bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Exploring the viability of telehealth integration into specialised paediatric palliative care
Authors: Toenne Rebecca , Neuhaus Ursula , Höcker Maike , Koch Annika , Menzel Anke , Scharfe Dirk , Geffron Julia , Reschke Felix
Published: February 2025

Background:

Specialised outpatient paediatric palliative care (SOPPC) is vital for young people with life-limiting conditions and telehealth integration might improve this care.

Aim:

Evaluate the acceptance and challenges of implementing teleconsultations among SOPPC healthcare professionals.

Methods:

A questionnaire, tailored to various professions in SOPPC, was developed. After pilot testing, it was distributed to all healthcare professionals in SOPPC in the county of Lower Saxony, Northern Germany. Statistical analyses, using descriptive methods, ensured the reliability of the findings.

Findings:

The survey involved 96 participants from SOPPC teams. Teleconsultations were perceived as time-saving (physicians (80%), nursing (68%), psychosocial varied), facilitating patient-centred discussions (physicians (87%), nursing staff (72%), psychosocial had varied responses) and maintaining intensive contact during restrictions (85% agreement). Improved team communication (91%) and patient-family communication (physicians (80%), nursing (68%), psychosocial (62%) were perceived benefits. Concerns included language barriers (84%) and technical readiness (80%). While physicians and nursing professionals saw telehealth enhancing patient safety (64–95%), psychosocial professionals were more skeptical (38–62%).

Conclusion:

This study highlights telehealth's potential in SOPPC, stressing the need for tailored strategies. While nursing staff and physicians generally accept telehealth, psychosocial professionals express reservations. Overcoming barriers like language and technical readiness is crucial for maximising telehealth benefits.
First Report of Archicolliuris distigma (Chaudoir, 1850)(Coleoptera: Carabidae: Lebiinae) from the Indian Mainland
Authors: NEETHU VAKERI PURAKKATTERI , ANAGHA SUDHAKAR V. S. , SABU K. THOMAS
Published: February 2025

Archicolliuris distigma (Chaudoir, 1850) is reported for the first time from India, marking the first record of the genus Archicolliuris Liebke, 1931 in India since 1938. A revised description of the species is provided, along with a key to the Indian species of Archicolliuris. A revision of the diagnostic characteristics of the genus Archicolliuris is proposed, taking into account the variation observed in the number of elytral setae across the recorded species of the genus.
The organisation of evaluations: the influence of the ministry of finance on evaluation systems
Authors: Andersen Niklas A. , Pattyn Valérie
Published: February 2025

Background:

Despite increasing scholarly interest in the organisation of evaluations within different countries’ political-administrative landscapes, not much attention has hitherto been paid to the consequences of a specific institutional set-up for the function of evaluations within government.

Aims and objectives:

This article investigates how the organisational anchorage of policy evaluations within central administration shapes the function those evaluations primarily serve.

Methods:

We focus on the role of ministries of finance for coordinating countries’ evaluation systems, and study its influence in Denmark and the Netherlands through a combination of document analysis and interviews with centrally placed civil servants.

Findings:

Our analysis shows how the ministries of finance come to influence the evaluation activities of the whole central administration by constituting a specific economic outlook on evaluation, which (1) narrows down the applied evaluation methods and criteria; (2) inserts the ministry of finance as primary evaluation user; and hereby (3) furthers accountability rather than learning as the main function of evaluations within central administration. In both countries, the result is that the ministry of finance’s main role in the evaluation systems favours somewhat defensive qualities, where evaluations are primarily used for control and piecemeal changes in policies, rather than fundamental revisions or reflections on the appropriateness of specific policies.

Discussion and conclusions:

Our findings indicate that the influence of evaluation systems is not only dependent on the degree of institutional anchorage of evaluation activities, but also very much a matter of whom the evaluation systems is centred around.
Ambisyllabic characteristics of Spanish resyllabification: Beyond durational cues
Authors: Lahoz-Bengoechea José María , Jiménez-Bravo Miguel
Published: February 2025

In Spanish coda segments are resyllabified as the onset of a following onsetless syllable across a word boundary. Thus, buscabas ocio (‘you were looking for entertainment’) has been traditionally syllabified in the same way as buscaba socio (‘s/he was looking for an associate’), and both are considered homophones. In this study nineteen speakers were recorded producing sentences that included such two-word minimal pairs, making up a total of 1424 utterances. The acoustic analyses performed on both prosodic structures, i.e. /V#CV/ vs. /V#CV/, provide measures of amplitude, spectral characteristics, and coarticulation for /s/, /n/, and /l/, as well as for their flanking vowels. Our results show differences for each condition and suggest an ambisyllabic nature of resyllabified consonants, which is interpreted within the framework of Articulatory Phonology.
Muscle-building supplement use is associated with muscle dysmorphia symptomatology among Canadian adolescents and young adults
Authors: Ganson Kyle T. , Rodgers Rachel F. , Testa Alexander , Murray Stuart B. , Nagata Jason M.
Published: February 2025

This study investigated the association between muscle-building supplement use and muscle dysmorphia symptomatology among Canadian adolescents and young adults. Data from the Canadian Study of Adolescent Health Behaviors (N = 2,731) were analyzed. Multiple linear and logistic regression analyses were used to assess the association between six commonly used muscle-building supplements (e.g., amino acids/branched-chain amino acids, creatine monohydrate, pre-workout drinks or powders, protein bars, weight/mass gainers, and whey protein shakes or powders), and an aggregated sum score of muscle-building supplements used, and muscle dysmorphia symptomatology (measured using the Muscle Dysmorphic Disorder Inventory [MDDI]), including scoring above the clinical cut-off (≥ 40 on the MDDI). The mean age of the sample was 22.9 years (SD = 3.9), 54.3% identified as a cisgender girl or woman, 62.4% identified as white, and 58.8% identified as heterosexual. Findings revealed that use of all six muscle-building supplements, and using a greater number of muscle-building supplements, were associated with greater total muscle dysmorphia symptomatology, as well as greater odds of meeting the clinical cut-off for muscle dysmorphia. These findings add to a growing body of literature on the association between muscle-building supplement use and muscle dysmorphia symptomatology by including multiple muscle-building supplements and utilizing a diverse, national sample of adolescents and young adults. Findings warrant further investigation and the development of intervention strategies to decrease the use of increasingly normalized muscle-building supplements and muscle dysmorphia symptomatology.
Impact of a multi-pronged cholera intervention in an endemic setting
Authors: Blake Alexandre , Walder Adam , Hanks Ephraim M. , Welo Placide Okitayemba , Luquero Francisco , Bompangue Didier , Bharti Nita
Published: February 2025

Cholera is a bacterial water-borne diarrheal disease transmitted via the fecal-oral route that causes high morbidity in sub-Saharan Africa and Asia. It is preventable with vaccination, and Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) improvements. However, the impact of vaccination in endemic settings remains unclear. Cholera is endemic in the city of Kalemie, on the shore of Lake Tanganyika, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where both seasonal mobility and the lake, a potential environmental reservoir, may promote transmission. Kalemie received a vaccination campaign and WASH improvements in 2013–2016. We assessed the impact of this intervention to inform future control strategies in endemic settings. We fit compartmental models considering seasonal mobility and environmentally-based transmission. We estimated the number of cases the intervention avoided, and the relative contributions of the elements promoting local cholera transmission. We estimated the intervention avoided 5,259 cases (95% credible interval: 1,576.6–11,337.8) over 118 weeks. Transmission did not rely on seasonal mobility and was primarily environmentally-driven. Removing environmental exposure or contamination could control local transmission. Repeated environmental exposure could maintain high population immunity and decrease the impact of vaccination in similar endemic areas. Addressing environmental exposure and contamination should be the primary target of interventions in such settings.
Impact of blended NPSB fertilizer rates on sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.) varieties: Seed cane yield and quality insights from North western Ethiopia
Authors: Gebeyehu Solomon Ali , Belay Bahiru , Abate Mesfin
Published: February 2025

Sugarcane primarily cultivated for sugar production and other multiple uses. A field experiment was conducted at Tana Beles sugar project, North western Ethiopia during 2021 and 2022 cropping season to determine the optimum rate of NPSB fertilizer on three sugarcane varieties. The treatments were laid out in factorial randomized complete block design arranged with three replications. The experiment was arranged with five of NPSB blended fertilizer (0, 200, 260, 320 and 380 kg ha-1) combined with three sugarcane varieties (NCO-334, N-14 and C86/56). Among the parameters of seed cane crop; germination percent stalk weight, stalk diameter, node length, inter node number, plant height, stalk population, and sett yield for growth and yield parameters and sett moisture content, sett nitrogen content, reducing sugar content and total sugar content for seed cane quality parameters were significantly affected by applied NPSB fertilizer, varieties and their interaction (p<0.05). Brix% and pol% were not significantly affected by different rates of NPSB fertilizer rates and varieties (p<0.05). The highest leaf area index, plant population, sett yield, average cane weight, seed cane moisture content and total nitrogen content was attained with 380 kg ha-1NPSB fertilizer applied on variety NCO-334 and N-14. Maximum population stand, average plant height, and sett yield of verity C86/56 were recorded at 320 kg ha-1 NPSB fertilizer rate. Sett yield, were positively correlated with germination percent, population stand count, inter node number, seed cane weight, seed cane diameter reducing sugar content, total sugar yield and sett moisture content. Therefore, it is advisable to recommend 380 kg NPSB ha1 for variety NCO-334 and N-14, and 320 kg NPSB ha1 for variety C86/56 with application of 160 kg ha-1 urea at the age of two month and half for effective seed cane production. It was aimed to fill the seed cane fertilizer rate problems of different sugarcane varieties.
Spatial distributions and determinants of intimate partner violence among married women in Ethiopia across administrative zones
Authors: Fetene Meseret Tadesse , Adgeh Senait Cherie , Fenta Haile Mekonnen
Published: February 2025

Background

Intimate partner violence (IPV) against women is highly prevalent in the world, especially in low-middle-income countries including Ethiopia. Studies so far assessing risk factors for IPV often use the classical model without geographical location information and spatial effects. This study aimed to estimate the overall prevalence and associated risk factors of intimate partner violence among Ethiopian administrative zones.

Method

The 2016 Ethiopian Demographic and Health Survey (EDHS) data were used. The primary outcome of the study was the experience of different types of IPV: physical, emotional, and sexual by ever-married women aged 15–49 years. We adopted a generalized multilevel mixed model with IPV as an outcome variable and zones as random effects.

Results

The prevalence of physical, emotional, and sexual violence in Ethiopia are respectively 20.38%, 22.31%, and 7.58%. The result indicated that 1,423 (30.15%) of respondents had experienced at least one of the three types of IPV. Women who had older age had more children, had lower decision-making power, and had a husband who was a drinker and had controlling behavior were more likely to experience any forms of IPV. Significant zone-wise spatial variations of IPV were also observed.

Conclusions

The distribution of IPV in married women varies among Ethiopian administrative zones. Several factors were associated with IPV, therefore, interventions targeting the hotspot areas and specific determinant factors should be implemented by the concerned bodies to reduce IPV among married women in the population.
Organization of A3-coupling compounds by magnetic nanocomposite bimetallic in green conditions
Authors: Binandeh Mansour , Nasseri Mohammad Ali , Allahresani Ali
Published: February 2025

The current project reports two chemical reactions of A3 coupling and creation of three reactans simultaneously and in domino form by bimetallic magnetic nanocatalyst (cobalt/manganese). This bimetallic nanocatalyst was heterogeneously synthesized by a simple chemical co-precipitation method and identified and analyzed by FE-SEM, TEM, VSM, ICP, BET, FT-IR, EDX, etc. analyses. The experimental results showed that the structure of the nanocatalyst is very regular and flexible, and its surface has spaces in nanometer sizes to carry out these chemical reactions. The efficiency and power of the nanocatalyst is very high and it has a special feature for easy separation from the reaction by an external field. The performed triple coupling reactions include the formation of the imide product, the propargylic product. The derivatives of this product each have a high percentage of 76% and selectivity of 98%. These products are widely used in new precursors for making antioxidant and antimicrobial drugs in medical and chemical industries.
Comparison of visfatin levels before and after non-surgical periodontal therapy: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Tajik Zahra , Mehrafarid Hamid , Bayani Mojtaba , Almasi-Hashiani Amir
Published: February 2025

Periodontitis is an inflammatory disease and involves a severe inflammation of the periodontium. On the other hand, visfatin is known as one of the inflammatory markers and can probably preserve inflammation in immune cells. Therefore, the purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to compare the mean visfatin level before and after non-surgical periodontal treatment (NSPT). In this systematic review and meta-analysis, to find relevant studies, PubMed, Web of Science and Scopus were searched. Google Scholar was used to review gray literature. Standardized mean difference (SMD) along with 95% confidence interval (95%CI) was calculated. To perform the meta-analysis, in cases where there was significant heterogeneity between the studies, the random-effects model was used, otherwise the fixed-effects model was used. Sixteen studies were included in the meta-analysis. The results show that one month after the NSPT, there was no significant difference in the mean visfatin level of GCF (SMD: -3.91, 95%CI: -9.83, 2.01, p = 0.195, I-square, 96.6%, random effect model, n = 2) and serum (SMD: -0.33, 95%CI: -0.98, 0.33, p = 0.332, fixed effect model, n = 1), but 2, 3 and 6 months after NSPT, the mean visfatin level of GCF and serum decreased significantly. There is no significant difference one month after NSPT in diabetic patients (SMD: -5.83, 95%CI: -15.5, 3.83, p = 0.237, I-square, 97.4%, random effects model, n = 2), but three (SMD: -2.44, 95%CI: -3.37, -1.15, p = 0.001, I-square, 75.9%, random effects model, n = 3) and six months (SMD: -2.41, 95%CI: -3.81, -1.01, p = 0.001, I-square, 78.7%, random effects model, n = 2) after the treatment, a significant decrease is observed in the mean GCF visfatin level. Following the NSPT, the mean visfatin level of GCF, serum and saliva decreases, and in longer follow up time, the level of visfatin decreases significantly. Also, the mean GCF level of diabetic patients decreased after NSPT. Therefore, visfatin level may be used as a diagnostic and therapeutic noninvasive biomarker in patients with periodontitis, which requires further studies.
Development of lifestyle assessment: A Delphi survey of multi-faceted health experts
Authors: Kim Ah-Ram , Lim Young-Myoung , Park Ji-Hyuk
Published: February 2025

Objective

In the field of health promotion, there’s a growing focus on adopting an academic approach to assess and evaluate the intricate and ever-evolving nature of lifestyles. This approach is crucial for shaping and improving a healthy way of life. Systematic measurement of lifestyles is essential for enhancing overall health and well-being, encompassing physical, mental, and social dimensions. This study’s goal is to create an assessment tool that measures the diversity and intensity of lifestyle behaviors linked to human health. Our efforts involved developing quantitative measurement items that encompass the holistic concepts of health and lifestyle and validating them.

Methods

Between March and April 2023, we gathered insights from 14 experts in lifestyle and health. Building on previous research, we conducted a Delphi survey twice. In the initial survey, we collected expert opinions through open and closed-ended questions about lifestyle evaluation items. After the first survey, we corrected several items that didn’t meet the Content Validity Ratio (CVR) standard before proceeding. We presented the first survey’s findings to an expert panel, leading to a consensus.

Results

The initial Delphi round produced 76 items, and the second round resulted in 72 items after adjusting those with CVR scores of 0.51 or less. The final Content Validity Ratio was 0.83, signifying a robust validation process, with a convergence of 0.50 and a consensus level of 0.75.

Conclusion

In summary, this study successfully developed a comprehensive lifestyle assessment tool using a modified Delphi technique. The 72 items are categorized into eight subcategories and four overarching themes. This tool provides a systematic approach to evaluate lifestyles, promoting health and well-being across physical, mental, and social dimensions. It also assists in identifying specific lifestyle elements that require more in-depth intervention strategies, all while preserving the academic integrity of the content.
State-trace analysis meets personality measurement: Why the Big Five tests are not based on five latent dimensions and how to fix them
Authors: Titz Johannes
Published: February 2025

Unidimensionality is a fundamental yet often overlooked prerequisite for measurement. In the context of psychological measurement, the central question is whether a set of items can be logically reduced to a single latent factor. This study advocates for the application of state-trace analysis, an underutilized method from mathematical psychology, as a decisive tool to address this question. State-trace analysis provides a simple, general, and rigorous criterion for unidimensionality: monotonicity between item pairs. Identifying items within a factor that violate this criterion is straightforward, offering a practical approach to evaluating unidimensionality. This paper demonstrates the utility of state-trace analysis through exemplary applications within the framework of the five-factor model, analyzing data from the International Personality Item Pool-NEO-120 (N = 618, 000) and the NEO Personality Inventory–Revised (N1 = 857, N2 = 500). The findings reveal that maintaining the five-factor model requires significant revisions to numerous items, highlighting the potential of state-trace analysis to enhance personality measurement beyond existing methodologies. The paper concludes by discussing strategies to promote broader adoption of this method and how future designs in personality research can be tailored to effectively incorporate state-trace analysis.
How much do opinions regarding cultivated meat vary within the same country? The cases of São Paulo and Salvador, Brazil
Authors: Mendes Gabriel , Biscarra-Bellio Jennifer Cristina , Heidemann Marina Sucha , Taconeli Cesar Augusto , Molento Carla Forte Maiolino
Published: February 2025

The problems related to conventional meat production have been widely discussed globally and alternative proteins emerge as more sustainable and ethical options. Thus, understanding the intention to consume cultivated meat is key. This work aimed to study the intention to consume cultivated meat by residents of São Paulo and Salvador, Brazil, studying demographic differences. An online questionnaire comprising 17 multiple-choice and open-ended questions about opinions on conventional and cultivated meat was administered. The results were analyzed using quantitative methods, including binary logistic regression and ordinal regression models, as well as the qualitative Collective Subject Discourse methodology. With 809 participants, 419 (51.8%) from São Paulo and 390 (48.2%) from Salvador, 265 (32.8%, of which 170 (64.2%) from São Paulo and 95 (35.8%) from Salvador) respondents stated they would eat cultivated meat. Residents of São Paulo demonstrated higher familiarity with cultivated meat (187 (44.6%) had heard of it compared to 123 (31.5%) in Salvador). Such disparity in awareness seems coherent with differences in access to information and educational levels. Our results suggest that the acceptance of cultivated meat varies significantly across different regions of Brazil, likely related to the country’s continental size, uneven economic and educational status and rich cultural diversity. We conclude that the acceptance of cultivated meat correlates with knowledge about it and that efforts to raise such knowledge require the consideration of cultural and socioeconomic aspects on a regional rather than national level, especially for geographically big and culturally diverse countries. Continued research is essential due to dynamics of acceptance and its entanglement with familiarity and knowledge regarding cultivated meat.
A study on the relationship between personality and motivation in leisure participants
Authors: Yağar Gül , Deryahanoğlu Gamze , Bal Emine
Published: February 2025

Motivation and personality, which are among the most important effects of human behavior, are important in terms of leisure activities. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the relationship between motivation and personality of individuals who participate in physical activity in their leisure time. In the study, the correlational screening model was used, and 370 (m:28.76±10.37) participants who regularly practiced physical activity participated. The relationship between the data obtained in the research was tested with canonical correlation analysis, and the first two canonical correlation functions between the two variable data sets were interpreted. Self-control and extraversion sub-dimensions in the personality data set and internal regulation and external regulation sub-dimensions in the motivation data set were found to make the highest contribution. It was determined that for the first set of canonical functions, the relationship between self-control and internal regulation had a unidirectional correlation, whereas, for the second set of canonical functions, the relationship between extraversion and external regulation had an inverse correlation. Studies show how valuable intrinsic motivation sources are for individuals, and personality traits such as self-control and extraversion support this situation. It is considered that the personality traits of leisure time participants may be a clue to the types of motivation of the participants.
Evaluating the structure-based virtual screening performance of SARS-CoV-2 main protease: A benchmarking approach and a multistage screening example against the wild-type and Omicron variants
Authors: Galal Noha , Beshay Botros Y. , Soliman Omar , Ismail Muhammad I. , Abdelfadil Mohamed , El-Hadidi Mohamed , Arafa Reem K. , Ibrahim Tamer M.
Published: February 2025

COVID-19 still poses a worldwide health threat due to continuous viral mutations and potential resistance to vaccination. SARS-CoV-2 viral multiplication hindrance by inhibiting the viral main protease (Mpro) deemed propitious. Structure-based virtual screening (SBVS) is a conventional strategy for discovering new inhibitors. Nonetheless, the SBVS efforts against Mpro variants needed to be benchmarked. Herein, in the first stage of the study, we evaluated four docking tools (FRED, PLANTS, AutoDock Vina and CDOCKER) via an in-depth benchmarking approach against SARS-CoV2 Mpro of both the wild type (WTMpro) and the deadly Omicron P132H variant (OMpro). We started by compiling an active dataset of non-covalent small molecule inhibitors of the WTMpro from literature and the COVID-Moonshot database along with generating a high-quality benchmark set via DEKOIS 2.0. pROC-Chemotype plots revealed superior performance for AutoDock Vina against WTMpro, while both FRED and AutoDock Vina demonstrated excellent performance for OMPro. In the second stage, VS was performed on a focused library of 636 compounds transformed from the early-enriched cluster related to perampanel via a scaffold hopping approach. Subsequently, molecular dynamics (MD) simulation and MM GBSA calculations validated the binding potential of the recommended hits against both explored targets. This study provides an example of how to conduct an in-depth benchmarking approach for both WTMPro and OMPro variants and offering an evaluated SBVS protocol for them both.
Unveiling parents’ lived experience with preterm infant care and support in neonatal care units of public hospitals in Nepal: A phenomenological inquiry
Authors: Shrestha Tumla , Pandey Bista Archana , Joshi Pradhan Sarala , Pudasainee-Kapri Sangita , Subedi Madhusudan
Published: February 2025

Background

Preterm infants (PTIs) require hospitalization in different levels of neonatal care units (NCUs) for their survival and developmental needs. The quality of care provided at NCUs significantly influences infant outcomes and parents’ experiences. Parents’ experience of received support and care of PTIs is one of the indicators for determining the quality of care at NCUs. The study aims to investigate parents’ perspectives on the PTIs care and support received from nurses in NCUs of Nepal.

Methods

A descriptive phenomenological study was conducted within the NCUs of three public tertiary hospitals in Kathmandu, Nepal. In-depth interviews were conducted among 25 purposively selected parents, (both mothers and fathers) of low-birthweight PTIs admitted to the NCUs. Data was collected from November 2019 to February 2020. The data were meticulously analyzed using the Colaizzi method.

Findings

The exploration of parents’ experiences identified three main theme areas: (1) Care and support, (2) Initial involvement in PTI care, and (3) Outcome of care involvement. Parents appreciated competent and affectionate PTI care as well as informational support. However, they had varied experiences with communication, emotional support, and opportunities for infant-parent attachment. Guidance and support for PTI care from nurses and peer-parents proved instrumental in mitigating uncertainties related to initial care learning and involvement in PTI care. Parents’ involvement in hands on care of their PTIs boosted infant-parent attachment, empowered for care giving, and provided emotional solace.

Conclusion

Findings indicate that parents have positive experience with PTI care provided by nurses and their involvement in hands-on care of their PTIs. However, there are gaps in support expectations of parents including communication, emotional support, and care guidance. Findings have important implications for nurses, pediatricians, and policymakers for the enhancement of neonatal care practice by incorporating parental support and parents’ involvement in hands on care of PTI across NCUs in Nepal.
Seeing beyond the sea: Arts-based research on cross-cultural journeys
Authors: Kim Sunah , Kasahara Koichi
Published: February 2025

This study focuses on how two researchers, one Japanese and one Korean, remember, resist and reconstruct the memories of others by employing a cross-cultural approach. The purpose of this study is to examine the intricate interplay of individual cultural experiences and collective memories, grounded in postcolonial theory. The research questions guiding this journey are twofold. How do cross-cultural dialogues take shape through a cultural journey guided by direct engagement with historical sites? How does intersubjective understanding emerge between two individuals with different colonizing/colonized experiences as they revisit international conflicts? These questions were explored through arts-based research that involved journeys to walk each other’s lands and see the sea. The results of this study exemplify the process of reconstructing and visualizing cross-cultural understanding and can be summarized as follows: surfacing one’s own perspectives; walking into history; and creating resonant spaces through aesthetic consciousness. This outcome offers implications for utilizing art in cross-cultural learning to foster an awareness of differences.
Artefacts of inequity in art education: Critically tracing what disaster reveals
Authors: Travis Sarah
Published: February 2025

At the start of the author’s second year as an art educator in New Orleans public schools in August 2005, the city was devastated by the cataclysmic destruction of Hurricane Katrina. Almost twenty years later, new disasters have come and gone, adding more layers to a culture that has always held both deep pain and ardent joy, a place that is persistently haunted by not only environmental precarity but also years of racial, economic and educational injustice, yet remaining one of the most culturally dynamic and artistically active places in the United States. Drawing upon Jane Bennett’s framework of vital materiality, and Amelia Kraehe’s framework of arts equity within a methodology of research-creation as delineated by Natalie Loveless, Erin Manning and Sarah Truman, the author utilizes personal artefacts as catalysts for critically tracing what disaster reveals about inequity in art education. This inquiry invites other art educators to engage in critical reflection on what their own identity artefacts reveal and conceal about equity and justice within art education.
Imagining un-war through Krzysztof Wodiczko’s Arc de Triomphe
Authors: Bergmark Jennifer
Published: February 2025

Review of: Imagining un-war through Krzysztof Wodiczko’s Arc de Triomphe
Not quite the vanguard! Aspirations of ‘newer’ new Marathi cinema
Authors: Ingle Hrishikesh
Published: February 2025

Three recent Marathi films, Kaul: A Calling, Trijya and The Disciple, feature a noticeable discursive cinematic experimentalism. These films have opened a new front for the ongoing new wave of Marathi cinema. In an attempt to conjecture the aesthetic and expressive differences of this unfolding trend, this article develops an interrogation of two ideas of new filmmaking in the regional context. The spatio-temporal dynamics in these films is interpreted in terms of reflexivity, which implicates the contemporary as a subjectivity. It is argued that the contemporary ‘perceptiveness’ about high capitalism, its overwhelming ‘reality’, can be read in narratives that present floundering personal aspirations. Moreover, the constitutive trope of ‘passage’ in these films allegorizes present-day scenarios since they reflect states of indecision and perplexity through textural and sensuous detailing of image and sound. The article contends that the films’ experiential mode, in which affect is articulated through spatial forms to trigger a redistribution of the sensuous, aligns them with the affective turn in art cinema indicative of a new textual politics where affectivity is the charge of narratives.
Contemporary YouTube advertising and the making of the Marathi Brahmin identity
Authors: Lohokare Madhura
Published: February 2025

This article focuses on an increasingly popular social media advertising strategy, in the form of brand films circulated on YouTube for two prominent brands, Chitale Bandhu Mithaiwaale and P. N. Gadgil Jewelers, based in Pune in western India. Through close reading of these films, I demonstrate how their constructions of a ‘Marathi’ identity through discourses of tradition and culture are distinctly Brahminical. Through a focus on the embodied, linguistic and spatial referents of the advertisement films, I illustrate how the latter consequently produce Marathi Brahmin culture as Marathiness. I further argue that these films constitute a fertile site for the project of Marathi Brahmin self-making in the context of globalized, neo-liberal, urban India, an important facet of which is to showcase the community as liberal and progressive via an agential representation of women.
Conformity and subversion: Autobiographical strategies of Marathi film actresses in shaping their celebrity personas (1930s–50s)
Authors: Gangadharan Meghna , Ghoshal Ananya
Published: February 2025

The actresses from the Marathi film industry’s studio era (from the 1930s to the 1950s) were among the first in the profession to write autobiographies. Their writings emphasize the everyday aspects of their lives and reject the glamour and extravagance associated with the lives of film stars. This article studies the interplay between the media representations and autobiographies of Durga Khote (1905–91), Mi, Durga Khote (I, Durga Khote) and Hansa Wadkar (1923–71), Sangtye Aika (You Ask, I Tell), to understand the crafting of their celebrity personas. It argues for evaluating celebrities like Khote and Wadkar through their personas, which integrates their public image with their interpretations of themselves, crafted and performed through their autobiographies. Thus, this work studies their autobiographies as texts that respond to the narratives of their public image and examines whether the authors corroborated or contradicted the prevalent perceptions. In doing so, the article aims to facilitate an understanding of the agency of these celebrities in crafting their personas.
The odi assan: Myth, liberation and caste in ‘If in the Shadows, a Leopard!’
Authors: Muruganandan Nandhitha , Venkatesan Sathyaraj
Published: February 2025

Casteism, an unjust social stratification system, remains pervasive in India. Among the oppressed castes, the odiyans are unique for their shapeshifting, which allowed them to transcend their caste identities. Prakash Moorthy’s ‘If in the Shadows, a Leopard!’, a graphic narrative that is part of the anthology Longform (Volume 1, 2018), interweaves the nuances of odi and casteism. Moorthy revisits the odiyan myth through his protagonist, Kari, to examine casteism. Kari’s transformation through odi is a powerful portrayal of social mobility and liberation. Moorthy further observes the enduring presence of casteism and the significance of finding one’s voice within the narrative. Through his unique art style, which mimics the elusiveness of myths, the work invites readers to affectively empathize with Kari and sensitizes them to the realities of casteism. Collectively, ‘If in the Shadows, a Leopard!’, interwoven with themes of social justice, renders the text a compelling example of graphic justice.
Influence of laser beam welding parameters on local mechanical properties of duplex stainless steel joints
Authors: Kovačócy Pavel , Martinkovič Maroš , Šimeková Beáta , Hnilica Martin , Kovaříková Ingrid , Macháček Jiří , Krbaťa Michal
Published: February 2025

Duplex stainless steels (DSS) are dual-phase alloys consisting of austenitic and ferritic phases in the microstructure. DSS provide an ideal compromise between mechanical properties and corrosion resistance. Welding of DSS leads to a change in the ferrite/austenite ratio in the microstructure and to degradation of the properties of the weld joints. Therefore, it is very important to control the microstructure of the weld joint directly during the welding process. An innovative method of laser welding applying a dual beam was used. By spreading the energy of the laser beam over two spots, additional heat is introduced into the weld, which ensures a slowdown in the cooling rate of the DSS and possibly ensures the desired ratio of ferrite and austenite in the microstructure. The influence of laser welding parameters and energy distribution of the dual beam on the fusion zone (FZ) geometry, resulting microstructure and mechanical properties of the weld joints was monitored. The tensile and shear strength was measured. The coefficient of proportionality between shear and tensile strength was calibrated to be as 1.38 ± 0.01.
Understanding intrinsic stress effects on vibrational response of silicon nanowires
Authors: Pakzad Sina Zare , Muzammil Muhammad , Shirin Mehdi Bostan , Ali Basit , Coban Semih Berk , Nacarkucuk Ege , Kerimzade Umut , Alaca Burhanettin Erdem
Published: February 2025

Silicon nanowires have become integral components in nanoelectromechanical systems and nanoelectronics. This article explores the intricate relationship between intrinsic stress and mechanical behavior in silicon nanowires. Utilizing a comprehensive approach involving Raman characterization, resonance testing, and thermal processing, the study investigates the induced intrinsic stresses within silicon nanowires. The findings reveal the introduction of 1.4G Pa of intrinsic stress and a 1.3 MHz frequency shift to silicon nanowire through thermal processing. These results underscore the importance of understanding and utilizing intrinsic stresses in silicon nanowires for the advancement of nextgeneration nanoelectromechanical systems. Overall, this article contributes to the ongoing efforts aimed at fully realizing the potential of silicon nanowires in various scientific and technological domains.
Utilization of artificial intelligence to triage patients with delayed follow-up of probably benign breast ultrasound findings
Authors: Amir Tali , Coffey Kristen , Reiner Jeffrey S , Sevilimedu Varadan , Mango Victoria L
Published: February 2025

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate our institution's experience in using artificial intelligence (AI) decision support (DS) as part of the clinical workflow to triage patients with Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) 3 sonographic lesions whose follow-up was delayed during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, against subsequent imaging and/or pathologic follow-up results.Methods: This retrospective study included patients with a BI-RADS category 3 (i.e., probably benign) breast ultrasound assessment from August 2019–December 2019 whose follow-up was delayed during the COVID-19 pandemic and whose breast ultrasounds were re-reviewed using Koios DS Breast AI as part of the clinical workflow for triaging these patients. The output of Koios DS was compared with the true outcome of a presence or absence of breast cancer defined by resolution/stability on imaging follow-up for at least 2 years or pathology results.Results: The study included 161 women (mean age, 52 years) with 221 BI-RADS category 3 sonographic lesions. Of the 221 lesions, there were two confirmed cancers (0.9% malignancy rate). Koios DS assessed 112/221 lesions (50.7%) as benign, 42/221 lesions (19.0%) as probably benign, 64/221 lesions (29.0%) as suspicious, and 3/221 lesions (1.4%) as probably malignant. Koios DS had a sensitivity of 100% (2/2; 95% confidence interval [CI], 16% to 100%), specificity of 70% (154/219; 95% CI, 64% to 76%), negative predictive value of 100% (154/154; 95% CI, 98% to 100%), and false-positive rate of 30% (65/219; 95% CI, 24% to 36%).Conclusion: When many follow-up appointments are delayed, e.g., natural disaster, or scenarios where resources are limited, breast ultrasound AI DS can help triage patients with probably benign breast ultrasounds.
Non-violence and Activism: The Case of Greenpeace’s Anti-Sealing Campaign
Authors: Burke Danita C.
Published: February 2025

This paper explores the question: What does Greenpeace’s practice of non-violence during its anti-sealing campaigning reveal about the organization’s relationship with the philosophy? It highlights the complexity of what non-violence is, focusing on Greenpeace’s experience of navigating claims that it is a principled non-violent organization when its legacy of anti-sealing activism reveals that it is much more pragmatic than it would like the public to recognize. Using interviews and archival research, the paper unpacks Greenpeace’s approach to Indigenous and non-Indigenous sealers, while it navigated its own internal tensions, inherent classism, and attitudes within the wider anti-sealing movement. It argues that Greenpeace’s commitment to its reported non-violent principles and taking accountability for when it errs in its activism, really depends on whether Greenpeace can afford to ignore those they negatively impact or whether there are social, legal, and strategic factors that incentivize taking responsibility and making changes.
Czerwona panika i maccartyzm: Studium antykomunizmu w amerykańskim dyskursie politycznym lat 40. i 50.
Authors: Taczała Tymoteusz
Published: February 2025

Czerwona panika i ukształtowany na jej fali konserwatywny nurt polityczny maccartyzmu miał duży wpływ zarówno na amerykańskie społeczeństwo, jak i politykę wewnętrzną Stanów Zjednoczonych. Narastające od lat 40. antykomunistyczne nastroje i obawa przed infiltracją przez komunistów amerykańskiego rządu doprowadziły do społecznej paniki. W okresie intensywnego rozwoju ruchu antykomunistycznego dołączył się do niego senator Joseph McCarthy, który stał się twarzą działań prowadzonych w celu ujawniania komunistów w administracji. Pomimo że ruch nazwany od jego nazwiska narastał i występował już wcześniej, McCarthy zintensyfikował go i razem z nim upadł.
Aging increases UT‐B urea transporter protein abundance in brains of male mice
Authors: Pinki Farhana , McKeever Lauren , Costello Derek A. , Stewart Gavin
Published: February 2025

Facilitative UT‐B urea transporters in the brain play an important role in regulating levels of urea in various cell types, including astrocytes. Numerous studies have reported increased UT‐B RNA expression with aging and in neurological disorders, such as Alzheimer's Disease. However, much less is known about the effects of these conditions on UT‐B transporter protein abundance. This current study compared the levels of UT‐B RNA and protein in young and aged male C57BL/6 mice. Endpoint RT‐PCR experiments showed UT‐B RNA expression increased in both aged cortex and aged hippocampus. Importantly, these changes were coupled with an increase in protein abundance, as western blotting revealed that 30–35 kDa UT‐B1 protein was significantly increased in aged mouse brain tissues compared with tissue from young animals. An increased UT‐B1 protein abundance was observed in the hippocampus, cerebellum, frontal cortex, and occipital cortex. In contrast, no such changes were observed in the abundance of MCT1 short‐chain fatty acid transporters in these aged tissues. These data therefore confirmed that specific increases in UT‐B1 protein abundance occur in multiple regions of the aged male mouse brain. Further studies are now needed to determine cell‐specific changes and the functional consequence of increased UT‐B1 protein in aged brain tissues.
Phytochemical analysis of Stachys iva: Discovering the optimal extract conditions and its bioactive compounds
Authors: Vantsioti Aikaterina , Makrygiannis Ioannis , Athanasiadis Vassilis , Lalas Stavros I. , Mitlianga Paraskevi
Published: February 2025

The Lamiaceae family is one of the widest plant families among Greek flora, consisting of a great variety of species, with the genus Stachys being one of its largest representatives, spread to most continents. The genus Stachys is also known for its beneficial properties and has been used for years as a traditional remedy for healing various health conditions. Stachys iva, an endemic plant in the Kozani Regional unit, has also been consumed as an infusion by locals and is reported to relieve common cold symptoms, have antimicrobial properties, and contribute to normalizing blood glucose levels. The present study aimed to identify the chemical compounds (such as phenolic acids, flavonoids, and phenylethanoid glycosides) responsible for the herb’s pharmacological properties and determine the optimal extraction conditions to gather an extract with high therapeutic value without solvent and energy waste. Experiments conducted proved that extracting by simple stirring with deionized water for 75 min at 80°C is the best option. In contrast, the extract’s total polyphenol content was determined, and the compounds were identified by high-performance liquid chromatography analysis. In addition, other methods were utilized (e.g., ferric-reducing antioxidant power assay and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl antiradical activity assay) to reveal potent antioxidant, anti-hydrogen peroxide, and anti-inflammatory activity, while the correlation between these properties and extraction conditions was also examined.
Diagnostic accuracy of non-mydriatic fundus photography as a triage and telemedicine tool for patients with vision loss
Authors: Ukagwu Chijindu A. , Teichman Joshua C. , Rai Amandeep S. , Rai Amrit S. , Yau Gary L. , Khan Michelle , Sharma Rahul A.
Published: February 2025

Objectives

Fundoscopy can be challenging for non-ophthalmologists. For emergency physicians, non-mydriatic fundus photography is superior to other forms of ophthalmoscopy in sensitivity, specificity, and inter-examination agreement. We report on a prospective cross-sectional study evaluating the use of non-mydriatic photography as a triage and telemedicine tool for patients with vision loss in a Canadian emergency setting.

Methods

Images of both eyes were obtained by a non-ophthalmologist using a handheld, non-mydriatic fundus camera and shared with a fellowship-trained ophthalmologist without patient context. The reviewer was asked to (1) select the best photo obtained for each eye and rate image quality on a Likert scale, (2) comment on the presence or absence of fundus abnormalities and (3) provide an opinion on whether findings would have changed patient disposition if available at the time of the initial Emergency Department (ED) exam.

Results

Of 57 patients evaluated in the ED for vision loss, 22.8 % had a documented fundus examination. 86.8 % of images were deemed to have acceptable quality (Likert scale≥2). Factors limiting image quality included media opacity, pupillary miosis, photosensitivity, and eyelid/periorbital abnormalities. Of patients with relevant abnormalities, 0 % were identified by emergency physicians. In contrast, 37.5 % of patients with relevant findings were identified on review of images alone (specificity=100 %).

Conclusions

Fundoscopy is infrequently performed in the emergency setting in patients presenting with vision loss. Non-mydriatic fundus photography is a cost-effective method of fundus examination for non-expert examiners and can be reliably used as a telemedicine tool for remote ophthalmology consultation.