bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Important Coins from the Collection of Klaus Grigo
Authors: Wünsch Julian
Published: January 2024

This article presents selected coins from the collection of Klaus Grigo from Bochum. Mr. Grigo’s enthusiasm for ancient numismatics was sparked when he obtained his first Roman coins, found during the drought of the Moselle in 1959. In 1976, he started collecting Greek coins until he first came into contact with pieces from Baktria at the Bochum Coin Exchange in 1988. Since then, he has compiled a collection of more than 550 eastern coins, ranging from the Achaemenids to the Indo-Parthians. After having acquired many rare and in part unpublished variants, Mr. Grigo decided to sell his coins in Gorny & Mosch’s Auction 297. Part 1, held on October 9, 2023. Following are a selection of previously unpublished rarities from the Grigo collection. For the other coins of the collection that couldn’t be included in this article, please refer to the auction catalogue.
Two New Legend Variations of a Rare Greek Coin Type from Amyzon
Authors: Öhm-Kühnle Christoph
Published: January 2024

Caria’s history is rich. For example, the Greek historian Herodotus was born in Caria’s capital Halicarnassus. Also, the term Mausoleum is named after the Carian satrap Mausolus, whose impressive, elevated tomb (c. 148 ft high) in Halicarnassus was regarded as one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World and became the model for this type of architecture. Part of Caria’s history is its coinage, including a rare bronze type with the bust of Herodotus. As with other regions in Asia Minor, many Carian towns had their own coinage, such as Amyzon. Today only ruins remain near the town Gaffarlar in Anatolia/Turkey, near Alinda. Among the Amyzon coinage, which is in general quite rare, there is a type featuring Artemis on the obverse, a kithara on the reverse, and various renditions of the reverse legend. Similar types are known from several other cities, such as the nearby town of Alabanda (featuring laureate Apollo-obverse), as well as another from Halicarnassos (with Helios obverse). The type from Amyzon is overlooked in most standard references. Imhoof-Blumer did describe it in the year 1883, and a variant was soon after described by Anson. In the late 20th century, Robert and Robert described two more variants in their excavation documentation of Amyzon. Since then, however, several new variants have appeared. The purpose of this essay is to present the current state of research on this type and document all specimens and variants known to the author—two of which are newly discovered.
Survey of the Early (pre-1000 AD) Use of Christian Saints’ Names and Images on European Coins
Authors: Spenciner David B. , Dziemianowicz Theodore
Published: January 2024

While the very earliest appearance of a Christian Saint has been well described as Saint Michael replacing winged Liberty on gold Tremisses of Lombardy in the late 7th and early 8th Century, other saints also appeared in multiple places across Europe very soon thereafter. The study goal was to identify and categorize this very early use of Christian saint’s names and images on European coins. In total, 19 numismatic books representing ten geographic regions were analyzed and the appearance of saints, either in the inscription or as a portrait, was noted. A total of 157 coin types mentioning 19 different saints were identified as dating to before the year 1000 AD. Mints in several regions were represented, including parts of Italy, France, England, the Low Countries, and Germany/Austria, with the very first coins minted starting in Pavia and featuring both an image and the name of Saint Michael.
Pathological Markers of Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementia in the Rhesus Macaque Amygdala
Authors: Thomas Jeremy L. , Nilaver Benjamin I. , Lomniczi Alejandro , Brown Donald I. , Appleman Maria-Luisa , Kohama Steven G. , Urbanski Henryk F.
Published: January 2024

Rhesus macaques develop amyloid-β (Aβ) plaques during old age, but it is unclear how extensively they express other pathological hallmarks of dementia. Here we used immunohistochemistry to examine expression of phosphorylated tau (pTau) protein and cytoplasmic inclusions of TAR DNA binding protein 43 kDa (TDP-43) within the amygdala of young and old males, and also in old surgically-menopausal females that were maintained on regular or obesogenic diets. Only one animal, a 23-year-old female, showed pTau expression and none showed TDP-43 inclusions. What genetic and/or environmental factors protect macaques from expressing more severe human neuro-pathologies remains an interesting unresolved question.
Trunk muscle activation in prone plank exercises with different body tilts
Authors: Moreno-Navarro Pedro , Sabido Rafael , Barbado David , Prat-Luri Amaya , Vera-Garcia Francisco J.
Published: January 2024

BACKGROUND: Body tilt changes could affect the intensity/difficulty of core stability exercises, but there is still a lack of knowledge about its impact. OBJECTIVE: To analyse the trunk muscles activation during prone plank exercises at different body tilts. METHODS: Twenty-four young adults who performed recreational gymnastic activities participated in this study. Electromyography activity of the rectus abdominis (RA), external oblique (EO), internal oblique (IO) and erector spinae (ES) was recorded during the performance of six variations of the prone plank exercise (planking with feet supported on the ground [conventional horizontal position] and planking with feet supported on wall bars at five different heights increasing the angle tilt) and an inverted position exercise. RESULTS: The RA, EO and IO activation in all prone plank variations were higher than those observed in the conventional prone plank. In addition, the coefficient of variation of the muscle activation increased with the declination angle, reaching the highest values in the inverted position for the RA and ES muscles. CONCLUSION: The results seem to indicate that the body tilt variation could be used as an easy and inexpensive strategy for modulating the neuromuscular demands and the motor control challenge during planking exercises.
Prevention of non-specific back pain through exercise and education: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Hernandez-Lucas Pablo , Leirós-Rodríguez Raquel , Lopez-Barreiro Juan , García-Soidán José L.
Published: January 2024

BACKGROUND: Clinical practice guidelines stress the importance of prevention and treatment of non-specific back pain through exercise therapy. However, it has not yet been confirmed whether the combination of exercise plus education is more effective than such interventions taken separately. OBJECTIVE: To determine if the combination of exercise plus education is more effective for the prevention of non-specific back pain than exercise or education alone. METHOD: A systematic search of studies whose sample consisted of participants without non-specific back pain (primary prevention) and participants with non-specific back pain (secondary and tertiary prevention) was conducted in the following databases in March 2023: PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science and Medline. RESULTS: A total of 16 articles were selected. Statistically significant results were found in the pain variable with SMD =-2.02 (95% CI =-2.71 to -1.33; p< 0.001), the disability variable with SMD =-1.14 (95% CI =-1.63 to -0.65; p< 0.001), and the kinesiophobia variable with SMD =-1.8 (95% CI =-2.54 to -1.05; p< 0.001). CONCLUSION: Interventions that combine exercise and education seem to have a greater preventive effect on non-specific back pain, disability and kinesiophobia than those that include exercise or education in an isolated manner.
Effects of osteoarthritis grades on pain, function and quality of life
Authors: Cihan Emine , Şahbaz Pirinççi Cansu , Leblebicier Merve Akdeniz
Published: January 2024

BACKGROUND: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a pathology that frequently affects the geriatric population. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the extent to which pain, functionality, and quality of life change over the progression of OA grades. METHOD: The study included 161 patients with bilateral OA, whose disease stages ranged from 1 to 4 according to the Kellgren-Lawrence radiographic classification system. Pain was assessed using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS), functionality using the two-minute walk test and the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) questionnaire, and quality of life using the Nottingham Health Profile (NHP). RESULTS: There were significant differences between the groups in terms of age, weight, and body mass index. The VAS, two-minute walk test, and WOMAC scores also significantly differed between the groups (p< 0.05). There was a significant difference between the groups in all domains of the NHP, except for energy (p< 0.05). The two-minute walk test score was negatively correlated with all the remaining evaluation parameters (p< 0.05). No correlation was found between the energy domain of the NHP and body mass index, the VAS score, the two-minute walk test distance, or the total WOMAC score (p> 0.05). CONCLUSION: After grade 1, the functional impacts of OA on patients increased by an average of four times. Pain was one of the most basic symptoms, the severity of which started to increase in grade 2. With the added effect of diminishing walking capacity over time, the reduction in the quality of life of the patients accelerated as the OA grade progressed.
Does TNF-α 308 G/A (rs1800629) gene polymorphism associate with liver and pancreas disorders in Iraqi adults with beta thalassemia major?
Authors: Luaibi Hawraa Allawi , Mohammed Bushra Jasim
Published: January 2024

BACKGROUND: TNF-α has been considered as the key regulator of inflammatory responses and is known to be participated in the pathogenesis of several diseases. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to explore the relationship of (rs1800629) gene polymorphism associated to liver and pancreas disorders in sample of β-thalassemia major adult Iraqi Patients. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Blood samples were obtained from 40 patients suffered from beta thalassemia with pancreas disorder, along with 40 patient suffered from thalassemia with liver disorder, and 40 patient suffered from thalassemia without pancreas or liver, from Ibn Al-Baladi Hospital, Baghdad, and 40 samples from age and gender-matched apparently healthy individuals as control group, all subjects with age more than 18 years. TNF-308G/A (rs1800629) gene polymorphisms were assessed by Tetra- ARMS-PCR. RESULTS: The result of showed that heterogeneous GA and homogeneous AA genotypes were higher, while GG wild genotype was lower in beta thalassemia major patients with liver and pancreas disorders compared to control group. CONCLUSION: It can be concluded that the prevalence of TNF-α 308 G/A SNP plus (A) allele could be associated with risk of liver and pancreas disorders in sample of beta thalassemia major adult.
Predicting multi-horizon currency exchange rates using a stacked ensemble of random forest and SVR
Authors: Jazayeri Kian
Published: January 2024

A thorough exploration of the effects of a given minute’s currency exchange rates on subsequent 1, 5, 10, 15, 30, 45, and 60 minutes’ currency exchange rates is presented in this article, with machine learning and ensemble methods being applied. The focus is on twelve currency pairs, including EUR/AUD, EUR/GBP, and EUR/PLN, with a data set of per-minute logs of these pairs’ exchange rates from 2022 being leveraged. A stacked ensemble of Random Forest and Support Vector Regression (SVR) is used to predict future exchange rates. A comparison of this model is also made with the single RF, single SVR, and an average ensemble of RF and SVR models. The research method is further fortified by the use of k-fold cross-validation and ANOVA tests. The findings of the study reveal significant predictive accuracy of the stacked ensemble model, emphasizing the intricate interconnections of currency exchange rates. The potential of machine learning and ensemble techniques in predicting short-term currency exchange rates is underlined, thereby augmenting financial forecasting research.
Single Cell Sequencing Technology and Its Application in Alzheimer’s Disease
Authors: Han Yuru , Huang Congying , Pan Yuhui , Gu Xuefeng
Published: January 2024

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) involves degeneration of cells in the brain. Due to insidious onset and slow progression, AD is often not diagnosed until it gets progressed to a more severe stage. The diagnosis and treatment of AD has been a challenge. In recent years, high-throughput sequencing technologies have exhibited advantages in exploring the pathogenesis of diseases. However, the types of cells of the central nervous system are complex and traditional bulk sequencing cannot reflect their heterogeneity. Single-cell sequencing technology enables study at the individual cell level and has an irreplaceable advantage in the study of complex diseases. In recent years, this field has expanded rapidly and several types of single-cell sequencing technologies have emerged, including transcriptomics, epigenomics, genomics and proteomics. This review article provides an overview of these single-cell sequencing technologies and their application in AD.
Assessment of Language Function in Older Mandarin-Speaking Adults with Mild Cognitive Impairment using Multifaceted Language Tests
Authors: Tseng Yun-Ting , Chang Yu-Ling , Chiu Yen-Shiang
Published: January 2024

Background: Individuals with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI), especially for those with multidomain cognitive deficits, should be clinically examined for determining risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. English-speakers with aMCI exhibit language impairments mostly at the lexical–semantic level. Given that the language processing of Mandarin Chinese is different from that of alphabetic languages, whether previous findings for English-speakers with aMCI can be generalized to Mandarin Chinese speakers with aMCI remains unclear. Objective: This study examined the multifaceted language functions of Mandarin Chinese speakers with aMCI and compared them with those without cognitive impairment by using a newly developed language test battery. Methods: Twenty-three individuals with aMCI and 29 individuals without cognitive impairment were recruited. The new language test battery comprises five language domains (oral production, auditory and reading comprehension, reading aloud, repetition, and writing). Results: Compared with the controls, the individuals with aMCI exhibited poorer performance in the oral production and auditory and reading comprehension domains, especially on tests involving effortful lexical and semantic processing. Moreover, the aMCI group made more semantic naming errors compared with their counterparts and tended to experience difficulty in processing items belonging to the categories of living objects. Conclusions: The pattern identified in the present study is similar to that of English-speaking individuals with aMCI across multiple language domains. Incorporating language tests involving lexical and semantic processing into clinical practice is essential and can help identify early language dysfunction in Mandarin Chinese speakers with aMCI.
Depression and Agitation Factors Are Related to Regional Brain Atrophy and Faster Longitudinal Cognitive Decline in Mild Cognitive Impairment
Authors: Marin-Marin Lidón , Renau-Lagranja Julia , Ávila César , Costumero Víctor
Published: January 2024

Background: Neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS) are a common aspect of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Multiple studies have investigated its brain correlates, but it still remains unclear how they relate with brain atrophy in mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Objective: Our objective was to investigate brain volume in MCI patients as a function of NPS. Methods: We measured grey matter volume, neuropsychological status and NPS (Neuropsychiatric Inventory, NPI), in a sample of 81 MCI patients (43 females). Participants were divided in groups depending on presence (NPS+) or absence (NPS–) of NPS and on type of NPS. Results: We found lower volume of left temporal pole in patients with depression compared to NPS– (p = 0.012), and in patients with agitation compared to NPS– in the right middle occipital gyrus (p = 0.003). We also found a significant correlation between volume of left temporal pole and MMSE (r (78)  = 0.232, p = 0.019). Finally, NPS+ presented lower cross-sectional cognitive level than NPS– (t (79)  = 1.79, p = 0.038), and faster cognitive decline (t (48)  = –1.74, p = 0.044). Conclusions: Our results support the colocalization of structural damage as a possible mechanism underlying the relationship between MCI and depression and provide novel evidence regarding agitation. Moreover, our longitudinal evidence highlights the relevance of an adequate identification of NPS in MCI patients to identify those at risk of faster cognitive decline.
Comorbidity of Dementia: A Cross-Sectional Study of PUMCH Dementia Cohort
Authors: Shang Li , Dong Liling , Huang Xinying , Chu Shanshan , Jin Wei , Bao Jialu , Wang Tianyi , Mao Chenhui , Gao Jing
Published: January 2024

Background: Comorbidities reduce quality of life for people with dementia and caregivers. Some comorbidities share a genetic basis with dementia. Objective: The objective of this study is to assess comorbidity in patients with different dementia subtypes in order to better understand the pathogenesis of dementias. Methods: A total of 298 patients with dementia were included. We collected some common comorbidities. We analyzed the differences in comorbidities among patients with dementia according to clinical diagnosis, age of onset (early-onset: < 65 and late-onset: ≥65 years old) and apolipoprotein (APOE) genotypes by using the univariate and multivariate approaches. Results: Among 298 participants, there were 183 Alzheimer’s disease (AD), 40 vascular dementia (VaD), 37 frontotemporal dementia (FTLD), 20 Lewy body dementia (LBD), and 18 other types of dementia. Based on age of onset, 156 cases had early-onset dementia and 142 cases had late-onset dementia. The most common comorbidities observed in all dementia patients were hyperlipidemia (68.1%), hypertension (39.9%), insomnia (21.1%), diabetes mellitus (19.5%), and hearing impairment (18.1%). The prevalence of hypertension and cerebrovascular disease was found to be higher in patients with VaD compared to those with AD (p = 0.002, p < 0.001, respectively) and FTLD (p = 0.028, p = 0.004, respectively). Additionally, patients with late-onset dementia had a higher burden of comorbidities compared to those with early-onset dementia. It was observed that APOE ɛ4/ɛ4 carriers were less likely to have insomnia (p = 0.031). Conclusions: Comorbidities are prevalent in patients with dementia, with hyperlipidemia, hypertension, insomnia, diabetes, and hearing impairment being the most commonly observed. Comorbidity differences existed among different dementia subtypes.
The Catastrophe of Intracerebral Hemorrhage Drives the Capillary-Hemorrhage Dementias, Including Alzheimer’s Disease
Authors: Stone Jonathan , Mitrofanis John , Johnstone Daniel M. , Robinson Stephen R.
Published: January 2024

This review advances an understanding of several dementias, based on four premises. One is that capillary hemorrhage is prominent in the pathogenesis of the dementias considered (dementia pugilistica, chronic traumatic encephalopathy, traumatic brain damage, Alzheimer’s disease). The second premise is that hemorrhage introduces four neurotoxic factors into brain tissue: hypoxia of the tissue that has lost its blood supply, hemoglobin and its breakdown products, excitotoxic levels of glutamate, and opportunistic pathogens that can infect brain cells and induce a cytotoxic immune response. The third premise is that where organisms evolve molecules that are toxic to itself, like the neurotoxicity ascribed to hemoglobin, amyloid- (A), and glutamate, there must be some role for the molecule that gives the organism a selection advantage. The fourth is the known survival-advantage roles of hemoglobin (oxygen transport), of A (neurotrophic, synaptotrophic, detoxification of heme, protective against pathogens) and of glutamate (a major neurotransmitter). From these premises, we propose 1) that the brain has evolved a multi-factor response to intracerebral hemorrhage, which includes the expression of several protective molecules, including haptoglobin, hemopexin and A; and 2) that it is logical, given these premises, to posit that the four neurotoxic factors set out above, which are introduced into the brain by hemorrhage, drive the progression of the capillary-hemorrhage dementias. In this view, A expressed at the loci of neuronal death in these dementias functions not as a toxin but as a first responder, mitigating the toxicity of hemoglobin and the infection of the brain by opportunistic pathogens.
Fuzzy clustering in high-dimensional spaces: Visualization and performance metrics
Authors: Valova Iren , Gueorguieva Natacha , Mai Tony , Chen Ryan
Published: January 2024

In general, most of the clustering algorithms deal with high-dimensional data. Therefore, the resulting clusters are high-dimensional geometrical objects, which are difficult to analyse, visualize and interpret. Principal component analysis (PCA) is a widely used classical technique for unsupervised dimensional reduction of datasets which extracts smaller uncorrelated data from the original high dimensional data space. The methodology of classical PCA is based on orthogonal projection defined in convex vector space. Thus, a norm between two projected vectors is unavoidably smaller than the norm between any two objects before implementation of PCA. Due to this, in some cases when the PCA cannot capture the data structure, its implementation does not necessarily confirm the real similarity of data in the higher dimensional space making the results unacceptable. Furthermore, when applied with fuzzy clustering algorithms, it demonstrates its weakness in capturing the data structure what affects the PCA mapping quality. In this research we propose a new fuzzy PCA algorithm (FuzPCA) combining FCM and PCA which builds not only fuzzy similarity measures based on the membership functions calculated by FCM but also a measure corresponding to the rate of dissimilarities between the clustering structures of the dataset objects and their dimensions. We formulated the respective new fuzzy covariance matrix which is processed by the PCA during subsequent iterations. FuzPCA demonstrates higher clustering discriminatory ability and visualization accuracy than regular FCM when applied to high-dimensional datasets, in cases when clustersâ sizes or densities are different as well as in discovering small clusters. The function integrated with FuzPCA Silhouette provides preliminary information and visualization allowing faster choice of number of clusters which is additionally refined after implementation of fuzzy clustering validation metrics. The projected 2- and 3-D topologies of FuzPCA are more reliable, significantly improve the visualization results and demonstrate high mapping quality.
A stratified fuzzy decision-making approach for engineering procurement construction project quality evaluation with triangular fuzzy neutrosophic information
Authors: Lei Yong
Published: January 2024

EPC (Engineering, Procedure, Construction) refers to the implementation of “procurement, construction, and design” for a certain project, which has a very similar meaning to general engineering contracting. The general contracting mode of EPC is that the construction enterprise, as the owner, contracts the construction project to the general contracting enterprise in a direct form. The engineering procurement construction project quality evaluation is looked as the multi-attribute decision-making (MADM). The triangular fuzzy neutrosophic sets (TFNSs) is more suitable for expressing uncertain information during the engineering procurement construction project quality evaluation. Grey relational analysis (GRA) method is a very active branch of grey system theory, whose basic idea is to determine whether the connections between different sequences are close based on the similarity of the geometric shapes of sequence curves. In this paper, the triangular fuzzy neutrosophic number GRA (TFNN-GRA) method is put up under triangular fuzzy neutrosophic sets (TFNSs) with completely unknown weight information. The information entropy is employed to obtain the weight values under TFNSs. Then, commenting GRA method with TFNSs, the TFNN-GRA is designed and the decision steps for MADM are constructed. Finally, a numerical example for engineering procurement construction project quality evaluation was given and some comparative analysis is employed to verify the advantages of TFNN-GRA method.
Synthesis and single crystal X-ray studies of bis-(trimethylsilylmethyl) tellurium diiodide through an insertion route
Authors: Tripathi Amit K. , Singh Priyanka , Butcher Ray J. , Bera Jitendra K. , Singh Puspendra
Published: January 2024

The synthesis and single crystal X-ray studies of bis(trimethylsilylmethyl) telluriumdiiodide was studied through an insertion route with quantitative yield. This molecule was characterized with the help of 1H NMR, elemental analysis and single-crystal X-ray studies. The new crystalline molecule provides a supramolecular synthon in crystal lattices of tellurium(IV) diiodide showing 2d synthons associated with the help of C-H - - - I interactions.
Ontology-based GraphQL server generation for data access and data integration
Authors: Li Huanyu , Hartig Olaf , Armiento Rickard , Lambrix Patrick
Published: January 2024

In a GraphQL Web API, a so-called GraphQL schema defines the types of data objects that can be queried, and so-called resolver functions are responsible for fetching the relevant data from underlying data sources. Thus, we can expect to use GraphQL not only for data access but also for data integration, if the GraphQL schema reflects the semantics of data from multiple data sources, and the resolver functions can obtain data from these data sources and structure the data according to the schema. However, there does not exist a semantics-aware approach to employ GraphQL for data integration. Furthermore, there are no formal methods for defining a GraphQL API based on an ontology. In this work, we introduce a framework for using GraphQL in which a global domain ontology informs the generation of a GraphQL server that answers requests by querying heterogeneous data sources. The core of this framework consists of an algorithm to generate a GraphQL schema based on an ontology and a generic resolver function based on semantic mappings. We provide a prototype, OBG-gen, of this framework, and we evaluate our approach over a real-world data integration scenario in the materials design domain and two synthetic benchmark scenarios (Linköping GraphQL Benchmark and GTFS-Madrid-Bench). The experimental results of our evaluation indicate that: (i) our approach is feasible to generate GraphQL servers for data access and integration over heterogeneous data sources, thus avoiding a manual construction of GraphQL servers, and (ii) our data access and integration approach is general and applicable to different domains where data is shared or queried via different ways.
Semi-supervised segmentation of metal-artifact contaminated industrial CT images using improved CycleGAN
Authors: Jiang Shi Bo , Sun Yue Wen , Xu Shuo , Zhang Hua Xia , Wu Zhi Fang
Published: January 2024

Accurate segmentation of industrial CT images is of great significance in industrial fields such as quality inspection and defect analysis. However, reconstruction of industrial CT images often suffers from typical metal artifacts caused by factors like beam hardening, scattering, statistical noise, and partial volume effects. Traditional segmentation methods are difficult to achieve precise segmentation of CT images mainly due to the presence of these metal artifacts. Furthermore, acquiring paired CT image data required by fully supervised networks proves to be extremely challenging. To address these issues, this paper introduces an improved CycleGAN approach for achieving semi-supervised segmentation of industrial CT images. This method not only eliminates the need for removing metal artifacts and noise, but also enables the direct conversion of metal artifact-contaminated images into segmented images without the requirement of paired data. The average values of quantitative assessment of image segmentation performance can reach 0.96645 for Dice Similarity Coefficient(Dice) and 0.93718 for Intersection over Union(IoU). In comparison to traditional segmentation methods, it presents significant improvements in both quantitative metrics and visual quality, provides valuable insights for further research.
From Avicenna to Salam: The Excommunication of Muslim Scholars in the Islamic World
Authors: Hossieni Hossien
Published: January 2024

In this study, I have attempted to explain why, in the scientific realm, the Islamic world, after an impressive shine, showed a decline. I hypothesize that this was the result of philosophical and theological views of theologians like Al-Ghazali and Ibn Taymiyyah as opposed to the scientific work of Islamic scholars. The atmosphere was not conducive for the pursuit of scientific and intellectual activities among Islamic Caliphates. The excommunication of scholars by superficial theologians, Sufism, and Salafists’ influences on authorities is the primary reason for the backward nature of the Islamic world. I also contend that the excommunication of Islamic scholars in Islamic societies still persists in the modern epoch. An example of this is the excommunication of Professor Abdus Salam in Pakistan.
Covid-19 vaccine uptake and its associated factors among rural households in The Gambia: a community-based cross-sectional study
Authors: Kinteh Bakary , Touray Ebrima , Badgie Mansour , Darboe Lamin , Gaye Modou S. , Jatta Solomon PS , Kinteh Sambou LS , Barrow Amadou
Published: January 2024

BACKGROUND: The Covid-19 pandemic has affected the globe in all spheres of human life: physical health, mental health, economic burden, and social lives. Population-based vaccination is considered one of the core global response strategies for the containment of Covid-19 across regions, including developing countries. The study aimed to determine the prevalence of Covid 19 vaccine uptake and the factors associated with it among rural dwellers in the North Bank Region (NBR) of The Gambia.

METHODS: A community-based cross-sectional study design was used in the NBR from 1st to 10th October 2021. The study was carried out among 504 rural households across districts in the NBR through a multistage sampling procedure. Structured interviews were used to generate data for this study. Chi-square/Fisher exact tests, as well as logistic regression analysis, were used to examine the associations, with statistical significance set at a p-value <0.05 and the computed adjusted odds ratio (aOR) set at a 95% confidence interval (CI).

RESULTS: Covid-19 vaccination prevalence uptake was 44%, out of which 87% received Johnson while 13% received AstraZeneca vaccines. In terms of associated factors, males [aOR: 2.728, 95% CI (1.638 - 4.542)] and those at the senior secondary educational level [aOR: 4.525, 95% CI (1.272 - 16.098)] were more likely to utilize Covid-19 vaccines. However, other factors such as being Wollof by ethnicity [aOR: 0.334, 95% CI (0.132 - 0.845)], those who earned D1,000 – D4,999 [aOR: 0.125, 95% CI (0.029 - 0.541)], D5,000 – D9,999 [aOR: 0.096, 95% CI (0.021 - 0.440)], those who tested for Covid-19 vaccines [aOR: 0.227, 95% CI (0.121 - 0.428)], and those who travelled outside the country [aOR: 0.576, 95% CI (0.367 - 0.904)] were less likely to utilize Covid-19 vaccines after controlling for confounders.

CONCLUSION: The study revealed a low Covid-19 vaccine uptake in the region, with associated factors including gender, ethnicity, and educational level. There is a need for social and political commitment in the drive to increase vaccine uptake across the country. Target-specific messaging for the population should be developed in local languages across media outlets in The Gambia.
Prevalence of visual impairment and associated factors among welders in West Shewa Zone Oromia Region, Ethiopia
Authors: Bifessa Kassahun Rikita , Seyoum Fikadu , Getnet Mihret , Naniye Kefyalew , Temesgen Wabi
Published: January 2024

BACKGROUND: Visual impairment is one of the major causes of public health problems and is highly devastating in developing countries, including Ethiopia. Visual impairment is associated with a limitation of eye function and the visual system due to various factors that cause poor vision in either one or both eyes. This problem compromise life and, particularly, vision-related quality of life. The prevalence and contributing factors of visual impairment among welders have not been well studied in Ethiopia. Therefore, this aimed to assess the prevalence of visual impairment and associated factors among welders in West Shewa Zone, Oromia Region, Ethiopia.

METHODS: A community-based cross-sectional study design was employed among 634 welders at five woredas towns in the West Shewa zone, Oromia, Ethiopia, from September 20 to November 20/2022. A cluster sampling method was used to involve study participants. Interviewer-based structured questionnaires and a Snellen chart were used to collect data from eligible subjects. EPI DATA version 3.1 used to enter the data, which then exported to SPSS version 25 for analysis. Bi-variable and multi-variable logistic regression was performed to identify factors associated with visual impairment. The data were presented as an odds ratio (OR) with a 95%, CI and the variable associated at P-value<=0.05 was considered asstatistically significant.

RESULTS: In this study, 634 welders have participated. The mean age of study participants was 29.13+8.06SD. Among the study subjects, 29.34% (95% CI: 26.6-32.3%) of respondents had visual impairment. Factors include training on eye personal protective equipment use (AOR=1.77; 95% CI: 1.21-2.60), working hours per day (2.78, 95% CI: 1.91-4.06), and not using eye personal protective equipment (AOR=1.83, 95%CI: 1.12-2.99) were significantly associated with visual impairment.

CONCLUSION: Based on this study, the visual impairment among welders was 29.34%. Factors including the absence of training on eye personal protective equipment used, prolonged working hours per day, and not using eye personal protective equipment were identified as risk factors for visual impairment.
Long Term Safety Analysis of BBV152 Coronavirus Vaccine in Adolescents and Adults: Findings From a One-Year Prospective Study in North India
Authors: Kaur Upinder , Jaiswal Aakanksha , Jaiswal Ayushi , Singh Kunal , Pandey Aditi , Chauhan Mayank , Rai Mahek , Kansal Sangeeta , Patwardhan Kishor , Jaisawal Vaibhav , Chakrabarti Sankha Shubhra
Published: January 2024

INTRODUCTION: Evidence on long term safety of COVID-19 vaccines is scarce. Here in continuation of our previously published results on short term safety, we provide data on long term safety of the BBV152 vaccine in adolescents and adults.

METHODOLOGY: This was a prospective observational study conducted from January 2022 to August 2023. Adolescents and adults receiving BBV152 vaccine were interviewed telephonically about long-term adverse events of special interest (AESIs) after one year of vaccination. Risk factors of AESIs and AESIs persistent for at least one month were identified.

RESULTS: Out of 1024 individuals enrolled, 635 adolescents and 291 adults could be contacted on one year follow-up. Viral upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs) were reported by 304 (47.9%) adolescents and 124 (42.6%) adults in this period. New onset skin and subcutaneous disorders (10.5%), general disorders (10.2%) and nervous system disorders (4.7%) were the common AESIs in adolescents. General disorders (8.9%), musculoskeletal disorders (5.8%) and nervous system disorders (5.5%) were the common AESIs in adults. Menstrual abnormalities were noticed in 4.6% females. Ocular abnormalities and hypothyroidism were observed in 2.7% and 0.6% participants respectively. Serious AESIs including stroke and Guillain-Barre syndrome were identified in around 1% participants. Among adolescents, females, those with history of allergy and post-vaccination typhoid were respectively at 1.6-, 2.8- and 2.8-times higher risk of AESIs. Majority of the AESIs were persisting at one year follow-up. Females, adolescents with pre-vaccination COVID-19, those with co-morbidities, and post-vaccination typhoid had respectively 1.6-, 2-, 2.7- and 3.2-times higher odds of persistent AESIs. Adults with co-morbidities had more than two 2 times higher odds of AESIs and persistent AESIs. 

CONCLUSION: The patterns of AESIs developing after BBV152 differed from those reported with other COVID-19 vaccines as well as between adolescents and adults. With the majority of AESIs persisting for a significant period, extended surveillance of COVID-19 vaccinated individuals is warranted to understand the course and outcomes of late onset AESIs. Relationship of AESIs with sex, co-morbidities, pre-vaccination COVID-19 and non-COVID illnesses should be explored in future studies.
Violent inclusion of oxymora: An argument for a cultural-cognitive linguistics
Authors: Głaz Adam
Published: January 2024

On the analytical side, this article deals with expressions _inclusive border_ and _violent inclusion_, arguing that they are best viewed as an oxymoronic complex. Several more local claims are made in order to justify this view: the two expressions are categorized as indirect oxymora; they involve a series of metaphorical and metonymic steps; the oxymoron (by analogy to the cognitive linguistic view on metaphor and metonymy) is cognitive mechanism; the expressions _inclusive border_ and _violent inclusion_ involve amelioration of BORDER and pejoration of INCLUSION; the function as an oxymoronic complex against the background of a specific socio-political, culturally non-neutral redefined notion of BORDER.

On this basis, on the theoretical side, the article argues for a cultual-cognitive linguistics that would be, not merely a connection of cognitive linguistics and cultural lingusitics, but a multifarious but coherent theoretical, full-fledged enterprise. The present study is hopefully a step towards an elaboration of such a model, where the ground has been laid by such schoars as Gary Palmer, Farzad Sharifian, Bert Peeters, Zoltán Kövecses, Chris Sinha, or Jerzy Bartmiński.
Navigating the Skills Revolution: The Essential Role of Competence Frameworks
Authors: Fitsilis Panos
Published: January 2024

This opinion paper delves into the significance of competence frameworks in contemporary education and professional development. It posits that these frameworks are crucial in delineating the requisite skills, knowledge, behaviors, and attributes for effective performance in diverse roles, particularly within the context of Education 4.0. The paper emphasizes that competence frameworks are not just descriptive tools but foundational elements that align individual capabilities with strategic organizational goals. They play a pivotal role in talent development by guiding personal and professional growth and aiding in the standardization of skills across industries. Furthermore, the adaptability of these frameworks ensures workforce agility in rapidly changing business environments. The strategic value of competence frameworks in competency-based education systems is highlighted, suggesting that they can be disassembled and reassembled to meet various needs. The paper explores potential research avenues in curriculum design and pedagogical approaches, emphasizing the shift from mere knowledge transmission to creating skill and attitude-developing experiences.
Efeito do tratamento térmico nas características do concentrado proteico proveniente da carne mecanicamente separada de salmão do atlântico
Authors:   Universidade Federal de Lavras, Albergaria Francielly Corrêa , Souza Flávia Teixeira de ,   Universidade Federal de Lavras, Miranda Ana Luiza de Souza ,   Universidade Federal de Lavras, Oliveira Diana Carla Fernandes ,   Universidade Federal de Lavras, Gomes Maria Emília de Sousa ,   Universidade Federal de Lavras, Ramos Alcinéia de Lemos Souza ,   Universidade Federal de Lavras
Published: January 2024

The objective of the study was to develop protein concentrates from mechanically separated meat of Atlantic salmon, as well as to evaluate the influence of different heat treatments, namely: electric oven, conventional gas oven and microwave oven, on the chemical characteristics of the final product. The oven and microwave generated potentially more stable products, with lower water and moisture activity and higher protein contents. In general, all treatments originated salmon protein concentrates with expressive attributes for the development of new fortified products, being an attractive ingredient for the reuse of waste from the fish industry.
Informe especial de estabilidad financiera: análisis de la cartera y del mercado inmobiliario en Colombia - Segundo semestre de 2023
Authors:   Departamento de estabilidad financiera
Published: January 2024

En este Informe especial se analiza la dinámica del mercado inmobiliario en Colombia y del crédito hipotecario, con el propósito de identificar fuentes potenciales de riesgo que puedan afectar la estabilidad económica y financiera. En particular, se estudia el comportamiento de variables asociadas con el sector, su financiación, los niveles de oferta y de demanda, el precio de los inmuebles, entre otros. En un contexto macroeconómico que presenta una desaceleración en la actividad económica, unos niveles decrecientes pero aún altos de inflación, condiciones de asignación de créditos más restrictivas en relación con 2022, y un contexto sectorial caracterizado por la existencia de nuevos criterios para la asignación de subsidios de vivienda, se concluye a través de los resultados del presente informe que el mercado de vivienda continúa evidenciando un bajo dinamismo. Las ventas de vivienda nueva continúan evidenciando reducciones, las unidades disponibles para la venta de vivienda nueva aumentaron, al tiempo que la confianza de los consumidores en el sector registró una caída y los desistimientos en las compras crecieron. Lo anterior contribuyó a que los precios y las unidades vendidas presentaran reducciones, comportamiento que se encuentra en línea con los descensos y más recientes estabilizaciones en los precios de inmuebles a nivel internacional. Por el contrario, el mercado de arriendos exhibe un mayor dinamismo: los precios de los arriendos han venido en aumento mientras que el tiempo para arrendar un inmueble ha disminuido para varios estratos en las tres ciudades principales. A pesar del aumento en los indicadores de riesgo de los establecimientos de crédito en el mercado inmobiliario, existen algunos mitigantes como: i) por entidad no se encuentran altas exposiciones al sector económico de la construcción, ii) los créditos hipotecarios están atados en su mayoría a tasa fija y a plazos largos, mientras que los créditos a tasas variables no registran deterioros significativos, iii) de acuerdo con el Reporte de Estabilidad Financiera – Segundo Semestre de 2023 el endeudamiento de los hogares se estabilizó durante 2023, y iv) el indicador de cubrimiento de la cartera vencida de vivienda es alto.
Combination of NAA and TXRF: an improved method to detect elements in the moss technique
Authors:   Dalat University, Dalat, Viet Nam, Nguyen Son An , Le Khiem Hong ,   Institute of Physics of Vietnamese Academy of Science and Technology, Hanoi, Viet Nam, Nguyen Sang Thi Minh ,   Dalat University, Dalat, Viet Nam
Published: January 2024

Introduction: Due to industrial development, agriculture, and urbanization, environmental pollution is a serious problem worldwide. In particular, air pollution is becoming increasingly serious. To evaluate the impact of air pollution in major cities of the country, various methods of air collection and treatment and assessment through monitoring stations are being developed. However, the main disadvantage of the installation of monitoring stations is the cost of investment for operations, maintenance, and equipment. In this study, to reduce costs, Babular Indica moss was chosen as a biological indicator. Two techniques, NAA and TXRF, were combined to increase the number of trace elements detected in moss samples. Methods: A combination of two multielement analysis techniques, NAA and TXRF, are used to detect trace elements from atmospheric deposition in Barbula indica moss collected in Bao Loc, Vietnam. Results: The two methods are highly complementary, allowing us to determine 42 elemental concentrations in 11 moss samples. Twenty-nine elements were identified with NAA: Na, Mg, Cl, K, Sc, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Zn, As, Se, Br, Rb, Sb, I, Cs, La, Ce, Sm, Eu, Tb, Dy, Yb, Hf, Ta, Th and U. Twenty-four elements were identified with TXRF: Al, P, S, Cl, K, Ca, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Br, Rb, Sr, Y, Ag, Sn, Sb, Ba and Pb. Eleven elements were identified by both techniques. Conclusion: This study shows that NAA and TXRF combine efficiently and provide a more comprehensive detection of trace elements in moss samples than is possible with either technique alone.
Hydrogenenergy:development,advantages,andchallengesintheeraoftransitiontoasustainablesociety
Authors:   Astana International University, Ibrayeva A.E.
Published: January 2024

The article analyzes the development potential of hydrogen energy in Kazakhstan. Theapproach of considering international experience and determining the role of Kazakhstan in the globalhydrogenmarketischosen.Atthesametime,themainglobaldevelopmentincentivesareconsidered,suchasenvironmentalpolicyandtheprojectedgrowthindemandforenvironmentallyfriendlyhydrogen.Beingthesmallestelementofthechemicaltable,hydrogenrequiresaspecialtechnicalandregulatoryframeworkforproduction,storage,transportationandapplication,whichareinsufficientinKazakhstantoday.Onthe other hand, the existing oil and gas infrastructure and significant potential for the development ofrenewableenergysourcesinthecountryareasignificantadvantageforstartingwork.Inthecontextof growing global demand for green hydrogen, Kazakhstan not only has the possibility of large-scaleproduction for export, but also needs an environmentally friendly product to reduce carbon emissions intheenergysectorandnarrowlyfocusedindustry.Atthesametime,giventheincreasedlikelihoodofwaterscarcity and a number of serious technical limitations in working with hydrogen, the development of anewsectoroftheeconomywillrequireaphasedstrategicapproach
Transformation of Iran’s regional policy: the influence of externalfactors
Authors:   L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University, Danova A.N. , Kagazbayeva E.M. ,   L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University
Published: January 2024

The period after the events of the Arab Spring, which began in 2011, is identified byalargenumberofdisputesanddiscussionsabouttheregionalpolicyoftheIslamicRepublicof Iran, not only at the level of the Republic itself, but also in the international geopoliticalarena.Inaddition,attentionwasalsopaidtothedevelopmentofastrategicplanforIrananditsroleintheregionagainstthebackgroundofthefactthatIran,aftertheIslamicRevolutionof 1979, did not lose its relevance in the study of political scientists and related specialists. Thepurpose of this article is to research and analyze howIran’s strategic plan works and what itsrole is in the Middle East region since the beginning of 2011. This academic study asserts thatregional policy of Iran is a unique blend of ideology and pragmatism that allows Iran to realizeitsobjectiveasanation-stateintheinternationalsystem.Iran’sregionalpolicyhastakenashift away from fighting the United States in order to maintain its regional position and resistthetrendthatthreatenstheresistance.Theresearchfollowedcontentanalysismethodologyand document analysis was done from secondary data. The article concluded that Iran’s policyhas changed primarily as a result of shifts in regional and international political dynamics.Iran’s international balancing laws, which aim to balance international powers against threats,reinforcethesesignificantchanges.