Scientific Literature Research Articles

The evolutionary characteristics and driving factors of Chinese coastal defense settlements—a case study of Dacheng Suo Citadel

ABSTRACT Wei-suo citadels originated during the Ming Dynasty (1368 – 1644 AD) played a pivotal role in China’s marine military defense system, forming a distinctive component of global maritime military facilities. During the decline of the Ming Dynasty, many Wei-suo citadels transitioned from military fortifications to residential settlements. Today, they represent unique examples of ancient military urban planning and residential environment construction. The Dacheng Suo Citadel has a substantial scale and remarkable authenticity and integrity in terms of preservation. Focusing on it, this study employs systematic diachronic analysis through literature research of local gazetteers and ancient maps, field surveys, and interviews with inhabitants. The development trajectory of Dacheng Suo Citadel encompasses periods of growth, decline, and regeneration. As it transitioned from a military fortress to a settlement, its spatial form exhibited characteristics of central diversification., functional complexity, texture intensification, and boundary blurring. This research offers a scientifically grounded understanding of maritime defense settlements throughout the lifespan of Dacheng Suo Citadel. It provides reliable references for the conservation, tourism development, and daily management of these heritages by uncovering the historical evolution trajectory of its settlement spatial form, identifying complex driving forces, and revealing local historical memory and cultural characteristics.

Human Exposure to Asbestos in Central Asian Countries and Health Effects: A Narrative Review.

The discovery of the detrimental effects of asbestos on human health came long after its widespread use, with the first scientific evidence of asbestos-related diseases emerging in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Despite efforts to ban its use, asbestos continues to be mined and used in Central Asia (as well as in Russia, China, and other countries). To gain a deeper understanding of the situation in Central Asia, we have conducted a systematic review of scientific literature on the use of asbestos, exposure assessment, and health consequences of asbestos exposure in this geographic area. This review encompasses studies about exposure assessments, epidemiological data, and biochemical or clinical surveys conducted in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Kyrgyzstan. A total of 18 articles met the inclusion criteria, and their content is summarised in this review, which represents the first attempt to systematically examine research on asbestos and its impact on the health of workers and the general population in Central Asia countries, including literature published in Russian and English. The findings here highlighted the substantial limitations of the currently available knowledge about the impact of asbestos on health in this geographical area.

A systematic review of figurational sociology within physical education research

ABSTRACT In this systematic review our purpose was to explore how Norbert Elias’s figurational sociology, amounting to 18 volumes of his collective works, has advanced understanding of PE, in both theory and practice. We had two objectives. First, to identify where in the existing research literature figurational sociology has been applied to make sense of PE. Second, to outline how others may apply figurational sociology in their PE research in ways more consistent with Elias’s approach: in more rigorous, less ‘fantastical’ ways, that do his theories greater justice. We used six electronic databases and a manual Google Scholar follow-up. Initially 388 articles were identified, and then reduced to 55 for full text screening. From those, 12 were excluded for failing to meet our inclusion criteria, resulting in a final 43 articles. In analysing these papers, we grouped them into ‘low’ (12 articles), ‘medium’ (17) and ‘high’ (14) categories, according to the depth with which authors drew upon figurational sociology. We found wide usage of how Elias’s approach, ranging from superficial application and understanding by authors, where studies could have been completed more or less without its use, to where it was employed with the depth Elias would have intended. We conclude by suggesting figurational sociology has much to offer in helping us understand social issues in PE, noting its use is sporadic across the global PE academic community, either because scholars are unaware of its illuminating potential, or because they have adopted alternative sociological approaches. Rather than advocate an ‘either-or’ approach for understanding of PE, we refer to Elias’s call for a ‘central theory,’ where sociologists should collectively seek to realise some of the synthetic ambitions of classical sociology.

Hands-on training about data clustering with orange data mining toolbox.

Data clustering is a core data science approach widely used and referenced in the scientific literature. Its algorithms are often intuitive and can lead to exciting, insightful results that are easy to interpret. For these reasons, data clustering techniques could be the first method encountered in data science training. This paper proposes a hands-on approach to data clustering training suitable for introductory courses. The education approach features problem-based training that starts with the data and gradually introduces various data processing and analysis methods, illustrating them through visual representations of data and models. The proposed training is suitable for a general audience, does not require a background in statistics, mathematics, or computer science, and aims to engage the audience through practical examples, an exploratory approach to data analysis with visual analysis, experimentation, and a gentle learning curve. The manuscript details the pedagogical units of the training, motivates them through the sequence of methods introduced, and proposes data sets and data analysis workflows to be explored in the class.

Use of Whooley Questions and GAD-2 Tools in Screening for Perinatal Mental Health: Current Expert Considerations

Background/Objectives: Mental health screening of perinatal women is recommended as an essential element of routine maternity health care. Knowledge of screening conditions in healthcare settings as indicated by NICE is limited. This scoping review examines current expert considerations in the scientific literature on the use of Whooley questions and GAD-2 tools in screening for women’s perinatal mental health. Methods: The search included literature in English published prior to April 2023. Searches in PsycINFO, PubMed, Scopus, Scilit, and Google Scholar used the terms “Whooley questions” and “GAD-2”. Results: A total of 9 articles on studies using both of these tools were included. During pregnancy, rapid screening instruments permit the identification of women at increased risk for postpartum depression. They also detect continuity between depressive or anxious symptoms during pregnancy and depressive symptoms after delivery. Effectiveness compares favorably to that of some lengthier screening instruments. Rapid self-report tools appear to be most suitable for initial screening. They are indicative only of perinatal mental health and have no diagnostic value. In the individual studies considered in this review, the reliability and sensitivity of the Whooley questions and GAD-2 are unclear. Because of their self-reporting nature, outcomes may be subject to recall bias. Conclusions: Future evaluation of the instruments’ performance over the perinatal period is needed.

Falkner hybrid block methods for second-order IVPs: A novel approach to enhancing accuracy and stability properties

Second-order initial value problems (IVPs) in ordinary differential equations (ODEs) are ubiquitous in various fields, including physics, engineering, and economics. However, their numerical integration poses significant challenges, particularly when dealing with oscillatory or stiff problems. This article introduces a novel Falkner hybrid block method for the numerical integration of second-order IVPs in ODEs. The newly developed method is of order six with a large interval of absolute stability and is implemented using a fixed step size technique. The numerical experiments show the accuracy of our methods when compared with Falkner linear multistep methods, block methods, and other hybrid codes proposed in the scientific literature. This innovative approach demonstrates improved accuracy and stability in solving second-order IVPs, making it a valuable tool for researchers and practitioners.

Environmental Implication of Herbicide Use

One of the guiding principles of the sustainable use of herbicides is their targeted action exclusively against weeds, consisting of blocking photosynthesis and synthesis of amino acids and growth regulators. Herbicides are major elements of plant production, indispensable to the functioning of modern agriculture. Nevertheless, their influence on all elements of the natural environment needs to be continuously controlled. This review article summarizes research addressing the effects of herbicides on the natural environment and the changes they trigger therein. Herbicides, applied to protect crops against weed infestation, are usually mixtures of various active substances; hence, it is generally difficult to analyze their impact on the environment and organisms. Nonetheless, an attempt was made in this review to discuss the effects of selected herbicides on individual elements of the natural environment (water, soil, and air) and organisms (humans, animals, plants, and microorganisms). In addition, the article presents examples of the biodegradation of selected herbicides and mechanisms of their degradation by bacteria and fungi. Based on this information, it can be concluded that the uncontrolled use of herbicides has led to adverse effects on non-target organisms, as documented in the scientific literature. However, further research on the environmental effects of these chemicals is needed address the missing knowledge on this subject.

Ледово-снежный туризм: понятие, факторы развития и практические примеры

This article substantiates the emergence of the term “ice and snow tourism” in both scientific and practical discourse, reflecting the process of expanding recreational activities during the winter season and the emergence of new types of tourist attractions and services based on the use of the natural resources of snow and ice. The key factors influencing the development of ice and snow tourism are examined, and various subtypes are delineated, encompassing a range of recreational activities associated with snow and ice. Moreover, the article presents the experiences of China, Mongolia, and Canada in developing winter tourism geared towards ice and snow activities. Based on the results of content analysis, significant Russian regions that play a vital role in the progression of winter tourism focused on ice and snow events are identified. Additionally, the main directions for the development of this form of tourism are outlined. The study relies on scientific publications, strategic and programmatic documents, specialized websites, blogs, social media platforms, as well as artificial intelligence-based chatbots such as Perplexity AI.

Scientific, bibliometric and biographical analysis of 71 Jewish and dissident pharmacologists persecuted in Germany between 1933 and 1945.

Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's Archives of Pharmacology, founded in 1873, is the oldest pharmacological journal. This study sheds light on the influence of persecution and expulsion of Jewish and dissident German pharmacologists during the Nazi era (1933-1945) on their scientific work and publication behaviour. The analysis is based on the German-language book 'Verfolgte deutschsprachige Pharmakologen (persecuted German-speaking pharmacologists) 1933-1945' by Trendelenburg and Löffelholz (2008), which contains short biographies of 71 persecuted pharmacologists. We analysed their publication activity from 1900 to 1980, the topics of the publications and the emigration data. Most persecuted pharmacologists emigrated, with two peaks of emigration around 1933 and 1938. Most pharmacologists emigrated to the USA, followed by Great Britain. Five of the scientists who emigrated to Great Britain were elected to the British Pharmacological Society's Pharmacology Hall of Fame, and one of them was a Nobel Laureate. Very few of the emigrated pharmacologists returned to Germany. After the Nazis came to power in 1933, the share of papers by persecuted pharmacologists in Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's Archives of Pharmacology dropped sharply. At around 1936, several of the persecuted pharmacologists began to publish increasingly in the American competitor journal, the Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics. The persecuted pharmacologists who emigrated to Great Britain had a major influence on the British Journal of Pharmacology, founded in 1946, as initially, they accounted for a high proportion of publications. We further analysed the papers published in Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's Archives of Pharmacology by persecuted pharmacologists between 1933 and 1945. About half of these papers were submitted from abroad, indicating that despite the persecution and repression, papers from persecuted pharmacologists previously working at German institutes were still published during this period. Most of the papers by persecuted pharmacologists published from German institutes during this period were published under regime-critical or politically persecuted institute directors. Persecuted pharmacologists covered a huge spectrum of scientific topics, highlighting their immense scientific impact. After World War II, Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's Archives of Pharmacology lost much of its previous thematic diversity for decades. Overall, our analyses highlight the enormous loss to German pharmacology due to the persecution, exclusion and expulsion of 'non-Aryan' pharmacologists. Conversely, pharmacology of the USA and Great Britain benefited greatly from the emigration of distinguished scientists from Germany.

Shame – Rupture – Becoming: Resisting complicity in oppression in occupational science

ABSTRACT Shame, a deeply unsettling affect, influences many aspects of daily life and occupations. In this paper, we propose that shame can drive socially transformative scholarship in occupational science. We use Deleuze and Guattari’s concepts of ‘minor’ and ‘major’ to explain how shame appears in power relations. Minor shame is experienced by marginalized groups (disabled, Indigenous, psychiatrized, queer, racialized, etc.), who often lack status or recognition. Major shame occurs when individuals recognize their complicity in oppression, seeing themselves as similar to those who dominate and harm others. This realization can cause a rupture, either leading to social inertia, silence, and isolation, or provoking a ‘becoming’—a process of connecting with others and fostering a desire for social change. An occupational perspective shows how human-caused atrocities must be collectively resisted through embodied experiences. Mobilizing affects like major shame can support the development of equity and justice work in occupational science. As a field rooted in settler colonialism, occupational science has a responsibility to address its complicity in these matters.

The World Intellectual Property Organization Treaty on genetic resources and traditional knowledge: Implications for plant science

Societal Impact StatementThe recently adopted World Intellectual Property Organization Treaty on Intellectual Property, Genetic Resources and Associated Traditional Knowledge (“WIPO Treaty”) is the latest in a series of international legal frameworks designed to strike an appropriate balance between access to genetic and knowledge resources, and their utilization. This opinion piece argues that although the WIPO Treaty is an important milestone in international lawmaking related to the protection of Indigenous peoples' knowledge and resources, it is unlikely to significantly alter extant scientific practices. Therefore, more work will still need to be done to ensure equity in the development of plant‐based innovations.SummaryConcerns about the sourcing of materials and information used in plant breeding and related scientific fields have been widespread for decades. Generally, these preoccupations are rooted in historical and ongoing inequalities, particularly the fact that the benefits resulting from scientific and commercial exploitation of genetic resources and associated traditional knowledge are rarely shared with the people and communities from which they originate. Since the early 1990s, multiple international treaties and national laws have been designed to address concerns over the misappropriation of genetic resources and traditional knowledge, creating a complex web of legal obligations that scientists and research administrators need to navigate. Most recently, in May 2024 the members of the World Intellectual Property Organization adopted a Treaty on Intellectual Property, Genetic Resources and Associated Traditional Knowledge (“WIPO Treaty”, 2024). This opinion piece focuses on the new WIPO Treaty and examines its likely impact on plant breeding and other scientific fields that rely on plant genetic resources. Ultimately, the article argues that the WIPO Treaty is unlikely to add significant impediments to the work of scientists beyond the requirements already imposed under the Convention on Biological Diversity (“CBD”) and its Nagoya Protocol. However, the WIPO Treaty likely will result in the introduction of new administrative requirements for patent filing in many jurisdictions, which may create additional burdens for research administrators, such as personnel in university technology transfer offices.

Predictors for recurrence of chronic osteomyelitis following long bones cavity defect replacement with synthetic materials

Background. Recent scientific literature only has a few studies highlighting the factors affecting the development of recurrent infection after surgical treatment of chronic osteomyelitis. Aim of the study: to determine significant risk factors of infection recurrence during one- and two-stage treatment of a cavity defect with synthetic materials in patients with chronic osteomyelitis and to create an assessment scale for prediction of the treatment outcome based on this data. Material and Methods. The retrospective study comprised 131 patients with chronic osteomyelitis of the long bones. The patients were divided into two groups based on the treatment outcome: group 1 (n=90) - successful elimination of infection; group 2 (n=41) - recurrent osteomyelitis after one-stage or during two-stage treatment. Differences between the groups were assessed to identify factors that affect the risk of recurrence. Multivariate analysis was performed using the classification tree method ​​to develop a scale for the comprehensive risk assessment of osteomyelitis recurrence (CRAOR). Results. The following factors affecting the treatment outcome were assessed: location (r=0.205, p=0.019); duration of osteomyelitis (r=0.23, p=0.007); history of debridement operations (r=0.264, p=0.002); bone defect volume (r=0.175, p=0.045); physiological class according to Cierny-Mader (r=0.188, p=0.004); anatomical type of osteomyelitis according to Cierny-Mader (r=0.15, p=0.086); nature of the pathogen (r=0.123, p=0.162). The degree of the osteomyelitis recurrence risk, threshold values ​​for quantitative factors and the total score the scale were established. In patients with a score 5, the risk of osteomyelitis recurrence increased by 8.1 times in one-stage treatment compared to patients with a score ≤5 (OR 8.143, CI 1.008-65.882). In two-stage treatment, patients with a score 5 had the risk of osteomyelitis recurrence increased by 4.1 times compared to patients with a score ≤5 (OR 4.059, CI 0.461-35.714). Based on the scale, an algorithm of treatment for these patients was developed.

Влияние проблемы мухаджирства на историческую память российского общества

Currently, against the background of the desire of individual political actors to falsify history, the study of the phenomenon of historical memory in the political dimension is of particular importance. The article analyzes muhajirism as a factor of historical memory influencing the current state of Russian society. The features of the reflection of the problem of muhajirism in the scientific literature of various historical periods are considered. A content analysis of social network materials (platforms) was conducted, aimed at identifying the attitude of Russian-speaking users to the problem of muhajirism. The main categories of comments reflecting user reactions to the topic of the resettlement of the highlanders are identified. The content analysis showed that the problem of muhajirism fuels nationalistic sentiments of certain categories of citizens, therefore, it can be used as an instrument of pressure on Russian society in order to disunite it. It is noted that there is a demand in society for reliable and accessible information on the topic of muhajirism, in connection with which such studies are of particular relevance.

Asymptomatic Erosive Esophagitis.

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a very common condition characterized by chronic symptoms, such as heartburn or epigastric and/or substernal pain, that are frequently associated with mucosal damage resulting from abnormal reflux of gastric contents into the esophagus (Fass et al. in Nat Rev Dis Primers 7:55, 2021; Richter and Rubenstein in Gastroenterology 154:267-276, 2018). However, this damage can manifest in patients who do not exhibit typical GERD symptoms. Asymptomatic erosive esophagitis (AEE) is a condition in which there is esophageal mucosal injury typical for GERD, such as erosions, ulcerations, and/or Barrett's esophagus, visible in upper endoscopy, without concurrent symptoms attributable to GERD. AEE has been challenging to study, and it is not yet clear what causes this condition. As a result, there are no definitive guidelines on how to manage it. AEE also has the potential to be very impactful on public health, as those who are affected may go years without a diagnosis, putting them at risk for a variety of complications, including strictures and even cancer. Further careful study is necessary in order to more effectively address this condition. Here, we provide a comprehensive review of the scientific literature regarding AEE, examining its prevalence, clinical characteristics, potential causes and contributing factors, as well as identifying avenues for better characterization and management of this patient population.

EDITORIAL NOTE Vol. 61 (12/2024) RA’E GA – THE GEOGRAPHIC SPACE UNDER ANALYSIS

RA’E GA – THE GEOGRAPHIC SPACE UNDER ANALYSIS is pleased to present to the national and international scientific community the third volume of 2024 (V.61 – 12/2024 - DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5380/raega.v61i1), which encompasses articles covering various topics related to Geographic knowledge and other areas of scientific expertise. This edition of the Journal maintains the publication flow in English and Portuguese. This change aimed to preserve the Papers construction structure of the texts and increase access for different readers. RA’E GA extends its gratitude to the authors, the editorial team, section editors, and reviewers, especially those who contributed to this volume, as well as the Program for Support of Periodical Scientific Publications at UFPR. All these activities are crucial for the advancement of Brazilian scientific research and have been instrumental in ensuring the quality of this current volume.

Assessing scientific publications by their impact. A possibility for a more accurate evaluation of researchers

The use of metrics in the evaluation of a researcher’s output is now a common practice and has a decisive influence on their career (metricracy). It is widespread to consider the Journal Impact Factor (JIF) as a means of assessing the quality and significance of a paper. It has been discussed that it is appropriate to use a metric that evaluates each paper based on its citations rather than the journal in which it was published. Other parameters such as the number of years since publication, the number of authors and their position in the author list are also discussed and a formula for scoring each published article is proposed.

Modern Psychiatry: from Theory to Practice

In this review scientific papers published on eLibrary, PubMed, Google Scholar were searched and analyzed for all time till 2024 year on the problem of neuropsychiatry, translational neuro-science, biomarkers. The issues of precision psychiatry and targeted therapy of mental disorders are considered. The ways of bridging the gap between theoretical and practical (clinical) psychiatry are discussed.

Dalam ANALYSIS OF ISSUES AND PROBLEMS OF REGIONAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN KUDUS DISTRICT

In Indonesia's economic development, there are several issues and challenges that need to be addressed to achieve the desired progress. The following paper will explore in more depth the issues and problems of economic development that occur in Kudus Regency. The study conducted in this research uses the literature research method. The results of this research explain that first, national development aims to improve welfare and build a developed country with community participation and government support. However, development failures often stem from structural problems that require comprehensive solutions. Second, economic development in Kudus Regency is influenced by the Covid-19 Pandemic, SDGs, global economic crisis, environmentally friendly economy, natural disasters, and green space control. Third, the solution to improving economic development in Kudus Regency involves granting special autonomy to the regions. Economic diversification, job training, infrastructure improvement, innovation, and transparency in development policies are the key steps to achieve the goal.

Guerrilla advertising cases study in public transport

Guerrilla marketing in public transport is distinguished by the fact that it usually avoids traditional advertising methods such as television commercials or newspaper ads. Guerrilla campaigns in public transport focus on creative tactics to surprise the public and generate buzz about the brand. These campaigns often use non-traditional methods to draw attention to the brand in question. Guerrilla campaigns can be useful for businesses looking to gain an edge over their competitors. The partisan campaigns tend to get more media attention than traditional methods because they are seen as new or unexpected. These campaigns can create excitement and anticipation for your product or service, which can help increase sales. The subject of this paper is a case study of Guerrilla advertising in public transport. The aim of the paper is to assess the usefulness of Guerrilla advertising in promoting the attractiveness of public transport. The paper discusses the analysis of scientific literature, presents the Guerrilla marketing concept, type and tools, advantages and disadvantages. Traditional and Guerrilla marketing, research methodology comprising case study and quantitative research method, based on the results of the analysis of the scientific literature and the result of the research suggestions are made. Cases of partisan marketing in public transport are rarely studied in the scientific literature.

Mapping the field of climate finance research: a bibliometric analysis

ABSTRACT Over the past 10 years, the term ‘Climate Finance' has evolved and is now a popular topic in the climate policy community. To reduce the consequences of climate vulnerabilities and prepare for the negative effects of climate change, climate finance seeks various funding sources for climate change mitigation and adaptation. The primary goal of this study is to perform a comprehensive and updated bibliometric analysis to understand the evolution and current state of climate finance research and identify potential future research directions. The main findings indicate (1) climate finance research started in 2010, (2) most of the published literature, authors, and institutions in climate finance research are from China, the United States, and the United Kingdom, and (3) a large portion of scholarly literature in climate finance focuses on finance for low-carbon transition, renewable energy, and the challenges of climate funding.