bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Trajectory of the arterial-alveolar oxygen gradient in COPD for a decade
Authors: Nagata Kazuma , Sato Susumu , Uemasu Kiyoshi , Tanabe Naoya , Sato Atsuyasu , Muro Shigeo , Hirai Toyohiro
Published: January 2025

Background

Chronic respiratory failure (CRF) is a critical complication in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and is characterized by an increase in the arterial-alveolar oxygen gradient (A-aDO2). The long-term trajectory and prognostic significance remain unclear. This study aimed to assess the prognostic impact of A-aDO2 and elucidate its trajectory over ten years.

Methods

We enrolled 170 outpatients with COPD from a prospective cohort study. Arterial blood gas (ABG) analyses were conducted annually for ten years while monitoring the development of CRF.

Results

157 patients completed the observation period, of whom 21 developed CRF (CRF group) and 136 did not (non-CRF group). In the CRF group, there was a gradual increase in A-aDO2 along with decreases in partial pressure of oxygen (PaO2) and partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PaCO2) over ten years, although there were no changes in the non-CRF group. The CRF group had higher baseline A-aDO2 and higher ΔA-aDO2 in the first year than the non-CRF group (3.76 vs. 0.42 Torr/year, p = 0.030). Kaplan-Meier analyses, and multivariate Cox proportional hazards analysis revealed that both baseline A-aDO2 and ΔA-aDO2 were significantly associated with the development of CRF. Retrospective tracking from the initiation of long-term oxygen therapy (LTOT) revealed significant increases in A-aDO2 from 5 years prior to LTOT initiation in the CRF group when compared to the non-CRF group.

Conclusions

An increasing trend in A-aDO2 may be a significant sign for the future development of CRF. A transition of the annual change of A-aDO2 from a stable state to a deterioration phase can serve as a prognostic factor for developing CRF within 5 years.
Heavy water toxicity via isotope effects: Stronger than high-dose radiation, neutralized by light water
Authors: Yasuda Takeshi , Nakajima Nakako Izumi , Yanaka Tomoko , Gotoh Takaya , Tajima Katsushi
Published: January 2025

Numerous enzymatic reactions involve hydrolysis, making water indispensable for sustaining life. Some water includes hydrogen isotopes, deuterium or tritium, with larger atomic weights. Heavy water consisting of deuterium is toxic to living organisms and induces cell death; however, the extent and underlying mechanisms of this toxicity remained elusive. Herein, we demonstrate that 100% heavy water triggers a remarkably heightened apoptotic response in human cells, compared to exposure to high-dose ionizing radiation. This pronounced effect of heavy water on cellular function may stem from the quantum-level mechanisms of kinetic isotope effects inherent to water isotopes, leading to a deceleration in enzymatic hydrolysis reactions. Notably, dilution of heavy water by approximately ten-fold with ordinary light water abolishes its isotope effect on enzymatic hydrolysis reactions, concomitant with the disappearance of DNA repair inhibition and cell death induction in human cells. These findings reveal that high concentrations of water isotopes containing heavier hydrogen have extreme cell death-inducing toxicity, yet this toxicity disappears upon dilution, thereby offering crucial insights into environmental considerations.
Gender, fashion, sustainability
Authors: Fletcher Kate
Published: January 2025

The ability to affect sustainability outcomes is often culturally gendered. This article examines sustainability practices in fashion in the light of core themes in the gender and sustainability literature, drawing upon a re-analysis of a decade-old dataset of resourceful clothing use practices from the Local Wisdom project. In the dataset, evidence is found both of gendered practices and differentiated levels of involvement by gender. The article presents and examines these findings and then extends the discussion to the effects of gendered influence within the field of fashion sustainability more broadly, a field that may often be seen to be gender-blind. The article argues for a new attention to gender and for a re-imagining of the domain based on metabolism and relationship to overcome ideologies and practices based on separation of one group of people from another and of humans from nature.
Fashion (hi)stories: Poetics and politics
Authors: Goeller Daniela
Published: January 2025

Fashion or ‘fashioning’, is, beyond its dominant perception as a global industry, a cultural practice. As such, it is to be approached from its entanglement with history, art and culture. This article presents an investigation into the 2022 fashion film Horizon Blues by Jeano Edwards for Wales Bonner and examines the creative space of a fashion collection based on artistic collaborations. Starting from the fabric, the film shows how history, meaning and experience are interwoven and connected to the body and sheds a different light on the relationship of art and fashion. Picking up aspects of the different narratives, cultural interrelations and historical dimensions at play within this space, it shows how creating from such a collective knowledge space changes the face of fashion and anchors it differently in space and time. The film is referring in form and content to the various meanings, concepts and maxims attached to Sankofa, an Adinkra symbol linking past and present in the prospect of a different future; and offers an alternative perspective on the ideas of coloniality and sustainability.
Apocalypse as practice: Labour, technology and environment in Death Stranding
Authors: May Lawrence , Hall Ben
Published: January 2025

This article examines how the video game Death Stranding demonstrates the enmeshment of video games with the material conditions of our planet during an era of compounding ecological crises. This article focuses on Death Stranding’s engagement with apocalypse, both as a fictional backdrop and as a form of practice for the player. Exercises of labour undertaken by the player and their avatar, and their involvement in the proliferation of communication technologies within the gameworld, are shown to be ruinous in ways that are resonant with our contemporary conditions of crisis. Through this analysis an understanding is developed of how Death Stranding enlists players in the process of repeating apocalypse(s) and invites reflection upon the place of video games and play in these fractious times.
Cosy video games as digital third places for emotional well-being: Case studies of Stardew Valley, Coffee Talk Episode 2 and Kinder World
Authors: Gunderman Hannah C.
Published: January 2025

Cosy games are an established sub-genre of video games offering relaxed gameplay in a soft, calm environment. While any video game can offer emotional benefits, cosy games create an environment of abundance and safety, where players can deepen their emotional experiences within the game. In this article, I explore one aspect of cosy games that can provide emotional well-being to players: digital third places. Third places are public gathering places separate from home and work that allow people to unwind and interact with others in affirming environments. These environments are cultivated through placemaking, a principle exploring how abstract spaces on our planet are transformed into meaningful places. I highlight Stardew Valley, Coffee Talk Episode 2 and Kinder World to explore how each cosy game embodies placemaking principles to create digital third-place experiences for players, supporting their emotional well-being in ways similar to in-person third places.
Secretarios y agentes, engranajes del entramado clientelar romano de Luis Francisco de la Cerda y Aragón, IX duque de Medinaceli
Authors: Delneri Sabrina 
Published: January 2025

La lectura de una serie de correspondencias entre secretarios, agentes y criados de Luis Francisco de la Cerda y Aragón, IX duque de Medinaceli, ha permitido sacar a la luz algunos elementos útiles para entender el funcionamiento de la jerarquía dentro de la red clientelar ducal. En particular, el carteo que se desarrolló, entre Bernardo de Rezusta, uno de los secretarios del duque en Madrid, e Ignacio de Emparan, clérigo y criado del mismo en Roma, en los años 1704-1706, ha permitido enfocar los mecanismos y las prácticas de gobierno que se realizaban para conseguir los diseños políticos animados por las ambiciones del duque de Medinaceli.
«Su alteza no sabe hablar ninguna palabra en español»: algunas consideraciones sobre Carlos de Gante y la corte de Bruselas a través de los informes al Cardenal Cisneros (1516-1517)
Authors: Carretero Zamora  Juan M.
Published: January 2025

Desde el fallecimiento de Fernando el Católico (enero de 1516) hasta el viaje de Carlos I hacia España en septiembre de 1517 el cardenal Cisneros recibió varios informes sobre la situación de la corte de Bruselas y la personalidad del joven monarca Carlos I. Los informes confidenciales (algunos de ellos ilegibles al estar encriptados) fueron redactados por Diego López de Ayala y por el entorno del obispo Alonso Manrique de Lara. El contenido de estos informes es de gran interés para el conocimiento de la corte que en Bruselas rodeaba a Carlos I. El monarca aparece como un joven sometido a la influencia de sus consejeros de Flandes y los españoles residentes en Bruselas (Chièvres, Sauvage, Mota, etc.), educado exclusivamente en la cultura de Borgoña y que sólo se expresaba en lengua francesa. Este aspecto lingüístico constituyó un problema político en la educación de Carlos I, como ya había sido advertido en las relaciones de Fernando el Católico con el emperador Maximiliano I (1507-1515). Este problema lingüístico también afectó a las relaciones financieras entre los tesoreros españoles y los argentiers de Flandes.
Nueva planta y emulación política. Las reformas borbónicas y el ocaso de la secretaría de Estado y Guerra de Flandes (1702-1711)
Authors: Quirós Rosado  Roberto
Published: January 2025

La secretaría de Estado y Guerra de los Países Bajos españoles asistió, en los inicios del reinado de Felipe V, a una mutación en sus atribuciones y se vio en el centro de una querella política entre su titular, Joseph de Arce, y el ministro de Guerra borbónico, el II conde de Bergeyck. La intervención de las cortes de Versalles y Madrid, la mediatización de la gobernanza flamenca por parte de Luis XIV y sus cortesanos o los cada vez más lejanos vínculos con los ministros españoles serán consecuencias de esta disputa jurisdiccional. Sin embargo, tras la batalla de Ramillies (1706), el desplome del dominio borbónico sobre Flandes obligó a parte del Ministerio Español a seguir al Elector de Baviera a Mons, inicialmente, y después a Namur, desde donde el secretario, sus oficiales y otros administradores relataron sus penurias y los problemas a los que se enfrentarían conforme la soberanía de los Países Bajos terminó siendo otorgada a su gobernador general, Maximiliano II Manuel de Baviera.
arte de la historia oficial en el siglo XVI: los Diálogos Cuál debe ser el cronista del príncipe de Pedro de Navarra
Authors: Esteve Mestre Cesc
Published: January 2025

Mi propósito en este trabajo es examinar los Diálogos cuál debe ser el cronista del príncipe de Pedro de Navarra, publicados por primera vez hacia 1565, para dar cuenta de sus intereses e ideas, del lugar de la obra en la tradición de las artes sobre la historia del siglo XVI y de su particular relevancia respecto al discurso que en la temprana modernidad atendió de forma prioritaria a las formas, los problemas y los usos de la historia oficial. Este examen busca sentido a la obra desde varias perspectivas: la del pensamiento humanista sobre la naturaleza de la historia y su papel en la educación del príncipe; la del disciplinamiento del cronista como servidor de la monarquía y del estado y la de los usos de la retórica del diálogo para la legitimación del autor como historiador y como consejero político. Son perspectivas de interpretación complementarias y coherentes, pero solo en parte, y por ello sirven también para revelar las tensiones internas del discurso sobre la historia de Pedro de Navarra.
Reales Fábricas de Armas de Guipúzcoa entre la gestión directa y el sistema de asiento (1700-1735)
Authors: Díaz Paredes Aitor
Published: January 2025

En este artículo se aborda el periodo comprendido entre 1700 y 1735 en las Reales Fábricas de Armas de Guipúzcoa, examinando la transición entre el modelo de gestión directa y el sistema de asiento en la producción de armas de fuego, armas blancas e instrumentos de gastadores. La investigación se centra en las dinámicas de gestión, financiación y resultados de este proceso de transición en la administración de las Reales Fábricas. Se analizan los desafíos financieros, productivos y operativos enfrentados por las fábricas, así como las implicaciones de la interacción entre la administración directa y los acuerdos de asiento con contratistas privados.
ascendiente de los secretarios de lenguas rectoras de la casa de Austria (siglo XVII): los casos de Cristóbal Angelate de Cratzenbach y Johannes Walderode
Authors: Tercero Casado Luis
Published: January 2025

Desde una perspectiva política y sociocultural se formularán aquí algunas reflexiones a propósito de los secretarios de lenguas en las cortes habsbúrgicas de Madrid y Viena en su vinculación con los idiomas rectores de la dinastía durante el siglo XVII: el castellano y el alemán. En concreto se estudiarán los casos de Cristóbal Angelate de Cratzenbach y Johannes Walderode, individuos que mayor visibilidad e influencia gozaron desde dichos puestos durante gran parte de la centuria. Desde su rol como primer eslabón administrativo en la cadena comunicativa entre ambas cortes familiares, se analizarán tanto las aptitudes, idoneidad, desarrollo laboral y ascenso de estos secretarios como el influyente rol que jugaron en relación con conceptos como la lealtad, autonomía de actuación, espionaje, corrupción y oposición dentro de este particular contexto dinástico.
Deepening Intra-Commonwealth Trade and Investment between the UK and Africa
Authors: Vickers Brendan , Ali Salamat , Balchin Neil , de Klerk Kyle
Published: January 2025

The African Commonwealth countries have a long-standing history of strong trade, investment and diaspora linkages with the UK. These economic relationships have been fostered over time as a result of historical ties, similar business procedures and legal systems, and the widespread use of the English language. Together, these 21 countries represent about 40 per cent of the continent’s population and half of its gross domestic product (GDP). They also play a crucial role in driving international trade and investment flows from Africa.

This issue of Trade Hot Topics explores the trade and investment linkages between the 21 African Commonwealth members and the UK. It also examines some of the key factors that are redefining these bilateral economic relationships.
Sustainable Production and Trade: Perspectives from the Commonwealth
Authors: Secretariat Commonwealth
Published: January 2025

Sustainable production and trade are essential for the future of our planet as they provide critical pathways towards achieving long-term economic, social and environmental sustainability. The Commonwealth recognises that the challenges of climate change, loss of biodiversity and resource depletion require urgent action. For over three decades, the Commonwealth has been at the forefront of global sustainability efforts, leading the way and advocating for change.

This book analyses sustainable production and trade practices in four key sectors: cocoa, fisheries, forestry, and textiles and garments. It seeks to shed light on the commendable sustainable practices employed by Commonwealth countries in these sectors, while also highlighting the challenges they face and the potential to make production and trade more sustainable in the future. A central message throughout the book is the need to prioritise support to small-scale producers, indigenous peoples and local communities, women and youths, and small and medium enterprises to help achieve these goals while improving their livelihoods.
Assessing the Feasibility of Digitising the Kava Value Chain in the Pacific
Authors: Secretariat Commonwealth
Published: January 2025

The economic analysis undertaken in this report highlights that kava is a unique crop in the Pacific, both economically and socially. It has been used across the region for centuries as a core part of cultural ceremonies and events, and in recent years has become increasingly important from a development perspective. There are thriving domestic markets across the Pacific, providing an income to a high proportion of the populations, and export markets are growing.

Kava is now the largest merchandise export in Tonga and Vanuatu, and Fiji’s largest agricultural export.
Harnessing Africa's Critical Minerals Wealth
Authors: Garg Kartikeya , Vickers Brendan
Published: January 2025

Africa holds about 30 per cent of the world’s mineral resources, many of which are vital for the energy transition from fossil fuels to renewables and low-carbon technologies, including electricity networks, battery storage and electric vehicles (Chandler, 2022). Global efforts to meet the Paris Agreement’s ambition of net-zero emissions by 2050, therefore, would place ‘Africaat the heart of the green energy transition, both in environmental and geopolitical terms’.

In addition to their role in the energy transition, these minerals already serve as an important source of revenue for African countries, comprising about one-third of exports from at least 33 African countries in 2019. Moreover, 45 out of the 54 African countries were classified as commodity-dependant, with 17 classified as dependent on non-fuel minerals, ores and metals export.
Association of Gastric Sarcina With Malignant Pyloric Stenosis
Authors: Duggal Shivangini , Garrison Keith , Meza-Rodriguez Samantha , Williams Ben , Konstantinidis Ioannis , Zuckerman Marc J. , Elhanafi Sherif E.
Published: January 2025

Sarcina ventriculi (SV) is a Gram-positive cocci that thrives in the acidic stomach environment and may cause gastrointestinal symptoms. A 65-year-old woman with a history of Helicobacter pylori gastritis and diabetes presented with abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, and weight loss. Initial esophagogastroduodenoscopy revealed pyloric stenosis with thickened prepyloric gastric folds, and endoscopic biopsy revealed SV without malignancy. Owing to persistent symptoms, endoscopic ultrasound was done with repeat biopsies and was nondiagnostic. Subsequently, a robotic gastrojejunostomy was done due to persistent gastric outlet obstruction symptoms. Surgical specimens revealed signet ring cell carcinoma. This case highlights the importance of suspecting underlying malignancy in patients with SV and the necessity of comprehensive diagnostic evaluation when endoscopic findings are inconclusive.
A Severe Case of Disseminated Herpes Zoster in a Patient With Crohn's Disease on Upadacitinib Who Completed the Recombinant Zoster Vaccine Series
Authors: Lue Nicole , Burdine Lauren , Kahan Tamara , Reddy Kirthan , Nelson Ryan , Lopez Corina , Lee Matthew , Wolf Jacqueline
Published: January 2025

Herpes zoster (HZ) is caused by the reactivation of the varicella zoster virus and presents with painful vesicular lesions in a dermatomal distribution. Disseminated HZ occurs when skin lesions erupt in numerous dermatomes. Upadacitinib is the first oral medication approved to treat moderate-severe Crohn's disease and has been associated with nonsevere cases of HZ. We present a case of a 60-year-old woman with refractory Crohn's disease who failed multiple immunosuppressive therapies, completed the recombinant zoster vaccines, and developed disseminated HZ on high-dose upadacitinib. She was treated with intravenous acyclovir, upadacitinib was discontinued, and was discharged on suppressive valacyclovir.
On Publishing Sylvia Townsend Warner
Authors: Macdonald Kate
Published: January 2025

The author discusses her publishing and business decisions behind Handheld Press’s editions of five titles by or about Sylvia Townsend Warner: The Akeing Heart (2018), Kingdoms of Elfin (2018), Of Cats and Elfins (2020), Valentine Ackland (2021) and T. H. White. A Biography (2023). She discusses her history of reading Warner’s works, her choices of the Warner titles she decided to republish and the production processes for each of the new editions, with brief extracts from reviews on publication.
Hardy and Warner Haunting Graveyards
Authors: Robinson Peter
Published: January 2025

The poems of Thomas Hardy and Sylvia Townsend Warner both deploy graveyard-haunting attention to relationships between death as a leveller and as a means for underlining social and cultural inequalities. They each reveal, through allusion, familiarity with Gray’s ‘Elegy’ as a classic instance of how the pastoral can be used both to lament and accommodate such social and political conflicts and contradictions. By revisiting William Empson’s words in Some Versions of Pastoral on Gray’s poem, as well as his views on Hardy as a poet, this article looks at ways in which Warner’s poetry both draws sustenance from that of her great predecessor and employs her own versions of the pastoral to address politically left-leaning concerns. Consideration of Donald Davie’s partisan writings on both Hardy and Warner are then used to focus more precisely what graveyard poems by these two poet-novelists show of feeling for how death and our treatment of the dead reveal the hard outlines of a determinedly unequal culture, and how they address it differently in the formal orderings of their poetry. The article also draws attention to differences of emphasis to be found in Hardy’s pessimistic ameliorism and Warner’s political engagement, as well as underlining shared sympathies for the fates of others they reveal through their graveyard-haunted verse.
Detection of Factors Affecting Rainfall Intensity in Jakarta
Authors: Sumargo Bagus , Handayani Dian , Lubis Alvi Pauziah , Firmasyah Irman , Wulansari Ika Yuni
Published: January 2025

The increased intensity of rainfall is becoming one of the most pressing climate-related issues in many parts of the world. Detecting the factors that affect rainfall intensity requires a combination of modern technologies, such as weather satellites, radar systems, and advanced atmospheric models. Extreme conditions (outliers) often occur. This study aims to model data that is not symmetric or contains outliers. This study examines and models quantile regression on daily rainfall intensity in Jakarta which has extreme rainfall events. The results of the study found that the extreme values in the daily rainfall intensity data in Jakarta are outliers and the assumptions on modeling using linear regression are not satisfied so that the characteristics of the parameter estimator based on OLS do not have BLUE characteristic. In modeling with quantile regression using six quantiles 0.25, 0.50, 0.75, 0.95, 0.99, and 0.9999 with consideration of these quantile values representing all parts of the data distribution including extreme values, it was found that the factors affecting rainfall intensity in Jakarta are different in each rainfall intensity condition. The best model is shown by quantile 0.999 with a coefficient of determination of 58.21%. Based on the best model, it is known that the factors affecting extreme rainfall are maximum temperature, dew point temperature, air humidity, wind speed, air pressure, and length of irradiation. This study indicates that quantile regression can provide a more detailed insight into how these variables affect rainfall intensity in various rainfall conditions ranging from low rainfall to extreme rainfall.
Pencemaran Tanah oleh Logam Berat di Kotagede, Yogyakarta
Authors: Nabila Hana Riska , Budianta Wawan
Published: January 2025

Keberadaan industri kerajinan perak di Kotagede, Yogyakarta yang sudah berlangsung lama, menghasilkan limbah cair yang diduga telah mencemari tanah di lokasi industri dan sekitarnya. Penelitian ini dilakukan untuk menginvestigasi kandungan logam berat dalam tanah, yaitu Cu dan Pb, serta faktor penyebarannya di lokasi kerajinan perak dan sekitarnya di Kotagede, Yogyakarta.  Sampel tanah diambil di lokasi penelitian, yang merupakan daerah kerajinan perak dan sekitarnya. Sebanyak 35 titik sampling diambil pada kedalaman 5 cm, 15 cm, dan 25 cm. Analisis ukuran butir, pH, kandungan organik, kandungan Cu dan Pb, dilakukan pada 105 sampel yang telah diambil serta dihitung pula untuk nilai indeks geoakumulasi. Analisis dilakukan dengan menyajikan dalam peta sebaran kandungan Cu dan Pb yang dilakukan secara spasial, maupun secara vertikal menurut kedalaman sampel, yang bertujuan untuk menganalisis penyebaran secara lateral dan vertikal. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan kandungan Cu dan Pb di dalam sampel tanah yang diambil, telah melebihi nilai latar belakang (background) namun masih berada di bawah baku mutu rujukan. Penyebaran Cu dan Pb pada tanah di lokasi penelitian dipengaruhi oleh dua faktor, yaitu faktor alamiah yaitu ukuran butir, pH serta kandungan organik dalam tanah. Sedangkan faktor manusia yang diduga berpengaruh adalah faktor kegiatan industri kerajinan perak yang menghasilkan limbah cair. Untuk faktor lainnya seperti arah aliran air permukaan dan morfologi, diduga kurang berpengaruh terhadap penyebaran Cu dan Pb pada tanah di lokasi penelitian.
Pemantauan Konsentrasi Radionuklida Cs-137, Co-60, I-131 Serta Kualitas Air Daerah Aliran Sungai Bekasi
Authors: Sukandar Dede , Amri Ghulam Fathul , Dasumiati Dasumiati , Fauzih Dewi
Published: January 2025

Radionuklida menjadi sesuatu yang krusial untuk diketahui penyebaran, intensitas radiasi, sumber dan proses yang mempengaruhinya di dalam air. Diantara radionuklida yang menarik perhatian adalah Cs-137, Co-60, I-131. Radionuklida Cs-137 adalah unsur radioaktif yang memiliki sifat mudah terdispersi dalam badan air, sedangkan Co-60 dan I-131 banyak digunakan untuk keperluan rumah sakit khususnya radioterapi. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui konsentrasi radionuklida Cs-137, Co-60, I-131 serta kualitas air di Sungai Bekasi. Analisis karakteristik sifat air dari Sungai Bekasi adalah suhu, pH, dan Total Dissolved Solids (TDS), dan pemekatan. Pengukuran konsentrasi radionuklida Cs-137, Co-60, dan I-131 menggunakan instrumen spektrometer gamma. Hasil penelitian diperoleh konsentrasi radionuklida Cs-137, Co-60, dan I-131 adalah masing-masing berturut-turut: 0,00642 - 0,00428 Bq/L, 0,00713 - 0,01272 Bq/L dan 0,00077 - 0,00584 Bq/L.  Konsentrasi radionuklida Cs-137, Co-60, I-131 masih berada di bawah batas aman (Cs-137 1,2 x 102 Bq/L ,  Co-60 1,4 x 103 Bq/L, I-131 3,0 x 105 Bq/L) yang ditetapkan oleh Peraturan Kepala BAPETEN Nomor 7 Tahun 2013. Pada penentuan kualitas air berdasarkan parameter suhu, TDS, dan pH hasil yang didapatkan masih dibawah batas aman (suhu 25-310C, TDS 1000 mg/L , pH 6-9) dalam kategori kelas II yang ditetapkan oleh Peraturan Pemerintah No 22 Tahun 2021.
Botanicals for managing insect pests in rice: An eco-friendly strategy for sustainable rice production
Authors: Ganesan K , Anil kumar B , Soundararajan R P , Suganthy M , Venugopal S , Manivannan V , Sangeetha S V , Murugan M
Published: January 2025

Rice, a staple crop for over half the global population, faces severe yield losses due to insect pests, such as the rice stem borer (Scirpophaga incertulas), brown planthopper (Nilaparvata lugens) and leaf folder (Cnaphalocrocis medinalis) and minor insect pests, which are significant threats to global food security. Traditional reliance on chemical pesticides for pest control has negatively impacted the environment, human health and non-target organisms. This has necessitated a shift toward sustainable pest management strategies that minimize chemical inputs. Botanicals, derived from plants as essential oils, extracts and secondary metabolites, have emerged as an eco-friendly alternative due to their biodegradability, targeted efficacy and reduced environmental footprint. These plant-based compounds act through various mechanisms, including antifeedant activity, growth inhibition, oviposition deterrence, ovicidal effects and toxicity, effectively disrupting pest lifecycles without harming non-target species. Studies underscore the potential of botanicals in suppressing pest populations and mitigating crop losses, making them vital components of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategies. When incorporated into IPM programs alongside biological control agents, cultural practices and resistant rice varieties, botanicals enhance pest control efficacy while preserving ecosystem balance and promoting biodiversity. Their use aligns with sustainable agriculture principles, offering a viable path to reduce pesticide dependency and ensure long-term agricultural resilience. This review highlights the critical role of botanicals in IPM for rice cultivation, emphasizing their potential to mitigate pest impacts while supporting environmentally sustainable and economically viable food production systems.
Assessing yield gap in paddy cultivation: A case study from Shivamogga district, Karnataka
Authors: Manivasagam S , Sunil A , Vinita M , Teja K P
Published: January 2025

Paddy cultivation is a cornerstone of India’s agricultural economy, with Karnataka emerging as a key contributor to this sector. Despite its significance, persistent yield gaps across various paddy varieties pose a considerable challenge to achieving optimal productivity. These yield gaps primarily stem from factors such as traditional farming practices, resource availability, and varying environmental conditions. This study aimed to comprehensively assess the yield gap of paddy varieties specifically in the Shivamogga district of Karnataka, employing an ex-post facto research design to identify key factors influencing yield gaps. Data were systematically collected from a sample of 197 farmers using a structured interview schedule, ensuring a comprehensive analysis. The study identified four primary paddy varieties cultivated by the respondents: Jyothi, JGL-1798, MTU-1001, and MTU-1010 representing the major paddy varieties in the region. Notably, the highest yield gap was observed in the JGL-1798 variety, recording a gap of 19.33 quintals per hectare, followed closely by MTU-1010 at 18.89 q/ha, MTU-1001 at 17.50 q/ha, and Jyothi at 13.42 q/ha. The Jyothi variety exhibited the lowest yield gap, highlighting its superior adaptability and market preference. This study underscores the critical need to address the underlying factors contributing to yield gaps through enhanced agricultural practices and technology dissemination, ultimately fostering increased productivity and contributing to food security and farmers’ income in Karnataka.
On Musical Topics and Tropes. Definitions, History, Theoretical Amplifications, Pedagogical Applications, and Extensions
Authors: Hatten Robert S.
Published: January 2025

This overview of the current state of musical topic theory is organized in six parts: definitions and scope of the theory, origins and development of the theory since 1980, reflections on reconstructing a tacit competency for interpreting topics and tropes, a pedagogical approach to categorizing topics and tropes based on markedness theory, analysis and interpretation of topical troping in three brief Classical examples, and contributions to theorizing topics and tropes both before and after the Classical era.
From the Page to the Stage. "Musical Topics and Musical Performance' Edited by Julian Hellaby
Authors: Baltuch David
Published: January 2025

The present review summarizes and discusses Musical Topics and Musical Performance published by Routledge and edited by Julian Hellaby. Ten chapters by ten different authors revolve around the concept of musical topic, which may be loosely defined as an ‘object’ of which the music is the ‘sign’. Music may refer to dances (e.g. waltz), moods (e.g. agitato), types of music (e.g. fanfares), periods/styles of music (e.g. archaic) and other referents. The term ‘topic’ has substantially evolved since its creation by Leonard Ratner in 1980, notably though the writings of Raymond Monelle (2000), Robert Hatten (2004) and Eero Tarasti (2012). The authors of this book connect, in their studies, topical analyses of given works to their musical performances, or discuss more broadly a composer’s output or the possible implementations of topical analysis. Connecting music analysis to performance is not an easy task and the journey from theory to practice requires favourable conditions to be successful. Furthermore, musicological texts that would happily reach an audience of practising performers are difficult to produce, not only because the mindsets and aims of musicologists and performers are different but also because each domain works with a specialized vocabulary that is not always shared by the other domain. Nonetheless, collaborations between musicology and performance are more and more frequent, to the full benefit of both domains. There are historical example of such collaborations that are inspirational. They remind us that both, performance and musicology, live under the same umbrella: it is called music.
Opozycja dur–moll w horyzoncie topiki muzycznej
Authors: Danuser Hermann , Kwiecień-Długosz Katarzyna
Published: January 2025

Polski przekład artykułu Hermanna Danusera: Dur/Moll im Horizont musikalischer Topik, w: Dur versus Moll. Zur Geschichte der Semantik eines musikalischen Elementarkontrasts, Hrsg. Hans-Joachim Hinrichsen, Stefan Keym, Böhlau, Wien–Köln–Weimar 2020.
Language-dependent knowledge acquisition
Authors: Hahn Christian G.K. , Saalbach Henrik , Brunner Clemens , Grabner Roland
Published: January 2025

Within the research on bilingual learning, first studies have revealed that content learned in one language is retrieved more slowly when participants have to switch language from instruction to testing (i.e., language-switching costs, LSC). These costs are attributed to language-dependent knowledge representations. However, the cognitive mechanisms underlying LSC are still largely unknown. We investigated these mechanisms by using strategy as well as translation self-reports and by analysing oscillatory parameters in the electroencephalogram (EEG). Thirty-six university students learned arithmetic facts of three different operations over four days either in English or in German. Afterwards, they were tested in both languages with concurrent assessments of self-reports and electrophysiological activity. As expected, LSC in response latencies were observed in all arithmetic tasks. More importantly, analyses of self-reports and EEG revealed that both translation processes and calculation procedures contribute to LSC, with translation processes being the main cognitive mechanism underlying LSC. These results corroborate previous findings of language-dependent knowledge representations in arithmetic fact learning and shed new light on the cognitive mechanisms underlying LSC and possible educational consequences.
Comparative analysis of fruit quality parameters and volatile compounds in commercially grown citrus cultivars
Authors: Polat Yakup , Cimen Berken , Celik Ferit , Ekşi Esra , Koc Gokmen , Ercisli Sezai , Assouguem Amine , Aberkani Kamal , Iqbal Zafar , Mehta Chandra Mohan , Kafkas Nesibe Ebru
Published: January 2025

This study compared key fruit quality parameters among seven commercially grown citrus cultivars (kumquat, limequat, Moro blood, Alacalı calamondin, Lem-onquat, pink lemon, Indio mandarinquat) from different species. Total phenolic content ranged from 92.37 to 550.28 mg gallic acid equivalent/g, and total antioxidant capacity varied from 65.03 to 92.74%. Sucrose was identified as the predominant sugar across all cultivars, with the highest content (63.66 g/kg) found in “Moro blood.” Citric acid was the major organic acid present in all varieties, with “Pink lemon” exhibiting the highest level (58.91 g/kg). l-Ascorbic acid, valued for its vitamin and antioxidant properties, reached its peak (1.03 g/kg FW) in the Moro blood variety. Volatile compound analysis was conducted using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry with solid-phase micro extraction (SPME) fibres (blue, red, and grey) for both fruit peel and juice. Dl-Limonene was identified as the predominant volatile compound in both peel and juice extracts across all SPME fibres used.
A study of a stochastic model and extinction phenomenon of meningitis epidemic
Authors: Yaga Samaila Jackson , Saporu Funmilayo W.O.
Published: January 2025

Objectives

A stochastic version of the deterministic model for meningitis epidemic by Yaga and Saporu (A study of a deterministic model for meningitis epidemic. J Epidemiol Methods 2024;13:20230023) is developed.

Method

The stochastic mean system of equations for possible state of an individual in the model and the extinction probabilities for carrier and infective are derived. Comparison of the system of stochastic mean equations and its deterministic analogue of profiles for the various compartments and the case-carrier trajectories show similar pattern with a time shift difference.

Results

This indicates that there must be caution in using the deterministic analogue as an approximating system of the stochastic mean equations for inferential purpose. Simulation studies of the comparison of the compartmental profiles for the general case; model I, with the assumption that a proportion (φ≠0), of the infected susceptible can move directly to the infective stage and that of the special case, model II, when φ=0 is examined for various values of ϵ (odds in favour of a carrier transmitting infection)

≤
2

$\le 2$

. It is only when ϵ=2 that model II can approximate model I in all compartments except that of the carrier. Transmission rate, β, loss of carriership rate, σ and ϵ are identified as the most sensitive parameters of the extinction probabilities. Threshold results derived for carrier and infective extinction probabilities are distinct but bear some relation, transmission rate required for carrier extinction is square of that for infective.

Conclusion

It is concluded that carriership play a more prominent role in the transmission of meningitis epidemic and efforts aimed at control should be targeted at reducing the transmission rate and increasing the loss of carriership.
Performance analysis of the photonic crystal–based X-OR gate for the terahertz applications
Authors: Krishnamoorthy Rama Prabha , Savarimuthu Robinson
Published: January 2025

A key component of high-speed switching networks is an optical logic gate. This study presents the design and analysis of an all-optical XOR gate based on a two-dimensional photonic crystal (2D PC) structure, aiming to enhance high-speed switching in optical networks. The XOR gate, with two input and one output waveguide, is constructed on a hexagonal lattice, optimized for operation at a wavelength of 1,550 nm. The design is evaluated using the Finite Difference Time Domain (FDTD) approach, which simulates the optical performance of the structure. Key performance metrics, including the bit rate, contrast ratio, and delay time, are computed, showing that the proposed logic gate achieves a high contrast ratio of 30.35 dB and a minimal delay time of 0.4 ps. The results confirm the potential of this all-optical XOR gate for integration into high-speed optical circuits, offering low power consumption and high efficiency. This work demonstrates the feasibility of utilizing photonic crystal structures for high-performance optical logic gates in future communication systems. The simplicity of fabrication in a two-dimensional photonic crystal (2D-PC)-based all-optical logic gate can often be attributed to its simple design.
How long is too long? Production-internal and communicative constraints in the coding of conditionality in Spanish
Authors: Merino Hernández Laura M. , Marttinen Larsson Matti
Published: January 2025

This study analyzes to what extent communicative accounts, in contrast to production ease ones, can predict the variable coding length of conditional constructions in Spanish. If coding length is determined by communicative efficiency, we anticipate more accessible antecedents to be more parsimoniously encoded and less accessible ones to be more explicitly encoded. Insofar as coding length is determined by production-internal processes, longer coding is expected when speakers experience production difficulties. A Bayesian mixed-effects multinomial regression of 977 conditional constructions indicates that coding length is chiefly regulated by the speaker’s communicative goals in that highly accessible antecedents are realized with shorter forms, and more inaccessible antecedents involve longer coding. We propose a speaker-hearer efficiency cline of conditional constructions that ranges from maximally explicit coding, which is less efficient for the speaker but easier to parse for the hearer, to maximally inferential coding, which is more efficient for the speaker but increases the inferential cognitive load of the hearer. Moreover, we find support for the view that pragmatically indirect conditionals are frequently redundantly coded. Because indirect speech act resolution is cognitively heavy for the listener, speakers seem to counterbalance the higher processing costs exerted by them through longer coding.
China’s policies and investments in metaverse and AI development: implications for academic research
Authors: De Masi Vincenzo , Di Qinke , Li Siyi , Song Yuhan
Published: January 2025

Purpose

This study analyzes China’s strategic initiatives in metaverse and artificial intelligence (AI) development, examining their impact on academic research, industry innovation, and policy formulation. It aims to understand how government policies and investments have shaped research agendas and to identify challenges and opportunities in these fields.

Design/methodology/approach

The research employs a comprehensive analysis of government documents, funding schemes, and research output. It examines key policies, investment programs, and academic publications to track trends in metaverse and AI development in China. The study utilizes bibliometric analysis to assess publication trends, citation patterns, and international collaboration networks.

Findings

China’s proactive approach, characterized by strong government support and significant private sector investment, has led to a substantial increase in research output and quality in metaverse and AI fields. Chinese institutions have become major contributors to global publications, with growing citation rates and presence at international conferences. The research identifies emerging challenges in privacy, ethical AI development, and digital divide concerns.

Practical implications

The findings provide insights for policymakers, researchers, and industry stakeholders on the development trajectory of metaverse and AI technologies in China. They highlight the need for balanced approaches to innovation, regulation, and ethical considerations in these rapidly evolving fields.

Social implications

The study underscores the potential of metaverse and AI technologies to transform various sectors of society, from education and healthcare to entertainment and social interactions. It emphasizes the importance of addressing digital equity and ethical AI deployment to ensure broad societal benefits.

Originality/value

This research offers a comprehensive overview of China’s approach to metaverse and AI development, providing a unique perspective on the interplay between government initiatives, academic research, and industry innovation. It contributes to the broader discussion on the global development of these transformative technologies and their implications for future technological landscapes.
A comparative study of interactional metadiscourse used by American and Chinese corporate leaders in corporate social responsibility (CSR) statements
Authors: Shi Xingsong , Xu Wenjuan
Published: January 2025

The study compares interactional metadiscourse used by American and Chinese corporate leaders in corporate social responsibility [CSR] statements to serve the interpersonal and persuasive purposes of the genre. Both quantitative and qualitative analyses were conducted on the corpus of English CSR statements made respectively by corporate leaders of 21 Chinese and 21 American companies from 2015 to 2019. The results indicate that although both American and Chinese sub-corpora are rich in interpersonal resources, the American CSR statements overall utilize remarkably more interactional metadiscourse features than the Chinese CSR statements. Specifically, the American CSR statements employ more hedges and boosters for argumentation and persuasion. They also use more polarized attitude markers for overt expressions of emotions, in comparison to the Chinese CSR statements which favor moderate emotional appeals through centralized attitude markers. The American CSR statements use more first-person pronouns to accentuate authorial stance, whereas the Chinese CSR statements utilize more third-person pronouns to play down authorial presence. These differences can be traced to the influences of different social-cultural backgrounds and communication traditions rooted in the Chinese and American contexts.
PMP2+ Schwann cells maintain the survival of large-caliber motor axons
Authors: Kozlowski Mikolaj M , Strickland Amy , Morales Benitez Ana , Schmidt Robert E , Bloom A Joseph , Milbrandt Jeffrey , DiAntonio Aaron
Published: January 2025

Neurodegenerative diseases of both the central and peripheral nervous system are characterized by selective neuronal vulnerability, i.e., pathology that affects particular types of neurons. While much of this cell type selectivity may be driven by intrinsic differences among the neuron subpopulations, neuron-extrinsic mechanisms such as the selective malfunction of glial support cells may also play a role. Recently, we identified a population of Schwann cells (SCs) expressingAdamtsl1,Cldn14, andPmp2(a.k.a. PMP2+ SCs) that preferentially myelinate large-caliber motor axons. PMP2+ SCs are decreased in both ALS model mice and ALS patient nerves. Thus, PMP2+ SC dysfunction could contribute to motor-selective neuropathies. We engineered a tamoxifen-inducible Pmp2-CreERT2 mouse and expressed diphtheria toxin in PMP2+ SCs to assess the consequences of ablating this SC subtype in male and female mice. Loss of PMP2+ SCs led to significant loss of large-caliber motor axons with concomitant behavioral, electrophysiological, and ultrastructural defects. Subsequent withdrawal of tamoxifen restored both PMP2+ SCs and large-caliber motor axons and improved behavioral and electrophysiological readouts. Together, our findings highlight that the survival of large-caliber motor axons relies on PMP2+ SCs, demonstrating that malfunction of a specific SC subtype can lead to selective neuronal vulnerability.

Significance StatementA hallmark of neurodegenerative disease is the differential vulnerability of neuron subtypes. While differences between neurons explain some differential sensitivity of neuronal subtypes, neuron-extrinsic mechanisms likely also contribute to selective neuronal vulnerability. Building on the recent identification of genetically distinct subtypes of myelinating Schwann cells, we test the hypothesis that Schwann cell subtypes support distinct classes of peripheral axons. To examine this, we ablated the PMP2+ subclass of myelinating Schwann cells and found preferential loss of large-caliber motor axons. These findings demonstrate that disrupting a specific SC subtype results in selective axonal vulnerability, highlighting the importance of considering neuron-extrinsic mechanisms when dissecting selective neuronal vulnerability in neurodegenerative disorders.