bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Permanent Exhibition in the Documentation Center of Austrian Resistance and Its Role in Austria’s Dealing with the Nazi Past and the Holocaust
Authors: Gortat Jakub
Published: March 2024

Austria is often viewed as a country that has come to terms with the National Socialist past only arduously concealed behind the myth of being the first victim of Hitler’s Germany. One of the participants that contributed to a shift in the memory has been the Documentation Center of Austrian Resistance, established in 1963. Even though its name suggests that it focuses mainly on the resistance between 1938 and 1945, it also encompasses the documentation of Nazi crimes. This essay analyzes the permanent exhibition of the center existing in its current form since 2005 and claims that it is deeply anchored in the Austrian memory culture of the twenty-first century. On the one hand, its authors take a stand on some controversies that had dominated the public history discourse. On the other hand, the exhibition omits or relativizes many relevant facts concerning the coresponsibility of Austria and ordinary Austrians for Nazi crimes and appears not to avail itself of extensive historical research.
Gaming while Asian
Authors: Chang Edmond Y.
Published: March 2024

Chapter 1 weaves together close playing, theory, memoir, and choose-your-own-adventure to analyze the cultural and gamic stereotypes and tropes of Asian bodies, identities, and representation in video games, analog games, and other media. It imagines and interrogates what the centering of Asian/American identities and experiences offers to the study, consuming, and playing of games, and it reveals the ludic, representational, personal, and political ramifications of “gaming while Asian.”
Chinese/Cheating
Authors: He Huan
Published: March 2024

Chapter 10 examines the conflation between “Chineseness” and “cheating” as a phenomenon in battle royale shooters such as PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds and Apex Legends. Drawing from player-generated textual and media sources on Reddit, Twitter, and YouTube, the author traces this racial logic across ludic and sociohistorical contexts. The case of Chinese cheaters illustrates what the author terms “procedural racism,” racial meaning that forms when technical operations of software misuse and malfunction converge with cultural signifiers of invasion. Mobilizing cheating as an analytic, the chapter argues that video game hacking functions as an “Asiatic” procedure that marks the virtual borders of fair play for global server-based online multiplayer shooter games.
“This Is What We Do”
Authors: Lee Haneul
Published: March 2024

Chapter 14 explores how Animal Crossing: New Horizons (2020) became a new protest site for young Hong Kong protesters. As a life-simulation video game, Animal Crossing: New Horizons gives players a customizable character that can create and decorate a village for a community by developing a deserted island. For Hong Kong protesters, however, this game has not just been a distraction from an unpleasant reality but also a way to keep up their fight without physical clashes with the riot police through a blockaded and networked play with trusted protesters, and to make public their voices within and beyond the in-game villages. Looking at the protesters’ microscaled playful protest based on the game, this chapter also sees how they circulated the captured or recorded in-game protest scenes across social media and how that helped in their proliferation beyond the game’s simulated boundaries.
Bees display limited acclimation capacity for heat tolerance
Authors: Gonzalez Victor H. , Herbison Natalie , Robles Perez Gabriela , Panganiban Trisha , Haefner Laura , Tscheulin Thomas , Petanidou Theodora , Hranitz John
Published: March 2024

Bees are essential pollinators and understanding their ability to cope with extreme temperature changes is crucial for predicting their resilience to climate change, but studies are limited. We measured the response of the critical thermal maximum (CTMax) to short-term acclimation in foragers of six bee species from the Greek island of Lesvos, which differ in body size, nesting habit, and level of sociality. We calculated the acclimation response ratio as a metric to assess acclimation capacity and tested whether bees’ acclimation capacity was influenced by body size and/or CTMax. We also assessed whether CTMax increases following acute heat exposure simulating a heat wave. Average estimate of CTMax varied among species and increased with body size but did not significantly shift in response to acclimation treatment except in the sweat bee Lasioglossum malachurum. Acclimation capacity averaged 9% among species and it was not significantly associated with body size or CTMax. Similarly, the average CTMax did not increase following acute heat exposure. These results indicate that bees might have limited capacity to enhance heat tolerance via acclimation or in response to prior heat exposure, rendering them physiologically sensitive to rapid temperature changes during extreme weather events. These findings reinforce the idea that insects, like other ectotherms, generally express weak plasticity in CTMax, underscoring the critical role of behavioral thermoregulation for avoidance of extreme temperatures. Conserving and restoring native vegetation can provide bees temporary thermal refuges during extreme weather events.
A common cellular response to broad splicing perturbations is characterized by metabolic transcript downregulation driven by the Mdm2–p53 axis
Authors: Varineau Jade E. , Calo Eliezer
Published: March 2024

Disruptions in core cellular processes elicit stress responses that drive cell-state changes leading to organismal phenotypes. Perturbations in the splicing machinery cause widespread mis-splicing, resulting in p53-dependent cell-state changes that give rise to cell-type-specific phenotypes and disease. However, a unified framework for how cells respond to splicing perturbations, and how this response manifests itself in nuanced disease phenotypes, has yet to be established. Here, we show that a p53-stabilizing Mdm2 alternative splicing event and the resulting widespread downregulation of metabolic transcripts are common events that arise in response to various splicing perturbations in both cellular and organismal models. Together, our results classify a common cellular response to splicing perturbations, put forth a new mechanism behind the cell-type-specific phenotypes that arise when splicing is broadly disrupted, and lend insight into the pleiotropic nature of the effects of p53 stabilization in disease.
Description of a new species of the genus Islamia Radoman, 1973 (Caenogastropoda: Hydrobiidae) from deposits of the Neogene in Southern Spain
Authors: Miller Jonathan P.
Published: March 2024

The Hydrobiidae family stands out as the most specious group among freshwater gastropods, with approximately 906 described species, the majority of which are narrow-range endemics. Analysing and classifying these organisms pose significant challenges due to their diminutive size (typically 1 to 5 mm) and simplified morphology, offering limited morphological characteristics for differentiation. The genus Islamia, with a high species richness, occurs mainly in the Mediterranean continental ecosystems, with ca. 50 nominal species, including four fossil species. There are limited references to fossils of Islamia specimens in Spain, and some records may have erroneous genus assignments. The current study introduces a new species of the genus Islamia from Neogene deposits near Alcalá de Jucar, Spain. This research aims to formally describe Islamia arcana sp. nov. based on shell shape characteristics. The discovery of new species in the Júcar Valley sedimentary rocks marks the first record of this genus in the Iberian Peninsula for the Neogene period. The estimated age of the sedimentary rocks in the Júcar Valley aligns with previous molecular clock estimates for the extant species and the proposed age of the genus Islamia within a European context.
Places in the shadows of the city
Authors: Χατζηνάκος Γιώργος
Published: March 2024

Τα προάστια εδώ και δεκαετίες έχουν συνδεθεί με συγκεχυμένες υποθέσεις και επιβαλλόμενες έννοιες που δεν συμβαδίζουν με την καθημερινή πραγματικότητα της πόλης. Μάλιστα, πολύ λίγες έρευνες έχουν εξετάσει το πώς οι άνθρωποι βιώνουν τα προάστια και τους τρόπους αναπαράστασης τους ως «πραγματικοί» τόπο. Η παρούσα διατριβή εστιάζει στον βαθμό με τον οποίο η πολιτιστική κατανάλωση της πόλης διαμορφώνει και επηρεάζει την σχέση των κατοίκων των προαστίων με τον τόπος τους, αλλά και με την ίδια την πόλη. Αυτό το ερώτημα εξετάζεται μέσα από το πρίσμα των πολιτιστικών Φεστιβάλ. Στόχος της διατριβής αποτελεί η επανεκτίμηση του ρόλου των προαστιακών κοινοτήτων στη διαμόρφωση της πολιτιστικής ζωής της πόλης. Υπό αυτό το πρίσμα, η παρούσα έρευνα επιδιώκει (1) να αξιολογήσει το ρόλο των προαστίων ως πιο κεντρικό στον καθορισμό της πρακτικής της καθημερινής ζωής, (2) να επιδείξει γιατί ο πολιτισμός έχει σημασία για τους τόπους όπου οι άνθρωποι ζουν και συνυπάρχουν καθημερινά και (3) να φέρει τα προάστια, σε όλη την πολιτιστική τους πολυπλοκότητα, στο προσκήνιο των συζητήσεων γύρω από τις βελτιωμένες συνδέσεις με τον τόπο και τα λεγόμενα "βιώσιμα" αστικά μέλλοντα και τρόπους ζωής. Η έρευνα βασίζεται σε επιτόπια έρευνα που πραγματοποιήθηκε σε διαφορετικές προαστιακές κοινότητες του Μάντσεστερ, εστιάζοντας σε τρία φεστιβάλ ως μελέτες περίπτωσης. Βασίζεται σε δεδομένα που συλλέχθηκαν μέσα από εργαστήρια πολιτιστικής χαρτογράφησης και ημι-δομημένων συνεντεύξεων με διοργανωτές φεστιβάλ, συμμετέχοντες σε φεστιβάλ και υπεύθυνους χάραξης πολιτικής. Τα ευρήματα δείχνουν ότι τα προάστια αποτελούν μια πολυδιάστατη έννοια. Ως εκ τούτου, η χωρική εμπειρία του προαστιακού τόπου και οι μικρο-γεωγραφίες του "τετριμένου" παίζουν συστατικό ρόλο στη διαμόρφωση της ταυτότητας του προαστιακού τόπου. Κατά συνέπεια, η διατριβή παρέχει μια διαφοροποιημένη προσέγγιση της διαδικασίας διαμόρφωσης του τόπου στα προάστια. Με τον τρόπο αυτό, αμφισβητεί την ορθοδοξία ενός πολιτισμικά αδρανούς προαστίου στις παρυφές της πόλης, υποστηρίζοντας ότι τα τελευταία παρέχουν έναν ισχυρό αγωγό μέσω του οποίου μπορεί να κατανοηθεί πιο συμπεριληπτικά η σύγχρονη αστική συνθήκη.
Diagnostic strategies for muscular dystrophies: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Hanna Rodriguez Franklin , Estrada-Alvarez Jorge Mario , Guillermo Murillo Juan , Porras-Hurtado Gloria Liliana
Published: March 2024

Background Muscular dystrophies are a wide heterogeneity group of neuromuscular diseases that very often constitutes a challenge for clinicians to perform an adequate diagnosis. Many patients remain underdiagnosed or misdiagnosed consequently affecting their prognosis and quality of life. Therefore, we aimed to establish clinical and molecular characteristics of patients with increased CPK levels and muscular dystrophies in our region to facilitate diagnosis and follow-up on patients with suspected muscular dystrophies. Methods A cross-sectional study was made using a retrospective search of patients attended in Comfamiliar Risaralda between 2010 and 2021. The study included patients from both genders and all ages who presented with a diagnosis of polymyositis, myoclonus, myopathy, and muscular dystrophy between 2010 and 2022 in Comfamiliar Risaralda. Patients with CPK levels lower than 500 U/L were excluded. Results A database analysis was carried out from 2010 to 2022 of 5219 patients treated in a fourth-level care institution in the Eje Cafetero region, finding 221 patients filtered by a diagnosis of myopathy, myoclonus, polymyositis, and dystrophy. We found a combined prevalence of all muscular dystrophies of 4.2 per 100.000 among patients treated in our hospital base, Duchenne muscular dystrophy of 0.6 per 100.000, limb-girdle muscular dystrophy of 0.6 per 100.000, facioscapulohumeral dystrophy of 0.5 per 100.000, Bethem dystrophy, type 2 Emery Dreifuss muscular dystrophy, merosin-deficient muscular dystrophy and myosin storage disease of 0.1 per 100.000. A diagnostic sequence was elaborated from clinical and paraclinical features found in our patients. A diagnostic sequence was elaborated from clinical and paraclinical features found in our patients. Conclusions Although muscular dystrophies consist of a heterogeneous group of neuromuscular diseases, there are still clinical and paraclinical features that can help physicians to detect any particular case and perform a good approach and follow-up. Our diagnostic sequence will facilitate physicians to determine any particular muscular dystrophy.
Case Report: Management of COVID-19 in a Sickle Cell Anaemia Patient: A Case Report
Authors: Elgadi Ammar Tarig , Noorallah Mohammed Tibyan
Published: March 2024

This case report presents the management of COVID-19 in a 19-year-old female with a known history of sickle cell anaemia. The patient displayed typical COVID-19 symptoms with the feature of sickle cell anaemia, crises. Laboratory analysis confirmed COVID-19. The management involved a blood transfusion and a specific medication regimen to alleviate the patient’s symptoms. Importantly, blood transfusions could potentially contribute to the patient’s positive outcome, suggesting their importance in similar cases. This case highlights the challenges modelled by the intersection of COVID-19 and sickle cell anaemia. This combination of diseases needs early intervention and multidisciplinary care. Early identification and management of COVID-19 in sickle cell anaemia patients are crucial. Early intervention may play a vital role in optimising outcomes.
A qualitative exploration of patients’ perception regarding the comprehensive dental services availed at a primary health center
Authors: Rao B Shushma , Shenoy Ramya , Dasson Bajaj Parul , Rao Ashwini , Pai Mithun , Jodalli Praveen , BR Avinash , KS Aparna , Shinaj Navya , Musheer Shagufta
Published: March 2024

Introduction Comprehensive oral care is a service centered around the patient, and individuals who need it the most often face limited access. Patient perception acts as a guide for enhancing quality, ensuring patients’ future intent to utilize the services and facilitating recommendations to others. The present study aimed to assess the patients’ perception of comprehensive dental services availed at a Primary Health Center (PHC). Methods This qualitative study was based on a phenomenological interpretive approach, and judgment sampling method was employed. A validated interview guide, developed from relevant literature was employed in the local language to conduct interviews among adults visiting the PHC, gathering their views regarding the services provided. The interviews were audio recorded on a digital voice recorder, and files were password protected. Content saturation guided the determination of the final number of participants interviewed. After translating and transcribing the interviews, thematic analysis and coding were performed using ATLAS. ti 23 for Windows. Results A total of 12 participants were included in the study, following data saturation. Among them, there were 8(66.7%) female and 4(33.3%) male participants. Ten overarching main themes were discerned through the assigned codes, including positive views, neutral views, negative views, previous dental clinics visited, previous experience with dental treatment, treatments sought at the center, referrals, source of information about the dental center, subsequent visits and suggestions for improvement. Conclusions The findings of this study revealed a positive patient perception of the comprehensive dental services offered at the PHC. Through insightful interviews, various strengths, and areas for improvement regarding the center and care provision were identified. These insights provide valuable suggestions that can be applied to elevate the utilization of dental services, ensuring continuous improvement in patient care.
Plasma electrolytic polishing of additively manufactured metal parts: Optimizing the post processing workflow
Authors: Edaklavan Koroth Jithinraj , Valentinčič Joško , Jerman Marko , Sabotin Izidor , Lebar Andrej , Govekar Edvard , Jeromen Andrej , Zeidler Henning , Böttger Toni , Tischner Florian , Zohar-Hauber Keren , Osovski Shmuel
Published: March 2024

Additive manufacturing of metal parts is gaining acceptance in industry due to its unique manufacturing capabilities. Higher surface roughness of printed parts is one of the major challenges of this advanced manufacturing technique, which requires a crucial post-processing stage before the components can be used in practice. This study investigates the influence of plasma electrolytic polishing (PeP) and the combination of PeP and particle blasting as a post processing technique for additively manufactured stainless steel samples. The results show a 70% improvement in surface roughness after 10 minutes of particle blasting and 3 minutes of PeP in sequence and presents the possibility of optimizing processing time to achieve better surface qualities with minimal post processing time.
Russian Monetary Policy in 2024–2026: the Course Towards Stability Will Continue
Authors: Smirnov E.
Published: March 2024

The monetary policy of the Russian Federation in 2024–2026 will traditionally be aimed at protecting and ensuring the stability of the ruble by maintaining price stability, which is a necessary condition for economic development, including the formation of conditions for balanced and sustainable economic growth.
The Triad of Sustainable Development and Value-Based Management As the Main Tools for Crisis Management of the Economy of Industrial Enterprises
Authors: Ermolaeva E. , Starkova M. , Dyevyatkin O.
Published: March 2024

The purpose of this article is to study the issues of sustainable development of industrial enterprises in the context of crisis economic development and, especially, in the context of the use of economic and financial sanctions. This article proposes a development toolkit in the form of cost–oriented management of industrial enterprises based on a threepronged approach to sustainable development, including economic, environmental and social efficiency. The article notes that the basis of cost-oriented management is based on an improved organizational and functional model (structure) of management and a system of interrelated indicators-coefficients with a criterion of sustainable development. It is concluded that the cost-oriented management of an industrial enterprise is the main criterion for its successful operation, and the market value of the enterprise is an integral indicator resulting from the entire activity of the enterprise.
Goran Bregović – Ambassador of Balkan(ism)
Authors: Tasić Nataša
Published: March 2024

This article is devoted to Goran Bregović, one of the most recognizable musicians from the ex-Yugoslav region. Since his immense popularity has always been surrounded by controversy, this text provides two contrasting points of view and tries to resolve the dilemma: is Goran Bregović ambassador of Balkans or Balkanism? After the introductory section, paper analyse representative elements of Bregović’s artistic work, firstly through affirmative lenses and then through the critical ones. Having in mind that concerts are his main channel of communication with the audience, the performative aspect of his career is emphasised. Both perspectives, affirmative and critical, are grounded in the existing theoretical argumentation within academic discourse, publicly available information from various media sources, and the author’s critical view of Bregović’s work.
Recepcja teatru absurdu w Chinach
Authors: Gong Baorong
Published: March 2024

Choć teatr absurdu był znany w Chinach stosunkowo wcześnie, około dziesięciu lat po jego pojawieniu się we Francji, to prawdziwy odbiór tej nowej formy teatru zachodniego nastąpił dopiero po 1978 roku. Niniejszy artykuł jest próbą prześledzenia historii jego recepcji w Chinach od samego początku do pierwszej dekady XXI wieku. Kładzie nacisk na tłumaczenia, publikacje, badania i inscenizacje sztuk Becketta, E. Ionesco i J. Geneta, a także H. Pintera i E. Albee, które są związane z sytuacją polityczną i polityką kulturalną przyjętą przez Komunistyczną Partię Chin i rząd. Artykuł podzielony jest na dwie części: pierwsza skupia się na rozpowszechnianiu tekstu i badaniach nad wspomnianymi dramaturgami absurdu od początku lat 60. do pierwszej dekady XXI wieku. Teatr absurdu został po raz pierwszy wprowadzony, gdy Chiny były zdominowane przez antyzachodnie ideologie. Tylko dwa dramaty zostały przetłumaczone i opublikowane, by posłużyć jako obiekty krytyki. Piętnaście lat później, dzięki polityce otwartych i reformatorskich nowych władz w okresie Nowej Ery, powstała fala tłumaczeń i wprowadzeń do tak zwanej „nowej szkoły teatru francuskiego”. Druga część artykułu poświęcona jest inscenizacjom teatru absurdu. W porównaniu z tłumaczeniami tekstów pojawiły się one znacznie później, w połowie lat 80., kiedy w Akademii Teatralnej w Szanghaju wystawiono pierwsze chińskie przedstawienie najsłynniejszej sztuki Becketta. Z tego krótkiego przedstawienia rozwoju teatru absurdu w Chinach wynika, że los tego teatru zależał od sytuacji politycznej i ideologicznej w Chinach, zwłaszcza na samym początku. Zarówno badania, jak i inscenizacje osiągnęły punkt kulminacyjny pod koniec XX wieku, kiedy Chiny stawały się coraz bardziej otwarte i ustanowiły „socjalistyczną gospodarkę rynkową”.
Przymiotniki 'maksymalny', 'minimalny' w systemie współczesnej polszczyzny
Authors: Piotrowska Adrianna
Published: March 2024

Artykuł skupia się na parze antonimicznych przymiotników o postaci maksymalny, minimalny oraz wskazaniu ich miejsca w systemie współczesnej polszczyzny, poprzez analizę ich łączliwości składniowo-semantycznej. Wykorzystuje do tego fragmenty klasyfikacji Krystyny Kallas i Jadwigi Wajszczuk i sprawdza, jakie cechy przysługują badanym jednostkom i do jakich klas mogą należeć. Przymiotniki te można traktować jako leksykalne wykładniki superlatywu, a ich znaczenie skupione jest wokół pojęcia możliwości – maksymalny ‘największy z możliwych do osiągnięcia’, minimalny – ‘najmniejszy z możliwych do osiągnięcia’.
Bi-spatial random attractor for stochastic FitzHugh-Nagumo systems on unbounded thin domain
Authors: Li Fuzhi , Xu Dongmei
Published: March 2024

A bi-spatial random attractor is obtained for the stochastic FitzHugh-Nagumo
systems on unbounded thin domains when the initial space is $L^2\times L^2$
and the terminate space is $L^p\times L^2$. Furthermore, we establish
the upper semi-continuity of attractors under the $p$-norm
when a family of $(n+1)$-dimensional thin domains degenerates into
a $n$-dimensional unbounded domain.
Existence of positive solutions in the space of Hölder functions for a class of nonlinear fractional differential equations with integral boundary conditions
Authors: Caballero Josefa , Harjani Jackie , López Belén , Sadarangani Kishin
Published: March 2024

We study the existence of positive solutions for a fractional differential equation with integral boundary conditions. Our solutions are placed in the space
of Hölder functions and the main tools used in the proof of the results are the classical Schauder fixed point theorem and a sufficient condition
about the relative compactness in Hölder spaces. Moreover, some examples are shown illustrating the results.
Tumuli Stones, Sacred Geography, and Meditation Halls for Mantra
Authors: Cantú Keith Edward
Published: March 2024

This article examines how the patronage of tumuli, belief in sacred geography, the institution of meditation halls, and the practice of mantra at these halls converged in Tamil Nadu at the turn of the 19th century to facilitate a pan-sectarian Tamil “consensus” on yoga in the literature of Sri Sabhapati Swami (Capāpati Cuvāmikaḷ, b. 1828). The article begins by analyzing the phenomenon of tumuli (Tamil jīva-camāti) among Sabhapati’s gurus in the line of Kumara Devar (Kumāratēvar), as well as his own students. It then shows how such a phenomenon was intertwined with the mythology of Agastya and the Tamil Siddhas via Sabhapati’s other guru line. Consideration is also given to the role of mantra in these tumuli and their accompanying “Meditation Halls” (maṭālayams). The article concludes by claiming that intersections between tumuli sites, yoga, and mantra warrant more attention given their ability to attract emotional investment and financial patronage from various levels of society.
La atención primaria de salud debe fomentar la aplicación de la Nefrogeriatría
Authors: Candelaria Brito Julio Cesar , Gutiérrez Gutiérrez Carlos , Casanova Moreno María de la Caridad
Published: March 2024

Introducción: en este artículo se aborda la nefrogeriatría como ciencia joven y el papel de la Atención Primaria de Salud en su desarrollo con el objetivo de abrir una reflexión sobre los aportes teóricos y prácticos que esta rama puede ofrecer en la prevención y retardo de la progresión de la ERC en adultos mayores, enfatizando en la necesidad de humanizar la atención, como modo de restituir la calidad de vida y empoderar a los profesionales de la salud de un adecuado desempeño. Desarrollo: se analiza en el artículo la situación de la enfermedad renal crónica y el envejecimiento, el desarrollo de la nefrogeriatría, la propuesta de modelación de la situación de la ciencia y la estrategia así como los gigantes nefrogeriátricos; se revisó la bibliografía basada fundamentalmente en las publicaciones de la biblioteca Cochrane, Dynamed, PubMed y Scielo. Conclusión: la nefrología geriátrica (nefrogeriatría) es una disciplina médica de reciente surgimiento y que requiere la preparación integral de los profesionales de la salud.
Optimal Diagonal Preconditioning
Authors: Qu Zhaonan , Gao Wenzhi , Hinder Oliver , Ye Yinyu , Zhou Zhengyuan
Published: March 2024

A New Practical Algorithm Enables Optimal Preconditioning

A classic and important question in optimization and numerical methods is how to find diagonal preconditioners to maximally reduce the condition number of any matrix with full rank. Until recently, few practical methods could handle large sparse matrices. In “Optimal Diagonal Preconditioning,” the authors show that this problem can be modeled using quasiconvex optimization and semidefinite programming. Leveraging these insights, they develop algorithms to efficiently find optimal diagonal preconditioners for large sparse systems. They find that although heuristic diagonal preconditioners are popular in practice, their performance at reducing condition numbers could have a significant gap to optimal diagonal preconditioners. This work provides theoretical foundation for future works on optimal preconditioning as well as practical implementations that could be used to build more sophisticated software for optimal preconditioning at scale. A main advantage of the framework in “Optimal Diagonal Preconditioning” is its potential to be scaled up to handle even larger matrices, which is an exciting direction for numerical optimization.
Measles: National incident declared after sharp rise in cases
Authors: Lepkowska Dorothy
Published: March 2024

Uptake of the MMR vaccine has been at its lowest for a decade and following a sharp rise in cases, the UK Health Security Agency declared a national incident. Dorothy Lepkowska explains
Exploring how the uptake of childhood immunisations can be improved in England: A systematic review
Authors: Ames Sophie , Kelly Gill
Published: March 2024

Background:

Childhood immunisations protect communities against preventable and infectious diseases. Coverage for childhood immunisations in the UK is declining and coverage for the MMR vaccine stands at 85.5%, significantly below the target set by the Department of Health and Social Care to achieve herd immunity and prevent sustained disease transmission.

Methods:

Three medical databases were searched using PICO, supported by the application of inclusion and exclusion criteria and critical appraisal.

Results:

Reminder and recall activities are identified as a cost-effective method for improving childhood immunisation uptake but targeted, individualised and family-centred interventions should be utilised to promote access to childhood immunisations for underserved populations. Vaccination data should remain up to date and a child's vaccination status should be reviewed and meaningfully discussed at every healthcare contact and staff involved in immunisation should have access to appropriate education, training and support.

Recommendations:

Understanding how to provide services and improve vaccine coverage for patients who frequently are not brought is identified as an opportunity for further research, as well as analysing the role of public health teams in identifying local inequalities and supporting GP practices to design and deliver bespoke interventions for their community. It is recommended that communication emphasises the safety and effectiveness of vaccines, while highlighting a child's susceptibility or risk to developing complications. Further research is needed to evaluate how best to communicate this to ensure that the information provided is clear and factual and comprehensible to all parents and carers.
Boosting Confidence
Authors: Fanning Paul
Published: March 2024

Make UK’s National Manufacturing Conference returns to London in February with a line-up of high-profile industry speakers
Depletion through transnational social reproduction: guestworker migration and uneven development in the South Pacific
Authors: Withers Matt
Published: March 2024

The recent expansion of regional guestworker migration schemes has altered the political economy of the South Pacific, creating a ‘permanent labour reserve’ (MacWilliam, 2022) for low-wage industries in rural Australia and New Zealand. Historical structures of uneven development, against which the ‘blackbirding’ of indentured Kanaka labourers took place more than a century prior, have again enabled a transnational labour (im)mobility regime in which Pasifika workers are rendered unfree and situated as a ‘fix’ for accumulation: limited to racialised and gendered labour practices, tied to employer-sponsors in remote locations, and without the rights afforded to other migrant workers. Taking the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme as the paradigmatic example of a resurgent guestworker model in the region, this article foregrounds overlooked processes of transnational social reproduction that emerge from the interplay of restrictive migration policies and exploitative Local Labour Control Regimes (LLCRs). Drawing on extensive in-depth interviews with migrant workers, their family members, and government staff from four participating Pacific Island Countries (PICs), it examines how the PALM scheme spatially and temporally reconfigures care practices, skills formation, and communal labour to progressively deplete (Rai et al, 2014) socially reproductive capacity within the South Pacific. The article concludes by suggesting that the strains the PALM scheme places on social reproduction within PICs is itself a fundamental driver of uneven development across the region.
Numerical investigation on the effect of extra-feedback target position on the fringe visibility in a dual optical feedback interferometry system
Authors: Jiang Yangfan , Liu Bin , Yang Yu , Ruan Yuxi , Yu Yanguang
Published: March 2024

Optical feedback interferometry (OFI) exhibits good potential in laboratory and engineering applications as an interferometric measurement technology with unique structure. One challenge of this technology is that the OFI signals may be feeble, and the OFI fringe visibility is low when the optical feedback strength is weak. It has been demonstrated that the OFI fringe amplitude can be enhanced by introducing an extra-feedback into an OFI system. At the same time, it has been confirmed that the position of the extra-feedback target must be strictly controlled as it will directly affect the fringe amplitude. However, the details of how the extra-feedback positions affect the OFI fringe amplitude, and its underpinning mechanism still needs to be unveiled. In this paper, we aim to theoretically investigate the influence of the extra-feedback target position on the OFI fringe amplitude and explore the underpinning mechanism. Firstly, a simplified analytical model for characterizing a dual-channel optical feedback interferometry (DOFI) system in steady state was derived from the Lang-Kobayashi equations. A method of solving the analytical model was developed to further explore the nature of a DOFI system. On top of that, the influence of the extra-feedback target position on the OFI fringe amplitude and its underpinning mechanism was explored, based on which the criteria for how to achieve large fringe amplitudes were summarized. The obtained results provide helpful guidance in constructing a DOFI system with enhanced fringe visibility, and further promote the practical applications of OFI technology.
Eurasian-scale experimental satellite-based quantum key distribution with detector efficiency mismatch analysis
Authors: Khmelev Aleksandr , Duplinsky Alexey , Bakhshaliev Ruslan , Ivchenko Egor , Pismeniuk Liubov , Mayboroda Vladimir , Nesterov Ivan , Chernov Arkadiy , Trushechkin Anton , Kiktenko Evgeniy , Kurochkin Vladimir , Fedorov Aleksey
Published: March 2024

The Micius satellite is the pioneering initiative to demonstrate quantum teleportation, entanglement distribution, quantum key distribution (QKD), and quantum-secured communications experiments at the global scale. In this work, we report on the results of the 600-mm-aperture ground station design which has enabled the establishment of a quantum-secured link between the Zvenigorod and Nanshan ground stations using the Micius satellite. As a result of a quantum communications session, an overall sifted key of 2.5 Mbits and a total final key length of 310 kbits have been obtained. We present an extension of the security analysis of the realization of satellite-based QKD decoy-state protocol by taking into account the effect of the detection-efficiency mismatch for four detectors. We also simulate the QKD protocol for the satellite passage and by that validate our semi-empirical model for a realistic receiver, which is in good agreement with the experimental data. Our results pave the way to the considerations of realistic imperfection of the QKD systems, which are important in the context of their practical security.
Photon counting Raman spectroscopy: a benchmarking study vs surface plasmon enhancement
Authors: Li Yehong , Kumar Santosh , Huo Tianhang , Du Henry , Huang Yu-Ping
Published: March 2024

We demonstrate a single-photon counting Raman spectroscope and benchmark it against conventional and surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy. For direct comparison without ambiguity, we use the same solutions of Rhodamine 6G and a common optical setup with either a spectrometer or an acousto-optic tunable filter, whereas the surface enhancement is realized with immobilized Ag nanoparticles. Our results find that the single photon counting significantly elevates the detection sensitivity by up to eight orders of magnitude, arriving at a comparable level of surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy. Another significant advantage is with the time-resolving measurement, where we demonstrate time-gated and time-correlated single-photon counting with sub-nanosecond resolution. It offers insights into the samples’ transient responses and enables the isolation of Raman scattering from fluorescence signals.
Highly sensitive dual-function sensor for refractive index and temperature using D-shaped microchannel photonic crystal fiber
Authors: Chen Long-Qin , Wu Yong-Chang , Liu Yue , Cai Hao Yuan , Liu Jing
Published: March 2024

An innovative ultra-sensitive, dual-functional sensor employing a D-shaped microchannel photonic crystal fiber (PCF) for refractive index (RI) and temperature measurements is proposed and comprehensively investigated. Its high-sensitivity is achieved through the incorporation of gold (Au) and magnesium fluoride (MgF2) as plasmonic materials in the micro-rectangular channel. This configuration significantly enhances the interaction between the surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) field and y-polarized evanescent field on external surfaces. Additionally, the integration of a temperature-sensitive fluid within the sensor allows for precise detection of temperature changes. Our simulations demonstrate a broad detection spectrum, covering RI values from 1.27 to 1.43 and temperatures ranging from 45°C to 100°C. The sensor achieves peak sensitivities of 31800nm/RIU for RI and 49 nm/°C for temperature. Besides, the sensor only has a cladding consisting of three air holes to enhance coupling and reduce the difficulty of preparation. Importantly, the sensor's performance remains robust against minor structural alterations in the PCF, indicating high fault tolerance. Given its high sensitivity, extensive detection range, and strong fabrication stability, this PCF-SPR sensor offers significant potential for applications in biochemical sensing and environmental monitoring.
Spectral signatures of coexisting isolas and four-wave mixing under the effect of noise in photonic oscillators
Authors: Hizanidis Johanne , Kovanis Vassilios
Published: March 2024

The optical power spectrum is the prime observable to dissect, understand, and design the long- time behavior of small and large arrays of optically coupled semiconductor lasers. A long-standing issue has been identified within the literature of injection locking in photonic oscillators: first how the thickness of linewidth and the lineshape spectral envelope correlates with the deterministic evolution of the monochromatic injected laser oscillator and second how the presence of noise and the typically dense proximity in phase space of coexisting limit cycles of the coupled system are shaping and influencing the overall spectral behavior. In addition, we are critically interested in the regions where the basin of attraction has a fractal-like structure, still, the long-time orbits are P1 (period 1) and/or P3 (period 3) limit cycles. Numerically computed evidence shows that, when the coupled system lives in the regions of coexisting isolas and four-wave mixing (FWM) limit cycles, the overall optical power spectrum is deeply imprinted by a strong influence from the underlying noise sources. A particularly intriguing observation in this region of parameter space that we examine is that the isolas draw most of the trajectories on its phase space path.
Comparative analysis of circular and linear fringe projection profilometry: from calibration to 3D reconstruction
Authors: Li Jiaqiong , Li Beiwen
Published: March 2024

This study compares the accuracy of circular and linear fringe projection profilometry in the aspects of system calibration and 3D reconstruction. We introduce, what we believe to be, a novel calibration method and 3D reconstruction technique using circular and radial fringe patterns. Our approach is compared with the traditional linear phase-shifting method through several 2 × 2 experimental setups. Results indicate that our 3D reconstruction method surpasses the linear phase-shifting approach in performance, although calibration efficiency does not present a superior performance. Further analysis reveals that sensitivity and estimated phase error contribute to the relative underperformance in calibration. This paper offers insights into the potentials and limitations of circular fringe projection profilometry.
Do timing and frequency of antenatal care make a difference in maternal micronutrient intake and breastfeeding practices? Insights from a multi-country study in South Asia
Authors: Islam Md Jahirul , Zobair Khondker Mohammad
Published: March 2024

Despite the established benefits of vitamins and minerals for maternal and neonatal health, global micronutrient deficiency remains a significant concern. As such, the World Health Organization advocates timely antenatal care (ANC) initiation and micronutrient supplementation for expectant mothers. This study investigates the association between ANC timing and frequency and maternal health behaviours, specifically iron-folic acid (IFA) intake, early breastfeeding initiation, and exclusive breastfeeding among married women in South Asia. By utilizing recent Demographic and Health Survey data, this study focuses on married women aged 15–49 in Bangladesh (N = 966), India (N = 89,472), and Pakistan (N = 1,005), specifically primiparous women with children aged 0–23 months living with the motherMultivariable analysis revealed that women receiving ≥4 ANC visits were more likely to consume IFA ≥90 days compared to those with fewer visits in Bangladesh (AOR: 1.85, 95% CI [1.30, 2.63]), India (AOR: 1.87, 95% CI [1.81, 1.94]), and Pakistan (AOR: 1.92, 95% CI [1.24, 2.97]). Women receiving first ANC in the second or third trimester were less likely to consume IFC for ≥90 days compared to those with first-trimester ANC. While the ANC timing did not significantly influence early breastfeeding initiation, ANC frequency was inversely associated with delayed initiation in all countries. Breastfeeding advice during ANC visits was significantly associated with reduced odds of delayed breastfeeding initiation. Neither ANC timing nor frequency significantly predicted exclusive breastfeeding, except for breastfeeding advice in India. This study highlights the importance of ANC in maternal and child health outcomes. ANC timing and frequency, along with breastfeeding advice during ANC, notably influence maternal IFA consumption and early breastfeeding initiation. These findings underscore the need for targeted interventions during ANC visits to enhance maternal and child health practices in low- and middle-income countries.
Overt and occult hepatitis B virus infection detected among chronic kidney disease patients on haemodialysis at a Tertiary Hospital in Ghana
Authors: Dzudzor Bartholomew , Nsowah Kingsley Kwame , Agyemang Seth , Vento Sandro , Amarh Vincent , Boima Vincent , Tachi Kenneth
Published: March 2024

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is endemic in Ghana and chronic kidney disease patients on haemodialysis are a high-risk group for HBV infection. We determined the prevalence of overt and occult HBV infection among haemodialysis patients at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital in Ghana. 104 consenting End Stage Renal Disease patients on long-term haemodialysis were recruited for the study and their socio-demographic, clinical and laboratory information were obtained using structured questionnaire. All the participants were tested for the hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg). The HBsAg-negative participants were re-tested for hepatitis B surface antibody (HBsAb), hepatitis B core antibody (HBcAb) and HBV DNA using chemiluminescence and Roche COBAS Ampli-Prep/TaqMan analyser and real-time polymerase chain reaction. Eight (7.7%) of the total participants were positive for HBsAg. Among the 96 HBsAg-negative participants, 12.5% (12) were HBcAb-positive, 7.3% (7) had detectable HBV DNA (mean = 98.7±53.5 IU/mL) and 40.6% (39) were positive for HBsAb. Five out of the 7 HBV DNA-positive participants were males and only one participant was negative for HBcAb. Seventy-three out of the 96 HBsAg-negative participants were vaccinated and 37 of these vaccinated individuals had significant HBsAb titres (mean = 423.21± 380.72 IU/mL). Our data demonstrated that the prevalence of overt and occult HBV infection among the haemodialysis (HD) patients was 7.7% and 7.3%, respectively, and only 50.7% of those who showed proof of vaccination were protected from HBV infection.
Crystal scatter effects in a large-area dual-panel Positron Emission Mammography system
Authors: Saaidi Rahal , Rodríguez-Villafuerte Mercedes , Alva-Sánchez Héctor , Martínez-Dávalos Arnulfo
Published: March 2024

Positron Emission Mammography (PEM) is a valuable molecular imaging technique for breast studies using pharmaceuticals labeled with positron emitters and dual-panel detectors. PEM scanners normally use large scintillation crystals coupled to sensitive photodetectors. Multiple interactions of the 511 keV annihilation photons in the crystals can result in event mispositioning leading to a negative impact in radiopharmaceutical uptake quantification. In this work, we report the study of crystal scatter effects of a large-area dual-panel PEM system designed with either monolithic or pixelated lutetium yttrium orthosilicate (LYSO) crystals using the Monte Carlo simulation platform GATE. The results show that only a relatively small fraction of coincidences (~20%) arise from events where both coincidence photons undergo single interactions (mostly through photoelectric absorption) in the crystals. Most of the coincidences are events where at least one of the annihilation photons undergoes a chain of Compton scatterings: approximately 79% end up in photoelectric absorption while the rest (<1%) escape the detector. Mean positioning errors, calculated as the distance between first hit and energy weighted (assigned) positions of interaction, were 1.70 mm and 1.92 mm for the monolithic and pixelated crystals, respectively. Reconstructed spatial resolution quantification with a miniDerenzo phantom and a list mode iterative reconstruction algorithm shows that, for both crystal types, 2 mm diameter hot rods were resolved, indicating a relatively small effect in spatial resolution. A drastic reduction in peak-to-valley ratios for the same hot-rod diameters was observed, up to a factor of 14 for the monolithic crystals and 7.5 for the pixelated ones.
Ionized acrylamide-based copolymer / terpolymer hydrogels for recovery of positive and negative heavy metal ions
Authors: Fujimoto Kentaro , Omondi Brian Adala , Kawano Shinya , Hidaka Yoshiki , Ishida Kenji , Okabe Hirotaka , Hara Kazuhiro
Published: March 2024

In this study, we explored the effective capture of both cations and anions onto a single adsorbent. Acrylamide (AAm) served as the polymer backbone, onto which co-monomers sodium p-styrenesulfonate (SS) and N,N-dimethylaminopropyl acrylamide (DMAPAA) were grafted, creating ionized polymer hydrogel adsorbents. These adsorbents were engineered for the synergistic separation and recovery of heavy metal cations and anions from concentrated solutions, focusing specifically on industrially significant ions such as Ni2+-, Cu2+, Zn2+ and (Cr2O7)2-. The adsorption and desorption behaviors of the AAm terpolymer hydrogels were investigated across various pH solutions, considering the competition and concentrations of these specific metal ions. Moreover, the study delved into the effects of the internal pH environment within the hydrogel adsorbents, determining its impact on the type of metal adsorbed and the adsorption capacity. Our findings indicated that the adsorption of cations was enhanced with a higher proportion of SS relative to DMAPAA in the hydrogel. In contrast, significant anion capture occurred when the concentration of DMAPAA exceeded that of SS. However, equal ratios of SS and DMAPAA led to a noticeable reduction in the adsorption of both types of substrates, attributed to the counteractive nature of these co-monomers. To enhance the adsorption efficiency, it may be necessary to consider methods for micro-scale separation of the two types of monomers. Additionally, the adsorption capacity was observed to be directly proportional to the swelling capacity of the hydrogels. For complete desorption and separation of the cations and anions from the adsorbent, the application of concentrated NaOH solutions followed by HNO3 was found to be essential. Given the varying concentrations of cation and anion pollutants, often present in heavy metal factory effluents, it is crucial to fine-tune the ratios of DMAPAA and SS during the synthesis process. This adjustment ensures optimized efficiency in the decontamination and recovery of these significant heavy metal ions.