bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Field-level Neural Network Emulator for Cosmological N-body Simulations
Authors: Jamieson Drew , Li Yin , de Oliveira Renan Alves , Villaescusa-Navarro Francisco , Ho Shirley , Spergel David N.
Published: July 2023

We build a field-level emulator for cosmic structure formation that is accurate in the nonlinear regime. Our emulator consists of two convolutional neural networks trained to output the nonlinear displacements and velocities of N-body simulation particles based on their linear inputs. Cosmology dependence is encoded in the form of style parameters at each layer of the neural network, enabling the emulator to effectively interpolate the outcomes of structure formation between different flat Lambda cold dark matter cosmologies over a wide range of background matter densities. The neural network architecture makes the model differentiable by construction, providing a powerful tool for fast field-level inference. We test the accuracy of our method by considering several summary statistics, including the density power spectrum with and without redshift space distortions, the displacement power spectrum, the momentum power spectrum, the density bispectrum, halo abundances, and halo profiles with and without redshift space distortions. We compare these statistics from our emulator with the full N-body results, the COmoving Lagrangian Acceleration (COLA) method, and a fiducial neural network with no cosmological dependence. We find that our emulator gives accurate results down to scales of k ∼ 1 Mpc−1
h, representing a considerable improvement over both COLA and the fiducial neural network. We also demonstrate that our emulator generalizes well to initial conditions containing primordial non-Gaussianity without the need for any additional style parameters or retraining.
Sgr A* Spin and Mass Estimates through the Detection of an Extremely Large Mass-ratio Inspiral
Authors: Vázquez-Aceves Verónica , Lin Yiren , Torres-Orjuela Alejandro
Published: July 2023

Estimating the spin of Sagittarius A* (Sgr A*) is one of the current challenges we face in understanding the center of our Galaxy. In the present work, we show that detecting the gravitational waves (GWs) emitted by a brown dwarf inspiraling around Sgr A* will allow us to measure the mass and the spin of Sgr A* with unprecedented accuracy. Such systems are known as extremely large mass-ratio inspirals (XMRIs) and are expected to be abundant and loud sources in our Galactic center. We consider XMRIs with a fixed orbital inclination and different spins of Sgr A* (s) between 0.1 and 0.9. For both cases, we obtain the number of circular and eccentric XMRIs expected to be detected by space-borne GW detectors like LISA and TianQin. We find that if the orbit is eccentric, then we expect to always have several XMRIs in band while for almost circular XMRIs, we only expect to have one source in band if Sgr A* is highly spinning. We later perform a Fisher matrix analysis to show that by detecting a single XMRI the mass of Sgr A* can be determined with an accuracy of the order 10−2
M
⊙, while the spin can be measured with an accuracy between 10−7 and 10−4 depending on the orbital parameters of the XMRI.
RMTable2023 and PolSpectra2023: Standards for Reporting Polarization
and Faraday Rotation Measurements of Radio Sources
Authors: Van Eck C. L. , Gaensler B. M. , Hutschenreuter S. , Livingston J. , Ma Y. K. , Riseley C. J. , Thomson A. J. M. , Adebahr B. , Basu A. , Birkinshaw M. , Enßlin T. A. , Heald G. , Mao S. A. , McClure-Griffiths N. M.
Published: July 2023

Faraday rotation measures (RMs) have been used for many studies of cosmic
magnetism, and in most cases having more RMs is beneficial for those studies.
This has lead to the development of RM surveys that have produced large
catalogs, as well as meta-catalogs collecting RMs from many different
publications. However, it has been difficult to take full advantage of all of
these RMs, as the individual catalogs have been published in many different
places, and in many different formats. In addition, the polarization spectra
used to determine these RMs are rarely published, limiting the ability to
reanalyze data as new methods or additional observations become available. We
propose a standard convention for RM catalogs, RMTable2023, and a standard for
source-integrated polarized spectra of radio sources, PolSpectra2023. These
standards are intended to maximize the value and utility of these data for
researchers and to make them easier to access. To demonstrate the use of the
RMTable2023 standard, we have produced a consolidated catalog of 55,819 RMs
collected from 42 published catalogs.
Species elevational richness gradient and species-area relationship in mountain vegetation of Javakheti highland (Georgia)
Authors: Mumladze Levan , Shetekaur Shamil , Barnaveli Nana , Chelidze David , Asanidze Zezva
Published: July 2023

Elevational gradients in species richness and species-area relationships are among the most interesting patterns in ecology and biogeography. Both patterns can be characteristic of the same system; however, current knowledge of how these patterns co-exist and how we can disentangle their contributions to biodiversity structure is insufficient. In this article, we tested the effect of elevation and area on the formation of plant species diversity patterns in the forest-free Javakheti Highlands (Georgia). Samples (170 plots) were collected within elevations of 1400-3100 m, and the diversity distribution was examined in relation to altitude, available band area, and sampling. In total, 564 species from 67 families were recorded. Plant species richness was highest at mid-elevations (1900–2200 m), irrespective of area and sampling effort. This was in line with other studies from the Caucasus indicating the generality of plant elevational diversity patterns in the region. Area was not an important predictor of species richness; however, this may be considered a result of insufficient sampling. Our study shows that more research is needed to understand the effect of area on patterns of elevational biodiversity distribution.
Computing the area-minimizing surface by the Allen-Cahn equation with the fixed boundary
Authors: Lee Dongsun
Published: July 2023

The Allen-Cahn equation is a famous nonlinear reaction-diffusion equation used to study geometric motion and minimal hypersurfaces. This link has been scrutinized to construct minimal surfaces for many years. The shape of soap film is very interesting, and it can stimulate mathematical inspirations since it explains curvatures and equilibrium shapes in nature. There are many interesting ways to create area-minimizing surfaces with the boundaries, called frame boundaries. However, dealing with surface's ends (boundaries) numerically is not easy for constructing surfaces. This paper presents a mathematical formulation and numerical construction of area-minimizing surfaces, also known as minimal surfaces. We use differential geometry knowledge for numerical verification. The proposed numerical scheme involves fixed frame boundary conditions in the Laplacian operator. We treat the Laplacian with the constraint implicitly and explicitly solve the nonlinear free energy term. This approach ensures stable and efficient construction of area-minimizing surfaces with frame boundaries. In the numerical aspect, we suggest the construction of minimal surfaces by illustrating two classical examples, which are Scherk's minimal surface and catenoid. Both examples have the frame boundaries. Scherk's first surface is a doubly periodic, complete and properly embedded one with parallel ends. The catenoid is formed between two coaxial circular rings and is classified mathematically as the only properly embedded minimal surface with two ends and finite curvature. To be specific, we deal with two different frame boundaries, right angle frame and round frame boundaries, via two examples, Scherk's surface and catenoid.
HDS-YOLOv5: An improved safety harness hook detection algorithm based on YOLOv5s
Authors: Chen Mingju , Lan Zhongxiao , Duan Zhengxu , Yi Sihang , Su Qin
Published: July 2023

Improperly using safety harness hooks is a major factor of safety hazards during power maintenance operation. The machine vision-based traditional detection methods have low accuracy and limited real-time effectiveness. In order to quickly discern the status of hooks and reduce safety incidents in the complicated operation environments, three improvements are incorporated in YOLOv5s to construct the novel HDS-YOLOv5 network. First, HOOK-SPPF (spatial pyramid pooling fast) feature extraction module replaces the SPPF backbone network. It can enhance the network's feature extraction capability with less feature loss and extract more distinctive hook features from complex backgrounds. Second, a decoupled head module modified with confidence and regression frames is implemented to reduce negative conflicts between classification and regression, resulting in increased recognition accuracy and accelerated convergence. Lastly, the Scylla intersection over union (SIoU) is employed to optimize the loss function by utilizing the vector angle between the real and predicted frames, thereby improving the model's convergence. Experimental results demonstrate that the HDS-YOLOv5 algorithm achieves a 3% increase in mAP@0.5, reaching 91.2%. Additionally, the algorithm achieves a detection rate of 24.0 FPS (frames per second), demonstrating its superior performance compared to other models.
Un manuel de géographie liturgique dans la salle d’apparition du temple d’Hathor à Dendaraدليل الجغرافيا الشَعَائِريَّة في قاعة التَجَلِّي بمعبد حتحور في دندرة
Authors: Medini Lorenzo
Published: July 2023

Dans une étude sur un groupe de scènes d’offrandes de la cour du temple d’Edfou, Philippe Derchain a mis en évidence les relations qui existent entre ces scènes, connues dans la littérature égyptologique sous le nom de « manuel de géographie liturgique ». Chaque tableau fait référence à une province de l’Égypte qui est représentée à travers un rite en relation avec sa divinité principale. L’ensemble du territoire égyptien est donc matérialisé par différentes actions rituelles. Trois autres ensembles de scènes présentant une structure similaire sont connus : les tableaux de l’hypostyle du pronaos du temple d’Edfou, les scènes sur l’extérieur du mur d’enceinte du même temple et les tableaux sur l’extérieur du naos de Dendara. Cet article s’intéresse à un autre groupe de scènes du même type, également situé dans le temple de Dendara, qui n’a pas encore été identifié en tant que manuel de géographie liturgique. Les troisième et quatrième registres de la moitié orientale de la salle de l’apparition présentent des rites liés aux dix premières provinces de Haute Égypte. La structure originale de cet ensemble sera analysée ainsi que son rôle dans le temple de Dendara et la façon dont il s’intègre dans la décoration de l’édifice.
Medicinal Herbs Against Central Nervous System Disorders
Authors: Tung Bui Thanh , Hue Ngo Thi , Long Nguyen Viet , Ngoc Nguyen Thuy
Published: July 2023

Central nervous system disorders are a major public health concern worldwide due to unclear pathogenic mechanisms. Traditional medicine has used medicinal plants that have good effects on the central nervous system for central nervous system disorders. Many scientific studies have proven that medicinal plants contain many compounds that have anti-disorders and protect the brain. This practice is gaining more and more attention because it not only controls the disease but also limits the possibility of disorders. In this chapter, the authors reviewed medicinal plants and bioactive compounds against central nervous system disorders. This chapter will give a comprehensive view. Some medicinal plants such as Ginkgo biloba, Hypericum perforatum, Embelia Ribes Burm f., Centella asiatica are attracting attention and have high application value in combating central nervous system disorders. These effects are provided by the active compounds contained in the plant such as catechin, saponin, oleanolic acid. They are promising.
Empowering Teachers for Cultural and Linguistic Diversity via Multimodal Critical Identity Collages
Authors: Romero Deborah
Published: July 2023

This chapter analyzes in-service teachers' critical reflections of their cultural and linguistic identities as represented in multimodal discourses. Designed to inform teaching-learning with multilingual students, while disrupting notions of White English and academic discourses, practicing teachers created collages at the start and end of a graduate course. Collages were analyzed using approaches from systemic functional linguistics, multimodal discourse analysis, and with attention to sociocultural aspects. Analyses were triangulated with teachers' written reflections. Major themes show how teachers positioned themselves as learners and caring educators, respected cultural and linguistic diversity, and recognized a need to challenge dominant ideologies. At the end of the course, teachers revised their collages and contemplated pedagogical shifts they could make to advocate adopting multilingual and multimodal practices in their classrooms to challenge prevailing norms and power structures.
“One Row at a Time”
Authors: Sherry Michael B. , Bratkovich Meghan Odsliv , Alharbi Homood M.
Published: July 2023

Teacher feedback is among the most powerful influences on student learning. Feedback that responds sensitively to students' cultural and linguistic backgrounds is especially important for English learners (ELs), yet teachers report feeling underprepared to respond to EL writers and often have few models of teacher feedback beyond their own experiences as student writers. This chapter presents a case study of linguistically responsive feedback by a US middle-school teacher whose students represented 17 different language backgrounds. Ms. Ghanem consistently provided feedback that accounted for her students' growing English proficiency and furthered their writing development. The authors present examples of Ms. Ghanem's feedback, unpack how and why it exemplifies linguistically responsive teaching, and offer guiding questions for teachers and teacher educators to similarly empower ELs with their written feedback. They situate these examples, which they have used in teacher-education courses, in reactions from preservice teachers that illustrate common assumptions, pitfalls, and potentials.
Explain It to Me
Authors: Price Madeline Day , Smith Erin , Smith R. Alex
Published: July 2023

Mathematical writing has taken an increasingly prominent role in curriculum and assessment in the 20th century. Despite its presence on high stakes tests, and the benefits of students in gaining proficiency in this mode of mathematical communication, there has been no scholarly consensus on the definition of mathematical writing, and consequently, little instructional guidance for practitioners. This chapter employs genre theory and universal design for learning (UDL) to outline best practices for the teaching and formative assessment of explanatory mathematical writing across grade levels. After demonstrating how teachers can apprentice students into reproducing the dominant discourse of mathematical writing, the chapter also presents suggestions for centering student voice within mathematical communication through translanguaging, multimodalities, and remixed composition.
Prognostic determinants and treatment outcomes of Fournier’s Gangrene treatment in a resource-limited setting: A retrospective study
Authors: Ghabisha Saif , Ahmed Faisal , Al-wageeh Saleh , Badheeb Mohamed , Alyhari Qasem , Altam Abdulfattah , Alsharif Afaf
Published: July 2023

Background: Fournier’s gangrene (FG) is a destructive necrotizing infection with a generally poor prognosis. This study aims to share our experience in handling FG patients in a resource-limited setting and identify prognostic factors for FG mortality. Methods: A retrospective study of thirty-six patients diagnosed with FG and treated at our teaching hospital between Jun 2010 to Oct 2022 was conducted. Laboratory and nonlaboratory data and patients' outcomes were gathered. A univariate analysis was computed for identifying prognostic factors for FG mortality. Result: The main age was 68.30 ± 5.61years and most (69.4%) were older than 65 years. The overall survival was 63.9% and the mortality rate was 36.1%. Univariate analysis showed that advanced age (p = 0.02), delayed in hospital presentation (p = 0.024), involvement of larger area (p = 0.001), a history of diabetes mellitus (p < 0.006), end-stage renal disease (p = 0.018), heart failure (p = 0.005), cerebrovascular accident (p = 0.003), liver cirrhosis (p = 0.001), presence of multiple comorbidities (p = 0.001), septic conditions at admission (p = 0.048), need for mechanical ventilation (p = 0.001), hypoalbuminemia (p < 0.001), and elevated blood urea nitrogen (p = 0.002) were found to be risk factors for mortality in patients with FG. Conclusions: Fournier’s gangrene is a fulminant condition with a high mortality rate, especially in resource-limited settings. In this study, the mortality rate was 36.1%. Advanced age, delayed in hospital presentation, involvement of larger area, a history of diabetes mellitus, end-stage renal disease, heart failure, cerebrovascular accident, liver cirrhosis, presence of multiple comorbidities, septic conditions at admission, need for mechanical ventilation, hypoalbuminemia, and elevated blood urea nitrogen were associated with FG mortality.
Primary Bladder Sarcoma: A multi-institutional experience from the Rare Cancer Network
Authors: Bettoli Piero , Liu ZhihuiAmy , Jara Natalia , Bakal Federico , Wong William , Terlizzi Mario , Sargos Paul , Zilli Thomas , Thariat Juliette , Sole Sebastian , Ploussard Guilaume , Goyal Sharad , Chung Peter , Berlin Alejandro , Sole Claudio
Published: July 2023

Purpose or Objective: Primary sarcoma of the urinary bladder (SUB) is a rare but aggressive form of bladder cancer (BCa). Available evidence on SUB is limited to case reports and small series. The aim of the present multi-institutional study was to assess the clinical features, treatments, and outcomes of patients with SUB. Materials and methods: Using a standardized database, 7 institutions retrospectively collected the demographics, risk factors, clinical presentation, treatment modalities and follow-up data on patients with SUB between January 1994 and September 2021. The main inclusion criteria included BCa with soft tissue tumor histology and sarcomatoid differentiation. Results: Fifty-three patients (38 men and 15 women) were identified. Median follow-up was 18 months (range 1-263 months). Median age at presentation was 69 years (range 16-89 years). Twenty-six percent of patients had a prior history of pelvic radiotherapy (RT), and 37% were previous smokers. The main presenting symptoms at diagnosis were hematuria (52%), pelvic pain (27%), and both hematuria and pelvic pain (10%). American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) 8 th edition stage II, III and IV at diagnosis were 21%, 63% and 16%, respectively. Treatment modalities included surgery alone (45%), surgery plus neo- or adjuvant-chemotherapy (17%), surgery plus neo- or adjuvant-RT (11%), RT with concurrent chemotherapy (4%), neo-adjuvant chemotherapy plus surgery plus adjuvant RT (2%) and palliative treatment (21%). Rates of local and distant recurrences were 49% and 37%, respectively. Five-year overall survival and progression-free survival (PFS) were 66.5% and 37.6%, respectively. No statistically significant differences in PFS between the treatment modalities were observed. Conclusions: Primary SUB is a heterogeneous disease group, commonly presenting at advanced stages and exhibiting aggressive disease evolution. In contrast to urothelial carcinoma, the primary pattern of recurrence of SUB is local, suggesting the need for multimodal approaches. Continuous international collaborative efforts seem warranted to provide guidance on how to best tailor treatments based on SUB-specific indices.
Quantitative evaluation of CT scan images to determinate the prognosis of COVID-19 patient using deep learning
Authors: Joni Saeid Sadeghi , Gerami Reza , Pashaei Fakhereh , Ebrahiminik Hojat , Karimi Mahmood
Published: July 2023

The purpose of this research is to evaluate the accuracy of AI-assisted quantification in comparison to conventional CT parameters reviewed by a radiologist in predicting the severity, progression, and clinical outcome of disease. The current study is a cross-sectional study that was conducted on patients with the diagnosis of COVID-19 and underwent a pulmonary CT scan between August 23th, 2021 to December 21th, 2022. The initial CT scan on admission was used for imaging analysis. The presence of ground glass opacity (GGO), and consolidation were visually evaluated. CT severity score was calculated according to a semi-quantitative method. In addition, AI based quantification of GGO and consolidation volume were also performed. 291 patients (mean age: 64.7 ± 7; 129 males) were included. GGO + consolidation was more frequently revealed in progress-to-severe group whereas pure GGO was more likely to be found in non-severe group. Compared to non-severe group, patients in progress-to-severe group had larger GGO volume percentage (40.6%± 11.9%versus 21.7%± 8.8%, p ˂0.001) as well as consolidation volume percentage (4.8% ± 2% versus 1.9% ± 1%, p < 0.001). Among imaging parameters, consolidation volume percentage and the largest area under curve (AUC) in discriminating non-severe from progress-to-severe group (AUC = 0.91, p < 0.001). According to multivariate regression, consolidation volume was the strongest predictor for disease progression. In conclusion, the consolidation volume measured on the initial chest CT was the most accurate predictor of disease progression, and a larger consolidation volume was associated with a poor clinical outcome. In patients with COVID-19, AI-assisted lesion quantification was useful for risk stratification and prognosis evaluation.
Ulcera terminale di Kennedy e lesione da pressione: due differenti profili di responsabilità professionale per una lesione uguale
Authors: Garcea Riccardo , Savelli Paolo
Published: July 2023

La recente giurisprudenza prevede un contenzioso svantaggioso con una forte soccombenza per negligenza inerente le ulcere da pressione, anche quando queste sono lesioni di fine vita non diagnosticate correttamente come l’ulcera terminale di Kennedy e, quindi, patologie inguaribili che non prevedono una responsabilità professionale. Gli autori analizzano sia la giurisprudenza disponibile degli ultimi 15 anni in materia di decessi attribuibili anche in parte a lesioni da pressione, che cartelle cliniche disponibili, evidenziando le differenze tra queste due problematiche, focalizzando il differente aspetto di responsabilità professionale e le attuali “tendenze” giuridiche.
To study the expression of estrogen, progesterone receptor and p53 immunohistochemistry markers in subtyping endometrial carcinoma
Authors: Yadav Anuja , Sistla Anuradha , Swain Meenakshi , Gowrishankar Swarnalata , de Padua Michelle , Modi Tejal , Himabindu Rallabandi , Agarwal Neha , Kulkarni Aditya , Bhandari Trilok , Vudayaraju Hemanth , Chinnababu  , Reddy Vijay A.
Published: July 2023

Background:

Endometrial cancer is one of the most commonly diagnosed cancers in women worldwide.

Aim and Objectives:

To study the expression of estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR) and p53 immunohistochemistry (IHC) markers in subtyping endometrial carcinoma.

Materials and Methods:

A total of 100 cases of carcinoma endometrium submitted during January 2016 to October 2018 were included in our study. The ER, PR and p53 expressions were scored as per the adopted scoring system. Agreement between ER, PR and p53 IHC expression and the consensus HE diagnosis, FIGO grading and tumour staging were assessed using Chi square tests.

Results:

There was a statistical association between ER, PR and p53 status and tumour histologic type with a P value < 0.01. There was no statistical significance observed between ER and PR expressions and different FIGO grades. Statistical significance (P = 0.036) between p53 and different FIGO grades seen. No statistical significance was observed between ER, PR and p53 expressions and different tumour stages and tumour invasiveness. There was a statistical association between ER and PR status and lymph node metastasis. p53 did not show a statistical significance.

Conclusion:

Combination of ER, PR and p53 IHC markers can be used to distinguish type 1 and type 2 endometrial cancers. PR expression is more specific than ER in endometrioid carcinomas. p53 expression is more specific in serous carcinoma, however, p53 IHC alone cannot be used to distinguish different grades of endometrioid carcinomas as there is variability of staining in endometrioid carcinomas.
Immunization of children under 5 years: Mother’s knowledge, attitude, and practice in a rural community
Authors: Sowmya S. G. , Adavalath Shreya , Avabratha K. Shreedhara
Published: July 2023

Background:

Mothers’ knowledge, attitude and practice toward childhood vaccination is the most adequate tool for prevention of infectious disease epidemics. A study on the knowledge, attitude and practice regarding immunization will help in our understanding of the variables that influence parental decision-making regarding immunization.

Aims and Objectives:

To assess the knowledge, attitude and practice regarding immunization in mothers of under 5 children in rural area in Bantwal Taluk in Mangalore.

Material and Methods:

This was a cross sectional questionnaire-based study conducted on 486 mothers of under 5 children in a rural area in Mangalore from November 2021 – January 2022. Data was collected using pretested semi structured questionnaires. Data was analysed using descriptive statistics, chi square test and outcomes expressed as frequency, proportions and percentages.

Results:

99.8% mothers were aware that vaccination prevents children from infectious disease and its complications. 23.2% of the mothers had the misconception that multiple doses of the same vaccine were not important for their child’s immunity. Vaccination campaigns to vaccinate their children were not considered important by 4.4% mothers. A significalnt proportion (26.3%) believed that multiple vaccinations at the same time would have a negative impact on their child. Most of the mothers were of the opinion that childhood vaccination was important and vaccination was more beneficial than harmful. 77% were of the opinion that the child could not get infected by the disease once vaccinated. 99.6% of the children were vaccinated at birth and 98.8% of the children were completely immunized. Optional vaccines were not given to majority of the children.

Conclusions:

Majority of the mothers were aware about the need for vaccination, had positive attitude towards the same and satisfactory immunization practices. Most of the children had completed immunization for their age, which in turn reflects on the adequate knowledge among the mothers.
Correlation of laboratory parameters and computed tomography findings in real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction-negative individuals
Authors: Bhat Malathi S. , Mynalli Soujanya , Braggs Anston Vernon
Published: July 2023

Context:

The diagnosis of COVID-19 relies on the reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) obtained from the respiratory tract secretions. Due to various factors, there is a possibility of getting an inaccurate result. The false-negative result would be dangerous as the affected individual would not be subjected to quarantine and would go on to infect others. Hence, there is a need for an alternative in diagnosing COVID-19.

Aims:

To assess the correlation of computed tomography (CT) findings, laboratory parameters, and outcomes in COVID-19 suspect patients.

Design:

The study design involves retrospective study.

Materials and Methods:

RT-PCR-negative COVID suspect individuals were taken. Laboratory parameters such as serum ferritin, serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), serum D-dimer, and serum C-reactive protein (CRP) were considered. CT findings in these patients were determined. These parameters were statistically analyzed.

Statistical Analysis Used:

Frequency, percentage distribution, mean standard deviation, median, interquartile range, and Kruskal–Wallis test.

Results:

There was a statistically significant correlation between the serum LDH, serum ferritin, and serum CRP with the CT severity findings in RT-PCR-negative COVID suspect individuals. The predominant CT finding was ground-glass opacities.

Conclusions:

In conclusion, the laboratory parameters and CT findings can be used as an alternative in the diagnosis of COVID-19 in RT-PCR-negative individuals.
Evaluation of serum magnesium levels among type 2 diabetes individuals of a South Indian town
Authors: Suganthi Govindaraj , Praveen Vijayakumar , Suganthi Vajiravelu , Periasamy Panneerselvam , Periyasamy Bagavathiammal , Gunasekaran Sasikala
Published: July 2023

Background:

Studies have reported that hypomagnesemia could play an essential role in the development of endothelial dysfunction and altered insulin function, particularly among type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). To assess the incidence of hypomagnesemia among patients with T2DM and compare them with healthy individuals.

Materials and Methods:

One hundred types 2 diabetic patients admitted to the general medicine outpatient Department at Government Erode Medical College Hospital, Perundurai, were recruited. Biochemical parameters and serum magnesium were assessed at admission and compared with the 100 healthy controls without T2DM.

Results:

Cases and controls had mean ages of 50.39 ± 9.76 and 50.01 ± 10.15 years, respectively. The age range of 41–50 had the highest percentage of patients (42%). The gender distribution was the same for both cases and controls, with 70% of men and 30% of women. Between cases and controls, the mean fasting blood sugar levels were 102.42 ± 11.16 mg/dl and 91.93 ± 4.32 mg/dl, respectively.

Conclusion:

Hypomagnesemia is a common problem in adults with T2DM, and we did find a significant association between Mg levels and T2DM in Erode district, Tamil Nadu.
Water, sanitation, and hygiene practices of caregivers of under-five children in a coastal area of South India
Authors: Dharmalingam Gracy Paulin , Lingam Kasthuri , Dinesh Kannan , Parameshari Kannika , Murugan Karthickraja
Published: July 2023

Background:

Improving child survival still remains challenging for most of the developing countries like India. Leading causes of under-five mortality such as pneumonia and diarrhea can be prevented by ensuring good water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) practices. This study aimed to assess the WASH practices of caregivers of under-five children in a coastal area of Tamil Nadu in South India.

Materials and Methods:

This study was conducted as a community-based cross-sectional study among primary caregivers of under-five children in Thoothukudi district, Tamil Nadu. Caregivers accompanying under-five children in Threspuram and Mullakadu Primary Health Centers were interviewed. A semi-structured interview-based questionnaire was used to assess their WASH practices. Data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS).

Results:

The median WASH score was found to be 16 with an interquartile range of 6.5. Nearly 35% of the caregivers did not do anything to purify drinking water. Only less than three-fourths of the study population followed proper water storage practices. Only 7.2% of caregivers always washed their hands after defecation. The WASH score increased significantly with the education of the caregiver (P < 0.001).

Conclusion:

WASH practices were mostly poor for under-five children with male caregivers and caregivers with higher age and lower educational status.
Clinical studies with Cannabis in India – A need for guidelines for the investigators and ethics committees
Authors: Nayak Prakash , Pantvaidya Gouri , Ranganathan Priya , Jiwnani Sabita , Joshi Shalaka , Gogtay Nithya Jaideep
Published: July 2023

Cannabis is one of the world’s oldest cultivated plants and the most commonly used recreational drug worldwide. The plant relevant for medicinal use is Cannabis
sativa that has two pharmacologically active ingredients – delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol that is psychoactive and cannabidiol that does not have psychotropic activity. The policy tapestry of Cannabis has undergone a significant change in the past few decades worldwide. Different countries have diverse policies, ranging from classifying use of Cannabis as illicit, to legalization of its use, both for medicinal and recreational purposes. Cannabis products are approved for use, for instance, in multiple sclerosis and Dravet syndrome (US Food Drug and Administration). Against this backdrop, we find that the knowledge foundations for use of Cannabis in clinical trials in India are still evolving. Conducting ethical research within a clinical trials framework is essential to understand dosing, formulation, shelf life, drug–drug interaction, tolerability, and safety before establishing its utility for various indications. In the absence of guidelines or a regulatory framework for conduct of these studies, the various Institutional Ethics Committees (IECs), which are responsible for reviewing projects related to Cannabis, face unique challenges with respect to the basic requirements. The principal investigators (PIs) are equally strained to find local guidance, recommendations, and literature in support of their application to the respective IEC, thus leading to an impasse and delay in initiating the proposed clinical studies with Cannabis. The present article addresses considerations, questions, and issues that affect the conduct of these clinical studies and recommends mandatory documents and some suggested guidelines for use by both PIs and IECs to take studies with Cannabis forward until such time that an interdisciplinary regulatory framework is firmed up by regulatory authority.
Generating fit-for-purpose real-world evidence in Asia: How far are we from closing the gaps?
Authors: Shau Wen-Yi , Setia Sajita , Shinde Salil , Santoso Handoko , Furtner Daniel
Published: July 2023

Evidence generated by randomized controlled trials (RCTs) does not often represent the patient journey and clinical outcomes in the real world due to limited external validity or generalizability. Studies based on real-world data are intended to generalize results to the broader population; however, if the influence of external factors or confounders is not effectively managed, the cause-and-effect relationship and internal validity may be challenged, resulting in flawed results. The collection of quality real-world evidence (RWE) is crucial in Asia as there is often an underrepresentation of Asian populations in RCTs. In addition, few countries in Asia are catching up with the Western world in issuing practical foundational principles and guidance for conducting and adopting evidence for regulatory and reimbursement decisions. However, privacy and data protection laws are generally lagging behind technological developments in electronic medical records. While leveraging RWE in clinical and regulatory decision-making holds excellent potential, collective efforts across industry, governments, and research institutions are required for generating standardized practices and building capabilities for developing fit-for-purpose RWE in Asia.
Misfire Detection Technology with Deep Neural Network Based on
Ignition Coil Signals
Authors: Yoneya Naoki , Amaya Kenji , Kumano Kengo , Sukegawa Yoshihiro , Uchise Yoshifumi , Jitsu Hideo , Fujiyama Yukio
Published: July 2023

For achieving high efficiency and low exhaust emissions, engines need to be
operated near the limits of stable combustion, such as lean or exhaust gas
recirculation (EGR) conditions. Sensing technologies of the combustion state by
existing engine components are of high interest. And the utilization of voltage
and current signals from ignition coils is discussed in this article. The
discharge channel of an ignition spark is strongly affected by flow variation
and spark plug surface conditions, and the behavior of discharge channel
stretching and restrike event can vary greatly from cycle to cycle. As a result,
the effects of flow velocity, temperature, pressure, and electrode surface
resistance are compounded in the voltage-current response, making it difficult
to accurately detect the combustion state for each cycle by a threshold judgment
process using a single feature value.

In this article, a method for inductively detecting misfires from voltage and
current signals of ignition coils by applying deep learning image recognition is
introduced. First, post-ignition for misfire detection is performed on the
engine bench during the expansion stroke in an engine cycle, when the cylinder
pressure is expected to differ between the combustion cycle and the ignition
cycle, and the ignition coil voltage and current are measured. Next, a
two-dimensional frequency distribution of voltage and current (discharge
histogram) is created as an input image for deep learning, and the AlexNet
model, which has been trained with more than one million images, is trained with
images of the ignition and combustion cycles as a supervised learning. The
accuracy of classification is then verified using a validation dataset. In
addition, to making the deep learning model more explainable, the activation
score distribution on the discharge histogram was visualized when the trained
model judges the images, and the discharge characteristics that provided the
basis for deep learning classifications were analyzed.
Same-sex marriage in Japan and the role of courts in a dominant party system
Authors: Baldwin Guy
Published: July 2023

Japan is increasingly isolated among advanced economies in not having made provision for same-sex marriage or same-sex civil unions at the national level. The main political obstacle to legal recognition of same-sex couples is the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), Japan’s dominant party, which has ruled the country with only two interruptions since 1955; many other parties support legalizing same-sex marriage, while the LDP does not. The literature suggests that the LDP secured its dominant position due to opposition fragmentation and ineffectiveness, and its own clientelist practices. Against this backdrop, cases are progressing through the Japanese judicial system seeking a finding that same-sex marriage is required under the 1947 Constitution. At the time of writing, the results of these cases have been mixed, with one case finding the current marriage law unconstitutional and two finding it constitutional.

This article contends that Japanese courts should find in favour of these claims and hold that same-sex marriage is constitutionally required. That is so not merely because it is the better position under existing legal doctrine relating to equality and non-discrimination under Article 14(1) of the Constitution, but also because the dominant party status of the LDP means that there is less reason in constitutional theory for courts to show deference to the legislature. In a dominant party system, there is less reason to expect that the government will pay sufficient heed to rights, while ‘counter-majoritarian’ difficulties with judicial review are less credible given the more ambiguous nature of the democratic mandate of the legislature. This undercuts a significant justification given for judicial deference.
Southern turn, Northern implications: rethinking the meaning of colonial legacies for Comparative Constitutional Studies
Authors: Dann Philipp
Published: July 2023

Comparative constitutional studies has not digested globalization and the emergence of a multipolar world. To do so, I argue here, would require a far more serious engagement with Southern experiences of constitutionalism, including colonial legacies and a past that lingers on in legal doctrine, conceptual vocabulary, methodology and institutional structures. Such a Southern turn is not only about the South but equally about the North and the entanglement of North and South. In fact, colonial legacies are equally relevant but much less understood in the North. The Southern turn is hence a double turn: to the South and then to the North and the world.

This article sketches how to rethink methodologies and approaches to comparative constitutional scholarship and discusses the notion of the Global South in that context. In doing so, it demonstrates how a Southern turn would both provide new insights into constitutionalism in the South as much as in the North and open up new avenues to rethink constitutional theory.

Such rethinking enters tricky terrain as colonial legacies play out differently in different places and epistemic communities. This article is a call for a common conversation nonetheless. It is an intellectual provocation and invitation to develop an approach to comparative constitutional scholarship and ‘world comparative law’ that does not bow to any one centre and instead engages with the distinctive but entangled constitutional regimes all over the world.
Pure Harrodian dynamics: heterogeneous expectations and the loss of three established propositions
Authors: Franke Reiner
Published: July 2023

Within the narrow but convenient framework of a pure Harrodian dynamics, the paper sheds new light on the macroeconomic textbook modelling with normal utilization in the steady state and the problem of Harrodian instability. To this end, it introduces interacting heterogeneity in the firms’ expectations about future demand. Specifically, the individual firms switch randomly between an optimistic and a pessimistic growth rate, where in the Harrodian spirit the transition probabilities vary with the utilization gap. Unlike the original aggregate analysis, this agent-based approach gives rise to the following three features at the macro level: (i) while the positive Harrodian feedback effects are basically maintained, there is also some scope for the steady state to be stable; (ii) persistent non-normal utilization in this state is not only possible but even the rule; and (iii) the paradox of thrift is re-established (the opposite relationship is true) if the steady state is stable (unstable). A calibration of the IS part provides for a reasonable order of magnitude of the investigated effects.
Diversidad cultural y satisfacción laboral de los colaboradores
Authors: Mori Huaman Moises , Narváez Valera Angela del Pilar
Published: July 2023

La investigación determinó la relación entre la diversidad cultural y la satisfacción laboral de los colaboradores de la Universidad Nacional Toribio Rodríguez de Mendoza de Amazonas. Fue de tipo básica, cuantitativa, correlacional, no experimental transversal, con una muestra de 129 colaboradores. Como técnica se utilizó la encuesta e instrumento el cuestionario. Se aplicó la prueba de normalidad Kolmogórov-Smirnov; la cual, demostró que los datos no siguen una distribución normal. Por ello, se realizó el análisis no paramétrico del coeficiente de correlación de Spearman, obteniendo un grado de correlación medianamente significativa en el nivel 0,01 bilateral de rs=0,554 entre la diversidad cultural y la satisfacción laboral de los colaboradores. Se concluyó que el nivel de aceptación de la diversidad cultural fue medio 85%, resaltando la dimensión organizativa en un nivel alto 70%. Los colaboradores se mostraron medianamente satisfechos 78%, lo que demostró que el comportamiento del personal es similar sin importar el tipo de contrato. Asimismo, la relación entre la diversidad cultural y la dimensión cognitiva de los colaboradores de la universidad fue significativa considerable con rs=0,656, mientras que con la dimensión afectiva resultó significativa media rs=0,408.
Síndrome de Burnout en las Relaciones humanas de docentes, Trujillo, 2021
Authors: Chávez Díaz Sandra Karin , Quispe Álvarez Adelson Fidel
Published: July 2023

El presente estudio tuvo como objetivo determinar la influencia del Síndrome de Burnout en las relaciones humanas de docentes en la Institución educativa N° 80006. Nuevo Perú de la ciudad de Trujillo en el año 2021. Se contó con una muestra de 50 educadores en condición de nombrados y contratados de los niveles de inicial y primaria. Se aplicaron dos instrumentos: el primero del Síndrome de Burnout de Maslach y Jackson (1986) desarrollado en España y el segundo para medir las relaciones humanas y validado por juicio de expertos, los mismos que fueron sometidos a una prueba piloto obteniendo una validez de análisis confirmatorio de 0,600 el primero y el segundo una validez de análisis confirmatorio de 0,676. La relación e influencia del síndrome de burnout en las relaciones humanas del mismo fue de r= -.646**, y r2=28,8%; concluyéndose una correlación negativa moderada de la primera variable sobre la segunda. Se sugiere la aplicación de talleres de relaciones humanas para medir y controlar los efectos del síndrome de burnout.
Ciberseguridad y calidad de vida digital en una empresa de Trujillo
Authors: Poma Vargas Alexis Enrique , Huamán Gonzales Carmen Liliana
Published: July 2023

Este articulo tiene como objetivo principal, determinar en qué medida la ciberseguridad permite el desarrollo de una calidad de vida digital optima en la empresa Jama-Café Restaurant, periodo 2022.; además, objetivos específicos como: verificar que exista una gestión de riesgos que permita identificar los riesgos y mitigarlos; asimismo, evaluar si se obtienen excelentes beneficios con la mitigación de riesgos de acuerdo con las evaluaciones establecidas. La metodología es no experimental, mixta y descriptiva; se utilizó la estadística descriptiva e inferencial; asimismo, contó con dimensiones e indicadores de variables; así como, aplicación de instrumentos según las técnicas, como el cuestionario y guía de entrevista, aplicados a una población y muestra de treinta y cinco colaboradores; también, aplicación de matrices tanto de TIC, como Gestión de Riesgos en Ciberseguridad y Calidad de Vida Digital, para detectar riesgos presentados en la institución en relación a vulnerabilidad de protección de datos. Al respecto, según los resultados obtenidos, se evidenció que existen ataques cibernéticos a empresas a nivel internacional, nacional y local; no siendo la empresa Jama Café –Restaurant, excepción; asimismo, existe un destaque en ciberseguridad, con 42.86% en integridad de información; en relación a calidad de vida digital en 42.86% correspondiente a asequibilidad del Servicio de Internet, existiendo una protección en cuanto a la información de datos informáticos en la empresa; así como, la aplicación de medidas correctivas en forma oportuna en el caso de presentarse riesgos con la finalidad de mitigarlos.