bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Climate, Oxygen, and the Future of Marine Biodiversity
Authors: Deutsch Curtis , Penn Justin L. , Lucey Noelle
Published: September 2023

The ocean enabled the diversification of life on Earth by adding O2 to the atmosphere, yet marine species remain most subject to O2 limitation. Human industrialization is intensifying the aerobic challenges to marine ecosystems by depleting the ocean's O2 inventory through the global addition of heat and local addition of nutrients. Historical observations reveal an ∼2% decline in upper-ocean O2 and accelerating reports of coastal mass mortality events. The dynamic balance of O2 supply and demand provides a unifying framework for understanding these phenomena across scales from the global ocean to individual organisms. Using this framework, we synthesize recent advances in forecasting O2 loss and its impacts on marine biogeography, biodiversity, and biogeochemistry. We also highlight three outstanding uncertainties: how long-term global climate change intensifies ocean weather events in which simultaneous heat and hypoxia create metabolic storms, how differential species O2 sensitivities alter the structure of ecological communities, and how global O2 loss intersects with coastal eutrophication. Projecting these interacting impacts on future marine ecosystems requires integration of climate dynamics, biogeochemistry, physiology, and ecology, evaluated with an eye on Earth history. Reducing global and local impacts of warming and O2 loss will be essential if humankind is to preserve the health and biodiversity of the future ocean.
A Jump Diffusion Model with Fast Mean-Reverting Stochastic Volatility for Pricing Vulnerable Options
Authors: Nthiwa Joy K. , Kube Ananda O. , Omari Cyprian O.
Published: September 2023

The Black–Scholes–Merton option pricing model is a classical approach that assumes that the underlying asset prices follow a normal distribution with constant volatility. However, this assumption is often violated in real-world financial markets, resulting in mispricing and inaccurate hedging strategies for options. Such discrepancies may result into financial losses for investors and other related market inefficiencies. To address this issue, this study proposes a jump diffusion model with fast mean-reverting stochastic volatility to capture the impact of market price jumps on vulnerable options. The performance of the proposed model was compared under three different error distributions: normal, Student-t, and skewed Student-t, and under different market scenarios that consist of bullish, bearish, and neutral markets. In a simulation study, the results show that our model under skewed Student-t distribution performs better in pricing vulnerable options than the rest under different market scenarios. Our proposed model was fitted to S&P 500 Index by maximum likelihood estimation for the mean and volatility processes and Gillespie algorithm for the jump process. The best model was selected based on AIC and BIC. Samples of the simulated values were compared with the S&P 500 values and MSE computed at various sample sizes. Values of MSE at different sample sizes indicate significant decrease to actual MSE values demonstrating that it provides the best fit for modeling vulnerable options.
Switching Delay Effects on Input-to-State Stability of Switched Systems
Authors: Jia Yuanyuan , Wang Jingjing , Cui Dongling
Published: September 2023

In this paper, input-to-state stability (ISS) is investigated for a class of nonlinear switched systems with time-varying switching delay, in which both ISS and non-ISS subsystems are considered simultaneously. By means of the Lyapunov function method, we show that ISS can be ensured for switched systems with time-varying switching delay if the activation time of ISS subsystems is sufficiently large and switching delays satisfy certain conditions. Moreover, inspired by (Zhang et al. 2020), a time-dependent multiple Lyapunov function is considered for linear switched systems with switching delay to obtain less conservative results, where the conservativeness can be reduced by explicitly providing the lower and upper bounds of switching intervals. Finally, simulations including an example of coordination of multiagent systems are offered to verify the effectiveness of the proposed results.
Antimicrobial Therapy as a Risk Factor of Multidrug-Resistant Acinetobacter Infection in COVID-19 Patients Admitted to the Intensive Care Unit
Authors: Mihalov P. , Hodosy J. , Koščálová A. , Čaprnda M. , Kachlíková M. , Jurenka J. , Bendžala M. , Sabaka P.
Published: September 2023

Background. Multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter (MDR-Ab) is one of the most important pathogens causing superinfections in COVID-19 patients hospitalised in the intensive care unit (ICU). The occurrence of MDR-Ab superinfection significantly impairs the prognosis of patients in the ICU. Overuse of antibiotics in COVID-19 patients might contribute to the risk of developing MDR-Ab infection. Objective. The objective was to assess the role of prior antibiotic exposure as an independent predictor of MDR-Ab infection in COVID-19 patients admitted to the ICU. Methods. We conducted a retrospective cohort study in 90 patients admitted to the ICU of the Department of Infectology and Geographical Medicine, University Hospital in Bratislava, for respiratory failure due to COVID-19 between 1 September 2021 and 31 January 2022 (delta variant predominance). Patients underwent regular microbial screening. Superinfection was defined as infection occurring ≥48 h after admission. We assessed the role of prior antibiotic exposure and other factors as independent predictors of MDR-Ab isolation. Results. Fifty-eight male and 32 female patients were included in the analysis. Multidrug-resistant bacteria were cultured in 43 patients (47.8%), and MDR-Ab was isolated in 37 patients. Thirty-three (36.7%) patients had superinfection caused by MDR-Ab. Fifty-four (60%) patients were exposed to antibiotics prior to MDR-Ab isolation; of those, 35 (64.8%) patients received ceftriaxone. Prior exposure to ceftriaxone (odds ratio (OR) 4.1; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.4–11.9;

P
<
0.05

), tocilizumab therapy (OR 4.7; 95% CI 1.3–15.0;

P
<
 
0.05

), and ICU length of stay exceeding 11 days (OR 3.7; 95% CI 1.3–10.3;

P
<
 
0.05

) were independent predictors of MDR-Ab infection. Conclusions. Prior exposure to ceftriaxone increases the risk of MDR-Ab infection in COVID-19 patients admitted to the ICU. Our findings suggest that antibiotic use in COVID-19 patients admitted to the ICU should be restricted to patients with documented bacterial superinfection.
Acute Cardiac Manifestations of SARS-CoV-2 Infection: Spotting the Clot
Authors: Kerley Robert N. , John Amal , Matiullah Sajjad , Rogan Mark
Published: September 2023

A middle-aged gentleman presented with a one-week history of progressive dyspnoea on minimal exertion, persistent haemoptysis, and right calf swelling. His only past medical history of note was a recently positive SARS-CoV-2 nasopharyngeal swab performed as part of a workplace outbreak screening. A CT pulmonary angiogram (CTPA) showed bilateral pulmonary thrombi, extensive consolidation, and a left ventricular (LV) thrombus. A transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE) showed a dilated LV with severely impaired systolic function and LV thrombus. The patient was anticoagulated with warfarin, commenced on IV diuretics and COVID-19 protocol. Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging showed a severely dilated nonischaemic cardiomyopathy with a heavy thrombus burden and a fibrosis pattern in keeping with myocarditis. We present a case of COVID-19-related myocardial dysfunction with high thrombotic burden and a discussion of its management.
Harmonizing Drying Time, Layer Thickness, and Drier Zones for Drying Kinetics: Quality and Safety of Solar Tunnel-Dried Wet-Processed Parchment Coffee (Coffea arabica L.)
Authors: Abdissa Zenaba Kadir , Tola Yetenayet B. , Taye Addisalem Hailu , Mohammed Hayat Hassen
Published: September 2023

Tunnel solar dryer is the recently used drying method for better quality and safety of parchment coffee. However, the higher variation of drying temperature and RH along the long tunnel solar dryer results in a heterogeneous environment in the tunnel, which could make parchment coffee dried at different times or with different moisture contents. This study is aimed at investigating the effect of solar tunnel dryer zones at different zones of the dryer, divided into three zones from the inlet to the exit side of the drier and drying layer thicknesses on the drying time, drying kinetics, physicochemical, sensory, and fungal growth loads of parchment coffee. Furthermore, seven mathematical models were evaluated to select the best-fitting model for a specific zone to predict drying time. Results showed that dryer zones significantly (

p
<
0.05

) interacted with layer thickness for most of the measured parameters except titratable acidity and sensory properties. The dryer zone, coupled with the reduction in drying layer thickness, caused an increase in effective diffusivity and moisture removal rate and reduced drying time. The drying time to reach constant moisture content varied from 14 to 17 hours. Overall raw bean, cup, and total quality varied from 36.3 to 37, 48 to 51, and 84.3 to 87.3%, respectively. Values for physicochemical parameters ranged from 5.3 to 6.9 (pH), 2.1 to 2.6% (titratable acidity), 2.3 to 4.3°Brix TSS, 10.9 to 15.2% (ether extract), 39.2 to 53.5GAE/g (total phenolic content), and 38.5 to 59.2 (DPPH scavenging capacity). The fungal infection percentage at the end of drying varied from 4 to 93.3%, which could be associated with potential mycotoxin formation if recommended conditions were not maintained. In general, for better quality, similar drying times, and a lesser fungal load, it is recommended to use 4, 5, and 6 cm layer thickness in zones one, two, and three, respectively. The drying kinetics of parchment coffee in different dryer zones with different drying layer thicknesses showed variation. Zone one at 2 and 4 cm layer thicknesses is best described by the Verma model. Four- and six-centimetre layer thicknesses in zones 2 and 3 are best described by the modified Midilli model.
Seismic Vulnerability Analysis of Steel Clarification Tank
Authors: Cheng Chuyun , Cheng Xiwei , Zhang Wanlin , Zhou Xinhai , Hong Junliang , Cheng Xuansheng
Published: September 2023

As a physical analysis method, susceptibility not only predicts the probability of failure of a structure under different hazard levels but also prevents disasters induced by structural damage due to vulnerable members. To study the susceptibility of steel clarification tank under earthquake action, this study analyzes the dynamic response of steel clarification tank under near-field impulse, near-field no impulse, and far-field ground shaking, derives IDA curve clusters by incremental dynamic analysis method, and conducts related studies to analyze the susceptibility of clarification tank structures through susceptibility curves. The results of the study show that the probability of failure of the clarification tank under different ground shaking intensities is different. The probability of liquid wave height transcendence of the clarification tank under seismic action is the largest, the probability of liquid wave height transcendence of the clarification tank under near-field pulsed seismic action is the second, the probability of liquid wave height transcendence of the clarification tank under near-field nonpulsed seismic action is the smallest, and the probability of transcendence occurs similarly in near-field pulsed and far-field seismic actions.
Experimental Analysis on the Feasibility of Bamboo Reinforcement in Concrete Mix Design and Comparison with Steel Reinforced Concrete
Authors: Sivakumar R. , Ganesan R. , Latha A. , Moolchandani Karan , Sharma Anuj Kumar , Mishra Sri Ram Krishna , Khan Farhan , Yadav Amit Kumar , Ayele Lijalem
Published: September 2023

Besides being chief construction ingredients, concrete and steel produce a high amount of CO2, and high energy consumption promotes global warming. To evade this problem, green and low energy consuming alternative is required. Rapid growing time with the least period to attend optimum strength made bamboo a new immerging mainstream constituent in construction. Bamboo, as one of the probable alternate structural materials, not only promises a sustainable and sturdy option but also reduces the environmental carbon footprint. In this research, article authors replaced steel reinforcement in concrete with bamboo. To establish bamboo as a construction material, a concrete beam of 200 mm × 500 mm is made in which bamboo bars of diameter 20 mm are used with a variation of 1 to 4% of the reinforcement area. Various tests were performed to provide the feasibility of bamboo as construction materials after 28 days of curing, in which test results were found promising. The impact test shows only 25% of wear and tear. Also, bamboo reinforced concrete (BRC) without changing cross sections provided 50% axial compressive strength compared to steel reinforced concrete (SRC). However, in the tensile test, BRC outperformed SRC by providing 50% more resistance against tensile load. Authors also performed rate analysis between SRC and BRC to find that it almost reduces 18% of the cost at a small scale. Hence here, comparative research is provided, and the authors believe that it would pave the road on which forthcoming researchers will walk to reach the destination of finding an alternate, sustainable, and green construction material in the form of bamboo.
Intra-Articular AAV9 α-l-Iduronidase Gene Replacement in the Canine Model of Mucopolysaccharidosis Type I
Authors: Wang Raymond Yu-Jeang , Kan Shih-Hsin , Zhang Haoyue , Smith Jodi D. , Aminian Afshin , Snella Elizabeth , Jens Jackie K. , Young Sarah P. , Dickson Patricia I. , Ellinwood N. Matthew
Published: September 2023

Mucopolysaccharidosis type I (MPS I), an inherited lysosomal storage disorder characterized by deficiency of α-l-iduronidase (IDUA) activity, causes multisystemic pathology due to sequelae of accumulated heparan and dermatan sulfates (HS and DS), the substrates of IDUA. Current treatments, though life-prolonging, inadequately address skeletal dysplasia and do not forestall progressive and painful degenerative joint disease. Previous studies demonstrated that intra-articular enzyme replacement cleared cellular lysosomal storage and reduced joint inflammation. Three nontolerized MPS I canines were studied to assess safety, efficacy, and durability of IDUA gene replacement therapy delivered via intra-articular injection. After baseline joint tissue biopsies, the right shoulder and stifle of each animal were injected in the intra-articular space with AAV9-IDUA and contralateral joints with AAV9-eGFP. Animals received either 5E11 or 5E12 vector genomes/joint. Necropsy was performed at 2- or 52-week postinjection. All animals tolerated injections without adverse effects. At two weeks, supraphysiologic IDUA enzyme activity was measured in AAV9-IDUA-treated but not AAV9-eGFP-treated synovium, with corresponding normalization of HS content and synoviocyte morphology. The AAV9-IDUA-treated cartilage had normal physiologic levels of IDUA enzyme, reduced but not normalized HS and DS levels compared to untreated MPS I cartilage, and healthy chondrocyte morphology. Liver IDUA transgene and IDUA enzyme activity were identified, as was serum IDUA activity which was 40% of wild-type serum enzyme activity. At 52-week postinjection, AAV9-IDUA-treated synovium and cartilage IDUA enzyme activity declined in both animals, corresponding to high tissue HS and DS levels and severe lysosomal storage. Liver and serum IDUA activity levels were undetectable. A dose-dependent serum anti-IDUA antibody response was observed which, together with loss of transgene with age, likely contributed to decline in tissue enzyme activity and treatment efficacy. Our study demonstrates successful proof-of-concept for intra-articular gene replacement therapy as a treatment for MPS-related joint dysplasia. Our observations suggest the possibility of multimodal gene replacement therapy to address multiple refractory manifestations of MPS I. Subsequent studies, in conjunction with immune tolerization and functional assessments of joint pathology, will investigate this possibility.
Trustworthiness Assessment for Crowdsourcing-Based Citywide Parking Availability Sensing via Connected and Automated Vehicles
Authors: Wang Shiyu , Zhao Cong , Wang Zekai , Shi Yupeng , Jiang Shengchuan , Du Yuchuan
Published: September 2023

Real-time status acquisition of parking spaces is highly valuable for an intelligent urban parking system. Crowdsourcing-based parking availability sensing via connected and automated vehicles (CAVs) provides a feasible method with the advantages of high coverage and low cost. However, data trust issues arise from incorrect detection and incomplete information. This paper proposes a trustworthiness assessment method for crowdsourced CAV data considering different impact factors, such as the distance between the CAV and the target parking space, line abrasion, scene complexity, and image sharpness. The crowdsourced CAV data are collected through extensive field experiments and PreScan simulations. The classical line detection algorithm of VPS-Net and the target detection algorithm of YOLO-v3 are applied to detect on-street parking availability. A failure probability model based on the XGBoost algorithm is then developed to establish the relationship between data trustworthiness and different impact factors. The results show that the proposed model has an average accuracy of 78.29% and can effectively assess the degrees of external influences on the trustworthiness of the crowdsourced data. This paper provides a new tool to identify the data quality and improve the sensing accuracy for a crowdsourcing-based parking availability information system.
Birth Defects in Offspring of Adolescent and Young Adults with a History of Cancer: A Population-Based Study of 27,000 Women
Authors: Murphy Caitlin C. , Betts Andrea C. , Pruitt Sandi L. , Cohn Barbara A. , Shay L. Aubree , Allicock Marlyn A. , Wang Jennifer S. , Lupo Philip J.
Published: September 2023

Background:

We examined birth defects in offspring of adolescent and young adult (AYA) women with a history of cancer (age 15–39 years at diagnosis).

Methods:

We identified AYA women diagnosed with cancer between January 1, 1999, and December 31, 2015 using population-based data from the Texas Cancer Registry; data were linked with live birth and fetal death certificates through December 31, 2016 to identify singleton births to AYA women after diagnosis. Birth defects in offspring through age 12 months were ascertained from the Texas Birth Defects Registry. We estimated risk of birth defects in offspring of AYA women and women without cancer (matched 3:1 by maternal race/ethnicity, maternal age, and offspring year of birth) and compared risk using log binomial regression models.

Results:

There were 6,882 singleton births to AYA women after diagnosis. Common cancer types were thyroid (28.9%), lymphoma (12.5%), and breast (10.7%). Risk of any birth defect was higher in offspring of AYA women (6.0%) compared with offspring of women without cancer [n = 20,646; 4.8%; risk ratio (RR) 1.24; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.11–1.38]. Risk of eye or ear (RR, 1.39; 95% CI, 1.03–1.90), heart and circulatory (RR, 1.32; 95% CI, 1.09–1.60), genitourinary (RR, 1.38; 95% CI, 1.12–1.69), and musculoskeletal (RR, 1.37; 95% CI, 1.13–1.66) defects was also higher.

Conclusions:

Risk of birth defects was elevated in liveborn and stillborn offspring of AYA women.

Impact:

Although birth defects are rare, AYA women making decisions about pregnancy and prenatal care should receive appropriate counseling and surveillance.
An Early Neoplasia Index (ENI10), Based on Molecular Identity of CD10 Cells and Associated Stemness Biomarkers, is a Predictor of Patient Outcome in Many Cancers
Authors: Guyot Boris , Clément Flora , Drouet Youenn , Schmidt Xenia , Lefort Sylvain , Delay Emmanuel , Treilleux Isabelle , Foy Jean-Philippe , Jeanpierre Sandrine , Thomas Emilie , Kielbassa Janice , Tonon Laurie , Zhu Helen He , Saintigny Pierre , Gao Wei-Qiang , de la Fouchardiere Arnaud , Tirode Franck , Viari Alain , Blay Jean-Yves , Maguer-Satta Véronique
Published: September 2023

An accurate estimate of patient survival at diagnosis is critical to plan efficient therapeutic options. A simple and multiapplication tool is needed to move forward the precision medicine era. Taking advantage of the broad and high CD10 expression in stem and cancers cells, we evaluated the molecular identity of aggressive cancer cells. We used epithelial primary cells and developed a breast cancer stem cell–based progressive model. The superiority of the early-transformed isolated molecular index was evaluated by large-scale analysis in solid cancers. BMP2-driven cell transformation increases CD10 expression which preserves stemness properties. Our model identified a unique set of 159 genes enriched in G2–M cell-cycle phases and spindle assembly complex. Using samples predisposed to transformation, we confirmed the value of an early neoplasia index associated to CD10 (ENI10) to discriminate premalignant status of a human tissue. Using a stratified Cox model, a large-scale analysis (>10,000 samples, The Cancer Genome Atlas Pan-Cancer) validated a strong risk gradient (HRs reaching HR = 5.15; 95% confidence interval: 4.00–6.64) for high ENI10 levels. Through different databases, Cox regression model analyses highlighted an association between ENI10 and poor progression-free intervals for more than 50% of cancer subtypes tested, and the potential of ENI10 to predict drug efficacy. The ENI10 index constitutes a robust tool to detect pretransformed tissues and identify high-risk patients at diagnosis. Owing to its biological link with refractory cancer stem cells, the ENI10 index constitutes a unique way of identifying effective treatments to improve clinical care.

Significance:

We identified a molecular signature called ENI10 which, owing to its biological link with stem cell properties, predicts patient outcome and drugs efficiency in breast and several other cancers. ENI10 should allow early and optimized clinical management of a broad number of cancers, regardless of the stage of tumor progression.
Universal Viral Screening of Patients with Newly Diagnosed Cancer in the United States: A Cost-efficiency Evaluation
Authors: Vaidya Riha , Unger Joseph M. , Loomba Rohit , Hwang Jessica P. , Chugh Rashmi , Tincopa Monica A. , Arnold Kathryn B. , Hershman Dawn L. , Ramsey Scott D.
Published: September 2023

Recommendations for universal screening of patients with cancer for hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) are inconsistent. A recent multisite screening study (S1204) from the SWOG Cancer Research Network found that a substantial number of patients with newly diagnosed cancer had previously unknown viral infections. The objective of this study was to determine the cost-efficiency of universal screening of patients with newly diagnosed cancer. We estimated the cost-efficiency of universal screening of new cancer cases for HBV, HCV, or HIV, expressed as cost per virus detected, from the health care payer perspective. The prevalence of each virus among this cohort was derived from S1204. Direct medical expenditures included costs associated with laboratory screening tests. Costs per case detected were estimated for each screening strategy. Secondary analysis examined the cost-efficiency of screening patients whose viral status at cancer diagnosis was unknown. Among the possible options for universal screening, screening for HBV alone ($581), HCV alone ($782), HBV and HCV ($631) and HBV, HCV, and HIV ($841) were most efficient in terms of cost per case detected. When screening was restricted to patients with unknown viral status, screening for HBV alone ($684), HBV and HCV ($872), HBV and HIV ($1,157), and all three viruses ($1,291) were most efficient in terms of cost per newly detected case. Efficient viral testing strategies represent a relatively modest addition to the overall cost of managing a patient with cancer. Screening for HBV, HCV, and HIV infections may be reasonable from both a budget and clinical standpoint.

Significance:

Screening patients with cancer for HBV, HCV, and HIV is inconsistent in clinical practice despite national recommendations and known risks of complications from viral infection. Our study shows that while costs of viral screening strategies vary by choice of tests, they present a modest addition to the cost of managing a patient with cancer.
Acessibilidade comunicativa na mídia local: uma análise sobre o jornalismo de São Borja
Authors: Bral Juliana Alves , Bonito Marco Antonio
Published: September 2023

Nesta investigação científica, a acessibilidade comunicativa é analisada em relação à mídia local da cidade de São Borja/RS; assim, foram ponderados contextos sociais, tecnológicos e jornalísticos, para entendimentos das faces do problema e problematizações teóricas, onde conceitos como acessibilidade comunicativa e cidadania comunicativa puderam proporcionar o alcance do objetivo proposto. O presente trabalho busca dar visibilidade às questões que envolvem acessibilidade comunicativa e, consequentemente, a promoção de Cidadania às Pessoas com Deficiência Múltipla Sensorial.
Pesquisa exploratória sobre a falta de acessibilidade comunicativa e as deficiências das mídias e do telejornalismo
Authors: Olegário Micael dos Santos , Bonito Marco
Published: September 2023

Esta investigação apresenta uma pesquisa exploratória acadêmica sobre a falta de Acessibilidade Comunicativa e a deficiência presente nas mídias telejornalísticas, com ênfase no jornal da TV Cultura e em relação aos Objetivos do Desenvolvimento Sustentável (ODS) da Agenda 2030, estabelecidos pela Organização das Nações Unidas (ONU) e dos quais o Brasil é signatário. O trabalho surgiu a partir da identificação da ausência de um levantamento dos trabalhos sobre o tema até o presente momento e foi realizado a partir de critérios qualiquantitativos e de Análise de Conteúdo (BARDIN, 2002) dos resultados das buscas. Em um primeiro momento, o artigo contextualiza a problemática do direito à informação de Pessoas com Deficiência (PCDs) e a Acessibilidade Comunicativa no jornalismo. Em seguida, são apresentados os resultados da busca feita em diferentes repositórios científicos, de acordo com palavras-chave relacionadas ao tema e critérios de seleção. Por fim, o artigo traz a lista dos trabalhos selecionados na pesquisa exploratória realizada e as considerações sobre as escolhas e a contribuição da investigação para o campo científico e para futuras pesquisas sobre o tema.
Das “mercadorias-moedas” aos empréstimos para o Covid: África e desigualdade global, passado e presente
Authors: Green Toby , Araujo Ana Lucia
Published: September 2023

Este artigo enfoca a questão da África e das desigualdades globais, unindo a pesquisa do passado com a experiência do presente. Argumenta que quadros de endividamento e desigualdades crescentes têm caracterizado a relação do continente africano com a globalização em tempos de crise socioeconômica estrutural. Isso já era verdade no início do período moderno e pode ser visto novamente no quadro macroeconômico dos dois anos da pandemia de covid-19. Compreender a resposta à pandemia por meio de uma perspectiva econômica estrutural e de longa duração abre novos caminhos de interpretação e mostra a importância das perspectivas das Ciências Humanas e sociais na formação das respostas à pandemia. Abordagens históricas comparativas, continuidades socioeconômicas e crítica ao poder fornecido por sujeitos situados fora da área de STEM (ciência, tecnologia, engenharia e matemática) se mostram vitais para moldar uma compreensão mais holística do período da pandemia e de como responder a futuras pandemias.
Gilberto Freyre na Imprensa: a coluna "Pessoas, coisas e animais" na revista O Cruzeiro (1948-1967)
Authors: Schneider Alberto Luiz
Published: September 2023

This article aims to discuss the weekly column entitled “Persons, things and animals” of the Magazine O Cruzeiro, written by Gilberto Freyre and published between 1948 and 1967. Since Casa-Grande & Senzala (1933), Freyre achieved a prominent place in the Brazilian public life, with an extensive, but poorly studied participation in the press, whose scope may have had a decisive role in the propagation his interpretation of Brazil. The Magazine O Cruzeiro (Rio de Janeiro) was the main channel used by Freyre to reach large audiences, on a national scale, capable of routinizing a certain image of the nation, including the “racial democracy” idea.
Da neurastenia ao estresse: notas para uma história das doenças nervosas
Authors: Sant´Anna Denise Bernuzzi de
Published: September 2023

The text deals with some aspects of the history of neurasthenia and the advent of stress, including its relations with the imaginary of nervous diseases, between the end of the 19th century and the first decades of the 20th century. The main objective is to understand the main differences between those two pathologies, as well as the controversies triggered by them between Brazilian and foreign scientists. The central hypothesis that runs throughout the text, the result of broader research, is that diseases not only have a history that reveals the ways of conceiving the weaknesses and strengths of the body, but also indicate ambitions linked to productivity in the field work and social progress.
Sex and Racial Disparities in Peripheral Artery Disease
Authors: Divakaran Sanjay , Krawisz Anna K. , Secemsky Eric A. , Kant Shashi
Published: September 2023

Several studies have shown that women and racial and ethnic minority patients are at increased risk of developing lower extremity peripheral artery disease and suffering adverse outcomes from it, but a knowledge gap remains regarding the underlying causes of these increased risks. Both groups are more likely to be underdiagnosed, have poorly managed contributory comorbidities, and incur disparities in treatment and management postdiagnosis. Opportunities for improvement in the care of women and racial and ethnic minorities with peripheral artery disease include increased rates of screening, higher rates of clinical suspicion (particularly in the absence of typical symptoms of intermittent claudication), and more aggressive risk factor management before and after the diagnosis of peripheral artery disease.
Novel Pharmacological Approaches in the Treatment of Hypertension: A Focus on RNA-Based Therapeutics
Authors: Addison Melisande L. , Ranasinghe Priyanga , Webb David J.
Published: September 2023

Hypertension remains the leading cause of cardiovascular disease and premature death globally, affecting half of US adults. A high proportion of hypertensive patients exhibit uncontrolled blood pressure (BP), associated with poor adherence, linked to pill burden and adverse effects. Novel pharmacological strategies are urgently needed to improve BP control. Dysregulation of the renin-angiotensin system increases BP through its primary effector, Ang II (angiotensin II), which results in tissue remodeling and end-organ damage. Silencing liver angiotensinogen (the sole source of Ang II) has been achieved using novel RNA therapeutics, including the antisense oligonucleotide, IONIS-AGT (angiotensinogen)-LR
X
, and the small-interfering RNA, zilebesiran. Conjugation to N-acetylgalactosamine enables targeted delivery to hepatocytes, where endosomal storage, slow leakage, and small-interfering RNA recycling (for zilebesiran) result in knockdown over several months. Indeed, zilebesiran has an impressive and durable effect on systolic BP, reduced by up to 20 mm Hg and sustained for 6 months after a single administration, likely due to its very effective knockdown of angiotensinogen, without causing acute kidney injury or hyperkalemia. By contrast, IONIS-AGT-LR
X
caused less knockdown and marginal effects on BP. Future studies should evaluate any loss of efficacy relating to antidrug antibodies, safety issues associated with long-term angiotensinogen suppression, and broader benefits, especially in the context of common comorbidities such as type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease.
Unternehmen Kolibri: Of Hitler and Hummingbirds
Authors: Comet Noah
Published: September 2023

The hummingbird’s biological and cultural associations with beauty, sweetness, and docility belie a longstanding symbolic association with violence and danger. Taking the Nazis’ surprising adoption of the symbol as a point of departure, this essay traces this association to its Mesoamerican origins, and follows its emergence in European and British culture through travel writing, naturalism, commercialism, and popular culture, reflecting on how an evolving understanding of the birds’ behavior and morphology influenced its symbolic history.
Who Owns the Child? Critically Engaging the Belief in Child Ownership in Yoruba Cultural Belief System
Authors: Oyelakin Richard T. , Badejo Omobola O.
Published: September 2023

The belief that the husband owns the child, prevalent in Yoruba cultural system, is the issue of engagement in this research. The research traced the justification for this belief to patriarchy. The paper found that patriarchy, is only a masculine hegemony, socially entrenched and unchecked within the Yoruba social system. Consequently, building it on the philosophical framework of Hobbes and Locke, the paper argued that; considering the fact that each sex is biologically determined and the complementary contribution made by each towards procreation, it is consistent to conclude that the child belongs to both parents. Considering the assumption that each parent is a natural object, conditioned to respond to procreation eliciting natural promptings, it follows that the children belong to Nature. The paper therefore concludes that family laws in Yoruba societies ought to reflect equal ownership of children by both parents. Methodology used include textual analysis and argumentative investigation.
The Algerian Way: The Cycle of Securitization as a Response to COVID-19
Authors: Ouassini Nabil , Ouassini Anwar , Amini Mostafa
Published: September 2023

In the MENA region, Algeria was one of the countries with the highest cases of COVID-19. However, like other transformative events in its recent history, the regime has resorted to a process of securitization that has allowed for the Algerian government to exploit the pandemic as a national security threat. This article drew on the concept of securitization to examine the Algerian response to the current COVID-19 pandemic. The paper will commence with an analysis of Algeria’s securitization approaches to the Dark Decade and the Arab Spring. The paper will then argue that the Algerian process of securitization is a cyclic response utilized to reinforce the state’s legitimacy and secure the regime’s power. The paper will finally examine the implications of Algeria’s securitization approach to COVID-19 on the Hirak movement, the regime, and the public.
The Indigenous Origin of Intermediality in Nigerian Stand-up Comedy
Authors: Nwankwọ Izuu , Chukwu-Okoronkwo Samuel O.
Published: September 2023

Intermediality, a conflation of different artistic media into one event, is typically considered to have developed in the West. In this paper, we argue that intermediality existed in pre-colonial performance traditions across Africa, where various modes of artistic enactments merged into one were preferred to enactments partitioned into different generic categories. This study identifies multiple artistic genres inherent in Nigerian stand-up art, with specific reference to various sets of Ayo Makun’s AY Live wherein we identify the blending of joke-telling, theatre, cinema, song performance and dance within each show. We trace indigenous origins of this conflation of forms by illustrating how delineations between “types” of play, as seen in AY Live, did not exist in indigenous performances. This paper thus, extends research on intermediality and African popular culture by detailing the ways in which Nigerian stand-up enactments are packaged as total entertainment in the manner of pre-existing indigenous performances.
Christian Nationalism and the Project of Christian Political Theory: A Review Essay of The Case for Christian Nationalism by Stephen Wolfe
Authors: DeMoor Michael J.
Published: September 2023

This review essay examines Stephen Wolfe’s The Case for Christian Nationalism, focusing on his presentation of his book as a work of Christian political theory. His claims regarding national will and agency are analyzed, and problems with them are traced to his political theology and his methodological assumptions about Christian political theory. In place of those assumptions, Kuyper’s idea of architectonic critique is recommended as a more fruitful approach to Christian political theory in the Reformed tradition.
Overview of the Sciomyzidae (Diptera: Sciomyzoidea) of the Americas south of the United States
Authors: MURPHY WILLIAM L. , ABERCROMBIE JAY , GONZÁLEZ CHRISTIAN R. , KNUTSON LLOYD
Published: September 2023

Treated herein are the 113 described species and two described subspecies in 25 genera of the family Sciomyzidae (snail-killing or marsh flies) known from the Americas south of the United States. Included are details on type specimens, references to generic transfers and synonymies, taxonomy, biology, gastropod hosts/prey, immature stages, chromosomes, biological and phenological groups, general distribution, and molecular data. Annotated keys are presented to adults of genera known from the Nearctic-Neotropical interface area and the Neotropics as well as the first key to all sciomyzid genera known from the Nearctic Region. Also presented is the first key to third-instar sciomyzid larvae in the Neotropical Region. Sepedonea isthmi (Steyskal) is placed as a junior synonym of S. annulata Macquart (new status), and Tetanocera plumifera Wulp is placed as a junior synonym of T. plumosa Loew (new status).
Fault Diagnosis of Support Vector Machine Analog Circuits Based on Improved Particle Swarm Optimization
Authors: Yang Junping , Song Qinghua
Published: September 2023

The development of electronic circuits requires that the reliability and security of circuit equipment and system operation are also increasing. In addition, due to the complexity of the operating environment, it is very important to strengthen the fault diagnosis and real-time testing
technology of analog circuits in circuit systems. Based on this, this paper studied the fault diagnosis of analog circuits with Support Vector Machine (SVM), and introduced Improved Particle Swarm Optimization (IPSO) algorithm to optimize the parameters of SVM. In other words, the dynamic
weight setting and factor improvement of Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) algorithm aim to accelerate algorithm performance improvement, and information extraction and diagnosis model construction are carried out on the basis of considering circuit fault characteristics. Through the performance
test and application analysis of the improved algorithm proposed in the study, the error value of the improved algorithm was basically stable at 0.0103 in the late stage of classification training, and its prediction accuracy rate was more than 80%, and the classification consumption time
was less. At the same time, the accuracy of fault feature extraction results in training and test scenarios was above 94%, and the search performance was obviously better than other comparison algorithms, which effectively improved the fault diagnosis accuracy and efficiency. The IPSO algorithm
model can effectively identify analog circuit fault information, and shows good information optimization performance. It has certain validity and rationality in circuit fault diagnosis and security assurance.
Flexible Inductance Pressure Sensor for Wearable Electronic Devices
Authors: Wang Yizhu , Qu Huiqin , Diao Shu
Published: September 2023

Currently, wearable devices have higher requirements for flexible sensors based on environmental adaptability. Therefore, in order to solve the problem of low sensitivity of current flexible sensors, a new type of flexible inductance pressure sensor is proposed by introducing a ferrite film with high permeability into traditional flexible sensors. The validity and practicability of this method are verified by the research. The results show that the correlation curve of theoretical prediction shows the same trend as the actual curve. Sensor A showed the highest sensitivity of 1.61 kPa−1; Under different bending conditions, the sensitivity difference is 0 ∼ 0.20. When the actual external pressure is increased from 0 to 13.6 Pa, the actual change of inductance is about 0.88%. When the excitation voltage is 0.5 V, the actual inductance output value of sensor A increases from the initial 13.22μH to 13.26μH, and the actual change rate is less than 0.30%. In the application of wearable devices, the keys of wearable electronic keyboard have the maximum output voltage variation value, which is greater than 0.15 V, improving the high stability and practicality of the sensor. It is also practical in wearable human respiratory signal detection equipment. In summary, the flexible inductance pressure sensor designed in this study has high performance and practicability in the application of wearable electronic devices, which is of great significance to the development of actual wearable electronic devices.
Design of New Photonic Crystal Fiber for Orbital Angular Momentum Modes Transmission
Authors: Yang Jing-Xuan , Cheng Li-Min , Li Wei
Published: September 2023

In order to achieve the flexibility and miniaturization of orbital angular momentum (OAM) fiber coupler, it is necessary to continuously design and optimize the base fiber to cooperate with the efficient transmission of multiplexed beam. It is more advantageous to use the photonic crystal
fiber (PCF) instead of ring fiber in the coupler design. We have proposed a new fiber based on circular PCF structure to support high performance OAM modes transmission. The optimal parameters are selected to realize the stable transmission of 4 OAM mode groups with high mode quality. In the
wavelength range of 1.2 μm∼2.0 μm, the confinement loss of low order mode is less than 10−8 dB/m, and the mode purity is more than 81.7%. Because of its flexible structure and low loss characteristics, the proposed OAM fiber can be widely used in the
design of optical fiber devices in modular division multiplexing (MDM) communication systems.
Study on Dry-Coupled Ultrasonic Transducer for Solid Rocket Motor Detection
Authors: Xiaofeng Cai , Yadav N. P. , Jun Wang
Published: September 2023

In order to develop a dry-coupled ultrasonic transducer that can detect the internal defects of a solid rocket motor, the piezoelectric vibrator was studied by the finite element method with multiple physical field couplings. Firstly, the vibration modes and corresponding resonant frequencies
of the piezoelectric vibrators at 20–300 kHz without power were solved, and it was determined that the piezoelectric vibrator can adopt the structure form of bi-laminated, series three laminated, and parallel three laminated preliminarily. Then the frequency response of the piezoelectric
vibrators was analyzed according to the admittance-frequency relation. It was found that the bending vibration mode of bi-laminated and parallel three-laminated boards could be excited when the electrical load was applied to both ends. Then, it is found that the parallel three-layer laminate
has a larger amplitude in the direction of thickness and a higher electromechanical conversion efficiency based on transient analysis. Therefore, the parallel three-layer laminate is finally selected as the basic form of a piezoelectric vibrator. In addition, the amplitude performance of piezoelectric
vibrators with matching layers and backing is compared and analyzed, and these structures are determined not to be used in the dry coupling transducer.
The Influence of Gravity and Mass Loading on the Coalescence of Aerodynamically Interacting Droplets in Homogeneous Isotropic Turbulence
Authors: Michel Antoine , Ababaei Ahmad , Rosa Bogdan
Published: September 2023

The collision–coalescence of cloud droplets in atmospheric turbulent flow is analyzed numerically using direct numerical simulation coupled to a Lagrangian particle tracking. The droplet aerodynamic interactions (AI) are represented for employing two complementary approaches. For large separations, the interaction forces are evaluated by the superposition of Stokes disturbance velocities generated by moving particles. When the distance between droplets is comparable to their mean radii, lubrication forces are additionally considered. Simulation results show that without gravitational acceleration, aerodynamic interactions decrease the kinetics of the coalescence process but do not significantly impact the size spectrum broadening. The influence of AI on the coalescence kinetics is more complex in the presence of gravity and depends on the mass loading and on droplet inertia. Long-range aerodynamic interactions reduce the coalescences in dilute suspensions but increase the collision rate in dense suspensions of high-inertia droplets. In contrast, lubrication forces decrease the collision rate regardless of the mass loading. The collision efficiency induced by aerodynamic interactions additionally is influenced by the radius ratio of colliding droplets and the mechanisms leading to raindrops formation and growth. In cloud-like conditions, both long- and short-range AI decrease the fraction of raindrops created by collisions between droplets (autoconversion) while promoting raindrops growth by accretion (collection by settling drops). In turn, aerodynamic interactions favor the growth of a limited number of droplets and promote the broadening of the droplet size spectrum. This effect is stronger in dilute suspensions of weakly inertial droplets, corresponding to the flow properties encountered in developing precipitation.
Institutional Change in the Church: A Theological Reflection
Authors: Zink Jesse
Published: September 2023

The church in many parts of the north Atlantic world is experiencing a period of institutional change as parts of the church combine with or fold into one another. This essay is a theological reflection on one such process of institutional change, namely, the work of two Canadian theological colleges to form a new ecumenical institution. That process was assisted by and deepened theological reflection on the nature of the church as the body of Christ, the importance of Christian hospitality, and the significance of people committing to other people in the context of the Christian faith. Institutional change will continue to happen in the church and must be resourced by adequate theological reflection to ensure its success.