bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of Pharmacist Home Visits on Weight Control in Overweight Elderly Hypertensive African American Patients: Managing Your Blood Pressure (My Bp) Program
Authors: Poon Ivy O. , Pounds Kimberly , Morris-Moultry Aisha , Jemerson Terrica
Published: October 2021

Objective: The objective was to investigate the effect of a home-based pharmacy intervention on body mass index (BMI) in a cohort of older hypertensive overweight African American (AA) patients. 

Design: A secondary analysis of data collected in a community-based intervention study.

Setting: Community-based.

Participants: AA patients, ≥ 65 years old, residing independently, with hypertension diagnosis and BMI ≥ 25.

Interventions: During a 6month period, patients received 1) two in-home pharmacist-led consultations on weight management, 2) bi-weekly telephone counseling, and 3) health education strategies.

Main Outcome Measures: BMIs at baseline and 6 months; stages of behavioral change in diet and exercise based on the Transtheoretical Model.  

Results: At baseline and 6-month follow-up, a total of 153 participants had BMI ≥ 25 and received a completed assessment of behavioral stages. Participants’ mean age was 74.2 years. A reduction of BMI from 31.7 (obese) at baseline to 29.8 (overweight) at 6-months (p=0.0008) was observed. For every stage of improvement in diet, there was a reduction of 1.24 points in BMI (p=0.008). For every stage of progress in exercise, there was a reduction of 0.77 points in BMI (p=0.013).

Conclusion: Pharmacists-led in-home consultations coupled with telephone follow-ups and health education strategies may improve lifestyle and lower BMIs in this cohort. Further studies are needed to investigate these strategies on weight management in geriatric patients with chronic illnesses.
Case Report on Paranoid Schizophrenia with Capgras Syndrome
Authors: Kasturkar Pooja , Gawai Jaya Pranoykumar , Sebastian Tessy , Uke Trupti , Meshram Dharti , Sayyad Shabnam , Vanlalpeka Samual
Published: October 2021

Paranoid is the most common delusion in people living with schizophrenia spectrum disorders which are present in about half of all people seeking treatment for a psychotic disorder. Schizophrenia is a persistent mental illness characterized by a wide range of symptoms, including delusions, hallucinations, disorganized speech or behavior, and cognitive impairment. Capgras syndrome is a form of the delusional belief in which a person has been replaced by an imposter. It can be seen in mental disorders as well as in central nervous system diseases in the form of neurodegenerative and non- neurodegenerative diseases The Capgras Syndrome is not an unusual condition, but an infrequent one which is possibly often unnoticed. A 48- years- old woman was admitted in female psychiatric ward with known case of paranoid schizophrenia with capgras syndrome. In the present case, the treatment approach was mainly somatic therapy i.e. psychopharmacotherapy, Electro convulsive Therapy (ECT) and psychological therapy. Psychiatric nurses have to play an important role to identify the symptoms and they should think critically, take action immediately to provide care to such type of patients.
Microbiological and Physicochemical Characteristics of Abattoir Wastewaters in Bayelsa and Rivers State
Authors: Bosede Ariyo, Adenike , Omokaro Obire,
Published: October 2021

Wastewater samples from abattoirs in Bayelsa and Rivers State were evaluated for their microbiological and physicochemical properties. The microbiological parameters were analyzed using standard microbiological techniques while the Physicochemical parameters were analyzed based on the APHA standard method. The mean range of the total heterotrophic bacterial, bacterial, total coliform, total Vibrio, total hydrocarbon utilizing, total heterotrophic fungal and hydrocarbon utilizing fungal counts of the wastewater were: (1.9×107to 5.2×107, 2.1×105 to 4.0 × 105, 1.0×103 to 3.1 × 103, 1.0×105 to 2.2×105, 1.8×105 to c4.1×105 and 1.1×103 to 3.2 ×103)CFU/ml respectively. Kruskal-Wallis H test showed that there was no significant difference (P≥0.05) in the counts for the bacterial and fungal counts. Bacillus sp (17.32%), Escherichia coli (16.33%), Streptococcus sp (15.34%), Staphylococcus sp (14.35%), Pseudomonas sp (11.38%), Shigella sp (10.39%) Alcaligenes sp (9.9%), Vibrio sp (6.93%) and Salmonella sp (4.93%), were the bacteria isolated. The percentage of occurrence of hydrocarbon utilizing bacteria isolates were: Bacillus sp (34.28%), Pseudomonas sp (26.71%), Alcaligenes sp (20%). Escherichia coli (14.28%), Staphylococcus sp (5.71%). Among the fungi isolated Aspergillus niger, Fusarium sp, Geotrichum sp were found in 18.75% each while Penicillium sp recorded 23% occurrence, Aspergillus fumigatus and Candida sp were found in 6.25% occurrence each but Mucor sp exhibited 8.33% of occurrence. The percentages of occurrence of hydrocarbon utilizing fungi were Aspergillus sp (22.22%), Fusarium sp (16.66%), Penicillium sp (33.33%), Geotrichum sp (16.66%), Mucor sp (5.55%) and Candida (5.55%). The mean of physicochemical parameters was: pH: 6.7-9.1, EC: 156-4981, Turbidity: 11.1-149NTU, TSS: 62-239, TDS: 104-3320, NO3: 20.97-30.97, SO4: 14.5-54.6, PO4: 1.78-20.21, salinity: 41.25-2800, DO: 4.29-41.18, COD:3600-5476.0 and BOD-:1600.0-7761.4. The high microbial load and physicochemical parameters in these wastewaters is alarming and could pose serious human health and environmental challenges if the disposal of untreated wastewater continues unabated.
The Effects of Seizure Care Training on Anxiety and Parents Care Burden in Children with Seizure Referred to Ali Asghar Children's Hospital
Authors: Ebrahimi Hamidreza Khoshnezhad , Naderi Delaram , Jafarnejad Shabahang , Delavar Motahare Aghajani , Dezfouli Seyedeh Mahsa Mahmoudinezhad , Esmaeilian Somayeh
Published: October 2021

Seizure is one of the most common chronic neurological diseases. Occurrence of a chronic disease in family member is an important event for the whole family. Seizure is often associated with social, cognitive, emotional and physical challenges. It can have negative effects on family dynamics. Reduce the quality of life for both caregivers and the patient. Methods: First, through the necessary permits, the experimental and control groups are randomly selected. In each group, 29 people were selected. The training items included 3*30-minute sessions, performed in four consecutive weeks (one session per week). Parents were adjusted to the meeting time and the sessions were taught according to their circumstances, the researcher using face-to-face training talked to parents about childhood seizure, common signs and symptoms, diagnostic methods and treatment programs, according to the stage and condition of the child's illness. These parents were given basic training in this area. Results: Using paired t-test, we found that the level of anxiety before the intervention in the experimental and control groups was not significantly different from sig = 0.11. If we notice a significant difference in the level of anxiety after the intervention in the experimental and control groups sig = 0.000 and we find that the training has been effective. At the level of pre-intervention care burden with sig = 0.211 in the experimental and control groups, we find that there is no significant difference however after the intervention the probability value reaches 0.011 and makes a significant difference at this level and indicates that training has been effective. Conclusion: The results of the present study showed that after training caregivers 'anxiety in the intervention group has been decreased compared to the control group, information support of patients' families will help them to adopt better in encountering stressful situations. In fact, educating the patient and family will increase the level of information and will reduces the anxiety of the patient and family and reduces the problems in encounter the disease. Measures such as familiarizing caregivers to the hospital and illness information, stress management and patient care as well as follow-up care through Telephones and social networks can be effective. Patients' caregivers have an important role in supporting the patient, the need for attention and give importance to them by the health care system is important because supporting them means continuing to care for the patient.
Vigilar y corregir. Bioestado de excepción y cuerpos intersex
Authors: Winter Pereira Luísa , García-López Daniel J.
Published: October 2021

En el artículo se analiza la violencia sistémica que el sistema jurídico ejerce sobre las personas intersex, situándolas en lo que se ha planteado llamar bioestado de excepción. Este naturaliza el binarismo sexual y lo impone por medio de la suspensión de derechos. Para salir de esta situación, se propone considerar los tratamientos médicos no consentidos contra las personas intersex como análogos a los crímenes contra la humanidad y la necesidad de construir un derecho a la libre autodeterminación de los cuerpos.
Por que eu tenho que vir ao médico para ele ver minha genitália? As descobertas de um jovem potiguar
Authors: Silva Mikelly Gomes da
Published: October 2021

Este artigo trata de um estudo de caso voltado às lembranças da infância de Johny, garoto potiguar, e aos questionamentos que o levaram a descoberta da intersexualidade, ao lugar de autonomia e resistência que têm guiado suas relações. O trabalho possibilitou através de entrevistas semiestruturadas apresentar detalhes da trajetória do jovem, uma vez que ao refletir os caminhos percorridos por ele, proponho um diálogo com algumas categorias que nos oportunizam ponderar sobre a condição de segredo, medicalização, estigma, autonomia e luta por reconhecimento incorporados tanto nas produções acadêmicas quanto na produção do movimento intersexo. Questionar: “quando e por que se dizer intersexo?”, permite-nos explorar os limites discursivos que apreendem a intersexualidade na condição de um corpo não revelado.
Uma academia engajada
Authors: Vieira Amiel , Guimarães Costa Anacely , Gomes Pires Barbara , Cortez Marina
Published: October 2021

Em março de 2021, a pesquisadora mexicana e aliada do movimento intersex Eva Alcántara Zavala nos concedeu uma entrevista em que recorda sua atuação profissional em favor dos direitos de pessoas intersexo no México, avalia o contexto de saúde e cuidados para essa população no país e analisa as articulações dos ativismos locais e globais. A entrevista, transcrição, tradução e edição foram realizadas por Amiel Vieira, Anacely Costa, Barbara Pires e Marina Cortez, organizador/as do dossiê.
High-Rise Building Evacuation Simulation Based on Physical Stamina of Evacuees
Authors: Kwon Soonjo , Kim Hyuncheol , Hwang Taehwan , Lee Jaemin
Published: October 2021

Currently, high-rise buildings are being continuously constructed, and thus, it is necessary to predict evacuation safety in advance in case of emergency situations in high-rise buildings. However, current studies focus only on the movement of individuals in evacuation situations for predicting the final evacuation time. Therefore, in this study, a simulation of realistic evacuation in high-rise buildings was performed based on characteristics such as the physical stamina of evacuees. The evacuation simulation was performed on the world's tallest high-rise building, Burj Khalifa, and comparative verification was performed with and without consideration of the physical stamina of evacuees. The results of the simulation indicated that the total evacuation time significantly increases when physical stamina is considered. Hence, realistic evacuation in high-rise buildings is possible when the stamina of evacuees is considered.
Application of Deterministic Method for Landslide Susceptibility with Deep Learning
Authors: Min Dae-Hong , Yoon Hyung-Koo
Published: October 2021

A method for estimating landslide susceptibility based on the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) was developed in 2017 as a deterministic method. The objective of this study is to verify the reliability of the proposed method by applying deep learning to improve the applicability of the method. The AHP-based deterministic method comprises eight factors: fines content, soil thickness, porosity, elastic modulus, shear strength, hydraulic conductivity, saturation, and water content. After dividing the testing area into 1 m square grids, eight factors were derived through field and laboratory experiments. The factor of safety was calculated based on the Mohr-Coulomb failure theory. Finally, the input and output values of deep learning were obtained. Bayesian regularization was applied among gradient descents to improve the learning efficiency when applying machine learning. The actual and predicted factors of safety were compared, and they showed excellent reliability in both the training and test phases. This study demonstrates that the AHP-based deterministic method with deep learning is valuable for determining landslide risk areas.
Analysis of the Inflow Characteristics of Separate Sewer Systems for Rainfall Using an XP-SWMM Model and the SSOAP Toolbox
Authors: Lee Young Jun , Lee Chae Young
Published: October 2021

Even after the sewer system rehabilitation project, sewer system-related problems caused by inflow still persist. However, analysis of the characteristics of the inflow has been limited to specific rainfall events and monitoring points. This study analyzed inflow characteristics according to rainfall events using an XP-SWMM model and the Sanitary Sewer Overflow Analysis and Planning (SSOAP) Toolbox. In this study, the XP-SWMM model was built for sewers and collecting pipes in urban areas where classification projects were completed. The R, T, and K parameters were calculated using the SSOAP tool based on the sewer volume data of the study area. The calculated parameters were inputted into the XP-SWMM model and used to analyze R, T, and K of unmeasured sampling intervals. The amount of rainfall-derived inflow and infiltration (RDII) increased according to the amount of rainfall, and the correlation coefficient between the amount of rainfall and the amount of RDII was 0.9352, indicating a high correlation. The results of this study can support efficient facility planning that reflects the rainfall characteristics of specific areas, including areas where actual survey of sewage data is not possible.
Sensitivity Analysis and Coverage Review of the Parameters for Inundation Simulations of Coastal Areas Using XP-SWMM
Authors: Sun Dongkyun , Kang Taeuk , Lee Sangho
Published: October 2021

In the Republic of Korea, XP-SWMM is mainly used to analyze the causes of urban flooding, which occurs continuously, and to establish countermeasures. However, it is difficult for a model to be calibrated because most urban areas are ungauged. Therefore, many engineers use the default values provided in the user manual when using XP-SWMM. In this study, a sensitivity analysis of the four main parameters for simulating two-dimensional inundation with XP-SWMM was conducted. In addition, the proper ranges were reviewed for the parameters by comparing the archived map of the target area (Marine City in Busan) and the simulation results that were derived from parameter changes. The results of this study can be applied in the estimation of input data for various urban inundation analyses.
A Study on the Prediction of Hazardous Areas of Sulfuric Acid Leakage
Authors: Hwang Woonyong
Published: October 2021

Sulfuric acid is used for various purposes in industry, but research on sulfuric acid accidents is lacking. Thus, to prepare safety measures, it is necessary to analyze the risk distance for such accidents, particularly sulfuric acid leaks. As part of this study, 112 scenarios of varying wind speeds and leakage amounts were prepared and a risk-distance analysis was carried out at an industrial plant. The scenarios were then analyzed based on hazard concentrations. The analysis revealed that if the entire amount of sulfuric acid leaked from the industrial plant, it spread up to 9,978 m at a wind speed of 6 m/s. Residential areas were also included within the maximum diffusion distance, and it was confirmed that the leak also affected neighboring administrative districts. Therefore, it is necessary to prepare a plan to prevent and respond to sulfuric acid leakage accidents in industrial complexes.
Bacterial phospholipases C with dual activity: phosphatidylcholinesterase and sphingomyelinase
Authors: Monturiol‐Gross Laura , Villalta‐Romero Fabian , Flores‐Díaz Marietta , Alape‐Girón Alberto
Published: October 2021

Bacterial phospholipases and sphingomyelinases are lipolytic esterases that are structurally and evolutionarily heterogeneous. These enzymes play crucial roles as virulence factors in several human and animal infectious diseases. Some bacterial phospholipases C (PLCs) have both phosphatidylcholinesterase and sphingomyelinase C activities. Among them, Listeria monocytogenes PlcB, Clostridium perfringens PLC, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa PlcH are the most deeply understood. In silico predictions of substrates docking with these three bacterial enzymes provide evidence that they interact with different substrates at the same active site. This review discusses structural aspects, substrate specificity, and the mechanism of action of those bacterial enzymes on target cells and animal infection models to shed light on their roles in pathogenesis.
Kush, Kingship of
Authors: Ashby Solange
Published: October 2021

The kings of Kush ruled a polity that was a 3000‐year‐old, culturally continuous kingdom dominant in the Middle Nile Valley as Kerma, Napata, and Meroe. During the Napatan period, kings from Kush ruled Egypt as the 25th Dynasty. In the Meroitic period (300bce–300ce), many of the most powerful rulers were, in fact, sole‐ruling queens.
Meroitic Language
Authors: Rilly Claude
Published: October 2021

Meroitic was the language of the elite during the three successive kingdoms of Kush, from 2000
bce
to 450
ce
. Only in the last stage of its long history was it written with a script of its own, an alphasyllabary whose signs, numbering twenty‐three plus a word‐divider, were ultimately derived from the Egyptian scripts. This alphasyllabary used two distinct sets of signs, hieroglyphic and cursive, the former for sacred texts in the temples and chapels, the latter for all other contexts. The script was deciphered in 1911 by F. L. Griffith, but the language itself, after a century of research, is only partially understood, mainly because bilingual inscriptions are missing and, until recently, the linguistic family to which Meroitic belongs was disputed. In the second decade of the twenty‐first century, this family, a subgroup of the Nilo‐Saharan phylum called Northern East Sudanic (NES), was identified by the present author. In addition to Meroitic, it includes four small language families extending from Chad to Eritrea: Tama and Mararit in Waddai and Darfur; Nyimang and Afitti in the Nuba Mountains, in central Sudan; Nubian language group in Darfur, Kordofan, and in the Nile Valley in the north of Sudan and the southernmost part of Egypt; and, finally, the Nara dialects in western Eritrea. Around 2000 Meroitic texts of various length are known, but new inscriptions are found every year. Most of them are funerary texts, but there are also royal chronicles, pilgrims' graffiti, and many other textual categories, inscribed on stone, potsherds, wood, and papyrus.
Philae
Authors: Ashby Solange
Published: October 2021

The temple of Philae is located on an island in the Nile River at the traditional border between Egypt and Nubia, south of the First Cataract and the city of Aswan. The principal temple of the complex is dedicated to the goddess Isis; subsidiary temples are dedicated to Hathor, Imhotep, and Harendotes, as well as the local Nubian gods.
Pyramids, Nubian
Authors: Francigny Vincent
Published: October 2021

Pyramids in the Nile Valley are mostly known from the magnificent and unparalleled funerary monuments that appeared in Egypt as early as the 3rd Dynasty and the reign of king Djoser at the beginning of the third millennium
bce
. However, building a pyramid for the king and some members of the royal family, a very costly process in terms of resources and manpower, was later abandoned and replaced by rock‐cut tombs in new burial grounds, the most famous of which being the Valley of the Kings under the Theban mountain. This new tradition, already shared by wealthy families throughout the country, never completely eradicated the use of the pyramid as a funerary marker for the grave, as shown for example with high‐ranked official tombs built in Deir el‐Medina during the New Kingdom. Introduced into the newly conquered Nubian territory by Egyptian administrators, the pyramid was adopted by local rulers once the country became independent in the early first millennium
bce
, spreading the tradition farther south where it flourished until the mid‐fourth century
ce
in the kingdoms of Napata and then Meroe.
Water Sources, Northeast Africa
Authors: Haug Brendan
Published: October 2021

This entry discusses various naturally occurring water resources in northeastern Africa: the Nile, the oases of Egypt's Western Desert, surface and subsurface water in Egypt's Eastern Desert, and irregular rainwater capture in Libya.
Cāḷukyas of Bādāmi
Authors: Pariti Aruna
Published: October 2021

The Cāḷukyas of Bādāmi, one of the most influential dynasties in early medieval India, ruled the Deccan region from 540 to 757
ce
. During their long history they brought the entire Deccan region under their control, engaged in continuous warfare with the Pallava kingdom to the south, and contracted marriage alliances with powerful local chiefs throughout the region. New branches of the family appeared in the eastern Deccan and Gujarat that rose to prominence as separate Cāḷukya lineages in later times after the decline of the line at Bādāmi. The Cāḷukyas expanded agriculture through land grants, patronized different religious faiths and constructed temples in a new style of architecture which came to be called the Vesara style.
Brahmadeya/Agrahāra
Authors: Francis Emmanuel
Published: October 2021

A
brahmadeya
or an
agrahāra
is a gift, usually consisting of land, to one or several Brahmins, that was ubiquitous in premodern India. Its aim was to sustain communities of Brahmin householders that were liturgical and scriptural specialists. As a religious gift, it yielded merit to the donor, but also served other economic and political purposes.
Mahendravarman
Authors: Francis Emmanuel
Published: October 2021

Mahendravarman was a king of the Pallava Dynasty of South India. He reigned ca. 580–630, and was responsible for the earliest rock‐cut cave temples of present‐day Tamil Nadu, in which Sanskrit dedicatory verse‐inscriptions are found. He is also known as the author of a farce in Sanskrit.
Bactrian and Indo‐Greeks
Authors: Ghosh Suchandra
Published: October 2021

The reconstruction of the history of the Bactrian Greeks and Indo‐Greeks depends mainly on numismatic evidence. Some rulers are, however, also known from textual evidence. The coins were dynastic issues and acted as markers of the sovereign authority of the ruler. Their territory extended from the regions to the north of the Hindu Kush to the five Punjab rivers. Diodotus I founded the Greco‐Bactrian kingdom with Bactria and Sogdia. The accepted classification for the Bactrian Greek rulers are Diodotus I and II, Euthydemus I, Demetrius I, Euthydemus II, Agathocles, Pantaleon, Antimachus I, Demetrius II, and Eucratides I. For the Greeks in India, the numismatic sequence is Demetrius I, Agathocles, Pantaleon, Apollodotus I, Antimachus I, Antimachus II, and Menander I. There were also other rulers who ruled briefly in the different pockets south of Hindu Kush, probably from around 250
bce
to around 10
ce
. The powerful Bactrian Greek rulers were Euthydemus I, Demetrius I, and Eucratides I. With Eucratides I (ca. 171–145
bce
), we enter into another phase of Bactrian and Indo‐Greek political history. The most important of the Indo‐Greek kings was Menander I Soter. When the Greek rulers extended their authority south of the Hindu Kush, gradually the idea of one single kingdom was lost and there were multiple power bases. Their last stronghold was in eastern Punjab, and they left behind a cultural legacy in art and writing.
Apracas
Authors: Skinner Michael C.
Published: October 2021

The Apracas were a dynasty that ruled Bajaur and areas of Gandhara in the first centuryce. These rulers were one of the many localized polities that emerged in this region prior to the rise of the Kushana Empire in the second half of the first centuryce. The seventeen inscriptions and coinage associated with the Apracas show these rulers patronized Buddhism within the areas of their rule.
Cowries
Authors: Christie Annalisa
Published: October 2021

This entry details what cowries are, which species are commonly found on sites in Africa, and why they are an important class of material culture that should be recovered and recorded.
Climate Change, Lacustrine Zone
Authors: Wright David K.
Published: October 2021

Due to its position in the trough of the East African Rift Valley, the Great Lakes region has experienced significant effects from changes to earth's climate during the Holocene. Annually migrating atmospheric pressure systems bring oceanic moisture inland, causing precipitation mainly in the highlands that charges groundwater systems in the lowlands. Although the Holocene has been a relatively stable climatic epoch for most of the planet, the lacustrine region of eastern Africa has experienced significant hydrologic variability. The African Humid Period brought significantly higher rainfall to the northern two‐thirds of the continent, including most of the lacustrine zone, but had a minimal impact on lake levels in the southern aspect of the region. Lake records show that after 2000
bce
the northern region experienced lower average precipitation while lake levels rose on balance across the southern region. However, high‐resolution records consistently demonstrate that there is significant variability in the tempo and spatial application of precipitation and vegetation in East African lakes. Additionally, since the advent of the Common Era, there are increasingly obvious impacts of human landscape disturbance on the region's ecology, affecting lake levels and biodiversity.
East African Coast
Authors: Pawlowicz Matthew C.
Published: October 2021

The East African coast along the Indian Ocean was home to one of the best‐known civilizations of the African past. Indeed, it is often referred to as the Swahili Coast, referencing the cosmopolitan culture shared between the city‐states that thrived there in the early second millenniumce. Those communities were enriched through Indian Ocean trade, which brought cultural influences, most notably Islam, as well as wealth. Archaeological and historical evidence has described the characteristics of this culture, and identified its roots in the African communities of the coast and coastal hinterland from the first millennium.
Megaliths
Authors: Delvoye Adrien
Published: October 2021

Often associated with the monumental structures of the European Neolithic, megalithic structures are in fact found on almost all the continents of the globe. Far from being an exception, Africa is home to a vast diversity of monuments built with these blocks of up to several tonnes in weight. They can be both included within structures or erected around them, in the form of standing stones. In Africa, megalithic structures have been documented since the sixth millennium
bce
roughly until the contemporary period. They are recorded from North Africa to Madagascar, and from the Atlantic shores of West Africa to the Sahara and the Horn of Africa. Therefore, they correspond to very diverse cultural contexts and a wide range of uses. In addition to the funerary function often observed, megalithic monuments may also have a commemorative role or stand as territorial markers. African megaliths can be apprehended through different sources, whether they refer to past or present societies. In fact, unlike other regions of the world, modern and contemporary megalithic traditions are attested in Africa. Archaeology thus finds a possibility to broaden its perspectives by initiating a dialogue with ethnographic data.
Upemba Depression
Authors: Nikis Nicolas
Published: October 2021

The Upemba Depression (southeast DRC) is unique in providing a deep historical background to the sociopolitical history of Central Africa. The excavation of around three hundred graves, one of the largest groups in sub‐Saharan Africa, allowed archaeologists to build a chrono‐cultural sequence running from the sixth century
ce
to the nineteenth century. During the Kamilambian (ca. sixth–eighth century
ce
), a few scattered ironworking communities were settled in the Upemba Depression. At the end of the first millennium
ce
, the number of sites increased and two independent – though related – cultures, the Kisalian and the Katotian, flourished. The development of a hierarchical organization of society is displayed by elite burials containing a large amount of goods and status symbols. Fish was one of the main resources of the Upemba Depression and, along with other items, was traded in regional networks for luxury goods such as copper or Indian Ocean shells. Around the fourteenth century, the Kisalian culture was replaced by the Kabambian. Social inequalities became sharper and exchange networks were extended. Material culture suggests that the Upemba Depression was progressively integrated in the Luba kingdom during this period until its full integration in the nineteenth century. Despite major changes throughout the sequence, material culture suggests a cultural continuity between the different archaeological cultures of the Upemba Depression and that political tradition and some prominent symbols of authority of the major Central African polities in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries arose during the first millennium
ce
.
Lü Buwei
Authors: Leung Vincent S.
Published: October 2021

Lü Buwei was one of the most important politicians of the Qin kingdom in the decades before its successful conquest and integration of the entire realm of ancient China in the year 221
bce
. Rare among politicians of the time, he was not a member of the nobility but only a wealthy merchant. Using his great fortune, he managed to insert himself into the political world of the Qin and eventually reached the apex of his career as the state chancellor under King Zheng, the future First Emperor of the Qin Empire. He orchestrated military campaigns against rival states that greatly expanded the territory of the Qin. He also commissioned the compilation of
The Annals of Lü Buwei
(
Lüshi chunqiu
), a monumental compendium of philosophical writings of the third century
bce
. He eventually fell out of favor with King Zheng and committed suicide in 235
bce
.
Qin Dynasty
Authors: Lander Brian
Published: October 2021

In 221
bce
the Qin state completed its conquest of its rivals and announced a series of reforms that are generally accepted as the foundation of the Chinese imperial system. It was the first north Chinese power to control much of the Yangzi Valley, and its armies conquered areas as far flung as Guangzhou and northern Korea. The Qin dynasty was overthrown by large‐scale uprisings but its administrative system was rebuilt by the Han dynasty, which established it as the standard model of political organization in China.
Artisan, China
Authors: Gesterkamp Lennert
Published: October 2021

An artisan in China was a craftsman or craftswoman skillful in decorating objects. Because Chinese artisan production was labor intensive, modular techniques and division of labor were devised at an early stage. An official bureaucracy was needed to calculate, supervise, and control the artisan workforce and materials. Artisans could receive a two‐year training to become a state artisan in a government workshop. Artisans were both men and women and in some crafts women outnumbered men. Although not officially allowed, many female artisans worked as conscripts in state projects. The social status of artisans was low and followed the traditional division of the four classes of people: scholar, farmer, artisan, merchant. The artisan class was regulated by legal statutes, which detailed the conscript service, taxes, mutual responsibilities, and fines. TheZhuangziis the only early philosophical work in which artisans are revered and, because of their skills, portrayed as having achieved a deep insight into nature. Painters were the only type of artisans who achieved a high status in Chinese society and whose biographies were recorded in treatises on painting. The artisan‐painter and the scholar‐official painter had different social backgrounds, causing a divide in later times.
Host‐Dopant Interaction between Organic Thermally Activated Delayed Fluorescence Emitter and Host Material: Insight into the Excited State
Authors: Li Nengquan , Ni Fan , Lv Xialei , Huang Zhongyan , Cao Xiaosong , Yang Chuluo
Published: October 2021

Organic light‐emitting diodes (OLEDs) represent one of the most promising technologies for future displays and lighting sources, which have received extensive research attention. Purely organic thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) emitters offer obvious advantages, including high efficiencies and low costs, and they are typically doped in host materials to achieve optimal device efficiencies. TADF emitters typically feature intramolecular charge transfer characteristics, and their excited states properties are sensitive to local environment, giving the implication that host materials can finely tune their emission properties. In recent years, the development of TADF emitters has been vigorous with abundant and fast‐growing reports on new design concepts and molecular structures. Comparatively, research on the host materials for TADF OLEDs has lagged, and reports on host materials, especially those providing insights into host‐dopant interactions are limited. This subject is at the interface of synthetic chemistry, physical chemistry, solid‐state physics, and computational modeling, etc. In this review article, current basic understanding of TADF and the reports on the impact of host materials on the photophysical properties/device performance of TADF emitters are reviewed to provide insights into the host‐dopant interactions, aiming to draw the attention of the research community from optoelectronics toward developing highly efficient TADF OLEDs.
Electric Load Forecasting based on Wavelet Transform and Random Forest
Authors: Peng Li‐Ling , Fan Guo‐Feng , Yu Meng , Chang Yu‐Chen , Hong Wei‐Chiang
Published: October 2021

Aiming at the problem of strong randomness and low forecasting accuracy in short‐term electric load, a method based on wavelet transform (WT) and random forest (RF) are proposed. In the proposed method, the noise is removed by WT, and the original data are decomposed into several groups with low or high frequencies, and then the decomposed column variables are used as characteristic variables to forecast by RF. It has three advantages: 1) due to the instability of electric load data, the decomposition and denoising of WT can be used to characterize the nonstationary signal characteristics; 2) WT has more advantages in time domain analysis because of its correlation to signal removal and the tendency of noise whitening after transformation; and 3) based on WT, RF still maintains forecasting accuracy even after the features of the analyzed data are lost. Electric load data from Australian‐Energy‐Market‐Operator are taken as an example for a case analysis. By comparing with other existed methods, the results have showed that the proposed model can reduce the influence of random noise during forecasting processes and improve the associated accuracy and reliability.
In‐kind credit provision through contract farming and formal credit markets
Authors: Ruml Anette , Parlasca Martin C.
Published: October 2021

Access to credit is a key prerequisite for the development of smallholder agriculture. However, rural credit markets are typically characterized by market failures and smallholder credit access is limited. Resource‐providing contracts are an institutional tool to overcome credit market failures through the provision of production inputs in the form of in‐kind credit. Previous research has shown that interlinkage of contract and credit helps farmers overcome financial constraints, foster production investments, and hence increase productivities and income. However, if and how such contract schemes affect farmers' overall demand for and access to formal credit from other sources is not yet well understood. In this article, we therefore investigate the associations of the provision of in‐kind credit and farming households' formal credit demand and ability to receive formal credit. We use data of 463 oil palm producers in Ghana and show that participation in contract farming is associated with an increase in credit demand. Concerning credit approval, we find that the outstanding debt of the in‐kind credit scheme is associated with a substantially lower likelihood of credit acceptance. However, the results also suggest that farmers can fully compensate this negative effect by informing the bank about the contract, and thus the source of the debt. This indicates that debt acquired from resource‐providing contract schemes does not necessarily pose an additional credit constraint to farmers. [EconLit Citation G21, G23, O16, O17].
New Scoring System for Prediction of Surgical Difficulty During Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy After Percutaneous Transhepatic Gallbladder Drainage
Authors: Matsumoto Michinori , Abe Kyohei , Futagawa Yasuro , Furukawa Kenei , Haruki Koichiro , Onda Shinji , Kurogochi Takanori , Takeuchi Nana , Okamoto Tomoyoshi , Ikegami Toru
Published: October 2021

Background

The surgical difficulty of laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) after percutaneous transhepatic gallbladder drainage (PTGBD) remains unknown. This study aimed to establish a scoring system (SS) to predict the necessity of a bailout procedure during LC after PTGBD and to evaluate the relationship between SS and perioperative complications.

Methods

We retrospectively studied 70 patients who underwent LC after PTGBD. Preoperative factors potentially predictive of the need for the bailout procedure were analyzed. The SS included significantly predictive factors, with their cutoff values determined by receiver operating characteristic curves. Patients were assigned a score of 1 when exhibiting only one of these abnormalities. We compared the perioperative factors between three groups with scores of 0, 1, or 2. The SS was applied to another series of 65 patients for validation. We compared the score‐2 patient perioperative factors between LC with the bailout procedure and open cholecystectomy from the beginning (OC).

Results

Independent predictors were time until PTGBD after symptom onset and the maximal wall gallbladder thickness (cutoff values: 3 days and 10 mm, respectively). The high‐score group was significantly associated with bile duct injury (BDI). The sensitivity and specificity of our SS were 75.0% and 98.1% in validation, respectively. The score‐2 OC and laparoscopic subtotal cholecystectomy (LSC) groups had no BDI.

Conclusions

The SS using time until PTGBD after symptom onset and gallbladder wall thickness for predicting the need for the bailout procedure correctly predicted the need. The scores might be associated with the risk of BDI, and LSC or OC might be a better choice for score‐2 patients.
Decoherence of Dirac‐Quantumness for Open Particles in a Dilatonic Black Hole
Authors: Yao Cheng‐Jun , Yan Kai , Wu Quan‐Ying , Wu Yin‐Zhong , Hao Xiang
Published: October 2021

The quantumness of Dirac particles for quantized fields in a dilatonic black hole is estimated by means of quantum channel. A general Bloch vector representation of quantum channel in black hole spacetimes beyond single mode approximation is developed. The nonclassicality of Dirac particles can be measured by the minimization of quantum coherence over all orthonormal basis sets. The quantumness of the channel decreases as the dilaton field increases. The interplay between the external reservoir noise and dilaton black hole on the dynamical behavior of quantum coherence and steerability is investigated in the Pauli basis. The external environment is modeled by a random telegraph noise channel. The monotonous decay of quantum nonlocality occurs in the weak coupling case. The degradation and revival of quantum nonlocality are observed in the strong coupling condition. It is found that quantum fluctuation effects of the external reservoir can protect quantum coherence and steerability from the information loss of the black hole.
The impact of young radio jets traced by cold molecular gas
Authors: Morganti Raffaella , Oosterloo Tom , Murthy Suma , Tadhunter Clive
Published: October 2021

Ranging from a few pc to hundreds of kpc in size, radio jets have, during their evolution, an impact on their gaseous environment on a large range of scales. While their effect on larger scales is well established, it is now becoming clear that they can also strongly affect the interstellar medium (ISM) inside the host galaxy. Particularly important is the initial phase ( years) of the evolution of the radio jet, when they expand into the inner few kpc of the host galaxy. Here we report on results obtained for a representative group of young radio galaxies using the cold molecular gas as a tracer of jet‐ISM interactions. The sensitivity and high spatial resolution of ALMA and NOEMA are ideal to study the details of this process. In many objects, we find massive molecular outflows driven by the plasma jet, even in low‐power radio sources. However, the observed outflows are limited to the circumnuclear regions and only a small fraction of the ISM is leaving the galaxy. Beyond this region, the impact of the jet seems to change. Fast outflows are replaced by a milder expansion driven by the expanding cocoon created by the jet‐ISM interaction, resulting in dispersing and heating the ISM. These findings are in line with predictions from simulations of jets interacting with a clumpy medium and suggest a more complex view of the impact of AGN than presently implemented in cosmological simulations.
Digestion‐Promoting Effects and Mechanisms of Dashanzha Pill Based on Raw and Charred Crataegi Fructus
Authors: Liu Cui , He Qian , Zeng Linlin , Shen Ling , Luo Qiaomei , Zhang Wentao , Zhou Xia , Wan Jun
Published: October 2021

Emerging evidence suggests that a high‐fat diet (HFD) can influence endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and gut microbiota. Crataegi Fructus is a traditional Chinese herb widely used in formulas for dyspepsia, with Dashanzha Pill composed of raw Crataegi Fructus (DR) being a representative drug. Processing products of Crataegi Fructus, however, have a stronger pro‐digestive effect, and we hypothesized that Dashanzha Pill composed of charred Crataegi Fructus (DC) is more effective. We found that the contents of glucose 1‐phosphate and luteolin in DR and DC were substantially different via ultra‐high performance liquid chromatography‐hybrid quadrupole‐Orbitrap high‐resolution mass spectrometry. DC outperformed DR in improving histopathological changes, increasing gastrin and motilin, and decreasing vasoactive intestinal peptides in rats with HFD induced dyspepsia. Fecal microbiota analysis revealed that DC could restore the disturbed intestinal microbiota composition, including that of Bacteroides, Akkermansia, and Intestinimonas to normal levels. Furthermore, DC significantly reduced the mRNA and protein levels of glucose‐regulated protein 78, protein kinase R‐like ER kinase, and eukaryotic initiation factor 2α. Taken together, DC outperformed DR in relieving dyspepsia by regulating gut microbiota and alleviating ER stress.
Iron sulfate and phosphite products fail to suppress snow mold on amenity turfgrass in Wisconsin
Authors: Koch Paul L. , Hockemeyer Kurt
Published: October 2021

Snow molds are an important group of diseases of amenity turfgrass in temperate climates. Acceptable control is typically achieved through one or two fungicide applications prior to snow cover, though there is increasing interest in exploring alternative control products such as iron sulfate and/or potassium phosphite. Previous research has demonstrated that poor snow mold control is achieved when these alternative products are applied once prior to snow cover, so the objective of this study was to assess their efficacy when applied repeatedly throughout the fall. Iron sulfate heptahydrate, potassium phosphite, and the fungicide propiconazole were applied six times, every 2 weeks, throughout the fall of 2019 at three locations in Wisconsin that typically produce high, medium, and low snow mold pressure. No reduction in disease relative to the nontreated control was observed at any location in response to the iron sulfate and potassium phosphite treatments. Propiconazole did provide effective snow mold control at the low and moderate pressure locations but not at the high pressure location. Both iron sulfate and potassium phosphite have shown efficacy against select turfgrass diseases, but do not appear to provide control of snow mold in areas where snow cover persists during winter.
Strong, Self‐Healing Gelatin Hydrogels Cross‐Linked by Double Dynamic Covalent Chemistry
Authors: Zhang Ye , Wang Qimeng , Wang Ziyan , Zhang Difei , Gu Jieyu , Ye Kewei , Su Dandan , Zhang Yan , Chen Jinghua , Barboiu Mihail
Published: October 2021

Hydrogels constructed from natural sources have received increased attention recently, including applications in biomedical fields. They are protein or polysaccharide cross‐linked scaffolds that display water retention and are able to recognize host cargos. Their excellent biocompatibility does not always combine with high mechanical strength (up to 136 kPa) and thermostability, making them less useful in biomedical applications. This paper reports biocompatible gelatin hydrogels, double cross‐linked via imine and Diels‐Alder (DA) dynamic covalent frameworks. They showed integrated advantages of adjustable and durable mechanical strength, good thermal stability, biocompatibility for promoting cell growth and reasonable degradable rate. These hydrogels possess remarkable self‐healing property, acid/alkali resistance at 65 °C and good integrity in organic solvents at 130 °C, holding great potential for biomedical applications in the areas such as cartilage regeneration, articular reconstruction or soft robotics.