bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Meaningful relationships to depend on
Authors: Ashley Cathy
Published: July 2024

Cathy Ashley, chief executive, Family Rights Group
Children's workforce: Guide to Qualifications and Training
Authors: Lepper Joe
Published: July 2024

With many parts of the sector facing recruitment challenges, Joe Lepper identifies developments in entry-level requirements and ongoing professional development for children's services practitioners
Inclusive Education in Practice in Kosovo: Perspectives of Assistants for Students with Special Educational Needs
Authors: Kadriu Ereblir , Agani-Destani Natyra , Bytyqi Blerine , Sopi Valdrin
Published: July 2024

The field of education greatly benefits from inclusive education, which is praised for acknowledging and valuing student diversity and individual needs. Kosovo, as a newly independent country, went through major reforms, particularly in the realm of education, which is marked, among others, by initiatives that anticipate fostering and promoting inclusive education. Initiatives and programs throughout the country were designed and initiated to promote and advocate for inclusivity in the education system. To foster inclusivity, assistants for students with special educational needs were introduced to enable students with special needs to be part of regular education. Thus, in this study, the experiences of assistants for students with special educational needs in Kosovo are explored. This study employed semi-structured interviews to collect data and utilized thematic analysis to identify key themes and topics. The participants in the study included nine assistants for students with special education needs, reflecting diverse perspectives and experiences in the field of inclusive education. The following themes and topics were identified as the main findings of this study: (a) joy, excitement, and pride with the work; (b) individualized education plan (IPE); (c) lack of resources and guidelines; (d) (lack of) cooperation with parents and families; (e) united in unity: the power of collegial support; and f) promoting and advocating for inclusive education.
Speckled output of a multi-mode optical fibre and sensitivity to fibre perturbations
Authors: Hu Hao-Wei , Mekhail Simon Peter , Archibald Robert , Wolley Osian , Padgett Miles J.
Published: July 2024

Multimode fibres are now finding applications in the transport of complex modes and spatial information, such as images. Key to their use is recognising that fibres can be characterised in terms of a transmission matrix, relating any complex input field to the output field. Unfortunately, bending, stressing, or changing the temperature of the fibre changes this matrix, which traditionally then requires a time-consuming re-calibration. In this work, we characterize the stability of this transmission matrix by examining the changes in the transmitted speckle field as the fibre is substantially perturbed. We consider both step-index and graded-index fibres for three different types of fibre bend. Specifically, we examine both step- and graded-index fibres each supporting over one thousand transverse modes and show that, when averaged over the whole numerical aperture, the transmission matrix associated with the graded index fibres is significantly more stable than those for step index, for all types of fibre bend. Furthermore, the higher numerical aperture modes are always more stable than the low-numerical aperture ones. This work is important for selecting fibre type, bend constraints, and calibration bend positions for those using multimode fibres in data transmission or imaging applications.
Seasonal life cycle of Pintomyia longiflocosa (Diptera: Psychodidae) under semi-controlled conditions in the Huila state, Colombia
Authors: Vargas Durango Jennifer Alejandra , Mestre Carillo Gelys Igreth , Santamaria Herreño Erika , Beltran Ruiz Miguel Angel , Zapata Lesmes Angela Cristina , Muñoz Ortiz Astrid Geovana , Escobar Castro Jesús Eduardo
Published: July 2024

Background

Pintomyia longiflocosa is considered a vector of etiological agents of cutaneous leishmaniasis. The objective of this research was to establish the parameters of the life cycle of Pi. longiflocosa in semi-controlled conditions in a rural area of the Campoalegre municipality, Huila, Colombia.

Methodology/principal findings

The life cycle of individuals of Pi. longiflocosa, obtained from two cohorts of collected, fed, and individualized females, was monitored during two different times of the year (between February and August 2020 and between July 2020 and January 2021, respectively). Determining parameters associated with the fertility and fecundity, time and attributes of development and survival, and its association with abiotic variables. The average duration of Cycle 1 (C1) and Cycle 2 (C2) was 134.9 and 148.78 days, respectively. The gonotrophic cycle of parental females presented significant differences (p-value <0.05) between C1 and C2 (8.47 and 11.42 days) as well as between fecundity and fertility parameters. The number of days it takes the development of the immature stages between the two cycles studied, also showed significant differences in the larvae II (15.21 and 22.23), larvae III (11.93 and 17.56), and pupae (24.48 and 22.9) stages. During C1, the survival rate was higher and consistent with the productivity of adult individuals (F1), compared to C2. Fecundity and fertility values were significantly higher in C2. Finally, a significant correlation between the number of individuals and temperature was evidenced in C1 while, for C2, there was a negative correlation with precipitation.

Conclusions/significance

Significant differences were found in several biological and reproductive parameters between the two cycles monitored. The parameters of the life cycle of Pi. longiflocosa in its natural habitat would be influenced by environmental factors related to the annual seasonality in the sub-Andean rural area, conditioning the temporal distribution of this species and, consequently, the possible transmission of causative agents of cutaneous leishmaniasis.
Impact of ivermectin and vector control on onchocerciasis transmission in Togo: Assessing the empirical evidence on trends in infection and entomological indicators
Authors: Vinkeles Melchers Natalie V. S. , Agoro Sibabi , Togbey Kwamy , Padjoudoum Koffi , Telou Ibrahim Gado , Karabou Potchoziou , Djatho Touka , Datagni Michel , Dorkenoo Ameyo Monique , Kassankogno Yao , Bronzan Rachel , Stolk Wilma A.
Published: July 2024

Background

The World Health Organization’s 2021–2030 Road Map for Neglected Tropical Diseases boosted global commitment towards the elimination of onchocerciasis, but the timeline to elimination will vary strongly between countries in Africa. To assess progress towards elimination in the Republic of Togo, we reviewed the history of control and time trends in infection.

Methodology/principal findings

We collated all available programmatic, entomological, and epidemiological data since the initiation of the Onchocerciasis Control Programme (OCP) in Togo through different data sources. We then visualised data trends over time, to assess the impact of interventions on infection and transmission levels. Vector control was initiated by OCP from 1977 (northern and central parts of Togo) or 1988 (southern regions) up to 2002 (most areas) or 2007 (“special intervention zones” [SIZ], parts of Northern and Central Togo). Between 1988 and 1991, Togo initiated ivermectin mass drug administration (MDA) in eligible communities. The impact of vector control was high in most river basins, resulting in low annual biting rates and annual transmission potential declining to very low levels; the impact was lower in river basins designated as SIZ. Repeated, longitudinal ivermectin mass treatments have overall strongly reduced onchocerciasis transmission in Togo. Epidemiological surveys performed between 2014 and 2017 showed that the prevalence of skin microfilariae (mf) and anti-OV16 IgG4 antibodies had declined to low levels in several districts of the Centrale, Plateaux, and Maritime region. Yet, relatively high mf prevalences (between 5.0% and 32.7%) were still found in other districts during the same period, particularly along the Kéran, Mô and Ôti river basins (SIZ areas).

Conclusions/significance

Trends in infection prevalence and intensity show that onchocerciasis levels have dropped greatly over time in most areas. This demonstrates the large impact of long-term and wide-scale interventions, and suggest that several districts of Togo are approaching elimination.
Predicting postoperative visual acuity in epiretinal membrane patients and visualization of the contribution of explanatory variables in a machine learning model
Authors: Irie-Ota Akiko , Matsui Yoshitsugu , Imai Koki , Mase Yoko , Konno Keiichiro , Sasaki Taku , Chujo Shinichiro , Matsubara Hisashi , Kawanaka Hiroharu , Kondo Mineo
Published: July 2024

Background

The purpose of this study was to develop a model that can predict the postoperative visual acuity in eyes that had undergone vitrectomy for an epiretinal membrane (ERM). The Light Gradient Boosting Machine (LightGBM) was used to evaluate the accuracy of the prediction and the contribution of the explanatory variables. Two models were designed to predict the postoperative visual acuity in 67 ERM patients. Model 1 used the age, sex, affected eye, axial length, preoperative visual acuity, Govetto’s classification stage, and OCT-derived vector information as features to predict the visual acuity at 1, 3, and 6 months postoperatively. Model 2 incorporated the early postoperative visual acuity as an additional variable to predict the visual acuity at 3, and 6 months postoperatively. LightGBM with 100 iterations of 5-fold cross-validation was used to tune the hyperparameters and train the model. This involved addressing multicollinearity and selecting the explanatory variables. The generalized performance of these models was evaluated using the root mean squared error (RMSE) in a 5-fold cross-validation, and the contributions of the explanatory variables were visualized using the average Shapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) values.

Results

The RMSEs for the predicted visual acuity of Model 1 were 0.14 ± 0.02 logMAR units at 1 month, 0.12 ± 0.03 logMAR units at 3 months, and 0.13 ± 0.04 logMAR units at 6 months. High SHAP values were observed for the preoperative visual acuity and the ectopic inner foveal layer (EIFL) area with significant and positive correlations across all models. Model 2 that incorporated the postoperative visual acuity was used to predict the visual acuity at 3 and 6 months, and it had superior accuracy with RMSEs of 0.10 ± 0.02 logMAR units at 3 months and 0.10 ± 0.04 logMAR units at 6 months. High SHAP values were observed for the postoperative visual acuity in Model 2.

Conclusion

Predicting the postoperative visual acuity in ERM patients is possible using the preoperative clinical data and OCT images with LightGBM. The contribution of the explanatory variables can be visualized using the SHAP values, and the accuracy of the prediction models improved when the postoperative visual acuity is included as an explanatory variable. Our data-driven machine learning models reveal that preoperative visual acuity and the size of the EIFL significantly influence postoperative visual acuity. Early intervention may be crucial for achieving favorable visual outcomes in eyes with an ERM.
Short- and long-term weather prediction based on a hybrid of CEEMDAN, LMD, and ANN
Authors: Gyamerah Samuel Asante , Owusu Victor
Published: July 2024

Agriculture is one of the major economic sectors in Africa, and it predominantly depends on the climate. However, extreme climate changes do have a negative impact on agricultural production. The damage resulting from extreme climate change can be mitigated if farmers have access to accurate weather forecasts, which can enable them to make the necessary adjustments to their farming practices. To improve weather prediction amidst extreme climate change, we propose a novel prediction model based on a hybrid of complete ensemble empirical mode decomposition with adaptive noise (CEEMDAN), local mean decomposition (LMD), and artificial neural networks (NN). A detailed comparison of the performance metrics for the short- and long-term prediction results with other prediction models reveals that the three-phase hybrid CEEMDAN-LMD-NN model is optimal in terms of the evaluation metrics used. The study’s findings demonstrate the efficiency of the three-phase hybrid CEEMDAN-LMD-NN prediction model in decision-system design, particularly for large-scale commercial farmers, small-holder farmers, and the agricultural index insurance industry that require reliable forecasts generated at multi-step horizons.
Assessment of satisfaction of attendees of healthcare centers in Jordan with community pharmacy services of pharmacies they usually use
Authors: Al-Taani Ghaith M. , Ayoub Nehad M.
Published: July 2024

Before extending the range of services provided, maximizing the usefulness of current procedures within community pharmacy settings is needed, as the scope of pharmacy services is evolving in different dimensions. The present study aims to assess the degree of factors affecting the satisfaction of traditional community pharmacy services using population data collected from patients attending academic and public healthcare centers in Jordan. A validated, pretested, and adapted survey instrument has been utilized to assess the satisfaction of contemporary services delivered by community pharmacists in different dimensions. Linear regression analysis evaluated the predictors associated with higher total satisfaction scores with community pharmacy services. The present study included 642 patients attending healthcare centers. Different dimension scores, such as explanation and consideration, scored similarly, with values ranging from 64.5% - 69.7% of the maximum possible score. The mean total scale score was 67.2% of the total possible scores. Using the linear regression analysis, respondents who were satisfied with their treatment plans were likely to have higher satisfaction with community pharmacy services. The increased number of prescription medications and increased age were associated with lower satisfaction with community pharmacy services. Results indicated that healthcare policymakers might be confident in the services within the community pharmacy setting; however, there is always room for more robust quality control activities.
Efficacy comparison of immune combination therapies in subgroups for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma patients: Systematic review and network meta-analysis
Authors: Wang Yani , Lau Wanyee , Li Yafei , Tian Yichen , Lei Yongrong , Xia Feng , Wang Jianhua
Published: July 2024

Background

There is a lack of precision in the immunotherapy strategy tailored for patients exhibiting diverse clinical characteristics. This study aims to employ a rigorous network meta-analysis (NMA) approach to systematically evaluate the effectiveness of immune-combination therapies among patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma, taking into account their varying clinico-characteristics.

Methods

Studies were retrieved from PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science databases. The included first-line phase III studies were categorized into three types: immunotherapy combined with anti-angiogenetic agents, immunotherapy combined with tyrosine kinase inhibitors, and dual immunotherapy, with sorafenib serving as the control group. The primary endpoint used to assess efficacy was overall survival (OS), facilitating a comparative analysis among the three treatment modalities. Furthermore, subgroup analyses were conducted to evaluate the varying effectiveness for patients with diverse clinico-characteristics. Secondary outcome measures included progression-free survival, objective response rate, and toxicity assessment.

Results

A total of 6 studies were included in the NMA, encompassing a cohort of 3840 patients. The results revealed that immunotherapy combined with anti-angiogenetic agents exhibited a significantly enhanced therapeutic effect in terms of improving OS compared to sorafenib (HR = 0.61, 95% CrI, 0.42–0.90). Furthermore, based on various clinicopathological features, this combination therapy demonstrated superior OS responses in specific patient subgroups: BCLC C (HR = 0.63, 95% CrI, 0.42–0.93), ECOG 1 (HR = 0.57, 95% CrI, 0.36–0.91), with extrahepatic spread (EHS) (HR = 0.59, 95% CrI, 0.37–0.92), alpha fetoprotein (AFP)<400ng/ml (HR = 0.56, 95% CrI, 0.33–0.94) and viral hepatitis positivity (HR = 0.56, 95% CrI, 0.39–0.77) (especially HBV (HR = 0.58, 95% CrI, 0.40–0.85)). Importantly, the advantage of this combination therapy was even more pronounced in patients with viral hepatitis positivity. Also, the adverse events associated with immunotherapy combined with antiangiogenic drugs were moderate.

Conclusions

Immunotherapy combined with anti-angiogenetic agents could represent the most effective first-line intervention for achieving improved OS, particularly in patients with viral hepatitis positivity.
Measuring HIV outcomes for adolescent girls and young women programs in Africa: Using the polling booth survey technique
Authors: Emmanuel Faran , Aloo Lize , Mahfooz Amna , Nkuatsana Mathato , Tswetla Nametsego , Mutenda Nicolus , Mwale Biziwick , Bissek Zounkanyi , Bhattacharjee Parinita
Published: July 2024

Introduction

Adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) remain highly vulnerable to the risk of acquiring HIV (Human immunodeficiency virus). This study was conducted to measure behavioral, biomedical and structural outcomes for the Global Fund funded AGYW programmes in five African countries with high burden of HIV including Botswana, Cameroon. Lesotho, Malawi and Namibia.

Methods

The study used a mixed methods approach to collect behavioral, structural and biomedical outcome data. Quantitative data were collected through 418 Polling Booth Survey (PBS) sessions from 4,581 AGYWs. Participants were recruited through a community-based multistage sampling technique using sampling weights for urban and rural communities. 23 Focus Group Discussions (FGD) were conducted to understand barriers to use of HIV prevention programme and community recommendations for improved coverage. Ethical approvals were obtained from the ethics review board in all five countries.

Results

More than 50% of the respondents from all five countries reported to be sexually active, and at least 30% or more of those who were sexually active had multiple sex partners. There were wide variations between the countries in condom use with a non-marital sexual partner which ranged between 66% in Namibia to 42% in Cameroon. Cameroon (44%) had high percentage of AGYWs with independent income source while school drop-outs were higher in Malawi (55.5%) and Lesotho (46.6%). Nearly 1/4th of AGYWs in all countries, except Namibia, reported experiencing intimate partner violence. Nineteen percent of the respondents were pregnant in the last 12 months, and 50% of those pregnancies were unplanned. Lesotho had the highest proportion of AGYW (90.5%) ever tested for HIV, followed by Malawi (87.5%), Botswana (75%), Cameroon (69%) and Namibia (62.6%).

Discussion

There is diversity across the countries, with country-wise and age-wise variations in results. In all countries, the AGYW programme will benefit from a more targeted approach to reach out to the most vulnerable AGYW, strengthening structural interventions, strengthening linkage to PrEP (Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis) and ART (Antiretroviral Therapy) for those who are living with HIV and a strong linkage with reproductive health services. The assessment helped countries to understand the gaps and opportunities to improve the HIV prevention programme with AGYW.
Applicability and potential of monitored reconstruction in computed tomography
Authors: Gilmanov Marat , Bulatov Konstantin , Bugai Oleg , Ingacheva Anastasia , Chukalina Marina , Nikolaev Dmitrii , Arlazarov Vladimir
Published: July 2024

Monitored tomographic reconstruction (MTR) is a potentially powerful tool for dose and time reduction in computed tomography scanning. We are the first to study the issue of practical implementation of MTR protocols in current-generation real-life instruments. We propose an empirical quantitative model for calculating acquisition and reconstruction times. It is demonstrated that projection acquisition order has a significant impact on the time and dose of tomographic experiments. The new alternative acquisition most suitable for MTR protocols is proposed. To estimate the restrictions and scope of applicability for MTR four typical commercial setups are studied within a proposed model. We construct an experimental stand for achieving a real-time reconstruction, together with validation of the proposed acquisition time model. We demonstrate that real-time reconstruction may be implemented without slowing down an acquisition process. An optimization of reconstruction from partial data is proposed, which allowed the production of 385 and 440 reconstructions for standard and proposed acquisition orders correspondingly during a single acquisition of 512 projections. The results of the study demonstrate that with proposed optimizations MTR can be effectively utilized for practical applications using the current generation of existing setups in industrial and nano tomography fields.
Physical therapy for muscle strengthening in individuals with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: A protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Souza Aline Alves de , da Silva Stephano Tomaz , Macedo Lorenna Raquel Dantas de , Aires Diogo Neres , Pondofe Karen de Medeiros , Melo Luciana Protásio de , Valentim Ricardo Alexsandro de Medeiros , Ribeiro Tatiana Souza
Published: July 2024

Introduction

People with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) can present initially muscle weakness, which is a debilitating symptom that may be improved by engaging in muscle strengthening activities. Currently, the effects of motor interventions for muscle strengthening in people with ALS are unclear. This review intends to analyze the effects of motor interventions for muscle strengthening in individuals with ALS

Methods and analysis

Randomized, non-randomized, and quasi-experimental clinical trials assessing individuals with ALS of both sexes, aged 18 years or older, who have received motor interventions for muscle strengthening considering all practices that can lead to increased strength, endurance, power and muscular hypertrophy will be included. No restriction on language, location, or publication date will be applied. MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Library (CENTRAL), SPORTDiscus, and Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) databases will be searched. The US National Institutes of Health Ongoing, ClinicalTrials.gov, and the reference lists of included studies will also be searched. Two reviewers will independently screen titles and abstracts and extract data from included studies. The methodological quality of the included studies will be assessed by the PEDro scale and the certainty of the evidence by the GRADE approach. Disagreements will be resolved by a third researcher. Findings will be presented in text and table formats. A meta-analysis will compare the effects of motor interventions for muscle strengthening versus placebo or other interventions.
Effects of KRAS, STK11, KEAP1, and TP53 mutations on the clinical outcomes of immune checkpoint inhibitors among patients with lung adenocarcinoma
Authors: Liang Yao , Maeda Osamu , Kondo Chiaki , Nishida Kazuki , Ando Yuichi
Published: July 2024

Background

This study aimed to identify the associations between individual KRAS, STK11, KEAP1, or TP53 mutations, as well as the comutation status of these genes, and the tumor mutation burden (TMB) with clinical outcomes of lung adenocarcinoma patients treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs).

Methods

We collected data from patients with lung adenocarcinoma treated with ICIs from the Center for Cancer Genomics and Advanced Therapeutics (C-CAT) database between June 2019 and August 2023. The main endpoints were the treatment response and overall survival (OS).

Results

Among 343 patients with lung adenocarcinoma, 61 (18%), 69 (20%), 41 (12%), and 222 (65%) patients had KRAS, STK11, KEAP1, and TP53 mutations, respectively. An overall objective response was observed in 94 of 338 patients (28%), including 2 (1%) who achieved a complete response and 92 (27%) who achieved a partial response. Patients with STK11, KEAP1, or TP53 mutations had a significantly greater TMB (P<0.001). According to the univariate analysis, the treatment response was significantly correlated with TP53 mutation in both the general (P = 0.041) and KRAS wild-type (P = 0.009) populations. KEAP1 and TP53 mutations were associated with worse OS among assessable patients (hazard ratio (HR) = 2.027, P = 0.002; HR = 1.673, P = 0.007, respectively) and among patients without KRAS mutations (HR = 1.897, P = 0.012; HR = 1.908, P = 0.004, respectively). According to the multivariate analysis, KEAP1 (HR = 1.890, P = 0.008) and TP53 (HR = 1.735, P = 0.011) mutations were found to be independent factors for OS.

Conclusions

STK11, KEAP1, and TP53 mutations are significantly associated with a high TMB. TP53 mutation could affect the treatment response to some degree, and both KEAP1 and TP53 mutations resulted in inferior OS in the general patient population and in those with KRAS-wild-type lung adenocarcinoma, indicating that KEAP1 and TP53 mutations might act as prognostic factors for ICI treatment in lung adenocarcinoma patients.
Feco-prevalence, endoscopic pattern and associated factors of Helicobacter Pylori infection among symptomatic adult patients in Northern Tanzania
Authors: Muhina Ibrahim Ali Ibrahim , Sadiq Abid M. , Said Fuad H. , Raza Faryal M. , Gharib Sarah K. , Muhali Sophia S. , Costantine Andrea R. , Abdalla Mulhati S. , Shirima Laura J. , Chamba Nyasatu G. , Lyamuya Furaha S. , Mkwizu Elifuraha W. , Kilonzo Kajiru G. , Maro Venance P. , Shao Elichilia R.
Published: July 2024

Background

Africa has consistently had the highest prevalence (70.1%) of H. pylori, and this has led to significant cases of dyspepsia, gastric cancers, and upper gastrointestinal bleeding. However, most studies have used sero-prevalence, which might not give the current state of the infection. Among the tests, the stool antigen test is simple, quick, and effective. The study aimed to determine the feco-prevalence, endoscopic pattern, and associated factors of H. pylori infection among symptomatic adult patients in Northern Tanzania.

Materials and methods

A hospital-based, cross-sectional study was conducted from October 2022 to April 2023 among adults attending the gastroenterology clinic at Kilimanjaro Chistian Medical Centre. A systematic random sampling was used to select the participants with indications of undergoing esophagogastroduodenoscopy. Questionnaires, stool and blood samples, and endoscopy were used to collect variable data. Numerical and categorical variables were summarized into narrations and tables. Logistic regression was used to assess the factors associated with H. pylori.

Results

The feco-prevalence of H. pylori was 43.4%. Chronic gastritis (51.1%) was the most common endoscopic pattern, whereas duodenal ulcers and gastric ulcers were significantly associated with H. pylori infection. Increasing in age (p <0.001) and blood group (p <0.001) were significantly associated with H. pylori infection in the adjusted analysis.

Conclusion

The feco-prevalence of H. pylori is high in this setting. H. pylori stool antigen can be used as the initial workup for symptomatic patients before the initiation of proton pump inhibitors. Additionally, due to other causes of dyspepsia, it is advised that H. pylori stool antigen testing be part of the initial evaluation and esophagogastroduodenoscopy be considered in the absence of other alarm symptoms if symptoms persist despite an appropriate trial of medical therapy.
Rainforest Alliance-UTZ cocoa certification scheme adoption: Determinants and financial implications for cocoa production in the Centre region of Cameroon
Authors: Soh Wenda Boris D. , Nken Hugues , T. Takam Hubert N. , Eloundou Christian E. , Fon Dorothy E.
Published: July 2024

This study evaluates the level of adoption of the Rainforest Alliance-UTZ cocoa certification scheme in the Centre region of Cameroon, ascertains the drivers of adoption, and evaluates the financial implications of the levels of adoption. Using cross-sectional data obtained from 100 cocoa growers in the Central region of Cameroon and employing a Generalised Ordered Logit estimation technique alongside a one-way ANOVA test and Tukey’s test for post-hoc estimations, we show that 50%, 17%, and 33% of cocoa growers are complete adopters, partial adopters, and non-adopters of the Rainforest Alliance-UTZ cocoa certification scheme, respectively. The findings also reveal that the likelihood of having partial or complete adoption is higher among farmers who have introduced orange trees in their orchards, own more extensive orchards, and have more years of experience in cocoa farming. Furthermore, the likelihood of having complete adoption is higher for farmers with a lower planting density in their orchards and a tertiary level of schooling. Farmer’s age has a mitigated effect on the likelihood of adopting certification schemes by reducing the likelihood of having partial or complete adoption against non-adoption and at the same time raising the likelihood of complete adoption against no or partial adoption. The study also concludes that the financial performance of cocoa growers varies based on their level of adoption of the Rainforest Alliance-UTZ certification scheme. Farmers who have achieved certification status tend to have higher farm earnings. Based on these findings, non-adopters and partial adopters are encouraged to fully adhere to the Rainforest Alliance-UTZ certification standards. By doing so, they can increase their financial gains, enhance their livelihoods, and reduce the negative environmental impacts of cocoa farming.
Purchases dominate the carbon footprint of research laboratories
Authors: De Paepe Marianne , Jeanneau Laurent , Mariette Jerôme , Aumont Olivier , Estevez-Torres André
Published: July 2024

Despite increasing interest for the carbon footprint of higher education institutions, little is known about the carbon footprint associated to research activities. Air travel and attendance to conferences concentrate recent data and debates but purchases have attracted little attention. Here we develop a hybrid method to estimate the greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) associated to research purchases. To do so, we combine macroeconomic databases, research-centered companies footprints and life-cycle assessments to construct a public database of monetary emission factors (EF) for research purchases. We apply it to estimate the purchases emissions of a hundred of research laboratories in France, belonging to the Labos 1point5 network and gathering more than 20000 staff, from all disciplines. We find that purchases dominate laboratory emissions, accounting for more than 50% of emissions, with a median of 2.7 t CO2e/pers, which is 3 to 4-fold the separate contribution from travel, commutes and heating. Median electricity emissions are 5-fold lower in our dataset of laboratories using low carbon electricity but they become preponderant for high carbon electricity mixes (3.5 t CO2e/pers). Purchases emissions are very heterogeneous among laboratories and are linearly correlated with budget, with an average carbon intensity of 0.31 ± 0.07 kg CO2e/€ and differences between research domains. Finally, we quantify the effect of a series of demand-driven mitigation strategies obtaining up to −20% in total emissions (−40% in purchases emissions), suggesting that effectively reducing the carbon footprint of research activities calls for systemic changes.
The pedagogical–artistic strategies of community music facilitators as an inspiration for formal music education: A single case study
Authors: Verneert Filip , De bisschop An , Nijs Luc , De Baets Thomas
Published: July 2024

In this article, we elaborate on the pedagogical–artistic strategies of a community music project and how they may inspire formal music educational practices. To do so, we draw on findings from a study on the pedagogical–artistic strategies of the musicians–coaches of The Ostend Street Orchestra (TOSO), a community music project that started as an artistic response towards the commotion around a group of homeless people in the coastal town of Ostend, Belgium. The pedagogical–artistic strategies adopted by the TOSO coaches foster the emergence of an educational approach that may have the potential to enrich music educational practices by creating a learning environment that is more democratic and inclusive. Data collection included in-depth semi-structured interviews with the TOSO coaches in 2017 and 2021, as well as video-stimulated recall. The interview data were analysed using thematic analysis. Seven themes emerged from our analysis: embodied interaction, co-coaching, re-thinking musical parameters, personal musical skills, collaboration, collective experiential learning and inclusion. We present the framework and rationale of the study, describe the pedagogical–artistic strategies of the coaches, and discuss the results. In conclusion, we briefly consider possibilities for further research and music teacher education.
‘The barrier has to be jumped out with this music’: Collaborative creation in an after-school community music programme
Authors: Smith Jeremy C. A. , Burke Jenene , Chew Richard , Echter Adele
Published: July 2024

Contemporary research into community music programmes highlights diverse contexts for collaborative music making. This article contributes a case of the collaboration in music making to a growing literature on creative practice in community music initiatives led by major orchestras. The authors reflect on field research involving an after-school programme that provides free, classical instrumental music instruction to primary school-age students who would not normally have an opportunity due to their socio-economic circumstances. The Pizzicato Effect, run by the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra (MSO) in the City of Hume, Australia has operated in the northern suburbs of Melbourne since 2009. Through focus group interviews with students, family members and teaching artists, the researchers examined community experiences of accruing cultural capital in conditions of social inequality and multicultural practice. Using qualitative methods, the case study aimed to position respondents as experts in their own lives, who own their knowledge of their worlds. Collaboration was central to a model of improvisation developed locally by teaching artists and applied on site. Furthermore, improvisation took the programme in different directions to the El Sistema model of youth orchestra training in Venezuela, which had been the original source of inspiration for the programme.
Documentary songwriting in prison: ‘I am good ‘bout myself’
Authors: Kerchner Jody L.
Published: July 2024

The purpose of this study was to investigate the nature of prison residents’ songwriting experiences while engaged in Documentary Songwriters (DocSong) collaborative songwriting pedagogy. The research implemented a qualitative, case study portraiture design inside a prison in which the experiences of an individual ‘story source’ and group were explored. Key themes originated from the observational, spoken, audio-recorded and sung data procured from a week-long DocSong workshop. The songwriting participants and facilitator created a community that transformed the prison space into an environment in which the residents experienced individual actualization and collective liberation and liberated and restorative music creativity. The songwriting community members shared personal narratives that were replete with emotion, while also demonstrating and supporting each other’s emotional vulnerability and resilience. The group collaboratively created songs from spoken word using the DocSong approach, forming a strong emotional bond throughout the songwriting process. The individuals’ interactions within the group suggested that confidence, patience and the willingness to share were also practised within the songwriting context.
Not only Väterliteratur: The engagement of several media in talking about the Nazi past in Wolfgang Glück’s Die kleine Figur meines Vaters (1980)
Authors: Gortat Jakub
Published: July 2024

This article explores the adaptation of Peter Henisch’s novel Die kleine Figur meines Vaters made by Wolfgang Glück. The film produced by three (Austrian, West German and Hungarian) television companies focuses on conversations between father and son that relate to the Nazi past of the latter. What initially was planned as a biographical novel, in the end, became an intermedial work drawing on literature, a magnetic tape containing a recorded oral testimony, photography and film. In this article, I examine the film’s narration and reception to demonstrate that it was one of the first Austrian movies to deal directly with the ambiguous role ordinary Austrians played in National Socialism, which in fact preceded the political debate on Austria’s past generated by the election of Kurt Waldheim to the president’s office in 1986. The analysis of the film was possible thanks to the research conducted in the Austrian National Library in Vienna and the Archives of the Bavarian Television (BR) in Munich.
The transformation of the figure of a maid in three adaptations of The Diary of a Chambermaid by Octave Mirbeau
Authors: Mazierska Ewa
Published: July 2024

This article discusses three adaptations of the novel Le Journal d’une femme de chambre (The Diary of a Chambermaid) by Octave Mirbeau, published in 1900, by Jean Renoir in 1946, by Luis Buñuel in 1964 and by Benoît Jacquot in 2015. It examines the effect of the time and, to some degree, the places where these films were made, on the representation of the characters and stories adapted by the respective directors. It is particularly interested in the transformation of the main character, Célestine, her labour and her sexuality, and the gender dynamics in the respective films, as reflection of the dominant discourses about gender roles pertaining to the times these films were made. It devotes most attention to the most recent film, due to the heaviest intertextual baggage which it carries and also given this adaptation has the most relevance to contemporary issues about women’s work and social position.
The late-period Sherlock Holmes: Nick Lane and Luke Barton on adapting The Valley of Fear
Authors: Ue Tom
Published: July 2024

In this two-part interview, I discuss Blackeyed Theatre’s production of The Valley of Fear, an adaptation of Arthur Conan Doyle’s 1915 Sherlock Holmes novel, with writer-director Nick Lane and actor Luke Barton. In the first half, I go over, with Lane, some of the changes that he makes to the novel’s form to put Holmes on centre stage, his tantalization of audience members with ciphers, and his emphasis on the detective’s and his biographer-cum-sidekick Dr Watson’s friendship, on which so much relies. In the second half, I discuss, with Barton, his return to Holmes and how he has kept each of his performances of the detective distinct. We explore the detective’s thought processes and how he displays them on stage and, for the recording, on camera; his limited but meaningful engagements with Moriarty, whose appearances in the Holmes canon are few and far in between; and finally, the decisions that the detective makes in relation to Birdy Edwards’s case. This conversation is a sequel to our earlier one (Ue 2021) and it advances scholarship by celebrating Blackeyed Theatre’s significant contributions to Holmes’s afterlife. It shows the insight and care that is put into each adaptation; it examines Lane’s and Barton’s creative decisions in yet another fine project; and it reveals how a novel, one which has never ranked amongst Conan Doyle’s finest, can profit from a second life on stage.
The Routledge Companion to Global Literary Adaptation in the Twenty-First Century, B. Chua and E. Ho (eds) (2023)
Authors: Blackwell Reviewed by Anna
Published: July 2024

Review of: The Routledge Companion to Global Literary Adaptation in the Twenty-First Century, B. Chua and E. Ho (eds) (2023)

Abingdon: Routledge, 375 pp.,

ISBN 978-0-36748-170-4, h/bk, £195
‘We’ve Lost Dancing’: The euphoric sounds of post-pandemic pop
Authors: Hill Stephen
Published: July 2024

This article focuses on the aesthetics of European pop music in the aftermath of the 2019–23 COVID-19 pandemic. I will suggest that this created the perfect conditions for the proliferation of a new kind of pop. Euphoric in tone, post-pandemic pop has been orientated towards the dance floor, nostalgic for 1980s sounds and unconcerned with lyrical complexity. However, it is not without pathos. I will argue that the interpolation of 1980s synth-pop is a symbolic return to the AIDS crisis. I will suggest that musical codes aestheticize sadness in a way that is both familiar and distant. In this direction, film and television soundtracks are particularly potent. Russel T. Davies’s It’s a Sin (2021) screened at the height of the pandemic became a lens through which many understood COVID-19, with music a tool for processing loss, longing and tragedy. The proliferation of disco during this period repositioned the genre as a contemporary form. Focusing on the summer of 2023, however, I will contend that in the revival of Italo disco, we encounter futuristic sensibility, which perfectly fits the post-pandemic mood. A paradoxical gift from our 1980s ancestors, Italo could be the key to unlocking the paralysis of never-ending reminiscence. It is time to turn the lights on the disco and explore the contemporary resonance of a genre that has always existed in the shadows.
Népiskolai tanítók sajtómegjelenésének mintázata a kurrens politikai napilapokban 1921-ben
Authors: Frank Tamás
Published: July 2024

A neveléstörténeti sajtóreprezentáció-vizsgálat a dualizmus korszakára vonatkozóan már jelentős szakirodalommal rendelkezik. Ugyanígy elmondható, hogy a szocialista (pedagógiai) sajtó feltárása is folyamatosan új eredményeket mutat. A Horthy-korszak neveléstörténeti keretbe ágyazott sajtókutatása vakfoltja a hazai neveléstörténeti szcénának. A politikai és bulvárlapok vonatkozásában pedig szinte nem is érezhető kutatói aktivitás, miközben a korszak kommunikációs csatornája az írott sajtó volt. A legjelentősebb napilapok többszázezres olvasótáborral rendelkeztek, ezáltal a lapok közvélemény-formáló ereje vitathatatlan. Kutatásunk a két világháború között megjelölt év politikai napilapjaiban a népiskolai tanítókról megjelent tartalmakat vizsgálta kvalitatív és kvantitatív módszertan alkalmazásával. A vizsgálat érvényessége érdekében eltérő politikai orientációval és jelentős olvasótáborral rendelkező politikai lapok képezték a korpuszt: Az Est, az Uj Nemzedék, a Pesti Hirlap. A kvalitatív módszer keretében a tematikus tartalomelemzést részesítettük előnyben, a kvantitatív paradigma esetében a leíró statisztika segítségével kerestünk a vizsgált orgánumok esetében publikációs mintázatot. A kvalitatív tematikus tartalomelemzés és az azt lehetővé tevő kódolás mind elmélet-, mind adatvezérelt formában, a kombinált logika mentén valósult meg. A korpuszból kinyert adatok deskriptív-interpretatív feldolgozásával nem csak rögzítettük a megjelenített tanítói témákat, hanem a szakirodalmi keret felhasználásával kontextusba is ágyaztuk. A tanítókat érintő, a tanítókról szóló rövid sajtóidézetek törzsszövegbe integrálásával a vizsgált időszak szellemisége is megidézhető. A kutatási kérdések közül jelen munka a tanítókról szóló témák közül kettőt mutat be, valamint a kvantifikáció révén a három vizsgált lap témaválasztásainak mintázatát jeleníti meg. A kutatás alapján egyértelműen megállapítható, hogy a vizsgált lapok mely tanítókat érintő témákkal tematizálták az elemi oktatást érintő közbeszédet, valamint a vizsgált lapok témaválasztása – a lapok egymással történő összehasonlítása alapján – erős polarizáltságot mutat.
China-Pakistan Engagement with the Post-Taliban Afghanistan: Assessing Security, Political and Economic Interests and its Implementation
Authors: KAMAL ASIF , Ihsanullah Omarkher
Published: July 2024

This article explores Pakistan-China relations with Afghanistan after the Taliban came to power for the second time in mid-2021. The research assesses China and Pakistan's relationship with the Taliban regime based on three important factors: security, political, and economic considerations. As argued by the author, Pakistan, and China share comparable approaches to the Taliban government, as both countries want the Taliban to be more pragmatic while dealing with both domestic and international communities. The present research used both secondary sources, such as scholarly articles, and primary sources, such as government press releases and policy standpoints. Both countries prioritize security concerns over economic participation, and the abovementioned elements have been investigated further in the paper. This article uses an exploratory method to interpret the data.
Creation of Positive Energy Dirac Particles by a Gravitational Field
Authors: Zaballa Robert
Published: July 2024

Second quantization is applied to the new Dirac field. The issue of negative energy states is considered and it is shown that if negative energy states are discarded, then positive energy states for this particle cannot be created by a gravitational field, and the particle number is conserved. The plausibility and implications of negative energy states are also discussed.
Actitudes hacia el endeudamiento y estrés financiero en adultos emergentes: rol mediador de las compras planificada e impulsiva
Authors: Castellanos-Alvarenga Luis Mario , Sepúlveda-Maldonado José Andrés , Olivera Mauro P. , Schleef Jorge
Published: July 2024

Introducción: la preocupación por las finanzas es una de las principales causas de estrés financiero, especialmente en grupos poblacionales con ingresos y trabajos inestables. El objetivo de este artículo fue determinar si las actitudes austera y hedonista hacia el endeudamiento se relacionan directamente con el estrés financiero e indirectamente a través de las actitudes de compra planificada e impulsiva en adultos emergentes. Método: el diseño fue transversal, con un alcance correlacional-explicativo. Se aplicaron escalas de autorreporte en formato en línea a una muestra conformada por 624 adultos emergentes (63.1 % mujeres). El promedio de edad fue 20.44 (DE = 3.35). Resultados: el análisis de ecuaciones estructurales reveló que las actitudes austeras se vinculan directamente con el estrés financiero, y también indirectamente a través de la compra planificada. En cuanto a las actitudes hedonistas, se encontró una asociación directa con la compra impulsiva, pero no con el estrés financiero. Conclusiones: el estrés financiero aumenta cuando los adultos emergentes tienen actitudes de compra más austeras y planificadas. Por lo tanto, tales actitudes pueden presionarlos a hacer un uso más eficiente del dinero. Sería interesante en futuros estudios tener muestras de otros rangos etarios que permitan comparar la evidencia encontrada para contribuir al desarrollo de estrategias de educación financiera basadas en la evidencia científica.