bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Nondestructive Prediction of Rice Seed Viability Using Spectral and Spatial Information Modeling of Visible–Near Infrared Hyperspectral Images
Authors: Hong Suk-Ju , Yang Tao , Kim Sang-Yeon , Kim EungChan , Lee ChangHyup , Nurhisna Nandita Irasaulul , Kim Sungjay , Roh Seung-Woo , Ryu Jiwon , Kim Ghiseok
Published: August 2022

Highlights

An NIR-Vis hyperspectral imaging approach was developed to predict the viability of rice seeds.

Through multi-step accelerated aging, seed lots in various states were used for the experiments.

Models using spectral information and spectral-spatial information of hyperspectral images were used and compared.

Abstract. Rice is one of the world’s most important food crops, and rice seed viability is an important factor in rice crop production. In this study, a visible–near infrared (vis–NIR) hyperspectral imaging system and spectral–spatial information modeling are used to predict the viability of rice seeds. Experimental samples are prepared using seeds harvested in two different years and artificially aged for various periods. Vis-NIR hyperspectral acquisition and germination tests of the prepared seed samples are performed. Partial least square (PLS)–discriminant analysis, a support vector machine (SVM), a PLS–SVM, a PLS–artificial neural network, and a one-dimensional–convolutional neural network (CNN) for the mean spectra of seeds, as well as a CNN, a PLS–CNN, and dual branch networks for the hyperspectral images of the seeds are applied for viability prediction modeling. Result shows that an accuracy of approximately 90% and high f1 scores can be obtained in most models. Furthermore, it is confirmed that models using spectral and spatial information can classify hard samples more effectively. Keywords: Deep learning, Hyperspectral images, Rice, Seed, Spectroscopy, Viability.
Subsurface Nitrate Processing Beneath Drainageways: Are They Landscape Opportunities for Subsurface Drainage Remediation?
Authors: Schilling Keith , Streeter Matthew , Pierce Sophie , Brennan Greg , St. Clair Marty
Published: August 2022

Highlights

Drainageways contain fine-textured and nutrient rich alluvial soils conducive for denitrification.

NO3-N concentrations in drainageway groundwater were 70% lower than observed in cropped fields.

A new grass waterway design connects subsurface water from upland cropped fields to the drainageway deposits for NO3-N remediation.

Abstract. Efforts to reduce nutrient export from agricultural crop production in the U.S. Midwest are leading to development of new conservation practices. In this study our objectives were to: (1) characterize subsurface soils and hydrogeology found in two main drainageway areas in eastern Iowa, (2) compare groundwater quality to upland agricultural fields, and (3) utilize a groundwater flow model to assess the capacity of drainageways to provide additional NO3-N processing in agricultural watersheds. Using data obtained from a network of 12 shallow wells installed across six different waterways, we found that the waterways contained fine-textured and nutrient rich alluvial soils derived from erosion and deposition of upland loess and till. Concentrations of NO3-N in waterway groundwater (3.1 mg/l) were 70% lower compared to groundwater beneath nearby cropped fields (10.5 mg/l). A shallow water table in the organic-rich drainageway soils provides the requisite organic carbon, anaerobic soil conditions, and nitrogen supply for denitrification to occur. Numerical modeling suggested that groundwater from the surrounding catchment discharges approximately 53 m3/day into the waterways and reduces NO3-N mass by 144.3 kg/yr, or 7.8 kg/ha. Results suggest that drainageways could be better exploited for additional NO3-N reductions from subsurface drainage if the flow could be diverted into these areas. Keywords: Denitrification, Grass waterway, Nitrate-nitrogen, Saturated buffer.
Terminal Velocity Determinations for Switchgrass Nodes and Internodes
Authors: Womac Alvin Ray , Klasek Sarah E. , Yoder Daniel , Hayes Douglas G.
Published: August 2022

Highlights

A vertical wind tunnel was fabricated to aerodynamically suspend switchgrass particles to measure terminal velocity.

Overall terminal velocity estimates for node and internode were 8.04 and 5.68 m s-1, respectively.

Terminal velocity prediction equation for spherical particles (Mohsenin, 1970) produced values almost identical to experimental values unlike an equation for infinite-length cylindrical particles.

Hollow switchgrass particle behavior was complex with particle bouncing, rolling, tumbling, and other dynamic behaviors during aerodynamic equilibrium.

Abstract. Terminal velocity is a fundamental aerodynamic property often used to separate plant anatomical components. A vertical wind tunnel was fabricated to investigate whether terminal velocities of switchgrass stem internodes and nodes were distinctly different. Wind tunnel features included a clear observation section for suspended particles and fine adjustment of airflow. Each sample terminal velocity was measured with 45 anemometer readings from nine locations and five repeated measures. The experiment evaluated two sample moisture contents (52% and 15% wet basis, hereafter referred to as w.b.), three particle lengths (0.64, 1.27, and 2.54 cm), node versus internode, and 12 replications. The 6,480 anemometer readings provided significant differences between factors and interactions. The greatest magnitude in mean terminal velocity difference was 4.55 m s-1 (i.e. 9.62 to 5.07) that resulted in a velocity ratio of 190% [(9.62/5.07) x 100]. The least magnitude of mean terminal velocity difference, while significant, was 0.36 m s-1 (i.e. 6.59 to 6.23). This offered a limited difference and may indicate that separations may need to be confined within groups of moisture category and/or particle length. Terminal velocity measurements were most similar to those calculated using the Mohsenin (1970) spherical particle equation yielding a mean (6.86 vs. 6.91 m s-1), standard deviation (1.41 vs. 1.42 m s-1), minimum (4.65 vs. 4.69 m s-1), and maximum (9.95 vs. 10.03 m s-1) for measurement and spherical particle equation, respectively. Keywords: Anatomical component, Biomass property, Physical experiment, Separation, Sorting, Switchgrass, Vertical wind tunnel.
Efficient pose and motion estimation of non-cooperative target based on LiDAR
Authors: Li Peng , Wang Mao , Fu Jinyu , Zhang Bing
Published: August 2022

In on-orbit servicing missions, autonomous close proximity operations require knowledge of the target’s pose and motion parameters. Due to the lack of prior information about the non-cooperative target in an unknown environment, the pose and motion estimation of an uncooperative target is a challenging task. In this paper, a relative position and attitude estimation method is proposed using consecutive point clouds. First, a fast plane detection method is used to extract the global features of non-cooperative targets. Compared with some other local feature-detection methods, the method mentioned in this paper is faster. Then a two-stage angle adjustment method and iterative closest point algorithm are used to register the two adjacent point clouds. Finally, an unscented Kalman filter is designed to estimate the relative pose and motion parameters (velocity and angular velocity) of the target. Experiments show that the proposed measurement method of pose and motion parameters has acceptable accuracy and good stability.
Turning point monitoring of narrow bandpass filters: the enormous strength of the error self-compensation effect
Authors: Tikhonravov A. , Lagutin Iu. , Yagola A.
Published: August 2022

It is generally accepted that turning point optical monitoring provides
a very strong error self-compensation effect when used to control the
deposition of narrow bandpass filters with quarter-wave or
multiple-quarter-wave layer optical thicknesses. However, how strong
this effect is has never been assessed before, to our knowledge. A
recently developed general approach to estimating the strength of
thickness error correlation and the strength of the associated error
self-compensation effect allows, possibly for the first time, such an
assessment. In this work, it is proved that, indeed, in the case of
monitoring narrowband filters, the latter effect has enormous
strength, many times greater than the strength of the error
self-compensation effects when manufacturing all other types of
optical coatings using various monochromatic and broadband monitoring
techniques.
Visual encoder-based angle measurement method in low-frequency angular
vibration calibration
Authors: Cheng Hao , Wang Ying , Wei Kai , Liu Zhihua , Yang Ming , Cai Chenguang
Published: August 2022

Angular vibration calibration is required to determine the sensitivity of sensors such
as dynamic inclinometers, gyroscopes, and angular accelerometers,
which are used for angular motion measurement in engineering
applications. Additionally, the calibration performance depends on the
accuracy of the angle measurement by laser interferometry or a
circular grating (CG) method that is commonly used in vibration
calibration. However, these methods usually own a complex and
high-cost system or limited frequency and amplitude ranges. In this
study, a novel, to the best of our knowledge, angle measurement method
that combines a special visual encoder and an accurate angular
position detection method is investigated; the method requires only a
simple and flexible telecentric vision measurement system. Comparison
experiments with the CG method demonstrate that the investigated
method has the maximum measurement deviation of 0.0014° and 0.0138°
for static angle measurement in the small-angle range and continuous
full circle, respectively. The relative deviation of the angular
vibration measurement in the range of 0.1–8 Hz with amplitudes 0–100°
is less than 0.173%. Additionally, the relative deviation of
calibrated sensitivity of a gyroscope by the investigated and CG
methods is less than 0.096%.
Wavefront-coded phase measuring deflectometry for the all-focused measurement
Authors: Niu Zhenqi , Wang Junhua , Tian Yuhan , Wu Zhen , Wei Chaoyang , Shao Jianda
Published: August 2022

Phase measuring deflectometry is a powerful measuring method for complex optical surfaces, which captures the reflected fringe images encoded on the screen under the premise of focusing the measured specular surface. Due to the limited depth of field of the camera, the captured images and the measured surface cannot be focused at the same time. To solve the position-angle uncertainty issue, in this Letter, the wavefront coding technology is used to modulate the imaging wavefront of the deflectometry, thereby making the measuring system insensitive to the defocus and other low-order aberration including astigmatism, field curvature, and so on. To obtain the accurate phase, the captured fringe images are deconvoluted using the modulated point spread function to reduce the phase error. Demonstrated with a highly curved spherical surface, the measurement accuracy can be improved by four times. Experiments demonstrate that the proposed method can successfully reconstruct the complex surfaces defocusing the captured images, which can greatly release the focusing requirement and improve measurement accuracy.
Human rights-based accountability for sexual and reproductive health and rights in humanitarian settings: Findings from a pilot study in northern Uganda
Authors: Arnott Grady , Otema Charles , Obalim Godfrey , Odallo Beatrice , Nakubulwa Teddy , Okello Sam B. T.
Published: August 2022

Ensuring accountability for the realization of sexual and reproductive health and rights is a human rights obligation and central tenet of strategies to improve health systems and outcomes in humanitarian settings. This pilot study explored the feasibility and acceptability of deploying human rights strategies, specifically through a participatory community-led complaints mechanism, to hold humanitarian health systems to account for the sexual and reproductive health and rights of refugee and host community women and girls in northern Uganda. Over a fifteen-month period we conducted a multi-methods exploratory study with refugee and host community rights-holders and duty-bearers using longitudinal in-depth interviews, focus groups, and secondary data document review. Deductive and inductive coding techniques were used to analyze data iteratively for content and themes. 107 sexual and reproductive health and rights related complaints and feedback were collected through the community complaints mechanism. Complaints concerned experiences of disrespect and abuse by health care workers; lack of adolescent access to sexual and reproductive health services and information; sexual and gender-based violence; and lack of access to acceptable and quality health goods and services. Participants reported an increased understanding and claiming of human rights through the intervention, acceptability of rights-based accountability strategies among humanitarian health system actors, and improved access to remedies when sexual and reproductive health rights are not respected. Findings demonstrate integrating rights-based social accountability mechanisms at the level of humanitarian response as a promising approach for strengthening and holding humanitarian health systems accountable for the sexual and reproductive health and rights of women and girls affected by humanitarian situations.
High infectivity and unique genomic sequence characteristics of Cryptosporidium parvum in China
Authors: Jia Ruilian , Huang Wanyi , Huang Ni , Yu Zhengjie , Li Na , Xiao Lihua , Feng Yaoyu , Guo Yaqiong
Published: August 2022

Zoonotic Cryptosporidium parvum infections are mainly caused by IIa and IId subtypes. As most biological characterizations have been performed on IIa subtypes, the biological and genetic characteristics of IId subtypes in China are not clear. We evaluated the infection and genetic characteristics of IId isolates in interferon-γ-knockout mice using qPCR to quantify oocyst shedding, histological examination to monitor pathological changes and comparative genomic analyses to identify infectivity and virulence-associated differences. Compared with the reference IIa isolate, mice infected with the IId isolates had significantly higher and longer oocyst shedding and lower body weight gain. In addition, the four IId isolates examined differed significantly in infectivity (as indicated by the median infective dose), oocyst shedding duration, and pathogenicity. Comparative genomic analysis indicated that the IId isolates had three more subtelomeric genes than the reference IIa isolate and 5385–5548 nucleotide substitutions, with the hypervariable genes mostly in two blocks on chromosome 1. In contrast, the four IId isolates differed from each other by 77–1,452 nucleotides, with virulence-associated sequence differences mainly in nine genes within a 28-kb block on chromosome 6. These data indicate the newly emerged C. parvum IId subtypes in China have high animal infectivity and unique genomic characteristics.
Comparison of the performance of Aptima HIV-1 Quant Dx Assay with Abbott RealTime HIV Assay for viral load monitoring using plasma and Dried Blood Spots collected in Kenya
Authors: Mwau Matilu , Schaffer Sven , Kimani Humphrey , Kasiano Purity , Ogolla Francis , Ajema Elizabeth , Adoyo Scriven , Nyairo Ednah , Saleri Norah , Nair Sangeetha Vijaysri
Published: August 2022

Introduction

HIV-1 viral Load (VL) testing is recommended for the monitoring of antiretroviral treatment. Dried Blood Spots (DBS) are an effective sample type in resource limited settings, where safe phlebotomy and reliable shipping are hard to guarantee. In HIV high burden countries, high throughput assays can improve access to testing services. The Hologic Aptima HIV-1 Quant Dx Assay (Aptima Assay) is a high throughput assay that runs on the CE-IVD approved Panther platform. The objectives of this study were to assess the performance characteristics of Aptima for VL monitoring using plasma and venous DBS specimens and to determine the stability of HIV-1 RNA in DBS.

Materials and methods

This was a cross-sectional study of 2227 HIV infected adults visiting health facilities in Nairobi and Busia, Kenya. Each provided a venous blood sample; plasma was prepared from 1312 samples while paired DBS samples and plasma were prepared from the remaining 915 samples. The agreement between the Aptima assay and the Abbott RealTime HIV-1 Assay (Abbott RT) was analysed by comparing the HIV-1 VL in both assays at the medical decision point of 1000 copies/mL. To assess stability of HIV-1 RNA in DBS, VL in DBS spotted on day 0 were compared with that from the same DBS card after 21 days of storage at room temperature.

Results

Overall, 436 plasma samples had quantifiable results in both Aptima and Abbott RT. The agreement between the two assays at 1000 copies/mL was 97.48% with a Pearson’s correlation coefficient (r) of 0.9589 and gave a mean bias of 0.33 log copies/mL on Bland-Altman analysis. For fresh DBS, the agreement in both assays was 94.64% at 1000 copies/mL, with an r of 0.8692 and a mean bias of 0.35 log copies/mL. The overall agreement between DBS tested in Aptima on day 0 versus day 21 was 95.71%, with a mean bias of -0.154.

Conclusion

The Aptima HIV-1 Quant Dx assay is an accurate test for VL monitoring of HIV-1 using DBS and plasma sample types in Kenya.
Intracranial approach for sub-second monitoring of neurotransmitters during DBS electrode implantation does not increase infection rate
Authors: Liebenow Brittany , Williams Michelle , Wilson Thomas , Haq Ihtsham ul , Siddiqui Mustafa S. , Laxton Adrian W. , Tatter Stephen B. , Kishida Kenneth T.
Published: August 2022

Introduction

Currently, sub-second monitoring of neurotransmitter release in humans can only be performed during standard of care invasive procedures like DBS electrode implantation. The procedure requires acute insertion of a research probe and additional time in surgery, which may increase infection risk. We sought to determine the impact of our research procedure, particularly the extended time in surgery, on infection risk.

Methods

We screened 602 patients who had one or more procedure codes documented for DBS electrode implantation, generator placement, programming, or revision for any reason performed at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center between January 2011 through October 2020 using International Classification of Diseases (ICD) codes for infection. During this period, 116 patients included an IRB approved 30-minute research protocol, during the Phase 1 DBS electrode implantation surgery, to monitor sub-second neurotransmitter release. We used Fisher’s Exact test (FET) to determine if there was a significant change in the infection rate following DBS electrode implantation procedures that included, versus those that did not include, the neurotransmitter monitoring research protocol.

Results

Within 30-days following DBS electrode implantation, infection was observed in 1 (0.21%) out of 486 patients that did not participate in the research procedure and 2 (1.72%) of the 116 patients that did participate in the research procedure. Notably, all types of infection observed were typical of those expected for DBS electrode implantation.

Conclusion

Infection rates are not statistically different across research and non-research groups within 30-days following the research procedure (1.72% vs. 0.21%; p = 0.0966, FET). Our results demonstrate that the research procedures used for sub-second monitoring of neurotransmitter release in humans can be performed without increasing the rate of infection.
The relationship between client dissatisfaction and contraceptive discontinuation among urban family planning clients in three sub-Saharan African countries
Authors: Cardona Carolina , OlaOlorun Funmilola M. , Omulabi Elizabeth , Gichangi Peter , Thiogo Mary , Tsui Amy , Anglewicz Philip
Published: August 2022

Although researchers and practitioners have suggested that the quality of family planning services impacts contraceptive discontinuation, establishing a causal relationship has been challenging, primarily due to data limitations and a lack of agreement on how to measure quality. This longitudinal study estimated the relationship of the dissatisfaction with family planning services on contraceptive discontinuation for a sample of 797 female clients who sought family planning services at urban facilities across Kenya, Nigeria, and Burkina Faso. Clients who sought family planning services were first interviewed in person at private and public health facilities and received a follow-up phone interview four to six months later. In our sample, 18.2% of clients who were using a modern contraceptive at baseline stopped using it by follow-up. At baseline, nearly 14% of clients reported experiencing a problem with service convenience, nearly 12% with the availability of medicines and contraceptives, and nearly 6% with facility cleanliness and/or staff treatment. We hypothesized that client dissatisfaction with the family planning services received informed their decision to discontinue contraception and estimated univariate and bivariate probit regression models, controlling for individual and health facility characteristics. We found that client’s perceptions of staff treatment and facility cleanliness informed their expectations about service and contraceptive standards, affecting subsequent contraceptive discontinuation. The difference in the probability of discontinuing contraception was 8.2 percentage-points between dissatisfied and satisfied clients. Examining client dissatisfaction with family planning services can inform the family planning community on needed improvements to increase contraceptive adherence for women in need, which can prevent unplanned pregnancies and unwanted births in the long run.
Low level of antibodies to the oral bacterium Tannerella forsythia predicts bladder cancers and Treponema denticola predicts colon and bladder cancers: A prospective cohort study
Authors: Lund Håheim Lise , Thelle Dag S. , Rønningen Kjersti S. , Olsen Ingar , Schwarze Per E.
Published: August 2022

This study explores the risk for cancer by level of antibodies to the anaerobe oral bacteria of periodontitis Tannerella forsythia (TF), Porphyromonas gingivalis (PG), and Treponema denticola (TD) all three collectively termed the red complex, and the facultative anaerobe bacterium Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans (AA). The prospective cohort, the Oslo II-study from 2000, the second screening of the Oslo study of 1972/73, has been followed for 17 ½ years with regard to cancer incidence and mortality. A random sample of 697 elderly men comprised the study cohort. The antibody results measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) were used in the Cox proportional hazards analyses, and quartile risk on cancer incidence in a 17 ½ years follow-up. Among the 621 participants with no prior cancer diagnoses, 221 men developed cancer. The incidence trend was inverse, and the results are shown as 1st quartile of highest value and 4th as lowest of antibody levels. The results of the Cox proportional regression analyses showed that TF inversely predicts bladder cancer (n = 22) by Hazard Ratio (HR) = 1.71 (95% CI: 1.12, 2.61). TD inversely predicts colon cancer (n = 26) by HR = 1.52 (95% CI: 1.06, 2.19) and bladder cancer (n = 22) by HR = 1.60 (95% CI: 1.05, 2.43). Antibodies to two oral bacteria, TF and TD, showed an inverse risk relationship with incidence of specific cancers: TF bladder cancer, TD bladder and colon cancer. Lowered immunological response to the oral infection, periodontitis, is shown to be a risk factor in terms of cancer aetiology.
Ten-year in-hospital mortality trends among Japanese injured patients by age, injury severity, injury mechanism, and injury region: A nationwide observational study
Authors: Toida Chiaki , Muguruma Takashi , Gakumazawa Masayasu , Shinohara Mafumi , Abe Takeru , Takeuchi Ichiro
Published: August 2022

The Injury Severity Score (ISS) is widely used in trauma research worldwide. An ISS cutoff value of ≥16 is frequently used as the definition of severe injury in Japan. The mortality of patients with ISS ≥16 has decreased in recent years, owing to the developing the trauma care system. This study aimed to analyze the prevalence, in-hospital mortality, and odds ratio (OR) for mortality in Japanese injured patients by age, injury mechanism, injury region, and injury severity over 10 years. This study used the Japan Trauma Data Bank (JTDB) dataset, which included 315,614 patients registered between 2009 and 2018. 209,290 injured patients were utilized. This study evaluated 10-year trends of the prevalence and in-hospital mortality and risk factors associated with in-hospital mortality. The overall in-hospital mortality was 10.5%. During the 10-year study period in Japan, the mortality trend among all injured patient groups with ISS 0–15, 16–25, and ≥26 showed significant decreases (p <0.001). Moreover, the mortality risk of patients with ISS ≥26 was significantly higher than that of patients with ISS 0–15 and 16–25 (p <0.001, OR = 0.05 and p<0.001, OR = 0.22). If we define injured patients who are expected to have a mortality rate of 20% or more as severely injured, it may be necessary to change the injury severity definition according to reduction of trauma mortality as ISS cutoff values to ≥26 instead of ≥16. From 2009 to 2018, the in-hospital mortality trend among all injured patient groups with ISS 0–15, 16–25, and ≥26 showed significant decreases in Japan. Differences were noted in mortality trends and risks according to anatomical injury severity.
Improved adaptive EWMA control chart for process location with applications in groundwater physicochemical parameters and glass manufacturing industry
Authors: Arslan Muhammad , Anwar Syed Masroor , Lone Showkat Ahmad , Rasheed Zahid , Khan Majid , Abbasi Saddam Akbar
Published: August 2022

The adaptive exponentially weighted moving average (AEWMA) control charts are the advanced form of classical memory control charts used for efficiently monitoring small-to-large shifts in the process parameters (location and/or dispersion). These AEWMA control charts estimate the unknown shifts using exponentially weighted moving average (EWMA) or cumulative sum (CUSUM) control charts statistics. The hybrid EWMA (HEWMA) control chart is preferred over classical memory control charts to detect early shifts in process parameters. So, this study presents a new auxiliary information-based (AIB) AEWMA (IAEWMAAIB) control chart for process location that estimates the unknown location shift using HEWMA statistic. The objective is to develop an unbiased location shift estimator using HEWMA statistic and then adaptively update the smoothing constant. The shift estimation using HEWMA statistic instead of EWMA or CUSUM statistics boosts the performance of the proposed IAEWMAAIB control chart. The Monte Carlo simulation technique is used to get the numerical results. Famous performance evaluation measures like average run length, extra quadratic loss, relative average run length, and performance comparison index are used to evaluate the performance of the proposed chart with existing counterparts. The comparison reveals the superiority of the proposed control chart. Finally, two real-life applications from the glass manufacturing industry and physicochemical parameters of groundwater are considered to show the proposed control chart’s implementation procedure and dominance.
Maternal dietary folate intake with folic acid supplements and wheeze and eczema in children aged 2 years in the Japan Environment and Children’s Study
Authors: Masuda Hideyuki , Kobayashi Sumitaka , Miyashita Chihiro , Itoh Sachiko , Bamai Yu Ait , Saijo Yasuaki , Ito Yoshiya , Kishi Reiko , Ikeda-Araki Atsuko ,   Japan Environment and Children’s Study (JECS) Group
Published: August 2022

Maternal intake of folic acid supplements is reportedly associated with the risk of early-onset allergies in offspring. However, only a few studies have considered the intake of both folic acid supplements and dietary folate. Here, the relationship between maternal intake of folic acid supplements and allergic symptoms such as wheeze and eczema in offspring was analyzed while considering dietary folate intake. We examined 84,361 mothers and 85,114 children in the Japan Environment and Children’s Study. The participants were divided into three groups depending on maternal folic acid supplementation (“no use,” “occasional use,” and “daily use”). Each group was then subdivided into three groups based on total folic acid and dietary folate intake. Outcomes were determined considering the wheeze and eczema status of each child at the age of 2 years. The status was based on the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood. It was found that 22.1% of the mothers took folic acid supplements daily. In contrast, 56.3% of the mothers did not take these supplements. Maternal intake of folic acid supplements was not associated with wheeze and eczema in the offspring. In contrast, only dietary folate intake was positively associated with wheeze at the age of 2 (adjusted odds ratio, 1.103; 95% confidence interval, 1.003–1.212). However, there is no scientific evidence of a biological mechanism that clarifies this result. Potential confounders such as other nutrition, outdoor/indoor air pollution, and genetic factors may have affected the results. Therefore, further studies on the association between maternal intake of folic acid and allergic symptoms at the age of 3 or above are needed to confirm the results of this study.

Trial registration

UMIN Clinical Trials Registry (number: UMIN000030786)
Immune response induced in mice by a hybrid rPotD-PdT pneumococcal protein
Authors: Rojas Converso Thiago , Goulart Cibelly , Rodriguez Dunia , Guerra Maria Eduarda Souza , Darrieux Michelle , Leite Luciana C. C.
Published: August 2022

Streptococcus pneumoniae is a human pathogen that colonizes the naso and/or oropharynx and can cause otitis, pneumonia, bacteremia and meningitis. To broaden the protection against pneumococcus, several pneumococcal proteins have been investigated as vaccine candidates. In this study we analyzed the immunological response induced by mouse subcutaneous immunization with a fusion of the Polyamine transport protein D (PotD) and a pneumolysin derivative (PdT), resulting in a hybrid rPotD-PdT protein. Immunization of mice with rPotD-PdT induced increased production of nitric oxide, indicating a higher innate immune response. In agreement, immunization of mice with the hybrid protein was more immunogenic than the individual proteins or their combination, eliciting higher antibody levels. The anti-rPotD-PdT IgG displayed increased binding onto the pneumococcal surface. Furthermore, the anti-rPotD-PdT antisera promoted superior opsonophagocytosis as compared with the other tested formulations. However, despite that the encouraging results in vitro, immunization with the hybrid was not sufficient to induce protection against sepsis with a highly virulent pneumococcal strain. taken together, the results suggest that hybrid proteins are an interesting strategy, able to promote improved immune responses, but the inclusion of other antigens may be necessary to promote protection against invasive infections caused by this bacterium.
The impact of comorbid spinal pain in depression on work participation and clinical remission following brief or short psychotherapy. Secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial with two-year follow-up
Authors: Wormgoor Marjon E. A. , Indahl Aage , Egeland Jens
Published: August 2022

Objectives

This explorative study analyses the influence of baseline comorbid long-lasting spinal pain (CSP) on improvement of long term work participation and clinical remission of mental health illness following either brief coping-focussed or short-term psychotherapy for depression. Whether type of treatment modifies outcome with or without CSP is also analysed.

Design

A secondary post hoc subgroup analysis of a pragmatic randomised controlled trial.

Interventions

Brief or standard short psychotherapy.

Methods

Based on baseline assessment, the sample was subdivided into a subgroup with and a subgroup without CSP. Work participation and clinical remission of depression and anxiety were assessed as treatment outcome at two-year follow-up. Simple and multivariate logistic regression analyses, across the intervention arms, were applied to evaluate the impact of CSP on treatment outcome. Selected baseline variables were considered as potential confounders and included as variates if relevant. The modifying effect of CSP on treatment outcome was evaluated by including intervention modality as an interaction term.

Main results

Among the 236 participants with depressive symptoms, 83 participants (35%) were identified with CSP. In simple logistic regression analysis, CSP reduced improvements on both work participation and clinical remission rate. In the multivariate analysis however, the impact of CSP on work participation and on clinical remission were not significant after adjusting for confounding variables. Reduction of work participation was mainly explained by the higher age of the CSP participants and the reduced clinical remission by the additional co-occurrence of anxiety symptoms at baseline. The occurrence of CSP at baseline did not modify long term outcome of brief compared to short psychotherapy.

Conclusions

CSP at baseline reduced work participation and worsened remission of mental health symptoms two-year following psychotherapy. Older age and more severe baseline anxiety are associated to reduced effectiveness. Type of psychotherapy received did not contribute to differences.
An act of ‘emotional rescue’: Homosexuality and resistance in Lagos, Portugal (1965)
Authors: Cleminson Richard
Published: August 2022

In the summer of 1965, several youths were arrested and publicly shamed by the Guarda Nacional Republicana (GNR) in Lagos, on the Algarve, for the ‘crime’ of homosexuality. Despite the silence of official and press channels on the events, the arrests were analysed by two foreign sources, one a German police science journal and the other a British volume on homosexuality in society. What the sources reveal is that rather than public opprobrium against the youths, indignation was expressed at the GNR’s actions. Sympathy for the young men was engendered in on-lookers in what this article terms an act of ‘emotional rescue’ and resistance against the norms, values and practices of the dictatorship. By means of the contextualization of the events as part of the rising tourist economy and recent queer theory, the article contributes an alternative understanding of LGBT history and resistance to authoritarian regimes.
The Visualization of a Nation: Tàpies and Catalonia, Emily Jenkins (2021)
Authors: Hayes Carolina
Published: August 2022

Review of: The Visualization of a Nation: Tàpies and Catalonia, Emily Jenkins (2021)

Oxford: Legenda, 200 pp.,

ISBN 978-1-78188-419-5, h/bk, £80.00/$110.00/€95.00

ISBN 978-1-78188-425-6, JSTOR e-book
Following Franco: Spanish Culture and Politics in Transition, Duncan Wheeler (2020)
Authors: Lawlor Hannie
Published: August 2022

Review of: Following Franco: Spanish Culture and Politics in Transition, Duncan Wheeler (2020)

Manchester: Manchester University Press, 401 pp.,

ISBN 978-1-52610-518-9, h/bk, £25.00
Why does a creative city need its local music? A study of the contemporary Wroclaw jazz scene
Authors: Kopaniecki Jakub
Published: August 2022

The aim of the article is to look at serious musical leisure activities in selected places in Wroclaw, in order to explain their significant contribution to making the capital of lower Silesia a creative city. Taking the perspective of research on music scenes and leisure studies, the author tries to demonstrate that the music scene in Wroclaw, although it didn’t develop its original sound, functions in a very effective way, providing a space for personal development, shaping the identity of individuals and the entire city. The discussed places not only serve as a physical space for a performance but primarily are communities based on internal and external cooperation. They are real “meeting places,” as the promotional slogan of Wroclaw says, for audiences and performers, amateurs, and professionals alike. The article is based on research on the Wroclaw music scene conducted since 2019. live performances that took place before the COvID-19 pandemic and between subsequent lockdowns were taken into account.
The Second Death of Concept Albums World-Building and Unification Strategies in the Age of Streaming
Authors: Merlini Mattia
Published: August 2022

As the end of the album format is apparently drawing near due to the radical change in music consumption habits motivated by streaming services, artists and genres interested in creating musical works with meanings broader than those of single songs find themselves in a situation worth analysing. Despite all appearances and expectations, I argue that nowadays artists willing to create narrative, thematic or generally conceptual contexts for their songs are living in a potential second golden age of concept albums. Some attempts at keeping the (concept) album alive are more alike to an act of resistance, others creatively take advantage of the same means of communication used by their digital enemy, in order to create something unique and capable of taking the place of the supposedly doomed CD/lP format. They are often transmedial works, thus requiring an interdisciplinary analysis. In this paper, I offer an overview of the contemporary situation of the album format (and concept album more specifically) and finally propose a classification of four forms of contemporary musical world-building strategies, starting from a selection of emblematic case studies.
Identity Representations: How Did the 1979 Iranian Revolution Affect Kurdish Folk Music?
Authors: Prévost Lorane
Published: August 2022

The following paper constitutes a part of my master thesis on the consequences of the 1979 Iranian Revolution on Kurdish folk music. The strong identity claimed by the Islamic Republic of Iran and particularly by Ruhollah Khomeini led to an obscuration of the Iranian cultural plurality, dominated by the Persian culture. Iranian music is often understood as Persian music while regional genres were confined to small areas. The domination of folk and regional identities by institutional, more-erudite identities is not limited to Iran but can be observed worldwide; however, the restricted access to music and research in the years following the Iranian Revolution enhanced this tendency in the country. In other words, vernacular genres including Kurdish folk music were denied a global presence and are still overshadowed by the dominance of classical music. Academic works made shortly after the revolution by important figures such as Jean During highlights a confusion between what was intended as folk music by the Kurdish population and what was perceived as such by foreign researchers. For this reason, the distinction between vernacular and classical music is still enforced nowadays, leading to an increasing gap between Persian culture and that of Iranian minorities. Furthermore, with Kurdish folk music being a regional genre and as political conflicts arouse between Iranian Kurds the Islamic Republic of Iran after 1979, Kurdish music is often perceived through a political lens only, denying the variety of reasons a genre may become popular and reducing music to a mean towards an objective. Through the perception of Kurdish folk music, this paper interrogates how political conflicts and cultural hegemony in music affects the representation of vernacular identities and seeks to explore how this participates in the discrimination of minorities.
Towards “The Nature and Secrets of Music”: W. C. Printz and the natural history tradition
Authors: Wessel Jan Andreas
Published: August 2022

The present article provides arecontextualization of Wolfgang Caspar Printz’s (1641–1717) landmark music history published in 1690 (Historische Beschreibung der edelen Sing- und Kling-Kunst). later commentators have read it as a primitive, naïve and even failed attempt at writing the history of music. Still, they seem to agree that the text, in virtue of its subject matter, forms part of a canon of music historiography. The present article will seek the interpretative key in the wider intellectual context, outside of the narrow confines of texts about the musical past. It will advance the thesis that Printz built his music historiography from elements of the natural history tradition. Two arguments support this thesis. First, it will be argued that the organization of the material in chapters XIv, Xv and XvI betrays the influence of a classical version of taxonomy closely associated with the natural history tradition. Secondly, that Printz’s inquiry into the purpose of music reveals his reliance on a concept of nature similarly rooted in natural history.
Jak powstają normy w demokracji
Authors: Kaufmann Jean-Claude
Published: August 2022

Wolności oferowane w społeczeństwach indywidualistyczno-demokratycznych cechuje wewnętrzna dwuznaczność: są one zarówno prawdziwe, jak i (częściowo) iluzoryczne. Mają one swoje źródło w świecie wyobrażeń, który, głosząc je, wymusza rzeczywistość, ale ta ostatnia nigdy nie osiąga pełni czystości głoszonych zasad. Poprzez dyskretne, przewrotne mechanizmy nowe ograniczenia wolności są wręcz masowo wprowadzane, co prowadzi do pozornego paradoksu produkcji norm, która przybiera znacznie większe rozmiary niż w starożytnych społeczeństwach. Nie ma w tym nic zaskakującego. Autonomia jednostki właściwa społeczeństwom demokratycznym z konieczności wywołuje społeczną aktywność, polegającą na wytwarzaniu różnych norm i regulacji, nieskończenie bardziej wzmożoną niż w społeczeństwie, w którym instytucje realizują swój ustalony program i kształtują jednostki zgodnie z nim. Wolność w społeczeństwach indywidualistyczno-demokratycznych jest iluzją, ale iluzją, która kreuje rzeczywistość. Jednostka, mniej wolna niż to sobie wyobraża, znajduje się jednak w centrum szeregu wyborów, który—przynajmniej teoretycznie—stale się rozszerza.
Old wounds—new challenges. Women’s war experiences and roles in the Yugoslav and Bosnian conflict
Authors: Bitunjac Martina
Published: August 2022

Women suffered greatly during the wars in the former Yugoslavia, particularly in Bosnia and Herzegovina. They lost everything they owned, they were widowed, had to flee, were victims of sexual violence or even lost their lives. Most have never gotten over their trauma from the war. Many of their tormentors have still never been brought to justice. At the same time, there were also women who supported the military conflict and ethnic hate as spreaders of propaganda, nationalists and war criminals. This article will explore the different fates and range of agencies open to women, who were to be sure primarily victims in the Balkan wars of the 1990s, but not just. It will also be shown how even after suffering brutal wartime experiences, women are now fighting for their rights and breaking open the patriarchal social structure existing up to today.
Climate change induced flash floods in federal capital territory, Abuja, Nigeria: Media shaping awareness?
Authors: Omoera Osakue Stevenson , Guanah Jammy Seigha
Published: August 2022

Devastating flash floods and uncontrollable soil erosion, largely fallout of the effects of climate change, have been taking their toll on Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja. Apart from disrupting the ecosystem, their overwhelming effects are felt in the agricultural sector as farmlands are washed away. The media are expected to enlighten the residents of FCT, Abuja, about the impact of climate change. They have to be aware of global warming and its effects. Hence, this article sought to determine the level of awareness about the existence of climate change discourse among the residents of the FCT, Abuja; to ascertain respondents’ perception about the media creating enough awareness around climate change and how it exacerbates flooding, and to confirm if the press is mobilising residents enough on how to mitigate flooding. The study was anchored on Status Conferral and Media Development theories. A questionnaire and question guide served as instruments for data collection. Findings showed that the FCT residents’ awareness level about climate change was generally low, whereas improvement on the awareness level will result in activities that reduce flash floods; they perceived the media as not creating adequate awareness about climate change and educating the populace enough on how to mitigate the flash flood problem. In their sensitisation exercises, the media should partner with relevant government agencies and traditional rulers to educate residents on safety issues, particularly human activities that tend to exacerbate flash floods in the area.
Emotion and the Vertical Separation of Powers: Ultra-Vires Review by National (Constitutional) Courts, and EU and International Law
Authors: Polzin Monika
Published: August 2022

Whether national (constitutional) courts are entitled to exercise ultra-vires review of the decisions of the European Court of Justice is not only a controversial question, but also one of the most emotive issues in European and constitutional law. This article questions firstly the general and often emotional criticism of national ultra-vires review in general and answers the fundamental question whether national ultra-vires review represents a threat or rather an asset to the rule of law at a national, European and international level. It argues that a national ultra-vires review is an important instrument to supervise the international judiciary provided that it is not abusive of the law. Secondly, the article analyses the PSPP Judgment and the Polish ultra-vires decision of October 21, 2021. It concludes that only the ultra-vires review of the German Constitutional Court meets the requirements for a rule of law based control. The final argument is that a rule of law based ultra-vires review should be seen as a crucial piece of the puzzle in the current process of delimiting vertical authority.
Direct growth of monolayer MoS2 on nanostructured silicon waveguides
Authors: Kuppadakkath Athira , Najafidehaghani Emad , Gan Ziyang , Tuniz Alessandro , Ngo Gia Quyet , Knopf Heiko , Löchner Franz J. F. , Abtahi Fatemeh , Bucher Tobias , Shradha Sai , Käsebier Thomas , Palomba Stefano , Felde Nadja , Paul Pallabi , Ullsperger Tobias , Schröder Sven , Szeghalmi Adriana , Pertsch Thomas , Staude Isabelle , Zeitner Uwe , George Antony , Turchanin Andrey , Eilenberger Falk
Published: August 2022

We report for the first time the direct growth of molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) monolayers on nanostructured silicon-on-insulator waveguides. Our results indicate the possibility of utilizing the Chemical Vapour Deposition (CVD) on nanostructured photonic devices in a scalable process. Direct growth of 2D material on nanostructures rectifies many drawbacks of the transfer-based approaches. We show that the van der Waals material grow conformally across the curves, edges, and the silicon–SiO2 interface of the waveguide structure. Here, the waveguide structure used as a growth substrate is complex not just in terms of its geometry but also due to the two materials (Si and SiO2) involved. A transfer-free method like this yields a novel approach for functionalizing nanostructured, integrated optical architectures with an optically active direct semiconductor.