bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The effect of health behavior interventions to manage Type 2 diabetes on the quality of life in low-and middle-income countries: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Karki Ashmita , Vandelanotte Corneel , Khalesi Saman , Dahal Padam , Rawal Lal B.
Published: October 2023

Background

Behavioral interventions targeted at managing Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) may have a positive effect on quality of life (QOL). Limited reviews have synthesized this effect in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). This review and meta-analysis synthesised available evidence on the effect of behavioral interventions to manage T2DM on the QOL of people with T2DM in LMICs.

Methods

Electronic databases PUBMED/MEDLINE, SCOPUS, CINAHL, Embase, Web of Science and PsycINFO were searched from May to June 2022. Studies published between January 2000 and May 2022, conducted in LMICs using randomized controlled trial design, using a health behavior intervention for T2DM management, and reporting QOL outcomes were included. Difference in QOL change scores between the intervention and control group was calculated as the standardized mean difference (SMD) of QOL scores observed between the intervention and control groups. Random-effects model was used for meta-analysis.

Results

Of 6122 studies identified initially, 45 studies met the inclusion criteria (n = 8336). Of them, 31 involved diabetes self-management education and 14 included dietary and/or physical activity intervention. There was moderate quality evidence from the meta-analysis of mean QOL (n = 25) that health behavior intervention improved the QOL of people with T2DM (SMD = 1.62, 95%CI = 0.65–2.60 I2 = 0.96, p = 0.001). However, no significant improvements were found for studies (n = 7) separately assessing the physical component summary (SMD = 0.76, 95%CI = -0.03–1.56 I2 = 0.94, p = 0.060) and mental component summary (SMD = 0.43, 95%CI = -0.30–1.16 I2 = 0.94, p = 0.249) scores. High heterogeneity and imprecise results across studies resulted in low to moderate quality of evidence.

Conclusion

The findings suggest that health behavior interventions to manage T2DM may substantially improve the QOL of individuals with T2DM over short term. However, due to low to moderate quality of evidence, further research is required to corroborate our findings. Results of this review may guide future research and have policy implications for T2DM management in LMICs.
An evidence-based approach to national Sustainable Development Goal assessment: The case of Ireland
Authors: Murphy Enda , Walsh Patrick Paul , Murphy Ethan
Published: October 2023

With less than seven years remaining before the 2030 target date of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Ireland is currently unable to adequately assess national SDG performance. This paper presents an index that has been created to combat this critical research gap. In this respect, an index has been developed for each of the unique SDG indicators (n = 159) identified during the early stages of the indicator selection process where national performance is assessed relative to the best and worst performers in the European Union (EU). Ireland’s performance in individual indicators is then aggregated revealing the country’s performance in several critical dimensions of the SDGs, including society, economy, environment, as well as means-of-implementation (MoI), linkage indicators, and the SDGs as a whole. Further, annual time series data has been collected, allowing for the assessment of the country’s relative performance in 140 SDG indicators from 2015-to-2021. Its extensive indicator framework makes this index the most accurate and comprehensive assessment of Ireland’s SDG performance, to date. Similarly, as illustrated throughout this paper, our unique peer-based approach, and the positive peer-learning environment that it engenders, hold the potential to catalyse the development of efficient and effective national SDG policy. As such, the results from this index should be used to inform future national SDG monitoring, reporting, and policy initiatives, including future voluntary national reviews.
Creating a News Garden: Maintaining place and the role of local journalism
Authors: Canella Gino , Pramas Jason
Published: October 2023

This article explores the relationship between local journalism and place through a case study of the Somerville News Garden, a community news initiative launched in 2019 to address the city’s failing news infrastructure. Researchers used collaborative ethnographic methods to study the News Garden from its inception in August 2019 to December 2021: we surveyed residents about their news preferences (n = 92), interviewed eighteen residents and conducted participant observation at planning meetings and public forums hosted by the News Garden. The study addresses two themes: first, local journalism constructs and maintains place by covering location-specific issues and moving information across unfamiliar spaces; and second, community news initiatives challenge scholars and practitioners to reconsider the role of local journalism and its continued relevance in civic life. Finally, the study reviews the News Garden’s organizational structure and proposes grassroots governance: a model of news production and distribution based on collaboration and accountability in the service of democracy.
Stringers and the Journalistic Field: Marginalities and Precarious News Labour in Small-town India, Nimmagadda Bhargav (2023)
Authors: Backhaus Bridget
Published: October 2023

Review of: Stringers and the Journalistic Field: Marginalities And Precarious News Labour in Small-Town India, Nimmagadda Bhargav (2023)

Abingdon and New York: Routledge, 210 pp.,

ISBN 978-1-03232-642-9, h/bk, AUS 201.60

ISBN 9781003369264, ebook, AUS 56.79
Memoria del agua a través de la creación artística y la epigrafía: el caso de la construcción de embalses en Galicia
Authors: Beltrán López Isabel
Published: October 2023

Este artículo explora el impacto de la construcción de presas en el interior de Galicia durante la dictadura franquista a través de los conceptos de cultura y memoria del agua. Las diversas manifestaciones artísticas que surgen como respuesta social ofrecen una alternativa al discurso que se pretendía instaurar desde el régimen. Dichos discursos, a través de la denuncia del expolio, dejan entrever también un paralelismo entre la explotación que sufren las comunidades locales y la naturaleza, fenómeno que resulta de interés en materia de concienciación medioambiental. El estudio de la epigrafía de la zona circundante a las presas sirve como argumento para la conservación de esta memoria y el examen del contexto histórico y cultural de la relación entre los humanos y el medio ambiente natural. A través del análisis de las aras votivas descubiertas en las zonas del interior gallego, se ahondará en la relación que las comunidades locales celtas mantenían con la naturaleza. Se emplea una perspectiva ecocrítica para indagar en el significado cultural e histórico de estas inscripciones y cómo se relacionan con la construcción de presas como Belesar o Castrelo do Miño, y el impacto que tuvo en el medio ambiente y las comunidades locales que vieron como sus pueblos quedaban anegados. El estudio de estas inscripciones asociadas a la cultura y memoria del agua en relación con la construcción de estas presas brinda valiosos conocimientos sobre el contexto histórico, el impacto en el medio ambiente y las comunidades locales, y la relación entre los humanos y el medio ambiente natural. Estos conocimientos no sólo demuestran tener relevancia en el ejercicio de la memoria histórica, sino también como discurso de sostenibilidad para el futuro.
Energy principle application to response of viscoelastic bars
Authors: Lakusic Stjepan
Published: October 2023

A wide range of practical engineering problems exists for which obtaining exact solutions directly is challenging. This is because of the complex nature of the governing differential equations or the difficulties arising from the boundary and initial conditions of the problem. To address these problems, scalar quantities, such as work and energy, are used as an alternative approach. The virtual work principle constitutes the basis for the energy and variational formulations. This study uses energy concepts to formulate viscoelastic structures and discuss the statically indeterminate axially loaded viscoelastic bar problem. A simple and efficient energy-based formulation for analysis is proposed. The total potential energy (TPE) expression in terms of the displacements of the nodes was obtained in Laplace space. The solutions that minimise the TPE expression are real displacements, and the inverse Laplace transform method is applied to transform the function back into the time domain. Different examples were considered to ensure accuracy and demonstrate the potential of the proposed solution technique. This method is convenient for obtaining a solution directly by following a few simple process steps, regardless of the change in the viscoelastic material model, the number of elements in the system, and the type of loading.
Ibadah Haji: Ziarah ke Tanah Suci Makkah dalam Perspektif Insider dan Outsider
Authors: Abdullah M. Amin
Published: October 2023

Dalam agama Islam ada lima pilar rukun atau pilar utama, salah satunya adalah ibadah haji di Makkah, Saudi Arabia. Ibadah ritual haji (pilgrimage) telah dilakukan sebelum kerasulan Muhammad, kemudian diteruskan oleh nabi Muhammad saw yang selama hidupnya hanya sekali menjalankan ibadah haji, yaitu pada tahun ke-10 Hijriyyah/632 M. Dari saat itu hingga sekarang, ibadah haji terus dilakukan umat Islam tanpa putus. Pada tahun 2021, di era pandemi Covid-19, pemerintah Saudi Arabia hanya membolehkan 30.000 jamaah haji, sebelumnya tahun 2020 hanya 6.000, umumnya dari dalam negeri atau orang asing yang telah tinggal di Saudi Arabia. Setiap tahun  tidak kurang dari 2 juta jamaah haji dari dari seluruh penjuru dunia hadir secara fisik di Makkah untuk menjalankan ibadah haji. Karena pembatasan kuota haji yang dikeluarkan oleh pemerintah Saudi Arabia, Indonesia hanya dapat memberangkatkan setiap tahun kurang lebih 200.000 jamaah haji. Muslim Indonesia yang ingin beribadah haji harus rela antri menunggu giliran berangkat ke Saudi Arabia sampai 30 tahun ke depan. Tidak berlebihan jika dikatakan bahwa ibadah haji adalah ritual keagamaan yang paling fenomenal di dunia modern saat sekarang ini. Penganut agama-agama lain juga memiliki sistem ibadah ‘pilgrimage’ seperti itu namun jumlah umat yang berkumpul di satu tempat dan di satu waktu tidak sebanyak ibadah haji. Tulisan ini akan mendeskripsikan bagaimana ibadah haji dilakukan, makna dan tujuan ibadah haji, diawali dari pengalaman pribadi (insider) dan diakhiri dengan tinjauan outsider, antropologi budaya dan agama yang secara imaginatif mengantarkan pemahaman keagamaan yang toleran dan inklusif dalam hubungan sosial antar umat beragama.
TRANSFORMASI GOLONGAN ABANGAN MENUJU GERAKAN RADIKAL KEAGAMAAN (Dinamika Radikalisme Islam dalam Masyarakat Abangan di Solo, Jawa Tengah)
Authors: Setianto Yudi
Published: October 2023

From the New Order until now, Solo has a reputation as a base of religious radicalism. In fact, the people of Solo tend to abangan culture based on Javanese ethics rather than santri culture. In fact, Islamic radicalism can emerge and exist in this region. In addition, there was also a transformation of the abangan group into radical santri. For this reason, the purpose of this study is to analyze and describe in depth the emergence and existence of Islamic radicalism in abangan society, the transformation of the abangan group and thugs into radical santri. The type of research used is a qualitative method with a descriptive phenomenological approach. The results showed that the emergence of radical Islamic movements in Solo began during the New Order regime that was repressive towards itspeople. The presence of Ustaz Abdullah Sungkar and Abu Bakar Ba’asyir is a symbol of local resistance to the regime. Islamic radicalism in Solo is able to exist due to its supporters. Supporters of this movement are not limited to the santri group, but also the abangan group. The occurrence of this transformation is paradoxical, because the relationship between abangan and santri is dichotomous. In fact, there are groups of people who are interested in being part of radical students because of criticism of local politics.
FISIKA SOSIAL DAN PENYOALAN EKSISTENSI AGAMA DALAM POSITIVISME AUGUSTE COMTE, DAN KEMUNGKINAN RELEVANSINYA PADA DISKURSUS SOSIOLOGI AGAMA
Authors: Alim Roswantoro
Published: October 2023

This paper focuses on rethinking with epistemological analysis of the idea of social physics in Auguste Comte’s positivism which negates the existence of religion or theology. His imagined social physics replacing theology to find an objective-positive social theory did not completely deprive him of his inspiration from religious morality. Altruism, in his natural religion, humanism, is evidence of inspiration from religious morality, which he imagined as a universal-objective human value for overcoming social conflicts. In the future, sociology with its scientific method will find positive-objective social theories, such as altruism in his religion of humanism, as a scientific instrument to build the social cohesion of a society. Modern society, which he considered to be inhabited only by secular-scientific people, until now is in fact also inhabited by religious-scientific people. Rejecting the assumption that there is no relevance between Comte’s sociology and the sociology of religion, this paper emphasizes that there is relevance. Religious human social behavior as a social fact, not a doctrine of belief, can be observed, experimented with and compared to find the objectivity of social theory of religious social behavior which can also universalized as in Comte’s secular sociology.
TRANSFER KAPITAL: Studi Praktik Ulama Dalam Pengentasan Kemiskinan di Kota Tasikmalaya, Jawa Barat
Authors: Janah Maulana
Published: October 2023

This study is carried out to explain a capital transfer owned by Ulama in act of eradicating poverty. Religious leaders known as ulama are intelligent individuals with traits common to the pesantren. They have their own habits, which include living in an environment where Islamic ideals are ingrained. In such contexts, there is something to do with how do the ulama go about their daily lives in a society that is always changing. This study uses a qualitative method. Inductively, it is possible to deduce the research findings from the described phenomena. The data were collected systematically through observation, interviews, and recording of data sources. The data collection took place at the Al-Amin Islamic Boarding School in Tasikmalaya City. The habitus theory is used in the study framework to examine the methods of ulama to alleviate poverty. According to the study's findings, the ulama possess socioeconomic, cultural, and symbolic capital. Transferring one capital into another is possible. In the pesantren setting, community empowerment serves as the format. Additionally, the ulama amassed material wealth in the form of religious capital and other types of capital, which improved their standing in society. The process of multiplying habits with capital strength that is gathered in the social environment that allows for a process of interaction between individuals who play a role in poverty alleviation is how the clergy practice of it.
Influence of Blending Method and Blending Ratio on Ring-spun Yarn Quality – a MANOVA Approach
Authors: Hossen Jamal , Saha Subrata Kumar
Published: October 2023

Cotton-polyester is a common and popular fibre blend in the textile industry nowadays. Its main advantage is that it improves the functional properties of clothing and textile products. In this study, fibre-blended, sliver-blended and roving-blended yarns with a fineness of 23 tex were manufactured using a ring spinning system, with blend ratios of cotton and polyester fibres of 50:50, 60:40 and 70:30. The quality parameters of the produced yarn, such as mass variations, imperfections, hairiness and bundle yarn strength, were studied. The end breakage rate of the ring frame machine was also studied during the manufacturing of the yarns. The results were analysed using multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) to determine the significance of the impact of the blending method and blending ratio on yarn quality and the end breakage rate of the ring frame machine. The profile plots were analysed from statistical and technical points of view. Among the three blended yarns, fibre-blended yarn demonstrated the best results in terms of mass variations and imperfections due to better blending homogeneity, while roving-blended yarn demonstrated better results in terms of hairiness. Among the blended yarn, fibre-blended yarn demonstrated the highest bundle yarn strength value, while the corresponding end breakage rate of the ring frame machine recorded the lowest value. The yarn quality was improved in terms of mass variations, imperfections, hairiness and bundle yarn strength by increasing the polyester fibre percentage in the blend ratio.
Risks and the management of construction in the environment of nuclear facilities
Authors: Horváth-Kálmán Eszter , Elek Barbara
Published: October 2023

Everything in the world is about risk, from individual decisions to global manipulations, which is of fundamental importance in a nuclear power plant environment. The question is whether, in a given situation, this risk is acceptable or no longer acceptable. In some respects, the risk analysis applied to construction projects differs from the risk analysis applied to nuclear installations. For nuclear installations, the risk as such is nuclear risk. Primary safety is nuclear safety. Secondarily, we talk about other risks, for each of which it must be assessed whether there is an impact on nuclear safety. In view of this, for investments involving a nuclear installation, the risk analysis to be carried out must be carried out at two separate levels. In the case of civil engineering works in the immediate vicinity of a nuclear installation, it is particularly important to analyse the construction risks. The main problem for a nuclear installation is the unequal subsidence, which causes the building to tilt. The primary objective is to determine the value of the expected settlement, which forms the basis for an accurate determination of the risks. The first level is the traditional construction risk analysis, and then as a second level, each risk item should be classified from a nuclear risk point of view. In this paper, we present the nuclear exposure of construction risks and the possibility of mitigating these risks through a real-time monitoring system.
The Synthesis and Characterization of Pahae Natural Zeolite-Coal Bottom Ash Adsorbent for Fe and Mn Purifier in Well Water
Authors: Susilawati Susilawati , Lubis Nurul Syafina , Pasaribu Khatarina Meldawati
Published: October 2023

Zeolite is a porous crystalline mineral alumina silica tetrahydrate that has an open three-dimensional framework structure that has channels and cavities filled with metal ions, while Bottom ash is also known to have high porosity and surface area. Thus, both zeolite and bottom ash can be used as adsorbents. This study aims to make an adsorbent based on Pahae natural zeolite with a mixture of bottom ash from coal as an adsorbent for iron (Fe) and manganese (Mn) metals in well water. Adsorbent made from Natural Zeolite Pahae-Coal Bottom Ash with a size of 200 mesh (74 µm) which has been chemically activated with 1 M NaOH solution, was prepared with various compositions of (100:0)%, (95:5)%, (90:10)%, (85:15)%, (80:20)%, (75:25)% respectively, then mold using a hydraulic press with a load of 6 tons of weight for 10 minutes. The mold samples were then physically activated with temperature variations of 600°C, 700°C, and 800°C for 4 hours, respectively. The addition of coal bottom ash filler is known to increase the porosity of the adsorbent with the composition of (75:25)% with an activated temperature of 800°C by 10%. The results of the AAS test showed that the adsorbent made from Natural Zeolite Pahae-Coal Bottom Ash reduced the content of Fe and Mn metals by 92.37% and 53.49% in well water, respectively.
Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea and Vomiting (CINV) Based on Blood Types among Cancer Patients in Yogyakarta, Indonesia
Authors: Rukmi Dwi Kartika , Nofiyanto Muhamat
Published: October 2023

Background: Studies related to blood type in cancer patients have been conducted extensively, but they are inclined to cancer incidence or survival rate. Meanwhile, there is limited research on Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea and Vomiting (CINV), the most disturbing side effect of chemotherapy, in relation to blood type.Purpose: This study aimed to compare CINV frequency in cancer patients by blood groups in Yogyakarta, Indonesia.Methods: A descriptive comparative study with a cross-sectional approach was conducted purposively on 70 chemotherapy patients in two hospitals in Yogyakarta. Patients with anticipatory CINV and brain cancer (primary or metastases) were excluded. The data were collected between July and November 2020 using a sheet for patient characteristics and a filled-in diary from the first to the seventh day post-chemotherapy to collect CINV data. The descriptive statistics and Kruskal Wallis test were used to analyze the data.Results: Of 70 total samples, most of them were breast cancer (71.4%) and were in stage IV (50%). They received chemotherapy alone as their primary therapy (94.3%) and received moderate to high emetogenic agents (31.4% and 35.7%). Samples mostly had A blood type (34.3%) and had undergone chemotherapy for 3-18 months (min-max). As many as 64.6% of patients experienced CINV with a delayed type and experienced moderate severity (52.9%). The bivariate test showed no difference in CINV frequencies based on blood groups in general (p=0.068). However, based on the CINV onset, there was a significant difference in CINV frequencies in the A blood group against other blood groups (p=0.020) on the fourth post-chemotherapy day.Conclusions:Unless the fourth-day post-chemotherapy, the frequency of CINV based on blood groups showed no difference. Since CINV incidence is still high, the provision of both pharmacological and non-pharmacological therapy to treat CINV has to be given to patients after chemotherapy. Blood group factors can be considered for more extensive management, especially in delayed CINV cases.
Glossophobia: A Cross-Sectional Assessment of Public Speaking Anxiety among Saudi Nursing Students
Authors: Rayani Deena Faisal , Bin Sallman AlBatool Mohammed , Barayan Reem Mohammed , Maghrabi Raghad Ahmed , Morsy Nahed Mohamed , Elsayes Hala Ahmed , Mahsoon Alaa Nabil , Sharif Loujain Saud
Published: October 2023

Background: Public speaking anxiety or glossophobia is common among college students, especially those studying in their non-primary language. Effective public speaking is considered an essential skill for nursing students to grasp as their future roles require it as patient advocates. Little is known about the effects of glossophobia amongst Arab students studying nursing in a second language (English).Purpose: This study aimed to examine glossophobia and its association with English oral presentations among Saudi nursing students in three academic levels.Methods: A correlational comparative study with a cross-sectional approach was conducted on a total of 209 baccalaureate level nursing students at a governmental, Saudi university. Convenience sampling was used with a comparison between three levels of student cohorts (second, third and fourth) of a single academic year. The data were collected using an online self-reported questionnaire consisting of three sections: a sociodemographic questionnaire, the Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS), and the Personal Report of Public Speaking Anxiety (PRPSA). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, a one-way ANOVA, and Pearson correlation tests.Results: Nursing students had moderate anxiety on the FLCAS and PRPSA scales in all three academic years. There was a significant, moderate, and positive relationship between the two scales (r=0.450, p<0.01).Conclusions: Glossophobia among nursing students needs to be addressed. This study highlights a gap in current training where there is insufficient support, meaning that levels of anxiety remains unchanged across the trajectory of a nursing training program. Future research should explore culturally tailored strategies to decrease nursing students’ anxiety while building their confidence and self-esteem.
Effects of Direct and Indirect Factors on Attitude toward the COVID-19 Vaccine in Pregnant Women
Authors: Samaria Dora , Desmawati Desmawati , Florensia Lima
Published: October 2023

Background: The administration of the COVID-19 vaccine is facing resistance from pregnant women, leading to a lower attitude toward vaccination uptake. Previous studies have explored several factors that contributed to the issue. However, no studies have investigated further the direct and indirect effects of factors that simultaneously influence attitudes toward the COVID-19 vaccine in pregnant women. Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the direct and indirect effects of factors that influence attitudes toward the COVID-19 vaccine (ACV) in pregnant women, particularly hesitancy, motivation, and history of COVID-19 infection (HCI), and to describe a pathway model that represents the effects.Methods: This cross-sectional study recruited 440 pregnant women living in Bekasi and Pandeglang, Indonesia, in May–June 2022 using consecutive sampling methods. This study employed the Motivations of Vaccination Questionnaire, the Reasons for Hesitation Questionnaire, and the Attitudes toward COVID-19 Vaccine Questionnaire. A path analysis was performed to calculate the data.Results: Hesitancy had a more indirect effect (β=-0.270; p=0.00) than the direct effect (β=-0.193; p=0.00) on ACV, whereas motivation had a more direct effect (β=0.092; p=0.04) than the indirect effect (β=0.074; p=0.00). HCI acted as the mediation variable because it could intercede with the effect of hesitancy on ACV (β=-0.449; p=0.00). It indicated that HCI in pregnant women would lead to a different approach to increasing ACV.Conclusions: All studied factors had significant impacts on ACV, both directly and indirectly. It is recommended that interventions be adjusted according to the program’s purpose, with the aim of increasing motivation or reducing hesitancy.
Factors Influencing the Quality of Life in Thai Cancer Patients Receiving Chemotherapy during COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Jaiboon Supawan , Vittayatigonnasak Arveewan
Published: October 2023

Background: The Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has physical and mental impacts on cancer patients receiving chemotherapy and this can lead to a decline in their quality of life (QoL). Little is currently known about the factors that affect QoL among cancer patients in Thailand during the COVID-19 pandemic.Purpose: This study aimed to examine the factors influencing the QoL of cancer patients receiving chemotherapy during the COVID-19 pandemic.Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 102 cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy recruited using a simple random sampling technique. Four instruments were used; 1) Demographic and clinical characteristics questionnaires; 2) the Thai Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (Thai HADS); 3) the Revised Thai version of the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (r-Thai MSPSS); and 4) the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire C30 (EORTC QLQC-30, Thai version). Descriptive statistics and multiple linear regression were used for data analysis.Results:  According to the findings, the study demonstrated that depression had a statistically significant negative influence on QoL, physical functioning, and emotional functioning (B=-2.196, p=0.001; B=-2.630, p<0.001; B=-1.605, p=0.009, respectively). Similarly, anxiety exhibited a negative influence on emotional functioning, cognitive functioning, and social functioning (B= -2.593, p<0.001; B=-1.508, p=0.037). However, social support did not significantly influence QoL.Conclusion: The study underscores the negative impact of depression and anxiety on QoL, emphasizing the importance of addressing psychological well-being. While social support’s influence on QoL was not significant in this context, the research highlights the factors affecting cancer patients’ well-being during challenging times. These insights could inform interventions to enhance QoL and patient care.
Bolzanova revize Kantova pojetí Betrachtung ve sváru o předmět soudu vkusu
Authors: Hlobil Tomáš
Published: October 2023

In German pre-critical aesthetics, the term Betrachtung (contemplation) was coined to describe the reception of beauty and art. It was also used by Immanuel Kant in his Critique of Judgment (1790), and by Bernard Bolzano in his treatise On the Concept of Beauty (1843). Both Bolzano and Kant tied the judgment of taste (beauty) to the mere contemplation of the initial object. However, each of them meant something different by this act, and each accorded it a different importance. The study describes Kant’s and Bolzano’s conceptions of mere contemplation, compares them and shows that Bolzano’s concept should be understood as a content modification of Kant’s innovative procedure.
Schelling o vztahu hmoty a mysli
Authors: Vrabec Martin
Published: October 2023

The paper presents Schelling’s conception of matter and mind and shows how it overcomes the traditional Cartesian notion of an essential difference between the two. First, it thematises the basic ontological structure which, according to Schelling, all individuals exhibit, then it discusses the development of nature from inanimate matter through organic nature to the human spirit, and it concludes with an explicit focus on the interrelationship between the human body and the human spirit that Schelling considers in his view of the person.
Antioxidant and lipid peroxidation inhibitory potentials of the unripe and ripe of Citrus mitis Blanco pulps and peels from south Thailand
Authors: Wanna Chanate , Boonman Narumon , Phakpaknam Sirirat
Published: October 2023

Citrus mitis Blanco fruit contains high levels of vitamin C, phenolics, and flavonoids, which exhibit a wide range of beneficial biological effects. The current research aimed to evaluate the levels of vitamin C, flavonoid, total phenolic contents, and antioxidant properties, as well as the inhibitory effects on lipid peroxidation, in both unripe and ripe fruit tissues (pulps and peels) of C. mitis Blanco. The fruit tissues were obtained from the Hat Som Paen subdistrict in Ranong province, located in the southern region of Thailand. Fruit tissues were extracted using maceration with 80% ethanol and water solvents. Vitamin C quantification was achieved using the 2,6-dichloroindophenol titrimetric method. Total flavonoid content was determined using the aluminium chloride colorimetric method, while total phenolic content was assessed using the Folin-Ciocalteu procedure. Additionally, ABTS and DPPH assays were used to assess the antioxidant properties. The measurement of lipid peroxidation inhibitory activity was carried out using the thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) assay. The findings indicated that the water extract exhibited higher levels of vitamin C compared to the 80% ethanolic extract. In contrast, the 80% ethanolic extract revealed greater amounts of total phenolic and flavonoid contents than the water extract. The water extract of unripe pulp exhibited the highest vitamin C content among all the extracts, reaching 36.74 mg/100 g fresh weight (FW). The 80% ethanolic extract of unripe peel demonstrated the highest level of total phenolic content (35.67 mg gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/g extract), while ripe peel exhibited the highest total flavonoid content (16.88 mg catechin equivalent (CE)/g extract). Both unripe and ripe fruit extracts exhibited antioxidant and lipid peroxidation inhibitory activities. The 80% ethanolic extract from unripe peel demonstrated the most significant antioxidant activities against DPPH (6.31 mg trolox equivalent (TE)/g extract) and ABTS (7.69 mg TE/g extract). Moreover, the 80% ethanolic extract of unripe peel showed the highest level of inhibitory activity against lipid peroxidation, with a value of 74.62%. These results underscore the potential bioactivities of unripe and ripe C. mitis Blanco fruit tissues, which can offer nutritional and health benefits. These properties make them particularly valuable in the food industry due to their excellent antioxidant and lipid peroxidation inhibitory characteristics.
Development of high-performance point-of-care aqueous VEGF detection system and proof-of-concept validation in RVO patients
Authors: Wang Yuelin , Zhang Siqi , Zhong Weixing , Chen Huan , Zhao Yiming , Song Hang , Wong Tien Yin , Chen Youxin , Zhang Yanchun , Zhao Chan
Published: October 2023

Objectives

To develop a sensitive point-of-care testing (POCT) aqueous vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) detection system, and assess its role for predicting the response to anti-VEGF treatment in macular edema secondary to retinal vein occlusion (RVO-ME) patients.

Methods

An automatic point-of-care aqueous humor Magnetic Particle Chemiluminescence Enzyme Immuno-Assay (MPCLEIA) VEGF detection system was developed. The predictive values of aqueous cytokine levels, in combination with imaging parameters, on anatomical treatment response (ATR, the relative central macular thickness change [ΔCMT/bl-CMT]) were analyzed.

Results

The automatic MPCLEIA system was able to provide results in 45 min with only 20 μL sample. Among the 57 eyes with available pre- and post-treatment evaluation, ATR significantly correlated with levels of interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) and VEGF measured by Luminex xMAP platform, and VEGF measured by MPCLEIA. Optimal cut-off values for these biomarkers were 13.26 ng/L, 23.57 ng/L, 1,110.12 ng/L, 105.52 ng/L, and 85.39 ng/L, respectively. Univariate analysis showed significant associations between ATR category (good response if ATR≤−25 % or poor response otherwise) and IL-6, IL-8, MCP-1, VEGF-xMAP, and VEGF-MPCLEIA (p<0.05). Multivariate logistic regression revealed that ATR category was significantly associated with aqueous VEGF-MPCLEIA (p=0.006) and baseline(bl)-CMT (p=0.008). Receiver operating characteristics analysis yielded an AUC of 0.959 for the regression model combining VEGF-MPCLEIA and bl-CMT, for predicting ATR category.

Conclusions

Our novel MPCLEIA-based automatic VEGF detection system enables accurate POCT of aqueous VEGF, which shows promise in predicting the treatment response of RVO-ME to anti-VEGF agents when combined with bl-CMT.
Prometheus und wir – die Gesellschaft des Digitalen
Authors: Embacher Serge
Published: October 2023

Der Beitrag beschreibt die Ambivalenz des digitalen Wandels und fordert eine zentrale Rolle der Zivilgesellschaft in der weiteren Entwicklung ein. Ohne Einbeziehung von Werten wie Freiheit, Gerechtigkeit und Selbstbestimmung ist von der Digitalisierung als solcher kein gesellschaftlicher Fortschritt zu erwarten.
Modified non-local means: A novel denoising approach to process gravity field data
Authors: Ai Hanbing , Alvandi Ahmad , Ghanati Reza , Pham Luan Thanh , Alarifi Saad S. , Nasui Daniel , Eldosouky Ahmed M.
Published: October 2023

Gravity measurement is a basic geophysical method for non-destructive exploration of mineral resources and hydrocarbons and also for geological studies. The quality of gravity data measured is constantly degraded by a low signal-to-noise ratio. Noise attenuation thus plays a vital role in processing and interpreting gravity field data. The non-local means (NLM) filtering was first and successfully introduced to attenuate randomly distributed noise situated in seismic records in geophysical community. However, less attention has been drawn to apply NLM to denoise potential field data, since the success of NLM is guaranteed by carefully tuned parameters and large computational costs. Here we propose the modified NLM (MNLM), based on unweighted Euclidean distance and integral image method, to denoise gravity datasets. The unweighted Euclidean distance is used to reduce the uncertainty and complexity of tuning the control parameters involved, and the integral image strategy is applied to avoid the enormous computational cost of the NLM. Since these filtering properties are desirable to mitigate noise in gravity datasets, we test and evaluate the MNLM filter on noisy synthetic gravity models with uniform and normal distributions and on real data from the Mariana trench and Slovakia, and compare it to other standard and representative denoising filters. The results on synthetic and field datasets confirm the high speed of this modified algorithm and show that, it removes noise most effectively while clearly preserving and not blurring structural details with less tuned parameters. The MNLM filter can therefore be considered as a promising and novel algorithm for denoising gravity data.
Recent updates in nanotechnological advances for wound healing: A narrative review
Authors: Chopra Hitesh , Mohanta Yugal Kishore , Mahanta Saurov , Mohanta Tapan Kumar , Singh Inderbir , Avula Satya Kumar , Mallick Sarada Prasanna , Rabaan Ali A. , AlSaihati Hajir , Alsayyah Ahmed , Alissa Mohammed , Alturaifi Hussain R. , AlAlwan Bader , Attia Mohamed S. , Chakraborty Sandip , Dhama Kuldeep
Published: October 2023

The repair and remodeling of injured tissues, known as wound healing, is a multifaceted process. The use of nanotechnology to speed up the healing process of wounds by promoting the right kind of mobility through different mechanisms has shown a lot of promise. Several nanotechnologies with novel properties have emerged in recent years, each of which targets a different issue associated with wound-healing processes. Through their antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and angiogenic actions, nanomaterials may alter the wound microenvironment from a non-healing to a healing state. Wound dressings including hydrogels, gelatin sponges, films, and bandages may all benefit from the use of nanoparticles (NPs) to keep harmful microbes out. The addition of bioactive substances like antibiotics, NPs, and growth factors to certain dressings may further boost their efficacy. In conclusion, this review sheds light on wound healing that may be aided by the special features of materials based on nanotechnology. Although nanomaterials for wound healing show great promise, further study is needed before this promising area can convert its findings into consumer-friendly solutions.
Book 1. Biopolymer conjugates industrial applications Chapter 1. Biopolymeric conjugation with thermoplastics and applications
Authors: Restu Witta Kartika , Ghozali Muhammad , Triwulandari Evi , Sampora Yulianti , Septiyanti Melati , Meliana Yenny , Ndruru Sun Theo C. L. , Sofyan Muhammad Ihsan , Masruchin Nanang , Marlina Anita
Published: October 2023

Biopolymers are natural polymers manufactured chemically or generated from biological materials. Biopolymers are a renewable and biodegradable resource. They can be found in various applications in food, manufacturing, packaging, and biomedical engineering industries. Biopolymers are attractive materials due to biocompatibility, biodegradability, natural abundance, and specific properties such as non-toxicity. Biopolymers can be classed on a variety of scales, including origin, the number of monomeric units, the basis of degradability, and heat response. Biopolymers have a wide range of uses due to their unique characteristics and topologies. Biopolymers are reinforced with diverse elements to improve their intended characteristics and practical applications. There is a conjugation of biopolymer with thermoplastic materials. Thermoplastic or thermoset plastic is a form of plastic polymer material that can be molded at a high temperature and solidifies upon cooling. Polylactic acid, polycarbonate, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl alcohol, and polyester are among the many thermoplastics. These thermoplastics were combined with biopolymers to increase their physical, mechanical, and thermal qualities. The works that investigated the conjugation of thermoplastic materials to biopolymers were discussed in this chapter.
Wildcat Strike Season: The Origin and Limits of Platform Driver Protests during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Indonesia
Authors: Novianto Arif
Published: October 2023

This article examines the widespread protest actions carried out by gig workers, especially actions using the wildcat strike, with case studies from Indonesia. During the COVID-19 pandemic (March 2020 to March 2022), a total of 47 wildcat strikes were carried out by platform drivers in Indonesia. Why were most of the protests by gig workers in Indonesia carried out through wildcat strikes? Can these wildcat strike actions win workers’ demands? Unlike the claims of several scholars that wildcat strikes tend to appear in authoritarian state labour control regimes, becoming, in these cases, an effective form of movement in winning demands, in Indonesia a despotic labour market, repressive employers’ actions, platform drivers’ distrust of existing driver organisations and the obstacles to organising can explain the emergence of wildcat strikes. Though these tend to be effective in responding quickly to specific problems at the local level, they have limitations, being unable to win their demands in national or wider contexts.
Locating labour conflict and its organising forms in contemporary times: between class and the reproduction of capitalism
Authors: Atzeni Maurizio , Sacchetto Devi
Published: October 2023

The following article aims to provide a conceptually rooted introduction to the articles in the internationally coordinated themed collection on Labour Conflict, Class and Collective Organization, an initiative which has involved four journals focusing on labour studies from different geographical angles and academic traditions: Economic and Labour Relations Review (ELRR); Global Labour Journal (GLJ); Partecipazione e Conflitto (PACO); and Revista Latino Americana de Estudios del Trabajo (RELET). The contributions across the four journals are diverse, both in terms of geographical focus, disciplinary perspectives and sector of analysis. This diversity is very welcomed and represents a fertile soil for conceptual considerations, because it corresponds to the manifold forms in which labour conflict expresses itself in the reality of capitalism. What’s the abstract unity of these concrete empirical realities, as Marx would have put it? In the following introduction, we focus on two general theoretical issues we consider fundamental and mutually interrelated: a rethinking of workers’ collective forms of organization within and beyond trade unions; and the framing of these forms and of labour conflict in the broader historical dynamics of working classes formation. With this, we hope to provide a lens of analysis for the articles in the international special issue and, more generally, methodological guidance to future studies on labour conflict.
Equalizing student and teacher: Using COVID-19 to (re)imagine curriculum
Authors: Adams Megan , Gaines Rachel , Vasquez Anete , Noland Alyssa , Castellano Faith , Gowdie Sharae , Carter Paige
Published: October 2023

COVID-19 created an opportunity to (re)envision students as partners in curriculum development and the curriculum process. Understanding the design and delivery of courses as a flattened hierarchy, particularly with graduate students as partners, is the focus of this study. This article reports findings from research undertaken collaboratively with students as partners in developing a new approach for conducting a capstone course and project. This research was enacted at a research-intensive university in the United States in 2020 and 2021. We describe the need for the shift in stance to students as partners in our institution as well as what the findings indicate as imperatives for teachers in both K–12 settings and institutions of higher education. The findings indicate how teachers’ mental health and experiences of stress were affected by specific attributes of the pandemic and pandemic teaching (which aligns with the majority of COVID-19 research in education), as well as how some learned to cope with these demands. Findings also indicate the need for flexibility in all learning environments.
Co-designing an equity, diversity, and inclusion (un)conference by and for staff and students
Authors: Dianati Seb , Hickman Amy
Published: October 2023

We describe the critical-digital approach and co-design of a bespoke unconference on inclusion, diversity, and equity for staff and students. We offer a critical digital pedagogy framework that engages and promotes student-led equity, diversity, and inclusion in what we refer to as the fourth wave of students as partners (SaP) conferences. The SaP unconference was unique in several ways. The unconference was aimed at both staff and students and was designed and delivered in a cross-disciplinary students-as-partners project. This forum was transformative as it was supported by a critical digital partnership and pedagogical framework. Further, the unconference positioned the audience as participants on equal footing with panellists in critical dialogue and conversation. As such, the unconference offered a counter-narrative to traditional conference culture. Reinventing the academic conference space for SaP is critical to ensure conferences are authentic, contextualised instantiations of partnership.
Different Aspects of Physical Load in Small-Sided Field Hockey Games
Authors: Wilmes Erik , de Ruiter Cornelis J. , van Leeuwen Rens R. , Banning Lars F. , van der Laan Doris , Savelsbergh Geert J. P.
Published: October 2023

Wilmes, E, de Ruiter, CJ, van Leeuwen, RR, Banning, LF, van der Laan, D, and Savelsbergh, GJP. Different aspects of physical load in small-sided field hockey games. J Strength Cond Res 38(2): e56–e61, 2024—Running volumes and acceleration/deceleration load are known to vary with different formats of small-sided games (SSGs) in field hockey. However, little is known about other aspects of the physical load. Therefore, the aim of this study was to gain a more thorough understanding of the total physical load in field hockey SSGs. To that end, 2 different SSGs (small: 5 vs. 5, ∼100 m2 per player; large: 9 vs. 9, ∼200 m2 per player) were performed by 16 female elite field hockey athletes. A range of external physical load metrics was obtained using a global navigational satellite system and 3 wearable inertial measurement units on the thighs and pelvis. These metrics included distances covered in different velocity ranges (walk, jog, run, and sprint), mean absolute acceleration/deceleration, Hip Load, and time spent in several physically demanding body postures. The effects of SSG format on these external physical load metrics were assessed using linear mixed models (p < 0.05). Running volumes in various speed ranges were higher for the large SSG. By contrast, mean absolute acceleration/deceleration and time spent in several demanding body postures were higher for the small SSG. This study shows that changing the SSG format affects different aspects of physical load differently.