bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Self-starting high-order mode oscillation fiber laser
Authors: Lv Jialiang , Ma Xuexiao , Liu Xiazhong , Luo Jing , Yao Peijun , Xu Lixin , Zhan Qiwen
Published: November 2022

In this paper, we proposed and demonstrated two kinds of all few-mode fiber lasers with self-starting high-order mode (HOM) oscillation. The fundamental mode can be completely suppressed by using a bandpass filter with a few-mode fiber pigtail. In the continuous-wave (CW) regime, the fiber laser directly oscillates in HOM with a signal-to-noise ratio as high as 70 dB, and the slope efficiency is up to 46%. The self-starting HOM mode-locked pulse can be easily achieved by employing a saturable absorber. The HOM oscillation pulsed fiber laser stably operates at 1063.72 nm with 3dB of 0.05 nm, which can deliver cylindrical vector beams with a high mode purity of over 98%. To our knowledge, this is the first demonstration for self-starting HOM direct oscillation in stable CW and pulsed operation states without additional adjustment. This compact and stable HOM fiber laser with a simple structure can have important applications in materials processing, optical trapping, and spatiotemporal nonlinear optics. Moreover, this work may offer a promising approach to realizing high-power fiber laser with arbitrary HOMs stable output.
Autofocusing field constructed by ring-arrayed Pearcey Gaussian chirp beams
Authors: Sun Mingli , Li Tong , Song Jinqi , Huang Kaikai , Shi Junhui , Zhang Xian , Lu Xuanhui
Published: November 2022

In this work, we propose and demonstrate the ring-arrayed Pearcey Gaussian chirp beams (RAPGCBs) synthesized by multiple two-dimensional Pearcey beams. The general analytical formula for the propagation of RAPGCBs is presented. We find that, depending on synthesized number n, the profiles of the beams present different polygonal shapes, and the autofocusing properties can be controlled by chirp factor β. Furthermore, we study the properties of the RAPGCBs carrying optical vortices (OVs). It shows that a single OV or two positive OVs form an autofocusing hollow field, and opposite OVs will annihilate, which results in greatly increased autofocusing ability. Our experimental results agree with the simulations. Such beams have potential applications in particle trapping and biology medical fields.
Enhancement of the light output efficiency and thermal stability of AlGaN-based deep-ultraviolet light-emitting diodes with Ag-nanodot-based p-contacts and an 8-nm p-GaN cap layer
Authors: Pan Sai , Chen Kuili , Guo Yan , Liu Zexiang , Zhou Yugang , Zhang Rong , Zheng Youdou
Published: November 2022

The efficiency of AlGaN-based deep-ultraviolet light-emitting diodes (DUV LEDs) is limited by the high absorption issue of the p-GaN contact layer or poor contact properties of the transparent p-AlGaN contact layer. Enhancement of the light output efficiency and thermal stability of DUV LEDs with an emission wavelength of 272 nm was investigated in this work. Ag nanodots on an 8-nm p-GaN cap layer were used to form ohmic contact, and Al and Mg reflective mirrors were employed to enhance the light output power (LOP) of DUV LEDs. However, serious deterioration of LOP occurred after the high-temperature process for the LEDs with Al and Mg reflective mirrors, which can be attributed to the damage to the ohmic contact properties. A Ti barrier layer was inserted between the Ag/p-GaN and Al layers to prevent the degeneration of ohmic contact. The wall-plug efficiency (WPE) of DUV LEDs fabricated by the Ag-nanodot/Ti/Al electrode is 1.38 times that of LEDs fabricated by adopting a thick Ag layer/Ti/Al at 10 mA after a high-temperature process. The Ag-nanodot/Ti/Al electrode on thin p-GaN is a reliable technology to improve the WPE of DUV LEDs. The experimental and simulated results show that the ohmic contact is important for the hole-injection efficiency of the DUV LEDs when p-GaN is thin, and a slight increase in the contact barrier height will decrease the WPE drastically. The results highlighted the importance of thermally stable ohmic contacts to achieve high-efficiency DUV LEDs and demonstrated a feasible route for improving the LOP of DUV LEDs with a thin p-GaN cap layer and stable reflective electrodes.
Spatially multiplexed dielectric tensor tomography
Authors: Lee Juheon , Shin Seungwoo , Hugonnet Herve , Park YongKeun
Published: November 2022

Dielectric tensor tomography (DTT) enables the reconstruction of three-dimensional (3D) dielectric tensors, which provides a physical measure of 3D optical anisotropy. Herein, we present a cost-effective and robust method of DTT using spatial multiplexing. Exploiting two orthogonally polarized reference beams with different angles in an off-axis interferometer, two polarization-sensitive interferograms were multiplexed and recorded using a single camera. Then, the two interferograms were demultiplexed in the Fourier domain. By measuring the polarization-sensitive fields for various illumination angles, 3D dielectric tensor tomograms were reconstructed. The proposed method was experimentally demonstrated by reconstructing the 3D dielectric tensors of various liquid-crystal (LC) particles with radial and bipolar orientational configurations.
Ultrahigh-level enhancement on nonlinear optical susceptibility of cubic quantum dots achieved by THz laser and electric field
Authors: Li Keyin , Wei Lijun , Yin Hao , Li Zhen , Dai Shibo , Chen Zhenqiang
Published: November 2022

Multi-physics coupling, composed of an intense THz laser and electric field, serves as a new approach to realize the ultrahigh-level enhancement on third-harmonic generation (THG) of cubic quantum dots (CQDs). The exchange of quantum states caused by anticrossing of intersubbands is demonstrated by the Floquet method and finite difference method with the increasing laser-dressed parameter and electric field. The results show that the rearrangement of the quantum states excites the THG coefficient of CQDs four orders of magnitude higher than that achieved with a single physical field. The optimal polarization direction of incident light that maximizes the THG exhibits strong stability along the z axis at high laser-dressed parameter and electric field.
Multisite surveillance for influenza and other respiratory viruses in India: 2016–2018
Authors: Chadha Mandeep , Prabhakaran Aslesh Ottapura , Choudhary Manohar Lal , Biswas Dipankar , Koul Parvaiz , Kaveri K. , Dar Lalit , Mamta Chawla Sarkar , Jadhav Santosh , Bhardwaj Sumit Dutt , Laserson Kayla , Saha Siddhartha , Potdar Varsha
Published: November 2022

There is limited surveillance and laboratory capacity for non-influenza respiratory viruses in India. We leveraged the influenza sentinel surveillance of India to detect other respiratory viruses among patients with acute respiratory infection. Six centers representing different geographic areas of India weekly enrolled a convenience sample of 5–10 patients with acute respiratory infection (ARI) and severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) between September 2016-December 2018. Staff collected nasal and throat specimens in viral transport medium and tested for influenza virus, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), parainfluenza virus (PIV), human meta-pneumovirus (HMPV), adenovirus (AdV) and human rhinovirus (HRV) by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Phylogenetic analysis of influenza and RSV was done. We enrolled 16,338 including 8,947 ARI and 7,391 SARI cases during the study period. Median age was 14.6 years (IQR:4–32) in ARI cases and 13 years (IQR:1.3–55) in SARI cases. We detected respiratory viruses in 33.3% (2,981) of ARI and 33.4% (2,468) of SARI cases. Multiple viruses were co-detected in 2.8% (458/16,338) specimens. Among ARI cases influenza (15.4%) were the most frequently detected viruses followed by HRV (6.2%), RSV (5%), HMPV (3.4%), PIV (3.3%) and AdV (3.1%),. Similarly among SARI cases, influenza (12.7%) were most frequently detected followed by RSV (8.2%), HRV (6.1%), PIV (4%), HMPV (2.6%) and AdV (2.1%). Our study demonstrated the feasibility of expanding influenza surveillance systems for surveillance of other respiratory viruses in India. Influenza was the most detected virus among ARI and SARI cases.
Prevention of congenital toxoplasmosis in France using prenatal screening: A decision-analytic economic model
Authors: Sawers Larry , Wallon Martine , Mandelbrot Laurent , Villena Isabelle , Stillwaggon Eileen , Kieffer François
Published: November 2022

Background

Toxoplasma gondii is one of the world’s most common parasites. Primary infection of the mother during pregnancy can lead to transmission to the fetus with risks of brain and eye lesions, which may cause lifelong disabilities. France instituted a national program based on monthly retesting of susceptible pregnant women to reduce the number of severe cases through prompt antenatal and postnatal treatment and follow-up.

Objective

To evaluate the ability of the French prenatal retesting program to reduce the lifetime costs of congenital toxoplasmosis.

Methods

We measured and then compared the costs and benefits of screening vs. not screening using decision-tree modelling. It included direct and indirect costs to society of treatment and care, and the lifetime lost earnings of children and caregivers. A probabilistic sensitivity analysis was carried out.

Findings

Total lifetime costs per live born child identified as congenitally infected were estimated to be €444 for those identified through prenatal screening vs €656 for those who were not screened. Estimates were robust to changes in all costs of diagnosis, treatment, and sequelae.

Interpretation

Screening for the prevention of the congenital T. gondii infection in France is cost saving at €212 per birth. Compared with no screening, screening every pregnant woman in France for toxoplasmosis in 2020 would have saved the country €148 million in addition to reducing or eliminating the devastating physical and emotional suffering caused by T. gondii. Our findings reinforce the conclusions of other decision-analytic modelling of prenatal toxoplasmosis screening.
Dominance of the scleractinian coral Alveopora japonica in the barren subtidal hard bottom of high-latitude Jeju Island off the south coast of Korea assessed by high-resolution underwater images
Authors: Lee Kyeong-Tae , Lee Hye-Mi , Subramaniam Thatchaneshkanth , Yang Hyun-Sung , Park Sang Rul , Kang Chang-Keun , Keshavmurthy Shashank , Choi Kwang-Sik
Published: November 2022

Coastal benthic communities in temperate regions have been influenced by climate change, including increasing sea-surface temperature. Nevertheless, scleractinian coral Alveopora japonica Eguchi, 1968, is thriving in shallow subtidal hard bottoms around Jeju Island, off the southern coast of Korea. The presence of this corals has negatively impacted subtidal kelp populations in Jeju Island. However, there is no study to document how the presence or absence of this coral relates to other benthic communities. This study investigated the benthos in three shallow subtidal sites (Shinheung (SH), Bukchon (BC), and Seongsan (SS)) in northern Jeju using underwater photography. Macro-benthic organisms appearing on a 1 × 20 m line transect installed at depths of 5, 10, and 15 m at each site were analyzed. Results showed that of the three sites investigated, A. japonica colonies were most abundant at BC, accounting for 45.9% and 72.8% of the total transect area at 10 m and 15 m, respectively. At SS, A. japonica occupied 15.3% of the total area at 15 m and less than 1% at 5 m and 10 m. The same at SH accounted for 10% of the total area at 5 m, and less than 1% at 10 m and 15 m. Dead and bleached colonies accounted for 1.2–11.5% and 1.8–5.7%, respectively, at 5, 10, and 15 m at three sites. At SS, canopy-forming brown algae Ecklonia cava and Sargassum spp. accounted for 20.2 and 24.3% of the total transect area, respectively, at 5 m depth. In contrast, the percent cover of E. cava and Sargassum spp. at SH and BC ranged from 0.1 to 1.8%, respectively. Moreover, non-geniculate coralline algae dominated the subtidal substrate at SH, ranging between 60.2 and 69% at 15 and 10 m. The low cover of A. japonica in SS (at 5 m) coincided with a high percent cover of canopy-forming brown algae. However, canopy-forming brown algae were rare at all depths at SH and BC and were dominated instead by coralline algae and the scleractinian corals. This study, by utilizing a non-destructive method, provides a baseline qualitative and quantitative information for understanding the site and depth-dependent distribution of A. japonica and algal populations, which is important to understand climate change related changes in benthic communities in Jeju and elsewhere.
Investigating the conservatism-disgust paradox in reactions to the COVID-19 pandemic: A reexamination of the interrelations among political ideology, disgust sensitivity, and pandemic response
Authors: Ruisch Benjamin C. , Boggs Shelby T. , Moore Courtney A. , Granados Samayoa Javier A. , Ladanyi Jesse T. , Steinert Steffen , Fazio Russell H.
Published: November 2022

Research has documented robust associations between greater disgust sensitivity and (1) concerns about disease, and (2) political conservatism. However, the COVID-19 disease pandemic raised challenging questions about these associations. In particular, why have conservatives—despite their greater disgust sensitivity—exhibitedlessconcern about the pandemic? Here, we investigate this “conservatism-disgust paradox” and address several outstanding theoretical questions regarding the interrelations among disgust sensitivity, ideology, and pandemic response. In four studies (N= 1,764), we identify several methodological and conceptual factors—in particular, an overreliance on self-report measures—that may have inflated the apparent associations among these constructs. Using non-self-report measures, we find evidence that disgust sensitivity may be a less potent predictor of disease avoidance than is typically assumed, and that ideological differences in disgust sensitivity may be amplified by self-report measures. These findings suggest that the true pattern of interrelations among these factors may be less “paradoxical” than is typically believed.
“Let’s see what happens:”—Women’s experiences of open-label placebo treatment for menopausal hot flushes in a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Pan Yiqi , Frank Miriam L. , Kaptchuk Ted J. , Nestoriuc Yvonne
Published: November 2022

Open-label (honestly prescribed) placebos are an ethical way to evoke placebo effects in patients. As part of a mixed-methods study, we conducted in-depth interviews with eight menopausal women who underwent and benefitted from open-label placebo treatment in a randomized-controlled trial of hot flushes. Data were analyzed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. We found that the women had low expectations about the placebo treatment yet endorsed what they referred to as “hope” and openness to “see what happens”. Recording hot flushes via the symptom diary was viewed as a valuable opportunity for self-examination and appraising outcomes. Receiving relief from the placebo treatment empowered women and enhanced their sense of control and agency. In summary, participants’ initial openness towards placebos, their hopes to get better, monitoring symptoms closely, and taking the initiative to address symptoms were components of a positive open-label placebo experience.
Mental health among sexual and gender minorities: A Finnish population-based study of anxiety and depression discrepancies between individuals of diverse sexual orientations and gender minorities and the majority population
Authors: Källström Marianne , Nousiainen Nicole , Jern Patrick , Nickull Sabina , Gunst Annika
Published: November 2022

Substantial empirical evidence suggests that individuals who belong to sexual and gender minorities experience more anxiety and depression than heterosexual and cisgender people. Many previous studies have not, however, used population-based samples. There is also a shortage of evidence about certain sexual and gender minorities (e.g., nonbinary individuals). We examined differences in levels of anxiety and depression within sexual and gender minorities, as well as compared to the heterosexual and cisgender majority in a population-based Finnish sample (N = 8,589). We also explored if individuals who belong to both a gender and a sexual minority (double minority) reported higher rates of anxiety and depression than individuals who hold either a gender or a sexual minority status (single minority). Individuals who belonged to either a sexual or a gender minority overall experienced significantly higher rates of anxiety and depression than cisgender and heterosexual individuals. Among the different sexual and gender minorities, bisexual, emerging identity, and nonbinary individuals reported the highest rates of anxiety and depression. We found no differences in anxiety and depression between single minority and double minority individuals. Our results suggest that even though Finland is a country with an inclusive social climate, sexual and gender minorities are, nevertheless, disproportionately affected by mental health issues. The present study gives further support to the claim that individuals holding a sexual or gender minority status experience higher levels of depression and anxiety compared to cisgender and heterosexual individuals and pinpoints the need to acknowledge these issues both in the context of health care and in the society at large.
Unrealized fertility among women in low and middle-income countries
Authors: Assaf Shireen , Moonzwe Davis Lwendo
Published: November 2022

Background

There has been little research on women who have fewer than their ideal number of children toward the end of their childbearing years in low and middle-income countries (LMICs). We examine the level and distribution of unrealized fertility in LMICs across three geographical regions. We also examine the role of sex preference and other factors associated with unrealized fertility.

Data and methods

We used Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) data for women age 44–48 in 36 countries from the three geographical regions of Western and Central Africa, Eastern and Southern Africa, and South and Southeast Asia. We conducted descriptive analysis to examine the distribution of unwanted fertility and unrealized fertility, and fit adjusted logistic regressions of unrealized fertility. The main variables are number of living children (including by sex) and the sex composition of children. Other variables included education, marital status, age at first childbirth, wealth quintile, place of residence, exposure to family planning messages, contraceptive use, and country.

Results

Unrealized fertility was highest in Western and Central Africa, followed by Eastern and Southern Africa. In all regions, there was a decrease in unrealized fertility with an increasing number of children. Findings for sex preference varied with little sex preference in the African regions, and some limited evidence of preference for sons in South and Southeast Asia. In most regions, higher levels of education, higher wealth quintile, and use of contraceptive methods were associated with decreased unrealized fertility.

Conclusion

Family planning programs and messages should consider regional and socioeconomic differences in unrealized fertility in order to give women and families the right to achieve the family size they desire regardless of their status.
Lane clearance approach for emergency vehicles in highways network
Authors: Khatri Anshu , Senthilkumar Mathi
Published: November 2022

The steady rise in the number of vehicles in modern urban areas and poor conformance to traffic laws (or rules) lead to avoidable commute delays and traffic jams. Also, there is an increased likelihood of road accidents requiring immediate medical attention. Emergency vehicle (EV) service is adversely affected due to the unavailability of the clear lane that supports EVs to get to their endpoint without being delayed along the national highways. Moreover, the EV’s sirens have a limited range, which may fail to reach and notify other vehicular traffic about its mobility promptly. In addition to this range constraint, EVs in motion often lose their communication links while moving from network to network. This paper delineates an approach using the next generation mobile internet protocol, for automated pathway clearance, for EVs. The prototype model of the proposed approach was experimentally designed and implemented. The proposed design concept is validated by performance characterization via numerical analysis.
Exploring the neurogenic differentiation of human dental pulp stem cells
Authors: Al-Maswary Arwa A. , O’Reilly Molly , Holmes Andrew P. , Walmsley A. Damien , Cooper Paul R. , Scheven Ben A.
Published: November 2022

Human dental pulp stem cells (hDPSCs) have increasingly gained interest as a potential therapy for nerve regeneration in medicine and dentistry, however their neurogenic potential remains a matter of debate. This study aimed to characterize hDPSC neuronal differentiation in comparison with the human SH-SY5Y neuronal stem cell differentiation model. Both hDPSCs and SH-SY5Y could be differentiated to generate typical neuronal-like cells following sequential treatment with all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), as evidenced by significant expression of neuronal proteins βIII-tubulin (TUBB3) and neurofilament medium (NF-M). Both cell types also expressed multiple neural gene markers including growth-associated protein 43 (GAP43), enolase 2/neuron-specific enolase (ENO2/NSE), synapsin I (SYN1), nestin (NES), and peripherin (PRPH), and exhibited measurable voltage-activated Na+ and K+ currents. In hDPSCs, upregulation of acetylcholinesterase (ACHE), choline O-acetyltransferase (CHAT), sodium channel alpha subunit 9 (SCN9A), POU class 4 homeobox 1 (POU4F1/BRN3A) along with a downregulation of motor neuron and pancreas homeobox 1 (MNX1) indicated that differentiation was more guided toward a cholinergic sensory neuronal lineage. Furthermore, the Extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) inhibitor U0126 significantly impaired hDPSC neuronal differentiation and was associated with reduction of the ERK1/2 phosphorylation. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that extracellular signal-regulated kinase/Mitogen-activated protein kinase (ERK/MAPK) is necessary for sensory cholinergic neuronal differentiation of hDPSCs. hDPSC-derived cholinergic sensory neuronal-like cells represent a novel model and potential source for neuronal regeneration therapies.
Predictors of caregiver burden in caregivers of older people with physical disabilities in a rural community
Authors: Tuttle Denis , Griffiths Jiranan , Kaunnil Anuchart
Published: November 2022

Caring for an aging society is a problem facing many countries including Thailand. This cross-sectional study investigated caregiver burden and related predictive factors among 69 caregivers who had older family members with physical disabilities. Burden Scale, World Health Organization Quality of Life-Bref Thai (QOL), Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ), Barthel Activity of Daily Living Index (ADL), and Lawton-Brody Instrumental Activities of Daily Living Scale (IADL) assessments were used in addition to demographic data. Thirteen caregivers (18.8%) reported no caregiver burden, 30 (43.5%) reported low-moderate burden, 21 (30.4%) reported moderate-high burden and 5 (7.2%) reported high burden. Using Fisher’s Exact Test the factors found to be significantly associated to caregiver burden were: categorical age of the caregiver (p = .000), education level of the caregiver (p = .002), relationship to the care recipient (p = .009), categorical income level of the caregiver (p = .041), QOL of the caregiver (p = .001) and ADL status of the care recipient (p = .003). Forward stepwise linear regression model revealed three factors which were PHQ score (β = .543, p < .000), ADL score (β = -.341, p = .001) and hours of care/week (β = .227, p = .017). Future studies should focus on interventions that impact depression levels, independence with activities of living and hours of care per week.
ANIPHI: An innovative pedagogical platform based on the Delphi method to support animal welfare teaching
Authors: Vieira Ana C. L. , Vidal Michel , Menassol Jean-Baptiste , Mateus Teresa Letra , Santos Ana Sofia , Durieux Jean-Pierre , Oliveira Mónica D.
Published: November 2022

As a teaching subject, animal welfare is challenging for educators and learners, as was recently shown in a recent survey on the evolution of animal welfare teaching in Europe. Among several suggestions to overcome the current resistance to implementing animal welfare education, we highlight two. The first is that animal welfare education should be based on learner-centred approaches; the second is that it should encompass both animal welfare science and ethics and law. To the best of our knowledge, there are no learner-centred pedagogical approaches that can simultaneously explore scientific and ethical concepts. Furthermore, when exploring ethical concepts within the educational context, there is the additional challenge of being able to depart from discussion and debate to a systematic organization of knowledge. Our work simultaneously addresses these two challenges, presenting the design and implementation of a novel web-based learner-centred pedagogical platform for farm animal welfare teaching. The platform, named ANIPHI, uses the Delphi method’s iterative nature as a learning process to generate both reflection and (online) debate among learners. ANIPHI can be used by educators in an online environment, in a classroom environment, or in a combination of the two environments. ANIPHI was developed within the ERASMUS+ ANICARE project and is an open web-based platform for all educators interested in teaching farm animal welfare. Given ANIPHI’s flexible and user-friendly nature, the platform simultaneously exposes learners to ethical and scientific concepts in different educational realities, according to the educator’s objectives. Furthermore, videos depicting different husbandry practices across different types of animal production and countries are embedded in the platform. These videos are commented on by the farmer himself and by animal scientists, which enriches the learner’s experience. Educators across the ANICARE consortium have already successfully tested the ANIPHI platform for different farm animal welfare topics. We conclude this article by presenting one example of using ANIPHI in a real-life educational context, where we discuss some aspects of the design and use of our pedagogical platform.
“They cannot afford to feed their children and the advice is to stay home. How‥?”: A qualitative study of community experiences of COVID-19 response efforts across Syria
Authors: Alhaffar Mervat , Mkhallalati Hala , Alrashid Alhiraki Omar , Marzouk Manar , Khanshour Ahmad , Douedari Yazan , Howard Natasha
Published: November 2022

Introduction

COVID-19 highlighted the importance of meaningful engagement between communities and health authorities. This is particularly challenging in conflict-affected countries such as Syria, where social protection and food security needs can hinder adherence to non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) and vaccine uptake. This study explored community perspectives of COVID-19 and health authority responses across the three main areas of control in Syria, i.e. Syrian government-controlled areas (GCA), autonomous administration-controlled areas (AACA), and opposition-controlled areas (OCA).

Methods

We conducted a qualitative study, interviewing 22 purposively-sampled Syrians accessing health services in AACA, GCA, or OCA in 2021 to provide approximately equal representation by governance area and gender. We analysed data thematically using deductive and inductive coding.

Findings

Interviewees in all areas described how their fears of COVID-19 and willingness to adhere to NPIs decreased as their local COVID-19 epidemics progressed and NPIs disrupted access to household essentials such as work and food. Community-level responses were minimal and ad hoc, so most people focused on personal or household protective efforts and many mentioned relying on their faith for comfort. Misinformation and vaccine hesitancy were common in all areas, linked to lack of transparency from and mistrust of local health authorities and information sources.

Conclusions

The COVID-19 pandemic has increased health actors’ need to engage with communities to control disease spread, yet most NPIs implemented in Syria were inappropriate and adherence decreased as the pandemic progressed. This was exemplified by lockdowns and requirements to self-isolate, despite precarious reliance on daily wages, no subsidies for lost income, individual self-reliance, and mistrust/weak communication between communities and health authorities. We found minimal community engagement efforts, consisting entirely of informing with no efforts to consult, involve, collaborate, or empower. This contributed to failures of health actors to contextualise interventions in ways that respected community understandings and needs.
Age prediction by deep learning applied to Greenland halibut (Reinhardtius hippoglossoides) otolith images
Authors: Martinsen Iver , Harbitz Alf , Bianchi Filippo Maria
Published: November 2022

Otoliths (ear-stones) in the inner ears of vertebrates containing visible year zones are used extensively to determine fish age. Analysis of otoliths is a time-consuming and difficult task that requires the education of human experts. Human age estimates are inconsistent, as several readings by the same human expert might result in different ages assigned to the same otolith, in addition to an inherent bias between readers. To improve efficiency and resolve inconsistent results in the age reading from otolith images by human experts, an automated procedure based on convolutional neural networks (CNNs), a class of deep learning models suitable for image processing, is investigated. We applied CNNs that perform image regression to estimate the age of Greenland halibut (Reinhardtius hippoglossoides) with good results for individual ages as well as the overall age distribution, with an average CV of about 10% relative to the read ages by experts. In addition, the density distribution of predicted ages resembles the density distribution of the ground truth. By using k*l-fold cross-validation, we test all available samples, and we show that the results are rather sensitive to the choice of test set. Finally, we apply explanation techniques to analyze the decision process of deep learning models. In particular, we produce heatmaps indicating which input features that are the most important in the computation of predicted age.
Falling from Grace: The Collapse of Ethiopia's Ruling Coalition
Authors: Tronvoll Kjetil
Published: November 2022

The Ethiopian Peoples’ Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF), the government party in Ethiopia from 1991 to 2019, was Africa's biggest party in terms of membership base and considered to be the most powerful incumbent on the continent. The factors behind its rapid fall from grace and eventual collapse in 2019 will be put under scrutiny in this article. Comparative political research has pointed to both endogamous and exogamous factors contributing to party instability. Party-specific concerns such as differences in local constituencies, variations in ethnopolitical identities, differences of ideological outlook, and policy preferences are all factors that may lead to a withering of party consensus. Furthermore, the governance structure of the country may also impinge on party stability, because federal models may be more divisive in nature than unitary states. The argument pursued in this article will be to investigate how the origin of the EPRDF's component parties and their ethnopolitical base under the federal system were made relevant in the internal power struggle to claim control of the coalition and hence the government of the land. The article concludes by identifying four key factors contributing to the internal power struggle that led to the demise of the EPRDF: disagreements over ideology; disputes over party bylaws, procedures, and practices; contestation over the federal state model; and finally, the surge of ethnonationalism with intrinsic territorial ambitions.
Oromo Protests, Repression, and Political Change in Ethiopia, 2014–2020
Authors: Kelecha Mebratu
Published: November 2022

This article provides a chronological analysis of the Oromo social movements that have contributed to the recent major political changes in Ethiopia. It draws on theories of nonviolent social movements, political defiance, and the transition approach of democratization in analyzing the chain of event that led to political changes in early 2018. This helps put the protests in perspective in terms of Ethiopia's political trajectory, explaining how youth activists have played a role in advancing the conditions for the transition to democracy, bringing together fragmented, rival political forces and social groups in the interest of challenging the status quo and toppling a deeply entrenched authoritarian regime.
La Economía y la Administración Pública en la digitalización. Realidades y retos.
Authors: Báez Hernández Alexander
Published: November 2022

La contribución parte de una revisión bibliográfica, donde observa la presencia amplia de los temas abordados en las publicaciones científicas dentro de las bases “Open Access y “Not Open Access” y la tendencia a un bucle de autores de países desarrollados en cuanto a redes, coautorías y citas. Analiza el proceso de digitalización, los programas y forma de cuantificarlos. La Economía Digital, su auge y potencialidades, la brecha digital generada entre países ricos y pobres por desigual aprovechamiento e inversión. Se recorre las tres fases del proceso de digitalización de la Administración Pública, los principales modelos, características y tecnologías disruptivas de las que se toman tres de ellas “Big Data”, “Blockchain” e Internet de las cosas para analizarlas en el contexto de la Economía y la Administración Pública. Se visualiza las potencialidades, aplicaciones y complejidades de estas tecnologías y el reto que significan para la parte pública, su implementación a lo interno y el control a lo interior y al sector no público debido a la existencia del triángulo de interés: los intereses privados, los intereses públicos y los derechos de los ciudadanos. Se analiza las criptomonedas con su revolucionaria conceptualización y proceder, sus aplicaciones en el sector privado. La complejidad para el sector público en la instrumentación de políticas públicas, las diferentes posiciones de varios países y se analizan teorías clásicas de la macroeconomía: Ley de Say, teoría cuantitativa del dinero, el equilibrio macroeconómico, la política keynesiana y el modelo de Mundell-Fleming, bajo determinadas operaciones con criptomonedas como punta del ovillo de una problemática más compleja de análisis y estudio para los economistas.
Innovación y redes interorganizacionales. El estudio del caso de una start-up
Authors: Agramunt Luis Felipe , Nessier Andrea Fabiana , Berbel-Pineda Juan Manuel
Published: November 2022

En este trabajo se ponen bajo análisis a través de un estudio de caso, las premisas de una investigación previa realizada en 184 empresas del sector software argentinas, referida al efecto moderador positivo de la capacidad de absorción del conocimiento sobre el impacto del esfuerzo innovador y de las redes inter-organizativas sobre el resultado innovador en las empresas. Este estudio de caso analiza una empresa PYME del sector, fundada en 2009 y aun en actividad, con dos etapas claramente diferenciadas en función de su resultado innovador. En dicho caso, queda de manifiesto cómo el esfuerzo innovador de la empresa puede resultar positivo en el resultado innovador.
Incidencia de la guerra comercial entre China y Estados Unidos en el mercado de capitales Latinoamericano
Authors: López-Rodríguez Campo Elías , Flórez-Santacruz Angélica Leonor , Rincón-Castiblanco Esperanza , Moreno-Gutiérrez Néstor
Published: November 2022

La guerra comercial entre China y Estados Unidos como potencias mundiales ha conllevado a que la hegemonía mundial se encuentre en vilo y a que diversas economías se adapten a los requerimientos económicos generados desde este conflicto, pues el desarrollo de la guerra arancelaria entre estos dos gigantes ha afectado la estabilidad económica de varios países en el mundo. Desde una perspectiva reflexiva, sustentada en un enfoque descriptivo y desde una revisión de literatura se identificaron elementos del mercado de capitales Latinoamericano impactados con la guerra comercial entre estos países. Las tasas de variación de liquidez regional, el acervo de deuda del sector corporativo no financiero en el mercado internacional de bonos de América Latina y los indicadores de flujos de capital hacia la región son elementos que sustentan que la guerra comercial entre China y Estados Unidos ha impactado negativamente al mercado de capitales Latinoamericano.
La evaluación formativa en el marco de procesos de modelizaciones matemáticas
Authors: Cámara Viviana , Dalmasso Estefanía , Mas María Magdalena
Published: November 2022

Este trabajo presenta características y resultados del proceso evaluativo desarrollado en el marco del seminario optativo denominado “Análisis y formulación de modelos matemáticos”, ofrecido por la cátedra de Cálculo para Ciencias Económicas de la Facultad de Ciencias Económicas (FCE) de la Universidad Nacional del Litoral (UNL). Se propone una estrategia metodológica formativa con énfasis en la evaluación, puesto que la evidencia acumulada en el área de enseñanza de las ciencias sugiere que la comprensión de ideas centrales en una disciplina, así como el desarrollo de prácticas científicas, demanda la participación activa de los estudiantes en la construcción de su propio conocimiento. Se elaboraron matrices de valoración considerando las dimensiones de análisis: presentación de informe, desarrollo matemático y desarrollo de habilidades, y se definieron tres coeficientes de valoración asociados a sus respectivas matrices. El coef_1 valoró el trabajo de equipo y la democratización del conocimiento, resultando satisfactorio; el coef_2 valoró la capacidad de resolución de un mini caso prefijado por los docentes de un modelo parametrizado, donde se notaron dificultades en el uso de parámetros en matemática; en tanto, el coef_3 valoró la destreza en el planteo y resolución de un problema de interés propio de cada equipo, así como la capacidad de vinculación interdisciplinaria, lo cual evidenció una desvinculación entre el problema propuesto y el análisis matemático realizado. Se aplicó a los estudiantes una encuesta semiestructurada con la finalidad de conocer si sus expectativas al inscribirse al seminario fueron alcanzadas. Según sus respuestas, esto fue cumplido satisfactoriamente.
Factors that influence cognitive presence: A scoping review
Authors: Maranna Sandhya , Willison John , Joksimovic Srecko , Parange Nayana , Costabile Maurizio
Published: November 2022

The gradual shift to online modes of learning in higher education institutions over the past 2 decades accelerated drastically on a global scale between 2020 and 2022. Students and educators, who have initially grappled with the shift, have now become accustomed to online teaching; however, there are concerns about the quality of learning that has resulted. To enable a sustainable and effective online pedagogy, educators may need to learn about fostering higher-order thinking skills, which can be challenging even for experienced educators. To conceptualise effective online pedagogy, the community of inquiry (CoI) framework emphasises cognitive presence (CP), which focuses on the higher-order thinking process. The CoI is the most widely researched framework in online pedagogy, yet contemporary CoI literature lacks collective evidence of factors that influence CP. This scoping review of the CoI literature explores the factors that influence the higher-order thinking that is indicative of CP. Inclusion criteria included evidence of CP in online learning contexts and published between January 2000 and March 2022, providing a total of 121 studies. Results suggest that teaching presence, structure of learning activities and student characteristics all influence CP.
Implications for practice or policy:

Higher education students enrolled in online courses should be taught how to learn effectively in an online mode.
Online course educators must embed learning tasks that foster self-regulation and higher-order skills in students.
Online course design should include authentic tasks for students to apply new knowledge to real-life scenarios.
Educators must be offered ample professional development activities to build their skills in online pedagogy.
Institutions should encourage translation of online educational research to practice.
University students’ preference for flexible teaching models that foster constructivist learning practices
Authors: Noguera Fructuoso Ingrid , Albó Laia , Beardsley Marc
Published: November 2022

In recent years, universities have intensified their use of technologies and implemented various modes of flexible teaching. This study sought to demonstrate that students prefer flipped learning with combined forms of synchronous and asynchronous learning that foster constructivist learning practices. To this aim, two case studies (N = 221) for online teaching at two face-to-face universities during the 2020–2021 academic year are presented. Results show that students appreciate flipped models of learning that foster social constructivist practices, autonomous access and consultation of resources, self-regulation of time management and consciousness of learning needs. Such virtual self-paced learning results in more productive and interactive real-time classes. This combination of autonomous learning and synchronous instruction is preferred by students attending online and hybrid modes of teaching. Overall, this study demonstrates that the flipped classroom adapts well to online and hybrid modes of teaching with first-year undergraduate students. To effectively foster social constructivism through the flipped classroom in university contexts, course design should consider both synchronous and asynchronous learning spaces, amplifying opportunities to learn autonomously and to collaborate and get feedback in synchronous contexts.
Implications for practice or policy

Student satisfaction with teaching may increase in online education if characteristics for flexibility are incorporated.
Teachers can foster social constructivist practices through flipped classroom by designing synchronous and asynchronous instruction to be self-regulated, student-centred, collaborative and flexible.
Institutional rules may limit teacher abilities to apply flexible modes of learning.
Who Do You Trust? Trust and Insurance Through Africa’s Past and Future
Authors: Verhoef Grietjie
Published: November 2022

Global disruption positions risk mitigation at the centre of survival strategies. Social risk mitigation strategies display relationships of trust, responsibility and culture. Insurance in global markets expands as bi-polarism began to contract from the early 1990s, but the massive external shocks of the pandemic and the rising interest environment impact negatively on this advance. What is likely the nature of risk mitigation responses in the post-pandemic era? How have societies, especially in developing regions such as some African societies, responded to the growing risk and existential threats? This paper explores African risk mitigation strategies in the past and the potential for future alignment of global insurance products to the demands of 21st Century African markets.
Human chorionic gonadotrophin secreting adrenocortical neoplasm presenting with peripheral precocious puberty in an infant
Authors: Dursun Fatma , İlçe Zekeriya , Tosun İlkay , Atla Pınar , Kalın Sevinç , Güvenç Fatma Tuğba , Yıldırım Ülkü Miray , Kırmızıbekmez Heves
Published: November 2022

Adrenocortical tumor (ACT) is a rare malignant tumor which usually present with Cushing syndrome and virilization. Paraneoplastic syndromes (PNS) due to neoplasms can occur with peptides or cytokines secreted by the tumor. Here, we report a 13-month-old-male presented with severe masculinization. He had signs of precocious puberty with enlarged testicles, very high testosterone levels but low levels of gonadotrophins, and elevated β-hCG. He underwent a left nephrectomy. The histopathological evaluation revealed a diagnosis of adrenocortical neoplasm. The levels of androgens and β-hCG normalized after the resection of tumor, and the clinical findings improved within few months. We report the first pediatric patient with peripheral precocious puberty due to an ACT that secretes β-hCG as PNS. A β-hCG secreting ACT can cause severe virilization due to increased gonadal androgens stimulated by β-hCG as well as due to increased adrenal androgens from the tumor.
Existence of positive periodic solutions for first-order nonlinear differential equations with multiple time-varying delays
Authors: Han Xiaoling , Lei Ceyu
Published: November 2022

This study elucidates the sufficient conditions for the first-order nonlinear differential equations with periodic coefficients and time-varying delays to have positive periodic solutions. Our results are proved using the Krasnosel’skii fixed point theorem. In this article, we have identified two sets

Δ

\Delta

and

∇

\nabla

and proved that at least one positive periodic solution exists in the interval between the point belonging to

Δ

\Delta

and the point belonging to

∇

\nabla

. We propose simple conditions that guarantee the existence of sets

Δ

\Delta

and

∇

\nabla

. In addition, we obtain the necessary conditions for the existence of positive periodic solutions of the first-order nonlinear differential equations when the periodic coefficients satisfy certain conditions. Finally, examples and numerical simulations are used to illustrate the validity of our results.
Evaluating the Efficiency and Productivity of Colombian Criminal Justice
Authors: Valencia Santiago Nicolás Enrique , Almanza Ramírez Camilo
Published: November 2022

In this paper, Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) is used to calculate the technical efficiency and the Malmquist Total Factor Productivity Index (MPI) of the municipal (JM) and circuit courts (JC) of the ordinary jurisdiction of the Colombian criminal justice system, from 2012 to 2016. The results show an average technical inefficiency of 16, 9% for de JCs, and 17.3% for JMs. Additionally, we find a total factor productivity (TFP) decline for these courts of 24 and 44%, respectively. Although both components of the MPI registered average values lower than one, the decrease in TFP is mainly driven by the decline in the technical change component.
Innovative foam-based cleaning concepts for historical objects
Authors: Schad Tamara , Preisig Natalie , Piening Heinrich , Stubenrauch Cosima
Published: November 2022

We developed a new, innovative foam-based cleaning method with which the amount of detergent can be reduced by up to 90%. In addition, foams generate physical cleaning mechanisms, namely imbibition and wiping. The combination of imbibition and wiping is so efficient that it is sufficient to simply let the foam sit on the surface for a while before removing it by vacuuming. No additional mechanical action is needed! This publication describes how we managed to clean the historic carriages of kings and emperors of past centuries in the “Marstallmuseum” in Nymphenburg Palace in cooperation with the “Bavarian Administration of State-Owned Palaces, Gardens and Lakes”.