bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Guardian Goddess of the Surf-Beaten Shore: The Influence of Mariners on Sanctuaries of Aphrodite in Magna Graecia
Authors: Brown Amelia R. , Smith Rebecca
Published: May 2022

Aphrodite was an important patron goddess for ancient Greek mariners, and thus was carried east and west from Hellas on sea voyages of exchange, colonization, and war- fare. Some aspects of her sanctuaries near harbors or atop coastal heights in Magna Grae- cia, especially southern Italy and Sicily, seem related to this role. The development of coastal sanctuaries dedicated to Aphrodite was encouraged by Greek mariners, and interchange with Phoenician and western Mediterranean indigenous traditions then shaped this sacred maritime network with distinctive spatial features. Common use of coastal sanctuaries by Greek and Phoenician mariners alongside local people with a common concern for safe travel helps to explain how the ancient Mediterranean network of sanctuaries dedicated to Aphrodite or Astarte and later Venus developed. Coastal sanctuaries had sacred enclosures near harbors and/or atop coastal heights with views over and from the sea, with statues, small altars, rich votive dedications, and small buildings rather than monumental temples. The maritime formation and development of Aphrodite’s network of coastal sanctuaries in Magna Graecia sheds light on the transport of Greek religion to the West; the often im- material rituals of safe travel; and the sacred networks linking Magna Graecia, the Greek homeland and the broader Mediterranean.
Large Temples as Cultural Banners in Western Sicily
Authors: Miles Margaret M.
Published: May 2022

An Elymian identity given by Thucydides (6.2.3) illustrates well ethnic convergen- ces in classical Sicily. Refugees from Troy called themselves Elymians, founded Segesta and Eryx, and were later joined by some storm-driven Phokians. The Trojan ethnic component may reflect a Sicilian tradition at least as early as the late sixth century BCE (Stesichoros), strengthened through time, so that by the Roman period Segesta won tax relief on the basis of “kinship diplomacy.” Identifying what is Elymian about Segesta is challenging, and the main topic of two international congresses (Pisa 1997, 2000). The Sanctuary at Contrada Mango was partially excavated by Vincenzo Tusa in the 1950s, and yielded Archaic pottery with graffiti in Elymian, but written in the Greek epichoric alphabet of Megara Hyblaia: thus convergence began early. This article addresses convergences in religious architecture: the Unfinished Temple at Segesta (ca. 420 BCE), Segesta’s stellar attraction today, has been studied thoroughly by Dieter Mertens (1984). Not as well known is a Greek, Doric temple of similar size but earlier fifth-century date, in the sanctuary at Contrada Mango at Segesta. Pieces of its superstructure lie scattered on the ground. Whereas Mertens was able to docu- ment Athenian influence in the unfinished temple, other sources of influence, and original- ity, are evident in Contrada Mango’s earlier temple.
Venere del Mare: Testimonianze del culto nel trapanese
Authors: Oliveri Francesca
Published: May 2022

This contribution focuses on the archaeological evidence that has emerged in the area of western Sicily that is attributable to the cult of Astarte/Aphrodite/ Venus and connected to the sanctuary of Venus Ericina, the sanctuaries identified in Motya (Temenos del Cothon and Western Fortress), and the private cults of Lilibeo, from the sixth century BCE through late antiquity. Specific finds from ex- cavations carried out by the University of Rome La Sapienza, the Superintendency of Trapani, and the Superintendency of the Sea of Palermo allow us to follow the perpetuation of the cult of a very powerful and beloved deity, Mediterranea, over the centuries, surviving even into the Christian era, and in those centuries, adapting from time to time to different populations and cultures.
Survival of “Popular” Mythology: From Hittite Mountain Man to Phrygian Mountain Mother
Authors: Bachvarova Mary R.
Published: May 2022

Mountains were nodes of contact and places of continuity that allowed for the transfer across space, time, and cultures within Anatolia of stories connected to the storm god’s rise to kingship in heaven. Versions of the Bronze Age stories other than the ones available to us lie behind the story of the births of Cybele and Agdistis in Arnobius (Adv. Nat. 5.5–6), which represented versions not aimed at the concerns of the Hittite court, fo- cused less on kingship and more on transgressive sexuality, gestation, and birth, which were metaphorized as volcanic and metallurgic processes.
Funerary Practices and Rituals on Sicily from the Neolithic to the Bronze Age (Sixth through Second Millennia BCE)
Authors: Tusa Sebastiano
Published: May 2022

The beginning of farming activities in Sicily at the end of the seventh millenni- um BCE brought a fundamental change to the religious expressions that mediated human populations and environmental realities. Here, as throughout the Mediterranean, Neolithic communities began to focus on supreme powers who control the birth and the death of humans and animals and oversee the processes of regeneration. On Sicily this new ideology penetrated little by little into those communities which, since they were partly heirs of pre- vious Mesolithic groups, were tied to a different set of beliefs typical of hunter and gatherer groups. This ideological change was completed during the Copper and Early Bronze Ages. Terracotta figurines have been discovered in great numbers; these suggest that a female figure was at the base of human beliefs in this period. Other religious paraphernalia, in- cluding terracotta horns, bucrania, and other ritually meaningful objects, suggest the com- plexities of this religious thought world, and let us outline a more nuanced picture of Sicil- ian beliefs. We must make use of a broad range of data if we wish to bridge these material objects with human ideas. These data include not only the objects, but their find contexts, patterns of association among the materials and behind these, the patterns of association between distinct human societies. Cultural interaction was key to the formation of Sicilian religion from its inception. In the end, a hypothetical picture emerges of human beliefs with a strong hypogeal complexion in its materiality, and an eventual literary manifestation in the sensitive portrait of the myth of Demeter and Kore.
Across Traditions and beyond Boundaries: The Masks of Carthage
Authors: Orsingher Adriano
Published: May 2022

This paper explores the corpus of clay masks from Carthage and outlines the primary role played by the North African metropolis in continuing and renewing the Le- vantine tradition of facial masks. Carthage is the most likely candidate for being the source area of some new iconographic types (e.g., the so-called grinning and Black African masks). The fact that these types are also present in other regions of the so-called Phoenician dias- pora (e.g., Sicily, Sardinia, and the Balearic islands) may hint at some religious influence that, together with its economic and political power, led Carthage to reshape the western Mediterranean. Although the various functions and meanings of these masks remain quite obscure, masked ceremonies appear to have played a long-lasting and central role in the life of Carthage.
Sparta and Persia: Rituals for Invading the Land of the Gods of Others
Authors: Polinskaya Irene
Published: May 2022

This article posits that textual sources of the Classical period present a distinct range of attitudes towards the “gods of others” among the Greeks, noticeable especially in times of war. Two signal passages in Thucydides (2.74.3, 4.87.2–3) highlight a peculiar verbal ritual, performed in each case by a Spartan commander, and apparently designed to absolve the invading Spartan army of the guilt of violating the land under the protection of epichoric deities. No other Greeks are attested performing this ritual, and the evidence is limited to the two named cases in Thucydides. It is argued that the ritual is consonant with other evidence for Spartan treatment of Greek sanctuaries and cults outside of Sparta, while it contrasts with the typical Athenian practice. In the first part of the article, the contrast between Spartan and Athenian practices is set in the context of the broader Greek world (Boeotia, Lesbos, Melos, Corcyra) and considered both in times of peace and war. In the second part, this apparently Spartan ritual is viewed against the backdrop of comparable Near Eastern practices, suggested by an episode in Xenophon’s Cyropaedia (3.3.20–22). The comparability of Spartan and Persian attitudes towards the “gods of others,” at least in the eyes of Xenophon, emerges as a possible symptom of Mediterranean convergences, equally capable of conditioning certain differences between Greek religious systems and specific affinities between some Greek and non-Greek ones.
Using Your Head: Reading a “Local Style” Adapted for Foreign Ritual
Authors: Dicus Kevin
Published: May 2022

From the sanctuary at Grasceta dei Cavallari in north Latium come four votive heads whose schematic and stylized physiognomy is antithetic to the naturalistic Hellenic- style that normally characterized the votive heads used in the Etrusco-Latial-Campanian (ELC) ritual tradition. Their formal differences have led scholars to believe that they are anomalies created by non-Roman indigenes and devoid of any link to traditional aesthetic models. A survey of votives at other Italic sanctuaries reveals that they are not anomalous: numerous heads displaying the same style can be found. The style must be informed by a visual syntax that was comprehensible to the people making and using the schematic heads. By looking at earlier instances where the style was used, specifically bucchero face plaques, Etruscan face beakers, and gorgon antefixes, the meaning behind the style be- comes clear. In every case, the schematic face communicates apotropaic force and was used to defend against evil or misfortune. Such a message fits comfortably with the votive heads that were offered to the gods as requests for protection. That the heads were created with a traditional aesthetic model in mind also shines light on the self-identification of the local communities using them. Although the ritual in which the heads were used arrived with Roman expansion, participation in the ritual by non-Romans does not signify homogeniza- tion and cultural amnesia. Local communities maintained their cultural identity and their agency to transform foreign traditions into something that was specifically meaningful to them. We cannot assume a complete religious Romanization of Italy simply because there is evidence that non-Romans took part in Romanized ritual.
Roman Empire and Roman Emperor: Animal Sacrifice as an Instrument of Religious Convergence
Authors: Rives J. B.
Published: May 2022

I analyze the ways that animal sacrifice functioned to construct the figure of the emperor as a point of religious convergence in the Roman Empire. Two types of practice are important. First, the emperor was widely represented in visual media as the officiant at an animal sacrifice. The ideological significance of this imagery was grounded in economic aspects of animal sacrifice, which made it an effective tool for structuring socioeconomic hierarchies. Presented visually as the ideal sacrificant, the emperor became understandable to anyone in the urban culture of the empire as the apex of the sociopolitical hierarchy. Second, the emperor was himself the recipient of actual animal sacrifices. These sacrifices involved deliberate ambiguity: those in the Greek East were more often offered “on behalf of” the emperor than “to” him, while those in the Latin West were more often directed to deceased emperors or to the emperor’s genius or numen than to the living emperor. In all cases, however, the emperor was the beneficiary of offerings that created a relationship of asymmetrical reciprocity: those who offered the sacrifices provided gifts meant to benefit the emperor, while the emperor in turn provided the benefits of peace, stability, and prosper- ity. I conclude by identifying two reasons why animal sacrifice played so significant a part in constructing the figure of the emperor as a point of convergence. First, it was a universal- izing practice shared by both Greek and Roman tradition and indeed by many other tradi- tions within the Roman world. The second reason is its flexibility: the wide range of ways in which animal sacrifice was able to structure the relationship of the emperor to his subjects meant that it provided a language that virtually all the people of the empire, regardless of their particular cultural allegiances, could employ.
The patrimonial ecclesiastical court in Dušan's Cod
Authors: Stojanović Stefan
Published: May 2022

In medieval Serbia, in addition to administrative and economic immunity, the Church also enjoyed judicial immunity. It had the right to judge the clergy (class court), all Orthodox believers in certain civil and criminal matters, but like any feudal lord, it also had jurisdiction over the inhabitants of church and monastery estates (church people), judging them as a patrimonial court. The subject of the research is the ecclesiastical patrimonial court in Serbian medieval law. First, a legal-historical analysis of this institute from monastery charters will be performed and then from the most valuable Serbian medieval legal monument, Dušan's Code. The basic question is whether the Code only confirmed the existing jurisdiction of the ecclesiastical patrimonial court or whether it introduced certain changes in this area. If there were any changes, it is important to recognize what they were, what they consist of and what the basic motive of the legislator for prescribing them was. The ecclesiastical patrimonial court was without a doubt competent for internal disputes between people of the same monastery, but it should be determined how the jurisdiction in the, so-called, mixed disputes was determined. Further, did Dušan's Code give over jurisdiction to the Church regarding disputes that were otherwise the domain of the ruler's court? Finally, the role and importance of the procedural institutions of appeal, transference and supplication in Serbian medieval law are emphasized.
Quackery as a criminal offence
Authors: Milovanović Dragana
Published: May 2022

Acquiring appropriate professional qualifications enables one to provide certain medical treatments or other medical services. As the acquisition of material gain is often the motive for committing numerous criminal offenses as prescribed by the Criminal Code of the Republic of Serbia, it is often so with the criminal offense of quackery found in Article 254 of the Criminal Code. The reason for prescribing this act and sanctioning the perpetrator is that undertaking actions that require special education in the field of medicine without having it can cause damage to the health of another person, to a higher or lower degree. However, the sanctions occur regardless of whether in the specific case there was a consequence in the form of damage to or deterioration of the health of another person, as well as in the case when the perpetrator did not obtain material gain by taking specific actions without proper professional qualifications. Despite the fact that are witness to numerous testimonies of victims through the media, who out of ignorance decided to entrust their health to persons without proper qualifications, practice shows that a small number of criminal complaints is received by competent prosecutor's offices in Serbia and that a small number of court proceedings are conducted to prove guilt and the existence of a criminal offense.
Identification of risk factors in the prevention of type 2 diabetes mellitus in healthcare professionals
Authors: Pajić Dragana , Antić Gordana , Dimoski Zvonko , Terzić-Marković Dragana , Majstorović Biljana
Published: May 2022

Introduction. Diabetes is one of the most common chronic non-communicable diseases. In Serbia 13.2% of the population has diabetes mellitus, and 95% of that number has type 2 diabetes. Previous research on risk factors for type 2 diabetes indicates the possibility of preventing this disease by correcting lifestyle. Objective: To identify risk factors for type 2 diabetes that are present in healthcare professionals. Methodology: Two questionnaires were used in the research. The questionnaire for health workers was specially designed for research purposes and the Questionnaire for risk assessment for type 2 diabetes. The sample consisted of 48 health workers: 30 nurses and 18 doctors employed at the Veliko Gradiste Health Center. Results: The analysis of the answers to the questions from the Questionnaire for risk assessment for type 2 diabetes revealed the presence of the following risk factors: 62.5% of respondents are older than 45 years; 58.4% of respondents have elevated BMI values, of which 16.7% are obese; 66.6% have higher waist circumference values than recommended; 27.1% of respondents are insufficiently physically active; 14.6% do not eat fruit every day; 35.4% used antihypertensive drugs; 10.4% of respondents confirmed that they had elevated blood sugar levels and 47.9% had a positive family history. Conclusion: Based on the results that almost 2/3 of respondents are over 45 years old and that almost every second respondent has a positive family history, it is clear that there is a need to focus on the highest percentage of preventable risk factors for type 2 diabetes such as overweight, abdominal obesity and physical inactivity.
Research of the relationship between the weighted average cost of capital and selected profitability ratios of companies in the Republic of Serbia
Authors: Momčilović Mirela , Vlaović-Begović Sanja , Jovin Slobodanka
Published: May 2022

The weighted average cost of capital (WACC) is determined as the weighted average cost of capital of all long-term sources of corporate financing. WACC is used as a discount rate when determining the value of a company, then in investment analysis when making a decision to accept/reject a project, as well as when evaluating the performance of top management. The paper calculates the WACC for all non-financial corporations that make up the basket of the Belex15 index and then examines the relationship between the weighted average cost of capital and the profitability ratios numbers ROA, ROE and net profit margin. The research results show that the WACC ranges between 3.45% and 17.77% for the sample companies. Also, the results show a negative correlation between WACC on one and selected profitability ratios on the other hand. However, it should be noted that this relationship is statistically significant only between WACC and net profit margin.
Consumo de alimentos ultraprocessados e exposição a telas de pré-escolares residentes em região de alta vulnerabilidade social em São Paulo, Brasil
Authors: Leite Lidiany do Nascimento , Damaceno Bruna da Silva , Lopes Amanda Forster
Published: May 2022

Introdução: Há, a nível mundial, um aumento no consumo de alimentos ultraprocessados, inclusive entre crianças pré-escolares. O tempo de exposição a telas demanda atenção quanto às consequências desse hábito. Estudos sobre o consumo de ultraprocessados e o tempo de exposição a telas são escassos na literatura. Objetivo: Analisar a frequência de consumo de refrigerantes, suco industrializado, doces e alimentos fast food e o tempo de exposição a telas de pré-escolares. Métodos: Estudo transversal, com 218 crianças (idade média 2,5±0,9 anos), frequentadoras de uma Organização Não Governamental, no município de São Paulo, Brasil. Os dados foram coletados através de um formulário semiestruturado preenchido pelos responsáveis dos pré-escolares. Dados socioambientais, de frequência alimentar e de exposição a telas foram sistematizados para a realização das análises estatísticas. Resultados: Mais de 30,0% das crianças consomem bebidas açucaradas mais de uma vez por semana, 35,8% consomem doces diariamente e 42,7% alimentos fast food com frequência mensal. Metade dos pré-escolares é exposto a distrações no momento das refeições e 70,0% tem contato por mais de uma hora/dia. O tempo de exposição a telas teve relação significativa (p<0,0001) com a idade das crianças e o consumo de refrigerantes e de alimentos congelados. Conclusão: Há entre os pré-escolares alta exposição à alimentos ultraprocessados e a telas, esse último associado com o consumo de refrigerantes e congelados. Essa informação reforça a necessidade de um olhar cuidadoso e ações direcionadas a famílias com pré-escolares e residentes de regiões vulneráveis socialmente.
Finite element analysis of inertial migration of polymer vesicles in microtubule flow
Authors: Hao Peng , Zhang Li-Li , Ding Ming-Ming ,   Xinjiang Laboratory of Phase Transitions and Microstructures in Condensed Matter Physics, College of Physical Science and Technology, Yili Normal University, Yining 835000, China,   School of Chemical Engineering and Light Industry, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
Published: May 2022

The finite element method based on fluid-structure interaction is used to systematically study the inertial migration of polymer vesicles in microtubule flow with a two-dimensional model, and the mechanism of the vesicles deformed by the fluid and the inertial migration phenomena are analyzed. The studies show that with the increase Reynolds number, the equilibrium position of vesicle inertial migration is farther and farther from its initial position; with the increase of blocking ratio, the equilibrium position of vesicle inertial migration is closer to the wall surface. For the modulus and viscosity of the vesicle membrane and for the membrane thickness, the results show that the modulus and viscosity determine the degree of deformation of the vesicle, and the modulus has little effect on the equilibrium position of the vesicle, but increases the viscosity, and the membrane thickness will promote the equilibrium position of the vesicle to be biased toward the center of the tube. This study helps to further clarify the deformation and equilibrium position of vesicles during inertial migration, and provides a reliable computational basis for the application of vesicles in drug transport, chemical reactions and physiological processes.
To breathe or not to breathe?
Authors: Radlinski Lauren C , Bäumler Andreas J
Published: May 2022

Listeria monocytogenes uses respiration to sustain a risky fermentative lifestyle during infection.
Financiación y cooperación internacional en el patrimonio cultural inmueble de los centros históricos coloniales latinoamericanos
Authors: Menchero Miriam
Published: May 2022

La cooperación internacional en el patrimonio cultural de los centros históricos latinoamericanos ha tenido un papel tan importante que algunos autores la consideran como un actor patrimonial. Sea como fuere, destaca la labor de entidades y organismos internacionales tanto en cooperación técnica como financiera. Este artículo, basado en el análisis de bases de datos y documentación institucionales, indaga en el origen y desarrollo de una asistencia internacional que interrelaciona conceptos como patrimonio, centros históricos y urbanismo. De otra parte, se realiza una aproximación a los proyectos más representativos, con la finalidad de establecer conclusiones que permitan vislumbrar la evolución de estas iniciativas en la región.
Tiempo y espacio, las prácticas culturales en la urbe en tela de juicio
Authors: Molina Ahtziri
Published: May 2022

Título libro: El nuevo régimen de las prácticas culturales: espacio, desigualdad y nostalgia en las metrópolis del Cono Sur contemporáneo Autores: Modesto Gayo, María Luisa Méndez, Rosario Radakovich y Ana Wortman Edición: RIL Editores/Colección Estudios Urbanos UC, 2021. 202 pp. ISBN: 978-84-18065-40-8
Machine Learning Models in Prediabetes Screening: A Systematic Review
Authors: Nawi Azmawati Mohammed , Kamaruddin Puteri Sofia Nadira Megat , Nordin Nor Rumaizah Mohd , Soffian Sharifah Saffinas Syed , Baharom Mazni
Published: May 2022

Introduction: The increasing prevalence of type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (DM) can be done from identifying those with prediabetes and offer early interventions by utilising prescreening diagnostic tools. Machine learning algorithms and big data mining approaches have been postulated for predictive disease modelling in hospital and clinical settings. Aim: This review was aimed at outlining the relative performance accuracies in predicting prediabetes conditions in different machine learning algorithms. Materials and Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted at Universiti of Kebangsaan Malaysia Kuala Lumpur, based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) review protocol, and the research question was formulated based on the keywords of "Prediabetes" (Population), "Internet of Things" and "prediction model" (Intervention) and "screening" and "risk" (Outcome). International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) registration (CRD42021264947) was done and databases were screened on 10th-24th June 2021 via Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, Ovid and EBSCOhost. Inclusion criteria was English language prediction studies published between 2011-2021. Review articles, editorials, proceedings, commentary articles and articles not focusing on prediabetes were excluded. The quality of the articles was ranked via the Prediction Model Risk of Bias Assessment Tool (PROBAST). Results: Five articles included were published in 2014-2021. The sample sizes ranged from 570 to 24,331 participants. Three studies (South Korea, United State of America (USA), Japan) suggested the applicability of the screening score prediction models for use in clinical settings related to personalised risk assessment and targeted interventions, with the predictors used being suitable for either the clinic or hospital. The simplicity of gender, age, Body Mass Index (BMI), blood pressure and waist circumference as predictors suggested that they can be utilised by the community. Conclusion: This review highlights the fact that the heterogeneity of the population used and validation issues may affect generalisation. Future studies should address these concerns to guide advocacy among healthcare providers in clinical practice as well as in data and expertise sharing for developing and validating urgently needed prediabetic prediction models.
Value of Endoscopy in Cholesteatoma Clearance: A Systematic Review
Authors: Handi Prakash S , Mudhbasalar Harish Onkarappa
Published: May 2022

Introduction: The primary goal of cholesteatoma surgery is to eradicate it from the middle ear cleft. However due to linear axis of illumination of the microscope, in some of the recesses or hidden areas in middle ear are not visualised. To overcome this many studies have been done on the complimentary use of endoscopes in visualising these hidden areas. Aim: To assess the outcome of complimentary use of endoscopes in addition to microscope on improved access to hidden areas in the middle ear and resultant cholesteatoma clearance. Materials and Methods: In this systematic review, Literature search was conducted using the key words both manually and electronically in PubMed, Google scholar and Directory of Open Access Journals for articles published till December 2021 at ESIC Medical College and PGIMSR, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India. The primary inclusion criteria used was all full text original, both prospective and retrospective, articles in which endoscopes were used as an adjunct to microscope for cholesteatoma clearance from middle ear cleft. Retrieved articles were reviewed by two independent authors for their eligibility for inclusion in the study. The selected original papers were analysed. Data was entered in Microsoft Excel 2007 and analysed for descriptive statistics like frequency and proportions. Results: A total of 48 studies were identified initially. After removing duplicates, screening was done for title, abstracts and full text retrieval to check for inclusion criteria being met. Six studies were found using complimentary endoscopes for cholesteatoma surgery and were analysed. Of these four were prospective and two were retrospective studies. Total 604 patients underwent endoscopic examination after microscopic clearance. Residual cholesteatoma was seen in 105 patients (17%), which were cleared with endoscopic assistance. Conclusion: Complimentary endoscopy detects residual cholesteatoma in significant number of cases during primary cholesteatoma surgery. In cholesteatoma surgery they are predominantly used as observational tools.
An investment toward non-lethal crop protection measures for a threatened species in New South Wales: the Flying-fox Netting Subsidy Program
Authors: Mo Matthew , Gregory Joshua , Wilson Vanessa , Robinson Katie , Dodds Kevin , Bell Linda
Published: May 2022

Flying-fox depredation of cultivated fruit in eastern Australia has been contentious since early settlement and was often addressed by shooting flying-foxes. However, shooting is ineffective as a crop protection measure and has serious animal welfare impacts. Exclusion netting is considered the most reliable and humane method of protecting commercial crops from flying-foxes and other animals. From 2011 to 2017, the New South Wales (NSW) Government implemented the Flying-fox Netting Subsidy Program to subsidise fruit growers’ costs of installing exclusion netting on orchards, accompanied by the gradual phase out of legal shooting of flying-foxes in NSW. The AUD$7.1 million scheme was designed to fund up to 50 percent of the cost of purchasing and installing exclusion netting, capped at AUD$20,000 per hectare. The subsidy program was initially funded for AUD$5 million and restricted to full-canopy exclusion netting for orchards situated in the Sydney Basin and Central Coast but later expanded to the remainder of NSW and also expanded to subsidise throw-over netting and upgrades of non-complaint netting, with an additional investment of AUD$2.1 million. As a result, subsidies achieved netting of 182 hectares of crops in the Sydney Basin and Central Coast and 503 hectares in the remainder of NSW. The number of shooting licences granted by the NSW Government in growing seasons following the subsidy program were substantially lower than previous growing seasons and flying-foxes were reported shot at a lower rate following the subsidy program compared to previous growing seasons. These patterns suggest fruit growers’ diminishing reliance on using shooting as a crop protection measure in the years leading up to the NSW Government phasing out legal shooting of flying-foxes in June 2021.
Studies on the Production of Protease by Aspergillus Oryzae Ncim 637 under Solid-state Fermentation using Mixed Substrates of Prawn’s Shell and Fish Meal Powder
Authors: Vinuthna Mulla , Raju K. Jaya
Published: May 2022

Proteases are the enzymes that catalyze the breakdown of protein molecules into peptides and amino acids. Because of the vast variety of applications of the proteases in the current investigation. the production of protease from Aspergillus oryzae NCIM 637 was carried out under solid-state fermentation. The highest yield of the enzyme was screened using two substrate powders (Prawn's shell and fish meal powder), and it was observed that combined substrate powder has a higher potential to serve as a substrate for neutral protease synthesis by the fungal strain Aspergillus oryzae NCIM 637. Fermentation time (5 days), fermentation temperature (35°C), optimum pH (7), initial moisture content (46.40%), inoculum age (4 days), and inoculum volume were all optimized (1.0ml). The influence of additives such as carbon source maltose (2%) and nitrogen source casein (2%) was investigated, with a maximum production of 562.57U/gds. When the enzyme was partially purified using ammonium sulfate precipitation, the activity of the protease enzyme was found to be 570U/gds. Proteases have a wide range of applications in the food, pharmaceutical, and leather industries, as well as brewing.
Notices, Historical and Architectural, of the Round Tower of Brechin
Authors: Brash Richard Rolt
Published: May 2022

A description of the design and dimensions of the tower at Brechin. The author argues that the decoration on the tower’s doorway was a later addition to the structure, and goes on to suggest that the roof may also have been a later addition. He discuss several other examples of towers in Ireland where he believed Christian symbols were added to already existing pre-Christian structures and concludes his paper by arguing that since human remains were unearthed from beneath many of these towers, they were likely memorial monuments.

In a note after the article, several Fellows including the Secretary, John Stuart, disagreed with the author’s conclusions about the later additions to the tower.
Notes on Scottish Curing-Stones and Amulets
Authors: Simpson J Y
Published: May 2022

The author discusses the intersection of magic, superstition and medicine from written records in Antiquity to the superstitions still practiced in Scotland in the nineteenth century. Most of the article is dedicated to the discussion of items such as stones or charms that were believed to cure disease in humans and livestock. Several examples associated with famous Scots were borrowed and exhibited on the day and some of the artefacts in the Society’s museum are also mentioned.
Notice of the Early Ecclesiastical Settlements at St Andrews
Authors: Skene William F
Published: May 2022

The author attempts to identify when the veneration of St Andrews began in Scotland. This under-researched period of Scottish history is mentioned in several Saints’ Lives and legends, which Skene compares to the recorded royal and ecclesiastical history of the Picts. He concludes by arguing that the church was first founded in 736 by members of the exiled Northumbrian clergy.
Notice of recent Excavations at Tormore, in the Island of Arran
Authors: Jamieson J
Published: May 2022

A notice that a full paper on the investigations in Arran will be printed in the Proceedings at a later date.
Continuation of Mr Macdonald's Paper on Burghead, from Part I. Vol. IV of the Proceedings
Authors: MacDonald James
Published: May 2022

Using Roy’s map of the area and accounts written since the map was produced, James MacDonald continues his analysis of the historical significance of the structures at Burghead. He recounts the findings of the excavations that took place at Burghead in the nineteenth century and provides the dimensions of each part of the site he discusses. Included in the paper are comments on some of the artefacts found at Burghead, such as carved stones, a medieval metal jug and accounts of human remains unearthed in 1809. After examining the evidence, the author concludes that it is unlikely that the fort was constructed by the Romans, but instead suggests that it was built at a later date in the early medieval period, possibly by the Picts.
Notice of an Earthen Jar, found in excavating the foundation of an old house in Leith
Authors: Paterson Robert
Published: May 2022

The author describes a clay jar found in Leith. Although he compares it to Roman examples, he argues that this item is most likely a medieval wine vessel created in Leith at some point between the twelfth and sixteenth centuries.
Note concerning the Residence of the Barons Balmerino, in Leith
Authors: Robertson David H
Published: May 2022

The author discusses the architecture and owners of the Balmerino mansion in Leith. He quotes Daniel Wilson’s description of the building and its architectural styles, as well as W H Cooper’s then account of the building’s ownership. The second half of the article describes Arthur, the last Baron of Balmerino, who was executed as a Jacobite in 1746.
Additional notes
Authors: - -
Published: May 2022

Errata for Volume 4.
The BRCA2 and CDKN1A‐interacting protein (BCCIP) stabilizes stalled replication forks and prevents degradation of nascent DNA
Authors: Singh Bhawna , Roy Chowdhury Shalini , Mansuri Mohammad Shoab , Pillai Saraswathi Jayarajan , Mehrotra Sonam
Published: May 2022

DNA replication stress is characterized by impaired replication fork progression, causing some of the replication forks to collapse and form DNA breaks. It is a primary cause of genomic instability leading to oncogenic transformation. The repair‐independent functions of the proteins RAD51 and BRCA2, which are involved in homologous recombination (HR)‐mediated DNA repair, are crucial for protecting nascent DNA strands from nuclease‐mediated degradation. The BRCA2 and CDKN1A‐interacting protein (BCCIP) associates with BRCA2 and RAD51 during HR‐mediated DNA repair. Here, we investigated the role of BCCIP during the replication stress response. We find that in the presence of replication stress, BCCIP deficiency increases replication fork stalling and results in DNA double‐strand break formation. We show that BCCIP is recruited to stalled replication forks and prevents MRE11 nuclease‐mediated degradation of nascent DNA strands.
Compact Modeling Technology for the Simulation of Integrated Circuits Based on Graphene Field‐Effect Transistors
Authors: Pasadas Francisco , Feijoo Pedro C. , Mavredakis Nikolaos , Pacheco‐Sanchez Aníbal , Chaves Ferney A. , Jiménez David
Published: May 2022

The progress made toward the definition of a modular compact modeling technology for graphene field‐effect transistors (GFETs) that enables the electrical analysis of arbitrary GFET‐based integrated circuits is reported. A set of primary models embracing the main physical principles defines the ideal GFET response under DC, transient (time domain), AC (frequency domain), and noise (frequency domain) analysis. Another set of secondary models accounts for the GFET non‐idealities, such as extrinsic‐, short‐channel‐, trapping/detrapping‐, self‐heating‐, and non‐quasi static‐effects, which can have a significant impact under static and/or dynamic operation. At both device and circuit levels, significant consistency is demonstrated between the simulation output and experimental data for relevant operating conditions. Additionally, a perspective of the challenges during the scale up of the GFET modeling technology toward higher technology readiness levels while drawing a collaborative scenario among fabrication technology groups, modeling groups, and circuit designers, is provided.
Isolated‐Oxygen‐Vacancy Hardening in Lead‐Free Piezoelectrics
Authors: Liu Yi‐Xuan , Qu Wanbo , Thong Hao‐Cheng , Zhang Yang , Zhang Yunfan , Yao Fang‐Zhou , Nguyen Trong Nghia , Li Jia‐Wang , Zhang Mao‐Hua , Li Jing‐Feng , Han Bing , Gong Wen , Wu Haijun , Wu Chaofeng , Xu Ben , Wang Ke
Published: May 2022

Defect engineering is a well‐established approach to customize the functionalities of perovskite oxides. In demanding high‐power applications of piezoelectric materials, acceptor doping serves as the state‐of‐the‐art hardening approach, but inevitably deteriorates the electromechanical properties. Here, a new hardening effect associated with isolated oxygen vacancies for achieving well‐balanced performances is proposed. Guided by theoretical design, a well‐balanced performance of mechanical quality factor (Qm) and piezoelectric coefficient (d33) is achieved in lead‐free potassium sodium niobate ceramics, whereQmincreases by over 60% whiled33remains almost unchanged. By atomic‐scaleZ‐contrast imaging, hysteresis measurement, and quantitative piezoresponse force microscopy analysis, it is revealed that the improvedQmresults from the inhibition of both extrinsic and intrinsic losses while the unchangedd33is associated with the polarization contributions being retained. More encouragingly, the hardening effect shows exceptional stability with increasing vibration velocity, offering potential in material design for practical high‐power applications such as pharmaceutical extraction and ultrasonic osteotomes.
Interfacially Enhanced Stability and Electrochemical Properties of C/SiOx Nanocomposite Lithium‐Ion Battery Anodes
Authors: Kanaphan Yutthanakon , Klamchuen Annop , Chaikawang Chirapan , Harnchana Viyada , Srilomsak Sutham , Nash Jeffrey , Wutikhun Tuksadon , Treethong Alongkot , Rattana‐amron Tirapote , Kuboon Sanchai , Khemthong Pongtanawat , Liangruksa Monrudee , Meethong Nonglak
Published: May 2022

Silica is a promising anode material for high‐energy lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs), but it suffers from several problems. The main issue is low electrical conductivity, which limits its practical applications. Fabricating silica–carbon nanocomposites (C/SiO2) can significantly enhance the electrochemical performance of these materials. In this work, the authors perform first principles calculations to investigate the interfacial properties and electronic structure between carbon and small Si‐based molecules. The simulations suggest that C/SiO2 and C/SiO interfaces facilitate the lithiation process, providing additional lithium storage pathways in addition to the typical phase transitions of SiO2 and SiO. In addition, a simple production and ready to scale‐up method is proposed to fabricate a nanocomposite possessing rich C/SiOx (1 ≤ x ≤ 2) interfaces. The resulting nanocomposite anode has a stable capacity of ~650 mAh g‐1 at a current density of 1 A g‐1 after 1500 cycles with >95% capacity retention. This work provides a better understanding of the Li ion storage mechanisms of C/SiOx. Adding carbon not only increases electrical conductivity and strength, but also provides new pathways for Li‐ion transport through their interfaces contributing to the enhanced stability and electrochemical properties of inexpensive non‐conducting/oxide‐based energy storage materials.
ZnO1−xSx Solid Solution as Potential Buffer Layer Materials for Cu2ZnSnS4‐Based Thin Film Solar Cells: Structural and Interfacial Properties
Authors: Zhang Yi‐Man , Jia Zhan‐Ju , Zhao Zong‐Yan , Zhao Yun‐Kun
Published: May 2022

The current low conversion efficiency of Cu2ZnSnS4 (CZTS)‐based thin film solar cells is mainly blamed on the high carrier recombination via interface states at the absorber‐buffer. In this work, ZnO1−xSx solid solution is exploited as the potential buffer layer materials to solve this issue by using density functional theory calculations. With the varying of solid solubility, the lattice constant of ZnO1−xSx solid solution follows the first‐order Vegard's Law, while its bandgap follows the second‐order Vegard's Law. Based on the systematical analysis of crystal structure and electronic properties of ZnO1−xSx solid solution, ZnO0.375S0.625 is screened as the optimal buffer layer material for CZTS‐based thin film solar cells, owing to the suitable bandgap (2.33 eV) and the smallest lattice mismatch (<7%). The CZTS/ZnO0.375S0.625 interface has less harmful interface state, small conduction band offset (−0.02 eV) and band bending (−0.23 eV). Moreover, its band alignment belongs to the staggered Type‐II heterojunction, and its built‐in electric field is in the same direction as the carrier migration, which is very favorable for the efficient separation and fast transfer of photogenerated carriers. Therefore, these interface features and effects of CZTS/ZnO0.375S0.625 heterojunction can significantly boost the photovoltaic performance of CZTS‐based thin film solar cells.
High‐Quality Monolayer Reduced Graphene Oxide Films via Combined Chemical Reduction and Ethanol‐Assisted Defect Restoration
Authors: De Silva K. Kanishka H. , Shibata Kazuma , Viswanath Pamarti , Huang Hsin‐Hui , Yoshimura Masamichi
Published: May 2022

Here, a facile two‐step reduction method is introduced to fabricate reduced graphene oxide (RGO) films with remarkable structural qualities. Many attempts are made to fabricate RGO with high structural qualities resembling pristine graphene. However, designing a reduction method to obtain high‐quality RGO more productively is highly desirable. To address this matter, in the present work, monolayer graphene oxide films are, at first, chemically reduced using a mixture of hydroiodic acid and trifluoroacetic acid vapor within a few minutes. Second, the films are reduced thermally at 800 °C for 30 min with ethanol, to repair the lattice vacancies. Through this method, the authors succeeded in obtaining RGO with high structural quality and electrical properties approaching pristine graphene. Raman spectroscopic results show that these RGO films have a very low ID/IG ratio (0.34), a high IG′/IG ratio (1.34), and sharp Raman peaks, which attribute to a large distance between defects (21 nm) and large crystallite size (56 nm). Further, these monolayer RGO films have high transparency (90%) and very low sheet resistance (0.46 kΩ sq−1). The present versatile two‐step reduction strategy is considered to provide practical advancements in fabricating RGO with high structural quality, as a means to produce graphene‐based electronic devices.
Active Energy‐Efficient Terahertz Metasurfaces Based on Enhanced In‐Plane Electric Field Density
Authors: Gupta Manoj , Singh Ranjan
Published: May 2022

Subwavelength confinement of electromagnetic modes in periodic structures is essential to tailor light−matter interaction in space and time. Metamaterials with strong electromagnetic field confinement can be extremely sensitive to surface conditions, thereby enhancing the metadevice response for low‐energy electrical, thermal, and optical stimuli. It is important to note that the total field confinement matters, but the contribution of in‐plane electric field density is critical to efficiently harness and manipulate light via active metasurfaces. The authors experimentally demonstrate a new planar metal–semiconductor hybrid terahertz (THz) metasurface design that shows highly sensitive active THz amplitude modulation towards optical illumination. In the proposed design, in‐plane electric field density has been enhanced by 350% to lower the optical pump fluence requirement for energy‐efficient, active modulation of resonances compared to the conventional inductive‐capacitive resonant metamaterials. Such metasurfaces with large in‐plane electric field density can find many applications in developing ultrasensitive sensors and active THz electrical and optical modulators operational at extremely low energies.
Space Charge Behavior in Epoxy‐Based Dielectrics: Progress and Perspective
Authors: Liu Peng , Xie Zongliang , Pang Xi , Xu Tianlei , Zhang Siyu , Morshuis Peter H. F. , Li He , Peng Zongren
Published: May 2022

Epoxy‐based dielectrics are extensively used in grid‐connected energy systems and modern microelectronics as electrical insulation, adhesive, and packaging components. However, space charge accumulation in epoxy‐based dielectrics is a foremost factor threatening device stability and lifespan, especially under conditions of high voltage direct current and high temperatures during long‐term operation, and thus are investigated systematically. This article reviews the state‐of‐the‐art progress in understanding and regulating the space charge behavior of epoxy‐based dielectric materials. The development of space charge measurement techniques is first introduced. Then, experimental observations of macroscopic space charge characteristics in epoxy dielectrics under different conditions, along with the advancement of nanofiller‐doping strategies for improving space charge suppression capabilities, are discussed and emphasized. Afterward, simulation progress based on the bipolar charge transport models and quantum chemistry calculations are summarized to provide some insight from a microscopic perspective. It is concluded by providing a brief summary and highlighting future research opportunities in inhibiting space charge accumulation of epoxy‐based dielectrics for practical applications in power equipment and electronic devices.