bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Conceptualised Framework of the Mediating Role of the Economic Factor of the Business Environment
Authors:   Rivers State University, M. I. N. Okeah
Published: September 2023

The purpose of this paper was to conceptually examine the mediating role of the economic factor of the business environment and lay a foundation of its effect on organizations survival or demise. This paper lays a comprehensive review on economic factor of the business environment and organization resilience and survival. Thus, for any business that intendents to continue its everyday operations, must devise ways to be resilient and survive by always scanning the environment it finds itself in, as well as being aware of the economic policies put in place by the government in power. Keywords: Business Environment, Economic Factor, Government Policies, Organizational Resilience, Organizational Survival.
TRT – The Best Treatment for Balancing Testosterone in Middle Aged Men
Authors:   Public Health Consultant, Bengaluru and Visiting Professor, KSRDPRU, Gadag, India, Kishanrao Suresh
Published: September 2023

Balance is critical to many aspects of life. Work-life balance ensures that we have time to enjoy the fruits of our labor. Hormones control bodily processes like – metabolism, homeostasis, growth and development, sexual function, reproduction, sleep-wake cycle, and mood. Most men see a gradual and progressive decline of testosterone, the primary male sex hormone, starting around age 30, at a rate of 1–2% per year, though in some men, the decline is faster than the body can adequately compensate. In these cases, the fallout can be felt throughout the body with symptoms that are both disruptive and inconvenient. It is produced in the testicles and the adrenal glands but regulated by the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis, a feedback system that responds to circulating hormone levels. Hormonal imbalance in men closely parallels the aging process. The most effective way of balancing male hormones is using testosterone replacement therapy (TRT). Generally, a value < 300 ng/dL is considered low, leading to a condition called hypogonadism. While one-third of Indian men above 40 years of age suffer from hypogonadism, the proportion of them as appropriate candidates for testosterone therapy (TTh) is not clear, not only in India but also in most countries. TTh helps reverse the effects of hypogonadism, but it’s unclear if it would benefit otherwise healthy older men. Primary care physicians encounter clinical conditions of hormonal imbalances in males, such as precocious puberty, delayed puberty, and hypogonadism, in general practice, needing specialists’ consultation and guidance for their management. Quoting half a dozen case reports of hormonal imbalance and their management, this article provides the evidence to prescribe or not to prescribe hormones for men. Materials and Methods: Sample cases of precocious puberty, delayed puberty, male hypogonadism (MH) (general, diabetic, and intracranial hypertension), and a case of complication of TTh cases in adults and how they were diagnosed and managed. Literature review for current evidence for TTh in men globally and in Indian practices.
Effect of Teacher Support on Mental Health of College Students in China: A Study Demands-Resources Model Approach
Authors: Ma Xinglong , Jiang Man
Published: September 2023

This study aimed to investigate the effect of teacher support on college students’ mental health using the study demands-resources model. Additionally, it explored the mediating roles of study engagement and opportunities. Chinese college students participated in the study through a questionnaire survey. We employed convenience sampling to collect 592 valid samples from the participants. The results revealed a significant positive correlation between college students’ perceived teacher support and their mental health. Moreover, the study highlighted that study engagement and opportunities act as mediators between college students’ perceived teacher support and their mental health. These findings have important theoretical and practical implications for managing college students’ mental health. To enhance students’overall mental health, teachers should focus on increasing the provision of study opportunities, thereby fostering study engagement.
Uma nota de brasilidade: identidade forjada entre Bambas e Sambas
Authors: De Souza Manuela Luiza , Ferreira Alves Roberta Maria
Published: September 2023

Ao conjunto de características de um povo oriundo da interação dos membros de uma sociedade e a relação deles com o mundo, damos o nome de identidade cultural, conceito cunhado por Hall (2006), e é a partir disso e da relação que o indivíduo estabelece com a cultura que o envolve, que podemos delinear uma identidade nacional. Utilizamos tal representação como zona de fronteira para delinear aproximações e distanciamentos que possam ser estabelecidas nesse processo contínuo de construção e negociação que ocorre em meio às interações sociais e culturais, moldado através das performances e discursos presentes na cultura e na sociedade, que ao longo do tempo podem ser contestados, transformados e reconstruídos. Durante muito tempo, a identidade de uma nação foi desenhada através de características elencadas pela elite e, dessa maneira, manifestações culturais das camadas da população menos privilegiadas social e economicamente foram excluídas. Neste artigo, propomos uma investigação sobre como elementos da cultura popular, especialmente o Samba, são parte integrante da identidade brasileira. Paraisso, realizamos uma análise bibliográfica comparatista entre o corpus literário, a História em Quadrinhos (HQ), Couro de gato: uma história do samba (2017), de Carlos Patati e João Sánchez, e a Historiografia do Samba. Essa abordagem nos permitiu identificar elementos que materializam a brasilidade.
Verdade e memória nas histórias em quadrinhos como ferramentas da justiça de transição na América Latina: os casos brasileiro e argentino
Authors: Mesquita Ceia Eleonora , Abidu Luís Fernando
Published: September 2023

O presente artigo busca analisar o direito à verdade e à memória por intermédio dos quadrinhos, buscando títulos que trazem à tona acontecimentos históricos em experiências de países latino-americanos, notadamente no Brasil e na Argentina, observando seu papel na justiça de transição. Parte-se da hipótese de que seja possível, mediante a acessibilidade e as múltiplas formas de narrativa dos quadrinhos, encontrar um registro crítico de períodos ditatoriais e de seu impacto na sociedade. Os quadrinhos possuem relevância como documentos históricos e retratos de uma época, sinalizando e confrontando abusos e violações aos direitos humanos perpetrados durante períodos autoritários. A arte possui uma importante função enquanto mecanismo de promoção de políticas de memória e verdade ao retratar atos que não podem ser repetidos e que devem reparados em uma sociedade democrática. As histórias em quadrinhos são forjadas pela sociedade e pela cultura em que estão inseridas e que são produzidas, alcançando os mais variados públicos através de sua natureza pedagógica e multidisciplinar. Por meio de pesquisas bibliográfica e documental, o artigo examina histórias em quadrinhos selecionadas do Brasil e da Argentina, de modo a evidenciar essa mídia como instrumento efetivo de confrontação das sociedades contemporâneas latino-americanas com seu passado repressivo.
Estudo da Infraestrutura das Escolas Públicas Paranaenses através do Censo Escolar de 2021
Authors: Borchers Juliane , Cunha Marina Silva da
Published: September 2023

O presente estudo examina a infraestrutura, dividida nas dimensões escolas, professor e apoio pedagógico, didática, acesso à internet e atividades especiais, das escolas do ensino médio público paranaenses através dos microdados do Censo Escolar de 2021. Sendo que as que apresentaram melhores níveis foram as dimensões escola, em que se verifica a existência de Água Potável, Alimentação e Acessibilidade e na Estrutura dos professores, em comparação às outras características em análise. Por outro lado, a presença de infraestrutura para atendimentos especiais aos alunos foi a que apresentou a menor média. Também, constatou-se a presença de heterogeneidade nas infraestruturas escolares, através da análise da infraestrutura escolar dos Núcleos Regionais de Educação do estado do Paraná.
Spatio-temporal analysis of non-attendance for the National Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Screening Program in Cambridgeshire, Peterborough and West Suffolk region between 2018 and 2022 and its link to socioeconomic deprivation
Authors: Fung KW , Szybka M , Lane T , Kreckler S
Published: September 2023

Objective: Non-attendance for National Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Screening Program (NAAASP) screening scans results in a lost opportunity to improve public health and has financial implications for the healthcare system as a whole. This study aimed to assess the spatio-temporal distribution of the ‘did-not-attend’ (DNA) rate and identify high-risk geographical areas and associated risk factors for future policy making and allocation of healthcare resources. Methods: This was a retrospective spatio-temporal analysis of non-attendance to the NAAASP in Cambridgeshire, Peterborough and West Suffolk from 2018 to 2022. With the data from the national AAA screening system, Screening Management and Referral Tracking (SMaRT), the DNA rate was established for each postcode district and compared with the overall DNA rate. Using the number of ‘non-attenders’ in each postcode district, optimised hotspot analysis was performed to identify hotspots of non-attendance for each year between 2018 and 2022. Multiple logistic regression was used to investigate the association between degree of deprivation and non-attendance. Results: Overall, 6,364 of 23,957 people (26.6%) being called for screening did not attend from 2018 to 2022. Optimised hotspot analysis identified eight statistically significant hotspots of non-attendance. Postcode districts PE10 (n=8, 80%), PE1 (n=433, 44.5%), CB4 (n=331, 40.2%), CB3 (n=114, 36.7%) and CB1 (n=320, 35.8%) were identified as areas with statistically significantly higher DNA rates. PE1, CB1, CB3 and CB4 were high-risk areas with both high DNA rates and high numbers of non-attenders. A consistent spatial pattern of hotspots was observed while there was a significant drop in the DNA rate in 2020/21. While degree of deprivation was closely linked to non-attendance in Peterborough, the link was less obvious in Cambridge with little socioeconomic deprivation. Conclusion: PE1, CB1, CB3 and CB4 were identified as high-risk postcodes. These areas comprise 12.6% of the total screened population. The degree of deprivation is found to be a major contributing factor to non-attendance. Focusing resources to try and improve attendance in these cohorts should be a more cost-effective approach than targeting the population as a whole. Future research is needed to explore the risk factors associated with high non-attendance in these postcode districts in order to identify actions to improve uptake and access to the screening services.
Serum Uric Acid Levels In Patients With Diabetes Mellitus And Its Correlation With Glomerular Filtration Rate
Authors: Ramani PN , Narayanan Anup , Varghese Jaison , James Renjith
Published: September 2023

Context: Serum uric acid is a potential risk factor for development of type 2 Diabetes Mellitus. Hyperuricemia is frequently found in persons with metabolic syndrome.
Aim: To compare the serum uric acid in the normal population and in those with diabetes mellitus.
Settings and Design: A comparative study was conducted in a tertiary-care teaching hospital in South India, with 100 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and 100 healthy controls.
Methods and Material: Serum uric acid levels were compared in patients with diabetes and the controls. The serum uric acid levels of the cases and controls were correlated with GFR. Association with factors such as age, gender, BMI, duration of diabetes, proteinuria and hypertension were looked for.
Statistical analysis used: Appropriate test of significance such as Student t test, one-way ANOVA test and Pearson’s correlation were used. A p-value of less than 0.05 was considered significant.
Results: The mean GFR in cases were 82.6 and in controls were 116.76. The mean serum uric acid levels were significantly higher among cases as compared to controls (4.8 v/s 3.7 mg/dl. A weak negative correlation was obtained between serum uric acid levels and GFR, both in diabetics as well as healthy controls.
Conclusions: Serum uric acid levels were higher in patients with diabetes mellitus than in the normal population. Those with elevated serum uric acid levels were found to have reduced GFR.
The Great Predatory Birds of the Pleistocene of Cuba
Authors: Arredondo Oscar
Published: September 2023

Recent paleontological investigations in Cuba have shown that the island was formerly inhabited by large populations of rodents and edentates. Based on discoveries of giant fossil raptorial birds (Strigiformes and Accipitriformes) in Cuba and other Antillean islands, the theory is put forth here that these predators were the principal agents in controlling the abundance of these native mammals. Details are given of the discovery in Cuba of the gigantic owl Ornimegalonyx, two species of giant barn owls ( Tyto ), a giant species of eagle (Aquila borrasi), and a vulture (Antillovultur) similar in size to the Andean Condor (Vultur gryphus). The relationships and possible origins of gigantism in these birds are discussed. Descriptions, geographic distribution, tables of measurements, and a list of the extinct faunas found in each of the type-localities are offered for each species.
The Skeleton of Baptornis advenus (Aves: Hesperornithiformes)
Authors: Martin Larry D. , Tate James
Published: September 2023

Baptornis advenus is a foot-propelled diving bird from the Late Cretaceous of Kansas. It was slightly larger than the largest living loon and had an unusually long neck. The feet were large, with only slight modifications for toe-rotation. In this and many other respects, Baptornis was a less specialized diving bird than the contemporaneous Hesperornis. However, examination of almost the entire skeleton shows that Baptornis is more closely related to Hesperornis than to any living diving bird and should be included in the order Hesperornithiformes. It should not be regarded as the earliest record of the Podicipediformes. We maintain Baptornis in a family Baptornithidae separate from Hesperornithidae. Both Hesperornis and Baptornis are in many respects very primitive birds, which in some characters appear to be little modified from Archaeopteryx.
Neanis schucherti Restudied: Another Eocene Piciform Bird
Authors: Feduccia Alan
Published: September 2023

Neanis schucherti, an avian fossil from the lower Eocene Green River Formation of Wyoming, was described in 1913 under the genus Hebe by Shufeldt as the earliest representative of the order Passeriformes. The name Neanis has since been substituted for Hebe for reasons of priority. The specimen is here restudied and is found to be of piciform, not passeriform, affinity. It is assigned to the extinct Eocene family Primobucconidae. Of the two other previously described lower Eocene Piciformes, Primobucco kistneri Feduccia 1973 is reassigned to Neanis, while P. mcgrewi Brodkorb 1970 is retained in Primobucco, which genus is recognized by its larger size.
Pleistocene Coastal Marine and Estuarine Sequences, Lee Creek Mine
Authors: Belt Edward S. , Frey Robert W. , Welch John S.
Published: September 2023

Pleistocene and uppermost Tertiary sediments in the Lee Creek Mine exhibit remarkable associations of physical and biogenic sedimentary structures. These, and close modern analogs, permit detailed interpretations of depositional conditions. Environments recognized include: supratidal, intertidal, subtidal estuarine, fluvial channel, freshwater swamp, ebb-tidal sand bar, and shallow nearshore shelf or open estuary deposits. Four sequences of deposition, the uppermost of Sangamon age, were found. These sequences, separated by unconformities, are related to sea-level change by means of transgressive and regressive sedimentary phases. Analysis of the proportion of the respective phases within cycles suggests that the region underwent only moderate tectonic subsidence during the Pleistocene.
Stratigraphy of Miocene through Lower Pleistocene Strata of United States Central Atlantic Coastal Plain
Authors: Gibson Thomas G.
Published: September 2023

Miocene, Pliocene, and Pleistocene strata were deposited in two embayments in the central Atlantic Coastal Plain, the Salisbury to the north and Albermarle to the south. Both embayments underwent local tectonics, and no single area within either has a continuous section. Deposition in both embayments began in early Miocene time. In the Salisbury embayment, the early deposits were largely biogenic (Fairhaven Member of the Calvert Formation), and the center of deposition was located in Maryland. Relatively continuous clastic deposition commenced in the late early Miocene and continued through the middle Miocene (Plum Point Marl Member of the Calvert Formation and the Choptank and St. Marys formations). Deltaic deposition began in the northern part of the embayment, as seen in the Calvert and Kirkwood formations and influenced environments west of the delta lobe. The center of deposition in the Salisbury embayment shifted southward into Virginia during late Miocene time (“Virginia St. Marys” beds) and continued there through the early and middle(?) Pliocene (Yorktown Formation); only the southeastern part of the embayment received sediments in the late Pliocene and early Pleistocene (uppermost part of the “Yorktown” Formation). Environments throughout this time were largely inner shelf (less than 60-m depths), and some marginal-marine to nonmarine intervals. The Albemarle embayment in North Carolina received largely biogenic and biochemical deposition during the early and early middle Miocene (Pungo River Formation). This was followed by uplift in the late middle and late Miocene. Clastic sedimentation started near the Miocene-Pliocene boundary and continued with minor hiatuses throughout much of the Pliocene and into early Pleistocene (Yorktown, uppermost part of the “Yorktown,” Duplin, Croatan, and Waccamaw formations). Some Pungo River strata formed in middle-shelf environments as deep as 100 m; most younger strata were deposited in inner-shelf environments (less than 60-m depth), but some in marginal-marine intervals.
Planktonic Foraminifera and Biostratigraphy of the Yorktown Formation, Lee Creek Mine
Authors: Snyder Scott W. , Mauger Lucy L. , Akers W. H.
Published: September 2023

The open-pit phosphate mine of Texasgulf Inc. at Lee Creek provides the most nearly complete section of the Yorktown Formation in North Carolina. The Yorktown exposure at this locality has yielded a rich and diverse vertebrate fauna. However, the biostratigraphic position of this important exposure has been difficult to determine because previous studies of planktonic foraminifera have yielded too few species to provide a basis for precise interpretation. During this study 29 species and subspecies of planktonic foraminifera were identified from 42 samples taken at vertical intervals of 35 cm through a 15 m section of the Yorktown Formation. Concurrent portions of the range zones of eight taxa indicate an age of late early to early late Pliocene (from just below the base of Blow’s zone N19 to the middle of his zone N20).
Age and Correlation of the Yorktown (Pliocene) and Croatan (Pliocene and Pleistocene) Formations at the Lee Creek Mine
Authors: Hazel Joseph E.
Published: September 2023

The fossiliferous beds above the Pungo River Formation (middle Miocene) in the Lee Creek open pit mine in Beaufort County, North Carolina, are approximately 70 feet (21.3 m) thick. This thickness includes 46 feet (14 m) that is correlative with the Yorktown Formation of the type area and is referred to that unit, and, above the Yorktown, a fossiliferous section 23 feet (7 m) thick that is assigned to the Croatan Formation. The 149 species or subspecies of ostracodes identified were from 16 samples from the Yorktown and Croatan. Coefficients of faunal similarity were calculated for all samples, and the resulting matrix was subjected to unweighted pair-group cluster analysis. Three major faunal groupings were delineated. The principal faunal discontinuity occurs at the Yorktown-Croatan contact about 46 feet (14 m) above the base of the Yorktown. The beds below this level belong to the Pterygocythereis inexpectata and Orionina vaughaniostracode assemblage zones. Correlation with other Coastal Plain deposits containing planktonic foraminifers indicates that the Orionina vaughani assemblage zone is planktonic foraminifer zones N19 and N20 in age and that the Pterygocythereis inexpectata assemblage zone may approximate the lowest part of planktonic zone N19 in age. Thus, the Yorktown in the Lee Creek Mine is of early Pliocene age. This is seemingly corroborated by a K/Ar date of 4.4±0.2 my on the Orionina vaughani assemblage zone in Virginia. A third major faunal assemblage is found in the beds of the Croatan Formation, which are referable to the Puriana mesacostalis ostracode assemblage zone. The upper part of the Croatan can be correlated with rocks in Florida and North Carolina that have been radiometrically dated by the He/U method at about 1.8 to 1.9 mya. A tentative He/U radiometric date of 2.4 mya was obtained for the lower part of the Croatan at the mine. If a date of about 2.0 mya is used for the Pliocene-Pleistocene boundary, the Croatan as used in the mine spans the Pliocene-Pleistocene boundary.
Late Pliocene and Early Pleistocene Mollusca from the James City and Chowan River Formations at the Lee Creek Mine
Authors: Ward Lauck W. , Blackwelder Blake W.
Published: September 2023

A molluscan fauna consisting of 194 species is described from the Chowan River (upper Pliocene) and James City (lower Pleistocene) formations at the Lee Creek Mine, Aurora, North Carolina. These two formations are as much as 7 m thick in the mine and unconformably overlie strata that correlate with the Yorktown Formation in its type area. The Chowan River and James City formations are separated by an unconformity. The mollusks of the Chowan River Formation are assigned to the Glycymeris hummi-Turritella perexilis assemblage-zone and the mollusks in the overlying James City Formation are assigned to the Marvacrassatella kauffmani-Astarte berryi assemblage-zone. Although mollusks in these zones lived in a subtropical thermal regime, they include some warm-temperate species not found in contemporaneous deposits farther south. The units represented by these assemblage zones were deposited mostly under open marine conditions at a maximum depth of about 25 m. The Marvacrassatella kauffmani-Astarte berryi assemblage at Lee Creek lived in association with an offshore bar system, which has some large unidirectional current-bedded shelly sands. Although more than 65 percent of the species in the assemblages are now extinct, the composition and diversity of the mollusks in the different beds is very similar to that of the Argopecten gibbus community presently living off the North Carolina coast.
Miocene and Pliocene Pectinidae (Bivalvia) from the Lee Creek Mine and Adjacent Areas
Authors: Gibson Thomas G.
Published: September 2023

Seventeen taxa of Pectinidae (Bivalvia) from lower Miocene to lower Pleistocene strata in the Lee Creek Mine, North Carolina, and surrounding region were studied biometrically. The study of large population samples clarifies the relationships of the taxa and their biostratigraphic utility. Because of widespread geographic distribution of the species into various environmental conditions and relatively short time ranges, the pectens make ideal index species for the outcropping strata. The co-existence of planktonic Foraminifera with the pectinids in some of the strata allows correlation with European stages. Characters found to be most important for discrimination at the subspecific and specific levels include the byssai notch, shape of the resilial insertion, size and shape of the auricles, number and shape of the plicae, and convexity of the valves. One new species, Pecten mclellani, is described from the upper lower Miocene part of the Pungo River Formation exposed at the Lee Creek Mine. It is demonstrated that Chlamys decemnaria (Conrad) from the Pliocene should include C. virginianus (Conrad). A probable intermediate form between Placopecten clintonius of early Pliocene age and the living P. magellanicus is illustrated and described. Other rearrangements at the subspecific level are made. Lectotypes are selected for Pecten yorkensis Conrad, 1867, Pecten eboreus darlingtonensis Dali, 1898, Pecten eboreus urbannaensis Mansfield, 1929, Pecten ( Chlamys) eboreus bertiensis Mansfield, 1937, and Amusium precursor Dali, 1898.
Introduction
Authors: Olsson Richard K. , Berggren William A. , Hemleben Christoph
Published: September 2023
Wall Texture, Classification, and Phylogeny
Authors: Hemleben Christoph , Olsson Richard K. , Berggren William A. , Norris Richard D.
Published: September 2023
Prodromus
Authors: Ray Clayton E.
Published: September 2023
Turtles of the Lee Creek Mine (Pliocene: North Carolina)
Authors: Zug George R.
Published: September 2023

Eleven taxa of turtles have been recovered from the Lee Creek Mine: a sideneck turtle ( Bothremys); six seaturtles ( Caretta, IChelonia, Lepidochelys, Procolpochelys, Syllomus, and Psephophorus); two pond turtles (probably Pseudemys and Trachemys); a softshell turtle (trionychid); and a giant tortoise ( Geochelone ). The fossils are largely disassociated skeletal elements and fragments derived from spoil piles created by drag-line mining of phosphate. The mining removes and discards the Yorktown Formation (Pliocene) and processes much of the Pungo River Formation (middle Miocene), hence the Lee Creek Mine turtles are mainly from the lower Pliocene. The turtle fauna appears to be a natural assemblage of extant and extinct taxa. Caretta and Syllomus are the most abundant fossils; a few specimens of each had some adherent Yorktown matrix. Geochelone fossils are next in abundance, although an order of magnitude less than Caretta and Syllomus. The other genera are each represented by fewer than 10 fragments or elements. Cranial and carapacial differences indicate that the Lee Creek Caretta represents a new species, C. patriciae. The Geochelone also differs from its eastern North American Pliocene contemporaries by its larger size and unique plastral morphology. The fossils of the other taxa are too few and fragmentary to identify reliably to species or genus.
The Fossil Monk Seal Pontophoca sarmatica (Alekseev) (Mammalia: Phocidae: Monachinae) from the Miocene of Eastern Europe
Authors: Koretsky Irina A. , Grigorescu Dan
Published: September 2023

We present a phylogenetic analysis of the middle Miocene European seal Pontophoca sarmatica (Alekseev) based upon characters of the mandible, humerus (both described herein for the first time), and femur. The diagnoses of the subfamily Monachinae and the genus Pontophoca are emended to include the postcranial characters. Pontophoca, as revised, is proposed as the sister group of the modem Monachus and is included in the monophyletic subfamily Monachinae. We also include in this subfamily two extinct taxa that occur in both the eastern United States and western Europe: Callophoca and Pliophoca.
Odobenocetops peruvianus, the Walrus-Convergent Delphinoid (Mammalia: Cetacea) from the Early Pliocene of Peru
Authors: Muizon Christian de , Domning Daryl P. , Ketten Darlene R.
Published: September 2023

Odobenocetops peruvianus Muizon, 1993 (early Pliocene, southern Peru), is a bizarre cetacean that is convergent in its skull, general aspect, and presumably feeding habits with the modem walrus Odobenus rosmarus (Linnaeus). Its cranial specializations are unique among cetaceans and include loss of the elongated rostrum, development of large premaxillary processes housing asymmetrical tusks, forward migration of the bony nares, reversal of the typical cetacean telescoping of the skull, dorsal binocular vision, large vaulted palate, and an inferred upper lip. The structure of the basicranium (possession of palatine expansions of the pterygoid sinus and presence of a large cranial hiatus) and face (possession of a medial portion of the maxillae at the anterior border of the nares) indicates that it belongs to the odontocete infraorder Delphinida and to the superfamily Delphinoidea. Within this group Odobenocetops is related to the Monodontidae because of the lateral lamina of its palatine flooring the optic groove, the anteroposterior elongation of the temporal fossa, and the thickness of the alisphenoid and squamosal in the region of the foramen ovale. We hypothesize that Odobenocetops, like the walrus, fed upon shallow-water benthic invertebrates and probably used its tongue and upper lip jointly in extracting the soft parts of bivalves or other invertebrates by suction. The highly modified morphology of the rostrum indicates that there was no melon as in all other odontocetes, and therefore that Odobenocetops was probably unable to echolocate; binocular vision could have compensated for this inability. The most probable function of the tusks themselves was social, as in the living walrus, but we suggest that the historically primary function of both the premaxillary processes of Odobenocetops and the tusks of Odobenus was as orientation guides in feeding. This reopens the question of whether the tusks of walruses play a role in feeding, as it seems that these also may be useful as orientation guides for the mouth and vibrissal array.
Balaena ricei, a New Species of Bowhead Whale from the Yorktown Formation (Pliocene) of Hampton, Virginia
Authors: Westgate James W. , Whitmore Frank C.
Published: September 2023

Fossil species of Balaena have previously been named on the basis of material from the Western Hemisphere, but all are founded upon undiagnostic material. The holotype of B. ricei new species consists of a partial skull, partial mandible, all major flipper bones, and representatives of all types of vertebrae, allowing comparison with the two best-known European species. This study, together with the known occurrence of Balaena species in the Pliocene of Europe, strengthens the conclusion that bowhead whales were present on both sides of the North Atlantic Ocean at that time. By contrast, remains of Balaena have not been reported from Miocene deposits of the Atlantic coast of North America.
Additional Records of the Giant Beaver, Castoroides, from the Mid-South: Alabama, Tennessee, and South Carolina
Authors: Parmalee Paul W. , Graham Russell Wm
Published: September 2023

Four previously unreported records of Castoroides provide supportive evidence that the giant beaver probably occurred throughout the southeastern United States, especially along the middle stretch of the Tennessee River. A distal section of an upper right incisor and an incisor fragment of the extinct Pleistocene giant beaver, Castoroides, were recovered from Bell Cave, Colbert County, Alabama. Cave ACb-3, also in Colbert County and containing an extensive deposit of late Pleistocene megafauna, yielded a single incisor enamel fragment. A fragment of a left ilium of this beaver was found in a dry stream bed in Ruby Falls Cave, Lookout Mountain, Hamilton County, Tennessee. These four specimens are referred to Castoroides sp. A relatively complete skull of Castoroides has been recovered from the Cooper River, near Strawberry Hill, Charleston County, South Carolina. The cranial characters of this specimen make it referable to Castoroides leiseyorum Morgan and White, 1995, which was described from the Irvingtonian Leisey Shell Pit, Hillsborough County, Florida. The taxonomy of Castoroides from the southeastern United States is uncertain, and at least two different interpretations are possible.
Role of simulation in kidney stone disease: A systematic review of literature trends in the 26 years
Authors: Nedbal Carlotta , Jahrreiss Victoria , Cerrato Clara , Pietropaolo Amelia , Galosi Andrea , Veneziano Domenico , Kallidonis Panagiotis , Somani Bhaskar K
Published: September 2023

A potassium-rich diet has several cardiovascular and renal health benefits; however, it is not recommended for patients with advanced chronic kidney disease or end-stage kidney disease because of the risk of life-threatening hyperkalemia. To assess the strength of evidence supporting potassium intake restriction in chronic kidney disease, the medical literature was searched looking for the current recommended approach and for evidence in support for such an approach. There is a lack of strong evidence supporting intense restriction of dietary potassium intake. There are several ways to reduce potassium intake without depriving the patient from fruits and vegetables, such as identifying hidden sources of potassium (processed food and preservatives) and soaking or boiling food to remove potassium. An individualized and gradual reduction of dietary potassium intake in people at risk of hyperkalemia is recommended. The current potassium dietary advice in chronic kidney disease needs to be reevaluated, individualized, and gradually introduced.
Immunoglobulin A vasculitis nephritis: Current understanding of pathogenesis and treatment
Authors: Amatruda Michela , Carucci Nicolina Stefania , Chimenz Roberto , Conti Giovanni
Published: September 2023

A potassium-rich diet has several cardiovascular and renal health benefits; however, it is not recommended for patients with advanced chronic kidney disease or end-stage kidney disease because of the risk of life-threatening hyperkalemia. To assess the strength of evidence supporting potassium intake restriction in chronic kidney disease, the medical literature was searched looking for the current recommended approach and for evidence in support for such an approach. There is a lack of strong evidence supporting intense restriction of dietary potassium intake. There are several ways to reduce potassium intake without depriving the patient from fruits and vegetables, such as identifying hidden sources of potassium (processed food and preservatives) and soaking or boiling food to remove potassium. An individualized and gradual reduction of dietary potassium intake in people at risk of hyperkalemia is recommended. The current potassium dietary advice in chronic kidney disease needs to be reevaluated, individualized, and gradually introduced.
Accessing adolescent sexual and reproductive health services among undocumented migrants in South Africa: a documentary review
Authors: Mukondwa K , Gonah L
Published: September 2023

Adolescent sexual and reproductive health access continues to dominate the development agenda since the historic 1994 Cairo Conference and becomes a huge public health concern for the increasing diverse of undocumented adolescents who have become an important component as irregular migration patterns and profiles shifts in South Africa. The inherent nature of irregular migration poses exposure and vulnerabilities making access to sexual and reproductive health services (SRH) imperative. Findings from this study revealed that access to SRH services among undocumented adolescents migrants is poor attributed to diverse structural, socio-cultural and financial barriers. For South Africa, conflicting health and migration policies leads to inconsistencies in service provision making it difficult for both adolescents and health service providers to strike a balance between migration and health considerations. Migration remains politically sensitive with punitive measures for those in undocumented state who are subsequently marginalized and excluded from accessing all social services, health included. Health policies on the other hand are non discriminatory, employing an all inclusive approach to all adolescents irrespective of migration status. While the study demonstrated that adolescent SRH services among undocumented adolescent in South Africa may be poor, such findings are however inconclusive to suggest that SRH outcomes are also poor.
Digital Leadership, Culture & Employee Capabilities: Sustainable Organizational Performance in Education - A Case Study
Authors: Retnowati Catarina Nur , Santosa Budi
Published: September 2023

In the rapidly advancing technological era, the integration of technology in education becomes crucial. However, research conducted by Askal (2015) reveals a gap between the school's culture and leadership style with the digital era. The study found that 93% of school principals acknowledge the importance of digital leadership, indicating awareness of the need to adapt to digital leadership in this era. Digital leadership, digital culture, and employees' digital capabilities influence the sustainability of organizational performance, particularly in the education sector. Therefore, this research aims to examine the impact of digital leadership, digital culture, and employees' digital capabilities on the sustainability of organizational performance, especially in educational organizations. The study employs survey and structural analysis methods, with a case study conducted at MPK KAJ Middle Schools in South Jakarta and South Tangerang. The results show a significant positive influence between digital leadership and digital culture, digital leadership and employees' digital capabilities, digital culture and organizational performance sustainability, employees' digital capabilities and organizational performance sustainability, as well as between digital leadership and organizational performance sustainability, with digital leadership and digital culture as factors influencing the sustainability of the school's organizational performance through digital leadership.
Differential Accounting Analysis in Decision Making or Buying Internet Vouchers on Haikal Tronik
Authors: Harahap Puspita Wulandari , Isyanto Puji , Septiawati Rohma
Published: September 2023

Business development in this digital era has encouraged many companies to innovate in order to maximize profits. This has driven management to make precise final decisions, one of which is using differential accounting analysis as a tool to analyze options between produce or purchase internet vouchers from Haikal Tronik. The purpose of this research is to examine the cost-effectiveness of Haikal Tronik's expenses using differential accounting analysis, particularly in decision-making between producing or purchasing products from an internet voucher supplier. The research method employed is quantitative descriptive. The data obtained include interview results, the company's general profile, direct documentation, and data related to costs incurred in relation to internet vouchers during Haikal Tronik's operations. These data were processed by classification and comparison between the alternatives of producing and purchasing. The research results from the differential accounting perspective show that if Haikal Tronik chooses to buy from the supplier, it will gain a profit of Rp 97,015,524. On the other hand, if it chooses to produce in-house, the resulting profit will be Rp 33,157,220. Therefore, purchasing is a more profitable option than producing internet vouchers.
熊猫文化创意产品的品牌视觉形象设计研究
Authors:   北京联合大学, 田 媛
Published: September 2023

本文以熊猫文化创意（以下简称“文创”)产品为例，针对大熊猫文创品牌的视觉形象构建进行研究。首先，本文梳理了国内各地区熊猫文创产品的艺术特征，并对熊猫相关文创品牌的发展现状进行分析，并借鉴其他文创品牌的成功经验扩充思路。本文基于品牌管理理论和营销策略优化方法论，结合学科发展问题的剖析，展开对熊猫文创产品品牌形象构建的设计原则、方法和营销策略优化的探讨，探寻到彰显我国熊猫文化、增强熊猫品牌市场竞争力的方法和模式。本文可以为熊猫文创产品的设计、研发、运营提供一定参考，带动地方经济发展。
Editorial
Authors: Crowther Peter R.
Published: September 2023

So what of the fate of British university Earth Science collections, in the wake of the University Grants Committee's (since renamed the Universities Funding Council) Earth Sciences Review? When 1 last ventured some thoughts on the subject in March 1988 (Editorial, Geol. Curator, vol.5, no.l), we were all digesting the news of what the word 'strengthening' meant in UGC-speak. Strengthening the Earth Sciences was the title of the Oxburgh Report of May 1987 (essentially Stage 1 of the Review process) from which the peer review of Stage 2, by Regional and National Committees, defined their criteria for assessing the worth and past achievements of each department and its staff. The result was to identify about fifteen universities...
Convenience Over Nutrition for Recreation League Youth Sport Team Snack
and Mealtime Choices
Authors: Ashley Morgan , Weaver Tony , Ramsey Andrew , Haldeman Lauren
Published: September 2023

Fifty-six percent of school-aged children participate in
team sports, yet there is limited evidence on how participation in youth sports impacts
the dietary behaviors of participants and their families. Our team surveyed parents and
caregivers of children participating in recreation league youth sports (n = 178) to
assess the foods and beverages offered as team snacks and factors that influence team
snack choices. Juice was the most popular beverage, and crackers were the most popular
snack reported by parents. Convenience, followed by cost and child preference, were the
most frequently reported factors influencing team snack choices. Survey items also
included factors that influence mealtime behaviors on game and practice days.
Convenience, followed by nutrition and taste, were most frequently reported as factors
that influenced mealtime behaviors. Almost half of parents said their family’s eating
habits changed as a result of recreational youth sports activities, and more than half
said their family often or always eats dinner outside of the home on game and practice
days. Professionals who work with this age group and their parents, including extension
agents, can tailor education to encourage healthy team snacks and promote strategies to
make healthy meals accessible on evenings with youth sports.
Unraveling the Dynamics of Budget Deficit Determinants in Afghanistan
Authors: Nasir Amiri Akmal , Mohammadzai Gulwali
Published: September 2023

Across various nations, including Afghanistan, the government plays a pivotal role in coordinating a multitude of national activities, spanning critical sectors like infrastructure, education, and healthcare. The responsibility for executing extensive construction projects and providing essential medical and educational services rests squarely on the shoulders of the government. Meeting these obligations demands a substantial budget allocation. However, challenges can emerge, potentially leading to a budget deficit. Such shortfalls might arise due to a failure to achieve projected revenues, escalated expenditures, or a combination of both.
This article endeavors to deeply examine the intricate interplay of diverse factors that contribute to such fiscal gaps, with a specific focus on Afghanistan. The central inquiry revolves around comprehending and delineating the complex relationships among key variables, notably subsidies, inflation rates, tax revenues, income from natural resources, government expenditures, economic growth trajectories, instances of conflict, electoral processes, unemployment rates, and demographic trends. The rationale for singling out and scrutinizing these particular variables draws from a fusion of economic theories, including the Keynesian framework, optimal finance theory, random loan theory, and general choice theory.
In this current study, the concept of a budget deficit assumes the role of the dependent variable within the analytical model. It is operationally defined as the disparity between the government's overall expenditures and its generated revenues. Through a comprehensive exploration of the multifaceted connections among the aforementioned variables, this research aims to provide a deeper understanding of the intricate dynamics that influence the equilibrium of budgets and the fiscal stability within government operations.
To assess the impact of these factors, the period from 2014 to 2023 underwent rigorous statistical analysis. Utilizing the ordinary least squares method, we aimed to scrutinize how these variables interacted with the budget deficit. The findings from this comprehensive study unveil a noteworthy pattern: revenues from natural resources and taxes, in conjunction with economic growth, exhibit an adverse correlation with the budget deficit. Conversely, government subsidies and general expenditures display a tendency to elevate the budget deficit within the government's fiscal framework.
Factors Affecting Results of Pre-clinical Phase1 of Medical Students: A Research in Mekong Delta
Authors:   Can Tho University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Dang Thanh Hong Dang Thanh Hong
Published: September 2023

Training preclinical skill for medical students plays a vital role in medical education, contributing into examining, diagnose, treat and follow patients. The research identified factors that impact results of pre-clinical phase 1 of medical students at a university in Vietnam. The research was carried out to collect data from examination results of 850 sophomores (school year: 2019-2020) after they finished pre-clinical phase 1. The research was to find out the relationship between the affecting factors and preclinical outcomes by SPSS. The finding shows that 97.6% obtained high results from fair level to excellent level. There was a correlation between learning preparation and preclinical results. The findings also help students know their scores in detail, building a suitable and positive learning scheme.
Contributing to Understanding Mother Goddess Worship in Vietnam
Authors:   Faculty of Philosophy, Hanoi National University of Education, Phuong Thao Ngo Thi
Published: September 2023

Mother Goddess worship is one of the important types of spiritual activities, reflecting the aspiration of Vietnamese people for abundant clothing and food, timely rains and favorable weather. Along with the flow of time, the belief of Mother Goddess worship has certain changes, increasingly meeting the diverse and rich spiritual needs of Vietnamese people. The article presents an overview of the situation of this worship in Vietnam, as well as some values and limitations.
Educação física, linguagem e a função social da escola
Authors: Portela Thalita Regina de Oliveira , Alviano Júnior Wilson
Published: September 2023

O presente artigo busca discutir sobre a inserção da Educação Física como componente curricular pertencente à área de Linguagens, Códigos e suas Tecnologias. Para tanto, utilizou-se uma revisão de literatura com objetivo de avançar na compreensão de uma perspectiva que justifique esse pertencimento a essa área e como esse fato possibilita a aproximação do componente curricular com a Função Social da Escola, com a formação cidadã e com a compreensão das diferenças. Defende que a linguagem, através de seus sistemas de significação, atua como agente regulador e produtor de corpos e identidades, afetando, de forma direta, o trato pedagógico destinado aos conteúdos da Educação Física na Educação Básica, que deve ter como seu objeto de estudo a cultura corporal. Por fim, destaca que esta compreensão do componente curricular permite sua integração a função social da Escola.