bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Data from P-MartCancer–Interactive Online Software to Enable Analysis of Shotgun Cancer Proteomic Datasets
Authors: Webb-Robertson Bobbie-Jo M. , Bramer Lisa M. , Jensen Jeffrey L. , Kobold Markus A. , Stratton Kelly G. , White Amanda M. , Rodland Karin D.
Published: July 2024

Abstract
P-MartCancer is an interactive web-based software environment that enables statistical analyses of peptide or protein data, quantitated from mass spectrometry–based global proteomics experiments, without requiring in-depth knowledge of statistical programming. P-MartCancer offers a series of statistical modules associated with quality assessment, peptide and protein statistics, protein quantification, and exploratory data analyses driven by the user via customized workflows and interactive visualization. Currently, P-MartCancer offers access and the capability to analyze multiple cancer proteomic datasets generated through the Clinical Proteomics Tumor Analysis Consortium at the peptide, gene, and protein levels. P-MartCancer is deployed as a web service (https://pmart.labworks.org/cptac.html), alternatively available via Docker Hub (https://hub.docker.com/r/pnnl/pmart-web/). Cancer Res; 77(21); e47–50. ©2017 AACR.
Hearing Loss in a Patient with Waldenstrom Macroglobulinemia Receiving Bortezomib
Authors: Fitzsimons Jack , Phelan Kathleen , Dhanarajan Asha
Published: July 2024

Introduction: We present a case report of hearing loss in a patient with Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia (WM) receiving treatment with bortezomib. Case Presentation: Our patient developed sudden bilateral sensorineural hearing loss after receiving three doses of bortezomib. His hearing loss was irreversible and resulted in a cochlear implant. Conclusion: Hearing loss secondary to bortezomib is a known, but very rare, side effect. Hearing loss secondary to WM is also rare and has been described in case reports.
Direitos das trabalhadoras gestantes, adotantes e lactantes no Brasil: legislação aplicada
Authors: Simões Álvaro Emanuel de Oliveira , Silva-Júnior João Silvestre
Published: July 2024

Due to its complexity, the Brazilian legislation requires continuous study from legal practitioners to ensure proper application. The protective rules for maternity, including pregnancy, adoption, and lactation have gradually been increased over the years, in compliance with Article 7 of the Brazilian Constitution, which encourages the emergence of new social rights. These rights can be stratified into those that arise with pregnancy, those that develop during the course of gestation, and those that protect the child at the beginning of its life outside the womb. Additionally, there are rights pertinent to new situations or aimed at increasing the father’s participation during this initial phase.
Morphological ontogeny of Melanozetes meridianus(Acari, Oribatida, Ceratozetidae)
Authors: SENICZAK STANISŁAW , SENICZAK ANNA , MISTRZAK MARCIN
Published: July 2024

The morphological ontogeny of Melanozetes meridianus Sellnick, 1928 is redescribed and illustrated. The juveniles of this species are light brown with brown prodorsum, gastronotum, sclerites and legs, and the nymphs have a well-developed lamella. In all juveniles, a humeral organ and humeral macrosclerite are present, seta c1 is inserted on humeral macrosclerite, and setae c2 and c3 are inserted on unsclerotized integument. The gastronotal shield of the larva has seven pairs of setae (d-, l-series and h1), while that of the nymphs has 10 pairs (d-, l-, h-series and p1), and setae p2 and p3 are inserted on a large posteroventral macrosclerite. In all instars the legs are stocky, all femora are flattened, and femora I and II have a large ventral carina.
Juvenile instars of Sellnickia caudata (Michael, 1908) (Acari, Oribatida, Sellnickiidae)
Authors: ERMILOV SERGEY G. , SALAVATULIN VLADIMIR M.
Published: July 2024

Juvenile instars of Sellnickia caudata (Michael, 1908) are described, based on specimens collected from tree branches and leaves of Dipterocarpus alatus in Vietnam.
Ontogenetic instars of Basilobelba werneri Mahunka, 1982 (Acari, Oribatida, Basilobelbidae)
Authors: ERMILOV SERGEY G. , LINDQUIST EVERT E.
Published: July 2024

Basilobelba werneri (Oribatida, Basilobelbidae) was collected from an alpine cloud forest in Guatemala. This is the first representative of the family Basilobelbidae in the Guatemalan fauna. A supplementary description of adult B. werneri is presented along with summarized diagnostic morphological traits. The juvenile instars of B. werneri are described for the first time. The larva is characterized by the presence of 11 pairs of gastronotic setae, of which c1 (short), da and dm (medium-sized) slightly thickened, barbed, la, lm, lp, h1, and h2 long, thick, narrowed distally, heavily barbed, and c2, c3 and h3 short, setiform, roughened. The proto-, deuto- and tritonymph are characterized by the presence of 12 pairs of short, setiform gastronotic setae.
Integrative taxonomy reveals two new species of karst-dwelling Hemiphyllodactylus Bleeker, 1860 (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from the border region of Laos and Vietnam
Authors: LUU VINH QUANG , HOANG TUOI THI , HA HONG BICH , GRISMER JESSE L. , MURDOCH MATTHEW , SITTHIVONG SALY , PHIMPASONE VILAY , GRISMER L. LEE
Published: July 2024

An integrative taxonomic analysis of the gekkonid lizard genus Hemiphyllodactylus was conducted using molecular, morphological, color pattern, and ecological data on a clade of 19 species, including two new species from karst landscapes in northern Laos and Vietnam. Hemiphyllodactylus houaphanensis sp. nov. (Laos) and H. vanhoensis sp. nov. (Vietnam) are karst-dwelling species whose discovery further emphasizes the unrealized herpetological diversity and site-specific endemism in karst ecosystems across Southeast Asia and the need for increased field work to protect these biodiverse landscapes.
A new species of the genus Rambutanura Deharveng, 1988 from southern Vietnam (Collembola, Neanuridae)
Authors: BABENKO ANATOLY , ANTIPOVA MARIA
Published: July 2024

Rambutanura oblita sp. nov. from the southern part of Vietnam is described and illustrated. It differs from all previously known species of the genus by the presence of only seven tubercles on the head (tubercle Cl undeveloped, vs present in all other known congeners), and of elongated digitate tubercles only on three last abdominal segments. In all other species such prolonged, finger-like tubercles are either present also on the head and thorax or completely undeveloped.
AI-Driven Forecasting for Morning Fog Expansion (Sea of Clouds)
Authors: Ohashi Yukitaka , Hara Kazuki
Published: July 2024

This study attempted to forecast the morning fog expansion (MFE), commonly referred to as the “sea of clouds,” utilizing an artificial intelligence (AI) algorithm. The radiation fog phenomenon that contributes to the sea of clouds is caused by various weather conditions. Hence, the MFE was predicted using datasets from public meteorological observations and a mesoscale numerical model (MSM). In this study, a machine learning technique, the gradient-boosting method, was adopted as the AI algorithm. The Miyoshi basin in Japan, renowned for its MFE, was selected as the experimental region. Training models were developed using datasets from October to December 2018–21. Subsequently, these models were applied to forecast MFE in 2022. The model employing the upper-atmospheric prediction data from the MSM demonstrated the highest robustness and accuracy among the proposed models. For untrained data in the fog season during 2022, the model was confirmed to be sufficiently reliable for forecasting MFE, with a high hit rate of 0.935, a low Brier score of 0.119, and a high area under the curve (AUC) of 0.944. Furthermore, the analysis of the importance of the features elucidated that the meteorological factors, such as synoptic-scale weak wind, temperatures close to the dewpoint temperature, and the absence of middle-level cloud cover at midnight, strongly contribute to the MFE. Therefore, the incorporation of upper-level meteorological elements improves the forecast accuracy for MFE.

Significance Statement

An AI-driven forecasting model for predicting morning fog expansion (MFE), sea of clouds, which often affects local livelihoods, was constructed. Fog forecasting machine learning techniques were utilized in the Japanese region famous for the morning fog. This study revealed that more accurate forecasting models incorporate numerically predicted weather elements sourced from the public routine system rather than real-time observed weather elements. Notably, the upper-level wind speed reflecting synoptic-scale dynamics, surface dewpoint depression, and middle-level cloud cover play significant roles in governing MFE. Therefore, incorporating upper-level meteorological elements into the features to machine learning is crucial for improving the forecasting accuracy of MFE.
West African Pidgin: World Language Against the Grain
Authors: Yakpo Kofi
Published: July 2024

West African Pidgin (“Pidgin”) is a cluster of related, mutually intelligible, restructured Englishes with up to 140 million speakers in Nigeria, Cameroon, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Equatorial Guinea, and The Gambia. Spoken by just few thousand people two centuries ago, “modernisation” and “shallow social entrenchment” have driven the transformation of Pidgin into a “super-central” world language. Demographic growth, migration, the expansion of West African cultural industries and economies, and people-to-people contacts are likely to expand Pidgin further. Already the largest language of West Africa, Pidgin may be spoken by 400 million people by 2100. The rise of Pidgin goes against the grain. World languages like English, French, Chinese, or Arabic mostly spread through colonisation, elite engineering, and state intervention. The trajectory of Pidgin, therefore, holds great potential for exploring the dynamics of large-scale natural language evolution in the twenty-first century.
Uncovering the Opium Crisis: The Poison of Turkish–American Relations in the 1960s and 1970s
Authors: Kasapsaraçoğlu Murat
Published: July 2024

Opium cultivation in Turkey had a long history spanning centuries. It was used as food, oil, painkiller, and a raw material to produce heroin. In the late 1960s, opium production precipitated a crisis between the United States of America (USA) and Turkey in which the USA puts increasing pressure on Turkey to ban opium cultivation as a part of its fight against drug addiction. However, the opium crisis was more than just a crop crisis, because Turkey did not play a major role in illegal drug trafficking as a producer country due to the volume of its opium production. Rather, the crisis can be viewed as a diplomatic offensive to test Turkey's loyalty to the USA and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). Turkey was economically and militarily dependent on the USA, but shaken by the rise of the left and anti-Americanism in the late 1960s, it tried to move away from its US-centric foreign policy after the Cyprus Crisis in 1964. Ultimately, the democratically elected Demirel and Ecevit governments failed the test of loyalty to the USA and NATO, while the Erim government, backed by the military, passed the test due to different political, economic and social concerns.
How Physicians are Trained to Interact With the Dying: A Thematic Analysis of Medical Student Exposures to End-Of-Life Cases
Authors: Currey Erin , Fessler M. Margaret , Wong Caroline , Giger Dasha , Collier Kristin
Published: July 2024

Physicians-in-training feel uncomfortable coping with the grief they experience while delivering end-of-life care, and medical schools offer minimal formal curricular offerings on end of life care. Few studies have identified what experiences medical students have with death while training or what lessons they are being taught by more senior physicians at bedside. This qualitative study conducted semi-structured interviews prior to and six months into the medical school clinical year. Our goal was to identify when students were encountering seriously ill/dying patients and what informal education students received about caring for dying patients. Descriptive statistics showed the majority of the encounters the students had with seriously ill or dying patients were in the hospital-based medicine setting. A minority of students participated in debriefs about end-of-life care with their care teams after the events. Thematic analysis showed significant heterogeneity in students’ exposure and responses to patient deaths.
From Good Citizens to Bad Apples? The Effect of Boredom Proneness: A Moral Licensing Perspective
Authors: Chou Shih Yung , Chang Tree , Lakshman Sangeetha
Published: July 2024

Although boredom proneness has been well-studied, there is still an ongoing scholarly debate about whether boredom can move individuals to act counterproductively or productively. Drawing from a moral licensing perspective, this study empirically investigates how boredom proneness influences interpersonal citizenship behavior (ICB), moral meaningfulness, and interpersonal deviance over time. Utilizing a total of 328 three-wave panel data obtained via Amazon Mechanical Turk during a three-month period, we find the following results. First, individuals with a higher initial level of boredom proneness demonstrate a higher initial level of ICB. Second, as boredom proneness increases at a faster rate, ICB increases at a faster rate over time. Third, individuals with a higher initial level of ICB report a higher initial level of moral meaningfulness. Finally, individuals with a higher initial level of moral meaningfulness exhibit a higher initial level of interpersonal deviance. Implications for theory and practice are discussed.
Developing an eco-driving strategy in a hybrid traffic network using reinforcement learning
Authors: Jamil Umar , Malmir Mostafa , Chen Alan , Filipovska Monika , Xie Mimi , Ding Caiwen , Jin Yu-Fang
Published: July 2024

Eco-driving has garnered considerable research attention owing to its potential socio-economic impact, including enhanced public health and mitigated climate change effects through the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. With an expectation of more autonomous vehicles (AVs) on the road, an eco-driving strategy in hybrid traffic networks encompassing AV and human-driven vehicles (HDVs) with the coordination of traffic lights is a challenging task. The challenge is partially due to the insufficient infrastructure for collecting, transmitting, and sharing real-time traffic data among vehicles, facilities, and traffic control centers, and the following decision-making of agents involved in traffic control. Additionally, the intricate nature of the existing traffic network, with its diverse array of vehicles and facilities, contributes to the challenge by hindering the development of a mathematical model for accurately characterizing the traffic network. In this study, we utilized the Simulation of Urban Mobility (SUMO) simulator to tackle the first challenge through computational analysis. To address the second challenge, we employed a model-free reinforcement learning (RL) algorithm, proximal policy optimization, to decide the actions of AV and traffic light signals in a traffic network. A novel eco-driving strategy was proposed by introducing different percentages of AV into the traffic flow and collaborating with traffic light signals using RL to control the overall speed of the vehicles, resulting in improved fuel consumption efficiency. Average rewards with different penetration rates of AV (5%, 10%, and 20% of total vehicles) were compared to the situation without any AV in the traffic flow (0% penetration rate). The 10% penetration rate of AV showed a minimum time of convergence to achieve average reward, leading to a significant reduction in fuel consumption and total delay of all vehicles.
Combined underwater endoscopic and microscopic surgery for tympanic paraganglioma: A case report
Authors: Takata Yusuke , Anzai Takashi , Sonoda Kenji , Okada Hiroko , Ishimizu Erina , Nakamura Masahiro , Hara Satoshi , Nakayama Takumi , Matsumoto Fumihiko
Published: July 2024

The resection of middle ear paragangliomas can be challenging given their vascular nature and the small volume of the tympanic cavity, particularly when the tumor in the hypotympanum is close or attached to the internal carotid artery (ICA). We performed combined underwater endoscopic and microscopic surgery for a Class B1 middle ear paraganglioma according to the modified Fisch classification. The suspicious bone in the hypotympanum and around the petrous ICA was drilled with underwater endoscopy. The feeding arteries, the caroticotympanic and inferior tympanic arteries, were suctioned and cauterized under microscopy. To the best of our knowledge, no case of middle ear paraganglioma treated with underwater endoscopy has been reported. Underwater endoscopy, providing a clear operative field with blood and bone dust irrigation, is a good indication for middle ear paragangliomas. In contrast, microscopic preparation for unexpected bleeding is important, particularly when the tumor closely extends to vital structures, such as the ICA or the jugular bulb.
The impact of the tumor immune microenvironment and tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte subgroups on laryngeal cancer prognosis
Authors: Tevetoğlu Fırat , Çomunoğlu Nil , Yener Haydar Murat
Published: July 2024

The absence of improvement in survival rates across various cancers, including laryngeal cancer, has led to an increasing interest in understanding the immune response to cancer. In head and neck cancers, immune modulatory mechanisms such as immune microenvironment and immune infiltration are important in cancer pathogenesis. This study aims to explore the distribution of tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) subgroups in the immune microenvironment and evaluate their impact on tumor histopathological characteristics and prognosis. The study included 50 patients who underwent laryngectomy for laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma, in Istanbul University - Cerrahpaşa, Faculty of Medicine Department of Otorhinolaryngology, between January 2016 and January 2018. Pathology specimens were evaluated using immunohistochemistry to assess the expressions of the CD3, CD20, CD8, CD4, CD25, and FoxP3 markers, identifying subgroups of TILs. The investigation aimed to uncover how these subgroups influence tumor histopathological features and survival outcomes. The high infiltration of CD3, CD20, and CD4 had a positive impact on disease-specific survival, disease-free survival, and recurrence-free survival. In addition, overall survival was positively affected by high CD3 and CD4 infiltrations. However, no significant relationship was observed between the expressions of CD8, FoxP3, and CD25 and any of the survival parameters. The infiltration of CD3, CD20, and CD4 positive cells indicative of a robust antitumoral immune response—emerged as favorable prognostic factors in laryngeal cancer. These findings suggest that enhancing the infiltration of CD3, CD20, and CD4 lymphocytes could be a therapeutic strategy worth exploring in clinical trials.
Want to learn? think again!
Authors: Geron Erez
Published: July 2024

One of the best ways to improve new learning and increase memory strength is by reprocessing the recently acquired information, for example, by thinking of it again. Synaptic plasticity, the process by which neurons change the strength of their connections with each other, is fundamental for learning and memory formation. Yet, at present, it is unclear how reprocessing information drives synaptic plasticity to support memory improvement. A new study suggests that reprocessing enhances memory formation by recruiting more synapses to represent the new memory, thus increasing its strength.
Optimising the use of colonoscopy to improve risk stratification for colorectal cancer in symptomatic patients: A decision-curve analysis
Authors: Lucocq James , Barron Emma , Holmes Heather , Donnelly Peter D , Cruickshank Neil
Published: July 2024

Objectives

Pressured healthcare resources make risk stratification and patient prioritisation fundamental issues for the investigation of colorectal cancer (CRC) in symptomatic patients. The present study uses machine learning algorithms and decision strategies to improve the appropriate use of colonoscopy.

Design

All symptomatic patients in a single health board (2018–2021) proceeding to colonoscopy to investigate for CRC were included. Machine learning algorithms (NeuralNetwork, randomForest, Logistic regression, Naïve-Bayes and Adaboost) were used to risk-stratify patients for CRC using demographics, symptoms, quantitative faecal immunochemical test (qFIT) and haematological tests. Decision curve analyses were performed to determine the optimal decision strategies.

Results

3776 patients were included (median age, 65; M:F,0.9:1.0) and CRC was identified in 217 patients (5.7%). qFIT > 400 μg Hb/g was the most important variable (%IncMSE = 78.5). RandomForrest had the highest area under curve (0.91) and accuracy (0.80) for CRC. When utilising decision curve analysis (DCA), 30%, 46% and 54% of colonoscopies were saved at accepted CRC probabilities of 1%, 2% and 3%, respectively. RandomForrest modelling had superior net clinical benefit compared to default colonoscopy strategies.

Conclusions

MLA-derived decision strategies that account for patient and referrer risk preference reduce colonoscopy demand and carry net clinical benefit compared to default colonoscopy strategies.
Granulomatous mycosis fungoides: A difficult diagnosis!
Authors: Gupta Yashita , Mehta Vats
Published: July 2024

Mycosis fungoides (MF) is the most common type of cutaneous lymphoma. However, granulomatous MF remains a rare subtype. Its incidence is estimated in the literature to be 6.3%. Clinical and pathological diagnosis of this entity is difficult owing to clinical heterogenicity and various histopathological mimics. We report one such case.
Anxiety symptoms and risk factors in patients with SARS‐CoV‐2 Omicron variant in Shanghai, China
Authors: Chen Qing , Chen Yong , Huang Yi , Yang Qinglin , He De-ying , Fang Bang-jiang , Ren Yi , Liu Jun
Published: July 2024

Objectives

The psychological effects of the COVID-19 pandemic have been shown to include anxiety. However, the association between demographic and physiological factors in COVID-19-associated anxiety symptoms is poorly understood. Therefore, the present cross-sectional study was conducted to examine anxiety symptoms and associated factors among patients with the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant during the quarantine period in Shanghai.

Methods

The study was conducted between April 16, 2022, and May 21, 2022, at Fangcang Shelter Hospital in Shanghai, China. Data were collected using an anonymous online questionnaire. Demographic characteristics, respiratory symptoms, vaccine dose, comorbidities (such as hypertension and diabetes), type of work, and mental health symptoms were evaluated. Logistic regression was used to examine the relationship between anxiety symptoms and risk factors. Stratified analyses were performed to investigate potential interactions.

Results

A total of 2132 patients with confirmed Omicron variant SARS-CoV-2 infection were enrolled. The results demonstrated that female gender (OR = 1.47, 95% CI = 1.11-1.94), nonmanual labor (OR = 1.62, 95% CI = 1.25-2.09), respiratory symptoms (OR = 3.19, 95% CI = 2.30-4.43), and having other comorbidities (OR = 1.65, 95% = 1.09-2.50) were positively associated with anxiety symptoms. A significant interaction was found between gender and (a) nonmanual labor (OR = 1.54, 95% = 1.29-1.85), (b) respiratory symptoms (OR = 2.06, 95% = 1.72- 2.48), and (c) comorbidities (OR = 1.57, 95% = 1.16-2.12), such that the relationship with anxiety symptoms was stronger in women compared to men. There were also significant interactions between age group and (a) nonmanual labor (stronger in those ages >46) and (b) respiratory symptoms (stronger in those ages 36-45) regarding the association with anxiety symptoms.

Conclusions

Alleviation of respiratory symptoms, addressing comorbidities, and implementation of both psychological and psychopharmacological treatments may help reduce anxiety symptoms following infection with the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant in mainland China.
Using Generative AI to Promote the APA's Five Goals for Undergraduate Majors
Authors: Fortner Melissa , Katzarska-Miller Iva
Published: July 2024

Introduction: Recent advancements in generative AI (GAI) platforms appear to mark an abrupt shift in higher education. Statement of the Problem: Instructors have a responsibility to teach students to use GAI, which is a promising tool for promoting personalized, student-centered, process-focused learning environments. Literature Review: Drawing on the explosion of publications outlining ways that instructors and students can use GAI and turning to ChatGPT itself for ideas, we provide guidance for psychology instructors to integrate GAI into their courses, using the APA's Guidelines for the Undergraduate Psychology Major as a framework. Teaching Implications: We outline four principles and provide practical suggestions to demonstrate GAI's potential for enhancing psychology education. Conclusion: Our goal is to empower psychology instructors to explore and experiment with GAI alongside their students.
Comparing Institutional, Teaching, and Student Factors in Relation to Psychology Student Satisfaction
Authors: Stanyer David , Wilshere-Cumming Lisa B. , Bohadana-Brown Gal R. , Green Heather J.
Published: July 2024

Background

Satisfaction of psychology students has implications for students’ engagement, learning, and persisting with education. Understanding of influences on satisfaction remains incomplete.

Objective

To investigate contributors to psychology students’ satisfaction, we assessed multivariate associations of satisfaction with institutional, teaching, and student factors.

Method

In two cross-sectional studies at the same university, first year psychology undergraduates ( N = 138 in 2019; N = 142 in 2023) completed online measures of student satisfaction, institutional factors (i.e., reputation, image, and learning environment), teaching factors (i.e., teaching quality, program structure, and assessment and feedback), student factors (i.e., self-efficacy, self-regulation, and motivation), and demographics.

Results

All proposed factors correlated with satisfaction. In hierarchical regression, student (self-efficacy) and institutional factors (academic reputation) explained more variance in satisfaction than did teaching factors. A second institutional factor, learning environment, associated independently with satisfaction in 2023 but not 2019 data.

Conclusion

Student self-efficacy and institutional reputation were the strongest predictors of psychology student satisfaction within this project. Replication at other institutions is needed, and longitudinal and experimental designs would also benefit future research.

Teaching Implications

Supporting psychology students to enhance self-efficacy and understand their institution's contributions to psychology might assist students’ satisfaction and thereby potentially aid learning and engagement.
Policy Learning and the Diffusion of Autonomous Vehicle Policy in the American States
Authors: Robles Pedro , Mallinson Daniel J.
Published: July 2024

This study examines the multifaceted mechanisms driving the adoption of autonomous vehicle (AV) policy in the United States. Drawing from diffusion and network governance theories, it explores the intricate interplay between state governments, private industry, and shared mobility services in shaping AV policies. Several states like California, Nevada, and Texas have emerged as frontrunners in AV testing and innovation. However, policymakers grapple with unique challenges related to AV technology, including safety, liability, and infrastructure enhancement, necessitating innovative policy solutions. As AVs signify a transformative shift in transportation, state governments assume a pivotal role in policy innovation and experimentation. Using a blend of dyadic quantitative analysis and qualitative interviews, this study examines to what extent policy learning predominantly drives AV policy adoption. In doing so, we explore specific diffusion mechanisms, including policy learning and competitive dynamics, to understand how they shape the early adoption of AV policies across states. We find substantial evidence for interstate learning facilitated by intergovernmental organizations and the private sector.
Caravanas in Tijuana: A Qualitative Account of Women in the 2018 Central American Migrant Caravans
Authors: Rios-Contreras Nancy , Hernández Mateo Luis Fernando
Published: July 2024

Social conditions force migrants to pursue mass mobilization and transit through Latin America to the Mexico-United States border. Mainstream media continues to sensationalize the migrant caravans. Research concerning the experiences of individuals in caravans remains underdeveloped. A question remains about how women experience transit in a mass caravan migration. This study uses a migrant feminist standpoint to capture women's perspectives within the 2018 Central American migrant caravans. In 2019, a qualitative analysis of 15 semi-structured interviews with migrant participants primarily from Central America and fieldwork observation was conducted in Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico. Caravans provide a realistic alternative avenue for migration. Migration is a gendered process where women resist state violence. Reaching the Tijuana border is a success, but it comes at a detrimental cost for women, including experiencing deception, social class inequalities, and distrust. Humanitarian responses to the migrant caravans benefit from adopting a gender-conscious action-based practice.
Witnessing the Recovery: Storytelling and Family Building, from Belsen to Ireland
Authors: Kirsh Mary Fraser
Published: July 2024

This article will explore three individuals (nurse Muriel Knox Doherty, pediatrician William Robert Fitzgerald Collis, and administrator Olga Eppel) who took on the role of caretakers but who were also, as James Young would call them, “eyewitness scribes”: those who aspire both “to represent the sense of discontinuity and disorientation in catastrophic events and to preserve [their] personal link to events — all in a medium that necessarily ‘orients’ the reader, creates continuity in events, and supplants his authority as witness.” While many scholars have explored the ethics, complexities, and textures of the stories of child survivors who were eyewitness scribes, comparatively little has been written about caretakers who had not been the targets of genocide but who developed an intimate connection with the youngest survivors, who felt compelled to write about these connections, and who were testifying and processing the trauma of the survivors under their care, all the while attempting to make sense of their own relationship with the Holocaust. As such, they serve a triple function of being active participants in healing, front-row spectators to survivors rebuilding their lives, and eyewitness scribes intent on telling stories of their caretaking as well as retelling the stories of the children who received their care for a broader audience.
Assessing knowledge and awareness of Food and Drug Interactions among nutrition sciences students: Implications for education and clinical practice
Authors: Beirão Sofia , Costa João G. , Ferreira-Pêgo Cíntia
Published: July 2024

Background

Chronic diseases and polymedication increase the risk of food–drug interactions (FDIs) among the population, negatively impacting health. Nutritionists, as responsible for dietary planning, have a key role in preventing these events.

Aim

To assess the knowledge about FDIs among a sample of Nutrition Sciences Bachelor students.

Methods

A descriptive cross-sectional observational study was conducted, involving 44 students from the 3rd and 4th academic years of different Portuguese universities during the 2023/2024 academic year. Participants completed a self-reported questionnaire, covering general and specific FDIs knowledge, academic background, and perceptions regarding FDIs importance and training adequacy.

Results

Results revealed a general lack of FDIs knowledge among participants, particularly in identifying specific interactions and appropriate dietary management. While half of the students reported exposure to a subject dedicated to FDIs, only 18.18% considered the knowledge acquired sufficient. Nearly all participants (93.18%) expressed the need for further training in FDIs during their undergraduate course. Furthermore, none of the participants had received additional training or attended workshops on FDIs. Specifically, participants struggled to identify appropriate dietary choices in conjunction with certain medications. Moreover, only a minority of participants demonstrated awareness of the ideal timing for medication intake relative to food consumption. Despite these knowledge gaps, participants recognized the importance of FDIs knowledge for future clinical practice.

Conclusion

Bridging these knowledge gaps through targeted educational interventions and interdisciplinary collaboration is essential to ensure future nutrition professionals are equipped to address the complex challenges posed by FDIs in professional practice.
Judith Butler: Life, Philosophy, Politics, Ethics: E-Special Issue Introduction
Authors: Loizidou Elena
Published: July 2024

This e-special issue of Theory, Culture & Society presents works published by and about US philosopher and activist Judith Butler (b. 1956), Distinguished Scholar at the Graduate School, University of California, Berkeley. They have contributed to Theory, Culture & Society and inspired key debates and scholarship around their work. Gender Trouble transformed our understanding of gender, influencing generations of academics, activists, and cultural producers. Butler is an exceptional thinker who aims to build more inclusive and sustainable societies through their writing, which has influenced numerous fields, e.g. sociology, gender studies, politics, and the arts. The editorial introduction juxtaposes earlier and subsequent writings by Butler in order to encourage a wider reading of their work. Drawing upon the full catalogue of Theory, Culture & Society and Body & Society, the collection includes articles published by Butler, interviews with them, a book review, and articles about their work.
Around the OCMS world: Cutting-edge stories of local and global impact
Authors: Ngursangzeli Behera Marina
Published: July 2024

This is a compilation work of student's stories shared during the celebration of the 40th years of Oxford Centre for Mission Studies, UK.
Surface modification of polyester fabrics using choline hydroxide-catalysed glycolysis
Authors: Mostajeran Masoud , Khoddami Akbar , Mirloo Peyman , Abdolmaleki Amir
Published: July 2024

This study explores the surface modification of polyethene terephthalate (PET) fabric via glycolysis, employing choline hydroxide as an eco-friendly catalyst. A range of chemicals was evaluated for catalysing the glycolysis reaction. Among them, choline hydroxide demonstrated notable enhancements in surface hydrophilicity, moisture regain, wicking properties, and water contact angle, surpassing other catalysts. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) revealed a marked increase in surface roughness and irregularities following glycolysis in the presence of this ionic liquid. The surface modification technique employed in this investigation resulted in a decrease of less than 20% in the breaking force of the fabric. Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy and the methylene blue staining method confirmed the emergence of free hydroxyl groups on the modified fabric's surface. These findings suggest that glycolysis catalysed by choline hydroxide is a promising approach for enhancing the surface characteristics of polyester fabrics, which may lead to improved functional properties in textile applications.
Modeling multi-legged robot locomotion with slipping and its experimental validation
Authors: Wu Ziyou , Zhao Dan , Revzen Shai
Published: July 2024

Multi-legged robots with six or more legs are not in common use, despite designs with superior stability, maneuverability, and a low number of actuators being available for over 20 years. This may be in part due to the difficulty in modeling multi-legged motion with slipping and producing reliable predictions of body velocity. Here, we present a detailed measurement of the foot contact forces in a hexapedal robot with multiple sliding contacts, and provide an algorithm for predicting these contact forces and the body velocity. The algorithm relies on the recently published observation that even while slipping, multi-legged robots are principally kinematic, and employ a friction law ansatz that allows us to compute the shape-change to body-velocity connection and the foot contact forces. This results in the ability to simulate motion plans for a large number of contacts, each potentially with slipping. Furthermore, in homogeneous environments, this kind of simulation can run in (parallel) logarithmic time of the planning horizon.
Solid carbonaceous materials transformation during pulverised coal and natural gas co-injection
Authors: Ng Ka Wing , Huang Xianai , Scott Graeme , Todoschuk Ted
Published: July 2024

Co-injection of coal and gaseous fuel, such as natural gas (NG), is common practice promoting pulverised coal gasification in blast furnace (BF) ironmaking. The high hydrogen content in NG makes it possible to act as cleaner reductant to reduce iron ore to produce hot metal, which will result in reduced CO2 emissions during the ironmaking process. In this work, selected parameters affecting the overall performance of the pulverised coal and natural gas co-injection system were studied using the CanmetENERGY injection test rig, including coal injection rate, natural gas rate and blast oxygen enrichment. Increase in combustion intensity promotes conversion of injected coal into solid carbonaceous material with relatively low reactivity with CO2. Hence, it reduces the competitiveness of combustion residues for oxygen in the raceway to continue the gasification process. NG co-injection reduces the coal combustion intensity but enhances the reactivity of combustion residues by competing the oxygen in the raceway.
Application of instance segmentation algorithm incorporating attention mechanism and BiFPN for sinter ore particle size recognition
Authors: Li Zhe , Xue Tao , Li Jie , Yang Aimin
Published: July 2024

The particle size composition of sinter plays a decisive role in the output and energy consumption of blast furnace ironmaking. To reduce energy consumption and achieve efficient production, accurate measurement of sinter particle size and distribution has become an important issue. Due to the problems of adhesion, large size difference and edge effect in sinter image, the traditional image segmentation algorithm makes it difficult to effectively separate sinter. This paper proposes an intelligent recognition method of sinter particle size based on an improved BlendMask instance segmentation algorithm. Bidirectional feature pyramid network is used to replace the feature pyramid network structure (FPN), and the attention mechanism Convolutional Block Attention Module (CBAM) is introduced to improve the ability to extract shallow features and enhance the ability to identify adherent sinter. The test results show that the average detection accuracy mean average precision (mAP) of the model proposed in this article is 71.0%, and the mAP50 is 93.8%. The average segmentation accuracy mAP is 68.0% and mAP50 is 93.8%. The identified sinter images were then edge-refined using morphological methods to collect statistics on the particle size distribution of the sinter. Compared with the actual measured sinter particle size, the average relative error is 4.9%. This method can accurately identify sinter in complex environments, improve the production efficiency of sinter, optimise resource utilisation and reduce personnel costs and has important application prospects.
The influence of binder type on the properties and performance of taphole clays for blast furnaces
Authors: de Oliveira Tomás M. , Ribeiro Aloísio S. , Nunes Eduardo H. M.
Published: July 2024

Taphole clay (THC) is an unshaped refractory commonly used in blast furnaces to seal the taphole after the tapping process has been completed. THC is typically bonded with conventional coal tar pitch (CTP), but alternative binders have been developed due to the high toxicity of this material. This study investigated the performance of various binders commonly added to THCs, including CTP, phenolic novolac resin (PNR), low benzopyrene coal tar pitch (ECTP), and a petroleum-based binder (PBB). The properties of the prepared THCs were investigated, and the analytical hierarchy process was used to infer the behaviour of the prepared materials during blast furnace operation. The results obtained show that the best binder for a particular THC depends on its operational requirements. In cases where excellent injectability and hearth protection are mandatory, CTP or ECTP are highly recommended. Conversely, if a low-toxicity and easy-to-drill THC is required, PBB emerges as a promising binder. PNR is the recommended choice for blast furnaces where rapid cure and tapping stability are priorities.
The effect of impeller height and rotation speed on the Kambala reactor desulfurization process
Authors: Ji Junhong , Xu Pengtao , Li Deqiang , Wang Jiajia , Tan Liqiao
Published: July 2024

To improve the utilization efficiency of desulfurizer in the Kambala reactor liquid iron desulfurization process and prolong the life of the impeller, the height of the impeller and its optimal matching rotation speed are optimized. Through numerical simulation, the mixing effect of different height impellers under different rotation speeds is studied, the movement and distribution modes of desulfurizer particles are analyzed, the pumping capacity and power are calculated, and the influence of impeller height and optimal matching rotation speed on the desulfurization effect has been clarified. The numerical simulation results show that the optimization of impeller height and optimal matching rotation speed can improve the mixing effect. The height of the impeller increases, and its optimal matching rotation speed decreases. Based on the results, in existing models, it is recommended to run at 60 r/min with an impeller height of 800 mm for optimal mixing performance.
Working capital management under supply chain disruption: The role of government response during economic uncertainty
Authors: Wu Lin-Chih , Eng Teck-Yong , Wang Chou-Wen
Published: July 2024

Supply chain finance (SCF) stems from supply chain management (SCM), where firms deploy various approaches (e.g., inventory management and working capital management) to maximize firm performance. Firms utilize working capital management (WCM) to optimize their operating cash to create firm value. This study focuses on how firms could deploy the WCM approach through receivables, inventories, and payables to maximize long-term and short-term firm performance. It is worth noting that the components in WCM serve different roles in firm performance where shareholders value shorter receivable periods to avoid customer default risk, but firms could benefit from long receivable periods for short-term operation performance. In addition, governments from various countries implemented different policies to reduce adverse economic impacts of the pandemic. The sample includes publicly listed manufacturing companies in the United States, the United Kingdom, Singapore, and Australia where different levels of government response have been observed. By using Ordinal Least Squares (OLS) regression analysis and adopting government policy as moderator, the results show that the government actions during the pandemic serve as the mitigating effect in the manufacturing supply chain. The analyses also show that the government policies implemented have successfully supported supply chain resilience during pandemic, especially to loss-making firms from decreased firm value.
The geopolitical economy of the original condition
Authors: Kearns Gerry
Published: July 2024

Placed outside theory, the ‘original condition’ provides theory’s unquestioned foundation. For the discourses explicated as geoeconomics by Mallin and Sidaway, the points of departure include a capitalist economy on a world scale, and a set of states constituted around the pursuit of profit for private enterprises in turn understood as comprising the national economy. In this commentary I highlight how this version of the original condition has been assembled from discourses such as the political economy in the tale of Robinson Crusoe and the philosophy of a racialised homeland in the philosophy of Martin Heidegger. This interrogation offers an alternative genealogy to the study of the circulation of the term ‘geoeconomics’.
Preparation and properties of poly (ethylene-co-vinyl acetate)/boron nitride nanocomposite for energy storage devices
Authors: Ramesan MT , Gopika K , Bahuleyan BK
Published: July 2024

A simple open-mill mixing approach was employed to develop thermally and mechanically stable nanocomposites consisting of poly (ethylene- co-vinyl acetate) (EVA) as the matrix and boron nitride (BN) as a reinforcing nanofiller. The development of nanocomposites was examined by FT-IR, UV spectroscopy, XRD, TEM, TGA and DSC. The attachment of BN to EVA was confirmed by the characteristic BN band at 602 cm−1 in the FT-IR spectra. The UV measurements revealed a red shift in the nanocomposites due to nanoparticle interactions with polymer chains and the bandgap energy decreased with the nanofiller concentration. The XRD TEM analysis indicated the presence of a crystalline BN phase in EVA. Enhanced thermal stability and glass transition temperature of the polymer with the addition of BN nanoparticles were revealed from TGA and DSC, respectively. The EVA with 5% BN nanocomposite was discovered to have higher mechanical properties, electrical conductivity and lower optical bandgap energy. The tensile strength, tear resistance, impact strength and hardness of EVA increased with the inclusion of BN, whereas elongation at break was reduced. The findings of the experiments showed that the EVA/BN nanocomposites would provide excellent options for mechanically and thermally stable materials for energy storage applications.
Dynamic response of UHMWPE/polyurea composite plates under combined blast and ballistic impact
Authors: Liu Li , Lan Xuke
Published: July 2024

Combined load caused by blast impulse and fragmentation impact poses a synergetic damage threat to the protective structure. To improve the blast and ballistic impact resistance of Ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE), polyurea coated Ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene structure was proposed, and the composite structures with different coating thickness and coating position were prepared. Composite projectiles formed by combining foam projectiles and steel projectiles were launched by light gas gun to simulate the combined load of explosion impact and fragmentation. Comparative experimental studies were carried out. The experimental results show that the polyurea layer has good elastic properties, preventing the excessive deformation of the PE layer. The polyurea coating position and the time interval of the combined load show significant influence on the impact resistance of the composite structure. When the load was relatively low, PE plate with polyurea coating on booth face has both the advantages of PE plate with coating on the front and back face, but when the load increased, the impact resistance potential of polyurea layer was not fully developed. With the increase of the combined load, structures with polyurea coating on the back face has a good resistance of combined impact.