bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Application of 68Ga-Somatostatin Analog and 18F-FDG PET/CT for Bone Metastasis from Neuroendocrine Tumors
Authors: Bai Liyan , Xu Junyan , Xu Xiaoping , Zhang Jianping , Liu Xiaosheng , Hu Silong , Chen Jie , Song Shaoli
Published: June 2024

Introduction: Aims of the study were to assess the differences in the diagnostic efficacy of 68Ga-somatostatin receptor analogs (68Ga-SSAs) and 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) for detecting bone metastases in neuroendocrine neoplasm (NEN) and to analyze the correlation between imaging features and clinical features of BMs. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the clinical and imaging data of 213 NEN patients who underwent 68Ga-SSA PET/CT and were finally diagnosed as BMs by pathology or follow-up. Of those, 103 patients underwent 18F-FDG PET/CT within 7 days after 68Ga-SSA PET/CT. Result: The BM detection rate of 68Ga-SSA PET/CT was higher than 18F-FDG PET/CT (86.4% vs. 66.0%, p = 0.02) in 103 patients with dual scanning. Meanwhile, the number of positive lesions in 68Ga-SSA PET/CT was significantly more than in 18F-FDG PET/CT (3.37 ± 1.95 vs. 2.23 ± 2.16, t = 4.137, p < 0.001). Most bone metastasis lesions presented as osteogenic change in CT (55.4%, 118/213). Concerning the primary tumor, the most frequent were of pancreatic origin (26.3%, 56/213), followed by rectal origin (22.5%, 48/213), thymic origin in 33 cases (15.5%), pulmonary origin in 29 cases (13.6%), paraganglioma in 20 cases (9.4%). The efficiency of 68Ga-SSA PET/CT to detect BMs was significantly correlated with the primary site (p = 0.02), with thymic carcinoid BMs being the most difficult to detect, and the positive rate was only 60.6% (20/33). However, 18F-FDG PET/CT positive rate was 76.92% (10/13) in thymic carcinoid BMs. In addition, the BMs of 7 patients in this study were detected by 68Ga-SSA PET earlier than CT for 4.57 months (range: 2–10 months). Conclusion: 68Ga-SSA PET/CT has higher sensitivity for detecting the BMs of NEN than 18F-FDG and detects the BM earlier than CT. Moreover, 18F-FDG PET/CT should be a complement for diagnosing the BMs of thymic carcinoids.
Identification of Early Events in Serrated Pathway Colorectal Tumorigenesis by Using Digital Spatial Profiling
Authors: Su Min-Cheng , Hsu Ching-Hsiang , Chen Ko-Chen , Lin Jun-Ru , Li Huei-Ying , Fang Yi-Ting , Huang Ruby Yun-Ju , Jeng Yung-Ming
Published: June 2024

Introduction: The colorectal serrated pathway involves precursor lesions known as sessile serrated lesions (SSL) and traditional serrated adenomas (TSA). Mutations in BRAF or KRAS are crucial early events in this pathway. Additional genetic and epigenetic changes contribute to the progression of these lesions into high-grade lesions and, eventually, invasive carcinoma. Methods: We employed digital spatial profiling to investigate the transcriptional changes associated with SSL and TSA. The genes identified are confirmed by immunohistochemical (IHC) staining. Colorectal cancer (CRC) cell lines with CEACAM6 overexpression and knockdown were established to study the roles of CEACAM6 on tumorigenesis of CRC. Results: Ten genes were upregulated in SSL and TSA, and seven were upregulated in both types of lesions. IHC staining confirmed overexpression of CEACAM6, LCN2, KRT19, and lysozyme in SSL and TSA. CEACAM6 expression is an early event in the serrated pathway but a late event in the conventional pathway. Using cell line models, we confirmed that CEACAM6 promotes CRC cells’ proliferation, migration, and invasion abilities. Conclusion: These results highlight that the transcriptional changes in the early stages of tumorigenesis exhibit relative uniformity. Identifying these early events may hold significant promise in elucidating the mechanisms behind tumor initiation.
Komunikasi Pemasaran Terintegrasi
Authors: Susilowati Susilowati
Published: June 2024

Dunia pemasaran yang terus berkembang seiring dengan perkembangan teknologi menuntut agar seorang marketing mampu beradaptasi dengan cepat ketika memasarkan produk-produknya. Komunikasi pemasaran terintegrasi merupakan jawaban yang tepat sehingga seorang marketing dapat bersaing seiring dengan beberapa tren terbaru dalam industri pemasaran seperti Content Marketing, Digital Experience, Penggunaan Artificial Intelligence (AI) dan machine learning, Influencer Marketing, Email Marketing, Livestream Shopping, dan User-generated content. Seorang marketing juga dituntut untuk lebih bijaksana, berhati-hati dalam mempertimbangkan kekurangan dan implikasi etis yang mungkin timbul saat mempergunakan alat bantu seperti Artificial Intelligence (AI). Buku ini membahas secara detail mengenai Komunikasi, Bentuk dasar komunikasi, Proses komunikasi, Komunikasi internal, Komunikasi eksternal, Pemasaran, Komunikasi pemasaran terintegrasi, Model komunikasi pemasaran terintegrasi, Manajemen pemasaran, Segmentasi, Strategi pemasaran, Manajemen penjualan, Pengambilan keputusan dalam pemasaran, dan Pengembangan produk baru. Pada setiap pokok bahasan diberikan contoh studi kasus yang mengilustrasikan konsep-konsep dalam buku ini, hal ini akan membantu pembaca untuk mengaitkan teori dengan praktik di lapangan.
Mosaik Kebangsaan: Membangun Integritas Politik
Authors: Kuswandoro Wawan Edi
Published: June 2024

Mosaik Kebangsaan memetaforakan keberagaman, tak hanya dalam kategori klasik dengan ekspresi fisikal seperti etnisitas, agama, kedaerahan, dsb., tetapi juga kategori modern dan post-modern, yang memuat keberagaman kepentingan, ideologi, dan tebar kuasa yang tersembunyi di balik narasi ruang publik. Ia muncul dalam narasi pelabelan identitas sosial hingga politisasi politik identitas. Narasi ini makin cepat berbiak dalam asuhan post-truth di ruang publik digital dan bergerak lebih cepat dari juggernaut dalam dinamika politik. Fenomena konfliktual perebutan kuasa berbasis diskursus mengoyak mosaik kebangsaan kita. Perekatan mosaik kebangsaan adalah agenda mendesak bangsa ini: Integritas Politik. Membangun integritas politik adalah proses dialektika yang melintas batas aneka diskursus multiaktor pada arena diskursif (discursive field) lansekap sosial. Kompleksitas-multi ini memerlukan pendekatan yang kompatibel dalam pembacaan fenomena. Memperkenalkan Institusionalisme Diskursif, buku ini menawarkan “diskursus kebangsaan” yang diangkat sebagai “diskursus pemersatu” yakni sebuah Pandangan Garuda. Ia menawarkan perspektif kebangsaan dalam cerminan filosofi batik untuk mengelola mosaik perbedaan, kepentingan, kekuasaan, dan konflik. Sandaran Filsafat Politik membuka ruang-hidup bagi Etika Politik untuk menghadirkan Politik Identitas Nasional dalam tafsir progresif melalui kuasa bahasa. Kuasa bahasa akan menjadi pengarah bagi penataan mosaik kebangsaan dan desain integritas politik. Transformasi sosial berbasis diskursus ini membuka ruang bagi aktor negara maupun nonnegara.
Penerjemahan Teks-Teks Business Matching, Aktivitas Manufaktur, dan Prosedur: Dilengkapi dengan Konteks Percakapan dan Penjelasan Budaya
Authors: Purba Esther Risma , Andayani Santi
Published: June 2024

Anda ingin berkecimpung di dunia bisnis sebagai penerjemah? Anda ingin bekerja sebagai penerjemah di perusahaan di bidang manufaktur? Anda ingin mengetahui seperti apa situasi percakapan bisnis dan juga manufaktur? Anda sudah menguasai bahasa asing, tetapi di dalam praktiknya penguasaan ragam bahasa formal dan sopan menyulitkan Anda? Anda sudah menguasai bahasa asing, tetapi diberitahu bahwa dalam praktiknya ungkapan itu memiliki makna berbeda di dalam konteks yang Anda hadapi? Anda ingin dapat menerjemahkan prosedur-prosedur untuk warga Indonesia yang tinggal di Jepang yang akan berguna sebagai panduan untuk memahami tata tertib atau aturan dalam kehidupan sehari-hari? Buku ini menjadi panduan praktis bagi Anda yang mempersiapkan diri bekerja di dalam bidang bisnis dan manufaktur sebagai penerjemah lisan dalam bahasa Jepang dan juga penerjemah tulisan untuk teks-teks prosedur yang ditulis dalam bahasa Jepang. Buku ini dilengkapi dengan penjelasan metode dan strategi menerjemahkan yang digunakan dalam menerjemahkan teks-teks di dalam bidang business matching, industri manufaktur, dan prosedur. Selain itu, buku ini juga membantu penerjemah untuk memahami aspek sosial dan budaya di mana bahasa Jepang digunakan. Seorang penerjemah tidak cukup hanya menguasai aspek kebahasaan, tetapi ia juga harus memahami aspek di luar bahasa, yakni sosial, budaya, bahkan politik. Perkembangan teknologi telah memudahkan kita untuk memahami teks asing dengan diciptakannya kamus digital. Akan tetapi, tidak jarang kamus digital tidak cukup membantu karena padanan kata yang ditemukan dirasa tidak tepat dan tidak sepadan di dalam konteks yang kita hadapi. Penerjemah tidak jarang menyadari, jika diterjemahkan maka akan menimbulkan permasalahan dan dapat mengganggu kelancaran interaksi dan komunikasi. Bagaimana posisi saya sebagai penerjemah dalam memutuskan bagaimana saya menerjemahkan? Buku ini akan membantu Anda untuk memahami situasi tersebut.
Pandemia, corpo, virtualidades: reflexões psicanalíticas
Authors: Moreira Jacqueline de Oliveira , Rodrigues Bianca Ferreira , Pereira Marcelo Ricardo
Published: June 2024

A sociedade sofre os impactos da experiência pandêmica que deixa seus rastros nos objetos, nas superfícies e nos corpos. O objetivo deste trabalho é o de tecer reflexões especulativas acerca do momento atual de pandemia do novo coronavírus e a necessidade de se manter o distanciamento social, com medidas mais ou menos rígidas de quarentena. Para tanto, teremos como chaves de leitura principais a saída para o mundo virtual, quando o mundo real se encontra interditado, e a dimensão corporal, afetada pela possibilidade do contágio e pelo isolamento. Nossa intenção não é esgotar o assunto, ou apresentar respostas, mas construir um olhar para o atual cenário de pandemia que traga a potência psicanalítica de singularizar o sujeito sem abrir mão de seu contexto sócio-histórico.
The Emerging Field of Cardioimmunology: Past, Present and Foreseeable Future
Authors: Mann Douglas L.
Published: June 2024

Over the past 30 years, the field of cardioimmunology has moved from being dismissed as a field that was chasing an epiphenomenon of little biological consequence to a scientific discipline that is providing important new insights into the immunologic basis for hypertension, atherosclerosis, myocarditis, pericarditis, autoimmune heart disease, and heart failure. In this article, we will review the conceptual insights and technical breakthroughs that have allowed the field to move forward, as well as the clinical trials in the cardioimmunology space, to provide a historical context for the articles that will appear in the compendium that is focused on the interface between cardioimmunology, myocardial function, and disease.
Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Its Cardiac Implications in the United States: An Age‐Stratified Analysis Between Young and Older Adults
Authors: Strenth Chance , Wani Anna , Alla Rupini , Khan Safia , Schneider Frank David , Thakur Bhaskar
Published: June 2024

Background

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a common sleep disorder associated with cardiovascular risks. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of probable OSA and its relationship with cardiovascular risks and diseases focusing on age‐stratified young adults (20–40 years) and older (>40 years).

Methods and Results

The study used a cross‐sectional design, analyzing data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey conducted between 2013 and 2018, comprising 9887 community‐dwelling adults aged ≥20 years. Probable OSA was determined on the basis of self‐report of OSA‐related symptoms (eg, snoring, gasping/breath cessation while sleeping). Cardiovascular risk factors, including hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, and metabolic syndrome, were evaluated according to established guidelines. Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) included self‐reported heart conditions, including congestive heart failure, coronary heart disease, angina, heart attacks, and strokes. Individuals with probable OSA showed a significantly higher prevalence of health conditions, including hypertension (adjusted prevalence ratio [aPR], 1.19;
P
<0.001), diabetes (aPR, 1.17;
P
: 0.01), metabolic syndrome (aPR, 1.14;
P
<0.001), heart attack (aPR, 1.63;
P
<0.01), stroke (aPR, 1.41;
P
: 0.03), and any CVD event (aPR, 1.36;
P
: 0.01) after adjusting for relevant factors. Young adults with probable OSA showed higher prevalence rates of any CVD events (aPR, 3.44;
P
<0.001), hypertension (aPR, 1.45;
P
<0.001), metabolic syndrome (aPR, 1.25;
P
<0.001), and angina (aPR, 10.39;
P
<0.001).

Conclusions

The study suggests early identification and management of OSA in individuals at risk for CVD. While cross‐sectional, it emphasizes that health care providers should recognize OSA as significantly associated with CVDs and its precursor risks in young adults, stressing proactive care and screening to reduce CVD risk in this population.
Frictions and Logics of ‘Good State’ Support to International Criminal Justice: The Case of Norway
Authors: Lohne Kjersti
Published: June 2024

Despite the significance of state support to international criminal justice institutions, we lack systematic knowledge about what animates states’ foreign policy on international criminal justice, as well as how international criminal justice impacts domestic societies. This article analyses a subset of findings regarding Norway from the EU cost Action (ca18228) survey on States’ encounters with international criminal justice. While Norway’s positioning in the ‘global atrocity justice constellation’ is driven by strategic foreign policy aims to protect and strengthen the liberal international order, the paper reveals how the ‘State’ in international criminal justice is far from a homogenous, unitary entity, but rather is composed of conflicting and incongruent logics of governance impacting its support to international criminal justice.
Staring Down the Barrel: The Deployment of the Harquebus by the Hōjō of Odawara, 1530–1590
Authors: Turnbull Stephen
Published: June 2024

According to a popular theory, the Hōjō family of Odawara were hopelessly old-fashioned in their approach to firearms technology compared to their contemporaries in sixteenth century Japan. The third daimyo Hōjō Ujiyasu (1515–1571) has been singled out for particular criticism because he allegedly preferred to train his samurai by making them chase dogs, and as a result the Hōjō found themselves “staring down the barrel” when Toyotomi Hideyoshi advanced upon them in 1590. This article argues that this negative impression derives from a well-established Hōjō principle of frugality that was exaggerated by later accounts in gunkimono (“war tales”), whose authors did not see firearms as suitable material for their heroic narratives. By contrast, more reliable primary sources—letters, written orders, troop muster lists and garrison inventories—demonstrate that the Hōjō were no laggards in the development and deployment of firearms. Instead an investigation of the Hōjō’s embrace of the harquebus provides an excellent historical and technological case study. The finer details of their experience—as revealed by archaeological investigation and a unique eyewitness account of the effects of gunfire from a Hōjō fortress—also provide unique insights into the complex processes that were involved. Their defeat in 1590 was not due to being old-fashioned but to the application of military force on an overwhelming scale that none could have resisted.
Test Maturity Model integration (TMMi): Test Maturity in the Financial Domain
Authors: Veenendaal Erik
Published: June 2024

Software quality is of utmost importance to the financial sector. Software testing plays a critical role in achieving software product quality. Financial institutions benefit from rigorous testing by having confidence in the reliability and performance of the software. This can lead to improved customer experience, increased operational efficiency, and reduced risks of system failures or security breaches. A questionnaire-based survey was designed and subsequently an international survey was conducted involving sixty financial institutions, e.g., banking, insurance companies and pension funds, from across the globe to understand their level of test maturity. As a reference framework against which to measure their test maturity, the Test Maturity Model integration (TMMi) was used. In this paper their motivations for doing test process improvement and the benefits they achieved are discussed. Concrete examples of the benefits achieved are provided. The role of test automation with test process improvement at the financial institutions is also reported upon in this paper. The most common level of test maturity achieved, measured against the TMMi, is TMMi level 3 “Defined” which represents a more than average level of test maturity. Benefits are reported by the financial institutions, especially in the areas of software quality and testing productivity. The benefits achieved show a high level of correlation with the motivations for investing in test process improvement. Almost all of financial institutions also use test automation to improve their testing in parallel with process improvement, with test automation at system level being by far the most popular.
Infrared–Resin Crack Measurement and Preventive Work Technology for Maintenance
Authors: Shimoi Nobuhiro , Yamauchi Yu , Nakasho Kazuhisa
Published: June 2024

The use of thermography as a nondestructive evaluation technique is increasingly popular for maintaining concrete structures. Most inspections merely evaluate the locations and shapes of defects on surfaces. To address this shortcoming, it proposes an inspection method and preventive work using a coating-type resin sensor combined with an infrared camera. No method has been developed to assess the depth of defects. In this approach, infrared-reactive resin is applied. Thermographic images of the target area are captured sequentially. Temperature curves obtained at each pixel during the cooling process are analyzed using Fourier transform to differentiate defect states in various parts of the temperature distribution. The temperature change is found to be correlated with the defect size. Approximately 5% aluminum powder is mixed into the applied gel resin. Because of its specific gravity, it tends to concentrate in areas damaged by compression failure or to float. This report discusses technologies related to identification of defects and measuring their size in infrared-reactive resin, with examination of the effectiveness of measures to prevent scattering and collapse of defects caused by structural degradation. A concentric loading test on reinforced concrete columns confined by gel resin ties is described herein. Test variables include concrete compressive strength of 232–244 N/mm2, both below and above the equipment hole that caused the defect, and to measure the relation, a comparison with test specimens that are free of defects.
Effects of Food Crops Commercialization on Smallholders’ Food Security in Southern Tanzania
Authors: Mpehongwa Gasper , Cassian Devota
Published: June 2024

Commercialization of smallholders farming is fronted as a panacea for both rural poverty and food insecurity. Through the use various policies and strategies such as the National Trade Policy (2003); National Strategy for Growth and Reduction of Poverty (2010); Agricultural Marketing Policy (2008); National Agriculture Policy (2013); and the National Five-Year Development Plan (2021/22 to 2025/26, the government of Tanzania have consistently promoted commercialization of agriculture. This has led to increasing commercialization of food crops for over two decades now. However, emerging evidences show that commercialization of foods crops has negative effect on smallholder’s food security. This paper assessed circumstances under which commercialization of food crops could lead to household food insecurity among smallholders. Purposive sampling was used to obtain 120 households from a highly food crop commercialized district of Iringa in Southern Tanzania. Results shows that three scenarios could lead to food insecurity among smallholders namely; low productivity of commercialized food crops, shifting away from traditional food crops such as cassava, wheat and sorghum, sweet and round potatoes that used to enhance food security, and specialization which exposes smallholders to shocks and uncertainties. It recommends that commercialization of food crops should go hand in hand with enhanced productivity and diversification.
Effects of Performance Appraisal Quality on Employee Performance in Homa Construction PLC Company Addis Ababa City Administration, Ethiopia
Authors: Aman Awol
Published: June 2024

The objective of this study was to examine Effects of Performance Appraisal Quality on Employee Performance in Homa Construction PLC Company, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The study was used descriptive and which incorporated both qualitative and quantitative research approaches. The researcher was employed Stratified Random Sampling Technique techniques to distribute the questionnaire to the respondents. Data was collected by using both closed and open ended self-administered questionnaires and a total of two hundred (200) questionnaires were returned. The results were analyzed and interpreted using SPSS software version 20. The scores are interpreted quantitatively and open-ended suggestions are interpreted qualitatively. The research finding of Correlation analysis was indicated there is positive, strong and significant relationships were existed between (Performance Appraisal Quality and Feedback, Feedback and Employee Performance, and Performance Appraisal Quality and Employee Performance) at r =.896, p < 0.01, r =.851 p < 0.01, and r =.799 p < 0.01 respectively. Linear regression analysis also indicated that at 72.8% variance in Employee Performance can be predicted from the combination of all Performance Appraisal Quality and its Feedback Dimensions. The result also shows that at F=267.047, p<0.05 statistically significant. This indicates that combination of the predictors significantly combined together to predict Employee Performance. In meantime the result from the analysis of an independent-sample t-test was approved that most variables of performance appraisal quality were significantly differentiated in score variance for males and females while the finding result of ANOVA analysis explores there was no a statistically significant difference at the p>.05 level in mean scores between groups in Performance Appraisal Quality [F (1, 198) = 1.189, p=.277]. However, there was statistically significant difference at the p>.05 level in mean scores between groups for both Feedback and Employee Performance based on the Age of Respondents. Furthermore, as the result of finding obtained from descriptive statistical analysis Employee Performance was stated low in all attributes. This also proved for unsatisfactory practice of performance appraisals and its feedback that had seen in most Company projects. Finally, the researcher believes that this paper was not exhaustive that could provide all lists of topic researched. However, it gives a bird-eye view on topic and it is open for further discussion and/or critics.
Impact of Changes in Fuel Prices on Inflation and Economic Growth in Mozambique
Authors: Macia Sandre , Macuacua Júlio , Vilanculos Alfeu , Mahaluça Filipe
Published: June 2024

The fuel oil is a basic input to production, so an increase in oil price leads to a rise in production costs that induces firms to lower output. In parallel, oil prices change also effects, indirectly, the consumption, through its positive relation with disposable income. However, despite the relevance of the variation in fuel prices in economy, there are no recent study conducted to analyse the impact of changes in fuel prices on GDP and CPI in Mozambique. This study aims to contribute to filling the information gap by providing the quantification of the impact of fuel prices on GDP and CPI. So, the study aim to determine the impact of changes in FUEL prices on Inflation (Consumer Price Index – CPI) and Economic Growth (Gross Domestic Product – GDP), using quarter data from 2007 to 2020. Descriptive statistics, Unit Root Test, Johansen Cointegration Test and Error Correction Model, Granger Causality Econometric Models, Impulse and Response Function and Variance Decomposition Analysis are used. The results indicate that in Mozambique there are a cointegrating long-run relationship between FUEL prices and CPI and GDP, which suggest that the impact of FUEL prices shocks to CPI and GDP in short-run and long-run path. Also, the results show that changes in GDP and FUEL prices lead to an increase in CPI by 3.0% and 1.3%, respectively, coeteris paribus. The previous quarter’s errors (or deviation from long-run equilibrium) are corrected for with the current quarter at a convergence speed of 3.5% to GDP, and 4.8% to CPI. Granger causality tests also indicate causality between CPI and GDP, and the changes in GDP causes changes in other variables.
Knowledge and Utilization of Digital Applications for Effective Service Delivery in Academic Libraries in South-South Universities, Nigeria
Authors: Owate Comfort
Published: June 2024

This study investigated knowledge and utilization of digital applications for effective service delivery in academic libraries in South-South universities, Nigeria. 3 research questions and 3 hypotheses were raised. The population included 181 selected Librarians in the twelve (12) selected universities in South-South, Nigeria as a case study. A sample size of 119 Librarians representing 66% of the population served as respondents. Convenience sampling technique was used for the study. A 25-item questionnaire was used for data collection. Cronbach alpha statistics was used to obtain 0.73 reliability. Mean/standard deviation were used for research questions and z-test statistics was used to test the hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. The result amongst others revealed that, Librarian in both federal and state universities are knowledgeable about Library Catalogue Apps, Library Card and Account Management Apps, Digital Preservation and Archives Apps and others. Meanwhile, Librarians in both federal and state universities poorly utilize Digital Citation Management Apps, Digital Library Card and Account Management Apps and Digital Preservation and Archives Apps. The analysis also shows that, Librarians do not utilize Digital Augmented and Virtual Reality Apps, Digital Library Events and Notifications Apps, Reading and E-Book Apps, Digital Study and Collaboration Apps and Quick Response (QR) Codes scanners. The challenges academic libraries face in promoting digital applications are inadequate skilled staff to operate digital libraries, difficulty in the enforcement of intellectual property rights, non-utilization of digital library Apps.
Numerical Approach to Appreciate the Interaction of Two Neighbouring Shallow Foundation on a Cohesive and Partially Cohesive Soil
Authors: Kuma Mbuh , Leonard Nsahlai , Bertrand Penka , Arnaud Kouamou , Elvis Agandeh , Abong Phonchu
Published: June 2024

The program (cast3m) produced for us tables of values of stresses, displacements, images characterising stresses, displacements and deformations with their corresponding graphs. The results were presented as part of this study. It has been found that: two shallow closed foundations seriously affect the soil between them regardless of the soil type. Then, when the foundation is at same level in the different soil type and stress values are extracted in the zone of the cohesive soil (soft clay). A horizontal separation to width of foundation ratio was 0.7 and an influence equation was 0.333 if values of stresses are extracted from the partially cohesive soil (sandy clay). As per the vertical variation of the foundation in the different soil type. Independent of the soil type and the depth variation, a vertical separation to width of foundation ratio of 0.333 was observed. As the cohesion increases, the soil becomes denser which account for the high limit compressive stress compared to inferior values of cohesion. Finally, it is seen as a result of this research that the type of soil has a great rule to play as far as the interaction between two foundations is concern. An interaction led to failure when the foundation had a vertical gap between it that did not meet the above equation.
Situation of Consumption of Seasoning Broths in Three Cities in Côte d'Ivoire: Abidjan, Bouaké and Daloa
Authors: Bamba Lassana , M’Boh Gervais , Séri Kipré , Bahi Gnogbo , Ekissi N’Gbesso , Bédou Kouassi , Beugré Grah , Djaman Allico
Published: June 2024

Introduction: Seasoning broths have become an indispensable ingredient of more than 80% of households. The objective of this study is to assess the consumption of seasoning broths in three cities of Côte d'Ivoire: Abidjan, Bouaké and Daloa. Methodology: Survey missions were carried out from 2nd June 2022 to 10th August 2022 in Abidjan, Bouaké and Daloa. Results: Tablet (Maggi), Soumara and shrimp (Maggi) broths were the most consumed with 36%, 18% and 17% of the surveyed households respectively. The most consumed broths are Crevette (Maggi) in Bouaké, Poulet (Maggi) in Daloa and Tablette (Maggi) in Abidjan. The long consumption periods were in Bouaké with Soumara (16.7 years), Poulet (Maggi) (16.5 years) and Tablette (Maggi) (16.3 years). The daily consumption frequencies were between 2 and 3. The recorded frequencies were between 1.12 and 2.13 in Abidjan, between 2.7 and 3 in Bouaké and, 2 and 2.05 in Daloa. Conclusion: The most consumed broths were Tablette (Maggi), Soumara and Crevette (Maggi), respectively. Bouaké recorded the longest consumption periods of 14 to 16.7 years. Daily consumption frequencies ranged from 2 to 3 broths/day. Investigations will be conducted for the enhancement of the traditional broth «Soumara» for its highly appreciated properties in food and traditional medicine.
Productive and Reproductive Roles of Women and Associated Factors on the Nutritional Status of Children in Kilindi District, Tanzania
Authors: Hillary Mtagulwa , Mbwana Hadijah
Published: June 2024

Background: The prevalence of stunting can be caused or lessened by the nature of women's productive and reproductive roles. The objective of this study was to examine the risk factors of child stunting based on the productive and reproductive roles of women among crop farmers and agro-pastoralists in Kilindi District. Methods: A cross-sectional survey of 209 crop farmers and 136 agro-pastoralist women with children aged 6–23 months was conducted. A structured questionnaire was used to gather information on household demographics; time allocated for reproductive roles, women's involvement in maize farming and sale of maize produce. Anthropometric measurements were taken to determine the nutritional status of children. The data was analyzed using IBM SPSS version 20. Risk factors of stunting were determined using multivariate logistic regressions. Chi-square was used to determine the relationship between women's involvement in maize farming and the sale of maize in households and stunting. Results: The results from crop farmers revealed that being a male had an increased possibility of stunting by 2.601 times compared to being female (OR = 2.601, 95% CI; 1.302, 5.196). Children aged 13-18 months (OR = 2.820, 95% CI; 1.295, 6.143) and 19-23 months (OR= 4.999, 95% CI; 1.829, 13.664) increased the likelihood of stunting by 2.820 and 4.999 times respectively compared to children aged 6-12 months. Mothers with no formal education augmented the chance of being stunted by 2.212 times compared to mothers with primary education (OR = 2.212, 95% CI; 1.019, 4.799). There is a decreasing probability of children being stunted as time spent on cooking between 21 and 30 hours per week among agro-pastoralist women. Crop farmer women who collected firewood between 11 and 15 hours per week had a 0.205 times lower risk of increasing stunting. Children's age, gender, and mother's level of education all increased the likelihood of stunting among crop farmers. Cooking time (21-30 hours per week) among agro-pastoralists and collection of firewood (11-15 hours per week) among crop farmers had a lower risk of increasing the likelihood of stunting. Nutritional interventions should address maternal education, proper child care, and feeding practices.
Energy Transfer Kinetics and Luminescence in Nd3+/Yb3+Co-Doped Lead-Borate Glasses at 800 nm Excitation
Authors: Bairagi Renuka , Ansari Ghizal , Lone Mohd , Sharma Sandeep
Published: June 2024

Nd3+ and Nd3+/Yb3+ ion-doped lead-borate glasses were created. For the thermal studies of sample such as glass transition temperature, crystallization temperature and, melting temperature Tm, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) is done. The X-ray diffraction is used to justify the glassy nature of the samples. UV-VIS-IR of the prepared samples is carried for the studies of absorption bands available in Nd3+ and Nd3+/Yb3+ ion-doped lead-borate glasses. For the studies of fluorescence spectra and energy transfer mechanism the samples were excited at 800nm and spectra is recorded. The Nd3+ glasses exhibited strong NIR emission at 1mol% concentration at 903, 1068, and 1348 nm upon pumping at 800 nm. These transitions were labelled as 4F3/2→4I9/2, 4F3/2→4I11/2, and 4F3/2→4I13/2. Interpretation is given to the effects of multiphonon, cross-relaxation, and OH- group on Nd3+ emission that causes photoluminescence quenching above 1.0mol% Nd3+. Through the co-doping of Nd3+ ion (1mol%) and Yb3+ ion (1mol%) concentrations, the sensitising impact of Nd3+ emission on Yb3+ luminescence is examined. The significant spectrum of Yb3+ absorption and Nd3+ emission, photoluminescence characteristics, has supported the likelihood of energy-transfer (ET) between these ions. The findings show that the Neodymium ion (4F3/2)→ytterbium ion (4F5/2) energy-transfer process is of a non-radiative type controlled by phonon-assisted electric dipole-dipole interaction.
Atomic Absorption Spectroscopic Analysis of Heavy Metals in Cancerous Breast Tissues Among Women in Jos, Nigeria
Authors: Idowu Opeyemi , Oyedele Oketayo , Oluwadare Oluwatimilehin , Igboama Wilfred , Dolapo Olaniyan , Ezekiel Lawan , Ignatius Catherine , Isaac Mashor , Danbaki Audu , Olasele Adefemi , Tunde Hamzat , Lateef Bamidele , Temidayo Akinnubi
Published: June 2024

Breast cancer is prevalent in northern Nigerian women most especially Jos, Plateau State owing to anthropogenic activities such as solid earth mineral mining. In this study, Atomic Absorption Spectrometry was used to determine the levels of eight heavy metals (Cd, As, Cr, Cu, Fe, Pb, Ni and Zn) in cancerous and non-cancerous breast tissues of Jos Nigerian Women. The concentration of heavy metals ranged from 1.08 to 29.34 mg/kg, 0.29 to 10.76 mg/kg, 0.35 to 51.93 mg/kg, 5.15 to 62.93 mg/kg, 11.64 to 51.10 mg/kg, 0.42 to 83.16 mg/kg, 2.08 to 43.07 mg/kg and 1.67 to 71.53 mg/kg for Cd, As, Cr, Cu, Fe, Pb, Ni and Zn respectively. Using MATLAB R2016a, significant differences (tv = 0.0041 – 0.0317) existed between the levels of all the heavy metals in cancerous and non-cancerous breast tissues except Fe. At 0.01 level of significance, positive significant correlation existed between Pb and Fe, Pb and Cu, Pb and Fe, Ni and Fe, Cr and Pb, as well as Ni and Cr (r = 0.583 – 0.998) in cancerous breast tissues. Using ANOVA, significant differences also occurred in the levels of these heavy metals in cancerous breast tissues (p = 1.910510×10-26). The relatively high levels of the cancer-induced heavy metals (Cd, As, Cr and Pb) compared with control indicated contamination or exposure to heavy metals which could be the major cause of cancer in these female subjects.
Thyroid Cancer Incidence and Tumor Size in New Mexico American Indians, Hispanics, and Non-Hispanic Whites, 1992 to 2019
Authors: West Jordan , Wiemann Brianne Z. , Esce Antoinette R. , Olson Garth T. , Boyd Nathan H.
Published: June 2024

Background:

The incidence of thyroid cancer in the United States has risen dramatically since the 1970s, driven by an increase in the diagnosis of small tumors. There is a paucity of published New Mexico (NM) specific data regarding thyroid cancer. We hypothesized that due to New Mexico’s unique geographic and cultural makeup, the incidence of thyroid cancer and tumor size at diagnosis in this state would differ from that demonstrated on a national level.

Methods:

The New Mexico Tumor Registry (NMTR) was queried to include all NM residents diagnosed with thyroid cancer between 1992 and 2019. For 2010 to 2019, age-adjusted incidence rates were calculated via direct method using the 2000 United States population as the adjustment standard. Differences in incidence rate and tumor size by race/ethnicity and residence (metropolitan vs non-metropolitan) were assessed with rate ratios between groups. For 1992 to 2019, temporal trends in age-adjusted incidence rates for major race/ethnic groups in NM [Non-Hispanic White (NHW), Hispanic, and American Indian (AI)] were assessed by joinpoint regression using National Cancer Institute software.

Results:

Our study included 3,161 patients for the time period 2010 to 2019, including NHW (1518), Hispanic (1425), and AI (218) cases. The overall incidence rates for NM AIs were lower than those for Hispanics and NHWs because of a decreased incidence of very small tumors (<1.1 cm). The incidence rates for large tumors (>5.1 cm) was equivalent among groups. In the early 2000s, Hispanics also had lower rates of small tumors when compared to NHWs but this trend disappeared over time.

Conclusion:

AIs in New Mexico have been left out of the nationwide increase in incidental diagnosis of small thyroid tumors. This same pattern was noted for Hispanics in the early 2000s but changed over time to mirror incidence rates for NHWs. These data are illustrative of the health care disparities that exist among New Mexico’s population and how these disparities have changed over time.
Local Modeling by Adapting Source Calibration Models to Analyte Shifted Target Domain Samples Without Reference Values
Authors: Peper Jordan M.J. , Kalivas John H.
Published: June 2024

Spectral multivariate calibration aims to derive models characterizing mathematical relationships between sample analyte amounts and corresponding spectral responses. These models are effective at predicting target domain sample analyte amounts when target samples are within the analyte and spectral calibration source domain. Models fail when target samples shift (analyte amounts and/or spectra) from the original calibration domain model. A total recalibration solution requires acquisition of new sample reference values and spectra. However, obtaining enough reference values to distinguish the target domain may be challenging or expensive. A simpler approach adapts the original model to the target domain using target sample spectra without analyte reference values (unlabeled). Analytical chemists have developed several machine learning algorithms using unlabeled regression domain adaptation processes. Unfortunately, prediction accuracy declines for these methods depending on how much the target domain analyte distribution has shifted from the calibration distribution, and regression transfer learning methods are instead needed. Regression domain adaptation and transfer learning are often referred to as model updating in analytical chemistry, but regression domain adaptation only applies to spectral shifts. The regression transfer learning method presented in this paper named null augmentation regression constant analyte (NARCA) leverages unlabeled repeat spectra of a single target sample to update an original calibration model to the shifted target domain sample. With sample repeat spectra, the analyte amount can be assumed constant or nearly constant for NARCA and because models are formed for one sample, NARCA operates as a local modeling method. The performance of NARCA as a regression transfer learning method is evaluated using five near-infrared data sets.
Trends in Mini-Publics Research: High Expectations, Mixed Findings, and Clear-Cut Challenges
Authors: Welp Yanina
Published: June 2024

Mini-publics have been spreading, particularly in Western countries, with the aim of resolving some deficits of current democracies. An abundant literature focuses on the study of their theoretical expectations and empirical manifestations as well as on the main controversies faced by this deliberative institution. In this article, I review the academic conversation along the three core principles of mini-publics: the conditions and criteria for deliberation to produce informed public opinion; the conceptual and empirical difficulties to achieve inclusiveness, representativeness, and political equality; and the conditions for and challenges of having public influence.
Othering the Alternative: Nelson Chamisa in the Post-2017 Chief Shumba Hwenje Song
Authors: Gwekwerere Tavengwa , Nenjerama Theophilus Tinashe
Published: June 2024

Although Emmerson Mnangagwa’s replacement of Robert Mugabe as president of Zimbabwe prompted celebration among Zimbabweans when it happened, his tenure is hamstrung by contested political legitimacy. At the centre of perceptions of Mnangagwa as politically illegitimate is the location of his presidency in the Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF) coup of November 2017 and his failure to win resoundingly in the presidential elections of July 2018 and August 2023. To mitigate this political conundrum, Zimbabwean song artists whose creative vision aligns with the worldview and priorities of the ruling Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF) emerged with a song repertoire in which Mnangagwa’s major political rival, Nelson Chamisa, is otherised as a politically immature alternative and a puppet of western countries. While numerous post-2017 ZANU-PF musical artists have contributed to this song repertoire, Chief Shumba Hwenje is the most prolific among them. This article uses purposively sampled Chief Shumba Hwenje’s post-2017 ZANU-PF songs to discuss the ways in which their representations of Chamisa as a politically immature alternative to Mnangagwa and a puppet of western countries constitute part of the matrix by which ‘Second Republic’/‘New Dispensation’ ZANU-PF has negotiated political legitimacy for Mnangagwa and maintained power since Mugabe’s ouster. It appropriates postcolonial critical conceptions of stereotype as a discursive strategy that mediates the construction of the other as knowable, prone to exaggeration and predictable to unravel how Chamisa’s framing in the post-2017 Chief Shumba Hwenje song speaks to the staying power of Mugabe-era methods of managing political (il)legitimacy through discursive (mis)representation of opponents. The article goes beyond traditional conceptions of power as legislative, judicial and executive to reveal how cultural economies of (mis)representation are also instructive in making sense of political developments in post-Mugabe Zimbabwe.
Book review: K. B. Saxena (Ed.), Poverty and Deprivation: Changing Contours
Authors: Banerjee Debosree
Published: June 2024

K. B. Saxena (Ed.), Poverty and Deprivation: Changing Contours. Sage, 2023, 335 pp., ₹1,495, ISBN: 978-93-9137-076-3 (Hardcover).
Adaptation and validation of the word complexity measure for Persian-speaking toddlers
Authors: Golmohammadi Golnoosh , Sakhai Farhad , Asadollahpour Faezeh , Nouhi Kiana , Jafari Naemeh , Baghejari Zahra
Published: June 2024

This study aimed to adapt and validate the Word Complexity Measure (WCM) for Persian-speaking toddlers. The WCM is a tool for assessing phonological complexity, originally proposed by Stoel-Gammon. The study was conducted in two phases: (1) adapting the WCM parameters to the Persian language and (2) conducting a validation study with 60 monolingual Persian-speaking toddlers aged 18–35 months. The toddlers’ language productions were collected through a picture-naming task, and the researchers derived the Proportion of Word Complexity Measure-Persian (PWCM-P) and Proportion of Consonant Correct (PCC) scores. Parents completed the Persian adapted version of the MacArthur-Bates Communication Development Inventories-II (CDI-II) to obtain receptive and expressive vocabulary scores for each child. Statistical analyses showed a significant difference in PWCM-P scores between age groups, with younger children producing fewer phonologically complex words. In addition, PWCM-P scores were positively and significantly correlated with PCC scores, receptive and expressive vocabulary size. Overall, the successful adaptation and validation of the WCM for Persian provides a reliable tool for assessing phonological development in young children and sheds light on the importance of phonological complexity in vocabulary acquisition. This research can further deepen our understanding of phonological development during early childhood and its implications for language learning.
Towards a relational model of musical knowledge: Findings from a Belfast-based case study
Authors: O’Flynn John , Fullam Donal
Published: June 2024

This article reports on a case study involving 44 adults based in Belfast, Northern Ireland for the research project Bridging Musical Knowledge. Data were gathered via project website creation and an online survey carried out during early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. Developing an interdisciplinary epistemic framework that draws on theory from music education, ethnomusicology and musicology in conjunction with the analysis of qualitative data, it finds two major tendencies across multiple perceptions/experiences of musical knowledge as reported by participants: first, to value formal and practical aspects in the attainment of musical knowledge, and second, to consider familial, communal and other sociocultural contexts as central to musical knowledge development. Interpreting a dialectical tension between reified and experiential accounts as reflective of historically embedded distinctions, the authors propose a relational model of musical knowledge, encompassing comparative conceptions of music theory and discourse.
Hearts and minds: The technopolitical role of affect in sociotechnical imaginaries
Authors: Hughes Stephen
Published: June 2024

Sociotechnical imaginaries (SIs) have emerged as a popular and generative concept within Science and Technology Studies (STS). This article draws out the affective component of SIs, combining a review of relevant literatures with an empirical case study of an anti-fracking imaginary in Ireland to suggest how we might theorize an affective technopolitics of SIs. The literature review identifies three key aspects of SIs that would benefit from a more coherent conceptualization of affect: the utopian, productive, and collectivizing dimensions of imaginaries. Emotions such as desire and fear appear prominently in the SI literature, but in ways that require development. Using empirical examples from my research, I outline what this developed understanding of emotions in imaginaries might look like. I examine the role that emotions played in the development and settlement of an anti-fracking imaginary in Ireland, highlighting how the intensive, multimodal, and dynamic nature of affect underpinned the productive, collective, and utopian dimensions of the SI. I conclude with some remarks about how this developed theory of emotion positions STS researchers to address issues of humanity, representation, and the building of better worlds.
“There is Only One Mother”: The Importance of Mother in Rural Spain, 1750–1959
Authors: Marco-Gracia Francisco J. , Rommelspacher Amy , Jang Youngook
Published: June 2024

Several studies have shown the importance of the mother in the survival and wellbeing of her children. However, none of them have analyzed the rural areas of the Iberian Peninsula. In this article we use the life courses of more than 10 thousand children born between 1750 and 1959 to understand the effects of being motherless on the survival, educative outputs, and wellbeing. To achieve this, we use descriptive statistics as well as Cox and OLS regression models. Our results confirm that the mother is one of the most important relative for the survival and wellbeing of her young children.