bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Computational analyses identify addiction help-seeking behaviors on the social networking website Reddit: Insights into online social interactions and addiction support communities
Authors: Valdez Danny , Patterson Megan S.
Published: November 2022

Introduction

Although social connection to others with lived addiction experiences is a strong predictor of long-term recovery from substance use disorders (SUD), the COVID-19 pandemic greatly altered global abilities to physically connect with other people. Evidence suggests online forums for people with SUD may serve as a sufficient proxy for social connection, however efficacy of online spaces as addiction treatment adjuncts remains empirically understudied.

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to analyze a collection of Reddit posts germane to addiction and recovery collected between March-August 2022.

Methods

We collected (n = 9,066) Reddit posts (1) r/addiction; (2) r/DecidingToBeBetter, (3) r/SelfImprovement, (4) r/OpitatesRecovery, (5) r/StopSpeeding, (6) r/RedditorsInRecovery, and (7) r/StopSmoking subreddits. We applied several classes of natural language processing (NLP) methods to analyze and visualize our data including term frequency inverse document frequency (TF-IDF) calculations, k-means clustering, and principal components analysis (PCA). We also applied a Valence Aware Dictional and sEntiment [sic] Reasoner (VADER) sentiment analysis to determine affect in our data.

Results

Our analyses revealed three distinct clusters: (1) Personal addiction struggle, or sharing one’s recovery journey (n = 2,520), (2) Giving advice, or offering counseling based on first-hand experiences (n = 3,885), and (3) Seeking advice, or asking for support or advice related to addiction (n = 2,661).

Discussion & conclusion

Addiction, SUD, and recovery dialogue on Reddit is exceedingly robust. Much of the content mirrors tenets for established addiction-recovery programs, which suggests Reddit, and other social networking websites, may serve as efficient tools to promote social connection among people with SUD.
A new mouse model of Charcot-Marie-Tooth 2J neuropathy replicates human axonopathy and suggest alteration in axo-glia communication
Authors: Shackleford Ghjuvan’Ghjacumu , Marziali Leandro N. , Sasaki Yo , Claessens Anke , Ferri Cinzia , Weinstock Nadav I. , Rossor Alexander M. , Silvestri Nicholas J. , Wilson Emma R. , Hurley Edward , Kidd Grahame J. , Manohar Senthilvelan , Ding Dalian , Salvi Richard J. , Feltri M. Laura , D’Antonio Maurizio , Wrabetz Lawrence
Published: November 2022

Myelin is essential for rapid nerve impulse propagation and axon protection. Accordingly, defects in myelination or myelin maintenance lead to secondary axonal damage and subsequent degeneration. Studies utilizing genetic (CNPase-, MAG-, and PLP-null mice) and naturally occurring neuropathy models suggest that myelinating glia also support axons independently from myelin. Myelin protein zero (MPZ or P0), which is expressed only by Schwann cells, is critical for myelin formation and maintenance in the peripheral nervous system. Many mutations in MPZ are associated with demyelinating neuropathies (Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease type 1B [CMT1B]). Surprisingly, the substitution of threonine by methionine at position 124 of P0 (P0T124M) causes axonal neuropathy (CMT2J) with little to no myelin damage. This disease provides an excellent paradigm to understand how myelinating glia support axons independently from myelin. To study this, we generated targeted knock-in MpzT124M mutant mice, a genetically authentic model of T124M-CMT2J neuropathy. Similar to patients, these mice develop axonopathy between 2 and 12 months of age, characterized by impaired motor performance, normal nerve conduction velocities but reduced compound motor action potential amplitudes, and axonal damage with only minor compact myelin modifications. Mechanistically, we detected metabolic changes that could lead to axonal degeneration, and prominent alterations in non-compact myelin domains such as paranodes, Schmidt-Lanterman incisures, and gap junctions, implicated in Schwann cell-axon communication and axonal metabolic support. Finally, we document perturbed mitochondrial size and distribution along MpzT124M axons suggesting altered axonal transport. Our data suggest that Schwann cells in P0T124M mutant mice cannot provide axons with sufficient trophic support, leading to reduced ATP biosynthesis and axonopathy. In conclusion, the MpzT124M mouse model faithfully reproduces the human neuropathy and represents a unique tool for identifying the molecular basis for glial support of axons.
Variation in the incidence of type 1 diabetes mellitus in children and adolescents by world region and country income group: A scoping review
Authors: Gomber Apoorva , Ward Zachary J. , Ross Carlo , Owais Maira , Mita Carol , Yeh Jennifer M. , Reddy Ché L. , Atun Rifat
Published: November 2022

Introduction

Around 18.7 million of the 537 million people with diabetes worldwide live in low-income and middle-income countries (LMIC), where there is also an increase in the number of children, adolescents, and young adults diagnosed with type 1 diabetes (T1D). There are substantial gaps in data in the current understanding of the epidemiological patterns and trends in incidence rates of T1D at the global level.

Methods

We performed a scoping review of published studies that established the incidence of T1D in children, adolescents, and young adults aged 0–25 years at national and sub-national levels using PubMed, Embase and Global Health. Data was analyzed using R programming.

Results

The scoping review identified 237 studies which included T1D incidence estimates from 92 countries, revealing substantial variability in the annual incidence of T1D by age, geographic region, and country-income classification. Highest rates were reported in the 5–9 and 10–14 year age groups than in the 0–4 and 15–19 year age groups, respectively. In the 0–14 year age group, the highest incidence was reported in Northern Europe (23.96 per 100,000), Australia/New Zealand (22.8 per 100,000), and Northern America (18.02 per 100,000), while the lowest was observed in Melanesia, Western Africa, and South America (all < 1 per 100,000). For the 0–19 year age group, the highest incidence was reported in Northern Europe (39.0 per 100,000), Northern America (20.07 per 100,000), and Northern Africa (10.1 per 100,000), while the lowest was observed in Eastern and Western Africa (< 2 per 100,000). Higher incidence rates were observed in high-income countries compared to LMICs. There was a paucity of published studies focusing on determining the incidence of T1D in LMICs.

Conclusion

The review reveals substantial variability in incidence rates of T1D by geographic region, country income group, and age. There is a dearth of information on T1D in LMICs, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, where incidence remains largely unknown. Investment in population-based registries and longitudinal cohort studies could help improve the current understanding of the epidemiological trends and help inform health policy, resource allocation, and targeted interventions to enhance access to effective, efficient, equitable, and responsive healthcare services.
Assessing seasonal spatial segregation by age class of beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas) in Western Hudson Bay estuaries
Authors: Westdal Kristin H. , Davies Jeremy , Ferguson Steven H.
Published: November 2022

Segregation of adult males from adult females and immature animals is known to occur in some beluga whale populations, but it is unclear if such segregation occurs in Hudson Bay, where the largest summering population in the world is found. Using imagery from a photographic aerial survey conducted in August 2015, we examined spatial distribution by age class with respect to several environmental variables near two of three main estuaries, Churchill and Seal River, used by Western Hudson Bay belugas in the summer season. Belugas photographed during aerial surveys were classified by age manually using an identification decision tree, and GPS coordinates of their locations were plotted in ArcGIS. Distribution by age class was examined in relation to five habitat characteristics: distance to coastal habitat, bathymetry, sea surface temperature, and extent of river plume. Habitat characteristics and the proportion of animals by age classes were similar in both estuaries, indicating no segregation, and suggesting the environmental data assessed were not associated with patterns of distribution and density of age classes at the spatial and temporal scale being investigated. Overall density of calves was almost three times higher at the Seal River; however, suggesting this location may be preferred for calf rearing in the summer season. Results provide a greater understanding of spatial patterns of beluga whale habitat use in western Hudson Bay, and information useful in conservation and management advice.
Neural correlates of eye contact and social function in autism spectrum disorder
Authors: Hirsch Joy , Zhang Xian , Noah J. Adam , Dravida Swethasri , Naples Adam , Tiede Mark , Wolf Julie M. , McPartland James C.
Published: November 2022

Reluctance to make eye contact during natural interactions is a central diagnostic criterion for autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, the underlying neural correlates for eye contacts in ASD are unknown, and diagnostic biomarkers are active areas of investigation. Here, neuroimaging, eye-tracking, and pupillometry data were acquired simultaneously using two-person functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) during live “in-person” eye-to-eye contact and eye-gaze at a video face for typically-developed (TD) and participants with ASD to identify the neural correlates of live eye-to-eye contact in both groups. Comparisons between ASD and TD showed decreased right dorsal-parietal activity and increased right ventral temporal-parietal activity for ASD during live eye-to-eye contact (p≤0.05, FDR-corrected) and reduced cross-brain coherence consistent with atypical neural systems for live eye contact. Hypoactivity of right dorsal-parietal regions during eye contact in ASD was further associated with gold standard measures of social performance by the correlation of neural responses and individual measures of: ADOS-2, Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, 2nd Edition (r = -0.76, -0.92 and -0.77); and SRS-2, Social Responsiveness Scale, Second Edition (r = -0.58). The findings indicate that as categorized social ability decreases, neural responses to real eye-contact in the right dorsal parietal region also decrease consistent with a neural correlate for social characteristics in ASD.
Public attitudes towards neurotechnology: Findings from two experiments concerning Brain Stimulation Devices (BSDs) and Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCIs)
Authors: Sattler Sebastian , Pietralla Dana
Published: November 2022

This study contributes to the emerging literature on public perceptions ofneurotechnological devices(NTDs) in their medical and non-medical applications, depending on their invasiveness, framing effects, and interindividual differences related to personal needs and values. We conducted two web-based between-subject experiments (2×2×2) using a representative, nation-wide sample of the adult population in Germany. Using vignettes describing how two NTDs, brain stimulation devices (BSDs;NExperiment 1= 1,090) and brain-computer interfaces (BCIs;NExperiment 2= 1,089), function, we randomly varied the purpose (treatment vs. enhancement) and invasiveness (noninvasive vs. invasive) of theNTD, and assessed framing effects (variable order of assessing moral acceptability first vs. willingness to use first). We found a moderate moral acceptance and willingness to use BSDs and BCIs. Respondents preferred treatment over enhancement purposes and noninvasive over invasive devices. We also found a framing effect and explored the role of personal characteristics as indicators of personal needs and values (e.g., stress, religiosity, and gender). Our results suggest that the future demand for BSDs or BCIs may depend on the purpose, invasiveness, and personal needs and values. These insights can inform technology developers about the public’s needs and concerns, and enrich legal and ethical debates.
The relationship between parental disability and child outcomes: Evidence from veteran Families
Authors: Lakdawala Leah K. , Bharadwaj Prashant
Published: November 2022

We examine the relationship between parental disability and child outcomes in the American Community Survey. We focus on families with veteran parents, for whom parental disability is a direct result of service-related activities and thus is more plausibly exogenous to child outcomes than other forms of parental disability. Using the service connected disability rating (SCDR) as a measure of the severity of veteran disability, we document a gradient in child outcomes with respect to parental disability (even conditional on having a disabled parent). Children with more severely disabled parents are more likely to be late for grade, less likely to be in private school, and more likely to have disabilities themselves. These results lend meaningful insight to broader populations; we find similar associations between parental disability and child outcomes in non-veteran families. We provide evidence consistent with two broad mechanisms: first, parental disability reduces parental labor supply and thus household income (even net of transfers) and second, children—especially older children—allocate time away from work and schooling to provide care for disabled parents.
Taxonomic revision of the Plagiothecium curvifolium complex
Authors: Wolski Grzegorz J. , Nowicka-Krawczyk Paulina , Buck William R.
Published: November 2022

Supported by the examination of specimens from the entire range and by the analysis of type specimens and the diagnosis of individual names, morphological and genetic studies of thePlagiothecium curvifoliumcomplex resulted in the conclusion that this taxon should be recognized as four separate taxa. In addition toP.curvifoliums.str., there is a variety that is proposed as a new combination–P.curvifoliumvar.recurvum; resurrection of the forgottenP.decursivifolium; and the description of a new species–P.imbricatum. The features that distinguish individual taxa focus primarily on: plant size; arrangement of leaves on the stem; the symmetry, dimensions, shape, concavity and folding of leaves; cell length; serration of the leaf apex; the shape of the decurrencies; the length of the sporophyte and the shape of the operculum. For all described taxa, the distribution, ecological preferences, key to their identification and detailed photographic documentation have been provided.
The impact of work interference with family on depressive symptoms among married working women: A longitudinal panel study
Authors: Yun Il , Jung Yun Hwa , Park Eun-Cheol , Jang Sung-In
Published: November 2022

Purpose

This study aimed to investigate the effects of work interference with family (WIF) on depressive symptoms among married working women.

Methods

Data from 2014‒2018 of the Korean Longitudinal Survey of Women and Families were used. Only married women living with their husbands and wage workers were included, whereas those diagnosed with depression at the baseline year and those with missing values were excluded. A total of 1,504 individuals were included as the study population. The impact of WIF on depressive symptoms was analyzed using the generalized estimating equation model with a logit link.

Results

After adjusting for all the potential confounding variables, it was found that WIF had an effect on depressive symptoms. Women whose work interfered with their family were 1.58 times more likely to experience depressive symptoms than those who did not experience WIF (95% Confidence interval (CI): 1.30‒1.92). WIF due to irregular working hours had the highest odds ratio for depression (Adjusted odds ratio (OR): 2.01, 95% CI: 1.32‒3.08). Women with WIF were more likely to develop depressive symptoms when they had two or more children (With 2 children, Adjusted OR: 1.69, 95% CI: 1.31‒2.18; With 3 or more children, Adjusted OR: 1.63, 95% CI: 1.07–2.49).

Conclusions

Thus, married working women who experienced WIF were found to be at a higher risk of developing depressive symptoms. Therefore, considering how prevailing stereotypes that roles of men and women are separated can harm women’s mental health, policy measures should be implemented to ensure women’s quality of life based on the work-family balance.
Disclosing political partisanship polarizes first impressions of faces
Authors: Cassidy Brittany S. , Hughes Colleen , Krendl Anne C.
Published: November 2022

Americans’ increasing levels of ideological polarization contribute to pervasive intergroup tensions based on political partisanship. Cues to partisanship may affect even the most basic aspects of perception. First impressions of faces constitute a widely-studied basic aspect of person perception relating to intergroup tensions. To understand the relation between face impressions and political polarization, two experiments were designed to test whether disclosing political partisanship affected face impressions based on perceivers’ political ideology. Disclosed partisanship more strongly affected people’s face impressions than actual, undisclosed, categories (Experiment 1). In a replication and extension, disclosed shared and opposing partisanship also engendered, respectively, positive and negative changes in face impressions (Experiment 2). Partisan disclosure effects on face impressions were paralleled by the extent of people’s partisan threat perceptions (Experiments 1 and 2). These findings suggest that partisan biases appear in basic aspects of person perception and may emerge concomitant with perceived partisan threat.
Medicine manipulation: An alternative to mitigate therapeutic gaps in the Brazilian Unified Health System?
Authors: Okamoto Gabriel Gonçalves , dos Santos Kathiely Martins , Nogueira Luma de Lira , Gelfuso Guilherme Martins , Santana Rafael Santos
Published: November 2022

Despite the various initiatives carried out in Brazil and in the world, the challenge of offering essential medicines in adequate presentations remains, especially to the public affected by diseases considered neglected and the pediatric population, for whom the therapeutic options remain limited. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the production of manipulated medicines as a strategy to mitigate therapeutic and access gaps to essential medicines within the Brazilian public health system, called the Unified Health System (SUS). The evaluation, carried out between 2020 and 2021, identified, among the medicines considered essential to the Brazilian health context, those unavailable, for which strategies were evaluated to mitigate the identified unavailability, which is conventionally called therapeutic gaps. For 57% (n = 235) of pharmaceutical presentations identified as therapeutic gaps in SUS, manipulation was identified as the best strategy to promote access. Of these presentations, 30% (n = 70) were identified as priorities in the context of patient care and were mainly related to the demands of the pediatric public and those affected by poverty-related diseases. Concerning poverty-related diseases, the absence of evidence on the development of a standard formula for drugs with indication for such diseases was demonstrated. The need for an annual investment of approximately US$74.75 per capita was estimated to offer treatments in adequate presentations to SUS users, which should reflect in the improvement of the quality of life of about 26 thousand people. It was observed that this investment amount corresponds to only 3% of the budget for the purchase of medicines financed exclusively by the Ministry of Health thorugh the Strategic Component of Pharmaceutical Assistance (CESAF) approved for 2021.
Eye movement patterns in complex tasks: Characteristics of ambient and focal processing
Authors: Guo Yuxuan , Helmert Jens R. , Graupner Sven-Thomas , Pannasch Sebastian
Published: November 2022

Analyzing the time course of eye movements during scene viewing often indicates that people progress through two distinct modes of visual processing: an ambient mode, which is associated with overall spatial orientation in a scene, followed by a focal mode, which requires central vision of an object. However, the shifts between ambient and focal processing modes have mainly been identified relative to changes in the environment, such as relative to the onset of various visual stimuli but also following scene cuts or subjective event boundaries in dynamic stimuli. The results so far do not allow conclusions about the nature of the two processing mechanisms beyond the influence of externally triggered events. It remains unclear whether people shift back and forth from ambient to focal processing also based on internal triggers, such as switching between different tasks while no external event is given. The present study therefore investigated ambient to focal processing shifts in an active task solving paradigm. The Rubik’s Cube task introduced here is a multi-step task, which can be broken down into smaller sub-tasks that are performed serially. The time course of eye movements was analyzed at multiple levels of this Rubik’s Cube task, including when there were no external changes to the stimuli but when internal representations of the task were hypothesized to change (i.e., switching between different sub-tasks). Results suggest that initial ambient exploration is followed by a switch to more focal viewing across various levels of task processing with and without external changes to the stimuli. More importantly, the present findings suggest that ambient and focal eye movement characteristics might serve as a probe for the attentional state in task processing, which does not seem to be influenced by changes in task performance.
Factors affecting bus accident severity in Thailand: A multinomial logit model
Authors: Mahikul Wiriya , Aiyasuwan Ongvisit , Thanartthanaboon Pashanun , Chancharoen Wares , Achararit Paniti , Sirisombat Thakdanai , Singkham Phathai
Published: November 2022

Bus accidents are a serious issue, with high rates of injury and fatality in Thailand. However, no studies have been conducted on the factors affecting bus accident severity in Thailand. A cross-sectional study was conducted by the Department of Highways, Thailand over the 2010–2019 period. A multinomial logit model was used to evaluate the factors associated with bus accident severity. This model divided accidents into three categories: non-injury, injury, and fatality. The risk factors consisted of three major categories: the bus driver, characteristics of the crash, and environmental characteristics. The results showed that characteristics of the bus driver, the crash, and the environment where the crash occurred all increased the probability of bus accidents causing injury. These three main factors included driving on sloped roads (relative risk ratio [RRR] 3.03, 95% confidence level [CI] 1.73 to 5.30), drowsy driving (RRR 2.60, 95% CI 1.71 to 3.96), and driving in the wrong direction (RRR 2.37, 95% CI 1.77 to 3.19). Moreover, the factors that increased the probability of the accidents causing fatality were drowsy driving (RRR 3.40, 95% CI 2.07 to 5.57) and drivers not obeying or following traffic rules (RRR 3.02, 95% CI 1.95 to 4.67), especially in the northern part of Thailand (RRR 3.01, 95% CI 1.98 to 4.62). The results can provide a valuable resource to help road authorities in development targeting road safety programs at sloped roads in the northern part of Thailand. Stakeholders should increase road safety efforts and implement campaigns, such as raising public awareness of the risks of not obeying or following traffic rules and drowsy driving which could possibly reduce the risk of both injury and fatality.
A novel pathogenesis concept of biliary atresia approached by combined molecular strategies
Authors: Laochareonsuk Wison , Surachat Komwit , Chiengkriwate Piyawan , Sangkhathat Surasak
Published: November 2022

Cholestatic jaundice is one of the most common neonatal conditions. BA, a correctable cholangiopathy, presents with cholestatic jaundice within the first weeks of life. The inflammation of bile ducts leads to progressive fibrosclerosis involving biliary trees, followed by cirrhosis and liver failure. With the use of modern molecular studies, this research aimed to define a novel pathogenesis by exploring variations. We performed genetic discovery by using supervised and unsupervised approaches. Ultimately, a combination of genetic variations and survival data was analyzed to strengthen the novel concept in this study. In this study, coding regions were explored to identify rare deleterious variants within genes from the first analysis together with gene sets reported in PFIC, and diseases with hyperbilirubinemia. Our unsupervised prioritization was primarily designed to identify novel causal genes from nonsynonymous variants derived by three biostatistical algorithms: enrichment analysis, burden test, and trio study. Survival analysis was integratively evaluated with a combination of identified causal genes. The individuals with identified variants from the supervised approach were frequently related to the severity of cirrhosis and poor postoperative outcome. In the unsupervised approach, nonsynonymous variants were enriched. Cilium and muscle related pathways had a significant correlation.CCDC8was statistically significant gene in which six cases carried mutations identified through burden analysis. Individuals who carried variants in corresponding genes and significant pathways had significantly lower native-liver survival than individuals in whom none of these variants were identified (log-rank p value 0.016). This study explored genetic variations by multiple strategies. Different pathways of cholestatic diseases have been found to be associated with BA. Therefore, BA may be characterized as a shared sequela of many cholestatic disorders. Susceptibility in those pathways suggested an association with BA and strengthened this proposed novel hypothesis. The results emphasized the consequences of many disruptive pathophysiologies.
Microbial effects of prebiotics, probiotics and synbiotics after Caesarean section or exposure to antibiotics in the first week of life: A systematic review
Authors: Carpay Nora C. , Kamphorst Kim , de Meij Tim G. J. , Daams Joost G. , Vlieger Arine M. , van Elburg Ruurd M.
Published: November 2022

Background and aims

Disruption of the developing microbiota by Caesarean birth or early exposure to antibiotics may impact long-term health outcomes, which can potentially be prevented by nutritional supplements. This systematic review aimed to summarise the evidence regarding the effects of prebiotics, probiotics and synbiotics on the intestinal microbiota composition of term infants born by Caesarean section or exposed to antibiotics in the first week of life.

Methods

A systematic search was performed from inception to August 2022 in Medline and Embase. Two researchers independently performed title and abstract screening (n = 12,230), full-text screening (n = 46) and critical appraisal. We included randomised controlled trials which included term-born infants who were born following Caesarean section or who were exposed to postpartum antibiotics in the first week of life, pre-, pro- or synbiotics were administered <6 weeks after birth and outcome(s) consisted of microbiota analyses.

Results

Twelve randomised controlled trials investigating Caesarean born infants and one randomised controlled trial including infants exposed to antibiotics were included. Group sizes varied from 11 to 230 with 1193 infants in total. Probiotic (n = 7) or synbiotic (n = 3) supplementation significantly increased the abundance of the supplemented bacterial species (of the Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus genus), and there was a decrease in Enterobacteriaceae, especially <4 weeks of age. At phylum level, Actinobacteria (two studies), Proteobacteria (one study) and Firmicutes (one study) increased after probiotic supplementation. In three studies on prebiotics, two studies reported a significant increase in Bifidobacteria and one study found a significant increase in Enterobacteriaceae.

Discussion

Prebiotic, probiotic and synbiotic supplements seem to restore dysbiosis after Caesarean section towards a microbial signature of vaginally born infants by increasing the abundance of beneficial bacteria. However, given the variety in study products and study procedures, it is yet too early to advocate specific products in clinical settings.
Digital youth in Qatar: Negotiating culture and national identity through social media networks
Authors: Miladi Noureddine , Messaoud Moez Ben , Alkhateeb Ghena , Ashour Abeer , Al-Mohannadi Hamda , Fetais Abdullah , Alorfe Anwar , Alabidi Fatima
Published: November 2022

The expanding digital media environment in Qatar is arguably affecting the construction of young people’s identities and the various expressions of who they are. The multiplicity of online digital spaces allows the youth nowadays to easily commute between multiple platforms and consume a multitude of media content in a manner not possible at any point before them. Through the implementation of ten focus group discussions among a sample of Qatari youths between 19 and 35 years of age, as well as 27 semi-structured in-depth interviews with social media activists, media experts, academics and policymakers in Qatar, this article attempts to analyse the complex media consumption environment that the Qatari youth engage with as well as the impact of that consumption on the formation of their identity. It looks at the extent to which their choices of various media genres on social media platforms allow them to negotiate and develop their own hybridized cultural identity. This study also considers how the Qatari youth capitalize on online spaces to reconstruct and represent their own personas and consolidate their thoughts and perceptions about the world around them. The findings show great affinity to social media networks. Online spaces such as YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and WhatsApp appear as key sources of news, information gathering, communication and entertainment. The study also reveals a significant impact of the content of social media networks along with opinion leaders like role models and influencers in prompting the consumption behaviour, opinion-making and personal choices in terms of fashion and style among the Qatari youth.
Hybrid ethnicities, fashionable bodies and unruly transgressors: Fetishizing Arab ‘first ladies’ in western media1
Authors: Labidi Imed Ben
Published: November 2022

Until the Arab uprisings occurred, many Arab first ladies and queens feted by US media received exceptionally favourable coverage that celebrated their physical appearance and western sense of fashion. Grounded in the context of neo-liberal politics which considers them objects of cultural identification, this article studies western media’s representations of Suzanne Mubarak, Queen Rania of Jordan and Asma al-Assad who are framed as virtuous house wives, western by ethnicity, birth place or education, and sophisticated upper-middle class ladies with panic-trigger for both Arab elites and western observers: Egypt’s veiled Naglaa Mahmoud and the architype of a working-class seductress with lust for power, Tunisia’s Leila Trabelsi. Using qualitative textual and visual analysis of narratives and images from media coverage, reports and fashion magazines, the article presents a comparative content analysis of their representations through a set of three dichotomies: the first one pays careful attention to the intersection of neo-liberal politics and the deployment of ethnic hybridity as an ideological apparatus that sets up a binary between Arab and Caucasian or half-White women who emerge as the new ‘saviour’ of Muslim women; the second is a close pairing between the sexualization of the westernized and fashionable first lady and the de-sexualization of her veiled ‘backwards’ counterpart sister; the third entails a juxtaposition of the good and desired seductress with the promiscuous and bad one. Findings show how media discourses of modernity impose neo-liberal and neo-Orientalist demarcations to define Arab Muslim women’s agency, femininity, bodies and status according to western standards.
Aqueous extract of bay leaf (Laurus nobilis) ameliorates testicular toxicity induced by aluminum chloride in rats
Authors: Falade Ayodeji O. , Adewole Kayode E. , Adekola Abdul-Rahman O. , Ikokoh Hilary A. , Okaiyeto Kunle , Oguntibeju Oluwafemi O.
Published: November 2022

Background and Aim: Human exposure to aluminum is inevitable, and one of the most adverse health effects of aluminum is a decrease in male fertility rates. Therefore, this study investigated the ameliorative effects of an aqueous extract from Laurus nobilis-bay leaf (BL) on aluminum chloride (AlCl3)-induced testicular toxicity in rats.

Materials and Methods: Twenty-four Wistar rats were divided into four groups (n = 6, each group): The control (group 1) received normal saline; Group 2 animals were intraperitoneally administered with 30 mg/kg body weight (BW) AlCl3; and Groups 3 and 4 were co-administered AlCl3 with 125 or 250 mg/kg BW of BL extract, respectively, for 21 days. Testes, epididymis, and blood samples were collected. Testicular plasma enzyme activity was measured using a spectrophotometric assay, while concentrations of inflammatory biomarkers were determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits.

Results: There was a significant increase (p < 0.05) in testicular enzyme activity in the group treated with AlCl3. However, there was no significant (p > 0.05) difference in testicular enzyme activity in groups co-administered AlCl3 and BL extract as compared with that in control. There was a significant (p < 0.05) increase in testicular nitrite concentration in the AlCl3-treated group, whereas the administration of BL extract significantly (p < 0.05) decreased nitrite concentration in Groups 3 and 4. Furthermore, the administration of BL extracts increased sperm count and improved the morphology of the testes in AlCl3-treated rats. Flavonoids, phenolic compounds, alkaloids, tannin, glycosides, saponin, anthraquinones, and steroids were identified in BL extract, with alkaloids and glycosides being the most abundant.

Conclusion: Aqueous extract from BL ameliorated the toxic effect of AlCl3 and exhibited anti-inflammatory properties by inhibiting nitrite production while improving sperm count and morphology in AlCl3-treated rats. The bioactivity of the extract may be attributed to the presence of a wide range of phytochemicals. Therefore, BL aqueous extract could be a promising source of novel compounds with male fertility-promoting and anti-inflammatory properties.
Cocoa Genome Engineering using CRISPR/Cas9 Technology
Authors: Etaware Peter
Published: November 2022

The availability of African cocoa varieties is the only reason why they are globally sought-after for chocolate production rather than their taste. Therefore, a transfer of genetic materials from quality cocoa breeds into the high-yielding and resilient African varieties or vice versa, would inferably increase the availability of quality cocoa beans all-year-round, and also increase the chances of obtaining sumptuous and palatable chocolates anywhere in the world.In order to produce cocoa varieties with good taste, high drought and disease resilience, better aroma, good seed quality and texture, top flavour with healthy phytochemicals etc., rigorous genome editing should be conducted on the existing cocoa species within Africa alongside other foreign varieties in other to produce hybrids that can easily adapt to the climatic and edaphic factors of the African terrain. This will help increase the yield per hectare of cocoa production in Africa, as well as repurpose Africa towards sustainable cocoa production
Voices of Sorrow and Joy
Authors: Williamson Fa Stefan
Published: November 2022

The Family of the Prophet Muhammad holds a central position in Shiʿi Muslim religiosity. As immaterial beings able to intercede in this world, they are said to be witnessing and co-present in the lives of Muslims. Anthropology has neglected relations with immaterial more-than-human beings like these. Instead of regarding them merely as symbols or moral exemplars, this essay focuses on the cultivation of relations of intimacy with them through the devotional practice of vocal recitation. In eastern Turkey, gatherings of celebration and mourning are held throughout the year to commemorate the earthly deaths and birthdays of these figures. The climax of such occasions is marked by the recitation of various genres of lament or praise. This essay uses audio examples and focuses on these recitations to demonstrate how their vocal and discursive features offer ways for Muslims to cultivate love and intimacy to live life alongside these immaterial more-than-human beings.
 
ÖZET

Hazreti Muhammed’in ailesi (Ehl-i Beyt), Şii mezhebi inancında merkezi bir konuma sahiptir. Bu dünyada şefaat edebilecek gayri maddi varlıklar olarak, Müslümanların hayatlarına tanık oldukları ve onlarla birlikte bulundukları söylenir. Ne yazık ki antropolojide, bu gibi gayri maddi ve insan-ötesi varlıklarla ilişkiler ihmal edilmektedir. Bu makale, insan-ötesi varlıkları sadece birer simge veya ahlâki model olarak görmek yerine, onlarla ilahi ve mersiye okumanın aracılığıyla kurulan yakınlık ilişkilerine odaklanmaktadır. Türkiye’nin Doğu Anadolu Bölgesi’nde, Ehl-i Beyt İmamların şehadet ve doğum günlerini anmak için yıl boyunca kutlama ve eza meclisleri düzenlenmektedir. Bu tarz merasimlerin zirvesi ise çeşitli ağıt veya ilahi türlerinin okunmasıyla gerçekleşir. Bu makalede sesli örnekler kullanılmaktadır ve kayıtlara odaklanılmıştır. Bunların yanı sıra mersiyelerin ses ve söylemsel özelliklerinin, Müslümanların Ehl-i Beytin yanında yaşamak, onlarla sevgi ve yakınlık ilişkileri geliştirmek için ne tarz yollar açtığı tartışılmaktadır.
Utopias of Oil
Authors: High Mette Marie
Published: November 2022

At a time of a “private equity oil rush,” this essay explores how oil industry entrepreneurs with ambitions of setting up their own oil-production companies are encouraged to “dream big”—yet are ultimately disciplined and let down—by private equity finance in the state of Colorado in the United States. Motivated by a desire to “do oil differently,” these start-ups articulate utopian visions that draw on inequalities in extractive economies to promote an ethos of care and inclusion. I argue that while economic imaginations are commonly seen to offer alternatives to and critiques of capitalism, it is important also to attend to articulations of capitalist utopia. As private equity has come to form a secreted infrastructure that underlies much of the world’s financial system and encourages entrepreneurial optimism and euphoria, I explore how the contemporary life of capitalism stimulates attitudes to wealth creation that remain markedly conventional and unadventurous.
Оптимизация алгоритмов в головоломке Human Resource Machine по числу команд и операций
Authors:   Пермский национальный исследовательский политехнический университет, Березниковский филиал, Копотева А.В. , Кабиольский Е.А. ,   Южно-Уральский государственный университет
Published: November 2022

Видеоигры являются одним из распространенных видов современного досуга, а также относятся к синтетическому искусству коллективного авторства. Достаточно много написано о вреде компьютерных игр, однако есть и исследования, свидетельствующие о пользе некоторых их видов, в том числе различных головоломок. Часть из них являются весьма специфическими продуктами, в частности, различные симуляторы программирования. Цель исследования. Данная работа посвящена оптимизации наиболее сложных алгоритмов в видеоигре Human Resource Machine в соответствии с принятыми в ней критериями оптимальности. Предполагается, что решение каждой задачи должно содержать не более заданного числа команд и выполняться не более чем за определенное количество шагов. Для большей части задач может быть найдено решение, одновременно удовлетворяющее обоим критериям, однако некоторые головоломки требуют реализации двух отдельных алгоритмов. Всего в игре 36 задач различного типа и уровня сложности, из них выбрано 6 доставивших автору наибольшие трудности при прохождении. Материалы и методы. В работе описываются идеи и алгоритмы решения задач на естественном языке, удовлетворяющие заданным ограничениям, а также приводятся результирующие значения количества команд в коде и операций в процессе его исполнения. Точные решения не приводятся, поскольку в силу громоздкости игрового языка соответствующие алгоритмы с комментариями оказались слишком объемны для статьи. Кроме того, данная статья призвана лишь констатировать возможность нахождения собственных оптимальных решений рассматриваемых головоломок. Результаты. Для двух задач из шести рассмотренных в работе удалось получить алгоритмы, удовлетворяющие ограничениям и по числу команд, и по количеству операций. Для оставшихся четырех задач разработано по паре алгоритмов, каждый из которых удовлетворяет одному из ограничений. Заключение. По результатам проделанной работы можно утверждать, что существуют компьютерные игры, которые являются не просто развлечением, а могут представлять собой весьма непростой интеллектуальный вызов. Нахождение оптимальных решений в головоломках Human Resource Machine оказалось весьма непростым и интересным занятием, позволившим избавиться от шаблонов и иначе взглянуть на некоторые классические задачи программирования.
Моделирование автоматизированных информационных систем на основе вероятностных автоматов с блокировкой обслуживания
Authors:   Воронежский государственный технический университет, Белоусов В.Е. , Дорофеев Д.В. ,   Воронежский государственный технический университет, Можарова Л.А. ,   Воронежский государственный технический университет
Published: November 2022

В данной работе формулируется задача применения вероятностных автоматов с блокировкой для исследования сложных гибридных информационных систем. Действительно, в большинстве задач приходится иметь дело с влиянием различных случайных факторов, к которым можно отнести ненадежные элементы электронного оборудования, периодически выходящие из строя, случайные реакции лиц, принимающих решения, вероятностные колебания длительности выполнения различных этапов работ, составляющих исследуемый процесс. Цель исследования заключается в необходимости повышения эффективности управления автоматизированными информационными системами на основе моделей имитационного обслуживания с блокировкой. Материалы и методы. Рассмотрим основные принципы, положенные в основу метода вероятностно-автоматного моделирования. Метод базируется на теории автоматов, заключающейся в использовании результатов машинного эксперимента при создании сложных самоорганизующихся информационных систем, а также в системах автоматизации производственных процессов. Вероятностно-автоматная модель информационной системы представляет собой не что иное как агрегативную модель при раздроблении системы на самые мелкие одномерные агрегаты. Основными понятиями автоматного моделирования являются вероятностный автомат и система вероятностных автоматов. Результаты. В результате исследования получены таблицы условных функциональных переходов и на ее основе проанализированы автоматы с блокировкой обслуживания. Доказана их эффективность для автоматизированной информационной системы сложной структуры. Заключение. Работа системы заключается в выборе совокупности регулируемых параметров или совокупности испытываемых вариантов. Для этого принимают решение, по какому показателю целесообразно судить об эффективности работы информационной системы. После этого решается вопрос о том, за счет какого изменения режима работы системы, ее структуры или значений параметров можно добиться максимальной эффективности. Речь идет о выборе совокупности регулируемых параметров или совокупности испытываемых вариантов. Показатель эффективности работы системы является детерминированной функцией регулируемых параметров. Эта функция называется целевой или критерием эффективности системы. Далее, из заданного множества значений совокупности регулируемых параметров выбрать такую совокупность этих значений, при которой целевая функция принимает минимальное (максимальное) значение.
Моделирование динамических процессов при прецедентном управлении автоматизированным насосным комплексом с учетом канала байпаса
Authors:   МИРЭА – Российский технологический университет, Лютов А.Г. , Новоженин М.Б. ,   МИРЭА – Российский технологический университет, Шевцов И.К. ,   МИРЭА – Российский технологический университет
Published: November 2022

При прецедентном управлении автоматизированными насосными комплексами необходим учет ха-рактеристик динамических процессов с целью уменьшения или полного устранения различных не-стационарных гидравлических процессов, в том числе кавитации. В статье рассмотрены условия возникновения в насосных комплексах локальных колебаний гидродинамического характера, спо-собствующих возникновению или активизации указанных нежелательных процессов, с построением динамических моделей на основе метода электроаналогии и применением критериев устойчивости теории автоматического управления. Осуществлено построение математической модели локальных динамических процессов, анализ условий устойчивости и степени колебательности, их численное моделирование. Определение данных условий предоставляет дополнительную информацию для обоснованного выбора прецедентов при автоматизированном управлении насосным комплексом. Цель исследования: определение условий устойчивости локальных динамических процессов при прецедентном управлении автоматизированным насосным комплексом с учетом канала байпаса на основе моделирования с использованием метода электроаналогии. Материалы и методы. Для про-ведения исследования были использованы методы математического моделирования, в частности метод электроаналогии, методы теории автоматического управления с использованием аппарата передаточных функций, методы численного моделирования с применением программного комплек-са SimInTech. Результаты. Осуществлено построение динамической модели насосного комплекса с учетом канала байпаса на основе метода электроаналогии. Это позволило провести анализ устой-чивости и степени колебательности процесса перекачивания жидкости с использованием методов теории автоматического управления. Полученные в аналитическом виде условия, находящиеся в зависимости от статических и динамических параметров насосного комплекса, определили грани-цы областей на напорно-расходной характеристике с определенной степенью устойчивости и ко-лебательности динамических процессов. Заключение. Результаты исследования позволяют опре-делить условия, при которых в насосных комплексах на основе центробежных насосов, оснащен-ных каналом байпаса, возникают локальные колебательные процессы, способствующие возникно-вению или активизации нежелательных гидродинамических процессов. Данные условия позволяют осуществлять формирование и использование базы прецедентов при управлении режимами работы насосных комплексов с учетом фактора колебательности.