Expertise Resources Research Articles

The Analysis Study of Surgical Approaches and Outcome in Living Donor Nephrectomy: A Comprehensive Systematic Review

Background: The shortage of deceased donor kidneys has led to a significant increase in the use of living donor kidneys for transplantation. Since the first successful living donor nephrectomy in the 1950s, surgical techniques have advanced considerably, evolving from open donor nephrectomy (ODN) to more refined minimally invasive procedures. This systematic review aims to compare the various surgical techniques for living donor nephrectomy and their outcomes. Methods: The study followed PRISMA 2020 guidelines, reviewing English-language publications from 2014 to 2024. Editorials, duplicate reviews from the same journal, and papers lacking a DOI were excluded. The literature search was conducted using PubMed, SagePub, SpringerLink, and Google Scholar. Result: A total of 2,172 articles were initially identified through online databases (PubMed, SagePub, SpringerLink, and Google Scholar). After three rounds of screening, eight relevant studies were selected for full-text analysis. Conclusion: LDN and other minimally invasive techniques, such as RDN and robot-assisted nephrectomy, offer advantages in recovery time and reduced complications. However, each method has unique strengths and considerations. The choice of approach should depend on donor anatomy, surgeon expertise, and institutional resources.

Plant Leaf Disease Detection Using Integrated Color and Texture Features

In the realm of precision agriculture, a pivotal challenge lies in the detection, identification, and grading of crop diseases. This multifaceted task necessitates the involvement of expert human resources and time-sensitive actions aimed at mitigating the risks of production losses and the rapid spread of diseases. The effectiveness of the majority of developed systems in this domain hinges on the quality of image features and disease segmentation accuracy. This paper presents a comprehensive research endeavor in the domain of Content-Based Image Retrieval (CBIR), specifically tailored to detect and classify leaf diseases. The proposed system integrates both color and texture features to underpin its functionality, providing a robust framework for accurate disease detection. By leveraging advanced image processing techniques, the system enhances the precision of disease identification, which is crucial for timely and effective intervention in agricultural practices. To evaluate the system’s performance, maize leaves afflicted by rust and blight serve as prime candidates for testing. These diseases were chosen due to their prevalence and significant impact on crop yield. The experimental results demonstrate that the developed system consistently excels in its disease detection and identification tasks, boasting an impressive efficiency rate of 98.33%. This high level of accuracy underscores the potential of the system to be a valuable tool in precision agriculture, aiding farmers and agricultural experts in maintaining healthy crops and optimizing production. The integration of color and texture features not only improves the detection accuracy but also provides a comprehensive understanding of the disease characteristics. This dual-feature approach ensures that the system can distinguish between different types of diseases with high precision, making it a versatile solution for various agricultural applications. The findings of this research highlight the importance of advanced image analysis techniques in enhancing the capabilities of disease detection systems, paving the way for more efficient and effective agricultural practices.

Integrity of Surface and Sub-Surface Pipeline for Transmission of Crude Oil By-Products: Recent Developments and Future Perspectives

Pipelines play a crucial role in transporting large volumes of gas and oil over long distances due to their safety, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness. Maintaining the integrity of both surface and subsurface pipelines is vital for reliable operations and preventing costly failures that could result in environmental contamination from oil or gas spills. Pipeline degradation often results from electrochemical processes over time, affecting the surface in contact with the environment. This study reviews a decade of literature on methodologies, contributions, and drawbacks related to surface and subsurface pipeline integrity. It provides an overview of progress in PSE-aided thermal cracking production and introduces frameworks, methods, and algorithms proposed in the past 10 years, discussing their advantages, limitations, and industrial applications. Additionally, the paper identifies research gaps, particularly in the accuracy and validation of current methodologies. The study concludes by proposing future recommendations aimed at enhancing environmental sustainability, stressing the potentially catastrophic consequences of pipeline failures. It serves as a resource for experts in non-destructive testing and those interested in the field.

Prostruc: an open-source tool for 3D structure prediction using homology modeling

IntroductionHomology modeling is a widely used computational technique for predicting the three-dimensional (3D) structures of proteins based on known templates,evolutionary relationships to provide structural insights critical for understanding protein function, interactions, and potential therapeutic targets. However, existing tools often require significant expertise and computational resources, presenting a barrier for many researchers.MethodsProstruc is a Python-based homology modeling tool designed to simplify protein structure prediction through an intuitive, automated pipeline. Integrating Biopython for sequence alignment, BLAST for template identification, and ProMod3 for structure generation, Prostruc streamlines complex workflows into a user-friendly interface. The tool enables researchers to input protein sequences, identify homologous templates from databases such as the Protein Data Bank (PDB), and generate high-quality 3D structures with minimal computational expertise. Prostruc implements a two-stage vSquarealidation process: first, it uses TM-align for structural comparison, assessing Root Mean Deviations (RMSD) and TM scores against reference models. Second, it evaluates model quality via QMEANDisCo to ensure high accuracy.ResultsThe top five models are selected based on these metrics and provided to the user. Prostruc stands out by offering scalability, flexibility, and ease of use. It is accessible via a cloud-based web interface or as a Python package for local use, ensuring adaptability across research environments. Benchmarking against existing tools like SWISS-MODEL,I-TASSER and Phyre2 demonstrates Prostruc's competitive performance in terms of structural accuracy and job runtime, while its open-source nature encourages community-driven innovation.DiscussionProstruc is positioned as a significant advancement in homology modeling, making high-quality protein structure prediction more accessible to the scientific community.

The Relationship Between Governance Capacity and Business Performance: A Case Study of Vietnam’s Auto Auxiliary Industry

The purpose of this study was to assess the present business performance of Vietnam’s auto auxiliary industry. Another aim was to identify the factors, including organizational factors, internal capacities, and external networks, that positively and negatively impact the governance capacity of Vietnam’s auto auxiliary industry. Finally, the relationship between governance and business performance within the context of Vietnam’s auto auxiliary industry was examined in the study. The research methodology employed a comprehensive approach, combining Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) utilizing Smart-PLS 3.0, interviews conducted through the Delphi technique, and an exhaustive table study. Three hundred questionnaires were distributed, yielding 265 responses from diverse participants, including private enterprises, state-owned enterprises, joint-venture enterprises, and governmental bodies. The results of the study were that Governance Capacity mediated the relationship between organizational factors (Government Policies, Market Competition, Globalization and Supply Chains, Economic Conditions, Environmental and Sustainability Concerns, and Human Resources Expertise) and Business Performance within Vietnam’s auto auxiliary industry. The recommendations provided practical insights for industry stakeholders seeking to improve governance practices and optimize business performance within Vietnam’s auto auxiliary sector.

Charging Ahead: The Evolution and Reliability of Nickel‐Zinc Battery Solutions

ABSTRACTNickel‐Zinc (Ni‐Zn) batteries offer an interesting alternative for the expanding electrochemical energy storage industry due to their high‐power density, low cost, and environmental friendliness. However, significant reliability challenges such as capacity fading, self‐discharge, thermal instability, and electrode degradation detract from their competitiveness in the market, hindering their widespread adoption. This study thoroughly examines the degradation mechanisms and approaches to improve the reliability of Ni‐Zn batteries: Starting with their basic chemistry, operating principles, and degradation pathways, strategies for improvement are explored including material modification, electrolyte optimization, cell design approaches, and thermal management techniques. Advanced characterization methods for data collection and reliability assessment are discussed, including electrochemical, structural, spectroscopic, and in situ techniques which are noted for their ability to identify key areas of concern for this cell chemistry. We further consider emerging trends such as novel materials, hybridization with other energy technologies, and the challenges of large‐scale implementation, emphasizing the need for standardized reliability testing protocols. Opportunities for the integration of advanced sensing, such as fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensors for real‐time monitoring and anomaly detection, along with machine learning (ML) and prognostics and health management of Ni‐Zn batteries are highlighted, as these open the door to future research directions. This comprehensive review should serve as a resource for researchers, engineers, and industry experts aiming to advance and commercialize dependable, high‐performing Ni‐Zn battery technology for a sustainable energy future. image

Connecting With Building Water System Operators and Managers

Public water systems have access to an abundance of professional expertise and technical resources. Sharing this information with customers who operate and manage building water systems provides numerous benefits.

Therapeutic Peptides Encapsulated into Lipid-Based Nanovesicles: Scaling from Lab to Plant

Lipid-based peptide-encapsulated nanovesicles represent a cutting-edge approach in drug delivery systems, offering enhanced stability, targeted delivery, and controlled release of therapeutic peptides. This review explores the comprehensive science and techniques behind the robust formulation and analytical methods for these nanovesicles, spanning from lab-scale research to large- scale manufacturing. Critical aspects include lipid selection, detailing how the choice of lipids impacts the stability and efficacy of the nanovesicles, and various peptide encapsulation techniques, emphasizing methods to achieve high encapsulation efficiency and controlled release. Key processes in vesicle formation, such as thin film hydration, sonication, and microfluidics, are discussed to highlight their roles in producing nanovesicles with consistent size and morphology. The importance of stability studies, including physical, chemical, and thermal assessments, is underscored. Analytical techniques such as Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS), Zeta Potential measurement, High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC), and Mass Spectrometry (MS) are detailed, showcasing their crucial roles in characterizing nanovesicles and ensuring their quality, safety, and efficacy for pharmaceutical use. The review addresses the challenges and solutions associated with scaling up production, including maintaining consistent product quality, optimizing manufacturing processes, and controlling production costs. It also navigates the regulatory landscape, discussing the stringent guidelines set by agencies such as the FDA and EMA and the necessity of strategic regulatory planning to facilitate market approval. This comprehensive review aims to serve as an in-depth resource for experts in the field, aiding in the translation of lipid-based peptide-encapsulated nanovesicle formulations from bench to bedside, ultimately enhancing therapeutic outcomes and expanding treatment options for various disease. Key Words: Peptide, Amino acid, Degradation, Pharmacokinetics, Peptide encapsulation, drug delivery systems, Peptide Characterization

Best practices for germline variant and DNA methylation analysis of second- and third-generation sequencing data.

This comprehensive review provides insights and suggested strategies for the analysis of germline variants using second- and third-generation sequencing technologies (SGS and TGS). It addresses the critical stages of data processing, starting from alignment and preprocessing to quality control, variant calling, and the removal of artifacts. The document emphasized the importance of meticulous data handling, highlighting advanced methodologies for annotating variants and identifying structural variations and methylated DNA sites. Special attention is given to the inspection of problematic variants, a step that is crucial for ensuring the accuracy of the analysis, particularly in clinical settings where genetic diagnostics can inform patient care. Additionally, the document covers the use of various bioinformatics tools and software that enhance the precision and reliability of these analyses. It outlines best practices for the annotation of variants, including considerations for problematic genetic alterations such as those in the human leukocyte antigen region, runs of homozygosity, and mitochondrial DNA alterations. The document also explores the complexities associated with identifying structural variants and copy number variations, underscoring the challenges posed by these large-scale genomic alterations. The objective is to offer a comprehensive framework for researchers and clinicians, ensuring that genetic analyses conducted with SGS and TGS are both accurate and reproducible. By following these best practices, the document aims to increase the diagnostic accuracy for hereditary diseases, facilitating early diagnosis, prevention, and personalized treatment strategies. This review serves as a valuable resource for both novices and experts in the field, providing insights into the latest advancements and methodologies in genetic analysis. It also aims to encourage the adoption of these practices in diverse research and clinical contexts, promoting consistency and reliability across studies.

Current Practices for Delivering New Diagnosis Education at Children's Oncology Group Institutions: A Report From the Children's Oncology Group.

The Children's Oncology Group (COG) Nursing Discipline developed expert consensus recommendations and resources to guide the delivery of new diagnosis education across its member institutions. Current new diagnosis education practices across COG member institutions are unknown. To understand current new diagnosis education practices across COG member institutions. We conducted a cross-sectional survey of COG nurses between July and October 2023 to elicit current practices to deliver new diagnosis education to families across COG institutions. Data were collected and managed using REDCap electronic data capture tools. Individual responses from single institutions were averaged as a single institution-level response. Respondents included 146/227 (64.3%) COG institutions across 5 countries. Advanced practice nurses and nurse educators have primary responsibility for new diagnosis education at 28.1% and 26.7% of institutions, respectively. Less than half (42.4%) of institutions have a clearly defined process for delivering new diagnosis patient/family education. Almost all (88.2%) institutions use the COG Family Handbook; 64.7% use the COG New Diagnosis Guide, and 41.9% use the COG KidsCare app to support the delivery of new diagnosis education. More than half (61.5%) of institutions use checklists to facilitate the delivery of new diagnosis education, with 81.6% of large institutions versus 44.1% of small institutions reporting the use of checklists ( P = .004). There is variability in current new diagnosis education practices across COG institutions. These findings highlight opportunities for implementing standardized approaches aligned with expert consensus recommendations for the delivery of new diagnosis education.

Diagnosis and management of adult Moyamoya angiopathy: An overview of guideline recommendations and identification of future research directions.

Despite the progress made in understanding the management and outcomes of Moyamoya angiopathy (MMA), several aspects of the disease remain largely unknown. In particular, evidence on the disease history and management of MMA is lacking, mainly due to methodological and selection biases in the available studies and the lack of large, randomized prospective studies. Therefore, the care of MMA patients remains limited to a few expert centers worldwide, and management is often based on local expertise and available resources. Over the years, recommendations or expert opinions have been written to provide guidance to physicians in the treatment of this condition with the goal of reducing the risk of stroke recurrence and long-term disability. However, there is no complete agreement between the available guidelines and recommendations due to differences in the articles addressed, methodologies, expertise, and validated approaches to literature review. This lack of consensus on the management of MMA may confuse clinicians and highlight some important issues and points. The aim of this comprehensive review article is to critically examine three recent guidelines and recommendations on MMA, discussing their differences and similarities and highlighting gaps in MMA care that need to be covered.

Evaluasi Tata Kelola TI Layanan Sistem Informasi Akademik Tahfizh Menggunakan COBIT 5 Domain EDM

With the rapid advancement of information technology, many organizations are leveraging it to support business processes, including in the education sector. Rumah Qur'an Al-Inayah in South Tangerang uses the Tahfizh Academic Information System to manage student administration. Although effective, there are still challenges, such as a lack of expert human resources, suboptimal system management, and data discrepancies. Evaluating the implementation of information technology using COBIT 5, particularly in the EDM (Evaluate, Direct, and Monitor) domain, is essential. This study employs a mixed-method approach, combining qualitative and quantitative methods. The evaluation results reveal gaps in five EDM subdomains: EDM 01 (0.58), EDM 02 (0.74), EDM 03 (0.9), EDM 04 (0.71), and EDM 05 (0.63). Recommendations include adding dedicated human resources, conducting regular maintenance, and optimizing task and access rights distribution. Implementing these recommendations is expected to improve the performance and IT governance at Rumah Qur'an Al-Inayah.

New to general practice

Starting out in general practice nursing can be daunting. Here are some expert tips and resources on what nurses need to know to work in primary care

Evaluation of the implementation of SMK3 at the Grandmed Lubuk Pakam Hospital in 2024

SMK3 has been regulated in the guidelines for occupational safety and health in hospitals, but its implementation may face various challenges. Various factors such as the dynamics of the work environment, regulatory changes, and aspects of organizational culture can affect the effectiveness of SMK3 implementation. Permenkes No.66 of 2016 Article 4 states that SMK3 Hospitals include the determination of K3RS policies, K3RS planning, implementation of K3RS plans, monitoring and evaluation of K3RS, review and improvement of K3RS. This qualitative study aims to evaluate the implementation of SMK3 at Grandmed Lubuk Pakam Hospital. The informants were 5 people by conducting in-depth interviews equipped with a voice recorder. The research variables are K3RS policies, facilities and infrastructure, and human resources. The results of the study are that Grandmed Hospital has implemented the K3RS policy by having a commitment to implementing K3, but in its application to workers it has not been implemented properly, establishing a K3RS organization that plays a role in minimizing the risk of accidents and occupational diseases, providing complete K3 facilities and infrastructure in accordance with SOP, and only having one human resource expert as K3 personnel at the hospital. The suggestion given is that Grandmed Hospital Lubuk Pakam is expected to be able to improve professional human resources in the field of K3RS not only General K3, can build awareness of the importance of K3 through regular communication campaigns, plan monthly activity agendas such as role plays on the importance of K3 culture. Keywords: SMK3; K3RS Policy; Facilities and infrastructure; Human resources.

The characteristics, challenges, and opportunities of China’s food safety inspection supervision in the distribution sector

Concerns about public food safety are comparatively common in the Chinese food distribution industry. A dearth of expertise and scarce resources lead to frequent instances of incapacity and inadequate oversight, which negatively affect stakeholders in the circulation industry. The main challenges to food supervision are the need for more alignment between the technical specifications, comprehensiveness, and continuity of the existing food safety supervision legislation and the real circumstances facing the regulatory agencies. Despite the circulation field’s critical position in food safety regulation, its complex and variable characteristics make it challenging to implement and manage. There exist notable concerns over inadequate food safety standards and supervisory frameworks, vagueness in enforcing rules, and insufficient workforce and technical know-how in food safety supervision. The opportunities for regulating the food business with the government’s focus and attention considerably outweigh the obstacles that lie ahead. The growth of the food business needs to be viewed in the larger framework of the country’s economic development. Professional involvement and collaboration with technical departments can help regulatory bodies tackle non-compliant actions in the market circulation process in a timely way, resulting in a more evidence-based and responsive regulatory approach. Establishing a healthy equilibrium and elucidating the relationship between oversight and the food business will be crucial in the future.

VertexWiseR: a package for simplified vertex-wise analyses of whole-brain and hippocampal surfaces in R

Abstract Currently, whole-brain vertex-wise analyses on brain surfaces commonly require specially configured operating systems/environments to run and are largely inaccessible to R users. As such, these analyses are inconvenient to execute and inaccessible to many aspiring researchers. To address these limitations, we present VertexWiseR, a user-friendly R package, to run cortical and hippocampal surface vertex-wise analyses, in just about any computer, requiring minimal technical expertise and computational resources. The package allows cohort-wise anatomical surface data to be highly compressed into a single, compact, easy-to-share file. Users can then run a range of vertex-wise statistical analyses with that single file without requiring a special operating system/environment and direct access to the preprocessed file directories. This enables the user to easily take the analyses ‘offline’, which would be highly appropriate and conducive in classroom settings. This R package includes a conventional suite of tools for extracting, manipulating, analysing, and visualizing vertex-wise data, and is designed to be easy for beginners to use. Furthermore, it also contains novel or advanced functionalities such as hippocampal surface analyses, meta-analytic decoding, threshold-free cluster enhancement, and mixed effects models that would appeal to experienced researchers as well. In the current report, we showcase these functionalities in the analyses of two publicly accessible datasets. Overall, our R package opens up new frontiers for the R’s user base/community and makes such neuroimaging analyses accessible to the masses.

Development of A Biotechnology Encyclopedia Based on Scientific Literacy to Improve Students' Scientific Literacy Abilities Unimed Biology Education Program

The research aimed to assess the Biotechnology Encyclopedia's suitability as a learning resource for Biotechnology students, involving material, design, and learning experts. Developed using the ADDIE model, the study included sixth-semester students from the Biology Education Program at Medan State University. Sampling involved 56 students selected through simple random sampling. Data collection utilized questionnaires, tests, and interviews, analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively. Material and design experts rated the encyclopedia positively but suggested minor revisions, with 72% and 86% respectively in the "good" and "very good" categories. Similarly, learning experts and lecturer responses were in the "very good" category at 94% and 85% respectively. Student responses were overwhelmingly positive, with 87% in the "very good" category without revisions. T-test results showed a significant difference in scientific literacy abilities between the experimental and control classes (9.344 > 2.002), indicating the effective impact of the Biotechnology Encyclopedia based on scientific literacy.

Effect of Accounting Understanding, Information Technology Use, and Education Level on the Quality of Financial Reports with Human Resource Competency as a Moderated Variable

With human resource competency serving as a moderating element, the purpose of this study is to examine the impacts of accounting expertise, information technology utilization, and educational attainment on the quality of financial reports. This inquiry employs a quantitative methodology. A sample of 120 cooperative financial managers was given a questionnaire to complete in order to collect data in the Lamongan District. The study makes use of SmartPLS 3.0. The study's conclusion implies that an individual's level of education, accounting expertise, and use of information technology all have an impact on the caliber of financial reports. Meanwhile, the impact of accounting knowledge, information technology use, and educational attainment on the caliber of financial reporting cannot be mitigated by human resource expertise.

Relationship between implementation of sustainable human resource practices and corporate market value

Orientation: The sustainable development goals (SDGs) were the context for examining the human resource (HR) expertise required in the boardroom. Achievement of SDGs depends on how boards are structured and whether members have the appropriate expertise to implement key HR practices to maximise corporate market value.Research purpose: This study aimed to critically examine the mediation effect of HR expertise in the boardroom on the relationship between implementation of human resource practices (HRPs) and market value.Motivation for the study: The study investigated whether HR expertise in the boardroom contributes to the implementation of key HRPs to achieve employee-related SDGs.Research approach/design and method: A randomised experimental design was performed through a bootstrap procedure to examine mediation. Data were collected from corporate annual reports through a self-constructed measurement instrument or disclosure index.Main findings: Overall, no evidence of a mediation was found, except in the case of HR expertise in the board and HR and/or remuneration committee, which yielded a statistically significant mediation effect on the implementation of some initiatives with confidence intervals close to zero.Practical/managerial implications: Human resource expertise in the boardroom plays a crucial role in achieving the SDGs, and the lack thereof affects the company’s market value. Therefore, the board of directors (BoDs) must prioritise sufficient HR expertise in the relevant structures to facilitate implementation of HRPs to achieve the SDGs.Contribution/value-add: This study is the first attempt of its kind in South Africa, and the results demonstrate the absence of a mediation effect, signalling that a lack of HR expertise in the boardroom could affect organisations’ achievement of the SDGs.

Caught in the Middle: A Conceptual Framework for the Antecedents and Outcomes of Work-Family Guilt in Working Mothers from the Perspective of Gender Roles

Although there has been progress in achieving gender equality, working mothers continue to encounter significant challenges balancing work and family roles, leading to work-family conflict (WFC) and subsequent feelings of guilt regarding WFC. Work-family guilt (WFG) is an emotional response to imbalances that arise from the demands of both work and family responsibilities. This study aims to develop a conceptual framework for the antecedents and outcomes of WFG among working mothers, addressing the gap in research regarding their guilt experiences. Drawing on the prior studies, this paper proposes that societal, organizational, and individual factors will interact, leading to WFC and subsequently causing WFG, which in turn results in some undesirable consequences in societal, organizational, and individual domains. Among the existing research on WFC, this study stands out for its comprehensive review of the determiners and consequences of WFG from a gender role perspective. The suggested framework seeks to provide guidance to working mothers, policymakers, managers, and human resource experts on reducing WFG among working mothers, thus enhancing their overall well-being and productivity. This study explores WFG from a gender standpoint, highlighting the significance of employing gender-sensitive strategies for addressing challenges at both individual, organizational, and societal levels.