bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Construção de um sistema com controle de temperatura por Arduino para aplicações em técnicas de fabricação de filmes finos
Authors: Santos Rafael Costa dos
Published: February 2022

Um filme fino é uma camada de material com espessura que geralmente varia entre nanômetros e micrômetros e que é depositado sobre um material visando alterar suas propriedades superficiais (SEMICORE, 2014).
RELAÇÃO ENTRE NÍVEL PRESSÓRICO E PESO EM ESCOLARES DE FEIRA DE SANTANA-BA
Authors: Freitas Filipe Mota
Published: February 2022

Hipertensão arterial (HA) é uma condição clínica multifatorial caracterizada por elevação sustentada dos níveis pressóricos. Existiam diversas definições para HA assim como inúmeras metodologias para aferição da pressão arterial (PA) o que dificultava seu entendimento. Em 2004 o “National High Blood Pressure Education Program” (NHBPEP) sugeriu critérios para definição e promoveu uniformidade na classificação da PA na população pediátrica (DIRETRIZES SBC, 2016).
INVESTIGAÇÃO DA COMPOSIÇÃO QUÍMICA E ATIVIDADE ANTIOXIDANTE DE FOLHAS DE Myrcia rostrata
Authors: Silva Carneiro Almeida Tayrinne
Published: February 2022

Myrcia rostrata DC. é conhecida popularmente como “cambuí”, “guamirim-de-folha-miúda”, “guamirim-chorão”, dentre outros nomes. Esta espécie é bastante encontrada em muitos estados brasileiros e é muito importante no ecossistema pela contribuição na dispersão de sementes (ALCÂNTARA, 2012, p.15).
Ação isolados de Trichoderma spp. provenientes da coleção de culturas de microrganismos da Bahia (CCMB) no controle de doenças do tomateiro
Authors: Soares Balbinote Luis Henrique
Published: February 2022

A cultura do tomate (Solanum lycopersicum) no Brasil é uma atividade de grandeimportância para o setor agrícola. A maior parte dessa produção é destinada ao consumo in natura, utilizado comumente na culinária para a alimentação humana.
ESTUDOS MORFOANATÔMICOS E FARMACOGNÓSTICOS DO GÊNERO LIPPIA L. (VERBENACEAE) DA CHAPADA DIAMANTINA – BA
Authors: Da Silva Gabriel Barros
Published: February 2022

A família Verbenaceae J.St.-Hil compreende 32 gêneros e cerca de 840 espécies (MARX et al., 2010). A distribuição desta família é pantropical com maior diversidade na região dos neotrópicos (ATKINS, 2004). Para o Brasil são registrados 16 gêneros e cerca de 279 espécies (SALIMENA et al., 2018).
Performance analysis of a UAV-based IRS-assisted hybrid RF/FSO link with pointing and phase shift errors
Authors: Malik Suman , Saxena Prakriti , Chung Yeon Ho
Published: February 2022

Intelligent reflecting surface (IRS)-assisted wireless communication has recently become a promising technology to relax the line-of-sight requirement and also to provide a communication link in uncovered and remote areas. In this work, an alternate implementation of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)-based IRS-assisted hybrid free space optics/radio frequency wireless communications is presented. Phase shift errors occur due to the presence of reflecting elements in the IRS and affect the reflected beam. We consider the effect of phase shift error along with atmospheric turbulence, which is modeled as gamma-gamma distribution. Furthermore, a statistical model is considered for pointing errors due to the position and orientation fluctuation of the mounted IRS on the UAV. We derive closed-form expressions of the average symbol error rate and spectral efficiency of the considered system, under the combined effects of atmospheric turbulence, pointing error, and phase shift error. In addition, we present asymptotic analysis of the average symbol error rate of the system in a high SNR region and evaluate the diversity order and coding gain. The derived results are further validated using Monte Carlo simulation.
Bypass/backup-link switchable coherent point-to-multipoint configured WDM-PON system with shared protection
Authors: Kodama Takahiro , Goto Tetsuji , Nakagawa Tomoya , Matsumoto Ryosuke
Published: February 2022

A disaster-resistant, point-to-multipoint network configuration that connects distributed optical terminals to a centralized optical terminal, through an exclusive fiber link, is required in edge computing strategies such as 5G, IoT applications, ultrareliable and low latency applications, high-performance content delivery, artificial intelligence applications, and hyperconverged infrastructure. Therefore, we introduce a shared link orientation that fully connects the distributed optical terminal side to the centralized optical terminal side represented by the conventional optical access network. We also propose a method that switches a fully-coupled or half-split network to the centralized optical terminal on the optical switch aggregation station side. We report a verification experiment on the proposed method to confirm the operation of wavelength conversion/optical path switching when a link failure occurs, achieving < 2 dB penalty with small back reflection in wavelength collision-free secondary link transmissions with primary link failure. The unique point of this research is that the centralized optical terminal can easily change from the link-occupancy-oriented network to the link-sharing-oriented network. This work will lead to development of a novel disaster-resistant network configuration for wavelength division multiplexing-based coherent passive optical network systems.
Spatially multiplexed single-photon sources based on incomplete binary-tree multiplexers
Authors: Adam Peter , Bodog Ferenc , Mechler Matyas
Published: February 2022

We propose two novel types of spatially multiplexed single-photon sources based on incomplete binary-tree multiplexers. The incomplete multiplexers are extensions of complete binary-tree multiplexers, and they contain incomplete branches either at the input or at the output of them. We analyze and optimize these systems realized with general asymmetric routers and photon-number-resolving detectors by applying a general statistical theory introduced previously that includes all relevant loss mechanisms. We show that the use of any of the two proposed multiplexing systems can lead to higher single-photon probabilities than that achieved with complete binary-tree multiplexers. Single-photon sources based on output-extended incomplete binary-tree multiplexers outperform those based on input-extended ones in the considered parameter ranges, and they can in principle yield single-photon probabilities higher than 0.93 when they are realized by state-of-the-art bulk optical elements. We show that the application of the incomplete binary-tree approach can significantly improve the performance of the multiplexed single-photon sources for suboptimal system sizes that is a typical situation in current experiments.
Dynamically switchable broadband and triple-band terahertz absorber based on a metamaterial structure with graphene
Authors: Chen Zhe , Chen Jinjiang , Tang Haowen , Shen Tao , Zhang Hui
Published: February 2022

This paper proposes a terahertz absorber with a simple four-layered structure that can be dynamically switched between broadband and triple-band by controlling the chemical potential of graphene. The proposed absorber owns broadband absorption in the frequency range from 5.28 THz to 7.86 THz with the corresponding absorption efficiency above 90%, when the chemical potential of graphene is 150 meV. By increasing the chemical potential of graphene to 550 meV, the broadband absorption splits into triple-band absorption, with the peak locating at 5.39 THz, 7.01 THz and 8.1 THz, respectively. Detailed investigation shows that the broadband absorption should originate from magnetic resonance, Fabry-Pérot cavity resonance and surface plasmon polariton. The triple-band absorption should arise from the combination of Fabry-Pérot cavity resonance and surface plasmon polariton. Additionally, both broadband absorption and triple-band absorption are insensitive to the incident polarization. This tunable and bifunctional metamaterial structure shows a great potential in terahertz applications, such as detectors, modulators and sensors.
Phase-locking of time-delayed attosecond XUV pulse pairs
Authors: Koll Lisa-Marie , Maikowski Laura , Drescher Lorenz , Vrakking Marc J. J. , Witting Tobias
Published: February 2022

We present a setup for the generation of phase-locked attosecond extreme ultraviolet (XUV) pulse pairs. The attosecond pulse pairs are generated by high harmonic generation (HHG) driven by two phase-locked near-infrared (NIR) pulses that are produced using an actively stabilized Mach-Zehnder interferometer compatible with near-single cycle pulses. The attosecond XUV pulses can be delayed over a range of 400 fs with a sub-10-as delay jitter. We validate the precision and the accuracy of the setup by XUV optical interferometry and by retrieving the energies of Rydberg states of helium in an XUV pump–NIR probe photoelectron spectroscopy experiment.
Quasi-omnidirectional retroreflective metagrating for TE-polarized waves based on wave-vector reversions
Authors: Jia Yuxiang , Wang Jiafu , Han Yajuan , Zhu Ruichao , Fu Xinmin , Ding Meng , Guo Xiaoming , Meng Yueyu , Wang Jun , Jiang Jinming , Qu Shaobo
Published: February 2022

Structuring elements of gratings brings more freedom in manipulating diffraction waves, e.g., retroreflection using diffraction orders other than the 0th order. Most retroreflective metagratings (RMs) can achieve retroreflection only under one particular direction, limiting their applications. In this paper, we propose a quasi-omnidirectional RM based on wave-vector reversion for TE-polarized waves. The metagrating element is composed of four rotationally-symmetric sub-elements, which is composed of one probe and two directors on its two sides. The substrate-air-metal layer can reverse kz while directors can reverse kx. Therefore, the wave-vector
k
of reflected waves can be completely reversed by the sub-element, providing necessary momentum for retroreflection. The −2nd diffraction order of the metagrating is tailored to channel out waves with reversed
k
, leading to retroreflection. Due to the element’s four-fold rotational symmetry, retroreflection can be achieved along four directions, covering all of the four quarters of azimuth angle. We demonstrate prototypes in Ku band, and the average backscattering enhancement compared with a metal plane with the same area (SAMP) along the four directions reaches up to 31.3 dB with incident angle 50.0° at 15.0 GHz. Both simulated and measured results verify our design. This work provides another perspective on retroreflection and may find applications in retroreflective functional devices.
Chaotic physical security strategy based on manifold learning-assisted GANs for SDM–OFDM–PONs
Authors: Zhu Xiaorong , Ren Jianxin , Zhu Xu , Mao Yaya , Wu Xiangyu , Zhu Suiyao , Wu Yongfeng , Zhao Lilong , Sun Tingting , Ullah Rahat , Tian Feng , Liu Bo
Published: February 2022

In this paper, we propose a high-security spatial division multiplexing orthogonal frequency division multiplexing passive optical network (SDM–OFDM–PON) encryption scheme based on manifold learning-assisted generative adversarial networks (MFGANs). The chaotic sequences generated by MFGANs are applied to produce the masking vectors to encrypt the constellation and frequency. With the help of manifold learning, the proposed scheme can learn the complex structures from various chaotic models and makes use of more parameters than a single traditional model to achieve the large key space of 1 × 10183. A 70 Gb/s encrypted OFDM signal transmission over 2 km 7-core fiber was experimentally demonstrated. In addition, due to the capacity of parallel computing of graphics processing units (GPUs), the encryption time by the proposed scheme is around 1.38% of the conventional encryption scheme. It is therefore shown that the proposed encryption scheme can ensure both efficiency and security in SDM–OFDM–PON systems.
Comparative study on the linear thermal expansion coefficient of laser host crystals by first principles calculations
Authors: Sato Yoichi , Taira Takunori
Published: February 2022

We evaluated the linear thermal expansion coefficient
(α) of various laser host crystals with cubic
symmetry by first principles calculations, where the relation of
calculated α was CaF2 >>
Sc2O3 > ZnS > ZnSe ∼
Lu3Al5O12 > Y3Al5O12 > Y2O3 > Lu2O3
at 300 K. The variation of temperature dependent
α for these materials in past reports are
approximately 15%, and it is comparable to the difference from
our calculated α. We also proposed numerical
models for thermal expansion from 150 K to 900 K that reproduced our
calculated α with the error below
2%.
Safety and efficacy of mass drug administration with a single-dose triple-drug regimen of albendazole + diethylcarbamazine + ivermectin for lymphatic filariasis in Papua New Guinea: An open-label, cluster-randomised trial
Authors: Tavul Livingstone , Laman Moses , Howard Cade , Kotty Bethuel , Samuel Anna , Bjerum Catherine , O’Brian Kobie , Kumai Steven , Amuga Matthew , Lorry Lina , Kerry Zebedee , Kualawi Melvin , Karl Stephan , Makita Leo , John Lucy N. , Bieb Sibauk , Wangi James , Weil Gary J. , Goss Charles W. , Tisch Daniel J. , Pomat William , King Christopher L. , Robinson Leanne J.
Published: February 2022

Background

Papua New Guinea (PNG) has a high burden of lymphatic filariasis (LF) caused by Wuchereria bancrofti, with an estimated 4.2 million people at risk of infection. A single co-administered dose of ivermectin, diethylcarbamazine and albendazole (IDA) has been shown to have superior efficacy in sustained clearance of microfilariae compared to diethylcarbamazine and albendazole (DA) in small clinical trials. A community-based cluster-randomised trial of DA versus IDA was conducted to compare the safety and efficacy of IDA and DA for LF in a moderately endemic, treatment-naive area in PNG.

Methodology

All consenting, eligible residents of 24 villages in Bogia district, Madang Province, PNG were enrolled, screened for W. bancrofti antigenemia and microfilaria (Mf) and randomised to receive IDA (N = 2382) or DA (N = 2181) according to their village of residence. Adverse events (AE) were assessed by active follow-up for 2 days and passive follow-up for an additional 5 days. Antigen-positive participants were re-tested one year after MDA to assess treatment efficacy.

Principal findings

Of the 4,563 participants enrolled, 96% were assessed for AEs within 2 days after treatment. The overall frequency of AEs were similar after either DA (18%) or IDA (20%) treatment. For those individuals with AEs, 87% were mild (Grade 1), 13% were moderate (Grade 2) and there were no Grade 3, Grade 4, or serious AEs (SAEs). The frequency of AEs was greater in Mf-positive than Mf-negative individuals receiving IDA (39% vs 20% p<0.001) and in Mf-positive participants treated with IDA (39%), compared to those treated with DA (24%, p = 0.023). One year after treatment, 64% (645/1013) of participants who were antigen-positive at baseline were re-screened and 74% of these participants (475/645) remained antigen positive. Clearance of Mf was achieved in 96% (52/54) of infected individuals in the IDA arm versus 84% (56/67) of infected individuals in the DA arm (relative risk (RR) 1.15; 95% CI, 1.02 to 1.30; p = 0.019). Participants receiving DA treatment had a 4-fold higher likelihood of failing to clear Mf (RR 4.67 (95% CI: 1.05 to 20.67; p = 0.043). In the DA arm, a significant predictor of failure to clear was baseline Mf density (RR 1.54; 95% CI, 1.09 to 2.88; p = 0.007).

Conclusion

IDA was well tolerated and more effective than DA for clearing Mf. Widespread use of this regimen could accelerate LF elimination in PNG.

Trial registration

Registration number NCT02899936; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02899936.
Geostatistical modelling enables efficient safety assessment for mass drug administration with ivermectin in Loa loa endemic areas through a combined antibody and LoaScope testing strategy for elimination of onchocerciasis
Authors: Johnson Olatunji , Giorgi Emanuele , Fronterrè Claudio , Amoah Benjamin , Atsame Julienne , Ella Sylvie Ntsame , Biamonte Marco , Ogoussan Kisito , Hundley Lee , Gass Katherine , Diggle Peter J.
Published: February 2022

The elimination of onchocerciasis through community-based Mass Drug Administration (MDA) of ivermectin (Mectizan) is hampered by co-endemicity ofLoa loa, as individuals who are highly co-infected withLoa loaparasites can suffer serious and occasionally fatal neurological reactions from the drug. The test-and-not-treat strategy of testing all individuals participating in MDA has some operational constraints including the cost and limited availability of LoaScope diagnostic tools. As a result, aLoa loaAntibody (Ab) Rapid Test was developed to offer a complementary way of determining the prevalence of loiasis. We develop a joint geostatistical modelling framework for the analysis of Ab and Loascope data to delineate whether an area is safe for MDA. Our results support the use of a two-stage strategy, in which Ab testing is used to identify areas that, with acceptably high probability, are safe or unsafe for MDA, followed by Loascope testing in areas whose safety status is uncertain. This work therefore contributes to the global effort towards the elimination of onchocerciasis as a public health problem by potentially reducing the time and cost required to establish whether an area is safe for MDA.
The tiger mosquito in Lebanon two decades after its introduction: A growing health concern
Authors: Haddad Nabil , Omran Hayssam , Amraoui Fadila , Zakhia Renée , Mousson Laurence , Failloux Anna-Bella
Published: February 2022

The tiger mosquito was introduced to the Eastern region of the Mediterranean basin more than twenty years ago. In Lebanon, it was first observed in 2002 in a limited number of locations mainly from the coastal area of the country. In the absence of national entomological control program, this invasive mosquito became an established species and is now considered in many localities, a source of nuisance because of its human biting behavior. Several entomological surveys were conducted to monitor the geographic spread and the seasonal dynamics ofAedes albopictusby collecting adult stages and by monitoring oviposition activity. Moreover, its susceptibility to the common groups of insecticides was assessed using WHO standard bioassays. Previous vector competence studies revealed that local strains were able to transmit Chikungunya and Dengue viruses. Due to the increased risk of Zika virus introduction in the country, we determined the competence of local populations to transmit this virus. Mapping results showed thatAe.albopictusis mainly spread in the relatively humid western versant of the Mount Lebanon chain reaching 1000m altitude, while it is absent from arid and semi-arid inland areas. Besides, this mosquito is active during 32 weeks from spring till the end of autumn. Local strains of the tiger mosquito are susceptible to pyrethroids and carbamates but resistant to organophosphates and organochlorines. They showed ability to transmit Zika virus; however, only 9% of females were capable to excrete the virus in their saliva at day 28 post infection. Current and previous observations highlight the need to establish a surveillance system in order to control this mosquito and monitor the potential introduction of related diseases.
No sonographer, no radiologist: New system for automatic prenatal detection of fetal biometry, fetal presentation, and placental location
Authors: Arroyo Junior , Marini Thomas J. , Saavedra Ana C. , Toscano Marika , Baran Timothy M. , Drennan Kathryn , Dozier Ann , Zhao Yu Tina , Egoavil Miguel , Tamayo Lorena , Ramos Berta , Castaneda Benjamin
Published: February 2022

Ultrasound imaging is a vital component of high-quality Obstetric care. In rural and under-resourced communities, the scarcity of ultrasound imaging results in a considerable gap in the healthcare of pregnant mothers. To increase access to ultrasound in these communities, we developed a new automated diagnostic framework operated without an experienced sonographer or interpreting provider for assessment of fetal biometric measurements, fetal presentation, and placental position. This approach involves the use of a standardized volume sweep imaging (VSI) protocol based solely on external body landmarks to obtain imaging without an experienced sonographer and application of a deep learning algorithm (U-Net) for diagnostic assessment without a radiologist. Obstetric VSI ultrasound examinations were performed in Peru by an ultrasound operator with no previous ultrasound experience who underwent 8 hours of training on a standard protocol. The U-Net was trained to automatically segment the fetal head and placental location from the VSI ultrasound acquisitions to subsequently evaluate fetal biometry, fetal presentation, and placental position. In comparison to diagnostic interpretation of VSI acquisitions by a specialist, the U-Net model showed 100% agreement for fetal presentation (Cohen’s κ 1 (p<0.0001)) and 76.7% agreement for placental location (Cohen’s κ 0.59 (p<0.0001)). This corresponded to 100% sensitivity and specificity for fetal presentation and 87.5% sensitivity and 85.7% specificity for anterior placental location. The method also achieved a low relative error of 5.6% for biparietal diameter and 7.9% for head circumference. Biometry measurements corresponded to estimated gestational age within 2 weeks of those assigned by standard of care examination with up to 89% accuracy. This system could be deployed in rural and underserved areas to provide vital information about a pregnancy without a trained sonographer or interpreting provider. The resulting increased access to ultrasound imaging and diagnosis could improve disparities in healthcare delivery in under-resourced areas.
FluoRNT: A robust, efficient assay for the detection of neutralising antibodies against yellow fever virus 17D
Authors: Scheck Magdalena K. , Lehmann Lisa , Zaucha Magdalena , Schwarzlmueller Paul , Huber Kristina , Pritsch Michael , Barba-Spaeth Giovanna , Thorn-Seshold Oliver , Krug Anne B. , Endres Stefan , Rothenfusser Simon , Thorn-Seshold Julia
Published: February 2022

There is an urgent need for better diagnostic and analytical methods for vaccine research and infection control in virology. This has been highlighted by recently emerging viral epidemics and pandemics (Zika, SARS-CoV-2), and recurring viral outbreaks like the yellow fever outbreaks in Angola and the Democratic Republic of Congo (2016) and in Brazil (2016–2018). Current assays to determine neutralising activity against viral infections in sera are costly in time and equipment and suffer from high variability. Therefore, both basic infection research and diagnostic population screenings would benefit from improved methods to determine virus-neutralising activity in patient samples. Here we describe a robust, objective, and scalable Fluorescence Reduction Neutralisation Test (FluoRNT) for yellow fever virus, relying on flow cytometric detection of cells infected with a fluorescent Venus reporter containing variant of the yellow fever vaccine strain 17D (YF-17D-Venus). It accurately measures neutralising antibody titres in human serum samples within as little as 24 h. Samples from 32 vaccinees immunised with YF-17D were tested for neutralising activity by both a conventional focus reduction neutralisation test (FRNT) and FluoRNT. Both types of tests proved to be equally reliable for the detection of neutralising activity, however, FluoRNT is significantly more precise and reproducible with a greater dynamic range than conventional FRNT. The FluoRNT assay protocol is substantially faster, easier to control, and cheaper in per-assay costs. FluoRNT additionally reduces handling time minimising exposure of personnel to patient samples. FluoRNT thus brings a range of desirable features that can accelerate and standardise the measurement of neutralising anti-yellow fever virus antibodies. It could be used in applications ranging from vaccine testing to large cohort studies in systems virology and vaccinology. We also anticipate the potential to translate the methodology and analysis of FluoRNT to other flaviviruses such as West Nile, Dengue and Zika or to RNA viruses more generally.
Programme death ligand 1 expressions as a surrogate for determining immunotherapy in cervical carcinoma patients
Authors: Omenai Sebastian A. , Ajani Mustapha A. , Okolo Clement A.
Published: February 2022

Background

The programme death ligand1 and its receptor (PD-1/PD-L1) interaction is a target for blockage by immunotherapy that uses the body’s own immune system. Some studies show that PD-L1 expressing tumours are also more aggressive with poor prognosis. This study evaluated the immunohistochemical expression of PD-L1 in uterine cervical carcinomas. Women with cervical cancer would benefit from its use as a marker in therapy and prognosis.

Methods

Hospital-based cross-sectional retrospective study was conducted. The study materials included 183 archived formalin fixed and paraffin embedded (FFPE) tissue blocks with histological diagnosis of cervical carcinoma diagnosed in our facility within a five-year period (January 2012 and December 2016) that met the study criteria. Data were extracted from records in the Department and immunohistochemistry was done using polyclonal antibodies to PD-L1 (GTX104763, Genetex). Obtained data were analysed using SPSS version 23. P < 0.05 was considered significant.

Results

A hundred and eighty-three cases of cervical cancer were studied. PD-L1 was positive in 57.4% of all cases. The diffuse pattern of staining was the major pattern accounting for 88.5% of positive cases. Poorly differentiated cervical carcinomas are less likely to express PD-L1. Within the histologic types, the squamous cell carcinomas expressed PD-L1 in 58.7%, and 50% of adenocarcinomas were positive. PD-L1 was not expressed in all cases of adenoid cystic carcinomas and basaloid squamous cell carcinomas.

Conclusion

A significant population of cervical carcinoma expresses PD-L1 by immunohistochemistry. PD-L1 prevalence is lower amongst the poorly differentiated cancers compared to other grades.
Interventions to improve early retention of patients in antiretroviral therapy programmes in sub-Saharan Africa: A systematic review
Authors: Muhula Samuel , Gachohi John , Kombe Yeri , Karanja Simon
Published: February 2022

Background

Several interventions to improve long term retention (12 months and above) on treatment have been rigorously evaluated in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). However, research on interventions to improve retention of patients in the early stages of treatment (6 months) during this era of Universal Test and Treat has only recently emerged. The aim of this study is to systematically map evidence of interventions used to improve early retention of patients in antiretroviral therapy (ART) programmes in SSA.

Methods

We searched PubMed, EMBASE and Cochrane electronic databases to identify studies describing interventions aimed at improving early retention in ART treatment. We applied the methodological frameworks by Arksey and O’Malley (2005) and Levac et al. (2010). We also followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) checklist. Interventions were categorized according to key broad areas in the existing literature.

Results

A total of 2,241 articles were identified of which 19 met the inclusion criteria and were eligible for this review, with the majority either being randomized control trials 32% (n = 6) or cohort studies 32% (n = 6). The studies reviewed were conducted in 11 SSA countries. The most common interventions described under key broad areas included: Health system interventions such as Universal Test-and-Treat, integration of ART initiation, HIV Testing and Counselling and Antenatal Care services and reduction of ART drug costs; Patient centered approaches such as fast track ART initiation, Differentiated Drug Delivery models and point of care HIV birth testing; Behavioral interventions and support through lay counselors, mentor mothers, nurse counselors and application of quality improvement interventions and financial incentives. Majority of the studies targeted the HIV positive adults and pregnant women.

Conclusion

With the introduction of Universal Test-and-Treat and same-day initiation of ART, findings suggest that adoption of policies that expand ART uptake with the goal of reducing HIV transmission at the population level, promoting patient centered approaches such as fast track ART initiation, Differentiated Service Delivery models and providing adequate support through Mentor Mothers, lay and nurse counselors may improve early retention in HIV care in SSA. However, these interventions have only been tested in few countries in the region which points to how hard evidence based HIV programming is. Further research investigating the impact of individual and a combination of interventions to improve early retention in HIV care, including for various groups at high risk of attrition, is warranted across SSA countries to fast track the achievement of 95-95-95 Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) targets by 2030.
The burden of perioperative hypertension/hypotension: A systematic review
Authors: Lizano-Díez Irene , Poteet Stephen , Burniol-Garcia Adrià , Cerezales Mónica
Published: February 2022

Study objective

Our goal is to review the outcomes of acute hypertensive/hypotensive episodes from articles published in the past 10 years that assessed the short- and long-term impact of acute hypertensive/hypotensive episodes in the perioperative setting.

Methods

We conducted a systematic peer review based upon PROSPERO and Cochrane Handbook protocols. The following study characteristics were collected: study type, author, year, population, sample size, their definition of acute hypertension, hypotension or other measures, and outcomes (probabilities, odds ratio, hazard ratio, and relative risk) and the p-values; and they were classified according to the type of surgery (cardiac and non-cardiac).

Results

A total of 3,680 articles were identified, and 66 articles fulfilled the criteria for data extraction. For the perioperative setting, the number of articles varies by outcome: 20 mortality, 16 renal outcomes, 6 stroke, 7 delirium and 34 other outcomes. Hypotension was reported to be associated with mortality (OR 1.02–20.826) as well as changes from the patient’s baseline blood pressure (BP) (OR 1.02–1.36); hypotension also had a role in the development of acute kidney injury (AKI) (OR 1.03–14.11). Postsurgical delirium was found in relation with BP lability (OR 1.018–1.038) and intra- and postsurgical hypotension (OR 1.05–1.22), and hypertension (OR 1.44–2.34). Increased OR (37.67) of intracranial hemorrhage was associated to postsurgical systolic BP >130 mmHg. There was a wide range of additional diverse outcomes related to hypo-, hypertension and BP lability.

Conclusions

The perioperative management of BP influences short- and long-term effects of surgical procedures in cardiac and non-cardiac interventions; these findings support the burden of BP fluctuations in this setting.
The Reasons for the Growth of the US Stock Market
Authors: Morhachov Illia , Chorna Olga , Oleksandr Olshanskyi , Martynov Andrii , Ovcharenko Ievgen , Khandii Olena , Ivchenko Yevhen
Published: February 2022

Sustained economic growth as well as the reasons for this growth are fundamental and important issues in economic theory. The article considers the hypothesis regarding the influence of these two factors on the growth of the United States stock market: the country's gross domestic product as well as the money supply in various aggregators. The purpose of the work is to determine the reasons for the growth of the United States stock market. The following methods were used to determine the influence of the gross domestic product and the money supply on the corresponding stock market, namely, the correlation-regression and graphical analysis as well as the comparison of average annual growth rates. It has been discovered that in order to objectively find out the causal relationship between the factors, it is important to use such methods through the integrated approach. As a result, it has been observed that the fluctuations in the gross domestic product of the USA do not significantly affect those in the stock market of the country. On the contrary, the economic and mathematical models of the S & P-500 stock index and the money supply are similar. The corresponding similarity allowed the authors to substantiate the existence of a significant impact of the change in the money supply on the dynamics of its stock market. In turn, the reason for the growth of this index is a significant reduction in the key rate, which results in cheaper prices for credits.
Marketing Activities of Extractive Industry Enterprises in Ukraine in Overcoming the Consequences of the Corona Crisis
Authors: Tanasiichuk Alona , Kovalchuk Svitlana , Nianko Vitalii , Boiko Ruslan , Drazhnitsya Sergii , Holovchuk Yulia
Published: February 2022

The study evaluated the state of international activities of extractive industry enterprises of Ukraine in the conditions of overcoming the consequences of corona crisis. The system of indicators to assess the effectiveness of their marketing activities in conditions caused by the pandemic coronavirus COVID-19 was developed. The evaluation system proposed in the study includes the analysis of indicators of production volume of the main types of extractive industry products, the dynamics of kaolin mining volumes in Ukraine and the dynamics of sales volumes of extractive industry products by Ukrainian enterprises on international markets. Also the structure of sales volumes of extractive industry products by Ukrainian enterprises on international markets was determined. An important stage of the proposed research methodology is the assessment of indicators of convergence of international markets in the conditions of overcoming the consequences of corona crisis. In the process of the study a comprehensive assessment of the convergence of Ukrainian enterprises of extractive industry in the conditions of overcoming the consequences of corona crisis was carried out. The approach is based on the application of ranks summation method for rating international markets by the system of dynamic indicators. The results of the study made it possible to determine the marketing attractiveness of markets of Belgium, Canada, Netherlands, Bangladesh, Hong Kong China, Pakistan for the activities of domestic enterprises of extractive industry at them, and assess their convergence. The last stage of the research was an expert assessment of convergence indicators of international markets in the conditions of overcoming the consequences of the coronocrisis. As a result of such assessment four international convergent markets were identified - Belgium, Canada, the Netherlands, Hong Kong, which demonstrate favorable conditions for doing business at them, and which indicates the existence of convergent conditions for domestic mining companies to sell the commodity group "2507 Kaolin and other kaolin clays" at the markets".
Grundelemente einer alttestamentlichen Theologie der Migration. Ein Beitrag zur aktuellen Debatte um migrationssensible Theologie aus Sicht der alttestamentlichen Wissenschaft
Authors: Hensel Benedikt
Published: February 2022

The present essay is intended as a contribution to the current discussion on a »migration-sensitive theology« from the perspective of Hebrew Bible scholarship. It develops four basic elements of a theology of migration that do justice both to the complexity of processes of the emergence of the migration theme and to its enduring claims to validity. Theological, historical, literary-historical and canon-theological aspects of the Pentateuch, the Enneateuch (Gen-2 Kgs) and the biblical understanding of God are considered.
Das Christentum und die säkulare Gesellschaft. Hintergründe und Herausforderungen
Authors: Oberdorfer Bernd
Published: February 2022

In a multilateral ecumenical setting, this paper analyses the challenges Christian churches have to deal with in modern »secularized« societies. First, it outlines Charles Taylor’s study The Secular Age as a helpful tool to understand the fundamental cultural changes. Second, it highlights three characteristic shifts: the continuous decrease of membership in mainline churches, the growing diversity of (Christian and non-Christian) religious communities, and the failing transgenerational transmission of religious knowledge and practice. As churches cannot any longer take their cultural relevance for granted, third, the paper pleas for an attitude of ›exploring relevance‹ which is open to new forms of communicating the gospel without, however, losing confidence in the respective formative traditions. Finally, the paper argues that, because all churches share these challenges, the situation encourages ecumenism.
Wegmarken einer Theologie der Versöhnung
Authors: Schliesser Christine
Published: February 2022

The establishment of numerous truth and reconciliation commissions worldwide in states in transition processes has helped the concept of reconciliation gain increasing attention, not only in political discourses. This article then sketches out, from a theological-ethical perspective, the milestones of a theology of reconciliation, including remembrance, repentance and confession of guilt, forgiveness as well as justice and reparation.
El fenómeno de la COVID-19 y sus efectos sociales en el derecho administrativo del siglo XXI
Authors: Castillo Arjona Monica Ivette
Published: February 2022

La presente investigación busca analizar desde un enfoque sociológico del derecho,  el fenómeno de la pandemia generada por la COVID-19, y el efecto de los principales cambios económicos, políticos y sociales presentes en los últimos años, y cómo estos han influido de manera importante en el deterioro de las relaciones entre los ciudadanos y los gobernantes.  A través del método de revisión sistemática de la literatura, de las obras jurídicas, de artículos de investigación, y de normas legales, he procurado buscar respuestas a la siguiente interrogante central: ¿Cómo es posible mejorar la relación entre los gobernantes y los ciudadanos?   Haciendo un estado del arte llegué a la conclusión que, la vía idónea para alcanzar un mejor entendimiento entre la administración y los administrados, es precisamente, a través de la revisión y reforma de las normas de derecho público. Con el único fin de evolucionar hacia estándares nacionales no sólo más flexibles, sino que busquen incorporar de manera consciente al ciudadano en la toma de decisiones diarias.  Sin embargo, para ello resulta necesario un cambio de mentalidad por parte de los gobernantes que los lleve a creer firmemente en la capacidad de transformación que radica en todos y cada uno de los individuos que conforman una sociedad.
VOICES OF ENTREPRENEURS: A REVIEW OF ENTREPRENEURS’ PERCEPTIONS OF SME COVID-19 SUPPORT MEASURES IN SOUTH AFRICA
Authors:   University of the Western Cape, Svenson Lisle
Published: February 2022

This article sheds the spotlight on support mechanisms for small businesses that are struggling as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. The data was collated during a two-part webinar series on lockdown stories of small businesses in the Western Cape, the effects thereof, support mechanisms and possible solutions to the challenges faced. The webinars, run in August 2020, were hosted by the Economics and Management Sciences Faculty of the University of the Western Cape. The article compiles the contributions of panel members from a cross-section of stakeholders from business, government and academia. Potential solutions and support mechanisms available from various spheres of society – government, business and academia – are discussed as part of the arsenal available to small businesses in the face of the negative impact of Covid-19 on their businesses.
uMap: A Free Open-Source Alternative to Google My Maps
Authors: Shahamati Sepideh , Denieul-Pinsky Léa , Baumann Yannick , Shaw Emory , Caquard Sébastien
Published: February 2022

Since their release in 2005, Google Maps-based tools have become the de facto solutions for a variety of online cartographic projects. Their success has been accompanied by a range of critiques denouncing the individualistic market-based logic imposed by these mapping services. Alternative options to this dominant model have been released since then; uMap is one of them. uMap is a free, open-source online mapping platform that builds on OpenStreetMap to enable anyone to easily publish web maps individually or collaboratively. In this paper, we propose to reflect on the potential and limits of uMap based on our own experiences of deploying it in six different mapping projects. Through these experiences, uMap appears particularly well-suited for collaborative mapping projects, due to its ease in connecting to remote data and its high level of interoperability with a range of other applications. On the other hand, uMap seems less relevant for crowdmapping projects, due to its lack of built-in options to manage and control public contributions. Finally, the open-source philosophy of uMap, combined with its simplicity of use and its strong collaborative capacity, make it a great option for activist mapping projects as well as for pedagogical purposes to teach a range of topics including online collaborative cartography.
How Moroccan workers experience psychological well-being: A qualitative study
Authors: Bezzaa Ali , El Yadari Khalid
Published: February 2022

This article draws on the theoretical framework of psychological well-being in order to explore the phenomenon of well-being at work during COVID-19. More specifically, this study utilizes a qualitative methodology and both hedonic and eudaimonic perspectives of well-being to make sense of the experience of well-being at work. Through purposeful sampling, we asked thirty-two Moroccan workers to describe to us their latest well-being experiences on the job.

 Overall, we identified fifty-five well-being incidents. Content analysis allowed us to categorize ten dimensions of psychological well-being at work that meet the assumptions of the theory used: positive emotions, satisfaction with the work environment, meaning of work, self-confidence, work autonomy, desire for commitment, development needs, positive relationships with colleagues, perceived performance, and recognition and organizational quality. These findings are discussed with regard to previous literature along with practical implications, limitations, and future research avenues.
Die Verwaltung elektronischer Ressourcen mit Open Source Systemen – neue Möglichkeiten und Herausforderungen
Authors: Schildt Martina , Horn Moritz
Published: February 2022

FOLIO ist ein Bibliotheksmanagementsystem zur Organisation aller ressourcenbezogenen Geschäftsabläufe, insbesondere zur Verwaltung elektronischer Ressourcen und zur Weiterverarbeitung ihrer Metadaten in Drittsystemen. Die GOKb ist eine Plattform zur kooperativen Verwaltung elektronischer Medien und Pakete, darunter Dateneinspielung, Paketierung und Änderungsnachverfolgung. Durch den gemeinsamen Einsatz können beide die Arbeit in Bibliotheken transformieren. Aber wie passen sie in die bestehende Systemlandschaft? Was sind die Herausforderungen und Chancen in Bezug auf Datenflüsse und Identifikatoren, aber auch Kommunikation und Kooperation in einem aktiven Entwicklungsumfeld?
Simulation of gamma-ray shielding properties for materials of medical interest
Authors: Sarihan Mucize
Published: February 2022

Radiation that is emitted from unstable nuclei during radioactive decay is an important phenomenon to be used in large fields, and thus, radiation shielding properties are important especially for gamma rays. Thus, in the present work, the radiation shielding properties in terms of linear attenuation coefficients and some other quantities for medical interest materials of water, fat and bone have been obtained. The results simulated by Phy-X/PSD online code the energy range of 10−3–105 MeV.
Rock mass structural surface trace extraction based on transfer learning
Authors: Yi Xuefeng , Li Hao , Zhang Rongchun , Gongqiu Zhuoma , He Xiufeng , Liu Lanfa , Sun Yuxuan
Published: February 2022

To solve engineering geological problems, including water conservancy, transportation, and mining, it is necessary to obtain information on rock mass structures, such as slopes, foundation pits, and tunnels, in time. The traditional method for obtaining structural information requires manual measurement, which is time consuming and labor intensive. Because geological information is complicated and diverse, it is not practical for general deep learning methods to obtain full-scale structural surface trace images to prepare training samples. Transfer learning can abstract high-level features from low-level features with a small number of training samples, which can automatically express the inherent characteristics of objects. This article proposed a rock mass structural surface trace extraction method based on the transfer learning technique that considers the attention mechanism and shape constraints. For the general test set, the accuracy of rock mass structural surface trace recognition with the proposed method can reach 87.2%. Experimental results showed that the proposed method has advantages in extracting complicated geological structure information and is valuable for providing technical support for the extraction of geological information in the construction of water conservancy, transportation, mining, and related projects.
Tensile strength grading of beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) lamellas from multiple origins, cross sections and qualities
Authors: Westermayr Maximilian , Zeilhofer Monika , Rais Andreas , Kovryga Andriy , van de Kuilen Jan-Willem G.
Published: February 2022

The market share of European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) wood in the construction sector is low despite an increase in beech stock in Central European Forests in recent years. More efficient sawing techniques, higher lamella grading yields and solving of adhesion challenges may increase the competitiveness of beech glulam and promote its use. The aim of this paper is to revise the lamella grading system in the current German technical approval for beech glulam Z-9.1-679:2019 (DIBt (2019). BS-Holz aus Buche und BS-Holz Buche Hybridträger und zugehörige Bauarten. Allgemeine bauaufsichtliche Zulassung Z-9.1-679:2019. Deutsches Institut für Bautechnik) and to suggest modifications in the lamella grading rules for glulam production allowing higher yields and reliable tensile strength values at the same time. The unique dataset in this study combined different origins of lamellas and covered a wide range of visual, physical and mechanical wood characteristics including a high amount of low quality material. Indicating properties (IPs) for tensile strength, such as knot parameters and dynamic modulus of elasticity, were contrasted with tensile strength and static modulus of elasticity. Beech lamellas, graded by means of Z-9.1-679:2019 (DIBt (2019). BS-Holz aus Buche und BS-Holz Buche Hybridträger und zugehörige Bauarten. Allgemeine bauaufsichtliche Zulassung Z-9.1-679:2019. Deutsches Institut für Bautechnik), did not achieve the tensile strengths required for glulam production in many grading classes and the yield was low. A machine grading approach with dynamic modulus of elasticity as a single grading criterion gave higher yields than the current grading procedure and high reliability for tensile strength prediction with a prediction accuracy of R
2 = 0.67.