bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
¿Quiénes estudian pedagogía en América Latina y el Caribe?: tendencias y desafíos en el perfil de los futuros docentes
Authors: Elacqua Gregory , Jaimovich Analia , Pérez-Nuñez Graciela , Hincapie Diana , Gómez Constanza , Sánchez María José , Escalona Gonzalo , Walker Joaquín
Published: January 2023

Latinoamérica y el Caribe (ALC) enfrentan importantes desafíos en materia de dotación y calidad de la fuerza laboral docente. En un contexto de necesidad de más y mejores docentes en las escuelas, este estudio analiza el primer eslabón en la carrera docente: los programas de formación inicial docente (FID). Específicamente, se investigan las características y tendencias de la matrícula en programas FID en 16 países de ALC, entre los años 2015 y 2020. En estos países, los programas FID representan un 12,4% de la matrícula en educación superior (en países de la OCDE un 8%, y en EE.UU. menos de 1%). Esta participación de los programas FID en la matrícula de educación superior es más baja en países con mayores exigencias de acreditación y de ingreso a la carrera docente, y más alta en los países con menor regulación de las carreras FID. En general, la matrícula en programas FID es altamente feminizada (73% de mujeres), y la representación femenina decae en especialidades dirigidas a mayores grados de enseñanza. En comparación al resto de la matrícula en educación superior, los programas FID se concentran en mayor proporción en entidades públicas. En tanto, la oferta de programas FID interculturales bilingües es insuficiente en relación a la proporción de la población autoidentificada como indígena y, en general, son escasas las políticas que la fomenten. Por último, en comparación con las demás carreras profesionales, los estudiantes matriculados en programas FID son en mayor proporción mujeres, pertenecientes a pueblos originarios, de zonas rurales, de nivel socioeconómico medio y medio-bajo, y de menor rendimiento académico al ingreso. Los gobiernos de la región enfrentan un dilema de política pública a corto plazo: aumentar tanto la cantidad, como la calidad y pertinencia de los futuros docentes
On the Trichoptera of Batanta Island, West Papua, Indonesia, VII. : New leptocerids
Authors: Oláh János , Kovács Tibor , Horváth Róbert
Published: January 2023

Based on newly collected materials here we report new faunistic data for this diverse island and describe five new leptocerid species from the Batanta Island (Indonesia, West Papua, Raja Ampat Archipelago): Oecetis anyam Oláh, sp. nov., O. apam Oláh, sp. nov., O. batanta Oláh, sp. nov., Leptocerus batanta Oláh, sp. nov. Setodes sarlos Oláh, sp. nov. As well as to clear the taxonomic status of Oecetis anyam Oláh, sp. nov. it was necessary to survey the unsettled species group of Oecetis hemerobioides with description of new species from Indonesia, Sumba Island: Oecetis sumbaensis Oláh, sp. nov. and from the Cyclops Mountain of West Papua: Oecetis cyclopensis Oláh, sp. nov.
A Study on the Prevalence and Susceptibility Pattern of MRSA in a Tertiary Care Hospital of Haroti Region
Authors: Garg Archana , Agarwal Lakshmi , Gupta Mamta , Agarwal Manmohan
Published: January 2023

Background and Aims: Emerging antimicrobial resistance is one of the major public health threats worldwide. It can result in increased morbidity and mortality rates along with increased treatment costs and hospitalization stays. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has become a global challenge. It is a major cause of nosocomial and community-acquired infections. Its prevalence varies with country and within hospitals within a country. The current study estimates the prevalence of MRSA.
Materials and Methods: A total of 162 Staphylococcus aureus strains were isolated from various clinical specimens, and antibiotic susceptibility tests and identification by cefoxitin disc (30 μg) were performed as per Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute guidelines.
Results: Among 162 Staphylococcus aureus 92 isolates were found to be MRSA. The highest rate of resistance was detected for penicillin (100), followed by erythromycin (97%), clindamycin (57%), tetracycline (13%), sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim (SXT) (55%), ciprofloxacin (23%), and gentamicin (2%). All of the isolates were susceptible to linezolid and vancomycin.
Conclusions: Treatment of multi-drug resistant MRSA is still problematic because of the limited choice of antibiotic. This analysis will assist clinicians to choose an appropriate course of action for MRSA infections.
Genetic Variation in Mitochondrial COX1 and Ribosomal ITS2 Genes of Toxocara Canis in Stray Dogs in Zabol, Southeast Iran
Authors: Sarani Esmaeil , Hataminejad Maryam , Azizi Hakim
Published: January 2023

Background and Aims: Toxocariasis is a zoonotic parasitic disease with worldwide distribution caused by the larval stage of ascaridoid nematodes of dogs (Toxocara canis) and cats (Toxocara cati). The study was accomplished to determine the sequence variation in ITS2 and COX1 genes within isolates of Toxocara canis.
Materials and Methods: Two hundred Stool samples were collected randomly from dogs in public parks and streets from different regions of Zabol. Thirty samples containing eggs were isolated from the feces using Formalin ether 10% and centrifugal flotation. Genomic DNA was extracted, and COX1 and ITS2 were amplified by PCR-RFLP and sequenced. Sequence data were aligned using the BioEdit software and BLAST program and compared with published sequences in GenBank. The phylogenetic relationship between isolates of T. canis from Zabol city with other regions based on sequences obtained from COX1 and ITS2 genes and using MEGA7.0 software was investigated.
Results: For all samples, amplicons of about 388 and 422 base pairs were produced by PCR for ITS2 and COX1, respectively. Drawing the phylogenic tree of ITS2 and COX1 sequences of isolates of T. canis  showed that the identified genotypes are not only different from each other but also from other parts of the world.
Conclusions: Our result showed that genetic variation among isolates of T. canis from Zabol is very low. For a deeper understanding of genetic diversity among populations of Toxocara, it is recommended to analyze more isolates from various geographical areas and variable genetic markers.
Correlation of Tissue Distribution of HLA-G and HLA-E and Degree of Tumor Malignancy in Patients with Breast Cancer
Authors: Jaafari Mahdie , Hadinedoushan Hossein , Tafti Mahmoud Akhavan
Published: January 2023

Background and Aims: Human leukocyte antigen (HLA) molecules play a substantial role in T Lymphocyte-mediated adaptive immune response. Down-regulation of HLA expression may help the tumor to escape from immune surveillance. This study aimed to evaluate the correlation between HLA-G and HLA-E tissue distribution and the degree of tumor malignancy in human breast tumors.
Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on tissue samples of 145 patients with breast cancer. The distribution of HLA-G and HLA-E expressions were measured by the immunohistochemistry method.
Results: Among 145 patients, 51% of tumors did not express HLA-E, and +1 positive was seen in 36.6 % of patients. +2 positive in 8.3% and +3 positive in 4.1% of patients. Moreover, 79.3% of tumors did not express HLA-G, 17.9% expressed +1 positive, 2.8% expressed +2 positive, and no patients expressed +3 positive. Generally, 20.7% and 49% of patients showed expression of HLA-G and HLA-E, respectively. A significant correlation was seen between the grade of disease and expression of HLA-E (p = 0.03) and HLA-G (p = 0.001). Moreover, a significant correlation was seen between the simultaneous expression of HLA-G and HLA-E with grade (p = 0.03, r = 0.176).
Conclusion: Significant correlation was seen between the distribution of HLA-G and HLA-E expression with a degree of malignancy. Therefore, these biomarkers’ expression may contribute to the prognosis and progression of breast cancer.
Prediction of blood cancer using leukemia gene expression data and sparsity-based gene selection methods
Authors: Mehrabani Sanaz , Zangeneh Soroush Morteza , Kheiri Negin , Sheikhpour Razieh , Bahrami Mahshid
Published: January 2023

Background: DNA microarray is a useful technology that simultaneously assesses the expression of thousands of genes. It can be utilized for the detection of cancer types and cancer biomarkers. This study aimed to predict blood cancer using leukemia gene expression data and a robust ℓ2,p-norm sparsity-based gene selection method.
Materials and Methods: In this descriptive study, the microarray gene expression data of 72 patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) was used. To remove the redundant genes and identify the most important genes in the prediction of AML and ALL, a robust ℓ2,p-norm (0 < p ≤1) sparsity-based gene selection method was applied, in which the parameter p method was implemented from 1/4, 1/2, 3/4 and 1. Then, the most important genes were used by the random forest (RF) and support vector machine (SVM) classifiers for prediction of AML and ALL.
Results: The RF and SVM classifiers correctly classified all AML and ALL samples. The RF classifier obtained the performance of 100% using 10 genes selected by the ℓ2,1/2-norm and ℓ2,1-norm sparsity-based gene selection methods. Moreover, the SVM classifier obtained a performance of 100% using 10 genes selected by the ℓ2,1/2-norm method. Seven common genes were identified by all four values of parameter p in the ℓ2,p-norm method as the most important genes in the classification of AML and ALL, and the gene with the description “PRTN3 Proteinase 3 (serine proteinase, neutrophil, Wegener granulomatosis autoantigen” was identified as the most important gene.
Conclusion: The results obtained in this study indicated that the prediction of blood cancer from leukemia microarray gene expression data can be carried out using the robust ℓ2,p-norm sparsity-based gene selection method and classification algorithms. It can be useful to examine the expression level of the genes identified by this study to predict leukemia.
Gênero e sexualidade em debates: dissidências e resistências
Authors: Souza André Luis Santos de , Andrade Aldair Oliveira de , Andrade Roberta Ferreira Coelho de , Cutrim Ilza do Socorro Galvão , Carvalho Conceição de Maria Belfort de , Araujo Wagner dos Reis Marques , Siqueira Antonio Marcos de Oliveira
Published: January 2023

Neste número, a Revista de Relações Sociais – REVES propõe contribuir para o debate em torno a temática “gênero e sexualidade em debates: dissidências e resistências” para ampliar a compreensão sobre os diversos universos sociais que são atravessados pelas relações de gênero.
TORTO ARADO, DE ITAMAR VIEIRA JÚNIOR
Authors: Rocha Daniel Batista , Sousa Natália Costa , Feitosa Márcia Manir Miguel
Published: January 2023

Em Torto Arado (2019), observa-se a narrativa das irmãs Bibiana e Belonísia, duas mulheres negras que vivem em uma fazenda dominada por latifundiários e reivindicada pelos seus trabalhadores como propriedade histórica do povo negro. O enredo coleciona alguns mistérios, como o tempo em que se passa no século XX e alguns detalhes sobre o “incidente com a lâmina de Donana”. Com isso, o autor aborda temas que envolvem o legado da escravidão no Brasil; os direitos da população afrodescendente brasileira; memória coletiva; o poder da linguagem; espaço; vozes femininas; maternidade e a luta pela terra. Posto isso, esta pesquisa visa analisar tais questões com foco na relação entre a terra e os personagens, enfatizando o simbolismo das casas locais e a postura feminina no romance. Para tal, toma-se como referencial teórico, principalmente, Bachelard (1978), Tuan (2011), e Ramos (2022) em um trabalho de pesquisa bibliográfica.
ANALISIS KORELASI POTENSI SKOLASTIK DENGAN KEMAMPUAN AKADEMIK SISWA KELAS 12 SMAN 1 SITUBONDO
Authors: Sriyati Sriyati
Published: January 2023

The Computer-Based Writing Exam (UTBK) is a selection to enter State Universities (PTN) through the joint selection to enter State Universities (SBMPTN). The UTBK test material consists of a Scholastic Potential Test (TPS) and an Academic Competency Test (TKA) consisting of Science and Technology and Social Sciences. The UTBK material has a high level of difficulty, but not many high school students have prepared themselves from the start. This study aims to analyze the correlation between the ability of the Scholastic Potential Test and the academic competence of the 12th graders of SMA Negeri 1 Situbondo. This research is a survey research, with respondents from all 12th grade students majoring in science and social studies who are willing to take part in the UTBK Try Out, namely 65 science students and 50 social studies students. The results of the t-test statistical analysis showed that there was no significant difference (p > 0.05) in the ability of science and social studies students to the ability of TPS in the components of General Knowledge, reading and writing ability, and English language ability. Meanwhile, the reasoning and numeric abilities of science students were significantly (p < 0.05) higher than social studies students. The results of Pearson's correlation analysis show that there is a significant positive correlation (p = 0.000) between TPS scores and science and technology academic competence in science students. However, TPS scores on social studies students do not correlate with Soshum's academic competence. Conclusion: the readiness of science students is higher than social studies students in facing the 2022 UTBK.
Inovação, trabalho remoto e bibliotecas educativas públicas
Authors: Brandão Jobson Louis Almeida , Perucchi Valmira , Freire Gustavo Henrique de Araújo
Published: January 2023

Introdução: O desenvolvimento de políticas públicas mais assertivas em bibliotecas, de acordo com as dinâmicas de teletrabalho que estão a se constituir, é um debate imprescindível ao campo da Ciência da Informação. Objetivo: O presente artigo discute a evolução das bibliotecas educativas públicas em espaços de trabalho remoto, para servir a uma comunidade de profissionais que trabalham e se comunicam em rede. Metodologia: Metodologicamente, a pesquisa é de nível exploratório, abordagem qualitativa, desenvolvida por meio de pesquisa bibliográfica, a partir dos dados de uma pesquisa de doutorado que utiliza o método Ciência-Ação. Resultados: Os resultados destacam a possibilidade de inovação por meio do trabalho remoto no serviço público federal, sobretudo com o advento do Decreto 11.072, de 17 de maio de 2022; a oportunidade de inovar no setor público com um serviço promissor desempenhado pelas bibliotecas educativas públicas em institutos federais; e a indissociabilidade entre agendas de trabalho e de pesquisa, tanto quanto entre o desenvolvimento social e a transformação digital. Conclusão: Conclui-se que os caminhos para a transformação digital no mundo do trabalho podem se tornar ainda mais produtivos, inovadores, rentáveis e sustentáveis, quando se busca o investimento contínuo e adequado em infraestrutura de bibliotecas que cumprem função educativa e são de natureza pública; e em políticas que assegurem a atuação do bibliotecário como agente de inovação em institutos federais.
Innovation, telecommuting and public educational libraries: ways to digital transformation in the post-pandemic world of work
Authors: Brandão Jobson Louis Almeida
Published: January 2023

Introduction: The development of more assertive public policies in libraries, in accordance with the dynamics of telecommuting that are being created, is an essential debate in the field of Information Science. Objective: This article discusses the evolution of public educational libraries in telecommuting to serve a community of professionals who work and communicate in a network. Methodology: Methodologically, the research has an exploratory level, a qualitative approach, developed through bibliographical research and elaborated from the data of a doctoral research that uses the action science method. Results: The results highlight the possibility of innovation through remote work in the federal public service, especially with the advent of Decree 11,072, of May 17, 2022; the opportunity to innovate in the public sector with a promising service performed by public educational libraries at federal institutes; and the inseparability between work and research agendas, as well as between social development and digital transformation. Conclusion: It is concluded that the paths for the digital transformation in the world of work can become even more productive, innovative, profitable and sustainable, when the continuous and adequate investment in library infrastructure that fulfills an educational function and is of a public nature is sought; and in policies that ensure the performance of librarians as agents of innovation in federal institutes.
O programa MD/PhD
Authors: Piotto Hayslla Boaventura , Calabró Luciana
Published: January 2023

Introdução: O Programa de treinamento em pesquisa médica surgiu nos Estados Unidos, em 1956, e consiste no treinamento científico de graduandos de medicina para a formação de profissionais altamente qualificados para dupla atuação no contexto médico: clínica e pesquisa. Objetivo: O presente artigo tem o objetivo de relatar algumas ocorrências do Programa MD/PhD pelo mundo, utilizando como ponto de partida, e como inspiração para a pesquisa de artigos científicos e sites institucionais que relatassem a experiência MD/PhD,  o artigo “The combined medical/PhD degree: a global survey of physician-scientist training programs”. Metodologia: Porém, para o contexto brasileiro, foram utilizados dados fornecidos pela Capes sobre o financiamento do programa até dezembro de 2019. Nos resultados são apresentadas experiências do programa MD/PhD nos cinco continentes, incluindo suas particularidades e semelhanças. Resultado/Conclusão: E nas considerações finais são apresentados pontos comuns abordados nos diferentes países e sistemas MD/PhD, como a recorrente inspiração no modelo estadunidenses e a necessidade de combater o recente declínio de pesquisadores clínicos. No Brasil, assim como em países de recente implementação, o programa ainda carece de estudos que avaliem seus impactos. A observação das características e peculiaridades do MD/PhD nos diferentes continentes e países do mundo nos permite vislumbrar algumas ferramentas que podem ser utilizadas para o fortalecimento e a expansão do programa a nível nacional.
Preditores da adaptação acadêmica de iniciantes no curso de psicologia
Authors: Soares Adriana Benevides , Santos Zeimara de Almeida , Brito Almir Diego
Published: January 2023

Introdução: A adaptação acadêmica é um fenômeno multifatorial e a sua investigação pode oferecer subsídios que contribuam para a permanência dos estudantes iniciantes na Universidade. Objetivo: O presente estudo teve como objetivo identificar a relação preditiva das variáveis explicativas Expectativas Acadêmicas, Maturidade para a Escolha Profissional, Habilidades Sociais, Adaptabilidade de Carreira e Satisfação Acadêmica com a variável critério Adaptação Acadêmica em estudantes de Psicologia. Metodologia: Participaram 426 universitários (M=24,17; DP=7,27), sendo 330 mulheres, 90 homens. Foram utilizados os seguintes instrumentos: Escala de Expectativas Acadêmicas de Estudantes Ingressantes na Educação Superior (EEAEIES), Escala de Adaptabilidade de Carreira (EAC), Escala de Satisfação com a Experiência Acadêmica (ESEA), Escala de Maturidade para a Escolha Profissional (EMEP), Inventário de Habilidades Sociais (IHS) e Questionário de Vivências Acadêmicas (QVA-r). Resultados: Os resultados apontaram que universitários com maiores escores de habilidades sociais, expectativas acadêmicas e satisfação com a experiência acadêmica apresentam maiores escores nas vivências acadêmicas. Conclusão: Dessa forma, o estudo aponta a relevância dessas variáveis para uma adaptação acadêmica satisfatória. Ressalta-se que adaptação universitária é um processo complexo e, no caso específico desta amostra, esteve relacionada positivamente a fatores como as relações interpessoais, o aproveitamento nos estudos e o envolvimento institucional.
Microeconomic Analysis and Policy Direction on the Extremely Low Fertility in Korea
Authors:   KOREA DEVELOPMENT ECONOMICS ASSOCIATION, Kim Hisam
Published: January 2023

Korea’s extremely low fertility rate can be viewed as a result of aggregation of rational choices regarding fertility at the individual level. The economic motive for childbirth has largely declined due to the increase in childrearing costs and the weakening of private old-age support norms. The social motive for marriage and childbirth in accordance with the prevailing norms of society is also weakening along with the spread of non-marriage and non-childbirth due to changes in values. Instead, the natural motive for forming one’s own family through marriage and childbirth exists to a considerable extent in Korean young people, but it is not fully realized due to the high cost structure of childbirth and child rearing. Therefore, it is needed to focus on supporting the realization of natural motives for childbirth, and promote the formation of new families. In addition, since community-based bridging social capital shows a positive correlation with marriage intention and the number of children desired, measures to support regional community culture and revitalization of caring communities may be effective. Meanwhile, it is also necessary to reduce the opportunity cost of childbirth and the burden of high-cost, high-intensity parenting, and promote gender equality and efficient division of labor at work and at home.
LCA-based environmental sustainability assessment of hybrid additive manufacturing of a turbine blade
Authors: Liu Zhichao , Islam Faujia , Era Israt Zarin , Grandhi Manikanta
Published: January 2023

In this paper, a cradle-to-gate life cycle assessment (LCA) method is used to compare the overall energy consumption and environmental impact of hybrid additive manufacturing (HAM) and the traditional CNC milling process with a case study of turbine blade manufacturing. Six environmental impacts are assessed in this study: acidification potential (AP), eutrophication potential (EP), global warming potential (GWP), photochemical ozone creation potential (POCP), ozone depletion potential (ODP), and abiotic depletion potential (ADP). The results suggest that HAM can not only reduce energy consumption and material waste but also reduce the environmental impact by 53% from a life cycle perspective. Specifically, the results of GWP, AP, EP, ODP, POCP and ADP of the HAM are only 32.2%, 34.6 %, 44.7%, 27.2%, 25.6%, and 24.7 % of that in traditional CNC machining.
A Practical Approach for Determining Multi-Dimensional Spatial Rainfall Scaling Relations Using High Resolution Time Height Doppler Data from a Single Mobile Vertical Pointing Radar
Authors: Jameson A.R.
Published: January 2023

Rescaling of rainfall requires measurements of rainfall rates over many dimensions. This paper develops one approach using 10 m vertical spatial observations of the Doppler spectra of falling rain every 10 seconds over intervals varying from 15 up to 41minutes in two different locations and in two different years using two different Micro-Rain Radars (MRR). The transformation of the temporal domain into spatial observations uses the Taylor ‘frozen’ turbulence hypothesis to estimate an average advection speed over an entire observation interval. Thus, when no other advection estimates are possible, this paper offers a new approach for estimating the appropriate frozen turbulence advection speed by minimizing power spectral differences between the ensemble of purely spatial radial power spectra observed at all times in the vertical and those using the ensemble of temporal spectra at all heights to yield statistically reliable scaling relations. Thus, it is likely that, MRR and other vertically pointing Doppler radars may often help to obviate the need for expensive and immobile large networks of instruments in order to determine such scaling relations, but not the need of those radars for surveillance.
Safety of Combined Targeted and Helixor® Viscum album L.Therapy in Breast and Gynecological Patients, a Real-World Data Study
Authors: Schad Friedemann , Thronicke Anja
Published: January 2023

Background: Newer personalized medicine including targeted therapies such as PARP inhibitors and CDK 4/6 inhibitors have shown to improve survival of breast and gynaecological cancer patients. However, efficacy outcomes may be hampered by treatment discontinuation due to targeted therapy-related adverse drug reactions or resistance. Studies suggest that add-on mistletoe (Viscum album L., VA) improves quality of life and ameliorates cytotoxic side effects of standard oncological therapy in cancer patients. The primary objective of this real-world data study was to determine the safety profile of targeted therapy in combination with add-on Helixor® VA therapy in breast and gynecological cancer patients. Methods: The present study is a real-world data study utilizing demographic and treatment data from the accredited national Network Oncology (NO) registry. The study has received ethics approval. The safety profile of targeted with or without Helixor® VA therapy as well as safety - associated variables were evaluated by univariate and adjusted multivariable regression analyses. Results: All stage breast or gynecological cancer patients (n = 242) were on average 54.5±14.2 years old. One hundred and sixty patients (66.1%) were in the control (CTRL, targeted therapy) and 82 patients (33.9%) in the combinational (COMB, targeted plus Helixor® VA therapy) group. The addition of Helixor® VA did not hamper the safety profile (χ2 = 0.107, p-value = 0.99) of targeted therapy. Furthermore, no adverse events and a trend towards an improved targeted therapy adherence were observed in the COMB group. Conclusions: The present study is the first of its kind showing the applicability of Helixor® VA in combination with targeted therapies. The results indicate that add-on Helixor® VA does not negatively alter the safety profile of targeted therapies in breast and gynaecological cancer patients.
Role of Accounting on Public Sector Accountability in Nigeria
Authors: Kamaldeen Ayyatullahi , Olamide Tijani Yakub , Elizabeth Temitayo Joel , Malik Semasa Soyingbe , Olofinsao Oluwatosin
Published: January 2023

Accounting information is a crucial management tool for Nigerian national development services. In every state or country, accounting is crucial to maintaining social peace, political stability, and economic sustainability. The explanation for this clear truth about the development of Nigeria is not plausible given the massive multi-sectoral scope of Nigerian economic activities in both the public and private sectors. For government national progress, reliable accounting information is essential. This research aims to explore the role of accounting on public sector accountability in Nigeria.
Graphene-TLL-Cu2ONPs Hybrid as Highly Efficient Catalyst for Degradation of Organic Pollutans
Authors: Losada-Garcia Noelia , Carranza Jannier , Palomo Jose M.
Published: January 2023

In this work Cu2O nanoparticles (NPs) were created in-situ on graphene functionalized with Thermomyces lanuginosus lipase (G@TLL) where site-oriented supported TLL acted as template and binder in the presence of copper salt by tailorable synthesis under mild conditions, producing a heterogeneous catalyst. Cu2O NPs was confirmed by XRD and XPS. The TEM microscopy showed that the nanoparticles were homogeneously distributed over the G@TLL surface with sizes of 53 nm and 165nm. This G@TLL-Cu2O hybrid was successfully used in the degradation of toxic organic compounds such as trichloroethylene (TCE) and Rhodamine B (RhB). In the case of TCE, the hybrid presented a high catalytic capacity, degrading 60 ppm of product in 60 min in aqueous solution and room temperature without the formation of other toxic subproducts. In addition, a TOF value of 7.5 times higher than the unsupported counterpart (TLL-Cu2O) was obtained, demonstrating the improved catalytic efficiency of the system in the solid-phase. The hybrid also presented an excellent catalytic performance for the degradation of Rhodamine B (RhB) obtaining a complete degradation (48ppm) in 50 min in in aqueous solution and room temperature and with the presence of a green oxidant as H2O2.
Exploring Prosodic Features Modelling for Secondary Emotions Needed for Empathetic Speech Synthesis
Authors: James Jesin , B.T Balamurali , Watson Catherine , Mixdorff Hansjörg
Published: January 2023

A low-resource emotional speech synthesis system for empathetic speech synthesis based on modelling prosody features is presented here. Secondary emotions, identified to be needed for empathetic speech, are modelled and synthesised in this paper. As secondary emotions are subtle in nature, they are difficult to model compared to primary emotions. They are also less explored, and this is one of the few studies that model secondary emotions in speech. Current speech synthesis research uses large databases and deep learning techniques to develop emotion models. There are many secondary emotions, and hence, developing large databases for each of the secondary emotions is expensive. This research presents a proof-of-concept using hand-crafted feature extraction and modelling of these features using a low resource-intensive machine learning approach, thus creating synthetic speech with secondary emotions. Here, a quantitative model-based transformation is used to shape the emotional speech fundamental frequency contour. Speech rate and mean intensity are modelled via rule-based approaches. Using these models, an emotional text-to-speech synthesis system to synthesise five secondary emotions - anxious, apologetic, confident, enthusiastic and worried is developed. A perception test to evaluate the synthesised emotional speech is also conducted.
Impact of Zinc on Insulin Resistance and Hepatic Fat Accumulation
Authors: Fatehi Mojdeh
Published: January 2023

Insulin signaling plays a crucial role in cellular uptake of glucose and different metabolic pathways. Impairment in cellular insulin sensitivity due to various molecular pathways leads to Insulin resistance (IR) as well as fatty liver. In this review, mechanisms by which zinc involved in decreasing IR are described, focusing on oxidative stress, inflammation, immune system, gut flora and hepatic lipophagy. This study reviews the cause of IR and highlights the role of zinc in mechanisms diminishing IR and fatty liver.
Implementing Playing Cards BlackJack Game using OpenCV
Authors: Khan Mohd Tauheed , Akkar Anas , Cassens Justin , Cregan Samuel , Araba Vander-Pallen Maame
Published: January 2023

Computer vision is a rapidly developing field that focuses on highly sophisticated picture analysis, manipulation, and comprehension. Its objective is to analyze what is happening in front of a camera and utilize that understanding to control a computer or robotic system or to present users with fresh visuals that are more enlightening or appealing than the original camera images. Computer vision technologies make it feasible for new user interfaces, augmented reality gaming, biometrics, automobile, photography, movie creation, Web search, and many more applications. This essay seeks to explain how computer vision can be utilized to play blackjack successfully.
Understanding the Response of Canadians to the Covid-19 Pandemic using the Kübler-Ross Model: Twitter Data Analysis
Authors: Abebe Ruth G. , Bakombo Schwab , Konkle Anne TM
Published: January 2023

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was declared a pandemic in March 2020, which led to the implementation of non-pharmaceutical interventions that had inadvertent physical, mental and social effects. The purpose of this study was to examine the experiences and responses of Canadians to these interventions on Twitter using the Kübler-Ross Change Curve (KRCC) during the first six months of the pandemic. Tweets were analyzed using sentiment analysis, thematic content analysis and KRCC. The findings highlight that many Canadians attempted to adapt to the changes but had a predominantly negative outlook on policies due to the financial and social repercussions
Health Psychology Services for People in Disadvantaged Regions of Hungary: Experiences from the Primary Care Development Model Program
Authors: Sallay Viola , Martos Tamás , Lucza Lilla , Papp-Zipernovszky Orsolya , Csabai Márta
Published: January 2023

Background: The importance of community health psychology in providing complex bio-psycho-social care is well-documented. We present a mixed-method study monitoring the efficacy of health psychology services in the Public Health Focused Model Program for Primary Care Development (2012-2017) in four disadvantaged micro-regions in North-East Hungary. Methods: Study 1 assessed the availability of the services using a sample of 17003 respondents. Study 2 applied a follow-up design to measure the efficacy of the health psychology services in a sample of 132 clients. In Study 3, we conducted focus group interviews to assess clients’ lived experiences. Results: More mental health issues and higher education predicted a higher probability of service use. Follow-up showed that individual and group-based psychological interventions resulted in lower depression and (marginally) higher well-being. Thematic analysis of the focus group interviews indicated that participants deemed topics like psychoeducation, a greater acceptance of psychological support, and heightened awareness of individual and community support important. Conclusions: The results of the monitoring studies demonstrate the important role health psychology services can play in primary health care in disadvantaged regions. Community health psychology can improve well-being, reduce inequality, support the population’s health awareness, and address unmet social needs in disadvantaged regions in Hungary.
Global Cultural Conflict and Digital Identity: Transforming Museums
Authors: Giannini Tula , Bowen Jonathan P.
Published: January 2023

This paper looks at key elements of global culture that are driving a new paradigm shift in museums causing them to question their raison d'être, their design and physical space, recognizing the need to accommodate visitor interaction and participation, and to reprioritize institutional outcomes and goals reexamining their priorities. As heritage sharing in online spaces reaches across national, political, and social boundaries on platforms and networks, this has been driven by museum engagement with Internet life during the pandemic. Museum relationships and interactions with communities both local and global, continue to challenge core values and precepts, leading to radical changes in how museums define their roles and responsibilities. In this new cultural landscape, museums are responding to human digital identity in a tidal wave of human interactions on the Internet, from social media to online sharing of images and videos. This is revealing shared perspectives on cultural conflict as being tied to freedom of expression of one’s heritage embedded in digital identity.
How Acid Washing Nickel Foam Substrates Improves the Efficiency of the Alkaline Hydrogen Evolution Reaction
Authors: Ferriday Thomas B , Nuggehalli Sampathkumar Suhas , Middleton Peter Hugh , Van Herle Jan , Kolhe Mohan Lal
Published: January 2023

Nickel foam substrates are frequently utilised for renewable energy applications as porous 3D-substrates. Preparation of these substrates usually includes an acid washing step, however the degree to which this step affects the final electrochemical performance after spray coating a catalyst ink is unreported. Herein, we report the effect of acid washing through physicochemical and electrochemical characterisation. The electrochemical performance was determined by repeated measurements of catalyst-coated nickel foam substrates both with and without the initial step of acid washing. Acid washing increased current density by 17.9% for the acid treated, MoS2-coated nickel foam electrode. This increment was affiliated with an electrochemically active surface area which increased by 87.1%, where Tafel analysis indicated that the acid treated, MoS2-coated electrodes facilitates the initial water dissociation step of the hydrogen evolution reaction with greater ease. Similar effects were also discovered for acid treated PtIr(1:3)/C-coated nickel foam substrates, albeit with less pronounced effects. Stability was also improved where the degradation rate was reduced by 18.9% for the acid treated, MoS2-coated electrodes. This proves the utility of acid washing nickel foam electrodes.
Circulatory Pathways in the Water and Wastewater sector in the Latin-American Region (LAR)
Authors: Soto-Rios Paula C. , Nagabhatla Nidhi , Acevedo-Juárez Brenda
Published: January 2023

Circular Economy (CE) is noted as an emerging tool or framework to support sustainable production and consumption agenda. In addition, CE is aiming to be a trigger for redefining economic growth pathways to be sustainable, inclusive, and sensitive to ecological and environmental agendas and to focus its operational standards on co-creating societal benefits. Concerning the guiding principles and the standards of practice applied to implement and scale circular economy, this study will provide an overview of the water sector-specific circularity roadmaps and strategies in the Latin American Region. By using a semi-systematic review, document analysis, and qualitative assessment approach, we highlight framings and operational pathways, gaps, and needs within existing practices of circularity in the water sector. The results provide an overview of CE pathways at the national level of selected countries in LAR iterating those nations reflect various levels of advancement (low to high) with CE-focused innovations and policy support structures specific to the water and wastewater sectors. Towards the closing, the study is pointing to the ‘call for action’ to integrate outstanding advances and innovations in the circular economy within sectoral mandates for water and wastewater management, making an argument that circularity in the water sector could serve as an accelerator toward implementing the agenda outlined in Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and in particular for SDG 6 (water security for all).
Deep Network Optimization Using a Genetic Algorithm for Recognizing Hand Gestures via EMG Signals
Authors: Sehat Kasra , Shokouhyan Seyed Mohammadreza , Abdallah Nada K. , Khalaf Kinda
Published: January 2023

Hand gesture recognition has many valuable applications in engineering and health care. This study proposes a novel model which can accurately distinguish hand gestures using forearm muscles' surface electromyogram (sEMG) signals. A deep learning algorithm with hyper parameters impacting the final model’s accuracy and a convolutional neural network (CNN) were employed in the recognition stage. The number of convolutional layers, kernels per layer, and neurons in the dense layer were selected for optimization, while the remaining parameters, such as the learning rate, batch size, and number of epochs, were chosen based on trial and error and prior knowledge. The optimal values for the selected hyperparameters were obtained using a genetic algorithm to achieve maximum recognition accuracy. The UC2018 Dual-Myo database was used for training and testing the model based on EMG signals characterizing the activity of eight different hand gestures. The final structure of the model consisted of two convolutional layers with 131 and 28 kernels, a dense layer with 111 neurons, and a softmax layer with eight neurons. Upon optimizing the hyperparameters using the genetic algorithm, the accuracy of the proposed model increased from 91.86% to 96.4% at best and 95.3% on average in real-time applications and 99.6% in an offline mode. Future work is warranted towards improving the architecture and the computational cost.
Do Social Event Attendees cluster based on Socioeconomic Status?
Authors: Szabó Kerecsen , Pintér Gergő , Felde Imre
Published: January 2023

Mobile phones have become an integral part of our lives in the last two decades, leaving a digital trace of our activities and communication. This study aims to develop a data processing framework to evaluate human mobility and socioeconomic status based on call detail records. The methodology proposed first calculates radius of gyration and entropy for each user, then estimates the socioeconomic status by the price and age of the subscribers' phones. Finally, an unsupervised machine learning algorithm was used to group the cells into clusters based on their mobility and socioeconomic metrics.

The research showed differences between Buda and Pest during a large scale social event using mobile phone ages and prices. Additionally, the clustering results revealed homogenous groups of cells around Budapest, with similar mobility and socioeconomic metrics. The main conclusion is that mobile network data combined with mobile phone properties offer a useful tool for characterising urban mobility and socioeconomic status.
Finishing Speed Improvement Using Side Cover Plates in Gyro Finishing
Authors: Hashimoto Yohei , Nakayama Yugo , Furumoto Tatsuaki , Sekiya Akihito , Yamada Tetsuya , Kawahara Tatsuki , Hosokawa Akira
Published: January 2023

Gyro finishing is a mass-finishing process in which fixed workpieces are finished by contact with the flow of abrasive media owing to the rotation of the barrel. The process is used to finish large complex-shaped workpieces, such as large gears and parts constructed using additive manufacturing. In our previous study, we proposed a cover plate positioned above a workpiece to restrict the upward motion of abrasive media after contact with the workpiece, thereby improving the finishing speed. In this study, plates were added at the side of the workpiece to restrict the flow of the abrasive media toward the side of the workpiece and further improve the finishing speed. First, we evaluated the effect of the side plates using a simple-shaped workpiece. The difference in the surface roughness during a 5 min process was evaluated under certain conditions of the side cover plates. We confirmed that the finishing speed can be increased by using a side cover plate whose front was positioned behind the workpiece center because of the restriction of motion of the abrasive media. In contrast, the finishing speed decreased when a side cover plate whose front was positioned in front of the workpiece center was used because of the interruption in the transmission of force from the barrel wall to the abrasive media near the workpiece, owing to the side cover plates. Subsequently, the effect of the side cover plates placed at a suitable position was evaluated based on variations in the surface roughness during the process. We confirmed that the finishing speed increased by approximately a factor of 1.5 when the side cover plates were used owing to restrictions in the motion of the abrasive media. Finally, a spur gear was finished with cover plates, as a sample of practical workpieces. The finishing speed was determined based on the difference in the surface roughness of the gear teeth during the process. The finishing speed increased when a side cover plate whose front was positioned behind the workpiece center was used. Therefore, it can be concluded that the use of side cover plates is an effective technique to improve the finishing speed in gyro finishing.
Assessment of Regional Functional Effects of Surgical Treatment in Thoracic Insufficiency Syndrome via Dynamic Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Authors: Tong Yubing , Udupa Jayaram K. , McDonough Joseph M. , Wu Caiyun , Sun Changjian , Xie Lipeng , Lott Carina , Clark Abigail , Mayer Oscar H. , Anari Jason B. , Torigian Drew A. , Cahill Patrick J.
Published: January 2023

Background:

Quantitative regional assessment of thoracic function would enable clinicians to better understand the regional effects of therapy and the degree of deviation from normality in patients with thoracic insufficiency syndrome (TIS). The purpose of this study was to determine the regional functional effects of surgical treatment in TIS via quantitative dynamic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in comparison with healthy children.

Methods:

Volumetric parameters were derived via 129 dynamic MRI scans from 51 normal children (November 2017 to March 2019) and 39 patients with TIS (preoperatively and postoperatively, July 2009 to May 2018) for the left and right lungs, the left and right hemi-diaphragms, and the left and right hemi-chest walls during tidal breathing. Paired t testing was performed to compare the parameters from patients with TIS preoperatively and postoperatively. Mahalanobis distances between parameters of patients with TIS and age-matched normal children were assessed to evaluate the closeness of patient lung function to normality. Linear regression functions were utilized to estimate volume deviations of patients with TIS from normality, taking into account the growth of the subjects.

Results:

The mean Mahalanobis distances for the right hemi-diaphragm tidal volume (RDtv) were −1.32 ± 1.04 preoperatively and −0.05 ± 1.11 postoperatively (p = 0.001). Similarly, the mean Mahalanobis distances for the right lung tidal volume (RLtv) were −1.12 ± 1.04 preoperatively and −0.10 ± 1.26 postoperatively (p = 0.01). The mean Mahalanobis distances for the ratio of bilateral hemi-diaphragm tidal volume to bilateral lung tidal volume (BDtv/BLtv) were −1.68 ± 1.21 preoperatively and −0.04 ± 1.10 postoperatively (p = 0.003). Mahalanobis distances decreased after treatment, suggesting reduced deviations from normality. Regression results showed that all volumes and tidal volumes significantly increased after treatment (p < 0.001), and the tidal volume increases were significantly greater than those expected from normal growth for RDtv, RLtv, BDtv, and BLtv (p < 0.05).

Conclusions:

Postoperative tidal volumes of bilateral lungs and bilateral hemi-diaphragms of patients with TIS came closer to those of normal children, indicating positive treatment effects from the surgical procedure. Quantitative dynamic MRI facilitates the assessment of regional effects of a surgical procedure to treat TIS.

Level of Evidence:

Diagnostic Level II. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
Opera co-creation: from collaborative translation to artistic co-creation in audiovisual translation and accessibility
Authors: Matamala Anna , Orero Pilar
Published: January 2023

Research on collaborative translation has expanded in recent years, with a variety of terms such as community or volunteer translation being used to refer to these practices. This article focuses on the Traction project as an instance of artistic co-creation between professionals and non-professionals in opera, and it suggests that the Traction approach could be usefully utilised in the context of audiovisual translation and media accessibility. After an introduction to the challenges of 21st century opera and their quest for new audiences, the article discusses the concept of artistic co-creation. It also presents how opera co-creation is being assessed in Traction. The co-creation process and its evaluation are then related to translation and accessibility to propose artistic co-creation as a new approach to collaborative practices which can benefit both professionals and non-professionals.

Keywords: Traction project, Opera co-creation, Evaluation, Audiovisual translation, Accessibility