bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Energy crisis and companies’ investment in renewable energy sources: case of Metal Processing Cluster
Authors: Przygodzka Renata , Trocka Natalia
Published: July 2024

Motivation: Improving the energy efficiency of enterprises is now not only a postulate of inter-national and national energy transition strategies towards climate neutrality, but also a requirement for maintaining their profitability and competitive capacity. Rising energy fuel prices and the unstable geopolitical situation, and above all, the war in Ukraine, are causing many enterprises to take energy-saving actions (ESA’s). One of them is investing in renewable energy sources (RES) for their own consumption, understood as investing in future energy purchase savings.Aim: The article aims to identify the involvement of enterprises affiliated with the Metal Processing Cluster (MPC), which has the status of the Polish Key National Cluster, in RES investments in the context of the energy crisis. It also attempts to verify the hypothesis: greater interest in investing in RES is shown by enterprises that have seen a strong negative impact of energy price increases on their operations. The research was carried out on the basis of literature studies, analysis of Polish Central Statistical Office statistical data and analysis of reports of various institutions. Empirical verification of the hypothesis was possible on the basis of the results of surveys conducted in the enterprises of the MPC.Results: The research showed that in 2022, more than half of the surveyed companies affiliated with the MPC felt the negative (very strong and strong) effect of rising energy prices. It primarily had an impact on the decline in their profitability. In 73% of the surveyed companies, this situation influenced the decision to start investments in renewable energy sources, with the majority of these investments being in photovoltaic panels. The survey contributes to the knowledge of the impact of the energy crisis on RES investments in metal companies.
The scope of fiscal decentralisation in EU countries: a comparative analysis
Authors: Sekuła Alicja , Flisikowski Karol
Published: July 2024

Motivation: Decentralization is one of the main challenges in public sector reform. In democratic countries the level of decentralisation in individual countries is not identical. The varying scope of decentralization affects the quality, quick and efficient decision-making by public leaders.Aim: Comparison of the extent of fiscal decentralisation in EU Member States; creation of groups of states with similar levels of decentralisation; identification of characteristics of countries where the average level of decentralisation is similar.Results: As a result of the study 4 clusters were created. The first includes centralized countries (small area, small population, e.g. Malta, Cyprus). The level of decentralization is a little bit higher in federal states and most of the countries that joined the EU in 2004 or later (cluster 2, the most numerous). Larger and more numerous countries are characterized by a higher level of decentralization (cluster 3, e.g. Italy, Poland, France). Clusters 4th is composed of the Nordic countries, i.e. in countries where a welfare state model with an extensive public sector has been implemented. As a result, it was found that the level of decentralization is related to the size of the country, population and political system.
Do LGUs’ non-financial support instruments matter to new firm formation?
Authors: Skica Tomasz , Rodzinka Jacek , Golejewska Anna , Suchanek Michał
Published: July 2024

Motivation: The topic of policies supporting entrepreneurship implemented by local government units (LGUs) is the subject of many studies. At the same time, despite of many approaches and attempts to clarify this issue, this problem has not been exhausted and presented in a conclusive manner.Aim: The main goal of article is to find out which of the non-financial entrepreneurship support instruments used by local government units (LGUs) in Poland effectively support new firms formation.Results: The research proved that non-financial instruments at the disposal of communes are effective in the processes of stimulating entrepreneurship. The effects of their implementation are conditioned by the generic category of the LGUs, the quality of the institutional environment as well as the involvement of local actors in the process of designing development policies. The research proved that the highest effectiveness of non-financial instruments was noted in relation to cities with poviat rights, which confirms inability to treat individual instruments as universal tools, independent of the specificity of the local government unit applying it.
Late chronotype and associated health problems
Authors: Jędrzejczyk Justyna , Korn Aleksandra , Łopacińska Olga , Stańczyk Katarzyna , Czarnecka Karolina , Wójcik Emilia , Korczak Anna , Szewczyk Oliwia , Olek Ewa , Burda Katarzyna , Szaliński Tomasz
Published: July 2024

Introduction: Chronotype reflects an individual's preference for activity and rest within a 24-hour period, governed by the internal circadian clock system located in the suprachiasmatic nuclei of the hypothalamus. There are three chronotypes: Morning, Evening, and Intermediate. The evening type is also called “night owls” or late chronotype. Night owls prefer to be active in the evening and sleep and wake up late. The misalignment between the sleep patterns in late chronotype and the social schedules puts the night owls in danger of physical and mental health issues.
Purpose of work: The primary aim of this review is to provide a comprehensive overview of current knowledge on the impact of late chronotype on health.
Methods and materials: A review of the literature available in the PubMed database, the following keywords and their combinations were searched: "chronotype", “mental health", "cancer", “late chronotype”, “circadian rhythm”, “type 2 diabetes”, “depression”.
State of knowledge: Studies have confirmed that late chronotype is associated with a higher risk of type 2 diabetes, obesity, cancer, alcohol and cigarette addiction, and unhealthy eating habits. Furthermore, the evening chronotype is an independent risk factor for depression. It is also linked with anxiety, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia.
Summary: In this review, we have summarized the latest research on late chronotype, circadian misalignment, and their potential consequences on human health. Most studies on evening chronotype and related health issues are cross-sectional. Further longitudinal or experimental research is needed to examine the potential cause-and-effect relationships on this cause.
Stem Cell Therapies for Spinal Cord Injury - A Review
Authors: Borodziuk Filip , Borodziuk Barbara , Ciuba Katarzyna , Dąbrowska Paulina , Żuber Michał , Bochyński Karol , Molenda Katarzyna , Dacka Michał , Giżewska Kamila , Białogłowski Konrad
Published: July 2024

The escalating incidence of Spinal Cord Injury (SCI), with approximately 0.9 million cases globally, underscores its growing public health concern. Traumatic SCI, often prevalent in developing nations due to factors like motor vehicle accidents and falls, leads to secondary damage involving inflammation, neuronal death, and ionic dysregulation. Despite the absence of an effective treatment for SCI, Stem Cell Therapy (SCT) emerges as a promising avenue, harnessing stem cells' unique capabilities for regeneration and replacement. The review explores various stem cell types, such as Neural Stem/Progenitor Cells (NS/PCs), Embryonic Stem Cells (ESCs), Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (iPSCs), and Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs), detailing their potential in preclinical and clinical contexts. Specifically, NSCs exhibit therapeutic promise by modulating astrocyte contribution, enhancing differentiation, and promoting growth factors. ESCs, despite their pluripotency, face ethical concerns and potential teratocarcinoma formation. IPSCs, reprogrammed from somatic cells, showcase potential in treating SCI without ethical issues. MSCs, with diverse sources like bone marrow, umbilical cord, and adipose tissue, offer versatility in differentiation and therapeutic benefits. Clinical trials with MSCs, especially BM-MSCs, UC-MSCs, and AD-MSCs, demonstrate improvements in motor and sensory functions, highlighting their regenerative potential. Despite promising results, challenges such as potential tumorigenesis and high costs persist, warranting further exploration and clinical translation of these stem cell therapies for SCI.
Urachal abnormalities in the adult population. Is physical activity involved in clinical manifestation Literature review
Authors: Męczyńska Joanna , Mazurkiewicz Aleksandra , Mądry Wojciech , Marcicka Justyna , Kołodziej Magdalena , Saiuk Nazarii , Wojciechowska Adriana , Seredyński Tomasz , Kozicz Michał Andrzej , Salasa Weronika
Published: July 2024

Introduction
The urachal anomaly is a developmental defect, a remnant of fetal life consisting of a patent connection between the dome of the urinary bladder and the umbilicus. It can take various forms.  Most commonly it occurs in males, very rarely in adults. The main symptoms associated with this condition are: foul-smelling discharge from the umbilicus, abdominal pain, hematuria, or recurrent urinary tract infections. Imaging plays a crucial role in the diagnosis of the persistent urachus.
Aim of the studyThe aim of the study is to sentize doctors’ attention that patent urachus is the rare but possible diagnosis of acute abdomen pain in adults population and bring the proceedings.Materials and methods: An analysis of papers avaliable on Pubmed and Google Scholar was performed. The following key words: urachal anomalies, adults, abdomen pain, urachal remnants, urachal carcinoma were used.Results:Lately, thanks to modern precise imaging diagnostics, more valuable studies have been conducted, allowing to characterize residual ureteral remnants, which are most often asymptomatic in population of adults. However the manifestation of symptoms is mostly associated with infection of the mentioned area or a tumor transformation. There are at least two case reports which report that infection of urachal remnants could manifestate after intensive physical activity. It is worth in-depth interviewing. Studies indicate the necessity of surgical removal of persistent urachal anomalies, as they carry the risk of rapid growth and unfavorable prognosis of cancerous spread.
Impact of education on cerebral cortex volume, thickness and Alzheimer’s disease
Authors: Biskupski Maciej , Bartoszczyk Martyna , Ostański Jan , Daniluk Aleksander , Iwaniuk Kaja , Buczek Jakub , Białkowska Zuzanna , Samczuk Maciej , Stachowicz Hubert , Olszak Joanna
Published: July 2024

Introduction and objective: The purpose of our review was to systematize the knowledge regarding the impact of education on cortical volume and thickness along with assessment of the risk and progress of Alzheimer's disease. We considered the problem among children as well as adults, depending on their level of education and particularized the role of cognitive reserve as a protection from brain damage. Furthermore, we investigate the issue of neuronal tolerance in Alzheimer’s disease.
Review methods: The article is a review of 22 original papers, cohort studies and meta-analyses concerning the impact of education on cortical volume and thickness along with the risk and progress of Alzheimer’s disease.
Abbreviated description of the state of knowledge: Studies have shown that education is associated with an increase in intelligence, which determines the dynamics of brain cortex changes among children. In adults, the thickness of individual brain areas - primarily the temporal and frontal poles - enhances with the increase of their education level. The dynamics of changes in cortical measurements are correlated with education both in healthy adults and in patients with Alzheimer’s disease. A healthy lifestyle, common for those with higher education, has a positive impact on cortical thickness and lowers the risk of developing Alzeihmer’s disease. Moreover, education comes with better neuronal tolerance for accumulated proteins, yet few studies take notice of more dynamic progress of the disease among adults with higher education.
Summary: Research has confirmed the impact of education on cortical volume and thickness. The risk and progress of Alzheimer’s disease are also reflected in the patient’s level of education nevertheless the literature is ambiguous regarding this issue.
The Role of Health Behaviors in the Prevention and Management of Hypertension in Pregnancy: Current Guidelines and Perspectives
Authors: Makuch Rafał , Chrościcka Alicja , Gała Kamil , Czajka Andrzej , Lenard Paweł , Kucharski Adam , Michalska Sara , Pilarski Konrad , Dewicka Martyna , Wawrzyniak Alicja Maria
Published: July 2024

Introduction and purpose
Hypertensive disorders during pregnancy are related to a greater risk of both maternal, and fetal as well as neonatal morbidity and mortality. This literature review aims to synthesize the health-promoting behaviors in daily life like diet, body mass, exercises in the prevention and management of hypertension and possible complications. Gestational hypertension occurs after 20 weeks' pregnancy and usually resolves after 6 weeks' postpartum. Diagnosis of gestational hypertension appears at values >140/90 mmHg in pregnant women. It has to be confirmed in out-of-office BP measurements, and if it's not possible by two separate medical appointments. According to current European guidelines, pharmacological therapy should be introduced in pregnant women with sustained elevated blood pressure ≥ 150/95 mmHg and at values >140/90 mmHg in pregnant women with gestational hypertension. Summarizing the current understanding of risk factors in hypertensive disorders during pregnancy seeks to enhance implementing positive health behaviors in prevention. 
Materials and methods
The following review of studies was based on articles obtained from the PubMed and Google Scholar databases. Key search terms included gestational hypertension, pre-eclampsia, diet, physical activity, pharmacological treatment, obesity, prevention.
Conclusion
The literature review highlights the importance of BP measurements, diet restrictions, exercises of a low to moderate-intensity, pharmacological treatment during pregnancy as key factors in prevention of gestational hypertension. Greater awareness of hypertension in pregnancy encourages optimism for comprehensive research in the future.
Mobile Apps, Trading Behaviors, and Portfolio Performance: Evidence from a Quasi-Experiment in China
Authors: Liu Che-Wei , Mithas Sunil , Pan Yang , Hsieh J. J. Po-An
Published: July 2024

Mobile Apps, Trading Behaviors, and Portfolio Performance: Evidence from a Quasi-Experiment in China

How do mobile apps influence individual investors’ financial decisions and performance? This study answers this timely and important question by using rare archival data from a large securities company in China using a sample of 20,665 investors. Authors find that mobile app adoption does not affect investors’ portfolio performance when one examines aggregate impacts using a binary indicator of mobile app use. Their additional analyses suggest that adopting mobile apps results in a noticeable decrease in time constraints, a proxy for transaction friction, and a modest increase in trend-chasing bias, reflecting tendencies toward myopic decision making. Because the reduction in time constraints can benefit investors’ performance, the increase in trend chasing can be detrimental to investors’ performance, these findings explain why mobile app adoption has no overall effect on portfolio performance. Further analyses of adopters’ postadoption behaviors provide interesting insights and show that the mobile app usage intensity has an inverted U–shaped relationship with portfolio performance. The results are robust to using different samples or excluding high market volatility periods and by using a variety of methods, such as propensity score matching, dynamic matching, stacked difference-in-differences, or an instrumental variable approach.
HyperCARS: Using Hyperbolic Embeddings for Generating Hierarchical Contextual Situations in Context-Aware Recommender Systems
Authors: Bauman Konstantin , Tuzhilin Alexander , Unger Moshe
Published: July 2024

Contextual situations, such as having dinner at a restaurant on Friday with the spouse, became a useful mechanism to represent context in context-aware recommender systems (CARS). Prior research has shown important advantages of using latent embedding representation approaches to model contextual information in the Euclidean space leading to better recommendations. However, these traditional approaches have major challenges with the construction of proper embeddings of hierarchical structures of contextual information, as well as with interpretations of the obtained representations. To address these problems, we propose the HyperCARS method that models hierarchical contextual situations in the latent hyperbolic space. HyperCARS combines hyperbolic embeddings with hierarchical clustering to construct contextual situations, which allows loose coupling of the contextual modeling component with recommendation algorithms and, therefore, provides flexibility to use a broad range of previously developed recommendation algorithms. We demonstrate empirically that HyperCARS better captures and interprets hierarchical contextual representations, leading to better context-aware recommendations. Because hyperbolic embeddings can also be used in many other applications besides CARS, we also propose the latent embeddings representation framework that systematically classifies prior work on embeddings and identifies novel research streams for hyperbolic embeddings across information systems applications.
Sciurus alleni and Otospermophilus variegatus winter activity in Nuevo León, México
Authors: Mercado-Morales David
Published: July 2024

La disponibilidad de agua y alimento durante el invierno es esencial para la supervivencia de ardillas no hibernantes en bosques templados; las ardillas arbóreas y terrestres tienen diferentes estrategias para sobrevivir en invierno.  Esta nota reporta la actividad y comportamiento de Sciurus alleni y Otospermophilus variegatus a nivel del suelo durante el invierno.  Usando cámaras trampa, en un ojo de agua y en un paso de fauna, en un bosque de nogal encarcelado (Juglans mollis), la actividad y comportamiento de ambas ardillas fue registrada; además, por observación directa se analizó la búsqueda, almacenaje y dispersión de nueces.  El patrón de actividad invernal de S. alleni es bimodal largo en ambos sitios y para O. variegatus es según el hábitat del sitio de unimodal corto a multimodal.  Sciurus alleni almacena nueces en forma dispersa.  El tipo de comportamiento es situacional según el sitio de observación, bebiendo en el ojo de agua o tránsito en el paso de fauna.  La presencia del chichimoco Neotamias solivagus también fue registrada confirmando su actividad durante el invierno.  Sciurus alleni es activa todo el invierno aún en temperaturas congelantes y en el crepúsculo, a diferencia de O. variegatus que presentó cortos períodos de actividad, mostrando que ambas ardillas tienen diferentes estrategias para evitar traslape de nicho.  Estos resultados revelan la importancia de las fuentes de agua y los nogales silvestres para la supervivencia de S. alleni y O. variegatus en la temporada fría y seca de invierno en bosques del Parque Nacional Cumbres de Monterrey.
Mamíferos medianos y grandes en un fragmento de bosque subandino en Colombia
Authors: Mopán-Chilito Alex Mauricio , Camacho J. Alejandro , Franco-Pérez Estefanía , Grajales-Hernández O. Eduardo , Link Andrés , Montilla Sebastián O.
Published: July 2024

Los fragmentos de bosques que aún persisten dentro de los ambientes antropizados, juegan un papel fundamental en la conservación de diferentes especies de animales.  Diferentes organismos, usan los fragmentos de bosque como hábitats permanentes o como corredores de paso dentro de los agropaisajes.  El objetivo de este estudio es reportar los mamíferos medianos y grandes en un fragmento de bosque del centro de Colombia.  Este estudio se realizó en un fragmento de bosque de 6 ha ubicado en la finca El Billar, en el municipio de Pijao, Quindío, Colombia.  Para la detección de los mamíferos se utilizó la metodología de fototrampeo, observaciones directas a partir de recorridos (nocturnos y diurnos) y encuestas realizadas a los habitantes locales sobre la mastofauna local percibida.  El periodo de muestreo comprendió entre agosto de 2018 hasta junio de 2021.  Registramos 15 especies de mamíferos medianos y grandes, agrupadas en 12 familias pertenecientes a 6 órdenes, siendo Carnivora y Didelphimorphia los mejor representados, con 6 y 3 especies, respectivamente.  Especies de particular interés por su estado de amenaza y rasgos ecológicos como Aotus lemurinus y Leopardus tigrinus, persisten en este fragmento de bosque a pesar de su reducido tamaño.  Estos registros resaltan el papel que cumplen los pequeños remanentes de bosque en la conservación de las especies y la importancia de generar estrategias de conectividad entre ecosistemas altamente antropizados.
Exploring new sites: the neotropical otter (Lontra longicaudis annectens) in Bahía del Tóbari, Sonora, México
Authors: Leyva-García Germán , Gallo-Reynoso Juan Pablo , Barba-Acuña Isai David
Published: July 2024

La nutria neotropical (Lontra longicaudis annectens) tiene una amplia distribución en México, la especie habita en ríos, lagunas, esteros, humedales y bahías.  Desde bosques de pino-encino, bosques mesófilos de montaña subtropicales hasta manglares, y desde los 2,617 m hasta el nivel del mar.  El objetivo del estudio fue reportar la presencia de nutrias neotropicales en un medio ambiente salobre, incluyendo islotes artificiales o tarquinas para alimentarse y descansar.  Se encontraron rastros de nutria neotropical mientras se hacían conteos de aves y la estimación de la anidación de aves marinas y playeras, en los canales y playas de la Bahía del Tóbari, Sonora.  Encontramos rastros de nutria en una isleta o tarquina en la Bahía de El Tóbari, Sonora.  Los habitantes de la zona nos mostraron un esqueleto con piel seca casi completo de una nutria neotropical encontrado en una playa cercana a la localidad.  Completamos el estudio con algunos registros previos no publicados de la nutria neotropical cercanos a la localidad.  Estos islotes artificiales o tarquinas proveen a las nutrias presas disponibles, ya que las nutrias depredan sobre una variedad de aves acuáticas, además de que estas estructuras proveen lugares de descanso a las nutrias.  Al usar hábitats de aguas salobres, las nutrias muestran la plasticidad de la especie para explorar nuevos sitios y obtener fuentes alternas de alimentos.
A morphologically atypical great fruit-eating bat Artibeus lituratus from Paraguay
Authors: Vrla Sarah C. , Winnett Morgan E. , Stevens Richard D.
Published: July 2024

Las anormalidades morfológicas y sus causas subyacentes están ampliamente conocidas y documentadas en humanos y animales domésticos; sin embargo, no se reportan frecuentemente en poblaciones silvestres.  Este fenómeno se debe a que muchas anormalidades conducen a la muerte temprana del individuo y generalmente solo se las observa cuando se colecta un gran número de especímenes.  Aquí reportamos una hembra adulta del murciélago frutero Artibeus lituratus (Chiroptera, Phyllostomidae) de Paraguay con anormalidades craneales y post-craneales notorias.  Los especímenes, incluyendo al individuo atípico de A. lituratus, fueron preparados como ejemplares científicos de piel y cráneo, y depositados en el Natural Science Research Laboratory de la Universidad de Texas Tech.  Las secuencias de Citocromo b (Cyt b) fueron cargadas en BLAST para la identificación de la especie.  Comparamos cuantitativamente al individuo atípico con otras 15 hembras normales colectadas en la misma localidad usando 13 medidas alares y 13 craneales.  La secuencia del Cyt b del espécimen atípico obtuvo 100 % de coincidencia con A. lituratus.  El ejemplar atípico fue de tamaño menor en las medidas convencionales del cuerpo y morfología de alas.  El cráneo fue más pequeño y menos robusto comparado con otras hembras de A. lituratus del mismo sitio.  Los huesos mastoideos y las crestas sagitales fueron notablemente reducidos y el escudo frontal estuvo ausente en el individuo atípico.  Recomendamos que las anormalidades morfológicas se reporten con mayor frecuencia ya que la obtención de la tasa de anormalidad puede indicar el estado de salud poblacional.
Mother’s defense of a juvenile rock squirrel (Otospermophilus variegatus) against a rattlesnake (Crotalus molossus)
Authors: González-Jaramillo urya Ivonne , Lozano-Amaro Ileana , Glebskiy Yury , Cano-Santana Zenón
Published: July 2024

La depredación de ardillones de roca (Otospermophilus variegatus) por serpientes de cascabel (Crotalus sp.) ha llevado a un proceso coevolutivo durante el cual los ardillones han desarrollado resistencia al veneno de serpiente de cascabel y una serie de comportamientos complejos que les permiten protegerse contra la depredación.  En esta nota describimos una observación de tal comportamiento; cómo una madre ardillón protege a un joven contra el ataque de una serpiente de cascabel.  Fuimos testigos de un enfrentamiento entre una madre ardillón y una serpiente de cascabel por un juvenil que fue atacado por la serpiente, y la estrategia utilizada para guiar a su cría lejos del peligro.  La madre ardillón amenazó a la serpiente de cascabel moviendo su cola y se retiró lateralmente a un árbol cercano.  El juvenil siguió a la madre guiado por su olor.  Cuando llegaron a una distancia segura, saltaron del árbol y se alejaron manteniendo la distancia.  Antes de retirarse, la madre intentó interactuar con los observadores.  Trabajadores locales confirman que las ardillas les advierten sobre la presencia de serpientes de cascabel.  El comportamiento defensivo que observamos fue complejo y efectivo.  La madre pudo guiar al joven ardillón fuera del peligro, y la estrategia estuvo bien planeada, ya que se retiraron a un árbol cercano donde la serpiente de cascabel estaría en desventaja.  Se concluye que los ardillones de roca tienen un comportamiento bien desarrollado para proteger a sus crías contra los ataques de serpientes.
Review of recently published articles
Authors: Oseji Dolapo
Published: July 2024

Dolapo Oseji provides a synopsis and brief review of a selection of recently published research articles that are of interest to neuroscience nurses, highlighting key points to keep you up to date; a full reference is provided for those who wish to read the research in more detail
Neurology nursing numbers: where are our nurses?
Authors: Thomas Sue
Published: July 2024

The publication of our NHS Long Term Workforce Plan ( NHS England, 2023 ) is perhaps one of the most seminal moments in the 75-year history of the NHS. This is the first time the government has asked the NHS to come up with a comprehensive workforce plan; a once-in-a-generation opportunity to put staffing on a sustainable footing and improve patient care. The future outlook for the nursing workforce holds both promise and challenges as the healthcare landscape continues to evolve. With ongoing shifts in demographics, technology, and healthcare delivery models, nurses play a crucial role in providing quality patient care. But does the NHS know how many nurses are currently working in neurology? Are there enough to manage the care that is required? Sue Thomas highlights the current challenges facing the neurology and nursing workforce, trends in nursing employment, the impact of technology and highlights the lack of information about our current neurology nursing numbers and suggests that strategies are needed to address neurology nursing shortages.
A brown recluse spider bite wound: a case report and literature review
Authors: Fang Lauren , Chen Joanna , Spurgeon-Hess Taylor , Thompson Noelle , Simman Richard
Published: July 2024

The aim of this case report is to highlight an uncommon diagnosis for necrotic wounds. Brown recluse spider bites are a challenging clinical diagnosis and need to be considered as part of differential diagnoses, especially with the spider's natural distribution altering due to the effects of climate change. We present a case of a 44-year-old female patient who developed systemic symptoms and wound necrosis from a presumed brown recluse spider bite. The patient had multiple risk factors for poor wound healing and necrotic skin infections. It is important to be able to recognise unique manifestations of this rare diagnosis in order to avoid delay of timely and effective intervention and treatment.

Declaration of interest:

The authors have no conflicts of interest.
Preparing the new paramedic generation
Authors: Wyatt Dan
Published: July 2024

As a former lecturer himself now studying paramedic science, Dan Wyatt reflects on the amount of work and planning that must go on behind the scenes to sufficiently prepare a new generation of paramedics
Biogenic Silver Oxide Nanoparticles for Inhibition of TMT Rod Corrosion in Marine Environment
Authors: S. Monikandon  , N. Ravisankar
Published: July 2024

The current study explores the utilization of Thespesia populnea mediated biogenically synthesized silver oxide using as a protective coating for TMT rods in a marine environment. The process commenced with the extraction of the inhibitor from the leaves of the plant using ethanol followed by the preparation of silver oxide nanoparticles (AgONPs). Subsequently, TMT rods were coated with these AgONPs and subjected to the corrosive conditions of marine environment. In this investigation, AgONPs were synthesized employing chemical precipitation method and their size effects were thoroughly examined using techniques such as, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy, Fourier Ultraviolet-visible Spectroscopy and SEM. Remarkably, when TMT rods were coated with 10 layers of AgONPs, the corrosion rate efficiency escalated to 97.1% for 8 mm rods, 95.2% for 10 mm rods and 98.7% for 16 mm rods. Furthermore, the inhibition data conform to the Langmuir adsorption isotherm suggesting that the action of AgONPs followed a physical adsorption mechanism.
Facilitating Eco-Friendly Construction Practices with the Sustainable Application of Nanomaterials in Concrete Composites
Authors: K. Srinivasan  , S. Vivek  , V. Sampathkumar
Published: July 2024

This research concentrates on the development of Nano Modified Concrete (NMC) and evaluates its performance through an extensive analysis of various strength and durability properties. The study encompasses assessments such as slump cone test, compressive strength, split tensile strength, flexural strength, permeability and acid resistance. The objective is to appraise the structural robustness of NMC, employing Nanosilica (NS) and Nanoclay (NC) as supplementary cementitious materials. Sixteen distinct concrete mixtures underwent casting and testing, featuring diverse cement replacement rates (0%, 1%, 2%, and 3%) of NS and NC at varying addition levels (0%, 5%, 10%, and 15% of nano additives by weight of fine aggregate) for each trial. Comparative analysis with conventional concrete underscores the notable enhancement in mechanical strength achieved by NMC without compromising its fresh and hardened state properties. Additionally, the incorporation of NS and NC contributes to increased slump values, facilitating improved workability due to smoother concrete surfaces. The findings suggest that the introduction of NMC leads to an overall improvement in the long-term performance of concrete structures. Adding NS and NC not only improves the properties of concrete but also plays a role in alleviating soil pollution.
Fuzzy Logic Controller-based Intelligent Irrigation System Using Solar Radiation Data
Authors: K. C. Jayasankar  , G. Anandhakumar  , A. Kalaimurugan
Published: July 2024

Solar radiation is a critical factor influencing agricultural productivity and water resource management. Irrigation systems play a pivotal role in maintaining crop health and yield, and optimizing their operation requires accurate solar radiation data. This abstract explores the significance of solar radiation data in enhancing the efficiency of irrigation systems. Irrigating agricultural fields using an intelligent information system plays a crucial role. This study introduces an irrigation control system employing closed-loop control to use the available water resources efficiently. Continuous data collection from field sensors was done and transmitted to a central station in wireless mode. The data was then retrieved and processed in a computer-based or microcontroller-based solution model, enhancing system autonomy, reliability, and cost-effectiveness. Weather conditions are translated into fuzzy set values. The pump, water outlet valves, and sprinklers are set into motion according to control commands. This research simplifies the need for manual labor and reduces water wastage.
Enhancing Environmental Sustainability: Extreme Learning Machine Approach to Industrial Waste Management
Authors: R. Ponni  , R. Sharmila  , T. Jayasankar  , Chandrasekar Perumal
Published: July 2024

Industrial activities pose significant challenges to environmental conservation due to the generation of large volumes of waste. Effectively managing industrial waste is essential for mitigating environmental impact and fostering sustainable development. This research proposes the utilization of Extreme Learning Machine (ELM) algorithms to optimize industrial waste management practices and enhance environmental conservation efforts. The study encompasses various aspects, including predictive modelling for waste generation, automated waste segregation and sorting, optimization of waste treatment processes, environmental impact assessment, resource recovery from waste streams, real-time monitoring and control systems, decision support systems for policy-making, data-driven compliance monitoring, risk assessment, and mitigation strategies. Overall, the advantages of ELM make it a powerful tool for various machine learning tasks, particularly in scenarios where efficiency, scalability, and simplicity are crucial. By integrating ELM algorithms with Internet of Things (IoT) devices and sensor networks, smart waste management systems can be developed for proactive intervention and pollution prevention. This research aims to contribute to the advancement of sustainable industrial practices and environmental conservation efforts through innovative applications of Extreme Learning Machine in waste management.
The Scientific Event as a Formative Activity in Postgraduate Studies : Perspectives from the Scientific Committee of the FORPED PPGGOC
Authors: Silva Patrícia Nascimento , Maculan Benildes Coura Moreira dos Santos
Published: July 2024

Aims: To share the experiences of a scientific committee of an academic-scientific event proposed as a teaching activity for postgraduate studies.
 Methodology: It is a descriptive, exploratory, and applied study; the methodology consisted of a bibliographic research that sought inputs on scientific communication and good project management practices for their application in the management of the scientific committee. The management, organization, and monitoring of activities and tasks were carried out through a shared electronic spreadsheet with the team, stored in the cloud.
 Results: As a result, the main milestones, activities, and artifacts produced by the scientific committee of the event were presented, as well as the details and chronological order of the activities, in guide format, to contribute to the academic training of postgraduate students and those interested in organizing academic-scientific events. The activities and artifacts in other events should be replicated to improve the documentation presented in this study.
Chinese SOEs’ technological upgrading through OFDI: The impact of political ties and subnational institutions. A survey of literature
Authors: Suo Mengchen , Fu Xiaolan
Published: July 2024

This paper presents a systematic literature review on the relationship between outward foreign direct investment (OFDI) and technological upgrading in Chinese state-owned enterprises (SOEs), emphasizing the moderating role of political ties and subnational institutions. Analyzing 51 core papers from 2011 to 2022, the study synthesizes key theories on how political ties influence Chinese SOEs’ technological upgrading through OFDI. It also finds that political ties affect motivations and resources of SOEs with various types of state ownership and thus affect their OFDI strategies and innovation capabilities. This research further explores the impact of subnational institutions and their interactions with political ties. The findings underscore the perspective that subnational institutions shape a firm’s learning capability, and their impact is moderated by SOEs’ political ties. Finally, the study identifies key issues in SOEs’ technological upgrading through OFDI and offers valuable insights for policymakers and SOE managers. Future research directions are outlined to understand the impact of OFDI on the technological upgrading of Chinese SOEs.
The Evolution of China and Its Rising Multinationals. Introduction
Authors: Casanova Lourdes , Chen Limin , Miroux Anne
Published: July 2024

The emergence of Chinese companies as key players in the global economy underscores China’s transformation into a global powerhouse. Through large sample analyses, case studies, and literature surveys, this special issue aims to enhance our understanding of this phenomenon, focusing on various aspects of the internationalization of Chinese firms over the past two decades and exploring their success as well as the challenges they face moving forward.
Comprehensive device modeling and a performance analysis of perovskite-silicon tandem solar cells through light management
Authors: Pan Zhao-Yao , Chen Hai-Tao , Yang Jin-Peng
Published: July 2024

Currently, researchers are paying much attention to perovskite-silicon tandem solar cells due to their great potential to surpass the Shockley–Queisser limit of single silicon solar cells. In order to improve the performance of perovskite-silicon tandem solar cells, various techniques have been employed, including selecting textured structures or optimizing the film thickness in the top perovskite cells. However, despite these efforts, significant losses due to surface reflection and unbalanced light absorption still exist, and the accurate predictions combining both optical and electric calculations towards obtaining higher power conversion efficiency (PCE) are still lacking. In this study, we integrated optical and electrical numerical simulations to precisely investigate the effectiveness of using a pyramidal perovskite (MAPbI3) nanostructured film as an example in perovskite-silicon tandem solar cells to reduce the reflective losses and balance the current densities. Through our calculations, the PCE of tandem solar cells can be improved from 23.1% (the planar structures without texturing) to 29.3% in the best-performing textured tandem devices (with a period of 300 nm and peak-to-valley height of 300 nm) under the consistently calculated absorbed and EQE spectrum. Direct comparisons between calculated results and experimental data could also reveal the influence ascribed to a detailed factor that hinders the PCE improvement. These findings offer valuable theoretical insights for the advancement and optimization of perovskite-silicon tandem solar cells.
Identification of microalgal particles using pixel feature analysis of Mueller matrix images
Authors: Cui Wei , Wan Jiachen , Hu Zheng , Pei Haojie , Li Weiye , Liao Ran , Ma Hui
Published: July 2024

Fine sorting of aquatic particles is of great significance for water environment monitoring. Natural water contains aquatic particles that exhibit a high degree of diversity and complexity, and the identification of aquatic particles remains a persistent challenge in the field. In this article, we propose a new technique for identifying the target species of microalgal particles by using the pixel feature analysis of Mueller matrix images. This technique is independent of any prior knowledge or data about the existing particles in the environment, which is advantageous when applied to real-world situations. The pixel-level polarimetric features are fully leveraged to construct polarization feature templates, which can be used to characterize and filter specific microalgal particles in complex environments. This method could enable the accurate detection of harmful algal blooms species in natural water, which can facilitate early warning of algal blooms. The preliminary results show that the recall rate reached 97.2%, and the average accuracy is 98.9%, which demonstrate the effectiveness of this approach for identifying the target species of aquatic particles in natural water.
Frame-filtered ghost imaging with a SPAD array used both as a multiple “bucket” detector and an imaging camera
Authors: Starovoitov V. S. , Chizhevsky V. N. , Mogilevtsev D. , Smaliakou A. , Perenzoni M. , Gasparini L. , Horoshko D. B. , Kilin S.
Published: July 2024

An approach to ghost imaging with a single SPAD array used simultaneously as a several-pixel “bucket” detector and an imaging camera is described. The key points of the approach are filtering data frames used for ghost-image reconstruction by the number of per-frame counts and superposing correlation images obtained for different “bucket” pixels. The imaging is performed in an experiment with a pseudo-thermal light source where the light intensity is so low that the dark counts have a noticeable effect on imaging. We demonstrate that the approach is capable of significantly reducing the destructive effect of dark counts on the ghost image and improving image contrast, spatial resolution, and image similarity to a reference image.
Scalable photonic reservoir computing based on pulse propagation in parallel passive dispersive links
Authors: Cai Xinyi , Yang Shuna , Yang Bo , Zhai Yanrong , Jin Tao , Chi Hao
Published: July 2024

We propose and demonstrate a scalable photonic reservoir computing system based on pulse propagation in parallel passive dispersive links. The approach features a simple structure and is composed of passive components, such as dispersive elements and ring resonators. The system utilizes a pulsed laser and employs a multi-channel architecture with dispersive elements for pulse broadening and ring resonators for delay stacking. It is verified for its capability to handle both digital tasks (2-bit Boolean logic operations, header recognition) and analog tasks (Mackey-Glass time-series prediction, Lorenz 63 time-series prediction). A major advantage of the approach lies in its scalability. It has been confirmed that more complex tasks can be processed by using a system with more channels, along with dispersive elements and ring resonators with larger dispersion amounts and delays, respectively.
Non-Hermitian Zigzag Glauber Lattice
Authors: Ojeda Gilberto Fahara , Martínez Braulio Villegas , Mondragón José Javier Sánchez , Gesing Sandra , Batelle Torey , Neto Antonio , GARAY IVAN BOCANEGRA , Licea-Rodriguez Jacob , Vargas Roberto Beltrán , Alatorre J. Escobedo
Published: July 2024

A non-unitary transformation is applied to a non-Hermitian zigzag waveguide
array, resulting in Hermitian dynamics that describe a reciprocal waveguide system. A comparison between the exact and numerical solution is performed.
Effects of surface roughness of a wave plate on the development of diffractive polarization speckle
Authors: Hanson Steen , Takeda Mitsuo , Wang Wei , Ma Ning
Published: July 2024

A rough-surfaced retardation plate is a particular polarization-dependent phase modulation device, the performance of which is affected by its surface roughness structures. In previous research[1], its decorrelation and depolarization effect have been investigated under an assumption of a rough surface model with large covariance of thickness fluctuation, giving fully developed speckle field by transmission/reflection. In this paper, the analysis of the rough-surfaced retardation plate will continue but be focused on a smooth roughness model. When the thickness fluctuation is relatively small, partially developed speckle will be generated. The statistics of partially developed polarization speckle with nonuniform spatial distribution of polarization state will be discussed in the form of matrix elements of the coherence-polarization matrix. The propagation of the partially developed speckle field will be traced within the framework of the complex-valued ABCD matrix theory under paraxial approximation to reveal the evolution of its degree change of coherence and polarization on propagation. This means that Gaussian apertures are included in the optical train of elements. The differences for the statistical features to the fully developed polarization speckle are emphasized.
The effect of repeat feeding on dengue virus transmission potential in Wolbachia-infected Aedes aegypti following extended egg quiescence
Authors: Lau Meng-Jia , Valdez Andrés R. , Jones Matthew J. , Aranson Igor , Hoffmann Ary A. , McGraw Elizabeth A.
Published: July 2024

As Wolbachia pipientis is more widely being released into field populations of Aedes aegypti for disease control, the ability to select the appropriate strain for differing environments is increasingly important. A previous study revealed that longer-term quiescence in the egg phase reduced the fertility of mosquitoes, especially those harboring the wAlbB Wolbachia strain. This infertility was also associated with a greater biting rate. Here, we attempt to quantify the effect of this heightened biting behavior on the transmission potential of the dengue virus using a combination of assays for fitness, probing behavior, and vector competence, allowing repeat feeding, and incorporate these effects in a model of R0. We show that Wolbachia-infected infertile mosquitoes are more interested in feeding almost immediately after an initial blood meal relative to wild type and Wolbachia-infected fertile mosquitoes and that these differences continue for up to 8 days over the period we measured. As a result, the infertile Wolbachia mosquitoes have higher virus prevalence and loads than Wolbachia-fertile mosquitoes. We saw limited evidence of Wolbachia-mediated blocking in the disseminated tissue (legs) in terms of prevalence but did see reduced viral loads. Using a previously published estimate of the extrinsic incubation period, we demonstrate that the effect of repeat feeding/infertility is insufficient to overcome the effects of Wolbachia-mediated blocking on R0. These estimates are very conservative, however, and we posit that future studies should empirically measure EIP under a repeat feeding model. Our findings echo previous work where periods of extensive egg quiescence affected the reproductive success of Wolbachia-infected Ae. aegypti. Additionally, we show that increased biting behavior in association with this infertility in Wolbachia-infected mosquitoes may drive greater vector competence. These relationships require further exploration, given their ability to affect the success of field releases of Wolbachia for human disease reduction in drier climates where longer egg quiescence periods are expected.