bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Assessment of Microbiological Quality of Water Using Culture Methods, Flow Cytometry and Luminometry
Authors: Zamorska Justyna , Karwowska Ewa , Przystaś Wioletta
Published: October 2023

A very important role in determining the quality of water is the assessment of its microbiological quality. Water quality control, which could pose a direct threat to human health and life, is performed in the case of water produced at the water treatment plants, tap water or water in swimming pools. However, these traditional methods used to assess its quality are laborious and time consuming. In emergency and incidental situations, in the era of terrorist threats, the need for quick, reliable and reproducible microbiological determinations seems to be essential. In this study, an attempt was made to compare various methods of assessing the microbiological quality of water. The assessment was carried out for waters with different microbiological characteristics: surface waters, rainwater, groundwater, and water supply. The evaluation was carried out using traditional culture methods and high-speed methods: flow cytometry and luminometry. The analysis of microbiological parameters were the basis for the statistical analysis. The conducted microbiological analysis of various types of water, along with their statistical evaluation, showed different dependencies for each of the analysed waters.
Effective Placement Strategies for Portable Fishways in Agricultural Drainage Canals: A Numerical Investigation
Authors: Maeda Shigeya , Yoshida Yuri , Yoshinari Kanuka , Takahashi Naoki
Published: October 2023

Agricultural drainage canals that connect upstream fish spawning areas to downstream rivers and lakes serve as crucial habitats for migrating fish. However, disconnections, such as drops and chutes, have been constructed in these canals due to agricultural modernization and flood control measures, hindering the movement of fish with limited swimming abilities. Portable fishways offer a promising solution to reconnect water bodies in agricultural canals, as they can be easily removed during high water discharges to avoid impeding the canals' drainage function. In addition to experimental assessments of fishway functionality, employing a hydrodynamic model to explore effective placement strategies for portable fishways is essential to maximize their effectiveness. This study presents a method to determine the best horizontal location of a portable fishway in an agricultural drainage canal using two-dimensional hydrodynamic simulations within the specified cases. The applicability of this method is demonstrated by addressing the positioning challenge of a portable fishway on a chute in an agricultural drainage canal in Japan. Results indicate that the proposed method allows for the selection of a suitable location, considering preferable hydraulic conditions both within the portable fishway and around its entrance.
Active Confinement of Masonry Walls with Stainless Steel Straps: The Effect of Strap Arrangement on the in-Plane Behavior of Strength, Poisson’s Ratio and Pseudo-Ductility
Authors: Ferretti Elena
Published: October 2023

Among all the active confinement techniques, the use of pre-tensioned stainless steel straps has recently gained much attention. The flexibility of the stainless steel straps allows us to bend and pass them through the thickness of the masonry, thus creating a three-dimensional strengthening system between the two opposite facings. The use of the same perforation for the passage of several straps closed in a loop generates a continuous strengthening system that prevents parts of the structure from falling and injuring the occupants during seismic events. However, the perforations can nullify the in-plane strengthening, as they act as cylindrical hinges and make the reinforcement system labile for certain strap arrangements. Diagonal compression tests on square masonry panels performed in the present study show that the straps improve neither strength nor ductility when running along the mortar head and bed joints, arranged in square meshes. Conversely, they improve both strength and ductility when the straps make angles of 45° with the mortar joints. Furthermore, the experimental results show that the straps exert an anisotropic effect that decreases the apparent in-plane Poisson ratio. They also provide new insights into the diagonal compression test and allow formulating a new proposal for the pseudo-ductility factor.
Psicolinguistic Modeling of Spanish Political Parties from Social Media
Authors: Montejo-Ráez Arturo , Díaz-Galiano Manuel Carlos , Navarro-Ardoy Luis , González-Fernández Manuel Tomás
Published: October 2023

This study applies several natural language processing techniques for characterizing social groups by analyzing published text in social media. The resulting computed values are proposed as features for modeling social groups and measure distances or similarities among them, along further data that could help understanding group behavior according to language usage. In this study, we have analyzed the messages published on Twitter regarding patriotism by the main political parties in Spain. The results show that lexical resources and topic modelling algorithms are useful to model different groups and serve as comparison tools to better understand the topics these groups are talking about.
Las prácticas del vivir noblemente y su importancia. El ejemplo de los Díaz de Escobar en Córdoba
Authors: Ruiz Canales Irene
Published: October 2023

El estudio de la vida cotidiana no es sólo una forma como otra cualquiera de acercarse al conocimiento del pasado, analizando cómo vivía y se comportaba, en nuestro caso, la nobleza, sino que también es una excelente plataforma para comprender los mecanismos de ascenso social de determinadas familias que optaron por imitar los hábitos materiales e inmateriales de sus superiores a fin de irse asimilando paulatinamente al estamento privilegiado. Ese es el caso de los cordobeses Díaz de Escobar sobre los que trata el presente artículo.
Guardar las apariencias. Formas de representación de los poderes locales en el medio rural cordobés en la época moderna
Authors: Ruiz Gálvez Ángel M.
Published: October 2023

Con en este trabajo pretendemos profundizar en el conocimiento del estilo de vida de las clases dirigentes de las comunidades rurales cordobesas en la época Moderna. Para ello abordamos el análisis de las formas de distinción de estos grupos en los distintos escenarios en los que discurrió la mayor parte de la vida cotidiana de los mismos . Comprobaremos cómo las clases privilegiadas vivían rodeadas de todo tipo de lujos y comodidades, lo que les permitió gozar de un gran reconocimiento social. Este estilo de vida conllevaba la realización de un importante gasto económico que no todas las familias podían afrontar, a pesar de lo cual muchas de ellas continuaron haciéndolo, llegando incluso a endeudarse fuertemente con tal de ser reconocidos como integrantes del grupo.
Así en la tierra como en el cielo. Aproximación al estudio de las capellanías en la Edad Moderna: entre la trascendencia y la política familiar. El caso de Córdoba
Authors: Herreros Moya Gonzalo J.
Published: October 2023

En España, durante el Antiguo Régimen, tuvieron un importante peso social la fundación y transmisión de capellanías, aunque los estudios sobre ellas son bastante desiguales. Idealmente un figura jurídica canónica, desempeñaron en la realidad un papel determinante en las políticas familiares dentro de linajes de diverso rango social. Por un lado, canalizaban las inquietudes trascendentales de los fundadores, pero por otro conllevaban un sustancial significado de ostentación social para los sucesivos patronos y de mantenimiento económico para los capellanes.
Identificación e identidad en el desarrollo de la memoria histórica: El reino de Murcia y la edad media
Authors: Jiménez Alcázar Juan F.
Published: October 2023

La realidad histórica de una actual Comunidad Autónoma de la Región de Murcia hunde sus raíces en plena Edad Media. Si bien esto es común a la inmensa mayoría de regiones europeas, lo particular de este territorio es el modo en que la memoria que aquella época dejó en sus pobladores hasta el día de hoy ha reflejado una concreta manera de entender su propia existencia como institución regional, con su cultura específica fruto de ese complejo devenir histórico.
Mecanismos y estrategias de promoción, ascenso y consolidación de los Carrillo de Toledo, señores de Caracena y Pinto
Authors: Quijorna Rodríguez Ana
Published: October 2023

Como ha sido puesto de manifiesto ya en reiteradas ocasiones la movilidad social fue un fenómeno característico del sistema estamental propio de la Edad Moderna. El dinero fue un elemento clave en el intento por conseguir la ansiada promoción, como también esencial fue saber aprovechar las oportunidades de servicio regio que brindó la maquinaria imperial de los Austrias. En el proceso de encumbramiento político y social protagonizado por los señores de Caracena y Pinto, la concesión del señorío, el acceso a las esferas locales de gobierno, la fundación de mayorazgos, la puesta en práctica de unas acertadas estrategias matrimoniales y, finalmente, el desempeño de algunos de los puestos administrativos, gubernativos y militares más relevantes de la Monarquía Hispánica, se convirtieron en hitos fundamentales. Trayectoria ascendente, por tanto, la de estos señores, que les permitió, además, acumular honores y mercedes, diversificar sus fuentes de ingresos, apuntalar un estatus privilegiado y entrar a formar parte de la nobleza titulada.
El deán burgalés Calderón de la Barca (1704-1773). Un modelo de clérigo en el Setecientos
Authors: Sanz de la Higuera Francisco J.
Published: October 2023

El devenir vital de don Alonso Calderón de la Barca, el que fuera deán del Cabildo Catedral de Burgos entre 1743 y 1773, posibilita, a mi juicio, un análisis crítico de las múltiples situaciones de patrimonialización, mercantilización y negociación de los beneficios eclesiásticos en el Antiguo Régimen. Su biografía, a modo de prosopografía experimental, nos zambulle en las idiosincrasias, las tendencias patológicas y el acontecer, ordinario o traumático, de una Catedral de tamaño medio, ubicada en una ciudad pre-industrial venida a menos desde su época más dorada, y un Cabildo que luchaba por mantener sus expectativas económicas y su autonomía frente a Roma y a Madrid. El deanato de Calderón de la Barca no fue ni anodino ni excepcional, sino más bien la materialización de los usos y costumbres habituales en las Catedrales de la Edad Moderna pero con un punto de acidez, provocado por las apetencias, maquinaciones y frustraciones de alguien que (ab)usó de su poder sin llegar nunca a conseguir, sin embargo, el que era el principal objetivo de su existencia, el obispado.
El tejido productivo en la Sevilla de mediados del XVI: un análisis demográfico y socioeconómico a partir de los padrones de moneda forera de las collaciones de Santa Catalina y San Román de 1548
Authors: Castillo Rubio Juan Manuel
Published: October 2023

Este artículo plantea una reflexión en torno a la lista de vecinos de las collaciones sevillanas de Santa Catalina y San Román de 1548, así como a su fuente, los padrones de moneda forera, como medio de conocimiento de la sociedad moderna castellana. Análisis propuesto desde la demografía histórica y la historia socioeconómica, para lograr un encuadre de la población múltiple: por estamento, profesión, riqueza, condición o tratamiento social.
"Que la penitencia no debe obstar a los descendientes que de él hubiere". Integración y ascenso social de una familia judeoconversa: el caso de los Ramírez de Lucena (Córdoba)
Authors: Serrano Márquez Nereida
Published: October 2023

El presente artículo se centra en la evolución de uno de los principales linajes judeoconversos del reino de Córdoba en la época Moderna, el de los Ramírez. Naturales de Espejo, pronto encontraron en Lucena, la capital del marquesado de Comares, el lugar perfecto para ocultar su pasado y ennoblecerse al lado de su señor. Son protagonistas de este estudio su estrecha relación con el marqués, su deseo de fabricar una nueva memoria familiar, y las estrategias matrimoniales y económicas que les permitieron convertirse en uno de los grupos más poderosos de la oligarquía de Lucena y en uno de los ejemplos paradigmáticos de integración de cristianos nuevos en el territorio andaluz.
El "linaje de los Mérida": inicio y final de su ascenso social en La Alpujarra
Authors: Cano Hila Francisco J.
Published: October 2023

El paso del tiempo casi había conseguido borrar de La Alpujarra la memoria de una de sus principales familias, los Mérida, que a pesar de sus oscuros orígenes consiguieron pasar de repobladores a ser una de las principales familias de la comarca. El análisis exhaustivo del linaje desde el siglo XVI hasta el XX nos permitirá entender sus orígenes, el ascenso social de algunas de sus ramas y su extinción en La Alpujarra.
Sociedad de la "Villa y Corte": Hidalgos en el Madrid de Carlos IV
Authors: Pérez León Jorge
Published: October 2023

A finales del Antiguo Régimen el desarrollo de Madrid como centro político y económico atrajo a una multitud de inmigrantes de todos los rincones del mundo hispánico. Algunos de ellos se establecieron y buscaron alcanzar el reconocimiento social en su comunidad. El recibimiento como hidalgos en el ayuntamiento madrileño fue una de las estrategias desarrolladas para obtener un estatus. El estudio de los procesos de hidalguía promovidos con este fin proporciona abundante información sobre estas personas: orígenes geográficos y familiares, ocupación o domicilio son cuestiones fundamentales para conocer el perfil de esta nueva nobleza en ascenso.
Ernestina de Champourcin: traductora de la "Obra escogida" de Emily Dickinson
Authors: Pérez Bernardo María Luisa
Published: October 2023

En este trabajo se estudiará no solo la producción poética de Ernestina de Champourcin, sino también su amplia labor de traducción. De esta manera, se repasará la contribución de la autora al campo de la traducción durante el exilio en México y tras su vuelta a España, los idiomas y las editoriales en los que trabajó. Además, se estudiará la traducción que realizó de la Obra escogida de Emily Dickinson, al ser una de las primeras versiones realizadas del inglés al español. De esta manera, se analizarán aquí los diferentes recursos traductológicos que utilizó en esta edición, tales como: el análisis de la versificación, los referentes culturales, las amplificaciones y omisiones, así como las estructuras sintácticas.
Palabras clave: Champourcin, Emily Dickinson, traducción literaria, traducción poética.
RESEÑA: Vidal Claramonte, M. C. África. (2023). Translating Borrowed Tongues. The Verbal Quest of Ilan Stavans. New York: Routledge. 128 páginas ISBN: 9781032347622
Authors: Solange Ferrero Sabrina
Published: October 2023

Reseña bibliográfica.
Telescopic Megafans on the High Plains, USA Were Signal Buffers in a Major Source-To-Sink System
Authors: Korus Jesse , Joeckel R.M.
Published: October 2023

Sediment routing systems transport sediment and environmental signals inefficiently. The storage and recycling of sediment buffers the responses of sedimentary systems to tectonic, climatic, and geomorphic changes. Long-term ( >106 a.) storage may occur in megafans—large, low-relief, hemiconical fluvial deposystems—but the behavior of these systems over such timescales is unclear. We examine late Neogene megafan deposits on the High Plains, USA that are stored in the catchment of the continental-scale Rocky Mountain-Gulf of Mexico source-to-sink system. Using high-resolution elevation data, we map numerous fluvial ridges (inverted channel relics) that can be differentiated into five, chronologically distinct groups. The oldest four groups comprise radial arrays with multiple channel divergences (avulsion nodes). The inferred fan apices and longitudinal intersection points are offset successively downgradient, indicating that fanhead entrenchment and fan-lobe deposition were approximately contemporaneous and strongly suggesting a telescopic morphology. The youngest group of channels, also the lowest in elevation, is confined to terraces along the modern valley of the South Platte River. We interpret this group as direct evidence for the abandonment of the megafan and the incision of the present valley. Uplift was the chief driving mechanism for early telescoping, but channel widening and uniform downcutting in the younger groups suggest that change in stream power was the primary driver of later telescoping and incision. The storage of sediment in the megafan effectively decoupled sources from downstream sinks. Some of this sediment was recycled during entrenchment, but much of it remains in storage as the Ogallala Group and Broadwater Formation. Emplacement of telescopic megafans should be considered as a long-term ( ≥106 years) buffer in other modern and ancient sediment routing systems.
Autologous Anti-GD2 CAR T Cells Efficiently Target Primary Human Glioblastoma
Authors: Dominici Massimo
Published: October 2023

Glioblastoma (GBM) remains a deadly tumor. Treatment with chemo-radiotherapy and corticosteroids is known to impair the functionality of lymphocytes, potentially compromising the development of autologous CAR T cell therapies. We here generated pre-clinical investigations of autologous anti-GD2 CAR T cells tested against 2D and 3D models of GBM primary cells. We detected a robust anti-tumor effect, highlighting the feasibility of developing an autologous anti-GD2 CAR T cell-based therapy for GBM patients.
An annotation assisted smart contracts generation method
Authors: Yong Chen , Defeng Hu , Chao Xu , Nannan Chen
Published: October 2023

With the rapid development of blockchain technology, the demand and complexity of smart contracts have sharply increased. However, smart contracts not only have high security requirements, but also have unique development languages that conventional software developers find difficult to quickly adapt to. Therefore, how to efficiently develop secure and reliable smart contracts is a key issue. Therefore, we propose an annotation guided intelligent contract automatic generation method based on the Char-RNN network. It utilizes annotation information from the source code of smart contracts as semantic assist, and enhances the clustering performance for functionally similar smart contracts, which can obtain more accurate features of smart contracts. At the same time, to enhance the applicability of the model, the method achieves automatic generation of code at multiple levels such as contracts, functions, interfaces, libraries, etc., to meet the development needs of different users. To evaluate the effectiveness of our method, we conducted experiments on the automatically generated smart contract using the BLUE metrics and VaaS security detection tool. The experimental results showed that compared with existing methods, the smart contract generated by our method improved the average BLEU score by 27% and the accuracy by 7.6%.
Ultimate condensation of hard X-ray free-electron laser reaching single-nanometre focus size and 1022 W/cm2 intensity
Authors: Yamada Jumpei , Matsuyama Satoshi , Inoue Ichiro , Osaka Taito , Inoue Takato , Nakamura Nami , Tanaka Yuto , Inubushi Yuichi , Yabuuchi Toshinori , Tono Kensuke , Tamasaku Kenji , Yumoto Hirokatsu , Koyama Takahisa , Ohashi Haruhiko , Yabashi Makina , Yamauchi Kazuto
Published: October 2023

By illuminating matter with bright and intense light, we gain profound insights into its composition and property. In the regime of extremely short wavelengths, X-ray free-electron lasers (XFELs) with exceptional peak brilliance have unveiled crucial details about the structures, dynamics, and physics of various materials. Although X-ray focusing optics to enhance the intensity have progressed, achieving a single-nanometre focusing spot that fully exploits the source performance has remained elusive. Aberrations arising from reflective optical schemes noticeably degrade the focus, in conjunction with the inevitable angular transition and pointing errors. Here, we present an innovative approach that directly forms a source image into a tiny focusing spot, achieving 7 nm focusing of 9.1-keV XFELs with the unprecedented intensity of 1.45 × 1022 W/cm2. This breakthrough was made possible by a scheme combining concave and convex X-ray mirrors with suppressed aberrations and high angular tolerances. The attained highly intense XFELs, surpassing the previous intensity by a hundred-fold, induced the vigorous ionization of chromium, suggesting the creation of solid-density heavy bare atomic nuclei. Our results, which realize stable ultraintense XFEL beams by forming demagnified source images, hold immediate significance in wide research fields, including atomic, molecular and optical physics and high-energy-density sciences.
Shareholding strategies: long-term emission reduction in a power battery supply chain
Authors: Wang Wenbin , Guan Jie , Mao Zhanpeng , Ding Xiang
Published: October 2023

Utilizing the decision model in which neither the power battery producer (PB-producer) nor the new energy vehicle manufacturer (NEV-manufacturer) holds shares as a benchmark, we construct three differential game models with forward shareholding of PB-producer, backward shareholding of NEV-manufacturer, and cross-shareholding of both parties to explore the impact of different shareholding strategies between upstream and downstream firms in a power battery supply chain on the long-term emission reduction decision, the low-carbon advertising input decision, power battery emission reduction level trajectory, low carbon goodwill trajectory, and firm’s profits. The results indicate that: i) if the PB-producer or NEV-manufacturer hold shares in one direction, it only changes its decision variables, but not affects the decision variables of supply chain partners, while if the cross-shareholding is made, the decision level of the firm is higher than that in the one-way shareholding and firms without shareholdings; ii) any shareholding strategies increase the low-carbon goodwill, and if the cross-shareholding is made, the goodwill is the highest; iii) one-way shareholding promotes the profit of the shareholder, and if the marginal profit of the stakeholder is small, the overall profit of the stakeholder will be lower; iv) there exist certain conditions that make the firm’s profit under the cross-shareholding strategy is higher than that under the unidirectional shareholding strategy; v) the variation of emission reduction level, low carbon goodwill and firm’s profits converge to the steady state level over time, and the steady state values are independent of their initial values, which are related to the shareholding strategy in the power battery supply chain. This paper providers management implications for choosing shareholding strategies to improve emission reduction level, low carbon goodwill, and firm’s profits in the power battery supply chain.
Nonlinear dynamics of a dual-rotor-bearing system with active elastic support dry friction dampers
Authors: Ouyang Xu , Cao Shuqian , Li Guanwu
Published: October 2023

In present study, the modified harmonic balance-alternating frequency/time domain (HB-AFT) method with embedded arc-length continuation method is used to study the nonlinear dynamic characteristics of the dual-rotor-bearing system with active elastic support dry friction damper (ESDFD). The friction on the contact interface between ESDFD moving and stationary disks is described by a two-dimensional (2D) friction contact model. The dynamic model of the dual-rotor is established by the conical Timoshenko beam element and the rigid disk element, while the inter-shaft bearing force is obtained by the Hertz contact model. The reduced order model (ROM) of dual-rotor system is constructed by the Craig-Bampton method. Based on the ROM, the modified HB-AFT method with embedded arc-length continuation procedure is used to solve the periodic solutions of the dual-rotor system under unbalanced excitation. The Floquet theory is employed to determine the stability of periodic solutions. The impact of key parameters such as Hertz contact stiffness and radial clearance of inter-shaft bearing, eccentricity of disk, and modal damping ratio on the primary resonance characteristics and inter-shaft bearing dynamic load of the dual-rotor system are revealed without considering the ESDFD. With considering the ESDFD, the influence of ESDFD normal force on the primary resonance peak and inter-shaft bearing dynamic load of the dual-rotor system is investigated. The optimal normal force and controllable region for ESDFD to control the vibration of the dual-rotor system under the target mode is determined. A control strategy based on altering the normal force within the controllable region is designed. Results show that under the proposed control strategy, the damping effect provided by ESDFD significantly reduces the vibration amplitude of the dual-rotor system and mitigates the dynamic load of the inter-shaft bearing when passing through the resonance region, completely suppresses the bi-stable phenomenon and vibration jump behavior of the dual-rotor system. Thereby reducing the structural damage caused by excessive vibration. This demonstrates promising engineering applications for ESDFD.
DAP12 deficiency alters microglia-oligodendrocyte communication and enhances resilience against tau toxicity
Authors: Luo Wenjie , Chen Hao , Fan Li , Guo Qi , Wong Man Ying , Yu Fangmin , Foxe Nessa , Wang Winston , Nessim Aviram , Carling Gillian , Liu Bangyan , Lopez-Lee Chloe , Huang Yige , Amin Sadaf , Mok Sue-Ann , Song Won-min , Zhang Bin , Ma Qin , Fu Hongjun , Gan Li
Published: October 2023

Pathogenic tau accumulation fuels neurodegeneration in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Enhancing aging brain’s resilience to tau pathology would lead to novel therapeutic strategies. DAP12 (DNAX-activation protein 12) is critically involved in microglial immune responses. Previous studies have showed that mice lacking DAP12 in tauopathy mice exhibit higher tau pathology but are protected from tau-induced cognitive deficits. However, the exact mechanism remains elusive. Our current study uncovers a novel resilience mechanism via microglial interaction with oligodendrocytes. Despite higher tau inclusions, Dap12 deletion curbs tau-induced brain inflammation and ameliorates myelin and synapse loss. Specifically, removal of Dap12 abolished tau-induced disease-associated clusters in microglia (MG) and intermediate oligodendrocytes (iOli), which are spatially correlated with tau pathology in AD brains. Our study highlights the critical role of interactions between microglia and oligodendrocytes in tau toxicity and DAP12 signaling as a promising target for enhancing resilience in AD.
Texture-based speciation of otitis media-related bacterial biofilms from optical coherence tomography images using supervised classification.
Authors: Boppart Stephen , Zaki Farzana , Monroy Guillermo , Shi Jindou , Sudhir Kavya
Published: October 2023

Otitis media (OM) is primarily a bacterial middle-ear infection prevalent among children worldwide. In recurrent and/or chronic OM cases, antibiotic-resistant bacterial biofilms can develop in the middle ear. A biofilm related to OM typically contains one or multiple bacterial strains, the most common include Haemophilus influenzae, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Moraxella catarrhalis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Staphylococcus aureus. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) has been used clinically to visualize the presence of bacterial biofilms in the middle ear. This study used OCT to compare microstructural image texture features from primary bacterial biofilms in vitro and in vivo. The proposed method applied supervised machine-learning-based frameworks (SVM, random forest (RF), and XGBoost) to classify and speciate multiclass bacterial biofilms from the texture features extracted from OCT B-Scan images obtained from in vitro cultures and from clinically-obtained in vivo images from human subjects. Our findings show that optimized SVM-RBF and XGBoost classifiers can help distinguish bacterial biofilms by incorporating clinical knowledge into classification decisions. Furthermore, both classifiers achieved more than 95% of AUC (area under receiver operating curve), detecting each biofilm class. These results demonstrate the potential for differentiating OM-causing bacterial biofilms through texture analysis of OCT images and a machine-learning framework, which could provide additional clinically relevant data during real-time in vivo characterization of ear infections.
Prediction Model for Complete Characteristic of Pump as Turbine by Hybrid Approach Using Ensemble Regression Model and Polynomial Regression
Authors: Painter Rahulkumar , Dhamija Atul , Doshi Ashish , Bade Mukund
Published: October 2023

Centrifugal pumps operated in reverse mode (popularly called pump as turbine (PAT)) are well-established as green energy converters, mainly used in micro-hydro applications due to their lower capital cost. However, the appropriate selection of the pump for reverse-mode application is a critical issue due to not availability of its characteristic curve. Therefore, various researchers have proposed models to prediction PAT parameters from pump characteristics based on diverse approaches. Still, there is hardly any model which can predict the head and flow rates for the PAT with less than 20 % deviation in both of them. This work proposes a novel approach to predict the characteristics of PAT with the integration of ensemble regression modelling for Best Efficiency Point (BEP) and from it, by polynomial equations complete characteristics curve. The data from in-house experiments and open literatures were used to develop the proposed model excluding the data of four-pumps, which are typically used for validation of this proposed model. The predicted parameters of PAT from pump characteristics show good agreement for four selected PATs with less than 10% maximum deviation. Compared to the literature prediction models, it shows a lower deviation for same 4 PATs. A case study based on the field data is carried out to justify the applicability. It reveals that by using this model selected pump when operated in PAT will produce higher power and generate more revenue compared to literature models. Though the difference is lower, for a large number of PATs it will be significantly higher.
Comparative Analysis of Muscle Energy Technique and Hamstring Nordic Lower on YMCA Sit and Reach Box in Young Athletes of Pakistan: A Study on Flexibility Enhancement Cross Over Randomized Clinical Trial Nct06012344
Authors: Bhutta Abdul Haseeb , AWAN WAQAR AHMED , IJAZ MUHAMMAD JUNAID , SHAIKH MUHAMMAD UMAIR , HANEEF KINZA , Bhutta Nimra Ilyas , GHAFOOR FAISAL , SHAH SALEH , IBRAHIM UMAR , CHAUDHARY FATIMA
Published: October 2023

Background:Flexibility is an important factor in athletic performance, injury prevention, and functional movement. The Muscle Energy Technique (MET) and the Hamstring Nordic Lower exercise are commonly used interventions to improve hamstring flexibility. However, limited research has compared their effects, particularly using the YMCA Sit and Reach Box test.Objective:This study aimed to compare the effects of the Muscle Energy Technique (MET) and the Hamstring Nordic Lower exercise on hamstring flexibility, as assessed by the YMCA Sit and Reach Box test.Methods:Sixty athletes with hamstring tightness participated in a triple-blinded randomized clinical trial with a crossover study design. Participants were randomly assigned to three groups: MET group (including Post-Isometric Relaxation and Post-Facilitation Stretch), Hamstring Nordic Lower group, or control group. Each group received their respective intervention for one month, with daily sessions in 3 phases. Pre- and post-intervention measurements of hamstring flexibility were obtained using the YMCA Sit and Reach Box test. Secondary outcomes included perceived discomfort and participant satisfaction.2 way ANOVA test was applied in SPSS version 29Results:Demographic characteristics were similar among the three groups. The effects of the interventions on hamstring flexibility, perceived discomfort, and participant satisfaction are currently being analyzed, and the results showed PFS group in all 3 phases shows highest improvement, followed by PIR , and least improvement was shown by HNL group in three groups with 3 phases.Conclusion:This study employed a triple-blinded randomized clinical trial with a crossover study design to compare the effects of the Muscle Energy Technique (MET) and the Hamstring Nordic Lower exercise on hamstring flexibility. PFS techniques suggested to be the best exercise for prevention of eccentric tightness induced muscle injuries and performance complications. Followed by PIR and least improvement showed by HNL.t The findings contribute to the existing knowledge on optimizing hamstring flexibility and may have practical implications for sports medicine professionals, physical therapists, and strength and conditioning specialists..
Role of vitamin D in activity and severity of inflammatory bowel disease in Egyptian patients
Authors: Gadallah Abdel Naser Abdel Atty , Dala Ashraf Gharieb , Badr Eman Abdel Fattah , Abdelmonsef Mohamed Abdelmonaem , Shabaan Mohamed Ebrahem , Elbasuony Hany Abdelbary Abdelaziz
Published: October 2023

Background and aim: Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) comprise ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn’s disease (CD), which are chronical and recurrent disorders that affect the gastrointestinal tract. Diagnosing IBD requires a combination of clinical findings, inflammatory laboratory markers, imaging findings, and endoscopic biopsies. Vitamin D deficiency is generally higher in patients with CD than UC and usually higher than that of the general population. This study aims to evaluate the role of vitamin D in activity and severity of inflammatory bowel disease in Egyptian patients.
Methods: Our study was conducted on 62 IBD (UC and CD) naïve patients and 31 normal persons from the GI endoscopy unit of internal medicine department, Menoufia university hospital during the period between November 2021 and June 2023. All participants were subjected to history taking, clinical examination and routine lab investigations. Serum vitamin D level was also measured.
Results: This study showed highly significant difference between studied groups as regard serum vitamin D level with low level of vitamin D in IBD patients. Vitamin D is associated with different IBD activity status.
Conclusion: Vitamin D is associated with different IBD activity status and its deficiency is highly prevalent among IBD patients.
Multimodal Fine-Grained Grocery Product Recognition using Image and OCR Text
Authors: Pettersson Tobias , Riveiro Maria , Löfström Tuwe
Published: October 2023

Automatic recognition of grocery products can be used to improve customer flow at checkouts and reduce labor costs and store losses. Product recognition is, however, a challenging task for machine learning-based solutions due to the large number of products and their variations in appearance. In this work, we tackle the challenge of fine-grained product recognition by first extracting a large dataset from a grocery store containing products that are only differentiable by subtle details. Then, we propose a multimodal product recognition approach that uses product images with extracted OCR text from packages to improve fine-grained recognition of grocery products. We evaluate several image and text models separately and then combine them using different multimodal models of varying complexities. The results show that image and textual information complement each other in multimodal models and enable a classifier with greater recognition performance than unimodal models, especially when the number of training samples is limited. Therefore, this approach is suitable for many different scenarios in which product recognition is used to further improve recognition performance.
A bi-level energy-efficient optimization method for urban railway train speed profile and timetable with an extended solution space
Authors: Pu Qian , Shen Haikuo , Zhu Liqiang , Zhu Xiaomin , Chen Hongtian
Published: October 2023

Energy consuµption is one of the key topics of urban railway systeµs froµ the perspective of operating costs and environµental friendliness. Interstation speed profile and tiµetable optiµization are two µain µeans to achieve energy saving. A bi-level energy-efficient optiµization µethod is proposed in this study to associate the advantages of speed profile optiµization and tiµetable optiµization and reinforce the optiµization effect. Firstly, for lower-level optiµization, an interstation speed profile optiµization µodel is built based on µultiple running scheµes, and a µulti-objective evolutionary algorithµ coµbined with an analytic function is proposed to obtain Pareto front solutions. Then, for upper-level optiµization, an energy-efficient tiµetable optiµization µodel is constructed based on Pareto front solutions of each running section acquired froµ lower-level optiµization. Accordingly, the solving µethod with an evolutionary algorithµ is proposed to µiniµize total net energy consuµption. Finally, the case study of the Yizhuang line shows the effectiveness of the proposed µethod and 27.56% overall energy saved. Lastly, the results with different scenes revealed the influence of each level optiµization on the overall results.
Socio-demographic variables affect the management and administration of opioid agonists in patients under medication for addiction treatment during pandemic
Authors: Leventelis Christonikos , Barmpas Petros T. , Tasoulis Sotiris , Katsouli Alexandra , Stavropoulos Vasileios , Karasavvidou Anna , Papadopoulos Panagiotis , Veskoukis Aristidis S. , Tsironi Maria
Published: October 2023

The pandemic crisis and the restriction measures applied detrimentally affected several aspects of life of patients under medication for addiction treatment (MAT), potentially influencing the management and administration of methadone and buprenorphine. In total, 444 patients were divided into two groups based on medication and completed an anonymous self-reported Pandemic Medication-Assisted Treatment Questionnaire (PANMAT/Q) to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the management and administration of MAT. The findings revealed that “Mood”, “Sociability”, and “Substitute administration and pandemic measures” were affected more in patients taking methadone than in those taking buprenorphine. The variables, namely, “Age”, “Place of residence”, “Years attending MAT”, “Living in high-risk area for SARS-CoV-2 infection” and “Educational status”, were correlated with the dimensions “Mood” and “Sociability”, affecting the substance administration context. Sociodemographic variables play a key role in retention in treatment and prevention of drug-seeking behavior, influencing dimensions that mediate the management and administration of MAT during the pandemic outbreak.
Psychological Distress and Coping Strategies among Secondary School Teachers in a Divisional Secretariate, Sri Lanka
Authors: S Amathullah A. , Akuretiya S
Published: October 2023

Background
Secondary school teachers face more problems due to the misbehavior of pupils, curricula changes, demands placed on them to fulfil duties and responsibilities, difficulty in work-life balance, and the lack of teacher enhancement programs. These problems may cause anxiety, stress, depression, emotional exhaustion, and burnout. Therefore, this research aimed to assess secondary school teachers' psychological distress and coping strategies.
Methods
A total of 164 secondary school teachers were selected using a convenience sampling strategy through snowball sampling from the Mawanella divisional secretariate. The participants completed the General Health Questionnaire-30 and the Brief COPE questionnaire, both of which have been validated in the Sri Lankan context. Spearman correlation and Man-Whitney U- Test were performed.
Results
The results showed that most (N = 162) secondary school teachers experience psychological distress and are affected by social dysfunction (M = 6.7). Simultaneously, the participants experienced anxiety (M = 5.6), loss of confidence (M = 4.8), depression (M = 2.9), and insomnia (M = 1.5). All participants used all three coping strategies; however, it was seen that all the participants mostly used avoidant coping strategies (M = 19). Furthermore, the results revealed that emotion-focused coping strategies reduced psychological distress in all the participants. Problem-focused coping strategies (p = 0.056) and avoidant coping strategies (p = 0.017) did not result in any changes in psychological distress in the participants. The Mann‒Whitney U Test showed no statistical significance between males and females in experiencing psychological distress (p = 0.130).
Conclusion
The participants experienced psychological distress, which was expressed through social dysfunction. Emotion-focused coping strategies were commonly used to address psychological distress. Furthermore, no gender difference was seen in experiencing psychological distress.
Self-Attention Factor-Tuning for Parameter Efficient Fine-Tuning
Authors: Abohwo Jason
Published: October 2023

Transformers have revolutionized the fields of natural language processing and computer vision - a result of their ability to capture long-range dependencies with their key innovation: the attention mechanism. Despite the success of these models, their growing complexity has led to an ever-increasing need for processing power, making their practical applications less feasible. In recent years, tensor decomposition based parameter-efficient fine-tuning techniques have emerged as a promising solution to the computational bottleneck. In this research, we investigate the use of a specialized version of Factor Tuning that focuses exclusively on tensor decomposition for attention layers, which we refer to as Self-Attention Factor-Tuning. This selective decomposition not only allows for more inter-layer weight redundancy reduction, but also improves the model's efficiency and scalability. To evaluate the effectiveness of our approach, we conduct experiments with Vision Transformers using several benchmark datasets for image classification. The results demonstrate that the proposed framework effectively reduces the number of parameters required to train a transformer, outperforming the original Factor-Tuning paradigm as well as various other state-of-the-art techniques such as Low-Rank Adaptation whilst using significantly less parameters.
A draft Arab pangenome reference
Authors: Uddin Mohammed , Nassir Nasna , Almarri Mohamed , Kumail Muhammad , Mohamed Nesrin , Balan Bipin , Hanif Shehzad , AlObathani Maryam , Jamalalail Bassam , Elsokary Hanan , Kondaramage Dasuki , Shiyas Suhana , Kosaji Noor , Satsangi Dharana , Abdelmotagali Madiha , Tayoun Ahmad , Ahmed Olfat , Youssef Douaa , Suwaidi Hanan , Albanna Ammar , Plessis Stefan , Khansaheb Hamda , Alsheikh-Ali Alawi
Published: October 2023

Human pangenomes provide a comprehensive portrayal of genetic diversity of humans, yet it lacks representation of Arab populations. We constructed the Arab Pangenome Reference (APR) from 43 individuals with diverse Arab ethnicities. Nuclear and mitochondrial pangenomes were constructed utilizing 35.52X High fidelity long reads and 53.54X ultra-long reads. This yielded high-quality contiguous (average N50=106.81 Mb) de novo assemblies that used over 99% of the sequences constructing haplotype phased diploid genome assemblies with 88% exhibited larger genome length (average 3.01 gigabase) than the prevailing human reference GRCh38. We discovered 100.93 million base pairs of novel euchromatic sequences that were not present in recent human pangenomes and in the human genome references (T2T-CHM13 and GRCh38). We identified 10.68 million population-specific small variants, 108,709 structural variants, and 838 genes (13.24% recessive disease genes) duplication from the Arab pangenome. On exploring the mitochondria pangenome, we uncovered 718 bp of novel sequences. Our study provides a valuable resource for future genetic research and genomic medicine initiatives in the Arab populations and other populations with similar genetic backgrounds.
Health information technology use among foreign-born adults of Middle Eastern and North African decent in the United States
Authors: Smith Alexandra , Kindratt Tiffany
Published: October 2023

Health information technology (HIT) use among foreign-born adults of Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) descent living in America is an understudied population. They are currently categorized as “White” in the United States (US) on federal forms. The purpose was to uncover the prevalence of HIT use among MENA immigrants compared to US- and foreign-born White adults before and after adjusting for other factors. The 2011–2018 National Health Interview Survey data (n = 161,613; ages 18 + years) was analyzed. HIT uses evaluated were searching for health information, filling prescriptions, scheduling appointments, and communicating with healthcare providers via email (last 12 months). Crude and multivariable logistic regression models were used to estimate the odds of each HIT use, any HIT use, and all HIT uses before and after adjustment. The most common HIT use was looking up health information, with 46.4% of foreign-born adults of MENA, 47.8% of foreign-born White, and 51.2% of US-born White adults reporting its use (p = .0079). Foreign-born adults of MENA descent had lower odds (OR = 0.64; 95%CI = 0.56–0.74) of reporting any HIT use, but no difference in reporting all HIT uses compared to US-born White adults in adjusted models. This is the first study to explore HIT use among Americans of MENA descent. Patterns of HIT use among adults of MENA descent differ from White adults. Results contribute to growing body of literature showing the health of Americans of MENA descent differs from White Americans. A separate racial/ethnic identifier is needed to better capture HIT uses among populations of MENA descent.