bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Istinto, animalità e irriflessione nello Zibaldone di Leopardi
Authors: Allegrini Vincenzo
Published: February 2025

Il saggio ricostruisce la costellazione semantica dell’‘istinto’ e dell’‘irriflessione’ nello Zibaldone di Leopardi. Si mostrerà, anzitutto, il complesso (e talvolta contraddittorio) significato che i due termini assumono nelle differenti fasi del pensiero leopardiano, dal 1819 fino al dicembre 1826. Si getterà luce, così, sul legame tra i due lemmi e alcuni temi cruciali della riflessione antropologica e filosofica di Leopardi: l’istinto di conservazione, la corruzione dell’uomo e la nascita della «società stretta», la legge naturale e la virtù morale, l’egoismo, l’invidia, il piacere, il desiderio, l’amor proprio, le illusioni e le credenze, il danno del conoscere, il timore, la compassione, il problema della contraddittorietà dell’essere e, dunque, del male. Nel fare ciò, emergerà come i due lemmi traccino percorsi uguali e contrari, in linea con la tortuosa ricerca da parte di Leopardi di un possibile antidoto contro la corruzione dell’animale‑uomo, singolarmente incline sia all’eccesso della ragione sia all’irriflessione brutale.
«Dialogo di madre con il proprio feto». Andrea Zanzotto e la natura leopardiana
Authors: Vighi Federico
Published: February 2025

L’articolo è dedicato ad alcuni momenti significativi dell’incontro-scontro poetico e ideologico tra Andrea Zanzotto e Giacomo Leopardi; nella fattispecie, sono stati presi in esame i testi in cui Zanzotto si è confrontato con l’immaginario leopardiano della natura madre e matrigna. Nella nostra indagine abbiamo privilegiato un approccio intertestuale che combinasse primo piano e campo largo, per far sì che l’analisi del testo e la ricostruzione della visione del mondo dei due poeti si illuminassero vicendevolmente.
Étude de la sobriété dans la politique européenne de réduction de la demande en énergie
Authors: Leray Louise , Chagny Clotilde
Published: February 2025

L’Union européenne est le troisième consommateur d’énergie du monde en volume, derrière la Chine et les États-Unis, consommation qui compose les trois quarts des émissions de gaz à effet de serre du territoire. Or, l’Union européenne se veut particulièrement en avance sur les thématiques de transition énergétique. Depuis une dizaine d’années, les politiques européennes de lutte contre le réchauffement climatique proposent un projet sociétal global et une approche systémique de la transition écologique. La diminution de la consommation d’énergie apparaît désormais comme un pilier essentiel de toute politique énergétique et peut se traduire par des mesures d’efficacité ainsi que par des politiques de sobriété énergétiques. Dans cet article, nous montrons qu’avec des ambitions européennes de plus en plus élevées en termes de réduction de la demande en énergie, les changements de comportements et de mode de vie, au même titre que l’amélioration technique et technologique, sont des solutions nécessaires à mettre en place sur le territoire européen. Malgré l’absence d’une compétence juridique sur la sobriété octroyée par les Traités, nous avons pu identifier, catégoriser et analyser les dispositions relatives à des mesures de sobriété énergétique proposées par les institutions européennes, en étudiant plus d’une centaine de textes européens relatifs à la demande de réduction d’énergie. Nous constatons que les mesures promouvant la sobriété se rapportent en premier lieu à l’information des consommateurs, loin devant les mesures fiscales et économiques, d’aménagement du territoire, d’éducation, et d’interdiction ou de limitation. La mobilité est le domaine où les changements visant à réduire la consommation d’énergie sont le plus souvent mentionnés dans les textes.
La sobriété, fin ou moyen ?
Authors: Lemarchand Frédérick , Lasnon Louis
Published: February 2025

Aborder la question de la sobriété énergétique exige à tout le moins un effort d’interdisciplinarité tant l’objet « énergie » est hybride. Hautement matériel, puisque l’énergie est à la base de tout (y compris du vivant), l’objet est aussi social et détermine largement les formes d’organisation sociale et économique basées sur la croissance matérielle, elle-même dépendante… de la quantité d’énergie que reçoit le système. Ceci constituera la première partie de notre réflexion. Dire qu’il nous faut décarboner, pour des raisons vitales, nos modes de production et nos styles de vie ne suffit pas. En effet l'épaisseur du social, la complexité de l’humain opposent des freins et de farouches résistances à l’adoption de modes de vie plus frugaux, lesquels seront abordés dans un second temps. Dans un troisième temps enfin, dans la perspective d’une approche plus pragmatique et méthodologique, nous aborderons les enjeux du métabolisme territorial, mettant en relation les communautés humaines et leur milieu, à partir d’une ethnocomptabilité.
Analyse de la prise en compte des modes de vie dans les scénarios de prospective énergétique
Authors: Chagny Clotilde , Leray Louise
Published: February 2025

Depuis l’accord de Paris de 2015, des scénarios de prospective énergétique ont été publiés pour la France, l’Europe ou le monde par divers acteurs. Ils soulignent qu’une hausse trop forte de la consommation énergétique dans les pays développés n’est pas soutenable. Elle doit y être maîtrisée voire réduite, ceci doit passer par une modification des modes de vie. La notion de « sobriété » a fait son apparition. Une comparaison entre des scénarios français, européens et mondiaux est effectuée dans cet article. Une première étude qualitative globale est proposée. Chaque scénario est analysé à l’aune d’une grille de 12 indicateurs permettant de construire un indice d’évolution des modes de vie qui donne une idée de l’ampleur des modifications envisagées. Une étude quantitative est également effectuée pour les scénarios français. Si la comparaison entre les différents scénarios s'avère délicate par manque d'homogénéité des méthodologies, un nombre croissant intègrent des ruptures dans les modes de vie à l'horizon 2050. Les leviers de sobriété identifiés sont communs mais ils impliquent des choix sociétaux comportant des modifications parfois radicales de certains usages, ce qui pose la question de la faisabilité de telles trajectoires. Des pistes de recherche sont indiquées. L’industrie et l’offre de sobriété, des études de terrains sur des communautés en situation de sobriété subie ou choisie, des questionnements sur les paradigmes de modélisation de la société dans les modèles économiques, ainsi que la construction de narratifs collectifs désirables sont par exemple proposés. Ces recherches doivent inclure un large éventail de champs disciplinaires.
Explorer la sobriété : Enquête participative en contexte de crise énergétique
Authors: Cordellier Maxime , Dobré Michelle
Published: February 2025

La « sobriété collective » involontaire qui était annoncée en France pour l'hiver 2022-2023 a constitué une occasion de mise en discussion dans l’espace public des différents scénarios de transition énergétique et réactualisé la notion de sobriété. En poursuivant une méthodologie propre aux sciences participatives (living lab en anglais), nous avons interrogé les représentations profanes des enjeux actuels de la crise énergétique. Quatre ateliers participatifs menés dans la ville de Caen ont permis d’explorer l’univers des solutions envisagées par les contributeurs. Nous avons identifié quatre thèmes qui soulèvent des questions pour les publics participant aux ateliers : la surconsommation, les modes de vie entendus comme matérialisations de l’organisation sociale dominante, l’encadrement réglementaire des pratiques énergivores et la question des niveaux de décision démocratique. Face aux enjeux de sobriété énergétique, les imaginaires du changement se répartissent entre des solutions individuelles et collectives, entre régulation institutionnelle et restrictions consenties ou subies. Les réponses proposées sont de quatre ordres : l’accroissement des réglementations d’usage, l’appel à un volontarisme politique et à une exemplarité des élites ; une éducation à la sobriété, la transformation des usages et des modes de vie. Cet article entend examiner les ressorts sociaux de ces représentations des problèmes et des solutions qui ont émergé dans des Ateliers participatifs organisés selon la méthode des living lab. Il discutera également les intérêts et les limites de la méthodologie living lab pour accéder aux ressorts des innovations sociales.
Comment la crise énergétique reconfigure les débats sur la sobriété. Une analyse des problématisations dans la presse nationale française
Authors: Mallard Alexandre
Published: February 2025

Cet article étudie les débats dans la presse nationale française autour de la notion de sobriété énergétique au cours des 15 dernières années. À partir d’une analyse mobilisant l’outil CorText, il suit la manière dont la notion de sobriété a fait l’objet de problématisations successives durant la période 2009-2021, et il examine les transformations qui se sont opérées avec la crise énergétique de 2022. Il met ainsi en évidence les formes de politisation qui se déploient autour de l’envolée des prix des énergies et des risques de ruptures de l’approvisionnement énergétique, ainsi que des formes de gouvernement de la sobriété déployées en 2022. Il questionne enfin les figures de la sobriété comme objet de discussion politique et morale ou comme composante des trajectoires des innovations pour l’énergie et le climat telles qu’elles apparaissent dans la presse.
A oralidade sob um olhar dialógico:
Authors: Costa-Hübes Terezinha da Conceição , Acosta Pereira Rodrigo
Published: February 2025

No artigo, sustentamos a tese de que a oralidade é uma prática dialógica de linguagem que se orienta na/com/para a interação entre sujeitos. Essa compreensão sustenta-se em uma abordagem linguístico-filosófica de base sociológica e dialógica, propagada/defendida nos escritos do Círculo (Bakhtin, 2003 [1952-1953]), 2010 [1929]; Volochínov, 2013 [1928], 2013 [1930a], 2013 [1930b], 2017 [1929]; Medviédev, 2012 [1928]). A partir dessa orientação, interessa-nos resgatar as ancoragens teóricas de L. A. Marcuschi (1991, 1997a, 1997b, 2001, 2004/05, 2005a, 2005b, 2007, 2008) para o estudo/compreensão da oralidade na perspectiva de estabelecer aproximações entre as ideias desse autor com as ideias dos escritos do Círculo. Metodologicamente, trata-se de um estudo teórico-analítico, com pretensões didáticas, pois entendemos que compreender a base linguístico-filosófica na qual se sustenta uma proposta de ensino de oralidade é fundamental para tomadas de decisões na condução dessa prática na sala de aula. Os resultados desse estudo nos mostram que há aproximações entre as ideias de L. A. Marcuschi e as ideias do Círculo, pois ao tratar de conceitos como língua, enunciado e gêneros textuais, o autor entretece-se da compreensão sociológica e dialógica da linguagem, acrescentando, porém, a esses termos, outros tons valorativos, na perspectiva de torná-los mais compreensíveis ao contexto de ensino.
The Metaverse
Authors: Riyat Manpreet K. , Kakkar Amit , Kakkar Ruchi
Published: February 2025

This chapter examines the transformative capacity of the Metaverse in education, emphasizing how immersive technologies like virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) are redefining the traditional education environment. This chapter analyses essential components such as virtual classrooms, digital twins, and immersive learning experiences, illustrating how educators can utilize these innovations to improve student engagement, collaboration, and learning results. It also discusses the used cases of various components of metaverse that are executed in Metaverse-oriented educational settings, providing insights into existing applications, prospective developments, and anticipated progressions. The chapter examines the role of stakeholders in metaverse-based education, researchers, and policymakers, as well as a thorough comprehension of the opportunities and problems associated with developing inclusive and participatory learning experiences within the Metaverse.
Metaverse Healthcare in Advancing Patient Care Through Digital Realms
Authors: Rajendran Rajaprabakaran , S. Yavana Rani , Dhanasekaran Senthilnathan
Published: February 2025

The metaverse is an emerging technology that has the potential to transform many fields in the future. It is the outcome of the fusion of numerous innovative technologies, such as artificial intelligence, robotics, blockchain, quantum computing, augmented reality, virtual reality, and the internet of medical devices (IoMT), to list some of them. Medical science could undergo a major upheaval owing to the rapidly developing concept of the MEDverse. By incorporating the metaverse into medicine, there are even more opportunities to improve patient outcomes, access to care, and professional collaboration among healthcare providers as telemedicine and other remote care technologies such as telehealth continue to gain popularity in the healthcare sector. The triangulation method is employed to gather relevant information from numerous sources. The primary objective is to understand the metaverse technology, the convergence of metaverse and healthcare, and its impact on the healthcare professional's competency and patient outcomes.
Cutting-Edge Optimization Stratagems Assisting Medical Experts for Complex Mechanisms Behind Health and Disease Detection
Authors: Singh Bhupinder , Kaunert Christian , Ravesangar Kamalesh , Raghav Anjali , Jermsittiparsert Kittisak , Chandra Saurabh
Published: February 2025

The field of healthcare has witnessed a remarkable transformation with the advent of machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI). Among the myriad applications of AI in healthcare, one of the most promising and challenging domains is medical diagnosis and patient representation. The complexities inherent in understanding the mechanisms behind health and disease detection have driven the exploration of advanced optimization strategies to synchronize neural networks and facilitate expert decision-making. Machine learning algorithms, particularly neural networks, have demonstrated exceptional capabilities in analyzing vast volumes of medical data, from patient records and diagnostic images to genetic information. This chapter focuses on the cutting-edge optimization strategies for assisting medical experts for complex mechanisms behind health and disease detection via Centre-Stage machine learning and neural networks for patient's diagnosis.
Ethical and Privacy Concerns in Bioinformatics and Cyber-Physical Systems Integration in Healthcare
Authors: Shafik Wasswa , Zakari Rufai Yusuf , Kalinaki Kassim
Published: February 2025

The current advancement, adoption, and access to technology in healthcare has emerged with increased benefits and some technological limitations and ac-acceptance. Introducing and integrating bioinformatics and cyber-physical systems in healthcare demonstrates increased technology-based healthcare. Its rapid evolution has brought forth a spectrum of privacy and ethical challenges to the health sector in general due to increased patient data breaches in digital healthcare systems like electronic health records and health management information systems. The study explicates the core concepts of bioinformatics and cyber-physical systems in healthcare. The study delves into the intricate landscape of privacy concerns, shedding light on managing sensitive healthcare data and the implications of regulatory frameworks. The study further highlights the real-world implications of these ethical and privacy, recommendations to mitigate these issues and heightened transparency, setting the stage for responsible innovation in the healthcare domain and future research directions.
Sustainable Entrepreneurship in Urban Planning and Management
Authors: Sao Ruchi , Chandak Shravan , Bhadade Pritam , Wadhwani Kanak
Published: February 2025

As environmental issues increasingly affect global economies, sustainable entrepreneurship, especially within the green startup context, has gained respect as an essential component of modern business. The importance of artificial intelligence (AI) in developing these businesses cannot be ignored. Artificial intelligence is a powerful game-changer in improving operational efficiency, reducing carbon footprints, optimizing resource utilization, and creating innovative green business ideas. This chapter delves into sustainable entrepreneurship and AI, investigating how artificial intelligence (AI) technologies empower green startups to succeed within a competitive, environmentally-minded market landscape. The insights provided in this chapter and the analysis and scope of what AI can do provide some foundational understanding of how green startups can take advantage of AI to promote sustainability and growth in profitability.
Image and Text Aspect-Level Sentiment Analysis Based on Attentional Mechanisms and Bimodal Fusion
Authors: Ma Jinsu , Pan Liwu
Published: February 2025

To address the issues in existing image-text aspect-level sentiment analysis methods, such as insufficient feature extraction from a single modality, neglecting the association between text and target words, and inadequate interaction between modalities, an image-text aspect-level sentiment analysis method based on the attention mechanism and bimodal fusion is proposed. The model fully realizes the interaction between aspect and text, and between aspect words and images through the self-attention mechanism and graph convolutional network, and then realizes the deep interaction and fusion of inter-modal information through the bimodal fusion mechanism, in order to enhance the precision of sentiment classification. The experimental findings demonstrate that the suggested ITASA-AMB achieves ACC and F1 values of 87.6% and 80.1% on the Twitter-2015 dataset; and 82.3% and 77.2% on the Twitter-2017 dataset. All of them are significantly enhanced compared to several other advanced multimodal sentiment analysis methods, which can enhance the accuracy of sentiment classification.
[Chronic diseases in neuromotor rehabilitation medicine]
Authors: Nardone Antonio , Ferrari Elena Paola
Published: February 2025

Chronic diseases are a major problem, whose importance is nowadays raising up. Up to 86% of deaths are directly related to chronic diseases in Europe as they represent large amount of total diseases, with a major impact on global health spending. Patients suffering from heterogeneous disabilities (such as Parkinson's disease, stroke, multiple sclerosis, osteoporosis, osteoarthritis) often show an interaction between the main disease and comorbidity and multimorbidity. Therefore, the complicate interaction between all these ailments must be faced following specific care pathways. Within the latter ones, pharmacological, physicall cognitive and other (surgical and non-surgical) treatments should be reconciled in order to produce a synergic effect to counteract patient's clinical problems. Finally, neuromotor rehabilitation medicine should not only be considered as a step following the acute phase but also as an effective tool of secondary and tertiary prevention aimed to avoid relapses and re-hospitalization as well as to improve patient's quality of life.
Potentiation of muscle strength by focal vibratory stimulation on quadriceps femoris
Authors: Feltroni Lucia , Monteleone Serena , Petrucci Lucia , Carlisi Ettore , Mazzacane Bruno , Schieppati Marco , Dalla Toffola Elena
Published: February 2025

Introduction: Several studies have investigated the effects of focal vibration on muscle strength. Non-univocal results have been found.The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of prolonged focal vibratory stimulation on quadriceps muscle strength at two different frequencies (80 and 300 Hz). The evaluation of muscle strength was performed at different intervals of time after the end of the vibratory stimulation in order to quantify the long-term effects and their trends over time.Methods: Twenty-seven healthy volunteers were divided into three groups, a control group (no treatment) and two groups treated with vibratory stimulation (80 or 300 Hz) of relaxed quadriceps femoris bilaterally, once a day (30 min) for 5 consecutive days. The quadriceps' strength was measured through an isokinetic dynamometer, before and at three time intervals after the treatment, with a follow-up period of 4 weeks. The outcome measure was the Peak Torque (PT, Nm) of the quadriceps femoris produced by extension movement at three defined angular velocities and during isometric contraction. Results: No changes in PT were observed in the control group over time, while PT increased in the treated groups. No significant difference in PT behavior was observed between these two groups. PTs recorded before and after the treatment were markedly different (p < 0.05), and the increase in the PT persisted until the follow-up at 4 weeks, for all angular velocities tested.Conclusion: Prolonged vibratory stimulation of the quadriceps femoris, both at 80 and at 300 Hz, leads to an increase in muscle strength. The vibration effect does not appear to fade at the end of treatment, but persists at the follow up, suggesting a likely underlying plastic process.The results of the current study suggest that 30-min per day, 5 day focal vibratory treatment can be helpful during the clinical practice to regain muscular strength. It does not require patient's effort during the treatment, requires a little time, its effects are long-lasting, and there are no known adverse effects.
[Esposome: from intuition to compulsory line of research in Occupational and Environmental Medical Sciences]
Authors: Paganelli Matteo , De Palma Giuseppe , Apostoli Pietro
Published: February 2025

As genomics aims at the collective characterization and quantification of genes, exposomics refers to the totality of lifetime environmental exposures, consisting in a novel approach to studying the role of the environment in human disease.The aim is to assess all human environmental and occupational exposures in order to better understand their contribution to human diseases. The "omics" revolution infact mostly regards the underlying method: scientific knowledge is expected to come from the analysis of increasingly extensive databases.The primary focus is on air pollution and water contaminants, but all the determinants of human exposure are conceptually part of the idea of exposome, including physical and psychological factors. Using 'omic' techniques the collected exposure data can be linked to biochemical and molecular changes in our body. Since the first formulation of the idea itself of Exposome many efforts have been made to translate the concept into research, in particular two important studies have been started in Europe. We herein suggest that Occupational Medicine could be a precious contributor to the growth of exposure science also in its omic side thanks to the methods and to the knowledges part of our background.
Is the very low carbohydrate diet safe for individuals with chronic kidney disease?
Authors: Colledge Brooke S. , Schofield Emma C. , Clarke Benjamin J. , Popovic Gordana , Vattekad Mohandas , Figtree Penelope E.
Published: February 2025

Background: The very low carbohydrate diet (VLCHD) is gaining popularity as a therapy for metabolic syndrome. However, its effect on renal function in patients with comorbid moderate to severe chronic kidney disease (CKD) is currently unclear.Aim: This study analyses markers of kidney function in patients with metabolic syndrome and stages 3 and 4 CKD who undertook a VLCHD for at least 3 months.Setting: The study was conducted in a Mid North Coast general practice located in Port Macquarie, NSW, Australia, 2020–2022.Methods: Clinical data were analysed retrospectively from 18 participants with metabolic syndrome and CKD stages 3 and 4, who were prescribed a VLCHD ( 30 g carbohydrates/day). A linear mixed model was used to analyse markers of metabolic health (glycated haemoglobin (HbA1C), body mass index (BMI), blood pressure (BP), lipid profile (triglycerides and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol) and kidney function (estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), serum creatinine, bicarbonate and urea)).Results: Strong evidence was found for reduced BMI (p  0.001) and HbA1c (p  0.001), despite reduced diabetic medications in 13/14 participants. Antihypertensive medications were reduced in 6/14 participants with no change in systolic BP. No changes were detected in eGFR or bicarbonate, while creatinine (p ≤ 0.001) and urea (p = 0.002) were reduced. No participants deteriorated to a more advanced stage of CKD; rather an absolute eGFR increase was found in 15/18 participants.Conclusion: For the first time, the VLCHD was demonstrated to reduce BMI, HbA1c, BP and medication burden in patients with CKD stages 3–4 without evidence of kidney damage.Contribution: The VLCHD could be a safe and effective therapy to improve metabolic health and consequently reduce cardiovascular disease risk in patients with metabolic syndrome and CKD.
The University of South Africa’s contributions to Lutheran theological training in higher education
Authors: Mashabela James K.
Published: February 2025

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Southern Africa (ELCSA) through its Oscarsberg Lutheran Theological College and Umphumulo Lutheran Theological College has been largely involved in the history of Lutheran theological training with the University of South Africa (Unisa). The ELCSA was very passionate to improve the quality of theological training and decided to further train their theological students at a university level. Oscarsberg Lutheran Theological College (OLTC) leadership started negotiations with Unisa for its theological students to be trained at Unisa.Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: This article focuses on the history of Lutheran theological education in Southern Africa. It discusses a cooperation of Lutheran theological students to be trained at Unisa, the importance of Lutheran Pre-seminary School as a foundation of theological training, a spouse theological training programme, a struggle of the United Evangelical Lutheran Church in Southern Africa (UELCSA)’s white theological students training and a call for Africanisation and decolonisation of Lutheran theological education.
A 20-year-old Male with Schmidt’s Syndrome
Authors: Shahid Mohammad Moin , Gomes Richmond Ronald
Published: February 2025

ABSTRACT

Autoimmune polyendocrine syndromes (APSs) are rare disorders characterized by the dysfunction of multiple endocrine glands and sometimes nonendocrine organs due to autoimmunity. We present a 20-year-old male diagnosed with Schmidt’s syndrome/APS 2 encompassing ankylosing spondylitis (AS), type 1 diabetes mellitus, primary adrenal insufficiency (Addison’s disease), autoimmune subclinical hypothyroidism, and pernicious anemia. This case emphasizes the importance of recognizing APS as a constellation of autoimmune conditions, requiring multidisciplinary management. Early identification and tailored treatment for each component, including insulin therapy, corticosteroid replacement, Vitamin B12 supplementation, and immunomodulation for AS, are crucial for optimal outcomes.
Dimensional Airway Changes due to the Use of Fixed Functional Appliances in Class II Malocclusion in Growing Patients: A Systematic Review
Authors: De Fina-Ramírez Katia Jhazmín , Uchima Koecklin Karin Harumi , Dulanto-Vargas Julissa Amparo , Carranza-Samanez Kilder Maynor
Published: February 2025

Aim:

To determine the dimensional changes of the airways with the use of fixed functional appliances (FFA) in growing individuals with Class II malocclusion.

Materials and Methods:

The search was performed in five electronic databases (PubMed, Scopus, Embase Cochrane Library, and LILACS) until April 2022. Volume, area, or distance measurements of the global airway or by retropalatal (RP), nasopharynx (NP), oropharynx (OP), hypopharynx, and laryngopharynx (LP) regions were analyzed with intragroup or intergroup radiographs versus fixed orthodontic treatment (FOT) or no treatment (NT). Risk of bias was assessed with the Newcastle–Ottawa scale.

Results:

Out of 754 articles, six cohort studies were included. At least one airway parameter was found to increase with FFA, with better results in the oropharyngeal airway. In six studies, airway dimensions significantly increased with Herbst with or without FOT (↑12.9%–139.2%), Forsus with FOT (↑28.7%) and mandibular anterior repositioning appliance (MARA) with FOT (↑22.6%–61%), with five studies reporting significant results (P < 0.05). The increase was in volume (14.8%–139.2%), areas (24.1%–61%), and distances (12.9%–39.3%) and in the RP (26.2%–100.7%), NP (7.8%–20.4%), OP (5.3%–139.2%), and LP (24.8%–94.7%) regions. Four cohorts showed significantly higher values of OP and LP volume and distance and cross-sectional areas with Herbst with or without FOT and MARA with FOT compared to FOT or NT (P < 0.05). Low risk of bias was more frequent (n = 4) than high risk (n = 2).

Conclusion:

Airway measurements were not standard between studies, thus limiting the group comparison. Various measurements of airway regions limit intergroup comparisons, and thus, a standard protocol is needed in future studies. Herbst, MARA, and Forsus FFAs used in growing patients with Class II malocclusion and showed benefits in the airways, especially by increasing the volume of OP in comparison to NT or FOT.
Utility of RAPID score in parapneumonic effusion or empyema: A prospective study at a tertiary centre
Authors: Suthawal Deepak Kumar , Rajawat Govind Singh , Koolwal Suresh , Chaudhary Komal
Published: February 2025

Background:

In this study we evaluated the utility of RAPID score in Parapneumonic effusion and empyema. Both of which are most common causes of exudative pleural effusion and this score was developed by Rahman et al by using multicentre intrapleural trial 1[MIST1 and MIST2]. Most of the patients with parapneumonic effusion usually recovers but mortality rate still around 10% along with long hospital stay, surgical interventions requirement, morbidity (3-month follow up) despite of advances in treatment specially in empyema cases. For this reason, this study was done as there is no such study have done by anyone in our knowledge specially in India. After calculating RAPID score in pleural infection then patients were stratified in the different risk categories and association was compared with these risk categories with different variables.

Methods:

This is a prospective study at tertiary in which clinical utility of RAPID score in pleural infection in INDIAN population where tuberculosis infection is predominant. Baseline RAPID score was calculated on admission and stratified into risk category according to RAPID score. Primary outcome both mortality and morbidity, secondary outcome need of surgical interventions, length of hospital at 3-months in different risk category.

Results:

Overall, 120 patients were included in this study. Mortality was 7 (5.83%) in our study. Total 17 (14.17%) patients needed surgery and length of hospital study was compared in all three categories of RAPID score. Total 26 (21.67%) patients had <7 days and 94 (78.33%) >7 days hospital stays. Most common organism isolate was mycobacterium tuberculosis. RAPID score was compared in Tubercular And non-tubercular organisms.

Conclusion:

Prognostic utility of RAPID score is well established especially in non-tubercular organisms. Here, in our study management utility of RAPID score also found useful. It performs good some aspects in tubercular aetiology.
Improvement in radiologic findings over time is associated with increased survival in patients with viral ARDS requiring extracorporeal membrane oxygenation
Authors: DiChiacchio Laura , Ibrahim Ikeoluwapo , Grazioli Alison , Bionghi Neda , Batra Kiran , Chabbra Sameer , Ladikos Nicholas , Kaza Vaidehi , Bollineni Srinivas , Mohanka Manish R. , Lawrence Adrian , Torres Fernando , Iacono Aldo , Herr Daniel , Timofte Irina
Published: February 2025

Introduction:

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) requiring venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VV ECMO) support is associated with chest radiograph changes commonly referred to as “drowning ECMO lung” ECMO lung presents as white-out of both lung fields, involving all lobes of the bilateral lungs. While the clinical significance of chest radiograph findings over time has been described in the general ARDS population, it has not been evaluated specifically in VV ECMO patients. This subpopulation suffers the most severe disease as well as the confounding effects of ECMO support.

Materials and Methods:

We identified 28 patients requiring VV ECMO cannulation for influenza-related ARDS between September 2009 and January 2018. Interpretation of chest X-ray images was divided into zones that correspond to anatomical lobes on computed tomography. Progression of radiologic injury was assessed by analysing the number of zones involved on the chest radiograph (X-ray) at days 1, 3, 7, 14, and 21 from cannulation and discharge. The primary endpoint was survival to hospital discharge.

Results:

The majority of patients had complete opacification on days 1, 3, and 7 after VV ECMO cannulation. Patients with persistent complete opacification on chest X-ray infiltrate by day 14, following cannulation had an increased mortality. Survival to hospital discharge was increased in patients demonstrating improvement in radiological findings at day 19 compared to patients without significant radiologic improvement (100% vs 53%, log-rank P = 0.003).

Conclusion:

The evolution and recovery of lung injury reflected by serial chest X-ray imaging studies after influenza-related ARDS requiring VV ECMO support is associated with improved survival in this single centre, retrospective cohort.
Low occurrence of pulmonary lophomoniasis among cigarette smokers: An analysis of risk factors based on registry data
Authors: Fakhar Mahdi , Hosseininejad Zahra , Sharifpour Ali , Hosseini Fatemeh Z. , Zakariaei Zakaria
Published: February 2025

Background and Objectives:

Lophomonas blattarum is an emerging protozoan agent that mainly causes pulmonary lophomoniasis. Given that cigarette smokers are predisposed to various diseases while some conditions are less common among them, the current study aimed to compare the relationship between smoking status and the prevalence of pulmonary lophomoniasis in patients registered at the Iranian National Registry Center for Lophomoniasis (INRCL). Additionally, we examined common risk factors associated with Lophomonas infection among these registered subjects.

Materials and Methods:

This descriptive-analytical cross-sectional registry-based study was conducted on 600 registered subjects through microscopic examination (wet mount smears) and conventional polymerase chain reaction assay between 2021 and 2023. We analysed the smoking status and smoking intensity of 135 Lophomonas-positive patients and 465 Lophomonas-negative patients who were referred to the INRCL. Baseline data were collected from participants using a questionnaire.

Results:

Our results showed the prevalence of Lophomonas infection among enrolled subjects was estimated to be 22.5% (135/600). Also, we studied 135 Lophomonas positive patients (male = 92, female = 43). Furthermore, most patients testing positive for Lophomonas (74.8%; 101/135) also had at least one comorbidity condition. Our findings showed a statistically significant occurrence of Lophomonas infection among non-smokers (70.4%; n = 95), in contrast to smokers (29.6%; n = 40) (P = 0.001). Correspondingly, among the 40 Lophomonas-positive smokers, the majority (62.5%) were classified as light smokers. Moreover, based on the multiple logistic regressions, Lophomonas infection was 2.123, 3.142, and 2.353 times higher in men compared to women, patients aged 51–70 years compared to other age groups, and non-smokers compared to cigarette smokers, respectively (P = 0.001).

Conclusion:

Our findings reveal that Lophomonas infection is significantly lower among cigarette smokers compared to nonsmokers. Our data shed light on a new hypothesis about lophomoniasis among smokers. Further research is needed to assess the role of smoking in the pathophysiology of lophomoniasis.
Об объемах деревьев леса Гальтона - Ватсона в промежуточном случае
Authors: Pavlov Yurii Leonidovich
Published: February 2025

Рассматриваются леса Гальтона - Ватсона, образованные начинающимся с $N$ частиц однородным критическим ветвящимся процессом, общее число потомков которых до вырождения равно $n$. Число непосредственных потомков каждой частицы имеет распределение \begin{equation*}p_k=\frac{h(k+1)}{(k+1)^\tau}, \qquad k=0,1,2, …, \quad \tau\in (2,3),\end{equation*} где $h(k)$ - такая функция, что $h(x)\to D\in (0,\infty)$, когда $x\to\infty$. Найдены предельные распределения максимального объема дерева и числа деревьев заданного объема, когда $N,n\rightarrow \infty$ так, что $n/N^{\tau-1} \rightarrow \gamma$, $0<\gamma <\infty$.
Evaluating Participatory Communication for Development Strategies: The Case of Amplio Chana and Community Development Alliance in The Wa East and West Districts
Authors: Doozie Pius , Tuurosong Damasus , Naaikuur Lawrence
Published: February 2025

This study evaluated the effectiveness of Communication for Development (C4D) strategies implemented by Amplio Ghana and the Community Development Alliance (CDA) in the Wa East and West Districts of Ghana’s Upper West Region. Participatory and culturally sensitive approaches were used, including interviews and focus group discussions with NGO staff, Village Savings and Loans Association (VSLA) members, Agricultural Extension Officers, and other beneficiaries. The study revealed that Amplio Ghana’s Talking Book and Champion Farmer Model and CDA’s Circle of Support and Tug of War effectively promoted inclusivity, trust, and behavioral change. Stakeholders appreciated the participatory nature of these strategies, which enhanced engagement and ownership. However, linguistic diversity, cultural norms, and resource limitations constrained scalability. Recommendations include prioritizing local languages, leveraging trusted messengers, and strengthening monitoring frameworks. The study emphasized sustained engagement and cultural alignment as crucial for successful C4D strategies
Battleship Potemkin (1925)
Authors: Eubanks Ivan
Published: February 2025

Battleship Potemkin (dir. Sergei Eisenstein; Moscow: Goskino, 1925) is the only completed film of what was planned as a series commemorating the 1905 Russian revolution. It depicts a mutiny on the eponymous vessel. Often named one of the best films of all time and one of the most powerful propaganda films ever made, Battleship Potemkin compellingly implements Eisenstein’s ‘montage of film attractions’ theory. According to Eisenstein, an effective film should manifest as a designed series of emotional shocks generated by extra-narrative associations evoked in sequential cinematic images. These accumulative shocks, or ‘attractions’, should compel viewers to adopt a predetermined ideology. A frequently cited example of an ‘attraction’ in Battleship Potemkin – and the film’s most significant departure from history – is the scene on the ‘Odessa Stairs’, where tsarist forces massacre unarmed civilians who support the mutiny. The decision to make the ‘Odessa Stairs’ sequence central and to exclude other portions of the script allowed Eisenstein to finish the film despite a short production schedule. Due to various delays, production had begun in August 1925, and Battleship Potemkin premiered the following December, albeit without having undergone final editing. In 1926 Eisenstein released a more polished version, which no longer fully exists. Mosfilm offers a 1976 partial restoration with music by Dmitri Shostakovich. However, Kino International’s 2007 restoration, with Edmund Meisel’s original score, is the most thorough to date.
October (1927)
Authors: Eubanks Ivan
Published: February 2025

October (Dir. Sergei Eisenstein and Grigorii Aleksandrov; Moscow: Sovkino, 1927) is a film about the 1917 Bolshevik revolution and the events leading to it. Due to its thematic and stylistic continuity with Eisenstein’s two earlier films, Strike (1924) and Battleship Potemkin (1925), October is often interpreted as the third instalment of a trilogy. Nevertheless, the USSR commissioned it as a separate film for a festival celebrating the tenth anniversary of the 1917 October Revolution. As a historical film, October proved controversial even before its release, which was delayed until March 1928. Stalin objected to several passages, particularly the scenes depicting Leon Trotsky, and therefore only excerpts of the film were shown at the festival. Eisenstein was also accused of diminishing the eminence of Vladimir Lenin. Historians have since pointed out the film’s anachronisms and inaccuracies, such as the destruction of the monument of Alexander III, which happened in 1921 and not 1917, and the fictionalised sequence depicting the storming of the winter palace. Nevertheless, October is widely considered a masterpiece of cinematic form that exemplifies Eisenstein’s theory of ‘intellectual montage’, according to which sequential shots clash with each other to create tension that is resolved by a synthesising concept, idea, or thought. Such syntheses manifest as Eisenstein’s commentary on historical events, which supersedes the film’s status as a mimetic representation of them.
La Passion de Jeanne d’Arc (1928)
Authors: Maeder Marie-Therese
Published: February 2025

With its highly innovative reductionist style, the silent film La Passion de Jeanne d’Arc [The Passion of Joan of Arc, 1928], produced at the start of the era of sound film, was hailed for demonstrating the artistic possibilities of film. Carl Theodor Dreyer’s use of close-ups and editing was unique in its time. References to transcendental power, found here in the figure of Joan of Arc, are a recurrent topos in Dreyer’s œuvre. The historical Joan of Arc (1412–31), a French national heroine, led the French army during the Hundred Years War and was condemned to be burned at the stake. The plot of the film considers only her trial, conviction, and death. Dreyer’s confined decoupage focuses on Joan’s reactions to her prosecutors. Her face is mostly framed in close-ups and those of her opponents are shot from a low angle, rendering them more sinister. The mise-en-scène involves minimalistic and abstract decors (the set designer was Hermann Warm) and the montage is impressionistic. Renée Maria Falconetti’s intense interpretation of Joan of Arc staged in the close-ups became an iconic image. The tension between concrete representation, on the one hand, and stylistic and formal abstraction, on the other, moves the story away from historical fact and into an indefinite time and space. This has enabled the film to be read as a work of religious art transcending the human limitations of this world in the search for a spiritual existence.
Testing for Asset Price Bubbles: An Alternative Approach
Authors: Hafsal K , Durai S Raja Sethu
Published: February 2025

This paper proposes an alternative way to identify the fundamental and non-fundamental components of an asset. The proposed method is mainly borrowed from Ball and Mankiw’s (1995) arguments on extracting core inflation. Unlike other methods, our approach utilizes cross-sectional returns by extracting the average minimum cross-sectional return distribution from the return series. This extracted series is considered the fundamental or core of the stock return. This proposed method is applied to DJIA and identifies that the stock price deviates from the fundamentals. Furthermore, our method accurately identified the Dotcom bubble and the 2007-08 financial crisis.
Climate Risk and Exchange Rate Nexus in Emerging Asian Economies
Authors: Aor Raymond, L. , Ezekwe Christopher Ifeanyi
Published: February 2025

We examine the nexus between climate risk and the foreign exchange market in emerging Asian economies. The findings demonstrate that climate risk has a positive and considerable influence on exchange rate dynamics, albeit, the impact is transient. In other words, rising climate risk will strengthen the domestic currencies. To this end, policymakers should prioritize climate risk-mitigating measures to create more opportunities for exchange rate stability.
Exploring the Role of Green Energy, Non-Energy Equities, and Green Bond in Mitigating Environmental Pollution
Authors: Yousfi Mohamed , Bouzgarrou Houssam
Published: February 2025

This study examines the relationship between global CO2 emissions and green finance assets across various conditional distributions. The empirical results show that eco-friendly assets reduce carbon dioxide emissions across different market conditions. An increase in global CO2 emissions leads to higher demand for green financial assets. Our findings present several environmental implications for green investors.
Transcending Cultural Boundaries: Transcreation in Maria Tatar’s Cinderella Narratives
Authors: B Aishwarya , Sylus Raichel M.
Published: February 2025

Transcreation is widely used to adapt and preserve oral tales and cultural narratives, enabling their retelling across cultures. This paper investigates how cultural contexts influence the transcreations of the Cinderella narrative. Using Maria Tatar’s diverse collection of Cinderella tales, the study examines the strategies used by transcreators in conveying the story across languages and regions. The analysis ranges from the ancient Egyptian tale of Rhodopis to the Chinese Cinderella variant, focusing on how translators overcome cultural differences. By comparing translations within Tatar’s compilation, like the French courtly elements in Perrault’s tale “Donkeyskin” and Brahminical influences in the Indian tale “The Story of the Black Cow”, the paper reveals how translation choices affect the interpretation of the Cinderella myth worldwide. This approach demonstrates the importance of Translation Studies in understanding folklore’s evolution and cultural adaptation.
A Systematic Critique of the Persian Translator’s Performance in Translating Metaphors from English to Persian
Authors: Abdi Hamidreza
Published: February 2025

Subjectivism poses a significant challenge in translation criticism, often stemming from constraints imposed by commissioners or, more critically, the critic’s unfamiliarity with diverse theoretical models or their practical use. Therefore, translation critiques should be made according to a systematic model or well-defined criteria to ensure objective judgement and minimise subjectivity. This study systematically critiques the Persian translation of Fitzgerald’s (1925) The Great Gatsby using Larson’s (1984) evaluation model, focusing on how Emami (2006) translated metaphors. By applying Larson’s taxonomy of translation strategies, the research identified the specific methods Emami used for both live and dead metaphors at the micro level, as well as his overall strategy at the macro level. The findings reveal that Emami utilised all of Larson’s strategies, favouring target text-oriented ones, which aligns the translation more closely with the structure and expectations of the Persian language. Statistical tests showed no significant relationship between the types of strategies and their frequency of use. Emami effectively applied diverse translation strategies to maintain accuracy and clarity while aiming for naturalness in Persian. The study concludes that Emami’s translation successfully communicates with the Persian audience through appropriate metaphorical translation strategies, offering valuable insights for translation students, critics, and educators.