bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The role of social media and email in hematology oncology fellowship program recruitment: Insights from national survey of program directors.
Authors: Thakur Rahul Kumar , Vegivinti Charan Thej Reddy , Yusuf Hasiya , Ray Barun , Gor Rajvi , Kumar Abhishek
Published: June 2024

9049

Background: In the dynamically evolving medical landscape, the role of digital communication, encompassing both social media and email, in Hematology Oncology fellowship recruitment is increasingly prominent. This comprehensive study investigates how U.S. program directors (PDs) leverage these platforms, particularly in an era where virtual interviews are becoming the norm. By examining the utilization of social media alongside traditional email communications, this research aims to illuminate the dual strategies employed in engaging prospective fellows. Methods: From November to December 2023, a nationwide anonymous survey was conducted among all American Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) accredited Hematology Oncology fellowship PDs. This survey sent via SurveyMonkey sought to collect demographic information of PDs, details about their programs, and insights into their use of social media platforms such as Twitter/X and Instagram, in addition to email, for both promoting their programs and reviewing fellowship applications. Results: In a survey of 183 Hematology Oncology fellowship programs, 32 program directors (PDs) responded, yielding an 18% response rate. The majority of PD were women (59%) with a predominant affiliation with university hospitals (69%). The responses indicated a broad geographical spread, especially in the South Atlantic and Pacific regions. Around 31% (10) of the program directors reported using Twitter/X, and 16% (5) utilized Instagram for promoting their fellowship programs. However, it was rarely used for applicant review (10% for Twitter/X, 0% for Instagram). Notably, there was no statistical difference in social media usage between university and community hospital PDs for program promotion or applicant engagement In contrast, email remains central in the recruitment process. On average, each PD receives about 57 emails expressing interest in their program. A considerable 71% (22) of PDs indicated that they would review an applicant who contacted them via email, with an average review rate of 80%. However, a relatively small percentage—18%—of the applicants reviewed were subsequently invited for an interview. Significantly, PDs from university hospitals were more inclined to review applicants via email compared to their counterparts in community hospitals (P-value<0.01). Conclusions: This survey sheds light on the evolving dynamics of Hematology Oncology fellowship recruitment, marking a significant transition in the way program directors connect with potential candidates. Our research reveals that social media is gradually becoming part of the promotional toolkit for fellowship programs, yet email remains the primary method for communicating with and reviewing applicants.
Development of equity, diversity, and inclusion competencies in residents and faculty in oncology through formal and informal learning.
Authors: Dadwal Shivani , Govaerts Marjan
Published: June 2024

9053

Background: In recent years, a growing body of literature has suggested that patients need their clinicians to provide culturally competent care. A focus on integrated and longitudinal training within the domains of equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) is needed to equip physicians to meet patients’ needs. Oncology is one such specialty that needs strong skillsets in EDI given its vulnerable and complex patient populations. This study explores how physicians within oncology learn about the domains of EDI through formal and informal learning. Methods: Using constructivist grounded theory (CGT), this study explores EDI competency formation at one academic center – the Juravinski Cancer Center in Hamilton ON, Canada. A purposive sample of 16 staff and resident physicians was taken to incorporate variation sampling - including a variety of ages, genders, and work/training experience. Participants were from both medical and radiation oncology. Semi-structured one-on-one interviews were conducted. Transcripts were generated, anonymized, and analyzed iteratively. Data analysis followed stages of open, axial, and selective coding through which themes were constructed. Interviews were continued until data saturation was reached. Results: Of the 16 participants, there was an even distribution between men (8) and women (8). Mean age was 43 (range 30-65). There were 5 residents and 11 faculty members. 9 were from medical oncology and 7 from radiation oncology. The major themes generated from the study were: the relationship between EDI competencies and professional identify formation, the role of culture and context in influencing exposure and learning about EDI, and the relationship between formal and informal learning opportunities. Conclusions: This study is the first to explore of how oncologists presently develop EDI competencies through formal and informal learning. The study has discovered the role of professional identify formation as a factor influencing learning, the impact of the culture and context of medicine, and the significant interplay between formal and informal learning in developing EDI skillsets. While much learning takes place informally, informed by clinical encounters and personal experiences, there is a need to marry the informal learning opportunities to more structured formal teaching in the training and clinical environment. [Table: see text]
Just Listening: An Introduction
Authors: Varsano Paula
Published: June 2024

The essays collected in this special issue all respond to a single question: how have the producers of Chinese literature, thought, art, science, and popular culture conceived of their relationship with the nonhuman beings—creatures organic and inorganic, animal or technological—that surround us as humans? While ranging across time periods and training their sights on vastly different objects, these essays manifest a particular interest in examining how voice (together with its notable absence)—as it slips from phenomenon to figuration and back again—appears to set the boundary that both separates and enacts engagement between the human and nonhuman realms. This introduction brings these essays into conversation with each other to highlight some of the unforeseen patterns they manifest as a whole. Among these is the chronological: read in order, these essays hint at a growing awareness of humans’ incapacity to connect, whether with one another or with the nonhuman: an emerging sense that voice does not necessarily correspond to the subjectivity of those that emit or withhold it or that, even if it did, there would be no sure way for a hearer to establish that correspondence, let alone respond with meaningful and appropriate actions or words.
Voices from the Other Side: Exploring Nonhuman Agents and Their Narrative Function in the Zhuangzi
Authors: Graziani Romain
Published: June 2024

In the history of Chinese literature, the Zhuangzi authors were the first to grant a voice to diverse forms of life, among them a snake, a tree, a dead man, a divine turtle, and even the wind. What exactly is the interest of incorporating nonhuman protagonists in brief literary fictions? Was there something at stake when trying out this pioneering narrative technique, or was it just for the sake of literary innovation and entertainment? Through a detailed analysis of a set of concise narratives, this study uncovers a consistent critique of the religious institutions (chiefly divination and sacrifice), as well as the economic practices prevalent during the Warring States period. It aims to demonstrate that the Zhuangzi's comprehensive critique of the Zhou cultural order achieves its “hearability” through a recurrent use of striking dualities, including day and night, dream and wakefulness, and humans and nonhumans. A heretofore silent and passive community of living beings raises its voice and is able to challenge the well-established discourse proclaiming human sovereignty over the natural world. These voices and the themes they raise serve, among other things, as a literary strategy intended to illuminate the universality of violence and the criminal essence of human culture (wen 文).
Dehumanized Voices and Traumatic Articulations in Late Nineteenth-Century Chinese Classical Tales
Authors: Wei Li
Published: June 2024

This study leverages trauma theory to examine Xuan Ding's 宣鼎 (1832–1880) Yeyu qiudeng lu 夜雨秋燈錄 (Recorded on Rainy Nights by Autumn Lamp), a collection of classical tales published in the aftermath of the Taiping Civil War (1850–1864). The analysis here delves into the concept of dehumanization, typically understood as the denial of one's intrinsic human traits by other people. In the late Qing context, dehumanization can occur when an individual is perceived as deviating from the path of self-cultivation, or as inept at or resistant to fulfilling prescribed social and gender roles, often leading to social ostracism. Xuan Ding conveys both the acute trauma of the Taiping war and the quotidian, gender- and class-based traumas imposed by late Qing society through the dramatic depiction of characters who undergo a metamorphosis into subhuman forms. This study also shows that in his preface to the collection, Xuan engages in the artistic dehumanization of his own literary persona. From this strategic position of moral self-exile, he is able to both provide a platform for dissenting voices and suggest the therapeutic potential of writing during times of suffering. This study explores how one writer's depiction of the trauma of dehumanization navigates and illuminates the nuanced boundary between the human and the nonhuman as understood at this time. By investigating the complex interplay of dehumanization and trauma, and their manifestation in literature, this study invites consideration of culturally specific nuances within trauma theory and opens up avenues for comparative analysis.
Consumer Protection in an Online World: An Analysis of Occupational Licensing
Authors: Farronato Chiara , Fradkin Andrey , Larsen Bradley J. , Brynjolfsson Erik
Published: June 2024

We study the demand and supply implications of occupational licensing using transaction-level data from a large online platform for home improvement services. We find that demand is more responsive to a professional’s reviews than to the professional’s platform-verified licensing status. We show some evidence that consumers view licenses and reviews as substitutes. We confirm the generality of our findings off the platform in an independent consumer survey. Combining state-level licensing regulation data with platform microdata, we find that more stringent requirements are associated with less competition, higher prices, and no increase in demand or consumer satisfaction. (JEL D18, J44, L74, L84)
The Great Migration and Educational Opportunity
Authors: Baran Cavit , Chyn Eric , Stuart Bryan A.
Published: June 2024

This paper studies the impact of the First Great Migration on children. We use the complete-count 1940 census to estimate selection-corrected place effects on education for children of Black migrants. On average, Black children gained 0.8 years of schooling (12 percent) by moving from the South to the North. Many counties that had the strongest positive impacts on children during the 1940s offer relatively poor opportunities for Black youth today. Opportunities for Black children were greater in places with more schooling investment, stronger labor market opportunities for Black adults, more social capital, and less crime. (JEL H75, I26, J13, J15, J24, N32, N92)
The Evolution of Local Labor Markets after Recessions
Authors: Hershbein Brad , Stuart Bryan A.
Published: June 2024

This paper studies how US local labor markets respond to employment losses that occur during recessions. Following recessions from 1973 through 2009, we find areas that lose more jobs during the recession experience persistent relative declines in employment and population. Most importantly, these local labor markets also experience persistent decreases in the employment-population ratio, earnings per capita, and earnings per worker. Our results imply that limited population responses result in longer-lasting consequences for local labor markets than previously thought and that recessions are followed by persistent reallocation of employment across space. (JEL E32, J21, J31, J61, R23)
Persecution and Escape: Professional Networks and High-Skilled Emigration from Nazi Germany
Authors: Becker Sascha O. , Lindenthal Volker , Mukand Sharun W. , Waldinger Fabian
Published: June 2024

We study the role of professional networks in facilitating emigration of Jewish academics dismissed from their positions by the Nazi government. We use individual-level exogenous variation in the timing of dismissals to estimate causal effects. Academics with more ties to early émigrés (emigrated 1933–1934) were more likely to emigrate. Early émigrés functioned as “bridging nodes” that facilitated emigration to their own destination. We also provide evidence of decay in social ties over time and show that professional networks transmit information that is not publicly observable. Finally, we study the relative importance of three types (family, community, professional) of social networks. (JEL I31, J44, N34, N44, Z12, Z13)
When Individual Politics Become Public: Do Civil Service Protections Insulate Government Workers?
Authors: Foy Morgan
Published: June 2024

This paper examines whether the civil service system protected state bureaucrats from political interference following a recall petition against the governor of Wisconsin. I find that most classified workers, who were covered by the state civil service laws, were paid equally by signing status following the public disclosure of the petition list. Conversely, signers in the unclassified service, a smaller set of government positions, were paid about 3 percent less annually relative to nonsigners in the postdisclosure period. These results indicate that the civil service insulated qualified bureaucrats, while uncovered workers faced retribution. (JEL D72, D73, H75, H83, J31, J45)
DO GOVERNO À GOVERNANÇA
Authors: Sampaio José Adércio Leite , Costa Ana Carolina Marques Tavares
Published: June 2024

Objetivo: Analisando as dificuldades do modelo intervencionista estatal em lidar com todas as mudanças econômicas e sociais impostas pela globalização, este estudo busca compreender o fenômeno da governança como resposta neoliberal à demanda por eficiência, efetividade e economia. Objetiva-se analisar, criticamente, a legitimidade e a efetividade desse novo panorama, no qual, a atuação dos variados atores sociais, em concorrência com o Estado, adquire proporções e força tão significativas a ponto de caracterizar uma “governança sem governo”, para além do aparato estatal.
Metodologia: Pela metodologia normativo-dedutiva, utilizando-se a pesquisa documental e bibliográfica, pretende-se investigar a transição do formato, então predominante, dos mecanismos estatais tradicionais de comando e controle para o regime das regulações privadas.
Resultados: Observando a erosão interna e externa do Estado por um modelo de governança que carrega traços antidemocráticos, este estudo se deparará com a necessidade de se desenvolver propostas legítimas com enfoque no formato da autorregulação regulada.
Contribuições: O artigo, aprofundando-se sobre os efeitos colaterais da globalização e dos avanços tecnológicos, traz provocações sobre a nova organização global, desconstruindo, de certo modo, o seu potencial emancipador.
Callan Davies. What Is a Playhouse? England at Play, 1520-1620. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge, 2023.
Authors: Highley Christopher
Published: June 2024

This review considers Callan Davies's What Is a Playhouse? England at Play, 1520-1620.
Simon Smith and Emma Whipday, eds. Playing and Playgoing in Early Modern England: Actor, Audience and Performance. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2022.
Authors: McInnis David
Published: June 2024

This review considers Simon Smith and Emma Whipday's Playing and Playgoing in Early Modern England: Actor, Audience and Performance.
Chris Laoutaris. Shakespeare’s Book: The Intertwined Lives Behind the First Folio. London: William Collins, 2023.
Authors: Munro Lucy
Published: June 2024

This review considers Chris Laoutaris's Shakespeare’s Book: The Intertwined Lives Behind the First Folio.
Milczenie i nadzieja
Authors: Branicki Wacław
Published: June 2024

The main purpose of this article is to describe the essential and functional relationships of silence, hope, life, freedom and creativity. The subject of the analysis is the life experience of Zofia Posmysz. In the first part, the concept of dialogic silence is presented. Silence is understood here as an act of interpersonal communication. The second part describes the phenomenon of hope. The main point of reference here is the work of Antoni Kępiński. The following sections reveal the essential and functional relationship between silence, hope, life, freedom and creativity based on Zofia Posmysz’s statements. I conclude that silence creates hope when its content is the world of values.
Sørena Kierkegaarda metafizyczne poczucie humoru
Authors: Małecka Anna
Published: June 2024

This article presents a reflection on the concept of humour and related categories of the comic and irony found in the philosophical thought of Søren Kierkegaard. Humour – as the best expression of the comic – is rooted, according to the author of Either – Or, in contradictions inherent in existence. Metaphysically understood humour contains both elements of the comic and pathos, while contradictions are perceived here in a painless form, contrary to the tragic. Suffering resulting from contradictions of existence becomes deceptively suspended in the form of a joke. Humour understood in this way fits into the group of theories referred to in the literature on the subject as incongruity theories. According to the great Dane, humour occupies the transitory position between the ethical and religious lives, while irony occupies between the aesthetic and ethical stages, between the lack of moral commitment and full devotion to ethical values. Finally, the author recognises humour as a borderline phenomenon, positioned between the ethical life and transcending it to a higher level of the full religious life with its ultimate challenges.
O nieprowincjonalnej przyjaźni: Ingarden i Witkacy
Authors: Sosnowski Leszek
Published: June 2024

The main aim of this article is to present the circumstances surrounding the first meeting between Roman Ingarden and Stanislaw I. Witkiewicz in Toruń in 1924. Therefore, in the first place, Ingarden’s life and scientific background are discussed. Next, the social and artistic context of the city in which Witkiewicz participated is presented.
Między metafizyką a fenomenologią. Esej o hiperfenomenologii Gabriela Marcela
Authors: Zalewski Wojciech
Published: June 2024

In this article I consider the problem of abstract painting as part of Roman Ingarden’s phenomenological theory of art. After briefly presenting the structure and process of aesthetic experience, I look at the concept of painting and the description of its structure as a work of art and as an intentional object. The elements, layers of the work and their functions apply almost entirely to works of figurative painting, but a detailed description of the structure of this type of painting is the starting point for considering the structure of an abstract painting. In an abstract painting, the most important constitutive factors, appearances and objects, are absent. The layer of colour spots, originally belonging to the foundation of being, is the only one present in an abstract painting. Having previously presented the conditions Ingarden required of a potential work of abstract art, I draw attention to the importance of the perception of visual qualities for the reception of any painting, and point out how the issue of the perception of abstract painting reveals the problem of a theory that is not only non-universal, but also, I believe, does not adequately explain the experience of figurative painting.
Transcendentalny realizm naiwny
Authors: Zięba Paweł Jakub
Published: June 2024

This paper is a critical analysis of transcendental naïve realism (TRN), a metatheory of perception proposed by Allen, and inspired by the works of Merleau-Ponty and P.F. Strawson. TRN postulates granting naïve realism a special status amongst philosophical theories of perception on the basis of a transcendental argument that purports to render naïve realism unfalsifiable. Perhaps this conception manages to identify a so far unacknowledged reason why some philosophers regard naïve realism as the best theory of perception. But if TRN is supposed to support naïve realism in the debate with competing theories of perception, it is a counterproductive enterprise. For it creates an impression that the belief in naïve realism has its source in wishful thinking. That impression is mistaken, as Allen’s transcendental argument is neither the only nor the best account of naïve realism’s motivations.
Destinos e distâncias da caminhada recreativa e utilitária: estudo empírico na cidade de Londrina-Paraná
Authors: Dalgallo Ayla Ziger , Leão Ana Luiza Favarão , Kanashiro Milena
Published: June 2024

Pesquisas indicam correlatos ambientais distintos para caminhada utilitária e recreativa. Este estudo teve como objetivo identificar locais, destinos e distância percorrida em caminhadas recreativas e utilitárias, e comparar espacialmente a percepção sobre os locais caminhados. Para isso, foi realizado um estudo observacional transversal, conduzido em Londrina, Brasil. Os dados foram coletados através de questionário aplicado na plataforma Survey123, que contemplou pessoas maiores de 18 anos que reportassem ao menos uma rota de caminhada realizada no município de Londrina. A análise dos deslocamentos reportados foi feita pela estimativa de densidade de Kernel e as distâncias de caminhada foram analisadas através do coeficiente de correlação ponto-bisserial – rpb. A espacialização dos dados perceptivos, obtidos através do questionário Neighborhood Environment Walkability Scale – NEWS, foi realizada pela identificação de agrupamentos significativos através do indicador Gi*. A amostra totalizou 182 participantes e 305 deslocamentos a pé, dos quais, 61 classificados como caminhada recreativa e 244 como utilitária. Os locais de maior densidade de deslocamentos recreativos possuem ampla infraestrutura para pedestres, enquanto os de concentração de deslocamentos utilitários são caracterizados pela diversidade de uso do solo. A caminhada recreativa registrou distância média de 3.955,3 ± 2.503,5m sendo que, para a caminhada utilitária, a média foi 1.247,0 ± 1.034,0m. A correlação ponto-bisserial obteve rpb = 0,611 e p<0,001, moderada a forte, indicando correlação positiva entre a realização de viagens recreativas e uma maior distância média de caminhada. A pesquisa contribui para a investigação do comportamento de caminhada pela associação de variáveis objetivas e subjetivas e pela captura dos trajetos de deslocamento a pé.
Molar pregnancy: a qualitative study of personal experiences and societal narratives of loss
Authors: Ross Emily , Ireson Jane , Singh Kam , Winter Matthew C
Published: June 2024

Background/Aims

Molar pregnancy is a rare complication of pregnancy. Patients face surgery, human chorionic gonadotropin monitoring and potentially systemic treatment, resulting in unique support needs. This study's aim was to explore the impacts of gestational trophoblastic disease on embodied and emotional experience.

Methods

This qualitative study considered stories of molar pregnancy from 20 women in the UK, US, Canada and Australia. These were drawn from 18 publicly available online blogs and eight semi-structured interviews, and analysed thematically.

Results

Three themes were developed: ‘loss’, describing women's responses to their pregnancy ending; ‘isolation’, comprising ‘rarity’, ‘lack of awareness’ and support seeking; and ‘alienation’, capturing the unfamiliarity of diagnosis, ‘failure’ and barriers to ‘moving forward’.

Conclusions

Experiences are shaped by wider narratives of ‘typical’ pregnancy. Patient care requires an individualised and responsive approach, and non-specialist practitioners should feel confident in discussing molar pregnancy and have access to up-to-date guidance.
Sustainability in practice: an overview for small animal veterinary professionals
Authors: Shotton Justine
Published: June 2024

This article will focus on what individuals can do in practice and when talking to clients to help combat the climate crisis. It will discuss actions that individuals can take at home and at work, and look at ways that practices can become more sustainable through their operations, responsible resource use and responsible medicine use. The article will cover how to inspire the team and engage with management on this topic and signposts to further helpful resources. The article also explores some of the main elements of the ‘carbon pawprint’ of pet ownership, and how to have conversations with clients to help them understand these impacts and reduce them – which often has additional benefits of improving animal welfare and saving clients money.
Care bundles to reduce surgical site infections and promote positive outcomes
Authors: Yon Evie , Lilley Vicky
Published: June 2024

All surgical patients are at risk of surgical site infections which can cause serious wound healing complications. To improve patient care and promote good patient outcomes, veterinary nurses must be aware of the pathophysiology and clinical signs of surgical site infections, in addition to how to reduce the risks of surgical site infections in clinical practice. There are many evidence-based techniques that can be implemented to reduce the risk of surgical site infections; multiple techniques may be combined into a care bundle, a relatively novel concept in veterinary medicine. Individual practices should be aware of emerging techniques and implement care bundles that are most relevant to their surgical case load. This article discusses surgical site infections and considers the appropriateness and application of care bundles into veterinary practice through governance techniques.
A qualitative study of final year student veterinary nurses' career plans and expectations
Authors: Harniman Suzannah
Published: June 2024

Introduction:

The limited longevity of veterinary nurses' clinical careers is a current challenge faced in the veterinary industry. In order for veterinary nurse job vacancies to be filled, it is essential for graduate veterinary nurses to be motivated to seek employment in clinical practice. The aim of this study was to explore the career plans and expectations of final year student veterinary nurses.

Method:

Online semi-structured interviews with ten final year student veterinary nurses were used to collect qualitative data. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data.

Results:

The results revealed that there were aspects of clinical practice the participants were looking forward to and others they perceived would be challenging and may threaten the longevity of their clinical career. An example was the demanding nature of the job role.

Discussion:

All participants expressed a desire to work in clinical practice following their graduation, but were aware that they were unlikely to have long-term clinical careers. It is recommended that veterinary nurse educators should support students to develop the resilience necessary for them to face the challenges of clinical practice and also help them to gain the transferrable skills they may require for alternative future career paths.
Politics of Secularisation, Religious Conversion, and “Saving” the (Hindu) Daughter under Hindutva: Re-reading the Hadiya Court Case
Authors: Banerjee Sreenanti
Published: June 2024

This article charts the different modalities of political transgression that marked an act of religious conversion and inter-faith marriage performed by a Muslim female subject in contemporary India, and the subsequent misreading of this transgression; a misreading made possible by liberal political thought’s delineations of the conceptual category of “interest”. Existing legal, political, academic, and popular discourses have read the prominent 2016 event of the conversion of a Hindu woman named Akhila into Islam, as either the “false consciousness” of a “vulnerable” individual whose self-interests were unintelligible to herself, or, as an unambiguous case of a “mature” woman in a “modernising” Kerala “choosing” to opt for an inter-faith marriage and to convert; a liberal idiom of choice that thereby needs to be safeguarded via Constitutional provisions. The article, even while acknowledging the political need to adhere to the latter reading/constitution of the female (Islamic) subject’s sovereign desire to convert, shows some of the limitations of both these ideologically antithetical positions. It argues that the desire of Hadiya (Akhila’s new name after converting to Islam) to convert remains unreadable by both the right-wing Indian judiciary, backed up by Hindutva forces, as well as the “left-liberal” feminist intelligentsia that sought to support her autonomy. In fact, both these ideologically opposed stances often legitimised each other. By examining the legal debates that took place in the Indian courts, the article shows how construing Hadiya’s act of conversion solely through the legal-juridical prisms of “religious freedom” and “choice”, pegged to the concept of self-interest, is vigorously insufficient.
Global Hindutva and the Palestinian Cause
Authors: Moaswes Abdulla
Published: June 2024

A lot of attention has been paid within academic and journalistic literature to how India’s relationship with Israel has improved under the rule of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Looking beyond this, the objective of this article is to assess the position of Palestine and its liberation struggle within the Global Hindu Nationalist imaginary. The study’s main argument, therefore, is that the broader Palestinian liberation struggle, in its pluralism, its global scope, and its interconnectivity with various struggles over the course of its history, implicitly represents a refutation of the core ideological mechanisms that underpin the Hindu Nationalist Project, including but not limited to its othering of Muslims and other non-Hindu groups as well as its more recent embrace of neoliberal capitalism. More explicitly, the articles argues that the way Hindu Nationalists construct Indian Muslim and Palestinian subjectivities as being analogous and connected through tropes of them as invaders and terrorists – in line with broader imperialist constructions of Muslim subjectivities – is a key feature of Global Hindutva’s globality. To make this argument, this article first examines the literature on the historical relationship between Hindu Nationalism and Zionist settler colonialism. After this, the article analyses the overlap between Indian state and Hindutva positions on the Palestine Question before exploring practical tensions between the Hindutva outlook and the Palestinian liberation struggle. The final section of the article explores how Global Hindutva’s historic and strategic alignment against the Palestinian liberation struggle manifests in both Indian foreign and domestic policy and in Hindu Nationalist mobilisations across the world.
Wissen in Bewegung. Institution – Iteration – Transfer
Authors: Traninger Anita
Published: June 2024

Institutionen geraten normalerweise gerade nicht in den Blick, wenn es um Prozesse des Wissenswandels geht. Vielmehr ist es eine weithin geteilte Überzeugung, dass Wandel wenn, dann stets nur außerhalb dieser Kreativitätsblockierer stattfindet. Nun ist aber gerade dort, wo vermeintlich rigide und stur am Überkommenen festgehalten wird, stets auch Wandel feststellbar. Ganz offensichtlich bringen also Praktiken, die auf Wiederholung gepolt sind und so institutionelle Zusammenhänge stabilisieren sollen, zugleich auch Veränderung hervor. Dieses Zusammenspiel von Wiederholung und Veränderung wird in diesem Sammelband mit dem Begriff der ‚Iteration‘ gefasst. Die Autorinnen und Autoren zeigen anhand einer breiten Palette historischer Fallbeispiele, welche Varianten des Wechselspiels von Wiederholung und Wandel zu beobachten sind und welche Befunde sich daraus für eine transdisziplinäre Wissensgeschichte ergeben. Der Band eröffnet die Reihe „Episteme in Bewegung. Beiträge zu einer transdisziplinären Wissensgeschichte“, in der die Ergebnisse der Zusammenarbeit im Sonderforschungsbereich 980, angesiedelt an der Freien Universität Berlin, präsentiert werden.
Performance evaluation of an 80  Gbps dual-polarization orbital-angular-momentum-based underwater optical wireless communication system
Authors: Abd El-Mottaleb Somia A. , Singh Mehtab , Atieh Ahmad , Aly Moustafa H.
Published: June 2024

In this paper, a new underwater optical wireless communication (UOWC) system is proposed. It integrates dual-polarization (DP) states with orbital angular momentum (OAM) beams. By leveraging the inherent orthogonality of different OAM modes, the system achieves enhanced signal quality and increased transmission capacity. Each polarization state carries data of four OAM beams, with each capable of carrying 10 Gbps of information. Additionally, a single laser diode (LD) source operating at 532 nm is employed. To evaluate the performance of the proposed system, the effects of attenuation across various water types are considered. Propagation range, bit error rate (BER), and eye diagrams are utilized as comprehensive performance metrics. The obtained results indicate that, below the error correction threshold (3.8×10−3), our proposed UOWC system achieves impressive underwater transmission ranges. Specifically, we observe a longer range of 44 m for pure sea (PS) water that exhibits the lower attenuation, which is decreased to 26.5 m for clear ocean (CL) and 15.5 m for coastal ocean (CS). Furthermore, it decreased reaching shorter ranges of 8 m for harbor I (HI) and 4.45 m for harbor II (HII), which have the highest attenuation.
A feasibility study with optical coherence tomography for brain connectome extraction
Authors: Sun Chia-Wei , Lin Miao-Hui , Lin Ching-Po
Published: June 2024

This study explores using optical coherence tomography (OCT) for brain connectome extraction. With micrometer-scale resolution and rapid imaging, OCT bridges the gap between magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and light sheet microscopy (LSM). We used a customized OCT system to scan lipid-removed mouse brains, achieving partial transparency with a sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) clearing solution. The results showed the feasibility of extracting neural bundles near the corpus callosum. Strong scattering in non-lipid-removed samples obscured neural bundles, while lipid removal and partial clearing enhanced visibility. Using a simple image processing workflow, including CLAHE, Gaussian smoothing, and adaptive segmentation, we successfully extracted connectome signals. This highlights OCT's potential in neural pathway tracking with efficient processing.
Sediment source and dose influence the larval performance of the threatened coral Orbicella faveolata
Authors: Serrano Xaymara M. , Rosales Stephanie M. , Miller Margaret W. , Palacio-Castro Ana M. , Williamson Olivia M. , Gomez Andrea , Baker Andrew C.
Published: June 2024

The effects of turbidity and sedimentation stress on early life stages of corals are poorly understood, particularly in Atlantic species. Dredging operations, beach nourishment, and other coastal construction activities can increase sedimentation and turbidity in nearby coral reef habitats and have the potential to negatively affect coral larval development and metamorphosis, reducing sexual reproduction success. In this study, we investigated the performance of larvae of the threatened Caribbean coral species Orbicella faveolata exposed to suspended sediments collected from a reef site in southeast Florida recently impacted by dredging (Port of Miami), and compared it to the performance of larvae exposed to sediments collected from the offshore, natal reef of the parent colonies. In a laboratory experiment, we tested whether low and high doses of each of these sediment types affected the survival, settlement, and respiration of coral larvae compared to a no-sediment control treatment. In addition, we analyzed the sediments used in the experiments with 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing to assess differences in the microbial communities present in the Port versus Reef sediments, and their potential impact on coral performance. Overall, only O. faveolata larvae exposed to the high-dose Port sediment treatment had significantly lower survival rates compared to the control treatment, suggesting an initial tolerance to elevated suspended sediments. However, significantly lower settlement rates were observed in both Port treatments (low- and high-dose) compared to the control treatment one week after exposure, suggesting strong latent effects. Sediments collected near the Port also contained different microbial communities than Reef sediments, and higher relative abundances of the bacteria Desulfobacterales, which has been associated with coral disease. We hypothesize that differences in microbial communities between the two sediments may be a contributing factor in explaining the observed differences in larval performance. Together, these results suggest that the settlement success and survival of O. faveolata larvae are more readily compromised by encountering port inlet sediments compared to reef sediments, with potentially important consequences for the recruitment success of this species in affected areas.
A simple electronic medical record-based predictors of illness severity in sepsis (sepsis) score
Authors: Cressman Alex M. , Wen Bijun , Saha Sudipta , Jun Hae Young , Waters Riley , Lail Sharan , Jabeen Aneela , Koppula Radha , Lapointe-Shaw Lauren , Sheehan Kathleen A. , Weinerman Adina , Daneman Nick , Verma Amol A. , Razak Fahad , MacFadden Derek
Published: June 2024

Objective

Current scores for predicting sepsis outcomes are limited by generalizability, complexity, and electronic medical record (EMR) integration. Here, we validate a simple EMR-based score for sepsis outcomes in a large multi-centre cohort.

Design

A simple electronic medical record-based predictor of illness severity in sepsis (SEPSIS) score was developed (4 additive lab-based predictors) using a population-based retrospective cohort study.

Setting

Internal medicine services across four academic teaching hospitals in Toronto, Canada from April 2010—March 2015 (primary cohort) and 2015–2019 (secondary cohort).

Patients

We identified patients admitted with sepsis based upon receipt of antibiotics and positive cultures.

Measurements and main results

The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality and secondary outcomes were ICU admission at 72 hours, and hospital length of stay (LOS). We calculated the area under the receiver operating curve (AUROC) for the SEPSIS score, qSOFA, and NEWS2. We then evaluated the SEPSIS score in a secondary cohort (2015–2019) of hospitalized patients receiving antibiotics. Our primary cohort included 1,890 patients with a median age of 72 years (IQR: 56–83). 9% died during hospitalization, 18.6% were admitted to ICU, and mean LOS was 12.7 days (SD: 21.5). In the primary and secondary (2015–2019, 4811 patients) cohorts, the AUROCs of the SEPSIS score for predicting in-hospital mortality were 0.63 and 0.64 respectively, which were similar to NEWS2 (0.62 and 0.67) and qSOFA (0.62 and 0.68). AUROCs for predicting ICU admission at 72 hours, and length of stay > 14 days, were similar between scores, in the primary and secondary cohorts. All scores had comparable calibration for predicting mortality.

Conclusions

An EMR-based SEPSIS score shows a similar ability to predict important clinical outcomes compared with other validated scores (qSOFA and NEWS2). Because of the SEPSIS score’s simplicity, it may prove a useful tool for clinical and research applications.
Unveiling potent inhibitors for schistosomiasis through ligand-based drug design, molecular docking, molecular dynamics simulations and pharmacokinetics predictions
Authors: Ja’afaru Saudatu Chinade , Uzairu Adamu , Bayil Imren , Sallau Muhammed Sani , Ndukwe George Iloegbulam , Ibrahim Muhammad Tukur , Moin Abu Tayab , Mollah A. K. M. Moniruzzaman , Absar Nurul
Published: June 2024

Schistosomiasis is a neglected tropical disease which imposes a considerable and enduring impact on affected regions, leading to persistent morbidity, hindering child development, diminishing productivity, and imposing economic burdens. Due to the emergence of drug resistance and limited management options, there is need to develop additional effective inhibitors for schistosomiasis. In view of this, quantitative structure-activity relationship studies, molecular docking, molecular dynamics simulations, drug-likeness and pharmacokinetics predictions were applied to 39 Schistosoma mansoni Thioredoxin Glutathione Reductase (SmTGR) inhibitors. The chosen QSAR model demonstrated robust statistical parameters, including an R2 of 0.798, R2adj of 0.767, Q2cv of 0.681, LOF of 0.930, R2test of 0.776, and cR2p of 0.746, confirming its reliability. The most active derivative (compound 40) was identified as a lead candidate for the development of new potential non-covalent inhibitors through ligand-based design. Subsequently, 12 novel compounds (40a-40l) were designed with enhanced anti-schistosomiasis activity and binding affinity. Molecular docking studies revealed strong and stable interactions, including hydrogen bonding, between the designed compounds and the target receptor. Molecular dynamics simulations over 100 nanoseconds and MM-PBSA free binding energy (ΔGbind) calculations validated the stability of the two best-designed molecules. Furthermore, drug-likeness and pharmacokinetics prediction analyses affirmed the potential of these designed compounds, suggesting their promise as innovative agents for the treatment of schistosomiasis.
Support for a right-wing populist party and subjective well-being: Experimental and survey evidence from Germany
Authors: Adena Maja , Huck Steffen
Published: June 2024

With the rise of populism in many countries, including Germany, it is more important than ever to better understand the causes and consequences of populist support. Using two experiments within the context of a large panel survey, we study how support for the German right-wing populist party Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) is associated with subjective perceptions of personal and financial well-being. In both experiments, we rely on priming the identity of AfD supporters, once in a controlled manner and once in a natural setting. We document a causal relationship from AfD support to diminished well-being for new and marginal AfD supporters. Our findings challenge the prevailing assumption that causality moves unidirectionally, from life dissatisfaction to support for populist parties, and suggest that early interventions focusing on positive messages are particularly promising to win voters back into the mainstream.
Native plant species growing on the abandoned Zaida lead/zinc mine site in Morocco: Phytoremediation potential for biomonitoring perspective
Authors: Diallo Alassane , Hasnaoui Said El , Dallahi Youssef , Smouni Abdelaziz , Fahr Mouna
Published: June 2024

This study aims to assess the level of metal contamination and the ecological risk index at the abandoned Zaida Pb/Zn mining site in eastern Morocco and identify native plant species found on the site that can be used in site rehabilitation through phytoremediation strategies. Samples from seven native and abundant plant species at the site, along with their rhizospheric soils, were collected and analyzed using Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) to determine the concentrations of various metal(loid)s, including As, Cu, Ni, Cd, Sb, Zn, and Pb. Indicators of soil pollution and ecological risks were also assessed, including the enrichment factor (EF), pollution index (PI), and ecological risk index (ERI). The Biological Accumulation Coefficient (BAC), Translocation Factor (TF), and Biological Concentration Factor (BCF) of plant samples were calculated. The results reveal polymetallic soil contamination, with notably higher concentrations of Pb, Cu and Zn, reaching respectively 5568 mg kg−1 DW, 152 mg kg−1 DW, and 148 mg kg−1 DW, indicating a significant potential ecological risk. The enrichment factor (EF) was also assessed for each metal(loid)s, and the results indicated that the metal contamination was of anthropogenic origin and linked to intensive mining activities in Zaida. These findings are supported by the pollution index (PI) ranging from 1.6 to 10.01, which reveals an extremely high metal(loid)s pollution level. None of the plant species exhibited a hyperaccumulation of metal(loid)s. However, Artemisia herba alba demonstrated a strong capacity to accumulate Pb in its aboveground parts, with a concentration of 468 mg kg−1 DW. Stipa tenacissima, Retama spherocarpa, and Astragalus armatus, showed a significant Pb accumulation in their roots reaching 280, 260, and 256 mg kg−1 DW.respectively. Based on BAC, TF, and BCF, Stipa tenacissima exhibited potential for Ni and Cd phytostabilization, as well as the ability for Zn phytoextraction. Additionally, Artemisia herba alba displayed the capability to phytoextract Cd and had a high propensity to translocate all the studied metal(loid)s. Astragalus armatus has the potential to be used in the phytostabilization of Zn and Ni, as well as for the phytoextraction of As and Sb. These native species from the Zaida site, although not hyperaccumulators, have the potential to contribute significantly to the phytoextraction or phytostabilization of potentially toxic elements (PTEs). Moreover, they can serve as vegetative cover to mitigate the erosion and dispersion of metal(loid)s.