bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Very high-speed running (VHSR) profile in elite female football: An update
Authors: Olaizola Aratz , Errekagorri Ibai , Lopez-de-Ipina Karmele , Calvo Pilar María , Castellano Julen
Published: October 2024

The aim of the present study it’s a providing an update of the profile of very high-speed running (VHSR) of professional female football players. In this study 23 official matches of the Spanish First Division of Women´s Football were analysed. A total of 15 players participated, who were classified according to their location on the matches played: central-corridor (CCP, n = 7), and lateral-corridor (LCP, n = 8). The variables recorded were: 1) Very High-Speed Running (VHSR), considering the accumulated distance, duration, and frequency, and the individual characteristics of the efforts (distance and duration); 2) Recovery between efforts (VHSRe) and; 3) VMAX. The results show that LCP described higher values in accumulative VHSR and VHSR by distance bands, with greater distances, durations and VMAX of VHSRe, with less recovery between efforts. There seems to be an evolutionary trend in the distribution of the efforts, with a higher % of efforts in the 10–20 m band. The results provide useful information that coaching staff of professional women’s football teams could use to design specific very high-speed running training to optimize performance in competition.
Primary care need and engagement by people with criminal legal involvement: Descriptive and associational analysis using retrospective data on the entire population ever detained in one southeastern U.S. county jail 2014–2020
Authors: Easter Michele M. , Schramm-Sapyta Nicole L. , Swartz Marvin S. , Tackett Maria A. , Greenblatt Lawrence H.
Published: October 2024

More than 7 million people are released each year from U.S. jails or prisons, many with chronic diseases that would benefit from primary care in their returning communities. The objective of this study was to provide an in-depth, payer-agnostic description and associational analysis of primary care need and utilization by all individuals ever detained in one county detention facility over a 7-year period. Detention records 2014–2020 were merged with data from an electronic health record with excellent coverage of local primary care, emergency, and hospital services. We found low primary care participation for the group as a whole, with under three quarters of those with serious chronic diseases ever seeing a primary care provider over a 7-year period and less than half ever having a year with more than one visit. Multivariable regression models estimated associations between individual characteristics (demographic, detention-related, and clinical) and ever having access to primary care (logistic) and the number of primary care visits (zero-inflated negative binomial). We found that having more jail bookings was associated with fewer primary care visits, but not one-time access, even controlling for time out of community, age, insurance, and other demographic characteristics. This finding was driven by subgroups with chronic disease such as hypertension, obstructive lung disease, and diabetes, who most need regular primary care. Being Black retained an independent effect, even controlling for bookings and other variables, and was also associated with fewer primary care visits, though not one-time access. To promote primary care utilization among individuals who have the combined challenges of repeated jail involvement and chronic disease, it is crucial to focus on engagement, as much as formal access. Access to health insurance alone will not resolve the problem; Medicaid expansion should be coupled with specialized, tailored support to promote engagement in primary care.
Correlation Fuzzy measure of multivariate time series for signature recognition
Authors: Wu Jun , Wan Qingqing , Zhang Zelin , Xu Jinyu , Cheng Wenming , Chen Difang , Zhou Xiao
Published: October 2024

Distinguishing different time series, which is determinant or stochastic, is an important task in signal processing. In this work, a correlation measure constructs Correlation Fuzzy Entropy (CFE) to discriminate Chaos and stochastic series. It can be employed to distinguish chaotic signals from ARIMA series with different noises. With specific embedding dimensions, we implemented the CFE features by analyzing two available online signature databases MCYT-100 and SVC2004. The accurate rates of the CFE-based models exceed 99.3%.
No-reference image quality assessment based on global awareness
Authors: Hu Zhigang , Yang Gege , Du Zhe , Huang Xiaodong , Zhang Pujing , Liu Dechun
Published: October 2024

In the field of computer vision, the application of hand-crafted as well as computer-learning-based methods in the field of image quality assessment has yielded remarkable results. However, in the field of no-reference image distortion, it is still challenging to accurately perceive and determine the quality of an image. To address the difficulties of Image Quality Assessment (IQA) in the field of authentic distorted images, we consider the use of the Swin Transformer (ST) to extract features. To enable the model to focus on both spatial and channel information of features, we design a plug-and-play Global Self-Attention Block (GSAB). At the same time, we introduce a Transformer block in the model to enhance the model’s ability to capture long-range dependencies. Finally, we derive the prediction of image quality scores through a Dual-Branching structure. Our method is experimented on four synthetic datasets as well as two authentic datasets, and the results of the experiments are weighted according to the size of the datasets, and the results show that our method outperforms all the current methods and works well in the Generalization ability test, which proves that our method has a good generalization ability. The code will be posted subsequently athttps://github.com/yanggege-new/NR-IQA-based-on-global-awareness.
Can the digital economy contribute to rural revitalization? A case of from China?
Authors: Lu Yuanquan , Meng Yuan , Chen Li , Zhang Yuan
Published: October 2024

This study establishes a multi-dimensional evaluation index system for measuring digital economy and rural revitalization. It explores the impact of digital economy on China’s rural revitalization and its mechanism using dynamic balanced panel data of 30 provinces and cities in China from 2012 to 2020 and adopting two-way fixed effect and mediated effect models. The results reveal that digital economy promotes rural revitalization in China; however, differences exist in its impact on industrial prosperity, ecological livability, civilized rural customs, effective governance, and affluent living under rural revitalization. Heterogeneity analysis shows that the impact of digital economy on rural revitalization is more pronounced in eastern China, with high levels of new urbanization and areas for big-data experimentation. In addition, this thesis verifies that technological innovation and human capital are two important transmission paths through which digital economy affects rural revitalization in China. The conclusions provide theoretical guidance and practical support for China and other developing countries to vigorously develop their digital economies and comprehensively revitalize the countryside.
Measuring the mediating role of quality education for ensuring employability skills: An analysis of higher education student perception in Bangladesh
Authors: Hasan Khandakar Kamrul , Sharmin Shadia , Islam A. T. M. Fahimul , Khandakar Hissan , Siddique Abdul Hasib , Shuhan Ariful Hoque , Khandaker Mobashwer A.
Published: October 2024

The present study employs a quantitative approach to measure the student perception of the direct and mediating effect of quality education for ensuring employability skills in higher education students of Bangladesh. The study was conducted on 154 undergraduate and graduate students at a Private University in Bangladesh, through a cross-sectional survey using a structured data questionnaire. The multilevel measurement and structural model, which was based on the constructs of quality education, employability skills of students, course structure, institutional policy, and physical aspects, was analysed using Partial Least Squares modelling with SmartPLS 4. The aim was to identify the employability skills that are present among higher education students in Bangladesh through student perception and explore the mediating role of quality education in shaping these skills. The findings suggest a significant gap between the skills taught in private universities, and the industry requirements of Bangladesh, which highlights the urgency for administrators and policy-makers to act fast. physical aspects have a positive influence on quality education and employability skills, but course structure and policy show less direct impact. Moreover, quality education is a crucial mediator for only the factors that match a direct effect. This proves that higher education students in Bangladesh may not have acquired the technical knowledge required by the industry. However, the present study was conducted on undergraduate and graduate students at a single private university, thus acknowledging the need to diversify the population sample in future studies for enhanced generalizability. The implications of these results extend to educational policymakers, institutions, and stakeholders, therefore emphasizing the need for curriculum enhancement, industry-academia collaboration, and policy reforms.
Determinants of COVID-19 vaccine acceptance and hesitancy among adolescents and youths aged 10-35 years in sub-Saharan African countries: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Mwiinde Allan Mayaba , Kaonga Patrick , Jacobs Choolwe , Zulu Joseph Mumba , Fwemba Isaac
Published: October 2024

The COVID-19 pandemic has overwhelmed health systems, especially in sub-Saharan African countries. Vaccination is one of the easily accessible interventions that can help reduce the burden on the health system. However, vaccination coverage remains low in sub-Saharan African countries. The determinants of vaccine acceptance and hesitancy among adolescents and youths remain unknown. Therefore, this study explored the pooled prevalence and determinants of COVID-19 vaccine acceptance and hesitancy among adolescents and youths in sub-Saharan African Countries. A systematic literature search of Scopus, PubMed Central, PubMed, Embase, African Journal Online, Research 4 Life, Embase, and Google Scholar was performed from 6th May to 31st December 2023, using developed keywords with a focus on sub-Saharan African countries. Twenty-three (N = 23) studies were finally selected for analysis. The pooled prevalence of vaccine acceptance among adolescents and youths was 38.7% (n = 23). The subgroup analysis of the pooled prevalence of acceptance among adolescents was 36.1% (n = 36.1) while youths were 42% (n = 10). At the region level, West Africa had 42.2% (n = 13), East Africa had 39.8% (n = 6), Central Africa had 33% (n = 1), and Southern Africa had 24.2% (n = 3). The determinants of vaccine acceptance were the desire for self-immunity (AOR = 1.97, 95%, CI, 1.083.47, I2 = 94.15%, p < 0.05), receiving Health Officers’ information (AOR = 4.36, 95%, CI, 2.28-8.32, I2 = 97.74, p < 0.001), the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccine (AOR = 2.14, 95%, CI, 1.14-4.05, I2 = 97.4%, p < 0.05). The odds of having an unconfirmed source of information (AOR = 0.22, 95% CI, 0.10-0.45, I2 = 94.09%, p< 0.001) was responsible for vaccine hesitancy. The findings indicate the low pooled prevalence of COVID-19 vaccine acceptance and high levels of hesitancy among adolescents and youths in sub-Saharan African countries. Therefore, there is a need to ensure that extensive research is undertaken into age-appropriate health promotion messages and strategies to encourage the uptake of vaccines. PROSPERO ID number CRD42023403071.
Harnessing spectrophotometry resolution power for determining ternary mixture for respiratory disorders treatment in their pharmaceutical formulation
Authors: AlSalem Huda Salem , Algethami Faisal K. , Magdy Maimana A. , Ali Nourudin W. , Zaazaa Hala E. , Abdelkawy Mohamed , Gamal Mohammed , Abdelrahman Maha M.
Published: October 2024

A ternary mixture incorporating Hydroxyzine hydrochloride (HYX), Ephedrine hydrochloride (EPH) and Theophylline (THP) frequently prescribed for the treatment of respiratory diseases. Herein, two spectrophotometric methods are designated and applied to resolve these three components in their mixture. Method A is ratio-subtraction combined with derivative spectrophotometry, where THP can be determined directly at its λmax 271 nm (neither HYX or EPH interfere), then for determination of HYX and EPH, the ternary mixture was divided by 22 μg/mL of THP and after subtraction of the plateau region, HYX can be determined directly at its λmax 234.2 nm (absence of EPH intervention). Finally, the third derivative (3D) spectrophotometric approach was utilized to estimate EPH by detecting the peak amplitude at 222 nm with Δλ = 4 and a scaling factor 100. Principal Component Regression (PCR) and Partial Least Squares (PLS), two multivariate calibration approaches, were applied effectively in Method B. This method effectively quantified the mixture under investigation by using the absorption spectra obtained from suitable solutions of the three components in the 210–230 nm region. The calibration models were evaluated using cross-validation with PCR and PLS, producing statistical characteristics that demonstrate the effectiveness of the calibration models. Synthetic and pharmaceutical preparations were also used to conduct external validation. In pharmaceutical formulation, these methods were successfully applied to analyze HYX, EPH, and THP without overlap from formulation’s excipients. Moreover, the study’s findings were statistically contrasted with those of earlier reported HPLC method. Appraisal approaches were used to determine whether the new spectrophotometric methods had an adverse environmental impact involving the Green Analytical Procedure Index (GAPI) and the AGREE (Analytical Greenness). These evaluations delivered information about the methods’ eco-friendliness and sustainability, proving that they are in line with ecologically attributed practices. Furthermore, the Blue Applicability Grade Index (BAGI) was utilized to identify and verify the feasibility and practicality of the suggested approaches.
Optimization of household medical waste recycling logistics routes: Considering contamination risks
Authors: Hu Jihui , Zhang Ying , Liu Yanqiu , Hou Jiaqi , Zhang Aobei
Published: October 2024

The escalating generation of household medical waste, a byproduct of industrialization and global population growth, has rendered its transportation and logistics management a critical societal concern. This study delves into the optimization of routes for vehicles within the household medical waste logistics network, a response to the imperative of managing this waste effectively. The potential for environmental and public health hazards due to improper waste disposal is acknowledged, prompting the incorporation of contamination risk, influenced by transport duration, waste volume, and wind velocity, into the analysis. To enhance the realism of the simulation, traffic congestion is integrated into the vehicle speed function, reflecting the urban roads’ variability. Subsequently, a Bi-objective mixed-integer programming model is formulated to concurrently minimize total operational costs and environmental pollution risks. The complexity inherent in the optimization problem has motivated the development of the Adaptive Hybrid Artificial Fish Swarming Algorithm with Non-Dominated Sorting (AH-NSAFSA). This algorithm employs a sophisticated approach, amalgamating congestion distance and individual ranking to discern optimal solutions from the population. It incorporates a decay function to facilitate an adaptive iterative process, enhancing the algorithm’s convergence properties. Furthermore, it leverages the concept of crossover-induced elimination to preserve the genetic diversity and overall robustness of the solution set. The empirical evaluation of AH-NSAFSA is conducted using a test set derived from the Solomon dataset, demonstrating the algorithm’s capability to generate feasible non-dominated solutions for household medical waste recycling path planning. Comparative analysis with the Non-dominated Sorted Artificial Fish Swarm Algorithm (NSAFSA) and Non-dominated Sorted Genetic Algorithm II (NSGA-II) across metrics such as MID, SM, NOS, and CT reveals that AH-NSAFSA excels in MID, SM, and NOS, and surpasses NSAFSA in CT, albeit slightly underperforming relative to NSGA-II. The study’s holistic approach to waste recycling route planning, which integrates cost-effectiveness with pollution risk and traffic congestion considerations, offers substantial support for enterprises in formulating sustainable green development strategies. AH-NSAFSA offers an eco-efficient, holistic approach to medical waste recycling, advancing sustainable management practices.
Why high-speed rail causes heterogeneous spatial patterns in firm innovation: Perspectives from intensive and extensive margins
Authors: Zheng Longfei , Zhu Huasheng , Fan Kwok Yuen , Chang Zheng
Published: October 2024

This study examines the impact of high-speed rail (HSR) on corporate innovation in China, analyzing county-level patent applications. Utilizing difference-in-differences regression, we break down the overall impact of HSR connectivity on innovation into two categories: extensive margins, where a greater number of firms become innovative, and intensive margins, where individual firms increase their level of innovation. HSR access has increased patent applications, particularly in manufacturing and non-high-tech services, affecting both margins. However, in high-tech services, the impact is significant only on the extensive margin. Effects vary between urban areas and peripheral counties, with knowledge spillovers and brain drain as key predictors.
An exploration of teacher and school-based nurse perceptions of current HPV education offered to students 15–16 years old in post-primary schools in Northern Ireland, UK
Authors: Flood Terri , McLaughlin Dr. Marian , Wilson Dr. Iseult , Hughes Ciara M.
Published: October 2024

Introduction

Human papillomavirus virus (HPV) is highest among young adults 15–24 years old. High-risk strains are responsible for the development of cancers including cervical, vaginal, vulvar, anal, oropharyngeal and penile. Despite HPV school-based vaccination programmes in the UK, HPV vaccination uptake rates continue to fluctuate due to misinformation and vaccine hesitancy post COVID-19. The aim of this study is to explore perceptions of post-primary school teachers and nurses regarding the current HPV education provision and the need to provide HPV education to students 15–17 years old when they are most likely to be becoming sexually active.

Methods

A qualitative study was conducted using online semi-structured interviews between February-August 2022 with post-primary teachers and nurses in Northern Ireland, UK. Stratified random sampling was used to contact schools to recruit participants. Recruitment continued until data saturation was reached. Braun & Clarke’s six-phase framework for reflexive thematic analysis was used to analyse the data.

Results

Twelve teachers and six nurses participated in the study. Four themes arose based on the analysis including 1) the importance of HPV education 2) self-consent to the HPV vaccine 3) design of the HPV education and 4) delivery of the HPV education. Identified barriers to implementation of HPV education included lack of parental education, religion and the conservative culture of Northern Ireland.

Discussion

Participants perceived HPV education to be poor or non-existent in their schools but placed high importance on this education. They indicated that a non-judgemental health professional would be the ideal person to deliver interactive HPV education as part of a mandated spiral curriculum.

Conclusion

HPV education at 15–17 years old provides students with an opportunity to learn about their HPV risk, their HPV vaccination status and an opportunity to self-consent to the HPV vaccine. The Education Authority and Department of Health should support health professionals to deliver consistent robust HPV health information to students of this age.
Deprescribing of proton pump inhibitors in older patients: A cost-effectiveness analysis
Authors: Xie Mingxi , You Joyce H. S.
Published: October 2024

Over-prescribing of proton-pump inhibitors (PPIs) is widely observed in older patients. Clinical findings have showed that deprescribing service significantly decreased inappropriate PPIs utilization. We aimed to examine the cost-effectiveness of PPI deprescribing service from the perspective of Hong Kong public healthcare provider. A decision-analytic model was constructed to examine the clinical and economic outcomes of PPI deprescribing service (deprescribing group) and usual care (UC group) in a hypothetical cohort of older PPI-users aged ≥65 years in the ambulatory care setting. The model inputs were retrieved from literature and public data. The model time-frame was one-year. Base-case analysis and sensitivity analysis were performed. Primary model outcomes were direct medical cost and quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) loss. In base-case analysis, the deprescribing service (versus UC) reduced total direct medical cost by USD235 and saved 0.0249 QALY per PPI user evaluated. The base-case results were robust to variation of all model inputs in one-way sensitivity analysis. In probabilistic sensitivity analysis, the deprescribing group was accepted as cost-effective (versus the UC group) in 100% of the 10,000 Monte Carlo simulations. In conclusion, the PPI deprescribing service saved QALYs and reduced total direct medical cost in older PPIs users, and showed a high probability to be accepted as the cost-effective option from the perspective of public healthcare provider in Hong Kong.
An insurmountable obstacle: Experiences of Chinese women undergoing in vitro fertilization
Authors: Ying Xunxun , Zhou Yunxian , Jin Yang , Wu Danhong , Kong Lingling , Dong Pingpei , Xu Xiuling
Published: October 2024

Objective

This study aimed to explore the perceptions of women who have undergone unsuccessful in vitro fertilization (IVF) in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China, and to explore how treatment failure has impacted their lives and relationships, thereby enabling the public to understand the unique experiences of these women.

Design

A descriptive qualitative approach was employed, with purposive sampling used to recruit participants from the gynecological department of a traditional Chinese medicine clinic at a large tertiary hospital in Zhejiang province. Twelve women undergoing IVF treatment was involved in the study. Data were collected through face-to-face semi-structured interviews, which were transcribed verbatim. Conventional content analysis methods were used to analyze the data.

Results

Following analysis, three main categories emerged: 1) The Psychological Experience of Initial Miscarriage from IVF Treatment, 2) The Psychological Experience of Repeated Treatment Failure, and 3) Interpersonal experiences and challenges. Women experiencing initial failure from IVF treatment reported emotions such as surprise, doubt, sadness, disappointment, and embarrassment. They perceived the process as harder than expected, leading to unexpected daily life challenges and difficulties in achieving success. As unsuccessful attempts persisted, they endured psychological suffering and lived in the shadow of repeated treatment failures. Doubts, perplexity, and anxiety grew, making reproduction seem like an insurmountable obstacle in their lives. In their interpersonal experience, women often felt guilt toward family, faced social isolation, and found it challenging to discuss IVF openly everywhere. They encountered a lack of understanding from others but also found mutual sympathy and support among people who shared similar experiences.

Conclusions

The study provided an insight into the suffering of Chinese women undergoing IVF treatment, highlighting the challenges of overcoming treatment failures. The findings not only inform Chinese infertile women considering IVF treatment but also contribute to the development of more effective support services by healthcare providers.
Quantifying the effect of interpregnancy maternal weight and smoking status changes on childhood overweight and obesity in a UK population-based cohort
Authors: Taylor Elizabeth J. , Ziauddeen Nida , Berrington Ann , Godfrey Keith M. , Alwan Nisreen A.
Published: October 2024

Background

Maternal preconception and pregnancy exposures have been linked to offspring adiposity. We aimed to quantify the effect of changes in maternal weight and smoking status between pregnancies on childhood overweight/obesity (≥ 85th centile) and obesity (≥ 95th centile) rates in second children.

Methods

Records for 5612 women were drawn from a population-based cohort of routinely collected antenatal healthcare records (2003–2014) linked to measured child body mass index (BMI) age 4–5 years. We applied the parametric G-formula to estimate the effect of hypothetical changes between pregnancy-1 and pregnancy-2 compared to the natural course scenario (without change) on child-2 BMI.

Results

Observed overweight/obesity and obesity in child-2 at age 4–5 years were 22.2% and 8·5%, respectively. We estimated that if all mothers started pregnancy-2 with BMI 18·5–24·9 kg/m² and all smokers stopped smoking, then child-2 overweight/obesity and obesity natural course estimates of 22.3% (95% CI 21.2–23.5) and 8·3% (7·6–9·1), would be reduced to 18.5% (17.4–19.9) and 6.2% (5.5–7.0), respectively. For mothers who started pregnancy-1 with BMI 18·5–24·9 kg/m², if all smokers stopped smoking, child-2 overweight/obesity and obesity natural course estimates of 17.3% (16.0–18.6) and 5·9% (5·0–6·7) would be reduced to 16.0% (14.6–17.3) and 4·9% (4·1–5·7), respectively. For mothers who started pregnancy-1 with BMI ≥30 kg/m², if BMI was 18·5–24·9 kg/m² prior to pregnancy-2, child-2 overweight/obesity and obesity natural course estimates of 38.6% (34.7–42.3) and 17·7% (15·1–20·9) would be reduced to 31.3% (23.8–40.0) and 12.5 (8.3–17.4), respectively. If BMI was 25.0–29.9 kg/m² prior to pregnancy-2, these estimates would be 34.5% (29.4–40.4) and 14.6% (11.2–17.8), respectively.

Conclusion

Interventions supporting women to lose/maintain weight and quit smoking between pregnancies could help reduce rates of overweight/obesity and obesity in second children. The most effective interventions may vary by maternal BMI prior to the first pregnancy.
Protein localization and potential function of lipocalin in Reticulitermes speratus queens
Authors: Hanada Takumi , Kobayash Anji , Yaguchi Hajime , Maekawa Kiyoto
Published: October 2024

To understand the mechanisms underlying social evolution and caste development in social insects, caste-specific organs and genes should be investigated. In the rhinotermitid termite, Reticulitermes speratus, the lipocalin gene RS008881, which encodes a protein transporter, is expressed in the ovarian accessory glands of primary queens. To obtain additional data on its expression and product localization, we conducted real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction and protein assays using a peptide antibody. Gene expression analysis of the castes revealed that RS008881 was highly expressed in female primary and secondary reproductives. Further analysis of its expression during reproductive caste differentiation showed that its expression levels increased prior to molting into reproductive individuals, even during the winged imago (alates) stage. Western blotting and fluorescent immunohistochemical staining revealed that the RS008881 product was localized in the ovary as well as the eggshells produced by female reproductives. RS008881 may play a significant role in the reproductive biology of R. speratus; protein localization in both the ovary and eggshell suggests multiple functions related to embryo protection and potential pheromone interactions.
Targeting of oxidized Macrophage Migration Inhibitory Factor (oxMIF) with antibody ON104 attenuates the severity of glomerulonephritis
Authors: Ferhat Maroua , Mayer Julia , Costa Lyndon H. , Prendecki Maria , Tarazona Alejandro A. Puchol , Schinagl Alexander , Kerschbaumer Randolf J. , Tam Frederick W. K. , Landlinger Christine , Thiele Michael
Published: October 2024

The oxidized form of Macrophage Migration Inhibitory Factor (oxMIF) has been identified as the disease-related isoform of MIF, exerting pathological functions in inflamed tissue. In this study, we aimed to explore the in vivo effects of the neutralizing anti-oxMIF antibody ON104 in a rat model of crescentic glomerulonephritis (CGN), to better understand its disease modifying activities. WKY rats received a single intravenous injection of a rabbit nephrotoxic serum (NTS), targeting rat glomerular basement membrane to induce CGN. On day 4 and day 6, ON104 was given intraperitoneally (i.p.) and on day 8 urine, blood and kidney tissue were collected. ON104 substantially attenuated the severity of CGN demonstrated by reduced proteinuria, hematuria, as well as lower levels of kidney injury molecule (KIM)-1. ON104 treatment preserved the glomerular morphology and suppressed crescent formation, a hallmark of the disease. On the cellular level, oxMIF neutralization by ON104 strongly reduced the number of macrophages and neutrophils within the inflamed kidneys. In vitro, we identified human neutrophils, but not monocytes, as main producers of oxMIF among total peripheral cells. The present study demonstrates that oxMIF is a pertinent therapeutic target in a model of CGN which mechanistically resembles human immune mediated CGN. In this model, neutralization of oxMIF by ON104 leads to an improvement in both urinary abnormalities and histological pathological characteristics of the disease. ON104, thus has the potential to become a novel disease-modifying drug for the treatment of glomerulonephritis and other inflammatory kidney diseases.
Myosin A and F-Actin play a critical role in mitochondrial dynamics and inheritance in Toxoplasma gondii
Authors: Oliveira Souza Rodolpho Ornitz , Yang Chunlin , Arrizabalaga Gustavo
Published: October 2024

The single mitochondrion of the obligate intracellular parasite Toxoplasma gondii is highly dynamic. Toxoplasma’s mitochondrion changes morphology as the parasite moves from the intracellular to the extracellular environment and during division. Toxoplasma’s mitochondrial dynamic is dependent on an outer mitochondrion membrane-associated protein LMF1 and its interaction with IMC10, a protein localized at the inner membrane complex (IMC). In the absence of either LMF1 or IMC10, parasites have defective mitochondrial morphology and inheritance defects. As little is known about mitochondrial inheritance in Toxoplasma, we have used the LMF1/IMC10 tethering complex as an entry point to dissect the machinery behind this process. Using a yeast two-hybrid screen, we previously identified Myosin A (MyoA) as a putative interactor of LMF1. Although MyoA is known to be located at the parasite’s pellicle, we now show through ultrastructure expansion microscopy (U-ExM) that this protein accumulates around the mitochondrion in the late stages of parasite division. Parasites lacking MyoA show defective mitochondrial morphology and a delay in mitochondrion delivery to the daughter parasite buds during division, indicating that this protein is involved in organellar inheritance. Disruption of the parasite’s actin network also affects mitochondrion morphology. We also show that parasite-extracted mitochondrion vesicles interact with actin filaments. Interestingly, mitochondrion vesicles extracted out of parasites lacking LMF1 pulled down less actin, showing that LMF1 might be important for mitochondrion and actin interaction. Accordingly, we are showing for the first time that actin and Myosin A are important for Toxoplasma mitochondrial morphology and inheritance.
Evaluación de las Competencias Informacionales en Estudiantes Universitarios y su Influencia en las Actitudes Frente al Plagio Académico
Authors: Antonio Gutiérrez Sandy , Orozco-Rodríguez Claudia , Morales-Morgado Erla Mariela
Published: October 2024

Las competencias informacionales son habilidades fundamentales para el desarrollo en la actual sociedad de la información, de ahí la importancia de evaluarlas para determinar su nivel e implementar programas formativos que promuevan su mejora. Por ejemplo, estas competencias son clave en la gestión y producción de tareas y trabajos académicos, y resultan esenciales para prevenir prácticas fraudulentas, como el plagio académico, que a menudo ocurren por falta de conocimiento sobre su implicación. En este estudio, se evaluaron las competencias informacionales de un grupo de estudiantes de grado de la Universidad Católica del Cibao y su influencia en las actitudes hacia el plagio académico. Se utilizaron dos instrumentos, el Tratamiento de la Información y Competencia Digital en Educación Secundaria Obligatoria, y el cuestionario Revised Attitudes Toward Plagiarism Questionnaire (RATPQ), con el objetivo de medir el nivel de competencias informacionales y su impacto en las percepciones de los estudiantes sobre el plagio. El análisis de los resultados reveló que los niveles de búsqueda, evaluación, procesamiento y comunicación de la información son bajos, ya que el 30% de la muestra no aprobó la prueba. Asimismo, se observó que, aunque los estudiantes reconocen las prácticas del plagio académico, no siempre las penalizan de manera adecuada. Finalmente, se concluye que las competencias informacionales influyen positivamente en el rechazo del plagio académico por parte de los estudiantes.
Hydroxyapatite-polymer composites with tannin as a chelating agent: crystal structure and mechanical properties
Authors: Rahayu Aster
Published: October 2024

Hydroxyapatite is the main minerals in the bone as a biomaterial. The synthesis of hydroxyapatite requires additional materials to improve its mechanical properties. This research aimed to observe the ability of tannins as a chelating agent in hydroxyapatite synthesis. Hydroxyapatite was synthesized from Ca(OH)2, (NH4)2HPO4, Ca(OH)2, H3PO4, and tannin as chelating agents with precipitation method. Hydroxyapatite made from calcium and phosphate as a precursor and control the pH was 12 with the addition of Sodium Hydroxide. Then, added tannin and stirrer about 1 hour. The precipitate was dried in oven at 40°C for Hydroxyapatite using H3PO4 precursor. All the samples were characterized using FTIR, XRD, SEM and Hardness tester. Two compounds (calcium carbonate and hydroxyapatite) were obtained by using XRD analysis. The crystal size of the hydroxyapatite of 15-27 nm and hydroxyapatite-tannin of 10-29 nm. The SEM results show the surface morphology of hydroxyapatite was obtained as agglomerates or clumping. Hydroxyapatite-tannin was obtained with particle size in fields from 0.1-0.4 µm. The Hardness Tester received an average value was 28.36 N and 27.81 N for hydroxyapatite and 34.43 N dan 33.92 N for hydroxyapatite-tannin. Tannin acts as a chelating agent in the synthesis process of hydroxyapatite by the precipitation method.
Introduction
Authors: Herndon Ernest , Parker Patrick , Elise  , Parker Patrick
Published: October 2024

This introduction states and supports the book's thesis, that the navigable rivers and creeks of the state of Mississippi have been foundational in every aspect of the state’s geology, ecology, settlement, development, economy, and politics.
Yocona River
Authors: Herndon Ernest , Parker Patrick , Elise  , Parker Patrick
Published: October 2024

This chapter describes the Yocona River as an important river in the Mississippi Delta and elaborates on peoples who lived near and depended on the Yocona River. Evocative description of wildlife and valuable canoeing advice is included. Numerous personal anecdotes illustrate the chapter.
Bogue Chitto River
Authors: Herndon Ernest , Parker Patrick , Elise  , Parker Patrick
Published: October 2024

This chapter describes the Bogue Chitto River as an important river in the state and elaborates on peoples who lived near and depended on the Bogue Chitto River. Evocative description of wildlife and valuable canoeing advice is included. Numerous personal anecdotes illustrate the chapter.
Buttahatchee River
Authors: Herndon Ernest , Parker Patrick , Elise  , Parker Patrick
Published: October 2024

This chapter describes the Buttahatchee River in northeast Mississippi and valuable canoeing advice is included. Personal anecdotes illustrate the chapter.
Wolf River
Authors: Herndon Ernest , Parker Patrick , Elise  , Parker Patrick
Published: October 2024

This chapter describes the Wolf River as an important river in the state and elaborates on peoples who lived near and depended on the Wolf River. Evocative description of wildlife and valuable canoeing advice is included. Numerous personal anecdotes illustrate the chapter.
Tending to Memory and African American Culture
Authors: Chandler Karen Michele
Published: October 2024

This chapter explores the freedom narrative genre’s concern with history, including the ongoing relationship between the living and the dead, through close attention to two foundational novels: Virginia Hamilton’s The Magical Adventures of Pretty Pearl (1986) and Julius Lester’s Time’s Memory (2006). In portraying African roots of African American cultures, both confront the problem of cultural loss and amnesia and the role of vernacular Black art in African American survival. The chapter’s analysis focuses on the ways Hamilton and Lester show Black culture as a repository of meaning relevant to Black people’s experience. As the chapter argues, these two novels present African cultural orientations as frameworks that foster Black individuals’ creativity not through conforming to the old, but by negotiating and reinventing tradition to address current situations.
Seditious Prose
Authors: Brown Christopher Michael
Published: October 2024

This chapter examines the tension between the competing logics of race and nation. From the earliest texts of the African American literary tradition, claims for the full humanity of Blacks were often read as betrayals of the nation, proof of disloyalty evident in their contestations of the meaning of the founding moment. Conversely, Blacks often understood assimilation as a betrayal of the race. Asking whether and how Blacks can navigate the chasm between loyalty to race and nation, the chapter looks across a range of texts spanning the tradition to explore the literary responses to the problem of what it means to live up to the expectations of racial and national citizenship. These texts include Victor Séjour's “The Mulatto” (1837), Frederick Douglass's The Heroic Slave (1853), and Sutton Griggs's Imperium in Imperio (1899). Looking at the figures of the Black patriot and the Black traitor, the chapter investigates the competing demands made on the Black subject by the laws of race and nation and how different literary texts navigate the competing obligations of each.
Introduction
Authors: Lowe John Wharton
Published: October 2024

In John Wharton Lowe’s introduction to Black Hibiscus, he establishes the rich cultural and literary history and legacy of Florida while acknowledging the oftentimes overlooked contributions of African Americans to the state’s literary scene. The topics of the book’s essays are then summarized and established, ranging from Florida’s colonial past—a discussion that involves Native Americans, the Spanish, slave narratives, and the Caribbean diaspora—to the recent film Moonlight.
Grappling with an “Omen of Doom”
Authors: Ortiz Paul
Published: October 2024

This chapter discusses the Ocoee Election Day Massacre of 1920. In 1920, Black Floridians created a statewide voter registration movement. Florida’s white political leaders and paramilitary organizations, including the Ku Klux Klan, mobilized to stop African Americans from going to the polls on Election Day. White terrorists engaged in anti-Black violence including assassinations across the state. The epicenter of violence during the 1920 election was the town of Ocoee, twenty miles to the west of Orlando. This chapter is a modified version of a lecture the author presented at Ocoee’s 100 Year Remembrance Ceremony where the city issued a formal apology to the victims of the anti-Black massacre. The chapter discusses several major stages in rediscovering and telling the story of the Ocoee Massacre including the sometimes-conflicting efforts of community activists, professional historians and city officials in the process of historical racial truth and reconciliation.
Gwendolyn Bennett’s Florida Renaissance
Authors: Wheeler Belinda
Published: October 2024

Harlem, NY, has its recognized place in literary history. For the young, yet highly praised, Harlem author, artist, and editor, Gwendolyn Bennett, it was her time in Florida mid-career that was a catalyst for her own renaissance. Bennett’s ability to recognize and resist oppression in the Deep South with sharper clarity than she had previously in the North would become a valuable resource in the second phase of her artistic voyage. This chapter meditates on Bennett's earlier lauded work, discusses her experiences in Florida including several unpublished documents from that period, and concludes with a post-Florida portrait of Bennett, including published material, that demonstrates her reawakening.
“What Is Florida to Me?”
Authors: James Alexander Simone A.
Published: October 2024

This chapter, that includes an interview, discusses how renowned Haitian author Edwidge Danticat’s migration from Brooklyn, New York to Miami, Florida has reinvigorated and enlivened both the Haitian immigrant community and the African American literary scene. A “triple dyaspora” (Port au Prince, Haiti, to Brooklyn, New York to Miami, Florida), Danticat’s identity politics, her immigrant status and attendant advocacy for the underrepresented immigrant population encapsulates her desirability, rendering her a desirable citizen of Little Haiti, as she is celebrated and revered by Haitian and non-Haitian residents alike. Acknowledging that Danticat’s presence has revitalized the “soul” of Little Haiti, the chapter examines the city’s role in her life and writing, ascertaining that proximity to her home country, Haiti, incentivized her migration to Miami. The chapter further explores how Danticat’s literary predecessor, Zora Neale Hurston, has impacted her own travels and literary journeys, engendering shadowing or ghosting.
Closing the Circle
Authors: Murillo Eric
Published: October 2024

For chapter 4, E. Murillo picks up the theme of dislocation, displacement, and lost family history. Through uncovering research and lost records, Murillo maps together the notion of “triple consciousness” on the borderlands.
cortando las nubes, or, death came on horses
Authors: silva ire’ne lara
Published: October 2024

For chapter 17, I. Lara Silva leaves us with a powerful and searing image of how colonialism arrives and continues to arrive, how we might see and name it in historical and contemporary political contexts, and it’s complicated and intersectional ties to death.
Bayou Harvest
Authors: Regis Helen A. , Walton Shana
Published: October 2024

To inhabitants of the Gulf Coast region of Louisiana, food is much more than nourishment. The acts of gathering, preparing, and sharing food are ways to raise children, bond with friends, and build community. This book examines how coastal residents deploy self-reliance and care for each other through harvesting and sharing food. It explores the harvesting, hunting, and foraging practices by Native Americans, Cajuns, and other Bayou residents. This engagement with Indigenous thinkers and their neighbors yields a multifaceted view of subsistence in Louisiana. Readers will learn about coastal residents' love for the land and water, their deep connections to place, and how they identify with their food and game heritage. The book also delves into their worries about the future, particularly storms, pollution, and land loss in the coastal region. Using a set of narratives that documents the everyday food practices of these communities, the book concludes that subsistence is not so much a specific task like peeling shrimp or harvesting sassafras, but is fundamentally about what these activities mean to the people of the Gulf's shrinking coast.
Camps, Leases, and Clubs
Authors: Regis Helen A. , Walton Shana
Published: October 2024

This chapter describes the vivid hunting experience shared with Richard Borne at the Brule Hunting Club's camp in Labadieville, Louisiana. The camp serves not just as a hunting base but as a social center where members gather, watch local news, and enjoy homemade biscuits and sausage. The chapter discusses the hunting experience, which involves organized dog hunts and airboat transportation to designated hunting stands in the swampy terrain. This hunting experience not only highlights the thrill of the hunt but also underscores the strong bonds of friendship and community that hunting fosters among its enthusiasts. The chapter considers the club's camp as a temporary home for some members during the season, fostering a close-knit atmosphere akin to a family gathering.
Hurricane Ida
Authors: Regis Helen A. , Walton Shana
Published: October 2024

This chapter provides a poignant narrative of the ongoing struggle faced by residents of Pointe-aux-Chênes and other coastal communities in Louisiana. The aftermath of Hurricane Ida has been profound, with significant population loss and communities grappling with extensive destruction. The chapter details the resilience of individuals like Wendy Billiot, which reflects the deep-rooted connection to the land and the determination to preserve a way of life. It stresses how communities worldwide can learn from the resilience and self-sufficiency demonstrated by the residents of coastal Louisiana. The lessons of mutual aid and community support are invaluable, offering a blueprint for resilience in the face of environmental and societal challenges.
The Dreamer’s Modern Body
Authors: Saunders Noa
Published: October 2024

This chapter attends to the shifting, unpredictable conditions of the modern world, seeking to locate comics in a sociocultural milieu that was subject to intense theorization, uncertain speculation, and aesthetic provocation. For Saunders, this registers most powerfully in “the everyday sensorium,” that compendium of seemingly tedious, quotidian experiences that, taken together, constitute the shock of modern life; Winsor McCay’s comics register this experience through what Saunders terms “the iterative image.”
Profane Transfigurations
Authors: Molotiu Andrei
Published: October 2024

In “Profane Transfigurations,” Andrei Molotiu puts Harvey Kurtzman, the legend behind Mad magazine, in conversation with a surprising interlocutor: the art critic and philosopher Arthur Danto. Reading these two figures alongside one another “allows us to establish more complex parallels and avenues of communication between art and comics without falling into the trap of high and low, of upward aspiration or downward appropriation, of celebration or resentment,” while also looking ahead toward the rise of the comix underground in the sixties and seventies.