bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Role of nano-magnetized Citrus X sinensis (orange) peels for decontamination of pendimethalin from aqueous resources: a comparative study of untreated and carbonaceous orange peels with nano-magnetized peels
Authors: Mubarak Shafaq , Ashraf Bilal , Asghar Amina
Published: February 2024

Biosorption is a low-cost, environment friendly wastewater treatment method that involves a simple procedure for the removal of pesticides and their residues from wastewater. In the present investigation, untreated Citrus X sinensis peels (U-CXSP), activated carbon Citrus X sinensis peels (AC-CXSP) and nano-magnetized Citrus X sinensis peels (NM-CXSP) adsorbents were applied for the uptake of pendimethalin (PDM) from aqueous resources. The laboratory-prepared adsorbents were characterized using SEM, EDX, FTIR, VSM and XRD. Biosorption studies were carried out by varying different parameters, i.e., adsorbents dosage (0.1–0.5 g), time of contact (10–70 min), initial concentration of PDM (5–200 ppm), pH and temperature. The results showed that the removal efficiency of U-CXSP was increased from 97 to 114 mg/g for AC-CXSP adsorbent and increased from 97 to 111 mg/g for NM-CXSP adsorbent. Kinetics data obtained from this study well fitted with pseudo-second-order kinetic model. Adsorption isotherms were studied and the adsorption data well fitted with Langmuir and Freundlich models. Order of the adsorption efficiency is observed as follows: AC-CXSP > NM-CXSP > U-CXSP.
Effect of salinity on denitrification, membrane fouling and bacterial community in a fixed-bed biofilm membrane reactor
Authors: An Ning , Ma Lei , Lian Dameng , Wang Shuwei
Published: February 2024

In this study, a fixed-bed biofilm membrane bioreactor was used to assess denitrification and carbon removal performance, membrane fouling, composition, and the dynamics of microbial communities across 10 salinity levels. As salinity levels increased (from 0 to 30 g/L), the removal efficiency of total nitrogen and chemical oxygen demand decreased from 98 and 86% in Phase I to 25 and 45% in Phase X, respectively. Beyond a salinity level of 10 g/L, membrane fouling accelerated considerably. The analysis of fouling resistance distribution suggested that soluble microbial products (SMPs) were the primary cause of this phenomenon. The irregularity in microbial community succession reflected the varying adaptability of different bacteria to different salinity levels. The relative abundance of Sulfuritalea, Lentimircobium, Thauera, and Pseudomonas increased from 20.2 to 47.7% as the experiments progressed. Extracellular polymeric substances-related analysis suggested that Azospirillum plays a positive role in preserving the structural integrity of the biofilm carrier. The SMP-related analysis showed a positive correlation between Lentimircobium, Thauera, Pseudomonas, and the SMP content. These results suggested that these three bacterial genera significantly promoted the release of SMP under salt stress, which in turn led to severe membrane fouling.
Biochar from waste biomass, its fundamentals, engineering aspects, and potential applications: an overview
Authors: Nadarajah Kannan , Asharp Thusalini , Jeganathan Yanushiya
Published: February 2024

Environmental pollution control in the growing world is a challenging task for all the countries in order to keep the environmental sustainability. Biochar, a processed carbon material, draws a significant attention in the field of environmental remediation, as of its active functional groups that help remove environmental pollutants to a level insignificant to cause hazardous effects. As such, there is an increasing interest developed to promote highly productive biochar for exploring environmental engineering aspects. There is limited comprehensive literature available for understanding biochar science and its potential applications under an umbrella. This review was set to fill this knowledge gap by discussing key points related to biochar, its novel engineering aspects and potential environmental applications. Therefore, this overview tends to summarize and discuss biochar, its fundamentals, engineering aspects commonly used modifications and the potential applications of biochar in water treatment with an intention of addressing the importance of biochar for environmental remediation process. This overview will be useful for researchers, policy-makers and stakeholders to plan and review relevant scientific works in order to produce customized biochar for future environmental applications.
Risk assessment and classification prediction for water environment treatment PPP projects
Authors: Yang Ruijia , Feng Jingchun , Tang Jiansong , Sun Yong
Published: February 2024

Water treatment public–private partnership (PPP) projects are pivotal for sustainable water management but are often challenged by complex risk factors. Efficient risk management in these projects is crucial, yet traditional methodologies often fall short of addressing the dynamic and intricate nature of these risks. Addressing this gap, this comprehensive study introduces an advanced risk classification prediction model tailored for water treatment PPP projects, aimed at enhancing risk management capabilities. The proposed model encompasses an intricate evaluation of crucial risk areas: the natural and ecological environments, socio-economic factors, and engineering entities. It delves into the complex relationships between these risk elements and the overall risk profile of projects. Grounded in a sophisticated ensemble learning framework employing stacking, our model is further refined through a weighted voting mechanism, significantly elevating its predictive accuracy. Rigorous validation using data from the Jiujiang City water environment system project Phase I confirms the model's superiority over standard machine learning models. The development of this model marks a significant stride in risk classification for water treatment PPP projects, offering a powerful tool for enhancing risk management practices. Beyond accurately predicting project risks, this model also aids in developing effective government risk management strategies.
The Fascinating Effects of Flavonoids on Lung Cancer: A Review
Authors: Singh Dhirendra , Dhanawat Meenakshi , Verma Inderjeet , Gupta Sumeet
Published: February 2024

:

Lung cancer has emerged as one of the most often reported illnesses and leading
causes of mortality worldwide. Inefficient, lack of safety, low therapeutic index, unpleasant effects, and excessive cost have led to a loss of trust in synthetic medications, limiting their use.
Natural compounds have good anticancer potential without unwanted toxic effects. Among
them, flavonoids are the most important compounds. Flavonoids are polyphenolic chemical
compounds abundant in fruits and vegetables and are essential in preventing lung cancer. Their
potent anticancer effects are said to be based on a wide range of biological actions, such as antioxidants, anti-mutagenesis, anti-inflammation, and differentiation induction, preventing cancer cell proliferation through regulating signal transduction pathways, triggering cell cycle arrest, and activating apoptosis or autophagy; anti-invasion; anti-metastasis, altering cancer cell
drug resistance and increasing sensitization to chemotherapy. This review illustrates the most
recent advancements in flavonoids in lung cancer and their associated molecular mechanisms
using information from scientific research studies like in vitro and in vivo clinical trials. It
takes these data into theory and practice.
Self-awareness Regarding Obesity and Specific Therapy in Patients with
Overweight or Obesity and Cardiovascular Diseases from Moscow Region
Authors: Martsevich Sergey Yu. , Lukina Yulia V. , Lerman Olga V. , Kutishenko Natalia P. , Kiselev Anton R. , Drapkina Oxana M.
Published: February 2024

Objective:

Despite the proven effectiveness of lifestyle interventions and specific medications
in the treatment of obesity, little is known about their use in real-world practice. .

Aims:

To study the awareness of patients about the problem of overweight/obesity, as well as the
clinical practice of non-drug and drug therapy according to the survey

Material and Methods:

Eligible patients were recruited from the prospective outpatient registry of
patients with cardiovascular diseases. The design of the study was a cross-sectional cohort singlecentre.
All of the included patients completed a specifically designed questionnaire. The study included
295 patients (mean age 66.8 ± 11.8 years) with a body mass index (BMI) of ≥ 25 kg/m2. One
hundred eight (36.6%) individuals were overweight, 124 (42.2%) had first-class obesity, 42 (14.2%)
had second-class obesity, and 21 (7.1%) patients had third-class obesity.

Results:

252 patients (85.4%) were informed of being overweight/obese, and all of them received
non-drug recommendations for the treatment of obesity. Anti-obesity medications (AOM) were
recommended only to 25 (8.5%) patients: 3 – overweight, 11 – obesity class I, 6 obesity class II,
and 5 – obesity class III. Twenty-one (7.1%) patients took the prescribed medications (84% adherence).
The drugs were more often taken by patients with class II and III disease (40.5% and 57.1%
of patients, respectively). Overweight (8.5%) and class I obesity (18.0%) patients took these drugs
less often (p < 0.0001).

Conclusion:

The results of the survey have demonstrated good awareness of patients about their
obesity/overweight and quite frequent use of non-drug obesity therapy. However, the rate of AOM
prescription was extremely low.
Digital Transformation of African SMEs: Understanding Digital Transformation
Authors: Jonas Yomboi , Kwasi Nkayi , Elijah Kutogichiga Aloriwor , Kupule Adobauru Felli Gideon
Published: February 2024

While the current literature has enhanced our understanding of specific
aspects of digital transformation, we lack a comprehensive representation of the nature
of this transition and the effects it has on SMEs in Africa. Small and medium
businesses (SMEs) in Africa are largely responsible for the region's economic growth
and development. Digital transformation (DT) of organisations improves resilience;
nevertheless, SMEs in Africa have been hesitant to adopt DT due to a number of
obstacles. The findings reveal the importance of mobile phones and social media of DT
in boosting SMEs in Africa. It has also established digital technology and user
experience as the main dimensions of DT.
Effect of Big Data on SMEs Performance
Authors: Majeed Mohammed
Published: February 2024

Due to the rapid increase in the amount and velocity of data transmission,
the concept of “Big Data” has been on the minds of managers and decision-makers as a
means to boost industrial productivity. As a result of the explosion in data volume and
complexity brought on by new forms of advanced technology and a wide variety of
market opportunities, a data-driven approach to business operations is now essential.
This is becoming an increasingly important problem for small and medium-sized
enterprises (SMEs), especially in Africa with inadequate infrastructure and resources.
Notably, the majority of reports to date that explain how performance gain can be
achieved have come from large, well-established firms, especially in developed
countries, and there have been few attempts to study the main factors that affect SMEs'
intention to adopt BD in developing countries like Africa. Therefore, the purpose of
this research was to detect and explain the influence of BD on the performance of
SMEs. Three categories of big data were identified in this chapter (structured,
unstructured and semistructured). Big data's influence is that it helps SMEs better
understand their clientele and respond to their needs through data-driven management
and marketing strategies. On the other hand, BD is essential for SMEs to do market
research and anticipate consumer actions. SMEs can benefit from BD since it improves
their adaptability, efficiency, responsiveness, and the capacity to anticipate and meet
client needs.
SMEs Use Artificial Intelligence in Africa: Benefits and Challenges
Authors: Fatawu Alhassan , S. Abas , C. Stanley , A. Susana
Published: February 2024

Artificial Intelligence is a popular topic in digital transformation. Many
books and articles have been written on the subject, although most of them cater to
corporations rather than startups. The small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) in
Africa represent the economic backbone of the continent, so it is increasingly crucial
that they have access to and can implement these technologies. This chapter provides a
literature overview on the prevalence of AI in SMEs, discussing its current limits and
its impact on enabling SMEs to reap its benefits. In the first place, we present an
overview of the four AI tools and the enablers of AI. A thorough literature review is
then performed on the difficulties associated with it . Finally, future trends and
implications in research and development are summarized, along with future research
topics for making AI an accessible technology to SMEs.
Hóteis Pestana - Atos de fala e outros mecanismos de persuasão: análise de 50 posts de facebook da página da cadeia de Hotéis Pestana
Authors: Rodrigues Ilda
Published: February 2024

This work, within the scope of Pragmatics, focuses on the analysis of postspublished on the Facebook page of the hotel chain “Pestana”hotels, with the aim of identifying the most frequent illocutionary acts and verifying the mechanisms most frequently used to intensify their illocutionary force.Based on the selected corpus, we performed the following tasks: i) identification ofthe type of recipient to whom the postsare addressed to and ii) study of a few linguistic and pragmatic mechanisms that work together to contribute to the persuasiveness of the discourse.
Effect of Sawdust Addition on Thermal Conductivity of Clay Bricks
Authors:   Physics Department, Universitas Negeri Semarang, 50229, Indonesia, Bahar Abely Aliya , Yulianto Agus ,   Physics Department, Universitas Negeri Semarang, 50229, Indonesia, Astuti Budi ,   Physics Department, Universitas Negeri Semarang, 50229, Indonesia
Published: February 2024

This research was conducted to find an alternative to the brick wall constituent material with the lowest thermal conductivity value by adding sawdust. The method of measuring the thermal conductivity value used is the steady-state hot plate method. From the test results obtained the more the addition of sawdust, the value of thermal conductivity obtained is also increasing. With the best conductivity value obtained by the author is in the addition of sawdust as much as 5 grams with a conductivity value of 0.006573945Q W/mK.
Integration of Java Programming-Based Pert and Earned Value Management Methods Based on Residential Precast Case Study to Improve Project Cost Efficiency
Authors:   Civil Engineering Department, Universitas Mercu Buana, 11650, Indonesia, Citra Zel , Wibowo Paksi Dwiyanto ,   Civil Engineering Department, Universitas Mercu Buana, 11650, Indonesia, Malinda Yosie ,   Civil Engineering Department, Universitas Mercu Buana, 11650, Indonesia, Pranoto Rodliyan Yusuf ,   Civil Engineering Department, Universitas Mercu Buana, 11650, Indonesia, Pitaloka Fanny ,   Civil Engineering Department, Universitas Mercu Buana, 11650, Indonesia
Published: February 2024

The need for residential houses is still high for property and construction commodities. The availability of land and market prices for residential houses continue to increase yearly. Only 45.04% of Jakarta residents had a home ownership status in 2020. 2021 is the precast building mode. It is justified that precast construction structures can save 35% on construction costs and are 27.33% more reliable than ordinary concrete structures. The research examines the integration of the PERT method and earned value management (EVM) based on Java programming in residential precast case studies. The results of this study are that the implementation of the PERT method can increase the efficiency of project duration by 6%, and the implementation of the EVM method can increase project cost efficiency by 7% with the indicators Schedule Performance Index (SPI) = 1.01 (under schedule) and Cost Performance Index = 1, 07 (Under Budget)
Evaluation of Pile Cap Reinforcement Design Using Conventional and Finite Element with Strut and The Method Based on SNI 2847-2019
Authors:   Civil Engineering Department, Universitas Negeri Padang, 25131, Indonesia, Yusmar Fajri , Isda Raiyyan Rahmi ,   Civil Engineering Department, Universitas Negeri Padang, 25131, Indonesia
Published: February 2024

The Strut and Tie Method (STM) is one effective method for predicting the ultimate strength, failure modes, and behavior of reinforced concrete pile caps. However, the use of the strut and tie method in pile cap design in Indonesia is not as popular as the use of conventional methods. This study aims to evaluate the reinforcement design of pile caps using conventional methods and the finite element method (FEM) approach, utilizing the strut and tie method specified in SNI 2847 2019. The analysis results show that the required area of longitudinal reinforcement in the conventional method does not meet the criteria when evaluated using the STM method. The deficiency in the longitudinal reinforcement area amounts to 40.13% compared to the design results obtained using the STM method. Meanwhile, the use of the FEM method results in a required reinforcement area that exceeds the required area for the STM method. The difference in reinforcement is even greater, reaching up to 7.85% for the FEM method.
Implementation of Construction Safety Plan in The Building Project
Authors:   Civil Engineering Department, Universitas Jember, 68121, Indonesia, Hadi Patria Yoga Pratama , Soetjipto Jojok Widodo ,   Civil Engineering Department, Universitas Jember, 68121, Indonesia, Trisiana Anita ,   Civil Engineering Department, Universitas Jember, 68121, Indonesia
Published: February 2024

Data on work accidents in the construction industry in Indonesia is still relatively high, so the government issued a Construction Safety Management System (CSMS) regulation in 2021. However, many middle to lower-class contractors still need help compiling it. Contractors still use job safety analysis as a substitute for the Construction Safety Plan (CSP) with minimal analysis. Therefore, it is necessary to research the preparation of CSP, which is integrated with the project technique method. The research method used is to describe CSP implementation in selected project cases. The study results show that contractors already have good resources and commitment to carrying out CSP but have limitations in understanding the techniques for preparing CSP documents accompanied by sound risk management analysis.
Numerical Study of Strengthened Spun Pile with Concrete Infill and Steel Jacket
Authors:   Department of Civil Engineering, Universitas Indonesia, 10430, Indonesia, Hugen Stevany Lydia Jedidjah , Lase Yuskar ,   Department of Civil Engineering, Universitas Indonesia, 10430, Indonesia, Orientilize Mulia ,   Department of Civil Engineering, Universitas Indonesia, 10430, Indonesia
Published: February 2024

The confinements in a spun pile in Indonesia are below the minimum requirement mentioned in ASCE 7-16. Since Indonesia still adopts the linear elastic concept for foundation design, where the pile should be designed strongly without damage, the deficiency does not matter. However, enormous piles are required to keep it elastically under severe earthquakes. Hence, a transition to performance-based design (PBD) should be prepared since the seismic acceleration tends to increase. PBD requires sufficient transverse reinforcement to ensure flexural failure. Steel jacket is proposed to overcome the lack of confinements, particularly on the pile cap connection where the largest curvature occurs. Experimental and numerical studies have been conducted on a full-scale spun pile-to-pile cap connection with a steel jacket under cyclic loading. A monotonic pushover analysis with Opensees Navigator open-source software was performed for further study.
Effect of Spaced and Massed Learning Approaches on the Performance of Faculty Members in Medical Education
Authors: Ahmad Rani , Hamed Omyayma , Jamjoom Reda , Park Yoon Soo , Tekian Ara
Published: February 2024

Introduction. The effectiveness of spaced and massed strategies can be evaluated by examining how educational experts (faculty members) transfer their learning skills to real-life educational contexts, such as with their undergraduate students in Saudi Arabia. It is necessary to consider the respective benefits of these strategies for faculty members to maintain standards and capabilities, fulfilling their learning and development needs.

Aim. This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of spaced and massed practice programs for faculty members in transferring their acquired assessment skills to their students. To achieve this goal, we used a mixed methodological approach, integrating both qualitative and quantitative methods into the study design.

Methods. This study was carried out at the Faculty of Medicine, King Abdul-Aziz University (KAU), Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Focus group discussions were employed for the qualitative approach, while the paired-sample t-test and Chi-square test of independence were used for the quantitative approach.

Results. The results of the focus group discussion indicated that participants from both groups preferred the spaced learning approach, considering the busy schedules of medical doctors and students. In terms of cost effectivity, both group participants preferred the massed learning technique. Two (25%) participants from the spaced technique group and five (62.5%) participants from the massed technique group succeeded in applying all parts of the assessment cycle without significant help from other experts. Three (37.5%) participants in the spaced groups agreed that the pathway of applying the standards was confusing and entailed extra work requirements, while five (62.5%) participants in the massed group responded that it increased the feeling of being overwhelmed. Furthermore, the statistical results did not provide a clear indication of which program faculty members should adopt to facilitate their students in a better way. The lack of statistically significant differences between the findings of both programs suggests that the results do not confirm the superiority of spaced or massed practice, as is often assumed in medical education.

Conclusions. Both spaced and massed learning strategies were found to be broadly effective in transferring assessment skills, with no significant qualitative and qualitative differences. Their effectiveness depended on the specification of modules.
Development and Evaluation of a Community Health Program to Promote Physical Activity Among Vulnerable Community-Dwelling Older Adults: Protocol for a Prospective Cohort Study
Authors: Auerswald Tina , Zwingmann Katharina , Schlesinger Torsten , Müller Katrin
Published: February 2024

Background

Vulnerable older adults have a high risk of morbidity and mortality. Regular physical activity (PA) can have a positive effect on the health and health-related behavior of this specific target group. However, evidence of the impact and feasibility of community-based PA promotion interventions for vulnerable older adults is still limited.

Objective

The BeTaSen (Bewegungs-Tandems in den Lebenswelten Chemnitzer Seniorinnen und Senioren: ein Beitrag zur kommunalen Gesundheitsförderung) study aims to evaluate the (1) impact as well as the (2) feasibility, acceptance, and usefulness of a 12-month low-threshold PA intervention program for community-dwelling vulnerable older adults.

Methods

For our population-based prospective observational cohort study, a total of 120 vulnerable older adults (aged 75 years or older) in the area of Chemnitz (Germany) will be recruited to participate in (1) weekly neighborhood-based low-threshold PA meetings with trained mentors (activity tandems) and (2) monthly exercise meetings led by trained exercise instructors. Within the intervention, participants will be encouraged to perform the PA independently. Participants will complete assessments, which will include questionnaires as well as objective measurements of their physical, cognitive, and psychosocial health at 3 different time points (baseline, 6 months after the start, and 6 months after the end of the intervention). Additionally, a process evaluation will be performed, including questionnaires and qualitative interviews, involving the participants, mentors, and municipal project partner representatives.

Results

The BeTaSen project process began in October 2021, with the start of data collection and intervention in August 2022 in the first neighborhoods of the city of Chemnitz. A total of 86 participants were recruited at the time of submission of the manuscript. Longitudinal results are expected by 2025.

Conclusions

This study’s results will provide insights on (1) the PA behavior of vulnerable older adults as well as the impact of PA interventions on health-related outcomes such as cognitive, physical, and psychosocial health, and (2) the feasible and useful components of community-based PA interventions. Thus, this pilot study contributes to future recommendations and provides a basis for further research, such as the development of feasible and sustainable target group–specific interventions in community settings.

International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)

DERR1-10.2196/51462
AI Analysis of General Medicine in Japan: Present and Future Considerations
Authors: Aoki Nozomi , Miyagami Taiju , Saita Mizue , Naito Toshio
Published: February 2024

This paper presents an interpretation of artificial intelligence (AI)–generated depictions of the present and future of general medicine in Japan. Using text inputs, the AI tool generated fictitious images based on neural network analyses. We believe that our study makes a significant contribution to the literature because the direction of general medicine in Japan has long been unclear, despite constant discussion. Our AI analysis shows that Japanese medicine is currently plagued by issues with polypharmacy, likely because of the aging patient population. Additionally, the analysis indicated a distressed female physician and evoked a sense of anxiety about the future of female physicians. It discusses whether the ability to encourage the success of female physicians is a turning point for the future of medicine in Japan.
Development and Evaluation of a Community Health Program to Promote Physical Activity Among Vulnerable Community-Dwelling Older Adults: Protocol for a Prospective Cohort Study (Preprint)
Authors: Auerswald Tina , Zwingmann Katharina , Schlesinger Torsten , Müller Katrin
Published: February 2024

BACKGROUND

Vulnerable older adults have a high risk of morbidity and mortality. Regular physical activity (PA) can have a positive effect on the health and health-related behavior of this specific target group. However, evidence of the impact and feasibility of community-based PA promotion interventions for vulnerable older adults is still limited.

OBJECTIVE

The BeTaSen (Bewegungs-Tandems in den Lebenswelten Chemnitzer Seniorinnen und Senioren: ein Beitrag zur kommunalen Gesundheitsförderung) study aims to evaluate the (1) impact as well as the (2) feasibility, acceptance, and usefulness of a 12-month low-threshold PA intervention program for community-dwelling vulnerable older adults.

METHODS

For our population-based prospective observational cohort study, a total of 120 vulnerable older adults (aged 75 years or older) in the area of Chemnitz (Germany) will be recruited to participate in (1) weekly neighborhood-based low-threshold PA meetings with trained mentors (activity tandems) and (2) monthly exercise meetings led by trained exercise instructors. Within the intervention, participants will be encouraged to perform the PA independently. Participants will complete assessments, which will include questionnaires as well as objective measurements of their physical, cognitive, and psychosocial health at 3 different time points (baseline, 6 months after the start, and 6 months after the end of the intervention). Additionally, a process evaluation will be performed, including questionnaires and qualitative interviews, involving the participants, mentors, and municipal project partner representatives.

RESULTS

The BeTaSen project process began in October 2021, with the start of data collection and intervention in August 2022 in the first neighborhoods of the city of Chemnitz. A total of 86 participants were recruited at the time of submission of the manuscript. Longitudinal results are expected by 2025.

CONCLUSIONS

This study’s results will provide insights on (1) the PA behavior of vulnerable older adults as well as the impact of PA interventions on health-related outcomes such as cognitive, physical, and psychosocial health, and (2) the feasible and useful components of community-based PA interventions. Thus, this pilot study contributes to future recommendations and provides a basis for further research, such as the development of feasible and sustainable target group–specific interventions in community settings.

INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT

DERR1-10.2196/51462
Use of Extrinsic Motivators to Improve the BMI of Obese or Overweight Adolescents: Systematic Review (Preprint)
Authors: Gonçalves Ana , Simões Pedro Augusto , Sousa-Pinto Bernardo , Taveira-Gomes Tiago
Published: February 2024

BACKGROUND

The prevalence of overweight and obesity is increasing at an alarming rate in children and adolescents worldwide. Given the dimensions of the problem, the treatment of childhood obesity is considered extremely important. Current evidence indicates that behavioral and cognitive behavioral strategies combined with diet and physical activity approaches may assist in reducing adolescent obesity.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this systematic review was to evaluate the use of extrinsic motivators for improving the BMI of obese or overweight adolescents. 

METHODS

The inclusion criteria were as follows: (1) overweight or obese adolescents, (2) intervention using extrinsic motivators, and (3) outcome variables related to weight status. The exclusion criterion was the presence of an associated chronic disease. The search process was conducted in PubMed and Web of Science (last searched on April 23, 2023). The risk of bias was evaluated independently by 2 authors using Cochrane tools (RoB2 [randomized controlled trials], ROBINS-I, and ROBINS-E).

RESULTS

From 3163 studies identified, 20 articles (corresponding to 18 studies) were included in the analysis. The studies differed in terms of study design, sample size, follow-up duration, outcomes reported, and extrinsic motivators used. Most of the studies had videogames or apps as interventions. Of the 18 studies, 9 (50%) reported a statistically significant decrease in BMI. The most used extrinsic motivators were “motivation” (n=13), “feedback” (n=10), and “rewards” (n=9). Among the motivators, “reminders” (100%) and “peer-support” (80%) appeared to have high impacts on BMI reduction. 

CONCLUSIONS

The heterogeneity of the included studies made analysis difficult. No study evaluated extrinsic motivators in isolation. Most of the studies had a moderate or high risk of bias. The extrinsic motivators “reminders” and “peer-support” appeared to be useful. Further studies are needed, and these should include well-designed randomized controlled trials and studies involving homogeneity in BMI measures, consistent extrinsic motivator definitions, and longer durations to better understand the long-term impacts of extrinsic motivators on weight management success.
TelegramBOT para votar acuerdos en el Consejo Técnico de Facultad de Medicina
Authors: Barradas Culebro Gustavo
Published: February 2024

Se describe la implementación de BOTs de la aplicación Telegram para la votación de acuerdos llevados a cabo en el H. Consejo Técnico de la Facultad de Medicina de la UNAM, mediante dispositivos de uso cotidiano, como son teléfonos celulares, tabletas o computadoras, en las sesiones llevadas a cabo en la modalidad virtual, presencial o híbrida,  la cual permite contar con la legalidad y participación de sus consejeros al emplear herramientas de licencia pública como son Debian, Apache, PHP, Bootstrap y PostgreSQL.
Implementación de narrativa transmedia para el Programa de Inducción Universitaria
Authors: Pizarro Gómez José Luis
Published: February 2024

La iniciativa docente de interactuar con el cuerpo estudiantil de una forma innovadora y atractiva en el programa de inducción universitaria 2023 propició el diseño de una producción multimedia para la conferencia “Y tú, ¿ya tienes un plan de vida?”, a través de la cual se pudieran llevar a cabo actividades en vivo, así como una puesta en escena con elementos audiovisuales. El resultado fue una presentación con narrativa transmedia, la cual involucró un despliegue técnico muy especial, que combinó el uso de herramientas digitales y tecnológicas. Aquí se presentan las estrategias empleadas para su correcta implementación, así como los requerimientos técnicos.
Mel de abelhas sem ferrão no Brasil: análise bibliométrica e revisão sistemática
Authors: Julek Elisana , Luis Fagundes Vitor , Chiesse da Silva Zatta Juliana , Ávila Berthier Suelen , Arantes Galvão Julia
Published: February 2024

Introduction: The honey from stingless bees (SB) is distinguished from honey from Apis mellifera bees, by unique sensory attribute, characteristics such as sweet-sour flavor and fluid viscosity, arousing increased consumer interest. Nevertheless, in recent years the number of scientific productions related to the subject has increased, it is necessary that the published articles are replicable. Objective: To fill important gaps about SB honey in Brazil, considering the structuring and possibility of replication ofavailable studies, as well as the observation of physicochemical and microbiological characteristics of the product in order to base a national legislation. Method: The nine steps described in Methodi Ordinatio were followed. The search for articles was made in SciELO, ScienceDirect, Scopus and Web of Science platforms, using the keywords: “honey from stingless bees”, “meliponiculture”, “physicochemical characteristics” and “microbiological properties”. The content of 18 articles was analyzed. Results: Based on this literature survey, Brazilian SB honey from less than 31 of the species was evaluated. Therefore, there is a large number of species to be explored for their physicochemical, microbiological characteristics as well as antioxidant/microbial potential of their honeys from many Brazilian regions. Besides, it was observed very large variations in the physicochemical characteristics of the products coming from different species and productive regions. Conclusions: The standardization of a national legislation destined to the SB honey can only be established from deep studies, performed with each Brazilian species, providing more safety to the consumer.
Hierarchical generalization of dual unitarity
Authors: Yu Xie-Hang , Wang Zhiyuan , Kos Pavel
Published: February 2024

Quantum dynamics with local interactions in lattice models display rich physics, but is notoriously hard to study. Dual-unitary circuits allow for exact answers to interesting physical questions in clean or disordered one- and higher-dimensional quantum systems. However, this family of models shows some non-universal features, like vanishing correlations inside the light-cone and instantaneous thermalization of local observables. In this work we propose a generalization of dual-unitary circuits where the exactly calculable spatial-temporal correlation functions display richer behavior, and have non-trivial thermalization of local observables. This is achieved by generalizing the single-gate condition to a hierarchy of multi-gate conditions, where the first level recovers dual-unitary models, and the second level exhibits these new interesting features. We also extend the discussion and provide exact solutions to correlators with few-site observables and discuss higher-orders, including the ones after a quantum quench. In addition, we provide exhaustive parametrizations for qubit cases, and propose a new family of models for local dimensions larger than two, which also provides a new family of dual-unitary models.
The impact of HRM practices on OCB-I and OCB-O, with mediating roles of organizational justice perceptions: Moderating roles of gender
Authors:   Faculty of Tourism and Environment, Department of Management, University of Applied Sciences in Ferizaj, Ferizaj, Kosovo, Veseli Artan , Çetin Fatih ,   Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, Department of Business Administration, Baskent University, Ankara, Turkey
Published: February 2024

Aim/purpose – The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of HRM practices on OCB-I (altruism and courtesy) and OCB-O (sportsmanship, conscientiousness, and civic virtue) by examining the mediating role of organizational justice perceptions (i.e., distributional, procedural, and interactional justice) and the moderating role of gender. Design/methodology/approach – The study is based on a national sample of 10 organi- zations from the banking industry in Kosovo and data were obtained from 459 employ- ees. The statistical method involved regression analyses by constructing 14 different models through controlling demographics and the Sobel test for testing the moderator hypotheses. Findings – The findings of the study suggest that there are positive relations between HRM practices and both OCB-I and OCB-O. Additionally, HRM practices show posi- tive relations with justice perceptions, while justice perceptions show positive relations with both OCB-I and OCB-O. Furthermore, justice perceptions play a mediating role in the relationship between HRM practices and both OCB-I and OCB-O. Gender moderates the relationship between HRM practices and justice perceptions, showing a positive relationship for females but a negative one for males. Lastly, gender also moderates the relationship between justice perceptions and OCB-O, being positive for males but nega- tive for females. Research implications/limitations – Limitations of this study include uncertainties in determining the most suitable HRM practices for assessing their impact on OCBs, poten- tial method bias from the limited sample, and limited generalizability beyond Kosovo’s banking sector due to cultural variations. Originality/value/contribution – This study provides a comprehensive understanding of HRM practices, organizational justice, and OCBs within Kosovo’s banking sector. The findings not only contribute to theoretical knowledge but also offer practical insights for Kosovan commercial banks, emphasizing the importance of evaluating HRM prac- tices and justice perceptions to enhance employee behaviors crucial for organizational success. Keywords: HRM practices, justice perceptions, citizenship behavior, gender. JEL Classification: M10, M12, M19.
Analysis of Mathematical Connection Ability on Gender Differences of Junior High School Students
Authors: Nisa Nastiti Khairun , Dewanti Sintha Sih
Published: February 2024

The purpose of this study is to analyze the ability of mathematical connections to gender differences. A total of 92 grade VII students of SMP N 3 Bantul became the subject of this study. This type of research is descriptive quantitative research. The research instrument uses mathematical connection ability test questions with three indicators, namely connecting concepts between mathematics, connecting mathematical concepts with other fields of science and connecting mathematical concepts with everyday life. The data collection technique is using a test technique. The data obtained was then given a score and then analyzed and conclusions were drawn. The results of the study showed that there were differences in the mathematical connection abilities between male and female students where the female students' mathematical connection abilities were superior to male students.
USE OF COAGULANT FROM PLANT ORIGIN AS AN ALTERNATIVE IN THE TREATMENT OF EFFLUENTS FROM SANITATION INDUSTRY
Authors: Bettiol Bruna , Silvestre Wendel Paulo , Baldasso Camila
Published: February 2024

The use of aluminum sulphate-based coagulants, associated with flocculants, is frequent in the treatment of effluents. However, as a by-product, chemical sludge is produced, containing aluminum salts, which pollute the environment. The present work aimed to evaluate the performance of a vegetable coagulant based on tannin in the treatment of effluent from a sanitizing industry. Three experiments were carried out, using 1.0 % w/v of aluminum sulfate and vegetable coagulant, and using 0.25 % w/v of the vegetable coagulant. According to the tests, the vegetable coagulant at 0.25 % m/v reduced 60.4 % of turbidity, 71.0 % of total phosphorus, 98.0 % of anionic surfactants and completely removed animal and vegetable oils and greases and total suspended solids, generating an aluminum-free sludge. The vegetable coagulant acted simultaneously as a coagulant and flocculant and did not require adjustment of effluent pH, not requiring the use of flocculants and alkaline agents, in addition to being effective at lower dosages in relation to the coagulant based on aluminum sulfate. Therefore, the use of vegetable coagulant is technically feasible due to its biodegradability, sludge application potential, and because it does not require special investments or major changes to the existing effluent treatment infrastructure.
LEVANTAMENTO DAS MANIFESTAÇÕES PATOLÓGICAS ENCONTRADAS EM PONTES LOCALIZADAS NO MUNICÍPIO DE TAQUARI/RS
Authors: Lopes Israel da Silva , Schmitz Rebeca Jéssica
Published: February 2024

Pontes são estruturas que podem ser chamadas de obras de arte especiais (OAE) utilizadas para transpor rios. Em vista da importância destas estruturas, há uma preocupação constante com a manutenção da segurança e da sua funcionalidade durante a vida útil. Tendo em vista esta preocupação, com o objetivo de evitar a perda da sua funcionalidade ocasionada pelo surgimento de manifestações patológicas, se torna necessária a realização de inspeções. Considerando a importância destas estruturas e a necessidade de conservação das mesmas, o presente trabalho tem como objetivo apresentar um levantamento das manifestações patológicas encontradas nas pontes localizadas no município de Taquari/RS. Para verificar seu estado de conservação foram realizadas vistorias, com base na inspeção rotineira recomendada pela NBR 9452 (ABNT, 2019), em três OAE, sendo uma de madeira, uma de estrutura mista (aço e madeira) e uma de concreto armado. A análise de dados foi elaborada a partir da classificação por notas para os parâmetros relacionados à estrutura, durabilidade e funcionalidade, e por fim, apresentar sugestões de terapias a serem realizadas em função das manifestações patológicas visualizadas. De forma geral, observou-se que as estruturas de madeira possuem manifestações patológicas do tipo abrasão mecânica do tabuleiro e ataque por agentes bióticos e abióticos. A ponte de estrutura mista apresenta corrosão dos elementos de aço, e a ponte de concreto apresenta uma fissura que pode ter sido ocasionada por recalque do corpo do aterro. As três estruturas podem ser classificadas como críticas, com elevado nível de degradação.
Nothingness in the digital Space
Authors: Valerie Messini
Published: February 2024

Valerie Messini (Peter Weibel Research Institute for Digital Culture) chooses the phenomenon of emptiness in art as a point of departure for her contribution "Nothingness in the digital Space" and presents her artistic projects operating with different technologies to approach the phenomenon of emptiness in connection with corporeality in digital space. "1-NO1-100.000" uses dance movement to explore emptiness in virtual space, and "Deep Empty - Wide Open" uses deep learning to question the extent to which horizon lines function as mental voids.
Analysis of the difference in occupancy and profitability in international brand hotels before and after the pandemic caused by COVID-19
Authors:   Batumi Shota Rustaveli State University, Phalavandishvili Nargiz , Bakhtadze Ekaterine ,   Batumi Shota Rustaveli State University, Robitashvili Natalia ,   Batumi Shota Rustaveli State University, Popluga Dina ,   Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies
Published: February 2024

Adjara is a distinguished tourist region in Georgia. Based on statistical data, the growth of tourists and visitors in the last decade is characterized by high rates. However, both in the world and in Adjara, the COVID-19 pandemic caused significant damage to the tourism sector, drastically reducing the number of visitors. Based on the fact that Batumi has become a place of operation for international branded hotels, it attracts visitors from different countries. The Russia-Ukraine war had a certain influence on the recovery of tourism, in particular, the exchange rate of the national currency strengthened, real estate prices increased, and apartment hotels were distinctly busy. The aim of this research was to study the occupancy and profitability indicators of branded hotels operating in Adjara before and after the pandemic (2019 and 2022). In this study, the authors have identified difference in hotel occupancy and profit indicators in the corresponding months of 2019-2022; characterized differences in financial indicators concerning national and foreign currency; found out is there a disproportionate change in occupancy and profit in surveyed hotels. Qualitative and quantitative research methods were used during the research. As a result of the survey, significant changes in hotel occupancy and profit ratio were revealed, which are related to exchange rate changes and other important factors.
The role and the rights of individual in data economy ecosystems: implementation of the 5G electronic communication networks in Latvia
Authors:   University of Latvia, Auliciema Ilze
Published: February 2024

The article aims to reveal human privacy aspects of implementing 5G technologies in Latvia and provide an insight into how technology affects individuals and their privacy and property rights. The research analyses Latvian and European Union policy planning documents and regulatory acts in the 5G technology implementation and digital transformation, looking at them from the perspective of the ecosystem approach and individual rights. As a result of the study, it is revealed that the European Union and its member states are already facing a severe dilemma - priorities must be chosen: protection of individual data and private life or rapid development of the digital economy. The European Union's efforts to secure 5G networks and data security are taking longer than the technology ecosystem expects. The fact that the implementation of 5G technologies has been transferred to the hands of telecommunications operators (private business structures, with very little public capital or even global structures) and the development of different services are more private sector-oriented as well creates a threat that people and even state will not be able to control the use of data that is processed using data transmission networks. The study contributes to the discussion on the ethical aspects of digital transformation and data economy at individual and national levels.