bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Gut Microbiota and Its Implications for Cardiovascular Diseases – a Review
Authors: Zarębska Julia , Krasnoborska Julia , Samojedny Sylwia , Superson Maciej , Szmyt Katarzyna , Szymańska Katarzyna , Walczak Kamil , Wilk-Trytko Klaudia , Zarębski Łukasz
Published: February 2024

Background: The symbiotic relationship between the gut microbiota and cardiovascular health has become a main point in contemporary research, offering valuable insights into the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). This review aims to comprehensively examine the bidirectional communication between gut microbial communities and the cardiovascular system, explaining the intricate mechanisms that connect gut dysbiosis to the initiation and progression of CVDs.

Material and Methods: A systematic literature review was conducted to compile and analyze relevant studies investigating the impact of the gut microbiota on cardiovascular health. Emphasis was placed on explaining the molecular and physiological mechanisms underlying the interaction between gut microbes and cardiovascular function.

Results: Our review confirmed evidence linking gut microbiota-derived metabolites, such as short-chain fatty acids, trimethylamine N-oxide and lipopolysaccharides to vascular function and inflammation. Additionally, we explored the modulation of host metabolism and immune responses by gut microbes, providing insights into their roles in atherosclerosis and hypertension. The review highlight the influence of diet and lifestyle on shaping the gut microbiome and, consequently, cardiovascular outcomes.

Conclusions: Gut microbiota plays a crucial role in cardiovascular health and is involved in the start and development of various heart diseases. The identified molecular and physiological mechanisms highlight the need for complete understanding of the gut-cardiovascular axis. Moreover, the review emphasizes the potential of microbiota-targeted interventions, including probiotics and fecal microbiota transplantation, as innovative strategies for preventing and managing CVDs.
A rare case of spiradenoma or a common sebaceous cyst? - A case study
Authors: Kłos Nikola , Boblewska Justyna , Szepelska Ada , Bienia Grzegorz , Kosowski Tomasz , Kondratskyi Vitalii , Sygnowski Michał , Jędrys Wiktoria , Sowińska Izabela
Published: February 2024

Spiradenoma is a rare and adnexal skin tumor of the sweat gland appearing equally frequently in both female and male patients. When having a patient with a solitary, nodule occurring on a scalp, a spiradenoma diagnosis should be considered. However, it always ought be differentiated with more common skin lesions e.g. sebaceous cyst. This case report presents a 36 year old male presented with a solitary 1,5 centimeter in diameter mass on the scalp of the left temporal region. The patient underwent an ultrasound and excision biopsy which revealed spiradenoma diagnosis. This tumor transforms into malignant form extremely rarely. However, transformation is more likely in elderly patients having a long-standing lesions This is why early and wide excision is crucial and considered to be a gold standard treatment.
Connection between gut microbiota and Anorexia Nervosa. Literature review
Authors: Polańska Paulina , Sokołowska Katarzyna , Kulak Maria , Moreau Igor , Bereza Dawid , Lang Miriam , Woch Barbara
Published: February 2024

Introduction: Anorexia Nervosa (AN) stands as a severe mental disorder characterized by the highest mortality rate within the realm of psychiatric conditions. Its etiology encompasses genetic, neurobiological, environmental, and developmental factors. Recent investigations have shed light on the potential impact of the gut microbiota on the genesis and progression of AN.

Aim of the Study: The aim of this paper is to provide a comprehensive review of the existing findings on relationship between gut dysbiosis and AN. The intention is to present new perspectives that contribute to a more detailed understanding of the multifaceted nature of this serious disorder.

Description of the State of Knowledge: The gut microbiota takes a central role in modulating various physiological processes. Dysbiosis, which refers to an imbalance in gut microbiota composition, has recently drawn attention because of its association with several mental disorders. In the context of AN, studies have shown reduced microbial diversity and notable changes in specific bacterial populations. The influence of the gut microbiota on AN includes disturbances in the digestive system, changes in eating behaviours, and associations with related conditions such as anxiety and depression. Mechanisms such as the gut-brain axis, hormonal regulation and molecular mimicry contribute to these associations.

Conclusions: Recognition of the pivotal role played by the gut microbiota in AN opens up avenues for potential therapeutic interventions. Pro- and prebiotics, along with fecal transplantation, emerge as promising modalities in the treatment of AN. Ongoing research is essential to further elucidate this evolving field, ultimately facilitating the development of targeted interventions for individuals with AN.
Loss of territorial identity through the development of inherited tourism models: The case of Ehden (Lebanon).
Authors: Zakhia Sally , Perez Perez Belen
Published: February 2024

This research studies whether the tourism development model in Ehden (Lebanon) is sustainable and balanced, or whether, on the contrary, it responds to the unsustainable pattern of its colonial past. To this end, interviews with local stakeholders, surveys of residents and tourists were carried out and analysed using descriptive statistics and cross-sectional data techniques. The results show that local stakeholders want to promote an integrated tourism development model in Ehden based on territorial resources that involve the local population. The population is willing, for the most part, to get involved in the tourism development model of the town, and tourists are committed to diversified activities centred on the natural and cultural heritage of Ehden, which value the town’s specific resources. However, it has been detected that this is a demand of those with high income that stays in high quality hotels or rural accommodation and is concentrated in the summer months, which denotes a strong seasonality and unsustainability of tourism. It is concluded that, although the colonial past is present in the territory, there is currently a great interest from all the agents involved in tourism to promote an integrated tourism model that could help to boost economic diversification.
Un estudio comparativo entre el Festival de Cine de San Sebastián en España y el Festival de Cine de Fajr en Irán.
Authors: Dezfoulian Dorsa
Published: February 2024

El turismo es un importante fenómeno económico tanto en los países desarrollados como en los países en desarrollo. El turismo de eventos, y más concretamente el centrado en las actividades culturales, constituye un nicho de mercado que ha ido ganando importancia, y que se viene investigando desde hace treinta años. Existe notable coincidencia en la literatura científica acerca de que los eventos culturales tienen un notable impacto positivo en la desestacionalización y el rejuvenecimiento de un destino turístico, al tiempo que promueven la cultura local. Entre los eventos culturales más populares del mundo, los festivales de cine constituyen una modalidad diferenciada. Este artículo se centra en realizar un contraste entre dos experiencias de festivales con distinto nivel de consolidación, el de San Sebastián (España) y el de Fajr (Irán), analizando sus principales rasgos y diferencias desde el punto de vista turístico. El primero ha alcanzado prestigio a nivel mundial. Mientras que el segundo está aún en fase de consolidación, en un contexto institucional y socioeconómico comparable al que atravesó el festival español varias décadas atrás. En el artículo se intentan señalar las principales carencias y retos que debe afrontar el Festival de Fajr, en especial en la coordinación de las sedes y los sectores correspondientes del festival, para avanzar hacia un evento de alto nivel con valor turístico que pueda beneficiar a los locales y abrir las puertas hacia el turismo internacional.
A method for selecting the optimal warping path of dynamic time warping in gait analysis
Authors: Lee Hyun-Seob , Lee Jae-Hyun , Kim Kyung-Ryur
Published: February 2024

This study aims to demonstrate that when performing dynamic time warping (DTW) on gait data, multiple optimal warping paths (OWPs) with a minimum sum of local costs can occur and to propose an additional OWP selection method to address this problem. A 3-dimensional motion analysis experiment was conducted on 55 adult participants, including both males and females, to acquire gait data. This study analyzed 990 instances of DTW on gait data to examine the occurrence of multiple OWPs with the minimum sum of local costs. We subsequently applied an additional selection method to the multiple OWPs to determine the feasibility of identifying a single OWP. Multiple OWPs through DTW were observed 82 times, accounting for 8.28%. Notably, on the ankle joint of males, the rate was the highest at 11.11%. Cases with two multiple OWPs were the most prevalent at 56.10%, and cases with ten or more multiple OWPs accounted for 19.51%. The additional selection method proposed in this study was applied to the 82 instances in which multiple OWPs occurred. The results demonstrated the ability to identify a unique OWP in all cases. These results hold significance in identifying the shortcomings of conventional OWP selection methods previously employed and proposing solutions. It enhances the reliability, validity, and accuracy of studies utilizing DTW.
Exercise before pregnancy exerts protective effect on prenatal stress-induced impairment of memory, neurogenesis, and mitochondrial function in offspring
Authors: Kim Tae-Woon , Park Sang-Seo , Kim Sang-Hoon , Kim Myung-Ki , Shin Mal-Soon , Kim Seong-Hyun
Published: February 2024

Stress during pregnancy has a negative effect on the fetus. However, maternal exercise has a positive effect on the cognitive function of the fetus and alleviates the negative effects of stress. This study aimed to demonstrate whether exercise before pregnancy has a protective effect on prenatal stress-induced impairment of memory, neurogenesis and mitochondrial function in mice offspring. In this experiment, immunohistochemistry, Western blot, measurement of mitochondria oxygen respiration, and behavior tests were performed. Spatial memory and short-term memory of the offspring from the prenatal stress with exercise were increased compared to the offspring from the prenatal stress. The numbers of doublecortin-positive and 5-bromo-2’-deoxyuridine-positive cells in the hippocampal dentate gyrus of the offspring from the prenatal stress with exercise were higher compared to the offspring from the prenatal stress. The expressions of brain-derived neurotrophic factor, postsynaptic density 95 kDa, and synaptophysin in the hippocampus of the offspring from the prenatal stress with exercise were enhanced compared to the offspring from the prenatal stress. Oxygen consumption of the offspring from the prenatal stress with exercise were higher compared to the offspring from the prenatal stress. Exercise before pregnancy alleviated prenatal stress-induced impairment of memory, neurogenesis, and mitochondrial function. Therefore, exercise before pregnancy may have a protective effect against prenatal stress of the offspring.
The nervous system and associated disorders
Authors: Teixeira Luis
Published: February 2024

Disorders of the nervous system, encompassing the brain, spinal cord and peripheral nerves, have emerged as a significant public health issue, with profound implications for individuals worldwide. These conditions result in significant morbidity and mortality. Many patients with neurological disorders often have comorbidities, further complicating their clinical presentation. Therefore, nurses must possess a comprehensive understanding of the nervous system and its associated disorders to formulate detailed care plans that address the unique needs of each patient. This article aims to explore the underlying pathophysiology of some of the most prevalent neurological disorders and how this informs effective patient assessment and diagnostic strategies. A further article will build on this to consider patient assessment and formulating a care plan in more detail.
Advocating for Policy Change: Examples Emerging From a Medical-Legal Partnership in Primary Care
Authors: Shah Nishwa , Radford Kim , Durant Steve , Shoucri Rami , Stone Jennifer , Persaud Navindra , Pinto Andrew D.
Published: February 2024

Abstract: Medical-legal partnerships bring legal services directly into clinical settings. Policy advocacy is often opportunistic and varies across partnerships. Our objective was to study policy advocacy that emerged from a medical-legal partnership in Toronto over a four-year period. This study consisted of a document review and thematic analysis, triangulated with data from interviews with legal team members and health providers. We defined policy advocacy as actions associated with attempts to change policy or legislation. The medical-legal partnership engaged in seven distinct cases of policy advocacy: disability support form requirements, changing workplace review, challenging barriers to citizenship, housing, publicly funded medication program (pharma care), safe injection sites, and the need for increased social assistance. Actions taken included presentations at conferences and submissions of briefs to government. We found that a medical-legal partnership resulted in policy advocacy with issues arising from both the health and the legal team with impacts likely greater than if each group had acted alone.
"¿Tengo que comer gato?" Racial Stereotype in Quan Zhou Wu's Gente de aquí. Gente de allí. Ensayo gráfico sobre migrantes y españoles
Authors: Posey Alison
Published: February 2024

Abstract: Quan Zhou Wu's 2020 graphic essay, Gente de aquí. Gente de allí. Ensayo gráfico sobre migrantes y españoles ironizes racial stereotypes present in the twenty-first century Spanish cultural milieu to question the role of whiteness as an enduring signifier of national belonging in Spain. Throughout this work, which unites sociological research on race, identity, and immigration in Spain with graphic hyperbolization, Zhou Wu both draws, and draws on, offensive caricatures to parody and problematize the practice of defining national identity solely by race. In reifying visual and verbal discourses of difference, Zhou Wu reappropriates her own racialized identity as a multicultural Chinese Spaniard as a space from which to critique and contest constructs of whiteness held as fundamental to contemporary Spanish national racial imaginary. This graphic essay directly responds to the urgent need to affirm the marginalization and racialization of immigrants and Spaniards of color; at the same time, it requires its readers to bear witness to psychic damage done by a nation that maintains whiteness as an essential element of Spanish identity. Through its application of racial stereotypes, Gente de aquí subverts a cycle that would maintain an arbitrary hierarchy of humanity and thus the paradoxical binarization of racial and national identities, in which skin color is ascribed the power to dictate and define national character. Zhou Wu calls upon readers to unmake their assumptions about racialized Spaniards like herself and instead locate them within a national imaginary that, crucially, is inclusive of all who identify as Spanish.
Optimization analysis of a Stokes polarimeter for broadband liquid crystal variable retarders under the optimal objective function
Authors: Chang Lingying , Li Jiayi , Zhang Youbiao , Yin Yuping , Liu Jingyi
Published: February 2024

A liquid crystal variable retarder (LCVR) is the core device to realize fast and high-precision broadband polarization imaging, and its ability to suppress the noise will have an impact on the polarization measurement results. In order to obtain better imaging quality and measurement accuracy, it is crucial to solve the optimization problem of the LCVR. In this paper, the optimal objective function for solving the optimization problem of the LCVR is analytically derived and verified based on the genetic algorithm in the band range of 350–700 nm. Meanwhile, considering that the minimum number of four measurements at this time cannot achieve the optimal state, the relationship between the number of measurements and the overall performance relative to the error propagation (optimized conditions number) is discussed. The results show that a better optimal set of angles can be obtained by using the optimal objective function. In this paper, a set of the most favorable angles is obtained, and the optimized average of the CN is 2.0000, which is reduced by 0.32% compared with previous optimization results and is closer to the ideal value of the CN. In addition, in this paper, the noise immunity of the set of most favorable angles is simulated and analyzed, and the optimized system can effectively improve the measured performance of the wide-band liquid crystal variable retarder polarimeter.
Knowns and unknowns about the neurobiology of stuttering
Authors: Neef Nicole E. , Chang Soo-Eun
Published: February 2024

Stuttering occurs in early childhood during a dynamic phase of brain and behavioral development. The latest studies examining children at ages close to this critical developmental period have identified early brain alterations that are most likely linked to stuttering, while spontaneous recovery appears related to increased inter-area connectivity. By contrast, therapy-driven improvement in adults is associated with a functional reorganization within and beyond the speech network. The etiology of stuttering, however, remains enigmatic. This Unsolved Mystery highlights critical questions and points to neuroimaging findings that could inspire future research to uncover how genetics, interacting neural hierarchies, social context, and reward circuitry contribute to the many facets of stuttering.
Age-dependent ventilator-induced lung injury: Mathematical modeling, experimental data, and statistical analysis
Authors: Hay Quintessa , Grubb Christopher , Minucci Sarah , Valentine Michael S. , Van Mullekom Jennifer , Heise Rebecca L. , Reynolds Angela M.
Published: February 2024

A variety of pulmonary insults can prompt the need for life-saving mechanical ventilation; however, misuse, prolonged use, or an excessive inflammatory response, can result in ventilator-induced lung injury. Past research has observed an increased instance of respiratory distress in older patients and differences in the inflammatory response. To address this, we performed high pressure ventilation on young (2-3 months) and old (20-25 months) mice for 2 hours and collected data for macrophage phenotypes and lung tissue integrity. Large differences in macrophage activation at baseline and airspace enlargement after ventilation were observed in the old mice. The experimental data was used to determine plausible trajectories for a mathematical model of the inflammatory response to lung injury which includes variables for the innate inflammatory cells and mediators, epithelial cells in varying states, and repair mediators.

Classification methods were used to identify influential parameters separating the parameter sets associated with the young or old data and separating the response to ventilation, which was measured by changes in the epithelial state variables. Classification methods ranked parameters involved in repair and damage to the epithelial cells and those associated with classically activated macrophages to be influential.

Sensitivity results were used to determine candidate in-silico interventions and these interventions were most impact for transients associated with the old data, specifically those with poorer lung health prior to ventilation. Model results identified dynamics involved in M1 macrophages as a focus for further research, potentially driving the age-dependent differences in all macrophage phenotypes. The model also supported the pro-inflammatory response as a potential indicator of age-dependent differences in response to ventilation. This mathematical model can serve as a baseline model for incorporating other pulmonary injuries.
Diverse mutant selection windows shape spatial heterogeneity in evolving populations
Authors: King Eshan S. , Tadele Dagim S. , Pierce Beck , Hinczewski Michael , Scott Jacob G.
Published: February 2024

Mutant selection windows (MSWs), the range of drug concentrations that select for drug-resistant mutants, have long been used as a model for predicting drug resistance and designing optimal dosing strategies in infectious disease. The canonical MSW model offers comparisons between two subtypes at a time: drug-sensitive and drug-resistant. In contrast, the fitness landscape model with N alleles, which maps genotype to fitness, allows comparisons between N genotypes simultaneously, but does not encode continuous drug response data. In clinical settings, there may be a wide range of drug concentrations selecting for a variety of genotypes in both cancer and infectious diseases. Therefore, there is a need for a more robust model of the pathogen response to therapy to predict resistance and design new therapeutic approaches. Fitness seascapes, which model genotype-by-environment interactions, permit multiple MSW comparisons simultaneously by encoding genotype-specific dose-response data. By comparing dose-response curves, one can visualize the range of drug concentrations where one genotype is selected over another. In this work, we show how N-allele fitness seascapes allow for N * 2N−1 unique MSW comparisons. In spatial drug diffusion models, we demonstrate how fitness seascapes reveal spatially heterogeneous MSWs, extending the MSW model to more fully reflect the selection of drug resistant genotypes. Furthermore, using synthetic data and empirical dose-response data in cancer, we find that the spatial structure of MSWs shapes the evolution of drug resistance in an agent-based model. By simulating a tumor treated with cyclic drug therapy, we find that mutant selection windows introduced by drug diffusion promote the proliferation of drug resistant cells. Our work highlights the importance and utility of considering dose-dependent fitness seascapes in evolutionary medicine.
A novel batch-effect correction method for scRNA-seq data based on Adversarial Information Factorization
Authors: Monnier Lily , Cournède Paul-Henry
Published: February 2024

Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) technology produces an unprecedented resolution at the level of a unique cell, raising great hopes in medicine. Nevertheless, scRNA-seq data suffer from high variations due to the experimental conditions, called batch effects, preventing any aggregated downstream analysis. Adversarial Information Factorization provides a robust batch-effect correction method that does not rely on prior knowledge of the cell types nor a specific normalization strategy while being adapted to any downstream analysis task. It compares to and even outperforms state-of-the-art methods in several scenarios: low signal-to-noise ratio, batch-specific cell types with few cells, and a multi-batches dataset with imbalanced batches and batch-specific cell types. Moreover, it best preserves the relative gene expression between cell types, yielding superior differential expression analysis results. Finally, in a more complex setting of a Leukemia cohort, our method preserved most of the underlying biological information for each patient while aligning the batches, improving the clustering metrics in the aggregated dataset.
17-Oxime ethers of oxidized ecdysteroid derivatives modulate oxidative stress in human brain endothelial cells and dose-dependently might protect or damage the blood-brain barrier
Authors: Vágvölgyi Máté , Laczkó Dávid , Santa-Maria Ana Raquel , Vigh Judit P. , Walter Fruzsina R. , Berkecz Róbert , Deli Mária A. , Tóth Gábor , Hunyadi Attila
Published: February 2024

20-Hydroxyecdysone and several of its oxidized derivatives exert cytoprotective effect in mammals including humans. Inspired by this bioactivity of ecdysteroids, in the current study it was our aim to prepare a set of sidechain-modified derivatives and to evaluate their potential to protect the blood-brain barrier (BBB) from oxidative stress. Six novel ecdysteroids, including an oxime and five oxime ethers, were obtained through regioselective synthesis from a sidechain-cleaved calonysterone derivative 2 and fully characterized by comprehensive NMR techniques revealing their complete 1H and 13C signal assignments. Surprisingly, several compounds sensitized hCMEC/D3 brain microvascular endothelial cells to tert-butyl hydroperoxide (tBHP)-induced oxidative damage as recorded by impedance measurements. Compound 8, containing a benzyloxime ether moiety in its sidechain, was the only one that exerted a protective effect at a higher, 10 μM concentration, while at lower (10 nM– 1 μM) concentrations it promoted tBHP-induced cellular damage. Brain endothelial cells were protected from tBHP-induced barrier integrity decrease by treatment with 10 μM of compound 8, which also mitigated the intracellular reactive oxygen species production elevated by tBHP. Based on our results, 17-oxime ethers of oxidized ecdysteroids modulate oxidative stress of the BBB in a way that may point towards unexpected toxicity. Further studies are needed to evaluate any possible risk connected to dietary ecdysteroid consumption and CNS pathologies in which BBB damage plays an important role.
Exploiting DNA methylation in cassava under water deficit for crop improvement
Authors: Silva Filho Jorge Luís Bandeira da , Pestana Rosa Karla Nogueira , Silva Júnior Wilson José da , Coelho Filho Maurício Antônio , Ferreira Claudia Fortes , de Oliveira Eder Jorge , Kido Ederson Akio
Published: February 2024

DNA methylation plays a key role in the development and plant responses to biotic and abiotic stresses. This work aimed to evaluate the DNA methylation in contrasting cassava genotypes for water deficit tolerance. The varieties BRS Formosa (bitter) and BRS Dourada (sweet) were grown under greenhouse conditions for 50 days, and afterwards, irrigation was suspended. The stressed (water deficit) and non-stressed plants (negative control) consisted the treatments with five plants per variety. The DNA samples of each variety and treatment provided 12 MethylRAD-Seq libraries (two cassava varieties, two treatments, and three replicates). The sequenced data revealed methylated sites covering 18 to 21% of the Manihot esculenta Crantz genome, depending on the variety and the treatment. The CCGG methylated sites mapped mostly in intergenic regions, exons, and introns, while the CCNGG sites mapped mostly intergenic, upstream, introns, and exons regions. In both cases, methylated sites in UTRs were less detected. The differentially methylated sites analysis indicated distinct methylation profiles since only 12% of the sites (CCGG and CCNGG) were methylated in both varieties. Enriched gene ontology terms highlighted the immediate response of the bitter variety to stress, while the sweet variety appears to suffer more potential stress-damages. The predicted protein-protein interaction networks reinforced such profiles. Additionally, the genomes of the BRS varieties uncovered SNPs/INDELs events covering genes stood out by the interactomes. Our data can be useful in deciphering the roles of DNA methylation in cassava drought-tolerance responses and adaptation to abiotic stresses.
Higher livestock abortion burden in arid and semi-arid lands, Kenya, 2019–2020
Authors: Gachohi John , Njoki Peris , Mogoa Eddy , Otieno Fredrick , Muturi Mathew , Mwatondo Athman , Ngere Isaac , Dawa Jeanette , Nasimiyu Carolyne , Osoro Eric , Bett Bernard , Njenga Kariuki
Published: February 2024

Tracking livestock abortion patterns over time and across factors such as species and agroecological zones (AEZs) could inform policies to mitigate disease emergence, zoonoses risk, and reproductive losses. We conducted a year-long population-based active surveillance of livestock abortion between 2019 and 2020, in administrative areas covering 52% of Kenya’s landmass and home to 50% of Kenya’s livestock. Surveillance sites were randomly selected to represent all AEZs in the country. Local animal health practitioners electronically transmitted weekly abortion reports from each ward, the smallest administrative unit, to a central server, using a simple short messaging service (SMS). Data were analyzed descriptively by administrative unit, species, and AEZ to reveal spatiotemporal patterns and relationships with rainfall and temperature. Of 23,766 abortions reported in all livestock species, sheep and goats contributed 77%, with goats alone contributing 53%. Seventy-seven per cent (n = 18,280) of these abortions occurred in arid and semi-arid lands (ASALs) that primarily practice pastoralism production systems. While spatiotemporal clustering of cases was observed in May-July 2019 in the ASALs, there was a substantial seasonal fluctuation across AEZs. Kenya experiences high livestock abortion rates, most of which go unreported. We recommend further research to document the national true burden of abortions. In ASALs, studies linking pathogen, climate, and environmental surveillance are needed to assign livestock abortions to infectious or non-infectious aetiologies and conducting human acute febrile illnesses surveillance to detect any links with the abortions.
Female sexual function index for screening of female sexual dysfunction using DSM-5-TR criteria in Thai women: A prospective cross-sectional diagnostic study
Authors: Chongcharoen Patthamaphorn , Choobun Thanapan , Khanuengkitkong Siwatchaya
Published: February 2024

Thai Female Sexual Function Index discrimination using the new Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, Text Revision criteria has not been investigated. This study aimed to evaluate the Female Sexual Function Index as a tool for assessing sexual symptoms and to determine the prevalence of female sexual dysfunction in Thai women using the new Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, Text Revision criteria. This prospective cross-sectional diagnostic study included sexually active women aged ≥18 years, interviewed from January to June 2023. The participants completed the Thai version of a comprehensive of the Female Sexual Function Index questionnaire encompassing general information and self-reported assessments of female sexual function, followed by a semi-structured interview of distress symptom severity. Female sexual function was determined by screening of the total Female Sexual Function Index score, whereas female sexual dysfunction was evaluated using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, Text Revision criteria. Using receiver operating characteristic curves, a clinical cutoff for the Female Sexual Function Index score of 23.1 was determined to identify female sexual dysfunction (area under the curve, 0.76; 95% confidence interval, 0.71–0.80; sensitivity, 75.6%; specificity, 67.7%; positive predictive value, 77.7%; negative predictive value, 65%). A prevalence of 40.2% for female sexual dysfunction was observed in the study population. The results of this study could be used as practical guidance for the screening of women affected by female sexual dysfunction in Thailand in the future.
Assedio sexual e discriminação de gênero no ambiente de trabalho
Authors: Matos Ligia Lourenço de
Published: February 2024

Este artigo terá como principal objetivo tratar sobre o assédio sexual contra mulheres no ambiente de trabalho, e como este problema esta diretamente vinculado com a discriminação de gênero. Elucidaremos aqui como fora o processo de inserção das mulheres no mercado de trabalho, e como o patriarcado contribuiu para que ao longo deste período essas tivessem muitos dos seus direitos ceifados. Pretende-se demonstrar as dificuldades enfrentadas pelo gênero feminino, mesmo após esse longo período de lutas, para conquistarem seu espaço e serem respeitadas no ambiente de trabalho, e como ao longo do tempo as leis foram evoluindo para que essa realidade fosse transformada. Por fim, objetiva-se refletir em como os temas assédio sexual e discriminação de gênero são tratados no âmbito do Direito do Trabalho.
direito à cidade na globalização capitalista
Authors: Costa César Augusto , Christofaro Ludmila
Published: February 2024

Objetivamos neste artigo, realizar um percurso histórico-político acerca do conceito de Direito à cidade, contextualizando e destacando o espaço da globalização capitalista, bem como o seu impacto na política urbana e sob olhar crítico da relação entre o direito à cidade e o direito à moradia. Após, refletiremos as contribuições dos Direitos Humanos e seus limites, situando a relevância da Teoria crítica dos Direitos Humanos para a discussão sobre a violação do direito à moradia e da função estatal.
trabalho e o mito do empreendedorismo
Authors: Costa Eder Dion de Paula , Costa Érica Oliveira , Souza Maurício Soldati de
Published: February 2024

O trabalho ocupa uma posição substancial na vida do homem e é o que possibilita o desenvolvimento de indivíduos e da sociedade. Desse modo, a proteção ao trabalhador, parte hipossuficiente da relação, e sua valorização são temas de extrema relevância e motivam intensos debates. Desrespeitos a direitos dos trabalhadores são comuns, assim como a falta de reconhecimento e remuneração justos, o que desperta, muitas vezes, a vontade de empreender, sem a necessidade de estar sob o jugo de um patrão, com a possibilidade de maiores ganhos financeiros e autonomia. Entretanto, na atualidade o mito do trabalhador-empreendedor dissimula situações de trabalho informal, em que o obreiro ainda se sujeita a uma série de exigências do empregador, mas sem os devidos direitos trabalhistas, em uma relação muito vantajosa para o tomador de trabalho. Nesse contexto, o Direito do Trabalho sofre constantes alterações a fim de flexibilizar ou desregulamentar normas, facilitando esse fenômeno. Sob uma visão marxista, o presente trabalho se propõe a refletir acerca das novas modalidades que implicam em informalidade e a precarização do trabalho.
THE INCLUSION PROCESS IN THE SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT
Authors: Azevedo de Aguiar Gabriela , Rossini Teixeira Coelho João Paulo , De Assumpção Adriana Maria , Azevedo de Aguiar Francisca
Published: February 2024

In this qualitative study conducted with 11 Latin American migrant children and adolescents who are students in the basic education network in the city of Rio de Janeiro, our aim is to understand how the group develops inclusion strategies within the school environment. We hereby seek to understand the broader insights that these strategies may provide regarding the migration experience of this community in Brazil. Initially, we discuss the distinction between including and integrating migrants. Subsequently, we propose an intercultural methodology, child-centered approach and grounded on Socio-Historical Psychology, for analyzing such phenomenon. Finally, we identify and discuss three inclusion strategies that the participants mobilize in their interaction with peers, teachers, and the Brazilian social context: marking of differences, attempting to blend into the group, and demanding equity. These strategies provide us with indications of their initial impressions in Brazil, challenges of their inclusion in the school, and the challenges faced when learning Portuguese.
Improved Competitive Neural Network for Classification of Human Postures Based on Data fom RGB-D Sensors
Authors: Dutta Vibekananda , Cydejko Jakub , Zielinska Teresa
Published: February 2024

The cognitive goal of this paper is to assess whether  marker‐less motion capture systems provide sufficient data to recognize human postures in the side view. The research goal is to develop a new posture classification method that allows for analysing human activities using data recorded by RGB‐D sensors. The method is insensi tive to recorded activity duration and gives satisfactory  results for the sagittal plane. An improved competitive  Neural Network (cNN) was used. The method of preprocessing the data is first discussed. Then, a method for classifying human postures is presented. Finally, classification quality using various distance metrics is assessed.The data sets covering the selection of human activities have been created. Postures typical for these activities have been identified using the classifying neural network.  The classification quality obtained using the proposed cNN network and two other popular neural networks were compared. The results confirmed the advantage of cNN network. The developed method makes it possible to  recognize human postures by observing movement in the sagittal plane.
Comparison of Curvilinear Parametrization Methods and Avoidance of Orthogonal Singularities in the Path Following Task
Authors: Dyba Filip , Mazur Alicja
Published: February 2024

In this paper applications of curvilinear parametrizations (Serret-Frenet, Bishop) in the path following task have been considered. The parametrizations allow one to derive manipulator's equations with respect to a path. The full mathematical model of the path following task involves two groups of equations, i.e. the dynamics of the manipulator and the equations obtained from the parametrization method, connected in the cascaded system.
Based on those relations two path following algorithms have been designed according to the backstepping integrator method (dedicated to the cascaded systems). Depending on the chosen parametrization method the algorithms differ in requirements and performance. In the paper an in-depth analysis comparing features of both considered methods has been presented.
The parametric description of a path requires projection of a robot on the path. In this article the orthogonal projection has been taken into account. It introduces a singularity in the robot description. We have proposed a new form of the orthogonal projection constraint which allows a robot to not only approach the path, but also move along it. This novelty design is an important enhancement of the algorithms used so far.
The problem of partially known dynamic parameters of a robot has been also addressed. In the paper we have shown how to apply an adaptive controller to the path following task.
Theoretical considerations have been verified with a simulation study conducted for a holonomic stationary manipulator. Achieved results emphasized why it is strongly recommended to use the algorithm version with the orthogonal singularity outside the path. Moreover, the comparative analysis results may be used to select the best curvilinear parametrization method according to the considered task requirements.
Adaptation to full weight‐bearing following disuse in rats: The impact of biological sex on musculoskeletal recovery
Authors: Issertine Margot , Rosa‐Caldwell Megan E. , Sung Dong‐Min , Bouxsein Mary L. , Rutkove Seward B. , Mortreux Marie
Published: February 2024

With the technological advances made to expand space exploration, astronauts will spend extended amounts of time in space before returning to Earth. This situation of unloading and reloading influences human physiology, and readaptation to full weight‐bearing may significantly impact astronauts' health. On Earth, similar situations can be observed in patients who are bedridden or suffer from sport‐related injuries. However, our knowledge of male physiology far exceeds our knowledge of female's, which creates an important gap that needs to be addressed to understand the sex‐based differences regarding musculoskeletal adaptation to unloading and reloading, necessary to preserve health of both sexes. Using a ground‐based model of total unloading for 14 days and reloading at full weight‐bearing for 7 days rats, we aimed to compare the musculoskeletal adaptations between males and females. Our results reveal the existence of significant differences. Indeed, males experienced bone loss both during the unloading and the reloading period while females did not. During simulated microgravity, males and females showed comparable muscle deconditioning with a significant decline in rear paw grip strength. However, after 7 days of recovery, muscle strength improved. Additionally, sex‐based differences in myofiber size existing at baseline are significantly reduced or eliminated following unloading and recovery.
The violence of literature review and the imperative to ask new questions
Authors: Tupas Ruanni , Tarrayo Veronico N.
Published: February 2024

Writing the literature review is not a neutral act. In fact, the key central aim of consolidating work in a particular research area is to demonstrate one’s knowledge of this area; that is, one must know the ‘conversations’ concerning the research topic. Literature review becomes violent in the Bourdieusian sense because it imposes particular configurations of privileged knowledge on researchers. Thus, in this paper, we argue that literature review is an enactment of symbolic violence and, in the process, epistemic theft, and central to this practice is the construction of research questions. Literature review, as a site of scholarly conversations, dictates the kinds of questions we ask, thus unwittingly framing our research according to the epistemic demands of past and recent studies. By asking a different set of questions, ‘new’ or different understandings about certain social phenomena may emerge.
Investigation on mechanical properties of the green synthesis bamboo fiber/eggshell/coconut shell powder-based hybrid biocomposites under NaOH conditions
Authors: Natrayan L. , Chinta Neelima Devi , Gogulamudi Balakrishna , Swamy Nadh V. , Muthu G. , Kaliappan S. , Srinivas Chidurala
Published: February 2024

This research delves into the effects of different alkalization treatment approaches on the mechanical characteristics of epoxy matrix composites that are reinforced with natural bamboo fibers and enriched with egg and coconut shell powders as fillers. Various weight ratios of fibers and fillers were investigated, specifically at 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, 25%, and 30%. The study assessed mechanical properties such as tensile strength, flexural behavior, microhardness, and impact resilience. Findings indicate that composites with alkali-treated fibers demonstrate superior mechanical performance (49.28 MPa of tensile, 57.33 MPa of flexural 89 HV of hardness, and 1.3 kJ·m−2 of impact) compared to untreated counterparts. Particularly noteworthy is the significant improvement in fracture toughness observed with the inclusion of 20% hybrid laminates, surpassing the performance of existing biomaterial-based composites. This heightened toughness is attributed to the optimized composition of fibers and enhanced water absorption capabilities. Conversely, the incorporation of 25% and 30% hybrid composites led to a decrease in mechanical strength (38.65 MPa of tensile, 46.7 MPa of flexural, 72 HV of hardness, and 1.19 kJ·m−2 of impact) due to the formation of additional interfacial contacts, pores, and voids within the polymeric matrix.
A systematic review of English-as-a-foreign-language vocabulary learning activities for primary school students
Authors: Liu Sylvia , Reynolds Barry Lee
Published: February 2024

For young learners of English as a foreign language (EFL), the initial acquisition of English vocabulary is crucial to English proficiency. This study conducted a systematic review of studies of primary school students’ EFL vocabulary learning to identify types of activities for learning new vocabulary. A total of 57 vocabulary learning activities from 22 studies were coded, yielding ten types of intentional and eight types of incidental learning activities. The intentional learning activities involved more psychological conditions than the incidental ones. Following the involvement load hypothesis (ILH), we identified activities encompassing various combinations of psychological conditions inducing the highest and lowest involvement loads (ILs); the more such conditions an activity encompasses, the deeper the vocabulary learning processes, and the higher the IL, the better the retention. The comparison between the activity types provides useful information for teachers and researchers to design age-appropriate English vocabulary learning activities.
Study of explicit travelling wave solutions of nonlinear (2 + 1)-dimensional Zoomeron model in mathematical physics
Authors: Tariq Kalim U. , Liu Jian-Guo , Nisar Sana
Published: February 2024

This article studeis the nonlinear (2 + 1)-dimensional Zoomeron equation by utilizing the various prominent analytical approaches namely the unified method and the extended hyperbolic function approach. The analysis in the current paper demonstrates the presence of travelling wave solutions. The applied methods are utilized as powerful tools to investigate and solve the model. The results obtained through these analytical methods reveal insightful patterns in the behavior of the Zoomeron equation. The significance of our work lies in the uniqueness of the methods employed. The two methods are applied to systematically analyze the equation, revealing hidden patterns and structures within its solution space. This leads to the discovery of a collection of solitary wave solutions such as kink waves, singular kink waves, periodic waves and dark soliton using contour plots, 3D and 2D graphics. In this article, we definitely prove that as the free parameters change, the wave amplitude changes as well. It is shown that the applied strategies are more effective and may be implemented to a variety of contemporary nonlinear evolution models emerging in mathematical physics.
Independent and dynamic manipulation of surface waves radiation for quadruplex polarization channels enabled by programmable coding metasurface
Authors: Wang Zhenxu , Liu Tonghao , Liang Jian-Gang , Wang Jiafu , Meng Yueyu , Fu Xinmin , Chen Hongya , Zhu Ruichao , Chu Zuntian , Cui Yina , Sun Huiting , Wang Shaojie , Ma Hua , Qu Shaobo
Published: February 2024

Flexible manipulation of surface waves (SWs) radiation has been continuously intriguing enormous interests of researchers due to its promising application prospects, and metasurfaces exhibit unparalleled capability to efficiently control SWs radiation. However, existing schemes still suffer from the bottlenecks of single radiation channel and immutable radiation pattern, which are difficult to satisfy the requirements of high-integration intelligent metadevices. Herein, an ingenious strategy of the SWs radiation metadevice is proposed to independently and dynamically manipulate SWs directional radiation in four polarization channels. The waveguide port and the guided wave structure are designed to excite and propagate the desired SWs, and the programmable coding metasurface can independently convert SWs into x-polarized radiation waves, y-polarized radiation waves, left-handed circular polarized radiation waves and right-handed circular polarized radiation waves and dynamically control the corresponding radiation angles by adjusting the ON/OFF states of two positive-intrinsic-negative diodes in each spin-decoupled meta-atom. Numerous simulation and experimental results of the proof-of-concept prototype are in good agreement with the theoretical predictions, which verify the feasibility of our proposed methodology. The innovative design of four-channel SWs radiation metadevice with high radiation efficiency and broad radiation bandwidth offers an excellent platform for flexibly manipulating SWs radiation, and possesses tremendous potential in engineering application.