bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Closed-loop transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation for the improvement of upper extremity motor function in stroke patients: a study protocol
Authors: Xiao Xue-Zhen , Li Rongdong , Xu Chengwei , Liang Siqi , Yang Meng , Zhong Haili , Huang Xiyan , Ma Jingjing , Xie Qiuyou 
Published: June 2024

BackgroundTranscutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) has garnered attention for stroke rehabilitation, with studies demonstrating its benefits when combined with motor rehabilitative training or delivered before motor training. The necessity of concurrently applying taVNS with motor training for post-stroke motor rehabilitation remains unclear. We aimed to investigate the necessity and advantages of applying the taVNS concurrently with motor training by an electromyography (EMG)-triggered closed-loop system for post-stroke rehabilitation.MethodsWe propose a double-blinded, randomized clinical trial involving 150 stroke patients assigned to one of three groups: concurrent taVNS, sequential taVNS, or sham control condition. In the concurrent group, taVNS bursts will synchronize with upper extremity motor movements with EMG-triggered closed-loop system during the rehabilitative training, while in the sequential group, a taVNS session will precede the motor rehabilitative training. TaVNS intensity will be set below the pain threshold for both concurrent and sequential conditions and at zero for the control condition. The primary outcome measure is the Fugl-Meyer Assessment of Upper Extremity (FMA-UE). Secondary measures include standard upper limb function assessments, as well as EMG and electrocardiogram (ECG) features.Ethics and disseminationEthical approval has been granted by the Medical Ethics Committee, affiliated with Zhujiang Hospital of Southern Medical University for Clinical Studies (2023-QX-012-01). This study has been registered on ClinicalTrials (NCT05943431). Signed informed consent will be obtained from all included participants. The findings will be published in peer-reviewed journals and presented at relevant stakeholder conferences and meetings.DiscussionThis study represents a pioneering effort in directly comparing the impact of concurrent taVNS with motor training to that of sequential taVNS with motor training on stroke rehabilitation. Secondly, the incorporation of an EMG-triggered closed-loop taVNS system has enabled the automation and individualization of both taVNS and diverse motor training tasks—a novel approach not explored in previous research. This technological advancement holds promise for delivering more precise and tailored training interventions for stroke patients. However, it is essential to acknowledge a limitation of this study, as it does not delve into examining the neural mechanisms underlying taVNS in the context of post-stroke rehabilitation.
A lightweight Yunnan Xiaomila detection and pose estimation based on improved YOLOv8
Authors: Wang Fenghua , Tang Yuan , Gong Zaipeng , Jiang Jin , Chen Yu , Xu Qiang , Hu Peng , Zhu Hailong 
Published: June 2024

IntroductionYunnan Xiaomila is a pepper variety whose flowers and fruits become mature at the same time and multiple times a year. The distinction between the fruits and the background is low and the background is complex. The targets are small and difficult to identify.MethodsThis paper aims at the problem of target detection of Yunnan Xiaomila under complex background environment, in order to reduce the impact caused by the small color gradient changes between xiaomila and background and the unclear feature information, an improved PAE-YOLO model is proposed, which combines the EMA attention mechanism and DCNv3 deformable convolution is integrated into the YOLOv8 model, which improves the model’s feature extraction capability and inference speed for Xiaomila in complex environments, and achieves a lightweight model. First, the EMA attention mechanism is combined with the C2f module in the YOLOv8 network. The C2f module can well extract local features from the input image, and the EMA attention mechanism can control the global relationship. The two complement each other, thereby enhancing the model’s expression ability; Meanwhile, in the backbone network and head network, the DCNv3 convolution module is introduced, which can adaptively adjust the sampling position according to the input feature map, contributing to stronger feature capture capabilities for targets of different scales and a lightweight network. It also uses a depth camera to estimate the posture of Xiaomila, while analyzing and optimizing different occlusion situations. The effectiveness of the proposed method was verified through ablation experiments, model comparison experiments and attitude estimation experiments.ResultsThe experimental results indicated that the model obtained an average mean accuracy (mAP) of 88.8%, which was 1.3% higher than that of the original model. Its F1 score reached 83.2, and the GFLOPs and model sizes were 7.6G and 5.7MB respectively. The F1 score ranked the best among several networks, with the model weight and gigabit floating-point operations per second (GFLOPs) being the smallest, which are 6.2% and 8.1% lower than the original model. The loss value was the lowest during training, and the convergence speed was the fastest. Meanwhile, the attitude estimation results of 102 targets showed that the orientation was correctly estimated exceed 85% of the cases, and the average error angle was 15.91°. In the occlusion condition, 86.3% of the attitude estimation error angles were less than 40°, and the average error angle was 23.19°.DiscussionThe results show that the improved detection model can accurately identify Xiaomila targets fruits, has higher model accuracy, less computational complexity, and can better estimate the target posture.
Urban environmental monitoring and health risk assessment introducing a fuzzy intelligent computing model
Authors: Wang Weijia , Guan Xin , Peng Xiaoyan , Wang Zeyu , Liang Xinyi , Zhu Junfan 
Published: June 2024

IntroductionTo enhance the precision of evaluating the impact of urban environments on resident health, this study introduces a novel fuzzy intelligent computing model designed to address health risk concerns using multi-media environmental monitoring data.MethodsThree cities were selected for the study: Beijing (B City), Kunming (K City), and Wuxi (W City), representing high, low, and moderate pollution levels, respectively. The study employs a Fuzzy Inference System (FIS) as the chosen fuzzy intelligent computing model, synthesizing multi-media environmental monitoring data for the purpose of urban health risk assessment.Results(1) The model reliably estimates health risks across diverse cities and environmental conditions. (2) There is a positive correlation between PM2.5 concentrations and health risks, though the impact of noise levels varies by city. In cities B, K, and W, the respective correlation coefficients are 0.65, 0.55, and 0.7. (3) The Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) values for cities B, K, and W, are 0.0132, 0.0125, and 0.0118, respectively, indicating that the model has high accuracy. The R2 values for the three cities are 0.8963, 0.9127, and 0.9254, respectively, demonstrating the model’s high explanatory power. The residual values for the three cities are 0.0087, 0.0075, and 0.0069, respectively, indicating small residuals and demonstrating robustness and adaptability. (4) The model’s p-values for the Indoor Air Quality Index (IAQI), Thermal Comfort Index (TCI), and Noise Pollution Index (NPI) all satisfy p &lt; 0.05 for the three cities, affirming the model’s credibility in estimating health risks under varied urban environments.DiscussionThese results showcase the model’s ability to adapt to diverse geographical conditions and aid in the accurate assessment of existing risks in urban settings. This study significantly advances environmental health risk assessment by integrating multidimensional data, enhancing the formulation of comprehensive environmental protection and health management strategies, and providing scientific support for sustainable urban planning.
Seed Propagation of Carapa amorphocarpa W. Palacios Using Various Treatments of Substrates and Mechanical Seed Scarification in a Nursery in the Andean Area of Northwestern Ecuador
Authors: Villota-González Freddy Hernán , Palacios Walter , Villota González Edison Javier , Bernaola-Paucar Rosario Marilú , Sulbarán-Rangel Belkis 
Published: June 2024

Carapa amorphocarpa W. Palacios is a forest species known solely from Cerro Golondrinas in northwestern Ecuador. The species is threatened due to illegal exploitation of its wood and the encroachment of the agricultural frontier. Although information on its ecology and forestry was presented in 2012, there is still very little information available. This study investigated the effects of various pre-germinative treatments on the seed germination and early growth of Carapa amorphocarpa in a nursery. The treatments included combinations of substrates (forest soil alone and forest soil mixed with sand), along with pre-germinative mechanical seed scarification. Through these treatments, the seeds’ germination capacity, growth potential, and survival rates were evaluated in a nursery. Seed germination was found to be cryptocotylar hypogeal, commencing at 41 days and achieving an average of 83.13%. Survival of germinated seedlings was 99.23% at 60 days after germination. Furthermore, a high degree of correlation in growth was observed between basal diameter and plant height (R = 0.94). The mean values for the plants’ basal diameter and total height were 0.91 cm and 50.48 cm, respectively, at 60 days. Plant form was straight with excellent health. These insights offer the potential to enhance species populations, mitigate threat risks, and in the long term, foster sustainable use of Carapa amorphocarpa genetic resources. Moreover, this seed propagation information can be leveraged for other species within the genus exploited for oil extraction from their seeds, thereby broadening knowledge and facilitating sustainable forest resource management.
Storing up Treasures: Storage Potential of Macrolophus pygmaeus (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Miridae) Nymphs for Application in Biological Control
Authors: Pazyuk Irina M. , Dolgovskaya Margarita Y. , Reznik Sergey Y. , Musolin Dmitrii L. 
Published: June 2024

Long-term storage is an important component of insect mass-rearing systems, prolonging the shelf life of biocontrol agents during a low-demand period or a temporary lack of suitable food. Macrolophus pygmaeus is a predatory heteropteran, mass-reared and widely used for the biological control of arthropod pests in greenhouses. With the aim to determine the optimal conditions and acceptable duration of cold storage, we evaluated the impact of different periods of storage of fed and starved third instar nymphs of M. pygmaeus at different temperatures on nymphal survival, adult emergence, and female fecundity. Four storage temperatures (3, 6, 9, and 12 °C) were tested. The longevity of starved nymphs decreased with an increase in the storage temperature, with a maximum of about 40 days at 3 °C, whereas the longest lifetime of nymphs fed on eggs of the grain moth Sitotroga cerealella (about 150 days) was observed at 9 °C. Further experiments demonstrated that the third instar nymphs of M. pygmaeus fed with eggs of the grain moth can be stored at 9 °C for 30 days, with a moderate (10–20%) decrease in survival and fecundity, whereas the survival of starved nymphs decreased by half after 10 days of storage at 3 °C.
Pythium banihashemianum sp. nov. and Globisporangium izadpanahii sp. nov.: Two New Oomycete Species from Rice Paddies in Iran
Authors: Salmaninezhad Fatemeh , Mostowfizadeh-Ghalamfarsa Reza , Cacciola Santa Olga 
Published: June 2024

An investigation into oomycete diversity in rice paddies of Fars Province in Iran led to the identification of two new Pythium sensu lato (s.l.) species as Globisporangium izadpanahii sp. nov. and Pythium banihashemianum sp. nov. The identification was based on morphological and physiological features as well as on the phylogenetic analysis of nuclear (ITS and βtub) and mitochondrial (cox1 and cox2) loci using Bayesian inference and Maximum Likelihood. The present paper formally describes these two new species and defines their phylogenetic relationships with other congeneric species. According to multiple gene genealogy analysis, G. izadpanahii sp. nov. was grouped with other species of Globisporangium (formerly, clade G of Pythium s.l.) and was closely related to both G. nagaii and the recently described G. coniferarum. The second species, designated P. banihashemianum sp. nov., was grouped with other species of Pythium sensu stricto (formerly, clade B of Pythium s.l.) and, according to the phylogenetic analysis, shared an ancestor with P. plurisporium. The production of globose hyphal swellings was a major characteristic of G. izadpanahii sp. nov., which did not produce vesicles and zoospores. In pathogenicity tests on rice seedlings, P. banihashemianum sp. nov. isolates were highly pathogenic and caused severe root and crown rot, while G. izadpanahii sp. nov. isolates were not pathogenic.
Existence Results for Tempered-Hilfer Fractional Differential Problems on Hölder Spaces
Authors: Salem Hussein A. H. , Cichoń Mieczysław , Shammakh Wafa 
Published: June 2024

This paper considers a nonlinear fractional-order boundary value problem  HDa,gα1,β,μx(t)+f(t,x(t),HDa,gα2,β,μx(t))=0, for t∈[a,b], α1∈(1,2], α2∈(0,1], β∈[0,1] with appropriate integral boundary conditions on the Hölder spaces. Here, f is a real-valued function that satisfies the Hölder condition, and HDa,gα,β,μ represents the tempered-Hilfer fractional derivative of order α>0 with parameter μ∈R+ and type β∈[0,1]. The corresponding integral problem is introduced in the study of this issue. This paper addresses a fundamental issue in the field, namely the circumstances under which differential and integral problems are equivalent. This approach enables the study of differential problems using integral operators. In order to achieve this, tempered fractional calculus and the equivalence problem of the studied problems are introduced and studied. The selection of an appropriate function space is of fundamental importance. This paper investigates the applicability of these operators on Hölder spaces and provides a comprehensive rationale for this choice.
Proyecto de vinculación con la colectividad FACECOOC en los emprendimientos de la ciudad de Machala
Authors: Ullauri Aguilar Kevin Alexander , Vargas Aguilar Joyce Estefanny , Yumbla Barreto Katiusca Nicole , Yulan Zapata Jennifer Stefany , Maza Iñiguez José Vicente 
Published: June 2024

El objetivo de la investigación fue describir el impacto del proyecto de fortalecimiento y acompañamiento contable a los emprendedores de la ciudad de Machala "FACECOOC" de la Carrera de Contabilidad y Auditoría (CCA) de la Universidad Técnica de Machala. La metodología incluyó cuatro visitas: la primera para conocer necesidades y aplicar una encuesta sobre plan de negocios y crédito, la segunda para capacitar en planificación, la tercera en acceso al crédito, y la última para entrega de productos. El 13% comprende los planes de negocios y sus componentes, pero el 87% nunca los ha creado. Respecto al crédito, el 13% ha solicitado préstamos comerciales, mientras el 87% no ha tenido retrasos por documentación incompleta o rechazos por baja puntuación crediticia. El proyecto FACECOOC destaca el impacto positivo en la formación de estudiantes y el desarrollo de emprendimientos, fortaleciendo la relación Universidad-Sociedad y recibiendo reconocimiento por su labor.
The Effect of Covid-19 on moral commitment and the role of Islamic fatwas in promoting morality,
Authors: ElKhatib Abdallah , Hassan Mahmoud A. , Bichi Mohammed Abdelhalim 
Published: June 2024

The present study, which is the first study of its kind in Qatar, revolves around the role of Islamic fatwas at the state of Qatar on the moral commitment of a sample of Qatar university employees (faculty and staff) during the time of COVID-19. The study mainly tried to explore the community’s response to these fatwas and its impact on societal guidance. Therefore, it tried to answer the main question of the study which is what is the effect of the pandemic on people’s behavior and system of values? This study aims to assess the role of Islamic fatwas at the state of Qatar on the moral commitment of a sample of Qatar university employees (faculty and staff) during the time of COVID-19.To achieve this aim and answer the questions of the study, an e-questionnaire was developed, validated by a group of experts, and administered on a representative sample of the population of the study (n =244), from Qatar university employees (faculty and staff) during the academic year 2022-2023. For quantitative data, the descriptive approach was employed using SPSS-28, while content analysis was applied to the qualitative data collected in response to the open-ended question in the questionnaire. Results showed that COVID-19 pandemic affected the religious values as 60% of the participants sought spiritual support through worship, 64% had a positive attitude towards improving ties of kinship, and 49% increased the sense of social responsibility. The study also showed the importance of the role of religious scholars in society, especially in times of crisis when people refer to their fatwas and guidance for enlightenment. In conclusion, Fatwas played a vital role in reinforcing many moral values although other values were badly affected by the outbreak of the pandemic.
صورة اليهود في الدراما الخليجية: تحليل مضمون مسلسل أم هارون
Authors: الرجبي محمود أحمد , الذايدي أحمد خليف 
Published: June 2024

تَقُوم هَذِهِ الدِّراسَة عَلَى تحليل حَلَقات مُسَلْسَل أم هارون التلفزيوني، لِلوُصُولِ إلى صُورة اليهود فِيهِ كمثال عَن الدراما الخليجية، وتأتي أهمية هذه الدراسة من القضية التي تتناولها، وهي العلاقات بين المسلمين واليهود في أواخر القرن التاسع عشر في الخليج العربي. وتتمثل المشكلة البحثية فِي هَذِهِ الدِّراسَة فِي الكشف عَن صُورة اليهود فِي الدراما الخليجية، من خِلال تحليل مضمون حَلَقات أم هارون، وتهدف الدراسة إلى التعرف عَلَى أهم الشَخْصِيات اليهودية، وَالـمُسْلِمَة، والمسيحية، والكشف عَن أهم الـمَوَاضِيع، وتحليل صُورَة اليهودي، وَالـمُسْلِم فِي مُسَلْسَل أم هارون. أما المنهج المتبع فِي هَذِهِ الدراسة فهُوَ المنهج النوعي (Qualitative research)، بطريقة التحليل الموضوعي (Thematic analysis)، وجاءت أبرز النتائج: أن صُورَة رجل الدين اليهودي وَالـمُسْلِم سَلْبِيَّة، بَيْنَما صُورَة رجل الدين المسيحي إيجابية. وخلصت الدراسة إلى أن شَخْصِية رجل الدين اليهودي سلبية، وَتُحِب الـمَال، وَتَقُوم بعمل المؤامرات، وغيرها من الصفات السَّلْبِيَّة، وأن الـمُسْلم الإيجابي هُوَ الَّذِي لا يَقُوُم بأيِّ نشاط دعوي، وأن التدين عِنْدَ اليهود وَالـمُسْلِمينَ لا يجعل الشخص إيجابيًا، وأن الشخصيات المسيحية الدينية أفضل، وأن هُنَاكَ تشابها فِي السُّلُوك والصفات بَيْنَ المتشددين الـمُسْلِمينَ واليهود. كما أظهر الـمُسَلْسَل فِي أكثر من مشهد أن فِلِسْطِين أرض إسرائيلية، وركز عَلَى وُجُود تعاون بَيْنَ الإنجليز والصهاينة فِي الـمُسَاعَدَة إلى الهجرة لفلسطين، وأن الوطن هُوَ الهُويَّة الجامعة بَيْنَ النَّاس وَليْسَ الدين، وَتَوَصَلَت الدِّراسَة أيضًا إلى أن الـمُسَلْسَل يضم بَعْض التناقضات، وَفِيهِ إقحامات لبعض الـمَعْلُومَات، والحوارات. ويَرَى الباحثان: ضرورة إجراء دراسات إضافية حول صُورَة اليهودي فِي الدراما العَرَبِيَّة.
APPLICATION OF THE SIMPLE ADDITIVE WEIGHTING METHOD IN LABORATORY PRACTICUM ASSISTANT SELECTION PROBLEM
Authors: Fetty Tri Anggraeny  , Yisti Vita Via  
Published: June 2024

Dalam kehidupan selalu dihadapkan pada beberapa pilihan untuk pengambilan keputusan yang tepat. Susahnya untuk menentukan pilihan yang akurat sesuai dengan kriteria yang sudah ditentukan. Permasalahan pengambilan keputusan juga dialami saat seleksi asisten praktikum. Pada Sistem Pendukung Keputusan Seleksi Asisten Praktikum ini, digunakan oleh dua user yaitu Kepala Laboratorium yang merupakan mengelola sistem penseleksian mulai dari membuat pengumuman seleksi, menentukan kriteria dan bobot yang akan digunakan sebagai acuan untuk menentukan asisten, memasukkan nilai tes dari tiap-tiap kriteria serta dapat melihat hasil rekomendasi dari perhitungan menggunakan metode Simple Additive Weighting (SAW). Sedangkan untuk user mahasiswa melakukan pendaftaran dan serta dapat melihat hasil pengumumun seleksi. Dengan adanya Sistem ini dapat membantu Kepala laboratorium untuk mempercepat pengambilan keputusan dalam memilih asisten yang mempunyai potensi pada kriteria yang diprioritaskan. Dengan penerapan metode SAW pada sistem dapat membantu menentukan hasil rekomendasi sesuai dengan rangking.
التقنيات الطباعية الحديثة والتأثير والاستجابة في الإعلان المطبوع
Authors: م.م. عذراء علي احمد  , أ.م.د. إبراهيم حمدان سبتي  
Published: June 2024

شهدت العقود الاخيرة تطوراً هائلاً في مجالات تقنية عدة، منها مجال تقنيات الطباعة وخاماتها وهذا التطور جاء نتيجة التقدم العلمي والتقني المتسارع؛ واليوم أصبح من الصعب مقارنة تقنيات الطباعة التقليدية بتقنيات الطباعة الحديثة، والتي لها دور في إخراج الإعلان المطبوع، إذ باتَ باستطاعة المصمم الإعلاني تلبية متطلبات المعلن بأسرع وقت ممكن وبأقل جهد، ويرجع هذا إلى التطور التقني في مجال الطباعة، وللتقنيات الطباعية الحديثة تأثير على هيأة الإخراج النهائي للإعلان مما يؤدي إلى تحقيق التأثير والاستجابة لدى المتلقي، فأصبح من الممكن اختيار نوع الطباعة الملائمة لكل سطح طابع، وبما يناسب الإعلان المراد طباعته، فهناك العديد من الإعلانات المتنوعة منها، إعلانات الشوارع وعلى الأبنية، فضلاً عن الإعلانات الداخلية، لذلك يتطلب فيها اختيار نوع الطباعة والخامات ومدى مقاومتها للمتغيرات المناخية، فضلاً عن استعمال الأحبار ذات الألوان البراقة، تعزز من جذب وشد انتباه المتلقي مما تثير اهتمامه بأسرع وقت ممكن، فضلاً عن طريقة عرض الإعلان وموقعه، جميعها لها تأثير على تغيير سلوك المتلقي، فالإعلان أحد طرق التأثير على المتلقي ومن ثم تحقيق الاستجابة، وهذا بدوره يمثل محور دراسة البحث، لذا يمكن تحديد مشكلة بالتساؤل الآتي:
- ما هي العلاقة بين التقنيات الطباعية الحديثة والتأثير في المتلقي واستجابته للإعلان المطبوع؟
وهدفت الدراسة هو (الكشف عن التأثير والاستجابة الذي تحققه التقنيات الطباعية الحديثة في الإعلان المطبوع). وتمثلت حدود البحث بالتقنيات الطباعية الحديثة وعلاقتها في التأثير والاستجابة في الإعلان المطبوع، وكانت الحدود الزمنية البحث من 1/1/2021 إلى 30/6/2021، أما الحدود المكانية فكانت (إعلانات المعروضة في مدينة بغداد/ جانب الرصافة)، فضلاً عن تحديد مصطلحات البحث التي وردت في عنوان الدراسة.
Effects of green policies on sustainability of local economies in Africa
Authors: Motadi Masa Sylvester 
Published: June 2024

This article conducts a thorough analysis of the potential impacts of environmentally friendly policies on the long-term viability of renewable energy and waste management policies on the economics of local regions within the African Continental Free Trade Area. The research examines how these policies intersect with the development of intra-African enterprise and local employment rates. The study employs a qualitative methodology, utilising an exploratory research design to investigate African economic performance metrics. It also uses qualitative data to gain a deeper understanding of the subtle implications of policies. The research evaluates the economic consequences of these policies in African contexts by utilising a range of secondary sources, such as governmental reports, peer-reviewed studies, and policy evaluations. Initial results indicate that although green policies have resulted in substantial environmental advantages, their influence on intra-African economies is intricate and diverse. The report asserts that comprehending these dynamics is crucial for policymakers, practitioners, and researchers who have an interest in fostering sustainable development and inclusive economic growth in Africa. The study suggests the adoption of environmentally friendly policies that take into account the economic conditions inside Africa and aim to achieve a local economy that is both environmentally sustainable and inclusive.