bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Development of a one-step reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction assay for the detection of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus
Authors: Chae Hansong , Roh Hyun Soo , Jo Young Mi , Kim Won Gyeong , Chae Jeong Byoung , Shin Seung-Uk , Kang Jung Won
Published: October 2023

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) caused by PRRS virus (PRRSV) is an important disease that severely affects the swine industry and, therefore, warrants rapid and accurate diagnosis for its control. Despite the progress in developing diagnostic tools, including polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based methods such as reverse transcription quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) to diagnose PRRSV infection, its diagnosis at the genetic level is challenging because of its high genetic variability. Nevertheless, RT-qPCR is the easiest and fastest method for diagnosing PRRSV. Therefore, this study aimed to develop an RT-qPCR assay for rapid and accurate diagnosis of PRRSV by encompassing all publicly available PRRSV sequences. The developed assay using highly specific primers and probes could detect up to 10 copies of PRRSV-1 and -2 subtypes. Furthermore, a comparison of the performance of the developed assay with those of two commercial kits widely used in South Korea demonstrated the higher efficiency of the developed assay in detecting PRRSV infections in field samples. For PRRSV-1 detection, the developed assay showed a diagnostic agreement of 97.7% with the results of ORF5 sequencing, while for commercial kits, it showed 95.3% and 72.1% agreement. For PRRSV-2, the developed assay showed a diagnostic agreement of 97.7%, whereas the commercial kits showed 93% and 90.7% agreement. In conclusion, we developed an assay with higher accuracy than those of the tested commercial kits, which will contribute markedly to global PRRSV control.
Youth-powered or empowered: How self-determination theory can help us better understand youth media dynamics with adult facilitators during the pandemic
Authors: Friesem Yonty , Duff Charlotte , Sloane-Hendricks Teena
Published: October 2023

Youth media literature celebrates youth voice but rarely discusses the power dynamics between adult mentors and youth. This case study explores these power dynamics in cultivating trust between teenagers creating community media and their adult mentors on Chicago’s South Side. The authors identified three self-determination themes relating to these power dynamics between the youth and adults in the production process during the COVID-19 pandemic: (1) generating routines to foster a sense of competency; (2) having a sense of belonging by creating caring interactions; (3) allowing participants to voice their opinion to increase their sense of autonomy. Being Black teenagers in the middle of the pandemic along with the social unrest was challenging. Creating their own media for a specific target audience in their community, instead of a cable TV channel, supported the youth’s sense of power to come intrinsically and not from the adult facilitators.
Public Opinion on Lethal Violence against Women in Mexico
Authors: Barba Daniela , Lupu Noam , Zechmeister Elizabeth
Published: October 2023

While structural factors help explain the supply of impunity for the murder of women in Latin America, we know less about how much citizens demand stronger responses to cases of lethal violence against women (VAW). What social norms prevail for punishing lethal VAW? What do citizens expect of the state's response? We investigate these questions in Mexico, using a conjoint experiment embedded in a national survey. We causally estimate the degree to which citizens have egalitarian or discriminatory views regarding the deservingness of justice for homicide victims who are women (vs. men). We find a mismatch between the judiciary’s shortcomings regarding VAW and public opinion: citizens expect and prefer harsher penalties for lethal VAW. Further, we find a discrepancy between preferences and expectations: the public supports stronger punishment for women’s murders, but perceives high impunity, and women on average expect a larger difference between their preferences and expectations than men.
Fenntarthatóság a magyar kis- és középvállalati szektorban
Authors: Surman Vivien , Böcskei Elvira
Published: October 2023

A fenntartható fejlődés megteremtése a jelenkor egyik meghatározó kérdésévé vált, a szerzők vélelmezik, hogy e tekintetben a kis- és középvállalatok szerepe felértékelődik a közeljövőben. Tanulmányukban a fenntarthatóság gazdasági, környezeti, társadalmi aspektusainak összetettségével és jelenlétével foglalkoztak a magyar kis- és közepes vállalati szektor kérdőíves vizsgálata mentén. A kialakított kérdőív négy fő területhez kötődően gyűjt információkat a magyar kis- és középvállalatok vezetőinek véleménye alapján: a fenntarthatóság fogalma és jelenléte, a fenntarthatóság menedzsmentszempontjai, kapcsolódó finanszírozási források és a fenntartható fejlődési célok relevanciája és jelenléte a szervezet működésében. Kutatási eredményeik alapján a magyar kis- és középvállalatok éreznek nyomást törekvések és programok elindítására a fenntarthatóság valamennyi pillérjének irányába. Elsődleges fontosságú a gazdasági fenntarthatóság, de a másik két pillér is egyre inkább előtérbe kerül. A gazdasági sikeresség és a fenntarthatóság között pozitív a kapcsolat, és ez fordítva is igaz, vagyis a fenntarthatósági törekvések hosszú távon a gazdasági eredményre is kedvező hatással vannak.
PANDEMI, NEW NORMAL, DAN LIMINALITAS KEHIDUPAN BERAGAMA DI JAWA TIMUR
Authors: Yaqin Haqqul , Rosyidah Feryani Umi , Azisi Ali Mursyid
Published: October 2023

The Covid-19 pandemic affects almost all dimensions of human life, including religious life. As an entity also affected by the pandemic, religious life manifests as part of the social problems and dilemmas in the pandemic era. This article tries to explain the liminal movement of religious life in East Java. The aim is to find some urgent dimensions regarding the practice of religious life in the era of the Covid-19 pandemic. The qualitative approach was chosen as a technique to find several essential aspects in the liminal process. By conducting interviews and being supported by online data categorized thematically, this technique can reinforce views and patterns of religious experience. Interviews were conducted with academics, mosque managers, religious leaders, mosque congregations, and community leaders. The research findings are that as a form of experience in the pandemic era, liminality can transmit ritual practices and cultural codes into new ways of doing and adapting religious life into new everyday habits. Amid an increasingly blurred rationality and demands for survival that continue to whack, people take various ways to resist epidemics and disasters and seek protection with various patterns, including religion.
SOCIAL ETHICS POLITICAL BUZZER IN THE LIVING RELIGIONS (Qur’an and Hadith)
Authors: Danarta Agung
Published: October 2023

The article discusses the first three main issues, what is the purpose of the political buzzer in social media, and how it works. Second, the need for ethics in doing so becomes a Buzzer. Third, the ethical model of buzzing (dissemination of information) on social media according to the Qur'an and Hadith. The research method used is literature studies and is descriptive analytical. Primary data sources in the form of the Qur'an and hadith processed using the Maktabah Syamilah are traced with a theme that corresponds to the buzzer material. Data analysis using content analysis techniques. This research resulted in the conclusion that buzzer practices in digital platforms were adopted from the diffusion theory of innovation. This theory describes the process of how an innovation or idea is communicated through a particular channel continuously over time to a group of members of a social system. Content / messages created by buzzers are processed using simulacra theory. In simulacra theory, man does not exist in the presence of real reality, but always thinks imaginary and delusional in seeing reality. This situation makes truth and falsehood, reality and design have something in common and difficult to distinguish. This situation is what gives rise to the great destructive potential of buzzers to the order of society, so that buzzer activity on social media needs to be regulated by the rule of law derived from the ethics of the Quran and hadith. The ethics of the Qur'an and hadith stipulate that man has rights and obligations.
TRIANGLE OF POLITICAL POWER OF THE MATARAMAN COMMUNITY IN KEDIRI
Authors: Alamin Taufik
Published: October 2023

The political upheaval in the early days of reform had an impact on the formation of parties which were no longer monopolized by the political elites during the New Order era. This was evidenced by the democratic principle of transparency in the election of government officials. The development of the political culture at the regional level is different from the situation at the national level. The development of political culture at the regional level is more dominated by political thoughts and behavior based on a mature political culture. The Mataraman Kediri community has social and cultural characteristics that also influence their political traditions. In the context of general elections, the Mataraman community has a special characteristic in their political choices which is reflected in the choice and support for certain political parties, that the way the people elect depends on their past historical patterns. The results of this study indicate that the people of Mataraman Kediri have a synergistic political pattern known as thearchitecture of power politics. The relationship between the religious elite, entrepreneurs, and the government has a political synergy that is able to influence political patterns and maps in the Mataraman region of Kediri.
RECONSTRUING URBAN MUSLIM ENTREPRENEUR PROGRAM ON VOLUNTARY ALMSGIVING: Deconstruction, Social Theology and Plurality
Authors: Ulinnuha Roma
Published: October 2023

In social realm, the experience of religious communities has created diverse pious space in response to the elevating number of the urban poverty. Religious expression reduces the problem of poverty. The acts gave responses to modernity challenge, as pointed out in Weberian view, that characterized in selfish individualism and egocentrism. Sedekah as a concept of almsgiving sometimes correlated to the charity and philanthropy, but it also serves as complementary vision. This article seeks to employ the deconstruction of almsgiving program among the representative of Muslim urban entrepreneur. It aims at uncover the inspiration of voluntary almsgiving program in urban setting. Applying qualitative method, the article uses empirical secondary data found in both literature and netnography. Applying social theology approach that combined the hybrid theological and sociological ones, the argument exemplifies the alternative reading on sedekah program initiated by Jusuf Hamka, one of urban Muslim entrepreneurs. The article suggests the praxis of voluntary almsgiving program gave a way to inspiration that akin to active and equal traits amid diverse socio-religious practice and social classes. The deconstruction of sedekah program constitutes the pluralist view which is needed in a more democratic and diverse type of society in urban setting.
MODERASI BERAGAMA DI PAPUA: Rekonstruksi Identitas dan Resolusi Kehidupan Keagamaan Pasca Konflik Papua 1998-2001
Authors: Luqman Al Hakim  , Dudung Abdurahman
Published: October 2023

This article analyzes the phenomenon of religious moderation in contemporary Papua. This problem is an interesting phenomenon, because since Papua became part of Indonesia in 1969, socio-religious developments in this region have often been colored by an atmosphere of disharmony between adherents of religions, and this atmosphere even contributed to the 1998-2001 Papuan conflict. However, after the conflict, religious moderation programs and counseling were carried out massively. This research seeks to reconstruct religious identity that supports the resolution of post-conflict religious life in Papua. This article focuses on the problem of why religious moderation occurs and what the implications are for religious life in Papua today. This research was conducted with a historical and socio-religious approach, as well as using historical research methods in which there are four stages, namely: heuristics, criticism, interpretation, and historiography. The findings of this study are: First, the 1998-2001 conflict in Papua was largely caused by a lack of nationalism and respect for fellow citizens. Second, post-conflict religious moderation efforts have been carried out by all religions and mass organizations in Papua. Religious leaders: Islam, Christianity, Hinduism, and Buddhism have played a role in the resolution and harmonization of religious life in Papua. Third, religious moderation in Papua greatly impacts social and spiritual aspects. Brotherhood in Papua does not look at religion, ethnicity, and culture, and issues surrounding an independent Papua are issues that undermine harmony in Papua.
Karakteristik dan Praktik Kepemimpinan Kepala Sekolah Perempuan: Suatu Studi Kualitatif
Authors: Rohmatika Dina
Published: October 2023

Leadership is a vital element in both formal and non-formal education. Both men and women have equal opportunities and space to become leaders. The success of a school principal is determined by their ability to manage their school effectively. This study employs a descriptive-qualitative approach. To gather data, the researcher conducted interviews with School Principals, Vice Principals for Student Affairs, Vice Principals for Curriculum, and Students. The findings of the study reveal that: (1) Female School Principals exhibit openness in receiving criticism and suggestions from subordinates, demonstrate care for their staff, and display firmness and responsibility in decision-making. (2) In enhancing students' morals and religious values, the School Principal implements notable programs such as Madrasah Al-Qur'an, pre-class recitation, congregational Duha and Dhuhr prayers, school extracurricular activities, and other habitual practices integrated into school activities. (3) The effectiveness of school leadership is examined through two phases: initiating structure (prioritizing goal achievement) and consideration (concern for subordinates). Three interrelated elements, namely leader behavior, subordinate, and situation, synergistically contribute to the realization of effective leadership.
3D Printing on Textiles – Overview of Research on Adhesion to Woven Fabrics
Authors: Kočevar Tanja Nuša
Published: October 2023

3D printing on textiles has great potential to influence developments in various industries. It enables the production of new, potentially personalised products in areas such as technical textiles, protective clothing, medical products, fashion, textile and interior design. 3D printing can also contribute to waste-free production processes. In the method of 3D printing on textiles, the material is applied directly to the textile substrate to create 3D objects, patterns or designs on the surface. The fused deposition modelling (FDM) technology, where thermoplastic filaments are extruded and deposited in thin layers based on a 3D model, is widely used for this purpose. A precise control of factors such as temperature and speed is essential in FDM to regulate the flow of polymer material during the printing process. The most commonly used polymer for 3D printing on textiles using FDM is polylactic acid (PLA). Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) is another widely used material, known for its low shrinkage rate and high printing accuracy, while thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) is used due to its exceptional mechanical properties, e.g. tensile strength, flexibility, durability and corrosion resistance. Good adhesion between 3D printed objects and the textile surface is essential for the production of quality products. Adhesion depends on various factors, e.g. textile properties, printing parameters and the type of polymer used. The composition of the woven fabric, including the areal density, warp and weft density, yarn count, fabric thickness and weave pattern, significantly affects the adhesion strength of the 3D printed polymer. When considering double weaves, which allow different materials in the upper and lower layers, better adhesion properties are found than at single weaves. A cross-sectional analysis revealed that the polymer penetrates deeper into a double-woven fabric, resulting in improved adhesion. In general, the study highlights the advantages of double weaves for 3D printing applications on textiles.
Buberova filosofie dialogického principu
Authors: Dubský Ivan
Published: October 2023

Commentary on the Buber’s Philosophy of the Dialogic Principle.
Kant’s Rationalist Account of Hope
Authors: Stratmann Joe
Published: October 2023

Few fates seem worse than living without
cause for hope. Yet what is it to have a cause for hope? And how is it related to having hope? Although these questions have received relatively little philosophical attention, I argue that Kant advances a rationalist account of hope that addresses them. My central thesis has two parts. First, hope is a rational attitude for Kant; certain rational conditions are needed to differentiate hope from other desiderative attitudes (such as mere wishing or fantasizing). Second, these rational conditions involve causal inferences made by the hoping agent. To hope, an agent must make certain inferences about the cause of her desire and the cause of her belief that the object of her desire is possible. In short, to hope requires an agent to take herself to have a
cause for hope.
Artificial intelligence and internet of things oriented sustainable precision farming: Towards modern agriculture
Authors: Sharma Amit , Sharma Ashutosh , Tselykh Alexey , Bozhenyuk Alexander , Choudhury Tanupriya , Alomar Madani Abdu , Sánchez-Chero Manuel
Published: October 2023

Agriculture encompasses the study, practice, and discipline of plant cultivation. Agriculture has an extensive history dating back thousands of years. Depending on climate and terrain, it began independently in various locations on the planet. In comparison to what could be sustained by foraging and gathering, agriculture has the potential to significantly increase the human population. Throughout the twenty-first century, precision farming (PF) has increased the agricultural output. precision agriculture (PA) is a technology-enabled method of agriculture that assesses, monitors, and evaluates the needs of specific fields and commodities. The primary objective of this farming method, as opposed to conventional farming, is to increase crop yields and profitability through the precise application of inputs. This work describes in depth the development and function of artificial intelligence (AI) and the internet of things (IoT) in contemporary agriculture. Modern day-to-day applications rely extensively on AI and the IoT. Modern agriculture leverages AI and IoT for technological advancement. This improves the accuracy and profitability of modern agriculture. The use of AI and IoT in modern smart precision agricultural applications is highlighted in this work and the method proposed incorporates specific steps in PF and demonstrates superior performance compared to existing classification methods. It achieves a remarkable accuracy of 98.65%, precision of 98.32%, and recall rate of 97.65% while retaining competitive execution time of 0.23 s, when analysing PF using the FAOSTAT benchmark dataset. Additionally, crucial equipment and methods used in PF are described and the vital advantages and real-time tools utilised in PA are covered in detail.
Development of modified h-BN/UPE resin for insulation varnish applications
Authors: Aksoy Kaan
Published: October 2023

The objective of this study is to explore the impact of a nanofiller, hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN), on the main physical, electrical, and thermal characteristics of unsaturated polyester (UPE) resin. To obtain a homogeneous dispersion, h-BN nanoparticles were surface-modified using 3-glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane to give S/h-BN nanoparticles. UPE-S/h-BN composites were prepared by using various ratios (1, 5, 10 wt%) of these modified nanoparticles. Thermogravimetric analysis studies showed that the presence of S/h-BN nanoparticles boosted the thermal stability of the UPE resin. The electrical volume resistivity value increased from 1.3 × 1013 to 1.38 × 1014 Ω cm with the addition of 10 wt% S/h-BN. The contact angle results indicated that the hydrophobicity of UPE-S/h-BN composites increased and the value of 110° was obtained for UPE-S/h-BN10. The findings revealed that incorporating S/h-BN nanoparticles into UPE resin, in specific ratios, improved its properties and the resulting product has the potential to be used as an insulation varnish.
Digitalisierung und Bürgerbeteiligung: Heilsversprechen und Hinterhalte
Authors: Sommer Jörg
Published: October 2023

Die Digitalisierung birgt Risiken für die Demokratie. Aber bietet sie auch Chancen? Und wie sehen diese aus? Besonders im Bereich der Bürgerbeteiligung ist seit einigen Jahren ein digitaler Schub zu verzeichnen. Es wird mehr, öfter und umfassender digital beteiligt. Die Erwartungen dabei sind hoch, die Erfahrungen gemischt, die Herausforderungen vielfältig.
Digital, grün, global gerecht
Authors: Hildebrandt Friederike , Jung Maximilian
Published: October 2023

Die Autor*innen zeigen auf, wie sich der Ausbau und die verstärkte Nutzung von Informations- und Kommunikationstechnologien auf Treibhausgasemissionen und Stromverbrauch auswirken. Entgegen Industrieversprechen von Dematerialisierung und Effizienzgewinnen stellen starke Reboundeffekte, also die steigende Nachfrage nach Strom und Ressourcen große Herausforderungen für eine nachhaltige Digitalisierung dar. Anhand von drei ausgewählten Beispielen entlang digitaler Lieferketten zeigen die Autor*innen die negativen Bedingungen und Auswirkungen der Digitalisierung unter Gesichtspunkten globaler Gerechtigkeit. Zum Abschluss stellen sie Überlegungen zu einer zukunftsfähigen und nachhaltigen Digitalisierung an.
Netze für die Menschen
Authors: Müller Klaus
Published: October 2023

Der Beitrag skizziert die technologische Entwicklung von den Anfängen der Telefonie bis zum heutigen Ausbau der Glasfasernetze für mobile Kommunikation und eine Breite von Nutzungsmöglichkeiten in Wirtschaft und Alltag. Diese Entwicklung wird von der Bundesnetzagentur regulatorisch begleitet, um die geeigneten wirtschaftlichen Rahmenbedingungen zu setzen und mobile Kommunikation als Teil der Daseinsvorsorge überall und für jeden zu ermöglichen.
Exploring numerical blow-up phenomena for the Keller–Segel–Navier–Stokes equations
Authors: Bonilla Jesús , Gutiérrez-Santacreu Juan Vicente
Published: October 2023

The Keller–Segel–Navier–Stokes system governs chemotaxis in liquid environments. This system is to be solved for the organism and chemoattractant densities and for the fluid velocity and pressure. It is known that if the total initial organism density mass is below 2π there exist globally defined generalised solutions, but what is less understood is whether there are blow-up solutions beyond such a threshold and its optimality.

Motivated by this issue, a numerical blow-up scenario is investigated. Approximate solutions computed via a stabilised finite element method founded on a shock capturing technique are such that they satisfy a priori bounds as well as lower and L
1(Ω) bounds for the organism and chemoattractant densities. In particular, these latter properties are essential in detecting numerical blow-up configurations, since the non-satisfaction of these two requirements might trigger numerical oscillations leading to non-realistic finite-time collapses into persistent Dirac-type measures.

Our findings show that the existence threshold value 2π encountered for the organism density mass may not be optimal and hence it is conjectured that the critical threshold value 4π may be inherited from the fluid-free Keller–Segel equations. Additionally it is observed that the formation of singular points can be neglected if the fluid flow is intensified.
Knockdown of NUPR1 inhibits angiogenesis in lung cancer through IRE1/XBP1 and PERK/eIF2α/ATF4 signaling pathways
Authors: Wang Lihuai , Wen Jing , Sun Yinhui , Yang Xiao , Ma Yi , Tian Xuefei
Published: October 2023

The stress response molecule nuclear protein‑1 (NUPR1) is essential for the growth of multiple types of human malignant tumor cells. However, the significance of NUPR1 in lung cancer is still not entirely elucidated. Therefore, this study is aimed to explore the function and underlying mechanisms of NUPR1 in lung cancer. NUPR1 mRNA and protein levels in lung cancer cell lines (A549 or H1299 cells) were silenced through siRNA transfection and western blot observed its successful infection efficiency. Then, using tube formation and wound healing experiments, the effects of si-NUPR1 on angiogenesis and migration of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) were examined, respectively, which indicated inhibitory effects on the angiogenesis and migration of HUVEC. Vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA), a vital molecule in angiogenesis, was detected by PCR and western blot assays, manifesting NUPR1 knockdown represses VEGFA expression. Furthermore, the knockdown of NUPR1 may reduce angiogenesis by lowering VEGFA expression through inositol-requiring enzyme 1 (IRE1)/X box binding protein 1 (XBP1) and protein kinase RNA-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase (PERK)/eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2 A (eIF2α)/recombinant activating transcription factor 4 (ATF4) signaling pathways in A549 or H1299 cells. In conclusion, these findings demonstrated that NUPR1 knockdown inhibits angiogenesis in A549 and H1299 cells through IRE1/XBP1 and PERK/eIF2α/ATF4 signaling pathways, indicating that NUPR1 could represent a novel lung cancer therapeutic target.
Physically Present but Spiritually Distant: The View of the European Union in Poland
Authors: Polak Aleksandra , Hartwell Christopher A. , Sidło Katarzyna W.
Published: October 2023

The Polish people remain staunchly in favour of the concept of a European Union. Paradoxically though, there has been strong and continued electoral support for Law and Justice (PiS), its ruling party, despite its insistence on precipitating and then continuing multifaceted conflicts with EU institutions. This article examines the internal structural changes in Poland and the attitudes to the EU of Poland’s leaders; the article will argue that those attitudes have deepened pre-existing divisions over integration. By fusing the triple modernization theory of European integration with a two-dimensional concept of party-based Euroscepticism, the article shows how PiS’s ambiguous discourse on European integration, combined with an increasingly instrumental approach to the EU by the Polish electorate—and that electorate’s deepening polarization—have secured steady support for PiS from ostensibly Europhile voters.
“Symphonia”? A New Patriarch Attempts to Redefine Church–State Relations in Serbia
Authors: Aleksov Bojan , Lackenby Nicholas
Published: October 2023

The authors examine the relationship between Church and state in Serbia since the election of the new patriarch in February 2021. They demonstrate the ways in which Church and state have begun to take divergent paths. This is not to suggest that political and ecclesiastical power are not deeply entwined in contemporary Serbia—they are. However, the authors show how—contrary to accounts which present Church and state as practically homologous—clerical and political leaders are increasingly pulling in different directions. They evaluate the key features of what has so far been a brief, but momentous tenure of the Serbian Patriarch Porfirije. A particular emphasis is placed on the new patriarch’s ecclesiastical diplomacy, the ever-increasing role of the Church as a mnemonic agent, the Church’s reaction to Belgrade hosting an LGBT pride parade and, finally, its rapport with the Serbian government.
Accession Twenty Years On – Experiences, Expectations and Effects on the European Union: Introductory Remarks
Authors: Inotai András
Published: October 2023

This introduction summarizes the pathways up to and the experience of membership of the European Union of five recent member countries: Hungary, Romania, Poland, Slovakia, and Slovenia, all of which acceded in 2004 or, in the case of, Romania, in 2007. Key economic and domestic political developments as well as changes in public attitude to European integration are addressed using a comparative pattern; in addition, future research priorities are outlined in the hope of encouraging further academic and policy-oriented study both in the respective member countries and on the European scale.
Transition from a foam-like to an onion-like nanostructure in water-rich L3 phases
Authors: Menold Philipp , Strey Reinhard , Roitsch Stefan , Preisig Natalie , Stubenrauch Cosima
Published: October 2023

In dilute water-surfactant systems L3 phases are found in which bilayers interconnect to form a sample-spanning sponge-like structure. From our previous study of the system water/NaCl-AOT (sodium bis(2-ethylhexyl) sulfosuccinate) we know that a transition of this sponge-like structure to an oil-continuous foam-like structure occurs upon addition of minute amounts of oil (about 3 wt%, α = 0.03) in the L3 channel at a constant surfactant mass fraction of γ = 0.15 and T = 25 °C. The aim of the present study was to verify if the same transition occurs at γ = 0.25. To achieve this goal, we determined the relevant part of the phase diagram and studied the electrical conductivities and viscosities within the narrow one-phase L3 channel. Although the electrical conductivities and viscosities change qualitatively like those observed at γ = 0.15 we did not observe a sponge-like structure at γ = 0.25 in the oil-free system (α = 0) with freeze-fracture electron microscopy (FFEM) and freeze fracture direct imaging (FFDI). Together with the FFEM/FFDI images and SANS/SAXS curves we provide experimental evidence for a structural transition with decreasing oil content from a thermodynamically stable foam-like to a thermodynamically stable onion-like nanostructure at γ = 0.25 rather than to a sponge-like structure as is the case at γ = 0.15.
Kelvin–Helmholtz instability in magnetically quantized dense plasmas
Authors: Rasheed Abdur , Nazir Asif , Fatima Areeb , Ramzan Bilal , Kiran Zubia , Jamil Muhammad
Published: October 2023

This study deals with the instability of shear waves, also known as Kelvin–Helmholtz instability, propagating with a complex frequency ”ω” in magnetically quantized dense gyro-viscous plasmas. The instability arises from the transverse spatial shear of the streaming velocity, which evolves from the DC electric and magnetic fields. In dense plasmas, quantum effects contribute through magnetically quantized statistical Fermi pressure, tunnelling potential and exchange-correlation potential. The contribution of the shear profile, the drift velocity, the number density of medium species, the dc magnetic field and the propagation angle θ of the wavevector on the instability is pointed out analytically as well as graphically. By varying the angle, shear size and density of plasma particles, the growth rate is enhanced. It does not, however, change as the streaming speed increases. This work seeks applications to study the characteristics of complex media like astrophysical and semiconductor plasmas [R. P. Drake, “Hydrodynamic instabilities in astrophysics and in laboratory high-energy–density systems,” Plasma Phys. Control. Fusion, vol. 47, p. B419, 2005].
Curriculum enhancement through co-creation: Fostering student-educator partnerships in higher education
Authors: Cabral Ana , Fuller Stephanie , De Wilde Janet , Khama Khahliso , Melsen Marianne
Published: October 2023

This case study presents an institutional approach to curriculum enhancement and co-creation. It explores how these two elements of a university’s strategy interlink through institutional values, curriculum development initiatives, and the advent of a new recognition scheme for student co-creators at Queen Mary University of London in the UK. It explores how the delivery of curriculum enhancement projects has been made possible through co-creation with students and discusses its outcomes: curriculum enhancement resources for staff and students, recognition for students, and joint presentations and publications. This case study also reflects on the experience of student co-creators and the benefits and challenges for staff and the institution, considers the specific contexts required to promote a shift in institutional culture towards co-creation, and shares successes and recommendations for implementing this approach.
Ancestral commons: the deep-time emergence of Bronze Age pastoral mobility
Authors: Haughton Mark , Løvschal Mette
Published: October 2023

During the third millennium BC, new types of anthropogenic landscape emerged across northern Europe: heathlands and pasture. These open landscapes afforded mobile pastoralism and the arena for a new funerary practice: barrow building. Here, the authors define this entanglement of people, animals and landscapes as a literal and figurative ‘ancestral commons’. Focusing on western Jutland, they combine palaeoecological and archaeological evidence to characterise the form and temporal depth of the co-emergent links between pastoralism, barrows and mobility. Conceptualising the ancestral commons as a deep-time entanglement, characterised by rhythms of physical and metaphorical movement, reveals a landscape that afforded shared understanding of the ancestral past and a foundation for the subsequent Nordic Bronze Age.
Confidence in Ability to Communicate With Sexual Partners About PrEP Among Black Cisgender Women
Authors: Irie Whitney , Mahone Anais , Nakka Raja , Ghebremichael Musie
Published: October 2023

This study explored the factors associated with Black women's confidence in their ability to engage male sexual partners in discussions about PrEP. Communication about PrEP with male partners is an important, yet minimally explored, outcome in PrEP research among Black women in heterosexual partnerships. Among 315 respondents, results show significant differences in anticipated stigma and interest in PrEP between a binary outcome variable being confident and not-confident discussing PrEP with sexual partners. Further, factors such as employment, worrying about HIV infection, interest in taking oral PrEP, subjective norms, injunctive norms, and descriptive norms were associated with Black women's higher odds of confidence in their ability to engage sexual partners about PrEP. Conversely, PrEP disapproval and stigma resulted in lower odds of Black women's confidence in their ability to engage sexual partners about PrEP. Results indicate the need for continued investigation of confidence and, relatedly, communication about PrEP among heterosexual couples and communitylevel interventions normalizing PrEP discussions and uptake.
A Neural Mechanism in the Human Orbitofrontal Cortex for Preferring High-Fat Foods Based on Oral Texture
Authors: Khorisantono Putu A. , Huang (黃飛揚) Fei-Yang , Sutcliffe Michael P. F. , Fletcher Paul C. , Farooqi I. Sadaf , Grabenhorst Fabian
Published: October 2023

Although overconsumption of high-fat foods is a major driver of weight gain, the neural mechanisms that link the oral sensory properties of dietary fat to reward valuation and eating behavior remain unclear. Here we combine novel food-engineering approaches with functional neuroimaging to show that the human orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) translates oral sensations evoked by high-fat foods into subjective economic valuations that guide eating behavior. Male and female volunteers sampled and evaluated nutrient-controlled liquid foods that varied in fat and sugar (“milkshakes”). During oral food processing, OFC activity encoded a specific oral-sensory parameter that mediated the influence of the foods' fat content on reward value: the coefficient of sliding friction. Specifically, OFC responses to foods in the mouth reflected the smooth, oily texture (i.e., mouthfeel) produced by fatty liquids on oral surfaces. Distinct activity patterns in OFC encoded the economic values associated with particular foods, which reflected the subjective integration of sliding friction with other food properties (sugar, fat, viscosity). Critically, neural sensitivity of OFC to oral texture predicted individuals' fat preferences in a naturalistic eating test: individuals whose OFC was more sensitive to fat-related oral texture consumed more fat duringad libitumeating. Our findings suggest that reward systems of the human brain sense dietary fat from oral sliding friction, a mechanical food parameter that likely governs our daily eating experiences by mediating interactions between foods and oral surfaces. These findings identify a specific role for the human OFC in evaluating oral food textures to mediate preference for high-fat foods.

SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENTFat and sugar enhance the reward value of food by imparting a sweet taste and rich mouthfeel but also contribute to overeating and obesity. Here we used a novel food-engineering approach to realistically quantify the physical-mechanical properties of high-fat liquid foods on oral surfaces and used functional neuroimaging while volunteers sampled these foods and placed monetary bids to consume them. We found that a specific area of the brain's reward system, the orbitofrontal cortex, detects the smooth texture of fatty foods in the mouth and links these sensory inputs to economic valuations that guide eating behavior. These findings can inform the design of low-calorie fat-replacement foods that mimic the impact of dietary fat on oral surfaces and neural reward systems.
“More Hawaiian Than Hawaii Itself”
Authors: Gentry Briand
Published: October 2023

This article investigates the phenomenon of “Hawaiian Fevers” in US popular culture during the Progressive Era. Examining the careers of “hula” celebrities Toots Paka and Doraldina, I examine how both dancers sought to legitimize their appropriations of Hawaiian culture through performances of timelessness and wildness that established iconography of Hawai‘i as an otherworldly territory. The racial masquerade of this performed Hawaiianness eased white identification with embodiments of “going native” while also promising transformational access to a leisure-class paradise. Examining the press rhetoric surrounding both dancers, I consider how cross-race performances of hula instructed American women on how to be adeptly modern postindustrial imperial subjects. In fantasizing Hawai‘i as the restorative otherworld foil of the United States, these celebrities and the hula craze in which they participated reveal how the United States authenticates its own imagination of itself as a modernizing missionary of industrial imperialism.
Morphogenesis and development of human telencephalic organoids in the absence and presence of exogenous extracellular matrix
Authors: Martins‐Costa Catarina , Pham Vincent A , Sidhaye Jaydeep , Novatchkova Maria , Wiegers Andrea , Peer Angela , Möseneder Paul , Corsini Nina S , Knoblich Jürgen A
Published: October 2023

The establishment and maintenance of apical‐basal polarity is a fundamental step in brain development, instructing the organization of neural progenitor cells (NPCs) and the developing cerebral cortex. Particularly, basally located extracellular matrix (ECM) is crucial for this process.In vitro, epithelial polarization can be achieved via endogenous ECM production, or exogenous ECM supplementation. While neuroepithelial development is recapitulated in neural organoids, the effects of different ECM sources in tissue morphogenesis remain underexplored. Here, we show that exposure to a solubilized basement membrane matrix substrate, Matrigel, at early neuroepithelial stages causes rapid tissue polarization and rearrangement of neuroepithelial architecture. In cultures exposed to pure ECM components or unexposed to any exogenous ECM, polarity acquisition is slower and driven by endogenous ECM production. After the onset of neurogenesis, tissue architecture and neuronal differentiation are largely independent of the initial ECM source, but Matrigel exposure has long‐lasting effects on tissue patterning. These results advance the knowledge on mechanisms of exogenously and endogenously guided morphogenesis, demonstrating the self‐sustainability of neuroepithelial cultures by endogenous processes.
Looking at a baby's heart through the lens of the mother's blood
Authors: Madeddu Paolo
Published: October 2023

Congenital heart disease (CHD) comprises several cardiovascular abnormalities existing from birth. Cardiac defects range from minor asymptomatic lesions to potentially life‐threatening situations. Early fetal echocardiography, the gold standard for the in‐utero diagnosis of CHD, is inaccurate at identifying defects in pulmonary veins and atrioventricular valves or lesions that occur later or progress during pregnancy. In this issue of EMBO Molecular Medicine, Yin et al report new proteomic data on maternal blood samples and a novel bioinformatic and artificial intelligence approach for the early diagnosis and screening of CHD.
Enablers and challenges of spatial omics, a melting pot of technologies
Authors: Alexandrov Theodore , Saez‐Rodriguez Julio , Saka Sinem K
Published: October 2023

Spatial omics has emerged as a rapidly growing and fruitful field with hundreds of publications presenting novel methods for obtaining spatially resolved information for any omics data type on spatial scales ranging from subcellular to organismal. From a technology development perspective, spatial omics is a highly interdisciplinary field that integrates imaging and omics, spatial and molecular analyses, sequencing and mass spectrometry, and image analysis and bioinformatics. The emergence of this field has not only opened a window into spatial biology, but also created multiple novel opportunities, questions, and challenges for method developers. Here, we provide the perspective of technology developers on what makes the spatial omics field unique. After providing a brief overview of the state of the art, we discuss technological enablers and challenges and present our vision about the future applications and impact of this melting pot.
DCAF13 and RNF114 participate in the regulation of early porcine embryo development
Authors: da Silva Zigomar , Glanzner Werner Giehl , Gutierrez Karina , de Macedo Mariana Priotto , Guay Vanessa , Currin Luke , Carrillo Maria Elena Herrera , Gonçalves Paulo Bayard Dias , Bordignon Vilceu
Published: October 2023

In brief

Ubiquitination plays a pivotal role in a multitude of cellular functions; however, the precise contributions of various ubiquitin ligases in governing early developmental processes remain largely unexplored. This study revealed that the E3 ubiquitin ligases DCAF13 and RNF114 are both necessary for the normal regulation of early porcine embryo development.

Ubiquitylation is required for normal regulation of many biological functions by modulating several protein facets such as structure, stability, interaction, localization, and degradation. In this study, we explored the roles of two E3 ubiquitin ligases (E3s), the DDB1- and CUL4-associated factor 13 (DCAF13) and the Ring finger protein 114 (RNF114), in the regulation of porcine embryo development. Attenuation of DCAF13 mRNA decreased embryo development at the blastocyst stage, while the development of RNF114-attenuated embryos was not significantly different than that of control embryos. The average number of cells per blastocyst was decreased in DCAF13-attenuated embryos and increased in RNF114-attenuated embryos compared to controls. The relative mRNA abundance of the histone methyltransferase SUV39H1, which regulates histone H3 lysine 9 trimethylation (H3K9me3), was increased in both DCAF13- and RNF114-attenuated embryos, but nuclear immunofluorescence signal for H3K9me3 on day 3 embryos was not significantly altered between attenuated and control embryos. Nuclear immunofluorescence signal for H3K4m3 was decreased in DCAF13-attenuated embryos, but it was increased in RNF114-attenuated embryos compared to controls. Attenuation of DCAF13 and RNF114 mRNAs increased transcript levels for the DNA recombinase RAD51 and decreased expression of phosphorylated histone H2A.X (γH2AX), which suggests an impact on DNA damage repair. In addition, lower mRNA expression of the lysine demethylases 5B (KDM5B) and 5C (KDM5C), both involved in embryo genome activation and DNA repair, was detected in DCAF13-attenuated embryos. These findings indicated that both DCAF13 and RNF114 have important roles in the regulation of the early development of porcine embryos.
The reform of the crisis management and deposit insurance framework: An overview
Authors: Annoscia Dario , Martinez Cristiano
Published: October 2023

The Crisis Management and Deposit Insurance (CMDI) legal framework brought important benefits in terms of protecting financial stability while avoiding contagion, safeguarding the functioning of the single market, minimising recourse to taxpayers money, significantly improving depositor protection and contributing to boosting consumers’ confidence in the EU banking sector. However, according to the European Commission, it could be further improved especially with regard to smaller and medium-sized banks. This article presents an overview of the European Commission’s legislative proposals addressing those shortcomings and aimed at strengthening the CMDI legal framework, which was presented in April 2023. The core part of this reform is made up of three legislative proposals amending the Bank Recovery and Resolution Directive (Directive 2014/59/EU), the Single Resolution Mechanism Regulation (Regulation 806/2014) and the Deposit Guarantee Schemes Directive (Directive 2014/49/EU). The fourth legislative proposal, would amend the Bank Recovery and Resolution Directive and the Single Resolution Mechanism Regulation with regard to targeted provisions on minimum requirement for own funds and eligible liabilities.
Modern programs of physical therapy for patients diagnosed with lateral epicondylitis at the post-hospital stage
Authors:   Kharkiv .State Academy of Physical Culture, Skaba Y.Yu. , Pashkevich S.A. ,   Kharkiv State Academy of Physical Culture
Published: October 2023

Goal. To analyze and compare modern evidence-based methods of rehabilitation and their combination for people with ulnar epicondylitis at the post-hospital stage. Research methods. Analysis of literary sources from the scientometric databases of Physiopedia, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, PEDro, MEDLINE / PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science, systematic analysis, synthesis and generalization of scientific and methodological literature. The results. Among the interventions that were used most often and with high effectiveness in current studies were: patient education, therapeutic exercises to strengthen the muscles of the scapula, wrist, elbow, mobilization of joints, soft tissues, kinesiotaping, and dynamic orthoses. As a rule, they combined therapeutic exercises and joint mobilization, kinesio taping with a home exercise program. However, many studies show limited efficacy of physical therapy and prioritize biological therapy or surgical treatment of LE. Conclusions. In the literature, many approaches to physical therapy of LE are presented, assumptions are made about its ineffectiveness in about 10% of patients who require surgical intervention. However, the problem of the "gold" standard of treatment has not yet been resolved. The most well-established physical therapy program is the dual rehabilitation program, but randomized controlled trials of its effectiveness are still ongoing.