bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Diversity of Anopheles species and zoonotic malaria vector of the Buton Utara Wildlife Sanctuary, Southeast Sulawesi, Indonesia
Authors: Lempang Meyby Eka Putri , Permana Dendi Hadi , Asih Puji Budi Setia , Wangsamuda Suradi , Dewayanti Farahana Kresno , Rozi Ismail Ekoprayitno , Syahrani Lepa , Setiadi Wuryantari , Malaka Ratmawati , Muslimin Lucia , Syafruddin Din
Published: August 2023

Background

The recent deforestation for agricultural, mining, and human re-settlement has significantly reduced the habitat of many non-human primates (NHPs) in Indonesia and intensifies interaction between the NHPs and humans and thus opening the possibility of pathogen spill-over. The emergence of zoonotic malaria, such as Plasmodium knowlesi, poses an immense threat to the current malaria control and elimination that aims for the global elimination of malaria by 2030. As malaria in humans and NHPs is transmitted by the female Anopheles mosquito, malaria vector control is very important to mitigate the spill-over of the malaria parasite to humans. The present study aims to explore the Anopheles species diversity in human settlements adjacent to the wildlife sanctuary forest in Buton Utara Regency, Southeast Sulawesi, Indonesia, and identify the species that potentially transmit the pathogen from monkey to human in the area.

Methods

Mosquito surveillance was conducted using larval and adult collection, and the collected mosquitoes were identified morphologically and molecularly using the barcoding markers, cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI), and internal transcribed species 2 (ITS2) genes. Plasmodium sporozoite carriage was conducted on mosquitoes collected through human landing catch (HLC) and human-baited double net trap (HDNT).

Results

The results revealed several Anopheles species, such as Anopheles flavirostris (16.6%), Anopheles sulawesi (3.3%), Anopheles maculatus (3.3%), Anopheles koliensis (1.2%), and Anopheles vagus (0.4%). Molecular analysis of the sporozoite carriage using the primate-specific malaria primers identified An. sulawesi, a member of the Leucosphyrus group, carrying Plasmodium inui sporozoite.

Conclusions

This study indicates that the transmission of zoonotic malaria in the area is possible and alerts to the need for mitigation efforts through a locally-tailored vector control intervention and NHPs habitat conservation.
Hepatitis B virus reactivation in seronegative occult hepatitis B patient receiving ibrutinib therapy
Authors: Lam Lok-Ka , Chan Thomas Sau Yan , Hwang Yu-Yan , Mak Lung-Yi , Seto Wai-Kay , Kwong Yok-Lam , Yuen Man-Fung
Published: August 2023

Background

Ibrutinib is a Bruton’s tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitor approved for the treatment for several mature B-cell malignancies. Reactivation of hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a well-described complication in patients with chronic HBV infection or prior HBV exposure undergoing cytotoxic or immunosuppressive chemotherapy for hematologic malignancies. This phenomenon has been frequently reported with rituximab. However, published data on the risk of HBV reactivation induced by ibrutinib are scarce. Cases of HBV reactivation in hematologic patients receiving ibrutinib therapy have recently been described, but limited only to overt hepatitis B patients or seropositive occult hepatitis B patients.

Case presentation

We report the first case of HBV reactivation during ibrutinib treatment in an asymptomatic 82-year-old woman with seronegative occult hepatitis B patient (i.e., negative for HBsAg, anti-HBc and anti-HBs). Four months after ibrutinib treatment, her liver function test (LFT) was deranged, with seroconversion to HBsAg positivity. Serum hepatitis B virus DNA was quantified to be 1.92 × 108 IU/ml. Antiviral treatment was initiated, and viral load was gradually suppressed with improvement in LFT.

Conclusions

Our case illustrated that in populations with a high incidence of HBV exposure, systematic screening for HBV exposure is essential prior to ibrutinib treatment, followed by serial monitoring of serologic and molecular markers of hepatitis B. There is a need for an international consensus to support the recommendation of antiviral prophylaxis against HBV reactivation in patients using ibrutinib.
Breastfeeding in women with systemic lupus erythematosus: results from a Norwegian quality register
Authors: Bjerkaas Hanssen Maylinn , Malm Gulati Agnete , Koksvik Hege , Wallenius Marianne
Published: August 2023

Background

Knowledge on breastfeeding among women with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is sparse. We wanted to identify the frequency of breastfeeding in SLE, and to compare breastfeeding women with SLE to non-breastfeeding women to examine possible differences in disease characteristics and self-reported health data between the groups.

Methods

Prospective data on women with SLE from RevNatus, a consent-based Norwegian nationwide quality register was used for this study. Data were collected during January 2016 to September 2021. We used data registered at inclusion when planning pregnancy or in 1st trimester, and 6 weeks, 6 and 12 months after delivery. Breastfeeding and non-breastfeeding patients were compared according to demographic, serological and obstetric data as well as disease activity, medication, self-reported pain, and fatigue.

Results

A total of 114 pregnancies in 101 SLE women were included in the analysis. A majority of the women (78%) breastfed six weeks postpartum. Six and 12 months after delivery, breastfeeding rates were 54% and 30% respectively. Six weeks postpartum, non-breastfeeding women showed higher prevalence of emergency caesarean delivery (p = 0.038), preeclampsia (p = 0.056) and lower educational level (p = 0.046) compared to breastfeeding women. 12 months after delivery, we observed a higher frequency of multiparity among breastfeeding women (p = 0.017) compared to non-breastfeeding. Overall, we found low disease activity in both groups at all registrations in the follow-up, and disease activity did not differ between the groups. More than 70% of both breastfeeding and non-breastfeeding women used hydroxychloroquine (HCQ).

Conclusions

Breastfeeding rate in women with SLE was high six weeks postpartum. Multiparous women breastfed longer than primiparas. Disease activity, use of HCQ, and self-reported health data were comparable between the groups. Our data indicate that health professionals should encourage women with SLE to breastfeed.
Acute and chronic cardiovascular responses to concentric and eccentric exercise in older adults with knee osteoarthritis
Authors: Vincent Heather K. , Sharififar Sharareh , McLaren Christian , May James , Vincent Kevin R.
Published: August 2023

Purpose

Muscle contraction type in resistance exercise training may confer benefits besides strength in individuals with osteoarthritis and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risks. The purpose of the study was to explore whether Eccentric-resistance training (RT) improved hemodynamic responses to acute walking exercise stress compared to Concentric-RT among individuals with knee OA over four months.

Methods

This was a secondary analysis from a randomized, controlled, single-blinded study. Participants (N = 88; 68.3 ± 6.4 yrs; 67.4% female) were randomized to one of two work-matched resistance training (RT) programs against a non-RT control group. Pre-training and month four, participants completed a self-paced Six-Minute Walk Test (6MWT) and progressive treadmill exercise test. Heart rates, blood pressures and mean arterial pressures (MAP) were captured during each test. Antihypertensive medications use was documented at each time point.

Results

Leg strength improved in both training groups by month four (p < .05). Changes in 6MWT distance and progressive treadmill test time were not different across groups over four months. Neither Concentric or Eccentric RT produced different hemodyamic responses during the 6MWT compared to the control group post-training. However, Concentric RT was associated with 6.0%-7.4% reductions in systolic blood pressure during the graded treadmill walking test at 50%, 75% and 100% of the test time compared to Eccentric RT and the controls (p = .045). MAP values were lower at 75% and 100% of the treadmill test after Concentric RT (5.7%-6.0% reductions) compared to Eccentric RT (1.0%-2.4% reductions) and controls (1.5% and 4.0% elevations) post-training (p = .024). Antihypertensive medication use did not change in any group.

Conclusions

The repeated, progressive exposures of Concentric RT-induced blunted the hypertensive responses to acute exercise compared to Eccentric-RT. Among people with knee OA, Concentric-RT may confer strength benefits to manage OA and possibly reduce cardiovascular stress during exercise.
Reference Values of Cardiopulmonary Exercise Test Parameters in the Contemporary Paediatric Population
Authors: Amedro Pascal , Matecki Stefan , Pereira dos Santos Taissa , Guillaumont Sophie , Rhodes Jonathan , Yin Suellen Moli , Hager Alfred , Hock Julia , De La Villeon Gregoire , Moreau Johan , Requirand Anne , Souilla Luc , Vincenti Marie , Picot Marie-Christine , Huguet Helena , Mura Thibault , Gavotto Arthur
Published: August 2023

Background

The evaluation of health status by cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET) has shown increasing interest in the paediatric population. Our group recently established reference Z-score values for paediatric cycle ergometer VO2max, applicable to normal and extreme weights, from a cohort of 1141 healthy children. There are currently no validated reference values for the other CPET parameters in the paediatric population. This study aimed to establish, from the same cohort, reference Z-score values for the main paediatric cycle ergometer CPET parameters, apart from VO2max.

Results

In this cross-sectional study, 909 healthy children aged 5–18 years old underwent a CPET. Linear, quadratic, and polynomial mathematical regression equations were applied to identify the best CPET parameters Z-scores, according to anthropometric parameters (sex, age, height, weight, and BMI). This study provided Z-scores for maximal CPET parameters (heart rate, respiratory exchange ratio, workload, and oxygen pulse), submaximal CPET parameters (ventilatory anaerobic threshold, VE/VCO2 slope, and oxygen uptake efficiency slope), and maximum ventilatory CPET parameters (tidal volume, respiratory rate, breathing reserve, and ventilatory equivalent for CO2 and O2).

Conclusions

This study defined paediatric reference Z-score values for the main cycle ergometer CPET parameters, in addition to the existing reference values for VO2max, applicable to children of normal and extreme weights. Providing Z-scores for CPET parameters in the paediatric population should be useful in the follow-up of children with various chronic diseases. Thus, new paediatric research fields are opening up, such as prognostic studies and clinical trials using cardiopulmonary fitness outcomes.

Trial registration NCT04876209—Registered 6 May 2021—Retrospectively registered, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04876209.
Exploring bilingual EFL teacher resilience in the Iranian non-profit and state schools: a mixed-methods study
Authors: Rezazadeh Khadijeh , Janebi Enayat Mostafa , Poorebrahim Fatemeh
Published: August 2023

The present mixed-methods study investigated the factors that build Iranian bilingual Azeri-Persian English as a foreign language teacher resilience (TR) in non-profit and state schools. To do so, 205 male and female teachers selected through snowball sampling from several schools in different regions of Iran participated in this study. In the quantitative phase, the Connor and Davidson resilience scale (CD-RISC) was utilized to measure TR. First, the factor structure of the scale was ensured through testing confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Results indicated that all the five factors of TR tested by the CD-RISC were evident among all the respondents, and there were no significant differences between the factors building TR in state and non-profit schools. For the qualitative phase, 26 male and female teachers selected through purposive sampling participated in semi-structured interviews which were thematically analyzed through MAXQDA software. The findings revealed that while state school teachers perceived satisfactory curriculum and policies and consulting with colleagues as the building factors for TR, non-profit school teachers highlighted teacher training courses, teacher-student rapport, and students’ progress as the important factors. The pedagogical implications of this study for teacher education are explained.
Working together in health research: a mixed-methods patient engagement evaluation
Authors: Babatunde Stella , Ahmed Sadia , Santana Maria Jose , Nielssen Ingrid , Zelinsky Sandra , Ambasta Anshula
Published: August 2023

Background

In patient-oriented research (POR), patients contribute their valuable knowledge and lived-experiences to work together as active research partners at all stages of the health research cycle. However, research looking to understand how patient research partners (PRPs) and researchers work together in meaningful and collaborative ways remains limited. This study aims to evaluate patient engagement with the RePORT Patient Advisory Council (PAC) and to identify barriers and facilitators to meaningful patient engagement encountered within research partnerships involving patient research partners and researchers.

Methods

The RePORT PAC members included nine PRPs and nine researchers (clinician-researchers, research staff, patient engagement experts) from both Alberta and British Columbia. All members were contacted and invited to complete an anonymous online survey (Public and Patient Engagement Evaluation (PPEET) tool) at two different project times points. The PAC was invited for a semi-structured interview to gain in-depth understanding of their experiences working together. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and the data was thematically analyzed with the support of a qualitative analysis software, NVivo.

Results

A total of nine PRPs (100%) and three researchers (33%) participated in the baseline survey in February 2022 while six PRPs (67%) responded and three researchers (33%) completed the follow up survey in May 2022. For the semi-structured interviews, nine PRPs (100%) and six researchers (67%) participated. According to the survey results, PAC members agreed that the supports (e. g. training, compensation) needed to contribute to the project were available throughout the project. The survey responses also showed that most members of the PAC felt their opinions and views were heard. Responses to the survey regarding diversity within the PAC were mixed. There were many suggestions for improving diversity and collaboration provided by PAC members during the semi-structured interviews. PAC members mentioned that PAC PRPs informed the co-development of research materials such as recruitment posters and interview guides for the RePORT study.

Conclusions

Through fostering a collaborative environment, we can engage a diverse group of people to work together meaningfully in health research. We have identified what works well, and areas for improvement within our research partnership involving PRPs and researchers as well as recommendations for POR projects more broadly, going forward.
Clinical outcome of narrow diameter dental implants: a 3-year retrospective study
Authors: Kim Jae-Eun , Yoon Youngjae , Pae Ahran , Kwon Yong-Dae
Published: August 2023

Background

This study aimed to analyze the clinical outcome and complications of narrow-diameter dental implants (NDIs) (diameter ≤3.5 mm).

Methods

The 274 NDIs that met the selection criteria from 2013 to 2018 were included in the retrospective study, and the survival rates (SVR) were compared. Mechanical complications included screw loosening and fractures of the implant components, such as the implant fixture, abutment, and prosthesis. In addition, marginal bone loss (MBL) was measured immediately after surgery and 1 year after loading.

Results

The 3-year cumulative SVR was 92.4%. Nineteen fixtures failed during the follow-up. The failure rate was significantly higher (OR=4.573, p<0.05) in smokers and was significantly higher in osteoporosis patients (OR=3.420, p<0.05). The vertical and horizontal values of MBL were 0.33±0.32 mm and 0.18±0.17 mm, respectively. Mechanical complications included screw loosening (5.5%) and porcelain fracture (2.2%), but no fractures of the fixture or components were observed. The choice of titanium and zirconium (TiZr) alloy implant was significantly more frequent in the posterior region. Bone graft was significantly more frequently done in the anterior region.

Conclusions

According to the high SVR and stability of NDIs, the findings of the study suggest that NDIs may be a replacement for regular diameter dental implants (RDIs) and the use of TiZr alloy could extend the indication of NDIs. In the esthetic area, contour augmentation may be a reason for increasing the frequency of bone grafts.
Traditional food for a sustainable future? exploring vulnerabilities and strengths in Italy’s foodscape and short agrifood chains
Authors: Fontefrancesco Michele Filippo
Published: August 2023

The article discusses the role of gastronomy in shaping a sustainable future and highlights the importance of food as a fundamental resource for sustainable development. It emphasizes the need to reevaluate food production, sales, and consumption cycles to minimize their economic, environmental, and social impact on the planet. The concept of sustainability has evolved beyond its initial definition and now focuses on rejuvenating compromised environments. The critique of 20th-century food production methods and the cultural dominance of maximizing yields and standardizing production is mentioned. The text also mentions the resurgence of interest in local and indigenous gastronomies and the potential risks of oversimplification and underestimation in valuing these culinary traditions. The vulnerabilities and strengths of short agrifood chains in Italy are analyzed, and the article suggests ways forward for utilizing traditional gastronomy for economic and rural development. The analysis is part of the “NODES- Nord Ovest Digitale e Sostenibile” project funded by the Italian Ministry of University and Research.
Enhancing non-profiled side-channel attacks by time-frequency analysis
Authors: Jin Chengbin , Zhou Yongbin
Published: August 2023

Side-channel analysis (SCA) has become an increasing important method to assess the physical security of cryptographic systems. In the process of SCA, the number of attack data directly determines the performance of SCA. With sufficient attack data, the adversary can achieve a successful SCA. However, in reality, the cryptographic device may be protected with some countermeasures to limit the number of encryptions using the same key. In this case, the adversary cannot use casual numbers of data to perform SCA. The performance of SCA will be severely dropped if the attack traces are insufficient. In this paper, we introduce wavelet scatter transform (WST) and short-time fourier transform (STFT) to non-profiled side-channel analysis domains, to improve the performance of side-channel attacks in the context of insufficient data. We design a practical framework to provide suitable parameters for WST/STFT-based SCA. Using the proposed method, the WST/STFT-based SCA method can significantly enhance the performance and robustness of non-profiled SCA. The practical attacks against four public datasets show that the proposed method is able to achieve more robust performance. Compared with the original correlation power analysis (CPA), the number of attack data can be reduced by 50–95%.
Hyperparameter optimization for cardiovascular disease data-driven prognostic system
Authors: Saputra Jayson , Lawrencya Cindy , Saini Jecky Mitra , Suharjito Suharjito
Published: August 2023

Prediction and diagnosis of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) based, among other things, on medical examinations and patient symptoms are the biggest challenges in medicine. About 17.9 million people die from CVDs annually, accounting for 31% of all deaths worldwide. With a timely prognosis and thorough consideration of the patient’s medical history and lifestyle, it is possible to predict CVDs and take preventive measures to eliminate or control this life-threatening disease. In this study, we used various patient datasets from a major hospital in the United States as prognostic factors for CVD. The data was obtained by monitoring a total of 918 patients whose criteria for adults were 28-77 years old. In this study, we present a data mining modeling approach to analyze the performance, classification accuracy and number of clusters on Cardiovascular Disease Prognostic datasets in unsupervised machine learning (ML) using the Orange data mining software. Various techniques are then used to classify the model parameters, such as k-nearest neighbors, support vector machine, random forest, artificial neural network (ANN), naïve bayes, logistic regression, stochastic gradient descent (SGD), and AdaBoost. To determine the number of clusters, various unsupervised ML clustering methods were used, such as k-means, hierarchical, and density-based spatial clustering of applications with noise clustering. The results showed that the best model performance analysis and classification accuracy were SGD and ANN, both of which had a high score of 0.900 on Cardiovascular Disease Prognostic datasets. Based on the results of most clustering methods, such as k-means and hierarchical clustering, Cardiovascular Disease Prognostic datasets can be divided into two clusters. The prognostic accuracy of CVD depends on the accuracy of the proposed model in determining the diagnostic model. The more accurate the model, the better it can predict which patients are at risk for CVD.
Performance and control of a reverse osmosis unit integrated with Pelton Wheel to supply emergency electric loads under various operating conditions
Authors: Essa Fadl A. , Selim F. , El-Sebaey Mahmoud S.
Published: August 2023

Nowadays, the whole world is moving very quickly into the field of seawater desalination. This is because the world suffers from a lack of potable water. Water and energy are adjoining linked fields. The present work aims at investigating the performance of a reverse osmosis (RO) plant integrated with Pelton Wheel under various operating conditions. The main reason for using Pelton turbine instead of the pressure exchanger (PX) is the low cost of Pelton compared to that of PX. The RO system integrated with the Pelton Wheel was tested under various operating pressures of 650, 700, 750, 800, and 850 kPa. Changing the feed water pressure affects the pressure of the reject entering the Pelton wheel and this, in turn, affects the velocity of the water jet. Also, the impact of varying the feed water salinity (total dissolved solids (TDS) = 400, 500, 600, 700, and 850 ppm) and temperature (20–39 °C) on the permeate and reject of RO was tested. In addition, a theoretical modeling was built to predict the performance of the RO system. The permeate flow rate was increased by raising the RO operating pressures. The permeate flow rate was augmented from 2.5 to 4.3 L min−1 when increasing the operating pressure from 650 to 850 kPa, respectively. Therefore, the permeate flow rate is enhanced by around 72% when increasing the operating pressure by only 30%. Besides, increasing the pressure by 30% (from 650 to 860 kPa) decreased the generated power of the Pelton Wheel by approximately 72% (from 960 to 270 W, respectively). Also, increasing the feed water salinity leads to raise the salinity of RO permeate, and vice versa. The RO permeate salinity is raised from 165 to 285 ppm when increasing the operating pressure from 650 to 850 kPa, respectively. As well, the more the increase in feed water temperature, the more improve in the permeate flux and salinity. The permeate TDS was decreased from 140 ppm at feed-water temperature 20 °C to 56 ppm at feed water temperature 39 °C. In this study, the Arduino program circuit was used to supply the required emergency loads by controlling the pressure values of high-pressure pump due to easy and open code program. Finally, the theoretical modelling results are in good correspondence with the experimental results. The average deviation among the theoretical and experimental results was 3.5%.
Workshop Review: The role of geophysics in carbon capture and sequestration
Authors: AlMustafa Husam , Saad Abdulaziz
Published: August 2023

The Role of Geophysics in Carbon Capture and Sequestration Workshop was held 5 to 7 December 2022 in Al Khobar, Saudi Arabia. Sixty-five attendees from eight countries and 20 companies gathered for the event. A total of 21 technical presentations were distributed over six sessions.
Geophysics Bright Spots
Authors: Behura Jyoti
Published: August 2023

Welcome to the latest installment of Geophysics Bright Spots. There are a number of interesting research articles in the recent issue of Geophysics. Here is a list of articles that piqued the editors' interests.
Reviews
Authors: Aitken Julie
Published: August 2023

Gravity and Magnetic Encyclopedic Dictionary, by Serguei Goussev, 2022.
Modelling the cost-effectiveness of brief aftercare interventions following hospital-treated self-harm
Authors: Le Long Khanh-Dao , Flego Anna , Krysinska Karolina , Andriessen Karl , Bandara Piumee , Page Andrew , Schlichthorst Marisa , Pirkis Jane , Mihalopoulos Cathrine , Carter Greg , Reifels Lennart
Published: August 2023

Background

Prior self-harm represents the most significant risk factor for future self-harm or suicide.

Aim

To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of a theoretical brief aftercare intervention (involving brief follow-up contact, care coordination and safety planning), following a hospital-treated self-harm episode, for reducing repeated self-harm within the Australian context.

Method

We employed economic modelling techniques to undertake: (a) a return-on-investment analysis, which compared the cost-savings generated by the intervention with the overall cost of implementing the intervention; and (b) a cost–utility analysis, which compared the net costs of the intervention with health outcomes measured in quality-adjusted life years (QALYs). We considered cost offsets associated with hospital admission for self-harm and the cost of suicide over a period of 10 years in the base case analysis. Uncertainty and one-way sensitivity analyses were also conducted.

Results

The brief aftercare intervention resulted in net cost-savings of AUD$7.5 M (95% uncertainty interval: −56.2 M to 15.1 M) and was associated with a gain of 222 (95% uncertainty interval: 45 to 563) QALYs over a 10-year period. The estimated return-on-investment ratio for the intervention's modelled cost in relation to cost-savings was 1.58 (95% uncertainty interval: −0.17 to 5.33). Eighty-seven per cent of uncertainty iterations showed that the intervention could be considered cost-effective, either through cost-savings or with an acceptable cost-effectiveness ratio of 50 000 per QALY gained. The results remained robust across sensitivity analyses.

Conclusions

A theoretical brief aftercare intervention is highly likely to be cost-effective for preventing suicide and self-harm among individuals with a history of self-harm.
ICD-11 and bipolar II disorder: so much ado and yet nothing new
Authors: Malhi Gin S. , Bell Erica , Bhui Kamaldeep
Published: August 2023

The long-awaited 11th revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) makes important advances but simultaneously compromises on some aspects, which may have a negative impact on clinical practice. This editorial illustrates the double-edged nature of some of the changes in ICD-11, focusing on mood disorders and specifically the subtyping of bipolar disorder.
Reducing the risks of Nuclear War: The role of Health Professionals
Authors: Jawaid Shaukat Ali , Zielinski Chris
Published: August 2023

doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.39.5.8443

How to cite this: Zielinski C. Reducing the risks of Nuclear War: The role of Health Professionals. Pak J Med Sci. 2023;39(5):1223-1224.  doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.39.5.8443

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
First occurrence of Pliorhinus cf. megarhinus (Perrissodactyla, Rhinocerotidae) in Greece
Authors: Chitoglou Krystalia , Pandolfi Luca , D. Kostopoulos Dimitris
Published: August 2023

Pliocene rhinoceros’ bearing fossiliferous localities are very limited in Greece. The rhinocerotid from the locality of Allatini, near Thessaloniki presented here, has long been cited in the literature but has never been studied in detail up to now. This taxon is represented by a single specimen, a radius of a sub adult individual, which is herein studied in detail to clarify its systematic position. Both morphological and metrical data suggest its assignment to the genus Pliorhinus, and more specifically to the species P. megarhinus. Pliorhinus megarhinus thrived in Eurasia from the latest Miocene to the Late Pliocene, however its records are restricted so far to a few localities, mainly in Italy and France. This is the first known occurrence of Pliorhinus in Greece resulting a slight enrichment of the local and European Pliocene Rinocerotidae record.
Εύρωστος έλεγχος στην πλοήγηση σκαφών επιφανείας
Authors: Λόγης Ελευθέριος
Published: August 2023

Η παρούσα διδακτορική διατριβή ασχολείται με το σχεδιασμό των ηλεκτρονικών, τη μοντελοποίηση και τον έλεγχο ενός σκάφους επιφανείας, που δημιουργήθηκε για να κατευθύνεται σε ένα σύνολο προκαθορισμένων στόχων σε έναν διδιάστατο χάρτη. Αναπτύχθηκε σε τηλεχειριζόμενο μοντέλο σκάφους τύπου Ferry Boat, που συναρμολογήθηκε στο ΕΜΠ, στο οποίο δόθηκε και δυνατότητα αυτοκατεύθυνσης. Με εξαίρεση τα πλαστικά του σκάφους, το χειριστήριο τηλεκατεύθυνσης και τον δέκτη τηλεκατεύθυνσης, όλα τα υπόλοιπα ηλεκτρονικά συστήματα τα οποία χρειάστηκαν, κατασκευάστηκαν από τον συγγραφέα της παρούσας διατριβής.Οι λεπτομέρειες της ανάπτυξης των ηλεκτρονικών, καθώς και η μεθοδολογία που ακολουθήθηκε για τη μοντελοποίηση και τον έλεγχο του σκάφους, παρουσιάζονται στη διατριβή.Μετά την κατασκευή του σκάφους, συλλέχθηκαν δεδομένα για την απόκρισή του, πραγματοποιώντας χειροκίνητους ελιγμούς από τη μονάδα ραδιοελέγχου. Τα δεδομένα που προέκυψαν, χρησιμοποιήθηκαν για την εκπαίδευση ενός νευρωνικού δικτύου, για την πρόβλεψη της απόκρισης του σκάφους στα χειριστήρια ώσης και διεύθυνσης. Η προσέγγιση της μοντελοποίησης βασίστηκε στη λογική μαύρου κουτιού (black box modelling). Το μοντέλο που προέκυψε χρησιμοποιήθηκε για τη διεξαγωγή προσομοιώσεων σχετικά με τις μεθόδους ελέγχου που αναπτύχθηκαν για το σκάφος.Για να μπορέσει το σκάφος να φτάσει σε καθορισμένους στόχους στο χάρτη, συντέθηκαν δύο τύποι εποπτικών ελεγκτών. Αυτοί οι αλγόριθμοι παρακολουθούν τη θέση του σκάφους σε σχέση με τον στόχο του και δημιουργούν εντολές μεταφορικής και γωνιακής ταχύτητας. Οι εντολές αυτές αποτελούν τις τιμές αναφοράς για τους αντίστοιχους βρόχους ελέγχου. Για την αποτελεσματική αντιμετώπιση των μη γραμμικοτήτων του συστήματος, αναπτύχθηκε μια μεθοδολογία βασισμένη στο μοντέλο νευρωνικών δικτύων, η οποία επιπροσθέτως αποσυνέζευξε τους βρόχους ελέγχου ταχύτητας και κατεύθυνσης. Χρησιμοποιήθηκαν επίσης τεχνικές σθεναρού ελέγχου, για τη μείωση της επίδρασης των ανακριβειών πρόβλεψης του μοντέλου και της κβαντοποίησης της δράσης ελέγχου, προκειμένου να αμβλυνθεί το προκύπτον σφάλμα. Στη συνέχεια, η απόκριση του σκάφους προσομοιώθηκε χρησιμοποιώντας διάφορα σενάρια, ώστε να εξεταστούν οι ικανότητες ελιγμών του. Πραγματοποιήθηκε επίσης σύγκριση των δύο εποπτικών ελεγκτών. Τέλος, προσομοιώθηκε ένα μικρό σμήνος τριών σκαφών, για τη διερεύνηση της επέκτασης των μεθόδων που περιγράφονται στη διατριβή, σε σύνολα σχετιζομένων σκαφών.
Bayesian inversion techniques for stochastic differential equations
Authors: Πασιούρας Αλέξανδρος
Published: August 2023

Αυτή η διατριβή πραγματεύεται στοχαστικές διαφορικές εξισώσεις στις οποίες στόχος είναι η ανάκτηση της αρχικής συνθήκης κάτω από συνθήκες αβεβαιότητας που υπάρχουν εξαιτίας του θορύβου. Το πρόβλημα της ανάκτησης της αρχικής συνθήκης είναι συνήθως ένα μη καλά τοποθετημένο πρόβλημα και έτσι η ανάκτηση της αρχικής συνθήκης μπορεί να μη γίνεται άμεσα. Οι λύσεις τέτοιων εξισώσεων συνήθως ορίζονται σε κατάλληλο συναρτησιακό χώρο όπως και πιο συγκεκριμένα σε χώρο Hilbert ή χώρο Banach. Επειδή αυτοί οι χώροι έχουν άπειρη διάσταση, πρέπει να οριστούν κατάλληλα μέτρα πιθανότητας σε απειροδιάστατους χώρους. Η διατριβή αυτή εστιάζει σε Γκαουσιανά μέτρα πιθανότητας, διότι η ανάκτηση της αρχικής συνθήκης γίνεται θέτοντας ένα κατάλληλο Μπευζιανό πλαίσιο. Με αυτόν τον τρόπο η μελέτη αυτή διαφέρει από γνωστές ντετερμινιστικές τεχνικές που εφαρμόζονται συχνά στη βιβλιογραφία.
Ποιότητα υπηρεσιών στη δημόσια διοίκηση
Authors: Σκρέκας Νεκτάριος-Βασίλειος
Published: August 2023

Αντικείμενο της παρούσας διατριβής αποτελεί η δημόσια διοίκηση στην Ελλάδα, και συγκεκριμένα οι προσδοκίες των πολιτών και οι αντιλήψεις των δημόσιων υπαλλήλων που εργάζονται στα Κέντρα Εξυπηρέτησης Πολιτών (ΚΕΠ) αναφορικά με τη λειτουργία αυτών. Στόχος είναι η μέτρηση της ποιότητας των υπηρεσιών που παρέχονται από τα ΚΕΠ, ώστε να αξιολογηθεί μέσω αυτής η συμβολή τους στη βελτίωση των σχέσεων κράτους – πολίτη. Για το σκοπό της μέτρησης της ποιότητας αξιοποιείται το μοντέλο SERVQUAL, το οποίο έχει χρησιμοποιηθεί ευρέως στη βιβλιογραφία αναφορικά με τις δημόσιες υπηρεσίες. Στη διατριβή, με βάση υφιστάμενες μελέτες για τα ΚΕΠ, συστηματοποιείται περαιτέρω η διερεύνησή τους, η οποία εντάσσεται στις συζητήσεις για την ενσωμάτωση στην Ελληνική δημόσια διοίκηση αρχών Διοίκησης Ολικής Ποιότητας (ΔΟΠ) και ευρύτερα αντιλήψεων που πηγάζουν από το Νέο Δημόσιο Management. Για την πραγματοποίηση του σκοπού της συστηματικής διερεύνησης του αντικειμένου, η διατριβή διακρίνεται σε δύο τμήματα, το θεωρητικό και το εμπειρικό. Στο θεωρητικό μέρος (Κεφάλαια 1-4) γίνεται μια εισαγωγή στις θεωρητικές προσεγγίσεις στη δημόσια διοίκηση, από το γραφειοκρατικό μοντέλο του Μαξ Βέμπερ έως τις θεωρίες σχετικές με τα συστήματα ΔΟΠ. Στο πλαίσιο αυτό, περιγράφονται τα χαρακτηριστικά της Ελληνικής δημόσιας διοίκησης διαχρονικά, και αναλύονται οι προκλήσεις που αυτή αντιμετωπίζει. Ιδιαίτερη έμφαση δίνεται στις σχέσεις του πολίτη με τη δημόσια διοίκηση και τις στρεβλώσεις που εντοπίζονται σε αυτήν. Στο εμπειρικό μέρος (Κεφάλαια 5-7) πραγματοποιείται η συλλογή και ανάλυση των δεδομένων, βάσει της μεθοδολογίας του μοντέλου SERVQUAL. Η έρευνα είναι ποσοτική και υλοποιείται με δύο ερωτηματολόγια, το ένα απευθυνόμενο προς τους πολίτες και το δεύτερο προς τους υπαλλήλους των ΚΕΠ. Η επιλεγμένη μέθοδος δειγματοληψίας (στρωματοποιημένη δειγματοληψία) διασφαλίζει ότι το δείγμα του πληθυσμού είναι αντιπροσωπευτικό, όπως αυτό επιβεβαιώνεται και από τις παραγοντικές αναλύσεις των δυο δειγμάτων. Τα κεντρικά ευρήματα της έρευνας είναι τα εξής: Πρώτον, οι πολίτες δε γνωρίζουν καλά τα ψηφιακά εργαλεία μέσω των οποίων μπορούν να εξυπηρετηθούν αντί να επισκεφθούν τα ΚΕΠ. Δεύτερον, οι πολίτες είναι θετικοί στη μετατροπή των ΚΕΠ στο μοναδικό φορέα επαφής πολίτη – κράτους. Τρίτον, οι πολίτες έχουν υψηλότερες προσδοκίες για ποιότητα σε σχέση με αυτό που αντιλαμβάνονται οι υπάλληλοι ως υψηλή ποιότητα παρεχόμενων υπηρεσιών. Τέταρτο, τα δημογραφικά στοιχεία, και συγκεκριμένα το φύλο και το μορφωτικό επίπεδο, επηρεάζουν τις αντιλήψεις των υπαλλήλων, ενώ αρκετά είναι και τα δημογραφικά στοιχεία που επηρεάζουν τις προσδοκίες των πολιτών.
Unifying the origins of baryon asymmetry and dark matter through freeze-in
Authors: Παπαχρήστου Παντελής
Published: August 2023

Η προέλευση της σκοτεινής ύλης και της ασυμμετρίας ύλης-αντιύλης αποτελούν δύο από τα πιοεπίμονα μυστήρια της σύγχρονης σωματιδιακής φυσικής και κοσμολογίας. Η επίλυση καθενός ξε-χωριστά, πόσο μάλλον και των δύο μαζί, είναι μια απαιτητική πρόκληση η οποία έχει οδηγήσει σεπληθώρα διαφορετικών προσεγγίσεων. Στην παρούσα διατριβή ακολουθούμε μια ενοποιημένη προ-σέγγιση και μελετάμε ένα μηχανισμό που επιτρέπει την παραγωγή της παρατηρούμενης βαρυονικήςασυμμετρίας του Σύμπαντος μαζί με τη σκοτεινή ύλη. Στο επίκεντρο του μηχανισμού βρίσκονται οιεκτός ισορροπίας αλληλεπιδράσεις εξωτικών σωματιδίων του κοσμικού πλάσματος, οι οποίες ευθύνο-νται για την παραγωγή εξαιρετικά ασθενώς αλληλεπιδρούσας σκοτεινής ύλης μέσω του μηχανισμούτου freeze-in. Οι ίδιες αλληλεπιδράσεις παραβιάζουν την CP συμμετρία και μπορούν περαιτέρω ναοδηγήσουν στη δημιουργία ασυμμετρίας μεταξύ ύλης και αντιύλης στο βαρυονικό τομέα.Συγκεκριμένες υλοποιήσεις αυτού του “freeze-in baryogenesis” μηχανισμού μπορούν να επι-τευχθούν επεκτείνοντας το σωματιδιακό περιεχόμενο του καθιερωμένου προτύπου με βαριά, διανυ-σματικού τύπου Dirac φερμιόνια, καθώς επίσης και με σωματίδια που μπορούν να αποτελέσουν τηνσκοτεινή ύλη. Αρχικά μελετάμε ένα επανακανονικοποιήσιμο μοντέλο και επεξηγούμε πως λειτουργείο μηχανισμός στην περιοχή του υπέρυθρου. Στην περίπτωση αυτή η σκοτεινή ύλη και η βαρυονικήασυμμετρία παράγονται σε θερμοκρασίες κοντά στην ηλεκτρασθενή κλίμακα. Κατόπιν, εστιάζου-με στην πιθανότητα αυτές οι αλληλεπιδράσεις να περιγράφονται από μη-επανακανονικοποιήσιμουςτελεστές διάστασης 5 και 6, που οδηγεί στην παραγωγή της σκοτεινής ύλης και της βαρυονικήςασυμμετρίας κοντά στην θερμοκρασία αναθέρμανσης. Τέλος, επανεξετάζουμε το υπεριώδες σε-νάριο και μελετάμε πώς επηρεάζονται οι προβλέψεις του υπό την παρουσία ενός ρευστού το οποίοκυριαρχεί προσωρινά στο ενεργειακό περιεχόμενο του Σύμπαντος. Επιπλέον, δείχνουμε ότι οι πλη-θωριστικές παρατηρήσεις μπορούν να περιορίσουν τον παραμετρικό χώρο τέτοιων μοντέλων, όταναυτά εξεταστούν συνδυαστικά με πληθωριστικά μοντέλα.Σε κάθε σενάριο εξάγουμε τον βιώσιμο παραμετρικό χώρο που επιτρέπει την δημιουργία τηςβαρυονικής ασυμμετρίας και την σκοτεινής ύλης, λαμβάνοντας υπόψη τους κοσμολογικούς περιορι-σμούς σχετικά με τη μάζα της σκοτεινής ύλης. Σχολιάζουμε επίσης τις φαινομενολογικές πτυχέςαυτών των μοντέλων, καθώς επίσης και τις παρατηρησιακές τους επιπτώσεις.
Editors with multiple retractions, but who serve on journal editorial boards: Case studies
Authors: Teixeira da Silva Jaime Α. , Vuong Quan-Hoang
Published: August 2023

In a recent opinion paper (https://doi.org/10.3897/ese.2022.e95926), it was argued that individuals with multiple retractions or a record of academic misconduct should not serve as editors, including as editors- in-chief, on the editorial boards of scholarly or academic journals. As a first step towards appreciating how such a policy could be applied in practice, the presence of 30 individuals listed on the Retraction Watch Leaderboard on editorial boards was screened. Six cases are highlighted to gain an appreciation of the potential reputational risks that journals and publishers might incur by including individuals with a tainted academic record on editorial boards. Given the reputational, legal and other risks associated with this type of assessment and decision, more formal positioning and guidance are needed by global ethics policy-related bodies such as COPE, the ICMJE, and the CSE, even more so in journals that claim to follow these organizations’ ethical guidelines.
Η νομιμοποίηση του αντικομμουνιστικού πολιτικού λόγου στην Ελλάδα της κρίσης
Authors: Μπουκάλα Σαλώμη
Published: August 2023

Αξιοποιώντας το πλαίσιο της λογοϊστορικής προσέγγισης της κριτικής ανάλυσης λόγου και συνδυάζοντάς το με επιχειρηματολογική οπτική της αριστοτελικής σκέψης, το παρόν άρθρο επιχειρεί να αναδείξει την επικράτηση της αντικομμουνιστικής κοινοτοπίας στην ελληνική πολιτική σκηνή σε μια περίοδο που εκτείνεται από το βενιζελικό ιδιώνυμο και ιδιαίτερα μέχρι την πρόσφατη οικονομική και πολιτική κρίση. Αντλώντας από τη θεωρία της νομιμοποίησης και του ολοκληρωτισμού, στόχος μου είναι να εξηγήσω πώς ο αντικομμουνιστικός λόγος κλιμακώνεται σε περιόδους κρίσεων και εκτείνεται πέρα από τα όρια της άκρας δεξιάς, ενώ, παράλληλα, νομιμοποιείται μέσω του αρχέτυπου της «κομμουνιστικής απειλής».
Για το βιβλίο: Μιχάλης Χριστοδούλου (2022). Η αιτιακή εξήγηση μέσα από τις μελέτες περίπτωσης. Πεδίο, 352 σελ.
Authors: Σπυριδάκης Μάνος
Published: August 2023

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Aspects of Significance in the “Dark Heritage” of Thessaloniki, Greece
Authors: Zygomalas Dimitrios
Published: August 2023

Located in the north of Greece and boasting an interrupted history of over 2.300 years, Thessaloniki has a wide array of architectural monuments to display. Hellenistic residences, Roman administrative centers, Byzantine churches, and Ottoman communal buildings have shaped for decades the city’s historical profile, leaving limited space for a nonetheless widely acknowledged architectural grouping, namely its “dark heritage”.

Comprising buildings and sites that have over the years been related to rare phenomena and curious events, Thessaloniki’s “heritage of darkness” fascinates the imagination of its residents, in addition to providing a frequent subject for the writings of local journalists and researchers, and a focal point in the work of the services and bodies involved in monument protection. The above players evidently evaluate its constituents in different manners, thus leading to the emergence of multiple aspects of significance in the appraisal of the city’s “dark heritage”.

This paper aims to identify these aspects and determine their interrelation and impact on the preservation of the buildings and sites involved. To this end, based on bibliographical research and on-site examination, it begins with a comprehensive overview of the dreaded built assets, followed by the identification of the players involved in their treatment and their respective attitudes. From there on, a discussion of the interaction of these attitudes is pursued, culminating in original conclusions as to the consequences of this interaction for the safeguarding of the tangible and intangible qualities of the city’s “heritage of the dark”.
Spectroscopy: The Tool to Study the Stars
Authors: Banerjee Gourav
Published: August 2023

Stars are not just useful in the pursuit of astronomy, their importance to us is fundamental. However, the true nature of stars remained a mystery for centuries. Then, through years of hard work we presently do have the tool using which we can actually study and understand the stars. That tool is spectroscopy. For the past few years, intense research in the field of stellar spectroscopy is being carried out at the CHRIST (Deemed to be University) too. This article, written in popular style, provides an understanding of how the exciting field of spectroscopy -- the language of stars -- gradually developed, thus helping humanity to gain a good understanding about stars and astronomy as a whole. The article intends to provide motivation to young students, especially of UG level, who dreams to pursue astronomy research in future to do research in this exciting field.
Properties of Carbon Nanotubes and their applications in Nanotechnology – A Review
Authors: Prasad Shiva , Venkat Reddy Harish , Godekere Ashok
Published: August 2023

One of the most distinctive inventions in the world of nanotechnology is the carbon nanotube (CNT). Many scholars around the world have been studying carbon nanotubes (CNTs) over the past two decades due to their enormous potential in a variety of sectors. Single-wall CNTs with dimensions in the nanometer range are commonly referred to as carbon nanotubes. Carbon nanotubes are also known as multi-wall CNTs, which are made up of nested single-wall CNTs that are weakly bonded together in a tree ring-like structure by van der Waals interactions. Tubes having an unknown carbon wall structure and diameters smaller than 100 nanometers are also referred to as carbon nanotubes. A carbon nanotube's length is often substantially longer than its diameter, according to standard manufacturing methods. Carbon nanotubes are capable of exhibiting a variety of remarkable properties. CNTs have distinct electrical, mechanical and optical properties that have all been thoroughly investigated. The properties and applications of carbon nanotubes are the focus of this review.
Fe3+/Fe2+ - ZnO nanostructures: Synergetic effect of annealing temperature on Structural, Optical and Dielectric properties
Authors: Kaushik Anil , Kumar Chaudhary Sunil , Kumar Mann Ajay
Published: August 2023

The impact of Fe3+ dopant on structural, morphological and electric properties of ZnO nano materials prepared via co-precipitation methodology is explored in this work. The XRD measurements affirmed the wurtzite hexagonal arrangement with the P63mc space group. Crystalline size, inter-planar spacing, and cell volume of the Fe3+/ZnO-400 were determined to be 38.6 nm, 2.6903 nm and 57.44 Å3, individually. SEM (Scanning Electron Microscope)was utilized for morphological investigations of the surface of samples. The photoluminescence (PL) studies were estimated at 325 nm excitation wavelength via utilizing a photoluminescence spectrometer to observe the emission spectrum of samples. FTIR (Fourier Transform Infrared) spectrometer was used to measure IR spectra to identify the presence of bonds in the samples with peaks around 536-634 cm-1. Complex impedance measurements of the Fe3+/ZnO-RT and Fe3+/ZnO-400 samples were estimated at 310 K using a galvanostat in the range of frequency from 50 Hz to 5 MHz.
Editorial
Authors: Balachandran Manoj
Published: August 2023

Dear Readers, I am delighted to present the 61st Issue of the Mapana - Journal of Sciences, 2022, on behalf of the Journal's editorial team. Over the past years, the journal has strived to contribute to publishing original and novel research and review articles in the discipline of science.
A Comprehensive Research Study on Low-Interaction Secure Shell Honeypot
Authors: Pahal Sudesh , Priya Preity
Published: August 2023

This paper details information acquired from a secure shell honeypot, including plaintext login credentials and comprehensive attack data. As the number of data breaches and password leaks rises year after year, more dictionaries of reverse-engineered hashed passwords develop. Besides contributing to educational password dictionaries, this article also attempts to provide information about the geographical makeup of hackers encountered, as well as favored protocols. Its goal is to encourage developers to produce practical honeypot solutions for organizations with limited resources for their cyber-protection, as well as to encourage organizations to implement such measures and study their data. The low-interaction, user-friendly honeypot created is capable of running without manual intervention, and without interfering with parallelly running processes. Besides collecting login credentials used with SSH, in plaintext, its capabilities include recording, analyzing, and sending notifications about suspicious network traffic.
Implementation of Adomian Decomposition Method for Maize Streak Virus Disease Model to Reduce the Contamination Rate in Maize Plant
Authors: Ramanathan Malinidevi , Kalirajan Vaishnavi
Published: August 2023

In this paper, the Maize Streak Virus disease model which involves the Maize and the Homopteran population is considered. This system of the differential equation is analytically solved by using Adomian Decomposition Method. The analytical results are compared with numerical simulation by assuming certain values for the parameter. Further, the demolishing and contamination rate of contagious and receptive homopteran on receptive and contagious Maize plant  parameters are analyzed to reduce the contamination rate. In addition, the death rates of contagious maize, receptive homopteran and contagious homopteran  are also discussed to remove the contagious population and make them free from Maize Streak Virus.