bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
THE USE OF MINERAL FERTILIZERS AND THE YIELD OF SUGAR BEET IN THE CONDITIONS OF THE BUINSKY MUNICIPAL DISTRICT OF THE REPUBLIC OF TATARSTAN
Authors: Minikaev Rogat , Fashutdinov Fannur , Mikhaylova Marina
Published: October 2023

The article presents the results of an agroecological assessment of the use of mineral fertilizers on sugar beet crops in the Buinsky municipal district over the past eight years (2015-2022). The scientific novelty lies in considering the issue of statistical processing of actual data on sugar beet yields and the level of application of mineral fertilizers for this crop in relation to a specific municipal district, which certainly has practical significance when making management decisions, determining the structure of the specific composition of mineral fertilizers. As a result of the study, the dependence of sugar beet yield on the amount of the main types of mineral fertilizers applied for the period from 2015 to 2022 was analyzed. Correlation analysis of sugar beet yield and the amount of various types of mineral fertilizers applied to this crop revealed the dependence of yield on the amount of potash fertilizers applied.Next, the formula for regression analysis of the dependence of sugar beet yield on the amount of potassium-containing mineral fertilizers was determined. Regression and correlation analyses of sugar beet cultivation have shown that the level of natural fertility of arable soils in the Buinsky district provides only 20 t/ha of root crops. The application of mineral fertilizers ensures the production of 35,5 t /ha of sugar beet. The increase in yield at the same time will be 15,5 t/ ha. The closest relationship between the increase in yield and nutrition elements was observed in potassium-containing fertilizers (coefficient 0.45). A slight tightness of dependence on the Cheddock scale was noted between an increase in yield and the level of application of nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers (0.08 and 0.11). This causes the fact that the soils under sugar beet are highly fertile and well provided with these nutrients.
COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF BIOMETRIC INDICATORS OF WHEAT IN THE APPLICATION OF CHICKEN MANURE
Authors: Haliullina Zul'fiya , Ganiev Almaz , Gayfullin Ilnur
Published: October 2023

In this work, the analysis of bushiness, stem height and other biometric indicators of winter wheat was carried out. The research was carried out in the fields of the Pestrechinsky district of the Republic of Tatarstan by Ak Bars Pestretsy LLC. The soils of the studied areas are classified as light gray forest, with humus content - 3.0%, acidity - 8.0, phosphorus - 295.0 mg/kg, potassium - 70.0 mg/kg. Three plots were taken for the experiments: control - experimental plot (without the introduction of chicken manure and Mephosphon preparation), experimental 1 (rotted chicken manure was introduced), experimental 2 (chicken manure treated with Mephosphon was introduced). The aim of the research is to study the effect of chicken manure on crop yields. The experiments were carried out when sowing winter wheat of the “Skipetr-E” variety in the period from 04/19/2021 to 06/01/2021. Wheat bushiness in the soil, with the introduction of rotted chicken manure, increased by 36.84%, the weight of the raw stem by 15.9 %, dry stem weight by 22.2%, raw root weight by 138%, and dry root weight decreased by 14.3-3% compared to the control (soil without chicken manure). The bushiness of wheat in the soil, with the introduction of chicken manure treated with Mephosphon, increased by 73.68%, the weight of the raw stem by 43.74%, the weight of the dry stem by 77.7%, the weight of the raw root by 200%, and the weight of the dry root 157 % increased compared to control. Thus, the use of chicken manure treated with Mephosphone improves soil fertility due to the nutrient cycle caused by changes in the dynamics of soil microbes.
SOBREVIDA DE MULHERES COM CÂNCER NO COLO DO ÚTERO
Authors: Santos Thaís Regina Araujo dos , Accioly Ricardo M S
Published: October 2023

O câncer do colo do útero é um problema de saúde pública no Brasil. Neste artigo é analisada a sobrevida de pacientes com câncer do colo do útero, atendidas no Instituto Nacional de Cancer (INCA), Rio de Janeiro, no período entre 1991 e 1995, com o objetivo de identificar os fatores que mais influenciaram na mortalidade das pacientes. O estudo foi realizado em duas etapas, a primeira utilizando uma metodologia não paramétrica através do método de Kaplan-Meier, posteriormente a análise foi ampliada através da utilização de um modelo semi-paramétrico, o modelo de taxas proporcionais de Cox, a partir do qual foi feita uma análise multivariada. Os 362 casos analisados indicaram que o estadiamento do tumor é muito significativo para a sobrevida das pacientes, além desse, dois outros fatores se mostraram marginalmente significativos.
MÉTODOS ESTATÍSTICOS NA ANÁLISE INTERANUAL DAS CHUVAS: UMA APRECIAÇÃO DA SÉRIE HISTÓRICA DO MUNICÍPIO DE CAICÓ/RN
Authors: Luna Lucena Rebecca , Pereira da Silva Flávia Letícia , Pereira de Oliveira Gislana , De Lima Neto José Melinho
Published: October 2023

O objetivo principal dessa pesquisa foi avaliar a variabilidade interanual da precipitação do Seridó potiguar através de diferentes métodos estatísticos, tomando por base o município de Caicó, localizado no interior do estado do Rio Grande do Norte. Para tanto, foram utilizados dados anuais de chuva de uma série histórica de 110 anos (1913 a 2022). As análises foram realizadas através de medidas de posição e dispersão, separatrizes, boxplot, probabilidade, tempo de retorno e análise de tendência. Dentre os principais resultados encontrados para Caicó-RN, tem-se que a média e a mediana foram de ~650 mm/ano, valor que classifica o clima de Caicó como semiárido. Constatou-se que a variabilidade interanual de chuva no município é muito elevada, com coeficiente de variação superior a 40%. Quando analisada a probabilidade, observou-se que as classes de chuva com valores inferiores a 800 milímetros, foram as de maior ocorrência, representando mais de 60% da série histórica. Através da análise regressão, detectou-se ausência de tendência de aumento ou diminuição da chuva. Os métodos adotados, trouxeram resultados que dificilmente seriam descobertos sem a sua utilização, como por exemplo: valores médios, a posição e quantificação de extremos positivos e negativos, a análise do tempo de recorrência de um determinado valor de precipitação e se ela está aumentando ou diminuindo. O uso dos programas Microsoft Excel e Jamovi atenderam ao desenvolvimento das fórmulas e também na criação dos gráficos, e por possuírem uma interface amigável, acreditamos que os mesmos possam suprir análises estatísticas na avaliação de variáveis ambientais e climáticas.
Efficacy of lidocaine wet compress combined with red-light irradiation for chronic wounds
Authors: Bao Man-Zhen , Zhou Lian-Bang , Zhao Ling , Zhang Hui , Li Yuan , Yang Li , Tai An-Ting
Published: October 2023

Rehabilitation of lower limb amputation in developing countries is quite challenging. Though there are basic to highly advanced prostheses available in India, the set-up is still facing difficulties in developing countries. Prosthetic management is difficult due to lack of availability of prostheses and reduced affordability among low income populations. In this review we highlighted the lower limb amputation and prosthetic rehabilitation status in India. Currently, India is advancing well in the rehabilitation field, but further studies are required to provide more evidence and recommendation.
Six-year analysis of key monitoring for bacterial strain distribution and antibiotic sensitivity in a hospital
Authors: Li Zong-Ying , Yang Dong , Hao Chong-Hua
Published: October 2023

Rehabilitation of lower limb amputation in developing countries is quite challenging. Though there are basic to highly advanced prostheses available in India, the set-up is still facing difficulties in developing countries. Prosthetic management is difficult due to lack of availability of prostheses and reduced affordability among low income populations. In this review we highlighted the lower limb amputation and prosthetic rehabilitation status in India. Currently, India is advancing well in the rehabilitation field, but further studies are required to provide more evidence and recommendation.
Financialization Historically Contemplated: Putting Old Wine in New Barrels
Authors: Tsaliki Persefoni , Tsoulfidis Lefteris
Published: October 2023

This article examines the extent to which financialization is a new phase of capital accumulation characterized by its own economic laws in which the real (production) economy adjusts accordingly. In order to examine this hypothesis, the authors invoke the share of the financial sector in the GDP of the US, as the best meaningful metric to approximate the expansion of the financialization over time. The findings suggest that the financialization phenomena of the post-1982 years are comparable to those of the “roaring twenties.” The observed differences are quantitative, in the main, and although they indicate the presence of regularities, they, nevertheless, do not suggest an altogether different stage of finance-led capitalism.
Capital Composition and Rate of Surplus Value: Empirical Evidence for Rethinking the Value Transfers in International Trade
Authors: Martínez B. Gloria , Baeza Alejandro Valle
Published: October 2023

This article aims at advancing an explanation, still to be completed, of the paradox of productivity differences and surplus value rate at an international level. New empirical evidence is presented, and it is suggested that an explanation should be developed based on the analysis of the problem of value transfers in international trade. According to the findings of Martínez and Valle (2011), there is empirical evidence that suggests a pattern in which underdeveloped countries with low productivity have a high value composition of capital and a high rate of surplus value, the former being as high as or higher than the corresponding one in a developed country. This work is a contribution to the development of the state of the empirical analysis. Said contribution is made based on econometric and statistical evidence of the relationship between rate of surplus value and value composition of capital of a selection of countries and a sample of 70 countries. Data from Penn World (PWT) v.10, v.9 or Extended Penn World Table (EPWT), v.4 are used.
A Marxian Optimal Growth Model for Economies with Minimum Subsistence Wages
Authors: Ohira Satoshi , Li Chen
Published: October 2023

This study constructs a two-sector two-class economic growth model to analyze an economy described in Marx’s Capital, where only the capitalist owns the means of production and maximizes the surplus value, while the worker provides labor in exchange for the minimum subsistence wage. Unlimited labor supply is the critical factor for the wage to be at the minimum subsistence level. In contrast to the Marxian optimal growth model, which indicates that the growth path in the capitalist economy follows a stable path to a steady state and is appropriate for analyzing the developed capitalist economy, our model demonstrates that, except in some rare cases, there is no stable path to a steady state in the economy and it is valid for analyzing an economy with an excessive labor supply. The results further indicate that it is common for capital to follow the process of unlimited self-growth, which causes the capitalist economy to be unstable.
The Debt-Austerity Crutch: African Elite Agency in the Fourth (US) Cycle of Accumulation of Historical Capitalism
Authors: Valiani Salimah
Published: October 2023

For decades, African governments have cited debt servicing and international credit ratings as the reasons for continued policies of austerity. It is demonstrated here that though unjust and anti-developmental, as critics of so-called structural adjustment have argued, IMF prescriptions and other capitalist structural reforms have been a success from the perspective of world elites. It is shown how, from the 1970s, rich country elites, as well as African elites, have created the conditions for Africa to become a major locus for the maintenance of liberalized financial and trade flows. Comprador bourgeois capitalism, with a new twist—the amassing of public debt and offshore transactions—is argued to be the African expression of financial expansion in Giovanni Arrighi’s fourth (US) systemic cycle of accumulation. A systemic, class-based explanation is offered for what is commonly understood as the anti-democratic nature of international financial institutions, and corruption of African leaders. The analysis provides an explanation for why, not a single African state has defaulted on external debt, as Argentina did, in 2001.
China’s Long War on Poverty
Authors: Martinez Carlos
Published: October 2023

This article provides a detailed analysis of China’s ongoing struggle against poverty. In addition to discussing the recently concluded targeted poverty alleviation program, in which the CPC-led government achieved its goal of ending extreme poverty, the author discusses the anti-poverty measures taken during the various phases of the Chinese Revolution, including land reform in the liberated areas in the 1930s and 1940s; the period of initial socialist construction from 1949; reform and opening up from 1978; and the more recent measures aimed at building common prosperity. He concludes that poverty alleviation, and more broadly the improvement of people’s living standards, has been foundational to the entire Chinese socialist project and constitutes a key theme of each of its stages.
Examining research systems and models for local government: a systematic review
Authors: Hock Emma S. , Scope Alison , Booth Andrew
Published: October 2023

Background:

Local authorities (LA) are key in improving population health, and LA public health decision makers need support from appropriately organised research capacity; however, few models of LA research systems are known to exist.

Aims and objectives:

To explore potential and existing models of LA-based research systems.

Methods:

This mapping review and time-constrained systematic review synthesises conceptual and empirical literature from 12 health and social science databases, grey literature and reference/citation tracking. Three reviewers screened titles, abstracts and full texts of retrieved records, and extracted key data from included papers. Evidence was synthesised based on characteristics of research systems and quality-assessed for relevance, rigour and richness.

Findings:

Nine models were examined in depth. From these, we developed a typology of research systems. Few models were specifically designed for LA research activity; as a Whole System approach, the Local Authority Champions of Research model offers a potential blueprint. Useful lessons may be learned from UK Collaborations for Leadership in Applied Health Research, Academic Collaborative Centres in the Netherlands, local Research and Development units in Sweden, and generic University-Community partnerships.

Discussion and conclusions:

An optimal research system requires the coexistence of multiple systems including Centre, Partnership, Collaboration, Network and Community types. The review is UK-focused, but the models appear to have wider relevance. Our classification offers those planning an LA research system the opportunity to choose an approach that meets their requirements and resources. A Whole System approach is optimal, with egalitarian input from the LA and academia.
The Perpetrator's Allegory: Historical Memories and the Killings of 1965
Authors: Leong Kar-Yen
Published: October 2023

Abstract: Joshua Oppenheimer's diptych on the legacy of the 1965 anti-communist killings in Indonesia provides scholars and researchers with insights into the lives of the victims and the so-called perpetrators. Several publications and academic volumes have sprung forth from this but remain still ham-strung as that their analysis remains tied to that of Oppenheimer's production. I propose to build on these discussions by asking: how do these perpetrators remember the killings of 1965? From a preliminary analysis of data available, I posit that there is a certain level of 'ambivalence' over the roles they have played in the killings. As such, I posit that these supposedly 'evil-doers' suffer from a form of trauma and therefore complicates our categories of perpetrator, victim and bystander. In my paper, I also state that we can also glean from investigating perpetrator narratives, Indonesia's troubled path in dealing with a violent past. This paper will rely on oral interviews as well as media clippings from various sources in Indonesian. Perpetrators of the 1965 killings in Indonesia violated fundamental religious and social norms. In this article I explore their memories of those events, as revealed in their narratives and oral statements many years later.
Homeland Insecurity:
Why Anti-Terrorism Laws are Here to Stay
Authors: Gearty Conor
Published: October 2023

In this paper I argue that the self-evident sustainability of the changes wrought
by anti-terrorism law since the 11 September 2001 attacks are rooted in our
colonial past, a past that is littered with such laws. I further argue that in the
post-colonial period those laws were then carried over into the Cold War era,
where they were too useful in the struggle against radical dissent ever to be
completely jettisoned—even by those newly liberated countries whose leaders
had suffered under their coercive power. The paper ends with some brief
reflections on how the ‘problem’ of ‘terrorism’ became globalised in the
post-colonial period. My examination of its origins led me to believe that the
‘War on Terror’ was easy to entrench because liberal democracies had had
decades of practice at it.
Disputing Darwin: On Piloerection and Mental Illness
Authors: Adriaens Pieter R.
Published: October 2023

abstract: Most of Charles Darwin's ideas have withstood the test of time, but some of them turned out to be dead ends. This article focuses on one such dead end: Darwin's ideas about the connection between piloerection and mental illness. Piloerection is a medical umbrella term to refer to a number of phenomena in which our hair tends to stand on end. Darwin was one of the first scientists to study it systematically. In The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals (1872), he discusses piloerection in the context of his analysis of the expressions involved in fear and anger, relying heavily on the evidence provided by one of his correspondents, the British psychiatrist James Crichton Browne. This essay reveals how Darwin's initial doubts about the similarity between piloerection in animals and psychiatric patients were eased when studying photographic portraits of female psychiatric patients sent to him by Crichton Browne. It considers arguments against Darwin's reading of these portraits and the apparent contrast between this reading and his own skepticism, in later years, about the value of documentary photography. The article concludes with some notes regarding the reception of Darwin's ideas about psychopathology.
The Trouble with Child Poverty
Authors: Breheny Mary
Published: October 2023

abstract: In research, in policy, and in the media, there is a clear focus on alleviating child poverty. Child poverty is cast as an urgent societal problem, in part reflecting recognition of the impact of early life circumstances on health across the life course. However, focusing on child poverty can have unintended consequences. First, calls to alleviate child poverty position children as a worthy investment in future population health, while adult poverty is represented as a misallocation of scarce resources. Second, children are positioned as blameless in talk about child poverty, whereas adults are viewed as potentially blameworthy for living in poverty. This ignores the ways early poverty shapes opportunities throughout the life course. These accounts are inconsistent: if a childhood of poverty shapes long-term outcomes, then poverty in adulthood cannot be an individual failing. Building arguments for poverty alleviation on social investment and personal responsibility ultimately supports rather than undermines the social structural arrangements that entrench inequalities. Recognizing the interconnectedness of families and communities and the destructiveness of poverty at every point in the life course has the potential to improve health in a way that can never be achieved by focusing solely on child poverty.
Wordsworth's Causal Poetics of Thought
Authors: Rustom Wassim R.
Published: October 2023

Abstract: Utility, bugbear of poetics and aesthetics since at least the time of the Romantics, appears as a fraught but constitutive question in modern literature's self-understanding. This essay considers a defining engagement with the question of the useful at a formative moment of modern poetics, arguing that reflection on means-ends relations shapes a form of thought in Wordsworth's lyric poetry. The anti-utilitarian impetus of "The Old Cumberland Beggar" intimates a causal poetics of thought that goes on to stamp the seminal "Lines Composed a Few Miles Above Tintern Abbey" and define the project of The Prelude .
Semi-analytical model for deep-water hyperspectral imaging
Authors: Løvås Håvard Snefjellå , Larsen Martin Kvisvik , Pizarro Oscar , Sørensen Asgeir J.
Published: October 2023

We propose a semi-analytical (SA) model for relating seafloor reflectance to measured radiance in deep-water hyperspectral imaging in artificially illuminated scenes. Using accurate sensor-seafloor geometry from photogrammetry and the principle of two-viewpoint observation, we estimate the inherent optical properties (IOPs) of the water column. We demonstrate the SA model and estimation of IOPs for hyperspectral imaging of a deep-water coral reef from a remotely operated vehicle. For the calibrated SA model, evaluation of across-viewpoint similarity demonstrates the model’s ability to compensate for water column and light source effects.
Design and fabrication of a lightweight 3D first surface mirror aluminized by DC magnetron sputtering
Authors: Bautista-Hernández A. M. , Villalobos-Mendoza B. , Izazaga-Pérez R. , Solís-Pomar F. , Gutiérrez-Lazos C. D. , Aviles-Alvarado A. , Garcia-Castillo F. A. , Pérez-Tijerina E. G. , Aguirre-Aguirre D.
Published: October 2023

Aluminum thin films were deposited on a 3D prototype employing the direct current magnetron sputtering technique to fabricate a lightweight 3D first surface mirror. Before the aluminizing, the surface of the prototypes was evaluated with interferometry and atomic force microscope (AFM). The thin films were characterized using profilometry, UV-Vis spectroscopy, x-ray diffraction, AFM, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and scanning electron microscopy. High adherence and homogeneous deposition of the aluminum’s thin films were achieved. In addition, the purity of the material was confirmed by XPS analysis.
Response time characteristics of a transmissive uniformly doped GaAsP photocathode
Authors: Jia Tiantian , Gan Linyu , Guo Xin , Qiu Hongjin , Zhang Ruoyu , Liu Xuchuan , Du Jinjuan , Zhang Yijun , Liu Lei
Published: October 2023

In this paper, the matrix difference method is used to calculate the photoelectron continuity equation and the outgoing electron flux density equation. The effects of the GaAsP/AlGaAsP recombination rate, electron diffusion coefficient, and activation layer thickness on the time-resolved characteristics and quantum efficiency of a GaAsP photocathode are systematically studied, and the accuracy of the theoretical calculation is verified by experiments. The response speed and quantum efficiency of the GaAsP photocathode can be greatly improved by adjusting the thickness of the GaAsP activation layer reasonably.
Monolithic VECSEL for stable kHz linewidth
Authors: Lee Martin , Moriya Paulo Hisao , Hastie Jennifer E.
Published: October 2023

Vertical-external-cavity surface-emitting semiconductor lasers (VECSELs) are of increasing interest for applications requiring ultra-coherence and/or low noise at novel wavelengths; performance that is currently achieved via high-Q, air-spaced resonators to achieve long intra-cavity photon lifetimes (for the so-called class-A low noise regime), power scaling and high beam quality. Here, we report on the development of a compact, electronically tunable, monolithic-cavity, class-A VECSEL (monolithic VECSEL) for ultra-narrow free-running linewidths. A multi-quantum-well, resonant periodic gain structure with integrated distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) was optically-bonded to an air-gap-free laser resonator created inside a right-angle fused-silica prism to suppress the influence of environmental noise on the external laser oscillation, thus achieving high stability. Mode-hop-free wavelength tuning is performed via the stabilized temperature; or electronically, and with low latency, via a shear piezo-electric transducer mounted on the top of the prism. The free-running linewidth, estimated via the frequency power spectral density (PSD), is sub-kHz over ms timescales and <1.9 kHz for time sampling as long as 1s, demonstrating at least two orders-of-magnitude improvement in noise performance compared to previously reported single frequency VECSELs. The stable, total internal reflection resonator concept is akin to the prevalent monolithic non-planar ring oscillator (NPRO), however the monolithic VECSEL has several important advantages: tailored emission wavelength (via semiconductor bandgap engineering), no relaxation oscillations, no applied magnetic field, and low requirements on the pump beam quality. This approach is power-scalable in principle and could be applied to VECSELs at any of the wavelengths from the visible to the mid-infrared at which they are already available, to create a range of robust, ultra-coherent laser systems with reduced bulkiness and complexity. This is of particular interest for remote metrology and the translation of quantum technologies, such as optical clocks, from research laboratories into real world applications.
Implementing an electronic sideband offset lock for isotope shift spectroscopy in radium
Authors: Rabga T. , Bailey K. G. , Bishof M. , Booth D. W. , Dietrich M. R. , Greene J. P. , Mueller P. , O’Connor T. P. , Singh J. T.
Published: October 2023

We demonstrate laser frequency stabilization with at least 6 GHz of offset tunability using an in-phase/quadrature (IQ) modulator to generate electronic sidebands (ESB) on a titanium sapphire laser at 714 nm and we apply this technique to perform isotope shift spectroscopy of 226Ra and 225Ra. By locking the laser to a single resonance of a high finesse optical cavity and adjusting the lock offset, we determine the frequency difference between the magneto-optical trap (MOT) transitions in the two isotopes to be 2630.0 ± 0.3 MHz, a factor of 29 more precise than the previously available data. Using the known value of the hyperfine splitting of the 3P1 level, we calculate the isotope shift for the 1S0 to 3P1 transition to be 2267.0 ± 2.2 MHz, a factor of 8 more precise than the best available value. Our technique could be applied to countless other atomic systems to provide unprecedented precision in isotope shift spectroscopy and other relative frequency comparisons.
Tuning the emission properties of electrically pumped semiconductor random lasers via controlled pulsed laser ablation
Authors: Consoli Antonio , García Pedro David , López Cefe
Published: October 2023

Electrically pumped random lasers with distributed feedback can be obtained by introducing random defects into the device active layer, modifying the epitaxial growth process and losing the ease of fabrication potentially offered by disordered structures. We recently demonstrated an alternative and more practical approach in which random lasing emission is obtained from a modified Fabry-Perot laser diode after pulsed laser ablation of its output mirror. Here, we improve our fabrication technique by sweeping the ablating laser beam along the output mirror at different speeds and with different pulse energies, obtaining control over the total energy delivered at each point. We optimize the ablation parameters by evaluating the device performances in terms of lasing threshold and output power and we present the device emission characteristics. The proposed technique is tunable, fast and reliable, allowing the fabrication of devices with different properties by proper selection of the ablation parameters.
Photon Counting Elastography
Authors: Huang Yuping , Zheng Zipei , Sua Yong Meng , Zhu Shenyu , Rehain Patrick
Published: October 2023

We demonstrate a non-contact elastography with low-intensity illumination, mode-selective single photon detection, and acoustic excitation. It probes target samples with milliwatt, picosecond laser pulses and measures the backscattered photons via quantum parametric mode sorting and upconversion detection. As the acoustic frequency is swept, the samples' vibrational responses are mapped onto the photon counting histograms from which their mechanical properties--including elasticity--can be derived. By lateral and longitudinal laser scanning at a fixed frequency, an elastogram can be reliably reconstructed upon photon level signals. This technique has the potential for remote sensing and imaging of tissues and materials with differential mechanical properties in photon starved or restricted environment.
The South African breast cancer and HIV outcomes study: Profiling the cancer centres and cohort characteristics, diagnostic pathways, and treatment approaches
Authors: Mapanga Witness , Ayeni Oluwatosin A. , Chen Wenlong Carl , Jacobson Judith S. , Neugut Alfred I. , Ruff Paul , Cubasch Herbert , O’Neil Daniel S. , Buccimazza Ines , Čačala Sharon , Stopforth Laura W. , Farrow Hayley A. , Nietz Sarah , Phakathi Boitumelo , Chirwa Tobias , McCormack Valerie A. , Joffe Maureen
Published: October 2023

The South African Breast Cancer and HIV Outcomes prospective cohort (SABCHO) study was established to investigate survival determinants among HIV-positive and HIV-negative SA women with breast cancer. This paper describes common and unique characteristics of the cancer centres and their participants, examining disparities in pathways to diagnosis, treatment resources and approaches adopted to mitigate resource constraints. The Johannesburg (Jhb), Soweto (Sow), and Durban (Dbn) sites treat mainly urban, relatively better educated and more socioeconomically advantaged patients whereas the Pietermaritzburg (Pmb) and Empangeni (Emp) sites treat predominantly rural, less educated and more impoverished communities The Sow, Jhb, and Emp sites had relatively younger patients (mean ages 54 ±14.5, 55±13.7 and 54±14.3 respectively), whereas patients at the Dbn and Pmb sites, with greater representation of Asian Indian women, were relatively older (mean age 57 ±13.9 and 58 ±14.6 respectively). HIV prevalence among the cohort was high, ranging from 15%-42%, (Cohort obesity (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2) at 60%, self-reported hypertension (41%) and diabetes (13%). Direct referral of patients from primary care clinics to cancer centre occurred only at the Sow site which uniquely ran an open clinic and where early stage (I and II) proportions were highest at 48.5%. The other sites relied on indirect patient referral from regional hospitals where significant delays in diagnostics occurred and early-stage proportions were a low (15%- 37.3%). The Emp site referred patients for all treatments to the Dbn site located 200km away; the Sow site provided surgery and endocrine treatment services but referred patients to the Jhb site 30 Km away for chemo- and radiation therapy. The Jhb, Dbn and Pmb sites all provided complete oncology treatment services. All treatment centres followed international guidelines for their treatment approaches. Findings may inform policy interventions to address national and regional disparities in breast cancer care.
Measuring the cost-effectiveness of a home-visiting intervention to promote early child development among rural families linked to the Rwandan social protection system
Authors: Desmond Chris , Watt Kathryn G. , Jensen Sarah K. G. , Simmons Erik , Murray Shauna M. , Farrar Jordan , Placencio-Castro Matias , Sezibera Vincent , Rawlings Laura B. , Wilson Briana , Betancourt Theresa S.
Published: October 2023

Early childhood development (ECD) programmes are heralded as a way to improve children’s health and educational outcomes. However, few studies in developing countries calculate the effectiveness of quality early childhood interventions. This study estimates the cost and cost-effectiveness of the Sugira Muryango (SM) trial, a home-visiting intervention to improve ECD outcomes through positive parent-child relationships. Cost-effectiveness analysis of ECD interventions is challenging given their potential to have multiple benefits. We propose a cost-effectiveness method using a single outcome, in this case the improvement in cognitive development per home-visit session, as an indication of efficiency comparable across similar interventions. The trial intervention cost US$456 per family. This cost will likely fall below US$200 if the intervention is scaled through government systems. The cost-effectiveness analysis suggests that while SM generated a relatively small impact on markers of early development, it did so efficiently. The observed improvements in cognitive development per home-visit are similar to other home-visiting interventions of longer duration. SM by focusing on the family had benefits beyond ECD, including reductions in violence against children and intermate partner violence, further analysis is needed to include these returns in the economic evaluation.
And the award goes to…the Matthew Effect: Examining external status as a predictor of productivity and opportunity
Authors: Contini Molly E. , Spence Jeffrey R.
Published: October 2023

It has been suggested that increased status that comes from being an award winner can generate enduring advantages that compound over one’s career via the Matthew Effect. However, research in this area has yielded conflicting results and has been unable to isolate the unique effect of status on career outcomes from the positive endogenous characteristics of award winners. In the current research, we attempt to address previous research limitations and examine if winning an award is associated with career outcomes (i.e., opportunities and productivity) irrespective of individual productivity levels prior to receiving an award. We examined our research questions using observational data of National Hockey League (NHL) league championship winners and non-winners (N = 427). By using a team award and several different analytic approaches we were able to examine the unique effects of affiliation-based external status, generated from an award win, on career outcomes. Our results generally show support for the Matthew Effect and suggest that affiliation-based external status, achieved by an award win, provides access to increased opportunities, which ultimately results in more productivity. We discuss the importance of incorporating opportunity and investigating its role in the cumulative advantage process and implications of the results.
Geospatial based model for malaria risk prediction in Kilombero valley, South-eastern, Tanzania
Authors: Mwangungulu Stephen P. , Dorothea Deus , Ngereja Zakaria R. , Kaindoa Emmanuel W.
Published: October 2023

Background

Malaria continues to pose a major public health challenge in tropical regions. Despite significant efforts to control malaria in Tanzania, there are still residual transmission cases. Unfortunately, little is known about where these residual malaria transmission cases occur and how they spread. In Tanzania for example, the transmission is heterogeneously distributed. In order to effectively control and prevent the spread of malaria, it is essential to understand the spatial distribution and transmission patterns of the disease. This study seeks to predict areas that are at high risk of malaria transmission so that intervention measures can be developed to accelerate malaria elimination efforts.

Methods

This study employs a geospatial based model to predict and map out malaria risk area in Kilombero Valley. Environmental factors related to malaria transmission were considered and assigned valuable weights in the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), an online system using a pairwise comparison technique. The malaria hazard map was generated by a weighted overlay of the altitude, slope, curvature, aspect, rainfall distribution, and distance to streams in Geographic Information Systems (GIS). Finally, the risk map was created by overlaying components of malaria risk including hazards, elements at risk, and vulnerability.

Results

The study demonstrates that the majority of the study area falls under moderate risk level (61%), followed by the low risk level (31%), while the high malaria risk area covers a small area, which occupies only 8% of the total area.

Conclusion

The findings of this study are crucial for developing spatially targeted interventions against malaria transmission in residual transmission settings. Predicted areas prone to malaria risk provide information that will inform decision-makers and policymakers for proper planning, monitoring, and deployment of interventions.
How neurotypical listeners recognize emotions expressed through vocal cues by speakers with high-functioning autism
Authors: Gibson Mindy T. , Schmidt-Kassow Maren , Paulmann Silke
Published: October 2023

We conducted an investigation to explore how neurotypical (NT) listeners perceive the emotional tone of voice in sentences spoken by individuals with high-functioning autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and NT speakers. The investigation included both male and female speakers from both groups. In Study 1, NT listeners were asked to identify the emotional prosody (anger, fear, happiness, surprise or neutral) conveyed by the speakers. Results revealed that emotional expressions produced by male ASD speakers were generally less accurately recognized compared to male NT speakers. In contrast, emotions expressed by female ASD speakers were more accurately categorized compared to female NT speakers, except when expressing fear. This suggests that female ASD speakers may not express emotional prosody in the same way as their male counterparts. In Study 2, a subset of produced materials was rated for valence, voice modulation, and voice control to supplement Study 1 results: Female ASD speakers sounded less negative when expressing fear compared to female NT speakers. Male ASD speakers were perceived as less positive than NT speakers when expressing happiness. Voice modulation also differed between groups, showing a tendency for ASD speakers to follow different display rules for both positive emotions (happiness and surprise) tested. Finally, male ASD speakers were rated to use voice cues less appropriately compared to NT male speakers, an effect less pronounced for female ASD speakers. Together, the results imply that difficulties in social interactions among individuals with high-functioning ASD could be due to non-prototypical voice use of male ASD speakers and emphasize that female individuals do not show the same effects.
The impact of COVID-19 on opioid toxicity deaths for people who experience incarceration compared to the general population in Ontario: A whole population data linkage study
Authors: Butler Amanda , Croxford Ruth , McLeod Katherine E. , Gomes Tara , Orkin Aaron M. , Bondy Susan J. , Kouyoumdjian Fiona G.
Published: October 2023

Background

To inform preparedness and population health action, we need to understand the effects of COVID-19 on health inequities. In this study, we assess the impact of COVID-19 on opioid toxicity deaths among people who experience incarceration compared to others in the general population in Ontario, Canada.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective cohort study for the period of January 1, 2015 to December 31, 2020. We accessed and linked coronial data on all opioid toxicity deaths in Ontario with correctional data for people aged 18 years and older who were incarcerated in a provincial correctional facility. We used data from the Statistics Canada Census to calculate whole population rates. We used an interrupted time series design and segmented regression to assess for change in the level or rate of increase in deaths due to opioid toxicity coinciding with the COVID-19 pandemic. We compared the impact of COVID-19 on the opioid toxicity death rates for people exposed and not exposed to incarceration.

Results

Rates of opioid toxicity death increased with a linear positive slope in both persons exposed to incarceration and those not exposed over the study period. The start of COVID-19 measures coincided with a marked upward shift in the trend lines with modification of the effect of COVID-19 by both sex and exposure to incarceration. For persons exposed to incarceration, the risk ratio (RR) was 1.50 (95%CI 1.35–1.69) for males and 1.21 (95%CI 1.06–1.42) for females, and for persons not exposed to incarceration, the RR was 1.25 (95%CI 1.13–1.38) for males and not significant for females.

Conclusions

COVID-19 substantially exacerbated the risk of opioid toxicity death, impacting males and females who experienced incarceration more than those who had not, with an immediate stepwise increase in risk but no change in the rate of increase of risk over time. Public health work, including pandemic preparedness, should consider the specific needs and circumstances of people who experience incarceration.
Self-awareness of hepatitis C infection in the United States: A cross-sectional study based on the National Health Nutrition and Examination Survey
Authors: Gnanapandithan Karthik , Ghali Maged P.
Published: October 2023

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a global health issue with an estimated prevalence of 2.4 to 3 million people in the US and 58 million worldwide. Previous reports from the US have shown that close to half of those with the infection are unaware of their status. Although the current therapy for HCV is very effective, the primary barrier has been the inability to diagnose a large fraction of those infected. We studied public awareness of HCV in the US using National Health Nutrition and Examination Survey data from 2013 to 2020. Our aim was to measure awareness of infection in individuals with HCV and identify possible barriers to diagnosis. In total, 206 individuals with HCV were included in the weighted analysis. The weighted awareness of infection was 60.1%, suggesting that over 0.8 million are unaware nationally. Awareness was significantly low in the Mexican American and Asian populations. Non-US citizens and non–US-born individuals also had poor awareness. The transaminases were more elevated in those unaware of the infection, suggesting their higher risk of liver fibrosis. Although the proportion of infected people aware of their illness has been rising, over 0.8 million are still unaware of their infection and their risk of liver damage. We believe policy measures focused on further intense screening and educational campaigns, particularly in high-risk groups, are vital in realizing the World Health Organization’s goal of eliminating HCV as a global health threat.
Tom do topo e auditoria interna: Análises do ambiente de governança do SUS
Authors: Hohenfeld Macedo dos Santos Rafael , Demarche Minatti Ferreira Denize , Martins Dias Maragno Lucas , Mussoi Ribeiro Alex
Published: October 2023

Objetivo: Este artigo analisou a percepção dos servidores federais da auditoria interna do SUS quanto à estrutura de governança e Tom do Topo (TdT) do Ministério da Saúde (MS). Método: Para isso, adotou a estratégia de levantamento ou survey. Os dados foram coletados com a aplicação de um questionário aos servidores que atuam na unidade de auditoria interna vinculada ao MS, AudSUS (antigo Denasus) e tem duas dimensões: o ambiente de controle e a auditoria e o TdT, ambas na esfera federal. A coleta de dados resultou em 233 respostas completas, 54% dos convites enviados. As dimensões foram mensuradas por meio de escalas de atitudes com cinco níveis e a análise dos dados contou com técnicas quantitativas, entre elas, as frequências, percentuais, médias e desvios (quando variáveis contínuas) e alpha de Cronbach. Resultados: A partir da percepção dos respondentes, observou-se fragilidades na condução dos papeis dos atores de governança, assim como no ambiente de controle organizacional e na independência e autonomia da auditoria interna. Destaca-se também baixo amadurecimento da integração da unidade de auditoria interna com os atores da governança. Esses resultados demonstram desalinhamento e entre o topo e a auditoria interna que prejudica a comunicação, impacta na autonomia e efetividade dos trabalhos da auditoria interna. Contribuições: O estudo contribui para o aprimoramento da governança e da auditoria interna do setor público, em especial do MS.
ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction and Bleeding Complications in JAK2-Negative Polycythemia
Authors: Duran Luciano Priscilla , Sabella-Jiménez Vanessa
Published: October 2023

Thrombotic and bleeding complications are major causes of morbidity and mortality in patients with polycythemia vera, who predominantly present with an alteration in the JAK2 gene. Because of their hypercoagulable state and risk of hemorrhage, patients with polycythemia vera who present with an acute myocardial infarction pose a challenge to physicians. This case report describes the presentation and treatment of a Hispanic patient with JAK2 V617F–negative primary polycythemia who developed cardiac arrest and ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction owing to complete occlusion of the left anterior descending artery as well as bleeding complications and postmyocardial pericarditis.
Public support for worktime reductions in Switzerland in the context of a transition to a post-growth society
Authors: Hanbury Hugo , Moser Stephanie , Neubert Sebastian , Bottazzi Patrick , Bader Christoph
Published: October 2023

Work time reductions (WTRs) may contribute to a transition to a post-growth society. We analysed Swiss stakeholders’ perceptions of the effects of WTRs and their support for measures to implement them. It is assumed that public support will play a significant role in putting WTRs
into practice.There is some scientific evidence that work time reductions (WTRs) have beneficial ecological, social, and economic effects that could contribute to a transition to a post-growth society. However, little research has been conducted on whether the occurrence of such desired
effects is acknowledged: Do they form part of the public debate and is there any public support for WTRs? We conducted a two-round survey among Swiss stakeholder groups (N = 51/28) to identify what effects they believe WTRs have, and what measures to implement WTRs they would be most likely
to support. Stakeholders perceived WTRs to have several beneficial social and economic effects, including effects that are relevant for a transition to a post-growth society. However, they did not assume that ecological effects occur. Measures voluntarily implemented on an organisational level
by businesses were more popular than those implemented on a national policy or social partnership level. Certain incremental measures and/or those that are merely conducive to WTRs were uncontested. Other more direct and extensive measures were predominantly supported, but not uncontested.
Book review of: Keil, Roger; Wu, Fulong (eds.) (2022): After Suburbia. Urbanization in the Twenty-First Century
Authors: Dembski Sebastian
Published: October 2023

Buchrezension
Cover Jurnal Fitopatologi Vol. 19 No. 4, Juli 2023
Authors: Editors Jurnal Fitopatologi Indonesia
Published: October 2023

This editorial contains the front cover, editorial page, and back cover of the Jurnal Fitopatologi Indonesia Vol. 19 No. 4, July 2023