bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
COVID-19 in Africa: Underreporting, demographic effect, chaotic dynamics, and mitigation strategy impact
Authors: Thenon Nathan , Peyre Marisa , Huc Mireille , Touré Abdoulaye , Roger François , Mangiarotti Sylvain
Published: September 2022

The epidemic of COVID-19 has shown different developments in Africa compared to the other continents. Three different approaches were used in this study to analyze this situation. In the first part, basic statistics were performed to estimate the contribution of the elderly people to the total numbers of cases and deaths in comparison to the other continents; Similarly, the health systems capacities were analysed to assess the level of underreporting. In the second part, differential equations were reconstructed from the epidemiological time series of cases and deaths (from theJohn Hopkins University) to analyse the dynamics of COVID-19 in seventeen countries. In the third part, the time evolution of the contact number was reconstructed since the beginning of the outbreak to investigate the effectiveness of the mitigation strategies. Results were compared to theOxford stringency indexand to the mobility indices of theGoogle Community Mobility Reports.

Compared to Europe, the analyses show that the lower proportion of elderly people in Africa enables to explain the lower total numbers of cases and deaths by a factor of 5.1 on average (from 1.9 to 7.8). It corresponds to a genuine effect. Nevertheless, COVID-19 numbers are effectively largely underestimated in Africa by a factor of 8.5 on average (from 1.7 to 20. and more) due to the weakness of the health systems at country level. Geographically, the models obtained for the dynamics of cases and deaths reveal very diversified dynamics. The dynamics is chaotic in many contexts, including a situation of bistability rarely observed in dynamical systems. Finally, the contact number directly deduced from the epidemiological observations reveals an effective role of the mitigation strategies on the short term. On the long term, control measures have contributed to maintain the epidemic at a low level although the progressive release of the stringency did not produce a clear increase of the contact number. The arrival of the omicron variant is clearly detected and characterised by a quick increase of interpeople contact, for most of the African countries considered in the analysis.
Molecular insight into Aspergillus oryzae β-mannanase interacting with mannotriose revealed by molecular dynamic simulation study
Authors: Jana Uttam Kumar , Singh Gagandeep , Soni Hemant , Pletschke Brett , Kango Naveen
Published: September 2022

Fungal β-mannanases hydrolyze β-1, 4-glycosidic bonds of mannans and find application in the generation of mannose and prebiotic mannooligosaccharides (MOS). Previously, a MOS generating β-mannanase fromAspergillus oryzaeMTCC 1846 (βManAo) was characterized and its structural and functional properties were unraveled through homology modeling and molecular dynamics in this study. TheβManAomodel was validated with 92.9% and 6.5% of the residues found to be distributed in the most favorable and allowed regions of the Ramachandran plot. Glu244 was found to play a key role in the interaction with mannotriose, indicating conserved amino acids for the catalytic reaction. A detailed metadynamic analysis of the principal components revealed the presence of an α8-helix in the C-terminus which was very flexible in nature and energy landscapes suggested high conformation sub-states and the complex dynamic behavior of the protein. The binding of the M3 substrate stabilized the β-mannanase and resulted in a reduction in the intermediate conformational sub-states evident from the free energy landscapes. The active site of the β-mannanase is mostly hydrophilic in nature which is accordance with our results, where the major contribution in the binding energy of the substrate with the active site is from electrostatic interactions. Define Secondary Structure of Proteins (DSSP) analysis revealed a major transition of the protein from helix to β-turn for binding with the mannotriose. The molecular dynamics of theβManAo–mannotriose model, and the role and interactions of catalytic residues with ligand were also described. The substrate binding pocket ofβManAowas found to be highly dynamic and showed large, concerted movements. The outcomes of the present study can be exploited in further understanding the structural properties and functional dynamics ofβManAo.
Association between timing and type of postnatal care provided with neonatal mortality: A large scale study from India
Authors: Singh Lucky , Dubey Ritam , Singh Prashant Kumar , Nair Saritha , Rao M. Vishnu Vardhana , Singh Shalini
Published: September 2022

Objectives

This study examines the association between quality Postnatal Care (PNC) considering timing and providers’ type on neonatal mortality. The aim extends to account for regional disparities in service delivery and mortality including high and non-high focus states.

Methods

Ever-married women aged 15–49 years (1,87,702) who had delivered at least one child in five years preceding the survey date surveyed in National Family Health Survey (2015–16) were included in the study. Neonatal deaths between day two and seven and neonatal deaths between day two and twenty-eight were considered dependent variables. Descriptive statistics and multivariate regression analysis were conducted.

Results

Chances of early neonatal mortality were 29% (OR = 0.71; 95%CI: 0.59–0.84) among newborns receiving PNC within a day compared to ones devoid of it while 40% (OR: 0.60; 95%CI: 0.51–0.71) likelihood for the same was noted if PNC was delivered within a week. Likelihood of neonatal mortality decreased by 24% (OR: 0.76; 95%CI: 0.65–0.88) when skilled PNC was delivered within 24 hours. Receiving quality PNC by skilled providers within a day in a non-high focus state decreased the chances of neonatal mortality by 26% (OR: 0.74; 95%CI: 0.59–0.92) compared to ones who did not receive any PNC.

Conclusions

Neonatal deaths were significantly associated with socioeconomic and contextual characteristics including age, education, household wealth, social group and region. Timing of PNC delivered and by a skilled healthcare provider was found significant in reducing neonatal mortality.
Minimal overall divergence of the gut microbiome in an adaptive radiation of Cyprinodon pupfishes despite potential adaptive enrichment for scale-eating
Authors: Heras Joseph , Martin Christopher H.
Published: September 2022

Adaptive radiations offer an excellent opportunity to understand the eco-evolutionary dynamics of gut microbiota and host niche specialization. In a laboratory common garden, we compared the gut microbiota of two novel derived trophic specialist pupfishes, a scale-eater and a molluscivore, to closely related and distant outgroup generalist populations, spanning both rapid trophic evolution within 10 kya and stable generalist diets persisting over 11 Mya. We predicted an adaptive and highly divergent microbiome composition in the trophic specialists reflecting their rapid rates of craniofacial and behavioral diversification. We sequenced 16S rRNA amplicons of gut microbiomes from lab-reared adult pupfishes raised under identical conditions and fed the same high protein diet. In contrast to our predictions, gut microbiota largely reflected phylogenetic distance among species, rather than generalist or specialist life history, in support of phylosymbiosis. However, we did find significant enrichment ofBurkholderiaceaebacteria in replicated lab-reared scale-eater populations. These bacteria sometimes digest collagen, the major component of fish scales, supporting an adaptive shift. We also found some enrichment ofRhodobacteraceaeandPlanctomycetiain lab-reared molluscivore populations, but these bacteria target cellulose. Overall phylogenetic conservation of microbiome composition contrasts with predictions of adaptive radiation theory and observations of rapid diversification in all other trophic traits in these hosts, including craniofacial morphology, foraging behavior, aggression, and gene expression, suggesting that the functional role of these minor shifts in microbiota will be important for understanding the role of the microbiome in trophic diversification.
Comparison of severity of periodontal clinical parameters among naswar/snuff users: Cross sectional study
Authors: Rahim Abid , Syed Kawish , Ahad Babar , Farooq Afaq , Ayub Zain , Batool Syed Midhat
Published: September 2022

Background

Naswar is a moist, non-chewable, and smokeless tobacco product ensconced in the buccal vestibule or floor of the mouth. Consumption of naswar is very popular in South Asia, especially Pakistan. This cross-sectional study compared the periodontal clinical parameters amongst mild, moderate, and severe naswar users.

Methods

318 naswar users, categorized into three equal groups (n = 106) severe naswar users, moderate naswar users, and mild naswar users were drawn for this study. Bleeding on probing, pocking depth, gingival recession, and attachment loss were assessed using the UNC-15 probe and compared among the three groups of naswar users. Data analysis was done with the help of SPSS. Statistical significance was deliberated at p value ≤0.05.

Results

28.9 ± 7.6 years was the mean age presentation. The mean % of bleeding on probing score was 61.95% in severe naswar users, 56.62% in moderate naswar users, and 51.23% in mild naswar users with a p-value of 0.001*. In severe, moderate, and mild naswar users the probing pocket depth (4-6mm) were 35.14%, 30.95%, and 23.21% respectively. 26.78% severe naswar users were having mean percentage for probing pocket depth (>6m) followed by moderate naswar users (17.26%) and mild naswar users (17.26%) with a significant p-value (0.001*). Clinical attachment loss (CAL) was 2.50 percent in light naswar users, 3.0 percent in moderate naswar users, and 4.25 percent in severe naswar users. Clinical attachment loss (CAL) was 2.50 percent in light naswar users, 3.0 percent in moderate naswar users, and 4.25 percent in severe naswar users. Severe naswar users had a high mean percentage of gingival recession (23.21%), whereas light 13.67 percent and moderate 14.88 percent naswar users had a smaller difference.

Conclusions

Clinical periodontal parameters were more worsen in heavy naswar users compared to moderate and light naswar users.
Morpho-molecular genetic diversity and population structure analysis in garden pea (Pisum sativum L.) genotypes using simple sequence repeat markers
Authors: Sharma Akhilesh , Sharma Shimalika , Kumar Nimit , Rana Ranbir Singh , Sharma Parveen , Kumar Prabhat , Rani Menisha
Published: September 2022

Garden pea (Pisum sativumL.) is a self-pollinated plant species which played an important role for the foundation of modern genetics. Genetic diversity among 56 garden pea genotypes was assessed using 12 morphological descriptors, 19 quantitative traits and 8 simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers. Eight morphological descriptors were found polymorphic, and highest Shannon diversity index was recorded for pod curvature (1.18). Mahalanobis D2illustrating genetic divergence arranged 56 genotypes into six clusters, with the highest inter-cluster distance between clusters IV and VI (18.09). The average values of Na (number of alleles), Ne (effective number of alleles), I (Shannon’s Information index), PIC (polymorphism information content), Ho (observed heterozygosity) and He (expected heterozygosity) were 3.13, 1.85, 0.71, 0.36, 0.002 and 0.41, respectively. Pair wise genetic distance among all pairs of the genotypes varied from 0.33 to 1.00 with an average of 0.76. Based on genetic distance, the genotypes were classified into two main clusters (A and B) by cluster analysis, whereas structure analysis divided the genotypes into four sub-populations. The SSR makers indicated that present of genetic variability among the studied genotypes. When, we compared the groups formed by agro-morphological and molecular data, no genotypes were observed, indicating that both stages of characterization are crucial for a better understanding of the genetic variability. Hybridization between genetically diverse genotypes can be exploited to expend the genetic variability and introduce new traits in the pea breeding program.
Does Poland’s agri-food industry gain comparative advantage in trade with non-EU countries? Evidence from the transatlantic market
Authors: Pawlak Karolina , Smutka Luboš
Published: September 2022

Accession of Poland to the European Single Market generated trade creation and diversion effects, which in turn resulted in a high degree of concentration of the Polish foreign trade in agri-food products with other EU countries. On the one hand, a high share of export to the markets of countries with a stable market economy is a confirmation of the Polish agri-food sector’s capacity to compete on the foreign markets. On the other hand, when considering limited capability to increase food demand in the EU it provides grounds for the assumption that further export expansion to a considerable extent will depend on the potential expansion of sale to non-EU markets. In this context significant issues include diversification of target markets and search for prospective markets outside the EU, while they also determine directions of an advantageous export specialization. In the period up to 2021 the USA was the fourth non-EU export partner of Poland in the agri-food sector after the United Kingdom, Ukraine and Russia. The aim of this paper is to evaluate the level of comparative advantages of the Polish agri-food sector on the EU and US markets in 2004–2021 using Widodo’s products mapping technique. The study used statistical data from the ComExt database of the European Statistical Office (Eurostat). The conducted studies showed Polish export specializations in the transatlantic trade, as confirmed by high comparative advantages, as well as a positive and steadily improving trade balances for food preparations, including meat, cereal, fruit and vegetable, as well as confectionery preparations, and less processed animal origin products (meat and offal as well as dairy produce). Poland had a disadvantageous competitive position in trade of products complementary in relation to domestic production, which import was necessary. In view of the comparative cost theory the directions of the realized export specialization were rational and should be maintained. While in trade with the other EU countries the competitive position of the Polish agri-food sector was weakened, it was strengthened on the US market. In view of the considerable EU market saturation the improved competitive capacity in the non-EU markets is a positive development, which is a promising finding particularly in the long-term perspective.
Evaluation of dietary selenium methionine levels and their effects on growth performance, antioxidant status, and meat quality of intensively reared juvenile Hypophthalmichthys molitrix
Authors: Mushtaq Maida , Fatima Mahroze , Shah Syed Zakir Hussain , Khan Noor , Naveed Saima , Khan Muhammad
Published: September 2022

The objective of this study was to optimize the organic selenium (Se) requirements of intensively reared silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix). A total of n = 300 juveniles silver carp 11.40±0.52 cm long, and average weighing 25.28±0.18 grams were randomly assigned to 15 aquaria (20 fish/100L aquaria) and subjected to five different dietary Se levels in a completely randomized design. The diets were pelleted supplemented with exogenous Se methionine @ 0.0, 0.3, 0.6, 0.9 and 1.2 mg/kg of the diet. The fourteen days of aquaria acclimatization was given to fish and then an 84-day feeding trial was conducted. The group supplemented with 0.9 mg/kg Se had greater feed intake, gain in length, body weight %, and specific growth rate with a better feed conversion ratio as compared to those fed on the rest of the dietary levels or control (P<0.05). The deposition of Se was greater in the liver, and kidneys of the fishes fed on diets containing 0.9 and 1.2 mg Se levels than in the rest of the treatments (P<0.05). However, dietary Se levels had no effects on the bioaccumulation of Se in muscle tissues (P>0.05). The proximate analysis showed that dry matter, crude protein, and fat contents of meat were not changed (P>0.05) by dietary treatments. Similarly, values of TBARS, RBCs, Hb, and blood glucose contents were similar (P>0.05) across the treatments. However, the concentration of WBCs, HCT, and MCHC was greater in those groups fed on 0.9 and 1.2 Se levels than in those fed on 0.6, 0.3, and 0.0 Se levels respectively (P<0.05). The activities of ALT, AST, and ALP were lowered in the 0.9 mg Se supplemented fishes compared with the rest of the treatments (P<0.05). The SOD, catalases, and GPx levels for muscle, liver, and whole body were greater (P<0.05) in the Se-supplemented groups than in the control. These outcomes indicated that up to 0.9 mg/kg inclusion of methionine-based Se in the diet of juvenile silver carp improved the growth performance, feed conversion ratio, organs Se enrichment, and antioxidant status without any compromise on meat quality.
Availability and stock-out duration of essential medicines in Shegaw Motta general hospital and Motta Health Centre, North West Ethiopia
Authors: Tefera Bereket Bahiru , Tafere Chernet , Yehualaw Adane , Mebratu Ephrem , Chanie Yalelet , Ayele Simachew , Adane Sewnet
Published: September 2022

Essential medicines are those that meet the population’s most pressing healthcare needs. As a result, they should always be available in sufficient quantities and the proper dosage forms within health facilities. The study aimed to determine the availability and stock-out duration of essential medicines in Shegaw Motta General Hospital and Motta Health Centre. Descriptive study was conducted at Shegaw Motta General Hospital and Motta Health Centre. The data were collected from June-20 to July-20, 2021 G.C. Fifteen essential medicines from both health facilities’ tracer drug lists were reviewed. The frequency and percentage of availability and stick-out duration were calculated, and the results were briefly described in the text and displayed in tables. The average availability of essential medicines on the day of the survey was 80% and 93.3% in Shegaw Motta general hospital and Motta health center, respectively. Besides, 60% and 20% of the essential medicines were stocked out at least once in the last six months (before the data collection period) in the hospital and health center, respectively. The average stock-out duration in the last six months period (before the data collection period) was 38.8 days (ranges from 10 days to 157 days) in the hospital and 11.2 days in the health center. Ferrous salt + folic acid 150mg + 0.5mg and Medroxy Progesterone injection were the medicines with the longest stock-out duration in Shegaw Motta general hospital and Motta health center, respectively.The average availability of essential medicines was fairly high both in the hospital and health center. In comparison to the hospital, the health center had better availability and a shorter stock-out duration. Over the last six months, a significant percentage of essential medicines were stocked out at the hospital.
The Takarazuka Revue’s post-war tours of Hawai’i: Exploring Japanese female agency and the restrictions placed upon it
Authors: Irie Toshiko
Published: September 2022

In 1955, the HJJCC (Honolulu Japanese Junior Chamber of Commerce) invited the performers of an all-female Japanese theatre called the Takarazuka Revue to participate in the Annual Japanese American Beauty Queen Contest. The intention of the HJJCC was to present the performers, all women born and raised in Japan, in a way that showcased their Japanese oriental beauty. In this article I focus on this post-war Hawaiian tour and will consider how the female performers saw it as an opportunity to reject the rigid gender roles that were a persistent feature of the patriarchal system in Japan. Both the performers and the Japanese female fans of the Revue had hoped the tour would become a means of promoting broader perceptions of Japanese women’s identities. However, in reality, both the female performers and their fans continued to face societal restrictions and opposition to their efforts to move beyond established gender roles. By considering their vision of female agency, the resistance it met and the viewpoints expressed by the performers and their female fans, I argue that this post-war tour of Hawai’i enabled many Japanese women to reimagine and redefine their own identities as modern women living in post-war Japan.
Changes in the image of middle-aged women: A study of otona-joshi (‘adult girls’) in Japanese print media
Authors: Ota Satoshi
Published: September 2022

Around the year 2000, the word joshi began to appear in women’s magazines, as in otona-joshi (‘adult girls’), 30 dai joshi (‘30-something girls’) and 40 dai joshi (‘40-something girls’). These terms have been commonly used not only in magazines but also on television and in everyday conversation. Though joshi implies female children and teenage girls, the term occasionally refers to women in their 30s and 40s who are supposed to be recognized as grown adults. The word joshi implies youth and vigour. This article examines how the image of women in their 30s and 40s has changed over the past decades and joshi has become an accepted word to refer to them. Contrary to its positive image, the word also connotes immaturity. Central to exploring how the notion of maturity has changed over the past 30 years are the writings of popular essayists and the women’s magazines they frequently read when they were young. This is further contextualized with a brief history of Japanese women’s magazines as to illustrate how women have responded to the notion of maturity imposed on them created after modernization.
The Anime Ecology: A Genealogy of Television, Animation, and Game Media, Thomas Lamarre (2018)
Authors: Rondeau Mathieu
Published: September 2022

Review of: The Anime Ecology: A Genealogy of Television, Animation, and Game Media, Thomas Lamarre (2018)

Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota Press, 424 pp.,

ISBN 978-1-51790-450-0, p/bk, $27.00
The Landscape of Historical Memory: The Politics of Museums and Memorial Culture in Post-Martial Law Taiwan, Kirk A. Denton (2021)
Authors: Ying Yan
Published: September 2022

Review of: The Landscape of Historical Memory: The Politics of Museums and Memorial Culture in Post-Martial Law Taiwan, Kirk A. Denton (2021)

Hong Kong: Hong Kong University Press, 284 pp.,

ISBN 978-9-88852-8-578, h/bk, HKD 620.00
Dědičnost slezských knížectví v ženské linii ve středověku a raném novověku
Authors: Starý Marek
Published: September 2022

In the 14th century, Silesia became one of the lands of the Bohemian Crown. In reality, however, it was a collection of small duchies whose rulers recognised the sovereignty of the Bohemian kings. In the event of the extinction of the ruling family, its land was forfeited to the king and the fiefdom became an immediate duchy. This study aims to address the question of the extent to which Silesian dukedoms were hereditary in the female line. To this end, individual specific cases in which this question was solved in the 14th–17th centuries are collected and these are then comprehensively evaluated.
Women and Parliamentary Divorce in England. From Wife-Sale to the Divorce Act of 1857
Authors: Freda Dolores
Published: September 2022

The essay is a study of divorce in England in the Modern Period, with particular reference to parliamentary divorce, established since the end of the 17th century. If husbands could get rid of undesired wives through wife-selling, private separation deeds, or separation a mensa et thoro awarded by the ecclesiastical courts, they were not permitted to remarry unless they got a private bill from Parliament. Parliament acted as a real court of justice and, being the procedure extremely long and expensive, parliamentary divorce was in fact a privilege reserved to members of the aristocracy in search of a heir. Only in 1857 the Divorce Act legalized divorce in the country through the establishment of the Court for Divorce and Matrimonial Causes.
Dve strany jednej mince – úbohá alebo veselá vdova? Právne postavenie vdovy v súkromnom práve konca 19. a v prvej polovice 20. storočia na území Slovenska
Authors: Laclavíková Miriam , Švecová Adriana
Published: September 2022

The study introduces the peculiarities of the private law status of the widow in Hungarian law and subsequently in Czechoslovak law, specifically in the legal sphere of Slovakia and Carpatian Ruthenia. It notes the respect and preservation of traditionalism in the view of the originally medieval institution of widow’s law and the efforts to gradually transform its content and scope (also in the draft of the Hungarian Civil Code of 1900). The study had to deal with the specific nature of the sources – the basis of the widow’s private law status was in fact the provisions of the Provisional Judicial Rules of the Judicial Conference (1861), legal custom, established judicial practice and only partial statutory regulation. The failure of codification efforts in the field of Hungarian civil law and the subsequent reception of the law into the Czechoslovak legal order led to the preservation of this platform of sources of law – and thus also certain relics of medieval law – in the law in force in the territory of Slovakia and Carpathian Ruthenia. The study approaches the widow through her broadly understood widow’s right (ius viduale), competing with the husband’s legal heirs, and its place in the period of constructed modernity.
Proměny právního postavení ženy v Rakousku ve 20. století
Authors: Šepták Miroslav
Published: September 2022

For a long time, legislation codified the unequal status of women in Austrian society in relation to men. Nevertheless, in the early 1970s, some blatantly discriminatory provisions based on the General Civil Code (1811) and the Criminal Code (1852) were still in force. Although Austria was one of the first European states to grant women universal suffrage, their position did not improve significantly in fact or in law during the First Republic. After World War II, the ruling coalition of the Austrian People’s Party and the Socialist Party of Austria became aware of the archaic nature of family and criminal law.
Substantial changes in this area were hindered / prevented by the need for government compromise. During the one-color social democratic governments led by Bruno Kreisky, several important legal norms were adopted. For example, the reform of the criminal law brought about the legalization of adult homosexuality, zoophilia, the introduction of fines instead of imprisonment, and above all, the legalization of abortion. The reform of family law meant, for example, the equalization of illegitimate children with children born in marriage, the introduction of the principle of equal rights in marriage for men and women, and changes in the area of community property and divorce. From the mid-1980s to the end of the millennium, women’s issues policy was based on the renewed cooperation between the SPÖ and the ÖVP at the federal level. The grand coalition continued to separate the policies in support of women and family policy. There was the introduction of marital and partner rape into the criminal code, as well as the possibility of equal maternity leave for men and women. Despite significant progress, the lower woman’s financial remuneration for identical work persisted, as did their rather negligible representation in politics at federal, state, and municipal levels, not to mention their attainment of leading positions in state-owned enterprises and private companies.
Filosofie zločinu a trestu – vybrané aspekty amerického trestního práva v 19. století se zvláštním zřetelem k problematice vězeňství
Authors: Seltenreich Radim
Published: September 2022

In his article, the author discusses the development of American criminal law in the 19th century, with the focus on prison issues. In this context, he also recalls the views of the French thinker Michel Foucault on this topic expressed in his now classic work “Discipline and Punish”. In order to provide the necessary context, this section is preceded by a brief outline of the development of American criminal law since its colonial beginnings. Then, as far as the prison system itself in the newly founded United States of America is concerned, the author highlights two different approaches to prisoners that were applied in the jail houses Eastern Penitentiary in Pennsylvania and Auburn Prison in New York. He also focuses on the economic side of the issue, whereas part of the text aims to analyse the phenomenon of the “convict lease system” as practised particularly in the American South. Finally, he concludes his article by mentioning other attempts to reform the prison system in the second half of the 19th century.
Das Reichskloster Chemnitz im 12. und 13. Jahrhundert. Landesausbau und Konflikt in Böhmens nördlicher Nachbarschaft
Authors: Hengst Karlheinz
Published: September 2022

The initial period of the Benedictine monastery in Chemnitz has become the subject of concentrated interest of historians, archaeologists and linguists in recent years. It has turned out that the foundation of this monastery was a well-thought-out action of Emperor Lothar III, which created the preconditions for a settlement to the Ore Mountains within the then Meissen Margraviate. The massive settlement wave, led by the imperial ministerialism and culminating during the reign of Emperor Fredrick I Barbarossa in the second half of the 12th century, originated from the territory at the rivers Sprotte, Pleiße, Zwickauer Mulde and Chemnitz, whose name was still written as Kameniza in 1174.
The presented study first briefly summarizes the existing knowledge on the early medieval settlement in the area around today’s Rochlitz (Altgau Rochelinzi), where the royal court was located and whence important roads to Bohemia came (semita Bohemica). At the same time, a hypothesis is presented about the early settlement process along the River Chemnitz, which preceded the founding of the monastery. The author further argues – based on linguistic analysis – that the contents of the founding deed, which dates back to 1143, can be used to know the early period of the monastery in Chemnitz. Then attention is turned to the documents and history of the monastery in the second half of the 12th century and in the 13th century, especially to the historical context of the damage to the monastery by the Bohemian army in 1213.
Case report: Quadruple primary malignant neoplasms including esophageal, ureteral, and lung in an elderly male
Authors: Wan Long , Yin Feng-yan , Tan Hai-hua , Meng Li , Hu Jian-hua , Xiao Bao-rong , Zhu Zhao-feng , Liu Ning , Qi Huan-peng
Published: September 2022

Multiple primary malignant neoplasms (MPMNs) are defined as multiple tumors with different pathogenic origins. MPMNs are rare, but the morbidity rate is on the rise. With the development of anti-tumor treatments, such as targeted therapy and immunotherapy, the overall survival of cancer patients has been significantly prolonged, leading to an increased number of patients with MPMNs. A crucial aspect of MPMNs management is deciding how to schedule further treatments according to individual tumor risk. This process involves a multidisciplinary physician team to ensure favorable outcomes. Herein we report a 60-year-old male who developed four different malignancies, including esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma, mediastinal small cell lung cancer, and left lung squamous cell carcinoma over 20 years and received appropriate treatment of each cancer with long survival.
Chinese literacy learning by immigrant learners
Authors: Francis Norbert , Le Thi-Nham
Published: September 2022

For both second and foreign language students, mastery of the Chinese writing system typically presents itself as a special learning challenge. This report begins with a summary of relevant aspects of an exploratory study of East Asian immigrant language learners. It serves to set the stage for a discussion of theoretical problems that hopefully will lead to new directions in research focused on second language (L2) learners of Chinese in general. In particular, the discussion will highlight the circumstances of that population of learners who come to the task of L2 Chinese literacy as already literate in their first language. In this regard, what is the role of language awareness in learning to read and write, in particular regarding the link between characters and their pronunciation? The participants in the study were young adult immigrants from Vietnam who today look back on their experience of language learning in the host country over the course of the last 20 years.
现代汉语的主观量标记 “基本”
Authors: 刘承峰  , 黄颖
Published: September 2022

提 要

现代汉语副词 “基本” 表示量，其语义 “大体上” 基于客观标准这一 “参照量”，量化句子中表 “全量” 的谓词性成分、 “都” 和其前名词性成分，并表征现实量与预期量、标准量之间的关系。 “基本” 可限定客观量，也可限定主观量：前者仅指现实量接近标准 “参照量”; 后者指现实量未达到标准 “参照量”，但言者认为其超过了 “预期量”; 言者对现实量做积极评价，是主观大量类。 “基本” 表征主观量的同时，也体现了言者对事件可能性的判断，是一种认识上的不确定。
State vs. anti-vaxxers: Analysis of Covid-19 echo chambers in Serbia
Authors: Bojic Ljubisa , Nikolic Nemanja , Tucakovic Lana
Published: September 2022

Times of uncertainty and fear were brought on by Covid-19. The ongoing pandemic is a fruitful ground for fake news, as citizens try to find explanations that fit into their worldviews. This process polarizes society and creates echo chambers amplified by recommender systems. Our main goal is to detect anti-vaxxer echo chambers in Serbia by analyzing online reactions to the recent detention of prominent anti-vaxxer Dr. Jovana Stojkovic. A content analysis of online comments is deployed in anti-regime left-leaning, anti-regime right-leaning, and pro-government media to explore attitudes towards a vaccination conspiracy theory, police action towards anti-vaxxers, and the government crisis response team. We clearly identify the anti-vaccine echo chamber among commentators of anti-regime right-leaning media (YouTube podcasts). Additionally, we describe attitudes expressed around issues related to vaccination. Limitations and implications for future research are discussed.
Photodegradation of methyl orange under solar irradiation on Fe-doped ZnO nanoparticles synthesized using wild olive leaf extract
Authors: Algarni Tahani Saad , Abduh Naaser A. Y. , Aouissi Ahmed , Al Kahtani Abdullah
Published: September 2022

Fe-doped ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) with different Fe contents (0.1–5.0 wt%) were prepared using extract of wild olive leaves growing in Saudi Arabia (region of Abha). The biosynthesized NPs were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, Brunauer–Emmett–Teller, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and photoluminescence (PL). Characterization results showed that undoped ZnO and Fe-doped ZnO powders were crystallized in the wurtzite structure with a small shift for the doped samples. Neither Fe3O4 nor another iron oxide phase was observed in the samples, which proves the incorporation of Fe into the ZnO lattice. Doping has a pronounced effect on the physical and optical properties. Indeed, the size of the crystallites, the energy of the bandgap as well as the intensity of the PL emission decreased with the Fe content. Photocatalytic tests revealed that the doped samples degraded methyl orange (MO) more efficiently than pure ZnO and pure Fe3O4. Moreover, the photocatalytic activity improved with increasing Fe content. The best photocatalyst of the series (Fe–ZnO-5) was found degrading MO by 92.1%, in 90 min in a pseudo-first order reaction.
Effect mechanism of acidification and vulcanization on SBS-modified asphalt
Authors: Zhang Feng , Li Lei
Published: September 2022

A styrene-butadiene-styrene (SBS) modified asphalt compound was prepared by the addition of polyphosphoric acid (PPA) and sulfur. The effect of PPA and sulfur on major physical properties, including toughness and tenacity, aging resistance, and storage stability was investigated. The structural characteristics of SBS-modified (SM) asphalt, SBS/PPA-modified (SPM) asphalt, and SBS/PPA/sulfur-modified (SPSM) asphalt were investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), gel filtration chromatography (GPC), and thermal analysis. It has been found that acidification prompted the clustering of SBS particles and confined the swelling of SBS, making SPM asphalt more susceptible to aging. Vulcanization changed the morphological characteristics of SBS in asphalt, improved the compatibility between SBS and asphalt, and weakened the aging susceptibility. Therefore, it is reasonable to modify SM asphalt by using PPA and sulfur together.
Climate-Proofing the Global Financial Safety Net
Authors: Volz Ulrich
Published: September 2022

Although climate change poses a serious threat to macrofinancial stability and economic development, the global financial safety has so far failed to sufficiently address this challenge. This article reviews the extent to which the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has started to integrate climate change in its analytical and operational frameworks, showing significant shortcomings in addressing the risks emanating from climate change. Regional financing arrangements (RFAs) have to date not engaged or only very little in addressing climate-related risks. Against this backdrop, this article argues that the IMF and also RFAs need to climate-proof their policies and frameworks and puts forward eight recommendations: (i) mainstream systematic and transparent assessments of climate-related financial risks in all operations; (ii) introduce consistent, systematic, and universal appraisal and treatment of physical and transition risks in surveillance and monitoring for all countries; (iii) ensure that all policy recommendations are aligned with the Paris climate goals; (iv) advance disclosure of climate-related financial risks and promote sustainable finance and investment practices; (v) support member countries in mainstreaming climate risk analysis in public financial management; (vi) support climate-vulnerable countries in dealing with debt sustainability problems; (vii) develop lending instruments for climate emergency financing; and (viii) in the case of the IMF, explore options to use SDRs to support climate-vulnerable countries.
An optimized solution to the course scheduling problem in universities under an improved genetic algorithm
Authors: Zhang Qiang
Published: September 2022

The increase in the size of universities has greatly increased the number of teachers, students, and courses and has also increased the difficulty of scheduling courses. This study used coevolution to improve the genetic algorithm and applied it to solve the course scheduling problem in universities. Finally, simulation experiments were conducted on the traditional and improved genetic algorithms in MATLAB software. The results showed that the improved genetic algorithm converged faster and produced better solutions than the traditional genetic algorithm under the same crossover and mutation probability. As the mutation probability in the algorithm increased, the fitness values of both genetic algorithms gradually decreased, and the computation time increased. With the increase in crossover probability in the algorithm, the fitness value of the two genetic algorithms increased first and then decreased, and the computational time decreased first and then increased.
Topic and sentiment analysis of responses to Muslim clerics’ misinformation correction about COVID-19 vaccine: Comparison of three machine learning models
Authors: Kabir Md Enamul
Published: September 2022

Purpose

The purpose of this research was to use develop a sentiment model using machine learning algorithms for discerning public response about the misinformation correction practices of Muslim clerics on YouTube.

Method

This study employed three machine learning algorithms, Naïve Bayes, SVM, and a Balanced Random Forest to build a sentiment model that can detect Muslim sentiment about Muslim clerics’ anti-misinformation campaign on YouTube. Overall, 9701 comments were collected. An LDA-based topic model was also employed to understand the most expressed topics in the YouTube comments.

Results

The confusion matrix and accuracy score assessment revealed that the balanced random forest-based model demonstrated the best performance. Overall, the sentiment analysis discovered that 74 percent of the comments were negative, and 26 percent were positive. An LDA-based topic model also revealed the eight most discussed topics associated with ten keywords in those YouTube comments.

Practical implications

The sentiment and topic model from this study will particularly help public health professionals and researchers to better understand the nature of vaccine misinformation and hesitancy in the Muslim communities.

Social implications

This study offers the joint task force of Muslim clerics and medical professionals, and the future misinformation campaigns a sentiment detection model to understand public attitude to such practices on social media.

Originality

While the impact of misinformation on public sentiment and opinion on social media has been researched extensively, Muslim perspectives on combating misinformation have received less attention. This research is the first to evaluate responses towards Muslim clerics correcting religious vaccine misinformation using machine learning models.
Double diffusion in a combined cavity occupied by a nanofluid and heterogeneous porous media
Authors: Aly Abdelraheem M. , Raizah Zehba , Ahmed Hijaz , Al-Hanaya Amal M. , Alsedias Noura
Published: September 2022

The aim of the present study is to simulate double diffusion in a circular cylinder over a rectangular cavity by utilizing incompressible smoothed particle hydrodynamics (ISPH) method. An originality of this study is adopting the ISPH method in simulating double diffusion in a novel domain of a circular cylinder over a rectangular shape occupied by

Al

2

O

3

{{\rm{Al}}}_{2}{{\rm{O}}}_{3}

–

H

2

O

{{\rm{H}}}_{2}{\rm{O}}

and heterogeneous porous media. The variations of Darcy parameter (Da) between

1

0

−
3

1{0}^{-3}

and

1

0

−
5

1{0}^{-5}

with two levels of porous media,

(

0
≤

η

1

=

η

2

≤
1.5

)

(0\le {\eta }_{1}={\eta }_{2}\le 1.5)

, Rayleigh number

(

1

0

3

≤
Ra
≤
1

0

5

)

(1{0}^{3}\le {\rm{Ra}}\le 1{0}^{5})

with variable buoyancy ratio parameter

(

0
≤
N
≤
2

)

(0\le N\le 2)

, solid volume fraction

ϕ

\phi

between 0 and 0.05, and Lewis number

(

10
≤
Le
≤
40

)

(10\le {\rm{Le}}\le 40)

on the features of heat/mass transport as well as velocity field are discussed. It is found that the homogeneous porous medium reduces the temperature and concentration within a combined cavity. A decrease in Darcy parameter from

1

0

−
2

1{0}^{-2}

and

1

0

−
5

1{0}^{-5}

suppresses the maximum of a nanofluid velocity by 75% regardless the levels of porous media. An increase in parameters Ra and N enhances the heat and mass transmission, as well as the nanofluid velocity. Adding more concentration of nanoparticles until

5
%

5 \%

reduces the nanofluid velocity. The variations of boundary conditions are acting effectively in changing the temperature and concentration circulations within a combined cavity. Besides, the variations of boundary conditions change the maximum of the velocity field by 86.9%.
Study on the nanoscale mechanical properties of graphene oxide–enhanced shear resisting cement
Authors: Du Mingrui , Zhang Boyang , Li Pengbo , Zhao Peng , Su Haijian , Du Xueming
Published: September 2022

Graphene oxide (GO) has been widely used to enhance the tensile/compressive strength of cement-based materials, whereas its shear reinforcing effect is still unknown. To verify the feasibility of GO as a shear reinforcement material, the shear reinforcing effect of GO on cement was experimentally investigated. The nanoscale Young’s modulus (E) of the GO-enhanced cement was measured with the peak force quantitative nanomechanical mapping method to clarify the enhancing mechanism. Results show that the addition of 0.02 and 0.04 wt% GO in cement could improve the shear strength by about 12 and 40%, respectively, which is mainly due to the enhanced cohesion, and at the nanoscale, the average E of the low-density hydration product increased by 1.6 and 13.2%, whereas that of high-density hydration product remains almost unchanged. There exist fewer nanoholes/cracks and unhydrated cement grains but more the high-density hydration product in GO-enhanced cement, implying a denser microstructure and higher hydration degree. GO can enhance the shear strength of cement because of its enhancing effects on the microstructure, nanoscale Young’s modulus of hydration products, as well as the hydration degree.
Developmental Idealism and a Half-Century of Family Attitude Trends in the United States
Authors: Allendorf Keera , Young-DeMarco Linda , Thornton Arland
Published: September 2022

This article examines a half-century of trends in family attitudes and beliefs in the United States, including attitudes toward gender, marriage, childbearing, cohabitation, sex outside marriage, divorce, and same-sex relations. These trends are viewed through the lens of developmental idealism. We also describe how the developmental idealism framework applies to Western contexts generally and the United States specifically. We trace family attitudes from the 1960s through 2018 using four data sources: the Intergenerational Panel Study of Parents and Children, Monitoring the Future, the General Social Survey, and the International Social Survey Programme. We find profound and largely consistent changes in Americans’ attitudes. We argue these changes can be understood as the expansion of developmental idealism in the United States. Americans increasingly endorsed family attributes long understood as modern under developmental idealism, as well as attributes more recently viewed as modern through extensions of freedom and equality. At the same time, sizable majorities remained committed to marriage and children. While Americans increasingly supported all individuals’ freedom to choose among a diversity of family behaviors, most continued to view marriage and children favorably in their own lives.
Radiologia Forense no contexto Médico-Legal: atuação em casos de homicídio por arma de fogo
Authors: DE SA LEANDERSON LUIZ , DOS SANTOS DOUGLAS MARTINHO , Dos Santos Martins Kathleen Danielle
Published: September 2022

A Radiologia Forense tem se desenvolvido como um campo de atuação muito singular dentro da Radiologia. Apesar de ser possível traçar suas raízes praticamente desde a descoberta dos raios-x, na esfera Forense a Radiologia não alcançou até o momento nem de perto a relevância acadêmica e de publicação de outros contextos. Para os profissionais das técnicas radiológicas, há disponível no mercado diversos tratados, livros, periódicos e artigos sobre os vários ramos da Radiologia, como veterinária, industrial, pediátrica, etc. Não obstante àqueles que se interessam pela Radiologia Forense estarão limitados a alguns poucos artigos escritos, às vezes por profissionais que não presenciam a prática Forense. O objetivo deste trabalho é apresentar um panorama da utilização das técnicas radiológicas junto às Ciências Forenses, sobretudo na Medicina Legal em casos de perícias que envolvam homicídio por arma de fogo, além de propor alguns conceitos e técnicas. Princípios básicos que até o momento não foram explorados por outros autores de modo sistemático. O conteúdo apresentado neste artigo tem por referência um breve levantamento bibliográfico, mas, sobretudo, a prática deste autor atuante como Radiologista Forense.