bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
See No Evil: Audio Identification with the Monstrous in Under the Skin
Authors: Hartenburg Paige
Published: March 2024

Exploring the role of audio in connecting audience and narrative, this article discusses Johnathan Glazer’s Under the Skin (2013) starring Scarlett Johansson, outlining the multifaceted power of audio in creating audience identification. Through the film’s consistent rejection of visual pleasure on both a thematic and cinematic level, audio empowers the audience to identify The Woman character without providing definitive labels. This comments on the relationship between Clover’s Final Girl and the monstrous killer, deconstructing the visual binary which separates the two, allowing audio to redefine a scene through non-normativity.
O gosto umami e sua relação com a proteólise e tempo de maturação em queijos: uma revisão
Authors: Coelho Ana Letícia Kincheski , De Paula Ramon Ramos , Albuquerque Tatiane Mendonça Nogueira Carneiro de , Maluly Hellen Dea Barros , De Godoy Rossana Catie Bueno
Published: March 2024

Queijos são alimentos consumidos em diversas partes do mundo desde a antiguidade, principalmente por seus valores nutricionais e sabores característicos. Durante a maturação, aromas, sabores e texturas específicos são desenvolvidos devido as alterações bioquímicas. Fatores como a composição dos ingredientes, a degradação e o catabolismo que ocorrem durante a maturação geram uma diversidade de compostos que estão relacionados a qualidade sensorial dos queijos, que é governada por três vias bioquímicas: glicólise, lipólise e proteólise. Dentre elas, a proteólise pode ser considerada a mais complexa, pois envolve diversas reações químicas e enzimáticas que são essenciais para o sabor e aceitação desses produtos. Também é responsável pela liberação de peptídeos curtos que geram os gostos básicos importantes. Os principais contribuintes para a percepção do gosto umami, descoberto há mais de um século no Japão, são os sais do ácido glutâmico e uma extensa lista de aminoácidos decorrentes da proteólise das caseínas do leite. Com esta revisão, espera-se entender a influência da proteólise na formação do sabor de queijos, principalmente, na percepção do gosto umami.
The effect of eight-week nutrition education on nutrition knowledge, nutrition literacy, and mediterranean diet in Turkish adolescents
Authors: Ünal Gökçe , Uçar Aslı
Published: March 2024

Introducción: La adolescencia, cuando las decisiones nutricionales se toman mayoritariamente de forma individual, es un período crítico en el que los hábitos alimentarios son orientables. Este estudio tiene como objetivo evaluar la eficacia de la educación nutricional sobre el conocimiento nutricional, la alfabetización nutricional y la dieta mediterránea en adolescentes turcos en el primer año de escuela secundaria.
Metodología: Este estudio se realizó en 47 estudiantes de entre 14 y 16 años de una escuela secundaria en Ankara, Türkiye. Se utilizó un diseño experimental con pretest-postest. Los estudiantes recibieron educación durante ocho semanas después de la administración de la prueba previa. Se administraron pruebas posteriores después de la intervención de ocho semanas. Las pruebas de seguimiento se administraron en la semana dieciséis, ocho semanas después de la administración de las pruebas posteriores. El Índice de Calidad de la Dieta Mediterránea para Niños y Adolescentes (KIDMed), la Escala de Alfabetización Nutricional de Adolescentes (ANSL) y la autoevaluación de conocimientos nutricionales se compararon en tres momentos: preeducación, posteducación y seguimiento. Todos los formularios se utilizaron en formato papel en un entorno de clase durante el horario regular de instrucción escolar.
Resultados: La mayoría de los que autoevaluaron sus conocimientos nutricionales previos a la educación como insuficientes/no sabían evaluaron sus conocimientos nutricionales posteducación (57,1%; p=0,027) y de seguimiento (50%; p=0,013) como suficientes. . Sin embargo, no hubo diferencias significativas entre las puntuaciones de los ítems ANSL antes de la educación y las posteriores a la educación y el seguimiento (p>0,05). Ninguno de los ítems de KIDMed mostró tampoco un cambio significativo en la dirección deseada (mostrando una nutrición más saludable) (p>.05). Entre los ítems de KIDMed, sólo el cambio (en la dirección negativa) para "Tiene cereales o granos para el desayuno" fue estadísticamente significativo (p=0,044 para las diferencias en las pruebas pre-post y p=0,010 para las diferencias pre-seguimiento).
Conclusiones: La intervención nutricional mejoró el conocimiento nutricional autoinformado por los adolescentes. Sin embargo, fue insuficiente para mejorar la alfabetización nutricional y la dieta mediterránea. Al planificar intervenciones dietéticas para mejorar la dieta o las conductas alimentarias de los adolescentes, se sugiere considerar factores individuales relacionados con los adolescentes, así como los campos de Internet y las redes sociales y el entorno alimentario de la escuela y el hogar.
Bacterial DNA Translocation Is Associated With Overt Hepatic Encephalopathy and Mortality in Patients With Cirrhosis
Authors: Thanapirom Kessarin , Suksawatamnuay Sirinporn , Wejnaruemarn Salisa , Thaimai Panarat , Siripon Nipaporn , Ananchuensook Prooksa , Sriphoosanaphan Supachaya , Vanichanan Jakapat , Treeprasertsuk Sombat , Poovorawan Yong , Komolmit Piyawat
Published: March 2024

INTRODUCTION:

Data on the relationship between bacterial translocation, hepatic encephalopathy (HE), and mortality are scarce. This study aimed to assess the association between bacterial DNA (bactDNA) translocation, inflammatory response, ammonia levels, and severity of HE in patients with cirrhosis, as well as the role of bactDNA translocation in predicting mortality.

METHODS:

Cirrhotic patients without bacterial infection were prospectively enrolled between June 2022 and January 2023. Grading of HE was classified by the West Haven Criteria and Psychometric Hepatic Encephalopathy Score ≤ −5.

RESULTS:

Overall, 294 cirrhotic patients were enrolled, with 92 (31.3%) and 58 (19.7%) having covert and overt HE, respectively. BactDNA translocation was detected in 36.1% of patients (n = 106). Patients with overt HE had more bactDNA translocation and higher serum lipopolysaccharide-binding protein (LBP), tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-6 (IL-6), and ammonia levels than those without HE. Patients with detectable bactDNA had higher white cell counts and serum LBP and IL-6 levels than those without. By contrast, bactDNA, serum LBP, and soluble CD14 levels were comparable between patients with covert HE and those without HE. The multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that bactDNA translocation (hazard ratio [HR] = 2.49, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.22–5.11), Model for End-Stage Liver Disease score (HR = 1.12, 95% CI: 1.09–1.16), age (HR = 1.05, 95% CI: 1.000–1.002), and baseline IL-6 (HR = 1.001, 95% CI: 1.000–1.002) were independent factors associated with 6-month mortality.

DISCUSSION:

Apart from hyperammonemia, bactDNA translocation is a possible factor associated with overt HE in cirrhotic patients. BactDNA translocation and IL-6 are independent factors associated with 6-month mortality.
O uso do Instagram por empresários brasileiros como plataforma pró-governo Bolsonaro no início da pandemia de coronavírus
Authors: Venancio Milena de Azeredo Pacheco
Published: March 2024

O presente artigo busca analisar uma postagem do empresário Junior Durski no Instagram em 27/03/2020 e uma postagem do empresário Luciano Hang na mesma rede em 28/03/2020, após o então presidente Jair Bolsonaro, que ambos apoiavam, ter feito um pronunciamento em rede nacional defendendo o fim do isolamento social e ignorando os efeitos do coronavírus na saúde da população. Parte-se da hipótese de que a linguagem utilizada nas postagens contribuiu para a construção de afetos junto ao público, de modo a fazê-los aderir a uma lógica do capital, sob a égide do discurso de meritocracia e realização pessoal que perdurou ao longo do auge da pandemia. A análise é realizada com fundamento na Sociolinguística Interacional, considerando as postagens que envolveram a relação entre trabalho e coronavírus, na semana em que ocorreu o pronunciamento de Bolsonaro.
A mídia nas rédeas do capital: a dicotomia regulação-censura sob a perspectiva democrática habermasiana
Authors: Oliveira Lucas Augusto Ferreira
Published: March 2024

Este estudo, fundamentado na comunicação social e na filosofia política, tem como propósito investigar a correlação hipotética entre o nível de democracia de um país e o grau de regulação da mídia por ele adotado. A partir de uma perspectiva habermasiana, buscou-se analisar a dicotomia entre regulação e censura, e validar, por meio da estatística descritiva, a previsão teórica de que a mídia contribui para a promoção do debate público, ao passo que a atuação midiática orientada pelo capital resulta em distorções na esfera pública.
Touristic activity and disturbances over Nearctic migratory birds oin the coast of Piauí State, Brazil
Authors: Siqueira Airton  Janes da Silva , Nascimento Muryllo dos Santos , Santos Suely Silva , Guzzi Anderson , Braga Solano de Souza
Published: March 2024

The migration of birds is a phenomenon that leads thousands of individuals to move between different areas for feeding and breeding, with these movements often crossing geopolitical borders. This behavior is crucial for the survival of many species. However, anthropogenic impacts are affecting the habitats of these species, contributing to the decline in bird populations. In light of this, the aim of this study was to analyze the disturbances caused by tourist activities on migratory birds visiting the estuaries of the Cardoso and Camurupim rivers on the coast of the state of Piauí and propose measures to mitigate disturbances on the birds. Samples were taken at three observation points, where changes in bird behavior in response to tourist activities were analyzed. Binoculars, a photographic camera, and a laser rangefinder were used to assist in delineating impact zones. Although various tourist activities occur in the region, the main disturbances are caused by kitesurfing and tourists walking near the feeding or resting areas of the species. Calidris minutilla, Calidris pusilla, Calidris alba, Actitis macularius, and Charadriius semipalmatus were the least sensitive species to disturbances, reacting more frequently within impact zones Z = 0-30m and Z = 30-60m, while the species Pluvialis squatarola, Numenius hudsonicus, Tringa melanoleuca, Calidris canutus, Limnodromus griseus, and Pandion haliaetus showed greater escape distances. The results of this study show that tourists walking and kitesurfing are the main activities impacting migratory birds in the region, highlighting the need for measures to mitigate such impacts. Based on the results, the creation of minimum protection zones of 160m and 200m is recommended to mitigate disturbances caused by the approach of bathers and kitesurfers.
Unraveling Environmental Impact Assessment Practitioners in Brazil: Profile, Education and Perception of EIA Practice among CBAI Participants
Authors: Almeida Maria Rita Raimundo , Veronez Fernanda Aparecida , Malvestio Anne Caroline
Published: March 2024

Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) practice demands interactions between different actors, and its effectiveness depends on how they respond to their own expectations, as well as the expectations of other actors and legal standards. Thus, EIA practitioners play an important role in improving this process. This study examines the profile of Brazilian EIA practitioners who participated in at least one edition of the Congresso Brasileiro de Avaliação de Impacto (CBAI - Brazilian Congress on Impact Assessment in English), as well as their perception of EIA practice within the country. It is a quantitative and qualitative research based on the premise that EIA practitioners would have participated in at least one of the first five congresses (CBAI) promoted by the Associação Brasileira de Avaliação de Impacto (ABAI - Brazilian Association for Impact Assessment in English). Data collection involved distributing an online questionnaire, available between September 26th and November 1st, 2022, to all 794 contacts registered at ABAI. A total of 217 responses were obtained, with participants comprising 48% men and 52% women, with the majority falling between 25 and 45 years of age. All respondents had studied EIA (through undergraduate or postgraduate courses, or in other contexts). Most participants had more than 10 years of experience working with EIA, primarily in consultancy and academia. Perceptions regarding the quality, problems, strengths and opportunities of Brazilian EIA practice generally aligned with the literature. Respondents tended to disagree with streamlining EIA and Environmental Licensing procedures and to agree with the necessity of implementing Strategic Environmental Assessment in Brazil. The results are important to understand who Brazilian EIA practitioners are and what this portion of EIA practitioners think.
Do Cyber security, Digitalisation and Data Visualisation Affect the Quality of Internal Environmental Audits?
Authors: Saputra Komang Adi Kurniawan , Paranoan Selmita
Published: March 2024

Introduction/Main Objectives: This research was conducted to provide empirical evidence regarding the analysis of the influence of cyber security, digitalisation, and data visualisation on the quality of internal environmental audits. Background Problems: Some data finds that many hotel industries are still polluting and not managing waste properly according to applicable regulations. So, it is necessary to carry out an internal environmental audit as a reference material for making management decisions. Novelty: Researchers raised variables based on technological sophistication that were not previously considered in audit research. Another novelty is that the research was conducted in the context of service companies in developing countries. Research Methods: Research was conducted at 300 star hotels in Bali. The data collection technique uses a survey mechanism with the help of a questionnaire as a research instrument. Findings/Results: The results of this research show that cyber security, digitalisation, and data visualisation have a significant positive effect on the quality of hotels’ internal environmental audits. Conclusion: Based on empirical findings, it can be concluded that cyber security, digitalisation and data visualisation have a significant positive effect on the quality of internal environmental audits. Therefore, the increasing use of cyber security, managerial digitalisation, and adoption of data visualisation models will improve the quality of internal environmental audits, which can be used by management as a guide in decision making and communication with stakeholders.
Wassermanagement in der kommunalen Praxis. Der Weg zur wassersensiblen Stadt
Authors: Pennekamp Sandra , Heiland Peter
Published: March 2024

Um möglichst naturnahe und klimaresiliente Wasserkreisläufe in Städten zu etablieren, sollten Planungsverfahren in den zuständigen Verwaltungen besser miteinander verzahnt werden. Planende müssen aber auch die nötige Finanzierung durchsetzen und angemessene rechtliche Rahmenbedingungen einfordern.
Artificial intelligence and judicial decision-making: Evaluating the role of AI in debiasing
Authors: Lopes Giovana
Published: March 2024

As arbiters of law and fact, judges are supposed to decide cases impartially, basing their decisions on authoritative legal sources and not being influenced by irrelevant factors. Empirical evidence, however, shows that judges are often influenced by implicit biases, which can affect the impartiality of their judgment and pose a threat to the right to a fair trial. In recent years, artificial intelligence (AI) has been increasingly used for a variety of applications in the public domain, often with the promise of being more accurate and objective than biased human decision-makers. Given this backdrop, this research article identifies how AI is being deployed by courts, mainly as decision-support tools for judges. It assesses the potential and limitations of these tools, focusing on their use for risk assessment. Further, the article shows how AI can be used as a debiasing tool, i. e., to detect patterns of bias in judicial decisions, allowing for corrective measures to be taken. Finally, it assesses the mechanisms and benefits of such use.
Borderline decisions?: Lack of justification for automatic deception detection at EU borders
Authors: Minkin Daniel , Brandner Lou Therese
Published: March 2024

Between 2016 and 2019, the European Union funded the development and testing of a system called “iBorderCtrl”, which aims to help detect illegal migration. Part of iBorderCtrl is an automatic deception detection system (ADDS): Using artificial intelligence, ADDS is designed to calculate the probability of deception by analyzing subtle facial expressions to support the decision-making of border guards. This text explains the operating principle of ADDS and its theoretical foundations. Against this background, possible deficits in the justification of the use of this system are pointed out. Finally, based on empirical findings, potential societal ramifications of an unjustified use of ADDS are discussed.
Situativität, Funktionalität und Vertrauen: Ergebnisse einer szenariobasierten Interviewstudie zur Erklärbarkeit von KI in der Medizin
Authors: Marquardt Manuela , Graf Philipp , Jansen Eva , Hillmann Stefan , Voigt-Antons Jan-Niklas
Published: March 2024

A central requirement for the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in medicine is its explainability, i. e., the provision of addressee-oriented information about its functioning. This leads to the question of how socially adequate explainability can be designed. To identify evaluation factors, we interviewed healthcare stakeholders about two scenarios: diagnostics and documentation. The scenarios vary the influence that an AI system has on decision-making through the interaction design and the amount of data processed. We present key evaluation factors for explainability at the interactional and procedural levels. Explainability must not interfere situationally in the doctor-patient conversation and question the professional role. At the same time, explainability functionally legitimizes an AI system as a second opinion and is central to building trust. A virtual embodiment of the AI system is advantageous for language-based explanations
Artificial intelligence in melanoma diagnosis: Three scenarios, shifts in competencies, need for regulation, and reconciling dissent between humans and AI
Authors: Zoellick Jan C. , Drexler Hans , Drexler Konstantin
Published: March 2024

Tools based on machine learning (so-called artificial intelligence, AI) are increasingly being developed to diagnose malignant melanoma in dermatology. This contribution discusses (1) three scenarios for the use of AI in different medical settings, (2) shifts in competencies from dermatologists to non-specialists and empowered patients, (3) regulatory frameworks to ensure safety and effectiveness and their consequences for AI tools, and (4) cognitive dissonance and potential delegation of human decision-making to AI. We conclude that AI systems should not replace human medical expertise but play a supporting role. We identify needs for regulation and provide recommendations for action to help all (human) actors navigate safely through the choppy waters of this emerging market. Potential dilemmas arise when AI tools provide diagnoses that conflict with human medical expertise. Reconciling these conflicts will be a major challenge.
Assessing the Legality of Autonomous Weapon Systems: An In-depth Examination of International Humanitarian Law Principles
Authors: Khalil Ahmad , Krishna Raj S. Anandha
Published: March 2024

The use of autonomous weapons systems (AWS) to select targets and attack them without human intervention poses a real legal dilemma. What heralds the urgency of the issue is the emergence of some unofficial reports talking about AWS entering the battlefield in recent armed conflicts. Previous literature has been inconclusive on the legitimacy of AWS. This is what prompted us to do this research, which deserves to be investigated in more depth to help reach an international consensus within the international humanitarian law (IHL) framework. The article uses a combination of both doctrinal and non-doctrinal methodology to provide a more comprehensive understanding of the issue. The methodology focuses on analyzing AWS through the perspective of IHL principles because it is the most related law by which the legitimacy of AWS can be assessed. The data collected were secondary and analyzed using quantitative data analysis to shed light on the contradiction between public sentiment and the actual trajectory of AWS development. The results show that military necessity and humanity are two concepts inherent in the true principles of IHL that do not accept measurement or compromise. The article concludes that although artificial intelligence (AI) has not yet reached a threshold that allows reliable deployment of AWS, However, the acceleration of its development indicates that AWS will be able to comply with true IHL principles in the near future.
Leah Ndimurwino, Michaela Jahnig, The Impact of Climate Change in the Southern African Region and Statelessness (Skutki zmian klimatycznych w regionie Afryki Południowej a zjawisko bezpaństwowości), „African Human Mobility Review” 2022, vol. 8, no. 3
Authors: Narożniak Agnieszka
Published: March 2024

Leah Ndimurwino, Michaela Jahnig, The Impact of Climate Change in the Southern African Region and Statelessness (Skutki zmian klimatycznych w regionie Afryki Południowej a zjawisko bezpaństwowości), „African Human Mobility Review” 2022, vol. 8, no. 3, s. 94–128, https://doi.org/10.14426/ahmr.v8i3.1134
Konstytucyjny model pieczy nad zawodami zaufania publicznego
Authors: Świderski Krzysztof
Published: March 2024

The article presents selected problems concerning custody for persons with professions of public trust. First, attention is drawn to the historical understanding of custody. In the past, custody was perceived as a manifestation of managing administration. The current way of thinking about custody results from the custody model contained in Art. 17 section 1 of the Constitution of the Republic of Poland. Exercising custody is one of the forms of coercive professional self-governing body activity. Custody is exercised by an entity endowed with administrative power, which is a component of public authorities. The purpose of custody is to protect the public interest, understood primarily as building public trust. The basic factors that build public trust are high professionalism of services, the obligation to maintain professional secrecy, and providing citizens with full information about the service provided. Activities undertaken as part of the exercise of custody serve the purpose of enhancing and protecting public trust. Custody is exercised with regard to persons performing professions of public trust. Such persons remain outside the public administration and perform professional activities on their own account and in their own name. These are private individuals that render specialized services which are important from the point of view of the basic goods of an individual, such as health, property interests or personal rights. Administrative custody is exercised to ensure that the needs of citizens are properly met. The competent professional self-government bodies should ensure the conditions for providing citizens with the best quality services in the field of health care, legal protection, property protection and wherever public safety is concerned. Exercising custody by professional self-governments makes it possible to interfere with authority in socially important activities undertaken by persons outside the structures of public administration.
Realizacja prawa do diagnozy przez lekarza
Authors: Szudejko Piotr
Published: March 2024

The subject of the article is a presentation of the concept of the patient’s subjective right to a doctor’s diagnosis.The starting point is a discussion of the clinical diagnostic process currently used in medicine, as well as the clinical decision-making. In the literature, a fairly widely accepted division of clinical diagnostics is used, which breaks diagnostics down into the following elements: subjective examination (interview conducted with the patient or their family), physical examination (determining symptoms using basic methods) and additional examination (using technological advances to determine symptoms, e.g. CT scan). It is indicated that legal provisions do not take into account the abovementioned division, which may cause interpretation difficulties when assessing the possibility of factual guardian consenting to the medical examination. Also, the clinical decision-making stage has been distinguished, which is the basis for the  herapeutic decision and, consequently, determines the success of treatment. Next, the patient’s right to information on their health is discussed, which is considered a part of a broader right to information about oneself. Justifications for medical truthfulness are presented as well as an exception to this rule – the so-called therapeutic privilege. Next, the postulated right to diagnosis is discussed, which consists of the following specific rights: the right to form a diagnosis, the right to be informed of a diagnosis, the right to information about the impossibility of a diagnosis, and finally, the right to remain in ignorance. Legal provisions and principles of medical deontology, from which the above law can be derived, are also discussed. The conclusion of the article is that the right to a diagnosis can be justified on the basis of the currently applicable laws and in this respect no legislative initiative is necessary.
Realizacja prawa do prywatności w rozumieniu poszanowania życia rodzinnego i wykonywania opieki rodzicielskiej w warunkach ubóstwa. Uwagi na gruncie wybranych norm prawa międzynarodowego publicznego i Europejskiej konwencji praw człowieka
Authors: Ćmikiewicz Marta
Published: March 2024

Interference in family life is a particular form of threat to poor families, especially when the only impetus for state action in the form of an interference in the right to privacy is the poor material situation of the family. The article reflects on the possible threats to the realisation of family life within the framework of the right to privacy established under public international law, in particular the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). In the view of the Human Rights Committee, the family should be oriented towards enabling the child to remain in the care of his or her parents or to return to their care or to other family members. The Committee on the Rights of the Child points out that the implementation of the right to privacy prohibits the recognition of material poverty as a basis and justification for taking a child out of parental care and into foster care. The European Court of Human Rights case law presented in the article confirms that children from poor families are at risk of being taken away from their parents and placed in foster care due to the financial status of the family, which may constitute a violation of the Article 8 of the ECHR. The fact that state authorities wrongly equate the lack of sufficient resources to support the family with child neglect poses a threat to the family life of poor individuals. Victims of violations of family bonds through harm to the private lives of family members should be protected under the human rights system. The following analysis makes it possible to identify the relevant problems from the point of view of the impoverished person or/and family, such as the questioning of parental capacity as a consequence of the erroneous equation of poverty with child neglect, or the withdrawal of the right to material assistance, all of which affect the realisation of family life, and further enables the identification of legal remedies for protection.
Hydrogen in metallic alloys ─ embrittlement and enhanced plasticity: a review
Authors: Gavriljuk Valentin G. , Shyvaniuk Vladyslav M. , Teus Sergey M.
Published: March 2024

The evolution of ideas concerning the nature of hydrogen embrittlement of engineering metallic materials is described based on a number of the proposed hypotheses and corresponding experiments. The main attention is paid to two of them, namely hydrogen-enhanced decohesion (HEDE) and hydrogen-enhanced localized plasticity (HELP). Recent attempts to interconnect the both models as HELP + HEDE and HELP-mediated HEDE ones are also estimated. A conclusion is made that HELP model is preferential for understanding the entire array of experimental data with a caveat that it is necessary to consider the chemical nature of hydrogen atoms and view them not only as point defects. Based on the studies of hydrogen effect on the atomic interactions in iron, nickel, titanium, and its alloys, it is shown that the electron approach to HELP phenomenon adequately describes two competitive features of hydrogen behavior in metals: increased brittleness and enhanced plasticity. Due to the increase in the concentration of free electrons, hydrogen decreases the elasticity moduli, which causes the crystal lattice to soften. For this reason, the formation of hydrogen atmospheres around the dislocations decreases the start stress of dislocation sources, as well as line tension of emitted dislocations, enhancing thereby their mobility, and weakens repulsion between dislocations in their pile-ups. The range of temperatures and strain rates in which hydrogen embrittlement occurs is controlled by the enthalpies of hydrogen atoms’ diffusion and their binding to dislocations. The resulting consequences for mechanical properties depend on the short-range atomic order, SRO, which inherently occurs in the metallic solid solutions and localizes plastic deformation both in the cases of short-range atomic ordering and of short-range atomic decomposition. Hydrogen enhances slip localization because of its different solubility in the submicrovolumes of short-range decomposed solid solutions. If SRO is absent or not remarkably formed, the hydrogen-increased concentration of free electrons results in enhanced plasticity. Available positive hydrogen effects on the plasticity of titanium β-alloys and austenitic steels are presented and interpreted.
The Impact of “Scratch” on Student Engagement and Academic Performance in Primary Schools
Authors: Belessova Damira , Ibashova Almira , Zhidebayeva Aziza , Shaimerdenova Guldana , Nakhipova Venera
Published: March 2024

This study aimed to investigate the impact of the Scratch programming environment on student engagement and academic performance in primary informatics education. The research was conducted over three academic years (2020–2023) in educational organizations (ADAN and Navoiy schools) involving 170 first and third-grade students. The Student Engagement Instrument (SEI) was used to assess cognitive, emotional, and behavioral engagement, and academic performance was evaluated based on trimester grades in informatics. The results indicated significant improvement in both student engagement and academic performance post-implementation of Scratch. Cognitive, emotional, and behavioral engagement scores showed a marked increase, from an average SEI score of 3.3 to 4.0 for first graders and 3.7 to 4.4 for third graders. Similarly, academic performance demonstrated a considerable enhancement, with average grades rising from 53.5 to 80.3 for first graders and 57.3 to 84.5 for third graders over four trimesters. Teachers’ observational data, complemented by qualitative focus group discussions, reinforced these findings.
Forecasting changes in precipitation and temperatures of a regional watershed in Northern Iraq using LARS-WG model
Authors: Muhaisen Nasser Kh. , Khayyun Thair Sh. , Al Mukhtar Mustafa , Hassan Waqed H.
Published: March 2024

Regions characterized by an arid or semi-arid climate are highly susceptible to prospective climate change impacts worldwide. Therefore, evaluating the effects of global warming on water availability in such regions must be accurately addressed to identify the optimal operation policy of water management facilities. This study used the weather generator model LARS-WG6.0 to forecast possible variations in precipitation and temperature of the Mosul Dam Reservoir in northern Iraq. Future climate change was predicted using three greenhouse gas emission scenarios (i.e., RCP2.6, RCP4.5, and RCP8.5) for four time intervals (2021–2040, 2041–2060, 2061–2080, and 2081–2100) using five Global climate models (GCMs): CSIRO-Mk3.6.0, HadGEM2-ES, CanESM2, BCC-CSM1-1, and NorESM1-M. The model’s calibration and validation were conducted using data from 2001 to 2020 from eight meteorological stations in the study area. The results showed that the weather generator model’s performance was outstanding in predicting daily climate variables. The results also showed that the highest increase in maximum and minimum temperatures was 5.70°C in July and 5.30°C in September, respectively, for the future period 2081–2100 under RCP8.5. The highly forecasted minimum and maximum temperatures were extracted from the CanESM2 and HadGEM2-ES GCM models. It was demonstrated that the study region would experience different patterns of precipitation change during the wet seasons in the evaluated periods. Finally, the variations in precipitation and temperatures in the Mosul dam region would significantly impact the amount of freshwater obtained in these areas due to rising loss rates of evaporation. This could lead to a water shortage and mismanagement of the sustainable operations of the dam.
Study of two glycosyltransferases related to polysaccharide biosynthesis in Rhodococcus jostii RHA1
Authors: Cereijo Antonela Estefania , Ferretti María Victoria , Iglesias Alberto Alvaro , Álvarez Héctor Manuel , Asencion Diez Matías Damian
Published: March 2024

The bacterial genus Rhodococcus comprises organisms performing oleaginous behaviors under certain growth conditions and ratios of carbon and nitrogen availability. Rhodococci are outstanding producers of biofuel precursors, where lipid and glycogen metabolisms are closely related. Thus, a better understanding of rhodococcal carbon partitioning requires identifying catalytic steps redirecting sugar moieties to storage molecules. Here, we analyzed two GT4 glycosyl-transferases from Rhodococcus jostii (RjoGlgAb and RjoGlgAc) annotated as α-glucan-α-1,4-glucosyl transferases, putatively involved in glycogen synthesis. Both enzymes were produced in Escherichia coli cells, purified to homogeneity, and kinetically characterized. RjoGlgAb and RjoGlgAc presented the “canonical” glycogen synthase activity and were actives as maltose-1P synthases, although to a different extent. Then, RjoGlgAc is a homologous enzyme to the mycobacterial GlgM, with similar kinetic behavior and glucosyl-donor preference. RjoGlgAc was two orders of magnitude more efficient to glucosylate glucose-1P than glycogen, also using glucosamine-1P as a catalytically efficient aglycon. Instead, RjoGlgAb exhibited both activities with similar kinetic efficiency and preference for short-branched α-1,4-glucans. Curiously, RjoGlgAb presented a super-oligomeric conformation (higher than 15 subunits), representing a novel enzyme with a unique structure-to-function relationship. Kinetic results presented herein constitute a hint to infer on polysaccharides biosynthesis in rhodococci from an enzymological point of view.
Income Inequality and External Wealth of Nations
Authors: Carrera Jorge , Montes-Rojas Gabriel , Panigo Demian , Toledo Fernando
Published: March 2024

We study the relationship between income inequality and external wealth using dynamic panel data models with 5-years average observations to consider the slow motion of available data in the case of 88 emerging and developing economies for the period 1970–2020. We find evidence of a significant positive association between inequality indicators and net external wealth. This relationship is statistically significant for all income inequality measures and net external wealth variables. If the Top 1 of the richest individuals in a given country increments their share by 1 % point this will produce an average same-year increment in net foreign assets of 0.45 % in terms of the country’s GDP. The long-run effect is more than double in magnitude (1.05 % of GDP). For the Top 10, the long-run effect increases tenfold (11.6 % of GDP). When disaggregated into foreign assets and liabilities, we find a heterogeneous behavior of the financial elites. These findings reveal that financialized elites have a greater propensity to accumulate external wealth than the rest of the population.
Dense wavelength division multiplexing scheme based on effective distributed inline light fiber Raman amplifier configuration
Authors: Ramkumar Govindaraj , Devi Perumal Kalpana , Shankar Vinodhini , Pandarinathan Sivaraman , Eshwar Rajinikanth , Sukumar Binu , Omran Omar Karem
Published: March 2024

This paper demonstrated the dense wavelength division multiplexing scheme based on effective distributed inline light fiber Raman amplifier configuration. Various forward/backward and bidirectional pumping power configurations are studied versus fiber reach. Output light signal power is demonstrated against fiber reach without Raman amplification technique. Output light signal power in the forward Raman amplification scheme is clarified with pumping power of both 500 mW and 700 mW in various fiber channel configurations. As well as output light signal power in the backward Raman amplification scheme with pumping power of both 500 mW and 700 mW in various fiber channel configurations. Amplification Raman gain parameter coefficient is demonstrated with various values of pumping power pump based on various fiber channel configurations. Backward amplification net parameter gain is studied for different single mode/true wave/freelight fibers channel configuration at different both pumping power values and fiber reach. As well as the forward amplification net parameter gain is clarified for different single mode/true wave/freelight fibers channel configuration at different both pumping power values and fiber reach.
Optical communication enhanced IDMBOC for maximizing backhaul-effect & maintaining optimum cell sizes
Authors: Mankar Kanchan , Varade Suchita
Published: March 2024

The increasing need for high data rates and low latency in optical communication networks necessitates innovative solution for system efficiency enhancements. With the persistent increase in data demand and the emergence of diverse applications in 5G networks, minimizing the backhaul-effect while maintaining optimal cell sizes has become a formidable obstacle. Existing methods are incapable of achieving a comprehensive optimization of network parameters, resulting in degraded performance metrics. To address these constraints, our proposed approach integrates optical communication infrastructure into IDMBOC systems which maximizes backhaul-effect and preserves optimal cell sizes. This work is primarily motivated by the need to improve the efficiency and quality of 5G networks in the face of rising data traffic. Existing methods frequently struggle to optimize concurrently multiple 5G network aspects, such as carrier aggregation, dynamic spectrum sharing, packet prioritization, network function virtualization, frequency planning, HetNets deployments, and network slicing process. As a result, these methods are incapable of delivering robust and scalable solutions. To solve these issues, we present an Iterative dual metaheuristic method that combines ant lion optimization (ALO) and grey wolf optimization (GWO) in a synergistic manner for 5G deployments. The proposed method is functionally superior to existing models. By capitalizing on the strengths of both ALO and GWO, our approach achieves superior performance metrics in comparison to recently proposed methods for maximizing backhaul-effect and maintaining optimal cell sizes. The preliminary results reveal a remarkable 8.3 % reduction in bit error rate (BER), 4.9 % reduction in energy consumption, 8.5 % increase in throughput, and 4.5 % reduction in communication delay. The achieved results demonstrate the revolutionary potential of our 5G network optimization approach and pave the way for future research and advancements in the field for different scenarios. These enhancements will revolutionize optical communication networks in order to accommodate the requirements of 5G, IoT, and other contemporary applications.
Evaluating the impact of childhood BMI on the risk of coronavirus disease 2019: A Mendelian randomization study
Authors: Liu Yuan , Miu Yujian , Zhang Ningjie , Yu Wenhao , Chen Yu , Zhang Jianli , Zhang Bo
Published: March 2024

Introduction

Although the correlation between childhood obesity and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been explored, the causality of these remains uncertain. Thus, we conducted a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis to identify the causal association.

Methods

Instrumental variables of childhood obesity were selected from genome-wide association study involving 61,111 Europeans. Besides, we collected summary statistics of different COVID-19 outcomes (susceptibility, hospitalization, and severity) from genome-wide association study including more than 2 million Europeans. The inverse-variance weighted was applied to assess the causality of childhood obesity with COVID-19. Furthermore, we replicated the above association based on another study.

Results

Inverse-variance weighted results suggested that childhood obesity promoted the COVID-19 susceptibility but has not been validated in other approaches. For hospitalization and severity of COVID-19, we found that childhood obesity, respectively, increased 30 and 38% risk (P < 0.001), which were consistent in other MR approaches.

Discussion

Our study provides evidence for a causal relationship between childhood BMI and COVID-19 which is consistent with previous studies. Though these explanations are biologically plausible, further studies are warranted to elucidate the role of these.

Conclusions

Our study suggests the potential causal associations of childhood obesity with COVID-19, especially hospitalization and severity of COVID-19.
Migration Crisis in the Andes: A Case Study of Localization and Acompañamiento from Medellin, Colombia
Authors: Appe Susan , Araque Lenis Yelin , Telch Fabian
Published: March 2024

In this article, we explore the question: how do local nonprofits respond to migration crises? We focus on the migration context across Colombia and Venezuela, two countries situated in the Andean region of South America with histories of migratory patterns, and geographies where public goods and services by government are limited, leaving nonprofits often as primary service providers. We explore our research question through the case study of the nonprofit organization Fundación Huellas. The Fundación Huellas case study outlines a local, community-based nonprofit responding to a migration crisis in Medellín, Colombia. While micro-territorial in scope, we posit that the case helps to understand the role(s) of nonprofit organizations in migration crises and demonstrates an important dimension to localization in the provision of public goods and services in such contexts. We find that localization should be explored and understood in Latin America as including the dimension of “acompañamiento” (or accompaniment in English), which can manifest in daily nonprofit practice. We use our case study data to introduce and explain the dimension of “acompañamiento” in localization and migration crises and to call on the field and funders to better recognize and support this orientation in local nonprofit responses.
An extended model to assess Jeffery–Hamel blood flow through arteries with iron-oxide (Fe2O3) nanoparticles and melting effects: Entropy optimization analysis
Authors: Rehman Sohail , Alqahtani Sultan , Eldin Sayed M. , Hashim  , Alshehery Sultan
Published: March 2024

Nanofluids are utilized in cancer therapy to boost therapeutic effectiveness and prevent adverse reactions. These nanoparticles are delivered to the cancerous tissues under the influence of radiation through the blood vessels. In the current study, the propagation of nanoparticles within the blood in a divergent/convergent vertical channel with flexible boundaries is elaborated computationally. The base fluid (Carreau fluid model) is speculated to be blood, whereas nanofluid is believed to be an iron oxide–blood mixture. Because of its shear thinning or shear thickening features, the Carreau fluid model more precisely depicts the rheological characteristics of blood. The arterial section is considered a convergent or divergent channel based on its topological configuration (non-uniform cross section). An iron oxide (Fe2O3{\rm{F}}{{\rm{e}}}_{2}{{\rm{O}}}_{3}) nanoparticle is injected into the blood (base fluid). To eliminate the viscous effect in the region of the artery wall, a slip boundary condition is applied. An analysis of the transport phenomena is preferred using the melting heat transfer phenomena, which can work in melting plaques or fats at the vessel walls. The effects of thermal radiation, which is advantageous in cancer therapy, biomedical imaging, hyperthermia, and tumor therapy, are incorporated in heat transport mechanisms. The governing equation for the flow model with realistic boundary conditions is numerically tickled using the RK45 mechanism. The findings reveal that the flow dynamism and thermal behavior are significantly influenced by melting effects. HigherRe\mathrm{Re}can produce spots in which the track of the wall shear stress fluctuates. The melting effects can produce agitation and increase the flow through viscous head losses, causing melting of the blockage. The maximum heat transfer of5%5 \%is achieved withWe{\rm{We}}when the volume friction is kept at1%1 \%. With higher estimation of inertial forcesRe\mathrm{Re}\hspace{1em}and same volume friction, the skin drag coefficient augmented to34%34 \%. The overall temperature is greater for the divergent flow scenario.