We review past and present results on the non-local form-factors of the effective action of semiclassical gravity in two and four dimensions computed by means of a covariant expansion of the heat kernel up to the second order in the curvatures. We discuss the importance of these form-factors in the construction of mass-dependent beta functions for the Newton's constant and the other gravitational couplings.

The deterioration and destruction of the environment is becoming more and more considerable and greater efforts are needed to stop it. To accomplish this feat, all members of society must identify with environmental problems, with collective environmental action being one of the most relevant means of doing so. From this perspective, the analysis of the psychosocial factors that lead to participation in environmental collective action emerges as a priority objective in the research agenda. Thus, the aim of this study is to examine the role of "environmental identity" as conceptualized by Clayton, as a central axis for explaining environmental collective action. The inclusion of the latter in the theoretical framework of the SIMCA model gives rise to the model that we have called EIMECA. Two studies were conducted, and the results reveal that environmental identity, a variety of negative affects, as well as group efficacy accompanied by hope for a simultaneous additive effect, are critical when it comes to predicting environmental collective action.

This study aims at highlighting and illustrating innovative actions for achieving and/or improving accurate medical coding within a DRG system. Already grouped DRG cases recorded in the first DRG implementation year in the region of Crete were examined. A sample of 130,000, from a total of 200,000, cases were analyzed and audited, through a process consisting of three stages: i) Digitalization, ii) Auditor training, and iii) Control & consultation. The results indicated that a significant proportion of DRG coding, with a length of stay exceeding one day, were reclassified into different DRG categories. This was not primarily due to errors in the selection of the principal diagnosis, but resulted from coding errors, including omission of secondary diagnoses coding, medical procedures that should have been included and utilization of less specific codes. The findings indicate that medical coding control, consulting services and the adoption of targeted actions can be instrumental for proper implementation of the DRG coding system, and for ensuring transparent allocation of resources within hospitals. Ultimately, this shortens the coding learning curve, from four years typically reported in the international literature, to a more efficient duration of two years, leading to rational and documented clinical and financial management of hospitals.

In this paper, we consider the problem that the maximal order consider the groups that consisting of transformations we called NG-Transformation on a nonempty set A has no bijection as its element. We find the order of these groups not greater that (n-1)!. In addition, we will prove our result by showing that any kind of NG-group in the theorem be isomorphic to a permutation group on a quotient set of A with respect to an equivalence relation on A.

Using different frequency group period phase synchronization, a precise frequency detecting technology is presented. On the basis of the phase comparison for different frequencies, a high-accuracy frequency measuring can be achieved by quantization of phase comparison results and analysis of quantization results. Using the phase coincidence points between comparison signals as the counter’s open and close signals, the time interval between the same phase coincidence points is a group period. Via the detection and analysis of the phase coincidence points, the ±1-word counting error can be eliminated, and measuring speed is also improved. By using FPGA technology, the measuring device can be simplified, and the development cost can be reduced. Testing results indicate that the frequency measuring accuracy with 10−13/s level can be achieved. The technology is greater than the common frequency measuring technology in more ways than one, such as power consumption, device volume, measuring rate, etc., so it plays an important role in Beidou satellite positioning, precise timing, high-precision time frequency transfer and comparison, scientific metrology and other fields.

AbstractBackground: the development of nursing, especially related to the nursing intervention approach, is running so fast. This can be seen from the use of peer group support in nursing interventions in individual humans. The purpose of this literature is to find the impact of implementing nursing interventions using a peer group support approach.Method: this literature review method uses JBI and Prisma on 120 articles taken from journal databases, namely Scopus, PubMed and Sciendirect.Result: From the articles analyzed, it was found that the application of peer groups can improve individual abilities both in psychological and behavioral aspects.Conclusion: the application of the peer group approach is able to be one of the approaches in the world of nursing in carrying out nursing actions today.

In the literature, frames generated by unitary representations of groups (known as group-frames) are studied only for Hilbert spaces. We make first study of frames for Banach spaces generated by isometric invertible representations of discrete groups on Banach spaces. These frames are characterized using left regular, right regular, Gram-matrices and group-matrices on classical sequence spaces. A sufficiently large collection of functional-vector pairs using the double commutant of the representation is identified which generate group-frames for Banach spaces. Subsequently, we study Schauder frames generated by time-frequency shift operators on finite dimensional Banach spaces. We derive Moyal formula, fundamental identity of Gabor analysis, Wexler-Raz criterion and Ron-Shen duality in functional form.

In this work, Further properties of bornological groups are studied to find the sufficient conditions to introduce a bornology on a group. In particular, we show that every left (right) translations in bornological groups are isomorphisms and therefore the bornological group's structures are homogeneous, and this property from the bornological group is not shared with bornological semigroups. Further, the boundedness of a bornological group can be deduced from its boundedness at the identity.

In this article, we showcase PSL(3,4) as the automorphism group for a specific class of three linear binary codes C1, C2 and C3 with dimension 9. The demonstration involves leveraging the action of the group PSL(3,4), represented by invertible matrices of size 9 by 9 up to isomorphism, on the vector space F29. Additionally, we establish that these codes exhibit a 3−weight self-orthogonal property. All computations presented in this paper were conducted using guava package of GAP (Groups, Algorithms, Programming) a system designed for computational discrete algebra.

Using the orbit decomposition, a new enumerative polynomial P(x) is introduced for abstract (simplicial) complexes of a given type, e.g., trees with a fixed number of vertices or triangulations of the torus with a fixed graph. The polynomial has the following three useful properties. (I) The value P(1) is equal to the total number of unlabeled complexes (of a given type). (II) The value of the derivative P'(1) is equal to the total number of nontrivial automorphisms when counted across all unlabeled complexes. (III) The integral of P(x) from 0 to 1 is equal to the total number of vertex-labeled complexes, divided by the order of the acting group. The enumerative polynomial P(x) is demonstrated for trees and then is applied to the triangulations of the torus with the vertex-labeled complete four-partite graph G = K_{2,2,2,2}, in which specific case P(x) = x^{31}. The graph G embeds in the torus as a triangulation, T(G). The automorphism group of G naturally acts on the set of triangulations of the torus with the vertex-labeled graph G. For the first time, by a combination of algebraic and symmetry techniques, all vertex-labeled triangulations of the torus (twelve in number) with the graph G are classified intelligently without using computing technology, in a uniform and systematic way. It is helpful to notice that the graph G can be converted to the Cayley graph of the quaternion group Q_8 with the three imaginary quaternions i, j, k as generators.

Any quantization maps linearly functions on a phase space to symmetric operators in a Hilbert space. Covariant integral quantization combines operator-valued measure with symmetry group of the phase space. Covariant means that the quantization map intertwines classical (geometric operation) and quantum (unitary transformations) symmetries. Integral means that we use all ressources of integral calculus, in order to implement the method when we apply it to singular functions, or distributions, for which the integral calculus is an essential ingredient. In this paper we emphasize the deep connection between Fourier transform and covariant integral quantization when the Weyl-Heisenberg and affine groups are involved. We show with our generalisations of the Wigner-Weyl transform that many properties of the Weyl integral quantization, commonly viewed as optimal, are actually shared by a large family of integral quantizations.

Formulating a relativistic equation for particles with arbitrary spin remains an open challenge in theoretical physics. In this study, the main algebraic approaches used to generalize the Dirac and Kemmer–Duffin equations for particles of arbitrary spin are investigated. It is proved that an irreducible relativistic equation formulated using spin matrices satisfying the commutation relations of the de Sitter group leads to inconsistent results, mainly as a consequence of violation of unitarity and the appearance of a mass spectrum that does not reflect the physical reality of elementary particles. However, the introduction of subsidiary conditions resolves the problem of unitarity and restores the physical meaning of the mass spectrum. The equations obtained by these approaches are solved and the physical nature of the solutions is discussed.

This paper introduces $\mathbb{NS}_4$, a novel number system that extends traditional binary arithmetic by incorporating algorithmic mappings for addition, carry-over, and multiplication operations. We establish a mathematical framework demonstrating that $\mathbb{NS}_4$ forms a commutative ring, thereby extending beyond conventional number systems like complex numbers. The proposed system offers efficient representation and manipulation of numerical structures, with potential applications in computational mathematics and digital logic design.

Physical laws manifest themselves through the amalgamation of mathematical symbols, numbers, functions, geometries, and relationships. These intricate combinations unfold within a mathematical model devised to capture and represent the ``objective reality'' of the system under examination. In this symbiotic relationship between physics and mathematics, the language of mathematics becomes a powerful tool for describing and predicting the behavior of the physical world. The language used and the associated concepts are in a perpetual state of evolution, mirroring the ongoing expansion of the phenomena accessible to our scientific understanding. In this contribution, written in honor of Richard Kerner, we delve into fundamental, at times seemingly elementary, elements of the mathematical language inherent to the physical sciences, guided by the overarching principles of symmetry and group theory. Our focus turns to the captivating realm of spheres, those strikingly symmetric entities that manifest prominently within our geometric landscape. By exploring the interplay between mathematical abstraction and the tangible beauty of symmetry, we seek to deepen our understanding of the underlying structures that govern our interpretation of the physical world.

The calculation of the surface tension of ordinary organic and ionic liquids, based on a computer algorithm applying a refined group-additivity method, is presented. The refinement consists of a complete breakdown of the molecules into their constituting atoms, further distinguishing them by their immediate neighbour atoms and bond constitution. The evaluation of the atom-groups’ contributions was carried out by means of a fast Gauss-Seidel fitting method founded upon the experimental data of 1895 compounds from literature. The result has been tested for plausibility using a 10-fold cross-validation (cv) procedure. The direct calculation and the cv test proved the applicability of the present method by the close similarity and excellent goodness of fit R2 and Q2 of 0.9023 and 0.8821, respectively. The respective standard deviations are ±2.01 and ±2.16 dyn/cm. Some correlation peculiarities have been observed in a series of ordinary and ionic liquids with homologous alkyl chains which are illustrated and discussed in detail, exhibiting the limit of the present method.

In this paper, we introduce the notion of the generalized $w$-group inverse in a Banach algebra with proper involution. This is a natural generalization of generalized (weak) group inverse in Banach *-algebras. Many elementary properties of such new weighted generalized inverse are presented. We further establish the equivalent relations between generalized weighted group inverse and weighted generalized Drazin inverse. Related properties of generalized (weak) group inverse are extended to the wider cases.

The group delay response of chirped fiber Bragg gratings (CFBG) written in polarization-maintaining fiber can be measured using the beat spectrum of the reflections from the two polarization axis, with a resolution and reproducibility better than 50 fs. The method is theoretically described, and we analyze the effect of group delay ripples (GDR) on the performance of a stretcher-compressor pair used in chirped pulse amplification systems. Ripples with a spectral period of the order of the pulse bandwidth are the most deleterious. Those are readily captured with our method, despite the limit on resolution due to the fiber polarization beat length. As a rule of thumb, the GDR should not exceed half the pulse duration. The reconstructed phase of the CFBG is also used to predict the pulse compression performance for a given device. Measurement of GDR as low as 161 fs is experimentally demonstrated.

Postpartum depression is a significant health issue during the postpartum period and not only affects the woman but also has important repercussions for the newborn. Group support interventions during the postpartum period have proven effective in helping women cope with depression and improving breastfeeding rates. The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of a midwife-led breastfeeding support group intervention on breastfeeding rates, postpartum depression and general self-efficacy. This was a multicentric cluster randomized controlled trial with control and intervention groups and was not blinded. It was conducted in Andalusia (southern Spain) from October 2021 to May 2023. A total of 382 women participated in the study. Results showed a significant difference in exclusive breastfeeding rates at 4 months postpartum between the groups (p < 0.001). Additionally, there was a lower mean score on the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale in the intervention group (12.49 ± 3.6 vs 13.39 ± 4.0; p = 0.044). Similarly, higher scores of general self-efficacy were observed among breastfeeding women at 2 and 4 months postpartum (p = 0.002 and p < 0.001, respectively). In conclusion, midwife-led breastfeeding support groups enhanced self-efficacy, prolonged breastfeeding and reduced postpartum depression 4 months after giving birth.

Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) are widely employed in qualitative research to delve into complex social issues, yet their application in conservation studies lacks standardised guidelines and thorough evaluation. This review assesses the utilisation of FGDs in biodiversity and conservation research from 2000 to April 2022, identifying 170 pertinent articles, primarily published between 2015 and 2022. FGDs, often integrated with other methodologies, predominantly sought to understand community perspectives, evaluate conservation practices, explore challenges, and document indigenous knowledge. Despite their extensive use, methodological intricacies were frequently underreported. This paper underscores the necessity for enhanced reporting standards and comprehensive guidelines to optimise the effectiveness and reliability of FGDs in conservation research. By means of critically investigating existing literature, this study contributes critical important insights into the strengths and limitations of FGDs, ultimately advocating for greater methodological rigour and transparency in their application within the realm of conservation science.

In This paper we introduce the integration of Renormalization Group (RG) methods with Deep Q-Networks (DQNs) to improve reinforcement learning in high-dimensional state spaces. RG methods provide multi-scale analysis, enhancing state representation, learning stability, and exploration. The proposed RG-DQN algorithm uses hierarchical Q-value estimation and multi-scale representations, demonstrating superior performance on synthetic genomic data compared to traditional DQNs.}

The health status of Hungary's population is unfavorable, with significant differences in health indicators not only compared to the EU15 but also to the Visegrad countries. Unfavorable health indicators can be disproportionate and particularly affect vulnerable groups, such as people with disabilities. The aim of the present study is to compare the health behaviour and indicators of adolescents with disabilities in Hungary with those of the HBSC survey in the Visegrad countries, and to compare the results of the Hungarian special needs adolescent population with those of the Visegrad countries. Eating habits are unfavourable for both the Visegrad countries and the young people we studied. Children with disabilities have significantly higher rates of schoolwork stress compared to other countries. Significantly higher prevalence of somatic complaints and worse mental well-being parameters higher in Hungary than in the other Visegrad countries. The results suggest that further interventions are needed in Hungary and that differentiated, professionalised health promotion is needed for young people with disabilities. The researchers propose to extend the research to adolescents with disabilities living in the Visegrad countries, on the basis of which a methodology for injury-specific health promotion could be developed, including through interna-tional interprofessional cooperation.

Symmetry, as a key concept in geometry and the foundational principle of mathematical concepts, is a fundamental part of geometry and nature, creating patterns that help us conceptually organize our world. It is often linked with aesthetic beauty and can be observed in both natural phenomena and human-made objects, such as artworks and manufactured products, across the globe. The automorphism group of a graph is a mathematical structure that captures all the symmetries of the graph. symmetry refers to the property of a graph, indicating that it can be transformed without changing its structure, while the automorphism group is the collection of all permutations of the vertices that preserve the graph's adjacency relationships. In graph theory, the concepts of symmetry group and automorphism group play fundamental roles in understanding the symmetries and structural properties of graphs. This paper aims to explore the relationship between symmetry groups and automorphism groups, shedding light on their interconnected nature and their significance in graph theory. We delve into the definitions and properties of both symmetry groups and automorphism groups, highlighting their similarities and distinctions. Furthermore, we discuss their applications in various fields, including computer science, chemistry, and network analysis. Through this exploration, we aim to provide a comprehensive understanding of the relationship between symmetry groups and automorphism groups, deepening our comprehension of the symmetries and structures inherent in graphs.

Self-selecting the intensity of aerobic training is a perspective that allows practitioners to develop autonomy (choice of pace), improve physical fitness and achieve weight loss. To compare the effect of four aerobic training protocols on cardiometabolic and psycho-affective responses in physically inactive adult men and women. The sample consisted of 11 individuals aged 56 ± 10 years and BMI 29.2 ± 2.4 kg/m2 performed four different treadmill aerobic training protocols, including: 1-individual with self-selected intensity (ISS), 2-individual with prescribed intensity (IPI) (64-76% of HR max), 3-small group with self-select. selected intensity (SGS) and 4-small group prescribed intensity (SGP) (64-76% of HR max). Heart rate (HR), lactate (LACT), perceived exertion (RPE), affective response (FS), activation scale (FAS), enjoyment (PACES) and intention to repeat the session (INT) were analyzed. Statistical analysis used ANOVA with Tukey's post hoc test (p<0.05). HR, LACT and RPE analyzes did not show significant differences between protocols. The FS showed a smaller decline in the SI protocol (p<0.05), and the intention to repeat the training session was greater in the SI protocol (p<0.05). Conclusion: The data allow us to conclude that the SI training protocol produced superior results in affective response, pleasure and intention to repeat the session.

Abstract: Because of outstanding heat resistance and processing qualities, benzoxazine resins are widely employed in a variety of applications. However, traditional benzoxazine resins still confront hurdles in today's engineering applications, such as can’t long-term service in high-temperature settings and inadequate toughness. Four alkyne-functionalized benzoxazines with phthalide side group and cyano group of varying molecular weights were produced in this study. Fourier trans-form infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and hydrogen nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy ( 1H-NMR ) were used to characterize the resin structure, and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) was used to investigate the thermal curing kinetics at different warming rates, the apparent activation energy was 116.9 kJ/mol. In-situ FTIR was used to investigate the cure mechanism. Dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) was used to evaluate the gelationation time of BOZ series resins at various temperatures, and the curing process was designed by combined the results of DSC. The Tg of the composites made using BOZ-1N21 as the matrix was 336°C, which was much higher than the Tg of the BP-a resin made with aniline, phenolphthalein, and formaldehyde (Tg=251°C). As a result, the resin system is expected to be employed in applications requiring high-temperature resistance and toughness.

Various formulations of the exact renormalization group can be compared in the perturbative domain, in which we have reliable expressions for regularization-independent (universal) quantities. We consider the renormalization of the $\lambda\phi^4$ theory in three dimensions and make a comparison between the sharp-cutoff regularization method and other more recent methods. The former gives considerably better results, while the other methods are far from optimal in the perturbative domain. In addition, these methods present theoretical problems that are already manifest in the renormalization of mass.

A review on several classical, algebraic models in nuclear structure physics, which use symmetries as an important tool, are presented. After a conceptual introduction to group theory, a selection of models is chosen to illustrate the methods and the power of the usage of symmetries. It enables to describe very involved systems in a greatly simplified manner. Some problems are also discussed, when ignoring basic principles of nature, as the Pauli Exclusion principle. We also show that, nevertheless, occasionally one can rescue these omissions. In a couple of representative models, applications of symmetries are explicitly applied, in order to illustrate how extremely complicate systems can be treated. This contribution is meant bas a review on the use of algebraic models in nuclear physics, leading to a better understanding of the articles in the same special volume.

The goal of finding a commutative group of gates from the set of unitary matrices is to simplify the process of quantum computing. If a set of gates is commutative, then we can apply the gates in any order without affecting the final outcome. This is important because quantum systems are very sensitive to errors and decoherence, and any disruption to the system can cause errors in the computation.By having a commutative group of gates, we can simplify the process of designing quantum algorithms and reduce the risk of errors. This is particularly important for solving complex computational problems that cannot be solved by classical computers.

Starting from the SU(2) group of weak interactions in the presence of Electric Charge Swap (ECS) symmetry, we show that ordinary and non-regular (ECS) leptons are related by the ECS rotational group SO(3). We find that many Standard Model (SM) algebras depend on the sin of the angle θs of the ECS rotational group SO (3). We call these ECSM algebras. Furthermore, the break of the gauge symmetry of the SM groupoid gives the massive ECS particle. We find that the ECS particle masses are related with the SM particle masses by sinθs . We also investigate the finite subgroups of the ECS Möbius transformations. We find that sinθs could be derived from the ECS dihedral group DF, which refers to the symmetry of the fermionic polygon (F-gon). The average value of the anchor of the SM algebroid depends on the fermionic Catalan numbers (CF). Finally, we find that the ECS physics at loop level differs the SM physics. The ECSM mass is suppressed by the CF numbers. For 24 fermions, the calculated one-loop radiative correction to the bare Higgs mass µ is 125GeV—a value very close to the experimental one.

We show that if the quadratic twist family of a given elliptic curve over F_q[t] with char(F_q) > 5 has an element whose Neron model has a multiplicative reduction away from infinity, then the average p-Selmer rank is p+1 in large q-limit for almost all primes p.

In the advent of COVID-19 pandemic, testing is highly essential to be able to isolate, treat infected persons, and finally curb transmission of this infectious respiratory disease. Group testing has been used previously for various infectious diseases and recently reported for large-scale population testing of COVID-19. However, possible sample dilution as a result of large pool sizes has been reported, limiting testing methods’ detection sensitivity. Moreover, the need to sample all individuals prior to pooling overburden the limited resources such as test kits. An alternative proposed strategy where test is performed on pooled samples from individuals representing different households is presented here. This strategy intends to improve group testing method through the reduction in the number of samples collected and pooled during large-scale population testing. Moreover, it introduces database system which enables continuous monitoring of the population’s virus exposure for better decision making.

We show that, as in the case of the principle of minimum action in classical and quantum mechanics, there exists an even more general principle in the very fundamental structure of quantum space-time: This is the principle of minimal group that allows to consistently and simultaneously obtain a natural description of the spacetime dynamics and the physical states admissible in it. The theoretical construction is based on the physical states that are average values of the generators of the Metaplectic group Mp(n) , the double covering of SL(2C) in a vector representation, with respect to the coherent states carrying the spin weight. Our main results here are: (i) There exists a connection between the dynamics given by the Metaplectic group symmetry generators and the physical states (mappings of the generators through bilinear combinations of the basic states). (ii) The ground states are coherent states of the Perelomov-Klauder type defined by the action of the Metaplectic group which divide the Hilbert space into even and odd states mutually orthogonal. They carry a spin weight 1/4 and 3/4 respectively from which, two other basic states can be formed. (iii) The physical states, mapped bilinearly with the basic 1/4 and 3/4 spin weight states, plus their symmetric and antisymmetric combinations, have spin contents s = 0, 1/2, 1, 3/2 and 2. (iv) The generators realized with the bosonic variables of the harmonic oscillator introduce a natural supersymmetry and a superspace whose line element is the geometrical Lagrangian of our model. (v) From the line element as operator level, a coherent physical state of spin 2 can be obtained and naturally related to the metric tensor. (vi) The metric tensor is naturally discretized by taking the discrete series given by the basic states (coherent states) in the n number representation, reaching the classical (continuous) space-time for n going to infinity. (vii) There emerges a relation between the eigenvalue of our coherent state metric solution and the black hole area (entropy) as A_{bh}/4 l_{p}^{2} = I alpha I relating the phase space of the metric found g_{ab} and the black hole area A_{bh} through the Planck length l_{p}^{2} and the eigenvalue I alpha I of the coherent states. As a consequence of the lowest level of the quantum discrete space-time spectrum, eg the ground state associated to n = 0 and its characteristic length, there exists a minimum entropy related to the black hole history.

In vitro circular RNA (circRNA) preparation methods have been gaining a lot of attention recently as several reports suggest that circRNAs are more stable with better performances in cells and in vivo than linear RNAs in various biomedical applications. Self-splicing ribozymes are considered a major in vitro circRNA generation method for biomedical applications due to their simplicity and efficiency in circularization of gene of interest. This review summarizes updates and discusses recently developed self-circularization methods based on the self-splicing ribozyme such as group I and II intron ribozymes and pros and cons of each method to prepare circRNA in vitro.

In this paper, we introduce the notion of weighted generalized group inverse in a Banach algebra with proper involution. This is a natural generalization of weighted weak group inverse for a complex matrix and Hilbert space operator. We present several characterizations and representations of this generalized inverse. In addition, a new partial order on elements in a Banach *-algebra is investigated by using the weighted generalized group inverse and some known results are thus generalized.

The de-oxygenation process in water used in well injection operations is an important matter to eliminate corrosion in petroleum industry. This study used molecular dynamics simulations to understand the behavior of siloxane surface through studding the surface properties with two functional groups attached to the end of siloxane and their effect on de-oxygenation process. The simulations were performed using LAMMPS to characterize of surface properties. Jmol software was used to generate siloxane chains with (8, 20, and 35) repeat units. Firstly, we evaluated properties such as total energy, surface tension and viscosity. Then, we used siloxane as a membrane to compare the efficiency of de-oxygenation for the both types of functional groups. The results indicated that longer chains length increased total energy, viscosity while decreased surface tension. Replacing methyl groups with trifluoromethyl (CF3) groups increased all the above mentioned properties in varying proportions. Trifluoromethyl (CF3) groups showed better removal efficiency than methyl (CH3) groups but allowed more water to pass. Furthermore, the simulations were run using the class II potential developed by Sun, Rigby, and others within an explicit-atom (EA) model.

This article presents a narrative review of neonatal and paediatric complications in post-dated pregnancy and covers scientific views on the aetiology, pathology, risk factors, symptoms and complications of post-dated pregnancy. A pregnancy extending beyond 42 weeks of gestation is termed as a post term pregnancy. There are multiple complications that can occur in the perinatal period, some of the most common ones are stillbirth, asphyxia, meconium aspiration syndrome, fetal distress syndrome, etc which are found to be greater in post-dated pregnancy and hence ultimately leads to increased mortality and morbidity of the new born. Studies have shown that post-term pregnancy also causes increased risk of developing behavioural and emotional problems in children of paediatric age group. It is surprising not much importance has been given to the maternal and neonatal consequences of post- term pregnancies. It is not well understood why some women experience post-dated pregnancies. It is found that factors such as hormones and genetic build up, are responsible for causing post-term pregnancy in an obese female. The treatment and management of a post-term pregnancy still poses a challenge to clinicians in determining the right choice and right time for a particular intervention so that both mother and fetus can be prevented from having complications.

Suppose G is a graph with vertex-orbits O1,1 O2, . . . ,Ot, and jOi j denotes the cardinallity of Oi. Then OG (x) = åt 2 i=1 xjOi j is called as orbit polynomial. It is well-known that this polynomial 3 has a unique positive zero d in the interval [0, 1]. The aim of this paper is to study the specific 4 properties of this polynomial and then we determine the location of this root for several classes of 5 complex networks to compare with other graphical measures. Besides, we compare the unique 6 positive zero measure with several well-known centrality graph measures.

Global research on the Covid-19 vaccine’s effectiveness is using methods that are misleading the scientific community and public opinion. There is a golden rule in medicine: to measure the effectiveness of an experimental medicine you need to have two groups. The group that will take medicine and the group that will not take medicine. You follow the health status of both groups for a few months and you will get objective results. This is the only proper methodology to verify the effectiveness of a new medicine. Articles cited from 1-5 did not use the gold rule. They develop different kinds of methodologies that all have no statistical significance. On the basis of their methodologies, they conclude that Covid-19 vaccines have a positive effect on public health. By comparing graphs of the intensity of vaccination and the rate of mortality we see that after the period of intense vaccination follows the period of higher excess mortality. Basic statistical data are confirming that Covid-19 vaccines increased the mortality rate.

The aim of the presents study is to further expand the model of translational cross-validation by investigating the brain circuits or networks which underpin the same tasks by means of group independent component analysis for FMRI toolbox (GIFT). We hypothesized that there will be neural network patterns of activation and deactivation, which correspond to real time performance on clinical self-evaluation scales. We recruited 42 subjects: 20 healthy controls and 22 patients with major depressive episode. All subjects underwent functional MRI scanning using paradigm comprised of diagnostic clinical self-assessment depression scale contrasted to neutral scale. The data were processed with group independent component analysis for functional MRI toolbox and statistical parametric mapping. The results have demonstrated that there exist positively or negatively modulated brain networks during processing of diagnostic specific task questions for major depressive disorder. There have also been confirmed differences in the networks processing diagnostic versus off blocks between patients and controls in anterior cingulate cortex and middle frontal gyrus. Diagnostic conditions (depression scale) when contrasted to neutral conditions demonstrate differential activity of right superior frontal gyrus and right middle cingulate cortex in the comparison of patients with healthy controls. It is for the first time when potential neuroimaging state dependent biomarker has been directly linked with clinical assessment self-evaluation scale, administered as stimuli simultaneously with the fMRI acquisition. It may be regarded as further evidence in support of the ability of both methods to concordantly distinguish groups by means of incremental translational cross-validation.

Introduction: Leprosy, caused by Mycobacterium leprae is one of the oldest infectious diseases in human history and its eradication is linked to poverty control, lack of basic sanitation, the fragility of health, and education services. Objective: To evaluate the frequency of blood groups (ABO/Rh) and the sociodemographic and clinical profile of Angolan patients with Leprosy treated at the Anti-Tuberculosis and Leprosy Dispensary in Luanda, the capital city of Angola. Methodology: A descriptive, introspective, cross-sectional study with a quantitative approach was carried out with 102 patients of Luanda, in the second half of 2021. Results: Of the 102 patients included in the study, the majority belonged to the ORh+ group (51.9%), followed by the BRh+ group (27.4%) and ARh+ (18.6%), most were under 51 years of age ( 87.3%), with low education (54.9%), coming from urban areas (44.1%). As for clinical conditions, most had a multibacillary infection (93.1%), diagnosed mainly by smear microscopy (75.5%) without other infection (79.4%), some of them with complications (28.4%) and individuals with non-O blood group showed changes in the blood count. Conclusion: Leprosy seems to be common in ORh+ individuals, it continues to affect especially those residing in areas of population agglomerations and with low education, presenting itself as a multibacillary infection, where changes in the blood count are greater in non-O individuals.

A novel hypothesis concerning language evolution is advanced. It posits that languages have evolved as a means of binding individuals to a group, as well as for defining those groups. This means that language evolution has to be considered on the level of groups and not only on the level of individuals. This hypothesis helps to explain the huge diversity of human languages, as well as their complexity. Perhaps more importantly, it explains why adults lose the ability to learn languages with the ease that children possess.

We study factorization properties of continuous homomorphisms defined on subgroups (or submonoids) of products of (para)topological groups (or monoids). A typical result is the following one: Let $D=\prod_{i\in I}D_i$ be a product of paratopological groups, $S$ be a dense subgroup of $D$, and $\chi$ a continuous character of $S$. Then one can find a finite set $E\subset I$ and continuous characters $\chi_i$ of $D_i$, for $i\in E$, such that $\chi=\big(\prod_{i\in E} \chi_i\circ p_i\big)\hs1\res\hs1 S$, where $p_i\colon D\to D_i$ is the projection.

Background and Aim: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is known as an autoimmune disease and a chronic inflammatory condition, inducing a wide variety of mood affective disorders, including depression and feelings of hopelessness in many aspects of patients’ quality of life (QoL). In view of the positive side effects of spirituality and spiritual care on finding appropriate strategies for further adaptation, this study aimed to determine the impact of group spiritual care (GSC) on levels of hope in patients suffering from MS. Materials and Methods: This clinical trial was conducted on a total number of 96 patients with MS, referring to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society (NMSS) in the city of Zahedan, Iran. Following sample selection via the convenience sampling technique, the patients meeting the inclusion criteria were randomized into two groups, i.e., intervention and control. The data collection tools for this purpose included a demographic information form and the Adult Hope Scale (AHS, Snyder et al. 1991), completed by the subjects at the pre- and post-intervention stages. As well, the intervention group received five sessions of GSC during three weeks but the control group members only talked over daily issues along with their mental health problems. The data were also analyzed using the SPSS Statistics software (ver. 14). Results: The Kruskal-Wallis test results revealed that the GSC intervention could have a significant positive effect on raising hope in the patients with MS (p<0.001). Moreover, a significant growth was observed in the scores of hope dimensions including agency and pathway (p<0.001). Conclusion: GSC can effectively boost levels of hope in patients suffering from MS in all dimensions. Therefore, it is recommended to utilize this type of care in order to nurture hope in such individuals.

The calculation of the isobaric heat capacities of the liquid and solid phase of molecules at 298.15 K is presented, applying a universal computer algorithm based on the atom-groups additivity method, using refined atom groups. The atom groups are defined as the molecules' constituting atoms and their immediate neighbourhood. In addition, the hydroxy group of alcohols are further subdivided to take account of the different intermolecular interactions of primary, secondary and tertiary alcohols. The evaluation of the groups' contributions has been carried out by means of a fast Gauss-Seidel fitting calculus using experimental data from literature. Plausibility has been tested immediately after each fitting calculation using a 10-fold cross-validation procedure. For the heat capacity of liquids, the respective goodness of fit of the direct (R2) and the cross-validation calculations (Q2) of 0.998 and 0.9975, and the respective standard deviations of 8.2 and 9.16 J/mol/K, together with a medium absolute percentage deviation (MAPD) of 2.69%, based on the experimental data of 1133 compounds, proves the excellent predictive applicability of the present method. The statistical values for the heat capacity of solids are only slightly inferior: for R2 and Q2, the respective values are 0.9915 and 0.9875, the respective standard deviations are 12.19 and 14.13 J/mol/K and the MAPD is 4.65%, based on 732 solids. The predicted heat capacities for a series of liquid and solid compounds has been directly compared to those received by a complementary method based on the "true" molecular volume [1] and their deviations elucidated.

The entropy of Boltzmann-Gibbs, as proved by Shannon and Khinchin, is based on four axioms, where the fourth one concerns additivity. The group theoretic entropies make use of formal group theory to replace this axiom with a more general composability axiom. As has been pointed out before, generalized entropies crucially depend on the number of allowed number degrees of freedom $N$. The functional form of group entropies is restricted (though not uniquely determined) by assuming extensivity on the equal probability ensemble, which leads to classes of functionals corresponding to sub-exponential, exponential or super-exponential dependence of the phase space volume $W$ on $N$. We review the ensuing entropies, discuss the composability axiom, relate to the Gibbs' paradox discussion and explain why group entropies may be particularly relevant from an information theoretic perspective.

Let G be a finite group. The prime graph Γ(G) of G is defined as follows: The set of vertices of Γ(G) is the set of prime divisors of |G| and two distinct vertices p and p' are connected in Γ(G), whenever G has an element of order pp'. A non-abelian simple group P is called recognizable by prime graph if for any finite group G with Γ(G)=Γ(P), G has a composition factor isomorphic to P. In [4] proved finite simple groups ²D_n(q), where n ≠ 4k are quasirecognizable by prime graph. Now in this paper we discuss the quasirecognizability by prime graph of the simple groups ²D_2k(q), where k ≥ 9 and q is a prime power less than 10⁵.

3D Zernike moments based on 3D Zernike polynomials have been successfully applied to the field of voxelized 3D shape retrieval and have attracted more attention in biomedical image processing. As the order of 3D Zernike moments increases, both computational efficiency and numerical accuracy decrease. Due to this phenomenon, a more efficient and stable method for computing high-order 3D Zernike moments was proposed in this study. The proposed recursive formula for computing 3D Zernike radial polynomials combines the recursive calculation of spherical harmonics to develop a voxel-based algorithm for the calculation of 3D Zernike moments. The algorithm was applied to the 3D shape Michelangelo's David with a size of 150×150×150 voxels. As compared to the method without additional acceleration, the proposed method uses a group action of order sixteen orthogonal group and saving unnecessary iterations, the factor of speed-up is 56.783±3.999 when the order of Zernike moments is between 10 and 450. The proposed method also obtained an accurate reconstructed shape with the error rate (normalized mean square error) of 0.00 (4.17×10^-3) when the reconstruction was computed for all moments up to order 450.

In this article, we present two topics related to mathematical economics. We offer an intriguing proposal for securing cost and production functions in the face of uncertainty and risk. We discuss the relationship between individual and social preferences. This is important because traditional revealed preference theory does not account for such factors.

This paper will explore analogs of groups formed by the transformations of two ropes as presented by Minh-Tam Quang Trinh.1 The two operations acting on these ropes are T and S, defined as twists and clockwise turns, respectively. These actions intertwine the ropes, creating tangles. T and S also have the ability to untangle the rope when used in certain combinations. In the two-rope case, these actions expressed as a group presentation were shown to be isomorphic to SL₂(Z). We explored the analog of these opera- tions, T and S, and conjectured the corresponding group to which they are isomorphic. Partial proofs for this conjecture are included and future work would include proving our conjecture as well as generalizing results to k ropes.

The fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda, arrived during the 2016/2017 cropping season in Limpopo, South Africa and it continues to cause devastating damage on maize in this region. The present study investigated knowledge, perception and management of S. frugiperda by smallholder farmers at Dzindi and Tshiombo irrigation schemes in this region. The study was conducted in 16 focus group discussion interviews, 12 at Dzindi and four at Tshiombo irrigation scheme. Although farmers failed to identify S. frugiperda eggs and pupal stages, they positively identified the pest by its larval stage and refer to it by several local names. All farmers relied extensively on insecticides for S. frugiperda control. With the exception of the Dzindi irrigation scheme farmers, who have adopted Bt maize, very few farmers have adopted alternative methods to chemical control such as mechanical control, physical control (crushing egg and handpicking of larvae), biological control, cultural practices (such as Push-Pull Technology), possible indigenous knowledge, or the use of monitoring tools, for the management of S. frugiperda. The study provided valuable information for designing sustainable management practices to control S. frugiperda on maize in smallholder farming communities.

Recently, polyetheretherketone (PEEK) has shown promising dental applications; although surface treatment is essential for dental applications owing to its poor surface energy and wettability, no consensus on an effective treatment method has been achieved. In this study, we attempt to carboxylate PEEK sample surfaces via Friedel–Crafts acylation using succinic anhydride and AlBr3. The possibility of further chemical modifications using carboxyl groups is examined. The samples are subjected to dehydration–condensation reactions with 1H,1H-pentadecafluorooctylamine and N,N'-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide. The sample surface properties at each reaction stage are evaluated. An absorption band in the 3300–3500 cm-1 wavenumber region is observed. Additionally, peak suggestive of COOH is observed in the sample spectra. Secondary modification diminished the absorption band in 3300–3500 cm-1 and a clear F1s signal is observed. Thus, Friedel–Crafts acylation with succinic anhydride produces carboxyl groups on the PEEK sample surfaces. Further chemical modification of the carboxyl groups by dehydration-condensation reactions is also possible. Thus, a series of reactions can be employed to impart desired chemical structures to PEEK surfaces.

Hessenberg differential algebraic equations (Hessenberg-DAEs) with high index play a critical role in the modeling of mechanical systems and multibody dynamics. Motivated by the widely used Lie Group Differential Algebraic Equation (LGDAE) method which only handles index 2 systems, we propose a Modified Extended Lie Group Differential Algebraic Equation (MELGDAE) method for solving index 3 Hessenberg-DAEs, and provide theoretical analysis to deepen the foundation of the MELGDAE method.The performance of the MELGDAE method is compared with the standard methods RADAU and MEBDF on index 2 and 3 DAE systems, and it is demonstrated that the MELGDAE integrator exhibits competitive performance in terms of high accuracy and the preservation of algebraic constraints. In particular, all differential variables in index 3 Hessenberg DAEs achieve second-order convergence using the MELGDAE method, which suggests potential for extension to Hessenberg-DAEs with an index of 4 or higher.

The super-weak interaction includes three simple extensions of the standard model: gauge extension, fermionic extension, and scalar extension. All of these extensions are strongly influenced by their complex phenomenology. They can explain a number of unresolved questions in particle physics and cosmology, including the genesis of dark matter, cosmic inflation, asymmetry of matter and antimatter, neutrino masses, and vacuum stability, if combined into a single structure. This is an extension of the gauge group of the standard model $G_{\rm SM}$ by $G_{\rm SM}\otimes U(1)_Z$ without any anomalies. We investigate the implications of the development of a general Majorana mass renormalization group for neutrinos with masses in the range of 0.03 $eV$ and 0.1 $eV$, which fall within the recently published range as well as the range to be explored in future planned experiments.

The Svenonius theorem establishes the correspondence between definability of relations in a countable structure and automorphism groups of these relations in the extension of the structure. This correspondence may help in finding the description of the definability lattice constituted by all definability spaces (reducts) of the original structure. However, the major difficulty here is the necessity to consider the extensions which generally are obscure and hardly amenable to classification. Because of that results on definability lattices were obtained only for $\omega$-categorical structures (i.\,e. those in which all elementary extensions are isomorphic to the structure itself). All known definability lattices for such structures proved to be finite. In this work we introduce the concept of upwards complete structure as such in which all its extensions are isomorphic. Further we define upwards completions structures. For such structures Galois correspondence between definability lattice and the lattice of closed supergroups of automorphism group of the structure is an anti-automorphism. These lattices could be infinite in general. We describe the natural class of structures which have upwards completion, that is discretely homogeneous graphs, present the explicit constrcution of their completion and automorphism groups of completions. We establish the general \emph{localness} property of discretely homogeneous graphs and present the examples of completable structures and their completions.

The Seljuks, who came from the Central Asian prairies, invaded Asia Minor towards the end of the 11th century. The land had been settled by then mainly by the Christian Eastern Romans and Armenian peoples. Seljuks were Moslems; they built monumental structures, some of which have survived the natural disasters of several centuries to the present day. Most of these architectural marvels contain extraordinary decorations in the form of ornaments, friezes and rosettes. I have studied periodic ornaments and classified them into 17 mathematical wallpaper groups according to their symmetry properties that reveal their global structure. On the other hand, the local details of the ornaments, the motifs, show a clear variation from simple geometric patterns to complicated and refined forms. Seljuk art was originally influenced by Persian styles, later influenced by the Christian population in Asia Minor, and finally represents the impact of Islamic culture.

The article is devoted to the assessment of the network community as a collective subject, as a group of interconnected and interdependent persons performing joint activities. According to the main research hypothesis, various forms of group subjectness, which determine its readiness for joint activities, are manifested in the discourse of the network community. Discourse constitutes a network community, mediates the interaction of its participants, represents ideas about the world, values, relationships, attitudes, sets patterns of behavior. A procedure is proposed for identifying discernible traces of the subjectness of a network community at various levels (lexical, semantic, content-analytical scales, etc.). The subjective structure of the network community is described based on experts’ implicit representations. The revealed components of the subjectness of network communities are compared with the characteristics of the subjectness of offline social groups. It is shown that the structure of the subjectness of network communities for some components is similar to the structure of the characteristics of the subjectness of offline social groups: the discourse of the network community represents a discussion of joint activities, group norms and values, problems of civic identity. The specificity of network communities’ subjectness is revealed, which is manifested in the positive support of communication within the community, the identification and support of distinction between “us” and “them”. Two models of the relationship between discursive features and the construct “subjectness” are compared: additive-cumulative and additive. The equivalence of models is established based on the discriminativeness and the level of consistency with expert evaluation by external criteria.

A fast algorithm is established to transform points of the unit sphere into fundamental region symmetrically. With the resulting algorithm, a flexible form of invariant mappings is achieved to generate aesthetic patterns with symmetries of the regular polyhedra. This method avoids the order restriction of symmetry groups, which can be similarly extended to treat regular polytopes in n-dimensional space for n>=4.

The aim of this paper is to investigate the amenability modulo an ideal of Banach algebras with emphasis on applications to homological algebras. In doing so, we show that amenability modulo an ideal of A^** implies amenability modulo an ideal of A. Finally, for a large class of semigroups, we prove that l¹(S)^** is amenable modulo Iσ^** if and only if an appropriate group homomorphic image of S is finite where Iσ is the closed ideal induced by the least group congruence σ.

Nursing, a profession known for its compassion and dedication to providing exceptional patient care, relies heavily on the cultivation of caring attributes to uphold the highest standards of practice. Despite the common use of small group work in nursing education, there is a gap in understanding how these caring attributes are developed through this approach. This qualitative study sought to explore the emergence of caring attributes in small group settings as perceived by nursing students and educators. Thirteen nursing students and ten educators participated in semi-structured group interviews at a professional educational institution. The study identified four key sets of caring attributes nurtured through small group work: interpersonal communication with respect, compassion, and empathy; competence and confidence; and accountability to commitment. These findings underscore the essential role of caring in nursing, emphasizing how collaborative group work can facilitate the development of crucial attributes through interpersonal interactions. The cultivation of respectful communication skills among students is highlighted as pivotal for enhancing interactions with healthcare professionals, patients, and families, ultimately improving the quality of care provided. By providing opportunities for interactive learning and ongoing practice, students can effectively embody these caring attributes, fostering their nursing professionalism throughout their careers.

Background: Nanotechnology has emerged as a promising field of study, aiming to revolutionize healthcare through the innovative development of drugs, diagnostic tools, and medical devices. As a result, healthcare professionals in training are constantly faced with the challenge of understanding and applying these emerging technologies. The objective of this study is to determine the factors to consider for including the teaching of nanotechnological tools in medical specialty postgraduate programs. Methods: A study based on the Nominal Group Technique (NGT) was conducted to identify the factors that promote and hinder the implementation of nanotechnology in certain postgraduate programs where nanotechnology is employed, such as Internal Medicine, Critical Care Medicine, Family Medicine, and Clinical Pharmacology at the School of Medicine of Universidad de La Sabana. A framework analysis was used to analyze the collected data. Results: Based on the two research questions, several aspects were identified for the inclusion of nanotechnology in the medical practice of specialties. Key challenges include lack of knowledge and resource availability, misinformation, and lack of knowledge, as well as paradigmatic analysis as the main obstacles to the use of nanotechnology. Conclusions: The findings provide a first-time study on nanotechnology curricula within medical specialty programs in Colombia, with potential extrapolation to similar situations in other medical schools.

The aim of this study is to investigate the impact of delegated monitoring by the group leader and peer monitoring by group members on loan defaults in a group-based lending program in Vietnam. Data used in the study were collected from a questionnaire survey of 675 participants involved in group-based lending program in the Mekong River Delta, Vietnam. The group-based lending program employs a unique monitoring system that involves hiring the group leader to supervise the group and encouraging group members to monitor each other. The empirical findings derived from the Probit model indicated that delegated monitoring significantly reduces loan defaults, but there was no evidence supporting the effectiveness of peer monitoring within the group. Additionally, under the delegated monitoring scheme, group size plays an important role in decreasing loan defaults.

This paper studies the Bondi-Metzner-Sachs group in homogeneous projective coordinates, because it is then possible to write all transformations of such a group in a manifestly linear way. The 2-sphere metric, Bondi-Metzner-Sachs metric, asymptotic Killing vectors, generators of supertranslations, as well as boosts and rotations of Minkowski spacetime, are all re-expressed in homogeneous projective coordinates. Last, the integral curves of vector fields which generate supertranslations are evaluated in detail. This work prepares the ground for more advanced applications of the differential geometry of asymptotically flat spacetimes in projective coordinates.

Wellbeing is a multifaceted concept that involves various facets of human condition and experience, including individual and communal spiritual, emotional, intellectual, physical, and social dimensions. To explore the complex facets of sustainable wellbeing, this study utilized an interpretive qualitative research approach, looking at round table (focus group) discussion data obtained from a diverse group of public and private sector representatives, including education, government, non-governmental organizations, and businesses in Qatar. The purpose of this study was to gain a contextualized understanding of how participants perceive and experience wellbeing. A purposive sampling technique was employed to recruit participants representing different sectors of society. To elicit participants’ perspectives on wellbeing, thematic analysis was used to identify recurring themes and patterns that emerged from the focus groups, viewed through the lens of Bronfenbrenner’ Ecological Systems Theory. Findings reveal that wellbeing is a very personal and subjective experience. Key themes extracted from the data include challenges to sustainable wellbeing in Qatar, including technological disruptions and socio-cultural influences. These challenges require proactive measures that reflect educational priorities, promote cultural preservation, and foster resilient communities while emphasizing individual and collective sustainable wellbeing. This research also identified opportunities for enhancing sustainable wellbeing in Qatar.

The electron of spin −1/2 is a Dirac fermion of a complex four-component spinor field. Though it is effectively addressed by relativistic quantum field theory, an intuitive form of the fermion still remains lacking and it is often described by the so-called Dirac belt trick. In this novel undertaking, the electron is examined within the boundary posed by a recently proposed MP model of a hydrogen atom into 4D space-time. Its transformation to Dirac fermion appears consistent with Dirac belt trick, quantum mechanics and Lie group with gravity considered to be a classical force for an irreducible spinor field. These outcomes are compatible with Dirac field theory and its associated features like wave function collapse, quantized Hamiltonian, non-relativistic wave function, Weyl spinor, Lorentz transformation and Feynman diagrams. The model though speculative, it could become important towards defining the fundamental state of matter subject to further examinations.

There is a deep link existing between symmetry and nature that may be best apprehended by using group theory. In physics, giving a symmetry group is entirely equivalent to fix natural laws (Noether’s theorem). Within such a framework, it follows that all fundamental mechanical laws may be given by defining a group of symmetry operations belonging to the Gal(3,1) symmetry group having ten generators (3 + 3 + 3 + 1 = 10). The move to special relativity amounts simply to substitute another group ISO(3,1) to Gal(3,1) and having the same number of generators. In both cases, one immediately perceives that we live in universe with 3 dimensions of space and 1 dimension of time. A further progress could be made by looking for the symmetry group that leaves Maxwell’s equations invariant. The answer to this fundamental question is the group ISO(4,2)⊗U(2)⊗U(2) characterized by 23 generators : 15 = 10 + 5 for the conformal group ISO(4,2), 4 for U(2) and hence 8 = 4 + 4 for the compact part U(2)⊗U(2) that could be related to the existence of quantum physics besides relativity. As ISO(3,1) is a sub-group of ISO(4,2), the two numbers 4 and 2 suggests that, taking into account the existence of light besides matter, we live in an universe having 4 spacelike dimensions and 2 time-like dimensions. Here, it is proposed that, as music is characterized by a scale-invariant symmetry operation (transposition by octaves) and that as time may be perceived differently in shamanic trance for instance, the two “new” dimensions of our universe may be related to music and consciousness. Related to the fifth dimension of music, the notion of diapason linking physical frequencies to a musical note is revisited. It is thus proposed to adopt a new A4 = 429.62 Hz value based on universal physical constants of our universe and on the mass of the water molecule H₂O, the most abundant molecule in the universe. Demonstration is done that this new diapason is superior to other diapasons based on frequencies of 440 Hz or even 432 Hz

In this study, changes in the microstructure of coal tar pitch during successive processes, including pyrolysis, polycondensation, and crystallization, were examined in connection with the resulting variations in structure factors, as measured by XRD analysis, and functional groups, as confirmed by FTIR spectroscopy. To this end, four zones were defined based on variations in crystallinity, which were indicated by d002 and Lc. Each zone was further characterized by interpreting crystallinity development in relation to changes in functional groups and specimen height. At around 400 °C, polycondensation occurred as the C-Har and C-Hal peaks decreased in intensity. These peak reductions coincided with the formation of mesophase spheres, resulting in enhanced crystallinity. Subsequently, at around 500 °C, the peak intensity of C-H and COOH decreased, which was attributed to the release of large amounts of gasses. This led to sharp volume changes and a temporary reduction in crystallinity. All these results suggest that changes in the functional groups of coal tar pitch at lower temperatures (600 °C or less) during the carbonization process are closely associated with variations in its crystallinity. The major findings of the present study provide valuable insights for designing highly effective processes in the manufacturing of synthetic graphite blocks using CTP as a binder material, including by selecting appropriate temperature ranges to minimize volume expansion and crystallinity degradation and determining the lowest possible carbonization temperature to ensure adequate binder strength.

A fundamentally new synthetic approach to the synthesis of 2-aminopurine has been developed. It consists in the combination of creation of condensed polyazotic heterocyclic tetrazolopyrimidine structure, it’s transformation into triaminopyrimidine and subsequent cyclization into 2-aminopurine. The structure of the obtained compounds was established based on spectral characteristics and intermediate 5 directly by X-ray diffraction analysis.

We explore the use of industrial sources of silicon and surfactant for obtaining low-cost MCM-41 materials and evaluate their performance as CO₂ adsorbents. All of them presented a high specific surface area with different structural characteristics and textural properties. The template was removed by using thermal treatments in an air atmosphere or a washing process. Preservation of silanol groups proved to be more effective under washing or mild thermal treatment conditions with the advantage of their lower cost and environmental benefit. Surface reactivity against CO₂ was enhanced by anchoring APTS to silanol groups through wet grafting. All amino-functionalized materials showed a performance as CO₂ adsorbents comparable to those reported in the literature. Samples with a higher concentration of silanol groups showed better performance. Our studies indicate that adsorbed CO₂ is retained at least up to 50°C, and the presence of aminopropyl groups is a key issue in CO₂ chemisorption on the MCM-41 surface. The chemisorbed gas at very low pressures points to the potential use of these materials for CO₂ storage.

This article shows how to establish expansion formulas for calculating the mixed operations $(A^{\dag})^{\#}$, $(A^{\#})^{\dag}$, $((A^{\dag})^{\#})^{\dag}$, $((A^{\#})^{\dag})^{\#}$, $\ldots$ of generalized inverses, where $(\cdot)^{\dag}$ denotes the Moore--Penrose inverse of a matrix and $(\cdot)^{\#}$ denotes the group inverse of a square matrix. As applications of the formulas obtained, the author constructs and classifies some groups of matrix equalities involving the above mixed operations, and derives necessary and sufficient conditions for them to hold.

The United Nations Organization in its agenda for 2023 approved Health and Well-being as one of the objectives of sustainable development, in this sense, Higher Education Insti-tutions contribute with interventions to improve each human process that generates a healthy life. In Latin America as well as in European countries, studies have been con-ducted to observe psychological well-being at this stage of life. The present study analyzes in a longitudinal way the psychological well-being in three times in people who attend group dynamics programs. The sample is 668 participants, with an age range between 65 and 80 years. The sample has been distributed in two analysis groups controlling for gender and age: group 1 (with group dynamics) and group 2 (without group dynamics). The Spanish adaptation of Ryff's (2006) Psychological Well-being scale α= 0.87 was ap-plied to both groups. The scale is composed of six dimensions of psychological well-being (self-acceptance, positive relationships, autonomy, mastery of the environment, purpose in life and personal growth). Statistical analyses showed significant differences between the two groups: greater psychological well-being and differences in the dimensions of positive relationships and personal growth in group 1. In addition, logistic regression analysis was carried out to test the predictive capacity of psychological well-being by the existence or not of group dynamics, with significant results in several dimensions. With the results obtained, we can conclude that group dynamics have a relevant role in con-tributing to the development of better levels of psychological well-being of the elderly with longitudinal increase in time. Future studies should be aimed at evaluating the value of group dynamics in the way of successful aging.

The concept of artisanal products has been largely discussed mainly due to concerns about the inappropriate use of the term that may cause confusion for the consumers. Cheeses are important food models to evaluate consumers’ and producers’ perception about artisanal foods worldwide. Thus, the objective of the present study was to evaluate the perception of consumers and cheesemakers towards artisan foods, focusing on artisanal cheeses. For this purpose, two focus group were performed either with cheese producers and with consumers to discuss the topic. Colonial and Serrano cheeses, traditional and cultural dairy products in Brazil, were used as food model for the discussion. Producers and consumers related artisan foods to small scale of production, handicraft and freshness. Affective memories were also an important issue related to artisanal cheeses. For cheesemakers, artisan cheeses must be produced with unpasteurized milk, which was not cited by consumers. Consumers disclosed the intention of pay a premium price for food products that present artisan seals on front-package-label, mainly due to the guarantee of acquiring a quality product. The confusion about artisanal and traditional food concepts were observed, which is a subject to be deeply evaluated further. The findings provide useful implications to policy makers and institutions that can influence citizens’ attitudes and consumption patterns of artisanal products.

Owners and managers of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have changed their perspective on risk management due to the current global negative threats in the business environment. If they want to be successful and ensure the financial performance of their business, they must accept a proactive approach to reducing strategic risks in connection with operational risks. The aim of the article is to identify and quantify the differences in operational risk management and its effect on the financial management of SMEs between four Central European countries. The statistical sample of SMEs consisted of 1,090 owners and top managers. Data collection was carried out through a questionnaire in the period December 2022-January 2023. Statistical hypotheses were evaluated with the application of correlation analysis and linear regression modelling. Empirical findings have confirmed that operational risk management has a significant positive impact on improving the profitability of the enterprise; on reducing the enterprise's indebtedness as well as in the context of reducing the enterprise's inability to pay its obligations. However, there are disparities in the perception of this influence between owners/managers with regard to the country in which they carry out their business activities. The findings are important for both national and multinational organizations and entities dealing with risk management in the business environment of small and medium-sized enterprises.

The ABCDEFG Protocol provides an evolving tool for imposing structure on the flow of Covid infection information obtained from community testing, collective policy and individual compliance. ABCDEFG Protocol could not assume soundness, invariance, symmetry and completeness of the available information and relied on signaling game theory to design solutions that could evolve with the variable narratives, theories, individual utilities and pathogen variants. Thus, ABCDEFG Protocol suggests a novel and a very flexible pool-testing and badging protocol in the context of controlling contagious epidemics and tackling the far-reaching associated challenges, including understanding and evaluating individual and collective risks of returning prior infected individuals to normal society and other economic and social arrangements and interventions to protect against disease. AbCDEFG Proto uses both control theoretic and game theoretic mathematical models that may be centralized (an optimizing policy maker mandates behavior based on estimated models) or decentralized (a strategizing individual selects their behavior based on available asymmetric information). ABCDEFG protocol demonstrates how society can continue to carry out plausible economic activities in addition to controlling the prevalence of a contagious disease by keeping the number of infected people below a desired limit without compromising an individuals' privacy despite the presence of deception and selfishness among people, and limitations of available resources. Different types of badges would come with different restrictions. Badges would be reissued periodically by third-party testing centers via suitably frequent pool testing of samples of the participants. The size of the pools, frequency of tests, and allowable activities for people with a given type of badge would depend on the available resources, the prevalence of the disease, and the efficacy of the equipment used in the tests.

We provide a detailed presentation of the functional renormalisation group (FRG) approach to weakly-interacting Bose-Bose mixtures, including a complete discussion on the RG equations. To test this approach, we examine thermodynamic properties of balanced three-dimensional Bose-Bose gases at zero and finite temperatures and find a good agreement with related works. We also study ground-state energies of repulsive Bose polarons by examining mixtures in the limit of infinite population imbalance. Finally, we discuss future applications of the FRG to novel problems in Bose-Bose mixtures and related systems.

The dynamical processes of living systems are characterized by the cooperative interaction of many units. This claim enables us to portray the embryo-fetal development of the central and peripheral nervous systems in terms of assemblies of building blocks. We describe how the structure and arrangement of nervous fibers is - at least partially - dictated by biophysical and topological constraints. The far-flung field of soft-matter polymers/nematic colloids sheds new light on the neurulation in mammalian embryos, suggesting an intriguing testable hypothesis: the development of the central and peripheral nervous systems might be correlated with the occurrence of local thermal changes in embryo-fetal tissues. Further, we show a correlation between the fullerene-like arrangement of the cortical microcolumns and the Frank-Kasper phases of artificial quasicrystals assemblies. The last, but not the least, we explain how and why the multisynaptic ascending nervous fibers connecting the peripheral receptors to the neocortical areas can be viewed as the real counterpart of mathematical tools such as knot theory and braid groups. Their group structure and generator operations point towards a novel approach to long-standing questions concerning human sensation and perception, leading to the suggestion that the very arrangement and intermingling of the peripheral nervous fibers contributes to the cortical brain activity. In touch with the old claims of D’Arcy Thompson, we conclude that the arrangement and the pattern make the function in a variety of biological instances, leading to countless testable hypotheses.

The study describes in this paper uses direct evidence from processes applied for the developing economy of Indonesia, as it defines the trajectory for its future energy policy and energy research agenda. The paper makes explicit the process undertaken by key stakeholders in assessing and determining the suitability, feasibility and dynamics of the renewable energy sector. Barriers and enablers that key in selecting the most suitable renewable energy sources for developing economies for the renewable energy development have been identified from extensive analyses of research documents alongside qualitative data from the focus group discussions (FGD). The selected FGD participants encompass the collective views that cut across the political, economic, social, technological, legal and environmental aspects of renewable energy development in Indonesia. The information gained from the FGD gives insights to the outlook and challenges that are central to energy transition within the country, alongside the perceptions of renewable energy development from the influential stakeholders contributing to the process. It is notable that the biggest barriers to transition are centred on planning and implementation aspects, as it is also evident that many in the community do not adhere to the same vision.

To improve water injection effect, microemulsions (MEs) were used to wet coal seam compared with water and sodium dodecyl sulfate solution (SDS). Wetting effects were characterized by contact angle, X-ray diffraction, Fourier infrared spectroscopy. The results showed that the microemulsion has better spreadability on coal surface and has stronger wettability for coals of different ranks and different particle sizes than traditional wetting agents. The W/O type microemulsion is more affinity to coal than the O/W type and the bicontinuous type.Oxygen and hydrogen contents contributed to wetting. Different wetting agents have the greatest impact on the oxygen-containing functional group absorption zone of coal, but have little impact on the change of clay mineral composition.As the content of quartz increased, the content of montmorillonite was decreased, and the hydrophilicity of coal was increased. This research proposes new ideas for solving coal dust problems and reducing coal mine disasters.

By using a systems biological perspective and available literature on human social interaction, grouping, and cohesiveness, a new coherent model is proposed that integrates existing social integration and neurobiological research into a theoretical neurobiological framework of personality and social interaction. This model allows for the coherent analysis of complex social systems and interactions within them, and proposes a framework for estimating group cohesiveness and evaluating group structures in order to build and organize optimized social groups. This „Neurobiological-Associative“ model proposes two primary feedback loops, with environmental conditioning (learning) being sorted into an associative model that modulates interaction with the social environment, and which impacts the second feedback loop involving the individuals' neurobiological capacity. In this paper, the concept of neurobiological capacity is developed and based upon contemporary research on intelligence, personality, and social behavior with a focus on the oxytocin, serotonin, and dopamine systems. The basis of social exclusion and group structure is thus, expressed in the very most simple terms, neurobiological compatibility and risk assessment modulated by an internal associative model.

In the coming years, the Anthropocene Working Group (AWG) will submit its proposal on the ‘Anthropocene’ as a new geological epoch to the International Commission on Stratigraphy (ICS) for approval. If approved, the proposal will be send to the International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS) for ratification. If the proposal is approved and ratified, the ‘Anthropocene’ will be formalised and the Holocene Series/Epoch will be officially terminated. Currently, the ‘Anthropocene’ is a broadly used term and concept in a wide range of scientific and non-scientific situations and, for many, the official acceptance of this term is only a matter of time. However, the AWG proposal, in its present state, seems to not fully meet the ICS requirements for a new geological epoch. This paper asks what could happen if the current ‘Anthropocene’ proposal is not formalised by the ICS/IUGS. The possible stratigraphic alternatives are evaluated on the basis of the more recent literature and the personal opinions of distinguished AWG and ICS members. The eventual impact on environmental sciences and on non-scientific sectors, where the ‘Anthropocene’ seems already firmly rooted and de facto accepted as a new geological epoch, are also discussed.

An immiscible blend of poly(hydroxy ether of bisphenol-A) (phenoxy) and poly(1,4-butylene terephthalate) (PBT) with phase separation was observed in as-blended samples. However, compatibilization of the phenoxy/PBT blends can be promoted through chemical exchange reactions of phenoxy with PBT upon annealing. In contrast to the as-blended samples, the annealed phenoxy/PBT blends had a homogeneous phase with a single T_g that could be enhanced by annealing at 260°C. Infrared (IR) spectroscopy demonstrated that phase homogenization could be promoted by annealing of the phenoxy/PBT blend, where alcoholytic exchange occurred between the dangling hydroxyl group in phenoxy and the carbonyl group in PBT in the heated blends. The alcoholysis reaction changes the aromatic linkages to aliphatic linkages in carbonyl groups, which initially led to the formation of a graft copolymer of phenoxy and PBT with an aliphatic/aliphatic carbonyl link. The progressive alcoholysis reaction resulted in the transformation of the initial homopolymers into block copolymers and finally into random copolymers, which promoted phase compatibilization in blends of phenoxy with PBT. Due to the fact that the amount of copolymers increased upon annealing, crystallization of PBT was inhibited by alcoholytic exchange in the blends.

A numerical application of linear-molecule symmetry properties, described by the D_∞h point group, is formulated in terms of lower-order symmetry groups D_nh with finite n. Character tables and irreducible representation transformation matrices are presented for D_nh groups with arbitrary n-values. These groups are subsequently used in the construction of symmetry-adapted ro-vibrational basis functions for solving the Schrödinger equations of linear molecules as part of the variational nuclear motion program TROVE. The TROVE symmetrisation procedure is based on a set of "reduced" vibrational eigenvalue problems with simplified Hamiltonians. The solutions of these eigenvalue problems have now been extended to include the classification of basis-set functions using ℓ, the eigenvalue (in units of ℏ) of the vibrational angular momentum operator ${\widehat{L}}_z$ . This facilitates the symmetry adaptation of the basis set functions in terms of the irreducible representations of D_nh. ¹²C₂H₂ is used as an example of a linear molecule of D_∞h point group symmetry to illustrate the symmetrisation procedure.

We explore the relationship between the exact renormalization group (RG) equation and quantum mechanics. The central idea is to rewrite the exact Wilsonian RG equation as a Schrödinger-type equation, opening avenues for analysis. By introducing a functional transformation, the RG equation takes on a form analogous to a quantum mechanical Schrödinger equation. The study investigates solutions to this equation and draws parallels with quantum mechanics, paving the way for understanding the infrared behavior of quantum field theories. Furthermore, we extends its insights to a one-dimensional toy model, providing illustrative examples. The discussion encompasses the implications of these findings in multiple dimensions and quantum field theory, with a brief exploration of their relevance in the context of inflationary cosmology.

Traditional mining activities in Zaruma-Portovelo (SE Ecuador) have led to high concentrations of pollutants in the Puyango River due to acid mine drainage (AMD) from abandoned waste. Dispersed Alkaline Substrate (DAS) passive treatment systems have shown efficacy in neutralizing acidity and retaining metals and sulfates in acidic waters, achieving near 100% retention for Fe, Al, and Cu, over 70% for trace elements, and 25% for SO₄²⁻. However, significant solid residues are generated, requiring proper geochemical and mineralogical understanding for management. This study investigates the fractionation of elements in AMD precipitates. Results indicate that trivalent metals (Fe, Al) form low-crystallinity oxyhydroxysulfate minerals such as schwertmannite and jarosite, which retain elements like As, Cr, Cu, Pb, and Zn through adsorption-coprecipitation. Sulfate removal occurs via salts like coquimbite and gypsum. Divalent metals are primarily removed through carbonate and bicarbonate phases, with minerals such as azurite, malachite, rhodochrosite, and calcite. Despite the effectiveness of DAS, leachates from the precipitates exceed regulatory thresholds for aquatic life protection, classifying them as hazardous and posing environmental risks. However, these residues offer opportunities for the recovery of valuable metals.

Scholars in the field of environmental economics have extensively examined the relationship between foreign direct investment (FDI) and economic growth. However, they have often failed to consider the crucial roles played by technological innovation and financial development in determining environmental costs. The rapid economic growth and urbanization witnessed in BRICS countries have led to a substantial increase in energy demands, resulting in significant environmental degradation. This study aims to investigate the impact of financial development (including measures such as broad money, domestic credit to the private sector, FDI, and green technological innovation) on carbon emissions in BRICS countries using data from 2001 to 2023. The results of the study demonstrate a strong cross-sectional dependence among the countries in the panel. The Augmented Mean Group (AMG) estimator reveals a negative and statistically significant long-term relationship between broad money, FDI, green technological innovation, and CO2 emissions. On the other hand, domestic credit to the private sector shows a positive and significant association with carbon emissions. To determine the direction of causality, the study utilizes the Dumitrescu and Hurlin panel causality test. The findings indicate a non-directional long-term causality between financial development and CO2 emissions. However, a unidirectional causality is observed between green technological innovation and carbon emissions. Based on these findings, the study suggests that the development of industries, financial institutions, and technological innovation is crucial for attracting high-quality FDI in BRICS countries. However, it also highlights the significant contribution of these developments to environmental degradation, necessitating urgent policy responses.

It is vital to analyze ship collision risk for preventing collisions and improving safety at sea. This paper takes Ningbo-Zhoushan Port, a typical complex navigable water, as the research object, propose a probabilistic conflict detection method to estimate the potential collision risk by using a dynamic domain model driven by AIS data. Combined with the algorithm of fast modularity optimization and spectral clustering, a ship group extraction method from the perspective of water navigation management was proposed. Aiming at ship traffic characteristics in complex navigable waters, conduct dynamic calculation of ship collision risk from individual, regional and local multi-scale perspectives. The results show that the proposed method can detect the collision risk in a timely, reliable and effective manner under complex dynamic conditions. As such, they provide valuable insights for ship collision risk prediction and the development of risk mitigation measures.

A Europe-wide outbreak of invasive pediatric Group a streptococcal infections (iGAS) began in fall 2022. Here we report the evolution of GAS hospitalizations in children and adolescents during the second outbreak year in 2023-2024 at a tertiary center in Switzerland. Using prospective monitoring of all in-patient GAS cases below 16 years of age including those with iGAS, we compared case frequencies and clinical characteristics in three time periods (2013-2020; 2022-2023; 2023-2024). Annual GAS hospitalizations increased from a median of 25 case (range 11-28) in 2013-2020 to 89 and 63 cases, respectively, in 2022-2023 and 2023-2024. iGAS cases evolved similarly (2013-2020, 4 cases (3-8); 2022-2023, 32 cases; 2023-2024, 21 cases). The decline in cases from 2022-2023 to 2023-2024 included all types of GAS organ involvement except suppurative infections in the head area, which remained largely unchanged (48 vs. 45 cases). Pleural empyema declined from 13 to 7 cases, possibly explained by a poor overlap of the GAS and influenza curves, respectively, in 2023-2024 compared to 2022-2023. These data document the prolongation of the GAS outbreak into its second winter season in 2023-2024, however with a decline of iGAS, pleural empyema, skin and soft tissue infection and infections of bone, joint and muscle.

Innovative urban farming plays a vital role in enhancing food security, nutrition, livelihood resilience, and environmental sustainability in Sub-Saharan African cities. Despite this, agricultural policy and extension services have largely ignored urban contexts. Recently, national and international initiatives have started addressing this oversight by promoting circular innovations in urban food systems. To boost productivity, it is crucial to understand the challenges, opportunities, and prospects associated with innovative urban farming. Therefore, exploratory qualitative research, specifically focus group discussions, was conducted in Alimosho Local Government Area of Lagos, Nigeria, to gather the perspectives of various stakeholders. The analysis, using mind maps and a consensus index, compared views from private urban farming practitioners and local public sector representatives. Urban farmers see significant potential in innovative technologies such as hydroponics, aquaponics, recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS), drip irrigation, sack farming, and waste upcycling to improve productivity. However, they express frustration over the lack of public sector support for embracing these circular innovations. Conversely, public sector representatives cite urban farmers' behavioral and educational shortcomings, particularly their lack of internal coordination and commitment to adopting innovations. These discrepancies underscore the complex interactions between urban farmers and local public agricultural policymakers and extension agents. The study highlights the need for fundamental changes in both public and private sectors to address the challenges in urban farming innovations. Establishing local-level dialogues, as demonstrated in this study, can provide valuable insights for developing urban farming and policy in Sub-Saharan Africa.

The innovativeness of nongovernmental organisations, the basic institutions of civil society, is conditioned, among other things, by the endogenous potential of agency of the entities operating within them. The article attempts to answer two research questions regarding the above-mentioned issues: (1) how individual components of binding and bridging social capital (in the area of trust, norms and connections) determine innovative activity in a state of morphostasis, i.e. structural and cultural continuity, selected Silesian NGOs. (2) What type of reflexivity and the related nature of agency of the members of the NGOs surveyed dominates when undertaking innovative activities? At the theoretical level, the study was based on the concept of three components of social capital by James S. Coleman and the assumptions of Margaret Archer's morphogenetic theory of structure and agency, in particular, the types of reflexivity as a factor conditioning social agency. Based on them and using qualitative analysis of data obtained during focus group interviews (FGI) and SWOT questionnaires of surveyed organisations, a diagnosis of intraorganisational barriers to innovation was made. The Atlas.ti computer programme was used. This method allows for the examination of structural elements, cultural features of a given organisation, and the capabilities of individual entities. The dominance of bonding social capital components over bridging social capital components was noted (mainly in the dimension of trust), as the basic bond connecting members of the NGOs studied. It was accompanied by a communicative type of reflexivity of the respondents, with the aim of maintaining the existing organisational and social status quo. These key socio-cultural factors determine the morphostatic nature of the organisations studied, i.e., their focus on maintaining the organisational status quo. Such contexts petrify the existing power structure, but also the level of social tensions and distances, and limit the innovation potential.

The aim of the article is to verify differences in the perception of selected factors of sustainability among small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Central Europe. The subjects of analysis are factors such as corporate social responsibility (CSR), business risk sources (market, financial, personnel, and operational), reputation and social media, national support, social changes, and crisis events in business. The questionnaire was completed by 1,090 SMEs from the business environments of Visegrad Group countries. Statistical hypotheses were verified using Z-scores for two population properties. The most negatively perceived factors among owners and managers in the SME segment are national support and legislative changes. The most positively perceived factor is reputation and social media. The country of doing business is a significant factor. The perception of crisis events in business is most negative among Czech SMEs. More than 80% of Hungarian SMEs perceive their companies as sustainable. In comparison with Slovak and Polish SMEs, Hungarian perceptions are more positive in the context of sustainability. The country of doing business is the strongest factor in evaluating CSR indicators. The positive perception of CSR in Czech SMEs (43.9%) is lower than in other countries.

This paper investigates the relationship between public debt and economic growth in the context of a panel kink regression with latent group structures. The proposed model allows us to explore the heterogeneous threshold effects of public debt on economic growth based on unknown group patterns. We propose a least squares estimator and demonstrate the consistency of estimating group structures. The finite sample performance of the proposed estimator is evaluated by simulations. Our findings reveal that the nonlinear relationship between public debt and economic growth is characterized by a heterogeneous threshold level, which varies among different groups, and highlight that the mixed results found in previous studies may stem from the assumption of a homogeneous threshold effect.

In this paper we present textural and compositional data for columbite group minerals (CGM) and associated Nb-Ta-Sn oxides from lithium-beryllium-tantalum pegmatite deposits of the Kolmozero-Voronja belt, NW Russia, with the aim of deciphering the above mentioned features for minerals from deposits with different mineral signatures and lithium ore grade. Minerals from four deposits, including two of world-class (Kolmozero and Polmostundra), are examined. It is shown that the main controlling factors are the diversity and rate of magmatic fractionation, hydrothermal overprint and mineral paragenesis followed from the specific geochemical signature of the different pegmatite deposits. CGM from Kolmozero include several mineral species (columbite-(Fe), columbite-(Mn), tantalite-(Fe), tantalite-(Mn)) showing large compositional variations, mainly controlled by Nb-Ta fractionation (Ta/(Ta+Nb) = 0.16-0.70; Mn/(Mn + Fe) = 0.45-0.63). Textural patterns are extremely various (oscillatory, homogeneous, patchy, spongy, somewhere with over-growing Ta-rich rims) and indicate the involvement of numerous magmatic and hydrothermal processes. The Polmostundra CGM are represented by columbite-(Fe) with Ta/(Ta+Nb) ranging from 0.05 to 0.39 with homogeneous, mottled, oscillatory, patchy and irregular reverse textures. The Okhmylk CGM are irregular normal, patchy and homogeneous columbite-(Fe) and columbite-(Mn) with Ta/(Ta+Nb) = 0.09-0.24 and Mn/(Mn + Fe) = 0.29-0.92, indicating the suppressed magmatic fractionation and iron drop due to precipitation of Fe minerals. Columbite-(Fe) and columbite-(Mn) from the Be-Ta Shongui deposit are less evolved with Ta/(Ta+Nb) = 0.07-0.23 and Mn/(Mn + Fe) = 0.31-0.55. The minerals are characterized by progressive normal, oscillatory, homogeneous and ir-regular reverse patterns. Associated pyrochlore minerals occur both as early magmatic (Kolmozero) and late hydrothermal (Polmostundra, Okhmylk). Cassiterite is found only in the Okhmylk dykes and is apparently of hydrothermal origin. CGM from Li pegmatites have impurities of Ti (0.01-0.05 apfu) and W (up to 0.02 apfu), whereas CGM from Be pegmatites contains elevated Ti (up to 0.09 apfu). The mineral systems analysis presented here is relevant for exploration.

Scavenging of atmospheric trace gases has been recognized as one of the lifestyle-defining capabilities of microorganisms in terrestrial polar ecosystems. Several metagenome-assembled genomes of as-yet-uncultivated methanotrophic bacteria, which consume atmospheric CH4 in these ecosystems, have been retrieved in cultivation-independent studies. In this study, we isolated and characterized a representative of these methanotrophs, strain D3K7, from a subarctic soil of Northern Russia. Strain D3K7 grows on methane and methanol in a wide range of temperatures, between 5 and 30°C. Weak growth was also observed on acetate. The presence of acetate in the culture medium stimulated growth at low CH4 concentrations (~100 p.p.m.v.). The finished genome sequence of strain D3K7 is 4.15 Mb in size and contains about 3700 protein-encoding genes. According to the result of phylogenomic analysis, this bacterium forms a common clade with metagenome-assembled genomes obtained from the active layer of a permafrost thaw gradient in Stordalen Mire, Abisco, Sweeden, and the mineral cryosol at Axel Heiberg Island in the Canadian high Arctic. This clade occupies a phylogenetic position in between characterized Methylocapsa methanotrophs and representatives of the as-yet-uncultivated Upland Soil Cluster Alpha (USCα). As shown by the global distribution analysis, D3K7-like methanotrophs colonize mostly northern terrestrial ecosystems, such as polar deserts, subarctic soils, permafrost environments, but also occur in boreal peatlands or high-latitude habitats.

Introduction: Determination of radiological bone age (BA) is a diagnostic method that consists of estimating chronological age (CA) from the bone maturation of children. Although environmental and hormonal factors can interfere with bone ossification, the process is essentially dependent on ancestral inheritance. These ethnic backgrounds are not usually considered, which can lead to biased interpretations and inadequate decision-making by pediatricians or forensic experts. The objective of this study was to determine the precision and accuracy of these radiological procedures among different ethnic groups. Methods: A qualitative systematic review carried out following MOOSE statement and previously registered in the International Prospective Registry of Systematic Reviews PROSPERO (CRD42023449512). Search was performed in MEDLINE (PubMed) (n=561), Cochrane Library (n=261), CINAHL (n=103), Web of Science (WOS) (n=181) and public institutional repositories (n=37) from inception to 31st December 2022 using Mesh as “Diagnostic Techniques and Procedures”, “Diagnostic imaging”, “Radiography”, “Age Determination by Skeleton” and free terms combining with booleans “AND” and “OR”. PEDro scale, and Risk of Bias in non-randomized Studies of Exposure (ROBINS-E) were used to assess methodological quality and risk of bias of included studies respectively. Results: 51 articles (n=19,531) were included according to the inclusion criteria previously established. There was a good to moderate methodological quality and a high to very high risk of bias. Skeletal methods for determining BA were precised in terms of intra-observer and inter-observer reliability in all ethnic groups. Regarding to accuracy of Skeletal methods in Caucasians and Hispanic children, GPA was accurate at all ages, but in youths, TW3 RUS could be a consistent alternative. In Asian and Arab, GPA and TW3 overestimated BA in adolescents near adulthood. In African youths, GPA overestimated BA while TW3 was more accurate in estimating CA. Dental and Cervical radiographic methods are equally precise but lesser accurate than Skeletal BA determination. Conclusion: Skeletal radiographic methods GPA and TW3 are both precise for BA determination among all ethnical groups, but their accuracy in estimating CA can be altered by racial bias.

The role of geodata technologies in humanitarian action is arguably indispensable in determining when, where and who needs aid before, during and after a disaster. However, despite the advantages of using geodata technologies in humanitarianism (i.e., fast and efficient aid distribution), several ethical challenges arise including privacy. The focus has been on individual privacy, however, in this article we focus on group privacy whose debates has recently gained attention. We approach privacy through the lens of informational harms that undermine autonomy of groups and control of knowledge over them. Using demographically identifiable information (DII) as a definition for groups, we first assess how these are derived from geodata types used in humanitarian DRRM. Secondly, we discuss four informational harm threat models: (i) biases from missing/underrepresented categories, (ii) the mosaic effect – unintentional sensitive knowledge discovery from combining disparate datasets, (iii) misuse of data (whether it is shared or not); and (iv) cost-benefit analysis (cost of protection vs. risk of misuse). Lastly, borrowing from triage in emergency medicine, we propose a geodata triage as a possible method for practitioners to identify, prioritize, and mitigate these four group privacy harms.

Alberta Cancer Exercise (ACE) is an exercise oncology program that transitioned from in-person to online delivery during COVID-19. The purpose of this work was to understand participants’ experiences in both delivery modes. Specifically, survivors' exercise facilitators and barriers, delivery mode preference, and experience with program elements targeting behaviour change were gathered. A retrospective cohort design using explanatory sequential mixed methods was used. 57 participants completed a survey, and 19 subsequent, optional interviews were conducted. Most participants indicated preferring in-person programs (58%), followed by online (32%), and no preference (10%). There were significantly fewer barriers (i.e., commute time) (p<0.01), but also fewer facilitators (i.e., social support) (p<0.01), to exercising online. Four themes were generated from the qualitative data surrounding participant experiences in both delivery modes. Key differences in barriers and facilitators highlighted a more convenient experience online relative to a more socially supportive environment in-person. For future work that includes solely online, focusing on building social support and a sense of community will be critical to optimizing program benefits. Beyond the COVID-19 pandemic, results of this research will remain relevant as we aim to increase the reach of online exercise oncology programming to more underserved populations of individuals living with cancer.

We derive the stabiliser group of the four-vector, also known as Wigner’s little group, in case of massless particle states, as the maximal solvable subgroup of the proper orthochronous Lorentz group of dimension four, known as the Borel subgroup. In the absence of mass, particle states are disentangled into left and right handed chiral states, governed by the maximal solvable subgroups sol2± of order two. Induced Lorentz transformations are constructed and applied to general representations of particle states. Finally, it is argued how the spin-flip contribution is closely related to the occurrence of nonphysical spin operators.

In light of Liu \emph{at el.}'s original works, this paper revisits the solution of Burgers's nonlinear equation $u_t=a(u_x)^2+bu_{xx} $. The study found two exact and explicit solutions for groups $G_4$ and $G_6$, as well as a general solution. A numerical simulation is carried out. In the appendix a Maple code is provided

In the field of 18F-chemistry for the development of radiopharmaceuticals for positron emission tomography (PET), various labeling strategies by the use of prosthetic groups have been im-plemented, including chemoselective 18F-labeling of biomolecules. Among those, chemoselec-tive 18F-fluoroglycosylation methods focus on the sweetening of pharmaceutical radiochemistry by offering a highly valuable tool for the synthesis of 18F-glycoconjugates with suitable in vivo properties for PET imaging studies. A previous review covered the various 18F-fluoroglycosylation methods that have been developed and applied as of 2014 [Maschauer and Prante, BioMed. Res. Int. 2014, 214748]. This paper is an updated review, providing the recent progress in 18F-fluoroglycosylation reactions and the preclinical application of 18F-glycoconjugates, including small molecules, peptides, and high-molecular-weight proteins.

The emergence of multi-drug resistant E. coli is an important matter of increasing considerable concern to global public health. The aim of this study was to investigate the incidence, antibiotic resistance pattern, phylogroups and genetic variation of E. coli isolates from raw milk, vegetable salad and ground meat samples. Methods: Culture-based techniques, Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion susceptibility testing, PCR and RAPD assays were used to determine the incidence rate, antimicrobial resistance pattern, phylogenetic groups and genetic diversity of the E. coli isolates. Results: E. coli isolates were highly resistant to amoxicillin (79.16%), trime-thoprim-sulfamethoxazole (70.83%), amoxicillin-clavulanic acid (62.50%), tetracycline (54.16%), chloramphenicol (54.16%), nitrofurantoin (54.16%), ampicillin (45.83%), streptomycin (45.83%), and kanamycin (33.33%); and completely susceptible to norfloxacin and azithromycin. 70.83% of the isolates were multi-drug resistant. Most E. coli isolates (46%) belonged to phylogroup A. RAPD with UBC245 primer categorized the isolates into 11 clusters. A high level of genetic di-versity was found among the isolates; however, 33.3% of the isolates were grouped in a major cluster (R5). Conclusions: Antibiotic resistance patterns are randomly distributed among the ge-netic clusters. Novel, practical, efficient food safety control and surveillance systems of multi-drug resistant foodborne pathogens are required to control the foodborne pathogen contamina-tion.

Discriminatory attitudes towards people living with HIV/AIDS are prevalent. A Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS report (2019) indicated that more than 50% of the people surveyed in one of the studies spanning 26 countries expressed unfavorable attitudes towards HIV-positive people. The objective of this study was to assess the attitudes of senior Education Studies students at a university in Spain towards people with HIV/AIDS so as to propose specific educational interventions. The study employed a quantitative methodological approach; a questionnaire with a 14-item attitude score served as the analytical instrument. The study sample comprised 613 students from the School of Education at the University of Huelva, Spain. The results showed that more than 50% of the School’s senior students had discriminatory attitudes towards HIV-positive people, some of whom were fellow classmates. This study proposes several formative approaches to reducing the stigma suffered by HIV-positive people, while also improving senior students’ skills and capabilities in the field of health promotion.

We consider a four-dimensional Riemannian manifold M with an additional structure S, whose fourth power is minus identity. In a local coordinate system the components of the metric g and the structure S form skew-circulant matrices. Both structures S and g are compatible, such that an isometry is induced in every tangent space of M. By a special identity for the curvature tensor, generated by the Riemannian connection of g, we determine classes of Einstein and almost Einstein manifolds. For such manifolds we obtain propositions for the sectional curvatures of some characteristic 2-planes in a tangent space of M. We consider a Hermitian manifold associated with the studied manifold and find conditions for g, under which it is a K\"{a}hler manifold. We construct some examples of the considered manifolds on Lie groups.