bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
LUBM4OBDA: Benchmarking OBDA Systems with Inference and Meta Knowledge
Authors: Arenas-Guerrero Julián , Pérez María S. , Corcho Oscar
Published: February 2024

Ontology-based data access focuses on enabling query evaluation over heterogeneous relational databases according to the model represented by an ontology. The relationships between the ontology and the data sources are commonly defined with declarative mappings, which are used by systems to perform SPARQL-to-SQL query translation or to generate RDF dumps from the relational databases. Besides the potential homogenization of data because of using an ontology, some additional advantages of this paradigm are that it may allow applying reasoning thanks to the ontology, as well as querying for meta knowledge, which describes statements with information such as provenance or certainty. In this paper, (i) we adapt a widely used RDF graph store benchmark, namely LUBM, for ontology-based data access, (ii) extend the benchmark for the evaluation of queries that exploit meta knowledge, and (iii) apply it for performance evaluation of state-of-the-art declarative mapping systems. Our proposal, the LUBM4OBDA Benchmark, considers inference capabilities that are not covered by previous ontology-based data access benchmarks, and it is the first one for the evaluation of meta knowledge and the RDF-star data model. The experimental evaluation shows that current virtualization systems cannot handle some advanced inference tasks, and that optimizations are needed to scale RDF-star materialization.
Innovation Subjects Impacting Business Model Changes in Chinese Wooden Furniture Manufacturers: An Empirical Study
Authors: Lin Meng , Shan Liyan , Cao Yukun , Li Weidong
Published: February 2024

In the era of a digital economy, business model innovation takes on a critical significance to the transformation of conventional manufacturing enterprises. Factors for the innovation originate from both inside and outside the manufacturing enterprises. Previous studies focused on external factors, and few on the main factors of innovation. With Chinese wooden furniture manufacturing enterprises as an example, the paper focuses on the effect of innovation subject factors on the formation and practice of business model innovation planning. It was found that employees of all ages and levels have different ideas about business model innovation practice, and learning and absorptive abilities of employees, entrepreneurship, and factors at all dimensions of enterprise culture at the organizational level play an active promoting role at different stages of business model innovation, among which enterprise culture has a regulatory effect. This study enriches the research field about the effect of innovation subjects on business model innovation behaviors, and provides reference for wooden furniture manufacturing enterprises and even conventional manufacturing enterprises to facilitate the realization of business model innovation.
Experimental Study on Compression Moulding of Carya cathayensis Husks at Room Temperature
Authors: Xu Xiaofeng , Yu Guosheng , Zhang Wei , Wang Jue , Yao Wenbin
Published: February 2024

Using crushed hickory husks as raw materials, a single factor test was carried out on a hydraulic-plunger forming machine with different moisture contents and length–diameter ratios (LDRs) of forming mould in order to obtain biomass moulding fuel (BMF) briquettes. The moulding pressure in the forming mould was measured by the sensor, and the microstructures of the BMF briquettes were observed via stereomicroscope. Results showed that hickory husks could be compressed and formed into BMF briquettes at room temperature. When the moisture content of the raw materials was 14 percent and LDR of the forming mould was 4.5, the quality of BMF was best, and relaxation density of the BMF briquette was 0.98 g/cm3. When the moisture content stayed same, the forming pressure increased correspondingly with the increase of the LDR of the forming mould. When the LDR of the forming mould stayed the same, the moulding pressure increased first and then decreased with increase of moisture content. This study is of great significance because it demonstrates improvement in the utilization range of hickory husks, with the potential for reducing environmental pollution and increasing farmers’ income.
Multilevel Pre-extensively Drug-resistant Tubercular Spondylodiscitis: Underdiagnosed or Overlooked? A Case Report
Authors:   Department of Orthopaedics, B.Y.L Nair Charitable Hospital, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India., Avhad Tanmay , Subith S ,   Department of Orthopaedics, B.Y.L Nair Charitable Hospital, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India., Shrivastava Vanksha ,   Department of Orthopaedics, B.Y.L Nair Charitable Hospital, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India., Zafar Syed ,   Department of Orthopaedics, B.Y.L Nair Charitable Hospital, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India., Chaudhary Arif ,   Department of Orthopaedics, B.Y.L Nair Charitable Hospital, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.
Published: February 2024

Introduction: Pre-extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis (TB) is characterized by resistance to either a fluoroquinolone (FQ) or a second-line injectable but not both. The urgent need for prompt diagnosis and targeted treatment is emphasized. This report aims to spotlight a case of spinal TB with insufficient assessment, resulting in delayed definitive treatment and an oversight contributing to heightened morbidity. Case Report: An 18-year-old female who was initially diagnosed to have multidrug-resistant TB leading to a 2-year treatment which eventually resulted in multifocal involvement of the spine revealing TB relapse with FQ resistance, categorized as pre-extensively drug-resistant TB. Treatment was shifted to newer drugs, addressing challenges like bilateral psoas abscess, which lead to clinical improvement, allowing the patient to make a good recovery. Conclusion: This case report emphasizes the significance of conducting culture and drug sensitivity testing in patients with tubercular spondylodiscitis. The aim is to prevent misdiagnosis and ensure informed decisions regarding definitive medical treatment or surgical management when necessary. Keywords: Pre-extensively drug-resistant, tuberculosis, drug resistance, drug sensitivity testing.
Five-year survival of triple-negative breast cancer and the associated clinicopathological factors: a study in an Indonesian tertiary hospital
Authors: Yulian Erwin Danil , Fachriza Ihza
Published: February 2024

BACKGROUND Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) has a worse rate of recurrence, survival, and overall survival. This study aimed to find the survival of TNBC and its clinicopathological factors at Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital.

METHODS This study used survival analysis based on clinicopathology in 112 TNBC cases at Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital, Jakarta, Indonesia, diagnosed from 2009 to 2019. Kaplan–Meier and log-rank tests were used for the analysis. Bivariate and multivariate analyses using Cox regression were performed to obtain the hazard ratios (HRs).

RESULTS Most patients were diagnosed at the locally advanced stage (40.2%) compared to the early (33.0%) and metastatic stages (17.9%). The 5-year survival of TNBC was 81.2% with an HR value of 1.372 (p = 0.239) compared to luminal A. Bivariate analyses showed that the older age group with an HR of 6.845 (p = 0.013; CI 1.500–31.243), larger tumor size and extension (T) with an HR of 11.826 (p = 0.001; CI 2.707–51.653), broader regional lymph node involvement (N) with an HR of 8.929 (p = 0.019; CI 1.434–55.587), farther distant metastases (M) with an HR of 3.016 (p = 0.015; CI 1.242–7.322), more lymphovascular invasion with HR of 3.006 (p = 0.018; CI 1.209–7.477), and not operated-on cases with an HR of 9.165 (p<0.001; CI 3.303–25.434) significantly shortened the survival of TNBC. Multivariate analysis found that the only factor worsening the survival was not having surgery, with an HR of 6.175 (p<0.001; CI 1.518–34.288).

CONCLUSIONS The 5-year survival rate of TNBC patients was 81.2%. Not having surgery was a clinicopathological factor that worsened survival outcomes in TNBC.
Three Australian Vignettes about Professor Otfrid Foerster, Neurosurgeon of Breslau (Wrocław)
Authors: Freeman Brian , Grace Damian , Carmody John
Published: February 2024

Abstract: We document three Australian responses to the work of Otfrid Foerster. The first comes from the expatriate neurosurgeon Sir Hugh Cairns, who visited Foerster in Breslau (Wrocław) and was one of Foerster's obituarists. The second is from a medical practitioner and anatomist Dr Toby Arnold, who never met Foerster but was provoked to anger by the methods Foerster used to map dermatomes yet felt unable to complain. The third is from an Australian patient, who in 1928 underwent neurosurgery by Foerster with the ordeal being published on the front page of a Sydney newspaper. The contrast is interesting because while the medical profession generally ignored Foerster's conduct, that same conduct was the subject of unfavourable publicity. Did the medical profession exempt itself from common moral standards?
Snapshots de la frontera: cotidianidad, religiosidad y violencia en Canícula de Norma Elia Cantú
Authors: Medina-Ágreda Hipatia
Published: February 2024

Resumen: El presente ensayo ofrece un análisis de la novela Canícula: Snapshots of a Girlhood en la Frontera (1995, 2015) de Norma Elia Cantú. Específicamente, se analiza cómo Cantú reconfigura la memoria colectiva y la violencia del espacio fronterizo de Nuevo Laredo, México y Laredo, EE. UU., a partir de la cotidianidad y religiosidad popular. Las escenas de los rituales de vida y muerte, anclados en el leitmotiv de la muerte de su hermano Tino—caído del conflicto armado de Vietnam—conforman un diario colectivo para entender la violencia del espacio fronterizo desde la cotidianidad; es decir, desde la experiencia vivida de quienes en ella habitan, y que dista en mucho de la violencia espectacular asociada a la frontera en la cultura popular. Abstract: This essay offers an analysis of the novel Canícula: Snapshots of a Girlhood en la Frontera (1995, 2015) by Norma Elia Cantú. Specifically, it focuses on how Cantú reconfigures the collective memory and the violence of the border space of Nuevo Laredo, Mexico and Laredo, USA, based on the daily life and popular religiosity. The scenes of the book regarding the rituals of life and death, which are anchored in the leitmotiv of the death of his brother Tino—a fallen soldier from the Vietnam War—, craft a collective diary to understand everyday-life-violence from the border area; that is, from the lived experience of those who inhabit this space, in which the experience of ‘violence’ differs from the spectacular violence portrayed in popular culture.
Healthy, Wealthy, and White: The Great War and Shell Shock in Nella Larsen’s Passing
Authors: Shaheen Aaron
Published: February 2024

Abstract: This essay sheds new light on the character of Passing ’s Brian Redfield, whose restlessness and mood swings bear a striking resemblance to contemporaneous accounts of shell shock among Great War veterans. Brian, himself such a veteran as well as a physician, is so insecure about his wartime past that he looks to Claire Bellew as a model for how to pass successfully, even if the nature of his passing is not based on race, as hers is, but based on a facade of emotional stability. Larsen’s novel reveals how the intertwined discourses of shell shock and racial passing attempted to explain whiteness’s insidious role in America’s postwar “return to normalcy.”
Polarization smoothing based on full Poincaré beams modulated by stress-engineered optics
Authors: Liu Bowu , Sun Xibo , Wang Hui , Yuan Qiang , Tian Menjiya , Chu Dongya , Geng Yuanchao
Published: February 2024

In laser-driven inertial confinement fusion (ICF) facilities, nonuniform laser irradiation can cause significant challenges, such as hydrodynamics instability and laser plasma instability, which hinder the success of fusion. This article presents a new idea for improving the uniformity of far-field laser irradiation through a method of single-beam polarization smoothing. The method involves modulating full Poincaré beams using stress-engineered optics made from fused silica. We designed a stress birefringence system and conducted opto-mechanical modeling and analysis on it. The article elaborates on the mechanism and principles of generating large-aperture full Poincaré beams by stress birefringence, as well as the mechanism of polarization smoothing by full Poincaré beams. Near-field polarization measurements were conducted to verify these mechanisms, and the effectiveness of this method in improving the uniformity of laser irradiation in the target area was evaluated through far-field optical tests.
Narrowband-seeded PPLN non-resonant optical parametric oscillator
Authors: Temel Tugba , Murray Robert T. , Wang Li , Chen Weidong , Schirrmacher André , Battle Ronan A. , Petrov Valentin
Published: February 2024

A PPLN non-resonant optical parametric oscillator injection-seeded by narrowband sub-100-mW CW radiation at the signal wavelength produces > 3 W idler average power at 2376 nm for a 20-kHz repetition rate, with a sub-2-nm spectral linewidth. The maximum quantum efficiency reaches 39.5%, roughly 1.4 times higher compared to narrowband operation achieved with a volume Bragg grating at the same pump level. Seed levels as low as 40 mW are sufficient to produce the desired spectral narrowing effect.
Female adolescent sexual reproductive health service utilization concerns: A qualitative enquiry in the Tema metropolis of Ghana
Authors: Agbenu Innes , Kyei Josephine , Naab Florence
Published: February 2024

Background

Evidence globally indicates that female adolescents face numerous sexual and reproductive health (SRH) risks. Utilization of sexual reproductive health services among adolescents is of global health importance and plays a crucial role in adolescent sexual reproductive health outcomes and their quality of life.

Aim

The current study explored sexual reproductive health service utilization concerns among female adolescents in the Tema Metropolis in Southern Ghana using the Anderson and Newman Behavioural model of Health Service Utilization as a guiding framework.

Methods

The study utilized a qualitative exploratory descriptive design. Purposive sampling was used to recruit female adolescents. In-depth face-to-face interviews were conducted using a semi-structured interview guide. In all, 12 interviews were conducted. Each interview lasted between 45 and 60 minutes. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using thematic content analysis. Thematic analysis was guided by the constructs of the Anderson and Newman Behavioural model of health service utilization.

Results

Utilization of sexual reproductive health services among female adolescents is low in the Tema metropolis. Factors such as unprotected non-consensual sexual activity or an unwanted pregnancy sometimes triggered the use of these services. Barriers to utilization identified include lack of awareness on sexual reproductive health services, unreliable sources of SRH information, underestimation of the severity of sexual reproductive health problems faced, unmet expectations and poor experiences with service providers.

Conclusion

The current study identified poor utilization of sexual reproductive health services among female adolescents within the Tema metropolis of Ghana. There is the need to increase the number of adolescent health corners, increase awareness about SRH services among adolescents, improve parent-child SRH communication and provide adequate training for healthcare providers to improve provider attitude towards adolescent SRH service delivery in order to increase utilization of sexual reproductive health services among female adolescents in the Metropolis.
Determining online consumer’s luxury purchase intention: The influence of antecedent factors and the moderating role of brand awareness, perceived risk, and web atmospherics
Authors: Majeed Muhammad Ussama , Aftab Hira , Arslan Ali , Shakeel Zulaikha
Published: February 2024

The Internet has become the fastest-growing way to sell luxury products. Purchase intention for luxury products in online stores has taken attention in the last few years since the sector has proliferated. The primary objective of this study is to examine the impact of various factors such as Product knowledge, Price consciousness, Perceived enjoyment, Perceived ease of usage, and usefulness on online luxury purchase intention in developing countries like Pakistan. Data was collected from 267 luxury fashion customers in Pakistan through an online questionnaire, and the results were analyzed using Smart PLS-SEM. In addition, the paper investigates the moderating effect of Perceived risk, Brand awareness and Web Atmospheric on the link between the Attitude and Online Luxury Purchase Intentions of the consumer to buy luxury fashion products online. The framework of this study is validated by structural equation modelling (SEM). The findings of this study show that perceived enjoyment, price consciousness, and Perceived ease of use significantly and positively impact online luxury purchase intention. Additionally, the findings indicated that brand awareness, perceived risk, and web atmospherics each intervened as moderators in the relationship between attitudes toward purchasing luxury products and online luxury purchase intentions. Product knowledge is not directly related to online purchase intention, but Attitude plays a mediating role in the relationship between product knowledge and online luxury buying purpose. In the context of luxury product intention, this study is one of the first to investigate the moderating effect that brand awareness, perceived risk, and web atmospherics play. It will help luxury brands develop the right tactics for selling luxury goods online in developing countries like Pakistan.
The determinants of maternal perception of antenatal care services during the COVID-19 pandemic critical phase: A systematic review
Authors: Bahari Nor Izyani , Sutan Rosnah , Abdullah Mahdy Zaleha
Published: February 2024

Introduction

The COVID-19 pandemic has exerted devastating effects on healthcare delivery systems, specifically those for pregnant women. The aim of this review was to determine the maternal perception of antenatal health care services during the COVID-19 pandemic critical phase.

Methods

Scopus, Web of Science, SAGE, and Ovid were systematically searched using the keywords “maternal”, “COVID-19 pandemic”, “maternal health service”, and “maternal perception”. Articles were eligible for inclusion if they were original articles, written in English, and published between January 1, 2020, and December 12, 2022. This review was performed based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Eligible articles were assessed using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool. Thematic analysis was used for data synthesis.

Results

Of 2683 articles identified, 13 fulfilled the inclusion criteria and were included in the narrative synthesis. Five themes emerged regarding the determinants of maternal perception of antenatal healthcare services during the COVID-19 pandemic critical phase: lack of psychosocial support, poor maternal healthcare quality, poor opinion of virtual consultation, health structure adaptation failure to meet women’s needs, and satisfaction with maternal health services.

Conclusion

Maternal perception, specifically pregnant women’s psychosocial and maternal health needs, should be focused on the continuation of maternal care during the COVID-19 pandemic. It is critical to identify the maternal perception of maternal health services during the pandemic to ensure health service equity in the “new normal” future.
Can the green credit guidelines effectively deter enterprise inefficient investment of innovation? -evidence from heavy polluting enterprises in China
Authors: Song Chuanhua , Jiao Shengli , Sun Zengjun
Published: February 2024

The green credit policy serves as a crucial instrument for achieving the dual objectives of optimal resource allocation and green development. It plays a pivotal role in curbing inefficient investments in innovation by enterprises. This research employs the PSM-DID method to effectively explore the practical effects of the green credit policy on the innovation inefficiency investments of heavily polluting enterprises in China. Examining the impact from the perspectives of environmental regulation and financial constraints, the study utilizes panel data from listed companies on the Shanghai and Shenzhen A-shares markets spanning from 2010 to 2020. The following conclusions are drawn: (1) Green credit policy has proven effective in inhibiting the inefficient investment in innovation by heavily polluting enterprises when compared to non-heavily polluting enterprises. (2) Moreover, this effect is more pronounced in state-owned enterprises and regions with less financial development. (3) Mechanism testing reveals that the green credit policy can discourage corporate over-investment by influencing financing constraints and can alleviate under-investment through commercial credit.
Effect of combined oral contraceptive on cardiorespiratory function and immune activation in premenopausal women involved in exercise: A systematic review protocol
Authors: Fabunmi Oyesanmi A. , Dludla Phiwayinkosi V. , Nkambule Bongani B.
Published: February 2024

Background

The use of combined oral contraceptive (COC) is common among women of reproductive age despite the potential risk of them developing thrombotic events. There is a need to understand how COC affects cardiorespiratory function and markers of immune activation in premenopausal women involved in exercise. This highlights a need for a systematic review to enhance our understanding of how the use of COC affects cardiovascular health in premenopausal women subjected to exercise.

Method

This systematic review protocol was prepared following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Protocols (PRISMA-P) 2015 statement. An extensive search of relevant literature by two independent reviewers will be conducted through the EBSCOhost interface to access databases such as MEDLINE, EMBASE, and CINAHL. Other health sources, including Cochrane CENTRAL, unpublished studies and grey literature, will also be searched. The search will include all studies that report the effect of COC on essential parameters of cardiorespiratory function and markers of immune activation in premenopausal women involved in exercise. All included studies will be appraised using appraisal tools, while appropriate extraction tools will be used for data extraction. Where possible, eligible studies will be pooled for meta-analysis. If statistical pooling is not feasible, our findings will be presented in a narrative format. The certainty of evidence will be assessed using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation Assessment (GRADE) tool.

Trial registration

PROSPERO registration number:CRD42021265257.
Strengthening laboratories in response to outbreaks in humanitarian emergencies and conflict settings: Results, challenges and lessons from expanding PCR diagnostic capacities for COVID-19 testing in Yemen
Authors: Bashir Ismail Mahat , Al-Waleedi Ali Ahmed , Al-Shaibani Saeed Mohamed , Rajamanar Mohammed , Al-Akbari Shougi , Al-Harazi Abdulelah , Salim Aliwah Layla , Ahmed Salem Nahed , Al-Ademi Dina , Barakat Amal , Sarkis Nicole , Abubakar Abdinasir , Senga Mikiko , Musani Altaf , Abdel Moneim Adham Rashad Ismail , Mahmoud Nuha
Published: February 2024

Background

When the COVID-19 pandemic was declared, Yemen, a country facing years of conflict had only one laboratory with PCR testing capacity. In this article, we describe the outcome of the implementation of molecular based diagnostics platform in Yemen and highlight the key milestones the country went through to increase access to testing for its populations residing in a geographically vast and politically divided country.

Methods

A retrospective assessment of COVID-19 laboratory response activities was done detailing the needs assessment process, timelines, geographical coverage, and outcomes of the activities. Laboratory data was analyzed to construct the geographical locations of COVID-19 testing laboratories and the numbers of tests performed in each facility to highlight the demands of testing for travelers. Finally, we discuss the impact these activities had in enabling the movement of people across international borders for economic gains and in delivery of critical humanitarian aid.

Outcome

PCR testing capacities in Yemen significantly improved, from one laboratory in Sanaa in April 2020 to 18 facilities across the country by June 2022. In addition, the number of functional Real-Time PCR thermocyclers increased from one to 32, the PCR tests output per day improved from 192 to 6144 tests per day. Results from analysis of laboratory data showed there were four peaks of COVID-19 in Yemen as October 2022. The majority of laboratory tests were performed for travelers than for medical or public health reasons. Demand for laboratory testing in Yemen was generally low and waned over time as the perceived risk of COVID-19 declined, in parallel with rollout of the COVID-19 vaccines.

Discussion/Conclusion

The successful expansion of laboratory testing capacity was instrumental in the control and management of COVID-19 cases and critical in the implementation of public response strategies, including restrictions on gathering. Laboratory testing also facilitated the movement of humanitarian agencies and delivery of aid and enabled hundreds of thousands of Yemeni nationals to travel internationally. By virtue of these outcomes, the impact of laboratory strengthening activities was thus felt in the health sector and beyond.
Understanding genetic diversity in drought-adaptive hybrid parental lines in pearl millet
Authors: Kandarkar Kuldeep , Palaniappan Viswanathan , Satpathy Subhrajit , Vemula Anilkumar , Rajasekaran Ravikesavan , Jeyakumar Prabhakaran , Sevugaperumal Nakkeeran , Gupta Shashi Kumar
Published: February 2024

Information on genetic diversity and population structure is helpful to strategize enhancing the genetic base of hybrid parental lines in breeding programs. The present study determined the population structure and genetic diversity of 109 pearl millet hybrid parental lines, known for their better adaptation and performance in drought-prone environments, using 16,472 single nucleotide polymorphic (SNP) markers generated from GBS (genotyping-by-sequencing) platforms. The SNPs were distributed uniformly across the pearl millet genome and showed considerable genetic diversity (0.337), expected heterozygosity (0.334), and observed heterozygosity (0.031). Most of the pairs of lines (78.36%) had Identity-by-State (IBS) based genetic distances of more than 0.3, indicating a significant amount of genetic diversity among the parental lines. Bayesian model-based population stratification, neighbor-joining phylogenetic analysis, and principal coordinate analysis (PCoA) differentiated all hybrid parental lines into two clear-cut major groups, one each for seed parents (B-lines) and pollinators (R-lines). Majority of parental lines sharing common parentages were found grouped in the same cluster. Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) revealed 7% of the variation among subpopulations, and 93% of the variation was attributable to within sub-populations. Chromosome 3 had the highest number of LD regions. Genomic LD decay distance was 0.69 Mb and varied across the different chromosomes. Genetic diversity based on 11 agro-morphological and grain quality traits also suggested that the majority of the B- and R-lines were grouped into two major clusters with few overlaps. In addition, the combined analysis of phenotypic and genotypic data showed similarities in the population grouping patterns. The present study revealed the uniqueness of most of the inbred lines, which can be a valuable source of new alleles and help breeders to utilize these inbred lines for the development of hybrids in drought-prone environments.
Health care utilization, mental disorders and behavioural disorders among perpetrators of intimate partner homicide in 2000–2016: A registry-based case-control study from Sweden
Authors: Lövestad Solveig , Örmon Karin , Enander Viveka , Krantz Gunilla
Published: February 2024

Little is known about intimate partner homicide (IPH) perpetrator´s healthcare contacts and mental health problems before the killing. The aim was to compare male and female IPH perpetrators with matched controls from the general population by analysing differences in healthcare utilization and mental and behavioural disorders. This study includes 48 males and 10 females who perpetrated IPH between 2000 and 2016 in the Västra Götaland Region of Sweden. Controls (n = 458) were randomly selected from the general population and matched for sex, birth year and residential area. Data were retrieved from the Swedish National Patient Register and the Western Swedish Healthcare Register. Mental and behavioural disorders were classified according to ICD-10 (F00-F99). The Mann-Whitney U test was used to test for differences in health care utilization and mental and behavioural disorders. Compared to their controls, male perpetrators had more registered contacts with primary care ≤ 30 (p = < .001) and ≤ 365 days (p = .019), respectively, before the homicide; with specialist outpatient care ≤ 30 (p = < .001) and ≤ 365 days (p = < .001), respectively, before the homicide: and with inpatient care ≤ 30 (p = < .001) and ≤ 365 days (p = .024), respectively, before the homicide. Female perpetrators had more specialized outpatient care (p = .040) and inpatient care (p = .003) contacts ≤ 365 days before the homicide, compared to controls. Male perpetrators had at least one mental or behavioral disorder diagnosed in any studied healthcare setting except in inpatient care ≤ 30 days before homicide. Female perpetrators had more mental health disorders diagnosed in specialized outpatient care ≤ 365 days before the homicide (p < .001). Perpetrators had more healthcare contacts and mental disorders one year and one month prior to the homicide compared to their controls. Health care professionals should obtain necessary skills in routinely enquiring about intimate partner violence perpetration.
Recognition of mulberry leaf diseases based on multi-scale residual network fusion SENet
Authors: Wen Chunming , He Wangwang , Wu Wanling , Liang Xiang , Yang Jie , Nong Hongliang , Lan Zimian
Published: February 2024

Silkworms are insects with important economic value, and mulberry leaves are the food of silkworms. The quality and quantity of mulberry leaves have a direct impact on cocooning. Mulberry leaves are often infected with various diseases during the growth process. Because of the subjectivity and time-consuming problems in artificial identification of mulberry leaf diseases. In this work, a multi-scale residual network fusion Squeeze-and-Excitation Networks (SENet) is proposed for mulberry leaf disease recognition. The mulberry leaf disease dataset was expanded by performing operations such as brightness enhancement, contrast enhancement, level flipping and adding Gaussian noise. Multi-scale convolution was used instead of the traditional single-scale convolution, allowing the network to be widened to obtain more feature information and avoiding the overfitting phenomenon caused by the network piling up too deep. SENet was introduced into the residual network to enhance the extraction of key feature information of the model, thus improving the recognition accuracy of the model. The experimental results showed that the method proposed in this paper can effectively improve the recognition performance of the model. The recognition accuracy reached 98.72%. The recall and F1 score were 98.73% and 98.72% respectively. Compared with some other models, this model has better recognition effect and can provide technical reference for intelligent mulberry leaf disease detection.
Temporal serum neurofilament light chain concentrations in sheep inoculated with the agent of classical scrapie
Authors: Brown Quazetta , Nicholson Eric , Wang Chong , Greenlee Justin , Seger Hannah , Veneziano Susan , Cassmann Eric
Published: February 2024

Objective

Neurofilament light chain (Nf-L) has been used to detect neuroaxonal damage in the brain caused by physical injury or disease. The purpose of this study was to determine if serum Nf-L could be used as a biomarker for pre-symptomatic detection of scrapie in sheep.

Methods

Four sheep with prion protein genotype AVQQ were intranasally inoculated with the classical scrapie strain x124. Blood was collected every 4 weeks until 44 weeks post-inoculation, at which point weekly collection commenced. Serum was analyzed using single molecule array (Quanterix SR-X) to evaluate Nf-L concentrations.

Results

Scrapie was confirmed in each sheep by testing homogenized brainstem at the level of the obex with a commercially available enzyme immunoassay. Increased serum Nf-L concentrations were identified above the determined cutoff during the last tenth of the respective incubation period for each sheep. Throughout the time course study, PrPSc accumulation was not detected antemortem by immunohistochemistry in rectal tissue at any timepoint for any sheep. RT-QuIC results were inconsistently positive throughout the timepoints tested for each sheep; however, each sheep had at least one timepoint detected positive. When assessing serum Nf-L utility using receiver operator characteristic curves against different clinical parameters, such as asymptomatic and symptomatic (pruritus or neurologic signs), results showed that Nf-L was most useful at being an indicator of disease only late in disease progression when neurologic signs were present.

Conclusion

Serum Nf-L concentrations in the cohort of sheep increased as disease progressed; however, serum Nf-L did not increase during the presymptomatic window. The levels increased substantially throughout the final 10% of the animals’ scrapie incubation period when other clinical signs were present. Serum Nf-L is not a reliable biomarker for pre-clinical detection of scrapie.
Brain-like illusion produced by Skye’s Oblique Grating in deep neural networks
Authors: Zhang Hongtao , Yoshida Shinichi , Li Zhen
Published: February 2024

The analogy between the brain and deep neural networks (DNNs) has sparked interest in neuroscience. Although DNNs have limitations, they remain valuable for modeling specific brain characteristics. This study used Skye’s Oblique Grating illusion to assess DNNs’ relevance to brain neural networks. We collected data on human perceptual responses to a series of visual illusions. This data was then used to assess how DNN responses to these illusions paralleled or differed from human behavior. We performed two analyses:(1) We trained DNNs to perform horizontal vs. non-horizontal classification on images with bars tilted different degrees (non-illusory images) and tested them on images with horizontal bars with different illusory strengths measured by human behavior (illusory images), finding that DNNs showed human-like illusions; (2) We performed representational similarity analysis to assess whether illusory representation existed in different layers within DNNs, finding that DNNs showed illusion-like responses to illusory images. The representational similarity between real tilted images and illusory images was calculated, which showed the highest values in the early layers and decreased layer-by-layer. Our findings suggest that DNNs could serve as potential models for explaining the mechanism of visual illusions in human brain, particularly those that may originate in early visual areas like the primary visual cortex (V1). While promising, further research is necessary to understand the nuanced differences between DNNs and human visual pathways.
Best B4 1984: Fanzine & Flyer Images from the Anarcho-Punk Underground, Chris Low (2023)
Authors: Bestley Russ
Published: February 2024

Review of: Best B4 1984: Fanzine & Flyer Images from the Anarcho-Punk Underground, Chris Low (2023)

London: Lowthario Press, 98 pp., p/bk, £25.00
Silhouettes and Shadows: The Secret History of David Bowie’s Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps), Adam Steiner (2023)
Authors: Loydell Rupert
Published: February 2024

Review of: Silhouettes and Shadows: The Secret History of David Bowie’s Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps), Adam Steiner (2023)

Essex, CT: Backbeat Books, 282 pp.,

ISBN 978-1-49306-564-6, p/bk, $24.95
Biological activity comparison between ciprofloxacin loaded to silica nanoparticles and silver nanoparticles for the inhibition of Brucella melitensis
Authors: Jaber Saif Aldeen , Saadh Mohamed J.
Published: February 2024

Background and Aim: Brucella melitensis is responsible for brucellosis, a highly contagious, life-threatening disease that has a high impact in low- and middle-income countries. This study aimed to compare silica nanoparticles (SiO-NPs) loaded with ciprofloxacin with silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) loaded with ciprofloxacin to evaluate the possible replacement of silver by silica to enhance biological activity and reduce cytotoxicity.

Materials and Methods: SiO-NPs and AgNPs loaded with ciprofloxacin were characterized using ultraviolet spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and dynamic light scattering microscopy for size demonstration and loading efficiency. Both nanoparticles were treated with B. melitensis Rev 1 to evaluate their biological activity. Nanoparticle toxicity was also evaluated using cytotoxicity and hemolysis assays.

Results: SiO-NP was found to have a smaller size (80 nm) and higher loading efficiency with polydispersity index and zeta potential of 0.43 and 30.7 mV, respectively, compared to Ag-NP (180 nm and 0.62 and 28.3 mV, respectively). SiO-NP was potent with a minimum inhibitory concentration of 0.043 μg/mL compared to Ag-NP (0.049 μg/mL), with a lower cytotoxicity and hemolysis activity.

Conclusion: SiO-NP, as a drug delivery system for ciprofloxacin, has better antimicrobial activity against B. melitensis with lower cytotoxicity and hemolysis activity. These results can be attributed to the enhanced physical characterization and better loading efficiency when compared to Ag-NP.

Keywords: antimicrobial activity, brucellosis, minimum inhibitory concentration, nanoparticles.
Truth-Telling and Hope
Authors: Papanikolaou Aristotle
Published: February 2024

Why else would one speak the truth if not out of and for hope? This hope is, indeed, a passion ‘for the possible’ and in Christian anthropology, this possible has something to do with eschatological flourishing that has already been inaugurated and which is never simply a private affair but has public effects and implications. We are created for communion with God – this is our hope; but there can be no communion with God – either individually or politically – when there is no truth-telling.
Beyond Truth-Telling: Embodying and Dwelling in Truth and Hope
Authors: Bargár Pavol
Published: February 2024

This paper seeks to argue that truth is not something that relates to telling/speaking only. Its main aim is to show that in their quest for communion with God, other human beings – and one should add – the entire creation, humans need to go beyond truth-telling toward the ways of embodying and dwelling in truth and hope. To introduce its argument, the paper proceeds in the following steps. First, it expounds a Christian perspective on truth, employing notions such as sacrament, desire, and relationality. Through the image of communion with God, a link between truth-telling and hope is outlined. Second, it tries to show that truth-telling is not only an affective but also an existential category. As such, it involves the whole of human being. Therefore, it makes sense to turn to the concept of body and embodiment when reflecting on the human pursuits of truth. The paper then, third, examines various constellations of this central claim by exploring a specific case from popular culture, namely, ‘Crocodile’, an episode from the Netflix series, Black Mirror. In particular, a proposal is made for the significance of embodying and dwelling in truth for Christian theology and practice. Finally, in the last step, this embodying and dwelling is given more concrete contours with respect to hope by probing into the images of home and feast.
Bearing behavior of pile foundation in karst region: Physical model test and finite element analysis
Authors: Sheng Minghong , Lu Fangqing , Jiang Nan , Guo Panpan , Li Xian , An Ran , Wang Yixian
Published: February 2024

The presence of karst formations significantly impacts the load-bearing capacity of pile foundations in karst geological environments, posing a challenge to their design. This study investigated the bearing characteristics of karst pile foundations using the physical model test and numerical analysis. First, the influence of cave height and span on the bearing capacity of pile foundations is examined using model tests. The results demonstrate that the height of karst caves greatly affects the bearing capacity of karst pile foundations. Subsequently, numerical analysis further explores the bearing characteristics of these foundations. It reveals that as the top load on pile increases, an arch-shaped tensile damage zone forms at the top of karst cave and gradually expands. The rock failure in this area leads to a decrease in adhesion between rock strata and pile foundation, consequently reducing its load-bearing capacity. Finally, experimental results are compared with numerical results to validate consistency and mutual verifiability between physical model tests and numerical analyses. The outcomes of the research provide valuable insights for designing rock-socketed pile foundations in similar karst areas.
Germanium dioxide as agent to control the biofouling diatom Fragilariopsis oceanica for the cultivation of Ulva fenestrata (Chlorophyta)
Authors: Rautenberger Ralf
Published: February 2024

During the cultivation of Ulva fenestrata in a land-based aquaculture system, the colonisation of the water tanks’ surfaces and eventually the macroalgal biomass by the biofouling diatom Fragilariopsis oceanica compromises the production process. Since germanium dioxide (GeO2) is an effective growth inhibitor of diatoms, this study aimed to understand how it affects the presence of F. oceanica and the photosynthesis and growth of U. fenestrata as a primary parameter contribution to the biomass production. A toxicological dose-response experiment showed that the diatom’s growth was inhibited at the low GeO2 concentration of 0.014 mg l−1. In contrast, the photosynthetic performances and growth rates of U. fenestrata remained unaffected under a wide GeO2 concentration range (0.022–2.235 mg l−1) in small- and large-scale experiments in 1-l glass beakers and 100-l Plexiglass water tanks, respectively. In the latter, the diatom density in the tanks was reduced by 40 %. The costs arising from the use of GeO2 can range between €2.35 and €8.35  kg−1 fresh weight of produced U. fenestrata biomass under growth conditions resulting in growth rates of 20 and 11.5 % d−1, respectively. GeO2 is an effective agent to control biofouling diatoms such as F. oceanica during the land-based biomass production of U. fenestrata.
Smith predictor based fractional order controller design for improved performance and robustness of unstable FOPTD processes
Authors: Adithya Kashyap A. , Chiluka Suresh Kumar , Rao Ambati Seshagiri , Bhaskar Babu Gara Uday
Published: February 2024

Performance and robustness are essential characteristics for the application of unstable time-delayed systems. As tasks become more complex, traditional control methods cannot meet such demands for performance and robustness. The present work aims to develop fractional order-based controllers for enhanced Smith predictor-based unstable first-order plus time-delayed systems (FOPTD) with improved performance and robustness. In the current work, fractional order controllers using a Genetic Algorithm (GA) are designed with enhanced SP (Smith Predictor) structure to control unstable first-order time-delayed processes to improve performance. Furthermore, in the feedback path a fractional order (FO) filter is used to further improve robustness and performance. A systematic methodology is proposed for obtaining the optimum fractional order filter parameters based on the minimization of Integral Absolute Error (IAE). The recommended approach is beneficial to balance the necessary tradeoff between performance and robustness. Also, the proposed method provides flexibility in tuning the degree of freedom by adding a fractional order integrator, thus leading to robust performance. The efficacy of the recommended controller is analyzed by simulating numerical examples from the literature. The proposed controller provides enhanced performance and robustness compared to the literature.
Design and performance optimization of diesel engine waste heat recovery methanol reforming hydrogen generation system
Authors: Jia Hekun , Tan Yuanchi , Chen Zhiling , Jian Yi , Yin Bifeng
Published: February 2024

A shell-and-tube Methanol Steam Reformer (MSR) system was designed for diesel engines. The effects of structural and operational parameters of the spiral baffles in the methanol reformer on heat transfer and hydrogen production performance were investigated. Additionally, a multi-objective optimization using response surface methodology was conducted to study the interactive effects of spacing and thickness, as well as liquid hourly space velocity and steam–methanol ratio, on the methanol conversion rate, hydrogen concentration and hydrogen production. The results indicated that reducing the baffle spacing and increasing the baffle thickness further improved heat transfer efficiency. Optimal conditions were achieved at a spacing of 30 mm and a thickness of 2 mm, resulting in a methanol conversion rate of 64.2 %. Increasing the steam–methanol ratio from 0.5 to 2 increased the methanol conversion rate from 50.6 % to 79.7 %, with a subsequent decrease in hydrogen concentration. Increasing the liquid hourly space velocity from 635 h−1 to 1905 h−1 significantly reduced the methanol conversion rate from 94.5 % to 64.2 %, but the hydrogen production increased from 0.111 mol/s to 0.228 mol/s. Optimization results indicate that the liquid hourly space velocity and steam–methanol ratio have a greater influence on the hydrogen production efficiency of the methanol reformer.