bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Experiences from youth advisors in chronic disease prevention research
Authors: Mautner Dominik , Valanju Radhika , Al Hadaya Imeelya , Barani Meera , Cross Alexi , McMahon Emily , Ren Bowen , Rose Dominique , Sharda Aviral , Sinnett Alexander , Yan Fulin , Wardak Sara
Published: June 2024

Engaging young people in research is a promising approach to tackling issues like chronic disease prevention. Our involvement as youth advisors provided valuable experiences, including being at the forefront of change and learning to work within a research team. Furthermore, our experience provides greater insight and learnings for future youth engagement in research.
Parental executive functions and motivations unveil variations in young children's screen media use
Authors: Laurence Paulo Guirro , de Melo Rodrigues Matheus , Tannus Maria Carolina Brito Locatti , Dekaney Elisa Macedo , Macedo Elizeu Coutinho
Published: June 2024

Background

The increased screen media use among children aged 3 to 5, particularly in the post-COVID era, is concerning. Despite several organizations' recommendation of a one-hour screen limit for young children, actual usage often exceeds this guideline. Objective: This study explored the influence of parental characteristics such as self-efficacy, motivation, socioeconomic status, and cognitive abilities on children's screen time habits.

Methods

Employing a feature selection model, 251 caregivers answered an online survey, presenting data from themselves and on-screen usage for 126 girls and 125 boys. We found that the caregiver’s executive functions, including cognitive flexibility, initiation, task monitoring, and material organization, significantly impact children’s screen time. Results: Our analysis highlighted the vital role of caregivers’ self-efficacy in moderating children's screen usage. Family net income, children's age and gender, and motivations related to children's desires and behavioral control were also significant contributors to usage patterns.

Conclusion

This study offers insights into interventions and effective parenting strategies in the digital age, highlighting the importance of addressing socio-demographic factors in understanding this complex issue.
Adaptation of the comprehensive rheumatologic assessment of frailty (CRAF) as a multidimensional frailty screening tool in patients with rheumatoid arthritis in Vietnam
Authors: Tran Trang Huyen , Ta Trang Thi Huong , Nguyen Lan Thi Ngoc , Vu Huyen Thi Thanh , Van Nguyen Hung
Published: June 2024

Background

In recent times, there has been acknowledgment of the prevalence of frailty and pre-frailty among individuals with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Comprehensive Rheumatologic Assessment of Frailty (CRAF) stands out as a dependable tool grounded in synthesis and clinical judgment. Despite this, a validated Vietnamese rendition of the CRAF is currently unavailable. This study seeks to assess the reliability and validity of the CRAF in a patient with RA in Vietnam.

Methods

A cross-sectional investigation was carried out with 402 patients diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, encompassing both inpatients and outpatients at the Centre for Rheumatology at Bach Mai Hospital in Hanoi, Vietnam. CRAF was employed to gauge the extent of frailty. To establish convergent validity, the scores from the CRAF were correlated with those from the Fried phenotype. Discriminant validity was ascertained through the utilization of receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. Additionally, a multivariate logistic regression model was applied to evaluate the individual determinants’ relative impact on the CRAF.

Results

In testing for convergent validity, a significant correlation was found between CRAF and Fried phenotype (p < 0.001). The discriminatory power of CRAF was higher than those of the Fried phenotype (difference between areas under the ROC curves = 0.947 (95% CI: 0.927–0.967). Variables associated with frailty at the multivariate analysis were comorbitidy, medication intake, BMI, DAS28-CRP, and age (all at p < 0.01).

Conclusion

CRAF exhibited strong validity and accurate discrimination. Incorporating frailty assessment into regular rheumatological practices could signify a significant advancement in the care of rheumatoid arthritis.
Anthracycline-induced hypertension in pediatric cancer survivors: unveiling the long-term cardiovascular risks
Authors: Taghdiri Andia
Published: June 2024

Background

Long-term cardiovascular complications are common among pediatric cancer survivors, and anthracycline-induced hypertension has become an essential reason for concern. Compared to non-cancer controls, survivors have a higher prevalence of hypertension, and as they age, their incidence rises, offering significant dangers to cardiovascular health.

Main body

Research demonstrates that exposure to anthracyclines is a major factor in the development of hypertension in children who have survived cancer. Research emphasizes the frequency and risk factors of anthracycline-induced hypertension, highlighting the significance of routine measurement and management of blood pressure. Furthermore, cardiovascular toxicities, such as hypertension, after anthracycline-based therapy are a crucial be concerned, especially for young adults and adolescents. Childhood cancer survivors deal with a variety of cardiovascular diseases, such as coronary artery disease and cardiomyopathy, which are made worse by high blood pressure. In order to prevent long-term complications, it is essential to screen for and monitor for anthracycline-induced hypertension. Echocardiography and cardiac biomarkers serve as essential tools for early detection and treatment. In order to lower cardiovascular risks in pediatric cancer survivors, comprehensive management strategies must include lifestyle and medication interventions in addition to survivor-centered care programs.

Short conclusion

Proactive screening, monitoring, and management measures are necessary for juvenile cancer survivors due to the substantial issue of anthracycline-induced hypertension in their long-term care. To properly include these strategies into survivor-ship programs, oncologists, cardiologists, and primary care physicians need to collaborate together. The quality of life for pediatric cancer survivors can be enhanced by reducing the cardiovascular risks linked to anthracycline therapy and promoting survivor-centered care and research.
Prevalence and predictors of hepatic steatosis among HIV patients with and without chronic hepatitis C
Authors: Elsharkawy Aisha , Alem Shereen Abdel , Moustafa Saeed , Elnggar Shymaa , Cordie Ahmed , Esmat Gamal , Moustafa Ahmed
Published: June 2024

Background and purpose of the study

Hepatic steatosis (HS) is a common and important histologic finding in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. However, little is known about this finding in HCV patients co-infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).

Purpose of the study

To evaluate the prevalence and predictors of HS among HIV patients with and without HCV.

Methods

A cross-sectional including 47 HIV mono-infected and 50 HIV/HCV patients. Detailed demographic, laboratory and clinical data were collected. A transient elastography (TE) examination with the controlled attenuation parameter (CAP) was performed for all patients. Steatosis was scored on a scale from 0 to 3 according to the percentage of steatosis involving hepatocytes.

Results

HS was detected in 18 /50 (36%) HIV/HCV co-infected patients and 22 /47 (46.8%) HIV mono-infected patients. In addition, HCV mono-infected patients were more likely to have grade 2 steatosis as compared with HIV/HCV co-infected individuals (25.5% vs. 12%). LSM was significantly higher among HIV/HCV co-infected patients (p = 0.003). When dividing HIV/HCV co-infected and HIV mono-infected group according to CAP values. BMI, abdominal wall thickness, and bright liver were significantly associated with SHS (CAP ≥ 238 dB/m) in both groups. Diabetes was only significantly associated with SHS in HIV/HCV co-infected group BMI was the only independent predictor of SHS among the whole group and subgroup analysis.

Conclusion

The prevalence of HS was lower in HIV/HCV co-infected patients compared to HIV mono-infected patients; we cannot say that HCV has a protective role against HS in co-infected patients. More fibrosis progression was common in the HIV/HCV co-infected patients.
A comprehensive functional performance assessment battery development and validation among football players
Authors: Ghosalker Harshita Rajan , Esht Vandana , Ahmed Sohel
Published: June 2024

Background

Skill and health-related components are required for the assessment of football players’ functional performance, and there is a lack of literature available to measure football players’ functional performance. The study mostly focuses on developing and validating the tool for football players between the ages of 18 and 25.

Methods

This study used a research methodology that focused on the development and verification of a scale. The research consisted of two distinct stages, namely tool development and validity testing. Firstly, the expert panel did a comprehensive analysis of the items and domains of the questionnaire. Subsequently, the Delphi approach was used to assess the content validity of the questionnaire. Later on, the evaluation tool was officially named the complete functional performance assessment battery (CFPA) for football players in India.

Result

The CFPA’s newly developed tool has excellent scale-level content validity, which was more than 0.78 for each item in the tool, i.e., 1 (indicated as extremely relevant), the content validity ratio was bigger than 0.49, and each item’s kappa value was found to be 1, which is excellent. Each item’s universal acceptance was found to be 1 for both the item’s quality and content and Aiken’s V index is also greater than 0.81.

Conclusion

The CFPA is a valid tool in India that can be used to check the functional performance of football players.
Signaling pathways in colorectal cancer: implications for the target therapies
Authors: Song Yanlin , Chen Ming , Wei Yuhao , Ma Xuelei , Shi Huashan
Published: June 2024

Colorectal carcinoma (CRC) stands as a pressing global health issue, marked by the unbridled proliferation of immature cells influenced by multifaceted internal and external factors. Numerous studies have explored the intricate mechanisms of tumorigenesis in CRC, with a primary emphasis on signaling pathways, particularly those associated with growth factors and chemokines. However, the sheer diversity of molecular targets introduces complexity into the selection of targeted therapies, posing a significant challenge in achieving treatment precision. The quest for an effective CRC treatment is further complicated by the absence of pathological insights into the mutations or alterations occurring in tumor cells. This study reveals the transfer of signaling from the cell membrane to the nucleus, unveiling recent advancements in this crucial cellular process. By shedding light on this novel dimension, the research enhances our understanding of the molecular intricacies underlying CRC, providing a potential avenue for breakthroughs in targeted therapeutic strategies. In addition, the study comprehensively outlines the potential immune responses incited by the aberrant activation of signaling pathways, with a specific focus on immune cells, cytokines, and their collective impact on the dynamic landscape of drug development. This research not only contributes significantly to advancing CRC treatment and molecular medicine but also lays the groundwork for future breakthroughs and clinical trials, fostering optimism for improved outcomes and refined approaches in combating colorectal carcinoma.
Application of Quality by Design in the Development of Hydrogen Sulfide Donor Loaded Polymeric Microparticles
Authors: Rai Anjali , Mhatre Susmit , Chandler Cole , Opere Catherine , Singh Somnath
Published: June 2024

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is a multifaceted gasotransmitter molecule which has potential applications in many pathological conditions including in lowering intraocular pressure and providing retinal neuroprotection. However, its unique physicochemical properties pose several challenges for developing its efficient and safe delivery method system. This study aims to overcome challenges related to H2S toxicity, gaseous nature, and narrow therapeutic concentrations range by developing polymeric microparticles to sustain the release of H2S for an extended period. Various formulation parameters and their interactions are quantitatively identified using Quality-by-Design (QbD) approach to optimize the microparticle-based H2S donor (HSD) delivery system. Microparticles were prepared using a solvent-evaporation coacervation process by using polycaprolactone (PCL), soy lecithin, dichloromethane, Na2S.9H2O, and silicone oil as polymer, surfactant, solvent, HSD, and dispersion medium, respectively. The microparticles were characterized for size, size distribution, entrapment efficiency, and H2S release profile. A Main Effects Screening (MES) and a Response Surface Design (RSD) model-based Box-Behnken Design (BBD) was developed to establish the relationship between critical process parameters (CPPs) and critical quality attributes (CQAs) qualitatively and quantitatively. The MES model identified polymer to drug ratio and dispersion medium quantity as significant CPPs among others, while the RSD model established their quantitative relationship. Finally, the target product performance was validated by comparing predicted and experimental outcomes. The QbD approach helped in achieving overall desired microparticle characteristics with fewer trials and provided a mathematical relationship between the CPPs and the CQAs useful for further manipulation and optimization of release profile up to at least 30 days.

Graphical Abstract
Magnesium and Esophageal Pain After Peroral Endoscopic Myotomy of the Esophagus: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial
Authors: Kim Richard K. , Kim James W. , Angelotti Timothy , Esquivel Micaela , Tsui Ban C. , Hwang Joo H.
Published: June 2024

BACKGROUND:

Postoperative esophageal pain occurs in 67% of patients after peroral endoscopic esophageal myotomy (POEM). Magnesium can act as a smooth muscle relaxant. This study investigated whether intraoperative magnesium can reduce postoperative esophageal pain in patients undergoing POEM.

METHODS:

In this double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, 92 patients were randomized to receive either magnesium sulfate as a 50 mg.kg−
1 (total body weight) bolus followed by an infusion at 25 mg.kg−
1.hr−
1, or 0.9% saline. Intraoperative analgesia was standardized in all patients. The primary outcome was the score from a validated, modified Esophageal Symptoms Questionnaire (ESQ) in the postanesthesia care unit (PACU). Pain scores, opioid requirements, and questionnaire scores were collected through postoperative day 1.

RESULTS:

ESQ scores were significantly lower in the magnesium group in the PACU (median [25th–75th], 24 [18–31] vs 35 [28–42]; median difference [95% confidence interval, CI], 10 [6–13]; P < .0001) and on postoperative day 1 (16 [14–23] vs 30 [24–35]; P < .0001). Less opioids were needed in the magnesium group in the PACU (mean ± standard deviation [SD] [99% CI], 4.7 ± 10 [1–9] mg vs 29 ± 21 [21–37] mg; P < .0001) and on postoperative day 1 (1 ± 3.7 [0–2.5] mg vs 13 ± 23 [4–23] mg; P = .0009). Pain scores were lower in the magnesium group in the PACU (0 [0–3] vs 5 [5–7]; P < .0001) and on postoperative day 1 (0 [0–2] vs 4 [3–5]; P < .0001).

CONCLUSIONS:

Patients undergoing POEM randomized to receive intraoperative magnesium had sustained reductions in esophageal discomfort severity and opioid requirements 24 hours after surgery.
Land as an Indigenous Archive in Yvonne Vera’s The Stone Virgins
Authors: Ancic Ivana
Published: June 2024

The article reads The Stone Virgins as a text underlined by an Indigenous poetics that situates the land as a speaking subject and an archive of memory. Its critical foci are African feminist conceptions of the entanglement of human and nonhuman matter and their implications for current conceptions of the archive. The article suggests that, rather than incorporating into the postcolonial national archive the excluded voices of women and ethnic minorities, The Stone Virgins makes legible minority practices of memory making that the archive does not recognize. To account for these practices and their literary representation, the article draws a comparison between the novel’s poetics of land and Indigenous poetics across other Anglophone spheres. The comparison is based in the convergence of Black and Indigenous conceptions of the coconstitutionality of the human and nonhuman. The comparison provides a new critical model for reading postcolonial aesthetic formations that engage nonhuman beings. It furthermore speaks to larger conversations regarding the “ontological turn” of criticism oriented to animist and new materialisms, as it addresses a mode of reading the land in African writing attuned to Indigenous systems of knowledge.
Saamaka
Authors: Montenegro Giovanna
Published: June 2024

The Saamaka, one of Suriname’s six Afro-descendant maroon groups, have lived in the rainforest since they escaped slavery in the colonial era, adapting Indigenous foods and materials to survive in a new environment. In 1762 the Dutch signed a treaty that recognized Saamaka freedom and autonomy one hundred years before the abolition of slavery. However, the Saamaka have struggled against persistent attempts at ecocide by the Dutch colonial government and then, since independence, by the Surinamese state. This article highlights the plight of tribal and Indigenous groups in Suriname, especially the Saamaka, who have protested against logging and mining by demanding rights to their lands. The article relies both on qualitative interviews with maroon and Indigenous groups as well as Surinamese literature, especially Anton de Kom and Cynthia McLeod, to understand the Saamaka’s own ecological awareness vis-à-vis their representation as forest peoples. The article critiques alphabetic literacy as limiting of Indigenous and maroons’ use of orality, which emphasizes collectivism. The interviews show the innovative techniques through which Indigenous and Black ecologies define the relationship of humans to their environment in the Guiana Shield. Indigenous and maroon cartographic and spatial practices are confirmed through interviews and storytelling.
Working Class Peripheries or State Bureaucracy Settlements? Case Studies of Social Democratic Parties Electoral Support in Capital Cities of Hungary and Poland
Authors: Chwedoruk Rafał , Rydliński Bartosz
Published: June 2024

The text aims at the electoral strongholds of social democratic parties in the capitals of Poland and Hungary in the 21st century. Despite the similar history and political strategies of the two former communist parties, they were characterized by a different structure of electoral support. In Budapest, the Hungarian Socialist Party achieved its best results in districts traditionally associated with the working class and the social democratic party of the interwar period. In Warsaw, contemporary centre-left had an unhistorical profile, winning votes in districts associated with the post-World War II military and police bureaucracy.
Baltic Sea during the Cold War: Polish-Soviet Maritime Cooperation
Authors: Będźmirowski Jerzy , Gac Miłosz , Kufel Jakub
Published: June 2024

The end of hostilities on the European continent brought a hot war to a close but started the Cold War. Differences in the approach to many political and military issues of the future world created a divide among the allies. Each of them wanted to play a dominant role in the new reality. The possession of dreadful new weapons, nuclear weapons, singled out two of the most important “players” in the new world – namely, the United States of America and the Soviet Union. They were quickly identified as “superpowers”. The European continent, battered by World War II, was divided into two almost equal parts (arrangements in Tehran between Great Britain and the USSR, confirmed in Yalta), with the border running through the German territory. The dynamics of political changes in Europe led to the formation of the so-called Treaty of Dunkirk.
At that time the Baltic Sea was the lens in which political and military events on the European continent focused. When the temperature in the East-West relations was rising, conceptual work began on the use of NATO and Warsaw Pact naval forces in the Baltic Sea. That work was subsequently verified during exercises that both sides conducted in this water region. The Baltic Straits were the proverbial “apple of one’s eye” – controlled by NATO naval forces but craved for by the naval forces of the United Baltic Fleet, seeking to take them over. And that was the most important problem of the Cold War: what to do and how to move the naval forces of the United Baltic Fleet to the North Sea. NATO, on the other hand, contemplated what to do and how to prevent that undertaking from happening. The Warsaw Pact’s concepts included the conquest of the Baltic Straits, occupation of the Jutland Peninsula, and launch of sea and land operations in the west direction. It was also assumed that NATO naval forces could carry out operations from the sea to the coast of the Polish People’s Republic and to that of the German Democratic Republic. Therefore, those variants were analyzed and exercised within the United Baltic Fleet and under the so-called combined forces (land and air).
This article has been prepared based on Polish and foreign literature as well as archival materials from the Archives of the Institute of National Remembrance in Gdańsk, the Archives of New Records in Warsaw, and the Naval Archives in Gdynia.
Vrātya or Ancient Indo-Aryan Violence?
Authors: Neri Chiara , Pontillo Tiziana
Published: June 2024

Jaiminīya-Brāhmaṇa (JB) II 225 and Pañcaviṃśa-Brāhmaṇa (PB) XVII 1.9 have been authoritatively interpreted by Falk (1986: 29–30) as evidence that the Vrātyas behaved in a peculiarly aggressive way. The present study puts forward the hypothesis that such violence was not a distinguishing feature of the Vrātyas, but an inherited common trait of the Indo-Aryan culture, which, for example, is well documented in its strong warrior tradition, in clashes between clans and families for dynastic reasons, in the frequent use of curses and other acts of verbal violence and in the ritual violence of bloody sacrifices. These various deep-rooted cultural patterns might all have stemmed from the original highly competitive social organization of the Indo-Aryan people. The way in which Vrātyas selected their leader, regardless of his birth status, in line with Buddhist meritocracy, also proves to be in line with this assumed competitiveness of the origins. This paper concentrates on the violence inherent in the Vrātya dialogues and their dramatic consequences. These dialogues are compared here with the Old and Middle Indo-Aryan “verbal contests” on the basis of Vedic and Pali texts, in the wake of work by Witzel (1987) and Manné (1990), who singled out relevant schemes and formulas in both the Brahmanical and Buddhist sources. Indeed, the earliest sources provide ample evidence of agonistic sapiential debates (the so-called brahmodyas), in which the loser is forced to submit to the winner or even undergo a much worse punishment.
Some Observations about Warrior-gods and Distinctive Weapons in the Imagery of vrātyas
Authors: Borghero Anita M.
Published: June 2024

Heesterman (1962), moving away from the hypothesis of a non-Aryan background for the Vrātyas, went far beyond the brahmanical-grounded heterodox interpretation of their culture (see also Candotti and Pontillo 2015, Pontillo and Dore 2016, Vassilkov 2016). The Vrātyas are usually associated with the cult of Rudra (see, e.g., Charpentier 1911, Hauer 1927, Falk 1986) who is regarded as an outsider god. Dore (2015: 55; 2016) remarks that there is no reason to “consider the relationship between the Vrātya and Rudra as being more important or more revelatory compared to the relationship with Indra.” Taking for granted the influence of both gods on the culture and on the literary representation of the culture of this group, the present paper focuses on the analysis of Vedic textual traditions dealing with the bow associated with the leader of the Vrātyas, in order to understand to what extent such a weapon represents evidence of their aggressiveness.
Vrātya and vrātīna in Sanskrit Grammatical Sources
Authors: Ferrero Valentina
Published: June 2024

The present research aims at studying the derivation of vrātya- on the basis of the Aṣṭādhyāyī [A] of Pāṇini and on the relevant commentaries, to understand the Vedic usage of this lexeme and to investigate the origin of the notion of violence linked by default with the Vrātya identity. After a general overview of vrata- and vrāta- lexemes, rule A 5.2.21 vrātena jīvati is used to derive vrātīna-, and the relevant commentaries Mahābhāṣya [M], Kāśikāvṛttī [KV], and Siddhāntakaumudī [SK], turn out to be useful in understanding the many nuances of vrāta-. The derivation of vrātya- appears more complicated; the proposal advanced here resorts to A 5.3.113 vrātacphañor astriyām to explain both vrātyaḥ (nom. sg.), i.e., the outstanding ascetic mentioned in Śaunaka Atharvaveda-Saṃhitā and in Jaiminīya-Upaniṣad-Brāhmaṇa, and the more widespread vrātyāḥ (nom. pl.). Instead, other authoritative etymologies advanced over this last century interpret vrātya- as deriving from vrāta- based on vrata- (‘ritual vow’) or are influenced by the late association of Vrātyas with a violent behaviour.
Violence in Service of Religion in the Pre-classical Sanskrit Texts
Authors: Harzer Edeltraud
Published: June 2024

The instances of perpetrated violence represented here in this essay show a sophisticated society taking care of some exceptional (such as saving a widow) or shall we say extraordinary cases (sacrificial practices), that are not a day-to-day practice. Such occurrences demonstrate a responsibility to the society to deal with cases of extraordinary distress of a situation, but they lack sensitivity or compassion. The sacrificial practices show changes, such as using earlier on, a cow, but as time seemed to go by, it occurred that a horse was used instead. The example used here is of a horse. A prepubertal and just “graduated” Vedic scholar “won” the privilege (in getting kali as his “reward” of the last vibhītaka nut/“coin”) in becoming the butcher for the sacrificial animal at an important sacrifice, in this case a horse. In the second instance of violence, as for the widowed woman, young or old, an option is offered to her that certainly is contrary to the societal customs especially for women, though in support of survival. Be it the venue of becoming a common harlot. As for “expeditions”1 of the Vrātyas, and such.
“Not All AVs are Created Equal
Authors: Stone Tom , Evans Benedict
Published: June 2024

Autonomous vehicles (AVs) have been getting a bad rap recently, but Scott Belcher is on a mission to ensure that tried-and-tested passenger shuttles aren’t tarred with the same brush as malfunctioning robotaxis – and that the public sector is not pushed out of the picture
Evaluation of Particulate Matter Deposition Efficiency and Air Quality Improvement by Vertical Shrub and Climber Walls
Authors:   Department of Environmental Science, Faculty of Science and Technology, Chiang Mai Rajabhat University, Chiang Mai 50180, Thailand, Pumas Pamon
Published: June 2024

Fine particulate matter poses a significant health risk indoors, making indoor air quality improvement crucial. Vertical greenery systems offer a promising solution, but selecting suitable plant species remains a challenge. This study evaluated the PM deposition and air quality impact of six ornamental plants (climbers and shrubs) in a controlled chamber. Almost all plants reduced CO2 by 20%, while PM deposition varied by species, with Petunia hybrid being the most efficient. Total leaf area showed the strong correlated with PM deposition. These findings confirm the potential of ornamental plants, particularly those with large total leaf area, for PM reduction in vertical greenery systems. Further research with a wider range of plants and advanced characterization techniques is needed to refine our understanding and develop practical guidelines for their effective use in indoor air purification.
Influence of Material and Decoration on Design Style, Aesthetic Performance, and Visual Attention in Chinese-Style Chairs
Authors: Mao Yongchun
Published: June 2024

Chinese-style chairs are appreciated by many consumers for their elegant design. The material and decoration have a significant impact on the design of Chinese-style chairs. Exploring the influence of these two factors on design styles and aesthetic expressions, as well as the related visual attention patterns, is of great importance for the design of Chinese-style chairs. This study aimed to investigate the impact of material (wood/metal) and decoration (pattern/no pattern) on the design style, aesthetic performance, and visual attention patterns of Chinese-style chairs. Fifty-six Chinese university students wore eye-tracking glasses to view four types of chair designs and completed subjective rating scales. The results show that material and decoration have both independent and interactive effects. Wood chairs exhibit a traditional design style and superior aesthetic performance compared to metal chairs. Traditional Chinese patterns enhance design style and aesthetic performance, particularly when applied to wooden chairs. Visual attention was not significantly different across chair designs, except for wooden chairs with traditional patterns on the backrest, which attracted more attention. These research findings provide reference for designers to design Chinese-style chairs.
Pertenencia Mutua : Indigenous Oaxacans Contesting Settler Colonial Grammars
Authors: Nicolas Brenda
Published: June 2024

Abstract: Drawing on settler colonial grammar of place , the colonial practice of naming and renaming Native land through mapmaking processes that historically deny, erase, and homogenize Indigenous communities, this essay argues that Indigenous Oaxacans disrupt settler colonial renaming of land by engaging in their community’s collective understanding of pertenencia mutua (mutual belonging)—an Indigenous Oaxacan relational consciousness of belonging across Abya Yala (“the Americas”) that allows them to recognize their role as Indigenous visitors on Native land and as Native to Abya Yala. Theorizing through pertenencia mutua offers a deep understanding of Indigenous efforts to (re)build communities in their struggle against settler colonial violence, including through naming practices and grammar of place. Using semistructured interviews, oral histories, and social media content, I analyze how Indigenous Oaxacan young adults engage on the ground and on social media to unsettle colonially named places by placing their identity and their own communities in relational existence. Such unsettlings call for the retheorization of place.
Racial Capitalism in French and Francophone Studies
Authors: Lyons Patrick
Published: June 2024

Abstract: This introduction presents 'racial capitalism' as a timely and important avenue of study in contemporary French and Francophone Studies. Drawing inspiration from the belated French translation of Cedric Robinson's landmark Black Marxism: The Making of the Black Radical Tradition , it details early responses to Robinson's book on the francophone left, before engaging more broadly with the concept of racial capitalism in its more recent interpretations. Before detailing the issue's contributions, it argues that while work on race and racism in French and Francophone Studies is rich and expansive, work on racial capitalism remains to be developed.
The Black Must Become Dangerous: Stanislas Adotevi's Critique of Negritude and the Philosophy of Pan-African Revolution
Authors: Ajari Norman
Published: June 2024

Abstract: Born in 1934, the Beninese philosopher and politician Stanislas Spero Adotevi passed away on February 7, 2024. He remains famous for his radical critique of Léopold Senghor's thought and political practice, but his ideas are often caricatured. This article offers the first academic assessment of Adotevi's analysis of Negritude. Far from another philosophical deconstruction of ethnophilosophy, he elaborates a genuine critique of state power, neo-colonialism, and imperialism in the African postcolony. Although inspired by Marxism, Adotevi's critical theory must be understood as a pan-Africanist reinvention of Black Power activism and philosophy.
"The cultivator is tired": Senegalese Councilors and the Struggle over Development in the Late Colonial Senegal River Valley
Authors: Diagne Dimitri
Published: June 2024

Abstract: In an extraordinary April 1956 meeting, Senegalese territorial councilors confronted French colonial administrators over a massive agricultural project designed to transform the Senegal River Valley. The Mission d'Aménagement du fleuve Sénégal (MAS) was one of several postwar colonial development initiatives that France pursued to bolster its economy and reassert political authority over its empire. I argue that in the 1956 meeting, the councilors did more than critique the impact of one project on the rural communities they represented. They articulated a vision of agrarian political economy that diverged dramatically from the aims and infrastructures of French colonial capitalism.
Flourishing after the Family: Racial Capitalism and Suzanne Césaire's Impossible Oikoi
Authors: Néméh-Nombré Philippe
Published: June 2024

Abstract: This article intends to short-circuit the masculine homosociality inherent to the current reception of racial capitalism in francophone critical thought. It argues that this reception silences non-masculine critical and poetic promises that go beyond canonical francophone accounts of the imbrications between racism and capitalism. To do so, it briefly reviews the normative genealogy of the conceptual formalization of racial capitalism to highlight the absence of women, feminists, and queer people in the narrative that today reaches francophone spaces. Then, it excavates Suzanne Césaire's prescient critique of capitalism, wage-labor, and the politics of the family, engaging with her articulation of a cannibal poetics.
La Question raciale et les identity politics à la française
Authors: Nadi Selim
Published: June 2024

Abstract: Alors qu'au début des années 2010, le terme "race" faisait s'indigner jusque dans l'extrême gauche, celui-ci est désormais largement mobilisé. Pourtant, la trajectoire de ce concept, loin d'avoir participé à radicaliser l'antiracisme a pu le "ramollir". Une conception de plus en plus libérale et individualisante de la question raciale a pu imprégner certaines sphères. Or, ces dernières années ont également vu une publication grandissante de textes matérialistes, permettant d'offrir un contre-pied à la quasi-hégémonie de l'antiracisme libéral. Alors que l'antiracisme politique, en tant que mouvement militant, a perdu de la force ces dernières années, son versant intellectuel s'est affermi.
" Jaune à l'extérieur et blanche à l'intérieur ": French Asian 'Post-Migratory' Narratives, National Belonging, and Capital Erasures
Authors: Luu Chloé
Published: June 2024

Abstract: In Spring 2020, the revival of the debate over race in France, triggered by the killing of George Floyd and the foregrounding of France's own victims of racialized police violence, coincided with a greater recognition of Asians' exposure to racism. As this last decade witnessed an emergence of French Asian reappropriations of the question of race, this article focuses on Grace Ly's debut novel Jeune fille modèle (2018). I draw attention to the ways narratives such as Ly's, through their focus on the French Asian descendant, their preoccupations over identification and sense of national belonging, struggle to account for the inscription of Asian presence in the longue durée history of racial/capitalist exploitation.
Interview with Françoise Vergès
Authors: Lyons Patrick , Vergès Françoise
Published: June 2024

Abstract: In this interview, guest editor Patrick Lyons discusses the concept of racial capitalism with Françoise Vergès. The interview begins with a question concerning Vergès's relationship to Robinson's Black Marxism , and after a detour through her political biography, addresses subjects including the status of racial capitalism in contemporary French politics, the global concept of the "Racial Capitalocene," the politics of race, gender, and waste in Vergès' current work, and racialized police violence.
A Matter of Migration? Migration Patterns of Formerly Enslaved Statians in the Post-Emancipation Caribbean, 1863–1909
Authors: Raaijmakers Wouter
Published: June 2024

Abstract: This article examines the alleged decline in population on St Eustatius after emancipation in 1863 using the emancipation register, the civil records, colonial reports and newspaper articles. Previous research on post-emancipation migration in the Caribbean has not yet turned its attention to the Dutch Leeward Islands. Meanwhile, the discussion on the slavery history of St Eustatius has experienced an almost fifty-year hiatus. Variables like sex, age, and occupation played a crucial role in determining both the possibilities and opportunities for migrating. In turn, these differentials resulted in multiple markers of identity for migrants.
Ann M. Beaudhuy's Letters
Authors: Halberg Rikke Lie
Published: June 2024

Abstract: Very few records written by black Caribbean women in the 1800s exist in the archives. An exception to this are three letters written by Ann M. Beaudhuy, born on St Croix around 1812. She came from humble circumstances and worked for many years as a nanny for a white Danish family, the Rothes. The head of the family, Louis Rothe, held a high position in the colonial administration. However, when he fell fatally ill in 1870 the family moved back to Denmark. As a consequence, Beaudhuy lost her job, her home, and the access to valuable networks that her employment had provided. In the following year, she wrote a series of letters to one of the Rothe children, the now adult Clara Rothe, who had married a few years earlier and moved to Europe. Beaudhuy's three letters are a rare testimony to her as a person and the time she lived in. The letters project her own voice and words, not filtered through the colonial administration as most Caribbean records of that time. It is Beaudhuy who wields the pen herself, and the letters give a rare insight to colonial life as she experienced it in the early 1870s.
Exploring the potential of a bismuth-erbium-vanadium co-doped optical fiber as a stable Q-switcher in the 1550  nm region
Authors: Ghosh Aruna , Samanta Uttam Kumar , Dhar Anirban , Das Shyamal , Chandra Paul Mukul
Published: June 2024

This paper experimentally demonstrates the ability of a bismuth-erbium-vanadium co-doped optical fiber as a saturable absorber (BEV-FSA) to generate stable Q-switched pulses in the 1550 nm region. The laser cavity delivered passively Q-switched pulses exploiting an erbium-ytterbium co-doped double-clad fiber (DC-EYDF) as the laser gain medium while maintaining an all-fiber cavity configuration. The output parameters of the laser such as output power, repetition rate, pulse duration, and pulse energy have been studied in detail with the variation of pump power. The output spectrum centered at 1550.86 nm throughout the experiment. The system produced stable pulses with a minimum pulse width of 1.83 µs with a pulse energy≈0.4µJ at the highest pump power of 2.31 W. The highest achievable repetition rate was 47.5 kHz with an of SNR≈53dB.
Characterizing the fractional coherence vortices through the area of the intensity cross-correlation function
Authors: Vanitha Patnala , Na Youngbin , Ko Do-Kyeong
Published: June 2024

We have generated the fractional coherence vortices using the speckle patterns obtained from the scattering of the fractional vortex beams. In this study, we found the topological charge of the fractional vortex beam with a resolution of 0.01 using the area of the coherence function of scattered fractional optical vortex beams. We have also provided accuracy for the measurement of topological charges of fractional vortex beams using the studies of the area of the coherence function. Our experimental results are well matched with the theoretical results. These fractional coherence functions can be used to generate a security key for data authentication and data encryption. In addition, fractional vortex beams have multiple OAM modes and can be used to address the explosive growth in free-space optical communication.
Transient behaviors in a spectrum-tailored all-PM NALM mode-locked fiber laser
Authors: Zhang Han , Xia Handing , Zheng Junwen , Li Jianbin , Zhang Fan , Fan Mengqiu , Xiang Xiangjun , Tian Xiaocheng , Huang Zhimeng , Zhang Rui , Li Ping , Peng Zhitao , Hu Dongxia , Zhu Qihua
Published: June 2024

We demonstrate an all-polarization-maintaining (PM) dispersion-managed mode-locked ytterbium-doped fiber oscillator based on a nonlinear amplifying loop mirror (NALM). Experimentally, three mode-locking regimes with distinct tailored spectra are achieved with carefully designed cavity setup and adjusted pump power. Using the dispersive Fourier transformation (DFT) technique, the real-time transition dynamics among these regimes are observed as the pump power decreases. It is revealed that the intracavity gain does not decrease continuously during the relaxation period of the gain fiber. Instead, it decreases first and then increases, ultimately leading to the overdriving of NALM. This is attributed to the increase in the population inversion rate of gain fiber under the remaining pump. The dynamic evolution of intracavity gain and non-monotonic transmission properties of NALM collectively induce chaotic pulsation during the transformation. This work not only provides a new perspective for the design and development of novel spectrum-tailored laser sources, but also deepens the understanding of the transient dynamics of ultrafast fiber lasers.
Ultralow-loss polarization-insensitive silicon nitride-assisted double-etched silicon edge coupler with polarization splitting
Authors: Wang Zhen , Zhang Huan , Ning Cun-Zheng
Published: June 2024

High-performance silicon-based edge couplers for interfacing with standard single-mode fibers encounter significant challenges due to limitations imposed by the minimum fabrication width. Here, we propose a silicon nitride-assisted double-etched O-band silicon edge coupler with a minimum width of 180 nm. Notably, the polarization splitting function naturally integrates into this edge coupler. Through simulation, the proposed edge coupler, without a cantilever, demonstrates a minimum coupling loss of 0.53/0.82 dB with an average extinction ratio of 42/18 dB for TE/TM polarization. Additionally, this edge coupler exhibits weak polarization dependence with an average difference of only 0.24 dB in the O band. Leveraging a segmented taper shape design, the 0.5-dB bandwidth of coupling loss extends to approximately 100 nm for both TE and TM polarizations, despite the inclusion of two evanescent coupling parts.
Efficient generation of high-contrast Bessel light sheets: a flexible method for improved imaging
Authors: Wang Jixiang , Xu Xin , Ye Hong , Zhang Xin , Shi Guohua
Published: June 2024

Light-sheet fluorescence microscopy plays a pivotal role in the field of biological 3D imaging. Among its various implementations, non-diffracting light sheets have garnered significant attention due to their remarkable ability to achieve a favorable balance between field of view and resolution. However, the presence of noticeable side-lobe effects in the non-diffracting light sheets poses challenges, including decreased contrast and an increased risk of phototoxicity. While amplitude modulation-based methods effectively suppress side-lobe influences, their transmission efficiency remains suboptimal. To address these limitations, this article introduces an approach based on phase modulation, facilitating the convenient and flexible generation of light sheets that effectively suppress side-lobe effects while maintaining high transmission efficiency. Importantly, our method enables rapid determination of optimal phase parameters, successfully suppressing the peak intensity of the first and second side lobes to levels exceeding 98% and 99%, respectively. Subsequently, experimental results substantiate the light sheet's exceptional contrast-enhancing capabilities.
Color-switching in an optical parametric oscillator using a phase-conjugate mirror
Authors: Anderson B. E. , Zhao J. , Zhou Z. , Speirs R. , Jones K. M. , Lett P. D.
Published: June 2024

We construct a phase-conjugate resonator which passively produces stable pulses that alternate between the probe and the conjugate colors. The requisite phase-conjugate mirror inside the resonator is constructed using non-degenerate four-wave mixing (4WM) in rubidium vapor. The glancing-angle phase-conjugate mirror is a 100% output coupler, and therefore this resonator is unusual in that no light circulates the cavity more than once. Without the gain of the phase-conjugate mirror, the cavity boundary conditions, and thus resonant modes, are not defined and therefore can be tuned by the pump. The output of the optical parametric oscillator that is formed above threshold can passively mode-lock. The phase-conjugate mirror removes thermal or acoustic instabilities that are on a MHz or slower timescale. This work provides a new method for stable pulsing using phase-conjugate optics, and suggests a platform for producing mode-locked pulses with squeezed light, as the 4WM process has already demonstrated quantum correlations.
Mode-hop-free tunable high-power distributed feedback laser with adaptable rear facet phase shift section emitting at 780 nm
Authors: Reggentin Matthias , Sammeta Poojitha , Brox Olaf , Della Casa Pietro , Stölmacker Christoph , Koester Jan-Philipp , Wenzel Hans , Knigge Andrea , Tränkle Günther
Published: June 2024

We present a high-power ridge waveguide distributed feedback (DFB) laser with a high-reflective coating and a phase shift section at the rear facet. The phase shift section is realized by means of a micro heater that is placed parallel to the ridge waveguide and the uniform grating. This type of heater section is easy to integrate into existing laser designs and allows adjusting and controlling the spectral behavior of the distributed feedback laser by shifting the rear facet phase condition, which makes it possible to overcome the challenges of mode-hop-free tuning of regular DFB lasers with highly reflective cleaved rear facet. Accordingly, we use the device to quantify rear facet phase conditions where mode hops occur, which are compared to theory with good agreement.