bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Life Histories of Taboo Knowledge Artifacts
Authors: Champion Kaylea , Hill Benjamin Mako
Published: November 2024

Communicating about some vital topics---such as sexuality and health---is treated as taboo and subjected to censorship. How can we construct knowledge about these topics? Wikipedia is home to numerous high-quality knowledge artifacts about taboo topics like sexual organs and human reproduction. How did these artifacts come into being? How is their existence sustained? This mixed-methods comparative project builds on previous work on taboo topics in Wikipedia and draws from qualitative and quantitative approaches. We follow a sequential complementary design, developing a narrative articulation of the life of taboo articles, comparing them to nontaboo articles, and examining some of their quantifiable traits. We find that taboo knowledge artifacts develop through multiple successful collaboration styles and, unsurprisingly, that taboo subjects are the sites of conflict. We identify and describe six themes in the development of taboo knowledge artifacts. These artifacts need
resilient leadership
and
engaged organizations
to thrive under conditions of
limited identifiability
and
disjointed sensemaking
, while contributors simultaneously engage in
emergent governance
and
imagining public audiences
. Our observations have important implications for supporting public knowledge work on controversial subjects such as taboos and more generally.
Lower Quantity, Higher Quality: Auditing News Content and User Perceptions on Twitter/X Algorithmic versus Chronological Timelines
Authors: Wang Stephanie , Huang Shengchun , Zhou Alvin , Metaxa Danaë
Published: November 2024

Social media personalization algorithms increasingly influence the flow of civic information through society, resulting in concerns about "filter bubbles'', "echo chambers'', and other ways they might exacerbate ideological segregation and fan the spread of polarizing content. To address these concerns, we designed and conducted a sociotechnical audit (STA) to investigate how Twitter/X's timeline algorithm affects news curation while also tracking how user perceptions change in response. We deployed a custom-built system that, over the course of three weeks, passively tracked all tweets loaded in users' browsers in the first week, then in the second week enacted an intervention to users' Twitter/X homepage to restrict their view to only the algorithmic or chronological timeline (randomized). We flipped this condition for each user in the third week. We ran our audit in late 2023, collecting user-centered metrics (self-reported survey measures) and platform-centered metrics (views, clicks, likes) for 243 users, along with over 800,000 tweets. Using the STA framework, our results are two-fold: (1) Our
algorithm audit
finds that Twitter/X's algorithmic timeline resulted in a lower quantity but higher quality of news --- less ideologically congruent, less extreme, and slightly more reliable --- compared to the chronological timeline. (2) Our
user audit
suggests that although our timeline intervention had significant effects on users' behaviors, it had little impact on their overall perceptions of the platform. Our paper discusses these findings and their broader implications in the context of algorithmic news curation, user-centric audits, and avenues for independent social science research.
Social Media as a Lens into Careers During a Changing World of Work
Authors: Corvite Shanley , Hui Julie
Published: November 2024

People share and encounter a range of posts on social media that depict different career experiences, such as one's successes or failures. In a continually shifting world of work, observing others' job experiences can be useful for navigating one's own career journey. The present study applies the possible selves theory to understand how viewing people's career experiences on social media might affect viewers' career-related expectations, hopes, and fears. From semi-structured interviews with 19 social media users with different career experiences, this study found that social media posts may facilitate functions of possible selves by 1) increasing people's awareness of new and diverse career paths and 2) motivating people in planning and preparing for a desired possible self. Across these functions, we found that videos were particularly beneficial for uncovering and learning about life in a career and that observing others' career experiences online often evoked social comparison. Through an affordances lens, findings also indicate that social media affordances of visibility and persistence were particularly relevant in developing and assessing career-related possible selves and sometimes strategically managed through leveraging platform algorithms. This paper brings forth empirical contributions to the possible selves theory in the digital age and highlights the significance of social media mechanisms for possible selves. This paper also provides design implications for social media platforms and recommendations for potential career counseling and mentoring strategies that may be useful for individuals navigating and exploring career possibilities.
Technology's Role in Fostering Therapist-Client Collaboration and Engagement with Goals
Authors: Oewel Bruna , Azizan Nadia , Arean Patricia A. , Agapie Elena
Published: November 2024

Psychosocial therapies play a crucial role in effectively treating anxiety and depression. An integral aspect of these therapies involves setting goals that clients engage in outside therapy, known as therapy homework or between-session goals. Yet, clients overwhelmingly do not complete between-session goals. This study explores mental health therapists' and clients' challenges in collaborating to set and manage engagement with between-session goals and discusses how technology could better support them. We interviewed 13 therapists and 14 clients about their experiences with between-session goals. We identified therapists' needs for information to support their clients, challenges in collaboration, and how technology can support client-therapist collaboration. Therapists need in-the-moment information about clients' engagement with goals to inform their decision-making. Clients may feel reluctant to share information due to a lack of trust, embarrassment, or not knowing what to share. Clients could use technology to asynchronously communicate about sensitive topics with their therapists. Technologies could facilitate gathering in-the-moment data that supports client-therapist collaboration on goals.
Unveiling the "Toxic" World of #Meanspo: Understanding Users' Emerging Online Eating Disorder Practices in X/Twitter
Authors: Nova Fayika Farhat , Pfafman Rachel , Logan Delaney Caralyn , Pater Jessica
Published: November 2024

Meanspo, an antagonistic form of online support within the eating disorder (ED) community, involves the direct solicitation or sharing of aggressive and insulting online content. This study presents findings from a comprehensive qualitative analysis of #meanspo content on X (previously
Twitter
) from May 2020 (N=752). Our analysis of tweets reveals that posts tagged with #meanspo can be of various natures. While commonly associated with extremely derogatory ED content, more than 80% of posts with the meanspo tag on X were non-aggressive. The study also explores potential inconsistencies in voluntary and involuntary meanspo specific content moderation, prompting inquiries into X's regulatory policies against such content and the distinct online self-presentation strategies employed by community members. Future contextual research is needed to understand the evolving nature of this social phenomenon and its potential clinical impacts on users over time, particularly concerning the unhealthy adoption of such content. TRIGGER WARNING: Explicit language & potentially triggering content.
AI Judging in Sports
Authors: Shein Esther
Published: November 2024

Sports organizations are looking to artificial intelligence to provide unbiased umpires and referees. Are they barking up the wrong tree?
Towards the Development of a Copyright Risk Checker Tool for Generative Artificial Intelligence Systems
Authors: Billiris Grace , Gill Asif , Oppermann Ian , Niazi Mahmood
Published: November 2024

Generative Artificial Intelligence (GAI) is fundamentally changing the ways of working and blurring the boundaries between human and machine-generated contents. While there is an increasing interest in the adoption of GAI systems, such as ChatGPT and DALL-E, there are also serious concerns about the copyright of the contents—the inputs or generated as outputs by the GAI systems. Such concerns need to be identified and assessed to ensure the ethical and responsible use of GAI systems. Thus, this article aims to address the key research challenge: “how to identify and assess GAI system's copyright concerns”? In response, we propose the development of a Copyright Risk Checker (CRC) Tool. This tool has been formulated and evaluated using a recognised design science research methodology, drawing on an analysis of 10 legal cases across Australia, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Europe. The CRC Tool has undergone evaluation through an experimental scenario, and the results suggest that it is suitable for conducting an indicative copyright risk check of GAI systems. The outcomes of this preliminary assessment can be further examined by expert legal advisors for an in-depth analysis. The development of the CRC Tool provides a foundation for continued research and advancement in this significant area of study.
Research on the Effect of Microstructure Modulation on the Corrosion Resistance Behaviour of L-PBF Alloy 718
Authors: Zhou Chengshuang , Qiu Qingxiong , Jin Yan , Zheng Jinyang , Zhang Lin
Published: November 2024

The micro-structures and corrosion behavior of laser powder bed fusion (L-PBF) alloy 718 (power 140 W, speed 800 mm s−1) after various heat treatments (650 °C, 940 °C, and 1020 °C) were investigated by electrochemical analysis. The result shows that as-received samples, the most prone to pitting corrosion is melt-pool boundary (MPB). The heat treatment at 940 °C demonstrates the best corrosion resistance due to the precipitation of a considerable number of needle-like and short rod-like δ phases. This indirectly reduces the dislocation density and defect density of the passivate film, resulting in improved stability and corrosion resistance.
A Segmented Along the Channel Test Cell for Locally Resolved Analysis at High Current Densities in PEM Water Electrolysis
Authors: Hensle Niklas , Metz Sebastian , Weber André , Smolinka Tom
Published: November 2024

For the scale-up of proton exchange membrane (PEM) water electrolysis, understanding the cell behavior on industrial scale is a prerequisite. A proper distribution of current and temperature in the cell can improve performance and decrease overall degradation effects. Due to water consumption as well as the concomitant gas evolution and accumulation, gradients and inhomogeneities along the reaction coordinate are expected. These effects increase along the water supply channels of a flow field and are expected to lead to spatial gradients in cell performance and temperature. In this study we present a new test cell that is segmented along the flow field channels and is designed for the operation at high current densities. We show polarization curve measurements at 10 bar differential pressure up to 10 A∙cm−2 at ∼2.7 V without observing any mass transport limitations and conduct current density, temperature and impedance distribution measurements. At harsh conditions (low water flow rates of 2 ml∙min−1∙cm−2 and high current densities up to 6 A∙cm−2) we see significant temperature and current density increase of ∼13 K and 0.7 A∙cm−2 which can be explained by decreasing membrane resistance determined via EIS of >10 mΩ⋅cm2 along the channel. The validity of the impedance measurements is proofed by comparison of the impedance at 100 mHz with the direct current resistance of the cell extracted by the local slope of the polarization curve.
Ameliorating Immune-dependent Inflammation and Apoptosis by Targeting TLR4/MYD88/NF-κB Pathway by Celastrol Mitigates the Diabetic Reproductive Dysfunction
Authors: Faheem Heba , alawadhi Rana , Basha Eman H. , Ismail Radwa , Ibrahim Hoda A. , Elshamy Amira M. , Motawea Shaimaa M. , Seleem Monira A. , Elkordy Alaa , Homouda Abdallah A. , Khaled Howayda E. , aboeida Reham A. , Abdel Ghafar Muhammad T. , Rizk Fatma H. , El-Harty Yasmeen M.
Published: November 2024

This study aimed to examine the protective effect of celastrol on testicular dysfunction in diabetic rats and the potential underlying mechanisms. All rats included in the study were divided into four groups: a control group treated with sodium citrate buffer and vehicle), a celastrol-treated control group, a streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic group following insulin resistance, and a celastrol-treated diabetic group. Serum glucose, triglyceride, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, interleukin (IL)-1β, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and testosterone levels were measured. In addition, the levels of testicular homogenate superoxide dismutase and malondialdehyde were assessed. Furthermore, testicular tissue relative TLR4, NF- κ B, and MYD88 expression were quantitatively measured using polymerase chain reaction. Histopathological and immunohistochemical studies were also conducted. The results revealed that treatment with celastrol significantly reduced TLR4, MyD88, NF- κ B expressions and the levels of inflammatory mediators such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha and IL-1β in the testicular tissue of treated rats. These findings suggest has the potential to be effective in the treatment of diabetes-induced testicular injury by inhibiting testicular inflammation, apoptosis, and oxidative stress.
Perceptions of Empathy Among Nursing Assistants in Long‐Term Care Facilities
Authors: Hu Hsiao-Ling , Kuo Chien-Lin , Wang Shou-Yu , Chuang Yeu-Hui
Published: November 2024

Background:​ Empathy is a fundamental component of the therapeutic relationship between healthcare providers and patients and has the potential to yield significant benefits, including heightened care satisfaction, enhanced care quality, and improved mental well‐being for patients. As nursing assistants (NAs) are primary direct care providers in long‐term care facilities (LTCFs), it is necessary to understand NAs’ views on empathy in their care provision for residents, but a gap exists in the literature regarding NAs’ perspectives on empathy in this context.

Aim: In this study, we aimed to explore perceptions of empathy among NAs in LTCFs.

Research Design: A qualitative approach was applied in this study.

Participants and Research Context: Through purposive and snowball sampling, 18 NAs who provided care for residents in six LTCFs in Taiwan were recruited. Face‐to‐face in‐depth interviews were conducted using a semistructured interview guide, and data were analyzed using a content analysis.

Ethical Considerations: Ethical approval was obtained from the Institutional Review Board. All participants signed a written informed consent form prior to the interview.

Results: Four themes encompassing 11 categories were generated including “being fundamental to caregiving to establish trust and enhance quality care,” “practicing altruistic behavior in the pursuit of ethical caregiving,” “cycling empathic flow in care,” and “facing challenges in delivering empathetic care.”

Conclusions: NAs in LTCFs viewed empathy as an essential element of the caregiving process. They saw empathy as selfless care, assistance to others, and alleviation of residents’ suffering. Understanding residents’ emotions, thoughts, and needs, active listening and compassionate engagement were vital to expressing empathy. However, NAs faced challenges in expressing empathy due to demanding tasks, time limitations, and insufficient knowledge and communication skills. In addition, emotional desensitization further complicated the provision of empathic care. The findings of this study can provide information for nurse managers and directors to understand NAs’ perspectives on empathy and difficulties when providing empathic care in the long‐term care context.
The Effect of Cubic Damping on Geometric Nonlinear Flutter in Long‐Span Suspension Bridges
Authors: Liu Jieshan , Xing Ruishan , Li Gang , Wang Fan , Yang Yang
Published: November 2024

This study investigates the wind‐induced flutter phenomenon of long‐span suspension bridges. A mathematical model is established using the energy method, considering the nonlinear aeroelastic behavior of a bridge deck constrained by vertical suspenders under cubic nonlinear damping. The aerodynamic self‐excited force is obtained using the Scanlan flutter theory. The critical state of flutter and the relationship between the amplitude and parameters of the limit cycle oscillation (LCO) are obtained by solving the nonlinear flutter equation using the average perturbation method. The Hopf bifurcation is confirmed to occur in the critical state of the nonlinear motion model using the Jacobian matrix. The results are verified using the Runge–Kutta numerical method, and it is found that the nonlinear response of the flutter LCO is in general agreement with the numerical solution. The study also shows that the degenerate Hopf bifurcation appears at the critical state under the condition of lower cubic damping coefficient, and the nonlinear flutter bifurcation changes from a degenerate Hopf bifurcation to a supercritical Hopf bifurcation as the cubic damping coefficient grows.
Field Surface Type and Season‐Ending Lower Extremity Injury in NFL Players
Authors: McCormick William F. , Lomis Mitchell J. , Yeager Matthew T. , Tsavaris Nicholas J. , Rogers Christopher D.
Published: November 2024

There is growing concern over the safety of artificial turf when it comes to the incidence of player injuries. The artificial surfaces can withstand more play, are cheaper to maintain, and are more predictable. However, there is concern that this beneficial durability comes at the expense of the forgiveness of the surface, leading to more injuries. In this study, we aim to compare the incidence of in‐game season‐ending lower extremity injuries on natural and artificial playing surfaces in the National Football League (NFL) during the 2020, 2021, and 2022 seasons. For this study, we used publicly available data to determine and classify the specific injury, where the injury occurred, field surface type, and duration of recovery. All data were collected, and significance was determined using two‐sample T‐tests. Only in‐game injuries were included in this study. Over the course of 2020, 2021, and 2022, there were 199 season‐ending lower‐extremity injuries. Of these, 79 occurred on natural turf (39.7%) and 120 on artificial turf (60.3%). Of the 891 games played in this three‐year period, 396 were played on natural turf (44.4%) and 495 were played on artificial turf (55.6%). Natural turf saw an injury rate of 0.199 per game, and artificial turf saw 0.242 injuries per game. We determined that there is no significant difference in rates of season‐ending lower‐extremity injury between artificial and natural turf. Any perceived difference in injury rates could possibly be attributed to the increased amount of play on artificial surfaces and anecdotal evidence related to high profile cases. While there is no significant difference in incidence, surfaces should continue to be monitored and regulated for traits such as hardness, and player preferences should be considered for qualities that are not quantifiable.
Enhancing Colorectal Cancer Diagnosis With Feature Fusion and Convolutional Neural Networks
Authors: Narasimha Raju Akella S. , Rajababu M. , Acharya Ashish , Suneel Sajja
Published: November 2024

TumorDiagX is a cutting‐edge framework that combines deep learning and computer vision to accurately identify and classify cancers. Our collection of colonoscopies 1518 images is meticulously pre‐processed, including greyscale conversion and local binary pattern (LBP) extraction, before being securely stored on the Google Cloud platform. In the second phase, we fully assess three different convolutional neural networks (CNNs): residual network with 50 layers (ResNet‐50), DenseNet‐201 and visual geometry group with 16 layers (VGG‐16). Stage three introduces four integrated CNNs (ResNet‐50+DenseNet‐201 (RD‐22), DenseNet‐201+VGG‐16 (DV‐22), ResNet‐50+VGG‐16 (RV‐22), and ResNet‐50+DenseNet‐201=VGG‐16 (RDV‐22)) to improve cancer detection by combining the capabilities of several networks. Comprehensive analysis and training on the datasets provide significant insights into CNN’s performance. The fourth step involves an extensive comparison, integrating and comparing all three data sets using individual and integrated CNNs to determine the best effective models for cancer diagnosis. In this final step, image segmentation leverages an encoder–decoder network, namely a Universal Network (U‐Net) CNN, to aid in the visual detection of malignant cancer lesions. The results highlight the effectiveness of TumorDiagX, with the feature fusion CNN using DenseNet‐201 attaining training and testing accuracies of 97.27% and 97.35%. Notably, CNN (feature fusion) in combination with RDV‐22 performs better, with training and testing accuracy of 98.47% and 97.93%, respectively, and a dice coefficient of 0.92. The information is privately maintained in the cloud and acts as an essential asset for healthcare practitioners, allowing for specific cancer prediction and prompt detection. Our method, with its meticulous performance metrics and multifaceted approach, has the potential to advance early cancer identification and treatment.
Embryo and Fetal Toxic Effects of the Hydroethanol Extract of Urtica simensis Hochst. Ex. A. Rich Leaves in Pregnant Rats
Authors: Wube Bickes , Asres Kaleab , Woldekidan Samuel , Abebe Abiy , Girma Yonas , Seyoum Girma
Published: November 2024

Introduction: Urtica simensis has been used to treat various diseases such as malaria, hypertension, diabetes, gonorrhea, gastritis, body swelling, and wound infections. However, the safety of consuming U. simensis leaves during pregnancy has not been evaluated yet. Therefore, this experimental study was conducted to evaluate the toxic effects of U. simensis leaf extract on the prenatal development of embryos and fetuses in pregnant rats.

Methods: Fifty pregnant Wistar albino rats were randomly assigned to five groups of 10 gravid rats for each experiment. Groups I–III were given 70% ethanol leaf extract of U. simensis at doses of 250, 500, and 1000 mg/kg daily from 6th to 12th days of gestation. Groups IV–V were kept as pair‐fed and ad libitum controls. The developing embryos and fetuses were retrieved on 12 days and 20 days of gestation, respectively. Embryos were evaluated for growth and developmental delays. Fetuses were also assessed for growth retardation and external and visceral anomalies.

Results: In the embryonic experiment, somite numbers (p = 0.001) and morphological scores (p = 0.029) were significantly decreased in pregnant rats given 1000 mg/kg of U. simensis leaf extract. Embryonic developments of the caudal neural tube (CNT) (p = 0.001), otic system (p = 0.025), olfactory system (p = 0.013), and limb buds (p = 0.026) were significantly delayed in pregnant rats given 1000 mg/kg of extract. Oral administration of 500 mg/kg of U. simensis leaf extract also caused significant developmental delays in the CNT (p = 0.021) and olfactory system (p = 0.032). In the fetal experiment, fetal resorption (p = 0.015) was significantly increased whereas crown rump length (p = 0.012) and fetal weight (p = 0.019) were significantly decreased in pregnant rats given 1000 mg/kg of U. simensis leaf extract.

Conclusions: The embryotoxic effects of U. simensis leaf extract were evidenced by significant developmental delays. The fetal toxic effects of U. simensis leaf extract were also shown by significant decreases in fetal growth indices. Therefore, pregnant women should be well informed of the possible toxic effects of consuming U. simensis leaf during pregnancy.
Utilizing Patient-Derived Xenografts to Model Precision Oncology for Biliary Tract Cancer
Authors: DiPeri Timothy P. , Evans Kurt W. , Scott Stephen , Zheng Xiaofeng , Varadarajan Kaushik , Kwong Lawrence N. , Kahle Michael , Tran Cao Hop S. , Tzeng Ching-Wei , Vu Thuy , Kim Sunhee , Su Fei , Raso Maria Gabriela , Rizvi Yasmeen , Zhao Ming , Wang Huamin , Lee Sunyoung S. , Yap Timothy A. , Rodon Jordi , Javle Milind , Meric-Bernstam Funda
Published: November 2024

Purpose:

Biliary tract cancers, which are rare and aggressive malignancies, are rich in clinically actionable molecular alterations. A major challenge in the field is the paucity of clinically relevant biliary tract cancer models that recapitulate the diverse molecular profiles of these tumors. The purpose of this study was to curate a collection of patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models that reflect the spectrum of genomic alterations present in biliary tract cancers to create a resource for modeling precision oncology.

Experimental Design:

PDXs were derived from biliary tract cancer samples collected from surgical resections or metastatic biopsies. Alterations present in the PDXs were identified by whole-exome sequencing and RNA sequencing. PDXs were treated with approved and investigational agents. Efficacy was assessed by change in tumor volume from baseline. Event-free survival was defined as the time to tumor doubling from baseline. Responses were categorized at day 21: >30% decrease in tumor volume = partial response, >20% increase in tumor volume = progressive disease, and any non-partial response/progressive disease was considered stable disease.

Results:

Genomic sequencing demonstrated key actionable alterations across this cohort, including alterations in FGFR2, isocitrate dehydrogenase I, ERRB2, PIK3CA, PTEN, and KRAS. RNA sequencing demonstrated fusions and expression of antibody–drug conjugate targets, including TROP2, HER2, and Nectin4. Therapeutic matching revealed objective responses to approved and investigational agents that have been shown to have antitumor activity clinically.

Conclusions:

In this study, we developed a catalog of biliary tract cancer PDXs that underwent comprehensive molecular profiling and therapeutic modeling. To date, this is one of the largest collections of biliary tract cancer PDX models and will facilitate the development of personalized treatments for patients with these aggressive malignancies.
BRAF Deletion in Adult Patients with Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis Correlates with Multisystem Disease and Poor Outcomes
Authors: Lang Min , Chang Long , Cai Hao , Lin He , Liu Zheng-zheng , Duan Ming-hui , Zhou Dao-bin , Cao Xin-xin
Published: November 2024

Purpose:

Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) is a rare and highly heterogeneous histiocytosis. There are currently few studies examining the correlation between molecular profiling and clinical phenotype or outcomes in adult patients with LCH. The objective of this study was to characterize the genomic landscape of adult LCH and correlate molecular findings with clinical features and patient outcomes.

Experimental Design:

This study included 254 patients, ages ≥18 years, with biopsy-proven LCH from January 2000 to December 2023. All patients underwent next-generation sequencing or fluorescence qPCR for the BRAFV600E mutation. Patient demographics, disease characteristics, and treatments were collected through electronic medical records. Patient outcomes were collected through clinical and telephone follow-up.

Results:

Overall, 254 patients were enrolled. MAPK/PI3K pathway alterations were observed in 77.6% (n = 197) of the patients. BRAFV600E mutation was the most common (30.7%, n = 78), followed by BRAFindel (18.1%, n = 46) and MAP2K1 mutations (12.6%, n = 32). The proportion of BRAFindel was much higher in patients with multisystem (MS) involvement than single-system disease (24.5% vs. 6.6%, P < 0.001). Overall, BRAFindel was associated with inferior overall survival (3-year overall survival 89.6% vs. 99.0%, P = 0.014) and progression-free survival (PFS) (3-year PFS 50.0% vs. 78.6%, P < 0.001). In patients with MS LCH, BRAFindel was associated with worse PFS (3-year PFS 47.8% vs. 76.0%, P = 0.001).

Conclusions:

This large study provides molecular and clinical pathologic characterization of adult LCH. BRAFindel was highly correlated with MS LCH and was associated with worse outcomes.
Da Paisagem do Tropeirismo à Paisagem da Ancestralidade Indígena: uma leitura do patrimônio paisagístico da Coxilha Rica à luz da memória ancestral Jê do Sul
Authors: Benício Danielle Rocha , Moraes Lia Cristina
Published: November 2024

This study aims to read the Coxilha Rica landscape in Lages/SC under the light of its Indigenous ancestral memory due to the invisibilization of the Jê do Sul archaeological heritage in the natural and cultural mosaic of the Tropeirismo landscape. For this, a qualitative research was carried out based on the indirect finding of documentary and iconographic sources about the Indigenous people in Lages and the bibliography on the phenomenological landscape, the excavated structures, and the Jê do Sul culture; direct documentation with on-site data survey and photography; and a critical reflection about the preservation of this landscape. Thus, this research stresses the importance of poetic-phenomenological investigations in landscaping to value the Indigenous ancestral memory, referring to future dialogical studies that encompass heritage education, the Brazilian legislation and landscape projects in archaeological areas.
Implications of Contemporary Totalitarian Imperialism for the Communist Perspective
Authors: Liodakis George
Published: November 2024

Starting from a brief analysis of the structural characteristics of contemporary totalitarian imperialism, as a dialectical supersession of classical imperialism, and of the continuing crisis of capitalism, we focus on the new characteristics of global capitalism, which are arguably crucial for the unfolding geopolitical conflicts and the struggle for socialism. Referring more specifically to the emerging divide and conflict within world capitalism, between western NATO forces (US, EU, et al.) on the one hand, and the rising block of the BRICS countries on the other, we take a critical stance against those (left-wing) commentators or political currents, which consider this conflict as a typical inter-imperialist rivalry and argue for the need of taking an equal distance from the opposite poles of this rising confrontation. As argued, though the revolutionary forces struggling for socialism worldwide should not, by any means, identify with the BRICS coalition, the equal-distance approach should be criticized on the ground that a multi-polar world would be a more favorable condition for a communist perspective. What is more essentially argued is that, independently from the emerging two poles of geopolitical confrontation, there is an urgent need for a transnational class struggle (from below) towards communism, and that the fundamental capital-labor contradiction and the social question should be prioritized as against any national (or capitalist block) contradictions or national liberation struggles. As historical experience has asserted, the opposite prioritization will always work against social emancipation and the prospect of communism.
Uproar against Liberal Majoritarianism: Critiques from African Perspectives
Authors: Favarato Claudia , Hrubec Marek
Published: November 2024

The article deals with critiques of liberal majoritarianism from an African, chiefly sub-Saharan-African perspective. It explains the central claims African and Africanist critics advance against liberal majoritarianism and indicates potential normative ways of development. The case study of Guinea-Bissau exemplifies our arguments using a qualitative analysis of interviews with local respondents. The article infers that this is an instance of a more general perception of liberal majoritarianism in Africa. The article contributes to critiques that range from empirical and theoretical concerns over the feasibility of this model in sub-Saharan Africa to analyses of cultural, social, and political specificities.
‘So Much for Literary Democracy’
Authors: De Greve Lore , Martens Gunther
Published: November 2024

This study examines the effect and impact of literary prizes, focusing on the Not the Booker Prize (NTBP) and its reception on social media platforms. The NTBP, organized by The Guardian, served as a counter to the prestigious Man Booker Prize, offering a more democratic alternative in which the audience is allowed a central role in nominating and voting for books. This article examines the impact of the 2012 scandal surrounding the NTBP, in which allegations of vote-rigging and author canvassing led to significant controversy. By analysing the Twitter discourse, the study explores how scandal influences the perception and value of literary awards. The findings highlight the tension between professional and lay criticism, the role of social media in literary evaluation, and the transformation of literary prizes in the digital age. Finally, the article emphasizes that cultural gatekeeping is undergoing significant change, while pointing out contradictions and frictions besetting the democratization of the literary field.
What Were the Processes and Impact of Establishing a Book Group in the Hilltop Benefice?
Authors: Baverstock Alison , Bates Leah , Steinitz Jackie
Published: November 2024

This project outlines and explores the impact of the establishment of a book group organized during Lent 2023 within a particular benefice, in Surrey in the UK, that had three separate church congregations. The opportunity to join the club, which would run for six sessions, was made available across all three congregations. The title for sharing was pre-selected and each week one chapter was read by group members as preparation. Sessions started with hospitality, followed by the reading aloud of the set chapter, as a group exercise, and an ensuing supported group discussion. Participants were invited to share their feedback on involvement in an online, anonymous questionnaire. This paper outlines process and findings, and highlights observations that are relevant to the wider church and can be built on in future.
By the Book8 – Publishing and the Changing World, 21 to 22 June 2023, University of Porto, Portugal
Authors: Augustyn Kamila
Published: November 2024

In June 2023, a conference organized by the European Publishing Studies Association (EuroPub) – entitled ‘By the Book8’ – was held at the Faculty of Arts and Humanities of the University of Porto (Faculdade de Letras Universidade do Porto – FLUP). This article analyses the participation at the conference, including details of academic affiliation and nationality, alongside the themes represented by the conference papers.
Advanced Demiter Technique for Effective Red Mite Control in Poultry a Study
Authors: Gudipati Sujani
Published: November 2024

The Red Mite, Dermanyssus gallinae, the one ectoparasite affecting the poultry industry globally, especially in the layer production causing immense economic losses and culture failures. This pest is seen to be viable for more than 6 months even in the empty sheds and cages, its different life history stages, causing different problems, making its control or eradication a next to impossible task. The most prevelant methods of control are synthetic pesticides, synthetic acaricides, sticky tapes and dust baths. The sticky tapes and dust baths are uneconomical, while the Chemical control of poultry red mites happens to be the most dominant, but the mites seems to have developed resistance to these acaricides and their toxicity affecting the nontarget organisms and the environment too. Hence there seems to be an increasing interest in the control and eradication of the Red Mites with the proposal of alternative control methods. The best alternative method being the use of the natural acaricides, the use of plant substances like essential oils with an add on of inert dusting powders, that have the capability of either repelling or causing death to the Red Mite. The all new Demiter technique delves into the understanding of the working of the phytogenic components, the essential oils and the inert dusting powder, that work three dimensionally, the mite develops gustatory avoidance, olfactory repellency and contact toxicity, both internal and external. This technique being safe, has proved efficacy without the development of resistance. Being economical, target specific alternative for the control of mite infestations, as rich sources of bioactive phyto chemicals that have various efficacies such as ovicidal, repellent, anti-feeding activities that provide fast assured and potent acaricidal efficacy with proven safety.
Development of a Semantic Web-Ontology E-Learning Platform
Authors: Ekwealor Oluchukwu , Betrand Chidi , Chukwudum Chiemeka , Uchefuna Charles , Agbata Obinna
Published: November 2024

This paper is focused on developing A Semantic Web-Ontology E-Learning Platform, which is a system that combines semantic web and ontology technology to guarantees a sophisticated learning environment that provides the learners with adaptable and customized learning resources based on learners’ knowledge requirement. With this system, learners can log in from their comfort zone anytime, to receive their online lesson as provided by their tutor. The system has an added advantage of providing a personalized learning to students through creation of intelligent search engine and ontology backbone consisting of learning data and their meta data. The learner, through this search engine, searches the ontology semantically for the learning materials that suits his/her profile. The system also has the capability of filtering the search results by matching them with the profile of a particular learner using inference engine, such that the result best suited for the user’s academic need is presented. This work will not only promote self-directed learning but will also facilitate quick search of learning materials, by narrowing the search based on specified learner’s interest. The methodology adopted for this work is Object-Oriented Analysis and Design Methodology (OOADM) and programing languages used are Php-Mysql and Java Script. The system will be of great benefit to schools, other learning institutions and organization seeking to educate their manpower.
Interactions and Relationships Between Teacher’s Weaving Postures and Students’ Study Postures According to ICHC-MGK at the Bourbon College, La Réunion
Authors: Ravelomanana Juvenile , Razafindrabehita Lwanga , Ravelojaona Vatosoa , Rakotomalala Hery , Totohasina André
Published: November 2024

This study aims to explore the relationships between students and the teacher during mathematics learning sessions, more precisely when solving proportionality problems in the third grade class at the Bourbon College, located on the island of La Réunion, France. The main objective is to examine the links between the weaving postures adopted by the teacher and the students’study postures, based on the theories developed by Bucheton and Soulé (2009). These postures play a key role because they structure the classroom environment and directly influence students’ engagement and understanding. For this study, video sequences, with a total duration of 256 minutes, were recorded in order to observe classroom interactions. These videos were cut into sequences of two minutes each (i.e. 128 sequences in total). The collected data were then analyzed using the theory of Implicative Statistical Analysis (ISA), an asymmetric analysis method that crosses subjects or objects with variables of different types, here of the Boolean type. The extension technique of the Implicative and Cohesive Hierarchical Classification (ICHC), called ICHC based on Measure Guillaume-Kenchaff (MGK), was used for data exploration and analysis. This method makes it possible to address the numerical and graphical issues associated with the ASI, and to classify the valid MGK rules according to the cohesion index, in order to extract meta-rules facilitating the interpretation of the results. The results show that when the teacher establishes connections between the knowledge taught, the students adopt a school posture favorable to the assimilation of knowledge. However, in this study, it appears that weaving postures are little used by the teacher, with less than 20% frequency of occurrence, which limits the links between the teacher’s weaving postures and the students’ study postures, while these interactions are essential to academic success. By better understanding the individual and collective needs of students, teachers can adjust their teaching methods to create a learning environment more conducive to the success of all. Such an adaptation, taking into account the specificities of each learning context, could significantly improve academic results as well as students’ engagement in their learning of mathematics.
Detection of Practical Primary Users in Severe Noise Environments for Cognitive Radio
Authors: Haque Mousumi , Sugiura Yosuke , Shimamura Tetsuya
Published: November 2024

Cognitive radio (CR) is one of the compelling ideas to solve the spectrum scarcity problem for rapid developments in wireless communication systems. In CR systems, signal detection for orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) systems in severe noise environments is a key challenge. The area of practical primary user detection has not been explored in depth. The proposed method is an effective method for sensing OFDM applications, which are the practical primary users, for low signal-to-noise (SNR) cases. In the proposed method, the parallel combination of the comb filter and the time-domain autocorrelation function is exploited. The detection performance is measured for various OFDM system applications, including the IEEE 802.11a wireless LAN (WLAN) radio interface, long-term evaluation (LTE), and digital audio broadcasting (DAB) for various CP ratios under 16-quadrature amplitude modulation (16-QAM) and 64-quadrature amplitude modulation (64-QAM) over multipath Rayleigh fading channels with additive white Gaussian noise (AWGN). Furthermore, the OFDM sensing is possible in the presence of noise uncertainty and the sensing performance is compared under consideration with and without noise uncertainty cases. The simulation results demonstrated that our proposed method undoubtedly improves the sensing performances (up to 11 dB SNR gain) of practical primary users more than the conventional spectrum detection methods for low SNR cases.
Factors Associated with Belief in Vaccine Protection Against COVID-19 in Côte d'Ivoire, 2022
Authors: Douba Alfred , Aka Nicaise , Akani Christian , Ahoussou Eric , Boa Assemien , Djoman Christiane , Ano Marie , Ekra Daniel , Issaka Tiembre
Published: November 2024

Background. Coronavirus 2019 or COVID-19 is an emerging respiratory disease caused by a new human coronavirus first detected in December 2019, in Wuhan, China. Beliefs and perceptions play an important role in the adoption of health behaviors. Objective. The objective of this study is to identify factors associated with belief in vaccine protection against COVID-19 in Côte d'Ivoire. Method. We carried out a cross-sectional survey for analytical purposes. We conducted a two-stage cluster survey. The first stage involved selecting 40 clusters in each district, by systematic random sampling. The second stage consisted in selecting the households. In each household, the person surveyed was the head of household. In his absence, the head of household's representative was interviewed. The dependent variable was the belief in COVID-19 vaccine protection. Factors associated with the dependent variable were identified using logistic regression. The measure of association was the Adjusted Odds Ratio (ajOR) with a 95% confidence interval (95% CI). Data were analyzed using PASW Statistics 18. Result. A total of 3,611 people were surveyed including 53% of females, 87 of individuals aged 18 to 59 years, 48% of Christian, 47% of Muslim, and 49% of vaccinated individuals. Factors associated with belief in COVID-19 vaccine protection were cohabitation (ajOR 1.71 [1.27 – 2.31]), religion (ajOR 0.58 [0.43 – 0.79]) and age (ajOR [ajOR 0.37 [0.16 – 0.86]). Conclusion. Socio-demographic factors associated with belief in vaccine protection against COVID-19 in our study were marital status, religion, and age. Health authorities should take into account these factors in developing strategies to increase COVID-19 vaccine acceptance. Qualitative studies could be carried out to understand the underlying reasons behind the belief in vaccine protection against COVID-19 or the reasons for COVID-19 vaccination hesitancy or refusal.
Origin and Formation of Carbonatoblastites (Known as Carbonatites); The First Prototype Constitution of the Article
Authors: Tarhan Niyazi
Published: November 2024

To date, carbonatites are known as rocks of magmatic origin, rare in nature. However, as a result of our scientific research (field, petrographic and mineralogical studies, etc.), it has been determined that carbonatites are not of magmatic origin. Carbonatoblastites (known as carbonatites of magmatic origin and rarely seen in nature); developed within the regional dynamothermal Tarhan metamorphism cycle, and developed in the changing physical conditions (P/T) of the facies and sub-facies of the Abukuma type reversed regional regressive dynamothermal metamorphism, where temperatures are effective compared to pressures (T>P, temperatures have left their mark/seal on the metamorphism). Pure-impure carbonate/limestones, which are primary rock units, and pure-impure marbles, which are the metamorphic equivalent rocks of Barrow-type regionally progressive dynamothermal metamorphism, where pressures are effective compared to temperatures of primary rock units (P/T, pressures have left their mark on metamorphism), they were formed within. Carbonatoblastites are derived in the solid phase and in-situ from the rock units in which they were formed. Carbonatoblastites/Carbonatoblastic rock series and their derivatives are defined, named and classified under the general name of modern metablastic rock series and their derivatives, which are a new type of metamorphic rocks of metamorphic origin, rootless, of pure-impure carbonate/limestones with different primary rocks. Metablastic rock series and their derivatives are formed from different primary source rock units. Under the name of carbonatoblastites/carbonatoblastic rock series and their derivatives, many different carbonatoblastite type metablastic rocks (alkali metablastites, syenitoblastite, monzonitoblastite, calcitoblastite, calcito-dolomitoblastite, dolomitoblastite, sideritoblastite, stroncianitoblastite etc.) and carbonate-based rock-forming main-secondary-trace carbonatoblast type different crystalloblast neominerals (calcitoblast, dolomitoblast, witheritoblast, stroncianitoblast etc.) have been etymologically redefined, named, classified and their physical-chemical properties have been determined. Carbonatoblastic rock series and their derivatives/carbonatoblastites (known as carbonatites of magmatic origin and rare), contrary to the views in Geology/Earth Sciences literature that they are rarely seen in nature, have very thick and widespread outcrops within the metamorphic belts on our planet, the Earth. They were generally defined and mapped as recrystallized limestone/carbonate and marbles by previous researchers.