bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The microbial spectrum and antimicrobial resistance pattern in pediatric cancer patients with febrile neutropenia at King Abdullah University Hospital, Jordan
Authors: Alzu’bi Diya , Obeidat Hanady , Ghabashineh Dua’a , AbuRass Omayma , Musadag Ola , Samara Dua’ N. , Al Droubi Belal , Abdelhady Gamal T. , Al-Sweedan Suleimman
Published: March 2024

Background

Febrile neutropenia (FN) is a life-threatening complication of cancer therapy. Appropriate antibiotic treatment improves the clinical outcome in these patients; however, the increasing rate of anti-microbial resistance makes its therapy particularly challenging.

Aim

This study aims to investigate the microbial spectrum and antimicrobial resistance pattern in cancer patients with FN at King Abdullah University Hospital, Jordan.

Method

Blood cultures of 261 FN patients pre-diagnosed with malignancy (age 1–18 years) were enrolled in this study.

Results

The most common isolated microorganisms were gram-positive bacteria (50.2℅). Gram-infections with coagulase-negative Staphylococcus (CONS) are the most prevalent pathogens, followed by gram-negative infections with Klebseilla pneumonia and fungal infections with nonalbicans strains. All CONS, Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), and enterococcus species were sensitive to Vancomycin and Teicoplanin. Ten percent of the gram-negative organisms were Extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) and all were sensitive to carbapenems. 66.7% of pseudomonas aeruginosa blood cultures were sensitive to Piperacillin-Tazobactam and 83.4% were sensitive to carbapenems. All Enterobacter species were sensitive to Carbapenems.

Conclusion

Isolates showed various antibiotic sensitivity and resistance patterns; therefore, a judicious management plan is essential to establish an appropriate and effective institutional policy for the use of empirical antibiotics in patients of FN.
An integrated approach for sewage diversion: Case of the Huayuan mine, Hunan Province, China
Authors: Kouadio Kouao Laurent , Liu Jianxin , Liu Wenxiang , Liu Rong , Boukhalfa Zakaria
Published: March 2024

Environment protection is a core priority for many governments in this century. Most environmental problems have diverse causes: emission of greenhouse gases from fossil fuels, resource depletion, or intense mining activities such as the Huayuan manganese mine. The positioning of mining factories and water treatment stations impacts the surrounding groundwater reservoir. As the mine expands, the environmental impact also increases, and the previous plan based on monitoring wastewater leakage has become inappropriate. Therefore, to solve this issue, a new study is required to understand the lateral resistivity distribution underground and to define a new station location for water treatment and divert the sewage to that station. In this study, the audio-frequency magnetotelluric method is used. Surveys of two long lines that cross the mining area to its boundaries are carried out. Data are robustly processed and inverted. Based on the inverted models, in addition to the geologic information, drilling inspections, and solid waste distributions map, the integrated interpretation develops two sites on the top of impermeable layers, which constitute a buffer point between the unsafe (high concentration of pollutants) and the safe zones in the northwestern part of the mine. From the resistivity distribution combined with the water quality analysis, a relationship between the fault structures reveals an interconnected conductive zone (CZ) in the southeastern part. As the main channels for water circulating underground, these CZs delineate the main groundwater reservoir with a clastic aquifer layer. However, close to factories, the water from faults contains solid wastes, thereby making the groundwater in that zone nonpotable, unlike the safety zone located in the northwestern part. This workflow can become a field guide to improve the environment of mines and the deployment of hydrogeologic drilling in a safe area.
On cost-efficient parallel iterative solvers for 3D frequency-domain seismic multisource viscoelastic anisotropic wave modeling
Authors: Ma Guoqi , Zhou Bing , Riahi Mohamed Kamel , Zemerly Jamal , Xu Liu
Published: March 2024

Solving large sparse linear systems in 3D frequency-domain seismic wave modeling, especially in viscoelastic anisotropic media, poses significant challenges due to the increasing number of discrete moduli and nonzero elements in the linear system matrix. The computational load surpasses that of acoustic or viscoacoustic media, making it even more challenging when dealing with multisource problems. Popular scientific tools for solving a linear system, such as multifrontal massively parallel sparse direct solver (MUMPS), structured matrix package (STRUMPACK), and portable extensible toolkit for scientific computation (PETSc), can be used, but their applicability to our specific problem has not been comprehensively evaluated. Our study aims to tackle the challenges in solving large, sparse, complex-valued symmetric linear systems with multiple right-hand side vectors for 3D frequency-domain seismic wave modeling. We have adopted the preconditioned conjugate gradient iterative algorithms as the foundation for our research, introducing two highly cost-effective parallel iterative solvers: the parallel symmetric successive overrelaxation conjugate gradient (P-SSORCG) and the parallel incomplete Cholesky conjugate gradient (P-ICCG). These novel solvers are subjected to a comprehensive comparative analysis against well-established scientific tools, such as MUMPS, STRUMPACK, and PETSc, in the context of 3D frequency-domain seismic wave modeling. We show their promising performances in a practical 3D SEG/EAGE overthrust model and demonstrate that the grouped P-SSORCG offers an efficient alternative to parallel direct solvers, particularly in situations wherein computational resources are limited.
Combined onshore and offshore wide-scale seismic data acquisition and imaging for carbon capture and storage exploration in Havnsø, Denmark
Authors: Zappalá Samuel , Malehmir Alireza , Papadopoulou Myrto , Gregersen Ulrik , Funck Thomas , Clausen Ole R. , Nørmark Egon
Published: March 2024

Strong global actions for climate change include carbon capture and storage (CCS) as a feasible solution to reach carbon neutrality and raise opportunities for detailed subsurface investigations. An acquisition set-up designed for onshore-offshore zones was maximized for wide-scale high-resolution structural imaging and implemented to cover a domal structure of interest for CCS utilization close to the town of Havnsø (Denmark). The challenges of the combined acquisition and processing of land and marine multisensor data along a 42 km seismic profile are analyzed, the suggested solutions are applied, and the limitations are discussed. On the onshore side, a nodal array and a seismic landstreamer system were simultaneously used, whereas along the transition zone, a marine seismic streamer and ocean-bottom seismometers were added to record the seismic response generated by two seismic vibrator sources. The adopted sensing domains (velocity, acceleration, and pressure) were studied, and different processing steps were evaluated to enable their processing and subsequent data set merging. Results suggest, as the best approach, a separate prestack processing of the different data sets and the computation of new geometries and new surface-consistent residual static correction after their merging. The data acquired in the transition zone illuminate, for the first time, the subsurface geology of the region, delineating an expected domal closure. The final seismic section shows high continuity of the reflections with good resolution along the entire profile, identifying the main reservoir structure and the surrounding areas, which are important to ensure reservoir integrity and safe exploitation over longer time scales. Shallow and deep reflections are consistent with the stratigraphic column from a well log near the profile. The presented study shows a comprehensive workflow for processing such a multisensor data set in onshore and transition zone settings.
Opening Up
Authors: Stuer Catherine
Published: March 2024

This article analyzes photographs of the city of Nanjing collected in the last years of the nineteenth century by Robert Löbbecke (1852–1910), a German military captain and engineer working in service of Chinese military reforms by leaders of the Self-Strengthening Movement. Spanning almost three decades and including the earliest known dated photos of Nanjing, more than half of the large albumen prints in this collection can be attributed to Chinese photographers, including the local branch of Ouyang Shizhi's (1857–1932) Powkee studio. They offer rare insights into both the early work by this famous studio and early Chinese photography of place, focusing on a city that stood at the center of struggles over China's political and economic survival. As such, this collection offers exceptional terrain to explore relations of photography to place, identity, and power in nineteenth-century China. To unpack these relations, I analyze Löbbecke's collection as part of photography's multivalent encounters with the city in nineteenth-century China. I start with the photographic encounters with the Chinese city in the work and writings of Jules Itier (1802–1877) and John Thomson (1837–1921), and then explore what the Löbbecke collection reveals about the visions its photos made possible for their expatriate collector and for their Chinese makers and audiences, with a special focus on Ouyang Shizhi's Nanjing studio enterprise. I conclude with a reflection on a more recent moment when the photos collected by Löbbecke returned home a century after their making to participate in the telling of new kinds of urban histories.
Macrophages play a nutritive role in post-metamorphic maturation in Drosophila
Authors: Krejčová Gabriela , Danielová Adéla , Sehadová Hana , Dyčka Filip , Kubásek Jiří , Moos Martin , Bajgar Adam
Published: March 2024

In the body of multicellular organisms, macrophages play an indispensable role in maintaining tissue homeostasis by removing old, apoptotic and damaged cells. In addition, macrophages allow significant remodeling of body plans during embryonic morphogenesis, regeneration and metamorphosis. Although the huge amount of organic matter that must be removed during these processes represents a potential source of nutrients, their further use by the organism has not yet been addressed. Here, we document that, during metamorphosis, Drosophila larval adipose tissue is infiltrated by macrophages, which remove dying adipocytes by efferocytosis and engulf leaking RNA-protein granules and lipids. Consequently, the infiltrating macrophages transiently adopt the adipocyte-like metabolic profile to convert remnants of dying adipocytes to lipoproteins and storage peptides that nutritionally support post-metamorphic development. This process is fundamental for the full maturation of ovaries and the achievement of early fecundity of individuals. Whether macrophages play an analogous role in other situations of apoptotic cell removal remains to be elucidated.
Curvilinear walking elevates fall risk and modulates slip and compensatory step attributes after unconstrained human slips
Authors: Rasmussen Corbin M. , Mun Seongwoo , Ouattas Abderrahman , Walski Andrew , Curtze Carolin , Hunt Nathaniel H.
Published: March 2024

While much attention has been paid to understanding slip-related falls in humans, little has been focused on curvilinear paths despite their prevalence, distinct biomechanical demands and increased slipping threat. We determined the mechanics, compensatory stepping reactions and fall risk associated with slips during fixed-speed walking across ranges of path curvature, slipped foot and slip onset phase contexts possible in the community, which builds upon previous work by examining speed-independent effects of curvilinear walking. Twenty-one participants experienced 15 unconstrained slips induced by a wearable friction-reducing device as motion capture and harness load cell data were recorded. Falls were most likely after early stance slips to the inside foot and increased at tighter curvatures. Slip distance and peak velocity decreased as slips began later in stance phase, did not differ between feet, and accelerated on tighter paths. Slipping foot directions relative to heading transitioned from anterior (forward) to posterior (backward) as slips began later in stance, were ipsilateral (toward the slipping foot side) and contralateral (toward the opposite side) for the outside and inside foot, respectively, and became increasingly ipsilateral/contralateral on tighter curvatures. Compensatory steps were placed anteriorly and ipsilaterally after outside and inside foot slips, respectively, and lengthened at later onset phases for outside foot slips only. Our findings illustrate slip magnitude and fall risk relationships that suggest slip direction may influence the balance threat posed by a slip, imply that walking speed may modify slip likelihood, and indicate the most destabilizing curved walking contexts to target in future perturbation-based balance training approaches.
Parazit Toplum: Yorgunluk Toplumunda Hakikati Örselemek
Authors: Aydemir Mehmet Ali , Ünsal Ramazan
Published: March 2024

Sosyal bilimcilerden düşünürlere, edebiyatçılardan sanatçılara kadar sosyal dünya hakkında olup bitenlere dair kafa yoranların modernlik projesinin başarısızlıklarına yönelik eleştirileri her geçen gün artmaktadır. Son zamanların gözde isimlerinden Güney Kore kökenli Alman düşünür Byung-Chul Han da post-endüstriyel çağda hüküm süren neoliberalizm ve kapitalizmin değişen boyutlarına ilişkin eleştirileri ile dikkatleri üzerine çekmeyi başarmıştır. Benzer şekilde 2019 yılında gösterime giren ve birçok dalda Oscar ödülü kazanarak dikkatleri üzerine çeken Parazit filmi, kapitalist zihniyetin ve ortaya çıkardığı problemlerin sinematik eleştirisi olarak karşımıza çıkmaktadır. Güney Koreli ünlü yönetmen Bong Joon-ho’nun bu başyapıtı, kapitalizmin sınıflar arasındaki ayrımı her geçen gün daha da derinleştirdiğini göstererek hırs, hınç ve öykünmenin kıskacında kalmış, alt sınıflara mensup bir ailenin dramını gözler önüne sermektedir. Filmde, iş sahibi olup daha rahat bir yaşamın hayaliyle “olumluluk performansı”, “pürüzsüz ve mükemmel olma tutkusu”, “performans ve rekabet zorlaması”, “başarı ve kendini pazarlayabilme” gibi buyruklar altında ezilen geç modern insanın durumu gözler önüne serilmektedir. Bir filmi sosyolojik bağlamda analiz etmekten ziyade sosyal teoriler ile filmler arasındaki ilişkide dikkat çekici bir bütünlük olduğunu iddia eden bu makale, “parazit toplum” şeklinde yeni bir toplum önerisi ile Güney Kore kökenli yazar ve yönetmenin perspektifinden yola çıkarak modern toplumun analizine mütevazı bir katkı sunmayı amaçlamıştır.
Autonomous robotic valve turning: a visual-guided approach based on deep learning
Authors: Wang Jiayu , Zheng Yukun , Li Chenchen , Song Rui
Published: March 2024

Background With the advancement of robot technology, firefighting robots are increasingly utilized for environmental reconnaissance, detection, and rescue operations, showcasing significant advantages. Visual recognition and localization serve as crucial foundations for robots to efficiently accomplish predefined tasks. Methods In this article, a control method for firefighting robot valve operations based on the YOLO v5 target detection algorithm is proposed. This strategy solves the issue of low accuracy and efficiency in valve closure operations during hazardous gas or liquid leaks. By employing a collected dataset of valve images and leveraging deep learning-based target detection methods, the YOLO v5 network is trained and tested to enhance valve recognition accuracy and speed. The proposed approach is further validated through simulations on the Webots platform, where a mobile robot is controlled based on visual guidance to perform valve closure tasks in a simulated hazardous environment. Results The valve recognition based on YOLO v5 achieves an accuracy of 82.36%, a recall rate of 94.82%, and a mean Average Precision of 90.74%. In the Webots simulation, the robotic system accurately identifies and locates valves, smoothly rotates and tightens them, and subsequently retrieves the mechanical arm. The simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed strategy. Conclusions The valve recognition strategy presented in this article has important implications for fire fighting robots to close valves and aid in disaster relief, particularly in harsh environments.
Cytogenetic profile and risk of transformation to acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in Indonesian patients with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS): a pilot study
Authors: Sutandyo Noorwati , Kosasih Agus Susanto , Sari Resti Mulya , Setiawan Lyana , Rinaldi Ikhwan , Maskito Veronika Juanita , Prayitno Yuniar Harris
Published: March 2024

Background Cytogenetics is a fundamental examination in the course and management of myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) since it is widely used as a diagnostic and prognostic indicator for the disease. Some cytogenetic profiles are associated with a higher risk of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) transformation. This is the first study to evaluate the cytogenetic profile of Indonesian patients with MDS. Methods This prospective cohort study was conducted at the Cancer Center and several other referral hospitals. Patients with primary MDS aged >18 years were included in the study. Clinical examination, peripheral blood smear, and bone marrow aspiration were performed, followed by cytogenetic examination. The results were further categorized into revised international prognostic scoring system (IPSS-R) scores, and cytogenetic profiles were descriptively presented. Patients were followed up for one year to evaluate AML transformation. Results A total of 28 MDS patients, aged 66±12 years, were included in this study. The majority of the patients were male (n=17;60.7%), aged 65 years or above (n=19;67.9%), diagnosed with MDS-MLD (n=14;50%), and had an intermediate cytogenetic group (n=4;14.3%). The IPSS-R score was high in 6 (21.4%) patients and very high risk in 3 (10.7%) patients. During one-year follow-up, AML transformation occurred in 3 (10.7%) patients, and 10 (35.7%) patients ceased. Monosomy 7 was observed in 6 (21.4%) patients but in one metaphase each. Deletion of chromosome 5 (del(5)(q31)), del (16)(q21.1), and del (16)(q11.2) were found in a male patient with MDS-EB1. Conclusions Monosomy 7 and deletion of chromosome 5 have been identified in Indonesian patients with MDS. MDS-EB has the highest risk of AML transformation.
A systematic review of the experience of treatment burden of digital health for military personnel in primary healthcare.
Authors: Erhahiemen Paul , O'Donnell Catherine A. , Gallacher Katie , Nicholl Barbara I.
Published: March 2024

Background Digital Health (DH) integrates digital technologies into healthcare to increase efficiency and improve patient experiences, benefiting both primary care and military healthcare systems. However, it raises concerns about the potential shift of healthcare responsibilities onto patients, creating workloads or treatment burdens that affect care, adherence, equity, and resource allocation. It is critical to assess this in the military context to enhance patient-centred care and outcomes. Objective To understand military personnel’s experience of treatment burden of DH in primary care, to understand the barriers and facilitators of the use of DH, and to map barriers identified to the Burden of Treatment Theory (BOTT). Design A systematic literature review. MEDLINE, Psych INFO, EMBASE, and Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) and Google Scholar will be searched. Two independent reviewers will screen papers using inclusion and exclusion criteria, with conflicts decided by a third reviewer. Any retrieved study that meets the inclusion and exclusion criteria will be quality appraised using the appropriate Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) checklist. The findings will be analysed using thematic synthesis and evaluated in the context of the Burden of Treatment Theory. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Protocol (PRISMA) guidelines have been adhered to in the production of this protocol. Conclusions Understanding the experience of treatment burden whilst using DH in the military has the potential to influence health policy, the commissioning of services and interventions, and most importantly, improve patient experience and health outcomes. PROSPERO registration number: CRD42023494297.
STUDY OF STRESS-PROTECTIVE AND ANXIOLYTIC ACTIONS OF SCUTELLARIA BAICALENSIS GEORGI EXTRACT UNDER "SOCIAL" STRESS
Authors: Uranova Valeria V. , Lomteva Natalia A. , Kuleshova Olga N.
Published: March 2024

Background. The search for natural adaptogens is promising due to the possibility of expanding the range of drugs that contribute to the adaptation of the body to adverse environmental factors.

Purpose. To study the stress-protective and anxiolytic action of the extract of Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi under conditions of "social" stress.

Materials and methods. We used an extract of Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi. The study of the stress-protective and anxiolytic effects of the extract was carried out on 84 male non-linear rats aged 7-9 months. The first stage of the experiment involved the study of pharmacological actions in the absence of stress, and at the second stage, under conditions of “social” stress, the expected effects were determined on animals, in the groups of which individuals of dominant and submissive types of behavior were identified. Determination of the content of corticosterone, adrenaline and noradrenaline (nmol/l) was carried out by enzyme immunoassay.

Results. It was established that in the norm, the experimental groups that received the extract of Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi, medicinal products "Mebikar®" and "Phezam®" showed a significant decrease in the level of corticosterone compared with the control group. At the second stage of the study in groups when modeling "social" stress, it was found that there were significant differences between the concentration of stress hormones in animals of dominant and submissive types. Administration of Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi extract reduced hormone levels for both aggressors and victims relative to the stressed control group. We observed a decrease in the concentration of corticosterone by 1.5 and 1.5 (p<0.05) times, the level of adrenaline by 3.2 and 3.1 (p<0.05) times, the content of norepinephrine by 1.6 and 1.6 (p<0.05) times for individuals of dominant and submissive types, respectively. The presence of the leveling effect of the Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi extract proves its anxiolytic and stress-protective effect.

Conclusion. Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi extract at a dose of 100 mg/kg/day, when exposed to "social" stress, has a stress-protective and anxiolytic effect, reducing the severity of stress-induced changes, limiting hyperactivation of the central stress-realizing systems, correcting the endogenous antioxidant system of the body.
CONTENT OF PHOTOSYNTHETIC PIGMENTS IN LEAVES OF THE GENUS ACER L. SPECIES IN URBAN ENVIRONMENT
Authors: Chernyavskaya Irina V. , Ednich Evgenia M. , Tolstikova Tatyana N.
Published: March 2024

Background. Pigment concentration is a species trait, and is an integral indicator of adaptive response to changes in environmental factors and the growing conditions. The intensive development of modern cities imposes certain requirements on the selection of plants for landscaping, one of which is a high level of adaptive responses.

Purpose. The purpose of this study was to determine the content of photosynthetic pigments in the leaves of the genus Acer species in urban conditions of the city of Maуkop, the Adygea Republic.

Materials and methods. We used the spectrophotometric method to determine the content of photosynthetic pigments in the leaves of the genus Acer L. species: A. platanoides, A. pseudoplatanus, A. saccharinum, A. negundo, A. campestre in an urban environment of the city of Maуkop and the zone of conditional control (Botanical garden). We carried out statistical processing of experimental data by using the MS Excel 2010 package.

Results. We have revealed that in the conditions of an urbanized environment the total content of chlorophylls is 1.1-2.2 times higher in comparison with that of the zone of control. Taking into account the level of variability of the total content of green pigments in the city, we arranged the studied species in the following order: A. saccharinum A. campestre ˂ A. pseudoplatanus ˂ A. platanoides ˂ A. negundo. The ratio of the amount of chlorophylls to carotenoids reacted very sensitively to the impact of urban environmental factors. A. campestre and A. saccharinum differed from A. negundo, A. pseudoplatanus, and A. platanoides for this indicator.

Conclusion. The study made allow us to state that in the conditions of an urbanized environment, the studied species of the genus Acer undergo restructuring in the structure of pigment complexes. An increase in the synthesis of chlorophylls and carotenoids raises their adaptive capabilities to the negative impact of urban environmental factors.
THE INFLUENCE OF WINTER GREEN MANURES ON THE FERTILITY OF THE SOIL UNDER THE VINEYARD
Authors: Plugatar Yuri V. , Klimenko Olga Е. , Klimenko Nikolai I. , Novitsky Maksim L.
Published: March 2024

The paper presents data on the effect of phytoremediation: the use of a mixture of winter vetch and wheat as green manure [GM] and their combination with the microbial preparation Azotobacterin [AB] (GM +AB) in vineyard rows on soil fertility on piedmont carbonate chernozems. A variant with overgrowing of row spacing with segetal vegetation served as a control. The studies were conducted in 2018–2019 in the foothill zone of the Crimea in a vineyard founded in 2002, on grapes of cultivar ‘Bastardo Magarachsky’. Also, GM cultures were sown in November and plowed in May next year. It was found that 0.19–0.21 kg m–2 of organic matter dry mass got into the soil during the plowing with GM, 1.6 times more than in the control. Thus, GM leads to the accumulation of moisture in the layer 60–100 cm, 13.4% higher than the control, and an increase in pHH2O and active carbonates content within the permissible values for grapes. There was an accumulation of organic carbon by 0.31–0.45%, mobile forms of nutrients in the soil: NO3 - by 18%, P2O5 - by 3.2 times, K2O - by 39% in the 0–60 cm layer under the influence of GM.
IMPROVED TECHNOLOGIES FOR GROWING SEEDLINGS OF FOREST-FORMING SPECIES IN THE VOLGOGRAD REGION
Authors: Sapronova Daria V. , Belyaev Alexander I. , Semenyutina Alexandra V. , Khuzhakhmetova Aliya Sh. , Sapronov Vasiliy V.
Published: March 2024

Background. Issues on improvement of technologies of cultivation of planting material are associated with the need to intensify this process to provide an accessible and adapted assortment of woody species. Modern strategies for implementation of natural climatic solutions on degraded lands of Volgograd region provide for attraction of forest-forming adaptive tree species: Quercus (39,8%), Pinus (15,8%), Populus (7,5%).

Purpose. Improve the technology of production of Quercus robur planting material.

Materials and methods. On the basis of the Nizhnevolzhsk tree breeding station - a branch of the Federal Research Center of Agroecology RAS (Kamyshin, Volgograd Region), outdoor and indoor plots were allocated to improve production technology. Certified seed material Quercus robur L. (certificate of quality №34/25675, 34/25727) was used in the experiments. To ensure optimal conditions for development, the scheme of irrigation and nutrient regime (ammonium nitrate, Solar universal) were developed. Experimental data on the growth of seedlings were processed by methods of mathematical processing.  The standard of seedlings is determined in accordance with the Order of the Ministry of Natural Resources of Russia from 04.12.2020 № 1014.

Results. The effectiveness of growing seedlings Quercus robur L. with closed and open root systems is shown. The characteristics of the substrate are given, the regime of mineral nutrition, as well as the regime of watering to maintain the optimum temperature and humidity of the air and substrate are developed. Analysis of the dynamics of biometric data of plants with closed root system showed that 92% reached the standard within 2 months, with open root system - 56% of seedlings at the end of the growing season.

Conclusion. According to the indicators of quality, time and volume of production, the advantage of the technology of growing Q. robur L. with closed root system.
Genius loci we współczesnej sztuce łemkowskiej/rusińskiej
Authors: Szymko Michał
Published: March 2024

Genius loci в сучасній лемківскій/русиньскій штуціВ другій половині ХХ ст. прошли значучы зміны в способі практыкуваня і дефініюваня штукы. По публичній презентациі Brillo Box Енді Варголя в 1964 р. принятый был символічный конец модернiзму, што влинуло на факт, же експлоруваня естетычного языка перестало быти головном цілю штукы. Од того моменту артисты одышли од постуляту сепаруваня ся од реального жытя і заняли ся позаестетычным дискурсом. Обшырями заінтересуваня стали ся м.ін. істория, травмы, політыка, памят. В сучасній лемківскій/русиньскій штуці пробы дефініювати genius loci в гідній мірі стали ся джерелом інспіраций в творіню. Місця «обдарены духом», «пережыты», «назначены» зачали быти пунктами однесіня. Стали ся вызначником культуры реґіону. Факт істнуваня явиска званого духом місця зобовязує нас до його сохраніня; вратуваня так того, што спілтворит сесу індивідуальну, своєрідну якіст, як і цілого контексту. Важне в тым стані фактів єст выдумане Нікольом Бурріо понятя «реляцийной штукы», што односит ся до постеріганя того же простору в однесіню до контексту, як тіж іконолоґічна інтерпретация Ервіна Панофского. В статі омовленый є мотыв genius loci в сучасній лемківскій/русиньскій штуці. Автор представил контексты сучасной штукы пониманой як місця стріч і реляций. Взята остала до увагы творчіст м.ін. Юлияна Колесара, Володислава Ревака, Давида Здобыляка, Люциі Німцовой.
Frontiers: Smoke and Mirrors: Impact of E-cigarette Taxes on Underage Social Media Posting
Authors: Anand Piyush , Kadiyali Vrinda
Published: March 2024

This work uses social media postings as a proxy for missing legal underage consumption data to quantify e-cigarette tax effects.
Parametric Semidefinite Programming: Geometry of the Trajectory of Solutions
Authors: Bellon Antonio , Henrion Didier , Kungurtsev Vyacheslav , Mareček Jakub
Published: March 2024

In many applications, solutions of convex optimization problems are updated on-line, as functions of time. In this paper, we consider parametric semidefinite programs, which are linear optimization problems in the semidefinite cone whose coefficients (input data) depend on a time parameter. We are interested in the geometry of the solution (output data) trajectory, defined as the set of solutions depending on the parameter. We propose an exhaustive description of the geometry of the solution trajectory. As our main result, we show that only six distinct behaviors can be observed at a neighborhood of a given point along the solution trajectory. Each possible behavior is then illustrated by an example.

Funding: This work was supported by OP RDE [Grant CZ.02.1.01/0.0/0.0/16_019/0000765].
Serving on the Front Lines of Higher Education: Exploring Advisors' Coping During COVID-19
Authors: Survase Sheetal , Johnson Elizabeth
Published: March 2024

The COVID-19 pandemic raised barriers for college students and challenged institutions to rethink approaches to student retention. Academic advising is critical to achieving student retention. During COVID-19, advisors faced increased work demands and adopted coping behaviors to keep workloads manageable. Coping behaviors are conceptualized as moving toward students and moving away from students. This exploratory study used multiple regression analyses to examine the relationship between advisor work conditions and the extent to which advisors used coping behaviors. Survey data from a 4-year public university indicated that the level of resources and supervisor support available to advisors were significant predictors of the extent to which advisors coped by moving away from students.
HVDC Transmission Placement Study to Increase Critical Clearing Time Using Sensitivity Analysis
Authors: Yogadipha Bagas I Gede Dyotha
Published: March 2024

Stability is the ability to go back to ordinary conditions after an interruption. Power transfer using an AC transmission system has some stability issues. Fast modulation of the HVDC transmission can escalate the transient stability of interconnected power systems thereby increasing the CCT. To calculate load flow sensitivity, use the load flow sensitivity analysis command in Powerfactory 15.1. The variable considered in this research is dφ/dP. In this paper, we will discuss the use of sensitivity analysis to specify the location of the HVDC transmission to increase the CCT value. By taking several samples that have high sensitivity values,namely channels 8-9 to 7-8 with an average cct change value of 0.555 s, mediumvalues, channels 5-8 to 9-6 have an average cct change of 0.234 s, and low fromchannels 6-4 to 9-4 with an average change of 0.109 s. The data above shows thata channel with a large sensitivity value will provide a higher increase in cct valuecomparedwith a low sensitivityvaluewhen paired with an HVDC.
Facial Movement Recognition Using CNN-BiLSTM in Vowel for Bahasa Indonesia
Authors: Rahman Muhammad Daffa Abiyyu , Wicaksono Alif Aditya , Yuniarno Eko Mulyanto , Nugroho Supeno Mardi Susiki
Published: March 2024

Speaking is a multimodal phenomenon that has both verbal and non-verbal cues. One of the non-verbal cues in speaking is the facial movement of the subject, which can be used to find the letter being spoken by the subject. Previous research has been done to prove that lip movement can translate to vowels for Bahasa Indonesia, but detecting the whole facial movement is yet to be covered. This research aimed to establish a CNN-BiLSTM model that can learn spoken vowels by reading the subject's facial movements. The CNN-BiLSTM model yielded a 98.66% validation accuracy, with over 94% accuracy for all five vowels. The model is also capable of recognizing whether the subject is currently silent or speaking a vowel with 98.07% accuracy.
Design And Simulation Of 10 kW BLDC Motor Speed Control For Electric Vehicles Using FOC Based On Fuzzy Logic Control
Authors: Rizqulloh Mochamad Shofwan , Pamuji Feby Agung , Suryoatmojo Heri
Published: March 2024

The use of electric vehicles in the current era has begun to spread evenly. Apart from the issue of air pollution produced by ICE vehicles, the ease and practicality of using electric vehicles is the reason why the public is starting to become interested in electric vehicles. Electric vehicle manufacturers are currently choosing BLDC motors for their production vehicles because they are considered suitable for applications that require high power and torque output. However, BLDC motors require more complicated control techniques than other DC motors. The commonly used BLDC motor speed control methods are trapezoidal scalar control and field oriented control. FOC is a type of BLDC motor control with a vector control method which has advantages in terms of efficiency compared to scalar control methods. Many studies on implementing FOC as speed control for BLDC motors, but the research that has been carried out still uses PI control as a basis, where it is known that PI control has shortcomings in the form of complexity in its design. Fuzzy Logic Control is known to be easy to design and reliable in control, so this paper will show the performance of Fuzzy-PI based FOC control as speed control for 10kW BLDC motor in simulation using Simulink program. The simulation results of proposed Fuzzy-PI based FOC method have better response than PI based FOC in terms of starting response with 6.43 times faster rise time, 2.45 times faster settling time, 96.31% lower overshoot value and reliability in overcoming disturbances up to 78.05% lower overshoot value and 2.33 times faster recovery time.
An Autoregressive Model of Electromagnetic Disturbances in An Autonomous Electric Vehicle’s Route
Authors: Trihatmo Sardjono , Hendrantoro Gamantyo , Septiawan Reza , Setijadi Eko , Rufiyanto Arief
Published: March 2024

Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) can cause a malfunction of on-board electronic circuits in an autonomous electric vehicle and supporting electronic devices located in the environment of autonomous electric vehicles as well. In order to navigate an autonomous electric vehicle safely, it is important to have electromagnetic field characteristic in the environment. Since the information of electromagnetic field characteristic is hard to find, it needs to be modeled. This paper presents a model of electromagnetic field characteristic that is generated by using autoregression in order to estimate potential EMI. The EMI estimation is based on electromagnetic characteristic in an environment. Unlike other applications that use time history of data to build a model, we present a spatial electromagnetic field strength data in a previous route to estimate the future data in a new route. To obtain historical data for auto-regression process, we measured electric field strengths along a circular route in a campus near Jakarta. This surrounding environment represents a typical area of suburbs. The input variables for auto-regression process are the first 27 correlated data of 155 measured data. The result shows that the use of 13 predictor coefficient produces a variance of prediction error near to zero, with an improvement from maximum prediction error of 15.1257 to prediction error of 0.1862.
Dehydrated human amnion/chorion membrane to treat venous leg ulcers: a cost-effectiveness analysis
Authors: Tettelbach William H , Driver Vickie , Oropallo Alisha , Kelso Martha R , Niezgoda Jeffrey A , Wahab Naz , Jong Julie L De , Hubbs Brandon , Forsyth R Allyn , Magee Gregory A , Steel Paul , Cohen Benjamin G , Padula William V
Published: March 2024

Objective:

To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of dehydrated human amnion/chorion membrane (DHACM) in Medicare enrolees who developed a venous leg ulcer (VLU).

Method:

This economic evaluation used a four-state Markov model to simulate the disease progression of VLUs for patients receiving advanced treatment (AT) with DHACM or no advanced treatment (NAT) over a three-year time horizon from a US Medicare perspective. DHACM treatments were assessed when following parameters for use (FPFU), whereby applications were initiated 30–45 days after the initial VLU diagnosis claim, and reapplications occurred on a weekly to biweekly basis until completion of the treatment episode. The cohort was modelled on the claims of 530,220 Medicare enrolees who developed a VLU between 2015–2019. Direct medical costs, quality-adjusted life years (QALYs), and the net monetary benefit (NMB) at a willingness-to-pay threshold of $100,000/QALY were applied. Univariate and probabilistic sensitivity analyses (PSA) were performed to test the uncertainty of model results.

Results:

DHACM applied FPFU dominated NAT, yielding a lower per-patient cost of $170 and an increase of 0.010 QALYs over three years. The resulting NMB was $1178 per patient in favour of DHACM FPFU over the same time horizon. The rate of VLU recurrence had a notable impact on model uncertainty. In the PSA, DHACM FPFU was cost-effective in 63.01% of simulations at the $100,000/QALY threshold.

Conclusion:

In this analysis, DHACM FPFU was the dominant strategy compared to NAT, as it was cost-saving and generated a greater number of QALYs over three years from the US Medicare perspective. A companion VLU Medicare outcomes analysis revealed that patients who received AT with a cellular, acellular and matrix-like product (CAMP) compared to patients who received NAT had the best outcomes. Given the added clinical benefits to patients at lower cost, providers should recommend DHACM FPFU to patients with VLU who qualify. Decision-makers for public insurers (e.g., Medicare and Medicaid) and commercial payers should establish preferential formulary placement for reimbursement of DHACM to reduce budget impact and improve the long-term health of their patient populations dealing with these chronic wounds.

Declaration of interest:

Support for this analysis was provided by MiMedx Group, Inc., US. JLD, and RAF are employees of MiMedx Group, Inc. WHT, BH, PS, BGC and WVP were consultants to MiMedx Group, Inc. VD, AO, MRK, JAN, NW and GAM served on the MiMedx Group, Inc. Advisory Board. MRK and JAN served on a speaker's bureau. WVP declares personal fees and equity holdings from Stage Analytics, US.
“Wouldn’t It Be Smarter to Let the Malay Colonize Europe?”: Postcolonial Critique, Antiglobalism, and Racism in the Travel Books of the Bohemian- German Author Richard Katz (1888–1968)
Authors: Dewulf Jeroen
Published: March 2024

Abstract: The travel books of the Bohemian-German author Richard Katz (1888–1968) were once among the most popular publications in German literature but have since been forgotten. This essay intends to reread, from a postcolonial perspective, Katz’s work from the interwar period. It focuses on his book about the Dutch East Indies, today’s Indonesia, Heitere Tage mit braunen Menschen (1930), in order to explain how and why the early form of postcolonial and antiglobalist critique we find in Katz’s writings could coexist with other ideas that reiterated nineteenth-century colonialist and racist conceptions about the indigenous Other and people of mixed race. The latter is all the more intriguing considering that Katz himself, being Jewish, was soon to become the victim of a political ideology marked by ideas similar to some of the ones he defended when writing about Southeast Asia.
A Typology and Landscape of State Funding Formulas for Public Colleges and Universities from 2004 to 2021
Authors: Kelchen Robert , Lingo Mitchell , Baker Dominique J. , Rosinger Kelly , Ortagus Justin , Wu Jiayao
Published: March 2024

Abstract: State funding for public higher education institutions is crucial in supporting college access and completion, particularly among students from historically under-represented groups, yet little is known about the mechanisms that states use to allocate funds and how they are affected by financial challenges. This article provides the first detailed longitudinal typology of state funding strategies, focusing particularly on formula volatility and equity. We find a gradual shift toward funding models that include a combination of base-adjusted and enrollment and performance metrics, along with a growing focus on equity. During recessions, states frequently revert to across-the-board funding cuts, further disadvantaging under-resourced institutions.
Polarimetric measurement of temporal coherence in electromagnetic light beams
Authors: Laatikainen Jyrki , Saastamoinen Kimmo , Norrman Andreas , Gil José J. , Friberg Ari T. , Setälä Tero
Published: March 2024

We present a method to determine the degree of temporal coherence of a quasimonochromatic vectorial light beam by polarimetric measurements. More specifically, we employ Michelson’s interferometer in which the polarization Stokes parameters of the output (interference) beam are measured as a function of the time delay. Such a measurement enables us to deduce the magnitudes of the coherence (two-time) Stokes parameters, and hence the degree of coherence, of the input beam. Compared to existing methods the current technique has the benefits that neither optical elements in the arms of the interferometer nor visibility measurements are needed. The method is demonstrated with a laser diode and a filtered halogen source of various degrees of polarization.
Research on distributed strain monitoring of a bridge based on a strained optical cable with weak fiber Bragg grating array
Authors: Yue Lina , Wang Qing , Liu Fang , Nan Qiuming , He Guanghui , Li Sheng
Published: March 2024

The foundation of an intelligent highway network is the construction of a high-density distributed strain monitoring system, which is based on sensing elements that can sensitively capture external information. In this research, the development and application for the structure of a novel strained optical fiber cable based on the weak fiber Bragg grating (wFBG) arrays are discussed. A modulation and demodulation solution of wavelength division multiplexing combined with time division multiplexing is developed by utilizing the property by which the wavelength of the strained optical fiber cable is periodically switched. Further, the strain transfer model of the optical cable is analyzed hierarchically using the theory of elasticity. The strain transfer coefficients of the overhanging region and the gluing region are combined to deduce the sensitivity model of the strained optical fiber cable. Moreover, the finite element technique is integrated to optimize the structural parameters of the optical cable for high-sensitivity or large-scale range. The strained optical fiber cable based on wFBG arrays is applied to a steel-concrete composite bridge. The static and dynamic loading tests show that the sensing optical cable can be monitored for strain variation in order to realize the functions of lane identification, weighing vehicle tonnage as well as velocity discrimination.
Transferring Optical Characteristics into Magnetic Matter through Magneto-Optical Interactions
Authors: Hildever Luana , Ferro Thiago , Dias Adrielson , da Silva Júnior José Holanda
Published: March 2024

Effects of light-magnetic matter interaction began to be widely studied because they present the possibility of accessing the degrees of freedom and use of magneto-optical interactions. In this work, we access a new direction for research in optospintronics, where we transfer optical characteristics into magnetic matter through magneto-optical interactions. This feat opens a new horizon provided by the equations of electromagnetism since magneto-optical interactions have magnetic and optical characteristics, allowing one area to access the other, as happened with electricity and magnetism.
Diabetes as a Pancreatic Microvascular Disease—A Pericytic Perspective
Authors: Mateus Gonçalves Luciana , Andrade Barboza Catarina , Almaça Joana
Published: March 2024

Diabetes is not only an endocrine but also a vascular disease. Vascular defects are usually seen as consequence of diabetes. However, at the level of the pancreatic islet, vascular alterations have been described before symptom onset. Importantly, the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying these early vascular defects have not been identified, neither how these could impact the function of islet endocrine cells. In this review, we will discuss the possibility that dysfunction of the mural cells of the microvasculature—known as pericytes—underlies vascular defects observed in islets in pre-symptomatic stages. Pericytes are crucial for vascular homeostasis throughout the body, but their physiological and pathophysiological functions in islets have only recently started to be explored. A previous study had already raised interest in the “microvascular” approach to this disease. With our increased understanding of the crucial role of the islet microvasculature for glucose homeostasis, here we will revisit the vascular aspects of islet function and how their deregulation could contribute to diabetes pathogenesis, focusing in particular on type 1 diabetes (T1D).