bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Utilization of Satellite Gravimetric Data to Estimate the Location of the Magma Chamber of Slamet Volcano, Central Java, Indonesia
Authors: Sehah Sehah , Koesuma Sorja , Prabowo Urip Nur Wijayanto , Ikhwana Aina Zahra
Published: November 2023

Satellite gravimetric data can be utilized to map the gravity anomaly on the earth's surface, especially for difficult, extreme, and large areas. In this study, satellite gravimetric data has been used to estimate the location of the magma chamber of Slamet volcano, Indonesia. Information on the magma chamber is very useful for knowing the volcanic characteristics and activity, thus helping pre-mitigation efforts to catastrophic eruptions that occur. The stages in the study which have been carried out include data access, correction, reduction, modeling, and interpretation. The satellite gravimetric data that has been accessed is GGMplus data. After several corrections and reductions are done, the complete Bouguer anomalies (CBA) data are obtained with values ranging from 11.889 – 117.429 mGal. Filtering process using the upward continuation has been applied to obtain regional anomalies data. The regional anomalies data are corrected to the CBA data, so that the residual gravity anomalies data are obtained. The lowest gravity anomaly value is located at positions of 109.21967 E and 7.24281 S which is interpreted to be the location of the magma chamber of Slamet Volcano that is currently still active. The result of modeling of the residual gravity anomalies data indicate that the position of the magma chamber of Slamet Volcano is estimated to be relatively under the cone with a density lower than the surrounding rock densities, i.e. 1.50 – 1.75 g/cm3. The study results have a good match with the geological map of the study area.
Photocurrent Density Enhancement of DSSC with Existence of ZnO in TiO2 Based Photoanode
Authors: Safriani Lusi , Nurfitriani Nurfitriani , Celline Ayunita Chintia , Aprilia Annisa , Furukawa Yukio
Published: November 2023

One of the important components of a dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) is photoanode which plays a critical role serving as the center of conversion energy. Photoanode consists of transparent conducting substrate, a semiconductor layer, and dyes molecules as sensitizers. Titanium dioxide (TiO2) is widely used as a photoanode because it is a mesoporous and stable material despite its high recombination rate. To reduce the recombination rate and improve electron transport, TiO2 is combined with other materials such as ZnO to form TiO2/ZnO composites. ZnO is a good choice because it has higher electron mobility than TiO2 to inhibit recombination. The synthesis process of TiO2/ZnO composites was carried out using the sol-gel method with variations in the weight percentage of ZnO. The TiO2/ZnO composite was then applied as a photoanode in DSSC. The J-V measurement results shows that the DSSC with TiO2/ZnO 25wt% composite layer as the photoanode produced the highest efficiency of 0.86%. This increase in efficiency was due to an increase in the photo-current of photoanodes that have more ZnO content. The presence of ZnO leads to faster-moving electron transport, therefore reducing recombination and increasing efficiency.
«Video, ergo sum» María Zambrano y el sueño del cine
Authors: Navarro de San Pío Juan
Published: November 2023

El cinema per a Zambrano allibera la mirada i eixampla l’horitzó dels somnis. Davant la mirada filosòfica hi ha «una altra mirada» que neix de la poesia i que tremola davant del deliri de la vida i de les seves imatges enigmàtiques. Carregant contra els límits del llenguatge, Zambrano explora el silenci i el buit de l’indicible que experimentem en el somni i el cinema. Així, la raó poètica encarna l’esperit del cinema i l’aurora d’una mirada nova que salva les imatges injuriades per Plató.
Rutes alternatives entre els senders del llenguatge a partir de «Claros del bosque»
Authors: Filaci Luca
Published: November 2023

En aquest treball tractarem concretament l’obra de Zambrano Claros del bosque, de l’any 1977, en la qual, segons diversos experts en la seva obra, veiem posada en pràctica la seva razón poética. En particular, ens centrarem en algunes parts del text que considerem més significatives en relació amb el tema que tractem aquí, és a dir, el paper de les paraules i el llenguatge dins la visió filosòfica més global de l’autora.
escriptura «ex abundantia cordis» de María Zambrano
Authors: Tarantino Stefania
Published: November 2023

Aquest assaig tracta el nucli del guió original de Zambran. Des de la unió indissoluble del pensament i la vida i des de l’adhesió total a la realitat, la forma de no-ficció permet a María Zambrano alliberarse de les rígides regles d’una discursivitat racionalitzadora i desencarnada per restituir el flux de pensaments i les paraules a través de registres i tonalitats diferents. El seu intens desig comunicatiu va, doncs, més enllà de les definicions «evidents» del pensament científici es basa en la cadència, el ritme i el to, que esdevenen elements decisius de la seva escriptura.
City-blindness Manifesto, for an evocation of the invisible body of the city
Authors: Di Pietro Lucia , Masini Teresa
Published: November 2023

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White Merlin: A Modern Misconception about the Legendary Merlin
Authors: Liu Tzu-Yu
Published: November 2023

Abstract: Different from the predominantly white Merlins on both big and small screens today, Merlins in medieval legends are never described as having white skin. In fact, in various texts Merlin is specifically depicted as a dark-skinned character capable of making legendary accomplishments. The few Merlins of color onscreen have informed our understanding of Merlin as a legendary character in various ways, and more diverse representations of Merlin onscreen could help to dispel the misconception that the legendary Merlin is by default white. (TL)
Towards Narrative Plenitude: Asian Representation in Young Adult Arthurian Fantasy
Authors: Yee Pamela M.
Published: November 2023

Abstract: This article examines how two authors of Asian descent tackle the problem of 'narrative scarcity' for marginalized writers in their Young Adult Arthurian texts: Williams' 'The Quay Stone' posits the relationship between colonizer/colonized as akin to domestic abuse, while Chupeco's A Hundred Names for Magic series integrates Eastern and Western myths. (PY)
The Goddæuses' Dürer-Inspired Trademark: The Meanings, Origins, and Strategic Uses of a Seventeenth-Century Dutch Printer's Device
Authors: Durrant Michael
Published: November 2023

Abstract: This article offers a close reading of a seventeenth-century trademark deployed by the Rotterdam-based printers Henry (1633-1684) and Johanna Goddæus ( fl . 1660-1690). As part of this analysis, I show that that the central motif in the Goddæuses' trademark, which depicts the Gospel event known as the noli me tangere , is in an intertextual relationship with an earlier devotional woodcut by the German artist Albrecht Dürer (1471-1528). This acknowledgement, I argue, enlivens a reading of the Goddæuses' trademark as a multimodal paratextual form, which: 1) visually foregrounds the three-dimensional and tactile qualities of the material text; 2) helps to advertise the empirical and experiential dimensions of the books that it brands; and 3) promotes the artisanal efficacy underpinning its owners' book-making practices.
Content Generation in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction
Authors: Bull Sarah
Published: November 2023

Abstract: This article reconsiders the role of compiling in the modern history of authorship. Nineteenth-century readers viewed compiling as the purest form of "book-making," a mechanistic, market-oriented model of authorship that stood in opposition to authorial genius. The article examines these authorial models' intertwined origins in emergent industrial capitalism, and argues that book-making retained currency as a model into the early twentieth century partly because unattributed text reuse remained common. It also argues that in the aggregate, unattributed text reuse had epistemic and informational effects that anticipated challenges we are grappling with following the development of large language models.
The Federated Press and Labor Feminism on the US Home Front during World War II
Authors: Grieve Victoria M.
Published: November 2023

Abstract: This article analyzes the wartime journalism of three female reporters for the Federated Press, a cooperative news service that provided copy to more than two hundred labor newspapers from 1919 to 1956. The essay demonstrates how WWII labor journalism fostered union women's increased visibility, promoted labor feminism, and groomed leadership for postwar social justice movements. I argue that by acknowledging the importance of working women in the labor movement and insisting on their rightful place in it, these journalists advanced the goals of working-class feminism, seeding a groundswell of middle-class feminism in the 1960s and 1970s.
Isabel's "Indefinable": The Fate of Liberal Feminism in James's The Portrait of a Lady
Authors: Forster Sophia
Published: November 2023

Abstract: This essay places the marriage plot in Henry James's The Portrait of a Lady in the context of the rise of liberal feminism. This essay argues that by showing how Isabel's conventional marriage is both created and maintained by her assertion of her rights as a woman, the novel invites readers to consider the limits of the model of liberal selfhood as a path to meaningful freedom for women.
A Small Black Boy and Others: James Baldwin's Essays as a Radical Framework for Understanding Henry James
Authors: Mendelssohn Michèle
Published: November 2023

Abstract: James Baldwin revered Henry James but dreamt of writing an essay called "A Negro Looks at Henry James." This article proposes a transhistorical reading method that addresses the racialized emotional and political aspects of A Small Boy and Others and The American Scene . The article brings into focus a radical Black context for understanding James by positioning him in relation to a longer history of interracial encounters exemplified by Baldwin. By attending to James's elisions and reading them in conversation with Baldwin, the article proposes a new framework for reading James's nonfiction that compensates for his limited racial vision.
Gramsci on Pirandello’s Theater: Pragmatism and National Tradition
Authors: Magario Francesca
Published: November 2023

Abstract: Antonio Gramsci’s contributions have engaged scholars for nearly a century, sporadically favoring topics such as literary criticism and theater. This article examines his critique of Luigi Pirandello’s theater and the direct impact of artistic and cultural elements on the success of a play. Gramsci’s reviews for Avanti! along with Quaderni del carcere will demonstrate the evolution of his conception of success, which is denoted by pragmatic elements of dramatic execution, set forth for playwrights, directors, actors, and audiences alike. His opinion on Pirandello’s productions will reveal a mix of mild criticism and resigned approval, despite the playwright’s international fame.
Cross correlations between fluorescent and transmitted photons in single-atom cavity-enhanced absorption
Authors: Rice Perry R. , Wang Xiaoyi , Carmichael Howard J.
Published: November 2023

We study a single two-level atom interacting on resonance with a weakly driven optical cavity mode. In earlier work on this system we calculated the degree of second-order coherence, the optical spectrum, and the spectrum of squeezing for both the transmitted light and fluorescence out the sides of the cavity.1,2 We present results for the cross-correlation functions that determine joint probabilities for a photodetection in transmission (fluorescence) followed by a photodetection in fluorescence (transmission). We compute these correlation functions numerically for arbitrary values of the three rates that govern the system dynamics: the atomic decay rate γ to modes other than the cavity mode, the photon escape rate from the cavity 2K, and the atom-field coupling constant g. Analytical results provide insight for the following limits of the parameters: (1) the bad-cavity limit,
κ/γ→∞,κ/g→∞,g2/κγ constant; (2) the atomic-loss limit,
κ/γ→0,κ/g→0,γ/g constant; (3) the cavity-loss limit,
γ/κ→0,γ/g→0,g/κ constant; and (4) the good-cavity limit,
k/γ→0,k/g→0,g2/κγ constant. In the bad-cavity limit the cross-correlation functions are symmetric with respect to the order of detection in transmission and fluorescence; in general they are not symmetric.
High-resolution reflectometry for integrated optics
Authors: Beaud P. , Hodel W. , Schutz J. , Weber H. P. , Gilgen H. H. , Salathe R. P.
Published: November 2023

The small size of integrated optical components requires an OTDR system with resolution in the micrometer range. In this context two systems have been proposed: one employs a short coherence light source and interferometric detection,1 the other uses ultrashort laser pulses and intensity correlation.2 We describe a new OTDR system combining the advantages of both methods. The light source is a dye laser which delivers pulses of 300-fs duration tunable in wavelength between 1.25 and 1.35 μm. The backscattered light is measured with a Mach-Zehnder-type interferometer in conjunction with balanced heterodyne detection. The sensitivity of the system is better than 100 dB, and the standard resolution is 60 μm in air. Taking advantage of the large tuning range of the dye laser the resolution can be improved to <10 μm. We show the applicability of the system for investigations of integrated optical devices. Such an OTDR system capable of the diagnostics of optical waveguide structures is of potential use for further progress in the field of integrated optics.
Experimental characteristics of an antireflection grating surface on gold
Authors: Hartman N. F. , Gaylord Thomas K.
Published: November 2023

A systematic procedure using the effective index method and impedance matching has recently been developed1 for the design of antireflection high-spatial-frequency rectangular-groove gratings on lossy materials including high-conductivity metals. The design procedure in turn can be used as a starting point to design antireflection metallic gratings with lower spatial frequencies using rigorous coupled-wave analysis. These lower-spatial-frequency gratings have the advantage of being more easily fabricated. In the present work, a particular antireflection gold grating design (having a period of 1.0 μm, a filling factor of 50%, and a groove depth of 147.5 nm for use at a free-space wavelength of 500 nm, normal incidence, and polarization parallel to the grooves) was fabricated and its diffraction characteristics experimentally measured. The grating indeed showed very nearly zero specular reflection in the blue region of the spectrum. Unlike previously reported antireflection anomalies, the effect is broadband occurring over a broad range of wavelengths and angles of incidence and for both orthogonal polarizations. This work clearly shows that the systematic design of zero specular reflection grating surface is possible.
A hybrid machine learning feature selection model—HMLFSM to enhance gene classification applied to multiple colon cancers dataset
Authors: Al-Rajab Murad , Lu Joan , Xu Qiang , Kentour Mohamed , Sawsa Ahlam , Shuweikeh Emad , Joy Mike , Arasaradnam Ramesh
Published: November 2023

Colon cancer is a significant global health problem, and early detection is critical for improving survival rates. Traditional detection methods, such as colonoscopies, can be invasive and uncomfortable for patients. Machine Learning (ML) algorithms have emerged as a promising approach for non-invasive colon cancer classification using genetic data or patient demographics and medical history. One approach is to use ML to analyse genetic data, or patient demographics and medical history, to predict the likelihood of colon cancer. However, due to the challenges imposed by variable gene expression and the high dimensionality of cancer-related datasets, traditional transductive ML applications have limited accuracy and risk overfitting. In this paper, we propose a new hybrid feature selection model called HMLFSM–Hybrid Machine Learning Feature Selection Model to improve colon cancer gene classification. We developed a multifilter hybrid model including a two-phase feature selection approach, combining Information Gain (IG) and Genetic Algorithms (GA), and minimum Redundancy Maximum Relevance (mRMR) coupling with Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO). We critically tested our model on three colon cancer genetic datasets and found that the new framework outperformed other models with significant accuracy improvements (95%, ~97%, and ~94% accuracies for datasets 1, 2, and 3 respectively). The results show that our approach improves the classification accuracy of colon cancer detection by highlighting important and relevant genes, eliminating irrelevant ones, and revealing the genes that have a direct influence on the classification process. For colon cancer gene analysis, and along with our experiments and literature review, we found that selective input feature extraction prior to feature selection is essential for improving predictive performance.
Longitudinal association between positive affect and blood lipids in patients following acute myocardial infarction
Authors: Princip Mary , von Känel Roland , Sivakumar Sinthujan , Jellestad Lena , Pazhenkottil Aju P. , Langraf-Meister Rebecca E. , Znoj Hansjörg , Schmid Jean-Paul , Barth Jürgen , Schnyder Ulrich , Zuccarella-Hackl Claudia
Published: November 2023

Objective

Unfavorable blood lipid profiles are robust risk factors in predicting atherosclerotic disease. Studies have shown that positive affect (PA) is associated with a favorable lipid profile. However, longitudinal studies regarding the course of PA and lipid profiles in myocardial infarction (MI) patients are lacking. Therefore, the aim of this study was to prospectively explore the association between PA and blood lipid levels across three inv estigations over 12 months following acute MI.

Methods

Patients following an acute MI were examined at hospital admission (n = 190), and at 3 months (n = 154) and 12 months (n = 106) thereafter. Linear mixed effect regression models were used to evaluate the relation between PA, assessed with the Global Mood Scale, and blood lipid levels. Potential confounding variables were controlled for in the analysis.

Results

Higher PA was significantly associated with higher high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels and a lower total cholesterol (TC)/HDL-C ratio over time, independent of demographic factors, indices of cardiac disease severity, comorbidity, medication use, health behaviors, serum cortisol and negative affect (p≤0.040). No association was found between PA and the two blood lipids low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) and triglycerides (TG).

Conclusions

Positive affect was independently associated with HDL-C levels and the TC/HDL-C ratio in patients up to 1 year after MI. The findings support a potential role of PA for cardiovascular health through an association with a favorable blood lipid profile.
Influence of sand content on mechanical properties of sand-silt mixtures from check dam deposits in the Loess Hilly of Ningxia, China
Authors: Chang Liucheng , Wang Ya , Wang Hongyu
Published: November 2023

An accurate description of the stress-strain relationships of sand-fine mixtures is very important to analyze the soil’s mechanical properties. Hence, a series of consolidated drained (CD) triaxial tests were performed on reconstructed sand-silt mixtures with sand contents of 0%, 16.67%, 28.57%, 50%, and 60% in the paper to examine the effect of the sand content on the stress-strain curves of the soil. Results show that for sand-fine mixtures with different sand contents, the stress-strain curves are also mainly strain softening though there exist different degrees of softening. In order to quantitatively describe the strain-softening characteristics of sand-fine mixtures, a modified Duncan-Chang model was developed. To verify the applicability of the modified mode, examples such as coral clay and undisturbed loess are described and predicted. There is a high consistency between theoretical and experimental values. Finally, a sand-content-dependent constitutive model that considered the effects of sand content and confining pressure was proposed based on the modified Duncan-Chang model by constructing the relationship between model parameters and confining pressure and sand content. The constitutive model was implemented in ABAQUS software and verified by comparing the calculated results with the triaxial test data of sand-fine mixtures under the confining pressure of 500 kPa. The comparison results indicate that the constitutive model can reflect the real characteristics of sand-fine mixtures.
The structural-demographic theory revisited: An empirical test for industrialized societies
Authors: Georgescu Oana-Maria
Published: November 2023

The structural demographic theory for industrialized societies generates three testable predictions. The first prediction is that labor oversupply leads to declining (relative) wages. The second prediction is that labor oversupply leads to elite overproduction: as relative wages fall, elite incomes display a hump-shaped pattern while elite numbers increase. The third prediction is that elite overproduction leads to political instability. I test these predictions on US data by combining evidence from existing studies with empirical proxies for elite numbers and elite income. The predictions are not supported by the data. First, labor oversupply cannot explain the polarization of wages and the decline in relative wages. The largest share in wage variance is explained by automation. Second, the data shows that as relative wages fall, elite incomes increase, in contrast to the hump-shaped pattern displayed by the model. Third, elite overproduction did not predict political instability in the last decades. Political instability is modelled by the Political Stress Index (PSI). The reviewed evidence shows that the increase in the model based PSI in the last decades is driven by the increase in inequality. The rise in inequality was caused by technological change, globalisation and to a lesser extent by the erosion of labor market institutions. Attributing the rise in inequality and the resulting increase in political instability to labor oversupply rather than to the lost race between education and technology may weaken incentives to design effective policies addressing the inefficiencies in the US education system.
Data sharing practices in collaborative human genomic research in low- and middle-income countries: A systematic review protocol
Authors: Ekusai-Sebatta Deborah , Ocan Moses , Singh Shenuka , Kyaddondo David , Akena Dickens , Nakalembe Loyce , Apunyo Robert , Kinengyere Alison Annet , Namisango Eve , Obuku Ekwaro A. , Mwaka Erisa
Published: November 2023

Introduction

The practice of creating large databases has become increasingly common by combining research participants’ data into larger repositories. Funders now require that data sharing be considered in newly funded research project, unless there are justifiable reasons not to do so. Access to genomic data brings along a host of ethical concerns as well as fairness and equity in the conduct of collaborative research between researchers from high- income and low-and middle-income countries.

Materials and methods

This systematic review protocol will be developed in line with PRISMA -guidelines which refers to Open Science Framework, registered in PROSPERO (https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/) record CRD42022297984 and published in a peer reviewed journal. Data sources will include PubMed, google scholar, EMBASE, Web of science and MEDLINE. Both published and grey literature will be searched. Subject matter experts including bioethicists, principal investigators of genomic research projects and research administrators will be contacted. After de-duplication, titles and abstracts will be screened for eligibility. Data extraction will be undertaken using a piloted form designed in EPPI-Reviewer software before conducting risk of bias assessments by a pair of reviewers, acting independently. Any discrepancies will be resolved by consensus. Analysis will be done using a structured narrative synthesis and where feasible metanalysis. This review will attempt to highlight the context of data sharing practices in the global North-South and South-South collaborative human genomic research in low- and middle-income countries. This review will enhance the body of evidence on ethical, legal and social implications of data sharing in international collaborative genomic research setting criteria for data sharing. The full report will be shared with relevant stakeholders including universities, civil society, funders, and departments of genomic research to ensure an adequate reach in low-and middle-income countries (LMICs).
Ventilatory support and inflammatory peptides in hospitalised patients with COVID-19: A prospective cohort trial
Authors: Gysan Maximilian Robert , Milacek Christopher , Bal Christina , Zech Andreas , Brugger Jonas , Milos Ruxandra-Iulia , Antoniewicz Lukasz , Idzko Marco , Gompelmann Daniela
Published: November 2023

Purpose

Several studies have shown that SARS-CoV-2 can induce a massive release of cytokines which contributes to disease severity and mortality. Therefore, cytokine levels in the serum may help to predict disease severity and survival in COVID-19 patients.

Methods

In this prospective trial, 88 patients who were hospitalised for COVID-19 were enrolled. Blood samples for serum peptide measurements were taken at the time closest to hospitalisation, at day 5, 9 and 13 (±1). The concentrations of cytokines (IL-1α, IL-1β, IL-1RA, IL-6, L-7, L-10, IFN-γ and TNF-α), chemokines (CCL-3, CCL-4 and CCL-7) and growth factors (G-CSF, GM-CSF and VEGF) were assessed and correlated with the type of ventilation, occurrence of consolidations on imaging and the level of care.

Results

COVID-19 patients (median age 68 years, IQR 55–77) stayed in hospital between 5–171 days. Compared to patients in the general care unit, patients in the intermediate care unit (IMCU) and intensive care unit (ICU) presented significantly elevated serum IL-6 (p = 0.004) and lower IFN-γ levels (p = 0.005), respectively. The peak inspiratory pressure in ventilated patients correlated positively with IL-1RA, G-CSF and inversely with IFN-γ serum levels (all p<0.05). VEGF serum levels inversely correlated with the fraction of inspired oxygen in patients receiving high-flow nasal canula oxygen therapy (p = 0.047). No significant correlation between serum concentrations of the measured peptides and the type of ventilation, occurrence of radiological consolidations or in-hospital mortality has been observed.

Conclusion

IL1-RA, IL-6, IFN-γ, G-CSF, CCL-7 and VEGF serum levels could prove helpful as biomarkers to assess disease severity and the need for intensive care in COVID-19 patients.
A refactoring categorization model for software quality improvement
Authors: Almogahed Abdullah , Mahdin Hairulnizam , Omar Mazni , Zakaria Nur Haryani , Gu Yeong Hyeon , Al-masni Mohammed A. , Saif Yazid
Published: November 2023

Refactoring, a widely adopted technique, has proven effective in facilitating and reducing maintenance activities and costs. Nonetheless, the effects of applying refactoring techniques on software quality exhibit inconsistencies and contradictions, leading to conflicting evidence on their overall benefit. Consequently, software developers face challenges in leveraging these techniques to improve software quality. Moreover, the absence of a categorization model hampers developers’ ability to decide the most suitable refactoring techniques for improving software quality, considering specific design goals. Thus, this study aims to propose a novel refactoring categorization model that categorizes techniques based on their measurable impacts on internal quality attributes. Initially, the most common refactoring techniques used by software practitioners were identified. Subsequently, an experimental study was conducted using five case studies to measure the impacts of refactoring techniques on internal quality attributes. A subsequent multi-case analysis was conducted to analyze these effects across the case studies. The proposed model was developed based on the experimental study results and the subsequent multi-case analysis. The model categorizes refactoring techniques into green, yellow, and red categories. The proposed model, by acting as a guideline, assists developers in understanding the effects of each refactoring technique on quality attributes, allowing them to select appropriate techniques to improve specific quality attributes. Compared to existing studies, the proposed model emerges superior by offering a more granular categorization (green, yellow, and red categories), and its range is wide (including ten refactoring techniques and eleven internal quality attributes). Such granularity not only equips developers with an in-depth understanding of each technique’s impact but also fosters informed decision-making. In addition, the proposed model outperforms current studies and offers a more nuanced understanding, explicitly highlighting areas of strength and concern for each refactoring technique. This enhancement aids developers in better grasping the implications of each refactoring technique on quality attributes. As a result, the model simplifies the decision-making process for developers, saving time and effort that would otherwise be spent weighing the benefits and drawbacks of various refactoring techniques. Furthermore, it has the potential to help reduce maintenance activities and associated costs.
Non-linear association between aspartate aminotransferase to alanine aminotransferase ratio and mortality in critically ill older patients: A retrospective cohort study
Authors: Yang Hua , Meng Limin , Xin Shuanli , Chang Chao , Zhao Xiufeng , Guo Bingyan
Published: November 2023

Background

The aspartate aminotransferase to alanine aminotransferase (AST/ALT) ratio has been shown to be associated with poor clinical outcomes across various patient groups. However, little is unclear about the association between the two in critically ill older patients. Therefore, we aim to investigate the association of the AST/ALT ratio with hospital mortality in this special population.

Methods

In this retrospective cohort study, we extracted elderly patients (age ≥ 65 years) from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care IV (MIMIC-IV) database. The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality. The association between the AST/ALT ratio and hospital mortality was studied using univariable and multivariable Cox regression analysis, as well as restricted cubic splines (RCS). Survival analysis was performed using the Kaplan-Meier (KM) method according to the AST/ALT ratio.

Results

Among the 13,358 eligible patients, the mean age was 77.6 years, 7,077 patients (52.9%) were male, and 2,511 patients (18.8%) died in hospital. The AST/ALT ratio was found to be independently associated with in-hospital mortality (HR = 1.05, 95% CI: 1.01–1.09, P = 0.022) after adjusting for potential confounders. Furthermore, a non-linear relationship and saturation effect were observed between them, with the inflection point being 1.80. When the AST/ALT ratio was less than 1.80, we found that every 1 unit increase in the AST/ALT ratio resulted in a 39% increased risk of in-hospital mortality (HR = 1.39, 95% CI: 1.18–1.64, P < 0.001). However, when the AST/ALT ratio was greater than 1.80, the association became saturated (HR = 1.01, 95% CI: 0.96–1.07, P = 0.609). Sensitivity and subgroup analyses showed the results were robust.

Conclusion

In critically ill older patients, the association between the AST/ALT ratio and in-hospital mortality was non-linear and showed a saturation effect. An elevated AST/ALT ratio was significantly associated with increased in-hospital mortality when the AST/ALT ratio was less than 1.80.
Path analysis model for preventing stunting in dryland area island East Nusa Tenggara Province, Indonesia
Authors: Picauly Intje , Adi Anak Agung Ayu Mirah , Meiyetriani Eflita , Mading Majematang , Weraman Pius , Nashriyah Siti Fadhilatun , Hidayat Ahmad Thohir , Boeky Daniela L. Adeline , Lobo Varry , Saleh Asmulyati , Peni Jane A.
Published: November 2023

Background

The problem of stunting is still a fundamental problem in Indonesia’s human development. East Nusa Tenggara Province is an archipelago dryland area where in 2007–2021 it has contributed to the highest number of stunting children prevalence in Indonesia. This study aims to determine the relationship of variables in individual, household and district level with the prevalence of stunting.

Methods

This type of research is observational study with a cross sectional design. This study used individual secondary data from the Indonesian Nutritional Status Survey in 2021 consisting of 7,835 toddlers and National Social Economics Survey 2021.

Results

This research found that both specific & sensitive intervention programs had an influence in accelerating the decline in stunting prevalence (higher score on Z Score). Results also revealed the positive influence of the food access variable on nutritional intake. The results of the path analysis test showed that sensitive intervention program variables have a positive effect on food access variable and environmental variable (environmental sanitation) such as the habit of open defecation and healthcare. There was significant relationship on disease history, environment and intake to Height for Age (HAZ) score.

Conclusions

In conclusion, direct and indirect factors have important roles to prevent stunting. Sensitive and specific intervention program, food access, macro determinants and environment are the indirect indicators which contribute significantly to the stunting. The risk of children under five years old experiencing malnourished nutritional status increases with a history of infectious disease (diarrhea, ARI, worms). The risk of children under five years experiencing malnourished nutritional status decreases with adequate nutritional intake. It is hoped that there will be a special model of stunting control interventions at the individual level and at the family, household and district level that are integrated and of high quality through multisectoral cooperation in the dryland areas of the islands of East Nusa Tenggara Province.
Attitudes of medical students on conflict of interest: A comparative study of Korea and France
Authors: Ji Hoseob , Choe Byung-in
Published: November 2023

Medical students are potential marketing targets for pharmaceutical companies because established prescribing habits are not easily altered. In 2014, Bruno Etain and several other researchers published a paper which investigated the knowledge of and opinions on potential conflict of interest (COI) with regard to preclinical and clinical students enrolled in medical schools in France and residents working in hospitals. An empirical survey study with Korean medical students concerning their educational experiences and views on conflicts of interest and comparing and contrasting the results with Etain’s study of French medical students. Receipt of direct or indirect financial offerings from pharmaceutical industries was not properly recognised as COI by the medical students. Therefore, strengthening education on COI and implementing institutional improvements for COI disclosure are essential to prevent bias caused by COI and enhance awareness levels regarding COI.
Postkoloniale Perspektiven in der Geographiedidaktik
Authors: Kersting Philippe , Schröder Birte
Published: November 2023

Die postkoloniale Situation prägt auch Schule und Unterricht in vielerlei Hinsicht. Die kritische Analyse dieser Situation ist Gegenstand der postcolonial studies. Dennoch findet eine Auseinandersetzung mit den Themen der schulischen Bildung und speziell der Geographiedidaktik im weiten Feld der postcolonial studies bislang kaum statt. Nach einem einleitenden Überblick über Bedeutung und Potenziale postkolonialer Perspektiven in der Geographiedidaktik stellen wir einen Fragepool vor, der es ermöglichen soll, den Geographieunterricht aus postkolonialer Perspektive zu reflektieren und zu gestalten. Abschließend wird der Fragepool auf eine Schulbuchdoppelseite angewendet.
Von Territorium zu Territorio
Authors: Schwarz Anke , Streule Monika
Published: November 2023

Dekoloniale Perspektiven auf Territorialisierung rücken derzeit zunehmend ins Zentrum der kritischen Geographie. Lateinamerikanische Auseinandersetzungen und Begriffsbestimmungen, die sich aus indigenen, afro-lateinamerikanischen und feministischen Bewegungen ableiten, prägen die Debatte und lenken den Blick auf soziale Ungleichheit und Differenz. Unser Beitrag nimmt Urbanisierung und ein relationales Verständnis von Territorium als Ausgangspunkt, um Territorialisierung als gesellschaftlichen Prozess zu verstehen. Dabei diskutieren wir die aktuelle Relevanz eines solchen relationalen sozioterritorialen Ansatzes für die Geographie mit Blick auf die empirische Forschung und urbane Theoriebildung. Gerade in der englisch- und deutschsprachigen Politischen Geographie werden De- und Reterritorialisierung oft als staatliches Handeln gerahmt. Auch die hier vorgeschlagenen dekolonialen Perspektiven interessieren sich für die räumliche Dimension von Machtverhältnissen, stellen dabei jedoch vor allem nichtstaatliche Aushandlungsprozesse und urbane Alltagspraktiken in den Mittelpunkt. Ziel des Beitrags ist es, die epistemologische und empirische Bedeutung eines relationalen sozioterritorialen Ansatzes für eine post- und dekoloniale bzw. dezentrierte Wissensproduktion in den Stadt- und Raumwissenschaften herauszuarbeiten. Der Einsatz sozioterritorialer Konzepte in einer kritischen Stadtforschung fordert zudem eine sorgfältige Situierung von Begriffen sowie Auseinandersetzung mit ihrem jeweiligen historischen Gepäck.
Stadtplanung als koloniale Praxis und alltägliche Praktiken der urbanen Transformation
Authors: Bruns Antje , Adscheid Toni
Published: November 2023

Antje Bruns und Toni Adscheid widmen sich in diesem Beitrag den stillen und flüchtigen Praktiken, welche Auswege aus den räumlichen Festlegungen und rassifizierten Praktiken der Stadtplanung eröffnen. Durch einen Fokus auf Accra und London, zeichnen die Autor*innen die Verwobenheit dieser zwei Metropolen des Britischen Empire in die Geschichten und Geographien des Kolonialismus nach. Hierbei wird deutlich, dass in beiden Kontexten, die historisch gewachsene institutionelle und rassifizierte Logik der Stadtplanung das Dasein Schwarzer Menschen beschränkt. Diese Logik wird jedoch durch alltägliche Praktiken Schwarzer Menschen untergraben, welche den Kern der Metropolen verändern und hierdurch auf die Notwendigkeit einer antirassistischen Raumproduktion verweisen.
'Monthly Review' and the Environment
Authors: Foster John Bellamy , Sarican Batuhan
Published: November 2023

In this personal interview with Batuhan Sarican, John Bellamy Foster discusses the idea ecosocialism, relating it to his personal relationship to the environment and our collective relationship to the metabolism of nature.
Platform Company Dominance and Labor Struggles in the Digital Economy
Authors: Kim Kyung-Pil
Published: November 2023

Kyung-Pil Kim charts the history of the Korean platform economy through the rise of Naver and Kakao, the major firms dominating the markets. How do these companies operate? How did they achieve dominance? Finally, what are recent developments and challenges of labor organizing in this sphere?
The enhanced adsorption properties of phosphorus from aqueous solutions using lanthanum modified synthetic zeolites
Authors: He Dongsheng , Chen Beibei , Tang Yuan , Li Qianqian , Zhang Kecheng , Li Zhili , Xu Changming
Published: November 2023

In this study, a modified synthetic zeolite adsorbent was synthesized by the hydrothermal method using coal fly ash as the main raw material, and the enhanced phosphorus adsorption properties from aqueous solutions were then evaluated. The modification parameters were specifically studied and optimized. Moreover, the effects of initial phosphorus concentration, adsorption time, and pH value on phosphorus absorption were also investigated. The adsorbent was characterized by the energy-dispersive spectrometer analysis, scanning electron microscopy, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Furthermore, the phosphorus adsorption properties of the zeolite adsorbent were preliminarily discussed through the perspectives of isothermal adsorption experiments, adsorption kinetics experiments, and adsorption thermodynamics calculations. The results show that the lanthanum ions were physically loaded on the surface and micropores of the adsorbent after modification, which helps to enhance the adsorption effect of phosphorus components from the aqueous solution. The phosphorus removal rate has been increased by about 65%. The adsorption process better fitted the Langmuir and Elovich equations. The theoretical calculation and analysis of adsorption thermodynamics showed that the adsorption and removal of phosphorus in water happens spontaneously.
Green ultrasound-assisted extraction and life cycle assessment of lutein from marigold flowers using biocompatible surfactants
Authors: Maheshwari Neha , Khanpit Vishal V. , Kannan Ashwin
Published: November 2023

The objective of this work is to extract lutein from marigold petals by the ultrasound assisted extraction employing surfactant based aqueous solution. In this study the effect of various parameters i.e. different biocompatible surfactants, temperature, extraction time, pulse mode (ON/OFF), ultrasonicator power, solid/liquid (S/L) ratio, surfactant concentration were investigated. Under the optimum conditions (temperature: 35 °C, extraction time: 20 min, pulse mode (ON/OFF): 20 s ON/OFF, surfactant concentration: 1 % (v/v), S/L: 7.5, ultrasonicator power: 370 W), the maximum lutein content of 12.18 ± 0.39 mg/g was obtained. Further, the comparative study was done for the conventional extraction (CE) and the ultrasound assisted extraction (UAE), both using surfactants aqueous solution as solvent for the extraction of lutein. The results revealed that the amount of lutein obtained using UAE method was notably higher than the CE method. Furthermore, CE and UAE methods were compared in terms of their environmental impact by life cycle assessment approach. Global warming potential (GWP) was found to be lower for UAE (0.91 kg CO2/kg of lutein extract) than CE (1.55 kg CO2/kg of lutein extract). An antioxidant activity of lutein extract was studied using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH). The results revealed that lutein can be extracted by UAE without affecting the antioxidant activity of lutein extract. The aforesaid results suggest that UAE employing surfactant based aqueous solution method is suitable for the extraction of lutein from marigold petals.
Papal Nuncios in Prague as Part of the Imperial Court: The Significance of Integration, Sociability, and Credibility of Papal Diplomats at the Turn of the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Centuries
Authors: Černušák Tomáš
Published: November 2023

Papal nuncios at the imperial court in Prague were diplomats who represented their ruler – the sovereign of the Papal States and the head of the Catholic Church. Yet they became a distinctive fixture of the imperial court in the places they served. In order for their integration into the structure of the court to be fluid, their personality traits and character had to fit the universally accepted models that applied to courtiers, namely those pertaining to social background, education, conduct, and disposition. At the same time, they had to possess a sufficient degree of sociability and a capacity to earn trust both in their relationship with the sovereign and with the courtiers. Among the primary instruments of this integration process were a wide variety of social activities, some of which were identical for the entire social group, and others unique to the papal nuncios alone.
“News about Jews” in Puritan New England: Sabbatian Messianism and Judeocentric Millenarianism in Increase Mather’s Mystery of Israel’s Salvation (1669)
Authors: Cogley Richard W.
Published: November 2023

The American Puritan minister Increase Mather’s first publication, The Mystery of Israel’s Salvation (London, 1669), originated in a series of lectures he delivered in Boston in 1666 and early 1667. These lectures were occasioned by reports that the twelve tribes of Israel were returning to Palestine under the inspiration of the self-styled messiah Shabbetai Tzvi (d. 1676). This essay explains why Mather and those Anglo-American Protestant contemporaries who shared his vision of the millennium were intrigued by Shabbetai even though they remained convinced that Jesus was the messiah; and why other Protestant contemporaries disliked this particular form of millennialism, which is sometimes termed Judeocentric millenarianism or Judeocentrism. Judeocentric millenarianism was controversial because it explicitly elevated the twelve tribes, upon their miraculous and massive conversion to Christianity, to a position of millennial superiority over gentile Christians. The essay also addresses an important point of chronology: the Sabbatian movement collapsed (but did not vanish entirely) following Shabbetai’s conversion to Islam in mid-1666. Mather edited his lectures for publication after he learned of the movement’s collapse. Thus his Mystery of Israel’s Salvation was not a transcript of his lectures.
Sustainable and intelligent manufacturing: Perceptions in line with 2030 agenda of sustainable development
Authors: Davim J. Paulo
Published: November 2023

This editorial presents insights into sustainable and intelligent manufacturing in line with the 2030 agenda for sustainable development. It begins by framing the concept of sustainable development and its objectives within the scope of the 2030 agenda. Then it explains the concept of sustainable and intelligent manufacturing in agreement with the latest developments in the industry. It finishes by envisioning the integration of Industry 5.0 in the 2030 agenda.