bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
CALIBRATION OF THE INERTIAL MEASUREMENT UNIT IN CRITICAL CONDITIONS
Authors: Avrutov Vadym , Pozniak Daniil
Published: December 2023

Calibration of the inertial measuring unit (IMU) is an independent task and is the most important stage in preparing for operation both platform and strapdown inertial navigation systems (INS). The traditional calibration of IMU, containing at least three gyroscopes and three accelerometers, carried out in specialized testing laboratories, has been studied in sufficient detail. However, the widespread use of IMUs using MEMS sensors with characteristic instability of parameters leads to the need for additional calibration of IMUs IMUediately before INS operation in critical or field conditions. Under such conditions, firstly, there is no testing equipment necessary for the full implementation of traditional calibration, and secondly, the recalibration process itself is limited in time.In the article, studies were carried out on the possibility of using the method of successive rotations for the recalibration of IMU in the field. With this approach, in contrast to the test rotation method, there is no need to rotate the IMU by 180 degrees, but it is enough to rotate the IMU by small angles. Calculation ratios are obtained for determining the scale factors and zero signals of the accelerometer unit for two positions of the IMU. The experiment carried out confirmed the validity of the calculated ratios obtained. In addition, a recalibration method is described, which makes it possible to estimate, in addition to scale factors and zero signals of the accelerometer unit, also the tilt angles of the base on which the IMU is installed. To do this, you must have at least five different IMU positions.In addition, the calibration of the gyroscope unit when tactical and navigational accuracy class gyroscopes are used is considered. For gyroscopes of the tactical accuracy class and which are manufactured using MEMS technology, biases are determined in the critical conditions, which are not stable from start to start. Algorithms for determining biases and scale factors were obtained for the calibration of the gyroscope unit of the navigation accuracy class, for which the same two positions in which the accelerometer unit was calibrated were used. That is, during the calibration of the IMU in critical conditions, it is possible to simultaneously calibrate the gyroscope unit and the accelerometer unit, which saves the overall calibration time.
ATIVIDADE ANTAGONISTA, ALELOPÁTICA E DIVERSIDADE QUÍMICA DE FUNGOS ENDOFÍTICOS ISOLADOS DE Cochlospermum regium
Authors: Moraes Gleys Kellen Aquino , Carneiro Vanuza de Sales , Soares Daniela Francisca , Chagas Junior Aloisio Freitas , Chapla Vanessa
Published: December 2023

Cochlospermum regium é uma planta medicinal nativa do Cerrado havendo poucos estudos químicos, agronômicos e biotecnológicos sobre esta espécie, a fim de se conhecer o potencial desta planta foram isolados cinquenta e três fungos endofíticos da folha e do caule. A identificação dos fungos endofíticos foi realizada utilizando-se a caracterização molecular com sequenciamento da região ITS. Foram identificados os fungos endofíticos Coloriopsis rígida (Cr-1), Diaporthe inconspícua (Cr-10), Phomopsis sp. (Cr-32), Nigrospora oryzae (Cr-41), Diaporthe pseudoinconspicua (Cr-44) e Asordaria conoidea (Cr-8). Todos os endófitos apresentaram atividade antagonista contra no mínimo um fitopatógeno de interesse agronômico (Fusarium oxysporum, Curvularia lunata e Bipolaris oryzae). No teste de alelopatia para compostos voláteis, utilizando sementes de alface, o fungo Cr-32 inibiu 100% da germinação das sementes no tempo 3. Já analisando o desenvolvimento das plântulas alguns fungos apresentaram inibição, Cr-16 com 40,80% de inibição no tempo 3, enquanto outros fungos estimularam o seu desenvolvimento, Cr-44 com 106,66% de estímulo no tempo 0. Após cultivo dos endófitos em meio PDB e obtenção dos extratos bruto AcOEt, foi confirmado a presença das classes flavonas, flavonóis, xantonas, esteroides e triterpenoides para todos os extratos, além de confirmar a atividade antioxidante frente ao DPPH também para todos os extratos.
CARACTERIZAÇÃO DO EFETIVO DA POLÍCIA MILITAR DO TOCANTINS: PROBLEMAS DE GESTÃO E SEGURANÇA PÚBLICAS
Authors: SANTOS MORAIS NUNES ALANA CRISTINA DOS
Published: December 2023

Esse artigo tem como objetivo apresentar uma discussão acerca de dados atuais do efetivo da Polícia Militar do Estado do Tocantins (PMTO), considerando aspectos voltados à segurança pública tocantinense. A fundamentação teórica está alojada no campo interdisciplinar da Gestão de Pessoas e da Gestão Estratégica, compreendendo-as como macroáreas responsáveis por nos ajudar a entender questões administrativas de segurança pública. A metodologia é do tipo documental com abordagem quantiqualitativa, partindo do princípio de que analisamos dados documentais cedidos pela Diretoria de Gestão Profissional (DGP) do Estado do Tocantins. O trabalho revelou um déficit expressivo no que compete ao efetivo da Polícia Militar do referido estado, o que acarreta no fato de ter muitos municípios desassistidos pelo sistema público estadual de segurança.

 

Palavras-chave: Gestão de Pessoas; Polícia Militar; Segurança Pública
Antimicrobial Resistance Impact in Global Health: A One Health Approach
Authors: Abdi Abas mahammed , Abdiwali Saad Ahmed , Mohamed Samsam , Hussein Yasir , Hassan Daud , Yussuf Ahmed , Abdulahi Fadumo , Sead Hamse
Published: December 2023

Global health is significantly impacted by antimicrobial resistance. Antibiotic misuse and overuse have resulted in the emergence of drug-resistant bacteria, viruses, parasites and fungi, which makes ordinary infections more difficult to cure and accelerates the spread of disease. The World Health Organisation has declared that antimicrobial resistance could result in up to 10 million deaths yearly by 2050, making it a worldwide health emergency. One of the greatest challenges to global health, food security, and development today, according to the World Health Organisation is the emergence of antibiotic resistance. Even though antibiotic resistance can arise naturally, improper usage of these medications and many other factors are accelerating its global spread. Antimicrobial resistance is frequently referred to as the "Silent Pandemic" and is a problem that requires current action and should be managed more effectively rather than considered as a future situation. This paper address a number of antimicrobial classes, global health, Onehealth and how drug resistance affects human health, and related risk factors. This review will also provide background information on the causes and processes of antimicrobial resistance in brief by identifying these characteristics, targeted interventions can be developed to lower the risk of illnesses that are resistant to antibiotics. It will also offer insights into new and emerging solutions that are being studied and may be created in the future to address the advancement of antimicrobial resistance.
The Role of MFG-E8 in Suppressing AT1-AA Production and Protecting Against Preeclampsia
Authors: Xie Fengfeng , Shi Zhanhua , Zhu Jiaying , Lin Cong , Lin Feng
Published: December 2023

Preeclampsia (PE) continues to be a significant cause of maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality. Angiotensin II type I receptor autoantibody (AT1-AA) has been reported accompanied by PE women in numerous studies. Therefore, detecting the mechanism of AT1-AA production is the key breakthrough in understanding PE. Deficiency in MFG-E8 has been verified can lead to autoimmune diseases due to dysfunction in macrophage phagocytosis and the production of autoantibodies. In the present study, we examined the expression of MFG-E8 in PE patients. Compared with the control, PE patients had a lower expression of placental MFG-E8 and a higher expression of placental AT1R. Then, we tested the effect of MFG-E8 on AT1-AA production and macrophage phagocytosis of trophoblast apoptosis in PE rats induced by low-dose endotoxin(LPS) and trophoblast model. In vivo, experiments results showed that systolic blood pressure, 24h urinary protein, serum TNF-α,sLFt-1 and AT1-AA levels, and placental trophoblast apoptosis caused by LPS were all significantly alleviated by MFG-E8. Moreover, administrated with MFG-E8 has shown decreased trophoblast apoptosis and AT1R exposure in vitro, and enhanced the phagocytosis of dead trophoblasts by macrophages. That supports the idea that MFG-E8 could be a potential therapeutic target for attenuating AT1-AA and protecting patients from AT1-AA and PE.
Novel Approach to High Accuracy and Efficiency Optical Character Recognizer for Handwritten Digits
Authors: Sambath Sanjith
Published: December 2023

The automated transcription of handwritten characters into a legible output is a multi-faceted process with diverse applications. In this paper, a novel approach to optical character recognition (OCR) for handwritten digits is proposed that, in certain components, exceeds current architectures in terms of accuracy, effectiveness, adjustability, temporal efficiency, and/or computational simplicity. This model succeeds in the adoption and enhancement of deprecated or obsolete algorithms across eight steps of image pre-processing—normalization, grayscaling, thresholding/binarization, noise removal, skew-correction, skeletonization/thinning, line separation, and character segmentation. The aforementioned model is evaluated with the use of a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) leveraging the Balanced eMNIST dataset for training and testing. By suggesting contour-based feature extraction methods as alternatives to pixel-by-pixel iteration, the proposed paradigm demonstrates its capacity to serve as a suitable alternative to current, commonly used algorithms and computational techniques for textual image classification.
Behaviour of Particles in 2 Time Dimensional Spacetime with Separate Speeds of Causality through Dirac and Klein-Gordon Formulations
Authors: Tyagi Kshitij , Al-Shahristani Ali
Published: December 2023

The Dirac and Klein-Gordon equations have proven to be some of the most accurate theories for describing particle behaviour and have laid the foundations of Relatavistic Quantum Mechanics. We extend the formulations to consider a 5 Dimensional spacetime with two time dimensions (as first conceptualised by Sajjad Zahir) and extend the notions to Quantum Field Theory to arrive at the behaviour of particles through the Dirac and Klein-Gordon counterparts of the 5 Dimensional spacetime. The implications of this to anti-matter are discussed.
A hegemonia da cultura escolar
Authors: Mendonça Alice
Published: December 2023

Uma vez que a origem social é habitualmente determinada pelo nível económico do agregado familiar, abordam-se autores que investigaram a influência das condições económicas dos estudantes no respetivo desempenho escolar, enfatizando-se o(s) percurso(s) daqueles que são provenientes dos grupos sociais mais desfavorecidos e a quem a instituição escolar se impõe enquanto organização social hegemónica, certificadora de conhecimentos. A metodologia deste trabalho decorreu num paradigma exclusivamente qualitativo e teve como fontes privilegiadas publicações decorrentes de investigações sobre essa temática. A partir da pesquisa bibliográfica foi possível concluir que as condições e as aptidões certificadas numa ótica de hegemonia escolar têm bastante impacto no desempenho escolar dos estudantes, nomeadamente a produção de desigualdades de aproveitamento escolar. Concluiu-se da necessidade de uma transformação que permita uma educação mais democrática e equitativa que valorize a diversidade social.
Image uncertainty components in video strain measurement of mortar destructive compression testing
Authors: Martins Luis Lages , Marques Ana Isabel , Ribeiro Álvaro Silva
Published: December 2023

This paper describes a video strain measurement solution developed for application in mortar destructive compression testing. Knowledge about the mechanical behavior of this type of construction material, namely up to its fracture, is still superficial due to the less common use of non-contact measurement methods. The performed research was focused on the determination of image coordinate accuracy, based on the experimental quantification of the identified main uncertainty components, using traceable reference patterns, and validated computational toolboxes dedicated to camera parameterization and digital image processing. The obtained results show the following uncertainty contributions: lens distortion - negligible; re-projection errors - 0.21 pixel; 0.10 pixel - spatial resolution; and digital image processing operations - 0.28 pixel. The combination of these uncertainty components resulted in an image coordinate standard uncertainty equal to 0.36 pixel, which was propagated (in addition to the scale coefficient measurement uncertainty) to the selected camera model – orthographic projection with uniform scaling – which supports the video strain measurement.
The use of a Heritage Building Information Model as an effective tool for planning restoration and diagnostic activities: the example of the Troia Cathedral rose window
Authors: Morero Laura , Visone Francesca , Abate Nicodemo , Amodio Antonio Minervino , Prodomo Mariano , Sileo Maria , Masini Nicola
Published: December 2023

The constructive reading of the historical architecture through the study of the published and unpublished sources preserved in the archives, can represent a unique and precious cognitive tool to acquire all fundamental information that constitutes the basis of an aware restoration intervention.Frequently, in case of ancient buildings, reconstruct the complete history of the building is not possible, as the sources are difficult to find, not published or kept in different territorial institutes that are not always easily accessible. The aim of this work is to set up an HBIM (Heritage Building Information Model) system to facilitate the planning of diagnostic and restoration activities by bringing all archive information into a unique digital reference platform, accompanied by three-dimensional models that can be consulted, examined and updated.The creation of the HBIM digital tool for consulting the architectural artefact and related information was only the last phase of this work, which began with: (i) Acquisition of archive sources in order to reconstruct the history of the restoration and renovation work on the monument; (ii) Acquisition of information about the diagnostic analyses and monitoring previously carried out on the monument; (iii) acquisition of data useful for the creation of a digital twin.
Assessing wild boar presence and activity in a monitoring specific area of Campania region using camera traps
Authors: Piscopo Nadia , Tamburis Oscar , Bonavolontà Francesco , Verde Maria Teresa , Manno Maria , Mancusi Marianna , Esposito Luigi
Published: December 2023

We have measured the passage times of a wild boar family group along a known track and in two years we evaluated the frequency of the time slots in which pubescent and adult females meets the adult males to mate. Results show that family group of wild boars stably structured, has frequented the specific point in constant time slots and this fact helps researchers to estimate a dynamic behaviour of local population. This measurements and results have a concrete impact on management of the wild population.
Challenges in the Halal Industry Ecosystem: Analyzing the Halal Certification Process for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises in Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara
Authors: Prawiro Atmo , Fathudin Fathudin
Published: December 2023

This article examines the challanges of the halal industrial ecosystem by studying halal certification for MSME (Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises) in Lombok. Halal certification has a good impact on small and medium businesses in Indonesia. Although previous research indicates that the proportion of halal-certified micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in Lombok is still under 20%, this figure is steadily increasing, allowing for open competition. This article employs a qualitative methodology with a socio-legal economic analysis approach. Data were gathered through interviews with MSME business owners, Muslim consumers, and halal policy makers in Lombok. The findings reveal that halal certification plays a crucial role in enhancing MSME operations and promoting the development of halal tourism in Lombok. However, the complexity of halal certification requirements and the obstacles MSME faces in Lombok must be ruled out effectively. By increasing knowledge, understanding, and awareness of MSME actors regarding halal certification rules and improving administrative processes related to halal certification, MSME in Lombok will better utilize the market potential for halal products.

 

Keywords:

Halal industry, halal certification, MSME, impact of certification
Understanding siderite mineralization in phyllosilicate-associated cementations in the mid-Carboniferous Anadarko Basin clastic series, U.S.A.
Authors: Smith Owen F. , Šegvić Branimir , Sweet Dustin E.
Published: December 2023

The present study provides insights into the origin of siderite cementation in closely interbedded bipartite mudstone to sandstone Pennsylvanian strata from the Anadarko Basin. Mineralogical, geochemical, and stable isotope data were collected from 80 siderite samples and their immediate non-siderite-bearing regions. Geometrically, siderite mineralization occurs in the form of concretions or bands with the latter being the most common textural type and occurring solely in mudstone, whereas the former is found in both sandstone and mudstone. The microtextural and geochemical investigation posits siderite as a derivate of biological processes at the sediment-water interface. Bacteria cell walls denoted by an omnipresent nanoglobules structure dominate the areas of mineralization. Mineral quantifications indicate relatively higher phyllosilicate content within the mineralization compared to the non-mineralized sediment reflecting the role the clay minerals provided as a source of bio-essential cations, li able FeOx, and organic matter needed for microbial colonies to flourish. Following the formation of biological siderite, the energetically favorable mineralization surfaces served as nuclei for further precipitation of mesogenetic inorganic siderite enriched in 16O. The second mesogenetic cementation features rhombohedral siderite overgrowths with increasing Mg-concentration on the outer rims of nanoglobules. The identified bands and concretions were formed during periods of relative sea level highs, whereas the siderite cemented intraclasts were eroded and deposited downstream during times of relative sea level lows. This is corroborated by relatively low (Ca-Mg)/Fe substitution in eogenetic siderite, typical of mineralization in meteoric water dominated realms. Finally, based on enrichment in 12C and textural observations, which suggest suboxic geochemical conditions, we conclude that siderite's ability to form early on allowed it to maintain net rock porosity by encasing quartz and inhibiting its overg rowth process.
When remote work is inevitable: Experiences of remote workers during the pandemic
Authors: KARABULUT TEMEL Elif , BATMAZ YILDIZ Gözde
Published: December 2023

In this study, we interviewed 23 participants, who were forced to worked from home during COVID-19 pandemic, using semi-structured questionnaires to determine their experiences in the remote working process and to identify the factors influencing the efficiency of remote working in the context of the pandemic. We qualitatively evaluated the participants’ responses and determined seven themes: location flexibility, time flexibility, belonging and status, communication, recordability/concrete evidence, anxiety of being invisible and being forgotten, the view of the environment on remote work. The most important factor determining the efficiency of remote working for employees is the nature of the work. If the work requires constant and quick communication among different partners, remote working is not perceived to be as efficient as working in an office. Works involving tasks that can be performed individually and independently appears to generate more satisfaction in a remote working environment. Besides during this period, many companies organized various trainings, seminars and workshops under the name of the club for the personal development of their employees, or purchased them as a service from companies operating in this field and offered them to their employees.

JEL Codes: M12, J81, J24
LIÇÕES APRENDIDAS COM GRANDES DESASTRES RECENTES CAUSADOS POR EVENTOS HIDROLÓGICOS EXTREMOS NO BRASIL
Authors: Kobiyama Masato , Maciel João Gabriel Fontes , Ruoso Erika Gabriella , Franck Alessandro Gustavo , Fagundes Marina Refatti
Published: December 2023

Entre os desastres relacionados à água que ocorreram nos anos de 2022 e 2023, aqueles que ocorreram no município de Petrópolis/RJ em fevereiro de 2022, na Região Metropolitana de Recife em maio e junho de 2022 e no litoral norte paulista em fevereiro de 2023 podem ser considerados os maiores em termos de mortes humanas. O presente trabalho relata as principais características desses três desastres hidrológicos e apresenta importantes lições aprendidas com os mesmos. Uma situação atual de problemas sociais associados a moradores locais e organizações públicas no Brasil confirma que a Educação para Redução de Risco de Desastres é indispensável no contexto da gestão integrada de riscos de desastres. Para desenvolver tal educação, a construção de bacias-escola e seu uso através da ciência cidadã tornam-se fundamentais. Além disso, com base na evolução dos tipos de desastres, destaca-se uma atenção especial para desastres ocorridos em ambientes montanhosos onde escorregamentos, fluxos de detritos e inundações bruscas são frequentes.
Adsorption of anionic and cationic heavy metals by Zn-Mn-Fe oxide-loaded biochar: Performance and mechanism
Authors: Fu Jiahui , Zhang Junyu , Ye Shunyun , Huang Rui , Li Shuiying , Wang Wei , Zhang Shuyun , Zhao Dong , DENG Hua
Published: December 2023

Biochar has a good heavy metal adsorption capacity, but it is difficult to separate the heavy metals from the biochar for reuse after application in wastewater treatment processes. To solve this problem, Zn-Mn-Fe oxide-loaded biochar (ZMFBC) was prepared in this study to fabricate magnetic biochar, and cationic heavy metals (Pb2+, Cd2+) and anionic heavy metals (Cr6+) were selected as target pollutants for removal. The ZMFBC adsorption performance and physicochemical properties were evaluated by combining batch experiments and characterization techniques. The results showed that the Pb2+, Cd2+ and Cr6+ maximum adsorption amounts obtained by ZMFBC were 136.99, 74.63 and 39.06 mg/g, respectively, and the adsorption processes were in accordance with pseudo-second order and the Langmuir model. Functional group could be the main reason for the high adsorption capacity of ZMFBC. With good heavy metal removal performance and easy separation, ZMFBC can be used in a variety of applications where adsorbents are needed to remove contaminants.
A unified moment tensor potential for silicon, oxygen, and silica
Authors: Zongo Karim , Sun Hao , Ouellet-Plamondon Claudiane , Béland Laurent
Published: December 2023

Si and its oxides have been extensively explored in theoretical research due to their technological and industrial importance. Simultaneously describing interatomic interactions within both Si and SiO₂ without the use of ab inito methods is considered challenging, given the charge transfers involved. Herein, this challenge is overcome by developing a unified machine learning interatomic potentials describing the Si/ SiO₂ O system, based on the moment tensor potential (MTP) framework. This MTP is trained using a comprehensive database generated using density functional theory simulations, encompassing a wide range of crystal structures, point defects, extended defects, and disordered structure. Extensive testing of the MTP is performed, indicating it can describe static and dynamic features of very diverse Si, O, and SiO₂ atomic structures with a degree of fidelity approaching that of DFT.
For Sustainability Environment: Some Determinants of Greenhouse Gas Emissions from the Agricultural Sector in EU-27 Countries
Authors: DOĞAN Hasan Gökhan , KAN Mustafa
Published: December 2023

Climate events significantly affect the lives of not only humanity but also all living things. Just as transformation in the ecosystem affect sectors, all sectors also transform the ecosystem. It is stated that the agricultural sector is at the root of the deterioration in the ecosystem due to the effect of intensive agriculture after the green revolution. It can be stated that, with an understanding far from the concept of sustainability, the foodstuffs and their waste produced in the agricultural sector are considered among the causes of climate change, which is now concentrated on the whole world in the third millennium. In this study, the effect of N2O gas released from produce residues and the release of enteric fermentation on the level of CO2 released from agricultural-food systems was investigated using advanced econometric models. The findings reveal that both factors are effective. However, it can be stated that the effect of N2O gas released from the produce residues is greater. Suggestions such as improving feed rations and maintaining herd management strategies within certain patterns to reduce the level of enteric fermentation may contribute to the process. In produce residue management, turning waste into compost and expanding bioenergy power plants will ensure both waste disposal and resource continuity in generating energy. Otherwise, the decreasing resources in the world may come to an end, and there will be disruptions and problems in the agricultural sector, as in all sectors. Considering the increasing world population, it is inevitable that food supply security may be endangered and the hunger problem may reach an irreversible level.
What Breaks Minority Social Trust: Determinants of Trust Among Kurds
Authors: Ayzit Nazdar Rosna
Published: December 2023

Although encouraging social trust is established as a direct driver of economic growth, there is a lack of consensus on the key determinants of social trust. Moreover, what makes minorities are found to be significantly less trusting than majority groups across the globe remains unexplained in the current literature. To investigate the key determinant of minority (mis)trust, this paper analyzes a unique and neglected ethnic minority: the Kurds. Kurds allow for maximizing variation in macro variables due to their cross-country home region, while keeping the cultural component of trust uniform. This study tests whether social trust of Kurds in Iran, Iraq and Turkey are explained by ethnic heterogeneity, economic inequality, or institutional fairness per country.
Logit marginal effects analysis uncover institutional fairness to have the greatest explanatory power for Kurdish social trust, while economic equality emerges as a key determinant for the overall population in sample countries. In contrast to the heterogeneity hypothesis of social trust, more ethnic heterogeneity is found to increase social trust for both Kurds and others. Furthermore, decomposition of institutional fairness into its components marks bureaucracy quality, corruption, and government stability to be the most exigent policy targets to encourage trust among minorities like Kurds, while economic equality emerges as the secondary target to boost overall country trust.
JEL Codes. C33; H00; J15; J18; O10; Z18
Canine distemper outbreak and laryngeal paralysis in captive tigers (Panthera tigris)
Authors: Suwanpakdee Sarin , Wiratsudakul Anuwat , Chaisilp Nattarun , Prasittichai Luxsana , Skulpong Anurux , Maneeorn Patarapol , Bhusri Benjaporn , Mongkolpan Chalisa , Buddhirongawatr Ruangrat , Taowan Jarupa , Wongluechai Peerawat , Arya Nlin , Suwannaprapha Parin , Ngamwongsatit Natharin , Wiriyarat Witthawat , Sangkachai Nareerat
Published: December 2023

The canine distemper virus (CDV) could infect various wildlife species worldwide. The viral infection in large felids directly impacts wildlife conservation. This study aimed to understand better the burden of CDV outbreaks in captive tiger populations in Thailand and a novel discovery of their clinical signs with a history of CDV exposure. We followed up on their infection from June 2016 to October 2020 with laboratory testing and veterinary medical records. The cumulative morbidity and mortality rates were relatively high. Moreover, 50% of the tigers survived at 2 years after infection. Approximately 38% of CDV infections were detected with laryngeal inflammation, which developed into paralysis in almost 50% of cases. Altogether, 50% of tigers with chronic infection developed stridor at 314 days after virus infection [95% CI: 302–320]. Our data indicates that laryngeal paralysis resulted from the CDV infection, potentially affecting the peripheral and central nervous systems. This condition can pose a life-threatening risk to tigers. The virus can spread quickly by contact with bodily excretion among tigers and fomite contamination once it affects a specific population. Implementation of biosecurity measures and vaccination is essential to mitigate the risk of disease spread and infection rates in tiger populations.
A Systematic review and meta-analysis to compare the effectiveness of shorter 12-hour N-Acetylcysteine (NAC) regimen VS 20-21-hour NAC regimen in management of paracetamol poisoning
Authors: Oyedeji¹ Olawunmi Oluwakemi , Oisakede¹ Emmanuel Ojeabuo
Published: December 2023

Background: Paracetamol poisoning due to unrecommended doses is a leading cause of acute liver failure (ALF) globally, resulting in significant medical consequences. N-Acetylcysteine (NAC) is the standard antidote for paracetamol poisoning, administered through a 20-21 hour 3-bag infusion since 1980. However, this regimen has been associated with adverse reactions, prompting the investigation of shorter NAC regimens like the 12-hour version. A comparison of evidence on the effectiveness and safety between the two interventions is lacking, necessitating this research.
Aims and Objectives: A meta-analysis to compare the effectiveness of a 12-hour NAC regimen with the longer 20-21hour regimen in managing paracetamol poisoning.
Methods: A quantitative systematic review of Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs) and observational studies was performed, using PICO criteria to search databases Medline, Web of Science, PubMed, Cochrane and Clinical trials.com from 2008 to 2023. The extracted data were analyzed separately for RCTs and observational studies.
Results: Eight studies, including three RCTs and five observational studies involving 10,924 patients, were analyzed. The primary outcome, hepatic injury, showed an insignificant reduction with the 20-21hour NAC regimen (odds ratio= 1.53, 95% CI 0.69-3.40, p=0.29) in RCTs and with the 12-hour NAC regimen (odds ratio= 0.88, 95% CI 0.70-1.11, p=0.29) in observational studies. The secondary outcome, adverse reactions (anaphylactoid reaction), showed a statistically significant reduction with the 12-hour NAC regimen (odds ratio= 0.37, 95% CI 0.20-0.68, p=0.001) in RCTs and (odds ratio= 0.16, 95% CI 0.12-0.22, p=0.00001) in the observational studies.
Conclusions: This study suggests that the 12-hour NAC regimen is as effective as the 20-21hour regimen in managing paracetamol poisoning, but with fewer adverse reactions. However, further research is needed to explore the impact of factors like late presentation and delayed infusion on adverse reactions.
Asymmetric scattering effect of solitary wave in a two-section composite granular chain
Authors: Liu Xingyi , Jiao Tengfei , Zhang Shutian , Sun Min , Huang Decai
Published: December 2023

This study presents numerical simulations on the asymmetric scattering effect of solitary waves in a two$-$section composite granular chain. On the basis of Nesterenko's work on solitary waves in monodisperse granular chains and continuous acoustic wave theory in linear medium, we argue that the mismatches of acoustic velocity and acoustic impedance, because of the differences of mass density and elastic coefficient, dominate the asymmetric scattering effect at the mismatched interface. The simulation results confirm the occurrence of a multipusle structure for the transmitted solitary waves when the solitary wave passes through the mismatched interface with a small$-$large wave velocity. The overshooting effect occurs for the reflected solitary waves because of the mismatched interface with high$-$low acoustic impedance. The phase diagram in the space of the mass density and the elastic coefficient ratio of the right$-$section granular chain to the left$-$section granular chain further validates the predictions. The results are crucial for the fundamental understanding of the dynamic behavior of solitary waves in granular chains.
Fault Detection and Isolation in System of Multiple-Sources of Energy Using Hierarchical Bayesian Belief Networks
Authors: EDDINE Abbass ZEIN , GUERIN Francois , ZAAROUR Iyad , HIJZAI Abbas , LEFEBVRE Dimitri
Published: December 2023

Ensuring fault tolerance in Systems of Multiple-Sources of Energy (SMSE) is of paramount impor-tance for their reliable operation. Detecting, localizing, and characterizing faults are critical tasks toensure system integrity. One crucial element within SMSE, susceptible to faults, is the power convert-ers. This paper introduces an innovative approach leveraging Hierarchical Bayesian Belief Networks(HBBNs) for the identification and isolation of open circuit faults in DC-DC power converters com-monly employed in SMSE applications. Our proposed method addresses the challenge of fault detectionand localization, contributing to enhanced system reliability. The effectiveness of the approach isdemonstrated through extensive testing on simulated data generated via a developed state spacemodel. The results underscore the viability of our approach in bolstering the robustness of DC-DCpower converters against open circuit faults.
Nomogram in Predicting Hemorrhagic Shock in Pediatric Patients with Multiple Trauma: A Retrospective Analysis
Authors: Lin Nan , Jin Jingyi , Yang Sisi , Zhong Xiaohui , Zhang Hang , Ren Yichao , Tan Linhua , Xu Hongzhen , Ma Daqing , Tou Jinfa , Shu Qiang , Lai Dengming
Published: December 2023

Background: The timely detection and management of hemorrhagic shock hold paramount importance in clinical practice. This study was designed to establish a nomogram that may facilitate early identification of hemorrhagic shock in pediatric patients with multiple-trauma.
Methods: A retrospective study was conducted utilizing a cohort comprising 325 pediatric patients diagnosed with multiple-trauma, who received treatment at the Children's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang, China. For external validation, an additional cohort of 144 patients from a children's hospital in Taizhouwas included. The model's predictor selection was optimized through the application of the Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) regression. Subsequently, a prediction nomogram was constructed using multivariable logistic regression analysis. The performance and clinical utility of the developed model were comprehensively assessed utilizing various statistical metrics, including Harrell's Concordance Index (C-index), receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis, calibration curve analysis, and decision curve analysis (DCA).
Findings: Multivariate logistic regression analysis identified systolic blood pressure (SBP), platelet count, activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), and injury severity score (ISS) as independent predictors for hemorrhagic shock. The nomogram constructed using these predictors demonstrated robust predictive capabilities, as evidenced by an impressive area under the curve (AUC) value of 0.967 and a concordance index of 0.968. The model's goodness-of-fit was assessed using the Hosmer-Lemeshow test (Chi Square =10.065, P=0.260). Furthermore, decision curve analysis revealed significantly improved net benefits with the model. External validation further confirmed the reliability of the proposed predictive nomogram.
Conclusions: This study successfully developed a nomogram for predicting the occurrence of hemorrhagic shock in pediatric patients with multiple trauma. This nomogram may serve as an accurate and effective tool for timely and efficient management of children with multiple trauma.
An Artificial Intelligence-Assisted Digital Microfluidic System for Multistate Droplet Control
Authors: Gu Zhen , Guo Kunlun , Song Zerui , Zhou Jiale , Shen Bin , Yan Bingyong , Wang Huifeng
Published: December 2023

Digital microfluidics (DMF) is a versatile technique for parallel and field-programmable control of individual droplets. Given the high freedom in droplet manipulation, it is essential to establish self-adaptive and intelligent control methods for DMF systems with informed of the transient state of droplets and their interactions. However, most related studies focus on the localization and shape recognition of droplets. Here, we develop an AI-assisted DMF framework named "µDropAI" for multistate droplet control based on droplet morphology. Semantic segmentation model is integrated into our custom-designed DMF system to recognize the droplet states and their interactions for feedback control with a state machine. The proposed model has a strong flexibility and can recognize droplets of different colors and shapes with an error rate of less than 0.63%. It enables control of droplets without user intervention. The coefficient variation (CV) of the volumes of split droplets can be limited to below 2.8%, which is lower than the CV of traditional dispense, contributing to an improvement in the precision of droplet split. The proposed system will inspire the development of semantic-driven DMF systems which can interface with multimodal large language models (MLLM) for fully automatic control.
Change in Sexual and Reproductive Health Knowledge among Young Women Using the Conversational Agent “Nthabi” in Lesotho: A Clinical Trial
Authors: Nkabane-Nkholongo Elizabeth , Mokgatle Mathildah , Bickmore Timothy , Julce Clevanne , Thompson David , JAck Brian
Published: December 2023

Background. Young women worldwide face problems like unwanted pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections. Providing sexual and reproductive health education to this population remains a priority. It is unknown if using digital health interventions to deliver health education in human resource-constrained settings is effective.Methods. We conducted a clinical trial of the Nthabi intervention to determine participant’s knowledge before and after discussion of family planning, folic acid and healthy eating among young women aged 18–28 years in two rural districts of Lesotho who used the Nthabi conversational agent system on either smartphones or tablets for up to six weeks. The number of correct pre- and post-test responses were compared using generalized linear models that directly estimated the proportions and percentages of correct responses.Results. Of the 172 participants enrolled, the mean age was 22.5 years, 91% were unmarried, 69% completed high school, 23% were unemployed and 66% were students. The mean number of interactions with Nthabi was 8.6. Family planning was chosen to be discussed by 82 (52.2%), of the 172 participants and of those, 49 (59.8%) completed the content on this topic, and 26 (53.1%) completed the post-test. For the 11 questions about family planning, there were 717 (76.6%) correct responses on the pre-test and 320 (89.9%) on the post-test (p = 0.0233). Folic acid was chosen to be discussed by 74 (47.1%) of 172 participants, and of those, 27 (36.5%) completed the content on this topic, and all 27 (100%) completed the post-test. For the 5 questions about folic acid use, there were 181 (45.3%) correct responses on the pre-test and 111 (71.6%) on the post-test (p < 0.0001). The number of correct responses on the post-test was positively associated with the number of sessions that the participant engaged with Nthabi.Conclusion. The Nthabi conversational agent system increased knowledge of family planning methods and folic acid use among young women in Lesotho. Digital health interventions like Nthabi offer new opportunities to deliver reproductive health information in countries that have limited human resources for health.Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT04354168
Development of Variable Wheels for Wheelchairs and Evaluation of Their Step-climbing Performance Using a Wheel Traction Device
Authors: Kuge Mayuu , Inoue Jun
Published: December 2023

In 2021, the percentage of the population aged 65 years and higher was 9.6% of the total population, and this ageing population is expected to increase globally. According to Sustainable Development Goal 11, barrier-free urban areas are expected to increase as braille blocks and roadside boundary blocks are widely used. However, this may cause discomfort to wheelchair users or become an obstacle to running wheelchairs. In this study, we focused on improving the wheel-type mechanism of climbing steps, which exhibits the highest performance when driving on flat terrain, to ensure the smooth and safe movement of wheelchairs. Although a step-climbing robot with a wheel-type mechanism can climb high steps, it has a large body and involves complicated control. The large size of the machine renders its attachment to wheelchairs difficult, reducing the mobility and safety of existing wheelchairs. Therefore, we developed a wheel to maintain the advantages of existing wheelchairs and improve their step-climbing performance. The developed wheel comprises a ‘normal mode’ for running on flat ground and an ‘expand mode’ for climbing steps. The diameter of the wheel in the expand mode is larger than that in the normal mode to improve the performance when climbing steps. Additionally, a spring was attached to the ‘foot’, which was installed to widen the diameter for enhanced driving stability. The step-climbing performance of the developed wheels was experimentally evaluated. A device was fabricated to pull the wheel using manual power and a motor. The motor-driven experimental apparatus maintained a constant traction force, facilitating a quantitative evaluation. The experiment further indicated that the contact position between the step and foot affected the step-climbing performance. Therefore, the study findings provide insights into the enhancement of the wheel-type mechanism for its efficient implementation in wheelchairs, which can contribute to their ease of use.
Dynamic PScore: A Dynamic Method to Prioritize User Reviews
Authors: Dehkordi Mehrdad Razavi , Rastegari Hamid , Najafabadi Akbar Nabiolahi , Gandomani Taghi Javdani
Published: December 2023

Since the emergence of mobile apps, user reviews have been of great importance for app developers as they contain users’ sentiment, bugs and new requests. Due to the large number of reviews, it is a difficult, time-consuming and error-prone task to prioritize them manually. Having a tool or method for automated prioritization of reviews could save the development team’s time, help application development and maintenance cycle and prevent the development team’s errors. Various methods have been presented for prioritizing reviews, most of which have focused on old features that are no longer valid or ignored new features provided by the store. This study provides a method, called Dynamic PScore, for dynamic prioritization of reviews into five categories of hot, serious, pay attention, getting traction and not serious in the Google Play store. In this method, the score is calculated using ThumbsUp features (popularity of each review), extracting sentiment and considering the number of words in the review and, then, prioritization is done through the obtained score. To experimentally evaluate the proposed method in PPrior database, the corresponding score is calculated for each review and prioritization is done. Finally, the results indicate the presented method has the Accuracy and PSP of 99.94% and 99.86%, respectively, in prioritizing and scoring reviews and its prioritization accuracy has improved by 13.34% compared to recent research.
Prediction of Bridge Damage Factors Using Decision Tree Technique (Case Study: Concrete Rad Bridges in ZANJAN Province-IRAN)
Authors: Medghalchi Ali , Rashvad Pooria , Delnavaz Ali
Published: December 2023

The current management system for concrete road bridges in Iran is primarily based on a descriptive model, which assesses the condition of bridge elements and assigns grades based on the level of deterioration. However, there have been concerns raised about the use of descriptive statistics when analyzing large amounts of data. In order to address these concerns, this research incorporates the data mining method known as decision tree analysis. The decision tree analysis involves in-depth examination of data, including objective observations by experts and calculations of damage indices. We have introduced this method to replace descriptive analysis in his research. To conduct this study, various data such as physical characteristics, atmospheric and climatic conditions, traffic conditions, and deterioration indices (derived from established formulas and tables) of concrete bridges with spans exceeding 6 meters on a main 5-axis road in Zanjan province were collected. The decision tree method, along with Rapid Miner software, was utilized to model and analyze this data. The research findings indicate that the decision tree method demonstrates a high level of accuracy in predicting and prioritizing factors that contribute to bridge damage, surpassing the capabilities of conventional models. Specifically, the study reveals that the percentage of heavy vehicles passing over a bridge is the most significant factor influencing its damage. Furthermore, it predicts that bridges with a percentage exceeding 19.5% would fall into the category of heavily damaged bridges.
YOLOv8-CML: A lightweight target detection method for Color-changing melon ripening in intelligent agriculture
Authors: Chen Guojun , Hou Yongjie , Cui Tao , Li Huihui , Shangguan Fengyang , Cao Lei
Published: December 2023

To enhance the efficiency of robot automatic picking of Color-changing melons under intelligent agriculture environments, this study introduces a lightweight model for target detection, YOLOv8-CML, for effectively detecting the ripeness of Color-changing melons. The model structure is simplified to reduce the deployment cost of image recognition models on agricultural edge devices. First, we replace the Bottleneck structure of the C2f module with a Faster Block, which reduces superfluous computations and the frequency of memory accesses by the model. Then, we use a lightweight C2f module combined with EMA attention in Backbone, which can efficiently collect multi-scale spatial information and reduce the interference of background factors on Color-changing melon recognition. Next, we use the idea of shared parameters to redesign the detection head to perform the Conv operation uniformly before performing the classification and localization tasks separately, thus simplifying the structure of the model. Finally, we use the α-IoU approach to optimize the CIoU loss function, which can better measure the overlap between the predicted and actual frames to improve the accuracy of the recognition. The experimental results show that the parameters and FLOPs ratio of the improved YOLOv8-CML model decreased by 42.9% and 51.8%, respectively, compared to the YOLOv8n model. In addition, the model size is merely 3.7MB, and the inference speed is increased by 6.9%, along with mAP@0.5, Precision, and FPS. Our proposed model provides a vital reference for deploying Color-changing melon picking robots.