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Public perception of artificial intelligence may not coincide with its actual capabilities, but it plays the key role in how algorithms are developed, implemented, used and regulated. Mass media are not bystanders to this perception but shape public opinion: they influence attitudes towards technologies by setting the agenda and framing news. Given the fact that the issues of artificial intelligence have become increasingly requested in search engines and discussed on news resources in 2023-2024, we need to focus on the dominants of technological discourse and control over the transformation of society under the influence of new technological forms/orders. The sociological study conducted by the authors aimed at identifying representations and strategies for constructing the image of artificial intelligence in the Russian media under the active implementation and routinization of algorithmic technologies. The study was based on the discourse analysis as developed by sociology of knowledge - to understand how social actors form and use discursive strategies to realize their own interests. The article presents the results of the analysis, showing how the media represent artificial intelligence, which actors participate in the discussion and what meta-frames for the technology the media use. Thus, the authors mention that the news discourse at the time of the study was not sensitive to the potential risks of algorithms: possible negative consequences were considered less often than advantages, and the list of threats was usually incomplete and rather hyperbolic. The authors focus on the tendency to perceive artificial intelligence systems as superior to human capabilities, which can lead to the anthropomorphization of technical progress, and, therefore, to new ethical and social challenges.

This research work was aimed at studying the effects of transesterification process parameters on the production of biodiesel from oil extracted from catfish using raw, acid, alkaline, and thermally modified potassium hydroxide from clay as catalysts. The catfish oil was extracted using an oven at a temperature of 35 °C. The extracted catfish oil was converted into biodiesel using the transesterification method at a constant temperature of 60 °C for 60 min. The process parameters for the production of biodiesel from fish oil using raw, acidic, alkaline, and thermally modified potassium hydroxide from clay as catalysts were analyzed. The process parameters: methanol to oil molal ratio (mol/mol), catalyst concentration (weight%), reaction time (hours), reaction temperature (°C) and agitation speed (rpm) were the independent variables used in determining the biodiesel yield (vol/vol), which was the dependent variable. The experimental or actual maximum optimal biodiesel yield for biodiesel production from the process parameters had different yields using the fish oil with raw, acid, alkaline, and thermal KOH as catalysts. Results obtained showed the highest biodiesel yield was obtained at a reaction time of 3 hours, a reaction temperature of 70 °C, a methanol/sample molal ratio of 12:1, a catalyst concentration of 4 wt%, and an agitation speed of 400 rpm, respectively. It was also observed that the agitation speed and the thermally modified KOH catalyst had a significant effect on the biodiesel yield.

Introduction. Petroleum bitumen is the main component of road surfaces, which play an important role in ensuring the safety and comfort of vehicle traffic. Over time, bitumen undergoes ageing, which leads to changes in its physical and chemical properties. Such changes cause a decrease in the quality of road surfaces, deterioration of their performance characteristics and reduction of durability. The analysis of research in the field of bitumen thermal stabilization, which is of great importance for optimization of technological processes at high temperatures, was carried out. The optimal composition of modified bitumen using stearic acid, industrial oil was determined.Materials and methods. Bitumen undergoes serious changes during technological processes, during the transition from the bulk to the film state under the influence of high temperatures. Thus, thermal stability of bitumen is an important condition for preserving its quality at all stages of its life cycle. The issue of bitumen thermal stabilization with the use of stearic acid T-18 in combination with industrial oil I-20, which lead to increased resistance from external factors, is considered. To establish the degree of influence of modifying components on bitumen properties, a two-factor rotatable experiment with varying the amount of industrial oil and stearic acid additives, was performed.Results. The compositions and properties of the obtained modified bitumen were studied. The analysis of the obtained results shows that the effect of stearic acid on bitumen penetration is about 6 times higher than the effect of industrial oil, while both components together have insignificant effect on the other studied properties of bitumen.Conclusions. In order to further study thermal stability on the optimal versions of bitumen compositions, studies on mass retention of bitumen films at temperatures from 160 to 220 °C were performed. According to the obtained results, it was found that the effectiveness of stearic acid is manifested at higher temperatures and reaches values up to 25 %.

The onset of the 2022 energy crisis, the impact of which is felt by the whole world, and especially Europe, has radically changed the existing mechanisms of the European Union energy policy. It is therefore necessary to assess energy policy’s new directions and implementation measures. After providing a summary of the key reasons for the energy crisis in Europe, the article assessed the new measures and mechanisms, as well as the reasons for their adoption by the European Commission. The article revealed the influence of the actions taken on the state of the energy sector of the European Union, as well as their role in the emergence of disagreements between Brussels and EU member states. Ultimately, it was concluded that the European Union’s response to the energy crisis is insufficient. While there are prerequisites for a continuation of the crisis in 2023, the European Union is primarily pursuing geopolitical goals without addressing the underlying causes of price increases. There is the prospect of increasing pressure on the Commission to intervene more in the electricity market and more effectively support business and households.

The development of neural network technologies leads to their integration in decision-making processes at the level of such important social institutions as healthcare, education, employment, etc. This situation brings up the question of the correctness of artificial intelligence decisions and their consequences. The aim of this work is to consider the origin and replication of social exclusion, inequality and discrimination in society as a result of neurotraining. Neurotraining understood as the principles of any neural networks’ training. Social exclusion and the resulting discrimination in decisions made by artificial intelligence is considered as a consequence of the big data processing principles. The authors review the theories of foreign and Russian authors concerning the impact of artificial intelligence on strengthening the existing social order, as well as problems with processing and interpreting data for training computer systems on them. Real situations of the specifics of the data itself and its processing that have led to increased inequality and exclusion are also given. The conclusion about the sources of social exclusion and stigmatization in society is made due to the similarity between natural and artificial neural networks functioning. The authors suggest that it is the principles of neurotraining in a “natural” society that lead not only to discrimination at the macro level, but also cause vivid negative reactions towards representatives of the exclusive groups, for example, interethnic hatred, homophobia, sexism, etc. The question about the possibility of studying “natural” society in comparison with “artificial” one is raised.

Issues related to snakebite has for long been of high economic and medical importance. Management and treatment of snake envenomation has always been an issue, especially in remote areas, where anti-snake venom and facilities for its storage are not available, coupled with the high specificity and instability of anti-venom. Venom enzymes are usually responsible for so many tissue necrotic activity after bite. This research was aimed at isolation, purification and characterization of Hyaluronidase and Phospholipase A2 (PLA2) Enzymes of Echis ocellatus and Naja nigricollis snake venoms. Isolation and purification of these enzymes were done using a two-step process which included gel filtration on Sephadex G-75, active fractions were applied to ion–exchange chromatography on DEAE (Diethylaminoethyl) cellulose. Individual active fractions of each venom, was then subjected to SDS–PAGE for molecular weight extrapolation. Enzyme characterization was done on the two isolated enzymes for the two snake venoms used. N. nigricollis enzymes were revealed to have an optimum temperature of 37 oC and 55oC, while that of E. ocellatus had 37 oC and 40oC, with a pH of 3.5 and 8.0 for both the venom enzymes. Velocity kinetics carried out shows that N. nigricollis PLA2 has the highest Vmax value of 30.567mg/min, while E. ocellatus PLA2 however has the highest Km value of 4.5378mg/ml. Purification and characterization done in this research has revealed/confirmed that these venoms contain Hyaluronidase and PLA2 enzymes, giving a better understanding of the enzymes which will aid in the management and treatment of snake envenomation from these snakes.

BACKGROUND: Clinical registries systematically collect standardized information for pre-defined purposes on patients with a particular condition of interest. The characteristics and quantity of ophthalmic registries in Africa are unclear. This study aimed to quantify ophthalmic clinical registries in African countries from published literature, and to supply an overview of the features and study outcomes of these registries. METHODS: A systematic search of the EMBASE, PubMed, and Web of Science databases was conducted to find ophthalmology clinical registries in Africa without time and language limitations. Relevant data elements about registry characteristics, nature, methodology, and outcomes were extracted for each individual registry identified. RESULTS: Six clinical eye registries were found with no substantial growth over time. The most common condition captured is ocular tumors (n=3), of which two were retinoblastoma-specific registries. Five of them were focused on retinal diseases and one on blindness and low vision. None addressed cataracts and glaucoma. A third of the registries originated outside Africa, and one was multinational. Only three African countries produced a registry data set, with South Africa having the majority of the registries (n=3), followed by Egypt (n=2), and Ghana (n=1). Ophthalmic registries in Africa are used to study the epidemiologic features of ocular diseases, treatment outcomes, and genetic analysis. CONCLUSIONS: The potential for clinical eye registries has not been adequately harnessed in Africa, as only a few ophthalmic registries exist. Findings from this study may help inform the planning and implementation of future ophthalmic registries and suggest focus areas that have not received due attention.

The effect of ternary mixtures of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in Clarias gariepinus was investigated. Apparently healthy juvenile fish (n = 90) weighing 19.7±1.8 g were exposed to sublethal concentrations of naphthalene, phenathrene and benzo[a]pyrene over a period of 35 days after which liver biomarker analyses were carried out on blood plasma fraction. The observed total plasma protein was 35.1 g/L while the albumin and total bilirubin concentrations were 15.9 g/L and 4.6 μmol/L respectively. The plasma concentrations of the liver enzymes were 25.27 IU/L, 9.37 IU/L, and 28.01 IU/L for alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) respectively. While there were significant declines in plasma total protein and albumin, significant elevation was observed in plasma total bilirubin. Significant increases were also observed in the activities of the liver enzymes, alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP). Exposed liver and gill sections showed histopathological alteration. There was steatosis accompanied with moderate dense infiltrates in the liver while the gills showed channel dilatations with hyperplasia. Findings from this study suggest that PAH mixtures cause changes in the activities of liver metabolic enzymes as well as alter the normal architecture of liver and gills in exposed aquatic organisms.

Most polymer materials are thermal and electrical insulators, which have wide potential in advanced energy-power applications including energy conversion. However, polymers get softened when in contact with heat, which causes their molecular chains to flow as the temperature increases. Although polymer dielectrics exhibit high power density, they face challenges of low energy density which is due to the low dielectric permittivity associated with them. Therefore, this study tried to address the poor thermal energy management and low energy density of poly (vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) while maintaining its flexible property using low content of hybrid carbon nanotubes (CNTs–0.05wt%, 0.1wt%) and boron nitride (BN–5wt%, 10wt%) nano-reinforcements. The nanocomposites were developed through solvent mixing and hot compression processes. The dielectric constant increased from 9.1 for the pure PVDF to 42.8 with a low loss of about 0.1 at 100 Hz for PVDF-0.1wt%CNTs-10wt%BN. The thermal stability of the nanocomposites was enhanced by 55°C compared to the pure PVDF. The nanocomposites also showed improved melting and crystallization temperatures. The developed PVDF-CNTs-BN nanocomposites showed significant enhancements in thermal energy management, stability, and dielectric properties. The significantly improved properties are credited to the synergetic effects between CNTs and BN in the PVDF matrix in promoting homogeneous dispersion, thermal barrier, interfacial polarization/bonding, insulative and conductive properties. Therefore, the developed nanomaterials in this study can find advanced applications in the energy-power sector owing to their enhanced performances.

In recent years, the production and consumption of poultry meat has been widely used both on the world market and on the market of Kazakhstan, one of the reasons for which is that poultry products are more accessible to consumers than animal products. With such an import structure, it can be assumed that the volume of imports of cheap chicken from abroad is a function of the income level of the population: the smaller the proportion of the population with a certain low income level, the less imports. For the effective development of poultry farming in Kazakhstan, it is necessary to overcome a number of constraining factors, one of which is the insufficient modern safety control system throughout the poultry meat production chain. The article develops a flowchart of the semifinished product production process based on poultry meat-broiler with soy flour, examines possible risks (hazards) for the development of management measures in the production of semi-finished products, identifies three control critical points for the production of semi-finished products from broiler meat with soy flour.

Background ERAS® Society guidelines are holistic, multidisciplinary tools designed to improve outcomes after surgery. The enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) approach was initially developed for colorectal surgery and has been implemented successfully across a large number of settings, resulting in improved patient outcomes. As the ERAS approach is increasingly being adopted worldwide and new guidelines are being generated for new populations, there is a need to define an ERAS® Society guideline and the methodology that should be followed in its development. Methods The ERAS® Society recommended approach for developing new guidelines is based on the creation of multidisciplinary guideline development groups responsible for defining topics, planning the literature search, and assessing the quality of the evidence. Results Clear definitions for the elements of an ERAS guideline involve multimodal and multidisciplinary approaches impacting on multiple patient outcomes. Recommended methodology for guideline development follows a rigorous approach with systematic identification and evaluation of evidence, and consensus‐based development of recommendations. Guidelines should then be evaluated and reviewed regularly to ensure that the best and most up‐to‐date evidence is used consistently to support surgical patients. Conclusion There is a need for a standardized, evidence‐informed approach to both the development of new ERAS® Society guidelines, and the adaptation and revision of existing guidelines.

The purpose of this work was to evaluate the antimicrobial effect of Azadirachta indica leaf extracts on Escherichia coli isolated from infected diabetic wound. Out of 50 swab samples of infected diabetic wounds, 30 isolates were obtained of which Escherichia coli made up 20% of the bacterial isolates from the wound. The phytochemical analysis of the leaf’s extracts showed the presence of saponin, flavonoids, steroid, alkaloids, tannins, cardiac glycoside, and phenol. The in vitro antimicrobial effect of the aqueous and ethanol leaf extracts was evaluated using the agar well diffusion method. Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) and Minimum Bactericidal Concentration (MBC) of the leaf extracts were also determined. Results showed that the ethanol extract showed inhibitory effects at all concentrations used in this study, which were 125mg/ml (10.00mm), 250mg/ml (10.33mm), 500mg/ml (10.67mm) and 1000mg/ml (10.67mm) while the aqueous extract had no inhibitory effect on E. coli. The result of MIC was 500mg/ml and the MBC showed 1000mg/ml. The ethanol extracts possess antimicrobial activity against E. coli and the plants are readily available. There is need for more research on other plant with antimicrobial properties to help tackle the problem of antimicrobial resistance.

Встановлено, що в природному заповіднику "Медобори" насадження з участю дуба звичайного (від трьох одиниць і більше) є панівним типом деревостанів і займають 43,96 % лісових площ, переважно створені штучно за типом корінних. Проаналізовано основні таксаційні показники деревостанів дуба звичайного з поквартальних підсумків Таксаційного опису природного заповідника "Медобори". Проведено віковий аналіз досліджуваних деревостанів: частка молодняків становить 9,64 %, середньовікових – 83,13 %, пристигаючих – 0,24 %. Визначено, що деревостани з участю дуба звичайного зростають у чотирьох типах лісорослинних умов: вологій грабово-буковій діброві (11,13 %), вологій грабовій діброві (13,65 %), свіжій грабово-буковій діброві (27,85 %), свіжій грабовій діброві (48,21 %). За ярусністю дубові деревостани переважно є простими. Встановлено, що дубняки характеризуються високою продуктивністю – 89,9 % ростуть за першим і вище першого бонітетом. 68,6 % насаджень – високоповнотні, а низькоповнотних є вкрай мало. Математичному аналізу підлягали компоненти: вік, діаметр, повнота, запас деревостану. За розрахунковим значенням стандартного відхилення та коефіцієнта варіації можна стверджувати, що розмах варіації показника "повнота" характеризується середнім значенням мінливості ознаки. Інші показники мають широкий діапазон розсіювання у досліджених сукупностях.

Проаналізовано сучасний стан деревостанів з участю ясена (Fraxinus excelsior L.) звичайного за двадцятип'ятирічний період після введення заповідного режиму. Подано характеристику лісівничо-таксаційних особливостей ясеничників у природному заповіднику "Медобори", проаналізовано їх сучасний стан. Показано, що найпоширенішим захворюванням для цієї деревної породи є бактеріальний рак ясена (збудник – бактерія Pseudomonas savastanoi pv. fraxini (Janse) Young, Dye & Wilkie), який уражує стовбури, гілки та пагони. Наведено характеристику пробних площ, на яких щорічно проводили лісопатологічні дослідження та оцінювали санітарний стан насаджень, охарактеризовано закономірності росту деревостанів, заражених бактеріальним раком ясена, за основними таксаційними показниками. За двадцять п'ять років спостережень за перебігом хвороби на лісопатологічних пробних площах виявлено погіршення санітарного стану. Дерева, пошкоджені хворобою, втрачають приріст, пригнічені, ослаблені. Проаналізовано категорії пошкоджень дерев бактеріальним раком, подано динаміку розвитку патологічних процесів на пробних площах. На досліджуваних постійних пробних площах ЛП-1, ЛП-3, ЛП-5 сильно ослаблені і всихаючі дерева становлять 56, 50 та 81 % дерев відповідно, сухостійні – 44, 52 та 19 % , здорових – немає. На всіх пробних площах відбувається інтенсивне ослаблення та відмирання дерев.

This paper presents research report on extraction and assessment of physicochemical properties of Rosigold mango kernel oil. This is with a view to using the oil for bioresin production so as to mitigate some of the problems associated with petrochemical resins currently used for bulk of composite production activities. The seeds of the mango were identified and collected from the wastes discarded by marketers and consumers in Bauchi town. The Oil was obtained using soxhlet extraction with n-Hexane as solvent. The oil was characterized for yield, relative density, free fatty acid value, acid value, iodine value, and saponification value. Mean values of the characteristic parameters were: oil yield 19.6%, relative density 0.874 g/cm3, free fatty acid value 3.09 mg NaOH/g oil, acid value 6.18 mg KOH/g oil, iodine value 60.7 mg iodine/100 g oil and saponification value 143.6 mg KOH/ g oil. Analysis and comparison of these results with the physicochemical properties of palm oil, Soya bean oil and Hemp seed oil respectively, revealed that the iodine value of Rosigold mango seed kernel oil is higher than palm oil, but lower than Soya bean and Hemp seed oils respectively. Bioresin production is heavily dependent on the degree of unsaturation of the oil which is reflected by the iodine value. However, the overall results suggested that Rosigold mango seed kernel oil is suitable for bioresin production since the minimum iodine bench mark for renewable oil suitable for bioresin production is 50 mg iodine/100 g oil. The extracted oil has an added advantage in that the source (mango seed) is a waste material that is readily available, affordable and sustainable in Nigeria and many other countries.

Анотація. Запропоновано метод кування заготовок, який має на меті осадження профільованих злитків. Запропоновано методику теоретичного дослідження залежностей зменшення розмірів осьової пористості в заготовках на основі скінчено- елементного моделювання. Базовим показником для дослідження була обрана висота виступів чотирипроменевої заготовки. Висота виступів чотирипроменевої заготовки змінювалась в інтервалі 0,75; 0,80 і 0,85. Кут виступів чотирипроменевої заготовки дорівнював 115°. На основі скінчено-елементних досліджень були встановлені середні напруження при осадженні профільованих злитків. На основі цього параметру встановлювався параметр напруженого стану в центральній частині поковки. Запропонована методика проведення експериментів. Експерименти проводилися на моделях зі свинцю та сталі. В результаті скінчено-елементного моделювання визначено, що раціональна відносна висота виступів становить 0,85. Таке співвідношення призводить до максимального зменшення розмірів осьової пористості. Це можна пояснити значною величиною стискаючих середніх напружень при деформуванні осадженням профільованих заготовок. Визначена раціональна величина обтискання, коли проходить максимальне зменшення розмірів осьової пористості. Визначено середні напруження за об’ємом поковки та змінення параметра напруженого стану осадженої профільованої заготовки. Закриття осьової пористості доведено експериментами на моделях зі свинцю та сталі. Впроваджено запропонований спосіб деформування чотирипроменевих профільованих заготовок. Аналіз результатів УЗК дозволив визначити, що виготовлені вироби позбавлені осьових пустот, які вище за вимоги замовника. В результаті встановлена доцільність операції осадження профільованих злитків, що дозволило підвищити щільність внутрішньої будови крупногабаритних заготовок

Approximation formulas for the calculation of extinction coefficients in a wide range of radii and concentrations of dislocation loops oriented in certain directions were obtained. It was shown that received expressions make it possible to quickly calculate with satisfactory accuracy the angular dependence of extinction coefficient and speed up the calculation of theoretical rocking curves.

The rare semileptonic Bc→Ds,dl+l- decays are studied in the universal extra dimension with a single extra dimension scenario. The sensitivity of differential and total branching ratios and polarization asymmetries of final state leptons to the compactification parameter are presented, for both muon and tau decay channels. Considering the ability of available experiments, it would be useful to study these effects.

Business Process Re-engineering (BPR) is defined as the critical analysis and radical redesign of existing business processes to achieve breakthrough improvements in performance measures like cost, quality, speed, profitability and services. The purpose of this paper is to identify the critical success factors of BPR implementation, to evaluate their effects on the primary measures as expressed by the operational performance and the secondary measures as expressed by the organizational performance, and to find out the effect of the operational performance on the organizational performance of Nigerian oil and gas companies. To achieve these objectives, an empirical study was conducted via the administration of 650 self-administered copies of questionnaire to a randomly selected senior and management staff of eight (8) re-engineered Oil and Gas Companies in Nigeria. Using the framework from Khong & Richardson (2003), factors manifesting operational performance and organizational performance were regressed on the Critical Success Factors (CSFs) manifesting successful BPR. Findings based on the survey revealed that successful BPR can positively affect both operational and organizational performance measures in the Nigerian oil and gas companies.

Despite its long historical antecedents, terrorism is amongst the growing realities of the national history of contemporary sovereign states. With this emergence, destabilizing influence, and internationalization, terrorism has made the associated security challenge a major diplomatic headache for all key international actors and diplomats. This paper, which adopts a theoretical approach, assesses claims that Ghadafi’s Libya championed state-sponsored terrorism. It reviews the Lockerbie bombing and the conviction of al-Megrahi by the court in Netherland as well as his release from Scottish prison on compassionate grounds. It examines Libya’s use of available diplomatic tools and channels not only to prevent Abdelbaset Ali Mohammed al-Megrahi from facing justice but also to attain Ghadafi’s political and economic interests. This article documents the political communication that followed his release and calls for increased diplomatic investigations of the Lockerbie terrorist attack. Finally, the paper beckons on Libya’s new leaders and the leaderships of USA and Scotland to engage in a progressive multilateral strategic cooperation to unravel further facts on the Lockerbie bombing while promoting the current international “war” against terrorism

Poly(propylene)imine hexadecylamine dendrimer (DAB-Am-16) was anchored on the surface of 3-chloropropylsilyl silica gel and subsequently interacted with copper nitroprusside. The composite was characterized by infrared (FTIR), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX), and cyclic voltammetry. The above techniques confirmed the successful anchoring of the dendrimer on the silica gel modified surface and its interaction with copper nitroprusside. The cyclic voltammogram of CuNPSD was found to exhibit two redox couples with (Eθ′)1 = 0.30 V and (Eθ′)2 = 0.78 V versus Ag/AgCl (KCl=1.0 mol L−1; 𝑣=20 mV s−1) attributed to the redox processes Cu(I)/Cu(II) and Fe(II)(CN)5NO/Fe(III)(CN)5NO, respectively. The CuNPSD-modified graphite paste electrode was found to show a linear response of 5.0×10−4 to 9.0×10−3 mol L−1 for nitrite determination with a detection limit (DL) of 3.8×10−4 mol L−1 and an amperometric sensitivity of 25.0 mA/mol L−1. The CuNPSD-modified graphite paste electrode was found to show a good electrochemical stability and an excellent response to the electrocatalytic oxidation of sodium nitrite.

This research work was aimed at studying the effects of transesterification process parameters on the production of biodiesel from oil extracted from catfish using raw, acid, alkaline, and thermally modified potassium hydroxide from clay as catalysts. The catfish oil was extracted using an oven at a temperature of 35 °C. The extracted catfish oil was converted into biodiesel using the transesterification method at a constant temperature of 60 °C for 60 min. The process parameters for the production of biodiesel from fish oil using raw, acidic, alkaline, and thermally modified potassium hydroxide from clay as catalysts were analyzed. The process parameters: methanol to oil molal ratio (mol/mol), catalyst concentration (weight%), reaction time (hours), reaction temperature (°C) and agitation speed (rpm) were the independent variables used in determining the biodiesel yield (vol/vol), which was the dependent variable. The experimental or actual maximum optimal biodiesel yield for biodiesel production from the process parameters had different yields using the fish oil with raw, acid, alkaline, and thermal KOH as catalysts. Results obtained showed the highest biodiesel yield was obtained at a reaction time of 3 hours, a reaction temperature of 70 °C, a methanol/sample molal ratio of 12:1, a catalyst concentration of 4 wt%, and an agitation speed of 400 rpm, respectively. It was also observed that the agitation speed and the thermally modified KOH catalyst had a significant effect on the biodiesel yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The integration of technology in accounting roles raises questions about the adaptability and skills of accountants in utilizing these tools effectively. Understanding how accountants' behavior is influenced by technology is crucial for their professional development and the accounting industry's future. This study focused on the development of a predictive model, leveraging both Naive Bayes and K-Nearest Neighbors (KNN) models. The research methodology involved the use of Pandas DataFrame to establish a robust framework for the dataset, incorporating both established and innovative features as input variables. These datasets were then utilized as the training data for the predictive model, with the primary objective of extracting valuable insights for decision-making and forecasting accountant behavior. The key findings of the study shed light on the performance of the different models employed. The Naïve Bayes model emerged as a standout performer, achieving an accuracy rate of 63% and an exceptional recall rate of 97%. This underscores its effectiveness in predicting accountant behavior, especially in identifying positive instances. On the other hand, the K-Nearest Neighbors model displayed a balanced trade-off between precision and recall, achieving an accuracy rate of 52% and an F1 score of 64%. This suggests that the model provides a reasonable compromise between accurately identifying positive cases and overall performance. Furthermore, the hybrid KNN-NB model, which amalgamates elements from both approaches, also achieved an accuracy rate of 52%. This finding indicates that the hybrid model has the potential to harness the strengths of both algorithms, offering a versatile approach to predicting accountant behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY In our study, it was aimed to evaluate the efficacy of microfracture and retrograde subchondral drilling on clinical outcomes in patients who underwent ankle arthroscopy due to osteochondral lesion of medial talus. MATERIAL AND M ETHODS Twenty eight patients with osteochondral lesion of talus less than 1.5 cm2 treated with ankle arthroscopy were evaluated retrospectively. Microfracture was performed in 16 patients and retrograde subchondral drilling was performed in 12 patients that there was no loss of integrity in the cartilage layer or cartilage layer is partially preserved during ankle arthroscopy. Postoperative evaluations of the patients were done with Foot and Ankle Ability Measure (FAAM) and results of both group were compared statistically. RESULTS The mean activities of daily living scale was 93.4±3.2 and sportive activity scale was 90.1±5.7 in the retrograde drilling group. In the micro-fracture group, mean activities of daily living scale was 93.8±4.1 and mean sportive activity scale was 88.9±9.5. No significant difference was found as a result of statistical comparisons of both groups results. DISCUSSION It has been determined that the size and preservation of the integrity of talar osteochondral lesions are important factors on clinical results. Results of arthroscopic debridement, microfracture and drilization are not good in lesions larger than 1.5 cm² and lesions with impaired integrity. In our study, depending on the general literature, osteochondral lesions in talus were less than 1.5 cm² in patients who underwent arthroscopic micro fracture and retrograde drilling. CONCLUSIONS Both microfracture and retrograde subchondral drilling are effective treatment methods with good clinical results for talar osteochondral lesions less than 1,5cm². Retrograde subchondral drilling can be an alternative treatment method with the reliability of clinical results in patients with no loss of the integrity of the cartilage layer or cartilage layer is partially preserved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY The purpose of this study was to assess the clinical outcomes and complications associated with intramedullary and transverse K-wire fixations of 5th metacarpal neck fractures. MATERIAL AND METHODS Patients who were operated for 5th metacarpal neck fractures between 2019 and 2022 were evaluated retrospectively. Regarding the surgical treatment methods, patients were assessed by dividing them into two groups. The first group comprised patients who underwent treatment with an intramedullary K-wire. The second group comprises patients who underwent transverse K-wire fixation. RESULTS The average quick DASH score of all patients was 5.6±4.7 in the intramedullary K-wire fixation group and 5.9±5.1 in the transverse K-wire fixation group. An average 5th finger metacarpophalangeal joint extension limitation was 6.2±5.7° in the intramedullary fixation group and 6.1±5.8° in the transverse K-wire group. The mean radiological union time was 4.9±0.7 weeks in the intramedullary fixation group and 5.1±0.7 weeks in the transverse K-wire group. No statistically significant difference was found between the quick DASH scores and degrees of the MCP joint extension limitation (p=0.785). Intramedullary fixation and transverse K-wire fixations are effective surgical treatment methods for metacarpal neck fractures. DISCUSSION It has been reported that the intramedullary fixation method in metacarpal bone fractures is more effective than the fixation methods with cross and transverse K-wire. But our results revealed no difference in clinical outcomes between the two surgical fixation methods. CONCLUSIONS We observed no statistically significant difference between the two fixation techniques with regard to union, clinical outcomes, or complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of photothermal techniques for measuring the thermal parameters of ferromagnetic nanofluids has been the subject of investigation in several recent studies. In this work, the thermal properties of Fe3O4 nanofluids were investigated using two photothermal techniques: Thermal wave resonance cavity (TWRC) and thermal lens spectrometry (TLS). Fe3O4 nanoparticles were prepared using the precipitation method and characterized using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). A nonlinear increase in thermal diffusivity with nanoparticle concentration was observed, with values ranging from 1.52 × 10–3 cm2/s to 5.46 × 10–3 cm2/s. Comparison between the two techniques revealed differences in accuracy and applicability for different nanoparticle concentrations. These results highlight the importance of selecting the appropriate technique based on the specific characteristics of the nanofluid under study. In conclusion, this study provides a deeper understanding of the thermal properties of Fe3O4 nanofluids and underscores the potential of photothermal techniques in characterizing these materials for various applications, including magnetic hyperthermia for cancer treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]