bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Redescription and Molecular Characterization of the External Attaching Fish Parasitic Cymothoid, Nerocila phaiopleura Bleeker, 1857 (Crustacea: Isopoda) off the Southwest Coast of India
Authors: Suresh Amurtha Shyla , Nair Balamurali Raghavan Pillai Sreekuma , Mangalathettu Binumon Thankachan , Aneesh Panakkool Thamban
Published: August 2024

Purpose

The identification of the external attaching fish parasitic cymothoid, Nerocila phaiopleura Bleeker 1857, is still based on the brief description of Australian specimens provided by Bruce (1987). The present study aimed to provide a redescription and molecular characterisation of Indian specimens of N. phaiopleura.

Materials and Methods

Morphological identification was carried out based on microscopic examinations and taxonomic drawings. mitochondrial DNA cox1 was selected as the target gene for sequencing and molecular identification. Nucleotide genetic divergence (p-distance) and base-pair differences among the different species were determined using MEGA11.

Results

Nerocila phaiopleura can be well separated from its congeners by the following combination of characteristics: Body about 2.4 times as long as wide, cephalon broadly rounded anteriorly; coxae posteriorly directed, acute and extending beyond their corresponding pereonite; pereonite 7 posterior angle produced, extending to the pleonite 1; pleonites 1 and 2 ventrolateral process posteriorly directed; uropod exopod straight and elongate, 1.7–2.0 times longer than endopod; uropod endopod lateral margin not serrate, no notch on medial margin; pereopods with short ischium; pleotelson triangular. The p-distance among N. phaiopleura and other available Nerocila spp. ranged from 21 to 19%.

Conclusion

This study represents the first detailed taxonomic redescription of Indian specimens of N. phaiopleura. Key taxonomic features of the life stages and molecular data are provided here to identify the species properly. Interspecific genetic divergence between N. phaiopleura and other Nerocila spp. is assessed for the first time. Studies in cymothoid life histories, genetics, and morphology are necessary to understand one of the least understood parasite families.
Evaluation of the Effects of Papain on Schistosoma mansoni: Miracidial Infection Capacity, Infection Prevalence, Cercarial Shedding and Molecular Changes in Biomphalaria alexandrina
Authors: Ibrahim Amina M. , Nasr Sami M.
Published: August 2024

Purpose

The aim of the present study is to assess the molluscicidal, larvicidal and genotoxicological activities of papain and how it can affect the host-parasite interactions.

Methods

Toxicity of papain on snails by making series of concentrations to calculate LC50, and then study its larvicide effect on the free larval stages of S. mansoni and infection rate of snails.

Results

Papain has a molluscicidal activity on adult snails of Biomphalaria alexandrina with a lethal concentration LC50 equals to 43.1 mg/L. In addition, it has activity on miracidia with half Lethal time (LT50) of 16.11 min., and on cercariae with 12.1 min. compared to control ones. The sub lethal concentration LC10 and LC25 (6.9 or 24.1 mg/L, respectively) decreased the survival rate of snails at the first cercarial shedding, the rate of infection, the average total number of cercariae per snail, the shedding period and the life span of snails, while the prepatent period was significantly increased than the control ones. The morphological alterations in cercariae after exposure to papain were occurred where the cercariae lacked motility and some had a dark tail with complete detachment of head and tail. Compared to the control group, the levels of cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) and (ND1) genes significantly decreased in snails after exposure to papain.

Conclusions

Papain could be used as a potential molluscicide for elimination of schistosomiasis and decrease its transmission and deterioration of host-parasite interaction.
Five-Year Outcomes of Bariatric Surgery vs. Conservative Weight Management in People with HIV: A Single-Center Tertiary Care Experience
Authors: Fehervari Matyas , Mitra Anuja T. , Sargsyan Narek , Davison Nuala , Turner Madeleine , Efthimiou Evangelos , Khwaja Haris , Fakih-Gomez Naim , Bonanomi Gianluca
Published: August 2024

Introduction

Individuals with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection now have life expectancies similar to non-infected people but face increased obesity prevalence. The long-term effects of bariatric surgery (BS) and conservative weight therapy (CWT) in patients living with HIV (PLWH) remain unexplored.

Methods

A retrospective review (2012–2018) at a Tertiary Centre for Bariatric Surgery and National Centre for HIV care examined the outcomes of BS and CWT. Parameters evaluated included weight loss and HIV metrics such as viral load and CD4 count.

Results

The study included 24 chronic HIV patients, with 10 undergoing BS (5 laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB), 3 laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG), 2 Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LRYGB) and 14 in CWT. The BS group showed significant BMI reduction (− 7.07, − 6.55, − 7.81 kg/m2 at 1, 3, and 5 years). The CWT group’s BMI reduction was non-significant. The BS group’s %TWL was 16%, 17.8%, and 15% at 1, 3, and 5 years, respectively; however, stapled procedures were more effective, at 1 year, %TWL was 17% LSG and 25% RYGB, at 3 years, 23% LSG, 30% RYGB and at 5 years 21% with LSG and 28% with RYGB. HIV outcomes remained stable with undetectable viral loads in the BS group.

Discussion

BS appears to be a safe and effective medium-term treatment for obesity in PLWH, providing significant weight loss whilst maintaining the efficacy of HIV treatments. Although CWT has shown modest benefits, the outcomes from BS indicate that it could be a preferable option for managing obesity in PLWH based on this limited dataset.

Graphical Abstract
Survivorship preparedness and activation among survivors of lymphoma
Authors: Manne Sharon L. , Hudson Shawna V. , O’Malley Dena , Devine Katie A. , Matasar Matthew , Peram Jacintha , Solleder Justin , Handorf Elizabeth , Evens Andrew M.
Published: August 2024

Objectives

Taking an active role in managing post-treatment care has emerged as a key aspect of promoting a successful transition into survivorship and is associated with better patient outcomes. In this study, we focus on two key aspects of active self-management, activation and preparedness. Activation was defined as understanding one’s role in the care process and having the knowledge, skill, and confidence to take on a role in managing self-care. Preparedness was defined as the extent to which individuals perceived they had sufficient information about what to expect after cancer treatments are completed. The study goal was to characterize survivorship preparedness and activation among lymphoma survivors within 5 years of treatment completion in New Jersey and examine the association of sociodemographic, medical, care transition experiences, practical concerns, and psychosocial factors with activation and preparedness.

Methods

One hundred and one Hodgkin lymphoma or non-Hodgkin lymphoma survivors who had completed treatment within 5 years completed a survey of survivorship care experiences (response rate = 34.12%).

Results

Approximately 60% of survivors reported high activation, with similar percentages for higher preparedness. Less activated survivors were significantly (p < .05) younger, married, resided in a more deprived geographic area, and reported more fatigue and information needs. Less activated survivors reported recalling that their providers were significantly (p < .05) less likely to discuss long-term side effects, psychosocial needs, risk-reducing lifestyle recommendations, and how to manage other medical concerns. Fewer care transition practices were most strongly associated with lower preparedness.

Conclusions

A significant proportion were not activated for survivorship, and both activation and preparedness were strongly associated with providers’ survivorship transition practices.

Implications for Cancer Survivors

Implementing programs to foster more activation and preparedness for lymphoma survivorship care would benefit from education about recommended follow-up care and healthy lifestyle practices. Providers should routinely ask about their patients’ confidence and preparedness for survivorship and provide referrals for appropriate care as needed.
Epistemic emotions and pre-service mathematics teachers’ knowledge for teaching
Authors: Gómez-Chacón Inés M. , Marbán José M.
Published: August 2024

Affective and cognitive processes may be jointly researched to better understand mathematics learning, paying special interest to emotions related to knowledge acquisition. However, it remains necessary to explore these processes in studies linked to the education of pre-service mathematics teachers. This study aims to characterize epistemic emotions in different practices linked to the practice of mathematics teaching: problem-solving, anticipating what would happen with the students and reflecting on classroom implementation. It considers the theory of Mathematical Working Spaces to describe the mathematical and cognitive dimensions generated by epistemic emotions, paying special attention to the cognition-affect interaction and the workspace created. The results indicate that the epistemic emotions of the pre-service mathematics teachers associated with the distinct practices were different. Differences are observed in the interaction between emotions and cognitive epistemic actions, depending on whether the pre-service mathematics teachers analyze them within the framework of their own solving or anticipate them in their students. This reveals how personal work relates to what is considered to be suitable for students. Specifically, certain antecedents and consequences have been specified for the emotions of surprise and boredom in relation to the characteristics of the optimization problems and the cognitive activity of the subject when solving them. These results highlight the need to enhance the education of pre-service mathematics teachers through training that helps regulate their epistemic emotions and model effective strategies for regulating their own emotions and those of their students.
Does Shift Work Affect Burnout and Sleep Quality Among Australian Police Officers?
Authors: Hassmén Peter , Burgess Rebecca
Published: August 2024

The safety of police officers and the community is compromised by shift work and work demands. Retention rates are declining globally, and recruiting new police officers is increasingly challenging. A contributing factor is organizational stressors, with nightshifts potentially increasing the risk of disturbed sleep, increased stress, and burnout; 642 Australian police officers answered a cross-sectional survey: 379 worked nightshifts and 263 dayshifts. Regardless of shift, a majority reported their stress (70%) and burnout (60%) as ranging from moderate to extremely high. Contrary to initial expectations, nightshift work did not significantly deteriorate sleep quality or intensify stress and burnout. These findings suggest that excessive workloads and the stressful environments encountered by police officers may primarily drive the burnout process. Additional research is required to determine the underlying factors and devise strategies to alleviate the adverse effects on the physical and mental health of police officers.
Applying whole-genome and whole-exome sequencing in breast cancer: a review of the landscape
Authors: Ganatra Hetvi , Tan Joecelyn Kirani , Simmons Ana , Bigogno Carola Maria , Khurana Vatsala , Ghose Aruni , Ghosh Adheesh , Mahajan Ishika , Boussios Stergios , Maniam Akash , Ayodele Olubukola
Published: August 2024

Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) and whole-exome sequencing (WES) are crucial within the context of breast cancer (BC) research. They play a role in the detection of predisposed genes, risk stratification, and identification of rare single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). These technologies aid in the discovery of associations between various syndromes and BC, understanding the tumour microenvironment (TME), and even identifying unknown mutations that could be useful in future for personalised treatments. Genetic analysis can find the associated risk of BC and can be used in early screening, diagnosis, specific treatment plans, and prevention in patients who are at high risk of tumour formation. This article focuses on the application of WES and WGS, and how uncovering novel candidate genes associated with BC can aid in treating and preventing BC.
Investigation of Joint Action in Go/No-Go Tasks: Development of a Human-Like Eye Robot and Verification of Action Space
Authors: Hayashi Kotaro
Published: August 2024

Human–robot collaboration (HRC) is a natural progression of technological development and can improve job performance, address labor shortages, and reduce labor costs. However, it is still uncertain whether joint action, similar to that occurring between humans, can be replicated between humans and robots. Many robotic researchers have focused on joint action, and it has been demonstrated that gaze cueing plays a significant role in this context. Currently, previous studies on joint action use humanoids; however, robots utilized in the research on human-robot collaboration lack human-like eyes needed for verification. Therefore, this study focuses on the development of an eye robot with gaze-cueing behaviors that can be easily integrated into existing robotic systems. As another theme of this study, we proposed the use of fixation duration as a new metric, which is distinct from the commonly used response time, for the quantitative evaluation of joint action research. These are verified through a Go/No-go task under six conditions—three behavioral (i.e., joint action, joint attention-only, and alone), each with two partner conditions (robot or human partner). While developing a human-like eye robot, this study demonstrates the potential of a robot to be a better joint action partner than an uncertain human, with participants exhibiting the best reaction times when partnered with a robot. The shared action space of the participants was investigated, where a transference of the action space indicates the expression of joint action. The fixation duration indicates that the proposed robot cause participants to move their action space to include that of the robot. These results suggest that the proposed collaborative robot can initiate a joint action between a robot and a human, and can perform as a more effective partner in joint actions compared to an unfamiliar human. This study showcased the capacity of fixation duration as a quantitative assessment metric for joint action.
Application of Digital Image Correlation to Small Punch Test for Determination of Stress–Strain Properties
Authors: Shaik Abdul Rahman , Pandey Aishwary Vardhan , Karthik V. , Kolhatkar Ashish , Abhishek G. , Divakar R.
Published: August 2024

The analysis of the small punch test is based on the force on the moving punch and the deflection data acquired at a single point of the specimen bottom. However, the spatial distribution of stress and strain at any given instant is non-uniform and its variations with increase in punch penetration are quite complex. In this work, the digital image correlation (DIC) technique is integrated with small punch test for in-situ full field strain measurement in the bottom surface of the specimen. The DIC results reveal that with the progression of deformation, the peak equivalent plastic strain at the bottom surface shifts from the center of the specimen to a characteristic radial location, where the strain rapidly builds up and concentrates leading to instability and cracking. Combining DIC-based strain results with finite element model-based stress estimation at the characteristic radial location, a methodology for determining the stress–strain curve from small punch test is formulated and the outcomes are compared with tensile test results for four different metallic alloys.
Endochitinase from the Microsporidia Nosema ceranae facilitates infection in the honey bee Apis mellifera
Authors: da Cruz Souza Amanda Martins , Santos Carolina Gonçalves , Oliveira André Henrique , Carneiro Lenise Silva , Resende Matheus Tudor Cândido Santos de , Oliveira Leandro Licursi , Serrão José Eduardo
Published: August 2024

Bees are crucial pollinators in terrestrial ecosystems, responsible for 80% of insect-driven pollination and playing a vital role in the pollination of 75% of crops. The honey bee, Apis mellifera, is not only used in honey production but also serves as a pollinator in agriculture. However, A. mellifera faces various challenges, including exposure to pathogens such as the Microsporidia Nosema ceranae, which has been linked to decreased crop yields and colony losses. Nosema ceranae spores infect adult honey bees by penetrating the midgut lumen and invading the cytoplasm of epithelial cells, completing their life cycle. However, the midgut possesses a protective mechanical barrier called the peritrophic matrix, composed of chitin and proteins, which prevents epithelial infection. Nevertheless, N. ceranae overcomes this primary defense mechanism, though the specific mechanisms it employs to cross the peritrophic matrix and reach the midgut epithelium are not yet well understood. This study aimed to investigate the potential role of the predicted endochitinase from N. ceranae to infect bees. We tested the hypothesis that inhibiting the expression of N. ceranae endochitinase through RNA interference would impact the pathogen infection of A. mellifera. Bees treated with dsRNA targeting endochitinase, administered 12 and 24 h after spore inoculation, exhibited suppressed endochitinase gene expression and a decrease in the number of total and viable N. ceranae spores in the midgut. These results indicate that inhibiting the expression of the target gene through RNA interference affects Microsporidia infection, underscoring the importance of this enzyme in the infection process.
Biosorption of Cu+ 2 by Green Algae, Ulva fasciata: Optimization by Response Surface Methodology
Authors: Kadimpati Kishore Kumar , Sanneboina Sujatha , Thadikamala Sathish , Mondithoka Krishna Prasad
Published: August 2024

U. fasciata biomass, a green algae was used as adsorbent, investigated and optimized the environmental parameters using central factorial design for the Cu+ 2 removal. Biosorption of Cu+ 2 involves the functional groups –CO, –OH, and N–H of U. fasciata biomass. Various parameters were estimated using Response Surface Methodology (RSM), including pH (4–6), initial Cu+ 2 concentration (60–140 mg L− 1), biomass dosage (0.08–0.40 g L− 1) and temperature (20–40 °C). It was found that the uptake of Cu+ 2 by U. fasciata was 62.31 mg L− 1 at an initial concentration of 80 mg L− 1, a temperature of 35 °C, and a pH of 5.245. In order to analyze the equilibrium data, applied Langmuir, Freundlich, Langmuir-Friendly (L-R), and Redlich-Peterson (L-R) isotherm models. The multiple mechanisms were involved in the removal of Cu+ 2 including chelation, ion-exchange and adsorption on UF biomass. It is believed that the U. fasciata biomass is a suitable material for the removal of Cu+ 2 ions from wastewaters.
CLIP-SP: Vision-language model with adaptive prompting for scene parsing
Authors: Li Jiaao , Huang Yixiang , Wu Ming , Zhang Bin , Ji Xu , Zhang Chuang
Published: August 2024

We present a novel framework, CLIP-SP, and a novel adaptive prompt method to leverage pre-trained knowledge from CLIP for scene parsing. Our approach addresses the limitations of DenseCLIP, which demonstrates the superior image segmentation provided by CLIP pre-trained models over ImageNet pre-trained models, but struggles with rough pixel-text score maps for complex scene parsing. We argue that, as they contain all textual information in a dataset, the pixel-text score maps, i.e., dense prompts, are inevitably mixed with noise. To overcome this challenge, we propose a two-step method. Firstly, we extract visual and language features and perform multi-label classification to identify the most likely categories in the input images. Secondly, based on the top-k categories and confidence scores, our method generates scene tokens which can be treated as adaptive prompts for implicit modeling of scenes, and incorporates them into the visual features fed into the decoder for segmentation. Our method imposes a constraint on prompts and suppresses the probability of irrelevant categories appearing in the scene parsing results. Our method achieves competitive performance, limited by the available visual-language pre-trained models. Our CLIP-SP performs 1.14% better (in terms of mIoU) than DenseCLIP on ADE20K, using a ResNet-50 backbone.
Large Fiber Array Spectroscopic Telescope: Optical Design for a Scalable Unit Telescope
Authors: Berkson Joel , Angel Roger , Bender Chad , Monson Andrew , Gray Peter , Schwab Christian , Foster Warren , Kim Daewook
Published: August 2024

The Large Fiber Array Spectroscopic Telescope (LFAST) concept involves the utilization of 2640 individual, 0.76 m “unit telescopes” to collect light from a target object. Through optical fibers, the lights from all telescope foci are directed to a high-resolution spectrograph, with fibers subtending a 1.47 arcsec diameter on the sky. The total light-collecting area of all telescopes combined is 1200 m2. Given the telescope’s application for spectroscopy of seeing-limited images, the need for coherence is eliminated. The primary goal of the LFAST prototype is to demonstrate a telescope design that can be rapidly and cost-effectively replicated to achieve a 1200 m2 collecting area and match the capabilities of extremely large telescopes (ELTs) presently under construction. Engineering, manufacturing, and design challenges unique to LFAST differ significantly from those encountered in traditional ELTs. Considering that the unit telescope is to be replicated thousands of times, reducing the manufacturing cost per telescope is essential. The aim of the described design is to achieve this goal, with strong considerations for manufacturability, alignment, few moving parts, and high yield. Experience from the first prototype unit telescope built in 2022 will be leveraged to build the first 20-unit tracking module in 2024, with a collecting area of a 3.4-m-diameter mirror. The design is minimalistic and features commercial tolerances, thereby ensuring cost-effectiveness in manufacturing, assembly, and alignment processes. Moreover, the telescope is designed to operate at angles as low as 70° from the zenith by laterally translating a single lens to correct for atmospheric dispersion. We present a combined average of over 80% encircled energy across 2640 Monte Carlo trials. Simulations were conducted using commercially specified tolerances and capabilities to model the overall performance of the array.
Effects of Temperature and Precursor Concentration on the Morphological and Optical Properties of Iron Oxide Nanoparticles
Authors: Mona Lijo P. , Songca Sandile P. , Ajibade Peter A.
Published: August 2024

Iron oxide nanoparticles are inexpensive materials that are environmentally friendly and have properties that render them suitable for wide range of applications. A facile and time-effective coprecipitation method was used to prepare iron oxide nanoparticles in a 1:1 molar ratio of Fe2+ and Fe3+ ions in solution. Iron oxide nanoparticles obtained at 18 and 60 °C yielded spherical magnetite nanoparticles with particle sizes of 7.63 and 8.5 nm respectively while comprising a mixture of magnetite and hematite nanorods, with a mean width of 9.5 nm and a mean length of 75 nm were obtained at 90 °C. Iron oxide nanoparticles synthesized at 18 °C have energy band gap of 4.16 eV while those synthesized at 60 and 90 °C have the same band gap of 4.66 eV. Precursor concentrations of 0.042, 0.08 and 0.0126 M yielded spherical magnetite nanoparticles with particle sizes of 7.94, 8.5 and 8.5 nm respectively and the particle size range increased with increasing concentration. Magnetite nanoparticles synthesized with concentrations of 0.042, 0.08 and 0.126 M have optical band gaps of 4.65, 4.88 and 5.19 eV respectively. The magnetite crystalline phase was produced regardless of concentration at temperatures of 18 and 60 °C while a temperature of 90 °C yielded a mixture of magnetite and hematite phases. The band optical band gap showed direct proportionality with temperature and concentration in an inert environment.
Effect of acidity of solid acid catalysts during non-oxidative thermal decomposition of LDPE
Authors: Upare Dipali P. , Lee Chul Wee , Lee Don Keun , Kang Young Soo
Published: August 2024

Thermal decomposition of low-density polyethylene (LDPE) was monitored by thermogravimetry under N2 atmosphere in the presence of solid acid catalysts such as alumina (α-Al2O3, γ-Al2O3), crystalline silica-alumina (SA, molar ratio of Si/Al = 0.19) and amorphous silica-alumina catalysts (ASA, molar ratio of Si/Al = 4.9). Crystal structure and surface area of solid acid catalysts were measured by XRD and BET, respectively. The strength and distribution of acid sites of solid acid catalysts were estimated by NH3-TPD. It was observed that total acidity strength is in the order of ASA (1.77 μmmol NH3/g) > AS (1.42 μmol NH3/g) > γ-Al2O3 (1.06 μmol NH3/g) > α-Al2O3 (0.06 μmol NH3/g). Thermal degradation behavior of LDPE with and without solid acid catalyst was monitored by TGA, where heating rates (β) of 5, 10, and 20 °C/min were employed under an inert atmosphere, and their activation energies (Ea), onset temperatures (Tinitial), decomposition temperatures (Tdecomp) were calculated and compared. The activation energy (Ea) was evaluated using the Coats-Redfern method. Solid acid catalysts with stronger acidity and higher surface area showed a decrease in activation energy and onset temperature. Activation energy of LDPE over ASA catalyst is decreased to 97.3 kJ/mol from thermal decomposition of LDPE without catalyst of 117.2 kJ/mol under heating rate of 10 °C/min. The isothermal decomposition of LDPE was monitored at 300 °C for 3 h with a heating rate of 10 °C/min, where 13.1% and 24.2% wt. loss were observed over SA and ASA, respectively, while only 0.7% wt. loss was observed for LDPE without a solid acid catalyst.

Graphical abstract

Single step decomposition of LDPE

Thermal degradation behavior of LDPE monitored by TGA, with different heating rates (β) of 5, 10, 20 °C/min.
Examining human mobility changes during COVID-19 across socioeconomic groups: a comparative analysis of San Diego County and New York City
Authors: Park Jaehee , Tsou Ming-Hsiang , Nara Atsushi , Dodge Somayeh , Cassels Susan
Published: August 2024

The COVID-19 pandemic brought unprecedented changes to various aspects of daily life, profoundly affecting human mobility. These changes in mobility patterns were not uniform, as numerous factors, including public health measures, socioeconomic status, and urban infrastructure, influenced them. This study examines human mobility changes during COVID-19 in San Diego County and New York City, employing Latent Profile Analysis (LPA) and various network measures to analyze connectivity and socioeconomic status (SES) within these regions. While many COVID-19 and mobility studies have revealed overall reductions in mobility or changes in mobility patterns, they often fail to specify ’where’ these changes occur and lack a detailed understanding of the relationship between SES and mobility changes. This creates a significant research gap in understanding the spatial and socioeconomic dimensions of mobility changes during the pandemic. This study aims to address this gap by providing a comprehensive analysis of how mobility patterns varied across different socioeconomic groups during the pandemic. By comparing mobility patterns before and during the pandemic, we aim to shed light on how this unprecedented event impacted different communities. Our research contributes to the literature by employing network science to examine COVID-19’s impact on human mobility, integrating SES variables into the analysis of mobility networks. This approach provides a detailed understanding of how social and economic factors influence movement patterns and urban connectivity, highlighting disparities in mobility and access across different socioeconomic groups. The results identify areas functioning as hubs or bridges and illustrate how these roles changed during COVID-19, revealing existing societal inequalities. Specifically, we observed that urban parks and rural areas with national parks became significant mobility hubs during the pandemic, while affluent areas with high educational attainment saw a decline in centrality measures, indicating a shift in urban mobility dynamics and exacerbating pre-existing socioeconomic disparities.
Study of developing a condensation heat transfer coefficient and pressure drop model for whole reduced pressure ranges
Authors: Ajayi Abiola Samuel , Kim Sugyeong , Yun Rin
Published: August 2024

This study involves the collection of data from 10 different articles to develop experimental-based models for predicting the condensation heat transfer and the frictional pressure drop. The dataset comprises a total of 1168 condensation heat transfer coefficients and 792 frictional pressure drop data. The applied operating range considered is within the reduced pressure of 0.1–0.95, mass flux ranging from 75 to 700 kg/m2s, and an inner diameter between 3.4 and 12.5 mm. We developed the models for the condensation heat transfer coefficient based on Akers et al.’s model, whose parameters are the Prandtl number, density ratio, vapor quality, and mass flux. The total error for the condensation heat transfer coefficient is ± 22.6%. The data is further categorized into two groups of the reduced pressure: Pr < 0.5 with an error of ± 22.9% and Pr > 0.5 with an error of ± 18.9%. The frictional pressure drop models were developed based on the three different ranges of the reduced pressure. The utilized non-dimensionless parameters were the two-phase multiplier (Φlo2), the Bond number (Bo), the Weber number (We), and the Martinelli parameter (Xtt), along with the regression coefficients. Regarding the frictional pressure drop correlation, the total error is ± 32.7%, and the data is divided into three segments: Pr < 0.2 with an error of ± 24.6%, 0.2 < Pr < 0.3 with an error of ± 35.6%, and an error of ± 27.8% for the reduced pressure larger than 0.3. These correlations were developed using the MATLAB regression analysis to enhance their practicality and utility.
Stable Isotope Analysis and Chronology Building at the Hokfv-Mocvse Cultural Site, the Earliest Evidence for South Atlantic Shell-Ring Villages
Authors: Garland Carey J. , Thompson Victor D. , Howland Matthew D. , Gragson Ted L. , Andrus C. Fred T. , Demyan Marcie , Parbus Brett
Published: August 2024

Circular shell rings along the South Atlantic coast of the United States are vestiges of the earliest sedentary villages in North America, dating to 4500–3000 BP. However, little is known about when Indigenous communities began constructing these shell-ring villages. This article presents data from the Hokfv-Mocvse Shell Ring on Ossabaw Island, Georgia. Although shell rings are often associated with the earliest ceramics in North America, no ceramics were encountered in our excavations at Hokfv-Mocvse, and the only materials recovered were projectile points similar to points found over 300 km inland. Bayesian modeling of radiocarbon dates indicates that the ring was occupied between 5090 and 4735 cal BP (95% confidence), making it the earliest dated shell ring in the region. Additionally, shell geochemistry and oyster paleobiology data suggest that inhabitants were living at the ring year-round and had established institutions at that time to manage oyster fisheries sustainably. Hokfv-Mocvse therefore provides evidence for Indigenous people settling in year-round villages and adapting to coastal environments in the region centuries before the adoption of pottery. The establishment of villages marks a visible archaeological shift toward settling down and occupying island ecosystems on a more permanent basis and in larger numbers than ever before in the region.
Parasites and plantations: Disease, environment and society in efforts to induce extinction of hookworm in Jamaica, 1919–1936
Authors: Roberts Jonathan D. , Waddington Lorna L. , Quinnell Rupert J. , Huggan Graham , Dunn Alison M.
Published: August 2024

Studies of extinction typically focus on unintended losses of biodiversity and culture. This study, however, examines an attempt to induce extinction of a parasite: human hookworm (Necator americanus and Ancylostoma duodenale). Our interdisciplinary approach integrates medical history and epidemiology using records created by the Jamaica Hookworm Commission of 1919–1936. We show that the attempt to induce the extinction of hookworms was driven by its perceived effects on labour productivity and consequent status as an ideological and economic threat. We use spatial epidemiology to describe the relationships between parasites, environments and the working conditions of plantation labourers. Using data from 330 locations across Jamaica in which 169,380 individuals were tested for hookworm infection we show that the prevalence of hookworm infection was higher in districts surrounding plantations. Prevalence decreased with the temperature of the coldest month, increased with the amount of rainfall in the driest month, and increased with vegetation quantity (normalised difference vegetation index). Worm burden (and thus pathology) varied greatly between individuals, even those living together; hookworm infection varied between environments, socioeconomic conditions and individuals. Nevertheless, the conditions of labour shaped the distribution of hookworms. Plantations both spread and problematised hookworms, driving efforts to bring it to extinction.
Digital mental health interventions for treating mental disorders in young people based in low-and middle-income countries: A systematic review of the literature
Authors: Alagarajah Janagan , Ceccolini Diana , Butler Sydney
Published: August 2024

Young people (YP) (between 10 and 24 years) are disproportionally vulnerable to developing and being affected by mental health conditions due to physical, social and emotional risk factors. YP in low-and middle-income countries (LMICs) have poorer access to, and quality of, mental health services compared to those in high-income countries. Digital mental health interventions (DMHIs) have been proposed as tools to address this burden of disease and reduce the global treatment gap in youth mental health outcomes. This study aimed to examine the evidence for DMHIs for treating mental disorders in YP based in LMICs. To do this, the author searched academic databases (MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Embase and Web of Science) for primary studies on DMHIs targeting YP in LMICs. Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses criteria were followed. The quality of the studies was assessed using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme) framework. A narrative synthesis methodology was used to summarise and explain the findings. The authors identified 287 studies of which 7 were eligible in the final review. The authors found evidence of the effectiveness of multiple forms of DMHI (especially internet-based cognitive behavioural therapy) on anxiety and depression outcomes. Studies reported a lack of long-term benefits of treatment, high dropout rates, and did not include key geographical settings or data on cost-effectiveness. No studies were judged to be of high quality. This review highlights the available evidence showing that DMHIs can improve mental health outcomes for YP in LMICs, but due to the limited number of studies and lack of high-quality data, increased adoption and scaling up of digital interventions require more rigorous studies showing clinical effectiveness and ability to provide return on investment.
Becoming Modern and Secular: A Review Essay on Recent Work on Islam and South Asia
Authors: Mohomed Carimo
Published: August 2024

The Muslims of South Asia are more than five hundred million people, distributed between Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh, and there are more Muslims in South Asia than in any other region in the world. After Indonesia, which is the largest Muslim country in the world, India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh are the second, third, and fourth largest Muslim countries, respectively. Although the prevalent approach in the study of Islam is to consider its so-called Arab character as central, the Muslims in pre-Partition India constituted the largest body of Muslims in the world, and the vast political and intellectual influence exerted by South Asian Muslims on the wider Muslim world is often neglected. Many of the most important political, intellectual, and spiritual developments within Islam have had their origins, or have flourished, in South Asia, and Muslims from the region have played important roles in the global history of Islam, including during the colonial period, in resistance to colonial rule, and in intellectual responses to and dialogue with Western thought. Pakistan was specifically created to provide a homeland for South Asia’s Muslim population and its trials and tribulations over the past seventy-five years have been carefully watched by Muslims and non-Muslims alike. Muslims constitute India’s largest minority, with an often uneasy—to say the least—relationship to the majority. In the context of the three books under discussion, I explore issues, such as secularism, modernity, and religion, and their impacts on the conception of the nation-state that was promoted during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries as an expression of political modernity.
Ediacaran diversity in space and time
Authors: Selly Tara , Schiffbauer James D. , Laflamme Marc , Warren Lucas V. , Liu Alexander G.
Published: August 2024

The Ediacaran Subcommission of the International Commission on Stratigraphy is diligently working toward the goal of subdividing the Ediacaran Period into precise and useful chronostratigraphic units. As emphasized by Xiao and colleagues in 2016, one of the most effective tools in this endeavor will be the use of index fossils. Our special issue serves as a presentation of ongoing research efforts aimed at advancing this task and contains explorations into taxonomy, taphonomy, and the diversity of life during the Ediacaran Period.
Nuevos fechados absolutos para el proceso de formación de sitios Chinchorro en el Morro de Arica, costa centro-sur andina
Authors: Castelleti José , Arriaza Bernardo , Solís Corina , Rodríguez Ceja María , Silva Claudia , de Ugarte Milagros , Cisternas Katherine , Vega Katherine
Published: August 2024

Los últimos trabajos de sondeo llevados a cabo en la zona de reservas de la cultura Chinchorro en el Morro de Arica (Desierto de Atacama, costa centro-sur andina), han permitido fechar y analizar estratigráficamente los depósitos domésticos asociados espacialmente a las conocidas áreas de funebria Chinchorro de los sitios arqueológicos Morro 1, Morro 1/6, Morro 1/5 y Colón 10. El rango de fechas 14C precerámicas obtenidas en este sondeo (7090-3715 cal aP), en comparación al rango de fechas 14C de funebria (6453-3687 cal aP) registradas en estudios anteriores, permite hipotetizar para los espacios domésticos de este sector del Morro de Arica, un probable momento ocupacional previo al desarrollo de la momificación entre la población humana. El análisis crono-estratigráfico llevado a cabo sugiere un proceso de formación de sitios marcado por dos momentos de actividad fúnebre en asociación con la actividad doméstica vecina. Esta última se inicia más tempranamente, y todos los depósitos se encuentran intensamente intervenidos durante momentos alfareros, intermedio tardíos y tiempos recientes.
Demographic analysis and biotic potential of Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) on pea
Authors: Sharma Shubham , Sharma Prem Lal , Sharma Prajjval , Verma Subhash Chander , Sharma Nidhi , Sharma Priyanka
Published: August 2024

The fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) is a highly destructive polyphagous pest that primarily damages maize. Maize is considered a most versatile crop for growing intercrops due to the wide row it needs. Maize–pea intercropping is preferred by small and marginal farmers worldwide due to various advantages including higher yield and improved economic benefits. However, the success of this intercropping system may be hampered if pea could sustain the FAW population. Thus, to clarify the fitness and potential effect of S. frugiperda on pea, we analysed the survival and development of S. frugiperda fed on pea leaves in the laboratory and constructed age-stage and two-sex life tables. Results showed that FAW successfully completed its life cycle when fed on pea and produced fertile offspring. The pre-adult duration was significantly higher on pea than maize. The net reproductive rate, intrinsic and finite rate of population increase on pea (135.06 offspring per individual, 0.12 offspring per individual per day and 1.13 times per day) were all significantly different from those on maize (417.64 offspring per individual, 0.19 offspring per individual per day and 1.21 times per day). The probability of survival of S. frugiperda at each stage was lower when fed on pea leaves than that of maize-fed larvae. Due to the overlapping growth periods of the maize and pea, S. frugiperda can easily proliferate throughout the year by shifting between adjacent crops. Thus, this study revealed the adaptability of S. frugiperda for pea and provides the foundation for further assessment of FAW risk to other inter-crops.
You might want to tone down your advice: An experimental investigation of the speech act of advice in French
Authors: Corbeau Emma , Thiberge Gabriel
Published: August 2024

We present experimental results from a web-based study on the speech act of giving advice in French. 86 L1 speakers of French had to continue short and written fictitious interactions we created, in which we manipulated the adviser’s level of experience (explicitly experienced, explicitly inexperienced, or no precision) and the hierarchical relationship between adviser and advisee (top-down, bottom-up, and equals). Participants had to choose between four types of continuations, from indirect strategies to direct prototypical imperative strategies, with variations of the face-threatening value in some continuations, as per Brown and Levinson’s politeness theory. Main results from Bayesian regression analyses indicate an overall preference for indirect strategies in French, but also suggest influences from the level of experience and hierarchical relationship. These results will allow for a better understanding of advice as a speech act and contribute to a growing body of work in experimental pragmatics.
Closed-loop control of a tendon-driven active needle for tip tracking at desired bending angle for high-dose-rate prostate brachytherapy
Authors: Lafreniere Samuel , Padasdao Blayton , Konh Bardia
Published: August 2024

Prostate cancer is the second most common malignancy in American men. High-dose-rate brachytherapy is a popular treatment technique in which a large, localized radiation dose is used to kill cancer. Utilization of curvilinear catheter implantation inside the prostate gland to provide access channels to host the radiation source has shown superiority in terms of improved dosimetric constraints compared to straight needles. To this aim, we have introduced an active needle to curve inside the prostate conformal to the patient’s specific anatomical relationship for improved dose distribution to the prostate and reduced toxicity to the organs at risk. This work presents closed-loop control of our tendon-driven active needle in water medium and air using the position feedback of the tip obtained in real time from an ultrasound (US) or an electromagnetic (EM) tracking sensor, respectively. The active needle consists of a compliant flexure section to realize bending in two directions via actuation of two internal tendons. Tracking errors using US and EM trackers are estimated and compared. Results show that the bending angle of the active needle could be controlled using position feedback of the US or the EM tracking system with a bending angle error of less than 1.00 degree when delay is disregarded. It is concluded that the actuation system and controller, presented in this work, are able to realize a desired bending angle at the active needle tip with reasonable accuracy paving the path for tip tracking and manipulation control evaluations in a prostate brachytherapy.
Classic Hedonism Reconsidered
Authors: Feldblyum Vivian
Published: August 2024

Few views have seen a more precipitous fall from grace than hedonism, which once occupied a central position in the history of ethics. Recently, there have been efforts to revive interest in the view, including well-motivated pleas for contemporary ethicists to at least take the view seriously. In this article, I argue for the seriousness of hedonism on metaethical grounds. Taking J.S. Mill's argument for hedonism as a test case, I show that historically, classic hedonism was grounded metaethically via a commitment to two positions: empiricist epistemology and the view that pleasure occurs in sensation. Together, these two positions provided principled grounds for various iterations of classic hedonism. Moreover, these two positions are still serious options in both contemporary epistemology and the contemporary literature on the nature of pleasure. Insofar as a contemporary ethicist takes those two views seriously, they ought to take classic hedonism seriously as well.
GADTs are not (Even partial) functors
Authors: Cagne Pierre , Ghiorzi Enrico , Johann Patricia
Published: August 2024

Generalized Algebraic Data Types (GADTs) are a syntactic generalization of the usual algebraic data types (ADTs), such as lists, trees, etc. ADTs’ standard initial algebra semantics (IAS) in the category

$\mathit{Set}$

of sets justify critical syntactic constructs – such as recursion, pattern matching, and fold – for programming with them. In this paper, we show that semantics for GADTs that specialize to the IAS for ADTs are necessarily unsatisfactory. First, we show that the functorial nature of such semantics for GADTs in

$\mathit{Set}$

introduces ghost elements, i.e., elements not writable in syntax. Next, we show how such ghost elements break parametricity. We observe that the situation for GADTs contrasts dramatically with that for ADTs, whose IAS coincides with the parametric model constructed via their Church encodings in System F. Our analysis reveals that the fundamental obstacle to giving a functorial IAS for GADTs is the inherently partial nature of their map functions. We show that this obstacle cannot be overcome by replacing

$\mathit{Set}$

with other categories that account for this partiality.
Money growth and inflation in the Euro Area, UK, and USA: measurement issues and recent results
Authors: Ireland Peter N.
Published: August 2024

This paper identifies several ways in which “measurement matters” in detecting quantity-theoretic linkages between money growth and inflation in recent data from the Euro Area, United Kingdom, and USA. Elaborating on the “Barnett critique,” it uses Divisia aggregates in place of their simple-sum counterparts to gauge the effects that monetary expansion or contraction is having on inflationary pressures. It also uses one-sided time series filtering techniques to track, in real time, slowly shifting trends in velocity and real economic growth that would otherwise weaken the statistical money growth-inflation relationship. Finally, it documents how measures of inflation based on GDP were distorted severely, especially in the EA and UK, during the 2020 economic closures. Using measures based on consumption instead, estimates from the P-star model confirm that changes in money growth have strong predictive power for subsequent movements in inflation.