bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Jastrzębie, onagry pustyni, wilki Arabii. Sąsiedzi cesarstwa wschodniorzymskiego z Półwyspu Arabskiego i ich wizerunek w źródłach. Okres przedislamski : Nr XLII
Authors: Wolińska Teresa
Published: August 2023

Książka poświęcona została kształtowaniu się i ewolucji wizerunku mieszkańców Arabii w źródłach starożytnych i wczesnośredniowiecznych. Punktem wyjścia dla Autorki jest próba ustalenia, jaki obszar był w omawianej epoce traktowany jako Arabia, które etnosy uznawano za arabskie i jakimi nazwami je określano. Drugą część monografii otwiera rozdział na temat źródeł wiedzy Greków i Rzymian o Arabii i jej mieszkańcach. Następnie zaprezentowane zostały państwa i plemiona uznawane (słusznie lub nie) przez autorów starożytnych za arabskie oraz opinie tych ostatnich na temat mieszkańców Półwyspu Arabskiego. Autorka stara się wyjaśnić, z jakimi grupami plemiennymi i w jakich okolicznościach Grecy i Rzymianie utrzymywali kontakty i w jaki sposób płynęło to na sposób, w jaki postrzegali swych arabskich sąsiadów. Powyższe ustalenia stanowią bazę dla trzeciej części książki, poświęconej wizerunkowi Arabów w źródłach późnoantycznych i wczesnobizantyńskich. Nakreśliwszy przemiany sytuacji geopolitycznej w pierwszych wiekach naszej ery Autorka prezentuje kształtowanie się nowej sieci sojuszy ówczesnych mocarstw – cesarstwa wschodniorzymskiego (bizantyńskiego) i imperium perskiego – z plemionami arabskimi. Sporo uwagi poświęca kwestiom religijnym, wskazując na współistnienie wierzeń pogańskich, judaizmu i różnych nurtów chrześcijaństwa na Półwyspie Arabskim przed islamem. W obszernym rozdziale omawia wizerunek jego mieszkańców w różnojęzycznych tekstach autorów piszących w cesarstwie bizantyńskim. Wskazuje na trwałość niektórych opinii, mających często charakter stereotypów i powielanych przez Bizantyńczyków w ślad za autorami antycznymi, ale też na odmienne spojrzenie na arabskich sąsiadów, będące wynikiem chrystianizacji wielu spośród nich. Książkę uzupełniają biogramy wybranych przywódców arabskich.
Problem wolności i konieczności w filozofii Nietzschego. Nietzsche wobec tradycji niemieckiej mistyki panteistycznej
Authors: Dżugaj Marcin
Published: August 2023

Niniejsza praca ma na celu przedstawienie problemu wolności i konieczności w filozofii Nietzschego w kontekście wpływu niemieckiej mistyki panteistycznej i niemieckiego idealizmu na filozofię niemieckiego myśliciela. Aby to osiągnąć, wykorzystano w pracy metodę historyczno-analityczną, analityczno-porównawczą oraz hermeneutyczną.
Underground za drutami. Nieformalne ruchy młodzieżowe w PRL i wybranych krajach bloku wschodniego (1980-1989)
Authors: Kobus Andrzej
Published: August 2023

Książka jest poświęcona nieformalnym ruchom młodzieżowym w krajach Europy Środkowo-Wschodniej w latach 80. XX wieku. Autor skoncentrował się na takich państwach, jak: Polska, Czechosłowacja, Niemiecka Republika Demokratyczna i Związek Radziecki. Ukazał powstanie i rozwój subkultur muzycznych oraz młodzieżowych środowisk proekologicznych i pacyfistycznych w tych państwach. Opisał także progres nieformalnych młodzieżowych ruchów religijnych – zarówno powiązanych z wyznaniami chrześcijańskimi, jak i religiami Wschodu. Szczególny akcent położył na kwestie kontaktów i współpracy między wspomnianymi środowiskami podczas kryzysu i erozji systemu komunistycznego w krajach bloku wschodniego. Naświetlił też sytuację subkultur młodzieżowych w okresie transformacji ustrojowej w państwach Europy Środkowo-Wschodniej w latach 90. XX wieku. * Podejście autora jest oryginalne, a badania nad zagadnieniami poruszanymi w książce są dopiero zapoczątkowane. Ambitna jest próba ujęcia kwestii nieformalnych środowisk młodzieżowych nie tylko w perspektywie jednego państwa narodowego, lecz także w szerszym kontekście – krajów bloku sowieckiego.
Sobre la indiscutible expansión de la intervención administrativa en las relaciones laborales
Authors: Mercader Uguina Jesús R.
Published: August 2023

En los últimos tiempos vivimos un fuerte repunte de la intervención administrativa en el mundo de las relaciones laborales. El presente estudio analiza las principales líneas de tendencia de este “intervencionismo de nuevo cuño” que ha encontrado en el arsenal sancionador contra la huida del Derecho del trabajo su ejemplo más claro. No obstante, factores como la fiebre registral; el renacimiento y reforzamiento de las formas de control en los procesos de reestructuración empresarial o, en fin, los usos de los sistemas automatizados de control por las autoridades públicas nos ponen delante un nuevo escenario que merece de nuestra atención.
Armenia’s Economy in 2022: Results and Prospects
Authors: Fedorovskaya I.
Published: August 2023

In 2022 the Armenian economy showed high growth rates. The main reason for this is the mass immigration of Russians into the country. As a result, the revenues of the banking sector and the service sector have increased significantly. The volume of Armenia’s foreign trade has increased significantly, mainly due to re-export. The exchange rate of the Armenian dram has strengthened. The volume of production in the IT industry has grown significantly, since among the Russians who arrived the majority were IT specialists. Among other industries, construction showed the highest growth rates. Agriculture, although it has shown a small increase, remains inefficient. In general, despite the successes, Armenia’s economy continues to be the weakest among the countries of the South Caucasus and very dependent on external partners and circumstances.
Comparison of the effect of betanin on STAT3, STAT5, and KAP1 proteins in HepG2 and THLE-2 cells
Authors: Szaefer Hanna , Hadryś Katarzyna , Gajewska Hanna , Krajka-Kuźniak Violetta
Published: August 2023

Background. Several studies suggest that the pleiotropic properties of betanin may interfere with different signaling pathways. Our previous studies on human hepatocytes showed that betanin activated the nuclear factor erythroid-2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) signaling pathway. To further understand the exact mechanism of action of betanin, we evaluated its effect on the levels of signal transducers and activators of transcription (STATs) and KRAB domain-associated protein 1 (KAP1) in hepatoma cells (HepG2) and normal human hepatocytes (THLE-2).
Material and methods. HepG2 and THLE-2 cells were treated with 2 or 10 µM betanin for 72 h. The levels of STAT3, STAT5a, STAT5b, and KAP1 proteins in cytosolic and nuclear fractions were assessed by Western blot.
Results. At a concentration of 10 μM, betanin significantly decreased the levels of STAT3, STAT5a, and STAT5b proteins in the nuclear fraction of HepG2 cells. On the other hand, no significant changes in the levels of STAT proteins were observed in THLE-2 cells. In HepG2 cells, betanin at both tested doses increased the level of KAP1. In contrast, in THLE-2 cells, betanin at a dose of 10 µM decreased the nuclear level of KAP1.
Conclusions. Betanin modulated the levels of STAT3, STAT5, and KAP1 proteins, especially in hepatoma cells. Thus, it may be considered a potential therapeutic agent for the treatment of hepatoma.
Spectrum of neuroendocrine neoplasms of GIT – a histomorphological study in a tertiary care centre
Authors: Muralidhar Aparna , Mahadevan Pushpa
Published: August 2023

Background. Neuroendocrine neoplasms are diverse in terms of sites of origin, functional status, and degrees of aggressiveness. Since neuroendocrine cells are ubiquitous in the human body, these neoplasms can arise in different organs, with gastrointestinal tract being most frequently involved. The past few years have seen a surge in the diagnosis of these neoplasms, which were earlier considered to be rare. Their nomenclature, classification, and diagnostic criteria are revamped frequently, as new knowledge emerges.
Aim. To study the histopathological spectrum of neuroendocrine neoplasms of gastrointestinal tract and assess the immunohistochemical expression of neuroendocrine markers in them.
Material and methods. Ours is a descriptive study of the distribution and pathologic characteristics of gastrointestinal neuroendocrine neoplasms in a tertiary care hospital in Kerala, over a three year period. Neoplasms were categorised based on 2019 updated WHO classification.
Results. Among the 59 cases, we observed a male predominance. (Male to female ratio - 1.8:1). Most patients were in 6th and 7th decades of life. Duodenum was most frequently involved followed by rectum and appendix. NET G2 and G1 constituted the predominant histologic grades (47% and 24% respectively). NEC and MiNEN were infrequent. All cases were positive for synaptophysin, with variable positivity for chromogranin. Ki67 helped establish the histologic grade. We also came across a rare case of neuroendocrine tumor with coexisting mucinous neoplasm in appendix.
Conclusions. With evolving knowledge and advanced imaging modalities, the incidence of these neoplasms is increasing with time.  Histopathology is the mainstay of diagnosis and plays a decisive role in influencing management protocols and prognosis.
Phyllanthus amarus protects against potassium-dichromate pituitary toxicity via the oxidative pathway and improves the gonadotropins in male Wistar rats
Authors: Iteire Kingsley Afoke , Adenodi Charity Ayomide , Olatuyi Olalekan Marvelous , Uwejigho Raphael Eguono , Adeniyi Temidayo Daniel
Published: August 2023

Background. Phyllanthus amarus is an antioxidant plant with numerous beneficial biological activities, but scarce information on its neuroprotective role against potassium dichromate (PDC)-induced neurotoxicity. This research investigated the antioxidant effect of aqueous Phyllanthus amarus leaf extract (APALE) on PDC-induced rats.
Materials and methods. Fifty male Wistar rats (120-130g) were randomized into five groups (A-E, n=10). Group A: (Control) distilled water; B: 300mg/kg APALE; C: 17mg/kg PDC; D: 17mg/kg PDC + 400mg/kg APALE; E:  17mg/kg PDC + 200mg/kg APALE. Administrations were once daily via an orogastric cannula for 28 consecutive days.  At the end of the experiment, blood samples were obtained for hormonal assay (FSH and LH). The animals were euthanized, and pituitary glands were harvested and homogenized for Superoxide Dismutase (SOD) and Catalase (CAT), Glutathione Reductase (GSH) by x-ray crystallography, Malondialdehyde (MDA) by thiobarbituric acid reacting substances (TBARS) and paraffin embedding sections, for histological and histochemical evaluations.
Results. Morphometric analysis revealed that PDC caused a reduction in body and brain weights, volume, and weight of the pituitary gland.  Masson trichrome demonstrates excessive accumulation of collagen fibers on PDC-treated tissues resolved by APALE.  There was a significant increase in MDA in the PDC group and a decrease in the APALE groups compared to the control.  In APALE groups, the SOD, CAT, GSH, and T-Protein levels significantly increased compared to the control group. PDC significantly decreased LH and FSH levels compared to the control. However, APALE restored these changes.
Conclusions. APALE demonstrated potent protective activity against PDC-induced pituitary toxicity.
The hatching time of broiler chickens modifies not only the production traits, but also the early bacteriota development of the ceca
Authors: Such Nikoletta , Schermann Kornél , Pál László , Menyhart Laszlo , Farkas Valéria , Csitári Gábor , Kiss Brigitta , Tewelde Kesete Goitom , Dublecz Károly
Published: August 2023

This trial was carried out to find out the effects of the parent flocks and the hatching time of broiler chickens on the production traits and bacteriota development of animals. Two times 730 hatching eggs were collected from two different parent flocks with age of 22-23 and 65-66 weeks. In the hatchery both groups were divided into two subgroups, when the day-old chickens were separated according to their hatching time. A feeding trial was carried out afterwards, using the 4 treatments in 6 replicate floor pens, feeding commercial starter, grower, and finisher diets, that contained all the nutrients according to the breeder’s recommendations. The day-old chickens of the parent older flock and those hatched later were heavier and this advantage of the birds remained until end of the production period. The different age and origin of parent flocks failed to modify the microbiological parameters of the chicken’s ceca. However, the hatching time significantly influenced the different bacteriota diversity indices. The late hatched chickens showed higher Bacteroidetes and Actinobacteria and lower Firmicutes abundances at day 11. These treatments resulted differences in the main families, Ruminococcaceae, Lactobacillaceae, Bacteroidaceae. These differences could not be found at day 39.
Application of Cold Sintering Process for Stabilizing Heavy Metals in Municipal Solid Waste Incineration Fly Ash
Authors: Liao Shih-Kai , Wu Zhong-En , Shen Yun-Hwei
Published: August 2023

Municipal solid waste incineration fly ash (MSWI FA) predominantly consists of compounds comprising elements such as calcium, aluminum, silicon, sodium, and others. Additionally, it encompasses a complex mixture of heavy metals, chlorides, sulfates, organic pollutants, and other constituents. The effective and economically viable treatment of MSWI FA poses a formidable challenge for the current stage of resource cycling. In this research report, we will adopt a novel low-temperature sintering method called "Cold Sintering Process" (CSP) as a means to immobilize heavy metals within the fly ash. By utilizing a Taguchi orthogonal array, we will adjust five control factors in the CSP, including sintering temperature, uniaxial pressure, sintering time, initial water addition, and sodium carbonate dosage. The leaching of cadmium element from the fly ash, as measured by TCLP, will serve as the quality indicator. Through the application of CSP, the MSWI FA will be transformed into structurally stable ceramic blocks, effectively immobilizing the heavy metals within the blocks. The results of the experiments showed that MSWI FA under the conditions of a temperature of 300℃, uniaxial pressure of 312 MPa, sintering time in 60 minutes, 25 wt% water addition, and 9 wt% Na2CO3 addition could effectively reduce the leaching of cadmium by 77.71%, lead by 21.14%, zinc by 42.37%, and chromium by 99.99%, as compared to the original MSWI FA TCLP results.
Atangana-Baleanu fractional dynamics of predictive whooping
cough model with optimal control analysis
Authors: Butt Azhar Iqbal Kashif
Published: August 2023

In this study, we construct a new Atangana-Baleanu fractional model for whooping cough
disease to predict future dynamics of the disease, as well as to suggest strategies to eliminate the
disease in an optimal way. We prove that the proposed model has a unique solution which is positive
and bounded. To measure contagiousness of the disease, we determine the reproduction number
R0 and use it to examine the local and global stability at equilibrium points that have symmetry.
Through sensitivity analysis, we determine parameters of the model that are most sensitive to R0.
The ultimate aim of this research is to analyze different disease prevention approaches in order to
find the most suitable one. For this, we include the vaccination and quarantine compartments in
the proposed model and formulate an optimal control problem to assess the effect of vaccination
and quarantine rates on disease control in three distinct scenarios. Firstly, we study the impact of
vaccination strategy and conclude findings with presentation of graphical results. Secondly, we
examine the impact of quarantine strategy on whooping cough infection with possible elimination
from the society. Lastly, we implement vaccination and quarantine strategies together to visualize
their combine effect on infection control. In addition to the study of an optimal control problem,
we examine the effect of fractional order on disease dynamics as well as the impact of constant
vaccination and quarantine rates on disease transmission and control. We determine that the optimal
control strategy with the three controls is more effective in reducing the spread of whooping cough
infection. Implementation of Toufik-Atangana type numercial scheme both for the state and adjoint
equations is another contribution of this article.
Microstructures in Shocked Quartz: Linking Nuclear Airbursts and Meteorite Impacts
Authors: Hermes Robert E. , Wenk Hans-Rudolf , Kennett James P. , Bunch Ted E. , Moore Christopher R. , LeCompte Malcolm A. , Kletetschka Gunther , Adedeji A. Victor , Langworthy Kurt , Razink Joshua J. , Brogden Valerie , Van Devener Brian , Perez Jesus Paulo , Polson Randy , Nowell Matt , West Allen
Published: August 2023

Many studies of hypervelocity impact craters have described the characteristics of quartz grains shock-metamorphosed at high pressures of > 10 GPa. In contrast, few studies have investigated shock metamorphism at lower shock pressures. In this study, we test the hypothesis that low-pressure shock metamorphism occurs in near-surface nuclear airbursts and that this process shares essential characteristics with crater-forming impact events. To investigate low-grade shock microstructures, we compared quartz grains from Meteor Crater, a 1.2-km-wide impact crater, to those from near-surface nuclear airbursts at the Alamogordo Bombing Range, New Mexico in 1945 and Kazakhstan in 1949/1953. This investigation utilized a comprehensive analytical suite of high-resolution techniques, including transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD). Meteor Crater and the nuclear test sites all exhibit quartz grains with closely-spaced, sub-micron-wide fractures that appear to have formed at low shock pressures. Significantly, these micro-fractures are closely associated with Dauphiné twins and are filled with amorphous silica (glass), widely considered a classic indicator of shock metamorphism. Thus, this study confirms that glass-filled shock fractures in quartz form during near-surface nuclear airbursts, as well as crater-forming impact events, and by extension, it suggests that they may form in any near-surface cosmic airbursts in which the shockwave is coupled to Earth’s surface. The robust characterization of such events is crucial because of their potential catastrophic effects on the Earth’s environmental and biotic systems.
Propylene Glycol Potentiates the Inhibitory Action of Ctz Paste on Antibiotic-Resistant Enterococcus faecalis Isolated from the Root Canal: An In Vitro Study
Authors: Rayos-Verdugo Jesús Yareli , Rivera-Chaparro Fernando , Castro-Salazar Gloria-Yolanda , Ramírez-Álvarez Maricela , Romero-Quintana José Geovanni , Loyola-Rodríguez Juan Pablo , Zavala-Alonso Norma Verónica , Avendaño-Félix Mariana , Soto-Sainz Jesús Edurdo , Silva-Benítez Erika de Lourdes
Published: August 2023

This study aimed to evaluate if the change of vehicle for CTZ (chloramphenicol, tetracycline, zinc oxide, and eugenol) paste improves the inhibition of Enterococcus faecalis in vitro. The vehicles evaluated alone and mixed with CTZ were eugenol, propylene glycol (PG), chitosan, su-per-oxidized solution (SOS), grapefruit-seed extract (GSE), and as a negative control, 0.9% saline solution. A clinical isolated of E. faecalis was morphological and biochemical characterized, in-cluding antimicrobial susceptibility was tested using 20 antimicrobial agents. Once character-ized, the clinical isolated was cultivated to performed Kirby–Bauer disc diffusion method with paper discs embedded with the different vehicles mixed or used alone, incubating at 37 ºC for 24 h. Data were analyzed by One-way ANOVA and the means were compared using Tukey test with a significance level of p<0.05. For vehicles used alone, GSE presented the greatest inhibition showing a statistically significant difference with the rest of the vehicles. When vehicles were mixed with the CTZ paste, PG showed a greater inhibition with a statistically significant differ-ence from the rest of the vehicles. In conclusion, the vehicle used to mix the CTZ paste plays an im-portant role in the inhibition of E. faecalis in vitro, therefore we consider that this can be an im-portant factor to achieve success in the use of this technique.
New Insights in the Detection and Management of Major Foliar and Root Diseases of Strawberries
Authors: Rahman Mahfuz , Samtani Jayesh , Baker Aljawasim
Published: August 2023

Anthracnose and root rot are major foliar and root diseases of strawberry, respectively that cause most yield and quality losses. Anthracnose is caused by multiple species belonging to Colletotrichum spp complex. This disease alone can causeup to 70% yield loss in North America. Colletotrichum spp. cause several disease symptoms on strawberries, including root, fruit, and crown rot, lesions on petioles and runners, and irregular black spots on the leaf. In many cases, a lower level of infection on foliage remains non-symptomatic (quiescent), posing a challenge to growers as these plants can be a significant source of inoculum for the fruiting field. Reliable detection methods for quiescent infection should play an important role in preventing infected plants' entry into the production system or guiding growers to take appropriate preventative measures to control the disease. The selection of highly effective fungicides and including them in a schedule to prevent the development of fungicide resistance in fungal populations will remain an area of continued research. Disease management methods should entail sensitive molecular testing of suspected fungal isolates for resistance, rotation of products, and monitoring of quiescent infections in transplant materials. Testing and the inclusion of non-chemical methods such as biologicals and biorational treatments especially for soilborne pathogens will also be necessary to make disease management economically feasible and sustainable.
Research on a Super Sub-Arc Bivariate Relative Angle Thermal Deformation Testing Method without Pitch Angle Limitation
Authors: Liu Yang , Xue Yaoke , Wang Hu , Pan Yue , Lin Shangmin , Ye Shuifu , Liu Jie
Published: August 2023

In light of the current situation where no testing equipment is available for measuring thermal deformation of objects, this paper proposes a novel method for accurate and precise measurement. The method overcomes the limitations of previous approaches that relied on pitch angle. By utilizing the principle of biplane multiple reflections, a bivariate laser spot displacement analysis algorithm is devised to attain highly precise measurements of bivariate angles. Additionally, a temperature gradient comparison algorithm is introduced to calculate the indicator test results under specific temperature conditions. To validate the effectiveness and reliability of this method, a testing system is constructed and utilized. The results demonstrate that the thermal deformation angle change test achieves an impressive accuracy of 0.015″ and a rate of thermal deformation angle change of 0.3247″/°C. These values are in close agreement with the previously simulated analysis result of 0.359″/°C, with only a relative error of 9.55%. Therefore, the test results confirm the efficacy and reliability of this testing method along with the feasibility of the algorithm processing.
Exploiting TLK1 and Cisplatin Synergy for Synthetic Lethality in Androgen-Insensitive Prostate Cancer
Authors: Bhoir Siddhant , Ogundepo Oluwatobi , Yu Xiuping , De benedetti Arrigo
Published: August 2023

Cellular organisms possess intricate DNA damage repair and tolerance pathways to manage various DNA lesions arising from endogenous or exogenous sources. Dysregulation of these pathways is associated with cancer development and progression. Synthetic lethality (SL), a promising cancer therapy concept, involves exploiting the simultaneous functional loss of two genes for selective cell death. PARP inhibitors (PARPis) have demonstrated success in BRCA-deficient tumors. Cisplatin (CPT), a widely used chemotherapy agent, forms DNA adducts and crosslinks, rendering it effective against various cancers but less so for prostate cancer (PCa) due to resistance and toxicity. Here, we explore the therapeutic potential of TLK1, a kinase upregulated in androgen-insensitive PCa cells, as a target for enhancing CPT-based therapy. TLK1 phosphorylates key homologous recombination repair (HRR) proteins RAD54L and RAD54B, critical for HRR alongside RAD51. The combination of CPT with TLK1 inhibitor J54 exhibits SL in androgen-insensitive PCa cells. The formation of double-strand break intermediates during inter-strand crosslink processing necessitates HRR for effective repair. Therefore, targeting TLK1 with J54 enhances the SL of CPT by impeding HRR, leading to increased sensitivity in PCa cells. These findings suggest a promising approach for improving CPT-based therapies in PCa, particularly in androgen-insensitive cases. By elucidating the role of TLK1 in CPT resistance, this study provides valuable insights into potential therapeutic targets to overcome PCa resistance to CPT chemotherapy. Further investigations into TLK1 inhibition in combination with other DNA-damaging agents may pave the way for more effective and targeted treatments for PCa and other cancers that exhibit resistance to traditional chemotherapy agents.
Assessment of Narrow Band Imaging Algorithm for Video Capsule Endoscopy Based on Decorrelated Color Space for Esophageal Cancer
Authors: Yang Kai-Yao , Fang Yu-Jen , Karmakar Riya , Mukundan Arvind , Tsao Yu-Ming , Huang Chien-Wei , Wang Hsiang-Chen
Published: August 2023

Video capsule endoscopy (VCE) is increasingly used to decrease the discomfort among patients owing to its small size. However, VCE has a major drawback of not having narrow band imaging (NBI) functionality. The current VCE has the traditional white light imaging (WLI) only, which has poor performance in the computer-aided detection (CAD) of different types of cancer compared with NBI. Specific cancers, such as esophageal cancer (EC), do not exhibit any early biomarkers, making their early detection difficult. In most cases, the symptoms are unnoticeable, and EC is diagnosed only in later stages, making its 5-year survival rate below 20% on an average. NBI filters provide particular wavelengths that increase the contrast and enhance certain features of the mucosa, thereby enabling early identification of EC. However, VCE does not have a slot for NBI functionality because its size cannot be increased. Hence, NBI image conversion from WLI can be achieved only in post-processing at present. In this study, a complete arithmetic assessment of the decorrelated color space was conducted to generate NBI images from WLI images for VCE of the esophagus. Three parameters, namely, structural similarity index metric (SSIM), entropy, and peak-signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR), were used to asses the simulated NBI images. Results show the good performance of the NBI image reproduction method, with SSIM, entropy difference, and PSNR values of 93.215%, 4.360, and 28.064 dB, respectively.
Analysis of Influencing Factors of the Energy Transition Process in Sustainable Nautical Tourism
Authors: Crețu Raluca Florentina , Gheorghe Silviu , Șerban Elena Claudia , Țuțui Daniela , Crețu Romeo Cătălin
Published: August 2023

In the last 20 years, the share of renewable energy sources in the production of electricity in the European Union has doubled, from about 15% to almost 35%. The main driver of this development has been the increase in the share of wind energy and solar photovoltaic energy. The authors aim to analyze the influencing factors that affect the energy transition process applied to nautical tourism, from polluting energy to renewable solar energy. The authors' research approach consists in using the framework offered by the energy transition process from the perspective of the socio-technical and economic approach, by applying the qualitative research method with a deductive approach. The tool used to achieve the objective was the semi-structured interview. The research unitarily, holistically, and specifically approaches the problem of energy transition from polluting sources to renewable ones offered by solar energy, in the case of nautical tourism with direct implications on the specific industry in the Netherlands. The research results are structured in the fields of technology, governance, economics, and user preferences. This research has the potential to provide support to find optimal solutions that encourage users to accelerate the energy transition process by adopting sustainable solutions for nautical tourism.
Threat Modelling for Geodata in the Humanitarian Context
Authors: Masinde Brian K. , Gevaert Caroline M. , Nagenborg Michael H. , Zevenbergen Jaap A.
Published: August 2023

The role of geodata technologies in humanitarian action is arguably indispensable in determining when, where and who needs aid before, during and after a disaster. However, despite the advantages of using geodata technologies in humanitarianism (i.e., fast and efficient aid distribution), several ethical challenges arise including privacy. The focus has been on individual privacy, however, in this article we focus on group privacy whose debates has recently gained attention. We approach privacy through the lens of informational harms that undermine autonomy of groups and control of knowledge over them. Using demographically identifiable information (DII) as a definition for groups, we first assess how these are derived from geodata types used in humanitarian DRRM. Secondly, we discuss four informational harm threat models: (i) biases from missing/underrepresented categories, (ii) the mosaic effect – unintentional sensitive knowledge discovery from combining disparate datasets, (iii) misuse of data (whether it is shared or not); and (iv) cost-benefit analysis (cost of protection vs. risk of misuse). Lastly, borrowing from triage in emergency medicine, we propose a geodata triage as a possible method for practitioners to identify, prioritize, and mitigate these four group privacy harms.
Energy Efficient Electric Cooking and Sustainable Energy Transitions
Authors: Scott Nigel , Leach Matthew , Clements Will
Published: August 2023

Transitioning to clean cooking fuels is not only part of achieving SDG7, but also makes a significant contribution to mitigating climate change by reducing carbon emissions. The paper contradicts the conventional wisdom that electricity is too expensive to cook with. The paper explores the energy required to cook dishes using different technologies and fuels by analysing data from Cooking Diaries and Controlled Cooking tests conducted under the MECS programme. Electric pressure cookers (EPCs) use least energy when compared with electric hotplates, and a detailed description of how the EPC works explains why this should be. The paper draws out distinctions between African and Asian dishes, notably the impact of energy intensive dishes prepared mostly in Africa. Standard efficiency based approaches to comparing the performance of stoves are not appropriate to modern electric cooking devices so an alternative approach based on specific energy consumptions is proposed e.g. charcoal stoves use 15 times as much energy as EPCs to cook African dishes. Energy ratios provide a basis for estimating carbon emission reductions associated with transitioning to modern cooking fuels. Historical costs show that the cost of cooking with an EPC can be only 20% of the cost of cooking with charcoal, which highlights the potential for modern, energy efficient electric cooking devices to defy the conventional wisdom of the energy ladder.
Brain Inspired Spatio-Temporal Associative Memories for Neuroimaging Data: EEG and fMRI
Authors: Kasabov Nikola K. , Bahrami Helena , Doborjeh Maryam , Wang Alan
Published: August 2023

Humans learn from a lot of information sources to make decisions. Once this information is learned in the brain, spatio-temporal associations are made, connecting all these sources (variables) in space and time represented as brain connectivity. In reality, to make a decision, we usually have only part of the infor-mation, either as a limited number of variables, or limited time to make the decision, or both. The brain functions as spatio-temporal associative memory. Inspired by the ability of the human brain, a brain-inspired spatio-temporal associative memory was proposed earlier, that utilizes the NeuCube brain-inspired spiking neural network framework. Here we apply the STAM framework to develop STAM for neuroimaging data, on the cases of EEG and fMRI, resulting in STAM-EEG and STAM-fMRI. The paper shows that once a NeuCube STAM classification model is trained on a complete spatio-temporal EEG or fMRI data, it can be recalled using only part of the time series, or/and only part of the used variables. We evaluate accordingly the temporal association accuracy and spatial association accuracy. This is a pilot study that opens the field for the development of multimodal classification systems on other multimodal neuroimaging data, such as the also shown longitudinal MRI data, trained on complete data, but recalled on partial data collected across different settings, in different labs and clinics, that may vary in terms of variables, time of data collection, and other parameters. The proposed methods will allow also for brain diagnostic/prognostic marker discovery using spatio-temporal neuroimaging data.
Attachment and Coping in the Second Pandemic Year: the Impact on Loneliness and Emotional Distress
Authors: Hopulele-Petri Andrei , Fadgyas-Stănculete Mihaela , Manea Mirela
Published: August 2023

Pandemic restrictions and reduced social opportunities led to increased loneliness throughout affected countries. Considering that stressful situations activate the attachment system and engage various coping strategies, the present study explored the role of attachment dimensions and coping styles in perceived social isolation and the subsequent effect on emotional distress. Data was collected using an online survey between the third and fourth waves in Romania during the second year of the pandemic. Correlational analyses presented significant relationships between all variables measured. Regression analysis showed that attachment insecurity could predict up to half of the variance in loneliness and one-third of emotional distress. Coping styles that predicted both loneliness and emotional distress were problem-focused and socially supported coping, though the effect was minimal. Emotion-focused coping presented a protective role against loneliness. Finally, moderation analysis revealed how loneliness fully mediated the relationship between insecure attachment styles and emotional distress. Further implications for research on loneliness, and pandemic resilience are discussed.
Notch Signaling in Insect Development: A Simple Pathway with Diverse Functions
Authors: Chen Yao , Li Haomiao , Yi Tian-Ci , Shen Jie , Zhang Junzheng
Published: August 2023

Notch signaling is a highly conserved pathway which occurs between adjacent cells to distinguish them. The Notch signaling cascade operates in a simple mechanism, yet Notch plays remarkably diverse roles in development to regulate cell fate determination, organ growth and tissue patterning. Originally isolated and characterized in the model insect Drosophila melanogaster, recent studies in various insect species have revealed that Notch signaling is broadly involved in the construction of insect tissues. This review focuses on providing a molecular mechanistic and developmental picture regarding the roles of Notch pathway in insects. The functions of Notch in the formation and patterning of insect embryo, wing, leg, ovary and several specific structures as well as in stress responses are summarized. These results are discussed in developmental context with an eye toward understanding the functionality of Notch signaling pathway in different insect species.
Genetical Signature – An Example of Personalized Skin Aging Investigation with Possible Implementation to Clinical Practice
Authors: Sepetiene Ramune , Patamsyte Vaiva , Valiukevicius Paulius , Gecyte Emilija , Skipskis Vilius , Gečys Dovydas , Stanioniene Zita , Barakauskas Svajunas
Published: August 2023

We conducted a research study to create groundwork for personalized solutions within skin aging segment. This test utilises genetic and general laboratory data to predict individual susceptibility of weak skin characteristics, leveraging on the research on genetic polymorphisms related to skin functional properties.
A cross-sectional study was conducted in collaboration between the Private Clinic Medicina Practica Laboratory (Vilnius, Lithuania) and the Public Institution Lithuanian University of Health Sciences (Kaunas, Lithuania). 370 participants agreed to participate in the project. The median age of respondents was 40, with a range of 19 to 74 years.
After the literature search, we selected 15 polymorphisms of the genes related to skin aging subsequently distributed for different skin functions: SOD2(rs4880), GPX1(rs1050450), NQO1(rs1800566), CAT (rs1001179), TYR (rs1126809), SLC45A2 (rs26722), SLC45A2 (rs16891982), MMP1(rs1799750), ELN (rs7787362), COL1A1(rs1800012), AHR (rs2066853), IL6 (rs1800795), IL1Beta (rs1143634), TNF-α (rs1800629), AQP3(rs17553719). RT genotyping, blood count and immunochemistry results have been analysed using statistical methods.
Obtained results showed significant associations among genotyping models and routine blood screens. These findings demonstrate the personalized medicine approach for aging segment and further add onto the growing field of literature. Further investigation is warranted to fully understand the complex interplay between genetic factors, environmental influences, and skin aging.
Reduced Endothelial Nitric Oxide Involvement in Duck Basilar Arterial Relaxation
Authors: Wu Siyuan , Ootawa Tomoki , Smith Henry , Sekio Ryoya , Islam Md. Zahorul , Nguyen Ha Thi Thanh , Uno Yasuhiro , Shiraishi Mitsuya , Miyamoto Atsushi
Published: August 2023

The basilar arterial endothelium mediates blood-vessel relaxation, partly through release of nitric oxide (NO). Apoptosis of cerebrovascular endothelial cells is linked to high mortality rate in chickens infected with highly pathogenic avian influenza virus, but interestingly ducks exhibit greater resistance to this virus. In this study, we examined the responsiveness of duck basilar arteries (BAs) to various vasoactive substances, including 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), histamine (His), angiotensin (Ang) II, noradrenaline (NA), acetylcholine (ACh), and avian bradykinin ornithokinin (OK), aiming to characterize the receptor subtypes involved and the role of endothelial NO in vitro. Our findings suggest that arterial contraction is mediated by 5-HT1 and H1 receptors, while relaxation is induced by β3-adrenergic and M3 receptors. Additionally, OK elicited a biphasic response in duck BAs, and Ang II had no effect. Endothelial NO appears to be crucial in relaxation mediated by M3 and OK receptors, but not β3-adrenergic receptors, in the duck BA. The reduced endothelial NO involvement in the receptor-mediated relaxation response in duck BAs represents a clear difference from the corresponding response reported in chicken BAs. This physiological difference may explain differences in lethality between ducks and chickens when vascular endothelial cells are infected by the virus.
IDENTIFICATION OF SEPARATION CURVES OF STRONGLY CONTRASTING ENVIRONMENTS USING COMPLEX ANALYSIS METHODS
Authors: Bomba Andrii , Kashtan Sergij
Published: August 2023

When modeling mass transfer processes (for example, filtration) in porous media, there may be cases of the existence of highly permeable layers, which are separated from the corresponding studied parts by some curves that must be found (identified) in the process of solving the problem. When constructing a mathematical model of the corresponding physical process, we will consider a highly permeable medium as "ideally (theoretically infinitely) permeable." In this case, the desired curve can be considered an equipotential line. This work considers the stationary process of fluid movement in a homogeneous horizontal layer of infinitely large dimensions - a soil massif, which is limited by infinite sections of curves, in particular by the desired curve of theoretical water resistance and the horizontal axis, on which the local speed of movement is known. On the basis of the methods of conformal reflections and total images, an approach to the identification of the curve of the separation of media is proposed. The constructed algorithm is modified for solving nonlinear inverse boundary value problems on quasi-conformal mappings of curvilinear polygonal regions bounded by uncertain streamlines and equipotential lines. The feature of the method proposed is that the summary representation formulae allow to explicitly write the solution to the localized linear (main) part of the obtained system of equations. The unknown coefficients are determined here by solving a non-linear system generated solely by the boundary conditions and numerical analogues of the Cauchy–Riemann equations.
INVERSE PROBLEM FOR A TIMOSHENKO BEAM WITH AN ADDITIONAL VISCOELASTIC SUPPORT UNDER NONSTATIONARY DEFORMATION
Authors: Voropay Alexey , Povaliaiev Serhii , Yegorov Pavel
Published: August 2023

The non-stationary loading of a mechanical system consisting of a beam hinged at the edges and an additional support installed in the span of the beam is considered. The deformation of the beam is modeled on the basis of Timoshenko's hypotheses, taking into account the influence of rotatory inertia and shear. The deformation of the beam is described by a system of partial differential equations, which is solved analytically by means of expansion of the unknown functions into the relevant Fourier series and further use of the Laplace integral transformation. It is assumed that the additional support has linear-elastic and linear-viscous components, and the displacements coincide at the point where the additional support is connected to the beam. The reaction between the beam and the additional support is replaced by an external unknown concentrated force applied to the beam, which varies in time. The law of time variation of this unknown reaction is determined by solving the Volterra integral equation. The inverse problem of deformable solid mechanics is solved, that is, it is assumed that the deflection at a point of the beam with the additional support is known, whereas the law of time variation of the external impulse load causing the deflection is unknown. The application point of the external load and the point of the additional support connection are considered to be known and do not change in the process of deformation (when obtaining the solution of the problem it was supposed that these could be any points of the beam except for its ends). The described inverse problem is reduced to a system of two Volterra integral equations of the first kind with regard to the unknowns of the external disturbing load and reaction between the plate and the additional support, which is solved by analytical and numerical method. Analytical relations and calculation results for specific numerical parameters are given. The results obtained in this work can be used for indirect measurement of impulse and shock loads acting on beams with additional supports, for which not only elastic but also linear-viscous characteristics are taken into account.
NUMERICAL SIMULATION OF A FLUID FLOW IN THE CYLINDRICAL DUCT CONTAINING TWO DIAPHRAGMS WITH ORIFICES OF DIFFERENT DIAMETERS
Authors: Trotsenko Yaroslav
Published: August 2023

The flow of a viscous incompressible fluid in a cylindrical duct with two serial diaphragms with orifices of different diameters was studied based on the numerical solution of the unsteady Navier-Stokes equations. The solution algorithm was based on the finite volume method using second-order accurate difference schemes in both space and time. The TVD (Total-Variation Diminishing) form of a central-difference scheme with a flux limiter was used for the interpolation of the convective terms. The combined evaluation of the velocity and pressure fields was carried out using the PISO (Pressure Implicit Split Operator) procedure. The problem was solved using OpenFOAM (Open-source Field Operation And Manipulation) open-source toolkit libraries using the computing power of the cluster supercomputer of the V.M. Glushkov Institute of Cybernetics of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine. It was shown that within a certain range of the diameter ratio of the orifices of the diaphragms, a circulation movement is established in the cavity between the diaphragms. The boundary layer breaks off from the surface of the first diaphragm and forms an annular shear layer. When approaching the second diaphragm, a sequence of ring vortices is formed in it, which interact with the surface of the diaphragm and lead to the emergence of tonal sound. When the ratio of the orifice diameter of the second diaphragm to the first decreases, the share of the jet’s kinetic energy, which participates in the circulation in the middle of the cavity between the diaphragms, increases. As a result, the amplitude of velocity fluctuations in the orifice of the second diaphragm decreases. When the ratio of the diameters of the orifices increases, the share of energy involved in the circulation decreases, and when a certain value of the ratio is reached, the interaction between the vortices in the shear layer and the surface of the diaphragm does not occur. As a result, the excitation of the tonal sound stops. The Strouhal number of self-oscillations practically does not change when the diameter ratio of the orifices changes. During the calculations, two different modes of self-oscillation were obtained, which is consistent with previous works.
Анализ динамики эпидемического процесса COVID-19 в мире за неделю с 29.07.2023 г. по 04.08.2023 г.
Authors: Зимирова Анастасия , Поспелов Михаил , Иванова Александра , Карнаухов Игорь , Щербакова Светлана , Кутырев Владимир
Published: August 2023

В обзоре представлен анализ эпидемиологической ситуации в странах мира по COVID-19 за неделю с 29.07.2023 г. по 04.08.2023 г.
Ultra-Power-Efficient Electrically Programmable Photonic Memory on a Heterogeneous III-V/Si Optical Computing Platform
Authors: Cheung Stanley , Liang Di , Yuan Yuan , Peng Yiwei , Hu Yingtao , Kurczveil Geza , Beausoleil Ray
Published: August 2023

We demonstrate, for the first time, non-volatile charge-trap flash memory (CTM) co-located with heterogeneous III-V/Si photonics. The wafer-bonded III-V/Si CTM cell facilitates non-volatile optical functionality for a variety of devices such as Mach-Zehnder Interferometers (MZIs), asymmetric MZI lattice filters, and ring resonator filters. The MZI CTM exhibits full write/erase operation (100 cycles with 500 states) with wavelength shifts of Δλnon-volatile = 1.16 nm (Δneff,non-volatile ~ 2.5 × 10-4) and a dynamic power consumption < 20 pW (limited by measurement). Multi-bit write operation (2 bits) is also demonstrated and verified over a time duration of 24 hours and most likely beyond. The cascaded 2nd order ring resonator CTM filter exhibited an improved ER of ~ 7.11 dB compared to the MZI and wavelength shifts of Δλnon-volatile = 0.041 nm (Δneff,non-volatile = 1.5 × 10-4) with similar pW-level dynamic power consumption as the MZI CTM. The ability to co-locate photonic computing elements and non-volatile memory provides an attractive path towards eliminating the von-Neumann bottleneck.