bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Truncated Airy pulses supercontinuum generation in a silicon-on-insulator optical waveguide including third-harmonic generation and negative-frequency Kerr terms
Authors: Souang Boukar Kemedane , Mandeng Lucien Mandeng , HEUTEU CREPIN , Clement Tchawoua
Published: March 2023

We report in this work the numerical study of the supercontinuum
generation (SCG) phenomenon raised from femtosecond truncated Airy
pulses within a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) waveguide including
loss effects, third-harmonic generation (THG) and
negative-frequency Kerr (NFK) terms. This study is conducted
through a modeling based on the full unidirectional pulse
propagation equation (UPPE) model which allows to assume the
existence of the NFK term in the Kerr nonlinearity with a spectral
filtering. The various effects of the linear loss (LL), the
free-carrier absorption (FCA)/ free-carrier dispersion (FCD), the
two-photon absorption (TPA), the THG, the NFK, the peak power, the
pulse duration and the pulse shape are explored and discussed. For
the shape comparison, we use a symmetrical profile of the
sech-type pulse. More specifically, we show that the Airy pulse has SCG
spectra that are less influenced by the waveguide than the
sech-type symmetric pulse; moreover, the losses effectively reduce
the spectral intensity (S.I) and the spectral bandwidth (S.B) of
the spectra while the THG and the NFK increase them. However, the
most deleterious factor for the Airy pulse is the LL, while that
of the sech-type pulse is the TPA. The SCG spectra of the Airy
pulse are broader and more coherent than that of the sech-type in
the studied waveguide. Due to the presence of linear and nonlinear
loss terms, the increase in signal energy is deleterious to the
SCG in this silicon waveguide; this results in smaller spectra as
peak power and pulse duration increase.
The impact of access to financial services on mitigating COVID-19 mortality globally
Authors: Watkins Todd A. , Nguyen Khue , Ali Hamza , Gummakonda Rishikesh , Pelman Jacques , Taracena Brianna
Published: March 2023

The COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately affected different social and demographic groups, deepening the negative health implications of social and economic inequalities and highlighting the importance of social determinants of health. Despite a deep literature on pandemic-related disparities, specifically regarding social determinants and health outcomes, the influence of the accessibility of financial services on health outcomes during COVID-19 remains largely unexplored. Modeling (pre-omicron) COVID-19 mortality across 142 nations, we assess the impact of national-level usage and access to formal financial services. Two financial access indexes constructed through principal component analysis capture (1) usage of and access to formal financial tools and (2) reliance on alternative and informal financial tools. On average, nations with higher pre-pandemic use of and access to formal financial services had substantially lower population mortality risk from COVID-19, controlling for key population health, demographic, and socioeconomic covariates. The scale of effect is similar in magnitude—but opposite in direction—to major risk factors identified in previous literature, such as lung cancer, hypertension, and income inequality. Findings suggest that financial services deserve greater attention both in the public health literature related to COVID-19 and more broadly in policy discussions about fostering better public health overall.
Geographic clustering of travel-acquired infections in Ontario, Canada, 2008–2020
Authors: Harish Vinyas , Buajitti Emmalin , Burrows Holly , Posen Joshua , Bogoch Isaac I. , Corbeil Antoine , Gubbay Jonathan B. , Rosella Laura C. , Morris Shaun K.
Published: March 2023

As the frequency of international travel increases, more individuals are at risk of travel-acquired infections (TAIs). In this ecological study of over 170,000 unique tests from Public Health Ontario’s laboratory, we reviewed all laboratory-reported cases of malaria, dengue, chikungunya, and enteric fever in Ontario, Canada between 2008–2020 to identify high-resolution geographical clusters for potential targeted pre-travel prevention. Smoothed standardized incidence ratios (SIRs) and 95% posterior credible intervals (CIs) were estimated using a spatial Bayesian hierarchical model. High- and low-incidence areas were described using data from the 2016 Census based on the home forward sortation area of patients testing positive. A second model was used to estimate the association between drivetime to the nearest travel clinic and incidence of TAI within high-incidence areas. There were 6,114 microbiologically confirmed TAIs across Ontario over the study period. There was spatial clustering of TAIs (Moran’s I = 0.59, p<0.0001). Compared to low-incidence areas, high-incidence areas had higher proportions of immigrants (p<0.0001), were lower income (p = 0.0027), had higher levels of university education (p<0.0001), and less knowledge of English/French languages (p<0.0001). In the high-incidence Greater Toronto Area (GTA), each minute increase in drive time to the closest travel clinic was associated with a 3% reduction in TAI incidence (95% CI 1–6%). While urban neighbourhoods in the GTA had the highest burden of TAIs, geographic proximity to a travel clinic in the GTA was not associated with an area-level incidence reduction in TAI. This suggests other barriers to seeking and adhering to pre-travel advice.
An intrauterine cavity morcellator: A novel approach to high volume uterus morcellation. Ex-vivo study
Authors: Pomeranz Meir , Schonman Ron , Yagur Yael , Tamir Yaniv Rina , Klein Zvi , Daykan Yair
Published: March 2023

Objective

Uterine size is one of the essential factors determining the feasibility of a minimally invasive gynecologic surgery approach. A traditional electromechanical morcellator is a well-known tool but not without flaws. We aim to assess feasibility and safety of a novel intrauterine power morcellation device for uterine size reduction to overcome these limitations during hysterectomy.

Methods

This single-arm, observational study was conducted in a single tertiary care medical center from April 2022 to July 2022. Feasibility and safety of a novel intrauterine morcellation device for uterine size reduction was tested in ten post-hysterectomy uteri (Ex-vivo).

Measurements and main results

Ten uteri were examined in this trial. No major complications occurred during the procedure. All ten (10) uteri were successfully reduced in size (size reduction range was between 9% to 54%). The average resection time using the Heracure Device was 4.3 minutes (range: 1min– 10min). Mean uterus weight reduction was 21%, with a mean circumference reduction of 25%. No leakage was observed from the outer surface of the uterus/serosa after the saline injection post-procedure examination.

Conclusion

In this novel experiment, we verified the feasibility and safety of the Heracure device for vaginal intra-uterine morcellation for uterine size reduction. This technique could enable rapid and easy removal of the uterus through the vaginal orifice.

Clinical trial registration

Name of the registry: ClinicalTrials.gov; Number Identifier: NCT05332132.
COVID-19: Establishing, implementing and assessment safety strategy, descriptive interventional study
Authors: Alnour Tarig M. S. , Al-Amer Osama , Saeedi Nizar Hamed , Shater Abdullah , Alsuba Mohamed A. , Ahmed-Abakur Eltayib H.
Published: March 2023

The increase in severe acute respiratory syndrome SARS-CoV-2 has invariably affected medical professionals in their training, academic and professional development. The present study was an interventional descriptive study aimed at reducing the risk of exposure to COVID-19 and enabling physical attendance to the practical session for applied medical students by establishing and implementing a safety strategy. The adopted safety strategy has eight conditions and 50 requirements. Compliance with the safety strategy along with the serological diagnosis of COVID-19 was used as a key performance indicator for assessing the efficiency of the safety strategy. A total of 197 students were enrolled at the beginning of the study. The overall results showed that 78.1% of the respondents strictly followed the protocol, 14.5% of the individuals partially responded to the protocol and 7.4% of the individuals did not respond to the protocol. Twenty-two (12.6%) out of the 175 participants who completed the study had positive COVID-19 during the study period, whereas the remaining 153 participants (87.4%) appeared to be healthy. The serological results showed that 68 (38.9%) and 66 (37.7%) individuals of the study population had positive IgM+IgA and IgG of COVID-19, respectively; the majority of the participants who developed antibodies did not show symptoms and appeared to be healthy during the study. The physical distancing condition was the only condition that displayed a significant relationship with seropositive IgM+IgA. The compiling of standardized protocols along with serological diagnoses can be an effective tool in measuring the effectiveness of safety protocol and reducing the risk of exposure to COVID-19.
Psychosocial resources predict frequent pain differently for men and women: A prospective cohort study
Authors: Samulowitz Anke , Haukenes Inger , Grimby-Ekman Anna , Bergman Stefan , Hensing Gunnel
Published: March 2023

Introduction

Psychosocial resources, psychological and social factors like self-efficacy and social support have been suggested as important assets for individuals with chronic pain, but the importance of psychosocial resources for the development of pain is sparsely examined, especially sex and gender differences. The aim of this study was to investigate associations between psychosocial resources and sex on the development of frequent pain in a general population sample, and to deepen the knowledge about sex and gender patterns.

Methods

A sample from the Swedish Health Assets Project, a longitudinal cohort study, included self-reported data from 2263 participants, 53% women, with no frequent pain at baseline. The outcome variable was frequent pain at 18–months follow-up. Psychosocial resources studied were general self-efficacy, instrumental and emotional social support. Log binomial regressions in a generalised linear model were used to calculate risk ratios (RRs), comparing all combinations of men with high psychosocial resources, men with low psychosocial resources, women with high psychosocial resources and women with low psychosocial resources.

Results

Women with low psychosocial resources had higher risk of frequent pain at follow-up compared to men with high resources: general self-efficacy RR 1.82, instrumental social support RR 2.33 and emotional social support RR 1.94. Instrumental social support was the most important protective resource for women, emotional social support was the most important one for men. Results were discussed in terms of gender norms.

Conclusions

The psychosocial resources general self-efficacy, instrumental and emotional support predicted the risk of developing frequent pain differently among and between men and women in a general population sample. The results showed the importance of studying sex and gender differences in psychological and not least social predictors for pain.
Rice performance prediction to deficit irrigation using microsatellite alleles and artificial intelligence
Authors: Ghasemi Bahareh , Sabouri Hossein , Moghaddam Hossein Hosseini , Biabani Abbas , Sheikhzadeh Mohamad Javad
Published: March 2023

Rice germplasm investigated as completely randomized design under flooding and deficit irrigation conditions. The results of the association analysis indicated that RM29, RM63, and RM53 could be used for rice breeding programs to improve yields under deficit irrigation. The highest accuracy of rice performance prediction was 98.36 for the RFA (RFA) for panicle length, flag leaf length, and width, and the number of primary branches, after that, the MLP algorithm had better prediction power than other algorithms. When a genotypes code was considered as a criterion to classify the genotypes under the drought stress at the reproductive stage, the random forest algorithm (RFA) was the best algorithm based on the predictive accuracy (67.93), kappa value (0.514) and root mean square error (0.293). Based on the artificial intelligence methods, the RFA presented the best results to predict the response of genotypes to deficit irrigation using the microsatellite molecular data.
Comparative cytogenetic within Achillea genus (Asteraceae) in Iran
Authors: Javadi Hamideh , Shanjani Parvin Salehi
Published: March 2023

The cytological features including chromosome numbers and detailed chromosome measurements of 46 populations of ten Achillea species (A. aleppica, A. bibersteinii, A. eriophora, A. filipendula, A. millefolium, A. nobilis, A. pachycephala, A. tenuifolia, A. vermicularis, and A. wilhelmsii) were reported from Iran. Sample plants and seeds were collected from diff erent geographical regions of Iran. Total chromosome length, long/ short arm ratio, centromere index, total form percentage, inter and intra-chromosomal index, different relative lengths of the mitotic chromosomes were calculated. The populations showed one basic chromosome number x = 9 with two ploidy levels (2x and 4x). The chromosome numbers of A. filipendula, A. nobilis and A. pachycephala, for the first time are new to science and new ploidy levels are reported for A. biebersteinii (4x) and A. wilhelmsii (2x). The mean of chromosome length ranged from 3.8 μm in A. millefolium from Semnan, Chasham, Sirat to 6.37 μm in A. nobilis from Golestan, Agh Emam. Karyotype analysis indicated that chromosomes of Achillea taxa have predominantly median and sub-median centromeres. Several karyological aspects of these taxa are discussed in the light of the cytogenetic data.
Tikanga and Culture in the Supreme Court
Authors: Glazebrook Susan , Chen Mai
Published: March 2023

The following article is based on a speech delivered by Justice Glazebrook on two recent Te Kōti Mana Nui o Aotearoa/Supreme Court of New Zealand cases: Ellis v R (role of tikanga in the law of Aotearoa/New Zealand) and Deng v Zheng (cultural considerations). After a short introduction by Mai Chen, Justice Glazebrook introduces the background to these cases, their holdings and makes a few preliminary comments. She also links these recent developments with other judicial-led projects to address cultural considerations.

Keywords: tikanga; cultural considerations; appeals; Supreme Court of New Zealand.
Reviewing the Arbitration Act 1996
Authors: Gicquello Myriam
Published: March 2023

The (English) Arbitration Act 1996 is currently under review by the Law Commission as it turns 27 this year. This article analyses its Consultation Paper released in September 2022, and which contains preliminary recommendations for an update of the Arbitration Act. This analysis reveals that some issues considered by the Law Commission are not new since they had already been identified by the Departmental Advisory Committee on Arbitration Law prior to the adoption of the Arbitration Act 1996. In fact, some of these concerns were unable to be settled back in the 1990s, and still are to some extent 27 years later. For other issues, however, the Law Commission attempts to draw on recent developments in arbitral practice and contemporary challenges (such as climate change and technological advances) though at times failing to integrate them in an updated Act.

Keywords: English arbitration; international arbitration; Arbitration Act 1996; Law Commission’s Review of Arbitration Act.
Some Failings of Consumer ADR Policy
Authors: Graham Cosmo
Published: March 2023

The promotion of consumer alternative dispute resolution (ADR) has been a consistent policy of the UK Government and appears to be well used. This article addresses two issues. The first is institutional arrangements for consumer ADR policy. The second is the availability of information about the performance of consumer ADR schemes. The argument is that the current institutional arrangements are flawed and that although there is some useful information publicly available to assess the performance of consumer ADR as a whole, it is not easily accessible and has not been used very much. Until these matters are addressed, it is not possible to evaluate the performance of consumer ADR properly and to develop appropriate policies.

Keywords: consumer; alternative dispute resolution; Ombudsman; information; complaints.
The Epistemological Profile of Legal Doctrinal Scholarship—A Reply to Geoffrey Samuel
Authors: Bódig Mátyás
Published: March 2023

This piece is a response to Geoffrey Samuel’s review article that deals with my 2021 monograph, Legal Doctrinal Scholarship. I aim to correct misrepresentations of my position, but I also seek possibilities of a more constructive engagement between Samuel’s diachronic analysis of the development of legal thought and my synchronic account of the character of legal scholarship. The first substantive section aims to set the record straight by explaining my account of legal doctrinal scholarship (as a normative and hermeneutic discipline) against the background of my thoroughly interpretive methodology. Then, I move on to addressing some of Samuel’s specific objections to my account—related to the idea of the rational reconstruction of the law, the scope of interdisciplinary engagement in academic research into law, and the ideological profile of legal doctrinal scholarship. Finally, I address why Samuel’s own account does not fit into the parameters of my own theoretical project. My methodology leaves room for a range of different approaches to legal scholarship—including Samuel’s historical jurisprudence. However, Samuel’s approach lacks the argumentative force he would need to exclude the possibility of providing legal doctrinal scholarship with a plausible epistemological justification within the methodological parameters of my account. I argue that, ultimately, our debate is about the implications of methodological pluralism: the conditions under which theoretical accounts with very different methodological assumptions may have a correcting influence on one another.

Keywords: Samuel (Geoffrey); interpretivism; science; scholarship; normativity; rational reconstruction; interdisciplinary engagement; ideology; methodological pluralism.
Da antropofagia ao lixo lógico: os tropos da Tropicália
Authors: Dunn Christopher
Published: March 2023

Quando o movimento multidisciplinar Tropicália surgiu no final dos anos 1960, os críticos logo detectaram suas afinidades e dívidas com a antropofagia, o movimento vanguardista dentro do modernismo associado principalmente a Oswald de Andrade e seu "Manifesto antropófago" (1928). A antropofagia é um tropo complexo que tem sido empregado para significar vingança, exploração e apropriação, mas também resistência, hibridismo e diálogo criativo. Quanto à música tropicalista, a antropofagia é mais frequentemente entendida em termos de consumo produtivo, envolvendo a "deglutição" do rock internacional e tecnologias sonoras relacionadas, a fim de produzir música localmente fundamentada e também globalmente informada. O músico Tom Zé, que muitas vezes é descrito como o tropicalista mais experimental, desenvolveu um mito alternativo sobre o movimento, que enfatiza a cultura popular do Nordeste e a disjunção temporal desta região com as áreas urbanas do litoral. Esse mito ganhou expressão musical em 2012 com o lançamento de Tropicália lixo lógico, um disco-tese que procura explicar a Tropicália como produto do choque cognitivo entre a cultura popular nordestina, enraizada na Ibéria moçárabe medieval, e uma lógica aristotélica cultivada no Brasil moderno.
Avaliação da Acurácia Posicional e da Completude em Áreas de Pivôs Centrais Identificadas com a Transformada de Hough em uma Análise Multitemporal
Authors: Miranda Gisele Horta Barroso , Ramos Ricardo Soares , Santos Afonso de Paula dos , Barbosa Lígia da Silva , Cunha Marconi Martins , Medeiros Nilcilene das Graças
Published: March 2023

Tendo em vista a importância da agricultura irrigada para o país, principalmente para a produção de alimentos, conseguir delimitar e estimar as áreas plantadas passa a ser de suma importância para a gestão dos recursos hídricos. Porém, com a crescente popularização das ferramentas de aquisição e edição de informações espaciais, a avaliação da qualidade dos produtos cartográficos gerados é de fundamental importância para que se possa ter confiabilidade sobre as informações obtidas. Sendo assim, este trabalho se propõe a avaliar a qualidade posicional e a completude das feições que representam as áreas de cultivo com irrigação por pivô central, obtidas por um processo de extração semiautomática de feições baseado na Transformada de Hough, a partir de 9 imagens do sistema Landsat 8 adquiridas em dias diferentes. Para a avaliação da acurácia posicional das áreas identificadas, foram utilizados dois métodos: o método tradicional por pontos homólogos e o método de feição linear Buffer Duplo. Já para a avaliação da completude, foram utilizadas as métricas de comissão e omissão da ET-CQDG da INDE. Os resultados mostraram que, ao se realizar a soma das bandas 4 e 5 para os 9 dias, a omissão caiu de 34% para 2,61%. Já para a avaliação da acurácia posicional, utilizando o Decreto nº 89.817 e a ET-CQDG, o produto cartográfico apresentou classificação B para a escala 1:100.000 pelo método de comparação de pontos homólogos, enquanto o método do Buffer Duplo apontou uma classificação mais restritiva, enquadrando o produto na classe C para a mesma escala.
Antibody response to Newcastle disease virus recombinant fusion protein in post-vaccinated laying hens
Authors: Jawad J. , Astuti R. W. , Haryanto A. , Wijayanti N.
Published: March 2023

This research was aimed to analyze antibody response in laying hens post vaccinated by Newcastle Disease Virus (NDV) recombinat Fusion (F) protein which has been succesfully expressed from the F gene of local isolates of NDV from Kulon Progo strain (0663/04/2013), Yogyakarta, Indonesia. The F gene cloned into expression vector plasmid pBT7-N-His. Two types of NDV recombinant vaccine, a concentrated and pure F recombinant protein were used for vaccination. A concentrated recombinant F protein was collected from the centrifugal ultrafiltration process and a pure recombinant F protein was collected from the electroeluted process. Recombinant F protein of NDV was successfully expressed, purified, and visualized by Sodium Dodecyl Sulphate–Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) with Coomassie Brilliant Blue staining with a molecular weight of 28 kDa. All two types of recombinant F vaccines and a commercial live vaccine as a positive control were injected two times at 14 and 18th weeks old laying hens to analyze the antibody response in serum. In comparison with a commercial live NDV vaccine, indirect Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) revealed that antibody responses were high in both recombinant F protein vaccinated groups. In conclusion, the recombinant F protein has the potential to be developed as a recombinant vaccine candidate to obtain a higher antibody response in laying hens compared to commercially available live NDV vaccines.
Feeding selenium-rich fermented palm kernel cake to laying hens produces selenium-rich eggs, increases egg production and quality
Authors: Sundu B. , Hafsah H. , Pamulu M. , Adjis A. , Hatta U. , Kala’langi E. , Sapu G. , Arifuddin S. , Damry D. , Putra I. G.
Published: March 2023

A study was conducted to determine the effect of selenium (sodium selenite) added to palm kernel cake (PKC) before fermentation on production, selenium content, and quality of eggs. The PKC was added with 0.1% sodium selenite and 1% baking yeast (Fermipan®). The mixture was added with ster-ile distilled water to increase the water content of the substrate. The substrates were fermented at room temperature for 5 days. The fermented products of selenium-rich fermented palm kernel cake (SRFPKC) were dried and fed to the laying hens. The experimental diets used were T-0: without SRF-PKC, T-1: 0.25% SRFPKC, T-2: 0.50% SRFPKC, T-3: 0.75% SRFPKC and T-4: 1.0 % SRFPKC. The diets were given to 180 laying hens aged 22 weeks for 14 weeks. Data on egg production, feed intake and feed conversion ratio were recorded. Feed digestibilities of dry matter and protein were measured based on the method of total fecal collection. Egg qualities and egg weight loss were done using eggs stored for 1 and 30 days. Selenium and cholesterol contents of eggs were also measured. This study used a completely randomized design and was analyzed by analysis of variance. The results showed that the addition of SRFPKC increased egg production, hen day, egg weight, egg selenium, feed digest-ibility, improve FCR (P<0.05) and inhibit the process of decreasing the quality and weight of eggs stored for 30 days (P<0.05). In conclusion, the addition of SRFPKC increased egg production, feed digestibility, and egg selenium, improve FCR and slow down the deterioration of egg quality stored for 30 days.
The Role and Development of Strength for Elite Judo Athletes
Authors: Ren ManYing , Tian Yu , McNeill Conor , Lenetsky Seth , Uthoff Aaron
Published: March 2023

The Olympic combat sport of judo is characterized by high-intensity intermittent efforts to throw an opponent to the ground, pinning, or submitting them. High-level judo coaches have established neuromuscular performance as one of the key performance indicators in judo. This is likely because the judo athlete performs several neuromuscular challenges, including establishing grip dominance while engaging an opponent when standing, performing highly technical throws, and exerting dynamic and isometric contractions to control an opponent on the ground. As such, a stronger judo practitioner has an advantage over opponents with comparable technical ability. With that in mind, this review aims to examine the role different types of strength play in judo performance and provide training recommendations based on neuromuscular attributes for training elite judo athletes.
Role of Stellate Ganglion Block in Refractory Ventricular Arrhythmias- A Case Series
Authors: Gargya Akshat , Sharma Toishi , Abdallah Rany
Published: March 2023

Refractory ventricular tachycardia is a life-threatening condition. Therapeutic modalities for patients with ventricular tachyarrhythmias include atrioventricular nodal (AV) nodal blockade agents, anti-arrhythmics and radiofrequency catheter ablation. Sudden cardiac death associated with ventricular arrhythmias can be prevented with an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) but the management of ventricular storm unresponsive to medical therapy remains a significant clinical challenge. A novel therapeutic approach involving sympathectomy via ultrasound (US) guided left sided stellate ganglion blockade has emerged with variable success rates. We describe five patients with ventricular arrhythmia refractory to medical management who underwent stellate ganglion block and report associated outcomes.
Effects of Cortical FoxP1 Knockdowns on Learned Song Preference in Female Zebra Finches
Authors: Heim Fabian , Fisher Simon E. , Scharff Constance , ten Cate Carel , Riebel Katharina
Published: March 2023

The search for molecular underpinnings of human vocal communication has focused on genes encoding forkhead-box transcription factors, as rare disruptions of FOXP1, FOXP2, and FOXP4 have been linked to disorders involving speech and language deficits. In male songbirds, an animal model for vocal learning, experimentally altered expression levels of these transcription factors impair song production learning. The relative contributions of auditory processing, motor function or auditory-motor integration to the deficits observed after different FoxP manipulations in songbirds are unknown. To examine the potential effects on auditory learning and development, we focused on female zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata) that do not sing but develop song memories, which can be assayed in operant preference tests. We tested whether the relatively high levels ofFoxP1expression in forebrain areas implicated in female song preference learning are crucial for the development and/or maintenance of this behavior. Juvenile and adult female zebra finches received FoxP1 knockdowns targeted to HVC (proper name) or to the caudomedial mesopallium (CMM). Irrespective of target site and whether the knockdown took place before (juveniles) or after (adults) the sensitive phase for song memorization, all groups preferred their tutor’s song. However, adult females with FoxP1 knockdowns targeted at HVC showed weaker motivation to hear song and weaker song preferences than sham-treated controls, while no such differences were observed after knockdowns in CMM or in juveniles. In summary, FoxP1 knockdowns in the cortical song nucleus HVC were not associated with impaired tutor song memory but reduced motivation to actively request tutor songs.
Climate Change Impacts on Seed Production and Quality: Current Knowledge, Implications, and Mitigation Strategies
Authors: Maity Aniruddha , Paul Debashis , Lamichaney Amrit , Sarkar Abhradip , Babbar Nidhi , Mandal Nandita , Dutta Suman , Maity Pragati Pramanik , Chakrabarty   Chakrabarty Shyamal Kumar
Published: March 2023

Climate change is real and inevitable, incessantly threatening the terrestrial ecosystem and global food security. Although the impacts of climate change on crop yield and the environment have received much attention in recent years, there are few studies on its implications for the
production of high-quality seeds that provide the basic input for food production. Seeds are the primary planting material for crop cultivation and carry most new agricultural technologies to the field. Climatic abnormalities occurring at harvest and during the post-harvest stages may not
always severely impact seed yield but can reduce the morphological, physiological and biochemical quality, ultimately reducing the field performance and planting value of the seed lot. In our preliminary data mining that considered the first 30 species appearing in the search results, seed
setting, seed yield and seed quality parameters under temperature, CO2 and drought stresses showed differential response patterns depending on the cotyledon number (monocots vs. dicots), breeding system (self- vs. cross-pollinated), life cycle (annual vs. perennial) and maturity
time (seed setting in cooler vs. hotter months). The relative proportions of the 30 species showed that germination and seedling vigour are adversely affected more in dicots and self-pollinated annual species that set seeds in hotter months. Together, these impacts can potentially reduce the
quantity and quality of seeds produced. Immediate attention and action are required to understand and mitigate the detrimental impacts of climate change on the production and supply of high-quality seeds. This review summarises the current knowledge on this aspect, predicts the future implications
and suggests some potential mitigation strategies in the context of projected population growth, climate change and seed requirement at the global level.
COVID-19 in patients with neuroendocrine neoplasms: 2-year results of the INTENSIVE study
Authors: Fazio Nicola , Gervaso Lorenzo , Halfdanarson Thorvardur R , Sonbol Mohamad , Eiring Rachel A , Pusceddu Sara , Prinzi Natalie , Lombardi Stocchetti Benedetta , Grozinsky-Glasberg Simona , Gross David J , Walter Thomas , Robelin Patrick , Lombard-Bohas Catherine , Frassoni Samuele , Bagnardi Vincenzo , Antonuzzo Lorenzo , Sparano Clotilde , Massironi Sara , Gelsomino Fabio , Bongiovanni Alberto , Ranallo Nicoletta , Tafuto Salvatore , Rossi Maura , Cives Mauro , Rasul Kakil Ibrahim , Hamid Hytam , Chirco Alessandra , Squadroni Michela , La Salvia Anna , Hernando Jorge , Hofland Johannes , Koumarianou Anna , Boselli Sabrina , Tamayo Darina , Mazzon Cristina , Rubino Manila , Spada Francesca
Published: March 2023

We conducted a retrospective/prospective worldwide study on patients with neuroendocrine neoplasms (NENs) and a molecularly proven SARS-CoV-2 positivity. Preliminary results regarding 85 patients of the INTENSIVE study have been published in 2021. Now we are reporting the 2-year analysis.Here, we are reporting data from consecutive patients enrolled between 1 June 2020, and 31 May 2022. Among the 118 contacted centers, 25 were active to enroll and 19 actively recruiting at the time of data cut-off for a total of 280 patients enrolled. SARS-CoV-2 positivity occurred in 47.5% of patients in 2020, 35.1% in 2021, and 17.4% in 2022. The median age for COVID-19 diagnosis was 60 years. Well-differentiated tumors, non-functioning, metastatic stage, and gastroenteropancreatic (GEP) primary sites represented most of the NENs. COVID-19-related pneumonia occurred in 22.8% of the total, with 61.3% of them requiring hospitalization; 11 patients (3.9%) needed sub-intensive or intensive care unit therapies and 14 patients died (5%), in 11 cases (3.9%) directly related to COVID-19. Diabetes mellitus and age at COVID-19 diagnosis > 70 years were significantly associated with COVID-19 mortality, whereas thoracic primary site with COVID-19 morbidity. A significant decrease in both hospitalization and pneumonia occurred in 2022 vs 2020. In our largest series of NEN patients with COVID-19, the NEN population is similar to the general population of patients with NEN regardless of COVID-19. However, older age, non-GEP primary sites and diabetes mellitus should be carefully considered for increased COVID-19 morbidity and mortality. Relevant information could be derived by integrating our results with NENs patients included in other cancer patients with COVID-19 registries.
"Stefan Zweig, cumbre apagada. Retrato", de Benjamín Jarnés: vacilaciones de una semblanza compleja
Authors: Serrano Asenjo Enrique
Published: March 2023

El artículo analiza el libro de Benjamín Jarnés Stefan Zweig, cumbre apagada (1942), donde el autor reflexiona en forma dialogada sobre la vida y obra del escritor austriaco. La obra de Jarnés, híbrido entre el ensayo, la biografía y el retrato, propone una visión del personaje llena de matices y claroscuros, reticencias y discrepancias, es decir: las vacilaciones que le asaltan en el momento de la escritura y las que aprecia en Zweig, para dibujar un perfil distinto a otras imágenes previas del mismo sujeto. Al cabo, la tensión del libro tiene mucho que ver con la percepción de Jarnés del género biográfico y de su propia época.
Tejiendo encuentros de humanización: sentidos y prácticas de reconciliación entre excombatientes reincorporados de las FARC – EP y comunidades
Authors: Villa Gómez Juan David , Álvarez Yohan
Published: March 2023

This paper has the objective of identify reconciliation meanings and practices between FARC ex-combatants who signed the peace treatment with the Colombian state and now live in Espacios Territoriales de Capacitación y Reincorporación (Territorial Training and Reincorporation Spaces or ETCR from the Spanish initials) and the neighboring communities. The work was developed as a qualitative research with a hermeneutic phenomenology. To make it possible, two interview guides were designed to talk with the ex-combatants and some community leaders as well as a guide for discussion groups between them. As total, 16 interviews were made to ex-combatants, 10 to community leaders and 4 discussion groups. The information was analyzed through a hermeneutic method, guided by premade categories. The results shows that three things are necessary to create peace in this reconciliation process: daily life interactions that implies that the ex-combatants finished the armed conflict against the state, a social inclusion that tries to improve life conditions, and the creation of spaces where the ex-combatants can recognize their acts. Under this perspective, for the ex-combatants and its surrounding communities, the peace in the territory is not only the war that has finish, but also the opportunity of having an improving welfare. In order to have an improving welfare it is necessary that the Colombian government makes its part of the peace agreement.
Isolating cellulose nanofibers from steam-explosion pretreated corncobs using mild mechanochemical treatments
Authors: Yang Wengang , Cheng Tianyu , Feng Yanhong , Qu Jinping , He Hezhi , Yu Xingxing
Published: March 2023

Cellulose nanofibers (CNFs) with an average diameter 8 nm were isolated from corncobs using a stepwise method that included steam-explosion pretreatment, alkaline treatment, sodium hypochlorite bleaching, high-speed blending, and ultrasonic treatment. This mechanochemical method used only two chemical reagents in low concentrations to remove non-cellulosic components. The removal of non-cellulosic components was confirmed by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. X-ray diffraction revealed an increase in crystallinity during steam explosion and subsequent mechanochemical treatments. Pretreatment by steam explosion caused the partial hydrolysis of hemicellulose and loosened the structure of raw materials, which facilitated the subsequent chemical processes. The thermal stability and morphology of samples at different stages were also investigated. Steam explosion increased the thermal stability of hemicellulose and cellulose components, as it removed a fraction of hemicellulose. High-speed blending reduced the entanglement of cellulosic fibers and created uniform size. Ultrasonic treatment was used in the final step of nanoscale fibrillation. The method used in this study is environmentally friendly and has the potential to be applied at industrial scale.
Evaluation of the main inhibitors from lignocellulose pretreatment for enzymatic hydrolysis and yeast fermentation
Authors: Jung Young Hoon , Kim Kyoung Heon
Published: March 2023

To produce cellulosic ethanol more economically, utilization of whole slurry of pretreated lignocellulose without separating liquid and solid fractions after thermal and/or chemical pretreatment of lignocellulose may be advantageous in terms of process economics. To carry out such processing on mixtures, which contain pretreatment byproducts, quantitative evaluation of the degree of inhibition of enzymatic hydrolysis and yeast fermentation by pretreatment byproducts are important. Therefore, in this study, the inhibitory effect of byproducts, focusing on sugar degradation products including furfural, hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), acetic acid (AA), formic acid (FA), and levulinic acid (LA), on enzyme and microbial performance was investigated. The experimental conditions for SSF media containing the inhibitors were optimized by response-surface methodology-ridge analysis. The saccharification using commercial cellulase was most remarkably inhibited (approximately 28%) by HMF. The ethanol production by Saccharomyces cerevisiae was nearly completely inhibited (approximately 80%) by furfural. The toxicity was noted as HMF > FA > furfural > AA ≈ LA for enzymatic hydrolysis, and furfural > HMF > FA > AA > LA for yeast ethanol production. The results indicated that the inhibitor accumulation during pretreatment should be controlled for subsequent effective saccharification and fermentation.
Rheological properties of thick kraft black liquor at high temperature with the addition of sodium aluminate
Authors: Yue Xiaopeng , Du Xin , Xu Yongjian
Published: March 2023

In kraft recovery systems, there is a trend toward increasing solids content of the black liquor injected to the furnace. Higher solids contributes to combustion efficiency and stable boiler operations. However, the presence of silica can adversely affect the viscosity of the mixture in such cases. Sodium aluminate, which was used as a desilicating agent during the black liquor combustion, had an excellent effect on the removal of silicon from the bamboo kraft black liquor (BKBL) to solve the problems presented by silicon. The apparent viscosities of thick BKBL with the addition of varied sodium aluminate loading were studied with a rotational rheometer. The thick BKBL behaved as a pseudo-plastic fluid that exhibited shear-thinning. However, shear-thickening appeared when the shear rate exceeded 30 s-1 at 98 °C, which would influence the flow stability of BKBL in pipelines. When the loading was 1.5 wt.%, sodium aluminate promoted the flow and droplet formation of thick BKBL by reducing its structural strength. The Ostwald-de Waele model provided an ideal fit to the apparent viscosity data. Hence, it could be used to accurately predict apparent viscosity changes in thick BKBL.
Physician Management Companies and Neonatology Prices, Utilization, and Clinical Outcomes
Authors: Yu Jiani , Tyler Braun Robert , Bond Amelia S. , La Forgia Ambar M. , RoyChoudhury Arindam , Zhang Manyao , Kim Jin , Casalino Lawrence P.
Published: March 2023

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Physician management companies (PMCs) acquire physician practices and contract with hospitals to provide physician management services. We evaluated the association between PMC-NICU affiliations and prices, spending, utilization, and clinical outcomes.

METHODS

We linked commercial claims to PMC-NICU affiliations and conducted difference- in-differences analyses comparing changes in prices paid for physician services per critical or intensive care NICU day, length of the NICU stay, physician spending (total paid amount for physician services during stay), spending on hospital services (total paid amount for hospital services during stay), and clinical outcomes in PMC-affiliated versus non-PMC–affiliated NICUs. The study included 2858 infants admitted to 34 PMC-affiliated NICUs and 92 461 infants admitted to 2348 NICUs without an affiliation.

RESULTS

PMC affiliation was associated with a differential increase in the mean price of the 5 most common types of critical and intensive care days in NICU admissions by $313 per day (95% confidence interval, $207–$419) for PMC-affiliated versus non- PMC-affiliated NICUs. This represents a 70.4% increase in prices, relative to the preaffiliation period PMC and non- PMC-affiliated NICU means. PMC-NICU affiliation was also associated with a differential increase in physician spending by $5161 per NICU stay (95% confidence interval, $3062–$7260), a 56.4% increase. There was no significant association between PMC-NICU affiliation and changes in length of stay, clinical outcomes, or hospital spending.

CONCLUSIONS

PMC affiliation was associated with large increases in prices and total spending for NICU services, but not with changes in length of stay or adverse clinical outcomes.
Неолітичні могили та поховальні звичаї в Нахчівані
Authors: Кулієва Зейнеб
Published: March 2023

У статті звертається увага на особливості поховання, що існувало в епоху неоліту на Південному Кавказі. Це питання було проаналізовано на основі археологічних матеріалів поселення Культепе I, розташованого в Нахчеванському районі Азербайджанської Республіки. Узагальнено та включено до дослідження і періодизовано могили та могильний інвентар, виявлені в середині ХХ – на початку ХХІ століття з місця проживання. Основним об'єктом дослідження було обрано могильний інвентар, що зберігається в Археологічному фонді Національного музею історії Азербайджану.

Вони були виявлені під час археологічних розкопок в Культепе I в 1951-1964 роках і передані музею. Відповідно до спільного аналізу звіту археологічних розкопок та записів в інвентарній книзі музею, насамперед могильний інвентар згруповано за могилами, до яких вони належали, потім встановлено, що 9 із цих могил належать до шару 1а, а решта належать до шару 1b. Ці шари віднесли до епохи Мідного віку. Однак у другому десятилітті XXI століття аналізи вугілля, зроблені під час археологічних розкопок, знову проведених азербайджансько-французькою археологічною експедицією, до складу якої входив і автор, показали, що поселення тут почалося в третій чверті VII століття до н.е.

Ця дата дозволяє віднести виявлені поховання з шару 1а Култепе I, а також могильний інвентар до ранньої фази керамічного неоліту. Могили, що відносяться до цієї фази, вирізняються своїми щільними похованнями, великою кількістю вкритих соломою непошкоджених посудин і тим, що всі вони знайдені лише в одній розкопці (місця V). Ймовірно, на ранній фазі керамічного неоліту (І фаза) поховання здійснювалися в окремому місці. Могили, виявлені з шару 1b, на відміну від I фази, також були знайдені в інших місцях розкопок, з незначним обладнанням або без нього. Померлих ховали загорнутими під підлогою будинків. З точки зору структури могил, їх різного спрямування, а також того факту, що скелети всередині поховані з правого або лівого боку, вони аналогічні неолітичним могилам Чалагантепе, Масіс-Блур, Хаджі Фіруз, Чатал Хоюк, Хаджілар. Цей факт свідчить про те, що в останній фазі неоліту існував звичай поховання з загальними рисами для Нахічевані, Анатолії та басейну Урмії.
Історія індустрії гостинності та туризму у Польщі (організаційний аспект)
Authors: Гугнін Олександр , Ліснєвська Юлія
Published: March 2023

Актуальність теми зумовлена недостатньою концептуальною розробкою проблем генези туризму як феномена людської діяльності.

Показано, що ще в період первісного суспільства мисливці та пастухи шукали нових земель, а пізніше купці подорожували, щоб придбати товари та знайти нові ринки збуту. Встановлено, що в кодексі Хаммурапі захищалися права мандрівників, і на власників притулків покладався обов'язок піклуватися про життя та власність мандрівників. У Стародавній Греції вважалося, що мандрівник перебуває під охороною богів. Вибір об'єкта дослідження не випадковий. Доведено, що починаючи з раннього середньовіччя, поляки є чи найактивнішими туристами серед країн Східної Європи. Провідною темою наррації є освітлення державного регулювання польської індустрії туризму, активної підтримки цієї соціально-економічної галузі з боку держави, територіальних громад та об’єднань приватних підприємців.

Метою статті є аналіз послідовності етапів розвитку туризму та загальної індустрії гостинності у Польщі із урахуванням організаційного аспекту діяльності. У статті розкриваються закономірності зросту гостинного і туристичного бізнесу в зв’язку з розділом країни між трьома імперіями – Австро-Угорською, Німецькою та Російською. У дослідженні використано системно-історичний метод, що дозволило послідовно висвітлити генезис явища з урахуванням об'єктивних та суб'єктивних факторів. У результатах роботи освітлені категорії, що характеризують феномен туризму, дано їх гносеологічне та онтологічне обґрунтування. Виділено організаційно-управлінський фактор польської туристичної політики на державному та регіональному рівнях. У закінченні представлені суспільні детермінанти та національно-психологічні мотиви подорожей і перебування поляків на території сусідніх країн. Увагу приділено аналізу туризму у різні періоди історії Польщі. Тут же логічно доведена слушність використання авторами дихотомічного поділу контенту: спочатку польська гостинність, як базова основа туризму, а пізніше хронологічна послідовність етапів розвитку туристичного бізнесу з урахуванням соціально-економічного контексту.