bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The impact of self-congruity to destination brand love in tourists in Ho Chi Minh city
Authors: Pham Hung Cuong , Le Giang Nam , Chong Nguyet Anh , Le Kim Khanh
Published: February 2025

Through the survey of 468 residents and tourists in Ho Chi Minh City from April 4, 2023, to May 4, 2023, the article shows that ideal self-congruity, and ideal social self-congruity significantly affect the destination brand love. Furthermore, immersion mediates additionally the impact of actual self-congruity, and social selfcongruity on the destination brand love.
Factors affecting business performance: A study of Vietnamese listed plastic industry enterprises in the Vietnamese stock market
Authors: Tran The Nu
Published: February 2025

The business performance of enterprises is influenced by numerous internal and external factors. This study investigates six internal factors and two external factors that impact the business performance of plastic industry enterprises listed on the Vietnamese stock market and proposes several solutions. The research team employs a panel data regression model using data from 48 plastic industry companies listed on the HOSE and HNX stock exchanges over the period 2015-2022. The results reveal that 5 out of the 8 factors analyzed have a significant impact on business performance, namely: company size, quick ratio, total asset turnover, debt-to-total assets ratio, and business age.
Dynamics Of Succession Planning Strategies For Sustainability Of Small To Medium Enterprises In Karoi Urban Zimbabwe
Authors: Kamupini Aidha , Kajongwe Collen , Msipah Nothando
Published: February 2025

The major objective of the study is to assess the effectiveness of succession planning strategies for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) sustainability. The study is guided by the Game Theory of Succession Planning. Mixed method approach affixed on Pragmatism research Philosophy anchors this study. The population of the study were all 40 registered furniture manufacturing SMEs in Karoi urban. However, using Raosoft sample size calculator with a 5% margin of error and 95% confidence level, the sample size reached was 37 owner-managers of the SMEs. Quantitative data were uploaded on SPSS Version 21 and analysed using descriptive statistics and correlations. Qualitative data were also analysed thematically and graphically presented in cloud format using NVIVO version 29. Major findings of the study show that succession planning plays a pivotal role in the transfer of relationships and strategic direction, it also ensures the seamless transition of relationships cultivated by key personnel in and organisation. In proactively preparing for transitions, SMEs can avoid the negative impact of unexpected personnel changes on business operations. However, SMEs need to adopt and implement succession planning policies in place to achieve objectives. Leadership vacuums in fostering a culture of growth need to research for SMEs sustainability
Assessment of Employee Involvement on Innovation in Manufacturing SMEs in Harare Metropolitan Province, Zimbabwe
Authors: Machinga J , Madzimure Ngorora , Kajongwe Collen
Published: February 2025

The study sought to assess the effectiveness of employee involvement on innovation in manufacturing Small to Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Harare Metropolitan Province. The Resource Based View Theory underpinned the qualitative study. Purposive sampling was used to select 15 furniture manufacturing SMEs where interview guides were used to solicit data which then was analyzed and presented thematically. Due diligence to ethics was done through ethical clearance. Major findings of the study demonstrated that employee involvement emerges as a critical factor in driving manufacturing SMEs' sustainable growth and competitiveness through high-impact innovations. Results also show that employee involvement promotes open communication and collaboration among team members, departments, and management. This fosters a culture of teamwork and synergy, enabling smoother operations and better problem-solving. However, based on the study results, the conclusions were that manufacturing SME leaders who engage their employees in the most critical decision-making and empower them to embrace critical thinking in solving productive problems at work yield sustainable performance.  Further study needs to be done on the same aspect of employee engagement on the performance of all small businesses in Zimbabwe
Evaluation of career development strategies on the sustainable growth of manufacturing Small to Medium Enterprises in Masvingo Urban, Zimbabwe
Authors: Machinga J , Kajongwe Collen , Madzimure Portia, Kuda
Published: February 2025

The major objective of the study was to evaluate the implications of career development strategies on the sustainable growth of manufacturing Small to Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Masvingo Urban. The qualitative study focused on 20 purposively selected SMEs that have been in operations in the same business for not less than ten years because of their business experiences. Structured interviews were used to collect data which was analyzed and presented using themes. Study findings showed that SMEs that strengthen career planning for employees not only provide them with growing and most potential progress opportunities, reduce turnover intentions, and increase quality. Furthermore, research findings show that career development creates promotion opportunities within SMEs, provides training opportunities, and skills development to improve employees' employability in the external and internal labor market. Additionally, research findings reflected that career development helps foster continuous improvement and innovation culture within SMEs. Based on the study results, the conclusions drawn were that the existence of career management provides the necessary support for developing knowledge, skills, and behaviors essential for both SMEs and individual success. A longitudinal study needs to be done on the challenges of all SMEs in adopting career development strategies in Zimbabwe
Innovation and Performance Of Retail Small To Medium Enterprises In Harare Metropolitan Province Zimbabwe
Authors: Masamba Terrence , Bhebhe Thomas , Kajongwe Collen
Published: February 2025

The integration of innovation into various aspects of society and the economy has the potential to transform industries and re-define business models. The study aims at assessing effects of innovation and the performance of retail Small to Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Harare Metropolitan Province. The study is guided by Pragmatism Research Philosophy. Structured questionnaires and structured interview guides were used to collect quantitative and qualitative data from 60 respondents. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics and correlations while qualitative data were analysed using NVivo. The main study findings establish that there is a positive relationship between innovation and performance of retail SMEs. Study findings show that innovation promotes the adoption of advanced technologies within the retail sector. This includes technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), big data analytics, the Internet of Things (IoT) and cloud computing. These technologies can enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of retail operations, streamline supply chains, improve customer experience and support data-driven decision-making. The study also reveals that innovation optimises retail operations and improves efficiency. By automating manual processes and integrating systems, SMEs reduce costs, minimise errors and enhance productivity. For instance, adopting inventory management systems and point of sale (POS) solutions can streamline inventory control, reduce stock outs and improve overall operational performance. The recommendations proffered by the study is that government should provide the necessary support such as digital skills training and favourable policies that enhance retail SMEs productivity.
Leveraging Sales Data Analytics For Sustainable Strategy Development In Telecommunications Evidence From Zimbabwe
Authors: Dube Edward , Sifile Obert , Bemani Joseph , Mbizi Rangarirai
Published: February 2025

This study aims to investigate how sales data analytics can leverage sustainability strategies in Zimbabwe's telecommunications sector. Sustainable practices ensure long-term viability. The article examines how sales analytics support sustainability processes contextually. A quantitative approach employed a survey of 80 stakeholders from TelOne and NetOne, Zimbabwe's major telecommunication companies (telcos). Seventy-one (71) stakeholders responded. Structural equation modelling using Analysis of Moment structures established three sales analytics dimensions: diagnostic, predictive and prescriptive. Diagnostic sales analysis strongly correlates
Mikroudgravning
Authors: Strehle Helle
Published: February 2025

Micro-excavationA method for documenting a micro-stratigraphy
This article describes a method for harvesting, recording and systemising data from a heavily degraded and compressed body of block-lifted archaeological remains. The thickness of these remains was a maximum 3 cm, and identification was only possible with the aid of a micro­scope. An unorthodox way of implementing Harris matrices is demonstrated, by which the archaeological remains can reveal a picture of a more than 3000-year-old burial ritual.The article first describes the archaeo­logical context of the Kongsted burial mound, the latest of the iconic Danish Bronze Age mounds containing well-­preserved oak-log coffins to be investigated, and the first since 1935. Figure 1 shows how the block was lifted within the oak-log coffin and figure 3 combines the geo-referenced sword with the skeletal parts. In figure 2, the sword is seen exposed in the block in the conservation laboratory.The article describes in detail the special conditions for the preservation of organic materials prevailing in a Bronze Age burial mound with a preserved iron pan. For example, for protein-based materials such as hair (fig. 7), fur (fig. 6), woollen textile fibres (fig. 12), skin fibres (fig. 8) and the seldom surviving horn, which constitutes the hilt of the sword (fig. 14). It is then explained how the corroding bronze sword has created special preservative conditions for organic materials such as the mineralised hair from fur (fig. 9).Furthermore, the article describes how the organic remains were extracted from the block and how they were identified under the microscope and with reference to the relevant literature. Features that are characteristic of bone (fig. 10) and skin (fig. 8) were detected at x100 magnification and hair at x200 magnification (fig. 7).Archaeologically interesting details were also identified, such as the preserved oak sheath for the sword (fig. 15) and even its fur lining (fig. 16). Textile made a coarse, plainly woven z-spun type woollen thread was detected as being widespread in the vicinity of the sword (figs. 11-12), while a construction detail of the cloth, a curved edge, was also visible (fig. 13).The block was defined by macroscopically obvious remains, namely the lid and bottom of the coffin, the skeletal parts and the bronze sword. The heavily degraded, compact fill was preserved between these clear horizons. Multiple samples were taken from the fill, the materials identified and their relation to each other noted on several plan drawings of the various hori­zons. The material identifications were illustrated by short Harris matrices, which were then combined with the horizons of the block to form a ‘cloud of matrices’, indicating the overall micro-stratigraphy of the contents of the grave (fig. 4).Tentative suggestions about the nature of the burial ritual are made and illustrated (fig. 5). Finally, the potential for employing this method for harvesting and recording data from a degraded micro-­stratigraphy is outlined.
Hverdagslivet i vikingetidens Vorbasse
Authors: Hvass Lone , Hvass Steen
Published: February 2025

Everyday life in Viking Age VorbasseBetween ancient practices and revolutionary innovations
Over the past 30 years, hundreds of Iron Age and Viking Age villages have been excavated, but Vorbasse remains unique due to its state of preservation and the proportion of the site that was uncovered in the 1970s and 80s. In the Early Viking Age, the Vorbasse village was small, hardly the size of the average of Jutland village, but it was still the most important settlement in its immediate area (fig. 1). Despite only consisting of six farms, it nevertheless became a church town and the largest local ejerlav (= vill or cadastral district). The village is classified as a typical adelby (= noble town) with extended settlement continuity.Six wells associated with the Early Viking Age village were excavated at Vorbasse, and these were found to contain many well-preserved wooden objects. Since most of these wells have been dated dendrochronologically, the objects found in them can also be dated accurately. Preserved wooden objects are rare finds in the Viking Age villages excavated in Denmark. Conversely, the preservation conditions at early urban sites from the Viking Age and Early Middle Ages are so favourable that many wooden objects associated with activities in daily life have been recovered. The largest body of material is from Hedeby, and the impression gained here is that wooden household objects constituted a significantly larger group than those of pottery, soapstone and other materials combined.The assemblage of wooden artefacts recovered from Vorbasse includes many already known types, such as the wooden bowl with a handle, seen in many variants elsewhere, including at Hedeby and at Trelleborg on Zealand (figs. 12a and 12d). The stave-built bucket (fig. 12 g) is represented at Trelleborg. Similar spades to the Vorbasse examples (fig. 12c) have been found at several other sites, for example the royal mounds at Jelling and the ramparts of Danevirke near Hedeby. Similar ladders to those from Vorbasse are also seen elsewhere, including at the site of Næs in southern Zealand (figs. 8b and 11). Wagon axles, too, are known from other sites, including a well-preserved identical example from Viborg Søndersø. But the trough, baking peel (fig. 12c) and hayfork (fig. 12b) have as yet no parallels at other Viking Age sites in Denmark.
“The Gay Factor” – Exploring the Gay/Straight Wage Gap in Men
Authors: Mai Thien
Published: February 2025

Is there a wage penalty for being gay? Previous research has indicated a sizable wage gap between gay and straight men of up to 25%. At the same time, national polling indicates increasing acceptance of gay marriage and gay relationships in general. Using the most recent data available (American Community Survey, 2012), I find a gay premium of ~6%, a number which is robust across a number of sample limitations. This premium may be partially related to urban residence which is unobserved in the public use samples of the ACS.
The African-American female body as spectacle in Hurston’s Their Eyes Were Watching God
Authors: Lee Loren
Published: February 2025

Saartjie Baartman, also known as the Hottentot Venus, was an enslaved Khoikhoi woman taken from South Africa and put on display throughout Europe during the 19th century because of her prominent sexual features. Even in death, Baartman did not find peace. Her body was displayed publicly in a museum in France until 1976, and finally, her remains were repatriated to South Africa in 2002 following demands by Nelson Mandela for her return. The female body is often used as the representation of ideas (justice, liberty, abundance). The Hottentot Venus was once a physical representation of the eroticization and manipulation of the black female, but now, she passes into abstraction and becomes yet another metaphorical receptacle of power and ideas. However in Their Eyes Were Watching God, Zora Neale Hurston successfully avoids the literary trope of establishing her protagonist, Janie Mae Crawford, simply as the black woman who overcomes racism and sexism. Rather, Hurston initially establishes Janie Mae Crawford as the exhibit of both racial and sexual power. She then systematically removes the factors that withhold agency and selfhood from Janie to create the concept of a woman that exists separate from the pedestal. Janie escapes the spectacle-spectator relationship and gains selfhood by taking absolute ownership of her body.
Obesity and the Effects of Excess Adiposity on Bone Properties, Health, and Function
Authors: Taylor Lisa Anne
Published: February 2025

This article aims to inform on the relationships that exist between obesity, a fairly modern ailment to the human species, and bone mechanical properties and function. Because the phenomenon that is obesity is so contemporary, it’s progressive effects on the skeletal system are poorly understood. Many previous studies aimed to prove that obesity had a positive effect on bone mass. It was believed that obesity and the excess body mass attributed to it essentially increased BMD by presenting load bearing bones with higher levels of stress than their non-obese counterparts, but this assumption of a positive correlation seems to be confounded by a variety of biological and endocrinological factors. The following sections will explore the effects that diets high in saturated fats and its consequence, obesity, have on the absorption of dietary calcium. This flaw in the absorption of dietary calcium may mean the decreasing ability of bone, particularly trabecular bone, to maintain proper density and in turn, become increasingly brittle. Combined with the increase in mechanical loading regimes that excess adiposity may present weight-bearing bones with, an understanding of these combined effects on bone biology is pivotal. This paper will also explore the relationships that exist between obesity, serum leptin levels and inflammatory responses, and bone properties. All of these factors (calcium absorption, leptin, and inflammatory responses) are important for bone growth, function, and mechanics, especially in respect to senescence. The previously mentioned “side effects” of obesity are also recognized as factors in the initiation of osteoporosis. Consequently, there must exist a relationship between obesity and osteoporosis. The bulk of this article will further explore this refined relationship in order to prove that the effects of obesity are indeed deleterious to health, and ultimately, to the function of bone as well.
Not Just Objects: Alaska Native Material Culture at the McClung Museum of Natural History and Culture
Authors: Johnson Christine
Published: February 2025

As a curatorial intern at the McClung Museum at the University of Tennessee, I have come into contact with a collection of over one hundred pieces of material culture that originate from Native communities in what is now the state of Alaska. As a former resident of the state, I understand the diversity of the region’s Indigenous population, and am concerned with the common curatorial practice of lumping all Native Alaskan cultures into one monolithic group (i.e. “Eskimos). In museums, the usage of outdated and inaccurate terminology in identifying the material culture of these communities is a remnant of colonialism and is especially troublesome in a university setting . Through my work at the McClung Museum, I conclude that one of the first steps to eradicate this practice is to engage in community collaboration with members of source communities, especially artists and elders. This paper explores the origins of the misrepresentation of Indigenous people in American museums, the current situation as it pertains to Native Alaskan material culture, examples of successful community collaboration, and my research and collaboration processes with the McClung Museum’s Native Alaskan holdings.
Swallow Imagery in the Spring Fresco
Authors: Lovelace Chloe
Published: February 2025

The Spring Fresco, or the fresco of the Room of the Lilies, from the Delta Complex at the Late Bronze Age site of Akrotiri is considered to be the first painting of a nature scene in European art history. With this has come significant analysis of the fresco, which covers three walls of the small room. There has been much discussion regarding the room’s purpose and the iconographic meaning of the images in the fresco, especially in regards to the flying swallows. Initially thought to be birds in courtship, the birds are now thought to be engaging in behavior that is much more substantive. Present scholarly opinion is divided about whether they display parental or combative behavior. However, neither of these explanations fully accounts for all the bird behavior depicted in this room or for the birds’ relationship to the other components of the painting: the lilies and the multi-colored rocks. Moreover, neither interpretation accords well with the purported cultic function of the room. This paper seeks to offer an alternative explanation of the swallows and the lilies as representations of the cycle of life. This interpretation accounts for all of the swallow and lily images in the room and it fits its cultic context much better, thus providing a deeper and more holistic understanding of the entire assemblage.
Migrant Labor in the Arabian Gulf: A Case Study of Dubai, UAE
Authors: Hamza Sara
Published: February 2025

This research explores the topic of labor migration in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states – Bahrain, Oman, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates -- and seeks to determine how the subjugation of migrant laborers is initiated and perpetuated. The kafala (sponsorship) system has played a central role in the rapid economic development in the GCC states. Though it has allowed the Gulf States to obtain the resources necessary to develop both economically and cosmetically, the system has had an array of undesirable byproducts that have significantly altered the texture of Gulf societies. The kafalasystem promotes the rapid influx of migrants to meet the labor demand while simultaneously subjugating this imported population through its lax regulations and exclusion from the legal framework in Gulf States. As a result, the Gulf has witnessed an emergence of multi-tiered societies where locals are situated in the top tier and migrant populations consistently occupy the lowest rungs of society. The kafala system has produced structural inequalities in Gulf States and has resulted in grave human rights abuses against migrant laborers. Today, the effects of the kafala system are visible in every aspect of Gulf society. A case study of Dubai, United Arab Emirates is used to examine how legal norms produce and interact with the lived experiences of South Asian migrant laborers. The case study discusses how the kafala system unfolds in one of the most iconic cities in the world and seeks to articulate the lived experiences that are often omitted from modernization narratives.
Witch Hunting in Seventeenth-Century England: a Historiographical Review
Authors: MacLean Rachael
Published: February 2025

An explanation of witch hunting in seventeenth-century England must explain two principle facts: the rise in frequency of witch persecution during the late sixteenth and early seventeenth century, and the gender and socioeconomic distribution of those tried for witchcraft. Few arguments have managed to address the true complexity of English witch trials. While most tried witches were poor women, some were wealthy, active members of the community, and a significant minority of tried witches was male. I found current historiographical arguments about seventeenth-century England witch hunting only partially sufficient and not fully comprehensive. The Thomas/Macfarlane model presents too rigid a binary and doesn’t explain the variation of accused witches, the religious model relies too heavily on a rigid distinction between popular and elite culture, and the psychological model does not manage to cover the full diversity of tried witches or the motives of the accuser. Only by considering elements of each theory can one reach a comprehensive picture of witch hunting that addresses all the evidence.
Herd Immunity: Does Social Media Affect Adherence to the CDC Childhood Vaccination Schedule?
Authors: Bolton Katherine , Memory Kendall , McMillan Cody
Published: February 2025

Social Media can alter herd immunity by having a subtle yet pervasive impact on the adherence to the Childhood Vaccination Schedule recommended by the Center for Disease Control (CDC). Parents of children (newborn to young adults) utilize social media to acquire medical information such as the CDC’s Recommended Childhood Vaccination Schedule. Complying with anti-vaccination messages can result in parents not vaccinating their children, leading to a decline in the public’s herd immunity against known pathogens. However, there is a dearth of information about the possible impact of social media on herd immunity from childhood vaccination. Thus, this literature review will discuss the emerging themes from the current science in an effort to provide an initial understanding. In addition, the authors will provide a framework by which these themes demonstrate the ‘pitfalls’ of social media.
Santa Maria Antiqua: The Amalgamation of Identity in Early Medieval Rome
Authors: Davis Cayce
Published: February 2025

The intent of this investigation is to frame an identity for the church of Santa Maria Antiqua and the urban condition of Rome during the sixth through eighth centuries. Coupling topographical and semiotic information with larger geographic issues, this study interrogates the church and specific individuals associated with it as a way of more comprehensively understanding Santa Maria Antiqua as a visual medium of cultural change and political propaganda. Narrating the complex formation of personal and social identity at the site allows us to understand greater physical and social contexts and explore more thoroughly early Christian Rome.
Do misery and happiness both love company? The emotional consequences of listening to experiences shared by others.
Authors: Warchol Samantha
Published: February 2025

Sharing personal experiences and events is an important component of developing personal relationships and connecting with others. Two adages present contradictory thoughts on how “friends” will respond to personal accomplishments or difficulties. The first claims, “When times get rough, you will find out who your real friends are”; the other claims, “Misery loves company”. This study focuses on how sharing information affects individual mood in order to understand how sharing a personal experience may affect relationships and listeners. Previous research has focused on how the speaker potentially benefits from sharing personal experiences with others. Instead, this study attempts to understand how the listener is affected emotionally by having an event shared with them; do people typically enjoy hearing about others’ happiness or do people relish in the misery of others? The “Personal Experiences Survey” functions as a preliminary measure that asks participants to first act as a “speaker” in sharing their own personal experience and then asks them to be a “listener” and read another individual’s personal experience. Participants’ moods are measured both after acting as the “speaker” and as the “listener” in order to detect overall mood changes. The participants with the greatest increase in positive mood were those who shared their own positive experience and then read a positive experience; participants also preferred listening to events congruent to their present mood. Overall, this study shows that individuals focus on their own experiences, minimizing the experiences of others unless they, as a listener, benefit.
Forward Error Correction for Fast Streaming with Open-Source Components
Authors: Reynolds John
Published: February 2025

The mechanisms that provide streaming functionality are complex and far from perfect. Reliability in transmission depends upon the underlying protocols chosen for implementation. There are two main networking protocols for data transmission: TCP and UDP. TCP guarantees the arrival of data at the receiver, whereas UDP does not. Forward Error Correction is based on a technology called “erasure coding”, and can be used to mitigate data loss experienced when using UDP. This paper describes in detail the development of a video streaming library making use of the UDP transport protocol in order to test and further explore network based Forward Error Correction erasure codes.
Constructing Victims in the International Criminal Court: A Critical Discourse Analysis
Authors: King Valerie
Published: February 2025

The International Criminal Court (ICC) was established in 1998 to address serious crimes of concern to the international community, including genocide and crimes against humanity, among others. This paper examines the construction of victims in ICC proceedings. Through a critical discourse analysis of ICC web pages and other documents intended for victims, I argue that the ICC’s construction of victims reproduces criminal justice logics, which marginalize victims and denies them agency. Said marginalization occurs in an effort to balance retributive and restorative justice. Discourses concerning the role and agency of victims in the Court reproduce institutional neglect and disempowerment.
Fanfiction e mercado editorial: relações entre Fandom e polissistema literário
Authors: Utzig Ingrid Lara de Araújo
Published: February 2025

A fanfiction A Lenda de Fausto, de Samila Lages, foi transformada em romance pela Editora Multifoco em 2011. A partir das considerações de Henry Jenkins, Anne Jamison, Néstor Canclini, Régis Debray, Giselle Beiguelman e outros teóricos, buscou-se discutir a mobilidade da obra de Samila, entre quatro plataformas: o Nyah!, o zine, o blog da produtora e o livro físico. Intentou-se compreender os trajetos que precederam a publicação, perpassando processos de criação, produção, reprodução, circulação, recepção, difusão e editoração d’A Lenda de Fausto. Em tal percurso, percebeu-se que a fanfiction possui (im)possibilidades estéticas específicas do meio digital, uma vez que explora algumas potencialidades/limitações impostas pela interface do Nyah! e se desdobra em spin-offs, pois além d’A Lenda de Fausto, há a pré-sequência Relatos da Queda e a sequência O Trilo do Diabo. Pretendeu-se observar poética(s) da construção desse objeto e como Samila se apropria de diferentes estratégias a fim de estabelecer-se enquanto produtora (re)conhecida dentro e fora do microcosmo otaku. Os objetivos do trabalho se concentraram em investigar se o(s) fandom(s), comunidade(s) virtual(is) organizada(s) na ressignificação do conteúdo das franquias e da indústria cultural, com regras reunida(s) em torno de uma recepção não-passiva, em um modelo de consumo produtivo, constituem-se como sistema de cultura. Para debater essas dinâmicas, utilizou-se a teoria dos polissistemas, de Even-Zohar (2017). Desenhou-se como segundo objetivo propor que A Lenda de Fausto, em sua materialidade disposta no Nyah!, estabelece-se como literatura digital, apesar de não ser uma premissa comum ao gênero fanfiction, e como a prática empreendida na plataforma foi descontinuada e até mesmo apagada do contexto exordial na transição para mídiuns ulteriores. O terceiro objetivo foi notar como os fatores literários do fandom agregaram Samila ao polissistema literário por meio da transição ao mercado editorial impresso, o que gerou uma metamorfose de status – de produtora de fics a autora –. Por fim, buscou-se entender como se dá essa dupla existência de Samila/Ryoko, em ambientes com funcionamentos distintos. A tese defendida foi de que A Lenda de Fausto evidencia a intersecção de diferentes polissistemas por meio da mudança da materialidade: enquanto fic, uma série de fatores levou à legitimação no fandom. Enquanto romance publicado em livro, passou a ter outras formas de circulação e públicos mais amplos, gerando uma dupla camada de consagração: na comunidade fã e na literatura amapaense.
Synergy-based plasmon-induced transparency and optical switch with slow light applications
Authors: HU ShuNan  , LI DeQiong  , ZHAN Jie  , GAO EnDuo  , WANG Qi  , LIU NanLiu  , NIE GuoZheng  ,   1 Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Intelligent Sensors and New Sensor Materials, School of Physics and Electronic Science, Hunan University of Science and Technology, Xiangtan 411201, China;,   2 school of Physics, Hunan University of Technology and Business, Changsha 410205, China;,   3 School of Physical and Electronic Science, Changsha University of Science and Technology, Changsha 410083, China;,   4 Peking University Dongguan Institute of Opto-Electronics, Dongguan 523808, China
Published: February 2025

Surface plasmons (SPs) is generated by the interaction of conduction electrons on the surface of a metallic medium with photons in light waves, and it has an important phenomenon called plasmon-induced transparency (PIT).The PIT effect is crucial for enhancing the performance of nano-optical devices by strengthening the interaction between light and matter, thereby improving coupling efficiency. However, traditional PIT has been realized in two main ways: either through destructive interference between bright and dark modes, or through weak coupling between two bright modes. Therefore, it is crucial to find a new excitation method to break away from these conventional approaches. In this paper, we propose a hypersurface composed of transverse graphene strips and longitudinal graphene bands, which can generate two single-PITs through the interaction between graphene. We then leverage the synergistic effect between these two single-PITs to realize a triple-PIT. This approach breaks away from the traditional method of generating PIT through the coupling of bright and dark modes. The results of numerical simulations are also obtained using the Finite-difference time-domain(FDTD), which are highly consistent with the results of the coupled-mode theory(CMT), thereby validating the accuracy of the results. In addition, by adjusting the Fermi level and carrier mobility of graphene, the dynamic transition from a five-frequency asynchronous optical switch to a six-frequency asynchronous optical switch has been successfully achieved. The six-frequency asynchronous optical switch demonstrates exceptional performance: at frequency points of 3.77 THz and 6.41 THz, the modulation depth and insertion loss reach 99.31% and 0.12 dB, respectively, while at the frequency point of 4.58 THz, the dephasing time and extinction ratio are 3.16 ps and 21.53 dB, respectively. Additionally, when the tuning range is focused on the 2.8 THz to 3.1 THz band, the triple-PIT system exhibits a remarkably high group index of up to 1212. These performance metrics surpass those of most traditional slow-light devices. Based on these results, the structure is expected to offer new theoretical insights for the design of high-performance devices, such as optical switches and slow-light devices.
Gain of Function
Authors: Evans Nicholas G.
Published: February 2025

How a small number of risky experiments creates many unwieldy problems for life science research.

The life sciences have never been more critical to human health, wealth, and security. But with any endeavor comes risk, and the last decade has seen concerns raised about gain-of function-research in which a microbe, usually a virus, is given new properties like enhanced lethality, transmissibility, or the capability to infect new species. In 2021 the term seeped into the tabloids when a conflict between Senator Rand Paul and Dr. Anthony Fauci arose over the origins of COVID-19. In Gain of Function, Nicholas Evans—who has spent his career studying gain-of-function research—describes what this kind of research is, what it isn't, and why a small number of scientific experiments continues to make headlines.

Evans begins with a description of what gain-of-function research is in science, and what it means in government policy. He tells the story of the original papers that sparked controversy more than a decade ago, unpacking them for readers unfamiliar with virology research, and he identifies where and why policymakers and scientists alike became concerned. He then turns to the history of policies that attempt to regulate gain-of-function research, the current controversies, and the ethics of risky research. He concludes with the future of gain of function, including how debates about gain of function will influence science and public health in years to come.
Trans Technologies
Authors: Haimson Oliver L.
Published: February 2025

How technology creates new possibilities for transgender people, and how trans experiences, in turn, create new possibilities for technology.

Mainstream technologies often exclude or marginalize transgender users. Trans Technologies describes what happens when trans people take technology design into their own hands. Oliver L. Haimson, whose research into gender transition and technology has defined this area of study, draws on transgender studies and his own in-depth interviews with more than 100 creators of technology—including apps, games, health resources, extended reality systems, and supplies designed to address challenges trans people face—to explain what trans technology is and to explore its present possibilities and limitations, as well as its future prospects.

Haimson surveys the landscape of trans technologies to reveal the design processes that brought these technologies to life, and to show how trans people often must rely on community, technology, and the combination of the two to meet their basic needs and challenges. His work not only identifies the role of trans technology in caring for individuals within the trans community but also shows how trans technology creation empowers some trans people to create their own tools for navigating the world. Articulating which trans needs and challenges are currently being addressed by technology and which still need to be addressed; describing how trans technology creators are accomplishing this work; examining how privilege, race, and access to resources impact which trans technologies are built and who may be left out; and highlighting new areas of innovation to be explored, Trans Technologies opens the way to meaningful social change.
Fail Better
Authors: Foster Hal
Published: February 2025

From the distinguished art critic and historian, vital essays on key artists and critics, revealing how they redefined art and criticism over the last six decades.

“Serious art anticipates the future as much as it reflects the present,” Hal Foster remarked in a 2015 interview. “By the same token serious art history is driven by the present as much as it is informed by the past.” In Fail Better, Foster, an art critic and historian whose influential work spans disciplines and decades, brings this peripatetic perspective to contemporary art, art criticism, art history, and his own work over the past 50 years.

In these 40 texts, Foster reviews artists from Richard Hamilton and Jasper Johns to Gerhard Richter and Ed Ruscha; considers contemporaries from Louise Lawler and Cindy Sherman to Jeremy Deller and Adam Pendleton; and traces the development of criticism since the early 1960s, with essays on such influential figures as Susan Sontag and Rosalind Krauss and institutions like Artforum magazine and the Whitney Museum Independent Study Program.

Taking his title from Beckett—“try again, fail again, fail better”—Foster notes that, etymologically, an essay is always an attempt, more or less failed. Critics fail artworks, because there can never be a definitive reading; art fails its historical moment, because it cannot resolve the contradictions that prompt it. But in these failures Foster finds historical consciousness, and with it the promise of future work, future illumination. In his “reckonings” he turns his own long history of criticism to account, and succeeds in conveying shifting concepts of art and criticism, the work of key artists and critics, and the relationships between criticism, theory, history, and politics over the last six decades.
Efficacy and safety of low-molecular-weight-heparin plus citrate in nephrotic syndrome during continuous kidney replacement therapy: retrospective study
Authors: Wang Di , Yang Mengqin , Li Siyuan , Tang Can , Ai Jun , Liu Diankun
Published: February 2025

Background

Nephrotic syndrome (NS) is a condition often necessitating continuous kidney replacement therapy (CKRT) due to severe edema and other complications. Anticoagulation is critical in CKRT to prevent filter clotting, with regional citrate anticoagulation (RCA) being the first-line method. However, the hypercoagulable state of NS may require alternative strategies. Optimal anticoagulation therapy in NS patients undergoing CKRT is lacking.

Methods

This retrospective observational study included 251 CKRT sessions from 122 NS patients treated at Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, from January 2019 to December 2022. Patients were divided into three groups based on anticoagulation method: Low-molecular-weight-heparin (LMWH) alone, RCA alone, and RCA plus LMWH. Filter lifespan, incidence of filter clotting, and adverse events were assessed to evaluate the efficacy and safety profiles of each anticoagulation methods.

Results

The combination of RCA and LMWH demonstrated a significantly longer mean filter lifespan and lower incidence of filter clotting compared to LMWH or RCA alone. RCA plus LMWH also showed a lower incidence of overall adverse events, particularly thrombosis, without an increase in bleeding complications. Multivariate Cox analysis indicated that RCA plus LMWH was particularly effective in patients with normal kidney function.

Conclusions

RCA combined with LMWH provides a superior anticoagulation strategy in NS patients undergoing CKRT, with enhanced filter lifespan and reduced clotting and thrombotic events without increasing bleeding risk. Further research is needed to optimize dosing and validate these results in broader populations.
Research Status of Products Made from All-solid Waste Cementitious Materials with CO₂ Mineralization Curing
Authors: Liu Xiangyang
Published: February 2025

Carbon dioxide capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) technology is regarded as the most effective method to control anthropogenic carbon emissions and mitigate climate change at present. And the CO₂ obtained by industrial carbon capture technology urgently needs subsequent utilization technologies with large scale and good economic benefits. The CO₂ mineralization curing building material technology can achieve carbon sequestration through the direct gas-solid reaction between the concrete material after early-stage molding and CO₂. It is expected to achieve large-scale greenhouse gas emission reduction and obtain low-carbon building materials products with high added value at the same time. In particular, using CO₂ to mineralize and cure concrete building materials and replacing the existing high-energy-consuming steam curing or natural curing process can shorten the curing time, reduce production energy consumption, and optimize the performance of building materials. At present, the mineralization curing technology is still in the stage of mechanism research and material development. There is a lack of optimized design of mineralization raw materials, and there is also a lack of comprehensive and in-depth research on the micro reaction mechanism. Aiming at the existing problems of the mineralization curing technology, this paper, starting from the perspective of the mineralization process, deeply explores the influencing factors and the shaping effect on the microstructure, and finally clarifies the correlation mechanism among the mineralization reaction process, the change of the microstructure, the optimization of the macroscopic service performance, and the environmental benefits.
Effective Pedagogical Principles in Teaching Civic Education: A Case Study of Higher Learning Institutions in Zambia
Authors: Lucy Kamboni S. , F Simui , G Muleya
Published: February 2025

The pedagogical principles employed in Civic Education instruction in higher learning institutions in Zambia have the potential to improve learning outcomes.  The main objective of this article was to explore the pedagogical principles employed by educators in selected higher learning institutions and to establish the challenges faced by educators in implementing the pedagogical principles in the selected higher learning Institutions. The study relied on Sherry Arnstein’s ladder of citizen participation model and the transformative learning theory. The study was qualitative and employed a qualitative multiple-case study design. This qualitative study employed a multiple-case design involving three selected higher learning institutions in Zambia, using semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions to collect data from 5 educators and 32 students. The study was significant in that it was hoped that there would be the generation of new knowledge on pedagogical principles of civic education, and by filling a gap in understanding how the pedagogical principles might be useful in the teaching of civic education and the relationship between pedagogy and civic participation in the Zambian context through the insights that would be gained in the study.  The findings of the study showed that certain teaching methods such as lecture method, service learning projects, debate, discussions, brainstorming, and role-play were the commonly used pedagogical principles employed in the selected higher learning institutions in Zambia. Additionally, the study established that the lack of employment of other modern pedagogical principles in civic education by educators was hindered by a lack of material resources, money, time, curriculum review, and administrative support to carry out effective interactive and service-learning activities. The study also recommended that educators should adopt modern principles of civic education, and conduct continuous staff development programs, Institutions should allocate more funds for student activities, there should be constant curricula reviews and institutions should strengthen partnerships with civic associations and community organizations.