bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Women’s Experiences of Environmental Harm in Colombia: Learning from Black, Decolonial and Indigenous Communitarian Feminisms
Authors: Vargas Daniela Suárez , Killean Rachel
Published: May 2024

This chapter explores Indigenous and Afro-descendent women’s diverse experiences of environmental harm in Colombia. To do so, it brings green criminology into conversation with the decolonial, Black and Indigenous feminism that has emerged from across the Americas as a way of exposing the connections between gendered harms and structural violence. In doing so, we wish to highlight how platforming and learning from this feminist scholarship and activism can lead to a more nuanced understanding of environmental harm and its legacies in Colombia. In the chapter we outline the continuum of environmental harms experienced in Colombia, and the ways in which colonisation, conflict and neoliberal extractivist policies have particularly harmed Indigenous and Afro-descendent populations. We then highlight four important contributions made by feminist literature to understanding of the gendered impacts of these harms. First, their theorisation of the connections between territorial and bodily autonomy for Indigenous and Afro-descendent women. Second, their exposure of the gendered vulnerabilities associated with dispossession and forced displacement. Third, the attention they draw to the ‘everyday’ gendered nature of environmental harms, and fourth the important role of women in resisting environmental injustice and protecting their communities and territories.
Auroville Is …
Authors: Aswini Clarence-Smith Suryamayi
Published: May 2024

The chapter contextualizes and examines the Auroville community within various prevalent frameworks and possible definitions – those of an intentional community or ecovillage, utopian community or ashram, and government project or neocolonial enclave – discussing and drawing parallels with other contemporary or historical examples of these to best situate and understand the nature of this particular experiment. In so doing, it highlights Auroville’s unique success as the largest, most diverse and among the longest-standing intentional communities in the world, and how it is distinct from historical utopian communities given its experimental ethos and absence of a predetermined societal blueprint. While acknowledging its roots in the Indian ashram tradition and the presence of a spiritual founding figure, the chapter distinguishes Auroville from an ashram or other forms of guru-centric organizations and communities on the basis of it being a self-governed collective eschewing religious rites or doctrines. The role of the Indian government in the development of the project is also discussed, alongside the critique that Auroville is a neocolonial enclave. The chapter concludes by outlining the original theoretical lens of (spiritually) prefigurative utopianism that serves to analyse and understand Auroville’s praxis in this work.
A Spiritually Prefigurative Culture: The Uniqueness of Auroville’s Utopian Practice
Authors: Aswini Clarence-Smith Suryamayi
Published: May 2024

This chapter discusses the political relevance of intentional communities in light of alternative practices developed within these and adopted in mainstream society. It challenges the restrictive scope of contemporary scholarship on prefiguration, focused on the prefigurative politics of social movements, by arguing that a broad range of practices are to be considered within the prefigurative canon given that alternative societies need to be prefigured in all their aspects. The chapter introduces the prefigurative nature of Auroville’s utopian practice and specifically illustrates its spiritually prefigurative nature by examining a wide range of cultural practices within the community, from work to education, art and town planning. It evokes the challenges of engaging in prefigurative utopian practice and points to how central spirituality is to sustaining such practice in the Auroville context, challenging the criticism that spiritual practice renders individuals apolitical.
Auroville and Beyond: The Grounded Hopes and Horizons of Spiritually Prefigurative Practice – A Conclusion
Authors: Aswini Clarence-Smith Suryamayi
Published: May 2024

This chapter revisits key findings and concepts that emerge from this work, and their relevance for the development of alternative societies in general. One is that of spiritually prefigurative utopianism: that a spiritual quest can underly, strategically articulate and sustain an evolving utopian project that engages with the challenges of human society. Another is that of prefigurative utopian practice: that utopianism can be engaged with as an evolutionary process, rather than as an attempt to realize a predetermined blueprint, and that this can be enacted by both spiritual or a-spiritual groups. In view of Auroville’s unique trajectory of prefigurative institutionalization, the chapter posits that such institutionalization may be key to the perpetuation of prefigurative projects.
The Path to Asylum
Authors: Etzel Morgan
Published: May 2024

This chapter uses narrative interviews, discourse and document analysis to address the period before and shortly after interlocutors arrived in Germany. It shows how the area of arrival and first interaction with representatives of the administrative state would have lasting implications on the refugee experience with integration. It analyses how the so-called refugee crisis of 2015, during which over one million asylum seekers arrived in Germany, was framed in the media and public discourse in terms of welcome culture and volunteerism. In this chapter, an events-based approach is used to contextualize shifts in social moods. I draw from a range of literature analysing the events of 2015 and a so-called Stimmungswechsel (mood shift), which include the rise of welcome culture and volunteerism, countered by several terrorist attacks across Europe and the many allegations of sexual assault on New Year’s Eve. The chapter also highlights Syrians as a particularly ‘privileged’ group of asylum seekers in 2015, who enjoyed faster asylum application processing times and much greater chances of positive evaluations of asylum decisions.
‘Anchor Babies’ and ‘Imposter Children’: Childhoods’ Representations in Global Migration Politics
Authors: Martuscelli Patrícia Nabuco
Published: May 2024

Children migrate alone, creating tension between a child rights approach and global migration governance. States cannot deny children’s rights because it would be an immoral violation of international law, yet states adopt different strategies to control child migration. This chapter briefly discusses two such strategies: using different representations of children like ‘anchor children and babies’ as a migration strategy to restrict children’s rights, and employing the ‘imposter children’ category to recognize agency as an adulthood characteristic. Both strategies draw from a discourse of protection from harm and children’s rights to restrict their rights to asylum, family reunification, recognition as a child, and their best interests. This chapter illustrates these strategies, considering how politicians and the media dealt with recent migration situations, mostly in Global North countries. These critical reflections contribute to understanding how states strategically employ specific representations of children in migration and border control.
The Representative Breakthrough? Children and Youth Representation in the Global Governance of Migration
Authors: Josefsson Jonathan
Published: May 2024

The unprecedented institutionalization and mainstreaming of children and youth participation in international decision-making processes in recent decades has significantly accelerated the organization of various bodies and strategies in areas such as climate, peace and security, health, and migration. In the context of The Global Forum on Migration and Development and The Global Compact for Migration, migration governance has experienced a major expansion, formalization, and institutionalization of children and youth representation, what I call a ‘representative breakthrough’. Despite significant growth in the presence of young delegates in governance processes, these forms of political representation have developed along discursive and institutional trajectories that limit what kinds of representations are facilitated. I argue that including young people in global governance on matters affecting them has led to recognition and advancement of their rights and interests, but also a technology of government resulting in non-performance of child and youth representation.
The Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict: A Normative Agenda and Children’s Agency in Armed Conflict
Authors: Bramwell Vanessa
Published: May 2024

Children’s role in the political landscape of post-conflict settings has undergone interdisciplinary examination in recent years. Scholars in critical security studies, International Relations, and anthropology, including Cecilia Jacob, Katrina Lee-Koo, and David Rosen, have explored the norms that intervention actors – United Nations and civil society – use to define children’s agency in armed conflict and peace-making. Through an analysis of annual reports of the Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children in Armed Conflict (OSRSG-CaAC), the author examines how the Office’s ‘era of application’ normative agenda has conceptualized children’s agency in conflict spaces and peacebuilding. The symbolic technologies concept identifies the presence and spread of norms throughout this workstream to complement existing work on norm transfer in the wider mandate. The chapter explores post-colonial perspectives on common characterizations made by UN actors about children’s agency in conflict and post-conflict settings, with a textual analysis of OSRSG-CaAC documents.
Alone and on the Move: Unaccompanied Children in UK Parliamentary Debates 2015–2016
Authors: Pruitt Lesley , Missbach Antje
Published: May 2024

Unaccompanied children on the move have featured prominently in global politics, with significant implications for those children and for potential host countries. In 2015–2016, growing numbers of asylum applications in Europe coincided with increased attention to this cohort and their political significance. Engaging with literature on unaccompanied migrant children and their perceived impacts on host societies, we apply discourse analysis to examine unaccompanied children’s representation in UK parliamentary debates during this period, when public concerns regarding children on the move increased alongside major related political debates in Europe, including the Brexit decision in mid-2016. Considering data accessed via Hansard, we report on key findings and implications for understandings of migrant children, their roles in global politics, and perceptions of childhood. We pay special attention to the overlap and clash of discourses, including those expressing concern for children’s security or focusing on these children as potential security threats.
Children’s Intifada: Children as Participants in a Violent Conflict
Authors: Spitka Timea
Published: May 2024

Children, whether or not viewed as such, play an increasingly central role in conflict as violent and non-violent activists and perpetrators of violent acts. At times, they volunteer or are coerced into conducting suicide missions. Acting as ‘lone wolves’ without training or lethal weapons, they are not a threat to soldiers or armed security guards. However, once they are labelled as ‘violent activists’ or ‘terrorists’, they become invisible as children and can be targeted and killed regardless of age and whether they pose a real threat. Examining the participation of Palestinian children and youth during the so-called ‘knife’ or ‘children’s intifada’ beginning in 2015, this article examines the nature of violence enacted by children, how they came to be viewed, and the impact. The chapter seeks to contribute to the understanding of the realities and the perceptions of the children in violent conflict, and justifications for their violent engagement and frequent demise.
Introduction: Vanishing Publics – The Erosion of Democracy and the Public Sphere
Authors: Trenz Hans-Jörg
Published: May 2024

Several books have appeared since the early 2000 forecasting the erosion of liberal democracy in connection with what is identified as deep disruptions of media and communications. Much collected evidence suggests that the best days of democracy are over, and that democracy might soon come to an end. But what binds democracy and the media so closely together? Why is the destiny of democracy so intimately related to the health of public communication and the media? This chapter proposes a research framework that locates spaces of democracy within the ongoing ‘structural transformation of the public sphere’ in the digital age. According to this account, public sphere transformations are driven by internal critical forces of disruptions and renewal. With its emphasis on the linkage between the identification of public sphere disruptions in the digital age and critical forces of public sphere renewal, the chapter contributes to our understanding of digital society as a space for the contestation of democracy.
An Equity-Based Research Agenda to Promote Social Inclusion and Belonging for People With IDD
Authors: Bogenschutz Matthew , Johnson Khalilah Robinson , Hall Sarah , Lineberry Sarah , Rand Joseph , Rossetti Zach , Shikarpurya Sehrish , Ticha Renata
Published: May 2024

Having a sense of social inclusion and belonging, typically characterized by our personal relationships and community participation, is the central essence of life for most people, yet it remains elusive for many people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). This article summarizes the work of a diverse group of researchers and advocates to propose 6 big-picture, equity-based goals to drive future research in the field: (1) understanding the role of intersectionality, (2) understanding intimate relationships, (3) promoting formation of communities of care to support social inclusion, (4) understanding life course trajectories of social inclusion, (5) understanding social inclusion in virtual spaces, and (6) understanding how to promote social inclusion in the entire research process.
Housing and Long-Term Services and Supports for People With Intellectual or Developmental Disabilities From Racially and Culturally Minoritized Communities
Authors: Larson Sheryl A. , Caldwell Joseph , Robinson Gregory , Oteman Quinn
Published: May 2024

This article describes research on the places people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) live and disparities in housing and long-term services and supports (LTSS) outcomes for people with IDD from racially and culturally minoritized groups. It also summarizes the conclusions and recommendations of the Housing and Long-Term Services and Supports strand of the 2022 State of the Science Conference on the Intersection of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and Supports and Services for People with IDD, identifies limitations of the available research and recommends strategies to improve research, knowledge translation, and practices.
Enhancing information transmission in FSO-OAM systems through multiscale interpretable neural networks under turbulent conditions
Authors: Zhuang Jiabao , Meng Pinchao , Wang Shijie
Published: May 2024

The paper proposes a solution to improve the information transmission efficiency of FSO-OAM systems under turbulent conditions by combining a multiscale interpretable neural network model, 4RK-MSNN. We use a multiscale structure to design the overall architecture of the neural network, which enables the comprehensive analysis of information in different dimensions. Based on the fourth-order Runge-Kutta correlation theory, a core network module, 4RK, is constructed, which can be explained in terms of dynamical systems. The 4RK-MSNN model, which couples the multiscale structure and the 4RK module, has a lower number of parameters, allowing for layered feature extraction in an interpretable framework. This facilitates low-cost, rapid sharing and transmission of feature information at different scales. The proposed solution is validated by transmitting image data under different turbulence intensities and transmission distances. The results indicate the feasibility of the proposed information transfer system. After adding redundant training data, the 4RK-MSNN model significantly improves the quality of the transmitted data and maintains satisfactory results even under strong turbulence and long distances.
Resonant fiber optic gyroscope driven by a broadband light source based on an over-coupled state fiber ring resonator
Authors: Xu Kai , Zhou Yanru , Xue Fanyan , Wang Yulin , Liu Wenyao , Tang Jun , Liu Jun
Published: May 2024

The resonant fiber optic gyroscope (RFOG) driven by a broadband light source has advantages over conventional RFOGs in terms of structure, solution, etc., and provides new ideas for the commercialization of RFOGs. In this paper, the basic working principle of RFOG driven by a broadband light source is introduced. The optimal modulation coefficients are provided for sinusoidal wave modulation. The influence of the length of the fiber-optic ring resonator (FRR) and the coupling coefficient of the fiber coupler on the sensitivity is analyzed. The FRR is constructed in the over-coupled state to improve the utilization of optical power, and thus significantly increase the system sensitivity. In experiments, an RFOG prototype with a diameter of 13 cm, a height of 7 cm, and a fiber ring length of 210 m is produced. A bias instability (BI) of 0.06°/h and an angular random walk (ARW) of 0.01∘/h are obtained.
Variation of skin hydration profile with biophysical factors and lifestyle revealed by in vivo terahertz sensing
Authors: Ding Xuefei , Hernandez-Serrano A. I. , Young Jacob J. , Pickwell-MacPherson Emma
Published: May 2024

The skin, being the body’s largest organ, plays a pivotal role in protecting the body against dangerous external factors. The maintenance of adequate hydration levels is essential for the skin to fulfill this protective function. However, skin hydration depends upon different biophysical factors and lifestyles, such as ethnicity, sex, age, water consumption, and many more. Consequently, methods to assess skin hydration in a precise and non-invasive manner are in high demand. In this paper, using a portable and handheld terahertz (THz) probe, we systematically examine the correlation between diverse biophysical factors and skin hydration profile in a population exceeding 300 participants. Through comparative analysis of THz light reflected from the skin against a dielectric model, we successfully extracted the thickness and hydration percentage of the outermost layer of the epidermis, the stratum corneum (SC). Our findings indicate that SC hydration and thickness are associated with variables such as daily water consumption, age, drinking coffee, and exercise. Additionally, our measurements reveal distinctions in the skin’s hydration properties concerning susceptibility to UV-induced effects by bringing in the Fitzpatrick skin types. This THz-based technique holds the potential for facile integration into clinical settings for the evaluation and diagnosis of various skin-related conditions.
Jaynes-Cummings interaction with a traveling light pulse
Authors: Rueskov Christiansen Victor , Middelhede Lund Mads , Yang Fan , Mølmer Klaus
Published: May 2024

The Jaynes-Cummings model provides a simple and accurate description of the interaction between a two-level quantum emitter and a single mode of quantum radiation. Due to the multimode continuum of eigenmodes in free space and in waveguides, the Jaynes-Cummings model should not be expected to properly describe the interaction between an emitter and a traveling pulse of quantum radiation. In this article, we review a cascaded quantum system approach that accurately describes the interaction of a quantum system with an incident quantum pulse of radiation. When applied to the two-level system, different iterations of this approach lead to master equations with different Jaynes-Cummings-like Hamiltonians and damping terms.
Signal enhancement of the gas detection based on quartz-enhanced photothermal spectroscopy technology
Authors: Shi Jingqi , Zhao Jing , Zhang Hengbiao , Fu Yulong , Qin Lu , Zhao Yiyang , Feng Yiwen , Chen Daming , Wang Zongliang
Published: May 2024

This paper presents an improved gas sensor based on the dual-excitation of quartz-enhanced photothermal spectroscopy (QEPTS) using a single quartz tuning fork (QTF) for signal detection. The silver coating on one side of the QTF was chemically etched to increase the laser power interacted with QTF for QEPTS signal excitation. By etching the silver coating on one side of QTF, the reflection structure between the silver coating of the other side of QTF and the external flat mirror was established. The device uses an absorption gas cell with an optical range length of 3 m, making the laser beam interact with the gas more completely and posing more gas concentration information. Acetylene was selected as the target gas to verify the performance of the sensor. The experimental results show that the signal amplitude with a flat mirror was 1.41 times that without a flat mirror, and 2.47 times that of traditional QEPTS sensor. The system has a minimum detection limit (MDL) of 1.10 ppmv, corresponding to a normalized noise equivalent absorption coefficient (NNEA) of 7.14 × 10−9 cm−1·W·Hz−1/2. Allan variance analysis results show that when the integration time is 700 s, the MDL of the system is 0.21 ppmv. The proposed gas sensor can play an important role on detecting trace gas in many fields.
Ergodic speckle contrast optical coherence tomography velocimetry of rapid blood flow
Authors: Hong Jiachi , Zhu Wenting , He Kaikai , Chen Xiao , Lu Jinling , Li Pengcheng
Published: May 2024

Visualizing a 3D blood flow velocity field through noninvasive imaging is crucial for analyzing hemodynamic mechanisms in areas prone to disorders. However, traditional correlation-based optical coherence tomography (OCT) velocimetry techniques have a maximum measurable flow velocity depending on the A-line rate. We presented the ergodic speckle contrast OCT (ESCOCT) to break the bottleneck in measuring the rapid blood flow velocity. It achieved a measurement of blood flow velocity ranging from 9.5 to 280 mm/s using a 100 kHz swept-source (SS) OCT based on 100 A-repeats scanning mode. Addressing the non-ergodic problem of temporal OCT signals by integrating more consecutive A-scans, ESCOCT can enable the estimation for lower velocity flows by increasing A-repeats. ESCOCT provided a wide dynamic range with no upper limit on measuring blood flow velocity with an adequate signal-to-noise ratio and improved the sensitivity and accuracy of the hemodynamic assessment.
Fourier ptychographic microscopy with adaptive resolution strategy
Authors: Xu Jinghao , Feng Tianci , Wang Aiye , Xu Fannuo , Pan An
Published: May 2024

Fourier ptychographic microscopy (FPM) is a method capable of reconstructing a high-resolution, wide field-of-view (FOV) image, where dark-field images provide the high-frequency information required for the iterative process. Theoretically, using more dark-field images can lead to results with higher resolution. However, the resolution required to clearly detect samples with different microscales varies. For certain samples, the limit resolution of the imaging system may exceed the one required to resolve the details. This suggests that simply increasing the number of dark-field images will not improve the recognition capability for such samples and may instead significantly increase the computational cost. To address this issue, this Letter proposes an adaptive resolution strategy that automatically assigns the resolution required for the sample. Based on a Tenengrad approach, this strategy determines the number of images required for reconstruction by evaluating a series of differential images among the reconstructions for a certain subregion and then efficiently completes the full-FOV reconstruction according to the determined resolution. We conducted the full-FOV reconstruction utilizing feature-domain FPM for both the USAF resolution test chart and a human red blood cell sample. Employing the adaptive resolution strategy, the preservation of reconstruction resolution can be ensured while respectively economizing approximately 76% and 89% of the time.
Dual-wavelength spiral interferometry
Authors: Tokizane Yu , Takashima Ayato , Hase Eiji , Yasui Takeshi
Published: May 2024

Spiral interferometry acquires the topography of the sample and determines the elevation or depression of the sample structure by a single measurement. The method has advantages in simple measurements and stable optical setup due to the coaxial interferometer. However, the measurable axial range was limited by the wavelength of the light. Here, we demonstrate dual-wavelength spiral interferometry without a significant modification to the original setup of the spiral interferometry. The retrieved phase profile using a synthesized wavelength of 3.33 µm enlarges the measurable axial range with a magnification factor of 6.2 compared with that measured by the light at 532 nm.
Field-resolved space–time characterization of few-cycle structured light pulses
Authors: Liu Yangyang , Gholam-Mirzaei Shima , Khatri Dipendra , Truong Tran-Chau , Journigan Troie D. , Cabello Christian , Lantigua Christopher , Staudte André , Corkum Paul B. , Chini Michael
Published: May 2024

Accompanied by the rapid development of ultrafast laser platforms in
recent decades, the spatiotemporal manipulation of ultrashort laser
pulses has attracted much attention due to the potential for
cutting-edge applications of structured light, including optical
tweezers, optical communications, super-resolution imaging,
time-resolved spectroscopy in molecules and quantum materials, and
strong-field physics. Today, techniques capable of characterizing the
full spatial, temporal, and polarization state properties of
structured light are strongly desired. Here, we demonstrate a
technique, termed 3D TIPTOE, for characterizing structured
mid-infrared waveforms, which uses only a two-dimensional
silicon-based image sensor as both the detector and the nonlinear
medium. By combining the advantages of the sub-cycle time resolution
afforded by nonlinear excitation and the spatial resolution inherent
to the two-dimensional sensor, the 3D TIPTOE technique allows full
characterization of structured electric fields, significantly reducing
the complexity of detection compared to other techniques. The validity
of the technique is established by measuring both few-cycle
Bessel–Gaussian pulses and radially polarized femtosecond vector
beams.
“Something we can all share”: Exploring the social significance of food insecurity for young people in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
Authors: Brown Laura J. , Mannell Jenevieve , Washington Laura , Khaula Sivuyile , Gibbs Andrew
Published: May 2024

Food insecurity remains a pressing global issue and South Africa continues to face socioeconomic inequalities that make securing food a challenge for many young people. To address this challenge, we need better understanding of the social context of food and its importance in driving perceptions and behaviours about food and its scarcity. In this study, we examine the meaning of food for young people living in urban informal settlements and rural villages in KwaZulu-Natal, and investigate how they exert agency in the face of food insecurity. We use qualitative data from 17 photo/video elicitation interviews conducted from December 2020-January 2021 with young people experiencing food insecurity. The sample consisted of 9 women and 8 men who were part of the Siyaphambili Youth ("Youth Moving Forward") project. Data were analysed using thematic analysis. Themes included the challenges young people face in securing food and money for food. However, in exploring young people’s agency, food also plays a critical role in shaping their identities and social networks. Relevant themes included the use of food as a means of bonding with others; solidifying relationships; and as a signifier of social status and gender roles. Despite the challenges of food insecurity, young people demonstrated resilience and agency, utilising social and gendered coping strategies to secure food and to maintain their social networks. Our study contributes to the understanding of food insecurity amongst young people in South Africa and highlights the need for a comprehensive and culturally sensitive approach to addressing this issue. We argue that interventions aimed at addressing food insecurity should prioritise the empowerment of local communities and consider the sociocultural and gendered context of food in their design and implementation.
Inflammatory and immunopathological differences in brains of permissive and non-permissive hosts with Angiostrongylus cantonensis infection can be identified using 18F/FDG/PET-imaging
Authors: Chang Kang-wei , Wang Lian-Chen , Wang Hung-Yang , Lin Tzu-Yuan , Hwu Edwin En-Te , Cheng Po-Ching
Published: May 2024

Background

Angiostrongylus cantonensis is a parasite that mainly infects the heart and pulmonary arteries of rats and causes human eosinophilic meningitis or meningoencephalitis in certain geographical areas. Current diagnostic methods include detection of the parasite in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and eosinophilic immune examination after lumbar puncture, which may be risky and produce false-positive results. 18F- Fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG), a Positron emission tomography (PET) tracer, has been used to assess different pathological or inflammatory changes in the brains of patients. In this study, we hypothesized that A. cantonensis infection-induced inflammatory and immunomodulatory factors of eosinophils result in localized pathological changes in the brains of non-permissive hosts, which could be analyzed using in vivo 18F-FDG PET imaging.

Methodology/Findings

Non-permissive host ICR mice and permissive host SD rats were infected with A. cantonensis, and the effects of the resulting inflammation on 18F-FDG uptake were characterized using PET imaging. We also quantitatively measured the distributed uptake values of different brain regions to build an evaluated imaging model of localized neuropathological damage caused by eosinophilic inflammation. Our results showed that the uptake of 18F-FDG increased in the cerebellum, brainstem, and limbic system of mice at three weeks post-infection, whereas the uptake in the rat brain was not significant. Immunohistochemical staining and western blotting revealed that Iba-1, a microglia-specific marker, significantly increased in the hippocampus and its surrounding area in mice after three weeks of infection, and then became pronounced after four weeks of infection; while YM-1, an eosinophilic chemotactic factor, in the hippocampus and midbrain, increased significantly from two weeks post-infection, sharply escalated after three weeks of infection, and peaked after four weeks of infection. Cytometric bead array (CBA) analysis revealed that the expression of TNF in the serum of mice increased concomitantly with the prolongation of infection duration. Furthermore, IFN-γ and IL-4 in rat serum were significantly higher than in mouse serum at two weeks post-infection, indicating significantly different immune responses in the brains of rats and mice. We suggest that 18F-FDG uptake in the host brain may be attributed to the accumulation of large numbers of immune cells, especially the metabolic burst of activated eosinophils, which are attracted to and induced by activated microglia in the brain.

Conclusions

An in vivo 18F-FDG/PET imaging model can be used to evaluate live neuroinflammatory pathological changes in the brains of A. cantonensis-infected mice and rats.
Dynamics of a Cournot game with bounded rational firms and various scale effects
Authors: Li Xiaoliang , Li Bo , Su Li
Published: May 2024

In this paper, we focus on a dynamic Cournot game in the market with a nonlinear (isoelastic) demand function. In our model, there are N competing firms featured by nonlinear cost functions, which enhances our model’s resemblance to real-world scenarios. Firstly, we focus on the homogeneous case where firms’ marginal costs change at equal rates. We establish analytical expressions of the market supply at equilibrium and perform comparative static analysis. In addition, we investigate the local stability under different economies of scale and show that there could be multiple stable equilibria if firms face economies of scale. The heterogeneous case where firms’ marginal costs change at distinct rates is much more complex, thus we investigate the duopoly game with only two firms involved. Methods of symbolic computations such as triangular decomposition and partial cylindrical algebraic decomposition are employed in the analytical investigations of the equilibrium, which is nearly impossible by using the pencil-and-paper approach since the closed-form equilibrium is quite complicated. According to the computational results, we derive that two stable positive equilibria may coexist if both firms face economies of scale. Additionally, we conduct preliminary numerical simulations and find two different types of complex dynamics of the model considered in this paper: complex trajectories such as periodic and chaotic orbits may appear; the topological structure of the basins of attraction may be complex.
Assessing quadriceps strength in patellofemoral pain patients: A study on the reliability and validity of a low-cost strain-gauge for clinical practice
Authors: Deysel Germari , van Aswegen Mariaan , Kramer Mark
Published: May 2024

Background

Patellofemoral pain (PFP) is a common knee complaint affecting diverse populations both acutely and chronically. Quadriceps muscle weakness is one possible aetiology, but current devices for measuring muscle strength (isokinetic dynamometer [ID] and hand-held dynamometers [HHD]) are frequently too expensive (e.g., ID) or lack reliability (e.g., HHD) for practitioners, especially in under-resourced settings. There is a need to evaluate a low-cost device to manage rehabilitation of people with PFP.

Methods

Isometric quadriceps strength of participants aged 18–35 years (total [n = 33], control group [n = 17] and PFP group [n = 16]) were evaluated on an isokinetic dynamometer and a commercially available strain gauge at baseline and after an 8-week non-standardised intervention.

Results

The strain gauge showed high absolute and relative reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.89–0.99; typical error of measurement = 3.9–10.4%). Clinically meaningful difference scores (12.2–45 Nm) were greater than the typical error of measurement, implying sufficient sensitivity of the strain gauge to measure true changes in isometric quadricep strength. Strong to very strong correlations were evident between the strain gauge and isokinetic dynamometer torque measurements (r = 0.88–0.90, SEE = 0.05–0.07 Nm), but slope values (β = 0.65–0.77) indicated that torque from the strain gauge was lower than that obtained from the isokinetic dynamometer. An average systematic bias of 16.3–28.8 Nm was evident in favour of the isokinetic dynamometer, with no statistically significant between-group differences apparent between baseline and follow-up testing.

Conclusion

The present commercially available strain gauge is reliable and sensitive enough to detect clinically meaningful differences in quadriceps strength of both healthy individuals and those with PFP. However, the strain gauge lacks validity and therefore cannot replace isokinetic dynamometry. Given the low cost and excellent reliability, the strain gauge can be a valuable tool to assess quadriceps muscle deficits and track rehabilitation progress in people with PFP.
Characterization of the surface-active exopolysaccharide produced by Halomonas sp TGOS-10: Understanding its role in the formation of marine oil snow
Authors: Nikolova Christina , Morris Gordon , Ellis David , Bowler Bernard , Jones Martin , Mulloy Barbara , Gutierrez Tony
Published: May 2024

In this study, we characterize the exopolymer produced by Halomonas sp. strain TGOS-10 –one of the organisms found enriched in sea surface oil slicks during the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The polymer was produced during the early stationary phase of growth in Zobell’s 2216 marine medium amended with glucose. Chemical and proton NMR analysis showed it to be a relatively monodisperse, high-molecular-mass (6,440,000 g/mol) glycoprotein composed largely of protein (46.6% of total dry weight of polymer). The monosaccharide composition of the polymer is typical to that of other marine bacterial exopolymers which are generally rich in hexoses, with the notable exception that it contained mannose (commonly found in yeast) as a major monosaccharide. The polymer was found to act as an oil dispersant based on its ability to effectively emulsify pure and complex oils into stable oil emulsions—a function we suspect to be conferred by the high protein content and high ratio of total hydrophobic nonpolar to polar amino acids (52.7:11.2) of the polymer. The polymer’s chemical composition, which is akin to that of other marine exopolymers also having a high protein-to-carbohydrate (P/C) content, and which have been shown to effect the rapid and non-ionic aggregation of marine gels, appears indicative of effecting marine oil snow (MOS) formation. We previously reported the strain capable of utilising aromatic hydrocarbons when supplied as single carbon sources. However, here we did not detect biodegradation of these chemicals within a complex (surrogate Macondo) oil, suggesting that the observed enrichment of this organism during the Deepwater Horizon spill may be explained by factors related to substrate availability and competition within the complex and dynamic microbial communities that were continuously evolving during that spill.
Modern contraceptive utilization and associated factors among younger and older married youth women in Ethiopia: Evidence from Ethiopia Mini Demographic and Health Survey 2019
Authors: Abdu Yesuf Kedir
Published: May 2024

Introduction

Utilization of modern contraceptives increases over time but it was still low and varies across ages among married youth woman. This study revealed the prevalence of modern contraceptives and its associated factors among younger and older married youth women.

Methods

A cross-sectional study design was applied to the sample of EMDHS 2019. Multilevel logistic regressions were carried out using STATA version 16 to identify the individual and community-level factors of modern contraceptive utilization. Adjusted odds ratios with a 95% confidence interval and variables with a p-value < 0.05 were considered to be significant determinants of modern contraceptive utilization.

Result

In the EMDHS 2019, a total of 3290 married women between ages 15 and 34 were included. Among these 1210 (36.7%) and 2080 (63%) women, they were age groups of 15–24 and 25–34 years, respectively. Modern contraceptive utilization among women aged 15–24 and 25–34 years was 54.23% and 52.6%, respectively. Injection is a commonly used modern contraceptive method. In this study, factors associated with modern contraceptive utilization among women aged 15–24 years include women who had primary education [AOR = 2.22; 95% CI: 1.02–4.83], who had three or more children in the household [AOR = 14.29; 95% CI: 1.61–126.25], Protestants [AOR = 0.29; 95% CI: 0.14–0.61], five to seven households [AOR = 0.34; 95% CI: 0.17–0.69], and region [AOR = 6.98; 95%:2.30–21.16]. On other hand, factors associated with modern contraceptive utilization among women aged 25–34 were women who had one or two under-five children in the household [AOR = 1.66; 95% CI: 1.03–2.68] and region [AOR = 3.54; 95%CI: 1.79–6.97].

Conclusions

More than 50% of participants used modern contraceptives in both age groups and, the associated factor of modern contraceptive utilization varied among this age group. Health managers and policymakers need to consider age group, region, educational status, religion, and fertility level in planning of family planning program.
Burden of tobacco-related cancers in urban, semi-urban and rural setting of Nepal: Findings from population-based cancer registries 2019
Authors: Kafle Dahal Uma , Dhimal Meghnath , Budukh Atul , Khadka Kopila , Poudel Sudha , Baral Gehanath , Gyanwali Pradip , Jha Anjani Kumar , Chapagain Sandhya
Published: May 2024

Background

Nepal is one of the high prevalent countries for tobacco use in Southeast Asia regions. Tobacco related cancer share the major burden since a decade, however, population-based estimates is still lacking. This study provides results from population-based cancer registries on tobacco-related cancer (TRCs) burden in Nepal.

Methods

The data were collected by population-based cancer registry conducted in nine districts by Nepal Health Research Council. The districts were categorized in urban, semi-urban and rural regions on the basis of geographical locations and facilities available in the regions. Analysis was done to identify tobacco-associated cancer incidence, mortality and patterns along with cumulative risk of having cancer before the age of 75 years.

Results

Tobacco-related cancer was 35.3% in men and 17.3% in women. We found that every one in 36 men and one in 65 women developed tobacco-related cancer before age 75 in Nepal. Cancer of lung, mouth, esophagus and larynx were among the five most common tobacco-related cancers in both men and women. The incidence of tobacco-associated cancers was higher in urban region with age adjusted rate 33.6 and 17.0 per 100,000 population for men and women respectively compared to semi-urban and rural regions. Tobacco-associated cancer mortality was significantly higher compared to incidence.

Conclusion

The prevalence of tobacco-related cancer found high in Nepal despite of enforcement of tobacco control policy and strategies including WHO framework convention on tobacco control. Concerned authorities should focus towards monitoring of implemented tobacco control policy and strategies.
Windthrow causes declines in carbohydrate and phenolic concentrations and increased monoterpene emission in Norway spruce
Authors: Lehmanski Linda M. A. , Kösters Lara M. , Huang Jianbei , Göbel Martin , Gershenzon Jonathan , Hartmann Henrik
Published: May 2024

With the increasing frequencies of extreme weather events caused by climate change, the risk of forest damage from insect attacks grows. Storms and droughts can damage and weaken trees, reduce tree vigour and defence capacity and thus provide host trees that can be successfully attacked by damaging insects, as often observed in Norway spruce stands attacked by the Eurasian spruce bark beetle Ips typographus. Following storms, partially uprooted trees with grounded crowns suffer reduced water uptake and carbon assimilation, which may lower their vigour and decrease their ability to defend against insect attack. We conducted in situ measurements on windthrown and standing control trees to determine the concentrations of non-structural carbohydrates (NSCs), of phenolic defences and volatile monoterpene emissions. These are the main storage and defence compounds responsible for beetle´s pioneer success and host tree selection. Our results show that while sugar and phenolic concentrations of standing trees remained rather constant over a 4-month period, windthrown trees experienced a decrease of 78% and 37% of sugar and phenolic concentrations, respectively. This strong decline was especially pronounced for fructose (-83%) and glucose (-85%) and for taxifolin (-50.1%). Windthrown trees emitted 25 times greater monoterpene concentrations than standing trees, in particular alpha-pinene (23 times greater), beta-pinene (27 times greater) and 3-carene (90 times greater). We conclude that windthrown trees exhibited reduced resources of anti-herbivore and anti-pathogen defence compounds needed for the response to herbivore attack. The enhanced emission rates of volatile terpenes from windthrown trees may provide olfactory cues during bark beetle early swarming related to altered tree defences. Our results contribute to the knowledge of fallen trees vigour and their defence capacity during the first months after the wind-throw disturbance. Yet, the influence of different emission rates and profiles on bark beetle behaviour and host selection requires further investigation.
Effectiveness of a chatbot in improving the mental wellbeing of health workers in Malawi during the COVID-19 pandemic: A randomized, controlled trial
Authors: Kleinau Eckhard , Lamba Tilinao , Jaskiewicz Wanda , Gorentz Katy , Hungerbuehler Ines , Rahimi Donya , Kokota Demoubly , Maliwichi Limbika , Jamu Edister , Zumazuma Alex , Negrão Mariana , Mota Raphael , Khouri Yasmine , Kapps Michael
Published: May 2024

We conducted a randomized, controlled trial (RCT) to investigate our hypothesis that the interactive chatbot, Vitalk, is more effective in improving mental wellbeing and resilience outcomes of health workers in Malawi than the passive use of Internet resources. For our 2-arm, 8-week, parallel RCT (ISRCTN Registry: trial ID ISRCTN16378480), we recruited participants from 8 professional cadres from public and private healthcare facilities. The treatment arm used Vitalk; the control arm received links to Internet resources. The research team was blinded to the assignment. Of 1,584 participants randomly assigned to the treatment and control arms, 215 participants in the treatment and 296 in the control group completed baseline and endline anxiety assessments. Six assessments provided outcome measures for: anxiety (GAD-7); depression (PHQ-9); burnout (OLBI); loneliness (ULCA); resilience (RS-14); and resilience-building activities. We analyzed effectiveness using mixed-effects linear models, effect size estimates, and reliable change in risk levels. Results support our hypothesis. Difference-in-differences estimators showed that Vitalk reduced: depression (-0.68 [95% CI -1.15 to -0.21]); anxiety (-0.44 [95% CI -0.88 to 0.01]); and burnout (-0.58 [95% CI -1.32 to 0.15]). Changes in resilience (1.47 [95% CI 0.05 to 2.88]) and resilience-building activities (1.22 [95% CI 0.56 to 1.87]) were significantly greater in the treatment group. Our RCT produced a medium effect size for the treatment and a small effect size for the control group. This is the first RCT of a mental health app for healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Southern Africa combining multiple mental wellbeing outcomes and measuring resilience and resilience-building activities. A substantial number of participants could have benefited from mental health support (1 in 8 reported anxiety and depression; 3 in 4 suffered burnout; and 1 in 4 had low resilience). Such help is not readily available in Malawi. Vitalk has the potential to fill this gap.