bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Costs and Economic Burden of Childhood Diarrhea in Uganda
Authors: Ssebagereka Anthony , de Broucker Gatien , Mutebi Aloysius , Kiracho Elizabeth Ekirapa , Patenaude Bryan , Constenla Dagna 
Published: June 2023

Abstract

Background: Diarrhea is one of the leading -causes of morbidity and mortality among children under age five in Uganda. While there is an abundance of literature on disease burden, there is limited available evidence on the costs and economic burden of childhood diarrhea in Uganda. To fill this gap, we estimated the cost of childhood diarrhea in Uganda from a societal perspective.
Methods: We used an incidence-based cost-of-illness approach capturing monthly healthcare facility data on staff, medications, capital costs, and hospital-related expenditures for childhood diarrhea patients in Uganda. We interviewed caregivers of children with diarrhea at 48 selected healthcare facilities in the public and private (for-profit and not-for-profit) sectors. We conducted phone interviews with caregivers 7-14 days post-discharge to capture additional out-of-pocket expenses and associated costs. We also captured caregiver costs related to diarrhea illness including, productivity/time loss, income, food, travel costs and other household characteristics. These costs were then aggregated into direct (medical and non-medical) and indirect costs and estimated by age, gender, type of care (outpatient, inpatient), type of facility, and wealth quintile. The impact of diarrheal disease to households in terms of catastrophic health expenditure was measured.
Results: Overall, total cost of illness per diarrhea episode was $29.21 from the caregiver perspective. The average direct (medical and non-medical) and indirect costs were $15.76 and $2.51 respectively. From the government perspective, the average cost of treatment for an episode of childhood diarrhea varied for an ambulatory case ($4.41) and inpatient case ($8.26). These costs also varied depending on the ownership the type of the facility and the district where the facility was located. From a societal perspective, a hospitalized and an ambulatory episode of diarrhea cost $53 and $14 respectively. Caregivers incurred on average $29 in economic costs and $16 in out-of-pocket for an episode of diarrhea. The economic cost of an episode of diarrhea accounted for approximately 5% of the annual national gross domestic product (GDP) per capita. Furthermore, the proportion of households that experienced catastrophic health expenditures decreased with richer quintiles.
Conclusion: This is one of the first cost-of-illness studies using primary data to quantify the economic burden of childhood diarrhea in Uganda. Costs of care from the caregiver perspective significantly varied by child’s age, district location, length of stay and wealth quintiles, which information is essential for decision-making.
Changes of anthropometric indicators of Lithuanian first-graders in 2008-2019 according to International Obesity Task Force (IOTF) and World Health Organization (WHO) definitions
Authors: Špečkauskienė Vita , Trišauskė Justina , Grincaitė Monika , Kriaučionienė Vilma , Petrauskienė Aušra 
Published: June 2023

Abstract
Introduction
The monitoring of children's growth plays a crucial role in assessing their growth patterns and indicating their weight status. Increased BMI, overweight and obesity is most commonly associated with unhealthy nutrition, non-communicable diseases, and other health disorders. The World Health Organization (WHO) initiated the WHO European Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative (COSI) to measure routinely trends in children’s anthropometric changes, that allows intercountry comparisons within the European Region. COSI study aims to evaluate and to compare underweight, overweight and obesity changes across countries.
Methods
This study was composed according to the COSI study protocol, and it compares the five rounds of anthropometric measurements of Lithuanian first-graders (7-8-year-old) from 2008 to 2019. The main measurements were weight and height; calculated BMI, W/A, H/A and BMI/A Z-scores. Changes of the indicators were evaluated according to the International Obesity Task Force (IOTF) cut-offs and WHO child growth standards, grouped by 4 estimates: underweight (thinness), normal weight, overweight and obesity. All comparisons were performed between age groups, gender and COSI round year.
Results
The mean values for weight, height, W/A and H/A Z-scores were significantly higher for both age and gender groups when comparing later COSI round years (2016 or 2019) to earlier years (2008-2013, in some cases 2016 is included in this range). Time trends of the WHO growth standards and IOTF cut-offs indicate significant decrease among 7-year-old overweight group for boys and girls. Also, a significant decrease was indicated among boys aged 8 years in the overweight group according to the WHO definitions. The only significant increase in trend were expressed in girl’s group with obesity aged 8 years according to IOTF cut-offs.
Conclusion
The prevalence of overweight and obesity of first-grade children in Lithuania indicates positive changes during eleven-year period. However, it is important to continue the monitoring of children’s growth tendencies.
Evaluating the possibility of gamma-ray assisted synthesis of nanomaterials at MNSR research reactor
Authors: Bagherzadeh M. , Dastjerdi M. H. Choopan , Mokhtari J. 
Published: June 2023

Abstract
Herein, a gamma irradiation cell consist of a borated polyethylene (BPE) cylinder with a cadmium inner wall was designed and constructed at Isfahan miniature neutron source reactor (MNSR) for synthesize of metal nanoparticles. The cell is placed in a dry channel irradiation site near the reactor core. The performance of this irradiation cell with appropriate shape and size was evaluated and the neutron flux (φ) and the neutron and gamma dose rates (Dn and Dg) inside it are calculated using MCNP code. The results showed that the designed cell could deliver appropriate gamma dose rate to samples and reduce the thermal neutron flux from 5.82×1010 to 6.28×107 n.cm-2.s-1, i.e. over 99.89% attenuation. Also, the gamma dose rate inside the designed neutron shield is calculated to be 3.83 kSv.h-1. To evaluate the designed and constructed cell, synthesis of Pd and Ag nanoparticles (NPs) on SiO2 supporter was done. Prepared nanocomposites were characterized by using XRD, FE-SEM, and EDXA techniques. Observed results showed metallic Pd and Ag NPs were produced successfully by means of a designed gamma irradiation cell at the reactor via gamma assisted route in nanometer sizes for the first time.
A Method for DDOS Attacks Prevention Using SDN and NFV
Authors: Shayegan Mohammad Javad , Damghanian Amirreza 
Published: June 2023

Abstract
One of the most widespread forms of security attacks in enterprise networks is Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDOS) attacks. The purpose of DDOS attacks is to intentionally disrupt a network by sending a large amount of false requests. A new path for network design and management has been created with the introduction of Network Functions Virtualization (NFV). NFV architectures allow network functions to be defined quite dynamically. Dynamic definitions of network functions provide the best support for organizational environments. The aim of this research is to prevent DDOS attacks using NFV and SDN platforms. The research method uses the Moving Target Defense (MTD) idea to change the network routes and services location for specific detection packets. The MTD prevents attackers from performing DDOS attacks on real network topologies. A major innovation presented in this research is the selection of moving target defense types based on the processing resources of the overlay networks. The results indicates that the proposed method will save these resources and reduce the time required to check packets in networks.
Complex Whistler-Mode Wave Features Created by a High Density Plasma Duct in the Magnetosphere
Authors: Agapitov Oleksiy , Golkowski Mark , Khatun-E-Zannat Raahima , Hosseini Poorya , Harid Vijay 
Published: June 2023

Abstract
A Van Allen Probes observation of a high-density duct alongside whistler-mode wave activity shows several distinctive characteristics: (a) - within the duct, the wave normal angles (WNA) are close to zero and the waves have relatively large amplitudes, this is expected from the classic conceptualization of ducts. (b) - at L-shells higher than the duct’s location a large “shadow” is present over an extended region that is larger than the duct itself, and (c) - the WNA on the earthward edge of the duct is considerably higher than expected. Using ray-tracing simulations it is shown that rays fall into three categories: (i) ducted (trapped and amplified), (ii) reflected (scattered to resonance cone and damped), and (iii) free (non-ducted). The combined macroscopic effect of all these ray trajectories reproduce every feature in the spacecraft observation.
Identifying possible biomarkers of lower urinary tract symptoms using metabolomics and partial least square regression
Authors: Hopland-Nechita Florin V , Andersen John R , Kvalheim Tarja Rajalahti , Beisland Christian 
Published: June 2023

Abstract
The objective of this study was to explore potential novel biomarkers for moderate to severe lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) using a metabolomics-based approach, and statistical methods with significant different features than previous reported
Materials and Methods
The patients and the controls were selected to participate in the study according to inclusion/exclusion criteria (n = 82). We recorded the following variables: International prostatic symptom score (IPSS), prostate volume, comorbidities, PSA, height, weight, triglycerides, glycemia, HDL cholesterol, and blood pressure. The study of 41 plasma metabolites was done using the nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy technique. First, the correlations between the metabolites and the IPSS were done using Pearson. Second, significant biomarkers of LUTS from metabolites were further analysed using a multiple linear regression model. Finally, we validated the findings using partial least square regression (PLS).
Results
Small to moderate correlations were found between IPSS and methionine (-0.301), threonine (-0.320), lactic acid (0.294), pyruvic acid (0.207) and 2-aminobutyric-acid (0.229). The multiple linear regression model revealed that only threonine (p = 0.022) was significantly associated with IPSS, whereas methionine (p = 0.103), lactic acid (p = 0.093), pyruvic acid (p = 0.847) and 2-aminobutyric-acid (p = 0.244) lost their significance. However, all metabolites lost their significance in the PLS model.
Conclusion
When using the robust PLS-regression method, none of the metabolites in our analysis had a significant association with lower urinary tract symptoms. This highlights the importance of using appropriate statistical methods when exploring new biomarkers in urology.
The car-free journey to, and through, parenthood
Authors: Kent Jennifer L. 
Published: June 2023

Abstract

In the context of increasing urgency and interest in the need to reduce private car dependence, it is surprising that we know very little about people who chose to live without cars. This is particularly so for those living through life-stages, and in structural and cultural contexts, generally associated with private car use. Parenting children is one such life-stage. The common understanding is that the vulnerabilities and complexities associated with parenting are best attenuated by the autonomy, security and seclusion of the private car. Others, by choice or circumstance, parent by ‘altermobility’ – without the private car. Using data from in-depth interviews with car-free parents of young children, this paper records how parents come to live without private cars in a city that is dominated by structures, cultures and expectations of private car use. It proposes travel trajectories based on past and present events, experiences and inclinations. In doing so, the paper exposes the sheer complexity of influences of the past on present and future mobility practices, calling into question linear understandings of travel socialisation and mobility biography research. Auto-dependent childhoods, for example, do not necessarily produce car-dependent adults. And the onset of parenthood is not necessarily a time of increased private car attachment. In conclusion, the findings query assumptions about the impact of the early years of parenting on private car dependence, proposing that it is the child, not the infant, that cements the seemingly intractable bond between parenting and private car use.
Railway food delivery System
Authors: Silva D.I.De , Godapitiya M.V.N. , Sangavi.G  , Rugashan.J  , Srikandarasa.H  , Venuganth.A  
Published: June 2023

Abstract
Our proposed system is an online food ordering system designed to address the challenge of accessing quality food during long train journeys. To overcome this issue, we are developing a web application that allows passengers to conveniently place food orders online from a food delivery platform's website provided by the service provider. The ordered food is then prepared by restaurants and delivered to the train at the designated station by a dedicated delivery executive. The web application will provide a user-friendly interface for passengers to browse and select from a variety of food options, place orders, and make secure payments. The system aims to streamline the food delivery process, ensuring timely and efficient delivery to the designated train stations. The proposed system has the potential to enhance the dining experience for train passengers by providing access to a wider range of food options and improving the quality and convenience of food delivery during their journey. The research paper will provide detailed insights into the system's architecture, methodology, and evaluation, showcasing its potential impact on the railway food service industry and the overall travel experience for train passengers. Our research aims to contribute to the existing literature on railway food delivery systems and address the limitations of current systems. The proposed system has practical implications for the railway and food service industries, as it can improve the availability and quality of food options for train passengers, while also offering business opportunities for restaurants and food delivery providers. Overall, our research endeavors to develop a web application that enhances the convenience and satisfaction of train passengers by providing an efficient and user-friendly system for online food ordering and delivery during train journeys.
Bootstrapping Multiple Systems Estimates to Account for Model Selection
Authors: Silverman Bernard W. , Chan Lax , Vincent Kyle 
Published: June 2023

Abstract
Multiple systems estimation is a standard approach to quantifying hidden populations where data sources are based on lists of known cases. A typical modelling approach is to fit a Poisson loglinear model to the numbers of cases observed in each possible combination of the lists. It is necessary to decide which interaction parameters to include in the model, and information criterion approaches are often used for model selection. Difficulties in the context of multiple systems estimation may arise due to sparse or nil counts based on the intersection of lists, and care must be taken when information criterion approaches are used for model selection due to issues relating to the existence of estimates and identifiability of the model. Confidence intervals are often reported conditional on the model selected, providing an over-optimistic impression of the accuracy of the estimation.
A bootstrap approach is a natural way to account for the model selection procedure. However, because the model selection step has to be carried out for every bootstrap replication, there may be a high or even prohibitive computational burden. We explore the merit of modifying the model selection procedure in the bootstrap to look only among a subset of models, chosen on the basis of their information criterion score on the original data. This provides large computational gains with little apparent effect on inference. Another model selection approach considered and investigated is a downhill search approach among models, possibly with multiple starting points.
On possibilities of improving labor safety by improving forms and methods of managing labor behavior (on the example of large investment construction projects)
Authors: Agoshkov A. I. , Kurochkin P. A. 
Published: June 2023

The current possibilities of improving the labor safety of employees in the industrial and transport sectors by improving methods for managing the labor behavior were analyzed. Russian and foreign theories of managing the influence of the human factor on the labor process and result were described. The “resources processes values” system of the concept of organization management was analyzed. Using this system, possibilities of applying a value-oriented approach to improving the efficiency of the applied methods and practices were determined. On the example of managing a large investment construction project, the main value constants of employees were identified; the relationship of values and needs were investigated; the most widely used formats of development of common values of employees changing their labor behavior were systematized; their effectiveness was assessed. Directions for further research on improving the effectiveness of methods for managing the influence of the human factor on the process and result of production activities were determined. The ideological foundations for creating labor safety culture were provided.
A Review of Methodological Approaches to Authenticating the Geographical Origin of Wines
Authors: Gnilomedova Nona , Anikina Nadezhda , Kolesnov Alexander 
Published: June 2023

Wines with a clear geographical origin are more attractive for customers. The geographical origin of wine is stated on its label, but no official standards guarantee its reliability. The present research objective was to analyze the existing methodological approaches to wine authentication.
The study featured domestic and foreign publications indexed in Dimensions and Elibrary in 2017–2022 with such keywords as wine authentication, geographical origin of wine, and chemometrics.
The research revealed no single methodological solution to wine authentication because food science knows a wide range of parameters, methods, analytical equipment, and data processing models. Chemometric methods are reliable because they are able to process large arrays of analytical research results structured in a data bank using the so-called fingerprint principle. They involve 2–65 markers that are individual for each geographical region, country, zone, or terroir. Another promising method is the quantitative and qualitative nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (qNMR) of protons 1H and deuterium 2H(D) nuclei, as well as other elements (13C, 17O, 31P, 14N). The review resulted in an integrated approach based on a combination of isotopic testing with cation-anionic profiling. The analytical support involved the methods of atomic absorption and atomic emission spectroscopy, spectrometry with inductively coupled plasma, isotope ratio mass-spectrometry, and quantitative and qualitative nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. This combined approach could provide background for an all-Russian state standard with a single algorithm for wine authentication tests.
The new approach will be used to develop enochemical profiles of wines from a particular region, as well as to choose the most effective chemometric models for geographical authentication.
Effect of Elevated Storage Temperatures on the Physicochemical and Sensory Properties of Apple Puree
Authors: Sergeev Andrey , Kalinina Irina , Shilkina Natalia , Barashkova Irina , Gradova Margaret , Motyakin Mikhail , Ivanov Victor 
Published: June 2023

Food products change their quality during storage not only under the external impact, but also because they are complex in composition. As a result, food scientists look for new methods to control these internal changes. The research objective was to describe the changes in the physicochemical properties of apple puree during storage at elevated temperatures (40–60°C) and link them with the changes in the sensory profile.
The study featured homogenized apple puree packaged in composite material and heated up to 40, 50, and 60°C. The colorimetric studies were conducted at 45°/0°, light source D65. The proton relaxation time and the water diffusion coefficient (impulse gradient method) were studied at a frequency of 20 MHz. The analysis of molecular dynamics involved the method of electron paramagnetic resonance of spin probes. The samples were cooled down to –70°C to measure the content of non-crystallizing water by the method of differential scanning calorimetry.
The color change rate was constant and followed the zero-order kinetic reaction equation with an activation energy of 92 kJ/mol. The changes in color, proton relaxation, and sensory properties correlated when the samples were stored at 50 and 60°C. The analysis of the magnetic relaxation time, the diffusion coefficient of water, and the content of non-crystallizing water indicated that the main changes in the physical structure of the puree during heat treatment occurred as a result of the aggregation of apple cell fragments. These findings were confirmed by the optical microscopy.
A prolonged exposure to 40–60°C affected the color, the relaxation of water protons, and the size of aggregates of apple cell fragments. It also affected the amount of water that did not crystallize at –70°C. The correspondence between the values of the activation energies was determined by the methods of colorimetry and proton relaxation. Therefore, the coloration and the water changes depended on the same processes. These physical and chemical properties can be used for quantitative assessment of apple puree under thermal treatment.
Adaptive operation of a reservoir in climate change condition: a case study of Maroon Dam in Iran
Authors: Mirmehdi Mostafa , Shourian Mojtaba , Sharafati Ahmad 
Published: June 2023

Abstract
The purpose of this research is to investigate the climate change impacts in Maroon Basin, Iran. To investigate the impacts of climate change on rainfall, temperature, and inflow in Maroon Dam, a simulation of four general circulation models (GCMs) was done in three future periods 2021–2040, 2041–2060, and 2061–2080. The results showed that the projected increased temperature would significantly reduce the runoff in the basin, despite the projected increase in rainfall. The most significant decrease of the average inflow to the Maroon Dam Reservoir in the near future of the RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 scenarios in March 24 and 26.4%, the middle future in March 25.4 and 29%, and the far future in March 27 and 30.6%, respectively, is predicted. Also, the MODSIM model simulation results showed that the Maroon Dam Reservoir would face a water resources shortage in the future to provide maximum demands. The average water supply reliability in climate change scenarios showed that the maximum water supply of 85% in the period 2021–2040 and the minimum of 80.4% in 2061–2080 would occur in the RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 scenarios, respectively.