bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Qualitative Model of the Causal Interactions between Phytoplankton, Zooplankton, and Environmental Factors in the Romanian Black Sea
Authors: Bișinicu Elena , Boicenco Laura , Pantea Elena , Timofte Florin , Lazăr Luminița , Vlas Oana
Published: March 2024

In order to analyze how environmental factors affect planktonic organisms along the Romanian Black Sea coast, this study created semi-quantitative models of the causal relationships between phytoplankton, zooplankton, and physicochemical parameters by utilizing user-friendly modeling tools. Eleven years of time-series data (March–September 2008–2018) were used to investigate the relationships between phytoplankton, zooplankton, and environmental factors (such as temperature, salinity, and nutrients). Variables such as marine reporting units and phytoplankton species and classes were used to identify developmental patterns, utilizing the Mental Modeler platform to consider interactions between the physicochemical parameters and phytoplankton, phytoplankton and zooplankton, and zooplankton and physicochemical parameters. Although the increase in the overall number of elements and linkages was uncertain in waters with variable salinity compared to marine ones, the semi-quantitative models created for the three marine reporting units along the Romanian Black Sea coast were comparable in terms of complexity. Across the typical and examined types of phytoplankton proliferation (normal, abundant, and blooms), the number of components and connections in the case of phytoplankton blooms substantially decreased as species- and growth-promoting variables increased.
Influence of Interfacial Interaction and Composition on Fracture Toughness and Impact Properties of Carbon Fiber-Reinforced Polyethersulfone
Authors: Torokhov Valerii G. , Chukov Dilyus I. , Tcherdyntsev Victor V. , Stepashkin Andrey A. , Zadorozhnyy Mikhail Y.
Published: March 2024

In this study, the interlaminar fracture toughness and impact strength of polyethersulfone reinforced with continuous carbon fibers were studied. Interlaminar fracture toughness tests were performed using the double cantilever beam method. It was shown that surface modification using the thermal oxidation method of the carbon fibers can strongly increase the interlaminar fracture toughness of the obtained composites. Thus, the maximum value reached 1.72 kJ/m2, which was 40% higher than the fracture toughness of the composites reinforced with initial carbon fibers. Moreover, fractographic analysis using a scanning electron microscope allowed us to highlight the main reasons for the dependence of fracture toughness on fiber content and surface modification conditions of the carbon fibers. It was shown that the main factor that allowed for an increase in fracture toughness was the enhanced interfacial interaction between the fibers and polymer matrix. Additionally, it was found that expectedly, there was a good correlation between interlaminar fracture toughness and interlaminar shear strength results. However, a negative influence of surface modification on the impact properties of composites was found. Such behavior occurred because of higher structural stability and lower exposure to delamination in multiple layers of the composites reinforced with the modified carbon fibers. It was found that impact energy reached ~150 kJ/m2 for the polyethersulfone-based composites reinforced with initial fibers, while the composites reinforced with modified carbon fibers showed impact energy values of only ~80 kJ/m2. Nevertheless, surface modification of carbon fibers using the thermal oxidation method can be an effective method for improving the performance properties of polyethersulfone-based composite materials.
Bibliometric Overview of ChatGPT: New Perspectives in Social Sciences
Authors: Oliński Marian , Krukowski Krzysztof , Sieciński Kacper
Published: March 2024

This study delves into a bibliometric analysis of ChatGPT, an AI tool adept at analysing and generating text, highlighting its influence in the realm of social sciences. By harnessing data from the Scopus database, a total of 814 relevant publications were selected and scrutinised through VOSviewer, focusing on elements such as co-citations, keywords and international collaborations. The objective is to unearth prevailing trends and knowledge gaps in scholarly discourse regarding ChatGPT’s application in social sciences. Concentrating on articles from the year 2023, this analysis underscores the rapid evolution of this research domain, reflecting the ongoing digital transformation of society. This study presents a broad thematic picture of the analysed works, indicating a diversity of perspectives—from ethical and technological to sociological—regarding the implementation of ChatGPT in the fields of social sciences. This reveals an interest in various aspects of using ChatGPT, which may suggest a certain openness of the educational sector to adopting new technologies in the teaching process. These observations make a contribution to the field of social sciences, suggesting potential directions for future research, policy or practice, especially in less represented areas such as the socio-legal implications of AI, advocating for a multidisciplinary approach.
Spiritual Elasticity and Crisis: From Non-Religiosity to Transreligiosity—An Introduction
Authors: Panagiotopoulos Anastasios , Roussou Eugenia , Rivadossi Silvia
Published: March 2024

From the socio-economic and political crisis in southern Europe during the last few decades, to the more recent global healthcare crisis created by the COVID-19 pandemic, contemporary societies have faced and are still under the impact of considerable sociocultural change [...]
Artificial Intelligence’s Understanding of Religion: Investigating the Moralistic Approaches Presented by Generative Artificial Intelligence Tools
Authors: Tsuria Ruth , Tsuria Yossi
Published: March 2024

As AI becomes more commonplace, it is imperative to investigate the ways in which this technology represents various socio-political concepts and identities, such as religion. To do so, we present several conversations with various AI tools on three religious traditions: Judaism, Islam, and Christianity. From our analysis of these conversations, we noted three important elements: AI struggles to represent complex religious issues; It emphasized diversity of opinions; And it encourages the reader to engage with respect and sensitivity regrading religious issues. We therefore suggest that AI takes an axiologically focused approach towards religious representations.
Space and Sonship: Paul’s Familial Metaphors in Rom 8
Authors: Potgieter Annette
Published: March 2024

Paul often uses metaphors as a method of persuasion. In Rom 8, Paul’s use of kinship metaphors such as “sonship” and being “heirs” is particularly ubiquitous. Paul writes to an audience situated in Rome where they would have been well aware of kinship metaphors as this inter alia formed part of the Julio-Claudio Caesars’ vocabulary and legitimation of their rule. Paul’s familial metaphors would have resonated with an audience in Rome au fait with the notion of adoption and its implications. The use of the images of “sonship” and “heir” also function as spatial metaphors indicating a vertical and horizontal understanding which the audience would have picked up on. The spatial metaphors contribute to an understanding of “in” and “out”, underscoring an alternative family identity found in Christ. These metaphors play a role in the formation and construction of what is later to be called early Christianity.
Towards Re-Historicization: An Engagement of the Wesleyan Methodist Church in Zimbabwe’s Efforts to Rewrite the History of James Anta
Authors: Mujinga Martin
Published: March 2024

This paper is a follow-up to the research conducted in 2021 titled James Anta: missionary, martyr, and the unsung hero of the Wesleyan Methodist Church in Zimbabwe. The paper was a reconstruction of Anta’s life, ministry, and martyrdom. The research found out that although the blood of Anta was the seed of Methodism in Zimbabwe, the church was reluctant to honour him. The research also noted that the Wesleyan Methodist church created a biased history of African cultural epistemology, which has no place for people who die young and unmarried. The paper concluded with a call for the Wesleyan Methodist church to rewrite its historiography, giving space to its martyrs like Anta. After reading the 2021 publication, the Wesleyan Methodist church leadership made urgent actions towards the re-historicization of Methodism in Zimbabwe with Harare West District dubbing its April 2022 Synod as James Anta Synod. The Synod further resolved to name the school they were intending to build after Anta. Moreover, Kadoma District agreed to rename Banket Circuit (where Anta was assassinated) as James Anta Circuit. The Wesleyan Methodist church further erected a monument of Anta and made the site a pilgrimage shrine. The fast responses by the church to honour Anta in 2022 justify their zeal to rewrite their history after 136 years of reluctancy. This paper used both primary and secondary sources to gather data. The paper concludes by challenging missionary churches to honour African agents whose history and sacrifice were seldomly considered and yet they were the key people in the Christianisation of Africa.
Contrasting Conceptions of Teshuvah: Between “Repentance” and “Atonement”—A Case Study of the Beta Israel Community (Ethiopian Jews)
Authors: Shalom Sharon Z.
Published: March 2024

The Ethiopian Jews of the Beta Israel community are unique in the annals of Jewish history. The community maintained its Jewish identity and devotedly upheld observance of the mitzvot, even in the face of grave physical and spiritual difficulties and unrelenting attempts to persuade them to abandon their religion. Yet, their traditions diverge significantly from the accepted Rabbinic halakhic tradition that is the norm in Israel. This paper examines Yom Kippur observances and describes key differences between the Beta Israel tradition, which reflects the centrality of atonement, and the Rabbinic tradition, which reflects the centrality of repentance. These distinctions stand as manifestations of a set of profound differences within the very consciousness that animates the two traditions. Discussion, using the works of thinkers like Rabbis Joseph B. Soloveitchik, his disciple, Prof. Rabbi David Hartman, and Ethiopian sages, will focus on the more theocentric Beta Israel tradition, in which individuals are perceived, and perceive themselves, as a part of a collective, in contrast to the Rabbinic tradition, which places a greater emphasis on the agency of the individual and human reason. We will highlight the difference between the concepts of “repentance” and “atonement” that are at the root of the two communities’ theologies.
Assessment of Sea-Ice Classification Capabilities during Melting Period Using Airborne Multi-Frequency PolSAR Data
Authors: Wang Peng , Zhang Xi , Shi Lijian , Liu Meijie , Liu Genwang , Cao Chenghui , Wang Ruifu
Published: March 2024

Sea-ice mapping using Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) in the melt season poses challenges, primarily due to meltwater complicating the distinguishability of sea-ice types. In response to this issue, this study introduces a novel method for classifying sea ice during the Bohai Sea’s melting period. The method categorizes sea ice into five types: open water (OW), gray ice (Gi), melting gray ice (GiW), gray–white Ice (Gw), and melting gray–white Ice (GwW). To achieve this classification, 51 polarimetric features are extracted from L-, S-, and C-band PolSAR data using various polarization decomposition methods. This study assesses the separability of these features among different combinations of sea-ice type by calculating the Euclidean distance (ED). The Support Vector Machine (SVM) classifier, when employed with single-frequency polarimetric feature sets, achieves the highest accuracy for OW and Gi in the C-band, GiW in the S-band, and Gw and GwW in the L-band. Remarkably, the C-band features exhibit the overall highest accuracy when compared to the L-band and S-band. Furthermore, employing a multi-dimensional polarimetric feature set significantly improves classification accuracy to 94.55%, representing a substantial enhancement of 9% to 22% compared to single-frequency classification. Benefiting from the performance advantages of Random Forest (RF) classifiers in handling large datasets, RF classifiers achieve the highest classification accuracy of 95.84%. The optimal multi-dimensional feature composition includes the following: L-band: SE, SEI, α¯, Span; S-band: SEI, SE, Span, PV-Freeman, λ1, λ2; C-band: SE, SEI, Span, λ3, PV-Freeman. The results of this study provide a reliable new method for future sea-ice monitoring during the melting season.
Exploring the Relationship between Urban Vibrancy and Built Environment Using Multi-Source Data: Case Study in Munich
Authors: Gao Chao , Li Shasha , Sun Maopeng , Zhao Xiyang , Liu Dewen
Published: March 2024

Urbanization has profoundly reshaped the patterns and forms of modern urban landscapes. Understanding how urban transportation and mobility are affected by spatial planning is vital. Urban vibrancy, as a crucial metric for monitoring urban development, contributes to data-driven planning and sustainable growth. However, empirical studies on the relationship between urban vibrancy and the built environment in European cities remain limited, lacking consensus on the contribution of the built environment. This study employs Munich as a case study, utilizing night-time light, housing prices, social media, points of interest (POIs), and NDVI data to measure various aspects of urban vibrancy while constructing a comprehensive assessment framework. Firstly, the spatial distribution patterns and spatial correlation of various types of urban vibrancy are revealed. Concurrently, based on the 5Ds built environment indicator system, the multi-dimensional influence on urban vibrancy is investigated. Subsequently, the Geodetector model explores the heterogeneity between built environment indicators and comprehensive vibrancy along with its economic, social, cultural, and environmental dimensions, elucidating their influence mechanism. The results show the following: (1) The comprehensive vibrancy in Munich exhibits a pronounced uneven distribution, with a higher vibrancy in central and western areas and lower vibrancy in northern and western areas. High-vibrancy areas are concentrated along major roads and metro lines located in commercial and educational centers. (2) Among multiple models, the geographically weighted regression (GWR) model demonstrates the highest explanatory efficacy on the relationship between the built environment and vibrancy. (3) Economic, social, and comprehensive vibrancy are significantly influenced by the built environment, with substantial positive effects from the POI density, building density, and road intersection density, while mixed land use shows little impact. (4) Interactions among built environment factors significantly impact comprehensive vibrancy, with synergistic interactions among the population density, building density, and POI density generating positive effects. These findings provide valuable insights for optimizing the resource allocation and functional layout in Munich, emphasizing the complex spatiotemporal relationship between the built environment and urban vibrancy while offering crucial guidance for planning.
Infrared Small Target Detection Based on Tensor Tree Decomposition and Self-Adaptive Local Prior
Authors: Zhang Guiyu , Ding Zhenyu , Lv Qunbo , Zhu Baoyu , Zhang Wenjian , Li Jiaao , Tan Zheng
Published: March 2024

Infrared small target detection plays a crucial role in both military and civilian systems. However, current detection methods face significant challenges in complex scenes, such as inaccurate background estimation, inability to distinguish targets from similar non-target points, and poor robustness across various scenes. To address these issues, this study presents a novel spatial–temporal tensor model for infrared small target detection. In our method, we introduce the tensor tree rank to capture global structure in a more balanced strategy, which helps achieve more accurate background estimation. Meanwhile, we design a novel self-adaptive local prior weight by evaluating the level of clutter and noise content in the image. It mitigates the imbalance between target enhancement and background suppression. Then, the spatial–temporal total variation (STTV) is used as a joint regularization term to help better remove noise and obtain better detection performance. Finally, the proposed model is efficiently solved by the alternating direction multiplier method (ADMM). Extensive experiments demonstrate that our method achieves superior detection performance when compared with other state-of-the-art methods in terms of target enhancement, background suppression, and robustness across various complex scenes. Furthermore, we conduct an ablation study to validate the effectiveness of each module in the proposed model.
Multi-Sensor Classification Framework of Urban Vegetation for Improving Ecological Services Management
Authors: Tiwari Arti , Kira Oz , Bamah Julius , Boneh Hagar , Karnieli Arnon
Published: March 2024

Recent climatic changes have profoundly impacted the urban microclimate, exposing city dwellers to harsh living conditions. One effective approach to mitigating these events involves incorporating more green infrastructure into the cityscape. The ecological services provided by urban vegetation play a crucial role in enhancing the sustainability and livability of cities. However, monitoring urban vegetation and accurately estimating its status pose challenges due to the heterogeneous nature of the urban environment. In response to this, the current study proposes utilizing a remote sensing-based classification framework to enhance data availability, thereby improving practices related to urban vegetation management. The aim of the current research is to explore the spatial pattern of vegetation and enhance the classification of tree species within diverse and complex urban environments. This study combines various remote sensing observations to enhance classification capabilities. High-resolution colored rectified aerial photographs, LiDAR-derived products, and hyperspectral data are merged and analyzed using advanced classifier methods, specifically partial least squares-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) and object-based image analysis (OBIA). The OBIA method demonstrates an impressive overall accuracy of 95.30%, while the PLS-DA model excels with a remarkable overall accuracy of 100%. The findings validate the efficacy of incorporating OBIA, aerial photographs, LiDAR, and hyperspectral data in improving tree species classification and mapping within the context of PLS-DA. This classification framework holds significant potential for enhancing management practices and tools, thereby optimizing the ecological services provided by urban vegetation and fostering the development of sustainable cities.
3D Digital Modeling of Dental Casts from Their 3D CT Images with Scatter and Beam-Hardening Correction
Authors: Hegazy Mohamed A. A. , Cho Myung Hye , Cho Min Hyoung , Lee Soo Yeol
Published: March 2024

Dental 3D modeling plays a pivotal role in digital dentistry, offering precise tools for treatment planning, implant placement, and prosthesis customization. Traditional methods rely on physical plaster casts, which pose challenges in storage, accessibility, and accuracy, fueling interest in digitization using 3D computed tomography (CT) imaging. We introduce a method that can reduce both artifacts simultaneously. To validate the proposed method, we carried out CT scan experiments using plaster dental casts created from dental impressions. After the artifact correction, the CT image quality was greatly improved in terms of image uniformity, contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR), and edge sharpness. We examined the correction effects on the accuracy of the 3D models generated from the CT images. As referenced to the 3D models derived from the optical scan data, the root mean square (RMS) errors were reduced by 8.8~71.7% for three dental casts of different sizes and shapes. Our method offers a solution to challenges posed by artifacts in CT scanning of plaster dental casts, leading to enhanced 3D model accuracy. This advancement holds promise for dental professionals seeking precise digital modeling for diverse applications in dentistry.
Measured Regional Division Optimization for Acoustic Tomography Velocity Field Reconstruction in a Circular Area
Authors: Chen Yixiao , Zhou Xinzhi , Zhu Jialiang , Dong Chenlong , Xu Tao , Wang Hailin
Published: March 2024

The acoustic tomography (AT) velocity field reconstruction technique has become a research hotspot in recent years due to its noninvasive nature, high accuracy, and real-time measurement advantages. However, most of the existing studies are limited to the reconstruction of the velocity field in a rectangular area, and there are very few studies on a circular area, mainly because the layout of acoustic transducers, selection of acoustic paths, and division of measured regions are more difficult in a circular area than in a rectangular area. Therefore, based on AT and using the reconstruction algorithm of the Markov function and singular value decomposition (MK-SVD), this paper proposes a measured regional division optimization algorithm for velocity field reconstruction in a circular area. First, an acoustic path distribution based on the multipath effect is designed to solve the problem of the limited emission angle of the acoustic transducer. On this basis, this paper proposes an adaptive optimization algorithm for measurement area division based on multiple sub-objectives. The steps are as follows: first, two optimization objectives, the condition number of coefficient matrix and the uniformity of acoustic path distribution, were designed. Then, the weights of each sub-objective are calculated using the coefficient of variation (CV). Finally, the measured regional division is optimized based on particle swarm optimization (PSO). The reconstruction effect of the algorithm and the anti-interference ability are verified through the reconstruction experiments of the model velocity field and the simulated velocity field.
A Novel Money Laundering Prediction Model Based on a Dynamic Graph Convolutional Neural Network and Long Short-Term Memory
Authors: Wan Fei , Li Ping
Published: March 2024

Money laundering is an illicit activity that seeks to conceal the nature and origins of criminal proceeds, posing a substantial threat to the national economy, the political order, and social stability. To scientifically and reasonably predict money laundering risks, this paper focuses on the “layering” stage of the money laundering process in the field of supervised learning for money laundering fraud prediction. A money laundering and fraud prediction model based on deep learning, referred to as MDGC-LSTM, is proposed. The model combines the use of a dynamic graph convolutional network (MDGC) and a long short-term memory (LSTM) network to efficiently identify illegal money laundering activities within financial transactions. MDGC-LSTM constructs dynamic graph snapshots with symmetrical spatiotemporal structures based on transaction information, representing transaction nodes and currency flows as graph nodes and edges, respectively, and effectively captures the relationships between temporal and spatial structures, thus achieving the dynamic prediction of fraudulent transactions. The experimental results demonstrate that compared with traditional algorithms and other deep learning models, MDGC-LSTM achieves significant advantages in comprehensive spatiotemporal feature modeling. Specifically, based on the Elliptic dataset, MDGC-LSTM improves the Macro-F1 score by 0.25 compared to that of the anti-money laundering fraud prediction model currently considered optimal.
A Symmetric Non-Stationary Loop Subdivision with Applications in Initial Point Interpolation
Authors: Zhang Baoxing , Zhang Yunkun , Zheng Hongchan
Published: March 2024

Loop subdivision is a significant surface scheme with wide applications in fields like computer graphics and wavelet. As a type of stationary scheme, Loop subdivision cannot adjust the limit surface directly. In this paper, we present a new way to solve this problem by proposing a symmetric non-stationary Loop subdivision based on a suitable iteration. This new scheme can be used to adjust the limit surfaces freely and thus can generate surfaces with different shapes. For this new scheme, we show that it is C2 convergent in the regular part of mesh and is at least tangent plane continuous at the limit positions of the extraordinary points. Additionally, we present a non-uniform generalization of this new symmetric non-stationary subdivision so as to locally control the shape of the limit surfaces. More interestingly, we present the limit positions of the initial points, both for the symmetric non-stationary Loop subdivision and its non-uniform generalization. Such limit positions can be used to interpolate the initial points with different valences, generalizing the existing result. Several numerical examples are given to illustrate the performance of the new schemes.
Indoor Air Quality and Bioaerosols in Spanish University Classrooms
Authors: Fuentes-Ferragud Esther , López Antonio , Piera Juan Miguel , Yusà Vicent , Garrigues Salvador , de la Guardia Miguel , López Labrador F. Xavier , Camaró Marisa , Ibáñez María , Coscollà Clara
Published: March 2024

A comprehensive study assessed indoor air quality parameters, focusing on relevant air pollutants such as particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), gaseous compounds (CO, CO2, formaldehyde, NO2) and volatile/semi-volatile organic chemicals, as well as respiratory viruses (including SARS-CoV-2), fungi and bacteria in Spanish university classrooms. Non-target screening strategies evaluated the presence of organic pollutants inside and outside the classrooms. Saliva samples from teachers and students were collected to explore correlations between respiratory viruses in the air and biological samples. Indoor results revealed the punctual exceedance of recommended guidelines for CO2, formaldehyde (HCHO), volatile organic compounds (TVOCs) and PM in the least naturally ventilated classrooms. Significant differences occurred between the classes, with the least ventilated one showing higher average concentrations of CO2, HCHO, NO2, PM10 and PM2.5. A respiratory virus (rhinovirus/enterovirus) was detected in the medium naturally ventilated classroom, although saliva samples tested negative. Suspect screening tentatively identified 65 substances indoors and over 200 outdoors, with approximately half reporting a high toxicological risk based on the Cramer rules. The study provides a comprehensive overview of indoor air quality, respiratory viruses and organic pollutants in university classrooms, highlighting the variations and potential health risks associated with ventilation differences.
Microfluidic Synthesis of Scalable Layer-by-Layer Multiple Antigen Nano-Delivery Platform for SARS-CoV-2 Vaccines
Authors: Xu Yang , Masuda Kazuya , Groso Christine , Hassan Rick , Zhou Ziyou , Broderick Kelsey , Tsuji Moriya , Tison Christopher
Published: March 2024

The COVID-19 outbreak was a global pandemic with wide-ranging healthcare implications. Although several mRNA-based vaccines delivered using lipid nanoparticles (LNP) have been approved and demonstrated efficacy at reducing the severity and spread of infection, continued rapid viral evolution and disadvantages currently associated with LNP delivery vehicles (such as toxicity) are driving the design of next-generation SARS-CoV-2 vaccines. Herein, we describe the development of a trimethylated chitosan-based nanoparticle layer-by-layer (LbL) delivery platform for multiple antigens as a scalable and safe COVID-19 vaccine, known as, “LbL-CoV19”. These vaccine candidates have been demonstrated to be biocompatible, safe, and effective at stimulating both humoral and cellular responses for protection in preclinical studies. Preliminary results also indicate that LbL-CoV19 can potentially achieve rapid, long-lasting, and broad protection against the SARS-CoV-2 challenge. The “plug-and-play” platform technology is well suited to preparedness for future pandemics and disease outbreaks.
Analysis and Preliminary Design of Variable Flux Reluctance Machines: A Perspective from Working Field Harmonics
Authors: Gu Xiangpei , Bianchi Nicola , Zhang Zhuoran
Published: March 2024

Variable flux reluctance machines (VFRMs) are increasingly attracting research interest due to their magnetless and robust brushless structure. Under the modulation effect of the airgap permeance, the VFRM operates with a series of field harmonics, distinguishing it from conventional AC synchronous machines. This paper deals with the analysis and preliminary design of the VFRM from the perspective of multiple working airgap field harmonics. Firstly, the spatial and temporal order of the working field harmonics are defined. The systematic winding theory, including the unified star of slots and winding factor calculation method, is established to consider all these working harmonics. Then, an average torque model is built and simplified. The key role of 1st-order rotor permeance, 1st- and 3rd-order polarized stator permeance is deduced. The relationship between key parameters and average torque is computed, providing a guideline for the preliminary design of the VFRM.
Transepithelial Photorefractive Keratectomy—Review
Authors: Way Christopher , Elghobaier Mohamed Gamal , Nanavaty Mayank A.
Published: March 2024

The type and nature of refractive surgery procedures has greatly increased over the past few decades, allowing for almost all patient populations to be treated to extremely high satisfaction. Conventional photorefractive keratectomy involves the removal of the corneal epithelium through mechanical debridement or dilute alcohol instillation. An improvement to this method utilises laser epithelial removal in a single-step process termed transepithelial photorefractive keratectomy (transPRK). We explore the history of transPRK from its early adoption as a two-step process, identify different transPRK platforms from major manufacturers, and describe the role of transPRK in the refractive surgery armamentarium. This is a narrative review of the literature. This review finds that TransPRK is a safe and effective procedure that works across a variety of patient populations. Though often not seen as a primary treatment option when compared to other corneal-based procedures that offer a faster and more comfortable recovery, there are many scenarios in which these procedures are not possible. These include, but are not limited to, cases of corneal instability, previous refractive surgery, or transplant where higher-order aberrations can impair vision in a manner not amenable to spectacle or contact lens correction. We discuss refinements to the procedure that would help improve outcomes, including optimising patient discomfort after surgery as well as reducing corneal haze and refractive regression.
Digital Intellectual Property and its Protection
Authors:   Sakhalin State University, Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, Russia, Bredneva V. S.
Published: March 2024

Purpose — to determine the meaning and content of new terms of the theory of law, which will later be used in other branches of law. To actualize the problem of digital intellectual property objects. Identify the gray zones of legal regulation that have arisen in practice and analyze changes in judicial practice in 2022-2023. Methods. Classical methods are used. It showed high efficiency: a comparative legal, dialectical-materialistic method, formal-legal. Results. The list of intellectual property objects is expanding. New entrepreneurial activities are emerging, based on the collection of information and the creation of 3D models. Gaps in legislation lead to many years of litigation, unforeseen expenses, the inability to determine the outcome of a legal conflict. As a legislative proposal: to eliminate the identified problems, it is advisable to revise Article 1225 of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation "Protected Results of Intellectual Activity and Means of Individualization" taking into account those objects that have formed in the construction sector. Discussion. Actualization of problems in the terminology of the theory of law, which create difficulties in the application of legal norms in various types of legal activity. Increasing the importance and scientific value of interdisciplinary research. It is necessary to unify terminology affecting digital intellectual property objects in various branches of law. The protection of intellectual rights can be strengthened.
Self-Efficacy in the Context of Professional Activity
Authors:   MIREA — Russian Technological University, Moscow, Russia, Sarantseva S. G.
Published: March 2024

This article examines the concept of self-efficacy, highlights the main approaches to its study, components, properties, factors and functions. The methods of diagnosis and development of this concept are also revealed. It is shown that the development of self-efficacy affects success in professional activity and is one of the important success factors. This concept refers to a person's ability to effectively use their resources, skills and knowledge to achieve their goals. Self-effective people have high self-confidence, faith in their own abilities and confidence in achieving results. They are able to motivate themselves, make decisions and act decisively in difficult situations. Self-efficacy contributes to increased productivity and quality of work, the development of leadership and leadership skills, as well as the ability to self-development and self-regulation. It helps to cope with difficulties and strive for continuous improvement in the professional field. Understanding and developing self-efficacy are important aspects of career success, so it becomes an integral factor in professional activity. In conclusion, the problems of self-efficacy are considered, which are a common phenomenon in modern society and affect the results of people's activities in various spheres of life, from professional activities to personal life.
Mnemonic as an Effective Way of Reading Instruction
Authors:   Children's educational center IQ POINT, Yakutsk, Russia, Efimova A.V.
Published: March 2024

The article reviews the use of mnemotechnics in teaching children to read. It describes the existing Russian and foreign methods of teaching reading to preschool and school-age children. The article considers both the advantages and disadvantages of these methods. The author describes the innovative method of teaching on the basis of mnemonics, the stages of its development, approbation of the method on the basis of measuring the speed of memorising letters using different techniques and implementation of the new approach. The article is aimed at the substantiation of expediency of using the new technique to improve the efficiency of the learning process. Examples of its use are given. The author of the article also concludes that due to the use of the principle of associations, involvement of imagination and emotions in the earning process, the knowledge acquired by children is retained in their memory more firmly and much more effectively.
REMUNERATION AS A SIGNIFICANT PREDICTOR OF EMPLOYEES’ LABOR BEHAVIOR
Authors:   Federal State Budgetary Educational Institution of Higher Education the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration, Moscow, Russia, Pokida A.N. , Zybunovskaya N.V. ,   Federal State Budgetary Educational Institution of Higher Education the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration, Moscow, Russia
Published: March 2024

The purpose of the study is to assess the influence of remuneration (income) as a significant predictor of the labor behavior of different categories of the employed population, including the choice of workplace and the labor efforts of citizens. The relevance of the study is due to the need to provide the employed population with decent and fair wages in modern Russian conditions. The scientific novelty lies in obtaining current sociological information about the importance of remuneration (income) for workers, the satisfaction of different categories of the population with their remuneration, and its impact on their labor behavior. The main research method is a nationwide sociological survey of the employed population, conducted in 2023, and a comparison of the research results with the results of surveys of previous years, carried out using a similar methodology. The results of the study showed that despite the positive dynamics of remuneration (income) assessments over a long period of research, more than a third of employed Russians assess it negatively; they also believe that their earnings do not always correspond to the labor efforts they expended. It is concluded that it is necessary to increase the effectiveness of the incentive function of remuneration, which will increase the level of motivation and work activity of workers, and, ultimately, will contribute to the growth of labor productivity.
Introduction : une année de droit international marquée par la crise sanitaire
Authors: Ascensio Hervé
Published: March 2024

L’apparition d’une nouvelle maladie à coronavirus a provoqué en 2020 une crise à la fois sanitaire et socio-économique sans précédent, tant par son ampleur que par sa rapide extension mondiale. Les mesures adoptées dans l’urgence, et parfois dans la discorde, ont affecté l’ensemble des domaines du droit international, déstabilisant les relations juridiques internationales et mettant les institutions multilatérales à l’épreuve. Parallèlement, la crise sanitaire a mis en lumière la fonction de l’OMS et la place de la santé parmi les finalités du droit international. Il a fallu réaffirmer et adapter

les objectifs, principes et méthodes des grandes politiques publiques internationales.
L’activation des clauses de dérogation aux conventions de protection des droits de l’homme dans le cadre de la crise sanitaire
Authors: Klipfel Coralie
Published: March 2024

In response to the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, around one hundred States declared a national ‘ state of emergency’. The exceptional measures adopted under this framework put at risk the States’ ability to fulfill their international human rights obligations. Nonetheless, only 31 States formally derogated from the International covenant on political and civil rights, the European Convention on human rights and the American Convention on human rights. These differences in State’s perception about the necessity to derogate, or not, highlight the uncertainties still existing in the application of the derogatory regime in human rights law. To derogate means that a State considers the pandemic as an exceptional public danger threatening the life of the Nation, when actually limitations to protect public health in all times already exist in those conventions. The suspensive effect of the clause will still depend on the fulfillment of some formal and substantial obligations. When comparing former international decisions on derogation clauses to the Covid-19 States’ notification of derogation, it may appear that incentives for a State to derogate are rather low.
L’organisation internationale et son secrétariat en temps de crise : l’exemple de l’OIT face à la Covid-19
Authors: Lieby Thomas
Published: March 2024

La présente contribution examine les mesures prises par l’Organisation internationale du Travail (OIT) afin d’assurer son fonctionnement continu durant la crise sanitaire. Celles-ci se sont organisées en deux temps : le temps de la réponse à l’urgence d’une crise imprévue qui a fait place à celui de la recherche de solutions plus pérennes en vue de rétablir une certaine normalité institutionnelle. L’idée force pour l’OIT a été de respecter au plus près ses règles de gouvernance, sans pour autant que celles-ci fassent obstacle à son fonctionnement. Pour ce faire, l’OIT a pu s’appuyer sur des précédents issus de la Seconde Guerre mondiale qui a vu le développement d’une pratique institutionnelle et de principes particulièrement pertinents dans le contexte actuel. Avant de traiter de la crise sanitaire, cette contribution se propose ainsi d’analyser lesdits précédents. Elle évoquera enfin la réponse proposée par l’OIT aux conséquences sociales et économiques

de la pandémie, réponse rendue possible par les efforts des mandants et du secrétariat en vue d’adapter les méthodes de travail de l’Organisation et de maintenir son activité.
Considérations sur le rapport entre le droit de l’Union européenne et le droit des investissements sous l’angle du pouvoir d’interprétation des juridictions qui s’y rattachent
Authors: Nouvel Yves
Published: March 2024

L’affaire Achmea et l’avis 1/ 17 redessinent la politique de l’Union en matière d’investissement à partir de deux objectifs principaux : l’effacement des TBI au sein de l’Europe et la conclusion dans ses relations extérieures de nouveaux accords sur le modèle de l’AECG. La pierre angulaire de ce programme est d’éviter l’interprétation du droit de l’Union par les tribunaux d’investissement.
L’arrêt sur la compétence de la Cour internationale de Justice du 18 décembre 2020 en l’affaire de la Sentence arbitrale du 3 octobre 1899 : vers un règlement définitif du différend territorial entre le Guyana et le Venezuela » ?
Authors: Grandaubert Victor
Published: March 2024

Dans cet arrêt, la Cour internationale de Justice se déclare compétente pour connaître d’un différend entre le Guyana et le Venezuela concernant la validité d’une sentence arbitrale rendue en 1899 et les implications de cette question sur leur frontière terrestre. Interprétant une clause attributive de compétence peu ordinaire, la Cour a choisi de mettre l’accent sur la nécessité de parvenir à un règlement définitif du différend pour établir le consentement des Parties. Toutefois, dans les circonstances de l’espèce, notamment face à la non-comparution du Venezuela à l’instance, la Cour paraît avoir échoué à ce stade à mettre réellement en place un environnement propice au règlement complet et définitif du différend.
Qui contrôle les organismes onusiens ? La répartition des postes des plus hauts fonctionnaires des Nations Unies
Authors: Norodom Anne-Thida
Published: March 2024

L’examen de la répartition des postes des plus hauts fonctionnaires des Nations Unies a conduit à différencier la répartition catégorielle de la répartition distributive de ces postes. La première repose sur des critères explicites tels que l’âge, le sexe et surtout la représentation géographique équitable. La seconde consiste en un partage de facto des postes entre les groupes d’États régionaux. Cet examen de la pratique sur le long terme a permis de constater un déséquilibre de la répartition de ces postes au profit de certains États et d’un groupe d’États régional nous amenant à réfléchir à la possibilité d’améliorer le processus de sélection et de nomination ou d’élection sous l’angle de la transparence afin que tous les États membres de ces organismes, et non certains d’entre eux, puissent y participer. Il ressort de l’analyse que la transparence est envisageable, voire déjà appliquée, au moins pour les fonds et programmes des Nations Unies, s’agissant de la répartition catégorielle mais qu’elle l’est beaucoup plus difficilement dans le cadre de la répartition distributive, tant les critères implicites sur lesquels elle repose sont difficiles à identifier et encadrer.
Le partenariat régional économique global ou RCEP
Authors: Ghérari Habib
Published: March 2024

C’est le 15 novembre 2020 que, après huit années de négociations, le Partenariat régional économique global a été conclu entre les 10 membres de l’ASEAN et leurs cinq partenaires de la région (Australie, Chine, Corée du Sud, Japon et Nouvelle-Zélande). Ce méga-accord commercial régional frappe par son ambition économique puisqu’il ne s’agit rien moins que de bâtir la plus importante zone de libreéchange

du monde. Sur le fond, cet accord montre une grande fidélité aux discipline et procédures de l’OMC et, par contraste, se hasarde peu ou alors timidement sur des thèmes non encore régulés par cette institution internationale. Quoi qu’il en soit, le dynamisme commercial ainsi impulsé est riche de promesses à moins que les rivalités et tensions politiques entre certains des partenaires ou encore la situation politique interne de certains d’entre eux ne viennent enrayer ce processus.
Renal Hemodynamic and Functional Changes in Patients with ADPKD
Authors: Ishii Ryota , Kai Hirayasu , Nakajima Kentaro , Harada Takuya , Akiyama Tomoki , Okada Eri , Tsunoda Ryoya , Usui Toshiaki , Mase Kaori , Morito Naoki , Saito Chie , Usui Joichi , Yamagata Kunihiro
Published: March 2024

Key Points

The mechanism of decreased renal function in autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease has not been elucidated yet.

The presented data highlight specific renal hemodynamic changes that occur in patients with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease.

Background

Although the mechanisms underlying cyst enlargement in autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) are becoming clearer, those of renal dysfunction are not fully understood. In particular, total kidney volume and renal function do not always correspond. To elucidate this discrepancy, we studied in detail glomerular hemodynamic changes during ADPKD progression.

Methods

Sixty-one patients with ADPKD with baseline height-adjusted total kidney volume (Ht-TKV) of 933±537 ml/m and serum creatinine of 1.16±0.62 mg/dl were followed for 2 years. GFR and renal plasma flow (RPF) slopes were calculated from inulin clearance (Cin) and para-aminohippuric acid clearance (CPAH), respectively, while glomerular hydrostatic pressure (Pglo), afferent resistance (RA), and efferent resistance (RE) were estimated using the Gomez formulas. Each parameter was compared with baseline Ht-TKV. Patients were also subclassified into 1A–1B and 1C–1E groups according to the baseline Mayo imaging classification and then compared with respect to GFR, RPF, filtration fraction, and glomerular hemodynamics.

Results

After 2 years, Ht-TKV increased (933±537 to 1000±648 ml/m, P < 0.01), GFR decreased (66.7±30 to 57.3±30.1 ml/min per 1.73 m2, P < 0.001), and RPF decreased (390±215 to 339±190 ml/min per 1.73 m2, P < 0.05). Furthermore, Pglo was decreased and RA was increased. Baseline Ht-TKV was inversely correlated with GFR (r=−0.29, P < 0.05), but there was no association between baseline Ht-TKV and RPF, Pglo, RA, or RE annual changes. However, despite an increase in RE in the 1A–1B group, RE was decreased in the 1C–1E group. As a result, RE slope was significantly lower in the 1C–1E group than the 1A–1B group over time (−83 [−309 to 102] to 164 [−34 to 343] dyne·s·cm−5, P < 0.01).

Conclusions

This is the first report examining yearly changes of GFR (inulin), RPF (para-aminohippuric), and renal microcirculation parameters in patients with ADPKD. Our results demonstrate that GFR reduction was caused by RA increase, which was faster because of RE decrease in patients with faster Ht-TKV increase.