bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Analytic Approach to the Late Stages of Giant Planet Formation
Authors: Adams Fred C. , Batygin Konstantin
Published: August 2022

This paper constructs an analytic description for the late stages of giant planet formation. During this phase of evolution, the planet gains the majority of its final mass through gas accretion at a rapid rate. This work determines the density and velocity fields for material falling onto the central planet and its circumplanetary disk, and finds the corresponding column density of this infalling envelope. We derive a steady-state solution for the surface density of the disk as a function of its viscosity (including the limiting case where no disk accretion occurs). Planetary magnetic fields truncate the inner edge of the disk and determine the boundary conditions for mass accretion onto the planet from both direct infall and from the disk. The properties of the forming planet and its circumplanetary disk are determined, including the luminosity contributions from infall onto the planet and disk surfaces, and from disk viscosity. The radiative signature of the planet formation process is explored using a quasi-spherical treatment of the emergent spectral energy distributions. The analytic solutions developed herein show how the protoplanet properties (envelope density distribution, velocity field, column density, disk surface density, luminosity, and radiative signatures) vary with input parameters (instantaneous mass, orbital location, accretion rate, and planetary magnetic field strength).
The Star-forming Main Sequence of the Host Galaxies of Low-redshift Quasars
Authors: Zhuang 庄 Ming-Yang 明阳 , Ho Luis C.
Published: August 2022

We investigate the star-forming main sequence of the host galaxies of a large, well-defined sample of 453 redshift ∼0.3 quasars with previously available star formation rates by deriving stellar masses from modeling their broadband (grizy) spectral energy distribution. We perform two-dimensional, simultaneous, multi-filter decomposition of Pan-STARRS1 3π Steradian Survey images to disentangle the active galactic nucleus (AGN) from its host galaxy, by explicitly considering, for the first time, the wavelength variation of galaxy structures. We quantify the Sérsic profiles and sizes of the host galaxies from mock AGNs generated from both real and idealized galaxies. Detailed morphological classifications of the calibration galaxy sample using Hubble Space Telescope images enable us to estimate crude morphological types of the quasars. Although the majority (∼60%) of the quasars are hosted by bulge-dominated, early-type galaxies, a substantial fraction (∼40%) reside in disk-dominated, late-type galaxies, suggesting that at least in these systems major mergers have not played a significant role in regulating their AGN activity, in agreement with recent simulations and observations of nearby quasars. The vast majority (∼90%) of the quasars have star formation rates that place them on or above the galaxy star-forming main sequence, with more rapidly accreting AGNs displaced further above the main sequence. Quasar host galaxies generally follow the stellar mass–size relation defined by inactive galaxies, both for late-type and early-type systems, but roughly 1/3 of the population has smaller sizes at a given stellar mass, reminiscent of compact star-forming galaxies at higher redshift.
Combining Planck and SPT Cluster Catalogs: Cosmological Analysis and Impact on the Planck Scaling Relation Calibration
Authors: Salvati L. , Saro A. , Bocquet S. , Costanzi M. , Ansarinejad B. , Benson B. A. , Bleem L. E. , Calzadilla M. S. , Carlstrom J. E. , Chang C. L. , Chown R. , Crites A. T. , Haan T. de , Dobbs M. A. , Everett W. B. , Floyd B. , Grandis S. , George E. M. , Halverson N. W. , Holder G. P. , Holzapfel W. L. , Hrubes J. D. , Lee A. T. , Luong-Van D. , McDonald M. , McMahon J. J. , Meyer S. S. , Millea M. , Mocanu L. M. , Mohr J. J. , Natoli T. , Omori Y. , Padin S. , Pryke C. , Reichardt C. L. , Ruhl J. E. , Ruppin F. , Schaffer K. K. , Schrabback T. , Shirokoff E. , Staniszewski Z. , Stark A. A. , Vieira J. D. , Williamson R.
Published: August 2022

We provide the first combined cosmological analysis of the South Pole Telescope (SPT) and Planck cluster catalogs. The aim is to provide an independent calibration for Planck scaling relations, exploiting the cosmological constraining power of the SPT-SZ cluster catalog and its dedicated weak lensing (WL) and X-ray follow-up observations. We build a new version of the Planck cluster likelihood. In the νΛ CDM scenario, focusing on the mass slope and mass bias of Planck scaling relations, we find

α

SZ

=

1.49

−
0.10

+
0.07

and

1
−
b

SZ

=

0.69

−
0.14

+
0.07

, respectively. The results for the mass slope show a ∼4 σ departure from the self-similar evolution, α
SZ ∼ 1.8. This shift is mainly driven by the matter density value preferred by SPT data, Ω
m
= 0.30 ± 0.03, lower than the one obtained by Planck data alone,

Ω

m

=

0.37

−
0.06

+
0.02

. The mass bias constraints are consistent both with outcomes of hydrodynamical simulations and external WL calibrations, (1 − b) ∼ 0.8, and with results required by the Planck cosmic microwave background cosmology, (1 − b) ∼ 0.6. From this analysis, we obtain a new catalog of Planck cluster masses M
500. We estimate the ratio between the published Planck M
SZ masses and our derived masses M
500, as a “measured mass bias,”

1
−
b

M

. We analyze the mass, redshift, and detection noise dependence of

1
−
b

M

, finding an increasing trend toward high redshift and low mass. These results mimic the effect of departure from self-similarity in cluster evolution, showing different dependencies for the low-mass, high-mass, low-z, and high-z regimes.
Target and Velocity Dependence of Charge Exchange X-Ray Emission at Solar Wind Velocities
Authors: Zhang R. T. , Seely D. G. , Andrianarijaona V. M. , Jaeckel F. , Wulf D. , Morgan K. , McCammon D. , Havener C. C.
Published: August 2022

Laboratory measurements of X-ray emissions following charge exchange (CX) between highly charged ions and neutrals are important to assess their diagnostic utility for the nonequilibrium astrophysical plasma environments, where hot flows meet cold gases. With a high-resolution X-ray quantum microcalorimeter detector, we report the CX-induced X-ray spectra and line ratios in Ne8+ on He and Kr collisions at solar wind velocities of 392, 554, 678, and 876 km s−1, respectively. The experimentally determined line ratios quantify the differences in CX state selectivity and the following X-ray emission between He and Kr at different collision velocities. This suggests that target and velocity dependence should be considered for accurately modeling astrophysical CX plasmas.
Ionization Distributions in Outflows of Active Galaxies: Universal Trends and Prospect of Future XRISM Observations
Authors: Keshet Noa , Behar Ehud
Published: August 2022

The physics behind the ionization structure of outflows from black holes is yet to be fully understood. Using archival observations with the Chandra/HETG gratings over the past two decades, we measured an absorption measure distribution for a sample of outflows in nine active galactic nuclei (AGNs), namely the dependence of outflow column density, N
H, on the ionization parameter, ξ. The slope of

log

N
H versus

log
ξ

is found to be between 0.00 and 0.72. We find an anticorrelation between the log of total column density of the outflow and the log of AGN luminosity, and none with the black hole mass and accretion efficiency. A major improvement in the diagnostics of AGN outflows will potentially occur with the launch of the XRISM/Resolve spectrometer. We study the ability of Resolve to reveal the outflow ionization structure by constructing the absorption measure distribution from simulated Resolve spectra, utilizing its superior resolution and effective area. Resolve constrains the column density as well as HETG, but with much shorter observations.
Using the Audubon Core Controlled Vocabularies for subjectPart and subjectOrientation
Authors: Baskauf Steven J , Girón Duque Jennifer , Nielsen Matthew
Published: August 2022

When the Audubon Core Multimedia Resources Metadata Schema*1 was ratified, it included two terms for describing what was being viewed in an image of an organism: ac:subjectPart, to indicate the morphological component of the organism included in the view, and ac:subjectOrientation, to describe the direction or viewing angle of the subject part relative to the image aquisition device. Although it was recommended that values for those terms come from controlled vocabularies, no such vocabularies had been created by TDWG. In 2019, the Views Controlled Vocabularies Task Group*2 was chartered to develop controlled vocabularies for these two terms. The result was two Simple Knowledge Organization System*3 (SKOS) concept schemes*4, 5, and a mechanism for determining which subjectOrientation values are appropriate for a given subjectPart and which subjectParts are appropriate for various organism groups. In this presentation, we briefly review the vocabulary development process, key features of the vocabularies, and give an overview of how the vocabularies can be used in several example cases.
Automated Filtering May Remove a Large Fraction of Records, But May Have Little Impact on Downstream Analyses
Authors: Zizka Alexander
Published: August 2022

Species occurrence records provide the basis for many analyses in biodiversity research. They often derive from georeferenced specimens deposited in natural history collections or visual observations, such as those obtained through various mobile applications. Given the rapid increase in availability of such data, the control of quality and accuracy constitutes a particular concern. Automated flagging has emerged as a feasible way to identify potentially problematic records and correct them when possible, or, if a correction is not feasible, remove them from downstream analyses (automated filtering). A large number of flagging criteria exist, implemented in various software tools - reaching from simple flags, such as identifying zero coordinates, to more complex flags based on external data. These flags are widely applied for data cleaning in large-scale biodiversity analyses, yet their effect is rarely quantified.

Here, I present the rationale behind the automated flags included in the CoordinateCleaner R package (https://docs.ropensci.org/CoordinateCleaner/). CoordinateCleaner implementents functions to identify recurrent errors in biodiversity data compiled from different sources, and provides a user-friedly way to apply those functions in a pipeline to any dataset that can be loaded into R. Furthermore, I illustrate how many records these flags remove when used as filters across 18 taxa of plants, animal, and fungi from tropical America (Zizka et al. 2020b), and show results on the effect of automated filtering on the accuracy of automated conservation assessments using cleaned species occurrence records from biological collections (Zizka et al. 2020a).

The results show that, on average, almost half of the records in most datasets are flagged as potentially problematic, with large variation across taxonomic groups. Only around 5% of records was identified as erroneous in the strict sense, but a much larger proportion (20%) as unfit for common downstream analyses. Interestingly, automated filtering had little effect on the accuracy of automated red listing despite the large amount of records removed. This discrepancy may be caused by an interaction of data quality with sampling bias and the overall under-sampling of species ranges. Automated record filtering can help in identifying problematic records, but requires customization of tests and thresholds to the taxonomic group and geographic area under focus. The results stress the importance of thorough recording and exploration of the meta-data associated with species records for biodiversity research.
Essential Biodiversity for Understanding Change
Authors: Pereira Henrique , Fernández Néstor , Fernandez Miguel
Published: August 2022

The biodiversity crisis we are experiencing requires more than ever the establishment of an observation and monitoring system to help us understand where we have the greatest problems, to inform actions to help halt and reverse biodiversity loss in those places, and to anticipate the impact of our future actions. The Essential Biodiversity Variable framework concept (EBV; Pereira et al. 2013), was conceptually conceived to provide an analytical framework for biodiversity monitoring, which includes functional, structural, and compositional aspects at different levels of organization, from genes to ecosystems, which, as opposed to reductionist approaches, tries to think of biodiversity from a holistic and systemic viewpoint. After some years of working on refining this concept (e.g., Proença et al. 2017, Kissling et al. 2017, Jetz et al. 2019), in collaboration with the Group on Earth Observations Biodiversity Observation Networks (GEO BON) user community, we have taken the next step, which is precisely to work on grounding this concept through a proposed structure, standard, and tools, which facilitates interoperability and the process of sharing and accessing this information. Our vision for boosting the adoption and use of the EBV framework, named for the different dimensions of the planetary life system that it is intended to capture, is to facilitate access to multiple EBV data products organized under a consistent data structure and with standardized annotation across EBV classes. We propose to leverage the Network Common Data Form (NetCDF) data structure in combination with the Attribute Convention for Data Discovery (ACDD) terms and the Ecological Metadata Language (EML) syntax and adapt them to describe hierarchically organized, spatially explicit, gridded data on biodiversity observations, model predictions, and scenarios using a combination of a web portal and an R package for publication and exploration. We believe that this data structure metadata and supporting tools, initially tested using diverse biodiversity datasets that cover the full scope of the Essential Biodiversity Variables framework, will allow us to better serve the community of users interested in different aspects of global change, to be able to ask questions framed in specific times and spaces in order to obtain, analyze, and visualize the time series registered somewhere on the planet and gain knowledge and insights that will inform decision-making and help us drive and direct development trajectories towards a more sustainable future.
Diversity of fungi associated with Monochamus alternatus larval habitats in Bursaphelenchus xylophilus-infected Pinus massoniana and identification of two new ophiostomatalean species (Ascomycota, Ophiostomatales)
Authors: Zheng Guiheng , You Minqi , Li Xuening , Zhou Qinzheng , Wang Zheng , Wang Huimin , Lu Quan
Published: August 2022

Bursaphelenchus xylophilus, a pathogenic pine wood nematode (PWN), is responsible for pine wilt disease (PWD), which has caused significant economic and ecological damage worldwide, particularly in East Asia. Multiple biological factors, such as the beetle vector Monochamus, symbiotic bacteria and associated fungi, are involved in the disease infection cycle. This study isolated and identified the fungal communities of Monochamus alternatus larval galleries and pupal chambers from different instars through field investigation, morphological observation and multi-locus DNA sequence analyses in Zhejiang Province, China. A total of 255 and 454 fungal strains were isolated from M. alternatus galleries and pupal chambers infected with PWN, from the 2nd–3rd and 4th–5th instar larvae, respectively. A total of 18 species of fungi were identified, 14 species were isolated from the 2nd–3rd instar larval galleries and six species from the galleries and pupal chambers of the 4th–5th instar larvae. Amongst them were six species belonging to four genera of ophiostomatalean fungi, including two novel species, Graphilbum xianjuensissp. nov. and Ophiostoma taizhouensesp. nov. and four known species, Ceratocystiopsis weihaiensis, Ophiostoma ips, Sporothrix zhejiangensis and S. macroconidia. The findings revealed that the fungal diversity and abundance of the 2nd–3rd instar larvae differed markedly from those of the 4th–5th instar larvae. This difference could be the result of fungal succession. This study provides a thorough understanding of the fungi associated with PWD and lays the groundwork for future research.
A new species of the ant Platythyrea clypeata species group (Hymenoptera, Formicidae, Ponerinae) from continental Asia
Authors: Jaitrong Weeyawat , Xu Zhenghui , Khachonpisitsak Salinee
Published: August 2022

The Platythyrea clypeata species group is reviewed and three species, including one new species, P. homasawinisp. nov., are recognized. This species group is distinguished from the P. parallela species group by the reddish-brown body, the elliptical shape of the propodeal spiracle, the elongate antennal scape, and the distinctly narrowed posteriad space between frontal carinae. Platythyrea homasawinisp. nov., from Thailand and China, is described based on the worker caste. The type series of the new species was collected on the forest floor from dead wood in an advanced stage of decomposition. A key to the Oriental species of the genus Platythyrea based on the worker caste is provided.
XR Journalism Lab
Authors: Gertrudix Manuel , Rubio-Tamayo José Luis , Wuebben Daniel , Sanchez-Acedo Alberto
Published: August 2022

Extended reality (XR) has great possibilities for the development and dissemination of multimedia content. One of the areas where extended reality can have a significant impact is in the field of journalism within information and communication sciences. In this chapter, the authors determine the features of current XR media, including virtual reality and augmented reality and their application in the teaching of journalism. This review shows that XR technology can serve to capture reality, simulate it, and recreate fictional scenarios. From 360º video to volumetric video, from artificial intelligence to deep learning, the extended reality is reshaping how rigorous communication research is conducted and how scientific results are crafted for public audiences. Therefore, from the analysis of these available technologies and their potential evolution, this chapter establishes the key features of a learning laboratory for immersive journalism. The authors conclude by showing how XR can open new space for journalism teaching and research.
An Immersive Virtual Reality Training Environment for CBRN Procedures
Authors: De Lorenzis Federico , Pratticò Filippo Gabriele , Cultrera Matteo , Migliorini Massimo , Lamberti Fabrizio
Published: August 2022

First responders are exposed to numerous hazards and must be well prepared to act under dangerous conditions. This is especially true for operators working in the domain of CBRN (chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear), who need high-quality training to avoid fatal errors and ensure the success of operations. However, CBRN practice sessions can reproduce only approximated, low-fidelity versions of real scenarios, whereas highly detailed simulations should be preferred. To address this issue, the authors developed a prototype of an immersive virtual reality (VR) training platform in cooperation with CBRN experts from the Italian Air Force. The devised platform is an improved version of an existing tool and offers a digital training ground where operators can learn CBRN procedures and test their abilities in a realistic virtual environment without facing the risks normally associated with real hazardous scenarios.
Coordinated Control of a Collaborative 6R Robotic Arm With a Virtual Twin and Augmented Reality for Engineering Education
Authors: Rodríguez Islas Lorena , Paredes Orta Carlos Alberto , Martell-Chavez Fernando
Published: August 2022

This work describes the direct and inverse kinematics mathematical framework, the development procedure, and data communications interface for the implementation of an augmented reality version of a six degrees of freedom (6-DOF) cobot (collaborative robot) under the Unity platform. The kinematic equations for the inverse kinematic control of the Techman® cobot are presented. The procedure to achieve communication between the virtual robot and the physical robot is described, that is, the communication link from the TM5-900 robot with the application in Unity. A safe environment was created to manipulate the collaborative robot and to avoid collisions to validate the applicability of the augmented reality functionality. The virtual twin with its enhanced visualization based on augmented reality can also run-on mobile devices either locally or remotely accessed. The developed platform has diverse potential applications and in particular is suitable for engineering education and training in robotics.
Teaching Spatial Geometry Through 3D Visualization and Augmented Reality
Authors: Iwano Thiciany Matsudo , Pereira Dayvson Duarte , Scherer Daniel
Published: August 2022

Geometry is a branch of mathematics that helps us to work with distances, volumes, and areas of the real world. But spatial geometry presents an unusual obstacle: how to understand the elements of a three-dimensional object when they are normally presented in a two-dimensional form. The study was conducted with two classes in the 2nd year of high school in a public school. Class 1 used traditional resources: textbook, blackboard, and chalk. Class 2 used augmented reality (FLARAS) and 3D visualization (Sketchup) and textbook. It was expected that, with the help of augmented reality, the students of Class 2 would perform better than Class 1. A better understanding of the content was achieved, as they would have better visualization of spatial objects. Consequently, better performance was achieved in the exercises and problem questions presented.
The New Trends and Applications in E-Learning Environments and E-Technologies
Authors: Alfaro Luis A. , Rivera Claudia P. , Luna-Urquizo Jorge , Elisa Castañeda , Zuñiga-Cueva Jesús , Urquizo-Abril Maribel
Published: August 2022

The importance of the e-technologies available to support teaching and learning in e-learning systems is becoming increasingly evident to educators and system developers. In this chapter, the authors review some of the e-technologies and e-learning that are used to support the individual requirements of teachers, allowing them to provide the best opportunities to students, considering that the current situation, in which educational systems have new immediate claims, derived in part from the COVID-19 pandemic, motivated face-to-face educational practices to give way to remote activities mediated by technological resources. The new contemporary trends in e-learning and e-technologies development and applications utilize a wide range of available technologies, which are framed in web and virtual reality environments among other emerging technologies; therefore, the decision to use a particular technology must be based on solid research and evidence. This chapter reviews many of these e-technologies and provides information on their use, opportunities, and trends in development and applications.
Salesforce Management Auditing
Authors: Pires Paulo Botelho , Cardoso Pedro Cotta
Published: August 2022

Salespeople play a key role as they are the link between companies and their clients. This means that sales managers must be increasingly concerned about managing their teams to maximize their results. Therefore, to ensure best practices and promote their performance, companies should periodically audit the management of their sales team. The main objective of the present study is to identify the most relevant activities for sales managers and build an audit procedure to evaluate their performance and identify potential gaps that need to be rectified to promote their success and companies. Seven themes were identified as being the most relevant to the activities of sales managers. From this information, a qualitative method through face-to-face interviews with sales managers was used, which allowed the construction of an audit procedure that evaluates the performance of salespeople and can be applied by any company.
The Effect of Social Media Marketing on Luxury Brand Purchase Intention
Authors: Leong Wenyi , Dastane Omkar , Haba Herman Fassou
Published: August 2022

This research-based chapter investigates the impact of social media marketing on consumers' online purchase intention in the context of luxury brands. Against the theory of planned behavior, theory of reasoned action, and social exchange theory, a conceptual framework was constructed with social media marketing as an independent variable, luxury perception as mediator, and online purchase intention as the dependent variable. This study employed an explanatory research and quantitative method. Empirical data was collected using self-administered online questionnaire and data was collected from sample of 211 Malaysian online shoppers of luxury brands using snowball sampling. The collected data was subjected to normality and reliability assessment followed by confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), validity assessment, and structural equation modelling (SEM) using AMOS 24. Findings suggests that social media marketing positively influences online purchase intention, and luxury brand perception mediates this relationship.
Lessons Learnt From ERT
Authors: Fuisting Bjorn , Lafleur Louis , Andrews Robert , Raichura Trevor , Fusco William
Published: August 2022

This study gauges student satisfaction in EAP courses delivered via Emergency Remote Teaching (ERT) in the Fall semester in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic using data from 529 Japanese university students' questionnaire responses. It follows up from a similar study conducted during the Spring semester and sought to determine whether changes to the method of teaching based on the Spring feedback resulted in better student experiences of ERT. Students evaluated modes of teaching (on demand, livestream, and mixed), various online tools (learning management system [LMS], teacher-created videos, Google Forms, Flipgrid, vocabulary software, Edmodo, and Zoom) and rated their overall satisfaction with online English classes. This chapter includes a background on the response to COVID-19 in Japan and how it shaped higher education, a summary of the Spring semester student experience, and the results of the questionnaire, which showed that students had a far higher overall satisfaction with ERT courses in the Fall semester.
Writing Instruction in English for Academic Purposes Classrooms During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Foung Dennis , Kwan Joanna
Published: August 2022

The shift from face-to-face to online/blended teaching forced by the COVID-19 pandemic has given rise to studies of English for Academic Purposes (EAP) instruction during the pandemic, but few have explored EAP writing instruction. This chapter aims to synthesize the current evidence on EAP writing instruction in higher education during the pandemic and to identify the challenges and opportunities presented by such instruction. A total of 189 papers were identified in the literature search. After screening, 13 studies were included in the review. Their results indicated that, in general, writing instruction was conducted satisfactorily during the pandemic, and writing instruction was delivered more effectively than speaking and listening instruction in EAP classes. The opportunities and challenges of writing instruction were similar to those experienced before the pandemic. Planning, activity design, and the provision of feedback will remain key factors in EAP instruction after the pandemic and require continual improvement.
A Review on IoT-Driven Technologies for Heart Disease Diagnosis and Prediction
Authors: Shahade Makarand , Ghonge Mangesh M.
Published: August 2022

People around the world are at risk from chronic diseases like cancer, heart disease, and diabetes. When it comes to sudden cardiac arrest, many people have recently become increasingly concerned. The main cause of death in the world is heart disease. Because it needs both experience and advanced knowledge, predicting heart disease is a difficult assignment. Sensor values are being collected for heart disease detection and prediction using internet of things (IoT), which has recently been implemented in healthcare systems. In order to achieve a continuous remote cardiac monitoring system, IoT and wireless technology have advanced significantly over the past several years. The use of various sensors, such as electrocardiograms (ECGs), thermometers, and blood pressure monitors to collect important body signals and diagnose illnesses has resulted in the creation of a wireless body area network. The diagnosis of cardiac disease findings is low in accuracy. The goal is to highlight IoT-driven technologies that have been used in the literature for diagnosing and forecasting heart disease.
Assessment of Cardiac Dynamics and Risk Factor Analysis Using Deep Neural Nets
Authors: G. Jayanthi , R. Purushothaman , Moduguru Sivant , Senthil Kumaran Harshini , C. H. V. Siva Kumar Reddy , Shankar Aparna , Ezhilmathi Nambi Anbu , Sampath Varadharajan Anantha Narayanan
Published: August 2022

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a medical condition that leads to risk of heart disease such as stroke or cardiac arrest. Cardiac attack is a medical condition found in different age groups irrespective of gender. In a clinical study, there are many ways of interpreting the risk factors. The most common risk factors indicating sudden cardiac arrest are glucose, body mass index (BMI), and habitation such as smoking. The difficulties faced by the clinicians are the primary focus of this study. The complexity in clinical stages in examination of medical condition needs to be resolved considering the symptoms and other risk factors leading to sudden cardiac arrests and deaths. Thus, validation of clinical examination at times is a laborious and time-consuming process, while tracking patient history is voluminous over a period of time. This chapter presents the analysis of risk factors causing cardiovascular diseases. The statistical significance and clinical validation of the computer-assisted tool is presented in this study.
Designing Machine Learning-Based Variable-Order Bayesian Network in Predicting Sudden Cardiac Arrest and Death
Authors: Mehbodniya Abolfazl , Webber Julian L. , Kumar Ravi , Ramachandran Manikandan
Published: August 2022

Recent surveys suggest that the majority of the world's population is unconcerned with their health. Aside from a hectic lifestyle, research reveals that stress is also a component in the development of many diseases. Sudden cardiac arrest and death (SCD) is a major public health concern that jeopardizes patient safety. As a result, detecting such illnesses only by ECG is difficult. The Bayesian Dirichlet equivalence score, AIC (akaike information criterion), and MDL (maximum description length) scores make up the variable-order Bayesian network (VOBN). On the basis of HRV (heart rate variability) acquired from ECG and using a hybrid classifier to identify SCD patients from normal patients, this study predicts sudden cardiac arrest before it occurs within 30 minutes. The validity of the suggested study is checked using the physionet database of cardiac patients and normal people, as well as the Cleveland dataset. The proposed method achieves 97.1% accuracy, 96.2% precision, 89.8% recall, 84.82% F1-score, 54.66% AUC, and 45.92% ROC, according to the results.
Adaptation to Pandemic Through Universal Access to Innovative Technologies
Authors: Alao Abiodun , Brink Roelien
Published: August 2022

The implementation of information technology into the healthcare sector is inevitable to prevent future pandemics, as COVID-19 had a huge impact on healthcare services and humanity. Therefore, universal access to technologies in managing unforeseen pandemics is necessary. The objective of this study is to examine how healthcare institutions use innovative technologies to address future pandemics. The study reflects on one of the targets of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 9, which is to significantly increase access to IT and strive to provide universal and affordable technology access to global citizens by 2030. This is to obtain the vision to work towards building an open, inclusive, and digital network for a secure future. This study used discourse analysis to critically analyze the use of innovative technologies like AI systems, machine learning, the internet, mobile phones, mobile computing, and other technologies adopted to manage the global pandemic. This study recommends to policymakers the importance of universal access to innovative technology to address pandemic issues.
COVID-19 mass testing and sequencing: Experiences from a laboratory in Western Kenya
Authors: Waitumbi John N. , Omuseni Esther , Nyataya Josphat , Masakhwe Clement , Sigei Faith , Lemtudo Allan , Awinda George , Muthanje Eric , Andika Brian , Githii Rachel , Liyai Rehema , Kimita Gathii , Mutai Beth
Published: August 2022

Background: The Basic Science Laboratory (BSL) of the Kenya Medical Research Institute/Walter Reed Project in Kisumu, Kenya addressed mass testing challenges posed by the emergent coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in an environment of global supply shortages. Before COVID-19, the BSL had adequate resources for disease surveillance and was therefore designated as one of the testing centres for COVID-19.Intervention: By April 2020, the BSL had developed stringent safety procedures for receiving and mass testing potentially infectious nasal specimens. To accommodate increased demand, BSL personnel worked in units: nucleic acid extraction, polymerase chain reaction, and data and quality assurance checks. The BSL adopted procedures for tracking sample integrity and minimising cross-contamination.Lessons learnt: Between May 2020 and January 2022, the BSL tested 63 542 samples, of which 5375 (8.59%) were positive for COVID-19; 1034 genomes were generated by whole genome sequencing and deposited in the Global Initiative on Sharing All Influenza Data database to aid global tracking of viral lineages. At the height of the pandemic (August and November 2020, April and August 2021 and January 2022), the BSL was testing more than 500 samples daily, compared to 150 per month prior to COVID-19. An important lesson from the COVID-19 pandemic was the discovery of untapped resilience within BSL personnel that allowed adaptability when the situation demanded. Strict safety procedures and quality management that are often difficult to maintain became routine.Recommendations: A fundamental lesson to embrace is that there is no ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach and adaptability is the key to success.
The use of ocular perfusion pressure surrogates in population-based glaucoma studies
Authors: Stuart Kelsey V.
Published: August 2022

No abstract available.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s perspective on racism
Authors: Dei Daniel , Akawobsa Dennis E.
Published: August 2022

Although Christianity has abundant literature against racism, the menace negatively affects human relationships in contemporary westernised societies. The near silence of most Christian denominations leads to one crucial question: how should Christians deal with racial prejudice in contemporary westernised societies? This article is a social criticism of racism from the perspective of Dietrich Bonhoeffer. As a Christian, Bonhoeffer struggled with the morality of racism, particularly regarding the experience of black people in the United States and Jews in Germany. His reflections and action against racial injustice are a robust framework that could inspire a positive Christian attitude in dealing with racism. This article describes the causes and remedies of racial injustice from his perspective. The central argument is that faithfulness to the communal social character is a significant way to deal with racism in contemporary westernised societies.Contribution: Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s reflections and actions against racial injustice are a robust framework for dealing with racism. The central argument is that faithfulness to the communal social character is a significant way Christians can deal with racism in contemporary westernised societies.
Adultery as sexual disorder: An exegetical study of Matthew 5:27–30
Authors: Peters Prince E.
Published: August 2022

There is a prevailing notion amongst preachers of the gospel, especially those in the Pentecostal circle, that adultery is a demonic problem. Their understanding of Jesus’ statement in Matthew 5:27–30 about adultery in the heart is that for adultery to happen in an invisible entity such as the heart, some invisible forces (demons) are responsible. This research is an exegetical study of Matthew 5:27–30, employing historical criticism as methodology, to ascertain the correctness of this understanding. The conclusion of this study is that adultery as described and understood in Matthew 5:27–30 is a sexual disorder and not a demonic problem.Contribution: This contribution argues that adultery mentioned in Matthew 5:27–30, contrary to its understanding in Pentecostal circles, is a sexual disorder and not the result of demonic spirits that feed the mind with sexual thoughts.
Iustitia: Teologies-etiese perspektiewe op die begrip geregtigheid met besondere verwysing na die standpunt van Augustinus en sy verreikende invloed
Authors: Van Wyk Jan H.
Published: August 2022

Iustitia: Theological-ethical perspectives on the concept of ‘justice’ with particular reference to the position of Augustine and his far-reaching influence. Last year, at a conference of the ‘Kerkhistoriese Genootskap’ of the Nederduitsch Hervormde Kerk van Afrika (NHKA), the theme of ‘geregtigheid’ [righteousness] was investigated from various angles. The author of this article was invited to present on the views of the church father, Augustine, within a broad perspective. The objectives were to explain, illuminate and evaluate the views of Augustine and to focus on their relevance today. The customary methodology was followed: studying Augustine’s main texts about the subject and applying both classic and modern methodologies of Dogmatics. This implied an investigating, interpreting, comparing and evaluating Augustine’s ideas. Attention was also given to developments after Augustine as well as their implications for the South African situation. A short interlude on biblical perspectives was included. The result showed how much Augustine has influenced theology through the ages; how many positive perspectives he has brought forward, but also how many questions his theology has raised. The article concludes with views which clarify the fact that the theme of righteousness is of utmost importance in Christian theology and ethics, and cannot be understood without reference to God in Christ, reference to man and reference to the earth. The article ends with a final eschatological perspective: the concept of righteousness characterises the future hope of a new creation (2 Pt 3:13).Contribution: The main contribution of this article is contained in the last two pages which summarises its essence: Righteousness is imperative and indispensable for meaningful life on earth.The article ends with a final eschatological perspective: The concept of righteousness characterises the future hope of a new creation (2 Pt 3:13).
Megaprojects as a vehicle for providing benefits to housing beneficiaries in the eThekwini municipality
Authors: Mvuyana Bongekile Y.C. , Nzimakwe Thokozani I.
Published: August 2022

Background: The Integrated Housing Development Plan developed by the eThekwini municipality is aimed at creating sustainable human settlements. It was developed to ensure that by the year 2020, all residents would have access to a housing opportunity which was to include secure tenure, basic services and support in achieving incremental housing improvement in living environments with the requisite social, economic and physical infrastructure. However, this did not materialise because there are a lot of issues that the municipality has continued to grapple with in fulfilling this mandate.Aim: This article aims at rethinking the modality of megaprojects as a vehicle for providing long-lasting benefits to housing beneficiaries in the eThekwini municipality.Method: This article is qualitative, and data were collected from members of the Cornubia community, officials from the eThekwini municipality and the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Human Settlements.Findings: The findings show the role played by megaprojects in creating a quality living environment for communities to meet government objectives. Whilst the South African government through these large-scale projects aims to provide quality accommodation together with basic services, this study also finds that this has cost implications for the poor because of other external factors such as unemployment and lack of access to resources.Conclusion: Whilst an enormous number of policies have been adopted to address the housing backlog, sustainable human settlements are still a challenge in South Africa. It should be observed that the Department of Human Settlements is chasing a moving target. The article has identified policy gaps in achieving sustainable human settlements which do not adequately address the achievement of integrated human settlements that the government is aiming at.
The deployment of theory in logistics research: A systematic literature review
Authors: Fisher-Holloway Brian , Mokhele Masilonyane
Published: August 2022

Background: Contemporary economic systems are characterised by the increasing volumes and flow of goods. This attribute highlights the importance of logistics wherein one of the key focus areas pertains to the movement and storage of freight at different geographical scales.Objective: In the light of the importance of theory in research as well as the significance of geographical location in logistics processes, the objective of the paper is to analyse the extent, scope and gaps of theory utilisation in logistics-related research.Method: The paper is based on a systematic literature review approach that encompassed 243 sources. The searches were conducted on the Internet database platforms using keywords such as logistics, logistics activities, geography of logistics activities, supply chain management, logistics theories and freight models.Results: The relationship between logistics research and theory is ambiguous in that the majority of the research does not explicitly incorporate theory. Logistics particularly benefits from theory originating from other disciplines, such as economics, strategic management and marketing; however, the use of theories that originate from human geography has been limited in logistics research.Conclusion: The drive to understand the movement and storage of freight at different scales has relevance to human geography, particularly the subdisciplines of transport geography and economic geography. It is therefore recommended that logistics research consider the theoretical frameworks originating from human geography.
The contribution of family physicians to African health systems
Authors: Mash Robert
Published: August 2022

Background: Africa is the last region to incorporate family physicians into its health systems. They are still a relatively new concept in many countries, small in numbers and deployed in a variety of ways. There is a need for more evidence on their contribution to African health systems to guide policymakers.Aim: The aim of this study was to review the special collection of short reports on the contribution of family physicians to African health systems, published in the African Primary Health Care and Family Medicine Journal in 2021.Method: Seventeen short reports from eight countries were qualitatively and thematically analysed in ATLAS.ti. Codes, which were derived inductively, were organised into categories according to the World Health Organization’s primary health care monitoring framework.Results: In the domain of health system determinants, family physicians made little contribution to governance, adjustment to population health needs or financing. They did, however, contribute substantially to the capacity of the health workforce, supply of equipment, functioning of the health information system and use of digital technologies. In the domain of service delivery, they strengthened the model of care and championed systems for improving the quality of care. This translated into improved availability and utilisation of services, core functions of primary care, quality of care and patient safety.Conclusion: Family physicians described their important contribution to service delivery in district hospitals and primary health care. This should lead to improvements in outcomes and impact for the health system. Their contribution to the concept of resilient facilities and health services needs further exploration.
A qualitative system dynamics perspective on the contribution of information technology credibility towards business and information technology alignment
Authors: Butler Martin J.
Published: August 2022

Purpose: The dynamic interdependence between the deployment of technological assets and organisational performance remains a challenge for modern enterprises. Organisations reinforce competitiveness and improve performance when business activities and information technology (IT) efforts are aligned. The credibility of the IT organisation is an important influence on alignment. This research guides managers and directs future research to improve IT credibility.Design/methodology/approach: Interviews with senior leaders about factors influencing IT credibility provided rich data for analyses. The dynamic complexity of creating a credible IT function to ensure alignment was captured using qualitative system dynamic diagrams. A causal loop diagram was constructed to identify feedback loops and leverage points.Findings: The analysis confirms the impact of three factors identified by prior research. It provides a new perspective on portfolio-level IT governance’s contribution to establishing credibility. The value of using past failure to develop credibility through ownership and resolution emerged from the analysis.Practical implications: The results provide guidelines to improve the IT organisation’s credibility to improve business and IT alignment. Leverage points to improve credibility are provided, and research into resolving past failure as a mechanism to success is suggested.Originality/value: While most of the extant literature focused on static alignment factors, causal loop diagrams provided insight into IT credibility’s systemic nature. A new factor (resolving past failure), a new perspective (portfolio level governance), and confirmation of existing factors and identifying leverage points contribute to practice and science.