bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
RETRACTED ARTICLE: Hierarchical energy-saving routing algorithm using fuzzy logic in wireless sensor networks
Authors: Wang Dan , Wu Qing , Hu Ming
Published: October 2023

Currently, sensor energy assembly in wireless sensor networks is limited, and clustering methods are not effective to improve sensor energy consumption rate. Thus, a hierarchical energy-saving routing algorithm based on fuzzy logic was constructed by considering three aspects: residual energy value, centrality, and distance value between nodes and base stations. The remaining sensor nodes selected by fuzzy logic algorithm have a longer time to live and greater residual energy than those selected by low-power adaptive clustering hierarchical protocol algorithm, fuzzy unequal clustering algorithm, and fuzzy logic cluster head election algorithm. For network life cycle, the number of rounds in which the first dead node appears, in descending order, is studied: energy-saving routing algorithm (400 rounds) > new geographic cellular structure algorithm (300 rounds) > virtual grid based dynamic routes adjustment algorithm (100 rounds). Under the same experimental round, energy-saving routing algorithm’s remaining energy curve always reaches its maximum. The energy-saving routing algorithm by fuzzy logic constructed by this research institute can significantly improve network energy utilization, which has certain reference value.
Modeling control strategies for prosumers in a Python-based modular simulation tool
Authors: Schoen Andrea , Ringelstein Jan , Mende Denis , Braun Martin
Published: October 2023

The planned massive increase of producers and consumers such as electric vehicles, heat pumps and photovoltaic systems in distribution grids will lead to new challenges in the electrical power system. These can include grid congestions at the low voltage level but also at higher voltage levels. Control strategies can enable the efficient use of flexibilities and therefore help mitigate upcoming problems. However, they need to be evaluated carefully before their application in the energy system to avoid any unwanted effects and to choose the most fitting strategy for each application. In this publication, a Python-based modular simulation tool for developing and analysing control strategies for prosumers, which uses (Thurner et al. 2018), is presented. It is intended for sequential simulations and enables detailed operational analyses, which include evaluating the influence on grid situations, the necessary behavior of energy system components, required measurements and communications. This publication also gives an overview of control strategies, existing simulation tools, how the modular simulation tool fits in and illustrates its functionalities in an application example, which further highlights its versatility and efficiency. Time series simulations with the tool allow analyses regarding the effect of control strategies on power flow results. Moreover, the simulation tool also facilitates evaluating the behavior of energy system components (e.g. distribution substations), necessary communications and measurements as well as any faults that might occur.
From computer systems to power systems: using stochastic network calculus for flexibility analysis in power systems
Authors: Fürmann Tim , Lechl Michael , de Meer Hermann , Weidlich Anke
Published: October 2023

As power systems transition from controllable fossil fuel plants to variable renewable sources, managing power supply and demand fluctuations becomes increasingly important. Novel approaches are required to balance these fluctuations. The problem of determining the optimal deployment of flexibility options, considering factors such as timing and location, shares similarities with scheduling problems encountered in computer networks. In both cases, the objective is to coordinate various distributed units and manage the flow of either data or power. Among the methods for scheduling and resource allocation in computer networks, stochastic network calculus (SNC) is a promising approach that estimates worst-case guarantees for Quality of Service (QoS) indicators of computer networks, such as delay and backlog. Promising QoS indicators in the power system are given by the amount of stored energy, the serviced demand, and the demand elasticity. In this work, we investigate SNC for its capabilities and limitations to quantify flexibility service guarantees in power systems. We generate and aggregate stochastic envelopes for random processes, which was found useful for modeling flexibility in power systems at multiple time scales. In a case study on the reliability of a solar-powered car charging station, we obtain similar results as from a mixed-integer linear programming problem, which provides confidence that the chosen SNC approach is suitable for modeling power system flexibility.
Assessing the incorporation of battery degradation in vehicle-to-grid optimization models
Authors: Preis Valentin , Biedenbach Florian
Published: October 2023

Bidirectional charging allows energy from the electric vehicles (EV) to be fed back into the grid, offering the possibility of price-optimized charging. However, such strategies cause higher charging cycles, which affect the cyclic aging of the battery and reduce its service life, resulting in additional costs for the user. Various approaches are used to account for battery degradation in optimizations models of bidirectional charging use-cases. In this paper, a systematic literature review is carried out to identify existing battery degradation models and to determine the most suitable one. In the models under review, degradation is integrated into the optimization’s objective function. The review shows that there are mainly two strategies suitable for vehicle-to-grid (V2G) optimization problems: A weighted Ah-throughput model (wAh-model) with a constant degradation cost factor and a performance based model (pb-model) linking the degradation to measurable parameters such as capacity loss. Both models were implemented and analyzed. The results show that the wAh-model is the better optimization option, as in the pb-model the current state of health of the battery has an excessively large impact on the calculated degradation cost. It leads to excess costs due to a higher aging rate at the beginning of life which proves to be not ideal in the optimization. The sensitivity analysis reveals that altering the initial State of Health (SoH) from 95 % in the base scenario to 100 % leads to an increase in average degradation costs by factor 9.71 in the pb-model. From the evaluated base scenario the average degradation costs for the pb-model are 0.45 cent/kWh and for the wAh-model 0.23 cent/kWh.
RETRACTED ARTICLE: Analyzing the impacts of node density and speed on routing protocol performance in firefighting applications
Authors: Ullah Inam , Hussain Tariq , Khan Aamir , Ali Iqtidar , Ali Farhad , Choi Chang
Published: October 2023

Background

Mobile ad hoc networks have piqued researchers’ interest in various applications, including forest fire detection. Because of the massive losses caused by this disaster, forest fires necessitate regular monitoring, good communication, and technology. As a result, disaster response and rescue applications are mobile ad hoc network’s primary applications. However, quality of service becomes a significant and difficult issue, and the capabilities of the basic routing protocol limit mobile ad hoc network’s ability to deliver reasonable quality of service.

Results

The proposed research is for disaster-related scenarios, with nodes representing firefighters and vehicles (ambulances). Mobile nodes moving at 10 m/s are thought to be firefighters, while nodes moving at 20 m/s are thought to be vehicles (ambulances) delivering emergency healthcare. The NS-2 simulator is used in this research for the performance assessment of the two routing protocols, such as Optimized Link State Routing (OLSR) and Temporally Order Routing Algorithm (TORA), in terms of average latency, average throughput, and average packet drop. The simulation was run with varying node velocities and network densities to examine the impact of scalability on the two mobile ad hoc network routing protocols.

Conclusions

This work presents two main protocols: TORA (for reactive networks) and OLSR (for proactive networks). The proposed methods had no impact on the end-to-end bandwidth delay or the packet delivery delay. The performance is evaluated in terms of varying network density and node speed (firefighter speed), i.e., varying network density and mobility speed. The simulation revealed that in a highly mobile network with varying network densities, OLSR outperforms TORA in terms of overall performance. TORA’s speed may have been enhanced by adding more nodes to the 20 nodes that used a significant amount of transmission control protocol traffic.
Sexual Health in Adolescents and Young Adults With Cancer
Authors: Cherven Brooke O. , Demedis Jenna , Frederick Natasha N.
Published: October 2023

Sexual health (SH), an integral aspect of overall health and quality of life, can be negatively affected by cancer and cancer treatment. SH is influenced by biological, psychological, social, and cultural factors, and, for adolescents and young adults (AYAs), developmental factors. The AYA population (age 15-39 years) is diverse in terms of psychosexual development, interpersonal relationships, and varying levels of independence, resulting in unique SH needs for this population. AYAs with cancer are particularly vulnerable to unmet SH needs related to contraception and infection prevention, sexual function, body image, and romantic/sexual relationships. Sexual dysfunction during and after cancer treatment is reported by 30%-100% of AYA cancer survivors. Clinical guidelines recommend discussing SH and screening for dysfunction but currently lack specifics regarding psychosexual interventions and strategies for incorporating screening into clinical care. Research and clinical priorities include improved provider-AYA communication regarding SH, standardization of SH measures and screening tools, infrastructure to support the SH needs of AYAs across pediatric and adult clinical environments, and engagement of sexual and gender minority AYAs in research. As the field of SH in cancer evolves, interventions need to be tailored to the developmental needs that are unique to AYAs and address the multidimensional aspects of SH.
Abolition Infrastructures
Authors: Ansfield Bench , Herzing Rachel , Spade Dean
Published: October 2023

Over the past two decades, transformative justice has gained momentum as an organized effort to answer contemporary abolitionism’s thorniest question: How can a society handle the problem of harm without resorting to punishment? The movement has sought to develop responses to harm and violence that reject retribution and instead emphasize accountability, repair, care, and attention to the systemic roots of violence. In large part because the movement took form in explicit rejection of the state’s administration of justice, the work of transformative justice has most frequently been done on an unpaid basis of mutual aid. Here’s a movement that has germinated in collective homes, borrowed office spaces, online forums, activist convenings, parks—in other words, in the abolitionist commons. As transformative justice has gained currency over the course of the pandemic, its ideas have been taken up in new realms, including the university, the nonprofit, the prison, and the courts. The current moment is ripe for taking stock of where the movement is right now, and where it is going. What does it look like to build toward abolition infrastructures or infrastructures of collective care? How might an abolitionist theory of the state guide this work?
Como TEAcolher nas Unidades de Saúde da Família de Fortaleza:inclusão e desenvolvimento
Authors: Da Rocha Forte Brenda Larissa , Noronha de Carvalho Vasconcelos Rafaela , Reis Jereissati Ana Amélia
Published: October 2023

Os cuidados primários de saúde são o primeiro ponto de contato da família com o sistema de saúde e têm um papel crucial na vigilância, no rastreamento e na orientação sobre o autismo. É de suma importância o manejo de crianças com TEA na Atenção Básica (AB) de forma integral e a articulada em rede, objetivando as necessidades do usuário e da família, a partir de um atendimento multiprofissional, uma vez que a integralidade na prática do cuidado se associa à superação do olhar centrado na problemática. Nesse contexto, AB pode adotar diversas medidas para melhorar o acolhimento, o atendimento de indivíduos com TEA, o rastreio diagnóstico, assim como o encaminhamento terapêutico e, além disso, pode acionar a equipe do Núcleo de Apoio à Saúde da Família (NASF) para a implementação de um Projeto Terapêutico Singular (PTS) nos casos em que os atrasos no desenvolvimento são muito intensos, com o objetivo de minimizar os impactos negativos da demora no acesso aos setores especializados.
Iot forensics
Authors: Δραγώνας Ευάγγελος
Published: October 2023

Η διδακτορική διατριβή με θέμα «Ψηφιακή Εγκληματολογία στο Διαδίκτυο των Πραγμάτων» επικεντρώνεται στην εγκληματολογική εξέταση πλήθους συσκευών που ανήκουν στον ψηφιακό «κόσμο» του Διαδικτύου των Πραγμάτων (ΔτΠ). Κίνητρο για την παρούσα διατριβή, αποτέλεσε πρωτίστως η παρατήρηση ότι στο ΔτΠ δραστηριοποιούνται πάρα πολλοί κατασκευαστές, με πλήθος διαφορετικών προϊόντων ο καθένας. Το γεγονός αυτό, καθιστά εξαιρετικά δύσκολη την αποτελεσματική ψηφιακή διερεύνηση των ανωτέρω συσκευών, σε περίπτωση που αυτές εμπλακούν με οποιοδήποτε τρόπο σε κάποιο έγκλημα. Η δυσκολία αυτή οφείλεται σε πολλούς παράγοντες. Αρχικά, κάθε τέτοια συσκευή δύναται να αποθηκεύει τα δεδομένα της είτε σε ένα μέρος (π.χ. στη συνοδευτική εφαρμογή του τηλεφώνου, στο νέφος, κ.ά.) ή τμηματικά σε περισσότερα από ένα μέρη. Έπειτα, τα εγκληματολογικά λογισμικά που οι ερευνητές ψηφιακής εγκληματολογίας έχουν στη διάθεση τους, δυσκολεύονται να υποστηρίξουν την ανάλυση των δεδομένων των προϊόντων κάθε κατασκευαστή. Τέλος, οι ερευνητές που αναλαμβάνουν τη διερεύνηση ενός εγκλήματος στο οποίο εμπλέκονται συσκευές του ΔτΠ, χρειάζεται να γνωρίζουν που αποθηκεύονται τα δεδομένα των συσκευών που εξετάζουν, πώς να τα ερμηνεύσουν, πώς να μην τα παρερμηνεύσουν, καθώς επίσης πρέπει να γνωρίζουν και ποια λογισμικά μπορούν να τους βοηθήσουν στο έργο τους. Εάν αναλογιστεί κανείς το μέγεθος που έχει σήμερα το ΔτΠ, αντιλαμβάνεται ότι κάτι τέτοιο είναι πρακτικά αδύνατο. Γι’ αυτό το λόγο, οι εγκληματολογικές μελέτες συσκευών του ΔτΠ είναι εξαιρετικής σημασίας, τα αποτελέσματα των οποίων μπορούν να χρησιμοποιηθούν ως σημείοαναφοράς είτε από τους ερευνητές που εξετάζουν μία υπόθεση με παρόμοιες συσκευές είτε από τις εταιρείες ανάπτυξης εγκληματολογικών λογισμικών που επιδιώκουν την ενημέρωση των προϊόντων τους, ώστε να αποκωδικοποιούν σωστά αυτά τα δεδομένα. Επομένως, στόχος της παρούσας διατριβής αποτελεί η «χαρτογράφηση» ενός μέρους του ΔτΠ, υπό το πρίσμα της επιστήμης της Ψηφιακής Εγκληματολογίας. Για την επίτευξη του στόχου αυτού, πραγματοποιήθηκε εγκληματολογική εξέταση συσκευών του ΔτΠ που κατασκευάζονται από εταιρείες ηγέτες στον χώρο και οι οποίες ανήκουν ως επί το πλείστον στις ακόλουθες κατηγορίες προϊόντων: συστήματα ασφαλείας και συστήματα παρακολούθησης. Στο πλαίσιο της παρούσας διατριβής, αναπτύχθηκαν νέα εγκληματολογικά λογισμικά ανοιχτού κώδικα και ενημερώθηκαν ήδη υπάρχοντα με βάση τα ευρήματα της διενεργηθείσας έρευνας. Η εκπλήρωση του εν λόγω στόχου αποσκοπεί στην υποβοήθηση της αποστολής των ερευνητών ψηφιακής εγκληματολογίας ανά τον κόσμο να υπηρετούν τη δικαιοσύνη και των εταιρειών εγκληματολογικών λογισμικών να βελτιώνουν τα προϊόντα τους.
Extralinguistic arguments in 21st century language planning discourse: a “superdictionary” between language standardization from above and below
Authors: Koreinik Kadri
Published: October 2023

Language standardization has historically been a critical area of inquiry in language policy and planning (LPP) research. This is a political matter, which contributes to “more (and hierarchical) heterogeneity” rather than linguistic homogeneity (Gal 2006: 171). The paper empirically explores extralinguistic arguments, which are used by language professionals (planners, academics, educators) in mainstream media discourse. This public discourse is initiated by the launch of an Estonian “superdictionary” in 2019 (see Tavast et al. 2020), and its public reception. By using Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) as a method, the paper also provides insight into the discursive construction of language as such and (Standard) Estonian by different LPP actors. Above all, it aims to understand the issues of power and authority in language standardization. The discourse illustrates the paradigmatic change in standardization and lexicography: from including selected language samples to the acceptance of non-elite language variants and varieties. This change has generated a polarization of stance among language professionals, and similar discursive moves, e.g., references to the past and future dangers, metaphors and other comparisons are used.

Kokkuvõte. Kadri Koreinik: Keelevälised argumendid 21. sajandi keelekorraldusdiskursuses: „supersõnaraamat“ ülalt-alla ja alt-üles keelekorralduse vahel. Keele standardimist peetakse keelepoliitika ja -korraldusuuringute üheks keskseks huviobjektiks. Standardimine ehk normimine on poliitiline valik, mis selmet keelelist homogeensust luua, tekitab hoopis heterogeensust, mis on olemuselt hierarhiline: normikeelt kas osatakse või mitte (Gal 2006). Artiklis uuritakse keeleväliseid argumente, mida kasutavad peavoolumeedias normimise üle arutlemiseks keelega professionaalselt seotud inimesed (keelekorraldajad, -teadlased, haridustegelased). Uuritav diskursus lähtub nn sõnastikureformist ja selle retseptsioonist. Analüüsimeetodina kasutatakse kriitilist diskursusanalüüsi, mis võimaldab süvitsi uurida, kuidas avalikkuses konstrueeritakse keelega, sh eesti kirjakeelega seotud tähendusi. Lisaks aitab analüüs mõista võimu ja domineerimise küsimusi keele normimisel. Diskursuses kajastub paradigmaatiline muutus, mis väärtustab kasutus- ja korpuspõhist lähenemist leksikograafias, aga ka keele normimisel. Kuigi muutus on löönud „keeleinimesed“ kahte lehte, kasutatakse poolt- või vastuargumentides samu võtteid: viiteid autoriteetidele, keele ohustatusele, metafoore ja teisi võrdlusi.
Memória e atualização na adaptação de Gabriela, cravo e canela
Authors: Gomes Márcia , Weis Alves Gedy
Published: October 2023

O reaproveitamento de textos anteriores tornou-se um padrão criativo na produção midiática contemporânea. Essa prática envolve intertextualidade, mudança de contexto de realização e, muitas vezes, de mídia, à qual se associa reconfiguração dos procedimentos de feitura e recepção. Neste artigo se analisa a relação entre atualização e memória cultural na transposição do romance Gabriela, cravo e canela (1958), de Jorge Amado, para as telenovelas Gabriela realizadas pela Rede Globo (1975, 2012). Na retomada do romance pelos audiovisuais, verifica-se como as obras derivadas conciliam em si as reminiscências e as vivências sociais com as lógicas de produção atuais, em formato industrial. Verificou-se o redirecionamento dos textos derivados, com a ampliação dos vínculos intertextuais, a atualização de aspectos da trama e dos personagens, e alteração do tratamento estético, adequando-os às convenções do gênero televisivo e a sua imagem de público. Nas adaptações, a vida privada e as relações amorosas tornam-se o foco principal, ao passo que a contextualização histórica do relato passa a segundo plano e as questões políticas são arrefecidas, embora continuem presentes no enredo.
Escritas performativas: três estudos de caso brasileiros
Authors: Caputo Irma
Published: October 2023

O presente artigo investiga o conceito de escritas performativas a partir de três casos literários brasileiros que apresentam graus diferenciados de performatividade no tipo de hibridização de práticas de linguagens propostas e no tipo de coação aplicada às regras prescritivas e normativas do código verbal. A partir dos casos selecionados O peso do pássaro morto (2017) de Aline Bei, Ó (2008) de Nuno Ramos, Corpografia (1992) de Josely Vianna Baptista e Francisco Farias serão investigadas as operações de linguagem que permitem definir essas escritas performativas, analisando tanto a forma como a linguagem verbal tenta sair da sua semioticidade intrínseca quanto  às práticas estéticas incorporadas advindas de outras artes. Cada exemplo tratado estabelece uma relação mais íntima com áreas diversas, tais como teatro, artes plásticas e fotografia. Serão enfim avaliados quais os resultados comuns alcançados na recepção, independentemente do tipo de procedimentos estéticos utilizados e de que maneira novas formas sensíveis da literatura podem acarretar novos cortes epistemológicos.
Do audiolivro ao livro: um estudo intermidial sobre Mulher Maravilha (2020), de Chico Felitti
Authors: Machado Garcia Jaimeson , Lindemann Cristiane
Published: October 2023

O audiolivro é um tipo de mídia que, desde a sua origem, foi convencionado como uma alternativa ao livro. Por isso, autores como Matthew Rubery (2016) argumentam que sua identidade sempre esteve definida em relação ao impresso. Mas, e quando o audiolivro é lançado antes do livro? Quais são os impactos dessa quebra de expectativa? Observando situações como essa, o presente artigo tem por objetivo comparar as semelhanças e, principalmente, as diferenças ocasionadas durante o processo de transmidialidade intermidial, também chamada de transformação de mídia (ELLESTRÖM, 2021), a fim de investigar a forma como isso afeta a midiação e a percepção. Para tanto, escolhemos como objeto de estudo a audiobiografia e o livro Mulher Maravilha, de Chico Felitti (2020; 2021), por refletir um possível novo cenário de (inter)relações entre esses dois tipos de mídias. Após análise comparativa a partir da mídia verbal sonora e da mídia verbal escrita, foi possível averiguar que o livro Mulher Maravilha (2021) não representa uma alternativa ao audiolivro, ou seja, uma transcrição do que é lido em voz alta, mas sim um outro produto de mídia, expandido, complementado, corrigido e, finalmente, publicado.
Fofoca literária na rede social TikTok: um estudo de caso sobre o influenciador literário digital @patzzic
Authors: Carvalho Pereira Vinicius , Perotto Jhonatan , Carbonieri Divanize
Published: October 2023

Diante de novos perfis de leitoras e leitores jovens, acostumadas/os à interação com dispositivos digitais e à intermidialidade cara às redes sociais, observa-se a necessidade de investigar novas formas de mediação da leitura literária. Os hábitos de consumo desse público e suas relações com os textos por vezes colocam em questão conceitos de literatura e de leitura, ao que correspondem também inovações na cena literária da Internet, cada vez mais marcada pela presença de influenciadoras e influenciadores digitais. Nesse contexto, realiza-se aqui a análise do perfil @patzzic, que tem centenas de milhares de seguidoras e seguidores no TikTok e produz e divulga análises, spoilers, dicas de leitura e críticas sobre obras e autoras/autores, tanto clássicas/os quanto contemporâneas/os. Esta análise discorre sobre a abordagem que @patzzic faz das obras comentadas, mais especificamente por meio do que o influenciador digital popularizou no Brasil como “fofoca literária”. Para análise do corpus, formado por duas fofocas literárias do perfil em questão, adotam-se construtos teóricos de literatura como campo expandido, literatura em meio digital, influência literária digital, adaptações e intermidialidade, com base em Garramuño (2014), Rocha (2014), Schøllhammer e Defilippo (2019), Hutcheon (2011) e Rajewsky (2012), respectivamente.
Trabajo social neurológico: intervención social con pacientes con alzheimer
Authors: Olmedo Vega Verónica , Mielgo Gandarilla Elisa
Published: October 2023

La realidad social está en continuo cambio, por ende, las necesidades sociales que en ella se suceden. El envejecimiento de la población implica la aparición de problemas de salud, como el Alzheimer. La enfermedad de Alzheimer es una enfermedad neurodegenerativa primaria caracterizada por una disminución progresiva de la función cognitiva, asociada a la edad. La intervención del/de la profesional de Trabajo Social neurológico con pacientes diagnosticados de enfermedad de Alzheimer debe tener en cuenta su realidad bio-psico-social presente y futura, con un abordaje psicosocial interrelacionado con el paciente y su familia. Este artículo presenta la intervención de la trabajadora social neurológica de un Hospital de Agudos con personas con Alzheimer desde el diagnóstico de la enfermedad, adaptando la intervención a las diferentes fases por las que transcurre la misma. Un acompañamiento social ajustado a los cambios y necesidades que la enfermedad inevitablemente va provocando en el/la paciente, contribuyendo al logro de su bienestar y calidad de vida.
Physician Family Conflict Following Cardiac Arrest: A Qualitative Study
Authors: Caplan Rachel , Agarwal Sachin , Dastidar Joyeeta G.
Published: October 2023

Abstract: Comatose survivors of cardiac arrest may die following withdrawal of life-sustaining therapy (WLST) due to poor neurologic prognosis. Family members, acting as surrogate decision makers, are frequently asked to decide whether the patient should continue to receive ongoing life-sustaining therapy such as mechanical ventilation in this context of risk of death following removal. Sometimes, physicians and family members disagree about what is in the patient's best interest, and this conflict causes distress for both families and medical personnel. This article examines themes recorded in the medical records of 24 cardiac arrest patients at Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC) whose families chose to pursue continued life support despite physician recommendations for withdrawal. In documented conversations between patients' families and their providers, the most prominent themes included faith in miracles, the inappropriateness of "playing God," the value of more time with the patient, and differences in how providers and family members perceived the patient's status.
Half-Virgins, Whole Women? Marcel Prévost's Les demi-vierges (1894)
Authors: Christiansen Hope
Published: October 2023

Abstract: The very year that Irish feminist Sarah Grand coined the term "New Woman" to refer to women who sought to better themselves through education and/or work and to play a more active role in society, Marcel Prévost published Les demivierges , the novel that propelled the concept of the "half-virgin" into the public imagination. The bulk of the novel deals with the interactions between women and men who struggle to come to terms with their loss of primacy in the sexual dynamic. In his preface, Prévost predisposes the reader to condemn this new kind of woman and to understand the threat she poses to the turn-of-the-century man. But as the plot unfolds, it becomes clear that his messaging regarding women is far less straightforward. This study examines the process by which Prévost fleshes out the demi-vierge and problematizes his own preface's depiction of a figure that remains alive and well to this day in popular culture and media.
Simone de Beauvoir's Struggle against Separation: Radical Challenges to Heterosexual Norms in Les inséparables and "La lesbienne"
Authors: Millman Sophia
Published: October 2023

Abstract: Today, we face an epidemic of loneliness and Simone de Beauvoir's writings about separation—and about struggling to find new means of connecting—have never been more relevant. Throughout her fiction and philosophy, Beauvoir repeatedly wrote about women's desires to "shatter" what separated them. The theme of overcoming separation appears in "La lesbienne," a controversial chapter of Le deuxième sexe , and reappears in her novella Les inséparables , drafted in 1954 but only published in 2020. This article—the first study of the theme of separation in several of Beauvoir's works—situates these two texts within a twenty-year period. From 1944, when Beauvoir published Pyrrhus et Cinéas , to 1964, when she gave her lecture "Que peut la littérature ?," her thinking about separation and connection transformed radically. The author became increasingly committed to exposing and fighting against the heterosexual norms that separate women. Ultimately, Les inséparables , read in conjunction with "La lesbienne," illuminates Beauvoir's various writings about separation; the novella reveals that her revolutionary commitment to breaking taboos and connecting with readers grew out of the shame and frustration she experienced as she tried to communicate her love to another woman.
Meanings of Mass Rape During the 1994 Genocide Against the Tutsi in Rwanda: Understanding Intersectionality Through Survivor Testimonies
Authors: Shaker Heidi
Published: October 2023

Abstract: Women were targeted for rape during the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda because of their gender and ethnicity. Gendered and ethnic violence became intertwined in Hutu extremist propaganda, as it sexualized Tutsi women, instigated ethnic hatred, and incited men to commit rape on a massive scale. Rape as genocide was used as a weapon to annihilate Tutsi women physically, psychologically, socially, and economically. Many survivors were rendered infertile due to damaged reproductive organs or mutilated genitals and disconnected from their bodies due to psychological trauma. Those who were raped encountered severe stigmatization and marginalization: they were deemed unsuitable for marriage, were abandoned by their fiancés or husbands, and were ostracized by their communities. This rendered survivors extremely vulnerable economically, as by law, women are unable to own houses or possess land. Rape was used to reduce the Tutsi population through the transmission of AIDS, infertility issues, pregnancies as ethnic cleansing, and the breakdown of families, communities, and cultural practices. Rape is extremely taboo in Rwanda, and cultural and linguistic considerations add an extra layer of difficulty that survivors must navigate in order to tell their stories.
Energy-scaling of a diode-pumped Alexandrite laser and prototype development for a compact general-purpose Doppler lidar
Authors: Munk Alexander , Scheuer Sarah , Strotkamp Michael , Jungbluth Bernd , Froh Jan , Mense Thorben , Mauer Alsu , Höffner Josef
Published: October 2023

We present design and performance data of an energy-scaled diode-pumped Alexandrite laser in single longitudinal mode operation developed as a beam source in a mobile general-purpose Doppler lidar. A maximum pulse energy in Q-switched operation of 4.6 mJ and a maximum average power of 2.7 W were achieved for a repetition rate range from 500 to 750 Hz with excellent beam quality of M2=1.1. Two rugged and compact demonstrator lasers were built and integrated into mobile lidar systems, where a bandwidth of approximately 3 MHz is measured. Measurements of atmospheric winds and temperatures were conducted during several field campaigns from summer 2022 to spring 2023.
Wnt10b protects cardiomyocytes against doxorubicin-induced cell death via MAPK modulation
Authors: Chen Lei , Byer Stefano H. , Holder Rachel , Wu Lingyuan , Burkey Kyley , Shah Zubair
Published: October 2023

Background

Doxorubicin, an anthracycline chemotherapeutic known to incur heart damage, decreases heart function in up to 11% of patients. Recent investigations have implicated the Wnt signaling cascade as a key modulator of cardiac tissue repair after myocardial infarction. Wnt upregulation in murine models resulted in stimulation of angiogenesis and suppression of fibrosis after ischemic insult. However, the molecular mechanisms of Wnt in mitigating doxorubicin-induced cardiac insult require further investigation. Identifying cardioprotective mechanisms of Wnt is imperative to reducing debilitating cardiovascular adverse events in oncologic patients undergoing treatment.

Methods

Exposing human cardiomyocyte AC16 cells to varying concentrations of Wnt10b and DOX, we observed key metrics of cell viability. To assess the viability and apoptotic rates, we utilized MTT and TUNEL assays. We quantified cell and mitochondrial membrane stability via LDH release and JC-1 staining. To investigate how Wnt10b mitigates doxorubicin-induced apoptosis, we introduced pharmacologic inhibitors of key enzymes involved in apoptosis: FR180204 and SB203580, ERK1/2 and p38 inhibitors. Further, we quantified apoptotic executor enzymes, caspase 3/7, via immunofluorescence.

Results

AC16 cells exposed solely to doxorubicin were shrunken with distorted morphology. Cardioprotective effects of Wnt10b were demonstrated via a reduction in apoptosis, from 70.1% to 50.1%. LDH release was also reduced between doxorubicin and combination groups from 2.27-fold to 1.56-fold relative to the healthy AC16 control group. Mitochondrial membrane stability was increased from 0.67-fold in the doxorubicin group to 5.73 in co-treated groups relative to control. Apoptotic protein expression was stifled by Wnt10b, with caspase3/7 expression reduced from 2.4- to 1.3-fold, and both a 20% decrease in p38 and 40% increase in ERK1/2 activity.

Conclusion

Our data with the AC16 cell model demonstrates that Wnt10b provides defense mechanisms against doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity and apoptosis. Further, we explain a mechanism of this beneficial effect involving the mitochondria through simultaneous suppression of pro-apoptotic p38 and anti-apoptotic ERK1/2 activities.
DNMT3A-mediated epigenetic silencing of SOX17 contributes to endothelial cell migration and fibroblast activation in wound healing
Authors: Yu Xiaoping , Ma Xiaoting , Zhou Junli
Published: October 2023

Background

Wound healing, especially impaired chronic wound healing, poses a tremendous challenge for modern medicine. Understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying wound healing is essential to the development of novel therapeutic strategies.

Methods

A wound-healing mouse model was established to analyze histopathological alterations during wound healing, and the expression of SRY-box transcription factor 17 (SOX17), DNA methyltransferase 3 alpha (DNMT3A), and a specific fibroblast marker S100 calcium-binding protein A4 (S100A4) in wound skin tissues was tested by immunofluorescence (IF) assay. Cell proliferation and migration were evaluated using 5-ethynyl-2′-deoxyuridine (EdU) and Transwell migration assays. RT-qPCR and western blotting were used to measure RNA and protein expression. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was performed to detect the secretion of transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β). Chromatin immunoprecipitation followed by qPCR (ChIP-qPCR) and DNA pull-down assays were performed to confirm the interaction between DNMT3A and the CpG island of the SOX17 promoter. Promoter methylation was examined by pyrosequencing.

Results

SOX17 and DNMT3A expression were regularly regulated during the different phases of wound healing. SOX17 knockdown promoted HUVEC migration and the production and release of TGF-β. Through establishing an endothelial cells-fibroblasts co-culture model, we found that SOX17 knockdown in HUVECs activated HFF-1 fibroblasts, which expressed α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and type I collagen (COL1). DNMT3A overexpression reduces SOX17 mRNA levels. ChIP-qPCR and DNA pull-down assays verified the interaction between DNMT3A and CpG island in the SOX17 promoter region. Pyrosequencing confirmed that DNMT3A overexpression increased the methylation level of the SOX17 promoter.

Conclusion

DNMT3A-mediated downregulation of SOX17 facilitates wound healing by promoting endothelial cell migration and fibroblast activation.
Effectiveness of weight-loss prevention with continual nutrition counseling in postoperative outpatients with stage IA and IB gastric cancer
Authors: Matsushita Asami , Nakatani Eiji , Shibasaki Chika , Tanabe Saaya , Iwasaki Nanami , Okamura Tomoko , Nozaki Aya , Aoshima Saeko , Takahashi Reiko , Watannabe Masaya , Shimada Toshio
Published: October 2023

Outpatient nutritional counseling by a registered dietitian is often performed to prevent weight loss, but evidence supporting this practice is insufficient. In this study, we aimed to clarify the effectiveness of four-time outpatient nutritional counseling in weight-loss prevention compared with conventional intervention limited to one-time nutritional counseling. This study was designed as a retrospective cohort study. The target population was postoperative patients with stage IA and IB gastric cancer. Groups that received one-time and four-time nutritional counseling included patients who underwent gastrectomy from May 2014 to April 2017 and May 2017 to December 2019, respectively. The one-time group received counseling at discharge; the four-time group received counseling at discharge, at the first outpatient visit, and at 3 and 6 months postoperatively. There were 58 patients in the one-time group and 27 patients in the four-time group, with a significant difference in length of hospital stay (p = 0.042). Thirty-six patients (62.1%) in the one-time nutritional counseling group and 12 (44.4%) in the four-time group had a weight loss of 5% or more from hospital discharge to 6 months postoperatively. The adjusted risk ratio for the effectiveness of four counseling sessions compared with one session was 0.69 (95% confidence interval 0.35–1.34). In subgroup analysis, the effect of nutritional guidance was greater for patients with body mass index ≥23 kg/m2, but this depended on the outcome and number of cases, and there was no essential difference between the groups. In postoperative patients with stage IA and stage IB gastric cancer, four sessions of outpatient nutrition counseling may be not superior to one counseling session in preventing weight loss.
Utilization of solid mine waste in the building materials for 3D printing
Authors: Zhang Xiaowei , Guo Chuwen , Ma Jianhong , Jiao Huazhe , Kim Mintae
Published: October 2023

3D printing technology is gradually considered to be a rapid development of a green revolution in the field of architecture. Recently, utilizing solid mine waste to replace natural sand not only greatly reduces the 3D printing costs, but also contributes to an environmental sustainability development. However, most solid waste inevitably has an impact on the inherent mechanical strength and printability of concrete materials. It is an urgent requirement to expand the alternative materials and improve the overall property of 3D concrete materials. This paper reported an innovative concrete material that replaced natural sand with fine limestone powders for 3D concrete printing applications. The experimental measurements were performed including microstructures characteristics, flowability, buildability, shrinkability, layer-interface properties, mechanical properties and interlayer bonding strength. Besides, an effective method was proposed to characterize the printable properties of concrete materials and then the reasonable limestone powder replacement ratio was determined. Based on the investigation results, appropriate substituting limestone powder (40%) can effectively improve the grading of the concrete, thus promoting its printability and buildability. Moreover, the microstructures of the 3D printing concrete materials after curing were denser and their mechanical property improved by approximately 45%. With the further increase of replacement ratio, the reduction in the flowability led to a decrease of the printability. A large number of fine particles increased the shrinkage of the curing process and some bubbles were stranded inside the materials due to its increase in the viscosity, thereby reducing the mechanical properties of the hardened material. The produced concrete for 3D printing can be treated as an eco-friendly building material that contributes to the rational development and resource utilization of solid water, thus promoting the sustainable development of construction field.
Spillover of volatility among financial instruments: ASEAN-5 and GCC market study
Authors: Danila Nevi
Published: October 2023

The research examines a comovement and spillover of volatility among foreign exchange, conventional and shariah stock markets in Association of South East Asian Nation-5 (ASEAN) countries and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. Generalized Autoregressive Conditional Heteroskedasticity—Baba, Engle, Kraft and Kroner (GARCH-BEKK) and Dynamic Conditional Correlation (GARCH-DCC) models are used to capture the correlation and transmission volatility of the markets. The overall results show that both the Shariah and the conventional stock indices respond similarly to each country’s currency. A bidirectional (two-way relationship) volatility spillover exists only in Malaysia and a unidirectional (one-way relationship) volatility is observed in Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, and Bahrain. The rest of the markets–the Philippines, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE)–do not have any volatility spillover evidence. Based on DCC outcomes, the conventional and Shariah stock in ASEAN-5 countries and GCC countries reveal the market efficiency, i.e., a positive high conditional correlation. Only Bahrain shows less efficiency than the other countries. It implies no portfolio diversification advantage in conventional and Shariah stock indices. Contrarily, currency and stock (conventional and Shariah) markets provide portfolio diversification benefits for all ASEAN-5 and GCC countries.
On the use of QDE-SVM for gene feature selection and cell type classification from scRNA-seq data
Authors: Ng Grace Yee Lin , Tan Shing Chiang , Ong Chia Sui
Published: October 2023

Cell type identification is one of the fundamental tasks in single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) studies. It is a key step to facilitate downstream interpretations such as differential expression, trajectory inference, etc. scRNA-seq data contains technical variations that could affect the interpretation of the cell types. Therefore, gene selection, also known as feature selection in data science, plays an important role in selecting informative genes for scRNA-seq cell type identification. Generally speaking, feature selection methods are categorized into filter-, wrapper-, and embedded-based approaches. From the existing literature, methods from filter- and embedded-based approaches are widely applied in scRNA-seq gene selection tasks. The wrapper-based method that gives promising results in other fields has yet been extensively utilized for selecting gene features from scRNA-seq data; in addition, most of the existing wrapper methods used in this field are clustering instead of classification-based. With a large number of annotated data available today, this study applied a classification-based approach as an alternative to the clustering-based wrapper method. In our work, a quantum-inspired differential evolution (QDE) wrapped with a classification method was introduced to select a subset of genes from twelve well-known scRNA-seq transcriptomic datasets to identify cell types. In particular, the QDE was combined with different machine-learning (ML) classifiers namely logistic regression, decision tree, support vector machine (SVM) with linear and radial basis function kernels, as well as extreme learning machine. The linear SVM wrapped with QDE, namely QDE-SVM, was chosen by referring to the feature selection results from the experiment. QDE-SVM showed a superior cell type classification performance among QDE wrapping with other ML classifiers as well as the recent wrapper methods (i.e., FSCAM, SSD-LAHC, MA-HS, and BSF). QDE-SVM achieved an average accuracy of 0.9559, while the other wrapper methods achieved average accuracies in the range of 0.8292 to 0.8872.
Nudging policymakers on gendered impacts of policy
Authors: Bochon Lindsay Blair , Dean Janet , Rosteck Tanja , Zhao Jiaying
Published: October 2023

Despite the proliferation of nudge research in the last few decades, very little published work aims to nudge the behavior of policymakers. Here we explore the impact of a well-established nudge on policymakers in the Northwest Territories of Canada. In a pre-registered randomized controlled trial, we emailed an invitation to policymakers (N = 263) to attend an online briefing on gendered impacts of policy. In the treatment condition (N = 133), the invitation contained personal stories of two women whose lives were disproportionally impacted by public policies more than men. In the control condition (N = 130), the invitation did not contain such stories. After the briefing, we sent all participants in both conditions a link to a public pledge that they could sign. The pledge was to lead and advocate for equity-oriented policymaking. Contrary to our prediction, there was a small backfiring effect where policymakers in the treatment condition (3.0%) were less likely to attend the briefing than the control condition (7.7%). However, two policymakers (1.5%) in the treatment condition signed the public pledge compared to one (0.8%) in the control condition. The current findings reveal the limits of using personal stories as a nudge to influence policymakers. We discuss insights gained from this experiment and follow-up debriefings with policymakers on how to improve future behavioral interventions designed to nudge policymakers.
Willingness to use long-acting injectable PrEP among HIV-negative/unknown men who have sex with men in mainland China: A cross-sectional online survey
Authors: Fu Jiaqi , Dai Zhenwei , Wang Hao , Si Mingyu , Chen Xu , Wu Yijin , Xiao Weijun , Huang Yiman , Yu Fei , Mi Guodong , Su Xiaoyou
Published: October 2023

Background

Men who have sex with men (MSM) are at high risk of HIV acquisition. Long-acting injectable-pre-exposure prophylaxis (LAI-PrEP), requiring less frequent dosing, is being studied as an alternative method to daily oral HIV PrEP. With the addition of this potential new prevention method, it expands the scope for a wider user choice and is expected to increase the acceptability and uptake of HIV prevention measures. The aim of our study was to explore the willingness to use LAI-PrEP and associated influential factors.

Methods

Participants were recruited from December 2020 to March 2021 through banner advertisements on web- and mobile app-based platforms on Blued, a large gay Chinese social media platform. MSM in our cross-sectional study was HIV-negative and currently lived in mainland China. Participants were asked about their willingness to use LAI-PrEP and reasons why they might be or not be willing to use LAI-PrEP. Multivariable logistic regression was used to analyze the factors associated with the willingness to use LAI-PrEP.

Results

In total, 969 participants met the inclusion criteria and finished the survey. Nearly twenty percent (19.5%) of participants had never tested for HIV; 66.8% of MSM had multiple male partners; and 51.6% of MSM engaged in condomless sex with their partner. About three-fifths (66.3%) of MSM were aware of PrEP, and only 3.9% of MSM had used PrEP before. The willingness to use LAI-PrEP among MSM was 74.0% (95% CI: 71.4%-76.6%). MSM with higher education levels were less likely to show a willingness to use LAI-PrEP (AOR = 0.56, 95%CI: 0.38–0.84). Participants who had a history of HIV test (AOR = 1.68, 95%CI: 1.11–2.55), were willing to use daily oral PrEP (AOR = 10.64, 95%CI:7.43–15.21), had multiple male sexual partners (AOR = 1.33, 95%CI:0.93–1.90), who used rush popper(AOR = 1.49, 95%CI:1.05–2.13), and who were aware of PEP (AOR = 1.66, 95%CI: 1.02–2.70) were more likely to show willingness to use LAI-PrEP.

Conclusions

In our study, MSM had quite high awareness but low uptake of PrEP. As LAI-PrEP is expected to be approved for use in China in the future, our study of MSM highlights the need for key population-focused education programs about PrEP and healthy sexual behavior. This study also provides some evidence for LAI-PrEP use among the Chinese MSM population in the future.