bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A PROVA NO PROCESSO PENAL: A IMPORTÂNCIA DA VALORAÇÃO DO LASTRO PROBATÓRIO E DE SEU CONTROLE POR MEIO RECURSAL
Authors: Vasconcellos Vinicius Gomes de
Published: August 2018

Este artigo discute premissas importantes relacionadas à prova penal, almejando definir a sua função e os modelos para sua valoração na dogmática processual contemporânea. Os problemas que guiam o desenvolvimento desta pesquisa são: 1) qual a função da prova no processo penal?; 2) a decisão judicial sobre valoração das provas é livre?; e, 3) o juízo sobre os fatos na decisão judicial deve ser submetido a controle? Sustenta-se a tese de que, embora a persuasão do juiz seja elemento a ser considerado como dado de realidade, a valoração probatória deve ser orientada por critérios racionais e objetivos, cujo controle somente será possível em razão de uma ligação cognitiva com os fatos, que aportará critérios e limitará o processo de tomada de decisão pelo julgador. Assim, ressalta-se a indispensabilidade da motivação e do controle sobre o juízo fático da decisão penal, especialmente por meio do direito ao recurso sobre a condenação. Desse modo, este trabalho contribui para a consolidação de uma dogmática processual penal que propicie uma efetiva limitação aos espaços de discricionariedade decisória e, assim, ao poder punitivo estatal.
ABOLIÇÃO DA PENA DE MORTE NO BRASIL. VELHOS E NOVOS OLHARES. HOMENAGEM AOS 150 ANOS DA ABOLIÇÃO DA PENA DE MORTE EM PORTUGAL
Authors: D'Avila Fabio Roberto
Published: August 2018

O presente texto corresponde, com alterações de pormenor, à comunicação feita por ocasião do Colóquio Comemorativo aos Cento e Cinquenta Anos da Abolição da Pena de Morte em Portugal, ocorrido em outubro de 2017 na Faculdade de Direito da Universidade de Coimbra. A partir de uma breve digressão à história da pena de morte no Brasil, defende-se, em termos essenciais, e em oposição à compreensão por muitos defendida quando do seu centenário, o enfrentamento da pena de morte enquanto problema fundamentalmente jurídico, e não meramente político: a morte não é pena; e a pena, enquanto sanção jurídica, não pode ser morte. O aniquilamento do sujeito a ser punido não é, e não pode ambicionar a ser, uma sanção jurídico-criminal.
Devotos, sábios e viajantes: os geógrafos do mundo islâmico medieval
Authors: Brandão Paulo Roberto Baqueiro
Published: August 2018

O interesse por trás deste escrito é lançar luzes sobre uma produção intelectual circunscrita ao mundo islâmico medieval, um espaço-tempo pouco explorado na historiografia da Geografia, mas de ricas contribuições ao avanço dessa área do conhecimento humano. Para a consecução de tal objetivo, se propõe a realização de uma análise segundo a qual o conhecimento geográfico desenvolvido pelos eruditos muçulmanos de então estava baseada em três pilares, quais sejam: a devoção religiosa, a busca incessante pelo conhecimento e a prática da rihla, sendo esta última um dos meios fundamentais para a realização dos dois anteriores.
O ENSINO DE GEOGRAFIA EM CURSOS TÉCNICOS DE NÍVEL MÉDIO INTEGRADO: ENTRE A FORMAÇÃO INTELECTUAL E A FORMAÇÃO PARA O MUNDO DO TRABALHO
Authors: Hohn Melania Olimira , Simões Willian
Published: August 2018

O presente artigo é resultado de um estudo cujo objetivo foi refletir sistematicamente sobre o ensino de Geografia em cursos técnicos de nível médio integrado em Chapecó-SC e região. Os procedimentos metodológicos envolveram, principalmente, aplicação de questionários com estudantes e entrevistas semiestruturadas com professores. As informações levantadas durante a pesquisa de campo direcionaram as leituras, reflexões e discussões para o eixo educação, trabalho e ensino de Geografia. Desta forma, estabeleceu-se um diálogo interdisciplinar com autores, em que focaremos neste artigo, sobretudo, sobre a histórica dicotomia existente entre a formação intelectual e a formação para o mundo do trabalho, alguns dilemas, desdobramentos e desafios para o ensino de Geografia.
Caracterização morfométrica das bacias hidrográficas inseridas no município de Rio Verde, Goiás, como ferramenta ao planejamento urbano e agrícola
Authors: Santos Gilmar Oliveira , Silva Adryeny Arantes , Braz Alex Ricardo Caldeira , Carneiro Franciele Morlin
Published: August 2018

A caracterização morfométrica das bacias hidrográficas propicia a uma rápida avaliação dos mananciais e seus respectivos potenciais de degradação. Assim, com este trabalho objetivou-se fazer a caracterização morfométrica das bacias inseridas no município de Rio Verde, Goiás, como ferramenta ao planejamento e urbano e agrícola. Foram analisadas nove bacias hidrográficas dentro do município de Rio Verde. As bacias com maior potencial a grandes enchentes foram as que possuem forma circular sendo a maior parte destas ocupadas por áreas agricultáveis, o que pode comprometer a economia local. As variáveis morfométricas servirão para planejamentos futuros e gestão ambiental regional, assim como para a previsão de enchentes em áreas urbanas e agrícolas.
Identificação de usos da terra no entorno de turfeiras em Datas/Minas Gerais
Authors: Fonseca Samuel Ferreira da , Silva Alexandre Christófaro , Senna Juliano Alves de
Published: August 2018

O objetivo deste trabalho foi mapear de forma cronológica (1964 – 2014), áreas do entorno de três turfeiras situadas em Datas/MG, visando identificar pressão antrópica, oriunda do uso e ocupação da terra nessas áreas. Para tanto foram utilizadas técnicas de geoprocessamento, tais como georreferenciamento, mosaicagem, classificação supervisionada (MaxVer) e vetorização. Utilizou-se produtos do sensoriamento remoto como fotografias aéreas e imagens dos satélites Landsat (TM/5 e OLI/8) e RapidEye. Os resultados possibilitaram a identificação dos tipos de uso da terra (eucalipto e outras culturas) no entorno das turfeiras situadas no município estudado. A área ocupada com eucaliptocultura, que era inexistente em 1964, ocupou 45,56 ha em 1995 e avançou para 146,16 ha em 2014 (6,14% da área analisada). Outras culturas (morango e milho), também não cultivadas na área em 1964, avançaram para 292,58 ha, em 2014 (12,29% da área estudada). O avanço da agricultura em torno de turfeiras do município de Datas/MG comprova o aumento da pressão antrópica sobre estes ecossistemas, que prestam relevantes serviços ambientais.
Análise da fragilidade ambiental da área da bacia hidrográfica a montante do reservatório de Ernestina/RS
Authors: Bisognin Ramiro Pereira , Ziani Patrícia , Baggiotto Carine , Fernandes Gabriel , Cruz Rafael Cabral
Published: August 2018

A matriz energética brasileira é dependente de aproveitamentos hidrelétricos que se caracterizam como atividades de alto impacto ambiental. Entretanto, esses aproveitamentos também estão sujeitos a impactos circunvizinhos que podem reduzir seu potencial de geração de energia. Nesse sentido, o presente estudo objetivou analisar a fragilidade ambiental do reservatório da Usina Hidrelétrica de Ernestina/RS. Para tanto, foi elaborado um mapa conceitual relacionado a fragilidade do lago, e elencadas variáveis do objeto de estudo. Destas, cinco foram selecionadas com base na sua relevância, disponibilidade e qualidade dos dados. Para cada variável elaborou-se um mapa, e atribuíram-se notas e pesos. Em seguida foi realizada a álgebra pelo Software ArcGIS 10.3® (ESRI), sendo atribuídas notas iguais para todas as variáveis. Como resultado obteve-se o mapa de fragilidade ambiental, pelo qual se constatou que a área de estudo pode ser classificada, predominantemente, como de fragilidade média. Outro aspecto relevante é que a zona de fragilidade muita alta ficou, basicamente, restrita ao entorno do reservatório de Ernestina. Assim, ratifica-se que o estudo de fragilidades ambientais pode ser considerado uma excelente ferramenta para diagnóstico das perturbações tanto para o empreendimento quanto para os municípios envolvidos através do planejamento e gestão dessa área.
Effectiveness of treatment of occipital neuralgia using the nerve block technique: a prospective analysis of 44 patients
Authors: Juškys Raimondas , Šustickas Gytis
Published: August 2018

Background. There is a great deal of tools for treatment of occipital neuralgia but currently we are lacking a complete consensus among practitioners regarding the optimal approach to this debilitating condition. Occipital nerve block (ONB) is known as one of the management options but there is lack of scientific literature exploring its effectiveness.
Materials and methods. The prospective study was undertaken between March 2014 and February 2018 at the State Vilnius University Hospital. Fortyfour patients aged from 28 to 84 years (age mean = 56.30 ± 14.71) of which 79.55% were female (n = 35) were diagnosed with occipital neuralgia (ON) and treated with a local anaesthetic and corticosteroids combination injection into the greater or greater plus lesser occipital nerve (n = 29 and n = 15, respectively) and followed up after 6 months. Analysis of the outcomes of those patients was done by comparing the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) and Barrow Neurological Institute Pain Intensity Score (BNIPIS) prior to treatment, 24 hours after the block, and at a follow-up 6 months later. Analgesic medication consumption before and after 6 months was recorded. A comparison of procedure efficacy in lidocaine and bupivacaine groups was made. Evaluation of block potency for acute and chronic pain categories was conducted as well. The success criteria were defined as patient satisfaction with own condition for at least 6 months, not requiring another block in order to stay comfortable.
Results. Of 44 patients, 42 (95.45%) who underwent the occipital nerve block procedure showed satisfactory results for at least 6 months. Mean headache VAS scores decreased from 7.23 ± 0.93 (pre-treatment) to 1.95 ± 1.59 (24 hours after, p < 0.0001) and increased to 2.21 ± 1.73 at the follow-up after 6 months, showing no statistically significant difference between post-interventional and six-month VAS scores (p = 0.07). In all patients the necessity of medication to control pain decreased to 16.67% (n = 7) during the the check-up after 6 months. There was no statistically significant difference in the effectiveness of ONB with regard to the local anaesthetic used or the pain group targeted. Similar results were obtained comparing patients who underwent more than one ONB.
Conclusions. Occipital nerve block with a local anaesthetic and corticosteroids provides a safe, simple, and effective treatment method for the patient with medically-refractory occipital neuralgia.
Infección concomitante por tuberculosis y el virus de la inmunodeficiencia humana: situación epidemiológica en el departamento del Meta, 2010-2015
Authors: Plata-Casas Laura , Gutiérrez-Lesmes Óscar , Herrán-Falla Óscar
Published: August 2018

Introducción. Una tercera parte del incremento de los casos de tuberculosis se atribuye a la propagación del HIV.Objetivo. Describir la infección concomitante de tuberculosis y HIV en el departamento del Meta durante el periodo de 2010 a 2015.Materiales y métodos. Se hizo un estudio observacional, descriptivo y retrospectivo. Se seleccionaron los 219 casos de análisis y se elaboraron dos nuevas bases de datos que fueron analizadas en tres fases: determinación de las características sociodemográficas y clínicas, construcción de indicadores por municipio (prevalencia y éxito terapéutico) y estratificación en situaciones epidemiológicas según la prevalencia (carga) de la enfermedad.Resultados. El 60 % de los municipios se ajustó a la situación designada como 2. El tratamiento de las personas con infección concomitante de tuberculosis y HIV cuya condición de ingreso era nueva, tuvo 2,39 veces más probabilidades de ser exitoso que el de los previamente tratados, siendo esta asociación estadísticamente significativa (razón de posibilidades, RP=2,39; IC95% 1,3-9,6; p=0,01). Conclusión. La estratificación por situaciones epidemiológicas es útil para planificar actividades de prevención y control.
Cilia‐Inspired Functional Channels for High‐Speed and Directional PEMFC Drainage
Authors: Lu Guolong , Cui Hao , Zhao Taotao , Yang Wei , Wang Mi , Liu Zhenning , Niu Shichao , Ren Luquan
Published: November 2024

Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells (PEMFC) consist of channels that require efficient drainage for optimum performance. However, it remains a grand challenge to achieve both directed and high‐speed active drainage in PEMFC channels. This greatly limits current PEMFC performance. Herein, inspired by respiratory cilia, a bioinspired structural design strategy is introduced into the channel surface to significantly enhance its active droplet transport efficiency. Two artificial cilia arrays are fabricated and named as plane‐bottom artificial cilia array (PACA) and concave‐bottom artificial cilia array (CACA) according to their respective shapes. PACA demonstrates stable directional transport. The droplet speed reaches as high as 86 mm s−1 with droplet volumes ranging from 10 to 20 µL. This is surpassed by CACA. Its speed reaches as high as 163 mm s−1 for droplet volumes ranging from 10 to 50 µL. PEMFC experimental evaluation of diameter sizes shows that CACA can be tuned for enhancing its electrochemical performance. CACA‐8 achieves the maximum power density (0.5339 W cm−2) at 1.1864 A cm−2, representing an 18.70% increase compared to conventional PEMFC channels. This work provides a promising strategy for the stable and efficient transport of liquid water in PEMFC.
Synergistic Phototherapy Using Zwitterionic Crystalline Nanoaggregates of Orthogonal Donor–Acceptor Small‐Molecule Dyads
Authors: Hao Xiaoying , Gao Min , Zhang Ruiling , Tang Ying , Mu Xueluer , Zhao Yongxian , Lu Yingxi , Zhou Xianfeng
Published: November 2024

Developing nanophotosensitizer (nanoPS) for synergistic phototherapy by leveraging the aggregation of small‐molecule dyes is compelling frontier in precision medicine, but challenges remain due to the limited understanding of the interactions between molecular structure, assembly behavior, and theranostic function. Here, the concept of “spin‐orbit charge‐transfer intersystem crossing (SOCT‐ISC) in crystalline aggregates” is introduced, which significantly enhances photodynamic (PD) and photothermal (PT) properties of small‐molecule‐based nanoPS. Specifically, a cationic pyridine (Py) group is incorporated at the meso‐position of a tricyanofuran (TCF)‐containing anionic heptamethine cyanine (TCF‐Cy7‐TCF) dye to construct an orthogonal charge‐transfer dyad (TCF‐Cy7(Py)‐TCF), boosting triplet state formation through SOCT‐ISC mechanism to enhance the PD properties. Remarkably, the zwitterion moieties impart TCF‐Cy7(Py)‐TCF with high crystallinity even at ultralow concentrations, dictating its stacking behavior within aggregates and enhancing both PT and PD properties. The TCF‐Cy7(Py)‐TCF nanoaggregates exhibit superior singlet oxygen quantum yield (0.8% vs 0.2%) and photothermal conversion efficiency (55.06% vs 7.78%) compared to TCF‐Cy7‐TCF. Impressively, TCF‐Cy7(Py)‐TCF preferentially accumulates at tumor sites, yielding high signal‐to‐background ratios for tumor imaging in NIR‐I and NIR‐II windows, with minimal nonspecific binding. Finally, in vivo experiments confirm TCF‐Cy7(Py)‐TCF nanoaggregates function as nanoPS for synergistic phototherapy, offering a simple yet effective strategy to design single‐component PS for clinical translation.
Mitochondria‐Targeted Photoredox Catalysis Activates Pyroptosis for Effective Tumor Therapy
Authors: Zhao Bin , Ye Jingyi , Chen Zeyu , Chen Danyang , Chai Jiahui , Luo Zhongxu , Chen Xu , Shao Dan , He Qianjun , Fan Chunhai , Zhang Huan , Zhang Honglu
Published: November 2024

The development of biocompatible and efficient photocatalytic redox systems to mimic bio‐photoreactors in living cells holds great potential for manipulating intracellular biochemical reaction processes and thus advancing tumor therapy. In this study, a mitochondria‐targeted photoredox catalyst, 2D vacancy‐rich molybdenum oxide nanosheets (Mt‐VR‐MoO3) is presented. These nanosheets possess a high density of oxygen vacancies (19.2%) and exhibit strong photocatalytic redox activity under near‐infrared (NIR) light. Following a two‐step functionalization, Mt‐VR‐MoO3 effectively disrupts mitochondrial electron flow in an oxygen‐independent manner upon irradiation with second near‐infrared (NIR‐II) light. This targeted disruption leads to on‐demand induction of substantial damage to tumor cell mitochondria, characterized by increased production of mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (mtROS) and the release of cytochrome c (Cyt c), which collectively trigger the pyroptosis of cancer cells. The approach achieved tumor‐targeted photocatalytic eradication with high efficacy (tumor growth inhibition rate of 86.9%) in an orthotopic breast 4T1 murine tumor model, with no observable harm to normal organs. These findings provide inspiration for manipulating intracellular biochemical reactions using artificial photocatalytic materials, paving the way for pyroptosis activation as a promising approach in tumor therapy.
Freezing‐Assisted Direct Ink Writing of Customized Polyimide Aerogels with Controllable Micro‐ and Macro‐ Structures for Thermal Insulation
Authors: Xue Tiantian , Yuan Shijia , Yang Yi , Wan Xiong , Yang Yujie , Mu Xinshuo , Zhang Longsheng , Zhang Chao , Fan Wei , Liu Tianxi
Published: November 2024

Polyimide (PI) aerogels have attracted attention in thermal management due to their low thermal conductivity, high porosity, and robust mechanical properties. However, building PI aerogels with elaborately tailored micro‐ and macro‐ structures for optimized thermal insulation performance in specific scenarios remains a challenge. Here, a scalable approach is reported to prepare PI aerogels with controllable micro‐ and macro‐ structures by freezing‐assisted direct ink writing (FADIW) of poly(amic acid) (PAA) inks. This FADIW strategy can enable continuous ink deposition and transient low‐temperature‐induced gelation, contributing to the facile construction of spatially free geometries with structural complexity and shape fidelity. Importantly, controllable construction of microstructures of the aerogels is achieved by controlling the extrusion substrate temperature. The resulting customized PI aerogels show good thermal insulation owing to the porous microstructure and customized macrostructure, enabling good thermal management for portable electronics. In addition, this FADIW strategy is universal and allows for multi‐material integration, broadening the functionality of PI aerogels. Significantly, such FADIW approach can be promisingly applied to realize on‐demand design of PI aerogels and other polymer aerogels with targeted micro‐ and macro‐structures, offering an alternative avenue for the manufacture of customized aerogels toward widespread applications.
A review on lactic acid production via microbial fermentation from biowaste: insights on scaling up to industrial process
Authors: Haris Nur Izzah Nabilah , Salleh Shanti Faridah , Nolasco‐Hipolito Cirilo , Awang Husaini Awang Ahmad Sallehin , Wondi Mohd Hafizz , Harun Nur Haninah , Abdul Raof Nurliyana
Published: November 2024

Lactic acid (LA), the starting material for polylactic acid, is currently in high demand owing to rising bioplastic production. Large‐scale production of LA typically uses a first‐generation feedstock, namely food‐grade sugars, owing to the absence of contaminants and ease of processing. However, it is not ethically correct to grow crops exclusively for LA production as the available land, water and resources should be utilized for food. Utilizing biowaste as a feedstock, which does not compete with the supply of the food chain, is a more responsible strategy. This review intends to address the most critical aspect of recent advances in laboratory‐ and pilot‐scale LA production that utilizes biowaste as the substrate. Based on the review, the biowastes used for LA fermentation can be categorized into four main groups: starchy materials, lignocellulosic materials, food and dairy wastes. A flowchart that summarizes the process of developing a pilot scale LA production is proposed. It covers essential parameters to be considered, such as the substrate, fermentation process and inoculum. The future insights concerning LA production are critically addressed at the end of this review.
The impact of board gender diversity on green building practices: Moving beyond traditional linear and logistic specifications
Authors: Montero José‐María , Valls Martínez María del Carmen , Santos‐Jaén José Manuel
Published: November 2024

This article examines the relationship between sustainability and gender equality by analyzing how the percentage of women on the board of directors (still less than 50% in most cases) influences a company's commitment to green building practices. For this analysis, we estimate 30 competing multivariate pooled and panel data logistic specifications, including the gender diversity factor in both its traditional and polynomial forms. This methodological innovation (the polynomial form) allows for the examination of gender diversity's relationship with other variables beyond conventional models that assume constant effects, thus enabling a more realistic depiction of impacts that vary with the degree of diversity. Our dataset includes companies listed on the Euro Stoxx 300 and Standard & Poor's 500 for the period 2010–2021. The findings indicate that, in both indices, an increased percentage of women on the board (and a higher Blau diversity index) correlates with a greater propensity for sustainable building practices, up to a threshold nearing parity. The impacts are more significant in Europe than in the U.S., where board gender diversity appears to have a lesser influence on green building initiatives. The specification that best models the relationship between sustainable building practices and gender diversity, along with other relevant factors, is a multivariate panel data logistic model with the gender diversity factor included as a cubic polynomial for companies listed on the Euro Stoxx 300. A similar model, but with the gender factor in a quadratic polynomial form, was selected for companies listed on the Standard & Poor's 500. Therefore, the impact function of gender diversity on sustainable building practices is not constant but depends on the existing degree of board gender diversity, with the shape of the impact function differing between Europe and the U.S. Additionally, the study finds that other board characteristics—larger boards, longer tenures of directors, and higher compensation for senior executives—are associated with an increased propensity towards green practices in both the European and U.S. contexts. Conversely, linking CEO compensation to shareholder returns reduces this propensity. Moreover, the number of non‐executive directors and the overlap between the Chairperson and CEO positions do not significantly impact this propensity.
Developing and implementing a teledentistry educational model in a predoctoral dental program
Authors: Qari Alaa Husni , Sharka Rayan
Published: November 2024

Objectives

Teledentistry (TD) education has become essential to ensure that future dentists acquire the requisite competencies to navigate the evolving landscape of dental care. However, there is a dearth of comprehensive prior research that outlines a specific pedagogy for integrating TD education and training into the predoctoral dental curriculum. This article describes the development and implementation of an innovative TD educational model for predoctoral dental students.

Methods

The dental public health course for fourth and fifth‐year students was redesigned to include a TD educational model, comprising four components: foundational knowledge and case discussions, critical thinking activities, designing TD programs, and hands‐on and field training. Student feedback was gathered through a questionnaire.

Results

Out of 47 students enrolled in the course, 39 responded to the questionnaire. The feedback was predominantly positive, with most students expressing satisfaction with the instructor's performance, particularly in providing adequate help and feedback. Students felt the TD sessions gave them a solid foundational understanding of TD and helped them grasp its various modalities. However, some students desired more hands‐on clinical training and faced time constraints that affected their ability to fully understand the material and complete assignments.

Conclusions

Integrating the TD educational model into the predoctoral dental curriculum has significantly improved the learning experience. This model has equipped students with essential practical and hands‐on TD experience, preparing them for the dynamic field of dental practice and enabling them to meet the diverse needs of patients in various settings.
Association Between Atopic Dermatitis and Meniere's Disease: Nationwide Cohort Study
Authors: Yeo Cha Dong , Lee Haeng‐Jin , Kim Jong Seung , Lee Eun Jung
Published: November 2024

Objectives

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory skin condition characterized by relapsing and remitting episodes. Although AD is well‐known for its association with other allergic conditions, its relationship with Meniere's disease has not been thoroughly investigated. This study aimed to explore the potential correlation between AD and Meniere's disease.

Methods

This study utilized data from the National Health Insurance Service‐National Sample Cohort, a nationwide population‐based database. The AD group was selected from a cohort of 1 million individuals randomly extracted from database. A non‐AD group was obtained through Propensity Score Matching.

Results

The AD group comprised 84,579 individuals, with an equal number of individuals in the non‐AD (control) group. The overall hazard ratio (HR) for Meniere's disease in the AD group was 1.44 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.31–1.6). Subgroup analysis showed an adjusted HR of 0.42 (95% CI: 0.38–0.48) for Meniere's disease in males, 4.99 (95% CI: 4.45–5.62) in the middle‐aged group (40–59 years), and 8.21 (95% CI: 7.21–9.35) in the older age group (≥60 years). Additionally, the adjusted HRs for developing Meniere's disease were higher in patients with comorbidities, including allergic rhinitis (1.18 [95% CI, 1.07–1.32]), allergic contact dermatitis (1.32 [95% CI, 1.19–1.48]), and allergic conjunctivitis (1.54 [95% CI, 1.32–1.82]).

Conclusion

Long‐term follow‐up revealed that the prevalence of Meniere's disease was 1.44 times higher in the AD group compared to the control group. Moreover, older age, female sex, allergic rhinitis, allergic contact dermatitis, and allergic conjunctivitis were identified as factors that increase the risk of developing Meniere's disease.

Level of Evidence

3 Laryngoscope, 2024
Studies of Structural, Impedance, Modulus Spectroscopy, and Magnetic Properties of Cr‐Modified SrTiO3 Perovskite Ceramic
Authors: Yadav Vedika , Dev Jai , Kushwaha Pallavi , Kumar Upendra
Published: November 2024

This study investigates the effects of chromium inclusion on the structural, microstructural, frequency dependent electrical and magnetic properties of SrTiO3 perovskite. The composition of Sr1−xCrxTiO3 (SCT) ceramics with x = 0.00, 0.02, 0.04 is preapred via a high‐temperature solid‐state reaction route. Rietveld refinement of X‐ray diffraction data revealed a cubic structure with space group . All SCT samples have been analyzed for Cr incorporation at the Sr‐site using Raman and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Field‐emission scanning electron microscopy studies probed a gradual increase in grain size due to the uniform distribution of dopants across sample surfaces, as confirmed by energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy analysis. Cr doping strongly influences the electrical properties of grain and grain boundary resistance. All samples undergo Arrhenius‐type transport via oxygen ion migration and mixed conduction (ionic/electron), whereas relaxation occurs through mixed‐type association () and (). The magnetic nature of Cr‐doped samples confirms room‐temperature ferromagnetism due to carrier‐associated oxygen vacancies and Ruderman‐Kittel‐Kasuya‐Yosida interaction. These findings investigate Cr doping as mixed‐ionic and electronic conductors for intermediate temperature‐solid oxide fuel cells and spintronics‐based semiconductor devices.
Investigation of Laser Surface Texturing and Injection Molding Parameters in Advanced High‐Strength Steel‐Polyamide Direct Joining
Authors: Kim Yusin , Kim Haetan , Jeong Junyeong , Jung Youn Il , Park Dae Geun , Park Changkyoo
Published: November 2024

This study investigates the joining of dissimilar materials, specifically galvannealed advanced high‐strength steel (AHSS) and glass fiber‐reinforced polyamide 6 (PA 6) to achieve lightweight automotive. AHSS and PA 6 are widely used in the automobile industry; however, a direct joining of those two materials is difficult owing to their great difference in physical properties. Therefore, laser surface texturing (LST) and plastic injection molding are adopted to join AHSS and PA 6, which can create a strong mechanical interlock between AHSS and PA 6, resulting in an excellent joint strength compared to other joining techniques. The effects of LST parameters (groove depth and hatch distance) and injection molding temperatures on the joint strength are examined. The maximum AHSS‐PA 6 joint strength is measured at 72.3 MPa. Additionally, the microstructure and mechanical properties of recast, which develops over the original metal surface by melting and resolidifying, are analyzed. Compared to the base metal, the recasts exhibit higher hardness due to smaller grain sizes. PA 6 fills the laser‐textured grooves and spaces between the recasts, acting as a mechanical interlock that enhances joint strength under tensile shear testing.
Red Carbon Dots Sensitized Ni‐Doped 2D MoS2 Nanosheets as Electrode Materials for Visible‐Light Active Photorechargeable Supercapacitors
Authors: Sriramadasu Vinay Kumar , Jayababu Nagabandi , Bhattacharyya Santanu
Published: November 2024

Developing photorechargeable electrochemical devices has become a new paradigm for addressing the efficient utilization of solar energy for renewable energy research. Herein, a unique 0D/2D heterostructure made of red carbon dots (RCDs) and Ni‐doped MoS2 nanosheets (NMS) has been designed as electrode materials for photorechargeable supercapacitor device. Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) has been used as a transparent matrix for the electrode, which retains the intrinsic optoelectronic properties of the composite. Photophysical properties suggest that RCDs act as efficient light‐harvesting materials as well as visible‐light photosensitizer for the device. Suitable bandgap alignment of both counterparts facilitates the photoinduced charge separation. Finally, the composite has been utilized as a visible‐light‐sensitive photorechargeable supercapacitor device. Almost 95% of enhancement in the capacitance value has been observed under light irradiation compared to the dark condition. Furthermore, wavelength dependence device performances, photo charging, and galvanostatic discharging measurements have been investigated to analyze the overall performance of the device. The device is capable of retaining its 97.25% capacity after 1000 full cycles, suggesting its excellent photostability. The plausible mechanism for photoinduced rechargeable supercapacitance properties has been discussed in detail.
Lung lobe torsion following intrathoracic surgery in a dog
Authors: Biehl Kathryn , Thieman Mankin Kelley , Grimes Janet
Published: November 2024

A 6‐year‐old, male, neutered Irish Setter was presented for subacute onset of coughing/gagging, fever and lethargy. Computed tomography showed paraoesophageal nodules. Exploratory thoracotomy was performed with excision of three tracheobronchial lymph nodes, and the dog was discharged 2 days postoperatively. Seven days after thoracotomy, the dog developed tachypnoea and haemoptysis. A thoracic computed tomography was performed 14 days after thoracotomy, which revealed left caudal lung lobe torsion. At surgery, the lung lobe torsion was confirmed, and the left caudal lung lobe was excised. The dog was discharged 3 days postoperatively. Lung lobe torsion following thoracic surgery is more commonly reported in humans, and rarely occurs in dogs without prior lung lobectomy. This case report shows that lung lobe torsion can be a complication of thoracic surgery, even without prior lung lobectomy.
Between Online and Offline Due Process: The Digital Services Act
Authors: Gentile Giulia
Published: November 2024

The EU approach to governing the digital space increasingly features public law tools that seek to address the imbalances of powers of the online environment. Among those public law tools, EU fundamental rights have a prominent role. Hence, the questions emerge of how EU fundamental rights migrate and adapt to the legal issues of the world of bits, and how the coherence of EU law on- and off-line could be preserved. These issues become especially complex for the Digital Services Act adopted to repeal the E-commerce directive. This novel framework introduces procedural guarantees of ‘digital due process’ in the context of the take down procedure. Whether these procedural rights should be conceptualised as part of the EU standards of due process is a complex matter due to several controversial implications for the EU governance. While strengthening the EU due process pedigree of online take down procedures could enhance fairness on online platforms, it could also lead to a disintegration of the judicial authorities’ power and a potential balkanisation of fundamental rights’ protection.
Environmental and Energy Security on the Way to Rebuilding Ukraine on the Principle of Zero Carbon Footprint
Authors: Svitlana Delehan , Hanna Melehanych
Published: November 2024

This article explores state of Ukraine’s energy security in view of the changing geopolitical landscape and new strategic risks as a result of Russia’s military actions against Ukraine; green certification of Ukraine’s civil and industrial infrastructure based on the principle of life cycle assessment in the context of European integration in times of war; the integration of international green certification standards, including LEED, BREEAM, and the WELL Building Standard, into the post-war reconstruction efforts in Ukraine. It highlights the comprehensive assessment criteria of LEED and BREEAM, emphasizing energy efficiency, water management, materials usage, and innovation. A comparison of these standards is also made. Additionally, it discusses the unique focus of the WELL Building Standard on occupant health and well-being. The article underscores the potential of these standards to guide the selection of environmentally friendly construction materials, efficient energy systems, and sustainable waste management practices. Furthermore, it discusses the benefits of incorporating these standards, such as enhancing building competitiveness, improving indoor environmental quality, and promoting human health and productivity. This integration represents a significant step in Ukraine’s alignment with European standards and the adoption of new ecological practices, fostering its integration into the European Union and signaling its commitment to sustainable development.
The Tort of Armed Aggression Principles Applied by the Russian Federation Against Ukraine and Its Post War Recovery
Authors: Maydanyk Roman
Published: November 2024

This chapter explores the intricate legal landscape surrounding the tort of armed aggression, focusing on the principles applied by the Russian Federation against Ukraine and the subsequent post-war recovery efforts. It underscores the urgent need for effective legal mechanisms to compel the aggressor state to provide compensation for the extensive damage inflicted. Reparations, spanning infrastructure reconstruction and individual restitution for human rights violations, are deemed essential components of transitional justice. However, existing international and national legal frameworks lack clear guidelines for establishing tort liability for damage caused by armed aggression. The paper advocates for a paradigm shift towards a reparative-tort model, emphasizing individual victim compensation alongside state reparations. It examines the evolving nature of property liability, encompassing both public and private torts of armed aggression. Furthermore, it outlines potential guiding principles for armed aggression tort and Ukraine’s recovery, including provisions for counter-measures, asset constraints, and models for implementation in domestic and international law. The study concludes by advocating for the formulation of soft law acts to address these gaps and pave the way for more coherent legal frameworks and judicial practices in navigating the complexities of armed conflict compensation and recovery.
Identifying and Facilitating High-Quality Research
Authors: Langfeldt Liv , Aagaard Kaare , Borlaug Siri Brorstad , Sivertsen Gunnar
Published: November 2024

Policies attempting to promote high-quality research are widespread. But what does it mean to promote high-quality research? And do these policies work? This chapter summarizes what we know and do not know about these issues.
The decline in the clinical relevance of pilocarpine and physostigmine monitored in pharmacology textbooks from 1878 to 2023: nine take-home messages for future (pharmacology) textbook authors
Authors: Ludwig Laureen , Seifert Roland
Published: November 2024

In a recent study, using hydrogen cyanide as paradigm, we have shown that pharmacological knowledge evolves non-linearly (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38900251/). The aim of this study was to investigate the changes in the presentation of the drugs pilocarpine and physostigmine in textbooks from 1878 to 2023. The categories of structure, molecular mechanism of action, pharmacokinetics, effects, indications, adverse drug reactions, interactions, and contraindications were evaluated. The pharmacological knowledge on the molecular mechanism, chemical structure, and pharmacokinetics of pilocarpine and physostigmine changed the most during the period of 150 years. Until 1944, textbooks did not mention a molecular mechanism of action of pilocarpine and from 1951 onwards they described the activation of muscarinic acetylcholine receptors as the molecular basis of pilocarpine’s effect. Until 1944, most textbooks on physostigmine also did not mention the molecular mechanism of action. From 1951 onwards, the reversible inhibition of acetylcholinesterase is mentioned as the mechanism of action of physostigmine. In contrast, in the categories effects, indications, adverse drug reactions, interactions, and contraindications, the detected changes in the pharmacological knowledge presented were comparatively smaller. Older pharmacology textbooks were better than newer ones at discussing changes in knowledge and scientific errors. We noted substantial differences in the presentation of pilocarpine and physostigmine among German and US pharmacology textbooks. We show a decline of the clinical relevance of both drugs and their presentation in pharmacological textbooks with physostigmine being virtually irrelevant. But modern textbooks still discuss physostigmine substantially, fitting to studies on the obsolete drug reserpine (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38103060/). Thus, textbooks often far lag clinical practice. Google Scholar conveys the incorrect impression that physostigmine is clinically more relevant than it is. An exponential decline in prescription numbers is a robust indicator of clinical obsolescence. From our study, we extract nine easily implementable take-home messages for future (pharmacology) textbook authors to ensure that this traditional teaching format will prevail against the competition of allegedly more “modern” teaching media.
Safety and Efficacy of GLP-1 Agonists in a Cohort of Patients with Fontan Circulation
Authors: Freddo Andrew M. , Ahmed Humera , Edelson Jonathan B. , Ortega-Legaspi Juan M. , Vaikunth Sumeet
Published: November 2024

There are a growing number of adult patients palliated to a Fontan circulation. As these patients age, many develop symptomatic heart failure (d’Udekem et al in Circulation 130:S32–S38, 2014) that is exacerbated by acquired comorbidities such as obesity and hypertension. Increased body mass index (BMI) and adiposity have been associated with worse hemodynamics and clinical outcomes in these patients (Yogeswaran et al in J Am Hear Assoc: Cardiovasc Cerebrovasc Dis 12:e026732, 2023). Recently, glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) agonists, originally developed to treat diabetes mellitus, received FDA approval for weight loss and have been shown to reduce the risk of cardiovascular events in the general population (Vilsbøll et al in BMJ 344:d7771, 2012). There are limited data on these medications in patients with a Fontan circulation. We conducted a retrospective review of adults with Fontan circulation followed in our adult congenital heart disease (ACHD) clinic between 2009 and 2023 and identified 8 patients prescribed GLP-1 agonists. We found that GLP-1 agonists were well-tolerated and led to modest reduction in weight and blood pressure. Further study of the use of these medications in this population is warranted.
Mixed-phenotype leukemia with TCF3::ZNF384 fusion presenting as an isolated mediastinal mass
Authors: Au Wing-Yan , Chow Chit , To Ka-Fai , Ma Edmond S.K. , Yeung Eugene C.L. , Yip Wai-Lun , Chan Helen M.H. , Gill Harinder
Published: November 2024

Acute leukemia with TCF3::ZNF384 is a distinct type of acute leukemia that present most commonly as B-acute lymphoblastic leukemia or mixed-phenotype acute leukemia (B/myeloid). We report the first case of TCF3::ZNF384 mixed-phenotype leukemia presenting as isolated extramedullary disease in the mediastinum. Diagnosis using RNA-sequencing and whole genome sequencing on the primary issue is illustrated.
Seasonal affective disorder and currency markets
Authors: Arabadjis John , Melvin Michael , Savage Robert , Velis John
Published: November 2024

Harry Markowitz is known as the grandfather of behavioral finance based on his 1952 work on utility theory. We study a behavioral issue applied to the currency market: seasonal affective disorder (SAD). As the days grow shorter (longer) in fall (spring), investors become more (less) risk averse due to changes in depression related to SAD. Our empirical results are consistent with changes in risk-taking in global equities and the associated change in currency hedging portfolios. In the spring/summer season of long daylight hours, we find evidence of greater short positions for the euro. This is consistent with investors taking more risk in global equities and adding to their currency shorts to hedge the FX exposure. Such changes in euro holdings are reversed in the season of shorter daylight hours, consistent with risky investments being reduced due to greater risk aversion so currency hedges are reduced. For currency returns, we find that the greater shorting in spring–summer is associated with currency depreciation over the season of long days. In the season of short days, currency buying associated with cutting hedging positions leads to currency appreciation. We find that the SAD influence on seasonal currency returns is much like the evidence for equity returns. Finally, we construct and backtest a SAD-inspired currency portfolio. We find that trading the spring/summer risk-on SAD effect from longer days and recovery from SAD-related depression had a decent positive risk-adjusted performance and displayed fairly consistent performance over time.
Retinal artery/vein vessel segmentation and measurement for hypertension based on multi-level edge-guided network
Authors: Xu Jie , Chen Youxin , Yang Kang , Zhang Dongdong , Liu Peng , Jiang Hongyang
Published: November 2024

Hypertension is a primary risk factor for the onset of cardiocerebrovascular diseases, leading to increased mortality. In the early stages of hypertension, changes in the diameter of the retinal arteries and veins are closely observed. Therefore, the automatic segmentation of these arteries and veins in retinal fundus images is crucial for hypertension monitoring. However, current deep learning based methods still fail to generate semantically consistent segmentation result, especially for narrow blood vessel segments. Moreover, the pixels near the vessel edge are prone to be missclassified by current methods, struggling to obtain edge-preserving segmentation results. These critical issues severely hinder downstream applications, which require accurate measurement of artery/vein diameter. First, to alleviate the issue of lacking semantic consistency for vessel segments, we propose a long-range spatial dependency modeling module to learn to model the long-range spatial dependency. On this basis, a multi-level edge guided spatial aggregation module is further presented to enhance the ability to accurately classify the edge pixels, generating edge-preserving results. Extensive experimental results on the widely used DRIVE dataset and our constructed dataset (HFC-50) show the superiority of the proposed model over state-of-the-art methods. Our method achieves balanced accuracy of 95.7% on DRIVE dataset, outperforming all state-of-art methods. Finally, in order to directly demonstrate the benefit of more accurate retinal artery/vein vessel segmentation for the measurement of the ratio of artery and vein, we quantitatively evaluate the computed artery/vein ratio for hypertension patients, with the artery/vein segmentation results generated by our proposed method.
High-resolution fully-polarimetric synthetic aperture radar dataset
Authors: West R. Derek , Henriksen Amelia , Steinbach Eric , Ebeida Mohamed S.
Published: November 2024

Objectives

Fully-polarimetric synthetic aperture radar (PolSAR) data contain a rich body of elementary scattering physics information that is critically valuable for a broad range of applications and scientific purposes. However, there is a lack of available high-resolution (< 0.3048-m) data available for PolSAR phenomenology research. This article introduces a high-resolution PolSAR data set collected and provided by Sandia National Laboratories (SNL). The data sets were collected to support studying high-resolution scattering physics from different types of clutter and applications such as polarimetric-based terrain classification.

Data description

The data set presented consists of 39 200 m × 200 m complex-valued PolSAR image sets with 0.12-m (~ 4.7-inch) resolution and is the result of two different collection campaigns, one campaign in 2013 and the other in 2015. The data sets were collected with SNL’s airborne fully-polarimetric X-band (9.6 GHz center frequency) radar system and contains a variety of natural and cultural clutter environments with scene content ranging from agricultural fields to urbanized areas collected throughout the greater Albuquerque, New Mexico, U.S.A. region.
Prudential Perfectionism: A Refinement
Authors: DORSEY DALE
Published: November 2024

Perfectionism, the view according to which the good for an x is constituted by flourishing as an x, is a venerable account of the good, the popularity of which has only grown in recent decades. In this paper, I assess the merits of perfectionism in its traditional form, and argue in favor of a refinement. Specifically, I focus on traditional perfectionism’s account of the Central Axiological Category (CAC)---the kind ("x") that subjects fall into for the purposes of determining their good. I argue that shifting our understanding of the CAC from the traditional human category to the category of valuer is faithful to the most significant perfectionist insights, and does not succumb to the numerous and substantial challenges for the traditional understanding.