bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Metagenomic insights into Heimdallarchaeia clades from the deep-sea cold seep and hydrothermal vent
Authors: Liu Rui , Cai Ruining , Wang Minxiao , Zhang Jing , Zhang Huan , Li Chaolun , Sun Chaomin
Published: June 2024

Heimdallarchaeia is a class of the Asgardarchaeota, are the most probable candidates for the archaeal protoeukaryote ancestor that have been identified to date. However, little is known about their life habits regardless of their ubiquitous distribution in diverse habitats, which is especially true for Heimdallarchaeia from deep-sea environments. In this study, we obtained 13 metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) of Heimdallarchaeia from the deep-sea cold seep and hydrothermal vent. These MAGs belonged to orders o_Heimdallarchaeales and o_JABLTI01, and most of them (9 MAGs) come from the family f_Heimdallarchaeaceae according to genome taxonomy database (GTDB). These are enriched for common eukaryote-specific signatures. Our results show that these Heimdallarchaeia have the metabolic potential to reduce sulfate (assimilatory) and nitrate (dissimilatory) to sulfide and ammonia, respectively, suggesting a previously unappreciated role in biogeochemical cycling. Furthermore, we find that they could perform both TCA and rTCA pathways coupled with pyruvate metabolism for energy conservation, fix CO2 and generate organic compounds through an atypical Wood-Ljungdahl pathway. In addition, many genes closely associated with bacteriochlorophyll and carotenoid biosynthesis, and oxygen-dependent metabolic pathways are identified in these Heimdallarchaeia MAGs, suggesting a potential light-utilization by pigments and microoxic lifestyle. Taken together, our results indicate that Heimdallarchaeia possess a mixotrophic lifestyle, which may give them more flexibility to adapt to the harsh deep-sea conditions.
Feasibility of a laboratory-based protocol for measuring energy expenditure and accelerometer calibration in adults with intellectual disabilities
Authors: McGarty A. M. , Penpraze V. , Dall P. M. , Haig C. , Harris L. , Melville C. A.
Published: June 2024

Adults with intellectual disabilities experience numerous health inequalities. Targeting unhealthy lifestyle behaviours, such as high levels of sedentary behaviour and overweight/obesity, is a priority area for improving the health and adults with intellectual disabilities and reducing inequalities. Energy expenditure is a fundamental component of numerous health behaviours and an essential component of various free-living behaviour measurements, e.g. accelerometry. However, little is known about energy expenditure in adults with intellectual disabilities and no population-specific accelerometer data interpretation methods have been calibrated. The limited research in this area suggests that adults with intellectual disabilities have a higher energy expenditure, which requires further exploration, and could have significant impacts of device calibration. However, due to the complex methods required for measuring energy expenditure, it is essential to first evaluate feasibility and develop an effective protocol. This study aims to test the feasibility of a laboratory-based protocol to enable the measurement of energy expenditure and accelerometer calibration in adults with intellectual disabilities.

We aimed to recruit ten adults (≥ 18 years) with intellectual disabilities. The protocol involved a total of nine sedentary, stationary, and physical activities, e.g. sitting, lying down, standing, and treadmill walking. Each activity was for 5 min, with one 10 min lying down activity to measure resting energy expenditure. Breath by breath respiratory gas exchange and accelerometry (ActiGraph and ActivPAL) were measured during each activity. Feasibility was assessed descriptively using recruitment and outcome measurement completion rates, and participant/stakeholder feedback.

Ten adults (N = 7 female) with intellectual disabilities participated in this study. The recruitment rate was 50% and 90% completed the protocol and all outcome measures. Therefore, the recruitment strategy and protocol are feasible.

This study addresses a significant gap in our knowledge relating to exercise laboratory-based research for adults with intellectual disabilities The findings from this study provide essential data that can be used to inform the development of future protocols to measure energy expenditure and for accelerometer calibration in adults with intellectual disabilities.
Exploring Iranian EAP teachers’ well-being: an activity theory perspective
Authors: Nazari Mostafa , Karimpour Sedigheh
Published: June 2024

Despite the growth of research on EAP teachers in the past decade, little research has focused on their emotions and much less on their well-being. In response to this gap of knowledge, the present study draws on the theoretical framework of activity theory and explores the well-being of 13 Iranian EAP teachers. We collected data from a questionnaire, narrative frames, and semi-structured interviews. Data analyses revealed three themes in relation to the teachers’ well-being: (1) content as a site of experiencing positive and negative emotions, (2) content and institutional contextualities as determinants of seeking purpose in EAP instruction, and (3) sociocultural parameters as shaping meaning in EAP instruction. We found that EAP teacher well-being functions as a layered construct that is influenced by various personal, institutional, and sociocultural dynamics, and substantially influences teachers’ professional practices, identities, and emotions. Across these processes, content operates as the antecedent or consequence of the influence in EAP instruction. Based on the findings, we provide implications for teachers and teacher educators in how to employ professional alternatives that could effectively contribute to EAP teachers’ well-being.
Public involvement in UK health and care research 1995–2020: reflections from a witness seminar
Authors: Palm Marisha Emily , Evans David , Staniszewska Sophie , Brady Louca-Mai , Hanley Bec , Sainsbury Kate , Stewart Derek , Wray Paula
Published: June 2024

Background

Public involvement is important to the relevance and impact of health and care research, as well as supporting the democratisation of research. In 2020, the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) reorganized and eliminated INVOLVE, an internationally recognised group that had played a central role in public involvement in the UK since 1996. Its remit was subsumed within a new center tasked with public involvement, participant recruitment, and evidence dissemination. A year later, in 2021, interested parties came together to discuss the evolution of INVOLVE and consider how to retain some of the important historical details and learn lessons from its long and important tenure.

Methods

We hosted a witness seminar in 2022 that was one of four work groups and brought together public involvement leaders that had been part of the conception, development, and evolution of INVOLVE between 1995 and 2020. Witness seminars are a method used to capture the complexity and nuance of historical events or initiatives. They support critical thinking and reflection rather than simple commemoration. We identified those who had played a role in INVOLVE history, ensuring diversity of perspective, and invited them to attend and speak at the seminar. This took place during two sessions where witnesses provided their recollections and participated in a facilitated discussion.

Results

Across the two online sessions, 29 witnesses attended and contributed thoughts and recollections. Two authors (SS, MP) identified six themes that were described in the witness seminar report and have been discussed, elaborated, and illustrated with witness quotations. These are: the importance of historical perspective; INVOLVE as a social movement; how INVOLVE worked (e.g. its hospitality, kindness, and inclusivity); INVOLVE as a quiet disruptor; public involvement evidence, knowledge, and learning; the infrastructure, processes, and systems developed by INVOLVE; and the demise and loss of INVOLVE as an internationally recognized center of excellence.

Discussion

The authors of this commentary reflected on the discussions that took place during the witness seminar and the themes that emerged, and share six broad learnings for future practice; (1) it is important to create and nurture public involvement communities of practice; (2) collaborative ways of working support open discussion amongst diverse groups; (3) be aware of the tensions between activism and being part of the establishment; (4) continued efforts should be made to build an evidence base for public involvement practice; (5) there are both benefits and drawbacks to having a centralized organization leading public involvement; and (6) support for public involvement in research requires a fit-for-purpose tendering process that embeds robust public involvement.
Red ginseng prevents doxorubicin-induced cardiomyopathy by inhibiting cell death via activating the Nrf2 pathway
Authors: Yoshikawa Naoki , Hirata Naoto , Kurone Yuichiro , Shimoeda Sadahiko
Published: June 2024

Background

Doxorubicin (DXR) is an effective chemotherapeutic agent. DOX-induced cardiomyopathy (DICM), a major limitation of DXR, is a complication with limited treatment options. We previously reported that Red Ginseng (steamed and dried the root of Panax Ginseng cultivated for over six years; RGin) is beneficial for the treatment of DICM. However, the mechanism underlying the action of RGin remains unclear. In this study, we investigated the mechanism of action underlying the efficacy of RGin in the treatment of DICM.

Methods

Four-week-old DBA/2 mice were divided into: vehicle, DXR, RGin, and DXR + RGin (n = 10/group). Mice were treated with DXR (4 mg/kg, once a week, accumulated 20 mg/kg, i.p.) or RGin (0.5 g/kg, three times a week, i.p.). To evaluate efficacy, the survival rate and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) were measured as a measure of cardiac function, and cardiomyocytes were subjected to Masson trichrome staining. To investigate the mechanism of action, western blotting was performed to evaluate the expression of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), heme oxygenase 1, transferrin receptor (TfR), and other related proteins. Data were analyzed using the Easy R software. Between-group comparisons were performed using one-way analysis of variance and analyzed using a post-hoc Tukey test. Survival rates were estimated using the Kaplan–Meier method and compared using the log-rank test. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant in all analyses.

Results

RGin treatment prolongs survival and protects against reduced LVEF. In the DXR group, Nrf2 was not activated and cell death was accelerated. Furthermore, there was an increase in the TfR levels, suggesting abnormal iron metabolism. However, the DXR + RGin group showed activation of the Nrf2 pathway and suppression of myocardial cell death. Furthermore, there was no increase in TfR expression, suggesting that there were no abnormalities in iron metabolism. Therefore, the mechanism of action of RGin in DICM involves an increase in antioxidant activity and inhibition of cell death through activation of the Nrf2 pathway.

Conclusion

RGin is a useful therapeutic candidate for DICM. Its efficacy is supported by the activation of the Nrf2 pathway, which enhances antioxidant activity and inhibits cell death.
Validation and application of the Dermatology Life Quality Index score, a modification of the DLQI score, in psoriasis patients
Authors: Zou Qin , Luo Yibo , Hao Dan , Li Mengmeng , Jihui Chen
Published: June 2024

Background

All the scoring methods for the DLQI miss the moderate impact of the disease on patients, which may underestimate the impact of psoriasis on patients’ quality of life. To improve the accuracy of the assessment of the Dermatology Life Quality Index score (DLQI) for patients with psoriasis, this study proposed and validated a new scoring method, the DLQI-NS, which includes the moderate impact option in the self-assessment of each item in psoriasis patients.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted in which patients with psoriasis were enrolled. A total of 425 participants completed the DLQI, DLQI-NS and Skindex-16 questionnaires. Reliability, validity, ceiling and floor effects were evaluated of both DLQI and DLQI-NS questionnaires.

Results

About 14.4-32.5% of the patients reported a moderate impact on quality of life. The DLQI-NS allowed 17 more patients (4.0%) to achieve severe disease. The Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of the DLQI-NS was 0.90, and that of the DLQI was 0.89. The KMO test results for the DLQI-NS and DLQI were 0.927 and 0.916, respectively. One factor was identified for each questionnaire. The items of the DLQI-NS showed an item-total correlation from 0.52 to 0.82, and the DLQI questionnaire’s item-total correlation ranged from 0.47 to 0.83. The DLQI-NS, DLQI total score and Skindex-16 had Spearman’s rank correlation coefficients of 0.89 and 0.84, respectively. Both the DLQI-NS and DLQI showed significant moderate correlations with the BSA (0.51 vs. 0.50) and PASI (0.47 vs. 0.46). No ceiling effects were observed for any of the items of both questionnaires.

Conclusion

The validity and reliability of the DLQI-NS and DLQI were good, but the DLQI-NS was superior to the DLQI. The DLQI-NS is an effective self-assessment tool for assessing quality of life in psoriasis patients.
The combined treatment with ketogenic diet and metformin slows tumor growth in two mouse models of triple negative breast cancer
Authors: Schmidt Karen , Thatcher Amber , Grobe Albert , Broussard Pamela , Hicks Linda , Gu Haiwei , Ellies Lesley G , Sears Dorothy D. , Kalachev Leonid , Kroll Eugene
Published: June 2024

Background

Many tumors contain hypoxic microenvironments caused by inefficient tumor vascularization. Hypoxic tumors have been shown to resist conventional cancer therapies. Hypoxic cancer cells rely on glucose to meet their energetic and anabolic needs to fuel uncontrolled proliferation and metastasis. This glucose dependency is linked to a metabolic shift in response to hypoxic conditions.

Methods

To leverage the glucose dependency of hypoxic tumor cells, we assessed the effects of a mild reduction in systemic glucose by controlling both dietary carbohydrates with a ketogenic diet and endogenous glucose production by using metformin on two mouse models of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC).

Results

Here, we showed that animals with TNBC treated with the combination regimen of ketogenic diet and metformin (a) had their tumor burden lowered by two-thirds, (b) displayed 38% slower tumor growth, and (c) showed 36% longer latency, compared to the animals treated with a ketogenic diet or metformin alone. As a result, lowering systemic glucose by this combined dietary and pharmacologic approach improved overall survival in our mouse TNBC models by 31 days, approximately equivalent to 3 years of life extension in human terms.

Conclusion

This preclinical study demonstrates that reducing systemic glucose by combining a ketogenic diet and metformin significantly inhibits tumor proliferation and increases overall survival. Our findings suggest a possible treatment for a broad range of hypoxic and glycolytic tumor types that can augment existing treatment options to improve patient outcomes.
Introduction
Authors: Gil Alex
Published: June 2024

The critical introduction to the edition and translation of . . . . . . Et les chiens se taisaient outlines its importance as an original and until recently unknown major dramatic work by Aimé Césaire. The article opens with a brief introduction of Aimé Césaire’s life and works for unfamiliar readers. It then explores the complicated history of the text, explaining why it was unknown until recently, and how it came to be known. The article provides insights into the different stages of composition and revision of the play, and Césaire’s writing conditions in Vichy Martinique. Gil also explores the sources for his drama, Haitian and otherwise, placing the text in the twentieth-century tradition of Black revolutionary writings about Haiti. The article provides a synopsis of the text, act by act, and concludes with a preliminary analysis of two themes within the drama to aid the reader.
Glenohumeral Dysplasia Following Brachial Plexus Birth Injuries: A Review
Authors: Khabyeh-Hasbani Nathan , Hoffman Alexandra F. , Meisel Erin , Behbahani Mandana , Koehler Steven M.
Published: June 2024

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES:

Despite the high morbidity associated with glenohumeral dysplasia (GHD) in children with brachial plexus birth injuries, the progression of this condition often remains unnoticed, even after correcting for the underlying brachial plexus birth injuries. GHD, driven by a multifactorial process involving disruptions in both direct and indirect neural regulation of bony and muscular structures, can lead to intermittent or permanent shoulder mobility imbalances, significantly impacting the quality of life of those affected. Recent research efforts are increasingly directed toward identifying the root causes, managing the deformity, and determining effective treatment options for correcting GHD.

METHODS:

A comprehensive search strategy was used by the authors to identify relevant literature relating to the progression, pathoanatomy, clinical presentation, and management of GHD following brachial plexus birth injuries across various search engines, such as PubMed, Scopus, and Embase. Considering the topic's interdisciplinary nature, articles were retrieved from both neurosurgical and orthopaedic journals to enrich the review.

RESULTS:

Given the challenges in managing patients with brachial plexus birth injuries, a multidisciplinary care team consisting of certified occupational hand therapists, neurosurgeons, plastic surgeons, and orthopedic surgeons, specializing in brachial plexus injuries should be advocated for. The aim of this collaborative effort is to correct brachial plexus birth injuries and prevent the persistence of GHD.

CONCLUSION:

As research continues to focus on understanding the complexities of this condition, the aim of this review article is to summarize the current literature on the course of brachial plexus birth injury and the development of GHD. By doing so, we hope to provide neurosurgeons with the necessary knowledge and essential tools needed to identify and effectively treat GHD during management of brachial plexus birth injuries.
Efficacy, safety, and quality of life profile of Genotype-3 Chronic Hepatitis-C Pakistani patients receiving ledipasvir plus sofosbuvir treatment
Authors: Hashmi Zahid Yaseen , Hashmi Sandeed , Raza Ali
Published: June 2024

Objective: This study aimed to assess the overall treatment response of Genotype-3 Chronic HCV Pakistani Patients with or without cirrhosis to Ledipasvir plus Sofosbuvir combination.
Method: In this observational study, HCV Genotype-3 patients were enrolled from Liver Center, DHQ Hospital, Faisalabad and divided into two groups, i.e., non-cirrhotic and compensated cirrhotic patients. The study spanned for a period of 24 months (November 2019 - November 2021) from the first enrollment to the last follow up. Non-cirrhotic patients received Ledipasvir/Sofosbuvir (LDV/SOF) 90/400mg for 12 weeks and cirrhotic patients received LDV/SOF with Ribavirin (RBV) for 12 weeks and without RBV for 24 weeks. The treatment efficacy in terms of sustained virological response (SVR12) was monitored 12 weeks post-treatment. The safety profile, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) were monitored from baseline to follow-up visits.
Results: Two hundred and ninety out of 309 (93.85%) non-cirrhotic and 31 out of 33 (93.94%) compensated cirrhotic patients achieved SVR-12. The safety profile of the non-cirrhotic and compensated cirrhotic patients was comparable throughout the study duration. Fatigue was the most commonly reported adverse event (AE) in non-cirrhotic and compensated cirrhotic patients, followed by headache, nausea, and fever. The HRQoL improved from baseline to follow-up visits among patients of both groups.
Conclusion: It is concluded that LDV and SOF combination regimen is safe and effective for treating Genotype-3 HCV patients without cirrhosis/compensated cirrhosis, and also improves the patient’s HRQoL.
doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.40.7.7869
How to cite this: Hashmi ZY, Hashmi S, Raza A. Efficacy, safety, and quality of life profile of Genotype-3 Chronic Hepatitis-C Pakistani patients receiving ledipasvir plus sofosbuvir treatment. Pak J Med Sci. 2024;40(7):---------. doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.40.7.7869
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Root canal morphology of permanent mandibular anterior teeth in a Pakistani population: A cone beam computed tomography assessment
Authors: Saqib Naeem Siddique  , Babar Palwasha , Zoha Ghazanfar  , Javeria Ahmed Kayani
Published: June 2024

Objective: To investigate the incidence of accessory canals and the variation in root canal morphology of permanent mandibular incisors and canines in Pakistani population using Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT).
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in University College of Dentistry, The University of Lahore, Pakistan after getting institutional ethical permission from January 2020 to September 2022. The data included records of 111 patients consisting of 444 permanent mandibular incisors and 222 permanent mandibular canines. Accessory root, root canals and Vertucci canal configuration for each tooth was recorded. Data analysis was done using SPSS v20. Descriptive statistics were calculated for each anatomical parameter. Chi-square test was applied to determine association of gender with the presence of accessory roots and root canals.
Results: Among the 111 records evaluated, 48.6% were males and 51.4% were females. No accessory root was found in the central and lateral incisors. However, an accessory root was found in 4.9% of the canines. The incidence of accessory canals in the central incisors, lateral incisors and canines was 18.9%, 25.2% and 10.4% respectively. The most common canal configuration in teeth with accessory canals was Type-III, followed by Type-II and Type-V.
Conclusion: None of the central or lateral incisor showed accessory root while it was detected in 4.9% canines. The frequency of accessory root canal was found to be 18.9%, 25.2% and 10.4% in central incisors, lateral incisors and canines respectively. The most common canal configuration was Type-I, followed by Type-III and Type-II. Type-V, VI and VII were less common.
doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.40.7.8744
How to cite this: Siddique SN, Babar P, Ghazanfar Z, Kayani JA. Root canal morphology of permanent mandibular anterior teeth in a Pakistani population: A cone beam computed tomography assessment. Pak J Med Sci. 2024;40(7):---------.  doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.40.7.8744
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Identification of Biomarkers for Severity in COVID-19 Through Comparative Analysis of Five Machine Learning Algoritms
Authors: Olán-Ramón Juan P. , De la Cruz-Ruiz Freddy , De la Cruz-Cano Eduardo , Aguilar-Barojas Sarai , Zamarron-Licona Erasmo
Published: June 2024

Background COVID-19 is a global public health problem. Aim The main objective of this research is to evaluate and compare the performance of the algorithms: Random Forest, Support Vector Machine, Logistic Regression, Decision Tree, and Neural Network, using metrics such as precision, recall, F1-score and accuracy. Methods A dataset (n=138) was used, with numerical and categorical variables. The algorithms Random Forest, Support Vector Machine, Logistic Regression, Decision Tree, and Neural Network were considered. These were trained using an 80-20 ratio. The following metrics were evaluated: precision, recall, F1-Score, and 5-fold stratified cross-validation. Results The Random Forest algorithm was superior, achieving a maximum score of 0.9727 in cross-validation. The correlation analysis identified ferritin (0.8277) and oxygen saturation (-0.6444). The heuristic model was compared with metaheuristics models. Models obtained through metaheuristic search could maintaining the metrics with 3 variables and stable weight distribution. A perplexity analysis it allows to differentiate between the best models. The features of creatinine and ALT are highlighted in the model with the best CV score and the lowest perplexity. Conclusion Comparative analysis of different classification models was carried out to predict the severity of COVID-19 cases with biological markers.
Improving Virtual Team Collaboration Paradox Management: A Field Experiment
Authors: Luciano Margaret M. , Leslie Jean B. , Mathieu John E. , Hoole Emily R. , Anderson Rebecca , Fenters Virgil W.
Published: June 2024

Virtual teams are ubiquitous in the workplace, yet they experience frequent collaboration challenges. Successfully managing the team collaboration paradox, in terms of maintaining a unified team perspective and diverse individual perspectives, presents a potentially important lever to improve virtual team performance. However, scholars have conflicting opinions regarding whether such improvement is possible. We argue that team collaboration paradox management will positively relate to team performance over time and can be improved via a theory-based intervention. This intervention draws from theory on paradoxes for its content (paradoxical thinking) and team development interventions for its structure (general content knowledge, team-specific feedback, action-focused planning). Given the complexity of paradoxes, it is unclear whether a single training session could substantively improve their management; therefore, one intervention condition was comprised of a single training session and the other condition included a follow-up session. Analyzing two waves of multisource quantitative data from a sample of 76 virtual teams from 37 organizations, we find a positive relationship between team collaboration paradox management and team performance at both time periods. We also find that only the intervention condition with the follow-up session, as compared with untreated control teams, significantly improved how well teams managed the collaboration paradox and thereby facilitated subsequent changes in team performance. Supplementary qualitative insights from the intervention sessions illuminate the actions virtual teams took to improve their collaboration paradox management. These results have important implications for the paradox and teams literatures, as well as the managers and members of virtual teams.

Funding: This work was supported by the SHRM Foundation [Project 166].
Old Dodge, New Tricks
Authors: Doyle Wesley
Published: June 2024

How does a brand that’s reputation is based upon brash, noisy, gas-guzzling vehicles move into a more considered, less polluting future? Dodge hope its all-electric vehicle Charger Daytona has the answer
Platform for Success
Authors: stone Tom
Published: June 2024

The USA’s Rivian has unveiled a game-changing EV platform that will dramatically reduce costs, making its new compact SUVs accessible to a wider market
The Sunshine State
Authors: Gooding Richard
Published: June 2024

Using solar panels to power electric vehicles is still a relatively new concept, but new solutions are being introduced to make it more affordable and mainstream. Are cars powered by the rays of the sun really the future of mobility?
Built to Protect
Authors: Vadaszffy Karl
Published: June 2024

Material development and a change of mindset when it comes to the choice of solutions available will be central to meeting the EV industry’s future demands for fire safety
Autonomous Ambitions
Authors: Hughes David
Published: June 2024

A demonstration flight with a Cessna Caravan in the USA has shown how automatic control and remote pilot supervision can work in tandem
Understanding gender roles and stereotypes through song lyrics in Kosovar society
Authors: Xhoni Armend , Zylfiu Bahtije
Published: June 2024

This paper, through the lyrics of the song, presents the representation of gender roles and stereotypes in Kosovar society. On the other hand, this study aims to shed light on music and the opportunities it offers for the transmission of social values that help in overcoming gender stereotypes in the cultural context of Kosovo. The importance of this study is undeniable because this study was done at a time when discussions about gender equality were at the center of attention. Therefore, the study of gender issues, not only through music but also from other perspectives, is of great importance because it affects social transformation regarding equality, as a requirement for developing a real democratic society. To realize this research, the text (content) analysis method was used, through the ethnographic research approach. Through this method, the lyrics of certain songs have been analyzed to discover how they carry or challenge gender stereotypes in our society. For analysis, we have chosen some of the most popular songs. In the analysis results, we have identified gender stereotypes expressed with a special emphasis. This includes the praise of the man as the head of the house and the one who takes care of all, including some texts that praise the son as the honor and pride of the family. On the other hand, some songs describe the man in a derogatory way, calling him stupid, owl, and using other negative insulting terms. In particular, current modern music such as rap and hip-hop, especially, tends to go even further in creating gender stereotypes, belittling women with different terms such as fraudsters, traitors, whores, etc. The results obtained from this research will serve as a basis for discussions on the improvement of the gender image in the media that offer songs, especially in the lyrics of the songs to promote positive changes in Kosovar society related to gender roles and stereotypes, as well as help to raise awareness of to the general public about the role of songs in creating and cultivating a culture in favor of improving gender equality. At this point, we recommend a deeper awareness in Kosovar society about the impact of these texts on the formation of gender perceptions. Also, artists and music creators are invited to be proactive in changing this reality, to create music that reflects a more equal perspective.
Youth–adult partnerships for youth activism: a critique of the utility of empowerment theory
Authors: Diaz April L. , Paceley Megan S.
Published: June 2024

This article examines empowerment theory (ET) for its applicability to adult work with youth activists. It argues that despite ET’s prominence within both youth activism and social work broadly, the theory lacks a universally accepted conceptual grounding. As such, adults working to support youth activists have interpreted ET’s tenets in significantly divergent ways, with implications for their work and its ultimate viability. By exploring the difficulties in delineating the substance of ET as a practical theory and outlining some of the common tenets of the theory, we make the case for adults working in partnership with youth activists to be more explicit about the ways in which they are drawing upon ET in their work.
The Pedagogy of Imam ʿAlī
Authors: Alavi Hamid Reza
Published: June 2024

ABSTRACT: In this article, the viewpoints of Imam ʿAlī concerning the foundations of teaching have been explained and analysed. This essay begins by presenting the status of knowledge and cognition in the view of Imam ʿAlī before moving on to present other aspects of his thought relating to teaching and education.
"Mountains as the Lifeline": Shifting Agricultural Policies in Upland Southeast China, Sixteenth-Nineteenth Centuries
Authors: Peng Yiyun
Published: June 2024

Abstract: From the mid-Ming to the early Qing, cash crops that were widespread in upland Southeast China, including indigo, ramie (a fiber plant), and tobacco, were often associated by the state with shack people and social unrest, and treated as a threat to food supply. Meanwhile, however, many local officials held different views. Not only were these crops a target for taxation in many places, but they were, after the early Qing, also seen as with great economic potential in cultivating the uplands, where limited water and fertile land made it difficult to grow wet rice widely. In addition, in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries when maize cultivation made an allegedly destructive impact on the soil, officials ordered and made efforts to replace maize with these crops which were seen as causing less damage. Finally, towards the end of the Qing, local officials worked to provide financial and technological support for local residents to cultivate the upland area. In all, the shifting agricultural policies concerning cash crops in Southeast China refresh our understanding of agricultural and economic policy in late imperial China in general, which has been understood as focusing more on lowland production of rice, silk, and cotton.
Quest'è la letra : From Lyric Parody to Modern Tragedy in Ruzante's Venice
Authors: Rudavsky-Brody Nathaniel
Published: June 2024

Abstract: Paduan playwright Angelo Beolco, alias Ruzante, wrote against a vibrant tradition of dialect parody lyric and popular verse theater in the Veneto region. Yet in a pair of darkly comic one-act plays, the Due dialoghi in lingua rustica , Beolco pushes beyond his comic roots to reach new depths of tragic seriousness. Though in prose, the Dialoghi should be read as responding to the corpus of dialect poetry; when the humorous tension between the peasant speaker and his high poetic form is confronted with social and economic reality, tragedy is born. Comparison with another gem of Paduan literature, the Alfabeto dei villani , sheds light on the significance of Beolco's breakthrough. There, parody creates lyric, allowing a true poetic subject to emerge from the limbo of those refused entrance into the economy of salvation and self.
"Laughing at the Vanity of Public Opinion": A Parody of Love by Fame in the Orlando Furioso
Authors: Asaro Brittany
Published: June 2024

Abstract: In the Mandricardo-Doralice subplot of the Orlando Furioso , Ariosto parodies the courtly topos of "love by fame". His parody is marked by violence as well as by a fixation on possession that reflects the dangers of life at court and the precarity of Italy's position in Europe in the late Renaissance. Ariosto suggests that his craft, literature, has been reduced to a form of cultural currency in an increasingly mercenary world.
Books of Islands ( Isolari ) and Information Networks between Venice and the Ottoman Empire: The Case of Tommaso Porcacchi's L'isole più famose del mondo
Authors: Coleman James K.
Published: June 2024

Abstract: This essay examines the role that isolari (books of islands) played in networks of information exchange and diplomacy at the interface of the Venetian and Ottoman Empires, focusing on Tommaso Porcacchi's L'isole più famose del mondo , first published in 1572 and updated in 1576 in response to shifting political realities in the Mediterranean. The book found a key readership among diplomatic travelers, as this essay will show by documenting how one such traveler – Livio Cellini – drew from Porcacchi's isolario directly (without acknowledging his source) in his account of the Venetian diplomatic mission he accompanied to Istanbul in 1582.
Ambiguity and Intention in Ancient and Medieval Rhetorical Thought
Authors: Copeland Rita
Published: June 2024

Abstract: Ancient and medieval rhetorical theorists gave much attention to discovering an author's intent ( voluntas ) from the letter of a document ( scriptum ). By contrast, resolving ambiguity ( ambiguitas ) was supposedly easy. But in fact, ambiguity proves the more slippery problem because it functions somewhere between argumentation (a controversy to be disputed) and stylistic embellishment. Legal discourse often tried to impose limits on ambiguity, but at the same time ambiguitas could be quietly weaponized — in both law and poetry — to transform legal and even theological meaning. Where rhetorical theorists such as Cicero, Quintilian, Augustine, William of Champeaux (c. 1100), Geoffrey of Vinsauf (c. 1210), and Boncompagno da Signa (c. 1235), as well as legal theorists such as Henry de Bracton, try to pin down how ambiguity works, poets such as William Langland seem to revel in the slippages that it affords.
"My hand I place over my mouth": Interpreting Gestures in the Poetry of Job
Authors: Greenstein Edward L.
Published: June 2024

Abstract: The Book of Job, like other ancient Near Eastern and biblical texts, makes relatively frequent use of gestures in its discourse. The interpretation of these gestures is often moot. Is a particular gesture physical, which is to say literal, or (also) symbolic, which is to say figurative? How is a gesture's meaning in a particular context to be divined? Job's placing his hand over his mouth, for example, is almost universally understood to reflect his self-censure, his silencing of himself. Comparing other instances of this gesture, in Job and elsewhere, leads to a very different nuance of meaning. Silencing oneself is not self-censure but rather an indication of a desire to listen or hear more. This and other gestures in Job will be discussed with attention to the criteria by which meaning, in such instances, is (or is not) determined.
World Poetics: Some Reflections on Its Rise and Conception
Authors: Dong Gu Ming
Published: June 2024

Abstract: "World literature" has come of age. Its maturity calls for a world theory of literature. In this context, I will examine some important issues arising from Wang Ning's proposal for its conception and construction. Critically reviewing the historical movement from national literature to world literature and world poetics, this article addresses some fundamental issues including: Is it necessary to posit the concept of "world poetics"? If necessary, what is its nature? How should we conceive and define it? What paradigm should be adopted for its construction? How can we construct it in practical terms? What resources can we draw from existing scholarship?
Black Taxes: African-American Doctoral Students Experiencing Tokenism at a Predominantly White Institution
Authors: Dortch Deniece , Njaka Ijeoma , Chen Qi , Jack Joy A.
Published: June 2024

This hermeneutic phenomenological study explores the experiences of African American doctoral students with tokenism at a Midwestern predominantly White institutions (PWI), revealing both advantages and disadvantages, including the toll of “Black taxes” in academia. Tokenism offers benefits like visibility and resources but brings increased racial stress, loneliness, and extra service demands. These “Black taxes” have physical and emotional effects, leading to racial battle fatigue. Tokenism influences students’ professional development and identity, perpetuating characteristics like hypervisibility and imposter syndrome. Transforming PWIs requires challenging white supremacist structures and prioritizing equity. By addressing tokenism, we may pave the way for a more inclusive and supportive higher education environment.
Time-Multiplexed Miniaturized Two-Photon Microscopy
Authors: Liu Shing-Jiuan , Zhang Zixiao , Mattison Ben , Yang Weijian
Published: June 2024

We propose a time-multiplexed miniaturized two-photon microscope (TM-MINI2P), enabling a two-fold increase in imaging speed while maintaining a high spatial resolution. Using TM-MINI2P, we conducted high-speed in-vivo calcium imaging in mouse cortex.
MiCe-µScope to Conduct Hyperscanning Experiment in Awake Freely Moving Animals
Authors: Lucchesi Jessica , Scaglione Alessandro , Barbera Giovanni , Mazzucato Alessia , Allegra Mascaro Anna L. , Lin Da-Ting , Pavone Francesco S.
Published: June 2024

We introduce the "MiCe-μScope", a miniaturized head-mounted optical system designed for large-scale imaging of both hemispheres on the intact skull. It is capable of recording fluorescence and reflectance signals in awake freely moving mice.
Mapping Local and Global Interactions between Parvalbumin Inhibitory Neurons and Excitatory Neurons over the Cortex in Awake Mice
Authors: Wang Xiaodan , Bice Annie R. , Bauer Adam Q.
Published: June 2024

We created a novel method for mapping the interactions between parvalbumin inhibitory interneurons (PV-INs) and excitatory neurons over the cortex in mice. Local and distant influences of PV-INs are region-specific and can span hemispheres.
Cortical Organization of Ethological-like, Multi-Limb Movements
Authors: Padawer-Curry Jonah A. , Khanal Nischal , Morris Evan W. , Bice Annie R. , Bauer Adam Q.
Published: June 2024

We performed optogenetic motor mapping in combination with a markerless pose estimation algorithm, DeeplabCut (DLC) to characterize unrestricted motor responses. Assessment of multi-limb movements revealed ethological-like behaviors, topographically organized on the cortex.
Comparison of capillary stalling events measured by Optical Coherence Tomography and Bessel Beam Two-Photon Microscopy
Authors: Kelley Shannon , Tang Rockwell P. , Kureli Gulce , Giblin John T. , Jiang John , Shah Shashwat , Kura Sreekanth , Bressan Piergiulio , Long Emily , Erdener Evren , Boas David
Published: June 2024

By comparing two prominent imaging modalities to study cerebral microvasculature, we aim to identify the advantages and limitations of each modality to study capillary stalling dynamics.
Scaling functional brain imaging with advanced high-power multi-photon microscopy
Authors: Kolata Kolja , Schulz Michael , Buß Jan Heye , Braatz Thomas , Riedel Robert
Published: June 2024

We discuss the scaling of advanced 2- and 3-photon imaging methods with large volume, high framerate and high resolution enabled by the advancement of new high power femtosecond lasers at 960 and 1300 nm.
Calcium Recording in Hippocampal CA1 Pyramidal Neurons with Enhanced Contrast Using OS-SIM
Authors: Speed Forest , Saladrigas Catherine A. , Teel Alec , Vieau Sean , Kumar Vikrant , Bright Victor M. , Kymissis Ioannis , Gopinath Juliet T. , Welle Cristin G. , Restrepo Diego , Gibson Emily A.
Published: June 2024

We discuss optical sectioning structured illumination microscopy (OS-SIM) for functional GCaMP8f imaging in the CA1 hippocampal region of awake mice. We demonstrate OS-SIM implementation to reduce out-of-focus signal contamination in recordings taken at 200 Hz.
Repeatability of Default Mode and Dorsal Attention Networks Measured with Whole Head fNIRS
Authors: Montero-Hernandez Samuel , Gao Yuanyuan , Zhang Yiwen , Beeler David , Somers David , Yücel Meryem , Boas David A
Published: June 2024

We show the repeatability of the functional connectivity default mode and dorsal attention networks in 15 human subjects measured with whole head functional near infrared spectroscopy.
Cerebral and peripheral tissue oximetry in pediatric population: establishing expected values in TD-NIRS measurements
Authors: Lacerenza M. , Rossi V. , Zanelli S. , Amendola C. , Contini D. , Buttafava M. , Torricelli A. , Spinelli L. , Zuccotti G. , Calcaterra V.
Published: June 2024

A large cohort of pediatric subjects has been studied to define percentile distribution of oxygen saturation and hemoglobin concentration in prefrontal cortex and upper arm via time-domain near-infrared spectroscopy. Results on the first 240 subjects are presented.
Light-sheet fluorescence microscopy for 3D reconstruction of human brain
Authors: Costantini Irene , Di Meo Danila , Ramazzotti Josephine , Cheli Franco , Sorelli Michele , Mazzamuto Giacomo , Checcucci Curzio , Frasconi Paolo , Pavone Francesco Saverio
Published: June 2024

Using the SHORT clearing method in combination with an advanced double-view light-sheet fluorescence microscope and an automated machine-learning-based tool we performed 3D reconstruction of a whole human Broca’s area at micrometer resolution.
Implanted fNIRS Sensors – Model and Phantom
Authors: Rein Netaniel , Avni Yael , Shechter Revital , Medvedovsky Mordekhay , Balberg Michal
Published: June 2024

An implanted fNIRS sensor, integrated within a depth electrode applied during stereo-EEG, was developed. A Monte-Carlo simulation and a phantom model demonstrate the ability to sense deeper into the brain than with non-invasive sensors.
Enhanced harmonic generation in metallic funnels driven by short-wave infrared lasers
Authors: Wang Lifeng , Han Seunghwoi , Wu Yi , Chang Zenghu
Published: June 2024

The enhancement effects of an intense short-wavelength infrared laser field in a single micrometer-scale metal funnel were observed in harmonic generation experiments. Low-order harmonics were generated by interacting 32-fs pulses centered at the 2.2-µm wavelength with gases in the funnel structures. The driving laser was an optical parametric amplifier operating at 60-kHz repetition rate. When the peak intensity of the laser beam at the entry of the funnel reached 9.1TW/cm2, third-order harmonic signals were detected. The low limits of the enhancement of the driving laser intensity in 10- and 15-µm funnels were estimated to be 32.4 and 20.8, respectively.
Shortwave Infrared Photothermal Spectroscopy and Microscopy
Authors: Ni Hongli , Yuan Yuhao , Li Mingsheng , Zhu Yifan , Ge Xiaowei , Yin Jiaze , Dessai Chinmayee Prabhu , Wang Le , Cheng Ji-Xin
Published: June 2024

Current vibrational imaging methods either have limited penetration depth or poor spatial resolution. We developed a shortwave infrared photothermal (SWIP) microscope for deep-tissue chemical imaging with sub-micron resolution and demonstrated SWIP imaging with biological tissues.
Deep Neural Network-Based Classification of Spectrally Encoded Confocal Microscopy Images of Breast Cancer Tissue
Authors: Nessaee Ameer , Kose Kivanc , Brachtel Elena F. , Kang Dongkyun
Published: June 2024

Spectrally Encoded Confocal Microscopy (SECM) previously demonstrated the ability to visualize cellular features of malignant breast tissues. In this paper, we developed a deep neural network-based method for automatically classifying SECM breast images.
Analysis of Multiplexed Single-Molecule Localization Microscopy of Chromatin and Transcription
Authors: Gong Ruyi , Acosta Nicolas , Su Patrick , Almassalha Luay , Backman Vadim
Published: June 2024

We developed a protocol on staining and imaging of three-color single-molecule localization microscopy of constitutive heterochromatin (H3K9me3), euchromatin (H3K27ac) and RNA polymerase II and proposed analysis methods to show their functional coupling.
Three-dimensional Quantitative Phase Imaging for the Assessment of Glioblastoma Multiforme Treatment Efficacy in Human Spheroids
Authors: Filan Caroline , Davarzani Amin , Cappabianca Dan , Tommasi Anna , Sarko Lauren , La Vonne Denne Nina , Mao Leidong , Saha Krishanu , Kraumbaiah Lohitash , Robles Francisco E.
Published: June 2024

Spheroids offer a unique opportunity to study personalized disease treatment; however, monitoring of these spheroids relies on time-consuming, end-point analyses. Here we apply 3D QPI using quantitative oblique back illumination microscopy (qOBM) to continuously monitor glioblastoma spheroids treated with radiation, immunotherapies, and chemotherapies.
Multi-contrast deep UV confocal microscopy with optical coherence tomography for virtual histological imaging
Authors: Martell Matthew T. , Haven Nathaniel J.M. , Masoumi Mohammad H. , Cikaluk Brendyn D. , Li Xingyu , Zemp Roger J.
Published: June 2024

A 266 nm confocal reflectance and fluorescence microscopy system is demonstrated for virtual H&E histology and simultaneous multi-contrast tissue imaging, featuring autofluorescence channels and integrated 1050 nm optical coherence tomography for comprehensive tumor margin analysis.