bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Scrutinizing Discord as an Advanced Platform to Support Students’ Listening Proficiency (A Theoretical Perspective)
Authors: Aldebarant Nabil Nabil , Setyowati Yulis , Bagaskara Hreesang Satria , Priyambudi Surya
Published: September 2023

Discord serves as a widely used social media platform among millennials around the globe and it enables seamless communication during online gaming sessions. A few studies on the use of Discord still are limited.  Therefore, this research paper seeks to propose the utilization of discord as a means in a listening class. The article offers empirical evidence supporting the considerable in what way discord will be affordable in listening class. Initially, the paper reviews previous studies that have explored the most recent social media used by teenagers that is Discord, Telegram, and TikTok.  Then, it gives some practical ways how to use Discord in listening class. Subsequently, this paper elucidates the ways in which Discord can boaster learners effectively to comfortable and enjoyable listening comprehending exercises for university students. Finally, a summary is provided at the conclusion of the paper, offering an overview of its main points.
Metrics for Optimizing Searches for Tidally Decaying Exoplanets
Authors: Jackson Brian , Adams Elisabeth R. , Morgenthaler Jeffrey P.
Published: September 2023

Tidal interactions between short-period exoplanets and their host stars drive orbital decay and have likely led to engulfment of planets by their stars. Precise transit timing surveys, with baselines now spanning decades for some planets, are directly detecting orbital decay for a handful of planets, with corroboration for planetary engulfment coming from independent lines of evidence. More than that, recent observations have perhaps even caught the moment of engulfment for one unfortunate planet. These portentous signs bolster prospects for ongoing surveys, but optimizing such a survey requires considering the astrophysical parameters that give rise to robust timing constraints and large tidal decay rates, as well as how best to schedule observations conducted over many years. The large number of possible targets means it is not feasible to continually observe all planets that might exhibit detectable tidal decay. In this study, we explore astrophysical and observational properties for a short-period exoplanet system that can maximize the likelihood for observing tidally driven transit timing variations. We consider several fiducial observational strategies and real exoplanet systems reported to exhibit decay. We show that moderately frequent (a few transits per year) observations may suffice to detect tidal decay within just a few years. Tidally driven timing variations take time to grow to detectable levels, so we estimate how long that growth takes as a function of timing uncertainties and tidal decay rate and provide thresholds for deciding that tidal decay has been detected.
Growth and Evolution of the Symbiota Portal Network
Authors: Pearson Katie , Gilbert Ed , Orellana K. Samanta , Post Greg , Walker Lindsay , Yost Jenn , Franz Nico
Published: September 2023

Symbiota is empowering biodiversity collections communities across the globe to efficiently manage and mobilize their data. Beginning with only a handful of collections in two major portals in the early 2010s (Gries et al. 2014), Symbiota now acts as the primary content management system for over 1,000 collections in more than 50 portals. Over 1,800 collections share data through Symbiota portals, constituting over 90+ million records and 42+ million images. The iDigBio Symbiota Support Hub, a team and cyberinfrastructure based out of Arizona State University and supported by the United States (U.S.) National Science Foundation, hosts 52 Symbiota portals and provides daily help and resources to all Symbiota user communities. The Symbiota codebase is being actively developed in collaboration with several funded projects, including the U.S. National Ecological and Observatory Network (NEON), to support new data types and connections, such as between Symbiota portals and other collections management systems, and to other resources (e.g., Index Fungorum, Global Registry of Scientific Collections, Bionomia, Environmental Data Initiative). Because the Symbiota codebase is open source and shared among portals, new developments in any portal empower the entire network. Here we describe recent expansions of the Symbiota network, including new portals, collaborations, functionalities, and sustainability actions. We look forward to building further collaborations with diverse, international collections data communities.
Evaluating five primer pairs for environmental DNA metabarcoding of Central European fish species based on mock communities
Authors: Macher Till-Hendrik , Schütz Robin , Yildiz Atakan , Beermann Arne J. , Leese Florian
Published: September 2023

Environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding has become a powerful tool for examining fish communities. Prior to the introduction of eDNA-based assessments into regulatory monitoring contexts (e.g., EU Water Framework Directive), there is a demand for methodological standardization. To ensure methodical accuracy and to meet regulatory standards, various sampling, laboratory and bioinformatic workflows have been established. However, a crucial prerequisite for comprehensive fish monitoring is the choice of suitable primer pairs to accurately identify the fishes present in a given water body. Various fish-specific primer pairs targeting different genetic marker regions were published over the past decade. However, a dedicated study to evaluate the performance of frequently applied fish primer pairs to assess Central European fish species has not yet been conducted. Therefore, we created an artificial 'mock' community composed of DNA from 45 Central European fish species and examined the detection ability and reproducibility of five primer pairs. Our study highlights the effect of primer choice and bioinformatic filtering on the outcome of eDNA metabarcoding results. From the five primer pairs evaluated in our study the tele02 (12S gene) primer pair was the best choice for eDNA metabarcoding of Central European freshwater fish. Also, the MiFish-U (12S) and SeaDNA-mid (COI) primer pairs displayed good detection ability and reproducibility. However, less specific primer pairs (i.e., targeting vertebrates) were found to be less reliable and generated high numbers of false-positive and false-negative detections. Our study illustrates how the careful selection of primer pairs and bioinformatic pipelines can make eDNA metabarcoding a more reliable tool for fish monitoring.
Eye convergence is evoked during larval prey capture (LPC) without visual stimulus and in blind cavefish
Authors: Espinasa Luis , Lewis Kayla-Ann
Published: September 2023

In zebrafish larvae, the first response when detecting prey is an oculomotor behavior; eye convergence. Eye convergence increases the overlap between the visual fields of the left and right eyes to prepare for tracking prey. A high vergence angle is maintained throughout the prey-tracking and capture swim phases, enhancing binocular depth. Since the discovery of eye convergence, hundreds of articles reporting on this behavior in zebrafish have been published. In this study, we found that the larvae of blind tetra cavefish, Astyanax mexicanus, despite being adapted to the absence of visual stimuli due to the lack of light in the cave, have retained the oculomotor behavior of eye convergence in their vestigial eyes. In Astyanax, eye convergence responses can be triggered singlehandedly by vibrations elicited with a glass rod at frequencies similar to those generated by its prey (10–35 Hz). The blind cave tetra offers an intriguing combination of regression of the eye structure, while retaining several of the physiological functions and actions performed in the eye, including light-entrained retinomotor rhythms and eye convergence.
The genus Errastunus in the Nearctic region (Hemiptera, Cicadellidae, Deltocephalinae)
Authors: Kits Joel H.
Published: September 2023

The leafhopper genus Errastunus contains grass-feeding leafhoppers in the deltocephaline tribe Paralimnini. The taxonomy of the genus in the Nearctic region has long been confused, with one to three distinct species recognized by different authors. Some populations have also been suggested to be adventive from Europe. Morphological and molecular data show that there are two distinct species in North America. These taxa are readily distinguishable morphologically although there is evidence of mitochondrial introgression between the species. The distribution of the two species based on historical material in collections suggests that Errastunus sobrinus (DeLong & Sleesman, 1929) is native to North America, while E. ocellaris (Fallén, 1806) includes both native and adventive populations. A lectotype is designated for E. sobrinus and Cicada ocellata Scopoli, 1763 is established as a nomen oblitum with Cicada ocellaris as a nomen protectum.
La querelle du woke
Authors: Forest Philippe
Published: September 2023

La querelle du woke a pris en peu de temps une place considérable dans le débat public et semble sommer chacun de choisir son camp. L’écrivain Philippe Forest croit possible une « position tierce ». En faisant la genèse de ce phénomène et en le situant dans le contexte universitaire et intellectuel français, il met au jour un acharnement commun aux « wokistes » et aux « antiwokistes » à « reconstruire », un programme dont il met en doute le caractère salutaire.
L’entrain qui entraine ?
Authors: Uzel Aline
Published: September 2023

Témoignage d’un travail avec des personnes âgées vivant en EHPAD. Intérêt de la mise en œuvre de projets et, particulièrement, de la richesse des rencontres artistiques. Expose une vision de l’accompagnement au plus près des émotions et des ressentis et empreints d’une grande dose de ténacité et d’énergie pour tenter de déployer l’entrain qui entraine.
Rendez-vous après la fin du monde
Authors: Ansart Catherine
Published: September 2023

La fin du monde arrive… Allons-nous tous mourir ? À cette effrayante question, une réponse affirmative s’impose, car nous sommes effectivement voués à disparaître. Nous sommes individuellement mortels et en cela vulnérables. Pour autant, notre fin annoncée signifie-t-elle la fin du monde au sens collectif ? Cette imbrication entre fin du monde sociétale et fin du monde à titre individuel mérite d’être mise en parallèle. Dans ces deux dimensions, penser la fin c’est visualiser les pertes. Mais, c’est également envisager l’héritage laissé, et se demander si la fin d’un monde ne serait pas aussi le début d’un autre…
Mouvements sociaux et littérature : l’émergence de formes alternatives de civilité et le mouvement des Tournesols de 2014 à Taïwan comme cas d’étude
Authors: Heurtebise Jean-Yves , Wei-Chun Lin
Published: September 2023

Le but de cet article est de continuer l’analyse critique des relations établies entre littérature et « civilité » par Hélène Merlin-Kajman à travers une perspective deleuzienne de la littérature et foucaldienne de la civilité et en prenant pour exemple les relations entre innovations littéraires et mouvements sociaux dans la société taïwanaise contemporaine. Le problème du rapport de la littérature à la civilité dans son rapport à la démocratie sera analysé à travers le cas d’étude d’un mouvement social taïwanais pensé comme hétérotopie linguistico-politique qui ouvre la voie à la construction d’une civilité redistribuant les lignes de forces entre conception gouvernementale de la civilité comme ordre et conception sociale de la civilité comme lien.
Les enseignants personnes-ressources au Québec et en France : quels rôles dans une école inclusive ?
Authors: Granger Nancy , Toullec-Théry Marie , Bourdon Patrice
Published: September 2023

Au Québec et en France, les orientations politiques et les références législatives qui encadrent l’école inclusive sont fondées sur des valeurs de justice sociale et d’équité, visant l’accès à l’éducation et à la réussite pour toutes et tous. Cette école inclusive suppose une organisation scolaire renouvelée. La mobilisation d’Enseignants dans un rôle de personne-ressource (EPR) tant au Québec qu’en France constitue une mesure ministérielle pour soutenir sa mise en œuvre. Cet article présente une recherche comparative dont l’enjeu consiste à identifier les rôles, selon les positions assumées et les postures adoptés par les EPR. Plus spécifiquement, il cherche à savoir si ces rôles, se construisent différemment dans ces deux contextes. Les personnes participantes, soit 172 au Québec, et 192 en France, ont répondu à un questionnaire en ligne. Si la comparaison s’est avérée complexe entre les deux milieux, elle laisse toutefois transparaître une distinction entre une visée pragmatique au Québec, centrée sur un soutien de proximité offert par les EPR aux élèves et aux enseignants versus un positionnement plus distal des EPR, en France, engendré par des prescriptions plus larges et sous-tendues par une idéologie inclusive parfois délicate à comprendre.
Vers une théorie de la contribution managériale au service de l’appropriation des outils de gestion et construction sens : Cas de l’implémentation de Drugcam ® au sein d’une Unité de Production de Chimiothérapies
Authors: Dessalle Karine
Published: September 2023

Nous assistons depuis quelques décennies, à l’explosion des outils de gestion sous les formes les plus variées. Ces outils sont désormais au cœur du fonctionnement des organisations hospitalières et sont devenus indissociables de notre activité quotidienne. L’implémentation d’un outil de gestion conduit à une phase de changement, nécessite d’engager un processus d’appropriation et aboutit à la reconfiguration de l’organisation du travail, des compétences, et du sens au travail. Cette étude s’intéresse au processus d’appropriation d’un outil de gestion comme un facteur de construction de sens, et à la contribution managériale inhérente à cette réussite.
A Massive Open Online Course Delivered Just-in-Time: A Cohort Study
Authors: Leathwick Sandra , El Ali Mandy , Jacob Alycia , Jacob Elisabeth
Published: September 2023

Background:

Just-in-time education enables knowledge improvement during health crises. This study was conducted to determine whether nurses' knowledge improved after participating in an innovative online education intervention designed to upskill subacute nurses to prepare for a health crisis.

Method:

The intervention was developed by university nursing academics and supported and promoted through a partnership with a government health department and clinical nurses. Quantitative data obtained with a pretest/post-test knowledge survey were analyzed with independent samples and paired
t
tests.

Results:

Statistically significant improvements were seen in nurses' knowledge according to qualification level. The mean difference for knowledge improvement for registered nurses was 1.90,
SD
= 2.54, and the mean difference for knowledge improvement for enrolled nurses was 2.93,
SD
= 2.43 (mean difference = 1.03; 95% CI [0.04, 2.03].

Conclusion:

The intervention was highly effective during the emergent and ongoing phases of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. This study showed that delivering just-in-time education can improve nurses' knowledge.

[
J Contin Educ Nurs
. 2023;54(10):472–479.]
Determining Self-Efficacy of Nurses Who Graduated From Distance Education Because of the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Multicenter Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Baysal Ebru , Pakiş Çetin Sevgi , Demirkol Hacer , Erol Ahmet
Published: September 2023

Background:

The current literature states that distance education has caused a lack of professional skills, regression of existing professional skills (
Kaya & Akin Isik, 2021
;
Kürtüncü & Kurt, 2020
), a lack of self-confidence, and feelings of inadequacy among nursing students (
George et al., 2020
). The current study examined the professional self-efficacy of nurses who graduated from distance education because of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.

Method:

This multicenter cross-sectional study was conducted between November 2020 and June 2022 with 164 nurses who graduated from distance education in 2020–2021 from three faculties of health sciences.

Results:

Professional self-efficacy of the nurses was found to be above average. Male nurses and nurses who believed distance education had a negative impact on their professional skills had significantly higher professional self-efficacy. Some nurses reported that their professional theoretical knowledge was insufficient and defined the effect of distance education on their professional skills as relatively negative.

Conclusion:

Most of the nurses expressed that distance education had a negative effect on their professional self-efficacy and working life.

[
J Contin Educ Nurs.
2023;54(10):480–488.]
Preceptor Course Structures and Processes Contributing to Newly Licensed Nurse Outcomes
Authors: Failla Kim Reina , Stichler Jaynelle
Published: September 2023

Background:

This article describes a preceptor program implemented across a health care system with standardized structures and processes that contribute to newly licensed nurse outcomes, including role satisfaction and retention.

Method:

A quantitative design used two psychometrically tested instruments with data collected through Internet-based surveys.

Results:

Newly licensed nurses' perceptions of their preceptors were consistently favorable. Newly licensed nurse retention from 2019 through 2022 was 93% at 1 year.

Conclusion:

Preceptor programs are a critical element in facilitating the transition of newly licensed nurses to professional practice. The success of the program is dependent on the quality of preceptors, who must be carefully selected, educated, and evaluated for the role.

[
J Contin Educ Nurs.
2023;54(10):448–453.]
Research on multi-strategy improved sparrow search optimization algorithm
Authors: Fei Teng , Wang Hongjun , Liu Lanxue , Zhang Liyi , Wu Kangle , Guo Jianing
Published: September 2023

To address the issues with inadequate search space, sluggish convergence and easy fall into local optimality during iteration of the sparrow search algorithm (SSA), a multi-strategy improved sparrow search algorithm (ISSA), is developed. First, the population dynamic adjustment strategy is carried out to restrict the amount of sparrow population discoverers and joiners. Second, the update strategy in the mining phase of the honeypot optimization algorithm (HBA) is combined to change the update formula of the joiner's position to enhance the global exploration ability of the algorithm. Finally, the optimal position of population discoverers is perturbed using the perturbation operator and levy flight strategy to improve the ability of the algorithm to jump out of local optimum. The experimental simulations are put up against the basic sparrow search algorithm and the other four swarm intelligence (SI) algorithms in 13 benchmark test functions, and the Wilcoxon rank sum test is used to determine whether the algorithm is significantly different from the other algorithms. The results show that the improved sparrow search algorithm has better convergence and solution accuracy, and the global optimization ability is greatly improved. When the proposed algorithm is used in pilot optimization in channel estimation, the bit error rate is greatly improved, which shows the superiority of the proposed algorithm in engineering application.
Leveraging Blockchain for Spatial Data Infrastructure
Authors: Ahmad Munir
Published: September 2023

Blockchain technology is gaining increasing attention across various industries, including healthcare, supply chain, education, business, logistics, disaster management, agriculture, tourism, and energy. As such, it is also becoming of interest to the spatial data infrastructure (SDI). This chapter explored the potential of blockchain technology for SDI and examined its potential role in addressing four key areas of concern regarding SDI: governance structure, facilitating access, capacity building, and data interoperability. Furthermore, the chapter also delved into the challenges that may arise with integrating blockchain technology into SDI. These challenges include scalability, technical complexity, regulatory as well as legal constraints, and cost as well as resource constraints. In addition to discussing the potential and challenges of blockchain-based SDI, this chapter also presented the technical, legal, and social implications that may arise from its deployment.
Framework of IoT, Blockchain, Digital Twins, and Artificial Intelligence Solutions in Support of the Digital Business Transformation of Logistics 5.0
Authors: Nicoletti Bernardo , Appolloni Andrea
Published: September 2023

In organizations, it is vital to reach the customer. For this reason, logistics is considered an essential function in organizations. A general definition of logistics includes planning, production, purchasing, transportation, storage, loading and unloading, handling, packaging, processing, distribution, control, information processing, and traceability. These activities must be balanced to achieve the primary objectives of logistics. This situation requires an appropriate flow of goods/services/people/information at the right time with the right equipment/devices/competent people at the right place in the right quality and quantity to satisfy customers. Logistics should also be sustainable, flexible, and resilient.
Internet of Things Applications Architecture for Industrial Interoperability Business Service
Authors: Pal Kamalendu
Published: September 2023

Wireless sensor data communication networks (WSNs) based on the Internet of Things (IoT) technology have many potential applications for the industrial world. The IoT paradigm encompasses ubiquitous computing, pervasive computing, data communication protocols, sensing technologies, and embedded devices, and they merge selectively to form an information system where the physical and digital worlds meet. They can serve different categories of business services through continuous symbiotic interactions. In this way, the formed interconnected information system, through the Internet, exchanges data and information to create services that bring tangible benefits to the industrial world and its supply chain operations. This chapter presents a system architecture (i.e., Apparel Business Decentralized Data Integration (ABDDI)) and its knowledge representation scheme, based on formal languages – Description Logics (DLs), to address the needs of formal information modeling and reasoning for web-based services provision using ontology. Finally, the chapter presents an example of the experimental result of service composition ontology's similarity assessment.
Analysis on Detecting Cyber Security Attacks Using Deep Ensemble Learning on Smart Grids
Authors: Vanitha K. , Musthafa M. Mohamed , Rahman A. M. J. Md Zubair , Anitha K. , Mahesh T. R. , Vinoth Kumar V.
Published: September 2023

In recent times, cyber security offers a significant advancement in smart grid technologies for its availability and functionality. The potential intrusion in smart grids marks the system to behave in a vulnerable way all the private data. Smart grids are often prone to data integrity attacks at its physical layer, which is been a critical issue presently. This attack alters the measurement of compromised meter set by the attacker(s). It misleads the decision making by the operators at the control center and thereby the reliability of the measurement is affected. In this chapter, the authors present a deep learning ensemble (DLE) model that possibly detects the potential data integrity attacks in the physical layer. The deep learning model uses ensemble learning to make decisions and combines the classified results to improve the classification on test data. The experiments are conducted on the proposed DLE model to find the accuracy of classifier the malicious and benign measurements.
The Concept of Global Growth and Development With the New Normal
Authors: Ristanović Vladimir M. , Andrlić Berislav
Published: September 2023

The chapter presents a new view of global changes. The new normal paradigm is based on economic premises but, essentially, constitutes a new scheme. It is a concept that necessarily requires transformations within the entire society. The focus, however, is on a new life and work pattern. Adaptation to changes will be realized quicker than expected. Numerous processes have already been prepared and implemented, such as international standards implementation in social, political, and business spheres, which is sometimes ignored or forgotten. At the same time, this chapter will show the chronology of the events that preceded the new normal paradigm, and which went in the direction of its final manifestation. It will confirm that these efforts in the developed world have existed for decades.
Rural Tourism Destinations and the Sustainable Development of Tourism in the Republic of Serbia
Authors: Vuković Predrag Miroslav , Kljajic Natatasa
Published: September 2023

The problem of rural development is present in a large number of countries. Rural areas today are characterized by negative trends of population migration to urban centers, depopulation, aging of the rural population, reduction of macro-economic indicators, etc. The aim of the chapter is to identify the variables that influence the current situation in the sector of rural tourism based on the theoretical analysis of the management of rural tourist destinations and the conducted empirical research on the perceptions of tourists as consumers and domestic stakeholders on the quality of tourist offers in rural destinations in Serbia and the potential offer of rural tourist destinations in Serbia to propose strategic directions for the development of rural destinations and to present a sustainable management model for improving the competitiveness of the rural tourist destinations.
The Analysis of the Relationship Between Renewable Energy and Human Development
Authors: Tufaner Mustafa Batuhan
Published: September 2023

As in all areas of human life, energy plays a vital role in these areas as well. However, reasons such as the risk of depletion of traditional energy sources, damage to the environment, and supply shocks have led to more discussion of renewable energy sources. The aim of the study is to analyze the relationship between renewable energy and human development for 37 OECD countries for the period 1990-2018. For this purpose, Gengenbach, Urbain, and Westerlund panel cointegration test and Dumitrescu-Hurlin panel causality tests were applied. Empirical results reveal that the increase in the rate of renewable energy consumption in total energy consumption positively affects human development. Also, the Dumitrescu-Hurlin panel causality test shows that there is no causality between human development and renewable energy consumption. These results will help policy makers and government officials in OECD countries better understand the role of renewable energy in the human development process.
Women Entrepreneurship in Multifunctional Agriculture for Rural Revival in Serbia
Authors: Popović Vesna , Mihailović Branko
Published: September 2023

The COVID-19 crisis has revealed the benefits of rural living and underlined the importance of strengthening local food systems and empowering family farming and women farmers given the crucial role they play in multifunctional agriculture, climate resilience, and recovery from the pandemic. Multifunctional agriculture is an effective framework for a set of business models that integrate economic, environmental, and socio-cultural impacts of agriculture and food production on sustainable rural development. Innovative business models in multifunctional agriculture give new opportunities for women farmers only if they enjoy gender equality and have access to work-life balance services. This chapter per the authors analyzes women entrepreneurship in Serbian agriculture using business model canvas analysis of a case study farm from the Homolje area (East Serbia). Research results, solutions, and recommendations aim to raise awareness of the role of women's multifunctional entrepreneurship and collaborative business strategies in rural revival within the new normal paradigm.
The Influence of Financial Incentives and Other Socio-Economic Factors on Two-Wheeler EV Adoption in the NCR Region
Authors: Siraj Farah , Mehra Pooja
Published: September 2023

Electric vehicles are a technological advancement that has the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and lessen the effects of climate change. However, externalities like knowledge appropriability and pollution reduction produce societal and economic benefits that are not reflected in the cost of electric vehicles. Governments have implemented a few strategies to solve the ensuing market failures. The authors identified a few additional socio-economic parameters based on the research that are anticipated to have an impact on the adoption rates of electric vehicles. They investigated the link between those variables and the effect of socio-economic factors on these variables using structural equation modelling. The model discovered that there is no correlation between financial incentives awareness and two-wheeler EV uptake. The findings indicate that among these socioeconomic characteristics, adoption of two-wheeled electric vehicles was most strongly correlated with age, gender, education, married status, and yearly family income.
AI Applications for Financial Risk Management
Authors: Dwivedi Dwijendra Nath , Mahanty Ghanashyama , Pathak Yogesh Kumar
Published: September 2023

The global financial crisis of 2008 exposed many vulnerabilities of the financial systems and how these system failures took a massive toll on governments, institutions, and societies worldwide. Given the critical link between the financial and the rest of the economic sectors, financial risk management is critical to avoid similar kinds of catastrophic events in the future. Playing the crucial financial intermediary role in society forces firms to evolve and manage financial risks daily. With the emergence of big data, computational frameworks, and AI algorithms, finance sector risk management is rapidly adopting them across different use cases. AI applications designed for financial risk management aim to streamline processes to improve accuracy, efficiency, and productivity while reducing costs for companies to remain competitive. These emerging AI technologies provide a fresh perspective on how risk should be viewed, assessed, and managed. This chapter has summarized and shared various examples of how AI is used for financial risk management.
Impact of Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) Activity on Bank Loan Loss Provisions
Authors: Ozili Peterson K. , Obiora Kingsley
Published: September 2023

This article explores the potential effect of central bank digital currency activity on bank loan loss provisions. The authors show that the effect of CBDC activity on bank loan loss provisions depends on the nature of CBDC activity and whether CBDC activity is regulated or non-regulated. As more people use CBDCs, it could lead to shortfall in bank deposits and increase funding risk and liquidity risk and generate a pass-through to credit risk which would require banks to increase loan loss provisions in anticipation of loan loss arising from CBDC activity. CBDC regulation may dampen this effect.
An Assessment of the Level of Adoption of AI/ML in Banking and Financial Institutions
Authors: Yadav Neelam , Divya  , Rani Nisha , Singh Manjeet , Chowdhury Shah Saeed Hassan
Published: September 2023

Industry 5.0 is designed for intelligent and efficient machines. It will take into account the human cognitive abilities and inculcate them into machines. AI's role in finance involves the integration of machine learning (ML) technology with human intelligence to enhance money management, investment strategies, and financial security in banks and financial institutions. AI is transforming the customer experience by facilitating quicker and contactless interactions, including real-time credit approvals, while also bolstering fraud protection and cyber security measures. The banking sector is also incorporating AI, robotics, and other machine assistants for operational and process flow. In this chapter, meta-analysis will be used to find out that how much financial institutions and banking sector are adapting to the artificial intelligence and machine learning and whether they are ready for industry 5.0 or not.
EDITORIAL
Authors: Sita Patricia Coradim , Lemos Italo Lins
Published: September 2023

A revista Acta Scientiarum. Human and Social Sciences tem o prazer de apresentar aos seus leitores o volume 44, número 2, de 2022, dedicado às Ciências Sociais.

Iniciamos este número com o artigo de Leandro Benedini Brusadin (Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto). Intitulado “L’hospitalité aux immigrants et refugies dans les centres d’accueil à São Paulo, au Brésil”, o artigo analisa a recepção e a hospitalidade oferecidas aos imigrantes, principalmente haitianos, nos centros de acolhimento para imigrantes e refugiados na cidade de São Paulo. O estudo investiga as expectativas desses indivíduos e o trabalho realizado nesses locais.
Iron Oxide Nanoparticles Produced by a Low-Energy Nd: YAG Laser Ablation Technique and Their Application as Contrast Agent for Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Authors: Khumaeni Ali , Kurniawan Gali , Hidayanto Eko
Published: September 2023

A magnetic resonance imaging contrast agent is proposed using iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs) synthesized by a pulsed laser ablation technique. Experimentally, an Nd: YAG laser (1064 nm, 7 ns, 30 mJ) was directed and focused on a high-purity iron plate immersed in a liquid solution of deionized water and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP). After a few minutes of laser bombardment, iron oxide nanoparticles dispersed in the liquid were homogeneously produced. A reddish yellow color-colloidal IONPs are produced in the water, while its color changes to dark brown for the PVP solution. The characterization results demonstrated that IONPs in the form of Fe2O3 and Fe3O4 made in the PVP have an excellent dispersibility with a spherical shape that is significantly smaller than that of IONPs made in the deionized water at the same laser repetition rate. The produced IONPs are further applied as a contrast agent for the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) modality by varying concentrations from 0.05 mM to 2.31 mM. The results demonstrated that images of the IONPs sample with a concentration of 2.31 mM showed the highest contrast enhancement (Cenh), with an enhancement factor of 221.875 % for T1-weighted images and 91.227 % for T2-weighted images. IONPs with a concentration of 2.31 mM had the highest signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) for a T1-weighted picture of 52.92, while IONPs with a concentration of 0.05 mM had the highest SNR for a T2-weighted image of 179.117.
Investigation of the Effect of Vacuum and Air Annealing on the Structural, Optical and Electrical Properties of Radio Frequency Sputtered WO3 Thin Films
Authors: Bousseta Mohammed , Elmassi Said , Tchenka Abdelaziz , Amiri Lahocine , El Assali Kassem , Narjis Abdelfattah , El Kissani Abdelkader , Nkhaili Lahcen , Outzourhit Abdelkader
Published: September 2023

Thin films of tungsten oxide were deposited on glass substrates by the radio frequency (RF) reactive sputtering from a high purity tungsten metal target (99.9%) with a diameter of 10 cm. The reactive sputtering was carried out in an argon-oxygen gas mixture containing 20% of O2 and 80% of Ar. The used RF power is 200 W while fixing the deposition time at 120 min. Finally, the prepared films were annealed at different temperatures (350 °C, 400 °C, 450 °C, 500°C and 550 °C) for 1 hour under air and under vacuum. X-ray diffractograms showed that the deposited thin films crystallized in Hexagonal/Monoclinic WO3 phase. It was found that the crystallite size varies with the annealing temperature and the lattice parameters is a= 7.3064Å, b = 7.5292Å, c = 7.6875Å and a=b= 7.3242Å, c= 7.6624 Å, for h-WO3 and m-WO3 structures, respectively. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Raman spectra confirmed the formation of WO3 thin films. In addition, optical transmittance data revealed that the optical bandgap of the films decreases with increasing the annealing temperature. Electrical measurements revealed that annealing in air results in more resistive samples, which should be taken into account in future investigations, especially as buffer layers for efficient photovoltaic solar cells. Keywords: Vacuum, Tungsten oxide, Raman spectroscopy, RF Sputtering method, RF Power, Annealing temperature.
Thematic Analysis in Qualitative Research
Authors: Rosairo H. S. R.
Published: September 2023

No abstract available
Reinforcing Pepper (Capsicum annuum) Growth by Gypsum and Salicylic Acid under Salinity Stress
Authors: Mohammadi C. , Fatah Y. , Jamil I.
Published: September 2023

Purpose: Salinity stress negatively affects plant growth, which leads to a decline in the food source.  Low rainfall and high water evaporation rates in some regions are serious problems in the field of agriculture. In saline soil, plants are unable to absorb water. The aim was to find some amendments to reduce the toxic effects of saline soil. Research Method: In this study, a pot experiment was performed to study the ameliorative role of gypsum (G; 0.38 g per 200 g of soil) and salicylic acid (SA was sprayed on the leaves at two different times) on pepper growth. Two concentrations of NaCl (50mM and 100mM) were used for irrigation every two days. After 18 days, some growth characteristics, including shoot and root length, dry and fresh weight, salt tolerance index, leaf surface area, and chlorophyll content, were evaluated.Findings: The results showed that the application of gypsum alone and with foliar spray of SA was effective in reinforcing the pepper seedlings under salinity stress, regardless of salt concentration. Research limitations: Limited availability of some advanced instruments to collect more data.Originality/value: The investigated ameliorator can be used to improve plant growth under salinity stress.
A case of bilateral dislocation of knees: Desbuquois dysplasia Kim variant
Authors: Siddiqui Kaifi , Nandan Devki , Farooq Ishaq , Ansari Ayub , Anwar Arifa
Published: September 2023

No abstract available
A case of bilateral humeral fractures associated with Erb’s palsy in a newborn
Authors: Lakra Mahaveer Singh , Karotkar Sagar A. , Lakhkar Bhavana
Published: September 2023

No abstract available
Comparison of PRISM IV and PIM III prognostic scores as mortality indicators among paediatric intensive care unit patients
 
Authors: Vaja Mukund , Jain Shashank , Pamecha Pradhyumn , Rathore Ashutosh  Singh , Aggarwal Anushka , Jain Kiran Kumar , Arora Manan
Published: September 2023

Introduction: Identifying prognosis of patients admitted in the paediatric intensive care unit (PICU) is of paramount importance to better allocate medical resources, reduce patient-doctor conflict and for overall better patient care. Many scoring systems have been formulated to accomplish this task including paediatric risk of mortality (PRISM) IV and paediatric index of mortality (PIM) III.Objectives: To compare PRISM IV and PIM III as prognostic scoring tools in the PICU of a tertiary healthcare centreMethod: This prospective observational study was conducted in the PICU, Dhiraj hospital, SBKS MI&RC, Gujarat, India, from March 2021 to September 2022. It included all patients from age 1 month to 18 years who were admitted in the PICU for >24 hours and gave consent for this study. They were thoroughly examined and investigations were done within the first hour of admission as per standard guidelines and their PRISM IV and PIM III scores were calculated and data were analysed.Results: A total of 74 patients was enrolled in this study. Whilst 43 (58.1%) patients were discharged, 18 (24.3%)] were discharged against medical advice(DAMA) moribund, 4 were DAMA (non-moribund) and 9 (12.2%) died. Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curves were made for both PRISM IV and PIM III scores. Discriminatory powers of PIM III (AUC 0.725; 95% CI: 0.609 to 0.823) and PRISM IV (AUC 0.8; 95% CI: 0.691 to 0.884) were acceptable. Whilst PRISM IV was the better predictor of mortality at cut off point of >4 with area under curve of 0.8 for correctly predicting mortality, this difference was not statistically significant (p value=0.354). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the duration of stay(days) and PRISM IV value >4 were significant independent risk factors of mortality after adjusting for confounding factors.Conclusions: Both PRISM IV and PIM III were good prognostic scoring tools in the PICU of the tertiary healthcare centre. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the duration of stay(days) and PRISM IV value >4 were significant independent risk factors of mortality after adjusting for confounding factors.
Serum interleukin-17 as a biomarker in paediatric bronchial asthma: A case control study 
Authors: Balasubramanian Jeyaraman , Karthik Arasu Narayanasamy , Sathishkumar Kasinathan , Venkataramanan Ragavendran , Ramachandran Mohanraj
Published: September 2023

Introduction: Bronchial asthma (BA) is a chronic childhood disease causing significant morbidity and mortality. A novel and suitable biomarker is needed for early diagnosis of BA.  Objectives: To establish the association of serum interleukin-17 (IL-17) levels in children with BA and to determine the diagnostic performance of IL-17 in predicting severity of BA.  Method: This was a case control study conducted at the Institute of Child Health and Research Centre, Government Rajaji Hospital & Madurai Medical College, Madurai, India from August 2020 to July 2021. Cases were selected according to the Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) guidelines and controls were healthy siblings or age and sex matched controls The associations of IL-17 with BA were statistically analysed using Epi info v7 and SPSS 20. Analysis was done using one way ANOVA and t-test. ROC curve was used to find the diagnostic cut-off point. p-value <0.05 was considered statistically significant.  Results: Mean age of the participants was 8.74±2.21 years; 55.8% were males. Mean IL-17 level was significantly higher among cases (2.5±2.7) as compared to controls (1.31±0.96) (p=0.0043). There was a significant increase in mean IL-17 levels with increase in severity (p=0.00). The area under curve for IL 17 levels in diagnosing severe persistent asthma was 0.870 (95% CI=0.708-1.000). The best diagnostic cut-off point was 3.26pg/ml with a sensitivity of 90% and a specificity of 90%. The best diagnostic cut-off point of IL 17 was 1.12pg/ml in predicting asthma with a sensitivity of 60% and a specificity of 50%.  Conclusions: IL 17 level can used as a biomarker for identifying patients with severe persistent asthma.
N-acetylcysteine vs placebo as adjunctive treatment in paediatric leukaemia: A single blind, randomized controlled trial
Authors: Sari Teny Tjitra , Maritha Indah Dina , Putri Isyanaditta Agung
Published: September 2023

Background: Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) accounts for about 25% of all cancer types in children. Many chemotherapeutic agents have been shown to be related to increased oxidative stress and hepatotoxicity which affect the survival rate. N-acetylcysteine (NAC) has been used as adjunctive treatment in malignancy. Objectives: To analyse the effect of NAC administration towards blood oxidant, transaminase enzyme, and bilirubin level in ALL children undergoing induction phase of chemotherapy. Method: This is a single-blind placebo-controlled randomized clinical trial carried out from August to December 2020 in Cipto Mangunkusumo National Hospital, Jakarta, Indonesia. Subjects were randomized consecutively into 2 groups treated with NAC or placebo. Inclusion criteria were newly diagnosed ALL-standard risk (SR) children undergoing chemotherapy induction. Exclusion criteria were subjects contraindicated to NAC, already diagnosed with liver dysfunction, and already taken antioxidants. Data were analysed using SPSS 21. Normality test was conducted followed by data analysis with unpaired t-test. Results: A total of 18 subjects were included in study and 2 of them were excluded. Malondialdehyde levels showed an increase of 0.17nmoL in the NAC group and a decrease of 0.19nmoL in the placebo group. Aspartate transaminase (AST) level increased in mean of 11.40 U/L in the NAC group compared to placebo group 5.67 U/L. Alanine transaminase (ALT) level in the NAC group showed an increase in mean of 23.24 U/L compared to placebo group which showed a decrease in mean of 3.5 U/L. Bilirubin level in the NAC group showed an increase of 0.7 mg/dL compared to placebo group 0.17 mg/dL. There was no significant difference in MDA levels, AST, ALT, and bilirubin levels in the 2 groups (p=0. 186; p=0.638; p=0.164; p=0.352, respectively). Conclusions: Higher malondialdehyde level was shown as a trend in subjects in both groups before chemotherapy was done. N-acetyl cysteine administration showed no significant difference in reducing MDA levels, transaminase enzymes, and bilirubin levels in ALL-SR patients compared to placebo.
Surveillance as a safe and effective option for treatment of stage I seminoma
Authors: Quaresma Vasco , Henriques Diogo , Marconi Lorenzo , Lorigo João , Ferreira Ana-Marta , Jarimba Roberto , Nunes Pedro , Figueiredo Arnaldo , Parada Belmiro
Published: September 2023

Introduction: Stage I seminoma has a very good prognosis, yet approximately 15% have subclinical metastatic disease and will relapse after orchidectomy alone. Several management approaches have been investigated. We aimed to evaluate the clinical outcomes of real-world patients with stage I seminoma, analysing prognostic factors influencing treatment choice and oncological outcomes. Methods: Retrospective, single institution study, with 55 patients diagnosed with clinical stage I seminoma between 2007 and 2020. Selected patients were analysed regarding three management approaches - surveillance, adjuvant radiotherapy and adjuvant carboplatin AUC7. Overall survival and progression-free survival outcomes were analysed. Predictors of treatment choice were determined, and predictors of recurrence were analysed in patients on active surveillance. Results: The median follow-up time was 91 months (13-165). Overall survival at 10 years was 98.2%. Stage I seminoma patients had a 1-, 3- and 10-year progression free survival of 98%, 94% and 89%, respectively. Three-year progression free survival was 92.0% for those on active surveillance (IC95%, 91.5-92.5%), 95.2% for carboplatin (IC95%, 94.8-95.6%) and 100% for those on adjuvant radiotherapy (p > 0.05). All relapses on active surveillance protocols occurred during the first 24 months. Overall, 43% of patients who underwent adjuvant treatment reported adverse effects of therapy, with higher incidence on radiotherapy group (63%). Conclusions: Stage I seminoma have excellent prognosis, high cure rates, and low treatment-associated morbidity. Active surveillance is a safe modality when applied to selected patients. Adjuvant radiotherapy and adjuvant chemotherapy with carboplatin show similar results, with fewer adverse effects on chemotherapy arm.