bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Mixed-encoding one-photon-interference quantum secure direct communication
Authors: Li Xiang-Jie , Cheng Yuan-Bin , Pan Xing-Bo , Zhang Yun-Rong , Qian Ling , Long Gui-Lu
Published: October 2024

Quantum secure direct communication (QSDC) guarantees both the security and reliability of information transmission using quantum states. One-photon-interference QSDC (OPI-QSDC) is a technique that enhances the transmission distance and ensures secure point-to-point information transmission, but it requires complex phase locking technology. This paper proposes a mixed-encoding one-photon-interference QSDC (MO-QSDC) protocol that removes the need for phase locking technology. Numerical simulations demonstrate that the MO-QSDC protocol could also beat the PLOB bound.
Thyrotroph Hyperplasia Caused by Severe Primary Hypothyroidism Leading to Adrenal Crisis
Authors: Hakami Yasser , AlJaman Abdulaziz
Published: October 2024

Thyrotroph hyperplasia is commonly present but remains largely undiagnosed in primary hypothyroidism. It is easily reversible with thyroid replacement therapy. If imaging is performed prior to biochemical evaluation, then patients may undergo pituitary surgery unnecessarily. We present the case of a 30-year-old man with thyrotroph hyperplasia caused by profound primary hypothyroidism leading to hypopituitarism that resolved after levothyroxine replacement therapy. We will discuss the current literature regarding pituitary hyperplasia in primary hypothyroidism in adults.
Impact of Chronic Hepatitis C Virus on Acute Kidney Injury After Living Donor Liver Transplantation
Authors: Kim Jae Hwan , Kim Kyoung-Sun , Kwon Hye-Mee , Kim Sung-Hoon , Jun In-Gu , Song Jun-Gol , Hwang Gyu-Sam
Published: October 2024

BACKGROUND:

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is one of the most common complications after liver transplantation (LT) and can significantly impact outcomes. The presence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection increases the risk of AKI development. However, the impact of HCV on AKI after LT has not been evaluated. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of HCV on AKI development in patients who underwent LT.

METHODS:

Between January 2008 and April 2023, 2183 patients who underwent living donor LT (LDLT) were included. Patients were divided into 2 groups based on the presence of chronic HCV infection. We compared LT recipients using the propensity score matching (PSM) method. Factors associated with AKI development were evaluated using multiple logistic regression analysis. In addition, 1-year mortality and graft failure were assessed using a Cox proportional regression model.

RESULTS:

Among 2183 patients, the incidence of AKI was 59.2%. After PSM, the patients with HCV showed a more frequent development of AKI (71.9% vs 63.9%, P = .026). In multivariate analysis after PSM, HCV was associated with AKI development (odds ratio [OR], 1.53; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.06–2.20, P = .022), 1-year mortality (Hazard ratio [HR], 1.98; 95% CI, 1.12–3.52, P = .019), and graft failure (HR, 2.12; 95% CI, 1.22–3.69, P = .008).

CONCLUSIONS:

The presence of HCV was associated with increased risk for the development of AKI, 1-year mortality, and graft failure after LT.
A Sense of Arrival
Authors: Browne Kevin Adonis
Published: October 2024

In A Sense of Arrival, Kevin Adonis Browne blends literary, visual, and material forms to present a narrative of Caribbean blackness. Arguing that the story of Caribbeanness cannot be told through words alone, Browne interweaves essays, memoir, autotheory, and narrative verse with documentary photography, portraiture, Rorschach blots, and images of his own sculptures and art installations. Browne labels this multimodal approach and rhetorical form “Caribbean nonfiction,” and he uses it to conceptualize arrival as a theory of being. Arrival is practiced through forms of status, return, belonging, nomadism, self-exile, love, loss, presence, and haunting, each of which expresses the vast complexity and urgency of Caribbeanness. At the same time, arrival emphasizes and extends Caribbean ways of being, knowing, and doing. Throughout, Browne challenges readers to follow the archipelagic sensibilities of the Caribbean to look beyond black death and apprehend the inherent optimism and beauty of arrival. A singular meditation on the art and process of Caribbeanness, A Sense of Arrival is a statement on how the black Caribbean self comes to be.
The Conquering State and Police War-ification? / O Estado Conquistador e a Guerra-ficaçã de Policiamento?
Authors: Franco Marielle
Published: October 2024

In a study that helped launch global debates around defunding/abolishing the police in 2020, this chapter, consisting of excerpts from an earlier master’s thesis, offers an analysis of the militarization and securitizing effect of the Police Pacification Units. Since its creation in 2008, the UPP has aimed to confront armed criminal groups in the favela, but it quickly came to represent a new model of intensified social control and repression in Rio. Despite the existence of a war on drugs and control of territories as a way to win the support of the whole city with an allusion to peace, there is no war in this process. Franco advocates a shift from police-centered models of governance toward public services models. Never previously translated into English, the thesis was published in Portuguese only three months before Franco’s assassination in 2018 by a death squad linked to the son of Jair Bolsonaro.
Armed Dominions / Domínios Armados
Authors: Miranda Ana Paula Mendes de , Muniz Jacqueline de Oliveira
Published: October 2024

Coercive forms of armed governance have little direct interest in free markets. Armed dominions monopolize urban economies in a shifting intersectional and disputed (not shared in any positive sense) fabric. This concept differs from parallel power, since the strategies of armed dominion require interaction, connivance, or intimate collaboration with state agents in the regulation of illegal and informal markets. Armed dominions—their mobile, political, and commercial technologies—are key to understanding negotiations (violent or peaceful) between police, militias, and drug cartels in Rio de Janeiro. As an expression of autonomous government, they reveal links between the policy objectives, business strategies, commercial tactics, and logistical needs for territorial maintenance of the various factions attempting to exert dominion over a given urban area. Armed dominions are a potential and concrete means of violence, used to undermine citizenship and the more or less inclusive limits of the political-legal pact.
Recolonial Militiarchy / Miliciarquia Recolonial
Authors: Alves José Cláudio Souza
Published: October 2024

Conceiving militias as the evolution of death squads created in the late 1960s, the chapter presents their evolution as a political structure based on their accumulated criminal capital and their relationship with the police apparatus. The concept of recolonial militiarchy proposed here represents a specific reading of the sociohistorical spatial formation of Brazil. The coexistence of distinct forms of violence and exploitation is notably geared toward Black Brazilians and slum dwellers. Initiated during the colonial period, this violence continued to be practiced by current militias to the advance of today’s extreme right. This chapter traces the historical origins of militias (paramilitary vigilante protection and extraction operations), which became the dominant governing institution in Rio de Janeiro.
Militianization / Milicianização
Authors: Lessing Benjamin
Published: October 2024

In the early 1980s, an innovation in the organizational technology of crime, born in the dungeons of Brazil’s military dictatorship, spread beyond prison walls and transformed Rio de Janeiro. Comando Vermelho was Brazil’s first facção, known as a comando, in Rio de Janeiro—a kind of sophisticated, prison-based criminal network whose collective capacity quickly eliminated or subsumed the autonomous donos (bosses) who then ruled over Rio’s favela communities and the illicit markets centered there. The CV’s initial hegemony soon gave way to internecine conflicts with rival factions and open confrontation with state forces that still continue. But the faction model—the splitting up of Rio’s favela territory among a handful of prison-based groups—proved incredibly resilient. This research focuses on factionalized states like Amazonas, Ceará, and Rio Grande do Norte, which have given a new appreciation of the transformational power that criminal technologies have on innovation—namely, of milícias.
Fractalscopic Quotidian / Cotidiano Fractaloscópico
Authors: Andreoli Marcelo Caetano
Published: October 2024

This chapter situates itself within a case study that features the construction and popular reoccupation of a public square in one of Rio’s most violently policed areas. Complexo do Alemão has been considered crime ridden but, from within, is a critical space for popular culture and community self-organization. These kinds of sociophysical landscapes can be seen as fractals. Usually this term is deployed negatively, to describe the chaotic and segregated terrain marked by radical asymmetries. But this chapter pushes to look from within the fractal to see the outside worlds. It proposes that Rio should be seen as more than a disjointed and segregated city of hills and asphalt, and, instead, as a composition of multiple, coproduced phenomena that resemble a kaleidoscopic image and a set of crossroads. The square—Praça para Alemão Ver on Avenida Central—represents a deviation from more centralized actions perpetuated from a distant governing body.
De-kill / De-matando
Authors: Rocha Luciane
Published: October 2024

Based on fieldwork research undertaken with mothers of victims of violence in the metropolitan area of Rio de Janeiro, this chapter aims to discuss the concept of de-killing as a political strategy used by the mothers to seek justice for the police killings of young Black men and to challenge the structural racism of the media and justice system. De-killing involves activist mothers generating discourse in the media and acting bravely during police raids to denaturalize narratives that criminalize Black youth and justify police killings. The Black mothers’ management of suffering is a tool to refuse anti-Blackness. In Rio de Janeiro, the exposure of Black people to everyday situations of violence reveals a dynamic of overlapping structural aspects related to socioeconomic causes and ideological-cultural processes resulting in and generating negative representations of this segment of the population.
Study on the Function of Bone Powder in the Drying of Asian Lacquer Containing it
Authors: Park Jongseo
Published: October 2024

Asian lacquer has been used as a paint and adhesive since ancient times in Korea. Bone powder was often added to lacquer, and the lacquer layer containing bone powder is usually thicker than the pure lacquer layer. The reason for using bone powder in a thick lacquer layer has not been studied through experiments until now. In this study, the effect of bone powder on the drying of lacquer was investigated by comparing the curing behavior of lacquer and bone powder-containing lacquer by naturally curing lacquer between glass plates. The sample with lacquer only was difficult to dry over a certain thickness, and the inside of the sample did not dry even after a long time. On the other hand, the lacquer samples containing bone powder cured faster than pure lacquer, and the drying progressed even to the inside of the sample. It was found that calcination, size and amount of bone powder also had an effect on drying of lacquer. In microscopic observation, it could be seen that, unlike lacquer, voids existed here and there in the lacquer containing bone powder and there were crevices on the outer layer. From this, it is presumed that bone powder contained in lacquer helps to form an air passage connecting the inside and outside of the lacquer layer and promotes the drying of lacquer.
Applicability of Multi-coating for Preserving Surfaces of Outdoor Bronze sculptures
Authors: Lee Ju Young , Oh Seung Jun
Published: October 2024

The wax used for surface coating of outdoor bronze sculptures is prone to material aging, surface cracking, and whitening due to environmental changes and air pollutants, leading to a shortened coating treatment cycle. To improve these material limitations, I explored the possibility of applying a multi-coating method that uses both acrylic resin and wax in an outdoor environment in Korea. The results of the experiment showed that the multi-coating method significantly improved the durability of the coating layer, weather resistance against external degrading factors, corrosion prevention ability, and contact angle, etc. compared to the existing wax-only coating method, and the rate of color change (ROC) was low, proving its stability. Especially, the double-coating method of acrylic resin and wax using acrylic urethane and Bowling Alley Wax® (acrylic resin + wax) was found to be the most stable coating method among the multi-coating methods. According to such results, I found that the multi-coating method can be proposed as a new surface coating treatment method that can secure long-term preservation of bronze sculptures and preserve their original form even in outdoor environments in Korea, by remedying the shortcomings of the wax-only coating.
The Characteristics of Component of Lime Mortars with Perilla Oil
Authors: Yun Eunyoung , Kang Sanha
Published: October 2024

A lime is a traditional material that has been used for a long time and has been used in ancient tumb, fortress walls, ondol, buildings, and lime-mortar barrier tombs. Based on the literature records used lime with additive materials, in this study, observed changes in the composition of perilla oil according to curing environment, sampling position, and time tor time mixed or applied with perilla oil among traditional lime additive materials by pyrosis gas chromatography mass spectrometery (Py-GC-MS) and Fourier Transform infrared spectroscopy(FT-IR) analysis. For perilla oil, unsaturated fatty acids such as oleic acid, and linoleic acid, saturated fatty acid, palmitic acid were identified as the main component, and as perilla oil was cured, the ratio of saturated fatty acids such as azelaic acid, palmitic acid, and stearic acid tended to increase. This trend has also been confirmed in lime mortars using perilla oil. In limes mixed with perilla oil, oleic acid is predominantly detected. In the case of lime coated with perilla oil, no characteristic component was identified in the internal sample, and a change in characteristic components were confirmed according to the indoor and outdoor environments on the coated surface. Palmitic acid, stearic acid, and oleic acid were detected as main components in a stable indoor environment, but azelaic acid, palmitic acid, and stearic acid were identified as main components as they were exposed to the climate environment(outdoor). In particular, it is characterized by the fact that it was detected only in mortar applied with azelaic acid. However the possibility of grasping perilla oil using FT-IR was expected to have a detection limit depending on the concentration of perilla oil. Such analysis results are expected to contribute to the discovery of lime additive materials used in cultural heritage and the research on construction technology in the future.
Comparison of the Characteristics of Baekak(chalk) and Hobun(shell) Pigment for Dancheong based on Natural Raw Materials
Authors: Lee Sun Myung , Kang Young Seok , Park Ju Hyun , Kim Myoung Nam , Hong Jin Young , Mun Seong Woo
Published: October 2024

Calcium carbonate white pigments were manufactured by classifying them into Baekak(chalk) and Hobun(Shell) according to the type of natural raw material, and their material characteristics were analyzed. Their performances were compared by evaluating their weather resistance, antifungal activity, and flame retardancy. The main components of Baekak pigments are calcite and dolomite, and those of Hobun pigments a re calcite and a ragonite. Depending on the raw material, the specific factors identified are Mg from the mineral composition of Baekak pigments, and P and S from the protein composition of Hobun pigments. The particle shape of the pigment shows a crystal structure unique to minerals in the case of Baekak pigments, but the Hobun pigments are classified into plate-shaped or columnar structures depending on the raw material and are in an aggregated state with a large specific surface area. While the absorption amount of Baekak pigments made from limestone and dolomite is similar, that of Hobun pigments shows differences depending on the raw material, with the absorption amount being high in the order of oyster > cockle > clam. As a result of the color analysis, both the Baekak and the Hobun pigments had L* values of over 90 and opacity of over 90, indicating good whiteness and painting workability. As a result of the accelerated weathering test, the final color difference value(ΔE) was less than 2.02, which was difficult to recognize with the naked eye, and the Hobun pigment showed superior color and film stability compared to the Baekak pigment. As a result of the antifungal test, all calcium carbonate-based white pigments showed high preventive effects against decay fungi, and among them, the pigment made from clams and cockles showed excellent antiseptic properties. In addition, the pigment made from clams and cockles has been shown to have flame retardant properties, and it is expected that it will contribute to enhancing the preservation of organic cultural heritage when applied to it.
Improving lower body muscle power indicators for non-athlete university students through plyometric exercise
Authors: Mocanu George Danut , Parvu Carmen , Murariu Gabriel , Szabo Dan Alexandru
Published: October 2024

Muscle power (FxV, explosive strength or explosive power) is an element of fitness level that influences the quality and efficiency of movements. Most of the studies that address plyometrics identify the effectiveness of this method at the level of performance athletes with different specializations and muscle power requirements. We considered that we can also study the possibility of using plyometrics in physical education lessons. The research identifies the benefits of implementing plyometric exercises for non-athlete university students on lower body muscle power indicators in curricular physical activities. The group of analyzed students (327 subjects/undergraduate level, of which 143 female and 184 male) participated in physical education lessons during one academic year (1 activity per week). The plyometric exercises used were jumping variants, diversified and adapted in dosage to the motor possibilities of the non-athlete students (on one or both legs, lateral, on ladder rungs or boxes, over hurdles, over cones, vertical and horizontal jumps). Their usefulness and effectiveness were verified by 3 successive tests: at the beginning, middle, and end of the academic year, through a battery of 7 lower body muscle power tests. The statistical calculation identifies significant increases in performance for both genders for all tests applied, both between the initial and final tests (T1-T3) and over the shorter time intervals/T1-T2 and T2-T3 (p <0.05). For males, we found greater progress in the second semester of the year (T2-T3) for 5 of the 7 tests, so their adaptation is better and they respond to plyometric training better in the second part of the academic year. For females better progress in semester 2 (T2-T3) for 3 of the tests, respectively greater differences at the end of semester 1 (T1-T2) for 3 tests, especially for endurance power and 10 m acceleration. The research results confirm the effectiveness of plyometric exercises in increasing muscle power indicators for the studied student groups and are a useful option for improving fitness levels. The attractiveness and diversity of the used exercises ensured good student engagement in the lessons. Although the improvements are statistically significant, the results do not indicate spectacular increases and are still weaker than the values recorded in most other research. This is because the students involved in our study are not at all concerned about engaging in leisure time physical activities, except for curricular physical education activities, sedentarism being a major problem among young people.
How Are FIM Gains Improved after Intensive Rehabilitation for Cerebrovascular Diseases?
Authors: Usuda Katsuo , Uesaka Takahiko , Okubo Takeshi , Shimada Takashi , Shimada Chieko , Ito Haruhide , Douko Norihito , Aoki Takuya , Takada Mayumi , Yokoyama Keiji , Shimizu Masahiro , Kitagawa Kengo , Itamoto Naoaki , Shimada Osami
Published: October 2024

The purpose of this study was to determine functional independence measure (FIM) gains based on clinical factors after rehabilitation for cerebrovascular diseases, and to determine how FIM scores and FIM gains can predict rehabilitation outcomes. Of the 181 patients in the study 161 suffered strokes (cerebral infarction 107, cerebral hemorrhage 41, subarachnoid hemorrhage 12, subdural hematoma 1). There were also 12 traumatic brain injuries, and 8 other miscellaneous cases. Dementia, higher brain dysfunction, etiology, sex, age, history of cerebrovascular diseases, location involvement, disability severity, duration of hospitalization and period from onset to rehabilitation were analyzed using FIM. FIM gains decreased in relation to an increase in age. Patients with intermediate disability (FIM 41-80) on admission showed significantly higher FIM-total gain on discharge than others. Factors influencing FIM gain were revealed to be age, duration of hospitalization, FIM gain 4 weeks after admission, etiology, disability severity, dementia and past history of cerebrovascular diseases. Multiple regression analysis determined that significant factors to contribute FIM gain were duration of hospitalization, FIM gain at 4 weeks after admission, age, and disability severity. FIM scores and FIM gains could predict rehabilitation outcomes.
Severity of the neurological deficit of high spinal cord lesions assessed according to etiology
Authors: Fodor Radu , Davidescu Lavinia , Voiță-Mekeres Florica , Cheregi Cornel Dragos , Szilagyi Gheorghe , Vîlceanu Ioana , Davidescu Darius , Manole Felicia
Published: October 2024

Spinal cord injury (SCI) represents a major health problem, having significant consequences on motor and sensory function, as well as on the quality of life of affected patients. The objective of this study is to assess the severity of high post-traumatic spinal cord injuries depending on the age and gender of the patients and the manner of their etiology. We used useful tools for evaluating and classifying the severity of spinal cord injuries: ASIA classification, MAS and MTS score. This is a retrospective observational study included a number of 146 patients with various high spinal cord injuries whose diagnosis was confirmed by imaging. The mean age of the cohort was 42.97 ± 15.9 years, with a range of 18 to 83 years. The severity of the ASIA score was inversely proportional to the age of the patients. Patients with ASIA A were younger than those with ASIA D. Regarding the etiology of the trauma, most patients, 39.7%, were traumatized following a road accident. The etiology of trauma has a significant influence on the severity of spinal cord injury. Accidents are the leading cause of injury, followed by falls and diving trauma. There is a correlation between the ASIA score and muscle tone/spasticity, which may influence the therapeutic approach and patient management.
Complex case of multiple sclerosis with multiple demyelinating locations
Authors: Lungu Cristina-Mădălina , Oprea Doinița , Georgescu Bianca , Stanciu Liliana-Elena , Ionescu Elena-Valentina , Iliescu Mădălina-Gabriela
Published: October 2024

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory disorder with an unpredictable progression that affects the central nervous system and has significant emotional, social, and professional implications. The therapeutic approach is multifactorial and requires complex management coordinated by a specialized, multidisciplinary team over the long term. Current non-pharmacological treatment strategies under study, which may improve the course of the disease, focus on the gut microbiome and include the administration of probiotics and fecal transplantation. This study presents a case of secondary progressive multiple sclerosis in a young patient, with rapidly progressive evolution despite ongoing background therapy. The study analyzed literature data regarding both medical rehabilitation programs used in secondary progressive multiple sclerosis and other therapeutic strategies that can improve the quality of life. Medical rehabilitation has no proven impact on disease progression but can enhance the quality of life for patients with multiple sclerosis through spasticity management, improved mental health, increased mobility, and muscle strength. These therapeutic strategies can improve involvement in professional activities and participation in social and family life for patients with multiple sclerosis.
Spa Center as the Economic Engine of the Municipal Business Ecosystem: Case of Banja Koviljača Organizational Network
Authors: Jokić Aleksandar , Čudanov Mladen
Published: October 2024

This paper addresses the role of the Spa Health Resort as the Economic Engine of the Mu-nicipal Business Ecosystem. Usualy a single larger enterprise drives the local economy at the municipal level, and in the case of Serbia that company has often been from heavy in-dustries. For many transitional economies, local communities have been supported by the main municipal organization, identified in the literature under the terms economic engine, anchor, driver, powerhouse, catalyst, hub or lifeline. Most literature defines it as a compa-ny that plays a pivotal role in propelling municipal economic growth and development, acting as the source of economic stability and resilience within the municipality. Our re-search is based on dataset gathered from the Serbian Chamber of Commerce, extracted from the annual financial and business reports of 80,737 companies and sole entrepre-neurs in Serbia from 2013 to 2022 and supplemented by detailed insights into business reports of hypothesized economic engine. Our findings support the hypothesis that Spe-cialized Rehabilitation Hospital Banja Koviljaca's acts as economic engine for the region. Conclusion is that investment in balneo industry returns mutlifold benefits of different categories to the community and the state.
Effects of acupuncture and related techniques in temporomandibular disorders (TMD): A systematic review
Authors: Condor Ana-Maria , Paraschiv Ana Maria , Niculae Ioana , Buduru Rareș , Kui Andreea , Negucioiu Marius , Buduru Smaranda
Published: October 2024

Acupuncture has shown promise as a therapeutic option in temporomandibular disorders (TMD). Its benefits include pain relief, reduction of muscle tension and improvement of jaw function. Several alternative approaches, including dry needling and laser acupuncture, were also reported to improve TMD symptoms. This review aims to summarise the most recent studies available on these alternative therapies for TMD. An electronic literature search was conducted in 3 databases, PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus, in order to identify articles on acupuncture, dry needling, or laser acupuncture. Search development, process, and two-step article selection were conducted by independent researchers. Data was extracted regarding study characteristics, population characteristics, acupuncture points or techniques used, and assessment methods for diagnosis and effects. Out of 431 identified results, 20 were selected for inclusion. We identified 11 studies on acupuncture, 3 studies on laser acupuncture and 6 studies on dry needling. Most studies showed improvement of TMD symptoms post-intervention, assessed by pain scales and maximum mouth opening. Overall, most studies showed promising results for acupuncture as an alternative, minimally invasive treatment method for TMD. When compared to controls or placebo, acupuncture, and related techniques result in significant relief of TMD symptoms.
Review of Deep Learning Performance in Wireless Capsule Endoscopy Images for GI Disease Classification
Authors: Habe Tsedeke Temesgen , Haataja Keijo , Toivanen Pekka
Published: October 2024

Wireless capsule endoscopy is a non-invasive medical imaging modality used for diagnosing and monitoring digestive tract diseases. However, the analysis of images obtained from wireless capsule endoscopy is a challenging task, as the images are of low resolution and often contain a large number of artifacts. In recent years, deep learning has shown great promise in the analysis of medical images, including wireless capsule endoscopy images. This paper provides a review of the current trends and future directions in deep learning for wireless capsule endoscopy. We focus on the recent advances in transfer learning, attention mechanisms, multi-modal learning, automated lesion detection, interpretability and explainability, data augmentation, and edge computing. We also highlight the challenges and limitations of current deep learning methods and discuss the potential future directions for the field. Our review provides insights into the ongoing research and development efforts in the field of deep learning for wireless capsule endoscopy, and can serve as a reference for researchers, clinicians, and engineers working in this area inspection process.
The first report on detecting SARS-CoV-2 inside bacteria of the human gut microbiome: A case series on asymptomatic family members and a child with COVID-19
Authors: Brogna Carlo , Cristoni Simone , Petrillo Mauro , Bisaccia Domenico Rocco , Lauritano Francesco , Montano Luigi , Prisco Marina , Piscopo Marina
Published: October 2024

Many studies report the importance of using feces as source sample for detecting SARS-CoV-2 in patients with COVID-19 symptoms but who are negative to oropharyngeal/ nasopharyngeal tests. Here, we report the case of an asymptomatic child whose family members had negative results with the rapid antigen nasopharyngeal swab tests. The 21-month-old child presented with fever, diarrhea, bilateral conjunctivitis, and conspicuous lacrimation. In this study, analysis for the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in fecal samples by using Luminex technology allowed accurate detection of the presence of the viral RNA in the feces of the child and of all her relatives, which thus resulted to be positive but asymptomatic. It is the first time that SARS-CoV-2- is observed inside the bacteria of the human gut microbiome and outside a matrix resembling extracellular bacterial lysates, in agreement with a bacteriophage mechanism with the images obtained by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), post-embedding immunogold, and by fluorescence microscope. In addition to the typical observations of respiratory symptoms, accurate evaluation of clinical gastrointestinal and neurological symptoms, combined with efficient highly sensitive molecular testing on feces, represent an efficient approach for detecting SARS-CoV-2, and for providing the correct therapy in challenging COVID-19 cases, like the one here reported.
Structural and Dynamic Features of Mental Properties and Psychoemotional Condition of Students in the Process of Educational Activities
Authors: Yulina Galina
Published: October 2024

An integral component of the learning process is knowledge acquisition control, which can have a significant impact on the psycho-emotional state of students and, as a result, on the effectiveness of their learning activities. In this regard, the ability of students to recognize and regulate their psycho-emotional state is of key importance. The purpose of the study was to identify the features of the mental properties and psycho-emotional state of students in the learning process. The objectives of the study were to analyze the dynamics of the psycho-emotional state of students in educational activities, to determine the impact of the knowledge acquisition control situation on the psycho-emotional state of students, to develop practical recommendations for developing students' ability to recognize and regulate their psycho-emotional state. The main research methods were psychological testing, observation and analysis. The study reveals the features of mental properties and dynamics of students' psychoemotional condition by gender component and in different periods of learning activity. It has been established that the situation of control of knowledge assimilation has a significant impact on students' psychoemotional condition, causing an increase in anxiety and stress. Practical recommendations for the development of students' skills of awareness and regulation of their psychoemotional condition are given.
Network Organization of Teacher Lifelong Professional Development Based on the Interregional Supplementary Education System
Authors: Dudysheva E. , Manuzuna E.
Published: October 2024

The goal of the paper is to study the methodology of network interregional interaction in the system of lifelong professional education with the tasks of social and ecological education of students. This problem is significant for the interregional system of lifelong professional education and pedagogical education as a source of human resources for a wide range of activities. The objectives of the study include the analysis of the concept of "lifelong professional education", generalization of the features of pedagogical activity of various regions, regional and interregional professional portraits of a teacher from the standpoint of professional deficiencies, identification of the methodology of network interaction based on the expert opinion of university teachers with a description of the model of the interregional network lifelong professional education system. It is concluded that distributed project activities in poly-professional teams with the participation of teachers can become a methodological basis for network interregional interaction in the system of continuous professionalization based on interregional supplementary education programs. The network organization of the model allows for effective dissemination to pedagogical universities and universities of non-pedagogical profiles through interuniversity partnership. The novelty lies in the socio-ecological aspects of distance interregional interaction in the context of heterogeneity of socio-cultural norms in the implementation of poly-professional projects by teachers.
SEMANTIC PROXIMITY OF ASTRONOMICAL CONCEPTS DENOTING CELESTIAL BODIES
Authors: Mayer R.
Published: October 2024

The problem of determining the semantic similarity of astronomical terms denoting celestial objects in a school astronomy course is considered. A distributive method is used, which consists in comparing the distributions of concepts in the astronomy textbook. With the help of special computer programs, punctuation marks and stop words are removed from the text, the number of mentions of various terms is deter-mined, the cosine measure of proximity and the semantic distance between concepts are calculated. This allows: 1) to reveal frequently used astronomical concepts denoting celestial bodies; 2) to obtain matrices of proximity and semantic distances between the concepts of "galaxy", "star", "Sun", "planet", "black hole", "white dwarf", etc.; 3) to create a mental map of the celestial bodies that make up the Solar system, taking into account the distances between the terms designating them 4) to build clouds of concepts "types of stars", "Earth – star – Universe". To model the semantic space of the textbook, the Graf.pas computer program is used, which randomly moves vertices in 2D or 3D space, each time calculating the potential energy W of the elastic rods connecting them and choosing such an arrangement of vertices that W is minimal. It is believed that the closely located vertices are connected by rigid rods, and the far removed ones are connected by elastic rubber threads.
On-Demand Delivery Platforms and Restaurant Sales
Authors: Li Zhuoxin , Wang Gang
Published: October 2024

Restaurants are increasingly relying on on-demand delivery platforms (e.g., DoorDash, Grubhub, and Uber Eats) to reach customers and fulfill takeout orders. Although on-demand delivery is a valuable option for consumers, whether restaurants benefit from or are being hurt by partnering with these platforms remains unclear. This paper investigates whether and to what extent the platform delivery channel substitutes restaurants’ own takeout/dine-in channels and the net impact on restaurant revenue. Empirical analyses show that restaurants overall benefit from on-demand delivery platforms—these platforms increase restaurants’ total takeout sales while creating positive spillovers to customer dine-in visits. However, the platform effects are substantially heterogeneous, depending on the type of restaurants (independent versus chain) and the type of customer channels (takeout versus dine-in). The overall positive effect on fast-food chains is four times as large as that on independent restaurants. For takeout, delivery platforms substitute independent restaurants’ but complement chain restaurants’ own takeout sales. For dine-in, delivery platforms increase both independent and chain restaurants’ dine-in visits by a similar magnitude. Therefore, the value of delivery platforms to independent restaurants mostly comes from the increase in dine-in visits, whereas the value to chain restaurants primarily comes from the gain in takeout sales. Further, the platform delivery channel facilitates price competition and reduces the opportunity for independent restaurants to differentiate with premium services and dine-in experience, which may explain why independent restaurants do not benefit as much from on-demand delivery platforms.

This paper was accepted by D. J. Wu, information systems.

Funding: Z. Li is grateful to the National Science Foundation Division of Social and Economic Sciences for support provided through the CAREER award [Grant 2243736].

Supplemental Material: The online appendix and data files are available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2021.01010 .
Investigation of Azimuthally Polarized Bessel-modulated Gaussian Beam with Annular Obstruction
Authors: K. Gokulakrishnan  , T. V. Sivasubramonia Pillai
Published: October 2024

Investigation of annular obstructed azimuthally polarized Bessel-modulated Gaussian beam (QBG) in the focal region of high NA lens, based on vectorial diffraction theory. The numerical results show that the intensity distribution in focal region of the incident beam can be altered considerably by changing beam parameter (Î¼) and introducing annular apodization (Î´). Beam parameter induces the focal splitting in transverse direction, while annular apodization leads to change in focal pattern along optical axis of the focusing system. More interesting, the focal splitting may be in continuous in certain case of incident beam propagating through aligned optical system which is suitable for application such as optical manipulation and optical trapping.
Human Right to Court in the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms
Authors: Orzeszyna Krzysztof
Published: October 2024

The right to a fair trial has become a right of a universal nature. The idea of human rights is closely related to universal and equal treatment of all people, which means respecting the personal dignity of man. This dignity, as a condition for the individual to belong to the human species, constitutes the foundation, the basis for human rights, and the purpose, the culmination of the construction of these rights. The right to a fair trial is a subjective right of the individual, understood as an idea that any intervention in civil rights must depend on a ruling issued by an independent and impartial judicial body. On the other hand, the material scope of the right to court covers penal, civil and administrative rights decided upon by different courts according to their statutorily determined extent of jurisdiction.
Although human rights are the rights of a particular human being, their protection is also an obligation of the State. It is the State which is obligated to ensure that the core of a specific human right is protected. This protection must be effective, thus not only does it apply to the content of the human right concerned, but it also comprises the procedure necessary to protect it so that the right is not illusory. The unique nature of the right to court makes it essential that the administration of justice in accordance with the principle of the right to a fair trial should be the subject of adjudication by courts and tribunals.
Historical and Current Perspectives on the Criminal Codes as Guarantees of Legal Security in Slovakia
Authors: Lanczová Ingrid
Published: October 2024

The author describes two crucial periods in Slovak legal history from the perspective of the principle of legal security in criminal law. Firstly, the 19th-century Criminal Code, known as the Csemegi Code, is at the center of attention as it ended the centuries-long legal insecurity resulting from the lack of criminal law codification. The author analyses its leading principles as the safeguard of legal security. In contrast, the second part of the article focuses on the second codification of criminal law in Slovak legal history, the Criminal Code of 1950. The author demonstrates how the totalitarian regime destroyed the principle of legal security in criminal law in Slovakia, only slowly rebuilding it after the death of Joseph Stalin through amendments in 1956 and new legislation in 1961.
The current Slovak Criminal Code and Criminal Procedure Code have been in effect since 2006. In conclusion, the author draws attention to how the latest changes in criminal law codes caused turbulences and worries over the principle of legal security in Slovakia.
Legal Security of Parties in the Aspect of Dispute Settlement in the World Trade Organization
Authors: Konaszczuk Wojciech
Published: October 2024

One of the basic elements of world order is properly functioning legal systems of individual states. The Sars-Covid pandemic and armed conflicts around the world, including those involving Europe, have strained the certainty of legal transactions in the countries of the UN system and the need to seek new supranational solutions, especially in the field of international trade. The pillar of security is therefore becoming instruments of international law, with the World Trade Organization in mind. A special tool of this organization are the dispute settlement mechanisms to which member states must adhere. In the conducted research, the thesis was put forward that one of the guarantors of the security of legal transactions is the resolution of disputes using the basic legal tools of this organization. It was proved that disputes between states themselves become solvable if they are transferred to the WTO.
Galvanising Youth Engagement in Fair Trade: Lessons from the FTIS 2023 workshop
Authors: Smith Laura , Green Emma , Cligg Lucy , Fianu Joanna
Published: October 2024

This article reflects on the outcomes of a workshop at the Fair Trade International Symposium in June 2023 which explored some of the ways young people are engaging in Fair Trade. Campaigners recognize the importance of giving leadership responsibilities to young people with fresh ideas and social connections to help expand the Fair Trade movement. There are opportunities to engage young people through the connections between Fair Trade and the environmental and social issues that young people are passionate about today. The workshop showcased three such initiatives: a climate and food security debate; an ethical enterprise project; and Fairtrade Fortnight events at the University of Leeds. Through these initiatives young people learned about trade (in)justice and gained a deeper understanding of the root causes of sustainability issues, whilst gaining transferable skills and building competencies to work collaboratively and creatively. Engaging with Fair Trade can provide young people with experiential learning opportunities that forward the goals of the Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) agenda and promote the relevance of the Fair Trade movement to a younger generation.
Unravelling the EU’s promotional integration strategy in the MENA region: a dialectical analysis of the Agadir and GAFTA Agreements
Authors: Valadbaygi Kayhan , Fleitz Theresa
Published: October 2024

Given the rhetoric of the EU on the necessity of economic integration for the MENA region, this article sheds light on the ‘puzzling’ fragmentation in its regional integration strategy through the cases of the GAFTA and Agadir Agreements. It problematises mainstream analyses and employs a dialectical approach based on the philosophy of internal relations, aiming to surpass existing critical literature that has only partially illuminated facets of the EU’s strategy. The article situates the EU strategy within the dynamics of neoliberal capitalism (and its interconnected tensions) and considers its spatial and temporal scales. It argues that the complex interplay of developments at the EU scale, global competition scale and MENA scale across three distinct time frames (1995–2003, 2004–11, 2012–21) has shaped the EU’s fragmented strategy. On the EU scale, while Brussels presents itself as a leading proponent of neoliberal ideology for global market openness, it strategically elevates the Agadir Agreement at the expense of the GAFTA to meet its economic needs. The global competitive dynamics, however, have constrained this preference, as the EU has been contested by the US in the Agadir Agreement area and China and, to a lesser extent, Russia in other GAFTA member states. Lastly, the agency of MENA states has been noticeable, since the EU encounters difficulties in influencing GAFTA’s regulatory framework and dealing with the diverse interests of state elites in the region. We conclude that the dialectical method of the article holds promise for analysing the regional integration strategies of other global powers.
Quantized neural network for complex hologram generation
Authors: Endo Yutaka , Oikawa Minoru , Wilkinson Timothy D. , Shimobaba Tomoyoshi , Ito Tomoyoshi
Published: October 2024

Computer-generated holography (CGH) is a promising technology for augmented reality displays, such as head-mounted or head-up displays. However, its high computational demand makes it impractical for implementation. Recent efforts to integrate neural networks into CGH have successfully accelerated computing speed, demonstrating the potential to overcome the trade-off between computational cost and image quality. Nevertheless, deploying neural-network-based CGH algorithms on computationally limited embedded systems requires more efficient models with lower computational cost, memory footprint, and power consumption. In this study, we developed a lightweight model for complex hologram generation by introducing neural network quantization. Specifically, we built a model based on tensor holography and quantized it from 32-bit floating-point precision (FP32) to 8-bit integer precision (INT8). Our performance evaluation shows that the proposed INT8 model achieves hologram quality comparable to that of the FP32 model while reducing the model size by approximately 70% and increasing the speed fourfold. Additionally, we implemented the INT8 model on a system-on-module to demonstrate its deployability on embedded platforms and high power efficiency.