bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Labour alternative dispute resolution modes in Zimbabwe
Authors: Ndhlovu Pilot , Mukuze Kebiat , Ndhlovu Provilence
Published: August 2023

The study looks at the defining features of various labour dispute resolution modes and their appropriateness in Zimbabwe. Researchers used a qualitative approach to collect and analyse data, drawing on a purposive sampling method to select and distribute open-ended questionnaires to 38 participants. The study established that the alternative dispute resolution (ADR) modes used in Zimbabwe are collective bargaining, conciliation, and arbitration, all formalised and regulated by the Labour Act (2015). Nevertheless, these ADR mechanisms have numerous flaws including, that they are not ‘culturally’ close to citizens, and as a result, access to justice is still a challenge, they are also expensive and cannot be easily understood by ordinary employees. Accordingly, the study recommends that the government amend the Labour Act (2015) to return to the old conciliation and arbitration system which was decentralised to the districts. When making the amendments to the Labour Act, the government should also consult with general employees and employers, because they are the victims of the current system. Furthermore, workers’ committees and trade unions should also be empowered to support and educate employees.
Fertilizer use in conventional cereal production in northern Greece: Mapping gaps for improving sustainability
Authors: Vindena Vassiliki , Toubou Elisavet , Koutroubas Spyridon D. , Damalas Christos A.
Published: August 2023

Optimizing fertilizer use in intensively cropped soils is essential, but knowledge of related issues among farmers is lacking. The present study assessed farmers’ perceptions of fertilizers and practices of fertilizer use in intensive cereal production in rural areas of Evros in northern Greece. In total, 250 cereal farmers were chosen for this study, and more than half of the farmers (53.6%) perceived that chemical fertilizers are hazardous, corroborating a general perception of chemophobia. Nevertheless, almost all farmers (98.8%) stated that they applied fertilization in their cereal production. Among them, 82.8% applied inorganic fertilizers, 9.2% applied green manure, 4.4% applied animal manure, and 3.6% applied commercial organic fertilizers. Most farmers used rates within the recommended rates in cereal production, while 12.9% and 6.2% of the farmers reported fertilization rates that were significantly lower or higher than those recommended for the area, respectively. Almost half of the farmers (48.8%) stated that they often use slow-release fertilizers and 30.8% stated that they frequently use foliar-applied fertilizers in cereals. Most farmers (57.2%) never kept records of annual fertilizations, while two-thirds of the farmers (66.4%) never asked for a soil analysis. Overall, most farmers (52.0%) showed traditional behavior, while only 5.2% showed innovative behavior in fertilizer use. Multiple regression analysis revealed that the innovative behavior was promoted by large-scale farmers, farmers who applied crop rotation, and farmers who perceived inorganic fertilizers as harmful. Moreover, large farm size and favorable attitudes concerning organic fertilizers were significantly associated with organic fertilizers use.
The Archives of Saddam Hussein's Baʿth Party and the Politics of Remembering and Forgetting the Baʿthist Era in Iraq
Authors: Brill Michael
Published: August 2023

On August 31, 2020, a US military plane returned the archive of the Baʿth Party Regional Command, more commonly known as the Baʿth Party Archive, to Iraq from California, where it had been held by Stanford University's Hoover Institution Library and Archives since 2008. A leftover issue from the 2003 Iraq War, it had been static as a policy matter for years, but appeared on the agenda of the US–Iraq Strategic Dialogue in summer 2020. Mustafa al-Kadhimi's emergence as the compromise choice for prime minister by Iraq's competing factions that May facilitated this development. Kadhimi, a journalist and human rights activist by background, was one of the cofounders with Kanan Makiya of the Iraq Memory Foundation (IMF), a nongovernmental organization that followed in the wake of the US-led invasion in 2003 as a US Department of Defense contractor. The origins of this relationship dated to the aftermath of the 1990–91 Gulf War. Shortly after arriving in Iraq in 2003, and responding to the rumor that looters were headed toward the mausoleum and museum of Baʿth Party founder Michel ʿAflaq, Kadhimi and Makiya by chance discovered the Baʿth Party Archive underneath the structure, which was adjacent to the Baʿth Party's headquarters in Baghdad.
The Past is Never Dead. It's Not Even Past: History and Memory in Iraq Studies
Authors: Rohde Achim , Woertz Eckart
Published: August 2023

The history of modern Iraq has been marked by violence, oppression, and foreign interventions to a degree that stands out even among other war-torn countries. On the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the US-led invasion of Iraq, many retrospectives were still dominated by a US-centric navel gazing of the chattering classes inside the beltway, but more Iraqi voices and alternative viewpoints were present in op-eds and articles than a decade earlier. In this spirit this roundtable section reflects on recent Iraqi history and contemporary developments with an eye toward memory politics in the context of transforming governance mechanisms and evolving civil society actors. It builds on a conference held at the German Institute for Global and Area Studies (GIGA) in Hamburg in March 2023 and portrays emerging avenues for research as well as new perspectives on long running debates.
Archaeology of a Treasure Island: Actors and Practices of Holding Companies in Luxembourg (1929–1940)
Authors: Calabrese Matteo , Majerus Benoît
Published: August 2023

Tax avoidance has become a hotly discussed topic. These debates have been informed by academic research done by social scientists. Historians, relative latecomers in the field, argue for a greater consideration of the interwar period so as to understand the pathway dependencies of the infrastructures used for tax dodging practices today. This article explores the question of how Luxembourg became, in the 1930s, an important node in the network of legal re-coding of capital for tax shopping purposes. The Holding Act of 1929 offered legal security but was vague enough to foster a fiscal bricolage that allowed notaries, banks and lawyers to serve a heterogeneous group of people eager to pay less tax. Concealing the real beneficiaries of the holding while at the same publicising the opportunities of the legal coding proved to be a complementary process.
Advancing Regional Water Supply Management and Infrastructure Investment Pathways That Are Equitable, Robust, Adaptive, and Cooperatively Stable
Authors: Gold David F. , Reed Patrick M. , Gorelick David E. , Characklis Gregory W.
Published: August 2023

Regionalization approaches—where utilities in close geographic proximity cooperate to manage drought risks and co‐invest in new infrastructure—are increasingly necessary strategies for leveraging economies of scale to meet growing demands and navigate financial risks. However, regionalization also brings new challenges to water supply planning. Successful regionalization policies must equitably balance the interests of multiple partners while navigating power relationships between regional actors. In long‐term infrastructure planning contexts, this challenge is heightened by the evolving system‐state dynamics, which may be fundamentally reshaped by infrastructure investment. This work introduces Equitable, Robust, Adaptive, and Stable Deeply Uncertain Pathways (DU PathwaysERAS), an exploratory modeling framework for developing regional water supply management and infrastructure investment pathways. DU PathwaysERAS provides an integrated framework for stakeholders to evaluate the equity of policy outcomes across cooperating partners and explore regional power relationships within cooperative infrastructure policies. To capture the time‐evolving dynamics of infrastructure pathways, DU PathwaysERAS features new tools to measure the adaptive capacity of pathway policies and evaluate time‐evolving vulnerability. We demonstrate our framework on a six‐utility water supply partnership seeking to develop cooperative infrastructure investment pathways in the Research Triangle, North Carolina. Our results indicate that commonly employed framings of robustness can have large and unintended adverse consequences for regional partnerships. Results further illustrate that regional and individual vulnerabilities are highly interdependent and emphasize the need to limit counterparty risks through carefully designed cooperative agreements. Beyond the Research Triangle, these results are broadly applicable to cooperative water supply infrastructure investment and management globally.
Thermal Dispersion in a Fracture‐Matrix System With Application to Geothermal Energy Extraction
Authors: Dejam Morteza , Hassanzadeh Hassan
Published: August 2023

We studied thermal dispersion in a fracture walled by a porous and permeable rock matrix, where the fluid flow and heat transport are coupled across the interface between these media. The reduced order model of the advective‐dispersive heat transport in the fracture‐matrix system is resulted from the Reynolds decomposition. The model allows the calculations of the upscaled dispersion and advection terms. A simple scaling relation is developed to estimate heat extraction from geothermal fracture‐matrix systems. It was shown that the extracted heat is inversely proportional to the height of the matrix squared. Our finding also revealed that the dimensionless extracted heat is weakly dependent on fracture Peclet number and matrix Darcy number and is threefold the matrix dimensionless thermal diffusion time. In the analysis presented, we assumed a homogenous system. The heterogeneity caused by a variation in fracture and rock matrix properties (such as porosity, permeability, thickness, and aperture) adds more complexity. Including these complexities in the determination of the thermal dispersion with the coupled fracture‐matrix approach needs further investigation. However, the developed model, along with the findings of this study, provides valuable insight into the physics of thermal energy extraction from fractured geothermal reservoirs and can be used for testing the underlying hypotheses in real‐field applications.
Accurate sex prediction of cisgender and transgender individuals without brain size bias
Authors: Wiersch Lisa , Hamdan Sami , Hoffstaedter Felix , Votinov Mikhail , Habel Ute , Clemens Benjamin , Derntl Birgit , Eickhoff Simon B. , Patil Kaustubh R. , Weis Susanne
Published: August 2023

The increasing use of machine learning approaches on neuroimaging data comes with the important concern of confounding variables which might lead to biased predictions and in turn spurious conclusions about the relationship between the features and the target. A prominent example is the brain size difference between women and men. This difference in total intracranial volume (TIV) can cause bias when employing machine learning approaches for the investigation of sex differences in brain morphology. A TIV-biased model will not capture qualitative sex differences in brain organization but rather learn to classify an individual’s sex based on brain size differences, thus leading to spurious and misleading conclusions, for example when comparing brain morphology between cisgender- and transgender individuals. In this study, TIV bias in sex classification models applied to cis- and transgender individuals was systematically investigated by controlling for TIV either through featurewise confound removal or by matching the training samples for TIV. Our results provide strong evidence that models not biased by TIV can classify the sex of both cis- and transgender individuals with high accuracy, highlighting the importance of appropriate modeling to avoid bias in automated decision making.
The effect of three-layer liner on the jet formation and penetration capability of shaped charge jet
Authors: Hao Zhiwei , Wang Zhijun , Wang Yifan , Duan Conghui , Ji Qing
Published: August 2023

In order to solve the problem of insufficient penetration ability of common liner, a new three-layer liner was proposed. AUTODYN software was used to simulate the efflux forming process of three-layer liner. The influence of four different impact impedance liner materials and different thickness ratio of three-layer liner on efflux performance was studied. In order to study the penetration ability of shaped charge to semi-infinite target plate, the penetration calculation of the target plate was carried out by taking several standoff under different thickness ratios. The optimal thickness ratio of three-layer liner was determined by studying the penetration depth and opening size of the target plate. The results show: By comparing the matching of liner materials with different impact impedances, the head velocity, effective length, total energy, total kinetic energy and effective jet mass of the jet formed when the three-layer liner material is AL 2024, copper and nickel from the outside to the inside are the best. In the analysis of the matching of the thickness ratio of the three-layer liner, the key to the jet forming is the thickness ratio of the outer liner. Within a certain range, the greater the proportion of the thickness of the outer liner, the better the jet forming; when the material of the three-layer liner is AL 2024-copper-nickel from outside to inside, the thickness ratio of the liner is 4/1/1 from outside to inside, and the jet forming is the best. The maximum penetration depth of the shaped charge with a thickness ratio of 1/1/4 from the outside to the inside of the three-layer liner is 395.5 mm, which is 52.3% higher than that of the shaped charge with a double-layer liner. Compared with the shaped charge with single-layer liner, the penetration depth is increased by 62.6%. When the thickness ratio of the three-layer liner is 1/1/4 from the outside to the inside, the maximum entrance diameter of the target plate is 14.3 mm, which is the same as that of the shaped charge with the double-layer liner. Compared with the shaped charge with single-layer liner, the entrance diameter is in-creased by 14.4%.
Biocompatibility and efficacy of prostatic urethral lift in benign prostate hyperplasia: an in vivo and in vitro study
Authors: Xia Yuqi , Yuan Tianhui , Zou Wei , Li Haoyong , Ning Jinzhuo , Ruan Yuan , Xu Lizhe , Yu Weimin , Cheng Fan
Published: August 2023

The study aimed to assess the biocompatibility and efficacy of a prostatic urethral lift (PUL) for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Human BPH-1 cells were co-cultured with implant anchors and sutures, and cytotoxicity was measured. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to observe adhesion and growth of cells and to evaluate implant biocompatibility. Fifteen male beagle dogs were randomly assigned to the surgical (n = 9) or sham-operated (n = 6) groups. The surgical group underwent cystotomy, and PUL was used to insert two implants in each lobe of the prostate to compress the enlarged prostate and dilate the urethra; the sham group underwent cystotomy without implant insertion. Compared with the control group, no significant difference in cell viability among the groups with different co-culture times of implant anchors and sutures (P > 0.05) was observed. SEM revealed good adhesion and growth of prostate cells on the implants. Improvements in urine flow rates remained stable at 7, 28, and 180 days after surgery, and the urethral diameter in the prostate region was significantly increased compared with that before surgery. PUL is a biocompatible and effective treatment for BPH, improving the urine flow rate without causing inflammation, tissue damage, or cytotoxic effects. Here, the basis for further PUL application was provided.
Combined serum albumin, fecal immunochemical test, and leucine-rich alpha-2 glycoprotein levels for predicting prognosis in remitting patients with ulcerative colitis
Authors: Nakamura Naohiro , Honzawa Yusuke , Nishimon Shuhei , Sano Yasuki , Tokutomi Yutaro , Ito Yuka , Yagi Naoto , Kobayashi Sanshiro , Aoi Mamiko , Tahara Tomomitsu , Fukata Norimasa , Fukui Toshiro , Naganuma Makoto
Published: August 2023

This study investigated the usefulness of serum leucine-rich alpha-2 glycoprotein (LRG) and fecal immunochemical tests (FIT) for predicting relapse in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC). Data of 194 patients tested for LRG between January 2020 and June 2022 were retrospectively collected and clinical characteristics were recorded. LRG was strongly correlated with CRP levels and it had a moderately negative correlation with albumin levels, whereas FIT was not significantly correlated with either CRP or albumin levels. Furthermore, the median serum albumin and FIT were significantly different between patients with or without clinical relapse; while the LRG level was not associated with clinical relapse. Although LRG is not an independent factor for predicting clinical relapse, the cumulative remission rate was significantly higher in patients with higher albumin than in those with lower albumin. Furthermore, the combination of FIT and albumin was useful for predicting for relapse, patients with higher FIT and lower albumin tended to have higher relapse rates than those with both lower FIT and albumin and those with lower FIT and higher albumin. Our study indicated that serum albumin level is useful for predicting relapse, even in remitting outpatients. Although LRG is not an independent factor for predicting clinical relapse, it is useful for identifying patients that are likely to relapse when combined serum albumin or FIT results.
METTL14 inhibits malignant progression of oral squamous cell carcinoma by targeting the autophagy-related gene RB1CC1 in an m6A-IGF2BP2-dependent manner
Authors: Liang Jianfeng , Cai Hongshi , Hou Chen , Song Fan , Jiang Yaoqi , Wang Ziyi , Qiu Danqi , Zhu Yue , Wang Fang , Yu Dongsheng , Hou Jinsong
Published: August 2023

N6-methyladenosine (m6A) plays crucial roles in tumorigenesis and autophagy. However, the underlying mechanisms mediated by m6A and autophagy in the malignant progression of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) remain unclear. In the present study, we revealed that down-regulated expression of METTL14 was correlated with advanced clinicopathological characteristics and poor prognosis in OSCC. METTL14 knockdown significantly inhibited autophagy and facilitated malignant progression in vitro, and promoted tumor growth and metastasis in vivo. A cell model of rapamycin-induced autophagy was established to identify RB1CC1 as a potential target gene involved in m6A-regulated autophagy in OSCC, through RNA sequencing and methylated RNA immunoprecipitation sequencing (meRIP-seq) analysis. Mechanistically, we confirmed that METTL14 posttranscriptionally enhanced RB1CC1 expression in an m6A-IGF2BP2-dependent manner, thereby affecting autophagy and progression in OSCC, through methylated RNA immunoprecipitation qRT-PCR (meRIP-qPCR), RNA stability assays, mutagenesis assays and dual-luciferase reporter. Collectively, our findings demonstrated that METTL14 serves as an OSCC suppressor by regulating the autophagy-related gene RB1CC1 through m6A modification, which may provide a new insight for the diagnosis and therapy of OSCC.
Removal of Particle Contamination in the Extracorporeal Circuit Detected by an In-Line Particle Counter
Authors: Ueda M , Kondo Y , Fuse K , Makuuchi H , Konishi T
Published: August 2023

We investigated the number and size of the particles (diameter:> 1 μm) in the extracorporeal circuit by means of a particle counter. We also evaluated the efficacy of pre-bypass filters in the extracorporeal circuit. During in vitro tests, the removal efficiency of the Pall PP3802 and the Harvey H-600 were 99.3% and 63.8% respectively after recirculating for 5 minutes. In clinical cases, the mean number of particles in the cardiopulmonary circuit after a 5 minute recirculation was 4287 ± 836 particles/ml (pcs/ml). After using the PP3802, it dropped to 52 ± 11 pes/ml. It is desirable to use a .2 μm prebypass filter for recirculating all cardiopulmonary products before operation.
Heparin-Induced Thrombocytopenia and Thrombosis Syndrome or H.I.T.T.S.
Authors: Olivencia - Yurvati Albert H. , Sanders Steve P. , Pickering Ernest , Archer Robert L.
Published: August 2023

Heparin induced thrombocytopenia has been reported to occur in 10-30% of patients receiving heparin therapy. Approximately 0.6-10% of these patients wlll develop a rare and poorly recognized paradoxical thrombosis. The suspected mechanism is an IgG mediated immune complex that causes platelet aggregation. Clinical hallmarks include thrombocytopenia, increasing heparin tolerance and recurrent arterial embolism. Laboratory testing as well as treatment modalities are presented. This paper reports on two open-heart surgery cases that developed heparin induced thrombocytopenia and the thrombosis syndrome (H.I.T.T.S.).
Retrograde Coronary Sinus Versus Antegrade Cardioplegic Perfusion: A Review
Authors: James David A.
Published: August 2023

Retrograde coronary sinus perfusion may provide equal if not better myocardial protection than antegrade cardioplegia during certain heart surgeries.

The coronary venous system can be divided into the greater and lesser systems and veno-venous and arterio-venous anastomoses. Venous drainage varies greatly and retrograde coronary sinus perfusion depends on this variation.

Antegrade cardioplegia is effective in some severely obstructed vasculature due to collaterals but generally these are insufficient and areas of the heart remain unprotected.

The coronary venous system is a low pressure system unaffected by atherosclerosis. Great care must be taken to avoid overpressurization. Because direct cannulation can be difficult, Fabiani created a technique whereby the right heart is pressurized causing backflow into the sinus. Diehl combined this right heart approach with a dose of antegrade cardioplegia to stop the heart quickly.

Investigators have compared retrograde coronary sinus perfusion to antegrade cardioplegia using infrared myocardial thermography, microsphere injection, and crystalloid and perfluorocarbon cardioplegia.

Retrograde coronary sinus perfusion remains a viable alternative to antegrade cardioplegia for various cardiac conditions and its application may increase as investigators improve and simplify the technique.
Improved Quality Control Utilizing Continuous Blood Gas Monitoring and Computerized Perfusion Systems
Authors: Justison George A. , Parsons Sandra
Published: August 2023

The effect continuous blood gas monitors and computerized perfusion documentation systems have on the performance and reproduction of clinical events during cardiopulmonary bypass was studied. Patients undergoing elective coronary artery bypass procedures were randomly placed into three classifications. Group one received no continuous monitors and manual documentation. Group two had continuous monitoring and manual documentation. Group three has continuous monitoring and computerized case documentation. The implementation of computerized monitoring and documentation systems reduces the number of events outside of desired physiological limits and improves the ability to re-create clinical events.
Optimizing experimental yields for magnetized inertial fusion
Authors: Thompson Avery
Published: August 2023

A scaled-down experimental platform acts as a valuable testbed for identifying optimum reaction parameters.
Multi-mode polarization-filtering hollow core anti-resonance fiber using SPR
Authors: Xu Ziyi , Liu Shuo , Ma Rui
Published: August 2023

A multi-mode polarization-filtering hollow core anti-resonance fiber whose cladding is composed of four circular tubes and four elliptical tubes is demonstrated. In the vertical directions, two small nested elliptical tubes are coated with gold films in the inner wall. This fiber can filter x-polarized LP01, LP21 and LP02 modes in different wavelengths through surface plasmon resonance which, is produced by two gold films. The polarization extinction ratio of LP01, LP21 and LP02 modes can reach 293, 116 and 30 at the wavelength of 1550 nm, 1570 nm and 1574 nm, respectively. We can adjust the polarization-filtering operation wavelength by changing the ellipticity of elliptical tubes in the cladding. Thus, this fiber can achieve polarization-filtering operation in the whole C and L bands.
Comparison of chitosan and SLN nano-delivery systems for antibacterial effect of cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum) oil against MDR K pneumoniae and E coli
Authors: Rohani Masoumeh , Nemattalab Mehran , Hedayati Mohammad , Ghasemi Saeed , Hesari Zahra
Published: August 2023

Objectives. Klebsiella pneumoniae and Escherichia coli are among the widespread causes of hospital infections, and their biofilm forming ability causes their resistance to antibiotics. Cinnamon oil (CO) has presented confirmed antimicrobial activity. Solid lipid nanoparticles (SLN) and chitosan nanoparticles are promising carrier systems to increase the stability and therapeutic effects of oils. Methods. This study was designed to develop chitosan nanoparticles containing cinnamon oil (CO–CH) and compare it with cinnamon oil loaded in SLN (CO-SLN). Physicochemical evaluations and antibacterial and anti-biofilm activities were determined. Results. SLN showed a regular morphology and a spherical shape with an average size of 40.65 nm and the CO–CH showed a non-rounded edge with an average size of approximately 116.1 nm. The Encapsulation efficiency of CO–CH and CO–SLN nanoparticles were about 97.5% and 80%, respectively. Results showed 70% cumulative release in CH–CO compared to 40% in CO-SLN in 24 h. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) against E coli and K pneumoniae for CO–CH, CO-SLN and pure CO were 10–15 μg ml−1 , 60 –80 μg ml−1 and 155–175 μg ml−1, respectively. Conclusion. Utilizing nano- systems for the delivery of CO can significantly potentiate its antimicrobial activity. CO–CH revealed a 6-fold higher antibacterial effect compared to CO-SLN and more than 10-fold stronger activity compared to CO.
Wide-angle high-performance polarizers based on all-elliptical-metamaterial one-dimensional photonic crystals
Authors: She Yuchun , Cheng Zhaoming , Li Hongju , Hu Shi , Zheng Yunbao , Wu Feng
Published: August 2023

As a class of all-dielectric metamaterials, elliptical metamaterials (EMMs) with elliptical iso-frequency curves provide a lossless platform to manipulate light with unity efficiency. Herein, we select two kinds of EMMs as the elements to constitute a special class of one-dimensional (1D) photonic crystals (PCs) called all-EMM 1D PCs and realize polarization-sensitive photonic bandgaps (PBGs). Enabled by the polarization-sensitive property of the PBG, we achieve a wide-angle high-performance polarizer. The maximum polarization extinction ratio reaches 1.82 × 104 and the width of the operating angle range reaches 36.07°. Besides, the performance of the polarizer demonstrates robustness against the layer thickness. The all-EMM 1D PCs are 1D nanostructures completely consisting of dielectric thin films, which can be much easily fabricated compared with 2D and 3D nanostructures. Our work provides a lithography-free recipe to design wide-angle high-performance polarizers.
Canonical analysis and modified Faddeev-Jackiw approach for the Jackiw-Teitelboim model in two dimensions
Authors: Cabrera Jaime Manuel , Paulin Fuentes Jorge Mauricio
Published: August 2023

This article presents an analysis of the constraints of the Jackiw-Teitelboim model in two dimensions via the canonical analysis using the Dirac algorithm and modified Faddeev-Jackiw (FJ) approach. The analysis primarily focuses on the identification of constraints, gauge transformations, counting of physical degrees of freedom, and the generalized FJ brackets and Dirac’s brackets. To ensure gauge symmetry within the symplectic formalism and maintain consistency with the Dirac formalism, we employ the Montani-Wotzasek method, which effectively utilizes the zero modes of the symplectic matrix. Additionally, the Poincaré symmetry and diffeomorphisms in the model are identified. Finally, we present the equivalence between the generalized FJ and Dirac brackets when all the second-class constraints are treated as zero equations.
Synthesis of drug carrier carbon nanofoam by chemical vapor deposition using Agar/NaCl catalyst
Authors: Muchlisha N , Widjonarko D M , Saraswati T E
Published: August 2023

Carbon nanofoam is one of the carbon allotropes having sp2 and sp3 hybridized carbon, with graphite or non-graphite-like structures, a stable framework, and very low density. This study aims to synthesize carbon nanofoam by chemical vapor deposition using an Agar/NaCl catalyst and Ar/C2H2 gases at 700°C. The success of the synthesis was analyzed using FTIR and SEM-EDX analysis. The carbon nanofoam obtained was hydrophobic. The FTIR spectra show absorption at wavenumber 3445, 2921, and 1527 cm−1, respectively, indicating the presence of hydroxyl groups, aliphatic C-H, and C=C stretching. However, its FTIR spectra indicate the absence of hydrophilic groups, such as covalent-bonded oxygen-containing functional groups. The SEM image shows the interconnected framework with irregular pores. The elemental analysis using EDX shows that the prepared CNF contains C and O elements of 92.45 and 7.6%, respectively. The prepared carbon nanofoam shows ascorbic acid slowing release in its drug carrier application due to its large porosity and surface area.
Low-temperature Thermogravimetry Study of Post-Infrared-Exposure PMMA and PMMA/zircon Composites
Authors: Sholicha S P , Hilmi A R , Pratapa S
Published: August 2023

A thermogravimetruic study of PMMA/zircon composites was performed at temperatures between 30 and 200°C, instead of above degradation temperature of PMMA at around 300°C. The focus of the study was to observe mass changes between the designated temperatures due to zircon filler and infrared (IR) exposure. Four samples were prepared, i.e. pure PMMA without IR exposure and with IR exposure, each without and with 1 wt.% zircon filler. The success of the synthesis of the composites was examined using x-ray diffraction (XRD). Thermal gravimetry (TG) data of samples at the designated temperatures were plotted to explain several thermal phenomena. Results showed that all samples exhibited a drop of 1.5-2% weight between 30 and 75°C with only a slight increase after IR exposure. The slight drop maybe due to water loss or evaporation of broken weak hydrocarbon bonds. There is a further slight increase in mass for the unexposed samples between 75 and 105°C, i.e. just before the glass transition temperature of PMMA. The mass decrease continued up to 135 °C for the unexposed pure PMMA and up to 135°C for the other samples, indicating that filler and IR exposure favored PMMA mass loss. After that, up to 200 °C, all samples gained mass which was presumably due to oxidation. The presence of filler and the IR exposure promoted a larger oxidation as a result of some breaking PMMA bonds.
Development of PVA/PEG-silane composites pillared activated bentonite for hydrophilic sponge material
Authors: Wahyuningsih S , Pramono E , Widjonarko D M , Ramadhani I D , Zulfihandari T , Aini F N
Published: August 2023

Hydrophilic sponge composites were designed with a combination of polymers using a silane agent (Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), Octhyltriethoxysilane (OTES)), Polyethylene glycol (PEG), Polyvinylalcohol (PVA) and activated natural bentonite (B). We describe a simple method of hydrophilic sponge composites preparation with hydrophilic characteristics. The preparation of activated natural bentonite was proceeded by washing in distilled water followed by curing heated at 150°C for 1 hour. The V1 hydrophilic sponge composites were prepared in the ratio of PDMS: Zn: PVA: PEG= 1: 1: 1: 1 (w/w). Through the same synthesis steps, we also prepared for V2 (2:1:1:1), V3 (1:1:2:1), and V4 (1:1:1:2). Then, activated bentonite (B) was added to V1, V2, V3, and V4 hydrophilic sponge composites, respectively, to obtained B-V1 PDMS, B-V2 PDMS, B-V3 PDMS, B-V4 PDMS, B-V1 OTES, B-V2 OTES, B-V3 OTES, and B-V4 OTES. The research also studies the physical characteristics of bentonite, and PVA/PEG-silane composites using X-Ray diffraction (XRD), Attenuated total reflection-Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy, and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). Even though, the physical hydrophilic characteristic of sponges was identified by the water contact angle measurement. It has been observed that the most hydrophilic materials are in B-V4 PDMS and B-V4 OTES. The presence of more PEG can cause the contact angle to be smaller or more hydrophilic, but its presence needs to be limited and further reviewed regarding its solubility in fuel oil. It concludes that hydrophilic sponge B-V4 has potential application as the separation of water from fuel oil.
Pseudo-Anosov subgroups of general fibered 3–manifold groups
Authors: Leininger Christopher , Russell Jacob
Published: August 2023

We show that finitely generated and purely pseudo-Anosov subgroups of fundamental groups of fibered 3–manifolds with reducible monodromy are convex cocompact as subgroups of the mapping class group via the Birman exact sequence. Combined with results of Dowdall–Kent–Leininger and Kent–Leininger–Schleimer, this establishes the result for the image of all such fibered 3–manifold groups in the mapping class group.
Medical Mistrust Mediates the Relationship Between Nonconsensual Intersex Surgery and Healthcare Avoidance Among Intersex Adults
Authors: Wang Jeremy C , Dalke Katharine B , Nachnani Rahul , Baratz Arlene B , Flatt Jason D
Published: August 2023

Background

Intersex individuals experience poor health due, in part, to healthcare avoidance. Nonconsensual intersex surgery may contribute to medical mistrust and avoidance among intersex populations.

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between nonconsensual surgery and healthcare avoidance among intersex populations and to examine if medical mistrust mediates this relationship.

Methods

Data for this cross-sectional study were collected in 2018 and analyzed in 2022. Participants completed a survey collecting information on demographics, medical mistrust, history of nonconsensual surgery, and history of postponing healthcare. One hundred nine participants with valid responses to all regression model variables were included in the study. Multivariable logistic regression models controlling for age, race, and income, examined the relationship between nonconsensual surgery and postponing preventive and emergency healthcare. Mediation analyses of cross-sectional data examined whether medical mistrust mediated the relationship between nonconsensual surgery and postponing preventive and emergency healthcare.

Results

Mean medical mistrust score was 2.8 (range = 1–4; standard deviation = 0.8), 49.7% of participants had nonconsensual surgery in their lifetime, 45.9% postponed emergency healthcare, and 61.5% postponed preventive healthcare in their lifetime. Nonconsensual surgery was associated with increased odds of delaying preventive (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 4.17; confidence interval [CI] = 1.76–9.88; p = .016) and emergency healthcare (AOR = 4.26; CI = 1.71–10.59; p = .002). Medical mistrust mediated the relationship between nonconsensual surgery and delaying preventive (indirect effect = 1.78; CI = 1.16–3.67) and emergency healthcare (indirect effect = 1.66; CI = 1.04–3.30).

Conclusions

Nonconsensual surgery contributed to healthcare avoidance in this intersex population by increasing medical mistrust. To decrease healthcare avoidance, intersex health promotion interventions should restrict nonconsensual surgery and build trust through trauma-informed care.
Local adaptation to hummingbirds and bees in Salvia stachydifolia: insights into pollinator shifts in a Southern Andean sage
Authors: Izquierdo Juliana V , Costas Santiago M , Castillo Santiago , Baranzelli Matíias C , Sazatornil Federico , Benitez-Vieyra Santiago
Published: August 2023

Background and Aims

Differences among populations in pollinator assemblages can lead to local adaptation mosaics in which plants evolve different floral morphologies and attractive traits. Mountain habitats may promote local adaptation because of differences in environmental conditions with altitude, causing changes in pollinators, and because mountaintops can act as isolated habitats. We studied if the differences in floral shape, size and nectar traits in Salvia stachydifolia can be attributed to variations in the relative contribution of hummingbirds and insects.

Methods

We studied eight populations of S. stachydifolia in natural and under common garden conditions, to assess whether population differences have a genetic component. We recorded pollinators, their behaviour and visitation rates, and characterized pollinator assemblages. In addition, we measured nectar volume and concentration, and collected flowers to describe floral shape and size variation using geometric morphometric methods. We then applied an unsupervised learning algorithm to identify ecotypes based on morphometric traits. Finally, we explored whether populations with different pollinator assemblages had different climatic and/or elevation preferences.

Key Results

We found that variation in the identity of the main pollinators was associated with differences among populations in all traits, as expected under a local adaptation scenario. These differences persisted in the common garden, suggesting that they were not due to phenotypic plasticity. We found S. stachydifolia populations were pollinated either by bees, by hummingbirds or had mixed pollination. We identified two ecotypes that correspond to the identity of the main pollinator guilds, irrespective of climate or altitude.

Conclusions

Variation in S. stachydifolia floral traits did not follow any evident association with bioclimatic factors, suggesting that populations may have diverged as the product of historical isolation on mountaintops. We suggest that differences among populations point to incipient speciation and an ongoing pollinator shift.
Becoming a ‘Social Work Coach’: How Practising Coaching Creates Beneficial Agility in Social Work Identity
Authors: Triggs Suzanne
Published: August 2023

This article explores how social workers experienced the intersection of social work and coaching roles, and the impact that incorporating dual roles within a child protection context has on social work identity. It discusses the themes from a ‘real-world’ qualitative study conducted in a local authority family support and child protection service in the North of England. Thematic analysis was used to interpret data from focus groups and semi-structured interviews with seven social workers, and semi-structured interviews with six service users. The findings reveal that social work identities initially become disrupted through using coaching, before a more flexible, enriched professional identity is fashioned which is congruent with both the social work persona and coaching attitudes and behaviours. Service users appeared to intuit this shift in professional identity when comparing their received experiences of social work and coaching. They responded by compartmentalising their hostile associations towards their social worker identity and recast them positively as ‘coaches’. The study findings infer significant applied implications for social work practice, education and continuing professional development that includes coaching knowledge and skills training.
Estimating plume reach and trapping radii for male and female Cydia pomonella (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) captured in pheromone–kairomone baited traps in Washington State apple orchards under mating disruption
Authors: Curtiss R T , Nottingham Louis , Adams Christopher G , Gut Larry J
Published: August 2023

Male Cydia pomonella (L.) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) dispersion has largely been studied in nonmating disrupted orchards due to synthetic pheromone interference with capture in monitoring traps. Little is known about female dispersion. This study aimed to characterize male and female dispersion in mating disrupted commercial apple orchards. Sterile C. pomonella recapture data from single-trap multiple-release experiments using PHEROCON CM-DA COMBO + AA Lure-baited orange Pherocon VI delta traps was interpreted to determine pheromone–kairomone lure-baited trap effective area, trap deployment density for effective monitoring, and absolute male and female C. pomonella density in mating disrupted Washington commercial apple orchards. The maximum plume reach of the pheromone–kairomone lure in mating disrupted orchards was <5 m from the baited trap for both sexes. Maximum dispersive distances for 95% of the released C. pomonella in mating disrupted orchards were 106 and 135 m for males and females, yielding trapping areas of 3.87 and 6.16 ha, respectively. Estimates were consistent across 3 growing seasons and represent the first records of male and female dispersal distance and monitoring trap efficacy from commercial C. pomonella mating disrupted apple orchards. With relevance to commercial monitoring programs and economic thresholds in mating disrupted orchards, traps should be deployed at a density of 1 per 3–6 ha. Capture of a single male or female C. pomonella corresponds to at least 82–104 C. pomonella within the 3–6 ha trapping area. This refined C. pomonella capture interpretation in pheromone–kairomone baited traps in mating disrupted commercial apple orchards yields more precise damage estimates and assists in insecticide-use decision making.
Metabolic responses to exercise
Authors: Zakrzewski-Fruer Julia K , Thackray Alice E , Newell Michael L
Published: August 2023

Considerable progress has been made to characterise the metabolic responses to exercise among children and adolescents (‘young people’) over the last 90 years using a variety of techniques and study designs. Yet, the paediatric literature is often bound to ethical and technical constraints, and insights at the muscle cell level are typically reliant on studies conducted around 40–50 years ago. Among young people, exercise is associated with a complex interplay of distinct aerobic and anaerobic metabolic responses. The child–adolescent–adult transition is accompanied by a reduced reliance on fat oxidation and a reduced Fatmax, with a concomitant increased reliance on total and endogenous carbohydrate oxidation and reduced reliance on exogenous carbohydrate oxidation during exercise. These changes are governed by advances in puberty rather than age per se, with possible underlying mechanisms related to glycogen storage limitations, oxidative and glycolytic enzyme activity, lactate accumulation, and muscle fibre recruitment patterns. Growing evidence among young people shows that fat oxidation dominates during exercise targeted at individual Fatmax (typically at a moderate intensity), that is more prolonged in duration and that utilises a larger muscle mass. Conversely, carbohydrate oxidation dominates during high-intensity, short-duration exercise utilising a smaller muscle mass. From a public health perspective, acute moderate- and high-intensity exercise can induce favourable metabolic responses, including reduced postprandial glucose, insulin, and triacylglycerol concentrations in young people. Notwithstanding progress, much knowledge remains to be accumulated with regard to the metabolic responses to exercise among young people, particularly girls, using new minimally invasive technologies to advance current insights.
Development of aerobic and anaerobic fitness
Authors: Armstrong Neil , McNarry Melitta A
Published: August 2023

Peak oxygen uptake (V.O2peak) is the ‘gold standard’ measure of youth aerobic fitness. There is no corresponding measure of anaerobic fitness and current understanding of the development of anaerobic fitness is principally founded on peak power output (PP) and mean power output (MP) during the Wingate anaerobic test. Multiplicative allometric modelling of large longitudinal data sets of V.O2peak, PP, and MP has demonstrated the powerful influence of fat-free mass (as a surrogate of active muscle mass) on the development of both aerobic and anaerobic fitness. In youth, anaerobic fitness increases at a greater rate than aerobic fitness and this can be largely explained by asynchronous developmental changes within active muscle. There is a progressive increase in potential for glycolytic flux with age and maturation so that from a metabolic perspective, children have a well-developed capacity for sports principally supported by oxidative metabolism but are likely to be disadvantaged in sports heavily reliant on anaerobic metabolism when compared to older and more mature youth. The ability to quickly attain high (or maximum) power output and retain much of it for a sustained period are important components of performance in many youth sports. This involves an interplay between aerobic and anaerobic metabolism which depends upon the mode, intensity, and duration of the exercise and the relative development of the youth athlete’s aerobic and anaerobic fitness.
Selinexor With Anti-PD-1 Antibody as a Potentially Effective Regimen for Patients With Natural Killer/T-Cell Lymphoma Failing Prior L-Asparaginase and PD-1 Blockade
Authors: Tao Rong , Liu Chuanxu , Zhang Wenhao , Zhu Yang , Ma Yujie , Hao Siguo
Published: August 2023

Background

Natural killer/T-cell lymphoma (NKTCL) is a rare and heterogeneous tumor type of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL) with a poor clinical outcome. There is no standardized salvage treatment failing l-asparaginase-based regimens. Here we report our retrospective results of the combined use of selinexor and PD-1 blockade (tislelizumab) in 5 patients with NKTCL who had exhausted almost all available treatments.

Patients and methods

A total of 5 patients with relapsed/refractory(R/R) NK/T-cell lymphomas failing prior l-asparaginase and anti-PD-1 antibody were retrospectively collected. They were treated with at least one cycle of XPO1 inhibitor plus the same anti-PD-1 antibody. Anti-PD-1 antibody (Tislelizumab) was administrated at 200 mg on day 1 every 3 weeks and selinexor doses and schedules ranged from 40 mg weekly for 2 weeks per 21-day cycle to 60 mg weekly per cycle.

Results

Five patients with relapsed NKTCL with extensive organ involvement including 4 central nervous system (CNS) infiltration patients were included. Four patients achieved objective responses including 3 complete responses (CR) and 1 partial response (PR). After a median follow-up time of 14.5 (range, 5-22) months, 1 patient was still in remission with CR, and the other 4 patients discontinued due to disease progression with a median progression-free survival (PFS) of 6 months and median overall survival (OS) of 12 months. Four patients with CNS involvement achieved a median OS of 8 months. Our data suggest that selinexor in combination with an anti-PD-1 antibody is a promising small molecule and immunotherapy combination regimen for patients with relapsed or refractory NKTCL.