bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Crystallographic Basis for Critically Evaluating the Mechanisms for Secondary Grain Formation During Directional Solidification
Authors: D’Souza N. , Edmonds I. M. , Perry M. , Collins D. M.
Published: September 2023

A crystallography-based method is presented for the critical appraisal of possible mechanisms that trigger the formation of secondary grains during directional solidification. The method permits an analysis of a large population of defects, while avoiding the pitfalls of the metallographic sectioning approach that is affected by dendrite stereology. Here, the nickel-base superalloy CMSX-4, an alloy commonly used for single crystal turbine blade applications, is studied. All secondary grains originate exclusively at the external surface and when the off-axial primary $$\langle 0\,0\,1\rangle$$

⟨
0

0

1
⟩

crystal orientations are measured, are evident at both the converging and diverging dispositions of the single crystal primary dendrites without a noticeable bias. Almost all of the secondary grains have low misorientations, with an average misorientation between 5 to 15 deg. No systematic deviation between the individual $$\langle 0\,0\,1\rangle$$

⟨
0

0

1
⟩

orientations of the secondary grain and the single crystal is observed. A significant twist contribution about an axis within ~ 30 deg from one of the secondary arms occurs when primary arms converge on the external surface, but both twist and tilt prevail for the diverging case. Both nucleation and buoyancy driven thermo-solutal convection can be eliminated as potential mechanisms. Thermo-mechanical deformation is deduced to be the most likely mechanism; deformation must originate in the vicinity of the primary dendrite tips. It is proposed that dendrite deflection arises primarily from the resistance encountered by the primary tips with the external surface during axial contraction in the presence of a dominant vertical thermal gradient.
Co-production of Gluconic Acid and Fructo-oligosaccharides by Aureobasidium pullulans from Sugarcane Molasses: Effect of Oxygen Transfer Rate in Stirred Tank and Airlift Bioreactors
Authors: Fernandes Sílvia , Dias Bruna , Gonçalves Daniela A. , Nobre Clarisse , Belo Isabel , Lopes Marlene
Published: September 2023

Aureobasidium pullulans NCYC 4012 was used to produce gluconic acid (GA) and fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS) from sugarcane molasses (ScM). For the first time, three types of bioreactors operating at different conditions of oxygenation—a stirred tank reactor (STR) operating under atmospheric pressure varying stirring rate, a pressurized STR under increased air pressure up to 4 bar of air, and an airlift reactor under atmospheric pressure varying aeration rate—were employed for GA and FOS biosynthesis by A. pullulans. The highest oxygenation conditions favored GA production in the three bioreactors, whereas the synthesis of FOS was not favored by high oxygen availability. GA yields close to 1 g·g−1 (grams of GA produced per grams of glucose consumed) were achieved in bioreactors under atmospheric pressure, and the highest titer of GA of 75 g·L−1 was obtained in the airlift bioreactor. In this last, the highest concentration of total FOS of 65 g·L−1 and yield of FOS of 0.58 g·g−1 were obtained.
Effects of Zofenopril on Arterial Stiffness in Hypertension Patients
Authors: Palić Benjamin , Brizić Ivica , Sher Emina Karahmet , Cvetković Ivona , Džidić-Krivić Amina , Abdelghani Heba Taha Mohmmed , Sher Farooq
Published: September 2023

Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) reduce arterial stiffness beyond their antihypertensive effect. Studies showed that sulfhydryl ACEIs have the antioxidative potential to improve endothelial function, which might have a clinical effect on arterial distensibility. However, there are no studies that directly compare the effects of sulfhydryl (zofenopril) and non-sulfhydryl ACEIs (enalapril) on arterial stiffness. Therefore, this prospective study aims to compare the effects of enalapril and zofenopril on arterial stiffness and oxidative stress in both short- and long-term treatment of arterial hypertension (AH). Baseline and post-treatment peripheral and central arterial pressure indices, augmentation index (Aix), aortic pulse wave velocity (ao-PWV), serum levels of oxidized low-density cholesterol lipoprotein, LDL and uric acid (UA) were measured. The results showed that acute treatment with zofenopril, in contrast to enalapril, significantly decreased peripheral and central Aix (p < 0.001). Chronic treatment with zofenopril showed a superior effect over enalapril on the reduction of the peripheral systolic arterial pressure with reduction of ao-PWV (p = 0.004), as well as a reduction in peripheral Aix (p = 0.021) and central Aix (p = 0.021). Therefore, this study indicates that zofenopril has beneficial effects on the reduction of arterial stiffness compared to enalapril. It has potent clinical efficacy in AH treatment and further studies should compare its safety and long-term efficacy to other AH drugs that would aid clinicians in treating AH and other various cardiovascular diseases that have arterial stiffness as a common denominator.
Using Geospatial Analysis to Guide Marsh Restoration in Chesapeake Bay and Beyond
Authors: Ganju Neil K. , Ackerman Katherine V. , Defne Zafer
Published: September 2023

Coastal managers are facing imminent decisions regarding the fate of coastal wetlands, given ongoing threats to their persistence. There is a need for objective methods to identify which wetland parcels are candidates for restoration, monitoring, protection, or acquisition due to limited resources and restoration techniques. Here, we describe a new spatially comprehensive data set for Chesapeake Bay salt marshes, which includes the unvegetated-vegetated marsh ratio, elevation metrics, and sediment-based lifespan. Spatial aggregation across regions of the Bay shows a trend of increasing deterioration with proximity to the seaward boundary, coherent with conceptual models of coastal landscape response to sea-level rise. On a smaller scale, the signature of deterioration is highly variable within subsections of the Bay: fringing, peninsular, and tidal river marsh complexes each exhibit different spatial patterns with regards to proximity to the seaward edge. We then demonstrate objective methods to use these data for mapping potential management options on to the landscape, and then provide methods to estimate lifespan and potential changes in lifespan in response to restoration actions as well as future sea level rise. We account for actions that aim to increase sediment inventories, revegetate barren areas, restore hydrology, and facilitate salt marsh migration into upland areas. The distillation of robust geospatial data into simple decision-making metrics, as well as the use of those metrics to map decisions on the landscape, represents an important step towards science-based coastal management.
Comfortability Analysis Under a Human–Robot Interaction Perspective
Authors: Redondo Maria Elena Lechuga , Niewiadomski Radoslaw , Rea Francesco , Incao Sara , Sandini Giulio , Sciutti Alessandra
Published: September 2023

Interactions entail a tangled mix of emotional states that emerge between the people who are communicating. Being capable of comprehending these states help us to adapt to our partner’s needs enhancing the interaction. In the same fashion, we believe that robots capable of such skills would be better integrated in society. Hence, this paper tackles the internal state that focuses on the unfolding of any social exchange:Comfortability. It explores whether a humanoid robot can have an impact on humansComfortabilityand explores the way people might behave. To this aim, the iCub robot interviewed 29 non-HRI researchers for a real column of the IIT Opentalk online magazine. During the interview the robot complimented, ignored, interrupted, and insulted the participant with the intention of making them feel oppositeComfortabilitylevels. The results concluded that a humanoid robot can affect people’sComfortabilityhighlighting that not everyone perceives, assimilates, and reacts to the same situations in the same way. The findings suggest that self-reports andValence/Arousalestimations are not reliable measures to determine someone’sComfortabilityand that external factors (e.g.,attitude towards robots or the robot’s perception) might affect it. On top of that, a list of 28 visual features associated with lowComfortabilitylevels is included, providing support to keep unravelingComfortabilityin further studies.
Analysis of weather balloon data to evaluate the aerodynamic influence on the launch phase of SHEFEX II
Authors: Franze Marius , Donn Philipp
Published: September 2023

In this work, an advanced atmospheric model (IATM) for the flight of SHEFEX II is created and its effect on the aerodynamic loads of the first-stage fins of SHEFEX II is investigated. The atmospheric model bases on weather balloon data collected at the starting day of the flight experiment. The wind data are filtered using empirical mode decomposition (EMD) and reduced by their intrinsic mode functions (IMF) to get wind data without balloon oscillation. Compared to a linear interpolated atmosphere (LATM), the numerical results show no significant influence on the forced motion body loads but there is a high impact of wind on the fins of SHEFEX II as unsteady simulations show an increase up to over 50% of dynamic loading, while viscous effects can be neglected.
An 8-Week Course of Bifidobacterium longum 35624® Is Associated with a Reduction in the Symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Authors: Lenoir Marion , Wienke Jörg , Fardao-Beyler Frédérique , Roese Nadine
Published: September 2023

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is one of the disorders most frequently diagnosed by gastroenterologists. Probiotics are promising tools for the management of IBS. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effectiveness and tolerability of a probiotic (Bifidobacterium longum 35624®) in adults (aged 18 or over) with IBS (as defined by the Rome IV criteria). In an open-label, observational, post-market study conducted in Germany, adults with IBS and a prior recommendation for the intake of B. longum 35624® were recruited by family physicians. During the 8-week course of treatment, the study participants filled out a weekly questionnaire that enabled calculation of a total IBS symptom score (TISS, the sum of abdominal pain, bloating, passage of gas, constipation, and diarrhea individual symptom scores) and the well-known IBS severity scoring system (IBS-SSS) score. Thirty-seven patients were included. The course of B. longum 35624® was associated with a significant reduction (43.4%) in the TISS vs. baseline. The mean individual symptom grades for passage of gas and bloating fell significantly from “moderate” at baseline to “very mild to mild” after 8 weeks of treatment, whereas those for abdominal pain and diarrhea fell significantly from “mild to moderate” to “very mild to mild.” Over 60% of the participants achieved clinically meaningful reductions in the TISS (> 30%) and the IBS-SSS score (> 50 points). The effectiveness of B. longum 35624® was rated as “good to satisfactory” by study participants and the investigating physicians. One mild adverse event (nausea) was potentially linked to the study treatment. We conclude that an 8-week course of B. longum 35624® was associated with significant, clinically meaningful symptom relief in a typical population of adult patients with IBS.
Characterization and modeling of diffusion kinetics of rosemary oleoresin extract from gellan gum-based film
Authors: Teoh Ru Wei , Ting Adeline Su Yien , Thoo Yin Yin
Published: September 2023

Fresh food products are highly prone to oxidation and microbial attack, rendering them unsuitable for consumption. Thus, active food packaging was developed to protect and prolong food shelf-life. Zein/gellan gum (GG) based active film is developed by incorporating rosemary oleoresin extract (ROE) (0–20%). The films were characterized by their barrier and antioxidant properties. The release behavior of ROE in fatty and hydrophilic food stimulants was investigated via mathematical modeling. The active films incorporated with 20% ROE have significantly higher oxygen barrier and oxygen transfer is reduced by 20% compared to the control. A tortuous path is created with ROE, which impedes oxygen movement across the film. ROE addition improved water resistance performance by reducing the active film swelling ratio by 31%. This improvement is attributed to the hydrophobic nature of ROE. FTIR shows that the interaction between ROE and the active film is primarily hydrogen bonding and electrostatic interactions. Active film exhibits excellent antioxidant activity, with high TPC, DPPH scavenging activity, and FRAP. Mathematical modeling revealed a higher diffusivity (D) of ROE in fatty food stimulants at 24 °C, attributed to high polarity and solubility in fatty food stimulants. Overall, this active film has an excellent antioxidant effect and could potentially be used as food packaging for high-fat food products to prevent oxidation.

Graphical abstract
Fascial Plane Blocks as Regional Analgesia Techniques for Cardiac Surgeries: a Technical Description and Evidence Update
Authors: Nooli Nishank P. , Goldhammer Jordan E. , Linganna Regina E. , Herman Melody , Kalagara Hari
Published: September 2023

Purpose of Review

This article aims to review the anatomy and ultrasound techniques of common interfascial plane blocks used for cardiac surgeries along with the current available evidence for regional analgesia.

Recent Findings

Thoracic erector spinae plane block (ESPB) has a beneficial role in studies when compared with intravenous pain medications or control groups without blocks for cardiac surgeries. Some retrospective studies showed variable analgesic benefits with ESPB, and a recent meta-analysis did not show promising benefits over thoracic epidural analgesia. Serratus anterior plane block (SAPB) is beneficial with minithoractomy incisions for minimally invasive cardiac surgeries, while para sternal blocks (PSB) or parasternal intercostal plane (PIP) blocks are useful for sternotomy incisions. Pectolaris nerve blocks (PECS) have also been used for various cardiac surgeries with a promising role in cardiac pacemaker and ICD surgeries.

There is an increasing trend in the usage of fascial plane blocks for cardiac surgeries. Most can be used as components of multimodal analgesia and play a key role in enhanced recovery after cardiac surgery (ERACS) programs. The choice of these fascial plane blocks as opioid-sparing regional analgesia techniques depends on the incision and type of cardiac surgery. A combination of various fascial plane blocks can be used to increase the efficacy of these blocks, but caution should be exercised in limiting the total quantity of the local anesthetic administered.
Emotional eating: elusive or evident? Integrating laboratory, psychometric and daily life measures
Authors: Schnepper Rebekka , Blechert Jens , Arend Ann-Kathrin , Yanagida Takuya , Reichenberger Julia
Published: September 2023

Purpose

Emotional eating (EE) refers to eating in response to (negative) emotions. Evidence for the validity of EE is mixed: some meta-analyses find EE only in eating disordered patients, others only in restrained eaters, which suggest that only certain subgroups show EE. Furthermore, EE measures from lab-based assessments, ecological momentary assessment (EMA), and psychometric measures often diverge. This paper tested whether the covariance of these three different EE methods can be modeled through a single latent variable (factorial validity), and if so, how this variable would relate to restrained eating (construct validity), Body-Mass-Index (BMI), and subclinical eating disorder symptomatology (concurrent validity).

Methods

102 non-eating disordered female participants with a wide BMI range completed EE measures from three methods: psychometric questionnaires, a laboratory experiment (craving ratings of food images in induced neutral vs. negative emotion) and EMA questionnaires (within-participant correlations of momentary negative emotions and momentary food cravings across 9 days). Two measures for each method were extracted and submitted to confirmatory factor analysis.

Results

A one-factor model provided a good fit. The resulting EElat factor correlated positively with subclinical eating disorder symptoms and BMI but not with restrained eating.

Conclusions

The one-factor solution shows that the EE construct can validly be assessed with three different methods. Individual differences in EE are supported by the data and are related to eating and weight problem symptomatology but not to restrained eating. This supports learning accounts of EE and underscores the relevance of the EE construct to physical and mental health.

Level of evidence

II (Evidence obtained from well-designed controlled trials without randomization).
A holistic multi-source transfer learning approach using wearable sensors for personalized daily activity recognition
Authors: Jia Qi , Guo Jing , Yang Po , Yang Yun
Published: September 2023

Human activity recognition (HAR) aims to collect time series through wearable devices to precisely identify specific actions. However, the traditional HAR method ignores the activity variances among individuals, which will cause low generalization when applied to a new individual and indirectly enhance the difficulties of personalized HAR service. In this paper, we fully consider activity divergence among individuals to develop an end-to-end model, the multi-source unsupervised co-transfer network (MUCT), to provide personalized activity recognition for new individuals. We denote the collected data of different individuals as multiple domains and implement deep domain adaptation to align each pair of source and target domains. In addition, we propose a consistent filter that utilizes two heterogeneous classifiers to automatically select high-confidence instances from the target domain to jointly enhance the performance on the target task. The effectiveness and performance of our model are evaluated through comprehensive experiments on two activity recognition benchmarks and a private activity recognition data set (collected by our signal sensors), where our model outperforms traditional transfer learning methods at HAR.
Arising calls for national sovereignty in times of European crises and the political Zeitenwende
Authors: Braun Daniela , Reinl Ann-Kathrin
Published: September 2023

The recent periods of multiple crises go hand in hand with calls for more national sovereignty. Drawing on data provided by the Manifesto Project, this contribution seeks to study empirically how widespread the wish to ‘take back control’ is reflected through political parties all over Europe. We show that although ‘sovereignist’ issues across EU member states were not among the political top priorities in the past, parties’ issue emphasis has increased in the shadow of the last decade’s multiple crises. On top of that, we argue that sovereignist aspirations have the potential to further increase alongside upcoming international challenges. In particular, events such as the Russian-Ukrainian war and the declared Zeitenwende may raise calls for more national sovereignty.
Biopolymer-Based Multilayer Films and Coatings for Food Preservation: an Update of the Recent Development
Authors: Xie Fengwei
Published: September 2023

Purpose of Review

Biopolymers present appealing properties such as gas barrier abilities and biodegradability, which can be used to develop multilayer films for food preservation applications. This article provides an update on the recent research progress on biopolymer-based multilayer films.

Recent Findings

Various multilayer films have been developed based on biopolymers and their combination with other biodegradable polymers (e.g., PLA, PCL, and PVA), organic compounds (e.g., lauroyl arginate ethyl, carvacrol, natural plant extracts, and essential oils), and inorganic particles (e.g., nanoclays, silver, and metal oxides). These multilayer films present enhanced properties and functions such as barrier performance against gas, water, oil, and UV light, antimicrobial and antioxidant activities, and pH indication.

This article overviews the design principles and fabrication methods for multilayer films, their properties and functions, and specific food packaging applications. The current challenges and future perspectives in this area are also proposed.
Consumer Studies Focus on Prebiotics, Probiotics, and Synbiotics in Food Packaging: a Review
Authors: Siddiqui Shahida Anusha , Khan Sipper , Mehdizadeh Mohammad , Nirmal Nilesh Prakash , Khanashyam Anandu Chandra , Fernando Ito , Jatmiko Yoga Dwi , Afiyanti Mufidah , Bansal Sonia , Adli Danung Nur , Nagdalian Andrey Ashotovich , Blinov Andrey Vladimirovich , Lodygin Alexey Dmitrievich , Nugraha Widya Satya , Kasza Gyula , Walker Tony R.
Published: September 2023

Purpose of Review

Dietary consumption of prebiotics, probiotics, and synbiotics has been suggested to improve human health conditions. Functional food products containing live probiotics are flourishing, and their demand seems to be increasing since consumers are more aware of the health benefits of such products. However, specific food packaging is needed to maintain the viability and stability of these products, hence, necessitating advanced technology and processing. This study intends to give academics and industry an overview of food packaging evaluations that concentrate on prebiotics, probiotics, and synbiotics for consumers to gain a wide and clear image.

Recent Findings

This review provides recent findings from the consumer point of view on the prebiotics, probiotics, or synbiotics incorporated in food packaging based on consumer behavior models. Additionally, various obstacles in the preparation of packing film or coating added with biotics are identified and described. The health benefits of prebiotics-, probiotics-, or synbiotics-containing edible film or coating are also discussed. Future works needed to excel in the preparation and potential of packaging film or coatings with biotics are provided.

The development of prebiotics, probiotics, and synbiotics in food packaging is discussed in this study from the consumer’s point of view. With this review, it is hoped to be able to provide precise recommendations for the future development of food packaging that will promote the growth of the food business.
Critical Array of Society 5.0
Authors: Wu Siegfried Zhiqiang , Zhao Qian , Wu Yuwei , Yang Jingyi , Huang Xiaoyu
Published: September 2023

Since the Japanese government put forward the concept of Society 5.0 in January 2016, smart society has aroused extensive discussion in the international academic circle. However, this concept has been hardly discussed or cited in China. What is the root cause of this observation? Based on this question, this paper systematically reviews the existing literature on smart society both domestically and internationally. It provides a reverse critique of the misguided viewpoints supporting Society 5.0 from the perspectives of concept, motivation, elements, and goals. It also conducts a comprehensive analysis of the existing critical arguments against Society 5.0 in academia, considering theories, motivations, elements, and consequences, providing a forward critique. The paper further analyzes failed cases of smart society implementation, offering practical critique. By considering three perspectives, it identifies and categorizes the critical arguments against Society 5.0, forming three arrays of critique. Additionally, the paper addresses the fundamental reasons for the criticism of Society 5.0 in China and proposes an alternative vision: Civilization 5.0 as the ideal society of the future. Civilization 5.0 encompasses three transformative changes: eco-lization, intellectualization, and inclusiveness. In this new civilization, society needs to embrace ecological transformation, intellectualization, and multi-decision-making.
The importance of financial literacy: Evidence from Singapore
Authors: Sconti Alessia , Fernandez Dave
Published: September 2023

In this paper, we examine financial literacy in Singapore. Using data from the SKBI-GFLEC Sustainable Investment Survey, we find that approximately 40% of Singaporeans are financially literate. We also find that financial literacy is low among specific groups such as women, the less educated, and the unemployed. Moreover, we examine financial literacy across Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) literacy. We find that those with higher ESG knowledge are also more financially literate, showing that knowledge of these two different financial concepts is positively correlated. Finally, our results show that financial literacy can be linked to investment behavior which may affect financial well-being in the long run.
Two-degree-of-freedom flow-induced vibrations of a D-section prism
Authors: Chen Weilin , Alam Md. Mahbub , Li Yuzhu , Ji Chunning
Published: September 2023

This paper presents a comprehensive study of flow-induced vibrations of a D-section prism with various angles of attack

$\alpha$

(

$= 0^{\circ }\unicode{x2013}180^{\circ }$

) and reduced velocity

$U^*$

(= 2–20) via direct numerical simulations at a Reynolds number

${Re} = 100$

. The prism is allowed to vibrate in both streamwise and transverse directions. Based on the characteristics of vibration amplitudes and frequencies, the responses are classified into nine different regimes: typical VIV regime (

$\alpha = 0^{\circ }\unicode{x2013}30^{\circ }$

), hysteretic VIV regime (

$\alpha = 35^{\circ }\unicode{x2013}45^{\circ }$

), extended VIV regime (

$\alpha = 50^{\circ }\unicode{x2013}55^{\circ }$

), first transition response regime (

$\alpha = 60^{\circ }\unicode{x2013}65^{\circ }$

), dual galloping regime (

$\alpha = 70^{\circ }$

), combined VIV and galloping regime (

$\alpha = 75^{\circ }\unicode{x2013}80^{\circ }$

), narrowed VIV regime (

$\alpha = 85^{\circ }\unicode{x2013}145^{\circ }$

), second transition response regime (

$\alpha = 150^{\circ }\unicode{x2013}160^{\circ }$

) and transverse-only galloping regime (

${\alpha = 165^{\circ }\unicode{x2013}180^{\circ }}$

). In the typical and narrowed VIV regimes, the vibration frequencies linearly increase with increasing

$U^*$

. In the hysteretic and extended VIV regimes, the vibration amplitudes are large in a wider range of

$U^*$

as a result of the closeness of the vortex shedding frequency to the natural frequency of the prism because of the shear layer reattachment and separation point movement. In the two galloping regimes, the transverse amplitude keeps increasing with

$U^*$

while the streamwise amplitude stays small or monotonically increases with increasing

$U^*$

. In the combined VIV and galloping regime, the vibration amplitude is relatively small in the VIV region while drastically increasing with increasing

$U^*$

in the galloping region. In the transition response regimes, the vibration frequencies are galloping-like but the divergent amplitude cannot persist at high

$U^*$

. Furthermore, a wake mode map in the examined parametric space is offered. Particular attention is paid to physical mechanisms for hysteresis, dual galloping and flow intermittency. Finally, we probe the dependence of the responses on Reynolds numbers, mass ratios and degrees of freedom, and analyse the roles of the shear layer reattachment and separation point movement in the appearance of multiple responses.
Response of wheat cultivars to zinc application for seed yield and quality improvement
Authors: Qamari P. , Shekari F. , Afsahi K. , Tavakoli A. , Samimifard R. , Shekari K. , Mastinu A.
Published: September 2023

Zinc deficiency is a common nutritional problem in calcareous agricultural soils, resulting in reduced crop yield and performance. The effects of zinc sulphate (0 and 40 kg/ha) on seed yield, its components and seed element contents of 21 wheat cultivars were investigated. Zinc sulphate application increased plant height, leaf area index (LAI), flag leaf area, biomass, spike length, number of seeds per spike, seed weight and harvest index (HI). The increase in HI indicates the greater effect of zinc on seed production compared to plant biomass. In most of the cultivars, zinc sulphate application decreased the content of phosphorus and nitrogen in seeds and increased the content of iron and potassium. The cultivars showed significant differences in all the traits measured, indicating the existence of genetic diversity in the cultivars studied. In the second year, which was hotter and drier than the first year, zinc sulphate application reduced the damage caused by drought and heat stress and improved seed yield and quality. The regression fit showed that newer cultivars had lower yields in unfertilized conditions compared to old cultivars and showed their superiority in zinc fertilized conditions. It seems that the newer varieties require more fertilizer because they have been bred on fertile soils.
A tale of a tyre: National space, infrastructure, and narration in S. H. Vatsyayan’s ‘Parśurām se tūrxam’
Authors: Goulding Gregory
Published: September 2023

The Second World War, although rarely an explicit topic in Hindi literature, was a crucial moment not only in articulating the politics of the nationalist movement, but in imagining new configurations of national and international space. This article considers a brief travelogue by the poet and novelist S. H. Vatsyayan ‘Agyeya’ that describes a journey from Assam to the borders of Afghanistan. Although purportedly a description of travel across a historical and mythic landscape of then-undivided India, Are yāyāvar rahegā yād? [Oh Wanderer, will you Remember?] unfolds in the final moments of the war effort in India in 1945. Agyeya, who, uniquely among major literary figures, joined the British Army despite being arrested for terrorism in the 1930s, was tasked with leading a convoy of jeeps from Parshuram, Assam, to Torkham, on what is today the border between Pakistan and Afghanistan. In fact, the majority of the route, through landscapes both of mythology and history as well as fuel depots and off-duty American soldiers, is narrated by the tyre of one of these jeeps. ‘Are Yayavar’ thus reveals a tense interrelationship between the unified, religio-historical space of India which the text presents the reader, and the world of international mobilization created by the war. Ultimately, Agyeya’s travelogue shows how Hindi writers engaged with the Second World War, and the ideas of space that it created, as ways of imagining the interrelations between national and international space in the first years of independence.
From fascism to famine: Complicity, conscience, and the narrative of ‘peasant passivity’ in Bengal, 1941–1945
Authors: Panda Ahona
Published: September 2023

Between 1941 and 1945, the Second World War changed the physical and moral geographies of Bengal, an important base for the British government. In 1943, a man-made famine resulted in the death of about four million peasants. The Bengal Famine has been the subject of intense scrutiny in terms of establishing the moral culpability of the colonial government and its provincial collaborators. This article revisits the wartime period and the famine as a moment of historical and social transformation. By examining the Anti-Fascist Writers’ and Artists’ Association’s engagement with fascism, I argue that a new form of Bengali subjectivity emerged, one that recognized itself as part of a global collective, premised on its being forced to participate in the Second World War. I explore how this predicament led to reflection on the intellectual legacies of colonialism, including the promises of Enlightenment and the fraught universality of literature itself. By analysing selected works, I show how the Bengal Famine represented a moment of moral collapse that implicated both the imperial centres of power and the local colonial bourgeois class. A left-leaning intelligentsia had to struggle to find a language through which to express the inexpressible realities, local and global, of this genocide. What emerged was a tortured literature of complicity and conscience that decentred the peasantry. I argue that the historiographical problem of ‘peasant passivity’ is intrinsically tied to the literary and cultural production of the time, which made the peasant a symbol of social disintegration and moral transformation for the bourgeois middle class.
Torn between the nation and the world: D. F. Karaka and Indian journalism in the Second World War
Authors: Geva Rotem
Published: September 2023

Focusing on wartime journalism and nonfiction, this article analyses how nationalist Indians made sense of the war’s political and moral causes and goals, and how such understandings shaped the war’s longer historical resonance in India. The article centres on the wartime publications of the writer and journalist Dosabhai Framji Karaka, juxtaposing them with those of his colleagues in the nationalist newspaper, the Bombay Chronicle. Tracing the unfolding of the war through Karaka’s eyes, the article delineates the acute dilemma that the Second World War posed for nationalist Indians, between the struggle for liberation from colonial rule and the global struggle against fascism. It suggests that contemporaries perceived this dilemma as a choice between nationalism and internationalism. The war dealt a severe blow to the more fluid and capacious political imagination of interwar leftist internationalism, espoused by Jawaharlal Nehru and his followers. While substantial scholarly attention has been paid to the interwar period, this article puts a spotlight on the war, especially the pivotal year of 1942, as a distinct period that should be understood on its own historical terms—terms specific to war, with the urgency that arose from horrendous violence, unpredictable outcomes of battles on multiple fronts, and existential threats to nations and the global order. Such unprecedented pressures and constraints bifurcated the range of possibilities and forced historical actors to make difficult choices. The article shows how, during 1942, Karaka’s position parted ways with that of his peers, who more steadfastly represented the Congress stance.
A systematic survey of the online trade in elephant ivory in Singapore before and after a domestic trade ban
Authors: Yeo Hazelina H.T. , Ng Sean J.W. , Lee Janelle S.R. , Soh Malcolm C.K. , Wong Anna M.S. , Loo Adrian H.B. , Er Kenneth B.H.
Published: September 2023

The illegal online trade in wildlife has increased significantly over the last 2 decades. Applying a systematic survey approach, we examined the online trade in elephant ivory before and after the implementation of a domestic trade ban in Singapore, to understand the forms of elephant ivory offered for sale, the e-commerce sites used and the effect of the domestic trade ban. Using elephant ivory and lookalikes in form, shape and colour as proxies for elephant ivory, we found that most of the online listings consisted of bird cages and related accessories such as bird feeding cups and ornaments used to adorn them. After the domestic trade ban in elephant ivory was implemented on 1 September 2021, a 76% drop in total listings was observed. Causal impact analysis indicated a strong causal effect of the domestic trade ban, resulting in an 83% drop in the mean number of new listings found weekly relative to the predicted counterfactual market response based on a Bayesian structural time-series model in the absence of the ban. E-commerce sites play an important role in combatting illegal wildlife trade online by removing flagged listings and sending notifications to raise awareness of the ban. We found textual descriptions of products to be more effective for preliminary differentiation of legal and potentially illegal listings compared to the detection of Schreger lines in images, although this remains a significant challenge for law enforcement. Our findings can inform future efforts to develop automated detection methods for elephant ivory in online markets.
Expectations and perspectives of cognitive behavioural therapy for childhood anxiety and related disorders
Authors: Henderson Rebecca R. , Nielsen Alyssa M. , Fernandez Aqueena M. P. , Downing Seth T. , McCarty Ryan J. , Strekalova Yulia A. , Cobite-Njoh Journa , Mirhosseini Tannaz , Guzick Andrew G. , McNamara Joseph P. H. , Mathews Carol A.
Published: September 2023

Background:

Anxiety disorders are the most frequently diagnosed psychiatric conditions in children and adolescents. Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is a well-established and effective treatment for anxiety and related disorders across the lifespan. Expectations of psychotherapy have been demonstrated to affect outcomes, yet there is sparse existing literature on adolescent patient and parent perspectives of CBT prior to engagement with treatment.

Aims:

This study aimed to qualitatively explore the expectations and perceptions of CBT for anxiety and related disorders among adolescent patients and parents.

Method:

Fourteen adolescent patients and 16 parents participated in semi-structured individual interviews or focus groups consisting of 2–3 participants. Interview transcripts were analysed using inductive analysis.

Results:

Three themes were identified: worries about CBT, expectations and knowledge of the CBT process, and the role of parents and families. Overall, we found that adolescents and parents had generally positive views of CBT. The outset of CBT saw adolescents and parents express concern about stigma as well as the ambiguity of CBT. Parents continued to express a lack of understanding of what CBT entailed during their child’s treatment course.

Conclusion:

These results suggest that both adolescents and parents would benefit from early discussion and reinforcement of expectations for CBT treatment. Further research efforts are warranted and should be directed towards determining appropriate expectations for parental involvement in a child’s CBT course and effective communication of treatment expectations to both adolescents and parents.
‘Nurses are seen as general cargo, not the smart TVs you ship carefully’: the politics of nurse staffing in England, Spain, Sweden, and the Netherlands
Authors: Wallenburg Iris , Friebel Rocco , Winblad Ulrika , Maynou Pujolras Laia , Bal Roland
Published: September 2023

Nurse workforce shortages put healthcare systems under pressure, moving the nursing profession into the core of healthcare policymaking. In this paper, we shift the focus from workforce policy to workforce politics and highlight the political role of nurses in healthcare systems in England, Spain, Sweden, and the Netherlands. Using a comparative discursive institutionalist approach, we study how nurses are organised and represented in these four countries. We show how nurse politics plays out at the levels of representation, working conditions, career building, and by breaking with the public healthcare system. Although there are differences between the countries – with nurses in England and Spain under more pressure than in the Netherlands and Sweden – nurses are often not represented in policy discourses; not just because of institutional ignorance but also because of fragmentation of the profession itself. This institutional ignorance and lack of collective representation, we argue, requires attention to foster the role and position of nurses in contemporary healthcare systems.
Weg mit den Sprachbarrieren
Authors: Wirth Marie-Christin , Holzberger Marie-Luise , Fußer Fabian , Frisch Stefan
Published: September 2023

Was ist zu diesem Thema bereits bekannt?

Der steigende Anteil von Migrant_innen in der (geronto-)psychiatrischen Versorgung verdeutlicht die Notwendigkeit einer kultursensiblen Pflege trotz Sprachbarrieren.

Wie wird eine neue Perspektive eingebracht?

Es wurden anhand der Aktivitäten des täglichen Lebens (ATL) frei verfügbare Bildkarten in acht Sprachen entwickelt, um die alltägliche Kommunikation in der Pflege zu verbessern.

Was sind die Auswirkungen für die Praxis?

Das Kartenmaterial wird per Download zur freien Verfügung gestellt, um die interkulturelle Kommunikation in der (geronto-)psychiatrischen Pflege zu verbessern und damit die psychische Belastung für Patient_innen wie Pflegefachpersonen zu senken.
Arctic Plant Responses to Summer Climates and Flooding Events: A Study of Carbon and Nitrogen‐Related Larch Growth and Ecosystem Parameters in Northeastern Siberia
Authors: Liang Maochang , Sugimoto Atsuko , Tei Shunsuke , Takano Shinya , Morozumi Tomoki , Shingubara Ryo , Murase Jun , Maximov Trofim C.
Published: September 2023

Built upon a 5‐year field investigation and a 13‐year satellite data set, this study examines the intricate interrelationships among ecophysiological parameters of Larix gmelinii trees and the prevailing ecosystem, climatic, and environmental factors present in the Indigirka lowlands of northeastern Siberia. It identified spatial‐temporal patterns in July needle nitrogen (N) content as an indicator of N availability from 2009 to 2013. Needle N content (%) revealed distinct yearly values: 2012 (1.31 ± 0.24), 2013 (1.67 ± 0.39), 2009 (1.72 ± 0.15), 2011 (1.84 ± 0.34), and 2010 (2.08 ± 0.25). Positive correlations were found between ecosystem and larch parameters, as well as between September temperature or February/May precipitation and subsequent July ecosystem productivity. Soil moisture (SM) primarily influences N availability across sites, with higher SM levels reducing N availability. However, July air temperature (AT) is the primary driver of interannual N availability changes, with higher temperatures enhancing N availability. Larch photosynthesis is mainly influenced by solar radiation (SR), temperature, N availability, and SM. Annual fluctuations in SR positively impact larch photosynthesis, while high temperatures or wetting events impose limitations on photosynthesis, even if N availability has increased. Consequently, a moderate correlation exists between N availability and photosynthesis across various sites and years (r = 0.422, P = 0.133, n = 14). In summary, this research provides valuable insights into climatic and environmental impacts on larch trees and ecosystems, emphasizing the significance of SM, AT, and SR for predicting future growth patterns of larch.
Three‐Dimensional Modeling of the Ground Electric Field in Fennoscandia During the Halloween Geomagnetic Storm
Authors: Marshalko Elena , Kruglyakov Mikhail , Kuvshinov Alexey , Viljanen Ari
Published: September 2023

In this study, we perform three‐dimensional (3‐D) ground electric field (GEF) modeling in Fennoscandia for three days of the Halloween geomagnetic storm (29–31 October 2003) using magnetic field data from the International Monitor for Auroral Geomagnetic Effects (IMAGE) magnetometer network and a 3‐D conductivity model of the region. To explore the influence of the inducing source model on 3‐D GEF simulations, we consider three different approaches to source approximation. Within the first two approaches, the source varies laterally, whereas in the third method, the GEF is calculated by implementing the time‐domain realization of the magnetotelluric intersite impedance method. We then compare GEF‐based geomagnetically induced current (GIC) with observations at the Mäntsälä natural gas pipeline recording point. We conclude that a high correlation between modeled and recorded GIC is observed for all considered approaches. The highest correlation is achieved when performing a 3‐D GEF simulation using a “conductivity‐based” laterally nonuniform inducing source. Our results also highlight the strong dependence of the GEF on the earth's conductivity distribution.
Comparing Field, Probabilistic, and 2D Numerical Approaches to Assess Gravel Mobility in a Gravel‐Bed River
Authors: Arnaud F. , Paquier A. , Vázquez‐Tarrío D. , Camenen B. , Le Coz J. , Michel K. , Naudet G. , Pella H. , Piégay H.
Published: September 2023

Sediment transport is a key process that affects the morphology and ecological habitat diversity of rivers. As part of a gravel augmentation program to mitigate sediment deficit below a dam, gravel mobility in the Ain River in Eastern France was investigated by tracking of a large amount (n = 1,063) of PIT‐tagged gravels in the field, conducting a probabilistic approach based on published tracer studies, and performing two‐dimensional (2D) numerical modeling of flow and bedload transport. This comparative study highlights the strengths, weaknesses, and complementary aspects of the three approaches to the understanding of river gravel mobility. Thanks to recent technological improvements, PIT‐tagged gravels provide an increasingly reliable and accurate representation of bedload movement in the field, although it remains limited in spatio‐temporal resolution. Based on an exponential distribution, the probabilistic approach correctly reproduces the average trend in travel distances by the different classes of particles over hydrological periods, including one or several significant floods. Furthermore, the 2D numerical modeling accounts for the variability of local hydrodynamic conditions and can simulate realistic displacement distributions for the different classes of particles with high spatio‐temporal resolution. Numerical modeling is a very encouraging approach, which makes our study original because it is the first time that the estimation of mean travel distances, the application of an exponential distribution, and the comparison with a hydrodynamic model are combined. A more effective modeling strategy involves incorporating a probabilistic transport model in the 2D numerical model to reproduce the observed scatter of the individual particle trajectories.
Joint Geophysical and Numerical Insights of the Coupled Thermal‐Hydro‐Mechanical Processes During Heating in Salt
Authors: Wang Jiannan , Uhlemann Sebastian , Otto Shawn , Dozier Brian , Kuhlman Kristopher L. , Wu Yuxin
Published: September 2023

Salt offers an optimal medium for the permanent isolation of heat‐producing radioactive waste due to its impermeability, high thermal conductivity, and ability to close fractures through creep. A thorough understanding of the thermal‐hydrological‐mechanical (THM) processes, encompassing brine migration, is fundamental for secure radioactive waste disposal within salt formations. At the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP), we conducted joint in situ geophysical monitoring experiments during active heating to investigate brine migration near excavations. This experiment incorporated electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) alongside high‐resolution fiber‐optic‐based distributed temperature sensing within a controlled heating experiment. Additionally, discrete element model (DEM) based numerical simulations were conducted to simulate THM processes during heating, providing a more mechanistic understanding of the coupled processes leading to the observed changes in geophysical measurements. During heating, resistivity shifts near the heater were reasonably explained by temperature effects. However, in more distant, cooler regions, the resistivity decrease exceeded predictions based solely on temperature. DEM simulations highlighted brine migration, propelled by pore pressure gradients, as the likely primary factor contributing to the additional resistivity decline beyond temperature effects. The comparison between the predicted ERT responses and observations was much improved when considering the effects of brine migration based on the DEM simulations. These geophysical and simulation findings shed light on brine migration in response to salt heating, enhancing our understanding of the coupled THM processes in salt for safe radioactive waste disposal.