bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Exploring patterns of children’s cultural participation: parental cultural capitals and their transmission
Authors: Leguina Adrian , Karademir-Hazir Irmak , Azpitarte Francisco
Published: August 2022

Cultural participation during childhood significantly impacts an individual’s chances of future social mobility and well-being. Research to date has focused disproportionately on adults’ cultural practices, failing to comprehensively examine how children’s cultural participation is formed, structured and linked to their parents’. Drawing upon data from the Taking Part Survey, this article first examines the cultural profiles that emerge in children’s participation in England (including highbrow, eclectic, popular or restricted) and then employs regression techniques to disentangle the effects of parental capital (level of education versus cultural participation profile) on children’s cultural profiles. The analysis provides the greater granularity needed to understand the relative strength and significance of parentally embodied versus institutionalised cultural capital in children’s varying forms of engagement with arts and culture. While the patterns of intergenerational transmission revealed in the study largely confirm the role of institutionalised cultural capital in the reproduction of cultural inequality, they also reveal the significance of parental participation for children’s cultural participation. This highlights the need to approach cultural mobility and arts engagement policies at the household level rather than targeting children individually.
An appetite for change? Engaging the public in food policy and politics
Authors: Beacham Jonathan , Jackson Peter
Published: August 2022

The Independent Review of England’s agri-food systems, commonly known as the National Food Strategy (NFS), was commissioned by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) in 2019. The NFS report, published in two stages in 2020 and 2021, outlines a range of interventions and policy proposals to achieve better agri-food outcomes in terms of public health and environmental sustainability. This commentary focuses on the challenges associated with incorporating a diversity of voices within the NFS’s evidence base. To achieve this, the NFS mobilised a series of public dialogue events to capture lay perspectives. Led by professional facilitators, these events sought to open a deliberative space to explore the workings of agri-food systems, leading to the publication of a public engagement report in late 2021. While diverse views were recorded, the report found ‘a strong appetite for change’ among the participants, eager to address the problems associated with current agri-food systems. In commenting on the dialogue process, we identify three distinct problematics which arise from the NFS’s public engagement strategy. Firstly, we consider the array of subject positions at play in the report. Secondly, we discuss the ‘epistemologies of engagement’, reflecting on the different forms of knowledge that are enrolled through the process of public engagement. Thirdly, we consider the under-acknowledged politics that are at play in these kinds of public engagement exercises and the limits of ‘co-production’ as a methodological principle. We conclude by drawing out the wider (national and international) implications of this particular form of public engagement which aims to incorporate lay perspectives into policy development processes.
Mundane normativity and the everyday handling of contested food consumption
Authors: Halkier Bente
Published: August 2022

Much contemporary public debate focuses on food consumption. Societal and individual health, risk, climate change, sustainability, animal welfare and food quality are all issues which influence the culturally established or traditional food routines practised in every day life. This cultural contestation and debate suggests that consumption in everyday life is already a site of normative action. Yet existing research has focused largely either on political and ethical consumption, or on tacitly reproduced routines in consumption. The mundane processes in which explicit and implicit ways of handling normative issues are entangled have received little attention, either empirically or theoretically. This article seeks to consider these issues in detail, suggesting a new framework for empirical investigations of processes of reproduction and change in consumption patterns. It introduces two new terms in mundane normativity – expectable and acceptable consumption – and uses examples to show how these terms can help better understand mundane normativity from a practice theoretical perspective. Material from four different Danish research studies on contested food consumption exemplifies these new terms. The article suggests that the terms expectable and acceptable consumption can enable consumption researchers to examine more variety in relation to the normative in consumption and investigate the intertwined processes of reproduction and change in consumption better. Furthermore, the article argues that analysing mundane normativity points towards an issue in consumption that practice theoretical research has not yet addressed sufficiently – social hierarchies.
Design of a free-form off-axis three-mirror optical system with a low f-number based on the same substrate
Authors: Sun Yuanhe , Sun Yuanqi , Chen Xiaoyu , Wang Fang , Yan Xin , Zhang Xuenan , Cheng Tonglei
Published: August 2022

In this paper, we design a free-form off-axis three-mirror optical system with a low

f

-number and compact structure, which can be used as an infrared reflection imager. The initial structure is calculated from the near-axis optical transfer matrix based on third-order aberration theory. Particular constraints are designed to install all mirrors on the same substrate for simultaneous milling, which reduces the processing difficulty and effectively avoids errors caused by component assembly. Zernike free-form surfaces are introduced to correct aberrations. This optical system has a field of view of

5

∘

×

5

∘

and an

f

-number of 1.82; the modulation transfer function of the system is higher than 0.6 at 30 lp/mm. The results of the tolerance assignment of the system were verified by the Monte Carlo method, and the machining tolerance is reasonable and easy to achieve. This design not only improves the optical performance of the system but also enhances the feasibility of manufacturing.
Photonic microwave frequency divider with a tunable division ratio and harmonic suppression capability
Authors: Chen Hao , Chan Erwin H. W.
Published: August 2022

A photonic microwave frequency divider that is capable to realise tunable high order frequency division, is presented. It is based on injecting an RF phase modulated optical signal into an off-the-shelf DFB laser operating at period-N state. Optical frequency components with a frequency separation of 1/N times the input RF signal frequency are generated by the DFB laser. An optical bandpass filter can be employed to select two optical frequency components to be detected by a photodetector to obtain a divide-by-N RF signal without harmonic components. The proposed frequency divider can be operated over a wide frequency range and has high reconfigurability as it is free of electrical components. Experimental results demonstrate the realisation of frequency division operation with a tunable 1/2 to 1/5 division ratio for different input RF signal frequencies of 8 to 20 GHz by adjusting the DFB laser forward bias current. Over 35 dB harmonic component suppression is demonstrated. A proof-of-concept experiment is also set up to show the frequency divider based on an optically injected semiconductor laser is capable to operate at a high input RF signal frequency of 50 GHz and has a tunable high order division ratio of 1/2 to 1/8.
Femtosecond pulse laser cleaning of spray paint from heritage stone surfaces
Authors: Brand J. , Wain A. , Rode A. V. , Madden S. , King P. L. , Rapp L.
Published: August 2022

We explore the use of femtosecond laser pulses to clean a variety of colors of spray paint from the Moruya granite, a stone with high heritage value that is widely used for monuments and sculptures in Sydney and New South Wales (Australia). The efficiency of the cleaning treatment and the effects on the stone substrate are evaluated using optical microscopy, optical profilometry, Raman spectroscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and colorimetry. We demonstrate that femtosecond laser cleans granite without damaging it and without discoloration when the laser fluence is set below the damage threshold of the stone.
Depth multiplexing in an orbital angular momentum holography based on random phase encoding
Authors: Wang Feili , Zhang Xiangchao , Xiong Rui , Ma Xinyang , Li Leheng , Jiang Xiangqian
Published: August 2022

The orbital angular momentum (OAM) holography has been identified as a vital approach for achieving ultrahigh-capacity in 3D displays, digital holographic microscopy, data storage and so on. However, depth has not been widely applied as a multiplexing dimension in the OAM holography mainly because of the serious coherence crosstalk between different image layers. The multi-layered depth multiplexing OAM holography is proposed and investigated. To suppress the coherence crosstalk between different image channels, random phases are used for encoding different image layers separately. An image can be reconstructed with high quality at a specific depth from an appropriate OAM mode. It is demonstrated that the depth multiplexing of up to 5 layers can be achieved. This work can increase the information capacity and enhance the application of the OAM holography.
Creation of a high-resolution atomic frequency comb and optimization of the pulse sequence for high-efficiency quantum memory in 167Er:Y2SiO5
Authors: Yasui S. , Hiraishi M. , Ishizawa A. , Omi H. , Inaba T. , Xu X. , Kaji R. , Adachi S. , Tawara T.
Published: August 2022

We created high-resolution atomic frequency combs (AFCs) and optimized the pulse sequence used in AFC memory to realize highly efficient AFC quantum memory using the 167Er3+:Y2SiO5 hyperfine level system. As a result, the formation and relaxation times of AFCs were revealed, and AFCs with a resolution of 800 kHz were created by using an appropriate pump light intensity. An efficiency of 0.16% with a memory time of 0.5 µs was achieved even under a zero magnetic field and a 10 ppm Er concentration sample. This result paves the way for realizing highly efficient communication-wavelength AFC quantum memory.
Plasmodium falciparum importation does not sustain malaria transmission in a semi-arid region of Kenya
Authors: Markwalter Christine F. , Menya Diana , Wesolowski Amy , Esimit Daniel , Lokoel Gilchrist , Kipkoech Joseph , Freedman Elizabeth , Sumner Kelsey M. , Abel Lucy , Ambani George , Meredith Hannah R. , Taylor Steve M. , Obala Andrew A. , O’Meara Wendy P.
Published: August 2022

Human movement impacts the spread and transmission of infectious diseases. Recently, a large reservoir of Plasmodium falciparum malaria was identified in a semi-arid region of northwestern Kenya historically considered unsuitable for malaria transmission. Understanding the sources and patterns of transmission attributable to human movement would aid in designing and targeting interventions to decrease the unexpectedly high malaria burden in the region. Toward this goal, polymorphic parasite genes (ama1, csp) in residents and passengers traveling to Central Turkana were genotyped by amplicon deep sequencing. Genotyping and epidemiological data were combined to assess parasite importation. The contribution of travel to malaria transmission was estimated by modelling case reproductive numbers inclusive and exclusive of travelers. P. falciparum was detected in 6.7% (127/1891) of inbound passengers, including new haplotypes which were later detected in locally-transmitted infections. Case reproductive numbers approximated 1 and did not change when travelers were removed from transmission networks, suggesting that transmission is not fueled by travel to the region but locally endemic. Thus, malaria is not only prevalent in Central Turkana but also sustained by local transmission. As such, interrupting importation is unlikely to be an effective malaria control strategy on its own, but targeting interventions locally has the potential to drive down transmission.
Income differences in COVID-19 incidence and severity in Finland among people with foreign and native background: A population-based cohort study of individuals nested within households
Authors: Saarinen Sanni , Moustgaard Heta , Remes Hanna , Sallinen Riikka , Martikainen Pekka
Published: August 2022

Background

Although intrahousehold transmission is a key source of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) infections, studies to date have not analysed socioeconomic risk factors on the household level or household clustering of severe COVID-19. We quantify household income differences and household clustering of COVID-19 incidence and severity.

Methods and findings

We used register-based cohort data with individual-level linkage across various administrative registers for the total Finnish population living in working-age private households (N = 4,315,342). Incident COVID-19 cases (N = 38,467) were identified from the National Infectious Diseases Register from 1 July 2020 to 22 February 2021. Severe cases (N = 625) were defined as having at least 3 consecutive days of inpatient care with a COVID-19 diagnosis and identified from the Care Register for Health Care between 1 July 2020 and 31 December 2020. We used 2-level logistic regression with individuals nested within households to estimate COVID-19 incidence and case severity among those infected.

Adjusted for age, sex, and regional characteristics, the incidence of COVID-19 was higher (odds ratio [OR] 1.67, 95% CI 1.58 to 1.77, p < 0.001, 28.4% of infections) among individuals in the lowest household income quintile than among those in the highest quintile (18.9%). The difference attenuated (OR 1.23, 1.16 to 1.30, p < 0.001) when controlling for foreign background but not when controlling for other household-level risk factors. In fact, we found a clear income gradient in incidence only among people with foreign background but none among those with native background. The odds of severe illness among those infected were also higher in the lowest income quintile (OR 1.97, 1.52 to 2.56, p < 0.001, 28.0% versus 21.6% in the highest quintile), but this difference was fully attenuated (OR 1.08, 0.77 to 1.52, p = 0.64) when controlling for other individual-level risk factors—comorbidities, occupational status, and foreign background. Both incidence and severity were strongly clustered within households: Around 77% of the variation in incidence and 20% in severity were attributable to differences between households. The main limitation of our study was that the test uptake for COVID-19 may have differed between population subgroups.

Conclusions

Low household income appears to be a strong risk factor for both COVID-19 incidence and case severity, but the income differences are largely driven by having foreign background. The strong household clustering of incidence and severity highlights the importance of household context in the prevention and mitigation of COVID-19 outcomes.
Harnessing the benefits of diversity to address socio-environmental governance challenges
Authors: Baggio Jacopo A. , Freeman Jacob , Coyle Thomas R. , Anderies John M.
Published: August 2022

Solving complex problems, from biodiversity conservation to reducing inequality, requires large scale collective action among diverse stakeholders to achieve a common goal. Research relevant to meeting this challenge must model the interaction of stakeholders with diverse cognitive capabilities and the complexity of the problem faced by stakeholders to predict the success of collective action in various contexts. Here, we build a model from first principles of cognitive abilities, diversity, and socio-environmental complexity to identify the sets of conditions under which groups most effectively engage in collective action to solve governance problems. We then fit the model to small groups, U.S. states, and countries. Our model illustrates the fundamental importance of understanding the interaction between cognitive abilities, diversity, and the complexity of socio-environmental challenges faced by stakeholders today. Our results shed light on the ability of groups to solve complex problems and open new avenues of research into the interrelationship between cognition, institutions, and the environments in which they co-evolve.
Forecasting Covid-19 in the United Kingdom: A dynamic SIRD model
Authors: Athayde Gustavo M. , Alencar Airlane P.
Published: August 2022

Making use of a state space framework, we present a stochastic generalization of the SIRD model, where the mortality, infection, and underreporting rates change over time. A new format to the errors in the Susceptible-Infected-Recovered-Dead compartments is also presented, that permits reinfection. The estimated trajectories and (out-of-sample) forecasts of all these variables are presented with their confidence intervals. The model only uses as inputs the number of reported cases and deaths, and was applied for the UK from April, 2020 to Sep, 2021 (daily data). The estimated infection rate has shown a trajectory in waves very compatible with the emergence of new variants and adopted social measures. The estimated mortality rate has shown a significant descendant behaviour in 2021, which we attribute to the vaccination program, and the estimated underreporting rate has been considerably volatile, with a downward tendency, implying that, on average, more people are testing than in the beginning of the pandemic. The evolution of the proportions of the population divided into susceptible, infected, recovered and dead groups are also shown with their confidence intervals and forecast, along with an estimation of the amount of reinfection that, according to our model, has become quite significant in 2021. Finally, the estimated trajectory of the effective reproduction rate has proven to be very compatible with the real number of cases and deaths. Its forecasts with confident intervals are also presented.
The mental health burden of racial and ethnic minorities during the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Nguyen Long H. , Anyane-Yeboa Adjoa , Klaser Kerstin , Merino Jordi , Drew David A. , Ma Wenjie , Mehta Raaj S. , Kim Daniel Y. , Warner Erica T. , Joshi Amit D. , Graham Mark S. , Sudre Carole H. , Thompson Ellen J. , May Anna , Hu Christina , Jørgensen Solveig , Selvachandran Somesh , Berry Sarah E. , David Sean P. , Martinez Maria Elena , Figueiredo Jane C. , Murray Anne M. , Sanders Alan R. , Koenen Karestan C. , Wolf Jonathan , Ourselin Sebastien , Spector Tim D. , Steves Claire J. , Chan Andrew T.
Published: August 2022

Racial/ethnic minorities have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19. The effects of COVID-19 on the long-term mental health of minorities remains unclear. To evaluate differences in odds of screening positive for depression and anxiety among various racial and ethnic groups during the latter phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, we performed a cross-sectional analysis of 691,473 participants nested within the prospective smartphone-based COVID Symptom Study in the United States (U.S.) and United Kingdom (U.K). from February 23, 2021 to June 9, 2021. In the U.S. (n=57,187), compared to White participants, the multivariable odds ratios (ORs) for screening positive for depression were 1·16 (95% CI: 1·02 to 1·31) for Black, 1·23 (1·11 to 1·36) for Hispanic, and 1·15 (1·02 to 1·30) for Asian participants, and 1·34 (1·13 to 1·59) for participants reporting more than one race/other even after accounting for personal factors such as prior history of a mental health disorder, COVID-19 infection status, and surrounding lockdown stringency. Rates of screening positive for anxiety were comparable. In the U.K. (n=643,286), racial/ethnic minorities had similarly elevated rates of positive screening for depression and anxiety. These disparities were not fully explained by changes in leisure time activities. Racial/ethnic minorities bore a disproportionate mental health burden during the COVID-19 pandemic. These differences will need to be considered as health care systems transition from prioritizing infection control to mitigating long-term consequences.
Out of pocket payments and access to NCD medication in two regions in Albania
Authors: Gabrani Jonila , Schindler Christian , Wyss Kaspar
Published: August 2022

Objective

The financial burden from noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) is a threat worldwide, alleviated only when good social protection schemes are in place. Albeit the Government in Albania has committed to Universal Healthcare Coverage (UHC), Out-of-Pockets (OOPs) persist. Through this study, we aimed to assess the OOPs related to consultations, diagnostic tests, and medicine prescriptions as self-reported by people suffering from NCDs.

Methods

A household survey was conducted in two regions of Albania. The present analysis includes respondents who suffered from chronic health conditions and consulted a health care provider within the last 8 weeks (n = 898). Mixed logistic regression models with random intercepts at the level of communities were employed in order to assess the association of OOPs with age, gender, urban vs. rural residency, health insurance, marital status, barriers experienced, type of chronic condition(s) and region.

Results

Of those who consulted a provider, 95% also received a drug prescription. Among them, 94% were able to obtain all the drugs prescribed. Out-of-pocket payments occurred throughout the NCD treatment process; specifically, for consultation (36%), diagnostic tests (33%), and drugs purchased (88%). Drug expenditures accounted for 62% of all household expenditures. Respondents with health insurance were less likely to pay for consultation and drugs. The elderly (patients above 60 years old) were less likely to pay for consultations and tests. Those who lived in urban areas were less likely to pay for drugs and consultations. Patients encountering any form of barrier when seeking care had increased odds of OOPs for consultations (OR; 2.25 95%-CI; 1.57; 3.23) and tests (OR; 1.71 95%-CI; 1.19; 2.45).

Conclusion

Out-of-pocket payments by NCD patients principally made up through the purchase of prescribed drugs, remain important. Tackling the high costs of drugs will be important to accelerate the UHC agenda. Here, it is important to raise the population’s awareness on patients’ knowledge of their entitlements to health insurance, and on the current health reforms.
Co-occurrence of non-communicable disease risk factors and its determinants among school-going adolescents of Kathmandu Metropolitan City
Authors: Tandon Kalpana , Adhikari Nabin , Adhikari Bikram , Pradhan Pranil Man Singh
Published: August 2022

Background

Adolescence is a critical transition in human growth and adolescents tend to engage in various risky behaviors which are likely to continue into adulthood. Co-occurrence of non-communicable disease risk factors has the potential to increase risks of chronic disease comorbidity and increased mortality in later life. Behavioral risk factors are adopted due to changes in lifestyle and adolescents are more prone to acquire them. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and associated factors of co-occurrence of non-communicable disease risk factors among school-going adolescents of Kathmandu Metropolitan City.

Methods

We conducted a cross-sectional study among school-going adolescents of Kathmandu Metropolitan City in January/February 2020. We used stratified random sampling to select 1108 adolescents studying in 9, 10, 11, and 12 grades. We used Global Schools Health Survey tools to collect data. We entered data in EpiData 3.1 and exported it into Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 20 for statistical analysis. We estimated prevalence of NCDs risk factors and co-occurrence of risk factors. We applied multivariate multinomial logistic regression analysis adjusting for age, gender, ethnicity, religion, education, type of school, and parental education to determine factors associated with co-occurrence of NCDs risk factors.

Results

The prevalence of physical inactivity, unhealthy diet, harmful use of alcohol and tobacco among school-going adolescents were 72.3% (95%CI: 69.6–74.9), 41.1% (95%CI: 38.2–44.0), 14.8% (95%CI: 12.8–17.0) and 7.8% (95%CI:6.3–9.5) respectively. The adolescent with co-occurrence of two or more risk factors was 40.7% (95%CI: 37.8–43.7). The school-going adolescents who were in higher age group (AOR = 1.72, 95% CI- 1.06, 2.77), Hindus (AOR = 1.78, 95% CI-1.09, 2.89), other than Brahmin/Chhetri by ethnicity (AOR = 2.11, 95% CI-1.39, 2.22) and with lower education level of mothers (AOR = 2.40, 95% CI- 1.46,3.98) were more likely to have co-occurrence of NCDs risk factors after adjusting for all socio-demographic variables.

Conclusion

The co-occurrence of non-communicable disease risk factors was high among school going adolescents and was associated with age, religion, ethnicity and mother’s education. Integrated and comprehensive interventional programs should be developed by concerned authorities.
Incorporation of copaiba and oregano essential oils on the shelf life of fresh ground beef patties under display: Evaluation of their impact on quality parameters and sensory attributes
Authors: Leite Silvana Mari Belloli , da Silva Assunção Esther Morais , Alves Anandra Vitória das Neves Gurgel , de Souza Maciel Edymeiko , de Moraes Pinto Laura Adriane , Kaneko Isabelle Naemi , Guerrero Ana , Correa Ana Paula Folmer , Müller Fernandes Jovanir Inês , Lopes Nívia Pires , Vital Marcos José Salgado , Monteschio Jéssica de Oliveira
Published: August 2022

The preservative effect of the addition of different essential oils (copaiba and oregano) on meat quality parameters and sensorial acceptability was analyzed for fresh ground beef patties over 21 days of display. Five treatments were assessed: control (CON) without antioxidants; addition of the synthetic additive butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT); addition 0.05% of copaiba essential oil (CEO); 0.05% of oregano essential oil (OEO); or blend of 0.025% copaiba and 0.025% oregano essential oils (BEO). The lowest cooking losses and greatest tenderness (P <0.05) were reached with the blend (BEO). The inclusion of oregano essential oil presented a more intense chroma (P <0.05), with the best color retained during display. Oregano essential oil (OEO) and the blend (BEO) showed the highest antioxidant activity, reducing the lipid oxidation of beef patties during display (P < 0.05). Consumers preferred the odor of beef patties with essential oils (OEO and BEO) to the CON; however, the flavor from OEO had the lowest acceptability and the worst scores for overall acceptability (P < 0.05). Patties with the blend addition (BEO) were the best scored on overall acceptability assessments. In conclusion, the oregano and copaiba essential oils blend had a good preservative effect on fresh beef patties during display and increased sensory acceptability of the product, thus being a possible alternative for replacing synthetic compounds in processed foods.
Investigation of ultrafiltration parameters of different organic load wastewater types
Authors: Fodor Emilija , Šereš Zita , Gergely Gréta , Hodúr Cecilia , Kertész Szabolcs
Published: August 2022

Almost a third of Earth’s freshwater resources are used by municipalities, agriculture and industries and therefore very large quantities of wastewater are generated and discharged into surface water or groundwater. If discharged inadequately and without previous treatment, wastewater can cause chemical pollution, affect aquatic life as well as human health and have a negative impact on the environment. An emerging technology for wastewater treatment is the membrane separation process due to the low cost, the use of ambient temperature, the low energy consumption compared to other traditional techniques, and the high selectivity of different separation mechanisms with compact design. In this study, ultrafiltration (UF) technique was investigated to treat wastewater with different organic loads. The effects of the stirring and a three-dimensional (3D) printed spacer, integrated into the UF cell were analyzed on the permeate fluxes, membrane rejections of turbidity, conductivity and chemical oxygen demand (COD).
Evaluating the severity of transverse cracks in beam-like structures by using an energy loss method
Authors: Pop Vasile Marius , Cristian Tufisi , Gillich Gilbert Rainer , Burtea Daniela Georgiana
Published: August 2022

Over functioning time, structures can be affected by multiple types of damages caused by fatigue, improper production methods, or exceeding loads. The current paper describes a method for evaluating the severity of transverse cracks that are present in beam-like structures based on changes in the natural frequencies. Because the presence of damage has a negative impact on the energy that a beam can store in the affected section, it is possible to find the influence of the crack on any other position along the beam, considering the stored normalized energy in that location. The technique is based on a mathematical relationship that provides the exact solution to the frequency changes of the bending vibration modes, considering two terms. The first term is related to the tensile energy stored in the beam, and the second term considers the increase of flexibility due to cracks, for this reason, damage assessment is performed in two stages; first, the location of the crack is found and then an assessment of its severity is performed. In this study, the aim is to test the developed method for estimating the severity of transverse cracks for different sections and lengths of beams.
Enrichment of rare earth elements from contaminated biomass prior to extraction
Authors: Dinh Truong , Dobó Zsolt , Kovács Helga
Published: August 2022

Under the context of reserve depletion, recovering rare earth elements (REEs) from secondary resources is essential which assists to strengthen the circular economy. Contaminated biomass growing from brownfield lands is a potential material for REE recovery. However, prior to the extraction stage, polluted plants need to be lessened to a manageable volume. In this study, contaminated biomass gathered from an abandoned mining area was combusted in a pilot-scale boiler, while solid residuals from different positions in the burning system were collected and analyzed. Higher REE concentration in the ash samples compared to that in the woody biomass indicates the efficiency of the combustion process from the metal enrichment point of view. The significant metal concentration in the solid remains is an advantage for the following step of extraction to reclaim REEs. It was concluded that the concentration of REEs in bottom ash is greater than in the other solid residuals. That indicates that the volatility of rare earth minerals is limited during biomass incineration.
Alternative biomarkers of thyroid cancer
Authors: Buyvalenko U. V. , Levshina A. R. , Sakhnova E. E.
Published: August 2022

Serum thyroglobulin is the main biomarker for postoperative monitoring of papillary thyroid cancer recurrence however, the high prevalence of the disease dictates the need to find a reliable indicator for laboratory diagnosis of the tumor process. The presence of antibodies to thyroglobulin affects the prognosis of the disease and determines the likelihood of relapse; however, it is impossible to influence the level of antibodies using currently available methods. More commonly, trends in anti-thyroglobulin levels at the time of disease detection and after radical treatment are considered, but there is disagreement on the interpretation of the results. Currently, various alternative biomarkers are being proposed and studied, the evaluation and comparison of which will be the subject of this literature review.
Falls in older patients: characteristics depending on functional status
Authors: Khovasova N. O. , Naumov A. V. , Tkacheva O. N. , Moroz V. I.
Published: August 2022

Background: Falls and frailty are associated geriatric syndromes. Knowing the features of falls in patients with different functional status will make it possible to personalize the fall prevention and reduce the progression of frailty.

Aim: To characterise falls in older depending on geriatric status (robust, prefrailty and frailty).

Materials and methods: Included 1002 patients (77,5±8,2) hospitalized in the geriatric department. The frailty was screened on the scale «Age Not Interference». With the score 1–2, frailty was not diagnosed. With the score 3 or more, comprehensive geriatric assessment was carried out and 2 more groups were allocated: with prefrailty (n=199, 19.9%) and with frailty (n=482,48.1%). All patients found out the fact of falls during the year, if there was, they were characterized by falls. To analyze the effect of falls on functional status, it was evaluated in patients with frailty and falls and frailty without falls.

Results: With increasing severity of geriatric status, the prevalence of falls increased, reaching 57% in patients with frailty. 63.7% previously noted falls, 44.7% formed a fear of falls. One in 10 falls resulted in a serious consequence, which caused hospitalization. The risk of falls increased depending on geriatric deficiency: patients with frailty at high risk were 2 times greater compared to robust patients. The findings demonstrate that patients with frailty undergoing falls compared to patients without falls.

In patients with frailty and falls, compared to patients without falls, despite younger age and lower comorbidity, functional status was worse. They had a significantly lower score on the MNA, higher score on the PHQ-9 and anxiety score, and performed the chair stand longer. Multivariate analysis showed that a reduction in the sum of the SPPB by 0.35 and the PHQ-9 scale by 0.77, an increase in SARC-F by 0.68 and a time of performance of the chair stand by 3.39 seconds is associated with a fall in older people with frailty adjusted for age and comorbidity.

Conclusion: Frailty is a conditionally reversible syndrome, and falls is often prevented. Considering the identified features of falls in patients with reduced functioning will allow individualizing the fall prevention plan.
Mineral and Raw Materials Projects of the Jewish Autonomous Region: New Opportunities for the Development of the Region
Authors:   Economic Research Institute FEB RAS, Fayman Anton
Published: August 2022

The analysis of the transformation of the economy of the Jewish Autonomous Region for the period 1990–2020 is carried out. Based on the study of the dynamics and qualitative characteristics of industrial production, the author distinguishes four stages of economic transformations. At the present stage, transformational features of the formation of a resource economy in the region are manifested. This is facilitated by the implementation of promising mineral projects for the extraction and primary processing of iron ore; graphite, tin, manganese ores, and brucite. A preliminary assessment of the direct contribution of projects to the economy of the region confirms their significant importance for the growth of tax revenues and the scale of the economy. At the same time, the analysis of the direct and indirect effects of the projects showed their weak current impact on the development of the existing economic system of the region. The transition from the direct growth of the region’s economy to its development is possible due to the expansion of mining projects with new production facilities for deeper processing of extracted resources. As an example of such development, the author considers the widely discussed project of metallurgical production of direct reduced iron based on the products of Kimkano-Sutarsky Mining and Processing Plant LLC as part of the formation of a metallurgical cluster in the south of the Russian Far East. This project is fully consistent with the state intentions to develop both the macroregion as a whole and individual regions. However, due to the existing functional and technological limitations, such large-scale processing projects with subsequent integration into the economy of the extracted mineral resources can be carried out exclusively within the framework of state strategic initiatives and the costs embodying them
Analysis of CAMEL ratio on financial distress banking companies in Indonesia
Authors: Ferdiansyah Fachrul , Widyarti Endang Tri
Published: August 2022

The purpose of this research is to determine the influence of banking financial ratio on Financial Distress. The independent variables used in this research are CAR, NPL, BOPO, ROA and LDR, also the dependent variable that is used in this research is Financial Distress. The population used in this research are the 48 banking companies that is listed in the Indonesia Stock Exchange during the period of 2016-2020, and the samples used are 40 manufacture companies which were taken by using purposive sampling method. The analysis method used in this research is logistic regression and is processed using SPSS Statistics 25 software. The result of the this research states that ROA has a significant effect on Financial Distress, while CAR, NPL, BOPO and LDR has no significant effect towards Financial Distress.
Instrumentos financieros claves para la inclusión financiera en América Latina
Authors: Martinez Lisana Belen , Guercio María Belén , Orazi Sofía , Vigier Hernán
Published: August 2022

El objetivo del presente trabajo es analizar la inclusión financiera en siete países de América Latina. En específico, se pretende detectar los instrumentos financieros más utilizados y los principales determinantes que afectan su uso. Para ello, se examinan los microdatos de la base Global Findex del año 2017 y se aplican modelos econométricos multivariantes. Los resultados confirman que el instrumento más usado por los individuos son las cuentas financieras en instituciones formales, especialmente en Brasil y Chile, seguido por el uso de las tarjetas de crédito en Uruguay y Venezuela. Entre las características socioeconómicas de los individuos, se encuentra que aquellas personas de género masculino, de mayor edad, con educación terciaria y mayores niveles de ingresos son quienes muestran mayores probabilidades de estar incluidos financieramente.
Análisis de redes complejas: un estudio de la inflación en Uruguay
Authors: Alvarez Emiliano , Brida Juan Gabriel , Martínez Mickaela , Mones Pablo
Published: August 2022

El presente trabajo estudia la relación entre la incertidumbre macroeconómica y el comportamiento del sistema de precios de la economía uruguaya, utilizando el análisis de redes para representar al sistema de precios que componen el Índice de Precios del Consumo (IPC). Se construyeron redes utilizando ventanas móviles anuales entre 1997 y 2020, tomando como nodos a las distintas clases de bienes y servicios que componen el IPC. Los resultados empíricos muestran que existe un conjunto de nodos centrales rodeados de otros periféricos, donde los primeros se caracterizan por haber tenido una dinámica similar a muchos otros nodos de la red, mientras que los segundos registraron un comportamiento atípico. Los resultados empíricos del trabajo permiten mostrar la volatilidad en la dinámica de precios y su relación con los procesos macroeconómicos, así como los cambios en las interrelaciones entre los precios que componen el IPC en Uruguay.
Effect of Electronic Taxation on Revenue Productivity in Nigeria
Authors: Olaoye Clement Olatunji , Ayeni-Agbaje A. R. , Adebayo Isaac Adesodun , Adesodun Ruth Bosede
Published: August 2022

This study investigated the effect of electronic taxation on revenue productivity in Nigeria. Specifically, the study examined the difference between revenue productivity before and during e-taxation, effect of e-taxation adoption on revenue productivity and tax to GDP ratio in Nigeria. The study employed secondary data covering the period 2000-2017. Data were analyzed using, trend analysis, independent t-test and ordinary least regression estimator. Result revealed that there is significant difference between revenue productivity in the pre and post e-taxation adoption and that the revenue productivity is higher at the post adoption. Also, this study showed that e-taxation has significant positive effect on actual tax revenue and tax to GDP ratio in Nigeria with coefficient of 2083.034 (p<0.05) and 1.017351 (p> 0.05). The study concluded that there is a substantial difference between the level of revenue productivity of the pre and post adoption of electronic taxation, and established that the effect of adoption of electronic taxation on actual tax revenue generation in the country is positive and significant, though such impact does not hold a substantial ground in the discourse of the ratio of tax revenue to the level of gross domestic product in the country.
Mucormycosis co-infection in COVID-19 patients: An update
Authors: Alkhamiss Abdullah S. , Ahmed Ahmed A. , Rasheed Zafar , Alghsham Ruqaih , Shariq Ali , Alsaeed Thamir , Althwab Sami A. , Alsagaby Suliman , Aljohani Abdullah S. M. , Alhumaydhi Fahad A. , Alduraibi Sharifa K. , Alduraibi Alaa K. , Alhomaidan Homaidan T. , Allemailem Khaled S. , Alharbi Raya A. , Alamro Samar A. , Alqusayer Arwa M. , Alharbi Sahim A. , Alharby Thekra A. , Almujaydil Mona S. , Mousa Ayman M. , Alghaniam Sultan A. , Alghunaim Abdulrhman A. , Alghamdi Rana , Fernández Nelson , Al Abdulmonem Waleed
Published: August 2022

Mucormycosis (MCM) is a rare fungal disorder that has recently been increased in parallel with novel COVID-19 infection. MCM with COVID-19 is extremely lethal, particularly in immunocompromised individuals. The collection of available scientific information helps in the management of this co-infection, but still, the main question on COVID-19, whether it is occasional, participatory, concurrent, or coincidental needs to be addressed. Several case reports of these co-infections have been explained as causal associations, but the direct contribution in immunocompromised individuals remains to be explored completely. This review aims to provide an update that serves as a guide for the diagnosis and treatment of MCM patients’ co-infection with COVID-19. The initial report has suggested that COVID-19 patients might be susceptible to developing invasive fungal infections by different species, including MCM as a co-infection. In spite of this, co-infection has been explored only in severe cases with common triangles: diabetes, diabetes ketoacidosis, and corticosteroids. Pathogenic mechanisms in the aggressiveness of MCM infection involves the reduction of phagocytic activity, attainable quantities of ferritin attributed with transferrin in diabetic ketoacidosis, and fungal heme oxygenase, which enhances iron absorption for its metabolism. Therefore, severe COVID-19 cases are associated with increased risk factors of invasive fungal co-infections. In addition, COVID-19 infection leads to reduction in cluster of differentiation, especially CD4+ and CD8+ T cell counts, which may be highly implicated in fungal co-infections. Thus, the progress in MCM management is dependent on a different strategy, including reduction or stopping of implicit predisposing factors, early intake of active antifungal drugs at appropriate doses, and complete elimination via surgical debridement of infected tissues.
β-Hydroxybutyrate upregulates FGF21 expression through inhibition of histone deacetylases in hepatocytes
Authors: Yan Aili , Zhao Yanyan , Zhang Lijun , Liang Xiangyan , Zhang Xiaochun , Liang Fenli , Nian Shen , Li Xinhua , Sun Zhuo , Li Ke , Zhao Yu-Feng
Published: August 2022

Fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) is secreted by hepatocytes as a peptide hormone to regulate glucose and lipid metabolism. FGF21 promotes hepatic ketogenesis and increases ketone body utilization in starvation. Histones are the target molecules of nutrients in regulating hepatic metabolic homeostasis. However, the effect of ketone bodies on FGF21 expression and the involvement of histones in it is not clear yet. The present study observed the effects of β-hydroxybutyrate (β-OHB), the main physiological ketone body, on FGF21 expression in human hepatoma HepG2 cells in vitro and in mice in vivo, and the role of histone deacetylases (HDACs) in β-OHB-regulated FGF21 expression was investigated. The results showed that β-OHB significantly upregulated FGF21 gene expression and increased FGF21 protein levels while it inhibited HDACs’ activity in HepG2 cells. HDACs’ inhibition by entinostat upregulated FGF21 expression and eliminated β-OHB-stimulated FGF21 expression in HepG2 cells. Intraperitoneal injections of β-OHB in mice resulted in the elevation of serum β-OHB and the inhibition of hepatic HDACs’ activity. Meanwhile, hepatic FGF21 expression and serum FGF21 levels were significantly increased in β-OHB-treated mice compared with the control. It is suggested that β-OHB upregulates FGF21 expression through inhibition of HDACs’ activity in hepatocytes.
Mechanical, thermal, and tribological characterization of bio-polymeric composites: A comprehensive review
Authors: Hayajneh Mohammed T. , Al-Shrida Mu’ayyad M. , AL-Oqla Faris M.
Published: August 2022

The current review extensively discusses the effects of various natural fillers on mechanical, thermal, and tribological characteristics of polypropylene, polyethylene, poly(vinyl chloride), and polyester resin matrices. The discussion has considered all of the tensile, flexural, and impact properties along with the wear rate and thermogravimetric analysis of a wide range of natural reinforcements. Detailed comparative studies about the factors that influence the fillers’ performance in the polymeric composites were also conducted to give the reader a comprehensive understanding to enable a better selection of the optimized characteristics to develop a more sustainable design. This systematic review indicates that the majority of green fillers had an adverse effect on the tensile strength of the considered matrices, but generally improved the tensile modulus. Moreover, the studied fillers enhanced the flexural modulus property for all mentioned matrices. The impact strength was dramatically influenced by the intrinsic characteristic of the filler type.
A ternary hybrid nucleating agent for isotropic polypropylene: Preparation, characterization, and application
Authors: Li Juan , Yang Chunping , Liu Nan , He Shengbao , Sun Tianwei , Zhang Jing
Published: August 2022

A ternary hybrid nucleating agent (THNA) powder was prepared by co-spray drying the fluid mixture of Si-MP/SNa slurry. The THNA was characterized by Fourier transform infrared and thermogravimetric analyses; the results showed that THNA was prepared successfully. The results of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) showed that THNA was ring-shaped or mushroom cap-shaped and it was uniformly dispersed in the iPP matrix. With the incorporation of THNA (0.2 wt%), the crystallization peak temperature of iPP/THNA increased effectively. The nucleation efficiency and crystallinity were improved to 69% and 58%, respectively. Moreover, the flexural strength, flexural modulus, tensile strength, and impact toughness of iPP/THAN were enhanced to 49.3 MPa, 1,988 MPa, 42 MPa, and 4.93 kJ·m−2, respectively. The transparency was increased to 77.7%, and the haze was reduced to 14.1%. The compound of sodium laurate and inorganic silica/aromatic phosphate had an obvious synergistic effect.