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Most of them involve stressing about managing limited resources, running from utterly grotesque creatures and experiencing terrifying jump scares. It's all just a bit masochistic, isn't it? I'd much rather [...]

The current study performed a network meta-analysis to investigate the relative effectiveness of non-pharmacological interventions involving parents in alleviating discomfort in neonates.

ABSTRACTOffering transactions through mobile devices has many advantages, such as cashless payments, lower transaction costs, and provide employment opportunities. However, it introduces access security challenges that must be dealt with, which may allow unauthorized access, resulting in theft. This work proposes a framework to improve security on the usage of Mobile Money Services (MMS) by using two-factor authentication (2FA) of PIN and iris biometric authentication method (IRBAM). The rapid application development (RAD) approach was used to develop mobile money applications based on the proposed framework. The proposed framework will improve the security of accessing MMS.

The vocational awe narrative is often referenced by public library staff as an example of being asked to do too much, of going outside the scope of the role of [...]

Rechargeable zinc batteries (RZBs) are highly attractive as energy storage solutions due to their low cost and sustainability. Nevertheless, the use of fluorine-free zinc electrolyte systems to create affordable, ecofriendly, and safe RZBs has been largely overlooked in the battery community. Previously, we showcased the utilization of a fluorine-free, nonaqueous electrolyte comprising zinc dicyanamide (Zn(dca)2) in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) to enable the electrochemical cycling of zinc. Herein we present a dual-cation-based electrolyte, [1.0 M Na(dca) +1.0 M Zn(dca)2]/DMSO, in pursuit of a rechargeable zinc hybridbattery. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and molecular dynamics simulation studies indicate that the presence of Na(dca) diminishes ion-pairing in Zn(dca)2through [dca]−anion bridging between Zn2+and Na+ions, thereby enhancing Zn2+ion transport in the electrolyte. Thus, the electrolyte exhibits high ionic conductivity and transference numbers (tZn2+) of 7.9 mS cm–1and 0.83, respectively, at 50 °C, making it particularly suitable for high-temperature battery applications. Furthermore, we demonstrate, for the first time, the cycling of a full cell with a zinc anode and triphylite sodium iron phosphate cathode (NFP) in an organic electrolyte, showcasing stable performance over 100 cycles at 0.1C rate. These encouraging findings pave the way for affordable battery technologies using, fluorine-free electrolyte.

IMPORTANCE: The 2022 Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer algorithm currently discourages liver resection (LR) for patients with multinodular hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) presenting with 2 or 3 nodules that are each 3 cm or smaller. OBJECTIVE: To compare the efficacy of liver resection (LR), percutaneous radiofrequency ablation (PRFA), and transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) in patients with multinodular HCC. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This cohort study is a retrospective analysis conducted using data from the HE.RC.O.LE.S register (n = 5331) for LR patients and the ITA.LI.CA database (n = 7056) for PRFA and TACE patients. A matching-adjusted indirect comparison (MAIC) method was applied to balance data and potential confounding factors between the 3 groups. Included were patients from multiple centers from 2008 to 2020; data were analyzed from January to December 2023. INTERVENTIONS: LR, PRFA, or TACE. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Survival rates at 1, 3, and 5 years were calculated. Cox MAIC-weighted multivariable analysis and competing risk analysis were used to assess outcomes. RESULTS: A total of 720 patients with early multinodular HCC were included, 543 males (75.4%), 177 females (24.6%), and 350 individuals older than 70 years (48.6%). There were 296 patients in the LR group, 240 who underwent PRFA, and 184 who underwent TACE. After MAIC, LR exhibited 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival rates of 89.11%, 70.98%, and 56.44%, respectively. PRFA showed rates of 94.01%, 65.20%, and 39.93%, while TACE displayed rates of 90.88%, 48.95%, and 29.24%. Multivariable Cox survival analysis in the weighted population showed a survival benefit over alternative treatments (PRFA vs LR: hazard ratio [HR], 1.41; 95% CI, 1.07-1.86; P = .01; TACE vs LR: HR, 1.86; 95% CI, 1.29-2.68; P = .001). Competing risk analysis confirmed a lower risk of cancer-related death in LR compared with PRFA and TACE. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: For patients with early multinodular HCC who are ineligible for transplant, LR should be prioritized as the primary therapeutic option, followed by PRFA and TACE when LR is not feasible. These findings provide valuable insights for clinical decision-making in this patient population.

This project-based research examined the explorations of the Soekarno-Irian Barat Rupiah banknotes' visual element as textile motifs, which were then produced into a womenswear collection using the digital printing technique. The topic was chosen based on the phenomenon among the society that often sees money only as a payment tool, while actually, it bears more meanings for a nation, including historical, cultural, and political messages, which makes it eligible to be also known as a cultural heritage product that deserves to be preserved. One alternative to preserving the visual elements of a cultural heritage product is through textile and fashion products application. The project started with literature studies and interviews; explorations of motifs, designs, materials, and also style studies; and was completed with fabric and garments production. The considerations behind the aforementioned aspects in the methodology were made through a design thinking framework with mixed-methodological approach which combines qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis. The intended impact of this practice work is to create a new perspective towards banknotes as a case study for cultural heritage artefacts whose design elements can be preserved through product application in the creative industry, such as textile and fashion products.

This study examined the impact of fertiliser use on crop production and CO2emissions in Indonesia from 1991 to 2020 using the ARDL model. The findings revealed that fertiliser use increased crop production in the long-term, with a coefficient of 0.578. However, excessive fertiliser use negatively impacted crop production in the short term, with a coefficient of -1.092. High fertiliser usage, especially potassium oxide (K2O), significantly raised CO2emissions, with long-term and short-term coefficients of 0.553 and -0.717, respectively. Nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P2O5) fertilisers showed long-term coefficients of 0.484 and -0.301. The results highlighted the importance of balanced fertiliser management to boost productivity while minimising environmental harm.

Introduction: Acute exacerbations of COPD are responsible for 60% of health costs, reduce patients' quality of life, and accelerate disease progression. COPD endotypes are expected to provide new insights about clinical phenotypic variability and therapeutic response between individuals through certain biomarker approaches.Objective: Our study aims to identify the relationship between COPD endotypes and exacerbation events.Methods: In this cross-sectional study design, participants with stable COPD (n=40) were recruited from the outpatient clinic at Airlangga University Hospital in March-August 2022. Blood was obtained for endotype's biomarker examination, such as α1-antitrypsin (AAT), IL-17A, neutrophil, and eosinophil count. The relationship between COPD endotypes and exacerbation events was analyzed using a non-parametric statistical test.Result: The lower limit normal of AAT levels obtained was 12.85ng/ml; 47.5% of subjects have low AAT levels. The average IL-17A levels and blood neutrophil counts were 0.478 ± 0.426 pg/ml and 5,916.95 ± 3,581.08 cells/µl, respectively. The average blood eosinophil count was 298.35 ± 280.44 cells/µl, 16 of 40 (40%) subjects with blood eosinophil count > 300 cells/µl. No significant association was observed between AAT levels (p = 1.000), IL-17A levels (p = 0.944), and blood eosinophil count (p = 0.739) with exacerbation events-only blood neutrophil count (p = 0.033) found to have a significant association with exacerbation events in COPD.Conclusion: AAT levels, IL-17A levels, and blood eosinophil count were not significantly related to exacerbation events in COPD patients. In comparison, blood neutrophil count was the only one associated considerably with exacerbation events. Further research about COPD endotypes is needed to identify exacerbation susceptibility as a precision treatment strategy.

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The emergence of the Islamic banking system is to accommodate the demand of Muslims for financing that complies with their religious values. Islamic banking is important in the global economy because 34.8% of world population are Muslims. However, the market share of Islamic banks in Indonesia is still low. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to assess the factors influencing Indonesian customers' acceptance of Islamic banking using the technology acceptance model. This study found that perceived usefulness and religiosity directly influences user acceptance. In addition, user acceptance is also indirectly influenced by perceived ease of use and trust.

•The use of bio-adsorbents for removing Remazol Brilliant Blue R (RBBR) dye from wastewater.•The advantages of using bio-adsorbents over activated carbon, such as low cost, easy availability, and regeneration ability.•The effectiveness of the adsorbent used can vary depending on material characteristics, experimental conditions, and chemical modifications.•Additionally, the adsorption efficiency and capacity of various non-conventional bio-adsorbents for RBBR dye removal also provided.

ABSTRACTA unilateral claim from China is in the form of dots or 9 dotted ‘Nine-dash line' which forms the letter ‘U' intersects with Indonesia Exclusive Economic Zone. Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs of Indonesia, has issued the latest 2017 Map of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia. The 2017 NKRI Map is the proposed naming of the sea space, which was previously known as part of the South China Sea (SCS), to the North Natuna Sea. Therefore, this study aims to: (1) analyse how the legality of the sovereign rights of the Republic of Indonesia in the North Natuna Sea-based United Nations Convention on the law the Sea 1982; and (2) analyse how the Indonesian government responds in the North Natuna Sea. This research uses normative research methods. The results show that based on UNCLOS 1982, Indonesia has the legality to exercise sovereign rights in the North Natuna Sea. The Republic of Indonesia confirms that there is no dispute with China in the North Natuna Sea because China’s claims are not legal or not based on United Nations Convention on the law the Sea 1982.

Mergers & Acquisitions Mega Merger After acquiring Bright House Networks and Time Warner Cable for a combined $71 billion last year, Charter Communications became the second-largest cable operator in the [...]

Oil Palm Empty Fruit Bunch (OPEFB) is lignocellulosic biomass waste generated from palm oil processing industries. Due to its significant compositions of cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin, OPEFB can be further utilized and converted into value-added chemical products which can be used as alternative energy. Hence, the focus of this research is to analyze the effect of microwave pre-treatment (MP) and pressure cooker pre-treatment (PCP) parameters on OPEFB lignin reduction. The treated OPEFB was directly processed using two serial fungal treatment processes. The first fungal treatment process (FT-1) was to maximize the OPEFB lignin removal while the second fungal treatment process (FT-2) was to maximize the glucose production. Combination of microbes such as Phanerochaete chrysosporium, Trichoderma harzianum, Aspergillus niger, and Tricodherma viride was used for both fungal treatment processes. The OPEFB passing 25-mesh screening was used as raw materials. The raw materials mixed with 0.05 w/w NaOH pellets and water to achieve a concentration ratio of 3/50 (w/v) were pre-treated with either MP or PCP. Subsequently, the slurry produced from the pre-treatment process was introduced to FT-1 (P. chrysosporium for 5 days) and finally to FT-2 (T. harzianum, A. niger and T. viride for 4 days). The compositions of lignin, cellulose, hemicellulose, and glucose were analyzed at each process transition and the end of the whole process. It was observed that PCP (60 mins) was the best pre-treatment process with 39.23%-w of lignin removed. On the other hand, combination of MP (150 watts, 60 mins) was followed with FT-1 removed 66.67%-w of lignin. Only around 38.37%-w of lignin was removed when using the whole process, e.g., MP (150 watts, 60 mins), FT-1, and FT-2. The highest composition of glucose, ca. 131.02%-w, was obtained when 40-min PCP followed with FT-1 and FT-2 was applied. The obtained results exhibited that large lignin removal did not necessarily promote high glucose yield in the final product as observed in the 60-min PCP, e.g., P. chrysosporium consumed not only lignin but also presumably hemicellulose and cellulose.

Background: The workload associated with caring for a person with dementia (PwD) could negatively affect informal caregivers’ physical and mental health. According to the recent literature, there is a need for studies testing the implementation of affordable and accessible interventions for improving caregivers’ well-being. Aims: This study aimed to explore the feasibility and effectiveness of an 8 week eHealth psychoeducation intervention held during the COVID-19 pandemic in Italy in reducing the psychological burden and neuroendocrine markers of stress in caregivers of PwD. Methods: Forty-one informal caregivers of PwD completed the eHealth psychoeducation intervention. Self-reported (i.e., caregiver burden, anxiety symptoms, depressive symptoms, and caregiver self-efficacy) and cortisol measurements were collected before and after the intervention. Results: Following the intervention, the caregivers’ self-efficacy regarding the ability to respond to disruptive behaviours improved (t= − 2.817, p= 0.007), anxiety and burden levels decreased (state anxiety: t= 3.170, p= 0.003; trait anxiety: t= 2.327, p= 0.025; caregiver burden: t= 2.290, p= 0.027), while depressive symptoms and cortisol levels did not change significantly. Correlation analyses showed that the increase in self-efficacy was positively associated with the improvement of caregiver burden from pre- to post-intervention (r= 0.386, p= 0.014). The intervention had a low rate of dropout (n= 1, due to the patient’s death) and high levels of appreciation. Discussion: The positive evidence and participation rate support the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed eHealth psychoeducational intervention to meet the need for knowledge of disease management and possibly reduce detrimental effects on caregivers’ psychological well-being. Conclusion: Further placebo-controlled trials are needed to test the generalizability and specificity of our results.

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