bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Effectiveness of Intelligent Tutoring Systems in Supporting Students with Varying Levels of Programming Experience
Authors: Kouam Arthur William Fodouop
Published: August 2024

This study investigates the effectiveness of Intelligent Tutoring Systems (ITS) in supporting students with varying levels of programming experience. Through a mixed-methods research design, the study explores the impact of ITS on student performance, adaptability to different skill levels, and best practices for utilizing ITS in heterogeneous programming classrooms. The quantitative analysis reveals significant differences in the influence of ITS on improving programming skills, the usefulness of ITS feedback, and satisfaction levels with the interface based on students' programming experience levels. Advanced students show the most significant improvement in programming skills and find the feedback more valuable, while intermediate and advanced students report higher satisfaction with the ITS interface. The qualitative analysis highlights positive impacts on the learning process, challenges faced, and suggestions for improvement. This study contributes to the literature by emphasizing the importance of tailoring ITS interventions to meet the unique needs of students with varying levels of programming experience, offering insights for educators, curriculum developers, and educational technology designers.
Perception about Child Vaccination and its Determinants among Caregivers in Tehuledere Woreda, North Eastern Ethiopia
Authors: Beshir Seid Assega , Workineh Mahteme Haile , Workineh Birhanu Demeke , Kahissay Mesfin Haile
Published: August 2024

Background: In spite of increase in global immunization coverage, many children around the world especially in developing countries still left unvaccinated. Effective vaccination communication with parents is crucial in efforts to overcome barriers to childhood vaccination, tackle vaccine hesitancy and improve vaccination coverage.
Objective: To examine caregivers’ perception towards child vaccination and identify factors associated with childhood vaccine hesitancy among children 12-36 months of age in Tehuledere Woreda, South Wollo Zone, North East Ethiopia.
Methods and Materials: Explanatory sequential mixed method was used. For quantitative method community-based cross-sectional study was conducted from September to November 2019. A multistage sampling technique was employed. Study participants were selected systematically. A total of 824 mothers/caregivers of children aged 12 – 36 months were successfully interviewed using structured and pre-tested questionnaire. Data were entered into Epi data version 4.6.0 and exported into SPSS version 20 for analysis. Logistic regression analyses were done. A significant association was declared at a p-value less than 0.05. For qualitative data a phenomenological study design was employed among participants and content analysis was performed.
Results: About 596 (72.3%) of the children were completely vaccinated. Widowed mothers (AOR =7.3, CI =2.2,24), home delivery practice (AOR =4.6, CI =1.8,10), long walking time to health facility (AOR =9.5, CI =3.2,27), use of community as vaccine information source (AOR =4.2, CI =1.7,9.6), occurrence of child death in the family (AOR =2.6, CI =1.2,6.8) and mothers health seeking behavior (AOR =2.5, CI =1.1,5.4) were found to be associated with vaccine hesitancy.
Conclusion and Recommendations: Acceptance and refusal of child vaccination was found to reflect factors including perceived benefits of vaccine and social environment. Encouraging mothers to attend proper antenatal care and to exploit family planning programs is recommended to improve vaccination status of children in the rural communities. Community awareness programs also should be scaled up by incentivizing community health workers.
Robustness of 4D flow MRI Derived Aortic Wall Shear Stress and Pulse Wave Velocity across Different Protocols in Healthy Controls and in Patients with Bicuspid Aortic Valve
Authors: Dushfunian David , Maroun Anthony , Berhane Haben , Baraboo Justin , Jarvis Kelly , Allen Bradley D. , Markl Michael
Published: August 2024

Purpose
To evaluate the reproducibility of important biomarkers like wall shear stress (WSS) and pulse wave velocity (PWV) across two 4D flow MRI imaging protocols with different coverages: aorta-targeted 4D flow MRI (AT4D) and whole-heart 4D flow (WH4D) protocols.
Methods
Thirty-eight control subjects (43.2 ± 10.1 years old; 6 males) and ten patients (45.7 ± 8.9 years old; 22 males) with bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) were included. Each subject underwent AT4D and WH4D scans. PWV and absolute WSS were assessed for each patient across both protocols and compared using Bland-Altman analysis. Areas of elevated WSS were assessed for BAV patients across different WSS thresholds that define WSS to be elevated compared to a normal population average. A sensitivity analysis was conducted to determine the best WSS threshold at which WH4D-derived areas most closely resemble AT4D-derived areas. Inter-rater reproducibility was evaluated in twenty-four subjects.
Results
AT4D and WH4D PWV and WSS estimates demonstrated good agreement (PWV: -0.12 ± 1.84 m/s, p = 0.4; Median WSS: 0.06 ± 0.13 Pa, p < 0.01; Maximum WSS: 0.04 ± 0.27 Pa, p = 0.07). PWV correlated with age across protocols (AT4D: r = 0.68, p < 0.01; WH4D: r = 0.72, p < 0.01). Sensitivity analysis identified a WSS threshold where WH4D-derived areas of elevated WSS most closely resembled AT4D-derived areas. Inter-rater assessment resulted in a small mean difference percentage of < 3%.
Data conclusion:
PWV and WSS demonstrated good agreement across protocols. The WSS threshold should be adjusted for WH4D estimates to optimally match AT4D-derived output. Reproducibility analysis showed good test-retest agreement. This study demonstrates the reproducibility of certain hemodynamic parameters across two 4D flow MRI protocol.
Establishing of 3D-FISH on frozen section and its applying in chromosome territories analysis in Populus trichocarpa
Authors: Ning Yihang , Shang Daxin , Xin Haoyang , Ni Runxin , Wang Ziyue , Zhen Yan , Liu Guangxin , Xi Mengli
Published: August 2024

The spatial organization of chromatin within the interphase nucleus and the interactions between chromosome territories (CTs) are essential for various biological processes. Three-dimensional fluorescence in situ hybridization (3D-FISH) is a powerful tool for analyzing CTs, but its application in plants is limited. In this study, we established a 3D-FISH technique using frozen sections of Populus trichocarpa root tips, which was an improvement over the use of paraffin sections and enabled us to acquire good FISH signals. Using chromosome-specific oligo probes, we were able to analyze CTs in interphase nuclei in three dimensions. We focused on the chromosome territory (CT) analysis of P. trichocarpa chromosome 19 in the root tip nuclei. Remarkably, the distance between homologous chromosomes 19 was variable and they were spatially completely separated in 80% of the nuclei. This research lays a foundation for further study of the spatial position of chromosomes in the nucleus and the relationship between gene expression and spatial localization of chromosomes in poplar.
Examining the Role of Structural Change in Income Inequality: Insights from Quantile ARDL Modeling in the United States
Authors: Marangoz Cumali
Published: August 2024

This study attempts to examine the dynamics of the U.S. manufacturing sector and income inequality using a Quantile Autoregressive Distributed Lag (QARDL) model from 1965q1 to 2019q4. We analyze the impact of urbanization, economic growth, human capital, manufacturing, and human capital on income distribution. An inverted U-shaped Kuznets curve indicates that as the manufacturing sector progresses the income disparity diminishes. Limiting our analysis to the industrial value contributed to GDP might cause a harder discern the overall effect on income inequality. A higher rate of GDP might not guarantee equal incomes, which may show an increase in certain sectors. Looking at the manufacturing sector's share of total employment, which reflects both employment opportunities and revenue sources, allows more direct reflection of income disparity. This study contributes to the literature by enhancing our comprehension of the intricate processes of income distribution, offering valuable insights for policymakers and researchers to better tackle income inequality.
Quality of life and associated factors among older adults of central Nepal: A cross-sectional study using WHOQOL-OLD tool
Authors: Adhikari Rubisha , Shah Rajani , Ghimire Kamal , Khanal Birat , Baral Sunil , Adhikari Anisha , Malla Dinesh Kumar , Khanal Vishnu
Published: August 2024

Background
The world population is ageing increasingly. The quality of life (QOL) of older people is an important global issue and is indicative of the health and well-being of this demographic. As the population ages, ensuring people's QOL has become increasingly challenging. This study aims to investigate the QOL among older people and factors associated with it in an urban setting of central Nepal using the WHOQOL-OLD tool.
Methods
A cross-sectional study was conducted in Central Nepal. Quality of life was measured using the WHOQOL-OLD questionnaire. The individual and overall mean scores of the six domains of QOL were presented along with their standard deviations (SDs). The association between QOL and independent variables were first examined using t-test or analysis of variance followed by multiple linear regression. Regression coefficient (β) and respective 95% confidence intervals were presented to show the association of independent variables with QOL.
Results
The mean age of the 366 participants was 70 years (SD: 8.2 years). Of which, 56.3% were aged 70 years and above and 55.2% were females. The mean score was higher in the domains of past, present and future activities (14.96, SD: 2.32), social participation (14.29, SD: 2.17) and intimacy (14.69, SD: 2.36) compared to other domains of QOL. Older people who had an annual household income of 40,000 (Nepalese Rupees) or more (β: 1.909: 95% CI: 0.337, 3.480), who reported health services as accessible (β: 4.019; 95% CI: 0.666, 7.371), and affordable (β: 3.176; 95% CI: 1.327, 5.025), and who reported being involved in physical activity (β: 2.107; 95% CI: 0.607, 3.606) had higher QOL scores compared to their respective counterparts. Conversely, those who were illiterate (β: -0.415; 95% CI: -5.556, -1.986) reported a lower QOL score compared to the literate group. There were considerable variations among the factors associated with the six individual domains of QOL, with a more consistent association observed with literacy status, household income and access to health services.
Conclusions
This study demonstrated that participants’ literacy, having a better household income, accessible and affordable health services and being involved in physical activity were crucial factors for quality of life. The current biomedical model of health service is unlikely to improve the QOL of older people. Therefore, a holistic model of service using the social determinants of health framework is essential to improve the well-being of older people in Nepal.
Prevalence and Factors Associated with Low Birth Weight Among Neonates in Soroti Regional Referral Hospital
Authors: Changulo Hilda Mary , Wambi Rogers , Ndibalekera Slyvia , Muwanguzi Patience A , Kutesa Annet
Published: August 2024

Background: Low birth weight is an important marker of maternal health and neonatal health. It is an indicator of morbidity and mortality as well as adult-onset of chronic conditions. Therefore, the present study was conducted to determine the prevalence and factors associated with low birth weight among neonates at birth in Soroti regional referral hospital.
Methods:This was a cross sectional study employing quantitative methods of data collection. It was conducted at Soroti regional referral hospital between November and December 2021. The study recruited 322 mothers with live neonates. To analyze the data, low birth weight was summarized as a proportion while modified poisson model was used to determine the factors significantly associated with birth weight.
Results: Overall, the prevalence of low birth weight was (21.5%, 95% CI: 16.4- 25.3). Factors that were found to be significantly associated with low birth weight were mother’s occupation (PR=0.83, 95%CI ;0.71-0.97, P=0.019), Antenatal care attendance (PR=1.21 ,95%CI; 1.09-1.36,P=0.001), Gestation age by Ballard score (PR=1.92, 95%CI: 0.82-5.52, P=0.133,) and parity (PR=0.95,95%CI;0.85-1.07,P=0.407) respectively were significantly associated with low birth weight
Conclusion: Prevalence of low birth weight was considerably high in Soroti Regional referral hospital. One in every 5 neonates born in Soroti regional referral had low birth weight. Mother’s occupation, attending antenatal care, gestation age, and parity were the factors significantly associated with low birth weight.
Movement Patterns and Habitat Selection of Lahontan Cutthroat Trout in a Great Basin Stream
Authors: Flynn Keane , Kelson Suzanne , Rossi Gabriel , Bess Zachary , Simmons James , Csank Adam , Hogan Zeb , Chandra Sudeep
Published: August 2024

Background: Understanding the movement of organisms is critical for species conservation in the context of changing landscapes and climate. As climatic extremes impact the United States Great Basin, quantifying the movements of native fishes like Lahontan cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii henshawi) is vital for facilitating their persistence. These climatic extremes are projected to alter flow regimes, specifically, reducing hydrologic connectivity needed to maintain populations. By studying fish movement patterns during streamflow recession and baseflow conditions, we can identify the factors responsible for movement and habitat selection to better manage these factors in a changing world.
Methods: We tagged 57 Lahontan cutthroat trout from early summer to fall in 2021 and 2022 in the Summit Lake watershed (NV, USA). The location of each fish was associated with local hydraulic, physical habitat, invertebrate drift concentration, and water quality data to assess which factors impact habitat selection, abandonment, and overall movement. Multiple linear regression models were used to assess which factors were associated with trout movement, and a two-sample permutation test was used to identify factors associated with habitat selection or abandonment.
Results: Stream-resident trout displayed little movement during streamflow recession and baseflow conditions, with median daily movements of 0.3 m/day and a median home range of 10.2 m; these results suggest even less movement than those reported in previous studies. Abrupt declines in riffle crest thalweg (RCT) depth were the primary factor associated with increases in distance traveled, yet there were only four observed movements below RCT depths of 5 cm and no observations below 4 cm. The only factor that impacted trout habitat selection or
abandonment was fork length and weight, with smaller individuals abandoning habitat more often than larger, dominant individuals.
Conclusions: The findings from this study suggest that trout movement occurs when absolutely necessary, such as escaping drying reaches or being displaced by larger or more aggressive individuals. We suggest that watershed managers implement low-flow hydrologic monitoring to identify vulnerable stream reaches, with an emphasis on preserving streamflow connectivity for stream-rearing salmonids. Additionally, this emphasizes the importance of tracking movements for species of interest as a strategy to identify factors potentially reducing population fitness.
Characteristics and Seismogenic Background of the 2014 Earthquake Sequence around Shanxi Reservoir in Eastern China
Authors: Gao Yajing , Zhang Qi , Sun Yunqiang , Gao Yaqi
Published: August 2024

The Shanxi Reservoir area is one of the most seismically active regions in Eastern China. We use the seismic waveforms, earthquake catalogs, and seismic phase observation reports to study and summarize the earthquake sequence characteristics and seismogenic background of the Shanxi Reservoir area in 2014. (1) Firstly, we relocate the earthquake sequence by the HypoDD method. The relocation results show that the dominant strike of the sequence is approximately NW-SE 129°, with a steep dip of roughly SW 84°, and the seismogenic structure contains multiple secondary surfaces (sub-faults). (2) Based on the relocation catalog, we estimate the spatial distribution of b-values along the strike of the seismogenic fault using the maximum likelihood method, and obtain the abnormal regions of stress and inhomogeneity near the fault. (3) At the same time, we also calculate the focal mechanisms for events with ML ≥ 2.5 and ML ≥ 3.0 by the HASH and CAP methods, respectively, and obtain rose statistical charts for each parameter. The results indicate that the 2014 sequence is basically of the right-lateral strike-slip type. Combined with the relocation results, we speculated that the seismogenic surface is close to the nodal plane with a strike of NW-SE 131°, a dip of SW 82°, and a rake of -173°. (4) On the basis of the focal mechanisms, we further acquire the azimuth and inclination parameters of the P and T axis for each earthquake, and get the rose statistical charts of these parameters. The P-axis and T-axis of the 2014 sequence are dominantly distributed in the NNW and SEE direction, with a gentle inclination angle, which exhibits nearly horizontal compression in the NNW direction and nearly horizontal tension in the SEE direction. (5) Finally, combined with the distribution of fault zones around the reservoir area, we infer that the 2014 sequence around the Shanxi Reservoir was the result of right-lateral strike-slip rupture of the f11 − 3 branch of the Shuangxi-Jiaoxiyang fault. We find that the 2014 sequence began to occur in areas where multiple groups of faults converge and have favorable infiltration conditions, which are regions of high-stress concentration and significant infiltration effects. The infiltration of reservoir water into deeper areas leads to an increase in pore pressure and a decrease in the strength of structural surfaces, making the rock more susceptible to rupture. Under the influence of continuous ruptures (earthquakes) and infiltration of reservoir water, the 2014 earthquakes developed along the f11 − 3 fault towards NW and SE and deeper directions.
Spatio-Temporal Analysis of the Pre-Earthquake Disturbances in the Ionosphere before Ten Earthquakes with Magnitudes Greater than Mw 5.0
Authors: Karatay Secil , Arikan Feza , Pirti Atinc
Published: August 2024

This study analyzes the variations in Total Electron Content (TEC) to perform a spatio-temporal evaluation of pre-earthquake disturbances in the ionosphere in order to characterize anomalies occurred before the major earthquakes using Differential Rate Of TEC (DROT) algorithm. By employing the DROT technique, significant TEC oscillations have observed 1–5 days before the earthquakes. The temporal approach showed a higher frequency of oscillations on the day immediately preceding the event. The spatial approach showed clustering around 500 km from the epicenter at most. Finally, the approach depending on the magnitude of the earthquake showed that large-scale ionospheric disturbances occurred before the earthquakes with magnitude greater than Mw 5.6.
ALB-Chain:Achieving Scalability and Load Balance Blockchain Sharding
Authors: Wu Aihua , Hua Chunyang
Published: August 2024

As a promising technology, blockchain has widespread application in many decentralized systems. However, scalability is still a major challenge to blockchain adoption.Sharding is a promising method for scaling blockchain. However, in current implementations, the complexity of cross-shard transactions and the imbalance of shard workloads have become key factors hindering its potential performance advantages. We propose ALB-Chain, a meticulously designed blockchain system aimed at achieving exceptional scalability and balancing the workload across all shards. In ALB-Chain, we introduce a replica account mechanism, which transforms cross-shard transactions into intra-shard transactions, thereby enhancing transaction throughput. Additionally, we introduce a lightweight Account Aggregation Model (AAM), which supports batch aggregation and threshold signatures. To optimize system performance and ensure balanced workload distribution among shards, we have specially designed a dynamic partitioning algorithm named MLPA. This algorithm intelligently monitors the operational status of each shard and dynamically adjusts task allocation among shards based on historical data, ensuring that the entire system maintains high efficiency and stability. We conducted transaction-driven simulations using real
Ethereum transaction datasets. The evaluation results demonstrate that the proposed protocol outperforms
other benchmarks in terms of throughput, transaction processing latency, transaction queue size, and shard
workload distribution.
Long-Term Trends in Subsurface Flows of Solar Cycle 23 to 25
Authors: Komm Rudolf
Published: August 2024

We study the long-term variation of the zonal and meridional flows from Solar Cycle 23 to 25 derived with ring-diagram analysis applied to Global Oscillation Network Group (GONG) and Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager (HMI) Dopplergrams. We focus mainly on the subsurface flows averaged over depths from 2.0 Mm to 11.6 Mm since their long-term variations are sufficiently similar. First, we examine their temporal variations for systematic artifacts. We find that the GONG-derived zonal flows increase almost linearly with time until about 2020, which we correct with a linear regression. Then, we determine the average differences between the GONG- and HMI derived flows. The average offset is 0.15 ± 0.53 m s−1 for the zonal flow and 0.65 ± 0.08 m s−1 for the meridional flow within ±30.0◦ latitude. The average difference of the meridional flow is nearly constant with latitude in this range, while that of the zonal flow varies similar to that of the magnetic activity. At latitudes of 45.0◦ and higher, the differences increase and are larger than those at lower latitudes, which is most likely due to geometric foreshortening. Finally, we combine the GONG- and HMI-derived flows and find, as expected, that the solar-cycle variation is the dominant long-term variation. At each latitude within ±30.0◦, the meridional-flow pattern appears ahead of the zonal-flow pattern by an average lag of 0.926±0.126 years. The equatorward and poleward branches of the solar-cycle variation occur at 52.5◦ with the poleward branches present near 60.0◦ and the equatorward ones at lower latitudes. The zonal flows at 52.5◦ and 60.0◦ show an additional trend and decrease by 2.9±0.3 m s−1 over 11 years. This decrease might nevertheless be related to the solar cycle and imply that the flow amplitudes are anti-correlated with the strength of the associated solar cycle.
Acquired Toxoplasma gondii infection leads to retinal microvascular abnormalities in mice
Authors: Borges-Martins Vladimir Pedro Peralva , de Campos Viviane Souza , Santos Carolina Moreira dos , Rosa Barbara Gomes da , Zhong Tiffany , Cascabulho Cynthia M , Gonzaga Beatriz Matheus de Souza , Perez Victor Lucas , Garzoni Luciana Ribeiro , Calaza Karin da Costa , Adesse Daniel
Published: August 2024

Infection with Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) protozoan can lead to toxoplasmosis and has high seroprevalence in the human population. T. gondii can cross the Blood-retinal barrier, leading to ocular toxoplasmosis (OT), which can severely impair vision. Our group demonstrated microcirculatory alterations and reduced angiogenesis in mouse brains after acquired T. gondii infection, suggesting that such alterations may also occur in OT. This work aims to analyze the effects of acquired T. gondii in vivo infection on the retina and its vasculature. For the acquired OT model, C57BL/6 mice were intragastrically inoculated with two ME49 strain cysts and analyzed 10, 20, and 30 days post-infection (dpi). Clinical parameters, parasitic load, cytokine profiles, retinal vasculature, endothelial activation, vascular function, and glial activation were assessed. Infected mice exhibited significant weight loss and reduced chow consumption. Tachyzoites were detected by RT-qPCR at 10 dpi, while bradyzoites’ signal appeared at 20 and 30 dpi. Infected mice had elevated serum pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IFN-γ, and IL-6 at 10 dpi, transitioning to increased IL-4 and IL-10 at 20 dpi, returning to basal levels at 30 dpi. Retinal blood flow and functional capillary density were increased, while structural changes in the vasculature, such as vessel length and area, varied over time. Collagen IV expression increased at 20 and 30 dpi, indicating vascular remodeling. Angiogenic markers VEGFR1 and Notch1 expression were consistently downregulated, and Delta-like4 expression decreased at 20 and 30 dpi. Endothelium-leukocyte interaction, as assessed by rolling and adherent leukocytes, was increased in infected retinal venules. Retinal endothelial function was impaired, with reduced vasodilation response to acetylcholine and alterations in tight junction markers ZO-1, claudin5 and occludin. Increased glial activation was observed, with elevated GFAP immunoreactivity and expression at 20 and 30 dpi. CX3CR1 expression was elevated at all times studied, indicative of microglial activation, accompanied with Arg1 and iNOS upregulation and STAT3 phosphorylation, corroborating neuroinflammatory responses. T. gondii infection in mice induces systemic and retinal inflammation, leading to significant changes in the retinal vasculature and impaired endothelial function. These findings contribute to a better understanding of OT pathophysiology, enabling the design of future therapeutic strategies.
“It's both a terrifying and a powerful position to be in”: A qualitative study exploring clinician experiences and perspectives on providing publicly funded fetal exome sequencing.
Authors: Dayman Samantha , Downie Lilian , Graetz Melissa , Hui Lisa
Published: August 2024

Objective
Genomics has improved etiological diagnosis for fetal structural anomalies. We aimed to explore the experiences and perspectives of clinicians involved with the delivery of a state-wide public fetal exome sequencing (FES) service in Australia.
Method
This qualitative study was developed using a pragmatism framework. A multidisciplinary cohort of clinicians across all tertiary fetal medicine units in Victoria were interviewed. Inductive content analysis was used to understand the experiences, impact, and utility of FES.
Results
Eight clinician interviews were analysed. The impact of FES on clinicians included: increased pressure, higher emotional toll, and balancing the benefits with resource limitations. FES was most useful when it provided prognostic information. The clinicians felt that FES had the most utility for patients when the result informed their decision about whether or not to continue a pregnancy. Clinicians acknowledged their ‘gatekeeper’ role and valued a collaborative, multidisciplinary approach. The main perceived harm for patients was the anxiety associated with waiting times for results.
Conclusion
This study provides insights into the delivery of a publicly funded FES program. Our findings highlight the importance of the multidisciplinary team in the successful implementation of genomic technologies in reproductive health.
Correlation Between Standard Penetration Test (Spt) and Liqit Software: An Analytical Study
Authors: Sahu Prof. Deepanjali , Sahu Arunachal , Tiwari ManoJ Kumar
Published: August 2024

The Standard Penetration Test (SPT) is a widely recognized method in geotechnical engineering for evaluating soil properties and estimating liquefaction potential. This test provides essential data that inform the design and construction of foundations in seismic regions. However, with advancements in computational tools, software such as LiqIT has emerged, offering enhanced analytical capabilities for predicting soil behavior under seismic conditions. This study aims to explore the correlation between SPT results and the outputs generated by LiqIT software to assess the consistency and reliability of these methods in liquefaction potential evaluation. A comprehensive analysis was conducted using SPT data from various sites prone to liquefaction, which were then compared with the liquefaction potential predictions by LiqIT. The study examines the relationship between SPT blow counts (N-values) and the factor of safety against liquefaction as calculated by LiqIT. By establishing a correlation, this research seeks to enhance the understanding of the integration of traditional field tests with modern computational tools in geotechnical practice. The findings reveal that while SPT remains a valuable field test, integrating its results with LiqIT software offers a more detailed understanding of liquefaction risks. The study's results are expected to contribute to the development of more reliable and efficient methods for assessing liquefaction potential in seismic regions, building upon the foundations laid by previous studies (Seed & Idriss, 1971; Idriss & Boulanger, 2006; Skempton, 1986).
CFD Analysis of NACA Airfoils for Wind Turbine and Aerospace Applications at Low Reynolds Numbers
Authors: MAZUMDER MD. HASIB MAHMUD
Published: August 2024

This study investigates the aerodynamic performance of various NACA airfoils (0012, 0015, 0018, and 0020) at low Reynolds numbers to assess their suitability for wind turbine and aerospace applications. Utilizing Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations with the SST k-ω turbulence model, we analyzed lift, drag, and lift-to-drag ratios (Cl/Cd) across different angles of attack and Reynolds numbers ranging from 3× 105 to 1× 106. The results indicate that the NACA 0012 airfoil exhibits the highest aerodynamic efficiency, making it ideal for applications prioritizing lift, such as aircraft wings and horizontal axis wind turbines (HAWTs). The NACA 0015 and NACA 0018 airfoils provide a balanced trade-off between aerodynamic performance and structural strength, making them suitable for medium to large HAWTs respectively. While the NACA 0020 airfoil is less aerodynamically efficient, it offers substantial structural integrity, making it well-suited for vertical axis wind turbines (VAWTs) and high-lift applications. The study demonstrates the effectiveness of CFD simulations in capturing critical aerodynamic phenomena at low Reynolds numbers, with results aligning closely with experimental data. These findings highlight the importance of airfoil selection in optimizing energy conversion efficiency and structural robustness in renewable energy and aerospace systems. Future research should focus on advanced surface modifications and control devices to further enhance aerodynamic performance, contributing to the development of sustainable energy technologies.
Mikrobielle de novo-Produktion von neuartigen nicht-kanonischen Terpenen
Authors:   , Lepple Max J.
Published: August 2024

Terpene bilden mit mehr als 81.000 Verbindungen die größte Klasse der Naturstoffe. Nichtsdestotrotz wird ihre strukturelle Vielfalt durch die Isoprenregel begrenzt. Diese besagt, dass alle primären Terpensynthaseprodukte aus Bausteinen mit fünf Kohlenstoffatomen hervorgehen. Ihre Produkte sind somit kanonisch, da sie durch ein Vielfaches von fünf Kohlenstoffatomen dargestellt sind. In dieser kumulativen Arbeit wird die mikrobielle Produktion einer Vielzahl neuartiger nicht-kanonischer Terpene beschrieben und somit der chemische Strukturraum von Terpenoiden über die Grenzen der Isoprenregel hinaus erweitert. Um dies zu erreichen, wurden in verschiedenen Ansätzen die Gene des Mevalonatwege, einschließlich einer IPP-Isomerase gemeinsam mit verschiedenen Prenylpyrosphosphat-Methyltransferasen und Terpensynthasen in E. coli exprimiert und die Produktspektren der Biosynthesewege detailliert untersucht. Ein breites Spektrum neuer C11-Terpene wurde als Nebenprodukt der bakteriellen 2-Methylisoborneol- oder 2-Methylenbornansynthasen entdeckt. Neben elf bekannten konnten 24 neuartige C11-Terpene nachgewiesen werden, die bisher noch nicht als Terpensynthase-Produkte beschrieben wurden. Vier davon, 3,4-Dimethylcumol, 2-Methylborneol und die beiden Diastereomere von 2-Methylcitronellol, konnten identifiziert werden. Außerdem wurde das C16-Terpen 6-Methylfarnesol als Produkt identifiziert. Die Produktselektivität einer C11-Terpensynthasen, die 2 Methylenbornansynthase aus Pseudomonas fluorescens, wurde durch einen semirationalen Protein-Engineering-Ansatz verändert. Aminosäuren des aktiven Zentrums mit Einfluss auf die Produktselektivität wurden identifiziert. Entsprechende Varianten des Enzyms führen zu gänzlich veränderten Produktspektren. So wurden neue Einblicke in die Struktur-Funktions-Beziehung für C11-Terpensynthasen gewonnen und bisher unzugängliche nicht-kanonische Terpene produziert. Eine IPP-Methyltranferase wurde identifiziert und charakterisiert, die den C5-Baustein der Terpenbiosynthese in eine Vielzahl von C6- und C7-Prenylpyrophosphate umwandelt. Die heterologe Expression in E. coli gemeinsam mit anderen Genen der Terpenbiosynthese erweitert das potenzielle Terpensynthase-Substratspektrum außerdem um C11-, C12-, C16- und C17 Prenylpyrosphopshate. Darüber hinaus konnten polymethylierte C41-, C42-und C43-Carotinoide synthetisiert werden. So wurde die Terpenbiosynthese durch die Modifikation ihrer Bausteine erweitert und neue ungewöhnliche Terpene produziert.
Mechanical Properties and Stress Analysis of Natural Fiber Reinforced Polymer Composite Spur Gear
Authors: Jayaraj M. , Ashok S. K. , Thirumurugan Rama , Shanmugam Dharmalingam , Mahendran M.
Published: August 2024

This research study investigates the mechanical properties of polymer composites reinforced with natural fibers, specifically Palmyra palm leaf stalk fiber (PPLSF) and Palmyra palm primary leaf stalk fiber (PPFLSF). Tensile, flexural, and impact strength were among the composites’ mechanical parameters generated by integrating these fibers into a polymer matrix and assessing them experimentally. Additionally, stress analysis of a spur gear was conducted using the finite element analysis software ABAQUS. The composite material properties obtained from the experimental investigation were used in the analysis to evaluate the gear’s stress distribution and deformation behavior. The bending stress at the pitch point of the natural composite gears for PPLSF, PPFLSF, and nylon synthetic material is analyzed using analytical and experimental methods by ABAQUS software. Finally, the results are compared with each other. The results show that stress induced by nylon is comparatively higher than that of PPLSF and PPFLSF fiber. By analyzing these composites’ strength, durability, and stress distribution under operating environments, the study aims to determine whether they are suitable substitutes for conventional materials.
Aesthetic flowing between islands: migrating loom, traded cotton, mountain of dye
Authors: Yan Yan
Published: August 2024

The political isolation and environmentally vibrant of Hainan Island fostered interactions between humans, non-humans, and islands. Li brocade, crafted by the interaction between Li women and Hainan, embodies the cultural essence of the Li ethnic group, spanning daily life to beliefs. It is hypothesized that, besides the indigenous Li, Austronesian groups also dispersed to Islands Southeast Asia (ISEA) with textile techniques. Then, exchanges among island communities with the transformation of Li brocade started. However, since Song Dynasty and the 1980s with UNESCO's involvement, Li brocade has been detached from its original context, symbolized as “low-tech” and heritage artifact, with Li women instrumentalized for Han Chinese-focused industry and nationalism. By examining the aesthetics of textiles through Austronesian migration with looms, the cotton trade with India, and the tropical plants for dyeing, this paper argues that Li brocade, beyond human-made object, is a temporal life. It connects and shapes weavers’ aesthetic of sensing the world in the creative reinvention in every encountering built upon past experiences. By shifting focus from Hainan-Mainland China to Hainan-ISEA, it seeks to uncover obscured histories and foster imaginative future of Li brocade’s own life direction and interaction with Li women, transcending the borderline of modern nation states.
Determining Priority Conservation of Endemic Palms in the Philippine Islands Using a Localized Conservation Priority Index
Authors: Sumabat Phil , Arzaga Jaybie , Arellano Dian , Tranqueña Jhun , Buot Inocencio
Published: August 2024

The mass production of palms for economic and cultural use in the Philippines leads to risk of extinction, genetic erosion, and biodiversity loss. This study aimed to identify top-priority endemic Arecaceae species in the Philippine Islands using a modified localized conservation priority index (LCPI), which considered factors such as distribution, harvesting risk, and economic and cultural use. A taxonomic list of 89 species was constructed, spanning 12 genera, with Calamus being the most speciose genus containing 25 endemic species. The LCPI assessment designated 31 high priority species for conservation, 24 as medium priority, and 34 as low priority. High-priority palms scored highly on the LCPI due to their limited distribution, high susceptibility to overharvesting, and significant economic and cultural value to local communities. The study reveals the diversity and importance of endemic Philippine palms needing urgent conservation efforts to sustain their valuable ecosystem services.
Climate Change Adaptation and Economic Vulnerability of Small Scale Fishermen in the Spermonde Islands, Indonesia
Authors: Idrus Rijal , Rukminasari Nita , Ardi Ahmad , Alam Jamaluddin , Muawanah Umi , Ahmad Mubariq
Published: August 2024

The general objectives of the research are: 1) To investigates the economic hardships faced by fishermen households in the Spermonde Islands due to climate change., and 2) To examine the adoption of diversified livelihoods as a tactic for confronting and adjusting to climate change among fishermen in the Spermonde Islands. Meanwhile, the specific objectives of the research are: 1) Calculating the economic vulnerability of fishermen to climate change, 2) Determining the adaptive capacity index (ACI), 3) Determining possible scenarios taken by fishermen in making decisions related to the impact of climate change on fishermen's income and 4) Determine co-development scenarios for adaptation to climate change. The research method uses in-depth interviews with small-scale fishermen on four islands in Makassar City (Barrang Lompo Island and Kodingareng Lompo) and Pangkep Regency (Ballang Lompo and Badi Islands) and data analysis to understand the impact of climate change on fishermen's livelihoods and the factors that influence vulnerability. their economy. The research results show that fishermen in the Spermonde Islands face various challenges due to climate change, including increased frequency and intensity of extreme weather, changes in seasonal patterns, and rising sea levels. This impact negatively impacts their production and income, and threatens the sustainability of their livelihoods. A factor that most influenced the economic vulnerability of fishing households in the Spermonde Archipelago was the existence an alternative income for a fishermen.
Text Mining Analysis of Changes in Consumer Perceptions of Food Index
Authors: Yang Minho , Kim Changgyeong , Kim Joonhwan , Im SeokJin
Published: August 2024

This study conducted a topic modeling analysis with the BERT model to identify the themes of the review texts on seafood written by consumers and compare them with the empirical analysis results from surveys. More specifically, this study analyzed the relationship between consumers’ perceptions of seafood and the food index level, a subdomain of the PKNU Maritime Index. In particular, the correlation was explored to verify the relationship between the Korean consumers’ evaluation of seafood concerning taste, nutrition, variety, price, and safety and the food index. The findings were as follows. First, consumers’ perceptions of seafood were found to have a significant positive correlation with the food index. Second, the multiple regression analysis showed that, apart from the variety, the food index had a significant positive effect in the order of safety, nutrition, taste, and price. Such research findings showed that it is necessary to understand consumer perceptions of seafood, and the food index centered on the Northeast Asian Sea could be used as a foundation to improve consumer experience and satisfaction. This study further expanded the scope of existing marine humanities research by conducting text-mining analysis, providing theoretical and practical implications.
Social Impacts in a Coastal Tourism Destination: “Effects of COVID-19 Pandemic”
Authors: Alvarado-Vanegas Byron , Coromina Lluís
Published: August 2024

Social impacts and other types of impacts such as economic and environmental have been studied extensively in the tourism field. The main aim of this research is to understand the differences in the social impacts of tourism between summer 2019 (pre-COVID-19) and summer 2020 (during the COVID-19 pandemic) in a coastal tourism destination from the visitors' perspective. Data were collected using surveys carried out in the municipality of Platja d'Aro (Catalonia, Spain) in 2019 (pre-pandemic) (n=468 visitors) and 2020 (during the pandemic) (n=394 visitors). The responses were categorised into two main groups: “strengths and weaknesses of the destination”, in order to understand the possible social impacts of tourism. Results show that visitor profile differed in terms of origin and age during the pandemic. The level of satisfaction with the destination remains similar despite the adverse scenario caused by the pandemic. Social impacts are identified and compared between the two periods. This information can be used by tourism destination policymakers to analyse differences in social impacts between pandemic and pre-pandemic periods.
The Impact of the Digital Divide on MSMEs’ Productivity In Indonesia
Authors: Lukas Erica Novianti , Hasudungan Albert
Published: August 2024

Although the adoption of information and communication technology (ICT) has been rapid, gaps still exist regarding various areas of access to ICT among micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), which are the backbone of Indonesia’s economy. This study investigates how the digital divide factors increase productivity among MSMEs in Indonesia. Drawing on previous studies, the digital divide factors consist of material access, motivational access, skill access, and usage access. In this study, the logistic regression model is used with SUSENAS 2019 data from BPS. The study finds the significance of skill and usage access galvanize MSMEs’ enthusiasm to adopt the ICT platform in their business activities. Conversely, with weak significance of motivational and material access, this study recommends more extensive endeavors of the ICT infrastructure in boosting MSMEs’ productivity in the state of economic policy making in Indonesia.
Political Connection and BPD Performance
Authors: Tulung Joy Elly , Ramdani Dendi
Published: August 2024

The political situation that stable and conducive simplify business activities of a company politics and vice versa can be facilitated by the existence of good business. The relationship is what eventually called a political connection. Business relationship with politics has a very close relationship to harmony of an economy. The sample in this study is board members in 26 BPD during the year 2010 to 2014. We use political connected as an independent variable, the political connected is the board are coming from government, BPD is owned by government so the board with government background is identified as a political connected. The dependent variables are return on asset, return on equity and non-performing loan. This study uses firm size as a control variable. This study is expected to give a contribution to the topics of political connection and give a recommendation to government how to choice the member of board.
A multi-solver simulation environment for resilience analysis of drinking water and wastewater networks
Authors: Alex Jens , Schütze Manfred , Hübner Christian , Ogurek Michael
Published: August 2024

This paper presents a comprehensive simulation environment for damage analysis of drinking water and sewer systems. Given the potential damage caused by natural disasters or infrastructural problems, analyzing the resilience of such systems is of crucial importance. The presented simulation environment integrates various specialized solvers that are required for the simulation of drinking water and sewer systems. These include solvers for gravity flow, fully-filled pressurized pipes, and others. The system enables the model-based analysis of damage and the evaluation of measures to increase the resilience of these systems.
Language Framing Influences Interest in Social-Issue Based Prosocial Behavior
Authors: Olagbegi Olajuwon , Sacco Donald F. , Brown Mitch
Published: August 2024

Social activism has become an increasingly ubiquitous route to address perceived inequalities, with racial issues oftentimes being a salient example. Those looking to recruit activists for their cause are oftentimes interested in strategies to elicit participation. Two studies examined how linguistic framings of activism influence interest in such displays. Participants viewed generic low-cost and high-cost prosocial behaviors, described as being in the service of social justice, social activism, or volunteering on a between participants basis. Prosocial interest was highest for behaviors described as serving social justice purposes (Study 1). When the same prosocial behaviors were tied to specific social issues, interest in low-cost prosocial behaviors were higher when they were described as serving social activism (Study 2). Black participants reported more activism interest than White participants in both studies, regardless of framing. Findings could inform best practices for garnering support for various social causes.
Impacto del modelo de negocio de la Banca de Fomento Agricola sobre la calidad de vida en la percepción del pequeño productor agropecuario de la región San Martín
Authors: Espinoza Calle Juan Enrique , Torres Castillo Anibal , Espinoza Villanueva Luis Enrique , Otoya Barrenechea José Antonio , Osorio Díaz Julissa Daniela
Published: August 2024

Esta investigación analiza el impacto del modelo de negocios de AGROBANCO en la calidad de vida de los pequeños productores agropecuarios en la Región de San Martín. Con un enfoque cuantitativo y diseño no experimental de corte transversal, se encuestó a una muestra de 96 productores de la cartera de AGROBANCO para evaluar tres aspectos del servicio: la especialización del personal, la función del gestor de negocios y la herramienta “hoja de producto” para la evaluación crediticia. Los resultados indican una percepción positiva del personal de atención, aunque con áreas de mejora en visitas técnicas y asesoramiento en innovaciones. La función del gestor de negocios fue bien valorada, pero se identificaron oportunidades de mejora en el servicio postventa. La herramienta “hoja de producto” recibió percepciones mixtas en su comprensión, pero se valoraron positivamente el cronograma de pago y la adaptabilidad de los términos. Se concluye que el modelo de negocio de AGROBANCO influye positivamente en la percepción de calidad de vida de los pequeños productores, con una correlación positiva moderada a fuerte (Rho: 0.435) y altamente significativa (p-value: 0.000), indicando que la planificación estratégica y la gestión empresarial de AGROBANCO tienen un impacto positivo en la vida de estos productores, mejorando sus posibilidades empresariales y contribuyendo al desarrollo comunitario.