bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Unconventional Coastal Structures (Kemit Armor Layer)
Authors: Almaghraby Mustafa Mahmoud , Mohsen Ahmed , Iskander Moheb Mina
Published: January 2025

The growth of the marine sector induces substantial demand to develop new types of coastal structures that have minimal impact on neighboring ecosystems and reduce the environmental footprint. This study aims to introduce and check the efficiency of an innovative armor layer for coastal protection towards fostering sustainable coastal management practices. The proposed truncated cube (named Kemit) design incorporates features such as two hollow opposite elbows, half rings, and incomplete pyramidal shapes to enhance wave absorption and promote marine biodiversity. The proposed armor unit has been investigated physically in the wide wave flume of the Coastal Research Institute Egypt. The armor layer performance was introduced through wave reflection, wave dissipation coefficients, and wave overtopping. Six wave conditions (wave height and wave period) were performed to the armor layer in two states of submergence. A comparative analysis with traditional cube‐armored breakwaters under the same circumstances (wave height, wave period, and water depth) reveals superior performance of the proposed “Kemit” armor layer, exhibiting lower wave reflection coefficients (0.56 to 0.68) and lower overtopping, particularly evident in medium water depths. However, in case of lower water depth, the traditional cubes show better efficiency, lower reflection coefficient (0.46 to 0.68), and higher dissipation (0.74 to 0.89). Moreover, the proposed Kemit armor layer decreased the wave overtopping and run‐up over the breakwater cross‐section due to the Kemit steps and porosity. Furthermore, the adoption of innovative technologies can help policymakers increase the resilience of coastal infrastructure and ecosystems.
Non-invertible symmetry in Calabi-Yau conformal field theories
Authors: Córdova Clay , Rizi Giovanni
Published: January 2025

Abstract

We construct examples of non-invertible global symmetries in two-dimensional superconformal field theories described by sigma models into Calabi-Yau target spaces. Our construction provides some of the first examples of non-invertible symmetry in irrational conformal field theories. Our approach begins at a Gepner point in the conformal manifold where the sigma model specializes to a rational conformal field theory and we can identify all supersymmetric topological Verlinde lines. By deforming away from this special locus using exactly marginal operators, we then identify submanifolds in moduli space where some non-invertible symmetry persists. For instance, along ten-dimensional loci in the complex structure moduli space of quintic Calabi-Yau threefolds there is a symmetry characterized by a Fibonacci fusion category. The symmetries we identify provide new constraints on spectra and correlation functions. As an application we show how they constrain conformal perturbation theory, consistent with recent results about scaling dimensions in the K3 sigma model near its Gepner point.
The edge of random tensor eigenvalues with deviation
Authors: Delporte Nicolas , Sasakura Naoki
Published: January 2025

Abstract

The largest eigenvalue of random tensors is an important feature of systems involving disorder, equivalent to the ground state energy of glassy systems or to the injective norm of quantum states. For symmetric Gaussian random tensors of order 3 and of size N, in the presence of a Gaussian noise, continuing the work [1], we compute the genuine and signed eigenvalue distributions, using field theoretic methods at large N combined with earlier rigorous results of [2]. We characterize the behaviour of the edge of the two distributions as the variance of the noise increases. We find two critical values of the variance, the first of which corresponding to the emergence of an outlier from the main part of the spectrum and the second where this outlier merges with the corresponding largest eigenvalue and they both become complex. We support our claims with Monte Carlo simulations. We believe that our results set the ground for a definition of pseudospectrum of random tensors based on Z-eigenvalues.
Rural schools and tech use for sustainability: the challenge of disconnection
Authors: Ahiaku Philip Kwashi Atiso , Uleanya Chinaza , Muyambi Godfrey Chitsauko
Published: January 2025

Tech use in teaching and learning has been considered as a contributory factor aiding academic success. Its lack in rural schools has also been considered as a hindrance to quality education. This study through a qualitative method explored the intersection of innovation and technology use as well as the challenges of disconnection. This was done using a selected rural school in KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa. Data were collected from a case of a secondary school using observations, field notes and semi-structured interviews from a purposively selected sample of a principal, a head of department, six teachers and an administrative clerk. The collected data were coded, categorised and analysed thematically. The findings show among others that inequalities are due to infrastructure, socioeconomic status and location. The disparities influence how digital inequality is experienced, exposing barriers, and frustrations, through digital disconnection. The experience causes the teachers to utilise less of technology and make use of what they have. This study has shaped our discourse in digital technology theory and humanities about what technology is, what it is for, and what kind of justice we ought to seek from it.
Humanistic Therapy for Young People: Client-Perceived Helpful Aspects, Hindering Aspects, and Processes of Change
Authors: Cooper Mick , Smith Stephanie , Sumner Amy Louise , Eilenberg Jon , Childs-Fegredo Jasmine , Kelly Siobhan , Subramanian Praveen , Holmes Joanna , Barkham Michael , Bower Peter , Cromarty Karen , Duncan Charlie , Hughes Susan , Pearce Peter , Rameswari Tiffany , Ryan Gemma , Saxon David , Stafford Megan Rose
Published: January 2025

This qualitative study aimed to establish aspects of humanistic therapy that young people (13–16 years old) perceived as helpful and hindering, and to test a novel method for identifying perceived processes of change. A “medium q” thematic analysis was conducted followed by a coding-based “process of change analysis.” Participants were 50 young people in London schools who experienced moderate or severe emotional symptoms and had participated in up to 10 sessions of a school-based humanistic intervention. Participants were predominantly female and ethnically heterogeneous. Therapist qualities most often perceived as helpful were affiliative in nature. Unhelpful therapist activities were silences and a lack of input. Young people described feeling free to talk and open up. Helpful outcomes included feeling unburdened, gaining insight, and improving relationships. “Getting things off their chest,” “Advice and guidance,” “Modeling relationships,” and “insights to behavior change” were identified as specific processes of change in over 50% of young people. Approximately one-third felt hindered by a lack of therapist input, silences, or not feeling able to open up or trust. These findings indicate the potential value of an active, “process guiding” stance in humanistic therapy. Our process of change analysis has potential for identifying perceived change mechanisms in therapy. This work was supported by the Economic and Social Research Council [grant reference ES/M011933/1]. Anonymized qualitative interview transcripts are available on request to the First Author/Chief Investigator. Quantitative, participant-level data for the ETHOS study (with data dictionary), and related documents (e.g., parental consent form), are available via the ReShare UK Data Service (reshare.ukdataservice.ac.uk/853764/). Access requires ReShare registration.
Is it still fair? A comparative evaluation of fairness algorithms through the lens of covariate drift
Authors: Deho Oscar Blessed , Bewong Michael , Kwashie Selasi , Li Jiuyong , Liu Jixue , Liu Lin , Joksimovic Srecko
Published: January 2025

Over the last few decades, machine learning (ML) applications have grown exponentially, yielding several benefits to society. However, these benefits are tempered with concerns of discriminatory behaviours exhibited by ML models. In this regard, fairness in machine learning has emerged as a priority research area. Consequently, several fairness metrics and algorithms have been developed to mitigate against discriminatory behaviours that ML models may possess. Yet still, very little attention has been paid to the problem of naturally occurring changes in data patterns (aka data distributional drift), and its impact on fairness algorithms and metrics. In this work, we study this problem comprehensively by analyzing 4 fairness-unaware baseline algorithms and 7 fairness-aware algorithms, carefully curated to cover the breadth of its typology, across 5 datasets including public and proprietary data, and evaluated them using 3 predictive performance and 10 fairness metrics. In doing so, we show that (1) data distributional drift is not a trivial occurrence, and in several cases can lead to serious deterioration of fairness in so-called fair models; (2) contrary to some existing literature, the size and direction of data distributional drift is not correlated to the resulting size and direction of unfairness; and (3) choice of, and training of fairness algorithms is impacted by the effect of data distributional drift which is largely ignored in the literature. Emanating from our findings, we synthesize several policy implications of data distributional drift on fairness algorithms that can be very relevant to stakeholders and practitioners.
Transperitoneal robot-assisted partial nephrectomy: a comparison of operative and oncological outcomes between posterior and anterolateral tumours
Authors: Thomsen Frederik F. , Petersson Rasmus D. , Schou-Jensen Katrine S. , Rashu Badal S. , Niebuhr Malene H. , Azawi Nessn H.
Published: January 2025

Objective

To compare operative and oncological outcomes, as well as the risk of postoperative complications in patients who underwent transperitoneal robot-assisted partial nephrectomy (RAPN) for renal tumours located either posteriorly or anterolaterally.

Methods

Retrospective, consecutive study including 451 patients who underwent transperitoneal RAPN for non-metastatic, localised renal tumours from May 2016 to April 2023. Operative data included duration of the procedure, warm ischaemia time, and blood loss; oncological data included surgical margins and recurrence; and 90-day postoperative complications were classified according to the Clavien-Dindo classification.

Results

In total, 140 (31%) patients had tumours with a posterior location. The median follow-up was 3.3 (IQR 1.8–5.0) years. There were no differences in operative outcomes or length of hospital stay between the two groups. Positive surgical margins were recorded in 9% of the patients with posterior tumours compared to 7% of patients with anterolateral tumours, p = 0.60. The estimated probability of recurrence-free survival at 5 years was 95.2% (95% CI 87.4–98.2) for patients with posterior tumours and 96.7% (95% CI 92.3–98.6) for patients with anterolateral tumours, p = 0.4. Patients with posterior tumours had a similar risk of any complication (OR 1.24 [95% CI 0.80–1.91]) and CD ≥ III (OR 0.73 [95% CI 0.28–1.67]) compared to patients with anterolateral tumours.

Conclusion

This study found that patients with posterior tumours had longer operating times and hospital stays following transperitoneal RAPN compared to those with anterolateral tumours but without increased complications or poorer oncological outcomes.

Graphical abstract
Oral Administration of [18F]MC225 for Quantification of P-glycoprotein Function: A Feasibility Study
Authors: Salvi de Souza Giordana , Furini Cristiane R. G. , Sijbesma Jürgen W. A. , Kominia Maria , Doorduin Janine , Giacobbo Bruno Lima , Lammertsma Adriaan A. , Tsoumpas Charalampos , Luurtsema Gert
Published: January 2025

Purpose

This preclinical study explored the feasibility of assessing P-glycoprotein (P-gp) function in both brain and gastrointestinal (GI) tract of rats using positron emission tomography (PET) following oral administration of [18F]MC225. Different oral administration protocols were evaluated, and radioactivity uptake was compared with uptake following intravenous administration.

Procedures

Twelve male Wistar rats were divided into four groups and subjected to intravenous or oral [18F]MC225 administration protocols: G1 (intravenous route), G2 (oral administration without fasting), G3 (oral administration with fasting), and G4 (oral administration with fasting following administration of the P-gp inhibitor tariquidar). Dynamic brain imaging, late abdominal imaging, ex vivo biodistribution, and metabolite analysis were conducted to assess tracer distribution.

Results

In the brain, oral administration yielded lower values compared with intravenous administration, resulting in a reduction in the tissue-to-plasma ratio by approximately 51% for the cortex and 45% for the midbrain and cerebellum. Fasting improved radioactivity uptake, aiding brain visualization. Unexpectedly, administration of the P-gp inhibitor tariquidar did not increase brain concentration, suggesting a signal that was dominated by non-specific uptake, possibly due to instability of [18F]MC225 in the GI tract. Metabolite analysis in G4 indicated a significant presence of polar metabolites.

Conclusions

Oral administration of [18F]MC225 faces challenges and, at this stage, cannot be used to quantify P-gp function. Further research to assess tracer stability and metabolism in the stomach and intestine will be essential for advancing the feasibility of oral tracer administration.
Immobilisation of arsenic and simultaneous degradation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in soil in situ by modified electrooxidation
Authors: Kumpiene Jurate , Gusiatin Mariusz , Yang Tanise , Johansson Kim , Carabante Ivan
Published: January 2025

Improper management of wood impregnation chemicals and treated wood has led to soil contamination at many wood treatment sites, particularly with toxic substances like creosote oil and chromated copper arsenate (CCA). The simultaneous presence of these pollutants complicates the choice of soil remediation technologies, especially if they are to be applied in situ. In this laboratory study, we attempted to immobilise arsenic (As) and simultaneously degrade polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) (constituents of creosote oil) by applying a modified electrochemical oxidation method. The supply of iron (Fe) amendments in contaminated soil was done using corroding Fe electrodes as an Fe source and applying an alternating polarity electrical current. Soil with a large fraction of organic matter (25%) and containing 505 mg kg−1 As and 5160 mg kg−1 16-PAHs was placed in Plexiglas cells equipped with porewater samplers and an iron electrode pair connected to a power supply unit. The porewater and percolating solution were periodically sampled and analysed over an 8-week period. The modified electrochemical soil treatment led to a decrease in the total concentration of 16-PAHs in soil by 56–68%. The amount of poorly crystalline Fe oxides in the soil substantially increased, especially close to the electrodes, enabling 76–89% of As to be bound to this most reactive Fe fraction. Nevertheless, over 10% of soil As remained in the most soluble and available fraction (exchangeable), most likely due to the decline in soil redox potential over time. This study suggests that electrochemical oxidation of organic soil with mixed contaminants could be used for in situ soil remediation but needs further improvement to achieve more efficient As immobilisation.
Am Deutschen Wesen wird die Welt nicht genesen – Diplomatie (2014): Ein Film von Volker Schlöndorff
Authors: West-Leuer Beate
Published: January 2025

„Diplomatie“ ist ein deutsch-französisches Historiendrama aus dem Jahr 2014. In den letzten Monaten des Zweiten Weltkriegs, während die alliierten Streitkräfte bereits auf die Stadt vorrücken, erhält General Dietrich von Choltitz den Befehl, Paris zu zerstören, Der schwedische Diplomat Raoul Nordling bittet den General, dies nicht zu tun. Da das Ergebnis der Begegnung bekannt ist, untersucht der Film, welchen Weg der General von kollektivem Gehorsam zu einer individuellen Gewissensentscheidung genommen haben könnte.
Big Brother is Listening: Adapting and Marketing Literary Classics in Audio Format—The Case of Storytel’s 1984
Authors: Linkis Sara Tanderup
Published: January 2025

The recent popularity of audiobooks has led to new ways of using the format as publishers and producers reproduce and “reactualise” older works by adapting them into audio. The article examines this development, focusing on the case of Storytel’s 2022 audio adaptation of George Orwell’s 1984 and the marketing campaign surrounding it, combining a publishing studies approach (Squires 2007; Murray 2018; Thompson 2021) with perspectives from materialist and sociological adaptation studies (Murray 2012) and audio narratology (Mildorf and Kinzel 2016; Bernaerts and Mildorf 2021). The article argues that the marketing campaign related to the 1984 production reflects the streaming service’s strategy of reviving the classic through sound. A paratextual analysis of the marketing material is combined with an analysis of the significance of sound and sound motifs in the adaptation and in the original novel. The article concludes that Storytel uses the audio format to reinterpret and highlight the relevance of the dystopic novel in 2022, while also using the classic to market Storytel as a streaming service in an Orwellian surveillance culture. By thus combining an interest in the textual and medial content of the work and the commercial and social contexts, the article demonstrates how developments in the audiobook industry impacts aesthetics as well as modes of producing, marketing and selling literature.
Foucault’s Social, Community, and Cultural Psychology
Authors: Joranger Line
Published: January 2025

In today’s debate about a user oriented humanistic turn in the field of mental health care, the early Foucault is once again relevant. In his works from 1954 Foucault shows that the root of understanding mental phenomena is not to be found in universal medical concepts and methods, but in the reflection on lived experiences and in the human being itself. In accordance with contemporary social, community, and cultural psychologists, such as Brinkmann, Kinderman and Prilleltensky, Foucault is critical to the psychology’s medical foundations. Instead of focusing on medical and physiological matters he suggests that psychology, as a discipline, should be more user oriented, and focus more on the human being itself, and on social and cultural contexts.
Utilizing contemporary machine learning techniques for determining soilcrete properties
Authors: Inqiad Waleed Bin , Khan Muhammad Saud , Mehmood Zohaib , Khan Naseer Muhammad , Bilal Muhammad , Sazid Mohammed , Alarifi Saad S.
Published: January 2025

Soilcrete is an innovative construction material made by combining naturally occurring earth materials with cement. It can be effectively used in areas where other construction materials are not readily available due to financial or environmental reasons since soilcrete is made from readily available natural clay. It can also help to cut down the greenhouse gas emissions from the construction industry by encouraging the use of resources that are locally available. Thus, it is imperative to reliably predict different properties of soilcrete since the accurate determination of these properties is crucial for the widespread use of soilcrete materials. However, the laboratory determination of these properties is subjected to significant time and resource constraints. As a result, this research was undertaken to provide empirical prediction models for the density, shrinkage, and strain of soilcrete mixes using two machine learning algorithms: Gene Expression Programming (GEP) and Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGB). The analysis revealed that XGB-based predictions correlated more with real-life values than GEP having training

$${\text{R}}^{2}=0.999$$

R

2

=
0.999

for both density and shrinkage prediction and

$${\text{R}}^{2}=0.944$$

R

2

=
0.944

for strain prediction. Moreover, several explanatory analyses including individual conditional expectation (ICE) analysis and shapely analysis were done on the XGB model which showed that water-to-binder ratio, metakaolin content, and modulus of elasticity are some of the most important variables for forecasting soilcrete materials properties. Furthermore, an interactive graphical user interface (GUI) has been developed for effective utilization in civil engineering industry to forecast these properties of soilcrete materials.
Mycotoxin exposure through the consumption of processed cereal food for children (< 5 years old) from rural households of Oshana, a region of Namibia
Authors: Angula Maria A. , Ishola Anthony , Tjiurutue Muvari , Sulyok Michael , Krska Rudolf , Ezekiel Chibundu N. , Misihairabgwi Jane
Published: January 2025

Mycotoxin exposure from contaminated food is a significant global health issue, particularly among vulnerable children. Given limited data on mycotoxin exposure among Namibian children, this study investigated mycotoxin types and levels in foods, evaluated dietary mycotoxin exposure from processed cereal foods in children under age five from rural households in Oshana region, Namibia. Mycotoxins in cereal-based food samples (n = 162) (mahangu flour (n = 35), sorghum flour (n = 13), mahangu thin/thick porridge (n = 54), oshikundu (n = 56), and omungome (n = 4)) were determined by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1, 35.8%), zearalenone (27.2%), fumonisin B1 (FB1, 24.1%), citrinin (CIT, 12.4%) and deoxynivalenol (10.5%) were the major mycotoxins quantified. Food samples (35.8% (n = 58) and 6.2% (n = 10)) exceeded the 0.1 µg/kg AFB1 and 200 µg/kg FB1 EU limit for children’s food, respectively. Several emerging mycotoxins including the neurotoxic 3-nitropropionic acid, moniliformin (MON), and tenuazonic acid were quantified in over 50% of all samples. Co-occurrence of AFB1, CIT, and FB1 detected in 4.9% (n = 8) samples, which could heighten food safety concerns. Regarding exposure assessment and risk characterization, average probable dietary intake for AFB1 from all ready-to-eat-foods was 0.036 µg/kg bw/day, which resulted in margin of exposures (MOE) of 11 and 0.65 risk cancer cases/year/100,000 people, indicating a risk of chronic aflatoxicosis. High tolerable daily intake values for FB1, and MOE for beauvericin and MON exceeded reference values. Consumption of a diversified diet and interventions including timely planting and harvesting, best grain storage, and other standard postharvest food handling practices are needed to mitigate mycotoxin exposure through contaminated cereal foods and to safeguard the health of the rural children in Namibia.
Evaluation of pig farming residue as substrate for biomethane production via anaerobic digestion
Authors: Häner Jurek , Neradko Alexej , Weinrich Sören , Gausling Marcel , Krüp Björn , Wetter Christof , Nelles Michael
Published: January 2025

Livestock farming and manure management contribute substantially to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in agriculture. Anaerobic digestion (AD) of manure is a promising strategy for mitigating these emissions. This study aimed to assess the biomethane potential (BMP) of various types of pig slurry, investigate factors that influence biomethane production, analyze degradation kinetics, and propose AD process optimization approaches. Thus, substrate analysis, BMP tests in batch assays, kinetic modeling, and principal component analysis (PCA) were conducted. In order to further quantify the effects of different substrate qualities in full-scale operation, biomethane production was simulated under steady-state conditions. Results indicated that piglet slurry had the highest volatile solids (VS)–specific BMP (203 ± 72 L kg−1 VS), followed by mixed slurry (202 ± 132 L kg−1 VS), fattening pig slurry (117 ± 56 L kg−1 VS), and sow slurry (86 ± 17 L kg−1 VS). The PCA revealed different substrate types and significant roles for VS, crude fat, volatile fatty acids concentration, and the carbon/nitrogen ratio in achieving high BMPs. First-order two-step kinetic modeling identified hydrolysis as the rate-limiting step, showing a determinant of rate-limiting step of < 0 for each sample. The simulation of continuous operation revealed notable differences in daily biomethane production (36.7–42.7 L day−1) between the different slurries at the same hydraulic retention time and BMP. This research underscores the variability in pig slurry characteristics, exemplified by a total solids range of 1.4–12.1%, and provides crucial insights for optimizing AD processes in livestock waste management.
Mapping and Assessment of Groundwater Dependent Ecosystems (GDEs) Services – An Expert-based Land Use/Land Cover Scoring Approach
Authors: Charchousi Despoina , Goula Athina , Papadopoulou Maria P.
Published: January 2025

Threats on groundwater quantity and quality impose the need for monitoring and protection of Groundwater Dependent Ecosystems (GDEs) and their related services. The present study aims to the development of a GDEs and related services management framework, with emphasis on preliminary but practical monitoring and mapping tools, such as the Groundwater Footprint (GWF) and the land-scoring mapping technique. The main objectives of the paper are to: (a) provide an overview on existing GDEs and related services monitoring tools, as well as on the related legislation; (b) propose a GDEs services classification in order to set the basis for a common language and framework; (c) link GDEs services with UN Sustainable Development Goals; and (d) further elaborate the GWF concept based on the land use/land cover matrix assessment. In this context, an expert opinion survey on the links between land uses and the two major groundwater-related components of GWF (i.e., groundwater abstraction C and groundwater contribution to the environmental flow E) was conducted. Policymakers may use the survey findings as a tool to map GDEs services such as supply potential. Additionally, the developed assessment matrices provide information on potential hotspots of anthropogenic activities impacting components C and E.
Investigation of fracture properties and microbially induced calcite precipitation (MICP) restoration in coal mining areas within the diverse Terrain of Northern Shaanxi, China
Authors: Gao Ying , Mohamad Ismail Mohd Ashraf , Li Tao , Yan Jingwang , Sun Qiang
Published: January 2025

The complex and diverse nature of coal mining sites, including different landforms and working conditions, presents challenges for rehabilitation efforts. To address this, we conducted a comprehensive experimental study focusing on microbially induced calcium carbonate precipitation (MICP) remediation, considering the fracture characteristics of coal mining sites. The MICP-restored samples were subjected to confined/unconfined compressive strength, uniaxial/triaxial permeability, and souring tests to assess their restoration efficacy. The results showed that under similar mining conditions, the average depth of parallel fractures was 0.185 m for loess ridges, 0.16 m for the valley, and 0.146 m for the blown-sand region, while the average depth for boundary fractures was 0.411 m for loess ridges, 0.178 m for the valley, and 0.268 m for the blown-sand region. Notably, parallel fractures showed negligible filling in all landforms, whereas boundary fractures in the blown-sand region were completely filled with wind-deposited sand. The valley landform was filled with alluvium and wind-deposited sand, whereas the loess landform was filled with wind-deposited sand and loess. MICP-restored soil samples in all landforms achieved a strength comparable to remolded fracture-free soil samples. Across all landforms, the maximum permeability coefficient of MICP-restored soil samples closely matched that of remolded fracture-free soil samples. Under similar topographic and rainfall conditions MICP restorations scoured 31.3 g on blown-sand region, 19.3 g on loess ridges, and 17.6 g on valleys. These research findings provide an experimental foundation for MICP repair of coal mining ground fractures.
»Deutsch, eine nagelneue Sprache«
Authors: Künkel Veronika Elisabeth
Published: January 2025

Das Verhältnis zwischen Sprach- und Literaturwissenschaft ist in der Germanistik immer wieder Gegenstand innerfachlicher Debatten. Nach Phasen der Entfremdung sind aktuell Tendenzen der Annäherungen entlang von Inhalten zu verzeichnen, in die auch der vorliegende Beitrag einzuordnen ist. Von der kulturwissenschaftlichen Linguistik kommend und mit einem Fokus auf Fragen der Interkulturalität wendet er sich dem Themenkomplex Sprache(n) und Zugehörigkeit(en) in literarischen Texten mehrsprachiger Schriftsteller*innen zu. Konkret wird danach gefragt, welche subjektgebundenen Erfahrungen der In- und Exklusion, welche Emotionalisierungen und welche diskursiven Positionierungen entlang von Sprache in diesen Texten sichtbar werden. Den Ausgangspunkt hierfür bildet das Konzept des Spracherlebens, das mit der Positioning Theory bzw. Analysis verbunden wird, um ein linguistisches Verfahren der subjektorientierten Mehrsprachigkeitsforschung zur Analyse literarischer Texte zu entwickeln. Unter Rückgriff auf einen Ausschnitt aus Dinçer Güçyeters Roman Unser Deutschlandmärchen wird exemplarisch veranschaulicht, welche Einblicke dadurch in sprachgebundene Fragen der Zugehörigkeit, damit verbundene Emotionalisierungen und diskursive Positionierungen gewonnen werden können. So zeigt der Beitrag einerseits, inwiefern literarische Texte als wichtige Stimmen – v. a. Gegenstimmen – in öffentlichen Diskursen über Sprache(n) und Zugehörigkeit(en) zu werten sind. Andererseits wird veranschaulicht, welche Schnittstellen zwischen Linguistik und Literaturwissenschaft sich über die Auseinandersetzung mit Themen und Inhalten ergeben.
An unusual association of emphysema and interstitial disease
Authors: Damiani Ferretti Margherita , Rimondi Maria Rita , Zompatori Maurizio
Published: January 2025

Many lung diseases are smoking-related. Among them, tumors, centrilobular and bullous paraseptal emphysema and fibrosing interstitial lung diseases (fibrosing ILDs), especially those with a usual interstitial pneumonia (UIP) pattern, are the most important entities. One may think it is easy to recognize emphysema on a chest X-ray (CXR) or on a high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT). However, the combination of emphysema and fibrosis can be found in many interstitial lung diseases, characterized by different radiologic features, course and prognosis. Moreover, quite frequently more than just one pattern can be detected in a single patient on biopsy, lung function tests and imaging. This may lead to diagnostic challenges and consequent misdiagnosis, as it all depends on the radiologist’s knowledge and experience. However, these entities are well known and the purpose of this article is to describe the less common radiologic features of the association of emphysema and fibrosis. In fact, we will discuss the case of a patient affected by airspace enlargement with fibrosis (AEF), which is thought to have a stable course, without exacerbations and progressive worsening of symptoms, lung function tests and imaging. However, our patient, whose lung samples also underwent pathologic evaluation, is an exception.
Income, education, and policy priorities
Authors: Tausanovitch Chris , Holliday Derek E.
Published: January 2025

Are people's priorities associated with their income and education levels? There is a long history in political science of claims that priorities are driven by economic interests, but also that low-income and low-education people fail to prioritize their economic interests. In this paper we use measures of revealed importance from [Sides J, Tausanovitch C and Vavreck L (2023) The Bitter End: The 2020 Presidential Campaign and the hallenge to American Democracy. Princeton University Press.] to evaluate the priorities of high- and low-income/education voters with respect to 44 different policies. It is well known that there are substantial differences in the preferences of people with lower incomes or education levels and people with higher incomes or education levels, but conditional on preferences we find very small differences among education and income groups in terms of priorities. Like high-income and high-education voters, lower-income and education voters care most about the major issues of the day. They do not care systematically more or less than other voters about policies that expand social welfare, redistribution, or labor rights.
A new model for radiocarbon dating of marine shells from the Netherlands
Authors: van der Plicht J , Streurman H J
Published: January 2025

A new model for the interpretation of radiocarbon (14C) dates of Holocene marine shells is presented. For the Netherlands, the size of reservoir effect is difficult to assess, as these shells often lived in an environment of mixed marine- and river waters. Both stable isotopes 13C and 18O of the shell carbonate give insight in the environmental conditions the shells lived in. River water occurs in two main categories, distinguished by 18O: the Rhine which is dominant, and other rivers. This leads to two estuary mixing lines between the North Sea and rivers. The stable isotopes of the shell carbonate are also indicative for additional processes, such as uptake of secondary carbonate from the soil by shells, and exchange of C isotopes between atmosphere and water. Extensions of the main model deal with special cases such as pools of stagnant water and lakes. The model leads to an assessment of the recent 14C activities of the system the shells lived in, called 14aSYS. The measured 14C activities relative to these 14aSYS values determine the 14C age of the shells and include the reservoir effect. This way we circumvent normalizing to δ13C = –25‰, i.e. the terrestrial timescale and the subsequent correction for reservoir effects. The model is applied to a large legacy dataset of marine shells from the Netherlands, obtained during the last 7 decades. It contains 1116 14C dated shells; for the majority of these, the 3 isotopes 13C, 14C and 18O are measured.
Proposing the DN(C)-model of material evidence for well-calibrated claims about past cultures
Authors: Grüning David J. , Grüning Lukas J.
Published: January 2025

Stibbard-Hawkes presents a much-needed case for distinguishing between different types of evidence for cognition in past cultures. However, he does not outline an applicable approach for moving forward in making claims about the cognition of past cultures. We present an initial model for calibrating both absolute and comparative claims about past cultures' cognition and other traits.
Archaeology retains a central role for studying the behavioral and cognitive evolution of our species and genus
Authors: Will Manuel
Published: January 2025

Our species' behavioral and cognitive evolution constitute a key research topic across many scientific disciplines. Based on ethnographic hunter-gatherer data, Stibbard-Hawkes challenges the common link made between past material culture and cognitive capacities. Despite this adequate criticism, archaeology must retain a central role for studying these issues due to its unique access to relevant empirical evidence in deep time.
Beyond the binary: Inferential challenges and solutions in cognitive archaeology
Authors: Liu Cheng , Stout Dietrich
Published: January 2025

We welcome Stibbard-Hawkes's empirical contributions and discussion of interpretive challenges for archaeology, but question some of his characterizations and conclusions. Moving beyond critique, it is time to develop new research methods that eschew simplistic modern/premodern binaries. We advocate an inductive, probabilistic approach using multiple lines of evidence to infer the causes and consequences of behavioral variability across time and space.
“Bringing ‘The Magic Carpet Up to Date’: Imperial Airways in Iraq, 1920–1932”
Authors: Shakir Laith
Published: January 2025

Scholars working on mandate Iraq have demonstrated the centrality of indiscriminate air power in the British Empire's “policing” tactics, recognising an intimate link between the Royal Air Force and mandatory rule. Less clear, however, is how Iraq's emergence as a node in interwar commercial aviation routes was also the product of British control. Foregrounding the activities of the British airline Imperial Airways (1924–1939) sheds light on the imperial roots of air tourism in Iraq. Using government records and the archives of Imperial Airways—alongside popular press books, magazines, newspapers, and ephemeral promotional material—this article draws attention to how Imperial Airways’ proponents talked about air travel in Iraq both as a boon for the British Empire and as a means of “developing” the mandated state itself. In this latter vein, promoters of “air-mindedness” emphasised Iraq's antiquity for multiple ends. First, and perhaps most obvious, to make it more enticing for tourists. Second, they juxtaposed an image of Iraq as frozen in the past with aviation's modernising potential. Ultimately, in foregrounding civic aviation, this article aims to contribute to the nascent historiography of tourism in Iraq alongside broader debates about transportation infrastructure, culture, and empire in the interwar period.
Tourism, Space and Agency: Unpacking Māori Guides’ Creation of “Imagined Whakarewarewa”
Authors: Keithley Candida
Published: January 2025

In the late nineteenth century, the highlight of many Europeans’ visit to New Zealand's ‘thermal wonderland’ was a guided tour of Whakarewarewa – the Māori village and adjoining thermal belt. From the outset, the villagers controlled tourism on their land. However, the settler government was also keen to control tourism in the region. This paper examines the villagers’ resistance to the government's attempts to take over. While initially able to mitigate governmental interference, once they lost ownership of the lucrative thermal belt to the Crown, their physical control over this land receded. However, tourist guiding provided village women with the opportunity to enact another form of agency: to retain control over how the land was (re)presented to others. Indeed, the guides created, controlled and shared their representation of Whakarewarewa with large numbers of tourists. Ignoring the government's imposed ‘legal’ boundaries, the guides incorporated ‘sights’ from both Te Arawa and Crown-owned land, thus constructing imagined Whakarewarewa as a single ‘place.’ While the historiography often focuses on tourism as a tool of colonisation, this paper demonstrates that through guiding the women of Whakarewarewa challenged the supposed substantive sovereignty of the Crown and undermined the cultural processes of colonisation.
Urban temporal infrastructures in nineteenth-century Paris
Authors: Dikeç Mustafa
Published: January 2025

The nineteenth century was an era of rapid urban growth, increasing temporal awareness, and a rising demand for precision. Time measurement and display became particularly important in this context, not just for scientific or military purposes, but also for administrations, businesses and for the general public. There was, however, one significant problem: making all the public clocks show the same and correct time, which led to the development of urban temporal infrastructures as symbols of urban modernity and a source of civic pride. This article presents an account of the origins of two temporal infrastructures in Paris, focusing particularly on the electrical network devised by the scientists of the Paris Observatory.
Right to Work or Right to Vote? Labor Policy and American Democracy
Authors: Frymer Paul , Grumbach Jacob M. , Hill Charlotte
Published: January 2025

There is growing attention to the role of organized labor in maintaining and expanding democratic institutions in the United States. In this article, we investigate the effect of right-to-work laws on electoral democracy in the states. We theorize a series of mechanisms by which labor unions contribute to the maintenance and expansion of democratic institutions, including contributing money to campaigns and influencing the electorate. Right-to-work laws, by limiting labor unions’ ability to raise funds, reduce the strength of these mechanisms and send signals to political elites about the organizational balance of power in their states. Using recent advances in difference-in-differences analysis, we find that right-to-work laws had a substantial negative effect on state-level electoral democracy in recent decades, even net of Republican control of government. Although the difficulty of causal identification in this context warrants caution, the findings speak to the importance of organized labor in shaping democratic institutions.
Implications of the fair processes for financing UHC report for development assistance: reflections and an application of the decision-making principles to PEPFAR
Authors: Bennett Sara , Merritt Maria W.
Published: January 2025

The framework presented in the World Bank report Open and Inclusive: Fair processes for Financing Universal Health Coverage effectively connects proposed decision-making principles with practical examples that country governments can use to pursue greater fairness. In this commentary, we consider the suggestion that international development partners might use the report's criteria to examine their own processes. We consider what the report's primary Fair Process principles – equality, impartiality and consistency – imply for development partners. Specifically, we address two questions in turn: (i) how relevant the Fair Processes report is to development assistance for health; (ii) if it is deemed relevant, what practical implications does the report have for how aid works? We address the second question by briefly applying the framework to a particular global health initiative, namely the United States President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). Our analysis suggests that development partners' additional sets of accountabilities, particularly linked to funding sources, may pose more fundamental challenges to impartiality than to equality and consistency in decision-making processes. A question inviting further examination, then, is how development partners can redesign their processes to optimise impartiality given institutional constraints that bind them independently of the populations they purport to serve.
Χαρτοφυλάκιον/Scrinium: An integrating activity for monitoring and assessing the learning of classical languages
Authors: Villegas-Rodríguez Sofía , Forero-Álvarez Ronald , Calderón-Velasco Fernando Alexander
Published: January 2025

This article presents an adaptation of the recent e-portfolio learning strategy, named Χαρτοφυλάκιον in ancient Greek and Scrinium in Latin, which significantly enhances the learning and assessment of classical languages in a philosophical academic setting. Developed at the University of La Sabana, this approach synergises constructivist and experiential learning theories to actively involve students in their educational journey, encouraging deeper engagement with the acquisition of ancient Greek and Latin. The e-portfolio encompasses a comprehensive spectrum of student work, from translations and grammatical exercises to philosophical reflections and cultural analyses, all while integrating the creative element of ancient artistic inspiration. The assessment of this didactic strategy employs a custom e-rubric, designed to evaluate organisational skills, independent study, engagement with primary sources, artistic integration, and coherent philosophically reflective insights. Feedback garnered from an anonymous student survey indicates that the e-portfolio not only substantiates students’ intellectual growth but also significantly enriches the learning experience, as evidenced by increased student interest and critical inquiry. The results affirm the e-portfolio’s role in fostering a holistic and interactive learning environment that promotes the students’ autonomy and critical thinking. This research contributes to pedagogical discourse by providing a model for applying reflective, project-based learning frameworks to classical studies. This paper is a product of the project Proteus I: Development of Virtual Environments for Experiential Learning in the Humanities.
Digestive cancers: mechanisms, therapeutics and management
Authors: Zhan Tianzuo , Betge Johannes , Schulte Nadine , Dreikhausen Lena , Hirth Michael , Li Moying , Weidner Philip , Leipertz Antonia , Teufel Andreas , Ebert Matthias P.
Published: January 2025

Cancers of the digestive system are major contributors to global cancer-associated morbidity and mortality, accounting for 35% of annual cases of cancer deaths. The etiologies, molecular features, and therapeutic management of these cancer entities are highly heterogeneous and complex. Over the last decade, genomic and functional studies have provided unprecedented insights into the biology of digestive cancers, identifying genetic drivers of tumor progression and key interaction points of tumor cells with the immune system. This knowledge is continuously translated into novel treatment concepts and targets, which are dynamically reshaping the therapeutic landscape of these tumors. In this review, we provide a concise overview of the etiology and molecular pathology of the six most common cancers of the digestive system, including esophageal, gastric, biliary tract, pancreatic, hepatocellular, and colorectal cancers. We comprehensively describe the current stage-dependent pharmacological management of these malignancies, including chemo-, targeted, and immunotherapy. For each cancer entity, we provide an overview of recent therapeutic advancements and research progress. Finally, we describe how novel insights into tumor heterogeneity and immune evasion deepen our understanding of therapy resistance and provide an outlook on innovative therapeutic strategies that will shape the future management of digestive cancers, including CAR-T cell therapy, novel antibody-drug conjugates and targeted therapies.
Helicobacter pylori CagA promotes gastric cancer immune escape by upregulating SQLE
Authors: Liu Sifan , Zhang Nan , Ji Xu , Yang Shuyue , Zhao Zheng , Li Peng
Published: January 2025

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is a well-established risk factor for gastric cancer, primarily due to its virulence factor, cytotoxin-associated gene A (CagA). Although PD-L1/PD-1-mediated immune evasion is critical in cancer development, the impact of CagA on PD-L1 regulation remains unclear. This study revealed that H. pylori CagA upregulated squalene epoxidase (SQLE) expression, a key enzyme in the cholesterol biosynthesis pathway. Elevated SQLE activity increased cellular palmitoyl-CoA levels, enhancing PD-L1 palmitoylation while decreasing its ubiquitination. This ultimately increases PD-L1 stability, suppressing T cell activity and facilitating immune evasion in gastric cancer. In summary, our findings highlight the crucial role of the CagA-SQLE-PD-L1 axis in gastric cancer progression, suggesting potential therapeutic strategies for targeting CagA-positive gastric cancer.