bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Peculiarities of the image of the heroine of the play Mary Stuart in the context of Friedrich Schiller’s ideas of history
Authors: Игнатьева А.А.
Published: February 2024

Статья посвящена рассмотрению специфики образа главной героини исторической драмы Фридриха Шиллера «Мария Стюарт». Образ Марии Стюарт осмысляется в контексте принципа субъективности, являющегося одним из главных для модерна как макроэпохи, а также особого понимания истории творцами искусства второй половины XVIII — начала XIX века. Этому соответствуют задачи работы: проанализировать образ главной героини драмы с точки зрения идей Ф. Шиллера, отраженных в созданных поэтом статьях, посвященных истории, и в его письмах; раскрыть своеобразие образа Марии Стюарт, связанное с творческими принципами эпохи модерна, субъективным пониманием отдельной исторической личности драматургом, а также с важными для искусства Нового времени вопросами гармонии личности и мира. В ходе анализа эпизодов драмы было выяснено, что намеренное смещение ракурса повествования с исторических событий на внутренние переживания главной героини пьесы было необходимо поэту для того, чтобы показать в центре произведения индивидуальность, которая стремится познать себя и определить собственное место в окружающем мире. Важной характеристикой образа Марии Стюарт выступает внутренняя свобода, благодаря которой главная героиня способна обрести душевную гармонию. В свою очередь свобода, являясь одним из важнейших понятий, составляющих личность, имела большое значение не только для Фридриха Шиллера, но и для эпохи модерна в целом.

The article focuses on the unique characteristics of the portrayal of the main character in Friedrich Schiller’s historical play, Mary Stuart. The figure of Mary Stuart is presented within the framework of the principle of subjectivity, which is one of the fundamental principles of Modernity as a macro-epoch. Additionally, it is examined in the context of specific perception of history that artists of the second half of the 18th and early 19thcenturies had. This corresponds with the objectives of the study: to analyze the image of the main character of the play in terms of F. Schiller’s ideas reflected in his articles on history and in letters; to reveal the originality of Mary Stuart’s image associated with the artistic principles of Modernity, the playwright’s subjective perception of a historical figure, and themes of harmony between a person and the world that are significant for modern art. The analysis of the play shows that the intentional shift of the perspective from the historical events to the inner struggle in the heroine allows the poet to focus on the individual personality seeking to understand herself and to find her place in the world. The most distinctive characteristic of Mary Stuart is her inner freedom, which empowers her to achieve a profound inner harmony. The freedom being one of the most crucial aspects of personality had great significance not only for F. Schiller, but for Modernity generally.
Linguistic means of implementing intercultural interaction and assessments of political confrontation (based on Russian diplomatic discourse)
Authors: Игнатьева Т.В.
Published: February 2024

Дипломатический дискурс является особым, так как в текстах различных жанров формулируется позиция государства и взгляды, личностная оценка автора. В межкультурном взаимодействии в условиях многоязычия осуществляется выбор языка общения, однако адресант должен учитывать особенности адресатов как представителей различных культур, помнить о национальных и международных традициях красноречия, проявлениях различных коммуникативных тактик. Целью статьи является поиск языковых средств, способствующих формированию успешного межкультурного взаимодействия, а также изучение средств имплицитной и эксплицитной оценочности, необходимых для выражения коммуникативного настроя адресата. В статье реализован комплексный подход к исследованию дипломатического текста, предусматривающий описание и анализ концептосферы и языковых средств в рамках дискурса и конкретного публичного выступления. На основе изучения определены языковые средства межкультурного взаимодействия (обращение и приветствие, дипломатические клише, прецедентные тексты (цитаты), синтаксический параллелизм, вопросительные предложения). Доказано влияние эмоционально окрашенных языковых средств на развитие дипломатического дискурса. В условиях изменений, происходящих в дипломатическом подстиле речи, в кризисной ситуации отмечается рост субъективизма дипломатического текста, выражающегося в использовании эмоционально окрашенной и разговорной лексики, передающей специфическую оценку в рамках национальной картины мира.

Diplomatic discourse is a special kind, since texts of various genres contribute to formulate the state’s position and views, as well as the personal assessment of the author. In multilingual intercultural interaction, they choose the language of communication, but the addresser has to take into account the characteristics of the recipients as representatives of different cultures, to mind the national and international traditions of eloquence, and features of various communication tactics. The purpose of the article is to search for linguistic means that contribute to effective intercultural interaction, and also to study the means of implicit and explicit evaluation that are necessary to express the communicative setup of the recipient. The present article employs a complex approach to diplomatic discourse, with consideration for description and analysis of its conceptual sphere and linguistic means in the specific public utterance. Based on these, we define certain means of intercultural communication (such as address and greeting, diplomatic clichés, precedent texts (quotations), syntactic parallelism, and questions. We demonstrate the influence of emotionally charged linguistic means on the development of diplomatic discourse. In the context of changes occurring in the diplomatic style of speech, a crisis situation evokes subjectivity that involves using emotionally charged and colloquial vocabulary that conveys a specific assessment, within the framework of the national worldview.
New data on the water-physical properties of soils along the eroded banks of the Oka River
Authors: Воробьев А.Ю. , Кадыров А.С. , Балобина А.А.
Published: February 2024

Исследовались водно-физические свойства почвогрунтов в пойме реки Оки. Лабораторные испытания проб отложений осуществлялись в аккредитованной лаборатории САС «Рязанская». Цель работы — описание вещественного состава и степени увлажнения почвогрунтов, вскрытых в эрозионных уступах высокой поймы на вогнутых берегах излучин реки Оки. Фактическая основа для описания — результаты определения влажности почвогрунтов и их гранулометрического состава по методу пипетки (80 проб). В процессе исследования проводилось структурирование и классификация полученных данных и соотнесение проб грунта со стратиграфо-генетическими слоями отложений на полустационарах. Осуществлялось формирование графических приложений в программе STATISTICA 10.0, данные распределялись на характерные группы по механическому составу и степени увлажнения. Классификация грунтов проводилась в том числе с помощью универсального подхода, принятого в отечественной и зарубежной геологии, — треугольников Ферре. Впервые были установлены характерные значения содержания песчаных, пылеватых и илистой фракций в отложениях древней окской поймы, в том числе в пределах ее участков, вовлеченных в интенсивное хозяйственное использование. Полученные данные могут быть интегрированы в оценки устойчивости русла реки Оки, применены в прогнозах потерь хозяйственно ценных земельных угодий с выявлением зависимостей этих потерь от морфометрических параметров речных берегов.

The article examines the water-physical properties of soils in the floodplain of the Oka River. Tests of sediment samples were conducted in the accredited laboratory of the Ryazanskaya SAS (Agrochemical Service Station). The objective of the work is to describe the material composition and the moisture levels of soils exposed in the erosion scarps of the high floodplain on the concave banks of the Oka River bends. The factual basis for describing these was the results of determining soil-ground moisture and its granulometric composition obtained by the pipette method (80 samples). During the research, we structured and classified the findings, and correlated soil samples with stratigraphic-genetic layers of sediments at our semi-permanent stations. We designed graphical representations using STATISTICA 10.0 application. The findings were divided into groups characterized by mechanical composition and moisture levels. The classification of soils was also conducted through a universal approach adopted in Russian and foreign geology — the Ferrer triangles. This is the first research that establishes the typical values of the content of sandy, silty and muddy fractions in sediments of the ancient Oka floodplain, including its areas involved in intensive exploitation. The findings can be integrated in the stability index of the Oka riverbed and applied in the forecasts of losses of valuable agricultural land, with identification of the dependency of such losses on the morphometric parameters of the river banks.
Comprehensive approaches, materials, and evaluations of TEFL along with the manifestation of multilingual competencies’ challenges from the perspective of public and private universities of Bangladesh
Authors: Yeasmin Fahmeda
Published: February 2024

: Language is the one of the important mediums of expressing thoughts. It has the power to create tremendous revolution, devastating confliction as well as fruitful solution. Due to the blessings of language; social, cultural and regional gap has also been reduced. Years after years, we are habituated with the habit of viewing English Language teaching from one or two modes in our country. The fact cannot be denied that so many teachers from the public and private universities are not aware of the modified policies and materials for that reason learners are still caged at the turbulent level. It can also be highlighted that at this time multilingual environment is keeping a positive impact both socially and economically in drawing profit at many countries. Time has come to consider the issues.
Novice Scholars and Speaking for Academic Purposes Course
Authors: Gubair Da’oud Mohamed
Published: February 2024

This paper examined the viewpoints of novice scholars on the significance of English for academic purpose course. A mixed methodology was adopted and two tools were used for data collection: an interview and a questionnaire. The results of the data collected showed a largely unanimous agreement among the participants on the importance of the skill of speaking for academic purpose and the necessity of attending the training course on it. The participants began and ended the course with the same positive attitudes. A number of factors had led to such a unanimous attitude towards the course. Offering beforehand promotional sessions to acquaint the participants with the contents and nature of the course and/or making the contents and the objectives of such a course accessible to the novice scholars were the most prominent factors.
Bypassing Pre-processing Method in Alzheimer’s Disease Diagnosing using Deep Learning Instance Segmentation
Authors: Tiew Yuan You  , Mohd Ibrahim Shapiai  , Fong Jia Xian  , Nur Amirah Abd Hamid  , RA Ghani  , Noor Akhmad Setiawan
Published: February 2024

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that will cause the memory loss of patient and will progressively lead to loss of bodily function that will eventually lead to death. Therefore, diagnosing AD accurately is critical to provide the patients with suitable treatment to delay the progression of AD as well to facilitate the treatment interventions. Recent studies are more dependent on the Deep Learning Semantic Segmentation method to perform the Alzheimer's Disease diagnosis. However, semantic segmentation will segment every single pixel in the images which will affect the precision of the small targets like hippocampal region in MRI images, even though the overall loss is low enough. Therefore, a Deep Learning Instance Segmentation is introduced into the Alzheimer’s disease diagnosis field without using any pre-processing method. In this research, the Mask R-CNN will be used to localize the hippocampal region to do the segmentation, and then classified it as AD or NC. The dataset UTM_ADNI_RAW will be used in this study. The proposed method applied on UTM_ADNI_RAW shows the high accuracy of 92.67%. These results show that the proposed method to segment the hippocampal region without requiring pre-processing techniques has a good accuracy in classifying AD and NC subjects. In conclusion, the proposed Mask R-CNN generated a good result on segmenting the hippocampal region without requiring any pre-processing techniques.
Fully Convolutional Network Model Applied Attention Mechanism on Kitti Lane Dataset for Lane Detection
Authors: Noor Jannah Zakaria  , Mohd Ibrahim Shapiai  , Rasli Abd Ghani  , Nurbaiti Wahid  , Daphne Teck Ching Lai
Published: February 2024

This article investigated the attention mechanism implemented by the Fully Convolutional Network (FCN) Model on the Kitti Lane Dataset. Two attention mechanisms were applied in the deep learning model to improve traffic lane detection for autonomous vehicles. The Kitti lane dataset, which was generated in collaboration with Jannik Fritsch and Tobias Kuehl from Honda Research Europe GmbH, was selected for this study. The results demonstrate that the applied attention mechanism can effectively improve the network's feature representation on lane markings. Furthermore, this approach can improve the weighted information of lane line targets while decreasing irrelevant information. As a result, the proposed technique improved, obtaining more than 95% accuracy. Subsequently, the attention mechanism was implemented in the FCN model architecture to enhance the lane-detecting model. As a result, in the future, more comprehensive ideas, such as combining the FCN model with Transfer Learning, will play an essential part in investigating the improvement of lane detection areas.
Deep Neural Network for the Detection and Classification of Spontaneous Abortion Associated with Cervical Cancer
Authors: Priya Surendran Nair Anandavally  , Vargheese Mary Amala Bai
Published: February 2024

Cervical cancer is the most prevalent cancer and serious condition that currently poses a threat to the health of women. Automated cervical cancer diagnosis and classification from pap smear images has become essential due to the precision, dependency, and timely analysis of the cancer progression. The chance of occurrence of Spontaneous Abortion (SA) associated with cervical carcinoma can be identified from the pap smear image analysis. Advancements in Deep Neural Network (DNN) paved path to the efficient analysis of pap smear images for the detection of SA. The DNN must be optimized to obtain better accuracy in multiclass Herlev dataset pap smear image classification problem. The class carcinoma-in-situ is associated with SA and this class need to be identified without any error. For quantitative analysis of cell images, accurate localization of cell nuclei as well as the extraction of textural features are accomplished. Classification and decision-making are carried out as part of high-level processing to categorise the cancer phases into six classes. The domain aspects of cervical cancer are used to explore and present appropriate methods and techniques. This work focuses on the development of optimized DNN that can differentiate cancer classes in an efficient way. For Herlev images the proposed system provided multiclass average accuracy of 96.49%. Proposed EL-CNN architecture provided better outcomes than state-of-the-art systems.
Exploring the Impact of Mobile Augmented Reality on COVID-19 Prevention Education in Primary Schools
Authors: Farah Afiqah Affendi  , Syahrul Nizam Junaini
Published: February 2024

This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of an interactive mobile Augmented Reality (AR) game to increase the knowledge about COVID-19 prevention primary school students. We tested the application for usability and effectiveness through pre- and post-tests, questionnaires, and interviews. 12 participants from four states in Malaysia took part in the study. Their average age is 9.5 years old. Results indicated a significant improvement in student performance from the pre-test to the post-test, with a mean score has increased from 3.67 to 8.25. The average System Usability Scale (SUS) score was 75%. These findings show the effectiveness of our mobile AR application as a tool to increase the knowledge about COVID-19 prevention among primary school. The findings of this study contribute to the body of research on the use of AR in COVID-19 prevention education among primary school students. This study provides both theoretical and practical implications for educators, researcher and policymakers seeking to use mobile AR to support the prevention education of any future pandemic or infectious disease.
Properties and Evaluation of Functionalized Mixed Membrane Adsorbents for the Adsorption of Vanillic Acid from Palm Oil Waste
Authors: Zaharah Abdul Rahman  , Nora’aini Ali  , Sofiah Hamzah  , Syed Mohd Saufi Tuan Chik  , Norhafiza Ilyana Yatim  , Siti Solihah Rasdei  , Jan Setiawan
Published: February 2024

Identifying factors that can improve the ability of mixed matrix membrane (MMM) adsorbents to isolate phenolic chemicals from palm oil waste is a major challenge. This study prepared a mixed matrix membrane with improved efficiency using a quaternary doping solution and a hydroxyapatite (HAp) filler and denoted as modified mixed matrix membrane (MMMHAp). Prior to use, HAp powder obtained from eggshells calcined at different temperatures was evaluated as an absorbent for the desired phenolic compounds. All the prepared HAp and MMMHAp powders were evaluated for their properties by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscope (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). For this study, vanillic acid was selected as a phenolic chemical because it is widely used in the pharmaceutical, biomedical and food industries. The optimal adsorption and vanillic acid isolation from crude palm oil samples by MMMHAp occurred using an acetate buffer solution with a pH of 8. The data from the equilibrium adsorption study were also in agreement with the Freundlich isotherm, as the R2 value was 0.9900 suggesting heterogeneous adsorption of vanillic acid on the surface of MMMHAp. The kinetic adsorption study clearly shows a pseudo-second-order fit (R2=0.9992), suggesting that chemisorption occurs between the adsorbed substance and the adsorbent. The modified membrane (MMMHAp) has characteristics of its finger-like structures is more elongated and connected to the porous layer, indicating that the incorporation of hydroxyapatite nanoparticles into the membrane enhances the adsorption of vanillic acid from real sample and has the highest adsorption capacity of 170.8 mg/g. These results show that this improved MMMHAp can be developed and used for waste utilization to obtain useful materials.
SecureML Based Classification for Internet of Things Based Secured Transaction of Data
Authors: Kesava Rao Alla  , Gunasekar Thangarasu
Published: February 2024

The Internet of Things (IoTs) is a rapidly developing technology that enables a wide range of applications to interact with each other. The IoT is an emerging technology that can be used to collect, and analyse data from various sources. In this paper, we present SecureML, a unique privacy-preserving CART training scheme that employs blockchain principles to develop a secure CART classifier for use in multipart scenarios in which data is collected from many data sources. SecureML uses the homomorphic cryptosystem to develop secure building blocks such as secure polynomial multiplication and safe comparison. The proposed method is capable of training classifiers in a risk-free manner while retaining an acceptable degree of accuracy.
THE BENEFIT EVALUATION FRAMEWORK OF USING PERFORMANCE-BASED CONTRACTING IN URBAN ROAD MAINTENANCE
Authors: Tseng Chun-Chieh , Yang Jyh-Bin
Published: February 2024

Performance-based contracts (PBC) have been adopted increasingly in various countries. However, establishing an objective and convincing benefit evaluation framework to facilitate promotion remains a significant challenge for those who wish to use PBCs. A recent study introduced PBC in the context of daily inspection and repair of urban roads. The pilot program in that study successfully addressed the needs of road users, road maintenance authorities, and contractors. Consequently, this study develops the benefit evaluation framework for this type of PBC for broader applications. The proposed benefit evaluation framework, consisting of one qualitative and eight quantitative performanceevaluation items, calculates the effectiveness of introducing PBC to verify its practicality. The validation results show that qualitative benefit evaluation using the Pavement Condition Index achieves a “satisfactory” rating. For the quantitative benefit evaluation, an overall benefit-cost ratio (BCR) of 5.35 suggests that it is economically viable. The developed benefit evaluation framework can be used as a simple and easy-to-use evaluation tool for other organizations to assess whether to introduce PBC. This study fills this research gap by addressing the use of PBCs in the maintenance of all categories of toll-free roads, and contributes to expanding the application of PBCs in road maintenance services.
Biodiversity of zooplankton (Rotifera, Cladocera and Copepoda) in the tributaries of Cheboksary Reservoir (Middle Volga, Russia)
Authors: Gavrilko Dmitriy , Zhikharev Vyacheslav , Zolotareva Tatyana , Kudrin Ivan , Yakimov Basil , Erlashova Aleksandra
Published: February 2024

Freshwater zooplankton is an important component of the ecological communities of inland water bodies. It acts as an important part of the food web and participates in the self-purification processes of aquatic ecosystems. To study the abundance and distribution of species, a sampling event dataset was compiled and then published through GBIF. The aim of the work was to describe the current zooplankton fauna (Rotifera, Cladocera and Copepoda) and its abundance, based on a recently published dataset. The research was conducted from 2015 to 2022. Zooplankton samples were collected by vertical towing a plankton net (70 μm mesh) from the bottom to the water surface or by filtering through a net, the water being collected with a measuring bucket. The samples were concentrated to 100 ml and fixed with a final concentration of 4% formalin solution. For each sampling event, the coordinates of the location, number of individuals and date were recorded.

The dataset contains information on 259 taxа, including 257 species and subspecies of zooplankton from 36 families found in the tributaries of the Cheboksary Reservoir. The families Chydoridae (35 species), Brachionidae (31) and Cyclopidae (27) were the most species-rich. Four invasive species were found: Kellicottia bostoniensis (Rousselet, 1908), Acanthocyclops americanus (Marsh, 1893), Ilyocryptus spinifer Herrick, 1882 and Thermocyclops taihokuensis Harada, 1931.
Diagnosis and Treatment of Myelodysplastic Syndrome in the Era of Genetic Testing
Authors: Hong Junshik
Published: February 2024

Myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) is a heterogeneous disorder with diverse prognoses influenced by cytopenias, genetic variants, and myeloblast proportions in the bone marrow. Accurate prognosis prediction and tailored treatment plans are essential. The International Prognostic Scoring System-Molecular (IPSS-M), which additionally reflects the impact of MDS-related genetic mutations to the clinical and laboratory information, is anticipated to offer superior prognostic accuracy compared to existing systems like the Revised International Prognostic Scoring System (IPSS-R). Despite its statistical complexity, its web-based calculation and ease of discussing results with patients using intuitive data sets provide notable advantages. Progress in MDS treatment, exemplified by effective anemia correction with an erythropoiesis-maturation agent in SF3B1-mutated cases and efforts to refine poor prognoses in TP53-mutated cases, reflects the evolving landscape of genetic-based interventions in MDS. Advancements in genetic diagnostic technology, combined with enhanced knowledge of the bone marrow niche, are anticipated to lead to significant improvement in MDS treatment outcomes in the future.
Multiple Intramuscular Abscesses Caused by Nocardia abscessus in a Patient with Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease: Clinical Microbiology Considerations
Authors: Kim Jung-Ah , Dong Hyunjoo , Lee Eunjung , Jung Jongtak , Baek Yae Jee , Kim Tae Hyong , Choi Tae Youn
Published: February 2024

Nocardiosis is uncommon. Immunocompromising conditions predispose individuals to pulmonary and disseminated nocardiosis of the brain, skin, and subcutaneous tissues. The most common pathogens are Nocardia cyriacigeorgica, Nocardia nova, and Nocardia farcinica. The speciation of Nocardia to determine antimicrobial susceptibility is difficult using traditional biochemical methods. Here, we report the case of a 73-year-old man with chronic obstructive lung disease who developed a rapidly progressing intramuscular abscess around the left hip and thigh. Within 3 days, the lesions progressed to an epidural abscess at the L4 to S1 level. Although he was treated with broad-spectrum antibiotics and extensive incision and drainage, he died of rapidly progressive respiratory failure. Nocardia abscessus (N. abscessus) was identified in pus samples using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). This case shows that the diagnosis of an intramuscular abscess caused by N. abscessus is challenging and that using MALDI-TOF MS may facilitate the diagnosis and ensure appropriate treatment.
A Nurse-Led Algorithm for Diagnosing Urinary Tract Infection in Homebound Older Adults
Authors: Mendoza De la Garza Maria D. , Mohammad Natalie F. , DiTommaso Molly J. , Bicknese Angie L. , Kaffine Kirsten B. , Verdoorn Brandon P.
Published: February 2024

Purpose:

We designed a nurse-led algorithm to standardize urinary tract infection (UTI) diagnosis for older adults receiving home-based medical care. Aims of this pilot quality improvement study were to reduce the frequency of empiric antibiotic therapy initiated without a urinalysis and urine culture (UA/UC) first being obtained, reduce antibiotic use without a concomitant increase in emergency department (ED) visits or hospital admissions, and ensure stakeholders' satisfaction with algorithm use.

Method:

A nurse-led diagnostic algorithm was designed and pilot-tested to address challenges and standardize diagnosis of UTI in a population of homebound older adults.

Results:

In pre/post data analysis, algorithm implementation was associated with improved frequency of obtaining UA/UC before empiric antibiotic therapy was initiated, but the overall rate of antibiotic use for UTI did not decrease. No increase in ED or hospital admissions was identified.

Conclusion:

Use of a diagnostic algorithm for UTI among homebound older adults was associated with reduced frequency of empiric antibiotic initiation for suspected UTI without a UA/UC first being obtained. More rigorous study is needed to confirm and expand on these findings. [
Research in Gerontological Nursing, 17
(2), 92–97.]
Los salones de vistas en Buenos Aires a mediados del siglo XIX: experiencias de luz, movimiento y espacio
Authors: Bruno Garcén Paula
Published: February 2024

Durante la década de 1850 en Buenos Aires proliferó una gran cantidad de salones de vistas ópticas, donde se presentaron imágenes a partir de dispositivos ópticos como linternas mágicas, dioramas o cosmoramas. Los programas de los eventos eran anunciados en los diarios porteños, y eran renovados semanalmente. Se presentaron vistas de las principales ciudades europeas y americanas, y de escenas de actualidad, así como inventos o experimentos científicos. Este artículo analiza los espectáculos ópticos, mecánicos y luminosos que tuvieron lugar en los salones de vistas como una oferta diferenciada que emergió hacia 1850 en la escena de las diversiones públicas de Buenos Aires y que facilitaron experiencias visuales de luz, movimiento y espacio. Se observa que estos espectáculos se dieron a causa de tiempos más acelerados en la producción y distribución de mercancías y personas a nivel internacional, por una asentada legitimidad de lo novedoso como criterio de valorización, y por el desarrollo comercial de la iluminación a gas. A su vez, se afirma que los aparatos ópticos y luminosos funcionaron en una dimensión reflexiva sobre las experiencias más intensas de movimiento, espacio y luz que se iban desplegando en la ciudad. Se trató de tecnologías puestas al servicio de una vivencia multisensorial de desplazamiento virtual, diversión y conocimiento de lugares, eventos y curiosidades científicas.
La linterna mágica en la literatura latinoamericana (siglos XIX y XX)
Authors: Cuvardic García Dorde
Published: February 2024

La exhibición de los dispositivos ópticos en Occidente fue un fenómeno transatlántico y, como tal, también estuvo presente en América Latina. En este último espacio cultural, linternas mágicas, tutilimundis y otros dispositivos ópticos ofrecían una imagen del mundo que disciplinaba al mismo tiempo la mirada del espectador. La linterna mágica, en particular, no sólo fue un importante medio de comunicación, desde finales del siglo XVII hasta inicios del siglo XX, cuando perdió el favor del público ante la imagen en movimiento del cinematógrafo, sino que también fue un dispositivo representado con relativa frecuencia en textos literarios, entre ellos, los latinoamericanos. Interesa investigar la función expresiva e ideológica de la linterna mágica y de sus variedades (cuadros disolventes, cromatropo, etc.), principalmente como metáfora del funcionamiento de la mente y de la percepción humana, en textos de José T. de Cuellar, Hilarión Frías, Heriberto García de Quevedo, José María Roa Bárcenas, Eugenio María de Hostos, Rubén Darío, Miguel Ángel Asturias y Herrera y Reissig, entre otros.
Reframing Assessments
Authors: Matheis Peter , John Jubin Jacob
Published: February 2024

This study addresses the limitations of traditional assessment practices and proposes a conceptual model to reframe assessments for authenticity in the context of generative artificial intelligence (AI). Traditional assessment practices often fail to capture diverse knowledge and can be exploited by students' misuse of generative AI tools for unfair academic advantages, which underscores the need for robust assessment mechanisms. This study explores how authentic assessments can be integrated with generative AI tools to mitigate academic dishonesty and enhance the learning experience. Building on existing AI approaches in higher education, this study develops a model integrating generative AI in authentic assessments. This model can serve as a framework for incorporating authenticity in assessment practices while leveraging the capabilities of generative AI. An example illustrating the conceptual model, along with several reimagined authentic assessment types, and mitigation strategies for reframing authentic assessment design, are provided.
AI as an Accessibility Tool
Authors: McDermott Brenda
Published: February 2024

While generative AI is often discussed in terms of challenging notions of academic integrity, it is increasingly looked at as a potential tool to break down barriers in post-secondary education. In particular, this chapter considers how generative artificial intelligence technologies could be leveraged to provide multiple means of engagement, representation and expression (CAST, n.d.). In other words, how can the use of generative AI support social justice in higher education. An ethical approach to generative AI requires respect for the diversity among learners. An ethical approach to generative AI must reflect fairness, which requires recognizing the inherent biases built into the post-secondary learning environments. Using generative AI to support universal design for learning shifts this narrative, considering how technology acceptance could support social justice in post-secondary learning.
Detecting Is Just the Start
Authors: Glendinning Irene
Published: February 2024

When students submit work for assessment that that they did not create themselves, unless this can be both identified and proven, the students will unfairly gain credits towards their qualification. For text-based plagiarism or collusion, even if the student has tried to disguise it, it is likely to be detected and evidenced if text matching software is used systematically to check all submissions. If it is original work that has been created for the student, typically contract cheating or use of generative AI, then it is less straightforward. The first challenge is detecting a potential breach of integrity. The second challenge is for the marker to have both the time and the will to report it. Next, the marker needs to know what evidence is needed and how to report it. There are many reasons why a marker may decide not to raise allegations. Addressing doubts and concerns like these can make a huge difference to how many cases of conduct are reported and investigated. This chapter suggests what actions can be taken within institutions to ensure that fairness and integrity prevail.
Empowering Students From Assumptions to Knowledge
Authors: Gribble Lynn C. , Wardrop Janis E.
Published: February 2024

The arrival of ‘free to access' generative AI platforms in late 2022 has irrevocably changed the educational landscape. Of concern to many is how to uphold academic integrity in assessments ensuring students are able to demonstrate their learning in this new environment where a ‘machine' can research and write for you. In this chapter, the authors present a process which is designed to uncover the true nature of the ‘work' expected to be performed by students during assessment, which then allows GenAI tools to be knowingly used by students as just another research tool. While it is still early days, changing our understanding that what should be assessed is ‘the work' expected of students rather than the ‘output' suggests that all is not lost when it comes to academic integrity.
Bidirectional Complementary Correlation-Based Multimodal Aspect-Level Sentiment Analysis
Authors: Yang Jing , Xiong Yujie
Published: February 2024

Aspect-based sentiment analysis is the key to natural language processing, and it focuses on the polarity of emotions associated with specific text aspects. Traditional models that combine text and visual data tend to ignore the deeper interconnections between patterns. To solve this problem, the authors propose a multimodal sentiment-oriented analysis (BiCCM-ABSA) model based on bidirectional complementary correlation. The model utilizes text-image synergy through a novel cross-modal attention mechanism to align text with image features. With the transformer architecture, it is not only a simple fusion, but also ensures the complex alignment of multi-modal features and gating mechanisms. Experiments were conducted on the Twitter-15 and Twitter-17 datasets, achieving 69.28 accuracy and 67.54% F1 score, respectively. The experimental results demonstrate the advantages of BiCCM-ABSA, the bidirectional approach of the model and the effective cross-modal correlation set a new benchmark in the field of multimodal emotion recognition, providing insights beyond traditional single-modal analysis.
Perspective on historical evolution and modern day challenges for the Internal Medicine Physician – based on SLCIM oration 2023 – “My search for meaning”
Authors: Dissanayake A.
Published: February 2024

No abstract available
A noteworthy rarity: fibrocalculous pancreatic diabetes as an uncommon aetiology of diabetes
Authors: Rajaratnam A. , Kularathne W. K. S.
Published: February 2024

No abstract available
Chronic myeloid leukaemia with generalized lymphadenopathy – a high risk category
Authors: Prasanni WDD , Williams HSA , Costa YJ , Dissanayake T
Published: February 2024

Chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) presenting with generalized lymphadenopathy is an uncommon manifestation of CML. Lymphadenopathy in these patients could be due to extramedullary involvement by myeloid cells with all stages of maturation, blast infiltration, co-existing lymphoproliferative disorder or reactive lymphadenopathy. We report a case of a 38-year-old male with CML in chronic phase and generalized lymphadenopathy at diagnosis. He transformed to blast crisis within 14 weeks of diagnosis despite tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) therapy. This case indicates that CML patients with lymphadenopathy are at high risk of disease progression and early blast transformation and therefore candidates for aggressive treatment.
Effect of male HBV infection on the outcomes of IVF/ICSI cycles: a retrospective cohort study based on propensity score matching
Authors: Zhu Su-Qin , Liao Xiu-Hua , Jiang Wen-Wen , Sun Yan , Xu Hui-Ling , Chen Xiao-Jing , Zheng Bei-Hong
Published: February 2024

This study aimed to investigate the effects of male hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection on male fertility, embryonic development, and in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (IVF/ICSI) outcomes. We performed a retrospective cohort study that included 3965 infertile couples who received fresh embryo transfer cycles for the first time at the Fujian Maternity and Child Health Hospital (Fuzhou, China) from January 2018 to January 2021. Infertile couples were categorized based on their HBV infection status into the HBV group (HBV-positive men and HBV-negative women) and the control group (HBV-negative couples). A 1:1 propensity score matching was performed with relatively balanced covariates. Baseline characteristics, semen parameters, laboratory outcomes, clinical outcomes, and obstetric and neonatal outcomes were compared between groups. After propensity score matching, 821 couples were included in each group. Both groups had similar semen parameters and obstetric and neonatal outcomes. The HBV group showed a significantly lower live birth rate than the control group (P < 0.05). The HBV group had a significantly higher abortion rate than the control group (P < 0.05). The rates of high-quality embryos and blastocyst formation were significantly lower in the HBV group than those in the control group (both P < 0.05). In conclusion, in couples who undergo IVF/ICSI, male HBV infection reduces the live birth rate and increases the risk of miscarriage. However, the incidence of low birth weight in women with IVF/ICSI does not increase with male HBV infection.
Comparative study of posterior lumbar interbody fusion by strut laminar autograft versus cage in degenerative lumbar spine diseases
Authors: Samad Ayman A A , El-Banna Emad G , Makhlouf Tarek M , Mostafa Ahmed G
Published: February 2024

Background

Degenerative spondylolisthesis and lumbar disk degeneration are common degenerative diseases of the spine that may lead to lower back pain and radicular leg pain. The perfect surgical treatment remains a point of debate; interbody fusion has been recognized as having a ‘golden role’ in the treatment of lumbar degenerative diseases, but spinal interbody fusion with polyetheretherketone (PEEK) cage surgery often incurs numerous complications such as cage retropulsion, nonunion, and high cost. We hypothesize that the autologous strut laminar graft will show clinical and radiological results similar to those obtained using a PEEK cage.

Objective

To compare the primary outcome (clinical pain relief) and the secondary outcome (radiological signs of union and rate of fusion) when using strut laminar graft versus PEEK cage in posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF) technique in the surgical management of degenerative lumbar diseases.

Patients and methods

Forty patients with single-level lumbar degenerative disk disease and/or degenerative spondylolisthesis grades 1 or 2 underwent PLIF surgery between November 2017 and December 2020. All patients were randomly divided into two groups according to the method of fusion (group A: laminar strut graft and group B: PEEK cage). Single-level PLIF was performed in all patients. Clinical, radiological, functional, and perioperative data were recorded and compared.

Results

The mean follow-up was 22 ± 6 months. Clinical improvement and radiological fusion were significantly documented in each group (P>0.05). However, no significant difference existed between the two groups regarding demographic, radiological, and functional outcomes.

Conclusions

The results suggest that the laminar strut graft when used instead of the cage seems to be an equally safe and low-priced method of interbody fusion.
Risk Factors of Childhood Extrapulmonary Tuberculosis Compared to Pulmonary Tuberculosis in Bangladesh: A Hospital-based Study
Authors: Pervin Rahana , Haque M. Atiqul , Bushra Tanjela , Afroz Syeda , Das Sudipta , Talukder Rajan , Asha Saleha S. , Sultana Shahana , Fatema Khandakar , Khan Md. Maruf Haque
Published: February 2024

Introduction:

Childhood tuberculosis (TB) is one of the common causes of child mortality and morbidity in Bangladesh. The study aimed to assess the risk factors of extrapulmonary TB (EPTB) and pulmonary TB (PTB) in children and compare those with PTB amongst children.

Materials and Methods:

This hospital-based comparative study included EPTB and PTB cases ≤18 years. The groups were compared regarding various risk factors, including age, gender, socio-economic status, education level, nutritional status, family history, active and passive smoking, household contact, ventilation, overcrowding and contact duration.

Results:

Both EPTB and PTB patients were seen more in lower socio-economic groups (94%), and PTB was slightly higher (49% vs. 45% EPTB). Around 61% of EPTB cases occurred in the 11–18 age group, with a higher prevalence amongst females (61%) compared to males. Age was shown to have a significant association with EPTB, while the absence of ventilation, poor health status, overcrowding and contact duration displayed non-significant positive associations. The female gender, higher education, passive smoking and Bacillus Calmette–Guerin vaccination demonstrated statistically non-significant negative associations with EPTB in reference to PTB.

Conclusion:

It is essential to adequately address the risk factors to prevent children from both types of TB.
Acceptability, Feasibility and Appropriateness of Care of Patients with Depression at Health and Wellness Centre in a District of India
Authors: Saxena Sourabh , Bhan Anant , Fleming William , Singh Abhishek , Tugnawat Deepak
Published: February 2024

Objective:

To study implementation of mental health services delivery with depression as tracer condition through Health and Wellness Centres (HWCs) under Ayushman Bharat programme in India.

Materials and Methods:

Mixed methods approach. The outcomes of acceptability, appropriateness and feasibility were measured and analysed.

Results:

The study found a low level of appropriateness and a medium level of acceptability for using HWCs as a platform for the management of patients with depression. Increased availability of trained human resources, improved infrastructure and drug availability, integration with other programmes and coordination with higher centres for referral and follow-up are suggested as key interventions to enhance the appropriateness and acceptability of depression care.

Conclusion:

There is a need for innovative model of care that places an emphasis on the integration and implement strategies to maximise the implementation outcomes of depression care through HWCs.
Performance Analysis for Reconfigurable Intelligent Surface-aided Communication Systems with Energy Harvesting under Imperfect Nakagami-m Channel Information
Authors: Trần Hữu Quý , Van Khuong Ho
Published: February 2024

Reconfigurable intelligent surface (RIS) can serve as a passive relay to maintain communication between a transceiver in severe scenarios of no direct link between them. In addition, harvesting energy from radio frequency (RF) signals can meliorate significantly energy efficiency. In this research, we propose RIS-aided communication systems with energy harvesting (RISwEH) which combine both RIS and RF energy harvesting to improve energy efficiency as well as communication reliability. To evaluate realistically and quickly the performance of the RISwEH, we propose the explicit formulas of the system throughput and the outage probability under the realistic scenario of Nakagami-m fading and imperfect channel state information (CSI). Moreover, we propose an optimization algorithm relied upon a Golden section search to attain the optimum value of the time splitting factor of energy harvester to obtain the best system performance. Various results corroborate the theoretical derivations, confirm the efficacy of the proposed optimization algorithm, and illustrate the influence of innumerable system settings on the system performance. Particularly, the imperfect CSI deteriorates considerably the system performance. Nonetheless, the performance of the RISwEH can be enhanced by accreting the quantity of the elements of the RIS as well as with the lower fading severity. Furthermore, the time splitting factor also impacts dramatically the outage performance of the RISwEH and its optimal value mitigates significantly the outage probability.
Prevalence and Correlates of Malnutrition in Nuh District, Haryana State, India
Authors: Rahi Manju , Nazmeen Aarifa , Yadav Chander Prakash , Sirohi Preeti Rana , Gupta Sanjeev , Bhati Gaurav , Baharia Rajendra , Goel Pawan , Sharma Amit
Published: February 2024

India has a substantial burden of undernutrition coupled with overweight and obesity at the other end of the spectrum of malnutrition. Nuh district, in the Haryana State in northern India, is an impoverished district in India. With an aim to investigate the problem of malnutrition in the community, a cross-sectional study was conducted in four villages of the Nuh district. Height/length, weight, and age data of children under 5 years were used to calculate three indices: weight-for-age, height-for-age, and weight-for-height. The body mass index was calculated for individuals older than 6 years. Associations between malnutrition and other factors were assessed using simple and multiple logistic regression to get adjusted coefficients. The total surveyed population comprised 11,496 individuals. Over 51% were female, and 13.2% of the surveyed population were children under 5 years. Almost half of the population was illiterate and unemployed. The prevalences of underweight, stunting, and wasting in children under 5 years were 37%, 53%, and 21%, respectively. The prevalences of underweight and stunting in the 6- to 19-year-old age group were 29% and 38%, respectively. The prevalence of overweight was 36% in the 20- to 40-year-old and > 60-year-old age groups, and 44% in the 41- to 60-year-old age group. Our findings reveal a considerable burden of undernutrition among children under 5 years and a dual burden of undernutrition and overnutrition in adults, highlighting the need to map these areas and sharpen our responses to mitigate the overwhelming and long-term consequences of malnutrition in the Nuh district.