bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Transnational Baloch Ethnicity Across the Afro-Asian Ocean Region
Authors: Shahrukh Naufil
Published: September 2024

Throughout history, the nations which dominated the seas, dominated the world. Nations continue to compete for maritime power. In this context, the significance of Afro-Asian connectivity through the Indian Ocean region has always remained pivotal to the maritime nations. Given its vast prospects and potential, it is always prone to conflict as well as cooperation between the world powers. In addition, with the launch of Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), the competition has further intensified between regional and international players. Following the Chinese investments in African region, other powers are also looking towards Africa. The predominantly ethnic Baloch seafarers and fisherfolk from the coastal belt of Balochistan and Sindh have, over the centuries, spread across the littoral regions of the Indian Ocean, particularly in Gujarat, South India, the Persian Gulf, as well as East Africa. They were the main force employed by the Omanis to re-emerge as a regional (Afro-Asian) and maritime power after the Portuguese colonization of Hormuz and control of the Indo-Pacific oceans in the Sixteenth and Seventeenth centuries. This paper maps their transnational ethnic identity through the lens of a historical kaleidoscope. This connection is useful for exploring collective heritage and people-to-people connections and utilizing these connections to establish a connected future. The paper also highlights opportunities in public diplomacy and geoeconomic connectivity across the Afro-Asian region, especially the Gulf and East Africa, building upon the historic socioeconomic network, from coast to coast, of the transnational Baloch ethnicity with its roots and largest population base in Pakistan and Iran.
The King’s Gatekeeper: Thomas Cromwell, Epistolary Networks, and Power Structures at the Tudor Court, January–July 1540
Authors: Burge Caitlin
Published: September 2024

ABSTRACT: Focusing on an epistolary network at the Tudor court from January to July 1540, this essay uses theories of brokerage transactions and triadic management to explore Thomas Cromwell’s role as Henry VIII’s “gatekeeper” and his use of correspondence to manage access to and the information flow surrounding the king. By focusing on key social network theories by Mark Granovetter, Ronald Burt, and Roberto M. Fernandez and Roger Gould, this essay outlines the importance of an individual’s structural position in a network, and the power it commands, identifying triadic relationships involving Henry and Cromwell, and evaluating the different structures of these interactions.
Searching for Missing Links in the Republic of Letters: Vossius and the Dutch Dimension of Hartlib’s Circle
Authors: Hotson Howard , Ahnert Sebastian E. , Lewis Miranda
Published: September 2024

ABSTRACT: Confronted with evidence that the Republic of Letters was densely interconnected, scholars note that it was a small world in which everyone knew everyone. Confronted with the opposite evidence, they retreat to the opposite truism: that it was riven by factions. This case study develops and tests a tool designed to adjudicate between such competing truisms by identifying and quantifying second-degree connections. First, the tool identifies Gerardus Joannes Vossius as the person on Early Modern Letters Online ( EMLO ) with whom Samuel Hartlib shared the most correspondents without the two men ever exchanging letters directly, and vice versa. Second, it analyses the pattern of exchange with those shared correspondents. Do these indirect links compensate for the lack of direct connections, or confirm that the circles of Hartlib and Vossius were tangential and scarcely intersected?
Revisiting The Soil : Nagatsuka Takashi, Rural Japan, and the Limits of the Meiji Novel
Authors: Walker Tyler
Published: September 2024

Abstract: Nagatsuka Takashi’s Tsuchi (The Soil), a novel about poor Ibaraki farmers, leaves one of the most curious and complex legacies in modern Japanese fiction. Greeted with mixed reviews and later elevated by ideologues on both ends of the political spectrum, the novel remains well known but seldom read, and it has received little attention in literary scholarship. Engaging with recent studies on The Soil and its relationship to the social, political, and geographic transformations of the Meiji period, this article examines the novel and its status outside the modern literary canon. It considers the publishing landscape and readership that produced and reacted against The Soil through an analysis of Natsume Sōseki’s critical introduction “‘Tsuchi’ ni tsuite” (On The Soil ), a text that has determined much of the novel’s legacy. Through both The Soil and Sōseki’s reaction to it, this article demonstrates how the dynamics of literary publishing and broad reader expectations shaped the emerging relationship between modern culture and the Japanese countryside.
Sátira y política en el ciclo de pliegos de don Guindo y doña Guinda (1700–1707)
Authors: Insúa Mariela
Published: September 2024

Resumen: Se revisa la serie de pliegos de cordel dedicada a los personajes populares de don Guindo y doña Guinda, formada por siete textos que pueden fecharse entre 1700 y 1707, período que coincide con los primeros años del reinado de Felipe V. En estas piezas anónimas, a cargo de diferentes manos, se ofrece una mirada a ese tiempo de transición entre dos dinastías, al paso de los Austrias a los Borbones, desde la locución chancera de unos hortelanos ficcionales.
Hibridez y tercer espacio en la Sumaria relación de Baltasar Dorantes Ca-rranza
Authors: Iglesias Carmen Rivero
Published: September 2024

Resumen: En su Sumaria relación de 1604 Baltasar Dorantes de Carranza incluyó varias sátiras políticas con el objetivo de denunciar la situación de los descendientes de conquistadores en el México colonial. El texto refleja, sobre esta base, el proceso de construcción de la identidad criolla a partir de elementos tanto españoles como indígenas. Esta hibridez se reflejará asimismo en la literatura, tal y como se analiza a la luz de las sátiras recogidas por Dorantes de Carranza. Será precisamente esta hibridez la que se instituirá en común denominador de un Barroco propiamente latinoamericano, en el que el principio de la mímesis es sustituido por el de una mímica transgresiva. Este ha sido visto, por ello, como un importante antecedente del proceso de descolonización de Hispanoamérica, que no puede ser explicado, a diferencia de lo afirmado por Acheraïou, al margen de la hibridez.
Decadenza nazionale nella ricezione fin-de-siècle dell' Intermezzo di rime di d'Annunzio
Authors: Nemegeer Guylian
Published: September 2024

Abstract: L'articolo propone una riconsiderazione della ricezione fin-de-siècle della raccolta di versi Intermezzo di rime (1883) di Gabriele d'Annunzio. Rifacendosi alle teorie sull'orizzonte di attesa e sull'ethos autoriale, il saggio mette in luce l'effetto di framing esercitato dal contesto storico-culturale sulla ricezione dell'opera. Il dibattito critico intorno all'opera risente infatti della riflessione sulla funzione della letteratura nell'Italia unita e della denigrazione a cui sono soggetti gli italiani a livello europeo. L'influenza di questi aspetti sulla ricezione dell'opera dà luogo all'ethos decadente con cui d'Annunzio dovrà fare i conti lungo tutta la sua carriera.
Las raíces históricas de la degradación del indígena mexicano en el pensamiento de José María Luis Mora e Ignacio Ramírez
Authors: Ortiz Alexis
Published: September 2024

Abstract: Este artículo propone reevaluar el statu quo en torno a la figura de Ignacio Ramírez y su relación con los indígenas mexicanos. Ramírez es tradicionalmente conocido como férreo defensor de la causa indígena en el siglo diecinueve. Pese a lo anterior, su producción intelectual con referencia al indígena y sus vicisitudes es una que debe ser repensada en el siglo veintiuno. Con ello en mente, este artículo examina la manera en que Ramírez instrumentaliza a la población indígena para servir como punta de lanza de su proyecto de refundación nacional. Este proceso, que se ha asumido como benéfico y noble en los estudios mexicanos por encomiar a los indígenas y su potencial humano, falla en separarse del discurso eurocéntrico y colonial de los predecesores de Ramírez, que se critica en aproximaciones contemporáneas a los estudios literarios y la historiografía mexicana.
Hegel and the Ought
Authors: Froese Ryan
Published: September 2024

Abstract: It is often assumed that Hegel is opposed to "the ought" because he privileges actuality over and against what merely ought to be and what is merely possible. In this paper, the author argues that, far from denying or dismissing their existence, the ought and unactual possibility are ineliminable parts of his metaphysics as laid out in his Science of Logic . However, although Hegel argues for the existence of the ought and unactual possibility, he also demonstrates why the good itself cannot be captured with these concepts alone. His account of the good demonstrates why his metaphysics is open to an ought which is not a mere beyond, and unactual possibility that is not abstract. This in turn allows him to conceive of a metaphysical account of the good that surpasses these categories by framing the good in terms of actuality and truth.
The Multilayered Context of Leszek Kołakowski's Hermeneutical Metaphysics
Authors: Vanheeswijck Guido
Published: September 2024

Abstract: In 1988, the Polish philosopher Leszek Kołakowski published his essay Metaphysical Horror , conceived as a philosophical and historical interpretation of the vicissitudes of metaphysics in Western philosophy. At the same time, Kołakowski's attempt to map out the history of that metaphysical horror was a way to escape from it. Put differently, he traced the evolution of metaphysical horror—from metaphysics to antimetaphysics—in Western philosophy while simultaneously pleading for the preservation of metaphysics, be it in a very specific shape. To clarify Kołakowski's idiosyncratic position regarding the status of metaphysics, the author's exposition falls into two parts, each in three steps. In the first part, mainly drawing upon a textual analysis of Metaphysical Horror, Kołakowski's portrayal of the evolution of Western metaphysics toward its marginalization in contemporary philosophy is summarized. Subsequently, his own concept of hermeneutical metaphysics in relation to the everlasting importance of man's metaphysical need for the Absolute is presented. In the second part, set up as an exercise in intellectual history, Kołakowski's concept of hermeneutical metaphysics is situated against the double background of his Oxford environment and of that of an Eastern-European ally regarding the vicissitudes of the metaphysical tradition. The conclusion is double. First, this twofold background makes it clear why his hermeneutical metaphysics is at the same time a historical metaphysics and a moral ontology, dependent on man's everlasting metaphysical need for the Absolute. Second, it clarifies why his hermeneutical metaphysics takes a unique position in contemporary philosophy, different from the current concept of analytic metaphysics, on the one hand, and from the present-day concept of post-metaphysics in Continental philosophy, on the other.
Exploring Signed Literacy in Elementary Deaf Students Through Evidence-Based Instructional Methods
Authors: Holcomb Leala
Published: September 2024

Abstract: This investigation aimed to explore the feasibility of implementing the strategic and interactive signing instruction (SISI) framework and its potential to enhance the signed composition skills of four deaf students in a first/second-grade classroom. SISI was adapted from the existing strategic and interactive writing instruction (SIWI) framework that centered on utilizing evidence-based approaches to teaching. A mixed-methods approach involving both qualitative and quantitative data was employed. Qualitative analysis revealed six themes regarding the implementation of SISI: (1) composition topics and genres, (2) target skills, (3) explicit instruction, (4) video technology, (5) idea holding, and (6) accommodating younger ages. Broadly, SISI was successfully implemented, and areas for further adaptation were identified. Quantitative data were collected from four students, involving responses to prompts across three genres—narrative, informative, and persuasive. Pre- and posttest scores showed improvements in discourse-specific traits across these genres. While the findings suggest the feasibility and promise of SISI in facilitating the development of signed literacy, further larger-scale studies involving controls are required to fully investigate SISI's efficacy.
Multifunctional metasurface integrating tunable microwave absorption and energy harvesting
Authors: Yang Fulong , Zhu Xiaoqing , Wang Teng , Zhang Yongxia , Wei Jinyan , Wang Zhiwen
Published: September 2024

In this paper, a multifunctional composite metasurface, whose height can be adjusted by vibration, is proposed to achieve adjustable microwave absorption band performance and energy harvesting function. The metasurface is composed of indium tin oxide (ITO) conductive glass, organic glass, and 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium dicyanamide [EMIm][N(CN)2] ionic liquid droplets. Research indicates that the height of the metasurface significantly affects the bandwidth of microwave signal absorption, with different heights leading to changes in the frequency range of the absorption bandwidth. This adjustable height feature allows the metasurface to adapt to microwave signals of various frequencies. The microwave absorption performance and energy harvesting function are verified by experiments. The experiments are in good agreement with the simulations, and the excellent microwave absorption and energy harvesting capabilities are confirmed. This study provides a new idea and method for further research in the field of microwave absorption and energy harvesting.
Kernel-inspired algorithm to transform transmission electron microscopy images into discrete dipole approximation geometries
Authors: Gueckelhorn Daniel , Dove Aaron , Dörfler Andreas , Ruediger Andreas
Published: September 2024

In this work, we present a code that transforms 2D transmission electron microscopy images into 3D geometries for discrete dipole approximation simulations in DDSCAT 7.3.3 based on Python 3.11 and OpenCV 4.8.1. This allows for the extrapolation of experimental sample images into ready-to-use simulation geometries. The advantage is that the geometry reflects complex shapes instead of approximations of basic shapes like spheres, cylinders, or cubes. The underlying algorithm to extrapolate 2D images to 3D structures is inspired by the working principle of kernels used in image processing. To showcase the code, the absorption spectrum of deposited gold nanoparticles was simulated and compared with experimental values. Apart from a small systematic shift of the simulated spectrum, it is in excellent agreement with the experiment.
Study of high-order non-equal probability QAM for visible light communication systems
Authors: Guo Xinyue , Lu Meixia , Chu Tiantian
Published: September 2024

In this Letter, we propose and experimentally demonstrate a high-order non-equal probability quadrature amplitude modulation (NEP-QAM) scheme for visible light communication (VLC) systems, where NEP-72QAM is considered as an example. Nonlinear coding is introduced to generate the NEP-18QAM signal in the first quadrant, which is then jointly mapped with the other two bits to obtain the four-quadrant symmetric NEP-72QAM signal. Moreover, a bit-to-symbol labeling scheme is proposed to achieve thorough Gray mapping. The experimental results show that the NEP-72QAM scheme achieves better performance than the traditional 64QAM scheme regardless of whether the light-emitting diode (LED) operates in the linear or nonlinear range. Compared with the probabilistically shaped 72QAM scheme, the available range of the driving peak-to-peak voltage of the NEP-72QAM scheme is only reduced by 20 mV when 0.92 is used as the normalized generalized mutual information threshold, but the complexity is much lower.
Experimental insights into increasing laser output at 2.8 µm in Er3+-doped zinc-tellurite fibers
Authors: Muraviev Sergei V. , Dorofeev Vitaly V. , Koptev Maxim Y. , Kim Arkady V.
Published: September 2024

In this paper, we provide a new experimental insight into the lasing process in the erbium-doped tellurite glass fiber at high diode-pump powers and pumping pulse durations. It is shown that lasing occurs at two wavelengths. Initially, at a fixed wavelength of 2.718 µm corresponding to the luminescence maximum, lasing takes place during the first ∼100 µs from the start of the pump pulse, while the main laser power occurs at the 2.8 µm for the rest of the pump pulse and shifts to longer wavelengths with increasing pump power. At pumping durations essentially exceeding the lifetime of the upper laser level, no self-termination of lasing occurs; on the contrary, the lasing power increases, which indicates the key role of the energy transfer upconversion (ETU) process. We demonstrate for the first time to our knowledge efficient lasing with an average power of 60 mW and a pulsed energy of 1.2 mJ in an erbium-doped zinc-tellurite fiber.
Binomial models uncover biological variation during feature selection of droplet-based single-cell RNA sequencing
Authors: Sparta Breanne , Hamilton Timothy , Natesan Gunalan , Aragones Samuel D. , Deeds Eric J.
Published: September 2024

Effective analysis of single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) data requires a rigorous distinction between technical noise and biological variation. In this work, we propose a simple feature selection model, termed “Differentially Distributed Genes” or DDGs, where a binomial sampling process for each mRNA species produces a null model of technical variation. Using scRNA-seq data where cell identities have been established a priori, we find that the DDG model of biological variation outperforms existing methods. We demonstrate that DDGs distinguish a validated set of real biologically varying genes, minimize neighborhood distortion, and enable accurate partitioning of cells into their established cell-type groups.
Cracking the neural code for word recognition in convolutional neural networks
Authors: Agrawal Aakash , Dehaene Stanislas
Published: September 2024

Learning to read places a strong challenge on the visual system. Years of expertise lead to a remarkable capacity to separate similar letters and encode their relative positions, thus distinguishing words such as FORM and FROM, invariantly over a large range of positions, sizes and fonts. How neural circuits achieve invariant word recognition remains unknown. Here, we address this issue by recycling deep neural network models initially trained for image recognition. We retrain them to recognize written words and then analyze how reading-specialized units emerge and operate across the successive layers. With literacy, a small subset of units becomes specialized for word recognition in the learned script, similar to the visual word form area (VWFA) in the human brain. We show that these units are sensitive to specific letter identities and their ordinal position from the left or the right of a word. The transition from retinotopic to ordinal position coding is achieved by a hierarchy of “space bigram” unit that detect the position of a letter relative to a blank space and that pool across low- and high-frequency-sensitive units from early layers of the network. The proposed scheme provides a plausible neural code for written words in the VWFA, and leads to predictions for reading behavior, error patterns, and the neurophysiology of reading.
Fitness models provide accurate short-term forecasts of SARS-CoV-2 variant frequency
Authors: Abousamra Eslam , Figgins Marlin , Bedford Trevor
Published: September 2024

Genomic surveillance of pathogen evolution is essential for public health response, treatment strategies, and vaccine development. In the context of SARS-COV-2, multiple models have been developed including Multinomial Logistic Regression (MLR) describing variant frequency growth as well as Fixed Growth Advantage (FGA), Growth Advantage Random Walk (GARW) and Piantham parameterizations describing variant Rt. These models provide estimates of variant fitness and can be used to forecast changes in variant frequency. We introduce a framework for evaluating real-time forecasts of variant frequencies, and apply this framework to the evolution of SARS-CoV-2 during 2022 in which multiple new viral variants emerged and rapidly spread through the population. We compare models across representative countries with different intensities of genomic surveillance. Retrospective assessment of model accuracy highlights that most models of variant frequency perform well and are able to produce reasonable forecasts. We find that the simple MLR model provides ∼0.6% median absolute error and ∼6% mean absolute error when forecasting 30 days out for countries with robust genomic surveillance. We investigate impacts of sequence quantity and quality across countries on forecast accuracy and conduct systematic downsampling to identify that 1000 sequences per week is fully sufficient for accurate short-term forecasts. We conclude that fitness models represent a useful prognostic tool for short-term evolutionary forecasting.
RluA is the major mRNA pseudouridine synthase in Escherichia coli
Authors: Schaening-Burgos Cassandra , LeBlanc Hannah , Fagre Christian , Li Gene-Wei , Gilbert Wendy V.
Published: September 2024

Pseudouridine (Ψ) is an ubiquitous RNA modification, present in the tRNAs and rRNAs of species across all domains of life. Conserved pseudouridine synthases modify the mRNAs of diverse eukaryotes, but the modification has yet to be identified in bacterial mRNAs. Here, we report the discovery of pseudouridines in mRNA from E. coli. By testing the mRNA modification capacity of all 11 known pseudouridine synthases, we identify RluA as the predominant mRNA-modifying enzyme. RluA, a known tRNA and 23S rRNA pseudouridine synthase, modifies at least 31 of the 44 high-confidence sites we identified in E. coli mRNAs. Using RNA structure probing data to inform secondary structures, we show that the target sites of RluA occur in a common sequence and structural motif comprised of a ΨURAA sequence located in the loop of a short hairpin. This recognition element is shared with previously identified target sites of RluA in tRNAs and rRNA. Overall, our work identifies pseudouridine in key mRNAs and suggests the capacity of Ψ to regulate the transcripts that contain it.
An integrative taxonomy approach reveals Saccharomyces chiloensis sp. nov. as a newly discovered species from Coastal Patagonia
Authors: Peña Tomas A. , Villarreal Pablo , Agier Nicolas , De Chiara Matteo , Barría Tomas , Urbina Kamila , Villarroel Carlos A. , Santos Ana R. O. , Rosa Carlos A. , Nespolo Roberto F. , Liti Gianni , Fischer Gilles , Cubillos Francisco A.
Published: September 2024

Species delineation in microorganisms is challenging due to the limited markers available for accurate species assignment. Here, we applied an integrative taxonomy approach, combining extensive sampling, whole-genome sequence-based classification, phenotypic profiling, and assessment of interspecific reproductive isolation. Our work reveals the presence of a distinct Saccharomyces lineage in Nothofagus forests of coastal Patagonia. This lineage, designated Saccharomyces chiloensis sp. nov., exhibits 7% genetic divergence from its sister species S. uvarum, as revealed by whole-genome sequencing and population analyses. The South America-C (SA-C) coastal Patagonia population forms a unique clade closely related to a previously described divergent S. uvarum population from Oceania (AUS, found in Australia and New Zealand). Our species reclassification is supported by a low Ortho Average Nucleotide Identity (OANI) of 93% in SA-C and AUS relative to S. uvarum, which falls below the suggested species delineation threshold of 95%, indicating an independent evolutionary lineage. Hybrid spore viability assessment provided compelling evidence that SA-C and AUS are reproductively isolated from S. uvarum. In addition, we found unique structural variants between S. chiloensis sp. nov. lineages, including large-scale chromosomal translocations and inversions, together with a distinct phenotypic profile, emphasizing their intraspecies genetic distinctiveness. We suggest that S. chiloensis sp. nov diverged from S. uvarum in allopatry due to glaciation, followed by post-glacial dispersal, resulting in distinct lineages on opposite sides of the Pacific Ocean. The discovery of S. chiloensis sp. nov. illustrates the uniqueness of Patagonia’s coastal biodiversity and underscores the importance of adopting an integrative taxonomic approach in species delineation to unveil cryptic microbial species. The holotype of S. chiloensis sp. nov. is CBS 18620T.
The effect of different dosage of intranasal dexmedetomidine on preventing emergence delirium or agitation in children: A network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
Authors: Li Yizheng , Jiang Yi , Zhang Liangcheng
Published: September 2024

Background

The clinical evidence for the effects of different doses of intranasal dexmedetomidine on emergence delirium/ emergence agitation (ED/EA) in children is lacking.

Methods

We searched the PubMed, EMBASE and Cochrane Library from the establishment of the databases until December 30, 2023. All randomized controlled trials that evaluated the effect of different dosage of intranasl dexamedetomidine in children younger than 18 years on postoperative ED/ EA were included. Data analysis was conducted using R 4.3.0.

Results

A total of 15 randomized controlled trials involving 1566 children were included. Compared to 0.5 μg/kg (RR = 4.81, 95%CI = 1.66–13.94), and normal saline (RR = 8.23, 95%CI = 4.63–14.65), intranasal dexmedetomidine at doses of 2 μg/kg significantly reduced the incidence of ED/ EA in children. 2 μg/kg was the most effective dosage in reducing the incidence of ED/ EA (Probability of rank = 0.75), the incidence of severe ED/ EA (Probability of rank = 0.45), and ED/ EA score (Probability of rank = 0.65). Moreover, intranasal dexmedetomidine at doses of 2 μg/kg significantly reduced the PACU pain compared to 0.5 μg/kg (RR = 0.42, 95%CI = -0.22–1.06), 1 μg/kg (RR = 0.18, 95%CI = -0.26–0.63), 1.5 μg/kg (RR = 1.00, 95%CI = -0.54–0.75), and normal saline (RR = 8.23, 95%CI = 4.63–14.65), with a probability of rank = 0.45.

Conclusion

2μg/kg intranasal dexmedetomidine is the optimum dose for reducing the occurrence of ED/ EA and postoperative pain. However, further research is required to verify our findings.
Sorption and degradation processes of imidacloprid in Florida soils
Authors: Uthman Qudus O. , Kadyampakeni Davie M. , Leiva Jorge A. , Judy Jonathan D. , Nkedi-Kizza Peter
Published: September 2024

Imidacloprid (IDP) is an active ingredient of the Admire brand pesticide used to control the vector (Asian citrus psyllid) that transmits the causative organism Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (CLas) for citrus greening or huanglongbing disease. Imidacloprid products are applied via soil drench where citrus roots are mostly concentrated which is between 0 and 60 cm depth. These soil depths exhibit different characteristics that may affect IDP leaching beyond the rooting zone. Representative soil samples were collected from Entisols and Ultisols, which are the dominant soil orders under citrus production in central Florida, at 15 cm increments up to 60 cm to estimate and understand the batch sorption, kinetics, equilibria, and degradation of IDP. Results showed that the equilibrium time for IDP at 0–15 cm depth (10 hours) was 2 times faster than at 15–60 cm (20 hours) for the Entisol. Nevertheless, all depths reached equilibrium within 24 hours for the Entisol. The 0–30 cm depth adsorbed 2 times more IDP than the 30–60 cm depth for both soils. Nevertheless, the adsorption coefficient was approximately ≤ 1 mL g-1 for both soils. The half-life of IDP in both soils ranged from 10 to 17 days. The Entisol showed higher adsorption than the Ultisol at both depths, probably due to relatively lower organic carbon (OC) content in the Ultisol compared to the Entisol. Thus, the Ultisol showed high IDP leaching vulnerability compared to the Entisol. Movement of IDP is affected by the amount of OC in the citrus critical zone.
Molecular surveillance based on anaplasmosis in domestic small ruminants: First report on zoonotic Anaplasma capra and phylogenetic insights from Faisalabad, Pakistan
Authors: Razzaq Muhammad A. , Imran Muhammad , Atif Farhan Ahmad , Abbas Rao Z. , Alvi Mughees A. , Swelum Ayman A. , Sindhu Zia-ud-Din , Khan Muhammad K. , Sabir Mughal Muhammad A. , Khan Adil , Wu Wen-Feng
Published: September 2024

Anaplasma is an intracellular alphaproteobacteria that infects diverse blood cell types in animal hosts including small ruminants. Epidemiological and risk factors information on zoonotic anaplasmosis with respect to anaplasmosis in sheep and goats are scarce. Therefore, the objective of the current study was to estimate the prevalence, risk factors of anaplasmosis and phylogenetic investigation of A. capra in sheep and goats from Faisalabad district, Pakistan. Briefly, 384 blood samples were randomly collected from sheep and goats of Faisalabad district, Pakistan, during January to May 2022. The samples were processed for the detection of Anaplasma targeting 16S rRNA gene using PCR. The data regarding disease determinants were collected using a predesigned questionnaire. Out of 384 samples, 131 samples were found positive for Anaplasma spp. with a prevalence rate of 34.11%. The results indicated a significantly higher prevalence of anaplasmosis in goats (41.88%) compared to sheep (22.00%). In addition, the chi square indicated that housing type, tick infestation, gender, tick control practices, age, mix farming, and hygiene were significantly associated with the occurrence of disease. The analysis of multivariate logistic regression expressed gender as the significant risk factor (p = 0.0001, OR = 1.757, CI = 1.305–2.366). The acquired sequences revealed four novel isolates of A. capra (Genbank accession numbers ON834323, ON838209, ON838210, and ON838211). The phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene of A. capra revealed three distinct clusters with 99–100% homology with other isolates from different countries. Our isolates showed higher similarity with isolates from China (KM206273, KP314237, MT799937), Pakistan (ON238129, ON238130, ON238131), Angola (MT898988), India (MZ558066), Iran (MW692362), and Turkey (MT632469) isolated from human, sheep, ticks, goats, cattle, Gaddi goat, Persian Onager (Equus hemionus onager), and Turkish goats, respectively. In conclusion, A. capra is endemic in Punjab, Pakistan, there is a need to conduct large scale surveillance studies to assess the status of this pathogen at human-animal interface as well as to develop effective preventive and control strategies to reduce the economic losses associated with anaplasmosis in small ruminants.
Observers’ motivated sensitivity to stigmatized actors’ intent
Authors: Staples William A. , Plaks Jason E.
Published: September 2024

Does a harmful act appear more intentional–and worthy of opprobrium–if it was committed by a member of a stigmatized group? In two studies (N = 1,451), participants read scenarios in which an actor caused a homicide. We orthogonally manipulated the relative presence or absence of distal intent (a focus on the end) and proximal intent (a focus on the means) in the actor’s mind. We also varied the actor’s racial (Study 1) or political (Study 2) group. In both studies, participants judged the stigmatized actor more harshly than the non-stigmatized actor when the actor’s level of intent was ambiguous (i.e., one form of intent was high and the other form of intent was low). These data suggest that observers apply a sliding threshold when judging an actor’s intent and moral responsibility; whereas less-stigmatized actors elicit condemnation only when they cause the outcome with both types of intent in mind, more-stigmatized actors elicit condemnation when only one type, or even neither type (Study 2) of intent is in their mind. We discuss how these results enrich the literature on lay theories of intentionality.
Deals of a feather… Modelling latent classes in R&D collaboration data using finite mixture analysis
Authors: Neilson Troy , Byrnes Joshua , Rohde Nicholas
Published: September 2024

This work explores if behaviour-based asymmetries are likely to impact deal valuation in the life sciences by examining positive public sentiment as a proxy for market behaviour when negotiating under asymmetric conditions to examine heterogeneity in research & development collaboration (RDC) deal data. We use public sentiment as a proxy for behaviour along with stage of development-based RDC deal data to search for latent classes in the deal data using finite mixture modelling. The analysis reveals a nuanced picture: public sentiment emerges as a significant predictor of deal value, but only for approximately 15% of the data set. This subset exclusively includes firms in the Preclinical stage, where projects have moved past discovery but are yet to commence human studies. Interestingly, the research finds that sentiment’s impact on deal valuation is particularly pronounced in this stage, suggesting heightened market sensitivity. With recent research demonstrating that knowledge asymmetry and behaviour impact valuation volatility, we take this further by capturing latent classes within the data which demonstrates how behaviour is most influential in deal pricing considerations. We argue that our research demonstrates the impact of asymmetry and market behaviour on a subset of RDCs where products are known, but likelihood of success is difficult to determine.
Factors affecting postnatal care service utilization in Pyuthan district: A mixed method study
Authors: Thapa Tulsi Ram , Agrawal Sagtani Reshu , Mahotra Anita , Mishra Ravi Kanta , Sharma Saraswati , Paudel Sudarshan
Published: September 2024

The first hours, days, and weeks following childbirth are critical for the well-being of both the mother and newborn. Despite this significance, the postnatal period often receives inadequate attention in terms of quality care provision. In Nepal, the utilization of postnatal care (PNC) services remains a challenging issue. Employing a facility-based concurrent triangulation mixed-method approach, this study aimed to identify factors associated with PNC service utilization, as well as its facilitators and barriers. A quantitative survey involved 243 mothers who had given birth in the six months preceding the survey, selected using a multistage sampling technique from six health facilities of two randomly selected local levels of the Pyuthan district. Weighted multivariate logistic regression was employed to identify predictors of PNC service utilization. Additionally, qualitative analysis using Braun and Clarke’s six-step thematic analysis elucidated facilitators and barriers. The study revealed a weighted prevalence of PNC service utilization as per protocol at 38.43% (95% CI: 32.48–44.74). Notably, Socioeconomic status (AOR-3.84, 95% CI: 2.40–6.15), place of delivery (AOR-1.86, 95% CI: 1.16–3.00), possessing knowledge of postnatal care (AOR = 6.75, 95% CI: 3.39–13.45) and access to a motorable road (AOR = 6.30, 95% CI: 3.94–10.08) were identified as predictors of PNC service utilization. Triangulation revealed knowledge on PNC, transportation facilities, PNC home visits, and postpartum weaknesses to visit health facility as areas of convergence. Conversely, divergent areas included the proximity of health facilities and the effect of COVID-19. The study identified a low prevalence of PNC service utilization in the district. To enhance utilization, targeted interventions to increase awareness about postnatal care, appropriate revision of existing policies, addressing wider determinants of service utilization, and ensuring effective implementation of PNC home-visit programs are of utmost importance.
Precision meets generalization: Enhancing brain tumor classification via pretrained DenseNet with global average pooling and hyperparameter tuning
Authors: Aziz Najam , Minallah Nasru , Frnda Jaroslav , Sher Madiha , Zeeshan Muhammad , Durrani Amara Haroon
Published: September 2024

Brain tumors pose significant global health concerns due to their high mortality rates and limited treatment options. These tumors, arising from abnormal cell growth within the brain, exhibits various sizes and shapes, making their manual detection from magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans a subjective and challenging task for healthcare professionals, hence necessitating automated solutions. This study investigates the potential of deep learning, specifically the DenseNet architecture, to automate brain tumor classification, aiming to enhance accuracy and generalizability for clinical applications. We utilized the Figshare brain tumor dataset, comprising 3,064 T1-weighted contrast-enhanced MRI images from 233 patients with three prevalent tumor types: meningioma, glioma, and pituitary tumor. Four pre-trained deep learning models—ResNet, EfficientNet, MobileNet, and DenseNet—were evaluated using transfer learning from ImageNet. DenseNet achieved the highest test set accuracy of 96%, outperforming ResNet (91%), EfficientNet (91%), and MobileNet (93%). Therefore, we focused on improving the performance of the DenseNet, while considering it as base model. To enhance the generalizability of the base DenseNet model, we implemented a fine-tuning approach with regularization techniques, including data augmentation, dropout, batch normalization, and global average pooling, coupled with hyperparameter optimization. This enhanced DenseNet model achieved an accuracy of 97.1%. Our findings demonstrate the effectiveness of DenseNet with transfer learning and fine-tuning for brain tumor classification, highlighting its potential to improve diagnostic accuracy and reliability in clinical settings.
Maternal age and body mass index and risk of labor dystocia after spontaneous labor onset among nulliparous women: A clinical prediction model
Authors: Nathan Nina Olsén , Bergholt Thomas , Sejling Christoffer , Ersbøll Anne Schøjdt , Ekelund Kim , Gerds Thomas Alexander , Gam Christiane Bourgin Folke , Rode Line , Hegaard Hanne Kristine
Published: September 2024

Introduction

Obstetrics research has predominantly focused on the management and identification of factors associated with labor dystocia. Despite these efforts, clinicians currently lack the necessary tools to effectively predict a woman’s risk of experiencing labor dystocia. Therefore, the objective of this study was to create a predictive model for labor dystocia.

Material and methods

The study population included nulliparous women with a single baby in the cephalic presentation in spontaneous labor at term. With a cohort-based registry design utilizing data from the Copenhagen Pregnancy Cohort and the Danish Medical Birth Registry, we included women who had given birth from 2014 to 2020 at Copenhagen University Hospital–Rigshospitalet, Denmark. Logistic regression analysis, augmented by a super learner algorithm, was employed to construct the prediction model with candidate predictors pre-selected based on clinical reasoning and existing evidence. These predictors included maternal age, pre-pregnancy body mass index, height, gestational age, physical activity, self-reported medical condition, WHO-5 score, and fertility treatment. Model performance was evaluated using the area under the receiver operating characteristics curve (AUC) for discriminative capacity and Brier score for model calibration.

Results

A total of 12,445 women involving 5,525 events of labor dystocia (44%) were included. All candidate predictors were retained in the final model, which demonstrated discriminative ability with an AUC of 62.3% (95% CI:60.7–64.0) and Brier score of 0.24.

Conclusions

Our model represents an initial advancement in the prediction of labor dystocia utilizing readily available information obtainable upon admission in active labor. As a next step further model development and external testing across other populations is warranted. With time a well-performing model may be a step towards facilitating risk stratification and the development of a user-friendly online tool for clinicians.
Estimating the copepod biomass in the North West African upwelling system using a bi-frequency acoustic approach
Authors: DIOGOUL Ndague , BREHMER Patrice , KIKO Rainer , PERROT Yannick , Lebourges-Dhaussy Anne , RODRIGUES Elizandro , THIAM Abou , MOUGET Anne , EL AYOUBI Salaheddine , SARRÉ Abdoulaye
Published: September 2024

The Canary Current Large Marine Ecosystem (CCLME) is one of the most productive Large Marine Ecosystems worldwide. Assessing the abundance, biomass and distribution of zooplankton in the southern part of this system, off the coast of West Africa, remains challenging due to limited sampling efforts and data availability. However, zooplankton is of primary importance for pelagic ecosystem functioning. We applied an inversion method with combined analysis of acoustic and biological data for copepod discrimination using a bi-frequency (38 and 120 kHz) approach. Large copepods with equivalent spherical radii > 0.5 mm were identified using differences in the mean volume backscattering strength (MVBS). Regarding abundance measured by net sampling, copepods strongly dominated the zooplankton community and the large fraction account for 18%. This estimate correlated significantly with MVBS values that were obtained using an inverse algorithm. We confirmed the utility of using 38 kHz for large copepod detection. An epipelagic biomass of large copepod was estimated at 120–850 mg m-2 in March during upwelling season. It is worth noting that this estimation likely underestimates the true biomass due to inherent uncertainties associated with the measurement method. We recommend future investigations in the interest of using only nighttime data to improve the sampling pattern, particularly on the upper part of the water column (< 10 m) as well as on the shallow part of the continental shelf (< 20 m depth) not covered by fisheries vessel. Nevertheless, such high copepod biomass supports high fish production underlining the key role of copepod in the CCLME. Our results open the way to the analysis of the fluctuation and trend of copepod biomass, along with three decades of fisheries acoustics data available in the region. This helps to determine ecosystem changes, particularly under climate change, and to investigate the role of copepods in the southern CCLME carbon pump at the fine scale.
Analysis of choroidal features to predict surgical prognosis of idiopathic macular hole
Authors: Kim Gee-Hyun , Lee Jiho , Park Young-Hoon
Published: September 2024

Objective

To investigate choroidal features of idiopathic macular hole (IMH) and determine their relationship with surgical outcomes.

Materials and methods

Patients above stage II unilateral IMH who received pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) with the internal limiting membrane (ILM) peeling were enrolled for the retrospective observational study. Preoperative choriocapillaris perfusion (CCP), central choroidal thickness (CCT), base/minimum diameters (BD/MD) and height (HH) of MH were analyzed by optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA). At 1, 3 and 6 months after PPV, CCT, central foveal thickness (CFT) and maximum parafoveal thickness (MPT) of closed MH were measured. Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was assessed at every visit. The correlations between preoperative characteristics and surgical outcomes were assessed.

Results

Twenty-seven patients were evaluated. All eyes (100%) showed successful MH closure after the primary surgery. Until postoperative 6 months, BCVA continued to improve significantly (p < 0.001), while CFT and CCT progressively thinned (p < 0.001, p < 0.001). On correlation tests, final postoperative BCVA was associated with preoperative BCVA (R = 0.506, p = 0.007) and CCP (R = -0.475, p = 0.012), while final CFT was related with preoperative CCT (R = 0.392, p = 0.043). Multiple regression analysis revealed that preoperative CCP was significantly related with final postoperative BCVA (β = -0.403, p = 0.049).

Conclusion

Preoperative CCP and CCT were respectively associated with functional and anatomical prognosis of IMH after PPV.
Effects of the timing of maternal antiretroviral therapy initiation, CD4 count, and HIV viral load on birth outcomes in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa: A secondary data analysis
Authors: Siqithi Sisanda , Durojaiye Oyewole Christopher , Adeniyi Oladele Vincent
Published: September 2024

Background

Antiretroviral therapy (ART) use during pregnancy is essential to prevent vertical transmission of HIV, but it may also increase the risk of adverse birth outcomes. This study investigated the impact of both maternal HIV infection and the timing of ART initiation on birth outcomes in women living with HIV in South Africa.

Methods

This secondary data analysis examined the dataset from an earlier cohort study involving 1709 pregnant women living with HIV who delivered their babies at three major maternity centres in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa between September 2015 and May 2018. The associations between adverse birth outcomes (stillbirth, preterm birth, very preterm birth, and low birth weight) and the timing of maternal ART initiation, peripartum CD4 count, and HIV viral load were examined using logistic regression analysis.

Results

The observed rates of stillbirth, preterm birth, very preterm birth, and low birth weight were 1.4%, 33.5%, 5.4% and 18.0%, respectively. In the multivariable analysis, low birth weight was associated with ART initiated during the second trimester (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.38; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.03–1.85), low-level viraemia (21–999 copies/ml) (aOR, 1.62; 95% CI, 1.17–2.22), and high-level viraemia (≥1000 copies/ml) (aOR, 1.66; 95% CI, 1.66–2.38) during the peripartum period. Preterm birth was associated with low-level viraemia (aOR, 1.44; 95% CI, 1.16–1.79) and a CD4 count of less than 200 cells/mm3(aOR, 1.35; 95% CI, 1.01–1.82). Very preterm birth was associated with detectable maternal viraemia.

Conclusion

Adverse birth outcomes are common among pregnant women living with HIV, especially those with unsuppressed viraemia. Clinicians and programme managers should prioritise timeous ART initiation and virological suppression in all pregnant women living with HIV.
A portable lateral flow distance-based paper sensor for drinking water hardness test
Authors: Liu Yulin , Dong Longzhan , Wu Wenli , Ping Jiantao , Chen Jingbo , Hu Qiongzheng
Published: September 2024

Hardness is one of the basic parameters of water, and a high-level hardness of drinking water may be harmful to human health. Thus, it is very important to monitor drinking water hardness. In this work, a portable lateral flow distance-based paper sensor for the semi-quantitative detection of drinking water hardness is demonstrated. In the presence of Ca2+/Mg2+, the hydrogel can be formed via the chelation between sodium alginate and Ca2+/Mg2+, inducing a phase separation process. The viscosity change of the sodium alginate solution is directly related to the Ca2+/Mg2+ concentration and can be determined by the water lateral flow distance on test strips. The sensor successfully realizes the quantification of Ca2+ and Mg2+ in the range of 0–10 mmol L-1 and 4–20 mmol L-1, respectively. The recoveries are found varied from 95% to 108.9%. The water hardness is acceptable for drinking if the Cr values lies in the range of 0.259 to 0.419, and it is high with the Cr value above 0.595. Remarkably, the performance of the sensor is comparable with the commercial kit for real water samples, which avoids the subjective judgment. Overall, this method provides a portable approach for semi-quantitative detection of drinking water hardness with the merits of convenience and low cost, which shows great potential for the potential application.