bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of the HIV-1 Polymerase Gene Sequence Diversity for Prediction of Recent HIV-1 Infections Using Shannon Entropy Analysis
Authors: Nkone Paballo , Loubser Shayne , Quinn Thomas C. , Redd Andrew D. , Laeyendecker Oliver , Tiemessen Caroline T. , Mayaphi Simnikiwe H.
Published: July 2022

HIV-1 incidence is an important parameter for assessing the impact of HIV-1 interventions. The aim of this study was to evaluate HIV-1 polymerase (pol) gene sequence diversity for the prediction of recent HIV-1 infections. Complete pol Sanger sequences obtained from 45 participants confirmed to have recent or chronic HIV-1 infection were used. Shannon entropy was calculated for amino acid (aa) sequences for the entire pol and for sliding windows consisting of 50 aa each. Entropy scores for the complete HIV-1 pol were significantly higher in chronic compared to recent HIV-1 infections (p < 0.0001) and the same pattern was observed for some sliding windows (p-values ranging from 0.011 to <0.001), leading to the identification of some aa mutations that could discriminate between recent and chronic infection. Different aa mutation groups were assessed for predicting recent infection and their performance ranged from 64.3% to 100% but had a high false recency rate (FRR), which was decreased to 19.4% when another amino acid mutation (M456) was included in the analysis. The pol-based molecular method identified in this study would not be ideal for use on its own due to high FRR; however, this method could be considered for complementing existing serological assays to further reduce FRR.
Influenza Vaccination Coverage among Multiple Sclerosis Patients: Evolution over Time and Associated Factors
Authors: Hernández-García Ignacio , Garcés-Redondo Moisés , Rodríguez-Montolio Joana , Bengoa-Urrengoechea Irantzu , Espinosa-Rueda Judit , Aibar-Remón Carlos ,   Vaccine Working Group
Published: July 2022

Our objective was to determine the influenza vaccination rate in a Spanish cohort of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. A retrospective cohort study was carried out. Patients who attended the MS unit of the Lozano Blesa Hospital of Zaragoza between January 2015 and 2020 were included. The variables were obtained by reviewing the specialized and primary care records. Associations between receiving the vaccine in each flu season and the other variables were analyzed using bivariate analysis and multiple logistic regression models. A total of 260 patients were studied, with a median age of 31 years at the time of diagnosis. A total of 62.3% (162/260) were women. Vaccination coverage ranged from 20.4% in the 2015–2016 and 2016–2017 seasons to 41.5% in the 2019–2020 season (p = 0.000). Having been vaccinated in the previous season (ORa: 16.47–390.22; p = 0.000) and receiving a vaccination recommendation from the hospital vaccination unit (ORa: 2.44–3.96; p < 0.009) were associated with being vaccinated. The coverage is in an intermediate position compared to other countries. It is necessary to improve the referral system of these patients to the hospital vaccination unit because the information obtained by this service contributed to higher vaccination rates.
Knowledge and Awareness of Polish Parents on Vaccination against Human Papillomavirus
Authors: Sypień Piotr , Zielonka Tadeusz M.
Published: July 2022

Background: Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccinations are rare among Polish children, and the reasons are scant. The objective was to evaluate the knowledge, attitude and awareness of parents about HPV vaccination to investigate reasons for low HPV vaccination coverage. Methods: 387 parents of children hospitalized at the Children’s Hospital were asked to participate in an anonymous and voluntary survey study. Three hundred and two surveys were returned. Results: Only 54% of participants have heard about HPV, while 26% know that it is a sexually transmitted disease. According to 71% of responders, vaccines are generally effective, and 63% claim that they are safe. However, only 5% of daughters and 4% of sons are vaccinated against HPV. A total of 25% of parents spoke with their doctor about HPV-related diseases and prevention methods. A higher level of education (p = 0.01), knowledge of sexually transmitted diseases (p < 0.0001), perceiving vaccination as an effective and safe prophylactic method (p < 0.0001), and conversations with a doctor (p < 0.0001) are strong motivators to vaccinate children against HPV. This decision is free of religious beliefs, origin, age, gender and the number of children. Conclusions: Polish parents have a positive attitude towards vaccination. They recognize the limitations of their knowledge and express a desire to further it. Educational activity is an important element of physicians’ work.
Vaccination Intention against COVID-19 among the Unvaccinated in Jordan during the Early Phase of the Vaccination Drive: A Cross-Sectional Survey
Authors: Mahmud Ilias , Al Imam Mahmudul Hassan , Vinnakota Divya , Kheirallah Khalid A. , Jaber Mahmoud F. , Abalkhail Adil , Alasqah Ibrahim , Alslamah Thamer , Kabir Russell
Published: July 2022

Objective: This study assessed the intention and predictors of accepting the corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine in Jordan. Method: A national-level online survey was conducted among adults (≥18 years) in Jordan between June and September 2021. Descriptive analyses were performed to report vaccination intent. In addition, bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were done to evaluate the association between vaccination intent and its predictors. Results: A total of 2307 adults participated. Most of them (83.7%) expressed an intention to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. Their vaccination intention was significantly (p < 0.001) associated with male gender (aOR: 2.6), residence in the Amman region (aOR: 51.8), and no history of COVID-19 infection (aOR: 6.0). In contrast, individuals aged 50-64 years (aOR: 0.2, p < 0.001), Jordanians (aOR: 0.7, p = 0.038), and those with an occupation designated as “other” (unemployed, general workers, housewives) (aOR: 0.2, p < 0.001) were less likely to have a positive vaccination intent. Among the health belief model constructs, perceived future (aOR: 2.8) and present (aOR: 5.0) susceptibility to COVID-19 infection; severity of complications (aOR: 9.9); and benefits (aOR: 100.8) were significantly (p < 0.001) associated with a higher likelihood of having a vaccination intent. On the other hand, individuals who are concerned about the efficacy (aOR: 0.2) and side effects (aOR: 0.2) of the vaccine were less likely to have a positive vaccination intent (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Despite having high rates of intention to receive a COVID-19 vaccine, Jordanians, older adults and housewives, general workers and unemployed individuals were less likely to be vaccinated. These findings highlight that need-based public health campaigns are necessary to ensure maximum COVID-19 vaccination uptake in Jordan.
Characterization of the Antibody and Interferon-Gamma Release Response after a Second COVID-19 Booster Vaccination
Authors: Grikscheit Katharina , Rabenau Holger F. , Ghodratian Zahra , Widera Marek , Wilhelm Alexander , Toptan Grabmair Tuna , Hoehl Sebastian , Layer Emily , Helfritz Fabian , Ciesek Sandra
Published: July 2022

The emergence of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron subvariants prompted countries to call for accelerated booster vaccinations to limit disease and transmission. Here, we characterized correlates of protection over time after the second booster or after Omicron BA.1 infection comparing variants of concern (VOCs). Sera from subjects before and two and seven weeks after the second booster or after Omicron infection were examined for the level of Spike receptor-binding-domain (RBD)-specific antibodies. Furthermore, neutralizing antibodies (nABs) were characterized in in vitro neutralization assays comparing the variants of concern Alpha, Beta, Delta, and Omicron BA.1 and BA.2 against the ancestral strain B.1. Here, the second booster resulted in an increase in anti-RBD-IgG-antibodies, remaining nearly constant over time, accompanied by an increase in nABs against B.1 and the VOCs Alpha, Beta, Delta, and Omicron BA.1 and BA.2. However, compared to B.1, the neutralizing capacity against the Omicron subvariants remained low and was limited after the second booster vaccination. This indicates that antibody-mediated protection against infection with this VOC is unlikely, as evidenced by the fact that three individuals of our study cohort became infected with Omicron BA.1 after the second booster. T cell activation was measured by interferon-gamma release assays in a subgroup of subjects and was increased in all subjects tested after the second booster vaccination, correlating with the amount of Spike-specific antibodies. In subjects with Omicron BA.1 breakthrough infection, a significant increase in nABs to all VOCs studied was observed independently of booster vaccinations. Taken together, our data indicate that a second booster or Omicron BA.1 infection mediate a substantial increase in anti-Spike IgG antibodies; however, infection with Omicron BA.1 induced a stronger increase in neutralizing antibodies against the different VOCs
Antibody Diversity in Cancer: Translational Implications and Beyond
Authors: Reddy Raghuram , Mintz Joel , Golan Roei , Firdaus Fakiha , Ponce Roxana , Van Booven Derek , Manoharan Aysswarya , Issa Isabelle , Blomberg Bonnie B. , Arora Himanshu
Published: July 2022

Patients with cancer tend to develop antibodies to autologous proteins. This phenomenon has been observed across multiple cancer types, including bladder, lung, colon, prostate, and melanoma. These antibodies potentially arise due to induced inflammation or an increase in self-antigens. Studies focusing on antibody diversity are particularly attractive for their diagnostic value considering antibodies are present at an early diseased stage, serum samples are relatively easy to obtain, and the prevalence of antibodies is high even when the target antigen is minimally expressed. Conversely, the surveillance of serum proteins in cancer patients is relatively challenging because they often show variability in expression and are less abundant. Moreover, an antibody’s presence is also useful as it suggests the relative immunogenicity of a given antigen. For these reasons, profiling antibodies’ responses is actively considered to detect the spread of antigens following immunotherapy. The current review focuses on expanding the knowledge of antibodies and their diversity, and the impact of antibody diversity on cancer regression and progression.
Impact of Hydrological Conditions on the Isotopic Composition of the Sava River in the Area of the Zagreb Aquifer
Authors: Kovač Zoran , Barešić Jadranka , Parlov Jelena , Sironić Andreja
Published: July 2022

The Zagreb aquifer is the main source of potable water for the inhabitants of the City of Zagreb and Zagreb County. It presents a strategic water reserve protected by the Republic of Croatia. All previous studies related to the definition of the groundwater–surface interaction in the study area have been made based on the isotopic composition of the Sava River from the location of the Domovinski Most bridge, which is located downstream of most pumping well fields. In 2019, a new monitoring station was established at the Podsusedski Most bridge, at the entrance of the Sava River into the Zagreb aquifer, approximately 23 km upstream of the Domovinski Most bridge. Within this research, water isotope data (δ2H, δ18O, deuterium excess) from both Sava River and groundwater sites were used along with hydrologic data to examine the extent to which hydrologic conditions affect the isotope signature and whether the interaction between groundwater and the Sava River causes a change in the isotopic composition of the Sava River. In addition, δ18O amplitudes were estimated for different time periods, as well as the mean residence time for the hydrological year 2019/2020. For that purpose, different statistical methods were applied to the new monthly data for six years for the Domovinski Most bridge and two years for the Podsusedski Most bridge. The δ18O amplitudes vary from 0.22 to 1.86 depending on the time interval and hydrological conditions, while the mean residence time for the hydrological year 2019/2020 was estimated to be about 2.5 months.
Species Diversity, Distribution, and Abundance of Freshwater Snails in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
Authors: Nwoko Onyekachi Esther , Kalinda Chester , Manyangadze Tawanda , Chimbari Moses John
Published: July 2022

Disease distribution is correlated to the distribution of the freshwater snails which in turn is influenced by the physicochemical status of the habitats. This study aimed to evaluate freshwater snail species diversity, abundance, and distribution in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) province, South Africa, between December 2020 to February 2021. A total of 4576 freshwater snails consisting of 8 species were collected from 127 sites in 11 districts. Tarebia granifera snails were the most abundant (n = 2201), while bivalves (n = 95) were the least abundant. The highest and least Shannon–Weiner Simpson’s diversity indices were recorded in Ugu and iLembe districts, respectively. A negative relationship was observed between rainfall, Bulinus tropicus, Lymnaea natalensis, bivalves, and Physa acuta, while temperature had a positive relationship with B. globosus, B. pfeifferi, and T. granifera. A positive relationship was observed between B. globosus and B. pfeifferi (r = 0.713, p < 0.05). Snail presence constitutes potential health and economic risks to humans and animals in contact with the waterbody. Hence, our study described the current distribution, abundance, and species diversity of freshwater snails in the KZN province with insights into the possibilities of snail-based biological control for schistosomes intermediate host snails.
A Study on the Mechanism and Pricing of Drainage Rights Trading Based on the Bilateral Call Auction Model and Wealth Utility Function
Authors: Shen Juqin , Zhu Tingting , Sun Fuhua
Published: July 2022

In the context of the high incidence of flooding disputes among neighboring subjects in the basin, exploring the drainage rights trading mechanism and clarifying the pricing method of drainage rights are new ideas to manage flooding disasters. In this study, the trading mechanism of drainage rights is constructed using a bilateral call auction model, in which the price constraint, the control total quantity constraint, the clearing rule, and the matching rule are explained. In addition, we adopt the wealth utility concept to construct a function, apply the social welfare function to associate the wealth utility functions of both sides of the transaction, and draw on the environmental Gini coefficient concept to construct a pricing model for drainage rights transactions based on fairness and efficiency. Finally, we conduct an arithmetic simulation of the drainage rights trading mechanism and transaction pricing for China’s Jiangsu section of the Huaihe River Basin. The study’s results show that the trading mechanism model can give the optimal trading scheme when multiple subjects are trading drainage rights. This fills the gap in existing studies and can lead to efficient trading of drainage rights. At the same time, the pricing model can give the optimal transaction price that considers efficiency and fairness, providing a more practical pricing theory for drainage rights trading.
Spatiotemporal Variation and Driving Factors of Water Supply Services in the Three Gorges Reservoir Area of China Based on Supply-Demand Balance
Authors: He Jia , Zhao Yiqiu , Wen Chuanhao
Published: July 2022

Water supply services (WSSs) are critical to human survival and development. The Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Trade-offs (InVEST) model enables an integrated, dynamic, and visual assessment of ecosystem services at different scales. In addition, Geodetector is an effective tool for identifying the main driving factors of spatial heterogeneity of ecosystem services. Therefore, this article takes the Three Gorges Reservoir Area (TGRA), the most prominent strategic reserve of freshwater resources in China, as the study area and uses the InVEST model to simulate the spatiotemporal heterogeneity of the supply-demand balance of WSSs and freshwater security patterns in 2005, 2010, 2015, and 2018, and explores the key driving factors of freshwater security index (FSI) with Geodetector. The total supply of WSSs in the TGRA decreased by 1.05% overall between 2005 and 2018, with the head and tail areas being low-value regions for water yield and the central part of the belly areas being high-value regions for water yield. The total demand for WSSs in the TGRA increased by 9.1%, with the tail zones and the central part of the belly zones being the high water consumption areas. In contrast, the head zones are of low water consumption. The multi-year average FSI of the TGRA is 0.12, 0.1, 0.21, and 0.16, showing an upward trend. The key ecological function areas in the TGRA are high-value FSI regions, while the tail zones in the key development areas are low-value FSI regions. Industrial water consumption significantly impacts FSI, with a multi-year average q value of 0.82. Meanwhile, the q value of industrial and domestic water consumption on FSI in 2018 increased by 43.54% and 30%, respectively, compared with 2005. This study analyzes the spatiotemporal variation of WSSs and detects the drivers in the natural-economic-social perspective and innovation in ecosystem services research. The study results can guide water resource security management in other large reservoirs or specific reservoir areas.
Monitoring and Analysis of Water Level–Water Storage Capacity Changes in Ngoring Lake Based on Multisource Remote Sensing Data
Authors: Zhu Weidong , Zhao Shubing , Qiu Zhenge , He Naiying , Li Yaqin , Zou Ziya , Yang Fei
Published: July 2022

Mastering the fluctuation of water levels and the water storage capacity of plateau lakes is greatly important for monitoring the water balance of the Tibetan Plateau and predicting regional and global climate change. The water level of plateau lakes is difficult to measure, and the ground measured data of long-time series are difficult to obtain. Ngoring Lake is considered in this study, using spaceborne single-photon lidar ICESat-2/ATL13 inland lake standard data products, the water level values provided by Hydroweb laboratory, and the image data of an optical remote sensing satellite. A new method is proposed in the absence of measured data. The method uses multisource remote sensing data to estimate the long-term changes in the water levels, surface area, and water storage capacity of Ngoring Lake in the past three decades. The results show that the water level values of ICESat-2 and Hydroweb on overlapping observation days are highly correlated, with R2 = 0.9776, MAE = 0.420 m, RMSE = 0.077 m, and the average absolute height difference is 0.049 m. The fusion of multiple altimetry data can obtain more continuous long-time series water-level observation results. From 1992 to 2021, the water body information of Ngoring Lake basin fluctuated greatly and showed different variation characteristics in different time periods. The lowest water level in January 1997 was approximately 4268.49 m, and it rose to its highest in October 2009, approximately 4272.44 m. The change in the water level in the basin was mainly affected by natural factors, such as precipitation, air temperature, and human activities. The analysis shows that ICESat-2 can be combined with other remote sensing data to realize the long-time series dynamic monitoring of plateau lakes, showing great advantages in the comprehensive observation of plateau lakes in no man’s land.
Depth-Dependent Concentrations of E. coli in Agricultural Irrigation Ponds
Authors: Stocker Matthew D. , Smith Jaclyn E. , Pachepsky Yakov A.
Published: July 2022

Microbial water quality surveys of irrigation sources are conducted by measuring the concentrations of generic E. coli. The objective of this study was to evaluate the dependence of E. coli concentrations on the water sampling depth at different times of the day. Three irrigation ponds were sampled in Maryland eleven times during the growing seasons of 2019–2021. Water was collected in replicates at the surface (0 cm) and then in 50 cm depth intervals at 9:00, 12:00, and 15:00. Ponds 1 and 2 were sampled to 150 cm, whereas Pond 3 was only sampled to the 50 cm depth due to it having a shallower average depth. An analysis of variance test revealed that E. coli concentrations significantly differed by depth in only one pond (p > 0.05) but on multiple dates. Additionally, the sampling time of day was significant at only two of eleven of the observation dates across ponds; in those cases, the average concentrations across the pond increased in the order of 9:00 > 12:00 > 15:00. This study shows that E. coli concentrations measured in irrigation ponds may substantially differ depending on the sampling depth and time of day, and that these factors should be accounted for in the monitoring design.
Análisis de rendimiento en red de sensores inalámbrica con distintas topologías y cantidades de nodos
Authors: Vinces Mendieta Manuel Eduardo , Loor Zamora Darwin Patricio , Cruz Felipe Marely del Rosario
Published: July 2022

Las redes de sensores inalámbricas se basan en dispositivos que están interconectados entre sí, capaces de obtener información de su entorno; estas se construyen con varias tecnologías, entre ellas encontramos a Zigbee como protocolo de comunicación a corta distancia utilizado en aplicaciones de redes inalámbricas, maneja diferentes configuraciones sobre topologías de red en estrella, árbol y malla, soportando un gran número de sensores; el objetivo de esta investigación es analizar el rendimiento de la red de sensores inalámbrica comparando topologías con distintas cantidades de nodos; la metodología empleada se realizó sobre un ambiente de simulación utilizando la herramienta OPNET; creando escenarios para medir la latencia en la capa de aplicación sobre las topologías con diferentes números de nodos. Como resultado se determinó que mientras más nodos se aumente dentro de la red de sensores inalámbrica mejor rendimiento presenta la topología malla.
Sistema nacional de vigilancia a la morbilidad materna extremadamente grave. Cuba
Authors: Toste Mireya Álvarez , Padrón Mercedes Piloto , Breto García Andres
Published: July 2022

La vigilancia de la morbilidad materna extremadamente grave, es un complemento a la investigación de las muertes maternas. Con el objetivo de diseñar un sistema nacional de vigilancia a la morbilidad materna extremadamente grave se realizó una investigación de sistemas y servicios de salud, cuyo universo de estudio estuvo constituido por todas las gestantes y puérperas diagnosticadas como morbilidad materna extremadamente grave en las unidades de cuidados intensivos, salas de cuidados perinatales de hospitales maternos y servicios ginecobstétricos de hospitales generales, en todas las provincias del país, durante 2018-19. Los casos fueron diagnosticados según los criterios de clasificación de la Organización Mundial de la Salud. La información se obtuvo a partir de registros hospitalarios de morbilidad materna, carnet obstétrico, historia clínica hospitalaria. La recogida de datos se realizó por sistema automatizado Halo. Para el diseño del sistema de vigilancia se definieron los propósitos del sistema, los objetivos, las funciones básicas en los diferentes niveles, los eventos a vigilar, los componentes del sistema, los subsistemas, y el flujo de información. Se diseñó un sistema nacional de vigilancia para la morbilidad materna extremadamente grave en la atención hospitalaria para la notificación de casos al sistema nacional de vigilancia en salud, como indicador de la calidad de los cuidados maternos. Mediante el sistema se podrá realizar la recolección, análisis e interpretación de datos, para detectar, difundir y actuar oportunamente con la morbilidad que supone un riesgo durante el embarazo, el parto y el puerperio.

Palabras clave: morbilidad materna extremadamente grave; morbilidad materna extrema; sistema de vigilancia en salud; subsistemas de vigilancia; vigilancia epidemiológica.
Gemelos siameses toracópagos en un hospital público de Ecuador: Reporte de caso
Authors: Toapanta Pullutasig Richard Isaac , Espinales Casanova Lidia Andrea , Rodríguez Orellana Cesar Augusto , Fernández Bowen Martha
Published: July 2022

Los gemelos siameses son una entidad poco común, asociada a una morbilidad y mortalidad significativas. Se clasifican según el sitio de unión más prominente en tres grupos principales: ventral, dorsal o lateral. Los tipos más comunes de gemelos siameses son los toracópagos. El objetivo del manuscrito es brindar una visión general y global, acerca de la situación y manejo de este tipo de patologías en el contexto de un hospital público ecuatoriano. Se presenta el caso de gemelos siameses toracópagos, producto de una paciente de 26 años, sin antecedentes patológicos personales, ginecoobstétricos o familiares de relevancia; con diagnóstico prenatal temprano a las 19,3 semanas de gestación mediante ultrasonografía que reportó producto monocoriónico-monoamniótico, con hallazgos toraco-abdominales de corazón, hígado y cavidad gástrica única, el cual tuvo controles prenatales estrictos de su embarazo y que presentó manifestaciones asociadas a este tipo de gestaciones. El embarazo culminó a las 32 semanas de gestación, mediante cesárea corporal clásica, sin complicaciones, se obtuvo un producto gemelar toracópago femenino, sin signos vitales. Estos productos gestacionales son atípicos, es importante considerar las posibles complicaciones y la importancia de su diagnóstico precoz, así mismo es vital la asesoría familiar para contextualizar la viabilidad del embarazo.

Palabras clave: cesárea; gemelos siameses; parto prematuro; polihidramnios; toracópagos.
IMPLICAÇÕES DO TRABALHO NA (IN)CONCLUSÃO DA ESCOLA REGULAR NAS TRAJETÓRIAS DE JOVENS CERTIFICADOS PELO ENEM
Authors: Lima Evelyn de Souza , Pinheiro Diógenes
Published: July 2022

Desde a década de 1990, vem crescendo o número de jovens que concluem a educação básica no Brasil. Porém, fatos como a evasão escolar, as reprovações de série e em muitos casos a entrada no mercado de trabalho contribuem para que parte da juventude não consiga finalizar o nível básico, principalmente na etapa do ensino médio. O presente artigo visa fazer uma análise compelida de como o trabalho pode ter influência na conclusão do ensino básico por jovens que se utilizaram do Enem para obterem a certificação do ensino médio e entrar no ensino superior. O artigo utilizou como metodologia a coleta de dados por meio de um questionário online respondido por 29 jovens e entrevistas individuais semiestruturadas com sete jovens respondentes desse questionário. A pesquisa conclui que a frequência no mercado de trabalho esteve presente em boa parte das trajetórias dos jovens entrevistados, principalmente o trabalho informal. Além disso, foi possível notar que assim como o trabalho pode ser grande responsável pela desistência escolar, também pode influenciar na busca da conclusão da escolaridade por esses jovens.
UNI DUNI LER: CLUBE DE LEITURA PARA BEBÊS
Authors: Roscoe Alessandra
Published: July 2022

UNI DUNI LER: CLUBE DE LEITURA PARA BEBÊS
BIBLIOTECA COMUNITÁRIA “DONA MARIINHA”: A LITERATURA COMO PROMOTORA DA CIDADANIA
Authors: Souza Rejane de
Published: July 2022

BIBLIOTECA COMUNITÁRIA “DONA MARIINHA”: A LITERATURA COMO PROMOTORA DA CIDADANIA
PROJETO LITERÁRIO PEDAGÓGICO – ESCRITORES DE MINAS CORRESPONDÊNCIA – LENDO E CONHECENDO BARTOLOMEU
Authors: Vieira Rosa Maria Filgueiras , Oliveira Maria Da Conceição de
Published: July 2022

PROJETO LITERÁRIO PEDAGÓGICO – ESCRITORES DE MINAS – CORRESPONDÊNCIA – LENDO E CONHECENDO BARTOLOMEU
La investigación cualitativa en tiempos de post pandemia
Authors: Piña-Ferrer Lenys
Published: July 2022

La investigación cualitativa en tiempos de post pandemia
Sustain our Variable Population Through Differential Evolution Algorithm and Agriculture Innovation
Authors:   Assistant Professor, Department of Computer Science and  Engineering, IFET College of Engineering Villupuram (Tamil Nadu), India., Ranjeeth A. , Sujitha M. ,   UG Scholar, Department of Computer Science and  Engineering, IFET College of Engineering Villupuram (Tamil Nadu), India.
Published: July 2022

Agriculture is a subdivision that provides considerably to the business-related incident of our country. As the world's population grows, Agricultural production has overtaken all other industries as its most significant source of growth. Because the need for food was lower in the 1970’s due to a smaller population compared to today's population statistics, that think that the world's public will extend to 9.9 billion by 2050, humanity must plan for agricultural production to feed these exponentially growing numbers. Therefore, we need huge agricultural lands to produce the grains and crops necessary for the current population. But much of the formerly arable land has been abandoned during periods of drought, and due to poor planning and poor water management during the dry season, saving arable land from drought is inevitable. Making a structured plan for water management can be one solution to mitigating large amounts of farmland disappearing. Only 12% of the land can be used for agriculture, but we need to feed 9.9 billion people 70% more food by 2050. That's enough to feed 10 billion people (we're at 7.6 billion right now). Despite this excess, hunger persisted. So we have come up with the Differential Evolution Algorithm, which predicts the future population's food needs based on past and present agricultural data. This helps to solve hunger in the near future and also helps limit drought on land. This study aims to highlight the importance of agricultural information systems for agricultural development, identify the strengths and weaknesses of current systems, and provide recommendations for improving their performance. We will return to the results of previous studies on this issue. Finally, general conclusions about farm information systems are highlighted, suggesting implications for better farm information systems..
Mettiamo le carte in tavola! O sul tavolo?
Authors: Di Carlo Miriam
Published: July 2022

Rispondiamo ad alcuni lettori che ci chiedono perché si utilizzi tavolo (al maschile) per indicare il mobile e tavola (al femminile) per riferirsi alla mensa apparecchiata. Cerchiamo anche di rispondere a coloro che ci chiedono se si dica gioco da tavolo o gioco da tavola, tentando di definire tutti i casi e ambiti in cui vengono usati i due termini.
Large-Scale Multi-Area State Estimation from Phasor Measurement Units Utilizing Factor Graphs
Authors: Cosovic Mirsad , Vukobratovic Dejan
Published: July 2022

We propose a linear state estimation (SE) model with complex coefficients and variables suitable for processing large-scale data in electric power systems observable by phasor measurement units. The presented model is based on factor graphs and solved using the belief propagation (BP) algorithm. The proposed algorithm is placed in the non-overlapping multi-area SE scenario without a central coordinator. The communication between areas is asynchronous, where neighboring areas exchange only ``beliefs" about specific state variables. Presented architecture directly exploits system sparsity, can be flexibly paralellized and results in substantially lower computational complexity compared to traditional SE solutions. Finally, we discuss performances of the BP-based SE algorithm using power systems with 118, 1354 and 9241 buses.
A Deep Unfolded Prior-Aided RPCA Network For Cloud Removal
Authors: Imran Shoaib , Tahir Muhammad , Khalid Zubair , Uppal Momin
Published: July 2022

In this paper, we consider the problem of removing clouds and recovering ground cover information from remote sensing images by proposing novel framework based on a deep unfolded and prior-aided robust principal component analysis (DUPA-RPCA) network. Clouds, together with their shadows, usually occlude ground-cover features in optical remote sensing images. This hinders the utilization of these images for a range of applications such as earth observation, land-cover classification and urban planning. We model these cloud-contaminated images as a sum of low rank and sparse elements and then unfold an iterative RPCA algorithm that has been designed for reweighted l1-minimization. As a result, the activation function in DUPA-RPCA adapts for every input at each layer of the network. Our experimental results on both Landsat and Sentinel images indicate that our method gives better accuracy and efficiency when compared with existing state of the art methods. 
Transient Stability of Paralleled Virtual Synchronous Generator and Grid-following Inverter
Authors: Me Si Phu , Ravanji Mohammad Hasan , Zarif Mansour Milad , Zabihi Sasan , Bahrani Behrooz
Published: July 2022

The majority of inverter-based resources (IBRs) currently operate as grid-following inverters (GFLIs). These inverters exhibit certain stability issues when integrated in low-strength areas of the grid. To enhance the grid strength in a GFLI-dominant area, virtual synchronous generators (VSGs) are installed. If the VSG and the GFLI are investigated as a paralleled system, despite the benefits brought by the VSG, in some cases, the transient angle instability process, caused by a voltage sag, is accelerated. Therefore, this paper studies the transient angle stability of a paralleled VSG-GFLI system via investigating the voltage at a common bus between the two IBRs. Subsequently, a stable region of the voltage angles of the two IBRs is determined. Based on this region, the stability margin of the paralleled system can be determined and used to quantitatively evaluate the system stability. Moreover, a control loop is proposed to improve the transient stability of the paralleled system. The proposed controller can adaptively reduce the VSG power set-point to avoid a complete failure of the VSG even when no stable equilibrium point exists during a voltage sag. The stability investigation and performance evaluation of the proposed method are conducted in PSCAD/EMTDC and experimentally validated.
Transient Stability of Paralleled Virtual Synchronous Generator and Grid-following Inverter
Authors: Me Si Phu , Zarif Mansour Milad , Zabihi Sasan , Bahrani Behrooz
Published: July 2022

The majority of inverter-based resources (IBRs) currently operate as grid-following inverters (GFLIs). These inverters exhibit certain stability issues when integrated in low-strength areas of the grid. To enhance the grid strength in a GFLI-dominant area, virtual synchronous generators (VSGs) are installed. If the VSG and the GFLI are investigated as a paralleled system, despite the benefits brought by the VSG, in some cases, the transient angle instability process, caused by a voltage sag, is accelerated. Therefore, this paper studies the transient angle stability of a paralleled VSG-GFLI system via investigating the voltage at a common bus between the two IBRs. Subsequently, a stable region of the voltage angles of the two IBRs is determined. Based on this region, the stability margin of the paralleled system can be determined and used to quantitatively evaluate the system stability. Moreover, a control loop is proposed to improve the transient stability of the paralleled system. The proposed controller can adaptively reduce the VSG power set-point to avoid a complete failure of the VSG even when no stable equilibrium point exists during a voltage sag. The stability investigation and performance evaluation of the proposed method are conducted in PSCAD/EMTDC and experimentally validated.
Identity-Privacy Protection for Facial-rPPG Based Smart Health Research
Authors: Chen Mingliang , Jayaweera Ashira , Wong Chau-Wai , Wu Min
Published: July 2022

Camera-based remote photoplethysmography (rPPG) technology has shown a promising future in contact-free cardiac and other smart health applications. The rPPG technology typically requires facial videos as a source input, which may lead to identity-privacy concerns. Facial videos are sensitive and contain subjects' identifiable appearance features. Coupled with the health information potentially revealed by rPPG techniques, the compounding sensitivity has been a major obstacle to encouraging the sharing of facial rPPG video datasets in the research community to foster the advancement of the field. This paper investigates a suite of anonymization transforms that remove the identifiable appearance features in facial videos and retain the physiological signals for rPPG analysis. After the transformation, the facial videos are de-identified and may be shared in public with little risk of identity-privacy leakage. The proposed algorithm offers tunable options to balance the physiological fidelity and the identity-protecting strength to meet different levels of privacy requirements. A human subject study has been carried out to understand -- both qualitatively and quantitatively -- the perceived strength and efficacy of privacy protection by these anonymization techniques in de-identifying the facial videos and maintaining the physiological signals.
CAN MULTIPLE WHATSAPP GROUPS REDUCE MESSAGE FLOODING DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC PERIOD?
Authors: Danri H. Delport
Published: July 2022

WhatsApp has been favoured by many educators and students as an online learning tool during the COVID-19 pandemic.  Despite its’ popularity in educational settings, the flooding of messages on group chats remains a challenge for teachers as well as students. Currently there is a gap in research when it comes to investigating the types of conversations that students have on such groups which is intended for teaching and learning purposes, as well as a possible solution with regard to the flooding of messages. The purpose of this study is to investigate the chats that make up redundant posts that are often experienced on WhatsApp groups as well as to see whether multiple WhatsApp groups for a subject may reduce the flooding of messages.  For the purpose of this study, the conversations on WhatsApp of a complete online first-year statistics course at a South African university will be analysed by making use of a WhatsApp chat analyser app, ChatChart. The findings of this study revealed that students flooded groups mostly with university-related matters, for example test dates, learning material, WhatsApp links to other subjects at the university, lecturer information, as well as important information that was posted on the student portal and test marks. The creation of two additional WhatsApp groups reduced message flooding within the content group where subject content was posted, while the other two groups served as a “place” where students were allowed to interact with their statistics lecturer as well as each other to discuss university-related matters.
SUPPORTING ACADEMIC ENGAGEMENT THROUGH IMMERSIVE TECHNOLOGIES
Authors: Suero Montero Calkin , Goagoses Naska , Winschiers-Theophilus Heike , Pope Nicolas , Suovuo Tomi , Rötkönen Erkki , Sutinen Erkki
Published: July 2022

"Academic engagement refers to the overall quality of students’ involvement with schooling, including their activities and goals, as well as their connections with peers and educators. Much research has examined the facilitation and support of students’ academic engagement within physical classroom settings. However, the field of education has been experiencing a shift from the status quo modus operandi of face-to-face instruction to online synchronous/asynchronous instruction, which has impacted students’ engagement. This change has increased the demand to develop and adapt digital technologies that can support the engagement of students throughout online learning processes and their adjustment to the new educational norm. Fundamental research on the development and implementation of immersive technologies could provide a way forward, however we maintain that the development of such technologies needs to be guided by current pedagogical and psychological theories. Hence, in this paper, first we examine empirically substantiated frameworks of engagement and identify aspects that require consideration when developing new immersive technologies. Then, we present a succinct review of the technology-enhanced learning environments literature to determine how engagement has (or has not) been supported through immersive technologies, i.e., virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and 3D volumetric video. Finally, having embarked on the development of our in-house technology, an immersive 3D video prototype, we present the technology setup alongside the co-creation process that we are implementing to guide its development. Based on pedagogical and psychological research, we highlight several vital factors substantiating students’ engagement, including the significance of the teacher’s role and the importance of teacher-student and student-student interactions. These factors serve to guide our qualitative data collection during co-creation sessions to uncover students’ and teachers’ new perspectives of engagement in relation to the affordances that immersive technologies should offer. Our work presents insights to educators, technology designers and researchers about important educational frameworks and considerations directing our development of immersive technologies in support of academic engagement."
MICRO-CREDENTIALS – IMPROVEMENT OR FRAGMENTATION IN HIGHER EDUCATION?
Authors: Kušić Siniša , Vrcelj Sofija , Zovko Anita
Published: July 2022

"This paper analyses various approaches to micro-credentials, one of the most recent trends in higher education. Micro-credentials represent an “alternative” to traditional study programmes for acquiring independent formal qualification in higher education, whereas higher education institutions use it to achieve their mission of supporting adult education, i.e. lifelong learning in higher education. Even though a consensus regarding the definition of the term micro-credentials does not exist at either EU or national level, it can be stated that they represent small-scale and short learning programmes designed to offer specific knowledge, skills and competencies that satisfy social, personal, cultural as well as labour market needs. Apart from different interpretations of the term, the challenges of micro-credentials in higher education are identified in regard to regulatory frameworks, integration into national qualification frameworks, recognition and accumulating of micro-credentials as well as application of quality assurance mechanisms. Similar to other programmes, micro-credentials are not equally assessed. They can be understood in regard to their purpose and structure, as a mean of flexibility in higher education through the development of individual learning paths, as a mean of supporting higher education in an attempt to become more accessible to non-traditional students as well as an initiative to strengthen adult education in higher education. On the other hand, as the abovementioned education form is oriented towards specific set of knowledge, which is, despite emphasizing other needs, in neoliberal politics predominately oriented towards labour market needs, fragmentation in higher education can be identified. This state is in contrast with holistic nature of study programmes which have to be designed to enable students to acquire well rounded and complementary, theoretical and practical set of knowledge and skills during their respective studies. Despite numerous challenges of micro-credentials, learning programmes designed for the acquisition of micro-credentials deserve systematic consideration in higher education by respecting not only their specific context and structure and higher education system, but also the characteristics of the complete education system."
The Mediterranean as a Context and Concept in the Art of Modernism
Authors: Getashvili Nina V.
Published: July 2022

The “imperious presence” of the region (Fernand Braudel’s words about the Mediterranean from the preface in his work The Mediterranean Sea and the Mediterranean World in the Age of Philip) has been clearly seen in the art of European modernist artists since the beginning of the 20th century.
Braudel created his work not only following the methodology of the Annales school but also in the context of the pan-European historiosophical interest of his contemporaries, including artists, in the "region". However, in artists and writers’ understanding, it was Friedrich Nietzsche who marked the initial milestone, the special, significant role of the "Mediterranean" for the European culture of the 20th century.
The main plots and names of the first direction, Fauvism, which appeared in the 20th century, with its attacking energy of primary colours, saturated with Mediterranean impressions made under the influence of Picasso's experiments with form, and shown in Daniel Kahnweiler’s gallery in 1908, caused a mocking name - cubism, serving as a starting point for this glorious art direction.
Not only the corners of the northern coast but also the Maghreb countries impressed European artists with the "special" light of the Mediterranean.
Also, through the prism of understanding, the article examines the role of the Mediterranean in the "call to order" movement and in the context of the antinomy of Nordicism and Greco-Latin civilisation.
Examples from the works of representatives of Fauvism (Braque, Derain, Matisse), cubism, Maillol, Picasso, de Chirico, Dali, Klee are given, confirming this postulate. Many artists have chosen the Mediterranean coast as their home for many years, which is reflected in their creative work.
Examples that make it possible to assert that the theme of the Mediterranean is firmly rooted in the semantic and formal concepts of modernism are provided. Reflected in works of art, they, in turn, become part of the overall picture of cultural syncretism in the unique environment of the region.
Soviet sculptors and Stalin's Empire Style. High-rise building on Kotelnicheskaya embankment.
Authors: Dobrolyubov Peter V.
Published: July 2022

This article is devoted to the creative team of wonderful, talented Soviet architects, sculptors, engineers, designers who decorated Moscow with their monumental works during the construction of Stalin's skyscrapers, using the example of the construction of a high-rise building on the Kotelnicheskaya Embankment. Part of the building was erected in 1938. The main building on Kotelnicheskaya Embankment began to be built at the end of the Great Patriotic War. The house on Kotelnicheskaya Embankment became one of the seven Stalinist skyscrapers erected on the arrow of the Yauza River and the Moskva River. The high-rise on the left bank of the Moskva River was supposed to mark the confluence of the Yauza into its channel and continue the concept of the projected 400-meter Palace of the Council. One of the authors of the residential building project on Kotelnicheskaya Embankment was D.N.Chechulin, who was also entrusted with the design of a high-rise building in Zaryadye. He received the state prize not for a residential building on Kotelnicheskaya Embankment, but for the project of a skyscraper in Zaryadye that was never built. The general plan for the reconstruction of Moscow in 1935 provided for the construction of 9-12 storey high-rises buildings. A special role is assigned to the Moscow sculptors who worked at the height of a bird's flight on this high-rise, and we would like to mention them - these are N.V. Tomsky, M.F. Baburin, P.I. Bondarenko, M.N. Smirnov, R. K. Taurit, A.P. Faidysh-Krandievsky, D.P. Schwartz, G. A. Schultz, L.D.Muravin, T.N.Mukhataeva, A.V.Kuznetsova, E.G.Bagirov. Many of these sculptors then became leading teachers at the sculpture departments at the Moscow State Art Institute named after V.I.Surikov and the Moscow State Art Institute now named after Duke S.G.Stroganov, where I had the opportunity to learn the art of plastics from them in 1974-1979.