bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Математична модель розрахунку аеродинамічних сил, утворюваних роторним рушієм для пропульсивних крил
Authors: Komarov Bohdan , Zinchenko Dmytro
Published: August 2023

The subject of the study is the modeling and obtaining of aerodynamic characteristics and determining the aerodynamic forces acting on an aircraft with a propulsive wing using a mathematical model. The research is based on mathematical methods and proposes a comprehensive model that accurately describes the interaction of airflow with wing and rotor propulsion. The aim of this study is to find solutions for faster calculations and approximate analysis of wings and aircraft that use them, compared to CFD methods. The task is to find methods that can perform calculations based only on geometric shapes and a minimal set of data that can be obtained by the researcher. The article begins with a review of previous research in the field of aerodynamics, demonstrating the need for the development of new models to better understand the aerodynamic forces generated by wing and rotor propulsion. A new mathematical model is considered, using methods based on Bernoulli's equation and taking into account parameters such as wing shape, angle of attack, airflow velocity, and rotor propulsion characteristics. This article describes the mathematical equations and approaches used to model aerodynamic forces. They include physical laws such as Newton's laws, the conservation of mass and momentum, and basic aerodynamic equations. Validation of the model was conducted by comparing the obtained results with experimental data. To verify the correctness of the presented claims, a series of computational experiments using numerical methods are performed to calculate the dynamic characteristics for different wing and rotor propulsion configurations, and the obtained data are compared. Through careful experiments and data analysis, the research results are expected to provide valuable insights into the practical implementation of an integrated tangential fan system in a wing by evaluating its efficiency, limitations, and potential advantages. This work can help engineers determine optimal wing and rotor propulsion configurations to achieve better aerodynamic efficiency and ensure the desired flight characteristics. This research can make an important contribution to the development of aviation technology and to the improvement of aircraft with rotor propulsion. Conclusions: the article proposes a new mathematical model for calculating the aerodynamic forces generated by wing and rotor propulsion and demonstrates its speed and efficiency by comparing it with experimental data. This research is just the first step in creating a mathematical framework. To improve calculation results and enable automation for greater variability in shape, the panel-vortex method with the consideration of flow acceleration over panel surfaces is more suitable. However, even at this stage, the research results can contribute to the development and optimization of aircraft structures with propulsive devices embedded in the wing design.
Sexual and Reproductive Health Experiences of International Students Studying in Universities of Western Countries
Authors: Kwame Abukari , Li Hua , Petrucka Pammla , Maina Geoffrey
Published: August 2023

Engaging in sexual relationships is part of adulthood, but doing so in a foreign country can be risky because unsafe sexual experiences can have severe consequences for international students. This review explored sexual and reproductive health (SRH) experiences and needs of international university students in Western countries to identify challenges and gaps and to discuss critical SRH interventions. Four databases (Scopus, Embase, Web of Science, and PubMed) were searched for peer-reviewed journal articles published between 2000 and 2023. After screening 1607 articles, 10 met the inclusion criteria. Results of the review showed that many international students lack comprehensive knowledge about sexual health and sexually transmitted infections. They often obtain SRH information from informal sources, face language barriers, and experience difficulties navigating the healthcare systems of their host countries. University sexual wellness programs should examine how cultural orientations impact the sexual health of international students and provide culturally appropriate SRH interventions.
Hiperemezis Gravidarum Tanısı Alan Gebelerin Eş Desteği Algısı ile Anksiyete ve Depresyon Düzeyleri Arasındaki İlişki
Authors: KÜÇÜK Ebru , CESUR Büşra
Published: August 2023

Gebeliğin ilk trimesterinde en çok hastane yatışlarına sebep olan sağlık sorunlarından biri hiperemezis gravidarumdur (HG). Çalışmamızın amacı HG tanısı alan gebelerin eş desteği algısı ile anksiyete ve depresyon düzeyleri arasındaki ilişkiyi araştırmaktır. Araştırma tanımlayıcı nitelikte yapılmış olup, 23.12.2019- 24.04.2020 tarihleri arasında Sivas Numune Hastanesi, Kadın Doğum Polikliniğe başvuran HG tanısı alan rastgele örneklem dağılımı ile 278 gebeye uygulanmıştır. Verilerin toplanmasında, kişisel bilgi formu,Beck anksiyete ölçeği(BAÖ), Beck depresyon ölçeği(BDÖ) ve Eş desteği ölçeği (EDÖ)kullanılıp yüz yüze görüşülerek toplanmıştır.Araştırmaya katılan gebelerin yaş ortalama 27.52±5.04 olup, %81.7’sinin gebelikte bulantı-kusma ile baş edemediği, %89.2’sinin gebelikte eşinden destek aldığı belirlendi. Gebelerin EDÖ puan ortalaması 60.33±11.26 olup gebelikte eş destek algılarının çok iyi düzeyde olduğu; EDÖ toplam puan ortalaması ile BAÖ (r=-0.168; p=0.05), ve BDÖ toplam puan ortalaması(r=-0.123; p=0.41) arasında negatif yönde, zayıf düzeyde anlamlı ilişki bulunduğu yani eş destek algısı yükseldikçe anksiyete ve depresyon düzeyinin azaldığı belirlendi. Gebelerin eş destek algısının anksiyete ve depresyon puanları üzerine anlamlı etkisi olduğu; eş destek algısının gebelerin yaşadığı anksiyete ve depresyonun %3.1’ini etkilediği belirlendi (p
Eritrosit Süspansiyonlarının Depolanma Koşullarının T Hücre Canlılığı ve Proliferasyonu Üzerindeki Etkisi
Authors: YILMAZ Hakan , BAL Salih Haldun , YÖYEN ERMİŞ Diğdem , ARSLAN Gözde , DOMBAZ ÖZBEY Fatma , KUMAŞ Levent Tufan , HEPER Yasemin , ORAL Barbaros
Published: August 2023

Önemli transfüzyon komplikasyonlardan biri olan transfüzyonla ilişkili immün düzenlenme (TRIM), allojeneik kan transfüzyonunun (AKT) alıcının immün sisteminde yol açtığı değişiklikler olarak tanımlanabilir. En çok suçlanan etken, kan bileşeni içindeki mononükleer (MNH) hücrelerdir. Bu nedenle çalışmamızda eritrosit süspansiyonları (ES) içindeki T hücreler (CD3+CD4+ ve CD3+CD8+) hedeflenmiş, depolama koşullarının etkisiyle canlılık, proliferasyon ve aktivasyon düzeylerindeki değişimler incelenmiştir. Bu amaçla, üç adet kan bağışçısından alınan tam kanlardan ES’ler elde edilmiştir. Her kan bileşeninden tam kan örneği (5. saat) ve ES örnekleri (0, 7, 14, 21, 42. gün) elde edilmiştir. Ayrıca bağışçıdan bağış öncesi EDTA’lı tüplere alınan iki adet örnek de çalışmaya katılmıştır. Analizler bu örneklerden ayrıştırılan MNH kullanılarak yapılmıştır. Canlılık analizleri doğrudan MNH’ler, proliferasyon ve aktivasyon analizleri MNH kültürleri aracılığıyla akan hücre ölçerde gerçekleştirilmiştir. Canlılık düzeylerinin depolama süresi ortalarında azalmaya başladığı, 42. gün ES örneklerinde hemen tamamen yok olduğu belirlenmiştir. T hücrelerin proliferasyon becerisi daha erken azalmış ve 21. gün ES örneklerinde kaybolmuştur. Aktivasyon belirteci düzeyleri MNH kültürünün sıfırıncı saatlerine göre 16 ve 72 saatlerde artış göstermiştir. Ayrıca bağışçıların yaşlarına göre de sonuçlarda belirgin farklılıklar gözlemlenmiştir. Sonuç olarak ES depolama süresi ve koşullarının etkisiyle ürün içindeki T lenfositlerin canlılığı ve proliferasyon becerileri azalmaktadır. Bu sonuçlar allojeneik T lenfositlerin TRIM gelişimiyle ilişkilerinin düşük olabileceğini; T lenfosit aktivasyon kapasitelerinin ES’den uzaklaştıklarında artmış göstermesi eritrositlerin baskılayıcı özellik gösterebildiğini; TRIM gelişiminde bağışçı ve hasta yaşı gibi demografik parametrelerin de rol oynayabileceğini düşündürmektedir.
An Architecture Outside Digital Imagery in the Age of Social Media
Authors: Yu Anthony
Published: August 2023

Physical experiences in architecture encompass the five human senses: sight, sound, smell, touch, and taste. The intent and operations of social media platforms, such as Instagram, are used to share visual content between people and can weaken the human sensory experiences in the physical world in themselves and for other users. This seductive aspect of social media can exploit the human sense of sight in how it uses architecture as unintended points of interest for self-communication and marketing instead of a source to experience the built space. Thus, individuals that use their other human senses besides the visual have become undervalued due to the ocularcentric nature of social media. Due to the increase in social media consumption, social media consumers have become distracted by using tools such as geotagging, the “like” system, and the hashtag for social status and material gain instead of appreciating the architecture. As a result, the human response to architecture has become consumed by digital imagery for social media, where users are most concerned with capturing the experience of the moment into an image rather than appreciating and embracing the physical experiences themselves. This thesis attempts to influence an individual’s habits of capturing digital images and video for social media in this image-making culture by focusing on the physical experiences in architecture by exploring qualities of sensory stimulations and ephemeral effects on the human senses. By exploring these qualities, the research engages an iterative design proposal that attunes to the human awareness of the senses. 
Magnetic water-in-water droplet microfluidics: Systematic experiments and scaling mathematical analysis
Authors: Navi Maryam , Abbasi Niki , Salari Alinaghi , Tsai Scott
Published: August 2023

A major barrier to the clinical utilization of microfluidically generated water-in-oil droplets is the cumbersome washing steps required to remove the non-biocompatible organic oil phase from the droplets. In this paper, we report an on-chip magnetic water-in-water droplet generation and manipulation platform using a biocompatible aqueous two-phase system of a polyethylene glycol–polypropylene glycol–polyethylene glycol triblock copolymer (PEG–PPG–PEG) and dextran (DEX), eliminating the need for subsequent washing steps. By careful selection of a ferrofluid that shows an affinity toward the DEX phase (the dispersed phase in our microfluidic device), we generate magnetic DEX droplets in a non-magnetic continuous phase of PEG–PPG–PEG. We apply an external magnetic field to manipulate the droplets and sort them into different outlets. We also perform scaling analysis to model the droplet deflection and find that the experimental data show good agreement with the model. We expect that this type of all-biocompatible magnetic droplet microfluidic system will find utility in biomedical applications, such as long-term single cell analysis. In addition, the model can be used for designing experimental parameters to achieve a desired droplet trajectory.
Experimental and Numerical Assessment of Reinforced Concrete Beams with Disturbed Depth
Authors: Sennah Khaled , Hamoda Ahmed , Basha Ali Mohammed Ali , Fayed Sabri
Published: August 2023

This paper investigates numerically and experimentally the performance of reinforced concrete (RC) beam with unequal depths subjected to combined bending and shear. Such beams can geometrically be considered for unleveled reinforced concrete (RC) floor slab-beam system. However, it may generate critical disturbances in stress flow at the re-entrant corner (i.e. location of drop in beam depth). This research investigates the use of shear reinforcement and geometric properties to enhance cracking characteristics, yielding, ultimate load-carrying capacity, and exhibiting ductile failure mode. Ten reinforced concrete (RC) beams were constructed and tested experimentally considering the following key parameters: recess length, depth of smaller beam nib, and amount and layout of shear reinforcement at re-entrant corner. Finite element analysis (FEA) with material non-linearity was conducted in two RC beams that were tested experimentally to validate the computer modelling. The FEA models were then extended to conduct a parametric study to investigate the influence of geometric parameters (beam shape and width) and amount and arrangement of shear reinforcement on the structural response. Results confirmed that geometric properties and ratio of shear reinforcement at the re-entrant region significantly affect the behavior of reinforced concrete beam with unequal depths in terms of first cracking, yielding level, ultimate load carrying capacity and mode of failure.
GFRP Bars Anchorage Resistance in a GFRP-Reinforced Concrete Bridge Barrier
Authors: Rostami Michael , Sennah Khaled , Hedjazi Saman
Published: August 2023

In the present paper, experimental and numerical investigations were conducted on concrete bridge barriers utilizing glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP) bars with a hook at their ends. Implementation of these hooked bars instead of the bent bars or headed-end bars in the bridge barriers presented in the Canadian Highway Bridge Design Code (CHBDC) was investigated on American Association for State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) test level 5 (TL-5) concrete bridge barriers. This research aimed to reach a cost effective and safe anchorage method for GFRP bars at the barrier–deck junction, compared to the conventional bend bars or headed-end bars. Therefore, an experimental program was developed and performed to qualify the use of the recently-developed, small radius hooked bars at the barrier–deck junction. The experimental findings were compared with the design factored applied transverse load specified in CHBDC for the design of the barrier–deck junction as well as factored applied bending moment obtained at the barrier–deck junction using a recently-conducted finite-element modeling. Satisfactory behavior for the developed hooked GFRP bars as well as their anchorage resistance was established and a reasonable factor of safety in design of barrier–deck joint was achieved.
Pengembangan Bahan AjarMateri SPLDV dengan Menggunakan Pendekatan Matematika Realistik pada Siswa Kelas VIII SMPN Maubeli
Authors: Djaha Diyah Giani , Mamoh Oktovianus , Amsikan Stanislaus
Published: August 2023

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menghasilkan bahan ajar materi sistem persamaan linear dua variabel dengan pendekatan matematika realistik yang memenuhi kriteria valid, praktis dan efektif. Penelitian ini merupakan penelitian pengembangan yang mengacu pada model pengembangan ADDIE (Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, dan Evaluation). Instrumen yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah lembar validasi  untuk mengukur kevalidan bahan ajar, lembar observasi, angket respon siswa dan guru untuk mengukur kepraktisan bahan ajar, dan tes hasil belajar untuk mengukur keefektifan bahan ajar. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa (1) bahan ajar yang dikembangkan termasuk dalam kategori “valid” dengan skor rata-rata 4,27; (2) bahan ajar yang dikembangkan termasuk dalam kategori “baik” dengan  skor rata-rata respon siswa 3,9;  skor rata-rata respon guru 4,5 dan skor rata-rata hasil observasi 84%; (3) bahan ajar yang dikembangkan termasuk dalam kategori “cukup baik” dengan skor rata-rata 74,15 untuk ketuntasan belajar secara individual dan kategori “baik” dengan skor rata-rata 70% untuk ketuntasan belajar klasikal.
Exploring Effective Pedagogical Approaches and Strategies for TESOL Education to Enhance English Language Learning in Kuwait
Authors: Alshuraiaan Anwar , Almefleh Hissah
Published: August 2023

This research study explores the realm of Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) education in Kuwait's higher education institutions. Through a qualitative approach, the study aims to investigate and understand the most effective pedagogical approaches and strategies in this context, specifically focusing on Kuwait University as the case study site. To comprehensively understand the research problem, the study adopts a qualitative research design, utilizing a single case study approach. Kuwait University, renowned for its prominence in higher education in the country and its representation of TESOL education, is the ideal site for an in-depth exploration of the subject matter. The research methodology incorporates semi-structured interviews with TESOL instructors and students at Kuwait University. Through purposive sampling, 14 participants, including eight instructors and six students, were selected based on their expertise and experience in TESOL education. The interviews explored their perspectives, experiences, and perceptions of practical pedagogical approaches and strategies, providing rich and nuanced qualitative data. Additionally, the study conducts observations in TESOL classrooms at Kuwait University, offering valuable insights into instructional practices, instructor-student interactions, and student engagement in language learning activities. Detailed field notes complement the observations, ensuring a thorough examination of classroom dynamics and employed instructional strategies. Ultimately, this study contributes to the advancement of TESOL education in Kuwait by shedding light on the most effective pedagogical approaches and strategies. Through a qualitative lens, it offers a nuanced perspective on TESOL practices at Kuwait University, paving the way for improved language learning experiences and student outcomes.
Byproduct Formation of Chlorination and Chlorine Dioxide Oxidation in Drinking Water Treatment
Authors: Neguez Souha , Laky Dóra
Published: August 2023

Increasing water scarcity caused by population growth, climate change, pollution from natural and anthropogenic sources, etc. is likely to impact the occurrence of water-associated infectious diseases. Nowadays, access to clean and safe water is a growing concern worldwide. Therefore, disinfection of drinking water is a vital step in public treatment systems as it ensures the removal of various contaminants, including pathogenic microorganisms (protozoa, viruses, bacteria, and intestinal parasites) that give rise to waterborne diseases. Nevertheless, undesirable disinfection byproducts (DBPs) are formed during disinfection as a result of reactions between chemical disinfectants and natural organic matter (NOM), and/or anthropogenic contaminants, and/or bromide/iodide that are present in the raw water. The chemical complexity and heterogeneity of matters in the raw water makes the characterization and the mechanism of DBPs formation quite difficult and ambiguous regardless of the previous hundreds of studies on DBPs generation. As chlorination is still the most economic and most often used disinfection method, and beside chlorination, the application of chlorine dioxide is becoming more widespread, this paper investigates the possible DBPs generated using chlorine and chlorine dioxide with highlighting their adverse health effects. It overviews the reactions of those disinfectants with inorganic and organic compounds. It is important to note that in order to better understand the performance of disinfectants in water treatment, further investigations on the mechanisms of them with inorganic and organic compounds found in water are critically needed.
How to review and assess a systematic review and meta-analysis article: a methodological study (secondary publication)
Authors: Myung Seung-Kwon
Published: August 2023

Systematic reviews and meta-analyses have become central in many research fields, particularly medicine. They offer the highest level of evidence in evidence-based medicine and support the development and revision of clinical practice guidelines, which offer recommendations for clinicians caring for patients with specific diseases and conditions. This review summarizes the concepts of systematic reviews and meta-analyses and provides guidance on reviewing and assessing such papers. A systematic review refers to a review of a research question that uses explicit and systematic methods to identify, select, and critically appraise relevant research. In contrast, a meta-analysis is a quantitative statistical analysis that combines individual results on the same research question to estimate the common or mean effect. Conducting a meta-analysis involves defining a research topic, selecting a study design, searching literature in electronic databases, selecting relevant studies, and conducting the analysis. One can assess the findings of a meta-analysis by interpreting a forest plot and a funnel plot and by examining heterogeneity. When reviewing systematic reviews and meta-analyses, several essential points must be considered, including the originality and significance of the work, the comprehensiveness of the database search, the selection of studies based on inclusion and exclusion criteria, subgroup analyses by various factors, and the interpretation of the results based on the levels of evidence. This review will provide readers with helpful guidance to help them read, understand, and evaluate these articles.
Use of brome mosaic virus-like particles in feed, to deliver dsRNA targeting the white spot syndrome virus vp28 gene, reduces Penaeus vannamei mortality
Authors: Ruiz-Guerrero EA , Giffard-Mena I , Viana MT , Ramos-Carreño S , Sánchez-Serrano S
Published: August 2023

Numerous strategies have been investigated to combat viral infections in shrimp, specifically targeting the white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) that has caused outbreaks worldwide since the 1990s. One effective treatment involves intramuscular application of dsRNA-mediated interference against the viral capsid protein VP28. However, this approach presents challenges in terms of individual shrimp management, limiting its application on a large scale. To address this, our study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of oral delivery of protected dsRNA using chitosan nanoparticles or virus-like particles (VLPs) synthesized in brome mosaic virus (BMV). These delivery systems were administered before, during, and after WSSV infection to assess their therapeutic potential. Our findings indicate that BMV-derived VLPs demonstrated superior efficiency as nanocontainers for dsRNA delivery. Notably, the treatment involving vp28 dsRNA mixed in the feed and administered simultaneously to shrimp already infected with WSSV exhibited the highest survival rate (48%), while the infected group had a survival rate of zero, suggesting the potential efficacy of this prophylactic approach in commercial shrimp farms.
Analisis Sentimen Evaluasi Reaksi E-Learning Menggunakan Algorima Naïve Bayes, Support Vector Machine Dan Deep Learning
Authors: Firdausy Nurul , Yuadi Imam , Puspitasari Ira
Published: August 2023

Evaluasi reaksi atau evaluasi kepuasan merupakan bentuk evaluasi paling umum digunakan dalam pelatihan karena kemudahan dan sifatnya yang lekat dengan pelatihan. Meskipun mengandung wawasan yang dapat bernilai dalam peningkatan kualitas penyelenggaraan pelatihan, namun penelitian terkait reaksi peserta masih sangat terbatas. Penelitian ini bertujuan melakukan analisis sentiment terhadap evaluasi reaksi peserta e-learning menggunakan algoritma Naïve Bayes, Support Vector Machine dan Deep Learning. Reaksi peserta berupa komentar diklasifikasikan ke dalam kategori apresiasi, saran dan kritik. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan model Naïve Bayes memiliki kinerja yang lebih baik dibandingkan SVM dan Deep Learning dalam prediksi sentimen komentar peserta dengan tingkat akurasi, presisi dan recall masing-masing sebesar 82,54%, 68,08% dan 69,81%. Prediksi sentiment reaksi peserta menggunakan model Naïve Bayes diperoleh hasil 70% berupa apresiasi, 16% berupa saran dan 14% merupakan kritik. Penelitian ini memberikan kontribusi praktis analisis evaluasi reaksi pelatihan dan menambah literatur implementasi text mining pada domain human resource analytics.
Perancangan User Interface Aplikasi Pengawasan Investasi Aset Menggunakan The Five Planes Framework (Studi Kasus PT. INKA Persero)
Authors: Putra Anggara Firmansyah , Priyandari Yusuf , Liquiddanu Eko
Published: August 2023

Dalam melaksanakan tugas perencanaan dan pengendalian investasi aset, Departemen Pengembangan Perusahaan PT. INKA tidak memiliki akses langsung ke dalam sistem SAP perusahaan. Akibatnya, pihak departemen memerlukan waktu yang lebih lama dalam pengumpulan data untuk membuat laporan sebagai perwujudan pengendalian investasi aset. Hal ini menyebabkan pihak departemen tidak bisa menyajikan informasi dengan cepat apabila sewaktu-waktu dibutuhkan pimpinan. Pembuatan aplikasi pengawasan investasi aset bertujuan untuk memudahkan pengawasan proses realisasi investasi aset perusahaan. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk merancang user interface aplikasi pengawasan investasi aset dengan memperhatikan user experience yang baik. Metode proses desain yang digunakan adalah The Five Planes yang terdiri dari strategy, scope, structure, skeleton dan surface. Pada tahap surface, dilakukan penerapan eight golden rules sebagai upaya untuk menghasilkan tampilan yang baik. Hasil akhir penelitian berupa rancangan interface aplikasi pengawasan investasi aset yang mencakup semua fitur yang dibutuhkan pengguna. Dilakukan proses penilaian usability oleh pengguna yang menghasilkan nilai usability sebesar 84.3. Hasil tersebut menunjukkan bahwa rancangan memiliki nilai usability yang baik sehingga rancangan diterima pengguna dan dapat digunakan dalam perancangan tingkat selanjutnya
K-Nearest Neighbor dan Convolutional Neural Network pada Klasifikasi Penyakit Tanaman Bawang Merah
Authors: Nurhikma - , Purnawansyah - , Darwis Herdianti , L Harlinda
Published: August 2023

Bawang merah merupakan suatu kebutuhan masyarakat terutama pada bahan makanan dan juga digunakan untuk Kesehatan. Dengan banyaknya manfaat bawang merah, dibalik itu juga memiliki suatu kendala atau resiko pada penanaman bawang merah salah satu resikonya adalah hama atau penyakit yang dapat merugikan petani bawang merah. Tujuan dari penelitian ini yaitu mengklasifikasi penyakit daun bercak ungu dan moler pada tanaman bawang merah, yang di implementasikan menggunakan metode ekstraksi fitur Gray Level Co-Occurance Matix (GLCM) yang digunakan untuk ekstraksi fitur tekstrur. Selain itu ada lima jarak yaitu Eucludiean, Manhattan, Chebyshev, Minkowski, Hamming digunakan dalam metode klasifikasi  K-Nearest Neighbor (KNN). Penelitian ini juga menggunakan metode klasifikasi Convolutional Neural Network (CNN). Hasil dari penelitian ini yang diperoleh menggunakan metode GLCM dan KNN dengan jarak Euclidean, Manhattan, Chebyshev, dan Minkowski mendapatkan hasil akurasi yang tinggi yakni sebesar 100%, sedangkan nilai akurasi terendah terdapat pada KNN jarak Hamming nilai akurasi yaitu sebesar 42%, adapun klasifikasi dari gabungan dari metode GLCM dan CNN mendapatkan hasil akurasi sebesar 100% dan pada metode CNN yang tanpa metode ekstraksi memiliki nilai akurasi sebesar 100%.
Pedagogical Deficiencies in Political Science Doctoral Programs: Current Practices or Lack Thereof
Authors: Stein Matthew
Published: August 2023

Much time has passed since Ishiyama, Miles, and Balazero (2010) published their work on the pedagogical training afforded to political science PhD students. Despite its age, the work remains influential and cited by scholars concerned with the state of teaching-training in the discipline. In their work, Ishiyama, Miles, and Balazero survey all PhD-granting political science departments and find that pedagogical training for doctoral students is scant. While the article is seminal, its age is beginning to show. I revisit the piece and investigate what, if anything, has changed in the pedagogical training of political scientists. After conducting semi-structured interviews across 65 PhD-granting departments, little progress has been made in training political science PhD students in how to teach. I conclude by echoing scholars who call for increased attention on pedagogical training, and for a benefit structure that rewards teaching.
Asociación entre el síndrome metabólico y el cáncer de mama en mujeres posmenopáusicas
Authors: Romero Ulloa Stephanie , Lara Terán Joffre
Published: August 2023

Introducción: El factor de riesgo más importante para el desarrollo del síndrome metabólico (SM) es la obesidad, un estado pro inflamatorio con alteraciones sistémicas y locales vinculadas al crecimiento tumoral, siendo un determinante en el desarrollo del cáncer de mama en la posmenopausia, en su pronóstico y en la eficacia del tratamiento. El objetivo del presente estudio fue determinar la asociación entre el SM y el Cáncer de Mama en mujeres posmenopáusicas comparradas con un grupo control.

Materiales y métodos: El estudio fue de diseño observacional, analítico; se llevó a cabo en el Hospital de SOLCA-Guayaquil entre enero a diciembre del 2019. El muestreo fue no probabilístico. Se incluyeron casos de mujeres de 50 – 70 años con patología de mama. Las variables fueron presencia de síndrome metabólico y diagnóstico de cáncer de mama en mujeres posmenopaúsicas. Se utilizó Chi cuadrado, Odds Ratio, el intervalo de confianza al 95 % y valor P < 0.05 para revisar la significancia estadística.

Resultados: Ingresaron al estudio 157 casos, 107 en el grupo con cáncer de mama (G1) y 50 mujeres (31 %) sin patología maligna (G2). La edad en G1 fue de 59.9±9.9 años en G2 55.5±5.5 (P=0.001). El índice de masa corporal fue 29.05±1.2 en G1 y 26.80±1.3 en G2 (P<0.001).  OR del SM para el desarrollo de Cáncer de mama fue 4.60 (IC 95% 2.23-9.51 ) P<0.0001. OR del SM para el desarrollo de cáncer de mama en mujeres menores a 54 años fue de 0.22 (0.069-0.72), P=0.0118. No hubo asociaciones por tipo histológico.

Conclusión: Existe asociación entre el SM y el cáncer de mama en mujeres posmenopáusicas, por lo que se debe considerar la salud metabólica como un factor de riesgo clínicamente relevante y modificable para el desarrollo del cáncer.
Expression profiling identifies key genes and biological functions associated with eosinophilic esophagitis in human patients
Authors: Morrison Holly A. , Hoyt Kacie J. , Mounzer Christina , Ivester Hannah M. , Barnes Barrett H. , Sauer Bryan , McGowan Emily C. , Allen Irving C.
Published: August 2023

Introduction

Eosinophilic Esophagitis (EoE) is a chronic allergic disease characterized by progressive inflammation of the esophageal mucosa. This chronic inflammatory disorder affects up to 50 per 100,000 individuals in the United States and Europe yet is limited in treatment options. While the transcriptome of EoE has been reported, few studies have examined the genetics among a cohort including both adult and pediatric EoE populations. To identify potentially overlooked biomarkers in EoE esophageal biopsies that may be promising targets for diagnostic and therapeutic development.

Methods

We used microarray analysis to interrogate gene expression using esophageal biopsies from EoE and Control subjects with a wide age distribution. Analysis of differential gene expression (DEGs) and prediction of impaired pathways was compared using conventional transcriptome analysis (TAC) and artificial intelligence-based (ADVAITA) programs. Principal Components Analysis revealed samples cluster by disease status (EoE and Control) irrespective of clinical features like sex, age, and disease severity.

Results

Global transcriptomic analysis revealed differential expression of several genes previously reported in EoE (CCL26, CPA3, POSTN, CTSC, ANO1, CRISP3, SPINK7). In addition, we identified differential expression of several genes from the MUC and SPRR families, which have been limited in previous reports.

Discussion

Our findings suggest that there is epithelial dysregulation demonstrated by DEGs that may contribute to impaired barrier integrity and loss of epidermal cell differentiation in EoE patients. These findings present two new gene families, SPRR and MUC, that are differentially expressed in both adult and pediatric EoE patients, which presents an opportunity for a future therapeutic target that would be useful in a large demographic of patients.
Nanostructured Ti-13Nb-13Zr alloy for implant application—material scientific, technological, and biological aspects
Authors: Klinge Lina , Kluy Lukas , Spiegel Christopher , Siemers Carsten , Groche Peter , Coraça-Huber Débora
Published: August 2023

In dentistry, the most commonly used implant materials are CP-Titanium Grade 4 and Ti-6Al-4V ELI, possessing comparably high Young’s modulus (>100 GPa). In the present study, the second-generation titanium alloy Ti-13Nb-13Zr is investigated with respect to the production of advanced dental implant systems. This should be achieved by the fabrication of long semi-finished bars with high strength and sufficient ductility to allow the automated production of small implants at low Young’s modulus (<80 GPa) to minimize stress shielding, bone resorption, and gap formation between the bone and implant. In addition, bacterial colonization is to be reduced, and bone adhesion is to be enhanced by adjusting the microstructure. To do so, a dedicated thermo-mechanical treatment for Ti-13Nb-13Zr has been developed. This includes the adaption of equal channel angular swaging, a modern process of severe plastic deformation to continuously manufacture nanostructured materials, to Ti-13Nb-13Zr and short-time recrystallization and ageing treatments. In particular, two-pass equal channel angular swaging at a deformation temperature of 150°C and a counterpressure of 8 MPa has successfully been used to avoid shear band formation during deformation and to produce long Ti-13Nb-13Zr bars of 8 mm diameter. During recrystallization treatment at 700°C for 10 min followed by water quenching, a sub-micron-size primary α-phase in a matrix of α″-phase was developed. Subsequent ageing at 500°C for 1 h leads to martensite decomposition and, thus, to a homogeneously nanostructured microstructure of α- and β-phase with substructures smaller than 200 nm. The resulting mechanical properties, especially the ultimate tensile strength of more than 990 MPa, fulfill the requirements of ASTM F1713 at Young’s modulus of 73 GPa. Biological investigations show promising results in reducing bacterial biofilm formation and increased cell proliferation of osteoblasts compared to CP-Titanium Grade 4 and Ti-6Al-4V ELI, especially, if etched surfaces are applied.
Foraging strategies of fungal mycelial networks: responses to quantity and distance of new resources
Authors: Fukasawa Yu , Ishii Kaho
Published: August 2023

Fungal mycelial networks are essential for translocating and storing water, nutrients, and carbon in forest ecosystems. In particular, wood decay fungi form mycelial networks that connect various woody debris on the forest floor. Understanding their foraging strategies is crucial for complehending the role of mycelium in carbon and nutrient cycling in forests. Previous studies have shown that mycelial networks initiate migration from the original woody resource (inoculum) to a new woody resource (bait) if the latter is sufficiently large but not if it is small. However, the impact of energetic costs during foraging, such as the distance to the bait, has not been considered. In the present study, we conducted full-factorial experiments with two factors, bait size (4 and 8 cm3) and distance from the inoculum (1 and 15 cm). An inoculum wood block, colonized by the wood decay fungus Phanerochaete velutina, was placed in one corner of a bioassay dish (24 cm × 24 cm) filled with unsterilized soil. Once the mycelium grew onto the soil to a distance >15 cm from the inoculum, a sterilized new bait wood block (of either size) was placed on the soil at one of the two distances to be colonized by the mycelia from the inoculum. After 50 days of incubation, the baits were harvested, and their dried weight was measured to calculate the absolute weight loss during incubation. The inoculum wood blocks were retrieved and placed on a new soil dish to determine whether the mycelium would grow out onto the soil again. If no growth occurred within 8 days of additional incubation, we concluded that the mycelium had migrated from the inoculum to the bait. The results showed that mycelia in inocula coupled with baits positioned 1 cm away migrated to the baits more frequently than those with baits positioned 15 cm away. A structural equation model revealed that bait weight loss (energy gain) and hyphal coverage on the soil (foraging cost) significantly influenced mycelial migration decisions. These findings suggest that fungal mycelia may employ their own foraging strategies based on energetic benefits.
Evaluation of methods for assigning causes of death from verbal autopsies in India
Authors: Benara Sudhir K. , Sharma Saurabh , Juneja Atul , Nair Saritha , Gulati B. K. , Singh Kh. Jitenkumar , Singh Lucky , Yadav Ved Prakash , Rao Chalapati , Rao M. Vishnu Vardhana
Published: August 2023

Background

Physician-coded verbal autopsy (PCVA) is the most widely used method to determine causes of death (COD) in countries where medical certification of death is low. Computer-coded verbal autopsy (CCVA), an alternative method to PCVA for assigning the COD is considered to be efficient and cost-effective. However, the performance of CCVA as compared to PCVA is yet to be established in the Indian context.

Methods

We evaluated the performance of PCVA and three CCVA methods i.e., InterVA 5, InSilico, and Tariff 2.0 on verbal autopsies done using the WHO 2016 VA tool on 2,120 reference standard cases developed from five tertiary care hospitals of Delhi. PCVA methodology involved dual independent review with adjudication, where required. Metrics to assess performance were Cause Specific Mortality Fraction (CSMF), sensitivity, positive predictive value (PPV), CSMF Accuracy, and Kappa statistic.

Results

In terms of the measures of the overall performance of COD assignment methods, for CSMF Accuracy, the PCVA method achieved the highest score of 0.79, followed by 0.67 for Tariff_2.0, 0.66 for Inter-VA and 0.62 for InSilicoVA. The PCVA method also achieved the highest agreement (57%) and Kappa scores (0.54). The PCVA method showed the highest sensitivity for 15 out of 20 causes of death.

Conclusion

Our study found that the PCVA method had the best performance out of all the four COD assignment methods that were tested in our study sample. In order to improve the performance of CCVA methods, multicentric studies with larger sample sizes need to be conducted using the WHO VA tool.
Meat procurement strategy from the Neolithic to the Bronze Age in the Guanzhong region of Shaanxi Province, China
Authors: Hu Qingbo , Dong Ningning , Hu Songmei , Qin Xiaoli , Yuan Jing
Published: August 2023

Meat procurement strategies, displaying a great variety world-widely, are ideal for examining how geography and culture shape the subsistence. We collate zooarchaeological data from 26 Neolithic and Bronze Age sites/locales in the Guanzhong region (Shaanxi Province, China), a key region of early Chinese civilization, to demonstrate the changing process of meat procurement and its associations with environmental, demographic and societal factors. Comparing the proportion of the domesticates versus wild animals, along with the proportion of the domesticated pigs versus bovids (i.e., sheep, goat, and cattle), we summarize three characteristics of the meat procurement strategy at Guanzhong. Firstly, the changing pattern of meat procurement did not follow a linear progression of shifting subsistence from hunting to husbandry, albeit involving acceleration and regression from the pre-Yangshao period to the Western Zhou dynasty. Secondly, contrasting meat procurement strategies might have been employed between central settlements and lower-ranking settlements. Thirdly, an increasing importance of domesticated bovids was evident during the pre-Zhou and Western Zhou periods. We therefore argue population size and societal form might have shaped meat procurement strategies, in addition to natural environments. Subsistence, in turn, also lays the economic foundation for social development. It was not until the pre-Zhou and Western Zhou periods, when a more stable meat procurement strategy involving utilizing a variety of the domesticates was pervasively employed in this region, that Guanzhong had gradually gained its prominence in Chinese civilization.
Association between soluble α-klotho and mortality risk in middle-aged and older adults
Authors: Chuang Min-Hsiang , Wang Hung-Wei , Huang Yun-Ting , Jiang Ming-Yan
Published: August 2023

Introduction

Studies on association of α-klotho levels with mortality risk in general population are relatively scarce and inconclusive. Therefore, we conducted a population-based cohort study to investigate the relationship between soluble α-klotho and all-cause mortality in a nationally representative sample of middle-aged and older adults in the United States (U.S.).

Methods

The study population was 2007-2016 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) participants, totaling 13,583 adults aged 40-79 years. Participants were divided into 7 groups by septile of α-klotho levels. We linked the NHANES data to the National Death Index to determine participants’ survival status. End of follow-up was participants’ death date or December 31, 2019.

Results

We observed that males, current smokers, older age, higher body mass index, and lower estimated glomerular filtration rate correlated to lower α-klotho levels, while hepatitis C virus infection correlated to higher α-klotho. The population mortality rate was 11.8 per 10,000 person-months (1,490 deaths); group 1 (the first septile) had higher mortality risk compared with group 2 through group 7. By weighted Cox regression with adjustment for potential confounders, we found that group 2 through group 6, but not group 7, were associated with 25% to 35% lower risk of all-cause mortality compared with group 1. When compared with group 4, we observed that both group 1 (HR: 1.46, 95% CI 1.13-1.88) and group 7 (HR: 1.38, 95% CI 1.09-1.74) were associated with higher mortality risk.

Conclusion

In summary, among middle-aged and older U.S. adults, we observed a non-linear association between soluble α-klotho and all-cause mortality, with individuals at the two extremes at increased risk of death.
Mixed-integer second-order cone programming method for active distribution network
Authors: Wan Dai , Zhao Miao , Yi Zimu , Jiang Fei , Guo Qi , Zhou Qianfan
Published: August 2023

Developing a novel type of power system is an important means of achieving the “dual carbon” goals of achieving peak carbon emissions and carbon neutrality in the near future. Given that the distribution network has access to a wide range of distributed and flexible resources, reasonably controlling large-scale and adjustable resources is a critical factor influencing the safe and stable operation of the active distribution network (ADN). In light of this, the authors of this study propose a mixed-integer second-order cone programming method for an active distribution network by considering the collaboration between distributed, flexible resources. First, Monte Carlo sampling is used to simulate the charging load of electric vehicles (EVs), and the auto regressive moving average (ARMA) and the scenario reduction algorithms (SRA) based on probability distance are used to generate scenarios of the outputs of distributed generation (DG). Second, we establish an economical, low-carbon model to optimize the operation of the active distribution network to reduce its operating costs and carbon emissions by considering the adjustable characteristics of the distributed and flexible resources, such as on-load tap changer (OLTC), devices for reactive power compensation, and EVs and electric energy storage equipment (EES). Then, the proposed model is transformed into a mixed-integer second-order cone programming (SOCP) model with a convex feasible domain by using second-order cone relaxation (SOCR), and is solved by using the CPLEX commercial solver. Finally, we performed an arithmetic analysis on the improved IEEE 33-node power distribution system, the results show that ADN’s day-to-day operating costs were reduced by 47.9% year-on-year, and carbon emissions were reduced by 75.2% year-on-year. The method proposed in this paper has significant effects in reducing the operating cost and carbon emissions of ADNs, as well as reducing the amplitude of ADN node voltages and branch currents.
Responses of soil N-cycle enzyme activities to vegetation degradation in a wet meadow on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau
Authors: Chang Wenhua , Ma Weiwei , Song Liangcui , Tang Yanmei , Long Yongchun , Xu Guorong , Yuan Jianyu
Published: August 2023

Soil enzymes play a vital role in the functioning of wetland ecosystems, driving energy flow and material cycling processes. Gahai wet meadow, one of the important components of alpine wetlands on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, has suffered serious degradation in the last 30 years due to climate change and human activities. We studied the spatial and temporal heterogeneity of soil nitrogen content and nitrogen (N)-cycle enzyme activities (i.e., urease, protease, nitrate reductase and nitrite reductase) in four degraded wet meadows in the Gahai wetlands. Our results suggested that with increasing wet meadow degradation, there was a significant decrease in soil water content, total nitrogen, ammonium nitrogen, microbial biomass nitrogen content, protease activities, and nitrite reductase activities; Conversely, soil temperature, nitrate nitrogen content, urease activities, and nitrate reductase activities increased significantly. Soil urease, protease, and nitrite reductase activities significantly decreased with increasing soil depth;The highest activity levels of the three N-cycle enzymes were observed in July and August. The linear mixed modeling results indicated that there were significant effects of degradation level and soil depth and their interactions on soil nitrate reductase and nitrite reductase activities (p < 0.01), while soil depth had significant effects only on soil urease and protease activities (p < 0.01). Redundancy analyses showed that soil ammonium and nitrate nitrogen were the main drivers of changes in soil N-cycle enzyme activity during the degradation of wet meadows. In summary, our study sheds light on the processes of soil enzyme activity in an alpine wetland ecosystem and provides valuable information for understanding the N cycling in these complex systems.