bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Mean-field and kinetic descriptions of neural differential equations
Authors: Herty Michael , Trimborn Torsten , Visconti Giuseppe
Published: March 2022

Nowadays, neural networks are widely used in many applications as artificial intelligence models for learning tasks. Since typically neural networks process a very large amount of data, it is convenient to formulate them within the mean-field and kinetic theory. In this work we focus on a particular class of neural networks, i.e. the residual neural networks, assuming that each layer is characterized by the same number of neurons \begin{document}$ N $\end{document}, which is fixed by the dimension of the data. This assumption allows to interpret the residual neural network as a time-discretized ordinary differential equation, in analogy with neural differential equations. The mean-field description is then obtained in the limit of infinitely many input data. This leads to a Vlasov-type partial differential equation which describes the evolution of the distribution of the input data. We analyze steady states and sensitivity with respect to the parameters of the network, namely the weights and the bias. In the simple setting of a linear activation function and one-dimensional input data, the study of the moments provides insights on the choice of the parameters of the network. Furthermore, a modification of the microscopic dynamics, inspired by stochastic residual neural networks, leads to a Fokker-Planck formulation of the network, in which the concept of network training is replaced by the task of fitting distributions. The performed analysis is validated by artificial numerical simulations. In particular, results on classification and regression problems are presented.
Numerical simulation of the space fractional $ (3+1) $-dimensional Gray-Scott models with the Riesz fractional derivative
Authors: Dai Dan-Dan , Zhang Wei , Wang Yu-Lan
Published: March 2022

The reaction-diffusion process always behaves extremely magically, and any a differential model cannot reveal all of its mechanism. Here we show the patterns behavior can be described well by the fractional reaction-diffusion model (FRDM), which has unique properties that the integer model does not have. Numerical simulation is carried out to elucidate the attractive properties of the fractional (3+1)-dimensional Gray-Scott model, which is to model a chemical reaction with oscillation. The Fourier transform for spatial discretization and fourth-order Runge-Kutta method for time discretization are employed to illustrate the fractal reaction-diffusion process.
Shielding facial physiological information in video
Authors: Zheng Kun , Shen Junjie , Sun Guangmin , Li Hui , Li Yu
Published: March 2022

With the recent development of non-contact physiological signal detection methods based on videos, it is possible to obtain the physiological parameters through the ordinary video only, such as heart rate and its variability of an individual. Therefore, personal physiological information may be leaked unknowingly with the spread of videos, which may cause privacy or security problems. In this paper a new method is proposed, which can shield physiological information in the video without reducing the video quality significantly. Firstly, the principle of the most widely used physiological signal detection algorithm: remote photoplethysmography (rPPG) was analyzed. Then the region of interest (ROI) of face contain physiological information with high signal to noise ratio was selected. Two physiological information forgery operation: single-channel periodic noise addition with blur filtering and brightness fine-tuning are conducted on the ROIs. Finally, the processed ROI images are merged into video frames to obtain the processed video. Experiments were performed on the VIPL-HR video dataset. The interference efficiencies of the proposed method on two mainly used rPPG methods: Independent Component Analysis (ICA) and Chrominance-based Method (CHROM) are 82.9 % and 84.6 % respectively, which demonstrated the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Textural and rheological properties of soybean oil organogels structured with polyglycerol and propylene glycol esters during storage
Authors: Buitimea-Cantúa N.E. , Serna-Saldívar S.O. , Pérez-Carrillo E. , Jordânia-Silva T. , Barrera-Arrellano D. , Buitimea-Cantúa G.V.
Published: March 2022

Organogels have emerged as an alternative to the intake of saturated fats. Organogels of soybean oil (SBO) structured with polyglycerol esters (PGE) or propylene glycol esters (PPGE) at different concentrations (0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 3.0, or 4.0%) were formulated. Both emulsifiers at 4% (w/w) concentrations were able to form solid-like organogels and showed thixotropy and low mechanical resistance when compression forces were applied. However, the SBO/PGE (4%) organogels presented lower values for flow curves and micrographs showed a more organized network compared to the SBO/PPGE at 4%. However, higher flow curve values, larger crystals, and mechanical resistance on compression were observed after a two-month storage period of SBO/PPGE compared to SBO/PGE organogels. Both organogels have the potential to be used for diverse food applications although the SBO/PGE was more stable throughout storage.
Producción científica colombiana en psicología en Scopus desde el 2015 al 2019
Authors: León Cano Juan Fernando , Agámez Llanos Valeria de los Ángeles , Ordoñez Edward Javier , Castillo García Javier Ferney
Published: March 2022

Este artículo tuvo como objetivo realizar un análisis bibliométrico en el periodo 2015 - 2019, de la producción científica en psicología colombiana indexada en Scopus. Los datos de los países latinoamericanos se recolectaron a través Scimago Journal & Country Rank. Las principales variables analizadas fueron el número total de documentos y de citaciones y el porcentaje de colaboración internacional; también se tuvo en cuenta los datos pertenecientes a las revistas colombianas en el área de psicología indexada en Scopus. Se encontró que Colombia presenta el mayor porcentaje de crecimiento en producción científica durante el periodo analizado, sin embargo, su contribución total de producción en la región es muy inferior a países como Brasil, México y Chile. Igualmente, se evidenció que Colombia es el segundo país latinoamericano que cuenta con mayor número de revistas de psicología en Scopus, diez (10), no obstante, se sitúa como el cuarto país en número de documentos.
Improvement of Student Learning Motivation through Word-Wall-based Digital Game Media
Authors: Safitri Desy , Awalia Suci , Sekaringtyas Tunjungsari , Nuraini Sri , Lestari Ika , Suntari Yustia , Marini Arita , Iskandar Rossi , Sudrajat Ajat
Published: March 2022

The development of technology has a lot of influence in the field of education, one of which is in terms of learning media. Digital-based learning media are now being developed to create more fun learning, one of which is digital games. It is also known that digital games themselves positively influence increasing student motivation in the learning process. For this reason, the purpose of this study is to prove the effectiveness of digital game-based media in increasing motivation to learn science. The population group consisted of 129 students from Cluster I, North Sukabumi Village schools. Research sampling was carried out by simple random sampling to calculate the number of samples. The Slovin formula was used, which resulted in 98 students as the sample. This study used experimental research methods with a single group pretest-posttest, as for the instrument in a questionnaire using a Likert scale. The type of data analysis used in this research is an inferential analysis using a t-test.  The results of this study indicate that digital game media positively influences students' learning motivation. The literature review comprises 40 studies.  This study also shows that students experience increased learning motivation by using this digital game media. Because with this digital game media, students become more motivated to follow and understand the learning material being taught.
Early Alzheimer's Disease Detection Using Different Techniques Based on Microarray Data: A Review
Authors: Ahmed Shaymaa Taha , Kadhem Suhad Malallah
Published: March 2022

Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is a degenerative disease of the brain that results in memory loss due to the death of brain cells. Alzheimer's disease is more common as people get older. Memory loss happens over time, and as a result, the person loses the ability to react appropriately to their surroundings. Microarray technology has emerged as a new trend in genetic research, with many researchers utilizing it to look at the changes in gene expression in particular organisms. Microarray experiments can be used in various ways in the medical field, including the prediction and detection of disease. Large amounts of unprocessed raw gene expression profiles sometimes contribute to computational and analytic difficulties, including selecting dataset features and classifying them into an appropriate group or class. The large dimensions, lesser sample size, and noise in gene expression data make it difficult to attain good Alzheimer classification accuracy using the entire collection of genes. The categorization process necessitates careful feature reduction. As a result, a comprehensive review of microarray Alzheimer's disease studies is presented in this paper, focusing on feature selection techniques.
Spécialiser la LEA ? De l’intérêt de l’étude des discours, milieux et cultures spécialisés pour concevoir les enseignements en Langues étrangères appliquées
Authors: Gaillard Mathilde , Peynaud Caroline
Published: March 2022

Bien que la filière LEA recrute un nombre croissant d’anglicistes de spécialité, ce parcours pluridisciplinaire et professionnalisant reste un angle mort théorique dans la recherche sur les variétés spécialisées de l’anglais (VSA). À partir d’une définition opératoire de la filière, cette étude postule que l’approche de la spécialisation mobilisée par une telle recherche peut permettre de remédier au déficit théorique de la formation et de proposer des contenus plus adaptés à ses spécificités. Elle adopte une méthodologie empirique fondée sur les perceptions des praticiens de deux filières LEA, au sein des universités Grenoble Alpes et Paris-Nanterre. La sensibilisation aux VSA en licence LEA est d’abord thématique, sur le plan culturel comme sur le plan linguistique, et porte surtout sur le domaine de l’économie et des affaires. Faute de réelle transposition didactique (Chevallard 1991), le savoir à enseigner en formation LEA repose sur des compétences professionnelles transversales. Enfin, des pistes de réflexion pour intégrer l’étude des VSA en filière LEA sont proposées.
The Review of Multi-Criteria Decision Making in the Renewable Energy Industry of Turkey
Authors: Topal Ayse
Published: March 2022

Renewable energy resources have become popular in energy policies as sustainable development in the energy field requires the transition to clean or renewable energy resources such as solar, wind, and hydro to mitigate global warming. Renewable resources play a more significant role in the energy future of Turkey. However, despite renewable energy resources being cleaner and causing fewer environmental problems, the renewable energy selection problem is a complex task due to the involvement of various conflicting factors and uncertainty. Therefore, multi-criteria decision-making methods are commonly used to handle this complexity successfully. In this chapter, the studies focused on renewable energy resource selection problem in Turkey with multi-criteria decision-making methods were reviewed. Findings suggest that the number of studies increased due to the growing importance of renewables. Also, AHP, TOPSIS, and ANP have risen to the top of the literature as the most extensively used approaches.
Institutional Resilience and Potential Risk During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Aboelenein Mohammed M. , O'Connor Paul , Amin Nevine Zakaria
Published: March 2022

This chapter aims to investigate governmental responses and policies to combat the various risks imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic across three countries: Egypt, Ireland, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Adopting the new public governance (NPG) approach, the study utilizes four indicators to assess the institutional resilience of the three sectors of health, education, and labor force. The chapter contains three sections. Section 1 is devoted to the NPG indicators. Section 2 describes the profile of the three countries and their COVID-19 data. Section 3 shows the response of the three institutions. The study showed that there is a disparity among the three countries in achieving the principles of NPG. Many lessons with regard to institutional resilience and potential risk during crisis can be drawn from the experience of the three countries.
Psychological Immunity, Societal Response, and Their Relationship to Infection and Protection Against the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Abdel Wareth Islam Hassan
Published: March 2022

The current study aimed to identify psychological immunity in the relationship to infection with the corona virus among students of the College of Education at the university and to determine whether there are differences in psychological immunity, due to the gender variables (males-females), and infection with the corona virus (infected-not infected). The study aimed to identify to which extent the infection with the corona virus can be predicted through psychological immunity. The study sample consisted of 120 students of the Faculty of Education, University of Alexandria, 60 males and 60 females. The study used the psychological immunity scale and the response scale to infection with the corona virus prepared by the researcher. The results showed a negative correlation between psychological immunity and its dimensions and between the response to infection with the corona virus and its dimensions.
Looking After the Human Factor During Challenging Events
Authors: Kay Alison , Cahill Joan , Howard Vivienne , Corrigan Siobhán
Published: March 2022

When approached to write a chapter for this book, the authors initially considered writing on the learning transfer between different safety critical industries, specifically from airport collaborative decision making to port collaborative decision making and how logistics were impacted by recent events. Upon reflection of the authors' research over the past year, it became apparent that a very different chapter was unfolding. Having researched the wellbeing of healthcare workers in Ireland during the COVID-19 pandemic, the importance of wellbeing of the human factor in safety critical systems came to the fore. Now is the time to reflect upon where we were during COVID (Wellbeing I) and where we must be (Wellbeing II) to protect our human factor as the critical element in keeping our seas safe, operational, and thriving for the future.
Dysfunctions in the Implementation of the MLC (2006)
Authors: de Larrucea Jaime Rodrigo
Published: March 2022

The purpose of this study is to analyze one of the most relevant dysfunctions in the implementation of the MLC: the abandonment of seafarers. Although the agreement has improved the working conditions and constitutes an authentic legal status for seafarers, it suffers from serious dysfunctions, the most serious of which is the abandonment of seafarers. MLC was amended in 2014 by requiring having a financial security for repatriation in case of abandonment to expand the initial requirement for financial security for repatriation in the MLC original version. This chapter aims to assess the causes of this circumstance and to propose viable and realistic solutions. The study also includes seafarers not covered by the MLC: fishermen and yacht crews, who are special cases.
A New Perspective on Selecting Port Managers
Authors: Tezcan Özgür , Kuleyin Barış
Published: March 2022

Ports desire to achieve an effective performance because of the implementations they perform in line with their objectives. Dealing with the stakeholders of a port, effective corporate performance should not be considered independent from sustainability principles. Therefore, ports should consider corporate sustainability, adjust their strategies accordingly, and target an effective sustainability performance. To perform sustainably requires employing competent managers who determine appropriate strategies for the port enterprise and ensure correct implementation. Thus, this chapter deals with the managers' competencies expected who play a role in ensuring effective sustainability performance in port enterprises. In this context, the managerial competencies gathered via the literature review were evaluated and the competencies that a port manager needs regarding sustainability performance were revealed. It is thought that the 35 competencies obtained will contribute directly to the selection and recruitment of port managers and indirectly to the port sustainability performance.
During and After COVID-19
Authors: Krystosik-Gromadzińska Agata Magdalena
Published: March 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the maritime sector. Shipowners decided to lay-up their ships, especially cruise ones, or carry out operational tasks in accordance with pandemic restrictions. Safe working and rest conditions for crews and passengers had to be ensured in order to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus onboard. One of main problems, due to the travel restrictions, was extended contracts of seafarers. As a result, physical overload and mental strains were observed. International support was necessary to support crews in different aspects of their work and life, to organize home returns, or even medical assistance.
Computational FEM Application on Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy (PCNL) Minimum Invasive Surgery Through Needle Insertion Process
Authors: Barua Ranjit , Das Surajit , Datta Pallab , RoyChowdhury Amit
Published: March 2022

PCNL or percutaneous nephrolithotripsy is one of the foremost interventional surgical treatment modalities for big kidney stones, which are more than two centimeters in diameter. With the application of miniaturized procedures, the signs for percutaneous nephrolithotripsy have been increased to smaller renal stones. Particularly for urologist surgeons without an accent on endourology, it is challenging to indicate the developing multitude of existing methods and procedures. Several makers have established different percutaneous nephrolithotripsy methods with changing diameters and different features. The suggestions for the dissimilar methods are intersecting. Reflective studies presented decreased complication rates. This chapter defines the presently available methods for percutaneous stone surgical treatment with their particularities and suggestions and studies the steering of a surgical flexible needle into the kidney to take out the stone by this procedure and finite element model analysis force of surgical needle and deformation of kidney tissue model.
Viromechanics of Fluid
Authors: Norouzi Nima
Published: March 2022

This study deals with estimating the trajectory of COVID-19 coronavirus adhering to horizontally projected respiratory droplets, considering the geographic altitude. The size of the viruses and respiratory droplets are the factors that determine the trajectory of the microparticles in a viscous medium such as air. For this purpose, a graphic comparison of the diameters and masses of the microparticles that are produced in respiratory activity has been made. The estimation of the vertical movement of the microparticles through the air is based on Stokes' law, and it was determined that respiratory droplets smaller than 10μm in diameter have very small terminal velocities; in practice, they are floating for brief seconds before evaporating in the air. Regarding the horizontal displacement of respiratory droplets, frames from Beggs determine its scope.
Quantum Software Engineering and Technology
Authors: Meenakshi Sundaram Subramaniam , Murgod Tejaswini R.
Published: March 2022

Quantum technology works with and relies on sub-atomic particles or physics that operates on the quantum level. Quantum computing has become a mature field, having diversified applications in supply chain and logistics, chemistry, economics and financial services, energy and agriculture, medicine and health, etc. In the recent years, companies have started to incorporate quantum software to benefit the research and the practitioner communities. Software engineering and programming practices need to be brought into the domain of quantum computing. Quantum algorithms provide the ability to analyze the data and offer simulations based on the data. A few of the quantum computing programming languages include QISKit, Q#, Cirq, and forest are used to write and run quantum programs. In this chapter, the authors provide an overall picture of the problems and challenges of developing quantum software and up-to-date software engineering processes, methods, techniques, practices, and principles for the development of quantum software to both researchers and practitioners.
The Relationship Between Organizational Innovation and Mobile Applications in Hotel Businesses
Authors: Kemer Ebru
Published: March 2022

The purpose of this study is to determine the effect of organizational innovation capabilities of hotel businesses on mobile applications. In line with this purpose, data were collected with a survey technique in March 2021 with 225 managers working in hotels with tourism operation licenses in the Cappadocia region. In the research, Pearson correlation analysis was used to determine the relationship between organizational innovation capabilities of hotel businesses and mobile applications use. Simple regression analysis was performed to determine the impact of organizational innovation on mobile applications. In this study conducted in the Cappadocia region, it was determined that the organizational innovation capabilities of hotel businesses affect the use of mobile applications. Therefore, these results show that the use of mobile applications by hotel businesses varies depending on their organizational innovation capabilities.
Multiculturalism in Higher Education
Authors: Lin Yuqi
Published: March 2022

Internationally, myriad policies and programs are designed to create a multicultural environment to encourage interactions between culturally different groups and promote international student engagement. Despite these efforts, social and cross-cultural integration remains hard to achieve, as there is a glass wall between cultural groups that prevent the progress of multiculturalism. Acknowledging that, this chapter critically reflects on the theoretical and practical development of multiculturalism with a special focus on higher education policies. Taking Australian universities as an example, it uses textual analysis to examine how the policies of prominent Australian universities address the issues of multiculturalism. It argues that while some achievements have been obtained, a more critical, inclusive mindset should be taken to further innovate the existing policies.
Effect of Social Media Personalization on Brand Strength
Authors: Shukla Mahima , Gupta Rahul
Published: March 2022

Personalization is now used at every corner and position of social media sites. Using Personalization in marketing communication is an effective communication strategy for many businesses to improve customer satisfaction, increase sales in a reduced advertising budget. This research is an attempt to measure the impact of personalized advertisement on customers' social media account. This empirical research develops and tests a conceptual model using the structural modeling technique of the data collected from Facebook users, who have seen any personalized advertisement of the preferred brand on their Facebook account. Results suggest that personalized advertisement of the brand in customers' social media accounts is positively related to brand experience. Brand experience is also positively related to brand equity and mediates the relationship between perceived personalization and customer-based brand equity. Both brand experience and brand equity collectively enhance the brand strength of the brand advertised on Facebook.
Applying Balanced Scorecard to Blackboard Technology in Accounting Education
Authors: Lawson-Body Assion , Willoughby Lori , Lawson-Body Laurence
Published: March 2022

The objective of this study is to use balanced scorecard (BSC) to measure the performance of accounting students when instructors utilize Blackboard to teach courses. A framework was designed to show the relationships between the BSC's four interrelated business perspectives and the use of Blackboard in accounting education. Content analysis was used to process in-depth interview data that were collected from 13 accounting students of a college of business in the US. The results show that three of the four Blackboard-supported BSC perspectives (internal process, student value proposition, and financial) have an impact on accounting students' academic performance. However, the impact of the fourth Blackboard-supported BSC perspective (learning and innovation) on accounting students' academic performance is different because the accounting career is a continuous learning endeavor. The changing and evolving nature of the Blackboard technology does not fit into the evolution of accounting principles, regulations, and laws.
Photocatalytic Degradation of Total Organic Carbon in Water by under UV Irradiation on Graphene Oxide
Authors: Kalankesh Laleh , Zazouli Mohammad Ali
Published: March 2022

The aim of this study was to investigate the possibility of the using UV irradiation on Graphene oxide (UV/GO) for the degradation of total organic carbon (TOC) from water. The experiments were carried out with various experimental conditions such as pH (3, 5 and 9), dosage of Graphene Oxide (GO)(0.2,0.4,0.6 and 0.8 g/L-1), concentration of Humic acid (HA)(0.5, 1, 1.5, 2 and 3 g/L), irradiation time (15, 30, 45 and 60 min) and UV intensity (4W and 8W) and optimized for the maximum removal of HA. The equilibrium adsorption data and the model parameters were evaluated. Based on the experimental data obtained in a lab-scale batch study, the theoretical efficiency of HA removal, under the optimum oxidation conditions (pH: 3, irradiation time: 45 min, catalyst dosage: 0.4g/L-1, UV: 8W and initial HA concentration: 3 g/L-1) was 71%. The isotherm study indicates that adsorption data fit well with the Langmuir model and Pseudo second-order kinetics. This study clearly indicated that GO/UV photo catalyst reactor is a cost effective and simple alternative method for degradation of HA from water.
Biochar Waste Palm Shell for NOX Post-Emission Reduction in Biodiesel Combustion
Authors: Lim Xin Yi , Yuh Peter Yek Nai , Liew Rock Keey , Chiong Meng Choung , Chong Cheng Tung , Lam Su Shiung
Published: March 2022

Diesel combustions produce greenhouse and harmful gases bringing health hazards and negative impact to environment. This study produced biochar from waste palm shell and the biochar was further applied as fuel additive in biodiesel to reduce the nitric oxides emission. The biochar showed high fixed carbon content (85.8 wt%) and low ash content (2.0 wt%). Subsequently, the biodiesel post-combustion emission of NOX recorded a significant reduction up to 40.6% compared to without application of biochar. This study shows that the mixing of biochar in biodiesel is a potential approach to reduce the nitric oxide emission.
Role of Simulated Body Fluid in Biofilm Formation and Growth on a Polycarbonate Material
Authors: Wattanakaroon Wanida , Chonpracha Jiraporn , Subsomboon Tipaporn
Published: March 2022

Bacteria form biofilms to facilitate colonization, and biofilm formation on polymeric medical devices is a common cause of hospital-acquired infection. Simulated body fluid (SBF) is a supersaturated calcium-phosphate solution with ionic composition nearly equal to that of human blood plasma, and has been used to test the bioactivity of materials. The purpose of this work was to understand whether SBF influenced surface structure on bacterial adhesion and biofilm formation on polycarbonate, a polymer commonly used in medical devices. In this study, polycarbonate coupons were immersed in a SBF solution at 37 oC for 7 and 14 days and air-dried for 30 minutes, and compared with deionized water immersion. Colony biofilms of P. aeruginosa were then investigated by growing bacteria on top surface of immersed coupons for 24 and 48 hours, and observed by the quantitative assay (areal cell density) and visualized using a field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM). Results stated that a prolonged immersion time of coupons in deionized water enhanced biofilm growth. Immersion in SBF for a period of 14 days showed a significant reduction in the viability following 24 hours of incubation compared to that in deionized water incubated for 48 hours. FESEM further demonstrated that P. aeruginosa had a tendency to form biofilm on a polycarbonate substrate, and was able to develop biofilms on both the SBF and deionized water. Significant cell clusters and bacterial adhesion was observed at 48-hour incubation. These insights can potentially assist in the establishment of infection and colonization of this opportunistic pathogen, and will aid the development of strategies to prevent biofilm formation.
Design and Investigation of Optimal Dissolving Polymeric Microneedles for Ocular Application by Using Three-Level Factorial Design
Authors: Suriyaamporn Phuvamin , Sukma Monrudee , Rangsimawong Worranan
Published: March 2022

Dissolving microneedles (dis-MNs) are very attractive micro-scale technology and a minimally invasive method to be used as a tool for transdermal delivery, leading to increased bioavailability of drugs bypassing ocular tissue barrier and painless treatment method. This study aims to design and investigate the optimal dis-MNs as a potential device for ocular application using a three-level factorial design. The dis-MNs were fabricated by micromolding technique using chitosan and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) polymer. The physical appearance of dis-MNs was observed under a digital microscope. The mechanical strength (resistance force and insertion force) was tested with a texture analyzer. The penetration depth and dissolution time at a predetermined time were tested on porcine ocular tissue. The data illustrated that the optimal dis-MNs formulation was 3%chitosan and 20%PVA in 20%PVA in a weight ratio of 1:4. The physical appearance showed pyramidal microneedles with an average 609.01±1.01 µm in height and 200.21+3.57 μm in base width. The optimal dis-MNs showed a resistance force of 40.14±2.10 N. The insertion force into the cornea tissue (1.78 N/225 arrays) was higher than sclera tissue (0.95 N/225 arrays), indicating that the optimal dis-MNs could create micro-channels on both cornea and sclera tissues. The dissolution study showed that the optimal dis-MNs formulation was completely dissolved on cornea tissue (1 min) faster than sclera tissue (3 min). In conclusion, the optimal dis-MNs presented suitable dis-MNs properties with minimally invasive device for ocular tissue, acting as an appropriate dis-MNs model for the ophthalmic drug delivery system.
Comparative Study of ZnO Nanomaterials Synthesized by Green and Electrospinning Methods
Authors: Barman Subhodeep , Kumar Jagadish , Das Arnab Kumar , Sikdar Suranjan , Biswas Abhijit , Srinivasan Ananthakrishnan , Das Rahul
Published: March 2022

This article presents a comparative study between the ZnO nanocone and nanofibers. ZnO nanocones were synthesized through the green route, using Azadirachta indica leaf extract media, and ZnO nanofibers were synthesized by the electrospinning process. The microstructural parameters of the prepared nanomaterials were investigated using powder X-ray diffractometer (XRD) and Rietveld refinement analysis. The XRD patterns confirmed the formation of single-phase ZnO with hexagonal wurtzite structure having an average crystallite size of 21 nm and 54 nm for the conical and fibrous nanoparticles, respectively. The field emission scanning electron microscopy revealed that the mean radius of nanofibers was 25-30 nm while the mean height and mean base radius of nanocones were 181 nm and 91 nm respectively. Elastic properties were estimated using elastic compliances S11 (6.0678×10-12 m2N-1), S12 (-2.2602×10-12 m2N-1), S13 (-1.3579×10-12 m2N-1), S33 (5.5196×10-12 m2N-1) and S44 (22.6833×10-12 m2N-1) which were calculated using the THERMO-PW code, based on the density functional theory. The calculated elastic constants of the two nanostructures yielded similar values as expected. However, the elastic limit of the two nanostructures differs due to their morphological anomaly. Moreover, the optical bandgap of nanofibrous ZnO was lower than that of nanoconical ZnO.
Present status of smoked fish processing at Mahakanadarawa reservoir in Mihintale, Sri Lanka.
Authors: Jayawickrama R. G. D. R. , Wanasinghe A. , Jayawardena U. A.
Published: March 2022

Fish smoking has become a popular processing method in Mahakanadarawa reservoir, with the potential for substantial demand among frequent visitors to Anuradhapura. This industry generates considerable income for the local livelihoods and reduces the post-harvesting losses. Government and Non-government Organizations have recognized the necessity of expanding the smoked fish industry in this area. However, there is a scarcity of scientific information on this vital industry. This study focuses on the current state of smoked fish production in the Mahakanadarawa reservoir. A field survey was conducted to determine the types of fish and fuel wood used, the type of technology they apply, and the challenges they encounter in both storage and in the supply chain to the consumer. The majority of smoked fish processors were found to be directly connected with fishing in the Mahakanadarawa reservoir and when there is a surplus catch, fishers produce smoked fish. Although tilapia is the most abundant smoked fish in the study area, snakehead is the most popular fish with a higher commercial value. Hence, breeding strategies should be used for such commercially important species. Smoking technologies in the study area are still at an extremely rudimentary level, leading to substantial processing losses due to uneven exposure to heat and smoke. Different types of fuelwoods are used by the processors to enhance the characteristic colour and smoky aroma that enticed their buyers. These types of woods may have essential anti-oxidant and bactericidal properties in addition to their distinctive flavour, colour, and aroma, and as such, further studies are recommended. Most of the smoked fish producers do not have adequate technologies for packaging and storage their products. Majority uses paper-based cartons and discarded Styrofoam boxes. Such paper-based materials generally absorb the valuable fish oil while poorly sealed Styrofoam containers are attributed to rancidity and growth of molds. Thus, empowering them with sufficient technologies and resources may reduce postharvest losses and lead to ensuring the catering of growing consumer demand throughout the year.
Length weight relationships of fish species collected after impoundment of the Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR) in China; a study carried out in the upper Yangtze River
Authors: Perera H. A. C. C. , Zhang Tanglin , Yuan Jing , Ye Shawoen , Guo Chuanbo , Liu Jiashou
Published: March 2022

The Three Gorges Dam in the upper Yangtze River in China is the largest hydropower project in the world. Length- weight relationships (LWRs) are reported for fish species collected from three locations of the reservoir from November 2010 to October 2011. Fish were collected from the local fishing boats using 1.5 cm nylon mesh trap nets or 4, 5 and 6 cm nylon mesh gillnets (100- 120 m long × 1.4-1.5 m high). A total of 7,311 fish representing 49 species of 11 families were collected during the study period. There were 2,680 fish belonging to 32 species of 8 families sampled in Zigui (near the dam) reach, 2,845 fish representing 46 species of 8 families in Wanzhou (middle of the reservoir) reach and 1,786 fishes representing 38 species of 8 families in Fuling (upper reservoir) reach. The family with the highest number of species was Xenocyprididae. The intercept (a) and slope (b) of LWRs are useful in fisheries science in many ways. Therefore, the present study provides baseline data on LWRs of the economically valuable and most abundant fish species in the recently commissioned Three Gorges Reservoir.
Infections and colonisation of central venous catheters in patients admitted to intensive care units at two tertiary care hospitals
Authors: Medis S. , Dissanayake T. , Namali D. , Gunasekara S. , Kottahachchi J.
Published: March 2022

Introduction: Central venous catheters (CVC) are frequently used in modern health care systems. However, CVCs are likely to get colonised with microorganisms, resulting in catheter-related blood stream infections (CRBSI). This study investigated microorganisms causing CRBSI and CVC colonisation, their antibiotic resistance, and factors associated with CRBSI in patients in the intensive care units (ICU) at the Colombo North Teaching Hospital (CNTH) and  Apeksha hospital, Sri Lanka.
Methods: The study included 300 adult patients in ICUs with a CVC in-situ for >48 hours. Blood taken through the CVC, peripheral blood and CVC tips were cultured. Microorganisms were identified and tested for antibiotic susceptibility. Demographic factors were recorded.
Results: Seventeen patients (13.1%) developed CRBSI.  The CRBSI rate was 13.3 per 1,000 catheter days in CNTH while it was 10 (5.9%) cases and 5.2 per 1,000 catheter days in Apeksha hospital. In CNTH, CVC colonisation was detected in 35 (26.9%). Coagulase negative staphylococci (CoNS) were the leading cause of both CRBSI (41%) and colonisation (58%). In Apeksha hospital, Klebsiella sp. (5/10)  were  the predominant pathogens that  caused  CRBSI. Eighty-nine CVCs (52.3%) were colonised by CoNS (58%). In CNTH, CRBSI was detected more in males (14/17) (p<0.05). The majority of microorganisms that caused  CRBSI and CVC colonisation in both hospitals showed resistance to commonly used antibiotics.
Conclusion: The CRBSI rates and the incidences were higher in CNTH. CoNS was the most common  cause of CRBSI in CNTH and Gram negative bacteria in Apeksha hospital. CVC colonisation with CoNS was common in both hospitals. Antibiotic resistance was high among bacteria causing CRBSI and colonisation.
Occupational skin dermatoses among health care workers: a review of adverse skin reactions to personal protective equipment
Authors: Sari Agnes Rosarina Prita , Patria Yudha Nur , Wiguna Olivia Roselin , Soebono Hardyanto , Febriana Sri Awalia
Published: March 2022

Occupational skin-related problems include dermatoses caused by agents in the working environment. For health care workers, these occupational dermatoses could be due to usage of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), such as gloves, masks, goggles, and other protective equipment. These PPE contribute to both allergic and irritant contact dermatitis. This review summarized the skin damage after PPE usage and hand hygiene protocol. Recommendations should be established to prevent these occupational dermatoses from PPE usage.
Tracing the subsurface sulfur cycle using isotopic and elemental fingerprinting: from the micro to the macro scale
Authors: Kingston A W , Ardakani O H , Stern R
A
Published: March 2022

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is a toxic and corrosive gas that commonly occurs in deeply buried sedimentary systems. Understanding its distribution is paramount to creating safe and effective models of H2S occurrence aiding in the identification of high-risk areas.
Characterizing subsurface sulfur sources and H2S formation pathways would enhance these models leading to more accurate predictions of potential high H2S regions. However, gaps remain in our understanding of the dominant formation processes and migration pathways of key ingredients for H2S
production in the Lower Triassic Montney Formation of the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin (WCSB). Essential to this is assessing the reactants necessary for H2S production, potential pathways for fluid migration, diagenetic history, and changes in redox conditions through time.
The Montney Formation has undergone several phases of diagenesis related to post-depositional alteration and multiple cycles of tectonic burial and uplift. Early chemical alteration includes dolomitization and, in some cases, microbial reduction of porewater sulfate to sulfide that occurred prior to
significant burial (Davies et al., 1997; Vaisblat et al., 2021; Liseroudi et al., 2020, 2021). The most recent tectonic-related burial during the Laramide Orogeny resulted in burial depths in excess of 3-5 km (Ness, 2001; Ducros et al., 2017) leading to significant thermal and barometric alteration.
Associated with this orogenic activity was the reactivation of underlying faults (O'Connell et al., 1990) and development of fractures especially near the deformation front. These fractures provide conduits for fluid migration into the Montney that combined with heat and pressure resulting in
hydrocarbon generation, migration, and development of overpressure, notably in the western margin of the basin. In addition, high temperatures resulted in thermochemical sulfate reduction (TSR) leading to the formation of H2S and subsequently pyrite.
We present an interpretation of the Montney subsurface sulfur cycle through the use of petrography, micro- and macro-scale geochemical analysis (isotopic and elemental) to illustrate the complexity of this system. This work relies heavily on previous studies within and outside our research group and
incorporates new analytical techniques to expand the toolbox. We aim to guide future research directions and activities by addressing issues related to sampling and data quality issues, analytical approaches, and highlight knowledge gaps.
Determinants of traditional eye practices amongst rural dwellers in the Asikuma Odoben Brakwa District, Ghana
Authors: Enimah Eugene B. , Nirghin Urvashni , Boadi-Kusi Samuel B. , Ntodie Micheal
Published: March 2022

Background: In Ghana and other developing countries, people resort to other means of eye care apart from the orthodox treatment given by eye care practitioners.Aim: This study aimed to examine the determinants of traditional eye practices amongst a sample in the Central Region of Ghana.Setting: The study employed a mixed-method convergent parallel study design and adapted the Expanded Programme on Immunization Survey Technique to enrol 191 residents.Methods: A questionnaire and an interview were used to obtain data from the participants. Descriptive statistics were computed along with univariate and multivariable logistic regression analysis to determine associated factors for the use of traditional eye medication (TEM), ophthalmic self-medication and its combination.Results: The study included 191 participants with an age range of 18–79 years. The odds of TEM use were 2.3 times higher in male than female participants (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]: 2.307, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.219, 4.364, p = 0.01). Other socio-demographic characteristics (age, marital status, occupation and educational status) were not associated with traditional eye practices. The p-value in all these was p  0.05 during the univariant analysis, but age was independently significant during the multivariant statistic (p = 0.041).Conclusion: Gender and age were significantly associated with TEM use. Public education on TEM and ophthalmic self-medication and its consequences should be organised, targeting the natives in the rural communities, by the Ghana Health Service.
The God who hates: The significance of Esau/Edom in the postexilic prophetic eschatology according to Malachi 1:2–5 with a systematic theological postscript
Authors: Wielenga Bob
Published: March 2022

This research wants to clarify the significance of Esau/Edom in Malachi’s postexilic prophetic eschatology. Hence, its focus is on the declaration of divine hate for Esau/Edom in Malachi 1:3, applying the Deuteronomic covenant concept, predominant in Malachi, for a deeper understanding of its significance in the acrimonious dialogues between God and his people. As much as this declaration of divine hate is coordinated in Malachi 1:2–5 with the declaration of divine love for Jacob/Israel, nevertheless, it has a distinct communicative intent of its own in Malachi’s prophetic address. Postexilic Jacob/Israel is confronted with the possibility of a judgement such as Esau/Edom’s if return to God does not occur – ultimate judgement imagined as a burning furnace leaving nothing but ashes on the Day of the Lord. This article wants to contribute to a deeper understanding of the function of divine hate in the judgement prophecy of Malachi.Contribution: This article intends to contribute from a biblical-theological perspective to the systematic theological discussion about the doctrine of God within the Christian community of faith, focusing on the divine names and attributes in Malachi 1:2–5.
Creating an institutional ecosystem for cash transfer programmes in post-disaster settings: A case from Indonesia
Authors: Lassa Jonatan A. , Nappoe Gisela E. , Sulistyo Susilo B.
Published: March 2022

Humanitarian and disaster management actors have increasingly adopted cash transfer as an approach to reduce the suffering and vulnerability of the survivors. Cash transfers have also been used as a key instrument in the current coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. This article uses an exploratory research strategy to understand how non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and governments implement humanitarian cash transfer in a post-disaster setting. This article asks: what are the institutional constraints and opportunities faced by humanitarian emergency responders in ensuring an effective humanitarian cash transfer, and how do humanitarian actors address such institutional constraints? In this article, we have introduced a new conceptual framework, namely the humanitarian and disaster management ecosystem for cash transfer. This framework allows non-governmental actors to restore complex relations amongst state, disaster survivors (citizen), local market economy and civil society. Mixed methods and multistage research strategies were used to collect and analyse primary and secondary data. The authors conclude that by implementing cash transfers in the context of post-tsunamigenic earthquakes and liquefaction hazards, NGOs must co-create an ecosystem of response that aims to restore disaster-affected people’s access to cash and basic needs. However, in order to ensure such access to basic needs, the responders must first restore relations between the states and their citizens before linking the at-risk communities with the private sectors to jump-start local livelihoods and market economy.