bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Experiences from microgravity and GPR surveys for subsurface cavities detection – case studies from SW- and central Slovakia
Authors: Pašteka Roman , Wilken Dennis , Wunderlich Tina , Andrássy Erik , Nogová Ema , Godová Dominika , Ondrášová Lenka , Bódi Jozef
Published: March 2023

Combination of microgravity and GPR method constrains each other and help to detect subsurface cavities in a very effective way. Several examples are presented, some of the data-set were acquired during common summer schools between Kiel University and Comenius University in Bratislava.
Investigating the sedimentary fillings of Megalos Peristeres Cave, Rethymno, Crete, through GPR techniques
Authors: Sarris Apostolos , Strasser Thomas
Published: March 2023

The study constitutes the first internal subsurface mapping of a cave environment in Crete. Mapping of the sedimentary deposits of Megalos Peristeres cave indicated the sequence of the fillings within the different chambers of the cave. Suggestions for the existence of anthropogenic residues have been made through the combined study of radargrams and depth slices.
The contribution of geophysical and spectral imaging techniques in the archaeological investigations of Minoan Koumasa
Authors: Sarris Apostolos , Hatzigiannakis Kostas , Panagiotopoulos Diamantis
Published: March 2023

A manifold geophysical strategy has been carried out for mapping the Minoan cemetery and settlement of Koumasa, S. Crete. Multispectral imaging was used as a complementary method to investigate associations with the geophysical results. The GNVI proved the most effective in this task. Archaeological excavations have verified a number of features suggested by the remote sensing methods.
Buried, forgotten and rediscovered - prospecting the Roman villae rusticae in the area of Flachgau in Salzburg, Austria
Authors: Schiel Hannes , Wallner Mario , Löcker Klaus , Trausmuth Tanja , Totschnig Ralf , Gallistl Jakob , Hinterleitner Alois , Schlögel Ingrid , Kastler Raimund , Stollnberger Astrid , Lang Felix
Published: March 2023

At six different villae rusticae sites in the Salzburger Flachgau high resolution motorized and non motorized magnetic and radar data was gained. The sites are well preserved due to sustainable agricultural use.
Investigations at an Early Roman vicus in Moesia Inferior - The tale of the Beidaud site (Tulcea County, Romania)
Authors: Șerbănescu Adrian , Bottez Valentin , Roth Christian
Published: March 2023

We did geophysical investigations in a provincial vicus in Moesia Inferior, Romania. Magnetics and GPR surveys were combined to detect the rural archaeology. With these methods, we could map the internal layout and buildings in a rural Roman settlement.
Bridges to the past - the Roman settlement of Emmersdorf/Rosegg, Austria
Authors: Totschnig Ralf , Gallistl Jakob , Hinterleitner Alois , Löcker Klaus , Schiel Hannes , Schlögel Ingrid , Wallner Mario , Trausmuth Tanja , Gugl Christian
Published: March 2023

A large-area archaeological prospection of a roman bridgehead settlement using aerial photography, magnetics and GPR was conducted. The roman bridgehead settlement of Emmerdorf/Rosegg is one of the best preserved Roman settlements in Austria.
The more, the merrier? A multi-methodological survey at the Roman town of Carnuntum
Authors: Wallner Mario , Gugl Christian , Hinterleitner Alois , Gallistl Jakob , Löcker Klaus , Schlögel Ingrid , Reiner Franziska , Flores-Orozco Adrian , Moser Clemens , Zeitlhofer Jürgen
Published: March 2023

We have newly discovered the garrison of the governor’s guard, the castra singularium, in the Roman Town of Carnuntum. For a more detailed research we decided to apply a multi-method research approach on this importent archaeological site. The analysis of the different geophysical prospection methods was carried out prior to an archaeological excavation. By excavating a small area, the interpretations of the non-destructive methods could be evaluated.
Albert Hesse: life and work (1938-2022)
Authors: Tabbagh Alain , Dabas Michel , Benech Christophe
Published: March 2023

Albert Hesse was one of the pioneers in archaeometry in France. He has developed the electrical methods, and more specifically the continuous electrical surveying methods and focused very early on urban archaeology and geophysics. This paper focusses on his work, showing specific interactive maps to highlight the position of his different surveys world-wide.
Results of geophysical methods in the study of the ancient settlement Dalvarzintepa (Uzbekistan)
Authors: Zakirov Azamat , Yanbukhtin Ilyas , Mamarozikov Timur , Ilyasov Djangar , Aripdjanov Otabek
Published: March 2023

The purpose of the study was to use a variety of geophysical techniques to uncover the shape, size, internal structure, and contour of archaeological artifacts buried beneath the surface. Magnetic prospecting, electrical resistivity tomography, and ground penetrating radar were the three main geophysics techniques. Various abnormalities are clearly traced on the maps created from the processing results of all methods in the form of figures with different lengths and forms. Archaeologists were able to identify the most important excavation sites using geophysical study.
Various use of geophysical measurements during new archaeo-hydrological project along the Jizera river, Czech Republic
Authors: Křivánek Roman , Machová Barbora
Published: March 2023

The new archaeo-hydrological project has been based on the combination of old and new archaeological and hydrological data from riverine cultural landscape of the Jizera river. The role of geophysical methods is additional terrestrial survey along the river banks, inside of flood plain areas or on settled or enclosed terraces.
The search for pre-clovis in the ice-free corridor: archaeological geophysics at Wally’s Beach
Authors: Wadsworth William T. D. , Yanicki Gabriel
Published: March 2023

Wally’s Beach is an important archaeological/paleontological locality in southern Alberta where pre-Clovis dates have been reported from butchered faunal remains, but associated cultural materials are poorly known. Significant challenges exist for research at the site, including poor access, limited stratigraphy, and the extreme size of the site (>2km2). Ground-penetrating radar and drone imagery were conducted to identify higher-potential areas, which discovered a possible paleochannel. This discovery aids future research efforts at Wally’s Beach to better understand the earliest human occupation of the ice-free corridor.
Prospecting in the marshland: the Sumerian city Fara-Šuruppak (Iraq)
Authors: Fassbinder Jörg W. E. , Hahn Sandra E. , Wolf Marco
Published: March 2023

Fara-Šuruppak was a major Sumerian city of the third millennium B.C. By magnetometer prospecting we discovered and traced a casemate city wall that enclosed the city. On the west bank of the Euphrates river we identified a large harbour complex of Fara-Šuruppak. The magnetogram revealed the existence of channels, a bridge, hydraulic constructions and agricultural fields.
All Soldiers’ Human Rights and Some Superior Officers’ Command Authority: On the Relation Between Basic Rights and Command Authority
Authors:   Center for Public Interest & Human Rights Law Chonnam National University, Nam Joong-Kweon
Published: March 2023

In order for a military organization to perform its military duties efficiently, it would be ideal for duty-bearers to have the same capability as machines to carry out the commands without any error. However, agents who(or what) fulfill such ability still include human-beings. In particular, excessive commands or directives beyond the scope necessary for military duties are issued as a matter of practice for soldiers living in barracks. As members of a hierarchical organization, soldiers must follow the commands or directives issued by the superior officers rather than question the validity or reason of the basis of commands. Claiming their individual human rights is very difficult in practice. In a situation where legal norms and living standards, which regulate soldiers to obey the commands issued by the superior, are mixed, the conception that puts the command authority prior to the human rights is deeply rooted in the soldier's perception. This article examines whether the educational method that puts command authority prior to human rights is normatively and logically valid, and the prejudice of instructors or commanders who educate soldiers on military human rights leads to understand the fundamental rights of soldiers narrowly in the process of cataloging the basic human rights guaranteed by the Constitution. For solving these problems, it explores the legal status of soldiers and the guarantee and restriction of th basic rights of soldiers who are equal to the the other ordanary, namely non-soldier citizens. On this basis, it reminds that the command authority of superior officer’s comes from all citizens, including soldiers. Furthermore it articulates that guaranteeing the human rights of all soldiers is fulfilling their responsibilities or accontabilitis as superiors included in command authority.
Radiative Transfer in Lyα Nebulae. I. Modeling a Continuous or Clumpy Spherical Halo with a Central Source
Authors: Chang Seok-Jun , Yang Yujin , Seon Kwang-Il , Zabludoff Ann , Lee Hee-Won
Published: March 2023

To understand the mechanism behind high-z Lyα nebulae, we simulate the scattering of Lyα in a H i halo about a central Lyα source. For the first time, we consider both smooth and clumpy distributions of halo gas, as well as a range of outflow speeds, total H i column densities, H i spatial concentrations, and central source galaxies (e.g., with Lyα line widths corresponding to those typical of active galactic nucleus or star-forming galaxies). We compute the spatial-frequency diffusion and the polarization of the Lyα photons scattered by atomic hydrogen. Our scattering-only model reproduces the typical size of Lyα nebulae (∼100 kpc) at total column densities N
H I ≥ 1020 cm−2 and predicts a range of positive, flat, and negative polarization radial gradients. We also find two general classes of Lyα nebula morphologies: with and without bright cores. Cores are seen when N
H I is low, i.e., when the central source is directly visible, and are associated with a polarization jump, a steep increase in the polarization radial profile just outside the halo center. Of all the parameters tested in our smooth or clumpy medium model, N
H I dominates the trends. The radial behaviors of the Lyα surface brightness, spectral line shape, and polarization in the clumpy model with covering factor f

c
≳ 5 approach those of the smooth model at the same N
H I. A clumpy medium with high N
H I and low f

c
≲ 2 generates Lyα features via scattering that the smooth model cannot: a bright core, symmetric line profile, and polarization jump.
GASP. XLV. Stellar Bars in Jellyfish Galaxies: Analysis of Ionized Gas and Stellar Populations
Authors: Sánchez-García Osbaldo , Cervantes Sodi Bernardo , Fritz Jacopo , Moretti Alessia , Poggianti Bianca M. , George Koshy , Gullieuszik Marco , Vulcani Benedetta , Fasano Giovanni , Tawfeek Amira A.
Published: March 2023

Stellar bars have been found to substantially influence the properties of stellar populations in galaxies, affecting their ability to form stars. While this can be easily seen when studying galaxies in relatively isolated environments, such type of analysis requires a higher degree of complexity when cluster galaxies are considered, due to the variety of interactions that can potentially occur in these denser environments. We use IFU MUSE data from the GASP survey to study the combined effect of the presence of a stellar bar and ram pressure, on spatially resolved properties of stellar populations. We have analyzed spatially resolved indicators of both recent star formation rates (SFRs) and average stellar population ages to check for signatures of anomalous central star formation activity, also taking into account the possible presence of nuclear activity. We found an increase in central SFR in ram-pressure-affected galaxies when compared with unperturbed ones. The most extreme cases of increased SFR and central rejuvenation occur in barred galaxies that are at advanced stages of ram pressure stripping. For low-mass barred galaxies affected by ram pressure, the combined effect is the systematic enhancement of the star formation activity as opposed to the case of high-mass galaxies, which present both enhancement and suppression. Barred galaxies that present suppression of their star formation activity also present signatures of nuclear activity. Our results indicate that the combined effect of the presence of a bar and strong perturbation by ram pressure is able to trigger the central star formation activity and probably ignite nuclear activity.
X-ray Time Lag Evaluation of MAXI J1820+070 with a Differential Cross-correlation Analysis
Authors: Omama Tomoki , Tsujimoto Masahiro , Ebisawa Ken , Mizumoto Misaki
Published: March 2023

MAXI J1820+070 is a transient black hole binary discovered on 2018 March 11. The unprecedented rich statistics brought by the NICER X-ray telescope allow detailed timing analyses up to ∼1 kHz uncompromised by photon shot noise. To estimate the time lags, a Fourier analysis was applied, which led to two different conclusions for the system configuration: one supporting a lamp-post configuration with a stable accretion disk extending close to the innermost stable circular orbit and the other supporting a truncated accretion disk contracting with time. Using the same data set, we present the results based on the cross-correlation function (CCF). The CCF is calculated between two different X-ray bands where one side is subtracted from the other side, which we call the differential CCF (dCCF). Soft and hard lags of ∼0.03 and 3 s, respectively, are clearly identified without being diluted by the spectral mixture, demonstrating the effectiveness of the dCCF analysis. The evolution of these lags is tracked, along with spectral changes for the first 120 days since discovery. Both the dCCF and spectral fitting results are interpreted as the soft lag being a reverberation lag between the Comptonized emission and the soft excess emission, and that the hard lag is between the disk blackbody emission and the Comptonized emission. The evolutions of these lags are in line with the picture of a truncated disk contracting with time.
Testing Velocity-field Lensing on IllustrisTNG Galaxies
Authors: Donet Jean , Wittman David
Published: March 2023

Weak gravitational lensing shear could be measured far more precisely if information about unlensed attributes of source galaxies were available. Disk galaxy velocity fields supply such information, at least in principle, with idealized models predicting orders of magnitude more Fisher information when velocity-field observations are used to complement images. To test the level at which realistic features of disk galaxies (warps, bars, spiral arms, and other substructure) inject noise or bias into such shear measurements, we fit an idealized disk model, including shear, to unsheared galaxies in the Illustris TNG100 simulation. The inferred shear thus indicates the extent to which unmodeled galaxy features inject noise and bias. We find that γ
+, the component of shear parallel to the galaxy’s first principal axis, is highly biased and noisy because disks violate the assumption of face-on circularity, displaying a range of intrinsic axis ratios (0.85 ± 0.11). The other shear component, γ
×, shows little bias and is well-described by a double Gaussian distribution with central core scatter σ
core ≈ 0.03, with low-amplitude, broad wings. This is the first measurement of the natural noise floor in the proposed velocity-field lensing technique. We conclude that the technique will achieve impressive precision gains for measurements of γ
×, but little gain for measurements of γ
+.
Unstable Mass Transfer from a Main-sequence Star to a Supermassive Black Hole and Quasiperiodic Eruptions
Authors: Linial Itai , Sari Re’em
Published: March 2023

We discuss the formation and evolution of systems composed of a low-mass (M
⋆ ≲ 4 M
⊙) main-sequence star orbiting a 105–107
M
⊙ supermassive black hole with an orbital period of order ∼hours and a mild eccentricity (e ≈ 0.1–0.2), episodically shedding mass at each pericenter passage. We argue that the resulting mass transfer is likely unstable, with Roche lobe overflow initially driven by gravitational-wave emission, but then being accelerated by the star’s expansion in response to its mass loss, undergoing a runaway process. We show that such systems are naturally produced by two-body gravitational encounters within the inner parsec of a galaxy, followed by gravitational-wave circularization and inspiral from initially highly eccentric orbits. We argue that such systems can produce recurring flares similar to the recently identified class of X-ray transients known as quasiperiodic eruptions, observed at the centers of a few distant galaxies.
Multipoint Turbulence Analysis with HelioSwarm
Authors: Pecora Francesco , Servidio Sergio , Primavera Leonardo , Greco Antonella , Yang Yan , Matthaeus William H.
Published: March 2023

Exploration of plasma dynamics in space, including turbulence, is entering a new era of multisatellite constellation measurements that will determine fundamental properties with unprecedented precision. Familiar but imprecise approximations will need to be abandoned and replaced with more-advanced approaches. We present a preparatory study of the evaluation of second- and third-order statistics, using simultaneous measurements at many points. Here, for specificity, the orbital configuration of the NASA Swarm mission is employed in conjunction with 3D magnetohydrodynamics numerical simulations of turbulence. The HelioSwarm nine-spacecraft constellation flies virtually through the turbulence to compare results with the exact numerical statistics. We demonstrate novel increment-based techniques for the computation of (1) the multidimensional spectra and (2) the turbulent energy flux. This latter increment-space estimate of the cascade rate, based on the third-order Yaglom–Politano–Pouquet theory, uses numerous increment-space tetrahedra. Our investigation reveals that HelioSwarm will provide crucial information on the nature of astrophysical turbulence.
Star Formation Laws and Efficiencies across 80 Nearby Galaxies
Authors: Sun 孙 Jiayi 嘉懿 , Leroy Adam K. , Ostriker Eve C. , Meidt Sharon , Rosolowsky Erik , Schinnerer Eva , Wilson Christine D. , Utomo Dyas , Belfiore Francesco , Blanc Guillermo A. , Emsellem Eric , Faesi Christopher , Groves Brent , Hughes Annie , Koch Eric W. , Kreckel Kathryn , Liu Daizhong , Pan Hsi-An , Pety Jérôme , Querejeta Miguel , Razza Alessandro , Saito Toshiki , Sardone Amy , Usero Antonio , Williams Thomas G. , Bigiel Frank , Bolatto Alberto D. , Chevance Mélanie , Dale Daniel A. , Gensior Jindra , Glover Simon C. O. , Grasha Kathryn , Henshaw Jonathan D. , Jiménez-Donaire María J. , Klessen Ralf S. , Kruijssen J. M. Diederik , Murphy Eric J. , Neumann Lukas , Teng Yu-Hsuan , Thilker David A.
Published: March 2023

We measure empirical relationships between the local star formation rate (SFR) and properties of the star-forming molecular gas on 1.5 kpc scales across 80 nearby galaxies. These relationships, commonly referred to as “star formation laws,” aim at predicting the local SFR surface density from various combinations of molecular gas surface density, galactic orbital time, molecular cloud free fall time, and the interstellar medium dynamical equilibrium pressure. Leveraging a multiwavelength database built for the Physics at High Angular Resolution in Nearby Galaxies (PHANGS) survey, we measure these quantities consistently across all galaxies and quantify systematic uncertainties stemming from choices of SFR calibrations and the CO-to-H2 conversion factors. The star formation laws we examine show 0.3–0.4 dex of intrinsic scatter, among which the molecular Kennicutt–Schmidt relation shows a ∼10% larger scatter than the other three. The slope of this relation ranges β ≈ 0.9–1.2, implying that the molecular gas depletion time remains roughly constant across the environments probed in our sample. The other relations have shallower slopes (β ≈ 0.6–1.0), suggesting that the star formation efficiency per orbital time, the star formation efficiency per free fall time, and the pressure-to-SFR surface density ratio (i.e., the feedback yield) vary systematically with local molecular gas and SFR surface densities. Last but not least, the shapes of the star formation laws depend sensitively on methodological choices. Different choices of SFR calibrations can introduce systematic uncertainties of at least 10%–15% in the star formation law slopes and 0.15–0.25 dex in their normalization, while the CO-to-H2 conversion factors can additionally produce uncertainties of 20%–25% for the slope and 0.10–0.20 dex for the normalization.
The prevalence of hospital-acquired infections in Southeast Asia (1990-2022)
Authors: Goh Lucky Poh Wah , Marbawi Hartinie , Goh Shu Meng , Bin Abdul Asis Abdul Kahar , Gansau Jualang Azlan
Published: March 2023

Introduction: Hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) have continually affected the quality of hospital care. Despite medical interventions by healthcare personnel and improved healthcare facilities, the rates of morbidity and mortality due to HAIs is increasing. However, a systematic review of HAIs is lacking. Therefore, this systematic review aims to determine the prevalence rate, types, as well as causes of HAIs in Southeast Asian countries.
Methodology: A systematic literature search was conducted on PubMed, Cochrane library, World Health Organization database–Index Medicus for South-East Asia Region (WHO-IMSEAR), and Google Scholar databases. The search period was from 1st January 1990 until 12th May 2022. The prevalence of HAIs and subgroups were calculated using MetaXL software.
Results: The database search retrieved 3879 non-duplicate articles. After applying exclusion criteria, 31 articles with a total number of 47666 subjects were included and a total of 7658 cases of HAIs were recorded. The overall prevalence of HAIs in Southeast Asia was 21.6 % (95% CI: 15.5 – 29.1%) with heterogeneity statistics of I2 = 100%. Indonesia had the highest prevalence rate of 30.4% whereas Singapore had the lowest prevalence rate at 8.4%.
Conclusions: This study revealed that the overall prevalence of HAIs was relatively high and the prevalence rate of each country was associated with socioeconomic status. Measures should be taken to examine and control the rates of HAIs in countries with high HAI prevalence.
Cartographie nationale des festivals : entre l’éphémère et le permanent, une dynamique culturelle territoriale
Authors: Millery Edwige , Négrier Emmanuel , Coursière Stéphane
Published: March 2023

Près de 7 300 festivals ont connu une édition en 2019 et ont été recensés dans le cadre d’un ambitieux projet de cartographie nationale. Ces 7 300 festivals sont de taille et d’envergure très différentes : certains comptent plusieurs dizaines de propositions, quand d’autres s’apparentent plus à une fête de village inscrite dans une démarche artistique ou culturelle. Cette grande diversité forme la richesse de la réalité festivalière, qui s’est développée à la faveur des politiques culturelles mises en œuvre à partir de 1981, en mettant à l’honneur la dimension événementielle et son aspect festif. L’étude propose une analyse régionale puis départementale du fait festivalier en se concentrant sur la densité de l’offre rapportée à la population, sur l’évolution du nombre de festivals analysée à partir de la décennie de leur création, sur leur programmation dominante et sur leur saisonnalité. Plus de quatre festivals sur dix sont des festivals de musique, près de la moitié ont été créés au cours de la dernière décennie et près de quatre sur dix se déroulent au cours de la saison estivale. L’histoire, les esthétiques de prédilection et l’héliotropisme expliquent les variations de leur présence selon les régions. Si les départements urbains comptent un plus grand nombre de festivals, les départements ruraux disposent d’une offre riche rapportée à la population. Enfin, l’offre festivalière repose souvent sur un réseau d’acteurs et d’établissements culturels qui œuvrent toute l’année. La dynamique festivalière est donc tout à la fois éphémère et durable, car complémentaire d’une irrigation culturelle territoriale inscrite dans la permanence. La cartographie nationale a été réalisée par France Festivals, le Centre d’études politiques et sociales (Cepel) et le DEPS.
Spectral-Domain OCT Lens Meridian Position as a Metric to Estimate Postoperative Anatomical Lens Position
Authors: Gouvea Larissa , Haddad Jorge S. , Kapeles Matthew , Waring George O. , Jammal Alessandro A. , Chamon Wallace , Rocha Karolinne Maia
Published: March 2023

Purpose:

To evaluate the prediction of postoperative anatomical lens position (ALP) using intraoperative spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) lens anatomy metrics in patients who underwent femtosecond laser–assisted cataract surgery.

Methods:

Intraoperative SD-OCT (Catalys; Johnson & Johnson Vision) and postoperative optical biometry (IOLMaster 700; Carl Zeiss Meditec AG) were used to assess anterior segment landmarks, including lens thickness, lens volume, anterior chamber depth, lens meridian position (LMP), and measured ALP. LMP was defined as the distance from the corneal epithelium to the lens equator, and ALP was defined as the distance from the corneal epithelium to the IOL surface. Eyes were divided into groups according to axial length (> 22.5 mm, 22.5 to 24.5 mm, and > 24.5 mm) and IOL type (Tecnis ZCB00 [Johnson & Johnson Vision]; AcrySof SN-60WF [Alcon Laboratories, Inc], or enVista MX60E [Bausch & Lomb]) to further analyze the correlation between LMP and ALP. Theoretical effective lens position was back-calculated using a specific formula. Primary outcome was correlation between postoperative measured ALP and LMP.

Results:

A total of 97 eyes were included in this study. Linear regression analysis displayed a statistically significant correlation between intraoperative LMP and postoperative ALP (
R
2
= 0.522;
P
< .01). No statistically significant correlation was observed between LMP and lens thickness (
R
2
= 0.039;
P
= .06) or between ALP and lens thickness (
R
2
= 0.02;
P
= .992). The greatest predictor for ALP was LMP (β = 0.766,
P
< .001;
R
2
= 0.523).

Conclusions:

Intraoperative SD-OCT–measured LMP correlated better than anterior chamber depth and axial length to postoperative ALP. Further studies are necessary to analyze the impact of preoperative or intraoperative LMP measurements on postoperative refractive outcomes.

[
J Refract Surg
. 2023;39(3):165–170.]
Health Literacy as a Mediator of the Relationship Between Socioeconomic Position and Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis Uptake Among Men Who Have Sex with Men Living in France
Authors: Ousseine Youssoufa M. , Allaire Cécile , Ringa Virginie , Lydie Nathalie , Velter Annie
Published: March 2023

Background:

In recent decades, several research studies have mentioned a potential mediating effect of health literacy (HL) on the relationship between socioeconomic position and health prevention behaviors. However, no study to date has investigated this hypothesis on HIV prevention behaviors.

Objective:

The present study aimed to evaluate whether HL mediates the relationship between socioeconomic status (SES) and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) uptake in men who have sex with men (MSM).

Methods:

The study is based on data collected in the Enquête Rapport au Sexe [report to sex] 2019 survey, an anonymous, self-administered online cross-sectional survey in France conducted between February 16, 2019 and March 31, 2019. Data on education level and perceived financial situation were used as measures of SES, whereas HL was assessed from the Health Literacy Questionnaire's “ability to actively engage with health care providers” scale. Mediation analyses were performed with a model-based causal moderated mediation analysis package in R software. Analyses were adjusted for age, place of residence, marital status, and social support.

Key Results:

The study sample included 13,629 MSM. Median age was 32 years. The majority had an education level higher than upper secondary school (78%) and an adequate HL level (73%). Almost two-thirds perceived their financial situation as comfortable (62%). Overall, PrEP uptake was low (9.5%). The analyses did not show a mediating effect of HL on the relationship between education and PrEP uptake. However, a total mediation effect of HL was observed on the relationship between perceived financial situation and uptake.

Conclusions:

In the context of PrEP uptake, MSM ability to actively engage with health care providers may offset the effect of a difficult financial situation. In the current French context, where PrEP is now also available in general practitioner settings, this result could inform the development of training and support policies for health professionals and the way in which sexual health issues are addressed in consultations. [

HLRP: Health Literacy Research and Practice
. 2023;7(1):e61–e70.

]
Structuration spatiale des nouvelles formes de distribution pour la transition des systèmes alimentaires. Le cas de la province de Liège, Belgique
Authors: Vonthron Simon , Devillet Guénaël
Published: March 2023

Les innovations agri-alimentaires peuvent contribuer à la transition écologique. Pourtant, la dimension spatiale de leur développement reste peu abordée dans la littérature sur les transitions, et les initiatives marchandes qui lui sont associées sont ignorées des travaux sur les environnements alimentaires. Cet article vise à caractériser la diversité des initiatives existantes ainsi qu’à identifier de potentielles inégalités d’accès à ces circuits de distribution à partir d’une étude de 214 initiatives de commercialisation de produits alimentaires locaux dans la province de Liège en Belgique. Les données ont été collectées entre janvier 2018 et mai 2021 par enquête téléphonique. Nous avons établi une typologie des initiatives au moyen d’une analyse factorielle multiple suivie d’une classification ascendante hiérarchique, puis caractérisé les profil d’initiatives et l’environnement commercial et sociodémographique dans lequel sont implantés les points de vente associés. Trois profils d’initiatives ont été identifiés : (i) un réseau de points de dépôts portés par des collectifs citoyens et associatifs, (ii) des commerçants combinant approvisionnements en circuits longs et courts et (iii) des agriculteurs et artisans en vente directe qui mutualisent leurs ventes. Les points de vente des différents profils d’initiatives se caractérisent par des environnements sociodémographiques et commerciaux différents, soulignant leur complémentarité. Nous avons mis à jour une différenciation socio-spatiale dans l’accessibilité physique aux points de vente d’initiative de commercialisation de produits alimentaires locaux qui interroge quant à la dimension inclusive de la transition écologique.
Éducation pour un avenir viable et formation pratique en enseignement : Vers un écodispositif d’intégration
Authors: Gilbert Marie-Claude , Boutet Marc
Published: March 2023

L’intégration d’une éducation citoyenne pour un avenir viable en formation initiale à l’enseignement (FIE) est réclamée depuis plusieurs décennies. Si l’importance de celle-ci fait désormais consensus au sein des facultés d’éducation au Canada, sa mise en œuvre demeure à instaurer. Cette recherche collaborative menée auprès de personnes ayant une expérience spécifique en éducation pour un avenir viable (EAV) et de personnes jouant des rôles significatifs en formation pratique apporte des précisions au sujet de l’intégration de l’EAV en FIE : connaissances, savoir-faire, savoir-être, caractéristiques de l’accompagnement, approches, contextes propices. Elle ouvre des voies vers la proposition d’un (éco)dispositif de formation initiale en contexte de stages permettant de faire face aux défis de l’intégration de l’EAV à la pratique du futur personnel enseignant.
A Hybrid Binary Bird Swarm Optimization (BSO) and Dragonfly Algorithm (DA) for VM Allocation and Load Balancing in Cloud
Authors: Kassanuk Thanwamas , Phasinam Khongdet
Published: March 2023

The cloud platform is becoming one of the fastest-rising environments in human activities, connecting the whole world in the upcoming decades. The three crucial aspects of cloud computing that enhance the quality of service are load balancing, task scheduling, and resource allocation. To address these issues, the research proposed dynamic degree balance with CPU_based VM allocation policy integrated with hybrid bird swarm optimization (BSO) and dragonfly algorithm (DA). The proposed algorithm focuses on improving the overall performance of the system by limiting DoI, execution time, and response time, while also maintaining system balance. In the CloudSim tool, D2B_CPU based BSO-DA is implemented and evaluated. The simulation results, on the other hand, show that the proposed BSO and DA-based load balancing scheme is significantly more effective in balancing load optimally among virtual machines more quickly than existing algorithms. The proposed method's efficiency is evaluated by comparing it to other existing techniques.
An Efficient ECK-Secured FCM-Based Firefly Optimization Algorithm for Dynamic Resource Sharing in Multi-Tenant SaaS Service Clouds
Authors: Pallavi G. B.
Published: March 2023

Multi-tenancy in cloud computing is one of the foremost approaches to share one application instance among different customers and it is generally used by Software as a service (SaaS) providers. The main objective of the proposed work is to minimize the down time of virtual machines essential for resource provisioning using cluster based secure dynamic resource sharing. The proposed secure dynamic resource sharing approach allocates the service tenants to matched Virtual Machines(VMs) and allocates the VMs into physical host machines using the elliptic curve key based firefly optimization approach. First the functional characteristics of service users are grouped into clusters using FCM (Fuzzy C_means clustering) algorithm as tenants. After clustering, the tenant users are checked for authorization with the help of elliptic curve key value. When the users in the tenants are authorized then the grouped services are scheduled dynamically using the firefly optimization algorithm. The result of the work is appraised in terms of resource utilization, execution time, speed, and speedup.
Reaching for the “Cloud”
Authors: Ansong Eric , Boateng Sheena Lovia
Published: March 2023

Cloud computing adoption and utilization is gaining prominence in most developing countries. Its adoption is influenced by several factors, which can constitute a limitation rather than an advantage for firms. This research, therefore, explored the issues surrounding the adoption of cloud computing by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in a developing economy. An SME operating in Ghana for over five years was purposively selected as the case for the study. Technology-organization-environment (TOE) framework served as a guiding lens. Interviews were held with selected staff of the case firm. Data were analyzed using the Miles and Huberman's transcendental realism technique. It was discovered that the motivation for cloud computing adoption is the possibility of getting a state-of-the-art IT infrastructure at the lowest cost possible. The study presents the factors that influenced cloud computing adoption in the SME. The study contributes to improving the present understanding of cloud computing as an SME's strategic tool for operating within a developing economy.
Copyright Protection of Music Multimedia Works Fused With Digital Audio Watermarking Algorithm
Authors: Huang Wanxing
Published: March 2023

Copyright law is important in the media sector since an original creative work owner has the exclusive right to consent, publish, broadcast, and even translate or modify their work. A growing number of digital copyright issues can be found behind the widespread use of multimedia technologies. Improvements must be made right away to the copyright infringement prevention approach using digital watermarking. Zero-watermarking has lately gained popularity as one of the alternatives being considered. A novel sparse representation persistent-based digital audio watermarking algorithm (SRP-DAWA) has been presented to increase zero resilience. Using the improved singular value decomposition (iSVD) technique, an optimum over-complete dictionary can be generated from the background audio signal in the suggested method. Using the orthogonal matching pursuit (OMP) method, the sparse coefficient of a fragmented sample data is calculated, and the corresponding sparse matrix is generated.
Summary of monkeypox infection and some facts for veterinarians
Authors: Priyantha M. A. R.
Published: March 2023

Monkeypox is an emerging and neglected zoonotic disease. The importance of the disease has been highlighted in the recent past as there have been a significant number of cases reported in North America, South America, and Europe. The disease is caused by the monkeypox virus which belongs to the family of Poxviridae. The virus was identified in 1958 in captive monkeys at a research institute in Denmark and human infection was first identified in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in 1970. The first set of clinical cases of monkeypox outside the African continent was reported in the USA, UK, Israel, and Singapore. Two distinct clades of monkeypox virus have been identified and two models of transmission have been reported as animal to human and human to human transmission. The transmission occurs through direct contact, contaminated body fluids, and contaminated respiratory droplets. Generally, human gets the infection through direct contact with the infected animal or contaminated materials. Furthermore, human to human transmission of monkeypox has been reported through placental membranes, direct contact with skin, and through fomite. Nosocomial infection has also been reported in humans while speculatory evidence was found on sexual transmission in humans. The exact animal reservoirs of monkeypox have not been identified, non-human primates and rodents had been suggested for harbouring the virus in the environment as rope squirrels, tree squirrels, Gambian pouched rats and dormice. During the first five days, fever, lymphadenopathy, back pain, extreme headache, myalgia (muscle ache), and severe asthenia (energy shortage) are reported in the infected humans. The macular-papular lesions appear in the first 1 - 3 days of fever and develop into to fluidfilled blisters. The blisters rupture and crusts develop within 10 days. The nonsymptomatic disease has been reported with an unknown prevalence in humans. Smallpox vaccines were shown to have cross protection against monkeypox infection in humans. In addition, the same vaccine can be used prophylactically since the vaccine reduces the emergence of clinical signs of monkeypox infection in humans. Furthermore, immunoglobulin derived from the vaccinia virus is also used as postexposure therapy in an exposed population.
Unusual features in Halifax Harbour, Nova Scotia, Canada, Part 1
Authors: Fader G B J , Miller R O , Todd B J
Published: March 2023

The seabed of Halifax Harbour contains a variety of features that can be classified into natural and anthropogenic features. Natural features are formed by nature and consist of bedforms such as sand waves, sedimentary furrows, boulder berms, moraines, pockmarks,
etc. Anthropogenic features are those formed by human activity and include anchor marks, cables, shipwrecks, dredge spoils, bridge and dock remains, etc. The anthropogenic imprint on the Harbour bottom is very dense, particularly in the inner Harbour, and makes the collection of natural unaffected
seabed samples difficult. This poster illustrates and describes boulder berms, dredged areas and spoils, spud can marks, mining pits, and enigmatic gravel circles.
Where is God when it hurts? Theodicy from the pain of COVID-19
Authors: Resane Kelebogile T.
Published: March 2023

This article attempts to answer the question of God’s compassion during and after the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Many people are asking questions about God’s care and love amid situations where they could not mourn the loss of the loved ones and find closure. African philosophy of death, mourning rituals and funeral ceremonies were curtailed or restricted by the government and therefore, mourners were left with wounds because they could not find closure for the loss of their loved ones. The aim is to point out that people are still mourning, as lockdown restrictions limited them from going through a grieving process, and that people, left with post-corona effects, are still asking the reality of God’s presence during times filled with pain. The interdisciplinary approach to the reality of situation, press releases and literature review are all combined to locate theodicy during the periods of pain. It is discovered that many who did not mourn and grieve culturally and religiously are still struggling emotionally, psychologically and spiritually. Bereavement processes that were muzzled, can still be addressed theologically. Theodicy, as a theological concept, is utilised as a tool to strengthen faith and hope. Hope remains an anchor that keeps humanity floating above the circumstances. Eschatological hope remains the pillar when COVID-19 is deemed as a contradiction to the goodness of God. The conclusion is that, although the character of God such as love, kindness, empathy et cetera, is questioned, the reassuring message remains that God continues to comfort, guide and heal despite crises facing humanity. Humanity still needs post-grief healing and closure in order to reimagine and reassert normality of life.Contribution: The author aims to highlight the importance of healing during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, and how to answer the question of theodicy during the crises. How does one reconcile the goodness of God and the devastation of a pandemic during and after sufferings the world has experienced when one’s socio-cultural structures are challenged?
Sodium restriction and insulin resistance: A review of 23 clinical trials
Authors: DiNicolantonio James J. , O'Keefe James H.
Published: March 2023

Background: Many clinicians recommend low-salt diets for lowering blood pressure but there may be unintended consequences such as worsening insulin resistance.Aim: This paper aimed to find human clinical studies looking at low-salt diets on markers of glucose and insulin.Methods: We reviewed PubMed using the search terms ‘sodium’, ‘insulin’ and ‘insulin resistance’ and found 23 human clinical studies testing low-salt diets showing negative harms on insulin or glucose.Results: Twenty-three human clinical trials have shown that low-salt diets lead to systemic or vascular insulin resistance, glucose intolerance, elevated fasting insulin and/or elevations in glucose and/or insulin levels after an oral glucose tolerance test.Conclusion: We discovered 23 human clinical studies showing that low-salt diets worsen markers of insulin and glucose. Caution is advised when recommending salt restriction for blood pressure control as this may lead to worsening insulin resistance.Contribution: This review has revealed that low salt diets can induce insulin resistance.
Screening for Mental Health Disorders among Adults Using the Primary Care Evaluation of Mental Disorders Patient Health Questionnaire: A Community-based Study
Authors: Sharma Deepak , Goel Naveen Krishan , Sidana Ajeet Kumar
Published: March 2023

Background:

Screening the adult population for mental disorders is essential for early diagnosis and prompt treatment. The current study aimed to assess adults’ prevalence and predictors of mental health disorders.

Methodology:

This community-based, cross-sectional study was conducted among 1056 adults. After obtaining their written informed consent, trained workers administered the Primary Care Evaluation of Mental Disorders Patient Health Questionnaire. Data were analyzed using Epi Info software for Windows.

Results:

Out of 1056 study participants, 121 (11.5%) suffered from any mental health disorder. The most common mental health disorder was depression (5.1%), followed by anxiety (4.6%), somatoform disorder (2.8%), probable alcohol abuse (1.8%), and panic disorder (1.5%). In the logistic regression model, the odds of suffering from any mental health disorder were significantly higher among those having a chronic disease (odds ratio [OR] =1.8 [1.1–2.9]) and currently consuming tobacco (OR = 2.0 [1.2–3.3]), as compared to their counterparts.

Conclusion:

Around one-tenth of the study population suffered from any mental health disorder, the most common being depression. It is imperative that the general population be made aware of the signs and symptoms of mental health problems. Patients should be encouraged to seek early treatment for their mental health problems.
Aerobic exercise improves ejaculatory behaviors and complements dapoxetine treatment by upregulating the BDNF-5-HT duo: a pilot study in rats
Authors: Huang Yuan-Yuan , Peng Dang-Wei , Liu Qiu-Shi , Jiang Hui , Zhang Xian-Sheng
Published: March 2023

Accumulating evidence has revealed many clues that regular aerobic exercise benefits brain health and behaviors. The aims of this study were to explore the effect of aerobic exercise on ejaculatory behaviors, as well as to make a preliminary assessment of aerobic exercise as a complementary strategy to dapoxetine treatment in rapid ejaculators. Copulatory tests of rats and a treadmill training protocol were performed in this study. In total, 12 rapid ejaculators were selected on the basis of ejaculation distribution theory and randomly assigned to 4 groups: control (Ctrol) group, aerobic exercise (Ex) group, dapoxetine (Dapo) group, and Ex+Dapo group. We evaluated the changes in ejaculatory parameters in the 4 groups. Variations in biological markers, including serum corticosterone, serotonin (5-HT), and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) of the raphe nucleus, were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The primary finding of our study was that both aerobic exercise and acute dapoxetine could enhance ejaculation control and prolong ejaculation latency in rapid ejaculator rats. The ejaculation delay effect of aerobic exercise was nearly equivalent to that of acute dapoxetine. In addition, both aerobic exercise and dapoxetine treatment could lead to increased expression of BDNF and 5-HT in the raphe nucleus of rapid ejaculators. Moreover, the two interventions, when applied together, may further upregulate the expression of BDNF-5-HT duo in a complementary manner. This study highlights the positive effects of aerobic exercise on ejaculation control. Regular aerobic exercise might be a promising complementary treatment to dapoxetine in rats.