bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The roadblocks to business ownership: Analyzing the challenges Thai physical therapists face despite entrepreneurial education
Authors:   IQRA Business School, University of Geomatika Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia., Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Associated Medical Sciences, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai Province, Thailand.,Advanced Executive Management School, Bangkok, Thailand., Leelarungrayub Jirakrit , Phayaphrom Bordin ,   Advanced Executive Management School, Bangkok, Thailand., Ibrahim Mohammad Rahimee ,   IQRA Business School, University of Geomatika Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Published: September 2024

Background: The field of entrepreneurship poses significant challenges for undergraduate students and physical therapists in Thailand. Entrepreneurial intention, entrepreneurial courses in the physical therapy curriculum, and personality qualities are likely the prominent influencers. The social-environmental factors, access to resources, and perceptions of opportunity are also suggested to play a role of the secondary influencers on entrepreneurship. Regrettably, there is a lack of empirical evidence about the impact of these effects on entrepreneurial concepts within physical therapy. Objective: This study aimed to ascertain the mutual correlation and assess the primary and secondary influencers for entrepreneurship among undergraduate students and physical therapists. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 120 physical therapy students and general physical therapists. An online, structured questionnaire with a five-point Likert scale for primary and secondary influencing factors was designed. All questions’ content validity and reliability were determined before being applied to all respondents, and a significant relationship was identified with Barlette’s test. The Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin Measure (KMO) and the measure of sample adequacy (MSA) were used to assess the overall feasibility of factorial analysis. Finally, the IBM SPSS AMOS program analyzed the influence on entrepreneurship with structural equation modeling (SEM). Results: The results from 120 responses (74 females and 46 males), 64 undergraduate students, and 56 general physical therapists were 25.81±6.62 years (21-51 years old). All questions showed good reliability. All influencing factors showed a significant relationship and feasibility through factor analysis (FA). Furthermore, the primary factors showed that personality traits strongly influenced entrepreneurship compared to entrepreneurial intention. However, the curriculum had a meager impact. In addition, secondary influencing factors, such as opportunity perception, access to resources, and social-environment factors, highly influence entrepreneurship. Conclusion: Personality traits and entrepreneurial intention are the most influencing factors, but the course in the curriculum is less influential for entrepreneurship. On the other hand, opportunity perception, access to resources, and social/environmental factors are also the secondary strong influencing factors among physical therapy students and general physical therapists.
“It’s a bit like saying: I don’t see colour”: Unpacking Coloniality in Kalaallit Nunaat (Greenland) through Epistolary Collaborative Practice
Authors: Jensen Laura Lennert , Chahine Anne S.
Published: September 2024

Abstract: In this article we argue that the epistolary form can be used as collaborative practice—further expanding researcher-informant relations—where both parties enter an epistemic partnership and become co-researchers, co-theorizing and co-creating the research output together. We have been using the epistolary form as a means to exchange observations, ideas, and positionalities about coloniality in Kalaallit (Greenlandic Inuit) society today, and to investigate the stance young people take in this discussion. The article has developed from correspondence via letter-writing between the two authors and renders visible the dynamics of our epistemic relationship, an essential element of the collaborative process that often stays hidden. We hereby experiment with collaborative research practices and alternative ways of creating knowledge, as advocated by practitioners working with collaborative and experimental research practices in anthropology, clearly positioning ourselves as authors, an Indigenous scholar and a non-Indigenous researcher, in relation to each other as well as to the world around us.
Finding Common Ground
Authors: Hiserman Luke , Thompson Kris , Rose Jessica , Dudoward (Tsimshian) Jade , McCloud (Puyallup) Binah , Brouillet Marc , Duenas (Puyallup, Blackfeet) Sway-la , Lorton (Quinault) Carl , Warren Jonathan , Christie Patrick
Published: September 2024

Abstract: This article assesses a collaborative digital storytelling project between Chief Leschi Schools, a Puyallup Tribal K-12 school, and University of Washington students, teachers, and institutional leaders. This assessment emphasizes the importance of and examines how to build trust and facilitate co-planning in digital storytelling workshops centering Indigenous voices. Collaboration between Indigenous and non-indigenous students and teachers offered unconventional learning experiences and community celebrations of Indigenous youth. Inductive, qualitative research drawing from personal memos, interviews, focus groups, and surveys revealed the significance of co-planning and trust-building between participants of distinct social and formal education backgrounds. This analysis showcases how these different factors shaped and sustained the project, resulting in what the authors hope will be an enduring commitment. Recommendations include: (1) Emphasis on consistent and ongoing participation to cultivate trust and facilitate continuous communication; (2) purposeful engagement of students’ fundamental skills, presenting digital narratives that align with their interests and competencies; and (3) adopting an approach for non-indigenous academics and academic institutions of prioritizing and actively engaging in collaborative partnerships with Indigenous communities. The article underscores the significance of recognizing and resolving complex power and cultural dynamics between universities and tribes for successful project co-planning and implementation.
Making Waves and Grids through Drawings: A Visual Methodology for Migrant Homes, Housing, and Moving-Home Trajectories
Authors: Golovina Ksenia , Ermilova Mariia
Published: September 2024

Abstract: This article describes the process of developing collaborative methods and the outcome for creating ex-situ digital drawings to depict the housing situations and movement trajectories of Russian-speaking migrants in Japan. The study presents a two-part methodology that was applied to ethnographic data, such as transcribed interviews, photographs, and fieldnotes. The first part focused on the emic specifics of the migrant experience of home and housing; we applied to the data a free drawing that followed a six-point extraction technique. The second part focused on the precise housing types occupied by the study participants and the participants’ moving-home trajectories over the course of their lives. Here we employed a taxonomic approach, using drawings and captions for the 14 housing types extracted from the data. The taxonomic drawings served as icons for the entire sample. This two-part methodological combination effectively communicates the research findings and respects the internal perspectives and emotions of the participants. It also provides a holistic and comparable view of the lifelong housing trajectories of migrants in Japan. The unique positioning of the drawer as a participant in this research results in a dense, collaborative approach that allows for an emphasis on indigenous categories.
COVID-19, Affect, and Activist Anthropology
Authors: Dyer Chelsey
Published: September 2024

Abstract: Anthropologists have long grappled with how and to what extent researchers should disentangle personal emotions from their analysis of their interlocutors. For scholar-activists, this complexity is enriched if/when researchers are directly engaging in social movements or activist organizing. How does a researcher navigate the blurred boundaries between participating in a social movement—planning, organizing, campaigning—and analyzing the intricate human relationships, theories, and actions that comprise a movement, and what is an anthropologist’s role in these processes? While a multitude of scholars have sought to answer these questions (Hale 2006; Sanford and Angel-Ajani 2006), during my fieldwork an additional layer of contention was added with the emergence of COVID-19. This article provides a descriptive account of my personal experience completing fieldwork among US-Latin American solidarity activists from 2019 to 2021 during the most intense phases of COVID-19 lockdowns in the United States. Throughout this article I illustrate how COVID-19 impacted my research and relationships with my interlocutors, often leading to an array of circumstantial affects that both complicated and enriched my analytical process. I demonstrate the emotional navigation that takes place amid fieldwork with friends and organizers during a global pandemic. In doing so, I re-examine the role of both affect and social crisis in directing the positioning of activist anthropologists.
Perspectives on Positionality: Differing Approaches to the Ethnography of NGOs in International Development
Authors: Fischer Sara E. , Banda Mirriam , Ngombende Sandra Kuntembwe
Published: September 2024

Abstract: This article highlights ethnography as a method for mapping interactions between NGOs and host-country governments, civil servants, and citizens. However, data can differ drastically in terms of access, transparency, and quality depending on the researcher’s positionality. Using examples from our work in Malawi, we demonstrate trade-offs for the researcher based on the approach taken, whereby certain types of data are accessed while others remain unseen. We argue that researcher positionality has implications for data collection and theory-building exercises and can significantly alter research findings, making it a crucial consideration in the design and implementation of ethnographic research in international development.
Redefining Survival: An Ethnographic Experiment in Transgressing Capitalist Time-Space
Authors: Degyansky Meredith
Published: September 2024

Abstract: During these times of overlapping crises brought forth by the dominant destructive world-making practices of what John Law (2011) calls the “One-World World,” we need to re/imagine how ethnographic methods might respond to and dance along with uncertain times. This essay details a collaborative ethnographic project that methodologically builds from the tools of socially engaged art practice and is oriented around uncertainty and not-knowing as a way of redefining “survival” outside the ontological coordinates of heteropatriarchal capitalist modernity. I chronicle the process under which I engaged in an ethnographic experiment with people from an unemployment center in Vaasa, Finland, during the time of the year when the sun never sets. Because we had a lot of “free” time, we followed our bodies and the rhythms of the land/scape to trouble and transgress capitalist time/space. I theorize how ethnographic practice steeped in collaborative uncertainty might help communities find ways of worlding outside the dictates imposed upon us, shifting geographical landscapes as well as the ontological and affective landscapes inside of each of us.
Poetry and the Inapprehensible: A Genealogy
Authors: Weiskott Eric
Published: September 2024

Abstract: Through close readings of William Langland, John Keats, Anne Carson, and Ben Lerner, this essay describes an enigmatic effect in and of English literature. Proposing Christian apophaticism as both source and analogue of literary styles, the essay introduces the concept of "apophatic effects," references to a literary realm not merely virtual but definitively inaccessible to perception. The imaginative leap that modern scholars value in English literature, epitomized by Keats's speaker's reflections on the urn, is a form of theological thinking that has forgotten where it came from. The essay touches on the relationship between literature and theology, the formation of the discipline of English, the definition of lyric, and Keats's influence on contemporary North American avant-garde poetry.
"Cease, Be Dumb and Mute:" George Herbert's Ars Moriendi and the Poetics of Self-Discipline
Authors: Li Promise
Published: September 2024

Abstract: This essay explores how George Herbert's poetry frames apocalypticism in terms of personal mortality to strengthen individual practices of obedience and passivity in one's daily habits. By bringing together the science of daily devotion in the ars moriendi tradition and the imaginative resources of poetry and rhetoric, Herbert's verses locate the site of politics in the management and maintenance of practical, everyday affects. These intersections between early modern poetry and religion render habits of self-discipline in service of political passivity and quiescence, encouraging readers to practice obeying forces larger than oneself—even upon the destabilizing extremities of existential finitude.
"Lie thee down, oddity!": Plot and Its Resistance in the Richardsonian Novel
Authors: Creed Bethany
Published: September 2024

Abstract: For the eighteenth-century novel, to be "interesting" was a problem. Influenced by a cultural discourse that invested art with an imperative to suppress the dangers of excessive passion, some novelists and critics suggested that novels could achieve this by presenting exemplary characters within immersive plots that held readerly attention more effectively than non-narrative genres. At the same time, they took seriously the counterclaim that thrilling narratives obstructed readers' absorption of the salutary moral messages promoted by characters. I propose that novelists including Samuel Richardson, Ann Radcliffe, and Charlotte Smith innovated formal techniques that sought to neutralize the perceived dangers of plot in order to cultivate calm and reflective readerly dispositions.
Scrolling Along: Spatial Design as Narrative in Thomas Hardy
Authors: Farrell John P.
Published: September 2024

Abstract: Thomas Hardy uses the painterly triptych of foreground, middle distance, and background in his narrative structures. These developments can be read as spatial scrolls. Their design recalls the narrative chronotope described by Mikhail Bakhtin. While the scroll is simple in form, Hardy deploys it complexly to delineate location, perspective, value, and identity. Many illustrations from his poetry such as "Wessex Heights," "The Pedigree," and "Poems of 1912–13" are examined. A Pair of Blue Eyes (1873), Return of the Native (1873), Tess of the d'Urbervilles (1891), Jude the Obscure (1895) and other novels use the scroll. The scroll design mediates the narrative interplay of optics and options in Hardy's work. The construct of Wessex is Hardy's most elaborate narrative and his most elaborate scroll.
The Pole and The Tree: Zitkála-šá's "Consciousness" and the New Thought
Authors: Sy Lloyd Alimboyao
Published: September 2024

Abstract: This article traces a strand of determined positive thinking in the work of Zitkála-Šá, a Yankton Sioux author, to late-nineteenth century metaphysical religious currents called the New Thought. I show how Zitkála-Šá's theories of "consciousness" resemble the work of contemporaneous pragmatic philosophy, but speak specifically to the concerns of Native peoples, exhibiting what Gerald Vizenor called "survivance." Furthermore, I connect this vision of Native life to her environmental imagery by showing how Zitkála-Šá's sylvan symbols (the tree and the pole) allow her to illustrate how Natives might concurrently embrace "consciousness" and traditional ways.
Mobilizing Literature: Social Movements and Post-1945 US Literary Studies
Authors: Lawrence Jeffrey
Published: September 2024

Abstract: This essay proposes a movements-based method for studying the development of US literature after World War II. It argues that the cultural materialist and institutionalist frameworks that have dominated post-1945 US literary studies in recent years have systematically overlooked the role of social movements as catalysts for cultural change. Through readings of the literary magazine n+1, the archival materials of Octavia Butler, and novels by a range of other major postwar US authors, it offers an account of how the collective mobilizations of the past sixty years—from Civil Rights, the New Left, and the Women's Movement to Occupy Wall Street, Black Lives Matter, and #MeToo—have decisively shifted the contours of the US literary field.
"The Ghosts of Predators Past": Nonhuman Specters and Extinction in Henry Clay Lewis's "Valerian and the Panther"
Authors: Bills Anna C.
Published: September 2024

ABSTRACT: Henry Clay Lewis's "Valerian and the Panther" (1850) offers a rich source for thinking about the haunting discourses of animals, extinction, and human geographies in the Anthropocene channeled through the focus on North America's infamous panther. The panther has become immortalized within the culture of the US South through both its significant role within the history of North America as well as its subsequent mythological construction as the American "ghost cat." Lewis's shadowy panther traverses the boundaries between life and death, between past and present, to haunt the swamp as the shadowy "ghost cat"—an effectively extinct animal whose continued place within the literary landscape is maintained by its spectral mythologization. Ultimately, this article argues that Lewis's panther materializes as a ghostly omen of the ecological destruction wrought by settler colonialism and a testament to the consequences of this destruction felt in our present moment through the large-scale extinction and notable absence of key species.
A Narrative of Crisis: Nancy Emerson's Diary and Healing through Writing
Authors: Özkan Hediye
Published: September 2024

ABSTRACT: Nancy Emerson, a middle-class white woman who lived with her brother's family in Augusta County, Virginia, kept a diary intermittently between May 1862 and November 1864. Emerson's diary can be defined as a narrative of crisis, generated to respond to, reduce, contain, and mitigate trauma due to the potential physical and psychological threat of the American Civil War. The narrative construction of traumatic experiences is a form of purification and catharsis, allowing Emerson to experience the stages of recovery by regaining a sense of community and establishing safety through writing, attending prayer meetings, reporting news, remembrance of and mourning for the dead, and Christian resignation. By combining psychiatric, literary, and historical approaches, this study offers contextualization of Emerson's narration, representation, and writing about physical and psychological crisis as a process of working through and recovery.
We are the Same Mind! A Study of Zongmi’s Idea of the True Mind
Authors: Hung Jenny
Published: September 2024

Guifeng Zongmi 圭峯宗密 (780-841) was a prominent Chinese Buddhist scholar who lived during the Tang Dynasty. He is considered to be one of the most important figures in the development of Chinese Buddhism, particularly the Huayan (Flower Garland) and the Chan school. Within his own philosophical framework, Zongmi introduced the concept of the “True Mind of original enlightenment” (benjue zhenxin本覺真心). This paper presents a fresh interpretation of True Mind theories in Buddhism, drawing inspiration from Zongmi’s teachings. The proposed interpretation holds the following: (1) We are the same mind as the cosmic True Mind; (2) The essence of the True Mind is reflexive awareness devoid of content, whereas its conditioned function is reflexive awareness with content. To support this perspective, I characterize awareness as a dynamic activity within the threefold structure of inner time-consciousness. By applying this framework, I argue that the True Mind can be regarded as unchanging because reflexive awareness without content is without the experience of the flow of time. This proposal aims to reconcile the tension between the concept of the permanent True Mind as our True Self and the Buddhist doctrines of universal emptiness and no-self.
A Confucian Criticism of Scientism: Revisiting the 1923 Controversy of the Life-View
Authors: Isay Gad
Published: September 2024

The life-views ( renshengguan ) of the supporters of scientism and of metaphysics in the 1923 controversy are distinct in their concept of the person, with consequences bearing on the nature of a proposed social order. This distinction became apparent when I deciphered the structure based on Confucian and Lebensphilosophie sources that underlie their views. Analysis demonstrates the radical approach of the supporters of science who are generally committed to a homogeneous context regardless of human or material. One attendant consequence of their argument is a concept of the person who realizes themselves in isolation from their surroundings. In contrast, the implicit framework of this-worldliness adopted by the supporters of metaphysics departs from the emotive and moral core of the person, acknowledging the resilience of lived experience. Endorsing the idea of human interrelatedness and interaction they denoted the heterogeneous context of human relations, contending that the person realizes herself in considerate responsiveness.
Increasing levels of cassava wastewater in the production of papaya formosa seedlings
Authors: Pereira Ramón Yuri Ferreira , Araújo Thalles Eduardo Rodrigues de , Oliveira Paula Sara Teixeira de , Silva Fabíola Luzia de Sousa , Nunes Rafaela Leopoldina Silva , Cordeiro Kleber Veras , Silva-Matos Raissa Rachel Salustriano da
Published: September 2024

Cassava wastewater (CWW) is rich in nutrients for plants, presenting great potential as an alternative fertilizer. However, this waste is incorrectly disposed of in the environment, which causes environmental problems. The objective was to evaluate the influence of increasing doses of CWW on the production of formosa papaya seedlings. The experiment was installed in a greenhouse from October 22 to December 5, 2019, in which a completely randomized design was applied with 4 treatments of different levels of CWW with 0 ml L-1, 6.25 ml L-1, 12.5 ml L-1, 25 ml L-1, where each treatment contained 4 replicates of 4 seedlings. Biometric parameters were evaluated to identify the effects of CWW on initial papaya growth. Data were subjected to analysis of variance by F test, and data were explored through regression analysis. Significance was found for root length (RL) and root diameter (RD). The other biometric parameters did not respond to the tested doses of CWW. The tested doses reduced the RL and the DR had the best performance with the dose of 13.5 ml L-1. 13.5 ml L-1 of cassava effluents is recommended for better development of DR. In general, this residue has an inhibitory effect on the initial growth of the papaya tree and is not recommended for the production of seedlings of this species.
The use of amino acids as bioactive substance: a strategy to increase yield in summer arugula (Eruca sativa L. Mill) crops
Authors: Dovis Veronica Lorena , Andrade Bruna Batista , Redondo Simone Ungari Azzolino , Erismann Norma de Magalhães
Published: September 2024

Foliar application of amino acids can assist crops to maintain homeostasis under diurnal temperature variations and excessive solar irradiance. The objectives of this study were to investigate the effects of the organic fraction and mineral nutrients of an amino acid solution on arugula plants and the effects of weekly applications of this solution on their growth and biomass yield. Two experiments were conducted in a completely randomized design, in a greenhouse (Experiment 1) and on open-field benches (Experiment 2), in Iracemápolis, SP, Brazil. Experiment 1 consisted of foliar applications of water (control), a solution containing 59 and 40.9 g ha-1 of nitrogen and sulfur, respectively (N+S), and a solution containing 85 g ha-1 of amino acids, with seven replications. Experiment 2 consisted of four different number (0, 1, 2, and 3) of weekly foliar applications of 85 g ha-1 of amino acids, with six replications. Chlorophyll a fluorescence, chlorophyll and carotenoid contents, and fresh and dry biomass weights were evaluated in both experiments. In Experiment 1, shoot fresh weight of plants treated with amino acids increased by 21% and 6% compared to those in the control and N+S treatment, respectively. Amino acid application increased chlorophyll and carotenoid contents, improving photosynthetic performance by increasing effective quantum efficiency of photosystem II and photochemical quenching. In Experiment 2, weekly application of 85 g ha-1 of amino acids increased shoot fresh weight by approximately 10% per application. Therefore, foliar application of amino acids can increase fresh biomass of arugula plants grown under both mild and warmer climate conditions.
Aplikasi Kontraktual Pembiayaan Murabahah pada Bank Syariah
Authors: Marwini Marwini
Published: September 2024

Spirit ekonomi syariah adalah untuk menghindari praktik ribawi dalam aktifitas ekonomi. Namun pada praktiknya dalam bisnis syariah, khususnya bank-bank syariah, menunjukkan bahwa mereka tidak mampu menghapus bunga dari transaksi-transaksi mereka. Produk pembiayaan yang menggunakan mekanisme murabahah mendominasi sekitar 80 sampai dengan 95 persen dari transaksi keuangan yang ada. Padahal skim murabahah sebagai produk perbankan syariah masih terjadi pro dan kontra. Mereka yang setuju terhadap konsep ini berpendapat bahwa konsep mark-up dalam murabahah adalah timbul bukanlah karena tempo pinjaman, melainkan timbul akibat adanya biaya-biaya dalam proses pelayanan. Pembiayaan KPR Syariah juga didominasi oleh akad murabahah yang mencapai 98% lebih. Oleh karena itu, tulisan ini melakukan kajian terhadap aplikasi kontrak murabahah dalam pembiayaan murabahah.
Perlindungan Konsumen dalam Kebijakan Konversi Minyak Tanah di Indonesia
Authors: Zubaidi Ahmad
Published: September 2024

Salah satu hak yang dimiliki oleh anggota masyarakat ialah memperoleh perlindungan dalam kedudukannya sebagai konsumen. Menurut Pasal 4 Undang-Undang Nomor 8 Tahun 1999 tentang Perlindungan Konsumen, konsumen berhak atas kenyamanan, keamanan, dan keselamatan selama menggunakan suatu produk. Salah satu produk yang selama ini banyak menimbulkan korban di tengah-tengah masyarakat adalah penggunaan gas LPG terutama yang merupakan bantuan dari pemerintah. Tulisan ini mengulas bagaimana perlindungan konsumen terhadap kebijakan konversi minyak tanah ke gas LPG di Indonesia.
Pelanggaran Etika Bisnis Terhadap Upah Kerja
Authors: Raya Fitri
Published: September 2024

Persoalan ketenagakerjaan di Indonesia bersifat kompleks, tidak hanya yang berkaitan dengan hubungan industrial saja tetapi juga berkaitan dengan politik ketenagakerjaan. Hal yang paling mendasar yang menjadi persoalan dalam hubungan ketenagakerjaan adalah masalah upah kerja. Upah kerja merupakan faktor utama yang menyebabkan munculnya gejolak di kalangan tenaga kerja, karena upah merupakan faktor penting bagi kelangsungan hidup tenaga kerja. Akan tetapi pemberian upah kepada tenaga kerja terkadang tidak sesuai dengan apa yang diharapkan, sehingga muncul perdebatan bahkan perselisihan antara tenaga kerja dan perusahaan. Cara pandang tehadap tenaga kerja menjadi penentu paradigma untuk memulai pemecahan persoalan upah kerja. Pertama, pandangan tentang manusia dan kerja. Kedua, relasi antara manifestasi kerja dengan upah. Ketiga, hak dasar tenaga kerja. Dengan melihat komponen tersebut, maka akan menemukan kejelasan dalam memposisikan tenaga kerja dalam masyarakat dan hubungan sosialnya dalam konteks kerja dan sistem pengupahan. Hal ini akan dapat terwujud jika etika berbisnis dalam suatu perusahaan dapat diwujudkan secara nyata dan menjadi prioritas utama. Karena berbicara masalah etika sangat berkaitan erat dengan moral suatu perusahaan dan organ yang ada dalam perusaahan tersebut. Oleh sebab itu, penulis mencoba membahas tentang etika bisnis dalam hal sistem pengupahan.
Chromogranin A in Physiology and Oncology
Authors: Louthan Oldřich
Published: September 2024

Chromogranin A (CgA) is a hydrophilic acidic one-chain peptide containing 439 amino acids, preceded by NH2-terminal 18-amino-acid signal peptide; the complete pre-chromogranin A molecule thus encompasses 457 amino acids. It is a member of the chromogranin family that comprises several proteins. The CgA gene is a single-copy gene localized in the locus 14q32. Chromogranin A is produced by endocrine and neuroendocrine cells. The largest amount of CgA occurs in chromaffin granules of adrenal medulla and in the dense-core vesicles of sympathetic nerves. Its biological functions have not been completely elucidated, but it is known that it acts as a precursor of many biologically active peptides generated by cleavage at specific sites. It is the major soluble protein co-stored and co-released along with resident catecholamines and polypeptide hormones or cell-specific neurotransmitters. Because of its widespread distribution in neuroendocrine tissue, it can be used both as immunohistochemical marker and serum marker of neuroendocrine tumours. CgA has been used as a rather reliable tumour marker because its level is significantly increased in neuroendocrine tumours and changes of its level reflect the tumour response to therapy or tumour recurrence.
Genetic Variants in Haem Oxygenase-1 and Endothelial Nitric Oxide Synthase Influence the Extent and Evolution of Coronary Artery Atherosclerosis
Authors: Král Aleš , Kovárník T. , Králík L. , Skalická H. , Horák J. , Mintz G. S. , Uhrová J. , Sonka M. , Wahle A. , Downe R. , Aschermann M. , Martásek P. , Linhart A.
Published: September 2024

The genetic basis for atherosclerosis development and progression is poorly characterized. We aimed to assess the relationship between endothelial nitric oxide synthase (ENOS) 894 G/T, haem oxygenase-1 (HO1) dinucleotide-length promoter polymorphisms and coronary artery atherosclerotic involvement and its changes during statin therapy. Coronary angiography, intravascular ultrasound (IVUS), IVUS-derived virtual histology (VH) and genetic polymorphism analysis were performed at study entry. Patients were randomized 1 : 1 to standard or aggressive hypolipidaemic treatment, and a follow-up evaluation was performed after twelve months. Plaque magnitude was significantly higher in carriers of HO1 risk variants when compared with carriers of the protective variants (< 25 GT repeats). Similarly, the total coronary atherosclerotic burden was significantly greater in HO1 risk variant carriers than in HO1 protective variant carriers. Both parameters did not differ with respect to the ENOS genotype. A higher prevalence of thin-cap fibroatheroma (TCFA) in HO1 risk variant carriers was observed, compared with the HO1 protective variant carriers. The prevalence of TCFA was not influenced by the ENOS genotype. Baseline plaque composition did not differ significantly with respect to both polymorphisms. Significant interactions between plaque composition changes and ENOS and HO1 genotypes were observed during statin treatment. In conclusion, the protective HO1 promoter polymorphism correlates with a lower coronary artery plaque burden, whereas the protective ENOS 894 G/T polymorphism seems to favourably influence changes of coronary artery plaque composition during statin therapy, but has no significant correlation to the magnitude of coronary atherosclerosis.
Study of the Effect of Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy on the Status of Her2/neu
Authors: Skálová H. , Dundr P. , Povýšil C. , Velenská Z. , Petruželka L. , Tvrdík Daniel
Published: September 2024

Her2/neu proto-oncogene amplification and protein over-expression is observed in 20–40 % of patients with breast cancer and plays a crucial role in invasive breast cancer and its treatment. A number of studies postulated the stability of Her2/neu gene expression, showing that in most patients the status of expression had not significantly changed after the neoadjuvant treatment. In the present study, we investigated samples from 20 patients with invasive breast carcinoma who had undergone neoadjuvant chemotherapy and subsequent surgery. In all cases, the expression level of Her2/neu was evaluated in both pre-therapeutically obtained tumour tissue by core needle biopsy and from specimens obtained during final surgery using immunohistochemistry. Fluorescence in situ hybridization and quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction methods were used for verifying the results obtained by immunohistochemistry. Her2/neu status determined by immunohistochemistry remained unchanged in 12 of 20 (60 %) patients after neoadjuvant treatment. In six cases (30 %) minor changes were observed after the treatment. However, in two cases (10 %) we found altered Her2/neu expression from strongly positive in the pre-treatment biopsy to negative in the post-treatment surgery specimen. Moreover, this is the first report describing the changes in Her2/neu status at all protein, RNA and DNA levels by using immunohistochemistry, quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and fluorescence in situ hybridization, respectively. By using variable methods we demonstrated possible new ways for Her2/neu detection and their dependability. Improvement in specific molecule detection can prevent the use of tailored targeted therapy in an untargeted manner.
Mitoxantrone in Combination with a DNA-PK Inhibitor: Possible Therapy of Promyelocytic Leukaemia Resistant Forms
Authors: Mikusová V. , Tichý A. , Řezáčová M. , Vávrová Jiřina
Published: September 2024

The aim of the study was to sensitize cells of human promyelocytic leukaemia HL-60/MX2 (resistant to mitoxantrone and further substances interacting with topoisomerase II) to the effect of mitoxantrone (MTX). We demonstrated that the main mechanism of the HL-60/MX2 cell atypical multiple drug resistance is not only their altered activity of topoisomerase II and reduced levels of topoisomerase II α and β proteins. The resistance of the HL-60/ MX2 cells to MTX is associated with their increased ability to repair DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) in these cells. The HL-60/MX2 cells, compared to HL-60 cells (which are sensitive to MTX effects), contain large amounts of DNA-PK, which is responsible for the main pathway of the DSB repair, nonhomogenous end joining (NHEJ), and they also contain large amounts of further repair proteins Rad50 and Nbs1, which are important in both types of the repair processes (NHEJ as well as homologous recombination). We demonstrated that specific DNAPK inhibitor NU7026 reduced the amount of DNAPK in HL60/MX2, thus preventing the DSB repair through the NHEJ pathway after the incubation with MTX and in this way essentially abolished the resistance of these cells to MTX.
Analysis of Chromosomal Aberrations in Patients with Mental Retardation Using the Array-CGH Technique: a Single Czech Centre Experience
Authors: Zrnová E. , Vranová V. , Slámová I. , Gaillyová R. , Kuglík Petr
Published: September 2024

Submicroscopic structural chromosomal aberrations (microduplications and microdeletions) are believed to be common causes of mental retardation. These so-called copy number variations can now be routinely detected using various platforms for array-based comparative genomic hybridization (array-CGH), which allow genome-wide identification of pathogenic genomic imbalances. In this study, oligonucleotide-based array-CGH was used to investigate a panel of 23 patients with mental retardation and developmental delay, dysmorphic features or congenital anomalies. Array-CGH confirmed or revealed 16 chromosomal aberrations in a total of 12 patients. Analysis of parental samples showed that five aberrations had occurred de novo: del(1)(p36.33p36.23), del(4)(p16.3p16.2) joined with dup(8)(p23.3p23.1), del(6)(q14.1q15), del(11)(q13.1q13.4). Three aberrations appeared to be inherited from an unaffected parent: dup(3)(q29), del(6)(q12), dup(16)(p13.11). Six aberrations appeared to be inherited from a parental carrier: del(1)(p36.33) joined with dup(12)(q24.32), del(21)(q22.2q22.3) joined with dup(11)(q24.2q25), del(X)(q22.3) and del(1)(q21.1). In two cases, parents were not available for testing: del(17)(q11.2q12) and del(2)(q24.3q31.1). Our results show that the use of oligonucleotide-based array-CGH in a clinical diagnostic laboratory increases the detection rate of pathogenic submicroscopic chromosomal aberrations in patients with mental retardation and congenital abnormalities, but it also presents challenges for clinical interpretation of the results (i.e. distinguishing between pathogenic and benign variants). Difficulties with analysis notwithstanding, the array-CGH is shown to be a sensitive, fast and reliable method for genome-wide screening of chromosomal aberrations in patients with mental retardation and congenital abnormalities.
Komplexität in der Produktion – Herausforderungen durch Über- und Unterforderung
Authors: Brinzer Boris , Schneider Konstanze
Published: September 2024

The growing complexity of production processes coincides with accelerated changes in the environment and the workforce. The negative effects of inadequate complexity in production can be seen at the employee and the process level, and without complexity management they can threaten the existence of the company. A cross-company study with a tested evaluation methodology highlights challenges caused by overcharging or under-challenging complexity levels as well as their effects on employees and processes.
Methodische Entwicklung und Bewertung neuer Fertigungsrouten
Authors: Marker Edgar , Bergner Jan , Holzer Katja , Volk Wolfram , Hartmann Christoph
Published: September 2024

When developing and evaluating production routes, the focus is often on economic aspects. It is difficult to take qualitative product properties into account as they are difficult to quantify. Using the example of the development of a new production route for the manufacture of large-volume hydrogen pressure vessels, this article presents a methodology that makes it possible to identify new routes and evaluate them according to quantitative and qualitative criteria using a key figure. This should make it easy to compare different production routes.
Rattervermeidung beim Fräsen mit Industrierobotern
Authors: Evers Lasse , Blühm Melchior , Weise Tom , Dege Jan Hendrik
Published: September 2024

The machining of components is usually carried out using specialized machine tools, which shift the stability limit towards high productivity due to their high rigidity and damping. An intelligent design of the end effector promises a positive influence on the stability limit in order to achieve comparable results with more cost-effective industrial robots. This article therefore investigates the influence of different milling spindles and tool concepts on the stability of milling processes on an industrial robot.
Dynamische Kollisionsvermeidung in der Fräsbearbeitung
Authors: Winkler Martin , Denkena Berend
Published: September 2024

Complex milling processes often require extensive preliminary checks in order to avoid collisions between the tool, clamping device and workpiece. The resulting costs can only be allocated to a few workpieces, especially in small series production, and represent a challenge in view of the increasing complexity of product portfolios. This article presents a method for automatic collision avoidance in milling. A process-parallel simulation is coupled directly with the machine tool in order to precisely detect collisions and enable dynamic reactions. The results show that the proposed method could successfully avoid 100 % of provoked collisions and thus can significantly increase the efficiency of machining processes.
Faith, Networks, and the Ballot: Unveiling the Hidden Drivers of Voting Intentions in Indonesia's 2024 Election
Authors: Setiawan Tery , AS Hikam Muhammad , Suhartomo Antonius
Published: September 2024

This study investigates the extent to which social network characteristics, religious identity, and past political participation influence voting intentions in Indonesia's 2024 general election, with a particular focus on the implications of religiosity in a predominantly Muslim society. A quantitative survey method was employed, gathering primary data through both online and offline surveys from 314 participants across selected locations in Indonesia. Multilevel modelling techniques were used to analyse the relationship between social network characteristics, religious identity, and voting intentions. The results revealed that social network characteristics, such as the frequency of interaction and socio-political discussions, do not significantly influence voting intentions. In contrast, religiocentrism negatively impacts voting intentions, suggesting that individuals with more conservative religious beliefs are less likely to vote. However, past offline political participation was found to be a strong positive predictor of voting intentions. These findings highlight the need for targeted interventions that address the concerns of conservative religious groups and reinforce the civic duty associated with voting. Understanding the limited role of social networks in this context can inform strategies to increase voter turnout in future elections. This study provides new insights into the complex interplay between religious identity, social networks, and political behaviour in Indonesia, a predominantly Muslim and culturally diverse nation, particularly in the post-pandemic socio-political landscape.
The Mediating Role of Communication in Fostering Religious Tolerance within a Diverse Society
Authors: Abadi Totok Wahyu , Zetira Andrea Resha , Balahmar Ahmad Riyadh Umar , Longani Kirti Dang
Published: September 2024

This study aims to examine the influence of social prejudice, local wisdom, social piety, religious identity, and communication behaviour on religious tolerance in Sidoarjo Regency. It focuses on the mediating role of communication behaviour in strengthening or weakening the impact of these variables on religious tolerance. A quantitative research approach was adopted, using a structured questionnaire to collect data from respondents in the Sidoarjo Regency. The data was analysed using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) to test the relationships between the variables and the mediating role of communication behaviour. The results show that communication behaviour plays a crucial role in mediating the influence of social prejudice, local wisdom, social piety, and religious identity on religious tolerance. While social prejudice, local wisdom, and religious identity do not have direct significant effects on tolerance, their impact is enhanced through effective communication. Communication behaviour, characterised by openness, empathy, and support, positively influences religious tolerance, whereas ineffective communication diminishes the positive effects of other variables. The findings suggest that strategies to improve religious tolerance should prioritise communication behaviour. Policymakers, educators, and community leaders are encouraged to implement programmes that foster open dialogue, empathy, and respect among diverse religious groups to strengthen social harmony. This study provides new insights into the role of communication behaviour as a mediating variable in the relationship between social factors and religious tolerance, offering practical implications for enhancing tolerance in multicultural societies.
Food Taboos and Cultural Resilience: A Study on the Role of Rice Prohibition in Maintaining Food Security and Ecological Sustainability
Authors: Anditasari Putri , Dilawati Rika , Ahmadi Farhan Agung , Hendrawangsyah Hendrawangsyah
Published: September 2024

: This research explores the role of food taboos in Kampung Adat Cireundeu, focusing on the community’s prohibition against rice consumption and its significance in maintaining cultural identity and food security. Using a qualitative descriptive approach, data were collected through in-depth interviews with key informants and direct observations of the community’s food practices. Historical and secondary data were also reviewed. The study found that the food taboos in Cireundeu are deeply connected to the community's historical resistance to colonisation and their religious beliefs in Sunda Wiwitan. These taboos serve as a cultural safeguard and a strategy for ensuring food resilience by relying on cassava as a staple crop. The findings suggest that indigenous knowledge systems and food taboos can play a critical role in promoting sustainable food security and cultural preservation. This has implications for policy development in areas of food sovereignty and ecological sustainability. This research offers a novel perspective on the intersection of historical, cultural, and ecological factors in shaping food practices, contributing to the broader understanding of how food taboos function within indigenous communities to maintain resilience against modern challenges.
The Integration of Bugis Cultural Values and Islamic Teachings in Digital Media
Authors: Mahanani Prima Ayu Rizqi , Syafuddin Khairul
Published: September 2024

This study aims to explore how Ustaz Das'ad Latif utilises YouTube to integrate Bugis cultural values with Islamic teachings, focusing on marriage. The research employs a multimodal discourse analysis framework to examine the ideational, interpersonal, and textual functions in Ustaz Das'ad Latif's YouTube lectures. The study reveals that Siri’ culture, central to Bugis identity, is intertwined with Islamic values, particularly regarding gender roles, honour, and family dynamics. Digital media serves as an effective tool for both preserving and reshaping these cultural values. The findings suggest that digital platforms like YouTube can serve as vital spaces for the global dissemination and transformation of local traditions, offering new interpretations that resonate across cultural boundaries. This research provides novel insights into the role of digital media in preserving local religious traditions while adapting them for broader audiences, contributing to the growing literature on religion, culture, and technology.
Religious Responses to Agricultural Crises: Exploring the Diverse Patterns in Garut, Indonesia
Authors: Shodiqin Asep
Published: September 2024

This study explores the critical role of religious patterns in shaping responses to agricultural crises, specifically focusing on the failure of the strawberry harvest in Barudua Village, Garut, West Java. The research employs a qualitative case study approach, examining three distinct sub-villages, each with unique religious practices: exclusive-protective, participatory, and progressive. Through interviews, observations, and thematic analysis, the study reveals how these religious patterns influence the community's resilience and adaptability in the face of crisis. The findings indicate that while exclusive-protective patterns tend to foster passivity, participatory and progressive patterns encourage community engagement, innovation, and social cohesion. These results suggest that integrating religious perspectives into agricultural crisis management can enhance community resilience and offer sustainable solutions. This research provides practical insights for policymakers and community leaders, empowering them to develop culturally sensitive and effective strategies for managing agricultural challenges.