bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Interactions Between Slopes of Residual Hearing and Frequency Maps in Simulated Bimodal and Electric–Acoustic Stimulation Hearing
Authors: Yoon Yang-Soo , Straw Shea
Published: December 2023

Purpose:

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of residual hearing slopes and cochlear implant frequency map settings on bimodal and electric–acoustic stimulation (EAS) benefits in speech perception.

Method:

Adults with normal hearing were recruited for simulated bimodal and EAS hearing. Sentence perception was measured unilaterally and bilaterally. For the acoustic stimulation, three slopes of high-frequency hearing loss were created using low-pass filters with a cutoff frequency of 500 Hz: steep (96 dB/octave), medium (48 dB/octave), and shallow (24 dB/octave). For the electric stimulation, an eight-channel sinewave vocoder was used with an output frequency range (1000–7938 Hz) with three input frequency ranges to create frequency maps, overlap (188–7938 Hz), meet (500–7938 Hz), and gap (750–7938 Hz), relative to the cutoff frequency in the acoustic stimulation.

Results:

The largest bimodal/EAS benefit occurred with the shallow slope, and the smallest occurred with the steep slope. The effects of the slopes on bimodal/EAS benefit were greatest with the meet or gap map and the least with the overlap map. EAS benefit was greater than bimodal benefit at higher signal-to-noise ratios regardless of frequency map.

Conclusions:

The results indicate that correlation between bimodal/EAS benefit and residual hearing could potentially improve if slopes were considered. The optimal frequency map differed with different slopes, suggesting that the slopes of residual hearing should be carefully considered in fitting bimodal and EAS hearing. EAS hearing provided greater benefit over bimodal hearing, suggesting that spectrotemporal integration was better within one ear (i.e., EAS) than across ears (i.e., bimodal).
Euclid preparation. XXXIV. The effect of linear redshift-space distortions in photometric galaxy clustering and its cross-correlation with cosmic shear
Authors:   Euclid Collaboration, Tanidis K. , Cardone V.F. , Martinelli M. , Tutusaus I. , Camera S. , Aghanim N. , Amara A. , Andreon S. , Auricchio N. , Baldi M. ,   et al.
Published: December 2023

The cosmological surveys that are planned for the current decade will provide us with unparalleled observations of the distribution of galaxies on cosmic scales, by means of which we can probe the underlying large-scale structure (LSS) of the Universe. This will allow us to test the concordance cosmological model and its extensions. However, precision pushes us to high levels of accuracy in the theoretical modelling of the LSS observables so that no biases are introduced into the estimation of the cosmological parameters. In particular, effects such as redshift-space distortions (RSD) can become relevant in the computation of harmonic-space power spectra even for the clustering of the photometrically selected galaxies, as has previously been shown in literature. In this work, we investigate the contribution of linear RSD, as formulated in the Limber approximation by a previous work, in forecast cosmological analyses with the photometric galaxy sample of the survey. We aim to assess their impact and to quantify the bias on the measurement of cosmological parameters that would be caused if this effect were neglected. We performed this task by producing mock power spectra for photometric galaxy clustering and weak lensing as is expected to be obtained from the survey. We then used a Markov chain Monte Carlo approach to obtain the posterior distributions of cosmological parameters from these simulated observations. When the linear RSD is neglected, significant biases are caused when galaxy correlations are used alone and when they are combined with cosmic shear in the so-called 3times 2pt approach. These biases can be equivalent to as much as $5\ when an underlying Lambda CDM cosmology is assumed When the cosmological model is extended to include the equation-of-state parameters of dark energy, the extension parameters can be shifted by more than $1\ sigma$.
Agriculture Carrying Capacity Evaluation of Land Subsidence Area in Yogyakarta Special Province
Authors: Juliansari Alam Alfindy , Nurkhalifah Azizah , Zayyin Asrofi Muhammad , Raidan Azani Muhammad , Fitria Putri Ratih
Published: December 2023

The Special Region of Yogyakarta Province is one of the regions where the agricultural sector serves as a significant source of income. Due to the development of the region in the Special Region of Yogyakarta Province, several districts have experienced a decline in agricultural land due to land conversion for residential purposes. The ability of an area to achieve food self -sufficiency or meet its own food needs can be assessed through Land Carrying Capacity (DDL) and food availability. This analysis of Land Carrying Capacity for Agriculture and Food Availability employs a quantitative descriptive method. The land carrying capacity in the Special Region of Yogyakarta Province in 2022 indicates that all districts/cities have a DDL value of <1. This implies that the districts/cities in the Special Region of Yogyakarta Province cannot achieve food self-sufficiency and cannot adequately meet the population’s food needs.
Impact of Bamboo-Based Agroforestry Demonstration Plots Based on Farmers’ Perceptions
Authors: Fauziyah Eva , Sanudin  , Hani Aditya
Published: December 2023

One of the efforts to develop bamboo is to apply agroforestry patterns, including the establishment bamboo-based agroforestry demonstration plots (BAF demplots). This study aims to determine the impact of BAF demplots based on farmers’ perceptions. The research was conducted in Sukaharja Village, Rajadesa District, Ciamis Regency, West Java. The respondents in this study were 46 farmers who worked on BAF demplots and 31 farmers who did not work on BAF demplots, so the total number of respondents was 77. Primary data were collected through questionnaires, interviews, and direct observation. The data obtained were then processed and analyzed descriptively. Important Performance Analysis was used to analyse the impact of the BAF demplots based on the farmers’ perceptions. The results showed that the BAF demplot had a positive impact on farmers involved in and outside the demplots, in term of social and ecological impacts. However, the economic impact of the BAF demplots is considered to be below farmers’ expectations. Therefore, for the demplot to provide more economic benefits, it is necessary to develop potential bamboo-based businesses as part of the demplot development by involving various related stakeholders.
The Importance of LCA in the Production of Turmeric Powder And Chilli Powder at PT X
Authors: Ayu Kurniawati Dyah , Supartono Wahyu , Saroyo Pujo
Published: December 2023

PT X is one of the businesses in Indonesia that deals with food, particularly spices. The seasoning sector is growing because its existence is becoming more and more expected. Of course, energy and emissions will not be separated from the process of generating spices, especially when producing powdered spices. According to government policy, the sector is supposed to develop into one that is sustainable and environmentally friendly. The Life Cycle Assessment is a common environmental impact assessment (LCA). A method called life cycle analysis (LCA) is used to evaluate a product system’s sustainability advantages over the course of its life. This study’s goal is to use the LCA approach to examine how much energy and material are consumed, as well as emissions and potential environmental effects, during the production of seasoning powder at PT X. Establishing the goals and scope, inventory analysis, environmental impact analysis, and interpretation are the four processes utilized in the LCA. The study’s findings show that 7,963 MJ are needed to manufacture 1 kilogram of turmeric powder, with a potential environmental impact of GWP 0.7627 kg CO2 –eq, AP 0.7796 x 10-4 kg SO2 –eq, and EP 0.528 x 10-4 kg N-eq. Chili powder, on the other hand, uses 8,506 MJ and have an environmental impact of GWP 0.8418 kg CO2 –eq, 0.8690 x 10-4 kg SO2 –eq, and 0.664 x 10-4 kg N –eq.
Discrete entropy inequalities via an optimization process
Authors: Aguillon Nina , Audusse Emmanuel , Desveaux Vivien , Salomon Julien
Published: December 2023

The solutions of hyperbolic systems may contain discontinuities. These weak solutions verify not only the original PDEs, but also an entropy inequality that acts as a selection criterion determining whether a discontinuity is physical or not. Obtaining a discrete version of these entropy inequalities when approximating the solutions numerically is crucial to avoid convergence to unphysical solutions or even unstability. However such a task is difficult in general, if not impossible for schemes of order 2 or more. In this paper, we introduce an optimization framework that enables us to quantify a posteriori the decrease or increase of entropy of a given scheme, locally in space and time. We use it to obtain maps of numerical diffusion and to prove that some schemes do not have a discrete entropy inequality. A special attention is devoted to the widely used second order MUSCL scheme for which almost no theoretical results are known.
Evaluating the knowledge and attitudes towards radiation protection in portable radiological examinations among nurses in pediatric intensive care units
Authors: Alomairy N.A.
Published: December 2023

This study aims to assess the knowledge and attitudes towards radiation protection among nurses in pediatric intensive care units (PICUs), where portable radiological examinations are frequently conducted. In this study, we employed a descriptive cross-sectional research design using a 17-item self-administered questionnaire. The study comprised 160 nurses, mostly female (91%), with an even split in educational background between diploma and bachelor’s degree holders. The majority had 1–5 years (39%) and 6–10 years (33%) of experience, while only a small fraction (6.2%) had undergone training in radiation protection. The overall scores of knowledge and attitudes were 2.9 ± 1.4 out of 7 and 3.1 ± 0.9 out of 4, respectively. A statistically significant variation in knowledge scores was noted between those with a Bachelor’s degree (3.2 ± 1.4) and a Diploma (2.7 ± 1.3) (p = 0.044). A positive correlation between knowledge and attitude scores was statistically validated (Spearman’s rho = 0.19, p = 0.014), and training in radiation protection was identified as a significant factor affecting these scores (estimate = –1.38, p = 0.025). The study reveals a poor level of knowledge and a good attitude towards radiation protection among PICU nurses in the Jizan Region. This emphasizes the need for targeted educational interventions and training programs in radiation safety to enhance the quality of care in pediatric radiological procedures.
The Impact of I Ching on Analytical Psychology
Authors: Lan Gonghuang , Huang Weijun
Published: December 2023

According to Zhao Juan’s research, there are three main paths of Western I Ching which are: 1) the path of religiosity with missionary Sinology as its mother; 2) the path of analytical psychology-comparative culture with Jung as its starting point; and 3) the historical-philosophical path characterized by examination and contemplation. This paper mainly explores the westward movement of ekphrasis through the second path. In addition, according to the four basic features of analytical psychology, i.e., the principle of Purpose Theory, the principle of Mind Power Theory, the doctrine of Collective Unconscious, and the doctrine of Psychological Types, this paper explores the influence of I Ching on analytical psychology from these four aspects.
The Lifeworld: Teaching Experience of Rural Teachers in China
Authors: Li Wenxiao
Published: December 2023

In recent times, there has been a growing interest in the research of rural teachers, coinciding with the advancements in rural education. As research progresses, the investigation of rural educators has evolved beyond a narrow emphasis on their professional identity to encompass a holistic comprehension of their overall living conditions. This article is grounded in the phenomenology of lifeworld theory and endeavors to portray the genuine and comprehensive teaching lifeworld of rural educators through the utilization of living experience research methods.
Research on the Teaching Practice of the Course “Foundation of Artificial Intelligence” in Universities Empowered by Digital Transformation
Authors: Zhu Yangqing
Published: December 2023

Digital transformation can empower teachers to teach and students to learn, playing an important role in the reform of curriculum and teaching in universities. This article analyzed the background of the teaching reform of computer public course in Chinese universities. In the situation where digital talents are urgently needed in society, "Foundation of Artificial Intelligence" was proposed as a computer public course in universities. We have designed the course content, pre class teaching, in class teaching, post class teaching, and student learning evaluation of "Foundation of Artificial Intelligence", and deeply integrated information technology with education and teaching, carried out digital transformation teaching practice. From the results of student academic exam and student satisfaction survey, it can be concluded that the digital transformation has enabled the teaching practice of the "Foundation of Artificial Intelligence" course in universities to be very successful.
Research on the Problems and Countermeasures of Vocational Education School Enterprise Cooperation from the Perspective of Network Governance
Authors: Wang Zhenlin
Published: December 2023

Currently, vocational education in China is in an important turning point of improving quality and excellence, and building a modern vocational education system is an urgent task facing vocational education. At present, there are still problems in vocational education in terms of school enterprise cooperation, such as insufficient embedding and sustainability of cooperation, insufficient motivation for cooperation entities to participate, lack of government governance mechanisms, and lack of industry supervision and quality evaluation. The cooperative entities between schools and enterprises usually have the characteristics of diversity and heterogeneity, and also involve relevant cooperative entities in interest distribution, gaming, coordination, and balance. This provides the following reference for the network governance of vocational education school enterprise cooperation: firstly, play the leading and governance functions of the government, optimize the network governance structure, and establish a long-term operating mechanism; The second is to strengthen goal orientation, pay attention to the development needs of all parties, and stimulate the motivation of subject participation; The third is to improve the quality supervision and performance evaluation system, establish and improve a diversified organizational structure, and ensure the quality of school enterprise cooperation.
Research on the Promotion of the Effect of Tourism Network Word-of-mouth Communication
Authors: Lu Xi
Published: December 2023

With the rapid development of tourism and the Internet, the mode of "tourism" + "Internet" has attracted wide attention, among which the importance of tourism network word-of-mouth in the development of tourism enterprises has been increasingly recognized, which also prompts the academic circle to study this. Based on this, on the basis of previous online word-of-mouth literature, this paper explores the connotation and characteristics of online word-of-mouth in tourism, and puts forward strategies to improve online word-of-mouth in tourism, so as to promote the sustainable development of tourism enterprise.
Exploring the role of children's social workers-Take B Children’s Service Station in City A as an example
Authors: Yu Zhouwei
Published: December 2023

Children are a special stage of life development, and the goodness of children's social workers affects the lifelong development of the clients, and one of the key factors is the role orientation of social workers. Taking B Children's Service Station as an example, through interviews with four social workers, three volunteers and three parents, the role connotation of different children's social workers and their role dilemmas were analyzed, and the significance and value of the diverse role positioning of children's social workers were pointed out. Ultimately, on the premise that the specificity of different social work roles should be understood, it is proposed that children's social workers should reasonably carry out role play and develop a sound career path on this basis.
Study on the synergistic effect of industrial structure differentiation of urban agglomeration in the Greater Bay Area
Authors: Tang Jingting , Yang Mohan , Jiang Jiantao , Huang Yanwen
Published: December 2023

In order to promote the overall development of the Greater Bay Area, it is important to optimize the regional development plan, reduce the differences in the industrial structure of the Greater Bay Area urban agglomeration, promote the coordinated development of the industrial structure of this area and improve scientific & technological innovation of the Greater Bay Area. There are many advantages in the development of the urban agglomeration of Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, but there are also some obstacles, such as the serious differentiation of industrial structure, the adverse factors affecting economic development under the framework of "one country, two systems", and the development limitations of the unique system of "three currencies, three legal frameworks, three customs territories and four core cities", which all affect the progress of the economy of the Greater Bay Area to a great extent. Therefore, it is necessary to take advantages of the industrial strengths of the Greater Bay Area urban agglomeration, strengthen the economic interconnection between cities and improve the industrial structure coordination, so as to promote the development and construction of Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and form the development configuration of economic integration.
Investigation on the Living Conditions of Food Delivery Workers in Nanjing before and after the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Zhou Yuhao
Published: December 2023

Delivery personnel serve the public by delivering food and are essential to society, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this study, a questionnaire survey was undertaken in Nanjing before and after the COVID-19 epidemic in order to look into the living situations of delivery workers and offer suggestions for improvement. The results indicate that food delivery workers’ working hours have usually increased since the COVID-19 outbreak. The distribution of daily orders among the staff is more equitable. Changes in income are the primary effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the food delivery industry. Changes in psychological stress, work intensity, and health conditions are the next biggest impacts. 90% of the participants either had no knowledge of or no access to additional subsidies. About 60% of the participants had no employer-provided insurance. Therefore, there is a need for future enhancements to delivery employees' social security benefits in order to better their living circumstances, raise the standard of delivery services, and support sustainable social growth.
Research on the Generation Model of President Xi Jinping’s Ecological Discourse from the Perspective of Transitivity
Authors: Zhang Yu , Wu Jiarui
Published: December 2023

Undeniably, ecological problems have tight contact with the development of human society. China as the largest developing country in the world, its ecological policy asserts great influence and President Xi Jinping’s discourses is an important reflection. By conducting a quantitative and qualitative research from the perspective of the Transitivity theory on the generation model of President Xi Jinping's ecological discourses, this paper finds that President Xi Jinping mainly apply material process, relational process and mental process to express four kinds of ecological discourses topics which are problem response, expression of construction goal, construction methods, call for common action, finally realizing the refection of the ecological idea, that is, to achieve the harmonious development of man and nature.
The Genesis Logic and Practical Value of Xi Jinping’s Concept of Technological Innovation
Authors: Su Xin
Published: December 2023

In the context of ongoing clashes in the Sino-US trade and technology war and the rise of emerging disruptive technologies such as artificial intelligence, technological innovation is not only an important engine for promoting high-quality economic development, but also a crucial approach to overcoming key bottlenecks in core technologies. Xi Jinping's view on technological innovation is a significant theoretical weapon for promoting technological innovation and achieving national self-reliance in science and technology. Perception and request Xi Jinping's view on technological innovation has of course become an significant topic for many intellectual to travel around and interchange. This newspaper analyzes the rational procedure of the establishment of Xi Jinping's view on technological innovation, which highlight the efficient legacy and novel development of the Marxist view on science and technology, as well as its inclusion with the cement fact of China's left-wing feature. It highlights the practical value of Xi Jinping's view on technological innovation in promoting high-quality economic development, breaking through key technological bottlenecks, and breaking the traditional shackles of education. This paper also underscores its theoretical guidance and practical significance, providing answers to the question of how to understand and apply Xi Jinping's view on technological innovation.
Manuelle Therapie im Hochschulkontext: eine Wahlvertiefung
für Studierende
Authors: Richter Michael , Laakmann Leon , Sieberichs Kim , Hammer Leon
Published: December 2023

In einer Wahlvertiefung für Studierende wurde das Thema „Manuelle
Therapie“ angeboten. Der Fokus lag darauf, verschiedene Techniken der
Manuellen Therapie zu erlernen und zu üben. Zudem wurden diese Techniken
in einem biopsychosozialen Kontext in der Praxis ausprobiert. Neben den
erlernten Behandlungsgriffen sollten auch Edukation, Eigenübungen und
psychosoziales Assessment zur Anwendung kommen, um die Manuelle Therapie in
einen modernen, patientenzentrierten Behandlungskontext zu integrieren. Als
Prüfungsleistung mussten die Studierenden neben anderen Leistungen einen
Fall präsentieren.

Drei der Fälle werden in diesem Artikel in Kurzform präsentiert.
Final erfolgt eine Reflexion aus der Perspektive der Studierenden und Lehrenden
zur Erfahrung mit den erlernten Inhalten sowie der Manuellen Therapie im
Allgemeinen.
Beeindruckend, was Placebo- und Nocebo-Effekte bewirken
können!
Authors: Richter Michael
Published: December 2023

Sehr geehrte Leserinnen und Leser,

mit großem Interesse habe ich vor Jahren einen Artikel zum Thema
„Förderung von Placebo und Vermeidung von Nocebo“ in der
Zeitschrift „Manual Therapy“ 1
gelesen und mir unmittelbar gewünscht, dass dieser Artikel in mehreren
Sprachen erscheinen würde und so vielen Therapeut*innen
zugänglich wäre.
Klinische Relevanz von Kontextfaktoren als Auslöser von
Placebo- und Nocebo-Effekten bei muskuloskelettalen Schmerzen
Authors: Rossettini Giacomo , Carlino Elisa , Testa Marco
Published: December 2023

Welche Rolle spielen Kontextfaktoren bei der Therapie? Und wie können
sich Therapeut*innen diese zunutze machen? Das Autorenteam gibt in
diesem Artikel umfassend Antwort auf diese Fragen. Sicher ist: Über die
Modulation der Kontextfaktoren kann der spezifische Therapieeffekt positiv
unterstützt werden. Therapeut*innen sollten dies bewusst
nutzen.
Reshaping the Face and Neck via the Deep Plane Approaches is Appropriate for the More Youthful as Well as the More Aged Face
Authors: Azizzadeh Babak , Deot Neal
Published: December 2023

Rhytidectomy has witnessed significant advancements in recent years, particularly in the realms deep plane facelift and more aggressive neck contouring. As the procedures have become increasingly intricate and invasive, the imperative to develop refined tools and methodologies has risen. These tools and methods are essential not only for the evaluation of aesthetic outcomes but also for the comprehensive assessment of inherent risks and the holistic enhancement of patients' quality of life.
Creation and Evaluation of a Clinical Informatics Match: Initial Findings
Authors: Hron Jonathan D. , Lehmann Christoph U. , Long S. Wesley , Pageler Natalie M. , Kannry Joseph , Levy Bruce , Leu Michael G.
Published: December 2023

Background Clinical Informatics (CI) fellowship programs utilize the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS) to gather applications but until recently used an American Medical Informatics Association (AMIA) member-developed, simultaneous offer–acceptance process to match fellowship applicants to programs. In 2021, program directors collaborated with the AMIA to develop a new match to improve the process.

Objective Describe the results of the first 2 years of the match and address opportunities for improvement.

Methods We obtained applicant data for fellowship applicants in 2021 and 2022 from the ERAS and match data for the same years from the AMIA. We analyzed our data using descriptive statistics.

Results There were 159 unique applicants over the 2-year period. Applicants submitted 2,178 applications with a median of 10 per applicant (interquartile range [IQR] 3–20). One hundred and four applicants (65.4%) participated in the match and ranked a median of seven programs (2–12). Forty-two programs in 2021 and 47 programs in 2022 offered a combined total 153 positions in the match. Participating programs ranked a median of eight applicants per year (IQR 5–11). Of participating applicants, 95 (91.3%) successfully matched and of those 66 (69.5%) received their top choice. Thirty-two programs (76.2%) matched at least one candidate in 2021 and 33 programs (70.2%) matched at least one candidate in 2022. In both years, 24 programs filled all available slots (57.1% in 2021 and 51.1% in 2022).

Conclusion Applicants were extremely successful in the new match, which successfully addressed most of the challenges of the simultaneous offer–acceptance process identified by program directors. However, applicant attrition resulted in a quarter of programs going unmatched. Although many programs still filled slots outside the match, fellowship slots may remain unfilled while the CI practice pathway remains open.
How Safe are Outpatient Electronic Health Records? An Evaluation of Medication-Related Decision Support using the Ambulatory Electronic Health Record Evaluation Tool
Authors: Co Zoe , Classen David C. , Cole Jessica M. , Seger Diane L. , Madsen Randy , Davis Terrance , McGaffigan Patricia , Bates David W.
Published: December 2023

Background The purpose of the Ambulatory Electronic Health Record (EHR) Evaluation Tool is to provide outpatient clinics with an assessment that they can use to measure the ability of the EHR system to detect and prevent common prescriber errors. The tool consists of a medication safety test and a medication reconciliation module.

Objectives The goal of this study was to perform a broad evaluation of outpatient medication-related decision support using the Ambulatory EHR Evaluation Tool.

Methods We performed a cross-sectional study with 10 outpatient clinics using the Ambulatory EHR Evaluation Tool. For the medication safety test, clinics were provided test patients and associated medication test orders to enter in their EHR, where they recorded any advice or information they received. Once finished, clinics received an overall percentage score of unsafe orders detected and individual order category scores. For the medication reconciliation module, clinics were asked to electronically reconcile two medication lists, where modifications were made by adding and removing medications and changing the dosage of select medications.

Results For the medication safety test, the mean overall score was 57%, with the highest score being 70%, and the lowest score being 40%. Clinics performed well in the drug allergy (100%), drug dose daily (85%), and inappropriate medication combinations (74%) order categories. Order categories with the lowest performance were drug laboratory (10%) and drug monitoring (3%). Most clinics (90%) scored a 0% in at least one order category. For the medication reconciliation module, only one clinic (10%) could reconcile medication lists electronically; however, there was no clinical decision support available that checked for drug interactions.

Conclusion We evaluated a sample of ambulatory practices around their medication-related decision support and found that advanced capabilities within these systems have yet to be widely implemented. The tool was practical to use and identified substantial opportunities for improvement in outpatient medication safety.
Roles of Tumor-Associated Macrophages in Tumor Environment and Strategies for Targeting Therapy
Authors: Liu Meng-Qi , Zhang Jia-Wei , Zhu Jian-Wei
Published: December 2023

Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) constitute a significant component of the tumor microenvironment. This work reviewed the latest progress in comprehending the function of TAMs and their strategies for cancer therapy. TAMs are highly heterogeneous and plastic and exhibit different functional phenotypes in response to different signal stimuli. The emergence of single-cell technologies allows us to revisit their diversity in cancer. When their pro-inflammatory function is activated, antitumor TAMs support and activate adaptive immune cells to eliminate cancer cells through T cell-mediated killing. In the context of cancer, anti-inflammatory TAMs play a variety of pro-tumor functions, such as releasing cytokines to promote the recruitment of bone marrow cells, promoting tumor angiogenesis, and inhibiting cytotoxic T cell function. The plasticity of TAMs makes them a potential tumor therapeutic target, so finally, we updated strategies for targeting TAMs and the TAM-targeting agents currently being evaluated in clinical trials.
Self-similarity and vanishing diffusion in fluvial landscapes
Authors: Anand Shashank Kumar , Bertagni Matteo B. , Drivas Theodore D. , Porporato Amilcare
Published: December 2023

Complex topographies exhibit universal properties when fluvial erosion dominates landscape evolution over other geomorphological processes. Similarly, we show that the solutions of a minimalist landscape evolution model display invariant behavior as the impact of soil diffusion diminishes compared to fluvial erosion at the landscape scale, yielding complete self-similarity with respect to a dimensionless channelization index. Approaching its zero limit, soil diffusion becomes confined to a region of vanishing area and large concavity or convexity, corresponding to the locus of the ridge and valley network. We demonstrate these results using one dimensional analytical solutions and two dimensional numerical simulations, supported by real-world topographic observations. Our findings on the landscape self-similarity and the localized diffusion resemble the self-similarity of turbulent flows and the role of viscous dissipation. Topographic singularities in the vanishing diffusion limit are suggestive of shock waves and singularities observed in nonlinear complex systems.
Rickety democracies
Authors: O’Connor-Farfan Kate S.
Published: December 2023

This article addresses the narrative and discursive structures underlying popular Peruvian political phrases
disseminated through social media, word-of-mouth communication and mainstream media between 2016 and 2022. One goal is to reveal
how these constructions suggest patterns of interaction and societal weaknesses. Another goal is to propose a qualitative approach
using a narrative semiotics perspective to analyze the structure of these types of objects of study. Four relevant interconnected
structures were distinguished: (1) structures of generalized and (2) compartmentalized distrust
and (3) structures of vertical and (4) horizontal shame. They all serve to understand how the
generalization of distrust and the rise of horizontal shaming in Peru expose the incoherence between a publicized democratic image
and a reality characterized by deep social fractures.
Effect of some Environmental Factors on the Distribution and Spread of Artemisia scoparia Waldst. et Kit. in Basrah Governorate
Authors: Tuaih Haneen Faesal , Al-Asadi Widad M. T.
Published: December 2023

This study was conducted during the period from October 2021 to November 2022, and four stations were selected: Hammar Musharraf, Al-Tuba, Artawi and Safwan, which are located in the southern desert of Basra Governorate, during which the distribution of the Artemisia scoparia plant was determined and the physical and chemical properties affecting it were studied. Heavy elements were also measured for the summer seasons. And winter for the two stations of Safwan and Hammar Musharraf. The highest air temperature was recorded at 49 C in July in Safwan station, and the lowest was 10 C in January for most of the study stations. As for the soil temperature, the highest was 46.2 C in the month of August in Al-Tuba station, and the lowest was 12 C in January in Safwan. As for air and soil humidity, the highest percentage was 62% and 10.2% in January at Hammar Musharraf station, and the lowest was 0.1% in June and September at Safwan and Artawi stations, respectively. The highest value of pH was recorded for the soil of the studied stations, which was 8.58 in Al-Tuba station in July, and the lowest was 6.01 in December in Hammar Musharraf. The highest soil salinity was 8.81 mg/L in Safwan in July, and the lowest was 0.01 mg/L in Hammar Musharraf and Al-Tuba in November and December, respectively. As for the organic matter, it was the highest of 0.13 gm in Hammar Musharraf in January, and the lowest was 0.01 gm in Artawi and Al-Tuba for most months of the year. As for the heavy elements, the highest presence in the soil of the aluminum element was recorded in Safwan, which amounted to 264.105 ppm in the summer, followed by the iron element of the same station in the summer as well, as its concentration reached 228.761 ppm, while the lowest concentration was in a donkey honorable in the winter of arsenic. It reached 0.005 ppm, and the highest concentration was in the summer of Safwan station, with a concentration of 57.4463 ppm, while the lowest concentration was in winter, with a concentration of 33.9196 ppm in Safwan. As for the concentrations of heavy elements in plants, the highest and lowest concentrations of zinc were recorded in Safwan in the summer and winter seasons, which amounted to 14.7 and 0.002 ppm, respectively. Winter season, with a concentration of 1.3902.
Classification of Aerosols Types Over Iraq, using MODIS Date
Authors: Zeki Khawla N. , Al-Salihi Ali M. , Al-Lami Alaa M.
Published: December 2023

The optical properties of aerosols are derived from Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) observations for the period 2003–2021 at seventeen regions in Iraq, which were used to determine the different types of aerosols using threshold values based on Aerosols Optical Depth (AOD) and Angstrom Exponent (AE), seasonal aerosol classification was performed. This approach was verified and used in the detection process. Six aerosols categories: maritime, dust, mixture, urban, dust desert, and biomass burning were examined in this study. The result indicates that dust is most frequently detected in the summer and spring seasons, while the maritime type is most common in the winter and autumn, with wide variability in mixture type. The relative contribution during the winter months revealed a clear predominance of Maritime-type aerosols in the northern part of Iraq. Maximum contributions recorded in Erbil (93%), and Sulaymaniyah (90%). The maximum relative contributions of dust are found in the range of 71%–77% over Qaim and Haditha, while the southern regions of Iraq have a percentage ranging from 54%–65% in the summer season. The results of the monthly classification of aerosol type indicate that dust type are overhead maritime aerosols between March and September in the west, northwest, and south regions of Iraq. The highest contribution of desert dust was recorded in Basra, 60% during July and August. The maximum urban type was recorded at 50% in Baghdad in June. Biomass-burning type contribution was very little.
Assessment of the Euphrates River’s Water Quality at a Some Sites in the Iraqi Governorates of Babylon and Karbala
Authors: Khlaif Baraa Majid , Al-Hassany Jinan S.
Published: December 2023

The majority of third-world nations with rivers running through them struggle with the issue of contaminated water. It is believed to be a very difficult challenge to get the water quality below the typical permitted levels for drinking, as well as for industrial and agricultural reasons, is thought to be a very difficult challenge. This study aims to assess the quality of water available to the governorates of Karbala and Babylon. measuring water quality with the water quality index It expresses the water quality as a single number by comparing results from the analysis of a number of physico-chemical and bacteriological parameters with current norms. The National Sanitation Foundation Water Quality Index (NSFWQI), the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment Water Quality Index (CCMEWQI), the Oregon Water Quality Index (OWQI), the Weight Arithmetic Water Quality Index (WAWQI), the IRCA water quality index, and The Iraqi Water Quality Index (Iraqi WQI), which was used for irrigation and drinking, will all be compared in this context. Twenty one parameters were analyzed, including pH, EC, TDS, Tem, DO, BOD, COD, NO3, Alkalinity, CL, TH, Ca, Mg, Na, K, B, SO4, Salinity, TOC, E.Coli., Total coliform. The results for five stations during three season ranged between medium and excellent for the NSF classification, while ranged between poor-marginal in CCME classification, the results were for OWQI classification between poor-fair-excellent, in WAWQI classification the results were within unsuitable to excellent, IRCA classification indicated that all stations fall within sanitary infeasible and in the last IRAQI classification the results were between very bad to bad for drinking water as for irrigation of agricultural lands, it is not acceptable for irrigation.
Petroleum’s Influence on the Aquatic Environment
Authors: Al-Robai Hazim Aziz , Jasim Dheyaa J. , Jassam Safiyya A. , Jasim Hayder M. , Ameen Hawzhen Fateh M. , Al-Rubaye Ameer H.
Published: December 2023

Aquifer, rivers, or lakes are frequently employed as the local sources of water that the petroleum industry uses to drill and hydraulically fracture wells, refine and process petroleum, and create electricity in certain natural gas-based power plants. Oil residues, chemicals from hydraulic fracturing and drilling fluids, and naturally occurring pollutants from the rocks themselves may all be present in the water that is generated along with petroleum. It is also frequently naturally salty. The environmental effects of petroleum activities may change a range of ecological characteristics, such as biodiversity, biomass, and productivity, which may then affect specific species, populations, assemblages, or ecosystems. There are two basic types of long-term and short-term impacts of petroleum contamination in water. The difficulties produced by point pollution in aquatic ecosystems have come to light due to the impact of petroleum compounds on living organisms in aquatic environments.
Exogenous Melatonin Regulates Superoxide Dismutase Gene Expression and Enzymatic Activity in Response to Pathogenic Fungi in Soybean Glycine max (L.) Merrill
Authors: Alawi Shaymaa H. , Alfalahi Ayoob O.
Published: December 2023

Melatonin is a pleiotropic molecule known to play a key role in plant growth and development, as well as biotic and/or abiotic stress responses. However, melatonin specific effects on the plant defense system, particularly SOD activity are still an area of ongoing research. The results indicated a clear effect of the applied melatonin concentration in shaping the entire response to the biotic oxidative stress resulted from the two pathogenic fungi Rhizoctonia solani and Macrophomina phaseolina. The higher concentration of melatonin had a greater effect on both gene expression and SOD enzymatic activity, which indicates the melatonin importance in stimulating the defense system of soybean plants through which soybean plants try to manage the excessive ROS accumulation in response to pathogenic fungi. The different varieties showed different ability to cope with biotic stress of pathogenic fungi, especially the antioxidants enzymatic activity. Al-Shaimaa variety proved to have the most effective SOD gene expression and enzymatic activity compared to the other two Senaya22 and Lee74 soybean varieties. Melatonin concentrations in its maximum level (300 μM), was more effective in promoting the antioxidant activity in term of gene expression and enzymatic activity of SOD. Interestingly, R. solani had a greater effect on the antioxidant defense system, as it resulted in higher levels of SOD gene expression and enzymatic activity in the three soybean varieties. Further investigation maybe required to better understand the melatonin role in inducing plant antioxidant system, thus the possible protective mechanisms against plant pathogens.
Effect of Diatomaceous Earth (DE) Against the Stored Product Beetles, Oryzaephilus surinamensis (L.) (Coleoptera: Silvanidae) under Laboratory Conditions
Authors: Al Hab Rusl Kareem Abo , Al-Zurfi Sienaa
Published: December 2023

Studies on the control of the saw-toothed grain beetle Oryzaephilus surinamensis with a commercial formulation of the Diatomaceous Earth or diatomite (D); (silicon dioxide made up of fossilised diatoms) were carried out at the Entomology Laboratory at a relative humidity of 50 ± 5%, and ambient temperature of 28 ± 2 °C. Laboratory experiments were applied to assess the efficacy of Diatomaceous Earth dust; silicon dioxide commercially on 2nd-5th instar larvae and adults of O. surinamensis. Three concentrations of Diatomaceous Earth (DE) were weighed (2, 3, and 4 grams), and each concentration was mixed with 100 grams of amber rice grains. Beetles were fed on amber rice grains treated with (DE). The results showed that Diatomaceous Earth (DE) was significantly effective at all tested concentrations after 7 days post-treatment. Nevertheless, susceptibility showed visible significant differences in the mortality level on the last day of the tests between adults, 2nd, 5th instar larvae which were treated with three (DE) concentrations. Adults were least susceptible, while 2nd and 5th instar larvae were most susceptible to DE. All Diatomaceous Earth (DE) was significant and more effective on insect life at a higher concentration of 4 g/100 kg, where the mortality proportion was 100%, 99.50% for 2nd, and 5th instar larvae, respectively, and 97.50% for an adult after 5 days post-treatment. However, all O. surinamensis life stages’ mortality percentages reached 100% after 7 days post-treatment. Consequently, due to the effectiveness of this Diatomaceous Earth on different life stages of O. surinamensis, they could be recommended for the management of this insect. Furthermore, to achieve more effective control over this beetle, formulation of the Diatomaceous Earth (DE); Silicon dioxide, could be used since it appeared to be most effective and consistence in its action against different life stages of the beetle. Lastly, the possibility of using Diatomaceous earth to manage stored-product insects has been debated.
Efficacy of some Entomopathogenic Fungi Against Tomato Leaf Miner Tuta absoluta (Meyrick) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) in Iraq
Authors: Issa Jaafar A. , Matrood Abdulnabi A. , Al-Farttoosy Alaa H.
Published: December 2023

The most important tool for biological management of several insect pests is entomopathogenic fungi. The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of Beauveria bassiana and Chaetomium globosum as biological agents against Tuta absoluta. According to the findings, B. bassiana and C. globosium may be able to influence T. absoluta larvae’s eggs and third instar. By extending the duration and concentration, the fungus became more active. B. bassiana has had the greatest death rates after 7 days in the eggs and the third instar of the insect by 83.86% and 68.3% at 2 ×107 conidia mL-1, respectively.. This score was significantly differs to the C. globosium reached 60.09%and 31.7% in the destruction both eggs and the 3rd larvae-instar respectively. The outcomes also confirmed that the fungal colonies of both fungi isolated from leaves after 10 days of the application. The highest colony percentage belongs to the C. globosium 32.29% with a significant difference to the B. bassiana by 23.26%. The presence of both fungal colonies had a significant effect on the eggs, larvae, and pupae period development. Consequently, the weight of the pupal was influenced compared to the control. The B. bassiana has supremacy in comparison to the C. globosium and the control treatment. A gradual decrease has been shown in the proportion of the two fungal colonies tomato leaves after 30th days. The lowest level score was 4.17% and 9.37% for both B. bassiana and C. globosium respectively.
Study of the Effect of Trifloralin Herbicide, Seed Rate and Planting Distances in Controlling Broad-Leaf Weeds Associated with Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) Under the Conservation Agriculture System
Authors: Hayawi Jassim Abdullah , Hamad Abdulmueen Shabeeb , Sultan Fatimah Ibrahim
Published: December 2023

The study was conducted in the fields of one of the farmers in order to control the broad Weeds associated with the wheat crop by chemical and agricultural methods and with a conservative cultivation system for the seasons 2018/2019 and 2019/2020, and the study included three factors: the first factor is the Trifloraline herbicide and at two levels (0, 1248) cm3 / ha, the second factor rates the effectiveness of the herbicide, and the third factor rates the effectiveness of the cultivation system. Important findings are summarized below. The study was conducted using the system of global experiments in the split-split plots, with seeding at three levels (80, 100, and 120) kg / ha, and the third factor, planting distances at two levels (15 and 30) cm between the lines, with design of complete random sectors and with three replications; Herbicide treatment reduced all traits significantly compared to comparison treatment. Seeding rate increased broad-leaf weeds and side branches and decreased bush susceptible leaf dry weight. All traits improved at 30 cm between planting lines. Interaction achieved. In the second season, the herbicide treatment and 120 kg/ha seed rate reduced broadleaf weed dry weight. The herbicide treatment and 15-cm distance reduced all traits and seasons. In the second season, the interaction between the seed rate of 120 kg/ha and the distance of 15 cm between the planting lines reduced the dry weight of the broad-leaf weed, while the herbicide treatment and the seed rate of 80 kg/ha did the same. In the second season, broad-leaved weeds decreased in dry weight by 15 cm.