bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Sedimentology Study Of Exposed Formations In Al-Assad Valley, Al-Baghdadi Area, Western Iraq
Authors: alrawi Sufyan Shlash , Alhadaithy Abdulhammed A.
Published: February 2024

The presence of the Sheikh Alas Formation, the Shurau Formation, and the Euphrates Formation in the area of the current study. The inference of the Sheikh Alas Formation was from Nummlite fossils and planktonic Foraminifera fossils. The Euphrates Formation was deposited in a shallow marine environment, the Sheikh Alas Formation was deposited in an environment in for reef, and the Shurau Formation was deposited in an environment Back reef. The environment of the Euphrates Formation is a shallow lagoon environment for the presence of milliolied fossils, which represent the Miocene age as evidenced by the presence of the Borlis melo melo fossil. As for the environment of the Sheikh Alas Formation, it was deposited in a marine environment in for reef due to the presence of Planktonic foraminifera fossils and the Nummlite fossil, which represents the Oligocene age, and the environment of the Shurau Formation In a shallow, lagoon marine environment Back reef, there are abundant milliolid fossils. The boundary between the Miocene formations and the Oligocene formations is characterized by an unconformable boundary composed of a layer of basal conglomerate with a thickness of 6.5 m, which is affiliated with the Euphrates Formation in terms of age.
Rock typing and Prediction Permeability Using Machine Learning Techniques in Mishrif formation, southern Iraq
Authors: Al-Rubiaa S H , Al-Shahwan M F
Published: February 2024

Mishrif Formation is one of the major carbonate reserves. Classifying rock types and Predicted Permeability in the Mishrif Formation in four wells (A, B, C, and D) is the primary goal of this research. Using Machine Learning Techniques, this research applies rock-typing techniques like the Flow Zone Indicator (FZI) method. In a core plug dataset, we can use unsupervised learning methods to automatically cluster hydraulic flow units (HFU) based on flow zone indicators (FZI), and we can use a supervised learning method by combining core and well log data to predict HFU (rock type) for the interval depths of the wells without core data. In this method, we were able to classify rocks into five distinct groups, or “rock types,” or “RT” for short. RT1 rocks are the highest quality reservoir rocks, RT2 rocks are of good quality, RT3 rocks are of intermediate quality, RT4 rocks are of poor quality, and RT5 rocks are of very poor quality. Accurately estimating permeability in each rock type, not only does this help reduce uncertainty that occurs in reservoirs, but it also drives improvements in project economics by optimizing resource allocation and lowering costs. This is all thanks to the use of machine learning algorithms, which have proven to be highly effective in significantly enhancing the accuracy and precision of permeability predictions.
Climate Modelling and Analytics for Urban Heat Risks Mitigation and Adaptation
Authors: Yuan Chao
Published: February 2024

This study highlights the need for climate-sensitive urban planning and design in the face of climate change, with a specific focus on Singapore. Rapid urbanization has led to significant warming trends, increased heat stress, and heightened electricity demand for cooling. The Urban Climate Design Lab (UCDL) at the National University of Singapore employs a multidisciplinary approach, merging urban planning, architecture, and urban climate science. The research introduces GIS-based tools to evaluate the microclimate impact of new developments, replacing time-consuming simulations and wind tunnel experiments. These tools encompass: 1) The Urban Wind Environment Model, assessing urban permeability for natural ventilation; 2) The Fine-Scale Wind Environment Model, providing high-resolution pedestrian-level wind speed data. 3) The Urban Tree-Airflow Model, aiding tree placement and species selection for optimal cooling. 4) The Anthropogenic Heat Dispersion Model, estimating the impact of human-generated heat emissions. These GIS tools are integrated into the open-access UCDL Microclimate Digital Platform, facilitating knowledge transfer and empowering stakeholders in climate-sensitive urban planning. The platform offers various climate models and visualization capabilities to enhance evidence-based decision-making for urban climate sustainability and resilience. In the future, the platform will expand its offerings, becoming a valuable resource for urban planners, engineers, health practitioners, environmental experts, and residents adapting to a changing climate.
Color scheme: Implementation Evidence-Based Design for Palliative Care and Hospice Building
Authors: George  , Saragih J F Bobby
Published: February 2024

The number of patients suffering from cancer has increased 27.8% per 1000 population from 2013 to 2018 and most of cancer patients come from Jakarta. Based on interviews with health workers and cancer patients, it can be concluded that there are problems in terms of space requirements and space design in current palliative care and hospice care facilities. This study uses a qualitative method. The data used for this study came from interviews as part of the Evidence-based Design (EBD) process, which was then analyzed using coding techniques and precedent analysis to draw conclusions. It was found that color is an element that can influence human health, the preference for color by cancer patients in Indonesia is in line with the color preference for hospice buildings and cancer health facilities in western countries, and it was also found that cancer patients need a communal area, consultation area, therapy area, spiritual area, and in-patient area. Each of these areas requires a different color scheme.
Learning the harmony of indoor air quality from traditional housing. Case Study Batak Karo, Indonesia.
Authors: Ayowembun A A , Arifin L S
Published: February 2024

Air quality in buildings is an important principle for a sustainable building to create comfort and health for living things and the environment. This study wants to explore how the air quality in traditional housing can be feel comfortable. How the building was designed for passive cooling in harmony with environment surrounding. The combination of qualitative and quantitative descriptive approach was used to analyse the traditional Batak Karo house (Mecu Houses, The Computational Fluid Dynamic (CFD) was used to know how the air movement inside the house. The Mecu house as a vertical building design proposal. This study focuses on elements of air quality in buildings by using the theory from Iwamura Sustainability of Housing, Embedded in the Local Context. The results of this study showed that the traditional Batak Karo House has the pleasant indoor air quality that achieved from the unique type of roof and openings inside the roof.
Potential Pollutants and Indoor Air Quality Variables Association towards Implementation of the Breathing Architecture Concept: A Review
Authors: Fauzi H N , Al-Athas S I , Rini J A
Published: February 2024

Indoor air quality is essential in improving indoor well-being since most people spend their time there. The breathing Architecture concept promotes a strategy for designing indoor space to maintain the indoor air quality. This concept has various challenges, such as indoor pollutants determining the indoor environment to be healthy and decent. This study aims to identify the relationship between IAQ variables related to Breathing Architecture and air pollutants based on secondary sources of past and existing research ten years ago. The review identified 16 articles collected by selecting several relevant keywords in ScienceDirect and screening the title and abstract. Content analysis was conducted to analyze the relationship between IAQ variables and pollutants and their potential association with the breathing architecture concept. The results show that air exchange rate, volume of spaces, relative humidity, and indoor-outdoor temperature are the most potential variables and have a possible relationship while implementing the BA concept. Using these variables, the optimal condition might be perceived since the possibility of lower pollutant contamination might be lower, and the purpose of breathing architecture might be obtained. However, the relationship between other variables and pollutants requires future studies since it is undescribed or may impact other variables.
Shading Performance of Plant and Perforated Metal in The Thermal, Light, and Building-occupant Perception
Authors: Kristanto L , Canadarma W W , Oentoro S M , Wayne B M
Published: February 2024

Visual and thermal comfort are essential aspects influencing the activity of building occupant. For buildings with glass facades, the integration of shading devices becomes essential to enhance user comfort. This study aims to compare the effects of artificial (perforated metal) and biotic shading (Vernonia elliptica plant) on the thermal and visual parameters as well as perception of respondents regarding both devices. The study was carried out using a 1m x 1m x 1m box model. Perforated metal had a diameter of 3 cm and a spacing of 2 cm with a 29% openness factor, while the Vernonia elliptica had 2 levels of density, namely LAI 1 and LAI 2. The results showed that there was no significant difference in the average air temperature and RH produced by shading of vegetation LAI 1, LAI 2, and perforated metal. However, the use of vegetation reduced the illuminance significantly compared to the other device. The average DF of perforated metal ranged from 15.4 to 25%, while a range of 1.9-4.1% was obtained for LAI 1 and LAI 2. These results were inconsistent with building occupant’s perception that the vegetation had a better effect on the thermal aspect than the visual aspect.
Wellbeing Study in Architectural Design Studio for Generation Z Student
Authors: Wijaya E S , Dharmatanna S W
Published: February 2024

Architecture education is inseparable from the studio, where the students spend most of their study time doing the design process. As the building has a longer lifespan than a student’s study period, the studio may serve cross-generational users. It is important to reassess how students feel while using the same space designed mainly for the generations before them. This research aims to collect the assessment of the studio features, namely physical condition, spatial configuration, flexibility, accessibility, room facility, room performance, and satisfaction, as well as self-assessed well-being by Generation Z respondents. Online questionnaires were given to 80 students during their second year of study in the undergraduate architecture department, as they experienced different studio conditions in their 3rd and 4th semesters. The result is that the students feel more fit with the studio in the 4th semester in every aspect, except the studio’s zone clarity. They assessed the same level of well-being also. Comfortability, ease of interaction, and furniture condition are considered essential for the students, as well as group partners and relations with tutors, to make them comfortable in the Studio.
Polarization-independent dislocation modes in photonic crystals
Authors: Zhang Wen-Jin , Mo Hao-Chang , Gao Zi-Xuan , Chen Xiao-Dong , Dong Jian-Wen
Published: February 2024

Recently, gapless dislocation modes along the synthetic translation dimensions are proposed in two-dimensional photonic crystals. However, gapless dislocation modes are specific to either transverse magnetic or transverse electric polarization, hindering their utility in polarization-independent optics. In this work, we achieve polarization-independent dislocation modes in the crossing of gapless dislocation modes of two polarizations. The frequencies of TM and TE polarized dislocation modes change with the translation parameter. By selecting suitable translation parameter, we realize TM and TE polarized dislocation modes at the same frequency within a single dislocation. We not only realize dual-polarization gapless dislocation modes but also investigate their eigen field characteristics with different frequencies. Our work offers a novel strategy for developing polarization-independent topological photonic devices.
Synthesis of bimetallic Ni-Pt/SAPO-11 composite and the catalytic application in n-heptane hydroisomerization
Authors: Jiang Zhen , Chen Liduo , Cui Yanhong , Suo Yanhua , Zhang Wei , Zhou Yisi , Wang Yingjun
Published: February 2024

The monometallic Pt/SAPO-11 and bimetallic Ni-Pt/SAPO-11 catalysts were synthesized with Instant Exactness Synthesis (IES) method and characterized by XRD, nitrogen adsorption–desorption, SEM, TEM, FT-IR, Py-IR, NH3-TPD and XPS, and their properties were evaluated for the n-heptane hydroisomerization. The catalysts had spherical structure and moderate acid strength, and exhibited good n-heptane conversion and catalytic selectivity toward n-heptane isomers. Typically, Ni-Pt/SAPO-11 exhibited an isomer selectivity of 80.9% with a conversion of 69.9% at 310 °C, which was obviously better than Pt/SAPO-11 (isomer selectivity of 75.1% with a conversion of 60.6% at 310 °C). Moreover, the Ni-Pt/SAPO-11 catalyst displayed higher percentage of i-heptane (79%) and lower percentage of n-heptane (6%) than Pt/SAPO-11. The continuous test of 360 min indicated Ni-Pt/SAPO-11 catalyst had good catalytic stability. Bimetallic Ni-Pt alloy loaded on SAPO-11 had significantly effect on catalytic properties of n-heptane hydroisomerization.
Enhanced hydrophilicity of low melting point polylactic acid by butenediol vinyl alcohol copolymer via melt blending
Authors: Xing Jian , Li Rongnan
Published: February 2024

In order to solve the poor hydrophilicity of low melting point polylactic acid (LMPLA) limiting its application in absorbent sanitary products. LMPLA/butenediol vinyl alcohol copolymer (BVOH) blends with different ratios were manufactured by simple melt blending. The BVOH exhibited good compatibility and dispersity in LMPLA matrix without chemical reaction, and LMPLA/BVOH blends showed sea-island structure. The introduction of BVOH could promote the crystallization of LMPLA and improve the crystallinity, whereas the crystallization of BVOH were limited. Furthermore, the introduction of BVOH could also decrease the thermal stability of LMPLA without affecting its application, but the tensile stress of LMPLA could be significantly increased. The tensile stress of LMPLA/BVOH blends could reach 78.59 MPa (increased by 10.9%) when he BVOH content was 3 wt%. Most importantly, the introduction of BVOH could significantly improve the hydrophilicity of LMPLA. The initial water contact angle decreased from 68.5° to 51.4° with the increase of BVOH content, and the contact angle decreased from 63.7° to 44.6° at 60 s. Moreover, the contact angle change rate of LMPLA/BVOH blends increased with the increase of BVOH content at different contact time, which also indicated adding BVOH could sharply improve the hydrophilicity of LMPLA.
Gliding arc discharge in combination with Cu/Cu2O electrocatalysis for ammonia production
Authors: LIU 刘 Xue 学 , ZHANG 张 Jiawei 佳伟 , HE 何 Yi 弈 , HUANG 黄 Jiamin 嘉敏 , MA 马 Xiaoping 晓萍 , ZHANG 张 Xiaoman 潇漫 , LU 卢 Manting 曼婷 , XIN 辛 Yu 煜
Published: February 2024

Highly efficient and green ammonia production is an important demand for modern agriculture. In this study, a two-step ammonia production method is developed using a gliding arc discharge in combination with Cu/Cu2O electrocatalysis. In this method, NO
x
is provided by the gliding arc discharge and then electrolyzed by Cu/Cu2O after alkaline absorption. The electrical characteristics, the optical characteristics and the NO
x
production are investigated in discharges at different input voltage and the gas flow. The dependence of ammonia production through Cu/Cu2O electrocatalysis on pH value and reduction potential are determined by colorimetric method. In our study, two discharge modes are observed. At high input voltage and low gas flow, the discharge is operated with a stable plasma channel which is called the steady arc gliding discharge mode (A-G mode). As lowering input voltage and raising gas flow, the plasma channel is destroyed and high frequency breakdown occurs instead, which is known as the breakdown gliding discharge mode (B-G mode). The optimal NO
x
production of 7.34 mmol h−1 is obtained in the transition stage of the two discharge modes. The ammonia yield reaches 0.402 mmol h−1 cm−2 at pH value of 12.7 and reduction potential of −1.0 V versus reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE).
Sustainable management model and ecosystem services of mangroves based on socio-ecological system on the coast of Batu Bara Regency, Indonesia
Authors: Rumondang Rumondang , Feliatra Feli , Warningsih Trisla , Yoswati Dessy
Published: February 2024

The coastal areas of Batu Bara Regency, Indonesia, face significant challenges due to the conversion of mangrove ecosystems into ponds and tourist destinations. This transformation not only results in the loss of natural coastal protection but also disrupts hydro-oceanography patterns, necessitating comprehensive management solutions that address ecological, economic, and social aspects. To this end, a research was carried out during June to August 2023 developing an integrated management model for sustainable preservation of mangrove ecosystems in Batu Bara Regency. The research aims to evaluate the economic benefits of mangrove ecosystems, particularly emphasizing on regulating, provisioning, and cultural services. The Analytic Network Process (ANP) method is employed to determine priority management strategies by considering the interrelationships between ecological, economic, social, and institutional factors. The model construction incorporates insights from literature reviews and expert interviews, facilitating the formulation of solutions for various aspects of mangrove ecosystem management. The economic value of mangrove ecosystems is estimated in three districts of Batu Bara Regency, with significant contributions to both provisioning and regulating services. In conclusion, the research underscores the importance of strategies such as mangrove area rehabilitation, ecotourism development, outreach and assistance, and community involvement in ensuring the sustainable management of mangrove ecosystems. These strategies hold the potential to preserve these valuable ecosystems, benefiting the environment and local communities alike.
Differentiable simulation of a liquid argon time projection chamber
Authors: Gasiorowski Sean , Chen Yifan , Nashed Youssef , Granger Pierre , Mironov Camelia , Vang Tsang Ka , Ratner Daniel , Terao Kazuhiro
Published: February 2024

Liquid argon time projection chambers (LArTPCs) are widely used in particle detection for their tracking and calorimetric capabilities. The particle physics community actively builds and improves high-quality simulators for such detectors in order to develop physics analyses in a realistic setting. The ability of these simulators to mimic real, measured data is limited by the modeling of the physical detectors used for data collection. This modeling can be improved by performing dedicated calibration measurements. Conventional approaches calibrate individual detector parameters or processes one at a time. However, the impact of detector processes is entangled, making this a poor description of the underlying physics. We introduce a differentiable simulator that enables a gradient-based optimization, allowing for the first time a simultaneous calibration of all detector parameters. We describe the procedure of making a differentiable simulator, highlighting the challenges of retaining the physics quality of the standard, non-differentiable version while providing meaningful gradient information. We further discuss the advantages and drawbacks of using our differentiable simulator for calibration. Finally, we provide a starting point for extensions to our approach, including applications of the differentiable simulator to physics analysis pipelines.
Optimal transport and timelike lower Ricci curvature bounds on Finsler spacetimes
Authors: Braun Mathias , Ohta Shin-ichi
Published: February 2024

We prove that a Finsler spacetime endowed with a smooth reference measure whose induced weighted Ricci curvature

R
i
c

N

\mathrm {Ric}_N

is bounded from below by a real number

K
K

in every timelike direction satisfies the timelike curvature-dimension condition

T
C
D

q

(
K
,
N
)

\mathrm {TCD}_q(K,N)

for all

q
∈
(
0
,
1
)

q\in (0,1)

. The converse and a nonpositive-dimensional version (

N
≤
0

N \le 0

) of this result are also shown. Our discussion is based on the solvability of the Monge problem with respect to the

q
q

-Lorentz–Wasserstein distance as well as the characterization of

q
q

-geodesics of probability measures. One consequence of our work is the sharp timelike Brunn–Minkowski inequality in the Lorentz–Finsler case.
What Does Taste Represent?
Authors: Lycan William G
Published: February 2024

We have asked what smell represents, and later we shall consider existing claims as to what vision represents, what hearing represents, and so on. Competing answers to each such question have been defended. This chapter argues that the issue of what taste represents is categorically more complicated. In particular, it raises two difficult dilemmas. The first concerns the representation of “intensity” or concentration of basic tastes such as those of salt and sweet, and what might make that representation correct or incorrect. The second is based on the fact that in our gustatory experience, taste strictly so called is only one component of overall flavor, and it is in each of several ways inaccessible to introspection. So we cannot be sure that taste proper is represented by the whole person as opposed to merely figuring in an early processing stage.
Hearing As
Authors: Lycan William G
Published: February 2024

This chapter assumes the majority view of what hearing represents, that its objects are sounds, construed as particular worldly events constituted by wave motion in a medium. Auditory representation is layered much as vision is, but auditory aspect perception goes far beyond layering. Moreover, hearing-as plays at least two central roles in human life. One is in the appreciation of music: tonality; the ambiguity exploited in harmonic modulation; and the expressing of emotion. The other is in understanding speech: hearing sounds as speech at all; disambiguating utterances; and assigning illocutionary force. Music and speech being extended temporal sequences, expectation plays a huge role in hearing-as, but attention hardly any. We learn that the attention theory, so attractive for the case of visual aspect perception, is helpless when it comes to hearing-as. Nor is teleosemantics of any use. Aspect perception is more important than had been realized, but remains unexplained.
Identification and Parasocial Relationships With Video Game Characters
Authors: Ferchaud Arienne
Published: February 2024

The field of game studies rests on how video game players use their relationships with their avatars to fulfill the goals of the game. From studies on the effects of violence in video games to examinations of serious games for entertainment and/or education, all areas presume a level of connection between player and the avatar they control. This relationship is first defined by the type of play style—that is, the approach the player takes when sitting down to play. Next is the avatar—the graphical representation of the player—that will differ drastically from game to game. Based on these two individuals, one actual the other simulated, a relationship of some sort is built. This relationship can be monadic, meaning the player fully identifies with the avatar to the point that they are the same being. In contrast, it could be dyadic, in which a separation exists between player and avatar more akin to a parasocial relationship (PSR). Further, some scholars have suggested that the relationship between player and avatar exists on a continuum known as player-avatar relationships. Concepts like presence and empathy can be used to predict the strength of the relationship between player and avatar. This bond is incredibly important and can be used to predict both enjoyment of the game and cultivate story-consistent attitudes. Future research should examine more closely the nature of PSRs between avatar and player, as this context is relatively unexplored.
Diagnosis and Treatment of Gambling Addiction
Authors: Mestre-Bach Gemma , Potenza Marc N.
Published: February 2024

Gambling disorder (GD) is a relatively rare psychiatric concern that may carry substantial individual, familial, and societal harms. GD often presents complex challenges, with high prevalence in adolescents and young adults. GD often co-occurs with other psychiatric disorders, complicating treatment. GD has multiple biopsychosocial contributions, with genetic, environmental, and psychological factors implicated. Advances in neuroimaging and neurochemistry offer insights into the neurobiology of GD. GD diagnostic criteria have evolved, although identification often remains challenging given shame, stigma, ambivalence regarding treatment and limited screening. Because many people with GD do not receive treatment, identification (screening and treatment outreach) and therapeutic (behavioral, neuromodulatory, and pharmacological) approaches warrant increased consideration and development..
The Biafran War
Authors: Williams Ogechukwu E.
Published: February 2024

From the onset of Nigeria’s independence on October 1, 1960, the nation was an uneasy union of numerous ethnicities whose ethnic rather than national allegiance had become entrenched in Nigerian politics under British colonial rule. These ethnic divisions came to the fore following a military coup on January 15, 1966, that became increasingly interpreted in the Muslim Hausa-dominated northern region as an Igbo coup against northerners. The coup worsened anti-Igbo sentiments in the north and resulted in repeated massacres of Igbos in the region. The widespread killing in the north continued unchecked by a new northern-led federal government that had come into power during a countercoup on July 29, 1966. When the government reneged on agreements it had made in Ghana regarding a confederal system of governance that guaranteed regional autonomy, eastern Nigeria seceded to form Biafra on May 30, 1967. Two months later, Nigeria declared war on Biafra, resulting in a conflict that lasted for thirty months.

Although the war was initially regarded as merely another conflict in the Third World, Biafra propaganda, promoted by a Swiss media establishment, Markpress, ensured that the war and its image of starving children became common knowledge across the world. Markpress’s successful media campaigns resulted in the mobilization of many international organizations in a massive humanitarian effort to save Biafra and Biafran children. The war remained in a stalemate between 1968 and 1969 until the federal government made one final push in June 1969 that reduced Biafran territory to about one hundred miles by the end of that year. The war ended shortly after on January 12, 1970, following Biafra’s surrender to Nigeria. Shortly after, Nigeria implemented a “no victor–no vanquished” policy to prevent summary punishment of participants in the war. The government’s postwar policy has been criticized for excluding Igbos from key political and economic roles and potentially stoking reemerging demands in the east for Biafra.
Gender and Populism in International Studies
Authors: Drumond Paula , Sandrin Paula
Published: February 2024

The rise of populist leaders both in the Global North and in the Global South in the early 21st century has moved critical research on populism to the center of academic debates in international studies. More recently, the current mobilization of antigender rhetoric and the backlash against women’s and LGBTIQ+ rights observed in many countries across the globe made evident that gender is anything but subsidiary to push forward theorizations on populism. What was once a marginal and undernoticed subject is currently at the heart of contemporary populism research. Consequently, an expanding body of literature has arisen since the mid-2010s, delving into the intricate interplay between gender and populism, encompassing diverse analyses and theoretical perspectives. At first, the multifaceted nature of how gender unfolded within various instances of populist politics led researchers to conclude that gender held a secondary importance to the phenomenon. As result, early researchers treated gender mostly as a variable or an add-on analytical component, failing to pay attention to its constitutive and productive roles in populist dynamics. In contrast, a more recent body of research maintains that populism is always already gendered, at least in its current right-wing manifestation, in the Global North and Global South and conceptualizes gender as a pivotal and potent connector of seemingly disparate issues such as race, ethnicity, religion, class, and political economy. Recognizing this intricate connection allows a more holistic understanding of the phenomenon, embracing its complex facets across diverse contexts and illuminating the profound interplay among gender, power, and politics.
Battlefield and Conflict Archaeology
Authors: Scott Douglas D.
Published: February 2024

Battlefield or conflict archaeology is a specialized field within archaeology that focuses on the study and archaeological investigation of conflict and conflict-related sites. It combines archaeological techniques with historical research to investigate and interpret the material remains of past conflicts. The aim is to gain a deeper understanding of the events, tactics, and human experiences associated with warfare and conflict throughout history. By studying conflict sites, archaeologists aim to gain a comprehensive understanding of the anthropology of warfare, including the social, cultural, and technological aspects of conflict. Their work contributes to our knowledge of military history, human experiences in times of conflict, and the preservation of related heritage sites.
The History and Roots of Tea
Authors: Ellis Markman , Mauger Matthew , Coulton Richard
Published: February 2024

Tea’s modern ubiquity as an international drink belies its origin as a plant—typically one of two varieties of Camellia sinensis—grown, harvested, and prepared for consumption in various Southeast Asian countries for millennia. In the late 20th and early 21st centuries, historians with interests across the fields of trade, botany, and cultural studies have become increasingly interested in this remarkable transition and the perspectives it affords on global histories of labor, imperialism, mechanization, consumption, production, and transculturation (to name but a few). Tea’s foodways are both ancient, associated with cultural practices and origin stories found across the countries in which it flourished as an indigenous species, and profoundly modern. It is the ultimate convenience product, mass-produced and packaged in the form of cheap tea bags and bottles of the soft drink known as “ice tea.” Indeed, as a product of international trade since the early 16th century, tea has shown an astonishing ability to transform and redefine itself.

European travelers to China and Japan first encountered tea in the mid-16th century, and it was probably first imported into Europe in small quantities at around this time by Portuguese traders active in the area around Macau (澳門). In Great Britain, where drinking tea became recognized as a domesticated component of national behavior by the early 19th century, tea was first advertised for sale in the late 1650s. Across the 18th century, it increasingly became the focal point of the lucrative “East India” trade (as Europeans conceived maritime commerce with the Indian Ocean world), and its taxation as an article of consumption encouraged the formation of violent smuggling networks. During the same period, the establishment of a semi-regular overland trading network between China and Russia enabled tea to reach the eastern extremities of Europe via a caravan trade that was to persist until the mid-19th century. In the colonies of North America, tea became in the 1780s a focal point of the movement for independence, culminating in a series of protests remembered in national mythology as “the Boston Tea Party.” The rapid growth of the transoceanic trade in the 19th century, together with British imperial ambitions in India and beyond, led to the establishment of tea monocultures in India, Sri Lanka, and, in Africa, Malawi and Kenya, further extended in the colonial infrastructure of other European nations. The emergence of these tea plantations leveraged both the development of intensive practices of cultivation and mechanization (which were to shape global tea-production in the 20th century), and the consolidation of ownership and production by multinational corporations which continue to dominate the tea trade into the 21st century.
Liberation Psychology and the Salvadoran Civil War
Authors: Puerto Alexandra
Published: February 2024

Liberation psychology emerged in Cold War Central America with roots in the intellectual foundations of post-1960s Latin American social sciences. Jesuit priest, theologian, and social psychologist Ignacio Martín-Baró pioneered the field of liberation psychology. He critiqued the epistemological limitations of mainstream Western psychology for Central Americans and encouraged the development of new ways to approach mental health as a collective community need with specific historical and social conditions. Spanish-born, but based in El Salvador at the Universidad Centroamericana (UCA) José Simeón Cañas, and influenced by the social ideas of critical pedagogy and dependency theory, the process of participatory action research, and, above all, the religious ideas of liberation theology, Martín-Baró proposed a new psychology that did not abstract individuals from their social context and incorporated a “preferential option for the poor” into its conceptual model. In Catholic social teaching, the fundamental principle of the “preferential option for the poor,” to prioritize care for the poor and vulnerable, originates in the Bible, but the phrase was coined in 1968 by Spanish Jesuit priest, Pedro Arrupe, and fully articulated as a central tenet within Latin American liberation theology by Peruvian theologian and Dominican priest, Gustavo Gutiérrez, in 1972.Rethinking psychology from the perspective of the poor and marginalized became a priority for Martín-Baró who called upon Latin American psychologists to reject intellectual neocolonialism and build a new epistemology from below, as well as a new praxis to transform reality for the oppressed. He also set the recovery of historical memory, deideologizing everyday experience and uncompromising solidarity with war survivors as essential practices for Central American psychologists. The realities of El Salvador’s civil war (1980–1992) served as the inspiration for Martín-Baró’s conceptualization of liberation psychology, his understanding of the psychosocial impact of political violence and the creation of the Instituto Universitario de Opinión Pública. Unfortunately, Martín-Baró’s work is unfinished, as he was assassinated by the elite Atlacatl Batallion of the Salvadoran army on November 16, 1989, in his UCA campus residence alongside five Jesuit colleagues, as well as a UCA employee and her daughter. Nonetheless, Martín-Baró’s psychological research and practice not only exposed the profound economic structures that limited Salvadoran liberation but also contributed to the emancipatory ideologies of anticolonial movements.
Nanometa Live: a user-friendly application for real-time metagenomic data analysis and pathogen identification
Authors: Sandås Kristofer , Lewerentz Jacob , Karlsson Edvin , Karlsson Linda , Sundell David , Simonyté-Sjödin Kotryna , Sjödin Andreas
Published: February 2024

Nanometa Live presents a user-friendly interface designed for real-time metagenomic data analysis and pathogen identification utilizing Oxford Nanopore Technologies’ MinION and Flongle flow cells. It offers an efficient workflow and graphical interface for the visualization and interpretation of metagenomic data as it is being generated. Key features include automated BLAST validation, streamlined handling of custom Kraken2 databases, and a simplified graphical user interface for enhanced user experience. Nanometa Live is particularly notable for its capability to run without constant internet or server access once installed, setting it apart from similar tools. It provides a comprehensive view of taxonomic composition and facilitates the detection of user-defined pathogens or other species of interest, catering to both researchers and clinicians.

Availability and implementation

Nanometa Live has been implemented as a local web application using the Dash framework with Snakemake handling the data processing. The source code is freely accessible on the GitHub repository at https://github.com/FOI-Bioinformatics/nanometa_live and it is easily installable using Bioconda. It includes containerization support via Docker and Singularity, ensuring ease of use, reproducibility, and portability.
MRI predictors of long-term outcomes of neonatal hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy: a primer for radiologists
Authors: Hung Sheng-Che , Tu Yi-Fang , Hunter Senyene E , Guimaraes Carolina
Published: February 2024

This review aims to serve as a foundational resource for general radiologists, enhancing their understanding of the role of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) in early prognostication for newborns diagnosed with hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy (HIE). The article explores the application of MRI as a predictive instrument for determining long-term outcomes in newborns affected by HIE. With HIE constituting a leading cause of neonatal mortality and severe long-term neurodevelopmental impairments, early identification of prognostic indicators is crucial for timely intervention and optimal clinical management. We examine current literature and recent advancements to provide an in-depth overview of MRI predictors, encompassing brain injury patterns, injury scoring systems, spectroscopy, and diffusion imaging. The potential of these MRI biomarkers in predicting long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes and the probability of epilepsy is also discussed.
Cross-frequency cortex–muscle interactions are abnormal in young people with dystonia
Authors: Guo Zhenghao , Lin Jean-Pierre , Simeone Osvaldo , Mills Kerry R , Cvetkovic Zoran , McClelland Verity M
Published: February 2024

Sensory processing and sensorimotor integration are abnormal in dystonia, including impaired modulation of beta-corticomuscular coherence. However, cortex–muscle interactions in either direction are rarely described, with reports limited predominantly to investigation of linear coupling, using corticomuscular coherence or Granger causality. Information-theoretic tools such as transfer entropy detect both linear and non-linear interactions between processes. This observational case–control study applies transfer entropy to determine intra- and cross-frequency cortex–muscle coupling in young people with dystonia/dystonic cerebral palsy. Fifteen children with dystonia/dystonic cerebral palsy and 13 controls, aged 12–18 years, performed a grasp task with their dominant hand. Mechanical perturbations were provided by an electromechanical tapper. Bipolar scalp EEG over contralateral sensorimotor cortex and surface EMG over first dorsal interosseous were recorded. Multi-scale wavelet transfer entropy was applied to decompose signals into functional frequency bands of oscillatory activity and to quantify intra- and cross-frequency coupling between brain and muscle. Statistical significance against the null hypothesis of zero transfer entropy was established, setting individual 95% confidence thresholds. The proportion of individuals in each group showing significant transfer entropy for each frequency combination/direction was compared using Fisher's exact test, correcting for multiple comparisons. Intra-frequency transfer entropy was detected in all participants bidirectionally in the beta (16–32 Hz) range and in most participants from EEG to EMG in the alpha (8–16 Hz) range. Cross-frequency transfer entropy across multiple frequency bands was largely similar between groups, but a specific coupling from low-frequency EMG to beta EEG was significantly reduced in dystonia [P = 0.0061 (corrected)]. The demonstration of bidirectional cortex–muscle communication in dystonia emphasizes the value of transfer entropy for exploring neural communications in neurological disorders. The novel finding of diminished coupling from low-frequency EMG to beta EEG in dystonia suggests impaired cortical feedback of proprioceptive information with a specific frequency signature that could be relevant to the origin of the excessive low-frequency drive to muscle.
Diversity of flavour characteristics of table grapes and their contributing volatile compounds analysed by the solvent-assisted flavour evaporation method
Authors: Moriyama Kazuki , Kono Atsushi , Matsuzaki Ryusuke , Azuma Akifumi , Onoue Noriyuki , Sekozawa Yoshihiko , Sato Akihiko , Sugaya Sumiko
Published: February 2024

To identify the compounds that contribute to the diverse flavours of table grapes, the flavours and volatile compounds of 38 grape cultivars harvested over 3 years are evaluated through sensory analysis and solvent-assisted flavour evaporation (SAFE). The cultivars are characterized and grouped into seven clusters by hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) using sensory evaluation data with a flavour wheel specific to table grapes. These clusters were similar to conventional flavour classifications, except that the foxy and neutral cultivars form multiple clusters, highlighting the flavour diversity of table grapes. The SAFE method provides a comprehensive profile of the volatile compounds, including slightly volatile compounds whose profiles are lacking in hybrid grapes and Vitis rotundifolia. The sensory evaluation is supported by the volatile compound profiles, and relationships between the datasets are clarified by multivariate analysis. Specific accumulations and combinations of compounds (α-pinene, β-pinene, phenylethyl alcohol, furaneol, mesifurane, methyl N-formylanthranilate, and mixed ethyl ester and monoterpenoid) were also identified that contribute to the diversity of flavours (fresh green, floral, fruity, fatty green, sweet, fermented/sour) in table grapes, including linalool and linalool analogues (muscat flavour) along with ethyl ester and hydroxyethyl esters (foxy flavour). The accumulation of these compounds was positively related to a higher flavour intensity. Their specific accumulation and combination supported the flavour diversity of table grapes. This study identified novel flavour-associated compound profiles in table grapes through in-depth volatile compound analysis and non-conventional multivariate analysis.
Probability of stability calculation of MIMOn cascade non-linear systems with random parameters
Authors: Zlatkovic Bojana M , Samardzic Biljana
Published: February 2024

The stability problem of Multiple n Inputs and Multiple n Outputs (MIMOn) cascade non-linear systems with random parameters is considered in this paper using the probability of stability estimation method. MIMOn cascade non-linear systems, particularly when the number of inputs and outputs exceeds three (n > 3), exhibit a unique property: the appearance of spatial hyperchaos that can lead to system instability. To achieve desired spatial dynamics and prevent the occurrence of spatial hyperchaos, it is necessary to select the appropriate parameter values for these systems. Moreover, the optimal parameter values enable the attainment of the highest probability of stability for stochastic MIMOn systems. The research presents the results of stability analysis using tools such as bifurcation diagram, Lyapunov diagram and spatial phase portraits, generated through MATLAB M-files, with a specific focus on a stochastic MIMO5 system (five inputs and five outputs).
A Novel Ex Vivo Assay to Evaluate Functional Effectiveness of Plasmodium vivax Transmission-Blocking Vaccine Using Pvs25 Transgenic Plasmodium berghei
Authors: Cao Yi , Hayashi Clifford T H , Kumar Nirbhay
Published: February 2024

Background

Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax account for >90% global malaria burden. Transmission intervention strategies encompassing transmission-blocking vaccines (TBV) and drugs represent ideal public health tools to eliminate malaria at the population level. The availability of mature P. falciparum gametocytes through in vitro culture has facilitated development of a standard membrane feeding assay to assess efficacy of transmission interventions against P. falciparum. The lack of in vitro culture for P. vivax has significantly hampered similar progress on P. vivax and limited studies have been possible using blood from infected patients in endemic areas. The ethical and logistical limitations of on-time access to blood from patients have impeded the development of P. vivax TBVs.

Methods

Transgenic murine malaria parasites (Plasmodium berghei) expressing TBV candidates offer a promising alternative for evaluation of P. vivax TBVs through in vivo studies in mice, and ex vivo membrane feeding assay (MFA).

Results

We describe the development of transmission-competent transgenic TgPbvs25 parasites and optimization of parameters to establish an ex vivo MFA to evaluate P. vivax TBV based on Pvs25 antigen.

Conclusions

The MFA is expected to expedite Pvs25-based TBV development without dependence on blood from P. vivax-infected patients in endemic areas for evaluation.
Effect and sustainability of a stepwise implemented multidisciplinary antimicrobial stewardship programme in a university hospital emergency department
Authors: Arenz Lukas , Porger Annika , De Michel Michaela , Weber Alexandra , Jung Jette , Horns Heidi , Gscheidle Sandra , Weiglein Tobias , Pircher Joachim , Becker-Lienau Johanna , Horster Sophia , Klein Matthias , Draenert Rika
Published: February 2024

Objectives

To explore effectiveness and sustainability of guideline adherence and antibiotic consumption after establishing treatment guidelines and initiating antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) ward rounds in a university hospital emergency department (ED).

Methods

Data were gathered retrospectively from 2017 to 2021 in the LMU University Hospital in Munich, Germany. Four time periods were compared: P1 (pre-intervention period); P2 (distribution of guideline pocket cards); P3 (reassessment after 3 years); and P4 (refresher of guideline pocket cards and additional daily AMS ward rounds for different medical disciplines). Primary outcome was adherence to guideline pocket cards for community-acquired pneumonia, cystitis, pyelonephritis and COVID-19-associated bacterial pneumonia. Secondary outcomes were reduction in antibiotic consumption and adherence to AMS specialist recommendations.

Results

The study included 1324 patients. Guideline adherence increased in P2 for each of the infectious diseases entities. After 3 years (P3), guideline adherence decreased again, but was mostly on a higher level than in P1. AMS ward rounds resulted in an additional increase in guideline adherence (P1/P2: 47% versus 58.6%, P = 0.005; P2/P3: 58.6% versus 57.3%, P = 0.750; P3/P4: 57.3% versus 72.5%, P < 0.001). Adherence increased significantly, not only during workdays but also on weekends/nightshifts. Adherence to AMS specialist recommendations was excellent (91.3%). We observed an increase in use of narrow-spectrum antibiotics and a decrease in the application of fluoroquinolones and cephalosporins.

Conclusions

Establishing treatment guidelines in the ED is effective. However, positive effects can be diminished over time. Daily AMS ward rounds are useful, not only to restore but to further increase guideline adherence significantly.