bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Attenuated-total-reflection Fourier-transformed spectroscopy as a rapid tool to reveal the molecular structure of insect powders as ingredients for animal feeds
Authors: Robertson K. , Ortuño J. , Stratakos A. , Stergiadis S. , Theodoridou K.
Published: June 2024

Unsustainable agriculture contributes to disastrous global effects – insect-based feed shows potential due to their sustainable, nutritional, and waste upcycling properties. Current EU legislation restricts insect-based meals to fish, pork, and poultry feed; but the near-future shows a great potential for wider acceptance in livestock feed. Black soldier fly larvae (BSFL), mealworm (MW), field cricket (FC), and banded cricket (BC) were sourced within three consecutive weeks – each batch was prepared, freeze-dried, then milled, and stored at −20 °C. Chemical composition of whole-insect meals was analysed for ether extract (EE), crude ash, and nitrogenic contents using standard wet chemistry protocols. Monogastric in vitro digestibility was determined through replicating gastric and full intestinal digestion; during this, R-amino acid content was determined through protein hydrolysis kinetics. Additionally, ATR-FTIR was used for molecular analysis, including identification of nutrient-associated functional spectral bands – structural differences were compared through principal component analysis. Insect-based ATR-FTIR analysis demonstrates notable differences in Amide regions, suggesting distinct protein secondary structures, but overall, FC and BC contain the highest crude protein (CP) levels. The lowest CP content was in BSFL; however, BSFL contained the highest ash content – likely consequence of high calcium. Dry matter (DM) yielded lowest in the crickets (FC-28.6; BC-26.9 g/100 g), and highest in MW-38.5 g/100 g; the sum of CP + EE in MW represented >80% DM, but with higher EE contents-CP: EE = 2.45. Data shows greater chitin content in crickets than BSFL + MW. Crickets showed greater neutral detergent fibre (NDF) than BSFL + MW; however, acid-detergent fibre (ADF) was similar among all species, suggesting NDF may include amalgams of interlinked nutrients released by acid digestion. This first study shows for the first time evidence that rearing conditions and substrates influences molecular structure. Exponential solubilisation was observed during pepsin + pancreatin digestion for all, but BSFL exhibited the highest degree-of-hydrolysis during the pancreatin phase, surpassing others. Analysis indicates protein hydrolysis differences are linked to trypsin activity susceptibility.
Checklist of the aquatic and semiaquatic bugs (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Gerromorpha, Leptopodomorpha & Nepomorpha) of Peru
Authors: PERALTA-ARGOMEDA JORGE LUIS , RODRIGUES JULIANA MOURÃO DOS SANTOS , HUAMANTINCO-ARAUJO ANA , MOREIRA FELIPE FERRAZ FIGUEIREDO
Published: June 2024

The Peruvian fauna of aquatic and semiaquatic bugs comprises 233 species, representing 70 genera, 15 tribes, 29 subfamilies, and 16 families. Many of these species (22%) are endemic to the country, while 49% occur in Peru and other South American countries, 21% are found throughout the Neotropics, and 8% are widely distributed in the Americas. These proportions are similar among the three infraorders treated here. There is a slight predominance of Gerromorpha (48%) over Nepomorpha (46%) in Peru, and both are much more speciose than Leptopodomorpha (6%). The same Gerromorpha predominance also occurs in Colombia and Ecuador, whereas Nepomorpha is richer than Gerromorpha in Brazil, Argentina, and Chile. Within Peru, 92% of the species of aquatic and semiaquatic bugs have been recorded from the Atlantic slope, 16% occur in the Pacific slope, and only 2% in the Titicaca slope.
Effective Visualization of Radar Data for Users Impacted by Color Vision Deficiency
Authors: Sherman Zachary , Grover Max , Jackson Robert , Collis Scott , O’Brien Joseph , Homeyer Cameron R. , Chase Randy J. , Lang Timothy J. , Stechman Daniel M. , Sockol Alyssa , Muehlbauer Kai , Thielen Jonathan , Theisen Adam , Gardner Sam , Michelson Daniel
Published: June 2024

Color vision deficiency (CVD) is a decreased ability to discern between particular colors. Eight percent of genetic males and half a percent of genetic females have some form of CVD, with many in the radar community falling into this group. When presenting data on a two-dimensional plane, it is common to use colors to represent values via a colormap. Colormap choice in the radar community is influenced by the ability to highlight scientifically interesting features in data, institutional choices, and domain dominance of legacy colormaps. The problem with these current colormaps is that many do not project well for those with CVD (i.e., green next to red). In working with the CVD community to address this problem, multiple colormaps for moments such as equivalent reflectivity factor and Doppler velocity were created for users with forms of CVD such as deuteranomaly, protanomaly, protanopia, and deuteranopia using Python tools such as colorspacious and viscm. We show how these colormaps can improve interpretability for four cases: a mesoscale convective system, a pyrocumulonimbus storm, a wintertime midlatitude cyclone, and widespread storms with a large bird migration. These new radar equivalent reflectivity factor, Doppler velocity, and polarization colormaps are designed to highlight rain, frozen precipitation, nonmeteorological targets, and velocity-based items, are perceptually uniform, and are visually friendly for those with CVD.
The Wave-Coherent Stress and Turbulent Structure over Swell Waves
Authors: Zou Zhongshui , Song Jinbao , Qiao Fangli , Wang Dongxiao , Zhang Jun A.
Published: June 2024

The generation of ocean surface waves by wind has been studied for a century, giving rise to wave forecasting and other crucial applications. However, the reacting force of swell waves on the turbulence in the marine atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) remains unknown partly due to the unclear magnitude and profile of wave-coherent (WC) stress. In this study, the intersection frequency between the energy-containing range and inertial subrange range in the turbulent spectra is identified based on the attached eddy model (AEM), as the intersection modulated by swell wave could help to comprehend the physical process between the ocean surface wave and the marine ABL. Using observations from a fixed platform located in the South China Sea, this study shows that the intersection when the WC stress accounts for a lower proportion of the total wind stress (<10%) follows U/(2πz) given by AEM, where U is the wind speed and z is the height. While the intersection depends on the drag coefficient of WC stress for the case, WC stress accounts for a large part of the total wind stress (>10%). Considering the unclear magnitude and profile of WC stress, this study derives a new function to depict the WC stress.

Significance Statement

Turbulence located in the energy-containing range of the spectra is the primary source of momentum, heat, and water vapor fluxes between the ocean and marine atmospheric boundary layer (ABL). Thus, a better understanding of the turbulent structure within the wave boundary layer can help us accurately parameterize those fluxes. In addition to absorbing energy from the marine ABL, waves, especially swell waves, influence the turbulent structure. However, until now, the turbulent structure is unclear due to the unclear wave-coherent stress size and profile. In this study, a function that can depict the wave-coherent stress is proposed. We found that the wave-coherent stress can modulate the intersection between the energy-containing range and the inertial subrange range in the turbulent spectra.
Ocean Wave Directional Distribution from GPS Buoy Observations off the West Coast of Ireland: Assessment of a Wavelet-Based Method
Authors: Peláez-Zapata Daniel , Pakrashi Vikram , Dias Frédéric
Published: June 2024

Knowledge of the directional distribution of a wave field is crucial for a better understanding of complex air–sea interactions. However, the dynamic and unpredictable nature of ocean waves, combined with the limitations of existing measurement technologies and analysis techniques, makes it difficult to obtain precise directional information, leading to a poor understanding of this important quantity. This study investigates the potential use of a wavelet-based method applied to GPS buoy observations as an alternative approach to the conventional methods for estimating the directional distribution of ocean waves. The results indicate that the wavelet-based estimations are consistently good when compared to the framework of widely used parameterizations for the directional distribution. The wavelet-based method presents advantages in comparison with the conventional methods, including being purely data-driven and not requiring any assumptions about the shape of the distribution. In addition, it was found that the wave directional distribution is narrower at the spectral peak and broadens asymmetrically at higher and lower scales, particularly sharply for frequencies below the peak. The directional spreading appears to be independent of the wave age across the entire range of frequencies, implying that the angular width of the directional spectrum is primarily controlled by nonlinear wave–wave interactions rather than by wind forcing. These results support the use of the wavelet-based method as a practical alternative for the estimation of the wave directional distribution. In addition, this study highlights the need for continued innovation in the field of ocean wave measuring technologies and analysis techniques to improve our understanding of air–sea interactions.

Significance Statement

This study presents a wavelet-based technique for obtaining the directional distribution of ocean waves applied to GPS buoy. This method serves as an alternative to conventional methods and is relatively easy to implement, making it a practical option for researchers and engineers. The study was conducted in a highly energetic environment characterized by high wind speeds and large waves, providing a valuable dataset for understanding the dynamics of marine environment in extreme conditions. This research has implications for improving our understanding of directional characteristics of ocean waves, which is crucial for navigation, offshore engineering, weather forecasting, and coastal hazard mitigation. This study also highlights the challenges associated with understanding wave directionality and emphasizes a need for further observations.
A Widening Moral Rift: The Complex Interactions between EU Externalization and Afghan Border Ecosystems
Authors: Nimkar Ruta , Mohammadi Abdullah
Published: June 2024

The European Union has worked with non-EU countries, including Afghanistan, to manage migration from that country since 2015. EU policies regarding Afghan migration aim, in part, to change a migration dynamic in which smugglers have played a key role. This approach was maintained even in the immediate aftermath of the return of the Taliban in 2021 and was mainstreamed into EU humanitarian efforts. Here, we argue that current efforts at so-called border externalization have contributed to a moral rift between the EU and Afghan smugglers, one in which the smugglers develop moral justifications for their work. We show that the EU’s short-term gains with regard to lower arrival numbers have come at the expense of developing a sense of legitimacy for their migration principles, governance, and infrastructure among the Afghan people over the long term. The widening moral rift between Afghan smugglers and EU policymakers is likely to bolster an existing migration infrastructure that provides a logic for grassroots resistance.
Between Informality and (Il)legality: Congolese Migrants’ Survival Mechanisms in South Africa
Authors: Lakika Dostin Mulopo
Published: June 2024

Drawing on interviews with Congolese in Johannesburg, this research explains some of the impact of the discriminatory immigration laws in South Africa that expose refugees to various forms of precarity. I show that precarity becomes a driving force for these people to engage in illegal or unauthorized activities, and I analyze how Congolese refugees attempt to obtain legal status and adapt to intensified discriminatory immigration policies and practices. I argue that the criminalization of migration creates a paradox: it subjects migrants to increased vulnerability due to restrictive policies, but it also empowers them to assert their agency in response. Yet due to the generally illegal nature of their chosen activities, migrants are exposed to more exploitation, perpetuating their criminalization and vulnerability. I demonstrate the adverse outcomes of government antimigrant policies that push people into precarity without necessarily endorsing the illegal activities migrants may employ.
Factors Influencing Adoption of Technical Advice from Agricultural Extension Services: Evidence from a Field Survey in Western Uttar Pradesh, India
Authors: Nagar Ankit , Nauriyal Dinesh Kumar , Singh Sukhpal
Published: June 2024

This article examines the key drivers of farmers’ adoption of technical advice and their preferred providers of agricultural extension services. Based on a primary survey conducted in western Uttar Pradesh, India, the data from 272 sample households were analysed using a binary logistic regression model. The findings suggest that farmers’ decisions to adopt technical advice are influenced positively by farm size, household size, average hours spent on farms, training and awareness of the extension scheme. The positive relationship between farm size and technical advice adoption demonstrates the need for extension services to reconsider their strategies for reaching out to more marginal and small farmers, who account for over 85 per cent of agricultural households, by incorporating their priorities into their outreach programmes. Non-government extension sources are found to be important for access but not for the adoption of technical advice. However, in both commercial and public extension services, a lack of faith in extension services is the fundamental cause of the relatively low adoption rate. The low preference of information and communications technology-based extension services underlines that physical forms of extension services are far more important in developing countries like India.

JEL Code: Q16
Household Environments and Cognitive Decline Among Middle-Aged and Older Adults in China: Exploring Gender, Age, and Residential Variations
Authors: Luo Ye , Zhao Dandan , Pan Xi , Lingling Zhang
Published: June 2024

This study examined the relationship between household environments and trajectories of cognitive function among middle-aged and older adults in China and its urban/rural, gender, and age variations. We estimated multi-level linear growth curve models using a representative sample of 16,111 respondents aged 45 years and over from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (2011–2018). Older people who lived with a spouse, but not with children, and those with higher living expenditures, better housing quality, and indoor clean fuels for cooking had a slower cognitive decline. Living arrangement more strongly predicted men's cognitive decline, while living expenditure, solid fuel use, and housing quality significantly predicted only women's cognitive decline. Only for older adults and rural residents, those living alone had significantly faster cognitive decline than those living with a spouse only. These findings underscore the importance of improving the living conditions of older adults to help alleviate their cognitive decline.
An Integrated Therapeutic Application Using Elements of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy in Treatment of Panic Disorder
Authors: Gawankar Noopur Anand , Pandey Smita
Published: June 2024

The commonly used protocol for the treatment of panic disorder has been the application of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). With the advent of third-wave psychotherapies such as acceptance and commitment therapy, dialectical behavioral therapy, and mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT), which focuses on experiential acceptance, there have been variations in the treatment of panic disorder. However, no case report has adopted an integrated treatment protocol using elements of CBT and MBCT. Here, we have presented a practical psychotherapy report of a 31-year-old woman who was treated over 16 sessions using such an integrated treatment protocol based on her personality and clinical profile. During the first phase of treatment, components of CBT were introduced to help her obtain firsthand evidence of her catastrophic misinterpretation of bodily sensations and to change her underlying threat schemas related to physical sensations. Aspects of MBCT were implemented in the intermediate phase to allow awareness and observation of her anxiety sensitivity, discourage immediate reactivity, and reduce overall catastrophizing tendencies. Moreover, MBCT also served to prevent relapse by enriching her overall quality of life by cultivating present-moment awareness through encouraging full engagement in experiences rather than being consumed by future-oriented concerns.
Land, reconfigured: Defying the laws of physics, upholding the rules of the market in the metaverse
Authors: Alvarez León Luis F , Rosen Jovanna
Published: June 2024

Land ownership, occupancy, and use are enduringly central components of economies and societies across the world. Even in a capitalist economy increasingly mediated through digital technologies, land remains foundational to wide-ranging aspects of social life. However, conceptualizations of land fundamentally transform through virtual environments like the Metaverse, where digital or virtual land is a core feature. This article examines the construction and use of land under digital capitalism, specifically in the online virtual reality environment Metaverse. Studying virtual land markets in this environment, we show how land exists in continuous material and conceptual transformation via myriad landmaking technologies. Virtual landmaking offers new capital accumulation possibilities while simultaneously reifying existing market logics and creating new fictions around land. We emphasize how, despite its newness, virtual landmaking in the Metaverse relates to landmaking efforts that predate digital capitalism, from state-led large-scale engineering projects to land grabs and colonial expansion. Simultaneously, land reconceptualization in the Metaverse reflects new economic dynamics germane to digital capitalism, including commodification and assetization, and the rise of digital platforms as both market creators, through digital renderings, and rentier intermediaries. Throughout, we highlight the distributional and political stakes of reconfiguring land via new technologies.
Easy flow: An eclectic cardiopulmonary bypass simulation model
Authors: Najmuddin Ishaq I , Sainath P , Srinidhi PR
Published: June 2024

The aphorism “Primum non nocere” underscores the responsibility of healthcare professionals to prioritize patient safety. Perfusionists, experts in extracorporeal circulation, play a pivotal role in maintaining cardiac function during critical situations. However, the evolving landscape of medical technology has not been without challenges, particularly in ensuring equitable access to perfusion training. Easy Flow Cardiopulmonary Bypass Simulation Model stands out as a cost-effective alternative, utilizing routine CPB equipment found in operating theatres. The uniqueness lies in its incorporation of double reservoirs and two pumps, a novel approach not reported before in educational CPB simulation models. The benefits of this model extend beyond skill development to encompass team management, communication enhancement, and disaster management training. Multiple scenarios, from the initiation of CPB to addressing emergencies like massive air embolism, can be simulated. Although the model requires an instructor, this facilitates the integration of essential professional and communication skills into training. The adaptability of the Easy Flow model makes it a practical and sustainable solution. It provides hands-on experience for perfusion students, translating theoretical knowledge into practical competence. The model's simplicity, combined with its use of readily available materials, positions it to be an accessible tool for educational institutions and healthcare centers globally. In conclusion, the Easy Flow CPB Simulation Model not only fills a critical gap in perfusion education but also exemplifies how innovation can bridge disparities, ensuring that quality healthcare education is within reach for all. Its potential impact on global healthcare training is profound, promising a future where knowledge sharing leads to improved patient care.
Simulation Approach to Estimate the Potential of High-Occupancy Toll Lanes on German Freeways
Authors: Schönhofer Thomas , Kaltenhäuser Bernd , Bogenberger Klaus
Published: June 2024

This paper focuses on the potential of HOT lanes (high-occupancy toll lanes) in Germany. For this, various scenarios were defined and simulated on a synthetic road network that adheres to German guidelines. The results demonstrated that HOT lanes offered travel time advantages for carpoolers and HOT vehicles but led to longer travel times for single-occupancy vehicles and trucks. Scenarios with higher costs per kilometer generally reinforced the promotion of high-occupancy vehicles and encouraged a shift toward public transport. In contrast, low cost rates had a negative impact on the desired modal split, as the low cost of using the HOT lane became an incentive for comfortable HOT travel rather than carpooling or using public transport. With regard to CO2 and NOx emissions, we demonstrated the unexpected consequences of HOT lanes, when the general traffic flow worsened. In all scenarios, the emissions for both groups were consistently higher than in the baseline scenario without a managed lane, because of the reduced traffic flow. Overall, scenarios with higher costs per kilometer were more favorable in relation to emissions, as the displacement effect toward carpooling vehicles and public transport reduced the overall number of vehicles in the system. This issue may need to be addressed with the implementation of intelligent traffic management systems, especially those that can influence speed. Taking a comprehensive view of the results, HOT lanes in Germany offer the potential for improving traffic conditions and optimizing modal split. However, the limitations of their application must be taken into account.
Resilient Moduli Characterization of Cement-Treated Silt at High Compaction Energy Conditions
Authors: Kumar Prince , Puppala Anand J. , Congress Surya S. C. , Tingle Jeb S.
Published: June 2024

The design and performance of a flexible pavement depend on several parameters, and one of the important parameters is the resilient modulus ( MR) of subgrade soil. The resilient modulus has been used to characterize the subgrade soil behavior under repeated traffic loading conditions. Cement is widely used by defense and highway agencies to stabilize and improve the performance of problematic natural subgrade soils. Several research studies were conducted on the resilient behavior of cement-treated sandy and clayey soils compacted at standard Proctor energy conditions. However, there is a knowledge gap in understanding of the resilient behavior of cement-treated silt compacted at higher compaction energy conditions. Therefore, the current research study assessed the resilient moduli properties of cement-treated silt compacted at higher energy conditions using a modified Proctor energy effort. Subsequently, repeated load triaxial (RLT) tests were conducted on these soil specimens prepared at different cement dosages and curing periods to study their influence on soil stiffness. Untreated soil specimens exhibited stress-softening behavior with an increase in deviator stress, whereas cement-treated soil specimens exhibited stress-hardening behavior. The resilient modulus increased with an increase in cement dosage. Further, regression analyses were conducted on RLT test results using two- and three-parameter models to determine the respective regression constants. It was observed that the three-parameter model, which uses bulk and octahedral shear stresses, exhibited an excellent fit with the experimental data and provided the best predictions of resilient modulus properties of the cement-treated silt at high compaction energy conditions.
Examining Differences Among Latinos Not Adherent to Cancer Screening Guidelines: A Latent Class Analysis
Authors: Mojica Cynthia M. , Almatkyzy Gulaiim , Sakuma Kari-Lyn
Published: June 2024

Cancer screening rates are low among Hispanic individuals. We examined subgroups of Latinos not adherent to cancer screening guidelines, using latent class analyses, to identify how different facets of cultural identity and risk factors might coalesce. Analyses of 2,873 Hispanic/Latino individuals revealed six latent classes: Connected Immigrants, Bridging Locals, Rooted Locals, Bridging Immigrants, Isolated Locals, and Connected Locals. Multinomial regression analysis also was used to examine sociodemographic and health care predictors of belonging to each latent class. Results show that the Connected Immigrants group, who are highly connected with their Latin culture and Spanish language dominant, stood in stark contrast to Rooted Locals, US born and English language dominant with non-Hispanic/Latino friendship groups. Rooted Locals also were more likely to have a usual source of care and less likely to have visited a doctor in the past year. These differences could shape health messaging beyond common variables such as ethnicity and language.
Generation Z’s Challenges to Financial Independence: Adolescents’ and Early Emerging Adults’ Perspectives on Their Financial Futures
Authors: Rubin Jennifer D. , Chen Katharine , Tung Allie
Published: June 2024

This research examines how shared generational challenges, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, shape Generation Z’s perceptions of their financial futures in the United States. We were particularly attentive to young people’s future orientation—an individual’s image of their future—as they developed aspirations, expectations, and plans for attaining financial independence in adulthood. In-depth interviews were conducted with 32 adolescents and early emerging adults (aged 14–22) from Washington State who were diverse in race and gender. We found that participants perceived the instability of the economic system in the U.S. as restricting Generation Z’s ability to imagine and prepare for financial independence later in life. Participants responded to economic constraints, such as rising living costs and education, by altering their expectations, aspirations, and plans for their futures. These findings have implications for Generation Z’s developmental transition to adulthood.
Precision prediction in grinding processes based on displacement signal conversion into recurrent plot
Authors: Li Xiao , Tang Qian , Li Longlong , Wu Yushuan , Cheng Yihua
Published: June 2024

The processing of grinding data and the prediction of accuracy are extremely complex; this paper proposes a novel prediction method to ensure the machining accuracy of computer numerical control (CNC) grinding machines. It consists of two components, namely the filter decomposition recurrence plot (RP) transformation (FDRP) and the deep inverted residual attention network (DIRAN). A pipeline named FDRP has been designed to address the issues in the processing of data and the shortcomings of RP. Firstly, the displacement signals undergo filtering to preserve essential grinding information while effectively removing noise. Secondly, long-time series signals are decomposed and augmented based on the characteristics of the machining process. Lastly, an RP transformation is applied to one-dimensional time series data, resulting in the generation of images that accurately represent the grinding process. Furthermore, this paper proposes a novel machining accuracy prediction model. The DIRAN uses a multi-layer inverse residual network structure combined with attention mechanism to extract the features of two-dimensional RP, and its performance is better than other typical prediction methods. It can be applied to predict the polar angle of the workpiece in industrial processing and reduce the defect rate.
An assessment of the correlations and causations of palaeo-hydroclimatic variability in India’s monsoon-dominated Central Himalaya
Authors: Arora Prachita , Nawaz Ali Sheikh , Singh Priyanka , Shekhar Mayank , Morthekai P. , Ghosh Ruby , Maharana Pyarimohan
Published: June 2024

The Indian Central Himalaya Region (ICHR), the northern topographic front of the Indian summer monsoon (ISM), is an ideal location to study topography-climate interactions because two weather systems—the ISM and mid-latitude westerlies (MLW)—create distinct eco-climatic regimes from tundra (north) to tropical (south). The region’s paleoclimatic studies show considerable climatic variations since the late Pleistocene. We evaluated 29 paleoclimatic records from the region and synthesized the results semi-quantitatively using the weighted palaeoclimate index (WApCI) to better understand the important climatic events and their driving mechanisms. According to the WApCI, the region has at least six enhanced monsoonal periods and eight drier spells during the past 34 ka. The cold-dry climatic events, such as the last glacial maxima (LGM), Younger Dryas (YD), 8.2 ka, and 4.2 ka, are associated with northern-hemisphere (NH) climate dynamics and propagated via MLWs. While, the warmer phases are dictated by the insolation-driven ISM dynamics. The WApCI’s reconstructed rainfall anomaly aligns with paleoclimatic-model experiments for dynamically generated Paleoclimate Modeling Intercomparison Projects (PMIP3/PMIP4) rainfall for chosen time-slices (last-millenium, historical, mid-Holocene, and LGM). Finally, the Granger causality test determines the temporal relationship between the climatic drivers/forcing indices and primary meteorological parameters. The results showed that summer and post-monsoon precipitation is primarily influenced by total solar irradiation, winter precipitation is driven by a complex mix of variables, and pre-monsoon precipitation is driven by the Arctic oscillation. Based on the facts, we hypothesize that past climate variability demonstrates a complex interplay of local and hemisphere teleconnections in ICHR’s climate dynamics.
Evaluation of the effectiveness of fresh frozen plasma transfusion as adjuvant treatment in acute organophosphate-poisoned patients: A randomized clinical trial
Authors: Abdelhamid Somaia , Abel Kareem Manal , Ashry Soha , Saeed Sara
Published: June 2024

Organophosphorus (OP) poisoning is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Recent research has explored new approaches to improving treatment options, which present several challenges. This study aimed to evaluate the role of fresh frozen plasma (FFP) as an adjunctive therapy for acute OP intoxication. A prospective single-blinded randomized clinical trial was conducted on patients of both sexes admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the Poison Control Center at Ain Shams University Hospital (PCC-ASUH) with acute OP toxicity during the period from the beginning of August 2022 to the end of July 2023. According to the Peradeniya score, Group I consisted of 48 patients (52%) with moderate OP poisoning, and Group II consisted of 44 patients (48%) with severe OP poisoning. Patients in the moderate group were assigned to receive either standard treatment (Group Ia, n = 24) or standard treatment plus FFP (Group Ib, n = 24). In addition, patients in the severe group were assigned to receive either standard treatment (Group IIa, n = 22) or standard treatment plus FFP (Group IIb, n = 22). A total of 46 patients received FFP transfusion. The authors demonstrated that the early use of a total of nine packs of FFP (250 mL each) over three consecutive days significantly reduced the total doses of atropine and oximes, the total hospitalization period, and the requirement for mechanical ventilation in patients with OP poisoning, both in the moderate and severe groups.
The necropolitics of military amnesty: Peacebuilding and Othering in Northern Ireland
Authors: E. Beaumont Thomas , Sanders Andrew
Published: June 2024

Necropolitics, as described by Achille Mbembe, is the sovereign’s capacity to dictate who may live and who must die. In its delineation of which bodies can be killed and which bodies must not be killed, necropolitics is the framework through which governments assign value to human life that justifies killing in the name of the greater good. Proposed legislation in the UK Parliament from 2021 suggested the state intended to limit prosecutions of British service personnel for killings that occurred during Operation Banner, the UK military operation in Northern Ireland from 1969 to 2007. Interrogating the employment of military amnesty, we discuss the ways amnesty can maintain necropolitical organizations by working to reaffirm antagonistic relations between peacebuilding parties despite claims that it is a reconciliatory measure. Through a necropolitical lens, we examine historical approaches to military prosecutions by the UK alongside current proposals for amnesty over conflict-related homicides committed in Northern Ireland. Interrogating peacebuilding and reconciliation efforts made in the UK to address the conflict in Northern Ireland, we assert that the calls for amnesty remain under the same necropolitical organization that facilitated the Troubles to begin with and maintain narratives that Other Northern Ireland from Britain.
A Consequence of Social Entrepreneurial Intent: The Good Life
Authors: Zhang Yang , McGuire Stephen , Wang Jinfeng , Fu Tsu-Tan , Tang Robert , Perusquía Juan
Published: June 2024

This study examines the relationship between personal dispositions, social entrepreneurial intent (SEI) and the good life in a sample of 2,000 college students in Los Angeles, Manila, Mexicali, Taipei and Yantai. Social cognitive career theory posits that a specific career choice—in this case, becoming a social entrepreneur—affects individuals’ experience of a good life, and SEI mediates the relationship between personal dispositions and the good life. This article presents and empirically tests a broad conceptualisation of the good life—going beyond happiness and satisfaction—to include subjective and psychological well-being, freedom to make life choices, quality of social relations and pathways to reach goals. Extending the previous research, the study finds that the personal dispositions of trust, optimism, generosity and healthy life expectancy were robust predictors of SEI and that SEI mediated the relationship between personal dispositions and the good life. Finally, cultural context mattered; long-term orientation, low masculinity and high indulgence partially moderated the disposition-to-SEI-to-good life relationship.
Challenges and Cracks: Ethical Issues in the Development of Artificial Intelligence
Authors: GAO DI , YU DAHUAI
Published: June 2024

In June 2023, the Nishan Dialogue on Digital Civilisation of the World Internet Conference was held in China. At this conference, China proposed for the first time, in the era of artificial intelligence (AI), to build a digital world of exchange, mutual appreciation and tolerance, hoping to gather the wisdom of the internet community and seek the governance of digital civilisation. In recent years, with the rapid development and wide recognition of AI technology, how to solve the AI ethical issues generally faced by the international community has become the focus of attention. By analysing the current status of AI ethics and governance in the United States and the European Union, and comparing it with China’s development in recent years, this article further advances the exploration of Chinese solutions to the global ethical governance of AI. On this basis, it responds positively to the call of the United Nations and international organisations to explore solutions to the four main realities of: (a) phenomenon of alienation of labour competition brought about by AI technology; (b) infringement of the subject’s personal privacy and impact on the ethics of responsibility for awareness and undermining of social fairness; (c) justice to seek a path of avoidance for collaborative governance from government supervision, public constraints, technology; and (d) sound mechanisms, which can actively promote global AI ethics.
A Case Report of an Adolescent Girl with Schizencephaly and Psychosis: Causal or Co-incidental?
Authors: Veeraraghavan Vishnupriya
Published: June 2024

Schizencephaly is an uncommon congenital malformation of the central nervous system. It affects the development of the cerebral cortex. It is characterized by a gray matter–lined cleft filled with cerebrospinal fluid that extends from the pial surface to the ventricle. Types are open and closed lip. Etiology can be due to localized ischemia in periventricular germinal matrix, an extreme variant of cortical dysplasia, and autosomal recessive gene involvement. Age of detection ranges from 8 months to 30 years. Scientific literature regarding the association between schizencephaly and psychosis is scarce. Here, we present the first adolescent case in the literature of a 16-year-old female child with schizencephaly and psychosis.
‘Funny’ Politics: Stand-up Political Comedy, Public Engagement, Critical Thinking, and Opinion Sharing in India
Authors: Saxena Keya , Ofori-Parku S. Senyo
Published: June 2024

This study hypothesised that (a) exposure to online comedy about political issues promotes public engagement, critical thinking, and opinion sharing; (b) the relationship between exposure to online comedy and the dependent variables is mediated by self-perception of critical thinking on religious freedom (as an example of social justice issues); and (c) the relationship between online comedy and dependent variables (perception of public engagement and opinion leadership) is moderated by individuals’ self-reported political leaning. A post-test-only between-subject experimental design with a control group was conducted using a sample drawn from an online panel ( N = 576). The treatment group was shown a video of political stand-up comedy and asked about their perceptions of public engagement, critical thinking, and opinion sharing. The control group did not view any videos before answering the questionnaire. It was observed that viewing online political comedy is associated with lower self-reported public engagement and opinion leadership on digital platforms. The results of this study in a non-Western developing country context indicate a positive relationship between exposure to online political comedy and public engagement, critical thinking, and opinion sharing.
Small Town Stardom and the Big Picture: Cinematic Intimacies on TikTok
Authors: Dey Ishani
Published: June 2024

This article demonstrates how new media technologies remediate traditional cinematic modes of stardom, specifically in and through small towns in India. Through two case studies, it explores registers of stardom that have emerged through the short video sharing app TikTok – both on the platform and in its filmic renditions. The first case looks at the cinematic construct of a TikTok star, which fuels the formal and narrative force of the 2019 film Bala (dir. Amar Kaushik). Bala illustrates how cinema can self-reflexively interweave traditional tropes with new media technologies. The second case features a ‘real-life’ TikTok star and political aspirant who brings into focus the political and electoral valence of TikTok stardom in the town of Adampur, Haryana. The cinematic is central to this narrative, where cinephilic nostalgia indicates a shared cultural intimacy between the political candidate and her followers and helps further her political ambitions. While the real TikTok star, Sonali Phogat, directly addresses her constituency, lip-syncing to old movie songs in 15-second videos, her reel counterparts pay homage to their cine-ancestors, 15 seconds at a time. In a setting where ‘the star’ has traditionally been understood through the prism of cinema, this article brings to light shifting registers invoked through the platformisation of the star and the cinematic in small town India.
Shaheed-e-Azam Bhagat Singh (1954): A Curious Case of the First Biopic on the Indian Revolutionary Martyr
Authors: Singh Ravinder
Published: June 2024

Immediately after India’s independence, the Indian revolutionary martyr Bhagat Singh became the focus of several competing biopic projects. A censorship controversy erupted around the making of the now-lost film Shaheed-e-Azam Bhagat Singh (1954), the first biopic on the martyr. It became a contentious site where the interests of the filmmakers, former revolutionary colleagues of Bhagat Singh and his family members, and various other stakeholders like public representatives, intersected with an almost disinterested state. Following Debashree Mukherjee’s (2019) methodological approach of considering film censorship ‘as a productive material site for the study of lost films’, this article enters into a microhistory of this controversy by utilising bureaucratic paperwork and filmic and nonfilmic paratextual material to compensate for the absent film element. By tracing the very first attempts which were made to mount a biopic on Bhagat Singh, I try to investigate personal and political motivations behind the race to make the first biopic on the revolutionary martyr. For this purpose, I employ Chris Moffat’s (2019) mobilisation of the metaphors of corpse, corpus and corps, which he productively uses to understand the politics behind the multifarious afterlives of Bhagat Singh and wrangle over his revolutionary inheritance in the post-colonial period, and make a case for the importance of the study of Bhagat Singh’s hitherto neglected biopics by arguing that the time of their making, their production contexts and attendant controversies afford us unique insights into what Moffat terms the politics of ‘India’s revolutionary inheritance’.
A Clinicopathological Study of Oesophageal Malignancies With Special Reference to Immunohistochemical Expression of HER2/Neu
Authors: Katta Ramya , Kumari Pasam Ramana , Sreedhar Bora
Published: June 2024

Background and Aims:

Oesophageal malignancies tend to have poor prognosis and thus there is a need to identify newer therapeutic targets for their treatment. This study aimed at studying the incidence and histopathological spectrum of oesophageal malignancies with special emphasis on immunohistochemical expression of HER2/Neu in adenocarcinomas.

Material and Methods:

This study was a retrospective descriptive study conducted in a tertiary care centre in South India. Endoscopic biopsies and resection specimens of oesophageal malignancies were included in the study. Immunohistochemical analysis for HER2/Neu was performed on all oesophageal adenocarcinomas.

Results:

Squamous cell carcinoma constituted the most common malignancy in this study. Approximately 20% of oesophageal adenocarcinomas showed positivity for HER2/Neu. A prominent association of Barrett’s metaplasia with oesophageal adenocarcinoma was noted.
A Cross-sectional Study to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of Pregabalin Use in Young Adults of a Tertiary Care Indian Setting
Authors: Guruvu Neeraja Rani , Patil Bapugouda , Marri Dayakar , Kutikuppala L V Simhachalam , Devika Tirumalasetty , Rao Katiboina Srinivasa
Published: June 2024

Background and Aims:

Neuropathic pain refers to the illness that affects the somatosensory nerve system which is characterised by spontaneous pain and pathologically increased sensitivity to both noxious and benign stimuli. The purpose of this study was to compare the short-term therapy of young adults with chronic neuropathic pain with gabapentin in order to assess the safety and effectiveness of pregabalin.

Materials and Methods:

In cooperation with the Department of Pharmacology at a tertiary care facility in India, the outpatient departments of neurology, orthopaedics, general medicine, and psychiatry undertook this prospective, comparative, randomised, open-label, single-centre cross-sectional study. One hundred and thirty-five patients in Group A received 75 mg of pregabalin and were then given 150 mg of pregabalin twice a day. One hundred thirty-five participants in Group B received 300 mg of gabapentin. The Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS) was used to quantify pain intensity at baseline, 1 month, and 2 months later in order to compare the negative effects of pregabalin to those of gabapentin.

Results:

When comparing the two groups’ NPRS scores at baseline, 1 month, and 2 months, Group A (pregabalin) had a comparatively lower NPRS score. At baseline, Group A had a mean ± SD score of 8.5 ± 1.25, when compared to Group B with 8.7 ± 1.20. After 2 months, Group A had a mean ± SD score of 2.5 ± 1.50, when compared to Group B with 4.5 ± 1.80, respectively, which was statistically significant with P < .001.

Conclusion:

This study suggests that gabapentin and pregabalin are equally effective at reducing pain in persons with neuropathic pain. In terms of NPRS score, pregabalin performs better than gabapentin.
Examining the Facets of Burden from Agricultural Injury: Policy Implications
Authors: Scott Erika , Sorensen Julie
Published: June 2024

Agriculture is one of the most dangerous industries in the United States. Loss of life, injury, and illness estimates in the agriculture industry only measure a fraction of the total burden to society. The purpose of this review was to conduct a comprehensive scan of the peer-reviewed literature to catalog research that explores the burden of agricultural injury to synthesize what is currently known. In total, 116 full-text papers meeting eligibility criteria were reviewed. Publications documenting agricultural injury burden were scanned and observations were categorized using a priori themes previously identified by occupational safety and health researchers. Results from this review indicate the true burden of agricultural injury is more expansive and complex than previous narratives on injury burden would imply. Future research should consider policies that encourage the collection of more expansive injury burden data, as well as methods to incorporate them into standard injury surveillance efforts.