bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Lubricity Performance of Ethylene Glycol Ester from Soybean Oil as a Lubricity Enhancer Bio-Additive for Low-Sulfur Diesel Fuel
Authors: Zetra Yulfi , Hariyanto Rhiby Ainur Basit , Firmansyah R. Arizal , Burhan R. Y. Perry , Pusparatu
Published: August 2023

The present study aims to show the tribological properties of soybean oil's ethylene glycol ester (SOEGE) and its effect on low-sulfur diesel fuel lubrication.  The SOEGE or 2-hydroxyethyl ester was synthesized by a transesterification reaction of soybean oil and ethylene glycol with a potassium carbonate catalyst. The product was characterized using Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). Then, the lubricity of commercial diesel fuel (Pertadex) and SOEGE were tested alone using the High-Frequency Reciprocating Rig (HFRR) machine. Its mixture form with various product doses in Pertadex (0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8, and 1% v/v) was also tested with the same apparatus. This study showed that the product's coefficient of friction and Wear Scar Diameters (WSD) were 0.057 and 154.4 m, respectively. This value is lower than Pertadex and Fatty Acids Methyl Ester (FAME) of Soybean oil from the literature. Furthermore, adding products into Pertadex can reduce the coefficient of friction and WSD of Pertadex. The Pertadex coefficient of friction was reduced from 0.161 to 0.135 after the addition of 0.8% product. At a concentration of 1% product, WSD Pertadex was successfully reduced by 39.42%. These phenomena imply that ester ethylene glycol has an excellent lubricating effect on low-sulfur diesel. This work's findings open opportunities for other researchers to develop alternative lubricating bio-additives for low-sulfur diesel through the in-depth study of tribochemistry or tribosurface.
Research Trends on Functional Data Analysis Using Scopus Database: A Bibliometric Analysis
Authors: Suhaila Jamaludin , Hamdan Muhammad Fauzee
Published: August 2023

Functional data analysis (FDA) has received significant attention from researchers due to its flexibility and diverse applications in various fields. FDA provides a comprehensive framework for analysing and extracting information from complex and high-dimensional datasets, enabling researchers to obtain insights into the underlying processes, improve modelling, and make accurate predictions. Therefore, understanding the FDA topic and its features and tools, as well as identifying the collaborative networks, are crucial for the development of its research areas. The objective of the present bibliometric study is to analyse the global research trend in FDA areas based on publication outputs, authorships, co-authorships, affiliated countries, and the co-occurrence of author keywords, which will enable researchers to assess the existing knowledge environment, future trends, potential research gaps, and collaboration opportunities. The publications from the year 1989 to 2021 were retrieved from the Scopus database, resulting in 1712 articles in journals after screening. Results have shown that articles published in the Journal of the American Statistical Association received the highest citations. Nearly 43% of the published articles were contributed by the leading authors from the USA, followed by China (11.5%) and Spain (9.4%). According to the QS World University Ranking 2021, eight of the top 20 productive institutions were ranked among the top 100 best universities. The findings indicated that researchers had intensively developed and applied FDA tools and features, such as smoothing, principal component analysis, regression, and clustering, in various domains. In addition, the expansion of FDA tools could be seen based on the recent progress in author keywords. New keywords, including function-on-function regression, function-on-scalar regression, scalar-on-function regression, outlier detection, structural health monitoring, and COVID-19, have arisen recently. Due to public concern about emerging diseases, future FDA work is expected to rise, particularly in the health sciences and biomedical fields.
The Effect of IAA Phytohormone (Indole-3-Acetic Acid) on the Growth, Lipid, Protein, Carbohydrate, and Pigment Content in Euglena sp.
Authors: Hakim Wildan Hilmi Azharul , Erfianti Tia , Dhiaurahman A. Najib , Maghfiroh Khusnul Qonita , Amelia Ria , Nurafifah Istini , Kurnianto Dedy , Siswanti Dwi Umi , Suyono Eko Agus , Marno Septhian , Devi Irika
Published: August 2023

Nowadays, energy consumption is massively increasing in the world. The production of biofuels from microalgae has received considerable attention recently and has the potential to supplant fossil fuels. Recent research focuses on developing the potential of microalgae as an alternative fuel. This research will focus on evaluating the effect of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) on the growth and metabolite production of Euglena sp. The methods used in this study started with a medium preparation and cultivation using IAA treatment, where the treatment used controlled IAA 5 g/L, IAA 10 g/L, and IAA 15 g/L with three biological repetitions. Optical density (OD) was measured using a spectrophotometer (OD680), biomass was measured using the gravimetry method, lipid was calculated using Bligh and Dyer (1995), the protein was measured using Bradford solution, carbohydrates were measured using phenol sulfuric acid, and pigments were extracted using methanol and measured using a spectrophotometer. According to the findings of this study, IAA 5 g/L can enhance the growth rate. For biomass, the best result was at 10 g/L of IAA (2.216 g/L ± 0.284). Meanwhile, carbohydrates, proteins, and lipids were higher in IAA 15 g/L. Chlorophyll a, b, and total carotenoid were higher in 5 g/L of IAA. The results obtained in this study showed that the IAA hormone increased the growth and metabolite content of Euglena sp.
Modeling the Impact of Pollution on Sea Turtles
Authors: Mohd Roslan Ummu Atiqah , Harun Fatimah Noor
Published: August 2023

Human activities are currently threatening sea turtles at all life stages, both on nesting beaches and at sea. The debris and toxic waste dumped on the coast or at sea pollutes the sea and puts marine life in danger. In recent years, the number of global turtle population have noticeably decreased, and this is largely due to plastic pollution. However, how the sea pollution affects the sea turtles’ populations is not fully understood. Therefore, in this study, using the mathematical model, we will investigate the impact of pollution on sea turtle population. The model system is analyzed using standard mathematical techniques, including positivity of solutions and stability analysis. Our findings showed that there are two possible equilibrium points (i.e. steady-state solutions) for the model proposed, in which the stability analysis showed that only one of the solutions is asymptotically stable. Thus, the conditions of stability for both equilibrium points were also derived analytically based on their eigenvalues. As for the numerical simulations, the parameter of contamination rate is varied to investigate the effect of pollution on the population of sea turtles. The results suggested that if the contamination rate is high, then the population of sea turtles are expected to decrease and extinct approximately within 10 years. The comparison of survival and extinction of sea turtles are shown using the time series plots.
Robust Regression Analysis of Full Overlapping Caffeine and Pyridoxine HCl UV-Vis Spectra in Pharmaceutical Tablet
Authors: Suprapto Suprapto , Ni'mah Yatim Lailun , Hisana Rifda Alifah
Published: August 2023

The determination of caffeine and pyridoxine HCl in medicinal tablets has been successfully carried out. The mixture of caffeine and pyridoxine solution produces UV-Vis with full overlapping spectra. The full overlapping spectra can not be analyzed using conventional multicomponent analysis, as they do not have a distinct maximum wavelength. This research proposed a full overlapping spectra analysis using Robust regression. The regression models used in this research were based on Huber, RANSAC, and Theil-Sen Regression. Robust regression is a regression method that was not sensitive to the presence of outliers from the input or output data. Robust Regression models were trained using 25 standard solutions of caffeine and pyridoxine HCl at varied ratios. The models were validated using test solutions with known concentration ratios. The validated models were applied to determine the concentration of medicinal tablets. From this study, the recovery values of medicinal tablets obtained using Huber, RANSAC, and Theil-Sen Regression methods for caffeine were 96.94%, 97.19%, and 96.16% respectively, while the recoveries of pyridoxine HCl were 122.65%, 104.89%, and 107.48%.
The Duration Amplitude Distribution of Volcanic Tremor Recorded at Ijen Volcano, Indonesia
Authors: Wildani Arin , Maryanto Sukir , Rahadi Santoso Didik , Triastuty Hetty
Published: August 2023

This research was conducted with the aim of explaining the physical processes that occur at the source. The duration-amplitude distribution is an amplitude scaling method that can describe the process of sustained earthquake sources such as volcanic tremors. The data used in this study are seismic data from Mount Ijen for the period from January to March 2012 and January to March 2014. Scaling the duration amplitude distribution is done by converting the amplitude to reduced displacement (DR). The cumulative duration is calculated with a range of 3-12 cm2 which is the lowest and highest reduced displacement values. The cumulative duration plot results are then adjusted to the power law model and the exponential model. a correlation coefficient (R2) was calculated to evaluate the fit for each of these models. The results showed that the R2 exponential model was higher than the R2 power law model for all events in both 2012 and 2014 and there was no transition between the two models. This indicates that the source process of the Ijen volcano volcanic tremor is related to the scale-bound source process and there was no source change in either 2012 or 2014. However, differences in amplitude characteristics were found in 2012 and 2014. The volcanic tremors in 2012 were stronger than those in 2014, according with the reality of changing the condition of the crater lake which is stronger in 2012. Volcanic tremors and changes in the Ijen crater lake are important for forecasting the eruption of the Ijen volcano.
Molecular Docking Studies of an Isolated Angucycline of Stereospermum fimbriatum, a Novel Anti-MRSA Agent
Authors: Fadhlina Anis , Sheikh Hassan I. , Widya Lestari
Published: August 2023

A novel angucycline, C1 isolated from Stereospermum fimbriatum stem bark was subjected to molecular docking studies on five main targets of penicillin-binding protein 2a (PBP2a), β-lactamase, DNA topoisomerase IV, dehydrosqualene synthase (CrtM) and sortase A (SrtA) for anti-MRSA activity. The binding sites and docking scores of known inhibitors (positive control) were compared with C1. Docking analysis was carried out by AutoDock 4.0 package. The binding site of C1 closely resembled the positive control in all screened receptors. Inhibition constant of C1 was lower than the positive control tested for PBP2a, β-lactamase, dehydrosqualene synthase and sortase A except against DNA Topoisomerase IV. Structure-activity relationship (SAR) analysis of C1 showed that 7-CO was the most significant contributor to its activity since it formed hydrogen bonds with four of the five screened receptors. Molecular docking of C1 indicated that C1 can be a good candidate for new anti-MRSA drug development.
Quality Evaluation of Buffalo Meatballs Produced at Different Comminution Process Temperatures
Authors: Jwee Yie Lim , Khalid Nurul Izzah , Ismail-Fitry Mohammad Rashedi
Published: August 2023

Buffalo meatballs were formulated and the effects of different comminution temperatures on the quality (cooking yield, water holding capacity (WHC), protein, texture, colour, and sensory) were evaluated. During the mixing of ingredients, the comminution temperature was adjusted using different types of water which were ice (0°C), ice water (4°C), cold water (10°C), room temperature water (22°C), and warm water (32°C). Following comminution for 3 minutes, the temperatures of the batters were recorded at 14, 25, 25, 29, and 27°C, respectively. The comminution took a total of 15 minutes had produced batters with similar final temperatures (ranging from 36 to 38°C), except ice temperature mixing (28°C). Cold water meatballs produced the highest cooking yield but significantly the lowest (P<0.05) water-holding capacity. The colour of the cold water meatball shows significantly (P<0.05) the highest L* (lightness), significantly (P>0.05) the lowest a* (redness), and the lowest b* (yellowness) values. While the textures (hardness, cohesiveness, gumminess, chewiness, and springiness) of all meatballs were similar (P>0.05). All meatball samples had nearly similar soluble protein concentrations (0.97 to 1.06 ug/ml) but ice water meatballs had the highest (P<0.05). The panellists gave all the meatballs a score ranging from 6.32 to 6.98, with ice meatballs receiving the highest mean score (6.98) acceptability score (P>0.05). In conclusion, comminuted buffalo meatballs can be produced using either ice, ice water, cold water, room temperature water, or warm water without affecting their quality. However, ice is suggested for safety purposes against microbial growth during processing.
Bacillus cereus Contamination in Selected Home-based Food Products Sold Throughout Malaysia
Authors: Che Hassan Muhammad Amirun , Jamzuri Muhammad Nur Shazwan , Ahmad Fisal , Zamri Amir Izzwan , Tuan Chilek Tuan Zainazor
Published: August 2023

Home-based food was a new trend in food business industry where the sellers’ or the owners’ fully prepared and handled food for sale from their home. This online food business had start blooming since the beginning of the Covid-19 Pandemic due to various factors. Almost every Malaysian can produce and sell foods from their home, even without proper training and knowledge regarding food safety. These products were usually sold on online shopping platform or social media as marketing and ordering tools. The purpose of this research was to evaluate the status of Bacillus cereus that present in the selected home-based food products. Sambal belacan and sambal bilis, both packed in retort pouch and glass jar were chosen as representative samples. A total of 40 samples was purchased through online shopping platform, Shopee, with a pre-determined and appropriate screening. The method was set to simulate the real-life situation of how the home-based food purchasing were made by most peoples. The purchased samples were subjected to the enumeration of Bacillus cereus and total plate count (TPC). From the analysis, it was found that the B. cereus count of 8 out of 40 samples had exceeded the acceptable limit set by the Guidelines for Assessing the Microbiological Safety of Ready-to-Eat Foods, 2009, which is >1x104 CFU/g. This study indicated that the home-based food products still possess a threat regarding the presence of pathogenic anaerobic bacteria. More data and studies were still needed to validate the food safety status of home-based food products in the market.
Identification and Antimicrobial Activity of Lactic Acid Bacteria Isolated from Tualang Bee Honey
Authors: Zamri Amir Izzwan , Mohd Hasali Nur Hazwani , Ahmad Fisal , Tuan Chilek Tuan Zainazor , Jamzuri Muhammad Nur Shazwan , Abu Hasan Zuha Rosufila , Shariff D. N.
Published: August 2023

Malaysia tualang honey usually collected from the combs of Asia rock bees (Apis dorsata), which build their hives high up in the tualang tree (Koompassia excelsa). Tualang honey is used commonly as a medicinal product and as food in Malaysia. LAB strains have been discovered to exhibit antimicrobial properties even though especially in Malaysia, the research on LAB found from honey are still scarce. The study was conducted to isolate and identify lactic acid bacteria (LAB) from Tualang honey bee from East Coast Peninsular Malaysia. The Tualang honey identified LAB strains were further tested against several pathogenic bacteria by using well-diffusion method. The LAB were primarily identified by colony morphology, microscopy of Gram`s stain, biochemical tests and 16s rRNA sequencing method. 10 isolates LAB that has been identified as Leuconostoc mesenteroides (5 isolates), Lactobacillus kunkeei (4 isolates), and Lactobacillus farraginis (1 isolates) were selected for the characterization of antimicrobial agents produced by LAB.  It was found that from 10 isolates, 5 isolates exhibited strong antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus epidermidis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa results in excellent inhibition zones diameters larger than 15 mm. This study indicated that lactic acid bacteria isolated from Tualang honey has potential antimicrobial activity against pathogenic bacteria and can be further characterized for health benefits and potential use in food industry at Malaysia.

Keywords: Tualang Honey, LAB, pathogen, 16s rRNA sequencing, antimicrobial activity.
Synthesis of Nanomagnetite/Crosslinked Carboxymethyl kappa Carrageenan Nickel Imprinted Composite
Authors: Kusumaningrum Irma Kartika , Fadilah Mira Nur , Wijaya Anugrah Ricky , Habiddin Habiddin , Armaya Meliza
Published: August 2023

Nickel(II) ions are carcinogenic water pollutants. To increase the accuracy of instrumental analysis of Ni(II) content, several analytical preparation methods have been developed, including solid phase adsorption extraction. The development of magnetic solid phase extraction adsorbents for metal ions is required, to support the application of magnetic solid phase adsorption as a method of separating metal ions in aqueous samples. This research describes the synthesis of Magnetic Solid Phase Extraction adsorbents as Ni(II) ion adsorbents, nano magnetite/carboxymethyl kappa-carrageenan (CMKC) crosslinked bisphenol A diglycidyl ether (BADGE) imprinted Ni(II)-IIP ion composites. This research was carried out in several stages, synthesis and characterization of nano magnetite (NM), synthesis and characterization of CMKC, and synthesis of NM/CMKCNi(II)-IIP adsorbents. The results of the synthesis were analyzed for morphological characteristics, magnetic strength, spectral characteristics, crystallinity, and composition using SEM, FTIR, XRD, and XRF instruments. The adsorption ability of Ni(II) of the adsorbent was tested. Determination of Ni(II) ion content in the sample before and after adsorption was carried out using a flame atomic absorption spectrophotometer (FAAS). Based on the results of spectral character analysis, crystal diffraction patterns, magnetic strength, and morphology, it is confirmed that nano-magnetite has been successfully synthesized. The diameter of the nano magnetite grains is 21.8 nm, the adsorbent NM/CMKCNi(II)-IIP has magnetic properties and wavy surface morphology. The optimum adsorption ability of Ni(II) for the NM/CMKCNi(II)-IIP composite was 2.44 mg Ni(II)/g adsorbent. To evaluate the tendency of the adsorption ability of the adsorbent towards Ni(II) ions in the presence of competitor ions, the adsorption ability of the adsorbent to adsorp Ni(II) ions in samples containing Ni(II) ions, Pb(II) ions and a mixture of Ni(II) ions. and Pb(II) were determined, based on the results of the analysis, the ability of the adsorbent to adsorb Ni(II) ions was higher than the ability of the adsorbent to adsorb Pb(II) ions, in all types of samples.
Cardiovascular and respiratory evaluation in adenosine A2A receptor knockout mice submitted to short‐term sustained hypoxia
Authors: Souza Juliana R. , Machado Benedito H.
Published: August 2023

Sustained hypoxia (SH) in mice induces changes in the respiratory pattern and increase in the parasympathetic tone to the heart. Among adenosine G‐protein‐coupled receptors (GPCRs), the A2A receptors are especially important in mediating adenosine actions during hypoxia due to their expression in neurons involved with the generation and modulation of the autonomic and respiratory functions. Herein, we performed an in vivo evaluation of the baseline cardiovascular and respiratory parameters and their changes in response to SH in knockout mice for A2A receptors (A2AKO). SH produced similar and significant reductions in mean arterial pressure and heart rate in both wild‐type (WT) and A2AKO mice when compared to their respective normoxic controls. Mice from WT and A2AKO groups submitted to normoxia or SH presented similar cardiovascular responses to peripheral chemoreflex activation (KCN). Under normoxic conditions A2AKO mice presented a respiratory frequency (fR) significantly higher in relation to the WT group, which was reduced in response to SH. These data show that the lack of adenosine A2A receptors in mice does not affect the cardiovascular parameters and the autonomic responses to chemoreflex activation in control (normoxia) and SH mice. We conclude that the A2A receptors play a major role in the control of respiratory frequency and in the tachypnoeic response to SH in mice.
Prediction of Model Generated Patellofemoral Joint Contact Forces Using Principal Component Prediction and Reconstruction
Authors: Ashall Myles , Wheatley Mitchell G.A. , Saliba Chris , Deluzio Kevin J. , Rainbow Michael J.
Published: August 2023

It is not currently possible to directly and noninvasively measure in vivo patellofemoral joint contact force during dynamic movement; therefore, indirect methods are required. Simple models may be inaccurate because patellofemoral contact forces vary for the same knee flexion angle, and the patellofemoral joint has substantial out-of-plane motion. More sophisticated models use 3-dimensional kinematics and kinetics coupled to a subject-specific anatomical model to predict contact forces; however, these models are time consuming and expensive. We applied a principal component analysis prediction and regression method to predict patellofemoral joint contact forces derived from a robust musculoskeletal model using exclusively optical motion capture kinematics (external approach), and with both patellofemoral and optical motion capture kinematics (internal approach). We tested this on a heterogeneous population of asymptomatic subjects (n = 8) during ground-level walking (n = 12). We developed equations that successfully capture subject-specific gait characteristics with the internal approach outperforming the external. These approaches were compared with a knee-flexion based model in literature (Brechter model). Both outperformed the Brechter model in interquartile range, limits of agreement, and the coefficient of determination. The equations generated by these approaches are less computationally demanding than a musculoskeletal model and may act as an effective tool in future rapid gait analysis and biofeedback applications.
Low-energy α-particle irradiation of polymeric-based nanofiller
Authors: El-Malawy Doaa , Hassan H. E. , El Ghazaly M. , Abdel Samad S. , Al-Abyad M.
Published: August 2023

In this study, the induced defects and modifications enhanced by alpha particle on CdO and ZnSe-doped polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) were investigated. Casting method was used to prepare three sets of thin polymeric sheets doped with variable concentrations of the selected fillers. The prepared CdO and ZnSe particles were in the range 3–21 nm. The samples were irradiated with 4.5 MeV α-particle emitted from 241Am radioactive source at gradually increased fluence. The enhanced change that occurred in the physical properties for both types of samples due to α-particle irradiation was measured using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy (UV–Vis), photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. All the pristine samples exhibited two separated direct band gaps around 4.0 eV and 4.6 eV, while the irradiated samples showed decreasing for the first band gap up to 3.71 and the second gap remained almost unchanged. The three investigated sets displayed PL emission peaks within the range 270–700 nm. The intensity of the PL peaks was increased by increasing the filler concentration. The net PL was quantified using the area under the emission peaks which showed that α-particle causes interchangeable defects and cross-linking processes. The formation of C–H and O–H function groups due to α-particle interactions was confirmed by FTIR analysis. The results revealed that the filler–polymer interface has a great impact on the formed defects which control the observed characteristics in the polymeric composite medium. The presented data are very helpful for α-particle dosimetric applications using these types of polymeric composites.
Neutral atom quantum computing hardware: performance and end-user perspective
Authors: Wintersperger Karen , Dommert Florian , Ehmer Thomas , Hoursanov Andrey , Klepsch Johannes , Mauerer Wolfgang , Reuber Georg , Strohm Thomas , Yin Ming , Luber Sebastian
Published: August 2023

We present an industrial end-user perspective on the current state of quantum computing hardware for one specific technological approach, the neutral atom platform. Our aim is to assist developers in understanding the impact of the specific properties of these devices on the effectiveness of algorithm execution. Based on discussions with different vendors and recent literature, we discuss the performance data of the neutral atom platform. Specifically, we focus on the physical qubit architecture, which affects state preparation, qubit-to-qubit connectivity, gate fidelities, native gate instruction set, and individual qubit stability. These factors determine both the quantum-part execution time and the end-to-end wall clock time relevant for end-users, but also the ability to perform fault-tolerant quantum computation in the future. We end with an overview of which applications have been shown to be well suited for the peculiar properties of neutral atom-based quantum computers.
Synthesis of electronegative S-filled and Sn–Te double substituted skutterudite compounds by HPHT and its thermoelectric properties
Authors: Chen Yaqi , Fan Xin , Gao Shan , Ji Wenting , Li Xinjian , Zhang Yuewen , Ma Hongan , Jia Xiaopeng
Published: August 2023

Electronegative S-filled skutterudite compounds have attracted considerable attention due to scattering of low-frequency phonons (35–50[Formula: see text]cm[Formula: see text]), but there are few reports on S-filled double-substituted skutterudite. In this work, a series of S-filled Te-Sn double-substituted skutterudite compounds were synthesized using high pressure and high temperature (HPHT) method. The phase composition, microstructure, and thermoelectric properties of SxCo4Sb[Formula: see text]Te[Formula: see text]Sn[Formula: see text] ([Formula: see text], 0.05, 0.10, 0.20) samples were systematically determined. The results show that the introduction of S increases the substitution limit of Te in the Sb site. Under the combined effect of the sample synthesis pressure and S filling, the nucleation density of the sample grains increases and the grain size decreases. At the same time, there are numerous special microstructures in the samples synthesized in a high-pressure environment. Thermoelectric performance studies show that a small amount of S filling optimizes the Seebeck coefficient of the sample and increases the power factor (PF). With an increase of the amount of S introduced, the thermal conductivity of the samples decreases significantly. Therefore, the maximum zT value of an S[Formula: see text]Co4Sb[Formula: see text]Te[Formula: see text]Sn[Formula: see text] sample synthesized at 2.5[Formula: see text]GPa pressure is 0.17 at room temperature. The maximum zT value of the sample is 1.26 at 773[Formula: see text]K.
Sonic horizon formation for two-dimensional Bose–Einstein condensates with higher-order nonlinear interaction
Authors: Xia Yu , Liu Xiaoning , Jiao Yubin , Wang Ying , Ran Xiangyu , Tang Chunchen
Published: August 2023

Based on the Gross–Pitaevskii equation model that incorporates higher-order nonlinear interaction, we studied sonic black hole and sonic horizon formation involved in nonlinear dynamical evolution for Bose–Einstein condensates with higher-order nonlinear interaction. On the basis of the modified variational method and the scenario where the system starts dynamic evolution from ground state, we derived the typical system distribution width function, which is analytically formulated as periodic oscillation solution and monotonically damped variational oscillation solution under different parametric settings. We also calculated the criteria formula for sonic black hole horizon formation with regard to the two evolution modes: oscillation mode and monotonically decay mode, pictorially demonstrating the time interval of sonic horizon appearance. The theoretical results obtained here can be used to guide relevant experimental studies of sonic horizon and sonic black hole formation for Bose–Einstein condensates incorporating the higher-order nonlinear interaction effects.
Sensitivity analysis and solitary wave solutions to the (2+1)-dimensional Boussinesq equation in dispersive media
Authors: Nasreen Naila , Naveed Rafiq Muhammad , Younas Usman , Lu Dianchen
Published: August 2023

This paper explores the dynamic behavior of the [Formula: see text]-dimensional Boussinesq equation, which is a nonlinear water wave equation used to model wave packets in dispersive media with weak nonlinearity. Specifically, we investigate the equation’s traveling wave solutions using the Riccati equation mapping method. Our results include solitary and soliton solutions, each with their own set of parameter values. To provide a comprehensive understanding of these solutions, we present them in general form and visualize their significance using various graphs, such as 3D, 2D, and contour plots. The computational effort and resulting outcomes highlight the efficacy of our approach, which has the potential to be applied to other nonlinear physical problems in fields such as mathematical physics, engineering, and nonlinear science.
Explainable Reinforcement Learning: A Survey and Comparative Review
Authors: Milani Stephanie , Topin Nicholay , Veloso Manuela , Fang Fei
Published: August 2023

Explainable reinforcement learning (XRL) is an emerging subfield of explainable machine learning that has attracted considerable attention in recent years. The goal of XRL is to elucidate the decision-making process of reinforcement learning (RL) agents in sequential decision-making settings. Equipped with this information, practitioners can better understand important questions about RL agents (especially those deployed in the real world), such as what the agents will do and why. Despite increased interest, there exists a gap in the literature for organizing the plethora of papers—especially in a way that centers the sequential decision-making nature of the problem. In this survey, we propose a novel taxonomy for organizing the XRL literature that prioritizes the RL setting. We propose three high-level categories: feature importance, learning process and Markov decision process, and policy-level. We overview techniques according to this taxonomy, highlighting challenges and opportunities for future work. We conclude by using these gaps to motivate and outline a roadmap for future work.
Patient Acceptance of Self-Monitoring on a Smartwatch in a Routine Digital Therapy: A Mixed-Methods Study
Authors: Nadal Camille , Earley Caroline , Enrique Angel , Sas Corina , Richards Derek , Doherty Gavin
Published: August 2023

Self-monitoring of mood and lifestyle habits is the cornerstone of many therapies, but it is still hindered by persistent issues including inaccurate records, gaps in the monitoring, patient burden, and perceived stigma. Smartwatches have the potential to deliver enhanced self-reports, but their acceptance in clinical mental health settings is unexplored and rendered difficult by a complex theoretical landscape and need for a longitudinal perspective. We present the Mood Monitor smartwatch application for mood and lifestyle habits self-monitoring. We investigated patient acceptance of the app within a routine 8-week digital therapy. We recruited 35 patients of the UK’s National Health Service and evaluated their acceptance through three online questionnaires and a post-study interview. We assessed the clinical feasibility of the Mood Monitor by comparing clinical, usage, and acceptance metrics obtained from the 35 patients with a smartwatch with those from an additional 34 patients without a smartwatch (digital treatment as usual). Findings showed that the smartwatch app was highly accepted by patients, revealed which factors facilitated and impeded this acceptance, and supported clinical feasibility. We provide guidelines for the design of self-monitoring on a smartwatch and reflect on the conduct of human-computer interaction research evaluating user acceptance of mental health technologies.
Improving Access to Medical Information for Multilingual Patients using Pipelined Ensemble Average based Machine Translation
Authors: Banik Debajyoty , Paul Rahul , Rathore Rajkumar Singh , Jhaveri Rutvij H.
Published: August 2023

Machine translation has shown potential in improving access to medical information and healthcare services for multilingual patients. This research aims to enhance machine translation accuracy in the medical field, specifically for translating from Hindi to English. The study introduces a new approach that dynamically allocates decoding parameters using regression models, overcoming the limitations of fixed parameters in the decoder. A comprehensive dataset is created to address limited data availability, enabling regression models to predict optimal pruning parameters. The main motivation for the study is the introduction of a regression method for optimizing pruning parameters, which is a novel approach in this context. The proposed approach outperforms existing methods, achieving improved translation accuracy. Standard metrics such as the BLEU score are used to evaluate translations. Ensemble average and pipeline approaches further enhance performance. The improved performance of the proposed models can be attributed to the ensemble of diverse models (Extra Trees, LightGBM, XGBoost, and Random Forest) that employ various techniques to reduce overfitting, enhance prediction accuracy, and improve translation by correcting prediction errors. The study contributes to facilitating the translation and sharing of medical literature, promoting collaboration and knowledge exchange across languages. The research demonstrates the effectiveness of the regression method for optimizing pruning parameters in machine translation, leading to improved translation accuracy in the medical field. The proposed models offer promising results, paving the way for enhanced machine translation systems and promoting collaboration and knowledge exchange in the medical domain. The source code is available at https://huggingface.co/debajyoty/statistical-regression-Based-MT/tree/main/Statistical-Regression-SMT.
Human Team Behavior and Predictability in the Massively Multiplayer Online Game WOT Blitz
Authors: Emmert-Streib Frank , Tripathi Shailesh , Dehmer Matthias
Published: August 2023

Massively multiplayer online games (MMOGs) played on the Web provide a new form of social, computer-mediated interactions that allow the connection of millions of players worldwide. The rules governing team-based MMOGs are typically complex and nondeterministic giving rise to an intricate dynamical behavior. However, due to the novelty and complexity of MMOGs, their behavior is understudied. In this article, we investigate the MMOG World of Tanks Blitz by using a combined approach based on data science and complex adaptive systems. We analyze data on the population level to get insights into organizational principles of the game and its game mechanics. For this reason, we study the scaling behavior and the predictability of system variables. As a result, we find a power-law behavior on the population level revealing long-range interactions between system variables. Furthermore, we identify and quantify the predictability of summary statistics of the game and its decomposition into explanatory variables. This reveals a heterogeneous progression through the tiers and identifies only a single system variable as key driver for the win rate.
Energy Saving Process Scheme and Quality of Wheat-Cassava Spaghetti Using Fresh Cassava Substitution
Authors: Padi Richard Kingsley , Komlaga Gregory Afra , Saalia Firibu Kwasi
Published: August 2023

Escalating energy costs in resource-limited cassava growing regions impede industrial exploits, which contribute to high postharvest loss in the cassava value chain. Studies have uncovered potentials for replacing up to 50% of spaghetti wheat flour (WF) with cassava flour (CF) (i.e., cassava-wheat flour spaghetti (CWFS)). Modification of the CWFS scheme is proposed to eliminate the CF drying energy and explore the direct use of dewatered cassava pulp (DCP) and WF to produce spaghetti (i.e., cassava dough-wheat flour spaghetti (CDWFS)). However, uncertainties regarding the energy and product quality impacts of CDWFS compared to conventional wheat flour spaghetti (WFS) are foreseeable constraints to the industrial adoptions. Therefore, the referred impacts were analysed based on established schemes for the feedstock production (i.e., CF, WF, and DCP) and laboratory demonstrations of the spaghetti processing. All three schemes showed comparable product yields (≈0.665-0.671 kg/kg dough). Egg incorporation to augment the protein content in the CWFS and CDWFS also proved strategic for achieving comparable compositions (moisture, crude fiber, and carbohydrate), energy content, and cooking qualities (cohesiveness, adhesiveness, and water absorption) with commercial WFS products. The CWFS and CDWFS schemes could mitigate the process energy by 5.64% and 14.25%, respectively, compared to the WFS. Hence, the CWFS and CDWFS schemes are promising for energy cost reduction and advancing sustainable spaghetti industries in energy-resource-limited cassava growing regions.
A Case of an Elderly Woman Who Developed Corneal Perforation in the Clinical Course of Myeloperoxidase Positive Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic Antibody-Associated Vasculitis
Authors: Kobayashi Shuhei , Harada Makoto , Yamada Aiko , Iesato Yasuhiro , Hashimoto Koji , Kamijo Yuji
Published: August 2023

Antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody- (ANCA-) associated vasculitis (AAV) is a systemic vasculitis characterized by ANCA positivity and categorized into three main types: microscopic polyangiitis, granulomatosis with polyangiitis, and eosinophilic granulomatous with polyangiitis. Although AAV leads to systemic organ injury, such as of the lungs, kidneys, nerves, and skin, patients with AAV sometimes develop ocular lesions. Here, we report the case of an elderly woman who had been treated for AAV for seven years. She developed scleritis and relapsed twice, with elevation of serum disease markers such as ANCA titer and C-reactive protein. After the decline of these markers due to treatment with additional medication, her scleritis relapsed again and caused a corneal ulcer, which resulted in perforation without obvious marker elevation. She did not present with any symptoms of organ injury, except for ocular lesions. She was treated with surgery, followed by methylprednisolone and rituximab therapy. Subsequently, her ocular lesions and symptoms improved, and she did not relapse. AAV can cause various ocular manifestations. Although C-reactive protein and ANCA titers are useful markers of disease activity and the relapse of AAV complications, including ocular lesions, these markers do not always increase at the time of worsening ocular lesions. Therefore, it is important for clinicians treating patients with AAV to pay careful attention to serum data and physical findings, including the eyes.
Identification of Potential Abnormal Methylation-Modified Genes in Coronary Artery Ectasia
Authors: Yang Xiuchun , Zong Yijun , Zhang Zhentian , Zhao Yan , Gao Xueying , Zhang Jie , Hou Qian , Li Renyi , Xiao Bing
Published: August 2023

Background. Coronary artery ectasia (CAE) is an easily recognized abnormality of coronary artery anatomy and morphology. However, its pathogenesis remains unclear. Objectives. This study aimed to identify abnormal methylation-modified genes in patients with CAE, which could provide a research basis for CAE. Methods. Peripheral venous blood samples from patients with CAE were collected for RNA sequencing to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs), followed by functional enrichment. Then, the DNA methylation profile of CAE was downloaded from GSE87016 (HumanMethylation450 BeadChip data, involving 11 cases and 12 normal controls) to identify differentially methylated genes (DMGs). Finally, after taking interaction genes between DEGs and DMGs, abnormal methylation-modified genes were identified, followed by protein–protein interaction analysis and expression validation using reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. Results. A total of 152 DEGs and 4318 DMGs were obtained from RNA sequencing and the GSE87016 dataset, respectively. After taking interaction genes, 9 down-regulated DEGs due to hypermethylation and 11 up-regulated DEGs due to hypomethylation were identified in CAE. A total of 10 core abnormal methylation-modified genes were identified, including six down-regulated DEGs due to hypermethylation (netrin G1, ADAM metallopeptidase domain 12, immunoglobulin superfamily member 10, sarcoglycan dela, Dickkopf WNT signaling pathway inhibitor 3, and GATA binding protein 6), and four up-regulated DEGs due to hypomethylation (adrenomedullin, ubiquitin specific peptidase 18, lymphocyte antigen 6 family member E, and MX dynamin-like GTPase 1). Some signaling pathways were identified in patients with CAE, including cell adhesion molecule, O-glycan biosynthesis, and the renin–angiotensin system. Conclusions. Abnormal methylation-modified DEGs involved in signaling pathways may be involved in CAE development.
Larvicidal Potential of Caribbean Plants
Authors: Layne-Yarde Rhaheem N. A. , Sandiford Simone L.
Published: August 2023

Mosquitoes are vectors for numerous arboviruses such as dengue, chikungunya, and Zika which continue to negatively impact the health of Caribbean populations. Within the region, synthetic insecticides are primarily used to control mosquito populations. In many countries however, these compounds are becoming less effective due to resistance, and they may also be harmful to the environment. Thus, there is a significant need for the development of alternative agents to combat the mosquito threat in the Caribbean. Worldwide, botanical‐based products are being increasingly investigated for vector control because they are environmentally friendly and are often highly effective mosquitocidal agents. Although the botanical diversity within the Caribbean is remarkable, work on plant biopesticides in the region remains limited. The aim of this review, therefore, is to discuss the use of Caribbean botanical extracts as larvicidal agents. Additionally, we highlight the need for future work in this area which may subsequently lead to the implementation of transformative public health policies.
Investigation on Free Vibration of Rotating Cylindrical Shells with Variable Thickness
Authors: Xiangdong Liu , Xiaoli Hou , Bin Bai , Maolin Zeng
Published: August 2023

In order to improve the performance and efficiency of the rotating cylindrical shell (RCS), one of the effective ways reduces the mass of the RCS. The scientific and effective method is to design the variable thickness of RCS (VTRCS) along the axial direction in response to this demand. Then, the vibration traveling wave characteristics of VTRCS are investigated by Chebyshev–Ritz method. The displacement field of the cylindrical shell is expanded in the form of the product of the Chebyshev polynomial and the boundary function. The kinetic and potential energies of the VTRCS are calculated based on the Sanders shell theory considering the effects of Coriolis forces and centrifugal forces. Also, the frequency equation of the VTRCS is obtained according to the Ritz method. The accuracy of the modeling method is verified by comparing the present results with literature that had done, and the convergence of the calculated results is studied. Finally, the free-vibration traveling wave characteristics of the VTRCS in different thickness variations are compared, and the parameters such as the rotational speed, thickness variation parameters, and aspect ratio on the free-vibration traveling wave characteristics of the VTRCS are discussed. The influence of thickness variation on the vibration characteristics is analyzed, which has significance for the lightweight design for VTRCS.
Stochastic Transportation Problem with Multichoice Random Parameter
Authors: Ganesh Talari , Paidipati K. K. , Chesneau Christophe
Published: August 2023

This paper deals with the situation of multiple random choices along with multiple objective functions of the transportation problem. Due to the uncertainty in the environment, the choices of the cost coefficients are considered multichoice random parameters. The other parameters (supply and demand) are replaced by random variables with Gaussian distributions, and each multichoice parameter alternative is treated as a random variable. In this paper, the Newton divided difference interpolation technique is used to convert the multichoice parameter into a single choice in the objective function. Then, the chance-constrained method is applied to transform the probabilistic constraints into deterministic constraints. Due to the consideration of multichoices in the objective function, the expectation minimization model is used to get the deterministic form. Moreover, the fuzzy programming approach with the membership function is utilized to convert the multiobjective function into a single-objective function. A case study is also illustrated for a better understanding of the methodology.
Online English Classes for Bangladeshi Young Learners during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Voices of the Teachers and Parents
Authors: Ahmed Sabreena , Tajwar Mohammad Mahir
Published: August 2023

The recent COVID-19 pandemic brought a dramatic change in teaching and learning around the world. Almost all educational institutions shifted to the online mode of teaching so that students do not miss any academic year. In Bangladesh, such a mode of teaching was never introduced at the mass level earlier, and that is why it was quite challenging for teachers to conduct online classes initially. In some cases, teachers who did not have a certain level of technological expertise in using online teaching platforms experienced more issues in conducting classes. This qualitative study highlights the problems that teachers and parents of nine young learners (YLs) faced during their online classes. The focused group discussion among seven English teachers and nine parents revealed that many YLs could not follow the technical instructions of the teachers well, which compelled the parents to sit beside their children constantly. Moreover, this study reports on the experience of teachers in communicating and coordinating with students on online platforms in a developing country where a full-fledged online teaching mode has not been implemented before. Such a reciprocal interaction among teachers, students, and parents in an online platform provides the scope for rethinking the “parental involvement framework of online teaching” in an English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) context, where parents’ digital skills, as well as involvement with the learners’ the learning process, affect students’ academic achievement to a great extent. The findings of the study have implications for planning online English courses for YLs in ESOL contexts such as Bangladesh, where the idea of online teaching is quite new.