bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Role of Latest Technology in Sustainable Hospital Supply Chain Management
Authors: ISLAM MD SHAIFUL , Habib Md. Mamun
Published: June 2023

The future of sustainable hospital supply chain management (SHSCM) hinges on the effective adoption and application of advanced technologies. As discussed previously, Hospital Infrastructure Development (HID), Collaboration & Information Flow (CIF), and Forecasting & Planning Management (FPM) are crucial for an effective and sustainable SCM. However, leveraging the latest Technology Supply Chain Applications (TSCA) could further enhance these efforts, ensuring not only sustainability but also a higher level of service efficiency and patient care.
Alternated Gravel Mounts With Artificial Assembled Boulders Reinforcement Inside Channelized Rivers
Authors: Piccoli Pietro Beretta , Yasuda Youichi
Published: June 2023

Alternated gravel mounts are expected to be a simpler and more cost-efficient alternative to traditional river restauration strategies. To improve their stability, two layers of assembled boulders are placed like fallen dominoes facing downstream around the triangular shape of each mount. Further assembled boulders are placed along both sides of the channel. The ecological improvements are quantified by the definition of refuge, i.e. anywhere inside the flow where fishes might escape the flooding’s force. In this paper, the needs of small sized fishes are considered (body length under 0.30 m). Point gauge and electrical-magnetic current meter are used to measure elevation and horizontal velocity components, respectively. The channel slope is kept at 0.01, while four different discharges are researched. The collected results are very promising: the introduction of assembled boulders is very important to maintain the model’s stability and flatten the water surface along the sides of the channel. The gravel mounts’ triangular shape successfully forces the flow to meander. Areas with slow flowing water are generated near the gravel bed along the channel’s sides. There, the requirements for the definition of refuge are met. As the water volume increases, the flow straightens, particularly inside the channel’s centre, but the refuge able areas are still forming. Each gravel mount is expected to generate a volume suitable for refuge as large as 40% of its own, with limiting factors such as flood’s discharge or shallow water conditions having little effect on this performance.
Using Self-Assessments to Improve Board Performance and Build Nonprofit Capacity
Authors: Carman Joanne G. , Millesen Judith L.
Published: June 2023

This paper presents the nonprofit board self-assessment tool as a valuable, formative addition to the toolkit of nonprofit stakeholders, including evaluators, who are focused on improving both board and organizational performance. Using self-assessment data from a study of 156 nonprofits, the study tested five hypotheses about the effectiveness of five nonprofit governance best practices: strategic planning, reducing ambiguity on the board, board giving, strong internal controls, and evaluating the chief executive officer. The study finds that some nonprofit management best practices are more effective than others when it comes to assessing board performance. Moreover, consistent with previous research, board members and CEOs occasionally view performance differently. The paper concludes with a discussion about how nonprofit organizations, evaluators, and others can use these findings, as well as self-assessment tools, to improve nonprofit board governance and strengthen organizational capacity.
HOW TO CORRECTLY IDENTIFY HERBAL MATERIALS IN MARKET? A CASE STUDY BASED ON DNA BARCODES
Authors: Zhang Dequan , Yang Yongshou , Jiang Bei , Duan Lizhen , Zhou Nong
Published: June 2023

Background: Traditional methods for identifying herbal medicines have many shortcomings. In this study, we aim to test discriminating ability of DNA barcodes and explore feasible method on evaluating identification results.

Materials and Methods: Materials of whole-plant medicines were sampled from herbal market. 111 samples were used for DNA sequencing of ITS2 and trnH-psbA regions. Assembled sequences were searched against reference database using the BLAST method. Comprehensive evaluation based on pharmacognostic investigation, macroscopic identification and identification of DNA barcodes were performed for authentication of the herbal materials.

Results: As a result, ITS2 had better identifying power than trnH-psbA in species-specific level (55.86% & 45.95%), as well as worse success rate of DNA sequencing (74.58% & 94.59%). In total, 89.19% individuals could be identified in genus level at least.

Conclusion: It was revealed that DNA barcoding was useful tool in identifying herbal materials. Both ITS2 and trnH-psbA should be incorporated into the standard regions of DNA barcodes for identifying herbal materials.
POLYPHENOLIC CONTENT AND IN VITRO ANTIOXIDANT EVALUATION OF THE STEM BARK EXTRACT OF PELTOPHORUM AFRICANUM SOND (FABACEAE)
Authors: Okeleye B I , Nongogo Vuyokazi , Mkwetshana Noxolo T , Ndip Roland N
Published: June 2023

Background: Peltophorum africanum has been traditionally used to relief stress induced diseases. The study was aimed to evaluate the antioxidant activities of ethyl acetate extract.

Material and methods: The in vitro antioxidant activities of Peltophorum africanum stem bark extract was examined in this study by means of +radical scavenging and ferric reducing power analysis using 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2, 2`-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) kit, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), iron (iii) chloride (Fe3+) and nitric oxide (NO). In assessing the likely effects of secondary metabolites on the activities observed; total proanthocyanidins, phenolics, flavonols, and flavonoids were determined using standard phytochemical methods. Data was analyzed by ANOVA test and the p-value < 0.05 was considered significant.

Results: Extract scavenging activity of 88.73± 6.69 % (25 µg mL-1), 53.93±1.09 % (25 µg mL-1), 87.293±6.64 % (25 µg mL-1), 10.55±2.16 mM (0.42 mM) and 3.8115±0.06 (25 µg mL-1) were recorded for H2O2, NO, DPPH, ABTS and Fe3+ reducing power respectively. These values were comparable to the standard compounds; DBPC*BHT, L (+) - Ascorbic acid and Trolox™ (p < 0.05). Proanthocyanidins (92.18±4.68 mg/g) occurred more (p < 0.05) in the extract when compared to all other compounds tested: phenolics (60.53±1.46 mg/g) > flavonoids (18.37± 2.11 mg/g), > flavonols (11.20±3.90 mg/g). However the difference between flavonols and flavonoids was not significant (p > 0.05) at 95% confidence interval.

Conclusion: The results of this study validated the folkloric use of P. africanum which could be exploited as an easily available and a cheaper source of natural antioxidants.
ACUPUNCTURE AND BEE VENOM THERAPY IN THE CHRONIC LOW BACK PAIN: A SHORT REVIEW
Authors: Lucache Beatrice , Albu Elena , Mungiu Ostin C
Published: June 2023

Background: Many pharmacological and nonpharmacologic therapies are available for the treatment of the low back pain (LBP). Despite medications are the most frequently prescribed therapy for LBP, the use of various complementary medicine techniques is increasing. The paper summarizes the latest evidence on the treatment of musculoskeletal conditions (with special focus on chronic LBP) by using acupuncture and bee venom therapy (BVT).

Methodology: The overview is based on English-language studies and articles found by searches of Medline over more than last 10 years. All the paper found that refer to LBP and at least one of the analyzed therapies have been taken into account.

Results: The mechanism of action, efficiency, harms, toxicity and contraindications are highlighted for the two therapies. The literature on these topics is extensive and controversial. There are trials in favour of using the two complementary therapies for rheumatic diseases, as well trials arguing that the observed analgesic effects are related to a strong placebo response.

Conclusions: The choice of using acupuncture and BVT for chronic LBP depends on various factors related to patient features and preferences, but nowadays an increased attention and support has to be noted.
ANTIOXIDANT AND ANTIBACTERIAL PROPERTIES OF ZIZIPHUS MUCRONATA AND RICINUS COMMUNIS LEAVES EXTRACTS
Authors: Nemudzivhadi Vhutshilo , Masoko Peter
Published: June 2023

Background: Plants have always been a successful source of remedy from nature. With the widespread use of medicinal plants by indigenous people, the search for biologically active agents is relevant as these plants have the potential to provide pharmacologically active compounds. This study aimed for investigating the effect of antioxidant and antibacterial properties of Ziziphus mucronata Willd (Rhamnaceae) and Ricinus communis L. (Euphorbiaceae).

Materials and methods: Antibacterial activity was evaluated using microdilution assay and bioautography. Antioxidant activities were determined by using 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH). In vitro cytotoxicity was determined using the tetrazolium-based colorimetric assay.

Results: R. communis leaves had eight secondary metabolites. Quantitative assay for R. communis, chloroform and methanol extracts had very high antioxidant activity compared to vitamin C. Plants extracts from all solvents exhibited high antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values between 0.21 and 1.05 mg/ml. Most of the antibacterial compounds observed on bioautography had Rf values ranging from 0.21 to 0.88. Z. mucronata had LC50 of 105.5 μg/ml and R. communis 131.8 μg/ml on Vero cells.

Conclusion: This study revealed that both plants had free radical scavenging and antibacterial activities.
SYNERGISTIC EFFECT OF RADIATION AND TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICINE RHIZOMA TYPHONII ETHANOL EXTRACTS DEPENDS ON P53 EXPRESSION IN TREATMENT OF LEWIS MOUSE LUNG CANCER CELLS
Authors: Zhao Yinlong , Zhao Lingjun , Luo Yunxiao , Li Xin , Zhang Yifan , Liu Xiaodong , Luo Yungang , Zhong Lili
Published: June 2023

Background: Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death, and it is the most common cancer in terms of both incidence and mortality. There is an urgent need on novel therapeutic strategies for lung cancer. Traditional Chinese herbal medicines (CHM) have potential valuable for cancer treatment.

Materials and Methods: Lewis mouse lung cancer cell line and Lewis cells tumors xenograft were used in this experiment. MTT assay was used to detect cell proliferation, flow cytometry (FCM) analysis and Western blotting to detect cell apoptosis, and colony formation assay to evaluate the effect of combined therapy of RT+IR.

Results: Our data showed that Rhizoma typhonii (RT) obviously inhibited the proliferations of Lewis cells in time and dose dependent manners by MTT assay and enhanced radiosensitivity by colony formation assay. The effects of RT to Ionizing radiation (IR) therapy were demonstrated radiosensitivity on tumors xenograft experiment. In our study, RT induced apoptotic in Lewis cells directly and enhanced the pro-apoptotic effect of IR by regulating the expression of p53.

Conclusions: These data suggested that RT may be a great potential anti-tumor medicine and the combination of RT and IR may provide a new therapeutic strategy for the treatment of Lewis lung cancer.
PHYTOCHEMICAL AND ANTIOXIDANT INVESTIGATIONS OF A CLAUSENA ANISATA HOOK, A SOUTH AFRICAN MEDICINAL PLANT
Authors: Lawal Ibraheem Oduola , Grierson Don S , Afolayan A J
Published: June 2023

Background: Clausena anisata (Willd). Hook (Rutaceae), also known as Iperepesi in Xhosa language is a medicinal plant widely used by herbalists for the treatment and/or management of several ailments such as chronic cough, tuberculosis and lung ulceration in Eastern Cape, South Africa. With reference to the information gathered in our previous study, we investigated the plant’s phyto-constituents, as well as its inhibitory effects using aqueous and two different organic solvent of extractions in order to justify its folkloric usage.

Methods: Antioxidant activity of the plant was screened through 1,1- diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2’-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6- sulfonic acid) (ABTS) diammonium salt, nitric oxide (NO), and ferric reducing power. Total phenols, flavonoids, flavonols, proanthocyanidins, tannins, alkaloids and saponins were investigated using spectroscopic techniques.

Results: There were no significant differences in the flavonoid and proanthocyanidins contents between the leaves and bark extracts of C. anisata respectively, while the total phenolic content of the bark extract of C. anisata was significantly higher than that of the C. anisata leaf. The acetone extracts of both the leaf and bark indicated strong antioxidant activities.

Conclusion: The observed activities of the plant extracts could be attributed to the high contents of the phenolics, alkaloids, flavonoids, saponins, proanthocyanidins and tannin. The acetone extracts of the plants have also exhibited strong antioxidant activities in vitro. It has been established scientifically that oxidative stress is linked with several degenerative conditions and diseases; the inhibitory effects of these plant extracts on the free radicals could logically justify the folkloric usage of C. anisata leaf and bark in the Eastern Cape for the treatment of respiratory infection diseases.
COMPARATIVE PROFILING OF BIOMARKER PSORALEN IN ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVE EXTRACTS OF DIFFERENT SPECIES OF GENUS FICUS BY VALIDATED HPTLC METHOD
Authors: Alam Perwez , Basudan Omer A. , Alqasoumi Saleh I. , Abdel-Kader Maged S. , Donia Abd El Raheim M. , Al-Rehaily Adnan , Alam Prawez , Siddiqui Nasir A. , Shakeel Faiyaz
Published: June 2023

Background: A simple but sensitive HPTLC method was developed for the comparative evaluation of psoralen in antioxidant active extracts of leaves of five different species of genus Ficus (Ficus carica, Ficus nitida, Ficus ingens, Ficus palmata and Ficus vasta).

Materials and Methods: HPTLC studies were carried out using CAMAG HPTLC system on Glass-backed silica gel 60F254 HPTLC pre-coated plates using selected mobile phase toluene: methanol (9:1). The antioxidant activity was carried out, using DPPH free radical method.

Results: Among all the five species of genus Ficus, F. palmata and F. carica exhibited comparatively good antioxidant activity in DPPH assay. The developed HPTLC method was found to give a compact spot for psoralen (Rf = 0.55±0.001) at 305 nm. The regression equation and r2 for psoralen was found to be Y= 4.516X+35.894 and 0.998. The quantification result revealed the presence of psoralen in only two species, F. carica (0.24%, w/w) and F. palmata (1.88%, w/w) which supported their supremacy for anti-oxidant potential over other species. The statistical analysis proved that the developed method was reproducible and selective.

Conclusion: The developed method can be used as an important tool to assure the therapeutic dose of active ingredients in herbal formulations as well as for standardization and quality control of bulk drugs and in-process formulations. This method can also be employed for the further study of degradation kinetics and determination of psoralen in plasma and other biological fluids.
HEPATOPROTECTIVE EFFECT AND GC-MS ANALYSIS OF TRADITIONALLY USED BOSWELLIA SACRA OLEO GUM RESIN (FRANKINCENSE) EXTRACT IN RATS
Authors: Asad Mohammed , Alhumoud Meshal
Published: June 2023

Background: The water extract of oleo-gum-resin of Boswellia sacra Fleuckiger (Burseraceae) is used in the treatment of liver problems in the

Middle East and Arab-African countries. The present study was carried out to evaluate its effect on liver injury induced by carbon tetrachloride in

acute and chronic liver injury models.

Materials and Methods: The Boswellia sacra extract was administered at doses of 2 ml/kg and 5 ml/kg. Silymarin, a known hepato-protective

agent was used as standard. The extract was subjected to GC-MS analysis to determine the presence of various phyto-constituents.

Results: The Boswellia sacra extract at tested doses of 2 ml/kg and 5 ml/kg significantly reduced the elevated serum levels of biomarkers in liver

damage. The hepatoprotective effect was supported by changes in histopathology. The GC-MS analysis of the extract revealed the presence of

several phyto-constituents that included menthol, 3-cyclohexen-1-ol and octanoic acid.

Conclusion: The water extract oleo-gum-resin of Boswellia sacra possesses hepatoprotective activity, as claimed by traditional healers within the

Middle East and Arab-African countries.
High Biodiversity and Low Dominance in Insect Species on Marsegu Island: A Case Study
Authors: Savdurin Berlindus , Latumahina Fransina , Wattimena Cornelia
Published: June 2023

This study aimed to assess the diversity and abundance of insect species in the coastal forest of Marsegu Island in the Western Seram Regency. The data was collected using an exploratory method, which involved direct observation and sampling in the field between October 2020 and the completion of the study. A total of 321 individuals representing 20 species from six orders (Orthoptera, Hemiptera, Lepidoptera, Coleoptera, Diptera, Aranae) were identified, distributed across 20 families. The Diptera family Muscidae was most commonly found. The insect diversity index (H') was 4.371, indicating high species diversity within the region. The evenness index (E) was 0.931, suggesting that no single family dominated the population due to a balanced ecosystem. The dominance index was 0.155, implying low dominance and equitable abundance among species. The findings emphasize the importance of Marsegu Island's ecological balance, which may be threatened by chemical interventions. It is crucial to conserve these diverse and abundant insect communities, which play a significant role in maintaining ecosystem health and complexity.

Highlights:

The study revealed a high diversity of insect species (H' index = 4.371) on Marsegu Island, highlighting its rich ecological complexity.

The even distribution of insect species (E index = 0.931) underlines the balanced ecosystem, free from chemical interventions.

Despite the high diversity, no species dominates the ecosystem, as reflected by a low dominance index (0.155), emphasizing the importance of species equality in maintaining ecosystem health.

Keywords: Insect Diversity, Marsegu Island, Ecosystem Balance, Species Abundance, Dominance Index.
Cannabinoid type 2 receptor inhibition enhances the antidepressant and proneurogenic effects of physical exercise after chronic stress
Authors: Xapelli Sara , Rodrigues Rui , Moreira João , Vaz SH , Barateiro Andreia , Paulo Sara , Mateus Joana , Lourenço Diogo , Ribeiro Filipa , Loureiro-Campos Eduardo , Bielefeld Pascal , Fitzsimons Carlos , fernandes Adelaide , Sebastião Ana , Pinto Luísa
Published: June 2023

Chronic stress is a major risk factor of neuropsychiatric conditions such as depression. Adult hippocampal neurogenesis (AHN) has emerged as a promising target to counteract stress-related disorders given the ability of newborn neurons to facilitate endogenous plasticity. Recent data sheds light on the interaction between cannabinoids and neurotrophic factors underlying the regulation of AHN, with important effects upon cognitive plasticity and emotional flexibility. Since physical exercise (PE) is known to enhance neurotrophin levels, we hypothesized that PE could engage with cannabinoids to influence AHN and that this would result in beneficial effects under stressful conditions. We therefore investigated the actions of modulating cannabinoid type 2 receptors (CB2R), which are devoid of psychotropic effects, in combination with PE in chronically stressed animals. We found that CB2R inhibition, but not CB2R activation, in combination with PE significantly ameliorated stress-evoked emotional changes and cognitive deficits. Importantly, this combined strategy critically shaped stress-induced changes in AHN dynamics, leading to a significant increase in the rates of cell proliferation and differentiation of newborn neurons, and an overall reduction in neuroinflammation. Together, these results show that CB2Rs are crucial regulators of the beneficial effects of PE in countering the effects of chronic stress. Our work emphasizes the importance of understanding the mechanisms behind the actions of cannabinoids and PE and provides a framework for future therapeutic strategies to treat stress-related disorders that capitalize on lifestyle interventions complemented with endocannabinoid pharmacomodulation.
The Covid Response Study (COVRES) Protocol: a comprehensive genomic, immunological, proteomic and phenotypic comparison of hospitalised versus non-hospitalised SARS-CoV-2 patients in Northern Ireland
Authors: English Andrew , McDaid Darren , Lynch Seodhna M. , McLaughlin Joe , Cooper Eamonn , Wingfield Benjamin , Kelly Martin , Bhavsar Manav , McGilligan Victoria , Irwin Rachelle E , Bucholc Magda , Zhang Shu-Dong , Shukla Priyank , Rai Taranjit Singh , Bjourson Anthony J , Murray Elaine , Gibson David S , Walsh Colum
Published: June 2023

Objective
The Covid Response Study (COVRES, NCT05548829) aims to carry out an integrated multi-omic analysis of factors contributing to host susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 among a patient cohort of 1000 people from the geographically isolated island of Ireland.
Background
Health organisations and countries around the world have found it difficult to control the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019. To minimise the impact on the NHS and improve patient care, there is a drive for rapid tests capable of detecting individuals who are at high risk of contracting severe COVID-19. Early work focused on single omic approaches, highlighting a limited amount of information.
Study Design
The protocol below describes the study to be carried out in Northern Ireland (NI-COVRES) by Ulster University, the Republic of Ireland component will be described separately. All participants (n = 519) were recruited from the Western Health and Social Care Trust, Northern Ireland, forty patients are also being followed up at 1, 3, 6 and 12 months to assess the longitudinal impact of infection on symptoms, general health, and immune response, this is ongoing.
Methods
Data will be sourced from whole blood, saliva samples, and clinical data from the Northern Ireland Electronic Care Record, general health questionnaire, and the GHQ12 mental health survey. Saliva and blood samples were processed for DNA and RNA prior to whole genomic sequencing, RNA sequencing, DNA methylation, microbiome, 16S, and proteomic analysis. Multi-omics data will be combined with clinical data to produce sensitive and specific prognostic models of severity risk.
Results
An initial profile of the cohort has been completed: n = 249 hospitalised and n = 270 non-hospitalised patients were recruited, 64% were female, the mean age was 45 years. High levels of comorbidity were evident in the hospitalised cohort, with cardiovascular disease and metabolic and respiratory disorders (P < 0.001) being the most significant.
Conclusion
This study will provide a comprehensive opportunity to study multi-omic mechanisms of COVID-19 severity in re-contactable participants.
Trial Registration -
The trial has been registered as an observational study on clinicaltrials.gov as NCT05548829. An outline of the trial protocol is included; SPIRIT checklist (Supplementary Fig. 1).
Physical Activity, Sleep Disorders, and Type of Work in the Prevention of Mild Cognitive Impairment in Patients with Hypertension
Authors: Zhang Mengdi , Jiao Huachen , Wang Cong , Qu Ying , Lv Shunxin , Zhao Dongsheng , Zhong Xia
Published: June 2023

Background
Hypertensive patients are likelier to have mild cognitive impairment (MCI). This study aimed to explore physical activity level, sleep disorders, and type of work that influenced intervention effects on mild cognitive impairment in hypertensive patients and to establish a decision tree model to analyze their predictive significance on the incidence of MCI in hypertensive patients.
Methods
We performed a retrospective analysis of clinical data from 733 hypertensive patients, consisting of 356 males and 377 females with a mean age of 67.72 ± 10.79 years. Cognitive function was assessed using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), and sleep quality was assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Moreover, we obtained information on the patients' type of work through a questionnaire and their level of physical activity through the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). Statistical analysis was performed using various methods, including T-test, Mann-Whitney U test, χ2 test, logistic regression, and decision tree. Finally, the ROC curve was plotted to evaluate the predictive ability of the decision tree model.
Results
The logistic regression analysis results indicate that sleep disorder is a significant risk factor for MCI in hypertension patients. Mental workers and those who perform manual and mental workers work exhibit protective effects against MCI. Compared to low-intensity and moderate physical activity, high-intensity physical activity protects against MCI in hypertension patients. The importance of predictors in the decision tree model was ranked as follows: physical activity level (54%), type of work (27%), and sleep disorders (19%). The area under the ROC curves the decision tree model predicted was 0.719 (95% CI: 0.677–0.761, p ＜0.001).
Conclusion
The probability of MCI is the largest in hypertensive patients with low-intensity activities or less. Sleep disorders is a risk factor for MCI in hypertensive patients. Hypertensive patients who engage in mental work and high-intensity physical activity effectively mitigate the onset of MCI in hypertensive patients.
Trace elements contamination of marine sediments in the Mediterranean Sea: a defining moment for healthy sea
Authors: Ardila Pedro Agustín Robledo , Alonso Rebeca Álvarez , Valsero Juan José Durán , García Raquel Morales , Cabrera Flor Árcega , Cosío Elizabeth Lamas
Published: June 2023

The alteration of marine sediments plays a key role in the global health of the seas as consequence of anthropogenic pollution in highly populated coastal areas. This research analyses the concentration and distribution of heavy metals in coastal and marine sediments of the Mediterranean Sea. Research has highlighted that Hg, Ni and Cu are present in very high concentrations in sediments, while Cr, Zn, Cd, Ba and V have slightly more moderate values. Sediment quality guidelines and the pollution indexes (Igeo and Geochemical Signal Type-GST) have been used to evaluate the trace element results, revealing a general trend of decreasing concentrations from the littoral coast to the open sea. Principal component analysis (PCA) indicates that the chemistry of metals in sediments is mainly regulated by the sequence Cu, Pb, Zn, Ba, and Cr. This study suggests that heavy metals distribution patterns are related to strong pressured tourist areas and management strategies are needed to ensure the health of the Mediterranean Sea.
Analysis of Climate Change Impacts on Food Security in Somalia
Authors: Said Mohamed , Bashir Abdullahi
Published: June 2023

This study uses a combination of qualitative and quantitative research methods to explore the impact of climate change on food security in Somalia. Data were collected through questionnaires and interviews with a sample size of 80, consisting of farmers, agricultural teachers, students, and environmental workers in the surrounding area. The findings show significant changes in precipitation and temperature leading to land degradation and other environmental challenges, ultimately leading to water shortages and degradation of crops and livestock. Famine is the cause of food insecurity and subsequent flooding in Somalia. Based on the findings, policy interventions are recommended to address food shortages in the country. These interventions should focus on promoting sustainable research and development of food and vegetable crops, facilitating the adaptation and use of appropriate agricultural technologies and being effective, and helping farmers adapt to changing environments. This study highlights the importance of sustainable crop production as a way to reduce high food insecurity in Somalia. In addition, these measures can help reduce the risk of significant developments and communities' exposure to climate risks. The research supports ongoing efforts to maintain a healthier and more stable environment in the country by revealing the specific impacts of climate change on food security in Somalia and providing actionable recommendations. Implementation of this policy is essential to addressing the challenges posed by climate change and ensuring food security for the Somali people in the future.
Trends and Projection of Burden on Lung Cancer and Risk Factors in China from 1990 to 2060
Authors: He Baozhen , Zhao Xingyu , Lei Xun , Sun Rong , Liu Weiwei
Published: June 2023

Background
Lung cancer (LC) is currently the number one malignancy death rate disease in China, and its disease burden is serious. The study aims to analyze trends of LC and its risk factor attributable disease in China from 1990 to 2019 and project the next 40 years.
Methods
The average annual percentage change (AAPC) was used to analyze the trend of LC and its risk factor attributable incidence, death rate and DALYs rate in China from 1990 to 2019, which were collected in the 2019 Global Burden of Disease (GBD2019). In addition, based on the data from 1990 to 2019, an Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average Model (ARIMA) was established for death rate, incidence and disability adjusted life years (DALYs rate) attributed to LC and its risk factors, and the model parameters RMSE, MAE and MAPE were used to evaluate the model.
Results
From 1990 to 2019, the incidence, death rate and DALYs rate of LC showed a rapid rising trend. Among them, the DALYs rate, incidence and death rate of LC patients > 60 years old showed an increasing trend, and the biggest increase was in the age group 85 + years old, which increased by 87.6%, 119.0% and 89.8%, respectively. The top four risk factors in terms of both DALYs rate and death rate in 2019 were smoking, environmental particulate pollution, occupational risk and second-hand smoke. It is found that the death rate and DALYs rate of LC are increasing each year from 2020 to 2060 and the DALYs rate of LC will reach 3349.374/100,000, and the death rate will reach 1919936/100000 by 2060. In addition, the top four rank of DALYs rate and death rate of LC risk factors in China in 2060 are smoking, environmental particulate pollution, high fasting plasma glucose(HFPG) and occupational risk, in which HFPG will increase the most.
Conclusions
The LC burden still increased from 1990 to 2019 in China. And the LC burden that could be attributed to HFPG will continue to increase in the next 40 years and will be the third important factor by 2060. Targeted interventions are warranted to facilitate the prevention of LG and improvement of health-related quality of patients of LC.
Amygdalar NT3-TrkC pathway underlies inter-individual differences in fear extinction and related synaptic plasticity
Authors: Masella Gianluca , Silva Francisca , Corti Elisa , Azkona Garokoitz , madeira Maria Francisca , Tomé Ângelo , Ferreira Samira , Cunha Rodrigo , Duarte Carlos , Santos Mónica
Published: June 2023

Fear-related pathologies are among the most prevalent psychiatric conditions, having inappropriate learned fear and resistance to extinction as cardinal features. Exposure therapy represents a promising therapeutic approach, the efficiency of which depends on inter-individual variation in fear extinction learning, though neurobiological basis is unknown. We developed and characterized a naturalistic model of extinction learning, whereby fear conditioned mice were categorized as extinction (EXT)-success or EXT-failure, according to their ability to extinguish fear. In the lateral amygdala, GluN2A-contaning NMDAR are required for LTP and stabilization of fear memories, while GluN2B-contaning NMDAR are required for LTD and fear extinction. EXT-success mice showed attenuated LTP, strong LTD and higher levels of synaptic GluN2B, while EXT-failure mice showed strong LTP, no LTD and higher levels of synaptic GluN2A. Neurotrophin 3 (NT3) infusion in the lateral amygdala was sufficient to rescue extinction deficits in EXT-failure mice. Mechanistically, activation of tropomyosin receptor kinase C (TrkC) with NT3 in EXT-failure slices attenuated lateral amygdala LTP, in a GluN2B-dependent manner. Conversely, blocking endogenous NT3-TrkC signaling with TrkC-Fc chimera in EXT-success slices strengthened lateral amygdala LTP. Our data support a key role for the NT3-TrkC system in inter-individual differences in fear extinction in rodents, through modulation of amygdalar NMDAR composition and synaptic plasticity.
Neural Sensitivity following Stress Predicts Anhedonia Symptoms: A 2-Year Multi-wave, Longitudinal Study
Authors: Pagliaccio David , Pizzagalli Diego , Auerbach Randy , Kirshenbaum Jaclyn
Published: June 2023

Animal models of depression show that acute stress negatively impacts functioning in neural regions sensitive to reward and punishment, often manifesting as anhedonic behaviors. However, few human studies have probed stress-induced neural activation changes in relation to anhedonia, which is critical for clarifying risk for affective disorders. Participants (N = 85, 12-14-years-old, 53 female), oversampled for risk of depression, were administered clinical assessments and completed an fMRI guessing task to probe neural response to receipt of rewards and losses. After the initial task run, participants received an acute stressor and then, were re-administered the guessing task. Including baseline, participants provided up to 10 self-report assessments of life stress and symptoms over a 2-year period. Linear mixed-effects models estimated whether change in neural activation (post- vs. pre-acute stressor) moderated the longitudinal associations between life stress and symptoms over time. Primary analyses indicated that adolescents with stress-related reductions in right ventral striatum response to rewards exhibited stronger longitudinal associations between life stress and anhedonia severity (pFDR=.048). Secondary analyses showed that longitudinal associations among life stress and depression severity were moderated by stress-related increases in dorsal striatum response to rewards (pFDR<.002). Additionally, longitudinal associations among life stress and anxiety severity were moderated by stress-related reductions in dorsal anterior cingulate cortex and right anterior insula response to loss (pFDR≤.012). All results held when adjusting for comorbid symptoms. Results show convergence with animal models, highlighting mechanisms that may facilitate stress-induced anhedonia as well as a separable pathway for the emergence of depressive and anxiety symptoms.
What is the Optimal Method of Chest Compression Until the Establishment of Extracorporeal Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (ECPR)? A Comparative Analysis of Mechanical and Manual Chest Compressions - Secondary Analysis of the SAVE-J II Study of Out-of-Hospital Cardiopulmonary Arrest Patients Treated with Extracorporeal Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation
Authors: Nagashima Futoshi , Oda Tomohiro , Matsuda Tomoya , Hamagami Tomohiro , Kobayashi Makoto , Inoue Akihiko , Hifumi Toru , Sakamoto Tetsuya , Kuroda Yasuhiro
Published: June 2023

Introduction:
The widespread adoption of extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECPR) for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest requires the delivery of effective and high-quality chest compressions prior to the initiation of ECPR. The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the effectiveness of mechanical and manual chest compressions until the initiation of ECPR.
Methods
This study was a secondary analysis of the Japanese retrospective multicenter registry "Study of Advanced Life Support for Ventricular Fibrillation by Extracorporeal Circulation II (SAVE-J II)”. Patients were divided into two groups, one receiving mechanical chest compressions and the other receiving manual chest compressions. The primary outcome measure was mortality at hospital discharge, while the secondary outcome was the cerebral performance category (CPC) score at discharge.
Results
Of the 2,157 patients enrolled in the SAVE-J II trial, 453 patients (329 in the manual compression group and 124 in the mechanical compression group) were included in the final analysis. Univariate analysis showed a significantly higher mortality rate at hospital discharge in the mechanical compression group compared to the manual compression group (odds ratio [95% CI] = 2.32 [1.34–4.02], p = 0.0026). Multivariate analysis showed that mechanical chest compressions were an independent factor associated with increased mortality at hospital discharge (adjusted odds ratio [95% CI] = 2.00 [1.11–3.58], p = 0.02). There was no statistically significant difference in CPC between the two groups.
Conclusion
Mechanical chest compressions should not be provided to patients with out-of-hospital cardiopulmonary arrest who require ECPR until ECPR has been established.
Role of Responsible Institution in Urban Water Governance and Sanitation Management: A Focus on Metropolitan Areas of Bangladesh
Authors: Hossain Imran , Haque AKM Mahmudul
Published: June 2023

The health and well-being of urban communities depend heavily on having access to clean water and adequate sanitation. The study's objectives are to look at how urban water and sanitation management is currently done, assess the effects of responsible institutions and good water governance, and offer suggestions for how to do it better. The study takes a mixed-methods approach, combining qualitative interviews with the analysis of quantitative data. To determine how water management experts, view responsible institutions and good water governance, a survey of residents is conducted. Despite implementation gaps, the findings show that stakeholders understand the value of good water governance. The need for greater stakeholder involvement, integrated water resource management, stronger regulatory frameworks, robust institutional capacity building, and improved financial sustainability was emphasized by the stakeholders. The study also looks at how responsible institutions, such as government agencies, non-governmental organizations, and businesses, contribute to the management of urban water and sanitation. The study concludes that responsible institutions and good water governance must work together to manage urban water and sanitation effectively. The research results support the creation of practices, policies, and programs that improve urban water and sanitation services.
The Effect of Toxic Workplace Environment on Employee Performance Mediated by Employee Engagement and Work Stress Among F&B Employees in Jakarta
Authors: Kurniawan Shelvy , Bamumin Farras Ammar , Kusnandar Kevin Novaldi
Published: June 2023

Employee engagement and high work stress often become obstacles for MSMEs to produce good employee performance. One of the problems in human resources that often occur is a toxic workplace environment. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of a toxic workplace environment on employee performance mediated by work stress and employee engagement among F&B MSMEs employees in Jakarta. This research uses quantitative research methods. Questionnaires were distributed to F&B MSMEs employees in Jakarta and the data obtained was processed using SmartPLS. This study has a respondent of 400 respondents. The results showed that there was a positive effect between a toxic workplace environment on work stress, a negative effect between a toxic workplace environment on employee engagement, a negative effect between work stress and employee performance, a positive effect between employee engagement and employee performance, a non-significant negative effect of a toxic workplace environment on employee performance, there is a significant negative effect of a toxic workplace environment mediated by work stress on employee performance, and there is a significant negative effect of a toxic workplace environment mediated by employee engagement on employee performance.
The SDLC Analysis for Implementation Document Management System at IPR Center of Universitas Jenderal Soedirman
Authors: Aliim Muhammad Syaiful , Supriyanti Retno , Siswantoro Hari
Published: June 2023

The Document Management System (DMS), the Center for the Development of Intellectual Property Rights, is a web-based document management information system developed by the Center for Intellectual Property Development at Universitas Jenderal Soedirman. This system is used to archive documents digitally. However, because it did not work as intended by the user, the DMS Intellectual Property Rights Center did redesign both appearance and database relations. After the redesign process is complete, the SIMD Intellectual Property Rights Centre’s development results from the redesign need to be implemented in a production environment. For the implementation process to run well, it is necessary to analyze the factors that affect the deployment process with the implementation process in the widely used System Development Life Cycle (SDLC) model. By mapping these factors with the characteristics, advantages, and disadvantages of each SDLC implementation process, the V-shaped model's deployment process is more effective and efficient in its execution in a production environment. The results show that the results of this redesign procedure can solve the problems that have occurred so far.
Phishing Site Detection Classification Model Using Machine Learning Approach
Authors: Muliono Yohan , Ma’ruf Muhammad Amar , Azzahra Zakiyyah Mutiara
Published: June 2023

Phishing has been a cybercrime that has existed for a long time, and there are still many people who are victims of this attack. This research attempts to prevent phishing by extracting the attributes found on phishing websites. This study uses a hybrid method by combining allowlist and denylist as part of a classification system. This research utilizes 18 features to identify a phishing site in terms of address bar, abnormal request, and source code (HTML and JavaScript). Where in each feature the author determines the benchmark. This study validates the status code and detects 52 URL shortening service domains and then evaluates these abnormalities with a binary classification system. Algorithms that have good results are Decision Tree and K Nearest Neighbor (KNN). After evaluating the performance of the algorithm in terms of Precision, Recall, and F-Measure. As a result, the Decision Tree algorithm has the highest accuracy of 97.62% and the fastest computation time of 0.00894 seconds. So that the Decision Tree is superior in terms of accuracy and computation time in detecting phishing URLs.
Fruits Recognition using Deep Convolutional Neural Network for Low Computing Device
Authors: Iswanto Irene Anindaputri
Published: June 2023

Artificial intelligence is one of the most developed fields in Computer Science where a lot of researches had been done to make the computer smarter to perform human-like task. One of the most common human-life task research that had been done is object recognition. Convolutional Neural Network is one of the most popular deep learning model to perform a good object recognition. While improving CNN model can be done by simply increasing the depth of its architecture, some researchers prove that as the CNN architecture go deeper, the accuracy will get worse. ResNet, with their residual layer, successfully lift the limitation, but ResNet by itself is too heavy for a mobile or low computing device. This paper proposes a new model which could reach the accuracy of ResNet while having faster prediction time. The proposed model and other state-of-the-art models had been trained on our own fruits and vegetables dataset. The result shows that the proposed model can reach the same accuracy as Resnet110 and overcome the accuracy of DenseNet121 while being faster than those models.
Enhancing Flood Disaster Preparedness Through Virtual Reality: A VR-based Flood Simulator Game
Authors: Panggabean Francisco Maruli
Published: June 2023

This research focuses on the use of virtual reality (VR) technology to increase user preparedness for flood disasters. This study aims to develop a VR-based flood simulation that provides users with immersive flood disaster simulations in line with flood preparedness guidelines. Game application needs are collected through questionnaires and similar application analysis. Evaluation is carried out to assess user needs, user interface (UI), and game effectiveness in increasing flood disaster preparedness. The evaluation was carried out by involving users who live in flood-prone areas, asking them to play a VR flood simulator game and filling out a questionnaire. The results show positive user perceptions and an average score increase of 25.38% in the second play session, indicating increased readiness. The VR flood simulator game shows its potential to increase preparedness and knowledge in dealing with flood disasters.
Phishing Detection Applications for Website and Domain at Browser using Virustototal API
Authors: Nadia Nadia , Leewando Wellson , Paulus Javier , Nooril Valentino
Published: June 2023

The purpose of this research is to create a browser extension-based application that can detect malicious sites to minimize phishing attacks. The research method used is to conduct a literature study and collect data from the questionnaire results. Research testing methods are blackbox testing, performance testing using 100 URL with precision and recall method, and comparison between two other simillar applications. The results of this study indicate that this application has good functionality and can reduce phishing attacks on users. The conclusion that can be drawn from this research is that the malicious site detection feature in browser extensions can enhance user protection from phishing attacks