bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Analysis of the Community Structure of Diatoms (Bacillariophyta) in Roraima Fluvial Systems, Amazon – Brazil
Authors: Aprile Fabio , Darwich Assad J. , Mera Pedro A. S.
Published: March 2023

The State of Roraima (Amazon - Brazil) is considered well-preserved from an environmental point of view, sheltering a great variety of rivers and forest and “cerrado” streams, with white (muddy), black and clear waters. From the identification of the planktonic community of diatoms, ecological indices and statistical analyzes were applied in order to determine the degree of abundance and species richness among the different ecosystems in the region. Qualitative and quantitative samples of phytoplankton were obtained during periods of low water (December to March), as well as measurements and analyzes of limnological parameters: water temperature (ºC), pH, dissolved oxygen (mg/L), oxygen saturation (%), transparency (m), total dissolved ions Na+, K+, Ca2+, Mg2+, Fe2+, Fe3+ and Cl-, total P and N (mg/L) and Chlorophyll-a (µg/L). A total of 172 plankton samples from 43 sampling points (20 in rivers and 23 in streams) were carried out. The low water period was characterized by slightly acidic to neutral pH, with low transparency and variations in conductivity and concentration of the ionic composition. The results indicated similarity in diatom composition between rivers and streams, with little heterogeneity in “cerrado” streams. Considering climate oscillation and spatial distribution, the PCA highlighted the parameters conductivity, dissolved ions, total P and chlorophyll-a as preponderant to explain the behavior observed in the distribution of communities. For three components, the cumulative explanation was 68.6%. The ecological indices of richness and diversity indicated high similarity between rivers and streams, with good stability, homogeneity and ecological diversity for bacillariophytic diatoms. There were, however, some areas that, depending on the type of water and ionic concentration, showed some divergence in the composition of the diatom community. As environmental indicators, the diatoms showed that the water quality in the region is well-preserved, without eutrophication signals.
Evaluation of Dry Fasting Effect during Ramadan on Protein Glycation in Saudi Individuals
Authors: AL-Amri Abdulaziz S. , Abo-Elmagd Yousry E. , Kadi Mai S. , Aloufi Faisal F. , Bakheit Khalid H.
Published: March 2023

Introduction: The non-enzymatic protein glycation alters protein function and contributes to many biochemical disorders. The accumulation of advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) is associated with the complications of diabetes, kidney disease, metabolic disorders and degenerative diseases. 

Objectives: This study was designed to measure the level of some glycated proteins such as glycated insulin and glycated hemoglobin in Saudi volunteers before and after dry fasting in Ramadan.

Methods: Blood samples were collected twice; first sample (before) and second sample (after) dry fasting. The study included 45 Saudi male volunteers, whose ages ranged between23 and 52 years They were divided into four groups: healthy, type II diabetic patients, smokers, and obese individuals. Plasma glucose level and HbA1c were measured immediately using (Beckman coulter). Assessment of insulin resistance was determined using the equation of homeostasis model for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR). Plasma insulin level and glycated insulin % were assayed by TSQ Vantage Triple Stage Quadruple LC/MS Mass Spectrometer from Thermo Scientific.

Results: Level of HbA1c, HOMA IR and glycated insulin in healthy, type II diabetic patients, smokers, and obese individuals showed significant decrease in the second sample. The level of HbA1c showed a significant decrease (p-value <0.0001) after dry fasting (5.69 ± 1.55 %), (6.14 ± 1.77%).  The level of HOMA IR showed significant decrease (p-value <0.0001) after dry fasting (1.97 ± 1), (2.46 ± 1.28). The level of glycated insulin showed significant decrease (p-value <0.0001) after   dry fasting (6.25 ± 2%), (7.71 ± 2.48%).

Conclusion: Glucose, HbA1c, HOMA IR, and glycated insulin levels showed a significant decrease after dry fasting. Reduced protein glycation and formation of advanced glycation end products, can improve the clinical course of many medical disorders. More researches are needed to understand the molecular mechanisms behind glycation-induced clinical disorders and diseases, as well as to correlate these mechanisms to the diagnosis and prevention of lifestyle-related diseases.
Does Psychoactive Substance Use Affect Academic Performance of Medical Students? A Systematic Review
Authors: Nkporbu A. K. , Stanley P. C.
Published: March 2023

Background: The use of illicit drugs, alcohol, and tobacco is very common among medical students. Problems related to substance usage are currently of concern on a global scale. Despite this, the condition is frequently misdiagnosed because students attempt to conceal their issues and do not seek professional assistance.

Aim: To investigate how drug usage affects medical students' academic performance.

Design: A systematic review.

Data Sources: Systematic search for worldwide published literature from PsycINFO, Cochrane, Google Scholar, Science Direct, PubMed, and WHOLIS. 

Study Eligibility Criteria: Studies that were part of this review provided information on the methodology, methods, and/or measurements for how drug usage affected medical students' academic performance.

Data Extraction: The researcher further gathered the information from the chosen publications and recorded the following information in a consistent table: (i) publication information (first author's last name, year, and location of study); (ii) the sample size of the report; (iii) the impact of substance abuse on medical students' educational outcomes; (iv) the tool used to measure academic performance; (v) the average age of the sample size; and (vi) the percentage of female and unmarried medical students.

Results: Only 8 studies out of a total of 2,007 papers met all the inclusion criteria. Selection procedure was based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta Analyses (PRISMA).

Conclusion: Medical students and people who use psychoactive substances become unproductive in their lives. Due to the dearth of longitudinal investigations, understanding the true origins of this situation is challenging. To ensure that students attain the goals of their medical education and contribute to society's demand for more qualified and better trained medical professionals, medical training institutes may need to enact stricter prohibitions on drug use among students. The availability of medicines should be restricted in order to deter medical students from using and misusing them.
Hospital Location Allocation in Murshidabad District by GIS-Based MCA and Analytical Hierarchy Process
Authors: Mandal Sakti
Published: March 2023

Hospitals are one of the most important infrastructural objects. The increasing population, especially in developing countries, amplifies the demand for new hospitals. Identifying the best locations for new hospitals is an important issue due to the fact that selecting suitable locations will help the government to optimize the allocation of medical resources, simplify social contradictions and control the health care development in rural and urban areas.

The district Murshidabad is situated in the bank of Padma and Bhagirathi River. Only 135 primary health centers are there, which provide very basic health services and they are randomly located in the district. No emergency health supporting facilities are present in those health centers and some of them are not opened for 24 hours in a day. Even the block primary health center is also very poor to take admissions of serious patients. Most of the times these health centers ask patient-parties to shift the patient Murshidabad medical college hospital. This is a very tuff job for emergency patients. Sometimes, patient-parties fail to shift the patient to a good hospital for very limited ambulance facility.

To solve the problem, it is very necessary to establish new hospitals or improve the services provided by the existing health centers. And as hospitals are one of the most important health services needed for the whole society, so they must be located in a rational manner so that we can maximize the accessibility of healthcare.

In this paper, we built site suitability analysis for selecting the optimal site for building new hospitals based on using MCA, AHP and Pair wise comparison method.GIS tool and techniques are employed to analyze the list of identified criteria in hospital site selection. These criterion are Population density, Distance from existing health centers, Proximity to road, Distance from railway track, Distance from river, Distance from industrial zones, Proximity to settlement, Proximity to educational institutions, Proximity to rail stations.

The results shows that though suitable areas are scattered over the entire region but most of the suitable areas are situated in the northern part of Murshidabad as national highway andrailway enhance the accessibility of the region. And also the result shows that the southernpart some area is very unsuitable for building new hospital. And it is also true that someexisting hospitals were not built in the suitable place.
In‐vivo quality assurance of dynamic tumor tracking (DTT) for liver SABR using EPID images
Authors: Rostamzadeh Maryam , Luchka Kurt , Ma Roy , Liu Mitchell , Dunne Emma , Camborde Marie‐Laure , Karan Tania , Mestrovic Ante , Bergman Alanah
Published: March 2023

Purpose

To assess dynamic tumor tracking (DTT) target localization uncertainty for in‐vivo marker‐based stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR) treatments of the liver using electronic‐portal‐imaging‐device (EPID) images. The Planning Target Volume (PTV) margin contribution for DTT is estimated.

Methods

Phantom and patient EPID images were acquired during non‐coplanar 3DCRT‐DTT delivered on a Vero4DRT linac. A chain‐code algorithm was applied to detect Multileaf Collimator (MLC)‐defined radiation field edges. Gold‐seed markers were detected using a connected neighbor algorithm. For each EPID image, the absolute differences between the measured center‐of‐mass (COM) of the markers relative to the aperture‐center (Tracking Error, (ET)) was reported in pan, tilt, and 2D‐vector directions at the isocenter‐plane.

Phantom study

An acrylic cube phantom implanted with gold‐seed markers was irradiated with non‐coplanar 3DCRT‐DTT beams and EPID images collected. Patient Study: Eight liver SABR patients were treated with non‐coplanar 3DCRT‐DTT beams. All patients had three to four implanted gold‐markers. In‐vivo EPID images were analyzed.

Results

Phantom Study: On the 125 EPID images collected, 100% of the markers were identified. The average ± SD of ET were 0.24 ± 0.21, 0.47 ± 0.38, and 0.58 ± 0.37 mm in pan, tilt and 2D directions, respectively. Patient Study: Of the 1430 EPID patient images acquired, 78% had detectable markers. Over all patients, the average ± SD of ET was 0.33 ± 0.41 mm in pan, 0.63 ± 0.75 mm in tilt and 0.77 ± 0.80 mm in 2D directions The random 2D‐error, σ, for all patients was 0.79 mm and the systematic 2D‐error, Σ, was 0.20 mm. Using the Van Herk margin formula 1.1 mm planning target margin can represent the marker based DTT uncertainty.

Conclusions

Marker‐based DTT uncertainty can be evaluated in‐vivo on a field‐by‐field basis using EPID images. This information can contribute to PTV margin calculations for DTT.
Mirror Surface Nanostructuring via Laser Direct Writing—Characterization and Physical Origins
Authors: Vretenar Mario , Puplauskis Marius , Klaers Jan
Published: March 2023

The addition of an optically absorptive layer to otherwise standard dielectric mirrors enables a set of laser direct writing nanostructuring methods that can add functionality to such mirrors while retaining their high reflectivity. A thorough characterization of this method is given in this paper, and its physical origins are investigated. In particular, these measurements show that laser direct writing of such mirrors has a reversible and a permanent component. The reversible process originates from the thermal expansion of the surface and allows a simple yet precise way to temporarily modify the shape of the mirror. Scanning electron microscope cross‐sectional images suggest that the permanent part of the nanostructuring process is due to thermally induced pore formation and enlargement in the tantalum oxide layers of the used dielectric mirror.
Novel Human Meningioma Organoids Recapitulate the Aggressiveness of the Initiating Cell Subpopulations Identified by ScRNA‐Seq
Authors: Huang Meng , Xu Shao , Li Yuzhe , Shang Li , Zhan Xiudan , Qin Chaoyin , Su Jun , Zhao Zijin , He Yi , Qin Lina , Zhao Wei , Long Wenyong , Liu Qing
Published: March 2023

High‐grade meningioma has an unsatisfactory outcome despite surgery and postoperative radiotherapy; however, the factors driving its malignancy and recurrence remain largely unknown, which limits the development of systemic treatments. Single‐cell RNA sequencing (scRNA‐Seq) technology is a powerful tool for studying intratumoral cellular heterogeneity and revealing the roles of various cell types in oncogenesis. In this study, scRNA‐Seq is used to identify a unique initiating cell subpopulation (SULT1E1+) in high‐grade meningiomas. This subpopulation modulates the polarization of M2‐type macrophages and promotes meningioma progression and recurrence. A novel patient‐derived meningioma organoid (MO) model is established to characterize this unique subpopulation. The resulting MOs fully retain the aggressiveness of SULT1E1+ and exhibit invasiveness in the brain after orthotopic transplantation. By targeting SULT1E1+ in MOs, the synthetic compound SRT1720 is identified as a potential agent for systemic treatment and radiation sensitization. These findings shed light on the mechanism underlying the malignancy of high‐grade meningiomas and provide a novel therapeutic target for refractory high‐grade meningioma.
Developing and authenticating an electronic health record–based report card for assessing residents' clinical performance
Authors: Sebok‐Syer Stefanie S. , Dukelow Adam M. , Sedran Robert , Shepherd Lisa , McConnell Allison , Shaw Jennifer M. , Lingard Lorelei
Published: March 2023

Purpose

The electronic health record (EHR) is frequently identified as a source of assessment data regarding residents' clinical performance. To better understand how to harness EHR data for education purposes, the authors developed and authenticated a prototype resident report card. This report card used EHR data exclusively and was authenticated with various stakeholders to understand individuals' reactions to and interpretations of EHR data when presented in this way.

Methods

Using principles derived from participatory action research and participatory evaluation, this study brought together residents, faculty, a program director, and medical education researchers (n = 19) to develop and authenticate a prototype report card for residents. From February to September 2019, participants were invited to take part in a semistructured interview that explored their reactions to the prototype and provided insights about how they interpreted the EHR data.

Results

Our results highlighted three themes: data representation, data value, and data literacy. Participants varied in terms of the best way to present the various EHR metrics and felt pertinent contextual information should be included. All participants agreed that the EHR data presented were valuable, but most had concerns about using it for assessment. Finally, participants had difficulties interpreting the data, suggesting that these data could be presented more intuitively and that residents and faculty may require additional training to fully appreciate these EHR data.

Conclusions

This work demonstrated how EHR data could be used to assess residents' clinical performance, but it also identified areas that warrant further consideration, especially pertaining to data representation and subsequent interpretation. Providing residents and faculty with EHR data in a resident report card was viewed as most valuable when used to guide feedback and coaching conversations.
Serving conservation from reef to plate: Barriers and opportunities for invasive lionfish consumption in restaurants
Authors: Smith Nathan , Burgess Kate , Clements Kaylin R. , Burgess Joanne C. , Lavoie Anna , Solomon Jennifer N.
Published: March 2023

Invasive lionfish (Pterois volitans, Pterois miles), introduced to Florida in the 1980s, colonized coral reef ecosystems in the western Atlantic and have been documented beyond recreational diving depths. In addition to threatening coral reef ecosystems, invasive lionfish have been linked to economic damage in the form of reduced native fish yields for local fishers and high management costs incurred in the physical removal of lionfish.

While few examples exist of successful management of marine invasive species, studies show that lionfish removal can mitigate their harmful impacts. One promising market‐based approach that offers benefits to both human livelihoods and marine ecosystems is increasing the demand for the consumption of lionfish. This study focuses on Florida's consumptive lionfish market and fills a gap in understanding of the lionfish supply chain for Florida's restaurant industry.

Twenty culinary professionals in Florida were interviewed to determine their perceptions of barriers and opportunities for increasing their use of lionfish. The most commonly identified barriers were price and consistency of supply, while the most prominent opportunities were improved awareness and culinary potential. Conservation managers, culinary professionals and policymakers should leverage these findings to facilitate opportunities, address barriers and promote public education about invasive lionfish and their impacts.
Flow injection assays for NADH and ethanol using photosensitized rose bengal and luminol–copper (II) chemiluminescence system
Authors: Asghar Muhammad , Yaqoob Mohammad , Ali Samar , Waseem Amir
Published: March 2023

The online photoreaction of the rose bengal photosensitized luminol–copper (II) chemiluminescence (CL) system was used for the determination of β‐nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) and ethanol (EtOH) in pharmaceutical formulations combined with a flow injection technique. NADH can significantly enhance the CL emission of the reaction. For EtOH, alcohol dehydrogenase in soluble form was utilized in the presence of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide resulting in NADH production. The limit of detection (3σ blank, 𝑛 = 3) of 4.0 × 10−8 and 2.17 × 10−5 M, and linear range 1.3 × 10−7 to 2.5 × 10−5 M (R2 = 0.9998, n = 6) and 0.11–2.17 × 10−3 M (R2 = 0.9996, n = 6) were obtained for NADH and EtOH respectively. The injection rate was 100 h−1 with a relative standard deviation (n = 3) of 1.5–4.8% in the range studied for both analytes. The procedure was satisfactorily applied to pharmaceutical formulations with recoveries in the range 91.6 ± 3.0% to 110 ± 2.0% for NADH and 88 ± 3.0% to 95.4 ± 4.0% for EtOH. The results obtained were very consistent and did not differ considerably from the reported approaches at a 95% confidence limit. The possible mechanism of the CL reaction is also explained briefly.
Experiences of psychotherapists transitioning to private practice during COVID‐19
Authors: Duquette Christine L. , Morgan Stephanie M.
Published: March 2023

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to gain insight into the lived experiences of psychotherapists transitioning to private practice during the COVID‐19 pandemic. With an ever‐expanding need for targeted and accessible mental health care, it is vital to understand this phenomenon and how it impacted patient access and care, and the providers themselves. Eighteen licensed psychotherapists were interviewed and their responses highlighted meaningful professional and clinical implications. As a result of the participant interviews, three major themes were identified: (1) the unknown related to COVID‐19, (2) ease of transition and (3) work–life balance. Eleven additional subthemes emerged. Results suggested that psychotherapists had various personal and professional stressors exacerbated by the pandemic, along with a desire to balance work and life, manage the changes brought on by the pandemic, and gain or retain autonomy in their professional careers. Ultimately, the results of the study point to some shared experiences among psychotherapists, potential issues of access to psychotherapy, issues related to career satisfaction among psychotherapists, as well as some important areas for future research.
Muss Rewind Therapy to alleviate symptoms related to some form of traumatic experience: A thematic analysis of participants' experiences and their perceived effectiveness of MRT
Authors: Hartford Lisa , Horrocks Matthew
Published: March 2023

Sometimes referred to as a memory reconsolidation treatment, Muss Rewind Therapy (MRT) is a brief psychological intervention which has shown promise in treating symptoms related to some forms of traumatic experience. This study aimed at adding to minimal existing research by exploring the experiences of UK participants who have chosen to self‐refer for MRT for help with symptoms they attributed to some form of previous traumatic experience. Ten participants were interviewed online, and qualitative data were collected using video recordings and transcription. A semistructured framework was employed to explore participants' individual experiences of MRT. All participants rated MRT as helping alleviate the symptoms they related to a previous traumatic experience. Several key themes emerged regarding the participants' experiences of the treatment, including the overall role of the therapist; participants being at the end of their tether before seeking help; experiencing negative emotions during the intervention; repetition of the MRT process in the therapy room; and experiencing some positive outcomes. However, it was unclear whether positive impacts reported after MRT were due specifically to MRT or nonspecific therapy factors because of variations in the way the MRT protocol was delivered and inclusion of other techniques in or before the MRT sessions. Whilst more rigorous research is needed, including research which follows a strict protocol when MRT is provided, to compare MRT versus control group, this novel addition to the existing research, which looks at clients' perspectives on their experiences and their perceived effectiveness of MRT, can add to and inform further research development.
Congenital abnormalities of heart and kidney
Authors: Takafuji Hiroya , Kato Nahoko , Azumi Yuta , Obunai Kotaro
Published: March 2023

Patients with congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract (CAKUT) may be at risk for congenital cardiac defects or cardiomyopathies as comorbidities. It is crucial to recognize the coexistence of cardiac abnormalities and CAKUT and recommend screening for cardiac involvement in CAKUT patients using echocardiography.
Star polyethylenes by coordinative polymerization
Authors: Ye Zhibin , Subramanian Ramesh
Published: March 2023

With their distinct star architecture, star polymers show some desirable materials properties and have received extensive research interest. To date, the advancements in living anionic and controlled radical polymerization techniques have empowered the versatile synthesis of a variety of star polymers from several groups of monomers that are amenable to these polymerization techniques. Despite the fact that polyethylene is the largest produced commodity polymer worldwide, the synthesis of star polyethylenes as a unique polyethylene grade has somehow lagged due to the limited availability of powerful transition metal catalysts that can effectively facilitate ‘living’ ethylene polymerization for the construction of star architectures. Nevertheless, some progress had been made over the past two decades. In this review, we attempt to summarize the developments in the area, with an emphasis on synthesis strategies.
Alternanthera flavescens (Amaranthaceae), a new addition to Flora of India
Authors: Sindhu Arya , Venugopalan Nair Saradamma Anil Kumar
Published: March 2023

Some populations identifiable as Alternanthera flavescens were discovered in the Kerala region (SE‐India), representing the first record of the national Flora. A macro‐ and micro‐morphological description based on the plants found, as well as ecological notes, are given. The phenotypic plasticity observed was also discussed.
Predicting the mortality of patients with Covid‐19: A machine learning approach
Authors: Emami Hassan , Rabiei Reza , Sohrabei Solmaz , Atashi Alireza
Published: March 2023

Background and Aims

Infection with Covid‐19 disease can lead to mortality in a short time. Early prediction of the mortality during an epidemic disease can save patients' lives through taking timely and necessary care interventions. Therefore, predicting the mortality of patients with Covid‐19 using machine learning techniques can be effective in reducing mortality rate in Covid‐19. The aim of this study is to compare four machine‐learning algorithm for predicting mortality in Covid‐19 disease.

Methods

The data of this study were collected from hospitalized patients with COVID‐19 in five hospitals settings in Tehran (Iran). Database contained 4120 records, about 25% of which belonged to patients who died due to Covid‐19. Each record contained 38 variables. Four machine‐learning techniques, including random forest (RF), regression logistic (RL), gradient boosting tree (GBT), and support vector machine (SVM) were used in modeling.

Results

GBT model presented higher performance compared to other models (accuracy 70%, sensitivity 77%, specificity 69%, and the ROC area under the curve 0.857). RF, RL, and SVM models with the ROC area under curve 0.836, 0.818, and 0.794 were in the second and third places.

Conclusion

Considering the combination of multiple influential factors affecting death Covid‐19 can help in early prediction and providing a better care plan. In addition, using different modeling on data can be useful for physician in providing appropriate care.
Hemolysis scavenger proteins and renal function marker in children with sickle cell disease at steady state: A cross‐sectional study
Authors: Fordjour Fatima A. , Kwarteng Alexander , Paintsil Vivian , Amanor Ernest , Ackah Ezekiel B. , Amuzu Evans X. , Sackey David S. , Akoto Alex Osei Yaw
Published: March 2023

Background and Aims

Hemolysis is a fundamental feature of sickle cell disease (SCD) contributing to the vaso‐occlusive crisis of patients. The objectives of the study were to assess the link between hemolysis proteins and hematological parameters, and to validate cystatin C (CYS C) as a potent renal marker in diagnoising SCD.

Method

Here, a cross‐sectional study carried out at the pediatric SCD clinic of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital comprised 90 SCD children (HbSC, HbSF, and HbSS). ANOVA, t‐test, and Spearman's rank correlation analysis were done. Elevated proteins levels were compared to standard values; alpha‐1 microglobulin (A1M) (1.8−65 µg/L), CYS C (0.1−4.5 µmol/L), and haemopexin (HPX) (500−1500 µg/mL).

Results

The mean (standard deviation) age of participants was 9.830 (±0.3217) years, and 46% of them were males. From simple descriptive analysis, we observed that all but one patient had their HPX level below the reference range (<500 µg/mL). Here, A1M levels were shown to be within the appropriate reference range for all the patients except few patients. CYS C levels were also all within the required reference values. A Spearman's rank correlation test between full blood count and HPX generally suggested a weak but positive correlation; RBC (coef. = 0.2448; p = 0.0248), HGB (coef. = 0.2310; p = 0.030), hematocrit (coef. = 0.2509; p = 0.020), and platelet (coef. = 0.1545; p = 0.160). Mean corpuscular volume (coef. = ‐0.5645; p = 0.610) had a stronger but negative correlation with HPX. This study depicts a positive and stronger association between CYS C and HPX levels (coef. = 0.9996; p < 0.0001), validating the use of CYS C as a useful marker of renal function in persons with SCDs.

Conclusion

In the present study, we show that A1M levels were normal for most of the patients, hence CYS C levels are not alarming in this study. Further, there exists a correlation between hemolysis scavenger proteins and hematological parameters.
Structural identification of multidimensional metal–organic frameworks using soft x‐ray tomography
Authors: Tang Po‐Hsiang , So Pamela Berilyn , Lin Zi‐Jing , Hsieh Chia‐Chun , Lai Lee‐Jene , Lin Chia‐Her
Published: March 2023

This paper mainly discusses the applicability of using soft x‐ray tomography technology to examine the multidimensional structure of metal–organic frameworks, such as their core‐shell and hollow framework, by visually observing their corresponding images in different energy bands by different excitation energies for different elements. The results show that the use of soft x‐ray tomography (SXT) can effectively observe the distribution of metals in the structure, as well as observe the type of hollow pores the metal–organic framework (MOF) possesses. This pioneering evaluation of MOFs via SXT shows excellent performance in the structure identification of multidimensional metal–organic frameworks.
Investigating the synergistic effect of olive trunk leaves powder and pineapple leaf fibers on the physical, tensile, and thermal properties of epoxy‐based composites
Authors: Senthilkumar K. , Chandrasekar M. , Jawaid Mohammad , Mahmoud Mohamed H. , Fouad Hassan , Santulli Carlo , Zaki Sheikh Ahmad
Published: March 2023

The study evaluated the effect of adding different proportions (3/7, 1/1, and 7/3) of pineapple leaf fiber to composites reinforced with olive trunk leaves powder by measuring tensile properties, moisture absorption, and thermal stability. The results showed that the proportion of pineapple leaf fiber in the hybrid composites strongly influenced tensile properties, moisture absorption, and thermal stability. Increasing pineapple leaf fiber loading from 12 wt% to 28 wt% resulted in an important increase in tensile strength, namely an average of 46%. However, the tensile strength and Young's modulus of the hybrid composites were inferior to those of the parent composites, which could be attributed to the relative inability of the hybrid composites to withstand tensile loads. Thermo‐gravimetric analysis results showed that the introduction of even the lowest amount of pineapple leaf fibers in the olive trunk leaves improved the thermal stability of the composites, bringing the degradation onset above 240°C, therefore suggesting the possibility of a future processing with most thermoplastic matrices. The differences in thermal stability between epoxy composites with 7/3 olive trunk leaves powder/pineapple leaf fiber, 1/1 olive trunk leaves powder/pineapple leaf fiber, and 3/7 olive trunk leaves powder/pineapple leaf fiber were very limited. Regarding moisture absorption, the presence of olive trunk leaves powder considerably reduced the weight gain, and also passing from 1/1 to 7/3 olive trunk leaves/pineapple leaf fibers offered a distinct advantage, measurable as more than 1% reduction in water saturation content.
Effect of mastic gum integration on improvement of polylactic acid biodegradable films
Authors: Aydogdu Emir Ayca , Akgun Mert , Kirtil Emrah
Published: March 2023

Currently, 90% of all packaging films are composed of non‐renewable, petroleum‐based materials. However, these materials have a significant environmental footprint. Polylactic acid (PLA) is a well‐known biodegradable thermoplastic polymer. However, the use of PLA poses some inherent challenges, like the brittleness of PLA films. For this study, with the objective of overcoming the shortcomings of PLA films, mastic gum (MG), which is an under‐utilized hydrophobic polymer, was incorporated into PLA, and the resultant films were characterized for their chemical (x‐ray diffraction [XRD], Fourier‐transform infrared [FTIR]), thermal (thermogravimetric analysis [TGA], dynamic mechanical analysis [DMA]), optical (optical microscope, color, and opacity), and barrier properties (water vapor permeability [WVP]). MG addition yielded films with much higher opacities and decreased WVPs up to 80%. Optical microscope images revealed the presence of some defects for films with MG concentrations above 1% g/g solvent, which also decreased the film's tear resistance. Glass transition temperature (Tg) values are reduced with MG addition, resulting in less rigid films at room temperature. In the end, MG incorporation yielded more flexible films with much better water barrier properties. In addition, all other properties of the films were drastically modified with MG addition. Hence, MG/PLA is demonstrated to be a promising biopolymer combination for the preparation of biodegradable films as a food packaging material.
A multiple imputation‐based sensitivity analysis approach for regression analysis with a missing not at random covariate
Authors: Hsu Chiu‐Hsieh , He Yulei , Hu Chengcheng , Zhou Wei
Published: March 2023

Missing covariate problems are common in biomedical and electrical medical record data studies while evaluating the relationship between a biomarker and certain clinical outcome, when biomarker data are not collected for all subjects. However, missingness mechanism is unverifiable based on observed data. If there is a suspicion of missing not at random (MNAR), researchers often perform sensitivity analysis to evaluate the impact of various missingness mechanisms. Under the selection modeling framework, we propose a sensitivity analysis approach with a standardized sensitivity parameter using a nonparametric multiple imputation strategy. The proposed approach requires fitting two working models to derive two predictive scores: one for predicting missing covariate values and the other for predicting missingness probabilities. For each missing covariate observation, the two predictive scores along with the pre‐specified sensitivity parameter are used to define an imputing set. The proposed approach is expected to be robust against mis‐specifications of the selection model and the sensitivity parameter since the selection model and the sensitivity parameter are not directly used to impute missing covariate values. A simulation study is conducted to study the performance of the proposed approach when MNAR is induced by Heckman's selection model. Simulation results show the proposed approach can produce plausible regression coefficient estimates. The proposed sensitivity analysis approach is also applied to evaluate the impact of MNAR on the relationship between post‐operative outcomes and incomplete pre‐operative Hemoglobin A1c level for patients who underwent carotid intervetion for advanced atherosclerotic disease.
Psychodrama in Portugal
Authors: Gonzalez António-José
Published: March 2023

In this paper for the Zeitschrift für Psychodrama und Soziometrie (ZPS), the beginnings of psychodrama in the Portuguese-speaking community are visited, giving relevance to the history of the two psychodrama training organizations in Portugal and their cooperation. References are made to publishing works about psychodrama and sociodrama’s practice, theory, and research. The last sections of the paper address the challenges brought by the pandemic situation to the traditional settings of group psychotherapy and psychodrama and bring some reflections on the future of our shared practice as psychodramatists.
Parasites in Past Civilizations and Their Impact upon Health
Authors: Mitchell Piers D.
Published: March 2023

Parasites have been infecting humans throughout our evolution. When complex societies developed, the greater population density provided new opportunities for parasites to spread. In this interdisciplinary volume, the author brings his expertise in medicine, archaeology and history to explore the contribution of parasites in causing flourishing past civilizations to falter and decline. By using cutting edge methods, Mitchell presents the evidence for parasites that infected the peoples of key ancient civilizations across the world in order to understand their impact upon those populations. This new understanding of the archaeological and historical evidence for intestinal worms, ectoparasites, and protozoa shows how different cultures were burdened by contrasting types of diseases depending upon their geographical location, endemic insects, food preferences and cultural beliefs.
Structure function tensor equations with triple decomposition
Authors: Gattere Federica , Chiarini Alessandro , Gallorini Emanuele , Quadrio Maurizio
Published: March 2023

Exact budget equations are derived for the coherent and stochastic contributions to the second-order structure function tensor. They extend the anisotropic generalised Kolmogorov equations (AGKE) by considering the coherent and stochastic parts of the Reynolds stress tensor, and are useful for the statistical description of turbulent flows with periodic or quasi-periodic features, like, for example, the alternate shedding after a bluff body. While the original AGKE describe production, transport, inter-component redistribution and dissipation of the Reynolds stresses in the combined space of scales and positions, the new equations, called

$\varphi$

AGKE, contain the phase

$\varphi$

as an additional independent variable, and describe the interplay among the mean, coherent and stochastic fields at the various phases. The newly derived

$\varphi$

AGKE are then applied to a case where an exactly periodic external forcing drives the flow: a turbulent plane channel flow modified by harmonic spanwise oscillations of the wall to reduce drag. The phase-by-phase action of the oscillating transversal Stokes layer generated by the forcing on the near-wall turbulent structures is observed, and a detailed description of the scale-space interaction among mean, coherent and stochastic fields is provided thanks to the

$\varphi$

AGKE.
Effects of physical property changes of expelled respiratory liquid on atomization morphology
Authors: Gidreta Biruk Teka , Kim Hyoungsoo
Published: March 2023

A better understanding of the fluid dynamics of disease transmission by disintegrated respiratory droplets has been the focus of great attention since the recent outbreak of COVID-19. In particular, human respiratory activities such as coughing, sneezing and even talking and eating expel a large amount of pathogen-laden droplets. Particularly, during eating or drinking, the physical properties of saliva can be changed. In this study, we investigate the atomization morphology of expelled artificial saliva mixtures from the perspective of varying fluid physical properties, specifically surface tension and dynamic viscosity. Using high-speed shadowgraph experiments on artificial saliva, we visualize and analyse the disintegration of saliva liquid sheets into ligaments and droplets. We find that the viscosity and surface tension affect the droplet size formed from expelled saliva and follow scaling laws that have been previously observed and predicted for constant shear viscosity. We conclude that the changes in physical properties of saliva induced by eating and drinking tend to favour the formation of smaller droplets during sneezing or coughing, which could drive the airborne transmission pathway of pathogens. Furthermore, we derive a theoretical model based on scaling arguments that shows the breakup time of ligaments produced from the artificial saliva mixtures is dependent on the capillary number.
On the mobility of ghosts: spectral journeys in the South African lowveld
Authors: Niehaus Isak
Published: March 2023

In studies of Southern Africa, ancestors and possessing spirits have received far greater attention than ghosts. It is only in recent years that fragmentary references to ghosts have begun to appear in the ethnographic record. In this article, I seek to redress this imbalance by documenting stories and accounts of encounters with ghosts in the South African lowveld. I turn to studies of ghosts in Asia and elsewhere as an analytical starting point for interpreting their social and cosmological significance. A widespread theory in this literature is that narratives of ghosts are a means of emplacement, connecting people to places. But the theory does not capture the way in which narratives in the South African lowveld depict ghosts as essentially mobile beings. This is most evident in accounts of vanishing hitchhikers on the highways and of a ghost called sauwe, which captures people’s minds and forces them to walk in the direction of graveyards. These narratives speak of displacement, of spectral journeys and of routes rather than stable locations. The apparitions serve as reminders of the failure to take care of the spirits of those who suffered violent deaths and bring them home. But we can also see them as traces of past injustices and of violence in a haunted landscape, and as mirrors of villagers’ own historical experiences of displacement, experiences that were a hallmark of forced removals and of the migrant labour system during the apartheid era.
Urban fractures: mobility, risk and the accidenté in Kikwit, Democratic Republic of Congo
Authors: Phippard Trisha
Published: March 2023

Changing practices of motorized mobility in Kikwit, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have given rise to what residents call the ‘accidenté’: a victim of a traffic accident, often involving the city’s increasingly ubiquitous motorcycles. This article explores the significance of the accidenté in Kikwit’s social universe and considers how everyday urban mobilities are imbued with a sense of bodily exposure, risk and the threat of broken bones, so much so that ‘fracture’ has come to be seen as an urban condition. This entanglement of perceptions of mobility, risk, fracture and urbanity represents both a particular spatialization of risk in relation to city life and a critique of how corporeal vulnerability is tied into other vulnerabilities in the daily lives of urbanites. By analysing how one can become an accidenté and what trajectories of care transpire after the moment of injury, this article reveals how this new patient subjectivity necessitates a confrontation with potentially enduring motility limitations and risky navigations of the city long after the accident.
WHO WAS SIDONIUS’ CORRESPONDENT SIMPLICIUS? AN IDENTIFICATION PROBLEM IN THE LETTERS
Authors: Marolla Giulia
Published: March 2023

This article presents, as a case study, the various inconsistencies which occur in the prosopographical entries concerning Simplicius, one of Sidonius’ most frequent addressees. Through the exegesis of passages of letters addressed to him (Epist. 3.11, 4.4, 4.7, 4.12, 5.4) and of passages believed to concern him (Carm. 24.89; Epist. 2.9 and 5.7), it argues for a revision of the common identification of Simplicius as brother of Apollinaris and Thaumastus, and for a re-evaluation of the sources which supposedly lead to this conclusion. Some cautionary remarks on the unchecked use of prosopography as a tool are followed by a hypothesis concerning the identity of this addressee of Sidonius.
Evolution in the management of aorta to left ventricular tunnel in a national congenital cardiology centre
Authors: Linnane N. , Alshahrani D. , Kenny D.P. , Walsh K.P. , McMahon C.J.
Published: March 2023

An aorto-ventricular tunnel is a rare congenital cardiac defect, where a channel connects the lumen of the ascending aorta to the left or right ventricle. Four patients presented with an aorto-left ventricular tunnel over two decades at a median age of 8 months (range 0.1–10 months). Two patients (50%) had associated cardiac anomalies including hypoplastic left heart syndrome and left ventricular noncompaction/hypertrophic cardiomyopathy with aortic/pulmonary valve dysplasia in one patient each. Although traditionally surgical treatment has addressed this problem, management has evolved to transcatheter closure with excellent outcomes in appropriately selected patients at our national centre.
Dignity, Dementia and Death
Authors: Kerstein Samuel J.
Published: March 2023

According to Kant’s ethics, at least on one common interpretation, persons have a special worth or dignity that demands respect. But personhood is not coextensive with human life; for example, individuals can live in severe dementia after losing the capacities constitutive of personhood. Some philosophers, including David Velleman and Dennis Cooley, have suggested that individuals living after the loss of their personhood might offend against the Kantian dignity the individuals once possessed. Cooley has even argued that it is morally required on Kantian grounds for those who realize that they will lose their personhood as a result of dementia (e.g. Alzheimer’s) to hasten their deaths (e.g. commit suicide). This article specifies circumstances in which post-personhood living might indeed involve an affront to the Kantian dignity of a person who once was. However, the article contends, Kant implies that it is neither morally required nor even morally permissible for someone in an early stage of Alzheimer’s to hasten their death to avoid such an affront, even if they have autonomously chosen to do so. The article adds an ethical perspective to debate on physician-assisted dying, in particular on the moral permissibility of the soon-to-be-demented ending their lives.
Profiling of foxtail millet (Setaria italica L.) germplasm using in vitro drought screening and SSR markers
Authors: Ahmad N. S. , Abid M. A. , Al-Assie A. A.
Published: March 2023

Foxtail millet (Setaria spp.) is an ancient cereal crop, having a short cropping cycle. Drought tolerance was assessed in this crop at an early growth stage and the extent of genetic diversity was measured between the foxtail millet genotypes, applying DNA markers. Tolerance of 18 foxtail millet genotypes was studied in vitro under four levels of polyethylene glycol (0, 10, 20 and 30% PEG-6000). PEG-6000 decreased final germination percentage and led to a reduction in shoot and root length with different stress levels. The genotypes ISe 869, ISe 1851 and yellow spike show superiority in stress tolerance for germination and the growth of root and shoot traits. They also clustered together in the biplot diagram and dendrogram of the genotypes based on the morphological traits. Marker polymorphism index (PI) was 80.36% and a total of 132 polymorphic alleles (4.00 alleles/locus) were obtained from 33 polymorphic primers. Polymorphic information content (0.54–0.83) was highly informative with an average value of 0.67. A dendrogram distributed the genotypes into five distinct clusters based on simple-sequence repeat (SSR) data, independent of their geographical distribution. A relationship was established between the SSR markers and the genotypes ability to tolerate drought stress. The SSR markers used could contribute to conducting DNA profiling of foxtail millet, and facilitating their use in future breeding programmes for drought tolerance in this crop. Based on water-stress experiment, three most tolerant genotypes: ISe 869, ISe 1851 and yellow spike are recommended to be cultivated under drought conditions around the world.