bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Bariatric surgery stigma from the perspective of patients: A scoping review
Authors: Garcia Franshelis K. , Mulder Bob C. , Hazebroek Eric J. , Koelen Maria A. , Veen Esther J. , Verkooijen Kirsten T.
Published: November 2023

Aims

To explore the experiences and consequences of bariatric surgery stigma from the perspective of bariatric surgery patients and to identify knowledge gaps in the literature.

Design

A scoping review.

Data Sources

Studies published between December 2002 and January 2022 were identified from the following databases: PubMed, Web of Science, PsycINFO and MEDLINE.

Review Methods

We screened 3092 records and included 28 studies. Findings were grouped thematically using the health stigma discrimination framework.

Results

Patients experienced several types of stigmas, including perceived, experienced, anticipated and internalized stigma, related to undergoing bariatric surgery. Patients were confronted with negative comments and judgement from others when they disclosed their decision to have surgery or when they revealed that they had undergone surgery. These experiences led to conflicts in the decision‐making process, such as delaying the choice for surgery, seeking surgery abroad or opting out. Patients who internalized stigma often reported feelings of shame and embarrassment for choosing surgery and felt the need for secrecy or selective disclosure. Stigma experiences were influenced by gender and differed between different subgroups of patients.

Conclusion

The stigma surrounding bariatric surgery has detrimental consequences for eligible individuals and bariatric surgery patients. However, the evidence from patients' perspective remains limited. More research into patient's experiences is needed to improve patient care and further educate healthcare professionals. In addition, to better understand the nature and implications of bariatric surgery stigma, future research should be founded on stigma theories and distinguish between the different types of stigmas.

Impact

This scoping review contributes to a better understanding of the implications the stigma surrounding bariatric surgery has for bariatric surgery patients before and after surgery. The knowledge generated by this review can inform improvements in the education and management of people living with obesity and bariatric surgery patients.

Reporting Method

The scoping review adhered to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analysis Extension for Scoping Reviews checklist.

Patient or Public Contribution

No Patient or Public Contribution.

Protocol Registration

A protocol was not registered for this scoping review.
Instructor's direct gaze not body orientation affects learning
Authors: Kuang Ziyi , Wang Fuxing , Andrasik Frank , Hu Xiangen
Published: November 2023

Background

Little is known about the effectiveness of instructors when presenting content in videos alone. In recent years, researchers have increasingly begun to explore the effects of instructors' social cues (e.g., eye gaze, body orientation, etc.) on learning. However, previous studies exploring the effects of eye gaze have confounded the role of body orientation, while studies exploring body orientation have confounded the role of eye gaze.

Objectives

To explore the role of direct gaze and body orientation in learning with instructional videos, absent an instructional screen, in a less confounded manner.

Methods

A total of 63 subjects were presented select concepts regarding schizophrenia. Eye‐tracking technology combined with current theories of parasocial interaction and social agency was used to explore different social cues that affect learning performance. Students were randomly assigned to one of three experimental conditions: frontal body + direct gaze group (FD group), frontal body + no direct gaze group (FND group), and lateral body + no direct gaze group (LND group).

Result and Conclusions

Direct gaze facilitated students' immediate retention and transfer scores, reduced learners' extraneous cognitive load, and guided students' attention to the instructor. However, counter to our expectations, parasocial interaction did not affect social cues.

Implications

In both online and offline classes, instruction is expected to be enhanced by focusing on the camera to the extent possible, particularly when instructional screens are absent.
Anticancer actions of carnosine in cellular models of prostate cancer
Authors: Habra K. , Pearson J. R. D. , Le Vu P. , Puig‐Saenz C. , Cripps M. J. , Khan M. A. , Turner M. D. , Sale C. , McArdle S. E. B.
Published: November 2023

Treatments for organ‐confined prostate cancer include external beam radiation therapy, radical prostatectomy, radiotherapy/brachytherapy, cryoablation and high‐intensity focused ultrasound. None of these are cancer‐specific and are commonly accompanied by side effects, including urinary incontinence and erectile dysfunction. Moreover, subsequent surgical treatments following biochemical recurrence after these interventions are either limited or affected by the scarring present in the surrounding tissue. Carnosine (β‐alanyl‐L‐histidine) is a histidine‐containing naturally occurring dipeptide which has been shown to have an anti‐tumorigenic role without any detrimental effect on healthy cells; however, its effect on prostate cancer cells has never been investigated. In this study, we investigated the effect of carnosine on cell proliferation and metabolism in both a primary cultured androgen‐resistant human prostate cancer cell line, PC346Flu1 and murine TRAMP‐C1 cells. Our results show that carnosine has a significant dose‐dependent inhibitory effect in vitro on the proliferation of both human (PC346Flu1) and murine (TRAMP‐C1) prostate cancer cells, which was confirmed in 3D‐models of the same cells. Carnosine was also shown to decrease adenosine triphosphate content and reactive species which might have been caused in part by the increase in SIRT3 also shown after carnosine treatment. These encouraging results support the need for further human in vivo work to determine the potential use of carnosine, either alone or, most likely, as an adjunct therapy to surgical or other conventional treatments.
Morphology, morphogenesis, and molecular characterization of Castula specialis sp. nov. (Ciliophora, Armophorea, Metopida)
Authors: Feng Xiaochen , Méndez‐Sánchez Daniel , Zhuang Wenbao , Li Ran , Pomahač Ondřej , Čepička Ivan , Rotterová Johana , Hu Xiaozhong
Published: November 2023

The morphology, morphogenesis, and molecular phylogeny of a new metopid ciliate, Castula specialis sp. nov., comprising three strains from geographically distant (China, Mexico, Czech Republic) anoxic freshwater habitats, were studied based on microscopic observation of live and protargol‐stained specimens as well as SSU rRNA gene sequence data. The new species is characterized as follows: size in vivo 105–220 × 25–70 μm, body oblong to elongated ellipsoidal and asymmetrical; preoral dome distinctly projecting beyond the body; 32–46 adoral membranelles; 31–52 somatic kineties; and 4–7 setae. This study brings the first morphogenetic investigation of a member of the genus Castula. The morphogenesis of the type population (China) of the new species proceeds as in Metopus spp. comprising drastic changes in body shape and a pleurotelokinetal stomatogenesis; however, the main difference is the origin of the opisthe's paroral membrane that derives from all perizonal rows and some adjacent dome kineties. Phylogenetically, the genus Castula is paraphyletic.
Estimating disease burden of rotavirus in floodwater through traffic in the urban areas: A case study of Can Tho city, Vietnam
Authors: Huynh Thi Thao Nguyen , Hofstra Nynke , Nguyen Hong Quan , Baker Stephen , Pathirana Assela , Corzo Perez Gerald A. , Zevenbergen Chris
Published: November 2023

Microbial pathogens in urban floodwaters pose risks to human health, potentially causing diseases such as diarrhea. However, the disease burden related to urban traffic exposure from citizens passing through floodwaters is not easily quantified and therefore not included in many studies. Notably, this problem has received little attention in low‐to‐middle‐income countries, with frequent flood events and the heavy diarrheal disease burden. This article calculates the infection risks and disease burden, considering traffic associated with exposure to floodwater contaminated with rotavirus for the first time in Ninh Kieu District, Can Tho city. Can Tho city in the Vietnamese Mekong Delta is well known to have many flood events every year, with many diarrheal cases during the flood season. The methodology comprises two steps. First, we applied quantitative microbial risk assessment that proposes the inclusion of exposure to traffic due to rotavirus in floodwater. Second, the disease burden was expressed in disability‐adjusted life years (DALYs). The exposed groups are child pedestrians, adult pedestrians, motorcyclists, and cyclists. We used video footage to monitor the traffic. The results show that total DALYs per flood event were 1.35 × 104 for 63,390 exposed people (i.e., 2129 DALYs per 10,000 cases). Motorcyclists are the strongest contributors to the DALYs (95%), followed by cyclists (2.8%), adult pedestrians (2%), and child pedestrians (0.2%). The population in Ninh Kieu District may suffer from waterborne diseases through traffic activities during flooding times. Our approach can be applied in other areas worldwide and helps identify main risk groups and focus areas for interventions.
Fecal microbiota transplantation through transendoscopic enteral tubing for inflammatory bowel disease: High acceptance and high satisfaction
Authors: Lin Jue , Xiong Jinlei , Jin Yan , Wang Honggang , Wu Lihao , Chen Linlin , Zhang Faming , Ji Guozhong , Cui Bota
Published: November 2023

Background and Aim

Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) has been shown to positively affect the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). However, the safety and efficacy of FMT may depend on the route of microbiota delivery. This study investigates the acceptance, satisfaction, and selection preference of a new delivery route, transendoscopic enteral tubing (TET), for treating IBD.

Methods

A survey was conducted among patients with IBD from five medical centers across China. The objective was to assess their acceptance, subjective feelings, and major concerns regarding two types of TET: colonic TET and mid‐gut TET. In addition, the survey also analyzed the factors affecting the selection of TET and TET types among these patients.

Results

The final analysis included 351 questionnaires. Up to 76.6% of patients were willing to accept TET and preferred to choose colonic TET when they first learned about TET. Patients with longer disease duration, history of enema therapy, or enteral nutrition were more open to considering TET among IBD patients. After treatment, 95.6% of patients were satisfied with TET, including colonic TET (95.9%) and mid‐gut TET (95.1%). Patients with a history of enema therapy and ulcerative colitis preferred colonic TET. In contrast, those with a history of enteral nutrition and Crohn's disease were willing to choose mid‐gut TET. However, some patients hesitated to accept TET due to concerns about efficacy, safety, and cost.

Conclusions

TET was highly accepted and satisfied patients with IBD. Disease type and combination therapy influenced the choice of colonic or mid‐gut TET.
“The pandemic came to teach us how to eat”: COVID‐19, mutual vulnerability, and native corn in Oaxaca
Authors: McNamara Owen
Published: November 2023

The COVID‐19 pandemic has been a period of inflection in the growth of native corn revivalism in Oaxaca, Mexico. New businesses opened selling food and drinks derived from native corn, events such as seed‐swaps were inaugurated, and farmers who had previously grown hybrid corn began experimenting with native seeds. This revivalism was not merely commercial or gustatory, but entailed a re‐evaluation by revivalists of their relationship to native corn. Such relationships became increasingly framed through mutual vulnerabilities. In this article I argue that native corn revivalism is a direct response to the COVID‐19 crisis. I explore how vulnerability featured in my interlocutors’ tellings of the crisis, demonstrating that it offered an analytic through which they theorized and constructed relationships. This approach builds upon interpretations of crisis as narrative form, but turns its attention away from the power‐effects of crisis narratives to instead look to the relationships that such narratives engender.
Infection with ‘Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus’ improves the fecundity of Diaphorina citri aiding its proliferation: A win‐win strategy
Authors: Nian Xiaoge , Luo Yaru , He Xinyu , Wu Shujie , Li Jiayun , Wang Desen , Holford Paul , Beattie George Andrew Charles , Cen Yijing , Zhang Songdou , He Yurong
Published: November 2023

The evolution of insect vector‐pathogen relationships has long been of interest in the field of molecular ecology. One system of special relevance, due to its economic impacts, is that between Diaphorina citri and ‘Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus’ (CLas), the cause of the severe Asian form of huanglongbing. CLas‐positive D. citri are more fecund than their CLas‐negative counterparts, boosting opportunities for pathogens to acquire new vector hosts. The molecular mechanism behind this life‐history shift remains unclear. Here, we found that CLas promoted ovarian development and increased the expression of the vitellogenin receptor (DcVgR) in ovaries. DcVgR RNAi significantly decreased fecundity and CLas titer in ovaries, extended the preoviposition period, shortened the oviposition period and blocked ovarian development. Given their importance in gene regulation, we explored the role of miRNAs in shaping these phenotypes and their molecular triggers. Our results showed that one miRNA, miR‐275, suppressed DcVgR expression by binding to its 3' UTR. Overexpression of miR‐275 knocked down DcVgR expression and CLas titer in ovaries, causing reproductive defects that mimicked DcVgR knockdown phenotypes. We focused, further, on roles of the Juvenile Hormone (JH) pathway in shaping the observed fecundity phenotype, given its known impacts on ovarian development. After CLas infection, this pathway was upregulated, thereby increasing DcVgR expression. From these combined results, we conclude that CLas hijacks the JH signalling pathway and miR‐275, thereby targeting DcVgR to increase D. citri fecundity. These changes simultaneously increase CLas replication, suggesting a pathogen‐vector host mutualism, or a seemingly helpful, but cryptically costly life‐history manipulation.
Promoting foot self‐care in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients receiving hemodialysis based on the information‐motivation‐behavioral skills model
Authors: Jung Won Hee , Kim Hye Young
Published: November 2023

This study develops and verifies the use of the foot self‐care behavioral model in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) receiving hemodialysis (HD) based on the information‐motivation‐behavioral skills model. Data were collected between June and August 2021 from 156 outpatients with type 2 diabetes who were receiving regular HD. A structured questionnaire and electronic medical records were used to collect demographic and disease‐related data along with Foot Care Knowledge Questionnaires, third version of Diabetes Attitude Scale, Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, Foot Care Confidence Scale, and Foot Self‐care Behavior Scale. Age, diabetic foot care knowledge, social support, and foot care self‐efficacy had a direct effect on foot self‐care behavior. Foot care self‐efficacy had a mediating effect on foot care knowledge, diabetes‐related attitudes, social support, and foot self‐care behavior. The information‐motivation‐behavioral skills model was suitable as a foot self‐care behavioral model for patients with T2DM receiving HD. Additionally, these findings suggest that it is crucial to improve foot self‐care behavior through increased foot care knowledge, diabetes‐related attitudes, and social support, which could contribute to enhancing foot care self‐efficacy.
Possible Mechanism and Treatment Results of Combined Pediatric Fractures of the Humeral Lateral Condyle and Ipsilateral Ulnar Olecranon
Authors: Liu Shuai , Peng LianQi , Liu JiaTong , OuYang LiZhi , Wang ZeZheng , Rai Saroj , Lin WeiFeng , Tang Xin
Published: November 2023

Objective

Combined fractures of the lateral condyle of the humerus and the ipsilateral ulnar olecranon are rarely seen in children. Therefore, the mechanism and suitable treatments remain debatable. This study describes the possible mechanism of combined humeral lateral condyle and ipsilateral ulnar olecranon fractures and presents the treatment results.

Methods

Children diagnosed with combined fractures of the humeral lateral condyle and ipsilateralulnar olecranon from July 2010 to July 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. Humeral lateral condyle fractures were treated with open reduction and internal fixation with bioabsorbable pins. Ulnar olecranon fractures were treated with closed reduction and percutaneous pinning with K‐wires for Mayo type IA fractures and with tension‐band wiring or a locking plate for Mayo type IIA fractures. The postoperative function and appearance of the elbow were evaluated using the Flynn criteria and Mayo Elbow Performance Score (MEPS) at follow‐up.

Results

The cohort comprised 19 patients aged from 4 to 11 years. Bony compression and avulsion by attached muscles and ligaments may be the leading factors causing the combined injuries, as the children fell with an outstretched and supinated elbow. The average follow‐up time was 33 months. High MEPS of >90 indicated that good to excellent results were obtained without complications.

Conclusions

This study proposed a reasonable hypothesis for the mechanism of combined humeral lateral condyle and ipsilateral ulnar olecranon fractures in children. Satisfactory outcomes were achieved with bioabsorbable pins for lateral condyle fractures and closed reduction and percutaneous pinning with K‐wires, tension‐band wiring, or locking plate for olecranon fractures.
How megadrought causes extensive mortality in a deep‐rooted shrub species normally resistant to drought‐induced dieback: The role of a biotic mortality agent
Authors: Aguirre Natalie M. , Ochoa Marissa E. , Holmlund Helen I. , Palmeri Gabriella N. , Lancaster Emily R. , Gilderman Gina S. , Taylor Shaquetta R. , Sauer Kaitlyn E. , Borges Adriana J. , Lamb Avery N. D. , Jacques Sarah B. , Ewers Frank W. , Davis Stephen D.
Published: November 2023

Southern California experienced unprecedented megadrought between 2012 and 2018. During this time, Malosma laurina, a chaparral species normally resilient to single‐year intense drought, developed extensive mortality exceeding 60% throughout low‐elevation coastal populations of the Santa Monica Mountains. We assessed the physiological mechanisms by which the advent of megadrought predisposed M. laurina to extensive shoot dieback and whole‐plant death. We found that hydraulic conductance of stem xylem (Ks, native) was reduced seven to 11‐fold in dieback adult and resprout branches, respectively. Staining of stem xylem vessels revealed that dieback plants experienced 68% solid‐blockage, explaining the reduction in water transport. Following Koch's postulates, persistent isolation of a microorganism in stem xylem of dieback plants but not healthy controls indicated that the causative agent of xylem blockage was an opportunistic endophytic fungus, Botryosphaeria dothidea. We inoculated healthy M. laurina saplings with fungal isolates and compared hyphal elongation rates under well‐watered, water‐deficit, and carbon‐deficit treatments. Relative to controls, we found that both water deficit and carbon‐deficit increased hyphal extension rates and the incidence of shoot dieback.
Differential longitudinal changes of hippocampal subfields in patients with anorexia nervosa
Authors: Bahnsen Klaas , Wronski Marie‐Louis , Keeler Johanna Louise , King Joseph A. , Preusker Quirina , Kolb Theresa , Weidner Kerstin , Roessner Veit , Bernardoni Fabio , Ehrlich Stefan
Published: November 2023

Background

Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a mental disorder characterized by dietary restriction, fear of gaining weight, and distorted body image. Recent studies indicate that the hippocampus, crucial for learning and memory, may be affected in AN, yet subfield‐specific effects remain unclear. We investigated hippocampal subfield alterations in acute AN, changes following weight restoration, and their associations with leptin levels.

Methods

T1‐weighted magnetic resonance imaging scans were processed using FreeSurfer. We compared 22 left and right hemispheric hippocampal subfield volumes cross‐sectionally and longitudinally in females with acute AN (n = 165 at baseline, n = 110 after partial weight restoration), healthy female controls (HCs; n = 271), and females after long‐term recovery from AN (n = 79) using linear models.

Results

We found that most hippocampal subfield volumes were significantly reduced in patients with AN compared with HCs (~−3.9%). Certain areas such as the subiculum exhibited no significant reduction in the acute state of AN, while other areas, such as the hippocampal tail, showed strong decreases (~−9%). Following short‐term weight recovery, most subfields increased in volume. Comparisons between participants after long‐term weight‐recovery and HC yielded no differences. The hippocampal tail volume was positively associated with leptin levels in AN independent of body mass index.

Conclusions

Our study provides evidence of differential volumetric differences in hippocampal subfields between individuals with AN and HC and almost complete normalization after weight rehabilitation. These alterations are spatially inhomogeneous and more pronounced compared with other major mental disorders (e.g. major depressive disorder and schizophrenia). We provide novel insights linking hypoleptinemia to hippocampal subfield alterations hinting towards clinical relevance of leptin normalization in AN recovery.
The Acne Education Project: An educational initiative to improve acne health literacy and promote help‐seeking behavior in young adolescents
Authors: Wan Vincent , Selvakumar Rishika , Zhang Qian , Fleming Patrick , Lynde Charles
Published: November 2023

Background

Acne vulgaris is an inflammatory skin condition that is associated with poor acne health literacy. Diminished acne health literacy leads to delays in the access of health care, resulting in mismanagement, disfigurement, and psychosocial morbidity. This study evaluates the potential role of early acne education in young adolescent populations to improve acne health literacy and facilitate help‐seeking behavior.

Methods

The Acne Education Project is a Canadian medical student‐led initiative founded to create evidence‐based resources to increase acne health literacy. A 45‐min interactive Zoom presentation on acne was created and delivered to 2292 students ages 9–13 in British Columbia, Canada. A quality improvement survey was administered pre‐intervention, immediate post‐intervention, and 1‐month post‐intervention to evaluate baseline acne knowledge and knowledge retention to guide presentation and resource development.

Results

Responses from 676 unique individuals were collected. Analysis using linear mixed‐effects models demonstrated that respondents were significantly more confident in their general knowledge of acne, strategies to prevent acne, identification of psychosocial sequelae of acne, and more willing to seek help immediately post‐intervention (p < .001). Differences in scores were not fully preserved in magnitude at the 1‐month post‐intervention assessment. However, students still scored significantly higher in all categories compared to the pre‐intervention baseline (p < .001).

Conclusion

Our findings suggest that early acne education can improve acne health literacy and promote help‐seeking behavior. Given the potential long‐term implications, further research is needed to explore the long‐term impact of early acne education and the benefit of integrating acne education into the public education curriculum in Canada.
The light spectrum differentially influences morphology, physiology and metabolism of Chrysanthemum × morifolium without affecting biomass accumulation
Authors: Sommer Søren Gjedde , Castro‐Alves Victor , Hyötyläinen Tuulia , Strid Åke , Rosenqvist Eva
Published: November 2023

The development of light emitting diodes (LED) gives new possibilities to use the light spectrum to manipulate plant morphology and physiology in plant production and research. Here, vegetative Chrysanthemum × morifolium were grown at a photosynthetic photon flux density of 230 μmol m−2 s−1 under monochromatic blue, cyan, green, and red, and polychromatic red:blue or white light with the objective to investigate the effect on plant morphology, gas exchange and metabolic profile. After 33 days of growth, branching and leaf number increased from blue to red light, while area per leaf, leaf weight fraction, flavonol index, and stomatal density and conductance decreased, while dry matter production was mostly unaffected. Plants grown under red light had decreased photosynthesis performance compared with blue or white light‐grown plants. The primary and secondary metabolites, such as organic acids, amino acids and phenylpropanoids (measured by non‐targeted metabolomics of polar metabolites), were regulated differently under the different light qualities. Specifically, the levels of reduced ascorbic acid and its oxidation products, and the total ascorbate pool, were significantly different between blue light‐grown plants and plants grown under white or red:blue light, which imply photosynthesis‐driven alterations in oxidative pressure under different light regimens. The overall differences in plant phenotype, inflicted by blue, red:blue or red light, are probably due to a shift in balance between regulatory pathways controlled by blue light receptors and/or phytochrome. Although morphology, physiology, and metabolism differed substantially between plants grown under different qualities of light, these changes had limited effects on biomass accumulation.
The impact of photodynamic therapy on skin homeostasis in patients with actinic keratosis: A prospective observational study
Authors: Soto‐Moreno Alberto , Montero‐Vilchez Trinidad , Diaz‐Calvillo Pablo , Molina‐Leyva Alejandro , Arias‐Santiago Salvador
Published: November 2023

Background

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is an effective treatment for actinic keratosis (AKs), but there is little information on how PDT affects skin barrier function. The objectives of this study are: To compare skin barrier function between skin with AKs and healthy skin and to evaluate the impact of PDT on skin homeostasis in patients with AKs.

Methods

A prospective observational study was conducted in patients with AKs to evaluate epidermal barrier function and skin homeostasis before and 1 ek after receiving PDT.

Results

A total of 21 subjects were included in the study, male/female ratio was 17:4, mean age was 75.86 years. The number of AKS observed before starting treatment was reduced with respect to those diagnosed 1 month after starting PDT (14.83 vs. 1.91, p < 0.0001). Application of PDT for treating AKs modifies epidermal barrier function. Immediately after the first session temperature, transepidermal water loss (TEWL), stratum corneum hydration (SCH) and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) increased while pH decreased on lesional skin. After 1‐month follow‐up, the only remained change was the increased in SCH. Higher increases in temperature were observed when using occlusive PDT compared to mixed modality. 5‐ALA and M‐ALA seem to have a similar impact on skin barrier.

Conclusions

PDT can improve skin barrier function in patients with AKs. Skin homeostasis parameters can be used to assess efficacy and optimize dosing.
LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENT OF NUTMEG OIL SUPPLY CHAIN
Authors: Trisna Trisna , Zakaria Muhammad , Saptari Mochamad Ari
Published: November 2023

The nutmeg oil supply chain has several members, including farmers, collectors, traders, processing industries, and exporters. Every activity along the nutmeg supply chain has an environmental impact due to resources usages such as raw materials, water, and energy.  This study aimed to measure the environmental impacts along the nutmeg oil supply chain using a life cycle assessment framework. The effects assessed in this study are greenhouse gas emissions, global warming potential (GWP), and acidification potential (AP). The research stages involve preliminary study, objectives and scope determination, data collection, environmental impacts measurement, and interpretation. The results showed that the most significant environmental impact was the distillation process with greenhouse gas emissions are 22,400 kg CO2, 60kg CH4, and 0.8 kg N2O, GWP of 23,908 kg CO2 (eq), and AP of 34 kg SO2 (eq). Based on identifying of environmental impacts, it is necessary to improve the existing boiler combustion system by using a closed burning system. These study results are the basis for decision-makers to improve the production process, design green supply chain management, and reduce environmental impacts.
ULTRASOUND-ASSISTED EXTRACTION OF STARCH FROM OIL PALM TRUNK: AN OPTIMIZATION BY RESPONSE SURFACE METHODOLOGY
Authors: Aftar Ali Nur Shahidah , Muda Khalida , Mohamed Najib Mohamed Zuhaili , Mohd Amin Mohamad Faiz , Ismail Shahrul , Mohamad Shahimin Mohd Faidz , Dahalan Farrah Aini
Published: November 2023

Higher production of palm oil in Malaysia has resulted in a significant amount of oil palm biomass including oil palm trunk (OPT). OPT has been studied as an alternative starch source. To date, reports on the extraction of starch from OPT using ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) are limited. The application of UAE is considered to be a simpler and effective way in starch extraction compared to conventional extraction methods. This study aims to investigate the potential of ultrasound-assisted extraction to extract starch from OPT, and optimization using response surface methodology. A three-factor central composite design (CCD) was designed to determine the effects of variables on response. The three variables involved in the study, namely: sonication temperature (45-65°C), sonication time (30-60 min) and sodium metabisulfite concentration (0.5-1.5% w/v). All of the data were analysed using Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). The R2 value (95.6%) and model (p <0.0001), indicating the acceptability of the model and significance in the interaction between independent variables. At the optimum conditions of 52.84°C temperature, 30.66 min exposure time and 0.58% w/v sodium metabisulfite concentration, the starch yield achieved its optimum value by 34.21%. Therefore, this study proved the potential of UAE in extracting higher OPT starch.
EVALUATION OF STORM SURGE BEHAVIOR DUE TO DIFFERENT TYPHOON TRACKS AND WIND SPEEDS ALONG THE COAST OF DAGUPAN CITY, LINGAYEN GULF, PHILIPPINES
Authors: Villalba Imee Bren , Lumbera Maxell , Musico John Kenneth , Giron Julius Florenz
Published: November 2023

Every year, an average of 19.4 typhoons traverse the Philippine Area of Responsibility and the country receives around nine landfalling typhoons. These typhoons can generate storm surges along the coasts and cause inundation of coastal communities. Dagupan City is a low-lying city located along the coast of Lingayen Gulf where 30% of its population live in the coastal barangays. As a coastal community located along the head of the Lingayen Gulf where the bathymetry is shallow, Dagupan city is susceptible to storm surges. This study aims to evaluate the storm surge behavior due to different typhoon tracks and windspeeds along the coast of Dagupan City. To achieve this objective, this study implements numerical simulation of storm surges using the Advanced Circulation (ADCIRC) model. A simple methodology is employed by selecting representative historical typhoons and creating synthetic typhoons by shifting the tracks along the latitude. Simulations of typhoons with different typhoon tracks reveal the critical tracks that give highest storm surges in Dagupan City. Finally, storm surges are simulated for windspeed intensities of 60, 80 and 100 knots which are applied to the identified critical tracks. The results of this study show that shifting the typhoon tracks affects the magnitude of storm surges in Dagupan City. Generally, the tracks that pass near the center of Lingayen Gulf generate the highest storm surge along the coast, however, eastward synthetic tracks near the mouth of the gulf can also potentially produce storm surges in Dagupan City. In addition, it is found that typhoon tracks coming from the West Philippine Sea can generate higher storm surges in Dagupan City compared to tracks from the Pacific Ocean. The highest storm surge generated by the representative historical typhoon is 1 m produced by Typhoon Vicki 1998 while a storm surge of 2 m could be potentially generated along Dagupan City by a typhoon with windspeed of 100 knots. The results of this study can be helpful in predicting storm surges for different typhoon tracks and windspeeds which can be used for coastal disaster preparedness in Dagupan City.
COMPARATIVE STUDY OF ELGAMAL AND LUC ALGORITHM IN CRYPTOGRAPHIC KEY GENERATION
Authors: Astuti Nur Rochmah Dyah Puji , Setiawan Dimas Panji , Hakika Dhias Cahya
Published: November 2023

In today’s era of digital, data security in communication channel becomes important factor to be considered during exchange of information. Cryptography is one of techniques to send and receive information securely through an insecure channel. Based on the number of keys used, encryption methods are categorized as symmetric and asymmetric cryptography. Compared to symmetric cryptography that often suffers from key management issues, asymmetric cryptography delivers higher level of data security. Thus, asymmetric cryptography is more preferred when security if the priority. To determine suitable algorithm, three essential aspects should be considered: security, speed, and prime numbers. This study aims to compare the application of asymmetric cryptographic algorithms between ElGamal and LUC algorithms in the key generation process. A comparative analysis of these two algorithms was conducted by evaluating the processing speed and prime numbers during key generation process to determine the advantages and drawbacks from ElGamal and LUC algorithms. The application in this study was developed using PHP programming language by following the Waterfall Model. Application testing involved two kinds of tests: (i) Black Box test and (ii) System Usability Scale (SUS) test. Results show the application developed from this study successfully performed the encryption, decryption, and checking of prime numbers from ElGamal and LUC algorithms. It displayed ciphertext, plaintext, and the speed of the encryption and decryption process from both methods. The black box test showed that all application functions follow the user's needs, while System Usability Scale (SUS) test obtained an average score of SUS interpretation of 83.75. This value means the adjective ratings was “excellent”, the grade scale was “B”, and the acceptability range was “acceptable”. It is concluded that the LUC algorithm superior to ElGamal in terms of the speed of encryption process. However, during the decryption process the LUC algorithm responded slower than ElGamal.
MODELING THE SPREAD OF FAKE NEWS ON SOCIAL NETWORKING SITES USING THE SYSTEM DYNAMICS APPROACH
Authors: Concepcion Aleena , Sy Charlle
Published: November 2023

The problem of false news online has continued to worsen, especially after witnessing significant events around the world unfold, such as the 2018 Cambridge Analytica scandal, COVID-19 pandemic, to the 2021 January 6th Insurrection at the US Capitol. False information online has distorted online users’ perception of the real world. As daily life is more intertwined with the digital world, false news becomes a more urgent concern because of the way it can shape public opinion. This study presents a rumor propagation model, which was based on epidemiological models, to address the spread of false news on social networking sites. The existing model was expanded on the STELLA software to consider the cognitive process of users when encountering false news, the platform in which the false news spreads, and the relationship of false news with online users. Simulations showed that Confirmation Bias, Sharing of Posts, and Algorithmic Ranking were the three critical variables of the model. It was found that possible interventions include a mix of reducing the bias of users at a wide-scale level and restructuring the SNS algorithm.
BIM-INTEGRATED SYSTEM: A SUCCESSFUL ALTERNATIVE FOR ESTIMATING CASH FLOW IN BUILDING PROJECTS
Authors: Thu Thi Le Hang , Dinh Cong Tinh
Published: November 2023

Cash flow calculation is an essential economic aspect of evaluating the success of a construction project. Strong cash flow positively impacts not only project effectiveness but also company profitability. Cash flow calculation is a good way for the contractors to avoid risks related to delay, cost overrun, or incompletion caused by financial deficits in the project’s performance. Building Information Modeling (BIM) is a revolutionary technology 4.0 that has been mandated and adopted by many countries all over the world. In Vietnam, a roadmap for BIM application in the construction sector was issued in 2023, under which obligatory new investment projects in public investment state capital provide BIM files to serve the appraisal of feasibility study reports, construction designs carried out after fundamental designs, applications for construction permits, and acceptance testing tasks. However, BIM authoring programming is still limited to cost management, especially cash flow calculations, because Vietnamese contractors are still facing a lot of difficulties in applying BIM to their projects, especially cash flow calculations. Therefore, this paper proposes a BIM-integrated system for calculating construction cash flow at the early phase of the project life cycle. The proposed system includes four modules: BIM visualization and data integration, construction cost estimating, construction project scheduling, and project cash flow calculation. The main functionality of the BIM visualization and data integration module is to provide a 3D visualized model with enough geometric and non-geometric data for the project quantity take-off. The functionality of the construction cost estimating module is to provide the direct cost categories, such as labor, material, and machine, and the indirect cost categories to perform all work tasks in the construction project. The main functionality of the construction project scheduling module is to provide the required time to complete all work tasks in the project implementation process. The main functionality of the project cash flow calculating module is to present cash inflows such as advance payment, payments from the owner, and cash outflows such as construction costs, equipment costs, project management costs, and project consultant costs to carry out the projects. The BIM-integrated system will make the calculation process of construction project cash flow easier and more accurate.
PROPERTIES AND CHARACTERIZATION OF MAGNESIUM OXYCHLORIDE CEMENT AS CARBON CAPTURE MATERIAL
Authors: Harmaji Andrie , Febrina Eva , Putri Salsabila Ansari
Published: November 2023

Greenhouse gas emissions produced by steam-powered electric plants can trigger damage to the atmosphere and increase the average surface temperature below it, resulting in global warming as a manifestation of the operation of power plants. A material is needed to capture carbon dioxide (CO2) gas produced by the power plant. Magnesium oxychloride (MOC) cement, commonly called Sorel cement, has the potential to be used as a carbon capture material. MOC is synthesized from magnesium oxide (MgO), magnesium chloride (MgCl2), and water (H2O). This study aimed to find the optimum ratio of MgO:MgCl2:H2O to produce the MOC with highest mechanical properties ranged from 1:1:1, 2:1:1, and 3:1:1. To determine the performance of the resulting MOC, physical, mechanical, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and scanning electron microscope (SEM) characterization tests were carried out. MOC with the highest mechanical properties was exposed to a high CO2 gas environment to determine its carbon capture performance. The mechanical testing shows that the best ratio of MgO:MgCl2:H2O was 3:1:1. This produces a hardness value of 43 VHN, a compressive strength of 57 MPa, a flexural strength of 46 MPa, and a modulus of elasticity of 2 GPa. The MOC 3:1:1 shows a CO2 gas capture effectiveness of 36% after 7 days, proven by XRD and SEM. The results of the tests carried out show that MOC has the potential to reduce carbon emissions produced by the steam-powered electric plant industry.
CUTTING ANALYSIS ON HORIZONTAL DRIILING USING CUTTING CARRY INDEX, CUTTING TRANSPORT RATIO AND CUTTING CONCENTRATION IN ANNULUS METHOD ON A WELL G FIELD S
Authors: Wastu Apriandi Rizkina Rangga , Husla Ridha , Yasmaniar Ghanima , Yulia Prayang Sunny , Samsol Samsol , Ridaliani Onnie
Published: November 2023

The basic principle of the drilling operation is to grind the rock formations with bits which will later become drill cuttings. In this process, fluid is needed as a conveying medium, commonly known as drilling mud, because the deeper the drilling, the more drill flakes are produced. One of the prominent functions of drilling mud is lifting the drill shale up to surface. The purpose of this analysis is to quantitatively prove whether the cutting has been successfully lifted to the surface or not, and to determine the elements of the fluid’s physical properties and the drilling mud fluid’s rheology. This analysis was carried out using three methods including; the cutting carry index, which the value required is greater than one; the cutting transport ratio, which the value required is greater than 50%; and the cutting concentration in annulus, which the value required is less than 5%. If the value of the quantitative calculation already has a value above the standard, it can be concluded that the drill cuttings can be lifted optimally. The value of the cutting carry index has to be greater than one, because if it is less than one the solid value in the mud is still lacking, causing a low density so it will affect the carrying capacity of cutting in 1 gal of mud. The value of cutting concentration in annulus should not be more than 5, it is feared that if it exceeds this limit, it can affect the rate of penetration and can cause a stuck. As for the value of the cutting transport ratio should not be less than 50% because if it is less than that the hydrostatic pressure below will be large and can cause formation fractures. In this case, we will discuss the analysis of cutting removal on the 8.5 inch route at 4290 to 5174 ft depth, with a slope of 66.29o from the starting point of the borehole.
MODELING OF OPTIMAL MULTI KEY HOMOMORPHIC ENCRYPTION WITH DEEP LEARNING BIOMETRIC BASED AUTHENTICATION SYSTEM FOR CLOUD COMPUTING
Authors: Prabhu D. , Bhanu S.Vijay , Suthir S.
Published: November 2023

More recently, cloud computing (CC) has gained considerable attention among research communities and business people. Inspite of the advantages of CC, security, and privacy remains a challenging problem. Therefore, biometric authentication systems have been employed and fingerprint is considered as widely employed to attain security. In addition, image encryption techniques can be used to encrypt the fingerprint biometric image to add an extra level of security. Based on these motivation, this study designs an optimal multikey homomorphic encryption (OMHE) with stacked autoencoder (SAE) based biometric authentication system for CC environment. The proposed OMHE-SAE model aims to encrypt the biometrics using OMHE technique and then verification takes place using SAE model. In addition, the OMHE technique involves the optimal key generation process using sandpiper optimization (SPO) algorithm to effectively choose the keys for encryption and decryption. Furthermore, the verification of decrypted biometrics takes place by the use of SAE model. A wide range of simulation analyses take place on benchmark datasets and the experimental outcomes portrayed the betterment of the OMHE-SAE More than cutting edge technology.
Flow Past a Pair of Separated Porous Spheres using Brinkman model
Authors: T S L Radhika , T Raja Rani
Published: November 2023

In this work, we obtained an analytical solution to the problem of viscous fluid flow past a pair of porous separated spheres. Stokesian approximation of the Navier-Stokes equation for the viscous fluid governs the flow in the region outside the two spheres, whereas Brinkman's model describes the flow in the porous region (within the spheres). Since the bipolar coordinate system is the most convenient system to represent separated spheres' geometry, we formulated this problem in the bipolar coordinate system. We then eliminated the pressure term from the equations governing the flow in the region outside the spheres, and they got reduced to a separable equation in terms of the stream function. Further, the flow governing equations inside the porous spheres gave rise to the Helmholtz equation.  As the Helmholtz equation is not separable in the bipolar system, we used the spherical coordinate system to describe the fluid flow within each separated spheres and solved the resulting problem in the spherical coordinate system. Because of this, the flow variables on either side of the interface (spheres) are in different coordinate systems.  To match the values of the field variables at the boundary, we used the transformation equations between the bipolar and spherical systems and transformed all the variables into the bipolar coordinate system. We then solved the governing equations with appropriate boundary conditions for the arbitrary constants and derived expressions for the stream and pressure functions. We plotted the respective functions for various values of the mathematical model's parameters to understand the flow pattern and pressure distribution in the flow domain and noted our observations. This study revealed an intuiting insight that the pressure distribution inside the porous spheres is independent of the non-dimensional parameter related to the medium's permeability and the fluid's viscosity.
An Optimal Control Analysis of the MERS-CoV Outbreak in South Korea
Authors: Santoso Amelia Margaretha , Mardlijah Mardlijah
Published: November 2023

MERS-CoV is a respiratory disease that originated in the Middle East. This disease is caused by a novel coronavirus which transmits from Dromedary camels to humans, then passed on to other humans through direct contact or droplets. Said to be the biggest to occur outside of Middle East with 186 cases, the outbreak in South Korea should be discussed further. By going through the chain of transmission, it was found that 44\% of the infected individuals were exposed to the virus in the healthcare facilities' environment. To reduce the risk of exposure to the virus, several efforts have been made such as restricting healthcare facilities visitors and increasing the number of isolated individuals in hospitals. The previous study has developed a mathematical model for the outbreak in South Korea and estimated transmission rates from the data provided by the government. In this study, both efforts will be added as control variables to form an optimal control problem to minimize the number of infected individuals and the costs incurred. The optimal control will be obtained using the Pontryagin maximum principle, then simulated using the fourth-order Runge-Kutta forward-backward sweep method for two scenarios to see the effectiveness of both controls. The simulation showed that restricting health facilities visitors to limit the chance of exposure was the most effective strategy to control the MERS-CoV outbreak in South Korea.