bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The effects of cool roofs on health, environmental, and economic outcomes in rural Africa: study protocol for a community-based cluster randomized controlled trial
Authors: Bunker Aditi , Compoaré Guillaume , Sewe Maquins Odhiambo , Laurent Jose Guillermo Cedeno , Zabré Pascal , Boudo Valentin , Ouédraogo Windpanga Aristide , Ouermi Lucienne , Jackson Susan T. , Arisco Nicholas , Vijayakumar Govind , Yildirim Ferhat Baran , Barteit Sandra , Maggioni Martina Anna , Woodward Alistair , Buonocore Jonathan J. , Regassa Mekdim Dereje , Brück Tilman , Sié Ali , Bärnighausen Till
Published: January 2024

Background

High ambient air temperatures in Africa pose significant health and behavioral challenges in populations with limited access to cooling adaptations. The built environment can exacerbate heat exposure, making passive home cooling adaptations a potential method for protecting occupants against indoor heat exposure.

Methods

We are conducting a 2-year community-based stratified cluster randomized controlled trial (cRCT) implementing sunlight-reflecting roof coatings, known as “cool roofs,” as a climate change adaptation intervention for passive indoor home cooling. Our primary research objective is to investigate the effects of cool roofs on health, indoor climate, economic, and behavioral outcomes in rural Burkina Faso. This cRCT is nested in the Nouna Health and Demographic Surveillance System (HDSS), a population-based dynamic cohort study of all people living in a geographically contiguous area covering 59 villages, 14305 households and 28610 individuals. We recruited 1200 participants, one woman and one man, each in 600 households in 25 villages in the Nouna HDSS. We stratified our sample by (i) village and (ii) two prevalent roof types in this area of Burkina Faso: mud brick and tin. We randomized the same number of people (12) and homes (6) in each stratum 1:1 to receiving vs. not receiving the cool roof. We are collecting outcome data on one primary endpoint - heart rate, (a measure of heat stress) and 22 secondary outcomes encompassing indoor climate parameters, blood pressure, body temperature, heat-related outcomes, blood glucose, sleep, cognition, mental health, health facility utilization, economic and productivity outcomes, mosquito count, life satisfaction, gender-based violence, and food consumption. We followed all participants for 2 years, conducting monthly home visits to collect objective and subjective outcomes. Approximately 12% of participants (n = 152) used smartwatches to continuously measure endpoints including heart rate, sleep and activity.

Discussion

Our study demonstrates the potential of large-scale cRCTs to evaluate novel climate change adaptation interventions and provide evidence supporting investments in heat resilience in sub-Saharan Africa. By conducting this research, we will contribute to better policies and interventions to help climate-vulnerable populations ward off the detrimental effects of extreme indoor heat on health.

Trial registration

German Clinical Trials Register (DRKS) DRKS00023207. Registered on April 19, 2021.
Changes in the chronic and postprandial blood lipid profiles of trained competitive cyclists and triathletes following a ketogenic diet: a randomized crossover trial
Authors: Graybeal Austin J. , Kreutzer Andreas , Moss Kamiah , Shah Meena
Published: January 2024

Background

The ketogenic diet (KD) is the most popular carbohydrate restriction strategy for endurance athletes. However, because the primary goal of employing the KD is to gain a competitive advantage in competition, endurance athletes may be less concerned with the influence of the KD on their cardiometabolic health; particularly their blood lipid profiles. Thus, the purpose of this study was to examine the chronic and postprandial blood lipid alterations following a two-week ad libitum KD compared to an ad libitum high-carbohydrate diet (HCD) and the athletes’ habitual diet (HD) in a group of trained competitive cyclists and triathletes.

Methods

Six trained competitive cyclists and triathletes (female: 4, male: 2; age: 37.2 ± 12.2) completed this randomized crossover trial, which required them to follow a two-week ad libitum KD and HCD in a randomized order after their HD. Fasting blood lipids were collected following their HD and after two-weeks of the KD and HCD conditions. Postprandial blood lipid responses to a test meal reflective of the assigned diet were collected at the end of each diet condition.

Results

Fasting total cholesterol (TC) was significantly higher following the KD compared to the HD (p < 0.001) and HCD (p = 0.006). Postprandial incremental area under the curve for triglycerides (TRG), TRG:HDL ratio, and VLDL-C were significantly higher following the KD test meal compared to the HD (allp < 0.001) and HCD (allp = 0.001) test meals but LDL-C and LDL:HDL ratio were significantly lower following the KD compared to the HD and HCD test meals (allp < 0.001).

Conclusions

Trained competitive cyclists and triathletes demonstrate increased TC in response to a two-week KD compared to a HCD or HD. Endurance athletes contemplating a KD should consider the potential for these blood lipid alterations, and future research should focus on postprandial blood lipid responses to determine if these changes manifest in chronic blood lipid shifts.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04097171 (11 October 2019).
Best proximity points for alternative p-contractions
Authors: Zhou Mi , Secelean Nicolae Adrian , Saleem Naeem , Abbas Mujahid
Published: January 2024

Cyclic mappings describe fixed paths for which each point is sequentially transmitted from one set to another. Cyclic mappings satisfying certain cyclic contraction conditions have been used to obtain the best proximity points, which constitute a suitable framework for the mirror reflection model. Alternative contraction mappings introduced by Chen (Symmetry 11:750, 2019) built a new model containing several mirrors in which the light reflected from a mirror does not go to the next mirror sequentially, and its path may diverge to any other mirror. The aim of this paper is to present a new variant of alternative contraction called alternative p-contraction and study its properties. The best proximity point result for such contractions under the alternative UC property is proved. An example to support the result proved herein is provided.
Homocysteine and mitochondrial quality control in diabetic retinopathy
Authors: Malaviya Pooja , Kowluru Renu A.
Published: January 2024

Background

Diabetic retinopathy is a progressive disease, and one of the key metabolic abnormalities in the pathogenesis of diabetic retinopathy, mitochondrial damage, is also influenced by the duration of hyperglycemia. Mitochondrial quality control involves a coordination of mitochondrial dynamics, biogenesis and removal of the damaged mitochondria. In diabetes, these processes are impaired, and the damaged mitochondria continue to produce free radicals. Diabetic patients also have high homocysteine and reduced levels of hydrogen sulfide, and hyperhomocysteinemia is shown to exacerbate diabetes-induced mitochondrial damage and worsen their dynamics. This study aims to investigate the temporal relationship between hyperhomocysteinemia and retinal mitochondrial quality control in diabetic retinopathy.

Methods

Human retinal endothelial cells incubated in 20 mM d-glucose for 24 to 96 h, in the absence or presence of 100 µM homocysteine, with/without a hydrogen sulfide donor GYY4137, were analyzed for mitochondrial ROS (MitoSox fluorescence), DNA damage (transcripts of mtDNA-encoded ND6 and CytB), copy numbers, oxygen consumption rate (Seahorse XF analyzer) and mitophagy (mitophagosomes immunofluorescence labeling and flow cytometry). Results were confirmed in the retina from mice genetically manipulated for hyperhomocysteinemia (cystathionine β-synthase deficient mice, Cbs+/−), streptozotocin-induced diabetic for 8 to 24 weeks. At 24 weeks of diabetes, vascular health was evaluated by counting acellular capillaries in the trypsin digested retinal vasculature and by fluorescein angiography.

Results

Homocysteine, in high glucose medium, exacerbated mitochondrial ROS production, mtDNA damage and impaired mitochondrial respiration within 24 h, and slowed down/worsened mitochondrial biogenesis and mitophagy, as compared to 48 to 96 h in high glucose alone. GYY4137 supplementation ameliorated homocysteine + high glucose-induced mitochondrial damage and impairment in biogenesis and mitophagy. Similar results were obtained from Cbs+/− mice-mitochondrial ROS, mtDNA damage and decline in biogenesis and mitophagy were observed within eight weeks of diabetes vs. 16 to 24 weeks of diabetes in Cbs+/+ mice, and at 24 weeks of diabetes, Cbs+/− mice had significantly higher acellular capillaries and vascular leakage.

Conclusions

Hyperhomocysteinemia, in a hyperglycemic environment, overwhelms the mitochondria, accelerating and exacerbating their dysfunction, and also delays/worsens their removal, augmenting the development of diabetic retinopathy. Thus, our results strengthen the importance of maintaining homocysteine-hydrogen sulfide balance during the early stages of diabetes for a patient to prevent/retard vision loss.
Fintech research: systematic mapping, classification, and future directions
Authors: Liu Qianhua , Chan Ka-Ching , Chimhundu Ranga
Published: January 2024

This systematic mapping study provides a comprehensive review of current Fintech publications, analyzing the current state, maturity level, and future directions of Fintech research. Reviewing 518 Fintech articles across four academic databases from 2008 to 2021, we find a significant increase in Fintech studies, especially in Quartile 1 and Quartile 2 journals. Fintech and banking, Fintech development, and Fintech adoption are the most popular research areas, and articles in these areas are increasing. We propose a classification scheme for Fintech studies across five dimensions. Our study provides a unique perspective on the subject, enabling researchers and practitioners to re-evaluate the direction and scope of future Fintech research.
Administration of ivermectin to cattle induced mortality, reduced fecundity and survivorship of Anopheles arabiensis in Ethiopia: an implication for expansion of vector control toolbox
Authors: Damene Ephrem , Massebo Fekadu
Published: January 2024

Background

Although many countries have shown interest in eliminating malaria, approaches that complement existing vector control interventions are needed because existing methods have been scaled up but malaria still persists. Therefore, the effect of ivermectin administration to cattle was evaluated for its effect on mortality, survivorship and mortality of laboratory reared Anopheles arabiensis.

Methods

Three calves were randomly selected and injected with ivermectin at a therapeutic dose of 0.2 mg/kg, while the other two calves received no treatment and served as controls. Five tents were constructed for the trial. Calves were housed in tents (one per tent) and then 30 starved female An. arabiensis were introduced into each tent. Only fully engorged females were collected from each tent and placed in different mosquito cages to monitor their mortality, survival and fecundity. Data analysis was done using SPSS version 16.

Results

During the follow-up period (until day 21), ivermectin induced significantly higher mortality when compared to controls. It resulted in an average 24-h mortality rate of 81.6% against An. arabiensis on the first day following treatment. 100% An. arabiensis that fed on ivermectin-treated calves on the first day after treatment died within four days. Egg production rate of An. arabiensis that fed on ivermectin-treated calves was significantly lower compared to controls (F = 768.7, P < 0.001).

Conclusion

In conclusion, ivermectin induced mortality, reduced fecundity and survivorship of laboratory maintained An. arabiensis. Further study is recommended using a wild mosquito population. Moreover, mass ivermectin administration to domestic animals could be recommended to supplement the existing indoor based interventions.
Inhibition of CSF1R and KIT With Pexidartinib Reduces Inflammatory Signaling and Cell Viability in Endometriosis
Authors: Dunn Timothy N , Cope Dominique I , Tang Suni , Sirupangi Tirupataiah , Parks Sydney E , Liao Zian , Yuan Fei , Creighton Chad J , Masand Ramya P , Alpuing Radilla Linda , Guan Xiaoming , Detti Laura , Monsivais Diana , Matzuk Martin M
Published: January 2024

Endometriosis is a common and debilitating disease, affecting ∼170 million women worldwide. Affected patients have limited therapeutic options such as hormonal suppression or surgical excision of the lesions, though therapies are often not completely curative. Targeting receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) could provide a nonhormonal treatment option for endometriosis. We determined that 2 RTKs, macrophage-colony stimulating factor 1 receptor (CSF1R) and mast/stem cell growth factor receptor KIT (KIT), are overexpressed in endometriotic lesions and could be novel nonhormonal therapeutic targets for endometriosis. The kinase activity of CSF1R and KIT is suppressed by pexidartinib, a small molecule inhibitor that was recently approved by the US Food and Drug Administration. Using immunohistochemistry, we detected CSF1R and KIT in endometriotic tissues obtained from peritoneal lesions, colorectal lesions, and endometriomas. Specifically, we show that KIT is localized to the epithelium of the lesions, while CSF1R is expressed in the stroma and macrophages of the endometriotic lesions. Given the high epithelial expression of CSF1R and KIT, 12Z endometriotic epithelial cells were used to evaluate the efficacy of dual CSF1R and KIT inhibition with pexidartinib. We found that pexidartinib suppressed activation in 12Z cells of JNK, STAT3, and AKT signaling pathways, which control key proinflammatory and survival networks within the cell. Using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, we determined that pexidartinib suppressed interleukin 8 (IL8) and cyclin D1 (CCND1) expression. Lastly, we demonstrated that pexidartinib decreased cell growth and viability. Overall, these results indicate that pexidartinib-mediated CSF1R and KIT inhibition reduces proinflammatory signaling and cell viability in endometriosis.
Divine Violence Today: The Question of First Reformed
Authors: Stewart Elizabeth
Published: January 2024

This article offers an analysis of First Reformed, written and directed by Paul Schrader (2017), as the story of a Calvinist pastor in upstate New York who decides to take extreme action in the face of the political, social, and psychic catastrophe wrought by the seeming invincibility of the triple alliance of capital, state, and religion, and the savage destruction of nature. A close reading of the film leads to a reconsideration not only of Heidegger’s notion of the Gestell but also of the work of Walter Benjamin in 1938–1940, which, in light of our present-day political conjuncture, has once again taken on urgent relevance. This is the “messianic” and “theological” Benjamin, as well as the Benjamin who in his thinking about how we understand and record history always remained implicitly faithful to negativity and to the unconscious.
(In)visible Subjects: Pranlal Patel's Women at Work in Ahmedabad, India, 1937
Authors: Trivedi Lisa
Published: January 2024

Approximately one hundred photographs of women at work in the city of Ahmedabad, India, were taken in 1937 by Pranlal K. Patel, at the request of the premier women's social reform organization, the Jyoti Sangh. Rather than depicting women's contributions as peripheral to the productivity of Ahmedabad's economic life and isolated from the public, Patel pictured women as subjects working in the city's major marketplaces and as integral to the city's industrial productivity. This article argues that historical photography may provide what Elizabeth Edwards terms a “historiographical think-space” that challenges conventional historical sources and the narratives they produce. By engaging Ariella Azoulay's ethical spectators in the civil contract of photography, historians can use historical photography to confront the historical roots of inequality that shape our world today.
Mending Memory by Hand and Brush: Socialist China's Colored Photographs
Authors: Zhang Shaowen
Published: January 2024

A remarkable quality of Chinese vernacular photographs during the socialist period is their efflorescence of color. From studio colorists well-versed in the art of potassium cyanide to private brushstrokes in thick marker, the prevalence of photo-coloring (zhuose) evidenced a marked degree of dissatisfaction with an unmanipulated print. Bracketed by Chinese photo studios’ national institutionalization in 1956 and the promulgation of commercial color rolls in the 1980s, this discussion builds from extant scholarship on Chinese vernacular photographs of the 1960s and 1970s. By analyzing colored Tiananmen photographs of the Cultural Revolution, a posthumous biography of photo-colorist Zhou Qi, and various examples from the volume Anonymous Photos (Yiming zhao), this article demonstrates that photo-coloring was a crucial aesthetic agent in negotiations between officially mandated postures and bold ways of inscribing individual experiences as chromatic repositories of memory and meaning, marking a site where mass visuality and more specific imaginations of the self collided into color.
Framing China's Uneven Urban Landscape: An Interview with Chen Ronghui
Authors: Hou Dorothee Xiaolong
Published: January 2024

Chen Ronghui (b.1989) is a Chinese photographer based in Shanghai. His work focuses on China's urbanization and de/industrialization, particularly the issues arising from the position of the individual within their shifting urban environment. While China's drastic urbanization since its 1980s’ economic reform has been examined by various photographers, Chen's “urban landscape” trilogy, completed over the past decade, offers neither a panoramic view of China's urbanization nor close-ups of specific social and environmental issues; rather, it captures China's uneven development in three distinct locations and moments in time: chemical plants outside Hangzhou after an acid spill, Shanghai after the opening of the first Disneyland in mainland China, and the shrinking cities in the northeastern Rust Belt. In this interview, Chen speaks on his transition from photojournalism to art photography, specifically his experiment with large-format photography, as well as the conundrum of depicting social issues while exploring photography as a universal language.
Scientific explanation and thought experiments
Authors: Καραδήμας Παναγιώτης
Published: January 2024

Η διατριβή εξετάζει το βαθμό στον οποίο τα νοητικά πειράματα μπορούν να δώσουν εξηγήσεις. Αυτό επιτυγχάνεται αν τα προσεγγίσουμε ως ένα σύνολο μικτών αναπαραστάσεων, ήτοι, αναπαραστάσεων εμπειρικών και υποθετικών καταστάσεων. Η πληροφορία που φέρουν οι μικτές αναπαραστάσεις μπορεί να απαντήσει σε ερωτήσεις τύπου "γιατί;".
Synthesis, characterization and study of hybrid materials for optical and electronic applications
Authors: Ιωάννου Άννα
Published: January 2024

Οι υβριδικοί οργανικοί-ανόργανοι ημιαγωγοί, ιδιαίτερα αυτοί που βασίζονται σε οργανο-μεταλλικά αλογονίδια που συνήθως αναφέρονται ως περοβσκίτες, έχουν συγκεντρώσει σημαντική προσοχή λόγω των νέων ιδιοτήτων τους που επιτυγχάνονται σε θερμοκρασία δωματίου και της πιθανής χρήσης τους σε διάφορες εφαρμογές. Τέτοιου είδους εφαρμογές περιλαμβάνουν ηλιακά κύτταρα, τρανζίστορ, δίοδοι εκπομπής φωτός και αισθητήρες. Ορισμένες έρευνες έχουν επικεντρωθεί στην ενσωμάτωση προσθέτων στους περοβσκίτες ή στην ενσωμάτωσή τους σε μήτρες, επιτρέποντας την προσαρμογή των ιδιοτήτων, συμπεριλαμβανομένης της σταθερότητας, των οπτοηλεκτρονικών ιδιοτήτων καθώς και των χαρακτηριστικών μεταφοράς φορτίου. Η παρούσα διδακτορική διατριβή, στοχεύει να συμβάλει στη σύνθεση και χαρακτηρισμό ορισμένων νέων περοβσκιτών, να μελετήσει την επίδραση της παρουσίας νερού στους διαλύτες κατά την σύνθεση, την ενσωμάτωση προσθέτων στους περοβσκίτες καθώς και την επίδραση αυτών στην ποιότητα σχηματισμού υμενίων σε διάφορα υποστρώματα. Επίσης, έχει διερευνηθεί η σταθερότητα των υμενίων περοβσκίτη και η χρήση υβριδικών οργανικών-ανόργανων υλικών ως φωτοανιχνευτές ή/και ανιχνευτές ακτινοβολίας. Τέλος, επιδιώχθηκε μια καινοτόμος τεχνική κατασκευής νημάτων περοβσκίτη/PLA, για να εκτιμηθεί η καταλληλότητα της κατασκευής προσθέτων ως μέσου για την κατασκευή βιομηχανικών, προσιτών, βολικών και ανθεκτικών συσκευών περοβσκίτη.
Isoperimetric inequalities in convex bodies
Authors: Βερναδάκης Ευστράτιος
Published: January 2024

Ισοπεριμετρικές ανισότητες σε κυρτά σώματα
Δομή και ψυχομετρικά χαρακτηριστικά της Ανιχνευτικής Κλίμακας Γλωσσικής Ανάπτυξης
Authors: Σπανούδης Γιώργος , Κανικλή Άντρη
Published: January 2024

Η ανίχνευση της αναπτυξιακής γλωσσικής διαταραχής αποτελεί αναγνωρισμένη αναγκαιότητα, καθώς είναι το πρώτο βήμα για τον εντοπισμό πιθανής γλωσσικής υπολειτουργικότητας, με απώτερο στόχο το σχεδιασμό και την εφαρμογή μιας πρώιμης παρέμβασης. Στην ελληνική γλώσσα έχουν κατασκευαστεί και σταθμιστεί ελάχιστες ανιχνευτικές κλίμακες γλωσσικών δυσκολιών για την προσχολική ηλικία. Η Ανιχνευτική Κλίμακα Γλωσσικής Ανάπτυξης (ΑΚΓΑ) σχεδιάστηκε λαμβάνοντας υπόψη την πρόσφατη βιβλιογραφία και έρευνα που σχετίζεται με κλινικούς δείκτες και προγνωστικούς παράγοντες της αναπτυξιακής γλωσσικής διαταραχής κατά την προσχολική ηλικία. Στην παρούσα μελέτη εξετάστηκε η αξιοπιστία και η δομική εγκυρότητα της κλίμακας με τη χρήση επιβεβαιωτικών δομικών μοντέλων σε δείγμα 476 παιδιών ηλικίας 3:6-4:6 ετών (Νκοριτσιών=258) το οποίο λήφθηκε με αναλογική στρωματοποιημένη τυχαία δειγματοληψία. Η ανάλυση έδειξε ότι το αμφιπαραγοντικό μοντέλο εξηγεί ικανοποιητικά τα δεδομένα. Μελετήθηκε ακόμη η εσωτερική συνοχή των στοιχείων της κλίμακας με τη χρήση του δείκτη ωμέγα (omega). Για να τεκμηριωθεί η συγχρονική, η συγκλίνουσα και η αποκλίνουσα εγκυρότητα της ΑΚΓΑ χορηγήθηκαν έξι επιπλέον ψυχομετρικά εργαλεία σε ένα επιπρόσθετο δείγμα 44 παιδιών. Τα αποτελέσματα έδειξαν ότι η ΑΚΓΑ αποτελεί ένα έγκυρο και αξιόπιστο ανιχνευτικό εργαλείο για τον εντοπισμό των παιδιών προσχολικής ηλικίας που βρίσκονται σε κίνδυνο να εμφανίσουν αναπτυξιακή γλωσσική διαταραχή.
Παράγοντες διαμόρφωσης των επιστημικών συναισθημάτων: Ο ρόλος των «σφαλμάτων υψηλής βεβαιότητας»
Authors: Στεργιάδου Παρασκευή , Νεραντζάκη Κατερίνα , Μεταλλίδου Παναγιώτα
Published: January 2024

Στην παρούσα έρευνα επιχειρείται ο έλεγχος της υπόθεσης ότι τα σφάλματα κατά τη γνωστική επεξεργασία τα οποία συνοδεύονται από ένα υψηλό αίσθημα βεβαιότητας για την ορθότητα της απάντησης θα διεγείρουν τα επιστημικά συναισθήματα που αναφέρουν τα άτομα. Το δείγμα της έρευνας αποτέλεσαν 302 φοιτητές και φοιτήτριες Ανώτατων Εκπαιδευτικών Ιδρυμάτων της χώρας. Το κύριο έργο ήταν τέσσερα σενάρια λήψης απόφασης σε προβλήματα λογικής τα οποία αναμένονταν να ενεργοποιήσουν λανθασμένες ευρετικές λύσεις. Μετά την ενασχόληση με κάθε έργο τα άτομα ανέφεραν το αίσθημα δυσκολίας και το αίσθημα βεβαιότητας, στη συνέχεια ενημερώθηκαν για την ορθή απάντηση και ζητήθηκε να αναφέρουν τα επιστημικά συναισθήματα της έκπληξης, της σύγχυσης και της περιέργειας, καθώς και το ενδιαφέρον τους για το συγκεκριμένο έργο. Τα αποτελέσματα επιβεβαίωσαν την υπόθεση ότι τα «σφάλματα υψηλής βεβαιότητας» αποτελούν έναν σημαντικό παράγοντα ενεργοποίησης των βασικών επιστημικών συναισθημάτων, αποτυπώνοντας έτσι το ρόλο της απροσδόκητης επανατροφοδότησης ως παράγοντα διέγερσής τους. Επιπλέον, επιβεβαιώθηκε η συνεισφορά των γνωστικών, μεταγνωστικών και κινητήριων παραγόντων στη διαμόρφωσή τους. Συζητούνται οι θεωρητικές και οι πρακτικές προεκτάσεις των ευρημάτων.
Representations of refugees: Linguistic abstractness and social perceptions
Authors: Lipourli Eleni , Gardikiotis Antonis
Published: January 2024

The paper examines the relationship among stereotype content, essentialism, and preferred language abstraction in refugee media representations. In two studies, participants were asked to choose captions of differential degree of language abstraction (according to the linguistic category model, from descriptive action verbs to adjectives) thought appropriate for an image of refugees, after they first completed a survey on stereotype content (perceived competence and warmth) and essentialist beliefs (Study 2 only) about refugees. In both studies, perceived competence predicted increased language abstraction. In Study 2, competence was also found to mediate the effects of essentialism on language abstraction. These results underline the importance of stereotype content to biased language preference.
Exploring the relationship between visual inspection time task and intelligence in young children
Authors: Spanoudis George , Tourva Anna
Published: January 2024

Inspection time task (IT) indexes individual differences in perceptual discrimination speed and it is a reliable predictor of psychometric intelligence However, the reasons underlying the relationship between IT and intelligence are not clear, because few studies investigated factors shared by both of them. This study examined how performance on a modified version of the inspection time task relates to individual differences in attentional control and how this relation is affected by age. A total of 157 children from 7 through 18 years were tested in a visual inspection time task, a Go/no-go reaction time task, a letter-matching task, and the Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence (WASI). Diffusion modeling showed that IT captures top-down sensory and attentional processes underlying the IT-IQ relation and that individual differences in drift rate of ECTs predict individual differences in intelligence. Therefore, IT and attention make unique contributions to the prediction of IQ variability.
Protocol of systematic reviews on implementation research on cardiovascular diseases, diabetes mellitus and mental ailments in India
Authors: Moosan Hisham , Thakor Mahendra , Sharma Arun Kumar , Mohanty S. S. , Panigrahi Ansuman , Dhikav Vikas , Yadav Suresh , Huda Ramesh Kumar , Parmar Mukesh , Singh Poonam , John Denny
Published: January 2024

Introduction The burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) is a major public health concern across the world. Various initiatives have tried to address these with varying degrees of success. Objective The objective is to assess and collate existing evidence in implementation research done in India on three broad domains of NCDs namely, cardiovascular diseases (CVD), diabetes mellitus (DM), and mental health (MH) in India. Materials and methods Three systematic review protocols have been drafted to explore and collate extant evidence of implementation research on cardiovascular diseases, diabetes mellitus, and mental health in India, in accordance with the PRISMA-P statement. Academic databases including PubMed, Embase and Science Direct will be searched. Search strategies will be formulated in iterative processes and in accordance with the formats that are specific to the databases that will be searched. In addition, grey literature and non-academic databases will also be explored. Data extracted from the selected studies will be analysed and a narrative summary of the selected articles, using the SWiM (Synthesis without meta-analysis) guidelines will be produced. Intended Outcomes The outputs of these systematic reviews could help in a better understanding of implementation research gaps and also how to address them. Apart from giving insights into how healthcare initiatives for CVDs, diabetes and mental health could be implemented in a better way, the study could also advocate the need to build and consolidate capacity for implementation research in the country.
Search engine Performance optimization: methods and techniques
Authors: AMAN Serge Stephane , N'GUESSAN Behou Gerard , AGBO Djama Djoman Alfred , KONE Tiemoman
Published: January 2024

Background With the rapid advancement of information technology, search engine optimisation (SEO) has become crucial for enhancing the visibility and relevance of online content. In this context, the use of cloud platforms like Microsoft Azure is being explored to bolster SEO capabilities. Methods This scientific article offers an in-depth study of search engine optimisation. It explores the different methods and techniques used to improve the performance and efficiency of a search engine, focusing on key aspects such as result relevance, search speed and user experience. The article also presents case studies and concrete examples to illustrate the practical application of optimisation techniques. Results The results demonstrate the importance of optimisation in delivering high quality search results and meeting the increasing demands of users. Conclusions The article addresses the enhancement of search engines through the Microsoft Azure infrastructure and its associated components. It highlights methods such as indexing, semantic analysis, parallel searches, and caching to strengthen the relevance of results, speed up searches, and optimise the user experience. Following the application of these methods, a marked improvement was observed in these areas, thereby showcasing the capability of Microsoft Azure in enhancing search engines. The study sheds light on the implementation and analysis of these Azure-focused techniques, introduces a methodology for assessing their efficacy, and details the specific benefits of each method. Looking forward, the article suggests integrating artificial intelligence to elevate the relevance of results, venturing into other cloud infrastructures to boost performance, and evaluating these methods in specific scenarios, such as multimedia information search. In summary, with Microsoft Azure, the enhancement of search engines appears promising, with increased relevance and a heightened user experience in a rapidly evolving sector.
A randomized control clinical trial of brief supportive psychotherapy in acute coronary syndrome patients: focus on neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio and psychological symptoms
Authors: Shatri Hamzah , Ismail Raden  Irawati , Putranto Rudi , Mudjaddid E , Nasution Sally Aman , Abdullah Vera
Published: January 2024

Background Neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) may predict prognosis in acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients. Psychological conditions play a role before, during and after infarction that can be treated with brief supportive psychotherapy (BSP). This study aimed to analyze effect of BSP on NLR and psychological symptoms (PS) in ACS patients. Methods This double opened clinical randomized study included ACS patients who were treated in Intensive Cardiac Care Unit (ICCU) Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital, Jakarta in April to July 2019. The BSP was planned for 5 sessions as long as the patients were in ICCU. NLR and PS that was evaluated using hospital anxiety depression scale were measured at baseline and after last BSP or right before discharged from ICCU. Data were analyzed with independent t-test or Mann-Whitney test. Results We recruited 32 patients in BSP and 35 patients in control group. The median age was 55 (32 – 86) years old and mostly were men (75%). The median length of stay in ICCU was 5 (2-13) days. NLR was similar in BSP and control group (3.35 [2.26] vs 3.63 [1.79], p=0.346). ΔNLR was higher in BSP than control group in patients without CHF (3.87 [5.48] vs 0.33 [2.54], p=0.007) and without CAD (3.88 [4.55] vs 0.84 [2.51], p=0.014). Meanwhile, Δ depression score was higher in BSP than control group in patients with CHF (1.73 [3.58] vs -1.27 [2.8], p=0.041) and with CAD (2.08 [3.4] vs -0.8 [3.3], p=0.035). Conclusions There was influence of BSP on NLR in ACS patients without CHF or CAD, and psychological symptoms in ACS ones with CHF or CAD. This trial had registered in ClinicalTrial.gov.id with code number NCT04274205.
Ways to Ensure State Financing at Turning Points in the Development of Russian Statehood
Authors: Chelnokov D.
Published: January 2024

The article examines the forms and methods of collecting taxes at various stages of the history of the Russian state, taking into account the peculiarities of the social and political situation.
Educación, justicia social y flamenco
Authors: Pastor Pérez Víctor
Published: January 2024

Este libro tiene como principal objetivo analizar la relación histórica del flamenco con determinados colectivos excluidos y desfavorecidos, una apuesta por llevar a cabo una contextualización histórica desde una visión del compromiso sociopolítico y de clase. Su autor, a través del conocimiento de esta rica manifestación artística y cultural, ofrece una visión de la educación como fuerza transformadora, es decir, una visión crítica con énfasis en solucionar cuestiones sociales y no solo como proceso de transmisión de meros conocimientos académicos. La obra parte del examen de determinados enfoques pedagógicos, que se lleva a cabo a través de una profunda revisión bibliográfica y del análisis de las perspectivas teóricas y metodológicas relacionadas con la justicia social, desde un nivel general hasta el ámbito específico de la educación musical.
The Role of Messenger in Advertising Content: Bayesian Persuasion Perspective
Authors: Shin Jiwoong , Wang Chi-Ying
Published: January 2024

This paper frames the choice of messenger in advertising content as a Bayesian persuasion problem and characterizes the optimal messenger choice.
Study of 220Rn and its Progeny Circulation in a Test Room
Authors: L A Sathish
Published: January 2024

Data for 220Rn in indoor and industrial environments are limited since it is widely accepted that its concentrations are meager on account of its diminutive half life, so its participation to respiration dose is disregarded on account of the incidence of considerable sources of ambient radiation. An effective dose from indoor 222Rn and its half springs accounts for almost half to the sources of natural radiation. However, indoor studies carried out in Asian continent imply the dose intake from 222Rn and its progeny may not be much lower than, or possibly more than, that from 220Rn. In light of this, an effort has been made to track Bangalore, India's 220Rn level distribution. Dosimeters were positioned throughout the room at fixed intervals from the wall, ceiling, and floor. To analyze the variances with respect to distance, all windows and doors were shut for 90 days. Additionally, dosimeters were placed in an upper and lower parabolic configuration. Cellulose Nitrate based Nuclear Track Detector (SSNTD) was used to examine the 220Rn coupled with 222Rn in test room. Higher concentrations were seen when the detector was moved away from the walls, ceiling, and floors of the room. This study covers the technical aspects of measuring the 220Rn distribution in a room. The findings are contrasted with figures provided in the literature for residences and regions with high background radiation levels.
Climate Extremes and Sustainability Issues: A Case of Proposed Hydropower Projects in Lahaul Valley, Himachal Pradesh
Authors: S. Chandel Vishwa B. , Rana Beant Singh
Published: January 2024

Water and energy are the key to development; however, a great deal of contestation is at the very core of hydropower and sustainability debate in the context climate change and risk of disasters. A vast potential for renewable energy in the Himalayas has led to planning for hydropower projects since 1990s. However, social, economic and environmental issues linked to such development has also led to a fear among local communities in light of climate change. This study analysed the relation between climate extremes, disaster risk and hydropower development in Lahaul Valley of Himachal Pradesh. The study examined long-term climate data for precipitation and temperature trends while daily rainfall gridded data was used for the analysis of climate extremes. The results show statistically significant increase in precipitation intensity and rise of winter and post winter temperature. Also, heavy and very heavy rainfall days, daily rainfall intensity shows increasing trends that may have serious repercussions on local economy, livelihood and hydropower development. The field observations reveal discontentment of local population to proposed development. It is important that this debate must be reviewed logically to ensure safe future of the area with sound understanding of disasters and climate change risk.
Systematic review of machine-learning models in orthopaedic trauma
Authors: Dijkstra Hidde , van de Kuit Anouk , de Groot Tom , Canta Olga , Groot Olivier Q. , Oosterhoff Jacobien H. , Doornberg Job N.
Published: January 2024

Aims

Machine-learning (ML) prediction models in orthopaedic trauma hold great promise in assisting clinicians in various tasks, such as personalized risk stratification. However, an overview of current applications and critical appraisal to peer-reviewed guidelines is lacking. The objectives of this study are to 1) provide an overview of current ML prediction models in orthopaedic trauma; 2) evaluate the completeness of reporting following the Transparent Reporting of a multivariable prediction model for Individual Prognosis Or Diagnosis (TRIPOD) statement; and 3) assess the risk of bias following the Prediction model Risk Of Bias Assessment Tool (PROBAST) tool.

Methods

A systematic search screening 3,252 studies identified 45 ML-based prediction models in orthopaedic trauma up to January 2023. The TRIPOD statement assessed transparent reporting and the PROBAST tool the risk of bias.

Results

A total of 40 studies reported on training and internal validation; four studies performed both development and external validation, and one study performed only external validation. The most commonly reported outcomes were mortality (33%, 15/45) and length of hospital stay (9%, 4/45), and the majority of prediction models were developed in the hip fracture population (60%, 27/45). The overall median completeness for the TRIPOD statement was 62% (interquartile range 30 to 81%). The overall risk of bias in the PROBAST tool was low in 24% (11/45), high in 69% (31/45), and unclear in 7% (3/45) of the studies. High risk of bias was mainly due to analysis domain concerns including small datasets with low number of outcomes, complete-case analysis in case of missing data, and no reporting of performance measures.

Conclusion

The results of this study showed that despite a myriad of potential clinically useful applications, a substantial part of ML studies in orthopaedic trauma lack transparent reporting, and are at high risk of bias. These problems must be resolved by following established guidelines to instil confidence in ML models among patients and clinicians. Otherwise, there will remain a sizeable gap between the development of ML prediction models and their clinical application in our day-to-day orthopaedic trauma practice.

Cite this article: Bone Jt Open 2024;5(1):9–19.
Emotions and anti-carceral advocacy in Canada: ‘All of the anger this creates in our bodies is also a tool to kill us’
Authors: Kilty Jennifer M. , Orsini Michael
Published: January 2024

Over the past three decades, Canada has expanded its capacity to confine citizens in ways that disproportionately affect Black, Indigenous and People of Colour (BIPOC) communities and people grappling with mental health and substance use issues, as well as poverty and homelessness. Carceral expansion, however, is not restricted to increasing institutional capacity; it also entails mechanisms to govern vulnerable people through the broader community-based carceral system. Based on a series of focus group interviews with representatives from over a dozen different community-based advocacy groups in Ottawa, Canada, this article examines the emotional labour these radical activists employ in their anti-carceral advocacy work. We explore how emotions and affects structure the strategies mobilised by these groups, and how they enable these advocates to resist carceral expansion. We also examine how critics of the anti-carceral position held by our participants tend to frame their interventions in ways that seek to delegitimise these activists as overly emotional or irrational in their denunciation of carceral violence, even as advocates remarked how their radical activist positions on penal abolition have been co-opted by proponents of police reform. This is revealing of the ways in which the emotional states of actors with fewer resources and authority can be mobilised by those in positions of relative power, transforming the emotional landscape of contestation.
Orthogonal retrieval algorithm of atmospheric temperature profiles from pure rotational Raman lidar signals
Authors: Li Shichun , Dang Yuanyuan , Zhang Penghui , Hua Dengxin , Gao Yingchun , Di Huige , Xin Wenhui
Published: January 2024

Aimed at the stability of calibration coefficients in a general non-orthogonal retrieval algorithm (NRA) of pure rotational Raman lidars (PRRLs), an orthogonal retrieval algorithm (ORA) of atmospheric temperature profiles based on the orthogonal basis function is proposed. This algorithm eliminates the correlation between the calibration coefficients in the NRA to reduce the influence of the number of calibration points and the selection scheme on the calibration coefficients. In this paper, the stabilities of calibration coefficients in the NRA and ORA are compared and analyzed, and the data analysis for atmospheric temperature profiles with a time resolution of minute-level are given, based on the developed Cloud Precipitation Potential Evaluation (CPPV) lidar data and the parallel radiosonde temperature data. The analysis results show that coefficients of variation (CVs) of ORA calibration coefficients are one order of magnitude smaller than those of NRA coefficients. The mean deviation of the ORA retrieval results is roughly reduced by 16.1% compared with the NRA, and the root-mean-square deviation is roughly reduced by 15.0% compared with the NRA. Therefore, the temperature retrieval performance of the ORA is better than that of the NRA.
Wavelength-tunable Tm:Y2O3 ceramic vortex laser with a changeable orbital angular momentum state
Authors: Du Tianyi , Zheng Changsheng , Sun Xiangzhe , Chen Bin , Zhou Jingjing , Dong Jifei , Wang Jianlei , Wang Jun , Zhang Huiyun , Zhang Yuping , Wang Zhanxin , Zhao Yongguang
Published: January 2024

Wavelength-tunable orbital angular momentum (OAM) lasers with controllable topological charges have the potential for serving as light sources for large-capacity optical communication by combining conventional wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) with OAM mode-division multiplexing (OAM-MDM). In this study, we demonstrate a wavelength-tunable Tm-bulk laser that can control OAM states in the 2-µm spectral range. The excitation conditions for different Laguerre-Gaussian (LG0,l) modes in a bulk laser cavity are theoretically determined by measuring the spatial propagation dynamics of the annular pump beam. As a proof-of-principle study, we experimentally generate OAM states of |ℏ| and |2ℏ| from a Tm:Y2O3 ceramic laser with a tunable emission wavelength using a Lyot filter (LF). The spatial properties of the scalar optical vortices are well conserved during wavelength tuning, indicating the feasibility of our approach for producing wavelength-tunable structured light. These OAM laser sources, which are characterized by their robustness and compactness, have potential applications in various areas such as optical communications, quantum optics, super-resolution microscopes, and more.
Theoretical analysis of a compensator of the secondary longitudinal chromatic aberration
Authors: Novák Jiří , Mikš Antonín
Published: January 2024

A theoretical analysis of an afocal compensator of the secondary longitudinal chromatic aberration is provided. Such a compensator is able to compensate for chromatic aberration of an achromatic optical system and make an apochromatic correction of the system. The parameters of the proposed chromatic aberration compensator are described and the principle is presented in examples.
Non-contact, highly sensitive sugar concentration detection based on a Co3Sn2S2 Weyl semimetal thin film sensor by terahertz wave
Authors: Lin Hongyi , Zhang Zichen , Gao Feilong , Ruan Jianjian , Sun Dong , Hou Shaodong , Zhang Bingyuan , Song Qi
Published: January 2024

Blood sugar is an important biomedical parameter of diabetic patients. The current blood sugar testing is based on an invasive method, which is not very friendly for patients who require long-term monitoring, while the non-invasive method is still in the developing stage. In this paper, we design a non-invasive and highly sensitive terahertz wave detector with Co3Sn2S2 semimetal thin film to test sugar concentration. As different concentrations have inconsistent responses to terahertz wave, we can deduce the concentration of the sugar solution to realize real-time highly sensitive detection of blood sugar concentration. This novel method can be further expanded to 6 G edge intelligence for non-invasive and real-time monitoring of blood sugar, and promote the development of 6 G technology.
Enhancement sensing of biomarkers by acoustic graphene plasmonic mode
Authors: Piao Hang , Chen Qing , Li Xiangyu , Wu Jingzhi , Wang Yanhong , Li Mengwei
Published: January 2024

The sensitivity and accuracy of molecular detection using THz technology are limited due to the weak interaction between THz waves and biomolecules. An acoustic graphene plasmons (AGP) resonator could have ultra-compressed light fields and provide strong light-matter interactions at the microscopic level. In the paper, the AGP construction for bio-molecules sensing with high sensitivity is proposed, which consists of a continuous graphene and nano-gap separated metal strip, and a continuous gold layer separated by silica. By coupling free-space light to the nanogap to form a sonic graphene plasma, the gold reflector further improves the excitation efficiency of the sonic graphene plasma and achieves good free-space incident light absorption (97.2%). Adjusting the width of the metal band to achieve four absorption peaks in the range of molecular vibration frequency, adding the test molecule, the absorption rate at the molecular vibration frequency of 13 µm is increased from the original 5%–40%, which allows precise analysis of molecular structure information. In the mid-infrared and terahertz range, the system can offer promising applications for light-matter interactions and efficient coupled sensing of long spectra compared to conventional graphene plasma structures.
Beyond the diffraction limit with a quantum confinement effect (QCE) image sensor
Authors: Pavel E. , Marinescu V.
Published: January 2024

The quantum confinement effect was successfully applied in quantum optical lithography
to pattern structures in 1–10 nm domain. In this paper, the
breakdown of the light diffraction limit was extended to optical
instruments (telescope and microscope). Optical writing of the QCE
image sensor was realized at a resolution of 60 nm. The novel,
to the best of our knowledge, type of the 1GPixel image sensor has
potential applications in (i) astronomy (angular resolution increases ∼240× at F/D = 24), and (ii)
optical microscopy (resolution ∼8nm at 660 nm). An optical
microscope with atomic resolution is proposed. Exceeding the light
diffraction limit, the theoretical growth of the angular resolution of
the telescope could attain an amplification factor of ∼14,000×.