bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Social Norms and Perceptions of Idleness Which Push Children into Work
Authors: CLARISSA
Published: September 2024

The Child Labour: Action-Research-Innovation in South and South-Eastern Asia (CLARISSA) programme uses Action Research (AR) to understand the dynamics which drive the worst forms of child labour (WFCL), and to generate participatory innovations which help to shift these underlying dynamics and mitigate their worst effects. Through 13 Action Research Groups (ARGs) in Bangladesh and 12 groups in Nepal, the programme is generating a rich understanding – particularly through children’s lived experiences – of the complex underlying drivers of harmful work and working children and their employers are themselves defining, piloting and evaluating their own innovative actions that aim to increase children’s options to avoid WFCL. This group worked on the theme ‘Social norms and perceptions of idleness which push children into work’.
Building Trust and Tax Morale in Kenya’s Counties: An Evaluation of Participatory Budgeting
Authors: Wampler Brian , Touchto Michael , Kiprono Timothy
Published: September 2024

Governments around the world are adopting various participatory institutions to incorporate citizens directly into policymaking venues – to allow them to express their preferences, and to select public services that might better address their basic needs. The current wave of governance reform focuses on the adoption of institutions that promote transparency and participation in the hope of generating better public services – and, more broadly, perceptions of reciprocity and accountable governance. Through building reciprocity and accountability, it is hoped that participatory institutions will also improve citizens’ trust in government. By building trust, there is an expectation that citizens’ tax morale may also improve, which then connects to broader tax compliance. We test these arguments in Kenya, a low-income, rural, semi-democratic context, where many governments are now adopting participatory institutions. We find that better functioning programmes are associated with improvements in accountability and governance. Summary of ICTD Working Paper 191
PARADIGMA HUKUM ISLAM (KLASIK DAN ALTERNATIF)
Authors: Susfita Nunung
Published: September 2024

Paradigma merupakan suatu kumpulan asumsi, konsep dan proporsi yang disatukan secara logis dan berfungsi mengarahkan pemikiran dan pengkajian. Agama samawi sebelum Islam, mempunyai kapasitas jangkauan waktu dan tempat yang terbatas. Sifat temporer itu dibatasi dengan kehadiran Nabi setelahnya, seperti ajaran Musa a.s. Dead line-nya adalah ketika ajaran Isa a.s tiba. Berbeda dengan itu, agama Islam yang dibawa oleh Nabi Muhammad saw, merupakan agama terakhir dan penutup. Al-qur’an pada hakekatnya adalah dukumen keagaman dan etika yang bertujuan praktis, menciptakan masyarakat yang bermoral baik dan adil. Doktrin kemerdekaan berkehendak manusia seperti dicanangkan oleh kaum Mu’tazillah menjadi bagian dari konsep teologi mengenai keadilan Tuhan dan mengalahkan segi aslinya yaitu kemerdekaan dan tanggung jawab manusia. Di antara kaum Ortodoks, kemerdekaan manusia ini berarti ketidak-merdekaan Tuhan. Mereka menuduh aliran Mu’tazilah sebagai humanisme yang ekstrim, mereka menegaskan bahwa Tuhan berada di luar konsep manusia tentang keadilan. Apa yang dipandang manusia sebagai keadilan Tuhan tidaklah berarti demikian bagiNya, tetapi apa yang diperbuatNya  bagi manusia memang tampak adil dan rasional bagi manusia.
PREDICTION OF THE SUM OF NEW FAMILY PLANNING ACCEPTORS IN THE IMPACT OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC: A STUDY USING THE ARIMA MODEL
Authors: Shindy Ayudia Darista  , Kurnia Ilahi  , Mahmudah
Published: September 2024

The sum of new Family Planning (KB) acceptors in Pamekasan Regency decreased from March to April 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This decline will hinder the increase in achieving the Modern Contraceptive Prevalence Rate (mCPR) as the target of the 2020-2024 National Medium Term Development Plan (RPJMN), so modelling is needed to predict the sum of new family planning acceptors in Pamekasan Regency. This research aims to predict the sum of new family planning acceptors in Pamekasan Regency using the ARIMA model. This research is a non-reactive quantitative research. The unit of analysis for this research is all-new monthly family planning acceptors in Pamekasan Regency. The data used is the number of new monthly family planning acceptors from January 2016 to December 2021, sourced from the Pamekasan Regency Women's Empowerment, Child Protection and Family Planning Service. The research results show that the best model for predicting the number of new family planning acceptors in Pamekasan Regency is ARIMA [1,1,1] with the equation 0.0011(B)11Zt=0.006+0.0001(B)at. Prediction results using the ARIMA model [1,1,1] show that the number of new family planning acceptors tends to increase in January-December 2022. The sum of new family planning acceptors shows an increasing pattern, but the increase does not reflect the impact of the end of the COVID-19 pandemic.
CONSEQUENCES OF BIRTH INTERVAL ON NEWBORN HEALTH
Authors: Zaly Nedra Wati , Rahardja Mugia Bayu , Murtiningsih Murtiningsih , Fadila Wisnu
Published: September 2024

Babies with Low Birth Weight (LBW) are more at risk of occurring at short birth intervals than at longer birth intervals. The reproductive capacity of women can decrease and return to the primiparous state in women who experience long birth intervals which can also be risky for the baby. The purpose of this study was to determine the consequences of birth spacing on the health of newborns. This study uses two methods, both quantitative and qualitative. The quantitative method uses data from the 2017 IDHS with a cross-sectional research design. The sample of this research is mothers who gave birth in the last five years and had at least 2 (two) pregnancies. The results of this study found that 9.8% experienced short birth spacing and 7.2% of babies born with low birth weight. This study confirms the existence of a relationship between birth spacing and the incidence of LBW babies. Short birth interval risks giving birth to babies with LBW. It is hoped that the results of this study will become an initial reference for designing policies on birth intervals to improve newborn health and reduce infant mortality.
Advancing immunotherapy for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma: exploring the tumor immune microenvironment and innovative treatments
Authors: Wei Pengcheng , Li Zhao
Published: September 2024

Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC), a highly malignant tumor characterized by poor prognosis, has shown limited response to conventional treatments. Recently, advances in immunotherapy have offered new hope for treating such tumors. This article reviews the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) of ICC, its pivotal role in immunotherapy, and methods to enhance ICC treatment by converting ‘cold tumors’ to ‘hot tumors’ through immune activation. Additionally, the article examines the characteristics of immune checkpoint inhibitors and their essential role in immunotherapy. Recent research and clinical trial outcomes for various immunotherapeutic approaches - namely immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), cancer vaccines, and adoptive cell therapy (ACT) - are detailed, highlighting challenges in patient variability, side effect management, cost, and treatment accessibility. Furthermore, the article explores future research directions such as identifying new immunotherapy targets, applying precision medicine, and developing integrated therapeutic strategies to enhance immunotherapy efficacy and improve survival rates for ICC patients.
A different approach for green concrete production: Determination of the effect of e-waste and waste rubber powder on durability properties of concrete
Authors: Bulut H. Alperen
Published: September 2024

This study was carried out to present a different approach to green concrete production by utilizing electronic waste (e-waste) and waste rubber powders in order to provide a solution to both the cost and carbon footprint problems arising from the rapid consumption of aggregate resources and cement. For this purpose, 0%, 5% and 10% of e-waste was utilized instead of aggregate and 0%, 2.5% and 5% of waste rubber powder was utilized instead of cement. In addition, mixtures in which both wastes were combined in concrete were also prepared and comparisons were conducted. Capillary water absorption, acid and sulfate attack tests were carried out on the concretes with different wastes at the end of 28 and 90 days. The capillary water absorption of concrete produced with 5% waste rubber powder at the end of 28 days (P5E0/28) was 80% less than the control concrete (C/28) (these values were 0.46, 2.36 respectively). It was determined that the utilization of waste rubber powder had a decreasing effect on the compressive strength losses of the concretes after acid attack compared to the control concrete, while e-waste had an increasing effect. It was determined that the compressive strength losses of the concretes in which waste rubber powder and e-waste were combined against sulfate attack were positively differentiated from both control concrete and concretes produced with single waste type. In parallel with the weight and compressive strength losses obtained after acid and sulfate attack, the results of the visual analyses of the concretes were similar. The use of 5% waste rubber powder in the concrete produced the greatest results. In addition, the ideal ratio between concretes in which e-waste and waste rubber powder used together was determined as 5% waste rubber powder and 5% e-waste. The results verified that e-waste and waste rubber powder can be considered for the production of green concrete.
Determinants of Stunting in The Under-five in West Nusa Tenggara Province with Multilevel Binary Logistic Regression
Authors: Rambi Ananda , Budyanra Budyanra
Published: September 2024

Stunting is a form of malnutrition in children that is still a health problem in Indonesia, especially in NTB Province. Based on the results of the SSGI, the prevalence of stunting in children under five years of age in NTB Province was 32.7 percent, up 1.3 percent compared to the previous year. This value has not reached the threshold of 20 percent and the national target of 18.4 percent. This puts NTB Province in the fourth highest position in Indonesia. In 2022, NTB Province recorded the highest percentage in Indonesia for children under six months who received exclusive breastfeeding, which was 79.69 percent. However, the prevalence of stunting in toddlers in NTB Province is still very high. Between districts/cities in NTB Province, there is a fairly high disparity in the prevalence of stunting in children under five years of age. This shows the influence of regions or households so that there is a disparity in the prevalence of stunting in children under five years of age. This study aims to describe the incidence of stunting in toddlers in general and analyze the variables that influence it and its tendencies in NTB Province in 2022 using a multilevel binary regression model. The results of the study showed that the variables of toddler gender, toddler age, history of toddler pneumonia, maternal education level, access to clean drinking water sources, access to proper sanitation, and GRDP per capita had a significant effect
Small Area Estimation for Percentage of Out-of-School Children Aged 7-17 Years in Sumatera Island, 2023
Authors: Elieze Wisly Ryanr , Rahmah Aisyah 'Azizah Nur , Himalaya Karina , Putri Afidita Nabila , Achmadi Aditya Prameswara , Ubaidillah Azka , Syahidah Shafiyah Asy
Published: September 2024

Ensuring the quality of education is a fundamental commitment towards achieving sustainable development goals (SDGs). One effective strategy to enhance education quality is addressing the high number of children out of school. More precise district/city-level data on the percentage of out-of-school children needs to be provided. Estimation results from Susenas data show that Sumatra Island has the highest proportion of districts/cities with a Relative Standard Error (RSE) of over 25% compared to other islands in Indonesia. Therefore, this study applies Hierarchical Bayes (HB) Beta method by utilizing accompanying variables. The research reveals that the HB Beta estimator is the most effective in estimating the percentage of out-of-school children aged 7—17 years at the district/city level on Sumatra Island. The Small Area Estimation (SAE) model offers a more precise estimate than the direct estimator. Furthermore, there are 25 districts/cities with a high percentage of children aged 7—17 years who are not in school, with the majority located in the southern region of Sumatra Island
Doctor and Nurse Scheduling in Emergency Room Using Firefly Algorithm
Authors: Khoiriyyah Hulliyatul , Novianingsih Khusnul , Masta Al Azhary Masta
Published: September 2024

The Emergency Room (ER) is a part of the hospital responsible for providing initial treatment to patients with life-threatening conditions. The operational hours of the ER follow the schedule set by the hospital. ER must be ready to serve emergency patients 24 hours a day and 7 days a week. Therefore, the scheduling of doctors and nurses in the ER needs to be well-managed to enhance the efficiency of doctors and nurses in responding emergency patients quickly and effectively.
In this study, the problem of doctors and nurses scheduling in the ER is solved using the Firefly Algorithm, in which doctors and nurses represented as fireflies. This algorithm is chosen since its ability to find optimal solutions for complex optimization problems. In this research, doctors and nurses can submit schedule requests to improve job satisfaction. The optimization model is constructed by a number of constraints including the availability of doctors and nurses, schedule requests, and the operational needs of the ER. The Firefly Algorithm is applied to find the optimal solution for the model. Simulation results show that this algorithm can produce an optimal schedule, in which 70.6% of doctors' schedule requests and 98.2% of nurses' schedule requests are being fulfilled.
Business Index 27 Stock Portfolio Optimization Using the Black Litterman Model Accompanied by Value At Risk Calculation
Authors: Rahmadi Melasarah Deswita , Yahya Lailany , Nuha Agusyarif Rezka
Published: September 2024

An investment can provide a profit with a certain level of risk for an investor both now and in the future. This indicates that investments are important in both financial and asset management. Finance investments can be made on several stocks or portfolios. To profit from an investment, you need a tool to optimize profit and risk, which is a portfolio. This research uses the Black Litterman Model in portfolio optimization along with Value at Risk (VaR) calculations to determine the risk of each stock. The data used is close price data on the Business Index 27 for the period January-December 2023. Next, selected 9 shares in the formation of an optimal portfolio namely, AKRA, AMRT, ASII, BBCA, BBNI, BBRI, INKP, KLBF and TLKM. Based on the calculations, the rate of profit achieved on the portfolio is 5.48% with a risk of 0.40%. Then use the Historical Method and the Monte Carlo Simulation Method to calculate the VaR using nine optimal stocks, with a 95% confidence rate. In the Monte Carlo simulation, 300 repetitions of VaR calculations are performed. Different results on both methods are due to different approaches to risk calculation
The Comparison of Inverse Gaussian and Gamma Regression: Application on Stunting Data in Jepara
Authors: Nisa Eva Khoirun , Maulina Riska
Published: September 2024

Many research data have distributions other than the normal distribution, called exponential family distributions. The exponential family of distributions includes the inverse Gaussian and Gamma distributions. There are parallels between these two distributions in terms of the kind of random variable and how well they work. Finding the optimal model using inverse Gaussian and Gamma regression on stunting data in Jepara is the goal of this study. Maximum Likelihood Estimation is used for parameter estimation, Maximum Likelihood Ratio Test is used for simultaneous parameter testing, and Wald testing is used for partial parameter testing. For this case, the best model is inverse Gaussian regression. Exclusive breastfeeding, low birth weight babies, clean drinking water facilities, and the number of Integrated Service Post (Posyandu) influence the percentage of stunting in Jepara..
Exploring the Ratib Tolak Bala Ritual in Langkat, North Sumatra: Analysis of Living Qur’an
Authors: Muttaqin Zainul , Jamil Jamil
Published: September 2024

This study aims to examine the phenomenon of the Ratib Tolak Bala ritual in the Naqayabandiyah Khalidiyah Tariqah in Besilam Village, Babussalam, Langkat, North Sumatra. This research is a field study with a qualitative descriptive method. The research subjects include community leaders, traditional figures, and religious figures. Data collection was done directly from primary sources through observation and interviews. The results show that the Ratib Tolak Bala ritual is a series of dhikr activities performed by a group of people after the Isha prayer, usually at night, collectively along the roads of Besilam Village. Its purpose is to repel and reject disasters and threats, solely as a form of seeking protection and safety from Allah SWT. The Ratib Tolak Bala ritual has three elements of value: cultural preservation, spiritual value, and social cohesion.
Frugal living in The "Tafseer al-Misbah" Perspective : Study of The Interpretation of QS. Al-Isra’ Verses 26-27
Authors: Harahap Anita Luthfiana , Rambe Uqbatul Khoir
Published: September 2024

The large amount of expenditure and lack of income during Covid 19 gave rise to the term or trend Frugal Living which is believed to have emerged to answer questions from several individuals or groups in allocating their finances so that there is no waste in everyday life. The reason is that the Frugal Living trend originates from the western region, which makes it difficult for many Indonesians, most of whom are Muslims, to follow this trend because they feel like it is western culture. Even though this trend is very good if carried out, this trend has also been explained in the Al-Qur'an surah Al-Isra' Verses 26-27 and this verse has been confirmed by modern interpretations, one of which is the Al-Misbah interpretation. This research also compares Quraish Shihab's thoughts in his interpretation of Al-Misbah with Buya Hamka in his interpretation of Al-Azhar through a comparison table. This research uses a qualitative descriptive approach with more emphasis on observing existing phenomena. The data sources used consist of the Koran, hadith, tafsir books, as well as several literature from books, journals and articles related to frugal living. The results of this research show that the frugal living trend has a very good impact if it is followed by individuals or groups because this is also stated in the Al-Qur'an surah Al-Isra' verses 26-27.
A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF THE FIQH APPROACH TO THE HADITH ON MENSTRUATION
Authors: Fauzizah Anik , Masruri Muhammad
Published: September 2024

Menstruation is a woman’s nature that cannot be avoided and is closely related to her daily worship activities. Menstruation is a very complicated discussion because the blood that comes out of each woman is different. Therefore, it is an obligation for a woman to learn about the law of menstruation, because learning things that are a condition for the validity and invalidity of an act of worship is fardhu ‘ain. Therefore, the author is interested in researching how a comparative study of the fiqh approach in the hadith about menstruation with the aim of providing understanding and also becoming one of the references for women in understanding the problem of menstruation which is reinforced by shar’i arguments and the opinions of the scholars of the four madhhabs who have been recognised for their scientific capabilities. This study uses the library research method to analyse it and collect some literature then understand and analyse systematically and can synthesise the literature. The findings obtained are that the scholars of the fiqh madhhabs differ in several respects, including differences in defining menstruation, the age of women who experience menstruation, and the details of the prohibition of women who are menstruating. The difference is also based on a different understanding of the hadith that is used as a benchmark.

[Haid adalah kodrat wanita yang tidak bisa dihindari dan sangat erat kaitannya dengan aktifitas ibadahnya sehari-hari. Haid merupakan pembahasan yang sangat rumit karena darah yang keluar dari setiap wanita itu berbeda. Maka dari itu sudah menjadi kewajiban seorang wanita mempelajari mengenai hukum haid, karena mempelajari hal-hal yang menjadi syarat keabsahan dan batalnya suatu ibadah adalah fardhu ‘ain. Oleh karena itu penulis tertarik untuk meneliti mengenai bagaimana studi komparatif terhadap pendekatan fiqh dalam hadis tentang haid dengan tujuan bisa memberikan pemahaman dan juga menjadi salah satu rujukan bagi wanita dalam memahami masalah haid yang diperkuat dengan dalil-dalil syar’i dan pendapat para ulama’ empat madzhab yang telah diakui kapabilitas keilmuannya. Penelitian ini menggunakan metode library research untuk menganalisanya dan mengumpulkan beberapa literatur kemudian memahami dan menganalisa secara sistematis serta dapat mensitesis literatur. Temuan yang didapatkan adalah bahwa ulama’ madzhab fiqh berbeda pendapat dalam beberapa hal di antaranya yaitu perbedaan dalam mendefinsikan haid, usia wanita yang mengalami haid, serta perincian larangan wanita yang sedang haid. Perbedaan itu juga di dasarkan pemahaman yang berbeda mengenai hadis yang dijadikan sebagai patokan].
The ecological nature of the classroom environment for the perceptual learning of Additional Language speech
Authors: Reis Felipe Santos dos , Kickhöfel Alves Ubiratã
Published: September 2024

The aim of this paper is twofold: first, to discuss the notion of “environment” from the perspective of Ecological Psychology, and second, to identify potential affordances that learners may perceive in the additional language classroom, given their relations with social events and objects therein. Considering its importance in the field of speech perception, we set out to review the philosophical underpinnings of the Perceptual Assimilation Model (PAM) and its extension to Second Language Speech Learning (PAM-L2), proposed by Best (1995) and Best and Tyler (2007) respectively, especially regarding the distinction between learning additional languages “in natural communicative contexts vs. in more constrained contexts […] where the target language is not widely used” (Best; Tyler, 2007, p. 19). According to the authors, the additional language classroom in non-native communities is considered “[…] a fairly impoverished context for L2 learning” (Best; Tyler, 2007, p. 19), highly dependent on non-native teachers’ “variable” or even “incorrect” pronunciation. However, we argue that additional language classrooms can promote the emergence of new action systems in learners so that new information in relatively unfamiliar speech can be picked up, and new affordances can thereby be perceived and acted upon (Gibson, E. J.; Pick, 2000).
Algumas considerações sobre o status dos blends no léxico do português brasileiro
Authors: Braga Emerson Viana , Pacheco Vera
Published: September 2024

O blend é uma operação morfológica caracterizada pela junção de duas bases, formando uma terceira. O fenômeno se aproxima do processo da composição. Sua grande singularidade, entretanto, está no fato de apresentar alguma ruptura em sua formação. Essa ruptura, segundo Gonçalves (2006, 2016), Andrade e Rondinini (2016), caracteriza o processo como não concatenativo, pois apresenta supressão de material fonológico, como em bicitáxi (bicicleta+táxi), enquanto os compostos mantêm a integridade das bases, como em amor-perfeito. Como forma de discutir o status que o blend assume no léxico, propomos, neste trabalho, averiguar se o processo se aproxima ou se distancia da composição. Mediante isso, o seguinte questionamento foi levantado: qual é o status morfológico do blend no léxico do PB? Nossa hipótese é a de que o blend seria um processo de formação de palavras independente do processo de composição que une duas palavras para gerar uma terceira. Fizemos um levantamento de 750 blends, observando os aspectos fonológico e semântico, importantes na formação do fenômeno. Nossos resultados apontam que, fonologicamente, o blend distingue-se da composição, porque o primeiro é formado por não concatenação, enquanto o segundo se caracteriza como concatenativo, como já apontava Gonçalves (2006, 2016). Quanto ao aspecto semântico, compostos tendem a ser mais exocêntricos, ao passo que blends se configuram como mais endocêntricos.
Uma tipologia linguística para pejorativos baseados em nomes de animais no português brasileiro
Authors: Basso Renato Miguel , Silva Giovanna
Published: September 2024

O objetivo do presente texto é investigar a semântica e a pragmática de nomes de animais usados como termos pejorativos no português brasileiro (PB) contemporâneo. Em nossa análise, propomos que alguns desses termos pertencem a categorias semântico-gramaticais distintas e, portanto, devem ser classificados como ofensas, como injúrias e como injúrias de gênero, conforme argumentamos com base em dados de comportamentos e inferências linguísticas. Usando as ferramentas e métodos da semântica e da pragmática formais das línguas naturais, nossa proposta de análise será feita tomando como material um inventário não-exaustivo de termos comumente usados no Brasil.
Basalt Accumulation Fuels Warm Slab’s Subduction into Lower Mantle
Authors: Shi Danian , Shen Yang , Shi Jianyu , Xiang Hua , Zhao Rongtao
Published: September 2024

How and why oceanic slabs subduct into the lower mantle is crucial in understanding the mantle dynamics and evolution, but remains unclear. Here we present seismic images of the mantle transition zone (MTZ) beneath the Sumatra subduction zone that reveal phase transformations of both the olivine and garnet systems, exhibiting a relatively warm slab in a ~250-km-wide passage from ~350 to ~750 km, then broadening to ~600 km wide at ~780 km depths. The amplitudes of converted waves at the interfaces of the MTZ base and the topmost of the lower mantle suggest up to ~75±25% of basalts in a basalt-harzburgite assemblage and thus intensive enrichment of oceanic crust near the upper-lower mantle boundary, and a gradual reduction of basalt content toward the depthsof ~780 km. Mineral physics modeling shows that such basaltic enrichment provides sufficient positive density contrasts and driving forces for downwelling of the slab assemblage into the lower mantle, and negative density contrasts and thereby buoyancy for the upward concentration of basalts in the uppermost lower mantle. The residual part of the slab assemblage subjected to the basalt reduction is rheologically more weak and conducive to itsflattening and broadening between 750 to 1200 km depths.
Sneaky Glitch: A Clock Glitch Generator to attack the AMD-Xilinx PLL
Authors: Leuenberger Lukas , Willi Roman , Amiet Dorian , Zbinden Paul
Published: September 2024

Cryptographic algorithms are indispensable from today’s world and often require high-throughput implementations accelerated by specialized hardware like field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs). However, these implementations are vulnerable to side-channel attacks such as clock glitch attacks. This paper presents a clock glitch generator designed to insert glitches into a clock signal using only FPGA clocking resources to ensure signal purity. By incorporating an FPGA-internal calibration method, the start and width of the glitches can be set with a precision of 0.53°, equal to 14.8 ps, for a 100 MHz clock. The generator’s architecture allows glitches to be inserted in the positive and the negative phase of the clock. This increases the versatility of the possible attacks. The clock glitch generator was used to attack both the mixed-mode clock manager (MMCM) and phase-locked loop (PLL) primitives within the 7-Series and Ultrascale+ family. Despite the PLL’s ability to filter out clock glitches, an attack scenario was successfully identified that stealthily increased the output frequency of a 7-Series MMCM and PLL by up to 68%.
Diversity and correlation studies of intraspecific hybrids for their morphological traits in cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.)
Authors: Bilal Nouman , Nazeer wajad , Tipu Abdul Latif , Liaqat Shoaib , Sarwar Muhammad , Basheer Maria
Published: September 2024

The cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) is great source of natural fiber and sixth largest source for oil and contributed to GDP of Pakistan. Therefore, present research aimed to assess the genetic diversity of 61 crosses in terms of yield and yield-related traits. This study also analyzed the correlation between these traits for selection. Plant height showed a positive and highly significant correlation with the main stem nodes. However, the number of squares showed a positive and highly significant relationship with plant height and number of main stem nodes. The number of flowers showed a moderate and significant correlation with the number of squares. Furthermore, the number of green bolls strongly correlated with the number of main stem nodes, plant height and number of open bolls. The cotton leaf curl virus disease % was negatively correlated with the number of main stem nodes plant height and number of green bolls. Genetic diversity among germplasm forms the foundation of any breeding program and is pivotal for increasing yield. Principal component analysis revealed a total variance of 53% among crosses, with PC-I contributing 34.3% and PC-II contributing 18.7% of yield-related traits. Of eight PCs the four PCs exhibit > 1 eigen values. The number of squares per plant, the number of green bolls, and the number of flowers had positive effects on the first two PC components. Clusters I and II exhibited maximum values for the number of squares, the number of green bolls, the number of flowers, and resistance to cotton leaf curl virus disease. Crosses in cluster II displayed reasonable values for the number of open bolls and the number of flowers but showed susceptibility to cotton leaf curl virus disease. The crosses like, IS-29 × VR-5, 217007 × VR-5, IS-12 × VR-5, (MNH-1090 × MNH-875) × 875, (MNH-1090 × MNH-875/4) × 875/4, (MNH-872 × SS 32) × 872, CRP-255 × Super Gold, CRP-212 × FH-333, (MNH-872 × SS-102) × 872, (MNH-872 × MNH-875/4) × 875/4, CRI-288 × CRI-294, and CRI-287 × CRI-212 were genetically diverse for most of the studied morphological traits. This comprehensive information, derived through the application of various statistical tools, is essential for assessing the diversity of crosses to successfully develop an improved breeding program.
WITHDRAWN: CPEB3 can regulate seizure susceptibility by inhibiting the transcriptional activity of STAT3 on NMDARs expression
Authors: You Zhipeng , Huang Cong , Wei Fan , Li Jiran , Liu Yang , Liu Xingan , Fan Zhijie , Gao Xiaoying , Sun Jiahang
Published: September 2024

The full text of this preprint has been withdrawn by the authors in order to comply with an institutional policy on preprints. Therefore, the authors do not wish this work to be cited as a reference.
Cholecalciferol Potential in the Treatment of Advanced Cervical Cancer Patients: Evidence for Autophagy and Mitochondrial Mechanisms
Authors: Suardi Dodi , Judistiani Raden Tina Dewi , Wibowo Viko Duvadilan , Trianasari Nurvita , Hidayat Basuki , Lesmana Ronny , Supriyadi Rudi , Rauf Syahrul , Setiabudiawan Budi , Hidayat Yudi Mulyana , Nisa Aisyah Shofiatun
Published: September 2024

Introduction. Cholecalciferol, also known as vitamin D3, has been investigated in various cancer studies with conflicting results. Cervical cancer, the second most common cancer among women, has a high fatality rate in its advanced stages. Supplementation of cholecalciferol is recommended for cervical cancer patients. There is a significant need to explore potential pathways to understand how cholecalciferol affects cervical cancer, particularly in autophagy mechanisms and mitochondrial function.
Methods. An observational study was carried out on 66 patients with advanced-stage cervical cancer at Hasan Sadikin Hospital. These patients received an oral dose of 10,000 IU of cholecalciferol daily during and after radiation therapy. The patients were monitored closely using RECIST criteria. Sixteen patients agreed to have their blood collected to measure cholecalciferol and autophagy biomarkers before and after radiotherapy. The biomarkers targeted for measurement were p62, LC3b1, LC3b2, TOM20, and COX4.
Results. All participants exhibited clinical improvement. The average serum cholecalciferol level exceeded 30 ng/ml, indicating that the administered dose was adequate to treat and prevent deficiency. Significant changes were observed in all the studied biomarkers. While p62 and LC3b2 levels increased, LC3b1, TOM20, and COX4 levels decreased significantly. There was no correlation between TOM20 and COX4 levels before radiation; however, a trend towards correlation was noted post-radiation (R=0.488; p=0.055).
Conclusion. This study demonstrated that a daily intake of 10,000 IU of cholecalciferol in advanced cervical cancer patients (stages IIB—IVA) undergoing radiotherapy was sufficient to treat and prevent deficiency. The anticipated clinical improvement was achieved. The involvement of autophagy is suggested to play a crucial role in enhancing the effectiveness of radiation treatment.
Exploring Long COVID in Pediatric Patients: Clinical Insights from a Long COVID Clinic
Authors: Kamel Dina , Vu My , Bender Jeffery , Warburton David , Wood John , Mohandas Sindhu
Published: September 2024

Background: Long COVID or post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection is a persistent condition following acute SARS-CoV-2 infection, affecting both adults and children. However, studies exploring the clinical spectrum and the impact of vaccination on long COVID in children remain limited.
Methods: We conducted a retrospective chart review and data analysis of children aged 0-21 years who were seen at the long COVID clinic at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles between August 2021 and November 2023. All statistical analyses were performed using R Studio 4.2.2.
Results: The study included 123 patients with a mean age of 13.1 years, of whom 63 (51.2%) were males. The mean onset of symptoms occurred 5 weeks after SARS-CoV-2 infection, with an average symptom duration of 31.3 weeks at presentation. Notably, 23 patients (18.6%) experienced symptoms lasting over 12 months. The most commonly reported symptoms were fatigue (92.7%), headache (69.9%), exercise intolerance (52.8%), dizziness (43.9%), and brain fog (40.7%). Among 74 patients with at least one follow-up visit, a general decrease in symptom severity was observed over time. No significant difference was found in the mean number of symptoms at 6 or 12 months between vaccinated and unvaccinated groups. Of the 43 patients vaccinated after the onset of long COVID, 19 (44.2%) reported symptom improvement.
Conclusion: Fatigue and headache are the most prevalent symptoms of long COVID in pediatric patients across various age groups. A reduction in symptom burden was observed over time, and vaccination appears to have a beneficial effect in alleviating long COVID symptoms in some children. Larger studies with extended follow-ups are necessary to further validate these findings.
Evaluation of Datasets for Outlier Detection
Authors: Ferreira Felippe P. , Cordeiro Robson L. F.
Published: September 2024

Outlier detection is a common task in various fields of knowledge. When devel-oping and validating new detection algorithms, one must use suitable datasetscontaining known anomalous instances. Despite the large number of datasetsavailable, they are usually derived from classification problems, which were laterconverted into outlier detection problems by following a process that is prone togenerate errors. The objective of our work is not to evaluate detection algorithms,but to evaluate the datasets used to develop and validate the algorithms. Thisresearch proposes a new methodology to assess the quality of datasets used inanomaly detection, which made it possible to identify problems in several well-known datasets. The proposed methodology allowed us to evaluate 59 datasetswith distinct characteristics, assess the labels assigned to instances, and compareinliers and outliers. During the methodology’s evaluation, we used 22 detectionalgorithms on the selected datasets. By leveraging our new methodology, weidentified datasets often used in outlier detection tasks that present question-able ground-truth, with instances that do not behave as expected, and potentialnegative impact in any algorithm validated on this data.
Comparative Analysis of Risk Factors and Clinical Outcomes in Young Patients with Acute Ischemic and Hemorrhagic Stroke
Authors: Ghoreishi Abdoreza , Ahani Mahdi , Asgari Masoud , Mousavi Fazlolah , Nasiri Hamideh
Published: September 2024

Background
Stroke is a leading cause of death and disability worldwide and has significant socioeconomic impacts, particularly among young adults. This study focused on young adults (18–55 years) who experienced acute ischemic (AIS) or hemorrhagic stroke (HS) in Zanjan, Iran.
Methods
A retrospective registry-based analysis was conducted using data from the Vali-e-Asr Hospital Stroke Center. A total of 5345 stroke patients were recorded between March 2016 and June 2023, and 616 young stroke survivors were included. Baseline demographic data, stroke risk factor data, functional status (modified Rankin scale (mRS) score, stroke severity (NIHSS score), treatment history, and mortality were analyzed. The statistical analyses included chi-square tests, independent t tests, and logistic regression.
Results
The cohort comprised 525 AIS (85.23%) and 91 HS (14.77%) patients. Significant differences were observed between groups in terms of atrial fibrillation incidence, antiplatelet treatment history, hypertension, previous smoking, and recent stroke history. HS patients had a higher baseline NIHSS score (12.90 ± 6.04 vs. 7.69 ± 8.56, p < 0.05). In-hospital and three-month mortality rates were significantly greater in the HS group. Factors significantly associated with in-hospital mortality included hemorrhagic stroke, female sex, higher NIHSS score, and current smoking status. Lower odds of achieving excellent functional outcomes and functional independence at three months were noted for HS patients, influenced by NIHSS scores and prior health conditions.
Conclusion
Young stroke patients, particularly those with hemorrhagic stroke, have higher mortality and poorer outcomes. The key risk factors included stroke type, NIHSS score, smoking status, and sex. Identifying and managing these factors could improve patient outcomes.
A Framework for Extraction of Clinical Information from Radiological Mammography Reports Using Large Language Models and Retrieval Augmented Generation.
Authors: Godoy Eduardo , de Ferrari Joaquín , Lazo Sofia , Pancheco Catalina , Mellado Diego , Saez Alex , Chabert Steren , Salas Rodrigo
Published: September 2024

Background: The application of text mining in radiological reports is crucial for many tasks but principally analyzing and projecting trends to enhance diagnostic accuracy. This is especially important in mammography reports, where early detection is crucial. Large language models (LLMs) provide a viable alternative. They can generate accurate results from a limited set of examples compared with the traditional state-of-the-art models.
Methods: This work presents a framework utilizing a general proposed retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) and large language model LLM to create a replicable model capable of structuring mammography radiology reports and extracting relevant concepts associated with the findings. The resulting model is applied to a real-world scenario, using a dataset of mammography radiology reports provided by a hospital. These reports, written by radiologists, are in free text and Spanish. The application of the designed framework is evaluated across several LLMs, and its results are compared to a conventional and specialized NER-type model based on BERT, using a dataset labeled by radiologists.
Results: Several models have been implemented and evaluated with the proposed LLM framework. In Named Entity Recognition (NER) tasks using GPT-4, the zero-shot learning scenario achieved an F1-score of 0.80, while the five-shot scenario reached an F1-score of 0.96. This is comparable to the specific-context NER-BERT model, which achieved an F1-score of 0.97. Similarly, in Relation Extraction tasks, we achieved an F1-score of 0.93, a task for which a specialized model was not available.
Conclusion: The results demonstrate that large language models (LLMs) can benefit from additional in-prompt examples and achieve results comparable to those of specialized models like NER-BERT. Additionally, this study shows that through a well-defined framework, it is possible to effectively leverage the capabilities of LLMs for specific purposes such as NER and Relation Extraction over clinical text and mammography reports.
Impact of Body Mass Index on the Efficacy of Treatment Modalities in Women with Refractory Overactive Bladder
Authors: Liu Po-En , Hwang Jiun-Chyi , Su Tsung-Hsien , Lau Hui-Hsuan
Published: September 2024

Background
Overactive bladder (OAB) is a prevalent condition that substantially impairs quality of life. Obesity and overweight status are recognized as significant risk factors for OAB, but their influence on treatment efficacy is not well understood.
Methods
This cross-sectional study was conducted from January 2023 to July 2024 at a tertiary care hospital. Women diagnosed with refractory OAB were classified into normal weight, overweight, and obese groups according to their body mass index (BMI). Treatment options included combination pharmaceutical therapy and Botulinum toxin injections. Outcomes were assessed using the Overactive Bladder Symptom Score (OABSS) and quality of life questionnaires, administered before and 12 weeks after treatment.
Results
A total of 143 women were included in the study. Normal weight women demonstrated significant improvements in OAB symptoms and quality of life following both combination therapy and Botulinum toxin injection. Conversely, overweight and obese women showed limited improvement with pharmaceutical therapy but responded better to Botulinum toxin injections.
Conclusion
The findings suggest that Botulinum toxin injection may be a more effective treatment modality for overweight or obese women with refractory OAB compared to pharmaceutical therapy. Normal weight women might benefit from initiating treatment with combination medication therapy.
Donor liver natural killer cells ameliorate liver allograft rejection via inducing apoptosis of alloreactive CD8 + T cells and generating CD4 + CD25 + regulatory T cells
Authors: Yu Jiandong , Wu Jiayan , Long Tianzhu , Lv Lihong , Chen Zhiping , Lin Zeyu , Zhu Hongquan , Li Guolin , Wan Yunle
Published: September 2024

The roles of donor liver natural killer (NK) cells in allogeneic liver transplantation remains controversial. Herein, we investigated the effects of liver NK cells on liver allograft tolerance by using liver NK cells and allogeneic spleen T cell co-culture in vitro experiments and the rat orthotopic liver transplantation model. CD8+ T cells exhibited higher apoptotic rate and up-regulated expression of CD95 molecules when co-cultured with allogeneic liver NK cells in vitro, indicating that liver NK cells might induce the apoptosis of CD8+ T cells via CD95 in vitro. The rat liver transplant model showed that recipients with donor liver NK cell immunity, had better survival, less damage, and higher apoptotic rate of intrahepatic infiltrating lymphocytes in liver grafts, as well as higher level of peripheral CD4+CD25+ T cells and lower level of peripheral CD3+CD8+ T cells. These findings indicate that donor liver NK cells can ameliorate allograft rejection via inducing the CD95-mediated apoptosis of alloreactive CD8+ T cells and the generating of CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells.
Scientific Writing Workshop and Academic Write-Ups: Do Analytical Skills and Personal Efforts Matter?
Authors: Panakaje Niyaz , Parvin S. M. Riha , Kulal Abhinandan , S Harinakshi , Bhagwath Arun A , P Shareena , K Madhura , Irfana Shakira , Kambali Ujwala , Sheikh Niha
Published: September 2024

Scientific writing workshops have evolved as crucial platforms for elevating expertise in academic writing skills, developing confidence and stimulating research pursuits among researchers. In this quantitative study, using structured questionnaire with the sample of 440 researchers who have awarded/registered/enrolled for Master of Philosophy (MPhil), Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), and Post Doctoral Fellow through stratified convenience sampling from Karnataka, India, we have examined the influence of scientific writing workshop on researchers academic writeups by giving significant consideration to their analytical skills and personal efforts. We have found that scientific research workshop remarkably escalates academic write ups when researchers possess strong analytical skills and show high personal efforts. Particularly, it majorly contributes to enhance researchers’ quality publications flowed by assisting in topic selection, journal selection, collaboration, research ethics, research aspirations and content knowledge. Further, we have explored varied involvement of researchers in scientific workshop, analytical skills, personal efforts and academic write-ups with different workshop type, duration, and stages of Ph.D. The study has significant implications for professional growth, scientific writing, teaching, and research practices which implies that researchers can enhance their writing abilities while also developing their critical synthesis and analysis capabilities, resulting in higher calibre and deeper academic work.
Dopaminergic and serotonergic genetic variants predict actions and expectations of cooperation and punishment
Authors: Marcos-Prieto Pablo , Ordali Erica , Mariotti Veronica , Palumbo Sara , Vellucci Stefano , Ricciardi Emiliano , Boncinelli Leonardo , Pietrini Pietro , Pellegrini Silvia , Bilancini Ennio
Published: September 2024

Inspired by the growing interest in linking several behaviors with specific genetic assets, research on the topic spiked in recent years, showing that several genetic variants of dopaminergic and serotonergic pathways are related to both emotional and cognitive components of social decision-making. In this paper, we explored the relationship between dopaminergic and serotonergic allelic variants and both behaviors and beliefs about others’ behaviors in an online the Public Goods Game with and without punishment. We found that: (i) the T/T genotype of 5-HTR1B-rs13212041 was associated with an expectation of less antisocial and spiteful punishment; (ii) the L/L genotype of 5-HTTLPR was related to smaller contributions to the public good in the absence of the punishment option and (iii) with expectations of smaller contributions by others in the same setup; (iv) the A/A (Met/Met) genotype of COMT-rs4680 (Val158Met) was associated with expectations of smaller contributions in the presence of punishment. Overall, these results indicate that specific dopaminergic and serotonergic gene variants affect both actions and expectations about others’ behavior in social contexts.