bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Histopathological changes of the buccal mucosa and skin after botulinum neurotoxin intramuscular injection in rats (immunohistochemical study)
Authors: Hassan Gihan S. , Abouzaid Basant H. , Saleh Reda G.
Published: February 2025

Background

A surplus of clinical studies focused mainly on the clinical impacts of botulinum neurotoxin type A disregarding the histopathological changes stemming from its injection. This study was designed to inspect the potential effects of botulinum neurotoxin type A injection on the skin and buccal mucosa in both the injected and non-injected sides after one week and one month as no available studies have addressed its histopathological effects.

Methods

Twelve rats were injected with a single injection of 2.5 U of botulinum neurotoxin type A intramuscularly near the angle of the mouth on the right side. After one week, six injected rats were euthanized, and tissue samples were obtained from both the injection (n = 6) and the non-injection (n = 6) sides. After 4 weeks, six injected rats were euthanized, and tissue samples were obtained from both the injection (n = 6) and the non-injection (n = 6) sides. Six rats served as non-injected controls (n = 6). Samples were prepared for histological and immunohistochemical examination with caspase-3.

Results

Caspase-3 expression showed a highly significant increase (P = 0.005) in staining intensity in specimens of one week as compared to one month groups. At the non-injected side, the overall caspase-3 immunostaining score showed a significant elevation (P = 0.03) after one-month of botulinum neurotoxin type A injection.

Conclusion

Botulinum neurotoxin type A injection was associated with degenerative changes in the buccal mucosa and skin, nevertheless these changes declined after one month in the injected side. More degenerative changes were depicted in the non-injected side and increased after one month. Therefore, botulinum neurotoxin type A injection may affect not only the patient’s needs and expectations but also their health.
Defatted black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) diets improved hemato-immunological responses, biochemical parameters, and antioxidant activities in Streptococcus iniae-infected Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus)
Authors: Abd El-Gawad Eman A. , Zahran Eman , Youssuf Hadeer , Shehab Ahmed , Matter Aya F.
Published: February 2025

Background

Challenges of limited supply and increasing prices of fishmeal have driven the aquaculture nutritionists to seek alternative sustainable protein rich ingredients to keep manufacturing aquafeeds in a maintainable and cost-effective way. Black soldier fly, Hermetia illucenslarvae meal represent great potential as a sustainable alternative to fishmeal in aquafeeds.

Methods

Three replacement diets for fishmeal were prepared at different levels of defatted black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) meal (DBSFM): Diet 1 (0 g DBSFM /kg diet, control), 33% (DBSFM-33%, 66 g DBSFM /kg diet), and 100% (DBSFM-100%, 200 g DBSFM /kg diet) to investigate their effects on biochemical parameters, immuno-hematological responses, antioxidant activities, and inflammatory gene expression in Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus, a total of 270 (40.0 ± 0.50 g) before and after challenge with Streptococcus iniae (
S. iniae). The feeding trial lasted six weeks (pre-challenge) and two weeks (post-challenge).

Results

The results showed a significant improvement in white blood cell count (P < 0.01), lymphocyte count (P < 0.01), serum lysozyme activity (P < 0.001), and phagocytic activity (P < 0.001), mostly in the DBSFM-100% group following the pre-challenge phase compared to the control group. Post-challenge phase exhibited significant increases in blood indices in the DBSFM-treated groups compared to the control group. Following pre- and post-challenge periods, both DBSFM-supplemented groups experienced significant increases (P < 0.01, P < 0.001), in serum total protein levels. Albumin and globulin levels also experienced similar increases (P < 0.05, P < 0.01), but only post-challenge. Total antioxidant capacity exhibited a significant increase in both DBSFM-supplemented groups following the post-challenge, as did superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase in the liver and spleen. Conversely, levels of glucose, cortisol, and malondialdehyde followed the opposite trend. DBSFM-100% inclusion revealed significant (P < 0.05) up-regulation of interleukin 1β (IL-1β) in the pre-challenge phase compared to control, but no significance (P > 0.05) was seen for other genes. Anti-inflammatory-related genes transforming growth factor-β and interleukin-10 mRNA expression levels were up-regulated in DBSFM-supplemented groups compared to the control post-challenge, but the opposite was seen for IL-1β and tumor necrosis factor- α.

Conclusion

These findings suggest that Nile tilapia challenged with S. iniae may experience significant enhancements in hemato-immunological parameters, antioxidant capability, and anti-inflammatory gene expression when fish meal is replaced with DBSFM up to 100%.
Therapeutic trajectories of families with rare diseases in Chile from the perspectives of patients, carers, and healthcare workers: a qualitative study
Authors: Cabieses Báltica , Obach Alexandra , Roberts Antonia , Repetto Gabriela
Published: February 2025

Background

Rare diseases are conditions that have a low prevalence in the population and a high disease burden and are often chronic and progressive. International evidence concerning the experience of people and families living with rare diseases is scarce, leading to late and erroneous diagnoses, as well as non-specific treatments. This study explored the therapeutic trajectories of people and families living with rare diseases within Chile’s public and private healthcare systems from the perspective of patients, caregivers, and medical teams, including the initial symptoms, first consultation, testing, diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up.

Methods

A qualitative exploratory study was conducted through multiple case studies. Sixty participants were interviewed in person and/or virtually: patients (n = 16), caregivers (n = 22), healthcare workers (n = 20), and two patient organisation leaders. The material was analysed using thematic analysis. The project was approved by the Scientific Ethics Committee of Facultad de Medicina Clínica Alemana, Universidad del Desarrollo.

Results

After similar initial symptoms and first consultation, three main types of trajectories were identified: (i) the path taken by those who reach a diagnosis for a disease that has specific treatment available; (ii) the journey of those who reach a diagnosis for their health condition, but their disease does not have a specific treatment available; and (iii) the trajectory of those who have not reached a diagnosis and receive symptomatic treatments for symptoms.

Conclusions

The therapeutic trajectories of patients with rare symptoms are similar in terms of initial symptoms and first consultation. However, their paths diverge at the diagnostic stage, with diverse experiences related to these journeys, largely based on having a diagnosis and whether there is a specific treatment. Rare conditions in Chile requires further attention and urgent action that considers those who live with them and their families.
Genome-wide CRISPR screening identifies PHF8 as an effective therapeutic target for KRAS- or BRAF-mutant colorectal cancers
Authors: Liu Zhao , Li Yiqi , Wang Simeng , Wang Yubo , Sui Mengjun , Liu Jiaxin , Chen Pu , Wang Jianling , Zhang Yuchen , Dang Chengxue , Hou Peng
Published: February 2025

Background

Mutations in KRAS and BRAF genes are prevalent in colorectal cancer (CRC), which strikingly promote tumorigenesis and lead to poor response to a variety of treatments including immunotherapy by activating the MAPK/ERK pathway. Thus, there is an urgent need to discover effective therapeutic targets and strategies.

Methods

CRISPR-Cas9 lentiviral knockout library was used to screen the suppressors of anti-PD1 immunotherapy. Bioinformatic analysis was used to analyze the correlation between PHF8 expression and immune indicators in CRC. In vitro and in vivo experiments were utilized to determine the effects of PHF8 on the immune indexes and malignant phenotypes of CRC cells. qRT-PCR, western blotting, immunohistochemical (IHC) staining, and chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP)-qPCR assays were used to determine the regulatory effects of PHF8 on PD-L1, KRAS, BRAF, and c-Myc and the regulatory effect c-Myc/miR-22-3p signaling axis on PHF8 expression in CRC cells.

Results

This study identified histone lysine demethylase PHF8 as a negative regulator for the efficacy of anti-PD1 therapy and found that it was highly expressed in CRCs and strongly associated with poor patient survival. Functional studies showed that PHF8 played an oncogenic role in KRAS- or BRAF-mutant CRC cells, but not in wild-type ones. Mechanistically, PHF8 up-regulated the expression of PD-L1, KRAS, BRAF, and c-Myc by increasing the levels of transcriptional activation marks H3K4me3 and H3K27ac and decreasing the levels of transcriptional repression mark H3K9me2 within their promoter regions, promoting immune escape and tumor progression. Besides, our data also demonstrated that PHF8 was up-regulated by the c-Myc/miR-22-3p signaling axis to form a positive feedback loop. Targeting PHF8 substantially improved the efficacy of anti-PD1 therapy and inhibited the malignant phenotypes of KRAS- or BRAF-mutant CRC cells.

Conclusion

Our data demonstrate that PHF8 may be an effective therapeutic target for KRAS- or BRAF-mutant CRCs.
Altered synaptic homeostasis: a key factor in the pathophysiology of depression
Authors: Wang Bokai , He Teng , Qiu Guofan , Li Chong , Xue Song , Zheng Yuanjia , Wang Taiyi , Xia Yucen , Yao Lin , Yan Jinglan , Chen Yongjun
Published: February 2025

Depression, a widespread psychiatric disorder, is characterized by a diverse array of symptoms such as melancholic mood and anhedonia, imposing a significant burden on both society and individuals. Despite extensive research into the neurobiological foundations of depression, a complete understanding of its complex mechanisms is yet to be attained, and targeted therapeutic interventions remain under development. Synaptic homeostasis, a compensatory feedback mechanism, involves neurons adjusting synaptic strength by regulating pre- or postsynaptic processes. Recent advancements in depression research reveal a crucial association between the disorder and disruptions in synaptic homeostasis within neural regions and circuits pivotal for emotional and cognitive functions. This paper explores the mechanisms governing synaptic homeostasis in depression, focusing on the role of ion channels, the regulation of presynaptic neurotransmitter release, synaptic scaling processes, and essential signaling molecules. By mapping new pathways in the study of synaptic homeostasis as it pertains to depression, this research aims to provide valuable insights for identifying novel therapeutic targets for more effective antidepressant treatments.
Between intention and action: the paradoxes of female vaccination
Authors: Santos-Requejo Libia , Torres-González Obdulia María
Published: February 2025

Background

The article addresses two paradoxes related to the vaccination of women in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. The first paradox lies in the fact that, though women tend to be more concerned about health issues, they declare less of an intention to vaccinate than do men. The second paradox is that, despite reporting less intention to vaccinate, women actually take up vaccines more than men. This article sets out to study the reasons for these paradoxes.

Methods

We used information from a representative sample of the Spanish population. A dichotomous variable was created (‘change’ versus ‘consistency’, in relation to respondents’ intention and final decision to get vaccinated), and two logistic regression models were applied: one for the group of women and the other for the group of men.

Results

Several factors have been identified as influencing the change of opinion: such as trust in the health system, conspiracy beliefs about vaccines, positive evaluation of science and technology, level of knowledge, ideology and religion. It is noteworthy that several differences are found between men and women in terms of the factors causing them to change their opinion about vaccination.

Conclusions

The most relevant conclusion is that intention studies in the field of vaccination lose predictive power in the case of women’s vaccination. It should also be noted that, with women, there are no factors that conclusively explain their change of opinion. Therefore, if the factors influencing vaccination behaviour are to be discovered, it is necessary to modify the questions included in the questionnaires in order to find the variables that explain women’s behaviour.
Variation of Mg isotopes during mineral dissolution at pH = 1 and T = 25 °C: Part 2. Olivine and pyroxene
Authors: Ryu Jong-Sik
Published: February 2025

Background

The high reactivity of mafic minerals, such as olivine and pyroxene, plays a crucial role in controlling the global magnesium (Mg) flux and its isotopic composition. This study investigates the mechanisms and extent of Mg isotope fractionation during the dissolution of these minerals under far–from–equilibrium conditions. These findings provide valuable insights into the behavior of Mg isotopes in natural environments and their potential as a geochemical proxy for understanding Earth's carbon cycle.

Methods

Mafic minerals (olivine, enstatite, and diopside) with particle sizes ranging from 63 to 245 µm were subjected to dissolution experiments in a plug–flow reactor under far–from–equilibrium conditions. Effluent solutions were collected over a period of 1872 h. Elemental concentrations were determined using a Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectroscopy (ICP–OES), while Mg isotopic compositions were analyzed using Multi–Collector Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (MC–ICP–MS).

Results

Elemental concentrations displayed distinct temporal trends for olivine and pyroxene. Olivine dissolution demonstrated a gradual increase in elemental concentrations during the initial 20 h, followed by a subsequent decline towards baseline levels. In contrast, pyroxene dissolution exhibited a rapid initial release of elements within the first 4 h, followed by an abrupt decrease towards near-zero concentrations. Olivine dissolution exhibited pronounced oscillations in δ2⁶Mg values, ranging from − 0.53‰ to − 0.21‰. Conversely, pyroxene dissolution (enstatite and diopside) displayed more gradual trends, with δ2⁶Mg values ranging from − 0.41‰ to − 0.26‰ for enstatite and from − 0.43‰ to − 0.21‰ for diopside.

Conclusions

The output solutions exhibited an initial period of rapid, incongruent mineral dissolution, followed by a sharp decline towards near–zero rates. The observed δ2⁶Mg variations between solution and mineral, ranging from − 0.43‰ to + 0.18‰, suggest that these shifts are likely influenced by either differences in their crystal structures or the formation of secondary phases. This finding highlights the significant influence of mafic minerals, with their high reactivity compared to other silicate minerals, on the Mg flux and isotopic compositions in terrestrial waters draining basalts and the ocean.
The burden of visually diagnosed female genital schistosomiasis among women with infertility in the Volta Region of Ghana
Authors: Orish Verner N. , Kaba Gladys , Dah Anthony K. , Maalman Raymond S. , Amoh Micheal , Appiah-Kubi Adu , Azanu Wisdom , Adzah David , Nyonator William R. , Kumi Micheal B. , Awutey-Hinidza Diana S. , Atachie Irene , Ahiaku Portia , Kwadzokpui Precious K. , Fatau Adam A. , Smith-Togobo Cecila , Yong Tai-Soon , Cho Young-soon , Morhe Emmanuel S. K. , Kim So Yoon , Gyapong Margaret
Published: February 2025

Background

Female genital schistosomiasis (FGS) is the outcome of the deposition of Schistosoma haematobium egg in the ovaries, fallopian tubes, uterus or cervix of women in schistosomiasis endemic areas. Chronic and untreated FGS can result in an increased risk of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) acquisition and infertility. This study aimed to evaluate the burden of visual FGS among women with infertility in the Volta region of Ghana.

Methods

This study was a comparative cross-sectional study involving women with infertility defined as women with inability to achieve pregnancy after 12 months or more of frequent (3–4 times a week) unprotected sexual intercourse and nursing mothers (fertile women) from selected districts in the Volta Region. Questionnaire administration was used to obtain sociodemographic information including recent and childhood contact with water bodies as well as the practice of open defecation and clinical information such as the presence of genital symptoms. Urine samples were collected for detection of eggs of S. haematobium, and the women’s lower genital tracts were examined using a handheld colposcope by two gynecologists and a third to resolve discrepancies. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 23 with frequency distribution done for the sociodemographic variables and the prevalence of FGS in the women. Pearson Chi-square analysis was performed to find any significant difference between the prevalence of FGS among infertile and fertile women and any significant association between any socioeconomic and clinical variables with FGS. Logistics regression analysis was performed to investigate sociodemographic and other risk factors for FGS among women.

Results

Of the 265 sampled women 132 (49.8%) were infertile and 133 (50.2%) were nursing mothers (fertile women). More women had visual FGS (155, 58.5%) and most with FGS were fertile [96, 76.1%; infertile, 59(45.3%); p < 0.001], with infertile women having lower odds of FGS in this study (AOR, 0.29 [95% CI 0.17–0.50]; p < 0.001); adjusted for childhood and current contact with rivers and streams, availability of toilets facility, practice of open defecation and age. More women with FGS had childhood contact with rivers and streams (68.4%, p = 0.007) with lower odds of FGS seen in women without childhood contact with rivers and streams (AOR, 0.52 [95% CI 0.31–0.88]; p = 0.015).

Conclusion

In this study, infertile women unexpectedly had lower odds of FGS suggesting the need for more rigorous research on this topic to elucidate the true contribution of FGS on infertility.
Integrating green HRM for productivity and sustainability: green innovation, engagement and pro-environmental behavior as key mediators
Authors: Islam Mohammad Fakhrul , Al Masud Abdullah , Emon Md. , Shuvro Razuan Ahmed , Jony Mohammad Toriqul Islam , Akter Tania
Published: February 2025

This study examines how employee engagement functions as a mediator between worker productivity and Green Human Resource Management (GHRM) practices in Bangladesh's industrial industry. We used a web-based, structured questionnaire to survey 401 workers from different companies. Comprehensive research using structural equation modeling showed that GHRM significantly improves employee engagement (p < 0.05, β = 0.154), which in turn boosts worker productivity (β = 0.281). Additionally, the association between GHRM and productivity is significantly mediated by employee engagement (p < 0.05), suggesting that engaged employees are more productive in companies that implement GHRM practices. This study emphasizes the usefulness of implementing GHRM practices for manufacturing managers in order to cultivate a motivated and effective workforce. Using the Ability, Motivation, and Opportunity (A-M-O) Theory, this study offers insights applicable to comparable situations around the world and advances our understanding of how sustainable HR practices can address issues in a Bangladeshi manufacturing sector.

Graphical abstract
Impact of introducing a capacity-based mental health law in Norway: qualitative exploration of multi-stakeholder perspectives
Authors: Jorem Jacob , Førde Reidun , Husum Tonje Lossius , Dahlberg Jørgen , Pedersen Reidar
Published: February 2025

Background

Decision-making capacity (DMC) is key to capacity-based mental health laws. In 2017, Norway introduced a lack of DMC as an additional criterion for involuntary care and treatment to strengthen patient autonomy and reduce involuntary care. Health registry data reveal an initial reduction followed by rising involuntary care and treatment rates post-2017. Despite jurisdictions moving towards capacity-based mental health laws, little is known about their impact.

Aims

To explore the impact of introducing a capacity-based mental health law governing involuntary care and treatment.

Method

Semi-structured interviews and focus groups were conducted in 2018 with 60 purposively sampled stakeholders, including patients, families, health professionals and lawyers. Of these, 26 participated in individual follow-up interviews in 2022–23. The transcribed interviews were thematically analysed following Braun and Clarke.

Results

Four themes emerged: (a) increased awareness of patient autonomy and improved patient involvement; (b) altered thresholds for involuntary admission and discharge and more challenging to help certain patient groups; (c) more responsibility for primary health services; and (d) increased family responsibility but unchanged involvement by health services.

Conclusions

Introducing a capacity-based mental health law appears to raise awareness of patient autonomy, but its impact depends on an interplay of complex health, social and legal systems. Post-2017 changes, including rising involuntary care and treatment rates, higher thresholds for admissions and increased pressure on primary health services and families, may be influenced by several factors. These include implementation of decision-making capacity, legal interpretations, formal measures for care of non-resistant incompetent individuals, reduced in-patient bed availability, inadequate voluntary treatment options and societal developments. Further research is needed to better understand these changes and their causes.
A pilot study of a ketogenic diet in bipolar disorder: clinical, metabolic and magnetic resonance spectroscopy findings
Authors: Campbell Iain H. , Needham Nicole , Grossi Helen , Kamenska Ivana , Luz Saturnino , Sheehan Shane , Thompson Gerard , Thrippleton Michael J. , Gibbs Melissa C. , Leitao Joana , Moses Tessa , Burgess Karl , Rigby Benjamin P. , Simpson Sharon A. , McIntosh Emma , Brown Rachel , Meadowcroft Ben , Creasy Frances , Mitchell-Grigorjeva Maja , Norrie John , McLellan Ailsa , Fisher Cheryl , Zieliński Tomasz , Gaggioni Giulia , Campbell Harry , Smith Daniel J.
Published: February 2025

Background

Preliminary evidence suggests that a ketogenic diet may be effective for bipolar disorder.

Aims

To assess the impact of a ketogenic diet in bipolar disorder on clinical, metabolic and magnetic resonance spectroscopy outcomes.

Method

Euthymic individuals with bipolar disorder (N = 27) were recruited to a 6- to 8-week single-arm open pilot study of a modified ketogenic diet. Clinical, metabolic and MRS measures were assessed before and after the intervention.

Results

Of 27 recruited participants, 26 began and 20 completed the ketogenic diet. For participants completing the intervention, mean body weight fell by 4.2 kg (P < 0.001), mean body mass index fell by 1.5 kg/m2 (P < 0.001) and mean systolic blood pressure fell by 7.4 mmHg (P < 0.041). The euthymic participants had average baseline and follow-up assessments consistent with them being in the euthymic range with no statistically significant changes in Affective Lability Scale-18, Beck Depression Inventory and Young Mania Rating Scale. In participants providing reliable daily ecological momentary assessment data (n = 14), there was a positive correlation between daily ketone levels and self-rated mood (r = 0.21, P < 0.001) and energy (r = 0.19 P < 0.001), and an inverse correlation between ketone levels and both impulsivity (r = −0.30, P < 0.001) and anxiety (r = −0.19, P < 0.001). From the MRS measurements, brain glutamate plus glutamine concentration decreased by 11.6% in the anterior cingulate cortex (P = 0.025) and fell by 13.6% in the posterior cingulate cortex (P = <0.001).

Conclusions

These findings suggest that a ketogenic diet may be clinically useful in bipolar disorder, for both mental health and metabolic outcomes. Replication and randomised controlled trials are now warranted.
Identifying redundant singularity in Padé approximant
Authors: Chang Fu-Ming , Liu Yuan-Yuan , Gu Xin , Li Wen-Du , Dai Wu-Sheng
Published: February 2025

The Padé approximant performs the pole analysis in statistical mechanics and particle physics. The Padé approximant can recover the singularity information lost in the polynomial approximation given by perturbation methods but also introduces redundant singularities. This paper presents a method to identify redundant singularities by analyzing the approximation itself rather than relying on the original function or underlying physical principles.
Association of Maternal Thyroglobulin Antibody with Preterm Birth in Euthyroid Women
Authors: Yang Shuai , Huang Zixuan , Zhang Yong , Li Yanan , Zhou Yulai , Guan Haixia , Fan Jianxia
Published: February 2025

Context

While the association between maternal thyroid peroxidase antibody (TPOAb) positivity and preterm birth (PTB) risk has been established, the association between thyroglobulin antibody (TgAb) and PTB remains unclear.

Objective

This study aimed to explore the association between TgAb and PTB risk in euthyroid women.

Methods

This single-center, prospective cohort study enrolled euthyroid women in the first trimester. Data on serum concentrations of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), free thyroxine (FT4), TgAb, and TPOAb was collected. Participants were categorized into two groups (TgAb-negative and TgAb-positive). PTB was subtyped into spontaneous PTB (S-PTB) and medically-induced PTB (MI-PTB); and into early PTB (E-PTB) and late PTB (L-PTB). Logistic regression models examined the associations between TgAb and PTB and its subtypes, with stratification by first-trimester TSH levels (0.1-2.5 mIU/L, 2.5-4.0 mIU/L).

Results

This study comprised of 58,247 euthyroid pregnant women. Adjusting for confounders, TgAb positivity was associated with a 16% increased risk of PTB (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 1.16, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.03-1.29, P=0.01) compared to the TgAb-negative group. Specifically, TgAb positivity showed higher risk of S-PTB and L-PTB, aOR 1.22 (95% CI 1.06, 1.39) and aOR 1.17 (95%CI 1.04, 1.32), respectively. Consistent results were observed when analyzing TgAb concentration as a continuous variable. TSH stratification analysis revealed that these associations were significant only among women with TSH levels between 0.1-2.5 mIU/L.

Conclusions

In euthyroid women, TgAb positivity was associated with higher risk of PTB that mainly manifested as S-PTB and L-PTB. However, the clinical significance of these findings is limited.
Afterword
Authors: Makalani Minkah
Published: February 2025

This afterword takes up some of the conceptual and historiographical concerns raised in the special section on Hermina and Otto Huiswoud. By examining the work of the Black Archives in Amsterdam, which holds the Huiswouds’ personal papers and book collection, the author argues that the continued study of the Huiswouds helps broaden the scope of Caribbean radical history by bringing into focus the history, politics, and ideas of a radical Black Dutch Caribbean tradition. The Black Archives sits within a longer history of Black radical thought that spans the Dutch Empire, from Surinam to the Netherlands, and offers some clues for grappling with the challenges that continue to frame and confront the study of Black radicals in organized Marxism.
Music Video and the Transnationalism of Nigerian Screen Media
Authors: Eromosele Femi
Published: February 2025

Building on the scholarship on Nollywood, this chapter shifts emphasis from earlier theorizations that the global influence of Nigerian cultural products derives from their dispersal through “informal” or “pirate” networks to international viewers of similar cultural heritage. It argues that music videos can travel through official routes, aided by music video television stations and internet-enabled platforms. These avenues provide a more democratized space for audiovisual texts from around the world to interact without the overt hierarchization that attends the curation of other media like film. Such conditions, along with the increasing popularity of Nigerian music, enable the Nigerian music video to court an audience that is not necessarily affinitive. The chapter offers as a case study the music video “This Is Nigeria,” a recontextualization of Childish Gambino’s “This Is America,” released in 2018 by the Nigerian rapper Falz.
Addressing common inferential mistakes when failing to reject the null-hypothesis
Authors: Schmidt Amand
Published: February 2025

Failure to reject a null-hypothesis may lead to erroneous conclusions regarding the absence of an association or inadequate statistical power. Because an estimate (and its variance) can never be exactly zero, traditional statistical tests cannot conclusively demonstrate the absence of an association. Instead, estimates of accuracy should be used to identify settings in which an association and its variability are sufficiently small to be clinically acceptable, directly providing information on safety and efficacy. Post-hoc power calculations should be avoided, as they offer no additional information beyond statistical tests and p-values. Furthermore, post-hoc power calculations can be misleading because of an inability to distinguish between results based on insufficient sample size and results that reflect clinically irrelevant differences. Most multiple testing procedures unrealistically assume that all positive results are false positives. However, in applied settings, results typically represent a mix of true and false positives. This implies that multiplicity corrections do not effectively differentiate between true and false positives. Instead, considering the distributions of p-values and the proportion of significant results can help to identify bodies of evidence unlikely to be driven by false-positive results. In conclusion, rather than attempting to categorize results as true or false, medical research should embrace established statistical methods that focus on estimation accuracy, replication, and consistency.
O semiotyce okładek frontowych w wydaniach zbiorów wierszy Rafała Wojaczka
Authors: Czerwiński Marcin
Published: February 2025

W artykule omówiono pierwsze strony okładek zbiorów wierszy Rafała Wojaczka (1945–1971) publikowanych zarówno za jego życia, jak i pośmiertnie, aż do dzisiaj. Autor szczegółowo prześledził historię okładek wydań w Polsce: od książkowego debiutu poety w 1969 roku aż po publikację całej twórczości w 2014 roku i utworów nieznanych w 2016 roku. Po w przeważającej mierze chronologicznej prezentacji i interpretacji semiotyki poszczególnych okładek wskazano dominujące tendencje oraz dokonano próby ich klasyfikacji. Wniosek, jaki nasuwa się po zestawieniu ze sobą zgromadzonego materiału empirycznego, wskazuje na kilka sposobów opracowywania graficznego okładek zbiorów poetyckich wynikających z obowiązujących konwencji. Autor dowodzi przy tym pozornie oczywistej tezy, że dominującą konwencją takiego opracowania w wypadku Rafała Wojaczka, a więc poety bardzo rozpoznawalnego, jest ilustrowanie pierwszej strony okładki jego wizerunkiem. Inaczej dzieje się z poetyckimi debiutami książkowymi oraz kolejnymi publikacjami poetek i poetów spoza tzw. mainstreamu. Dopiero wydawca twórczości poety/poetki o mocno ugruntowanej pozycji może używać jego/jej wizerunku jako swoistego znaku firmowego działającego na tych samym zasadach co nazwisko autora/autorki, a nawet wzmacniać je marketingowo.
„Wreszcie będę miała z kim rozmawiać”. Uwagi do leksykonu z zakresu oprawoznawstwa
Authors: Łubocki Jakub Maciej , Herden Elżbieta
Published: February 2025

Recenzja: E. Pokorzyńska, M. Pronobis-Brzezińska, A. Wagner, Leksykon oprawoznawczy, Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Kazimierza Wielkiego, Bydgoszcz 2023.
Przewodnik edytorski za 2024 rok
Authors: Płońska Katarzyna , Bukowski Filip
Published: February 2025

Przewodnik edytorski za 2024 rok.
REVISÃO INTEGRATIVA DA LITERATURA:
Authors: Lacerda Carine Silva , Bierhalz Crisna Daniela Krause , Stoll Vitor Garcia
Published: February 2025

Este estudo buscou identificar o que os artigos científicos da última década (2013-2023) mostram sobre a evasão na Educação de Jovens e Adultos (EJA). Trata-se de uma revisão integrativa da literatura, em que oito artigos, colhidos no Portal de Periódicos da Capes, na Scopus e na Scielo, foram analisados a partir da Análise de Conteúdo e via software IRaMuTeQ. Como resultados, foi possível construir quatro categorias: 1) contexto das publicações; 2) objetivos das pesquisas; 3) problemas das pesquisas; e 4) perfil dos sujeitos da EJA. Os estudos de Fernandes; Oliveira (2020), Ostrovski; Correia (2018), Julião; Ferreira (2018) e Bossa (2019) auxiliaram no entendimento sobre evasão e permanência. Autores como Arroyo (2006, 2011), Dayrell (2015) e Campelo (2009) foram utilizados como referenciais para discutir sobre EJA. Os resultados indicam que cinco pesquisas foram desenvolvidas no âmbito da Educação Básica (três no Ensino Fundamental e duas no Ensino Médio). Os objetivos das pesquisas são descritivos, exploratórios e explicativos. Neste último, verbos como analisar, compreender, discutir e refletir delimitam a pesquisa. Os problemas de pesquisa perpassam pela evasão (A1 e A7), pela permanência (A2, A4, A6 e A8) e pelas características da modalidade EJA (A3 e A5). O perfil demonstra uma modalidade com características próprias, orientada pelo compromisso de valorizar e respeitar a cultura e a história dos sujeitos.
TRANSFORMAÇÕES DA CARTOGRAFIA NO CONTEXTO DA GEOGRAFIA
Authors: Silva de Barros Rafael , Maria Feitosa da Rocha de Souza Elizabeth , Bernadete Madureira Cruz Carla , Amaral Felipe Gonçalves
Published: February 2025

Representações do espaço e do tempo trazem a possibilidade de compreendermos padrões que nos ajudam a relacionar causalidades, mensurar formas, distribuições e mudanças e, ainda, traçar tendências. Na atualidade, em pleno século XXI, nos vemos imersos em um volume imenso de informações, a maioria de caráter espacial. Neste contexto de Big Data, uma importante e jovem corrente da Geografia se configura e fortalece, a Corrente Geoinformacional. Muitas áreas do conhecimento se voltam para este universo de representação e análise, buscando contribuir com serviços para a sociedade. É preciso se atentar aos conceitos cartográficos para possibilitar análises adequadas com este imenso e cada vez mais facilmente acessível volume de dados geoespaciais. Novos sensores, dados com novas dimensões como a altitude e o tempo, novas ferramentas e tudo isso integrado, também demandando novas formas de acesso e controle de qualidade em relação aos dados adquiridos e informações produzidas. O uso de Infográficos, StoryMaps, Geoportais e Globos Virtuais tem muito a contribuir para facilitar o acesso e entendimento a esse enorme volume de dados. As Cartografias Participativa e Colaborativa contribuem na produção de mapas, inclusive por pessoas não especialistas. São desafios para diversos profissionais, incluindo, ainda, os professores de Geografia.
Eutanasia en España: un análisis interpretativo a la actual normativa desde el Trabajo Social Sanitario
Authors: Jiménez Rodríguez Jose Manuel
Published: February 2025

En España el derecho a la eutanasia se ha convertido en un acto legislado incluido en su ordenamiento jurídico. Se han debido presentar diversos anteproyectos de ley hasta que hace varios meses la Ley Orgánica 3/2021, de 24 de marzo, de regulación de la eutanasia ve la luz. Aun con buenas intenciones, esta normativa obvia la dimensión social de la enfermedad y no contempla aspectos como la emancipación, la minoría de edad, etc. Deja al margen la figura del Trabajo Social Sanitario en las Comisión de Garantía y Evaluación que la misma establece en su articulado, asunto que recae exclusivamente sobre las comunidades autónomas. Este hecho genera disparidades en la composición de esta Comisión, pues no siempre se cuenta con dicha figura. Tal situación, unida a otros aspectos relacionados con la situación de dependencia del solicitante de la ayuda para morir, exige una revisión de conjunto de su contenido por parte de los legisladores. Situación que permite garantizar algunos de los vacíos legales que se han podido producir.
La docencia como salida profesional del trabajador social: análisis de las competencias profesionales docentes
Authors: González Barbero Teresa de Jesús
Published: February 2025

Con la implantación del modelo universitario, el desarrollo de los perfiles profesionales se ha realizado en torno al concepto de competencias. Tomamos como referencia la definición de competencia como "combinación de conocimientos, capacidades y actitudes adecuadas al contexto. Las competencias claves son aquellas que todas las personas precisan para su realización y desarrollo personales, así como para la ciudadanía activa, la inclusión social y el empleo" (Comisión Europea, 2007). En este trabajo hemos partido de la definición del nuevo modelo de competencias profesionales del Siglo XXI para analizar las diferencias existentes entre la valoración de estas en el perfil docente del/de la trabajador/a social y la valoración de la propia percepción de su posesión La primera parte del trabajo describe los nuevos indicadores del cambio social en el perfil docente y los datos que los informes internacionales aportan sobre el cambio para pasar en la segunda parte a comentar un estudio descriptivo desarrollado en el Centro Univer-sitario La Salle de Madrid en la titulación de Trabajo Social, tratando de analizar la percepción de las competencias docentes de estos/as futu-ros/as profesionales respecto al campo de la docencia como una salida laboral.
Objetivos de desarrollo sostenible y trabajo social penitenciario, un binomio necesario
Authors: Filardo Llamas Cristina
Published: February 2025

En el año 2015 se aprueba la Agenda 2030 y los Objetivos de Desarrollo Sostenible. Son un refe-rente universal que persiguen mejorar la vida de la ciudadanía en todo el mundo con la implicación y participación del conjunto de la sociedad.
Pese a la importancia de su desarrollo e implementación no se han encontrado investiga-ciones o estudios que vinculen el Trabajo Social Penitenciario con estos Objetivos y permitan establecer indicadores científicos para medir y calcular cómo podemos contribuir desde nuestra disciplina a la consecución de la Agenda 2030.
En el presente artículo se realiza un primer acercamiento a esta temática analizando la relación entre Trabajo Social Penitenciario y Objetivos de Desarrollo Sostenible defendiendo la necesidad de implicación desde nuestro contexto y la responsabilidad que como disciplina tenemos en alcanzar un futuro sostenible y de calidad para todas las personas.
Characteristics according to pain intensity and duration in patients with nonspecific neck pain
Authors: Sohn Ju-Eun , Ha Sun-Young , Sung Yun-Hee
Published: February 2025

Nonspecific neck pain occurs without a clear cause and has a variety of causes. We investigated the characteristics and subjective feelings according to the intensity and duration of pain in patients with nonspecific neck pain. A survey was conducted on 43 patients complaining of neck pain according to pain duration and pain intensity. As a result, there was a significant difference between pain intensity and sleep (P< 0.05). There was a significant difference between pain duration and sleep, pain duration and emotion (P< 0.05). In addition, common feelings such as stiff, heavy, tight, and throbbing were observed according to pain intensity and duration. Therefore, consideration of sleep and emotion is necessary when composing an intervention to improve pain in patients with nonspecific neck pain.
On the origin of abc-triples
Authors: Kuzmanis Janis
Published: February 2025

The rules describing emergence of \textit{abc}-triples formed by the set of roots for Pell's equations $x^2-Dy^2=N$ with $N=\pm1$ and $N=\pm2$ are revealed.
The Politics of Reverie in Olivia Ward Bush’s Driftwood
Authors: Pollak Zoë E.
Published: February 2025

Abstract: In 1914, a Long Island-born writer named Olivia Ward Bush published a volume of poetry called Driftwood . The efficacy of art often comes under pressure during periods of political turmoil and change, and Bush’s post-Reconstruction era is no exception. Driftwood draws especially provocative parallels between the reverie that poetry encourages and the rhetoric of progress and uplift that characterized the incipient New Negro Movement. Decades before Langston Hughes questioned what happens to a dream deferred, Bush used her craft to explore when dreaming was inspiriting and when it was ineffectual. This essay argues that Driftwood demonstrates how supplying space for aesthetic expression and freeing the mind to range for its own sake can itself be politically generative.
The Force of Feminism: Race, Precarity, and the Ethics of Nonviolence in The Story of An African Farm
Authors: Moon Gyuri
Published: February 2025

Abstract: This article argues that Olive Schreiner’s The Story of an African Farm (1883) reflects the author’s early doubts about imperialism, by foregrounding an important political view of Schreiner: her lifelong commitment to nonviolence. Lyndall goes through an ethical transformation of renouncing her Social Darwinist view and individualism, to later acknowledging the inherent interdependency of lives that Butlerian nonviolence posits as a precondition of nonviolence. This anticipates Schreiner’s new form of relation-based feminism she envisioned for the global era, as the violent ideologies of colonialism, patriarchy, and the evolutionary theory prevalent in South Africa constantly conflicted with her pacifist views.
Purely physical processes of mirror reversal and its application to vision research
Authors: Tanaka Junichi
Published: February 2025

This study deduced the purely physical process of the mirror reversal from the specular reflection, utilizing the mechanical camera structure and Cartesian coordinate system, by excluding non-physical elements, one of which is the virtual image and the other of which is directional notions such as top-bottom, front-back, and right-left. By doing so, the physical process successfully became integrated into the visual process of the observer based on human factors. This analysis also clarified the cognitive process of the mirror problem, which consists of the perceptual process in the anisotropic space and the thinking process in the isotropic geometric space.
Synovial joints were present in the common ancestor of jawed fish but lacking in jawless fish
Authors: Sharma Neelima , Haridy Yara , Shubin Neil
Published: February 2025

Synovial joints, characterized by reciprocally congruent and lubricated articular surfaces separated by a cavity, can simultaneously provide mobility and load bearing. Here, we study the early evolution of synovial joints by examining the morphological, genetic, and molecular features required for the development and function of the joints in elasmobranchs and cyclostomes. We show the presence of cavitated and articulated joints in the skeleton of elasmobranchs, such as the little skate (Leucoraja erinacea) and bamboo shark (Chiloscyllium plagiosum). However, our results do not support the presence of articular cavities between cartilaginous elements in cyclostomes such as sea lampreys (Petromyozon marinus) and hagfish (Myxine glutinosa). Immunostaining reveals the expression of lubrication-related proteoglycans like aggrecan and glycoproteins such as hyaluronic acid receptor (CD44) at the articular surfaces in little skates. Analysis of joint development in little skate embryos shows the expression of growth differentiation factor-5 (Gdf5) and β-catenin at the joint interzones like tetrapods. Muscle paralysis in little skate embryos leads to joint fusion, suggesting that muscle activity is necessary for the formation of synovial cavity and development of normal articular surfaces, in a manner similar to zebrafish and tetrapods. Together, these data suggest that synovial joints originated in the common ancestor of extant gnathostomes. A review of fossils from the extinct clades along the gnathostome stem suggests that joints with reciprocally articulating surfaces arose in the dermal skeleton of the common ancestor of all jawed vertebrates. Synovial joints in cartilaginous tissue were a subsequent gnathostome innovation.
A case for subnational nutrition financing: The development and use of county-level investment cases in Kenya
Authors: Jain Sakshi , Ahsan Sameen , Walters Dylan David , Kinyua Geoffrey , Smith Johniere , Nyagaya Martha , Greig Alison , Arabi Mandana
Published: February 2025

This paper aims to emphasize the significance of creating subnational nutrition action plans in regions with high variation in nutrition challenges and evaluates their projected return on investment in Kenya. Despite steady progress, undernutrition in Kenya remains high, costing the country an estimated US$ 4.2 billion or 7% of its GDP annually. Under Kenya’s decentralized government system, numerous counties developed sectoral County Nutrition Action Plans (CNAPs) in 2018 to identify and prioritize essential nutrition actions to target undernutrition at the subnational level. In this paper, the authors present findings from county investment cases (CICs) in five counties — Nandi, Busia, Makueni, Vihiga, and Elgeyo Marakwet—including the costs, health impacts, and benefit to cost ratios of implementing high-impact nutrition interventions. Data was collected on the target coverage and cost of interventions prioritized in each county’s CNAPs for the 2018 to 2022 period. A monetized DALY approach, using the value of a statistical life methodology was used for cost-benefit analysis and the Optima Nutrition tool was used for cost-effectiveness analysis. The estimated cumulative impact of the five CNAPs was projected as 1,800 child and 115 maternal deaths averted; preventing and treating 19,000 cases of stunting and 4,700 cases of wasting in children under five and averting 67,000 cases of anaemia in pregnant women and adolescent girls. The county-level benefit-cost ratios range from $5:1 to $14:1 (at a default 3% discount rate). This analysis demonstrates that localized subnational plans can be advantageous for policymaking and prioritization to better address subnational disparities in undernutrition and offer a high return on investment.