bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
StructuGraphRAG: Structured Document-Informed Knowledge Graphs for Retrieval-Augmented Generation
Authors: Zhu Xishi , Guo Xiaoming , Cao Shengting , Li Shenglin , Gong Jiaqi
Published: November 2024

Retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) enhances large language models (LLMs) by incorporating external data sources beyond their training sets and querying predefined knowledge bases to generate accurate, context-rich responses. Most RAG implementations use vector similarity searches, but the effectiveness of this approach and the representation of knowledge bases remain underexplored. Emerging research suggests knowledge graphs as a promising solution. Therefore, this paper presents StructuGraphRAG, which leverages document structures to inform the extraction process and constructs knowledge graphs to enhance RAG for social science research, specifically using NSDUH datasets. Our method parses document structures to extract entities and relationships, constructing comprehensive and relevant knowledge graphs. Experimental results show that StructuGraphRAG outperforms traditional RAG methods in accuracy, comprehensiveness, and contextual relevance. This approach provides a robust tool for social science researchers, facilitating precise analysis of social determinants of health and justice, and underscores the potential of structured document-informed knowledge graph construction in AI and social science research.
Health Equity in AI Development and Policy: An AI-enabled Study of International, National and Intra-national AI Infrastructures
Authors: Dua Manpriya , Singh J.P. , Shehu Amarda
Published: November 2024

This study examines how concerns related to equity in AI for health are reflected at the international, national, and sub-national level. Utilizing unsupervised learning over corpora of published AI policy documents and graph structurization and analysis, the research identifies and visualizes the presence and variation of these concerns across different geopolitical contexts. The findings reveal interesting differences in how these issues are prioritized and addressed, highlighting the influence of local policies and cultural factors. The study underscores the importance of tailored approaches to AI governance in healthcare, advocating for increased global collaboration and knowledge sharing to ensure equitable and ethical AI deployment. By providing a comprehensive analysis of policy documents, this research contributes to a deeper understanding of the global landscape of AI in health, potentially offering insights for policymakers and stakeholders.
Robust and Explainable Stage Prediction in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy
Authors: Ghosh Promita , Krishna Ragav , B. Raman Lakshmi , Bhattacharyya Malay
Published: November 2024

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is one of the life-threatening rare genetic disease affecting millions of male minors across the globe. Given its progressive nature, we can demarcate the various stages of DMD through the loss of muscular movements, ambulation, respiratory difficulties, and cardiac dysfunction. In this work, we employ machine learning models for understanding the progression of DMD through the prediction of its stages. Our attempts to predict the stages of DMD on the data collected by Molecular Diagnostics, Counseling, Care and Research Center (MDCRC) from 223 visits of 90 subjects demonstrate more than 80% accuracy with the state-of-the-art methods. We further study the biological/physiological importance of features in characterizing the stages of DMD.
Remote Kinematic Analysis for Mobility Scooter Riders Leveraging Edge AI
Authors: Nguyen Thanh-Dat , Zhang Chenrui , Gitbumrungsin Melvin , Raheja Amar , Chen Tingting
Published: November 2024

Current kinematic analysis for patients with upper or lower
extremity challenges is usually performed indoors at the clin-
ics, which may not always be accessible for all patients. On
the other hand, mobility scooter is a popular assistive tool
used by people with mobility disabilities. In this study, we
introduce a remote kinematic analysis system for mobility
scooter riders to use in their local communities. In order to
train the human pose estimation model for the kinematic anal-
ysis application, we have collected our own mobility scooter
riding video dataset which captures riders’ upper-body move-
ments. The ground truth data is labeled by the collaborating
clinicians. The evaluation results show high system accuracy
both in the keypoints prediction and in the downstream kine-
matic analysis, compared with the general-purpose pose mod-
els. Our efficiency test results on NVIDIA Jetson Orin Nano
also validate the feasibility of running the system in real-time
on edge devices.
Building Trustworthy AI: The Role of Patient and Public Involvement in Healthcare AI Development
Authors: Banerjee Soumya
Published: November 2024

AI is helping researchers make great strides in healthcare. However, there is a trust deficit in AI when applied to critical areas like healthcare. Hence communicating the beneficial medical applications of AI and engaging the public with healthcare AI research is critical. One way to achieve this is by getting the community involved in co-designing better AI systems in healthcare projects. We argue that AI algorithms for healthcare should be co-designed with patients and healthcare workers, so that they are useful and trustworthy.

We suggest a roadmap for this collaborative approach in AI model building. This will involve actively including patients with lived experience of a disease, as well as creating a research advisory group to walk patients through the process of AI model building. We suggest formulating and scoping a problem, and then generating a hypothesis that patients and scientists agree on.

The road to building trustworthy AI systems may become easier if all stakeholders are involved in co-creating AI models.
The Role of Embodiment in Learning Representations: Discovering Space Topology via Sensory-Motor Prediction
Authors: Hagen Oksana , Gaudl Swen
Published: November 2024

This paper explores the crucial role of embodiment in learning representations for space topology in robotics. Embodiment, the ability of an agent to interact with its environment and receive sensory feedback, is fundamental to developing accurate and efficient representations. In this work, we investigate this by applying an action-conditional prediction algorithm to data collected from a simulated environment, aiming to learn the topology of the environment through sequences of random interactions. Using a simple mobile-robot-like scenario, by leveraging sensory-motor interactions we demonstrate how the agent can discover the topology of its environment. Our results demonstrate the importance of embodiment in the development of representations and potential applicability in robotic tasks, and a simple but effective method of integrating actions into a learning loop. We suggest that building abstract representations through the use of action-conditional prediction is a step towards unification of the representations used in robotics.
Using Social Robots and AI to Perform Genetic Risk Assessment for Cancer
Authors: Morris Tyler , Brown Conor , An Seungwoo , Augustine Jeremiah , Ward Andrew , Enomoto Laura , Campbell Erin , Zhao Xiaopeng
Published: November 2024

Genetic risk assessment (GRA) and genetic counseling have become integral to optimal patient care for patients with cancer. At present, there is a limited number of qualified healthcare providers who provide this service. To assist professionals in the GRA process, we have combined social robotics and retrieval-augmented generative artificial intelligence (RAG AI) to provide education related to hereditary cancer to be included in GRA sessions for individuals at risk. This GRA application pushes the boundary on previously available chatbots and AI systems by creating a novel and interactive experience enhanced by professionally verified information. In the future, we seek to improve the app as it is and obtain feedback from both GRA professionals and potential end-users that will be used to enhance the system and provide customized risk assessment. Overall, our GRA system takes the next step towards informing patients of their hereditary cancer risk and pertinent care options.
Continual Learning and Adaptation In Resource-Constrained Environments (CLAIRE)
Authors: Baker Megan , Sleeman Jennifer , Ribaudo Christopher , Stajner Ivanka , Wang Kai , Huang Jianping , Huang Ho-Chun , Montuoro Raffaele , Liu Haixia
Published: November 2024

As climate-related extreme events continue to increase and impact the world, of particular importance are the threats posed to food, agriculture, and water (FAW) systems. Deep learning could benefit FAW systems for classification of threats and for forecasting potential future events given historical patterns. However, many FAW systems are faced with operational environments that are resource-constrained, which could present challenges in deploying deep learning models. Continual learning offers a way to overcome certain deployment challenges by enabling deep learning models that are more robust to data distribution changes, without the need for GPUs or off-line training. We describe a continual learning approach to forecasting extreme air quality events developed for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to provide operational air quality guidance to the Continental United States. We describe how this deep learning model is resilient to future data distribution changes by performing curriculum learning, and how it can be deployed as a continual learner, offering better predictive performance for resource-constrained environments.
Self-attention-based Diffusion Model for Time-series Imputation
Authors: Islam Mohammad Rafid Ul , Tadepalli Prasad , Fern Alan
Published: November 2024

Time-series modeling is essential for applications in agriculture, weather forecasting, food production, and more. However, missing data due to sensor malfunctions, power outages, and human errors is a common issue, complicating the training of machine learning models. We propose a diffusion-based generative model to
address this problem and fill the gaps in the data. Our approach captures feature and time correlations through a two-stage imputation process. Our model outperforms state-of-the-art imputation methods and is more scalable in GPU resources.
Towards an AI-Driven Cyber-Physical System for Closed-Loop Control of Plant Diseases
Authors: Silwal Abhisesh , Zhang Xuemei M. , Hadlock Thomas , Neice Jacob , Haque Shadab , Kaundanya Adwait , Lu Chang , Vinatzer Boris A. , Kantor George , Li Song
Published: November 2024

Plant diseases are a major biosecurity threat to food production and the bio-energy industry. Early detection and control of plant diseases can improve producers’ profitability and reduce environmental impacts from chemical inputs. We proposed to develop a cyber-physical system with three major components: an AI-driven imaging system for early stress detection, an autonomous robotic system to collect plant samples, and a sequencing pipeline to detect molecular signatures of pathogens for disease confirmation. This system is envisioned to control a detected disease by removing or pruning infected plants. This manuscript describes the major milestones achieved by this CPS project and provides a future perspective on disease control automation in agriculture.
A Game-Based Approach to Teach Basic Python Programming
Authors:   School of Computer Science and Engineering, Vellore Institute of Technology - Chennai Campus, Jasmine S Graceline , Doshi Sujay ,   School of Computer Science and Engineering, Vellore Institute of Technology - Chennai Campus, Alex Alan K. ,   School of Computer Science and Engineering, Vellore Institute of Technology - Chennai Campus, U Yadukrishnan ,   School of Computer Science and Engineering, Vellore Institute of Technology - Chennai Campus, J.L Febin Daya ,   Electric Vehicles, Incubation Testing and Research Center, Vellore Institute of Technology - Chennai Campus
Published: November 2024

Abstract : This paper presents an innovative and interactive game-oriented educational platform employing the Unity game engine and C# scripting. The aim of this interactive 2D platform is to impart fundamental programming skills, specifically focusing on the Python language. This platform comprises of four challenging levels, each increasing in difficulty, providing a captivating and dynamic learning experience. The distinctive feature of the proposed platform is the usage of string matching with regular expressions to instantly evaluate the accuracy of the code entered by users, enabling them to develop their coding skills in a practical and interactive manner. The visually appealing graphics of this platform offer the user the ability to see the real-time effects of their code, rendering it more intuitive and user-friendly with real-time feedback. This platform is designed to be accessible to a diverse audience, including children and adults, making it an inclusive learning tool for people of all ages and backgrounds. The proposed platform is employed to instruct Python programming to a group of undergraduate students and the achievement of course outcomes (CO) is evaluated and contrasted with a traditional learningapproach. The comparative results are presented. The levels of attainment of COs experienced a notable improvement, demonstrating the effectiveness of the proposed learning platform, making it a valuable educational tool for coding novices. K e y w o r d s : G a m e d e v l o p m e n t ; p y t h o n programming; serious games
Visualization and Comparative Simulation of Pathfinding, Searching and Sorting Algorithms
Authors: Rathod Subhash , Mishra Abhinav , Patil Akshay , Dhanawade Ashutosh , Dalvi Gaurav
Published: November 2024

Computer Department, Marathwada Mitramandal's Institute of Technology, Maharashtra, India
Self-Perceived Reasons to Dropout from Higher Education - a Case Study in a Portuguese Faculty of Engineering
Authors:   Department of Education and at distance teaching (DEED) and LE@D, Universidade Aberta, Portugal,, Mouraz Ana , Sousa Armando ,   Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, FEUP - Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto and INESC TEC - INESC Technology and Science,
Published: November 2024

Abstract : Dropout from Higher Education (HE), that is, the number of students that totally leave a given HE institution is concerningly high, especially in times of crisis. Institutions struggle to minimize dropout, but limited data is available likely because gathering data from learners who dropped out is sensitive, likely involving private information. This paper presents a case study research on student dropout from a very large Portuguese engineering faculty. The main objectives of this research include to gain a better understanding about the reasons for dropout, from the former student’s point of view, and to build a profile for the dropout-at-risk student. The collected data was retrieved from institutional records and from 134 telephonic interviews with former students. The resulting data is analysed in both quantitative and qualitative ways. Results of all gathered dropout data are clustered into three profiles of students who dropout: those that “pull out”, those who were “pushed out” and those who “fall out”. Findings include that students do not decide to dropout by a simple single reason but rather a set of reasons. This research article includes 5 concrete improvement suggestions that are likely to reduce dropout. The two main suggestions are to better prepare the transition to HE and to make policies more flexible in times of crisis, example more flexible schedule. Keywords: dropout; Higher Education; reasons to dropout.
Biomorphology of Quercus robur L. (Fagaceae) in the Upper Volga lowland (Based on the example of the Dubravna reserve in the Taldomsky city district of the Moscow region)
Authors:   Nizhny Novgorod State Pedagogical University, Stamenov Miroslav N.
Published: November 2024

The organization of the crown in Quercus robur individuals growing in the communities of the Dubravna nature reserve in the Taldom urban district in the north of the Moscow region was studied. We studied virginal, young reproductive and middle-aged reproductive individuals growing in a cleared area, in gaps of different sizes and in closed parcels of small-leaved spruce stands. The direction of growth, growth and relative position of the trunk and branches from the trunk were analyzed. Three main methods of crown formation have been identified. In the first method, the crown is formed by an orthotropic trunk with single forks (dichasia), and the largest branches have an ascending direction of growth. With the second method, the trunk deviates from the orthotropic direction, becomes arcuate and can move to the plagiotropic direction of growth. In this case, the branches on the “inner” side of the trunk grow plagiotropically, and on the “outer” side - obliquely upward or orthotropically. The third method of crown formation is that the trunk is divided into a complex system of monochasia and dichasia with multiple divisions and “turns” of the daughter axes. In addition, the structure of the crown is also influenced by the frequency of trunk reversal, the proportion and localization of plagiotropic branches, and the formation of false dichotomous structures within the branch. In all habitats, individuals with the first method of crown formation predominate. It is most pronounced in young reproductive individuals in the cleared area. In virginal and young reproductive individuals growing under the canopy of a tree stand, the extent of the crown zone formed by plagiotropic branches increases, and the trunk also more often turns over. In individuals that have entered the canopy, a significant portion of the branches die off, and the trunk is divided by several dichasia. Individuals with the second and third methods grow mainly under the tree canopy and in small gaps. They don't go out into the canopy.
Monitoring of rare and protected animal species of the southern forest-steppe and steppe zone of the Omsk oblast
Authors:   Omsk State Pedagogical University, Odintsev Oleg A. , Kislyi Alexander A. ,   Omsk State Pedagogical University,   Institute of Systematics and Ecology of Animals SB RAS, Danilov Yuri N. ,   Institute of Systematics and Ecology of Animals SB RAS,   Tomsk State University, Odintseva Antonina A. ,   Institute of Systematics and Ecology of Animals SB RAS, Kopchenkova Anastasia D. ,   Omsk State Pedagogical University, Kobets Anastasia S. ,   Omsk State Pedagogical University
Published: November 2024

Description of the distribution of animal species listed in the Red Book of the Omsk oblast (2015) and encountered during fieldwork in 2021-2022 in the territories including the southern forest-steppe and steppe parts of the region. The study was carried out using stationary and route methods of monitoring the species richness and abundance of animals. The facts of meetings of 82 protected animal species are described, among which 35 are listed in the Red Book of the Russian Federation. The most preferred habitats are indicated and a general estimate of the number of studied objects of the animal world is given. The information obtained leads to the need to adjust the list of protected species and categories of their rarity in the third edition of the Red Book of the Omsk oblast planned for 2025. It is necessary to include three species in the Red Book of the region: Xylocopa iris (Christ 1791), the ladybird spider Eresus kollari (Rossi 1846) and the yellow-breasted bunting Ocyris aureoles (Pallas 1773). Four more species should be excluded from the list due to the stabilization of numbers and the absence of objective threats to populations in the Omsk oblast: Andrena comta (Eversmann 1852), Andrena pilipes (Fabricius 1781), as well as the common crane Grus grus (Linnaeus 1758) and the thrush nightingale Luscinia luscinia (Linnaeus 1758).
Influence of diets on the composition of intestinal microflora and on immune processes in the human
Authors:   Penza State University, Pravosudova Natalia A. , Marfina Olga V. ,   Penza State University, Melnikov Viktor L. ,   Penza State University
Published: November 2024

Diets, via the formation of a dominant microbial core, influence metabolic processes in the body, which determine changes in the individual's immune response. The work studies the influence of the main dietary regimes (vegan and vegetarian, ketogenic, gluten-free, Mediterranean diets, low FODMAP diet, Western diet) on the diversity and composition of the intestinal microflora. Vegans and vegetarians have a greater diversity of species from the Bacteroidetes group, an increase in the number of lactic acid bacteria such as Ruminococcus, E. rectale and Roseburia, and a decrease in the number of Clostridium and Enterococcus. This type of nutrition helps to enhance the protective properties of the intestines by increasing the number of bacteria that activate immune mechanisms. The ketogenic diet increases the number of Bacteroides and Akkermansia muciniphila, with a decrease in the number of Proteobacteria, Bifidobacteria, E. rectale, Dialister. As a result, the ketogenic diet alters the balance of pro- and anti-inflammatory mechanisms in the gut. A gluten-free diet causes a decrease in Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus, Clostridium lituseburense, Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, Veillonellacea, Ruminicoccus bromii, Roseburia and an increase in the proportion of Enterobacteriacea (including Escherichia coli), Victivallaceae, Clostridiaceae and Coriobacteriaceae. This type of diet promotes the overgrowth of opportunistic microorganisms and weakens the host's defenses against infections and chronic inflammation. A diet low in short-chain carbohydrates (FODMAP) can lead to a decrease in the number of bifidobacteria, propionibacteria, F. prausnitzii, Akkermansia, Ruminococcus and an increase in the population of Clostridiaceae (Peptostreptococcus spp.) and, as a result, reduces the activity of immune mechanisms. The Western type of diet leads to a decrease in Bifidobacteria, Roseburia, Eubacterium, Ruminococcus, Lactobacillus, Prevotella and an increase in the number of Enterobacteria, Alistipes, Bacteroides. The Western type of diet, due to changes in the composition of normal microflora, increases the tendency towards obesity and weakening of protective properties. The Mediterranean diet leads to an increase in the concentration of F. prausnitzii, Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus, Ruminococcus, Bacteroides and a decrease in the number of Clostridium, E. coli. This type of nutrition leads to a decrease in the number of opportunistic microorganisms and to the activation of immune mechanisms.
Forecasting of bank sales with Sberbank as a case study
Authors:   Perm State University, Ermakova Anastasia R. , Vasyova Galina S. ,   Perm State University
Published: November 2024

Introduction. This scientific study highlights the relevance of modeling and forecasting sales of Sberbank in terms of effective business management. Sales forecast is an important tool for predicting the demand for goods and services, as well as determining the adequate strategies and tactics to achieve the company’s goals. The research is distinguished by its reference to artificial intelligence methods in the field of marketing. Forecasting methods applied to a proprietary data sample of Sberbank’s daily sales give novel results, which reliably supports the development of adequate strategies and tactics for successful business management. The key hypothesis of the study is to check the prognostic potential of machine learning methods against the traditional econometric approaches to modeling Sberbank’s sales. The purpose of the study is to develop sales forecasting models for multifunctional products and their practical instruments for Sberbank’s Sales Network Block. Materials and Methods. The study relies on the methods of system-oriented analysis, statistical and economic mathematical methods of data analysis and their processing. Collected and pre-processed sales data for Sberbank’s phantom products reflecting the dynamics of bank sales were used for computational experiments to build a few forecasting models and justify the choice of the best model among those built. Results. Random Forest and Gradient Busting (XGBRegressor) Models used training and test samples to give the forecasts with the accuracy significantly higher than the accuracy of forecasts by ARIMA-model and linear regression. Conclusions. The results of the analysis reliably confirm that machine learning methods are currently promising methods for forecasting bank sales and can be the subject of further research in this area. Machine learning techniques introduced into banking practices have the potential to significantly improve the effectiveness of existing sales and risk management.
GEOLOGICAL FEATURES OF SYRIAN OIL FIELDS
Authors: Almousa F. , Agzamov F.A. , Komleva S.F. , Alsheikh S.
Published: November 2024

Over the past 60 years, exploration in Syria has focused on the major late Paleozoic and Mesozoic sedimentary basins. Source and reservoir rocks were deposited during major regional extensional periods in the late Paleozoic and Mesozoic. Oil and gas fields are concentrated mainly in the eastern and northeastern regions of the country, including the Palmyra, Deir-ez-Zor and Homs areas. The main oil fields are concentrated in the north-eastern and eastern regions of the country, in the oil and gas regions of Rmeilan, Tishreen, Jibsin, Tim and Ward. Most of the gas fields are located in the Palmyra region. The reserves of recoverable oil in Syria are estimated at 350 mln m3, and the reserves of recoverable gas – at 250 bln m3. According to some estimates, the recoverable resources of shale oil on land are about 7 bln m3. On the territory of Syria, with a total area of 2190 km², there are huge gas reserves – 600–700 bln m3 and oil reserves – 50 mln m3. New objects can be explored in Paleozoic and Mesozoic petroleum systems. Stratigraphic traps may include Paleozoic siliciclastic successions, isolated Cretaceous carbonate buildups or Jurassic-Cretaceous carbonate platforms and karsts, and marine basin-floor siliciclastic fans.
TECHNOLOGICAL COMPLICATIONS (FORMATION DAMAGE) DURING CO2 INJECTION FOR ENHANCED OIL RECOVERY. PART 3. PREVENTING AND REPAIRING FORMATION DAMAGE CAUSED BY CO2 INJECTION
Authors: Voloshin A.I. , Volkov M.G. , Dokichev V.A.
Published: November 2024

The article considers technological complications arising during CO2 injection for enhanced oil recovery, with a focus on the formation of asphaltenes in the pore space and their negative impact on production efficiency. Formation of asphaltene solids in the reservoir leads to an increase in the skin factor, their removal to the wells, accumulation in the wellbore and on the surface of the equipment, which reduces oil flow to the well and requires expensive remedial work. Methods of identification and monitoring of asphaltene deposits are considered. Results of laboratory studies confirming the difficulty of quantitative assessment of asphaltene deposition are given, as well as practical examples of application of various technologies for their prevention and removal. Methods including the use of inhibitors and dispersants and the use of aromatic solvents to restore reservoir properties are reviewed. It also emphasises the need for continuous monitoring of field operations and the development of effective asphaltene management methods, which is critical to improving the economic feasibility of CO2 injection projects.
FORECASTING FIRE RISK VALUES USING MACHINE LEARNING AND TIME SERIES ANALYSIS
Authors: Rakhmatullina Elina F. , Permyakov Arseniy V. , Khafizov Ildar F. , Khafizov Fanil Sh.
Published: November 2024

The probability of occurrence of emergencies and their consequences can be minimized by predicting events that contribute to the emergence of such a situation. An optimal and useful tool for such prediction and forecasting can be modeling, which can be carried out on the basis of information technology using computer programs.The methods of modeling and forecasting emergencies related to fires are the same as for other emergencies, but there are some specifics. The forecast of emergencies related to fires is aimed at three main stages: 1. forecasting the probability of occurrence with the determination of the place of the highest probability of fire occurrence, time and factors contributing to it; 2. forecasting the development of the situation and the spread of the fire (direction, speed) when it occurs, the process itself; 3. forecasting the consequences of a fire at a specific facility.The forecast is made based on the analysis of all possible unfavorable factors, their fields of action, features of the facility, its fire hazard and other data.The use of machine learning methods and time series analysis for forecasting fire risk values is substantiated. The possibility of using statistical methods of mathematical modeling of fire occurrence as the basis of the machine learning model is noted. This approach enables the machine learning model to process and analyze a large amount of statistical information for specific time periods and issue forecasts.
How to stay healthy in a physically demanding workplace – Die retrospektive Beurteilung einer gezielten betrieblichen Gesundheitsförderungsmaßnahme für körperlich schwer arbeitende Mitarbeiter und Mitarbeiterinnen im Allgemeinen Krankenhaus Wien
Authors:   Universitätsklinik für Physikalische Medizin, Rehabilitation und Arbeitsmedizin, Medizinische Universität Wien, Hasenöhrl Timothy , Steiner Margarete ,   Universitätsklinik für Physikalische Medizin, Rehabilitation und Arbeitsmedizin, Medizinische Universität Wien, Grohs Manuela ,   Competence Center für Arbeitssicherheit und Gesundheitserhaltung (CCAG), Wien, Jordakieva Galateja ,   Universitätsklinik für Physikalische Medizin, Rehabilitation und Arbeitsmedizin, Medizinische Universität Wien, Crevenna Richard ,   Universitätsklinik für Physikalische Medizin, Rehabilitation und Arbeitsmedizin, Medizinische Universität Wien, und Competence Center für Arbeitssicherheit und Gesundheitserhaltung (CCAG), Wien
Published: November 2024

How to stay healthy in a physically demanding workplace – The retrospective assessment of a targeted occupational health promotion measure for employees doing physically demanding work at Vienna General Hospital Aim: Heavy physical work is one of the key factors in the development of spinal overload syndromes. Workplace health promotion (WHP) measures aim to minimize the harmful effects of heavy physical work as much as possible through personal measures. If generalized WHP measures are not possible, they should be carried out in a way that is tailored to specific professional groups. This paper presents such a targeted WHP measure for the patient transport services at Vienna General Hospital and its retrospective assessment by the participants. Methods: After participation in the targeted WHP measure, a validated questionnaire, the Comprehensibility of Health Education Programs (COHEP), was used. Results: The COHEP dimensions “comprehension-fostering behaviour of program trainers” (mean 16,3 ± 5,9), “transferability to everyday life” (mean 12,5 ± 4,0) and “comprehensibility of medical information” (mean 7,6 ± 2,2) were rated as very good. The COHEP dimension “amount of information” (mean 12,6 ± 6,8) was rated as average. Conclusion: The WHP project presented here was rated very highly in terms of comprehension-fostering behaviour, transferability to everyday life and comprehensibility of medical information. The amount of information, however, was rated as tending to be too extensive. Keywords: workplace health promotion – back health – manual material handling – weightlifting
Cross-Border Data Flows and the Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013 – Part I: The Territorial Scope Provision
Authors: Coetzee Juana
Published: November 2024

The Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013 (POPIA) was introduced to protect the right to privacy of the South African data subject. The Act prescribes obligations that a responsible party must fulfil to achieve this purpose. However, for the Act to be enforced against a responsible party who has transgressed any of its provisions, the responsible party needs to be brought under its jurisdiction. To that end, POPIA makes provision for a territorial scope provision (section 3) based on the notion of domicilium and the use of automated and non-automated means for processing personal information situated in the Republic. This article makes use of comparative analysis to interpret the content of these provisions with reference to the European Union (EU)'s 1995 Data Protection Directive (DPD), on which they were modelled, and its successor, the 2016 General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The article demonstrates that section 3 can give rise to interpretative uncertainties which could result therein that personal information processed by responsible parties who are outside the Republic would not be regulated by the Act, or that these parties could move their processing activities out of the country to escape liability. An expansive interpretation of these provisions by the courts is needed to plug these gaps; alternatively, legislative revision must be undertaken in line with developments in the EU, where the GDPR endeavoured to address some of these aspects.
Sistematización del diálogo nacional entre los movimientos de pueblos y nacionalidades indígenas y sociales y el Gobierno ecuatoriano
Authors:   GIZ, Hidalgo María Eugenia , Muela Lenin
Published: November 2024

Este documento ha sido elaborado por encargo de GIZ, en cumplimiento de los compromisos asumidos por GIZ con la Conferencia Episcopal Ecuatoriana (CEE), como parte del apoyo al proceso de diálogo después de la jornada de protestas de organizaciones indígenas y sociales en 2022. Consideramos que esta crónica del proceso de diálogo constituye un aporte importante para comprender lo que ha sucedido con el diálogo, o mejor dicho con el proceso de negociación política de temas técnicos, entre las organizaciones indígenas y sociales y el gobierno de Ecuador, en 2022.
Análisis jurídico sobre el cumplimiento de los acuerdos firmados por el gobierno y las organizaciones
Authors:   GIZ, Chiriboga Zumárraga Andrés , Rivadeneira Silva Ramiro ,   GIZ
Published: November 2024

En 2022, Ecuador vivió una serie de protestas y diálogos entre el gobierno y las organizaciones indígenas. Estos diálogos se enfocaron en resolver varias demandas sociales y económicas, no solo de la población indígena sino en general de la población ecuatoriana, que concluyeron en la suscripción de 218 acuerdos que, a la fecha actual, no tienen ningún mecanismo de seguimiento ni de verificación de cumplimiento.
Diálogos de saberes por la paz: intergeneracionalidad y cuidado territorial
Authors:   Universidad Central del Ecuador, Duque Orozco Gabriela Estefania , Santamaría Valle Gisela Carolina ,   Universidad Central del Ecuador, Parra Romero Luis Vinicio ,   Universidad Central del Ecuador, Valladares Villagómez Marco Arturo ,   Universidad Central del Ecuador
Published: November 2024

En el Ecuador, así como en varios países de Latinoamérica, los escenarios de crisis política son reiterativos y están acompañados de tensiones y rupturas de diálogo. Estas crisis pueden llegar a movilizar a individuos, organizaciones y estructuras partidistas a fin de medir relaciones de poder que beneficien a los intereses de los diferentes sectores. Las rupturas de acuerdos dialogados acentúan aún más las dificultades para fortalecer la institucionalidad del Estado y de la aplicación de sus políticas.
Ecuador en conflicto: metodología para la sistematización de las acciones colectivas protagonizadas por el movimiento indígena ecuatoriano
Authors:   Universidad Central del Ecuador, Marx Pinheiro Janaina , Espinoza Riera Hernán Roberto ,   Universidad Central del Ecuador, Morales Pilataxi Joselyn Fernanda ,   Universidad Central del Ecuador, Saldaña Morales Melany Ibeth ,   Universidad Central del Ecuador
Published: November 2024

En Ecuador, los ciclos conflictivos han dejado una huella profunda en su historia hasta la actualidad, con el movimiento indígena como protagonista de importantes movilizaciones durante los llamados levantamientos. En la memoria colectiva del país, los años noventa marcaron un cambio de paradigma en la lucha social y reivindicativa por los derechos del pueblo ecuatoriano, representando un punto de inflexión en la historia del país durante el levantamiento del Inti Raymi. Desde entonces, el movimiento indígena ha demandado constantemente a una sociedad excluyente y racista, que ignora su historia y se niega a reconocer su diversidad y la existencia de actores sociales cuya idiosincrasia no se ajusta al modelo homogeneizador que dicha sociedad ha impuesto (Larrea, 2004).
Acceso a la educación superior de pueblos y nacionalidades: estado de las políticas públicas
Authors:   Universidad Politécnica Salesiana, Castro Medina Ana Janeth
Published: November 2024

El objetivo de este trabajo es caracterizar con base en fuentes de información secundaria, la discusión sobre el estado de situación del acceso a la educación superior de los pueblos y nacionalidades del Ecuador, a partir de la entrada en vigencia, en 2008, de las disposiciones constitucionales en esa materia y desarrollos normativos derivados de las mismas.
Interculturalidad en la educación superior: discursos y prácticas
Authors:   Universidad Politécnica Salesiana, Rodríguez Mazón Francisco , Cucurella Landín Leonela ,   Universidad Politécnica Salesiana
Published: November 2024

En contraposición, surgió la interculturalidad, como una propuesta decolonial de reivindicación de los grupos culturales que cohabitan los territorios de los distintos países. En el caso ecuatoriano, la lucha por esta reivindicación la iniciaron las organizaciones indígenas, a quienes se sumaron con el tiempo, organizaciones de afroecuatorianos y montubios.
Desde la memoria colectiva hacia la paz: el impacto de los diálogos interculturales en Ecuador
Authors:   Universidad Central del Ecuador, Palacios Herrera Paulina , Delgado Rocha Jorge ,   Universidad Central del Ecuador
Published: November 2024

En las últimas décadas, Ecuador ha sido testigo de una serie de levantamientos indígenas que han marcado profundamente la historia sociopolítica del país. Estos movimientos no solo han reivindicado los derechos de los pueblos indígenas, sino que también han impulsado cambios significativos en la estructura política y social del Ecuador.
Impactos de las reformas tributaria y energética
Authors:   Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador, Oliva Nicolás
Published: November 2024

Ecuador vive una crisis fiscal de profundas consecuencias, no solo por el descalce financiero que enfrenta el presupuesto de la nación, sino también porque todas las respuestas que surgen desde las instancias públicas son insuficientes, coyunturales y no responden a una mirada de largo plazo. En definitiva, cada reforma termina agravando aún más la situación. El país vive una crisis de las ideas.
Posibilidades de un modelo post extractivista
Authors:   Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador, Viola Reyes Carolina
Published: November 2024

El 30 de junio de 2022 el gobierno nacional liderado por el presidente Guillermo Lasso firmó un Acta de Paz con las organizaciones sociales y movimientos indígenas después de 18 días de movilización popular.
Gestión presupuestaria y competencias de los GAD
Authors:   Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador, Jarrín Feijó Soraya
Published: November 2024

La Ley de Régimen Municipal de 1971, definió a los municipios como sociedades políticas autónomas, con personería jurídica de derecho público y con capacidad suficiente para realizar los actos jurídicos que requiera para cumplir con sus fines (Molina Morte, 2015, pp. 88, 89).
Guerra interna en Ecuador: un análisis desde el poder militar
Authors:   Universidad Central del Ecuador, Córdova-Alarcón Luis
Published: November 2024

Oficialmente Ecuador está en guerra. Así lo decidió el gobierno de Daniel Noboa el 9 de enero de 2024. Ese día, tras una ola de actos de violencia criminal en varias provincias, el presidente de la República emitió el Decreto Ejecutivo 111, reconoció la existencia de un conflicto armado interno e identificó a 22 grupos de delincuencia organizada como la amenaza terrorista a vencer (Presidencia, 2024).
Plantão psicológico em serviço de psicologia de universidade estadual: relato de experiência
Authors: Da Silva Jamile de Souza Carvalho , Da Conceição Lucas Magalhães , Bernardo Kátia Jane Chaves
Published: November 2024

INTRODUÇÃO: O Plantão Psicológico é uma modalidade de intervenção psicológica de caráter emergencial, que oferece acolhimento para pessoas que necessitem de auxílio. Pode ser implantado em diversos locais, como clínicas-escola, hospitais e serviços de assistência social. O presente artigo se justifica pela importância da temática e pela quantidade reduzida de trabalhos científicos sobre a mesma. OBJETIVO: Relatar a experiência de dois psicólogos que participaram de um curso de extensão em uma universidade pública da região nordeste. MÉTODO: Trata-se de um relato de experiência, de caráter qualitativo, baseado na descrição da prática dos autores no curso de extensão, entre setembro e dezembro de 2023, e na discussão dessas experiências a partir de artigos encontrados na literatura sobre Plantão Psicológico. RESULTADOS E DISCUSSÃO: Foram percebidas diversas contribuições do plantão na formação dos plantonistas, sobretudo na possibilidade de ofertar um serviço de saúde mental mais contextualizado para as necessidades psicológicas e emocionais da comunidade. Uma das principais dificuldades vivenciadas foi a ansiedade sentida pelos plantonistas diante dessa modalidade de atendimento que diferia, substancialmente, da psicoterapia. Destaca-se também a importância da supervisão para o aperfeiçoamento contínuo dos profissionais, sendo uma forma de contribuir para o manejo e raciocínio clínico destes. CONSIDERAÇÕES FINAIS: Essa prática possibilitou pensar numa atuação não tradicional, fornecendo uma prática que não se paute no modelo curativista. Ressalta-se a importância de outros estudos sobre essa modalidade, sobretudo a partir de outras abordagens e âmbitos de atuação.
Telluric Memory. Restitution and Right to Resentment in W.G. Sebald
Authors: Ceccarelli Massimo
Published: November 2024

«From bitter searching of the heart We rise to play a greater part Reshaping narrow law and art Whose symbols are the millions slain» Leonard Cohen, Villanelle for Our Time
Castellví de la Marca, una fortificación recurrente en los confines de Tarragona y Barcelona
Authors: Martí Castelló Ramon , Folch Iglesias Cristian , Gibert Rebull Jordi , Gonzalo Arango Xavier
Published: November 2024

Now in the process of excavation, the castle of Castellví de la Marca occupies a dominant peak on the Penedès plain, in whose territorial defence it has played an active role since ancient times. Thus, after prehistoric precedents, at least two quite precarious phases of occupation are observed in roman times, one in the advanced republican period and another towards the end of the high empire. Later, Castellví could have been an occasional surveillance site during the first medieval centuries, until the position was consolidated with the construction of its watchtower, at an advanced stage of the emirate. The same tower formed the core of the county castle, which was built during the 10th century and lasted for another hundred years. Eventually, the fortification was completely rebuilt at the beginning of the Catalan civil war in the 15th century, still used as a watchtower in more recent conflicts.
Enhancing the Robustness of the E_BLIND/D_LC Digital Watermarking Algorithm Against DCT-Filtering Removal Attacks
Authors:   National Research Tomsk State University, Tomsk, Russian Federaition, Anzhin V. A.
Published: November 2024

The paper focuses on evaluating and improving the robustness of watermarking algorithms against DCT-filtering, a common image processing technique that can be used to remove embedded watermarks from cover images. The study examines the EBLIND/DLC watermarking algorithm, which operates in the spatial domain and is designed to embed a 1-bit message into an image. To evaluate robustness against DCT-filtering, the research utilizes software implementations of the watermarking algorithms, the dctdnoiz filter from FFmpeg, and the Flickr8k image database, which contains 8091 images. An extension to the E_BLIND/D_LC algorithm is proposed to enhance its robustness against DCT-filtering. The paper presents an experiment comparing the robustness of the extended algorithm with the original E_BLIND/D_LC. The results demonstrate that the extended algorithm improves robustness against DCT-filtering and also maintains better image quality, as measured by the PSNR metric, at equal levels of robustness in terms of the number of successful watermark detections after filtering. This suggests that the proposed extension effectively balances enhanced robustness against DCT-filtering with the preservation of image quality. The experiment confirms that the extended version outperforms the original algorithm in both detection reliability and image quality under DCT-filtering conditions. The paper includes links to the algorithm implementations on C++ programming language and the Python testing scripts, which can be useful for further research and practical applications in software development.