bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Assessing Africa’s child survival gains and prospects for attaining SDG target on child mortality
Authors: Adedini Sunday A. , Anjorin Seun Stephen , Mobolaji Jacob Wale , Okolie Elvis Anyaehiechukwu , Yaya Sanni
Published: July 2024

This study assessed Africa’s child survival gains and prospects for attaining Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) target 3.2. We analysed multiple country-level secondary datasets of 54 African countries and presented spatial analysis. Results showed that only 8 out of the 54 African countries have achieved substantial reductions in under-5 mortality with an under-five mortality rate (U5MR) of 25 deaths per 1,000 live births or less. Many countries are far from achieving this target. Results of the predictions using supervised machine learning on the Bayesian network reveal that the probability of achieving the SDG target 3.2 (i.e., having U5MR of 25 deaths per 1000 live births or less) increases (from 21.6% to 100%) when the contraceptive prevalence increases from 49.8% to 78.5%; and the use of skilled birth attendants increases from 44.8% to 86.3%; and percentage of secondary school completion of female increases from 42.5 to 74.0%. Our results from Local indicator of spatial autocorrelation (LISA) cluster maps show that 7 countries (mainly in West/Central Africa) formed the high-high clusters (hotspots for U5M) and may not achieve the SDG target 3.2 unless urgent and appropriate investments are deployed. As 2030 approaches, there is a need to address the problem of limited access to quality health care, female illiteracy, limited access to safe water, and poor access to quality family planning services, particularly across many sub-Saharan African countries.
Ixodes ricinus as potential vector for Usutu virus
Authors: Bakker Julian W. , Münger Emmanuelle , Esser Helen J. , Sikkema Reina S. , de Boer Willem F. , Sprong Hein , Reusken Chantal B. E. M. , de Vries Ankje , Kohl Robert , van der Linden Anne , Stroo Arjan , van der Jeugd Henk , Pijlman Gorben P. , Koopmans Marion P. G. , Munnink Bas B. Oude , Koenraadt Constantianus J. M.
Published: July 2024

Usutu virus (USUV) is an emerging flavivirus that is maintained in an enzootic cycle with mosquitoes as vectors and birds as amplifying hosts. In Europe, the virus has caused mass mortality of wild birds, mainly among Common Blackbird (Turdus merula) populations. While mosquitoes are the primary vectors for USUV, Common Blackbirds and other avian species are exposed to other arthropod ectoparasites, such as ticks. It is unknown, however, if ticks can maintain and transmit USUV. We addressed this question using in vitro and in vivo experiments and field collected data. USUV replicated in IRE/CTVM19 Ixodes ricinus tick cells and in injected ticks. Moreover, I. ricinus nymphs acquired the virus via artificial membrane blood-feeding and maintained the virus for at least 70 days. Transstadial transmission of USUV from nymphs to adults was confirmed in 4.9% of the ticks. USUV disseminated from the midgut to the haemocoel, and was transmitted via the saliva of the tick during artificial membrane blood-feeding. We further explored the role of ticks by monitoring USUV in questing ticks and in ticks feeding on wild birds in the Netherlands between 2016 and 2019. In total, 622 wild birds and the Ixodes ticks they carried were tested for USUV RNA. Of these birds, 48 (7.7%) carried USUV-positive ticks. The presence of negative-sense USUV RNA in ticks, as confirmed via small RNA-sequencing, showed active virus replication. In contrast, we did not detect USUV in 15,381 questing ticks collected in 2017 and 2019. We conclude that I. ricinus can be infected with USUV and can transstadially and horizontally transmit USUV. However, in comparison to mosquito-borne transmission, the role of I. ricinus ticks in the epidemiology of USUV is expected to be minor.
Timing of follow-up visits after hospital discharge for COPD: Application of a new method
Authors: Jiang Lili , Austin Peter C. , Wodchis Walter P. , Kiran Tara , Guan Jun , Gershon Andrea S.
Published: July 2024

Rationale

A common strategy to reduce COPD readmissions is to encourage patient follow-up with a physician within 1 to 2 weeks of discharge, yet evidence confirming its benefit is lacking. We used a new study design called target randomized trial emulation to determine the impact of follow-up visit timing on patient outcomes.

Methods

All Ontario residents aged 35 or older discharged from a COPD hospitalization were identified using health administrative data and randomly assigned to those who received and did not receive physician visit follow-up by within seven days. They were followed to all-cause emergency department visits, readmissions or death. Targeted randomized trial emulation was used to adjust for differences between the groups. COPD emergency department visits, readmissions or death was also considered.

Results

There were 94,034 patients hospitalized with COPD, of whom 73.5% had a physician visit within 30 days of discharge. Adjusted hazard ratio for all-cause readmission, emergency department visits or death for people with a visit within seven days post discharge was 1.03 (95% Confidence Interval [CI]: 1.01–1.05) and remained around 1 for subsequent days; adjusted hazard ratio for the composite COPD events was 0.97 (95% CI 0.95–1.00) and remained significantly lower than 1 for subsequent days.

Conclusion

While a physician visit after discharge was found to reduce COPD events, a specific time period when a physician visit was most beneficial was not found. This suggests that follow-up visits should not occur at a predetermined time but be based on factors such as anticipated medical need.
Granting analysis of the credit financing of the platform-type highway transportation supply chain
Authors: Xu Lili , Liu Feng , Chu Xuejian
Published: July 2024

Against the background of digital development, this study’s research object is the platform-based highway transportation supply chain. It also analyzes two modes of supply chain financial credit financing, namely, upstream, and downstream enterprises of the platform, and network freight platform as the main financing body. Notably, the financial provider sets up a transaction credit based on the principle of business truth, and closed-loop transactions, determine the upper limit of the credit line based on the principle of financing self-compensation, build the expected profit maximization model, and establish the optimal credit line. Combined with the Highway Freight Index and Logistics Prosperity Index, the dynamic early warning value is established for the financing mode, where the platform as the main financing body. Through numerical analysis, the credit line and expected profit increase with the transaction credit, expected freight volume, and credit interest rate under the two modes, and the increase deriving from the credit interest rate is more significant. Finally, this paper describes the two-dimensional credit matrix of the financing subject via transaction credit and credit interest rate, which provides an intuitive credit reference for financial institutions to conduct the credit financing of the platform-based highway transportation supply chain.
Advancing driver fatigue detection in diverse lighting conditions for assisted driving vehicles with enhanced facial recognition technologies
Authors: Lin Ning , Zuo Yue
Published: July 2024

Against the backdrop of increasingly mature intelligent driving assistance systems, effective monitoring of driver alertness during long-distance driving becomes especially crucial. This study introduces a novel method for driver fatigue detection aimed at enhancing the safety and reliability of intelligent driving assistance systems. The core of this method lies in the integration of advanced facial recognition technology using deep convolutional neural networks (CNN), particularly suited for varying lighting conditions in real-world scenarios, significantly improving the robustness of fatigue detection. Innovatively, the method incorporates emotion state analysis, providing a multi-dimensional perspective for assessing driver fatigue. It adeptly identifies subtle signs of fatigue in rapidly changing lighting and other complex environmental conditions, thereby strengthening traditional facial recognition techniques. Validation on two independent experimental datasets, specifically the Yawn and YawDDR datasets, reveals that our proposed method achieves a higher detection accuracy, with an impressive 95.3% on the YawDDR dataset, compared to 90.1% without the implementation of Algorithm 2. Additionally, our analysis highlights the method’s adaptability to varying brightness levels, improving detection accuracy by up to 0.05% in optimal lighting conditions. Such results underscore the effectiveness of our advanced data preprocessing and dynamic brightness adaptation techniques in enhancing the accuracy and computational efficiency of fatigue detection systems. These achievements not only showcase the potential application of advanced facial recognition technology combined with emotional analysis in autonomous driving systems but also pave new avenues for enhancing road safety and driver welfare.
Meaningful changes in motor function in Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD): A multi-center study
Authors: Muntoni Francesco , Signorovitch James , Sajeev Gautam , Done Nicolae , Yao Zhiwen , Goemans Nathalie , McDonald Craig , Mercuri Eugenio , Niks Erik H. , Wong Brenda , Vandenborne Krista , Straub Volker , de Groot Imelda J. M. , Tian Cuixia , Manzur Adnan , Dieye Ibrahima , Lane Henry , Ward Susan J. , Servais Laurent ,   PRO-DMD-01 study investigators,   Association Française contre les Myopathies,   The UK NorthStar Clinical Network,   ImagingDMD investigators,   cTAP
Published: July 2024

Evaluations of treatment efficacy in Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), a rare genetic disease that results in progressive muscle wasting, require an understanding of the ‘meaningfulness’ of changes in functional measures. We estimated the minimal detectable change (MDC) for selected motor function measures in ambulatory DMD, i.e., the minimal degree of measured change needed to be confident that true underlying change has occurred rather than transient variation or measurement error. MDC estimates were compared across multiple data sources, representing >1000 DMD patients in clinical trials and real-world clinical practice settings. Included patients were ambulatory, aged ≥4 to <18 years and receiving steroids. Minimal clinically important differences (MCIDs) for worsening were also estimated. Estimated MDC thresholds for >80% confidence in true change were 2.8 units for the North Star Ambulatory Assessment (NSAA) total score, 1.3 seconds for the 4-stair climb (4SC) completion time, 0.36 stairs/second for 4SC velocity and 36.3 meters for the 6-minute walk distance (6MWD). MDC estimates were similar across clinical trial and real-world data sources, and tended to be slightly larger than MCIDs for these measures. The identified thresholds can be used to inform endpoint definitions, or as benchmarks for monitoring individual changes in motor function in ambulatory DMD.
Data modeling analysis of GFRP tubular filled concrete column based on small sample deep meta learning method
Authors: Deng Tianyi , Xue Chengqi , Zhang Gengpei
Published: July 2024

The meta-learning method proposed in this paper addresses the issue of small-sample regression in the application of engineering data analysis, which is a highly promising direction for research. By integrating traditional regression models with optimization-based data augmentation from meta-learning, the proposed deep neural network demonstrates excellent performance in optimizing glass fiber reinforced plastic (GFRP) for wrapping concrete short columns. When compared with traditional regression models, such as Support Vector Regression (SVR), Gaussian Process Regression (GPR), and Radial Basis Function Neural Networks (RBFNN), the meta-learning method proposed here performs better in modeling small data samples. The success of this approach illustrates the potential of deep learning in dealing with limited amounts of data, offering new opportunities in the field of material data analysis.
An all-out assault on a dominant resistance gene: Local emergence, establishment, and spread of strains of tomato spotted wilt orthotospovirus (TSWV) that overcome Sw-5b-mediated resistance in fresh market and processing tomatoes in California
Authors: Macedo Mônica A. , Melgarejo Tomas , Cespedes Margaret , Rojas Maria , Lazicki Patrícia , Turini Thomas , Batuman Ozgur , Gilbertson Robert
Published: July 2024

Tomato spotted wilt orthotospovirus (TSWV) causes substantial economic loss to tomato production, and the Sw-5b resistance gene is widely deployed for management. Here, we show (i) the emergence of resistance-breaking (RB) TSWV strains in processing and fresh market tomato production in California over the past ten years, and (ii) evolutionary relationships with RB strains from other areas. A specific RT-PCR test was used to show the C118Y RB strain that emerged in Fresno County in 2016 quickly became predominant in the central production area and remained so through this study. In 2021, the C118Y strain was detected in the Northern production area, and was predominant in 2022. However, in 2023, the C118Y strain was unexpectedly detected in fewer spotted wilt samples from resistant varieties. This was due to emergence of the T120N RB strain, previously known to occur in Spain. A specific RT-PCR test was developed and used to show that the T120N RB strain was predominant in Colusa and Sutter counties (detected in 75–80% of samples), and detected in ~50% of samples from Yolo County. Pathogenicity tests confirmed California isolates of the T120N strain infected Sw-5b tomato varieties and induced severe symptoms. Another RB strain, C118F, was associated with spotted wilt samples of Sw-5 varieties from fresh market tomato production in southern California. Phylogenetic analyses with complete NSm sequences revealed that the C118Y and T120N RB strains infecting resistant processing tomato in California emerged locally, whereas those from fresh market production were more closely related to isolates from Mexico. Thus, widespread deployment of this single dominant resistance gene in California has driven the local emergence of multiple RB strains in different tomato production areas and types. These results further emphasize the need for ongoing monitoring for RB strains, and identification of sources of resistance to these strains.
Effects of ciprofol infusion on hemodynamics during induction and maintenance of anesthesia and on postoperative recovery in patients undergoing thoracoscopic lobectomy: Study protocol for a randomized, controlled trial
Authors: Guo Na , Cao Jianqiao , Duan Mingjie , Zhou Fei , Wang Wei , Xu Lingling , Wei Chuansong , Song Xiumei
Published: July 2024

Introduction

Ciprofol, a new candidate drug, is effective and safe for the maintenance of anesthesia in non-cardiothoracic and non-neurological elective surgery. However, few studies have been conducted on general anesthesia using ciprofol in patients undergoing thoracoscopic lobectomy. Therefore, this study aims to observe the effects of ciprofol on hemodynamics and on postoperative recovery in patients undergoing thoracoscopic lobectomy.

Methods and analysis

This randomized controlled trial will include 136 patients aged 18–65 years undergoing elective thoracoscopic lobectomy between April 2023 and December 2024. The participants will be randomly assigned to the propofol or ciprofol group. The primary outcome to be assessed is the hemodynamic fluctuation during the induction and maintenance of anesthesia. The secondary outcomes involve quality of anesthesia induction and quality of recovery from anesthesia. The former includes TLOC(time to loss of consciousness), the use of vasoactive agents, the incidence of injection pain, body movement, muscle twitching and coughing during induction of anesthesia. The latter includes TROC(time to recovery of consciousness), post anesthesia care unit (PACU) time, incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV), postoperative agitation, intraoperative awareness and quality of recovery (QoR) score.

Discussion

A number of clinical trials have confirmed that ciprofol, as a new sedative-hypnotic agent, has advantages of better tolerance, higher sedation satisfaction score, and lower incidence of adverse reactions, especially in reducing the incidence of injection pain. But considering that ciprofol was recently developed, limited data are available regarding its use for general anesthesia. This study aims to investigate the effects of ciprofol on hemodynamics and on postoperative recovery of patients undergoing thoracoscopic lobectomy. The results of this study may provide evidence for the safe application of ciprofol, a new choice of general anesthetic for thoracic surgery.

Clinical trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT05664386).
Standardising job descriptions in the humanitarian supply chain: A text mining approach for recruitment process
Authors: Spada Irene , Fabbroni Valeria , Chiarello Filippo , Fantoni Gualtiero
Published: July 2024

Purpose

Uncertainty and complexity have increased in recent decades, posing new challenges to humanitarian organisations. This study investigates whether using standard terminology in Human Resource Management processes can support the Humanitarian supply chain in attracting and maintaining highly skilled operators.

Methodology

We exploit text mining to compare job vacancies on ReliefWeb, the reference platform for humanitarian job seekers, and ESCO, the European Classification of Skills, Competencies, and Occupations. We measure the level of alignment in these two resources, providing quantitative evidence about terminology standardisation in job descriptions for supporting HR operators in the Humanitarian field.

Findings

The most in-demand skills, besides languages, relate to resource management and economics and finance for capital management. Our results show that job vacancies for managerial and financial profiles are relatively more in line with the European database than those for technical profiles. However, the peculiarities of the humanitarian sector and the lack of standardisation are still a barrier to achieving the desired level of coherence with humanitarian policies.
Predictive risk modeling for child maltreatment detection and enhanced decision-making: Evidence from Danish administrative data
Authors: Rosholm Michael , Bodilsen Simon Tranberg , Michel Bastien , Nielsen Albeck Søren
Published: July 2024

Child maltreatment is a widespread problem with significant costs for both victims and society. In this retrospective cohort study, we develop predictive risk models using Danish administrative data to predict removal decisions among referred children and assess the effectiveness of caseworkers in identifying children at risk of maltreatment. The study analyzes 195,639 referrals involving 102,309 children Danish Child Protection Services received from April 2016 to December 2017. We implement four machine learning models of increasing complexity, incorporating extensive background information on each child and their family. Our best-performing model exhibits robust predictive power, with an AUC-ROC score exceeding 87%, indicating its ability to consistently rank referred children based on their likelihood of being removed. Additionally, we find strong positive correlations between the model’s predictions and various adverse child outcomes, such as crime, physical and mental health issues, and school absenteeism. Furthermore, we demonstrate that predictive risk models can enhance caseworkers’ decision-making processes by reducing classification errors and identifying at-risk children at an earlier stage, enabling timely interventions and potentially improving outcomes for vulnerable children.
Editorial
Authors: Bestley Russ
Published: July 2024

This issue of Punk & Post-Punk reflects on philosophy, anarchism, temporality, memory, grassroots politics, art and empowerment in a diverse range of post-punk contexts.
Life? And Napalm Death, Shane Embury (2023)
Authors: Dabinett Shane
Published: July 2024

Review of: Life? And Napalm Death, Shane Embury (2023)

London: Rocket Books, 239 pp.,

ISBN 9-781-91097-898-6, h/bk, £35
Enhancing smokers’ engagement during Facebook-based smoking cessation interventions
Authors: Watti Jezdancher
Published: July 2024

Kutatásunk középpontjában egy online dohányzás leszokást segítő intervenció állt. Azt vizsgáltuk meg, hogy a „CigiSzünet” elnevezésű magyar Facebook oldal (Angol elnevezés: Cigarette Break – a PhD értekezésben használatos megnevezés) leszokást támogató bejegyzéseire válaszul milyen interakciós gombokat használtak a felhasználók (pl. kommentet írtak, megosztás- vagy reakciógombra kattintottak). Az interakciós gombok használata kifejezi az intervencióban résztvevők aktivitását. Kutatásunkkal segítséget kívánunk nyújtani azoknak a népegészségügyi szakembereknek, akik dohányzás leszokást segítő Facebook oldalakat működtetnek, hogy a felhasználók aktivitását fokozhassák. Első kutatásunkban a felhasználok kommentjei alapján kiválogattuk a dohányzókat. Az ő megjegyzéseikben azonosítottuk a leszokás irányába mutató szóhasználatot a „Transzteoretikus Modell” (TTM) és a „Motivációs Interjú” (MI) pszichológiai megközelítések alapján. Ezeket a kifejezéseket (verbalizáció) összevetettük a reakciógombok használatával (vizualizáció). Célunk az volt, hogy feltárjuk a dohányzó Facebook-felhasználók leszokásra irányuló, verbális és vizuális kifejezései közötti összefüggéseket, az intervenciós aktivitás megértése és későbbi serkentése érdekében. Második kutatásunkban az „aktivitásvadászattal” foglalkoztunk, mely egy specifikus Facebook-bejegyzések létrehozására irányuló stratégia. Az ilyen stratégiát használó bejegyzéseket a Facebook szankcionálja, kevesebb felhasználónak jeleníti meg (azaz hátrébb sorolja a hírfolyamban). Az aktivitásvadász tartalmak szankcionálása egy a felhasználók számára ismeretlen folyamat, a Facebook algoritmusa végzi. Célunk az volt, hogy feltárjuk az „aktivitásvadászat” mechanizmusát és hatásait a leszokást segítő tartalmakra, valamint, hogy „alternatív stratégiákat” találjunk, melyek kikerülik ezt a szankcionálást és növelik az aktivitást.
Sport seasons through the lenses of project management – Identifying the common key characteristics of sport seasons and projects
Authors: Molnár Máté
Published: July 2024

There is a large amount of research on both successful project management and the management of professional sports organisations, but the relationship between these two phenomena remains to be analysed. Therefore, the aim of this article is to identify the similarities between sports seasons and projects by examining the characteristics of these two domains, as well as to lay the foundations for defining the potential management practices that can improve the efficiency of seasons using tools and techniques derived from project management. The results will be obtained through a narrative literature review of relevant books and articles on projects and sports seasons. The outcome of this research will contribute to a better understanding of how sport organisations can streamline their operations, optimise performance and ensure successful sport seasons by potentially implementing a project management approach.
Understanding crisis perception and organizational learning – A case study of school organizations in the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Fazekas Nóra
Published: July 2024

The research investigates the organizational dynamics of learning-in-crisis (LiC) in five Hungarian education institutions in the light of the COVID-19 pandemic with a focus on digital competence building, and the influence of organizational perception of contextual factors. The path of organisation-level learning that takes place as a result of the crisis event was analysed along two factors: the extent of perceived impact and the relevance of the rare event. Results of the qualitative, interview- and observation-based research show that learning willingness is different in the face of an identical external impact, influenced by organizational and financial capacity, as well as autonomy and stakeholder maturity for change. The depth of learning is related to the strategic and cultural fit with the sought-after competence, as well as field of knowledge and the presence of parallel crises.
Mathematical Expression of the Relationship between Spirit and Matter
Authors: Tian Ming
Published: July 2024

A life is a single world, and each single world contains a spiritual world and a material world. Spiritual world and material world are orthogonal, and a single world can be expressed as a complex function. Observer’s universe is rotating, and the universe’s rotation is determined by the mathematical relationship between spirit and matter. All single worlds are superimposed to form a whole universe, which can be represented by a Fourier function expansion. This function can also be applied to ordinary things. Hubble redshift is changing, and is affected by the total number of lives, every single world’s energy, and the frequency of flashes in every life.
Blood profile and liver histopathological analysis of broiler chickens fed dried cashew apples (Anacardium occidentale L.)
Authors: Oyekola Oluwatosin Solomo , Oyekanmi Favour Oluwasetemi , Olagoke Olayemi Christianah , Ojediran Taiwo Kayode , Emiola Isiaka Adewale
Published: July 2024

This study utilized a total of 210 one-day-old chicks to evaluate the blood profile and liver histopathology of Ross 308 broiler chickens fed diets containing Dried Cashew Apples (DCA). The chicks were allocated into seven treatment groups, each consisting of three replicates of 10 birds. The experimental design used a (2 x 3) +1 augmented factorial in a completely randomized arrangement. Diet 1 was the control (maize-soybean meal-based), while diets 2, 3, and 4 contained 10%, 20%, and 30% DCA without enzyme supplementation. Diets 5, 6, and 7 contained 10%, 20%, and 30% DCA with exogenous microbial enzyme supplementation. Data on haematological indices, serum biochemical indices, and liver histology were collected and analyzed using SPSS version 25, with means separated by Duncan’s Multiple Range Test of the same statistical package at p < 0.05. The results indicated that DCA inclusion, with or without enzymes, significantly influenced all haematological parameters except MCV, showing lower PCV, Hb concentration, and RBC counts in DCA groups compared to the control. Enzyme supplementation at 20% DCA increased PCV, while at 10% and 30% DCA, it decreased Hb concentrations and increased WBC counts at 30% DCA, with varying effects on neutrophils and lymphocytes. Serum biochemistry showed that DCA inclusion affected all parameters except AST, with the highest ALT values in birds on 10% DCA without enzymes and the lowest in the control group. Enzyme supplementation significantly influenced AST, ALT, TP, globulin, albumin, urea, and creatinine levels, particularly at 20% DCA. Liver histology showed no lesions in control birds but varying degrees of necrosis, inflammation, atrophy, and congestion in DCA-fed birds, worsening with higher DCA and enzyme levels. In conclusion, broilers can tolerate 10% DCA in their diet, but higher levels lead to physiological stress, necessitating careful consideration of DCA inclusion levels to maintain bird health and welfare.
Effects of a Novelty Virtual Interactive Brain Atlas on Student Perception of Neuroanatomy
Authors: H.C Davies , D.N Edwards , J George , R Xie , I Kadish
Published: July 2024

The instructional techniques in neuroanatomy laboratories continue to evolve to incorporate online interactive resources to improve student experience and outcomes. This study aims to design an “all in one”Virtual Interactive Brain Atlas (VIBA) that provides students with an educational resource that will improve their knowledge of neuroanatomy while in the brain lab and provide them with lab resources they can self-study and self-test. Coronal, midsagittal, whole brain, and horizontal brain slices were used to create detailed descriptions, interactive features, and quiz assessments to create VIBA. Upper level undergraduate and optometry students taking a neuroanatomy one-semester course were provided with VIBA for use during the semester. A paper survey was distributed after completing the course to determine student perception. No significant difference was indicated between the student groups regarding their self-reported understanding prior to the brain lab (p= 0.194) and after the brain lab (p= 0.308). There was a significant difference between the student populations when stating that they strongly agreed that the online brain atlas improved their understanding of neuroanatomy (p= 0.032) and that the VIBA tool was easy to navigate (p=0.048). There was a significant difference between the two student groups that strongly agreed that the online brain atlas quality was sufficient (p= 0.015). This online interactive brain atlas was created in a time-efficient manner from readily available models and was well received by experienced neuroanatomy faculty and students.
Accounting for Textile Industry and Labor Dynamics in Eritrea (1956–1975): Adding Gender to the Equation
Authors: Fusari Valentina
Published: July 2024

In Eritrea, the history of the textile sector has its roots in the local tradition of spinning and weaving, which assigned roles based on gender and ethnicity. The textile supply chain, instead, was anchored in colonial times, when local market and export-oriented factories emerged, hiring women because of the shortage of male workers and because they could be paid less. From then on it provided women with salaried jobs, upskilling their opportunities and raising their awareness. This article is a factory-based case study that intertwines archival, oral, and visual sources. Its aim is to assess how and why, from the mid-1950s to the mid-1970s, the inclusion of women as salaried workers in the S.A. Cotonificio Barattolo & Co. (Asmӓra), one of the main textile factories in East Africa, made it a gender-oriented factoryscape that affected the role of women well beyond the labor arena. It examines the recruitment and training processes, the socialization of women as salaried employees, their spatial and social mobility, their reconciliation between productive and reproductive roles, and both their overt and underground resistances. Barattolo is a valuable case study for highlighting gendered labor dynamics from a female perspective.
Making the Tasteless World Sweet: An Ethnography of Image Practices in the Ethiopian Orthodox Church as Lived Theology
Authors: de Ménonville Siena-Antonia
Published: July 2024

Through an ethnographic approach, this article takes a contemporary look at Orthodox image production and, in particular, at how the terms “traditional” and “modern” are employed by Ethiopian image producers. The unrelenting insistence on what makes an image “correct” and “traditional” signals a deeper need for legitimacy. The discourse presented in this article attributes to past tradition a value which is just as much a critique of the present as it is an idealization of the past. The panorama of Ethiopian Orthodox image practices is not only riddled with tensions surrounding titles, hierarchy and purity, but colored by nostalgia, showing growing concern about the decline of Orthodoxy.
The Class Diary of the Pandemic. Comics of the Transformations of the 'Presence' in Brazilian Schools during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Gomes da Silva João Pedro Rangel , Schulze Matheus Fred
Published: July 2024

The Class Diary is a lecture tool for registering the daily routine and the presence of students. In 2020 and 2021, we ethnographically investigated the transformations brought about by the pandemic through the stories of those particularly affected in the educational context: teachers and students. These stories were collected and illustrated as a diary that anthropologically explores the experience of having new ways of 'presence' in the pandemic. Each story has their own particularities but together they are crossed by interconnected experiences and sensations. The fear of the present shares space with the hope of change in the future. We were interested in the transformations that arose in teacher-student relations - at that moment exclusively online ones - that resulted in a new mode of 'presence' of these subjects, and consequently, a new way of experiencing their senses and the establishment of relationships. By appropriating the notion of Class Diary for the record of daily presence, we explored these records and transformed them into illustrations to sensitively comprehend and express this new sense of 'presence' experienced by our interlocutors. A virtual and everyday presence. A way of experiencing different moments, previously physically present, but now in an online environment. The Class Diary is seen as a registration of stories, feelings, and the relationships between these subjects. But how to represent hope in the future, if the future was extremely uncertain to those facing that moment? Our challenge was to transform these stories into a comic book, without missing the point of view of our interlocutors and the miscellaneous senses that crossed them, seeking ways of expressing itáartistically.
Gemeinschaftlicher Wohnungsbau
Authors: Praum Carsten
Published: July 2024

Welche Bedeutung kommt dem gemeinschaftlichen Wohnungsbau in der Stadtentwicklung und Wohnungsversorgung im transformierten Wohlfahrtsstaat zu? Am Beispiel von München und Frankfurt a.M. zeigt Carsten Praum auf, inwiefern sich in der Phase der Nach-Wohnungsgemeinnützigkeit in den wachsenden Städten Deutschlands ein System herausbildete, das sich im Zusammenspiel von gemeinschaftlichen Wohnprojekten, intermediären Organisationen sowie Stadtpolitik und -verwaltung konstituiert. Seine Analyse verdeutlicht: Das System des gemeinschaftlichen Wohnungsbaus nimmt spezifische Formen und Funktionen an, die auf die gesellschaftlichen und politischen Rahmenbedingungen des »Community-Kapitalismus« (nach van Dyk/Haubner) zurückzuführen sind.
Die liberale Kraft Europas
Authors: Dubois Mathieu
Published: July 2024

Nach dem Zweiten Weltkrieg entschied sich Europa für den Liberalismus und wählte dafür eine spezifische Wirtschafts- und Sozialordnung: die Soziale Marktwirtschaft. Mathieu Dubois zeichnet den Einfluss der Bundesrepublik Deutschland und des Ordoliberalismus auf dieses Modell nach. Seine These: Im Gegensatz zum Bild eines »politischen Zwergs« erwies sich die westdeutsche Europapolitik als entscheidender Vermittler europäischer Kompromisse. Damit leistete die Bundesrepublik einen wichtigen Beitrag zur Liberalisierung des Kontinents und zur Gründung einer Wirtschafts- und Stabilitätsgemeinschaft - aber auch zu einer Währungsunion, die heute durch Zwang funktioniert.
Die bedrohte Ordnung der Vielfalt
Authors: Simon Daniela
Published: July 2024

Wie gehen Gesellschaften in Krisenzeiten mit kultureller Vielfalt um und auf welcher Wissensbasis werden Grenzziehungsprozesse in der Bevölkerung vollzogen? Daniela Simon zeichnet die konfliktreiche Entstehung und Umsetzung von Bevölkerungskategorien in politische Praxis anhand der Geschichte der Halbinsel Istrien in der späten Habsburgermonarchie nach. Dort entstand der Begriff des kulturellen »Hibridismus«, der Uneindeutigkeiten in der Kategorisierung der Bevölkerung bezeichnete, aber auch der Legitimierung von Gruppenzugehörigkeiten auf der Basis von Hybridität diente. Das »Modell Istrien« dient so als Blaupause für andere soziale Ordnungen, um Praktiken und Modi des Zusammenlebens in Vergangenheit und Gegenwart zu analysieren.
Protestkleider
Authors: Giannone Antonella , Threuter Christina
Published: July 2024

Kaum eine Straßendemonstration verzichtet auf ein symbolisches Kleidungsstück bzw. textiles Ensemble für die Gestaltung von politischen Allianzen. Politische Sichtbarkeit durch Kleidung ist mittlerweile unverzichtbar für eine effizient kommunizierte Protestkultur geworden: Gelbe Warnwesten oder auch rosa Sturmhauben gehen viral und mobilisieren translokale Bündnisse des Widerstands. Die Autorinnen untersuchen unterschiedliche Protestkonstellationen sowie künstlerische Positionen. Sie beleuchten erstmals die Verflechtung zwischen der visuellen und materiellen Dimension von Protestkleidung aus kunst-, kultur- sowie modetheoretischer Sicht und zeigen die Entstehung neuer bildlicher und symbolischer Bedeutungen und Handlungsmuster auf.
Decoding Digital Culture with Science Fiction
Authors: Shapiro Alan N.
Published: July 2024

How do digital media technologies affect society and our lives? Through the cultural theory hypotheses of hyper-modernism, hyperreality, and posthumanism, Alan N. Shapiro investigates the social impact of Virtual/Augmented Reality, AI, social media platforms, robots, and the Brain-Computer Interface. His examination of concepts of Jean Baudrillard and Katherine Hayles, as well as films such as Blade Runner 2049, Ghost in the Shell, Ex Machina, and the TV series Black Mirror, suggests that the boundary between science fiction narratives and the »real world« has become indistinct. Science-fictional thinking should be advanced as a principal mode of knowledge for grasping the world and digitalization.
Polens kritische Theoretiker
Authors: Maisch Christoph
Published: July 2024

Gab es »Kritische Theoretiker« in Polen? Christoph Maisch verbindet erkenntnistheoretische Ideen des polnischen Wissenschaftstheoretikers Ludwik Fleck mit Ansätzen des Instituts für Sozialforschung in Frankfurt bis zum Ende der 1930er Jahre. Methodisch innovativ bringt er zwei Debatten über Wertefreiheit, Ideologie und Objektivität zusammen, die im deutschsprachigen Raum von Otto Neurath und Max Horkheimer, in Polen zwischen Fleck und Izydora Dambska geführt wurden. Die transnationale Analyse dieses »doppelten Positivismusstreits« zeigt, welch enge Beziehungen zwischen den ideologie- und erkenntniskritischen Kontexten beider Staaten Anfang des 20. Jahrhunderts bestanden und wie sie sich entwickelten.
Neue Weichen für digitales Produzieren von Kultur und Medien: Brecht into the Metaverse
Authors: Haverich Katharina , Kuster Lucas
Published: July 2024

Im vorliegenden Beitrag beschreiben Kuster und Haverich die Durchführung eines virtuellen Theaterprojekts: Brecht into the Metaverse. Ein diverser Cast aus Theatermacher*innen und Schauspieler*innen begibt sich hierbei ins Feld der Kunstproduktion in VR. Unterschiedliche Altersgruppen, kulturelle Hintergründe und verschiedene Bedürfnisse informieren dabei das Vorgehen. Der Artikel reflektiert Erfolge und Herausforderungen des Praxisprojekts, betont die frühzeitige Kooperation mit marginalisierten Gruppen für eine bereichernde und vielfältige Zusammenarbeit. Es wird sich für eine neue Langsamkeit und eine Sensibilität für individuelle Bedürfnisse ausgesprochen. Eine filmische Fortsetzung des Projekts wird in Aussicht gestellt.
Sand in der Empathie-Maschine. Dekonstruktive Strategien in kritischer Bildungsarbeit mit VR/AR
Authors: Haverich Katharina , Kuster Lucas
Published: July 2024

Jens Fehrenbacher betrachtet in diesem Beitrag dekonstruktive Strategien in Virtual Reality und Augmented Reality anhand ausgewählter Projekte dekolonialer bzw. anti-rassistischer Bildung. Ausgangspunkt ist die Kritik von euphorischen Beschreibungen dieser Technologien als >Empathie-Maschinen<, die einen unmittelbaren Perspektivwechsel versprechen. Darauf aufbauend werden in Engführung mit postkolonialer Theorie Inszenierungsstrategien beleuchtet, die bewusst die Idee einer einfachen Perspektivübernahme konterkarieren. Dabei steht zum einen im Blickpunkt, wie die eigene Situiertheit der Nutzer*innen und ihre Vorannahmen als Teil der Inszenierung thematisiert werden können. Zum anderen geht es darum, multiperspektivische Ausstellungsweisen umzudenken, sodass statt einem naiven Panorama der Vielfalt den präsentierten Perspektiven eine Widerständigkeit zugestanden wird.
Exploring Liminality in the Natyasastra and virtual Metatheatre
Authors: Haverich Katharina , Kuster Lucas
Published: July 2024

This paper is a reflective account of a practice-based project in which workshops were conducted in and out of virtual reality, exploring the liminal or transitional processes of The Natyasastra, an ancient Sanskrit dramaturgical treatise. This is the first project as part of a wider intercultural and technological PhD investigating our collective tools of liminality and how they can be applied in virtual theatre, An odyssey into Stage 3.0. A virtual cave theatre was built to the design and dimensions of the Natyasastra and inhabited with 7 th century farce, Bhagavadajjukam, created in Unity game engine for VRchat, a social VR application. The project sets aside 3 positions of focus: 1) Investigating the parallels of the Natyaveda and the metaverse, comparing The Natyaveda an ancient spiritual performance space, described in the Natyasastra with the modern conceptual metaverse, showing them both to be spaces of liminal transition in which community can explore conflict and resolution. The project also uses suggested ritual and tribute to imbue the space with spiritual importance encouraging a deeper transcendent like immersion. 2) Exploring the use of the Natyasastra's rasa theory, codified emotional performance to engender the liminal self and creating moments akin to virtual anchors. And 3) the metatheatre of the Natyasastra applied in the virtual. Exploring the Natyasastra's use of metatheatre to layer reality, and its parallels to the modern concept of liminal performance. Participants explored these concepts first physically in a performance studio and then in the virtual VRasa space. These workshops were recorded, and their experiences discussed after.
Reality Check für nicht-behinderte Kulturschaffende. Oder: How to become an Angry Crip
Authors: Haverich Katharina , Kuster Lucas
Published: July 2024

Dirk Sorge fast in dem Beitrag Erfahrungen aus mehreren Jahren zusammen, in denen er als behinderter Künstler, Kulturvermittler und Aktivist gearbeitet hat. Er beschreibt strukturelle und konzeptuelle Probleme in der Zusammenarbeit mit Kulturinstitutionen und freien Projekten, insbesondere dann, wenn sie von nicht-behinderten Akteuer*innen geleitet bzw. geplant werden.
Frédéric Chopins Opus nº 28 unter transkulturellen Aspekten
Authors: Hirte Ricarda
Published: July 2024

Ricarda Hirte widmet sich in diesem Beitrag der Frage, inwiefern das Präludium Opus Nr. 28 von Chopin unter (trans-)kulturellen Aspekten betrachtet werden kann. Besonders in Takt 62 lassen sich Parallelen zu Johann Sebastian Bachs Choral »O Haupt voll Blut und Wunden« aus der Matthäuspassion erkennen. Chopin übernimmt melodisch und harmonisch den Choral und variiert den Schluss musikalisch. Setzt man Chopins Lebenssituation auf Mallorca in einen Bezugsrahmen, so verweist die musikalische Komposition auf Herders Kulturbegriff und es lassen sich im textlichen Bezug des Chorals Hinweise auf den monadischen Charakter finden, die eine Dialektik bilden.
Historische Routen oder Passagen der Zukunft?
Authors: Leitloff Isabelle
Published: July 2024

In meinem Artikel möchte ich die Perspektive auf das Mittelmeer in die Zukunft verlagern und - ausgehend von Maja Lundes »Die Geschichte des Wassers« (2017) - einen Blick auf aktuelle Themen werfen, die das Mittelmeer nicht mehr nur als Transit- und Überquerungsraum sehen, sondern sich mit der Ressource Wasser als solche auseinandersetzen. Der Roman greift einerseits das Meer als interkulturellen Begegnungsraum sowie als Grenzraum und Konfliktherd auf, fügt aber auch eine weitere Komponente hinzu: Die Auseinandersetzung mit dem Wasser als seltene Ressource, als blaues Gold. Das, woraus alles Leben gemacht ist, steht im Mittelpunkt des Romans und wird auch in diesem Beitrag im Fokus stehen. Wie wird das Meer als interkultureller Raum in Lunde's Roman verhandelt? Wie wird die Reise des Umweltaktivisten Reise des Umweltaktivisten an die französische Küste geschildert, und welche Art von Erzählung entsteht durch die Beschreibung der Dürre in Frankreich im Jahr 2041? Was geschieht, wenn das Element, das einen Raum ausmacht, das verbindende Element Wasser, das Kulturen, Nationen und Menschen geeint und geteilt hat, plötzlich zu einer knappen Ressource wird?
Maintaining Children's Mental Health: Revealing Teacher Strategies During Offline Learning for Early Childhood
Authors: Cahyani Izdihar Syifa , Khunaifi Agus
Published: July 2024

Purpose – School preparation in response to the new government policy for face-to-face learning requires the active roles of teachers and students, particularly concerning children's mental health. The importance of addressing children's mental health during the transition from online to face-to-face learning needs more attention. The purpose of this research is to identify and describe the strategies employed by teachers in maintaining children's mental health during face-to-face learning at Playgroup Jaya Lestari in Kalinyamat Wetan Village, Tegal City.
Design/methods/approach – This research adopts a qualitative method with a descriptive approach. Data collection techniques used include observation, interviews, and documentation. The subjects of this research are educators, including principals and teachers. The data analysis techniques applied are data reduction, data display, and verification. To test the validity of the data, source triangulation was used, involving teachers and students at Playgroup Jaya Lestari.
Findings – The results indicate that strategies employed by teachers to maintain children's mental health during face-to-face learning include using both individual and group approaches. These strategies emphasize the roles and functions of teachers as inspirers, mentors, and more. Teachers can maintain children's mental health by organizing learning activities that involve play, ensuring children remain happy, cheerful, and free from stress or laziness. These strategies are reinforced through their direct application in teaching and learning activities.
Research implications/limitations – The findings highlight the importance of increased awareness of children's mental health, which impacts developmental psychology and the learning process. This research underscores the necessity for educators to focus on mental health early in the educational environment.
Practical implications – The research demonstrates the need for effective strategies for teachers to maintain children's mental health during the learning process. It also emphasizes the importance of institutional readiness to address future challenges and the necessity for collaboration with professionals in psychology to tackle early childhood mental health issues.
Originality/value – This study provides a new perspective by examining the mental health of children in relation to Early Childhood Development psychology and the role of teachers in this developmental process.
Paper type Research Paper