bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Bliver der uddannet for mange ph.d.er?
Authors: Vejrup-Hansen Per
Published: September 2023

En analyse af ph.d.ers relative løn i forhold til kandidater tyder på, at der i midten af 1990’erne blev uddannet for mange ph.d.er inden for naturvidenskab og teknik set i forhold til antallet af forskningsbaserede job i den private sektor.
Redaktionelt forord
Authors: Andersen Peder , Kærgård Niels
Published: September 2023

ØMU’en er i sin dybeste krise nogensinde. Mange tror, at unionen er så fejlkonstrueret, at den ikke kan overleve. Og skeptikere overvejer, hvor meget af EU-konstruktionen der bliver trukket med i faldet. Samtidigt har EU fået Nobels fredspris 2012.
ØMU – Fejlkonstruktion eller misligholdelse?
Authors: Thygesen Niels
Published: September 2023

Artiklen argumenterer, at deltagerlandenes misligholdelse af Maastricht Traktatens lempelige regelsæt er hovedårsagen til de aktuelle problemer. Der er gjort gode fremskridt med at gøre en gentagelse usandsynlig; anstrengelserne kan nu samles om det mest nødvendige for at bringe ØMU-landene ud af krisen.
Staternes fald – set fra de finansielle markeder
Authors: Berg Jesper
Published: September 2023

Finanskrisen har udviklet sig til en statsgældskrise. I Euro-området gøres vold på grundlæggende principper. De fi nansielle markeder var ligeså dårlige som andre til at se krisen komme. Omfanget af fragmentering af de fi nansielle markeder er omdiskuteret.
Vi tog alle fejl
Authors: Jespersen Jesper
Published: September 2023

De samfundsøkonomiske konsekvenser af den fælles europæiske valuta forekom mig i 2000 vanskelige at analysere og derfor særdeles usikre. Dette var baggrunden for min anbefaling af, at det danske euro-forbehold burde opretholdes.
Judiciarisation des conflits dans la mise en marché collective des produits agricoles au Québec
Authors: Robert Laurence
Published: September 2023

À titre de régulateur économique, la Régie des marchés agricoles et alimentaires du Québec (RMAAQ) tranche les litiges contractuels entre organisations de producteurs et acheteurs qui découlent du cadre réglementaire et conventionnel applicable. Depuis quelques années, plusieurs indices portent à croire qu’un phénomène de judiciarisation de la résolution des conflits s’est développé, se répercutant notamment sur l'efficacité du processus de la RMAAQ et la performance globale du système. Qu’en est-il ? Quels facteurs contribuent à alimenter ce phénomène s’il existe réellement ? Dans une logique exploratoire, nous répondons à ces questions en documentant les composantes du processus et leur évolution depuis une quinzaine d’années, au travers l’analyse de 17 entretiens conduits auprès des offices, des acheteurs accrédités et d’avocats actifs dans ce domaine réglementé. Ce que nous retenons est que la judiciarisation des litiges n’est pas tant quantitative, mais plutôt qualitative. Les résultats montrent une judiciarisation accrue des litiges due à la complexité des enjeux économiques, à la dynamique et les rapports entre les intermédiaires devant la RMAAQ et à la faiblesse des modes alternatifs. De plus, un cycle de contrôle judiciaire des décisions de la RMAAQ, dans la décennie 2000-2010, semble avoir été déterminant. Depuis, une culture juridique s’est réellement institutionnalisée dans le processus résolution des conflits et la RMAAQ tente de la prendre en charge. L’article contribue à décrire un phénomène aux conséquences potentiellement nuisibles aux coûts de fonctionnement de la mise en marché collective et à explorer une importante institution du secteur agroalimentaire québécois encore peu analysée.
Alban Berg’s Lulu as a Foucauldian Heterotopia
Authors: Ljubibratić Vanja
Published: September 2023

Michel Foucault described the present epoch as being one of space. Some of his notions of space are found in his theories on heterotopias—disturbing places of segregated otherness—which Foucault adapted to describe temporal paradigms within a social framework. This study analyzes the duality of opposing temporal planes that are presented as the empirical world and the metaphysical realm, as they inform the heterotopic space within Alban Berg’s opera Lulu. The objective is to expand on the ambiguous meaning of heterotopia and to view Berg’s opera through the seminal lens of Foucauldian theory.
SLIDE in a Leading Role: Pitch Structure in Barrie Cabena’s Sonata Festiva
Authors: Sallmen Mark
Published: September 2023

Barrie Cabena’s Sonata Festiva (1971) highlights SLIDE, a chord progression familiar from the neo-Riemannian and twentieth-century Russian music-theoretic literatures. Diverse expressions of SLIDE involve chord pairs, single chords, and melodic lines in textural, tonal, and formal contexts, leading to contemplative, energetic, comedic, and triumphant effects. Aspects of pitch-class set theory help to relate SLIDE to other harmonic phenomena in the work.
Imidacloprid disrupts larval molting regulation and nutrient energy metabolism, causing developmental delay in honey bee Apis mellifera
Authors: Li Zhi , Wang Yuedi , Qin Qiqian , Chen Lanchun , Dang Xiaoqun , Ma Zhengang , Zhou Zeyang
Published: September 2023

Imidacloprid is a global health threat that severely poisons the economically and ecologically important honeybee pollinator,
Apis mellifera
. However, its effects on developing bee larvae remain largely unexplored. Our pilot study showed that imidacloprid causes developmental delay in bee larvae, but the underlying toxicological mechanisms remain incompletely understood. In this study, we exposed bee larvae to imidacloprid at environmentally relevant concentrations of 0.7, 1.2, 3.1, and 377 ppb. There was a marked dose-dependent delay in larval development, characterized by reductions in body mass, width, and growth index. However, imidacloprid did not affect on larval survival and food consumption. The primary toxicological effects induced by elevated concentrations of imidacloprid (377 ppb) included inhibition of neural transmission gene expression, induction of oxidative stress, gut structural damage, and apoptosis, inhibition of developmental regulatory hormones and genes, suppression of gene expression levels involved in proteolysis, amino acid transport, protein synthesis, carbohydrate catabolism, oxidative phosphorylation, and glycolysis energy production. In addition, we found that the larvae may use antioxidant defenses and P450 detoxification mechanisms to mitigate the effects of imidacloprid. Ultimately, this study provides the first evidence that environmentally exposed imidacloprid can affect the growth and development of bee larvae by disrupting molting regulation and limiting the metabolism and utilization of dietary nutrients and energy. These findings have broader implications for studies assessing pesticide hazards in other juvenile animals.
Broadening the Scope of Craft Teaching
Authors: Kokko Sirpa , Väänänen Niina
Published: September 2023

The focus of Finnish craft teacher education is on educating craft teachers in formal basic education. In this study, the aim was to research craft student teachers’ experiences of teaching practices that were arranged in out-of-school contexts. The data comprised craft student teachers’ (n = 18) written reflections included in their course portfolios. Their teaching practice took place in adult education centres, basic education in arts, older peoples' care homes, youth work centres, centres for people with disabilities, social work centres, museums, craft cafés and clubs and a vocational training institution. The written reflections concerned the students’ expectations at the beginning and those at the end of the teaching practice and were analysed according to the principles of qualitative data analysis. The students found both similarities and differences in craft pedagogy in different contexts. The out-of-school teaching practice broadened their future career perspectives and equipped them with new pedagogical skills.
Embodied learning made visible through line drawing
Authors: Jagell Elisabet
Published: September 2023

Visual material in the form of video, still images or drawings can show parts of embodied learning that text cannot. Research ethics requirements pose a challenge in terms of making younger students’ multimodal learning visible, as the informants need to be anonymized, and this raises the challenge of how important information, such as gaze and facial expressions, can be shown. The ethical requirements exist to protect underage students, and to contribute with a scientific basis for teaching, practical and feasible methods are needed in which the students’ communication can be illustrated while ensuring their protection.  This paper explores how empirical data from studies involving younger students can be presented so that learning can be visualized while respecting ethical guidelines. The reasoning regarding the methods presented in the paper can also be useful overall for the anonymization of visual ethnography studies, in which the interest is to present empirical data from video recordings so that embodied learning can be made visible.
The story behind an exhibited rag rug
Authors: Håkanson Lena
Published: September 2023

In my paper, I describe my insights as manager of the textile workshop at the Department of Design at Linnaeus University, as well as how we teach material-based work. Part of my work as a workshop manager is to conduct a major clean-up at the end of every year. Last year, when I was standing in front of a pile of waste textiles, I began to reflect on how this pile of textile had been transformed from well-working material into waste. In a previous project with the research group Praktikforum, together with my colleagues, I explored what kinds of waste we produced when we made material-based artistic work. Thus, it was no surprise that practice-based work produced waste. The surprise was what I could understand from it. Looking closer into the waste, I obtained a deeper understanding of what had happened in the workshop during the year; how the students had used the material, what they had learned and what sometimes went wrong became obvious. I gained a deeper understanding of how we use, understand and teach/learn about materials and how we can develop the workshop by learning from the waste. At the same time, I learned the technique of ‘inbraiding’. For me, this was a new craft technique, in which waste textiles can be used when making rugs. I saw the opportunity to use the waste and upcycle it. By exhibiting the rug, I want to discuss the possibility of working more sustainably with crafts.
Using a 360° Camera to Record Natural Dyeing Craft Practice
Authors: Pagett Beth
Published: September 2023

In recent years, 360° video cameras have become increasingly accessible and are now being used as valuable research tools across a range of disciplines. Their wide and flexible field of vision can provide immersive and/or alternative perspectives compared to standard video. This paper will present emerging findings from using a 360° video camera to capture natural dye craft practice from an auto-ethnographic perspective and as an observer of other dyers’ practice during fieldwork visits. The 360° video data forms part of my doctoral study, in which I explore the embodied interactions between people, plants and materials that connect practitioners to their surroundings, linking them to other species and ecologies. The varied nature of the actions and processes that form the craft practice (e.g. foraging, tending, harvesting, mordanting, dyeing), and the different places and spaces in which these actions occur, presented a practical and observational challenge when trying to record the practice in a video format. Using a 360° camera proved to be a flexible, data-rich and engaging method for recording the craft. The ability to ‘move’ around and explore different perspectives from within the video after it was recorded was especially valuable, allowing a shift in the focus of the recording and presenting the opportunity to actively centre or decentre plants, people and materials. In this paper, I will reflect on my experiences recording and working with 360° video data and discuss some of the limitations and possible benefits of using this equipment in a craft research setting.
Twisting Clay
Authors: Jorgensen Tavs , Lightfoot Sonny Lee
Published: September 2023

This paper details practice-based research exploring new creative possibilities involving the ceramic extru­sion process. The paper begins by providing a short overview of the extrusion technique, its cha­rac­teristics and some contextual coverage of the process. The paper then describes how both tacit know­ledge and theoretical material understanding have been used to overcome technical challenges through ite­ra­tive research cycles and how, ultimately, the aesthetic qualities of the extrusion process have been used to develop a body of creative work. A key theme of the research is how digital fabrication tech­no­log­ies can be used in toolmaking scenarios to deliver innovation with a process that has long been used in craft ceramics but has remained somewhat underutilised.
Plant Pillars
Authors: Millberg Teresia
Published: September 2023

ABSTRACT

To sustain the idea of the design of a garden it is essential to look at the plant materials that they are constructed with. We as gardeners, do not use solid materials as our building blocks, we rely on malleable plant materials to build our design. The materials vary over the season, which makes them complex to define.

The impressions of a garden is experienced through the expressions of its aesthetics, and without solid documentation of the form, structure, colour schemes and more, it is difficult to form an understanding of the garden as a whole.

The essence of a design lies in the plant materials that the gardener crafts and arranges in a specific way to create an aesthetic expression. In my work I have developed a method for the craftsman (or –woman) where the intangible plant materials and the subtle/distinct effects of colour and form and their aesthetic values can be measured utilising the system of a plant catalogue.

How will we understand what makes a good and sustainable design if we don’t find methods to document and assess the aesthetics and the craftsmanship behind it?
Hartland Hanga
Authors: Ho Wuon-Gean
Published: September 2023

From October 2021 to July 2022 the author, Wuon-Gean Ho, was invited to work with a printmaking collect­ive called Pine Feroda. Based in the UK, Pine Feroda create impressive large-scale woodblock prints of nature. Using a practice-led approach, the author developed an entirely novel printmaking technique which she named Hartland Hanga. Making audio-visual recordings of the artists working together captured the transmission of tacit knowledge as it emerged in real time. Using elements of conversation analysis from ethnography revealed how this group spoke to each other. The artists used creative strategies such as new phrases, verbal metaphors and gestural analogies to communicate elements of tacit knowledge. It is postulated that humour and creative communication might help the transmission and embedding of tacit knowledge between artists.
From an Embodied Understanding to Ethical Considerations during Creative Practice
Authors: Falin Priska , Falin Petra , Mäkelä Maarit
Published: September 2023

This paper discusses material-based creative processes in the context of higher education. The focus is on the ethical aspects related to material considerations during the iterative phases of personal projects. We explore how personal feelings and an embodied understanding of the material world influence decisions on how and why we engage with different materials during creative processes. Recent trends in material-based research aim to explore the relationships between humans and materials, examining them as equal members in research and thus challenging the top-down perception of materials as mere resources for human needs. However, this kind of approach to research and material-based creative practices requires ethical considerations that reach not only the human but also the non-human world. In this paper, we open this discussion by examining design students’ creative processes, which unfold an understanding of ethics in relation to non-humans. We build on data consisting of documentation, reflections and outcomes derived from the creative processes of four MA-level students and discuss a number of complementing ethical guidelines for art, culture and earth systems. The paper uses ‘ethically disturbing moments’ as an analytical tool for looking into students’ material choices in their creative processes. The four selected processes open up a personal connection to materials that results in ethical considerations during the creative practice and thus reveal the need for discussing material-focused ethics in the context of craft, design and art education. Personal aspects related to materials are discussed as embodied understanding and are seen to affect the ethics of engaging with materials.
To safeguarding traditional basket making for the future
Authors: Åberg Helena , Månsson Sofia
Published: September 2023

ABSTRACTKorgen lyfter [Raising Basket knowledge] is a Swedish national project started by handicraft consultants from three different regions in 2019. The project aims to promote basket making and knowledge by strengthening contemporary basket makers, make the diversity of domestic basket traditions visible and increase the interest of basket making. Through efforts in training, inventory work, seminars, lectures and networking, nationally and internationally, the project has made knowledge available and problem­atized the question of the fragile position of basket making. Among other things, the project has been in­volved in developing shorter courses in basket making and started a basket appeal related to the UNESCOs convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage. Through a traveling ex­hi­bi­tion, different events as well as high digital presence, the project has reached many people.
Curriculum change to increasing student motivation in distance education and evaluation of teaching methods
Authors: Altinay Fahriye , Yıkıcı Betul , Dagli Gokmen , Altinay Zehra , Altinay Mehmet
Published: September 2023

The aim of this research is to evaluate the motivation of secondary school students in distance education as a result of the change of course curricula and the change of teaching methods. Qualitative research methods were used in this study. The study group of the research was formed with a total of 80 participants, including secondary education teachers in Northern Cyprus. While forming the study group, snowball sampling method was chosen from purposive sampling methods. As a data collection tool in the study, semi-structured interview form and semi-structured interview questions were prepared and research questions were asked. The first dimension of the research was created within the scope of revealing the views on the state of perceptions and thoughts about the effect of the change of course curricula in distance education on student motivation. The second dimension of the study was created within the scope of revealing the opinions of teachers about the state of perceptions and thoughts about the methods of creating student motivation in distance education. Within the scope of these findings, it was concluded that according to the opinions of the teachers, any change in the curriculum subjects was not at the desired level, and although the teaching time of 40 minutes in classical education was reduced to 30 minutes in distance education, there was no problem in educating the curriculum. In addition to these, it is seen that teachers engage students in distance education, and in the methods they apply to increase their motivation, teachers chat with students at the beginning of the lesson, give morale speech, use visual materials and talk about everyday issues.
A Case Series of Amicrobial Pustulosis of Folds: An Eye-opener for the Diagnosis of Autoimmune Disorders
Authors: Kannan Rajkumar , Daniel Samuel Jeyaraj , Kumar Parimalam , Nagalakshmi Akshaya Pradeep
Published: September 2023

Amicrobial Pustulosis of Folds (APF) is a rare, chronic, relapsing cutaneous disease seen exclusively in younger women with a history of autoimmune disease, most commonly Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE), or who simply have circulating autoantibodies. This case series highlights the occurrence of an unusual manifestation of APF as a marker of autoimmune disorders and emphasises the importance of double-stranded Deoxyribose Nucleic Acid (dsDNA) positivity in such cases. A total of five female patients with APF were included in this case series. All five cases presented with pustular lesions lasting 10-12 weeks, involving conchal bowls, eyes, perineal, and perianal regions, either as an initial presentation or as a flare-up of pre-existing autoimmune disease. All patients underwent screening for autoimmune disorders, which revealed dsDNA positivity and met the diagnostic criteria for APF. Therefore, a diagnosis of APF with SLE was made. All patients showed significant improvement with oral steroids. Although SLE is a complex multisystem disorder where patients may not always present with malar rash, photosensitivity, arthritis, and arthralgia, APF could serve as an eye-opener for diagnosing underlying autoimmune diseases.
Chemical, Electrochemical and Plasma Polymerization of Pyrrole-Aniline Copolymers and Their Characterization
Authors: Sarikulak Hikmet Bora , Gürsoy Songül Şen
Published: September 2023

Pyrrole-aniline copolymers (poly(Py-co-Ani)) were synthesized using both three chemical, electrochemical and plasma polymerization methods. Comparison of the copolymers synthesized with three methods was investigated. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), thermogravymetric analysis (TG-DTA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and conductivity results confirmed that the poly(Py-co-Ani) copolymers were successfully obtained in all cases with some differences according to synthesis methods. It was found that plasma method enhanced the thermal stability of the poly(Py-co-Ani) copolymer. The first thermal decomposition temperatures of chemically, electrochemically and plasma polymerized copolymers are 210, 190 and 250 °C, respectively. However, the conductivity value of plasma polymerized copolymer (1,97x10-4 S.cm-1) is lower than that of chemical (4,40x10-4 S.cm-1) and electrochemical (3,14x10-4 S.cm-1) synthesized copolymers. According to findings chemical and electrochemical polymerization methods provides nearly the same properties to the copolymers. Plasma polymerization method provides better thermal properties to copolymer. The both three methods can be used for preparing the pyrrole and aniline copolymers.
Genotoxic and Cytotoxic Activities of Hippocratea africana Loes. Ex. Engl. Celastraceae Root Extract
Authors: Johnny, I. I.  , Okokon, J. E.  , Ochigbo, E. B.  , Udo, I. J.  , Adefabi, A. M.
Published: September 2023

Hippocratea africana, a medicinal plant, used in ethnomedicine for the treatment of antimalarial, diabetes, poisoning and inflammatory diseases was investigated for cytotoxic and genotoxic effects on the root meristem cells of Allium cepa. The extract and fractions was also screened for total flavonoid and phenol content using standard methods. Onion bulbs were exposed to 2.5 mg/ml, 5mg/ml, and 10 mg/ml concentrations of the leaf extract for macroscopic and microscopic analysis. Tap water was used as a negative control and Methotrexate (0.1 mg/ml) as a positive control. There was statistically significant (P < 0.05) inhibition of root growth depending on concentration by the extract when compared with the negative control group. All the tested concentrations of the extract were observed to have cytotoxic effects on cell division in A. cepa. The extract- induced chromosomal aberrations and micronuclei (MNC) formations in A. cepa root tip cells and were significant (p<0.05) when compared with control group. The extract treatment further induced cell death, ghost cells, cells membrane damage, and binucleated cells. These results suggest that Hippocratea africana root extract possess cytotoxic and genotoxic effects on A. cepa which is as a results of its phytochemical constituents.
Sensory Quality Analysis (Texture) and Moisture Content to Predict the Shelf Life of Bakpia Filled Seaweed (Eucheuma cottonii)
Authors: Luthfiah  , Tasir  , Syamsuar  , Saleh Rahmawati , Makkulawu Andi Ridwan
Published: September 2023

Aims: Bakpia is a snack made from a mixture of mung beans and sugar wrapped in pastry and baked. Bakpia is a popular light snack consumed by the Indonesian community. This research aims to determine the shelf life of seaweed-filled bakpia and regular bakpia using the Accelerated Shelf Life Test (ASLT) method.

Place and Duration: The study was conducted at the Chemistry Laboratory of Pangkep State Polytechnic of Agriculture and the Chemistry Laboratory of Makassar Ministry of Labaoratory Industry from February to May 2023.

Study Design: The research design involved using the ASLT method to analyze the minimum quality limit at which the bakpia cookies product starts to be rejected by consumers. Samples of the product were obtained from a local mini-market that sells bakpia. The parameters observed were the initial and final moisture content during storage at 15°C, 30°C, and 45°C, as well as the texture before and after the bakpia cookies product was rejected by consumers.

Results: Estimating the shelf life of seaweed bakpia tausa and bakpia tausa using the ASLT method can use a degradation reaction approach (absorption of water content) as a critical parameter. The kinetic reactions of degradation (absorption of water content) of seaweed bakpia tausa and bakpia tausa follow the first order reaction. The shelf life of seaweed bakpia tausa and bakpia tausa uses the ASLT method through a different approach to the critical parameter of water content for each product. At storage temperatures between 15°C and 45°C, the shelf life of bakpia tausa is longer than that of seaweed bakpia tausa. The average shelf life of seaweed bakpia tausar at 30°C is 59.5 days while bakpia lausa is 64.8 days (more than two months).

Conclutions: The shelf life of seaweed bakpia tausa and bakpia tausa uses the ASLT method through a different approach to the critical parameter of water content for each product. At storage temperatures between 15°C and 45°C, the shelf life of bakpia tausa is longer than that of seaweed bakpia tausa. The average shelf life of seaweed bakpia tausar at 30°C is 59.5 days while bakpia lausa is 64.8 days (more than two months).
Demographic Factors and Bystander CPR in Nigerian Athletes
Authors: Onyeaso Adedamola O. , Woji-Nyeche Smith O. , Woji-Nyeche Chibuotam O. , Onyeaso Chukwudi O.
Published: September 2023

Background/Aim: There is limited research on bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (bystander CPR) involving athletes globally and in the Nigerian context specifically. The impact of age and gender of individuals on the knowledge of bystander CPR and attitude towards it is variable. This study aimed at assessing the associations of age, gender and years of experience as athletes with knowledge and attitude towards bystander CPR.

Methods: A national cross sectional study of Nigerian athletes covering 25 different sports was carried out. Four hundred and nineteen (419) athletes comprising 278 (66.3%) males and 141(33.7%) females with age range of 11- 49 years and mean age of 23.43 + 5.66 (SD) filled and returned the questionnaire that tested the associations of the participants’ age, gender and years of experience as athletes with their knowledge of bystander CPR and their attitude towards this life-saving procedure. In addition to descriptive statistics, the associations of their age, gender and years of experience as athletes with their bystander CPR knowledge and attitude were tested using the analysis of variance (ANOVA), while the significance level was set P < .05.

Results: Age of the athletes did not have any statistically significant associations with their bystander CPR knowledge and attitude towards it (P > .05). Male or female gender did not give any statistically significant associations with their knowledge of and attitude towards bystander CPR (P > .05), as well as their years of experience as athletes with bystander CPR knowledge and attitude towards the procedure (P > .05).

Conclusion: Neither age, gender nor years of experience as athletes of the participants gave any statistically significant associations with their bystander CPR knowledge and attitude towards this life-saving procedure.
Risk Assessment of Residual Pesticides of Phaseolus vulgaris L. Consumed in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria
Authors: Kalu S. N. , Ujowundu C. O. , Emejulu A. A. , Ujowundu F. N. , Onwuliri V. A. , Ukwueze T. O. , Akpaki M. A.
Published: September 2023

Pesticides are important and necessary in reducing the loss caused by insect infestation on grains. However, its toxicity and persistence in the environment is of health concern. Beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) preserved with insecticide are considered to be good for consumption if its content of insecticide is not higher than the maximum residue limits (MRLs). The aim of this research was to quantify the residue of pesticide in four beans samples and determine the health risk associated with consuming these foods by residents of Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria. Pesticides content of beans samples were analyzed using Gas Chromatography (GC). The results of the study showed the presence of 17 different pesticide residues in all samples of beans. 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) and 2,2-dichlorovinyl dimethyl phosphate (DDVP) were detected in all samples of beans and at levels above European Union’s (EU's) MRL except in iron beans samples. Glyphosate was detected in all the samples at concentration above EU’s MRL. However, pesticides in Raw iron beans such as carbofuran (0.43±0.03 mg/kg), Endosulphan (0.18±0.01 mg/kg), HCB (0.62±0.10 mg/kg) Profenos (0.55±0.04 mg/kg) and t-nonachlor (0.32±0.00 mg/kg) decreased significantly to 0.23±0.10 mg/kg, 0.09±0.01 mg/kg, 0.31±0.01 mg/kg, 0.38±0.01 mg/kg, and 0.22±0.00 mg/kg respectively in Parboiled iron beans. This indicates reduced Health Risk Index (HRI) to pesticides of parboiled beans samples. Similar results were also recorded in other raw and parboiled beans varieties studied. This calls for the attention of regulatory agencies in foods and food products to effectively monitor the use and application of pesticides on foodstuff and also encourage parboiling before cooking to eat.
Pioneering Challenges: Exploring Multifaceted Obstacles in Agricultural Mechanization in Tamil Nadu, India
Authors: Abirami S. , Jaisridhar P. , Kumar A. P. Mohan , Sheela M. Santha , Ganapati Patil Santosh
Published: September 2023

Aim: To comprehend the identified constraints spanning various categories, including economic challenges, environmental issues, extension-related limitations, infrastructural obstacles, informational barriers, operational challenges, technological impediments, and capacity-building constraints faced by farmers utilizing farm mechanization.

Study Design: This study adopted a comprehensive approach.

Place and Duration of study: This study was conducted in two distinct regions within Tamil Nadu, specifically Coimbatore and Ramanathapuram, representing high and low irrigation intensity zones, respectively.

Methodology: The study actively involved 120 farmers, with an equal distribution of 60 participants from each district, who participated by responding to questionnaires. The study meticulously applied the Rank-Based Quotient (RBQ) methodology to assess the most prominent constraints hindering effective farm mechanization.

Results: The study identified constraints spanning multiple categories, including economic challenges such as the absence of credit facilities and heightened investment costs, environmental issues like pesticide usage and increased fossil fuel emissions, extension-related limitations including restricted interaction between extension officials and farmers in remote areas, infrastructural obstacles like the unavailability of service centers, informational barriers involving inadequate knowledge of government subsidies, operational challenges such as frequent machinery repairs, policy-related issues like the inadequate implementation of government support programs, situational challenges including farmers' hesitance to embrace mechanization, technological impediments such as a lack of familiarity with advanced technologies, and capacity-building constraints, including insufficient training for both farmers and skilled workers.

Conclusion: These findings emphasize the urgency of targeted policy interventions, increased awareness, enhanced access to training, and the establishment of support mechanisms to surmount these obstacles. Addressing these constraints holds the potential to empower farmers to optimize machinery utilization, augment productivity, and make substantial contributions to agricultural development, providing valuable insights for other developing nations grappling with similar challenges in advancing their agricultural sectors.
Effect of Microbial Inoculants on Crop Growth, Yield, Biochemical and Phyiological Parameters of Blackgram [Vigna mungo (L.) Hepper]
Authors: Lavanya G. , Vasundhara S. , Reddy B. Rupesh Kumar , Reddy M. Raveendra
Published: September 2023

A field experiment was carried out in randomized block design with 10 treatments and 3 replications at the Department of Seed Science and Technology, S.V. Agricultural College, Tirupati during 2022. The blackgram variety TBG-104 differed for field, biochemical, and physiological parameters in response to different treatments of microbial inoculants. The influence of the treatments in the field was significant with respect to crop growth, phenological and yield parameters, seed quality attributes, biochemical and physiological parameters. In case of crop growth parameters which include field emergence (%), plant height (cm) highest performance was seen in T9(91.67%,27.47cm) over control and other treatments. While all the treatments recorded values that are at par with the highest performed treatment. In case of phenological parameters which include days to first flowering, 50% flowering and maturity, The treatment T9 and T8 were the best performed over the other treatments and control. Similar trend was observed with respect to yield and yield parameters where T9(929.63 kg/ha) treatment showed the highest performance.  Our results revealed that that the co-inoculation of 4 or 5 microbial inoculants showed better results over individual treatments during the period of storage.
Effect of Storage Containers on Nutritional Qualitiy of Indegenous Scented Rice (cv. Gobindabhog)
Authors: Mahata Dibyendu , Ghosh Mrityunjay , Bhattacharya A. , Banerjee S.
Published: September 2023

A storage study was done during 2010-11 and 2011-12 at Rice Laboratory, Department of Agronomy, BCKV, Mohanpur, Nadia, West Bengal, India. The change in mean relative humidity over two years from 71.2 (2-month) to 82.2% (6-month) in the laboratory experiments probably caused a slight increasing trend in moisture content in grain irrespective of storage container used in the study. The variation in material of the containers including their temperature sensitivity, porosity, etc. influenced the moisture content of whole paddy grains at different storage period during both 2011 and 2012. Among containers (viz. Gunny bag, Polythene bag, Cloth bag, Earthen pot and Galvanized iron (GI) bin), earthen pot recorded lowest moisture content than other four tested in the experiment. The physical properties of grain (viz. kernel length, kernel breadth, L / B ratio, shape, colour, etc.) did not differ significantly among five storage containers during the ageing or storage period. On an average, the protein content in the Gobindabhog rice grain remained largely unchanged during entire 6-month storage time, but amylose content improved slightly upto 4-month, and alkali value and elongation ratio upto 6-month period including non-significant variations among the containers in the experiment. There was a steady decrease in intensity of aroma of Gobindabhog rice during post-harvest storage from 2-month to 6-month period irrespective of container used in the study. The average aroma score over containers after 2-month storage (score 2.53 ± 0.18) declined by 13.83% after 4-month (score 2.18 ± 0.06) and 29.64% after 6-month (score 1.78 ± 0.37). Among storage containers, earthen pot performed best for retention of aroma while jut-made gunny bag appeared unfit for long-term storage of Gobindabhog paddy with respect to grain quality parameters, especially aroma.
The Improvement of Back Pain and Radicular Pain Following Endoscopic Versus Microscopic Lumbar Discectomy: A Randomized Clinical Trial in an Egyptian Tertiary Care Center
Authors: Amer Abdurrahman Lotfi Mohammed Abuajwa , Mokbel Esam Abdel Hay , Eldeen Ali Ebrahim Seif , Bebars Mohamed Mohamed
Published: September 2023

Aims: To compare the results obtained from a cohort of patients with posterolateral lumbar disc prolapse regarding the postoperative improvement of back pain and radicular pain, in patients operated for endoscopic lumbar discectomy, with a group of patients operated for microscopic lumbar discectomy, in the Neurosurgery Department, Tanta University Hospitals, from November 2021 till the end of October 2022.

Methodology: A prospective analysis was performed on 40 patients operated for minimally invasive lumbar discectomy, 20 patients underwent microscopic discectomy and 20 patients underwent endoscopic discectomy. This randomized clinical trial took place in the Neurosurgery department, Tanta University Hospitals in Egypt.

Results: 40 patients with posterolateral single level de novo lumbar disc herniations were included. 20 patients underwent microscopic discectomy, and 20 patients underwent endoscopic discectomy. Both groups exhibited significant improvements in radicular and back pain postoperatively (P < 0.001). Although there was no significant difference in radicular pain improvement between the groups, improvement in back pain was significantly higher in the endoscopic group than in the microscopy group (5.1 ± 1.5 vs. 2.7 ± 1.0, P < 0.001). The improvement in Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) postoperative was statistically significant in both groups (P<0.001). Although statistically insignificant (P=0.072), the improvement in ODI was higher in the endoscopic group than in the microscopic group.

Conclusion: This study revealed that endoscopic lumbar discectomy is superior to microdiscectomy in terms of improvement of postoperative back pain, reduced hospital stay and early return to daily activity, which can be justified by the maximal preservation of normal bony and myoligamentous anatomy. This allows for earlier recovery and avoid chronic back pain resulting from fibrosis in muscles, ligaments and also epidural fibrosis.
Transformation of Poultry Wastes and Oil Palm Residues into Liquid Fertilizers and its Use in the Fertilization of Oil Palm at the Juvenile Stage
Authors: Christophe Adou Bini Yao , Fernand Yao Guy , Thierry Lekadou Tacra , Obed Gogoue Dessan , Alphonse N’guessan Kouassi
Published: September 2023

The use of organic fertilizers is beneficial and less expensive if applied in adequate doses. This is how the present investigation aims to determine the optimal quantities of vermiwash based on poultry waste and oil palm residues to be applied to oil palms in prenurseries and in nurseries. To do this, different quantities of this locally manufactured vermiwash constituted the treatments applied to the oil palms at the juvenile stage. Growth parameters such as collar diameter, length of longest leaf, number of leaves emitted, and height of seedlings and plants were assessed. At the prenursery stage, the results obtained showed that, whatever the growth parameter, the maximum values were recorded at a dose of 30 ml of vermiwash per seedling. In the nursery, the maximum values were recorded, on the one hand, at the dose of 100 ml in foliar application and, on the other hand, at the dose of 150 ml in application on the substrate. These different doses therefore constitute the optimal doses for the development of the oil palm at the prenursery and nursery stages. Vermiwash from poultry waste and oil palm residues therefore contributes to the development of oil palm at the prenursery and nursery stages and, thus, can be an alternative to chemical fertilization of plants.
Amino acid and biochemical composition of Banded Carpet Shell (Polititapes rhomboides, Pennant, 1777), collected from the Çardak Lagoon, Turkey
Authors: Vural Pervin
Published: September 2023

Between January and December 2019, banded carpet shell (Polititapes rhomboides, Pennant 1777) were gathered from Çardak Lagoon (Çanakkale Strait). The length value was found to range from 32.92 to 36.37 mm, weight between 7.90 and 11.75 g, condition index from 4.44 to 8.70, and meat yield was found to be ranging from 11.95% to 24.95%. Negative allometry was determined in the W/L relationship of P. rhomboides. The main meat component of P. rhomboides was moisture (54.70-65.57%) and protein (52.89-62.10%) with the other components being carbohydrate (10.95-21.30%), lipid (12.79-17.18%) and ash (7.69-19.93%). The correlation between moisture and carbohydrate was positive, whereas the correlation between moisture and protein was negative (p<0.05). The present study not only informs us on composition but also recommends consumption of the species since it is easier to market and consume. Arginine amino acid was found to be the highest in quantity, which was followed by glutamic acid, serine, methionine, alanine, and aspartic acid.

Keywords: Length-weight relationship, Meat yield, Protein, Lipid, Çanakkale Strait.
Phenological, morphological and genetic characterization of local grapevine (Vitis labrusca L.) genotypes grown in the Black Sea Region in Northern Turkey
Authors: Aydemir Birsen Çakır , Yazıcı Kezban , Göksu Burcu
Published: September 2023

Vitis labrusca has become widely naturalized in the Black Sea region of Northern Turkey. The aim of this work was to evaluate the morphological, phenological, and genetic characteristics of V. labrusca accessions grown in the Black Sea region during the last three growing seasons. Local genotypes were described according to the Organisation Internationale de la Vigne et du Vin (OIV) ampelographic descriptor, including shoot length (cm), mature leaf size, bunch length and width, berry length and width, berry weight, number of berries, Total Soluble Solids (TTS) and titratable acidity. Additionally, phenological data, including bud burst, flowering, veraison and harvest date, were recorded. The accessions were characterized at the molecular level, and genetic relationships were assessed by means of Inter Simple Sequence Repeat (ISSR) markers. Using 6 ISSR primers, seventy-seven bands were obtained, of which 69 were polymorphic with a mean polymorphic rate of 88.68%. These ISSR primers produced polymorphism information content (PIC) values ranging from 0.48 to 0.5. The genetic similarity ranged from 0.08 to 0.83 among the genotypes. According to the dendrogram based on the ISSR analysis, Accessions 8 and 5 were genetically related, with a coefficient of similarity of 0.83, while Accession 3 was the most distantly related genotype, with a coefficient of similarity of 0.08. These results demonstrated that ISSR markers can be used for genetic diversity analysis among V. labrusca genotypes. Our results also described characteristics of new V. labrusca genotypes that could be valuable for future Marker-Assisted Selection (MAS) and grapevine breeding.

Key words: Diversity, foxy species, Inter-Simple Sequence Repeat markers (ISSRs), Breeding, polymorphism
Raging Wildfires Are Exposing More People to Smoky Air—Here’s What That Means for Health
Authors: Suran Melissa
Published: September 2023

This Medical News article discusses why wildfires are intensifying and how to stay safe from residual smoke.
The Protein Structure Prediction Revolution and Its Implications for Medicine
Authors: Jumper John , Hassabis Demis
Published: September 2023

In this Viewpoint, 2023 Lasker award winners John Jumper and Demis Hassabis describe their invention, the artificial intelligence–based system AlphaFold, which is able to predict protein structure with great accuracy.
Effects of an Arctic under‐ice bloom on solar radiant heating of the water column
Authors: Taskjelle Torbjørn , Granskog Mats A. , Pavlov Alexey K. , Hudson Stephen R. , Hamre Børge
Published: September 2023

The deposition of solar energy in the upper Arctic Ocean depends, among other things, on the composition of the water column. During the N‐ICE2015 expedition, a drift in the Arctic pack ice north of Svalbard, an under‐ice phytoplankton bloom was encountered in May 2015. This bloom led to significant changes in the inherent optical properties (IOPs) of the upper ocean. Mean values of total water absorption in the upper 20 m of the water column were up to 4 times higher during the bloom than prior to it. The total water attenuation coefficient increased by a factor of up to around 7. Radiative transfer modeling, with measured IOPs as input, has been performed with a coupled atmosphere‐ice‐ocean model. Simulations are used to investigate the change in depth‐dependent solar heating of the ocean after the onset of the bloom, for wavelengths in the region 350–700 nm. Effects of clouds, sea ice cover, solar zenith angle, as well as the average cosine for scattering of the ocean inclusions are evaluated. An increase in energy absorption in the upper 10 m of about 36% is found under 25 cm ice with 2 cm snow, for bloom conditions relative to prebloom conditions, which may have implications for ice melt and growth in spring. Thicker clouds and lower sun reduce the irradiance available, but lead to an increase in relative absorption.
Enhanced Performance and Stability of Q‐PHJ Devices through Strategic Placement of Dimerized Acceptors
Authors: Tan Pu , Chen Hui , Wang Hengtao , Lai Xue , Zhu Yulin , Shen Xiangyu , Pu Mingrui , Lai Hanjian , Zhang Sen , Ma Wei , He Feng
Published: September 2023

Oligomeric acceptors are an effective π‐conjugate extension for small molecules because they effectively combine the advantages of polymeric and small molecular acceptors. The choice of linker group and oligomer position is however crucial for the efficient expression of π‐expansion advantages. Here, vinylene is chosen as the linker group and three oligomeric acceptors are produced with different connecting positions or end‐groups. Under illumination, the dimer acceptor dBTIC‐γV‐BO achieves the best power conversion efficiencies of 17.14% and a T80 lifetime of 2150 h amongst quasi‐planar heterojunction devices, which are much higher and more stable than the directly connected dimers dBTICγ‐EH or dBTIC‐δV‐BO. These results indicate that the oligomerization of small molecules with an appropriate linker group in the γ‐position is an effective strategy with which to improve the photovoltaic performance and stability of organic solar cells, and significantly promote their commercialization.