bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Health outcome convergence and the roles of public health financing and governance in Africa
Authors: Ndzignat Mouteyica Ariane Ephemia , Ngepah Nicholas Nwanyek
Published: October 2024

Progress in health outcomes across Africa has been uneven, marked by significant disparities among countries, which not only challenges the global health security but impede progress towards achieving the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals 3 and 10 (SDG 3 and SDG 10) and Universal Health Coverage (UHC). This paper examines the progress of African countries in reducing intra-country health outcome disparities between 2000 and 2019. In other words, the paper investigates the convergence hypothesis in health outcome using a panel data from 40 African countries. Data were sourced from the World Development Indicators, the World Governance Indicators, and the World Health Organization database. Employing a non-linear dynamic factor model, the study focused on three health outcomes: infant mortality rate, under-5 mortality rate, and life expectancy at birth. The findings indicate that while the hypothesis of convergence is not supported for the selected countries, evidence of convergence clubs is observed for the three health outcome variables. The paper further examine the factors contributing to club formation by using the marginal effects of the ordered logit regression model. The findings indicate that the overall impact of the control variables aligns with existing research. Moreover, governance quality and domestic government health expenditure emerge as significant determinants influencing the probability of membership in specific clubs for the child mortality rate models. In the life expectancy model, governance quality significantly drives club formation. The results suggest that there is a need for common health policies for the different convergence clubs, while country-specific policies should be implemented for the divergent countries. For instance, policies and strategies promoting health prioritization in national budget allocation and reallocation should be encouraged within each final club. Efforts to promote good governance policies by emphasizing anti-corruption measures and government effectiveness should also be encouraged. Moreover, there is a need to implement regional monitoring mechanisms to ensure progress in meeting health commitments, while prioritizing urbanization plans in countries with poorer health outcomes to enhance sanitation access.
Editorial
Authors: Funk Clayton
Published: October 2024

Some say art is craft while others say that visual art is a professional practice. But we reconsider the word ‘practice’ as a verb, we can observe how artists practice, we see the formation of activities of making forms that shift and move as artists change their minds. The articles in this issue discuss a range of contrasting practices of art, from the studio, to museums, and to the culture at large. We see how complex and even complicated practices can be, and deservedly so. The editor wishes to thank the reviewers for their time and thoughtful insights in the production of this issue.
Encountering the image of thought in artmaking
Authors: Smith Timothy J.
Published: October 2024

Drawing from observations by contemporary art critic Jerry Saltz that recent art-school graduates are producing work that imitates the styles of successful and established artists and movements, this article explores how the ways in which artist-students are taught in university art programmes might potentially impact their postgraduate art practices. If art school-educated professional artists do indeed tend to adhere to prescriptive modes of artmaking, what are some ways in which university art educators might disrupt these habits at the outset for art students who are just starting out in a college art programme? To contemplate this question, this article engages Gilles Deleuze and Felix Guattari’s philosophical concept of the encounter as one approach that might trigger a new kind of thought in learning and artmaking, which informed a teaching experiment that I undertook with one of my introductory art courses. The implantation and reflection on this teaching experiment illustrates how teachers at all levels of art education might create their own adaptive forms of experimenting with Deleuze and Guattari’s concept of the encounter to short circuit such emulative modes of thinking in students’ approaches to artmaking.
How lowrider custom cars went global without being main-street hot rods in the meantime
Authors: Funk Clayton
Published: October 2024

In the Southwestern United States, during the mid-twentieth century, Mexican Americans introduced a genre of custom cars known as lowriders. They were unique compared to other American custom cars, such as hot rods and other fast cars on American main streets; lowriders rode low and slow and only inches from the ground. In fact, lowriders became central to Chicano culture and to the lives of car owners and their families. The car owner and the rest of the family also drew part of their self-identity not only from the car itself, but also in the act of driving – or lowriding as it is known. The story herewith tells how lowriders, lowriding and car clubs emerged from the heart of Chicano culture in ways that established and supported community building, expanding eventually to worldwide popularity.
Street art and the disruption of the expected
Authors: Blair Gregory
Published: October 2024

One of the most powerful aspects of street art is its potential to disrupt the expectations that we have about certain spaces and also how it urges us to question why those expectations existed in the first place. Street art interventions are often intended to make the viewer think about the space in which the intervention is produced, and how the identity of that space has been formed, along with the normalized behaviours that correlate with that space. This article examines recent examples of street art interventions created by Mobstr, Olafur Eliasson and Selma Selman and places them in contextual lineage with similar spatial interventions by Guy Debord, Christian Philipp Müller, Will Self and Keri Smith which attempt to disrupt the expected usages, experiences and identities of various spaces. Throughout this presentation, it is demonstrated that each of these projects should be considered political acts because they subvert the cultural regulative discourses and established societal hierarchies that exist in distinct spaces.
A walk in the park: Towards developing a fractal pedagogy of well-being
Authors: Murteza Noor Danielle
Published: October 2024

This article describes a cycle of a work-in-progress action research project that aims to develop and implement a fractal pedagogy for design students. The fractal pedagogy takes on board fractal patterns, self-similar repeating natural patterns, as a lens for artmaking and teaching. Fractals have been proven to be bountiful in nature and to engender a well-being or biophilic response in people. The action research cycle describes a collaborative effort to bring three guided nature walks to the local community in Dublin, Ohio, USA. The walks reaffirm connections between the fractals in the participants’ bodies and in the natural environment while carrying out fractal and well-being-centred artmaking activities. Each of the walks, the embodied, found object and marking-making walks, were led by a different local Ohio artist. This cycle will combine with previous and future research to define a fractal pedagogy that is collaborative, interdisciplinary and connected to nature.
Art systems and behaviour
Authors: McCleary Badir R.
Published: October 2024

This article was submitted and presented for the 2022 SECAC Conference held in Baltimore, Maryland, from 26 October to 29 October 2022. It inquires about and seeks to challenge several key questions. Provoking thoughtful discussion and delivering new insights into the brave new world of Web3. This article aspires to contribute meaningfully to the academic and professional discourse through analysis and investigation of these topics in the field and how colleagues and stakeholders’ behaviours adhere to or reject them. What is a system? How does the system benefit its participants? How do their actions help the system thrive? Throughout humanity, we have searched for newer and more efficient ways of improving our current systems by adopting new methods. Although the methods of approach change, the behaviour of the participants ultimately shapes the effectiveness of the system. In navigating our art world, understanding the systems of operation is crucial to the decision-making process. This behaviour allows for former systems to have new life through educated forms of physical code (humans) that regenerate those ideals into actions that ultimately reshape the new system into something familiar. That familiarity seems like comfort – but it is the quiet before the storm. Herd collecting will crush the confidence in collecting new artwork because of volatility in the art market. Because once the herd leaves, will the work have any demand?
Method for upgrading isolated bridges with novel V gaped devices: Seismic tests of models
Authors: Ristic Jelena , Behrami Ragip , Brujic Zoran , Ristic Danilo , Hristovski Viktor
Published: October 2024

A method for enhancing the seismic performance of isolated bridges was developed using innovative vertical multigap (V-MG) devices based on extensive experimental and analytical research. Significant improvements in seismic performance were achieved by creating a unique type of uniform V-MG energy-dissipation device for a vertical-gaped bridge protection system (VG bridge system) that included double spherical rolling seismic bearings for seismic isolation as a complete set. Seismic shaking table tests on large-scale bridge models, which simulated real earthquake conditions, confirmed that the VG bridge system could significantly modify seismic response and enhance the seismic safety of isolated bridges under very strong earthquakes.
Numerical analysis on wind-induced vibration response of long-span transmission tower-line system
Authors: Li Xianxin , Ding Binghao , Qi Daokun , Zhang Kaixin , Wang Miaomiao
Published: October 2024

Based on the engineering background related to ±800 kV ultra-high voltage (UHV) transmission lines spanning the Yellow River, finite element models were developed for single-tower and transmission tower-line systems, with their wind-induced responses under wind loads were simulated and analysed. In addition, the coupling effect in a large-span transmission tower line system was investigated. The results showed that the natural vibration frequency of the tower-line system was slightly lower than that of a single tower and that the torsional natural frequency was the most significantly reduced. The transmission tower-line system has a maximum displacement of 1.92 times that of a single tower when the wind angle is 0°. The maximum axial force and stress in the tower-line system are 1.6 times and 1.37 times higher than those in a single tower. The interaction between the tower and wires significantly affects the wind-induced response of the tower body. Hence, considering the dynamic coupling effect of the tower-line transmission system is important when designing a tower.
Fruit quality of 'Stanley' plums based on soil composition across diverse agro-ecological zones of Morocco
Authors: Mrabet Oumaima , Asbai Zakaria , Hadidi Meryem , Bahlaouan Bouchaib , Tesse Rajaa , ElAntri Said , Boutaleb Nadia
Published: October 2024

The national production of plums, especially prunes, is strongly increasing, attracting attention in the local market. This study aims to assess the impact of soil chemical composition on the nutritional and physicochemical quality of plums of the variety ''STANLEY'' (Prunus Domestica L.) across diverse agro-ecological zones of Morocco. Through a preliminary survey of 21 growers in three distinct regions: Sais, Atlas and Oriental. Supplemented by sampling at eight locations in eastern and western Morocco, three categories of parameters were considered in this study: (1) parameters related to cultivation conditions, including climate, geographical structuring, plot size and planting age; (2) those providing information on physico-chemical properties, nutritional value and sugar content; (3) parameters related to soil quality. The surveyed farmers are proprietors of cultivated plots ranging from 6 to 70 hectares, with an average yield of 12T/ h. Notably, 28% of producers with recently established plantations (less than 10 years) have achieved yields exceeding 15T/h, indicating the fertility of trees at this stage of maturity. The findings affirm that soil fertility and soil amendment are the major factors contributing to high-quality fruit (large caliber, high Brix rate, intact product…). Additionally, this study highlights the significance of climate and irrigation in achieving the desired quality of plums.
Condición inmigrante y vivienda: inclusión diferencial y lazos vecinales en los edificios de Els Orriols (València) y Usera (Madrid)
Authors: Moncusí Ferré Albert , Nicolás López Rocío , Pelaez Paz Carlos
Published: October 2024

Este texto estudia la significación de la condición inmigrante, definida como el cruce de un vector de clase y otro de categorización étnico-cultural, en dos áreas, una en València y otra en Madrid, en relación con el acceso a la vivienda y su mantenimiento, así como con la configuración de lazos débiles o fuertes en las relaciones vecinales a escala de edificio. En particular, se demuestra que esta condición favorece procesos de inserción urbana que ponen de manifiesto una inclusión social diferencial, aunque no impide la generación de lazos. Por un lado, se observa un acceso diferencial a la vivienda de las personas de origen extranjero, con formas de tenencia más provisionales, dinámicas de relegación urbana y reconocimiento legal en precario. Por otro lado, se constata un reconocimiento personal y social a través de contactos, así como de prácticas de solidaridad y apoyo que pueden contribuir a afrontar situaciones de discriminación que caracterizan la condición inmigrante y que, de sostenerse en el tiempo, pueden derivar en lazos vecinales fuertes.
Crystallization of [Zn(Pyrazinamide)₂(Cl)₂] Complex and In Vitro Antibacterial Activity of the Complex Against E. coli and S. aureus
Authors: Adiba Naila Azmi , Purwonugroho Danar , Srihardyastutie Arie , Prananto Yuniar Ponco
Published: October 2024

A complex of [Zn(pza)2(Cl)2], pza = pyrazinamide, was successfully crystallized from methanol or ethanol solvents with different morphology. The complex was synthesized using the solution method in ZnCl2: pza mol ratios of 1:2 and 1:4 in both ethanol and methanol solvents. FTIR and single crystal XRD analyses were done to confirm the complex. The complex was then used for in vitro antibacterial test against E. coli and S. aureus. Experimental data shows that the type of solvent and metal-to-ligand mol ratio yields the same compound, resulting in colorless crystals that melt at 234-236°C. Large block crystals were obtained from the methanolic solution, while a higher yield was obtained from the use of a higher mol ratio of 1:4. Infrared spectra analysis confirms the presence of characteristic carbonyl and amide groups of the pza ligand. Meanwhile, single crystal XRD screening indicates that unit cell parameters of the crystals from both solvents are identical to a known zinc(II)-pza complex. In vitro antibacterial tests against E. coli and S. aureus show that the complex had much better activity than the ZnCl2 and the free pza. In addition, the complex performs better antibacterial activity toward gram-positive S. aureus than the gram-negative E. coli.
Fabrication of Coconut Shell-Derived Graphitic Activated Carbon for Carbon-based Electrode Materials
Authors: Yanti Irma Fifa , Wibawa Pratama Jujur , Mukimin Aris
Published: October 2024

This study aims to convert low-value plantation biomass waste into high-value materials. The process involves transforming coconut shell charcoal (CSC) into activated carbon and subsequently producing coconut shell graphitic-like activated carbon (CSGAC). Using a thermal graphitization method with a FeCl3 catalyst at 900°C for 1 hour in a nitrogen atmosphere, graphite microstructures (CSGAC) were formed on the coconut shell activated carbon (CSAC) framework. XRD, FTIR, SEM, and BET analyses confirmed the successful formation of CSGAC. The electrical conductivity of CSGAC, measured at 148 µS, highlights its potential as a cost-effective, renewable, and environmentally friendly raw material for carbon-based electrodes.
Sustainable integrated weed control strategies to reduce herbicide use in sunflower production
Authors: Selvakumar Thambiyannan  , Rajendran Lingan  , Sasikala Ramasamy  , Karthikeyan Ramasamy  , Narmadha Rajendhiran  , Kaliyannagounder Sangeetha , Sakthivel Nalliappan  , Ramesh Kulasekaran
Published: October 2024

This research aims to develop integrated weed control strategies that can effectively reduce the quantity of herbicides used in cultivation of sunflower. To address the challenge of weed management in mechanized crop fields and mitigate the adverse effects on the ecosystem, an experiment with 10 treatments was arranged in randomized block designs and replicated 3 times. The treatments included combinations of herbicide application, band application of herbicide and power weeder weeding. The higher weed control efficiency (WCE) was achieved in a weed-free environment. Additionally, higher WCE was observed in the treatment where weeds were managed through band application of pendimethalin (38.7 capsule suspension (CS)) in the seed row as a pre-emergence method and weeding was done with a power weeder twice. These 2 treatments registered more than 90 % WCE due to lesser weed occurrence. The present investigation also registered higher grain yield under weed-free control (2212 kg/ha). It was tailed by Pre-emergence (PE) herbicide (1 kg/ha of Pendimethalin (38.7 CS)) in seed row after irrigation followed by (fb) power weeder twice (on 15-20 and 30-35 DAS), PE herbicide (1 kg/ha of Pendimethalin (38.7 CS)) in seed row before irrigation fb power weeder twice (on 15-20 and 30-35 DAS) and PE herbicide (1 kg/ha of Pendimethalin (30 EC)) in seed row after irrigation fb power weeder twice (on 15-20 and 30-35 days after sowing (DAS)). Based on the results, pendimethalin (38.7 CS) can also be applied either before or after irrigation, as it will not significantly lose its efficacy in controlling weeds. These findings have practical implications for sunflower cultivation, offering effective strategies for integrated weed control.
Online examinations: Factors that impact student experience and perceptions of academic performance
Authors: Henderson Michael , Awdry Rebecca , Chung Jennifer , Bryant Mike , Patel Sweta Vijaykumar , Yu Alice Shihua , Mundy Matthew , Ryan Kris , Ashford Cliff
Published: October 2024

Online examinations are an increasingly common feature of higher education. Research in this area often focuses on academic integrity without exploring student experience in online examinations more broadly. With increasing use of online examinations and associated security measures, there is a plausible risk that the platform, examination conditions and measures to achieve assessment security may have a negative impact on student experience, well-being and performance. This paper reports on a large-scale survey conducted in 2021 and 2022 at a large metropolitan university in Australia. Analysis of 13,751 completed surveys revealed that the majority of students perceived their overall online exam experience positively. However, a thematic analysis of 5,213 optional open-ended responses provided a more detailed understanding of the range of positive and negative influencing factors and their consequences. Many of the issues negatively impacting student experience were related to the assessment design, rather than the assessment platform or exam security. The findings also revealed implications relating to platform functionality, personal technology and exam conditions, including location of exam, and preparation and support.
 
Implications for practice or policy:

Academics need to consider the quality and appropriateness of assessment design, as these affect the extent to which students experience online exams positively and are largely independent of the exam and security systems.
Institutions can reduce the wide range of negative impacts through improved communication and in-exam support.
System developers can iteratively ameliorate negative impacts through investigating student experience and involvement of students in the co-design of assessment platforms.
Évolution des rôles sociaux des traducteurs et son impact sur la recherche et sur la formation universitaire
Authors: Dzida-Błażejczyk Monika , Tomaszkiewicz Teresa
Published: October 2024

The article discusses the evolution of translator training through the experience of both a trainer and professional translator. It examines the historical and scientific perspectives of social roles and functions of translators. These serve as a starting point for analysing the current state of translation and its future. The profession of translation is currently in the process of change due to rapid technological and social advancements. The translators-to-be must possess new skills to adapt to these changes. To achieve this, universities should adapt their teaching methods and content to enable learners to cope with the new technical, social and communicational developments. These should equip translators-to-be with the necessary skills to meet the demands of today and tomorrow’s markets. Revision of the field history, past and contemporary research as well as practical professional experience provided in this article point to the training needs that must be fulfilled to meet the requirements of our time.
Mission (im)possible – le traducteur en tant qu’ambassadeur de l’art
Authors: Walkiewicz Barbara
Published: October 2024

This article introduces the translator involved in the translation of art titles and art albums as an ambassador for art. Given the role of painting titles in the process of interpreting a work of art, but also in identifying it from other art products, the translator, as the artist’s spokesperson, has to perform a number of actions to enable the correct interpretation and identification of the work in the target culture. This is a very arduous and responsible task, which is particularly difficult in times of new media and the unlimited possibilities of digital reproduction and distribution of cultural goods. Based on the examples of translations of the titles of paintings by selected French painters published in Polish-language albums, the author shows the translator’s responsibility for the promotion and, above all, for the protection of the identity and integrity of works of art, especially those that belong to the public domain and are therefore deprived of proper protection.
Hegel’s Answer to the ‘Academy’ Question: Is it Permissible to Deceive a People?
Authors: Novakovic Andreja
Published: October 2024

In 1780 Frederick II pushed the Prussian Academy to put forward a controversial question for a public essay contest: “Is it useful for the people to be deceived, be it by leading it into new errors or by confirming it in those which it upholds?” Although Hegel would have been too young to participate in the contest, he took two later opportunities to provide what would have been his answer. Whereas the Phenomenology of Spirit evaluates Enlightenment’s charge that religious faith is based on deception, the Philosophy of Right suggests that public opinion formation tends to lead to collective self-deception. In both versions of his answer, however, Hegel argues that it is impossible to deceive a people about its essence. In this paper I clarify what Hegel means by a people’s essence and why he thinks it impossible to deceive a people about it.
Geometric main conjectures in function fields
Authors: Bley Werner , Popescu Cristian D.
Published: October 2024

We prove an equivariant main conjecture in Iwasawa theory along any rank-one, sign-normalized Drinfeld modular, split-at-∞ Iwasawa tower of a general function field of characteristic 𝑝, for the Iwasawa modules recently considered by Greither and Popescu in their proof of the classical equivariant main conjecture along the (arithmetic) cyclotomic Iwasawa tower.
As a consequence, we prove an equivariant main conjecture for a projective limit of certain Ritter–Weiss type modules, along the same Drinfeld modular Iwasawa towers.
This generalizes the results of Anglès, Bandini, Bars, Coscelli and Longhi for the split-at-∞ piece of the Iwasawa towers considered in their work, and refines the results by Greither and Popescu.
Performance comparison of different intensity modulation formats for FSO systems
Authors: Sharma Neeraj
Published: October 2024

Intensity modulation (IM) formats are the legacy formats which are continuing to act as modulation formats of interest in fiber optic communication systems and optical networks. The IM formats have become formats of interest in free space optic communication (FSO) systems due to its simple generation and detection principle, thus making FSO system economical and easier to handle/operate under adverse and random characteristics of atmospheric channel. This paper compares the performance of different IM formats (with memory and without memory or memoryless). The IM formats considered here are non return to zero (NRZ), return to zero (RZ), carrier suppressed RZ (CSRZ), vestigial side band CSRZ (VSB-CSRZ), duobinary RZ (DRZ) and modified duobinary RZ (MDRZ). The comparative analysis investigates the effect of launch power and length of FSO channel at different data rates of 10 Gb/s and 40 Gb/s for single channel FSO system, with the help of simulations. The results discussed, depicts that VSB-CSRZ outperforms other modulation formats at 10 Gb/s and duobinary format has shown lesser degradation in system performance when bit rate increases from 10 Gb/s to 40 Gb/s.
Improving assessment for work-based learning and degree apprenticeships in business through a co-designed peer review process
Authors: Houldsworth Elizabeth , Kilmister Michael , Brigue Rekha
Published: October 2024

Involving students in peer review has substantial benefits for students’ learning and development and, more pragmatically, for staff workload. This paper reports on a student-led effort to co-design a peer review formative assessment task. The assessment is part of a personal development module within a higher education degree apprenticeship programme delivered via blended mode by a business school in South-East England. This case study on student-staff partnership offers a description of the process and a reflection on the impacts from both the student and staff perspective. It suggests that student co-design and peer review activities complement work-based learning, effectively bringing the prior experiences and academic skills of mature/professional students into the classroom.
Meditations on Hungry Listening
Authors: Cusick Suzanne G.
Published: October 2024

This assemblage of thoughts from a white settler musicologist responds to a cluster of ideas in Dylan Robinson’s Hungry Listening—hunger, listening, settler subjectivity, extractivism—as they converge in both the long history of “Western” listening and the author’s first efforts to think through and away from her own extractive impulses.
Hungry Listening in the Archive
Authors: Levitz Tamara
Published: October 2024

In this article I honor Dylan Robinson’s Hungry Listening: Resonant Theory for Indigenous Sound Studies by exploring what it means to adopt a “critical listening positionality” in conducting archival work involving Indigenous materials. The subject of my inquiry is a brief correspondence between Hopi artist, performer, and knowledge holder Ernest (Eagle Plume) Naquayouma (1906–1985) and the comparative musicologist Helen Heffron Roberts (1888–1985) kept in the Helen Heffron Roberts Papers in the archives at Yale University. I examine the problems that arose for me in telling this story because of the one-sided settler perspective documented in the archive, and how I tried to redress this injustice. I also consider how Robinson’s “hungry listening” neologism functioned as a heuristic for me in understanding the Naquayouma–Roberts encounter, and in learning about what respecting Naquayouma’s sovereignty in the archive entails. My goal is to dialogue with Robinson’s work as a way of showing my gratitude to him, and also to tell this story in a way that allows these materials to find their way back to Naquayouma’s family and the Hopi Cultural Preservation Office.
Diet and biological characteristics of Atlantic Tomcod or Punamu, Microgadus tomcod (Walbaum, 1792) in Minas Basin, Nova Scotia
Authors: Carroll Lindsay A. , Dadswell Michael J , Warner Matthew G. , Porter Darren , Syliboy Alanna , Whoriskey Frederick G. , Iverson Sara , Stokesbury Michael J.W.
Published: October 2024

Atlantic tomcod are abundant in the Bay of Fundy, but their diet is unreported for Minas Basin. In this study prey content and biological characteristics of tomcod collected in the Avon River estuary of Minas Basin were examined. Their diet was numerically dominated by the amphipod Corophium volutator (Pallas, 1766) (Rate of Occurrence (RO) = 73.2%). Other major prey taxa consumed included Crangon septemspinosa Say, 1818 (29.3%), Gammarus spp. (19.5%), Polychaeta (14.6%), Portunidae (12.2%), Teleostei (9.8%), Isopoda (7.3%), andMollusca (3.3%). Of stomachs examined only 8.9% contained unidentifiable prey items. Every tomcod examined except one contained prey and the fullness index (HI) varied between 0.01-5.85%. Both mean total length and total body weight of females was significantly greater than for males (254 mm vs 202 mm; 143 g vs 78 g), and the condition factor (K) of both sexes was similar throughout the sampling period (Mean ± SD; 0.79 ± 0.13). Both mean male and female gonadosomatic index (GSI) increased significantly when approaching the winter spawning period, rising from 1.2 in early October to 11.6 by mid-December.The diversity of prey consumed indicated that tomcod fed opportunis-tically, but their predominate consumption of C. volutator was likely linked to the large populations of this amphipod on the intertidal mudflats of Minas Basin.
Keywords: Atlantic tomcod, Bay of Fundy, condition factor, Corophium volutator, fullness index, gonadosomatic index
Črpanje nepremičnega premoženja za investicije v pametne srebrne vasi
Authors: Drobne Samo , Bogataj Marija , Sethi Suresh , Bogataj David
Published: October 2024

The existing housing stock in Europe, including scattered farmhouses, is grossly inadequate for long-term care (LTC) at home. Renovating these houses suitable for LTC requires a considerable new investment. An alternative is to sell or transfer ownership of family homes and farms and buy a residential unit in a retirement community by taking out a reverse mortgage loan. We present an approach to investing in the removal of barriers in part of an extended retirement home or the purchase of a property in a Smart Silver Village (SSV) from farm transfer subsidies if permitted by the call for proposals to encourage the rejuvenation of farm ownership. Our approach includes the actuarial present value method and periodic longevity insurance premia. It also includes funds from the agricultural transfer program for younger members of farming households. Moreover, it allows older farmers to move to a SSV if they pass the farm on to their successors and receive a portion of the reimbursement from government funds. This way, they become co-investors alongside the municipality in the SSV located relatively close to their respective farms. The current retirement home location in Slovenia is quite far from the farms. Existing reverse mortgage contracts in EU member states end when a homeowner moves into an assisted living home. Our approach with minor adjustments applies to all EU Member States.
Renovation of the levelling network of the municipality of Ljubljana
Authors: Koler Božo , Parkelj Aleksander , Krašovec Lidija , Gajšek Simon , Krašovec Nejc , Brumec Miran , Savšek Simona
Published: October 2024

The article presents the renovation and upgrading of the urban leveling network of the municipality of Ljubljana. The old measurements in the of the municipality of Ljubljana area, the renovation project and the form of the new leveling network as well as the leveling measurement are presented. The pre-processing of the data is described. Based on the analysis of the stability of the 1st order benchmarks of the leveling network of Slovenia, the predetermined benchmarks for the adjustment of the leveling network were selected. The precision is analyzed based on the deviations of the both sides measured height differences, the deviations when closing the leveling loops and the corrections of the measured height differences after adjustment.
Penguatan Pendidikan Karakter Peduli Lingkungan Pada Peserta Didik Di SMA Negeri 1 Sukorejo Kabupaten Kendal
Authors: Lusiana Fitrianingsih  , Masrukhi
Published: October 2024

Kurangnya kesadaran sebagian masyarakat terhadap kelestarian lingkungan menimbulkan kerusakan lingkungan hidup. Upaya yang dilakukan guna membangun kesadaran masyarakat terhadap kelestarian lingkungan dapat dilakukan melalui proses pendidikan. Sekolah sebagai lembaga pendidikan formal memiliki peran penting dalam memberikan kesadaran pada peserta didik untuk peduli terhadap lingkungan. Tujuan penelitian ini (1) mengkaji pelaksanaan pendidikan karakter peduli lingkungan di SMA Negeri 1 Sukorejo; (2) menganalisis upaya penguatan pendidikan karakter peduli lingkungan di SMA Negeri 1 Sukorejo. Penelitian ini menggunakan metode kualitatif studi kasus. Teknik pengumpulan data yang digunakan yaitu wawancara, observasi, dan dokumentasi. Uji validitas data menggunakan model Trianggulasi. Analisis data menggunakan pengumpulan data, reduksi data, penyajian data dan penarikan kesimpulan. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa (1) implementasi pendidikan karakter peduli lingkungan di SMA Negeri 1 Sukorejo dilakukan melalui program Adiwiyata dengan menerapkan konsep keteladanan dan pengintegrasian. Pelaksanaan pendidikan karakter peduli lingkungan di SMA Negeri 1 Sukorejo sudah terinclude dalam manajemen sekolah. Strategi pelaksanaan dilakukan melalui kegiatan rutinan, kegiatan spontan, keteladanan dan pengkondisian; (2) Upaya penguatan pendidikan karakter peduli lingkungan di SMA Negeri 1 Sukorejo dilakukan melalui kegiatan sekolah (intrakulikuler,kokulikuler, dan ekstrakulikuler) dan budaya sekolah.
TGFBR3 inhibits progression of papillary thyroid cancer by inhibiting the PI3K/AKT pathway and EMT
Authors: Zhang Hanrong , Chen Junxin , Chen Xin , Zeng Chuimian , Zhang Pengyuan , Jin Jiewen , Xiao Haipeng , Li Yanbing , Guan Hongyu , Li Hai
Published: October 2024

Background

Transforming growth factor beta receptor III (TGFBR3) has been shown to play a tumor-suppressive role in a variety of cancers. However, its role in papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) remains unknown.

Method

TGFBR3 expression levels in PTC were analyzed utilizing The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) databases. Edu, wound healing, and Transwell assays were used to evaluate cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. Transcriptome sequencing, quantitative real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), and Western blotting were used to detect the underlying mechanism of TGFBR3 in PTC progression.

Result

This study demonstrated that TGFBR3 expression was significantly down-regulated in PTC compared to normal thyroid tissues. Low expression of TGFBR3 was associated with poor prognosis of patients with PTC. Furthermore, TGFBR3 expression positively correlated with thyroid differentiation score. In investigating the biological impact of TGFBR3 overexpression in PTC cell lines, we found that the proliferation, migration, and invasion of PTC cells were significantly inhibited in response to TGFBR3 overexpression. Moreover, we also demonstrated that overexpression of TGFBR3 inhibited the PI3K/AKT pathway and epithelial-mesenchymal transformation processes. Lastly, TGFBR3 expression was found to be involved in tumor immune infiltration, highlighting its potential influence on immune dynamics within the tumor microenvironment in PTC.

Conclusion

TGFBR3 plays a tumor-suppressive role in PTC progression by inhibiting the PI3K/AKT pathway and epithelial mesenchymal transformation.
Association of incretin-based therapies with hepatobiliary disorders among patients with type 2 diabetes: a case series from the FDA adverse event reporting system
Authors: Liang Yankun , Zhang Zhenpo , Zheng Jingping , Wang Yuting , He Jiaxin , Zhao Juanzhi , Su Ling
Published: October 2024

Aim

Incretin therapies, including dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors (DPP-4is) and glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs), are crucial for type 2 diabetes treatment. Evidence of their association with gallbladder, biliary diseases, and liver injury remains inconsistent. This study evaluated the association between incretin therapies and hepatobiliary adverse events using the FDA’s Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) data.

Methods

Case reports involving incretin therapies and hepatobiliary events from January 2006 to December 2023 were extracted from FAERS. The association between these agents and hepatobiliary adverse events (hAEs) was analyzed using reporting odds ratios and empirical Bayesian geometric means. Descriptive analyses were conducted to characterize the demographic and clinical features of the hAE cases. Additionally, subgroup analyses calculated reporting odds ratios to evaluate the strength of the association between specific incretin drugs and hAEs.

Results

Among 68,351 case reports associated with incretin-based therapies, 1327 (1.941%) involved hepatobiliary adverse events. DPP-4 inhibitors demonstrated statistically significant associations with multiple hepatobiliary events, like cholelithiasis, chronic cholecystitis, and biliary diseases. In contrast, GLP-1 receptor agonists showed weaker associations, primarily linked to gallbladder and biliary disease risks. Subgroup analyses revealed stronger positive correlations with hepatobiliary events for liraglutide and semaglutide among GLP-1 agonists, and for sitagliptin, linagliptin, and vildagliptin among DPP-4 inhibitors. The pooled reporting odds ratio of 2.85 indicated a positive correlation between these drugs and studied adverse events.

Conclusions

This study found statistically significant associations between DPP-4 inhibitors and hepatobiliary adverse events like cholelithiasis and cholecystitis. GLP-1 agonists showed weaker gallbladder/biliary disorder links but higher acute cholecystitis risk. Subgroup analyses revealed varying correlations among specific drugs, potentially dose-dependent. Further large-scale studies are needed to evaluate class effect differences and elucidate mechanisms for guiding clinical use.
AGO2 protein: a key enzyme in the miRNA pathway as a novel biomarker in adrenocortical carcinoma
Authors: Hashmi Anila , Papachristos Alexander , Sidhu Stan , Hutvagner Gyorgy
Published: October 2024

Adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) is a rare and aggressive malignancy characterized by diagnostic challenges, high recurrence rates, and poor prognosis. This study explored the role of miRNA processing genes in ACC and their potential role as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers. We analyzed the mRNA expression levels of miRNA machinery components (DROSHA, DGCR8, XPO5, RAN, DICER, TARBP2, and AGO2) utilizing mRNA-Seq data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and The Genotype-Tissue Expression (GTEx) projects. Additionally, protein levels were quantified in tissue samples from the Kolling Institute of Medical Research’s tumor bank. Our results demonstrated that among all miRNA processing components, AGO2 exhibited significant overexpression in ACC compared to the normal adrenal cortex and benign adrenal adenoma (P < 0.001). Kaplan–Meier survival analysis indicated that higher AGO2 expression correlated with significantly worse overall survival in ACC patients (HR: 7.07, P < 0.001). Among 32 cancer types in TCGA, the prognostic significance of AGO2 was most prominent in ACC. This study is the first to report AGO2's potential as a diagnostic and prognostic biomarker in ACC, emphasizing its significance in ACC pathogenesis and potential application as a non-invasive liquid biopsy biomarker.
Ecological niche assessment and conservation status of colocolo pampas cat Leopardus colocola (Molina 1782)
Authors: Chávez-Villavicencio César Lautaro , Tabilo-Valdivieso Elier
Published: October 2024

Until 2021, Leopardus colocola was considered a species distributed across much of South America. However, recent studies have shown that it is a monotypic species, apparently restricted in its distribution to the central-northern region of Chile, distinct from other felines of the same genus. This change in its classification and distribution has sparked debate regarding its conservation status, which now requires a detailed assessment. In this study, we analyzed the species’ geographic distribution using ecological niche modeling and evaluated its conservation status according to the guidelines of the International Union for Conservation of Nature, considering the impact of mining concessions and Chile's road network. Presence records of the species were systematized, and a new ecological niche model was developed. Additionally, the Extent of Occurrence (EOO) and the Area of Occupancy (AOO) were calculated. The fragmentation and projected reduction of the niche model, along with the EOO and AOO, place the species under the Criteria B2ab (i, ii, iii), leading to its classification as “Endangered.” This study provides an updated view of the species' geographic distribution and conservation status in Chile. The results are crucial for future conservation efforts and offer a solid foundation for effective management strategies.
Retratação no abuso sexual de crianças
Authors: Dias Baía Pedro Augusto , Dalbosco Dell'Aglio Débora , Marques Alberto Isabel Maria
Published: October 2024

A retratação após revelação do abuso sexual de crianças (ASC) corresponde à negação, por parte da criança, de uma revelação feita previamente. O presente estudo teve como objetivo construir e buscar evidências de validade de conteúdo de um instrumento de rastreio dos fatores de risco de retratação. Na Etapa 1, os itens do instrumento foram elaborados a partir da integração de fatores identificados através da revisão da literatura, de entrevistas a profissionais e de análise de processos criminais de ASC. Na Etapa 2, a primeira versão do instrumento foi submetida à validação de conteúdo por oito especialistas, obtendo-se um Índice de Validade de Conteúdo (IVC) satisfatório (> 0.80). A versão preliminar do Instrumento de Rastreio do Risco de Retratação Após Revelação do Abuso Sexual de Crianças (IRASC) é composta por 27 itens, que traduzem representatividade de conteúdo, adequabilidade teórica e relevância. Estudos futuros devem ser realizados sobre a validade preditiva e a confiabilidade do IRASC
Gillo Dorfles, An Everyday Aesthetician
Authors: Infante-del-Rosal Fernando
Published: October 2024

This paper introduces the Italian thinker Gillo Dorfles (1910-2018) as an early formulator of “la estetica del quotidiano” (Everyday Aesthetics) from the 1960s onwards. Throughout his extensive body of work, Dorfles gradually combined analyses of very different forms of aesthetic production and behavior while at the same time developing a line of aesthetic thought that offered an alternative to idealistic approaches. His approach centers on the interplay between the mythopoetic and the mythagogic, or between the synchronic and the diachronic.
El poder transformador de la estética de lo cotidiano
Authors: Cascales Raquel , Godoy-Domínguez Mª-Jesús
Published: October 2024

La estética de lo cotidiano, surgida a finales del siglo XX, amplía la estética más allá del arte hacia las experiencias cotidianas. Iniciada en el ámbito anglosajón, esta subdisciplina se expande en Europa, como muestra este primer monográfico en español. Las contribuciones, de figuras clave de la disciplina, ahondan en los fundamentos y destacan su potencial inclusivo y transformador, teórico y práctico, consolidándola como una las disciplinas más prometedoras de la estética contemporánea.
O dilema do (des)emprego dos formados na educação superior no Brasil
Authors: Sala Mauro , Piolli Evaldo , Heloani Roberto
Published: October 2024

Este artigo discute a relação entre educação e trabalho, tendo como foco as condições de emprego dos formados na educação superior no Brasil. Para isso, revisitamos um artigo intitulado “A falácia da qualificação: dilemas do (des)emprego dos profissionais de nível superior”, publicado há vinte anos. Assim, recorremos a dados quantitativos sobre o mercado de trabalho para os diplomados na educação superior no Brasil recente. No artigo, demonstramos que, apesar do relativamente baixo número de diplomados no país, já vivenciamos uma espécie de sobrequalificação da força de trabalho, resultando em empregos não típicos para quem possui essa formação, embora o diploma da educação superior ainda represente uma vantagem relativa no mercado de trabalho. Observamos uma tendência de desvalorização do diploma superior no Brasil, levando a uma nova dissolução da promessa integradora da educação. Entretanto, notamos que, diante dessa tendência de desvalorização do diploma superior, ocorre uma mudança na modalidade de ensino frequentada nessa formação, com predominância da modalidade a distância como forma de adequar os investimentos de tempo e dinheiro dessa formação às perspectivas de trabalho dos diplomados. Por fim, relacionamos essas tendências com o processo de desindustrialização precoce do país, que se mantém incapaz de produzir postos de trabalho qualificados e bem remunerados.
Human Computation, Equitable, and Innovative Future of Work AI Tools
Authors: Imteyaz Kashif , Flores Saviaga Claudia , Savage Saiph
Published: October 2024

As we enter an era where the synergy between AI technologies and human effort is paramount, the Future of Work is undergoing a radical transformation. Emerging AI tools will profoundly influence how we work, the tools we use, and the very nature of work itself. The ’Human Computation, Equitable, and Innovative Future of Work AI Tools’ workshop at HCOMP’24 aims to explore groundbreaking solutions for developing fair and inclusive AI tools that shape how we will work. This workshop will delve into the collaborative potential of human computation and artificial intelligence in crafting equitable Future of Work AI tools. Participants will critically examine the current challenges in designing fair and innovative AI systems for the evolving workplace, as well as strategies for effectively integrating human insights into these tools. The primary objective is to foster a rich discourse on scalable, sustainable solutions that promote equitable Future of Work tools for all, with a particular focus on empowering marginalized communities. By bringing together experts from diverse fields, we aim to catalyze ideas that bridge the gap between technological advancement and social equity.