bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Three Cubes Packing for All Dimensions
Authors: Adamko Peter
Published: May 2024

Let Vn(d) denote the least number such that every collection of nd-cubes with total volume 1 in d-dimensional (Euclidean) space can be packed parallelly into some d-box of volume Vn(d). We show that V3(d)=r1−dd if d≥11 and V3(d)=1r+1rd+1r−rd+1 if 2≤d≤10, where r is the only solution of the equation 2(d−1)kd+dkd−1=1 on 22,1 and (k+1)d(1−k)d−1dk2+d+k−1=kddkd+1+dkd+kd+1 on 22,1, respectively. The maximum volume is achieved by hypercubes with edges x, y, z such that x=2rd+1−1/d, y=z=rx if d≥11, and x=rd+(1r−r)d+1−1/d, y=rx, z=(1r−r)x if 2≤d≤10. We also proved that only for dimensions less than 11 there are two different maximum packings, and for all dimensions greater than 10 the maximum packing has the two smallest cubes the same.
Encapsulated Bacteria with a Light-Repressed Deadman Switch for Liver Gene Delivery
Authors: Renteln Michael
Published: May 2024

Adeno-associated viruses (AAVs) have been used for liver gene therapy. Hemgenix and Roctavian are AAV-based treatments for hemophilia B and A, respectively. They cost $3 million and $2.8 million per dose, respectively. While AAV vectors may eventually be cheaper to mass produce, a bacteria-based DNA delivery system might be much cheaper for patients. Also, “bactofection” would allow for the delivery of much larger DNA packages. Such a bacterial system may now be possible, and a prototype for the liver could possibly be developed immediately.
Mass Yield, Antioxidant and Anti-Prostate Cancer DU145 Cell Proliferative Properties of ProSoy Soymilk as Affected by Extraction Methods and Cooking
Authors: Chang Sam K.C. , Tan Yingying
Published: May 2024

Both soybean variety and processing affect product characteristics. This study’s objective was to characterize the effect of four extraction methods (variations of soaking and grinding) combined with cooking on the content and composition of phenolic substances, antioxidant and anti-DU145 prostate cancer cell proliferative properties of soymilk prepared from a yellow soybean of the ProSoy variety, which is a high protein variety. Results showed soymilk processing yield was the greatest by Method 4, but Method 2 gave the highest solids and protein yields by about 14 and 12%, respectively. Method 4, a two-step grinding also increased yields (8 and 7%, for solids and protein, respectively), and in all but one instance produced higher total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), condensed tannin content (CTC) and total isoflavone content in both raw and cooked soymilk as compared to Method 1. Cooking soymilk reduced 14-17% of total phenolic substances. Cooking reduced anticancer capacity of Method-4-prepared soymilk phenolic extract by increasing IC50 value from about 4.9 mg/mL to 6.8 mg/mL. The increases in phenolic compounds and antioxidants produced in Prosoy soymilk by Methods 2 and 4 with simultaneous increases in product solids yield are significant to benefit the soymilk industry and consumer health.
Keywords: ProSoy yellow soybean, soymilk processing, phenolics, isoflavones, antioxidant capacity, anti-DU145 prostate cancer proliferation
BCG Vaccination Suppresses Glucose Intolerance Progression in High-Fat Diet-Fed C57BL/6 Mice
Authors: Arakawa Haruna , Inafuku Masashi
Published: May 2024

Background and Objectives: Mycobacterium bovis Bacillus Calmette–Guérin (BCG) vaccine administration has been suggested to prevent glucose metabolism abnormalities and fatty liver in genetically obese ob/ob mice; however, it is not clear whether the beneficial effects of BCG are also observed in the progression of glucose intolerance induced by a high-fat diet (HFD). Therefore, the effects of BCG vaccination on changes in glucose tolerance and insulin response were investigated in HFD-fed C57BL/6 mice. Materials and Methods: We used the BCG Tokyo 172 strain to determine its effects on abnormalities in glucose metabolism. For vaccination, five-week-old male mice were injected intraperitoneally with BCG and maintained on an HFD three weeks later. The mice were regularly subjected to intraperitoneal glucose tolerance and insulin tolerance tests (IGTT and ITT). These tests were also performed in mice transplanted with bone marrow cells from BCG-vaccinated donor mice. Results: Significant effects of BCG vaccination on blood glucose levels in IGTT and ITT were observed from week 12 of the experiment. BCG vaccination significantly improved changes in fasting glucose and insulin levels, insulin resistance indexes, and glucagon-to-insulin ratios by HFD at the end of the experiment. Significant inhibitory effects in IGTT and ITT on glucose intolerance were also observed by transplantation with bone marrow cells derived from BCG-vaccinated donor mice. Conclusions: BCG vaccination significantly delayed glucose intolerance progression, suggesting a beneficial effect of BCG on the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes. It has also been demonstrated that the effects of BCG vaccination may be at least partially due to an immune memory (trained immunity) for hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells of the bone marrow.
Feasibility Assessment of Wind Energy Study in Selected Districts of North Shewa Zone, Amhara, Ethiopia
Authors: Aklilu SOLOMON Feleke , Anteneh Degarege , Satish Raavi
Published: May 2024

In this paper, the feasibility and potential assessment (PA) of wind power in six different areas MehalMeda, Eneware, DebreBerhan, AlemKetema, GundoMekel, and Majet are investigated. The data is collected from the National Metrological Agency (NMA) in Addis Ababa and from the districts of the case study areas and analyzed using MATLAB and HOMER software. Using the data collected at 10 meter height, wind direction using a wind rose, the wind frequency distribution, and wind turbine characteristics have been analyzed. Moreover, to obtain a more realistic wind potential study, the wind speed at a 10 meter height is extrapolated to a height of 50 meter in order to determine wind speed, wind power density, and wind energy density. The average wind speed of the zone at 10m and 50m heights are 1.58 m/s and 1.99 m/s, 3.06 m/s and 3.85 m/s, 4.75 m/s and 5.98 m/s, 2.29 m/s and 2.88 m/s, 1.01 m/s and 1.27 m/s and 4.07 and 5.12m/s at Alemketema, Debreberhan, Eneware, Gundemeskel, Majete and Mehalmeda respectively. The extrapolated result shows that the maximum wind speed and power densities at a height of 50 meter for Eneware, MehalMeda and Debre Berhan are 10.4 m/s, 689 W/m2, 8.9m/s, 429 W/m2 and 6.3m/s, 152.2 W/m2 respectively. The energy densities at a height of 50 meter for AlemKetema, DebreBerhan, Eneware, GundoMekel, Majete, and MehalMeda are 181.06 kWh/m2*yr , 1332.83 kWh/ m2*yr, 6078.91 kWh/ m2*yr, 857.76 kWh/ m2*yr, 58.78 kWh/ m2*yr, and 3939.42 kWh/ m2*yr respectively. As per the international standard for wind power and wind speed classification, considering the extrapolated height, Eneware, MehalMeda, and DebreBerhan have feasible wind potential for both small-scale and large-scale wind farm implementation, whereas Majete, AlemKetema, and GundoMeskel of the North Shewa Zone in the Amhara region have poor wind potential.
MicroRNAs As Biomarkers of Brain Tumors
Authors: Wojciech Jelski , Mroczko Barbara
Published: May 2024

Brain tumors still remain a deadly cancer that, in most cases, is difficult to diagnose at an earlier stage. Therefore, it is necessary to develop rapid, sensitive methods for detecting cancer biomarkers. Such a biomarker may be a microRNA which expression level in body fluids is strongly correlated with cancer. Numerous studies have demonstrated changes in the expression of microRNAs in cerebrospinal fluid and blood samples collected from patients with brain tumors. These new biomarkers have the potential to help diagnose brain cancers at an early stage, avoiding the most invasive procedures. This review discusses the functional role of microRNAs and the prospects for their use as diagnostic biomarkers in patients with brain tumors.
Research on the Interaction Mechanisms between ScCO2 and Low-Rank / High-Rank Coal with ReaxFF-MD Force Field
Authors: Dong Kui , Kong Shaoqi , Niu Zhiyu , Jia Bingyi
Published: May 2024

CO2 geological sequestration in coal seams can achieve the dual objectives of CO2 emission reduction and enhanced coalbed methane production, making it a highly promising carbon capture and storage technology. However, the injection of CO2 into coal reservoirs in the form of supercritical fluid (ScCO2) leads to complex physicochemical reactions with the coal seam, altering the properties of the coal reservoir and impacting the effectiveness of CO2 sequestration and methane production enhancement.In this paper, theoretical calculations based on ReaxFF-MD were conducted to study the interaction mechanism between ScCO2 and the macromolecular structure of both low-rank and high-rank coal, to address the limitations of experimental methods. The reaction of ScCO2 with low-rank coal and high-rank coal exhibits significant differences. At swelling stage, the low-rank coal experiences a decrease in aromatic structure and aliphatic structure, high-rank coal shows an increase in aromatic structure and a decrease in aliphatic structure, while swelling phenomenon is more pronounced in high-rank coal. At dissolution stage, low-rank coal is initially decomposed into two secondary molecular fragments, and then recombine to form new molecular structure, the aromatic structure increased and the aliphatic structure decreased. In contrast, high-rank coal occurs stretches-breakage-movement-reconnection, a reduction in aromatic structure and an increase in aliphatic structure.The primary reasons for these variations lie in distinct molecular structure compositions and the properties of ScCO2, leading to different reaction pathways of functional group and aromatic structure. The reaction pathways of functional groups and aromatic structures in coal can be summarized as follows: the breakage of the O-H bond in hydroxyl groups, the breakage of the C-OH bond in carboxyl groups, transformation of aliphatic structures into smaller hydrocarbon compounds or formation of long-chain alkenes, and various pathways involving broken, rearrangement, recombination of aromatic structures. In low-rank coal, there is a higher abundance of oxygen-containing functional groups and aliphatic structures. The breakage of O-H and C-OH chemical bonds results in the formation of free radical ions, while some aliphatic structures detach to produce hydrocarbons. Additionally, some of these aliphatic structures combine with carbonyl groups and free radical ions to generate new aromatic structures. Conversely, in high-rank coal, the lower content of oxygen-containing functional groups and aliphatic structures, along with stronger intramolecular forces, results in fewer chemical bond breakages and makes it less conducive to the formation of new aromatic structures.These results elucidate the specific deformations of different chemical groups, offering a molecular-level understanding of the interaction between CO2 and coal.
Interdisciplinary Insights into Short Video Addiction: Integrating Psychological and Brain imaging Approaches in a Comprehensive Review
Authors: Li Tongshu , Liu Huafang , Liu Xiaolong
Published: May 2024

Short video addiction refers to a psychological dependency on short video applications, characterized by an intense attachment and an inability to control usage, leading to typical addiction symptoms. While its definition bears similarities to substance addiction, significant differences also exist. According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5), published in 2013, short video addiction has not yet been officially classified as an addiction disorder. To facilitate more in-depth and standardized research on short video addiction, it is essential to synthesize and organize existing studies on its theoretical foundations and mechanisms.
An Unusual Presentation of a Newly Diagnosed Right Colonic Adenocarcinoma Complicated with Right Lower Quadrant Colonic Abscess in an Elderly Man: A Case Report and Literature Review
Authors: Arrey Agbor Divine Besong , Palmer Victoria , Theresa Sajeev Annmarie , Ugwendum Derek , Forsah Sabastain , Akosua Atadja Sefakor , Ndema Nancelle , Wahib Zafar , Munoh Kenne Foma , Nfonoyim Jay
Published: May 2024

Colorectal cancer is the third most common malignancy and the second most lethal malignancy of the general population. Right sided colon cancer is less common than left sided, occurring more frequently in females, and associated with an older age and poor prognosis. Intraabdominal abscess formation is a rare complication from colorectal cancer. Thus, we present a case of a 66-year-old male who presented to the emergency department with 4 days of sudden onset, intractable right lower quadrant abdominal pain associated with nausea and vomiting. After further evaluation, he was diagnosed with right sided colon adenocarcinoma complicated by peri-colonic abscess formation. He was treated with hemicolectomy without immunotherapy. Considering the scarcity of data concerning colonic abscess formation and colorectal adenocarcinoma, more research is needed on this dual presentation. These authors reinforce that in older patients presenting with acute abdomen, colorectal cancer should be noted as a differential
Viability and Diversity of the Microbial Cultures Available in Retail Kombucha Beverages in the USA
Authors: O'Sullivan Erin N , O'Sullivan Daniel J
Published: May 2024

Kombucha is a two-stage fermented sweetened-tea beverage that uses yeast and lactic acid bacteria (LAB) to convert sugars into ethanol and lactate, and acetic acid bacteria (AAB) to oxidize ethanol to acetate. Its popularity as a beverage grew from claims of health-benefits derived from this vibrant microbial bioconversion. While recent studies have shed light on the diversity of cultures during a Kombucha fermentation, there is limited information on the diversity, and especially viability, of cultures in retail beverages that advertise the presence of Kombucha and probiotic cultures. In this study, 12 Kombucha beverages produced by different manufacturers throughout the US were purchased and microbially characterized. Eight of the beverages contained viable Kombucha cultures, while 3 of the remaining 4 had viable Bacillus cultures as added probiotics. Amplicon profiling revealed all contained Kombucha yeast and bacteria cells. The dominant yeast detected were Lachancea cidri (10/12), Brettanomyces (9/12), Malassezia (6/12) and Saccharomyces (5/12). Dominant LAB included Liquorilactobacillus and Oenococcus oeni, and AAB were Komagataeibacter, Gluconobacter and Acetobacter. One beverage had a significant amount of Zymomonas mobilis, an ethanol producing bacterium from Agave cactus. While Kombucha beverages differ in the types and viability of cultures, all except one beverage contained detectable viable cells.
Multi-dimensional Ergonomic Evaluation Method for Cockpit Light Environment
Authors: Zheng Guoqing , Xu Mingming , Xiao Fengkang , Zhan Chunlian , Jiang Xiaowei
Published: May 2024

To instruct interior lighting design of aviation cockpit and ensure the work efficiency and comfort of pilots, and reduce safety accidents caused by light environment and visual fatigue during flight, it is important to establish a multi-dimensional ergonomic evaluation mechanism of cockpit light environment. In this paper, by improving Jdms' mental load theory, we establish a thorough experimental scheme based on physiological workload, mental workload, work performance and physiological work performance to evaluate the cockpit ergonomic under different light environment multi-dimensionally. Firstly, 12 evaluation indexes including job accuracy, job speed, blinking, heart rate variability, average fixation time, saccadic speed, mental demand, physical demand, operational performance, time demand, degree of confusion and degree of effort are obtained through the experiment, and then the weight of each evaluation index is calculated by entropy method to construct the ergonomic evaluation model. The evaluation results of physiological workload, mental load, work performance and physiological work performance were combined to obtain the final ergonomic evaluation results. According to our experimental results, it was found that light environment for pilot to get the highest ergonomic efficiency is 1500 lx light illumination and 5000K color temperature. The results provide a reference for the ergonomic experiment of aircraft cockpit and the design of aviation cockpit lighting system.
Multiomics Data Analyses Identified CpG Sites and Genes That Mediate the Impact of Exposure to Environmental Chemicals on Cardiometabolic Traits
Authors: Nikpay Majid
Published: May 2024

Understanding the molecular mechanism whereby an environmental chemical causes a disease is important for downstream purposes. In this study, an analytical workflow was designed to combine several publicly available datasets in order to identify CpG sites and genes that mediate the impact of exposure to environmental chemicals on cardiometabolic traits. Organophosphate and prenatal lead exposure were previously reported to change methylation level at the cg23627948 site. I found as cg23627948 site becomes methylated, the expression of GNA12 gene decreases and this leads to higher body fat percentage. Prenatal perfluorooctane sulfonate expo-sure was reported to increase the methylation level at cg21153102 site. The outcome of analyses revealed higher methylation at this site contributes to higher diastolic blood by changing the expression of CHP1 and GCHFR genes. Furthermore, HKR1 mediates the impact of B12 supple-mentation-cg05280698 hypermethylation on higher kidney function; while, CTDNEP1 mediates the impact of air pollution-cg03186999 hypomethylation on higher systolic blood pressure. This study reports CpG sites and genes that mediate the impact of environmental chemicals on cardiometabolic traits and describes a framework to investigate the underlying molecular paths using publicly available data.
Nano Electrocatalysts Engineering for Hydrogen Evolution Reaction by Water Splitting at High Current Density
Authors: Wang Longlu
Published: May 2024

Hydrogen is now recognized as the primary alternative to fossil fuels due to its renewable, safe, high energy density and environmentally friendly properties. Efficient hydrogen production through water splitting has laid the foundation for sustainable energy technologies. However, when hydrogen production is scaled up to industrial levels, operating at high current densities introduces unique challenges. It is necessary to design advanced electrocatalysts for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) under high current densities. This review will briefly introduce chal-lenges posed by high current densities on electrocatalyst, including catalystic activity, mass dif-fusion and catalyst stability. In an attempt to address these issues, various electrocatalyst design strategies are summarized in detail. In the end, our insights into future challenges for efficient large-scale industrial hydrogen production from water splitting are presented. This review is expected to guide the rational design of efficient high current density water electrolysis electro-catalysts and promote the research progress of sustainable energy.
Ex Vivo Tissue-Resident Macrophage Replacement Prior to Allogeneic Transplantation
Authors: Renteln Michael
Published: May 2024

Organ shortage is one of the most pressing issues with regard to human mortality. This issue is further complicated by the fact that HLA matching is required for patients, leading to restricted choices for transplant. If organs or tissues from non- or partially-HLA–matched donors could be edited such they evade cytotoxic T cells as well as natural killer cells, it would ameliorate the organ shortage problem.
Designing A Dispatch Engine for Hybrid Renewable Power Station Using Mixed-Integer Linear Programming (MILP) Technique
Authors: Shadoul Myada , Al Abri Rashid , Yousef Hassan , Al Shereiqi Abdullah
Published: May 2024

Hybrid power plants have recently emerged as reliable and flexible electricity generation stations by combining multiple renewable energy sources, energy storage systems (ESS), and fossil-based output. However, the effective operation of the hybrid power plants to ensure continuous energy dispatch under challenging conditions is a complex task. This paper proposes a dispatch engine (DE) based on mixed-integer linear programming (MILP) for the planning and management of hybrid power plants. To maintain the committed electricity output, the dispatch engine will provide schedules for operation over extended time periods as well as monitor and reschedule the operation in real-time. Through precise prediction of the PV and wind power output, the proposed approach guarantees optimum scheduling. The precise prediction of the PV and wind power are achieved by employing a predictor of Feed-Forward Neural Network (FFNN) type. With such a dispatch engine, the operational cost of the hybrid power plants, and the use of diesel generators (DGs) are both minimized. A case study is carried out to assess the proposed dispatch engine feasibility. A real-time measurement data pertaining to load, wind, and PV power outputs is obtained from different locations in the Sultanate of Oman. The real-time data is utilized to predict the future output power from PV and the Wind farm over 24 hours. The predicted powers are then used in combination with a PV-Wind-DG-ESS-Grid hybrid plant to evaluate the performance of the proposed dispatch engine. The proposed approach is implemented and simulated using MATLAB. The results of the simulation reveal the proposed Feed-Forward Neural Network’s (FFNN) powerful forecasting abilities. In addition, the results demonstrate that adopting the proposed DE can minimize the use of DG units and reduce plant running expenses.
A Novel Finite Element Based Method for Predicting Permeability of Heterogeneous and Anisotropic Porous Microstructures
Authors: Mulye Paris , Syerko Elena , Binetruy Christophe , Leygue Adrien
Published: May 2024

Permeability is a fundamental property of porous media, especially when studying resin transfer within a dense fibrous medium to manufacture composite materials. When the measurement of permeability tensor of composite reinforcements is difficult and time consuming, especially in thick, heterogeneous fibrous structures, a numerical approach based on the calculation of the tensor components on a 3D image of the material can be very advantageous. A new finite element based method proposed in this study allows solving very high-dimensional flow problems while limiting the biases associated with boundary conditions and the small size of the numerical samples addressed. The method is validated against academic test cases and against the results of a recent permeability benchmark exercise. The results emphasize that for heterogeneous and anisotropic microstructures, it is important to perform calculations on large samples using boundary conditions that do not suppress the transverse flows that occur when flow is forced out of the principal directions. Since these are not necessarily known in complex media, the permeability determination method must not introduce bias by generating non-physical flows.
On Dynamic Recrystallization During Friction Stir Processing of Commercially Pure Ti and Its Influence on the Microstructure and the Mechanical Properties
Authors: Regev Michael , Spigarelli Stefano
Published: May 2024

Friction stir processing (FSP), a severe plastic deformation process, was applied on commercially pure Ti to obtain an improved microstructure. The process yielded a refined microstructure and higher mechanical properties at room temperature (RT). Yet the microstructure was found to contain bright bands demonstrating high hardness values of about 500 HV. High resolution scanning electron microscopy (HRSEM) as well as electron back scattering diffraction (EBSD) analysis indicated that these bands were composed of extra-fine equiaxed α-Ti grains with an average radius of 1-2 microns. In addition, a retained β-phase was detected at the boundaries of these α-Ti grains, together with a small quantity of separate β grains. The results of a fractography study conducted on broken tensile specimens showed that the FSP’ed material was free of defects and that the fracture started at these bands. It is proposed that these bright bands are due to excessive deformation occurring during the processing stage, leading to an accelerated dynamic recrystallization (DRX) process. In turn, these heavy deformation regions act as a strengthening constituent, making the material superior to the parent material as far as its mechanical RT properties are concerned. Consequently, this means that FSP of CP-Ti has the potential to serve as an industrial means of improving the mechanical properties of the material.
Market Analysis for Global Tourism Growth
Authors: Murtiningrum Susi , Fitriyah Hadiah
Published: May 2024

This qualitative study explores market analysis to enhance tourism promotion and development in Mojokerto Regency, focusing on Coban Canggu, Ubalan Waterpark, and Hot Spring Tourism. Through observations, interviews, and documentation, factors influencing tourist visits were analyzed using the marketing mix elements (product, price, place, promotion, people, process). Findings indicate the importance of attractive attractions, affordability, strategic location, effective promotion, quality service, and efficient management processes. Recommendations include facility improvements, strategic promotions, and community partnerships. This research provides insights for policymakers and stakeholders to improve tourist experiences and economic benefits in Mojokerto Regency.
Highlights:

Qualitative Analysis: Understanding tourist visit factors.
Marketing Mix: Analyzing key elements for effective strategies.
Recommendations: Upgrade facilities, strategic promotions, community partnerships.

Keywords: Tourism, Market Analysis, Mojokerto Regency, Promotion, Development
Influence of Rock Fabric on Physical Properties of Shale Oil Reservoir Under Effective Pressure Conditions
Authors: Ma Yu , Yao Suping , Zhu Ning , Liu Huimin , Li Junliang , Wang Weiqing
Published: May 2024

The physical properties of shale oil reservoirs under overburden pressure are of great significance for reservoir prediction and evaluation during exploration and development. Based on core, thin section, and SEM observations, as well as test data such as XRD, TOC, and porosity and permeability under pressure conditions, this study systematically analyzes the variation of physical properties of different lithofacies shales in the Jiyang depression and the influence of rock fabric on the physical variation under pressure. The porosity and permeability of shale samples significantly decrease under pressure. According to the phased reduction in porosity and permeability, the pressurization process is divided into three pressure stages: low pressure (<8 MPa), medium pressure (8–15 MPa), and high pressure (>15 MPa). The reduction of porosity is fastest in the low-pressure stage and slowest in the medium-pressure stage. The reduction of permeability is fastest in the low-pressure stage and the slowest in the high-pressure stage. The rock fabric has a significant impact on porosity and permeability under pressure conditions. The permeability of laminated shale and bedded shale is higher than that of massive shale under pressure, and the permeability loss rate is lower than that of massive shales. Especially under lower pressure, the difference can be 10–20 times. In addition, the reduction rate of porosity and permeability under pressure is negatively correlated with felsic minerals content, which is positively correlated with carbonate minerals content and clay minerals content. The contribution of clay minerals to the porosity reduction rate is dominant, followed by carbonate minerals. The contribution of carbonate minerals to the permeability reduction rate is dominant, followed by clay minerals. The TOC content has no significant impact on the porosity and permeability of shales under pressure in the study due to the low maturity.
Insight into the Impact of Land Use/Land Cover Change on the runoff incorporating hydrological modelling in the water regime for the watershed
Authors: Sharma Ankita , Krishan Radha , Kour Kuljit , Nikam Bhaskar R. , Bagri Dhirendra Singh
Published: May 2024

Land and water are the two essential natural resources for human survival. Land Use/Land Cover is an important parameter governing the hydrology of a region. Increased human interventions have caused different modifications in the land cover, directly or indirectly affecting the hydrological cycle and processes in the long run. Raising urban and rural growth leads to an increase in the runoff by diminishing the perviousness of the region. Distributed hydrological modelling provides an efficient way to evaluate such changes by allowing quantification of streamflow patterns and distribution of hydrological components throughout the watershed. Remote sensing has the potential to be a more accurate tool for collecting spatial and temporal databases for studying hydrological processes. This study helps researchers to convey their ideas to the development of data collection and data extraction techniques, adoption of appropriate workflows for assembling multiple datasets, and analysis of the time-series impact of urbanisation on the watershed's runoff potential.
A multilayer Doyle-Fuller-Newman model to optimise the rate performance of bilayer cathodes in Li ion batteries
Authors: Tredenick E. C. , Wheeler S. , Drummond R. , Sun Y. , Duncan S. R. , Grant P. S.
Published: May 2024

Bilayer cathodes comprising two active materials are explored for their ability to improve lithium-ion battery charging performance. Electrodes are manufactured with various arrangements of lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxide Li[Ni0.6Co0.2Mn0.2]O2 (NMC622) and lithium iron phosphate LiFePO4 (LFP) active particles, including in two different discrete sub-layers. We present experimental data on the sensitivity of the electrode C rate performance to the electrode design. To understand the complex bilayer electrode performance, and to identify an optimal design for fast charging, we develop an extension to the Doyle-Fuller-Newman (DFN) model of electrode dynamics that accommodates different active materials in any number of sub-layers, termed the multilayer DFN (M-DFN) model. The M-DFN model is validated against experimental data and then used to explain the performance differences between the electrode arrangements. We show how the different open circuit potential functions of NMC and LFP can be exploited synergistically through electrode design. Manipulating the Li electrolyte concentration increases achievable capacity. Finally the M-DFN model is used to further optimise the best performing bilayer electrode arrangement by adjusting the ratio of the LFP and NMC sub-layer thickness.
Investigating the accuracy of adjusting for examiner differences in multi-centre Objective Structured Clinical Exams (OSCEs). A simulation study of Video-based Examiner Score Comparison and Adjustment (VESCA)
Authors: Yeates Peter , McCray Gareth
Published: May 2024

Introduction: Ensuring examiner equivalence across distributed assessment locations is a priority within distributed Objective Structured Clinical Exams (OSCEs) but is challenging as examiners are typically fully nested within locations (i.e. no overlap in performances seen by different groups of examiners). Yeates et al have recently developed a method which uses video-based linking (Video-based Examiner Score Comparison and Adjustment (VESCA)) to compare and (potentially) adjust for the effect of different groups of examiners within OSCEs. Whilst initial research on VESCA has been promising, the accuracy of the resulting adjusted scores is unknown. Given this, we aimed to investigate the accuracy of adjusted scores produced by VESCA under a range of plausible operational parameters.
Methods: Using statistical simulation, we investigated how: 1/proportion of participating examiners, 2/ number of linking videos, 3/baseline differences in examiner stringency between schools (i.e. whether examiners in School A are, on average, more stringent than the examiners in School B), 4/number of OSCE stations and 5/different degrees of random error within examiners’ judgements influenced accuracy of adjusted scores. We generated distributions of students’ “true” performances across several stations, added examiner error, and simulated linking through crossed video-scoring (as occurs in VESCA). We then used Many Facet Rasch Modelling to produce an adjusted score for each student which we compared with their corresponding original “true” performance score. We replicated this 1000 times for each permutation to determine average error reduction and the proportion of students whose scores became more accurate.
Results: We found that in all conditions where no baseline difference existed between groups of examiners, score adjustment only minimally improved or even worsened score accuracy. Conversely, as the size of baseline differences between schools increased, adjustment accuracy increased, reducing error by up to 71% and making scores more accurate for up to 93% of students in the 20% baseline-difference condition.
Conclusions: Score adjustment through VESCA has the potential to substantially enhance equivalence for candidates in distributed OSCEs in some circumstances, whilst making scores less accurate in others. These findings will support judgements about when score adjustment may beneficially aid OSCE equivalence.
Climate Change, Food Security and Farmers’ Livelihoods: A Case Study in Limpopo Province, South Africa
Authors: Kom Zongho , Nicolau Melanie D
Published: May 2024

South African smallholder farmers are vulnerable to climate change due to inadequate adaptation strategies for better crop production. This paper examines the implications of climate change on food security and farmers’ livelihoods in Limpopo Province. A case study design used 200 farmers in Limpopo Province, and data was collected through semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions. The results revealed that 56% of farmers have witnessed prolonged food insecurity attributable to extreme climate change events, hence, the farmers used alternative livelihood strategies as a coping method, but these seem insufficient to prevent food insecurity. Stakeholders are recommended to initiate sustainable livelihood policies and models to increase crop productivity.
A haloalkane dehalogenase DhaA nanoparticle based on pullulan conjugation and polyethyleneimine adsorption
Authors: Shen Lijuan , Hu Lijia , Qi Jinming , Yu Weili , Luo Aiqin , Hu Tao
Published: May 2024

Purpose
Haloalkane dehalogenase DhaA is an enzyme that can degrade the halogenated compounds. However, it could not tolerate harsh environmental conditions, which limits its practical applications. Thus, an effective strategy was necessitated to improve the stability of DhaA.
Methods
Pullulan is a hydrophilic polysaccharide and polyethyleneimine (PEI) is a polymer with high density of amino groups. DhaA was conjugated with acetylated pullulan and adsorbed with PEI by electrostatic interactions to form nanoparticles (PEI-pullulan-DhaA).
Results
As compared with DhaA, PEI-pullulan-DhaA essentially maintained the enzymatic activity of DhaA. The conjugated pullulan formed a large hydrated layer around DhaA. PEI, a cationic polymer, generated an amphiphilic environment around DhaA. PEI-pullulan-DhaA has a significantly strong stability against high temperature and low pH. PEI-pullulan-DhaA could also tolerate the hypersaline, organic solvent, and long-term storage.
Conclusion
PEI-pullulan-DhaA has a strong environmental stability and is promising for industrial and environmental applications.
Analysis and Forecast of the Coupling and Coordination Development Level of Socio-economic-Ecological Enviro nment-Tourism Industry in the Yellow River Basin
Authors: Zhang Zhongwu , Qi Jiayao , Wang Qian , Wang Shiyu , Hu Fanfan
Published: May 2024

The Yellow River Basin holds a crucial strategic position in the national development and socialist modernization agenda, serving as a vital ecological security barrier in China. It is also a significant region for population activities and economic development. Analyzing the integrated and coordinated development of the socio-economic, ecological environment, and tourism industry in the Yellow River Basin is a major strategic task for national advancement, underscoring its importance in the broader context of national development. In the context outlined above, this study concentrates on analyzing the interconnected and coordinated development of the socio-economic, ecological environment, and tourism industry in the Yellow River Basin. This analysis is in response to strategic initiatives aimed at fostering high-quality development within the basin, aligning with China's overarching sustainable development goals and the post-pandemic revival of the tourism economy. By examining the current state of integration and coordination among these three systems in the Yellow River Basin and reviewing pertinent international literature, we have established an evaluation framework for the indicators of socio-economic, ecological, and tourism industry development. Utilizing the entropy method, we determined the weights for the indicators across the three systems and conducted an assessment based on these weights for 30 specific indicators. The analysis of the temporal and spatial coupling coordination degree in the Yellow River Basin comprehensively illustrates the stage and region-specific characteristics of this coordination within the socio-economic, ecological, environmental, and tourism sectors. Utilizing the grey prediction model to forecast the future trends of coupling coordination in the Yellow River Basin offers a robust theoretical foundation for relevant departments to devise policies that support the high-quality development of these interconnected sectors.
Assessment of antibiotic use knowledge and antibiotic resistance among final year bachelors of nursing student in the university.: A cross-sectional survey
Authors: Erzuah Isaac Aidoo , Frimpong Harriet Ofobi
Published: May 2024

Antibiotic resistance is a major public health issue, and it is a growing concern worldwide. The study was to assess the knowledge of antibiotic use and antibiotic resistance among final year Bachelor of Nursing at the University. The study was conducted in Cape Coast. 103 participants were used for the study. This study employed a descriptive cross-sectional survey design. A structured questionnaire was developed to collect data from 103 participants. Data collected were analyzed through SPSS v.26 using descriptive statistics and independent sample T-test to find out the association between gender and knowledge of antibiotic use and antibiotic resistance. Students who participated in this research demonstrated good knowledge of the use of antibiotics and antibiotic resistance. The Cronbach alpha was 0.60 which makes the instrument used reliable. Generally, there were no significant (p > 0.05) differences in the level of knowledge of antibiotic resistance among the final year BSc. nursing. Efforts must now be made to enhance the curricula to ensure an improved and uniform transfer of knowledge of antibiotic resistance among the different healthcare students to curb the effect of antibiotic resistance in Ghana given growing concerns.
AI Tutoring Outperforms Active Learning
Authors: Kestin* Gregory , Miller* Kelly , Klales Anna , Milbourne Timothy , Ponti Gregorio
Published: May 2024

Advances in generative artificial intelligence (GAI) show great potential for improving education. Yet little is known about how this new technology should be used and how effective it can be. Here we report a randomized, controlled study measuring college students’ learning and their perceptions when content is presented through an AI-powered tutor compared with an active learning class. The AI tutor was developed with the same pedagogical best practices as the lectures. We find that students learn more than twice as much in less time when using an AI tutor, compared with the active learning class. They also feel more engaged and more motivated. These findings offer empirical evidence for the efficacy of a widely accessible AI-powered pedagogy in significantly enhancing learning outcomes, presenting a compelling case for its broad adoption in learning environments.

*These authors contributed equally to this work.
Additionally, please note that Gregory Kestin is the corresponding author.
Remimazolam for the prevention of emergence agitation in adult following nasal surgery under general anesthesia: A randomized controlled study
Authors: Xu Qiaomin , Wu Jimin , Ai Mengting , Lan Haiyan , Dai Hong , Dong Xiaoli , Duan Gongchen
Published: May 2024

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of postoperative use of remimazolam in preventing emergence agitation (EA) in adult following nasal surgery. In total, 86 patients underwent nasal surgery were randomly divided into two groups. Propofol, sufentanil and cis-atracuriumwere used for induction of anaesthesia, then sevoflurane concentration and propofol were used for maintenance of anaesthesia. After surgery, patients were randomly assigned to receive either remimazolam 0.1 mg/kg (Group R, n = 43) or 0.9% normal saline (Group C, n = 43). The outcomes included the incidence of EA, severe EA, extubation time, length of PACU stay and the maximal RSAS score. In this study. The incidence of EA was lower in Group R than in Group C (21% vs 49%, P = 0.007). The incidence of severe EA was also lower in Group R than in Group C (2% vs 19%, P = 0.035). The maximal RSAS score during emergence was lower in Group R (4 [4–4]) than in Group C (5 [4–6]) (P < 0.001). Therefore, postoperative injection of remimazolam 0.1 mg/kginto adult patients underwent nasal surgerycan significantly reduce the incidence of EA and severe EA.
WCAY Object Detection of Fractures for X-ray Images of Multiple Sites
Authors: Chen Peng , Liu Songyan , Lu Wenbin , Lu Fangpeng , Ding Boyang
Published: May 2024

Presented herein is the WCAY (Weighted Channel attention YOLO) model, meticulously crafted to identify fracture features across diverse X-ray image sites. This model integrates novel core operators and an innovative attention mechanism to enhance its efficacy. Initially, leveraging the benefits of DSConv (Dynamic Snake Convolution), adept at capturing elongated tubular structural features, we introduce the DSC-C2f module to augment the model's fracture detection performance by replacing a portion of C2f. Subsequently, we integrate the newly proposed Weighted Channel attention (WCA) mechanism into the architecture to bolster feature fusion and improve fracture detection across various sites. Comparative experiments were conducted, evaluating the performance of several attention mechanisms. These enhancement strategies were validated through experimentation on public X-ray image datasets (FracAtlas and GRAZPEDWRI-DX). Multiple experimental comparisons substantiate the model's efficacy, demonstrating its superior accuracy and real-time detection capabilities. According to the experimental findings, on the FracAtlas dataset, our WCAY model exhibits a notable 8.8% improvement in mean Average Precision (mAP) over the original model. On the GRAZPEDWRI-DX dataset, the mAP reaches 64.4%, with a detection accuracy of 93.9% for the "fracture" category alone. The proposed model represents a substantial advancement over the original algorithm when compared to other state-of-the-art object detection models. The code is publicly available at https://github.com/cccp421/Fracture-Detection-WCAY .
Analysis of endoscopic salvage treatment of rectal neuroendocrine tumor; effective utilization of polypectomy
Authors: Ju Yeonuk , Bong Junwoo , Cheong Chinock , Kang Sanghee , Min Byungwook , Lee Sunil
Published: May 2024

Background
Current guidelines recommend endoscopic resection for rectal neuroendocrine tumors (RNETs) under 10 mm. Incomplete resections necessitate salvage procedures, highlighting the need for complete R0 resection. This study assesses the efficacy and safety of wide hot snare polypectomy (WHSP) compared to endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) and endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) for treating small RNETs.
Methods
This retrospective study was conducted at Korea University Guro Hospital from January 2018 to December 2022. It compared the outcomes of salvage resections for RNETs ≤ 10 mm using two approaches: endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) and endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) versus WHSP. Demographics, tumor characteristics, and clinical outcomes were compared. Efficacy was evaluated by the histological complete resection rate and procedure time, while safety was assessed by the incidence of complications.
Results
Out of 135 patients undergoing salvage resection for RNET, 14 who underwent transanal excision were excluded. Of the remaining 121, 99 underwent EMR or ESD, and 22 underwent WHSP. Baseline characteristics were similar between the two groups. The WHSP group demonstrated a significantly higher R0 resection rate (72.7% vs. 49.5%, p = 0.010) and a shorter median procedure time (3.5 min vs. 8.3 min). No complications were reported in the WHSP group.
Conclusion
Wide hot snare polypectomy is a rapid, straightforward, safe, and effective approach for the salvage treatment of rectal neuroendocrine tumors (RNETs) less than 10 mm in diameter, particularly in patients without additional risk factors.
Efficient multiplexed quantum memory with high dimensional orbital angular momentum states in cold atoms
Authors: Gao Hong , Yang Xin , Wang Chengyuan , Wang Jinwen , Cao Mingtao , Chen Yun , Chang Hong , Dong Ruifang , Zhang Shougang , Wei Dong , Zhang Pei , Li Fuli
Published: May 2024

Quantum memory plays a pivotal role in the construction of quantum repeaters, which are essential devices for establishing long-distance quantum communications and large-scale quantum networks. To boost information capacity and signal processing speed, the implementation of high-efficiency multiplexed quantum memories is essential for the development of multiplexed quantum repeaters. In this work, we experimentally demonstrate an efficient multiplexed quantum memory by consolidating photons carrying high-dimensional orbital angular momentum (OAM) state from 4 individual channels into an elongated cold 87Rb atomic ensemble. Benefiting from the cold atomic ensemble with high optical depth, we obtain a storage efficiency exceeding 70% for the 4-channel multiplexed beam. The storage fidelities surpass 83% when all channels are operated in a 4-dimensional Hilbert space, which is far above the classical benchmark and validates the quantum functionality of our memory system. The achieved high-efficiency OAM multiplexed quantum memory opens up an avenue for efficient quantum information processing over multiple parallel channels, promising significant advances in the field of quantum communication and networking.