bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Vascular endothelial growth factor in hypersensitivity pneumonitis and connective tissue disease-associated interstitial lung disease
Authors: El-Hinnawy Yasmine Hamdy , El-Ghobashy Nehal , Halim Radwa Marawan Abdel , Elwafa Gihan Saad Abo
Published: May 2024

Background

A growing evidence on the role of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in the pathogenesis of interstitial lung diseases accumulated over the past decade; with the development of nintedanib for the treatment of fibrotic interstitial lung diseases, our aim was to quantify serum levels of VEGF in patients’ hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP) and connective tissue disease-associated interstitial lung diseases (CTD-ILD) with an assessment of its relationship with functional status parameters and echocardiographic findings.

Methods

Spirometry, 6-min walking test, echocardiography, and serum VEGF levels were assessed in HP and CTD-ILD patients.

Results

The study included 31 HP patients, 30 CTD-ILD patients, and 29 control subjects. VEGF level was significantly higher in HP patients than in patients with CTD-ILD and control subjects. VEGF level showed positive correlation with 6-min walk distance and forced vital capacity percent predicted and inverse correlation with percent desaturation in 6-min walk test, dyspnea score, and echocardiographic findings in both groups.

Conclusion

Serum VEGF is higher in HP patients than in patients with CTD-ILD and control.
Water Tower Home transformation: bottom-up urban regeneration through a reality TV show
Authors: Liu Diyu , Tam Lui , Li Yingchun
Published: May 2024

The article examines Wutopia Lab’s transformation of the Water Tower Home (shuita zhijia, also know as ‘House on the House’), a top-floor unit of a residential building converted from a water tower located in a Bulinli lilong neighbourhood in Shanghai. In 2015, the top-floor unit was transformed into a three-bedroom apartment, which was featured in a popular reality TV show Dream Home. Using the concept of ‘raumplan’ as the primary design strategy, the design deploys various heights and platforms to re-organise the internal space while largely maintaining the exterior appearance of the building. It deliberately avoided homogeneous visual control and accommodated the residents’ complex functional requirements within a highly restricted space. The research scrutinises various actors’ involvement during the production of the reality TV show and the transformation process. It highlights how the design team navigated the stakeholders’ complex needs and the rigid yet ambiguous policy related to the regeneration of Shanghai’s unofficial urban heritage. By reflecting upon the various formal and informal design practices in this structure and its eventual demolition, the article illustrates the dilemmas in bottom-up regeneration of the historic urban environment in contemporary China.
A novel approach to understanding the genesis and distribution of widespread reservoirs at the basin edge: A case study of gas-bearing sandstone in the Sangonghe Formation, Junggar Basin, Western China
Authors: Wang Ling , Sun Tingbin , Liu Peng , Wang Zichuan , Yin Wen , Xu Tao , Wei Yihe , Gao Qian
Published: May 2024

A 20 m thick sandstone drilled in the second member of the Sangonghe Formation in the Qianshao area of the Junggar Basin has been identified to be a high-quality gas-bearing reservoir. However, recent missions reveal an uncertainty in reservoir distribution and bring high risk to the subsequent gas development, although the gas-bearing reservoir has been encountered by several drillings and proved to be widespread. To investigate the accurate distribution and reveal the evolution of the reservoir, we reconstruct the stratigraphic framework and depositional stages by a high-revolution sequence stratigraphic method, effectively identify the gas-bearing reservoir by seismic attributes refusion and seismic stratigraphic slices, and finally map the distribution strata distribution at different stages. The results indicate that the landward onlap phenomenon in the seismic data indicates a retrogradational stratigraphic structure during the water level rise rather than the equal-thickness stratigraphic pattern under stable water conditions. According to the retrogradational stratigraphic structure, the real driver for the widespread characteristic of a gas-bearing reservoir is the backward staggered movement of multistage sand bodies during the transgressive process rather than single-stage deposition. The fusion of seismic acoustic impedance and main frequency attributes provides an effective survey to identify the accurate distribution of the reservoir, by which interpretation of a stratigraphic slice along the vertical centerline of the reservoir extracted from the multiattribute fusion survey can present the distribution and evolution of the three stages on only one map. Achieved by an appropriate interpretation on the map, two sandy debris flow bodies are identified as being deposited at the bottom successively during the first two transgressive stages. They are completely staggered in the source direction with a clear boundary between well Qs9 and Qs7. Subsequently, the subsequent rise of the water level led to the deposition of a large-scale multibranch shallow-water delta, which exhibits the characteristics of multistage, multisource, and multibranch. The results not only advance our comprehension of widespread sand bodies but also furnish fundamental insights for the development of lithologic condensate gas reservoirs in the Qianshao area.
Examining the unique relationships between problematic use of the internet and impulsive and compulsive tendencies: network approach
Authors: Liu Chang , Rotaru Kristian , Ren Lei , Chamberlain Samuel R. , Christensen Erynn , Brierley Mary-Ellen , Richardson Karyn , Lee Rico S. C. , Segrave Rebecca , Grant Jon E. , Kayayan Edouard , Hughes Sam , Fontenelle Leonardo F. , Lowe Amelia , Suo Chao , Freichel René , Wiers Reinout W. , Yücel Murat , Albertella Lucy
Published: May 2024

Background

Both impulsivity and compulsivity have been identified as risk factors for problematic use of the internet (PUI). Yet little is known about the relationship between impulsivity, compulsivity and individual PUI symptoms, limiting a more precise understanding of mechanisms underlying PUI.

Aims

The current study is the first to use network analysis to (a) examine the unique association among impulsivity, compulsivity and PUI symptoms, and (b) identify the most influential drivers in relation to the PUI symptom community.

Method

We estimated a Gaussian graphical model consisting of five facets of impulsivity, compulsivity and individual PUI symptoms among 370 Australian adults (51.1% female, mean age = 29.8, s.d. = 11.1). Network structure and bridge expected influence were examined to elucidate differential associations among impulsivity, compulsivity and PUI symptoms, as well as identify influential nodes bridging impulsivity, compulsivity and PUI symptoms.

Results

Results revealed that four facets of impulsivity (i.e. negative urgency, positive urgency, lack of premeditation and lack of perseverance) and compulsivity were related to different PUI symptoms. Further, compulsivity and negative urgency were the most influential nodes in relation to the PUI symptom community due to their highest bridge expected influence.

Conclusions

The current findings delineate distinct relationships across impulsivity, compulsivity and PUI, which offer insights into potential mechanistic pathways and targets for future interventions in this space. To realise this potential, future studies are needed to replicate the identified network structure in different populations and determine the directionality of the relationships among impulsivity, compulsivity and PUI symptoms.
Culturally Competent Education and Human Papillomavirus Self-Sampling Achieves Healthy People 2030 Cervical Screening Target Among Low-Income Non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic Women
Authors: Shastri Surendra S. , McNeill Lorna H. , Shete Sanjay
Published: May 2024

PURPOSE

Disparities in cervical cancer screening, incidence, and mortality exist in the United States. Cervical cancer incidence and mortality rates in Texas are 20% and 32% higher, respectively, than national averages. Within Texas, these rates are significantly higher among non-Hispanic (NH) Black and Hispanic women. Cervical cancer screening uptake is lower among NH Black and Hispanic women (72.9% and 75.9%, respectively) compared with White women (85.5%) in Texas.

METHODS

During March-August 2023, we conducted a pilot study that offered culturally competent education and human papillomavirus (HPV) self-sampling kits to women in two public housing projects in Houston, TX, that have predominantly NH Black or Hispanic residents. Among those eligible for cervical cancer screening, 35% (n = 24) of the NH Black and 34% (n = 16) of the Hispanic women were found to be underscreened per the US Preventive Services Task Force Guideline. We recruited 40 (24 NH Black and 16 Hispanic) eligible women for our study. The study was approved by the MD Anderson institutional review board and registered with ClinicalTrials.gov ( NCT04614155 —March 11, 2020).

RESULTS

Seventy-five percent of the NH Black and 87% of the Hispanic participants completed the HPV self-sampling procedures per protocol. Samples of 17% NH Black and 12% Hispanic participants showed a performance error. Overall, cervical cancer screening uptake improved from 65% to 91% among NH Black and from 66% to 96% among Hispanic participants.

CONCLUSION

Culturally competent education and HPV self-sampling resulted in remarkable improvement in cervical cancer screening uptake among underscreened NH Black and Hispanic women residents of Houston public housing projects. Implementing this strategy could significantly reduce cervical cancer incidence and mortality among similar populations in the United States and globally.
Endogenous Estrogen Exposure and Hypertension Risk; A Population-based Cohort Study With About 2 Decades of Follow-up
Authors: Ramezani Tehrani Fahimeh , Mousavi Maryam , Saei Ghare Naz Marzieh , Noroozzadeh Mahsa , Azizi Fereidoun , Farahmand Maryam
Published: May 2024

Content

The impact of endogenous estrogen exposure (EEE) on hypertension (HTN) incidence has not been investigated yet.

Objective

This study aimed to evaluate HTN incidence in women with different endogenous estrogen durations.

Methods

Information was gathered from the Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study to conduct current research. At the initiation of the study, 4463 postmenarche normotensive women, including 3599 premenopausal and 864 menopausal women, were included. EEE was calculated for each woman, and they were followed up for the HTN event. According to the EEE, the hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for the HTN event were presented using Cox proportional hazards regression models (unadjusted and adjusted).

Results

The median (interquartile range) of follow-up (between menarche and the date of HTN incidence or last follow-up) was 33.2 (25.1, 42.3) years. The event of menopause occurred in 31.8% of participants. The unadjusted model's findings illustrated that the EEE z-score was inversely associated with HTN incidence in postmenarcheal women [unadjusted hazard ratio (HR) .47, 95% CI .44-.50], meaning that the risk of HTN decreased by 53% for every 1-SD rise in the EEE z-score. After adjusting for potential confounders, the results showed no statistically significant changes (adjusted HR .46, 95% CI .43-.49). In participants with prehypertension at baseline, the hazard of HTN decreased by 56% per 1-SD rise in the EEE z-score.

Conclusion

This longitudinal study demonstrated the protective effect of a longer EEE duration on HTN risk, even among those with prehypertension status.
Observational and cross-sectional study on clinical profile of nontuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) disease in patients at tertiary care hospital of central India
Authors: Dinesh Bhanushali Jay , Ghewade Dr Babaji , Jadhav Dr Ulhas
Published: May 2024

Background Nontuberculous Mycobacterial (NTM) diseases present unique clinical challenges and are increasingly recognised as significant contributors to respiratory and extrapulmonary morbidity. This study protocol outlines an observational and cross-sectional investigation aiming to comprehensively understand the clinical profile of NTM disease, including its prevalence, risk factors, and clinical features, in patients at a tertiary care hospital in central India. Methods Over two years, from July 2022 to June 2024, a convenience sample size will be recruited from TB suspects meeting inclusion criteria. Comprehensive data collection will be conducted, including demographic information, clinical history, radiological findings, microbiological test results, and risk factor assessments. Statistical methods will be applied to the collected data, including descriptive statistics, comparative analysis, risk factor assessments, and multivariate analyses. Expected Results The study aims to provide valuable insights into the prevalence and clinical manifestations of NTM disease, shedding light on the risk factors contributing to its occurrence. The statistical analyses will identify key factors associated with NTM disease and characterise its clinical and radiological features.
An interventional cross-sectional study of electrolyte levels in newborns with hyperbilirubinemia before and after phototherapy in a tertiary care hospital in central India
Authors: Kiran Patel Ankita , Vagha Jayant
Published: May 2024

Introduction This study protocol outlines a comprehensive investigation into the impact of phototherapy on electrolyte levels in newborns with hyperbilirubinemia. With a focus on neonates admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College and AVBR Hospital, Sawangi, Wardha, Central India, the research aims to contribute valuable insights into the physiological changes associated with this common neonatal condition. The study’s introduction highlights the rationale, significance, and gaps in current knowledge, emphasising the need for a detailed exploration of electrolyte dynamics before and after phototherapy. Method The methodology involves a descriptive, interventional cross-sectional design with a calculated sample size of 264 neonates. Standardised protocols for data collection, including serum electrolyte analysis and urine-specific gravity assessment, will be employed. Inclusion and exclusion criteria are clearly defined to ensure a homogenous study population. Statistical analyses, utilising R Studio 4.3.1 will encompass descriptive statistics, comparative analysis, correlation analysis, and multivariate analysis to explore the nuanced relationships between variables. Rigorous ethical considerations and transparency in reporting will guide the data collection process. Expected Result Anticipated outcomes include a nuanced understanding of changes in serum electrolyte levels following phototherapy and the correlation of these changes with the treatment duration. The study is poised to shed light on the impact of gestational age and birth weight on electrolyte responses. Through rigorous statistical analysis, the research aims to provide evidence-based insights that can inform neonatal care protocols. The anticipated findings hold the potential to influence clinical practices, enhancing the quality of care provided to newborns with hyperbilirubinemia undergoing phototherapy.
Case Report: Metachronous intussusception: A complex case report of small intestinal adenocarcinoma
Authors: Behi Hager , OMRY Ahmed , Kamataoui Amal , Changuel Amel , Guelmami Hanene , Manai Med Hedi , Khalifa Med Bachir
Published: May 2024

Small intestinal adenocarcinomas, comprising less than 5% of digestive cancers, present diagnostic and therapeutic intricacies often overshadowed by more common digestive malignancies. This report highlights the unique metachronous characteristic of the case, emphasizing the presence of intussusception, to contribute valuable knowledge and refine medical approaches for optimizing outcomes in these rare and complex scenarios. A 73-year-old male, previously operated for right colon adenocarcinoma, developed metachronous liver metastasis a year later, successfully treated. Presenting with acute intestinal obstruction, imaging confirmed mechanical obstruction, prompting small intestine resection and stoma creation. The postoperative phase, characterized by meticulous care, ensures ongoing close oncological follow-up for this complex medical journey, with the added complication of intussusception. Amid the rarity of small intestinal adenocarcinomas in digestive cancers, our unique case sheds light on the challenges in diagnosis and treatment, particularly highlighting the presence of intussusception. The distinctive approach of small intestine resection and stoma creation underscores ongoing debates on adjuvant chemotherapy, reflecting an evolving management landscape. This underscores the crucial role of continuous research and multidisciplinary strategies in optimizing outcomes for patients facing this uncommon malignancy complicated by intussusception. This report provides valuable insights into the complexities of diagnosing and managing small intestinal adenocarcinomas, particularly when complicated by intussusception. As we navigate this nuanced medical terrain, continuous research and multidisciplinary approaches remain pivotal for refining our understanding and optimizing outcomes in small intestinal adenocarcinomas.
La Mesa Nacional de Concertación “Parques con campesinos”: la gestión del conflicto por el uso del suelo en Parques Nacionales Naturales desde un enfoque participativo
Authors: Salazar María Alejandra
Published: May 2024

Colombia consolida hoy un total de 31 386 027 hectáreas de áreas protegidas, es decir, aproximadamente el 15,16% del territorio nacional. Sin embargo, a pesar del esfuerzo por consolidar y seguir aumentando las áreas protegidas, esta estrategia de conservación enfrenta hoy situaciones de uso, ocupación y tenencia de comunidades campesinas que generan como consecuencia conflictos socioambientales con la Unidad de Parques Nacionales Naturales —PNN—, debido a la limitación de usos del suelo que restringe muchas de las actividades realizadas por los campesinos. Con el ánimo de buscarle solución a esta problemática se instauró la Mesa Nacional de Concertación “Parques con campesinos” como un espacio de diálogo entre la institucionalidad y las comunidades campesinas. Este artículo se preguntó por la manera cómo PNN gestiona los conflictos generados por el cambio de uso de suelo, como consecuencia de la figura de protección de Parques Nacionales Naturales, con los campesinos que habitan esta área desde escenarios de participación nacional.
Los Llanos Orientales y sus gentes
Authors: Castillo Ordóñez Elsy Yaneth
Published: May 2024

Este capítulo se propone reconocer los principales aspectos del procesos de poblamiento y conformación de la sociedad orinoquense, sus características socioculturales plasmadas en una aproximación a un perfil de las gentes de los Llanos Orientales colombianos, de la que hace parte una población heterogénea como son los: indígenas,llaneros (identificados como propios del Llano o raizales fruto del mestizaje), campesinos andinos, colonos (pioneros, van en las puntas de los frentes de colonización) y afrodescendientes. Poblaciones que se han establecido a través de economías propias o atraídos por el boom de las diversas etapas de los extractivismos, que intervienen y se interrelacionan entre ecosistemas de páramos, selva y sabanas: germen de las culturas americanas. Proceso este que ha generado un crisol cultural tejido en un territorio que ha desempeñado un papel importante en la conformación de la nación colombiana, y que en pleno siglo XXI continúa debatiéndose en su proceso de consolidación como región de frontera.
Optimal Error Bounds in the Absence of Constraint Qualifications with Applications to p-Cones and Beyond
Authors: Lindstrom Scott B. , Lourenço Bruno F. , Pong Ting Kei
Published: May 2024

We prove tight Hölderian error bounds for all p-cones. Surprisingly, the exponents differ in several ways from those that have been previously conjectured. Moreover, they illuminate p-cones as a curious example of a class of objects that possess properties in three dimensions that they do not in four or more. Using our error bounds, we analyse least squares problems with p-norm regularization, where our results enable us to compute the corresponding Kurdyka–Łojasiewicz exponents for previously inaccessible values of p. Another application is a (relatively) simple proof that most p-cones are neither self-dual nor homogeneous. Our error bounds are obtained under the framework of facial residual functions, and we expand it by establishing for general cones an optimality criterion under which the resulting error bound must be tight.

Funding: The second author was partly supported by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists [Grants 19K20217, 23K16844] and Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research [Grant (B)21H03398]. The third author was partly supported by the Hong Kong Research Grants Council [Grant PolyU153000/20p].
Socio-Psychological Support of Child-Parent Relationships During Distance Learning in General Secondary Education Institutions in War Conditions
Authors:   Bilbasiv supporting ZZSO I-III degrees, Meleshko Lilia , Surovtseva Iryna ,   Pryazovskyi State Technical University, Chorna Viktoriya ,   Bilbasiv supporting ZZSO I-III degrees
Published: May 2024

The article substantiates the relevance of the problem of psychological and pedagogical support of families, with consideration of modern realities and challenges of the time (distance learning in war conditions). The possibilities of remote monitoring of child-parent relations and the role of a school psychologist have been determined. Conclusions regarding the results of the study of theoretical approaches in providing psychological and pedagogical assistance to children and teachers have been given. The main problems in family and child-parent relations in war conditions have been identified. Factors that significantly exacerbate child-parent relations have been analyzed. A pilot study in the form of a survey (via Google Forms) in 7th, 9th, 10th grades has been conducted (parents and students of secondary schools of Slovianskyi district of Donetsk region participated in the sample). The types and volumes of child-parent communication after school hours have been clarified. The need for systematic psychological and pedagogical support and the creation of the following conditions for the interaction of the participants of the educational process has been proven: the formation of permanent, two-way informational contact between the participants of the interaction; systematic and purposeful inclusion of all subjects of the educational process in the joint activity; the formation of a positive attitude towards the interaction of participants against the background of favorable emotional well-being.
Use of Training Technologies in the Process of Training Volunteers
Authors:   National Technical University of Ukraine ", Tymoshenko Nataliia ,   Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute"
Published: May 2024

The article reveals volunteering as an activity carried out voluntarily for society or specific social groups, without expecting a reward. An analysis of domestic research on the phenomenon of volunteering has been conducted, and the multifaceted nature of volunteer activities has been determined. It has been substantiated that volunteering contributes to the formation of communities, solidarity, and positive changes in society, providing people with the opportunity to develop their skills, gain new experiences, and learn to communicate with others. Approaches and methods that can be used in volunteer work have been highlighted: active learning, the case-study method, group work, mentoring and coaching, game-based approaches, etc. It has been found that training technologies are characterized by their ability to help people develop and learn in the modern world through emphasis on practical application, interaction, and personalization. An important feature of training technologies is their interactivity, which allows participants to listen and perceive information during the training process and actively engage in learning through exercises, mini-lectures, discussions, role-playing games, and other methods. Examples of successful practices in volunteer work using training technologies have been provided, the subjects of trainings for volunteers have been analyzed, such as «Identifying Needs Strategies», «Effective Project Management» and other.
Product evaluation of the Luja Micro-hole Zone Technology in clean intermittent self-catheterisation
Authors: Yates Ann , Weston Polly
Published: May 2024

Clean intermittent self-catheterisation is a common procedure undertaken by people with bladder dysfunction. However, it is not without its complications, the main one being urinary tract infection. The most common causes of urinary tract infections are poor hygiene, technique and adherence, excessive post-void residual urine and bladder trauma. A catheter with new Micro-hole Zone Technology has been developed, which can potentially improve bladder emptying and minimise these complications. A case study is used to illustrate its effects in practice.
Illumination Effects on Bacteriorhodopsin Accumulation in Archaeon Halobacterium Halobium
Authors: Lu Hao , Wang Jingjing , Yuan Wenqiao
Published: May 2024

Highlights

Effects of varying illumination conditions, including light intensity, light color, and illumination pattern on archaeon Halobacterium halobium growth and bacteriorhodopsin (BR) accumulation were first evaluated.

LED green light was much more energy-efficient than the red and blue lights in this research.

If energy consumption was not a concern, LED blue and red lights (or their combinations) were more effective for cell growth and BR accumulation, respectively, with a similar light intensity.

Abstract. This study was to understand the effect of LED light intensity, color, and illumination pattern on the growth of and bacteriorhodopsin (BR) accumulation in archaeon Halobacterium halobium. Experimental results showed that archaeon growth and BR content increased with increasing white light intensity. Green and white LED lights were found to be the most effective for archaeon growth and BR accumulation; here, effectiveness is defined based on photons shined on the bioreactor. The 12-h light/12-h dark cycle illumination pattern resulted in longer lag phase but achieved higher final cell growth and BR accumulation than continuous white light or an instant flash of light/dark illumination. The fade pattern that had smooth transitioning among green, blue, and red lights was better than the jump pattern without transitioning. The highest cell dry weight and BR content of H. halobium were 1.84 g l-1 and 11.76 mg l-1, respectively, under 29.85 µmol/m2s LED white light illumination. The green LED light of 1.39 µmol/m2s had the highest energy-specific conversion effectiveness and saved energy consumption by 84 and 87% per cell biomass and BR dry weight, respectively, compared to the worst case of LED white light of 29.85 µmol/m2s. Keywords: Archaeon, Bacteriorhodopsin, Halobacterium halobium, Illumination pattern, LED light, Light color.
Comparative Assessment of Consumer Attitudes to Timber as a Construction Material in China and Japan
Authors: Zhang Tao , Hu Qinian , Dewancker Bart Julien , Gao Weijun
Published: May 2024

Timber-framed architecture has a long history in both China and Japan. As an eco-friendly construction material, it is universally acknowledged that the use of timber can be conducive to the achievement of sustainable development for architecture. During the past decades, the development of timber-framed buildings in China and Japan appeared significantly different. Consumers’ cognition about timber as a construction material has been widely researched by European academics, while there are few such kinds of studies in China, especially the comparative study between China and Japan. To fill this gap, this study aims to figure out consumers’ acceptance and attitudes toward timber used as a construction material in China and Japan. By adopting a structured questionnaire method, this study analyzed consumers’ thoughts, knowledge, and awareness of modern timber-framed architecture from the consumer level. The results indicate that Chinese and Japanese consumers have the same prejudices regarding the deficiency of timber-frame houses, in terms of fire resistance, acoustic insulation, and durability, while having positive attitudes regarding health and nature, and doubts about environmentally friendly performance. Moreover, the background developing driving forces and developing obstacles have also been analyzed. These results help to provide a better understanding of the challenges and difficulties that the timber-framed house market is facing in China and Japan. Thus, some suggestions were proposed to policymakers, developers, and timber companies for the future development of timber-structure architecture.
Effect of single vanes on turbulent flow
Authors:   University of Tabriz, Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Water Science and Engineering, 29 Bahman Blvd, 5166616471, Tabriz, Iran, Adli Sara Ahmadi , Abbaspour Akram ,   University of Tabriz, Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Water Science and Engineering, 29 Bahman Blvd, 5166616471, Tabriz, Iran, Dalir Ali Hosseinzadeh ,   University of Tabriz, Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Water Science and Engineering, 29 Bahman Blvd, 5166616471, Tabriz, Iran, Parsa Javad ,   University of Tabriz, Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Water Science and Engineering, 29 Bahman Blvd, 5166616471, Tabriz, Iran
Published: May 2024

In response to growing environmental and ecological awareness, eco-friendly in-stream structures such as vanes have been implemented in different parts of the world to enhance stream conditions. FLUENT (ANSYS) was used to perform three-dimensional large eddy simulation to investigate the effect of the vanes permeability rate on flow characteristics. To evaluate the numerical model accuracy, numerical and experimental free surface profiles compared. It is observed that simulated free surface profiles agree reasonably well with measured values. The effect of different permeability rates is obvious in the flow characteristics such as depth-averaged velocity distribution, tip velocity variations, formation of the secondary flows in the flow field, turbulent kinetic energy, and mean kinetic energy contours. On average, maximum velocity values in the flow field is 1,54 times the approach velocity. Tip velocity decreases up to 30,6 % for the 70,0 % permeable vane. Maximum turbulent kinetic energy and mean kinetic energy for the 70,0 % permeable vane decrease up to 58,0 % and 43,3 %, respectively. Generally significant velocity and flow pattern variations around the impermeable vane can be attributed to the local effect of the vane structure and channel cross sectional constriction in comparison to the permeable vanes.
Sustainable energy production and resilience towards floods by using hydro and solar photovoltaic energy
Authors:   University North, Department of Civil Engineering, Jurja Križanića 31b, 42000 Varaždin, Croatia, Đurin Bojan , Kositgittiwong Duangrudee ,   King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi, Faculty of Engineering, Department of Civil Engineering, 126 Pracha Uthit Road, Bang Mot, Thung Khru, 10140 Bangkok, Thailand, Kranjčić Nikola ,   University North, Department of Geodesy and Geomatics, Jurja Križanića 31b, 42000 Varaždin, Croatia, Thi Thuy Linh Nguyen ,   Faculty of Natural Sciences, Institute of Earth Sciences, University of Silesia in Katowice, Będzińska Street 60, 41-200, Sosnowiec, Poland
Published: May 2024

Unexpected and intense floods have become more frequent recently; this is related to extreme weather events that are difficult to predict accurately. This necessitates new solutions to decrease the risk of flooding urban and rural areas. Moreover, such solutions should have negligible impact on the environment. There are several concepts, tools, and technical measures for preventing floods, one of which is the ‘monkey cheek’ concept for flood protection, used in Thailand for protection from river and sea floods. Monkeys collect food in their mouths and eat subsequently in stages. In a similar manner, excess water from floods could be collected and stored in reservoirs, sags, canals, floodplain forests, and unused space. Collected water could then be used for irrigation. In most cases, collected water must be pumped to distant or higher locations compared to the location where the water was collected. This requires electric energy for the pumps. This paper analyses a case study for the presented concept for the town of Ludbreg in Croatia, currently undergoing real-site measurements and calculations. A rescaled adjusted partial sums method is applied for the analysis. It has been shown that the energy potential of the local, small river Bednja in the observed location could be approximated using the “monkey cheek’’ concept. Within this, using the produced electricity from small hydropower plants and solar photovoltaic systems has been proven promising. The solution avoids building dams for flood protection, satisfying the environmental aspects.
Responding to his Critics: A New Account of Origen's Peri Archon
Authors: Martens Peter W.
Published: May 2024

Abstract: Why did Origen write Peri Archon ? The standard view, often tinged with triumphant hues, envisions him as a "man of the church," embarking upon a bold research agenda while laying waste to his heterodox opponents. But I believe this picture misses the mark. It was really Origen—and not these heretics—who was in the dock. And it was those whom he regarded as his fellow Christians in Alexandria, including his bishop, who made up the prosecution. In this essay I argue that Peri Archon was Origen's response to these in-house critics, who increasingly regarded his views on select issues as heretical, or at least, less than orthodox. This essay has two parts. In the first, I examine Origen's self-portrait in the preface of Peri Archon , demonstrating how he shrewdly maneuvered his project into orthodox waters. In the second, I explain why he adopted this tactic. I spotlight five issues from his earlier writings where he challenged positions adopted by most Christians in his day, including prominent church leaders. These controversial stances surface again in Peri Archon but often in a diplomatic form and always in an orthodox frame. Peri Archon was Origen's apologia to fellow Christians.
Everyday Resistance to White Supremacy: Walking and Cycling While Black in Springs, South Africa, 1950s–1970s
Authors: Morgan Njogu
Published: May 2024

abstract: This article explores why white supremacists regard self-directed mobility by people of color as threatening by examining a controversy that unfolded in a mining town called Springs during the apartheid era in South Africa. Drawing on archives, oral histories, and testimonies, it shows how white residents of Selcourt and Selection Park, along with their allies in the town council, prevented Black workers from walking and cycling through the suburbs. Infrastructure and social disciplinary institutions proved effective in forcing Black workers to largely comply. It argues that the white supremacist disciplinary imperative against the workers arose directly from the characteristics of their mode of mobility. In their open embodiment, free from the confines of mechanized transport, and slow speeds, the workers engaged in a sustained refusal of spatial segregation. The article highlights how racial difference as an analytical category sheds light on mobility control within regimes of white supremacy.
Revolution and Resistance in the Desert: The Guggenheim System's Impact on Nitrate Mining and Society in Atacama, 1926–31
Authors: Galaz-Mandakovic Damir , Rivera Francisco
Published: May 2024

abstract: In 1926, during an economic crisis that severely impacted the mining industry, Guggenheim Brothers, the Guggenheim family business, implemented a new technological system to extract saltpeter from the Atacama Desert in northern Chile. Known as the Guggenheim system, this cutting-edge technological innovation had a significant impact on regional society and facilitated the introduction of Chilean saltpeter into the global fertilizer market. For this system to succeed, however, it had to incorporate a sociopolitical strategy based on a highly hierarchical and well-controlled labor force. Through their political and cultural influence in the region, the Guggenheim family's industry transformed a remote area into a state periphery, creating new ways of inhabiting the desert within a strict framework in which workers' lives were regulated by company-imposed labor discipline. With more political power than the state, the Guggenheim family sought to suppress any social agency deemed dangerous to the production of saltpeter.
Water, Wealth, and Engineering Wisdom: Shaping Tucumán's Agricultural Future, 1890–1910
Authors: Dimas Carlos Salvador
Published: May 2024

abstract: Focusing on Argentina's sugarcane province of Tucumán from 1870 to 1910, this article examines the processes of engineering professionalization in Argentina and its application to pressing environmental problems. Engineers were central to the processes through which elites in Latin America sought to attract foreign investment in agriculture, integrate their countries into the global economy, and provide expertise that enabled states to advance a techno-scientific imaginary based on liberal economic progress. Progressive bureaucrats and engineers, such as civil engineer Carlos Wauters, believed that they could use hydraulic infrastructure to transform Tucumán from an agricultural monoculture to a polyculture; others believed that infrastructure should be used to support a sugar monoculture. In exploring this issue, this article bridges the fields of engineering history, agricultural history, and environmental history. It also incorporates Latin America into global scholarship on the emergence and evolution of professional engineering.
Twisted vortex Gaussian Schell-model beams, generalized ABCD systems, and multidimensional Hermite polynomials
Authors: Hyde Milo W. , Wilson Benjamin C. , Bose-Pillai Santasri R.
Published: May 2024

We derive the cross-spectral density (CSD) function for a twisted vortex partially coherent beam at the output of a general ABCD system in terms of multidimensional Hermite polynomials (MDHPs). MDHPs offer notational and computational advantages over prior CSD function representations that use common (one-dimensional) Hermite polynomials. We explain how to compute MDHPs using the recurrence relation given in the literature and include MATLAB code to generate MDHPs of any order. Lastly, we validate our work experimentally by comparing the measured spectral density of a twisted vortex beam at the output of an asymmetric optical system to predictions from our theoretical CSD function.
Channel power management of 400 G transmission system based on C6T + L6 T spectrum and QPSK modulation format
Authors: Wang Chuangye , Hu Yakun , Shen Shikui , Wang Zelin , Zhang He , Tang Xiongyan , Zhang Min
Published: May 2024

In the 400 Gbit/s transmission system based on C + L band spectrum and QPSK modulation format, the short-wavelength signal power will be shifted to the long-wavelength signal due to the presence of the stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) effect, which will seriously affect the performance of the transmission system as the transmission span accumulates. The solution is to set the gain and gain slopes of the C-band amplifier and L-band amplifier appropriately at each optical amplifier site, and adjust the signal power of each channel through the WSS at the transmitting end and the WSS at the DGE site, so that the flatness of the channel power at the receiving end can be controlled in a reasonable range, thus guaranteeing the transmission performance of the system. However, the system fault will destroy the originally set channel power, which will seriously affect the transmission performance of the system. In this paper, filling channel device combined with output power locking of amplifiers used in a 400 Gbit/s system based on C + L band and QPSK modulation format to provide the protection for the system is proposed and demonstrated for the first time, which gives different solutions for sudden fault at different locations of the system, and provides a reference for the channel power management of multi-band optical transmission systems in the future.
Quantum state tomography in a third-order integrated optical parametric oscillator
Authors: Alfredo Kögler Roger , Couto Rickli Gabriel , Ribeiro Domeneguetti Renato , Ji Xingchen , Gaeta Alexander L. , Lipson Michal , Martinelli Marcelo , Nussenzveig Paulo
Published: May 2024

We measured the covariance matrix of the fields generated in an integrated third-order optical parametric oscillator operating above threshold. We observed up to (2.3 ± 0.3) dB of squeezing in amplitude difference and inferred (4.9 ± 0.7) dB of on-chip squeezing, while an excess of noise for the sum of conjugated quadratures hinders the entanglement. The degradation of amplitude correlations and state purity for increasing the pump power is consistent with the observed growth of the phase noise of the fields, showing the necessity of strategies for phase noise control aiming at entanglement generation in these systems.
Mask structure optimization for beyond EUV lithography
Authors: Li Ziqi , Dong Lisong , Xu Ma , Wei Yayi
Published: May 2024

Beyond extreme ultraviolet (BEUV) lithography with a 6 × nm wavelength is regarded as a future technique to continue the pattern shirking in integrated circuit (IC) manufacturing. This work proposes an optimization method for the mask structure to improve the imaging quality of BEUV lithography. Firstly, the structure of mask multilayers is optimized to maximize its reflection coefficient. Then, a mask diffraction near-field (DNF) model is established based on the Born series algorithm, and the aerial image of BEUV lithography system can be further calculated. Additionally, the mask absorber structure is inversely designed using the particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm. Simulation results show a significant improvement of the BEUV lithography imaging obtained by the proposed optimization methods. The proposed workflow can also be expanded to areas of EUV and soft x ray imaging
FAIR-USE4OS: Guidelines for creating impactful open-source software
Authors: Sonabend Raphael , Gruson Hugo , Wolansky Leo , Kiragga Agnes , Katz Daniel S.
Published: May 2024

This paper extends the FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) guidelines to provide criteria for assessing if software conforms to best practices in open source. By adding “USE” (User-Centered, Sustainable, Equitable), software development can adhere to open source best practice by incorporating user-input early on, ensuring front-end designs are accessible to all possible stakeholders, and planning long-term sustainability alongside software design. The FAIR-USE4OS guidelines will allow funders and researchers to more effectively evaluate and plan open-source software projects. There is good evidence of funders increasingly mandating that all funded research software is open source; however, even under the FAIR guidelines, this could simply mean software released on public repositories with a Zenodo DOI. By creating FAIR-USE software, best practice can be demonstrated from the very beginning of the design process and the software has the greatest chance of success by being impactful.
FDA’s proposed rule and its regulatory impact on emerging and reemerging neglected tropical diseases in the United States
Authors: Paniz-Mondolfi Alberto E. , Ramírez Juan David
Published: May 2024

Diagnosing infectious diseases significantly influences patient care, aiding in outbreak identification, response, and public health monitoring. However, the range of FDA-approved molecular tests remains notably limited, especially concerning neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). Drawing upon our experience as one of the largest healthcare networks in the greater New York metropolitan area, this viewpoint manuscript aims to spotlight the existing diagnostic landscape and unmet clinical needs for 4 emerging NTDs increasingly prevalent in the United States, additionally, it delves into the possible adverse effects of the FDA’s Proposed Rule on Laboratory-Developed Tests for these clinical conditions and the broader spectrum of NTDs.
Dyslipidemia among adult HIV patients on antiretroviral therapy and its association with age and body mass index in Ethiopia: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Belete Abebe Muche , Melese Daniel Molla , Bewket Bekalu , Tegegne Belachew , Shiferaw Wondimeneh Shibabaw , Aynalem Yared Asmare , Asefa Adisu , Yazie Taklo Simeneh
Published: May 2024

Introduction

Dyslipidemia is a common public health problem in people living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) who are receiving antiretroviral therapy and increases the risk of cardiovascular disease. Although evidence indicates that the prevalence of dyslipidemia is high, estimated pooled data are not well documented. Therefore, we aimed to estimate the pooled prevalence of dyslipidemia in adult people living with HIV receiving antiretroviral therapy in Ethiopia.

Method

We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of the literature. The following databases and grey literature were searched: PubMed, WorldCat, ScienceDirect, DOAG, African Journals Online, Google Scholar, and African Index Medicine. We included all comparative epidemiological studies that reported the prevalence of high concentration of total cholesterol, triglycerides, and low density lipoprotein, and low concentration of high density lipoprotein cholesterol that were published between January 2003 and July 2023. The random effects model was used to pool the outcome of interest. Additionally, subgrouping, sensitivity analyses, and funnel plots were performed. R software Version 4.2.1 was used for statistical analysis.

Result

Seventeen studies with a total of 3929 participants were included in the meta-analysis. The pooled prevalence of dyslipidemia, high total cholesterol, high triglyceride, elevated level of low density lipoprotein and low level of high density lipoprotein cholesterol were 69.32% (95% CI: 63.33, 74.72), 39.78% (95%CI: 32.12, 47.96), 40.32% (95%CI: 34.56, 46.36), 28.58% (95%CI: 21.81, 36.46), and 36.17% (95%CI: 28.82, 44.24), respectively. Age and body mass index were associated with high total cholesterol, triglyceride, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels.

Conclusion

The authors concluded that the prevalence of dyslipidemia in Ethiopia is high in people living with HIV receiving antiretroviral therapy. Early detection of dyslipidemia and its integration into treatment are essential for preventing cardiovascular disease.

Trial registration

Protocol registered with PROSPERO (CRD42023440125).