bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Direito à educação e pandemia no Brasil: um estudo com base no Censo Escolar 2020
Authors: Ferreira Mônica Dias Peregrino , Dos Santos Shyrlei Rosendo , Barbosa Juliana de Souza
Published: December 2023

No Brasil, o direito à educação pública e a universalidade do acesso à educação básica são conquistas recentes. Ainda assim, problemas preexistentes na construção do vínculo escolar já deixavam à margem das redes de ensino um contingente expressivo de crianças e adolescentes. A pandemia de Covid-19 agravou o problema, uma vez que, ao impor a necessidade de afastamento social, e a realização de aulas não presenciais, interpôs, entre a instituição e seus alunos, a exigência de um conjunto de equipamentos, tecnologias e habilidades, cuja disponibilidade e acesso estão longe de serem equânimes. Nesse artigo, a partir de uma seleção de dados do Censo Escolar 2020 referentes à disponibilização de recursos, equipamentos e estratégias de ensino não presenciais ao conjunto de escolas que atendem ao ensino básico, buscaremos compreender os agudos desafios impostos ao exercício do direito à educação, ao longo do primeiro ano de pandemia de Covid -19, no país. Os achados demonstram que, a necessidade de uso de mediações técnicas e infraestruturais no processo de escolarização, em especial na etapa fundamental, colocou obstáculos ao direito de acesso à educação no país, agudizando as desigualdades educacionais e vulnerabilizando, provavelmente, todo uma geração escolar.
Pesquisa sociopoética: confetos e a noção de experiência-afeto na educação
Authors: Dos santos Monaliza holanda , Gauthier Jacques , Cordeiro Eugênia de paula benício
Published: December 2023

A sociopoética é uma abordagem de pesquisa criada em 1994-95, inspirada na análise institucional (Lourau, 1993) e na obra de Paulo Freire (1987). O objetivo do artigo é apresentar a compreensão dos confetos criados pelo grupo-pesquisador formado por estudantes do curso de pedagogia da UFPE, em torno do tema-gerador experiência-afeto na educação. A noção de confetos trata-se de um hibridismo de conceitos e afetos, aqui inspirado na obra O que é filosofia? de Deleuze e Guattari (1992). Como método, as oficinas sociopoéticas através de técnicas artísticas possibilitaram o encontro de criação dos confetos. Neste artigo, trabalhou-se com os afetos oriundos da experiência, notadamente teorizados por Larrosa (2014), Masschelein e Simons (2014), Kohan (2017). A sociopoética permite alcançar uma expansão na compreensão do rizoma experiência-afeto, a partir dos confetos criados pelo grupo-pesquisador: Diamosen; Asoliveza; Rivopassa; Lencozer; Satividade; Batrans; Horimenta; Expecpirar. Conclui-se que a experiência-afeto na educação consiste em um processo formativo no qual o estudante pode se sentir tocado por algo, ao passo que, ao se sensibilizar, seja capaz de compreender mais intimamente os saberes que se mostram diante dele e, quiçá, transformar-se.
Unveiling the potential of artificial intelligence in orthopaedic surgery
Authors: Powling Amber S , Lisacek-Kiosoglous Anthony B , Fontalis Andreas , Mazomenos Evangelos , Haddad Fares S
Published: December 2023

Artificial intelligence is paving the way in contemporary medical advances, with the potential to revolutionise orthopaedic surgical care. By harnessing the power of complex algorithms, artificial intelligence yields outputs that have diverse applications including, but not limited to, identifying implants, diagnostic imaging for fracture and tumour recognition, prognostic tools through the use of electronic medical records, assessing arthroplasty outcomes, length of hospital stay and economic costs, monitoring the progress of functional rehabilitation, and innovative surgical training via simulation. However, amid the promising potential and enthusiasm surrounding artificial intelligence, clinicians should understand its limitations, and caution is needed before artificial intelligence-driven tools are introduced to clinical practice.
Providing physiotherapy in hospital settings via direct access or referral
Authors: Polastri Massimiliano
Published: December 2023

Massimiliano Polastri discusses the different ways in which patients who are hospitalised can receive physiotherapy.
Does changes in unicompartmental knee arthroplasty practice pattern influence reasons for revision?
Authors: Mikkelsen Mette , Rasmussen Lasse E. , Price Andrew , Pedersen Alma B. , Gromov Kirill , Troelsen Anders
Published: December 2023

Aims

The aim of this study was to describe the pattern of revision indications for unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA) and total knee arthroplasty (TKA) and any change to this pattern for UKA patients over the last 20 years, and to investigate potential associations to changes in surgical practice over time.

Methods

All primary knee arthroplasty surgeries performed due to primary osteoarthritis and their revisions reported to the Danish Knee Arthroplasty Register from 1997 to 2017 were included. Complex surgeries were excluded. The data was linked to the National Patient Register and the Civil Registration System for comorbidity, mortality, and emigration status. TKAs were propensity score matched 4:1 to UKAs. Revision risks were compared using competing risk Cox proportional hazard regression with a shared γ frailty component.

Results

Aseptic loosening (loosening) was the most common revision indication for both UKA (26.7%) and TKA (29.5%). Pain and disease progression accounted for 54.6% of the remaining UKA revisions. Infections and instability accounted for 56.1% of the remaining TKA revision. The incidence of revision due to loosening or pain decreased over the last decade, being the second and third least common indications in 2017. There was a decrease associated with fixation method for pain (hazard ratio (HR) 0.40; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.17 to 0.94) and loosening (HR 0.29; 95% CI 0.10 to 0.81) for cementless compared to cemented, and units UKA usage for pain (HR 0.67, 95% CI 0.50 to 0.91), and loosening (HR 0.51; 95% CI 0.37 to 0.70) for high usage.

Conclusion

The overall revision patterns for UKA and TKA for the last 20 years are comparable to previous published patterns. We found large changes to UKA revision patterns in the last decade, and with the current surgical practice, revision due to pain or loosening are significantly less likely.

Cite this article: Bone Jt Open 2023;4(12):923–931.
3D far-field Lidar sensing and computational modeling for human identification
Authors: Glandon A. , Vidyaratne L. , Dhar N. K. , Familoni J. O. , Sadeghzadehyazdi N. , Acton S. T. , Iftekharuddin K. M.
Published: December 2023

3D sensors offer depth sensing that may be used for task-specific data
processing and
computational modeling.
Many existing methods for human identification using 3D depth sensors
primarily focus on Kinect data, where the range is very limited. This
work considers a 3D long-range Lidar sensor for far-field imaging of
human subjects in 3D Lidar full motion video (FMV) of “walking”
action. 3D Lidar FMV data for human subjects are used to develop
computational modeling for automated human silhouette and skeleton
extraction followed by subject identification. We propose a matrix
completion algorithm to handle missing data in 3D FMV due to
self-occlusion and occlusion from other subjects for 3D skeleton
extraction. We further study the effect of noise in the 3D low
resolution far-field Lidar data in human silhouette extraction
performance of the model. Moreover, this work addresses challenges
associated with far-field 3D Lidar including learning with a limited
amount of data and low resolution. Moreover, we evaluate the proposed
computational algorithm using a gallery of 10 subjects for human
identification and show that our method is competitive with the
state-of-the-art OpenPose and V2VPose skeleton extraction models using
the same dataset for human identification.
Fractional loop delays in adaptive optics modeling and control
Authors: Marquis Lucas , Raynaud Henri-François , Galland Nicolas , Marco de la Rosa Jose , Montilla Icíar , Tubío Araújo Óscar , Reyes García-Talavera Marcos , Kulcsár Caroline
Published: December 2023

This paper revisits the problem of optimal (minimum variance) control for adaptive optics (AO) systems when measurement and command applications are asynchronous, resulting in a non-integer servo loop delay. When not properly accounted for, such fractional delays may severely degrade the AO performance, especially in the presence of high-frequency vibrations. We present evidence of this performance degradation thanks to in-lab experimental measurements on the Gran Telescopio Canarias Adaptive Optics (GTCAO) system controlled with standard suboptimal linear quadratic Gaussian (LQG) controllers. A constructive, easy to implement LQG control design is then proposed and validated in a simulation for vibrations affecting the tip-tilt modes. Our methodology is very interesting because it allows a performance assessment for any linear controller in terms of variance, rejection transfer functions, power spectral densities, and stability margins. We also show how the continuous-time disturbance model can be derived from standard discrete-time disturbance data-based modeling.
Monte Carlo fluorescence ray tracing simulation for laser cooling of solids
Authors: Tanaka Hiroki , Püschel Stefan
Published: December 2023

We propose an approach to evaluate solid-state media for laser cooling by anti-Stokes fluorescence employing a Monte Carlo-based simulation of fluorescence ray tracing. This approach prompted a revisit of the experimental method, laser-induced thermal modulation spectroscopy (LITMoS), showing that the external quantum efficiency and the background absorption coefficient can be retrieved solely from the two wavelengths where neither cooling nor heating is observed. Our simulation can accurately compute two experimentally inaccessible quantities essential to evaluate laser-cooling media: the mean fluorescence wavelength and the fluorescence escape efficiency. These computed quantities in combination with LITMoS results allow us to retrieve the internal quantum efficiency which is a performance indicator independent of various factors such as the sample size and doping level. Using the proposed approach, we thoroughly investigate the impact of doping level, sample geometry, and refractive index on the fluorescence escape efficiency and reveal its temperature dependency for the example of Yb:YLF. Through comprehensive numerical analysis, we demonstrate that the reduction of sample symmetry is crucial in achieving lower cooling temperatures.
Absorption and scattering limits of silicon nitride integrated photonics in the visible spectrum
Authors: Corato-Zanarella Mateus , Ji Xingchen , Mohanty Aseema , Lipson Michal
Published: December 2023

Visible-light photonic integrated circuits (PICs) promise scalability for technologies such as quantum information, biosensing, and scanning displays, yet extending large-scale silicon photonics to shorter wavelengths has been challenging due to the higher losses. Silicon nitride (SiN) has stood out as the leading platform for visible photonics, but the propagation losses strongly depend on the film’s deposition and fabrication processes. Current loss measurement techniques cannot accurately distinguish between absorption and surface scattering, making it difficult to identify the dominant loss source and reach the platform’s fundamental limit. Here we demonstrate an ultra-low loss, high-confinement SiN platform that approaches the limits of absorption and scattering across the visible spectrum. Leveraging the sensitivity of microresonators to loss, we probe and discriminate each loss contribution with unparalleled sensitivity, and derive their fundamental limits and scaling laws as a function of wavelength, film properties and waveguide parameters. Through the design of the waveguide cross-section, we show how to approach the absorption limit of the platform, and demonstrate the lowest propagation losses in high-confinement SiN to date across the visible spectrum. We envision that our techniques for loss characterization and minimization will contribute to the development of large-scale, dense PICs that redefine the loss limits of integrated platforms across the electromagnetic spectrum.
Hollow-conical atomic beam from a low-velocity intense source
Authors: Li Wei , Xu Xiaobin , Song Yitong , Han Rui , Gao Chengchun , Dai Cheng , Song Ningfang
Published: December 2023

We demonstrate, for the first time, a hollow-conical atomic beam from a standard low-velocity intense source. Experimental results and numerical simulations indicate that the hollow-conical feature is caused by the converging-diverging extraction process. The degree of hollowness can be reduced by using a weaker push beam and extending the length of transverse cooling. Analytical models are proposed to quantitatively describe the hollowness of the atomic beam. This study can find applications where a compact and solid atomic beam is needed, such as coupling cold atoms into matter waveguides or continuous cold atomic beam interferometers.
Fiber-taper collected emission from NV centers in high-Q/V diamond microdisks
Authors: Masuda Tamiko , Hadden J. P. E. , Lake David P. , Mitchell Matthew , Flågan Sigurd , Barclay Paul E.
Published: December 2023

Fiber-coupled microdisks are a promising platform for enhancing the spontaneous emission from color centers in diamond. The measured cavity-enhanced emission from the microdisk is governed by the effective volume (V) of each cavity mode, the cavity quality factor (Q), and the coupling between the microdisk and the fiber. Here we observe room temperature photoluminescence from an ensemble of nitrogen-vacancy centers into high Q/V microdisk modes, which when combined with coherent spectroscopy of the microdisk modes, allows us to elucidate the relative contributions of these factors. The broad emission spectrum acts as an internal light source facilitating mode identification over several cavity free spectral ranges. Analysis of the fiber taper collected microdisk emission reveals spectral filtering both by the cavity and the fiber taper, the latter of which we find preferentially couples to higher-order microdisk modes. Coherent mode spectroscopy is used to measure Q ∼ 1 × 105 – the highest reported values for diamond microcavities operating at visible wavelengths. With realistic optimization of the microdisk dimensions, we predict that Purcell factors of ∼50 are within reach.
Significance of the longitudinal component of paraxial light in position-dependent selection rules for quadrupole atomic transitions
Authors: Alharbi Abdullah F. , Lyras Andreas , Lembessis Vassilis E.
Published: December 2023

It is well established that the longitudinal component of paraxial optical vortices has a key role in specific atomic quadrupole transitions near the beam axis when the spin and orbital angular momenta are antiparallel. By deriving analytical expressions for the position-dependent selection rules, this work shows that the significant role of the longitudinal fields is not limited to this case, but rather is a more general feature for any paraxial light including, for example, optical vortices with parallel spin and orbital angular momenta as well as Guassian beams. Numerically, the transition strengths induced by the weaker longitudinal component can be twice as high as those by the stronger transverse component. We also show that there are transitions that can be induced exclusively by the longitudinal component for light carrying two quanta of orbital angular momentum.
Spin–orbital angular momentum degeneracy breaking in nanoplasmonic metachain
Authors: Chen Jia , Lv Jiangtao , Zhang Rongxin , Si Guangyuan , Shen Mengzhe , Wang Dapeng
Published: December 2023

The spin and orbital angular momentum (namely SAM and OAM) mode
division provides a promising solution to surmount exhausted available
degrees of freedom in conventional optical communications.
Nevertheless, SAM and OAM are often subjected to the degeneracy of
total angular momentum (AM) because they both have integer variables
of quantum eigenstates, which inevitably brings about the shortcomings
specific to limited signal channels and multiplexing cross talk.
Herein, we present a nanoplasmonic metachain that can discriminatively
couple any input SAM and OAM components to an extrinsic orbital AM,
corresponding to the chirality and topological charge of incident
light. Importantly, the unambiguous measurement has a prominent
advantage of detecting the arbitrary AM component rather than the
total AM. The miniature metadevice offers the possibility of
harnessing AM division on chip or in fiber and holds great promise to
delve the spin–orbit interactions for topological photonics and
quantum cryptography.
Toward a 10 dB net-gain waveguide amplifier in an Er3+–Yb3+ co-doped phosphate glass
Authors: Sun Xiangyu , Chen Zhi , Zhang Liaolin , Chen Daoyuan , Wang Yuying , Xu Beibei , Ma Zhijun , Barillaro Giuseppe , Zhong Lijing , Qiu Jianrong
Published: December 2023

High-gain materials and high-quality structures are the two main conditions that determine the amplification performance of optical waveguides. However, it has been hard to balance each other, to date. In this work, we demonstrate breakthroughs in both glass optical gain and optical waveguide structures. We propose a secondary melting dehydration technique that prepares high-quality Er3+–Yb3+ co-doped phosphate glass with low absorption loss. Additionally, we propose a femtosecond laser direct-writing technique that allows controlling the cross section, size, and mode field of waveguides written in glass with high accuracy, leveraging submicron-resolution multi-scan direct-writing optical waveguide technology, which is beneficial for reducing insertion loss. As a proof of concept demonstration, we designed and fabricated two kinds of waveguides, namely, LP01- and LP11-mode waveguides in the Er3+–Yb3+ co-doped phosphate glass, enabling insertion loss as low as 0.9 dB for a waveguide length of 2 mm. Remarkably, we successfully achieved an optical amplification for both the waveguides with a net gain of >7 dB and a net-gain coefficient of >3.5 dB/mm, which is approximately one order of magnitude larger than that in the Er3+–Yb3+ co-doped phosphate glass fabricated by the traditional melt-quenching method. This will open new avenues toward the development of integrated photonic chips.
Biological factors and statistical limitations prevent detection of most noncanonical proteins by mass spectrometry
Authors: Wacholder Aaron , Carvunis Anne-Ruxandra
Published: December 2023

Ribosome profiling experiments indicate pervasive translation of short open reading frames (ORFs) outside of annotated protein-coding genes. However, shotgun mass spectrometry (MS) experiments typically detect only a small fraction of the predicted protein products of this noncanonical translation. The rarity of detection could indicate that most predicted noncanonical proteins are rapidly degraded and not present in the cell; alternatively, it could reflect technical limitations. Here, we leveraged recent advances in ribosome profiling and MS to investigate the factors limiting detection of noncanonical proteins in yeast. We show that the low detection rate of noncanonical ORF products can largely be explained by small size and low translation levels and does not indicate that they are unstable or biologically insignificant. In particular, proteins encoded by evolutionarily young genes, including those with well-characterized biological roles, are too short and too lowly expressed to be detected by shotgun MS at current detection sensitivities. Additionally, we find that decoy biases can give misleading estimates of noncanonical protein false discovery rates, potentially leading to false detections. After accounting for these issues, we found strong evidence for 4 noncanonical proteins in MS data, which were also supported by evolution and translation data. These results illustrate the power of MS to validate unannotated genes predicted by ribosome profiling, but also its substantial limitations in finding many biologically relevant lowly expressed proteins.
Supraclavicular brown adipocytes originate from Tbx1+ myoprogenitors
Authors: Huang Zan , Gu Chenxin , Zhang Zengdi , Arianti Rini , Swaminathan Aneesh , Tran Kevin , Battist Alex , Kristóf Endre , Ruan Hai-Bin
Published: December 2023

Brown adipose tissue (BAT) dissipates energy as heat, contributing to temperature control, energy expenditure, and systemic homeostasis. In adult humans, BAT mainly exists in supraclavicular areas and its prevalence is associated with cardiometabolic health. However, the developmental origin of supraclavicular BAT remains unknown. Here, using genetic cell marking in mice, we demonstrate that supraclavicular brown adipocytes do not develop from the Pax3+/Myf5+ epaxial dermomyotome that gives rise to interscapular BAT (iBAT). Instead, the Tbx1+ lineage that specifies the pharyngeal mesoderm marks the majority of supraclavicular brown adipocytes. Tbx1Cre-mediated ablation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) or PR/SET Domain 16 (PRDM16), components of the transcriptional complex for brown fat determination, leads to supraclavicular BAT paucity or dysfunction, thus rendering mice more sensitive to cold exposure. Moreover, human deep neck BAT expresses higher levels of the TBX1 gene than subcutaneous neck white adipocytes. Taken together, our observations reveal location-specific developmental origins of BAT depots and call attention to Tbx1+ lineage cells when investigating human relevant supraclavicular BAT.
Systematic and scalable genome-wide essentiality mapping to identify nonessential genes in phages
Authors: Piya Denish , Nolan Nicholas , Moore Madeline L. , Ramirez Hernandez Luis A. , Cress Brady F. , Young Ry , Arkin Adam P. , Mutalik Vivek K.
Published: December 2023

Phages are one of the key ecological drivers of microbial community dynamics, function, and evolution. Despite their importance in bacterial ecology and evolutionary processes, phage genes are poorly characterized, hampering their usage in a variety of biotechnological applications. Methods to characterize such genes, even those critical to the phage life cycle, are labor intensive and are generally phage specific. Here, we develop a systematic gene essentiality mapping method scalable to new phage–host combinations that facilitate the identification of nonessential genes. As a proof of concept, we use an arrayed genome-wide CRISPR interference (CRISPRi) assay to map gene essentiality landscape in the canonical coliphages λ and P1. Results from a single panel of CRISPRi probes largely recapitulate the essential gene roster determined from decades of genetic analysis for lambda and provide new insights into essential and nonessential loci in P1. We present evidence of how CRISPRi polarity can lead to false positive gene essentiality assignments and recommend caution towards interpreting CRISPRi data on gene essentiality when applied to less studied phages. Finally, we show that we can engineer phages by inserting DNA barcodes into newly identified inessential regions, which will empower processes of identification, quantification, and tracking of phages in diverse applications.
Does bribery increase maternal mortality? Evidence from 135 Sub-Saharan African regions
Authors: Toffolutti Veronica , Paglino Eugenio , Kentikelenis Alexandros , Mencarini Letizia , Aassve Arnstein
Published: December 2023

About 295,000 women died globally during and following pregnancy and childbirth in 2017. Two-thirds of these deaths occurred in Sub-Saharan Africa. By linking individual and regional data from 135 regions in 17 Sub-Saharan African countries over the period 2002–2018 this study explores how bribery affects maternal mortality in Sub-Saharan Africa. Our results show that the percentage of people who had first-hand experience in bribery is significantly and positively associated with pregnancy related deaths. We find that a 10 p.p. increase in the prevalence of bribery is associated with up to 41 [95% CI: 10–73] additional deaths for every 1,000 pregnancy-related deaths. However, the healthcare system quality appears to be an important moderator. To reduce maternal mortality, policy makers should not only increase investments in healthcare, they need also to implement measures to combat corruption.
Salmonella typhimurium targeting with monoclonal antibodies prevents infection in mice
Authors: Li Jie , Yang Yang , Fan Zhongyi , Huang Zhiqiang , Chen Jun , Liu Qing
Published: December 2023

Salmonella is a prevalent foodborne and waterborne pathogens threating global public health and food safety. Given the diversity of Salmonella serotypes and the emergence of antibiotic-resistant strains, there is an urgent need for the development of broadly protective therapies. This study aims to prepare monoclonal antibodies (Mabs) with broad reactivity against multi-serotype Salmonella strains, potentially offering cross-protection. We prepared two Mabs F1D4 and B7D4 against protein FliK and BcsZ, two potential vaccine candidates against multi-serotype Salmonella. The two Mabs belonging to IgG1 isotype exhibited high titers of 1:256,000 and 1:512,000 respectively, as well as broad cross-reactivity against 28 different serotypes of Salmonella strains with percentages of 89.29% and 92.86%, correspondingly. Neutralizing effects of the two Mabs on Salmonella growth, adhesion, invasion and motility was evaluated in vitro using bacteriostatic and bactericidal activity with and without complement and bacterial invasion inhibition assay. Additionally, cytotoxicity assays, animal toxicity analyses, and pharmacokinetic evaluations demonstrated the safety and sustained effectiveness of both Mabs. Furthermore, F1D4 or B7D4-therapy in mice challenged with S. Typhimurium LT2 exhibited milder organs damage and lower Salmonella colonization, as well as the higher relative survival of 86.67% and 93.33% respectively. This study produced two broadly reactive and potential cross protective Mabs F1D4 and B7D4, which offered new possibilities for immunotherapy of salmonellosis.
Exploratory analysis of the knowledge, attitudes and perceptions of healthcare workers about arboviruses in the context of surveillance in the Republic of Guinea
Authors: Bangoura Salifou Talassone , Hounmenou Castro Gbêmêmali , Sidibé Sidikiba , Camara Saidouba Cherif , Mbaye Aminata , Olive Marie-Marie , Camara Alioune , Delamou Alexandre , Keita Alpha-Kabinet , Delaporte Eric , Khanafer Nagham , Touré Abdoulaye
Published: December 2023

Background

The escalating risk and contemporary occurrences of arbovirus infections prompt a critical inquiry into the ability of nations to execute efficient surveillance systems capable to detect, prevent and respond to arbovirus outbreaks. Healthcare workers (HCWs) are the major actors in the surveillance of infectious diseases with epidemic potential. The objective of this study was to evaluate the knowledge, attitudes and perceptions of HCWs regarding arboviruses in the public health facilities of Conakry, Guinea.

Methods

A cross-sectional survey was conducted during the from December 27, 2022, to January 31, 2023, encompassing from public health facilities in Conakry. The data collection process encompassed various aspects, including the characteristics of health facilities, socio-demographic and professional attributes of HCWs, the information received concerning arboviruses and the sources of information, as well as a series of inquiries designed to evaluate their knowledge, attitudes and perceptions. Subsequently, scores were computed for knowledge, attitude and perception. To identify the factors influencing the knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions of HCWs regarding arboviruses, Decision Tree and Inference Conditional Tree models were used.

Results

A total of 352 HCWs participated in the study, comprising 219 from national hospitals, 72 from municipal hospitals and 61 from primary health centers. More than half of the respondents (54.3%) had never received information on arboviruses. Only 1% of the respondents had good knowledge about arboviruses, 95.7% had a negative attitude about arboviruses. Moreover, nearly 60% of the respondents had a moderate perception and 24.1% had a good perception. The analysis revealed significant associations between the knowledge and attitudes of respondents concerning arboviruses and their years of professional experience and age.

Conclusion

This study highlights the imperative requirement for comprehensive training targeting HCWs to enhance their capacity for early case detection within healthcare facilities. Additionally, there is a crucial need for analogous studies adopting a mixed-methods approach across all healthcare regions in Guinea.
Research on programmatic multi-attribute decision-making problem: An example of bridge pile foundation project in karst area
Authors: Lu Yixuan , Nie Chunlong , Zhou Denghui , Shi Lingxiao
Published: December 2023

The selection of construction plans for adverse geological conditions frequently encountered during the construction of bridge pile foundations will have a significant impact on the project’s progress, quality, and cost. There is a need for the optimization of multi-attribute decision-making methods, considering the subjectivity in in weight allocation and the practical implementation obstacles. In this study, an evaluation framework for pile foundation construction schemes in karst areas was established. The directed graph and Bellman-Ford algorithm are employed to improve the Analytic Network Process (ANP) in the systematic structure, thereby calculating the subjective weights of various indicators. Simultaneously, based on the concept of dynamic weighting, a multiple linear regression is introduced for analyzing the weights of similar projects, resulting in the derivation of universal weights for the primary indicators within the evaluation system. The combination weights are subsequently determined through the weighted average of the two types of weights. Finally, the comprehensive scores of alternative schemes are computed using the grey-fuzzy evaluation method to enable decision-making in scheme selection. Cloud model, ELECTRE-II, and VIKOR methodologies were utilized for the comparison of results. Combining with a case study of a bridge project in karst development area in southern China, the findings indicate that the improved ANP method possesses practical applicability and yields effective computational results. The introduction of universal weights serves to ameliorate the inherent subjectivity in weight allocation. The pile foundation quality achieved using the optimal construction plan is classified as Class I, which prove the feasibility of the model.
Effect of pueraria on left ventricular remodelling in HFrEF: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Shi Lipeng , Huang Lumei , Yin Erqian , Deng Jingwei , Du Xuqin
Published: December 2023

Background

Heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) is a prevalent cardiovascular disease globally, posing a significant burden on healthcare and society. Left ventricular remodelling is the primary pathology responsible for HFrEF development and progression, leading to increased morbidity and mortality. Pueraria, a traditional Chinese herbal medicine and food, is commonly used in China to treat HFrEF. Accumulating evidence suggests that pueraria can effectively reverse left ventricular remodelling in HFrEF patients. This meta-analysis aims to assess the impact of pueraria on left ventricular remodelling in HFrEF patients.

Methods

Eight electronic databases, including PubMed, EMBASE, Clinicaltrials.gov, Cochrane Library, Wanfang, CNKI, CQVIP, and CBM were searched for literature from inception to June 2023. All randomized controlled trials (RCTs) using pueraria in the treatment of HFrEF were included. The Cochrane Risk of Bias tool was utilized for RCTs’ methodological evaluation, while Review Manager 5.4.1 was used to analyze the data.

Results

Nineteen RCTs with a total of 1,911 patients (1,077 males and 834 females) were identified. Meta-analysis indicated that combination medication of pueraria and conventional medicine (CM) was superior to the CM alone in raising left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF; MD = 6.46, 95% CI, 4.88 to 8.04, P < 0.00001), and decreasing left ventricular end-diastolic diameter (LVEDD; MD = -4.78, 95% CI, -6.55 to -3.01, P < 0.00001), left ventricular end-Systolic diameter (LVESD; MD = -3.98, 95% CI, -5.98 to -1.99, P < 0.00001) and N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP; MD = -126.16, 95% CI, -185.30 to -67.03, P < 0.0001). Besides, combination medication improved clinical efficacy rate (RR = 3.42, 95% CI, 2.54 to 4.59, P < 0.00001), 6-min walk test (6-MWT; MD = 65.54, 95% CI, 41.77 to 89.31, P < 0.00001), and TCM syndrome score efficacy (RR = 3.03, 95% CI, 1.57 to 5.83, P = 0.0009). Regarding safety, no difference was observed for adverse events (RR = 0.59, 95% CI, 0.22 to 1.54, P = 0.28).

Conclusion

The use of pueraria combined with conventional medicine in HFrEF patients has superiority over conventional medicine alone in ameliorating cardiac function and reversing left ventricular remodeling. Moreover, combination medication has no increase in adverse drug events. Given some limitations, more prudence and high-quality clinical trials are needed in the future to verify the conclusions.
A novel chimeric RNA originating from BmCPV S4 and Bombyx mori HDAC11 transcripts regulates virus proliferation
Authors: Pan Jun , Wei Shulin , Qiu Qunnan , Tong Xinyu , Shen Zeen , Zhu Min , Hu Xiaolong , Gong Chengliang
Published: December 2023

Polymerases encoded by segmented negative-strand RNA viruses cleave 5’-m7G-capped host transcripts to prime viral mRNA synthesis (“cap-snatching”) to generate chimeric RNA, and trans-splicing occurs between viral and cellular transcripts. Bombyx mori cytoplasmic polyhedrosis virus (BmCPV), an RNA virus belonging to Reoviridae, is a major pathogen of silkworm (B. mori). The genome of BmCPV consists of 10 segmented double-stranded RNAs (S1-S10) from which viral RNAs encoding a protein are transcribed. In this study, chimeric silkworm-BmCPV RNAs, in which the sequence derived from the silkworm transcript could fuse with both the 5’ end and the 3’ end of viral RNA, were identified in the midgut of BmCPV-infected silkworms by RNA_seq and further confirmed by RT-PCR and Sanger sequencing. A novel chimeric RNA, HDAC11-S4 RNA 4, derived from silkworm histone deacetylase 11 (HDAC11) and the BmCPV S4 transcript encoding viral structural protein 4 (VP4), was selected for validation by in situ hybridization and Northern blotting. Interestingly, our results indicated that HDAC11-S4 RNA 4 was generated in a BmCPV RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp)-independent manner and could be translated into a truncated BmCPV VP4 with a silkworm HDAC11-derived N-terminal extension. Moreover, it was confirmed that HDAC11-S4 RNA 4 inhibited BmCPV proliferation, decreased the level of H3K9me3 and increased the level of H3K9ac. These results indicated that during infection with BmCPV, a novel mechanism, different from that described in previous reports, allows the genesis of chimeric silkworm-BmCPV RNAs with biological functions.
Plasmodium falciparum utilizes pyrophosphate to fuel an essential proton pump in the ring stage and the transition to trophozoite stage
Authors: Solebo Omobukola , Ling Liqin , Nwankwo Ikechukwu , Zhou Jing , Fu Tian-Min , Ke Hangjun
Published: December 2023

During asexual growth and replication cycles inside red blood cells, the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum primarily relies on glycolysis for energy supply, as its single mitochondrion performs little or no oxidative phosphorylation. Post merozoite invasion of a host red blood cell, the ring stage lasts approximately 20 hours and was traditionally thought to be metabolically quiescent. However, recent studies have shown that the ring stage is active in several energy-costly processes, including gene transcription, protein translation, protein export, and movement inside the host cell. It has remained unclear whether a low glycolytic flux alone can meet the energy demand of the ring stage over a long period post invasion. Here, we demonstrate that the metabolic by-product pyrophosphate (PPi) is a critical energy source for the development of the ring stage and its transition to the trophozoite stage. During early phases of the asexual development, the parasite utilizes Plasmodium falciparum vacuolar pyrophosphatase 1 (PfVP1), an ancient pyrophosphate-driven proton pump, to export protons across the parasite plasma membrane. Conditional deletion of PfVP1 leads to a delayed ring stage that lasts nearly 48 hours and a complete blockage of the ring-to-trophozoite transition before the onset of parasite death. This developmental arrest can be partially rescued by an orthologous vacuolar pyrophosphatase from Arabidopsis thaliana, but not by the soluble pyrophosphatase from Saccharomyces cerevisiae, which lacks proton pumping activities. Since proton-pumping pyrophosphatases have been evolutionarily lost in human hosts, the essentiality of PfVP1 suggests its potential as an antimalarial drug target. A drug target of the ring stage is highly desired, as current antimalarials have limited efficacy against this stage.
ecoarte como medio de transformación estético, ético y social
Authors: Marugan Oliva Olga
Published: December 2023

Enfrente de la transformación del medio natural, el ecoarte como objeto de estudio puede contribuir a la necesidad de examinar la pluralidad de abordar estrategias y fórmulas de la cultura entorno a la cuestión ecológica. Partiendo de una revisión y preocupación por los problemas ambientales, el arte precisa de un enfoque de relación entre la ética y la estética que comprende un espacio plural, humanístico y holístico, que implique producir contribuyendo a la emergencia climática. En este contexto, el arte y la ciencia están retados a dialogar, para afrontar, contribuir y reorientar la integración del discurso ambiental a través del ecoarte para que lo fundamental y significativo de la praxis artística exige de conciencia, ética, responsabilidad social-educativa y compromiso, así como de convergencias que permitan el intercambio de herramientas en la manifestación y restauración de los procesos naturales visibles de memoria y cohesión social de la contribución humana.
‘Caligrafía vegetal’, una nueva lectura del paisaje a través de la escultura
Authors: Linaza Iglesias Marta
Published: December 2023

Caligrafía vegetal, proyecto que he realizado entre 2021 y 2023 se presenta como reflexión sobre las prácticas artísticas contemporáneas vinculadas a la naturaleza. Simultaneando el cuidado de las plantas y el trabajo artístico ocurre una simbiosis entre ambas actividades, muy interesante desde el punto de vista de la investigación plástica. El título del proyecto recoge el carácter de código desconocido, que da paso a una nueva narración, dando voz a una alternativa a lo real.  De la importancia que tiene como recurso de vida, se señala su valor como alimento de la experiencia artística, resultando unas obras que exploran las nociones de positivo y negativo, la idea de la producción en arte como algo intrínseco a la vida y la necesidad de cuidar y entender el entorno como una de las claves para resaltar la importancia de nuestro ecosistema y un desarrollo humano pleno.
NEW MATERIALS ON ARCHAEOLOGY OF MOUNTAIN SHORIA
Authors:   House of Children's Creativity, D. RAZVOLYAEV , A. Ilyushin ,   Kuzbass State Technical University Named after T.F. Gorbachev
Published: December 2023

The article publishes and examines an archaeological collection of seven fragments of ceramic dishes, found in 2022 in the Kriminalnaya cave, which is located on the territory of Gornaya Shoria in the upper reaches of the Mrassu river. Archaeological objects were found in one cluster with animal bones and the remains of a fire pit near the entrance to the cave and probably make up a single cultural and chronological complex of finds of human life. Fragments of ceramic utensils, of which four were ornamented and two were corollas, probably belonged to three vessels. According to the results of comparing the described elements and motifs of ornamentation of fragments of the collection of ceramic dishes, a preliminary conclusion was made that these finds can be attributed to the circle of post-Andronian cultures of the transition from developed to late bronze.
ABOUT ONE VESSEL OF THE ANDRONOVO CULTURE FROM THE “KRASNY YAR” VILLAGE IN THE FOOTHILLS OF ALTAI (FORM, TECHNOLOGY AND SEMANTICS)
Authors:   The State Hermitage Museum, L. MARSADOLOV , I. Savko ,   Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography SB RAS,   Altai State University,   Altai State Pedagogical University
Published: December 2023

The article is devoted to a complex analysis of the vessel from the burial site of the Andronovo (Fedorovo) culture located near the village of Krasny Yar in the Sovetsky district of the Altai Territory. The vessel was found by the expedition of S.M. Sergeev in 1930 during the excavations of a child’s burial from barrow No 1, the materials of which are currently held in the State Hermitage funds. This vessel has traditional for the majority of Andronovo pot-shaped forms ways of shaping, surface treatment, firing of products, as well as the form and size of the ornamentation. However, in the form and in the stylistics there are not typical features - medium/low proportions of the brachium and body, asymmetry of the imprints of the ornament. The non-standard form and ornamental composition could be due to the fact that the potter at the time of molding the vessel had not yet formed stable ideas about the classic form and ornamentation of pot-shaped products, or the person who made the vessel, was a bearer of some other tradition different from the rest of the population. The main idea, which was invested in the ornamentation of this vessel - to help the child in the subsequent Renaissance, also with the help of astronomical knowledge.
SETTLEMENT OF THE ELUNINO ARCHAEOLOGICAL CULTURE IN THE FLOODPLAIN OF THE OB NEAR THE VILLAGE OF KIPRINO (ALTAI KRAI)
Authors:   Kiprinskaya Secondary School, P. RUDOMETOV , K. KIRYUSHIN ,   Altai State University, A. Tishkin ,   Altai State University
Published: December 2023

Near the village Kiprino in Shelabolikhinskiy district of Altai Krai a series of archaeological objects has been revealed. The main part of these sites is located in the Ob floodplain on the territory of the upland, which was formed during the erosion of the left bank of the river. This earthwork is called “Kiprinsky Borok”. By now, 10 places have been marked on its southwestern edge and in its immediate vicinity, where lifting material was collected after permanent destruction associated with natural and climatic and anthropogenic influences. Cultural layers are found in the blowout and bluffs. In one of such places, conditionally designated “Blowout №5”, fragments from the ceramic ware which analogies can be easily found among materials from settlement and burial sites of the Forest-steppe Altai Elunino archaeological culture of the early Bronze Age were found.
THE BURIAL OF THE LATE SCYTHIAN PERIOD FROM NORTHERN ALTAI
Authors:   Altai State University, N. Seregin , A. Tishkin ,   Altai State University, S. RADOVSKIY ,   Altai State University
Published: December 2023

The article presents materials of one of the mounds excavated as part of the Choburak-I burial and memorial complex. This site is located on the right bank of the Katun river, to the south from the Elanda village, in the Chemal district of the Altai Republic. Mound No. 4 was explored by the archaeological expedition of Altai State University in 2015. The key characteristics of the studied object are a small stone mound; a shallow grave pit covered with several layers of slabs; burial chamber in the form of a stone box; burial of a person (men aged 25-35) according to the rite of single inhumation; the crouched position of the deceased, laid on the right side; orientation of the deceased in the western direction; lack of accompanying equipment. Judging by the results of radiocarbon analysis, as well as the existing analogies in the Altai sites, the published complex can be attributed to the northern version of the Pazyryk culture of the Scythian-Saka period, and its chronology is determined by the framework of the final stage in the history of this community.
X-RAY FLUORESCENCE ANALYSIS OF RANDOM FINDS FROM THE TERRITORY OF PAVLOVSKY AND NOVOEGOREVSKY DISTRICTS ALTAI KRAI
Authors:   Altai State University, A. Tishkin
Published: December 2023

The Altai Krai is rich in monuments of archaeological heritage. Some of them are exposed to natural influences. During the destruction of the cultural layer, ancient objects remain on the surface, which are discovered by local residents or specialists during surveys. Some information about it comes to the Department of Archaeology, Ethnography and Museology of Altai State University. They are regularly introduced into scientific circulation, and the artifacts themselves are transferred to museums. The article presents items of non-ferrous metal found in the floodplain of the Ob River in Pavlovsky district. A fragment of a bracelet found by the author in Novoegorevsky district is also published. X-ray fluorescence analysis data of the published metal finds are given. The results of the research will contribute to the study of the cultural heritage of the Altai.
X-RAY FLUORESCENCE ANALYSIS OF METAL ARTICLES OF HORSE EQUIPMENT FROM THE SITES THE BIYKE CULTURE (COLLECTIONS OF THE A.V. ANOKHIN NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE ALTAI REPUBLIC)
Authors:   Altai State University, A. Tishkin , S. Kireev ,   National Museum of the Republic of Altai
Published: December 2023

The exposition of the A.V. Anokhin National Museum of the Altai Republic (Gorno-Altaisk, Russia) demonstrates elements of horse equipment from two archaeological complexes of the Altai, which belong to the Biyke culture of the Arzhan-Mayemir time. The first set comes from the burial mound No. 2 of the Boytygem-II site, and the second comes from the burial mound No. 1 of the Aira-Tash-1 necropolis. These ancient objects are important for the cultural and chronological identification of the studied objects, as well as for the study of the material culture of the early nomads of Inner Asia. A portable X-ray fluorescence spectrometer was used to determine the chemical composition of the alloys of the metal objects. The article presents the results obtained, which reflect the general and special characteristics of the implemented technologies. These data complement the previously published information on the testing of similar parts ofhorse equipment from the sites of the Altai of the Early Scythian period.
PERSONAL ARCHIVAL FUNDS OF THE EMPLOYEES OF ALTAI STATE MUSEUM OF LOCAL LORE
Authors:   The Altai State Museum of Local Lore, E. KUCHINA
Published: December 2023

The article highlights the issues of formation and storage of archival funds in the museum of local lore. The article gives a brief description of the personal archive funds of the employees of Altai State Museum of Local Lore - Konstantin Pavlovich Peretolchin, Porfiry Alekseevich Kazansky, Tatyana Ivanovna Anisimova, Nikolai Yakovlevich Savelyev, Timofey Afanasyevich Polukhin, Nikolai Georgievich Eroshkevich. The conclusions noted that the documents included in the personal archival funds of the museum staff are an incomplete list of museum items that reveal them as a person and a museum worker. The museum funds contain individual documents and photographs related to the activities of the employees of the local history museum.