bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Potential of Tamanu (Calophyllum inophyllum) Oil for Atopic Dermatitis Treatment
Authors: Pribowo Amadeus , Girish Jyothsna , Gustiananda Marsia , Nandhira Rakrya Galih , Hartrianti Pietradewi
Published: December 2021

Tamanu oil, derived from the nut of Calophyllum inophyllum L., has been traditionally used to treat various skin-related ailments. In recent years, this oil is increasingly gaining popularity as researchers continue to search for novel natural alternative therapies for various skin diseases. There have been a number of in vitro and in vivo studies investigating various skin-active properties of tamanu oil, and it has been proven to have potent anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antimicrobial, analgesic, and even wound-healing abilities. These properties make tamanu oil an especially interesting candidate for the treatment of atopic dermatitis (AD). This multifaceted disease is marked by the disruption of the skin barrier function, chronic inflammation, and skin microbiome dysbiosis with limited treatment options, which is free from adverse events and inexpensive, making it desperate for a new treatment option. In this review, we examine previous in vitro and in vivo studies on AD-relevant pharmacological properties of tamanu oil in order to evaluate the potential of tamanu oil as a novel treatment option for AD.
Outcomes of a Foldable Capsular Vitreous Body Implantation: A Retrospective Study
Authors: Xu Xiangzhong , Ge Huimin , Li Jiajun , Shang Weihong , Ji Yuke , Yang Weihua , Li Keran
Published: December 2021

Background. The vitreous body is an important part of the ocular body fluid. A foldable capsular vitreous body (FCVB) is designed to treat chronic adverse complications in severe ocular trauma and silicone oil-dependent eyes. This study is aimed at investigating a method for implanting an FCVB, its postoperative efficacy, and clinical value. Methods. A retrospective analysis was performed on data from 18 patients who underwent vitrectomy and FCVB implantation for severe ocular trauma and silicone oil-dependent eyes between March 2019 and May 2020. All treated eyes underwent clinical examinations involving the best-corrected visual acuity, intraocular pressure, FCVB position, anterior segment photography, and wide-angle fundus photography regularly after surgery. Results. Eighteen eyes from 18 patients were enrolled in this study. A total of 2.00–4.20 (

3.46
±
0.78

) ml of silicone oil were injected into the FCVB during surgery. The patients were followed up at 1, 2, and 4 weeks and 3, 6, and 12 months after surgery. Twelve months after surgery, visual acuity improved in 7 (38.89%) eyes. In contrast, 10 (55.56%) eyes showed no obvious improvement, and 1 (5.56%) eye had decreased vision. Intraocular pressure at 12 months was

10.13
±
3.52

 mmHg, which was comparable to that before the surgery (

t
=
0.38

,

P
=
0.71

). The anterior chamber depth examined by slit lamp was 2.00–3.00 cornea thickness (CT) in 7 eyes, 1.00–2.00 CT in 2 eyes, and <1.00 CT in one eye. The anterior chamber disappeared in eight eyes. There were eight eyes with clear cornea, four eyes with localized opacity, and two eyes with obvious gray-white opacity. There was no case of severe FCVB deflection, rupture, or exposure during the observation period. Conclusion. FCVB implantation is an effective and safe treatment for eyes with severe ocular trauma and silicone oil-dependent eyes. It may support retinal reattachment, slow down eyeball atrophy, reduce the risk of chronic adverse complications such as corneal endothelial decompensation, and maintain intraocular pressure and preoperative visual function.
Optimal Proportion of Similar Materials and Rockburst Tendency of White Sandstone
Authors: Ma Chaoyi , Zhu Zhengguo , Fang Zhichun , Li Zhaobin , Liu Liu
Published: December 2021

To explore the tendency of rockburst, a similar material ratio was optimised based on white sandstone. Quartz sand, iron powder, gypsum, cement, retarder, and a water‐reducing agent were used as the main materials. The orthogonal test design principle was used to determine the four‐factor and four‐level orthogonal test design with the quartz sand content, iron powder content, gypsum‐cement ratio, and sand particle size as the influencing factors. Uniaxial compression tests and tensile tests were conducted on similar material models. The tensile strength and elastic modulus were analysed, the significance of each influencing factor was investigated, and the test results of the similar materials were fitted. The optimal ratios of the similar materials of white sandstone were found to be quartz sand content of 36%, iron powder content of 1.9%, gypsum‐cement ratio of 1.8 : 1, and sand particle size of 2–4 mm. The physical and mechanical properties of the similar materials were consistent with those of white sandstone. The mechanical properties of the similar materials were compared with those of the original rock. By judging the rockburst propensity and verifying the index, it is concluded that the similar materials can effectively simulate the characteristics of white sandstone, which is an ideal similar material of rockburst, and they all show strong rockburst propensity. The rock specimens with optimal proportions were produced, and the internal energy changes and rockburst mechanisms of the model at different temperatures were discussed. The results show that the rockburst process is closely related to energy, such as thermal energy and elastic strain energy, and the rock failure process can be divided into three main stages: energy accumulation, microcrack formation and propagation, and crack penetration and bursting. It provides an experimental basis for the preparation of rockburst similar materials that are more in line with the actual situation of the project and provides a basis for discussing the energy criterion of rockburst.
Model Calibration and Validation for the Fuzzy-EGARCH-ANN Model
Authors: Mohammed Geleta T. , Aduda Jane A. , Kube Ananda O.
Published: December 2021

This work shown as the fuzzy-EGARCH-ANN (fuzzy-exponential generalized autoregressive conditional heteroscedastic-artificial neural network) model does not require continuous model calibration if the corresponding DE algorithm is used appropriately, but other models such as GARCH, EGARCH, and EGARCH-ANN need continuous model calibration and validation so they fit the data and reality very well up to the desired accuracy. Also, a robust analysis of volatility forecasting of the daily S&P 500 data collected from Yahoo Finance for the daily spanning period 1/3/2006 to 20/2/2020. To our knowledge, this is the first study that focuses on the daily S&P 500 data using high-frequency data and the fuzzy-EGARCH-ANN econometric model. Finally, the research finds that the best performing model in terms of one-step-ahead forecasts based on realized volatility computed from the underlying daily data series is the fuzzy-EGARCH-ANN (1,1,2,1) model with Student’s t-distribution.
Fuzzy Frequent Pattern Mining Algorithm Based on Weighted Sliding Window and Type‐2 Fuzzy Sets over Medical Data Stream
Authors: Chen Jing , Li Peng , Fang Weiqing , Zhou Ning , Yin Yue , Zheng Hui , Xu He , Wang Ruchuan
Published: December 2021

Real‐time data stream mining algorithms are largely based on binary datasets and do not handle continuous quantitative data streams, especially in medical data mining field. Therefore, this paper proposes a new weighted sliding window fuzzy frequent pattern mining algorithm based on interval type‐2 fuzzy set theory over data stream (WSWFFP‐T2) with a single scan based on the artificial datasets of medical data stream. The weighted fuzzy frequent pattern tree based on type‐2 fuzzy set theory (WFFPT2‐tree) and fuzzy‐list sorted structure (FLSS) is designed to mine the fuzzy frequent patterns (FFPs) over the medical data stream. The experiments show that the proposed WSWFFP‐T2 algorithm is optimal for mining the quantitative data stream and not limited to the fragile databases; the performance is reliable and stable under the condition of the weighted sliding window. Moreover, the proposed algorithm has high performance in mining the FFPs compared with the existing algorithms under the condition of recall and precision rates.
The New Novel Discrete Distribution with Application on COVID‐19 Mortality Numbers in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Latvia
Authors: Nagy M. , Almetwally Ehab M. , Gemeay Ahmed M. , Mohammed Heba S. , Jawa Taghreed M. , Sayed-Ahmed Neveen , Muse Abdisalam Hassan
Published: December 2021

This paper aims to introduce a superior discrete statistical model for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) mortality numbers in Saudi Arabia and Latvia. We introduced an optimal and superior statistical model to provide optimal modeling for the death numbers due to the COVID‐19 infections. This new statistical model possesses three parameters. This model is formulated by combining both the exponential distribution and extended odd Weibull family to formulate the discrete extended odd Weibull exponential (DEOWE) distribution. We introduced some of statistical properties for the new distribution, such as linear representation and quantile function. The maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) method is applied to estimate the unknown parameters of the DEOWE distribution. Also, we have used three datasets as an application on the COVID‐19 mortality data in Saudi Arabia and Latvia. These three real data examples were used for introducing the importance of our distribution for fitting and modeling this kind of discrete data. Also, we provide a graphical plot for the data to ensure our results.
Synchronization in Dynamically Coupled Fractional‐Order Chaotic Systems: Studying the Effects of Fractional Derivatives
Authors: Echenausía-Monroy J. L. , Rodríguez-Martíne C. A. , Ontañón-García L. J. , Alvarez J. , Pena Ramirez J.
Published: December 2021

This study presents the effectiveness of dynamic coupling as a synchronization strategy for fractional chaotic systems. Using an auxiliary system as a link between the oscillators, we investigate the onset of synchronization in the coupled systems and we analytically determine the regions where both systems achieve complete synchronization. In the analysis, the integration order is considered as a key parameter affecting the onset of full synchronization, considering the stability conditions for fractional systems. The local stability of the synchronous solution is studied using the linearized error dynamics. Moreover, some statistical metrics such as the average synchronization error and Pearson’s correlation are used to numerically identify the synchronous behavior. Two particular examples are considered, namely, the fractional‐order Rössler and Chua systems. By using bifurcation diagrams, it is also shown that the integration order has a strong influence not only on the onset of full synchronization but also on the individual dynamic behavior of the uncoupled systems.
Curcumin in Combination with Aerobic Exercise Improves Follicular Dysfunction via Inhibition of the Hyperandrogen‐Induced IRE1α/XBP1 Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress Pathway in PCOS‐Like Rats
Authors: Zhang Yaling , Weng Yajing , Wang Daojuan , Wang Rong , Wang Lihui , Zhou Jianjun , Shen Shanmei , Wang Hongwei , Wang Yong
Published: December 2021

Combining diet with exercise can improve health and performance. Exercise can reduce androgen excess and insulin resistance (IR) in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) patients. Curcumin is also presumed to improve the follicle development disorder. Here, we investigated the effects of a combination therapy of oral intake of curcumin and exercise on hyperandrogen‐induced endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and ovarian granulosa cell (GC) apoptosis in rats with PCOS. We generated a PCOS model via continuous dehydroepiandrosterone subcutaneous injection into the necks of Sprague Dawley rats for 35 days. PCOS‐like rats then received curcumin treatment combined with aerobic (treadmill) exercise for 8 weeks. We found that compared to control rats, the ovarian tissue and ovarian GCs of hyperandrogen‐induced PCOS rats showed increased levels of ER stress‐related genes and proteins. Hyperandrogen‐induced ovarian GC apoptosis, which was mediated by excessive ER stress and unfolded protein response (UPR) activation, could cause follicle development disorders. Both curcumin gavage and aerobic exercise improved ovarian function via inhibiting the hyperandrogen‐activated ER stress IRE1α‐XBP1 pathway. Dihydrotestosterone‐ (DHT‐) induced ER stress was mitigated by curcumin/irisin or 4μ8C (an ER stress inhibitor) in primary GC culture. In this in vitro model, the strongly expressed follicular development‐related genes Ar, Cyp11α1, and Cyp19α1 were also downregulated.
On Effects of a New Method for Fractional Initial Value Problems
Authors: Sevindir Hülya Kodal , Çetinkaya Süleyman , Demir Ali
Published: December 2021

The aim of this study is to analyze nonlinear Liouville-Caputo time-fractional problems by a new technique which is a combination of the iterative and ARA transform methods and is denoted by IAM. First, the ARA transform method and its inverse are utilized to get rid of time fractional derivative. Later, the iterative method is applied to establish the solution of the problem in infinite series form. The main advantages of this method are that it converges to analytic solution of the problem rapidly and implementation of method is easy. Finally, outcomes of the illustrative examples prove the efficiency and accuracy of the method.
A Principal Component Analysis Control Chart Method for Catenary Status Evaluation and Diagnosis
Authors: Lin Shan , Liu Liping , Rao Meiwan , Deng Shu , Wang Jiaxin , Zhong Wenfan , Lun Li
Published: December 2021

To make accurate and comprehensive evaluation of the catenary and diagnose the causes of the catenary fault, a method of catenary state evaluation and diagnosis based on the principal component analysis control chart was proposed, which can make full use of the multidimensional detection parameters of the catenary. The principal component analysis was used to reduce the dimension of catenary parameters, the principal component T2 control chart was calculated to show the change of principal component of catenary state data, the residual SPE control chart was calculated to show the change of their correlation, and the contribution rate control chart was calculated to show the cause of abnormal state data. The method can not only transform the multidimensional detection parameters of the catenary into a statistic to realize the simple and intuitive evaluation of the catenary state but also can accurately determine the cause of the abnormal state, so as to provide technical support for the targeted condition‐based maintenance of the catenary.
Comparison of Bond Strength in the Different Class of Resin Cements to Cast and CAD/CAM Co-Cr Alloys
Authors: Sadighpour Leyla , Mostafavi Azam S. , Pirmoradian Maryam , Alipuryalda Fatemeh
Published: December 2021

Objectives. Despite the widespread use of resin cements in cementing dental restorations, their bond strength to CAD/CAM base metal alloys is not widely studied. This study aimed to evaluate the microshear bond strength (μSBS) between cobalt-chrome (Co-Cr) alloys fabricated using casting or CAD/CAM methods with three types of resin cements. Materials and Methods. Fifty Co-Cr blocks were prepared with CAD/CAM or casting technique. Specimens were divided using primer or not and bonded to three types of resin cements: Panavia F2, RelyX Unicem, and Duo-Link. The differences between the mean μSBS values were analyzed using the two-way ANOVA test and Tukey analysis (α = 0.05). The mode of failure was evaluated using a stereomicroscope. In addition, the specimens were examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) based on two received signals: backscattered electrons (SEB) and secondary electrons (SEs). One intact alloy specimen in each group was analyzed by energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). Results. Most of the specimens in the no-primer group were prematurely debonded. Statistical analyses showed that the interaction between the alloy substrate and cement type was significant (

p
=
0.001

). The bond strength of Panavia F2 was significantly higher than Duo-Link in the CAD/CAM group (

p
=
0.001

). SEM evaluation confirmed the difference in grain structures, while EDX showed no remarkable difference in the chemical composition of the alloy substrates. Conclusion. Alloy fabrication technique may influence the bond strength of resin cements. In the CAD/CAM group, cement containing MDP molecules exhibited higher strength than the etch-and-rinse one.
Evaluation of the Number of Visits to Chinese Medical Institutions Using a Logistic Differential Equation Model
Authors: Zhao Xiaoxia , Li Wei , Wang Yanyang , Jiang Lihong
Published: December 2021

In this study, we established a two‐dimensional logistic differential equation model to study the number of visits in Chinese PHCIs and hospitals based on the behavior of patients. We determine the model′s equilibrium points and analyze their stability and then use China medical services data to fit the unknown parameters of the model. Finally, the sensitivity of model parameters is evaluated to determine the parameters that are susceptible to influence the system. The results indicate that the system corresponds to the zero‐equilibrium point, the boundary equilibrium point, and the positive equilibrium point under different parameter conditions. We found that, in order to substantially increase visits to PHCIs, efforts should be made to improve PHCI comprehensive capacity and maximum service capacity.
A New Approach to Solving the Problem of Atmospheric Air Pollution in the Industrial City
Authors: Oralbekova Zhanar , Zhukabayeva Tamara , Iskakov Kazizat , Zhartybayeva Makpal , Yessimova Nargiz , Zakirova Alma , Kussainova Ainur
Published: December 2021

In order to ensure optimal operation of the existing environmental monitoring information system, it has become essential to use mathematical modeling based on the data assimilation algorithm. In this paper, a data assimilation algorithm has been designed and implemented. An algorithmic approach was tested for the assimilation of city atmosphere monitoring data from an industrial area. An industrial district of Karaganda city was selected for the investigation of the algorithm. The industrial district of Karaganda was taken as a research object due to the high level of atmospheric air pollution in industrial cities in the Republic of Kazakhstan. The result of our research and testing of the algorithm showed the effectiveness of the data assimilation algorithm for monitoring the atmosphere of the selected city. The practical value of the work lies on the fact that the presented results can be used to assess the state of atmospheric air in real time, to model the state of atmospheric air at each point of the city, and to determine the zone of increased environmental risk in an industrial city.
A Novel Particle Swarm Optimization Algorithm Based on Reinforcement Learning Mechanism for AUV Path Planning
Authors: Huang Haoqian , Jin Chao
Published: December 2021

In order to solve the problems of rapid path planning and effective obstacle avoidance for autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) in 2D underwater environment, this paper proposes a path planning algorithm based on reinforcement learning mechanism and particle swarm optimization (RMPSO). A feedback mechanism of reinforcement learning is embedded into the particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm by using the proposed RMPSO to improve the convergence speed and adaptive ability of the PSO. Then, the RMPSO integrates the velocity synthesis method with the Bezier curve to eliminate the influence of ocean currents and save energy for AUV. Finally, the path is developed rapidly and obstacles are avoided effectively by using the RMPSO. Simulation and experiment results show the superiority of the proposed method compared with traditional methods.
Doped Nanostructured Manganese Ferrites: Synthesis, Characterization, and Magnetic Properties
Authors: Rather Sami-ullah , Saeed Usman , Al-Zahrani Abdulrahim Ahmad , Bamufleh Hisham S. , Alhumade Hesham Abdulhamed , Taimoor Aqeel Ahmad , Lemine O. M. , Ali Arshid Mahmood , Al Zaitone Belal , Alam Muhammad Mahmud
Published: December 2021

Nanocrystalline aluminum-doped manganese ferrite was synthesized by facile thermal treatment method. Nanostructure-doped ferrite with crystalline size that ranged between 3.71 and 6.35 nm was characterized via X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and vibrating-sample magnetometry (VSM). The Scherrer and Williamson-Hall hypothesis techniques were utilized to determine lattice constants and strain. Various types of structural properties including octahedral and tetrahedral site radius, bond lengths and angles, hopping parameter, oxygen positional parameters, site bonds, and edge lengths were determined from XRD spectrum analysis. Discrepancy in the hypothetically expected angle indicates improvement of A-B superexchange intercommunication. Furthermore, magnetic-hysteresis (M-H) and XPS analysis support the claim of enhancement. The presence of the ionic nature of iron and manganese in ferrite is FeII, FeIII, MnII, and MnIV as revealed by the results of XPS. Moreover, XPS assists in an excellent way to understand the properties such as configuration, chemical nature, and average inversion degree of doped ferrite samples. The spin noncollinearity and exquisite interaction amid the sublattice are responsible for the decrease in the saturation and remnant magnetization determined from the hysteresis loop at ambient temperature with maximum magnetic field of 1.8 T.
State Diagnosis of Elevator Control Transformer over Vibration Signal Based on MEA‐BP Neural Network
Authors: Song QingHui , Song QingJun , Xiao Linjing , Jiang HaiYan , Li LiNa
Published: December 2021

Vibration analysis is considered as an effective and reliable nondestructive technique for monitoring the operation conditions of elevator control transformer. In the paper, a novel model using the Empirical Mode Decomposition (EMD), the empirical wavelet packet transform, the mind evolutionary algorithm (MEA), and the backpropagation (BP) neural network is proposed for elevator control transformer fault diagnosis. Firstly, the collected signal is smoothed by EMD, the intrinsic mode function (IMF) components with large noise are determined according to the correlation coefficient, the wavelet adaptive threshold denoising algorithm is used to process the noisy IMF components, and the IMF components before and after processing and its residual component are reconstructed to obtain the denoised signal. Then, the denoised signal is transformed by empirical wavelet packet transform to extract the energy ratio and energy entropy features in the wavelet packet coefficients. Finally, a fault diagnosis model composed of MEA and BP neural network is developed, which avoids the problems of premature convergence and poor diagnosis effect. The experimental results show that the proposed model has a remarkable performance with an average root mean square error of 0.00672 and the average diagnosis accuracy of 90.8%, which is better than classic BP neural network.
Women Empowerment and Skilled Birth Attendants among Women in Rural Ghana
Authors: Dickson Kwamena Sekyi
Published: December 2021

Background. A critical public health issue is maternal mortality. Around 810 women die per day from pregnancy and childbirth, with approximately 99 percent of these deaths recorded in low‐and middle‐income countries (LMICs). In sub‐Saharan Africa (SSA), more than half of these mortalities are registered. The situation is remarkably similar in Ghana, with maternal mortality standing at 319 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2015. Methods. Using data from 2014 Demographic and Health Surveys, the study examined the association between women empowerment and skilled birth attendance among women in rural Ghana. Results. Women with medium decision‐making (OR = 0.75, CI = 0.61, 0.93), low knowledge level (OR = 0.55, CI = 0.40, 0.76), high acceptance of wife beating (OR = 0.68, CI = 0.51, 0.90), with less than 4 ANC visits (OR = 0.25, CI = 0.19, 0.32), whose partner had higher education (OR = 1.96, CI = 1.05, 3.64), and who had a big problem with the distance getting to the health facility (OR = 0.63, CI = 0.50, 0.78) had a significant association with skilled birth attendants. Decision‐making power, women’s knowledge level, acceptance of wife beating, antenatal care visit, partner’s education, getting medical help for self, and distance to health facility were seen to have a significant association with skilled birth attendants among women in Ghana. Conclusion. Efforts to increase the current SBA should concentrate on the empowerment of women, male involvement in maternal health problems, women’s education, and participation in the ANC. There is a need to review current policies, strategies, and services to improve maternal health conditions.
Cold Physical Plasma in Cancer Therapy: Mechanisms, Signaling, and Immunity
Authors: Faramarzi Fatemeh , Zafari Parisa , Alimohammadi Mina , Moonesi Mohammadreza , Rafiei Alireza , Bekeschus Sander
Published: December 2021

Despite recent advances in therapy, cancer still is a devastating and life‐threatening disease, motivating novel research lines in oncology. Cold physical plasma, a partially ionized gas, is a new modality in cancer research. Physical plasma produces various physicochemical factors, primarily reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (ROS/RNS), causing cancer cell death when supplied at supraphysiological concentrations. This review outlines the biomedical consequences of plasma treatment in experimental cancer therapy, including cell death modalities. It also summarizes current knowledge on intracellular signaling pathways triggered by plasma treatment to induce cancer cell death. Besides the inactivation of tumor cells, an equally important aspect is the inflammatory context in which cell death occurs to suppress or promote the responses of immune cells. This is mainly governed by the release of damage‐associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) to provoke immunogenic cancer cell death (ICD) that, in turn, activates cells of the innate immune system to promote adaptive antitumor immunity. The pivotal role of the immune system in cancer treatment, in general, is highlighted by many clinical trials and success stories on using checkpoint immunotherapy. Hence, the potential of plasma treatment to induce ICD in tumor cells to promote immunity targeting cancer lesions systemically is also discussed.
Formulation of Microwave-Assisted Natural-Synthetic Polymer Composite Film and Its Physicochemical Characterization
Authors: Ullah Aman , Khan Nauman Rahim , Khan Muaz Habib , Mehmood Saima , Khan Jahangir , Iftikhar Tayyaba , Gul Inam Ullah , Basit Hafiz Muhammad , Qayum Mughal , Shah Shefaat Ullah
Published: December 2021

This study is aimed at microwave-assisted synthesis of sodium carboxymethylcellulose and Eudragit L100 composite film and its physicochemical characterization. The film was developed with varying quantities of each polymer and treated with microwave at a fixed frequency of 2450 MHz with a power of 350 Watts for 60 and 120 s. All formulations were characterized for thickness/weight uniformity, moisture adsorption, erosion and water uptake, tensile strength, and vibrational, thermal, and surface morphological analysis in comparison with untreated film samples. Results indicated that microwave treatment for 60 s significantly improved the tensile strength, reduced the water adsorption, delayed erosion, and reduced the water uptake in comparison with the untreated and 120 s treated film formulations. The vibrational analysis revealed rigidification of hydrophilic domains at OH/NH moiety and fluidization of hydrophobic domains at asymmetric and symmetric CH moieties, which is envisaged to be due to the formation of new linkages between the two polymers. These were later confirmed by thermal analysis where a significant rise in transition temperature, as well as enthalpy of the system, was recorded. The microwave treatment for 60 s is thus advocated to be the best treatment condition for developing sodium carboxymethylcellulose and Eudragit L100 composite polymeric films.
A New Speech Enhancement Technique Based on Stationary Bionic Wavelet Transform and MMSE Estimate of Spectral Amplitude
Authors: Talbi Mourad , Bouhlel Med Salim
Published: December 2021

Speech enhancement has gained considerable attention in the employment of speech transmission via the communication channel, speaker identification, speech-based biometric systems, video conference, hearing aids, mobile phones, voice conversion, microphones, and so on. The background noise processing is needed for designing a successful speech enhancement system. In this work, a new speech enhancement technique based on Stationary Bionic Wavelet Transform (SBWT) and Minimum Mean Square Error (MMSE) Estimate of Spectral Amplitude is proposed. This technique consists at the first step in applying the SBWT to the noisy speech signal, in order to obtain eight noisy wavelet coefficients. The denoising of each of those coefficients is performed through the application of the denoising method based on MMSE Estimate of Spectral Amplitude. The SBWT inverse,

S
B
W

T

−
1

, is applied to the obtained denoised stationary wavelet coefficients for finally obtaining the enhanced speech signal. The proposed technique’s performance is proved by the calculation of the Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR), the Segmental SNR (SSNR), and the Perceptual Evaluation of Speech Quality (PESQ).
Comprehensive checklist of algal class Chlorophyceae (sensu Fritsch, 1935) for Uttar Pradesh, India, with updated taxonomic status
Authors: Verma Sushma , Toppo Kiran , Nayaka Sanjeeva
Published: December 2021

Uttar Pradesh is an active center for algal research in India, but regional checklists are not available. Checklists of algae reported from class Chlorophyceae (sensu Fritsch, 1935) are presented here, with  taxonomic status updated per AlgaeBase. The checklist covers algae from 17 types of habitats and includes 749 species, 166 varities and six forma, belonging to four phyla, 11 classes, 26 orders, 64 families and 161 genera. Charophyta is the dominant phylum with 519 infrageneric taxa (species, varities, forma), while Chlorophyta is represented by 389 taxa. Zygnematophyceae is the dominant class with 465 infrageneric taxa under two orders, six families and 29 genera. Chlorophyceae has 305 infrageneric taxa under five orders, 33 families, and 76 genera. Cosmarium is the most speciose genus with 163 taxa, followed by Oedogonium (79), Spirogyra (72), and Closterium (54). Our study revealed that of 75 districts in Uttar Pradesh only 40 are explored for algae, with Prayagraj and Lucknow recording 266 and 144 taxa respectively.
Pentatropis R.Br. ex Wight & Arn. (Apocynaceae), a new generic record for Kerala, India
Authors: V. Ambika  , Jose Sojan  , V. Suresh
Published: December 2021

Pentatropis capensis (L. f.) Bullock. is being reported for the first time from the state of Kerala, India. The extended distribution is discussed with notes on ecology.
Ichthyofaunal diversity with relation to environmental variables in the snow-fed Tamor River of eastern Nepal
Authors: Jawan Tumbahangfe  , Jash Hang Limbu  , Archana Prasad  , Bharat Raj Subba  , Limbu Dil Kumar
Published: December 2021

Tamor River in eastern Nepal supports diverse hill stream fishes. From winter, spring, summer, and autumn of 2020, we investigated the ichthyofaunal diversity with environmental variables in the snow-fed Tamor River covering four seasons (winter, spring, summer, and autumn) and field surveys were carried out in January, April, July, and October 2020. We used two cast nets of different sizes, one with a mesh size of 2 cm, 6 m diameter and 6 kg weight and another having 0.5 cm, 3 m diameter and 2 kg weight. In addition, monofilament gill nets with mesh sizes of 6, 8, and 10 were used for fish sampling. A total of 6,373 fish individuals representing 28 species belonging to three orders, seven families, and 16 genera were recorded. One-way permutational multivariate analysis of variance (perMANOVA) on the Non-metric Multidimensional Scaling (NMDS) showed no significant (P >0.05) difference between winter, spring, and autumn season but summer season showed significant (P <0.05) difference from winter, spring, and autumn seasons. Furthermore, one-way analysis of variance on redundancy analysis (RDA) vindicated that among the selected parameters, pH, air temperature and total hardness were the influencing factors (P <0.05) to determine the fish community structure in Tamor River.
Extended distribution of two endemic epiphytes from the Western Ghats to the Deccan Plateau
Authors: Sonali Vishnu Deore  , Mangala Dala Sonawane  , Kambale Sharad Suresh
Published: December 2021

Extended distribution of two endemic epiphytes, viz., Hoya wightii Hook.f. (Apocynaceae) and Bulbophyllum fimbriatum Rchb.f. (Orchidaceae) from Western Ghats to Deccan Plateau is reported during field explorations undertaken to document the flora of Kalwan tehsil. The presence of these two species in the Deccan plateau indicates the need of further explorations to document the diversity and endemism of strict endemics of Western Ghats in Deccan plateau.
New record of Kashmir Birch Mouse Sicista concolor leathemi (Thomas, 1893) (Rodentia: Sminthidae) in the Indian Himalaya
Authors: S.S. Talmale  , Avtar Kaur Sidhu  , Uttam Saikia
Published: December 2021

Birch mice are grouped under the monotypic genus Sicista Gray, 1827 and placed under the family Sminthidae. They are distributed over the Palearctic ream and the fragmented population of the species Sicista concolor reported from China, North Pakistan and India in Himalayan region. The present communication is a range extension of the Kashmir Birch mouse, Sicista concolor leathemi in Indian Himalaya and first report from Himachal Pradesh.
Activist as Symptom: Healing Trauma within a Ruptured Collective
Authors: Granovetter Sara
Published: December 2021

Animal activists serve as symptom-bearers for trans-species collective trauma within Western-industrial society. Findings from literature on traumatology and nonhuman animal activism, contemporary discourse, and the voices of ten activists currently in the field suggest that many animal activists suffer some form of trauma. Activist trauma arises through overlapping, complex relational processes of intersubjective attunement with nonhuman animals and embeddedness within a human social context that disavows nonhuman suffering. In understanding activist trauma as a symptom of a dysfunctional system, I depathologize activist suffering and view activists as integral members of a whole society that seeks healing.
The Process of Coming and Going in this World: Conversation About Interspecies Collaboration, Domestication, Sound
Authors: Burke Ruth K. , Landau Jessica
Published: December 2021

The Process of Coming and Going in this World is a four-channel, site-specific installation by artist Ruth Burke. The work incorporates its audience, including nonhuman collaborators. While dependent on time and place, it has been preserved in audio recordings and photographs. In this interview between the artist and art historian Jessica Landau, they discuss the installation’s use of sound, time, and place to evoke interspecies relationships based on collaboration and co-constituted domestication. While using the installation and subsequent sound recording of it as a starting point, the conversation looks at the ways our relationships with animals on farms involve notions of time and place, companionship, and coevolution.
“Is it gonna be fun?”: Lolabelle, Dog Pianists, and Musical Réussite
Authors: Altizer Katherine
Published: December 2021

This article examines historical dog pianists and the pianistic training of Lolabelle the rat terrier to explore a musical question beyond structure and intention: what might musical encounters between human and nonhuman animals make possible? Reviewers of Laurie Anderson’s film Heart of a Dog, in which some of Lolabelle’s performances appear, rarely center either Lolabelle or her pianism and frequently distance themselves from indicating belief in the musicality of the activity. The tone of this reporting is consistent with that of other Western reporting on dog pianists in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. While piano-playing dogs have historically strengthened the human-animal divide by reinforcing dogs’ status as never-human, the frames for anthropomorphic acts are what strengthen this divide rather than something inherent in the anthropomorphic activity itself.
Embodied Violence Towards Nonhuman Animals in Anne Brontë’s Agnes Grey
Authors: Stevens Valerie L.
Published: December 2021

Aware of her pupil’s plans to torture and kill a nest of birds, and with no authority to stop him based on her class, gender, and professional positions, the governess-heroine of Anne Brontë’s (2010/1847) Agnes Grey kills the nonhuman animals to keep them from needless suffering. Building on Brontë scholarship as well as animal studies understandings of violence and embodiment, this article considers expectations that Victorian sympathy will be a simplistic and pretty play on reader emotions to argue that nineteenth-century sympathetic feeling was more theoretically and ethically complex than we might imagine. Agnes Grey demonstrates how human-animal violence was thought to be an acceptable expression of middle- and upper-class masculinity, while proper women were expected to be complicit with this treatment of nonhumans. By looking at the close relationship between wanton and merciful embodied violence, the article shows how grotesque Victorian human-animal sympathy could be.
Internal Border Control in the Schengen Area and Health Threats: Any Lessons from the COVID-19 Pandemic?
Authors: Montaldo Stefano
Published: December 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the Member States’ overreliance on the rules of the Schengen Borders Code allowing for temporary reintroduction of border control and has questioned the institutional narrative of an EU-wide borderless area as a key achievement of the integration process. This article focuses on the legal implications of the border measures enacted by the Member States following the COVID-19 outbreak and discusses their compatibility with relevant EU law, also in the light of available epidemiological studies on the link between border controls and spread of the virus. The analysis contends that the pandemic has offered an unprecedented opportunity to pave the way to shared solutions to the enduring crisis of the internal dimension of the Schengen area, such as a detailed reform of the Schengen Borders Code and a reconsideration of the current governance of the Schengen area itself.
Ceci n’est pas un contrôle: PNR Data Processing and the Reshaping of Borderless Travel in the Schengen Area
Authors: Jeandesboz Julien
Published: December 2021

Can national authorities perform systematic checks on persons engaged in cross-border travel in the Schengen area without these checks being considered as border checks or as having an equivalent effect to border checks? The present article investigates a specific set of measures that involve the harnessing of “new technology” to enact systematic controls on persons traveling across the internal borders of Schengen states, through the processing of Passenger Name Record (PNR) data and in the framework of the EU PNR Directive. It argues that PNR data processing should at the same time be understood as part of the alternatives to border checks available for Member States to regulate cross-border mobility in the Schengen area and as a standout among these measures. PNR data processing challenges the existing legal framework of Article 23(a) of the Schengen Borders Code (SBC) as well as the assessment framework developed by the CJEU in its relevant case-law, not because it contravenes Schengen rules, but because it stretches and overflows them. Ultimately, PNR data processing puts into question the very understanding of what checks performed in relation to the act or intention of crossing a border actually stand for or whether controls related to border crossings can be characterised as border controls.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) at Schengen Borders: Automated Processing, Algorithmic Profiling and Facial Recognition in the Era of Techno-Solutionism
Authors: Vavoula Niovi
Published: December 2021

Since the past three decades, an elaborate legal framework on the operation of EU-Schengen information systems has been developed, whereby in the near future a series of personal data concerning almost all third-country nationals (TCN s) with an administrative or criminal law link with the EU/Schengen area will be monitored through at least one information system. This article provides a legal analysis on the embedment of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools at the EU level in information systems for TCN s and critically examines the fundamental rights concerns that ensue from the use AI to manage and control migration. It discusses automated risk assessment and algorithmic profiling used to examine applications for travel authorisations and Schengen visas, the shift towards the processing of facial images of TCN s and the creation of future-proof information systems that anticipate the use of facial recognition technology. The contribution understands information systems as enabling the datafication of mobility and as security tools in an era whereby a foreigner is risky by default. It is argued that a violation of the right to respect for private life is merely the gateway for a series of other fundamental rights which are impacted, such as non-discrimination and right to effective remedies.
Schengen and the Administration of Exclusion: Legal Remedies Caught in between Entry Bans, Risk Assessment and Artificial Intelligence
Authors: Brouwer Evelien
Published: December 2021

To create an area in which persons can move freely, the Schengen states committed to control their external borders to prevent irregular immigration and the entry of third-country nationals (TCN s) who are considered to be ‘a public order and security risk’. The exclusion of ‘unwanted aliens’ can be based on the mutual enforcement of national decisions, such as entry bans reported in the Schengen Information System, or objections against the issuing of a Schengen visa, based on the consultation procedure in the Visa Code. This contribution focuses on the right of TCN s to have access to effective remedies, both with regard to existing and newer mechanisms of exclusion. It argues that when dealing with the use of large-scale databases and risk assessment as basis for excluding admission, existing rules and case-law by the CJEU should be taken into account to ensure access to effective judicial protection for TCN s.
Fundamental Rights as the Cornerstone of Schengen
Authors: Strik Tineke
Published: December 2021

Although the Schengen Border Code (SBC) explicitly obliges Member States to apply the Schengen rules in full compliance with the fundamental rights, Member States’ adherence to this obligation can be questioned in light of recurrent and reliable reports about fundamental rights violations at the EU’s external borders. This contribution will examine why, apart from the deficiencies in the SCHE-VAL mechanism, the current response towards fundamental rights violations at the border is ineffective. First, it will analyse the legal framework, including the implementing rules, to see if additional guidance is needed. Second, the enforcement mechanisms will be examined: how are violations being addressed at the national level, and how does the EU Commission perceive and fulfills its role regarding enforcement of compliance? As the Commission has often referred to the monitoring mechanism as proposed in the draft Screening Regulation, the contribution will examine to what extent this New Pact file will help to resolve the current impunity. Finally, the article will analyse the role of Frontex regarding human rights violations by Member States. What is their responsibility, how do they perform it, and who is enforcing compliance by Frontex?
The “Millstätter Predigten” (Millstatt Sermons), Petrus Berchorius, and Mechthild of Magdeburg
Authors: Seelbach Sabine
Published: December 2021

This article presents the project “Virtual Benedictine library Millstatt” (www.virtbibmillstatt.com/), which is dedicated to the cultural memory and educational history of Carinthia in the broadest sense. It aims to reconstruct the hitherto little-known and little-researched corpus of manuscripts from the Benedictine Abbey of Millstatt, to identify its texts, and to shed light on their history of use. Against the background of the eventful history of ownership of the Millstatt library, the problems that arise when trying to reliably assign manuscripts scattered around the world to the Millstatt corpus are outlined. Examples will be used to show the extent to which external features (binding, signature system, accessories), but also text-internal indications, make the origin and ownership history of the manuscripts traceable. Spectacular new finds are presented, but also erroneous assumptions about the affiliation of certain texts to the reading canon of the Millstatt Benedictines are pointed out.
Spaces of Memory
Authors: Torre Andrea
Published: December 2021

Abstracts

The essay aims to explore the theme of memory in Petrarch’s Latin Works and in his intellectual experience, analysing especially one of the two metaphoric fields of memory, namely that which defines memory as a space that can be created, organised, filled with contents, and revisited with the specific aim of learning and discovering while remembering past events. Petrarch’s constant interest in the structure and processes of memory and in the heuristic quality of the act of remembering seems to be effectively condensed into some metaphors (like thesaurus, arca, arx, cella, etc.) involved with the idea of repository that can be depicted in different ways depending on whether the aim is that of emphasising the value of the memories contained in it, or its possible religious applications, or its creative function.
Shedding Light on the Textual Genesis of Jacobus Publicius’ “Ars memorie” (MS London, BL, Add. 28805)
Authors: Merino Jerez Luis
Published: December 2021

The Ars Memorativa by Publicius experienced a dilated process of transmission through an ample number of manuscripts and incunabula, which culminated in the edition of 1485 by Ratdolt. In the history of the text of Publicius’s Ars memorativa the mss. add. 28805 from the British Library is very important, as it represents a different version of the text from that of the printed texts. It also includes illustrations of the doctrine that relate it to other manuscripts such as the MS 50D from the Winchester College Fellows’ Library and the Cod. min. 113 from the Stadtbibliothek in Schaffhausen.
Teaching the Art of Memory
Authors: Kemper Angelika
Published: December 2021

The contribution deals with mnemonic teaching at the University of Erfurt, a practice which emerged as part of the early humanist approach to rhetoric. Thus, the ‘Memoriaʼ, too, found its way into the lecture schedule. The focus is on Jacobus Publicius, who produced a memory doctrine and taught in Erfurt temporarily. The outlines of his teaching appear in a studentʼs transcript, giving first-hand information and providing a valuable insight into the mnemonic teaching practice, which is otherwise poorly accessible to researchers.