bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Prevention of gestational diabetes in pregnant women with obesity: protocol for a pilot randomised controlled trial
Authors: Quotah Ola F. , Nishku Glen , Hunt Jessamine , Seed Paul T. , Gill Carolyn , Brockbank Anna , Fafowora Omoyele , Vasiloudi Ilektra , Olusoga Opeoluwa , Cheek Ellie , Phillips Jannelle , Nowak Katarzyna G. , Poston Lucilla , White Sara L. , Flynn Angela C.
Published: March 2022

Background

Obesity in pregnancy increases the risk of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and associated adverse outcomes. Despite metabolic differences, all pregnant women with obesity are considered to have the same risk of developing GDM. Improved risk stratification is required to enable targeted intervention in women with obesity who would benefit the most. The aim of this study is to identify pregnant women with obesity at higher risk of developing GDM and, in a pilot randomised controlled trial (RCT), test feasibility and assess the efficacy of a lifestyle intervention and/or metformin to improve glycaemic control.

Methods

Women aged 18 years or older with a singleton pregnancy and body mass index (BMI) ≥ 30kg/m2 will be recruited from one maternity unit in London, UK. The risk of GDM will be assessed using a multivariable GDM prediction model combining maternal age, mid-arm circumference, systolic blood pressure, glucose, triglycerides and HbA1c. Women identified at a higher risk of developing GDM will be randomly allocated to one of two intervention groups (lifestyle advice with or without metformin) or standard antenatal care. The primary feasibility outcomes are study recruitment, retention rate and intervention adherence and to collect information needed for the sample size calculation for the definitive trial. A process evaluation will assess the acceptability of study processes and procedures to women. Secondary patient-centred outcomes include a reduction in mean glucose/24h of 0.5mmol/l as assessed by continuous glucose monitoring and changes in a targeted maternal metabolome, dietary intake and physical activity. A sample of 60 high-risk women is required.

Discussion

Early risk stratification of GDM in pregnant women with obesity and targeted intervention using lifestyle advice with or without metformin could improve glucose tolerance compared to standard antenatal care. The results from this feasibility study will inform a larger adequately powered RCT should the intervention show trends for potential effectiveness.

Trial registration

This study has been approved by the NHS Research Ethics Committee (UK IRAS integrated research application system; reference 18/LO/1500). EudraCT number 2018-000003-16.
Strawberry vein banding virus-based vector for transient overexpression in strawberry plants
Authors: Yang Xianchu , Zhao Qingqing , Jiang Xizi , Wang Zhanqi , Liang Jingang , Jiang Lei , Jiang Tong
Published: March 2022

Strawberry vein banding virus (SVBV) is a double-stranded DNA virus. In our previous studies, we generated an infectious clone of SVBV, pSVBV, which causes light-green vein banding symptoms along the leaf veins in strawberry plants (Fragaria vesca). In this study, we constructed pSVBV-P1-MCS and pSVBV-P4-MCS, two recombinant virus vectors containing a multiple cloning site (MCS) downstream of the SVBV-encoded movement protein gene (P1) and coat protein gene (P4), respectively. At 35 days post-inoculation, the two SVBV-based vectors could produce light-green vein banding symptoms on the systemic leaves of strawberry plants, indicating that they could successfully cause infection. Furthermore, the infectivity rates of the recombinant virus vectors pSVBV-P1-MCS and pSVBV-P4-MCS were similar to that of the wild-type infectious clone pSVBV, indicating that the insertion of MCS did not affect the infectivity of SVBV-based vectors. Additionally, we engineered SVBV as a transient overexpression vector, which could be used for the overexpression of exogenous green fluorescent protein in strawberry plants. Collectively, these SVBV-based vectors provide a new approach for the analysis of gene functions in strawberry plants.
Two-photon MINFLUX with doubled localization precision
Authors: Zhao Kun , Xu Xinzhu , Ren Wei , Jin Dayong , Xi Peng
Published: March 2022

Achieving localization with molecular precision has been of great interest for extending fluorescence microscopy to nanoscopy. MINFLUX pioneers this transition through point spread function (PSF) engineering, yet its performance is primarily limited by the signal-to-background ratio. Here we demonstrate theoretically that two-photon MINFLUX (2p-MINFLUX) could double its localization precision through PSF engineering by nonlinear effect. Cramér-Rao Bound (CRB) is studied as the maximum localization precision, and CRB of two-photon MINFLUX is halved compared to single-photon MINFLUX (1p-MINFLUX) in all three dimensions. Meanwhile, in order to achieve same localization precision with 1p-MINFLUX, 2p-MINFLUX requires only 1/4 of fluorescence photons. Exploiting simultaneous two-photon excitation of multiple fluorophore species, 2p-MINFLUX may have the potential for registration-free nanoscopy and multicolor tracking.
SWARA-CoCoSo method-based parametric optimization of green dry milling processes
Authors: Das Partha Protim , Chakraborty Shankar
Published: March 2022

Attaining green environment for various machining processes has now caught the attention of many manufacturing industries. The input parameters involved in those machining processes are mainly responsible for achieving the desired performance as they are directly related to the process outputs. Hence, proper selection of the input process parameters becomes vital for having sustainable machining environment. In this paper, an integrated application of step-wise weight assessment ratio analysis (SWARA) and combined compromise solution (CoCoSo) methods is presented to identify the optimal parametric combinations of two green dry milling processes. In the first example, cutting speed, depth of cut, feed rate and nose radius are treated as the input parameters, while power factor, electric consumption and surface roughness are the responses. On the other hand, in the second example, cutting speed, feed rate, depth of cut and width of cut, and surface roughness, active cutting energy and material removal rate are respectively considered as the input parameters and responses. Instead of considering equal weights, SWARA method assigns relative subjective importance to the responses based on the preference set by the decision-makers, while CoCoSo ranks the experimental trials from the best to the worst. The derived optimal parametric settings are finally analyzed using the developed regression equations. It is observed that SWARA-CoCoSo method outperforms the other popular optimization techniques in identifying the best parametric intermixes for the green dry milling processes for having improved machining performance with minimal environmental effect.
Democracy's Dislocations
Authors: Devabhaktuni Sony , Mansbridge Joanna
Published: March 2022

This article examines the 2019 Hong Kong protests from the perspective of urban space and the city's historical founding as a colonial entrepôt. Specifically, it explores how the protests destabilized both the urban fabric of the city and the political and economic agreements that have defined the city's governance since handover. The analysis of the protests, and of the history leading up to them, is informed by writings on democracy and space by Chantal Mouffe and Doreen Massey, and considers the work of activists, researchers, and journalists whose voices have often been out of step with the movement and with international media narratives that have defined it. The article provides historical and theoretical insight into the role of both collaboration and conflict in the formation of the city's political identity and points to possibilities for engaging with the still-open question of the meanings and practices of democracy in Hong Kong.
Shari’a Barbie’s Afterlives
Authors: Jarmakani Amira
Published: March 2022

This article investigates a sprawling archive of memes (about “Shakira law,” “shari’a Barbie,” and the “jihad squad,”) and incorporates analysis of the original Serial podcast (about the case of Adnan Syed) to look at the role of metadata and dataveillance in criminalizing and apprehending Muslims. Given technological innovations, like autocorrect functions that “correct” conversations about the “racialization” of Muslims to the “radicalization” of Muslims (to give one example), algorithmic manipulations of data depend on sexualizing and racializing assemblages that tell a familiar story about the way Muslim lives are shaped by the discourses and representations through which they are figured and apprehended. The author explores the way that this archive of memes figures Muslims as a “measurable type”—whereby they are profiled into highly fraught categories, like “terrorist,” through algorithmic interpretations of their online activity—therefore enabling what John Cheney-Lippold calls “soft biopolitics.” Given the ability of this sort of data to materially shape a person’s life, the author looks at the roles of metadata and big data in apprehending Muslims, Arabs, and SWANA-identified people through a biopolitical framing of population, where apprehend is understood in both senses of the word—in terms of understanding Muslims as well as criminalizing them.
Searching for the Next Intifada
Authors: Bhutto Zulfikar Ali
Published: March 2022

This article explores the possibilities of distinctly queer and Muslim futures rooted not only in Muslim diaspora communities but in the Muslim world itself. The Palestinian intifadas of 1987 and 2000 are the author’s primary inspiration, whereas the future becomes a blank canvas onto which one can imagine the next global intifada, a giant popular uprising fought on many fronts. The author examines the work of artists Jassem Hindi, Layla tul Qadr, Saba Taj, and Hushidar Mortezaie, who look at the future in terms of parallel imaginative possibilities rather than in temporal terms. In addition to these artists, the writings of scholars and artists Jose Estaban Muñoz, Ronak Kapadia, Etel Adnan, and Hamed Sinno further emphasize the future-facing nature of both queerness and Islam, as well as the radical possibilities of telling queer Muslim stories in the future.
In-Situ Observation of Redox Reactions in Ge-Sensitised Thermal Cells
Authors: Hida Yoshiharu , Isobe Toshihiro , Nakajima Akira , Matsushita Sachiko
Published: March 2022

Semiconductor-sensitised thermal cells (STC) are a new type of thermal energy conversion system that makes effective use of waste heat even at low-temperature. This system generates electricity via the redox reactions of electrolyte ions caused by thermally-excited carriers in the semiconductor electrode. However, there has been no direct proof of the redox reactions. In this manuscript, these reactions were directly observed via the change in colour of copper electrolyte ions, depending on their valence. This observation indicated that the oxidation reaction occurred at the semiconductor electrode and the reduction reaction occurred at the counter electrode, as we expected. These results will lead to the clarification of the principles and improvement of the STC performance.
Methods based on a semi-empirical model for simulating scroll compressors with HFC and HFO refrigerants
Authors: Meramveliotakis George , Kosmadakis George , Karellas Sotirios
Published: March 2022

The aim of this work is to evaluate three methodologies regarding semi-empirical scroll compressor modeling for different refrigerants and conduct a comparative analysis of their results and accuracy. The first step is to improve a semi-empirical model for scroll compressors based on established techniques, and further enhance the physical background of some of its sub-processes leading to more accurate predictions. Focus is then given on the compressor operation when changing the refrigerant, proposing three methods in total. The first method refers to the standard model, requiring an optimization process for the calibration of all the model parameters. The second method relies on a reference refrigerant, and also uses optimization procedures, but for the fine-tuning of a small subset of the parameters. The third method is more generalized, without the need of any optimization process for the parameters identification, when fluid change occurs, leading to a very fast approach. Το evaluate the accuracy and verify the applicability of each method also related to the necessary computational time, two scroll compressors each with three different refrigerants are considered (HFCs and HFOs and their blends). The model is evaluated with the available manufacturer data, using R134a as reference refrigerant. The results show that the first method predicts the key indicators with a very high accuracy, with the maximum discrepancy of 2.06%, 4.17% and 3.18 K for the mass flow rate, electric power and discharge temperature respectively. The accuracy of the other two methods is dropping, but within acceptable levels in most of the cases. Therefore, in cases that reduced accuracy can be accepted, the third method is preferred for compressor performance prediction when changing the refrigerant, which provides results at a small fraction of time compared with the other two methods, once the parameters are calibrated for a reference case.
Complicity at a distance: commemorating problematic involvement in perpetration in contemporary Central and Eastern European literatures
Authors: Prade-Weiss Juliane
Published: March 2022

Background: In the twenty-first century, literatures from Central and Eastern Europe are marked by a boom of documentary fiction portraying complicity Nazi perpetration, Soviet terror, or other instances of 20th century mass violence and totalitarianism. Since understanding the past serves requirements of the present, the boom prompts the question: Why the interest in past complicities now? My hypothesis is that the texts address convergences between involvements in past acts of mass violence and current forms of participation in wrongdoings in neoliberalism. While these issues differ profoundly, they are related: structurally, both present the challenge of forming a nuanced notion of participation. Historically, they are related since justifications of past involvements have established the terminology, narratives, and heuristics in which terror, repression, and mass violence are subsequently discussed, thus forming the frame for negotiating current problematic involvements.

Method: Critical discourse analysis is used to scrutinize the legal concept of complicity and combined it with close readings of passages from four literary texts to outline how attention to reciprocity in language can enhance our understanding of problematic involvement.

Results: Literary portrayals of historical complicity are ambivalent; they can help to find models for comprehending issues of the present in cultural memory, but they can also serve to establish distance between present and past to appease the sense that all is not quite well, even after the demise of Nazi and Soviet terror. The article outlines two modes of distancing: a) spacio-temporal distancing of the commemorating point of view in ‘the West’ from the portrayed violence in ‘the East’, and b) moral distancing that casts the audience as superior to complicit characters.

Conclusion: By pressing for analytic or consoling distance, both strategies of distancing amount to a complicity with the transmission of discourses that justify, excuse, or deny mass violence and totalitarian terror.
Small solar flares and local polarity inversion lines of the longitudinal magnetic field of the active region
Authors: Borovik Aleksandr , Zhdanov Anton
Published: March 2022

Using photospheric data and data on the longitudinal magnetic field from the SDO satellite, as well as observations in the Hα line from GONG ground stations, we have studied the flare activity of the NOAA 12673 sunspot group, which in September 2017 produced the largest X9.3 class flare in the last decade. The active region was distinguished by rapid development, complex topology, and magnetic field dynamics. We have established that in the active region almost throughout the development period due to movements of diverse polar magnetic fluxes and their convergence, numerous local polarity inversion lines (LPIL) of the magnetic field were formed. Small solar flares have been found to be closely related to LPIL and to occur in those areas of LPIL where the gradient of the longitudinal magnetic field over time reaches maximum values.
Results of joint observations with solar spectropolarimeter of meter range wavelengths and other instruments
Authors: Muratova Nataliia , Fedotova Anastasiya , Shamsutdinova Julia
Published: March 2022

Solar radiation is emitted in the wide frequency range from gamma to radio emission. Hence, joint observations from different instruments and frequency ranges let us to complete full representation of the evolution of solar events and confirm authenticity of data from specific instruments. In this article, we present comparative analysis data from Solar Spectropolarimeter of Meter Range wavelengths (SSMD) and other instruments. For the investigation we have chosen three solar events registered with SSMD in 2019: type III radio bursts on May 6 from 05:05 UT to 05:12 UT, type II radio bursts on May 6 from 05:12 UT to 05:19 UT, and type III radio bursts on April 14 from 05:03 UT to 05:21 UT. For comparison we apply data from the following instruments: SSMD, SRH (Siberian Radioheliograph), SDO/AIA (Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) on the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO)), Wind/WAVES (WAVES investigation on the WIND spacecraft), ground-based spectropolarimeter AMATERAS, spacecraft GOES-14. As a result, we can conclude that they are in good correlation with each other and correspond to outstanding characteristics for each event. The investigation also confirms the SSMD data authenticity.
Abundance and conservation status of Rosa gallica in Strzyżów Foothills (SE Poland)
Authors: Wójcik Tomasz , Ziaja Maria
Published: March 2022

Rosa gallica is a rare, threatened, and legally protected species; hence, research on this species is important for identification of threats and development of protection strategies. The aim of the study was to characterise plant communities with Rosa gallica and to determine the habitat conditions, abundance, and diversity of selected population traits. The study was conducted in 2016-2020 in two localities (Bukowa, Kołaczyce) in Strzyżów Foothills. Twenty phytosociological relevés were made using the Braun-Blanquet method. The habitat conditions were assessed using Ellenberg indicator values. The following parameters were used to evaluate the diversity and quantitative relationships between the species in the analysed communities: Shannon-Wiener diversity (H՛), Evenness (J՛), and Simpson dominance (SIMP) indices. The size of the analysed populations was estimated based on the number of vegetative and generative shoots. Height was measured in 100 randomly selected shoots, and the number of flowers per generative shoot was additionally determined. Rosa gallica was part of the community with Brachypodium pinnatum in the Bukowa locality and occurred in the association Arrhenatheretum elatioris in Kołaczyce. The diversity indices had higher values ​​in Kołaczyce. The population in Bukowa covered an area of 500 m2 and comprised 911 (578 generative and 333 vegetative) shoots. From 1 to 10 flowers per shoot were noted. The population from Kołaczyce occupied a twofold smaller area and was less numerous, i.e. 465 (168 generative and 297 vegetative) shoots were recorded. It was also characterised by less abundant flowering (1-5 flowers per shoot). There were differences in the height of the generative and vegetative shoots. The parameter exhibited higher values in Bukowa ​​(55.17 and 36.95 cm, respectively) than in Kołaczyce (33.79 and 26.79 cm, respectively). All the habitat indices (except for K and R) and the biodiversity indices had higher values in Kołaczyce. The present results show that Rosa gallica occurs in a wide range of habitats varying in light, moisture, and fertility requirements. It grows in different-sized clusters or sometimes produces single shoots. Advanced succession has a negative impact on the conservation status of the population, which is particularly evident in the Kołaczyce locality. Therefore, the conservation of this species will depend on active protection measures.
El navío Oriflame y su tiempo. Un patrimonio cultural de España en la costa de Chile
Authors: Ruiz García Vicente
Published: March 2022

Los relatos de tesoros y naufragios han despertado siempre la curiosidad de los lectores. En esa línea de fascinación, este libro aborda la historia del navío mercante de registro Nuestra Señora del Buen Consejo y San Leopoldo, apodado Oriflame, una embarcación del siglo XVIII que navegó por el Mediterráneo, el Atlántico y el Pacífico entre 1744 y 1770. A partir de una rigurosa labor de documentación histórica, centrada especialmente en el Archivo General de Indias de Sevilla, el Archivo General de Simancas y el Archivo Histórico Provincial de Cádiz, su autor reconstruye la historia completa del navío, desde su fabricación hasta su hundimiento en extrañas circunstancias frente a las costas de Chile, con el fin de dar a conocer un extraordinario tesoro cultural sumergido. De esta historia central surgen pequeños relatos colaterales que nos permiten adentrarnos en las rutas comerciales de la Carrera de Indias, en la América colonial y la España de la Ilustración. Se trata, pues, de una obra que nos adentrará en el fascinante mundo de la arqueología subacuática y de la investigación histórica para descubrir un yacimiento arqueológico sin precedentes que esconde un tesoro por el que se ha desatado una encarnizada batalla judicial.
Dokument w postaci elektronicznej jako dowód w postępowaniu administracyjnym i sądowoadministracyjnym w świetle wytycznych Rady Europy
Authors: Niedźwiedź Monika
Published: March 2022

Ostatnia dekada przyniosła postępującą cyfryzację i informatyzację życia społecznego i gospodarczego. Jest to trend nie tylko europejski, ale także ogólnoświatowy, a cyfryzacja i informatyzacja stanowią narzędzia w procesach globalizacji. Regulacje k.p.a., jak również p.p.s.a. z uwzględnieniem zmian przewidzianych w ustawie z dnia 18 listopada 2020 r. o doręczeniach elektronicznych odpowiadają ramowym standardom wynikającym z wytycznych Komitetu Ministrów Rady Europy w sprawie dowodów elektronicznych w postępowaniach cywilnych i administracyjnych z 30 stycznia 2019 r. Analiza prawa krajowego oraz wzajemne odesłania między aktami prawa krajowego, unijnego i międzynarodowego świadczą o dążeniu do ugruntowania wspólnych europejskich standardów. Dokument w postaci elektronicznej sukcesywnie wypierał będzie tradycyjne dokumenty, jednak nie można w tym kontekście zapominać o osobach informatycznie wykluczonych oraz o przyjętej zasadzie równorzędności tradycyjnej papierowej formy dokumentu i postaci elektronicznej. W kontekście wrastającej internacjonalizacji postępowań administracyjnych istotne jest zapewnienie wspólnych standardów informatycznych, aby ułatwić, a niekiedy wręcz umożliwić posługiwanie się dokumentem w postaci elektronicznej za granicą oraz ułatwić przekazywanie między państwami dokumentów elektronicznych z publicznych rejestrów.
Czy e-postępowanie mediacyjne zwiększa odpowiedzialność administracji?
Authors: Kożuch Małgorzata
Published: March 2022

The subject of the article is a preliminary analysis of issues related to the responsibility of the administrative body resulting from mediation as part of proceedings by means of electronic means of distance communication. The first part of the article presents the mediation process as part of the administrative procedure in terms of its purpose and form, with reference to the legal provisions regarding the settlement of the case electronically. The second part presents structural issues related to the mediation process, the organization and course of mediation sessions and shaping the outcome of mediation, sometimes in the form of a settlement. The third part contains comments on the secrecy of mediation and its consequences in the area of responsibility. The author points out that the legislator has not introduced any new provisions on liability. Despite this, new areas of responsibility have emerged due to the involvement of a public entity in the mediation process. In addition, conducting mediation with the use of technology opens up new risks that were previously unknown.
E-Public Policies and the Issue of Gender Equality
Authors: Kostić Miomira P.
Published: March 2022

In this paper, the author deals with legal and social (socio-economic) issues related to gender approach in public policies. In this sense, theoretical research is directed towards, vice versa, basic elements of public policies, such as: ideas, historical and structural determination of public policies, typology, and methodological approach to research of public policies, especially analysis of public policies in the field of implementation of the principle of gender equality. The existing normative achievements in the Republic of Serbia in relation to the implementation of the undertaken international documents in this field are pointed out. Particular attention is paid to the analysis of the reports of competent ministries, namely those data that lead to conclusions about gender representation, that is, implemented principles of gender equality in different segments of public policies “which are reduced to governmental choice and top-down approaches.” The aim is to point out emerging issues, such as poverty and employment, to make them visible, because the author is of the legal profession, a criminologist, so with professional and pedagogical responsibility she tends to expose dilemmas more in the application than in the nomotechnical process of passing the laws, strategies and action plans related to the implementation of gender equality in different segments, especially in public policies, the non-application of which leads to discrimination. The author also refers to the phenomenon of pink washing, as well as to some criminological theoretical approaches to explain connections between some social phenomenons which lead to differences between people in their socio-economic ways of life. Metho1 dological procedures were applied in the paper: historical law, comparative law, as well as case analysis.
The Impact of Social Media Use on E-communication Between Government and Public: The Case of Slovakia
Authors: Mitaľ Ondrej
Published: March 2022

Regarding the impacts of social media on the execution of public administration, the states try to find optimal E-communication solutions, which might help to increase the qualitative aspects of public governance. The aim of the study is to examine the use of official Facebook pages by Slovak regional cities, more precisely, the purpose of the posts and the sphere of social life included in the posts published between 2016 and 2020. The selected methodology aims to perform an in-depth analysis of Facebook page usage in the five-year period. The main finding is based on the statement that Slovakian regional cities use their official Facebook pages mainly to inform their citizens about various types of events and happenings in the city, while posts asking for citizens´ opinion or participation do not represent significant part of posts published during the analysed period. Besides, the benefit of the article is associated with fostering an interest in examined issues of social media use. It was the ambition of the author to contribute to the standardization of strategies on social media use in public administration.
Short-term cardiopulmonary rehabilitation program in a post-COVID-19 patient: a case report
Authors: Souza Juliana Rodrigues de , Barbosa Beatriz da Silva , Cavalcante Jonathan Galvão Tenório , Santos Juliana Thaís Ferezini Faria , Silva Rafaella Carvalho da , Marães Vera Regina Fernandes da Silva
Published: March 2022

We aimed to report a successful clinical case of a short-term cardiopulmonary rehabilitation after hospital discharge due to COVID-19. Exploratory descriptive case study with a 58-year-old male, former smoker, and in need of supplemental oxygen after COVID-19 infection, admitted to a cardiopulmonary rehabilitation program of six weeks in a school clinic in the Federal District, Brasília, Brazil. Chest expansion, aerobic capacity, physical function, and quality of life were evaluated before and after the program using, respectively, thoracic cirtometry, 6-Minute Walk Test, 1-Minute Sit-To-Stand Test, and Short Form Health Survey. At the end of the cardiopulmonary rehabilitation, the patient presented increased chest expansion, increased walked distance with decreased perception of exertion, increased repetitions in the 1-minute sit-to-stand-test, and increased quality of life. Moreover, he was completely weaned from supplemental oxygen. A short-term duration cardiopulmonary rehabilitation protocol can contribute to improvement in aerobic and functional capacity, and in quality of life after COVID-19.
Technical Note—Bifurcating Constraints to Improve Approximation Ratios for Network Revenue Management with Reusable Resources
Authors: Baek Jackie , Ma Will
Published: March 2022

In “Bifurcating Constraints to Improve Approximation Ratios for Network Revenue Management with Reusable Resources,” Baek and Ma provide a unified framework for dynamically allocating reusable resources over time in the general network revenue management setting. That is, each incoming query is allowed to request an arbitrary combination of resources for different unknown durations, capturing applications like cloud computing and the dispatching of human resources. Through this framework, they derive simple algorithms that achieve the same approximation ratios as existing algorithms, which only allow queries to request one resource. Their framework also suggests a meta-algorithm for “bifurcating” the resources depending on the network structure and then using two different algorithms for controlling the capacities of two different groups of resources. This contrasts existing “one-size-fits-all” approaches to network revenue management and is demonstrated to improve both theoretical guarantees and empirical performance over a wide variety of instances.
Providing information, care and support to IBD patients during the pandemic
Authors: Cairnes Vida
Published: March 2022

Vida Cairnes, Lead Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) Nurse Specialist, Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital, and the Exeter IBD Specialist Nursing Team were runners-up in the Gastrointestinal/IBD Nurse of the Year category of the BJN Awards 2021 ( vida.cairnes@nhs.net )
Gaining consensus: the challenges of living with a stoma and the impact of stoma leakage
Authors: Aibibula Miriayi , Burry Gill , Gagen Hannah , Osborne Wendy , Lewis Harry , Bramwell Caroline , Pixley Hazel , Cinque Giovanni
Published: March 2022

Background:

People with a stoma face many unique challenges. Leakage is a significant one but is not sufficiently discussed within the wider area of health and social care.

Aims:

This study aimed to articulate and achieve consensus on the problems experienced by people with a stoma, particularly leakage, in the hope of encouraging conversations among patients, clinicians and policymakers on how to solve them.

Methods:

Output from a modified Delphi panel, consisting of patient groups, was used to create a set of calls to action, with a particular focus on the issue of leakage.

Findings:

Leakage has a large impact on daily life and can cause both physical and mental health difficulties. Peer support and specialist care can be offer considerable benefits in dealing with these.

Conclusions:

There are significant unmet needs for equitable access to specialist stoma care and peer support, as well as information provision for non-specialist healthcare providers. The calls to action should be implemented.
Securing hydrogen's future in the automotive market
Authors: Bruckner Simone
Published: March 2022

Hydrogen is seeing massive investment worldwide, but is still not a fully viable energy and fuel source in key markets like automotive. Cressall's Simone Bruckner investigates the role of resistors in fulfilling hydrogen's promise in this sector.
19-ring-air-core fiber supporting thousands of OAM modes for spatial division multiplexing
Authors: Wang Yingning , Zhao Wenqian , Hu Jiahe , Wang Zhi , Liu Yan-ge , Bao Changjing , Ren Yongxiong , Pan Zhongqi , Yue Yang
Published: March 2022

We propose and design a 19-ring-air-core fiber that can support about 3000 orbital angular momentum (OAM) modes (156 modes in each ring) with <–80 dB inter-ring cross talk across the entire C and L bands after 100-km fiber propagation. Moreover, the eigenmodes are all separated from their adjacent modes by effective index differences >2.67 × 10−4 and mode groups by > 1.90 × 10−2, which can guarantee the stable transmission of OAM modes. This designed fiber is a potential candidate for applications in spatial division multiplexing (SDM) of optical channels to improve the capacity of next-generation high-speed optical communication systems, especially in short-distance applications. In this Letter, we also show the relationship between supported OAM mode numbers, total cross talk, and effective refractive index of intra-ring modes during the optimization of fiber through numerical simulations. It can provide a related reference for the future design of multi-ring-core fibers.
Measuring the refractive index of scintillation crystal with a Mach-Zehnder interferometer
Authors: Liu Xinyue , Long Jiale , Ding Yi , Hu Yi , Du Zihao , Xu Bin , Deng Dingnan
Published: March 2022

The refractive index of the scintillation crystal is a key parameter in the design of Positron Emission Tomography (PET) devices. However, existing methods to measure the refractive index always suffer from problems such as the complexity of optical path adjustment, long time cost, or high equipment consumption. To overcome these problems, we propose a method that can obtain the refractive index of the scintillation crystal with high accuracy in real time. In this method, we employ the Mach-Zehnder interferometer to generate the interference pattern when one beam of light passes through the scintillation crystal, which encodes the value of refractive index into the width of pattern. To obtain the width of interference pattern, we calculate the width pixels of dark/bright stripes in pattern with threshold, respectively, and finally get the average number of pixels of the pattern; this strategy can eliminate the coherent interference signal and random noise effectively. The optical path need not adjust during the whole measurement. Thus, the refractive index of scintillation crystals can be measured with reliability and efficiency. To validate the effectiveness of the proposed method, we measure different batches of BGO crystal and Ce:LYSO crystal samples. The results show that the proposed method can measure refractive indices with high accuracy and high efficiency, providing a reliable crystal refractive index measurement procedure for the PET detector module design. The proposed method is also suitable for refractive index measurements of transparent materials in visible light bands.
Experimental quantum simulation of dynamic localization on curved photonic lattices
Authors: Tang Hao , Wang Tian-Yu , Shi Zi-Yu , Feng Zhen , Wang Yao , Shang Xiao-Wen , Gao Jun , Jiao Zhi-Qiang , Li Zhan-Ming , Chang Yi-Jun , Zhou Wen-Hao , Lu Yong-Heng , Yang Yi-Lin , Ren Ruo-Jing , Qiao Lu-Feng , Jin Xian-Min
Published: March 2022

Dynamic localization, which originates from the phenomena of particle evolution suppression under an externally applied AC electric field, has been simulated by suppressed light evolution in periodically curved photonic arrays. However, experimental studies on their quantitative dynamic transport properties and application for quantum information processing are rare. Here we fabricate one-dimensional and hexagonal two-dimensional arrays both with sinusoidal curvatures. We successfully observe the suppressed single-photon evolution patterns, and for the first time, to the best of our knowledge, measure the variances to study their transport properties. For one-dimensional arrays, the measured variances match both the analytical electric-field calculation and the quantum walk Hamiltonian engineering approach. For hexagonal arrays as anisotropic effective couplings in four directions are mutually dependent, the analytical approach suffers, whereas quantum walk conveniently incorporates all anisotropic coupling coefficients in the Hamiltonian and solves its exponential as a whole, yielding consistent variances with our experimental results. Furthermore, we implement a nearly complete localization to show that it can preserve both the initial injection and the wave packet after some evolution, acting as a memory of a flexible time scale in integrated photonics. We demonstrate a useful quantum simulation of dynamic localization for studying their anisotropic transport properties and a promising application of dynamic localization as a building block for quantum information processing in integrated photonics.
Update of gene expression/methylation and MiRNA profiling in colorectal cancer; application in diagnosis, prognosis, and targeted therapy
Authors: Mehrgou Amir , Teimourian Shahram
Published: March 2022

Background

Colorectal cancer is one of the most deadliest malignancies worldwide. Due to the dearth of appropriate biomarkers, the diagnosis of this mortal disease is usually deferred, in its turn, culminating in the failure of prevention. By the same token, proper biomarkers are at play in determining the quality of prognosis. In other words, the survival rate is contingent upon the regulation of such biomarkers.

Materials and methods

The information regarding expression (GSE41258, and GSE31905), methylation (GSE101764), and miRNA (dbDEMC) were downloaded. MEXPRESS and GEPIA confirmed the validated differentially expressed/methylated genes using TCGA data. Taking advantage of the correlation plots and receiver-operating-characteristic (ROC) curves, expression and methylation profiles were compared. The interactions between validated differentially expressed genes and differentially expressed miRNA were recognized and visualized by miRTarBase and Cytoscape, respectively. Then, the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network and hub genes were established via STRING and Cytohubba plugin. Utilizing R packages (DOSE, Enrichplot, and clusterProfiler) and DAVID database, the Functional Enrichment analysis and the detection of KEGG pathways were performed. Ultimately, in order to recognize the prognostic value of found biomarkers, they were evaluated through drawing survival plots for CRC patients.

Results

In this research, we found an expression profile (with 13 novel genes), a methylation profile (with two novel genes), and a miRNA profile with diagnostic value. Concerning diagnosis, the expression profile was evaluated more powerful in comparison with the methylation profile. Furthermore, a prognosis-related expression profile was detected.

Conclusion

In addition to diagnostic- and prognostic-applicability, the discerned profiles can assist in targeted therapy and current therapeutic strategies.
Systematic evaluation of TaqMan real-time polymerase chain reaction assays targeting the dsb and gltA loci of Ehrlichia canis in recombinant plasmids and naturally infected dogs
Authors: Sumpavong Peeravit , Sricharern Wanat , Inthong Natnaree , Kaewmongkol Gunn , Kaewmongkol Sarawan
Published: March 2022

Background and Aim: Because of the diversity of local genotypes of Ehrlichia canis, genes targeted by TaqMan real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assays should be systematically evaluated. This study evaluated the amplification efficiency, linearity, precision, and sensitivity of two TaqMan RT-PCR assays targeting the dsb and gltA loci of E. canis in recombinant plasmids and naturally infected dogs.

Materials and Methods: Thirty blood samples were collected from dogs showing clinical signs of canine monocytic ehrlichiosis at the Kasetsart University Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Bangkok, Thailand. The dsb and gltA genes were amplified by conventional PCRs (cPCRs) on the blood samples and were then sequenced. Meanwhile, RT-PCR was used to detect dsb and gltA genes in 10-fold dilutions of the recombinant plasmids.

Results: Both dsb and gltA were amplified with a high degree of linearity (R2≥0.975 and 0.993, respectively) in all dilutions, although the mean percentage of relative standard deviation of gltA was lower, but the difference was non-significant. The detection limits of RT-PCR and cPCR were 10–7 and 10–6, respectively, for both loci. RT-PCR targeting dsb (22/30; 73.3%) and gltA (15/30; 50%) yielded a number of positive results that did not differ significantly (p=0.06). The RT-PCR positive results of the dsb gene (22/30) differed significantly from that of cPCR (11/30) (p=0.004). In contrast, the RT-PCR positive results of the gltA gene (15/30) did not differ significantly from that of cPCR (12/30) (p=0.43). The mean Ct value (30.2) based on dsb RT-PCR of 22 positive cases was higher than that of gltA RT-PCR (Ct=27.4) on 15 positive cases. The Ct values from dsb RT-PCR were >30 in all seven discordant samples that were not detected by the gltA RT-PCR.

Conclusion: RT-PCR targeting the dsb gene was more sensitive for detecting E. canis in naturally infected dogs. This study suggested that TaqMan RT-PCR of the dsb gene should be selected for E. canis research in this region.
Investigating antibiotic resistance in enterococci in Gabonese livestock
Authors: Desire Otsaghe Ekore , Larson Boundenga , Richard Onanga , Rolande Mabika Mabika , Serge Kumulungui Brice
Published: March 2022

Background and Aim: The emergence of antibiotic resistance is a major problem worldwide. Antibiotics are often used to prevent or treat infections in livestock. This study aimed to investigate antibiotic resistance in enterococci in Gabonese livestock.

Materials and Methods: We collected 174 animal samples (46 laying hens, 24 swine, 62 cattle, and 42 sheep) from farms in four provinces of Gabon. Bacterial strains belonging to the genus Enterococcus were obtained using selective media and polymerase chain reaction targeting the tuf gene. Antibiotic susceptibility was determined by the disk diffusion method on Mueller-Hinton agar.

Results: Enterococci were present in 160 of the samples (97%), distributed as follows: laying hens (100%, 41/41), swine (100%, 22/22), small ruminants (88%, 37/42), and cattle (100%, 60/60). Resistance to cephalothin/cephalexin, streptomycin, and rifampicin (RIF) was high, and resistance to vancomycin (VAN), erythromycin, and tetracycline was moderate. A high diversity of resistance was found in Haut-Ogooué and Estuaire provinces. Laying hens and swine showed moderate levels of resistance to ciprofloxacin and penicillin, while sheep and cattle had high levels of resistance to RIF. All species showed a high level of resistance to VAN. We found various patterns of multiple resistances in the isolates, and the multiple resistance indexes ranged from 0.2 to 0.8.

Conclusion: This study shows that livestock in Gabon can be considered potential reservoirs of resistance.
Climate change and changing landscape
Authors: Rakonczai János , Li J , Kovács Ferenc , Gong A-D.
Published: March 2022

The effects of globalisation are becoming obvious not only in the world economy but in natural processes as well. Increase of deterioration of natural conditions result in more and more decrease of land and water resources. Some experts even suggest that the changing climate of the next several decades can result in the transformation of the natural landscape. Human activities, global and regional changes of climate and land use destroy the ecological environment, which also make the service function of the local ecosystem damaged constantly. We can improve ecological security of an area through regional land use pattern opti-mizing. The physical geographical consequences of aridification might be described through the decrease of ground water level, the change of the biomass quantity and quality. Their spatial and temporal variation may reflect the intensity and strength of degradation. Remote sensing is one of the best tools to follow these processes, applying different databases. Spatial analysis of the gained information may help us to delineate the areas potentially endangered by even a minor climate change.
Descartes philosophe de l’union de l’âme et du corps
Authors: Guenancia Pierre
Published: March 2022

The following thoughts are not as much about the Cartesian conception of the union between mind and body as they are about the way Descartes, in his philosophy, which he bases entirely on the distinction between res cogitans and res extensa, welcomes a datum that is not of philosophical nature but that is rather a fact attested to by the experience of everyday living. For Descartes, this « tight connection between mind and body » does not contradict the distinction of substances; not because the obviousness of what he calls « the practice of life » would come from an order of things whose natural light, that which ordinarly rules the operations of understanding, would have been taken away, but rather because the experience of everyday living has been previously validated, as if it had delegated its elucidation function to « ordinary senses and conversations ». We will seek to show that feeling (in the broad sense of the latin sensus) does not constitute an order closed in on itself in the same way as, for Pascal, the heart circumscribes an order of things specific to itself and itself only. Feeling is not a rival to understanding but a way to understand and act in a domain where man has to deal with things that are not purely intellectual but also sensory and to imply the existence of a human body surrounded by other bodies, human and not.
Imagination et philosophie de l’esprit : Descartes, Hobbes, Locke
Authors: Marquer Eric
Published: March 2022

Imagination is a two-sided faculty: on the one hand, it is the beginning of the mind, which is not reduced to what is simply given in sensation, but forms images and is able to retain the image of what has been perceived, or even to form this image in the absence of the perceived object. On the other hand, it is the extension, more or less altered, of sensation and experience, and therefore of corporeality. From this point of view, the imagination plays a central role in thinking about the union or unity of body and mind. Nevertheless, it can also help to show that these notions of union and unity do not always go hand in hand: if the imagination can be understood as the expression of a soul united to a body, it makes their difference quite obvious. More generally, it leads to questioning the very meaning of unity, and the way in which it is expressed.
L’union de l’âme et du corps selon Pascal
Authors: Pavlovits Tamás
Published: March 2022

The union of body and soul is not a central topic in Pascal. Pascal interprets the human condition in an Augustinian and Jansenist context, and therefore the fall, corruption and concupiscence dominate his anthropology. Nevertheless, issues of union are sometimes addressed in the Pensées. This study explores the importance of the union of soul and body in Pascalian thought in the context of classical philosophy, starting from the Cartesiant theory of union. For Descartes union is the source of feelings in the soul. Therefore, the paper examines whether it is possible to reconcile feelings with union in Pascal. The paper argues that Pascal’s apologetic project is targeted at bringing different feelings into harmony and at achieving that the body and the soul are oriented towards the same goal: the veneration and love of God. In this way Pascal aims to prepare the true union of soul and body which can be realised in beatitude.