bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Heart rate variability and blood pressure response to low intensity endurance exercise training plus blood flow restriction in individuals with mild hypertension
Authors: Zaboli Maryam Doustaki , joukar Siyavash , Nozari Masoumeh , Aminizadeh Soheil , Kahnooji Masoomeh , Mohammadi Khadije
Published: November 2024

Background: Considering the lack of sufficient information, this study examined the effects of low- intensity endurance exercise training alone and with blood flow restriction (BFR) on blood pressure, electrocardiogram (ECG), and heart rate variability (HRV) in individuals with mild hypertension.
Methods: 43 participants aged 50 – 65 years with mild hypertension were divided into three groups including; endurance exercise with BFR (Ex+ BFR) endurance exercise only (Ex), and a control group (Con) Exercise training was performed three times a week for ten weeks. Before and after the training program, HRV, blood pressure, resting heart rate, and heart rate recovery time were measured and analyzed.
Results: In both Ex and Ex + BFR groups, RMSSD, SDSD, HF (nu), SD1, and the SD1/SD2 ratio significantly increased but, SD2 and the LF/HF ratio decreased vs. control group. Changes in the aforementioned parameters in Ex + BFR group than in Ex group.
In comparison to Ex group, Ex + BFR group showed a greater reduction in the QRS interval (15% vs. 12%) and heart rate (7.9% vs. 6.3%) (P < 0.05). Both Ex and Ex+BFR groups experienced a significant decrease in heart rate recovery time and blood pressure (P < 0.001 vs. Con group), with no significant differences between them.
Conclusion: Low- intensity endurance training combined with blood flow restriction not only had no negative impact on blood pressure, HRV, heart rate recovery, and ECG parameters, but in long term, it may have more positive impact compared to exercise alone in individuals with mild hypertension.
ST-CFI: Swin Transformer with Convolutional Feature Interactions for Identifying Plant Diseases
Authors: Yu Sheng , Liu Lin
Published: November 2024

Background: The increasing global population, coupled with the diminishing availability of arable land, has rendered the challenge of ensuring food security more pronounced. The prompt and precise identification of plant diseases is essential for reducing crop losses and improving agricultural yield. In this paper, we introduce the Swin Transformer with Convolutional Feature Interactions (STCFI) model, which represents a state-of-the-art deep learning methodology aimed at detecting plant diseases through the analysis of leaf images. The ST-CFI model effectively integrates the strengths of Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) and Swin Transformers, enabling the extraction of both local and global features from plant images. This is achieved through the implementation of an inception architecture and cross-channel feature learning, which collectively enhance the information necessary for detailed feature extraction.
Results: We conducted a series of comprehensive experiments utilizing five distinct datasets: PlantVillage, the Plant Pathology 2021 competition, Plant- Doc, AI2018, and iBean. The ST-CFI model exhibited exceptional performance, achieving an accuracy of 99.94% on the PlantVillage dataset, 99.22% on iBean, 86.89% on AI2018, and 77.54% on PlantDoc. These results underscore the model’s robustness and its capacity to generalize across various datasets and real-world conditions. The high accuracy and F1 scores, in conjunction with low loss values, further validate the model’s efficacy in learning discriminative features.
Conclusion: The ST-CFI model signifies a substantial advancement in the early and accurate detection of plant diseases, serving as a valuable instrument for precision agriculture. Its capacity to integrate CNNs and Transformers within a unified framework enhances the model’s feature extraction capabilities, resulting in improved accuracy in the identification of plant diseases. This study concludes that the ST-CFI model is an effective tool for addressing the challenges associated with plant disease detection, with significant implications for agricultural sustainability and productivity.
Intraocular inflammation after intravitreal injection of aflibercept 8 mg for treatment-refractory neovascular age-related macular degeneration: a case report
Authors: Hashiya Nozomu , Maruko Ichiro , Miyaguchi Yuri , Maruko Ruka , Hasegawa Taiji , Iida Tomohiro
Published: November 2024

Background To report a case of intraocular inflammation (IOI) after intravitreal injection of aflibercept 8 mg for treatment-refractory neovascular age-related macular degeneration.Case presentation An 80-year-old man with diabetes mellitus had neovascular age-related macular degeneration refractory to treatment with aflibercept 2 mg. Despite ten injections of faricimab, the exudation remained, and we switched to brolucizumab, which resulted in a mild IOI. The IOI improved with only topical steroids, and we switched back to aflibercept 2 mg for the exudation. However, the exudation remained, and we decided to switch to aflibercept 8 mg after careful discussion with the patient. Two weeks later, he experienced minor ocular pain and photophobia. One month later, although a dry macula was achieved, severe visual impairment occurred due to anterior chamber inflammation, retinal vasculitis, and retinal vascular occlusion. We diagnosed the severe IOI following aflibercept 8 mg and immediately started steroid eye drops and a sub-Tenon injection of triamcinolone acetonide. Although the inflammation resolved, his visual acuity did not improve.Conclusions This case demonstrated a potential dose-dependent inflammatory response following aflibercept 8 mg, which did not occur with aflibercept 2 mg in patients with a history of intraocular inflammation.
Neuropeptide Y regulation of dental pulp neurogenic inflammation provoked by tooth bleaching agents
Authors: Caviedes-Bucheli Javier , Pérez-Villota Mario , Aucú-Miño Karolina , Escobar-Mafla Diana , Muñoz-Alvear Hernan Dario , Rios-Osorio Nestor , Gomez-Sosa Jose Francisco , Diaz-Barrera Luis Eduardo , Cristancho Edgar Güiza – , Munoz Hugo Roberto
Published: November 2024

Background: To assess the neuropeptide Y (NPY) expression in healthy human dental pulp following tooth bleaching with three in-office hydrogen peroxide-based systems: Opalescence Boost© (Ultradent Products, South Jordan, UT), Pola Office© (SDI, Victoria, Australia), and Zoom© (Zoom! Bleaching System; Discuss Dental, Culver City, CA).
Methods: This observational study was designed following the STROBE guidelines. Forty dental pulps were collected from healthy premolars scheduled for extraction for orthodontic reasons. Teeth were divided into four groups containing ten healthy premolars each: Control group (n= 10): the teeth were not exposed to dental bleaching agents (healthy pulps assessed for normal/basal NPY values). Pola Office system group (n= 10): application of Pola office (35% H2O2) for 8 minutes. Opalescent Boost system group (n= 10): application of Opalescent Boost (40% H2O2) for 20 minutes. Zoom system group (n= 10): application of Zoom! (25% H2O2 + cold blue light) for 15 minutes. We rigorously followed the manufacturer's instructions for all bleaching systems. Following the extractions, the pulpal tissue was collected, placed in a 4% formaldehyde solution in Eppendorf tubes, and processed. NPY levels were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).
Results: The expression levels of NPY in the dental pulp of human premolars showed the lowest value in the control group (0.0263 pmol/mg of pulp tissue), followed by the Zoom group (0.0314 pmol/mg of pulp tissue). An increase in expression was observed in the Pola Office group (0.0399 pmol/mg of tissue), with the highest NPY expression found in the Opalescence Boost group (0.0441 pmol/mg of pulp tissue), which demonstrated a significant difference compared to the control group (P = 0.03).
Conclusion: NPY - whose expression is closely correlated with the bleaching agent's concentration and the intensity of the inflammatory response - mediates the pulp's responses to tooth bleaching agent-induced neurogenic pulp inflammation. NPY is expressed in the dental pulp in both pathological and physiological conditions. The highest NPY expression values were found in OPALESCENCE BOOST® followed by POLA OFFICE®, and ZOOM®.
Trial registration: Clinical Trials.gov ID NCT06606236.
Edge Polarization Topology Integrated with Sliding Ferroelectricity in Moiré System
Authors: Zhong Ni , Fan Wen-cheng , Guan Zhao , Wei Lu-qi , Xu Hao-wen , Tong Wen-yi , Tian Ming , Wan Neng , Yao Cheng-shi , Zheng Jun-ding , Wang Ya-Qiong , Chen Bin-bin , Xiang Pinghua , Duan Chun-Gang
Published: November 2024

Van der Waals moiré heterostructure have been found to exhibits a robust interfacial ferroelectricity down to atomic thickness, and discovering and understanding the complex polarization state in moiré systems is of fundamental interest to condensed-matter research. In this study, we examined the moiré ferroelectricity in twisted h-BN heterostructure by piezoresponse force microscopy. Due to atomic reconstruction, triangular moiré patterns are detected, and we have directly observed sliding ferroelectricity in the center of triangular moiré patterns as well as robust in-plane polarization topology emerging at the boundary of adjacent triangles, which we call edge ferroelectricity. The edge ferroelectricity possesses non-trivial vortex polarization topology. Our calculations trace the origin of this phenomenon to joined piezoelectric effects with sliding ferroelectricity. The present work provides intuitive insights to explore the unique moiré ferroelectricity in a non-polar background matrix, paving the way for potential ultrathin nonvolatile memory applications.
Long-term Climate Change Trends: 43-Year Analysis of Climatic Data in Gangotri National Park, Western Himalaya
Authors: Bansal Deepali , Talukdar Gautam
Published: November 2024

Understanding long-term climatic patterns is essential for assessing climate change impacts and informing adaptation strategies. This study aims to examine the temporal variations in climate from 1981 to 2023 in Gangotri National Park, Western Himalaya. Using NASA’s Modern-Era Retrospective analysis for Research and Applications (MERRA-2), we analysed daily, monthly, and annual agroclimatology data for maximum (Tmax) and minimum (Tmin) temperatures (°C), corrected precipitation (mm/day), and relative humidity (RH, %) at 2 meters. The datasets were processed using R statistical software (version 4.4.1), and seasonal trends were evaluated with linear regression models to quantify the rate of change and statistical significance (p < 0.05). The analysis revealed that Tmax significantly decreased during the monsoon season, with an average decline of 0.01°C per year (p < 0.005), while Tmin increased during both the monsoon and post-monsoon seasons by 0.04°C per year and by 0.02°C per year in summer (p < 0.05). Precipitation trends indicated a substantial rise during the monsoon (0.057 mm per year) and winter (0.016 mm per year), indicating more intense rainfall. RH also increased across all seasons, with the higher rises in summer (0.31% per year) and post-monsoon (0.30% per year). These findings suggest that the observed shifts in these parameters may have a substantial influence on park's distinctive ecosystems. Validation using HOBO fine-scale microclimate loggers confirmed consistent seasonal trends between observational data and NASA POWER estimates, with no significant differences in trendlines (p > 0.05), demonstrating the reliability of NASA POWER for long-term climate studies in this region.
Generating Learning Guides for Medical Education with Large Language Models and Statistical Analysis of Test Results
Authors: Atanet Iván Roselló , Tomova Mihaela , Sieg Miriam , Sehy Victoria , Mäder Patrick , März Maren
Published: November 2024

Background: The Progress Test Medizin (PTM) is a formative test for medical students issued twice a year by the Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin. We used data from the PTM to automatically generate personalized feedback designed to identify the knowledge gaps of test participants as exactly as possible with the help of large language models and statistical analysis.
Methods: We have developed a seven-step approach to fulfil the purpose of this study. Firstly, a large language model (ChatGPT 4.0) identified keywords in the form of MeSH terms from all 200 questions of one PTM run. These keywords were checked against the list of medical terms included in the MeSH thesaurus published by the National Library of Medicine (NLM). Meanwhile, answer patterns of PTM questions were also analysed to find whether, given a pair of questions (A,B), knowing the answer to A has a large effect on improving the chance of knowing the answer to B. If that is the case, we say that question A is a precursor question to question B. With this information, we obtained series of questions related to specific MeSH terms and used them to develop a framework that allowed us to assess the performance of PTM participants and compose personalized feedback structured around a curated list of medical topics. A clustering procedure was also applied to construct benchmarking sets.
Results: We simulated the generation of personalized feedback for 1,401 PTM participants out of their test results, thereby producing specific information about their knowledge regarding a number of topics ranging from 34 to 243. Substantial knowledge gaps were found in 14.67% to 21.76% of rated learning topics, depending on the benchmarking set considered.
Conclusion: We designed and tested a method to generate student feedback covering up to 243 medical topics defined by MeSH terms. The feedback received by students in the later stages of their studies was more detailed, as they tend to face more questions matching their knowledge level.
Evaluation of Imipenem-Relebactam Susceptibility Testing in Carbapenem Resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa: Comparison of Sensititre microplates, Disc diffusion, and MTS gradient strips with broth microdilution
Authors: Biguenet Adrien , Devoos Léa , Rousselot Julie , Bour Maxime , Fournier Damien , Jeannot Katy
Published: November 2024

Four commercial tests EUMDROXFÒ Sensititre microplates, MTS gradient strips, and disc diffusion were evaluated for imipenem-relebactam susceptibility in 148 ceftazidime and imipenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains, using broth microdilution (BMD) as the reference. EUMDROXFÒ Sensititre microplates showed the highest accuracy (CA=93.2%, EA=93.9%, and bias difference +21.8%). While the MTS gradient strips showed acceptable performance (CA= 84.5%; EA=89.9%, and difference of bias =21.0%), the disc method misclassified 25.8% (16/62) of the resistant strains. Given these results, considering an Area of Technical Uncertainty (ATU) for disc diffusion (21-24 mm) in imipenem-relebactam testing is recommended for P. aeruginosa strains.
An experimental study of the mechanically induced crystallization in filled natural rubber: relevant variables, kinetics and effect of loading history
Authors: Bihan Anthony Le , Marco Yann , Saux Vincent Le , Chazeau Laurent , Chenal Jean-Marc , Champy Clément , Warneboldt Iona , Charrier Pierre
Published: November 2024

Modelling crystallization under stretch is a key topic for fatigue design of rubber-like antivibration parts. Nevertheless, the industrial compounds used exhibit dissipative visco-elastic behaviour that complicates splitting between mechanical and time effects on the phase change and its kinetic, and thus the characterization and modelling of the phenomenon. In this study, we consider an industrial recipe for load/unload tension tests over a range of strain rates leading to non-equilibrium cases, and a multi-relaxation cyclic test combining static and monotonic steps (ANH). A systematic analysis of the triplet \{strain, stress, crystallinity ratio\} and their derivatives was applied, taking advantage of well resolved in-situ synchrotron measurements and providing insights into crystallization and melting kinetics and effects of loading history on these ones. The results obtained for this fully formulated material and various loads representative of service conditions provide a precious database to challenge the existing mechanical models aiming at describing the cristallinity index and crystallization/melting kinetics.
Impact of the first COVID-19 lockdown on HIV diagnosis in England: an observational time series study
Authors: Muhammed Feysal Kemal , Kirwan Peter D , Tabassum Tasnuva , Lester James , Samartsidis Pantelis , Brown Alison E , De Angelis Daniela , Chiavenna Chiara , Presanis Anne M
Published: November 2024

Background:
Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) prevention and care services in England were unavoidably disrupted by the Coronavirus Disease of 2019 (COVID-19) lockdowns, and it is likely incidence was also affected. Estimates of HIV incidence rely on data on trends in new diagnoses, so understanding how much these diagnosis trends changed during lockdown is crucial for estimating incidence.
Methods:
We estimated the magnitude of the effect of the first United Kingdom (UK) national COVID-19 lockdown in March 2020 on subsequent HIV diagnoses, using the quarterly time series of observed diagnoses during the period 2004 to 2020. Using a Bayesian structural time series model we estimated the counterfactual number of new HIV diagnoses in the post-lockdown period that would have occurred in the absence of lockdown. This counterfactual was constructed using ''synthetic controls'', time series correlated with HIV diagnoses pre-lockdown that were themselves unaffected by the lockdown, based on Google Trend data. The effect was estimated as the difference between the counterfactual and the observed number of diagnoses, for strata defined by gender, sexual orientation, age, and whether or not the diagnosis was late.
Results:
All strata had greater than 50% posterior probability that the first COVID-19 lockdown had an effect on HIV diagnosis, with the highest posterior probability of an effect (99%) in heterosexual men aged 50+ with late diagnosis. The estimated overall number of missed diagnoses was 97 (95% prediction interval [-688, 850]). We found that the effect size varied by stratum and by time since the lockdown, with the largest effect in the first quarter after the lockdown. The effect then reduced, as HIV testing, and consequent diagnosis, caught up during the summer of 2020.
Conclusions:
As the number of new HIV diagnoses made in England and estimated incidence fell consistently in the five years pre-pandemic, we hypothesise that the effect of the lockdown may have been less pronounced than it could have been if the epidemic had not already been in decline. Public health campaigns which encouraged HIV home testing during and after the lockdown may also have helped to mitigate the effect.
Trace determination of uric acid based on double C-type five-frequency resonant metamaterial sensor
Authors: Sun Zhen , Liu Guocui , Yuan Tingting , Xu Xujun , Liu Jianjun , Du Yong
Published: November 2024

A rapid trace detection method for uric acid (UA) content based on terahertz metamaterial sensor was developed. UA is the final oxide of purine metabolism in human body and one of serum inflammatory markers. The continuous increase of serum UA content can cause a series of diseases in human body, so the detection and analysis of UA has been widely used in clinical diagnosis and treatment of diseases in recent years. The traditional methods for detecting UA have the disadvantages of high cost of reagents and complicated chemical analysis. However, the detection method of terahertz metamaterial sensor solves this problem well, with fast detection speed, small reagent dosage, non-destructive without labels, and no damage to the analyte. In this work, a double-C-type multi-resonant metamaterial sensor based on aluminum and polyimide materials is designed. The sensor has five resonant peaks in the frequency range of 0.1-1.0 THz, and the highest sensitivity is 208 GHz/RIU, which can be applied to high sensitivity trace detection. The results show that the minimum detection limit of the sensor is 0.001 mg/mL, which is lower than the minimum content of UA in healthy human body. It is expected to be applied to the detection of biomedicine and other fields.
A novel long short-term memory-adaptive feedback-correction gain extended Kalman filter for the high-precision state-of-charge estimation of lithium-ion batteries
Authors: Appiah Emmanuel , Wang Shunli , Takyi-Aninakwa Paul , Bobobee Etse Dablu , Koukoyi Ebenezer
Published: November 2024

Assessing the state of charge (SOC) is essential in guaranteeing the precise and effective use of lithium-ion batteries in electric vehicles and smart devices. For these batteries to continue to be dependable, safe to use, and have an appropriate service life in a variety of applications, such as electric vehicles and portable electronics, accurate SOC estimation by the battery management system (BMS) is essential. To examine the effects of training and testing variables on SOC estimate accuracy, this study makes use of transfer learning in a long short-term memory (LSTM) network. It also focuses on applying an adaptive feedback correction-gain extended Kalman filter (AFGEKF) and an EKF, using independently provided operational data and LSTM-estimated SOCs for performance optimization. Through iteration, this method improves denoising and SOC accuracy in a range of working conditions. The comprehensive results show that the ideal mean absolute error, mean squared error, and mean absolute percentage error are 0.4544%, 0.7326%, and 0.9371% for the LSTM model; 0.3069%, 0.4093%, and 0.3577% for the LSTM-EKF model; and 0.14687%, 0.3169%, and 0.2492% for the proposed LSTM-AFGEKF model at 0°C, 25°C, and 45°C using a ternary battery. The study shows that the training and testing hyperparameters of LSTM have a substantial impact on the accuracy of SOC estimations. Furthermore, the proposed LSTM-AFGEKF model’s capacity to provide precise SOC estimations serves as a good model with high computational efficiency.
Experimental and numerical investigation on seismic behavior of existing masonry corner wall strengthened with external thin reinforced concrete column
Authors: Li Guo-Lei , Yu Qian-Qian , Gu Xiang-Lin , Li Xiang , Zhang Hong
Published: November 2024

To improve anti-collapse behavior of an existing masonry structure under earthquake action, a new thin beam-column system was proposed. In order to verify the efficiency of the strengthening method, as one of the series projects, this paper focuses on the cooperative work behavior of an existing masonry wall and an externally added reinforced concrete thin column under horizontal cyclic loads. Six 1/2 scaled specimens of existing masonry corner wall were built. Among them, three specimens were strengthened with externally added thin reinforced concrete columns. Then quasi-static tests were conducted to study the seismic behavior of the walls under different axial loads and cyclic horizontal loads from different directions. Meanwhile, a discrete element model (DEM) for corner walls under cyclic loads was proposed and the simulated response results of the walls under cyclic loads were verified with the corresponding experimental data. Based on the verified simulation methods, parameter analyses were conducted. Test and simulation results showed that the externally added thin reinforced concrete column could work together well with an existing masonry corner wall by using the construction measures proposed in this paper. The strengthening effect of the externally added reinforced concrete column for a corner masonry wall was significant. As the wall thickness increased, the strengthening efficiency for a corner wall would decrease. As the strength of concrete increased, the increment of the lateral load bearing capacity of a strengthened wall would be negligible. The thin reinforced concrete column could be used in the thin beam-column system to enhance the integrity of an existing masonry building.
Boosting Commit Classification with Contrastive Learning
Authors: Tong Jiajun , Wang Zhixiao , Rui Xiaobin
Published: November 2024

Commit Classification (CC) is an important task in software maintenance, which helps software developers classify commit changes into different types according to their nature and purpose. However, existing models need lots of manually labeled data for model fine-tuning, when training samples are insufficient, ensuring the performance of commit classification becomes very critical. The scarcity of data also leads to the problem of poor model generalization ability, resulting in satisfactory performance only on specific tasks. Moreover, they often ignore the sentence-level semantic information in the commit message, which is essential for discovering the difference between diverse commits, especially for fewshot scenarios. In this work, we propose to boost commit classification with contrastive learning. This method can solve the CC problem in fewshot scenarios. To augment the training datasets and improve the generalization ability of our proposed method, we generate additional training samples by Semantic Prototype, which is defined as a representative embedding for a group of semantically similar instances. To produce meaningful and discriminating sentence-level vectors for each commit in a pair, we employ a pretrained Sentence-Transformer as the embedding layer. The network then learns to maximize the distance in the latent space for positive pairs and minimize it for negative pairs, leading to a fine-tuned Sentence-Transformer with fixed weights for the downstream commit classification task. Extensive experiments on two open available datasets demonstrate that our framework, though simple, can solve the CC problem effectively even in fewshot scenarios. It not only achieves state-of-the-art performance but also improves the adaptability of the model without requiring a large number of training samples for fine-tuning. The code, data, and trained models are available at https://github.com/CUMT-GMSC/CommitFit.
Stacked Nanowire FET for CMOS Technology Scaling
Authors: Kodali Dhanesh , Pant Divyanshu , Udutha Siddanth Chandra , Therese Brintha , kanthale Onkar
Published: November 2024

As CMOS technology nears its scaling limits, stacked nanosheet and nanowire field-effect transistors (FETs) have emerged as key candidates for extending Moore's Law. These architectures offer superior electrostatic control, reduced short-channel effects, and high drive current due to their gate-all-around (GAA) structure. Stacked configurations enhance effective channel width, providing higher performance in compact footprints. This paper analyzes the electrostatic behavior, drive current, and leakage characteristics of these devices for sub-5 nm nodes. Challenges in material integration and fabrication complexity are discussed, with simulation and experimental results supporting their potential for next-generation CMOS scaling.
Empowering Entrepreneurs in the Informal Sector: Strategies for Youth Engagement and Educational Reform
Authors: Kouam Arthur William Fodouop
Published: November 2024

This study investigates the role of informal entrepreneurship in empowering youth within Cameroon, with a particular focus on the gender dimensions influencing entrepreneurial experiences. Addressing significant gaps in the literature that predominantly concentrate on formal business sectors, the research employs a mixed-methods approach that integrates qualitative interviews, observational studies, and quantitative surveys. Data were collected from 30 informal entrepreneurs and 300 youth aged 18–35 across three major cities, revealing both common success factors in informal business ventures and systemic barriers such as lack of financing, societal stigma, and gender-specific challenges women face. The findings indicate a strong positive correlation between awareness of successful informal enterprises and youth intentions to pursue entrepreneurship, with qualitative insights underscoring that community support, adaptability, and resilience are crucial for success. Notably, female entrepreneurs encounter unique obstacles, including limited access to funding and societal perceptions that undermine their legitimacy, highlighting the need for targeted support mechanisms. While this study provides significant contributions to understanding the informal economy's role in youth empowerment, some limitations include a relatively small sample size and the concentration on urban areas, which may not fully capture rural dynamics. Future research could explore the impact of cultural factors on gender roles in entrepreneurship and the long-term effects of informal entrepreneurship on socio-economic mobility among youth. This research emphasizes the potential of the informal sector as a legitimate pathway for economic empowerment, especially for women, and proposes actionable strategies for policymakers and educators to foster a culture of entrepreneurship in Cameroon.
«Он дал имя этой земле и назвал ее Гренландией, и сказал, что людям скорее захочется туда поехать, если у страны будет хорошее название»
Authors: Т.Н. Джаксон
Published: November 2024

В статье рассматриваются представления оГренландии, нашедшие отражение в большом числе памятников древнескандинавской письменности. Разделяя мнение исландского исследователя Гисли Сигурдссона, что в сагах мы имеем дело не с непрерывной устной традицией о Гренландии, ас отражением в текстах местных локальных знаний, относящихся к разным периодам времени и имеющих разные источники, автор демонстрирует, что в исландской коллективной памяти всё же имеются два момента, связанных с Гренландией. Во-первых, это представление о том, что остров был открыт Эйриком Торвальдссоном (более известен как Эйрик Рыжий) за четырнадцать или пятнадцать лет до христианизации Исландии. Во-вторых, это географическая идея, связанная с пространственным положением Гренландии на крайнем севере ойкумены: Гренландия видится не островом, а частью Европейского материка, протянувшейся через открытые скандинавами северо-американские земли вплоть до Африки.

The paper discusses ideas concerning Greenland reflected in a large number of works of Old Norse-Icelandic literature. Sharing the opinion of the Icelandic scholar Gsli Sigursson that in the sagas we are dealing not with a continuous oral tradition about Greenland, but with the reflection in the texts of local knowledge relating to different periods of time and having different sources, the author demonstrates that in Icelandic collective memory there still are two points related to Greenland. Firstly, this is an idea that the island was discovered and settled by Eirkr orvaldsson (better known as Eirkr raui) fourteen or fifteen years before the Christianization of Iceland. Secondly, this is a geographic idea related to the spatial position of Greenland in the far north of the oecumene: Greenland is seen not as an island, but as part of the European mainland, stretching as far as Africa across the North American lands discovered by Scandinavians.
Петербургская академия наук в 1779–1780-е гг. и карты Третьей экспедиции Д. Кука
Authors: Е.Е. Рычаловский
Published: November 2024

К концу 1770-х гг. Петербургской академией наук был издан ряд карт северной части Тихого океана с прилегающими частями Евразии и Северной Америки, недостатки которых осознавались российскими учеными. Журналы и карты Третьего плавания капитан-командора Джеймса Кука 17761779гг., использовавшего более совершенные приборы и методы съемки, значительно дополнили географические представления об указанном регионе. В статье рассмотрены пути, которыми сведения о плавании Кука достигали Петербурга, характер этих сведений и первые отклики на них членов Академии. Предметом отдельного изучения являются первые карты промышленников и сибирских геодезистов с использованием данных английской экспедиции, в том числе практически неизвестные в историко-географической науке. Поставлена под сомнение возможность передачи какой-либо из карт Третьего плавания с изображением северной части Тихого океана русским офицерам или промышленникам. Немалое место уделено истории изданий Петербургской академии наук от карты 1781 г. П.С. Палласа до Новой карты Российской империи 1786 г., втой или иной степени интерпретировавших данные английского мореплавателя.

By the end of the 1770s the St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences published a series of maps of the northern part of the Pacific Ocean with adjacent parts of Eurasia and North America, the shortcomings of which were recognized by Russian scientists. Magazines and maps of the Third Voyage of Captain-Commander James Cook of 17761779, who used more advanced instruments and methods of shooting, significantly supplemented the geographical representations of this region. The paper discusses the ways in which information about Cooks journey reached St. Petersburg, the nature of this information and the first responses of Academy members to them. The subject of a separate study is the first maps of industrialists and Siberian surveyors using data from the English expedition, including almost unknown in historical and geographical science. The possibility of transferring any of the Third Voyage maps depicting the North Pacific to Russian officers or industrialists has been called into question. Considerable attention is paid to the history of publications of the St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences from the map of 1781 by P.S. Pallas to the New Map of the Russian Empire (1786), which to some extent interpreted the data of the English navigator.
Расселение «зарубежных выходцев» в дворцовых волостях Деревской и Бежецкой пятин Новгородской земли в XVII веке
Authors: А.И. Савинова , Ю.В. Степанова
Published: November 2024

Статья посвящена проблеме миграции населения из отошедших к Шведскому государству территорий после окончания Смутного времени в центральные районы Российского государства. Рассматривается расселение корелян на дворцовых землях в Деревской и Бежецкой пятинах Новгородской земли по данным переписной книги 1668 г. из РГАДА. Анализ текста переписной книги с применением компьютерных технологий позволил определить территориальное происхождение групп зарубежных выходцев и сопоставить их с погостами Деревской и Бежецкой пятин. Дворцовые земли, полученные на оброк корелянами в Бежецкой пятине, локализуются в ее южной части: в бассейне рек Волчина, Тихвинка, Ворожба (в общей сложности в 20 погостах). Обособленным анклавом является Заборовский погост Деревской пятины. Выяснено, что оброчные пустоши в этих микрорегионах получили группы выходцев из Корельского уезда и Шелонской пятины, а также погостов северной части Бежецкой пятины. На основании исследованных источников можно заключить, что процесс заселения корелянами рассмотренных дворцовых волостей начался вконце 1650-х годов, а наиболее масштабным стало переселение в конце 1660-х годов. Переселение шло поэтапно, включая временное размещение в центральных и восточных частях Новгородской земли, в том числе в окрестностях Валдая и Тихвина.

The paper is devoted to the analysis of reports of foreign travelers from the 16th to the beginning of the 17th century, who arrived in Russia by water. The notes of these travelers, as well as the maps compiled by them, are a valuable source not only for the history of geographical knowledge and cartography, but also for the history of the development of the inland waterways of the Russian state the most important transport arteries connecting the basins of the White and Baltic Seas with the Caspian Sea. The paper discusses data on travels to Muscovy in the 16th century by representatives of the English Muscovy Company Richard Chansellor, the Borough brothers, Thomas Southam, John Sparke, Anthony Jenkinson who made a great contribution to the geographical description and mapping of Eastern Europe. The evidence of the activities of Dutch merchants and sailors traveling to Russia in the 16th century Simon von Saling and Cornelius de Meyer is investigated, as well as a 1589 map of the Baltic Sea by Cornelius Duts. The geographical information contained in the Notes on Muscovy by Heinrich von Staden (second half of the 16th century) is analyzed in detail. A drawing to Ukrainian and Cherkassky cities from Moscow to Crimea (the first half of the 17th century), which shows the hydrography of the southern part of the Russian state, is considered in the context of the work on mapping of the Russian lands carried out in Russia from the second half of the 16th to the beginning of the 17th century.
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Authors: Abdulkaleq Shaikha saheed  , Chaware Neamat Saleh
Published: November 2024

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Authors: Sazan Jawhar Hama Ghareb  , Sumaya Najeeb Khalil
Published: November 2024

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Authors: Rebwar Muhammed Ismael
Published: November 2024

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Authors: Bryar Khaleel Hussein  , Karzan Muhseen Qadir
Published: November 2024

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Authors: Hazhar Faqe Sleman Hussein  , Zhino Abdulrahman Mohammad
Published: November 2024

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Exploring the Prevalence and Sociodemographic Correlates of Oppositional Defiant Disorder among Junior Secondary School Students in Ilorin
Authors: Arinde Adebola Victoria , Ojuawo Ayodele , Adeboye M. A. N. , Tunde Ayinmode M. F. , Arinde O. W.
Published: November 2024

Oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) is a recognized behavioral disorder that often emerges during childhood and adolescence. This study investigates the prevalence and sociodemographic correlates of ODD among junior secondary school (JSS) students in Ilorin, Nigeria. It examines the sociodemographic characteristics of the student population, including age, gender, family peculiarities, and school type, to gain insights into the prevalence of ODD within this context. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional school-based study in Ilorin, Nigeria, included 1078 junior secondary students. Sampling was done through multi-stage probability random sampling, and ethical approvals were obtained. Students aged 9–18 years were included, excluding those with prior behavioral or neuropsychiatric disorders, neurological sequelae of a previous disease, sensory deficits, or chronic medical conditions affecting school attendance. Parental consent, assent, the study pro forma, and parent and teacher rating scales of the Vanderbilt ADHD rating scale for ODD and conduct disorder were part of the recruitment process. After analyzing 1078 screening questionnaires, 211 students met ODD criteria, leading to diagnostic interviews, which identified 41 ODD cases. Results: The study uncovers a notable 3.8% prevalence rate of ODD among JSS students, with a male pre-dominance (5.5%) compared to females (2.1%). Age, social class, family dynamics, and school environment are explored as potential correlates, with gender emerging as a significant predictor of ODD. The analysis highlights the multifaceted nature of ODD prevalence and its sociodemographic influences. Conclusion: This research underscores the importance of tailored interventions, emphasizing gender-specific considerations in addressing ODD among JSS students in Ilorin. It calls for nuanced strategies that account for the diverse socio-demographic landscape of this student population, aiming to enhance prevention and management strategies for this disorder.
Correlations between Glycated Hemoglobin (HbA1c) and Oral Glucose Tolerance test, OGTT (and Some Cardiovascular Risk Factors) in a Cohort Population of Patients at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH), Niger Delta Region of Nigeria
Authors: Nkpozi M. O. , Bozimo G. E.
Published: November 2024

Background: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is increasing in prevalence globally and in Nigeria today. Fasting blood glucose and oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) have been the traditional gold standard tests for diagnosis of DM until recently when glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) is being used. Is there a correlation between the two? Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the level of correlation between HbA1c and OGTT and some cardiovascular risk factors in a certain population in UPTH, Nigeria. Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional study involving 400 consecutively attending patients at the medical and general outpatient clinics of UPTH. Results: The HbA1C had a strong positive correlation with the 2 h post-glucose load of the OGTT (r = 0.652, P < 0.001). The HbA1c also had a positive correlation with the body mass index, waist circumference, age, total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride levels, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, but it was most positively correlated with the TC (r = 0.582, P < 0.001). It was, however, negatively correlated with the high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (r = −0.166, P = 0.001).Conclusion: Glycated HbA1c had a positive correlation with OGTT, and most of the cardiovascular risk factors of DM studied.
Effect of Dentulous and Edentulous Status on Articular Eminence Inclination of Temporomandibular Joint in Adult Patients – A Cross-sectional Orthopantomogram Study
Authors: Barve Madhura , Bhoosreddy Ajay , Bhadage Chetan , Khairnar Kalyani
Published: November 2024

Introduction: The inclination of articular eminence (AE) varies across population. The AE dictates the path of condylar movement as well as the degree of rotation of the disc over the condyle. Mechanical conditions caused by aging and influenced by the loss of teeth might have some effect on remodulation and reshaping of the AE. Aim and Objective: The aim of the study was to compare the inclination of AE of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) in dentulous and edentulous elderly patients. Materials and Methods: Orthopantomogram scans fulfilling the inclusion criteria for dentulous and edentulous patients were included in the study. Patients with age range of 50–70 years were divided into two groups: Group A (dentulous) and Group B (edentulous). The inclination of AE was measured and compared. Results and Conclusion: Mean AE Inclination (AEI) value in dentulous and edentulous was 36.56 degrees and 30.16 degrees, respectively. The AEI was significantly increased in dentulous patients as compared to edentulous patients. The results of the current study are of great relevance as it suggests that maintenance of dentition is necessary to retain the proper physiologic function of TMJ.
Familial Risk and Dowry Demand: Are they Causal Factors for Physical and Psychological Violence among Women? A Structural Equation Modeling
Authors: Mani Thenmozhi , Malavika B. , Mohanraj Rani , Kumar Subha , Joy Melvin , Marimuthu S. , Viswanathan Shankar , Bangdiwala Shrikant I. , Jeyaseelan L.
Published: November 2024

Background: In India, studies dealt with domestic violence have used linear or logistic regression to present risk factors. These methods do not allow studying the impact of intermediate variables on the path which could exert indirect or mediation effects on the outcome. This study investigated the direct and indirect effects of familial risk and dowry demand on physical and psychological violence through the mediating variables: alcohol use, women characteristics and social support. Study design: A population-based, cross-sectional household survey was conducted at seven sites in six states across India, based on 9938 women. Methods: Confirmatory Factor Analysis and Structural equation models were used to investigate the associations of familial risk, dowry demand and mediating variable use with physical and psychological violence. Models were assessed using goodness of fit statistics. Results: The direct and indirect relationship between familial risk and physical violence with regression coefficient was 0.323 and 0.100 respectively. Similarly, for psychological violence was 0.151 and 0.371 respectively. The dowry demand had indirect effect (0.209) on psychological violence through the mediating variables such as alcohol use, women characteristics, social support and physical violence as compared to direct effects (0.112). The model fit statistics had a moderately good fit with RMSEA=0.09, Chi square with p<0.001 and CFI 0.87. Conclusion: Despite the fact that the women were exposed to abuse during childhood period the mediating variables such as social support, women characteristics and Husbands alcohol use etc., have a significant role to play to contain the both physical and psychological violence.
Holistic Approaches: Ayurveda and Conventional Medicine in Diabetic Foot Ulcer Care: A Case Series
Authors: Sreenadh P. , Dudhamal T. S.
Published: November 2024

Diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) are a significant complication of diabetes, often leading to non-healing wounds that are prone to infection and may result in amputation or death. Given the complex pathogenesis, an integrative approach combining Ayurveda and conventional medicine can be more effective. This report presents three cases of DFUs on the sole. Following adequate wound debridement, the ulcers were managed using the principles of Vrana Chikitsa from Ayurveda, along with infection control and offloading according to conventional treatment principles. Regular wound care and assessments were done. The wounds gradually became healthy, with a reduction in slough and smooth healing observed in all cases. Complete wound contraction was achieved in <1 and a 1/2 months, with no recurrence observed during a 1-year follow-up. This holistic approach can facilitate faster healing in chronic, non-healing DFUs.
Asymmetries in energy consumption: Efficiency of public spending across Portuguese municipalities
Authors: de Moraes e Soares Ricardo , Morais Nunes Alexandre , Pinheiro Pedro , Catarina Kaizeler Ana , Martins Vanda
Published: November 2024

The efficient allocation of public financial resources to energy consumption in Portuguese municipalities is one of the most discussed topics in public finance, given the growing relevance of sustainability and energy efficiency. The study analyzes how public spending affects energy efficiency through a combination of data analysis and hypotheses testing to assess the relationship between public spending and energy consumption. The methodology includes DEA analysis of the financial data and energy consumption of the municipalities, as well as the definition of hypotheses to determine the possible correlations between investment and efficiency. The results suggest that, in general, municipalities with higher levels of public spending have lower levels of energy efficiency. Meanwhile, municipalities with smaller budgets and fewer resources tend to be more efficient. The DEA analysis of the data suggests that energy efficiency is not directly related to the size and/or economic aptitude of municipalities but rather to their ability to adopt new technologies and more efficient budgetary and financial management practices. The hypotheses tested show varying levels of efficiency in public spending in relation to energy consumption. The study also concludes that public policies should focus on technological innovation and benchmarking to improve energy efficiency. The analysis suggests that collaboration between municipalities and the adoption of best practices are essential to tackle regional disparities and promote energy sustainability.
AcknowledgmentsThis article is financed by Instituto Politécnico de Lisboa [Polytechnic Institute of Lisbon].