bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Local Climate Change Adaptation under the Lenses of Public Health: A Case Study from Porto, Portugal
Authors: Silva José Pedro , Macassa Gloria , Barros Henrique , Ribeiro Ana Isabel
Published: September 2024

Introduction: Climate change is a pressing public health issue. Urban populations, especially in coastal areas, are highly vulnerable. As climate change progresses, local adaptation becomes increasingly important. We present a case study about the inclusion of public health concerns in local climate change adaptation in Porto (Portugal). Methods: We analysed two local adaptation plans using qualitative content analysis and conducted semi-structured interviews with a purposeful sample of 6 key stakeholders with different profiles. We did a qualitative content analysis of the respective transcripts. Results: Porto is undergoing health-relevant consequences of climate change, which are expected to worsen further in the future. Porto’s geographical and demographic characteristics and urban environment make its population highly vulnerable to climate change-related health risks. Public health is recognized as a central element in local adaptation efforts. Drivers for integrating health concerns include growing climate change awareness, a sense of urgency, social capital, institutional networks, access to resources, and political commitment. Nevertheless, challenges like data limitations, resource constraints, climate knowledge gaps, communication issues, and political cycles hinder both local adaptation and the integration of health considerations. Discussion/Conclusion: In Porto, health seems both a powerful mobilizing issue and a central topic concerning local adaptation. However, the complex and long-term nature of climate change and the associated uncertainty hinder adaptation efforts. High-quality data about both the local climate and population health are thus essential. The transversal nature of risk is recognized and multi-sectorial approaches, public participation, mainstreaming, and policy integration are necessary to prevent imbalances. Local adaptation efforts, including health-related efforts, are shaped by the international (belonging to the European Union), national, and local contexts. Successful local adaptation and inclusion of health aspects require mainstreaming and policy integration across different areas and involvement of multiple stakeholders, including the population, in order to maximize resources and avoid undesired trade-offs.
Ars :: Longa
Authors: Chan Paul
Published: September 2024

A standard interpretation of the Latin phrase “Ars longa, vita brevis” is that it takes a long time to master an art or technology. Another interpretation is that art lasts, longer even than a human life. Paul Chan suggests a third possibility: that art extends life itself. To support this reading, he discusses the work of Chris Marker and the artist duo Arakawa and Gins, as well as describing experiences from his own private research in the domain of artificial intelligence. Hellenistic mathematicians Archimedes and Eratosthenes, who fused poetry with calculation to capture the “unbounded” or “infinite,” are invoked through the work of the scholar Reviel Netz. Naturally, Faust appears.
Counterpublics in Search of Infrastructures: Lessons from German Anti-Antisemitism
Authors: Lütticken Sven
Published: September 2024

Loyalty to Israel has been described as a fundamental aim of the German state (a Staatsräson), and a stifling ideological consensus tars virtually any criticism of Zionism with the brush of “antisemitism.” Some on the Left, belonging to the so-called Anti-German (antideutsche) movement, consider support for “the Jewish state” to be a way of atoning for German sins—an ideology it ironically shares with some of the most outspoken of German nationalists. The result? Accusations and cancellations are visited on academics and artists; under McCarthyite conditions, the public sphere withers. “Counterpublics in Search of Infrastructures” analyzes some of the new kinds of counterpublicness that have emerged in response, particularly on social-media apps. The article considers historical theorizations of the counterpublic in order to address contemporary conditions and challenges. Discussing artistic and academic groups on social media as well as projects in exhibition spaces, it culminates in an inquiry into the notion of abstraction, both in accounts of the public sphere as consisting of abstract legal persons—as embodied by the male white bourgeois—and as certain theorizations of antisemitism as a phobic rejection of capitalist exchange value. Now that the dominant discourse once again pits property-owning and rights-bearing white subjects against racialized and dehumanized others, we need to ask: How can abstraction be performed otherwise? What are the kinds of relations that can enable a qualitatively different forms of publicness?
The Trace Dance Leaves Is Air: On Steve Paxton (1939–2024)
Authors: Lemon Ralph
Published: September 2024

Artist, writer, and choreographer Ralph Lemon tangentially marks his life in dance through an account of the times he witnessed the work of an important artistic guide, Steve Paxton, a founding member of Judson Dance Theater (1962–64) and Grand Union (1970–76), two collectives that indelibly redefined dance for the following decades. In addition to composing major works, while involved with Grand Union Paxton first formulated the dance form known as contact improvisation, which has become influential worldwide. “The Trace Dance Leaves Is Air” is a personal reflection and tribute, honoring a major artist, while also questioning how much one can trust creative inspiration.
The Tragedy of Dionysus in Euripides’ Bacchae
Authors: Duplessie Derek
Published: September 2024

This article argues for the significance of Euripides’ Bacchae to what Socrates, in Book X of the Republic, refers to as the ‘ancient quarrel between philosophy and poetry’. I argue that the play’s presentation of Dionysus – the god of tragic theatre – amounts to a metapoetic treatment of tragic poetry; it is a tragedy about tragedy. The Bacchae can thus be read as a statement of tragic poetry’s self-understanding of its pedagogical and political goals as well as of its possible limitations. I conclude by arguing that there is in fact a deep kinship between tragic poetry (as presented by Euripides) and Socratic political philosophy (as presented by Plato), especially with respect to their relation to, and understanding of, the polis. Ultimately, through analyzing the Bacchae’s presentation of Dionysus, I aim to allow tragic poetry to speak for itself as well as to clarify its relation to Platonic/Socratic political philosophy.
Local Aspirants and Politicised Chieftaincy Disputes: Evidence from Northern Ghana
Authors: Chen Xiran
Published: September 2024

Why do politicians intervene in some chieftaincy succession disputes but not others? The key actors and their motivations in these processes remain understudied. In this article I leverage a comparative analysis of two similar chieftaincy disputes in Ghana's Upper West Region, and develop inductively a theory of local aspirants – political actors with dual memberships in chieftaincy and politics. I find that local aspirants from disputing factions that seek to change the status quo of the dispute have particular interests in politicising the chieftaincy disputes. These findings contribute to our knowledge about how chieftaincy disputes become politicised, by emphasising the roles played by politicians embedded in chieftaincy.
Cautious Optimism: Latinx Young Adults’ Perspectives on the American Dream
Authors: Munoz Casarrubias Aurora M. , Santellano Karina , Flores-González Nilda , Estrada Emir
Published: September 2024

The American Dream has long been crucial in maintaining the narrative of meritocracy that is part of American ideology and in giving immigrants hope for a brighter future in the United States. This article examines perceptions of the American Dream among U.S.-born Latinx young adults in Arizona. Drawing from 57 in-depth interviews, we found that participants approach the American Dream with cautious optimism—they believe in the American Dream, but are aware of its limits and redefine it to make it attainable. Latinas, in particular, link the American Dream with self-determination and defiance to traditional gender and cultural expectations. This research offers insights into the evolving meaning of the American Dream, revealing how race and gender inequality shape Latinx young adults’ aspirations amid contemporary challenges in Arizona.
“Not My Circus, Not My Monkeys:” Views of Monogamy and Non-Monogamy Among Arizona Youth
Authors: Cotton Cassandra , Melendez-Mayfield Amina , Zamora Castro Analicia , Flores-González Nilda
Published: September 2024

Norms and ideals of romantic relationships, from dating through to marriage, have undergone significant shifts in recent decades. Views of roles and expectations within relationships may have evolved toward less conventional forms of romantic unions, opening up the possibility of non-monogamous relationships. Despite these potential shifts, the U.S. context maintains a culture of mononormativity, where monogamy is considered the ideal, and for some the only, form of relationship. Drawing on 92 interviews with young Arizonans aged 21 to 32 from the Arizona Youth Identity Project, we explore views of and desire for monogamy in romantic relationships. We focus on two questions: (1) Do young adults uphold mononormative views? and (2) How are these views distinguished between personal preferences versus broader social expectations? We find that some young people uphold mononormativity for themselves and as a social institution, viewing non-monogamy as harmful or unnatural. Many others, however, see monogamy as their personal preference but accept non-monogamy for others, often without reservations. A small number of young adults express personal openness toward non-monogamy or explicit refusal of monogamy in their own lives. Collectively, these findings show that while there remains an enduring preference for monogamy in young people’s personal relationships, there is substantial acceptance and support for non-monogamy for others, suggesting that the hold of mononormativity may be loosened for young adults.
Assessing Mechanochemical Properties of Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) Items in Cultural Heritage Through a Multimodal Spectroscopic Approach
Authors: Bargagli Irene , Alunni Cardinali Martina , Di Tullio Valeria , Doherty Brenda , Paolantoni Marco , Fioretto Daniele , Proietti Noemi , Sabatini Francesca , Miliani Costanza , Storace Elisa , Russo Sara , Trevisan Rafaela , Vannini Alessandra , Cartechini Laura , Comez Lucia , Rosi Francesca
Published: September 2024

A multimodal spectroscopic approach is proposed to correlate the mechanical and chemical properties of plastic materials in art and design objects, at both surface and subsurface levels, to obtain information about their conservation state and to monitor their degradation. The approach was used to investigate the photo-oxidation of acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), a plastic commonly found in many artistic and design applications, using ABS-based LEGO bricks as model samples. The modifications of the chemical and viscoelastic properties of ABS during photoaging were monitored by correlative Brillouin and Raman microspectroscopy (BRaMS), combined with portable and noninvasive broad-range external reflection infrared (IR) spectroscopy and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) relaxometry, directly applicable in museums. BRaMS enabled combined measurements of Brillouin light scattering and Raman spectroscopy in a microspectroscopic setup, providing for the coincident probe of the chemical and mechanical changes of ABS at the sample surface. NMR relaxometry allowed for noninvasive measurements of relaxation times and depth profiles which are directly related to the molecular mobility of the material. Complementary chemical information was acquired by external reflection IR spectroscopy. The simultaneous probe of the chemical and mechanical properties by this multimodal spectroscopic approach enabled us to define a decay model of ABS in terms of compositional changes and variation of stiffness and rigidity occurring with photodegradation. The knowledge acquired on LEGO samples has been used to rate the conservation state of ABS design objects noninvasively investigated by external reflection Fourier transform IR spectroscopy and NMR relaxometry offered by the MObile LABoratory (MOLAB) platform of the European Research Infrastructure of Heritage Science.
Caste and its implications for sociologies of inequality
Authors: Bhambra Gurminder K
Published: September 2024

The concern to think about the place of caste as a conceptual category – within, and in relation to, broader sociological understandings of inequality – was the primary motivation of the British Sociological Association Presidential event on ‘Caste and its Implications for Sociologies of Inequality’ held at the London School of Economics in late autumn 2023. It sought not only to engage with caste sociologically but also to ask the question of what a consideration of caste could bring to sociological thinking more generally.
Picture this: Men building intimate partner relationships
Authors: Oliffe John L , Gao Nina , Kelly Mary T , Shim Andrea , Yap Celene YL , Sharp Paul , McKenzie Sarah
Published: September 2024

Objectives:

The quality of intimate partner relationships strongly influences men’s mental health, yet little research attention has been given to these relationships from a strengths-based critical masculinities perspective. Addressing this knowledge gap, this photovoice study provides insights into young men’s experiences of, and perspectives about, building intimate partner relationships.

Design:

Photovoice methodology.

Setting:

This study was conducted virtually over Zoom.

Method:

Working with 120 participant-produced photographs from 64 men who resided in 13 countries, who and ranged in age from 19 to 43 years ( M = 29.5), the current photovoice study provides a thematic analysis.

Results:

Three themes were derived. The first of these, Balancing autonomy and coupledom, stressed men’s openness to making and communicating ongoing partnership adjustments. Predominately sharing identity and social connection examples, men spoke to the need to retain a degree of individual agency while meeting joint expectations within a relationship. The second theme, Building compatibility and mutuality, highlighted men’s congruence with their partner as the foundation for actively being together. Flowing from this, mutuality was idealised as jointly bringing about gender equality and gender equity to sustain a relationship through inevitable ups and downs. The third theme, Communicating intimacy, was best accomplished by men having regular discussions with partners to express their affections, and to understand and meet each other’s sexual and emotional needs. Central to nourishing intimacy was a closeness, often garnered by men’s intentional efforts to secure secluded couple-orientated experiences.

Conclusion:

The findings question stereotypes depicting men as inept in, or ambivalent about, their partnerships. Instead they offer insight into wide-ranging strength-based relational masculinities that enable young men to build intimate partner relationships.
Predicting Adolescent Arithmetic and Reading Dysfluency
Authors: Koponen Tuire , Eklund Kenneth , Aunola Kaisa , Poikkeus Anna-Maija , Lerkkanen Marja-Kristiina , Torppa Minna
Published: September 2024

The long-term negative consequences of learning difficulties have been acknowledged. Nonetheless, research is still scarce regarding the prediction of adolescent difficulties in reading and arithmetic skills. The present study examines at which age phase and with what kind of constellation of parent- and child-related factors can adolescent difficulties in arithmetic and/or reading fluency be successfully predicted. A sample of Finnish children ( N = 941) was followed from the onset of kindergarten (at age 6) through adolescence (ages 13–16). Children’s cognitive skills were assessed in kindergarten, and arithmetic and reading fluency were examined in Grades 2, 4, 6, 7, and 9. Parents’ self-report data were collected on their own learning difficulties and educational level. Scoring below the 16th percentile in both Grades 7 and 9 was set as the criterion for dysfluency either in reading ( N = 87, 9.2%) or arithmetic ( N = 84, 8.9%). Adolescent dysfluency in both domains was moderately predicted by parental measures and kindergarten cognitive skills. Although adding school-age fluency measures clearly increased both the predictability and specificity of models up to Grade 4 for both skills, knowledge of letters’ names, counting, and visuospatial skills remained unique predictors of dysfluency in adolescence.
Augmenting Music Education through AI: Practical Applications of ChatGPT
Authors: Holster Jacob
Published: September 2024

ChatGPT is emerging as a formidable asset for music educators, poised to enhance student engagement, refine assessment methods, and automate repetitive tasks related to music teaching. The core of this perspective revolves around the use of custom prompt templates that support individualized and reflexive teaching practices. The broader implications of artificial intelligence (AI) integration in music education are discussed, emphasizing the potential to redefine conventional pedagogical and administrative practices. While acknowledging the uses of AI, it is crucial to center ethical considerations, such as data privacy and biases, ensuring that integration remains student-centered, inclusive, and supportive.
Developing Musical Expression in Instrumental Ensembles
Authors: McLerran Marina
Published: September 2024

Musical expression is often not explicitly addressed in secondary instrumental rehearsals due to the perception of expression as an obscure concept and the instructional time constraints on music educators. Secondary music educators, however, are encouraged to discuss expressive performance goals with instrumental students from the beginning of formal instruction. The three most common methods of teaching expression in music include metaphor, aural modeling, and explicit instruction regarding instrumental techniques. With the use of plainly stated performance goals, music educators can help clarify the concept of and expectations for expressivity for instrumental students.
Supporting Autistic Students and Their Siblings through Inclusive Music Groups
Authors: Wald Meghan , Bernstorf Elaine
Published: September 2024

This article provides a brief review of research along with a recommended music program with the purpose of facilitating constructive and loving relationships between autistic individuals and their allistic siblings. We highlight research regarding the need for family-based interventions, as well as the benefits of music participation for both the individuals with autism and their allistic siblings. Finally, we recommend a world percussion program for the siblings to participate in together that coincides with an allistic sibling support group. Music educators can facilitate growth within these relationships because they have a unique perspective on the individuals involved.
Awake Tracheostomy in a Pediatric Patient
Authors: Arom Gabriel , West Jonathan , Greenstein David , Gomez Gabriel
Published: September 2024

Awake tracheostomy is rare in the pediatric population. We describe the case of a 10-year-old male who underwent awake tracheostomy due to airway obstruction from an oropharyngeal rhabdomyosarcoma. Given the varying medical understanding and communication skills in children, advanced planning and interdisciplinary collaboration are essential to keep the patient calm and safe during awake tracheostomy.
Making the Right Tools for the Job With Adele Clarke
Authors: Murphy M.
Published: September 2024

This essay is part of a Thematic Collection of Science, Technology & Human Values on the work of Adele E. Clarke (1945–2024).
Factors Influencing the Translation of Evidence Into Clinical Practice for Hospital Allied Health Professionals in Terms of the Domains of Behaviour Change Theory: A Systematic Review
Authors: Batchelor Jacqueline , Hemmert Cameron , Meulenbroeks Isabelle , Tang Crystal , Harrison Reema , Ogrin Rajna , Baillie Andrew , Sarkies Mitchell
Published: September 2024

This systematic review provides an overview of the unique challenges allied health professions face in the translation and implementation of evidence into practice, which remain relatively under reported and uninformed by a theoretical basis of behaviour change. MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL and Scopus databases from 2010 to 2022 were searched for primary study designs resulting in 21 articles included in this review (PROSPERO: 2022 CRD42022314996). Allied health disciplines reported in the review were mainly from occupational therapy, physiotherapy, dietetics, and speech pathology. The most frequently reported implementation determinants across the Theoretical Domains Framework were identified as ‘environmental context and resources’, and ‘knowledge’. The results also identified a greater influence of ‘social influences’ and ‘beliefs about consequences’ in implementation. Implementing evidence into clinical practice is a multifaceted, complex process, and the use of the Theoretical Domains Framework provided a systematic approach to understanding the drivers behind the target behaviours. However, there is a paucity of studies across the allied health professions that describe implementation strategies used and their impact. Many of the studies focused on implementation by the individual clinician rather than the role organizations can play in the translation of evidence into practice.
Ideology as modes of being-with: An existential-phenomenological contribution to ideology critique
Authors: Burch Matthew , Rautenberg Niclas
Published: September 2024

According to a broad historical and contemporary consensus, ideology resides in the mind, as a sort of belief system gone wrong. Recently, however, a minority view has challenged this cognitivist consensus by highlighting ideology’s social function. This group of authors, including Rahel Jaeggi, Karen Ng, Robin Celikates, and Sally Haslanger, underline the importance of analyzing ideology through the lens of our social practices. We think these challengers move the conversation about ideology in the right direction, but their views still suffer from some weaknesses – weaknesses that we think an existential-phenomenological account of ideology can overcome. We develop such an account here. We conceive of ideology as a set of modes of being-with that attack our normative competence by placing us under unwarranted normative pressure, changing our normative stance to benefit some political group. We offer a four-fold account of normative competence and illustrate how ideology, understood in our terms, attacks it. Finally, we show that our approach shares the strengths but not the weaknesses of the minority view.
International Migration Review at 60: Evolving and Emerging Models of International Migration Research
Authors: Kraly Ellen Percy , Menjívar Cecilia , E. Reed Holly
Published: September 2024

This contribution introduces the special issue commemorating the 60th anniversary of International Migration Review. We first review the scholarly themes of articles published in the journal during the last 10 years, since the 50th-anniversary issue. We identify seven broad trends and aspects of international population movements, migration, and the migrant experience, including mixed migration, access to asylum, climate migration, South-South models of integration and assistance, studies of legal and liminal status, and attitudes and national political response to immigrants, as key themes represented in the last decade of IMR articles. We then discuss the process of creating the special issue and introduce the scholars and their contributions to the issue around the analytical and conceptual themes of (i) knowledge, expertise, and policy; (ii) migration theory; (iii) methods and analysis; (iv) assimilation and transnationalism; (v) borders and bordering; (vi) legal statuses and in-between experiences; and (vii) migrant well-being and health. Finally, we reflect on what we have accomplished so far, but also challenges IMR as a journal and the broader community of international migration scholars, practitioners, and advocates to continue to work toward further diversity, interdisciplinarity, innovation, and collaboration in our work.
High-risk, Critical Decision-making under Time Pressure: Some Parallels and Learning from Split-second Choices Made in Extreme Adventure Sports
Authors: Bangari Ravindra Singh
Published: September 2024

In a world beset with crises, everyone from professional manager down to the layman is keen to understand how to make quick decisions under emerging disruptive situations. This article, employing self-reflective analysis of critical incidents, describes the author’s personal experiences from the field of adventure sports categorised as high-risk, critical decisions, involving split-second choices—while sky-diving and flying—to trace the mental cognitive processes from a decision maker’s perspective. This is used to discuss and establish a practitioners’ operational framework for high-risk, critical decision scenarios, drawing upon established theories and frameworks from cognitive, social and psychological decision research.
Becoming Austrian, Becoming European? Supranationalism in the Habsburg South in an Age of Emerging Nationalisms: The Comparative Relevance of Trieste
Authors: Maritan Mario
Published: September 2024

Between 1848 and 1867, at a time that is often considered to be central to Italian, German, and Slavic nation building, the Habsburg port city of Trieste witnessed a significant immigration from throughout Europe and the eastern Mediterranean. While the historiography of the city has focused on the Triestine entrepreneurial class, understandably described as cosmopolitan, little research has been conducted on the rest of the urban population, too often seen as polarized along distinct national affiliations. This article argues that such national allegiances are anachronistic and that ‘vulgar cosmopolitanism’, national indifference, dynastic patriotism, and urban and regional allegiances better define the lived experiences of the majority of the population. Archival material, the applications for Austrian naturalization that thousands of foreigners submitted in the period studied here, shows the intense inter-ethnic engagement of those people who did not belong to the cosmopolitan trading community, who often proved to be insensitive to nationalist agitation and unaware of the existence of ‘nations’. This study of Habsburg Trieste at the time of nation building in Central and Southern Europe provides further elements that refute standard national narratives and classic interpretations of the development of nationalism. It also offers comparative evidence for global cities that have been integrated into mono-national states or have managed to avoid such integrational efforts.
The European Response to US Expansion in the Mid-Nineteenth Century
Authors: Šedivý Miroslav
Published: September 2024

The territorial expansion of the USA in the 1840s represented an important phase on its way to becoming a world power. Historians have paid considerable attention to US foreign policy during this period but have largely neglected the significant impact of US expansion on Europe. Whereas they have written a great deal about European reflections on American democracy or slavery, they have largely overlooked the geopolitical response that US expansion provoked among Europeans during that decade. This omission is surprising given the fact that this reaction spread not only in governmental circles but also among the broad public: the policy of the USA and its position in the Americas became an important topic with serious consequences for both sides of the Atlantic. Europeans often criticized the USA for its aggressive policy, and they feared that with the rise of its power it would behave in the same way in all parts of the world. The article's principal aim is to reveal the European response to US territorial expansion and how the repercussions of this response on the USA contributed to the rise of pan-Europeanism, nationalism, imperialism, and colonialism from the mid-nineteenth century.
The current state of institutional repositories in universities of Türkiye: An applied research study
Authors: Cengiz Mater Emine
Published: September 2024

The purpose of this article is to analyze the current state of institutional repositories owned by Turkish universities, identify the challenges faced by librarians responsible for managing these repositories, and propose solutions to overcome these obstacles. A survey was distributed to 181 institutions in Türkiye. Responses were received from 80 institutions. The findings revealed the difficulties experienced by librarians working in institutional repositories and the areas where they need improvement. Researchers spend too much time uploading their publications, data entry is not mandatory in institutional repository policies, copyright/ownership issues, a lack of understanding of the importance of institutional repositories, legal infrastructure deficiencies, budget constraints, and a lack of technical support are among the main challenges faced by institutions. The first three areas that institutional repositories need are budget, support and attention from university administration and adequate and competent staff. Again, the study revealed that Council of Higher Education did not fulfill its duties and responsibilities regarding institutional repositories. As a result of the study, solutions specific to the problems and needs experienced by institutional repositories have been proposed. The study aims to bridge literature gaps on repository processes in Turkish university libraries, providing insights and practical solutions for enhancing institutional repository performance.
Biogenic fabrication of NiO-ZnO-CaO ternary nanocomposite using Azadirachta Indica (Neem) leaves extract with proficient photocatalytic degradation of rhodamine B dye
Authors: Fayyaz Sumayya , Mushtaq Fazila , Mahar Jamaluddin , Tariq Muhammad , Haider Sajjad , Alam Kamran , Iqbal Anila
Published: September 2024

In the current study, a ternary nanocomposite (NiO–ZnO–CaO) was successfully synthesized through the co-precipitation method using Azadirachta Indica (neem) leaves extract as green approach. The characterization of prepared nanocomposite was conducted using FT-IR, XRD, SEM and EDS to determine the metal oxides absorption bands, structural properties, elemental composition, and surface morphology of the nanocomposite. FT-IR analysis revealed characteristic vibrational peaks at 621, 684, and 721 cm−1, corresponding to Ni-O, Zn-O, and Ca-O bond vibrations, respectively. XRD patterns showed distinct diffraction peaks, indicative of the hexagonal structure of ZnO and the cubic structures of NiO and CaO. EDS analysis confirmed the presence of calcium, nickel, zinc, and oxygen with weight percentages of 9.2%, 14.4%, 15.1%, and 20.9%, respectively. SEM images displayed an irregular cube like morphology with noticeable clustering within the nanocomposite. The ternary nanocomposite was employed as photocatalyst and exhibited degradation efficiency (97%) against rhodamine B dye under 180 min of irradiation time. The kinetic studies of dye on the photocatalyst surface were accurately explained by a first-order kinetics model, with all R2 > 95, signifying a strong correlation between time and dye concentration. The potocatalytic degradation mechanism of ternary nanocomposite was proposed based on band positions of of NiO, ZnO and CaO forming double type II heterojunction. Furthermore, species trapping experiments employing different scavengers were carried out, revealing the active participation of OH● and O2●─ radicals in the degradation mechanism.
Synergistic regulation of microstructure, properties, and abrasive wear mechanism of a medium carbon dual phase steel for plowshares
Authors: Wang Kun , Xia Qihang , Hao Baichuan , Han Jungang , Yu Hao
Published: September 2024

In this study, a new medium carbon dual phase (DP) steel for plowshares is prepared. The quenching and partitioning process of the medium carbon steel is designed and optimised using the constrained carbon equilibrium model. The optimised process parameters are quenching temperature of 880 °C, quenching bath temperature of 190 °C and partitioning temperature of 350 °C. The microstructure of the acicular martensite matrix with 13% retained austenite was prepared, so that the good mechanical properties of tensile strength of 2007 MPa, yield strength of 1689 MPa, elongation of 11% and impact energy of 12 J are obtained. The multi-scale characterisation and abrasive wear experiments are carried out to investigate its microstructural evolution and wear mechanism under simulated working conditions. The results show that the coordinated deformation of retained austenite and martensite, as well as the trip effect, endows it with ultra-high strength and good plasticity. The recurring process of formation and spalling of the hardened layer is the main wear pattern of this medium carbon DP steel. The synergism of twinning formation and (Ti, Mo)C precipitation enhances wear resistance of this medium carbon DP steel.
Application of acrylic plates as load cell for detecting strain and force in structures
Authors: Yildiz ibrahim
Published: September 2024

This study presents the use of two superimposed transparent acrylic plates as a load cell for strain and force measurement. The gap between the plates behaves like an interferometer. When a monochromatic light beam is incident upon the gap, it interacts with the two air-acrylic interfaces, causing constructive and destructive interference. This phenomenon results in the formation of an interference pattern. Interferometers are devices used for high-precision measurements. In this work, the strain and force applied to an aluminum bar were precisely measured using two acrylic plates fixed to the bar. The experiments showed that the proposed method has a measurement range of 0–60[Formula: see text] and a resolution of 0.27[Formula: see text]. It is demonstrated that the proposed method offers a low-cost strain measurement technique with a wider measurement range compared to fiber optic sensors
Case series on monoclonal antibodies targeting calcitonin gene-related peptide in migraine patients during pregnancy: Enhancing safety data
Authors: Elosua-Bayes Iker , Alpuente Alicia , Melgarejo Laura , Caronna Edoardo , Torres-Ferrús Marta , Pozo-Rosich Patricia
Published: September 2024

Background

Monoclonal antibodies targeting calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP-mAbs) are approved for adult migraine prevention but pose safety concerns in pregnancy. We assess the safety of CGRP-mAbs in the periconceptional period through a case series and literature review.

Methods

Six migraine-diagnosed women received CGRP-mAbs; treatment ceased upon pregnancy. We collected data and conducted safety assessments. To provide a comprehensive context, we performed a literature review.

Results

The series includes three erenumab, two fremanezumab and one galcanezumab case. A fremanezumab recipient experienced miscarriage; severe perinatal asphyxia linked to dystocia occurred with erenumab (140 mg). Database reviews revealed 63 spontaneous abortions, eight premature births, and seven birth defects among 286 World Health Organization and 65 European Medicines Agency cases. These rates align with untreated population rates.

Conclusions

CGRP-mAbs use in the periconceptional period does not lead to clinically significant increase in pregnancy-related pathology or adverse effects on newborns within our case series and the literature reviewed.
Umbelliprenin improved anti-proliferative effects of ionizing radiation on adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma cells via interaction with CDK6; an in vitro and in silico study
Authors: Ebrahimi Keyhan , Bagheri Ramin , Gholamhosseinian Hamid , Keramati Mohammad Reza , Rafatpanah Houshang , Iranshahi Mehrdad , Rassouli Fatemeh B
Published: September 2024

Adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATL) is an aggressive malignancy with poor survival rates. The efficacy of radiotherapy in ATL needs enhancement with radiosensitizing agents. This study investigated whether umbelliprenin (UMB) could improve the therapeutic effects of ionizing radiation (IR) in ATL cells. UMB, a naturally occurring prenylated coumarin, exhibits anticancer properties and has shown synergistic effects when combined with chemotherapeutic drugs. Despite this promising profile, there is a notable lack of research on its potential combinatorial effects with IR, particularly for ATL treatment. UMB was extracted from  Ferula persica using thin layer chromatography. MT-2 cells were treated with UMB alone and in combination with various doses of IR, and cell proliferation was assessed via alamarBlue assay. Flow cytometry with annexin V and PI staining was conducted, and candidate gene expression was analyzed by qPCR.  In silico analysis involved identifying pathogenic targets of ATL, constructing protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks, and evaluating CDK6 expression in MT-2 cells. Molecular docking was used to determine the interaction between UMB and CDK6. The alamarBlue assay and flow cytometry showed that pretreating ATL cells with UMB significantly ( p < .0001) enhanced anti-proliferative effects of IR. The combination index indicated a synergistic effect between UMB and IR. qPCR revealed significant ( p < .0001) downregulation of  CD44, CDK6, c-MYC, and  cFLIPL, and overexpression of  cFLIPS. Computational analysis identified CDK6 as a hub gene in the PPI network, and CDK6 overexpression was confirmed in MT-2 cells. Molecular docking revealed a favorable binding interaction between UMB and the ATP-binding site of CDK6, with a JAMDA score of −2.131, surpassing the control selonsertib. The current study provides evidence that UMB enhances the anti-proliferative effects of IR on ATL cells, and highlights the significance of targeting CDK6 in combinatorial approaches.
Murdered Elder Indigenous Women and Legal Outcomes
Authors: Burgess Ann W. , Petreca Victor , Brucato Gary , Hoblock Courtney , Mars Mak , Lamade Raina V. , Dowdell Elizabeth B.
Published: September 2024

This qualitative descriptive analysis examines 33 cases of missing and murdered Indigenous women aged 50 years and older. The cases encompassed single murders, multiple murders, and mass stabbing events. The study found that the offender was known and/or identified in the majority of cases, with a significant portion resulting in guilty pleas or jury convictions. However, a notable portion of cases remained unsolved or ended with the offender’s suicide. Alcohol and/or illicit substance abuse was prevalent; known substance abuse history was identified in victim and/or offender for nearly 70% of cases. Most murders occurred off tribal land and were perpetrated by men, typically younger than their victims, with some form of relationship to them. Themes for the resolved cases varied, including familial violence, sexual violence, and financial gain. The findings underscore the need for intervention strategies such as addressing substance abuse in adolescence, intervening early in relationship conflicts, training law enforcement in elder sexual homicide investigations, and providing clinical care for mental illness in cases involving family and partners. Additionally, the study highlights the necessity for a national database to track homicides involving elder Indigenous women, facilitating more effective prevention and response efforts.
Shifting the Paradigm for Establishing and Maintaining Milk Production in the Setting of Mother/Infant Separation
Authors: Eden Claire
Published: September 2024

Establishing lactation when mother and infant are separated, such as when the neonate is admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), is challenging. The most common clinical advice is to express milk eight or more times per day, every 3 hours, around the clock. Sometimes, the first time that parents hear this is after the birth of their baby. This can be overwhelming and sometimes unachievable. A five-step paradigm shift is proposed that refocuses lactation care on providing evidence-based assistance and ongoing clinical education, and assessment beginning prenatally and extending past maternal discharge, to improve outcomes through curated support. Simple guidelines can begin with expressing milk at least five times a day by Day 5 of life (5 × 5), and expressing milk at least once between 0100 and 0500 (overnight pumping). With these measures, neonatal care in the NICU setting can provide personalized and achievable guidance on pumping schedules.
Apixaban as a Secondary Prophylaxis Agent for Patent Foramen Ovale-Associated Stroke
Authors: Khaimova Rebecca M. , Toderika Yuliana , Ramnarain Justin , Donatien Claudette
Published: September 2024

Background: The purpose of this case report is to describe a case of switching warfarin to apixaban in a patient on anticoagulant prophylaxis for a patent foramen ovale (PFO)-associated stroke. Case Summary: An 86-year-old Afro-Latina female with a past medical history of cerebrovascular accident (CVA) in 2012 secondary to PFO and diagnosed Atrial Fibrillation (AF). Patient was switched from warfarin to apixaban after 3 months of labile international normalized ratio (INR) levels. The patient’s INR was monitored at a pharmacist-led anticoagulation clinic. As the patient’s INR remained subtherapeutic while on warfarin, a shared decision was made to switch the patient to apixaban 2.5 mg twice daily due to consistently painful enoxaparin injections, inconsistent vitamin K intake, frequent clinic visits and unstable renal function. Patient tolerated the anticoagulant switch well and reported satisfaction with decreased clinic visits and variable vitamin K diet. At 12 months post-switch, the patient’s complete blood count remains stable, no reported signs and symptoms of bleeding, and no new CVA or venous thromboembolism (VTE) events identified. Based on an improvement in renal function, the dose was increased to 5 mg twice daily.
Exploring the taken-for-granted relationship between children’s culture and the cultural heritage of terrorism
Authors: Hrechaniuk Yelyzaveta
Published: September 2024

This article explores the relationship between children’s visual and material cultures and the official cultural heritage of terrorism. Drawings and cuddly toys have become a significant, yet overlooked, part of ‘difficult’ heritage of impactful violent events. The focus is on two museum collections dedicated to the 2017 terrorist attack in Stockholm – the active contributions of young people (8–25 years old) to the collections, and their presences constituted by artefacts. Examining both provides insights into the politics of cultural heritage and how heritage can be produced and presented.
Predictive analysis of tensile strength ratios in laminated bamboo composites: Unraveling the stochastic impact of ply angle variations through machine learning model
Authors: Kumar Deepak , Mandal Apurba
Published: September 2024

Laminated bamboo composites (LBC), made by sandwiching bamboo strips, offer promising alternatives to traditional construction materials, especially for housing. However, subjection to the continuous static loading makes these materials initiate cracks inside their various ply. This study uses classical laminate theory (CLT) to determine the strength ratio (SR) of the LBC at different ply orientations by applying Tsai-Wu and Tsai-Hill failure criteria using MATLAB. The study aims to calculate the SRs for LBCs using CLT, employing an ANN model and stochastic finite element (FE) modeling to investigate SRs of five-layered LBCs with varying ply orientations. Applying CLT, the highest SR was determined to be 1.5375 × 107 N/m for the [0°/0°/0°/0°/0°] laminate, as per both failure theories. The study reveals substantial SR variations depending on ply orientation, consistently showing higher SR predictions with the Tsai-Wu theory compared to the Tsai-Hill theory. Next, the study emphasizes the deterministic methodologies to account for the stochastic effects of ply angle on the obtained SR of LBCs. Monte Carlo simulation (MCS) was utilized to model 10,000 randomly generated ply angle inputs and their associated SRs. By incorporating MCS to introduce ±1% variations in ply angles and utilizing normally distributed data, this research effectively captures uncertainties associated with ply orientation. Finally, to forecast the random SR of LBC with various ply orientations, an artificial neural network (ANN) surrogate model is employed. The stochastic analysis confirms the need to quantify the associated uncertainties. The findings of this study are crucial for advancing the application of LBC in sustainable construction, providing valuable insights into their mechanical behavior under different ply orientations, considering the stochastic effect in properties.
Toward sustainable transportation: Experimental insights into Chlorella vulgaris algae biodiesel with titanium oxide nano-enhancements
Authors: Thangamani Jayakumar , Ismailgani Rahamathullah , Arunagirinathan Kumaravadivel
Published: September 2024

Biodiesel, an environmentally friendly alternative to diesel fuel, is commonly used in compression-ignition engines. In this research, an attempt has been made to evaluate the performance, combustion, and emission characteristics of Chlorella vulgaris algae methyl ester (CVAME) blended with diesel fuel containing titanium oxide nanoparticles as a fuel additive in a single-cylinder four-stroke diesel engine under various operating conditions. The morphology of the synthesized titanium oxide nanoparticles was investigated by EDX, SEM, and TEM. The fuel samples used for testing were CVAME20, CVAME20 + 50 ppm of TiO2, and CVAME20 + 100 ppm of TiO2. The fuel samples were analyzed for their physicochemical characteristics in accordance with ASTM procedures. From experimental results obtained, it was found that CVAME20 with 100 ppm of TiO2 offered the highest reduction in the brake-specific fuel consumption (BSFC). Further, this blend showed a 2.96% increase in brake thermal efficiency (BTE) over CVAME20. However, CVAME20 containing 100 ppm TiO2 had the highest heat release rate (HRR) value among all the samples at 45.41 J/° CA and the highest cylinder pressure at 70.72 bar. Under peak load, the CVAME20 + 100 ppm of TiO2 fuel blend exhibited reductions of 35.1% for CO, 31.5% for HC, and 9.04% for smoke in emissions compared to CVAME20. Conversely, NOx emissions were increased by 7.36% in comparison to CVAME20. A four-ball tester was utilized to investigate the tribological characteristics of different biodiesel blends under conditions of 1200 r/min, 75 °C, and 40 kg for a duration of 1 hour. The addition of 100 ppm TiO2 into CVAME20 led to a 32.62% reduction in the wear scar diameter (WSD) and a 16.51% decrease in friction compared to CVAME20. It can also be observed from the SEM analysis that the biodiesel blends with nano-additives have lower wear rates as compared to CVAME20.