bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cross-cultural Competence in the Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous World
Authors: Ting Su-Hie
Published: July 2023

Advances in communication technology and transportation have made the world increasingly seamless and borderless. Globalisation brings people from different cultural backgrounds and regions together in closer contact than ever before. The cross-cultural contact brings its expected problems in cultural differences but the Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, and Ambiguous (VUCA) environment also means that people cannot rely on stereotypes and past experiences of other cultural groups because of the speed by which changes take place. Because of this, cross-cultural competence is needed. The dimension that is better understood due to more extensive research is intercultural competence, and cultural training has been found to be useful. The other dimension, cultural intelligence, is less understood. The notion that cultural intelligence depends on individual differences means that some individuals have the intercultural sensitivity that makes for successful cross-cultural contact. Past research conducted in workplace settings suggest that there may be a limit to awareness training. Nevertheless, the investigation of the interrelationship of the intercultural competence and cultural intelligence dimensions is less understood. Furthermore, the investigation of cross-cultural competence in academic settings is rudimentary, but needs to be stepped up because of the increasing influx of international students into Malaysia.
Digitalization of Accounting: Implementation Features and Efficiency Assessment
Authors: Gnatiuk Taras , Shkromyda Vitalii , Shkromyda Nadiya
Published: July 2023

The digitalization of accounting processes offers significant benefits, including increased efficiency and reduced errors in accounting data. However, the successful implementation of new and modernization of existing computer programs in the accounting system requires consideration of cost, technical, professional, and managerial factors. This study aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of qualitative and quantitative parameters that can form the basis for making decisions on the integration of automated accounting data processing, robotic process automation, artificial intelligence, blockchain, or their combinations into existing systems for the full digitalization of accounting. The integration of software robots and artificial intelligence into accounting systems offers various benefits related to the creation of a non-standard environment where the generation, transfer, and exchange of traditional accounting information is accelerated and improved through the integration of data from other management systems and databases. These improvements contribute to the efficiency and reliability of the automated accounting system. The introduction of software components such as robotic process automation and artificial intelligence helps to free accounting staff from the routine of repetitive operations and ensures automatic prioritization and sequencing of accounting registration in the digital space. Integration of bots into an automated accounting system also facilitates document sharing and provides remote automated monitoring. This increases interaction between departments and improves control over operations that require additional attention from managers.To assess the effectiveness of such software solutions, the authors critically evaluate existing approaches to determining the qualitative indicators that are expected to be obtained after the introduction of software innovations and propose to supplement the performance criteria with quantitative indicators, among which are the time-saving ratio in document processing, the error rate and the resource-saving ratio. In conclusion, this study substantiates the need to consider quantitative parameters and coefficients that can be used to assess the effectiveness of implementing software solutions in automated accounting systems for the digitalization of financial information. The results emphasize the need for a holistic approach to assessing the effectiveness, reliability, and security of these solutions. Improved technical knowledge and training of accounting professionals in security assessment are crucial for the successful implementation and use of digitalization of accounting systems.
Physicochemical parameters optimization and peroxidase characterization from Aspergillus niger native strain by solid-state fermentation for improved dye decolorization
Authors: Ashraf Shiv Ram , Afroz Amber , Anwar Zahid
Published: July 2023

The hyper yield of peroxidase (POX) was investigated for a novel native Aspergillus niger strain identified by 18S RNA analysis. A. niger strains sequences were submitted to GenBank; IDs allotted were MN611114.1 (BMB 17) and MN559756.1 (BMB-18). The identified Aspergillus strains in combination showed enhanced (POX) activity (601.5 U/mL) by solid-state fermentation in comparison to their individual activities. POX was purified by ammonium sulfate, and size exclusion gel chromatography exhibited a 7.83-fold increase in POX concentration (13.3 U/mg) in comparison to BMB17 and BMB 18 (11.8 & 7.6 U/mg respectively). The best POX activity was obtained with pH 6.5, 37 °C, and 5 days of incubation. Using guaiacol as substrate, POX showed maximum activity (Vmax) of 537 U/mL with a corresponding Michaelis constant (Km) value of 126 µM. Calcium chloride worked as a POX activator at 300 & 400 mM. Zinc sulfate (500 mM), EDTA (5 mM); ethanol, propanol, and acetonitrile (50%) inhibited (18-30%) POX. Urea (1M), and copper sulfate (500 mM) strongly inhibited POX up to 40%. Polysorbate-80 (1%) slightly reduced the POX by 10% to 15%. BMB17+18-induced promising dye decolorization (88-98%) against all vat dyes, methylene blue, and phenol red.
Filler engineering for papermaking: Comparison with fiber engineering and some important research topics
Authors: Shen Jing , Song Zhanqian , Qian Xueren , Liu Wenxia , Yang Fei
Published: July 2023

Fibers and fillers are important raw materials for the preparation of paper products. Similar to fiber engineering, filler engineering for papermaking has become an active research area. There are similarities as well as differences between engineering involving each of these classes of materials. There are differences in such aspects as the nature of materials to be engineered, applicable engineering methods, and engineerablity of the material surfaces. The co-development of fiber engineering and filler engineering can potentially provide many benefits to the papermaking industry. For filler engineering, the relevant research topics broadly can include fibrous filler engineering, hollow/porous filler engineering, acid-stabilization of calcium carbonate fillers, surface encapsulation of naturally occurring polymers or their derivatives, preflocculation, precoagulation, cationic modification, filler/size hybrid formation, organic filler engineering, using combinations of different types of available fillers, multilayer deposition modification, modification with polymer latexes or dispersants, physical modification, mechanical modification, surface functionalization, fines-filler composite/hybrids or fiber-filler composite/ hybrid formation, in-situ polymerization modification, surface grafting, physical treatment in the presence of polymeric additives, filler precipitation, and core-shell composite filler engineering.
Degradation of cellooligosaccharides in oxidative medium and alkaline medium: HPLC, FTIR, and GC-MS analyses
Authors: Peng Hong , Sun Yong , Zhang Junhua , Lin Lu
Published: July 2023

The chemical degradations of highly-purified cellotriose, cellotetraose, and cellopentaose in H2O2 and NaOH media were studied, respectively. The degradation products were analyzed by HPLC, FTIR, and GC-MS techniques. The results show that for the three oligosaccharides the main oxidative degradation products are 2, 3-dihydroxy-butanedioic acid, 2-keto-gluconic acid, glucopyranose, D-glucose, D-gluconic acid, and cellooligosaccharides with lower DP. A small amount of arabinose is formed during the oxidation of cellotriose. The main alkaline degradation products for the three oligomers include 3-deoxy-isosaccharinic acid-1,4-lactone and 3-deoxy-hexonic acid-1,4-lactone. Arabinose coumpounds are found to be an accidental degradation product of cellotriose. Finally, the possible formation mechanisms are proposed, including 2,3-dihydroxy-butanedioic acid, 2-keto-gluconic acid, D-gluconic acid, arabinose, 3-deoxy-isosaccharinic acid-1,4-lactone, and 3-deoxy-hexonic acid-1,4-lactone. The radical attack from H2O2 is probably at the glycosidic linkage, resulting in the formation of a series of degradation products. Degradations of cellooligosaccharides in alkaline solution are elucidated to follow an enediol anion reaction mechanism.
Water resistance and some mechanical properties of rice straw fiberboards affected by thermal modification
Authors: Pan Mingzhu , Zhou Dingguo , Ding Tao , Zhou Xiaoyan
Published: July 2023

Rice straw fiberboard was made using 12 wt % urea-formaldehyde (UF) resin as binder and 1.0 wt % polymeric methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (pMDI) and 1.2 wt % wax emulsion as water retardants. The prepared fiberboards were heat-treated at 120, 150, 185, and 210°C in the presence of steam in a high-temperature dry kiln, respectively for 90 min. The effect of water retardants and heat treatment on the water resistant and some mechanical properties of the fiberboards were investigated. It was found that the water resistance of the rice straw fiberboard could not be improved by adding wax emulsion. The use of pMDI to the system significantly increased the interfacial strength and reduced 24-h thickness swelling (TS) compared to the boards with or without wax emulsion. After heat treatment, the TS was significantly decreased due to the decrease in the free reactive hydroxyl group content of rice straw fiber. Some mechanical properties of the fiberboards, such as the internal bonding strength, modulus of elasticity, and modulus of rapture were dramatically reduced with increasing temperature from 120°C to 210°C.
Alkaline peroxide bleaching of hot water treated wheat straw
Authors: Mustajoki Suvi , Leponiemi Anja , Dahl Olli
Published: July 2023

The aim of this study was to evaluate the possibilities for chemical consumption reduction in P-P-Paa-P bleaching (P alkaline peroxide stage, Paa peracetic stage) of hot water treated straw and the effect of the wheat straw variability on the process. Papermaking fibre production from wheat straw using such a process could be implemented on a small scale if chemical consumption was low enough to eliminate the need for chemical recovery. The pulp properties obtained with this process are equal to or even superior to the properties of wheat straw soda pulp. The possibility of enhancing the first peroxide stage with oxygen and pressure was studied. The possibility for substitution of sodium hydroxide partially with sodium carbonate was also investigated. The objective was to achieve International Standardization Organization (ISO) brightness of 75%, with minimal sodium hydroxide consumption, whilst maintaining the pulp properties. The optimization of the peroxide bleaching is challenging if the final brightness target cannot be reduced. Results indicate that up to 25% of the sodium hydroxide could be substituted with sodium carbonate without losing brightness or affecting pulp properties. Another possibility is a mild alkali treatment between the hot water treatment and the bleaching sequence.
Influence of pulp fiber substrate on conductivity of polyaniline-coated conductive paper prepared by in-situ polymerization
Authors: Qian Xueren , Shen Jing , Yu Gang , An Xianhu
Published: July 2023

The influences of pulp type, content of acidic groups (i.e., sulfonic and carboxylic groups) in CTMP, kappa number (i.e., residual lignin content) of unbleached kraft pulp, and beating degree of bleached kraft pulp on the conductivity of polyaniline (PAn)-coated conductive paper were investigated. The amounts of PAn coated on chemical pulps were higher than those coated on high yield pulps, and the surface resistivities of conductive papers prepared from chemical pulps were lower than those prepared from high yield pulps. As the substrates for the production of PAn-coated conductive paper, bleached chemical pulps were better than unbleached chemical pulps. The conductivity had a significant positive linear correlation with the amount of PAn coated. The amount of PAn coated increased with increasing content of sulfonic groups in CTMP or decreasing kappa number of unbleached kraft pulp. We hypothesized that this might be associated with the ionizability of acidic groups and the inhibiting effect of lignin on aniline polymerization. The beating degree of pulp seemed to have an insignificant effect on the conductivity of PAn-coated conductive paper. As a whole, the interpretations of the influence of the chemical composition are based on proposed ideas and need to be confirmed by future experimental work.
Studying the effect of cationic starch-anionic nanosilica system on retention and drainage
Authors: Khosravani Amir , Latibari Ahmad Jahan , Mirshokraei Seyed Ahmad , Rahmaninia Mehdi , Nazhad Mousa M.
Published: July 2023

Nanoparticles are widely used in the papermaking industry as retention/ drainage aids, usually in conjunction with a high mass cationic polyelectrolyte such as cationic starch. However, little convincing knowledge of their role and mechanism in the wet-end system is yet found. This work focused on the role of nanosilica on papermaking wet end system in response to some processing parameters (drainage, retention, and electrostatic force of the whole system). The observations indicated that the nanosilica performance is defined by interactions of nanosilica with the complex aqueous environment of wet end system. The interaction mechanism seems to rely on introduction of nanoparticles into a cationic starch-fines-fibers network, converting the fiber mat on the forming wire into a porous structure that is responsive to retention and drainage.
Social Determinants of Health ICD-10 Code Use in Inpatient Pediatrics
Authors: McQuistion Kaitlyn , Stokes Stacey , Allard Bridget , Bhansali Priti , Davidson Amber , Hall Matthew , Magyar Matthew , Parikh Kavita
Published: July 2023

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

The American Academy of Pediatrics endorses screening for social determinants of health (SDOH) and providing families resources for unmet needs. A systematic response to unmet needs requires identification, documentation, and provision of resources. Our goal was to compare SDOH International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision (ICD-10), code use for pediatric inpatients after policy changes in 2018 permitting coding by nonphysicians.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective cohort study comparing data from the 2016 and 2019 Kid’s Inpatient Database for patients <21 years old. The primary variable was the presence of an SDOH code, defined as an ICD-10 Z-code (Z55–Z65) or 1 of 13 ICD-10 codes recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics. We compared overall SDOH code usage between 2016 and 2019, and by Z-code category, demographic, clinical, and hospital characteristics using χ2 tests and odds ratios. Using logistic regression, we examined hospital-level characteristics for hospitals with >5% of discharges with an SDOH code.

RESULTS

SDOH code documentation increased from 1.4% in 2016 to 1.9% in 2019 (P < .001), with no notable differences based on Z-code category. In both periods, SDOH code documentation was more common in adolescents, Native Americans, and patients with mental health diagnoses. The number of all hospitals using any SDOH code increased nearly 8% between 2016 and 2019.

CONCLUSIONS

ICD-10 codes remain underused to track SDOH needs within the inpatient pediatric setting. Future research should explore whether SDOH code documentation is associated with increased response to unmet social needs and, if so, how to improve use of SDOH codes by all providers.
High frequency of larval abnormalities of the toad Rhinella arenarum (Anura: Bufonidae) in an Argentinian agroecosystem
Authors: Sansiñena Jesica A. , Plaul Silvia Elena , Bahl María F. , Piccinini Andrés , Andrés Laube Pedro F. , Alcalde Leandro , Natale Guillermo S.
Published: July 2023

Introduction: The frequent use of pesticides is currently considered a cause of environmental pollution due to the high rate of entry of these substances into agroecosystems. This constitutes a risk for the species that inhabit these ecosystems, in particular anurans whose characteristics make them prone to exposure to and interaction with environmental pollutants. Objective: To report the occurrence of abnormalities in larvae of the common toad Rhinella arenarum inhabiting ponds surrounded by agroecosystems. Methods: In two consecutive springs (2015 and 2016), reproductive events of common toads were monitored in temporary pond systems in agricultural and non-agricultural areas, located near the city of La Plata (Buenos Aires, Argentina). The physicochemical parameters of the ponds were measured, and the stage of each reproductive event was recorded, such as the numbers of adult toads, amplexus and clutches. In the laboratory, the larvae were measured and photographed, their stage of development was recorded, and their morphology was examined under a stereomicroscope. Representative samples (normal and abnormal) from each pond studied were processed for histopathological analysis. Results: In the field studies carried out on a population of R. arenarum collected in an agroecosystem, a lower number of reproductive adults and clutches were observed in relation to the population of a non-agricultural pond. A total of 1 910 larvae were collected: 529 and 1 381 larvae from ponds located in non-agricultural and agricultural areas, respectively. Larvae from the agroecosystem showed two types of abnormalities: severe tail flexure and abdominal bloating. In addition, five degrees of severity could be determined in relation to abdominal bloating. Conclusions: This work reports the high frequency and severity of abnormalities observed in the early stages of R. arenarum larvae living within an agroecosystem, providing evidence of the negative impact that agricultural activities cause on aquatic ecosystems surrounded by farming areas.
Foraging ecology of the bird Eupsittula canicularis (Psittaciformes: Psittacidae) in a modified Mexican landscape
Authors: Flores-Yllescas Itzel , De Labra-Hernández Miguel Ángel
Published: July 2023

Introduction: Seasonal phenological variations in tropical forests cause changes in food resource availability. Animals use foraging strategies to follow the food supply in these settings. The Orange-fronted Parakeet (Eupsittula canicularis) mainly inhabits the tropical dry forest of the Mexican Pacific to Northwest Costa Rica, although little is known about its diet and foraging strategies. Objective: To assess spatial variability in food resource abundance, diet, and foraging behavior of the Orange-fronted Parakeet in a modified landscape in Oaxaca Coast, Mexico. Methods: 30 phenology transects (200 × 6 m) were established during the dry season (February-June 2019) to measure food resource availability in primary deciduous, semi-deciduous, and secondary forests. The Orange-fronted Parakeets diet was determined by focal foraging observations, and dietary niche breadth and resource selection were considered to determine feeding strategies. Results: Orange-fronted Parakeets fed on fruits (42.3 %), seeds (29.3 %), and flowers (28.4 %) of 13 plant species and presented a broad dietary niche breadth with a higher frequency of foraging in primary forest. The Orange-fronted Parakeets select resources and adapt their foraging strategies based on food resource availability in each habitat. Conclusions: The study findings highlights the need to maintain the complete forest structure in a modified landscape to ensure food resources availability for Orange-fronted Parakeets during the breeding season.
Rasgos funcionales de frutos con importancia particular para los dispersores de semillas en el bosque seco tropical
Authors: Acevedo-Quintero Juan Fernando , Zamora-Abrego Joan Gastón , Chica-Vargas Juan Pablo , Mancera-Rodríguez Néstor Javier
Published: July 2023

Introducción: La frugivoría es un proceso ecológico determinante para la estructuración y regeneración de los bosques. Particularmente en los trópicos, donde la diversidad de plantas y animales frugívoros es alta, y las relaciones interespecíficas son complejas generando redes de interacción donde las especies cumplen papeles funcionales diferenciales. Objetivo: En este trabajo identificamos cuáles son las especies de plantas ecológicamente más importantes en dos redes de interacción en un bosque seco colombiano, y determinamos cuáles rasgos funcionales de los frutos explican esta importancia. Métodos: Para ello se calculó el índice de importancia de las plantas (IIP), a partir de la relevancia de las especies de frugívoros en el mantenimiento de la estructura de las redes con las cuales interactúa cada especie. Dicha relevancia está relacionada de manera directa con el potencial que tienen los animales (aves y mamíferos) de ser dispersores efectivos de semillas. Luego, utilizando modelos lineales generalizados se evaluó cuáles rasgos funcionales de los frutos (tamaño, color, estrato, tipo de pulpa) explican el IIP. Resultados: Dentro de las plantas más importantes se encuentran especies de los géneros Miconia, Ficus, Cecropia, Bursera, Casearia y Trichilia, las cuales han sido identificadas previamente como recursos importantes para los frugívoros en los trópicos. Particularmente en este trabajo, identificamos que las plantas con frutos carnosos, rojos y de menor tamaño benefician a los mejores dispersores potenciales de semillas. Discusión: La alta variación de los valores del IIP sugiere que el conjunto de especies de frugívoros beneficiados por cada especie de planta, tiene un aporte diferencial en los procesos ecológicos derivados de la dispersión de semillas. Esta información es de gran relevancia para la selección de especies con rasgos particulares que favorezcan la recuperación funcional de los bosques a través de programas de restauración ecológica de ecosistemas tan amenazados como el bosque seco tropical (bs-T).
Development of the design of accumulatory battery of the photovoltaic solar panel
Authors: Spodyniuk Nadiia , Antypov Ievgen , Trokhaniak Viktor , Kaplun Victor , Voznyak Orest , Savchenko Olena , Sukholova Iryna
Published: July 2023

The efficiency of using photovoltaic panels significantly depends on the climatic conditions and the power of the consumer. The evaluation of the efficiency of using the battery of the photovoltaic panel depending on the climatic conditions and the power of the consumer was carried out by the method of simulation modeling. A new type of storage battery allows to accumulate excess and compensate for the energy deficit due to the capacity of the batteries, and in case of their complete discharge - due to connection to other sources of electrical and thermal energy. The temperature field on the surface of the solar panel is constructed based on numerical simulation. The temperature ranges from +70.4 to +127.5 °C. In the main area of the panel, the heat flow ranged from 3,200 to 7000 W m−2.
Speech scrambler with multiwavelet, Arnold Transform and particle swarm optimization
Authors: Hasan Zahraa A. , Hadi Suha M. , Mahmoud Waleed A.
Published: July 2023

Speech scrambling aims to distort speech signals to prevent unauthorized listeners from understanding them, but conventional techniques are vulnerable to attacks. Therefore, more robust and secure speech scrambling algorithms are needed to ensure sensitive communication security. A proposed scheme uses a particle swarm optimization algorithm to generate a random key and optimize the level of noise in the scrambled signal, along with two transformations Multiwavelet and Arnold techniques to improve complexity and security. The proposed algorithm has been evaluated using various performance measurements and has demonstrated superior encryption performance than other similar audio encryption schemes with key space equal to 128 × 2.718. Further research and development in speech scrambling are essential to guarantee secure communication in sensitive contexts such as military and intelligence.
Reflecting on Participation through Livestreaming Music Events in Times of Pandemic
Authors: Cireddu Francesca
Published: July 2023

In January 2020, the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic led to the interruption of a high number of aggregation-based human activities, such as in-presence live music concerts. One temporary alternative to the problem was the organization of livestreaming music events, which allow only a limited degree of interaction; such a solution fit the needs of those performances where there is little or no need at all for participation, but music practices with a participatory nature were at a disadvantage. Another issue pertains to the overall dimension of live experience: how is the “here and now” of a live music performance shaped in an online setting? Analysing two examples of livestreaming music events that took place in 2020 in Italy and England, this article aims to invite a reflection on how “participation” can come to be understood in online music practices.
Visual Argument Structure Tool (VAST) Version 1.0
Authors: Leising Daniel , Grenke Oliver , Cramer Marcos
Published: July 2023

We present the first version of the Visual Argument Structure Tool (VAST), which may be used for jointly visualizing the semantic, conceptual, empirical and reasoning relationships that constitute arguments. Its primary purpose is to promote exactness and comprehensiveness in systematic thinking. The system distinguishes between concepts and the words (“names”) that may be used to refer to them. It also distinguishes various ways in which concepts may be related to one another (causation, conceptual implication, prediction, transformation, reasoning), and all of these from beliefs as to whether something IS the case and/or OUGHT to be the case. Using these elements, the system allows for formalizations of narrative argument components at any level of vagueness vs. precision that is deemed possible and/or necessary. This latter feature may make the system particularly useful for attaining greater theoretical specificity in the humanities, and for bridging the gap between the humanities and the “harder” sciences. However, VAST may also be used outside of science, to capture argument structures in e.g., legal analyses, media reports, belief systems, and debates.
Unfortunately, Journals in Industrial, Work, and Organizational Psychology Still Fail to Support Open Science Practices
Authors: Hüffmeier Joachim , Mertes Marc
Published: July 2023

Currently, journals in Industrial, Work, and Organizational (IWO) Psychology collectively do too little to support Open Science Practices. To address this problematic state of affairs, we first point out numerous problems that characterize the IWO Psychology literature. We then describe seven frequent arguments, which all lead to the conclusion that the time is not ripe for IWO Psychology to broadly adopt Open Science Practices. To change this narrative and to promote the necessary change, we reply to these arguments and explain how Open Science Practices can contribute to a better future for IWO Psychology with more reproducible, replicable, and reliable findings.
A Young Eden’s Whale (Balaenoptera edeni edeni) Wandering in a Busy International Container Port
Authors: Sun Jing , Lu Fangting , Liao Baolin , Xiao Baohua , Li Min , He Linyun , Bai Ling , Chen Bingyao
Published: July 2023

Eden’s whale (Balaenoptera edeni edeni) is one of the least-understood baleen whales, with a global distribution that is almost completely unknown; only a few basic population studies of this species have been reported thus far. On 29 June 2021, a single Eden’s whale was sighted in Dapeng Bay, Shenzhen, a busy international container port. This sighting was the first record of a live Eden’s whale in the area, and it attracted immediate widespread attention. Our research team monitored the whale, nicknamed “Xiaobu” by Shenzhen citizens, until its disappearance. There were 48 sightings of the whale over a period of 50 days during vessel-based surveys from 2 July to 29 August 2021. Xiaobu was mainly sighted in coastal areas with a depth of 8.70 to 16.30 m; it remained 1 km offshore. The whale moved in a small minimum convex polygon range of 44.67 km2 and kernel density estimation range of 87.96 km2. From 2 to 27 July 2021, the whale was sighted near the Liquefied Natural Gas Pier in the eastern part of Dapeng Bay; it moved toward the Yantian International Container Terminal in the western part of Dapeng Bay between 28 July and 25 August, after which it was not sighted again. Its shift from east to west may have been influenced by food distribution and/or a gradual increase in familiarity with the local environment. Aerial vertical photogrammetry estimated a short body length of 7.49 m, indicating a young whale. Based on stranding records from the Chinese coastal area, the Eden’s whale population in Beibu Gulf presumably migrates northward to the East China Sea (approximately 2,000 km northeast) in April, and then returns in December. Xiaobu may have become separated from the Eden’s whale group when whales reached Shenzhen during the northward migration.
Northernmost Record of the Ginkgo-Toothed Beaked Whale (Mesoplodon ginkgodens)
Authors: Bachara Wojtek , Kuroda Mika , Nishida Shin , Ishikawa Hajime , Matsuishi Takashi Fritz
Published: July 2023

The ginkgo-toothed beaked whale (Mesoplodon ginkgodens) is one of the least-known cetaceans in the world, with a formerly recognised distribution that included temperate, subtropical, and tropical waters in the North and South Pacific and Indian Oceans. We report an additional specimen of this species, which also represents the northernmost-known specimen—an adult male found dead, stranded off Hokkaido, northernmost Japan.
Distribution and Abundance of California (Zalophus californianus) and Steller (Eumetopias jubatus) Sea Lions in the Inshore Waters of Washington, 2013-2016
Authors: Jefferson Thomas A. , Smultea Mari A. , Ward Eric J.
Published: July 2023

Two species of sea lions occur in the in387land waters of Washington State: the California sea lion (Zalophus californianus) and the Steller sea lion (Eumetopias jubatus). Both species breed elsewhere, but they typically move into Puget Sound and adjacent waters of the Salish Sea from autumn through spring. There is a need for information on their current abundance and seasonal use patterns as both species prey heavily on threatened/endangered stocks of salmon and steelhead trout (Oncorhynchus spp.), and empirical abundance estimates of these species are lacking for inland Washington waters. From 2013 to 2016, we conducted 39,399 km of aerial surveys for marine mammals in this area, sighting 255 groups of sea lions. We used a subset of 7,841 km of effort and 165 sea lion sightings made during surveys in good sighting conditions to estimate in-water abundance using line-transect methods. Historical tagging data collected in Pacific Northwest waters were used to evaluate the proportions of time that each species spent on land and conducting dives, and then to develop correction factors to derive total abundance for both sea lion species, providing the first empirical abundance estimates for these waters. We estimated that between 33 and 442 California sea lions were found in Puget Sound/Hood Canal in different seasons, with nearly 3,000 being found in the broader inland Washington waters in the peak season (spring). Steller sea lions occurred in much smaller numbers, with a peak of 219 animals in Puget Sound/Hood Canal/Strait of Juan de Fuca in autumn (and possibly as many as 600 to 700 in the entire study area). While some estimates suffer from low precision, this study demonstrates that substantial numbers of sea lions use waters of the study area throughout much of the year. Our results provide an important step toward a better understanding of these two species in the inland waters of Washington, as well as their potential effects on protected salmonid prey species.
W cieniu zagłady i „czarnej ziemi”: Henryk Strasman, ambasador A.J. Biddle a podziemna organizacja palestyńska Irgun Cwai Leumi
Authors:   Institute for Research and Policy of World Jewish Congress z siedzibą w Jerozolimie i Israel Council on Foreign Relations, Weinbaum Laurence
Published: July 2023

In his new bestseller, Black Earth, Thimoty Snyder spotlights the covert relationship at the end 1930s between the Polish Government and the Irgun Zvai Leumi, the Jewish underground formation in Palestine affiliated with Vladimir Jabotinsky’s New Zionist Organization. One of the most important figures in that affair was the Irgun representative in Poland, Henryk Strasman, a Warsaw assistant public prosecutor who was later murdered by the NKVD in Kharkov in April 1940, together with other Polish officers in Soviet captivity. Ably aided by his wife, Alicja Strasman (née Friedberg), and in close cooperation with the shadowy Abraham Stern, he sought to acquire arms and ammunition and to secure the training of the Irgun cadres by the Polish army. Strasman was also involved in the establishment of a militant Polish- -language bi-weekly (Jerozolima Wyzwolone) and another paper (Di Tat) in Yiddish to popularize the cause of the insurgency in Palestine among the Jewish public in Poland. In December 1938, Strasman briefed the American ambassador to Poland, A.J. Biddle, on his undertakings. Biddle’s report to Secretary of State Cordell Hull about that meeting adds to our knowledge of clandestine Zionist activity in Poland and illuminates Strasman’s tragic and little-known story.
Rola organizacji zbiorowego zarządzania prawami autorskimi w regulacjach prawnych dotyczących utworów osieroconych
Authors:   Uniwersytet Humanistycznospołeczny SWPS, Osmańska Monika
Published: July 2023

The role of copyright or related rights collecting societies in legal solutions regarding orphan works. The paper analyses in what way collective management organizations can be useful to solve the problem of so-called orphan works. The issue of orphan works (works whose authors or other rightholders are not known or cannot be located or contacted to obtain copyright permissions) is today one of the most important elements of the debate on the future of copyright law. As the number of orphan works keeps growing it becomes a serious problem which requires to be resolved by creating an appropriate legal framework. It seems that the best way of addressing the problem would be to entrust the management of orphan works with specialized entities i. e. copyright or related rights collecting societies. Namely it is worth to consider the extended collective licensing system that proved to be effective in the Nordic countries. However, the Directive 2012/28/EU on certain permitted uses of orphan works which sets out common rules on the use of orphan works is not based of that system. The absence of mutual recognition implies that an extended collective license is valid only in the national territory in which the statutory presumption applies. It would seem that at least diligent search should be entrusted to copyright or related rights collecting societies. They have access to databases on the works, objects of related rights and rightholders and they interact with similar organizations in other Member States. In the Polish copyright law provisions referring to the collective management of copyright do not fulfill its function. Professional, strong, effective and representative copyright collecting societies with well-defined area of activity are needed to solve the problem of orphan works. This requires amendment to the Copyright Law.
Transformer-Based Network for Accurate Classification of Lung Auscultation Sounds
Authors: Sonali C. S. , Kiran John , Chinmayi B. S. , Suma K. V. , Easa Muhammad
Published: July 2023

Respiratory diseases are a major cause of death worldwide, affecting a significant proportion of the population with lung function abnormalities that can lead to respiratory illnesses. Early detection and prevention are critical to effective management of these disorders. Deep learning algorithms offer a promising approach for analyzing complex medical data and aiding in early disease detection. While transformer-based models for sequence classification have proven effective for tasks like sentiment analysis, topic classification, etc., their potential for respiratory disease classification remains largely unexplored. This paper proposes a classifier utilizing the transformer-encoder block, which can capture complex patterns and dependencies in medical data. The proposed model is trained and evaluated on a large dataset from the International Conference on Biomedical Health Informatics 2017, achieving state-of-the-art results with a mean sensitivity of 70.53%, mean specificity of 84.10%, mean average score of 77.32%, and mean harmonic score of 76.10%. These results demonstrate the model's effectiveness in diagnosing respiratory diseases while taking up minimal computational resources.
EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION OF THE RESUSPENDED NANOFLUID DROPLET EVAPORATION AT PERIODICALLY VARYING ELECTRIC FIELD
Authors: Lan Huiyong , Ye Shizhi , Zhang Yalei , Chen Yanjun , He Deqiang , Chen Yong
Published: July 2023

The addition of nanoparticles can significantly increase the evaporation rate of droplets. However, there is still no
consistent conclusion on whether the factor promoting droplet evaporation is the motion of suspended nanoparticles
or the deposited nanoparticles changing the structure of the solid surface. Therefore, the fully deposited surfaces were
prepared by drying 0.005-0.015 vol.% Al2O3-water nanofluids and the resuspension process of nanoparticles was investigated by applying periodically varying electric field. The mechanism of nanoparticle influence on the droplet evaporation process was investigated by measuring the contact angle, droplet height, and contact surface radius. The results show that the motion of suspended nanoparticles promotes the droplet evaporation. The evaporation time of droplets on the nanoparticle-deposited surface is longer than that on the nondeposited surface without electric field, while the trend is opposite in the presence of the electric field. After the electric field is applied, the nanoparticles are resuspended into the droplet due to the instability of the deposition layer structure. The motion of nanoparticles leads to an increase in the droplet evaporation rate, and the enhancement effect is optimal when the electric field switching frequency is 90 Hz.
Volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous: the new world facing civil engineers
Authors: Ross David
Published: July 2023

International business strategist David Ross says the world has recently become a more volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous place. Facing these ‘Vuca’ challenges will require civil engineers to become more curious, compassionate and collaborative.
The Russia-Ukraine War’s Impact on Stock Markets in Asia-Pacific, the United States, and Europe
Authors:   Nirma University, A. JOSH Nisarg , BAKER H. Kent ,   American University, AGGARWAL Ansita ,   Nirma University
Published: July 2023

We examine how the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war affected specific stock indices in the Asia-Pacific region, the United States, and Europe. Using event study methodology, we find that the event day’s abnormal returns indicate that the war’s outbreak had a significantly negative impact on most indices. For example, countries like Australia, Germany, Pakistan, India, Singapore, Vietnam, Mongolia, Malaysia, Bangladesh, and the Philippines show significantly negative returns the day after the war’s outbreak. All indices continue to have significantly negative returns in the rest of the post-event window, except Australia, Bangladesh, India, and the Philippines. Our analysis enables us to identify which countries in the Asia Pacific region along with selected markets from the Europe region, the counties directly bordering Ukraine were most vulnerable to war news and when the immediate consequences of the war were better than expected, confirming these cross-sectional implications
Leitura com lupa: a semântica de frames e a formação do leitor crítico
Authors: Dos Santos Josemar , Gabriel Rosângela , Aver Vanin Aline
Published: July 2023

A formação de leitores críticos é um processo que vem ganhando destaque no âmbito do processo ensino-aprendizagem nas escolas, especialmente diante dos novos desafios inerentes ao advento das novas mídias digitais. Decorre que a apropriação da leitura mobiliza diversas ações cognitivas, exigindo um olhar minucioso, no sentido de refletir conscientemente sobre o que está nas entrelinhas, as relações e os sentidos mais ou menos implícitos. Nesse processo de formação de leitores críticos em tempos da emergência das tecnologias da (des)informação, o presente estudo tem como proposta responder ao seguinte questionamento: de que forma o aporte da semântica de frames pode contribuir para formar leitores críticos? Neste artigo, busca-se analisar como ocorre o alinhamento discursivo-argumentativo para que uma instituição comunitária de ensino superior do Rio Grande do Sul consolide e fortaleça uma identidade socialmente construída. Para tanto, foi analisada uma notícia relacionada à prática de extensão veiculada por essa instituição de ensino em seu portal na internet, a fim de ilustrar a composição argumentativa desse texto para observar como as escolhas lexicais direcionam o olhar para os sentidos pretendidos no texto, a fim de orientar as unidades discursivas que influenciam a compreensão leitora. Esse tipo de análise, uma espécie de leitura com lupa, desponta como uma estratégia para lançar um olhar minucioso, ensejando uma leitura crítica dos textos, tornando possível decifrar o dito e não dito no alinhamento discursivo.
Metáforas verbo-gestuais em narrativas de uma palestra TEDx sobre a ciência no Brasil
Authors: Avelar Maíra , Lisboa André , Lima Victor
Published: July 2023

Neste artigo, temos por objetivo identificar, analisar e descrever metáforas verbo-gestuais e gestos metaforizados veiculados em cinco amostras pertencentes às narrativas contadas na conferência TEDx USP “A ciência brasileira e o sonho de Cassandra”, proferida por Natália Pasternak. A fim de tratarmos sobre a estruturação multimodal da narrativa, utilizamos considerações sobre os níveis narrativos e a marcação de pontos de vista. Além disso, tecemos uma discussão sobre funções comunicativas globais desempenhadas pelos gestos e expressões faciais, focalizando a função expressiva. Baseando-nos em uma adaptação aos dados do Português Brasileiro (PB), das Diretrizes de Identificação de Metáforas nos Gestos (DIM-G), focalizamos, sobretudo, as funções não referenciais desempenhadas pelos gestos. Nos resultados, foi possível identificar metaforizados dos gestos, com a veiculação de tomadas de postura e de  atitudes da falante – no caso, da narradora, no nível narrativo, e da palestrante, no nível paranarrativo. De maneira mais ampla, as narrativas ilustram, tanto para a comunidade científica, quanto para um público mais amplo, a necessidade de se discutir a ciência no cotidiano.
Resilienzförderung im Personalmanagement der Bundesagentur für Arbeit
Authors:   Bundesagentur für Arbeit, Bereich Personalentwicklung, Nürnberg, Prümer Thomas , Hecker Dominik ,   Bundesagentur für Arbeit, Bereich Personalentwicklung, Nürnberg
Published: July 2023

Die Bundesagentur für Arbeit (BA) ist von der Transformation am Arbeitsmarkt durch die demografische Entwicklung, Digitalisierung und Individualisierung nicht nur als Dienstleisterin am Arbeitsmarkt, sondern auch als Arbeitgeberin betroffen. Im Rahmen des Personalmanagements der eigenen Beschäftigten wird die individuelle Resilienz als Bestandteil der Personalentwicklung und des präventiven Gesundheitsmanagements gefördert. Dieser Beitrag stellt den Ansatz der BA von der strategischen Verankerung bis hin zur praktischen Resilienzförderung im Arbeitsalltag dar.
Diskussionspapier „Konsequenzen aus der Pandemie für die Arbeitsmedizin“ (Interview)
Authors: Menting T. , Schramm W. , Stranzinger Johanna , von Schwarzkopf Hubertus
Published: July 2023

Die SARS-CoV-2 Pandemie wurde für beendet erklärt. Nun ist die Zeit gekommen, Lücken in der Zusammenarbeit verschiedener Gremien, in der Qualität von Entscheidungsprozessen und Kommunikation zu betrachten und es gilt, aus den Erfahrungen der letzten drei Jahre mit Blick in die Zukunft zu lernen. Der Unterausschuss II (Biologische Arbeitsstoffe, Impfen) des Ausschusses für Arbeitsmedizin (AfAMed) beim Bundesministerium für Arbeit begann schon im November 2021, sich mit diesem Thema zu befassen. Das Diskussionspapier „Konsequenzen aus der Pandemie für die Arbeitsmedizin“ wurde im November 2022 vom Hauptausschuss verabschiedet. Die Inhalte sind dazu gedacht, einen Beitrag zum reibungslose(re)n Management in möglichen zukünftigen Pandemien zu leisten und richten sich an Fachleute in der betrieblichen Praxis und an Entscheidungstragende in der Politik.
Revisión afinatoria de las bases naturales de la armonía
Authors: Yepes Londoño Gustavo
Published: July 2023

La humanidad ha tenido una práctica musical diversa a lo largo de su Historia, de acuerdo con los diferentes períodos de ella pero así mismo con los también disímiles desarrollos culturales en los diversos países o regiones del planeta. En este artículo que da cuenta de un proyecto nuestro de investigación, consideraremos sólo las frecuencias básicas relativas a lo melódico y lo armónico del sistema tonal, especial pero nó exclusivamente, dejando a un lado los aspectos rítmicos, formales, contrapuntísticos, organológicos y demás. Culturas varias basaron sus repertorios en escalas pentáfonas, otras en diatónicas heptáfonas, a veces con el uso de algunos romatismos semitonales sobre esas diatonías (tonos y semitonos), como en los sonidos de la musica ficta; más tarde, el cromatismo cercano y extenso de los períodos clásico y romántico; vinieron luego escalas que añadían cromatismos aún más pequeños que el semitono: tercios, cuartos de tono y otras opciones. En Occidente, con su cultura de bases europeas sobre todo, se llegó inclusive, en la modernidad, hasta el uso de un espectro continuo, en cuanto no discreto en su percepción, tanto por el uso de glissandi en algunos casos, pero también por el recurso de medios instrumentales electrónicos como el conocido theremín o ciertos sintetizadores, valgan como ejemplos. Otro propósito que tenemos es el ofrecer contribuír significativamente al mejor desempeño en la enseñanza y aprendizaje de la Armonía tonal especialmente, mediante el logro de que profesores y estudiantes puedan explicar y entender mejor las normas o leyes que suelen enunciarse para la práctica armónica correspondiente a la etapa cronológica comprendida entre finales de los siglos XVI y XIX; no sólo mediante la inferencia realizada sobre el repertorio del período acerca del cual se teoriza y que explica la música como arte y estesis, sino también sobre esas bases físicas científicas naturales anteriores a tales elecciones creativas propias de estilos y períodos temporales, que explican los materiales preexistentes usados por el artista para crear sus obras.
A new metabarcoding approach to survey diversity at the species level of Arcellinida (Amoebozoa: Tubulinea) v1
Authors: González-Miguéns R.
Published: July 2023

PCR protocol for the paper:" A needle in a haystack: a new metabarcoding approach to survey diversity at the species level of Arcellinida (Amoebozoa: Tubulinea)"