bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Avaliação das queixas técnicas relacionadas à tecnovigilância em hospitais federais do Rio de Janeiro no período de 2018 a 2020 notificadas no NOTIVISA
Authors: Pereira Aryele Raíra da Silva , Cunha Beatriz Aparecida Silva , Feitoza-Silva Michele , Marins-Silva Bianca Ramos
Published: December 2024

Objetivo: avaliar os motivos das notificações das Queixas Técnicas (QT) e Eventos Adversos (EA) relacionados a dispositivos médicos através do NOTIVISA, em seis hospitais federais da cidade do Rio de Janeiro no período de 2018 a 2020. Método: estudo descritivo, documental, retrospectivo, analítico e quantitativo. Resultados: informações solicitadas e fornecidas pela Anvisa foram analisadas, categorizadas e apresentadas em forma de tabelas e gráficos. Foram 133 notificações que fizeram parte deste estudo, tendo-se em 2018 um total de 67 notificações, 42 notificações em 2019 e 24 notificações em 2020. A categoria Funcionalidade foi mais declarada, associada a notificação de 51 produtos, ou seja, foi mencionada 50 vezes (43% das notificações). De 2018 a 2020, as intercorrências em QT foram prevalentes e estavam relacionadas a uma subcategoria de Funcionalidade (Implante/ativação) dos produtos notificados. Luvas cirúrgicas e seringas descartáveis, foram os produtos mais frequentes encontrados sem classificação de QT ou EA. Neste estudo, 13 produtos classificados como QT estavam associados, nos respectivos campos de motivos, a danos. Conclusão: É perceptível a dificuldade de adesão pelos profissionais de saúde, principalmente pela responsabilização quando existe associação com o desvio/quebra/falha, resultando em um EA. A partir da análise de dados científicos e reflexões deste estudo é possível considerar ultrapassada a expectativa de que os dispositivos médicos atendam somente às necessidades da assistência, sem considerar o armazenamento (quebra), a qualidade no recebimento, as embalagens, e principalmente, o monitoramento da eficácia dos produtos após a aquisição, no momento do uso.
Influência da saúde bucal e fatores sociais nas relações familiares de crianças pré-escolares brasileiras
Authors: Zina Lívia Guimarães , Pereira Carlos José Garcia , Oliveira Maria Luiza de Almeida , Pereira Arthur Guilherme , Rodrigues Priscila Almeida , Paula Janice Simpson de
Published: December 2024

Objetiva-se avaliar a associação entre fatores socioeconômicos, comportamentais, psicossociais e de saúde bucal com as relações familiares de crianças pré-escolares, no município de São Francisco, região norte de Minas Gerais. Em pesquisa de desenho transversal, com amostra representativa de 247 crianças de 5 anos de idade e respectivas mães, foram aplicados questionários validados direcionados às mães e realizados exames intrabucais nas crianças por meio do índice de dentes decíduos cariados, perdidos ou obturados (ceo-d). As relações familiares foram avaliadas por meio da escala de Coesão Familiar (CF). Realizou-se análise bivariada e regressão logística multinominal, com nível de significância de 5%. Na análise bivariada, foi encontrada associação entre experiência de cárie dentária e alta CF; e as variáveis associadas à baixa CF foram escolaridade materna, estado civil, limpeza bucal noturna materna e experiência de cárie. No modelo final, famílias com CF alta apresentaram mais chances de ausência de trabalho materno remunerado [3,56 (1,12-11,31), p=0,031] e menos chances experiência de cárie [0,32 (0,11-0,96), p=0,042]; enquanto famílias com CF baixa tiveram mais chances de estado civil materno não casado [2,34 (1,02-5,36), p=0,045]. Assim, variáveis socioeconômicas e de saúde bucal apresentaram-se associadas à coesão familiar de crianças aos 5 anos de idade e suas mães, demonstrando a necessidade de um cuidado participativo e integral da família, além de políticas públicas sociais intersetoriais, para a promoção da saúde e bem-estar das crianças.
Metodologias de gamificação virtual no ensino de Biologia: um enfoque na formação inicial de professores
Authors: Bezerra e Silva Stella , Mello Waldiney
Published: December 2024

O processo de ensino-aprendizagem é particular e possui especificidades de acordo com o indivíduo. Por isso, o uso exclusivo do modelo tradicional de ensino não supre todas esas demandas. Metodologias ativas, como a gamificação virtual, promovem a aprendizagem mais motivadora de forma lúdica, podendo aproveitar dispositivos tecnológicos presentes no cotidiano atual de sala de aula. Ademais, a gamificação é uma metodologia inclusiva, especialmente para alunos neurodiversos. Este estudo explorou a difusão de conhecimento acerca dos potenciais pedagógicos da gamificação virtual a partir de uma análise qualiquantitativa dos conhecimentos dos licenciandos em Ciências Biológicas da Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (UERJ). Esse levantamento de dados foi feito através da plataforma gratuita Google Forms. A partir da análise desses dados, foi possível inferir que essa abordagem metodológica educativa é pouco difundida na graduação em Licenciatura em Ciências Biológicas da UERJ. Isso porque, esse conhecimento possui uma produção científica incipiente com diversas discussões teóricas que permeiam o tema, porém com poucas aplicações em sala de aula registradas académicamente. Além disso, os potenciais positivos dessa metodologia para a aprendizagem de estudantes neurodiversos ainda são pouco explorados e divulgados.
A utilidade do Índice de Barthel na avaliação e monitoramento da recuperação pós-AVC na fase aguda
Authors: Karsten Luciana Ferreira , Safanelli Juliana Antunes , Rosa Flávia Souza da , Marcante Jessica de Souza , Baratto Filho Flares , Soares Antonio Vinicius
Published: December 2024

O Acidente Vascular Cerebral (AVC) é uma condição clínica com diversas repercussões para o indivíduo. Para auxiliar a equipe de saúde, emprega-se inúmeras escalas específicas para avaliar desde a gravidade do AVC, a funcionalidade e a capacidade motora  pós-evento. Nesse contexto, este estudo objetivou verificar se o Índice de Barthel foi eficaz ao ser utilizado como ferramenta de avaliação e monitoramento da recuperação de pacientes com AVC em fase aguda, destacando sua utilidade no acompanhamento da reabilitação. Para tanto, utilizou-se uma abordagem quantitativa e retrospectiva. A amostra foi composta de 1199 pacientes. Os dados foram analisados com o software GraphPad Prism 8®. Utilizada estatística descritiva (média ou mediana, desvio padrão ou intervalo interquartil, e ainda, distribuição de frequência). O teste de Shapiro-Wilk foi usado para verificação da normalidade dos dados. Os Testes t e Wilcoxon foram usados para comparar os subgrupos de homens e mulheres quanto às variáveis paramétricas e não paramétricas, respectivamente. Para avaliar as relações entre as variáveis controladas foi utilizada uma matriz de correlação (Teste de Spearman). Foi adotado um nível de significância de 5% (p<0,05) para todos os testes estatísticos. Conclui-se com a análise de correlação de Spearman, que o Índice de Barthel, juntamente com a Escala de Rankin e NHISS (correlações moderadas à forte), pode ser uma boa ferramenta para acompanhamento da recuperação dos pacientes com AVC na fase aguda. Esta produção deriva da pesquisa de doutorado em Saúde e Meio Ambiente “Implantação de uma rede de atendimento interdisciplinar de reabilitação pós-acidente vascular cerebral na cidade de Joinville, SC ”, em desenvolvimento no Programa de Pós-graduação em Saúde e Meio Ambiente, na Universidade da Região de Joinville (UNIVLLE), sob  orientação do Prof. Dr. Flares Baratto Filho e coorientação do Prof.  Dr. Antonio Vinicius Soares e apoio financeiro (Bolsa) da Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa e Inovação do Estado de Santa Catarina, FAPESC, Brasil.
Percepção, experiência e conhecimento de nutricionistas sobre cuidados paliativos
Authors: Silva Tatiane Pontes , Nascimento Gabriela Ferreira Araújo do , Miranda Letycia Paraiso Brandão de , Silva Janayna Gonçalves , Vieira Nathalia Fidelis Lins
Published: December 2024

Este estudo tem como objetivo analisar a percepção, experiência e conhecimento dos nutricionistas sobre os cuidados paliativos. Trata-se de um estudo transversal descritivo realizado através de um questionário on-line por meio do formulário do Google Forms, encaminhado pelo WhatsApp para os profissionais de nutrição. Participaram do estudo 214 nutricionistas, com prevalência do sexo feminino com idade média de 32 anos, com a maioria procedente de Pernambuco. Maior parte tinha de 1 a 5 anos de formados, especialização ou pós-graduação, trabalham com o público adulto e em hospital público. Apenas 28% relataram terem tido aula de cuidados paliativos durante a graduação. A maioria dos participantes trouxe como dificuldade em lidar com cuidados paliativos, a aceitação da equipe de iniciar cuidados paliativos desde o início do diagnóstico e não apenas na terminalidade, seguido da demora da definição de cuidados paliativos e a dificuldade em lidar com a família sobre a morte. Dos que tiveram cuidados paliativos durante a graduação, destacou-se os com formação mais recente (1 a 5 anos). Dos profissionais que não tiveram o tema de cuidados paliativos abordados durante a graduação, 90% deles já tiveram sua experiência profissional com o tema. Conclui-se que grande parte dos nutricionistas se sentem despreparados para lidar com pacientes em cuidados paliativos, o que se dá principalmente pela falta de conhecimento prévio sobre o assunto.
Split Transfer of Tibialis Posterior for Dynamic Equinovarus Deformity in Children with Cerebral Palsy
Authors:   Department of Orthopaedics, Apollo Hospitals, Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India., Vattipalli Ravi Chandra , Bandela Manoranjan ,   Department of Orthopaedics, Apollo Hospitals, Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India.
Published: December 2024

Children with cerebral palsy often have foot deformities, equinovarus being one of the most common deformities. Several procedures have been advocated, centered around rerouting the tibialis posterior tendon. Whole transfer of the tendon is associated with poor results. The current study aims to establish the efficacy of split tendon transfer of the posterior tibial tendon rerouted through the interosseous membrane and anchored to the lateral cuneiform. Surgical results were analyzed using an indigenously developed score, considering the cultural need for bare foot walking.
Keywords- Split tendon transfer of tibialis posterior, Equinovarus deformity, Cerebral palsy
Polarization multiplexed 2200-nm soliton generation and its application to 3-photon microscopy
Authors: Liu Jinfeng , Zhong Jincheng , Tang Sijia , Huang Jie , Zhang Yingxian , Qiu Ping , Wang Ke
Published: December 2024

The 2200-nm window has recently been demonstrated as the longest excitation window for deep-tissue multiphoton microscopy (MPM). So far, MPM at this window exclusively uses a soliton laser source based on soliton self-frequency shift (SSFS). In order to boost the multiphoton signal level at this window, here we demonstrate a polarization multiplexed soliton source based on orthogonal polarized SSFS in a polarization maintaining large mode area (PM LMA) fiber. Using this technology, the effective pulse repetition rate, i.e., the pulse number per unit time, is twice higher than the 1550-nm pump laser with a fixed repetition rate. We further demonstrate comparative third harmonic generation (THG) and 3-photon fluorescence (3PF) imaging with this polarization multiplexed soliton source and single polarization soliton source. The ∼2 times higher 3-photon signal of the former indicates that this soliton multiplexing technology is promising for MPM at the 2200-nm window.
Enhancing sensing performance through a metal-dielectric hybrid structure supporting hybridized TPP and symmetry-protected quasi-BIC
Authors: Hu Jinhua , Sun Jiaxi , Liu Xiuhong
Published: December 2024

We propose a metal-dielectric hybrid structure to enhance the quality (Q) factor by strong coupling between the resonant guided mode (RGM) and higher-order Tamm plasmon polariton (TPP). Meanwhile, we found that symmetry-protected bound states in the continuum (SP-BIC) can be achieved by actively adjusting the angle of the incident light, thus increasing the degrees of freedom for modulating the Q-factor. The simulation results indicated that both the central wavelengths and Q-factors of resonant modes can be modulated and optimized by modifying relevant structural parameters. Furthermore, we theoretically investigated the potential application of this structure as a dual-band self-referencing sensor, achieving the sensitivity (S) of up to 987.5 nm/RIU and 1237.5 nm/RIU while increasing the Q-factor to 923.79 and 542.73. Our work presents a promising opportunity to enhance the Q-factor while maintaining high S in lossy sensing systems.
Enhanced sensitivity of refractive-index-sensing optical frequency comb using frequency multiplication capability of photocarrier terahertz frequency comb for rapid measurement
Authors: Higaki Masayuki , Miyamura Shogo , Taue Shuji , Nakajima Yoshiaki , Tokizane Yu , Hase Eiji , Minamikawa Takeo , Yasui Takeshi
Published: December 2024

We propose a refractive index (RI) sensing method that leverages the frequency multiplication capability of a photocarrier terahertz (PC-THz) comb to enhance sensitivity and speed. By incorporating a PC-THz comb as a frequency multiplier for a RI-sensing optical frequency comb (OFC), we achieve significant amplification of the RI-dependent mode spacing (frep) shift. Our results show a 3100-fold increase in sensitivity, confirmed through the accurate measurement of ethanol-water solutions with varying concentrations. Additionally, we demonstrate the superiority of beat frequency measurement between PC-THz comb of frep and a reference THz wave over the direct frep measurements, particularly in high-speed scenarios, such as real-time gas and biosensing. The ability to perform high-resolution RI measurements on the millisecond timescale, without being constrained by RF frequency counter limitations, highlights the potential of this approach. This technique paves the way for enhanced sensitivity and speed in dynamic sensing applications using RI-sensing OFC.
Light-field generation for 3D light-field display with IARF and adaptive ray sampling
Authors: Yang Zeyuan , Sang Xinzhu , Yan Binbin , Yu Xunbo , Ji Luyu , Yang Jiahui , Li Jingwen
Published: December 2024

High-quality light-field generation of real scenes based on view synthesis remains a significant challenge in three-dimensional (3D) light-field displays. Recent advances in neural radiance fields have greatly enhanced light-field generation. However, challenges persist in synthesizing high-quality cylindrical viewpoints within a short time. To handle these issues, the instant adaptive radiance field (IARF) method is proposed to enhance the synthesized light-field quality from a set of captured images. In the ray marching process, the adaptive ray sampling technique is presented for resampling within both discrete occupied grids and continuous unoccupied spaces, which ensures that more representative points are acquired, thereby improving image quality. Furthermore, the volumetric sampling consistency (VSC) loss is used for adaptive ray sampling, which maintains the consistency, contributing to shorter training times with high quality. The iterative network structure of IARF is designed to achieve the resampling of points along emitted rays, which ensures the convergence of the density distributions and enhances synthesis accuracy. The distortion loss is introduced to optimize the unbounded scene geometry, and more realistic rendering is achieved. Finally, the expected viewpoint rendering with a backward ray tracing technique is presented to directly render synthetic images based on off-axis light-field image coding. Experimental results validate the effectiveness of our method. The IARF can achieve more detailed viewpoint generation for 360-degree scenes in a shorter training time. The ablation study demonstrates the validity of the proposed VSC loss and utilized distortion loss. Compared to other established methods, an average improvement of 2.14 dB in PSNR is achieved with approximately 9 minutes of training. The IARF can generate synthetic images at arbitrary positions and viewing angles within the scene, rather than being limited to a narrow field of view. Notably, a smooth motion parallax is obtained based on the 3D light-field display with 7680×4320 resolution over a large viewing angle. We believe that the IARF method can facilitate light-field generation by synthesizing real-world scenes, which represent a promising application for 3D light-field display.
ROLLING PHASE MODULATION REGIME FOR DYNAMIC FULL FIELD OCT
Authors: Thouvenin Olivier , Monfort Tual , Grieve Kate
Published: December 2024

Dynamic full-field optical coherence tomography (DFFOCT) has recently emerged as an invaluable label-free microscopy technique, owing to its sensitivity to cell activity, as well as speed and sectioning ability. However, the quality of DFFOCT images are often degraded due to phase noise and fringe artifacts. In this work, we present a new implementation named Rolling-Phase (RP) DFFOCT, in which the reference arm is slowly scanned over magnitudes exceeding 2π. We demonstrate mathematically and experimentally that it shows superior image quality while enabling to extract both static and dynamic contrast simultaneously. We showcase RP DFFOCT on monkey retinal explant, and demonstrate its ability to better resolve subcellular structures, including intranuclear activity.
Microwave-resonator-enabled broadband on-chip electro-optic frequency comb generation
Authors: Chen Zhaoxi , Zhang Yiwen , Feng Hanke , Zeng Yuansong , Zhang Ke , Wang Cheng
Published: December 2024

Optical frequency combs play a crucial role in optical communications, time-frequency metrology, precise ranging, and sensing. Among various generation schemes, resonant electro-optic combs are particularly attractive for their excellent stability, flexibility, and broad bandwidths. In this approach, an optical pump undergoes multiple electro-optic modulation processes in a high-Q optical resonator, resulting in cascaded spectral sidebands. However, most resonant electro-optic combs to date make use of lumped-capacitor electrodes with relatively inefficient utilization of the input electrical power. This design also reflects most electrical power back to the driving circuits and necessitates costly radio-frequency (RF) isolators in between, presenting substantial challenges in practical applications. To address these issues, we present an RF circuit friendly electro-optic frequency comb generator incorporated with on-chip coplanar microwave resonator electrodes, based on a thin-film lithium niobate platform. Our design achieves more than three times electrical power reduction with minimal reflection at the designed comb repetition rate of ∼25  GHz. We experimentally demonstrate broadband electro-optic frequency comb generation with a comb span of >85  nm at a moderate electrical driving power of 740 mW (28.7 dBm). Our power-efficient and isolator-free electro-optic comb source could offer a compact, low-cost, and simple-to-design solution for applications in spectroscopy, high-precise metrology, and optical communications.
Bacterial clustering amplifies the reshaping of eutrophic plumes around marine particles: A hybrid data-driven model
Authors: Kapellos George E. , Eberl Hermann J. , Kalogerakis Nicolas , Doyle Patrick S. , Paraskeva Christakis A.
Published: December 2024

Multifaceted interactions between marine bacteria and particulate matter exert a major control over the biogeochemical cycles in the oceans. At the microbial scale, free-living bacteria benefit from encountering and harnessing the plumes around nutrient-releasing particles, like phyto-plankton and organic aggregates. However, our understanding of the bacterial potential to reshape these eutrophic microhabitats remains poor, in part because of the traditional focus on fast-moving particles that generate ephemeral plumes with lifetime shorter than the uptake timescale. Here we develop a novel hybrid model to assess the impacts of nutrient uptake by clustered free-living bacteria on the nutrient field around slow-moving particles. We integrate a physics-based nutrient transport model with data-derived bacterial distributions at the single-particle level. We inferred the functional form of the bacterial distribution and extracted parameters from published datasets of in vitro and in silico microscale experiments. Based on available data, we find that exponential radial distribution functions properly represent bacterial microzones, but also capture the trend and variation for the exposure of bacteria to nutrients around sinking particles. Our computational analysis provides fundamental insight into the conditions under which free-living bacteria may significantly reshape plumes around marine aggregates in terms of the particle size and sinking velocity, the nutrient diffusivity, and the bacterial trophic lifestyle (oligotrophs < mesotrophs < copiotrophs). A high potential is predicted for chemotactic copiotrophs like Vibrio sp. that achieve fast uptake and strong clustering. This microscale phenomenon can be critical for the microbiome and nutrient cycling in marine ecosystems, especially during particulate blooms.
“It’s his cheerfulness that gives me hope”: A qualitative analysis of access to pediatric cancer care in Northern Tanzania
Authors: Metcalf Madeline , Kajoka Happiness D. , Majaliwa Esther , Tupetz Anna , Staton Catherine A. , Vissoci João Ricardo , Espinoza Pamela , Cotache-Condor Cesia , Rice Henry E. , Mmbaga Blandina T. , Smith Emily R.
Published: December 2024

Pediatric cancer is a significant and growing burden in low- and middle-income countries. The objective of this project was to describe the factors influencing access to pediatric cancer care in Northern Tanzania using the Three Delays Model. This was a cross-sectional qualitative study conducted between June and August 2023 at Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre (KCMC). Using purposive sampling methods, caregivers of children obtaining pediatric cancer care at KCMC were approached for participation in in-depth interviews (IDIs) and a demographic survey. All IDIs were facilitated in Swahili by a bilingual research coordinator. Analysis utilized inductive and deductive coding approaches to identify dominant themes and sub-themes impacting access to pediatric oncology care. Data collection concluded once saturation was achieved at 13 IDIs, defined as the absence of new codes after three consecutive interviews. Participants reported significant financial barriers to accessing pediatric cancer care along the entire care continuum. In the first delay, themes included waiting for symptoms to resolve and the identification of initial symptoms. The most substantial delays occurred in delay 2, including health infrastructure at mid-level facilities, misdiagnoses, the referral system, travel, and traditional medicine. Participants did not describe delays after arrival to KCMC and rather offered perspective on their child’s cancer diagnosis, their concerns while obtaining care, and their hopes for the future. Financial support provided by the Tanzanian government was the only facilitator noted by participants. We suggest targeted interventions including 1) empowerment of CHWs and local traditional healers to advocate for earlier care seeking behavior, 2) implementation of clinical structures and training at intermediary medical centers aimed at earlier referral to a treatment facility, 3) incorporation of support and education initiatives for families of children with a cancer diagnosis. Lastly, national health plans should include pediatric cancer care.
Spatio-temporal variation of the endangered Dupont’s Lark diet across Iberia and Morocco
Authors: Zurdo Julia , Bustillo-de la Rosa Daniel , Barrero Adrián , Gómez-Catasús Julia , Reverter Margarita , Pérez-Granados Cristian , García Jesús T. , Viñuela Javier , Domínguez Julio C. , Morales Manuel B. , Traba Juan
Published: December 2024

A species’ diet is highly dependent on the availability of food resources in space and time, as well as on intrinsic factors such as sex or age. Accurate assessments of variations in the diet composition of bird populations across spatial scales, seasons and demographic groups are essential not only for understanding the basic ecology of species, but also for the conservation of endangered ones. However, our current knowledge about how birds’ diet change according to spatio-temporal variations or intrinsic factors is very limited. Here, we used a multi-marker metabarcoding approach to characterize the diet of a declining shrub-steppe passerine, the Dupont’s Lark (Chersophilus duponti), throughout a large part of its global distribution range. We also investigated spatial, phenological and sexual variations in its diet. Using markers from two genomic regions (18S and COI), we analyzed fecal samples from 303 adult Dupont’s larks from Morocco and Spain during the breeding and non-breeding seasons. Overall, arthropods from the orders Coleoptera, Lepidoptera, Julida and Orthoptera were the main prey consumed by Dupont’s Larks. We found that Dupont’s Lark diet varied spatially, as well as temporally, reflecting dietary plasticity in response to changes in prey availability across landscapes and the species’ phenological periods. High dietary overlap and no differences between sexes were observed, suggesting similar foraging behavior and nutritional requirements in both sexes. This is the first study providing detailed information on Dupont’s Lark food ecology over much of its distribution, which is fundamental for the management and conservation of this declining steppe species.
Lower serum uric acid levels are associated with depressive symptoms in a Japanese general population: A population-based cross-sectional study
Authors: Takekawa Daiki , Kinoshita Hirotaka , Nikaido Yoshikazu , Kudo Takashi , Mikami Tatsuya , Hirota Kazuyoshi
Published: December 2024

Uric acid (UA) is a final product of purine metabolism and has neuroprotective effects. It has not been established whether serum UA levels are associated with depressive disorder. Thus, we investigated whether serum UA levels are associated with depressive symptoms in a Japanese general population. We used the Iwaki Health Promotion Project 2022 data (737 subjects) in this cross-sectional study. The Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) was used to assess the prevalence of depressive symptoms. Subjects with CES-D scores ≥16 were assigned to the Depression group. We compared characteristics and laboratory data (including serum UA) between the Depression and Non-depression groups and performed a multivariable logistic regression analysis to investigate whether their serum UA levels were associated with depressive symptoms, after adjusting for possible confounding factors. We analyzed the cases of 705 subjects: the Depression group (n = 142) and the Non-depression group (n = 563). The Depression group’s serum UA levels were significantly lower than those of the Non-depression group. The multivariable logistic regression analysis demonstrated that lower serum UA levels were significantly associated with the depressive symptoms. In conclusion, lower serum UA levels in this Japanese general population were significantly associated with the depressive symptoms.
AI-based coral species discrimination: A case study of the Siderastrea Atlantic Complex
Authors: Barbeitos Marcos Soares , Pérez Flávio Alberto , Olaya-Restrepo Julián , Winter Ana Paula Martins , Florindo João Batista , Laureano Estevão Esmi
Published: December 2024

Species delimitation in hard corals remains controversial even after 250+ years of taxonomy. Confusing taxonomy in Scleractinia is not the result of sloppy work: clear boundaries are hard to draw because most diagnostic characters are quantitative and subjected to considerable morphological plasticity. In this study, we argue that taxonomists may actually be able to visually discriminate among morphospecies, but fail to translate their visual perception into accurate species descriptions. In this article, we introduce automated quantification of morphological traits using computer vision (Completed Local Binary Patterns—CLBP) and test its efficiency on the problematic genus Siderastrea. An artificial neural network employing fuzzy logic (Θ-FAM), intrinsically formulated to deal with soft and subtle decision boundaries, was used to factor a priori species identification uncertainty into the supervised classification procedure. Machine learning statistics demonstrate that automated species identification using CLBP and Θ-FAM outperformed the combination of traditional morphometric characters and Θ-FAM, and was also superior to CLBP+LDA (Linear Discriminant Analysis). These results suggest that human discrimination ability can be emulated by the association of computer vision and artificial intelligence, a potentially valuable tool to overcome taxonomic impediment to end users working on hard corals.
A novel hybrid PSO-MIDAS model and its application to the U.S. GDP forecast
Authors: Shen Feng , Yan Xiaodong , Shang Yuhuang
Published: December 2024

In this study, the traditional lag structure selection method in the Mixed Data Sampling (MIDAS) regression model for forecasting GDP was replaced with a machine learning approach using the particle swarm optimization algorithm (PSO). The introduction of PSO aimed to automatically optimize the MIDAS model’s mixed-frequency lag structures, improving forecast accuracy and resolving the "forecast accuracy" and "forecast cost" weighting problem. The Diebold–Mariano test results based on U.S. macroeconomic data show that when the forecast horizon is large, the forecast accuracy of the PSO-MIDAS model is significantly better than other benchmark models. Empirical results show that, compared to the benchmark MIDAS model, the forecast accuracy of both univariate and multivariate PSO-MIDAS models improves by an average of 10% when the forecast horizon exceeds 2 quarters, and the optimization effect is greater compared to other benchmark models. The innovative use of the PSO algorithm addresses the limitations of traditional lag structure selection methods and enhances the predictive potential of the MIDAS model.
Disturbance effects on timberland returns
Authors: Kärenlampi Petri P.
Published: December 2024

Probability theory is applied to the effect of severe disturbances on the return rate on capital within multiannual stands growing crops. Two management regimes are discussed, rotations of even-aged plants on the one hand, and uneven-aged semi-stationary state on the other. The effect of any disturbance appears two-fold, contributing to both earnings and capitalization. Results are illustrated using data from a recently published study, regarding spruce (Picea abies) forests in Austria. The economic results differ from those of the paper where the data is presented, here indicating continuous-cover forestry is financially inferior to rotation forestry. Any severe disturbance may induce a regime shift from continuous-cover to even-aged forestry. If such a regime shift is not accepted, the disturbance losses reduce profits but do not affect capitalization, making continuous-cover forestry financially more sensitive to disturbances. Revenue from carbon rent favors the management regime with higher carbon stock. The methods introduced in this paper can be applied to any dataset, regardless of location and crop species.
Disposable diaper consumption and waste in urban Ghana and Kenya: The role of manufacturing, distribution, and branding
Authors: Okotto-Okotto Joseph , Asamoah Moses , Thomas-Possee Mair L. H. , Dzodzomenyo Mawuli , Hornuvo Ruby , Okotto Lorna G. , Wright Jim A.
Published: December 2024

Studies have reported widespread disposable diaper (DD) consumption in parts of urban Africa, increasing municipal waste generation and with mismanaged DD waste impacting water quality. However, the DD manufacturing and distribution systems behind this trend are little studied, yet understanding these underlying systems is critical in informing efforts to promote extended producer responsibility. This study therefore aims to assess DD brand preferences and trends in international trade in absorbent hygiene products in two case study Sub-Saharan countries. A cross-sectional survey was undertaken of 440 carers of children aged 0–36 months attending health facilities in Greater Accra, Ghana and Kisumu, Kenya. Survey analysis was supplemented by analysis of international trade in absorbent hygiene products for both countries from 2000–2021. Trade data showed DD imports to Ghana and Kenya increased from 2000–17 particularly from China, but declined thereafter. This coincided with Chinese foreign direct investment establishing DD production facilities within both countries in 2018–19, and increased DD exports from Kenya and Ghana to surrounding countries. Meanwhile, 93.0% and 94.2% of survey respondents in Greater Accra and Kisumu respectively reported using DD. In Greater Accra and Kisumu respectively, 62.4% and 45.3% of survey participants reported using the brand produced by these new domestic manufacturing facilities, with 29.8% and 40.9% using imported brands. In Greater Accra, approximately half of reported imported brands were unregistered with the regulator. Given its market dominance, we therefore recommend engagement with the leading manufacturer to identify product or waste management innovations to address water pollution from DD waste. We also recommend similar engagement with imported brand manufacturers and greater DD import regulation in Ghana, given lack of imported brand registration.
La recopilació de rondalles a les comarques castellonenques
Authors: Muñoz Marzà Tània
Published: December 2024

La recopilació i l’anàlisi de la rondalla com a gènere etnopoètic és una de les branques del folklore que presenta, des dels seus inicis, un desenvolupament més destacable. Això no obstant, la seua evolució no ha estat equilibrada en tots els territoris, de manera que encara existeixen zones de les que pràcticament no tenim cap estudi o recull de rondalles. Aquest és el cas de les comarques castellonenques. Fins ara, els materials disponibles eren escassos, de manera que pràcticament no apareixen versions castellonenques de rondalles a les antologies, els catàlegs o les bases de dades de rondalles de l’àmbit de parla catalana. Per aquest motiu, l’article indaga sobre les principals iniciatives de recerca que s’han realitzat fins el moment i que per diversos motius, han romàs desapercebudes. Des de l’aparició i la integració del concepte de folklore a la Societat Castellonenca de Cultura a la publicació dels darrers reculls de rondalles, s’examinen les obres i els autors més rellevants. Aquesta primera aproximació indica que el desenvolupament d’aquesta disciplina ha estat més notable del que podia semblar i que el caràcter espars i local de la majoria de les publicacions ha pesat en el coneixement i la difusió que s’ha fet d’aquests materials fins ara. Per aquest motiu, aquesta aproximació a la rondallística castellonenca suposa un primer pas per a sistematitzar i aprofundir en el coneixement que tenim de la història de la literatura popular d’aquest territori.
Resencione del libro: Patricio Mulero, Maria (2023). Escriure la ciutat. La construcció literària de Barcelona a l’època contemporània (1970-2015)
Authors: Forgetta Emanuela
Published: December 2024

Resencione del libro: Patricio Mulero, Maria (2023). Escriure la ciutat. La construcció literària de Barcelona a l’època contemporània (1970-2015). Catarroja: Editorial Afers. 278 p. ISBN 978-84-18618-65-9.
Ressenya del llibre: Massip-Bonet, Àngels & Perea, Maria-Pilar (eds.) (2023). El canvi lingüístic: teories i eines computacionals per estudiar-lo
Authors: Torres-Latorre Aina
Published: December 2024

Ressenya del llibre: Massip-Bonet, Àngels & Perea, Maria-Pilar (eds.) (2023). El canvi lingüístic: teories i eines computacionals per estudiar-lo. Barcelona: Universitat de Barcelona. 142 p. ISBN 978-84-9168-953-9.
Safety Assessment of Ocean Current in Pantar Strait for Marine Tourism
Authors: Prasetyo Akhmad Tri , Patriadi Andi , Ahsin Awaludin , Nurhidayat Nurhidayat , Purwanto Budi , Sobaruddin Dyan Primana , Muslim Muslim , Hendri Muhammad , Hermialingga Septi , Kurniasih Eka Maya
Published: December 2024

The Pantar Strait with its coral reef ecosystem has encouraged many tourists to dive since the last decade. At least, ten coral reef ecosystem sites in Pantar Strait have been indicated as having potential for marine tourism, such as Munaseli Beach, Obisinga Beach, Umangdang Beach, Alor Eco Dive Resort, Ternate Island, Bakalang Beach, Pura Diving Spot, Nuhakepa Diving Spot, Pasir Putih Beach, and Savu Alor. This study illustrated the annual dynamics of ocean currents in Pantar Strait, subsequently assessing the safety rate of commercial diving at those tourism sites in each season. A three-dimensional hydrodynamic model was generated by the Delft3d flow module to illustrate the annual ocean current dynamic in the Pantar Strait. The safety assessment for marine tourism was classified into 3 levels (safe, alert, and dangerous). Ocean currents exceed maximum velocities in the west season. Various marine tourism sites close to steep slopes were not recommended for commercial diving. They are Munaseli Beach, Obisinga Beach, Pura Diving Spot, and Pasir Putih Beach. These sites experienced an increase in average currents that exceeded the safe threshold each season. Alor Eco Dive Resort was designated as the safest marine tourism, which showed a safe level for either average or maximum ocean currents in each season. Nuhakepa Diving Spot was designated as the second safest marine tourism. Several tourist sites that showed the danger of commercial diving in the west season were Umangdang Beach and Savu Alor. Many tourism sites showed an alert current for commercial diving in Springtide. Therefore, tourists are advised to avoid diving during the spring tide.
Dynamics and related hazards of the Belvedere Glacier in the Italian Alps: a review
Authors: Kropáček Jan , Mehrishi Pragya , Bollati Irene Maria , Brodský Lukáš , Pelfini Manuela , Azzoni Roberto Sergio , Schmidt Susanne , Nüsser Marcus , Vilímek Vít
Published: December 2024

The Belvedere glacier is an intensively studied glacier in the Italian Alps on the east face of the Monte Rosa, which is currently undergoing a fast deglaciation connected to various slope failures and Glacial Lake Outburst Floods. Measurements of the terminus position have been carried out since the 1920s. Since 2000, more attention has been paid to this area due to the occurrence of large mass movements and a surge-type event. In this review, research articles and various reports dealing mainly with glacier dynamics, rock and ice avalanches, Glacial Lake Outburst Floods, and other hazardous processes were considered. Aerial photogrammetry, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, satellite stereo-processing and several terrestrial approaches (laser scanning, geophysics, measurements of near-surface heat flow, ablation stakes and camera-lapse) provided a base for quantifying the ongoing processes. Despite efforts based on the comparison of Digital Elevation Models, this review shows that the evolution of the Belvedere glacier in terms of ice volume is still partially unknown due to the low temporal frequency of aerial surveys, technical limitations of the Unmanned Aerial Vehicles used, and the fact that most studies focus only on the lower part of the glacier. The hazardous supraglacial Effimero lake that appeared during the surge-type event has been well documented, and interventions to mitigate potential risks were put in place, but the trigger of the event and the evolution of the lake basin have not yet been clarified. Mass wasting and outburst floods are mainly documented in the grey literature. The degradation of permafrost was suggested to be the driver of rock and ice avalanches, including one of the largest ice avalanches in the Alps, which occurred in 2005. In summary, the Belvedere Glacier and the surrounding rock walls have experienced repeated slope failures, an incident of surge and several outburst floods. Despite regular monitoring, a clear picture of its behavior due to the changing climate is still unknown. This review is intended to pave the way for further integrative studies.
Harnessing ethylene-producing bacteria for fruit bio-ripening: a comprehensive review
Authors: Brunda Y , Muthuvel I , Kavitha PS , Karthikeyan M , Ramesh D
Published: December 2024

Fruit ripening is a complex biological process regulated by various endogenous and exogenous factors, with ethylene playing a pivotal role as a gaseous hormone. Traditionally, ethylene for commercial use has been derived from environmentally hazardous processes. However, the discovery of ethylene-producing bacteria presents a sustainable alternative for fruit ripening. This review explores the mechanisms and potential of utilizing ethylene-producing bacteria in the bio-ripening of fruits. Through an analysis of current research, we elucidate the synthesis pathways of ethylene in microorganisms, optimization techniques to enhance ethylene production, and the compatibility among microbial strains for the development of effective microbial consortia. Recent studies have demonstrated the efficacy of ethylene-producing bacteria, such as Bacillus and Pseudomonas species, in bio-ripening fruits like kiwifruit, plums, bananas, and apples. The optimization of growth conditions and the development of microbial consortia aim to maximize ethylene production efficiency While minimizing environmental impacts. This review underscores the importance of ethylene-producing bacteria in revolutionizing fruit ripening technology and advancing sustainable agricultural practices. By providing insights into the opportunities and challenges associated with bio-ripening fruits by ethylene-producing bacteria, this review seeks to guide future research and innovation in the field. Ultimately, using ethylene-producing bacteria offers a promising avenue for achieving safe, environmentally friendly, and efficient fruit ripening methods in agricultural practices.
Un passo di Michele di Efeso e l’origine del commento composito all’Etica Nicomachea
Authors: Natali Carlo
Published: December 2024

A passage from Michael of Ephesus’ Commentary on the Nicomachean Ethics, book V (p. 50, 6–10 Hayduck), gives some information on the Anonymous Commentary on the Nicomachean Ethics, books II–IV. Michael cites a series of ancient annotations to the third book, written by ancient exegetes and which have come down to him. It can therefore be assumed that Michael had the Anonymous Commentary in front of him when he wrote these lines. It is thus possible to assume that it was Michael of Ephesus himself who organised the entire commentary on the Nicomachean Ethics and inserted the Anonymous Commentary on Books II-IV after Eustratius’ commentary on Book I and before his own commentary on Book V.
Dynamic characteristics tests of full-scale lead rubber bearing (LRB)
Authors: Mori Kentaro , Nagashima Gentaro , Mori Takahiro , Muramatsu Akitsugu , Ogata Takanori
Published: December 2024

Several types of dynamic tests were performed using a full-scale lead rubber bearing (LRB) that has a lead plug embedded at the center of laminated natural rubber. The horizontal and vertical characteristics of the LRB due to various shear strains, frequencies, cyclic effect and compressive stresses were obtained by the experiments. It was confirmed that the variations of the obtained horizontal and vertical characteristics satisfied allowable variations defined in European standard for Anti-seismic devices (EN15129-2009).
Moin Moin is schon Gesabbel: constructing Northern German identity in commercial Instagram posts
Authors: Schram Frederike
Published: December 2024

This paper shows how commercial Instagrammers construct a shared Northern German identity by employing the regional language Low German and other (visual) means. In today’s mobile and globalised societies, the use and functions of regional or minority languages are changing. Besides communicative purposes and the construction of regional identities in multilingual societies, these languages are commodified as signs of authenticity and regionality. Challenged by High German and other dominant languages, Low German is still spoken in the domestic domain and by older generations. It has recently gained significance in marketing and as a marker of regional identity. The question of how commercial Instagrammers construct regional identity is answered using a multimodal corpus of 1,157 Instagram posts and a discourse analysis based, qualitative and quantitative data analysis. The findings suggest that the Instagrammers express regional identity through three strategies: 1) Using well-known Low German words and short texts; 2) portraying character traits and humour as key features of Northern Germanness, and 3) a clear distinction between an out-group and an in-group through meta-linguistic commentary. Together, these strategies construct a collective, generalised regional identity, reinforcing the Instagrammers’ “Northern Germanness” and allowing consumers to express their regional identities through this content and products.
Rap Devil versus Rap God: impoliteness in a rap battle
Authors: Oğuz Enis , Işık-Güler Hale
Published: December 2024

Using a line-by-line analysis of the key conversational instances identified in an asynchronous rap battle between Eminem (in Killshot) and Machine Gun Kelly (in Rap Devil), this study investigates diss tracks as manifestations of impoliteness. As a framework for our analysis, we adopt an overlay of Spencer-Oatey’s rapport management model/principles and Culpeper’s framework of impoliteness strategies/formulae. The results show that both rappers tried to out-diss each other by verbalizing a multitude of insults, curses, dismissals, and more. The paper builds on the relationship between power and impoliteness, the concept of authenticity in rap, prescribed and proscribed language use in hip-hop culture, and displays of identity roles of the rappers. The findings and discussion offer novel contributions to impoliteness research, as the current study is the first to investigate impoliteness in an asynchronous rap battle between two White rappers. In light of the analyses, we define diss track exchanges as asynchronous rap battles characterized by the abundant use of coercive impoliteness for entertainment.
The role of the endocannabinoid system in the pathogenesis and treatment of epilepsy
Authors: Kosenkov Artem M. , Mal’tseva Valentina N. , Maiorov Sergei A. , Gaidin Sergei G.
Published: December 2024

Epilepsy is a group of chronic neurological brain disorders characterized by recurrent spontaneous unprovoked seizures, which are accompanied by significant neurobiological, cognitive, and psychosocial impairments. With a global prevalence of approximately 0.5–1 % of the population, epilepsy remains a serious public health concern. Despite the development and widespread use of over 20 anticonvulsant drugs, around 30 % of patients continue to experience drug-resistant seizures, leading to a substantial reduction in quality of life and increased mortality risk. Given the limited efficacy of current treatments, exploring new therapeutic approaches is critically important. In recent years, Gi-protein-coupled receptors, particularly cannabinoid receptors CB1 and CB2, have garnered increasing attention as promising targets for the treatment seizures and prevention of epilepsy. Emerging evidence suggests a significant role of the cannabinoid system in modulating neuronal activity and protecting against hyperexcitability, underscoring the importance of further research in this area. This review provides up-to-date insights into the pathogenesis and treatment of epilepsy, with a special focus on the role of the cannabinoid system, highlighting the need for continued investigation to develop more effective therapeutic strategies.