bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Technique of functional simulation as a tool for providing the required quality of fortified bakery products
Authors: Tretyak L. N. , Rebezov M. B. , Yavkina D. I.
Published: October 2024

Relevance. The problem of irrational and unbalanced nutrition is relevant for almost all regions of Russia. There is a need to enrich everyday products with micronutrients that are of particular importance in the diet. Fortified bread and bakery products with specified consumer properties in the diet can be one of such valuable products.

Methods. The methodology of structural analysis and design of systems (Structured Analysis and Design Technique, SADT) is often used in life cycle management of complex high-tech products and has not found wide application in the food industry. The authors substantiate the need to introduce tools for functional and graphical modeling of business processes that implement the SADT methodology in life cycle management to ensure the quality of finished bakery products.

Results. An original generalized functional and logical model of the process “To produce enriched bread (bakery products) with regionally significant micronutrients” has been developed. The analysis of the technology of enriched bakery products, carried out at various levels of decomposition of the process, revealed that the quality of the finished product is significantly influenced by the choice of the technological stage of applying the components of the mixture proposed for the enriching composition. It has been established that preference should be given to organic forms of additives — components of the enriching composition. To preserve the nutritional properties of bakery products, an enriching composition is proposed to be applied to the surface of the finished product. The proposed method has been tested in experimental production conditions. Its manufacturability and controllability of the proposed technical solutions are proved. The approach to functional and graphical modeling of food technologies developed by the authors on the example of bakery products opens up prospects for improving the quality of finished products and can be widely used in food engineering.
Reducing the danger of phytopathogen toxins by using an organomineral composition
Authors: Valiullin L. R. , Mukhammadiev R. S. , Samsonov A. I. , Yarullin A. I. , Mingaleev D. N. , Zueva J. V. , Sevostyanov M. A. , Baryshev M. G. , Yezhkova A. M.
Published: October 2024

Relevance. Contamination by toxins of phytopathogens or mycotoxins of food and feed raw materials of plant origin poses a serious threat to the production of high-quality and safe agricultural products. Reducing the risks of contamination of plant raw materials with mycotoxins depends on the effective use of biological products to reduce the toxicity of mycotoxins.

Methods. Experiments were carried out on primary rat liver cells. Primary liver cells were cultured in DMEM medium in the presence of 10% fetal calf serum at 37OC and 5% CO2. Zearalenone and T-2 toxin were dissolved in a mixture of DMSO and 96% alcohol in a ratio 1:1. Zearalenone T-2 toxin and protective compositions were mixed and aged together for 6 hours and after exposure added to a medium with a cellular monolayer. The concentration of bacterial-based compositions KMBI-3 and KMCI-3 was used for research in three variants: 0.4 mg/ml, 2 mg/ml, 4 mg/ml. After 24 hours of cultivation, the cell layer was evaluated using an inverted microscope according to the following parameters: percentage of surface coverage, cell shape, number of cell aggregates, number of floating cells.

Results. A dose-dependent decrease in cell viability was revealed when exposed to zearalenone and T-2 toxin, the most toxic effect was observed at doses from 0.5 х 10-4 and 8.6 х 10-8 M and 2.14 х 10-7 M, respectively. When using the protective composition KMBI-3 at a dose of 4 mg/ml, the least negative effect of zearalenone and T-2 toxin on cell culture was observed. The use of compositions of organomineral origin KMBI-3 helps to increase cell viability when exposed to the toxins zearalenone and T-2 toxin, which indicates the activation of proliferative processes in comparison with the group without the use of drugs. The use of the biopreparation KMBI-3 reduces the pathogenic effect of zearalenone and T-2 toxin on cell culture, increases the resistance of liver cells to the effects of phytopathogen toxins.
Preserving of the bovine chilled semen viability
Authors: Nikitkina E. V. , Pleshanov N. V. , Bogdanova S. S. , Turlova J. G.
Published: October 2024

The aim of the work is to assess the biological usefulness of bull semen when cooled to 5 °C and stored for a period of time.

Sperm cooling is less traumatic for cells than deep freezing. The fertilizing capacity of chilled sperm is higher than cryopreserved sperm, but it persists for several days, which limits its use. The study was conducted using native sperm from black-and-white (n = 6) and Ayrshire bulls (n = 3). Two diluents were used in the experiment: OptiXcell commercial diluent (IMV) (France) was used as a control, and an experimental diluent based on Tris was developed as an experiment. There was no significant difference in overall and progressive mobility between the studied diluents. In most cases, the spermatozoa were alive for 10 days. If we take into account the progressive mobility of 40% as the minimum permissible for artificial insemination, on average, the studied bulls had it during storage for 120 hours. At the same time, there were individual ejaculates that had progressive mobility (40% and higher) even after 168 hours of storage. There were no significant differences in membrane safety when diluted with the studied diluents. When stored for 72 hours, there was practically no decrease in the number of intact cells when using an experimental diluent. The preparation and application of an experimental diluent are economically more profitable than using a Western analogue — OptiXcell (IMV). At the same time, the diluent developed by the authors is not inferior in characteristics (qualitative indicators of spermatozoa), and even surpasses the foreign one.
Using breeding indices for evaluating collection samples of spring barley Hordeum vulgare L.
Authors: Bazyuk D. A. , Belozerova A. A. , Bome N. A.
Published: October 2024

The article presents experimental data on determination of adaptive properties and productivity of Hordeum vulgare L. ssp. distichon (L.) Körn. and H. vulgare L. ssp. vulgare samples of different ecological and geographical origin on the basis of breeding indices. Under contrasting conditions of the growing seasons, 2022 and 2023, 35 samples were studied for elements of grain productivity (ear length, number of grains in the ear and their weight, plant height). The field study was carried out at the experimental site of the biostation University of Tyumen “Lake Kuchak” (Nizhnetavdinsky District, Tyumen Province). The evaluation of productivity in the relationship “genotype — environment” showed that the following breeding indices are the most informative: Canadian, Mexican, linear ear density, plant productivity. On the basis of point ranking on the complex of indices, the best samples were: Zernogradsky 813, k-30453, Abalak, k-31201, Russia; Knezsa 65, k-22809, Hungary (var. erectum, nutans); Rokkaku-yabane, k-10986, Japan (var. brachyatherum). Higher yields were obtained under relatively favorable growing conditions in 2022, up to 439.8 g/m2 for double-row and up to 454.8 g/m2 for multi-row barley accessions; under stress conditions, up to 455.4 and 218.1 g/m2, respectively. Under stress conditions in 2023 compared to 2022, the multi-row barley samples showed an increase in the strength of correlation of yield with Canadian index (r = 0.73), plant productivity index (r = 0.66), linear ear density index (r = 0.58), Mexican index (r = 0.52). Two-row samples showed weaker correlation of yield with these indices. The exception was the Mexican index, characterized by a stable correlation coefficient over the years (r = 0.35).
СВІТОВІ СТАНДАРТИ ЗАХИСТУ МАЙНОВИХ ПРАВ ПЕРЕМІЩЕНИХ ОСІБ
Authors: ТЕКУТ’ЄВ Михайло
Published: October 2024

Метою наукової статті визначено встановлення світових стандартів захисту майнових прав переміщених осіб. Визначено, що реституція майнових прав внутрішньо переміщених осіб державами-членами має через: забезпечення ефективності відшкодування через реституцію або компенсацію (де це потрібно) вартості залишеного майна шляхом прийняття таких заходів: компенсація моральної шкоди, пов’язаної з обставинами, через які сталося або затяглося переміщення та виселення; відшкодування шкоди, завданої внаслідок переміщення та відсутності доступу до полишеного майна, як-от втрата доходу та витрати, яких не було б, якби вони не були змушені покинути свій дім; компенсація за незаконне знищення чи пошкодження нерухомого майна чи втрата значного рухомого майна, спричинені діями або бездіяльністю органів влади, до юрисдикції яких належить таке майно; заходи для допомоги та відновлення, що сприяють довготривалим рішенням, як-от створення безпечних умов, реконструкція будинків та інфраструктури в місцях, куди повертаються люди, соціальна й економічна підтримка всіх переміщених осіб, незалежно від того, чи повернуться вони у свій дім; публічне визнання органами влади відповідальності за порушення прав людини, пов’язаних із переміщенням, детальне розслідування та розголошення інформації про такі порушення, а також порушення, за які окремих винуватців потрібно притягнути до відповідальності. Зроблено висновок, що держави-члени відповідно до Резолюції ПАРЄ № 1708 (2010) мають забезпечувати ефективні засоби правового захисту та відшкодування за втрату доступу та прав на майно включені в ширші програми компенсації за неодноразові порушення прав людини. Підкреслено, що висвітлені стандарти із захисту майнових прав переміщених осіб є нормативним підґрунтям для напрацювання та поступового впровадження механізму реституції для громадян України, що постраждали внаслідок російської збройної агресії.
НОРМАТИВНЕ РЕГУЛЮВАННЯ ЗДІЙСНЕННЯ ПРАВА НА БЕЗПЕЧНЕ ДОВКІЛЛЯ: МІЖНАРОДНІ ТА НАЦІОНАЛЬНІ СТАНДАРТИ
Authors: БАБИЧ Олександр
Published: October 2024

Метою наукової статті встановлено, що визначення змісту суб’єктивного права на безпечне довкілля у розрізі формування змісту регіональної екологічної політики. Встановлено, що відповідно до Стратегії екологічної безпеки та адаптації до зміни клімату на період до 2030 року встановлюється, що основними проблемами у сфері охорони навколишнього природного середовища та природних ресурсів, які негативно впливають на здоров’я людей та сталість екосистем, є: забруднення навколишнього природного середовища викидами в атмосферне повітря та скидами у водні об’єкти від промислових підприємств; нераціональне використання основних природних ресурсів та їх виснаження; забруднення поверхневих, підземних та морських вод; недостатня лісистість території України; деградація земельних ресурсів; відсутність ефективної системи хімічної безпеки; відсутність дієвої системи державного нагляду (контролю) у сфері охорони навколишнього природного середовища; недостатність частки територій для збереження біорізноманіття та ресурсів для забезпечення розвитку природно-заповідного фонду України; посилення глобальної зміни клімату і негативних наслідків для ряду секторів економіки і сфер життєдіяльності людини; негативний вплив наслідків Чорнобильської катастрофи та тимчасової окупації території України на стан навколишнього природного середовища та здоров’я людей; недостатня інтеграція природоохоронних і кліматоохоронних аспектів в секторальні і регіональні політики; недостатність освітнього та науково-технічного супроводу для вирішення викликів у сфері охорони навколишнього природного середовища щодо зменшення впливу, пом’якшення наслідків та адаптації до зміни клімату. Зроблено висновок, що забезпечення реалізації Стратегії державної екологічної політики України до 2030 року і екологічної безпеки та адаптації до зміни клімату до 2030 року є гарантією належності дотримання права на безпечне довкілля. Наголошено при цьому до проблем забезпечення впровадження Стратегії державної екологічної політики України до 2030 року і екологічної безпеки та адаптації до зміни клімату до 2030 року є необхідним віднести наявність нормативних прогалин регулювання права особи на безпечне довкілля через відсутність належного регулювання на підзаконному рівні.
Patterns of fruit production in tropical forests are shifting with negative outnumbering positive trends
Authors: Hacket-Pain Andrew , Adienge Asenath , Bogdziewicz Michał , Bush Emma , Chapman Hazel , Memiaghe Herve , Ofosu-Bamfo Bismark , Satake Akiko , Journe Valentin
Published: October 2024

The impacts of climate change and anthropogenic disturbance are increasingly evident in the structure and demographics of tropical forests, yet the response of tree reproduction remains poorly understood. As fruit and seed production is the first step in forest recruitment, this gap is critical to understanding tropical forest resilience. Tropical fruits are important in diets of numerous frugivores and are essential resources for local human communities, thus changes in fruit quantity and composition could have cascading effects on ecosystems and the people who depend on them. In this study, we demonstrate that forest fruit production is shifting across tropical sites, with negative species-level trends occurring four times more frequently than positive ones across a network of 17 sites. Nevertheless, trends in fruit production are diverse across sites. While major spatial and temporal gaps in data coverage remain, by leveraging the expanding network of long-term monitoring, collaborative research has the potential to identify current trends in tropical fruit production and their drivers. This will enable robust predictions of future trends and advance our understanding of tropical forest vulnerability to environmental change.
Comparative analysis of the effectiveness of dimensionality reduction algorithms and clustering methods on the problem of modelling economic growth
Authors: Poznyak Sergii , Kolyada Yurii
Published: October 2024

This article is devoted to the research of economic growth of countries by identifying patterns in historical data sets on macroeconomic indicators. Using machine learning techniques, namely cluster analysis methodology in combination with data transformation algorithms, in particular dimensionality reduction, groups of countries with similar patterns in the structure of the economy, availability of production factors, internal and external economic activity and development dynamics were formed. The novelty of the article is the approach to selecting optimal clustering and dimensionality reduction algorithms by quantifying the results of their work. The evaluation of the dimensionality reduction methods was carried out using the cumulative variance indicator, and the clustering methods were assessed based on the aggregate indicator proposed in the article, which combines the standardized Davies-Bouldin, Calinski-Harabasz indices and the Silhouette coefficient. According to calculations, among the 11 considered methods of dimensionality reduction, the most effective is the Kernel PCA algorithm, while among the 7 clustering methods, K-means is the most effective for this task with a given set of indicators. The study was conducted on 6 five-year time intervals from 1991 to 2020 with a focus on the Ukrainian economy. According to the research, Ukraine’s economy migrated from the “post-Soviet” cluster (first half of the 1990s) to the Eastern European cluster (second half of the 2010s) over the period under consideration, which indicates real economic growth and gradual integration with the European Union.
Updating information of mycoses and antifungal medicines to find effective platforms for the production of new thiazole compounds
Authors: Chernykh T. F. , Bogdanova O. Yu. , Flisyuk E. V. , Kozur Yu. M. , Sidorov K. O. , Narkevich I. A.
Published: October 2024

Introduction. Information about mycoses and antifungal drugs of the modern type is often fragmentary and unsystematic, which requires correction.

Aim. To systematize the latest information about fungi and mycoses, means of combating them and the problems encountered along the way, to highlight the latest achievements in the field of synthesis and research of the activities of 1,2,4-triazole as a potential fungicidal compound.

Materials and methods. The materials were the authors' research published in advanced scientific journals, conducted around the world in the field of studying fungi, antifungal drugs, and the search for new antifungal agents.

Results and discussion. The article provides an overview of current information on the morphobiological features of fungi, updating their taxonomy and nomenclature, shows the role of fungi in nature and the development of fungal infections in humans and animals, structured information on the classification of mycoses and their pathogens. The latest information is also provided on the pharmacological properties of the main currently existing antifungal drugs, the mechanisms of formation of resistance to them in fungi, in a comparative aspect with other groups of antimycotic drugs, the prospects of azoles and their derivatives as new fungicidal drugs and disinfectants are shown. Literature studies have shown that 1,2,4-triazole derivatives have a wide range of antifungal activity, which extends to other types of activity.

Conclusion. It was noted that the significant prospects of triazoles are due, among other things, to the fungicidal effect on resistant strains of fungi-pathogens of human and animal infections. The advantage of the new derivatives is the low level of concentrations suppressing fungi, low cytotoxicity, which allows them to be used for intravenous administration in the future. Updating information on the effectiveness of new antifungal compounds will help researchers systematize knowledge about the properties of azoles, which can contribute to the search and development of new potential candidates for antifungal drugs with high efficiency and selectivity, and contribute to the formation of new research directions for the search for effective means of combating mycoses in various fields of human activity.
CORINE arazi örtüsü/arazi kullanım sınıflarına göre Türkiye'deki arazi sınıflarının zamansal ve mekânsal değişimi
Authors: Aytop Halil
Published: October 2024

Arazi örtüsü bilgilerinin uydu görüntüsü yoluyla tahmin edilmesi, tarım, orman ve şehirleşme gibi arazi kullanım türlerinin dağılımlarını belirlemek ve onlar hakkında stratejiler geliştirmek açısından önemlidir. Avrupa Birliği’nin başlattığı CORINE arazi örtüsü/kullanımı sınıflandırılması da Avrupa ülkelerine bu amaç için hizmet etmektedir. Ayrıca, CORINE haritaları Türkiye sınırlarını da içermektedir. Bu çalışmada, Türkiye’nin yaklaşık olarak 28 yıllık arazi kullanım-arazi örtüsü değişimlerini ortaya koymak amacıyla CORINE arazi örtüsü/kullanımı haritaları (1990 ve 2018 yıllarına ait) kullanılmıştır. CORINE arazi örtüsü verileri yapay bölgeler, tarımsal alanlar, çayır-mera, orman alanları, yarı doğal alanlar, sulak alanlar ve su yapıları olmak üzere 7 farklı sınıfa ayrılmıştır. Analizler sonucunda son 28 yılda, Türkiye’nin tarımsal alanlarında %0.28’lik bir artış gözlemlenirken, orman alanlarında %0.21’lik ve yarı doğal alanlarda yaklaşık %1.4’lük bir azalma görülmektedir. Ayrıca yapay bölgeler, çayır-mera, sulak alanlar ve su yapılarının yüz ölçümleri de sırasıyla %3.18, %0.11, %0.20 ve %0.26 oranında artmıştır. Değişim analizi sonucunda tüm arazi kullanımları arasında karşılıklı arazi dönüşümünün gerçekleştiği belirlenmiştir. Tarım alanlarının 569.957 ha’lık kısmı yapay bölgelere, orman alanlarının da 514.629 ha’lık kısmı tarımsal alanlara dönüşmüştür. En fazla alan kaybeden arazi kullanımı ise yapay bölgeler olmuştur (1.094.586 ha). Bu dönüşümlerinin en temel nedenlerinden biri, arazilerin yetenekleri dışında kullanımıdır. Bu çalışmanın metodolojisinin, CORINE haritalarının güncelleştirilerek iyileştirilmesi ile birlikte yeni çalışmalara yol gösterebileceği düşünülmektedir.
Managerial Self-References in Corporate Disclosures: An Analysis of MD&A
Authors: Hao Yamin , Mao Ying , Wang Xiaojia
Published: October 2024

This study examines strategic pronoun usage in the Management Discussion and Analysis (MD&A) section of annual reports. Through automated textual analysis of a large sample of MD&As, we find that managers of firms with higher earnings growth tend to use more self-inclusive pronouns(e.g., “ we, ” “ us, ” and “ our ”) and fewer self-exclusive words (e.g., “the company ”). This self-referential language pattern is associated with a higher likelihood of future financial restatements. Our findings contribute to the literature on corporate narrative disclosures and identify a potential new indicator of financial misstatements. The results have implications for investors, analysts, auditors, and regulators.
Exploring the Effects of the Information Asymmetry on the Card-Debt Crisis
Authors: Chang Chih-Hsiung , Li Chung-Wei , Hsiao Tung , Chang Sheng-Hsin
Published: October 2024

The article aimed to explore the effects of the information asymmetry on the card-debt crisis in Taiwan’s credit card market. The card-debt crisis of the credit cards broke out in Taiwan in 2005. To improve this situation, the financial authorities were forced to intervene in the market. The article employed the documents analysis and collected the related literature and statistical data to construct the information asymmetry model and the proposed hypotheses of the adverse selections and the moral hazards. The results concluded that the card-debt crisis did stem from the information asymmetry, and was alleviated by the intervention of the financial authorities.
Determinants of Integrated Reporting Stakeholders’ Relevance in Namibian Market
Authors: Kamotho Daniel W , Akande Joseph Olorunfemi , Moloi Tankiso
Published: October 2024

The usefulness of integrated reports has recently become debated in practice and academia. However, little attention has been paid to the drivers of stakeholders’ relevance to integrated reports. This study obtained 98 observations from key stakeholders in the Namibian market to analyze the phenomenon using structural equation modeling. The findings revealed that the importance of integrated reporting characteristics, quality satisfaction, and integrated reporting component are the major drivers of integrated reporting stakeholders’ relevance in the Namibian market. The study has implications for enhancing the content of IR, as the decision usefulness of the reports depends on these factors.
The Effect of Velocity-Based Training on Some Performance Parameters in Football Players
Authors: Arslanoğlu Erkal , Arslanoğlu Cansel , Çelgin Gürkan Selim , Bayram Metin , Mor Ahmet
Published: October 2024

The aim of the study was to investigate the effects of velocity-based (VBT) and traditional strength training (TST) methods on vertical jump, dynamic balance, agility, 10 m acceleration and 20 m sprint performances. Twelve volunteer men randomly divided into two groups participated in the study. After 1 Repetition Maximum (1RM) was determined, the TST group performed 3 sets of 10 repetitions with 40-60% of their maximum weight, while the VBT group performed 3 sets of strength training at a velocity range of 0.75-1.0 m/s for 6 weeks, 2 days a week. In the VBT group, a significant difference was found between 55.16±6.17 cm in the pre-test and 59.16±4.99 cm in the post-test of vertical jump and 4.05±0.27 in the pre-test and 1.72±0.27 in the post-test of balance (p<0.05). There was a significant difference between 48.33±3.98 cm in the pre-test and 53.66±4.03 cm in the post-test; between 4.29±0.29 in the pre-test and 3.65±0.48 in the post-test. Optimising the speed while lifting load in VBT enables athletes to react faster to sudden position changes by improving dynamic balance. Although 6 weeks of VBT training increased vertical jump, the difference was not statistically significant, which may be due to sample size, training duration or individual differences. As a result, the increase in vertical jump and balance in both strength training exercises can be explained by the fact that squat exercise activates the quadriceps muscles by activating the knee joint and increases leg strength, endurance and knee stabilisation.
FUKUGOUGO DI PABRIK PENGOLAHAN MAKANAN FRESHCENTER SHOKUBUN (KAJIAN MORFOSEMANTIK)
Authors: Fauzah Nunik Nur Rahmi , Hidayati Yanti , Ulfiyah Evi
Published: October 2024

Abstrak: Dalam percakapan yang digunakan didalam lingkungan kerja pabrik pengolahan makanan ditemukan kosakata yang dibentuk melalui proses penggabungan atau fukugougo. Tujuan penelitian untuk menganalisis variasi jenis fukugougo dan makna fukugougo yang ada di pabrik pengolahan makanan Freshcenter Shokubun. Teori yang digunakan merupakan teori dari Shibatani. Sumber data merupakan percakapan yang dilakukan para pegawai pabrik dilingkungan kerja dengan data berupa fukugougo yang ditemukan didalam percakapan tersebut. Metode yang digunakan yaitu metode deskriptif kualitatif dengan teknik pengumpulan data berupa teknik libat catat. Dari penelitian ini ditemukan 9 data teridentifikasi sebagai fukugougo, 4 data merupakan native compound, 1 data berupa sino japanese compound, dan 2 data merupakan hybrid compound. Dari segi makna, ditemukan 4 fukugougo maknanya berasal dari 2 kata pembentuknya, 2 fukugougo maknanya hanya berasal dari salah satu kata pembentuknya saja, dan 1 fukugougo makna katanya tidak terbentuk dari salah satu kata pembentuknya.
Kata Kunci: fukugougo, morfosemantik, pengolahan makanan, kata majemuk
Phenomenal Eros: For a History of Sensuality
Authors: Sissa Giulia
Published: October 2024

Forty years of scholarship in the history of sexuality and gender studies have delivered a considerable amount of knowledge, framed by an encompassing premise: power is paramount. A preferred object of this kind of attention are the erotic cultures of ancient Greece and Rome. The focus on power leads contemporary scholars to adopt binary thinking, namely the attribution to ancient writers and thinkers of dichotomies such as domination versus subjection, or activity versus passivity. This is a fixist view that obliterates the dialectic of desire and, therefore, its fundamental mobility. Desire aims at the other person’s desire; roles are exchanged; age and social status can play in surprising ways; hyperactivity can become subjugation.

It is time for a change.

It is time to look at what mattered for the Ancients themselves: the subjective experience of sensations, bodies and situations; the felicitous, ironic, or tragic reversals of intersubjective games. More importantly: the quest for pleasure, rather than the use of pleasures. The Greeks thought the sexual experience as sensuality. And sensuality inflects what they thought about gender. In poetry, narrations and philosophy, concrete details draw our attention to the felt phenomena of lived bodies – in the plural. When we look for the logic of gender, we discover that bodies can be compared, not as totalities, but as bundles of multiple discreet qualities, ready to be combined and recombined, allotted and exchanged. Qualities can be bits and pieces of anatomy, manners and garments; but also fragments of experience, moments of sensory awareness. The logic of the concrete meets the phenomenal body. For the body is a challenge, to be taken up – as a cinematic life, frame after frame. Sensations can be shared across the boundaries of female and male, which are adjectives, not substances. A granular, corpuscular, pointilliste redistribution of traits, distinctive – or not. Sensuality is queer.

Like Plato’s pharmacy, erotic materialism can deliver us, beautifully, cathartically, refreshingly from the modern strictures of binary thinking.

This is what the Greeks have to tell us. Let us listen!
Representation, Settler Colonialism and ‘the Aboriginal Child’: a Politics of Subalternity?
Authors: Faulkner Joanne
Published: October 2024

Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak famously thematised the question ‘can the subaltern speak?’ through the dual meanings of ‘representation,’ as both depiction and political proxy. This paper draws on Spivak’s analysis to question the capacity of the settler-colonial Australian imagination to represent (or recognise) the sovereignty of Aboriginal peoples – and especially of children, as infants (in-fans, literally speechless). The former sense of representation (depiction) bears implications for the second, as Indigenous sovereignty is displaced by settler representations of indigeneity – and particularly of Indigenous ‘childhood’ and ‘children’ as neglected ‘piccaninnies,’ without parentage or inheritance. Such portrayals, in this light, may even be read as continuous with colonial logics of elimination, as strategies to sever the connection to land that undergirds Indigenous conceptions of sovereignty and to thwart Indigenous futures.

The article interrogates settler colonial investments in representing Aboriginal childhood in the context of recent public discourse about the constitutional recognition of First Peoples, and a political imperative to re-present the Australian ‘nation’ as post- (rather than currently) colonial. The questions that animate this inquiry include: what, if anything, can a settler-Australian politics of recognition offer First Peoples? Is it possible to represent (or recognise) Blak sovereignty through modifications to the settler constitution? And how does the settler image repertoire of Aboriginal children speak to this possibility? If that fabricated ‘Aboriginal child’ could speak, what would this ultimate ‘subaltern’ say?
Error, Truth and Anxiety against Death: Reading Georges Canguilhem's ‘On Science and Counter-Science’
Authors: O’Neill Christopher
Published: October 2024

Here I consider Georges Canguilhem's remarkable essay ‘On Science and Counter-Science’ (1971) as a reflection on both the life and the philosophy of his departed friend Jean Hyppolite. I begin by suggesting that Canguilhem's essay takes up and critiques Hyppolite's critique of empirical reason in Logic and Existence (1953). Drawing upon materials from the Canguilhem archives, I then demonstrate that Canguilhem composed the 1971 essay by returning to and drawing from a seminar he gave in 1955–56 on ‘Science and Error’. I consider the significance of this ‘return’ as a kind of memento mori. In ‘On Science and Counter-Science’ Canguilhem pursues a vivid account of the significance of error within (scientific) reason, as caught between the twin poles of Cartesian correction and Nietzschean affirmation. In his refusal to choose between these poles, Canguilhem affirms the restless vital quality of the trace of the concept, which destabilises the perfection of death and the absolute.
Bioprocess feeding optimization through in silico dynamic experiments and hybrid digital models—a proof of concept
Authors: Barberi Gianmarco , Giacopuzzi Christian , Facco Pierantonio
Published: October 2024

The development of cell cultures to produce monoclonal antibodies is a multi-step, time-consuming, and labor-intensive procedure which usually lasts several years and requires heavy investment by biopharmaceutical companies. One key aspect of process optimization is improving the feeding strategy. This step is typically performed though design of experiments (DoE) during process development, in such a way as to identify the optimal combinations of factors which maximize the productivity of the cell cultures. However, DoE is not suitable for time-varying factor profiles because it requires a large number of experimental runs which can last several weeks and cost tens of thousands of dollars. We here suggest a methodology to optimize the feeding schedule of mammalian cell cultures by virtualizing part of the experimental campaign on a hybrid digital model of the process to accelerate experimentation and reduce experimental burden. The proposed methodology couples design of dynamic experiments (DoDE) with a hybrid semi-parametric digital model. In particular, DoDE is used to design optimal experiments with time-varying factor profiles, whose experimental data are then utilized to train the hybrid model. This will identify the optimal time profiles of glucose and glutamine for maximizing the antibody titer in the culture despite the limited number of experiments performed on the process. As a proof-of-concept, the proposed methodology is applied on a simulated process to produce monoclonal antibodies at a 1-L shake flask scale, and the results are compared with an experimental campaign based on DoDE and response surface modeling. The hybrid digital model requires an extremely limited number of experiments (nine) to be accurately trained, resulting in a promising solution for performing in silico experimental campaigns. The proposed optimization strategy provides a 34.9% increase in the antibody titer with respect to the training data and a 2.8% higher antibody titer than the optimal results of two DoDE-based experimental campaigns comprising different numbers of experiments (i.e., 9 and 31), achieving a high antibody titer (3,222.8 mg/L) —very close to the real process optimum (3,228.8 mg/L).
Tax credit for support of university-community partnerships in low-income urban school districts
Authors: Patel Krishna
Published: October 2024

Tying public school funding to property taxes has prevented low-income school districts in the United States from garnering adequate financial and social resources. As a result of this regressive funding system, millions of children find themselves trapped in underfunded schools and neighborhoods that perpetuate intergenerational trauma, tenuous employment, poor health, and poverty. However, in many underserved neighborhoods, including in cities like Philadelphia and Chicago, where poverty rates have been as high as 25 and 40%, respectively, many of the most under-resourced schools border or are adjacent to wealthy universities. Given this proximity of many universities and their wealth of resources spanning medical centers, community organizations, faculty, and students, the potential for mutual benefit, long-term structural change, and the ability to fulfill shared missions is significant, and partnerships that breakdown historical siloes must be encouraged. Therefore, this policy brief advocates for a tax credit at the federal level to incentivize and catalyze scaling of successful university-community partnership models that have been transformative in their respective communities.
A novel taxonomy for facilitating in-depth comparison of continuing engineering education practices
Authors: Caratozzolo Patricia , Smith Christopher J. M. , Gomez Sonia , Moris Matías Urenda , Nørgaard Bente , Heiß Hans-Ulrich , Azofeifa Jose Daniel
Published: October 2024

Introduction

This study addresses the urgent need for standardized frameworks in Continuing Engineering Education (CEE) to support lifelong learning in the rapidly evolving global workforce. Significant events, such as the Digital Transformation and the rise of artificial intelligence, have highlighted the demand for adaptable and diverse learning systems, especially in engineering education. On the one hand, the World Economic Forum's, 2023 Future of Jobs Report predicts a transformation in 44% of workers’ core skills within 5 years, with engineering facing substantial labor shortages. On the other hand, the Paris Agreement’s call for sustainable development necessitates a workforce with skills aligned with the green transition.

Methods

The research introduces an innovative framework taxonomy that categorizes and organizes CEE programs by integrating standardized terminologies. It focuses on critical elements such as resourcing, organizational models, and program development strategies to provide a comprehensive structure that supports consistency and comparability across diverse educational contexts.

Results

Unlike existing models, the proposed framework enhances cross-institutional learning and dissemination of best practices. It identifies key components required for effective CEE management, filling a critical gap in the literature. The study’s output is a taxonomy for discussing and comparing CEE institutional approaches and practices to advance the field and foster a global CEE community committed to excellence in engineering education.

Discussions

This study equips educators, policymakers, and industry leaders with a practical tool to design, implement, and scale CEE programs. It ultimately fosters a skilled workforce prepared to meet the challenges of future technological and sustainable transitions, supporting the development of a standardized approach to CEE.
Toward promoting resilience of gender and sexually diverse youth in South African rural school ecologies
Authors: Zhange Mthandeki , Mohangi Kamleshie
Published: October 2024

Introduction

Gender and sexually diverse youth in schools experience exclusion, which detrimentally affects their ability to cope with the consequences of minority stress and may lead to absenteeism or dropout. The purpose of the study is to highlight a pressing need for inclusive policies and practices to aid in enabling LGBTQ+ learners in schools.

Methods

This paper explores how multiple systems intersect to promote a sense of inclusion and engagement within the school environment and impact the resilience of LGBTQ+ youth in a rural school setting. This paper presents findings from a qualitative interpretive phenomenological study with twelve purposively selected self-identifying LGBTQ+ youth residing in a rural South African community. Data was gathered through semi-structured interviews.

Results

This study shows the significance of teacher emotional support, addressing homophobic bullying, moving away from gender-based uniform prescriptions and designating some school bathrooms as gender-neutral to LGBTQ+ learners' resilience.

Conclusion

The findings of this study demonstrate how certain schools in rural settings employ innovative methods to support LGBTQ+ learners despite limited resources and the absence of comprehensive, inclusive policies on gender and sexually diverse learners. The findings have implications for LGBTQ+ learners in rural community schools worldwide. Future longitudinal studies could focus on how school ecologies inclusive of teachers, parents and the wider community can foster the resilience of LGBTQ+ learners, particularly in rural community contexts.
Relationship of thyroid parameters with chronic inflammation in patients with euthyroid type 2 diabetes
Authors: Shi Wei , Chen Dan , Chen Wei , Chen Yulu , Fu Xiaoling , Xiao Yong , Duan Wei , Zhang Jing
Published: October 2024

Aims

We evaluated the association of multiple thyroid parameters with the levels interleukin 6 (IL6) and interleukin 8 (IL8) in patients with euthyroid type 2 diabetes (T2D).

Methods

A total of 166 adults with euthyroid T2D were examined. Serum IL6, IL8, triiodothyronine (FT3), free thyroxin (FT4), thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), five thyroid sensitivity indexes (FT3/FT4, TSH index [TSHI], thyrotroph T4 resistance index [TT4RI], thyroid feedback quantile-based index by FT3 [TFQIFT3], and TFQIFT4), and biochemical parameters were determined.

Results

The median age was 64 years (IQR: 54.75,70) and the median duration of diabetes was 10 years (IQR: 3,18). Patients with high levels of IL6 (≥2.38 pg/mL) had lower levels of FT3 and TFQIFT3 (P<0.05). Patients with high levels of IL8 (≥18.1 pg/mL) had lower levels of TSH and higher levels of FT4 (P<0.05). IL6 was negatively correlated with FT3 (r=−0.359, P<0.001), TFQIFT3 (r=−0.273, P=0.009), and FT3/FT4 (r=−0.22, P=0.037). IL8 was negatively correlated with TSH (r=−0.256, P=0.01), TSHI (r=−0.226, P=0.033), and TT4RI (r=−0.244, P=0.021). Binary logistic regression analysis with multiple adjusted models showed that a high level of IL6 was negatively associated with FT3 (aOR: 0.529; 95%CI: 0.302, 0.926, P=0.026), and that a high level of IL8 was negatively associated with TSH (aOR: 0.343; 95%CI: 0.155, 0.759; P=0.008) and TT4RI (aOR: 0.398;95%CI: 0.191, 0.831; P=0.014).

Conclusion

Patients with euthyroid T2D who had lower levels of FT3 had significantly higher levels of IL6, and those with lower levels of TSH and TT4RI had significantly higher levels of IL8.
Evaluation of physical and chemical isolation methods to extract and purify Campylobacter jejuni extracellular polymeric substances
Authors: Pavlinjek Natalija , Klančnik Anja , Sabotič Jerica
Published: October 2024

The pathogenic bacterium Campylobacter jejuni is a major food safety concern as it can form biofilms that increase its survival and infective potential. Biofilms consist of microbial cells and extracellular matrix (ECM), which is made of water and extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), which are critical for structural integrity and pathogenicity. The aim of this study was to optimize a protocol for the isolation of C. jejuni ECM. We employed eight physical and chemical isolation methods to extract and purify ECM, followed by different qualitative and quantitative analyses using gel electrophoresis and spectroscopy. This comprehensive approach enabled the evaluation of ECM composition in terms of polysaccharides, proteins, and extracellular DNA. The isolation methods resulted in different yields and purities of the extracted ECM components. Centrifugation in combination with chemical treatments proved to be most effective, isolating higher concentrations of polysaccharides and proteins. Additionally, extraction with ether solution facilitated the recovery of high-molecular-weight extracellular DNA. Overall, we provide a refined methodology for ECM extraction from C. jejuni. As polysaccharides and proteins participate in biofilm stability and microbial communication, and extracellular DNA participates in genetic exchange and virulence, our study contributes towards a better understanding of the persistence of this pathogen in the food industry.
Modeling the interaction between powder particles and laser heat sources
Authors: Baloyi P. , Desai D. A. , Arthur N. K. K. , Pityana S. L.
Published: October 2024

This study investigates the spheroidization of titanium Ti-6Al-4V powder particles using numerical models developed in Abaqus and OpenFOAM. Spherical particles are crucial in powder-based additive manufacturing due to their superior flowability, packing density, and mechanical properties, enhancing printing precision and the quality of final products. While conventional techniques such as gas atomization and plasma spheroidization have been extensively researched, the potential of laser spheroidization remains underexplored. To address this gap, detailed numerical analyses of laser spheroidization were conducted, modeling heat transfer from the laser to powder particles using a transient uncoupled heat transfer method with latent heat considerations, while particle deformation was simulated with a phase-fraction-based interface-capturing approach integrated with Navier-Stokes equations. The results, validated against analytical models, indicate that particles within the 20–80 μm range experience optimal spheroidization within a 0.005-second residence time under laser heating, with particles smaller than 30 μm reaching evaporation temperatures of 5,000°C, while larger particles reshape without evaporating under a typical heat flux of 94 MW/m2 (1.8 kW laser power). This study demonstrates that laser spheroidization of Ti-6Al-4V powder can potentially increase powder yield by 10%, offering higher power density and shorter melting times compared to plasma spheroidization, thus presenting a more efficient alternative for achieving spherical particles of specific sizes.
The causal relationship between immune cell-mediated gut microbiota and ulcerative colitis: a bidirectional two-sample, mediation Mendelian randomization analysis
Authors: Xiao Jinyin , Guo Xiajun , Lin Youwei , Wang Zhenquan
Published: October 2024

Background

Numerous studies have highlighted the close association between gut microbiota and the development of ulcerative colitis (UC), yet research on whether immune cells mediate this process remains scarce. This study utilizes various Mendelian randomization (MR) methods to investigate the causal relationship between gut microbiota and UC, further exploring the mediating role of immune cells in this process.

Methods

Genome-wide association study (GWAS) summary statistics for 473 gut microbiota, 731 immune cell phenotypes, and UC were obtained from the GWAS catalog database. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) were used as instrumental variables (IV) to validate the causal relationship between gut microbiota and UC through two-sample MR and Bayesian weighted MR (BWMR), and reverse MR was employed to explore the presence of reverse causal effects. Two-step MR was applied to identify immune cell mediators and evaluate their mediation effects.

Results

The study revealed a causal relationship between 20 gut microbiota and UC, with 14 microbiota acting as protective factors for UC and 6 as risk factors. Mediation MR identified 26 immune cell mediators, among which the association between CD11b on Mo MDSC and Bifidobacterium bifidum (B. bifidum) was most significant (p = 0.0017, OR = 1.4540, 95% CI: 1.1504–1.8378). Mediation MR analysis indicated that the mediation effect of CD11b on Mo MDSC between B. bifidum and UC was −0.0385, with a mediation effect ratio of 16.67%.

Conclusion

There is a clear causal relationship between certain gut microbiota and UC, and CD11b on Mo MDSC is a significant mediator between B. bifidum and UC, providing new insights for the clinical treatment of UC.
Association of age to nutritional status and muscle mass in children with transfusion-dependent β-thalassemia: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Wang Li , Zhang Luyang , Yang Yanlan , Luo Yuan , Wang Lei , Patil Sandip
Published: October 2024

Background

Transfusion-dependent β-thalassemia (TDT) is a hereditary blood disorder that often leads to complications affecting growth, nutritional status, and muscle mass in children. This study aims to investigate the associations between age, nutritional status, and muscle mass in children with TDT, providing insights into the progressive impact of age on these parameters.

Methods

One hundred twenty-two children with TDT from March 2023 to March 2024 were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. Their nutritional status was assessed using the 2006–2007 World Health Organization (WHO) Growth Charts, and their muscle mass was measured using bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA). Data related to age, gender, weight, height, fat-free mass (FFM), skeletal muscle mass (SMM), and soft lean mass (SLM) of children were collected for comparative analysis from the hospital record room. Furthermore, Spearman’s rank correlation coefficients and regression analyses were utilized to investigate the associations between age and both nutritional status and muscle mass.

Results

The results of this study revealed negative correlations between age and wasting (r = −0.26, p < 0.001), stunting (r = −0.28, p < 0.001), FFM (r = −0.3, p < 0.001), SMM (r = −0.23, p < 0.01), and SLM (r = −0.36, p < 0.001). The regression analysis indicated that age was an independent predictor of wasting, stunting, and reduced muscle mass in these children (all p < 0.001).

Conclusion

Our study observed a trend of worsening stunting, wasting, and muscle loss in children with TDT as they age. These findings highlight the importance of monitoring both nutritional and muscular health in TDT patients. Early detection and comprehensive nutritional management may improve outcomes in this population.