bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Extended Reality (XR) Opportunities and Challenges for eLearning Practitioners: A conversation with Immersive Learning Research Network's Dr. Jonathon Richter
Authors: Wilson Douglas
Published: February 2025

In this interview with
eLearn Magazine
, Immersive Learning Research Network?s Jonathan Richter, Ed.D, discusses his work in immersive technologies and ponders what the future holds for e-Learning and beyond.
Fast-Charging Lithium-Ion Battery Protocols: LMFP Pouch Cells as a Rate Capability Case Study
Authors: Bree Gerard , Majherova Veronika , Fiamegkou Eleni , Moharana Sanghamitra , Piper Louis F. J.
Published: February 2025

The reduction of battery charge times is a key challenge in the wider adoption of electric vehicles (EVs), encompassing material, cell, and system design aspects. Rate capability testing, the charging and discharging of a cell at various C-rates, is the most common technique used to assess the performance of Li-ion batteries, and particularly new electrode materials/cell designs, at high cycling rates. Data generated from this technique is extremely sensitive to selected cell format, quality of assembly, and test protocols, and thus lack of standardisation prevents both robust conclusions and comparison between studies. Furthermore, the figures of merit of such studies are often ill-defined, out of step with commercial requirements and established only for non-relevant formats. Herein, we utilise LiMn0.6Fe0.4PO4\\Graphite (LMFP\\Gr) coin (half and full) and full pouch cells to demonstrate these sensitivities. Cell format, electrode coat weight/porosity, and the inclusion of a constant voltage step during charge, are shown to dramatically alter the capacity observed at high C-rate in otherwise identical cells, reinforcing the advantages of testing in real-world conditions and the need for consistency between test samples/studies. To resolve this, we propose a commercially meaningful and industrially relevant protocol to evaluate fast-charging capabilities of Li-ion batteries.
Mitigating Crack Formation When Using High Oxygen Permeability Ionomer in PEMFC Catalyst Layers
Authors: Liu Jiawei , Litster Shawn
Published: February 2025

High oxygen permeability ionomers (HOPIs) are being developed as an alternative to conventional perfluorosulfonic (PFSA) ionomers for cathodes in proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). HOPIs aim to reduce local oxygen transport resistance, improving performance and reducing degradation as the catalyst loses surface area. However, HOPIs' more rigid, 3D backbone leads to increased crack density in the cathode, potentially causing accelerated degradation. This study investigates crack formation in HOPI-based and PFSA-bound catalyst layers (CLs). We conducted a comprehensive parametric study to identify conditions and catalyst slurry components that minimize cracking. CLs were fabricated with various ionomer and catalyst types, under different relative humidity (RH) levels, solids weight percentages, solvent ratios, and ionomer-to-carbon ratios (I/C). Results show that HOPI-based CLs exhibit less cracking when fabricated under low RH conditions, with lower solids weight percentage, higher alcohol content, and lower I/C. Additionally, catalysts with low/medium surface area carbon supports show less cracking than those with high surface area carbon supports.
Enhancing the Radiation Shielding Properties in Er2O3-Modified Barium-Borotellurite Glasses
Authors: Alrowaily Albandari W. , Almuqrin Aljawhara H. , Sayyed M. I. , Albarzan B.
Published: February 2025

The radiation shielding properties of barium-bismuth-borotellurite glasses were explored via Eu-152 source-emitted gamma-ray energies. Specifically, the glasses have a composition of (21 + 2x)BaO-14Bi2O3-(60–3x)B2O3-5TeO2+xEr2O3, where x = 0, 1, 2, and 3 mol%. The glasses’ linear attenuation coefficient (LAC) was compared at 0.122 and 0.245 MeV, two energies where the photoelectric effect is dominant, and the results showed a positive correlation between the LAC and Er2O3 and BaO content. When comparing the samples’ LAC values, at all energies the samples with Er2O3 had larger LAC values than the sample with no Er2O3. The effective atomic number (Zeff) differences of the samples with the most and least Er2O3 was also tested, and a positive difference was found at all energies, due to Er having a greater atomic number than B. The Te5Er3 sample also had a lower tenth value layer than the Te5Er0 glass. The half value layer of the glasses were also compared against various other previously tested glasses, and the results demonstrated that those glasses with high BaO and Er2O3 amounts performed very well against the other samples.
MCF7 breast cancer anabolic capacity reduced with CRISPR/Cas9-mediated stable overexpression of DEPTOR
Authors: Deaver J. William , Ryan Patrick J. , O’Reilly Colleen L. , Uranga Selina , López Sara Mata , Sheffield-Moore Melinda , Nghiem Peter P. , Riechman Steven E. , Fluckey James D.
Published: February 2025

We identify DEPTOR as a predictor of mortality in breast cancer and show that precision gene editing to restore DEPTOR expression in breast cancer slows cell growth by inhibiting mTOR activity.
The Allelic and Phenotypic Frequencies of the ABO and Rh Blood Types in Pregnant Women in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Authors: Tedbabe Mekdes Wondiye , Birri Dagim Jirata , Desta Takele Taye
Published: February 2025

Background: ABO–rhesus (Rh) blood testing screens blood types according to the antigenic properties of red blood cells.

Objective: This study reports the allelic and phenotypic frequency distribution of the ABO and Rh blood groups in pregnant women who attended antenatal care (ANC) at Zewditu Memorial Hospital in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and the likelihood for the occurrence of erythroblastosis fetalis (E. fetalis).

Methods: A retrospective study was conducted on pregnant women who attended ANC from 2015 to 2019 and typed for ABO and Rh blood groups. The Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium was used to determine the allelic frequency of ABO and Rh blood types. The likelihood of the occurrence of E. fetalis was computed.

Results: Among the 2453 women who had been admitted to ANC, 2407 (98.1%) pregnant women who had been typed for the ABO and Rh blood groups were included in this retrospective study. We found that Type O blood was the most common one (38.9%), while Types A (31.3%), B (23.8%), and AB (6.0%) blood were scored with modest to lower proportions. Among blood group–typed women, 94.2% were Rh‐positive. The allelic frequency of O was 0.62, whereas A (0.22) and B (0.16) had modest proportions. The allelic frequency of D was 0.76 and d was 0.24. The likelihood of the occurrence of E. fetalis was 5%. Our findings show that both the ABO (χ‐squared = 6.1439, df = 3, p value = 0.1048) and the Rh (χ‐squared = 0.000103, df = 1, p value = 0.9919) blood groups were segregated at the Hardy–Weinberg proportions. Studies need to investigate the evolutionary forces that have made the ABO and Rh blood types segregate at the Hardy–Weinberg proportion.
Optimization of Polysaccharide Extraction Technology From Perilla frutescens Leaves and Its α‐Glucosidase Inhibition Activity
Authors: Liu Xiaocui , Li Zhongqiao , Xu Lin , Pan Yinzhen , Li Wenlong , Ran Xialin , Meng Zhengyang , Zhang Jiaorui , Xing Yage
Published: February 2025

Perilla frutescens (PF) processes medicinal and edible properties, making its flowers, stems, leaves, and fruits versatile and valuable. This study optimizes extraction and evaluates the α‐glucosidase inhibitory activity of Perilla frutescens leaf (PFL) polysaccharides. It compared PFL polysaccharides extraction efficiency using hot water, cellulase‐assisted, and microwave‐assisted extraction. The experimental results demonstrated that the enzymatic extraction method yielded the highest extraction yield, reaching 4.64%. We used response surface methodology to investigate the four main influencing factors to optimize the enzymatic extraction. The optimized conditions resulted in an improved extraction yield of 6.29%. For optimal enzymatic extraction, use a solid‐liquid ratio of 1:35 g·mL−1, a temperature of 50°C, a time of 120 min, and an enzyme content of 1500 U/g. This study also investigated the α‐glucosidase inhibition by Perilla frutescens leaf polysaccharides (PFLPs). The results confirmed that PFLP exhibited an inhibitory effect on α‐glucosidase, indicating their potential to be utilized as α‐glucosidase inhibitor. The study found reversible noncompetitive inhibition, providing valuable clues for finding new potential hypoglycemic drugs from natural sources.
Age-Related Impairments in Immune Cell Efferocytosis and Autophagy Hinder Atherosclerosis Regression
Authors: Boucher Dominique M. , Robichaud Sabrina , Lorant Victoria , Leon Jonathan S. , Suliman Issraa , Rasheed Adil , Susser Leah I. , Emerton Christina , Geoffrion Michele , De Jong Erica , Bowdish Dawn M.E. , Aikawa Masanori , Aikawa Elena , Singh Sasha A. , Rayner Katey J. , Ouimet Mireille
Published: February 2025

BACKGROUND:

Aging is a well-established risk factor for the development and progression of atherosclerosis, but the molecular mechanisms underlying this relationship remain poorly defined, and its role in atherosclerosis regression is unknown. To uncover age-related alterations that may impair atherosclerosis regression, we investigated the response of young and old macrophages to atherogenic lipoproteins in vitro and in vivo.

METHODS:

Metabolic and proteomic studies were performed in vitro using macrophages differentiated from the bone marrow of young or old mice. To test the role of immune cell aging in atherosclerosis regression, bone marrow from young and old donors was transplanted into irradiated young recipient mice expressing gain-of-function AAV-PCSK9. Following 14 weeks of Western diet feeding, atherosclerosis regression was induced by switching to a standard laboratory diet for 4 weeks.

RESULTS:

Compared with young macrophages, old macrophages accumulated more lipid droplets upon lipid loading with the pro-atherogenic lipoprotein aggregated LDL (low-density lipoprotein), accompanied by a failure to proportionally induce autophagy and cholesterol efflux. Proteomic analysis of bone marrow–derived macrophages revealed that pathways related to endocytosis, engulfment, and phagocytosis were downregulated in old lipid-loaded macrophages. Functional studies confirmed a reduction in efferocytic capacity in old macrophages. In recipient mice transplanted with old bone marrow, atherosclerosis regression was impaired, as evidenced by inefficient resolution of circulating inflammatory cell levels, reduced activation of plaque autophagy and apoptotic cell clearance, and persistent plaque CD45
+
and CD68
+
content.

CONCLUSIONS:

Aging impairs macrophage function through reduced efferocytosis and autophagy activation, limiting atherosclerosis regression. These results highlight the need to better define the mechanisms linking aging to atherosclerosis to develop targeted therapies for the aging population.
“Its Own Nature, Knowledge, and Form”: Paronomasia in the Syriac Translation of Evagrius of Pontus’s Great Letter
Authors: Hintlian Julia , DiRusso Giovanni
Published: February 2025

The Great Letter of Evagrius of Pontus (d. 399) has received considerable scholarly attention as a source for reconstructing Evagrius’ speculative theology; however, due to a relative paucity of manuscripts and the fact that the text only survives in Syriac, the reception and translation technique of the letter have not been systematically studied. This article proposes that the Syriac translation of the Great Letter contains numerous manifestations of paronomasia, or wordplay, that operate in Syriac but would not be meaningful in Greek. A translator may have inserted these paronomasias to add meaning to Evagrius’ metaphors and theological images. Furthermore, cognitive-linguistic evidence suggests that these paronomasias would have been seen as meaningful by readers or listeners even if they were not intended by the translator. For this reason, the Syriac Great Letter represents a nativizing of Evagrius’ text into a Syriac context that is not reducible to its Greek original.
Painters between China and Indonesia: Visualizing an Inter-Asian Perspective in the 1950s
Authors: Li Yiqing
Published: February 2025

The art movement of realism that emerged during the anti-colonial revolutions in China and Indonesia converged and gave rise to the Yin Hua Artists Association in the mid-1950s. This association, comprising ethnic Chinese artists in Indonesia, played a significant role in fostering cultural exchanges between China and Indonesia. By examining Yin Hua’s artistic practices within the intertwined contexts of nationalism and transnational regionalism, this paper explores its contributions to shaping an inter-Asian perspective resonant with the “Bandung spirit.” It also addresses the complex challenges faced by the Yin Hua artists, including political censorship and public criticism. It argues that Yin Hua’s paintings not only evoked a shared memory of the anti-colonial struggles in both countries, they also envisioned an Asia in search of peace and industrial strength vis-à-vis the Asia defined by political turbulence and economic backwardness. Furthermore, the heterogeneous style of Yin Hua’s paintings demonstrated the artists’ plural cultural resources from Indonesia, China, and European countries. This research broadens the research scope of mid-twentieth-century Asian art beyond the binary framework of liberalism and socialism prevalent during the cultural Cold War. It provides a lens to reexamine the nuances of transnational artistic practices from an inter-Asian perspective.
The Making of a Japanese Revolutionary Cultural Warrior during the Cultural Revolution: A Case Study of the Hagurumaza Troupe and the Drama Nobi (Prairie Fire)
Authors: Cho Chi Hang
Published: February 2025

In 1967, at the beginning of the Cultural Revolution, the Hagurumaza Troupe from Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan, was invited to perform their dramas Nobi (Prairie Fire) and Arashi mo fubuki mo don to koi (Marching Against the Storm) in China. The troupe was received by Mao Zedong and became recognized as a “revolutionary cultural warrior” approved by China. They returned to Japan and propagated Mao Zedong Thought through dramas, leaving their mark across the country. On the one hand, the case of the troupe demonstrates the active spread of Mao Zedong Thought in Japan, while on the other hand, it reveals the Japanese people’s resistance to it. This paper focuses on the drama Nobi and draws on a variety of Chinese and Japanese historical documents to discuss the troupe’s process of becoming a revolutionary cultural warrior and its propaganda activities in Japan. The paper also analyzes the dilemma of having to cater to China while also pleasing the Japanese and highlights the conditions and difficulties of spreading Mao Zedong Thought in Japan.
Navigating Powers: The Chinese Diaspora of the Sulu Sultanate in American Travel Accounts (1899–1913)
Authors: Salomon Elgin Glenn R.
Published: February 2025

Using American travel accounts during the early years of American colonialism (1898–1913), this paper unpacks the everyday lives of the Chinese diaspora in Sulu (southern Philippines). Although they contributed to the cultural diversity in the Sultanate of Sulu, some Chinese traders and businessmen strategically navigated between the forces of the sultan and the American colonizers to maintain their trade interests. However, piracy against Chinese traders, particularly during the pirate Jikiri’s series of attacks in 1907–1909, was an offshoot of their connections and relations to the sultanate and the American colonial government.
Rescuing History from Srivijaya: The Fall of Angkor in the Ming Shilu (Part 2)
Authors: Kelley Liam C.
Published: February 2025

This article is the second part of an examination of information in the Ming shilu (Veritable Records of the Ming Dynasty) about a place called “Sanfoqi.” Long believed by scholars to refer to a kingdom called “Srivijaya” on the island of Sumatra, this study argues that Sanfoqi actually referred to “Cambodia.” Having demonstrated in the first part of this article that the geographic information about Sanfoqi places that polity in the area of Cambodia, in this article Sanfoqi’s location is determined with more specificity and the information about Sanfoqi in the Ming shilu is examined to gain an understanding of Cambodian history in the late fourteenth and early fifteenth centuries, a period corresponding with roughly the final century in the history of the empire of Angkor.
Analysis of the Spatiotemporal Variation Characteristics of Agricultural Climate Resources during the Peanut Growing Season in the Huang-Huai-Hai Main Production Area
Authors: Sun Rui , Li Tongxiao , Cheng Lin , Ma Qingrong , Hu Chengda
Published: February 2025

This study utilized daily meteorological data from 78 meteorological stations in the Huang-Huai-Hai peanut main production area from 1980 to 2021. Methods such as linear trend estimation and the Mann–Kendall abrupt change test were employed to analyze the spatiotemporal characteristics of climate resources such as heat, precipitation, and sunlight during the peanut growing season. The results show that heat resources during the peanut growing season in this research area exhibit a significantly increasing trend (P < 0.01), with a general pattern of higher temperatures in the south and lower temperatures in the north. Since the 1980s, heat resources during the peanut growing season have shown a year-by-year upward trend. Changes in precipitation resources in the research area were not significant, but they exhibited a distinct latitudinal distribution, gradually decreasing from southeast to northwest. Precipitation fluctuations were considerable, with no significant increasing trend. The number of precipitation days displayed a weak decreasing trend. Neither of these parameters exhibited abrupt changes, and there was no consistent pattern of interdecadal change over the years. Sunlight resources in the research area exhibited a decreasing trend, with total sunshine hours showing a significant reduction (P < 0.05). Solar radiation exhibited a highly significant decreasing trend (P < 0.01). Both parameters showed a trend of increase, decrease, and then increase again over interdecadal periods, and both experienced abrupt changes in 2000. The spatial distribution of these changes gradually increased from southwest to northeast. In summary, the overall agricultural climate resources in this research area are exhibiting a trend toward warmer and wetter conditions, which could potentially impact peanut production.
Solid State Vanadate Laser and 213 nm Rayleigh Rejection Filter Enable Miniaturized Deep Ultraviolet Raman Spectrometers
Authors: Bykov Sergei V. , Asher Sanford A.
Published: February 2025

A combination of a highly efficient 213 nm Rayleigh rejection filter (RRF) and a miniaturized 213 nm neodymium-doped vanadate laser enables portable deep ultraviolet (UV) Raman spectrometers. We demonstrate the high efficiency of 213 nm RRF manufactured by Green Optics Co., Ltd. by utilizing our compact 213 nm vanadate laser to measure high signal-to-noise ratio UV Raman spectra of Teflon and UV resonance Raman (UVRR) spectra of solid ammonium nitrate. We also demonstrate UVRR detection of trace amounts of ammonia formed during ammonium nitrate UV photolysis. We roughly estimate the ammonia UVRR detection limit of ∼10 ng under our experimental conditions.
Climate Finance: Progress, Challenges, and Opportunities on the Path to a Sustainable Planet
Authors: Tyson Laura D. , Weiss Daniel
Published: February 2025

Net zero by 2050 requires significant capital deployment through innovative climate finance and supportive policies. Policymakers and capital markets face the challenge of generating returns, driving economic growth, and ensuring sustainability. The International Energy Agency (IEA) estimates existing technologies can achieve 80% of the emissions reductions needed by 2030, but mobilizing capital to finance them at scale is crucial. This article explores how U.S. and European public and private capital markets are innovating to fund investments to drive the transition to net-zero and demonstrates the importance of policies and public-private partnerships to stimulate the necessary investments.
Trends in Political Science Research: Affective Polarization
Authors: Shah Tamanna M.
Published: February 2025

This article provides a systematic review of the literature on affective polarization, emphasizing its emotional, identity-based, and systemic dimensions across diverse political contexts. It examines the current state of research, revealing the phenomenon’s manifestations in both multiparty and two-party systems, and highlights key drivers such as identity dynamics, moral conviction, and media influences. The article identifies significant gaps in conceptual clarity and mitigation strategies, particularly concerning entrenched partisanship. Through the synthesis of various methodological approaches and the provision of a comparative perspective, this work emphasizes the implications of affective polarization on social trust, democratic governance, and political stability, thereby offering actionable insights for scholars and policymakers.
Dance in the Christian tradition
Authors: Yarber Angela
Published: February 2025

Dance is a kinesthetic form of story-telling. Although in many Baptist circles dance has been prohibited, this article examines the edifying role of dance in scripture, theology, and Christian history and in personal experience. Dance is most evocative and meaningful when it empowers those who have previously never used their bodies as a conduit for worship or whose gender or sexuality has been excluded from worship leadership.
The Persistence of Racial Inequality: The Earnings Gap Among Women From 1979 to 2018
Authors: Wicks-Lim Jeannette
Published: February 2025

This study demonstrates that examining racial earnings gaps among women across marital and parental status obscures the picture of whether observed labor market trends indicate movement toward greater or lesser racial equity. Racist gender norms have historically been expressed through White women remaining outside of the formal labor force and Black women being coerced to work outside their homes as slaves and then as paid workers. This racist gender norm has faded for unmarried White women but has remained in operation among White married mothers longer. I account for this racist gender norm by conducting a within-household-type analysis of racial gaps in labor market outcomes. I find a persistent White earnings premium of about 10% among single women from 1979 to 2018. The patterns among married women with and without children appear to be converging with those among single women, as White married women are increasingly able to leverage their racial privilege to realize higher earnings as opposed to lower labor force activity relative to Black women. I conclude that racial inequity among women in the labor market has persisted over the past four decades and will likely worsen.
Complex Medical Needs and Homelessness: A Case Study of the Natural Environment
Authors: Williams Crystal S. , Sawyer Grace E. , Ostrosky Michaelene M.
Published: February 2025

Infants and toddlers with complex medical needs are likely to receive early intervention (EI) services, which take place in children’s natural environments (NEs). Little is known about the NE of children with complex medical needs or how their EI services are implemented in consideration of their intersectional identities. In this case study, we explored the NE of one child with complex medical needs experiencing homelessness and how his EI services were embedded in his NE. We used multiple qualitative methods, including observations, interviews, document review, auto-photography, and photo-elicitation. Using thematic analysis, we developed five themes from the data: (a) description of the child’s NE, (b) the family’s planning and intentionality, (c) positivity and acceptance, (d) family expertise versus provider expertise, and (e) a continuum of practices. Implications relate to practices that align with a family’s unique circumstances and the need for research that addresses a family’s intersectional experiences navigating disability.
Kinematic analysis, structural design and prototype verification for the single-stage nutation drive
Authors: Wu Xuemei , Tang Weimin , Zhong Ao , Zhang Jun
Published: February 2025

Nutation drive has advantages of large transmission ratio, high load-bearing capacity and compact structure, making it a promising solution for precise transmission in various fields such as industrial robots, electric vehicles, and space explorations. However, the nutation drive would be difficult to adapt to the design requirements of different application scenarios because of lacking reliable and easy-to-use design methods. The primary reason for the lack of design methodology lies in the insufficient understanding in kinematic mechanism of the nutation drive. To solve this problem, the present work aims to reveal the motion transmission mechanism of nutation drive and to provide a universal structural design methodology. First, angular velocity analyses for two typical single-stage nutation drives are carried out, clarifying the velocity of each key component in the nutation drive. Second, the transmission ratios of two kinds of nutation drives are derived, respectively. Third, the relationships between the kinematic characteristics and structural parameters of single-stage nutation drive are established and a design process for key structural parameters is subsequently proposed. Then, a case study based on the proposed design methodology is conducted to yield the detail structure of a single-stage nutation drive. Finally, a prototype of single-stage nutation drive is fabricated and its transmission ratio is tested. The testing results show that the average transmission ratio of the nutation reducer is −14.89 and its relative error is just −0.70% compared with theoretical one, while the average fluctuation of the transmission ratio is 0.86 with a relative error of 5.76%. It means that the proposed nutation drive has the potential for stable transmission with low speed fluctuations. The proposed kinematic analysis model and design method is verified.
Prognostic Nutritional Index as a Potential Biomarker for the Risk of Lower Extremity Deep Venous Thrombosis: A Large Retrospective Study
Authors: Wang Hong , Zhou Qing , Wang Zhicong , Chen Xi , Wu Yuxuan , Liu Mozhen
Published: February 2025

Background

Prognostic nutritional index (PNI) has recently been identified as a novel marker of nutritional status. However, existing evidences on the association between PNI and the risk of lower extremity deep venous thrombosis (LEDVT) are limited and conflicting.

Objective

To determine the association between PNI and the risk of LEDVT, and further evaluate its diagnostic value.

Methods

Over a 10-year period (2012–2022), a total of 12790 patients who underwent compression ultrasonography examinations were consecutively included, and 1519 (11.9%) LEDVT events occurred. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to investigate the association, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was constructed to evaluate its diagnostic performance.

Results

After full adjustment, patients in third quartile (odds ratio [OR] = 1.486, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.205–1.832), second quartile (OR = 2.436, 95% CI: 1.993–2.978) and first quartile (OR = 3.422, 95% CI: 2.791–4.195) of PNI were at higher risk of LEDVT compared with those in fourth quartile, and the test for trend was significant. Consistently, each unit decrease in PNI was associated with a 6.0 % (95% CI: 1.052–1.069) increased risk of LEDVT. Moreover, adding PNI to a base model improved the area under the curve (AUC) from 0.721 (95% CI: 0.709–0.734) to 0.746 (95% CI: 0.734–0.758).

Conclusion

PNI is inversely associated with the risk of LEDVT, and provides significant incremental diagnostic value for the identification of LEDVT events. These findings suggest that PNI may be a potential biomarker to help clinicians identify patients at risk of thrombosis and make clinical decisions timely.
Kindred Rites of Sankofa: On Octavia Butler’s Histofuturist Approach to Artful Inquiry
Authors: Toliver S. R. , Files Martez
Published: February 2025

Using the lens of Sankofa, an Akan folktale symbolizing the value of cultural return, this article explores the potential of Octavia Butler’s methodological approach as a transformative framework for qualitative research. Butler’s “histofuturist” methodology, which intertwines historical insight with speculative imagination to forge new narratives, invites researchers to reorient their perspectives by integrating diverse temporal and cultural dimensions in their research. By examining her artful inquiry process in the context of her acclaimed novel, Kindred, the article highlights how Butler’s immersive artful methods—rooted in personal experience, sensory engagement, and emotional depth—pose a challenge to Eurocentrified research approaches. The article, then, advocates for artful inquiry as a methodological shift that embraces cultural heritage and personal reflection, proposing that Butler’s techniques can enrich contemporary qualitative research through enhanced emotional and contextual understanding and through a commitment to innovation and creativity.
Researcher Positionality: Ways to Include it in a Qualitative Research Design
Authors: Goundar Prashneel Ravisan
Published: February 2025

When conducting research, a researcher’s perspective and worldview are referred to as positionality. It also “reflects the position that the researcher has chosen to adopt within a given research study” and describes the researcher’s relationship to their research subjects. What the researcher chooses to study, how it is carried out, and the outcomes are all influenced by their position. In this paper, I argue that the positionality of a researcher is shaped by a variety of factors, including gender, race, personal experiences, values, and beliefs. These factors then influence the researchers’ assumptions, methods of accessing and interacting with participants, the questions they pose, and how they interpret the findings. For higher degree research in the social sciences, there should be a section that clarifies researcher positionality. Making these declarations gives the study clarity and credibility in that the researcher is aware of their ‘insider and outsider hat’ so to say. This paper discusses ways in which Masters, Doctor of Education, Doctor of Social Work, Doctor of Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages, and Ph.D. scholars can explain positionality in their research design. Crucial elements that must be disclosed in the study are the identities, viewpoints, and positions of the researchers. This work contributes to the growing corpus of scholarship on researcher positionality, which is based on my findings as a novice researcher conducting qualitative research. My paper takes an inductive systematic review approach which relates to noting observations and seeking to find patterns within them. I provide examples from my Ph.D. thesis which looked at academic English writing skills of first-year undergraduate students. The examples will be helpful to novice researchers and post-graduate students interested in providing precision in conducting qualitative methodology and examining positionality in their study. They can use the article as a starting point in approaching the concept of researcher positionality and ways in which it can be embedded in their study design.
The Body as Healer: A Theological Evaluation
Authors: Mackenzie Ed
Published: February 2025

A range of contemporary approaches to healing focus on the idea of “the body as healer.” This paper explores this theme through a biblical-theological lens and assesses its relevance for spiritual formation. Following a discussion of healing modalities which focus on embodiment, I explore five biblical-theological themes relevant to this theme before addressing the relationship between the body’s healing potential and the Spirit’s healing presence. In a final section, I suggest ways in which Christians and churches can appropriate insights on embodied healing for spiritual formation today.
Does Intraoperative Cell-Salvaged Autologous Blood Transfusion in Metastatic Spine Tumour Surgery Impact Clinical Outcomes: A Prospective Clinical Study With 4-year Follow-Up
Authors: Kumar Naresh , Hui Si Jian , Chan Yiong Huak , Tan Yong Hao , Jeyachandran Praveen , Kumar Laranya , Cui Jiaqian , Parihar Rohan , Hallinan James Thomas Patrick Decourcy , Vijay Agrawal Rohit , Tan Jiong Hao
Published: February 2025

Study design

Prospective Clinical Study.

Objective

Allogeneic blood transfusion (ABT) is the current standard of blood replenishment for metastatic spine tumour surgery (MSTS) despite known complications. Salvaged blood transfusion (SBT) addresses majority of complications related to ABT. We aim to conduct a prospective clinical study to ascertain the long-term clinical outcomes of intraoperative cell salvage (IOCS) in MSTS.

Methods

Patients were divided into three groups based on their BT type: no blood transfusion (NBT), ABT and SBT. Primary outcomes assessed were overall survival (OS) and tumour progression (TP), evaluated using RECIST (v1.1) employing follow-up radiological investigations at 6, 12, 24, 36 and 48 months.

Results

We included 98 patients [53:45 (M/F)] with mean age of 60 years old. 33 (33.7%) patients received SBT, 39 (39.8%) received ABT and 26 (26.5%) had NBT. All BT groups were comparable for demographics and tumour characteristics ( P = 0.215). Median blood loss was 400 mL and median BT was 620 mL. There were no significant differences between OS of patients who underwent SBT, as compared to ABT or NBT ( P = 0.136). On multivariate analysis, SBT did not show increase in 4-year tumour progression ( P = 0.423). Total blood loss was not associated with tumour progression ( P = 0.260).

Conclusions

MSTS patients who had SBT showed comparable OS and TP to ABT and NBT even on long term follow-up. This is the first long term prospective study to report on the clinical outcomes of SBT in comparison with control groups in MSTS and affirms the clinical role of SBT in MSTS.
Formation mechanism of stickiness perception in dressed bodies under a hot environment: The effects of fabric properties, contact area, and skin wettedness
Authors: Jiang Rongfan , Wang Yunyi , Li Jian
Published: February 2025

Individuals often experience discomfort from their clothes sticking to them due to perspiration. The objective of this study was to elucidate the formation mechanism underlying this stickiness perception (SP). To this end, a series of wear trials were conducted involving various garments and activities within a controlled thermal environment. Measurements of contact area, subjective evaluations, and physiological responses were obtained. The results showed that the effects of fabric properties, contact area, and skin wettedness on SP were contingent upon the intensity of physical activity. The relationship between skin wettedness and SP was characterized by an exponential growth function. Skin wettedness served as a reliable predictor of SP in an unsaturated state. A significantly positive correlation was observed between contact area and SP under conditions of high skin wettedness. Additionally, the air permeability, surface roughness, water absorption capacity, and elongation of the fabric showed negative influences on stickiness perception during various activity phases, except for the rest phase. However, their association between fabric properties and stickiness perception may only be statistically significant. Therefore, it is necessary to conduct a more systematic investigation into the roles of fabric properties on stickiness perception. These insights can inform the optimized design of fabric configurations for summer garments, aiming to mitigate clothing discomfort associated with stickiness.
Paving the way toward treatment solutions for CTNNB1 syndrome: a patient organization perspective
Authors: Miroševič Špela , Khandelwal Shivang , Amerson Emily , Parks Effie , Parks Mariana , Cochran Lauren , González Hernández Ana , Ferraro Mirela , Lisowski Leszek , Perez-Iturralde Andrea , Chung Wendy , Jacob Michele H. , Žakelj Nina , Lainšček Duško , Forstnerič Vida , Sušjan Petra , Maruna Matea , Jerala Roman , Osredkar Damjan
Published: February 2025

The CTNNB1 Connect & Cure and CTNNB1 Foundation, alongside Asociación CTNNB1, CTNNB1 Italia, Association CTNNB1 France, and researchers and clinicians globally are dedicated to finding effective treatments and cures for CTNNB1 syndrome. The syndrome is also characterized by progressive spasticity, which can in some cases cause loss of already achieved motor milestones. Since 2019, they have brought together researchers from different fields and invested in various research efforts to advance the search for treatment solutions for patients with CTNNB1 syndrome. Simons Searchlight serves as an important platform by remotely collecting high-quality, standardized data on the natural history of the disease and making it available to researchers around the world. Conducting genotype–phenotype correlation study and biochemically characterizing the mutations were critical to understand the effects of the patients’ mutations and related molecular function to symptoms. Several induced pluripotent stem cells were generated from patient cells, and preclinical mouse models have provided new insights into the molecular downstream effects of CTNNB1 haploinsufficiency. Multiple therapeutic approaches are in the developing, including small molecule treatments, RNA- and DNA-based therapies, AAV9 gene replacement therapy, which entered the manufacturing phase in November 2023. In this article, we summarize the journey of the CTNNB1 community and its organizations, highlight ongoing and future research projects, and outline the available research resources. The vision for the CTNNB1 community is that in the future several therapeutic options will be available that can be customized to every CTNNB1 patient’s needs.
Preventing oxygen desaturation during bronchoscopy in COPD patients using high flow oxygenversusstandard management: the randomised controlled PROSA 2 Trial
Authors: Darie Andrei M. , Grize Leticia , Jahn Kathleen , Salina Anna , Röcken Jonathan , Herrmann Matthias J. , Pascarella Maria , Suarez Vivian , Strobel Werner , Tamm Michael , Stolz Daiana
Published: February 2025

Background

Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are at increased risk for developing additional respiratory comorbidities associated with smoking, and are thus prone to undergo flexible bronchoscopy. However, COPD patients have increased periprocedural complications risk and lower oxygen saturation during bronchoscopy.

Methods

This was an investigator-initiated, single centre, open-label randomised controlled trial designed to assess the benefits of high flow nasal oxygen compared to conventional low flow oxygen by nasal cannula during conscious sedation for bronchoscopy in patients with COPD. Low flow was supplied at a starting rate of 4 L / min and gradually increased up to 12 L / min to maintain the oxygen saturation (SpO2) above 90%. High flow delivered using LM Flow 100 (Löwenstein Medical GmbH, Bad Ems, Germany) starting at a rate of 60 L / min and an inspired fraction of oxygen (FiO2) of 0.6 was increased up to 80 L / min to preserve the SpO2 above 90%. The primary endpoint was cumulative hypoxaemia time.

Results

We randomised 600 COPD cases with a median age of 69.0 (62.0–76.0) years to either high flow (295) or low flow (305). The cumulative hypoxaemia time was 53% lower in the high flow group (1.8% [95%CI 1.5–2.2]versus3.8% [95%CI 3.2–4.5] of monitoring time, p<0.001). Additionally, the high flow group experienced 3.0 (1.0–6.0) hypoxaemia events (SpO2<90%) as compared to 6.0 (3.0–10.0) in the low flow group (p<0.001). The low flow group had five-fold higher odds of experiencing hypoxaemia during bronchoscopy (OR 5.1 [95%CI 3.2–8.2], p<0.001).

Conclusion

High flow is feasible, decreases cumulative hypoxaemia time and reduces hypoxaemia events during bronchoscopy in patients with COPD but does not impact patient comfort.

Clinical trial registration

This trial was registered on the International Clinical Trials Registry Platform,ISRCTN18159882.
Study on the aggregation patterns of fleas parasitizing the great gerbil (Rhombomys opimus) in the Junggar Basin plague natural focus
Authors: Li Fang , Zhao Guoyu , Wang Yu , Zhan Shang , Tang Xine , Luo Tao , Moming Abulimiti , Wang Huiqian , Chen Jianhui , Wang Qiguo , Wu Haiyan , Zhang Yujiang
Published: February 2025

Background

The great gerbil (Rhombomys opimus), whose ectoparasitic fleas significantly influence the transmission and prevalence of plague, was the dominant rodent species in the Junggar Basin in Northwestern China. However, the distribution pattern of fleas parasitizing the great gerbils and whether that pattern affected the intensity of plague prevalence in different regions remains unclear.

Methods

A total of 17,780 fleas were collected from 2258 great gerbils throughout 90 investigations. This study focused on analyzing the rate of flea infestation and the flea indices of species that parasitized the great gerbils. The aggregation patterns of fleas parasitizing the great gerbils were measured using the parameter b of Taylor’s power law, and the differences in the aggregation index of plague epidemic areas were compared.

Results

We observed an aggregated distribution of ectoparasitic fleas in the great gerbils. The aggregation degree of combined fleas was higher (P > 0.05) in the eastern area of the Junggar Basin than in the western area. The primary species of ectoparasitic fleas of the great gerbils were Xenopsylla skrjabini, Xenopsylla minax, Xenopsylla hirtipes, and Nosopsyllus laeviceps laiveceps. X. skrjabini exhibited the highest (P < 0.01) degree of aggregation in the eastern zone (III), with an aggregation index of 1.61. In addition, in the middle zone (II), the aggregation index of X. minax and X. hirtipes reached their peak, with values of 1.53 and 1.56, respectively. Conversely, the degree of aggregation of N. laeviceps was more pronounced in the eastern zone than in the western zone of the Junggar Basin. Notably, the aggregation degree of the combined fleas of the great gerbils during the low-intensity plague epidemic period, with an index of 1.93, was significantly higher (P < 0.001) than during the high-intensity epidemic period, with an index of 1.50.

Conclusions

Fleas exhibited an aggregated distribution within the great gerbil population. The levels of flea aggregation varied across zones characterized by differing intensities of plague epidemics. In addition, the degree of flea aggregation was significantly correlated with the intensity of plague prevalence.

Graphical Abstract
DiffractioNet: Deep learning seismic and GPR diffraction separation
Authors: Bauer Alexander , Schwarz Benjamin , Walda Jan , Gajewski Dirk
Published: February 2025

The separation of the diffracted wavefield is a notorious challenge in both seismic and ground-penetrating-radar (GPR) subsurface imaging. Over the last decade, numerous studies have attempted to address this challenge with various deterministic schemes. While each of these schemes has specific advantages and disadvantages, they all require an adaptation of the corresponding processing parameters for each application, especially when crossing scales between seismic and electromagnetic measurements. In recent years, convolutional neural networks (CNNs) have emerged as powerful tools for data analysis. However, their performance strongly depends on the training data and labels, the generation of which can be a complex and time-consuming process. In this study, we introduce DiffractioNet, a deep-learning framework for diffraction separation. Our approach is based on the automated generation of synthetic seismic data patches and corresponding labels for the reflected and diffracted wavefields. We augment this synthetic dataset with reference field data results from coherent wavefield subtraction, a well-established deterministic method for diffraction separation. With the combined dataset, we train a CNN to decompose any input seismic or GPR data into reflected and diffracted wavefields. The trained DiffractioNet provides a solution for efficient on-the-fly diffraction separation that does not require parameter adaptation. We demonstrate this by applying DiffractioNet to unseen seismic and GPR field data.
Oceanic Becoming
Authors: Wilson Rob
Published: February 2025

From disappearing coral reefs and ocean acidification to floating great garbage patches, the Pacific Ocean is an ever-present reminder of the Anthropocene. In Oceanic Becoming, Rob Wilson demonstrates that in the midst of the planetary crises the Pacific now faces, it must be understood as interconnected to the other oceans. Wilson frames this interconnection as “Oceania,” reconceiving the world oceans as tied to sites of urban dwelling and life sustenance—from Boston to Brisbane—that are increasingly threatened by late capitalism. Confronting these threats, Wilson argues, requires a project he theorizes as “worlding”—a process of world-making and world-remaking across Oceania that would create new forms of belonging and connection at local, regional, and transnational levels. Wilson shows how Oceania is not just a site of peril but one charged with emergent literary and social formations that can provide the basis for new solidarities, futures, and ecologies.
Peak Responses to Graded Exercise Protocols in Young Children
Authors: Naylor Trey R. , Jacobs Mariana V. , Vogelaar Tori L. , Samaan Michael A. , Clasey Jody L.
Published: February 2025

Introduction

This study compared physiological and subjective measures resulting from maximal graded exercise testing (GXTmax) when the traditional Bruce protocol and a protocol designed specifically for pediatric populations (Pediatric Exercise Physiology (PEP) Lab protocol) were employed in children of varying adiposities.

Methods

Participants included 48 children (24 males, 24 females; ages 7–11 yr). GXTmax variables of interest included peak oxygen consumption (V·O2peak), peak heart rate (HRpeak), peak systolic blood pressure (SBPpeak), peak respiratory exchange ratio (RERpeak), and protocol duration. Participants were also asked to subjectively determine which GXTmax they perceived as more difficult.

Results

Comparing the whole group, there were no significant differences in V·O2peak or HRpeak between protocols; however, the PEP Lab GXTmax produced significantly greater SBPpeak and significantly lower RERpeak. All physiological variables were moderately or strongly associated between the two protocols (explained variance ranged from 23.9% to 68.5%). In addition, 87.5% of participants subjectively rated the PEP Lab protocol as easiest to complete.

Conclusions

Although similar V·O2peak and HRpeak measures were achieved, a lower perceived level of difficulty was observed for the PEP Lab protocol. We speculate that the PEP Lab protocol resulted in higher SBPpeak and lower RERpeak due to the lower initial intensity and smaller stage intensity increments, which may have permitted more gradual cardiorespiratory and metabolic adjustments.