bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Evaluating Groundwater Quality as Drinking Water in Hambantota District: A Water Quality Index Analysis
Authors: Wickramasooriya Ashvin , Sugandini Ayesha 
Published: April 2024

Abstract

With the escalation of diverse developmental and agricultural activities, both human-induced and natural, the groundwater quality within Hambantota district has undergone changes. An analysis of the suitability of groundwater for drinking purposes is imperative, given that it serves as the second most important source of drinking water in Hambantota. Employing the Water Quality Index (WQI), this study aims to discern and assess the suitability of groundwater quality for drinking within the district. The WQI employs a weighted arithmetic index to facilitate this evaluation. The primary objective of this research is to ascertain the present groundwater quality status in Hambantota district through the utilization of secondary data. The overarching goal is to gauge the overall appropriateness of groundwater quality for drinking purposes within the district. To accomplish this, 335 groundwater samples were analyzed by the National Water Supply & Drainage Board, subsequently undergoing analysis to determine the viability of groundwater as a drinking water source in Hambantota. The analysis process involves establishing a Pearson correlation to construct a relationship matrix among eight variables: Total Dissolved Solids (TDS), Magnesium (Mg+ 2), Chloride (Cl-), Sulfate (SO4-2), Total Iron (Fe+ 2), Nitrate (NO3-), Total Hardness (TH), and Fluoride (F-). Additionally, the Water Quality Index (WQI) is computed using descriptive statistics. Based on the secondary data, spatial distribution maps for each parameter, as well as the WQI, were generated. The outcomes of the study divulged that for drinking water quality, the WQI classification allocates 13% and 28% to the excellent and good groundwater quality classes, respectively. Conversely, the remaining WQI classifications, amounting to 6% for poor, 5% for very poor, and 47% for unsuitable, emphasize the unsatisfactory suitability of groundwater for drinking within Hambantota district. Consequently, these spatial distribution maps prove invaluable in the identification of groundwater quality patterns across Hambantota district.
Current status and standardization prospects of blockchain integration and innovation in the Web3.0
Authors: Jia Xiangjuan , Fang Xinwei , Zhang Yijie , Yuan Heng , Chen Xiaofeng , Ge Wenfei , Liu Weinan 
Published: April 2024

Abstract

In the Web3.0 era, which does not rely on any centralized organization and emphasizes user control, security, trustworthiness and the importance of data privacy, blockchain plays a key role. Its decentralization, security and trustworthiness and other characteristics have become Building the infrastructure of trusted interconnection and value interconnection in the Web3.0 era has laid the foundation for the development of Web3.0. With the development of Web3.0, blockchain technology itself is also continuing to develop. There are more and more researches on the integration and innovative development of blockchain technology with big data, artificial intelligence, metaverse, Internet of Things and privacy computing. In this context, the basic principles and characteristics of Web3.0 and blockchain technology are first explained, focusing on the decentralization, traceability and non-tampering characteristics of blockchain, and then an overview of the relationship between blockchain and The advantages of the integrated innovation and development of big data, artificial intelligence, metaverse, Internet of Things and privacy computing are analyzed.The standardization construction situation and future work prospects of the integrated innovation and development of blockchain technology under Web3.0 are analyzed.
Achieving Record External Quantum Efficiency of 10.14% in Non-Doped Single-Emissive-Layer White Light-Emitting Diodes Utilizing Hot Exciton Mechanism
Authors: lu Ping , Liu Futong , Liu Hui , Chen Yichao , He Xin , Cheng Zhuang , Ma Xiaobo , Qiao Xianfeng , Ma Dongge 
Published: April 2024

Abstract

White organic light-emitting diodes (WOLEDs) based on non-doped single emitter can promise convenient fabrication technology, absent phase separation, minimal color-aging, and good reproducibility for next-generation displays and lightings. However, the pure organic materials that could radiate intense white light are extremely rare, and the external quamtum efficiencies (EQE) of previously reported non-doped white OLEDs do not exceed 5%. Hence, the straightforward preparation of single white light-emitting molecules for high-performance non-doped WOLEDs remains a high challenging task. Herein, we design and synthesize four hot exciton materials, PhAnPy, DPhAnPy, PIAnPy and PyIAnPy, which consist of anthracene, pyrene and imidazole functional groups. Based on the rational manipulation of intermolecular interaction and excited state property, PIAnPy and PyIAnPy display dual emission in the neat films originating from the monomer and excimer emission. Exploiting PIAnPy as a single emitter, a non-doped WOLED is fabricated with a record EQE of 10.14%, a maximum luminance exceeding 50000 cd m-2 and the Commission Internationale de L'Eclairage coordinates of (0.35, 0.26). Its EQE maintains as high as 9.80% at the luminescence of 1000 cd m-2 showing a very low efficiency roll-off. To the best of our knowledge, this is the best results of non-doped WOLEDs based on the single-component emitters reported to date.
Pollution assessment and source apportionment of trace elements in Brazilian urban topsoils
Authors: Penteado Priscila Bassi , Nogarotto Danilo Covaes , Costa Bruno Elias Santos , Alves Vanessa Nunes , Oliveira Bruna Fernanda Faria , Pozza Simone Andrea , Canteras Felippe Benavente 
Published: April 2024

Abstract
Studying urban soils is an important tool for assessing and identifying sources of pollution in urban centers and better understating their impacts on human health, especially given the intensification of urbanization processes in Brazilian cities. Topsoil samples (0-5cm) were collected from urban parks (Bosque Park and Limeira Park) and unforested places (Prada School and School of Technology – FT) from Limeira City (Brazil) during 2019–2020 to quantify the inorganic composition of urban soils, apply pollution indices, compare the results with reference guidelines values, and identify the main contamination sources using Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Positive Matrix Factorization Model (PMF). Results showed that all samples presented concentrations of trace elements related to anthropic sources. Cu, Cd, Zn, and Pb concentrations have enriched compared with the upper continental crust values. The FT, Limeira Park, and Prada School had the highest concentrations of Cd, Pb, and Zn, respectively. Bosque Park, in turn, showed the largest Cr, Cu, and Ni concentrations. Distance from issuing sources, the presence of dense vegetation, and the physical and chemical properties of soil (pH, cation exchange capacity – CEC, clay and organic matter percentages) were the main explaining factors for the concentrations found. Overall, the main sources of contamination are related to industries, fertilizers, vehicular exhaust and geogenic sources. Our results suggest that wooded urban parks have greater potential to store toxic elements than unforested places. Moreover, wooded urban parks provide an important ecosystem service in urban areas and should be considered in public policies aimed at promoting sustainable cities.
Enhancing Multi-Objective Test Case Selection through the Mutation Operator
Authors: Ugarte Miriam , Valle Pablo , Illarramendi Miren , Arrieta Aitor 
Published: April 2024

Abstract

Test case selection has been a widely investigated technique to increase the cost-effectiveness of software testing. Because the search space in this problem is huge, search-based approaches have been found effective, where an optimization algorithm (e.g., a genetic algorithm) applies mutation and crossover operators guided by corresponding objective functions with the goal of reducing the test execution cost while maintaining the overall test quality. The de-facto mutation operator is the bit-flip mutation, where a test case is mutated with a probability of $1/N$, $N$ being the total number of test cases in the original test suite. This has a core disadvantage: an effective test case and an ineffective one have the same probability of being selected or removed. In this paper, we advocate for a novel mutation operator that promotes selecting cost-effective test cases while removing the ineffective and expensive ones. To this end, instead of applying a probability of $1/N$ to every single test case in the original test suite, we calculate new selection and removal probabilities. This is carried out based on the adequacy criterion as well as the cost of each test case, determined before executing the algorithm (e.g., based on historical data). We evaluate our approach in 13 case study system, including 3 industrial case studies, in three different application domains (i.e., Cyber-Physical Systems (CPSs), continuous integration systems and industrial control systems). Our results suggests that the proposed approach can increase the cost-effectiveness of search-based test case selection methods, especially when the time budget for executing test cases is low.
Hall Effect Thruster Impedance Characterization in Ground-based Vacuum Test Facilities
Authors: Jovel David R. , Cabrera Janice D. , Walker Mitchell L. R. 
Published: April 2024

Abstract
Hall effect thrusters (HETs) are typically regarded as DC electric propulsion devices as they are operated with isolated DC power supplies. However, it is well known that the HET’s discharge current possesses oscillations of varying magnitudes and frequencies and is thus a function of time with AC characteristics. The observed oscillations are caused by plasma processes associated with ion, electron, and neutral particle dynamics that occur inside the HET’s discharge channel and in the plume as the HET electrically interacts with its local operating environment. The extent to which plasma oscillations impact HET discharge dynamics is difficult to quantify due to the complexity of analyzing AC signals, given that the HET is a nonlinear, time-variant electrical load. In this work, we overcome the challenge of nonlinearity and time-variance of HETs by conducting a small-signal impedance analysis to characterize the effective resistance and reactance of the HET discharge with a novel and versatile impedance measurement diagnostic. The impedance magnitude and phase of a 7-kW class HET were measured from 100 Hz to 300 kHz with an excitation signal of ±2 Vpk for two discharge operating conditions on krypton: 4.5 kW, 15 A and 6 kW, 20 A. The results were used to quantify resistive, capacitive, and inducive characteristics present within the HET discharge signature. For the 4.5 kW, 15 A thruster operating condition, the breathing mode capacitance was estimated to be 12.6 µF with an inductance of 15.3 µH. Furthermore, the impedance characteristics of the breathing mode are within ± 2.4 kHz of the power spectral density plots independently generated by time-resolved oscilloscope traces indicating good agreement in the frequency domain. Thus, the impedance measurement tool is a new diagnostic for characterizing the impedance and associated AC characteristics of HETs.
A Privacy-Preserving Surveillance Video Sharing Scheme: Storage, Authentication, and Joint Retrieval
Authors: Jabbari Abdollah , Fung Carol 
Published: April 2024

Abstract

Today, video surveillance systems are widely used to oversee and enhance home and premises security. For convenience and security, users often upload surveillance footage to the cloud, which can be accessed by trusted users during emergencies. However, given the sensitive nature of this data, users might be wary of trusting cloud services with user authentication and video access. Thus, managing video access control and user authentication with limited trust in cloud services presents a significant challenge.
In this paper, we propose a privacy-preserving and secure scheme for storing and sharing video footage on the cloud. Homeowners can incorporate their trusted individuals into the system, thereby granting them access to view cloud-stored videos. Even in an emergency, these trusted users can collaborate to retrieve videos securely from the cloud. Our scheme allows homeowners to authenticate users and track video access without relying on cloud services. Our analysis by conducting formal proof using the Real-Or-Random (ROR) model indicates that the proposed scheme is secure. Additionally, we confirm its security and authenticity through Proverif, a formal verification tool. Informal security assessments further demonstrate its resilience against various attacks. Additionally, our communication and computational cost assessments show that our scheme is an effective and acceptable solution.
Risk of fatty liver and hepatic fibrosis associated with long-term use of tamoxifen or anastrozole may be overestimated in patients with breast cancer
Authors: Nardelli Mateus Jorge , Monteiro Mísia Joyner Sousa Dias , Cançado Guilherme Grossi Lopes , Cal Tereza Cristina Minto Fontes , Lima Ananda Queiroz Rocha , Pontine Victor Peçanha , Batista Maria Clara Mendes , Gelape Fernanda Alves , Vasconcelos Julia Cunha , Mota Laura Melo , Theodoro Rafael , Rezende Adriana Maria Lamego , Diniz Paulo Henrique Costa , Gomes Juliana Assis Silva , Faria Luciana Costa , Couto Claudia Alves 
Published: April 2024

Abstract
Background
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is prevalent among women with breast cancer. The impact of endocrine therapy on the severity and progression of NAFLD in the long term remains unclear.
Aims
To assess the prevalence and severity of NAFLD related to hormone therapy for breast cancer, and to investigate risk factors associated with its occurrence and progression.
Methods
Cross-sectional study recruited women with breast cancer. Abdominal ultrasound was used to detect liver steatosis, and transient elastography to evaluate fibrosis.
Results
171 patients were enrolled – mean age 58 ± 10 years and follow-up period 1-315 months (median 53, interquartile range 25–102). Comorbidities: diabetes (26.9%), hypertension (53.2%), dyslipidemia (31.0%) and obesity (70.2%). Four groups were formed: 55 (32.2%) patients unexposed to hormone therapy, 72 (42.1%) exposed only to tamoxifen, 16 (9.4%) only to anastrozole, and 28 (16.4%) to both drugs. Liver steatosis was detected in 57.9%, with no significant differences between groups (p = 0.092). Liver stiffness was similar between groups: median 5.4 kPa (p = 0.200), 12.3% with liver stiffness ≥ 8 Kpa (p = 0.568) and 5.8% ≥12 Kpa (p = 0.177). Diabetes was independently associated with steatosis, and metabolic syndrome with advanced fibrosis, even after adjustment for hormone therapy duration.
Conclusion
More than half of patients had NAFLD, and approximately 10% had advanced fibrosis. Metabolic risk factors were independently associated with occurrence and progression of NAFLD, regardless of hormone therapy exposure. The risk of NAFLD induced by tamoxifen and anastrozole seems to have been previously overestimated.
Mixtures of Plackett-Luce Models with Three-way Structured Partial Rankings
Authors: Liao Aling 
Published: April 2024

Abstract
With the dramatic growth of available alternatives these days,
it becomes necessary and important to collect rank data to predict the preferences of users with rank aggregation.
One of the traditional rank aggregation is to utilize full rankings,
and its solid statistics background makes it easy to balance between effectiveness and efficiency,
such as Plackett-Luce models.
However, from time to time it is usually impossible to have full rankings, which leads to partial rankings.
As for the rank aggregation for partial rankings,

mixtures of Plackett-Luce models can be introduced and analysed in this paper.
Specifically, by introducing three-way decisions into structured partial rankings to have three-way structured partial rankings,
including top-$l$, last-$k$, $l$-way, choice-$l$ and last-choice-$k$,
it is necessary and important to study mixtures of Plackett-Luce models with three-way structured partial rankings
statistically effectively and experimentally efficiently,
which can handle the uncertainty well.
In addition, the (non-)identifiability of the mixtures of different three-way structured partial rankings has been proved,
which makes it possible to process the subsequent parameter estimation.
Then technically, the Generalized Method-of-Moments algorithm GMM-TW for mixtures of Plackett-Luce model
is proposed to learn three-way structured partial rankings effectively.
Moreover, due to uncertainty in real world,
the GMM-P and the collaborative filtering based GMM algorithm GMM-CF
are proposed to increase the robustness and reduce errors caused by the perturbations of rank data with three-way structure.
Furthermore,
the experiments both on synthetic datasets and the sushi dataset
can demonstrate the effectiveness and efficiency of our proposed algorithms on different structured partial rankings.
Fonsecazyma quercina sp. nov., a novel yeast species isolated from Persian oak (Quercus brantii Lind.) branch in Iran
Authors: Ghobadi Armin , Jamali Samad , Hosseini Saman 
Published: April 2024

Abstract
Forests are yeast biodiversity hotspots. In a taxonomic study of yeast isolates collected from the Persian oak (Quercus brantii Lind.) branch in the Zagros oak forests, Kermanshah province, Iran, one yeast isolate was found to represent a novel species. Morphological and physiological characteristics as well as sequence analysis of the D1/D2 region of the large subunit rRNA gene and the internal transcribed spacer region showed that the novel species belonged to the genus Fonsecazyma (Tremellales, Bulleraceae). The name Fonsecazyma quercina sp. nov. is proposed for this new species. Phylogenetic analysis based on D1/D2 and ITS sequences showed that strain IRAN 18507F belongs to the genus Fonsecazyma and has the highest sequence similarity with Fonsecazyma sp. KT301 (97.58%). This isolate consisted of spherical single cells and could grow up to 1 M NaCl. It grew at pH 4, 8, and 10, but not at the acidic pH of 2. The isolate is psychrotolerant, growing well between 6°C and 25°C, but not at temperatures outside this range. The isolate efficiently utilized and assimilated glucose and trehalose as carbon sources; it could also utilize sucrose, mannose, maltose, and fructose, but weakly utilized cellobiose, sorbitol, and rhamnose. This isolate could not utilize galactose, sorbose, lactose, melibiose, arabinose, ribose, or glycine as sole carbon sources. The holotype of Fonsecazyma quercina sp. nov. is IRAN 18507F (MycoBank number MB852634).
Modern Contraceptive Use Behavior among Young Married Women in Urban Settings of Ethiopia: A Multilevel Analysis
Authors: Tebeje Tsion Habtu , Temesgen Habtamu Tamene , Tarekegn Yihunie Lakew , Wakene Tigist Urgessa , Ayalew Biruk Melaku , Zerihun Tsega Berhanu , Tiruneh Betemariam Alemu , Kuka Simon Heliso , Alemu Chalachew Tiruneh , Gobeze Wasihun Andualem , Engida Dereje Haddis , Hailu Israel Lemma , Adem Yimer Seid 
Published: April 2024

Abstract
Background
Based on the Ethiopia Demographic and Health Survey, there has been low contraceptive utilization among young married women in Ethiopia, as well as unmet needs. This situation has had adverse consequences on the reproductive health outcomes of young women. Thus, this study was conducted to identify main determinants of young women’s contraceptive use in selected urban cities of Ethiopia. The findings of this study informed the design strategies to increase young women’s contraceptive use.
Methods
A dataset consisting of 680 young married women aged between 18 and 29 years was extracted from a secondary source and analyzed using STATA version 18 from a cross-sectional study, which was conducted from December 12, 2021 to January 21, 2022, in 13 selected urban cities. A multilevel logistic regression modeling techniques was used to identify the determinants of contraceptives (individual-level factors) and control for variations caused by differences between cities.
Results
Four hundred one (59% CI: 0.55–0.63) young women used contraceptives at the time of data collection. The most common contraceptive methods were injectables (42%) and implants (35%). High contraceptive use variability was observed across cities. About 16% variability of contraceptive use was observed at the intercept model analysis without factors and a 13% variability in contraceptive use across cities at the final model of multilevel analysis. The lowest contraceptive use was observed in Jigjiga (10%, CI = 0.03–0.24) and the highest was in Hawassa (81%, CI = 0.70–0.89). The analysis result indicated that individual-level variables such as young women who had more than two family members (AOR = 3.3, 95% CI = 2.04–5.27), who had knowledge of contraceptive methods (AOR = 2.6, 95% CI = 1.43–4.83) and who had radio exposure (AOR = 1.6, 95% CI = 1.13–2.32) were significantly associated with their contraceptive use behavior.
Conclusion
The study shows higher levels of contraceptive use among young women in the selected cities as compared with the national target of 50% for 2024/25. Increasing radio listenership about contraceptive use, supported by other interventions that enhance comprehensive knowledge can be an effective strategy to improve contraceptive use among young married women in cities.
Chemical composition, toxicity and sublethal effects of Melia azedarach extract on some demographic and biochemical characteristics of the cabbage aphid, Brevicoryne brassicae L. (Hemiptera: Aphididae)
Authors: Forouhar Zahra , Abbasipour Habib , Karimi Jaber 
Published: April 2024

Abstract

One of the most important pests of cabbage and other cruciferous vegetables is the cabbage aphid, Brevicoryne Brassicae L. (Hemiptera: Aphidae). This aphid produces multiple generations per year, each generation producing large numbers of nymphs that are resistant to a variety of chemical insecticides. In this study, sublethal effects of Melia azedarach extract was investigated on some demographic and biochemical parameters of B. brassicae. The bioassay results showed that the LC10, LC20, and LC50 values ​​were 0.68, 1.16, and 3.42 µg/ml, respectively. Compared to controls, the sublethal doses caused significantly reduced gross reproductive rate (GRR), net reproductive rate (R0), intrinsic rate of increase (rm), finite rate of increase (λ), intrinsic rate of birth (b), intrinsic rate of death (d), weekly growth rate (rw), reproductive rate and adult longevity. Meanwhile, the mean generation time (T) and population doubling time (DT) of this aphid increased significantly. Additionally, sublethal doses reduced the energy reserves of this pest compared to controls. Our results help evaluate the overall impact of M. azedarach extract on B. brassicae and have important implications for the judicious use of botanical insecticides cabbage aphid control.