bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Stretchable optical fibre sensor for soft surgical robot shape reconstruction
Authors: Yanlin He  , Likun Gao  , Yuchen Bai  , Hangwei Zhu  , Guangkai Sun  , Lianqing Zhu  , Haidong Xu
Published: January 2022

Soft robotics presents several advantages in the field of minimally invasive surgery. However, existing methods have not fully addressed problems related to soft robot shape sensing due to the complex motion of soft robots and the stretchable nature of the soft materials employed. This study demonstrates the shape sensing of a soft robot with a helically embedded stretchable fibre Bragg grating (FBG)-based optical fibre sensor. Unlike straight FBG embedding configurations, this unique helical configuration prevents sensor dislocation, supports material stretchability, and facilitates shape detection for various soft-robot movements. The proposed soft-robot design principle and FBG sensor are analysed and their fabrication process, which includes an FBG-written optical fibre sensor, is described. Bending experiments are conducted with the soft robot, the wavelengths of FBG sensors at diﬀerent bending and telescopic movement states are obtained, and the soft-robot shape is reconstructed. Experimental results demonstrate that the maximum error between FBG sensing and the actual bending state is less than 2.5%, validating the feasibility and eﬀectiveness of the proposed helical stretchable FBG sensing method for the shape measurement of soft robots. These results indicate the potential and applicability of this shape-sensing approach in biomedical research.
SUBJECTS OF HOUSEHOLD AND PERSONAL ITEMSAS A SOURCE FOR STUDYING THE URBAN EVERYDAY LIFE OF THE LATE IMPERIAL ERA
Authors:   Institute of History and Archaeology of the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Yakhno O.N.
Published: January 2022

The author discusses the need to expand the source base for studying the history of everyday life. It is noted that a solid pool of historiographic works has already been accumulated in this area of research. Recent publications focusing on the reconstruction of everyday life in national capitals and provincial centers contain extensive generalizations and conclusions. At the same time, almost all studies are based on various legal acts, current records, statistical materials, publications in periodicals of a relevant period, and written sources of private origin. Subjects of material culture, the "world of things" that surrounds people in their everyday life, receive much less attention as a potential source of research. The article demonstrates in what way the analysis of numerous household items, various accessories for hobbies and pastime, as well as personal care items, may contribute to a better understanding of both the material side of everyday life and the diversity of individual and group preferences, behavioral and communication styles, and value orientations of the people. The author draws a conclusion that this approach is particularly important for studying the changes in everyday life observed in critical periods in the Russian history characteristic of the early 20th century.
THE RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH IN THE LIBERATION STRUGGLE OF THE SOUTH SLAVS IN 1875-1878 (BASED ON MATERIALS FROM THE VOLGA REGION)
Authors:   Samara Federal Research Center of the RAS, Anshakov Yu.P. , Shepeleva A.Yu. ,   Samara Federal Research Center of the RAS, Tolkachev M.V. ,   Samara Federal Research Center of the RAS
Published: January 2022

The article is devoted to a complex of problems associated with the participation of the Russian Orthodox church in organizing of assistance to the liberation struggle of the South Slavs during the Balkan crisis of 1875-1878. The authors analyze various aspects of the assistance of the Russian Orthodox church to the South Slavs.
BODIES OF THE FOREST INDUSTRY AND FORESTRY IN 1918-1921 (ON THE MATERIALS OF THE PENZA PROVINCE)
Authors:   Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation, Moscow, Penza Filial, Voyeikov E.V.
Published: January 2022

The author systematizes information from archival and published sources on the formation of organizational structures of the forest industry and forestry on the example of the Penza province. He traces evolution of the formation of provincial forest committees (gubleskoms) and logging committees for railways (zheleskoms) at the regional level, as well as the expansion of the range of firewood producers due to the admission of military units and industrial enterprises to logging. The author reveals the role of temporary emergency commissions and the commissioners in destabilizing the production process in 1920-1921.
MENYOROT FUNDAMENTALISME-RADIKALISME ISLAM
Authors: Jaelani Jaelani
Published: January 2022

Artikel ini membahas tentang fundamentalisme dan radikalisme khususnya pada gerakan Hizbut Tahrir di Indonesia dalam perspektif historis. Dengan mengambil teks-teks dari buku-buku dan jurnal kontemporer, kajian ini mendeskripsikan apa yang menjadi formasi dari fundamentalisme dan radikalisme, khususnya gerakan Hizbut Tahrir Indonesia, mengapa ia muncul, dan bagaimana perkembangannya di Indonesia. Kajian ini menemukan bahwa kehadiran Hizbut Tahrir di Indonesia yang kemudian mengambil nama Hizbut Tahrir Indonesia (HTI) adalah bagian dari penyebarluasan ideologi, ajaran, strategi gerakan, dan sistem kaderisasi Hizbut Tahrir keseluruh penjuru dunia. Akhirnya, kajian ini pun menyarankan bagaimana baiknya bangsa Indonesia menghadapi ancaman fundamentalisme dan radikalisme tersebut.
Reward learning and statistical learning independently influence attentional priority of salient distractors in visual search
Authors: Le Pelley Mike E. , Ung Rhonda , Mine Chisato , Most Steven B. , Watson Poppy , Pearson Daniel , Theeuwes Jan
Published: January 2022

Existing research demonstrates different ways in which attentional prioritization of salient nontarget stimuli is shaped by prior experience: Reward learning renders signals of high-value outcomes more likely to capture attention than signals of low-value outcomes, whereas statistical learning can produce attentional suppression of the location in which salient distractor items are likely to appear. The current study combined manipulations of the value and location associated with salient distractors in visual search to investigate whether these different effects of selection history operate independently or interact to determine overall attentional prioritization of salient distractors. In Experiment 1, high-value and low-value distractors most frequently appeared in the same location; in Experiment 2, high-value and low-value distractors typically appeared in distinct locations. In both experiments, effects of distractor value and location were additive, suggesting that attention-promoting effects of value and attention-suppressing effects of statistical location-learning independently modulate overall attentional priority. Our findings are consistent with a view that sees attention as mediated by a common priority map that receives and integrates separate signals relating to physical salience and value, with signal suppression based on statistical learning determined by physical salience, but not incentive salience.
Diversity of Mosquitoes Collected from the Southern Areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Pakistan
Authors: Khan Khan Niaz , Ali Mohammad , Zahid Muhammad , Ahmad Wasim
Published: January 2022

OBJECTIVES:
The objective of the study was to assess the diversity of mosquitoes in various towns of the southern belt of KPK.
METHODOLOGY:
This was a descriptive study that was conducted in numerous towns of Western belt of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The study areas were Darra Adam Khel, District Kohat, District Karak, District Banu, District D.I. Khan and newly merged districts Mir Ali and Miranshah. From each study site, the samples were collected randomly. The sample collection was done through survey and area visits whereas; the identification process was done in a parasitology laboratory of Hayatabad-Peshawar. Sampling was done from June 2016 to May 2017.
RESULTS:
A total of 2150 adult mosquitoes were gathered and collected from 42 different locations of the southern belt of KPK and were identified. Based on their identification, 5 genera of the mosquitoes were recognized which were Culex, Anopheles, Psorophora, Aedes and Uranotenia. Culex was found to be most dominant in all the visited areas with a percentage of 12.65 in Miranshah followed by 11.81 in Mirali, 7.16 in Karak, 6.88 in Darra Adam Khel, 6.69 in D.I.Khan, 6.41 in Kohat and 5.11 in Bannu respectively. The results of our findings also revealed the presence of Culex genera in all the habitats and remained the dominant genera among the others followed by Anopheles and Psorophora. Aedes was found in the habitat of plants and grasses etc. whereas Uranotenia was found in marsh/swampy areas as well as in plants/grasses habitat only.
CONCLUSION:
The outcomes reveal that a climate shifting and extensive urbanization process is enforcing the diversity of mosquitos’ fauna in the southern belt of KPK.
Effectiveness of Early Tracheostomy compared with Late Tracheostomy Or Prolonged Orotracheal Intubation in Traumatic Brain Injury: Protocol of Systematic Review
Authors:   Universidade Federal de Alagoas, DE ANDRADE RAUL RIBEIRO , DE OLIVEIRA NETO OLAVO BARBOSA , DOS SANTOS JOÃO GUSTAVO ROCHA PEIXOTO , RODRIGUES CÉLIO FERNANDO DE SOUSA , BARBOSA FABIANO TIMBÓ
Published: January 2022

Review question / Objective: What is the effectiveness of Early Tracheostomy compared with Late Tracheostomy Or Prolonged Orotracheal Intubation in Traumatic Brain Injury? Condition being studied: Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is every traumatic anatomical ou functional injury that affects brain, skull and/or vessels related to them. TBI is a public health problem that involves over 50 million people per year in Worldwide. Information sources: PUBLISHED DATABASES (Medline by PUBMED, Lilacs, Central-Cochrane, Scopus by Elsevier, Web Of Science e Embase by Elsevier) NON-PUBLISHED (Open Grey by Sigle; Clinical Trial Register at the International Clinical Trials Registry Platform) (Referencies of the selected studies).
Jurisdictional challenge of the Internet: Treatise on theory and practice of digital turn
Authors: Nektov A. V.
Published: January 2022

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Clinical Learning in Medical and Health Professions Education amid COVID-19 Pandemic: A Literature Review of Various Methods and Innovations
Authors: Harjanto Totok , Setiyarini Sri , Prihatiningsih Titi S.
Published: January 2022

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 has caused disruption to medical education and health care systems around the world. The highly contagious nature of the virus makes it difficult for educational institutions to continue their studies as usual, thus affecting the medical and health professions education which is based on face-to-face lectures, practicum, skills laboratories, and clinical practice in health facilities.

AIM: This paper discovers clinical learning initiatives across the globe and highlights the contribution toward educational processes.

METHODOLOGY: This study utilized an integrated literature review method. A systematic search for articles published was performed in Springer, ScienceDirect, PubMed, and EBSCOHost. Primary search monetary terms were e-learning (all synonyms) and health sciences education (all synonyms), including COVID-19. Articles published within the period of COVID-19 pandemic included in this study. For the synthesis, the 20 included studies selected were coded. In this study, data were synthesized through narrative synthesis using thematic analysis (TA). To identify the recurrent themes author followed six steps when synthesizing data using TA, for example, familiarizing with the data, developing initial (sub) codes, searching for (sub) themes, reviewing (sub) themes, compiling ideas or issues, and producing final data in line with the study aims and objectives.

RESULTS: Out of records identified, a total of citations was screened, of which 20 were found to be of relevance to this study most were quantitative (14.70%) in design. Studies were published in 2020 since the beginning of COVID-19 pandemic. The geographical range of papers covered mostly the moderate-income regions. On conducting TA of the included studies, it was possible to obtain two broad descriptive themes/categories: enablers or drivers of, and barriers or challenges to, under which important themes have emerged.

CONCLUSION: Study suggests that developing e-learning in effective clinical learning is needed, not only limited to moving the learning process but also needing to follow the instructional design, so that learning outcomes can be achieved by students. In addition, a learning process that promotes self-directed-learning is needed so that students have flexibility, use relevant learning styles and are able to integrate knowledge, skills and attitudes as a meaningful learning process.
Ergonomic Risk-prone Activities toward Nurses in the Intensive Care and Emergency Room
Authors: Sartika Dewi , Nurrachmah Elly , Sukirman Dewi Irawaty , Mansyur Muchtaruddin , Supartono Basuki
Published: January 2022

BACKGROUND: Nurses have the risk of ergonomic hazards in providing nursing care, especially with increasingly dynamic health services such as during Coronavirus disease-19 pandemic like today.

AIM: The aim of the study was to evaluate activities prone to produce ergonomic risks during the implementation of nursing care in intensive care and emergency room (ER) of a hospital in Riau, Indonesia.

METHODOLOGY: This study was conducted by observing the routine activities conducted by the nurses and using similar task group techniques equipped with Rapid Entire Body Assessment instrument. Those observed activities were obtained from 17 intensive care room nurses and ten ER nurses. There were six activities observed in the intensive care room: Bathing, transferring the patient, wounds dressing, taking blood samples for the AGDA examinations, as well as inserting the intravenous needle and electrocardiograms. Meanwhile, there were two activities observed in the ER: Transferring the patient and inserting the intravenous needle.

RESULTS: The highest ergonomic risks activity in the intensive care room was bathing the patient with a total score of 13. At the ER, the highest risk score was transferring the patient with a total score of 12. Both activities were at level 4, indicating a high-risk condition. Thus, examinations and changes should be immediately initiated.

CONCLUSION: The results are significant to be paid attention by the related parties at the hospital to facilitate some improvements immediately. In addition, the ergonomic approaches that can be suggested to the nurses are regular stretching, physical exercises, and applying ergonomic principles while working.
Biological Markers of Training Level among Qualified Greco-Roman Wrestlers
Authors: Tonoyan Khoren , Tarasova Lyubov , Korzhenevskiy Alexander
Published: January 2022

BACKGROUND: The article presents the dynamics of biochemical indicators showing the tension of body functional systems in qualified Greco-Roman wrestlers at the pre-competition stage. Biochemical indicators can be regarded as the markers of training level, as a reflection of adaptive changes during performing training loads.

AIM: The study aims to examine the adaptive reactions of body internal systems in wrestlers to the load performed at the stage of pre-competition training.

METHODS: The methodological basis of the study is the examination of the reaction of body functional systems in wrestlers (n = 24) in response to the load performed at the stage of pre-competition training. The basis of the studied indicators of wrestlers’ organisms is the dynamics of the enzymatic activity (ALT and AST), the activity of creatine phosphokinase, and the balance of anabolic and catabolic processes in the course of a 2-week macrocycle of the pre-competition training.

RESULTS: A high level of enzymatic activity (ALT and AST) was noted as the response to shock training load in the first and the second training macrocycles against the background of a negative trend during the entire sports event, which indicates a directed decrease in the heart’s tension muscle, being an indicator of adaptive changes occurring in wrestlers’ body energy. The high variability of AST indicators on the first day and creatine phosphokinase throughout the entire pre-competition training pointed out an individual level of adaptive reactions of the athletes’ bodies in response to the training load taken.

CONCLUSIONS: The results of the study have shown notable dynamics in the indicators of the enzymatic activity of AST, creatine phosphokinase, and the hormone cortisol in a series of shock training loads, as the response to adaptive changes in body energy systems, the value of which should be considered during the pre-competition training.
Role of Transcription Factor 7 like 2 and Silent Information Regulator 1 Genes in the Development of Cardiovascular Complications in a Group of Egyptian Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease
Authors: Mamdouh Doaa , Shawky Hanan , Moustafa El-Assaly Nihal , El-Shishtawy Samia , Sherif Nevine , Metwaly Amna , Mohamed Fteah Asmaa
Published: January 2022

BACKGROUND: Sirtuins silent information regulator 1 (SIRT) is histone deacetylases that act as antioxidants and involved in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) which are the major complications of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Transcription factor 7-like 2 (TCF7L2) genetic polymorphisms could contribute to the risk of CVD as TCF7L2 proteins regulate vascular remodeling.

AIM: We tried to demonstrate the role of genetic polymorphisms: rs7069102 and rs10823108 in SIRT1 gene and rs7903146 in TCF7L2 gene in the development of CVD in CKD Egyptian patients.

METHODS: This study included 120 CKD patients (60 with CVD and 60 without CVD) and 60 age and sex-matched healthy subjects as a control group. Routine laboratory investigations were performed and genotyping for candidate single nucleotide polymorphisms was done by Taqman-real-time polymerase chain reaction.

RESULTS: The frequency of the C allele of rs7069102 was significantly higher in CKD patients with CVD as compared to the normal control group (p < 0.001) and as compared to CKD patients without CVD (p < 0.001). Percentages of AG and GG genotypes of rs10823108 were significantly higher in CKD patients with CVD as compared to the normal control group (p = 0.002, 0.035, respectively). The frequency of the T allele of rs7903146 was significantly higher in CKD patients with CVD as compared to the normal control group (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION: We found that C allele of rs7069102, GG and AG genotypes of rs10823108 in the SIRT1 gene and T allele of rs7903146 in TCF7L2 gene have a potential role in the pathogenesis and the risk of CVD development in CKD Egyptian patients.
Diet of Eastern Imperial Eagle (Aquila heliaca) in Bulgaria: composition, distribution and variation
Authors: Demerdzhiev Dimitar , Boev Zlatozar , Dobrev Dobromir , Terziev Nikolay , Nedyalkov Nedko , Stoychev Stoycho , Petrov Tseno
Published: January 2022

The Eastern Imperial Eagle (EIE) is a top predator exploiting different prey in different parts of its distribution. In this study, we summarise data collected over a long period of time (for 25 consecutive years), identifying key prey species in the different regions, as well as clarifying seasonal preferences in the eagle’s diet. Most studies on the EIE food composition covering different parts of the species distribution range analyse the breeding season, while data about the winter diet are scarce. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study detailing the differences in EIE’s dietary preferences between the breeding and the winter periods. We identified 4891 specimens belonging to 196 different taxa, which represents the most comprehensive study considering the diet diversity of this threatened species. Mammals represented the largest proportion of the diet, followed by birds and reptiles. Northern White-breasted Hedgehog was the most common prey, accounting for 25.7% of the total prey caught and 26.75% of the biomass. The European Souslik was the second most important prey with 14.35% participation in the eagle’s diet, but with a 3.75% contribution to the biomass. As we predicted, prey composition and main prey species varied spatially and seasonally. Modelling differences in the EIE diet, we found that the “territory effect” had the strongest impact on the dietary variations. Diet diversity differed significantly between regions (F = 12.6, df = 4, p = 0.01). During the breeding season, eagles fed mainly on Hedgehogs (29.88%), Sousliks (16.85%) and Storks (7.74%), while the winter diet was predominantly small rodents (44.17%) and songbirds (13.96%). We found that top predators, such as EIE, have successfully adapted to a novel food source, which is abundant in the area. The detected flexibility in the diet of the species and its ability to switch to alternative prey, if available, when the primary prey decreased, should be considered when planning species conservation efforts. Investigating the temporal change of the main prey in the eagle’s diet is also crucial for further species conservation measures.
The distribution and conservation status of Tapirus terrestris in the South American Atlantic Forest
Authors: Flesher Kevin M. , Medici Emília Patrícia
Published: January 2022

Tapirus terrestris is the largest South American land mammal, with an extensive historical distribution and capable of occupying diverse habitats, and yet its populations have declined across its range. In order to provide baseline data on the conservation status of tapirs in the Atlantic Forest, we conducted a long-term study in one landscape, visited 93 forests, and received 217 expert reports over the 15-year study. We estimate that 2,665–15,992 tapirs remain in 48 confirmed populations, occupying 26,654 km2 of forest or 1.78% of its original range in the biome. Historically, hunting and deforestation were the main causes of decline, but today population isolation is the principal long-term threat. Vortex models indicate that 31.3–68.8% and 70.8–93.8% of the populations are demographically and genetically non-viable over the next 100 years, respectively, and that only 3–14 populations are viable when considering both variables. Habitat use data indicate that tapirs are adaptable to disturbed and secondary forests and will use diverse tree plantations and agricultural lands but hunting and highways keep populations isolated. Reserve staff report tapirs as common/abundant at 62.2% of the sites, and populations as stable and growing in 60% and 36% of the sites, respectively, and there is ample habitat in the biome for a population expansion, but overcoming the causes of isolation will be necessary for this to occur. Lack of adequate funding for protecting reserves is a chronic threat throughout the biome, especially in federal and state/provincial reserves, and increased funding will be necessary to implement effective conservation plans.
Cryoconites as biogeochemical markers of anthropogenic impact in high mountain regions: analysis of polyaromatic pollutants in soil-like bodies
Authors: Abakumov Evgeny , Kushnov Ivan , Nizamutdinov Timur , Tembotov Rustam
Published: January 2022

The globalisation and omnidirectional character of anthropogenic processes has challenged scientists around the world to estimate the harmful effects of these processes on ecosystems and human health. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) is one the most infamous group of contaminants, originated both from natural and anthropogenic processes. They could transport to high latitudes and altitudes through atmospheric long-distance transfer and further enter ecosystems of these vulnerable regions by deposition on terrestrial surfaces. An interesting object for tracking transboundary contamination processes in high mountain ecosystems is called cryoconite. Cryoconite, a dark-coloured supraglacial sediment which is abundant in polar and mountain environments, is considered as a storage of various pollutants, including PAHs. Thus, it may pose a risk for local human health and ecosystem through short-distance transfer. Studied cryoconite sediments were collected at the surface of Skhelda and Garabashi glaciers, Central Caucasus high-mountain region, as well as mudflow, moraine material and local soils at the Baksan Gorge in order to examine levels of their contamination. We analysed the content of 15 priority polyaromatic compounds from the US EPA list and used the method of calculation of PAHs isomer ratios with the purpose of identifying their source. To estimate their potential toxicity, Benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) equivalents were calculated. Maximum concentration was defined for NAP (84 ng×g-1), PHE (40 ng×g-1) and PYR (47 ng×g-1), with the minimum concentration for ANT (about 1 ng×g-1). The most polluted material is a cryoconite from Garabashi glacier because of local anthropogenic activities and long-distance transfer. High-molecular weight PAHs are dominated in PAHs composition of almost all samples. The most common sources of PAHs in studied materials are combustion processes and mixed pyrolytic/petrogenic origin. Toxicity levels of separate PAHs did not exceed the maximum permissible threshold concentrations values in most cases. However, the sum of PAHs in BaP equivalents exceed the threshold values in all samples, in some of them more than twice.
Unique and fragile diversity emerges from Brazilian caves – two new amphibious species of Xangoniscus Campos-Filho, Araujo & Taiti, 2014 (Oniscidea, Styloniscidae) from Serra do Ramalho karst area, state of Bahia, Brazil
Authors: Campos-Filho Ivanklin S. , Gallo Jéssica S. , Gallão Jonas E. , Torres Dayana F. , Horta Lília , Carpio-Díaz Yesenia M. , López-Orozco Carlos M. , Borja-Arrieta Ricardo , Aguiar José O. , Bichuette Maria E.
Published: January 2022

Two new troglobitic species of Xangoniscus are described from two caves of Serra do Ramalho karst area, Bambuí geomorphological group, state of Bahia. Xangoniscus lapaensissp. nov. is described from Gruna Boca da Lapa cave, and X. loboisp. nov. from Gruna da Pingueira II cave. Both species are blind and depigmented and show amphibious habits, as observed for all species of Xangoniscus described until now. Xangoniscus lapaensissp. nov. occurs in travertine pools fed by water of the upper aquifer, and X. loboisp. nov. occurs in a small stream, an upper vadose tributary. Both species occur in fragile microhabitats. Ecological and behavioral data, conservation remarks, and IUCN conservation assessments are included to provide background data for conservation efforts in this unique karst area.
Continuous dependence and optimal control of a dynamic elastic-viscoplastic contact problem with non-monotone boundary conditions
Authors: Wang Xilu , Cheng Xiaoliang
Published: January 2022

In this paper, we consider continuous dependence and optimal control of a dynamic elastic-viscoplastic contact model with Clarke subdifferential boundary conditions. Since the constitutive law of elastic-viscoplastic materials has an implicit expression of the stress field, the weak form of the model is an evolutionary hemivariational inequality coupled with an integral equation. By providing some equivalent weak formulations, we prove the continuous dependence of the solution on external forces and initial conditions in the weak topologies. Finally, the existence of optimal solutions to a boundary optimal control problem is established.
Pricing strategy and product quality design with platform-investment
Authors: Dang Xiujing , Xu Yang , Bi Gongbing , Qin Lei
Published: January 2022

With the development of business, more consumers are quality sensitive and improving the product quality becomes particularly important. We mainly discuss two investment strategies: retailer-investment and platform-investment. Compared with non-investment case, only if consumer sensitivity is not too high, it is profitable for the retailer to select retailer-investment. When both retailer-investment and platform-investment are viable, the choice of investment mechanism depends on the profit-sharing ratio. Particularly, if the ratio is within a certain range, the optimal investment strategy is platform-investment, achieving a triple-win outcome. Besides, to effectively alleviate the contradiction between the retailer's moral hazard problem and the sustainable value-added effect of platform-investment, we further research the contract term. These results give us some meaningful management inspirations in investment mechanism.
An existence theorem for nonlinear functional Volterra integral equations via Petryshyn's fixed point theorem
Authors: Singh Soniya ,   Department of Applied Sciences and Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Roorkee, India, Kumar Satish , Metwali Mohamed M. A. , Aldosary Saud Fahad , Nisar Kottakkaran S. ,   Department of Applied Sciences, UIET, Panjab University SSG Regional Centre, Hoshiarpur (Punjab), India,   Department of Mathematics, Faculty of Science, Damanhour Universty, Damanhour, Egypt,   Department of Mathematics, College of Arts and Sciences, Wadi Aldawaser, 11991, Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University, Saudi Arabia
Published: January 2022

Using the method of Petryshyn's fixed point theorem in Banach algebra, we investigate the existence of solutions for functional integral equations, which involves as specific cases many functional integral equations that appear in different branches of non-linear analysis and their applications. Finally, we recall some particular cases and examples to validate the applicability of our study.
Embracing Video Games for Strategic Thinking, Collaboration, and Communication Skills Practice
Authors: Hewett Katherine Joan Evelyn
Published: January 2022

According to the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) report, 70% of families have a child who is actively playing video games at home. This pop culture phenomenon has challenged the way teachers think about learning and engagement. This chapter explores how the nature, culture, design, mechanics, and logistics of video games shape the way classroom gamers think. It examines how video games provide a space for strategic practice, the 21st-century skills acquired, and the tools gamers use as experts. Presenting background and context to help better understand why and how video game environments develop strategic thinking, the purpose of this chapter is to encourage educators to embrace video games to harness pop culture experiences as a means to motivate students to develop 21st-century literacy practices and skills. Through the reflections and framework of a teacher's experience who is an active researcher, it also discusses how a popular mainstream video game in the classroom changed her teaching and opened her eyes to a new type of learner.
International Schools as Models for Educators to Dismantle Oppression and Promote Social Justice
Authors: Fedorowicz Sharlene M.
Published: January 2022

International-mindedness is a strategy employed by international schools (IS) to create environments successfully promoting social justice, cultural diversity, and tolerance. The composition of the student body forces accommodation and assimilation of multiple cultures, backgrounds, and languages into one location or contact zone. The purpose of the study is to understand how IS navigate, manage, and lead educators and students from different races, genders, religions, and socioeconomic statuses by promoting equity and creating an environment with zero tolerance for discrimination. However, social justice gaps in education in general still exist, and practical applications and strategies to embrace diversity and equalize the marginalized are lacking. This chapter provides strategies as to how educators worldwide can benefit from approaches used by IS for social justice and tangible strategies used by IS to promote ethical-international-mindedness and decrease discrimination.
Education for Women and Girls in Iraq
Authors: Al Tamimi Wafa Subhi
Published: January 2022

Women in Iraq are still acquiring equality and equity in various aspects of their personal and professional lives. Hence, it is essential to identify factors that influence their education, emphasizing equity as it fulfills lives with strength, success, and prosperity. This chapter presents key challenges that impede a prosperous educational climate that is fair among genders. The chapter presents cultural, economic, social barriers, and pushbacks against women's education in Iraq, the overall impact of education decline, among other factors that reduce equity for women. The author then presents various solutions and recommendations based on an analytical evaluation to achieve education access, equality, and equity for Iraqi women. The chapter calls to develop effective policies and programs that target the identified cultural, societal, and infrastructure obstacles to help improve women's education in Iraq and assure equality and equity.
Collaborative Learning
Authors: Reuter Jessica , Ferreira Dias Marta , Sousa Maria José
Published: January 2022

Organisations always seek to maximize the effectiveness of their internal systems. Gamification is a growing trend in work contexts, with employers realizing that many of the elements associated with it can be transferred to a business environment. Understanding the main concepts that make games appealing to society allows us to understand how they can be adapted and used in the professional environment, as well as in organizations. Therefore, besides gamification, game-based learning and serious games can be used in organizations for training and skills development. Understanding how gamification activities affect both extrinsic and intrinsic motivation is critical to understanding how they affect workers and how they can be used to their full potential. This study provides a critical analysis of the use of these tools to increase the motivation and collaboration of individuals in organizations. Playing in groups to learn is a practice that still needs more incentives and diffusion to be widely used in the company context.
A Framework for Discussion in a Post-COVID World
Authors: Pizzo Janeen , Svrcek Natalie Sue , Colantonio-Yurko Kathleen
Published: January 2022

This chapter addresses how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted teaching and practice for secondary educators. The authors consider how content area secondary educators, in light of the pandemic, can support adolescent students' understanding of discipline specific concepts through discussion in virtual spaces. Discussion is integral to literacy learning in the disciplines because it provides students with the tools they need to be successful learners and active participants in their learning. The authors use critical literacy, TPACK, and SAMR to provide educators with a framework to evaluate and interrogate disciplinary literacy teaching methods. The chapter provides educators with tools for secondary educators to engage in the thoughtful reconstruction of the learning experiences they design for students.
Using Technology to Support Culturally Responsive Practices in Post-Secondary Settings
Authors: Watts Diantha B.
Published: January 2022

Culturally responsive teaching (CRT) is a research-based method of instruction that centers students' racial, ethnic, linguistic, and cultural backgrounds in the curriculum and pedagogy to ensure equitable outcomes as well as promote critical consciousness related to social injustice. CRT is typically associated with P-12 educational settings; however, the principles and mindsets of culturally responsive education have been applied in post-secondary educational settings. The practices associated with CRT require intentional planning, preparation, and implementation. The abrupt shift to virtual and remote learning required quickly leveraging various technology tools to ensure CRT practices were incorporated into teaching and learning in order to create an equitable and culturally-responsive learning environment.
Mapping Intrinsic Vulnerability to Pollution Using the DRASTIC Method in the Temara Groundwater (Northwestern Morocco)
Authors: Taazzouzte Mariam , Ghafiri Abdessamad , Lemacha Hassan , El Moutaki Saida , Haidara Imane
Published: January 2022

the DRASTIC method was chosen because it can be adapted to different environments and because it combines the seven criteria that directly influence groundwater: depth, recharge, geology, soil, slope, unsaturated zone and conductivity. Located in the North West of Morocco, the Temara aquifer is a very important water resource, but it is overexploited and deteriorated as never before. This issue is of concern to decision-makers in the field of water management. The objective of this work is to create a map of vulnerability to pollution by the Bay of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and the DRASTIC model. Thus, the highest vulnerabilities are located around the drinking water treatment plant of Ain Atiq, at the mouth of the Bouregreg River and scattered in places throughout the study area. The results of the physico-chemical analysis showed compatibility with the results of the DRASTIC model.
Determination of the SSM Processing Window
Authors: Brollo Gabriela Lujan , Zoqui Eugênio José
Published: January 2022

Identification of critical temperatures is paramount for semisolid processing. Application of the principles of differential calculus to identify these temperatures on semisolid transformation curves allows the semisolid metal (SSM) processing window to be determined. This paper synthesizes and organizes a methodology that can be used to this end, namely the differentiation method (DM). Examples are given of the application of the method to 356, 355, and 319 aluminum alloys, which are commonly used in SSM processing, and the results are compared with those of numerical simulations performed with Thermo-Calc® (under the Scheil condition). The DM is applied to experimental differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) heat-flow data for cooling and heating cycles under different kinetic conditions (5, 10, 15, 20, and 25 °C/min). The findings indicate that the DM is an efficient tool for identifying critical points such as the solidus, liquidus, and knee as well as tertiary transformations. The results obtained using the method agree well with those obtained using traditional techniques. The method is operator-independent as it uses well-defined mathematical/graphical criteria to identify critical points. Furthermore, the DM identifies an SSM processing window defined in terms of a higher and lower temperature for rheocasting or thixoforming operations (TSSML and TSSMH) between which the sensitivity is less than 0.03 °C-1 and, consequently, the process is highly controllable. This DM has already been published in a partial and dispersed way in different works in the past and the aim here is to present it in a more cohesive and didactic way, synthesizing the presented data and comparing them.
Heat-Resistant Al-Alloys with Quasicrystalline and L12- Precipitates
Authors: Zupanič Franc , Bončina Tonica
Published: January 2022

We have been developing Al-Mn-Cu based alloys alloyed with minor additions of different elements. Small additions of beryllium enhance the formation of the icosahedral quasicrystalline phase (IQC) during solidification, especially during ageing. Upon solidification, primary IQC-particles may form, with sizes, ranging from 5 to 50 μm. IQC is also present as a part of binary eutectic in the interdendritic regions. More importantly, nanosized quasicrystalline precipitates can form during T5-treatment at temperatures ranging from about 250−450 °C. They are, in fact, metastable precipitates transforming to ternary T-precipitates (Al20Mn3Cu2) phase above 450 °C. The heat resistance can be increased considerably by the addition of Sc and Zr by forming L12-precipitates in spaces between quasicrystalline precipitates. In this paper, we studied three alloys, two Al-Mn-Cu-Be alloys and an Al-Mn-Cu-Be-Sc-Zr alloy. The alloys were produced by vacuum induction melting and casting into a copper mould. We investigated the response of the alloys to different heat treatments and their heat resistance at higher temperatures. It was shown that the alloys could be precipitation strengthened by ageing at 300 °C and 400 °C. The hardness of the alloy stayed at relatively high levels even at 500 °C, while more substantial softening occurred at 600 °C.
Dependence of Microstructures and Mechanical Properties on the Growth Rate and Composition in Directionally Solidified Mg-Gd Alloys
Authors: Qin He , Yang Guang Yu , Luo Shi Feng , Bai Tong , Jie Wan Qi
Published: January 2022

Microstructures and mechanical properties of directionally solidified Mg-xGd (5.21, 7.96 and 9.58 wt.%) alloys were investigated at a wide range of growth rates (V = 10-200 μm/s) under the constant temperature gradient (G = 30 K/mm). The results showed that when the growth rate was 10 μm/s, different interface morphologies were observed in three tested alloys: cellular morphology for Mg-5.21Gd alloy, a mixed morphology of cellular structure and dendritic structure for Mg-7.96Gd alloy and dendrite morphology for Mg-9.58Gd alloy, respectively. Upon further increasing the growth rate, only dendrite morphology was exhibited in all experimental alloys. The microstructural parameters (λ1, λ2) decreased with increasing the growth rate for all the experimental alloy, and the measured λ1 and λ2 values were in good agreement with Trivedi model and Kattamis-Flemings model, respectively. Vickers hardness and the ultimate tensile strength increased with the increase of the growth rate and Gd content, while the elongation decreased gradually. Furthermore, the relationships between the hardness, ultimate tensile strength, the growth rate and the microstructural parameters were discussed and compared with the previous experimental results.
Correlation between placental histopathology and perinatal outcome in COVID-19
Authors: Arora Devendra , Rajmohan KS , Singh Sanjay , Nair Vinod , Barui Sanghita , Dey Madhusudan , Kumar Abhijeet
Published: January 2022

Objectives:

An alarming rate of adverse perinatal outcomes as well as maternal deaths has been reported worldwide during this pandemic. It would be prudent to start thinking on the lines of acute or chronic intrauterine fetal hypoxia due to placental microvascular pathology or villitis caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. Autopsy studies of deceased patients with severe COVID-19 have revealed the presence of diffuse pulmonary alveolar damage, thrombosis, and microvascular injuries. It is expected that similar pathological features such as microvascular injuries could be found in the placenta of infected pregnant women.

Materials and Methods:

Placentas of singleton pregnancies from 42 SARS-CoV-2 positive mothers delivered at term were submitted for histopathological examination. Those with multifetal gestation, hypertensive disorder, fetal growth restriction, structural or chromosomal anomalies in the fetus, thrombophilia, prolonged prelabor rupture of membranes, and placenta accreta spectrum were excluded from the study. Histopathological examination was done by two pathologists independently and only those results concurred by both were reported. Histopathological features and corresponding neonatal outcome were analyzed.

Results:

Reports of 42 placentas from patients with SARS-CoV-2, delivered at term (37–40 weeks) were analyzed in our study. Features of maternal vascular malperfusions (MVM) were present in 45% (n = 19) cases. Features of fetal vascular malperfusions (FVM) were present in 23.8% (n = 10) cases. There were 47.6% (n = 20) cases showing at least one feature of acute inflammatory pathology (AIP) and 42.8% (n = 18) showing features of chronic inflammatory pathology (CIP). Neonatal respiratory distress syndrome was found in 19% (n = 8) of the neonates. Correspondingly, nearly all placentas (n = 7) of these neonates showed features of MVM, FVM, AIP and CIP. There was no maternal or neonatal mortality in our study group.

Conclusion:

The main findings of our study include maternal as well as fetal vascular malperfusions and placental inflammatory pathology. These findings provide an outline for better understanding of etiological factors and pathogenesis of adverse perinatal outcomes in SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Kneser’s theorem in -finite abelian groups
Authors: Bienvenu Pierre-Yves , Hennecart François
Published: January 2022

Let G be a
$\sigma $
-finite abelian group, i.e.,
$G=\bigcup _{n\geq 1} G_n$
where
$(G_n)_{n\geq 1}$
is a nondecreasing sequence of finite subgroups. For any
$A\subset G$
, let
$\underline {\mathrm {d}}( A ):=\liminf _{n\to \infty }\frac {|A\cap G_n|}{|G_n|}$
be its lower asymptotic density. We show that for any subsets A and B of G, whenever
$\underline {\mathrm {d}}( A+B )<\underline {\mathrm {d}}( A )+\underline {\mathrm {d}}( B )$
, the sumset
$A+B$
must be periodic, that is, a union of translates of a subgroup
$H\leq G$
of finite index. This is exactly analogous to Kneser’s theorem regarding the density of infinite sets of integers. Further, we show similar statements for the upper asymptotic density in the case where
$A=\pm B$
. An analagous statement had already been proven by Griesmer in the very general context of countable abelian groups, but the present paper provides a much simpler argument specifically tailored for the setting of
$\sigma $
-finite abelian groups. This argument relies on an appeal to another theorem of Kneser, namely the one regarding finite sumsets in an abelian group.
Operator valued analogues of multidimensional Bohr’s inequality
Authors: Allu Vasudevarao , Halder Himadri
Published: January 2022

Let
$\mathcal {B}(\mathcal {H})$
be the algebra of all bounded linear operators on a complex Hilbert space
$\mathcal {H}$
. In this paper, we first establish several sharp improved and refined versions of the Bohr’s inequality for the functions in the class
$H^{\infty }(\mathbb {D},\mathcal {B}(\mathcal {H}))$
of bounded analytic functions from the unit disk
$\mathbb {D}:=\{z \in \mathbb {C}:|z|<1\}$
into
$\mathcal {B}(\mathcal {H})$
. For the complete circular domain
$Q \subset \mathbb {C}^{n}$
, we prove the multidimensional analogues of the operator valued Bohr-type inequality which can be viewed as a special case of the result by G. Popescu [Adv. Math. 347 (2019), 1002–1053] for free holomorphic functions on polyballs. Finally, we establish the multidimensional analogues of several improved Bohr’s inequalities for operator valued functions in Q.
Tensor denoising with trend filtering
Authors: Ortelli Francesco , van de Geer Sara
Published: January 2022

We extend the notion of trend filtering to tensors by considering the

k\mathrm{th}

-order Vitali variation – a discretized version of the integral of the absolute value of the

k\mathrm{th}

-order total derivative. We prove adaptive

\ell^0

-rates and not-so-slow

\ell^1

-rates for tensor denoising with trend filtering.

For

k=\{1,2,3,4\}

we prove that the

d

-dimensional margin of a

d

-dimensional tensor can be estimated at the

\ell^0

-rate

n^{-1}

, up to logarithmic terms, if the underlying tensor is a product of

(k-1)\mathrm{th}

-order polynomials on a constant number of hyperrectangles. For general

k

we prove the

\ell^1

-rate of estimation

n^{- \frac{H(d)+2k-1}{2H(d)+2k-1}}

, up to logarithmic terms, where

H(d)

is the

d\mathrm{th}

harmonic number.

Thanks to an ANOVA-type of decomposition we can apply these results to the lower dimensional margins of the tensor to prove bounds for denoising the whole tensor. Our tools are interpolating tensors to bound the effective sparsity for

\ell^0

-rates, mesh grids for

\ell^1

-rates and, in the background, the projection arguments by Dalalyan, Hebiri, and Lederer (2017).