bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Kandungan merkuri pada substrat dasar di kawasan muara Krueng Sabee, Krueng Panga, dan Krueng Teunom, Kabupaten Aceh Jaya
Authors: Purnawan Syahrul , Rahman Rifki , Karina Sofyatuddin
Published: November 2023

The objective of this study was to determine the mercury content in sediment in the waters of Aceh Jaya coastal. The research was carried out in the Estuary of Krueng Sabee, Panga, and Teunom River on October 2015. Samples were analyzed using the Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS) at the Laboratory of Chemistry, Mathematics and Natural Sciences Faculty, Syiah Kuala University. It was found that the Hg content in sediment of Krueng Sabee, Panga, and Teunom were 0.76, 0.68, and 1.03 mg/kg, respectively. Hg metal content in the sediment at all stations remained below the threshold. Despite,  the correlation between Hg content and sediment size in this study was weak, but there was a tendency the finer sediment size the higher Hg content found in sediment. However, heavy metal from water was easier to be deposed and embedded in fine sediment.Tujuan dilakukannya penelitian ini adalah untuk mengetahui sebaran logam berat merkuri (Hg) yang terkandung pada substrat dasar di beberapa muara sungai Kabupaten Aceh Jaya. Pengambilan data dilakukan pada Bulan Oktober 2015 di Krueng Sabee, Krueng Panga, dan Krueng Teunom. Sampel substrat diambil berdasarkan metode coring menggunakan pipa paralon, Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS) atau Spektrofotometer Serapan Atom digunakan untuk mendapatkan data kandungan logam berat Hg pada substrat, sementara metode ayak basah digunakan untuk mendapatkan data ukuran butiran. Kandungan merkuri (Hg) dalam substrat Krueng Sabee, Krueng Panga, dan Krueng Teunom masing-masing adalah 0,76; 0,68 dan 1,03 mg/kg. Terlihat kecenderungan substrat dengan butiran yang halus mengandung kadar merkuri yang lebih tinggi, dimana sifat merkuri yang mudah berikatan dengan zat organik mempermudah pengendapan pada bentuk butiran yang halus.
Alone and together in domestic space: navigating spatial and conceptual relationship boundaries in Finnish small-scale communes
Authors: Heinonen Anna
Published: November 2023

This article explores the ways residents of Finnish small-scale communes navigate boundaries between personal separateness and the group’s togetherness within a domestic space. Studies on communal living have shed light on the ambivalence in communal relations, where people choose to live together but simultaneously remain independent from one another. However, the ways space affects their navigations of this ambivalence have not yet been analysed in detail. Based on 31 semi-structured interviews with residents of Finnish small-scale communes, floor plans drawn by interviewees of their homes and two ethnographic fieldwork periods, I argue that navigations of the residents’ separateness and unity are deeply intertwined with spatial processes and that the sensory and embodied spatial connections complicate the possibilities of distinguishing the individual from the group. Communal dwellers navigated their mutual boundaries through their daily use of the spaces, which centred embodied acts, spatial orientations and sensory experiences.
LA CORRUPCIÓN POLÍTICA ESPAÑOLA COMO FANTASÍA NEO-NOIR EN EL REINO (SOROGOYEN, 2018)
Authors: SÁNCHEZ LÓPEZ FERNANDO
Published: November 2023

El presente ensayo consiste en el análisis del filme El Reino (Rodrigo Sorogoyen, 2018) como texto primario paradigma de la representación de la corrupción en la España contemporánea. El estudio se pone en marcha a través del fenómeno neo-noir, un modelo heterogéneo y significativamente hibridado entre el cine negro clásico y otros subgéneros de la ficción criminal, el cual ha evolucionado y se ha expandido en diferentes cinematografías internacionales. El ejemplo español resulta especialmente sugerente, si se considera la fuerte eclosión de este tipo de narrativas tras la catastrófica crisis económica sufrida en 2008 en el país, acentuada por el descubrimiento de numerosos casos de corrupción política que azotaron aún más el malestar de la sociedad española. La cinta de Sorogoyen es el objeto de estudio en tanto en cuanto ofrece numerosas claves de lo que aquí se llama neo-noir español. Así pues, el análisis evidencia el influjo de diferentes modelos genéricos, como la reconversión de elementos del cine negro clásico y el de gánsteres, insertados aquí en un contexto nacional cuya especificidad y alusión a eventos reales juega un papel esencial. Además, la adopción del punto de vista del político corrupto se erige como ejemplo del ambivalente vínculo entre el espectador consumidor de estas ficciones y su realidad sociopolítica.
LA UNIÓN SOVIÉTICA EN FEMENINO A PARTIR DE DOS GRANDES PRODUCCIONES CINEMATOGRÁFICAS DE HOLLYWOOD
Authors: ORDUÑA PRADA MÓNICA
Published: November 2023

Este estudio se centra en dos películas significativas del cine de Hollywood: Ninotchka y Doctor Zhivago y, en la visión que ambos filmes ofrecieron, en su momento, sobre la Unión Soviética. Los distintos contextos históricos que rodearon los rodajes de ambas o los orígenes de los diferentes guiones establecen una serie de desigualdades entre ambos filmes que, sin embargo, mantienen una visión muy similar sobre la imagen de la Unión Soviética que quería transmitirse. Además de analizarse esa cuestión sobre la perspectiva que Hollywood quiso difundir, en el estudio se aborda también el peso que representan las figuras femeninas protagonistas en el desarrollo de las historias.
Optimization of the cavity length and pulse characterization based on germanene as a saturable absorber in an Er-doped fiber laser
Authors: Yu Yanfeng , Liu Xueyao , Li Tuo , Zou Xiaofeng , Ding Jiashuai , Xu Nannan , Sahng Xinxin , Wang Xing , Huang Pu , Cheng Chen , Si Shuhao , Lu Hua , Zhang Huanian , Li Dengwang
Published: November 2023

In this study, germanene-nanosheets (NSs) were synthesized by liquid-phase exfoliation, followed by an experimental investigation into the nonlinear saturable absorption characteristics and morphological structure of germanene. The germanene-NSs were employed as saturable absorbers, exhibiting saturation intensity and modulation depth values of 22.64MW/cm2 and 4.48%, respectively. This demonstrated the feasibility of utilizing germanene-NSs passively mode-locked in an erbium-doped fiber laser (EDFL). By optimizing the cavity length, improvements in the output of EDFL characteristics were achieved, resulting in 883 fs pulses with a maximum average output power of 19.74 mW. The aforementioned experimental outcomes underscore the significant potential of germanene in the realms of ultrafast photonics and nonlinear optics.
Bayesian generative adversarial network emulator based end-to-end learning strategy of the probabilistic shaping for OAM mode division multiplexing IM/DD transmission
Authors: Xu Qi , Gao Ran , Chang Huan , Li Zhipei , Wang Fei , Cui Yi , Liu Jie , Guo Dong , Pan Xiaolong , Zhu Lei , Zhang Qi , Tian Qinghua , Huang Xin , Yan Jinghao , Jiang Lin , Xin Xiangjun
Published: November 2023

Orbital angular momentum (OAM) mode division multiplexing (MDM) has emerged as a new multiplexing technology that can significantly increase transmission capacity. In addition, probabilistic shaping (PS) is a well-established technique that can increase the transmission capacity of an optical fiber to close to the Shannon limit. However, both the mode coupling and the nonlinear impairment lead to a considerable gap between the OAM-MDM channel and the conventional additive white Gaussian noise (AWGN) channel, meaning that existing PS technology is not suitable for an OAM-MDM intensity-modulation direct-detection (IM-DD) system. In this paper, we propose a Bayesian generative adversarial network (BGAN) emulator based on an end-to-end (E2E) learning strategy with probabilistic shaping (PS) for an OAM-MDM IM/DD transmission with two modes. The weights and biases of the BGAN emulator are treated as a probability distribution, which can be accurately matched to the stochastic nonlinear model of OAM-MDM. Furthermore, a BGAN emulator based on an E2E learning strategy is proposed to find the optimal probability distribution of PS for an OAM-MDM IM/DD system. An experiment was conducted on a 200 Gbit/s two OAM modes carrierless amplitude phase-32(CAP-32) signal over a 5 km ring-core fiber transmission, and the results showed that the proposed BGAN emulator outperformed a conventional CGAN emulator, with improvements in modelling accuracy of 29.3% and 26.3% for the two OAM modes, respectively. Moreover, the generalized mutual information (GMI) of the proposed E2E learning strategy outperformed the conventional MB distribution and the CGAN emulator by 0.31 and 0.33 bits/symbol and 0.16 and 0.2 bits/symbol for the two OAM modes, respectively. Our experimental results demonstrate that the proposed E2E learning strategy with the BGAN emulator is a promising candidate for OAM-MDM IM/DD optic fiber communication.
Numerical analysis of micro-optics based single photon sources via a combined physical optics and rigorous simulations approach
Authors: Jimenez Carlos , Hellmann Christian , Toulouse Andrea , Drozella Johannes , Wyrowski Frank , Herkommer Alois
Published: November 2023

The use of 3D printed micro-optical components has enabled the miniaturization of various optical systems, including those based on single photon sources. However, in order to enhance their usability and performance, it is crucial to gain insights into the physical effects influencing these systems via computational approaches. As there is no universal numerical method which can be efficiently applied in all cases, combining different techniques becomes essential to reduce modeling and simulation effort. In this work, we investigate the integration of diverse numerical techniques to simulate and analyze optical systems consisting of single photon sources and 3D printed micro-optical components. By leveraging these tools, we primarily focus in evaluating the impact of different far-field spatial distributions and the underlying physical phenomena on the overall performance of a compound micro-optical system via the direct evaluation of a fiber in-coupling efficiency integral expression.
Effects of temperature and charged vacancies on electronic and optical properties of β-Ga2O3 after radiation damage
Authors: Zhang Xiaoning , Zhang Shenglong , Liang Xi , Yang Jia-Yue , Liu Linhua
Published: November 2023

β-Ga2O3 as an ultra-wide bandgap material is widely used in space missions and nuclear reactor environments. It is well established that the physical properties of β-Ga2O3 would be affected by radiation damage and temperature in such application scenarios. Defects are inevitably created in β-Ga2O3 upon irradiation and their dynamic evolution is positively correlated with the thermal motion of atoms as temperature increases. This work utilizes first-principles calculations to investigate how temperature influences the electronic and optical properties of β-Ga2O3 after radiation damage. It finds that the effect of p-type defects caused by Ga vacancies on optical absorption diminishes as temperature increases. The high temperature amplifies the effect of oxygen vacancies to β-Ga2O3, however, making n-type defects more pronounced and accompanied by an increase in the absorption peak in the visible band. The self-compensation effect varies when β-Ga2O3 contains both Ga vacancies and O vacancies at different temperatures. Moreover, in the case of Ga3- (O2+) vacancies, the main characters of p(n)-type defects caused by uncharged Ga0 (O0) vacancies disappear. This work aims to understand the evolution of physical properties of β-Ga2O3 under irradiation especially at high temperatures, and help analyze the damage mechanism in β-Ga2O3-based devices.
Sub-wavelength thick ITO-incorporated PCF based biosensor for non-invasive sensing of glucose and urea
Authors: Islam Mohammad Atiqul , Islam Sharnali , Ali Khaleda
Published: November 2023

This study presents an ultrathin indium tin oxide coated photonic crystal fiber (PCF) incorporated biosensor, suitable for sensing glucose and urea from in-vitro samples. The proposed device detects analytes with refractive indices spanning from 1.32 to 1.36 with maximum amplitude sensitivity of 231 RIU-1. A peak wavelength sensing capability of 12,000 nm/RIU at near-infrared spectrum (1400–2000nm) has also been achieved. Our design incorporates miniature air holes in the PCF to excite core-guided mode and one-tenth of the operating wavelength thick indium tin oxide (ITO) based cladding as the adaptive plasmonic surface. Air gaps in an “X” pattern, etched along the cross-sectional plane of the PCF, enhance the phase coherence between the plasmonic and the core-guided mode for Y polarized light for a narrow spectrum, ensuring higher Q-factor and hence greater sensitivity. The design is characterized using finite element method (FEM) with sensor resolutions as high as 8.33 × 10−6 RIU.
Rationalized diffraction calculations for high accuracy and high speed with few bits
Authors: Fujimori Soma , Ito Tomoyoshi , Shimobaba Tomoyoshi
Published: November 2023

Diffraction calculations in few-bit formats, such as single-precision floating-point and fixed-point numbers, are important because they yield faster calculations and lower memory usage. However, these methods suffer from low accuracy owing to the loss of trailing digits. Fresnel diffraction is widely known to prevent the loss of trailing digits. However, it can only be used when the paraxial approximation is valid. In this study, a few-bit diffraction calculation method that achieves high accuracy without using any approximation is proposed. The proposed method is derived only by rationalizing the numerator of conventional formulas. Even for scenarios requiring double-precision floating-point numbers using conventional methods, the proposed method exhibits higher accuracy and faster computation time using single-precision floating-point numbers.
A data-driven semi-parametric model of SARS-CoV-2 transmission in the United States
Authors: Drake John M. , Handel Andreas , Marty Éric , O’Dea Eamon B. , O’Sullivan Tierney , Righi Giovanni , Tredennick Andrew T.
Published: November 2023

To support decision-making and policy for managing epidemics of emerging pathogens, we present a model for inference and scenario analysis of SARS-CoV-2 transmission in the USA. The stochastic SEIR-type model includes compartments for latent, asymptomatic, detected and undetected symptomatic individuals, and hospitalized cases, and features realistic interval distributions for presymptomatic and symptomatic periods, time varying rates of case detection, diagnosis, and mortality. The model accounts for the effects on transmission of human mobility using anonymized mobility data collected from cellular devices, and of difficult to quantify environmental and behavioral factors using a latent process. The baseline transmission rate is the product of a human mobility metric obtained from data and this fitted latent process. We fit the model to incident case and death reports for each state in the USA and Washington D.C., using likelihood Maximization by Iterated particle Filtering (MIF). Observations (daily case and death reports) are modeled as arising from a negative binomial reporting process. We estimate time-varying transmission rate, parameters of a sigmoidal time-varying fraction of hospitalized cases that result in death, extra-demographic process noise, two dispersion parameters of the observation process, and the initial sizes of the latent, asymptomatic, and symptomatic classes. In a retrospective analysis covering March–December 2020, we show how mobility and transmission strength became decoupled across two distinct phases of the pandemic. The decoupling demonstrates the need for flexible, semi-parametric approaches for modeling infectious disease dynamics in real-time.
Developing a patient flow visualization and prediction model using aggregated data for a healthcare network cluster in Southwest Ethiopia
Authors: Kassie Balew Ayalew , Tegenaw Geletaw Sahle
Published: November 2023

A health information system has been created to gather, aggregate, analyze, interpret, and utilize data collected from diverse sources. In Ethiopia, the most popular digital tools are the Electronic Community Health Information System and the District Health Information System. However, these systems lack capabilities like real-time interactive visualization and a data-driven engine for evidence-based insights. As a result, it was challenging to observe and continuously monitor the flow of patients. To address the gap, this study used aggregated data to visualize and predict patient flow in a South Western Ethiopia healthcare network cluster. The South-Western Ethiopian healthcare network cluster was where the patient flow datasets were collected. The collected dataset encompasses a span of 41 months, from 2019 to 2022, and has been obtained from 21 hospitals and health centers. Python Sankey diagrams were used to develop and build patient flow visualizations. Then, using the random forest and K-Nearest Neighbors (KNN) algorithms, we achieved an accuracy of 0.85 and 0.83 for the outpatient flow modeling and prediction, respectively. The imbalance in the data was further addressed using the NearMiss Algorithm, Synthetic Minority Oversampling Technique (SMOTE), and SMOTE-Tomek methods. In conclusion, we developed a patient flow visualization and prediction model as a first step toward an end-to-end effective real-time patient flow data-driven and analytical dashboard in Ethiopia, as well as a plugin for the already-existing digital health information system. Moreover, the need for and amount of data created by these digital tools will grow along with their use, demanding effective data-driven visualization and prediction to support evidence-based decision-making.
Current sampling and sequencing biases of Lassa mammarenavirus limit inference from phylogeography and molecular epidemiology in Lassa fever endemic regions
Authors: Arruda Liã Bárbara , Free Hayley Beth , Simons David , Ansumana Rashid , Elton Linzy , Haider Najmul , Honeyborne Isobella , Asogun Danny , McHugh Timothy D. , Ntoumi Francine , Zumla Alimuddin , Kock Richard
Published: November 2023

Lassa fever (LF) is a potentially lethal viral haemorrhagic infection of humans caused by Lassa mammarenavirus (LASV). It is an important endemic zoonotic disease in West Africa with growing evidence for increasing frequency and sizes of outbreaks. Phylogeographic and molecular epidemiology methods have projected expansion of the Lassa fever endemic zone in the context of future global change. The Natal multimammate mouse (Mastomys natalensis) is the predominant LASV reservoir, with few studies investigating the role of other animal species. To explore host sequencing biases, all LASV nucleotide sequences and associated metadata available on GenBank (n = 2,298) were retrieved. Most data originated from Nigeria (54%), Guinea (20%) and Sierra Leone (14%). Data from non-human hosts (n = 703) were limited and only 69 sequences encompassed complete genes. We found a strong positive correlation between the number of confirmed human cases and sequences at the country level (r = 0.93 (95% Confidence Interval = 0.71–0.98), p < 0.001) but no correlation exists between confirmed cases and the number of available rodent sequences (r = -0.019 (95% C.I. -0.71–0.69), p = 0.96). Spatial modelling of sequencing effort highlighted current biases in locations of available sequences, with increased sequencing effort observed in Southern Guinea and Southern Nigeria. Phylogenetic analyses showed geographic clustering of LASV lineages, suggestive of isolated events of human-to-rodent transmission and the emergence of currently circulating strains of LASV from the year 1498 in Nigeria. Overall, the current study highlights significant geographic limitations in LASV surveillance, particularly, in non-human hosts. Further investigation of the non-human reservoir of LASV, alongside expanded surveillance, are required for precise characterisation of the emergence and dispersal of LASV. Accurate surveillance of LASV circulation in non-human hosts is vital to guide early detection and initiation of public health interventions for future Lassa fever outbreaks.
Costs and cost-effectiveness of treatment setting for children with wasting, oedema and growth failure/faltering: A systematic review
Authors: Mdege Noreen Dadirai , Masuku Sithabiso D. , Musakwa Nozipho , Chisala Mphatso , Tingum Ernest Ngeh , Boachie Micheal Kofi , Shokraneh Farhad
Published: November 2023

This systematic review aimed to address the existing evidence gaps, and guide policy decisions on the settings within which to treat infants <12 months of age with growth faltering/failure, and infants and children aged <60 months with moderate wasting or severe wasting and/or bilateral pitting oedema. Twelve electronic databases were searched for studies published before 10 December 2021. The searches yielded 16,709 records from which 31 studies were eligible and included in the review. Three studies were judged as low quality, whilst 14 were moderate and the remaining 14 were high quality. We identified very few cost and cost-effectiveness analyses for most of the models of care with the certainty of evidence being judged at very low or low. However, there were 17 cost and 6 cost-effectiveness analyses for the initiation of treatment in outpatient settings for severe wasting and/or bilateral pitting oedema in infants and children <60 months of age. From this evidence, the costs appear lowest for initiating treatment in community settings, followed by initiating treatment in community and transferring to outpatient settings, initiating treatment in outpatients then transferring to community settings, initiating treatment in outpatient settings, and lastly initiating treatment in inpatient settings. In addition, the evidence suggested that initiation of treatment in outpatient settings is highly cost-effective when compared to doing nothing or no programme implementation scenarios, using country-specific WHO GDP per capita thresholds. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratios ranged from $20 to $145 per DALY averted from a provider perspective, and $68 to $161 per DALY averted from a societal perspective. However, the certainty of the evidence was judged as moderate because of comparisons to do nothing/ no programme scenarios which potentially limits the applicability of the evidence in real-world settings. There is therefore a need for evidence that compare the different available alternatives.
Dengue virus infection induces selective expansion of Vγ4 and Vγ6TCR γδ T cells in the small intestine and a cytokine storm driving vascular leakage in mice
Authors: Kurosu Takeshi , Okuzaki Daisuke , Sakai Yusuke , Kadi Mohamad Al , Phanthanawiboon Supranee , Ami Yasusi , Shimojima Masayuki , Yoshikawa Tomoki , Fukushi Shuetsu , Nagata Noriyo , Suzuki Tadaki , Kamimura Daisuke , Murakami Masaaki , Ebihara Hideki , Saijo Masayuki
Published: November 2023

Dengue is a major health problem in tropical and subtropical regions. Some patients develop a severe form of dengue, called dengue hemorrhagic fever, which can be fatal. Severe dengue is associated with a transient increase in vascular permeability. A cytokine storm is thought to be the cause of the vascular leakage. Although there are various research reports on the pathogenic mechanism, the complete pathological process remains poorly understood. We previously reported that dengue virus (DENV) type 3 P12/08 strain caused a lethal systemic infection and severe vascular leakage in interferon (IFN)-α/β and γ receptor knockout mice (IFN-α/β/γRKO mice), and that blockade of TNF-α signaling protected mice. Here, we performed transcriptome analysis of liver and small intestine samples collected chronologically from P12/08-infected IFN-α/β/γRKO mice in the presence/absence of blockade of TNF-α signaling and evaluated the cytokine and effector-level events. Blockade of TNF-α signaling mainly protected the small intestine but not the liver. Infection induced the selective expansion of IL-17A-producing Vγ4 and Vγ6 T cell receptor (TCR) γδ T cells in the small intestine, and IL-17A, together with TNF-α, played a critical role in the transition to severe disease via the induction of inflammatory cytokines such as TNF-α, IL-1β, and particularly the excess production of IL-6. Infection also induced the infiltration of neutrophils, as well as neutrophil collagenase/matrix metalloprotease 8 production. Blockade of IL-17A signaling reduced mortality and suppressed the expression of most of these cytokines, including TNF-α, indicating that IL-17A and TNF-α synergistically enhance cytokine expression. Blockade of IL-17A prevented nuclear translocation of NF-κB p65 in stroma-like cells and epithelial cells in the small intestine but only partially prevented recruitment of immune cells to the small intestine. This study provides an overall picture of the pathogenesis of infection in individual mice at the cytokine and effector levels.
Internet financial services, environmental technology, and happiness: Implications for sustainable development
Authors: Yan Lv , Tao Tang , Ullah Sana
Published: November 2023

Integrating the internet and financial services gives people the luxury to reduce financial stress and anxiety by giving consumers more power over their financial situation. Likewise, the adoption of environmental technologies helps improve environmental quality, which positively impacts mental and physical health and thus increases the sense of well-being and happiness. Therefore, the main focus of the study is to analyze the influence of financial services and environmental technologies on happiness. For analyzing the short and long-run impacts of financial services and environmental technologies on happiness, we have utilized the ARDL model and QARDL models. The findings of the ARDL model confirm the positive influence of financial services, environmental technologies, national income, financial development, and education on happiness in the short and long term. Similarly, the QARDL model also suggests the favorable long-run effects of financial services and environmental technologies on happiness at most quantiles. The long-run Wald test confirms the asymmetric influence of all variables on happiness, while in the short-term, excluding education, all other variables exert asymmetric impacts on happiness. Thus, to promote happiness, policymakers should try to increase the role of internet-based financial services and increases investment in research and development activities to enhance environment-related technologies. However, the study is limited to China, it should be expanded to other regions.
Prevalence and risk factors of childhood diarrhea among wastewater irrigating urban farming households in Addis Ababa
Authors: Ali Adane Sirage , Gari Sirak Robele , Goodson Michaela L. , Walsh Claire L. , Dessie Bitew K. , Ambelu Argaw
Published: November 2023

Introduction

Childhood diarrhea is one of the major contributors to the morbidity of under-five children in Ethiopia. Although researchers determine the risk factors varyingly, the exposure route to the pathogens is usually complicated. This study aims to investigate the prevalence and risk factors of diarrhea among children under the age of five among wastewater irrigation farming households in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Methods

Cross-sectional study was conducted among 402 farming households from November 2021 to February 2022. Data was collected using a face-to-face interviewer-administered questionnaire. Stata version 14 software was used to analyze data. Factors associated with the prevalence of diarrhea was identified using binary logistic regression. Multivariable analysis was carried out to determine an adjusted odds ratio at a confidence level of 95% and level of significance at 0.05.

Results

The overall prevalence of under-five children diarrheal cases was 22.3%. The odds of diarrhea are associated with a multitude of variables. Major wastewater-related determinants associated with diarrhea are body washing with irrigation water [AOR: 37.7, 95%CI (3.1, 358)], contaminated cloth with irrigation water [AOR:10.8,95%CI(0.6, 205)], use of protective clothing during farm work [28.9,95%CI (3.9, 215)], use of farm work cloths at home [AOR: 31.7, 95%CI (4.4, 226)], and bringing unwashed farm tools to home [94 (5.7, 1575)].

Conclusion

The high prevalence of under-five children diarrheal disease among wastewater irrigation households was strongly associated with factors related to occupational exposure. Thus, to decrease childhood diarrheal among urban agriculture farmers, appropriate precautions need to be taken.
Determinants of instant messenger (IM) adoption and its effect on team performance: Mediating role of knowledge creation and quality communication
Authors: Tarofder Arun Kumar , Haque Ahasanul , Nawaz Nishad , Raisal Ismail , Musah Adiza Alhassan , M. D. Kassim Aza Azlina
Published: November 2023

Computer-mediated communication has dramatically transformed the human communication landscape by enhancing speed, content and social presence. The world has been experiencing a sharp decline in using email and phone calls due to organizations’ rapid adoption of instant messenger (IM) for their day-to-day communication with their stakeholders. Moreover, the world has been experiencing a sharp decline in using email and phone calls since the beginning of the IM era. Hence, the aim of this study is to comprehend the IM adoption process through the lens of three theories. A structured questionnaire was developed to collect data from the organizations and test hypotheses using consistent PLS-SEM (PLSc) in SMART PLS combined with bootstrapping. The results indicated that parallelism is the most dominating factor explaining IM adoption in organizations followed by transmission velocity, rehearsability and symbol set. The findings of this study also confirmed that team performance is not influenced by communication but by the quality of the communication and the level of knowledge within the group that can create using instant messenger. Indeed, this empirical study is one of the limited investigations that combine three theories to explain the IM adoption process and its effect on team performance. Moreover, this study contributes both theoretically and practically to comprehending the adoption process of IM. Lastly, this study reconfirmed the importance of Media Synchronicity Theory (MST) and Social Presence Theory (SPT) in predicting IM adoption; and the findings of this research extended the applications of the Adaptive Structuration Theory (AST) from the IM perspective, which is, indeed, rare. Finally, this study provides a great foundation for managers to understand the importance of IM in their day-to-day communication systems.
Sports Stars Brazil in children with autism spectrum disorder: A feasibility randomized controlled trial protocol
Authors: Fernandes Amanda Cristina , Souto Deisiane Oliveira , de Sousa Junior Ricardo R. , Clutterbuck Georgina L. , Wright F. Virginia , de Souza Mariane Gonçalves , Ferreira Lidiane Francisca Borges , Cardoso Rodrigues Ana Amélia , Camargos Ana Cristina R. , Leite Hércules R.
Published: November 2023

Background

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) children have lower levels of participation in recreational and sporting activities when compared to their peers. Participation has been defined based on the Family of Participation-Related Constructs (fPRC) which defines participation as including both attendance and involvement, with sense of self, preferences and activity competence related to a child’s participation. Modified sports interventions such as Sports Stars can act on physical literacy and some of the fPRCs components. This study aims to assess the feasibility of the Sports Stars Brazil intervention for children with ASD.

Methods

This study will be conducted with 36 participants with ASD aged 6 to 12 years old following the CONSORT for pilot and feasibility recommendation. Participants will be randomly allocated into two groups. Intervention group will receive eight, weekly Sports Stars sessions. Each session will include of sports-focused gross motor activity training, confidence building, sports-education and teamwork development. Study assessments will occur at baseline, immediately post-intervention and 20-weeks post-randomization. First, we will assess process feasibility measures: recruitment, assessment completion, adherence, adverse events and satisfaction. Second, we will investigate the scientific feasibility of the intervention by estimating the effect size and variance at the level of achievement sports-related activity and physical activity participation goals (Goal Attainment Scaling), activity competence (Ignite Challenge, Test of Gross Motor Development-second edition, Physical Literacy Profile Questionnaire, Pediatric Disability Assessment Inventory–Computer Adaptive Test—PEDI-CAT—mobility, 10×5 Sprint Test and Muscle Power Sprint Test), sense of self (PEDI-CAT—responsibility), and overall participation at home, school and community, (Participation and Environment Measure for children and young people, PEM-CY).

Discussion

The results of this feasibility study will inform which components are critical to planning and preparing a future RCT study, aiming to ensure that the RCT will be feasible, rigorous and justifiable.

Trial registration

The trial was registered with the Brazilian Registry of Clinical Trials database (ID: RBR-9d5kyq4) on June 15, 2022.
Conservation agriculture’s impact on total and labile organic carbon pools in calcareous and non-calcareous floodplain soils under a sub-tropical rice-based system
Authors: Sarker Rakhi Rani , Rashid M. H. , Islam Md. Ariful , Jahiruddin M. , Islam Khandakar Rafiq , Jahangir Mohammad Mofizur Rahman
Published: November 2023

To evaluate the effects of conservation agriculture (CA) on SOC pools and their lability, field experiments (2015–2020) were conducted on contrasting soils under subtropical climates. The experiment on non-calcareous soils, was comprised of tillage (minimum [MT] vs. conventional [CT]) in main plots, cropping systems (Wheat [Triticum aestivum]—Aus and Aman rice [Oryza sativaL.], WRR; Lentil [Lens culinaris]—Aus and Aman rice, LRR; and Mustard [Brassica nigra]- Boro and Aman rice, MRR) in the sub-plots, and crop residue (with or without 20% residue) in the sub-sub plots. The experiment on calcareous soils, was comprised of tillage (strip-till, ST; no-till, NT; and CT) and crop residue (high residue, HR at 50% by height vs. low residue, LR at 15%). Results showed that the MT had higher SOC contents by 18.8% than the CT in non-calcareous soils. Likewise, SOC was 12.5% and 6.7% higher in the NT and ST, respectively, than in the CT in calcareous soils. Significantly higher particulate organic (POC), permanganate oxidizable (POXC), and microbial biomass carbon (MBC) were observed in the MT, NT, and ST than in the CT at both locations. Reduced tillage with residue retention under LRR had a higher SOC, including labile C pools compared to WRR and MRR systems. Similarly, carbon management index (1.2–1.5 and 1.0–1.2) in both soils had significant positive correlations with SOC lability via POXC, POC, and MBC pools, indicating a SOC sequestration potential. In conclusion, our results showed positive effects of CA on SOC and its lability across soils.
Factors and consequences associated with intimate partner violence against women in low- and middle-income countries: A systematic review
Authors: Gunarathne Lakma , Bhowmik Jahar , Apputhurai Pragalathan , Nedeljkovic Maja
Published: November 2023

Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) is a global public health issue, with notably high prevalence rates observed within Low-and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs). This systematic review aimed to examine the risk factors and consequences associated with IPV against women in LMICs. Following PRISMA guidelines, we conducted a systematic review using three databases: Web of Science, ProQuest Central, and Scopus, covering the period from January 2010 to January 2022. The study included only peer-reviewed journal articles in English that investigated IPV against women in LMICs. Out of 167 articles screened, 30 met the inclusion criteria, comprising both quantitative and mixed-method studies. Risk factors of IPV were categorised as: demographic risk factors (23 studies), family risk factors (9 studies), community-level factors (1 studies), and behavioural risk factors (14 studies), while consequences of IPV were categorised as mental health impacts (13 studies), physical impacts (5 studies), and societal impacts (4 studies). In this study, several risk factors were identified including lower levels of education, marriage at a young age, poor wealth indices, rural residential areas, and acceptance of gender norms that contribute to the prevalence of IPV in LMICs. It is essential to address these factors through effective preventive policies and programs. Moreover, this review highlights the necessity of large-scale, high-quality policy-driven research to further examine risk factors and consequences, ultimately guiding the development of interventions aimed at preventing IPV against women in LMICs.
Effects of internet-based telemonitoring platforms on the quality of life of oncologic patients: A systematic literature review protocol
Authors: Martínez Felipe , Tobar Catalina , Taramasco Carla
Published: November 2023

Introduction

Telemonitoring involves the transmission of clinical information through digital means, including internet-connected devices such as smartphones, health tracking apps and video conferencing platforms. This strategy could provide a viable alternative to facilitate follow-up in several conditions, including cancer.

Objectives

To synthesise the available evidence on the effectiveness of internet-based telemonitoring platforms amongst oncological patients. Relevant endpoints include overall quality of life, the ability to detect postoperative complications, severe toxicity reactions attributable to chemotherapy, reducing the frequency of hospitalisations, emergency department visits and mortality.

Methods

A systematic review of published and unpublished randomised and controlled studies will be carried out. Iterative searches in PubMED/MEDLINE, EMBASE, Epistemonikos, LILACS, and Cochrane CENTRAL repositories from January 2000 to January 2023 will be conducted. Grey literature repositories, such as Clinicaltrials, BioRxiv and MedRxiv will be searched as well. The Cochrane risk of bias tool will be used to assess the quality of the eligible studies. If possible, a meta-analysis based on the random-effects model will be conducted to evaluate changes in any of the aforementioned outcomes. Heterogeneity will be assessed with Cochrane’s Q and I2 statistics. Its exploration will be carried out using subgroup and sensitivity analyses. Relevant subgroups include the proportion of elderly patients in each study, characteristics of each platform, study type, type of funding and moment of conduction (i.e. before or after the COVID-19 pandemic). Publication bias will be assessed using funnel plots and Egger’s test.

Registration

This systematic review protocol is registered in PROSPERO. Its registration number is CRD42023412705.
Gig worker’s perceived algorithmic management, stress appraisal, and destructive deviant behavior
Authors: Zhang Linzi , Yang Jie , Zhang Yiming , Xu Guohu
Published: November 2023

With the advance of data technologies, gig platforms have applied data and algorithms to their management and put more stringent requirements on gig workers through algorithmic management. Gig workers might perform destructive deviant behavior when coping with algorithmic management. It is meaningful to examine how the algorithmic management applied to gig platforms could lead to gig workers’ destructive deviant behavior. Based on the challenge–hindrance framework, we developed a research model and validated it with survey data collected from 423 food delivery riders. We employed multi-level linear regression analysis in data analysis and found that perceived algorithmic management was appraised as both a hindrance and a challenge. As a hindrance, it elicits working/family deviant behavior; as a challenge, it helps reduce working/family deviant behavior. Regulatory focus (a prevention focus vs. a promotion focus) moderates the effect of perceived algorithmic management on stress appraisals (hindrance appraisals vs. challenge appraisals). This study explains algorithmic management’s impact on gig workers’ destructive deviant behavior through the appraisal of algorithmic management as both a challenge and a hindrance. It also provides practical advice to gig platforms, gig workers and policymakers on how to balance the challenge and hindrance roles of algorithmic management in gig work.
The shaping of social and symbolic capital during the transition to farming in the Western Mediterranean: Archaeological network analyses of pottery decorations and personal ornaments
Authors: Pereira Daniel , Manen Claire , Rigaud Solange
Published: November 2023

Storing information and circulating it between individuals and groups is a critical behaviour that signals a tipping point in our evolutionary history. Such practices enabled the preservation and consolidation of knowledge over extended periods, facilitating the accumulation of cultural innovations across generations. In this study, we used Social Network Analysis methods to explore how knowledge circulated during the transition to agriculture in the Western Mediterranean region. Previous studies have shown that specific elements of the material culture reveal distinct patterns of cultural interaction among early farming communities. Here, we investigated if two archaeological proxies, personal ornaments and pottery decorations, both with an exclusively symbolic function, reveal different network structures, and if the different degree of connexions acted equally on the transmission of styles, symbols, and network changes over time. Our results relied on cultural data recorded from 77 archaeological occupations covering Italy, France, and Spain, spanning over 1,500 years (ca. 7950~6450 cal BP). By utilizing a chronological dataset comprising 114 radiocarbon dates, we revealed that pottery decorative techniques networks exhibited stronger connexions over space and time, with nodes organized in clear cluster, when compared to personal ornaments networks. The findings highlight the regionalization and fragmentation of cultural networks during the Early Neolithic, and that the transmission of cultural traits within each category of artefact operated through varying cultural and social mechanisms. Pottery expressed a dynamic regional identity, continuously shaped by geographical and chronological proximity, while bead-type associations contributed to enduring identities shared across vast geographical scales. These networks shed light on the multifaceted shaping of social and symbolic capital among the Mediterranean’s early farmers, emphasizing the strength and quality of social ties that existed between communities and the level of reciprocity and cooperation required to foster these diverse social, economic, and cultural development strategies.
NK cell-induced damage to P.falciparum-infected erythrocytes requires ligand-specific recognition and releases parasitophorous vacuoles that are phagocytosed by monocytes in the presence of immune IgG
Authors: Sekar Padmapriya , Rajagopalan Sumati , Shabani Estela , Kanjee Usheer , Schureck Marc A. , Arora Gunjan , Peterson Mary E. , Traore Boubacar , Crompton Peter D. , Duraisingh Manoj T. , Desai Sanjay A. , Long Eric O.
Published: November 2023

Natural killer (NK) cells lyse virus-infected cells and transformed cells through polarized delivery of lytic effector molecules into target cells. We have shown that NK cells lyse Plasmodium falciparum-infected red blood cells (iRBC) via antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC). A high frequency of adaptive NK cells, with elevated intrinsic ADCC activity, in people chronically exposed to malaria transmission is associated with reduced parasitemia and resistance to disease. How NK cells bind to iRBC and the outcome of iRBC lysis by NK cells has not been investigated. We applied gene ablation in inducible erythrocyte precursors and antibody-blocking experiments with iRBC to demonstrate a central role of CD58 and ICAM-4 as ligands for adhesion by NK cells via CD2 and integrin αMβ2, respectively. Adhesion was dependent on opsonization of iRBC by IgG. Live imaging and quantitative flow cytometry of NK-mediated ADCC toward iRBC revealed that damage to the iRBC plasma membrane preceded damage to P. falciparum within parasitophorous vacuoles (PV). PV were identified and tracked with a P.falciparum strain that expresses the PV membrane-associated protein EXP2 tagged with GFP. After NK-mediated ADCC, PV were either found inside iRBC ghosts or released intact and devoid of RBC plasma membrane. Electron microscopy images of ADCC cultures revealed tight NK–iRBC synapses and free vesicles similar in size to GFP+ PV isolated from iRBC lysates by cell sorting. The titer of IgG in plasma of malaria-exposed individuals that bound PV was two orders of magnitude higher than IgG that bound iRBC. This immune IgG stimulated efficient phagocytosis of PV by primary monocytes. The selective NK-mediated damage to iRBC, resulting in release of PV, and subsequent phagocytosis of PV by monocytes may combine for efficient killing and removal of intra-erythrocytic P.falciparum parasite. This mechanism may mitigate the inflammation and malaria symptoms during blood-stage P. falciparum infection.
Cryo-electron tomography reveals the binding and release states of the major adhesion complex from Mycoplasma genitalium
Authors: Sprankel Lasse , Scheffer Margot P. , Manger Sina , Ermel Utz H. , Frangakis Achilleas S.
Published: November 2023

The nap particle is an immunogenic surface adhesion complex from Mycoplasma genitalium. It is essential for motility and responsible for binding sialylated oligosaccharides on the surface of the host cell. The nap particle is composed of two P140-P110 heterodimers, the structure of which was recently solved. However, the interpretation of the mechanism by which the mycoplasma cells orchestrate adhesion remained challenging. Here, we provide cryo-electron tomography structures at ~11 Å resolution, which allow for the distinction between the bound and released state of the nap particle, displaying the in vivo conformational states. Fitting of the atomically resolved structures reveals that bound sialylated oligosaccharides are stabilized by both P110 and P140. Movement of the stalk domains allows for the transfer of conformational changes from the interior of the cell to the binding pocket, thus having the capability of an active release process. It is likely that the same mechanism can be transferred to other Mycoplasma species that belong to the pneumoniae cluster.
Indiana Department of Education Science Happenings
Authors: Towler Eimear
Published: November 2023

Find out about the IDOE's activities related to science education in Indiana.
Poetry in the Science Classroom
Authors: Embry Robyn L.
Published: November 2023

Reprint from THST, Vol. 27, No. 1, Fall 2001