bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Experimental and numerical study of multi-pulse picosecond laser ablation on 316 L stainless steel
Authors: Zhou Tong , Hong Yuchao , Fang Zheng , Perrie Walter , Fei Yang , Hu Youyou , Edwardson Stuart , Dearden Geoff
Published: October 2023

An experimental and numerical study on 10 ps laser ablation of 316 L stainless steel up to 400 hundred pulse exposure has been carried out. In this simulation, the material removal threshold temperature has been carefully discussed depending on the different ablation driving mechanisms. The influence of the instantaneous material removal has also been considered which will affect the calculation of the next pulse’s absorption. For single-pulse ablation, the simulated ablation threshold Fsim = 0.26 J/cm2 is close to the fitted experimental result F0th = (0.29 ± 0.01) J/cm2. For multi-pulse ablation, the simulated ablation rate Rsim = 11.4 nm/pulse is close to the fitted experimental result Rexp = (12.4 ± 0.1) nm/pulse under 0.9 J/cm2 fluence, while the simulated ablation rate Rsim = 19.8 nm/pulse is slightly larger than the fitted experimental result Rexp = (16.1 ± 0.7) nm/pulse at 2.7 J/cm2, providing good agreement between theory and experiment for both single and multi-pulse ablation. This study could be used to predict the multi-pulse laser processing performance, especially with the help of a machine learning method to find the best parameters automatically.
Capturing videos at 60 frames per second using incoherent digital holography
Authors: Muroi Tetsuhiko , Nobukawa Teruyoshi , Katano Yutaro , Hagiwara Kei
Published: October 2023

The three-dimensional information of an object can be obtained under low coherent light through incoherent digital holography (IDH). In the spatially parallel phase-shifting method by the geometric phase, the IDH optical setup using a diffractive lens can cause noise due to high-order diffracted and scattered light. Therefore, we constructed an IDH optical setup using a Michelson interferometer without a diffractive lens. We investigated the relationship between the focal length of the concave mirror in the interferometer and the resolution of the reconstructed image. The resolution could be improved by shortening the focal length. Furthermore, we confirmed that the motion blur in the IDH is consistent with the conventional two-dimensional imaging system, and demonstrated that videos could be captured at 60 fps.
Prevalence of bacteriologically-confirmed pulmonary tuberculosis in urban Blantyre, Malawi 2019–20: Substantial decline compared to 2013–14 national survey
Authors: Feasey Helena R. A. , Khundi McEwen , Nzawa Soko Rebecca , Nightingale Emily , Burke Rachael M. , Henrion Marc Y. R. , Phiri Mphatso D. , Burchett Helen E. , Chiume Lingstone , Nliwasa Marriott , Twabi Hussein H. , Mpunga James A. , MacPherson Peter , Corbett Elizabeth L.
Published: October 2023

Recent evidence shows rapidly changing tuberculosis (TB) epidemiology in Southern and Eastern Africa, with need for subdistrict prevalence estimates to guide targeted interventions. We conducted a pulmonary TB prevalence survey to estimate current TB burden in Blantyre city, Malawi. From May 2019 to March 2020, 115 households in middle/high-density residential Blantyre, were randomly-selected from each of 72 clusters. Consenting eligible participants (household residents ≥ 18 years) were interviewed, including for cough (any duration), and offered HIV testing and chest X-ray; participants with cough and/or abnormal X-ray provided two sputum samples for microscopy, Xpert MTB/Rif and mycobacterial culture. TB disease prevalence and risk factors for prevalent TB were calculated using complete-case analysis, multiple imputation, and inverse probability weighting. Of 20,899 eligible adults, 15,897 (76%) were interviewed, 13,490/15,897 (85%) had X-ray, and 1,120/1,394 (80%) sputum-eligible participants produced at least one specimen, giving 15,318 complete cases (5,895, 38% men). 29/15,318 had bacteriologically-confirmed TB (189 per 100,000 complete-case (cc) / 150 per 100,000 with inverse weighting (iw)). Men had higher burden (cc: 305 [95% CI:144–645] per 100,000) than women (cc: 117 [95% CI:65–211] per 100,000): cc adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 2.70 (1.26–5.78). Other significant risk factors for prevalent TB on complete-case analysis were working age (25–49 years) and previous TB treatment, but not HIV status. Multivariable analysis of imputed data was limited by small numbers, but previous TB and age group 25–49 years remained significantly associated with higher TB prevalence. Pulmonary TB prevalence for Blantyre was considerably lower than the 1,014 per 100,000 for urban Malawi in the 2013–14 national survey, at 150–189 per 100,000 adults, but some groups, notably men, remain disproportionately affected. TB case-finding is still needed for TB elimination in Blantyre, and similar urban centres, but should focus on reaching the highest risk groups, such as older men.
Investigation of the impacts of climate change and rising temperature on food poisoning cases in Malaysia
Authors: Hassan Noor Artika , Hashim Jamal Hisham , Wan Puteh Sharifa Ezat , Wan Mahiyuddin Wan Rozita , Mohd Mohd Syazwan Faisal , Shaharudin Shazlyn Milleana , Mohammad Aidid Edre , Sapuan Isnizam
Published: October 2023

This study is an attempt to investigate climate-induced increases in morbidity rates of food poisoning cases. Monthly food poisoning cases, average monthly meteorological data, and population data from 2004 to 2014 were obtained from the Malaysian Ministry of Health, Malaysian Meteorological Department, and Department of Statistics Malaysia, respectively. Poisson generalised linear models were developed to assess the association between climatic parameters and the number of reported food poisoning cases. The findings revealed that the food poisoning incidence in Malaysia during the 11 years study period was 561 cases per 100 000 population for the whole country. Among the cases, females and the ethnic Malays most frequently experienced food poisoning with incidence rates of 313 cases per 100,000 and 438 cases per 100,000 population over the period of 11 years, respectively. Most of the cases occurred within the active age of 13 to 35 years old. Temperature gave a significant impact on the incidence of food poisoning cases in Selangor (95% CI: 1.033–1.479; p = 0.020), Melaka (95% CI: 1.046–2.080; p = 0.027), Kelantan (95% CI: 1.129–1.958; p = 0.005), and Sabah (95% CI: 1.127–2.690; p = 0.012) while rainfall was a protective factor in Terengganu (95% CI: 0.996–0.999; p = 0.034) at lag 0 month. For a 1.0°C increase in temperature, the excess risk of food poisoning in each state can increase up to 74.1%, whereas for every 50 mm increase in rainfall, the risk of getting food poisoning decreased by almost 10%. The study concludes that climate does affect the distribution of food poisoning cases in Selangor, Melaka, Kelantan, Sabah, and Terengganu. Food poisoning cases in other states are not directly associated with temperature but related to monthly trends and seasonality.
Visual feedback modulates the 1/f structure of movement amplitude time series
Authors: Slifkin Andrew B. , Eder Jeffrey R.
Published: October 2023

In our prior studies, human participants were required to generate long sequences of targeted hand movement when task difficulty varied between conditions, and where full vision of the hand and target was always available. The movement amplitude—that is, the actual distance travelled—for each movement was measured; consecutive movement amplitude values were formed into time series; then, the time series were submitted to spectral analysis. As task difficulty increased, there was a pink-to-white-noise shift in movement amplitude time-series structure. Those changes could be attributed to a difficulty-induced increase in the need to engage visual feedback processes, which maintain accurate guidance of the hand to the target. The current study was designed to provide a more direct test of the hypothesis that difficulty-induced increases in visual feedback processing modulate movement amplitude time-series structure. To that end, we examined cyclical aiming performance under four unique conditions created from the crossing of two index of difficulty (2 and 5 bits) and two visual feedback (visual feedback and no-visual feedback) conditions. That allowed us to examine how variations in visual feedback quality might influence difficulty-induced changes in time-series structure. In the visual feedback condition, we predicted that the increase in difficulty should result in a pink-to-white-noise shift in time-series structure. If that expected shift resulted from increased engagement of visual feedback processing, then in the no-visual feedback condition—where visual feedback processing was disabled—we should observe a strengthened pink-noise time-series structure that does not change with the increase in difficulty. The current results confirmed those predictions. That provides further support for the hypothesis that engagement of closed-loop visual feedback processing modulates movement amplitude time-series structure.
Predicting of diabetic retinopathy development stages of fundus images using deep learning based on combined features
Authors: Shamsan Ahlam , Senan Ebrahim Mohammed , Ahmad Shatnawi Hamzeh Salameh
Published: October 2023

The number of diabetic retinopathy (DR) patients is increasing every year, and this causes a public health problem. Therefore, regular diagnosis of diabetes patients is necessary to avoid the progression of DR stages to advanced stages that lead to blindness. Manual diagnosis requires effort and expertise and is prone to errors and differing expert diagnoses. Therefore, artificial intelligence techniques help doctors make a proper diagnosis and resolve different opinions. This study developed three approaches, each with two systems, for early diagnosis of DR disease progression. All colour fundus images have been subjected to image enhancement and increasing contrast ROI through filters. All features extracted by the DenseNet-121 and AlexNet (Dense-121 and Alex) were fed to the Principal Component Analysis (PCA) method to select important features and reduce their dimensions. The first approach is to DR image analysis for early prediction of DR disease progression by Artificial Neural Network (ANN) with selected, low-dimensional features of Dense-121 and Alex models. The second approach is to DR image analysis for early prediction of DR disease progression is by integrating important and low-dimensional features of Dense-121 and Alex models before and after PCA. The third approach is to DR image analysis for early prediction of DR disease progression by ANN with the radiomic features. The radiomic features are a combination of the features of the CNN models (Dense-121 and Alex) separately with the handcrafted features extracted by Discrete Wavelet Transform (DWT), Local Binary Pattern (LBP), Fuzzy colour histogram (FCH), and Gray Level Co-occurrence Matrix (GLCM) methods. With the radiomic features of the Alex model and the handcrafted features, ANN reached a sensitivity of 97.92%, an AUC of 99.56%, an accuracy of 99.1%, a specificity of 99.4% and a precision of 99.06%.
The impact of caregiver mental health on child prosocial behavior: A longitudinal analysis of children and caregivers in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
Authors: Norwitz Gabriella A. , Desmond Chris , Gruver Rachel S. , Kvalsvig Jane D. , Mirti Amaleah F. , Kauchali Shuaib , Davidson Leslie L.
Published: October 2023

Background

Prosocial behavior has positive social, cognitive, and physical health effects on the individual exhibiting the behavior as well as on society as a whole, and is integral to overall mental and physical wellbeing. The development of prosocial behavior is rooted in early childhood and learned through observation. As such, those spending time with children, especially their caregiver, play a critical role in their prosocial development. The current study investigates the impact of caregiver mental health on the prosocial development of young children over time.

Methods

This paper presents a secondary analysis of child prosocial development in the Asenze Study, a longitudinal, population-based cohort study based in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Children were followed-up over time from an average age of five to seven years along with their caregivers. Linear GEE regression analysis was used to assess whether a change in presence of a mental health disorder in a caregiver during this 2-year interval (using the Client Diagnostic Questionnaire) impacted the development of their child’s prosocial behavior (using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire).

Results

After adjusting for early child-care, child HIV status, SDQ child prosocial subscale, SDQ total difficulties score, and household order score (CHAOS), children whose caregivers acquired a mental health disorder had a significantly smaller increase in prosocial behavioral development compared to children whose caregivers never had a mental health disorder.

Conclusions

Identifying contextually relevant modifiable factors such as this will help stimulate the development of interventions to promote prosocial development in childhood.
Assessing the biodiversity and the impact of pollinators on carob production
Authors: Varnava Androulla I. , Manganaris George A. , Stavrinides Menelaos C.
Published: October 2023

As the current climate crisis intensifies, drought resistant crops are becoming more important due to their ability to withstand the increasingly hotter and drier summers. Such crops are valuable for pollinators as they provide food resources for wild and managed species. The carob tree (Ceratonia siliqua L.) represents an example of a heat- and drought- resistant crop, able to grow in dry areas with practically no inputs. The current study assessed over two growing seasons the diversity of wild bees and other pollinators relying on carob flowers, as well as the contribution of animal pollination to carob production. Carob flowers were subjected to two treatments: Open pollination, where inflorescences were left untreated, and wind pollination, where inflorescences were bagged in a mesh during blooming. Weekly observations during blooming showed that Apis mellifera was the most frequent floral visitor followed by wild bees and wasps. Carob flowers were visited by at least 10 different wild bee species. Open-pollinated flowers produced significantly more pods, with the benefit ranging from 4 to 16 times higher production, depending on the region. Open pollination led to pods with greater weight, length and number of seeds compared to pods derived from wind pollination. The results of the current study highlight the importance of animal pollination to carob production, as well as the significance of carob trees to wild bee conservation.
Advanced biomaterial agent from chitosan/poloxamer 407-based thermosensitive hydrogen containing biosynthesized silver nanoparticles using Eucalyptus camaldulensis leaf extract
Authors: Wunnoo Suttiwan , Lorenzo-Leal Ana C. , Voravuthikunchai Supayang P. , Bach Horacio
Published: October 2023

Context

The emergence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) pathogens poses a significant challenge for global public health systems, increasing hospital morbidity and mortality and prolonged hospitalization.

Objective

We evaluated the antimicrobial activity of a thermosensitive hydrogel containing bio-synthesized silver nanoparticles (bio-AgNPs) based on chitosan/poloxamer 407 using a leaf extract of Eucalyptus calmadulensis.

Results

The thermosensitive hydrogel was prepared by a cold method after mixing the ingredients and left at 4°C overnight to ensure the complete solubilization of poloxamer 407. The stability of the hydrogel formulation was evaluated at room temperature for 3 months, and the absorption peak (420 nm) of the NPs remained unchanged. The hydrogel formulation demonstrated rapid gelation under physiological conditions, excellent water retention (85%), and broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity against MDR clinical isolates and ATCC strains. In this regard, minimum inhibitory concentration and minimum microbial concentration values of the bio-AgNPs ranged from 2–8 μg/mL to 8−128 μg/mL, respectively. Formulation at concentrations <64 μg/mL showed no cytotoxic effect on human-derived macrophages (THP-1 cells) with no induction of inflammation.

Conclusions

The formulated hydrogel could be used in biomedical applications as it possesses a broad antimicrobial spectrum and anti-inflammatory properties without toxic effects on human cells.
Smart home adoption factors: A systematic literature review and research agenda
Authors: Valencia-Arias Alejandro , Cardona-Acevedo Sebastian , Gómez-Molina Sergio , Gonzalez-Ruiz Juan David , Valencia Jackeline
Published: October 2023

Smart homes represent the complement of various automation technologies that together make up a network of devices facilitating the daily tasks of residents. These technologies are being studied for their application from different sectors, including the projection of their use to improve energy consumption planning and health care management. However, technology adoption depends on social awareness within the scope of cognitive advantages and innovations compared to perceived risk because although there are multiple benefits, potential users express fears related to the loss of autonomy and security. This study carries out a systematic literature review based on PRISMA in order to analyze research trends and literary evolution in the technological adoption of smart homes, considering the main theories and variables applied by the community. In proposing a research agenda in accordance with the identified gaps and the growing and emerging themes of the object of study, it is worth highlighting the growing interest in the subject, both for the present and its development in the future. Until now, adoption factors have been attributed more to the technological acceptance model and the diffusion of innovation theory, adopting components of the Theory of Planned Behavior; therefore, in several cases, the attributes of different theories are merged to adapt to the needs of each researcher, promoting the creation of empirical and extended models.
U-shaped association between plasma C-peptide and sarcopenia: A cross-sectional study of elderly Chinese patients with diabetes mellitus
Authors: Chen Ming-Jun , Leng Jing , Ni Jian-Ping , Xiong Ai-Ling , Hu Man-Yun
Published: October 2023

Limited research exists regarding the relationship between fasting plasma C-peptide levels and sarcopenia. As a result, our study aimed to examine this association in elderly Chinese diabetic patients. This cross-sectional study included 288 elderly patients with diabetes mellitus from the Fourth People’s Hospital in Guiyang who were enrolled prospectively between March 2020 and February 2023. The independent variable of interest was fasting plasma C-peptide, while the dependent variable was sarcopenia. Data on several covariates, including demographic factors, lifestyle habits, co-morbidities, anthropometric indicators, and laboratory indicators, were also collected. Of the 288 participants, 27.43% (79/288) had sarcopenia. After adjusting for potential confounding variables, we found a U-shaped association between fasting plasma C-peptide levels and sarcopenia, with inflection points identified at approximately 774 pmol/L and 939 mmol/L. Within the range of 50–744 pmol/L, each 100 pmol/L increase in CysC was associated with a 37% decrease in the odds of sarcopenia (odds ratio [OR], 0.63; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.49 to 0.83; P < 0.001). Additionally, within the range of 939–1694 pmol/L, each 100 pmol/L increase in fasting plasma C-peptide was associated with a 76% increase in the odds of sarcopenia (odds ratio [OR], 1.76; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.11 to 2.81; P = 0.017). Our study revealed a U-shaped association between fasting plasma C-peptide levels and the likelihood of sarcopenia, with lower risk in the range of 774–939 pmol/L. These findings may assist in the development of more effective prevention and treatment strategies for sarcopenia in elderly diabetic patients.
Research on coupling control of multiple permanent magnet synchronous motors based on NAISMC and SMDO
Authors: Hao Yunhui , Zhao Ying
Published: October 2023

The synchronous control system of multi-permanent magnet motor has the characteristics of many parameter variables and mutual coupling. The use of sliding mode control to optimize the parameters in the multi-permanent magnet motor system not only ensures the stability of the system operation, but also improves the control accuracy of the system, which is of great importance in practical applications. Based on this background, the study combines the new adaptive integral sliding mode control (NAISMC) with the improved sliding-mode disturbance observer (SMDO) and uses it for the multi-permanent magnet synchronous motor (MPMSM). In NAISMC, the controller updates and adjusts the parameters of the controller using an adaptive algorithm according to the state of the system and the error signals, which further improves the stability and robustness of the system. SMDO utilizes the principle of the sliding-mode observer to estimate the disturbance of the system, and eliminates the effect of the disturbance on the system by introducing a compensation term. The sliding mode observer calculates the disturbance estimate by comparing the difference between the actual and the estimated outputs. The disturbance estimate is finally used to generate the corresponding compensation signal to eliminate or minimize the effect of the disturbance on the system. NAISMC is combined with SMDO and used in the deviation coupling control of MPMSM. The study established a simulation experiment environment in MATLAB, set the simulation time to 0.4s, and the rated speed of the motor to 1000r/min. The improved sliding mode control scheme is tested, and the results show that the motor output speed, tracking error and electromagnetic torque variation under the improved sliding mode control scheme are smaller than those under the traditional sliding mode control scheme. Under the same simulation conditions, the multi-motor speed synchronization error under the improved sliding mode control scheme is around 0r/min, and its error value is close to 0, so the control effect is higher. In conclusion, the optimization scheme proposed in this study can effectively improve the stability and control accuracy of the multi-motor system.
The macroeconomic burden of noncommunicable diseases and mental health conditions in South America
Authors: Ferranna Maddalena , Cadarette Daniel , Chen Simiao , Ghazi Parastou , Ross Faith , Zucker Leo , Bloom David E.
Published: October 2023

Noncommunicable diseases and mental health conditions (referred to collectively as NMHs) are the greatest cause of preventable death, illness, and disability in South America and negatively affect countries’ economic performance through their detrimental impacts on labor supply and capital investments. Sound, evidence-based policy-making requires a deep understanding of the macroeconomic costs of NMHs and of their distribution across countries and diseases. The paper estimates and projects the macroeconomic burden of NMHs over the period 2020–2050 in 10 South American countries. We estimate the impact of NMHs on gross domestic product (GDP) through a human capital-augmented production function approach, accounting for mortality and morbidity effects of NMHs on labor supply, for the impact of treatment costs on physical capital accumulation, and for variations in human capital by age. Our central estimates suggest that the overall burden of NMHs in these countries amounts to $7.3 trillion (2022 international $, 3% discount rate, 95% confidence interval: $6.8–$7.8 trillion). Overall, the macroeconomic burden of NMHs is around 4% of total GDP over 2020–2050, with little variation across countries (from 3.2% in Peru to 4.5% in Brazil). In other words, without NMHs, annual GDP over 2020–2050 would be about 4% larger. In most countries, the largest macroeconomic burden is associated with cancers. Results from the paper point to a significant macroeconomic burden of NMHs in South America and provide a strong justification for investment in NMH prevention, early detection, treatment, and formal and informal care.
Information sharing in high-dimensional gene expression data for improved parameter estimation in concentration-response modelling
Authors: Kappenberg Franziska , Rahnenführer Jörg
Published: October 2023

In toxicological concentration-response studies, a frequent goal is the determination of an ‘alert concentration’, i.e. the lowest concentration where a notable change in the response in comparison to the control is observed. In high-throughput gene expression experiments, e.g. based on microarray or RNA-seq technology, concentration-response profiles can be measured for thousands of genes simultaneously. One approach for determining the alert concentration is given by fitting a parametric model to the data which allows interpolation between the tested concentrations. It is well known that the quality of a model fit improves with the number of measured data points. However, adding new replicates for existing concentrations or even several replicates for new concentrations is time-consuming and expensive. Here, we propose an empirical Bayes approach to information sharing across genes, where in essence a weighted mean of the individual estimate for one specific parameter of a fitted model and the mean of all estimates of the entire set of genes is calculated as a result. Results of a controlled plasmode simulation study show that for many genes a notable improvement in terms of the mean squared error (MSE) between estimate and true underlying value of the parameter can be observed. However, for some genes, the MSE increases, and this cannot be prevented by using a more sophisticated prior distribution in the Bayesian approach.
Assessment of global histone acetylation in pediatric and adolescent obesity: Correlations with SIRT1 expression and metabolic-inflammatory profiles
Authors: Taghizadeh Nima , Mohammadi Soha , yousefi Zeynab , Golpour Pegah , Taheri Alemeh , Maleki Mohammad Hasan , Nourbakhsh Mitra , Nourbakhsh Mona , Azar Maryam Razzaghy
Published: October 2023

Background

Epigenetic modifications, particularly histone acetylation-deacetylation and its related enzymes, such as sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) deacetylase, may have substantial roles in the pathogenesis of obesity and its associated health issues. This study aimed to evaluate global histone acetylation status and SIRT1 gene expression in children and adolescents with obesity and their association with metabolic and anthropometric parameters.

Methods

This study included 60 children and adolescents, 30 with obesity and 30 normal-weight. The evaluation consisted of the analysis of global histone acetylation levels and the expression of the SIRT1 gene in peripheral blood mononuclear cells, by specific antibody and real-time PCR, respectively. Additionally, insulin, fasting plasma glucose, lipid profile and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) levels were measured. Insulin resistance was assessed using the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR). Metabolic syndrome was determined based on the diagnostic criteria established by IDF.

Results

Individuals with obesity, particularly those with insulin resistance, had significantly higher histone acetylation levels compared to control group. Histone acetylation was positively correlated with obesity indices, TNF-α, insulin, and HOMA-IR. Additionally, a significant decrease in SIRT1 gene expression was found among obese individuals, which was negatively correlated with the histone acetylation level. Furthermore, SIRT1 expression levels showed a negative correlation with various anthropometric and metabolic parameters.

Conclusion

Histone acetylation was enhanced in children and adolescents with obesity, potentially resulting from down-regulation of SIRT1, and could play a role in the obesity-associated metabolic abnormalities and insulin resistance. Targeting global histone acetylation modulation might be considered as an epigenetic approach for early obesity management.
Bears and Scents of Place in Sid Marty’s The Black Grizzly of Whiskey Creek
Authors: Banting Pamela
Published: October 2023

Most Western humans think of more-than-human animals as having certain spatial requirements adequate to their needs to feed, reproduce and survive but assume that their territorial needs are more or less generic and interchangeable. In his acclaimed literary nonfiction book The Black Grizzly of Whiskey Creek (2008) Sid Marty represents the spaces and places of two bears, a black bear and a grizzly bear. In this animal biography cum forensic account of a series of bear attacks upon humans in Banff, Alberta, Canada, during eleven days in 1980, Marty reconstructs the events by researching the particular bears and interviewing the wardens involved, and factoring in the climatic and environmental forces – particularly the eruption that spring of Mount St. Helens and the concomitant alteration of weather patterns and plant growth as far away as Banff, Alberta – that led to the unusually high number of tragic bear-human encounters that summer. I argue that The Black Grizzly of Whiskey Creek, several chapters of which Marty writes in the third-person as if from the points of view of each of the two individual bears involved, allows us to explore how we might think of bears’ and by extension other more-than-human animals’ senses of place and exemplifies how literary works can play a role in coming to understand more fully the lives of some of our animal relations. I argue that bears’ tremendous olfactory senses are so indelibly connected with their familiar surroundings as to constitute a veritable “scents of place.”
Performance of cementitious composites subjected to combined fire and blast loading
Authors:   , Horníková Kateřina
Published: October 2023

This thesis is focused on the study of influence of the material properties of different types of concrete on the resistance to fire and blast loading. The interaction of fire and blast loading has not yet been quantified so far in any way. The aim of this thesis is to quantify this interaction based on an original experimental program. Mainly focusing on the properties of the materials studied, the original experimental program is divided into three main parts. In the first part, the material properties of five materials are determined as a function of the elevated temperature. The determined properties are: bulk density, porosity, thermal conductivity, specific heat capacity, permeability, and compressive strength. In the second part of the experimental program, specimens of three materials are subjected to fire and subsequent blast loading. The specimens are subjected to an elevated temperature of 400 °C, followed by near blast using 40 g of Semtex at a distance of 30 mm from the specimen. The result of these experiments is the level of damage to the specimens and the velocity of the flying debris (soffit velocity) measured using Photonic Doppler velocimetry. In the last part of the experimental program, a numerical simulation of the experiments is performed. the numerical analysis is performed for only the reference material. Within this part, both the change of the mechanical properties by elevated temperature and the blast is simulated. The result is the velocity of the flying debris (soffit velocity) and a comparison of the shock wave propagation velocity through the specimen. As a result of the undertaken experimental program, a trend of behavior is determined, where the main parameter influencing the behavior of concrete elements subjected to fire and subsequent blast loading seems to be the tensile strength. Tensile strength decreases quickly with increasing temperature and is also a key property for the element's resistance to blast.
Plasma Properties of Electric Arc Discharge Burning Between Cu-W Composites Electrodes
Authors: Veklich Anatoly , Bartlova Milada , Boretskij Viacheslav , Murmantsev Aleksandr , Ninyovskij Volodymyr , Ivanisk Anatolii
Published: October 2023

Plasma of electric arc discharge burning between different types of composite Cu-W electrodes was investigated. Electrodes manufactured of Cu-W composite materials (30/70% by mass) by shock sintering technology at temperatures of 750, 850, 950, and 1050°C were used. Optical emission spectroscopy techniques were applied to determine the main plasma parameters. Specifically, the side-on spectra of plasma emission were registered using a space-resolved spectrograph with a CMOS camera as a sensor device. The plasma thermodynamics properties were calculated based on the equilibrium plasma composition, which was determined using experimentally obtained radial distributions of temperatures and atom concentrations of the metals.
2. On the Need to Shape the Arab Exile Body in Berlin
Authors: Ali Amro
Published: October 2023

Just as New York became a haven for post-1930s Jewish intellectuals fleeing Europe, and Paris did for Latin American intellectuals fleeing their countries in the 1970s and 1980s; Berlin became the exile capital of the Arab world following the 2010/11 Arab Uprisings. Amro Ali argues that the Arab intellectual community in Berlin needs to understand itself better through engagement with political questions. Indeed, it is necessary for this community to acquire a name, shape or form towards a long-term outcome. This could be a school of thought, a political philosophy, or an ideational movement -cross-fertilized through a deeper engagement with the Arab world.
Landschaft als Mitspielerin?
Authors: Westphal Kristin , Kranixfeld Micha
Published: October 2023

Kristin Westphal und Micha Kranixfeld widmen sich in ihrem Beitrag der Frage, wie Kunst und Bildung das Verhältnis zwischen Kultur und Natur im Zeitalter des Anthropozäns neu denken können. In den Performancekünsten werden verstärkt Praktiken beobachtet, die sich einer anthropogenen Zukunft widmen und Landschaften als Mitspielende in den Inszenierungen einbeziehen. In einer Analyse des Films "Ghostwriting Odenwald" von willems&kiderlen zeigen die Autor*innen auf, wie Landschaft in ihren vielfältigen Schichten als sich wandelndes, akustisches und zeitliches Phänomen mit den Mitteln des Films zur Darstellung kommt. Die Perspektive auf Landschaft als Mitspielerin kann kulturelle Bildung in ländlichen Räumen neu und anders akzentuieren.
What is the horizon more than two curved lines lovingly embracing you?
Authors: Willberg Lissy
Published: October 2023

Lissy Willberg kontrastiert in diesem Beitrag Textfragmente des Skripts der Lecture Performance »Who dreams of the Untouched?« (2022) mit spezifischen Ausgangspunkten ihres Forschungsinteresses, die sich auf die Untersuchung des Aktiv/Passiv Dualismus in Hinblick auf (ständige) tänzerische Bewegung beziehen.
Superhelden im Film
Authors: Vignold Peter
Published: October 2023

Der anhaltenden Diversifizierung des Superheld*innen-Genres in Film und TV geht eine Umbruchsphase voraus, in deren Fokus eine kritische Neuverhandlung von Männlichkeit(en) steht. Peter Vignold nähert sich diesem Umbruch aus einer gender- und medienkulturwissenschaftlichen Perspektive, die filmische Männlichkeit als Resultat medienästhetischer Prozesse begreift. Er interpretiert Marvels »Infinity Saga« als Geschichte von Vätern und Söhnen, die im symbolischen Tod des Patriarchats aufgeht. Im Fokus der Betrachtung steht der Film Iron Man und dessen Konstruktion als filmhistorisches Museum der Männlichkeiten, das sich aus der Geschichte Hollywoods speist.
Vieldeutige Begegnungen und latente Wirkkräfte
Authors: Brabant Dominik
Published: October 2023

In diesem Beitrag wird der Versuch unternommen werden, Bildphänomene der Temporalität, der Ambiguität und der Latenz bei einigen Wahrsagerinnen-Szenen des französischen Caravaggisten Valentin de Boulogne herauszuarbeiten. Dabei wird der Akzent der Analyse auf die wechselseitige Verschränkung dieser Aspekte gelegt. Dies lässt sich besonders gut im Vergleich mit Gemälden des gleichen Motivs von Zeitgenossen darlegen, etwa von Caravaggio oder Bartolomeo Manfredi. Dabei soll aufgezeigt werden, dass diese Phänomene bei allen hier zu betrachtenden Künstlern jeweils wichtige Rollen für die dadurch ermöglichte Rezeption der Genreszenen spielen. Demgegenüber gilt es aber, die jeweils unterschiedlichen Ausformulierungen von Verzeitlichung, Vieldeutigkeit und der Inszenierung des Verborgenen oder Nicht-Sichtbaren differenziert zu betrachten. So wird der Blick auf Valentins spezifische Auffassung von Genremalerei gerichtet, die er als eine Art Bildraum von latent wirkenden und ambivalenten Kräften zu begreifen schien. Mit seiner psychologisch subtilen Schilderung, aber auch durch kompositorische und stilistische Raffinessen ist es dem Künstler gelungen, komplexe Interaktionen zwischen den gemalten Figuren, aber auch ein breites Register an unterschiedlichen Bewusstseinszuständen und Intentionen zu inszenieren, ohne dabei dem Publikum allzu klare oder gar eindeutige Lesarten der dargestellten Szenen aufzuzwingen.
Rosemary's Baby und Blue Velvet
Authors: Grimm Bruno
Published: October 2023

Eine Vielzahl von niederländischen Genregemälden bietet neben der ersten, offensichtlichen Deutungsebene eine zweite, tiefergehendere an. Es stellt sich die Frage, wie diese Analysekonzepte ambiger Interpretationsmöglichkeiten auch auf andere Medien übertragen werden können, in denen eine häusliche Darstellung mit einer zweiten Deutungsebene aufgeladen wird. Folgend werden für das Medium Film exemplarisch Rosemary's Baby von Roman Polanski und Blue Velvet von David Lynch auf ambige Erzählstrategien sowie Visualisierungen mit Rückgriff auf diese Konzepte untersucht.
An Ecosystem Approach for The Sustainable Use and Management of the Lake Victoria Ecosystem
Authors: Mamboleo Martin
Published: October 2023

The key to achieving sustainable development is striking a balance between the exploitation of natural resources for socioeconomic development and the preservation of ecosystem services, which are essential to everyone's well-being and livelihood. This can be achieved by using the ecosystem approach which promotes fair conservation and sustainable use of both land, water and living resources. Over the years, human activities have played an important role in the degradation of natural ecosystems, either due to pollution or unsustainable development. Lake Victoria is the best example of the impact of anthropogenic activity on ecosystems, as it has undergone dramatic biophysical and geochemical changes in a relatively short time. Managing Lake Victoria requires the coordinated efforts of individuals, landowners, research institutions, community groups, and the government. This lake is an important group of natural resources due to its ecosystem services and often unique cultural characteristics hence need for sustainable management. This article focuses on using the ecosystem method to determine optimal management approaches for the Lake Victoria ecosystem's long-term sustainability. The article proposes an integrated stakeholder-based management system and holistic regional development in lake areas that will preserve natural ecosystems without compromising the sustainable use of ecosystem services. As a result, there is a need to remedy the lake ecosystem's degradation in order to retain the shared ecological services that support socioeconomic well-being.
Case Study: A Practitioner Perspective on Implementation of Sustainability Initiatives at the University of California, Davis
Authors: Kirk Camille
Published: October 2023

For over a century, the University of California (UC), Davis campus has been a living laboratory to innovate and implement scalable solutions to sustainability challenges. Four recent sustainability efforts reviewed in this case study include the first Fossil Fuel Free Pathway Plan in the UC, a Voluntary University Review of UC Davis’ contributions to the Sustainable Development Goals, the Big Shift project to lower the district heating carbon footprint, and the climate change-driven Living Landscape Adaptation Plan. Sustained engagement of all sectors of the campus community is critical to successful adoption of these initiatives. Key success drivers include: a) use of data-driven decision making; b) intensivecollaboration among many stakeholders, c) inclusion of faculty and students as active participants, and d) an emphasis on sharing best practices and findings
Oleksandr Dovzhenko, Ivan Kavaleridze, Leonid Skrypnyk: The avant-garde and philosophical explorations of Ukrainian filmmakers of the 1920s
Authors: Naumova Larysa
Published: October 2023

The filmmakers Oleksandr Dovzhenko and Ivan Kavaleridze created bold avant-garde works at the time when Ukrainian cinema was being established, at the end of the 1920s and early 1930s. In effect, the works of these two directors shaped the defining features of Ukrainian cinema. This article discusses the creative methods used by Dovzhenko in his three films Zvenyhora (1927), Arsenal (1929) and Earth (1930), which clearly depict Ukrainian worldviews and mentality. Kavaleridze’s approach is considered in the light of two of his films, Downpour (1929) and Perekop (1930). Already a recognized sculptor at the time, Kavaleridze sought unique forms of expression in film. The approaches these directors took towards framing scenes, montage, lighting and rhythm underpinned the theoretical propositions of their contemporary, Ukrainian film theorist Leonid Skrypnyk. The author suggests that this testifies to a deliberate and comprehensive search for new means of expression in all phases of filmmaking.
Beauvoir or Butler? Comparing ‘Becoming a Woman’ with ‘Performing Gender’ Through the Life Course
Authors: Pickard Susan
Published: October 2023

Judith Butler claims to have based her theory of gender performance on Simone de Beauvoir’s path-breaking idea that one is not born, but rather becomes, a woman. However, Butler’s interpretation of Beauvoir’s work departs considerably from Beauvoir’s own expressed view which is that women are shaped by an interplay of femininity (construed by cultural and structural norms) and sexed bodies and that the concept of woman is a mutable one that can accommodate increasing degrees of freedom. In this paper I explore Beauvoir’s theories further, showing how they depart from Butler’s interpretations of them and in the process exploring the contribution that Beauvoir and Butler respectively make towards understanding ongoing gender inequality. Finally, I compare and contrast the role of temporality and the life course in ‘becoming a woman’ and in performing gender respectively, focusing on the figure of the post-menopausal woman in particular.
Solar driven desalination system for power and desalination water production by concentrated PVT and MED system
Authors: Zhang Xiaochuan
Published: October 2023

In this paper, a thermodynamic study of the combination of Concentrated Photovoltaic Thermal (CPVT) and Multi Effect Desalination (MED) system was conducted. CPVT produces electricity, and the heat produced in CPVT is used for the MED system. Engineering Equation Software (EES) was utilized to simulate this system. The effect of CPVT parameters (area, concentration ratio, and average solar radiation) and MED parameters (effect number and temperature of heating steam) were investigated on the produced heat, produced power, exergy destruction, total mass flow rate (FR) of desalinated water, total FR of feed water, heating steam FR and total brine FR. The range of changes for CPVT surface, concentration ratio, and average solar radiation was considered from 2000 m2 to 20000 m2, from 5 to 15 and from 400 W/m2 to 1100 W/m2, respectively. Based on obtained results, as the surface area of the solar panel, the ratio of concentration, and average solar radiation increase, the heat produced increases. Transferring this heat to the MED unit increases the total FR of desalinated water. But it has no significant effect on the Gain ratio (GOR). As the surface area of the solar panel increases from 10000 m2 to 12000 m2, the average radiation intensity increases from 800 W/m2 to 1000 W/m2, and the concentration ratio increases from 10 to 12 in effect the number of 4 and steam temperature of 70 °C, the total mass FR of desalinated water increases by 29 %, 23 %, and 20 %, respectively.
Phytofabrication, characterization, and evaluation of novel bioinspired selenium–iron (Se–Fe) nanocomposites using Allium sativum extract for bio-potential applications
Authors: Sultana Tahira , Malik Khafsa , Raja Naveed Iqbal , Sohail  , Hameed Asma , Ali Amir , Mashwani Zia-ur-Rehman , Baloch Muhammad Yousuf Jat , Alrefaei Abdulwahed Fahad
Published: October 2023

Green nano-chemistry is an advanced research route covering eco-friendly fabrication approaches for synthesizing bimetallic nanocomposites (NCs) to enhance their therapeutic properties. The current study aims to phytofabrication, characterization, and bio-potential evaluation of novel selenium–iron (Se–Fe) NCs by utilizing garlic extract. The morphological and physicochemical features of Se–Fe NCs were evaluated by UV–visible spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray, Fourier transform infrared, X-ray diffraction, and Zeta potential analysis. The findings showed that garlic cloves extract was a promising capping and reducing agent for the formulation of the NC. To explore the antioxidant potential of a bioinspired Se–Fe NC, 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl and reducing power assays were performed. Furthermore, antioxidant efficacy was confirmed through antimicrobial activities against clinical pathogens. Phytosynthesized Se–Fe NCs (25, 50, 75, and 100 ppm) showed a dose-dependent response. Higher concentrations of Se–Fe NCs impose a more potent antioxidant and antimicrobial potential. The astonishing findings suggest that phytochemicals in Allium sativum extract are useful reducing agents in the formulation of well-defined Se–Fe NCs, and such NCs could act as competitive inhibitors against pathogens. To the extent of our understanding, Se–Fe NC is the first time synthesized and demonstrates the distinctiveness of green chemistry and will give multifunctional applications in nano-biotechnology.