bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
A fast randomized algorithm for computing an approximate null space
Authors: Park Taejun , Nakatsukasa Yuji 
Published: May 2023

AbstractRandomized algorithms in numerical linear algebra can be fast, scalable and robust. This paper examines the effect of sketching on the right singular vectors corresponding to the smallest singular values of a tall–skinny matrix. We analyze a fast algorithm by Gilbert, Park and Wakin for finding the trailing right singular vectors using randomization by examining the quality of the solution using multiplicative perturbation theory. For an $$m\times n$$

m
×
n

($$m\ge n$$

m
≥
n

) matrix, the algorithm runs with complexity $$O(mn\log n +n^3)$$

O
(
m
n
log
n
+

n
3

)

which is faster than the standard $$O(mn^2)$$

O
(
m

n
2

)

methods. In applications, numerical experiments show great speedups including a $$30\times $$

30
×

speedup for the AAA algorithm and $$10\times $$

10
×

speedup for the total least squares problem.
Prediction of School Dropout Outside School Setting: Potential for Early risk Stratification by Youth Health Care Services in the Netherlands. Results from a Retrospective Cohort Study
Authors: Putrik P , Kant IJ , Hoofs H , Reijs R , Jansen MJ 
Published: May 2023

Abstract
Background
Early school dropout is an economic, social, and individual problem. School dropout is a result of cumulative processes that occur over many childhood years. Despite the influence of level of education on health outcomes, primary prevention of dropout outside of the school setting is rare. In the Netherlands, the Youth Health Care (YHC) service may play a role in primary prevention of school dropout.

Objective
We hypothesized that data collected by YHC on family background and Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) scores at ages 10 and 14 is predictive of school dropout.

Methods
We analyzed Dutch YHC data from 24,988 children born in 1996 − 200. Early school dropout was defined as having left school without diploma by the age of 17. Two multilevel logistic regression models were built with predictors measured at the ages of 10 and 14. The model performance was assessed using ROC curve.

Results
A child’s SDQ was a strong predictor of early school dropout, in addition to gender and parents’ socio-economic status at age 10 and age 14. Models showed moderate prediction performance (ROC value 0.70/0.69, respectively).

Conclusions
The proposed prediction models are based on only few routinely collected socio-demographic factors and SDQ scores. We found these models can contribute to risk stratification by YHC as early as age of ten. This provides a window of opportunity for interventions that aim to strengthen school engagement. Further research and practical efforts to expand the set of predictors available to YHC (e.g., school performance) are expected to improve the quality of this prediction.
Integration of groundwater vulnerability with contaminants transport modeling in unsaturated zone, case study El-Sharqia, Egypt
Authors: El-Aassar Abdel-Hameed , Hagagg Kamilia , Hussien Rasha , Oterkus Selda , Oterkus Erkan 
Published: May 2023

AbstractNowadays, irrigation uses large amount of marginal wastewater due to continuous decline in fresh water supply. As a consequence, using this wastewater for different purposes can cause some adverse environmental impacts. Anthropogenic activities such as septic tanks, sewage ponds, and polluted drains have large influence on deterioration of shallow groundwater aquifers. So, construction of many wastewater treatment plants in these areas is mandatory to control and mitigate this deterioration. Groundwater vulnerability assessment maps and contamination simulation in unsaturated zone can be beneficial in understanding contaminants pathways and groundwater quality evolution. This work is mainly focused on aquifer vulnerability assessment to pollution and the role of vadose zone in attenuation of contaminants transport through it prior to groundwater seepage. Therefore, about 56 drainage and groundwater samples were collected and analyzed for potentially toxic elements. The most vulnerable sector was determined using GOD method revealing that central parts of the study area are the most threatened zones with some scattered sporadic zone of sensitivity to pollution and this was verified through the zonation of Pb, Fe, and Mn spatial concentrations. The leakage of these elements through the unsaturated zone was further simulated using HYDRUS-1D model for the next 10-year period to determine the extent of the pollution plumes and maximum concentration of these elements that percolate to the groundwater directly. The concentration of Fe, Pb, and Mn at the end of the simulation reached low concentrations at the bottom layer of the unsaturated zone.
Curcumol β-cyclodextrin inclusion complex enhances radiosensitivity of esophageal cancer under hypoxic and normoxic condition
Authors: Su Meng , Ren Xiaolin , Du Dexi , He Huijuan , Zhang Dahai , Xie Raoying , Deng Xia , Zou Changlin , Zou Haizhou 
Published: May 2023

Abstract
Purpose
Radiotherapy is an indispensable treatment for esophageal cancer (EC), but radioresistance is not uncommon. Curcumol, as an active extract from traditional Chinese medicines, has been reported to have antitumor activity in various types of human tumor cells. However, its reversal of radioresistance has been rarely reported.

Materials and methods
In the present study, curcumol was prepared as an inclusion complex with β-cyclodextrin. EC cell lines were treated with radiation and curcumol β-cyclodextrin inclusion complex (CβC), and the effect of radiosensitization of CβC was investigated in vitro and in vivo. The in vitro experiments included cell proliferation assay, clonogenic survival assay, apoptosis assay, cell cycle assay, and western blot assay.

Results
The in vitro data revealed that CβC and irradiation synergistically inhibited the proliferation, reduced the colony formation, promoted the apoptosis, increased the G2/M phase, inhibited DNA damage repair, and reversed the hypoxia-mediated radioresistance of EC cells to a greater extent than did CβC alone or irradiation alone. The sensitization enhancement ratios (SERs) were 1.39 for TE-1 and 1.48 for ECA109 under hypoxia. The SERs were 1.25 for TE-1 and 1.32 for ECA109 under normoxia. The in vivo data demonstrated that the combination of CβC and irradiation could inhibit tumor growth to the greatest extent compared with either monotherapy alone. The enhancement factor was 2.45.

Conclusion
This study demonstrated that CβC could enhance radiosensitivity of EC cells under hypoxic and normoxic condition. Thus, CβC can be used as an effective radiosensitizer for EC.
Arrived, Yet In-between: Experiences of Iranian Asylum-Seeker Women Living with Insecure Residency in Australia
Authors: Shishehgar Sara , Gholizadeh Leila , DiGiacomo Michelle , Davidson Patricia Mary 
Published: May 2023

Abstract The plight of asylum seekers is a politically contested issue in Australia. Iranian women have been the largest number of asylum-seekers/Many have bridging visas without secure residency status. Prolonged insecure residency may contribute to less integration and psychological dysfunction. This study aimed to better understand the psychosocial ramifications of living with insecure residency among Iranian asylum-seeker women in the Australian community. A qualitative study using semi-structured interviews was undertaken between February and December 2015, with Iranian asylum-seeker women who had been living in Australia for 2–3 years. Data were analysed using thematic analysis. Seventeen participants described their experiences and perspectives describing socio-economic ramifications and fear of deportation and feelings of hopelessness associated with their insecure residency status. Poor integration into Australian communities and high levels of psychosocial burdens were commonly described. Protracted protection visa processing time has negative effects on asylum seekers’ health. Policymakers should consider the psychosocial impact of restrictions attached to bridging visas. In addition to lifting barriers that slow the protection visa process, identifying the pre-resettlement skills of asylum seekers may facilitate better settlement and mental well-being.
Implementation of a decentralised maintenance model with a measurable impact on the functionality and availability of medical equipment in healthcare facilities in Burundi
Authors: Beniacoub Farah , Myszkowski Marc , Worm Anna , Fabrice Ntwari , Arakaza Emery Christian , Van Bastelaere Stefaan 
Published: May 2023

Abstract
Purpose
This study measures the impact of implementation of the Improved Decentralized Maintenance Model on the functionality and availability of medical equipment in Burundi’s resource constrained health care system with hypothesis that the model has a measurable impact.

Methods
The initial model was tested in 2 provinces before being improved and extended to the provinces of Bujumbura and Rumonge. It is composed by 4 interrelated main axes (Maintenance management, Human, Financial and Material resources,). This study analyses the effects of this implementation between October 2020 and February 2022.

Results
The rate of medical equipment functional in service has increased substantially, respectively +8% in the province of Bujumbura and 2% in the province of Rumonge, and the rate of medical equipment requiring maintenance has fallen by 9.7% (Bujumbura) and 2% (Rumonge). The provinces implementing the model have convincing results in terms of functionality with scores of at least 80%, while the national average is 64%.

Conclusions
There is a notable positive change between 2020 and 2022 in the functionality of medical equipment and a decrease in equipment awaiting maintenance, and therefore in its availability. This study proves that a sustainable implementation of a decentralized maintenance model is feasible and highly useful in low-resource settings due to its affordability. The context of a low-resource country is a challenge in itself, but the model developed shows that by tackling the low-resource levels of preventive maintenance, we can have some impact on the functionality of the equipment and therefore on the quality of care.
Studies of the Impact of the Bifidobacterium Species on Inducible Nitric Oxide Synthase Expression and Nitric Oxide Production in Murine Macrophages of the BMDM Cell Line
Authors: Zabłocka Agnieszka , Jakubczyk Dominika , Leszczyńska Katarzyna , Pacyga-Prus Katarzyna , Macała Józefa , Górska Sabina 
Published: May 2023

AbstractBifidobacterium species are one of the most important probiotic microorganisms which are present in both, infants and adults. Nowadays, growing data describing their healthy properties arise, indicating they could act at the cellular and molecular level. However, still little is known about the specific mechanisms promoting their beneficial effects. Nitric oxide (NO), produced by inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), is involved in the protective mechanisms in the gastrointestinal tract, where it can be provided by epithelial cells, macrophages, or bacteria. The present study explored whether induction of iNOS-dependent NO synthesis in macrophages stems from the cellular action of Bifidobacterium species. The ability of ten Bifidobacterium strains belonging to 3 different species (Bifidobacterium longum, Bifidobacterium adolescentis, and Bifidobacterium animalis) to activate MAP kinases, NF-κB factor, and iNOS expression in a murine bone-marrow-derived macrophages cell line was determined by Western blotting. Changes in NO production were determined by the Griess reaction. It was performed that the Bifidobacterium strains were able to induce NF-қB-dependent iNOS expression and NO production; however, the efficacy depends on the strain. The highest stimulatory activity was observed for Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. animals CCDM 366, whereas the lowest was noted for strains Bifidobacterium adolescentis CCDM 371 and Bifidobacterium longum subsp. longum CCDM 372. Both TLR2 and TLR4 receptors are involved in Bifidobacterium-induced macrophage activation and NO production. We showed that the impact of Bifidobacterium on the regulation of iNOS expression is determined by MAPK kinase activity. Using pharmaceutical inhibitors of ERK 1/2 and JNK, we confirmed that Bifidobacterium strains can activate these kinases to control iNOS mRNA expression. Concluding, the induction of iNOS and NO production may be involved in the protective mechanism of action observed for Bifidobacterium in the intestine, and the efficacy is strain-dependent.
The interplay between N6-methyladenosine and precancerous liver disease: molecular functions and mechanisms
Authors: Lv Zhihua , Ran Ruoxi , Yang Yuting , Xiang Meixian , Su Hanwen , Huang Jingtao 
Published: May 2023

AbstractN6-methyladenosine(m6A) is one of the most abundant modifications of mammalian cellular RNAs. m6A regulates various biological functions in epitranscriptomic ways, including RNA stability, decay, splicing, translation and nuclear export. Recent studies have indicated the growing importance of m6A modification in precancerous disease, influencing viral replication, immune escape, and carcinogenesis. Here, we review the role of m6A modification in HBV/HCV infection, NAFLD and liver fibrosis, and its function in liver disease pathogenesis. Our review will provide a new sight for the innovative treatment strategy for precancerous liver disease.
Data Sources as a Driver for Market-Oriented Tourism Organizations: a Bibliometric Perspective
Authors: Vidal Juan , Carrasco Ramón A. , Cobo Manuel J. , Blasco María F. 
Published: May 2023

AbstractThis paper presents a conceptual framework that accurately represents the current and future perspectives of data-driven companies in tourism by means of an analysis of the data sources used in the data-driven tourism research literature, as well as the research topics to which they are applied. For this purpose, a bibliometric analysis of data-driven tourism research is carried out. The framework of the study is all tourism-related publications whose research was based on data sources during the period 1982–2020. The results show some of the basic bibliometric performance indicators and the maps of science. The main themes of research interest are identified, and the conceptual evolution is obtained based on these maps. Three major thematic areas are identified: tourism research topics, information sources, and data analysis techniques. Based on these three thematic areas, the conceptual model of data architecture and processes of a data-driven organization in the tourism sector are obtained. An additional qualitative analysis of the three thematic areas is performed.
Sustainability Information in European Small- and Medium-Sized Enterprises
Authors: Ortiz-Martínez Esther , Marín-Hernández Salvador 
Published: May 2023

AbstractCurrently, there is an emphasis on the role of knowledge in corporate sustainability reporting. Europe has just published a new Directive on Corporate Sustainability Reporting Disclosure and elaborating new European Sustainability Reporting Standards. However, no studies on this subject cover the micro (firm-level) spectrum and focus on small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), the backbone of the European company. This paper aims to analyze sustainability reports voluntarily disclosed by European SMEs using lexical analysis because narrative information requires more than traditional methodology. The variable company’s size is used to check if it supposes differences in the lexical features of the reports. The sample comprises all the voluntarily issued sustainability reports available on the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) database for 2016–2018, written in English and pdf format by European SMEs. It is obtained that there is a positive relationship between a company’s size and the length of sustainability reports. Bigger small- and medium-sized companies repeat more words, and the most frequently used words are similar, regardless of the company’s size. Lexical analysis shows that there is some template for drafting these sustainability reports used by all companies, so their narration about sustainable development is the same. This study provides an opportunity to improve knowledge about sustainability disclosure and standards on the SMEs’ scope, which is scarce. Disclosure of sustainability reports is also becoming essential for SMEs to ensure greater comparability and transparency and to cope with the global challenge of sustainability. However, for these companies, this should be proportionate.
Terracini loci of curves
Authors: Ballico Edoardo , Chiantini Luca 
Published: May 2023

AbstractWe study subsets S of curves X whose double structure does not impose independent conditions to a linear series L, but there are divisors $$D\in |L|$$

D
∈
|
L
|

singular at all points of S. These subsets form the Terracini loci of X. We investigate Terracini loci, with a special look towards their non-emptiness, mainly in the case of canonical curves, and in the case of space curves.
Decoherence, appearance, and reality in agential realism
Authors: Jaksland Rasmus 
Published: May 2023

AbstractThis paper reconsiders what implications quantum decoherence has for Karen Barad’s agential realism. In contrast with the recent claim of Thomas Everth and Laura Gurney (2022), this paper argues that decoherence supports rather than defeats the holist, relational ontology of agential realism. Indeed, decoherence offers an explanation for how a quantum system can remain entangled and superposed in principle while it nevertheless in practice appears classical to a local observer. Decoherence shows why the appearance of classicality is not an objection to the ontology being in reality that of agential realism, in accordance with Barad’s repeated insistence that we should not mistake principle for practice. Whether users of agential realism in social theory should be encouraged by this is another matter that this paper does not take a stance on. As an ontology, however, agential realism is vindicated.
Australian teachers’ views on how primary science education can be improved
Authors: Deehan James , MacDonald Amy 
Published: May 2023

AbstractTeachers are crucial to bridging the theory-praxis divide in science education by utilising evidence-based teaching practices to improve outcomes for their learners. However, the perspectives of primary teachers have seldom been considered beyond the confines of specific professional development programs. This paper aims to explore Australian primary teachers’ beliefs about how primary science education could be improved. A sample of 165 primary educators responded to an open-ended digital survey prompt. The results showed that teachers viewed themselves and their colleagues as central to the improvement of primary science education as evidenced by the most prominent themes of Professional Development (47.27%), Funding-Resources (37.58%), Classroom Practice (21.82%) and Personal-Teacher Improvement (21.21%). Curiously, university did not feature strongly, suggesting the participants may hold neutral views regarding the impact of universities on primary science education. The findings should serve as a catalyst for future research and engagement with primary teachers. Universities could expand their roles in building relationships with and providing accessible professional development to a group of primary teachers who, quite rightly, view themselves as key to improving primary science education.
Breakthrough studies for the sorption of methylene blue dye from wastewater samples using activated carbon derived from waste banana peels
Authors: Ramutshatsha-Makhwedzha Denga , Munyengabe Alexis , Mavhungu Mapula Lucey , Mbaya Richard , Baloyi Jeffrey 
Published: May 2023

AbstractIn the current study, an activated carbon derived from waste banana peel using H2SO4 was applied for the first time in a packed-bed column for methylene blue (MB) dye removal from wastewater. The pore structure and surface of banana peel activated carbon (BPAC) were investigated using X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, scanning electron microscopy, and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller analysis to discover the mechanism of MB sorption. The produced BPAC by H2SO4 activation agent has surface area of 361.86 m2/g and exhibits good thermal stability. The extent of MB breakthrough performance was examined by optimizing flow rate, bed mass, and initial concentration at pH 9. The column’s dynamics revealed a strong dependence of breakthrough curves as a function of process conditions. The breakthrough time (tb), volume of liters processed (L), and adsorption exhaustion rate all increased as bed mass increased but decreased as flow rate and initial concentration increased. Applying linear regression to the experimental data, Yoon-Nelson and Thomas’ kinetic model was used to extract column characteristic parameters that could be used in process design. Using environmental water, the waste banana peel activated carbon material demonstrated effectiveness in removing MB to below acceptable levels by processing 1.16 L of water with an initial MB concentration of 40 mg/L using 8 g of sorbent. Nitric acid (3M) was able to regenerate the exhausted bed. Moreover, the sorbent was reused four times with no significant capacity loss. It can be concluded that waste banana peel activated carbon medium is an alternative solution to remediate MB-contaminated wastewater.
Discrete element simulation of the breakage behavior of porous granules utilizing bond models
Authors: Rotter Sonja , Dosta Maksym , Düster Alexander 
Published: May 2023

AbstractIn the development of ships, the aspect of collision safety plays a major role. In this paper, the approach to improve the crashworthiness of ships is to fill the already existing double hull with a granular material. For this purpose, the material used is to be investigated numerically. A discrete element approach is applied for this in the paper presented. Since the breakage behavior of the particles is of particular interest, the discrete element method is used together with a bonded particle method. This approach is extended by a model which is able to take into account the micro-cracks occurring in the material and the energy dissipation caused by them. Using this and other models of the bonded particle method, simulations are carried out and compared with corresponding experiments. A particular focus is on uniaxial compression tests with single particles and particle systems. The single-particle tests are used to determine various simulation parameters relevant to individual particles in terms of geometry and material. In addition, the multi-particle tests provide insight into the behavior of several particles, their interaction and dynamics. These simulations can be used to test the extent to which it is possible to represent porous particles and their fracture behavior by numerical means.
Analyzing international airtime top-up transfers for migration and mobility
Authors: Aydoğdu Bilgeçağ , Samad Hanif , Bai Shiqi , Abboud Sami , Gorantis Ilias , Salah Albert Ali 
Published: May 2023

Abstract
International airtime top-up transfers enable prepaid mobile phone users to send top-ups and data bundles to users in other countries, as well as make payments, in real time. These are heavily used by migrants to financially assist their families in their home countries and consequently could be a valuable source of information for migration and mobility analysis. However, top-up transfers are understudied as a form of money remittance in migration. In this paper, we explore the determinants and the potential of top-up transactions to complement remittance and migration statistics. Our results show that such data can provide insights into migrant groups, particularly for irregular migration and for estimating the real-time distribution of migrant groups for a given country.