bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Moderating Role of Gender Between Job Satisfaction and Organisational Commitment in Ghanaian Colleges of Education
Authors: Ampomah Robert , Mensah Francis Owusu
Published: July 2023

In an era where governments and organisations dedicated to improving education worldwide are concerned about quality teacher education and dominate the national discourse, it is crucial to emphasise teacher quality, gender parity, satisfaction, and commitment. This article examines the role of gender as a moderator between tutor job satisfaction and organisational commitment in Ghanaian Colleges of Education. A research hypothesis was formulated with a cross-sectional survey to guide the study. A sample of 319 tutors was used. Multivariate multiple regression, SEM and Process Analysis were used to test the hypothesis. The study revealed that gender was a significant moderator between job satisfaction and organisational commitment of tutors in Ghana. As a result of this, it was recommended that the governing council focus on factors affecting the extrinsic and intrinsic motivations (job satisfaction) of their tutors so that stronger commitment and greater loyalty may be demonstrated by the tutors.
Traditional Institutions and Good Governance in Nigeria
Authors: Saka-Olokungboye N , Ilugbami J. O. , Olateru-Olagbegi O.
Published: July 2023

Traditional institutions as custodian of cultures and traditions have continued to play a very significant role before and during colonial independence of many African societies. In Nigeria they provide a system of administration with an utmost aim of maintaining a stable governance through tradition, customs, and law and order. But with the advent of democracy, the role of traditional institutions became less recognized in the democratic system of government. The paper examined the role and relevance of indigenous traditional institutions to good governance. The paper was a quantitative research. Data was obtained from secondary sources including journals, articles and publications. The paper revealed that traditional institutions play a very significant role of sustaining culture and traditions, informally managing of conflict, maintaining peace, custodian of oral traditional history of the people etc. before and during colonial era. But with the advent of democracy, their power and duties became less recognized in the democratic system of government because traditional institutions were negated to the back door and politicized. Functionalism theory of Emile Durkheim (1858 – 1917) was employed to explain how society is an integrated whole, where all parts are interconnected and traditional institutions as part of the society, play a vital function of maintaining stability and contributing to the wellbeing of its members in terms of law, order and governance. The paper concluded that if the goal of government at all levels is to provide good governance to the people, rapid in social wealth and economic development, traditional institutions need to be integrated and assigned greater responsibilities in Nigerian’s contemporary democratic system of government because they have the ability to promote grassroots governance and facilitate access of rural communities to public services.
Mothers’ Satisfaction with Midiwifery Care During Second Stage of Labour at University of Medical Sciences Teaching Hospital Complex, Akure
Authors: Akin-Otiko Bridget Omowumi , Olukoju Grace Opeyemi
Published: July 2023

The midwife's care of the woman during the second stage of labour entails guiding the labour process, offering physical comfort, emotional support, and keeping a positive relationship while ministering to the woman. Gaining the patient's trust during the labour process requires a strong nurse-patient connection. Midwives play a crucial role in ensuring the best possible pregnancy outcome by establishing rapport with expectant mothers and their families prior to, during, and after labour. At the University of Medical Sciences Teaching Hospital Complex in Akure, the study evaluated mothers' satisfaction with midwifery care during the second stage of labour. The study employed a descriptive research design. The respondents were chosen using a purposive sampling technique. Respondents included only 199 mothers who gave birth vaginally and gave their assent to the study. The majority of respondents (130(65.3%) had a positive experience with their care throughout the second stage of labour, whereas (69(34.7%, had a negative experience. The majority of respondents (127(63.8%) expressed positive satisfaction with midwifery treatment, while 72 (36.2%), expressed negative satisfaction. Finally, it was noted that a p-value of 0.05 (0.000, 2=24.705) exists between maternal satisfaction and the type of midwifery care received by the mother during the second stage of labour. It was recommended among others that Government should provide adequate facilities, staffing and conducive environment for quality health care delivery.
Knowledge Attitude and Practice of Testicular Self Examination among Male Undergraduate Students in Ekiti State University
Authors: Aina Modupe Aduke
Published: July 2023

About half of men never or seldom check their testicles which has led many to late detection of testicular cancer, howbeit the dramatic increase in cancer-related mortality and morbidity is avoidable and curable if detected in its earliest stages. This study assessed the knowledge attitude and practice of testicular self-examination among male undergraduate students in Ekiti State University. A descriptive cross-sectional survey research design was used for the study. The study population consists of Male Undergraduate Students in department of Computer Science, Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti state. The sample size was determined with the use of Taro Yamane’s method which yielded sample size of 290. Proportionate stratified random sampling technique was used to select the sample size. A semi-structured questionnaire administered via online goggle form was used to collect data. The collected data was coded and analyzed using SPSS version 25. The two – null hypothesis in the study was tested using Chi-square, at 0.05 level of significance. The research found out that 59.0 percent of respondents had an unfavourable view of TSE, whereas 41.0 percent had a favourable view. Even though the respondents had a high level of information, that didn't seem to have any effect on their attitudes, which suggests that people aren't willing to adopt the desirable steps that may lead to the early identification of testicular cancer. The findings revealed that there is no significant (p = 0.67) association between level of knowledge of TSE and the practice, also no significant (p < 0.001) association between attitude of TSE and the practice. It was recommended among others that TSE has to be a standard part of medical checkups. Health education on TSE should be provided to all young men for any reason when they visit a healthcare facility, along with a patient pamphlet that details the suggested process, instruments, and frequency of practise.
Analysis of the Competitive Environment of Cider Producers in the Russian Market of Low-alcohol Beverages
Authors:   Synergy University, Boiko Alexander Yu. , Trubin Alexander E. ,   Synergy University, Filimonova Elena V. ,   Synergy University
Published: July 2023

The Russian cider market has developed due to changes in consumer habits and an increase in the share of low-alcohol beverages. However, ensuring and increasing the competitiveness of traditional cider in the market of low-alcohol beverages is difficult, and requires more detailed study. This is due to the relevance of the research topic. The novelty of the research lies in the fact that the author has analyzed the competitive environment in the Russian market of low-alcohol beverages and identified the actual problems of increasing the competitiveness of traditional cider. The purpose of the study is to identify factors that negatively affect the competitiveness of traditional cider in the Russian market of low-alcohol beverages, as well as problems in this area and to propose ways to solve them. The research methods include comparison, comparison, content analysis, regulatory method, statistical analysis, graphical method. The article is devoted to the consideration of the characteristics and features of cider as a commodity, the analysis of the competitive environment, the identification of problems of ensuring and improving the competitiveness of traditional cider in the Russian market, as well as the development of ways to solve these problems. According to the results of the study, the author comes to the conclusion that the cider market in Russia is actively developing and has favorable prospects. Cider-making in Russia stimulates the development of agriculture, fruit growing, nursery breeding, the creation of jobs in rural areas, the creation of jobs in trade, stimulates scientific research. The study revealed the problems of ensuring and increasing the competitiveness of cider in the Russian beverage market, which include the problem of determining the status of traditional cider at the legislative level, the lack of tax benefits and other state support for traditional cider manufacturers, competition with drinks produced using a different technology, but also called cider. To solve the identified problems, measures were proposed to increase the competitiveness of traditional cider on the Russian market. It is shown that the competitive environment analysis makes it possible to identify the problems of increasing the competitiveness of cider in the Russian market.
Data Visualization as a Strategic Tool in Assessing the Effectiveness of the Company’s Economic Activity in a Competitive Environment
Authors:   Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation, Ayatskov Dmitry A. , Gorelova Tamara P. ,   Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation
Published: July 2023

In a rapidly changing digital environment, companies face the challenge of quickly and efficiently developing economic solutions. Making effective economic decisions directly affects the competitiveness of the company in the market. This article raises the problem of assessing the efficiency of an enterprise’s economic activity associated with the study and elaboration of a large amount of data. Working with a large array of data and then analyzing them allows companies to get a detailed idea of how their business functions and what factors can influence its success. This approach is based on the use of mathematical and statistical methods, as well as on the use of special software tools that allow you to efficiently process and analyze large amounts of data. At the same time, the results of data analysis can be presented in the form of graphical reports that help to make more informed decisions based on the facts of the dynamics of development and contribute to improving the economic efficiency of the company. A graphical report refers to the presentation of data in a visual format with the designation of medians and exceptions. In this article, the methods of system analysis and synthesis, the method of induction, content analysis of scientific literature and statistical reviews on the subject under study were applied. With the development of the process of digitalization of the organization’s activities, data analysis has become simply a necessary tool in the process of developing and making cost-effective decisions. In the article, the authors substantiate the strategic importance of the use of data analysis in economics, entrepreneurship and business.
Features of Corporate Governance Development in Russia in Modern Economic Conditions
Authors:   Synergy University, Kosorukova Irina V. , Ksenofontova Olga D. ,   Synergy University
Published: July 2023

This article is devoted to the analysis of the problems of corporate governance development in Russia in the current geopolitical situation. Currently, there is a certain dissonance in the trajectories of the development of the world and Russian economies in terms of their ESG transformation. If in the international economic space ESG factors of development are in the first place when making decisions about investing in projects and securities, then in Russian reality these factors do not find such interest from investors. In addition, one of the constituent factors of ESG transformation – corporate governance (G) – is undergoing significant changes in terms of regulatory regulation and practical use in Russia as part of the anti-sanctions policy. The impact of changes in Russian regulatory documents regarding the operation of corporate governance principles on changes in business value is analyzed. Proposals are made on the amendments to regulatory documents to mitigate their negative impact on the growth of business value. The aim of the research is to analyze legislative changes in the field of corporate governance in Russia and the impact of these changes on the formation of the business value of Russian companies. The objective of the research is to identify the factors influencing the change in the value of the business as a result of the adopted changes in the regulatory framework in the field of corporate governance in Russia. The research is based on a general scientific methodology involving the use of methods of systematic and comparative analysis, analysis and synthesis, methods and approaches of evaluation activities. Changes in regulatory documents in the area of corporate governance affect all seven principles of corporate governance under the Code of the Bank of Russia. These changes have both a positive and negative impact on the stock price and the value of the business. The article provides suggestions for leveling the negative impact of changes in regulatory documents in the field of corporate governance on the value of business.
FISHERMAN EMPOWERMENT PROGRAM IN TALAUD ISLANDS
Authors: Mamentu Michael , Rares Joyce Jacinta , Isa Rusli
Published: July 2023

Talaud Islands Regency is a regency in the province of North Sulawesi located on the border of Indonesia and the Philippines. This area has enormous fisheries potential, characterized by high illegal fishing activities by foreign fishermen in the region. Most of the fish sold in the central fish market in General Santos (Philippines) comes from these islands. The government has implemented various special stimulus programs to empower traditional fishermen, but the poverty rate of fishermen in the region has not changed significantly. The study was conducted in two stages. The first stage is to try to find the right methods to empower fishermen in the region so that they have better socioeconomic skills. The second stage is to implement an empowerment model that will make the socio-economic quality of targeted traditional fishermen will increase. The results of the study found that the cause of significant changes in the quality of social and economic life of fishermen (small fishing), rooted in the power of nepotism in the implementation of the policy. Fishermen empowerment policies in the form of fresh financial assistance and marine infrastructure, are given to the wrong targets. Assistance is not given to small fishing groups but established fishing individuals (boat owners "pajeko"), or in other communities (artisans and farmers) who do not work as fishermen. In conclusion, it is urgently needed to change the behavior of decision makers, especially those responsible for improving the quality of life of small fishermen.
Polarization Curve of Chloride-Induced Corrosion in Steel Using a Three-Dimensional Model
Authors: Suhaila Salleh  , Noor Mirza Syamimi Mortadha  , Alzakri Ekhwan
Published: July 2023

Corrosion process occurs naturally in which metals, such as steel, undergo degradation due to chemical or electrochemical reactions with their surroundings. This however can lead to serious malfunctions and costly damages to crucial steel uses. In marine activities, most metals and alloys used inevitably degrade since the sea is rich in corrosive electrolytes, in particular, chloride. This may lead to the occurrence of pitting corrosion, which is highly localised and can cause major catastrophes. Hence, it is important to understand the science of pitting corrosion which in turn can benefit corrosion control processes. This can be done through simulation of pitting activities. In this study, a three-dimensional model of a minute pit in steel, immersed in sodium chloride solution in water, is simulated using COMSOL Multiphysics version 5.6 with Chemical Reaction Engineering Module. The simulation is run to observe the shape of the polarization curve at the actively corroding pit. The initial pH of the immersing solution is at a slightly alkaline condition, namely at pH 8. The results show that the corrosion potential, Ecorr, of a point at the bottom of the corroding pit is -0.74 V. The model is also able to show a high concentration of ferrous ions, Fe2+, inside the pit geometry, reaching to a value of 2.5×103 mol m-3. These results indicates that metal dissolution occurs. The shape of the polarization curve obtained in this study exhibits a significant linkage to the propagation of pit, which in turn indicates the type of corrosion a pit can evolve into, in particular, pitting corrosion.
The Effect of Surface Texture on Teflon as Electrification Layer of 360° Lateral-Sliding Mode Triboelectric Generator
Authors: Nur Farahana Mat Isa  , Hafizal Yahaya  , Muhammad Mahfuz Salehon  , Nur Aisyah Mohd Yusri  , Ahmad Nazirul Manan  , Zul Izie Hafifi Mohammad Ghazali  , Fauzan Ahmad  , Rasli Abd Ghani  , Mohd Fitri Mohd Yakub
Published: July 2023

Harvesting neglected mechanical energy from daily activities and converting it into electrical energy is a crucial start towards clean, low-cost, and sustainable energy. In this work, we report a development of a Teflon-based rotating triboelectric generator (TEG) and its relationship with rotational speed. The texture on Teflon was modified by uni-directionally rubbing the sandpaper with three different grit numbers; 500, 1000, and 1500 respectively, 50 times each. The surface roughness of the Teflon was measured using Mitutoyo Surface Roughness Machine SJ-310 before and after undergoing the 360° lateral sliding mode TEG test. The highest surface roughness was from 500 grit sandpaper, forming a Ra of 1.550 µm. Moreover, this surface of Teflon generated the highest output voltage of 25.3 mV at 1500 rpm with a calculated power density of 0.37 mW/m2. This simple technique gives an overview of how the surface texture may improve the electrical output of TEG by integrating the electrification contact area of TEG.
Wilhelm Classen: „Und vergesst nicht, daß Ihr ein himmlisches und ein irdisches Vaterland habt“
Authors: Ringsleben Lana
Published: July 2023

Wilhelm Bernhard Anton Classen (* 5. August auf Gut Wittmoldt bei Plön; † 19. Dezember 1945) war Pastor und Propst von Nordangeln in Schleswig-Holstein vor und zu Beginn der NS-Zeit. Er erlebte den Ersten Weltkrieg als Pastor in Sterup mit.
Später wurde er Mitglied bei den „Deutschen Christen“.
Walter Lehmann: „Wir vertrauen alle dem Führer Hitler, lieben und verehren ihn und erwarten Großes von ihm. […] Gott gebe, daß wir uns nicht irren“
Authors: Schulz Darleen
Published: July 2023

Hans Walter Lehmann (* 9. Dezember 1883 in Caballo, Venezuela; † 17. Juli 1941 in Borby) war ein deutscher Pastor. Als Prediger mit einem hohen Sendungsbewusstsein verband er christliche Leitsätze mit deutschnationalen
Themen und bejahte den Nationalsozialismus.
AI in Education
Authors: Scheltema-Van Wyk Cornelle
Published: July 2023

In recent years there has been a remarkable transformation in education, fuelled by the rapid advancements in artificial intelligence (AI). From personalised learning platforms to intelligent tutoring systems, AI-assisted technology has become an integral part of the modern educational landscape, revolutionising the way we teach and learn.

This collection aims to explore the potential of AI-assisted technology in education and show how to harness the capabilities of AI to enhance student engagement, improve academic outcomes, and foster a more inclusive and adaptive learning environment. We will look at the features of AI tools, its applications, limitations and provide real-world examples, while considering the ethical considerations and challenges associated with AI in educational settings.
Evidence-lite zone: the weak evidence behind the economic case against planning regulation
Authors: Murray Cameron , Phibbs Peter
Published: July 2023

This article was published open access under a CC BY licence:
https://creativecommons.org/licences/by/4.0
.
Autoencoding Galaxy Spectra. II. Redshift Invariance and Outlier Detection
Authors: Liang Yan , Melchior Peter , Lu Sicong , Goulding Andy , Ward Charlotte
Published: July 2023

We present an unsupervised outlier detection method for galaxy spectra based on the spectrum autoencoder architecture spender, which reliably captures spectral features and provides highly realistic reconstructions for SDSS galaxy spectra. We interpret the sample density in the autoencoder latent space as a probability distribution, and identify outliers as low-probability objects with a normalizing flow. However, we found that the latent-space position is not, as expected from the architecture, redshift invariant, which introduces stochasticity into the latent space and the outlier detection method. We solve this problem by adding two novel loss terms during training, which explicitly link latent-space distances to data-space distances, preserving locality in the autoencoding process. Minimizing the additional losses leads to a redshift-invariant, nondegenerate latent-space distribution with clear separations between common and anomalous data. We inspect the spectra with the lowest probability and find them to include blends with foreground stars, extremely reddened galaxies, galaxy pairs and triples, and stars that are misclassified as galaxies. We release the newly trained spender model and the latent-space probability for the entire SDSS-I galaxy sample to aid further investigations.
The Variable Detection of Atmospheric Escape around the Young, Hot Neptune AU Mic b
Authors: Rockcliffe Keighley E. , Newton Elisabeth R. , Youngblood Allison , Duvvuri Girish M. , Plavchan Peter , Gao Peter , Mann Andrew W. , Lowrance Patrick J.
Published: July 2023

Photoevaporation is a potential explanation for several features within exoplanet demographics. Atmospheric escape observed in young Neptune-sized exoplanets can provide insight into and characterize which mechanisms drive this evolution and at what times they dominate. AU Mic b is one such exoplanet, slightly larger than Neptune (4.19 R
⊕). It closely orbits a 23 Myr pre-main-sequence M dwarf with an orbital period of 8.46 days. We obtained two visits of AU Mic b at Lyα with Hubble Space Telescope (HST)/Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph. One flare within the first HST visit is characterized and removed from our search for a planetary transit. We present a nondetection in our first visit, followed by the detection of escaping neutral hydrogen ahead of the planet in our second visit. The outflow absorbed ∼30% of the star’s Lyα blue wing 2.5 hr before the planet’s white-light transit. We estimate that the highest-velocity escaping material has a column density of 1013.96 cm−2 and is moving 61.26 km s−1 away from the host star. AU Mic b’s large high-energy irradiation could photoionize its escaping neutral hydrogen in 44 minutes, rendering it temporarily unobservable. Our time-variable Lyα transit ahead of AU Mic b could also be explained by an intermediate stellar wind strength from AU Mic that shapes the escaping material into a leading tail. Future Lyα observations of this system will confirm and characterize the unique variable nature of its Lyα transit, which, combined with modeling, will tune the importance of stellar wind and photoionization.
Substructures in Compact Disks of the Taurus Star-forming Region
Authors: Zhang Shangjia , Kalscheur Matt , Long Feng , Zhang Ke , Long Deryl E. , Bergin Edwin A. , Zhu Zhaohuan , Trapman Leon
Published: July 2023

Observations of substructure in protoplanetary disks have largely been limited to the brightest and largest disks, excluding the abundant population of compact disks, which are likely sites of planet formation. Here, we reanalyze ∼0.″1, 1.33 mm Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) continuum observations of 12 compact protoplanetary disks in the Taurus star-forming region. By fitting visibilities directly, we identify substructures in six of the 12 compact disks. We then compare the substructures identified in the full Taurus sample of 24 disks in single-star systems and the ALMA DSHARP survey, differentiating between compact (R
eff,90% < 50 au) and extended (R
eff,90% ≥50 au) disk sources. We find that substructures are detected at nearly all radii in both small and large disks. Tentatively, we find fewer wide gaps in intermediate-sized disks with R
eff,90% between 30 and 90 au. We perform a series of planet–disk interaction simulations to constrain the sensitivity of our visibility-fitting approach. Under the assumption of planet–disk interaction, we use the gap widths and common disk parameters to calculate potential planet masses within the Taurus sample. We find that the young planet occurrence rate peaks near Neptune masses, similar to the DSHARP sample. For 0.01 M
J/M
⊙ ≲M
p/M
* ≲0.1 M
J/M
⊙, the rate is 17.4% ± 8.3%; for 0.1 M
J/M
⊙ ≲M
p/M
* ≲1 M
J/M
⊙, it is 27.8% ± 8.3%. Both of them are consistent with microlensing surveys. For gas giants more massive than 5 M
J, the occurrence rate is 4.2% ± 4.2%, consistent with direct imaging surveys.
FAST Search for Circumstellar Atomic Hydrogen. II. Is BD+30°3639 an Interacting Planetary Nebula?
Authors: Ouyang Xu-Jia , Zhang Yong , Zijlstra Albert , Zhang Chuan-Peng , Nakashima Jun-ichi , Parker Quentin A.
Published: July 2023

The young, compact, very high surface brightness but low excitation planetary nebula (PN) BD+30°3639 is one of the very few PNe that have been reported to exhibit the 21 cm H i emission line. As part of a long-term program to search for circumstellar atomic hydrogen, we observed the 21 cm feature toward BD+30°3639 with the Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical radio Telescope (FAST). Assuming a direct association between the PN and the detected H i emission, these new observations show that this surrounding emission is significantly more spatially extended than indicated by previous interferometric observations and can be resolved into two velocity components. The estimated H i mass is larger than 100 M
⊙, invalidating an origin from the host star itself or its ejecta for the emitting material. We discuss the possibility that the extended H i emission stems from the interstellar medium (ISM) swept out over time by the stellar wind. Moreover, we report tentative detections of H i absorption features lying near and blueward of the systemic velocity of this PN, which are probably from a stalled asterosphere at the outer boundary of the expanding ionized region. The mass of the gas producing the H i absorption is insufficient to solve the so-called “PN missing mass problem.” We demonstrate the capability of FAST to investigate the interaction process between a PN and the surrounding ISM.
The Radio Parallax of the Crab Pulsar: A First VLBI Measurement Calibrated with Giant Pulses
Authors: Lin Rebecca , van Kerkwijk Marten H. , Kirsten Franz , Pen Ue-Li , Deller Adam T.
Published: July 2023

We use four observations with the European very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) network to measure the first precise radio parallax of the Crab Pulsar. We found two in-beam extragalactic sources just outside the Crab Nebula, with one bright enough to use as a background reference source in our data. We use the Crab Pulsar’s giant pulses to determine fringe and bandpass calibration solutions, which greatly improved the sensitivity and reliability of our images and allowed us to determine precise positional offsets between the pulsar and the background source. From those offsets, we determine a parallax of π = 0.53 ± 0.06 mas and proper motion of (μ

α
, μ

δ
) = (−11.34 ± 0.06, 2.65 ± 0.14) mas yr−1, yielding a distance of

d
=

1.90

−
0.18

+
0.22

kpc

and transverse velocity of

v

⊥

=

104

−
11

+
13

km

s

−
1

. These results are consistent with the Gaia 3 measurements, and open up the possibility of far more accurate astrometry with further VLBI observations.
Electron Signal Induced by GRB 221009A on Charged Particle Telescopes of POES and MetOp Satellites
Authors: Vitale V. , Neubüser C. , Battiston R. , Follega F. M. , Burger W. J. , Babu M. , Conti L. , Cristoforetti M. , D’Angelo G. , Fidani C. , D’Arcangelo S. , Martucci M. , Mergè M. , Oliva A. , Orlando M. , Parmentier A. , Piersanti M. , Recchiuti D. , Sahnoun Z. , Sparvoli R. , Iuppa R.
Published: July 2023

GRB 221009A is a long gamma-ray burst among the most energetic and nearest (z = 0.151) detected so far. The energy fluence of the burst was so large to cause ionization of the upper layers of Earth’s atmosphere and also observable signals in satellite-borne particle detectors. Electron signals, with the same GRB time development, can arise from the interaction of energetic photons with the particle detector and support structures. This effect was previously reported for the HEPP-L on board the China Seismo-Electromagnetic Satellite. We searched for the same effect on the particle detectors on board five POES and MetOp satellites. Electron signals in coincidence with the gamma-ray emission of the burst were found in three satellites, which were well illuminated by the GRB. The properties of the found electron signals are reported and discussed.
Epidemiology and resistance profiles of Enterobacterales in a tertiary care hospital in Lebanon: a 4-year retrospective study
Authors: Fadlallah Mahdi , Salem Sokhn Elie
Published: July 2023

Introduction: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a worldwide problem that threatens treatment effectiveness against the most serious bacterial infections. AMR in Enterobacterales is highly prevalent in Lebanon. However, recent reports regarding the distribution of Enterobacterales and related antimicrobial susceptibility are scarce.
Methodology: In this retrospective study at the Lebanese Hospital Geitaoui Medical Center in Lebanon, all data regarding culture specimens from urine, blood, sputum, deep tracheal aspirate, broncho-alveolar lavage, wounds, surgical sites, tissue, body fluids, and central venous catheter that were positive for at least one of the 4 bacterial isolates (Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Enterobacter cloacae and Proteus mirabilis) were collected. All susceptibility testing was performed according to the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute guidelines.
Results: A total of 4283 non-duplicate Enterobacterales were isolated during the study period (January 2017 to December 2020). Urine was the most common site of infection. E. coli was the most detected isolate as well as the leading pathogen in urine, wounds and surgical sites, and blood. Regarding antimicrobial susceptibility, the mean susceptibility to third generation cephalosporins was 55.53% and a mean extended-spectrum β-lactamases production of 31.2% was measured in E. coli. Mean carbapenem susceptibility was the lowest in K. pneumoniae and E. cloacae. The lowest mean susceptibility to fluoroquinolones was detected in E. coli isolates.
Conclusions: This study identified the predominance of E. coli among Enterobacterales in Lebanese patients, with the urinary tract being the most common site of infection and underlined the high rates of AMR in Enterobacterales in Lebanon.
Clinical features of patients presenting with fever of unknown origin caused by non-tuberculous mycobacterium infection
Authors: Liu Huiting , Zhang Ting , Wang Yu , Fan Hongwei , Huang Xiaoming , Jiao Yang
Published: July 2023

Introduction: Although non-tuberculous mycobacterium (NTM) infection accounts for only a small proportion of fever of unknown origin (FUO) cases, it has become a more common etiology in recent years. Therefore, we reviewed FUO patients with underlying NTM infection to better understand its clinical features.
Methodology: The medical records of patients presenting with FUO and diagnosed with NTM infection admitted to Peking Union Medical College Hospital between January 2016 and June 2021 were reviewed. The clinical information of patients whose follow-up data were available were summarized. Specimens submitted for pathogenic identification were processed by mycobacterial culture, acid-fast staining, and mycobacterial nucleic acid detection. IBM SPSS Statistics v22.0 (SPSS, Inc., Chicago, IL, USA) was used for data analysis.
Results: Fifty-five FUO patients were diagnosed with NTM infection (55/785; 7.0% of FUO cases). Patients were mostly middle-aged men and had a relatively long disease course. Seven, 29, and 54 patients had previously no respondence to glucocorticoids, immunosuppressants, and multiple antibiotics, respectively; their inflammatory indexes were significantly increased; and there was no obvious risk of immunosuppression in this group, who were likely to be T.SPOT-TB negative (33/41; 80.5%). The most commonly identified NTM was Mycobacterium intracellulare followed by Mycobacterium chelonae/abscessus, Mycobacterium kansasii, and Mycobacterium avium.
Conclusions: Microbiological investigations including culture, acid-fast staining, NTM nucleic acid examination, and next-generation sequencing were performed to confirm the diagnosis of NTM in FUO patients. FUO patients should screen for NTM infections so that this important etiology can be recognized, targeted treatments administered early, and outcomes improved.
Paradigm shift of respiratory viruses causing lower respiratory tract infection in children during COVID-19 pandemic in India
Authors: Kang Mannat , Sarkar Subhabrata , Angurana Suresh Kumar , Singh Pankaj , Rana Meenakshi , Bora Ishani , Chetanya Rishi , Singh Bharatendu , Muralidharan Jayashree , Ratho Radha Kanta
Published: July 2023

Introduction: Acute lower respiratory tract infections (ALRTIs) are the commonest cause of mortality in children mostly attributed to respiratory viruses. During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the dynamics and transmission of infections changed worldwide due to widespread public health measures. This study aimed to understand the pattern of respiratory viruses associated with ALRTIs in children pre and during COVID-19 pandemic in India.
Methodology: Respiratory samples were collected from ALRTI patients during pre-pandemic period (October 2019 to February 2020; n = 166), Delta (July 2021 to December 2021; n = 78) and Omicron wave (January 2022 to July 2022; n = 111). Samples were screened for Influenza (Inf) A pdmH1N1, InfA H3N2, InfB, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), human metapneumovirus (hMPV), human bocavirus (hBoV), human rhinovirus (hRV), and parainfluenza virus (PIV-2 and PIV-3) by nucleic acid amplification techniques (NAATs).
Results: Significantly higher proportion of children with ALRTIs had virus/es isolated during pre-pandemic period than during mid-pandemic period [78.9% (131/166) vs. 52.9% (100/189); p < 0.001). RSV positivity was significantly higher (51.2%) in pre-pandemic period than 10.3% and 0.9% during the Delta and Omicron waves respectively. No significant difference in positivity rate of Inf A pdmH1N1, Inf A H3N2 and Inf B was seen. The increase in positivity of hRV (39.2% vs 42.3% vs 56.8%) and hBOV (1.2% vs 5.1% vs 9%) was documented in pre-pandemic, delta wave and omicron wave respectively.
Conclusions: The COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted the frequency and pattern of respiratory viruses among hospitalized children with ALRTIs in India.
Diagnostic value of loop-mediated isothermal amplification in detecting lower respiratory pathogens
Authors: Wen Ya , Huang Juan , Du Yanjia , Zhong Zishuang , Zeng Hanhua , Zhang Weiqiang
Published: July 2023

Introduction: To investigate the diagnostic value of loop-mediated thermostatic amplification (LAMP) in detecting pathogenic bacteria from bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) of patients with pulmonary disorders combined with lower respiratory tract infections (LRTI).
Methodology: This cross-sectional study included patients with pulmonary disorders combined with LRTI, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), bronchiectasis, or lung cancer, hospitalized in Meizhou People’s Hospital between January 2020 and October 2021. BALF was collected using local bronchoalveolar lavage and electronic bronchoscopy. The presence of the pathogens was confirmed using the LAMP method and the bacterial culture method.
Results: In total, 249 patients were included (135 with COPD, 73 with bronchiectasis, and 41 with lung cancer). The proportions of Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (4.8% vs 0.4%, p = 0.02) and Haemophilus influenzae (6.8% vs 0.4%, p < 0.001) detected by the LAMP method was higher, while the proportion of Pseudomonas aeruginosa was lower compared with that of the culture method (6.8% vs 12.4%, p = 0.034). The bacterial species with the highest agreement coefficient was Stenotrophomonas maltophilia (Kappa = 0.798, p < 0.001). Furthermore, 9 COPD patients exhibited mixed infections as determined by the LAMP method, whereas the culture method detected only 2 of these cases (1.48%) (p < 0.05).
Conclusions: LAMP can detect more pathogenic bacteria, notably Haemophilus influenza, Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, and atypical pathogens in patients with clinically common pulmonary disorders combined with LRTI. LAMP may provide etiological evidence to guide the clinical use of antibiotics in primary hospitals.
Evidence from folding and functional lines of wings on inter-ordinal relationships in Pterygota
Authors: Haas Fabian
Published: July 2023

Insects fold their hind wings because of quite simple reasons. With fl exed and folded wings, it is easier to hide, to use small crevices and shelters against the impact of weather, e.g. wind and rain, and to escape predators, to name just a few reasons. The fi tness advantage is so great that wing folding convergently evolved in many separate insect ʻordersʼ (Heteroptera, Hymenoptera, Lepidoptera amongst others), using superfi cially different mechanisms. The Dermaptera, Blattodea and Coleoptera were examined in more detail. Included in the comparative study were other, technical and ornamental folded structures such as Origami models. The comparison showed despite very many differences some common features: almost all fold structures consist of Basic Mechanisms, an arrangement of four plates and four folding lines intersecting in one point. In hind wings, resilin is ample; energy is needed to unfold and/or fold the wings and prevents wear at critical locations in the wing. Often the folding lines in the wing are not morphologically differentiated (at least at LM and SEM level), but some specialised structures, typical for taxonomic families and orders do occur. The actual mechanics used in folding and unfolding, respectively, are fundamentally different: Coleoptera use their thoracic muscle to unfold the wing, but the elytra and the abdomen to fold it again. In Dermaptera, the wing is unfolded with the cerci, and folded with intrinsic elasticity stored in the many, strategically placed resilin patches. In Blattodea the wing unfolding is a simple by-product of wing promotion. Technical folded structure such as airplanesʼ wings are comparatively simple, and take advantage of the option to have additional tools & mechanisms for (un-)folding, as well interrupting the structural integrity for a short period of time. So they become unfunctional for a spell, which is no option for biological structures.
Taxonomic revision of the Anomala cuprascens species group of Sulawesi and the Papuan region: The species with unidentate protibiae (A. chlorotica subgroup) (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Rutelinae)
Authors: Zorn Carsten
Published: July 2023

The chlorotica-subgroup (species with unidentate protibiae) of the Anomala cuprascens-group (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Rutelinae: Anomalini) from Sulawesi and the Papuan Region is revised. The cuprascens-group and chlorotica-subgroup are morphologically defined. The chlorotica-subgroup includes 28 species, 18 of which are described as new. The new species are: Anomala madangensis, A. malukana, A. kuekenthali, A. durvillei, A. fergussonensis, A. denticulata, A. irianensis, A. bruggei, A. merkli, A. biakensis, A. butensis, A. ophthalmica, A. sarmiensis, A. toxopei, A. papuensis, A. aruensis, A. sulana, A. tahunensis. The following names are placed in synonymy: A. aeneiventris var. fuscipennis Ohaus, 1915 (= A. aeneiventris Fairmaire, 1883), A. bandarra Ohaus, 1916 (= A. maculicollis Hombron & Jacquinot, 1846), A. resecta Ohaus, 1916 (= A. maculi collis Hombron & Jacquinot, 1846), A. stigmatica Ohaus, 1916 (= A. maculicollis Hombron & Jacquinot, 1846), A. ternatana Lansberge, 1879 (= A. aeruginosa Boisduval, 1835), A. aerea Blanchard, 1851 (= A. aeruginosa Boisduval, 1835). Lectotypes are selected for the nomnal taxa Anomala aeneiventris Fairmaire, 1883, A. pygidialis Kirsch, 1876, A. chlorotica (Guérin-Méneville, 1838), A. maculicollis Hombron & Jacquinot, 1846, A. stigmatica Ohaus, 1916, A. resecta Ohaus, 1916, A. bandarra Ohaus, 1916, A. aerea Blanchard, 1851, A. cassiana Ohaus, 1923. Neotypes are designated for Anomala bousqueti LeGuillou, 1844 and A. aeruginosa Boisd val, 1835. The examination of endophalus structures allows discrimination of species and is indicative of relationships between these species. Descriptions and a key to all taxa treated are included. Figures of the aedeagi and endophalli as well as distribution maps for all taxa are provided.
The phylogeny of Orussidae (Insecta: Hymenoptera) revisited
Authors: Vilhelmsen Lars
Published: July 2023

The phylogeny of the parasitic wasp family Orussidae is analyzed with a slightly expanded version of a previously published data set. The basal splitting events in the family between two fossil taxa and the extant members are not unambiguously resolved. Intergeneric relationships in general are poorly supported and change under different analytical conditions. This corroborates earlier findings regarding the phylogeny of the family. A resumé of the evolutionary history of the Orussidae is provided. Leptorussus madagascarensis sp.n. is described.
Cladotypic taxonomy applied: titanopterans are orthopterans
Authors: Béthoux Olivier
Published: July 2023

The Linnaean taxon Titanoptera is a distinctive Triassic insect order the origin of which is uncertain. Forewing venation patterns of the Permian Linnaean subfamily Tcholmanvissiinae (Orthoptera) and of the Titanoptera are re-investigated. The comparative analysis supports the view that the morphology of the latter group is derived from that of the former. As a consequence, the order Titanoptera is to be included within the subfamily Tcholmanvissiinae. A cladotypic taxonomy is developed in order to avoid the confusion inherent to taxonomic rearrangements associated with rank-based taxonomy. The following hierarchy is proposed: (Archaeorthoptera nom. Béthoux & Nel, 2002a, dis.-typ.n. (Pantcholmanvissiida nom. n., dis. Béthoux & Nel, 2002b, typ.n. (Tcholmanvissiidae nom. Zalessky, 1934, dis. Sharov, 1968, typ.n. (Tcholmantitanopterida nom.-dis.-typ.n. (Tcholmanvissiella nom. Gorochov, 1987, dis.-typ.n. (Titanopterida nom.-dis.-typ.n. (Gigatitanidae nom. Sharov, 1968, dis. -typ.n.))))))). This fi rst application of cladotypic taxonomy unveiled several practical aspects of this system. A system governing the adaptation of pre-occupied taxon names is developed based on various cases of character state formulations; the issue of the occurrence of Linnaean suffi xes and of the preservation of Linnaean binominals within a cladotypic taxonomy are discussed; the capacity to handle the ancestor ‘species’ vs. apomorphy-less sister-species issue by the various nomenclatural systems is discussed.
The Female Abdomen of Ovipositor-bearing Odonata (Insecta: Pterygota)
Authors: Klass Klaus-Dieter
Published: July 2023

The exoskeleton and musculature of the middle and posterior abdomen in female Calopteryx virgo are described (segmentsIVff), including parts of the midabdominal nervous system. Based on a sample of 16 species of Odonata with a plesiomor-phic morphology of the ovipositor (various Zygoptera, Epiophlebia, and Aeshnidae) the range of variation in the abdominalexoskeleton is documented, and a preliminary list and table of 79 characters are assembled. Abdominal muscles in Odonataare surveyed based on data from the literature. Topographic homologies between Odonata and other Insecta are discussed,with a focus on the female genitalic region and the terminal abdomen, and with consideration of previous ontogenetic stud-ies. The results are used for including outgroup scorings into the character list for Odonata. Odonata conform with manyNeoptera (e.g., Notoptera, pygidicranid Dermaptera) in the location of the female genital opening between or behind the gonapophyses VIII bases, contrasting with the VIIth-segmental openings in other Neoptera (e.g., Dictyoptera, Ensifera, ‘advanced’ Dermaptera), Archaeognatha, and Zygentoma. The gonangulum in most Odonata consists, like in Archaeognatha and some Dermaptera, of two separate sclerites; this contrasts with the one-piece condition of the gonangulum in other Dicondylia and Epiophlebia. The interpretation of terminal appendages in Odonata as the true cerci is supported by musculature data, and it is shown that previous counter-arguments are invalid. While Epiophlebia is in many characters highly peculiar among Odonata, the abdominal characters provide no resolution for the relationships between Epiophlebia, Zygoptera, and Anisoptera. The monophyly of Zygoptera receives considerable support.
The orb-weaving spider genus Larinia in Australia (Araneae: Araneidae)
Authors: Framenau Volker , Scharff Nikolaj
Published: July 2023

Despite some dispute on the validity of the genera in the “Larinia-group” (as defined by Grasshoff in 1970), Larinia Simon, 1874 and Lipocrea Thorell, 1878 have been maintained as separate genera. Our review does not allow sustaining a separation of these two genera in Australia taking into account morphological variability within and between the species. We accept a commonly employed broader concept of Larinia and recognise fi ve Australian species. Larinia montagui Hogg, 1914 (revalidated) is the most common representative of the genus in Australia, with records from all mainland states and many offshore islands. Larinia phthisica (L. Koch, 1871) and L. tabida (L. Koch, 1872) occur sympatrically along the coast in the northern two thirds of Australia, with L. phthisica also being present in South Australia. Larinia jamberoo sp. nov. has been reported from New South Wales, South Australia and Victoria. The synonymy of Larinia delicata Rainbow, 1920, currently only known from Lord Howe Island, with Lipocrea diluta Thorell, 1887 is disputed and the species revalidated.