bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Tacrolimus-associated sinus obstruction syndrome after liver transplantation from a living related donor
Authors:   Medical Centre «Universal Clinic «Oberig», Kyiv, Ukraine, Kotenko O.G. , Matvienkiv A.O. ,   Medical Centre «Universal Clinic «Oberig», Kyiv, Ukraine, Hryhorian M.S. ,   Medical Centre «Universal Clinic «Oberig», Kyiv, Ukraine, Minich A.A. ,   Medical Centre «Universal Clinic «Oberig», Kyiv, Ukraine, Kotenko I.O. ,   Medical Centre «Universal Clinic «Oberig», Kyiv, Ukraine, Mykhailiuk O.S. ,   Medical Centre «Universal Clinic «Oberig», Kyiv, Ukraine
Published: August 2023

Sinusoidal obstruction syndrome (SOS), previously known as hepatic veno-occlusive disease, is manifested by obliterating inflammation of the terminal hepatic veins, characterized by hepatomegaly, right upper quadrant pain, jaundice and ascites, and most often occurs in patients after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation and usually in those who received platinum drugs. Cases of SOS development in patients after transplantation of solid organs (lungs, pancreas, liver) are also recorded in the world literature. Cases of the development of SOS after transplantation of solid organs are rare, and after transplantation of the liver lobe from a living family donor - isolated and poorly studied. The diagnosis is established on the basis of clinical signs, imaging techniques (according to ultrasound and radiological research methods), histological study of a liver biopsy. Tacrolimus has been reported to be a causative agent that potentially plays a role in the pathophysiological mechanism of SOS. Purpose - to study the relationship between prolonged-release tacrolimus and the development of sinusoidal obstruction syndrome in patients after living donor liver transplantation. Clinical case. In this article, we present a case of SOS after living donor liver transplantation, which was associated with the toxic effect of prolonged-release tacrolimus («Envarsus»). In a 55-year-old man, after living donor liver transplantation, high concentrations of tacrolimus in the blood associated with uncontrolled drug intake were recorded. When carrying out a number of laboratory and instrumental research methods in connection with the appearance of massive ascites, the diagnosis of SOS was established. After excluding other possible contributing factors, including an acute rejection crisis, it was concluded that long-acting tacrolimus («Envarsus») was the cause of SOS. The research was carried out in accordance with the principles of the Helsinki Declaration. The informed consent of the patient was obtained for conducting the studies. No conflict of interests was declared by the authors.
Exploring Anchor Personality and True Meaning in Indonesian Young Adults
Authors: Ayuningtyas Annisa Ardi , Riyono Bagus
Published: August 2023

Theories of meaning that emphasize only subjectivity can disadvantage individuals and societies. The theory of true meaning attempts to answer these problems by considering human nature. To attain true meaning, an interactive personality theory, such as anchor personality theory, is needed. This study aims to understand the relationship between anchor personality dimensions, namely, materials, self, others, and virtues, and true meaning. This study’s subjects are 212 young adults aged 18–34 from different educational and marital backgrounds. This study used a quantitative survey method with regression analysis. The instruments used are the True Meaning Scale and the Anchor Personality Inventory. Results show that virtue anchors positively correlate with true meaning, whereas materials and self-anchors correlate negatively with true meaning. In addition, anchor stability contributes to a significant increase in true meaning. Limitations and suggestions from this research are discussed.
The use of digital technologies in the practices of community health workers: an international scoping review
Authors: Santos Romário Correia dos , Silva Lucas Iago Moura da , Santos Leide Dionne Pereira de Jesus , Méllo Lívia Milena Barbosa de Deus e , Santos Liliana
Published: August 2023

Abstract This article aims to map the literature on the applications and perceptions regarding the use of digital technologies in the practices of community health workers. This is a scoping review conducted on PubMed, Bireme, SciELO, Web of Science, Embase, and Scopus. A total of 63 articles reporting the use of digital technologies by these workers in 24 countries were included. As a result, it was identified that support for maternal and child health is the most prevalent condition in these practices. The identified benefits involve increased access, improved work management, qualification, diversification, expanded training, and increased legitimacy of the profession. The challenges are reflected in limitations regarding community engagement, continuity of care, internet access, electricity, and digital literacy. In conclusion, it supports analyses regarding the irreversibility of the use of information and communication technologies in the world of work, emphasizing the need for their rational use while ensuring comprehensive, universal, and equitable access.
A GESTÃO DEMOCRÁTICA, CONSELHOS ESCOLARES E O PLANEJAMENTO PARTICIPATIVO E ESTRATÉGICO
Authors: Bressan Mariele Zawierucka
Published: August 2023

Este artigo versa sobre a gestão democrática na instituição escolar. Aborda a relação entre a gestão democrática, a consolidação dos Conselhos Escolares e a elaboração do Planejamento Estratégico e Participativo. Apresenta-se, para tanto, uma revisão bibliográfica acerca do tema, descrevendo, inicialmente, o que se concebe por gestão democrática na educação para, em seguida, destacar a importância dos Conselhos Escolares como forma de materializar esse princípio nas escolas. Com base nesses pressupostos, expõe-se a importância da formação de lideranças, a fim de conformar, nas instituições, uma postura democrática e participativa, a partir da qual as responsabilidades são compartilhadas. Outrossim, apresenta-se o Planejamento Estratégico e Participativo como uma ferramenta de gestão, por meio da qual a gestão escolar, com a participação da comunidade escolar, em especial com o protagonismo do Conselho Escolar, pode planejar suas ações, traçando objetivos, metas e estratégias, a fim de obter melhores resultados no que tange ao processo educativo proposto. Quanto à metodologia, trata-se de um estudo cuja abordagem é qualitativa, de objetivo exploratório, em que se analisam dados secundários, obtidos junto à Secretaria Municipal de Educação de um município do interior do estado do Rio Grande do Sul, por meio de pesquisa documental. Demonstra-se o quanto ainda é necessário aprofundar o estudo do tema, a fim de que mudanças ocorram no cenário educacional em termos de gestão democrática.
Certified Dominance and Symmetry Breaking for Combinatorial Optimisation
Authors: Bogaerts Bart , Gocht Stephan , McCreesh Ciaran , Nordström Jakob
Published: August 2023

Symmetry and dominance breaking can be crucial for solving hard combinatorial search and optimisation problems, but the correctness of these techniques sometimes relies on subtle arguments. For this reason, it is desirable to produce efficient, machine-verifiable certificates that solutions have been computed correctly. Building on the cutting planes proof system, we develop a certification method for optimisation problems in which symmetry and dominance breaking is easily expressible. Our experimental evaluation demonstrates that we can efficiently verify fully general symmetry breaking in Boolean satisfiability (SAT) solving, thus providing, for the first time, a unified method to certify a range of advanced SAT techniques that also includes cardinality and parity (XOR) reasoning. In addition, we apply our method to maximum clique solving and constraint programming as a proof of concept that the approach applies to a wider range of combinatorial problems.
AUTOMATION OF TESTING AND FAULT DETECTION FOR ROCKET ENGINE TEST FACILITIES WITH MACHINE LEARNING
Authors: Dresia Kai , Kurudzija Eldin , Waxenegger-Wilfing Gunther , Behler Hendrik , Auer Daniel , Frohlke Karsten , Neumann Heike , Frank Anja , Laurent Jerome , Fabreguettes Luce
Published: August 2023

The German Aerospace Center (DLR) Institute of Space Propulsion has unique expertise in operating test facilities for rocket engine testing and development in Europe since 1959. However,
essential elements of the test site were designed up to half a century ago. In order to ensure a futureproof and intelligent digital test infrastructure, the potential of test automation, advanced control, and monitoring systems is investigated based on machine learning. Such intelligent control systems are expected to reduce engine development and test preparation times, thereby lowering the associated costs. Additionally, advanced monitoring systems are anticipated to increase the safety and reliability of the test infrastructure. This paper presents the results of two pilot projects: the first project uses reinforcement learning to automatically generate test sequences based on test requirements, while the second project develops a feed-forward forecasting model to predict deviations from expected behavior in the feed-line of a rocket engine test facility.
Harnessing Plasma Technology in Cream Formulations for Medical Applications as a Nitric Oxide Donor: Proof-of-Concept
Authors: Hadaya Maher , Blackbay Alexander , He Jinjie , Rabinovich Alexander , Sales Christopher , Fridman Alexander A.
Published: August 2023

Plasma's role in healthcare has been steadily gaining recognition, particularly for its capacity to produce reactive species that foster wound healing, combat microbial infections, and augment drug delivery. Despite its promise, implementation of plasma technologies is often impeded by logistical constraints, accessibility issues, and challenges integrating with established medical treatments. In this paper, we describe an innovative solution to deliver the benefits of plasma in healthcare: plasma-activated cream (PAC). PAC offers a versatile lipid-based platform for medical applications that transcends the traditional boundaries of plasma application by its flexible integration into a variety of treatment forms: as a cream base for transdermal applications, oil base for injectables, or incorporation with other biologics and lipid-soluble compounds. In this study, we reveal the novel method of creating PAC by infusing a lipophilic base with plasma-activated species, specifically focusing on nitric oxide (NO) and its related compounds (NOx). By measuring NOx concentrations before and after plasma treatment, we successfully validated the use of gliding-arc plasma to synthesize PAC. The NOx concentration rose from a baseline of 0 mg/L to an average of 2.0 mg/L post-treatment, indicative of successful infusion of plasma-activated species into PAC. This preliminary experiment unveils a novel pathway for incorporating plasma's beneficial effects into a lipid-based cream and shows the potential for PAC to act as NO storage. PAC not only brings forth new possibilities in wound-healing and antimicrobial treatments but also lays the groundwork for further exploration of plasma's role in enhancing drug delivery and NO storage.
Dynamic selection and evaluation of alternative milling types for railway points
Authors: Cao Yang , Zhao Weihua , Li Jiaofeng , Ding Xiaohan , Shi Hao
Published: August 2023

The milled shape of point blades is one of the main factors causing structural problems with railway points (also known as turnouts or switches). Choosing the right type of milling for point blades can improve train running performance. Based on wheel–rail system dynamics, a vehicle–points dynamic model with various milling methods was established, from which a selection and evaluation method for milling was proposed. The service performance of four milling types was compared and combined with point blade robustness to provide a comprehensive evaluation. It was found that a small rate of railhead width change for an oblique tangent point blade resulted in better running performance of trains. The oblique secant point blade caused an abrupt change in the rail layout, which reduced train running steadiness. The railhead widths of longitudinal secant and longitudinal secant–oblique tangent point blades increased quickly, and the corresponding dynamic responses were at an intermediate level. The proposed selection and evaluation method for milling types took into account the dynamic characteristics and structural durability of the points. It will be beneficial in selecting an appropriate milling type for points blades according to their service requirements.
Super Lyrical Sunshine: Playing Solar Imaginaries in Contemporary Poetics
Authors: Sledmere Maria Rose
Published: August 2023

This creative-critical article explores intersections of video game environments and lyric modes as the basis for theorising a poetics of ‘lyric solarity’ in exemplary works by contemporary poets. Lyric solarity is a poetics in which solar imaginaries are linguistically mediated and refracted through the close rhythms, affects, sensoria and arts of noticing found within everyday life. Drawing from Dominic Boyer, Imre Szemam and Rhys Williams’ recent work on solarity from the field of petrocultures and the energy humanities, I consider the oil spill aesthetics and solar accumulation of Nintendo’s 2002 platform game, Super Mario Sunshine, as the basis for reading tensions of solar totality, infrastructure, singularity and agency in works by Dom Hale, Sean Bonney, Verity Spott, Anne Lesley Selcer and Ed Luker. This article is a speculative exegesis on the critical, ethical and ecological affordances of lyric solarity, which I examine in dialogue with what Reza Negarestani calls ‘the blobjective earth […] nurtured by petropolitics’. While the blobjective offers a limited and often apocalyptic vision of resource conflict, I take up Dominic Boyer and Timothy Morton’s notion of ‘hyposubjectivity’ to show how lyric solarity might offer an expanded and radical horizon for ecological thought. I argue that the infrastructures and relational architectures of lyric solarity, as a continuum of affects, aesthetics and political possibilities, may think beyond the thought-regimes of petro-modernity and towards alternative kinds of postcapitalist and queer desire, play, temporal orientation and abundance.
An analysis of legal accountability for artificial intelligence systems in the South African financial sector
Authors: Kgoale Thupane Justice , Odeku Kola
Published: August 2023

While the deployment and use of Artificial Intelligence Systems (AIS) have continued to grow at an exponential rate in the world, and they are generally viewed as positive for economic growth and productivity. However, there is a concern about how to hold AIS legally liable and responsible just as a person. This is said against the backdrop that AIS has become indistinguishable from humans and as such they should be entitled to a status comparable to natural persons in order for them to enjoy legal rights and incur liabilities like juristic and natural persons. Especially in the financial sector where the use is ubiquitous in virtually all aspects of the sector from credit assessment to credit rating, credit and loan facilities, customer services, and decision-making for and on behalf of corporations. The situation in South Africa is precarious because, presently, the AIS has not been granted clear legal status in any South African statutes. It is pertinent to point out that while there is no legislative framework dealing specifically with AIS and related legal issues in the financial sector such as the banking industry, a raft of legislation is in place to regulate potential risks posed by the use of AIS in the sector in South Africa. These include legislation in the areas of financial and banking regulations. The problem is the fragmented way the regulations and legislation have been approached. Notably, the financial sector in South Africa uses AIS for their operations and as such sometimes, AIS commits errors, omissions, etcetera, making them eligible for accountability. But the problem still remains that there is no single legislation in South Africa upon which AIS will be held legally accountable save for fragmented pieces of legislative frameworks which have accountability components, but these are not adequate. It is against the backdrop of this specific accountability vacuum for AIS in the financial sector that this article explores germane provisions of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa 1996 (Constitution) as well as existing fragmented legislative frameworks and foreign law jurisprudence where AIS accountability is well developed and have the potential to hold AIS responsible for their omissions or commission was explored and useful lessons are drawn accordingly.
Lentivirus Production, Lentivirus Transduction, and Sorting Protocol v1
Authors: Xia Ning
Published: August 2023

Lentivirus Production, Lentivirus Transduction, and Sorting Protocol for making the transduced iPSCs and SH-SY5Ys
U54 SCENT 10x Genomic Single-Cell Multiome v1
Authors: Abramson Karen
Published: August 2023

This document outlines the 10X Genomics Single-Cell Multiome Protocol used for normal lung and colon tissues for SCENT at Duke University.
sample_prep_urine.nan v1
Authors: KB NAN
Published: August 2023

This is a modified protocol for NMR metabolomics for urine samples. This method was originally proposed by: See also:
Exploring the Correlation between Brazilian Iron Ore Exports and the Chinese Construction Sector
Authors: Rodrigues Daiane , Lengyel Peter
Published: August 2023

A B S T R A C T

 

This article investigates the international iron trade, focusing on the Brazil-China network and its implications for economic and social progress. Iron supports various industries, particularly construction, manufacturing, and infrastructure development. The study employs descriptive analysis, quantitative measures, and correlation coefficients to analyse the dynamics of the iron trade. The research highlights Australia and Brazil as significant exporters in the global iron ore market, with China as the primary importer. Network analysis reveals China's extensive commercial connections and strong trade relationships with key exporting countries. Correlation coefficients demonstrate positive associations between Brazil's Iron Exports, Brazilian GDP, Chinese construction sector GDP, and world construction sector GDP, emphasising their interdependence. Understanding these dynamics is essential for policymakers, economists, and industry stakeholders in navigating the complexities of the global economy. The study provides valuable insights into the international iron trade, its impact on the construction sector, and broader economic dynamics. It contributes to informed decision-making and promotes sustainable economic and social development.
Stanislava I. Narbut, the author of the first radish genetic collection in Russia
Authors: Kuznetsova Ksenia A. , Efremova Elena P. , Buzovkina Irina S. , Dodueva Irina E. , Lutova Ludmila A.
Published: August 2023

Stanislava Iosifovna Narbut (19092001) was an agronomist, a graduate of the Leningrad Agricultural Institute. She worked as a Senior Researcher at the Plant Genetics Laboratory of the Biological Research Institute of the Leningrad State University from 1949 to 1985. S.I. Narbut was a creator of radish inbred lines genetic collection at Leningrad State University. This article discusses the main milestones of S.I. Narbuts biography and presents a series of previously unpublished photographs and memoirs of her colleagues and students.
Target detection of substation electrical equipment from infrared images using an improved faster regions with convolutional neural network features algorithm
Authors: Xue Tao , Wu Changdong
Published: August 2023

The failure of substation equipment can cause incalculable losses to the economy and power consumption of the whole country. The use of infrared images is a powerful tool to obtain equipment temperature, which can then be used directly to diagnose substation equipment without stopping
the operation of the equipment. In this paper, the authors focus on the correct identification of different types of electrical equipment from the infrared images. An improved faster regions with convolutional neural network features (faster R-CNN) algorithm is proposed, which shows very high
detection accuracy for substation equipment. Firstly, the backbone of the faster R-CNN is optimised. A new network, the ResNet-30 network, is designed to reduce the redundancy of the ResNet-34 network and increases the proportion of residual blocks in the network in the previous stages. Next,
the deep receptive field is combined with the shallow receptive field of the network and a double-shortcut structure with a large convolutional kernel is proposed. This enhances the ability of network feature extraction. A cross-channel shortcut is proposed at the channel transition of the
network based on the channel number relationship between the dual-shortcut structures. Finally, the proposed method is compared with faster R-CNNs whose backbones are ResNet-50 plus a feature pyramid network (ResNet-50+FPN), you only look once v3 plus spatial pyramid pooling (YOLOv3+SPP)
and a single-shot multibox detector (SSD). The results show that the improved model not only has a smaller number of parameters and low requirements for graphics processing unit (GPU) equipment, but also has the highest mean average precision (mAP) for mostly substation equipment in the test-set.
This lays a foundation for fault diagnosis of substation equipment in the future.
Snow Attenuation of Infrasound Signals and Wind Noise
Authors: Hoppinen Zachary , Johnson Jeffrey B. , Capelli Achille , Anderson Jacob H. , Marshall Hans-Peter
Published: August 2023

Infrasound monitoring of geophysical and human-sourced activity, such as explosions, eruptions, earthquakes, and avalanches, may be impacted by burial of sensors in a snowpack. We studied the frequency-dependent attenuation of sound, vertical sound speed, and wind noise reduction in a natural snowpack using earthquakes as a natural source of infrasound. Our experiment used a 2 m vertical distribution of sensors deployed during the 2021–2022 winter in the Sawtooth mountains of Idaho. We recorded 38 earthquakes and their primary infrasound propagating vertically upward through the snow. For these events, average attenuation appeared negligible between 0 and 8 Hz, rose to 0.1 dB/cm at ∼12 Hz, and remained at this level for higher frequencies. Using timing lags across the vertical profile the speed of infrasound in the snow was measured at 160 ± 51 m/s, significantly subsonic and indicative of pore-space waves. Finally, we quantified the significant reduction in the amount of background noise measured for snow-buried compared with free-air sensors. The 24 dB of reduction of noise observed for high wind speed conditions was evident with only 20 cm of snow burial and demonstrates the powerful capability of snowpack as a noise reduction filter. This study provides a clearer understanding of how snow burial filters infrasound and minimizes noise levels and has implications for monitoring of both natural and human-made hazards.
Özel Okul Öncesi Eğitim Kurumlarının Kurulum Aşamasında Kurucu Müdürlerin Karşılaştıkları Sorunlar
Authors: KURBAN Abdulsamet , KAZAK Ender
Published: August 2023

Bu araştırma, özel okul öncesi eğitim kurumlarının, kurulum aşamasında, kurucu müdürlerin karşılaştıkları sorunları tespit etmek amacıyla yapılmıştır. Araştırma, 2021-2022 eğitim öğretim yılında Kocaeli ilinde bulunan özel okul öncesi eğitim kurumlarında gerçekleştirilmiştir. Araştırma, nitel araştırma tekniklerinden biri olan durum çalışması deseninde yürütülmüştür. Çalışma grubu, yirmi kişiden oluşmakta olup ölçüt örneklem yöntemi kullanılarak belirlenmiştir. Araştırmadan elde edilen verilerin analizinde betimsel analiz tekniği tercih edilmiştir. Elde edilen sonuçlara göre kurucu müdürlerin en fazla MEB’in istediği belge ve rapor sayısının fazla olması, tadilatların uzun süre alması, ruhsat alma sürecinin uzun olması, bina kiralama maliyetlerinin yüksek olması, tadilat maliyetlerinin yüksek olması, merkezi konumda bina bulma zorluğu, kalifiye yardımcı personelin az oluşu, deneyim eksikliği ve tanıtım maliyetlerinin yüksek olmasına yönelik sorunlarla karşılaştıkları belirlenmiştir. Kurucu müdürlerin karşılaştıkları sorunlara yönelik geliştirdikleri çözüm önerileri ise prosedürlerin anlaşılır ve sade hale getirilmesi, devletin bina, arsa ve kira teşviklerinde bulunması ve MEB’in personel alımına destek vermesi olarak tespit edilmiştir.
Erken Çocukluk Eğitiminde Eğitimsel Planlama Süreçleri: Farklı Eğitim Yaklaşımlarının Karşılaştırmalı Anlatımı
Authors: DEMİRCİ ÜNAL Zeliha , TANTEKİN ERDEN Feyza
Published: August 2023

Alternatif eğitim yaklaşımlarındaki eğitimsel planlama süreçlerini anlamak, erken çocukluk eğitimini ilerletmek için atılan önemli bir adımdır. Bu nedenle bu çalışmanın amacı, Türkiye’deki alternatif eğitim yaklaşımlarını ve ulusal okul öncesi eğitim programını uygulayan okul öncesi öğretmenleri ve yöneticilerin bakış açılarından eğitimsel planlama süreçlerini incelemektir. Araştırmanın deseni olarak olgubilim çalışması seçilmiş ve veriler yarı yapılandırılmış görüşme formu ile toplanmıştır. Bu araştırmaya Türkiye’de yaygın olan Montessori, Reggio Emilia, Waldorf, HighScope, İlk Yıllar Programı (PYP) ve Orman Okulu yaklaşımlarını uygulayan okullardaki 12 okul öncesi öğretmeni, altı okul yöneticisi ve ulusal okul öncesi eğitim programını kullanan iki okul öncesi öğretmeni ve bir okul yöneticisi olmak üzere toplamda 21 eğitimci dahil edilmiştir. Sonuç olarak, bütün eğitimciler, erken çocukluk eğitiminde eğitimsel planlama yapmanın, hem çocukların gelişimi hem de eğitimin aksamadan ilerleyebilmesi için çok önemli olduğuna değinmişlerdir. Ayrıca alternatif eğitim yaklaşımlarını kullanan katılımcılar, eğitim programını planlama, uygulama ve değerlendirme adımlarında çocukların ilgi ve ihtiyaçları doğrultusunda ilerlediklerinden ve değerlendirmenin planlamayı şekillendirdiğinden bahsetmişlerdir. Fakat ulusal okul öncesi eğitim programını kullanan eğitimcilerin planlamayı daha çok evrak doldurma amacıyla gerçekleştirdikleri ve değerlendirme ile planlama arasında hiçbir ilişkiden söz etmedikleri bulunmuştur. Bu bulgular ışığında, alternatif eğitim yaklaşımlarının etkin eğitimsel planlama sürecinden örnek alınarak, Türkiye’deki resmi okul öncesi eğitim kurumlarına ve paydaşlara önerilerde bulunulmuştur.
What Keeps Me Up At Night
Authors:   , Hartman Alison Rose , Geller Pamela A
Published: August 2023

Introduction: Infertility and broadly-defined impaired fecundity are common conditions that affect millions of American women. The experience of infertility or having a problem becoming pregnant may be fraught with biopsychosocial stressors, which can have a deleterious impact on interpersonal relationships, as well as financial, medical, and psychological wellbeing. While there is a clear association between infertility and psychological distress (mood/anxiety symptoms), and between psychological distress and poor sleep, there is a marked paucity of research investigating insomnia and sleep continuity disturbance among individuals who are experiencing a perceived problem becoming pregnant, including those with infertility. Methods: The current study utilized single-timepoint self-report data to explore sleep, psychiatric, demographic, and fertility-related variables among women (N=139) who were experiencing a perceived problem becoming pregnant, including those who were experiencing a perceived problem becoming pregnant without infertility (n=22), those who met criteria for infertility but were not undergoing fertility treatment (n=49), and those who were undergoing fertility treatment (n=68). Results: Mean Insomnia Severity Index score across the sample was 11.8 (SD= 4.6), indicating subthreshold insomnia. Women going through fertility treatment reported significantly higher insomnia severity than those who were not going through treatment, F(138)= 7.0, p=.001. Our model for insomnia severity in this population was significant, F(12, 123)= 18.1, p<.001, R2= .64, and key predictors of insomnia severity included gravidity (t= 2.0, p= .045), anxiety severity (assessed utilizing the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7; t= 5.6, p<.001), and perceived stress (assessed utilizing the Perceives Stress Scale; t= 2.7, p= .008). Discussion/Implications: This research revealed that women with a perceived problem becoming pregnant experience insomnia symptoms at rates that are markedly higher than the general population, and that sleep complaints may be a direct result of the problem becoming pregnant itself. Women who are undergoing fertility treatment appear to be particularly at risk. Gravidity, anxiety severity, and perceived stress appear to be the key drivers of insomnia severity in this population. These findings have the potential to impact how healthcare providers characterize normal versus abnormal sleep among women who are experiencing a perceived problem becoming pregnant, and thereby may impact how these complaints are conceptualized and treated.
Investigating how the Chemokine CXCL12 Impacts Neuronal Network Function and Structural Plasticity
Authors:   , Luchetta Jared Joseph , Meucci Olimpia , Ajit Seena
Published: August 2023

The chemokine CXCL12 and its receptors, CXCR4 and ACKR3, have important roles in the central nervous system, including attracting immune cells, regulating neurogenesis, and modulating structural plasticity. In an animal model of HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders, CXCL12 rescued dendritic spine and cognitive flexibility deficits. Mechanistically, this effect required the Rac1/PAK/Cofilin pathway that is crucial for the structural modification and formation of new dendritic spines. This implicated structural plasticity as a key bottleneck to rescue behavior deficits. However, the specific target cell populations that mediated CXCL12's effect on spines and functional consequences at the network level are not fully understood. This study used genetic targeting, gene expression, and electrophysiology techniques to investigate the cellular mechanisms underlying CXCL12's effect on dendritic spines and cortical network function, with a focus on CXCR4 - its main signaling receptor. The findings suggest that inhibitory neurons are the primary cellular target of CXCL12 in neuron-glia mixed cultures and the prefrontal cortex. Manipulating CXCR4 protein levels in inhibitory neurons changes the established structural plasticity response mediated by CXCL12. Additionally, CXCR4 and ACKR3 likely work in parallel to impact synchronous network function through modulation of network burst duration, the average number of spikes in synchronous network bursts, and the average spike frequency in network bursts. These results suggest inhibitory neuron CXCL12/CXCR4 signaling is a modulator of dendritic spines and highlight the supportive functional roles of ACKR3 in cortical networks. While challenging to investigate, the complexity of this chemokine system may create opportunity for potential therapeutic intervention that was previously problematic considering CXCR4 alone.
A Spatial Extension of the Random Forest Algorithm
Authors:   , Meeker Melissa Ann , McClure Leslie
Published: August 2023

Although commonly used in spatial data, the random forest algorithm does not account for the dependent structure among spatial observations. By splitting the training and test data with a simple random sample, the algorithm introduces predictive bias towards more clustered regions. Further, the algorithm treats observations independently and does not draw any connections between neighbors. In this dissertation, we investigated three spatial modifications of the random forest methodology. First, we implemented a geographically stratified sampling approach to separate the training and test data in order to ensure that the algorithm learns from as much data as possible from the less populated regions. Secondly, we developed the Augmented Random Forest (A-RF) in which we utilize an augmented predictor set of both observation-specific (OS) and neighborhood-based (NB) predictors in order to acknowledge similarities among neighbors. Lastly, we explored a Distance Informed Random Forest (DI-RF) in which we use a distance informed split criterion for generating decision rules that balances minimizing the impurity of the outcome (as in the traditional random forest) and minimizing the distance among observations within nodes. We assess these methods in both simulated data and real data, including Philadelphia Police Department pedestrian investigation data and ChristianaCare Newark Campus neonatal intensive care unit data. We found that the geographically stratified sampling approach successfully improves predictive performance of less observed regions with the tradeoff of worsening predictive performance in more clustered regions. The A-RF improves mean square error in data with continuous outcomes and sensitivity in data with imbalanced binary outcomes; it has little impact on data with balanced binary outcomes. The NB predictors utilized in the A-RF are consistently more important for prediction than the OS predictors in the simulated data although the OS predictors tend to be more important in the application data. The DI-RF worsens mean square error in data with continuous outcomes, inconsistently impacts sensitivity in data with imbalanced binary outcomes, and has little impact on data with balanced binary outcomes. Overall, this dissertation demonstrates the importance of acknowledging the characteristics of spatial data when applying the random forest algorithm and examining predictive performance.
Rapid Bioassay for Detection of Insecticide Resistance in Aphis gossypii Glover, 1877 (Hemiptera: Aphididae)
Authors: Ulusoy Selçuk
Published: August 2023

Cotton aphid, Aphis gossypii Glover, 1877 (Hemiptera: Aphididae) is one of the most economically important polyphagous pests that shows rapid resistance to chemical control. Determination of resistance levels is important within resistance management. The insecticide activities of Acetamiprid, Dimethoate, Imidacloprid, L-cyalothrin were investigated on different aphid populations to develop a faster and more economical bioassay method. Resistance levels were compared by making bioassays with insecticides using the leaf dipping method for 72 hours, 120 minutes and different doses. Resistance rates varying between 1-10 times were observed in both methods. The rapid application of 120 minutes is more advantageous in terms of speed, application time and economy of the method in the detection of resistance against Acetamiprid, Dimethoate, Imidacloprid, L-cyalothrin insecticides, and will contribute to the detection of resistance and the development of bioassay method.
Interdisciplinary Nature of Computational Science Cases in Business Studies
Authors: Husen Amir , Chowdhury Syed Mustafizur Rahman
Published: August 2023

The intricate confluence of computational science and business studies heralds an unprecedented era in the academic and industrial landscape. This paper comprehensively explores this interdisciplinary nexus, delving deep into the transformative potential that computational methodologies bring to business arenas. From leveraging vast datasets in business analytics to pioneering financial models, computational tools are reshaping the very paradigms of business decision-making. However, these advancements are not without challenges. Ethical considerations, over-reliance on models, and the essentiality of human insight remain critical discussions. Moreover, the paper underscores the need for further collaborative research, emphasizing the importance of a symbiotic relationship between computational scientists and business professionals. As the digital age progresses, integrating computational science into business studies becomes beneficial and imperative for organizations seeking innovative solutions and sustained growth in an increasingly complex market environment.
THE UTILIZATION OF 900 WP OFF-GRID SOLAR POWER PLANT FOR PRODUCT INTENSIFICATION OF A HYDROPONICS FARMER GROUP
Authors: Prastio Rizki Putra , Megantoro Prisma , Arifin Syamsul , Muhammad Dimas Dzaky Rafii , Hilmi Irsyad , Perkasa Sigit Dani
Published: August 2023

In collaboration with a group of hydroponics farmers, an activity as a part of community service implementation has been carried out in Pasuruan, Eastern Java. The activity aims to develop a 900 Wp solar power plant capable of providing energy for running the essential electrical devices for the hydroponics system uninterrupted. This idea is to resolve the energy issue when the outage occurs. Moreover, the reliance on the public grid also adds additional expense for the electricity bill. Based on the observation, the power plant reliably provides sufficient energy to turn on different hydroponics electrical devices. It can supply energy for 12 hours without charging to activate, in total, 160 Watt of diverse loads all night long. While during the day, solar panels deliver energy for the batteries recharging and the other loads. Some other facilities are also developed in this activity, including UV plastic roof and addition of the grow lights to promote the plants’ growth acceleration. The plastic roof efficiently reduces the sunlight intensity to lower the heat experienced by the plants, transmits specific wavelengths crucial for growth, and prevents the rainwater from entering the nutrient water tank. Meanwhile, the grow lights stimulate faster growth and quickly recover the plants after receiving much heat that causes them to look wilt. As a result, the farmers are now less reliant on the public grid, and the hydroponics system is more weather-resistant.
OPTIMALIZATION OF SEA TURTULE AND COASTAL VEGETATION CONSERVATION THROUGH EMPOWERMENT IN SANTEN ISLAND TOURISM AWARE GROUP, BANYUWANGI REGENCY, EAST JAVA
Authors: Yudhana Aditya , Purnama Muhammad Thohawi Elziyad , Kenconojati Hapsari , Praja Ratih Novita , Putri Citra Kurnia , Geraldine Audina Putri , Zania Fransiska Okta , Galerani Ichi Arum , Putri Aliyyah Revinda Bima
Published: August 2023

The potential of Pulau Santen, which has been known as a tourism beach, is increasingly visible with the large amount of infrastructure and tourism built by the local government. This was done as an effort to promote Pulau Santen as one of the best natural tourism centers in Banyuwangi. The community in Pulau Santen must be prepared as a group that is aware of the potential of their village and the sustainability of its natural tourism. Pulau Santen is also categorized as a location which every year frequently used for sea turtle nests that land on the Banyuwangi coastal areas. This is actually very contrary to the natural habits of sea turtles which prefer to make nests in quiet places without any disturbance from sound, light, and humans. Because the place used as a natural nest is a busy tourist spot, local residents must also be given insight regarding the protection of sea turtles that land on the coast of Pulau Santen as one of the wild animals protected by the Conservation Law in Indonesia. The purpose of this activity is to strengthen the awareness of Pulau Santen tourism awareness groups regarding the important role of communities around the coast to participate in wildlife conservation and their ecosystems. Through the community service activities that have been carried out, the sustainability of the program is needed so that a model of a conservation education tourist spot is formed that has the potential to improve the economy of the surrounding communities and the conservation of biodiversity in the area.
Specifics of Left Ventricular Hypertrophy and Characteristic of Phenotypic Variants in Patients with Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy
Authors: Ignatenko G. I. , Taradin G. G. , Kugler T. E.
Published: August 2023

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is characterized by genetic and phenotypic heterogeneity which manifests in different variants of localization and extent of myocardial hypertrophy.

Aim: to evaluate specifics of left ventricular hypertrophy, the prevalence and characteristics of clinical and instrumental features of phenotypic variants of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Materials and methods. The study includes 295 patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy aged 18 to 88 years (60.3±13.4 years), 183 men (62 %), and women 112 (38 %). The diagnosis of which was established by 2D echocardiography. The severity, localization and extent of myocardial hypertrophy, the maximum thickness of the hypertrophied segment, left ventricular myocardial mass, left ventricular myocardial mass index, the presence and severity of mid-ventricular and left ventricular outflow tract obstruction were evaluated. Depending on the predominant localization and extent of hypertrophy, patients were divided into 8 groups according to the recommendations for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation. The analysis and comparison of the obtained results are carried out.

Results. The average duration of the disease is 10.5±7.52 years. The mean values of the body mass index in patients — 28.2±2.82 kg/m2. The phenotype with basal hypertrophy of the septum (n=130, 44.1 %), group 1 was most often noted. In 47 (15.9 %) patients, hypertrophy of the septum of “reverse curve” (2 group) was detected, in 41 (13.9 %) — “neutral septum” (3 group), in 36 (12.2 %) — symmetrical hypertrophy of the left ventricle (8 group), 11 (3.7 %) of patients had combined hypertrophy of the septum and other parts of the left or right ventricle (4 group) and the free left ventricular wall (7 group), in 10 (3.4 %) — middle ventricular hypertrophy of the left ventricle (6 group) and in 9 (3.1 %) — apical hypertrophy (5 group). The highest value of the maximum thickness of the myocardium was noted in patients of the 6th group 19.3 (1920.4 mm). Mid-ventricular obstruction was detected in group 6 (90 %), left ventricular outflow tract obstruction was more often registered in groups 4 and 8 (81.8 % and 77.8 %), and less often in group 5 (22.2 %) (p <0.01). In group 7, there were no cases of rest obstruction of left ventricular outflow tract. The maximum values of myocardial mass and left ventricular myocardial mass index were noted in group 8 — 402 (356-439) g and 195 (173218) g/m2, respectively (p <0.01).

Conclusion. Echocardiography is an informative tool for assessing the presence, severity myocardial hypertrophy and determination of the phenotypic variant of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Variants of septal hypertrophy are most commonly registered one, among which the most frequent is the phenotype of basal septal hypertrophy. Each phenotype of hypertrophic expression is characterized by its echocardiographic parameters.
Crosstalk between cell fate and survival pathways during uterine cervical carcinoma progression: a molecular and clinical perspective
Authors: Samadder Sudip , Paul Palash , De Arpan
Published: August 2023

The development of uterine cervical cancer is primarily attributed to infection by high-risk human papillomaviruses (HR-HPVs). E5, E6 and E7, the three early oncoproteins of HR-HPVs, have been implicated in initiation and progression of cervical cancer. The intricate molecular mechanisms that orchestrate aberrant cellular transformations to establish carcinoma of the cervical epithelium following viral infections are poorly understood. Here, we discuss how deregulation of three major cell fate regulatory pathways, Hedgehog, Wnt and Notch, and cell survival strategies involving EGFR signaling and G1/S checkpoint contribute towards cervical cancer development and progression. Further exploration of protein interaction database has revealed several genes that are involved in cervical cancer initiation and progression, and the two crucial "driver” genes, MYC and CTNNB1 (β-catenin), have been identified as major players in protein-protein interaction network. GSK3β emerged as the key mediator of crosstalk between Hedgehog, Wnt and Notch signaling pathways. GSK3β regulates cytoplasmic stabilization and nuclear translocation of β-catenin, which further impacts the expression of MYC, critical for cell cycle progression. Collectively, our analyses suggest that combinatorial therapeutic targeting of these proteins may be more effective in blocking cervical cancer initiation and progression.
Integrating resilience in the multi-hazard sustainable design of buildings
Authors: Bianchi Simona
Published: August 2023

Recent natural disasters and climate change-induced extremes emphasize the urgent need to enhance the overall resilience of society by addressing the various hazards that buildings may face. Current design approaches recognize the need for integrated risk assessments, but studies primarily focus on existing buildings and single hazards, neglecting the impact of multiple hazards and resilience quantifications. However, it is crucial to consider multi-hazard scenarios and quantify economic, environmental, and resilience losses to pursue effective solutions from the early-stage design of both new buildings and retrofitting interventions. This paper presents a practical multi-criteria approach to support design decisions for enhanced safety, sustainability, and resilience of buildings against earthquakes and heatwaves. The proposed approach is applied to a commercial building with various seismic-resistant and energy-efficient facades. Non-linear seismic assessments are conducted to predict the potential impact concerning repair costs, carbon emissions, and the resilience loss at the design-level earthquake. Additionally, a whole life-cycle analysis and dynamic energy simulations are performed to calculate the financial and carbon losses resulting from power consumption and the ability of the building to maintain energy efficiency under extreme heat. Finally, the study employs a multi-matrix decision-making approach based on integrated economic, environmental, and resilience losses to guide the design selection. The results demonstrate that earthquake-resistant facades can significantly reduce financial losses by over 50%, with seismic resilience playing a crucial role in the final decision. This approach facilitates more effective investment decisions for building projects, enabling the quantification of the effectiveness of integrated strategies in reducing overall potential losses.