bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Analysis of Workplace Accident Potential in the Spinning Department at PT. Panca Bintang Tunggal Sejahtera, Indonesia Using the HIRA and SCAT Methods
Authors: Setiawan Eko , Hanum Ersa
Published: April 2024

Occupational accidents frequently occurred in the spinning department of PT. Panca Bintang Tunggal Sejahtera, Indonesia, in the past year. The purpose of this study is to minimize the number of work accidents in the department by knowing the risk value, sequence of events, and incidents factors. The research method used is the HIRA method for classifying the risk level of each hazard and the SCAT method for finding factors causing work accidents. According to the HIRA approach, 28 hazards were found in 7 yarn spinning process activities in the spinning department including 3 potential hazards with extreme risk (11%), 10 potential hazards with high risk (36%), 8 potential hazards with medium risk (28%), and 7 potential hazards with low risk (25%). From the SCAT implementation, it is revealed that all activities require control and changes, especially in work process activities where there are hazards with extreme risk. The proposed improvements are to complete the procurement of PPE, add OHS signs, provide outreach and training to all employees related to OHS, and form an inspection team to supervise workers related to OHS.
Work accident risk analysis using HIRARC and FTA methods (Case study: Suwarno Meubel)
Authors: Sufa Mila Faila , Astuti Tri Retno
Published: April 2024

Suwarno Meubel is a business engaged in furniture production, which has risks related to occupational health and safety including workers carrying heavy wood manually, cutting wood with a table saw, painting wood with a spray gun, and so on. The purpose of this study is to find out the potential hazards that exist in each job and find the root causes of work accidents and then provide suggestions for improvements. The research method used is Hazard Identification Risk Assessment and Risk Control (HIRARC) to identify hazard risks and risk assessments for each job, after that, jobs with extreme values will be further analyzed using the Fault Tree Analysis method (FTA). The results of this study found 9 low categories of hazard risks, 12 moderate hazard categories, 4 high hazard categories, and 1 extreme hazard category. Risks in the extreme category were analyzed and found that there were 7 basic events, namely fatigue, lack of focus, lack of training, a limited number of PPE (goggles), no safety equipment on the machine, and no work procedures. The proposed controls are in the form of administrative control, PPE, and engineering.
Rock salt creep: a cross-check test to cover the full relevant range of deviatoric stresses
Authors: Blanco-Martín Laura , Jiménez-Camargo Jubier A. , Jaworowicz Jerzy , Gharbi Hakim , Dimanov Alexandre , Bornert Michel , Brouard Benoît
Published: April 2024

The time-dependent response of rock salt has been mainly investigated using confined creep tests covering a differential stress range between 5 and 20 MPa. In recent years, efforts have been made to investigate the range 0.1–4.5 MPa, using dead-end drifts in underground mines to take advantage of the very stable ambient conditions (temperature, relative humidity). Up to now, the combination of experimental data in the two ranges is difficult because of the use of different salt facies, sample preparation methods, test temperatures and experimental conditions (e.g., confined vs. unconfined tests, scale of measurements). In this work, we conduct two long-term creep tests on two natural salt samples from the same origin and prepared using the same protocol. The thermo-mechanical loading path is the same for the two tests, with only a small difference in the lateral load. One test is performed in a remote drift in a salt mine and the other test is performed in a climatic chamber in the laboratory. The comparison of the results is consistent, allowing to investigate a large range of deviatoric stresses by combining results in the two facilities. The final goal of this approach is to reduce stress extrapolation by investigating the whole deviatoric range that is relevant for underground operations. Next steps include investigating in more detail the effect of intergranular fluids, testing different temperatures and performing confined tests in the mine.
Immune responses of sea cucumber (Apostichopus japonicus) to combined environmental stress from high temperature and oil pollution
Authors: Ju Zhonglei , Li Xishan , Yang Wei , Xiong Deqi
Published: April 2024

Context High temperature and oil pollution are typical examples of environmental stress to sea cucumber (Apostichopus japonicus) in northern China. Aims Evaluate the combined effects of high temperature and oil pollution on the immune responses of sea cucumbers. Methods In this study, we investigated the immune responses in the respiratory tree of sea cucumber subjected to the optimal temperature (16°C), high temperature (26°C), Oman crude oil (OCO) water-accommodated fractions (WAF) at 16°C (WAF + 16°C) and OCO WAF at 26°C (WAF + 26°C) for 48 h. Key results All three treatments significantly up-regulated total antioxidant capacity and disturbed active oxygen species homeostasis in sea cucumbers. Moreover, all three treatments caused immune-enzyme activity disorders, manifested by a significant increase in acid–alkaline phosphatase and nitric oxide synthase activities and a noticeable decline in lysozyme activity. Conclusions Combining the integrated biomarker-response index (WAF + 26°C > 26°C > WAF + 16°C), the combined stress could result in a more adverse effect on the immune responses of sea cucumbers than do high temperature or oil pollution alone, which might further exacerbate the health challenges for sea cucumbers in response to environmental stress. Implications This study has provided an insight into the immune impacts in benthic organisms caused by high temperature and oil pollution.
Phenological and life-history responses of a tropical cladoceran Moina micrura to multiple environmental drivers
Authors: Razak Muhammad Raznisyafiq , Aris Ahmad Zaharin , Zaki Muhammad Rozaimi Mohd , Yusoff Fatimah Md , Yusof Zetty Norhana Balia
Published: April 2024

Context Climate change and global warming has led to changes in water-quality parameters, which in turn have negative consequences for zooplankton. Aims To investigate the effects of various environmental stressors (pH, temperature, photoperiod, and food concentration) on the tropical freshwater microcrustacean Moina micrura. Methods The study examined the effects of these stressors on survival (lifespan), reproduction (days to first brood, number of broods, and total offspring), growth (individual size and total moulting), physiology (heart rate), and sex-switching effects (total male offspring). Key results Significant (P < 0.05) reductions in the total offspring, individual size, and heart rate of M. micrura were observed when exposed to acidic (pH 5) and alkaline (pH 9) conditions. Conversely, higher water temperatures (31°C) and longer light exposure (20 h) were found to increase total offspring and heart rate in M. micrura. Furthermore, male offspring were produced only under conditions of food scarcity (no food supply and 1 × 102 cells mL−1). Conclusions Climate change has a significant effect on the life-history traits of M. micrura, a tropical cladoceran species. Implications Vital insights that can guide policymakers and practitioners in developing more effective strategies to safeguard and preserve tropical freshwater aquatic habitats, especially those of zooplankton species.
Improving the size selectivity of crayfish fyke-net codend, applying the hexagonal mesh and sorting grid
Authors: Cilbiz Mehmet , Aydın Celalettin
Published: April 2024

Context Owing to the use of fyke-nets with poor size selectivity in crayfish fishery, 40.7% of the landed undersized catch is discarded as bycatch. Aims This study investigated the effects of using hexagonal mesh (Hex34) instead of diamond nets (Com34) in the traditional crayfish fyke-net and the application of a sorting-grid (SG20, SG25, SG30) and stiff-rigged net (SRN34, SRN42, SRN50) on size selectivity. Methods A covered codend technique was used for determining the size selectivity of codends. Key results The average length at 50% retention probability (L50, in total length) for the trial groups of Com34, Hex34, SG20, SG25, SG30, SRN34, SRN42 and SRN50 was estimated as 9.1, 9.5, 10.1, 11.0, 12.3, 10.0, 10.3 and 11.1 cm respectively. Additionally, the discard rates were computed in the same order as 37.0, 27.3, 14.9, 5.8, 1.9, 19.1, 9.4 and 7.7%. Conclusions In conclusion, commercial crayfish (Com34) fyke-nets have a significantly high discard rate. In the modifications tested, the discard rate has been reduced to as low as 1.9%. When taking into account both L50 and fishing efficiency indicators, SRN42 was determined as the most successful trial group. Implications The application of the study results will make a significant contribution to the sustainability of natural crayfish stocks of Türkiye.
Diel patterns of habitat use and movement by juvenile and subadult trout cod (Maccullochella macquariensis) in a regulated lowland river
Authors: Koster Wayne M. , Dawson David R. , Moloney Paul D.
Published: April 2024

Improved knowledge of habitat use and movements is needed to support recovery of threatened riverine fish species. The trout cod (Maccullochella macquariensis) is a nationally threatened fish species endemic to rivers of the southern Murray–Darling Basin (MDB), Australia. This study investigated diurnal and nocturnal habitat use and movements of trout cod in the Goulburn River, using radio-telemetry. Trout cod typically occupied small reaches (<300 m) of stream during the late spring–summer study period. Larger-scale movements (mostly home-range shifts) and movements onto inundated riparian habitats also occurred during a period of high discharge. Trout cod occupied deeper water further from the bank during the day and shallower water closer to the bank during the night and used areas with slower velocities more than was their availability, particularly during the earlier hours of the day. They also made extensive use of in-stream cover (i.e. wood). Our information on diel habitat use provides a platform to guide informed management (e.g. availability of preferred habitats under different river-discharge scenarios) to improve trout cod population sustainability.
An evaluation of wildland fire simulators used operationally in Australia
Authors: Fox-Hughes P. , Bridge C. , Faggian N. , Jolly C. , Matthews S. , Ebert E. , Jacobs H. , Brown B. , Bally J.
Published: April 2024

Background Fire simulators are increasingly used to predict fire spread. Australian fire agencies have been concerned at not having an objective basis to choose simulators for this purpose. Aims We evaluated wildland fire simulators currently used in Australia: Australis, Phoenix, Prometheus and Spark. The evaluation results are outlined here, together with the evaluation framework. Methods Spatial metrics and visual aids were designed in consultation with simulator end-users to assess simulator performance. Simulations were compared against observations of fire progression data from 10 Australian historical fire case studies. For each case, baseline simulations were produced using as inputs fire ignition and fuel data together with gridded weather forecasts available at the time of the fire. Perturbed simulations supplemented baseline simulations to explore simulator sensitivity to input uncertainty. Key results Each simulator showed strengths and weaknesses. Some simulators displayed greater sensitivity to different parameters under certain conditions. Conclusions No simulator was clearly superior to others. The evaluation framework developed can facilitate future assessment of Australian fire simulators. Implications Collection of fire behaviour observations for routine simulator evaluation using this framework would benefit future simulator development.
Gentrification drives patterns of alpha and beta diversity in cities
Authors: Fidino Mason , Sander Heather A. , Lewis Jesse S. , Lehrer Elizabeth W. , Rivera Kimberly , Murray Maureen H. , Adams Henry C. , Kase Anna , Flores Andrea , Stankowich Theodore , Schell Christopher J. , Salsbury Carmen M. , Rohnke Adam T. , Jordan Mark J. , Green Austin M. , R. Gramza Ashley , Zellmer Amanda J. , Williamson Jacque , Surasinghe Thilina D. , Storm Hunter , Sparks Kimberly L. , Ryan Travis J. , Remine Katie R. , Pendergast Mary E. , Mullen Kayleigh , Minier Darren E. , Middaugh Christopher R. , Mertl Amy L. , McClung Maureen R. , Long Robert A. , Larson Rachel N. , Kohl Michel T. , Harris Lavendar R. , Hall Courtney T. , Haight Jeffrey D. , Drake David , Davidge Alyssa M. , Cheek Ann O. , Bloch Christopher P. , Biro Elizabeth G. , Anthonysamy Whitney J. B. , Angstmann Julia L. , Allen Maximilian L. , Adalsteinsson Solny A. , Short Gianotti Anne G. , LaMontagne Jalene M. , Gelmi-Candusso Tiziana A. , Magle Seth B.
Published: April 2024

While there is increasing recognition that social processes in cities like gentrification have ecological consequences, we lack nuanced understanding of the ways gentrification affects urban biodiversity. We analyzed a large camera trap dataset of mammals (>500 g) to evaluate how gentrification impacts species richness and community composition across 23 US cities. After controlling for the negative effect of impervious cover, gentrified parts of cities had the highest mammal species richness. Change in community composition was associated with gentrification in a few cities, which were mostly located along the West Coast. At the species level, roughly half (11 of 21 mammals) had higher occupancy in gentrified parts of a city, especially when impervious cover was low. Our results indicate that the impacts of gentrification extend to nonhuman animals, which provides further evidence that some aspects of nature in cities, such as wildlife, are chronically inaccessible to marginalized human populations.
How small changes to one eye’s retinal image can transform the perceived shape of a very familiar object
Authors: McLean Iona R. , Erkelens Ian M. , Cooper Emily A.
Published: April 2024

Vision can provide useful cues about the geometric properties of an object, like its size, distance, pose, and shape. But how the brain merges these properties into a complete sensory representation of a three-dimensional object is poorly understood. To address this gap, we investigated a visual illusion in which humans misperceive the shape of an object due to a small change in one eye’s retinal image. We first show that this illusion affects percepts of a highly familiar object under completely natural viewing conditions. Specifically, people perceived their own rectangular mobile phone to have a trapezoidal shape. We then investigate the perceptual underpinnings of this illusion by asking people to report both the perceived shape and pose of controlled stimuli. Our results suggest that the shape illusion results from distorted cues to object pose. In addition to yielding insights into object perception, this work informs our understanding of how the brain combines information from multiple visual cues in natural settings. The shape illusion can occur when people wear everyday prescription spectacles; thus, these findings also provide insight into the cue combination challenges that some spectacle wearers experience on a regular basis.
Evaluation of transformation invariant loss function with distance equilibrium in prediction of imaging photoplethysmography characteristics
Authors: Zhu Shangwei , Liu Shaohua , Jing Xingjian , Li Bing , Liu Hao , Yang Yuchong , She Chundong
Published: April 2024

Objective. Monitoring changes in human heart rate variability (HRV) holds significant importance for protecting life and health. Studies have shown that Imaging Photoplethysmography (IPPG) based on ordinary color cameras can detect the color change of the skin pixel caused by cardiopulmonary system. Most researchers employed deep learning IPPG algorithms to extract the blood volume pulse (BVP) signal, analyzing it predominantly through the heart rate (HR). However, this approach often overlooks the inherent intricate time-frequency domain characteristics in the BVP signal, which cannot be comprehensively deduced solely from HR. The analysis of HRV metrics through the BVP signal is imperative. Approach. In this paper, the transformation invariant loss function with distance equilibrium (TIDLE) loss function is applied to IPPG for the first time, and the details of BVP signal can be recovered better. In detail, TIDLE is tested in four commonly used IPPG deep learning models, which are DeepPhys, EfficientPhys, Physnet and TS_CAN, and compared with other three loss functions, which are mean absolute error (MAE), mean square error (MSE), Neg Pearson Coefficient correlation (NPCC). Main results. The experiments demonstrate that MAE and MSE exhibit suboptimal performance in predicting LF/HF across the four models, achieving the Statistic of Mean Absolute Error (MAES) of 25.94% and 34.05%, respectively. In contrast, NPCC and TIDLE yielded more favorable results at 13.51% and 11.35%, respectively. Taking into consideration the morphological characteristics of the BVP signal, on the two optimal models for predicting HRV metrics, namely DeepPhys and TS_CAN, the Pearson coefficients for the BVP signals predicted by TIDLE in comparison to the gold-standard BVP signals achieved values of 0.627 and 0.605, respectively. In contrast, the results based on NPCC were notably lower, at only 0.545 and 0.533, respectively. Significance. This paper contributes significantly to the effective restoration of the morphology and frequency domain characteristics of the BVP signal.
Percolation in interdependent networks with groups and heterogeneous weak interdependency strength under targeted attack
Authors: Zhang Junjie , Liu Caixia , Liu Shuxin , Wang Kai , Zang Weifei
Published: April 2024

Pairwise dependencies in interdependent networks exist not only between ordinary nodes but also between groups of nodes, where nodes cooperate and form groups to increase their robustness to risks and each group can be considered a ‘supernode’. The interdependencies between supernodes are universal but not always complete and homogeneous. In this paper, we study the robustness of interdependent networks with groups and heterogeneous weak interdependency strength under targeted attack, where the interdependency strength could vary between different supernodes. We identify several types of percolation transitions, namely discontinuous, continuous, and hybrid, which are determined by the structure of the supernodes, the strengths of the interdependencies, and their distributions. We first apply this mathematical framework to the Erdös-Rényi and Scale-free interdependent networks with groups and homogeneous weak interdependency strength to calculate analytically and numerically the values of the phase transition thresholds and the critical interdependency strengths that distinguish different types of transitions. We then present examples of three distributions with different heterogeneous interdependency strengths. Our theoretical and numerical predictions are in close agreement, demonstrating that weaker interdependence strengths and higher levels of interdependence heterogeneity can enhance the robustness of interdependent networks under targeted attack.
Multiple Fano resonances by MIM waveguide coupling whispering gallery mode resonator and application in Refractive index sensing
Authors: Gao Jiayao , Wang Xiangxian , Chen Yizhen , Chen Tianshan , Qi Yunping , Yang Hua , Zheng Xiaoping
Published: April 2024

In this study, a baffled metal–insulator–metal (MIM) waveguide coupled with a whispering gallery mode resonator (WGMR) is proposed. This structure could excite quadruple Fano resonances. The asymmetric Fano resonance transmittance spectrum and the electric field at the resonance peak were numerically simulated using the finite difference time domain method. The obtained data were fitted using the multimode interference coupled mode theory. The number of Fano resonance peaks was tuned by the outer radius of the WGMR. With other geometric parameters unchanged, the number of Fano resonance peaks increased with increasing outer radius of the WGMR. Thus, it achieved multiple Fano resonances by adjusting solely the radius of the WGMR. When the ring width was fixed, the structure could excite multiple Fano resonances within a certain outer radius range. This structure was used for refractive index sensing and its sensitivity and figure of merit (FOM) were 3004 nm/RIU and 3.14 × 104 in a gas environment, respectively. Therefore, the proposed structure can excite multiple Fano resonances and achieve high sensitivity and FOM, providing a theoretical basis for micro and nano applications.
Masses of the conjectured H-dibaryon at different temperatures*
Authors: Wu 吴 Liang-Kai 良凯 , Tang 汤 Han 涵 , Li 李 Ning 宁 , Wang 王 Xin-Yang 昕杨
Published: April 2024

We present a lattice QCD determination of masses of the conjectured H-dibaryon, denoted as

, at nine different temperatures:

0.24, 0.63, 0.76, 0.84, 0.95, 1.09, 1.27, 1.52, and 1.90. The masses of baryons N, Σ, Ξ, and Λ at different temperatures were also computed. The simulations were performed on an anisotropic lattice with

flavours of clover fermion at a quark mass corresponding to

. The thermal ensembles were provided by the FASTSUM collaboration, whereas the zero temperature ensembles were provided by the Hadspec collaboration. We also calculated the spectral density of the correlation function of those particles. The spectral density distributions show a rich peak structure at the lowest temperature; at intermediate temperatures, the mass values of those particles obtained by the extrapolation method reflect a two-peak structure. While the spectral density for the octet baryon becomes smooth at

1.27, 1.52, and 1.90, the spectral density for the H-dibaryon becomes smooth at

. At

, the mass difference of the H-dibaryon and Λ pair, expressed as

, was estimated to be

MeV, which suggests the existence of a bound H-dibaryon state.
Study of 26 Galactic Open Clusters with Extended Main-sequence Turnoffs
Authors: Deng Yang-Yang , Li Zhong-Mu
Published: April 2024

Recent studies indicate that some Galactic open clusters (OCs) exhibit extended main-sequence turnoff (eMSTO) in their color–magnitude diagrams (CMDs). However, the number of Galactic OCs with eMSTO structures detected so far is limited, and the reasons for their formation are still unclear. This work identifies 26 Galactic OCs with undiscovered eMSTOs and investigates the causes of these features. Stellar population types and fundamental parameters of cluster samples are acquired using CMD fitting methods. Among them, the results of 11 OCs are reliable as the observed CMDs are well-reproduced. We propose the crucial role of stellar binarity and confirm the importance of stellar rotation in reproducing eMSTO morphologies. The results also show that the impact of age spread is important, as it can adequately explain the structure of young OCs and fit the observed CMDs of intermediate-age OCs better.
Teaching a hands-on session on simultaneous Positron Emission Tomography and Magnetic Resonance image acquisition and quantification in a clinical setting
Authors: Torrado-Carvajal A. , García-Cañamaque L. , Malpica N.
Published: April 2024

Positron Emission Tomography/Magnetic Resonance (PET/MR) imaging, is a novel imaging modality that combines the capabilities of two powerful imaging techniques in a single acquisition. This unique integration allows for simultaneous acquisition of both metabolic and structural data within a single imaging session. In this sense, PET/MR offers a comprehensive and innovative approach to medical imaging, but accompanied by its intrinsic physics and engineering complexity, involving intricate synchronization of high-performance detectors, electromagnetic shielding, and sophisticated correction algorithms, among others. In this hands-on session performed during the 6th INFIERI summer school (Madrid, Spain), we described an introduction to simultaneous PET/MR image acquisition and quantification in a real clinical to students from diverse backgrounds in physics and engineering. We first presented the fundamental aspects of PET/MR image acquisition, including the main theoretical characteristics of PET/MR physics and electronics, visiting the PET/MR facilities at Hospital Universitario HM Puerta del Sur (HM Hospitales, Móstoles, Madrid), and discussing the main PET/MR clinical and research applications. Then, we followed with a practical session on PET/MR image quantification, preparing the students to understand and solve examples on image reconstruction, multimodal data visualization, inhomogeneity correction, image registration, and attenuation correction exploiting the simplicity and usefulness of 3D Slicer.
A Micromegas-based gaseous detector for neutron-induced charged-particle reaction studies in nuclear astrophysics
Authors: Yadav C. , Green A. , Friedman M.
Published: April 2024

The quasistellar neutron spectrum produced via 7Li
(p, n)7Be reaction at a proton energy of 1.912 MeV has been
extensively studied and employed reaction for neutron-induced
reaction studies. We are working towards using this reaction at
various proton energies from 1.9 MeV to 3.6 MeV to produce a
neutron field at a temperature range of ∼ 1.5–3.5 GK to
conduct measurements of neutron-induced charge particle reaction
cross sections on various unstable nuclei at explosive stellar
temperatures. In this paper, we are reporting our design and
simulation study with regards to experimental set-up and a gaseous
detector with a segmented Micromegas detector for conducting
neutron-induced charge particle reactions studies for nuclei of
astrophysics importance, for example, 26Al(p, n)26Mg,
 26Al(n, α)23Na and 40K(p, n)40Ar,
 40K(n, α)37Cl reactions. We plan to perform our
experiments with a 10-μA proton beam at the Physikalisch
Technische Bundesanstalt facility (PTB, Germany), with a
Micromegas-based gaseous detector under construction as discussed in
the paper.
Tune optimization for alleviating space charge effects and suppressing beam instability at the RCS of CSNS
Authors: Xu Shouyan , Huang Mingyang , Huang Liangsheng , Li Yong , Rao Li , Wang Sheng
Published: April 2024

The design betatron tune of the Rapid Cycling Synchrotron
(RCS) of China Spallation Neutron Source (CSNS) is (4.86, 4.80),
which allows for incoherent tune shifts to avoid serious systematic
betatron resonances. When the operational bare tune was set at the
design value, serious beam instability in the horizontal plane and
beam loss induced by half-integer resonance in the vertical plane
under space charge detuning were observed. Simulations and
experiments have shown that space charge-induced beam loss reduces
as the tunes move up and away from half-integer resonance
lines. However, experimental observations have shown that
instability growth rates increase rapidly as the tune approaches
integer from below. The tune requirements for reducing the beam loss
caused by space charge effects and suppressing beam instability are
different at the RCS of CSNS. The tunes over the whole acceleration
process are optimized based on space charge effects and beam
instability. The optimized tune pattern was able to well control the
beam loss induced by space charge and beam instability. The beam
power of CSNS achieved the design value of 100 kW with small beam
loss.
Points, cells, or polygons? On the choice of spatial units in forest conservation policy impact evaluation
Authors: Blackman Allen , Leguízamo Emilio , Villalobos Laura
Published: April 2024

A fast-growing literature uses remotely sensed land-cover data along with quasi-experimental statistical methods to assess the efficacy of forest conservation interventions. A critical modeling choice is the spatial unit of analysis—points, grid cells, and polygons are all commonly used. Yet little is known about the implications of this choice for treatment effect estimates and for their interpretation. We demonstrate that point-level data can generate treatment effect estimates substantially different from those based on polygon-level data when (i) a disproportionate share of sample points is drawn from relatively large, treated polygons as a result of random or quasi-random spatial sampling, and (ii) the intervention analyzed has heterogeneous effects that depend on treatment polygon size. Our paper has four parts. First, using real-world data (on the award of timber extraction permits to forest management units in Mexico) that meet the two aforementioned criteria, we demonstrate that point- and polygon-level data generate qualitatively different results, and we propose a simple method for weighting the point-level data to recover the polygon-level results. Second, we conduct a Monte Carlo simulation to clarify the mechanism that causes this phenomenon and to provide reassurance that it is not driven by unobserved confounding factors. Third, we present new evidence (on Mesoamerican and Dominican protected areas) suggesting this phenomenon is not uncommon. Finally, we discuss the implications of our findings for the design and interpretation of spatial evaluations of forest conservation interventions. Although our analysis focuses on point- versus polygon-level data, the mechanism we describe also applies to grid cell- versus polygon-level data.
Asymmetrical individual both left and right otoliths of Tuna Scombrini collected from the Java Sea
Authors: Wiadnya D G R , Khamidah N , Paricahya A F , Anam M C , Kusuma W E
Published: April 2024

Otolith can be used as a natural marker of fish stock or anomalies between individuals within fish stock. This research aims to study the relationships between fish length and otolith length and confirm differences in otolith shape between species in the Scombrini tribe and Carangidae family (Decapterus ruselli). Sample used in our analysis were collected around July - September 2023 from three different location, Rastrelliger brachysoma (Lekok waters, Pasuruan), Scomber australasicus (Bali Strait waters) and Decapterus ruselli (Sendang Biru, South Malang). Total 96 specimens were identified based on morphological character as Rastrelliger brachysoma, Scomber australasicus and Decapterus ruselli. Each of following samples were cut horizontally at the frontal head to open the skull and remove sagitta otolith below the hindbrain using dissecting set, then cleaned and stored dry in microtube 1,5 ml separately for left and right to further documented using Celestron Digital Microscope Pro Gray USB 44308. Otolith morphometric data collected includes maximum length using TpsDig and weight using analytical balance. The relationship between Forked Length (FL) and otolith length, length-weight relationship of otolith was determined using simple linear regression on software Statistical Product and Service Solutions (SPSS). Paired sample t-test was applied to determine asymmetrical size of left and right otoliths. In this study, it was found that the shape of the otoliths between species has differences in the rostrum, antirostrum, ventral and dorsal parts. FL-otolith length relationship of S. australasicus, R. brachysoma and D. ruselli are Y=0,725+0,164X, r2= 0,519; Y=0,191+0,230X, r2= 0,911; Y=3,156+0,075X, r2=0,071 respectively. The LW sagitta relationship shows that there is a very strong relationship (P<0,05) between L and W of otoliths. The results of the Paired Sample T-test showed that there was no significant difference in the size of the left and right otoliths (Sig>0.05). Otolith shape is influenced by fish behaviour, diet and environment and it may be used as additional information to distinguish between tribe or even species. Otherwise, its asymmetric relationship and LW relationship may be potential new methods for stock discrimination and have other implications such as stock assessment, understanding natural asymmetry, and its potential applications in fisheries management and conservation.
Ocean Wave Energy Potential in Southern Waters of Malang
Authors: Setyawan F O , Sartimbul A , Fuad M A Z , Ussania Q , Hidayatullah F , Haq N A , Satrio D
Published: April 2024

Ocean or marine energy has immense renewable energy capability, able to provide more than double the world’s current electricity consumption. Ocean energy is considered a non-polluting, renewable source of energy. The research was conducted in the waters of South Malang, East Java Province. This research utilizes wave modeling data that has been picture confirmed and processed within one year, in 2022. This procedure will yield the monthly height, period, and direction of wave arrival. The data used to create a map of the location of wave energy in South Malang comes from previously created wave energy maps. This location map is the result of an overlay of multiple prior maps in order to create a site that can be developed for the usage of wave energy. According to the results, the southern locations of Donomulyo, Bantur, and Sumbermanjing have the most potential for using wave energy for buoy planting. Point 29 is the closest point following point 30 to point 34. However, point 29 is the area covered by the turtle migratory route. Point 34 is the farthest away from the other two places if the distance from the coastline to the potential point is calculated perpendicularly. Despite its distance from the coast, this site experiences the least disturbance when compared to others.
Liquid Organic Fertilizer Produced from Innards Waste of Catfish (Pangasius djambal) by Using Fermentative Microbes (EM4) and Molasses
Authors: Leksono T , Banjarnahor R , Irasari N , Sidauruk S W
Published: April 2024

Liquid organic fertilizer is a liquid fertilizer yielded from the decomposition of organic materials derived from varied wastes which contain more than one nutrient element. The study was aimed to determine the quality of liquid organic fertilizer made from catfish innards waste by adding fermentative microbes (EM4) and molasses. The research method used was experimental with different formulation consisting of 0% EM4 + 30% molasses (K1), 30% EM4 + 0% molasses (K2), 20% EM4 + 20% molasses (P1), 30% EM4 + 30% molasses (P2), and 40% EM4 + 40% molasses (P3). The percentage is calculated from the total weight of all raw materials used. Parameters measured include yield, pH, total lactic acid bacteria (LAB), Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium. The results showed that the best value for yield was shown in K2 at 34.73%, the pH value in P3 at 5.10, total amount of LAB in P3 at 2.104 cfu/g, the value of Nitrogen (N) in P3 at 4.30%, the value of Phosphorus (P2O5) in P3 at 0.41%, and the value of Potassium (K2O) in P3 at 3.11 ppm. It is possible to increase the content of phosphorus and potassium by adding with EM4 and molasses more than 40% each.
Boosting photocatalytic activity of β-PbO nanoparticles through metal doping
Authors: Geldasa Fikadu Takele , Kebede Mesfin Abayneh , Shura Megersa Wodajo , Feyisa Gebisa Bekele , Tegegne Newayemedhin A , Hone Fekadu Gashaw
Published: April 2024

The current work focuses on the fabrication of pristine and metals (Co, Cu, Ni, Li, and Sn) doped β-PbO phase nanoparticles by cost-effective precipitation method. The properties of the produced nanoparticles were investigated using a variety of characterization techniques. The produced compound was a highly pure β-PbO phase, according to the XRD data. From the UV–vis DRS the obtained bandgap of pristine β-PbO, Co, Cu, Ni, Li, and Sn doped β-PbO was 2.68 eV, 1.88 eV, 2.01 eV, 2.65 eV, 2.64 eV, and 2.70 eV, respectively. The doped samples with the lowest photoluminescence (PL) intensities show the reduced photogenerated electron–hole pair recombination, which increased the photocatalytic activity of β-PbO nanoparticles. The study of the surface morphology by SEM reveals the irregular distribution of the particles. In both pristine and doped nanoparticles, EDX verifies the existence of the expected elements. In comparison to pristine β-PbO, all doped β-PbO nanoparticles have enhanced photocatalytic activity for the degradation of methylene blue (MB) dye under the irradiation of visible light. Among the doped nanoparticles, Cu and Co-doped β-PbO demonstrated particularly high performance. After 80 min of irradiation, Cu and Co-doped β-PbO showed 99.45% and 99.39% degradation rates of MB dye, compared to only 75.13% for pure β-PbO. Hence, the photocatalytic activity of pure β-PbO is boosted through metals doping due to bandgap narrowing, generation of impurity states, increased specific surface area, higher carrier concentration, reduced carriers recombination, the action of dopant ions, and microstructural changes.
Graph representation of multi-dimensional materials
Authors: Cai Carina T , Parker Amanda J , Barnard Amanda S
Published: April 2024

The integration of graph-based representations with machine learning methodologies is transforming the landscape of material discovery, offering a flexible approach for modelling a variety of materials, from molecules and nanomaterials to expansive three-dimensional bulk materials. Nonetheless, the literature often lacks a systematic exploration from the perspective of material dimensionality. While it is important to design representations and algorithms that are universally applicable across species, it is intuitive for material scientists to align the underlying patterns between dimensionality and the characteristics of the employed graph descriptors. In this review, we provide an overview of the graph representations as inputs to machine learning models and navigate the recent applications, spanning the diverse range of material dimensions. This review highlights both persistent gaps and innovative solutions to these challenges, emphasising the pressing need for larger benchmark datasets and leveraging graphical patterns. As graph-based machine learning techniques evolve, they present a promising frontier for accurate, scalable, and interpretable material applications.
Reasonableness as Responsiveness in Administrative Law in the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada: Kant and Arendt on the Role of the Community in Deferential Judicial Review
Authors: Mayeda Graham
Published: April 2024

When conducting judicial review of administrative decisions using a deferential standard of review, courts should give a greater role to the decision maker’s responsiveness to the interests of the community of judgment—those directly affected by the decision. This Article uses a theory of judgment developed by Immanuel Kant in the Critique of Judgment, and elaborated by Hannah Arendt, to justify why consideration for the community is essential to deciding reasonably. It also reviews the approach to deferential review in the case law of the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada to determine what the effect would be of this new approach to assessing the reasonableness of a decision. While reviewing courts usually consider the rationality of the decision for achieving the decision maker’s statutory policy goals and the appropriateness of the decision maker’s appreciation of the relevant facts, they do not generally probe the responsiveness of their reasons to the concerns of those affected by it. This Article suggests that courts should do so. The result is that administrative law will in future require better quality reasons from decision makers. Probing the responsiveness of reasons to the concerns of the community of judgment will require courts to compare the weight that the decision maker has placed on facts and arguments to the weight given to them by community members. This will be a significant change in how courts conduct judicial review, but it should enhance the legitimacy of deferential judicial review.
Mediating Effect of the NLR on the Relationship Between HbA1c and Left Atrial Stiffness in Overweight Patients With Hypertension
Authors: Zhang Ri , Pan Yu , Ren Yong K , Sun Qiao B , Fu Ting T , Zhao Xu , Liu Yan , Jiang Yi Nong
Published: April 2024

BACKGROUND

We aimed to investigate the association between hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) and left atrial (LA) stiffness in patients with hypertension and to explore the mediating effect of the neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR) on this association.

METHODS

Essential hypertensive patients (n = 292) aged 18–83 years were enrolled and divided into two groups based on the LA stiffness index (LASI): Group I (LASI ≤ 0.32, n = 146) and Group II (LASI > 0.32, n = 146). The LASI was defined as the ratio of early diastolic transmitral flow velocity/lateral mitral annulus myocardial velocity (E/eʹ) to LA reservoir strain. Multivariate linear regression analysis was performed to determine the independent predictors of the LASI.

RESULTS

Age, BMI, SBP, HbA1c, CRP, and NLR were significantly greater in Group II than in Group I (P < 0.05). Additionally, Group II had a greater LA volume index (LAVI), left ventricular mass index (LVMI), and early diastolic transmitral flow velocity/lateral mitral annulus myocardial velocity (E/eʹ) and lower LA reservoir, conduit, and booster pump strains than Group I (P < 0.001). Univariate and multivariate linear regression models revealed that age, SBP, HbA1c, and the NLR were independently associated with the LASI. Further mediation analysis was performed to determine the mediating effect of the NLR on the association between HbA1c and the LASI and revealed that the NLR had a mediating role only in overweight hypertensive patients, and the proportion of the mediating effect was 21.9%.

CONCLUSIONS

The NLR was independently correlated with the LASI and played a mediating role in the relationship between HbA1c and the LASI in overweight hypertensive patients.
A comprehensive review of machine learning techniques for multi-omics data integration: challenges and applications in precision oncology
Authors: Acharya Debabrata , Mukhopadhyay Anirban
Published: April 2024

Multi-omics data play a crucial role in precision medicine, mainly to understand the diverse biological interaction between different omics. Machine learning approaches have been extensively employed in this context over the years. This review aims to comprehensively summarize and categorize these advancements, focusing on the integration of multi-omics data, which includes genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics and metabolomics, alongside clinical data. We discuss various machine learning techniques and computational methodologies used for integrating distinct omics datasets and provide valuable insights into their application. The review emphasizes both the challenges and opportunities present in multi-omics data integration, precision medicine and patient stratification, offering practical recommendations for method selection in various scenarios. Recent advances in deep learning and network-based approaches are also explored, highlighting their potential to harmonize diverse biological information layers. Additionally, we present a roadmap for the integration of multi-omics data in precision oncology, outlining the advantages, challenges and implementation difficulties. Hence this review offers a thorough overview of current literature, providing researchers with insights into machine learning techniques for patient stratification, particularly in precision oncology. Contact:  anirban@klyuniv.ac.in
DSNetax: a deep learning species annotation method based on a deep-shallow parallel framework
Authors: Zhao Hongyuan , Zhang Suyi , Qin Hui , Liu Xiaogang , Ma Dongna , Han Xiao , Mao Jian , Liu Shuangping
Published: April 2024

Microbial community analysis is an important field to study the composition and function of microbial communities. Microbial species annotation is crucial to revealing microorganisms’ complex ecological functions in environmental, ecological and host interactions. Currently, widely used methods can suffer from issues such as inaccurate species-level annotations and time and memory constraints, and as sequencing technology advances and sequencing costs decline, microbial species annotation methods with higher quality classification effectiveness become critical. Therefore, we processed 16S rRNA gene sequences into k-mers sets and then used a trained DNABERT model to generate word vectors. We also design a parallel network structure consisting of deep and shallow modules to extract the semantic and detailed features of 16S rRNA gene sequences. Our method can accurately and rapidly classify bacterial sequences at the SILVA database’s genus and species level. The database is characterized by long sequence length (1500 base pairs), multiple sequences (428,748 reads) and high similarity. The results show that our method has better performance. The technique is nearly 20% more accurate at the species level than the currently popular naive Bayes-dominated QIIME 2 annotation method, and the top-5 results at the species level differ from BLAST methods by <2%. In summary, our approach combines a multi-module deep learning approach that overcomes the limitations of existing methods, providing an efficient and accurate solution for microbial species labeling and more reliable data support for microbiology research and application.
STRIDE-DB: a comprehensive database for exploration of instability and phenotypic relevance of short tandem repeats in the human genome
Authors: Uppili Bharathram , Faruq Mohammed
Published: April 2024

Short Tandem Repeats (STRs) are genetic markers made up of repeating DNA sequences. The variations of the STRs are widely studied in forensic analysis, population studies and genetic testing for a variety of neuromuscular disorders. Understanding polymorphic STR variation and its cause is crucial for deciphering genetic information and finding links to various disorders. In this paper, we present STRIDE-DB, a novel and unique platform to explore STR Instability and its Phenotypic Relevance, and a comprehensive database of STRs in the human genome. We utilized RepeatMasker to identify all the STRs in the human genome (hg19) and combined it with frequency data from the 1000 Genomes Project. STRIDE-DB, a user-friendly resource, plays a pivotal role in investigating the relationship between STR variation, instability and phenotype. By harnessing data from genome-wide association studies (GWAS), ClinVar database, Alu loci, Haploblocks in genome and Conservation of the STRs, it serves as an important tool for researchers exploring the variability of STRs in the human genome and its direct impact on phenotypes. STRIDE-DB has its broad applicability and significance in various research domains like forensic sciences and other repeat expansion disorders.

Database URL: https://stridedb.igib.res.in.
Bacterial diversity in agricultural drainage ditches shifts with increasing urea-N concentrations
Authors: Klick Sabrina A , Pitula Joseph S , Collick Amy S , May Eric B , Pisani Oliva
Published: April 2024

Urea-based fertilizers applied to crop fields can enter the surface waters of adjacent agricultural drainage ditches and contribute to the nitrogen (N) loading in nearby watersheds. Management practices applied in drainage ditches promote N removal by the bacterial communities, but little is known about the impacts of excess urea fertilizer from crop fields on the bacterial diversity in these ditches. In 2017, sediments from drainage ditches next to corn and soybean fields were sampled to determine if fertilizer application and high urea-N concentrations alters bacterial diversity and urease gene abundances. A mesocosm experiment was paired with a field study to determine which bacterial groups respond to high urea-N concentrations. The bacterial diversity in the ditch next to corn fields was significantly different from the other site. The bacterial orders of Rhizobiales, Bacteroidales, Acidobacteriales, Burkholderiales, and Anaerolineales were most abundant in the ditch next to corn and increased after the addition of urea-N (0.5 mg N L−1) during the mesocosm experiment. The results of our study suggests that urea-N concentrations >0.07 mg N L−1, which are higher than concentrations associated with downstream harmful algal blooms, can lead to shifts in the bacterial communities of agricultural drainage ditches.