bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Outcome of surgical site infection following inguinal hernia closure
Authors: Fazliwadud Dr
Published: November 2024

Objective: This study's goal is to look into how inguinal hernia surgery patients respond to surgical site infections (SSIs). The purpose of the study is to examine the association between the prevalence of SSIs and demographic factors such as age, body mass index (BMI), habitation type (urban/rural), presence of diabetes mellitus and hypertension, degree of education, length of hospital stay, and length of surgery.
Methods: Patients who underwent inguinal hernia closure surgeries were included in this retrospective analysis, which was carried out in a medical facility. A patient's demographics, BMI, type of habitation, diabetes and hypertension status, education level, length of hospital stay, length of operation, and presence or absence of surgical site infections were all collected from their medical records. To evaluate the patient population's characteristics and the prevalence of SSIs, data analytic techniques included frequency distribution and percentage calculation. In order to identify correlations between factors and the occurrence of SSI, statistical tests were run.
Results: The study involved all of the patients. The age distribution displayed 35.1% in the 20–30 age, 21.1% in the 40–50 age, and 43.9 % in the 40–50 age. BMI categories were revealed with BMIs of 20–23, 23–25, and 25–28. Participants who lived in cities made up 22(29.7%) of the group, whereas participants who lived in rural areas made up 35.1 %. Diabetes mellitus was more common than hypertension 23 (20.2%) vs. 17(14.9%). The distribution of education levels was as follows: 17(14.9 %) with no education, 46 (40.4%) with SSC-level education and 51(44.7%) with HSSC or higher education. Hospital stays lasting 1-3 days in 55 (48.2%) of cases and 3-6 days in 59 (51.8%) of cases, respectively. There were two categories for operation length: 1-3 months 59(51.8%) and 3-6 months 55 (48.2%). 22 (19.3%) of cases had surgical site infections, while 92 (80.7%) of cases had no infections at all.
Conclusion: The results of surgical site infections after inguinal hernia closure are clarified by this investigation. The frequency of SSIs highlights the significance of strict infection control procedures. Further investigation is required to determine the association between demographic factors and the prevalence of SSI. These findings have implications for post-operative care plans and surgical protocols that aim to reduce the risk of SSIs and improve patient outcomes. To fully comprehend the multifactorial nature of SSIs in inguinal hernia closure surgeries, additional study is required.
الحس القومي في الأدب الفكري العربي الحديث: "طبائع الاستبداد" للكواكبي و"يقظة الأمة العربية" للعازوري مثالان
Authors: عبد المطلب فؤاد
Published: November 2024

يُعاين هذا البحث تاريخَ الأفكار العربية في الحركات الإصلاحية الداخلية من يقظة الحسِّ القومي العربي ونشأة الحركة القومية وتطوُّرها منذ أواسط القرن التاسع عشر حتى بداية الحرب العالمية الأولى، مع النظر في أعمال المفكرَينِ العربيَّينِ؛ عبد الرحمن الكواكبي، ونجيب عازوري، وكتابيهما "طبائع الاستبداد" (1902)، و"يقظة الأمة العربية" (1905)، فقد تبيَّن أن معظم الكتابات التي تناولت تلك الحقبة التاريخية، اعتَنَتْ بعرضِ جانبٍ من دونِ غيرِه، أو ببلدٍ عربي من دونِ آخر، أو تسردُ الأحداث والوقائع من باب أفكار ورؤًى أثارتها، أو أن بعضَها يصبُّ هذه الأحداث والوقائع في سياقٍ اعتقادي بعينِهِ، لتأكيد وجهة نظرِهِ الخاصة، ومع ذلك حاولتُ الإفادة منها جميعًا في كتابة هذا البحث، كُلُّ بحسبِ مجاله واهتمامه، وذلك لغرض تقديم إضاءة تاريخية فكرية لمكانة الكواكبي والعازوري في التاريخ العربي وفي عصر النهضة، في عرضٍ يستند إلى نظرة تتحرَّى الموضوعية، ولا يغفل التفاصيلَ المهمَّة والمؤثِّرة، ولا أقول إن الوارد في هذا البحث وافٍ تمامًا، فلعلَّ دراسات أُخَرَ تُبين بَعْضَ الأوجه التي أُغفلت أو أُوجزت، فتُستدرك ويُتوسع فيها، وهذا من طبيعة البحث العلمي، في المجالين الفكري والتاريخي بخاصة.
المعنى في الخط العربي
Authors: حنش إدهام محمد
Published: November 2024

تقوم البنية المعجمية العربية على علاقةٍ مُتوازِنةٍ بين المعنى واللفظ والخطِّ، إذ يمثِّل المعنى  رُوْحَ اللغة وجوهرها المشترك والثابت والكامن في كُلٍّ من اللفظ والخطِّ، ولكن المعاجم العربية بعامة ترفدنا بمعاني الألفاظ، وتغيب عنها معاني الخطِّ، مما يستدعي البحث عن هذه المعاني من خلال تبيُّن أُصول البناء الفني وقواعده العملية لأشكال الحروف الخطِّية وصورِها الجميلة، وتتمثَّل في ألفاظ ومفاهيم ومصطلحات دالَّة على العمليات الكتابية المطلوبة لبناء شكلِ كُلِّ حرفٍ من حروف المعجم؛ بناءً لغويًّا صحيحًا وفنيًّا جميلاً، وتلك الألفاظ والمفاهيم والمصطلحات هي التحديق، والتحويق، والتخريق، والتعريق، والتشقيق، والتنسيق، والتوفيق، والتدقيق، والتفريق.
The Contribution of Interdisciplinary Teaching to the Development of Students’ Employability
Authors:   , Crombie Alex
Published: November 2024

Employability, a multifaceted and elusive concept, proves challenging to define and measure. It involves a complex interplay of skills, knowledge, attitudes, and personal attributes that individuals bring to the workplace. To make this concept more tangible, various authors have attempted to formulate employability models tailored for higher education settings. While these models differ in their emphases, a recurring theme across them is the significance of self-efficacy. This work contends that self-efficacy can serve as a parametric measure to assess the effectiveness of employability interventions. Specifically, it explores the impact of interdisciplinary teaching on students' employability, positing that such pedagogy can illuminate overlooked mastery experiences within a subject and alleviate disciplinary egocentrism—both of which are expected to positively influence employability outcomes. It has been discussed in the literature that graduate employability is often poor and, in this work, we aim to examine the relationship between this and students’ non-disciplinary understanding. To establish this connection a teaching intervention was devised to examine how interdisciplinary teaching can affect students’ feelings of self-efficacy and their understanding of their own level of knowledge – to this end the generalised self-efficacy scale along with a false consensus effect tool were used to gather data pre- and post-intervention to make comparisons. We find weak to moderate agreement that this intervention style improves self-efficacy and limited evidence that the false consensus effect is impacted. These results suggest that this form of teaching intervention has the potential to benefit students beyond their disciplinary education, however more work is necessary to establish the level and longevity of this benefit.
Framework for reproducible validation of a real-time capable vehicle lateral stability controller
Authors:   , Tristano Mariagrazia
Published: November 2024

Following the rise in technological advancements, in recent years the idea of mobility has undergone significant transformation. The growing tendency towards electrification has prompted innovative control strategies, which in turn have introduced new challenges. Current research goals in the automotive field may be summarised in two categories: ensuring passenger safety and enhance the robustness and reliability of such technologies. Within this framework, driver assistance systems like the Electronic Stability Control (ESC) are effective in avoiding potential loss of lateral stability. Extensive efforts have been made in the literature on the topic to refine control algorithms of this sort, but most of them show little tendency to progress beyond theoretical definition or software simulations. Despite such efforts, a staggering number of annual casualties is still registered, which calls for an enhancement of stabilization control strategies. This thesis proposes a rigorous validation workflow for an individual-wheel-torquebased vehicle stability controller, aimed at establishing a robust and replicable testing protocol for a generic lateral stability controller to run in real time. The sequence of progressive validation steps starts with an initial design phase, where the controller is formulated according to specific performance requirements. It then envisions an offline co-simulation phase, where the controller undergoes preliminary testing in the form of software, running concurrently with a suitable vehicle testbench. Later, the controller and vehicle model are moved to a software-independent real-time-enabled testing platform in the so-called real-time co-simulation phase. Finally, the controller is turned into code and deployed to its target hardware (Hardware-in-the-loop), ultimately enabling full-scale vehicle validation. Further noteworthy contributions include a novel strategy for vehicle reference behavior design, an innovative method to estimate what is arguably the strongest vehicle stability indicator, i.e. the sideslip angle, using both a machine learning-based and a parametric approach, and the analytical assessment of the vehicle stability region to reliably assess the operating condition of the vehicle.
Poésies de la naissance dans les spectacles de Joël Pommerat
Authors: Auzolle Cécile
Published: November 2024

Depuis les années 1990, les spectacles de Joël Pommerat explorent la dimension sensible du monde contemporain. L’enfant y cristallise l’amour, la haine ou la projection des familles. Les marchands (2006), Au monde (2004), La réunification des deux Corées (2013) et Des suées (1993) révèlent les arcanes de la conception. Cet enfant (2006) montre comment la gestation modèle le parent en devenir. Deux scènes de mise au monde, issues de Cet enfant et de Pinocchio (2008), permettent enfin de mettre en lumière les attentes et les angoisses entourant la découverte d’un être semblable et étranger à son·sa géniteur·trice, en miroir du processus de création artistique.
N’être feu : Bond, Mayenburg, Hilling, Gaillard
Authors: Diaz Sylvain
Published: November 2024

À partir de l’étude de pièces de quatre auteur·trices européen·nes, il s’agira de s’interroger sur un tropisme inattendu du théâtre contemporain : souvent liée à l’eau, la naissance s’y trouve en effet associée au feu. Chez Edward Bond comme chez Marius von Mayenburg, chez Anja Hilling comme chez Julien Gaillard, la mise au monde est en effet mise à mort. Cette coïncidence ne manque pas d’interroger : de quoi ces dramaturgies si diverses sont-elles le nom? L’hypothèse qui sera ici défendue est qu’elles signalent l’avènement d’une pyro-scène (Pyne, 2021) où l’exister n’est plus inconditionnel : il est toujours sous contrainte du feu.
Le mythe de Phèdre et d’Hippolyte dans la dramaturgie néohellénique
Authors: Blessios Athanassios G.
Published: November 2024

Le mythe de Phèdre et d’Hippolyte était très répandu et mis en scène dès l’Antiquité. En Grèce, on constate un intérêt pour son adaptation depuis les dernières décennies. Deux pièces et un poème présentant une forte dimension théâtrale des XXe et XXIe siècles retiennent notre attention : Φαίδρα (Phèdre) (s.d.) d’Aristomenis Proveleggios, « Φαίδρα » (« Phèdre ») (1974-1975; 1978) de Yánnis Rítsos et Φαίδρα ή Άλκηστη Love Stories (Phèdre ou Alceste Love Stories) (2007) d’Elena Penga. Phèdre s’avère en être le personnage principal. Sa relation plutôt inachevée avec Hippolyte donne l’opportunité aux auteur·trices de mettre de l’avant des préoccupations existentielles, psychanalytiques, sexuées et sociales. Les protagonistes essaient de gérer une envie qui leur est interdite ou plutôt l’annulation de leur relation qui les conduit à leur propre mort. Leur rapprochement s’appuie sur le désir sexuel, surtout de la part de Phèdre, mais celle-ci tente également d’y apporter une dimension sentimentale et psychique. L’avènement de la mort ne semble pas douloureux pour Phèdre, tandis qu’Hippolyte se meut entre sa victimisation par l’héroïne et l’acceptation de sa mort tout en gardant un esprit de combat. Ces oeuvres enrichissent la dramaturgie grecque et la perception des mythes grecs antiques dans la mesure où elles soulignent justement la problématique de la relation entre la vie, l’amour et la mort.
Les fans et les « pèlerinages dans les lieux sacrés » : significations et implications dans le contexte religieux japonais contemporain1
Authors: Reader Ian
Published: November 2024

Cet article propose une analyse des pèlerinages de fans de culture populaire sur des sites associés aux dessins animés et aux mangas, en relation avec le tourisme et les pratiques traditionnelles de pèlerinage religieux au Japon, ainsi que dans le contexte d’analyses contrastées de ces pèlerinages par des spécialistes du tourisme et de la religion. Il fournit des exemples de ces pèlerinages d’anime et de manga tout en montrant comment les analyses scientifiques existantes tendent à interpréter ces activités de pèlerinage de fans soit comme des affaires entièrement laïques et touristiques, soit comme découlant de pratiques religieuses préexistantes et représentant de nouveaux développements dans le domaine de la religion contemporaine. En examinant les forces et les limites de ces deux positions, l’article met en lumière un aspect absent des deux analyses, à savoir le déclin religieux et la sécularisation. Il s’agit de facteurs importants dans l’émergence des pèlerinages de dessins animés, ayant notamment des implications majeures pour les institutions religieuses qui ont longtemps été associées à la notion traditionnelle de pèlerinage.
Discourses of Disavowal
Authors: Latty Stephanie
Published: November 2024

This article undertakes a critical examination of prevailing discourses circulated by public authorities and the media during the weeks and months following three instances of Black women and girls being strip-searched by police in Canada: Audrey Smith in Toronto in 1993, three unnamed Black girls in Halifax in 1995, and Stacy Bonds in Ottawa in 2008. By focusing on three primary discourses of disavowal evident in both media accounts and legal records of these cases, this article sheds light on how collusion among the Canadian state, the criminal justice system, and the media culminate in narratives that re-install the national myth of Canada as a benevolent nation. Ultimately, the paper argues that the violence of the strip-search is naturalized through the disavowal of gendered anti-Black violence and liberal discourses of reform are upheld.
The Poverty Police
Authors: LaCroix Lynn
Published: November 2024

This paper argues for forming a working group composed of peoples with intersectional, lived experiences of homelessness. The purpose of this group is to consult on implementing the recommendations made to York University Security Services (YSS) by an expert review panel, submitted in December of 2022 in Toronto, Canada. This paper also argues against empowering YSS with the Special Constable provision of the Comprehensive Ontario Police Services Act—a central matter under discussion by the expert review panel. Grounded theory and critical discourse analysis are used in this paper to observe YSS “incident summaries,” published on YSS’s Community Safety webpage, in conjunction with an analysis of the 2022 York University Security Services Review: Final Report. The findings reported in this paper include an approximate 43% overall interaction rate between unhoused people and YSS on the York University campus and a poverty-to-criminalisation pipeline leading to the arrest of unhoused people by Toronto police. These findings give reason to reject empowering YSS with the Special Constable provision. These findings also give reason to consult peoples with intersectional, lived experiences of homelessness on policing and police-proxies, such as YSS.
Invisiblizing Trans Homelessness
Authors: Withers A.J.
Published: November 2024

Municipalities in Canada routinely count unhoused populations to inform policy and services. By examining 165 English Canadian municipal homeless count reports, this article explores how trans, Two Spirit, and nonbinary (T2SNB) people, and sex and gender more broadly, are constructed. Homelessness is prefigured as cis within and through the counting and reporting methodology and text. In subsequent counts, homeless services—including new and revamped services based on prior counts—are used to locate homeless people to count thus intensifying the construction of and further prefiguring cis homelessness. The gender binary is both overtly and subtly upheld through these reports in many municipalities. It is argued that there can be substantial material consequences for the invisibilization and misrepresentation of T2SNB people that can impact available services and housing.
The Bar Butch in the Attic
Authors: Wood Emma
Published: November 2024

In an analysis of Jane Rule’s “In the Attic of the House” from her 1981 anthology Outlander, this article examines how Rule uses both the figure of the lesbian and the figure of the ghost to demonstrate the complex, temporal relationship between two lesbian generations in Canada in the late 1970s and the early 1980s. Rule’s “In the Attic of the House” follows an older butch lesbian, Alice, as she is haunted by both the unseen apparition of her dead, once closeted, femme lover and by the presence of younger lesbian feminists in the main floor of the house who begin to consume and rewrite Alice’s queer past. In analyzing three types of social hauntings within this short story, this article draws on both Avery Gordon’s theories of hauntology and Heather Love’s queer theory of “feeling backwards” to imagine how lesbian-feminists in 1970s-80s Canada conducted a “backward” haunting of femme-butch lesbian elders, hailing from the culture of the lesbian working-class bar. By drawing parallels between Rule’s short fiction and the real, historical events of lesbian communities in Canada, this article seeks to recenter the erasures (i.e., the ghostings) and the (in)visbilities of lesbian existence and embodiment in Canada. This paper ultimately analyzes how Rule as author calls upon her readers to consider and contemplate the historical tensions and intimacies between butch-femme elders of lesbian bar culture and the emerging lesbian-feminist collectives in the early 1980s.
Reflections from “Revisioning Feminist Engagements with Madness”
Authors: Tichenor Erin
Published: November 2024

This commentary builds on my presentation in the panel “Revisioning Feminist Engagements with Madness” at the 2023 Women’s, Gender, and Social Justice annual conference. In doing so, this piece grapples with several debates surrounding the stigmatized psychiatric label of “borderline personality disorder (BPD).” While feminists have long called for the diagnosis to be removed or replaced, Mad-affirmative scholars are reconceptualizing borderline as a cluster of insightful experiences and psychocentric activists are trying to destigmatize and raise awareness about “BPD.” The latter two efforts are very different from each other, yet both seem to be located in white, globally elite spaces. This piece suggests that we can learn from other reclamation movements that, co-opted by the colonial state and neoliberal market, have mainly benefited elites, and thus cautions against any attempt to universally reclaim, reject, or reconceptualize borderline. That is, rather than unpacking what borderline really is or should mean, this piece asks what borderline does, for whom, in which contexts, and towards what ends. Drawing from Gilles Deleuze’s ethological method and Jasbir Puar’s work on debility and capacity, this article acknowledges the socio-political patterns of borderline, as well as the broader systems we might be serving in our seemingly progressive discourses.
Relational Practices in Arts-Based Research
Authors: Pang Celeste , Jakubiec Brittany A.E. , Schambach Melanie
Published: November 2024

Fostering Dialogues was an arts-based action research project that brought together LGBTQ+ older adults and homecare personal support workers in a virtual arts and dialogue program to explore presents and futures of community-based care. In this Research Note the artist and researcher team reflect on the researcher-artist relationship and arts-based collaboration, touching on topics including community engagement, horizontal decision-making, and the power of images to affect change.
Monitorización de cambios geomorfológicos y transporte de carga de fondo durante flujos anuales en la rambla de Cervera (Castellón)
Authors: Benito Gerardo , Rabanaque Maria Pilar , Sanchis-Ibor Carles , Castillo Olegario , Vázquez-Tarrío Daniel , Calle Mikel , Martínez-Fernández Vanesa , Sánchez-Moya Yolanda
Published: November 2024

La mayor parte de los ríos efímeros mediterráneos (ramblas) se encuentran en un estado notable de degradación después de décadas de impactos humanos severos (e.g. extracción de gravas). La temporalidad del caudal en las ramblas ha contribuido a su abandono social y legislativo. Nuestra compañera Francesca Segura ha sido un referente en el estudio de la evolución y los procesos morfodinámicos de las ramblas y en la lucha por su conservación. En este trabajo del proyecto EPHIDREAMS, del que forma parte, se describen los resultados preliminares de la monitorización de dos tramos de la rambla de Cervera (Castellón) durante flujos efímeros (enero y abril de 2020). Se han dispuesto sensores de presión para el registro de calado, sensores de impacto para determinar la intensidad del transporte de carga de fondo, y fotogrametría para obtener MDTs de alta resolución. De estas técnicas se han obtenido mapas geomorfológicos diacrónicos, modelos hidráulicos bidimensionales y cuantificación de tasas de transporte de sedimento. En el tramo superior (Enroig), ambos eventos registraron un pico de 50 m3/s, observándose como su cauce entrelazado y la alta disponibilidad de sedimento permite una mayor eficiencia en la construcción de formas (barras laterales y mediales incipientes) y el transporte de gravas. En el tramo medio (Cervera del Maestre), con un valle semiconfinado de cauce estrecho y único, se registraron picos de 100 m3/s (enero) y 120 m3/s (abril). En este tramo, las condiciones de mayor energía y régimen próximo a flujo crítico impidieron la acumulación lateral de barras, dominando el depósito de lóbulos durante la etapa final del hidrograma. Aunque el volumen de sedimento transportado sea modesto (660 m3 en Enroig y 800 m3 en Cervera) resulta evidente que estos eventos frecuentes son críticos para mantener la actividad morfológica y la conectividad sedimentaria, impidiendo el estrangulamiento del cauce por crecimiento de la vegetación.
Visual homogeneity computations in the brain enable solving property-based visual tasks
Authors: Jacob Georgin , Pramod Raghavendrarao T , SP Arun
Published: November 2024

Most visual tasks involve looking for specific object features. But we also often perform property-based tasks where we look for specific property in an image, such as finding an odd item, deciding if two items are same, or if an object has symmetry. How do we solve such tasks? These tasks do not fit into standard models of decision making because their underlying feature space and decision process is unclear. Using well-known principles governing multiple object representations, we show that displays with repeating elements can be distinguished from heterogeneous displays using a property we define as visual homogeneity. In behavior, visual homogeneity predicted response times on visual search, same-different and symmetry tasks. Brain imaging during visual search and symmetry tasks revealed that visual homogeneity was localized to a region in the object-selective cortex. Thus, property-based visual tasks are solved in a localized region in the brain by computing visual homogeneity.
The Jag2/Notch1 signaling axis promotes sebaceous gland differentiation and controls progenitor proliferation
Authors: Abidi Syeda Nayab Fatima , Chan Sara , Seidel Kerstin , Lafkas Daniel , Vermeulen Louis , Peale Frank , Siebel Christian W
Published: November 2024

The sebaceous gland (SG) is a vital appendage of the epidermis, and its normal homeostasis and function is crucial for effective maintenance of the skin barrier. Notch signaling is a well-known regulator of epidermal differentiation, and has also been shown to be involved in postnatal maintenance of SGs. However, the precise role of Notch signaling in regulating SG differentiation in the adult homeostatic skin remains unclear. While there is evidence to suggest that Notch1 is the primary Notch receptor involved in regulating the differentiation process, the ligand remains unknown. Using monoclonal therapeutic antibodies designed to specifically inhibit of each of the Notch ligands or receptors, we have identified the Jag2/Notch1 signaling axis as the primary regulator of sebocyte differentiation in mouse homeostatic skin. Mature sebocytes are lost upon specific inhibition of the Jag2 ligand or Notch1 receptor, resulting in the accumulation of proliferative stem/progenitor cells in the SG. Strikingly, this phenotype is reversible, as these stem/progenitor cells re-enter differentiation when the inhibition of Notch activity is lifted. Thus, Notch activity promotes correct sebocyte differentiation, and is required to restrict progenitor proliferation.
Multisensory integration enhances audiovisual responses in the Mauthner cell
Authors: Otero-Coronel Santiago , Preuss Thomas , Medan Violeta
Published: November 2024

Multisensory integration combines information from multiple sensory modalities to create a coherent perception of the world. In contexts where sensory information is limited or equivocal, it also allows animals to integrate individually ambiguous stimuli into a clearer or more accurate percept and, thus, react with a more adaptive behavioral response. Although responses to multisensory stimuli have been described at the neuronal and behavioral levels, a causal or direct link between these two is still missing. In this study, we studied the integration of audiovisual inputs in the Mauthner cell, a command neuron necessary and sufficient to trigger a stereotypical escape response in fish. We performed intracellular recordings in adult goldfish while presenting a diverse range of stimuli to determine which stimulus properties affect their integration. Our results show that stimulus modality, intensity, temporal structure, and interstimulus delay affect input summation. Mechanistically, we found that the distinct decay dynamics of feedforward inhibition triggered by auditory and visual stimuli can account for certain aspects of input integration. Altogether, this is a rare example of the characterization of multisensory integration in a cell with clear behavioral relevance, providing both phenomenological and mechanistic insights into how multisensory integration depends on stimulus properties.
A novel deep learning model for predicting marine pollution for sustainable ocean management
Authors: Edeh Michael Onyema , Dalal Surjeet , Alhussein Musaed , Aurangzeb Khursheed , Seth Bijeta , Kumar Kuldeep
Published: November 2024

Climate change has become a major source of concern to the global community. The steady pollution of the environment including our waters is gradually increasing the effects of climate change. The disposal of plastics in the seas alters aquatic life. Marine plastic pollution poses a grave danger to the marine environment and the long-term health of the ocean. Though technology is also seen as one of the contributors to climate change many aspects of it are being applied to combat climate-related disasters and to raise awareness about the need to protect the planet. This study investigated the amount of pollution in marine and undersea leveraging the power of artificial intelligence to identify and categorise marine and undersea plastic wastes. The classification was done using two types of machine learning algorithms: two-step clustering and a fully convolutional network (FCN). The models were trained using Kaggle’s plastic location data, which was acquired in situ. An experimental test was conducted to validate the accuracy and performance of the trained models and the results were promising when compared to other conventional approaches and models. The model was used to create and test an automated floating plastic detection system in the required timeframe. In both cases, the trained model was able to correctly identify the floating plastic and achieved an accuracy of 98.38%. The technique presented in this study can be a crucial instrument for automatic detection of plastic garbage in the ocean thereby enhancing the war against marine pollution.
IMU-aided adaptive mesh-grid based video motion deblurring
Authors: Arslan Ahmet , Gultekin Gokhan Koray , Saranli Afsar
Published: November 2024

Motion blur is a problem that degrades the visual quality of images for human perception and also challenges computer vision tasks. While existing studies mostly focus on deblurring algorithms to remove uniform blur due to their computational efficiency, such approaches fail when faced with non-uniform blur. In this study, we propose a novel algorithm for motion deblurring that utilizes an adaptive mesh-grid approach to manage non-uniform motion blur with a focus on reducing the computational cost. The proposed method divides the image into a mesh-grid and estimates the blur point spread function (PSF) using an inertial sensor. For each video frame, the size of the grid cells is determined adaptively according to the in-frame spatial variance of blur magnitude which is a proposed metric for the blur non-uniformity in the video frame. The adaptive mesh-size takes smaller values for higher variances, increasing the spatial accuracy of the PSF estimation. Two versions of the adaptive mesh-size algorithm are studied, optimized for either best quality or balanced performance and computation cost. Also, a trade-off parameter is defined for changing the mesh-size according to application requirements. The experiments, using real-life motion data combined with simulated motion blur demonstrate that the proposed adaptive mesh-size algorithm can achieve 5% increase in PSNR quality gain together with a 19% decrease in computation time on the average when compared to the constant mesh-size method.
Feldspathic sandstone as an emerging soil stabilizer for aeolian sand in the Mu Us Sandy Land: insights into particle size distribution
Authors: Zhang Lu , Han Jichang , Li Juan , Ye Shenglan , Wu Dan
Published: November 2024

Stabilization of aeolian sand is essential for achieving desertification control, soil and water conservation, and agricultural development in sandy lands. Feldspathic sandstone is a soft clay rock widely found in the Mu Us Sandy Land. The purpose of this study was to ascertain the mechanism for aeolian sand stabilization with feldspathic sandstone from the perspective of particle size distribution. Feldspathic sandstone was added to aeolian sand at different ratios (mf:ms = 1:0, 1:1, 1:2, 1:5, and 0:1, where mf is the mass of feldspathic sandstone and ms is the mass of aeolian sand). The results showed that the soil texture was modified upon addition of feldspathic sandstone. The content of particles <0.05 mm increased with increasing addition ratio of feldspathic sandstone, in contrast to the downward trend observed for particles >0.05 mm. Consequently, the soil texture changed from sand to sandy loam, then loam, and finally silty loam. The addition of feldspathic sandstone ameliorated aeolian sand, resulting in a broader particle size distribution and lower particle size uniformity. Continuously well-graded soil was obtained at mf:ms = 1:5 (coefficient of uniformity: 54.71; coefficient of curvature: 2.54) or 1:2 (coefficient of uniformity: 76.21; coefficient of curvature: 1.12). While the addition of feldspathic sandstone solved the problem of single particle size distribution in aeolian sand, the presence of aeolian sand prevented soil compaction caused by the high clay content of feldspathic sandstone. Findings of this study indicate that the addition of feldspathic sandstone to aeolian sand leads to the mixing of various sized particles and continuous gradation of the soil. Although a higher addition ratio of feldspathic sandstone is more favorable for soil texture improvement, mf:ms = 1:5 is recommended for practical application in terms of particle gradation and cost effectiveness.
Os fluxos logísticos de informações intersetoriais no IDAF/AC: uma proposta de comunicação eficiente para a governança e a gestão de qualidade na autarquia
Authors: Vale Carlos Costa , Tamburini Marliane de Souza , Lima Golbery Paiva de , Nunes Gerliano Mouzinho
Published: November 2024

Garantir a qualidade dos serviços na gestão pública foi e continuará sendo um dos desafios precípuos dos gestores que almejam cumprir o princípio da eficiência expresso no art.37 da Constituição Federal de 88 (Brasil, 1988). Buscou-se por meio da pesquisa bibliográfica e documental de abordagem qualitativa analisar os benefícios da ferramenta CONDE na comunicação institucional do Instituto de Defesa Agropecuária e Florestal do Acre – IDAF. Também, procurou-se investigar a comunicação interna, o Sistema de Controle de Demandas CONDE) de chamados envolvendo os hardwares e softwares, a falta de integração de informações sobre a movimentação dos bens móveis envolvendo os setores de Patrimônio, Transportes e Assessoria de Modernização Tecnológica – ATI do IDAF objetivando responder a seguinte inquietação de estudo: de que forma a ferramenta CONDE vem contribuindo na gestão de informações intersetoriais no IDAF? Essa ferramenta auxilia na gestão da comunicação institucional, na organização, na definição e sistematização dos fluxos de informações vitais para a tomada de decisões possibilitando realizar dados cadastrais e de movimentações dos bens móveis (patrimônio) no IDAF, subsidiando, também, no controle das informações, possibilitando a agilidade no atendimento das demandas internas, facilitando a organização, o tratamento das informações, dando ainda, celeridade no atendimento das demandas solicitadas à ATI. A pesquisa bibliográfica aprofundou conceitos relevantes como:
Effect of Pretreatment and Osmotic Dehydration on the Quality and Technological Properties of Dried Banana (cv. Thap Maeo)
Authors: Nina Natasha Veruska dos Santos , Andrade Jerusa de Souza , Costa Suely de Souza , Souza Raimundo da Silva , Pereira Mirza Carla Normando
Published: November 2024

The banana is a product to preserve banana, avoid post-harvest losses and add value. This study aims to evaluate pre-treatments of prevention enzymatic browning and osmotic dehydration, influence on drying time, proximate analysis, physicochemical characterization, color and yield in bananas cv. Thap Maeo. The biometric characterization was performed. Bananas cv. Thap Maeo was submitted to pre-processing: antioxidant (acid ascorbic (0.25%), acid citric (0.30%)), bleaching (94°C), sulphitation (Na2S2O5/0.01%), with and without osmotic dehydration in sucrose solution (65°Brix/6h) and oven dried (65°C). The obtained products were evaluated for drying curve, chemical composition, physicochemical characteristics, internal color and external color, and dried banana yield. The banana of cv. Thap Maeo presents big bunches, high number of fruits, class 12, medium fruits, moderately sweet, low acidity, pulp yield (80.47%) e 92.65 kcal). These technological properties are interesting for agribusiness. There are significant differences for prevention and enzymatic browning, osmotic dehydration and interaction for several evaluated parameters. Dried banana with osmotic dehydration dried in 32 h, dry matter (80.1%), carbohydrates (74%), TSS (65º Brix), TSS/TTA ratio (59.3), ash content (0.4%), lower Aw (0.59), moisture content (19.9%), lower texture (2.23 N), 312 Kcal. Bleaching was the best in preventing the enzymatic browning in dried banana, with lower values of crude fat (0.24%), DM (78.1%), texture (less hard, 2.43 N), low moisture content (21.9%), low pH (4.26), AW (0.66), high yield (39%). Color light, red and yellow: color external (L*(29.1), a*(10), b*(10.3)) and color internal (L*(38.9), a*(12.1), b*(19.9)). The dried banana blanched with osmotic dehydration can be an opportunity for agribusiness bananas, added value, and conservation bananas, and can serve as a basis for Local Productive Arrangements - APL’s, in the Amazon. We recommend that further studies bleaching be carried in bananas with peel, steam blanching, immersion in liquid nitrogen, freeze cycles, and loss of minerals.
Corporate Risk Disclosure Practice and Financial Performance of Listed Industrial Goods Firms in Nigeria
Authors: Raji Yusuf, , Dagunduro Muyiwa E.,
Published: November 2024

In recent years, corporate risk disclosure has gained increasing attention in corporate governance discourse due to its potential impact on financial performance. The need for transparency in reporting risks has become more critical, particularly in the industrial goods sector, which is often characterized by high operational and financial risks. This study examined the influence of corporate risk disclosure on the financial performance of listed industrial goods firms in Nigeria, a sector known for high levels of operational and financial risk. It specifically assessed how financial and operational risk disclosures affect financial performance. This study employed expo-facto research design. The study population consisted of 13 industrial goods firms listed on the Nigerian Exchange Group (NGX) as of 31st December 2023. Census sampling was applied to include the entire population. Data were collected from annual reports and corporate governance disclosures were analysed with descriptive statistics and feasible generalised least squares regression analysis. The findings found that while financial risk disclosure positively and significantly influences financial performance, operational risk disclosure has a negative but significant effect. These outcomes suggest that financial transparency boosts investor trust and confidence, enhancing financial performance, whereas disclosing operational risks may reduce investor confidence due to concerns about operational stability and profitability. This study concluded that corporate risk disclosure demonstrated a significant role in influencing financial outcomes, yet its effect varies based on the type of risk disclosed. In line with empirical findings of this study, it was recommended that firms should balance transparency with discretion by selectively disclosing operational risks that have been mitigated or managed, reducing the potential for investor concerns over operational vulnerabilities.
Green Libraries in Ghana: Evaluating the Effectiveness and Challenges of Environmental Sustainability Efforts
Authors: Osman Hawa , Dango Joana
Published: November 2024

Aims: Public libraries are integral to community development, offering access to information, education, and cultural resources. In response to the imperative of environmental responsibility, libraries are increasingly adopting sustainable practices to reduce their ecological footprint.  This paper identified the environmental sustainability initiatives, assessed their effectiveness and explored the challenges faced by public libraries in implementing environmental sustainability initiatives
Methodology: This study employed a positivist research paradigm and survey design to investigate environmental sustainability initiatives in eleven geographically diverse public libraries in Ghana. Utilizing purposive and stratified random sampling, 70 library staff members were surveyed through tailored closed-ended questionnaires. The analysis focused on identifying the initiatives, assessing their effectiveness, and exploring implementation challenges. Statistical analysis was conducted using ANOVA to evaluate the study objectives, ensuring a rigorous examination of the data collected from library staff experiences with sustainability initiatives
Results: The research findings indicate that gender does not significantly affect staff involvement in environmental sustainability initiatives in libraries, but age, education, job roles, and experience do. Younger, more educated individuals in specific roles showed greater participation. Varied perceptions about sustainability initiatives were noted among different demographics. This study identified critical challenges faced by libraries in implementing environmental sustainability initiatives. Financial constraints emerged as a predominant barrier (F-statistic = 12.909, P = 0.00). Insufficient staff training and awareness also hindered efforts (F-statistic = 9.834, P = 0.00). Limited management support (F-statistic = 7.739, P = 0.00) and resistance to change (F-statistic = 14.466, P = 0.00) further impeded progress. Inadequate infrastructure was a significant challenge (F-statistic = 21.486, P = 0.00), emphasizing the need for investment in sustainable technologies.
Conclusion: The environmental sustainability initiatives in Ghana’s public libraries demonstrate a commitment to green practices and community engagement. By implementing tailored awareness campaigns, continuous staff training, and inclusive policies, libraries can effectively promote eco-friendly behaviors. Addressing challenges such as financial constraints and infrastructure limitations will further enhance their role in fostering sustainable development.
Exploring Noncompliance & Alternative Practices in Breastfeeding: Implication for Infants Health and Development
Authors: V. Nery, Vemarie , C. Jariol, Eden , C. Maglajos, Mary Joy , C. Abordo, Ian , Belle Sumugat, Donna
Published: November 2024

Background and Aim: This study investigated the impact of breastfeeding on infant growth and development in Santiago, Iligan City, examining the breastfeeding experiences of mothers who were non-compliant with breastfeeding.
Design: We employed a descriptive case study to examine the breastfeeding experiences of mothers in Santiago, Iligan City, Philippines. Data were collected from 10 mothers through in-depth interviews focusing on their breastfeeding experiences, including the challenges they encountered and the strategies they used to overcome them.
Results: The research revealed significant variations in the breastfeeding journeys of participants, highlighting compliance, practices, and cultural influences. By emphasizing the diverse factors that influence breastfeeding, this research can inform more personalized and culturally sensitive support for mothers, ultimately promoting better breastfeeding practices and outcomes.
Conclusion: Our study revealed the rich diversity and complexity of breastfeeding experiences, highlighting significant variations in compliance, practices, and cultural influences. The decision to breastfeed or switch to bottle-feeding was influenced by a complex mix of physical, emotional, and practical factors. The diversity in breastfeeding practices underscored the crucial role of personal situations and choices. Additionally, the study revealed the profound impact of cultural norms and personal beliefs on breastfeeding practices. These insights are essential for developing tailored and culturally sensitive breastfeeding support strategies.
Influence of Different Growing Media on Growth and Flowering of Chrysanthemum (Dendranthema grandiflora) Cultivars for Potmums
Authors: Mamatha P. , Rao A. Manohar , Prasanth P. , Reddy S. Narender
Published: November 2024

The present investigation influence of diffrnt growing media on growth and flowering of chrysanthemum (Dendranthema grandiflora) cultivars for potmums, was carried out at Floricultural Research Station, Sri Konda Laxman Telangana State Horticultural University, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad during September 2018 to February 2019. The experiment was conducted in factorial completely randomized design consisting of nine growing media G1: soil  + sand + FYM (2:1:1), G2 : soil + sand  + vermicompost (2:1:1), G3: cocopeat + sand  + FYM (2:1:1), G4: cocopeat + sand  + vermicompost (2:1:1), G5: soil + cocopeat + sand + FYM (2:1:0.5:0.5), G6: soil + cocopeat + sand + vermicompost (2:1:0.5:0.5), G7:cocopeat + soil + sand + FYM (2:1:0.5:0.5), G8: cocopeat + soil + sand + vermicompost (2:1:0.5:0.5), G9: control (red soil) with two cultivars i.e. Akitha and Redstone in 3 replications. Among 18 treatments, C2G8 i.e. Cv. Redstone in cocopeat  + soil + sand + vermicompost (2:1:0.5:0.5) recorded maximum plant height (21.60, 24.33 and 30.73 cm), number of branches (3.53, 5.07 and 7.20), plant spread in (N-S) (14.83, 20.49 and 24.18 cm), plant spread (E-W) (15.00, 24.03 and 28.32 cm) at 30, 60 and 90 days after planting respectively, maximum flower diameter (4.56 cm), flower longevity (18.73 days) and duration of flowering (27.80 days) but C2G7 i.e. Cv. Redstone in cocopeat + soil + sand + FYM (2:1:0.5:0.5).
Impact Assessment of Climate Change on Water Requirements for Summer Paddy Cultivation in Raipur District, Chhattisgarh
Authors: Kumar Nilesh , Agrawal Narendra , Khalkho Dhiraj , Srivastava L. K.
Published: November 2024

Water is a crucial and finite resource, primarily utilized for irrigation, necessitating effective distribution for long-term sustainability. This study quantifies the water requirements for summer paddy cultivation in Raipur district, Chhattisgarh, and assesses its implications under changing climatic conditions. The FAO-CROPWAT 8.0 model was applied to assess irrigation parameters using historical meteorological data from 2000 to 2020 and projected meteorological data from 2040 to 2100. Reference evapotranspiration (ET₀) was estimated using Penman-Monteith method, incorporating crop coefficient (Kc) values to determine crop evapotranspiration (ETc). Irrigation water requirements were estimated by accounting for various losses and efficiencies of crop and field. Comprehensive water balance models were developed across the century, focusing on a 20-year average time span, including the historical period as 2000-2020 and the predicted time span from 2040 to 2100 with two socio-economic scenarios: SSP2-4.5 and SSP5-8.5, along with soil, meteorological, and phenological factors. Over the baseline period, the crop water requirement (CWR) for summer paddy was calculated as 751.4 mm, with net irrigation water requirement (NIWR) and gross irrigation water requirement (GIWR) as 1094.7 mm and 1563.8 mm, respectively. Under SSP2-4.5 scenario, the minimum and maximum temperatures are projected to rise by 1.3 °C and 1 °C respectively with rainfall increasing by 378.5 mm. This scenario anticipates a CWR increase of 32.6 mm by century's end, resulting in final values of CWR as 784 mm, NIWR as 1164.7 mm, and GIWR as 1663.9 mm. In the SSP5-8.5 scenario, temperatures are expected to rise by 4.4 °C and 3.1 °C as minimum and maximum temperature, leading to a CWR of 800.4 mm, with NIWR and GIWR as 1176.5 mm and 1680.7 mm, respectively. Overall, most parameters indicate an upward trend throughout the century. This study provides critical insights for efficient irrigation management in summer paddy cultivation and highlights the implications of future climate change on irrigation needs, promoting sustainable agricultural practices.