bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evaluating the Sustainability of Local Women's Climate Change Adaptation Strategies in Durban, South Africa: A Feminist Political Ecology and Intersectionality Perspective
Authors: Udo Fidelis , Bhanye Johannes , Daouda Diallo Balkissa , Naidu Maheshvari
Published: November 2024

This paper employs a feminist political ecology and an intersectionality framework to examine the multiple dimensions of local women's vulnerability and adaptation to climate change impacts in selected locations in Durban, KwaZulu‐Natal Province, South Africa. We focus particularly on assessing the sustainability of the gendered adaptive strategies employed by these women. Utilising a qualitative methodology, the study is based on semi‐structured interviews and focus group discussions with local Black women, highlighting the local context of the women's adaptation to flood impacts. The findings revealed that adaptation strategies are informed by women's situated knowledge, cultural practices, and agency, illustrating the complex, context‐specific nature of responses to climate challenges. We argue that a bottom‐up approach, which prioritises the effectiveness and sustainability of women's adaptation strategies, is crucial for fostering longer‐term, more equitable, and sustainable solutions to climate impacts. By advocating this approach, the paper contributes to a deeper understanding of gendered adaptation practices that align with global efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) related to gender equality (SDG 5), reducing inequalities (SDG 10), promoting climate action (SDG 13), and sustainable cities and communities (SDG 11).
Growing gains and growing pains: Examining the growth intentions of established entrepreneurs
Authors: Freel Mark , Rostamkalaei Anoosheh , Tran Hien
Published: November 2024

Research Summary

Following a growing body of research indicating that most high‐growth entrepreneurial firms are “one hit wonders,” this article leverages Canadian survey and administrative data to investigate the relationship between recent entrepreneurial income and growth barriers, on the one hand, and the growth intentions of established firms, on the other. We draw on the theory of planned behavior to develop hypotheses on how salient information resulting from entrepreneurial experience may shape growth intentions. As anticipated, we find that higher incomes negatively associate with intentions. The picture for barriers is more mixed, such that recently experienced human resources and financial barriers positively associate with growth intentions and barriers related to competition and regulations negatively associate with intentions. The implications for policy and for further research are discussed.

Managerial Summary

Our study investigates factors associated with growth expectations among small firms, utilizing descriptive and multivariate analyses. In doing this, we extend the theory of planned behavior into a study of established firms, recognizing that intentions are dynamic and will be shaped by experience of entrepreneurship. Key findings indicate that past performance significantly affects future growth expectations, while higher personal income correlates with lower growth intentions, suggesting entrepreneurs become “satisficers” as income increases. In addition, perceptions of external barriers are negatively associated with future expectations, while internal barriers do not significantly hinder them. This result implies that entrepreneurs perceive external challenges as beyond their control, affecting their confidence in future growth.
Towards a Readiness Model for Usable‐Software Development in Organizations
Authors: Al‐Shammare Haifa , Alshayeb Mohammad , Baslyman Malak
Published: November 2024

Context

Prioritizing usability in software development is vital to ensure a positive user experience and efficient performance. Failing to do so can result in negative consequences such as increased costs, damage to reputation, and loss of trust. Usability should be considered throughout the entire software development life cycle (SDLC), not just as an afterthought. Accordingly, adopting and integrating usability practices is crucial but can be complex. Thus, organizations must assess their readiness to start and improve usability initiatives. In this context, software organizations can benefit from using a usability readiness model to enhance integration and assist practitioners in systematically and structurally applying usability practices.

Objective

We propose a readiness model for usable software development (RMUSD). This model allows organizations to assess their readiness to create usable software, leading to improved user experience and better usability methods throughout the SDLC.

Method

To develop the RMUSD, we conducted a systematic mapping study that gathered 238 relevant studies in the usability engineering domain. From these studies, we synthesized 50 best usability practices that form the foundation of the RMUSD. We also drew inspiration from existing software engineering readiness and usability maturity models.

Results

The RMUSD is built at five levels, each with various aspects to consider, such as related usability practices, implications, organizational characteristics, and success factors for moving up to the next level. The model was evaluated through two real‐world case studies and eight experts.

Conclusion

The evaluation results reveal that the suggested RMUSD is practical in determining the organization's readiness to develop usable software.
Haemodynamic perspective of middle uterine artery in relation to delayed case of uterine torsion in Jersey cow
Authors: Sharma Pururava , Sharma Akshay , Sood Pankaj , Kumar Pravesh , Sharma Jahanvi , Yangka Dawa , Dhiman Alisha
Published: November 2024

Uterine torsion is a severe obstetric complication in cattle that poses significant challenges requiring prompt diagnosis and intervention to mitigate maternal and fetal risks. This case report investigates a week‐old uterine torsion in a Jersey cow, emphasising haemodynamic assessment and celiotomy. A 7‐year‐old Jersey cow in her third pregnancy presented with clinical signs suggestive of uterine torsion. Haemato‐biochemical parameters revealed normocytic‒normochromic anaemia, mild neutrophilia and elevated creatinine levels. Trans‐rectal palpation confirmed post‐cervical (anterior vagina) right side (clockwise) uterine torsion (>180°), trans‐rectal sonography demonstrated degenerative changes in placentomes, increased endometrial echogenicity and uterine adhesions. Additionally, haemodynamic assessment via Doppler ultrasonography of middle uterine arteries revealed compromised vascular perfusion. Surgical intervention via celiotomy involved a left paramedian approach, revealing fibrous adhesions and uterine haemorrhages. Caesarean section facilitated the removal of the deceased calf, followed by uterine repair. Following a caesarean section, the cow recovered without any complications.
First isolation of Leifsonia aquatica from a cat with pyothorax
Authors: Aydogdu Ugur , Baydar Ersoy , Unal Bilge Kaan , Ceylan Cengiz , Ilhan Ziya
Published: November 2024

Pyothorax is one of the most prevalent respiratory disorders affecting cats. In the case report, we aimed to reveal the clinical, ultrasonography and radiographic evidence in a cat with pyothorax, to identify bacteria from exudate obtained by thoracocentesis, and determine the antimicrobial susceptibility of the bacteria involved. Significant inflammatory patterns were seen in the blood, and the cat's radiographs indicated different outcomes. In this case, Leifsonia aquatica was isolated from purulent fluid obtained from a cat with pyothorax present. In the literature review, L. aquatica has not been reported to cause an infection in animals. In conclusion, our report gives further evidence of the capability of this aquatic bacterium to cause infections in animals.
The Home as a Site of Platformization
Authors: Mannell Kate , Hegna Kristinn , Stoilova Mariya
Published: November 2024

Chapter 3 investigates how processes of platformization play out in relation to the spaces and spatial arrangements of family life, focusing in particular on the idea of the home. Given that family life, including the meaning of the home, are constructed through relational practices and that these practices are increasingly platformized (that is, occurring through and in relation to platforms), this chapter asks: how is the platformization of the family reshaping and extending the home? Drawing on qualitative empirical data from our own projects and existing literature, we examine how platforms are implicated in family life within the physical space of the home and how platforms might be used to extend the idea of home beyond a physical space of co-location. We argue that, on one hand, the use of platforms reconfigures how the physical home is experienced by those within it—sometimes fracturing the idea of the home as a private space and other times supporting the practices of care, intimacy, and organisation that give it meaning as a home—while on the other, it extends relational practices beyond the physical boundaries of the home, opening up new possibilities for families to practice care and intimacy across distance.
How the Family Makes Itself: The Platformization of Parenting in Early Childhood
Authors: Pangrazio Luci , Langton Katrin , Siibak Andra
Published: November 2024

In this chapter, we explore the platformization of family life by concentrating both on the specific context of parenting in early childhood and on a core function of many platforms—datafication. Drawing on two case studies of infant feeding apps, including qualitative research interviews with users, the chapter explores how understandings of what it is to be a “good” parent are now defined through datafication and explicit metrics which demonstrably transform maternal and paternal roles as well as impacting on intergenerational discussions, traditional knowledge and understandings of what it means to bring up a baby. We examine these cases by considering the role of datafication in developing self-understandings of the family narrative and changes about the relationship between the family and other “social envelope” institutions like school, care, and welfare. The chapter concludes by summarising how the various activities of family life might be re-mediating how families understand themselves as individuals, social units, and institutions.
Development of metabolic signatures of plant-rich dietary patterns using plant-derived metabolites
Authors: Li Yong , Xu Yifan , Sayec Melanie Le , Spector Tim D. , Steves Claire J. , Menni Cristina , Gibson Rachel , Rodriguez-Mateos Ana
Published: November 2024

Background

Diet is an important modifiable lifestyle factor for human health, and plant-rich dietary patterns are associated with lower risk of non-communicable diseases in numerous studies. However, objective assessment of plant-rich dietary exposure in nutritional epidemiology remains challenging.

Objectives

This study aimed to develop and evaluate metabolic signatures of the most widely used plant-rich dietary patterns using a targeted metabolomics method comprising 108 plant food metabolites.

Methods

A total of 218 healthy participants were included, aged 51.5 ± 17.7 years, with 24 h urine samples measured using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry. The validation dataset employed three sample types to test the robustness of the signature, including 24 h urine (n = 88), plasma (n = 195), and spot urine (n = 198). Adherence to the plant-rich diet was assessed using a priori plant-rich dietary patterns calculated using Food Frequency Questionnaires. A combination of metabolites evaluating the adherence to a specific diet was identified as metabolic signature. We applied linear regression analysis to select the metabolites significantly associated with dietary patterns (adjusting energy intake), and ridge regression to estimate penalized weights of each candidate metabolite. The correlation between metabolic signature and the dietary pattern was assessed by Spearman analysis (FDR < 0.05).

Results

The metabolic signatures consisting of 42, 22, 35, 15, 33, and 33 predictive metabolites across different subclasses were found to be associated with adherence to Amended Mediterranean Score (A-MED), Original MED (O-MED), Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH), Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay (MIND), healthy Plant-based Diet Index (hPDI) and unhealthy PDI (uDPI), respectively. The overlapping and distinct predictive metabolites across six dietary patterns predominantly consisted of phenolic acids (n = 38), including 14 cinnamic acids, 14 hydroxybenzoic acids, seven phenylacetic acids, and three hippuric acids. Six metabolites were included in all signatures, including two lignans: enterolactone-glucuronide, enterolactone-sulfate, and four phenolic acids: cinnamic acid, cinnamic acid-4’-sulfate, 2’-hydroxycinnamic acid, and 4-methoxybenzoic acid-3-sulfate. The established signatures were robustly correlated with dietary patterns in the validation datasets (r = 0.13–0.40, FDR < 0.05).

Conclusions

We developed and evaluated a set of metabolic signatures that reflected the adherence to plant-rich dietary patterns, suggesting the potential of these signatures to serve as an objective assessment of free-living eating habits.
Fecal microbiome composition in neonates with or without urinary tract infection
Authors: Bahat Hilla , Paret Michal , Uzan Atara , Klainer Hodaya , Sharon Efrat , Turjeman Sondra , Koren Omry , Goldman Michael , Youngster Ilan
Published: November 2024

Background

Most infants with febrile urinary tract infection (UTI) do not have an underlying anatomical risk factor. Thus, other non-anatomical risk factors should be considered. Since the most common pathogens arise from the fecal microbiota, our aim was to investigate whether the gut microbiota composition differs between febrile infants younger than 2 months with or without UTI.

Methods

In this prospective, case–control, pilot study, we performed 16S ribosomal ribonucleic acid amplicon sequencing to characterize gut microbiota of febrile neonates with and without UTI admitted to the pediatric ward at Shamir Medical Center between February 2019 and May 2021.

Results

The study cohort included 42 febrile neonates: 17 with and 25 without febrile UTI. We found a significant difference in beta diversity (i.e. between-sample/study group similarity indices) between the UTI and non-UTI group (p = 0.016). There were also distinct differences in the relative abundance of the 20 most prevalent genera. Furthermore, several genera were significantly enriched in the UTI group, with others dominating the non-UTI group. Streptococci were underrepresented in the UTI group. There was no difference in alpha diversity (i.e. within-sample diversity/richness) between groups.

Conclusion

Febrile neonates with UTI have a different fecal microbiota composition (beta-diversity), but not alpha diversity, in comparison to febrile neonates without UTI. A larger study is warranted to confirm these findings and their potential applications.

Graphical abstract
Mobile–neural friendly architecture for limiting exposure to traumatic scenes
Authors: Periola A. A. , Alonge A. A. , Ogudo K. A.
Published: November 2024

Mobile devices play a key role in developing mental health focused applications for individuals. The presented research proposes using mobile devices to limit the occurrence of depression in disabled individuals. It proposes a novel two stage solution that limits depression in disabled subscribers. The solution is integrated in a headband. Disabled subscribers have been considered because of their limited ability (or inability) to demonstrate motor skills enabling them to avoid trauma triggering scenarios. The research also examines how the proposed mechanism influences an individual’s identity. This is because existing solution utilize an invasive approach while the proposed solution is non-invasive. Analysis shows that the proposed mechanism preserves individual identity by 74.2%–99.3% on average.
Machine learning and deep learning covid-19 diagnosis system: key achievements, lessons learned, and a transfer learning algorithm
Authors: Salama Gerges M. , Mohamed Asmaa , Abd-Ellah Mahmoud Khaled
Published: November 2024

The COVID-19 pandemic is a novel, fast-spreading, deadly virus. It has spread around the world in an extremely short time. Due to its rapid spread and negative effects on all aspects of our lives (health, finances, stress, etc.), scientists are seeking to find accurate and fast solutions to this crisis. In our paper, we present a systematic literature review (SLR) of the different machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL) techniques used for the detection, classification, and segmentation of COVID-19. We depend on our review of reliable databases such as IEEE Explore, Google Scholar, MDPI, Springer, PubMed, and Science Direct. By surveying approximately 978 papers, we found that 160 were more authorized, 77 of which were selected for review and met the criteria. A taxonomy is introduced to describe the sequence of our paper. Subsequently, a deep analysis and critical review of the academic literature were conducted to highlight the challenges and significant gaps identified in the introduced subject. The results revealed a shortage of research that assessed and established standards for the methods utilized for identifying and categorizing COVID-19 chest imaging techniques. As we continue the assessment and standardization process, three main difficulties are anticipated: the existence of various evaluation criteria for each task, the conflicts between these criteria, and the importance of these criteria. Moreover, we present a review of different systems used from the beginning of this crisis based on ML and DL by using different medical image modalities, such as chest X-ray, chest computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and ultrasound imaging. We also highlight the datasets used and the different results of performance measures that have been developed by different researchers in this medical field. Finally, we discuss the limitations and lessons learned that are associated with the use of ML and DL techniques for diagnosing COVID-19. To support our work, we developed a new algorithm based on using transfer learning for several deep learning models and applied it to our own dataset. The aim of our paper is to collect various authorized data to help experts and specialists understand the importance of ML and DL systems in this respect, represent a new algorithm, and benefit them in future work toward fighting COVID-19.
The sparse(st) optimization problem: reformulations, optimality, stationarity, and numerical results
Authors: Kanzow Christian , Schwartz Alexandra , Weiß Felix
Published: November 2024

We consider the sparse optimization problem with nonlinear constraints and an objective function, which is given by the sum of a general smooth mapping and an additional term defined by the

$$ \ell _0 $$

ℓ
0

-quasi-norm. This term is used to obtain sparse solutions, but difficult to handle due to its nonconvexity and nonsmoothness (the sparsity-improving term is even discontinuous). The aim of this paper is to present two reformulations of this program as a smooth nonlinear program with complementarity-type constraints. We show that these programs are equivalent in terms of local and global minima and introduce a problem-tailored stationarity concept, which turns out to coincide with the standard KKT conditions of the two reformulated problems. In addition, a suitable constraint qualification as well as second-order conditions for the sparse optimization problem are investigated. These are then used to show that three Lagrange–Newton-type methods are locally fast convergent. Numerical results on different classes of test problems indicate that these methods can be used to drastically improve sparse solutions obtained by some other (globally convergent) methods for sparse optimization problems.
A machine learning method for predicting telescope cycle time applied to the Cerro Murphy Observatory
Authors: Kicia Mirosław , Kałuszyński Mikołaj , Górski Marek , Chini Rolf , Pietrzyński Grzegorz
Published: November 2024

Telescope cycle time estimation is one of the basic issues of observational astronomy. There are not many tools that help to calulate the cycle time for multiple telescopes with multiple instruments. This work presents a new tool for determing the observation time; it was applied at the Cerro Murphy Observatory (OCM) but can be used at any other observatory. The Machine Learning (ML) method was implied, resulting in a fully automatic software module that works without any user intervention. We propose a polynomial multiple regression method and demonstrate all steps to build a reliable ML model like data collecting, data cleaning, model training and error evaluation in relation to the implementation in the observatory software. The method was designed to work for different telescopes with several instruments. Accuracy analysis and the assessment of model errors were based on real data from telescopes, proving the usefulness of the presented method. Error evaluation shows that for 84.2 % of nights, the prediction error in operation time prediction does not exceed 2 %. Converted into a 10-hour observation night, 2 % corresponds to an error of no more than 12 minutes. The described model is already working at the OCM and optimizes the efficiency of the observations.
Evidence for mitochondrial heteroplasmy in the freshwater bug Aphelocheirus aestivalis (Fabricius, 1794) (Insecta: Heteroptera): a challenge for future studies based on mtDNA markers
Authors: Kaczmarczyk-Ziemba Agnieszka , Halabowski Dariusz , Berchi Gavril M. , Rewicz Tomasz , Boda Pál , Krepski Tomasz , Višinskienė Giedrė , Stoianova Desislava , Tończyk Grzegorz , Momotko Adrianna , Chylińska Julia , Raupach Michael J.
Published: November 2024

The mitochondrial genome of Metazoa is predominantly maternally inherited, providing a valuable genetic marker in various fields such as phylogenetics and phylogeography. However, mitochondrial heteroplasmy, where multiple copies of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) coexist within an individual or even cell, presents a challenge to the use of mtDNA markers. This phenomenon may arise from replication errors, mutagenic processes, or paternal leakage. In this study, we investigated mitochondrial heteroplasmy in the freshwater bug Aphelocheirus aestivalis (Fabricius, 1794) using both Sanger and Illumina sequencing approaches. Our analyses confirmed the presence of diverse mtDNA variants within individual specimens collected from various locations across Europe. Signals of mitochondrial heteroplasmy were observed in chromatograms derived from both female and male individuals, indicating a prevalent phenomenon across A. aestivalis populations in general. Further comparative analyses of COI (partial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I) haplotypes indicated their high similarity and complex phylogenetic relationships. In turn, Illumina sequencing of a single male specimen revealed 102 heteroplasmic sites across the protein-coding sequences of mitogenome. Our results suggest the widespread and heritable nature of mitochondrial heteroplasmy in A. aestivalis, highlighting its importance for future phylogenetic and phylogeographic studies.
Griscelli Syndrome Type 2: Comprehensive Analysis of 149 New and Previously Described Patients with RAB27A Deficiency
Authors: Maimaris Jesmeen , Roa-Bautista Adriel , Sohail Mahreen , Booth Claire , Cugno Chiara , Chenchara Lenka , Omran Tawfeg Ben , Hacohen Yael , Lim Ming , Gilmour Kimberly , Griffiths Gillian , Rao Kanchan , Elfeky Reem , Kusters Maaike
Published: November 2024

Griscelli syndrome type 2 (GS2) is a rare, life-threatening immunodysregulatory disorder characterised by impaired cytotoxic activity leading to susceptibility to haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) and hypopigmentation. We completed a literature review and analysis of clinical data of 149 patients with GS2 including 8 new patients.

We identified three founder mutations which show diverse phenotypic profiles (RAB27A c.244 C > T, p.R82C, c.514_518delCAAGC, p.Q172NfsX2, c.550 C > T, p.R184X). The most common presentation was HLH (119/149, 80%), with high proportion of central nervous system involvement (68/149, 46%). Features of partial albinism were present in 105 of 149 cases (70%). Hypopigmentation can be absent in GS2 and should not exclude the diagnosis. Patients with biallelic protein truncating variants (PTV) were more likely to have systemic HLH (44/56, 79%) and partial albinism (45/56, 80%), in comparison to hypomorphic variants (9/41, 22%; 20/41, 49%). Patients with hypomorphic variants presented later (5.4 years cf. 0.4 years, p = < 0.0001) and were more likely to have isolated CNS HLH (2% cf. 42%, p = 0.001).

Mortality was high in the cohort (50/149, 34%). Survival of cases post-HLH who underwent transplantation is superior to un-transplanted patients, suggesting adequate HLH control followed by early HSCT is highly beneficial. Mortality was reduced in HSCT recipients versus the un-transplanted group where follow-up data was available (14% compared to 58%).

Asymptomatic cases identified through family history/genetic screening may benefit from pre-emptive HSCT, but access and development of robust functional testing are required. High mortality related to HLH remains concerning and emphasises the need for improved molecular characterisation and clinical prognostic factors to guide management decisions.
Defending Judicial Independence in Court: A Subjective Right to Independence in EU Law
Authors: O’Neill Ruairi
Published: November 2024

Judicial independence is essential for ensuring effective judicial protection in each Member State, and becomes an EU-wide concern primarily due to the principle of mutual trust which presumes functional equivalence between Member States as regards their respective legal systems in general and the safeguarding of fundamental rights in particular. As a principle of EU law, it is for the CJEU to determine the contours of judicial independence. National judges as a category of persons have a unique role in furthering EU integration thanks to the principles of direct effect and supremacy of EU law as well as the dialogue with the CJEU in Art. 267 TFEU. This in turn exposes them to greater threats from the executive and legislature when the rule of law is undermined. For these reasons, this paper discusses the rationale and mechanisms for recognising a subjective right of judges to their independence, adding a further tool for guaranteeing the rule of law.
The Sine–Gordon QFT in de Sitter spacetime
Authors: Cadamuro Daniela , Fröb Markus B. , Moreira Ferrera Carolina
Published: November 2024

We consider the massless Sine–Gordon model in de Sitter spacetime, in the regime $$\beta ^2 < 4 \pi $$

β
2

<
4
π

and using the framework of perturbative algebraic quantum field theory. We show that a Fock space representation exists for the free massless field, but that the natural one-parameter family of vacuum-like states breaks the de Sitter boost symmetries. We prove convergence of the perturbative series for the S matrix in this representation and construct the interacting Haag–Kastler net of local algebras from the relative S matrices. We show that the net fulfills isotony, locality and de Sitter covariance (in the algebraic adiabatic limit), even though the states that we consider are not invariant. We furthermore prove convergence of the perturbative series for the interacting field and the vertex operators, and verify that the interacting equation of motion holds.
Were COVID-19 lockdowns worth it? A meta-analysis
Authors: Herby Jonas , Jonung Lars , Hanke Steve H.
Published: November 2024

Following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, an unprecedented use of mandatory lockdowns—defined as the imposition of at least one compulsory, non-pharmaceutical intervention—took place. We conduct a meta-analysis to determine the effect of these lockdowns on COVID-19 mortality. Our meta-analysis finds that lockdowns in the spring of 2020 had a relatively small effect on COVID-19 mortality and is consistent with the view that voluntary changes in behavior, such as social distancing, played an important role in mitigating the pandemic. Given the enormous economic costs associated with lockdowns and our findings of the relatively small health benefits, the efficacy of lockdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic is called into question.
Recovery after exploitation of stalked barnacles is facilitated by the presence of conspecifics: a study of post-harvest gap recolonization dynamics in SW Europe
Authors: Gómez-del Campo Víctor , Arrontes Julio , Cruz Teresa , Vázquez Elsa , Macho Gonzalo , Thiébaut Eric , Geiger Katja , Fernandes Joana N. , Jacinto David , Aguión Alba , Silva Teresa , Mateus David , Román Salvador , Herrero Angela , Iván-Baragaño Yago , Broudin Caroline , Perrier Lucile , Davoult Dominique , Fernández Consolación , Rico José Manuel , Sostres Jorge , Guardado Carlos , Castro João J. , Acuña José Luis
Published: November 2024

We have followed the recovery of gaps produced either by harvesters or by scientists in stands of stalked barnacle (Pollicipes pollicipes) during two years in four regions of Europe (SW Portugal, Galicia and Asturias in Spain and Brittany in France; n = 423 gaps), which was extended to four years in Asturias (n = 252 gaps). The presence of adult conspecifics in the margins of the gaps increased by at least four times the probability of initiation of their recovery. After two years of follow-up in the four regions, 90% of the gaps with adjacent conspecifics had initiated recolonization as opposed to only 60% in gaps with no adjacent adults. These figures remained stable after three years of follow up in Asturias, pointing to a large fraction of gaps which are recalcitrant to recolonization. Once initiated, the median rate of recovery after latency was 0.47 cm2/month in the four regions and 0.61 cm2/month in Asturias, increasing from 0.5 to 2.5 cm2/month for a 0 to 25 cm increase of perimeter in contact with adults, which is consistent with heavy recruitment on the stalks of conspecifics. The median estimated time to full recovery of gaps which initiated recovery was 2.65 years, thus recolonization is a slow process. Our results point to the main recommendations that a barnacle clump should never be removed entirely, so that the remaining adults serve as recruitment nuclei for the population, and that a maximum scraper width of 3.5 cm should be set to limit accessory capture of non-target individuals.
Ligand Engineering Achieves Suppression of Temperature Quenching in Pure Green Perovskite Nanocrystals for Efficient and Thermostable Electroluminescence
Authors: Chen Kaiwang , Du Qing , Cao Qiufen , Du Chao , Feng Shangwei , Pan Yutong , Liang Yue , Wang Lei , Chen Jiangshan , Ma Dongge
Published: November 2024

Formamidinium lead bromide (FAPbBr3) perovskite nanocrystals (NCs) are promising for display and lighting due to their ultra-pure green emission. However, the thermal quenching will exacerbate their performance degradation in practical applications, which is a common issue for halide perovskites. Here, we reported the heat-resistant FAPbBr3 NCs prepared by a ligand-engineered room-temperature synthesis strategy. An aromatic amine, specifically β-phenylethylamine (PEA) or 3-fluorophenylethylamine (3-F-PEA), was incoporated as the short-chain ligand to expedite the crystallization rate and control the size distribution of FAPbBr3 NCs. Employing this ligand engineering approach, we synthesized high quality FAPbBr3 NCs with uniform grain size and reduced long-chain alkyl ligands, resulting in substantially suppressed thermal quenching and enhanced carrier transportation in the perovskite NCs films. Most notably, more than 90% of the room temperature PL intensity in the 3-F-PEA modified FAPbBr3 NCs film was preserved at 380 K. Consequently, we fabricated ultra-pure green EL devices with a room temperature external quantum efficiency (EQE) as high as 21.9% at the luminance of above 1,000 cd m−2, and demonstrated less than 10% loss in EQE at 343 K. This study introduces a novel room temperature method to synthesize efficient FAPbBr3 NCs with exceptional thermal stability, paving the way for advanced optoelectronic device applications.
‘New’ Women
Authors: Mount Liz
Published: November 2024

Recent global attention to transgender issues and new opportunities for trans people can appear as positive and progressive social change. 'New' Women challenges this assumption through an ethnography of emerging trans women and traditional gender non-conforming hijras in India. In many countries, people identify as either cisgender or non-cis identities like transgender and nonbinary. India is unique for its recognized, yet stigmatized, gender non-conforming hijras. This book explores changes in hijra groups due to economic liberalization and LGBTQ+ advocacy, particularly the rise of the trans woman. Liz Mount locates trans women within patriarchal and postcolonial histories that shape ideal womanhood in India. As trans women align themselves with middle-class, respectable (cisgender) womanhood, they distance themselves from hijras, perpetuating their exclusion. Ultimately, this intersectional feminist analysis shows that new forms of gender identity can reinforce old inequalities and what appears as progressive change for some trans people can marginalize others.
The Backstage of Democracy
Authors: Sharma Amogh
Published: November 2024

Over the last decade, election campaigns in India have undergone a dramatic shift. Political parties increasingly rely on political consulting firms, social media volunteers, pollsters, data-driven insights, and hashtag wars to mobilize voters. What is driving these changes in the landscape of electioneering? The Backstage of Democracy takes readers to the hidden arena of strategizing and deliberations that takes place between politicians and a new cabal of political professionals as they organize election campaigns in India. The book argues that this change is not reducible to a story of technological innovations alone. Rather, it is indicative of a new political culture where ideas of political expertise, the distribution of power within parties, and citizens' attitudes towards political participation have undergone a profound change. Marshalling an eclectic range of data sources, the book breaks new ground on how we understand the workings of India's electoral and party politics.
Tiberius and the Charisma of Augustus
Authors: Edwards Rebecca
Published: November 2024

The historian Tacitus began his Annals with the death of Augustus. He considered this date, not Actium, to be the pivotal moment in the crystallization of 'rule by one man.' This book considers the role played by Augustus' successor Tiberius in preserving the system created by the ultimate victor of Rome's civil wars. Drawing upon the work of sociologists and political scientists, it uses the lens of the routinization of charisma to demonstrate how Tiberius' reverence for Augustus and preservation of his policies enacted lasting political change. Tiberius' encouragement of the cult of Divus Augustus and his own refusal of divine honors carry over into other aspects of his reign, where Tiberius recedes into the background, permanently withdrawing from Rome. The charisma of Augustus protected his family, the domus Augusta, and the entire empire, even after his death. This enshrined the position of Augustus as a permanent institution, the principate.
Through the India-China Border
Authors: Poddar Prem , Lindkvist Zhang Lisa
Published: November 2024

Through the India-China Border mobilizes rarely used documentary material from British, Chinese and Indian archives to shed new light on our understanding of the 'Tibet Question' in China-India relations. Focused on the Himalayan border town of Kalimpong from the 1920s to 1962, it unearths a history of espionage and political intrigue that challenges the way that remote peripheries are seen from the 'centres' of nations. The innovative use of postcolonial and transcultural theory demonstrates how a multidisciplinary framework augments our reading of imperial histories, postwar politics, decolonisation and frontier cultures. Kalimpong emerges from this analysis as a key node in Himalayan history and in the mid-century fashioning of India-China relations.
Slavery and Freedom in Black Thought in the Early Spanish Atlantic
Authors: Ireton Chloe L.
Published: November 2024

Weaving together thousands of archival fragments, this study explores a shared Black Atlantic world where the meanings of slavery and freedom were fiercely contested and claimed. It recreates the worlds of extraordinary individuals and communities in the long sixteenth century, whilst mapping the development of early modern Black thought about slavery and freedom. From a free Black mother's embarkation license to cross the Atlantic Ocean, to an enslaved Sevillian woman's epistles to her freed husband in New Spain, to an enslaved man's negotiations with prospective buyers on the auction block in Mexico City, to a Black man's petition to reclaim his liberty after his illegitimate enslavement, Chloe L. Ireton explores how Africans and their descendants reckoned with laws and theological discourses that legitimized the enslavement of Black people and the varied meanings of freedom across legal jurisdictions. Their intellectual labor reimagined the epistemic worlds of slavery and freedom in the early modern Atlantic.
Sacrifice and Violence
Authors: Lecomte-Tilouine Marie
Published: November 2024

Violence is at the heart of the sacrifice, despite its denial in the texts. For the participants and observers, it materialises in the exposure of everyone and everything to the 'fountains of blood'. The specificity of this public and holistic violence, orchestrated in Nepal by the highest dignitaries and aimed at the rejuvenation of the cosmic, political and social order, allows us to see sacrifice as the ultimate model of legitimate violence. At the same time, observation reveals its oxymoronic nature through the opposite effect its violence has on its participants. As such, sacrifice is not only the organiser of society, but also the revelator of its internal tensions and fault lines. The book explores the complex aspects of royal ceremonies, their contestation by different groups, and finally the contours of the new legitimacy that sacrifice found during the revolutionary period under its most extreme form of human sacrifice.
Propertius and the Virgilian Sensibility
Authors: O'Rourke Donncha
Published: November 2024

Propertius and the Virgilian Sensibility is an in-depth study of Propertius' final collection of elegies as the earliest concerted response to the poetic career of Virgil in its totality. Seven chapters show how Propertius' fourth book, published three or more years after Virgil's death, enacts the canonical status of Rome's foremost poet through an intimate conversation across a number of themes, from socio-political and historical questions centring on, for example, Rome's evolution from rustic past to 'golden age' superpower, gender and patriarchy, and warfare both international and internecine, to literary questions concerning the generic identity of elegy and epic, the appropriation of Callimachus, and the architecture of poetry books. Propertius' totalizing reading reveals an elegiac Virgil as much as it does an epicizing Propertius, with a sometimes obsessive attention to detail that enlarges familiar paradigms of allusion and intertextuality and has implications for how literary and textual criticism are practised.
Delayed gravitational collapse of attractive colloidal suspensions
Authors: Torre K.W. , de Graaf J.
Published: November 2024

Colloidal gels have strong industrial relevance as they can behave as liquids or solids. The latter allows them to support a buoyant weight against gravity. However, the system is intrinsically out of equilibrium, which means that the colloids must eventually settle out of the suspension. The process of settling has been captured theoretically, but the presence of a delay time during which the gel appears relatively unaffected by gravity has not. Here, we modify existing frameworks to capture this delay, by treating the gel as a continuum with viscous response that is based on the local bond density. We can solve our model numerically to obtain the evolution of the colloid density profile and recover qualitatively the accumulation of a dense layer on top of the settling gel, as is observed experimentally in depletion gels. This numerical study is complemented by a theoretical analysis that allows us to identify an emergent time and length scale that set the dynamics of the gel. Our model provides a solid foundation for future studies that incorporate hydrodynamic erosion and tackle industrially relevant geometries.
Preclinical evaluation of immunogenicity and protective efficacy of a recombinant chimeric protein vaccine against visceral leishmaniasis
Authors: Lage Daniela P. , Vale Danniele L. , Maia Fabiana A. G. , Martins Vívian T. , Silva Marcela G. P. , Galvani Nathalia C. , Cardoso Mariana M. , Moreira Gabriel J. L. , Sombrio Eduarda M. , Freitas Camila S. , Pimenta Breno L. , Falcão Karolina O. M. , Dias Saulo S. G. , Bandeira Raquel S. , Pereira Isabela A. G. , Tavares Grasiele S. V. , Teixeira Antônio L. , Chávez-Fumagalli Miguel A. , Roatt Bruno M. , Machado-de-Ávila Ricardo A. , Coelho Eduardo A. F.
Published: November 2024

Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a tropical disease that can be fatal if acute and untreated. Diagnosis is difficult, the treatment is toxic and prophylactic vaccines do not exist. Leishmania parasites express hundreds of proteins and several of them are relevant for the host's immune system. In this context, in the present study, 10 specific T-cell epitopes from 5 parasite proteins, which were identified by antibodies in VL patients’ sera, were selected and used to construct a gene codifying the new chimeric protein called rCHI. The rCHI vaccine was developed and thoroughly evaluated for its potential effectiveness against Leishmania infantum infection. We used monophosphoryl lipid A (MPLA) and polymeric micelles (Mic) as adjuvant and/or delivery system. The results demonstrated that both rCHI/MPLA and rCHI/Mic significantly stimulate an antileishmanial Th1-type cellular response, with higher production of IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-12 and nitrite in vaccinated animals, and this response was sustained after challenge. In addition, these mice significantly reduced the parasitism in internal organs and increased the production of IgG2a isotype antibodies. In vivo and in vitro toxicity showed that rCHI is safe for the mammalians, and the recombinant protein also induced in vitro lymphoproliferative response and production of Th1-type cytokines by human cells, which were collected from healthy subjects and treated VL patients. These data suggest rCHI plus MPLA or micelles could be considered as a vaccine candidate against VL.
A review of the ecology and conservation of the Andean Flamingo Phoenicoparrus andinus and Puna Flamingo P. jamesi in South America
Authors: Derlindati Enrique J. , Arengo Felicity , Michelutti Matías , Romano Marcelo C. , Fabre Heber Sosa , Ortiz Enver , Rocha Omar , Jahn Alex E. , Chanampa Mariana M. , Barberis Ignacio M.
Published: November 2024

There are six species of flamingos in the world, all under pressure from human activities in their wetland habitats. Obtaining global population estimates for flamingos is challenging because of their broad geographical range, nomadic movements, capacity for long-distance flight, and the complexity of international monitoring. Two species, the Andean Flamingo Phoenicoparrus andinus and Puna Flamingo P. jamesi, during key parts of their life cycle, use wetlands in the Andes of South America, where they coexist at various sites. We compiled historical information on population estimates and ecology for these two species and integrated data collected on regional simultaneous censuses to describe population trends, current and emerging threats, and provide recommendations for conservation action. Long-term population trends have been difficult to establish given the unreliability of population estimates prior to the late 1990s. Systematic, regional censuses carried out regularly since 1997 have produced robust population estimates for the Andean and Puna flamingos (most recently, 78,000 and 154,000, respectively) and show populations of both species to be stable and increasing. Increasingly rapid changes in wetlands caused by human activities such as industrial-scale mining in breeding and foraging sites in the high Andes wetlands, and agro-industrial activities in their lowland wintering sites, focused on areas of the highest concentrations of flamingos pose threats to their survival and ability to reproduce. In addition, climate change is projected to reduce wetland habitats and some localised effects have already been detected. Continued research on the ecological drivers of flamingo abundance, movements, and population genetics to understand population structure and dynamics are necessary, as well as the identification of response variables to changing environmental conditions. Interdisciplinary and systems-level approaches in the context of international collaboration in monitoring and conservation planning among a diversity of stakeholders will be required to safeguard flamingo populations and wetland habitats.
The relationship of passion to sport specialization, injury, and burnout in NCAA Division 1 college athletes
Authors: Dallman Johnathan , Goodrich Ezra , Giusti Nick , Mar Damon , Tarakemeh Armin , Wolf Megan , Randall Jeffrey , Klass Amanda , Vopat Bryan , Vopat Lisa
Published: November 2024

Abstract: Introduction: Passion can be described as a strong inclination toward an activity and has previously been utilized to characterize numerous facets of student-athlete lives. However, the correlation between passion, injury, and burnout has not been thoroughly investigated. Therefore, the primary focus of this study is to identify the passion scores of current National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I student-athletes and describe the correlation of passion and burnout in athletes and define the potential relationship of passion with athlete injury. Methods: The research team utilized an observational study design that implemented a cross-sectional survey. Following Institutional Review Board approval and obtaining informed consent, REDCap electronic data capture tools was utilized to collect demographic information, the Passion Scale, and the Athlete Burnout Questionnaire. Correlation and multiple linear regression were used to assess the relationship between passion scores and athlete injury. Results: The average age of participants was 19.9 years old. Although sport participation characteristics were comparable between genders, females indicated significantly greater exhaustion burnout scores and obsessive passion compared to males but were otherwise comparable. General and harmonious passion showed significant negative correlations with reduced accomplishment, sport devaluation, and exhaustion burnout. Conclusion: While the results indicate that variation in both general and harmonious passion scores are associated with sport type, it is unclear whether assessment of specific sports are adequately represented within our analysis and as such, should be interpreted with caution. Future studies should focus on specific sports to better understand their association to passion, burnout, and risk of injury.