bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Knowledge, attitude, and wearing of personal protective equipment among dental hygienists in regions during the COVID-19 era
Authors: Park Mi-Jung , Jang Kyung-Ae , Yoon Hyun-Seo , Lee Jung-Hwa
Published: April 2024

Objectives: This study aimed to understand the knowledge, attitude, and wearing of four types of personal protective equipment among dental hygienists based on to the COVID-19 infection control guidelines and to provide basic data on the need to wear these equipment by dental hygienists in dental medical institutions. Methods: Between March 31 and April 26, 2022, 285 dental hygienists working at dental institutions in Busan and Gyeongsang Provinces participated in the study. Results: The higher the knowledge on personal protective equipment, the higher the glove-wearing rate; and the higher the attitude toward personal protective equipment, the higher the KF94 mask-wearing rate. Furthermore, the higher the rate of wearing face shields, the higher the rate of wearing gloves and full-body protective suits; and the higher the rate of wearing gloves, the higher the rate of wearing a full-body protective suit. Conclusions: To prevent cross-infection by dental hygienists in dental medical institutions, it is necessary to have the four types of personal protective equipment at all times and to strengthen comprehensive education on these equipment.
Orientation-based solar noise impact on underwater and free-space optical wireless communication systems: experimental investigations
Authors: Mahapatra Saroj Kumar , Howlader Manotosh , Roy Sanjib Kumar , Varshney Shailendra Kumar
Published: April 2024

Solar noise, when it interferes with the received signal at the system receiver (Rx) of an optical wireless communication (OWC) system, degrades the system’s performance. The detrimental effect of solar noise on OWC systems has been well established in the literature. This work experimentally demonstrates solar noise interference in the OWC system by pointing the system Rx in various orientations in air and water mediums, e.g., 0° (Rx pointing horizontally leftward), 45°, 90° (Rx pointing vertically downward), 135°, 180° (Rx pointing horizontally rightward), 225°, 270° (Rx pointing vertically upward), and 315°. The experimental outcomes depict the signal’s noise content, spectral leakage, and roll-off rate variation at multiple Rx orientations. We also demonstrate the solar noise interference in transmitting an image through the outdoor underwater OWC link by pointing the system Rx in various orientations. Experimental demonstration confirms that the same OWC system never behaves identically in the presence of solar noise if the system Rx keeps changing its orientation during the maneuver.
Deep multiband photodetectors enabled by reconfigurable band alignment in van der Waals heterostructures
Authors: Wang Jinjin , Fu Xiao , Chen Xiaolong , Liu Guanyu , Zhao Qixiao , Xu Hangyu , Chen Fansheng , Xu Jianbin , Bae Sang-Hoon , Zhou Jiadong , Dong Lixin , Bao Wenzhong , Di Zengfeng , Miao Jinshui , Hu Weida
Published: April 2024

Multiband recognition technology is being extensively investigated
because of the increasing demand for on-chip, multifunctional, and
sensitive devices that can distinguish coincident spectral
information. Most existing multiband imagers use large arrays of
photodetectors to capture different spectral components, from which
their spectrum is reconstructed. A single device embedded with a
convolutional neural network (CNN) capable of recognizing multiband
photons allows the footprints of multiband recognition chips to be
scaled down while achieving spectral resolution approaching that of
benchtop systems. Here, we report a multiple and broadband
photodetector based on 2D/3D van der Waals p/n/p heterostructures
[p-germanium (Ge)/n-molybdenum disulfide (MoS2)/p-black phosphorus (bP)] with an
electrically tunable transport-mediated spectral photoresponse. The
devices show bias-tunable multiband photodetection (visible,
short-wave infrared, and mid-wave infrared photoresponse). Further
combination with the CNN algorithm enables crosstalk suppression of
photoresponse to different wavelengths and high-accuracy blackbody
radiation temperature recognition. The deep multiband photodetection
strategies demonstrated in this work may open pathways towards the
integration of multiband vision for application in on-chip neural
network perception.
UNNT: A novel Utility for comparing Neural Net and Tree-based models
Authors: Gutta Vineeth , Ganakammal Satish Ranganathan , Jones Sara , Beyers Matthew , Chandrasekaran Sunita
Published: April 2024

The use of deep learning (DL) is steadily gaining traction in scientific challenges such as cancer research. Advances in enhanced data generation, machine learning algorithms, and compute infrastructure have led to an acceleration in the use of deep learning in various domains of cancer research such as drug response problems. In our study, we explored tree-based models to improve the accuracy of a single drug response model and demonstrate that tree-based models such as XGBoost (eXtreme Gradient Boosting) have advantages over deep learning models, such as a convolutional neural network (CNN), for single drug response problems. However, comparing models is not a trivial task. To make training and comparing CNNs and XGBoost more accessible to users, we developed an open-source library called UNNT (A novel Utility for comparing Neural Net and Tree-based models). The case studies, in this manuscript, focus on cancer drug response datasets however the application can be used on datasets from other domains, such as chemistry.
Recurrent neural networks that learn multi-step visual routines with reinforcement learning
Authors: Mollard Sami , Wacongne Catherine , Bohte Sander M. , Roelfsema Pieter R.
Published: April 2024

Many cognitive problems can be decomposed into series of subproblems that are solved sequentially by the brain. When subproblems are solved, relevant intermediate results need to be stored by neurons and propagated to the next subproblem, until the overarching goal has been completed. We will here consider visual tasks, which can be decomposed into sequences of elemental visual operations. Experimental evidence suggests that intermediate results of the elemental operations are stored in working memory as an enhancement of neural activity in the visual cortex. The focus of enhanced activity is then available for subsequent operations to act upon. The main question at stake is how the elemental operations and their sequencing can emerge in neural networks that are trained with only rewards, in a reinforcement learning setting. We here propose a new recurrent neural network architecture that can learn composite visual tasks that require the application of successive elemental operations. Specifically, we selected three tasks for which electrophysiological recordings of monkeys’ visual cortex are available. To train the networks, we used RELEARNN, a biologically plausible four-factor Hebbian learning rule, which is local both in time and space. We report that networks learn elemental operations, such as contour grouping and visual search, and execute sequences of operations, solely based on the characteristics of the visual stimuli and the reward structure of a task. After training was completed, the activity of the units of the neural network elicited by behaviorally relevant image items was stronger than that elicited by irrelevant ones, just as has been observed in the visual cortex of monkeys solving the same tasks. Relevant information that needed to be exchanged between subroutines was maintained as a focus of enhanced activity and passed on to the subsequent subroutines. Our results demonstrate how a biologically plausible learning rule can train a recurrent neural network on multistep visual tasks.
Projection of dengue fever transmissibility under climate change in South and Southeast Asian countries
Authors: Wang Yawen , Li Conglu , Zhao Shi , Wei Yuchen , Li Kehang , Jiang Xiaoting , Ho Janice , Ran Jinjun , Han Lefei , Zee Benny Chung-ying , Chong Ka Chun
Published: April 2024

Vector-borne infectious disease such as dengue fever (DF) has spread rapidly due to more suitable living environments. Considering the limited studies investigating the disease spread under climate change in South and Southeast Asia, this study aimed to project the DF transmission potential in 30 locations across four South and Southeast Asian countries. In this study, weekly DF incidence data, daily mean temperature, and rainfall data in 30 locations in Singapore, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, and Thailand from 2012 to 2020 were collected. The effects of temperature and rainfall on the time-varying reproduction number (Rt) of DF transmission were examined using generalized additive models. Projections of location-specific Rt from 2030s to 2090s were determined using projected temperature and rainfall under three Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSP126, SSP245, and SSP585), and the peak DF transmissibility and epidemic duration in the future were estimated. According to the results, the projected changes in the peak Rt and epidemic duration varied across locations, and the most significant change was observed under middle-to-high greenhouse gas emission scenarios. Under SSP585, the country-specific peak Rt was projected to decrease from 1.63 (95% confidence interval: 1.39–1.91), 2.60 (1.89–3.57), and 1.41 (1.22–1.64) in 2030s to 1.22 (0.98–1.51), 2.09 (1.26–3.47), and 1.37 (0.83–2.27) in 2090s in Singapore, Thailand, and Malaysia, respectively. Yet, the peak Rt in Sri Lanka changed slightly from 2030s to 2090s under SSP585. The epidemic duration in Singapore and Malaysia was projected to decline under SSP585. In conclusion, the change of peak DF transmission potential and disease outbreak duration would vary across locations, particularly under middle-to-high greenhouse gas emission scenarios. Interventions should be considered to slow down global warming as well as the potential increase in DF transmissibility in some locations of South and Southeast Asia.
Biobehavior Life Regulation (BLR) scale for living well in chronic pain: Preliminary scale development and validation
Authors: Mardian Aram S. , Kent Martha , Gress-Smith Jenna L. , Ciciolla Lucia , Regalado-Hustead Morgan L. , Scott Brandon A. , Petrov Megan E.
Published: April 2024

Currently available pain assessment scales focus on pain-related symptoms and limitations imposed by pain. Validated assessment tools that measure how pain is regulated by those who live well with pain are missing. This study seeks to fill this gap by describing the development and preliminary validation of the Biobehavior Life Regulation (BLR) scale. The BLR scale assesses engagement, social relatedness, and self-growth in the presence of chronic pain and the unpredictability of chronic pain. Sources for items included survivor strategies, patient experiences, existing scales, and unpredictable pain research. Review for suitability yielded 52 items. Validation measures were identified for engagement, social relatedness, self-growth, and unpredictability of pain. The study sample (n = 202) represented patients treated in the Phoenix VA Health Care System (n = 112) and two community clinics (n = 90). Demographic characteristics included average age of 52.5, heterogeneous in ethnicity and race at the VA, mainly Non-Hispanic White at the community clinics, 14 years of education, and pain duration of 18 years for the VA and 15.4 years for community clinics. Exploratory factor analysis using Oblimin rotation in the VA sample (n = 112) yielded a two-factor solution that accounted for 48.23% of the total variance. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) in the same sample showed high correlations among items in Factor 1, indicating redundancy and the need to further reduce items. The final CFA indicated a 2-factor solution with adequate fit to the data. The 2-factor CFA was replicated in Sample 2 from the community clinics (n = 90) with similarly adequate fit to the data. Factor 1, Pain Regulation, covered 8 items of engagement, social relatedness, and self-growth while Factor 2, Pain Unpredictability, covered 6 items related to the experience of unpredictable pain. Construct validity showed moderate to higher Pearson correlations between BLR subscales and relevant well-established constructs that were consistent across VA and community samples. The BLR scale assesses adaptive regulation strategies in unpredictable pain as a potential tool for evaluating regulation resources and pain unpredictability.
Strain prevalence and killer factor only partially influence the fermentation activity of pairwise Saccharomyces cerevisiae wine strains inoculation
Authors: Sica Jacopo , Vendramini Chiara , Nadai Chiara , Molinelli Zeno , Carlot Milena , Giacomini Alessio , Corich Viviana
Published: April 2024

Commercial Saccharomyces cerevisiae starters are single-strain cultures widely used in winemaking to optimise the fermentation process and improve the organoleptic quality of wine. Unfortunately, the worldwide extensive use of a limited number of industrial strains led to the standardisation of the sensory properties, reducing the identity of wines. Therefore, the use of multi-strain S. cerevisiae starters can be an alternative tool to alter the sensory profile of wines, increasing the diversity of wine styles. However, this strategy may be interesting only if the overall fermentation kinetics is not affected. To date, there is a lack of information regarding the influence of multi-strain starters on the overall fermentation process in wine. In this context, killer toxins, affecting the viability of sensitive strains, can play a significant role. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of pairing eight wine strains of S. cerevisiae (two sensitive, three neutral and three killer) in co-fermentations compared to single-strain fermentations. Results evidenced that, among co-fermentations where the strain prevalence was significant, the killer strains constituted 79% to 100% of the total yeast population when co-inoculated with a sensitive one. However, in most of the cases, co-fermentations kinetics were similar to those of sensitive strains or worse than both strains. Thus, the presence of a killer strain alone is not sufficient to predict the overall fermentation progress, which is an essential information in winemaking. Interestingly, the neutral strain P304.4 was always prevalent, regardless of the second strain and, in most of the co-fermentations, the overall fermentation trend was similar to the P304.4 single-strain fermentation. Regardless of killer activity, our results suggest that the effect of strains on fermentative kinetics is still unpredictable, and further studies are needed to thoroughly explore strain to strain interactions in winemaking.
Maternal care utilization and provision during the COVID-19 pandemic: Voices from minoritized pregnant and postpartum women and maternal care providers in Deep South
Authors: Zhang Ran , Byrd Tiffany , Qiao Shan , Torres Myriam E. , Li Xiaoming , Liu Jihong
Published: April 2024

Background

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly affected maternal care services especially for minoritized individuals, creating challenges for both service users (i.e., African American and Hispanic pregnant/postpartum women) and maternal care providers (MCPs). Guided by a socioecological framework, this study aims to investigate the experiences of African American and Hispanic pregnant and postpartum women, as well as MCPs, in accessing and providing maternal care services during the COVID-19 pandemic in the Deep South.

Methods

We conducted semi-structured interviews with 19 African American women, 20 Hispanic women, and 9 MCPs between January and August 2022. Participants were recruited from Obstetrics and Gynecology clinics, pediatric clinics, and community health organizations in South Carolina, and all births took place in 2021. Interview transcripts were analyzed thematically.

Results

Maternal care utilization and provision were influenced by various factors at different socioecological levels. At the intrapersonal level, women’s personal beliefs, fears, concerns, and stress related to COVID-19 had negative impacts on their experiences. Some women resorted to substance use as a coping strategy or home remedy for pregnancy-induced symptoms. At the interpersonal level, family and social networks played a crucial role in accessing care, and the discontinuation of group-based prenatal care had negative consequences. Participants reported a desire for support groups to alleviate the pressures of pregnancy and provide a platform for shared experiences. Language barriers were identified as an obstacle for Hispanic participants. Community-level impacts, such as availability and access to doulas and community health workers, provided essential information and support, but limitations in accessing doula support and implicit bias were also identified. At the institutional level, mandatory pre-admission COVID-19 testing, visitation restrictions, and reduced patient-MCP interactions were women’s common concerns. Short staffing and inadequate care due to the impact of COVID-19 on the health care workforce were reported, along with anxiety among MCPs about personal protective equipment availability. MCPs emphasized the quality of care was maintained, with changes primarily attributed to safety protocols rather than a decline in care quality.

Conclusion

The pandemic has disrupted maternal care services. To overcome these issues, health facilities should integrate community resources, adopt telehealth, and develop culturally tailored education programs for pregnant and postpartum women. Supporting MCPs with resources will enhance the quality of care and address health disparities in African American and Hispanic women.
Assessing parent-child interaction with deaf and hard of hearing infants aged 0–3 years: An international multi-professional e-Delphi
Authors: Curtin Martina , Cruice Madeline , Morgan Gary , Herman Rosalind
Published: April 2024

Introduction

Most deaf babies are born to hearing families who do not yet have the skills to communicate effectively with their child. Adaptations to communication are important because the quality of parent-child interaction (PCI) predicts how a deaf child develops language. Teachers of Deaf children and Speech and Language Therapists support families with communication in the home. Currently, there are no assessments that appraise how a parent interacts with their deaf baby. Previous research has identified which parent behaviours and approaches are used in PCI assessments in research and practice. The current paper forms consensus on the core content and best practices of a new PCI tool for deaf children aged 0–3 years.

Methods

An international sample of expert academics and practitioners (n = 83) were recruited to take part in a two-round modified electronic Delphi study. Participants were presented with 69 statements focusing on (i) which parent behaviours were important in assessment (ii) the methods to be used in PCI assessment. Participants rated the extent to which they agreed or disagreed with each statement on a five-point Likert scale and gave comments to support their response. Consensus was defined as>80% of participants rating the statement as a (4) ‘highly important’ or a (5) ‘essential’. If consensus was not reached, participant comments were used to generate new statements which were rated in the second round. This project involved a patient and public involvement (PPI) group of hearing and deaf parents and professionals to design and guide the study.

Results

Consensus was achieved on 52 statements and ranged from 80–99%. A further six statements were additionally included. Within the 58 statements included, 36 were parent behaviours which centred on the parent’s observation of, and response to, their child’s behaviour and/or language. The remaining 22 statements focused on methods used in the assessment such as parents having their PCI filmed, parents having the opportunity to review the video and assess themselves alongside a professional, and parents being involved in subsequent goal setting.

Conclusions

This e-Delphi presented the parent behaviours and methods of assessment to be included in a new PCI tool for deaf children. Future co-production work and acceptability and feasibility testing are discussed.
Factors associated with miscarriage in Nepal: Evidence from Nepal Demographic and Health Surveys, 2001–2016
Authors: Hamal Sharadha , Gurung Yogendra B. , Shrestha Bidhya , Shrestha Prabin , Sapkota Nanda Lal , Shrestha Vijaya Laxmi
Published: April 2024

Background

Miscarriage is a major public health concern in low and middle-income countries (LMICs) like Nepal. This study aims to examine the factors associated with miscarriage among pregnant women of reproductive age (15–49 years) in the past 15 years.

Methods

There were a total of weighted sample of 26,376 cross-sectional pregnancy data from Nepal Demographic and Health Surveys (NDHS) 2001, 2006, 2011, and 2016 combined together, which was used in the study. Multilevel logistic regression analysis that adjusted for cluster and survey weights was used to identify factors associated with miscarriage among pregnant women of reproductive age in Nepal.

Results

The results showed that maternal age, contraception, tobacco smoking, wealth index, respondents’ educational status, and, caste/ethnicity were found to be strong factors of miscarriage in Nepal. The likelihood of having a miscarriage among older women (≥40 years) was more than 100% (aOR = 2.12, 95% CI [1.73, 2.59]), among non-users of contraception was 88.9% (aOR = 1.88, 95% CI [1.68, 2.11]) (p<005) and non-smoking women had a 19% lower odds of miscarriage (aOR = 0.81, 95% CI [0.69, 0.95]). Respondents from the richest wealth index had 50% (aOR = 1.50, 95% CI [1.22, 1.85]) higher likelihood of miscarriage. Mothers with only primary education had a 25% higher chance of miscarriage (aOR = 1.25, 95% CI [1.09, 1.44]) compared to those with secondary and higher secondary education. In relation to caste/ethnicity, Dalits had 13% lesser likelihood (aOR = 0.87, 95% CI [0.74, 1.02]) and Janajatis had 26% lower chances of a miscarriage than Brahmin/Chettri (aOR = 0.74, 95% CI [0.64, 0.85]).

Conclusion

Findings from this study show that miscarriages are associated with maternal age, use of contraception, smoking, wealth index, caste, and ethnicity. Interventions aimed to improve use of contraceptives, avoiding smoking and pregnancy planning on the basis of maternal age, are needed to prevent miscarriage. Also, women from Brahmin ethinicity and those with the highest income index require greater attention when it comes to miscarriage prevention strategies in Nepal.
Revealing the microbiome diversity and biocontrol potential of field Aedes ssp.: Implications for disease vector management
Authors: Hernández Apolinar M. , Alcaraz Luis D. , Hernández-Álvarez Cristóbal , Romero Miguel F. , Jara-Servín Angélica , Barajas Hugo , . Ramírez Carlos M. , Peimbert Mariana
Published: April 2024

The mosquito Aedes spp. holds important relevance for human and animal health, as it serves as a vector for transmitting multiple diseases, including dengue and Zika virus. The microbiome’s impact on its host’s health and fitness is well known. However, most studies on mosquito microbiomes have been conducted in laboratory settings. We explored the mixed microbial communities within Aedes spp., utilizing the 16S rRNA gene for diversity analysis and shotgun metagenomics for functional genomics. Our samples, which included Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus, spanned various developmental stages—eggs, larvae, and adults—gathered from five semiurban areas in Mexico. Our findings revealed a substantial diversity of 8,346 operational taxonomic units (OTUs), representing 967 bacterial genera and 126,366 annotated proteins. The host developmental stage was identified as the primary factor associated with variations in the microbiome composition. Subsequently, we searched for genes and species involved in mosquito biocontrol. Wolbachia accounted for 9.6% of the 16S gene sequences. We observed a high diversity (203 OTUs) of Wolbachia strains commonly associated with mosquitoes, such as wAlb, with a noticeable increase in abundance during the adult stages. Notably, we detected the presence of the cifA and cifB genes, which are associated with Wolbachia’s cytoplasmic incompatibility, a biocontrol mechanism. Additionally, we identified 221 OTUs related to Bacillus, including strains linked to B. thuringiensis. Furthermore, we discovered multiple genes encoding insecticidal toxins, such as Cry, Mcf, Vip, and Vpp. Overall, our study contributes to the understanding of mosquito microbiome biodiversity and metabolic capabilities, which are essential for developing effective biocontrol strategies against this disease vector.
Flight safety assessment based on a modified human error risk quantification approach
Authors: Guo Yundong , Suo Xinshi
Published: April 2024

In risk and safety assessments of aviation systems, engineers generally pay more attention to the risks of hardware or software failure and focus less on the risks caused by human errors. In this paper, a (FRAHE) method is proposed for identifying this critical error type and determining the risk severity of human errors. This method accounts for the human error probability as well as the impacts of human errors on the system. The fuzzy inference approach is employed in this paper to address the uncertainty and issues of imprecision that arise from insufficient information and scarce error data and a risk assessment model of human error is developed. The model can be used to precisely describe the relationship between the output risk severity and the input risk indicators, including the human error probability, the error impact probability, and the human error consequence. A case study of the approach task is presented to demonstrate the availability and reasonability of the model. The risk-based modeling method can not only provide valuable information for reducing the occurrence of critical errors but also be used to conduct prospective analyses to prevent unsafe incidents or aviation accidents.
Low cardiorespiratory fitness is associated with elevated intraocular pressure among apparently healthy adults
Authors: Stanescu Nir , Steinbuch Lioz , Segev Amit , Kovalyuk Natalya , Segev Shlomo , Maor Elad , Segev Fani
Published: April 2024

Purpose

To evaluate the association of cardiorespiratory fitness with elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) in healthy adults.

Methods

In this cross-sectional study, we evaluated 17,990 asymptomatic self-referred adults free of diabetes or cardiovascular disease who were screened in a preventive healthcare setting. All subjects underwent measurement of IOP and completed a maximal exercise stress test according to the Bruce protocol. Fitness was categorized into age and sex-specific quintiles according to the treadmill time and dichotomized to low (lowest quintile) and non-low fitness groups. Elevated IOP was defined as ≥ 21 mmHg.

Results

Median age was 45 (IQR 39–52) years and 12,073 (67%) were men. There were 3,351 (19%) subjects in the low fitness group. Median IOP was 14 mmHg (IQR 12–16) with elevated IOP documented in 188 (1%) subjects. Univariate binary logistic regression model demonstrated that compared with non-low fitness group, subjects in the low fitness group were 2.2 times more likely to have elevated IOP (95% CI 1.598–2.95, p<0.001). Multivariate binary logistic regression with adjustment to known cardiovascular risk factors (age, sex, hypertension, smoking, overweight, regular physical activity, low HDL cholesterol, high triglycerides, and fasting glucose levels) successfully demonstrated that lower fitness was independently and significantly associated with a 90% increased likelihood of elevated IOP (95% CI 1.37–2.61, p<0.001). Subgroup analysis revealed that the association was more pronounced among women compared with men (OR 3.8 vs. 1.6, p for interaction = 0.069).

Conclusions

Low cardiorespiratory fitness is independently associated with increased IOP among apparently healthy adults.
Examining the impact of personal freedom on income inequality: Evidence from Sub-Saharan Africa and Western European regions
Authors: Ohene Kwatia Benard , Amewu Godfred , Boachie Christopher
Published: April 2024

Rising income inequality has recently garnered intensive attention owing to its significance in theory and practice. This has rendered the mechanism through which inequality can be understood, even from a microscopic perspective, to institute proper policies that curtail it important. We contribute to the literature by examining the effect of freedom on income inequality using data from 34 least-free and 18 most-free countries from 2000 to 2020 in Sub-Saharan Africa and Western Europe, respectively. A novel fixed-effects panel quantile regression econometric estimator was employed, and the findings showed a non-linear relationship between personal freedom and income inequality for both regions. Again, both regions reported an inverse relationship between personal freedom and income inequality within the medium-run quantiles. However, a positive relationship was reported in the short-run and long-run quantiles of Sub-Saharan Africa and Western Europe, respectively, whereas the inverse was the same. Finally, the significant adverse relationship was more dominant in Western Europe, implying that high levels of personal freedom in the region explain the low levels of income inequality compared to Sub-Saharan Africa, which has lower levels of personal freedom and higher income inequality. Concerning the findings, it is recommended that policymakers and governments of least- and most-free regions institutionalise personal liberties that support human capital development and establish mechanisms to implement enacted freedoms.
Immune signaling of Litopenaeus vannamei c-type lysozyme and its role during microsporidian Enterocytozoon hepatopenaei (EHP) infection
Authors: Sangklai Nutthapon , Supungul Premruethai , Jaroenlak Pattana , Tassanakajon Anchalee
Published: April 2024

The microsporidian Enterocytozoon hepatopenaei (EHP) is a fungi-related, spore-forming parasite. EHP infection causes growth retardation and size variation in shrimp, resulting in severe economic losses. Studies on shrimp immune response have shown that several antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) were upregulated upon EHP infection. Among those highly upregulated AMPs is c-type lysozyme (LvLyz-c). However, the immune signaling pathway responsible for LvLyz-c production in shrimp as well as its function against the EHP infection are still poorly understood. Here, we characterized major shrimp immune signaling pathways and found that Toll and JAK/STAT pathways were up-regulated upon EHP infection. Knocking down of a Domeless (DOME) receptor in the JAK/STAT pathways resulted in a significant reduction of the LvLyz-c and the elevation of EHP copy number. We further elucidated the function of LvLyz-c by heterologously expressing a recombinant LvLyz-c (rLvLyz-c) in an Escherichia coli. rLvLyz-c exhibited antibacterial activity against several bacteria such as Bacillus subtilis and Vibrio parahaemolyticus. Interestingly, we found an antifungal activity of rLvLyz-c against Candida albican, which led us to further investigate the effects of rLvLyz-c on EHP spores. Incubation of the EHP spores with rLvLyz-c followed by a chitin staining showed that the signals were dramatically decreased in a dose-dependent manner, suggesting that rLvLyz-c possibly digest a chitin coat on the EHP spores. Transmission electron microscopy analysis revealed that an endospore layer, which is composed mainly of chitin, was digested by rLvLyz-c. Lastly, we observed that EHP spores that were treated with rLvLyz-c showed a significant reduction of the spore germination rate. We hypothesize that thinning of the endospore of EHP would result in altered permeability, hence affecting spore germination. This work provides insights into shrimp immune signaling pathways responsible for LvLyz-c production and its anti-EHP property. This knowledge will serve as important foundations for developing EHP control strategies.
Rethinking the three origin stories for communication studies in North America
Authors: Beard David
Published: April 2024

There are three origin stories for communication studies in North America: the Public Speaking tradition in the United States, the Mass Communication tradition in the United States, and the Media Ecology tradition rooted in Canadian scholarship. In this Probe, I want to talk about the three traditions, as I understand them. Then, I want to talk about some experiences surveying residents of rural Lake and Cook counties in Northeastern Minnesota about internet access. Those experiences pushed me to rethink the importance of the third, Canadian tradition of communication studies. This third tradition emphasizes the importance of the materiality of communication, and it is the tradition embraced by media ecology, and I think it asks questions that every communication scholar should think about.
Speculative texts and what’s next
Authors: Sutherland Serenity
Published: April 2024

Speculative fiction provides ways of imagining what our future, networked world might look like. Early media studies scholars such as Neal Postman have considered a world consumed by media. Applying this approach, the essay looks at two speculative texts, M. T. Anderson’s Feed (2002) and Annalee Newitz’s The Terraformers (2023), and discusses how the natural world and ourselves become entwined in corporate power and the so-called rewards of network connection.
The case for starting with Amusing Ourselves to Death
Authors: McCullough Ryan P.
Published: April 2024

This article builds a case for starting undergraduate media ecology education with reading Neil Postman’s Amusing Ourselves to Death. Postman’s work puts forward the important and fundamental precepts of media ecology and moves students to think about the connection between medium and content as well as media as environments. The text also illustrates a clear shift in media environments, another building block for understanding media ecology. Most central to the case of starting with this text is that Postman offers a critique of an older media environment, television, which students will find more rhetorically acceptable than criticism of our current digital media environment. Choosing to start with a criticism of an older medium creates space for media ecology pedagogy to thoroughly investigate other media environments.
Against abstract universalisms in fashion theory: For a dialogical process of interpretation and translation
Authors: Delhaye Christine
Published: April 2024

Criticism on the Eurocentric character of the concept of fashion has been raised already for almost four decades within fashion studies. Yet, the growing entanglement with globalization studies and postcolonial and decolonial theories has accelerated an epistemological turn within fashion studies. The epistemological turn not only fostered new research on the empirical level, it also challenged the theoretical framework of the discipline. Even the concept of fashion itself, entrenched as it is in modernization theories, has gradually come under attack. The concept of fashion has been held accountable for defining only ‘modern’ western fashion as its research object, while side-lining, even erasing, other ‘traditional’ sartorial systems. In order to redress the Eurocentric character of fashion theory and the exclusionary effects it engenders, fashion has been redefined as a ‘universalism’. Although this view became quite mainstream, in its turn it also became gradually criticized. It has been rightly argued that redefining fashion as a universalism is only another way of re-inscribing fashion scholarship in the hegemonic western ‘modern/colonial’ way of knowledge production. Studying sartorial practices positioned outside the western capitalist fashion system through the lens of fashion obscures an understanding of their own specific characteristics. In this article, I will turn more specifically towards the question of which methodologies we can mobilize if we, scholars versed in western modern knowledges and modern knowledge production, are committed to a multiplicity of sartorial worlds in as well as outside ‘the West’. The article proposes a hermeneutic–dialogical method of interpretation and translation as an epistemological as well as an ethical tool towards a more adequate understanding of ‘other’ ways of wearing, making, feeling, thinking of and living through clothes. Finally, this article offers a tentative analysis that shows what this dialogical approach might entail.
Fashioning DIY digital archives: Unsettling academic research to centre garment workers’ voices
Authors: Hanlon Mary , Karels Martina , Moore Niamh
Published: April 2024

Recent calls for decentring Eurocentric frameworks across fashion studies, alongside growing commitments to worker rights, calls for a circular economy, waste reduction and more sustainable materials draw attention to the complex and intractable social, environmental and political challenges facing the global sector. Here we point out how academic research is also implicated in reproducing inequalities, through practices of data collection, analysis and knowledge dissemination. Specifically, in the case of fashion, how worker representation, and indeed worker control over representations of their lived experiences, including labour activism, is lacking in academic research. In this article, we argue that DIY Academic Archiving can be utilized by academics, including fashion scholars, as a powerful tool for remaking fashion research. We propose unsettling usual practices around data management, as well as redirecting current moves for open research data. Turning instead to inspiration from radical archival theory and practice, we explore the potential for co-creating open-access digital archives of research data – here workers’ own stories – to open up possibilities for workers to be more involved in the creation of public narratives about fashion. While not a panacea for resolving all the ills of the fashion industry, we see research processes where workers have more control over their own stories, and how they are used, as a critical step in reimagining fashion scholarship.
Looking for Safe Haven in a City Torn Apart by War: Narratives of agency from internally displaced persons in the southern Philippines
Authors: Quintero Romeo Joe
Published: April 2024

In this paper, I interrogate the dominant representation of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in humanitarian discourse as helpless victims in need of rescue. Based on the stories of IDP women and gender diverse individuals in the Philippines affected by the Zamboanga City siege in 2013, I illustrate how they exercised agency to shape their trajectories of displacement. The capacity of Filipino IDPs to contend with their displacement is shaped by their power as bakwit (evacuees), and by their class and ethnoreligious identities. While Christian Filipino IDPs had access to material, financial, and social resources, allowing them to engage in temporary migration after displacement, Muslim Filipino IDPs with limited access to these same resources found themselves in unwanted mobility and prolonged situations of displacement. Yet, Muslim Filipino IDPs do not lack agency, as they continue to actively and consciously forge new strategies to regain a sense of home in extended exile. Ultimately, while identifying bakwit power as a useful conceptual tool to make legible how IDPs exercised control at different stages of their displacement, embracing such a framework should not negate the long history of political violence in the region that continues to keep some people on the move.
Re-politicising Anti-Trafficking: Migration, labour, and the war in Ukraine
Authors: Mendel Jonathan , Sharapov Kiril
Published: April 2024

Drawing on multi-method research, this article demonstrates that the risks of large-scale trafficking due to the war in Ukraine were mitigated by granting Ukrainians more extensive rights than typically afforded to refugees. This shows the advantages of rights-based approaches to migration and labour exploitation. We draw on Bakhtin’s and Žižek’s work on the carnivalesque to argue that mainstream anti-trafficking initiatives—which are depoliticised and able to win support and funding from across the political spectrum—often serve merely as theatrical and distracting sideshows diverting attention from more impactful activities and the normalised exploitation within capitalism. However, avoiding trafficking is insufficient if Ukrainian citizens and residents still endure exploitative conditions. A weakened legal framework for workers’ rights within Ukraine alongside inadequate labour protections across Europe have facilitated such exploitation. In contrast to the depoliticised stance of the anti-trafficking industry, this article concludes that more explicitly political actions supporting migrants’ rights, workers’ rights, and access to welfare and public services will not only more effectively challenge trafficking but also prevent other exploitation of migrants.
The integration of Artificial Intelligence into the diagnosis and treatment of diseases Current advances and future perspectives in Medicine and Medical Engineering.
Authors: Grunbaum Sergio
Published: April 2024

The dynamics between physicians and patients are being transformed by Artificial Intelligence (AI) in modern medicine. The foundation of AI applications in healthcare lies in its ability to process large data sets with exceptional speed and accuracy, surpassing human capabilities. For example, AI systems in radiology can analyze imaging exams in an agile way, identifying patterns that could escape immediate human perception. This deep analysis capacity is contributing to the early detection of conditions such as cancer, potentially enabling faster and more effective therapeutic interventions, with a direct impact on the preservation of lives. Additionally, AI enables more accurate diagnoses, personalization of treatments based on the patient’s genetic profile and mitigation of errors induced by fatigue or other human factors.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) in medicine is driven by algorithms and machine learning. These systems learn from health data to continually improve the accuracy of their analysis. Not only do they identify patterns in health conditions, but they can also anticipate possible complications, thus contributing to disease prevention and facilitating informed clinical decision-making. These capabilities range from predicting epidemiological outbreaks to robotic surgical assistance and developing personalized treatments based on data-driven medicine.

Diagnostic methods are being redefined by technological advances, which is resulting in increased accuracy and reliability of results. AI plays a crucial role in this transformation, offering tools that assist in the early detection of diseases, a fundamental aspect for the success of treatments. The ability to process medical images in high resolution and recognize complex patterns is one of the most significant achievements of AI, enabling more accurate diagnostics and positively influencing both medical practice and biomedical engineering.

AI has revolutionized medicine and medical engineering by redefining diagnostics and treatments to provide more accurate and efficient healthcare in recent years. AI’s ability to analyze large volumes of data and identify complex patterns drives innovative discoveries, especially in medical diagnosis. With machine learning algorithms trained in vast clinical datasets, AI demonstrates astonishing accuracy in early and accurate detection of abnormalities in medical images such as x-rays and MRIs. This increases the chances of successful treatment and improves clinical outcomes. In addition, AI transforms disease treatment by offering personalized and adaptive approaches, with clinical decision support systems that recommend specific treatments for each patient, promoting more accurate and efficient medicine.
Do Estado de Exceção ao Democrático: Direitos Humanos e políticas públicas no Brasil
Authors: Leite Leonardo Canez , Simões Cristian Carla de Campos
Published: April 2024

É inegável que o Brasil vem atravessando uma crise política, econômica, social e entender a atuação do Estado frente a esses problemas nos permite compreender também o nosso papel como cidadão. No Brasil, a relação existente entre o Estado, Governo, Sociedade, Direitos humanos e Políticas Públicas é complexa. Como parte da estruturação política do Estado de Exceção, os direitos humanos vêm sofrendo duros golpes o que reflete negativamente na eficiência das políticas públicas. Dessa forma o presente trabalho tem como objetivo tecer reflexões sobre o conceito, a origem, o papel do Estado, relacionando-os aos princípios dos Direito Humanos e sua aplicação nas Políticas Públicas. Para isso, buscou-se utilizar dos procedimentos teórico-metodológicos através de pesquisas bibliográficas. O presente artigo não pretende esgotar o assunto e nem apresentar soluções definitivas, mas apresentar reflexões sobre a importância dos Direitos Humanos para sustentar o Estado de Direito Democrático que vivemos, com o objetivo maior do bem comum.
Dificuldades probatórias no Direito do Trabalho e suas repercussões na esfera previdenciária:
Authors: Bastos Alberto Luiz Hanemann
Published: April 2024

O presente estudo visa investigar as dificuldades enfrentadas pelos litigantes que pretendem comprovar os fatos constitutivos de direitos trabalhistas e, por conseguinte, descrever de que modo tais atribulações obstam o acesso a benefícios previdenciários. Valendo-se do método analítico bibliográfico, o trabalho teve por objetivo geral explorar as conexões existentes entre as áreas do Direito do Trabalho e do Direito Previdenciário, com vistas a indicar de que modo um mesmo arsenal probatório pode subsidiar tanto pretensões de cunho trabalhista, quanto pretensões de cunho previdenciário. Assim, a pesquisa centrou-se sobre os seguintes objetivos específicos: (i) lançando mão da metáfora dos “vasos comunicantes”, expor os entendimentos doutrinários que vaticinam a proximidade do processo do trabalho com o processo previdenciário, com especial ênfase no que diz respeito aos seus aspectos probatórios; (ii) arrolar algumas das dificuldades probatórias enfrentadas pelos indivíduos que litigam na Justiça do Trabalho (reconhecimento de vínculo de emprego em contexto de trabalho informal, demonstração do adoecimento físico e psicológico decorrente da precarização do ambiente de trabalho, comprovação de incidentes de assédio moral), de modo a indicar as suas repercussões na seara previdenciária; e (iii) propor soluções para atenuar as dificuldades probatórias vislumbradas na comprovação dos fatos constitutivos de direitos trabalhistas e previdenciários. Ao fim, concluiu-se que as dificuldades probatórias que permeiam os processos trabalhista e previdenciário devem ser minuciadas, para que sejam engendradas técnicas capazes de maximizar o acesso a tais direitos, indispensáveis para a manutenção de uma vida digna.