testing bygenerating as many as 10 chromosomes and 25 generations the best fitness value = 0.024, time = 126.99seconds, in the 12th generation.
ANALISIS DAN PERANCANGAN SISTEM DIGITAL BRANDING UMKM BERBASIS WEB DALAM MEMBANTU PROMOSI DAN PEMASARAN PRODUK
Authors: Kurniawan Indra , Maulana Yasa , Sulthony Muhammad , Mubais Ahmad , Hikmah Nur , Fitriana Putri Via , Kurniati Zeni
Published: August 2023

Kebutuhan akan informasi yang cepat, tepat, dan akurat saat ini menjadi hal penting. Pemenuhan akan kebutuhan informasi tersebut dilakukan dengan bantuan teknologi terutama dalam bidang komputerisasi, seperti dalam bidang internet. Dalam mendukung kinerja UMKM dibutuhkan invoasi produk teknologi yang dikembangkan dan diimplementasikan seperti teknologi internet. Promosi yang dilakukan dengan menggunakan teknologi internet dikenal dengan istilah digital branding. Digital Branding memegang peranan penting dalam perkembangan pemanfaatan teknologi informasi untuk memberikan informasi. Model Waterfall merupakan salah satu model SDLC yang sering digunakan dalam pengembangan sistem informasi atau perangkat lunak. Model ini menggunakan pendekatan sistematis dan berurutan. Penggunaan web dalam penyampaian informasi dapat mempermudah dalam pengaksesan informasi tentang UMKM dimana saja dan kapan saja secara online. Sehingga mempermudah produk UMKM dikenal secara luas.
PENERAPAN ALGORITMA A* PADA WEBGIS PENCARIAN RUTE TERPENDEK
Authors: Sabilla Alzena Dona , Taufiq Ahmad
Published: August 2023

Geographic information systems have been able to solve routing problems such as TSP (Travelling Salesman Problems) or finding the closest route. GIS has developed a lot into GIS applications, both in the form of desktop, web, and mobile. This research develops a webGIS application that can provide a solution for tourists who have difficulty reaching a furniture showroom in Jepara City. The method used is the A* algorithm. The algorithm can calculate existing nodes through heuristic calculations. Data from google maps are converted into a grid form, then calculations are carried out. This research produces an alternative shortest route, while the accuracy of Google Maps road data affects the displayed route search.
MENENTUKAN PREDIKSI REKOMENDASI BIMBINGAN KONSELING SISWA SEKOLAH MENENGAH KEJURUAN MENGGUNAKAN K-NEAREST NEIGHBOR
Authors: Nugroho Wildani Eko , Saputro Heru
Published: August 2023

Masalah bimbingan konseling merupakan salah satu permasalah yang terdapat pada sekolah yang merupakan salah satu hal yang sulit untuk di prediksi. Prediksi yang akurat sangat diperlukan untuk mendukung pengambilan keputusan bagi yang mempunyai kebijakan dalam mengambil keputusan. Salah satu hal yang dapat dilakukan untuk melakukan prediksi dalam memberikan rekomendasi bimbingan konseling dapat menggunakan metode K-Nearest Neighbor. Dari 388 jumlah siswa yang terdapat pada sekolah tersebut dapat dilakukan pengujian atau eksperimen menggunakan metode algoritma K-Nearest Neighbor. Hasil yang diperoleh dari eksperimen tersebut adalah 96,40% dengan jumlah siswa yang tidak harus melakukan bimbingan konseling sebanyak 362 siswa, dan yang harus melakukan bimbingan konseling sebanyak 62 siswa. Dari hasil eksperimen tersebut bahwa kualitas sistem pendidikan yang dilakukan diharapkan lebih ditingkatkan karena akan mempengaruhi kualitas dari sekolah tersebut
SISTEM PAKAR DIAGNOSA PENYAKIT IKAN BERBASIS WEB MENGGUNAKAN METODE CERTAINTY FACTOR
Authors: Khoirur Rozikin Muhammad , Mahendra Danang , Subhan Akbar Agus
Published: August 2023

Di Kabupaten_Jepara ini, terdapat banyak penjual dan peternak/pembudidaya ikan. Dalam proses penangkaran ikan, biasa nya pembudidaya ikan akan mengalami beberapa permasalahan, salah satunya adalah_muncul penyakit_pada ikan yang dibudidayakan oleh pembudidaya ikan. Pencegahan merupakah satu langkah yang sangat efektif untuk meminimalisir risiko penyakit pada ikan yg di ternakkan. Jika ikan sudah terkena penyakit, biaya yang dikeluarkan untuk_budidaya ikan akan semakin_banyak karena adanya tambahan biaya pengobatan ikan. Peternak ikan perlu mengetahui tentang penyakit-penyakit ikan dan bagaimana cara melakukan pengobatan bila ikan yang dibudidayakan terkena penyakit atau hama. Salah satu usaha yang bisa dilakukan oleh peternak ikan yaitu dengan berkunjung kepada ahli penyakit ikan (pakar) yang tidak mungkin dilakukan secara terus menerus dikarenakan membutuhkan waktu, energi serta biaya yang sangat banyak. Dari permasalahan tersebut, penulis akan membuat sistem pakar diagnosa penyakit ikan berbasis website menggunakan metode certainty factor. Dengan aplikasi ini, diharapkan bisa membantu para peternak ikan dalam menangani penyakit pada ikan yang dipelihara, tanpa harus berkunjung ke pakar. Dalam penelitian penulis, dilakukan pengujian akurasi berdasarkan 10 sampel diagnosa, dan dihitung menggunakan k-fold cross validation, menghasilkan akurasi sistem sebesar 90%. Dimana sistem pakar yang telah dibuat oleh penulis dianggap layak.