bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Identification of concurrent STAT3::RARA and RARA::STAT5b fusions in a variant APL case
Authors: Tao Tingting , Cen Jiannong , Xu Chao , Chen Yan , Cao Yanglin , Gong Yanlei , Zhu Mingqing , Chen Suning , Zhang Qike , Yao Li
Published: December 2023

Acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) with typically PML::RARA fusion gene caused by t (15;17) (q22; q12) was distinguished from other types of acute myeloid leukemia. In a subset of patients with APL, t (15;17) (q22;q21) and PML::RARA fusion cannot be detected. In this report, we identified the coexistence of STAT3::RARA and RARA::STAT5b fusions for the first time in a variant APL patient lacking t (15;17)(q22;q21)/PML::RARA fusion. Then, this patient was resistant to all‐trans retinoic acid combined arsenic trioxide chemotherapy. Accurate detection of RARA gene partners is crucial for variant APL, and effective therapeutic regime is urgently needed.
A long‐term follow up of the laparoscopically harvested free omental flap for breast reconstruction
Authors: Claessens Anouk A. E. , van Onna Martijn A. , Maaskant Sabrina , Broekhuysen Coralien L.
Published: December 2023

Background

There are different types of reconstruction after mastectomy and breast‐conserving surgery. Autologous reconstructions are nowadays more often preferred over implant‐based reconstructions for many reasons. A more natural looking breast with a durable long‐term result is one of the advantages. The greater omentum is frequently used in the general field of reconstructive surgery but has not been widely adopted in breast surgery. This report is the first larger series of patients who underwent a breast reconstruction using the laparoscopically harvested omental free flap (LHOFF). The aim of this report is to provide information about indication, surgical technique, short‐ and long‐term complications, and patient satisfaction with aesthetic outcomes and health‐related quality of life (HR‐QoL).

Methods

Patients underwent a breast reconstruction with the LHOFF from 2014 to 2021 in Máxima Medical Center, Veldhoven, the Netherlands. All patients underwent a diagnostic laparoscopy prior to the reconstruction to examine whether the volume of omentum was deemed sufficient. Outcome measures included the Breast‐Q for HR‐QoL, patient satisfaction, short‐ and long‐term complications, and abdominal complaints related to the transplanted omentum. Surgical data were retrieved retrospectively.

Results

Twenty‐six patients were included in this article. Patients were 40 to 71 years old with a mean BMI of 21.5 (range 17.0–25.0). Mean weight of the omental free flap was 228 g (range 112–395). Four out of 26 cases underwent surgery due to venous congestion. There was one case of flap failure due to venous thrombosis. Mean time of follow‐up was 54 months (range 8–179). Secondary corrections include a nipple reconstruction (n = 11), lipofilling (n = 11), a contralateral breast reduction (n = 3) or a breast implant (n = 2). Patients reported improvement in HR‐QoL and good satisfaction with aesthetic outcomes. No abdominal complications were reported during the follow‐up period.

Conclusion

The LHOFF is an autologous breast reconstruction technique that results in a soft, small breast with natural ptosis and minimal donor site morbidities. Patients report satisfactory aesthetic outcomes and good quality of life. The main limitation of this technique is the limited amount of volume of the omentum and the possible need for secondary corrections. No abdominal complications were reported. In the future, larger prospective studies are required to support implementation of the LHOFF reconstruction on a broader scale.
In situ terahertz reflective spectral detection of biological tissues using a transceiver‐microprobe
Authors: Li Zaoxia , Yang Zhongbo , Chang Tianying , Cui Hong‐Liang , Yan Shihan
Published: December 2023

Terahertz (THz) reflective spectroscopy is suitable and promising for biomedical applications due to its potential to evolve into an in situ detection modality. Here, we demonstrate this feasibility by using a micrometer‐sized photoconductive transceiver probe, in association with a novel home‐built THz reflection‐mode system to achieve simple optical path adjustment, and to closely approach the biological tissue surface to be probed, without additional measures to ensure the smoothness of the surface under test. Experimentally, a fresh sample consisting of muscle and adipose of porcine tissue was directly detected and successfully distinguished, showing the potential of in situ biomedical detection using this micro transceiver probe‐based THz spectrometer.
A novel and compact ultra‐wideband printed monopole antenna with enhanced bandwidth and dual‐band stop properties
Authors: Abdollahvand Mousa , Abbasi Arand Bijan , Katoch Kanishka , Ghosh Saptarshi
Published: December 2023

This article introduces a novel and compact design of an ultra‐wideband (UWB) printed monopole antenna with an enhanced bandwidth and dual band‐stop performance. A modified π‐shaped slot has been inserted in the ground plane to exhibit a wide impedance bandwidth of 116% (ranging from 3.1 to 11.2 GHz), whereas dual stopband responses (at 3.5 and 5.5 GHz) are obtained by embedding three I‐shaped stubs and a pair of modified Γ‐shaped slits in the radiating patch. The proposed topology is highly compact having an overall dimension of 18 mm × 14 mm (which is equivalent to 0.7λg × 0.54λg, where λg is the guided wavelength corresponding to the lower resonance band), has a low fabrication cost, an ultra‐wide impedance bandwidth, and omnidirectional radiation patterns in the H‐plane, which make the antenna appropriate for wideband applications and integration into UWB system. To check the advantages of the proposed antenna, experimental verification has been carried out as well as the results are compared for UWB scenarios.
Infants hospitalized with lower respiratory tract infections during the first two years of life have increased risk of pediatric obstructive sleep apnea
Authors: Gayoso‐Liviac Mirtha G. , Nino Gustavo , Montgomery Agnes S. , Hong Xiumei , Wang Xiaobin , Gutierrez Maria J.
Published: December 2023

Rationale

Lower respiratory tract infections (LRTI) during the first 2 years of life increase the risk of pediatric obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), but whether this risk varies by LRTI severity is unknown.

Methods

We analyzed data from 2962 children, aged 0–5 years, with early‐life LRTI requiring hospitalization (severe LRTI, n = 235), treated as outpatients (mild LRTI, n = 394) and without LRTI (reference group, n = 2333) enrolled in the Boston Birth Cohort. Kaplan–Meier survival estimates and Cox proportional hazards models adjusted by pertinent covariables were used to evaluate the risk of pediatric OSA.

Results

Compared to children without LRTI, those with mild LRTI were at a higher risk of having OSA (hazard ratio [HR] 1.44, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.01–2.05), and those with severe LRTI were at the highest risk (HR 2.06, 95% CI: 1.41–3.02), independently of relevant covariables (including maternal age, race, gestational age, and type of delivery). Additional risk factors linked to a higher risk of OSA included prematurity (HR 1.34, 95% CI 1.01–1.77) and maternal obesity (HR 1.82, 95% CI 1.32–2.52). The time elapsed between LRTI and OSA diagnosis was similar in mild and severe LRTI cases, with medians of 23 and 25.5 months, respectively (p = .803).

Conclusion

Infants with severe early‐life LRTI have a higher risk of developing OSA, and surveillance strategies to identify OSA need to be particularly focused on this group. OSA monitoring should continue throughout the preschool years as it may develop months or years after the initial LRTI hospitalization.
For birds and humans: challenges and benefits of rat eradication from an inhabited island (Ventotene, central Italy)
Authors: Capizzi Dario , Sposimo Paolo , Sozio Giulia , Fratini Sara , Zanet Stefania , Biondo Carmen , Romano Antonio , Dell'Agnello Filippo , Baccetti Nicola , Petrassi Fabrizio
Published: December 2023

BACKGROUND

Rat eradication from islands is a very effective tool that can free entire ecosystems from the pressure of alien predators. In this study we present the case study of Ventotene (Ponziane Archipelago, central Italy), which to date is the island with by far the greatest number of human inhabitants ever freed from the negative implications of rats. Rat eradication was carried out in the framework of the Life PonDerat project, co‐financed by the European Union. Besides considering the conservation benefits due to the removal of rats, we also considered the socio‐economic and pathogenic impacts from introduced rats.

RESULTS

The overall economic cost of the rats was quantified to be at least €18 500 per year to the residents of the island. Several zoonotic pathogens were detected in the rat population prior to eradication. A reduction in the rodenticide distributed over time on the island was also estimated. Identifying the origin of the rat population allowed for the development of more targeted and effective biosecurity measures. The eradication effort was challenged by the presence of domestic animals and variability in support for baiting in urbanised areas.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of this study open up new perspectives on island restoration projects. We demonstrated the cost‐effectiveness of the action, including ecosystem restoration, reduction of rat impacts in agricultural systems, and improving overall health and food safety. Our findings will have implications for similar interventions on other islands, potentially bringing significant benefits. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.
Exploring the influence of density‐dependence and weather on the spatial and temporal variation in common vole (Microtus arvalis) abundance in Castilla y León, NW Spain
Authors: Caminero‐Saldaña Constantino , Correa‐Cuadros Jennifer Paola , Baños‐Herrero Ana , Riquelme Carlos , Pallavicini Yesica , Fernández‐Villán Mercedes , Plaza Javier , Pérez‐Sánchez Rodrigo , Sánchez Nilda , Mougeot François , Luque‐Larena Juan José , Jaksic Fabián M , García‐Ariza María Carmen
Published: December 2023

BACKGROUND

The common vole has invaded the agroecosystems of northwestern Spain, where outbreaks cause important crop damage and management costs. Little is yet known about the factors causing or modulating vole fluctuations. Here, we used 11 years of vole abundance monitoring data in 40 sites to study density‐dependence and weather influence on vole dynamics. Our objective was to identify the population dynamics structure and determine whether there is direct or delayed density‐dependence. An evaluation of climatic variables followed, to determine whether they influenced vole population peaks.

RESULTS

First‐ and second‐order outbreak dynamics were detected at 7 and 33 study sites, respectively, together with second‐order variability in periodicity (2–3 to 4–5‐year cycles). Vole population growth was explained by previous year abundance (mainly numbers in summer and spring) at 21 of the sites (52.5%), by weather variables at 11 sites (27.5%; precipitation or temperature in six and five sites, respectively), and by a combination of previous abundance and weather variables in eight sites (20%).

CONCLUSIONS

We detected variability in vole spatiotemporal abundance dynamics, which differs in cyclicity and period. We also found regional variation in the relative importance of previous abundances and weather as factors modulating vole fluctuations. Most vole populations were cyclical, with variable periodicity across the region. Our study is a first step towards the development of predictive modeling, by disclosing relevant factors that might trigger vole outbreaks. It improves decision‐making processes within integrated management dealing with mitigation of the agricultural impacts caused by voles. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.
Sample size calculation for mixture model based on geometric average hazard ratio and its applications to nonproportional hazard
Authors: Wang Zixing , Zhang Qingyang , Xue Allen , Whitmore James
Published: December 2023

With the advent of cancer immunotherapy, some special features including delayed treatment effect, cure rate, diminishing treatment effect and crossing survival are often observed in survival analysis. They violate the proportional hazard model assumption and pose a unique challenge for the conventional trial design and analysis strategies. Many methods like cure rate model have been developed based on mixture model to incorporate some of these features. In this work, we extend the mixture model to deal with multiple non‐proportional patterns and develop its geometric average hazard ratio (gAHR) to quantify the treatment effect. We further derive a sample size and power formula based on the non‐centrality parameter of the log‐rank test and conduct a thorough analysis of the impact of each parameter on performance. Simulation studies showed a clear advantage of our new method over the proportional hazard based calculation across different non‐proportional hazard scenarios. Moreover, the mixture modeling of two real trials demonstrates how to use the prior information on the survival distribution among patients with different biomarker and early efficacy results in practice. By comparison with a simulation‐based design, the new method provided a more efficient way to compute the power and sample size with high accuracy of estimation. Overall, both theoretical derivation and empirical studies demonstrate the promise of the proposed method in powering future innovative trial designs.
Environmental target constraints and enterprise export competitiveness—Exploring the sustainable development of China's external trade
Authors: Feng Zhuo , Zhang Lijuan
Published: December 2023

Balancing export growth and environmental protection is the key to promoting China's long‐term sustainable development. Based on the multi‐dimensional panel data, we conducted a case study using Chinese prefecture‐level city and firm‐level data from 2004 to 2014 to examine the impact of local government environmental target constraints on enterprises' export competitiveness. The results show that local government environmental target constraints have a significant negative effect on the export competitiveness of enterprises, and this finding still holds after a series of robustness tests and overcoming endogeneity. The mechanism test shows that there is both the cost effect of the “traditional school” and the innovation compensation effect of the “Porter hypothesis” in the effect of local government environmental target constraints on the export competitiveness of enterprises. The sub‐sample heterogeneity regressions found that the negative effects of local government environmental target constraints on polluting industries, processing trade enterprises, and labor and capital‐intensive industries are significantly weaker than those on clean industries, general trade enterprises, and technology‐ intensive industries. The research provides empirical support for the government to develop environmental policies to secure a win‐win situation of environmental protection and export growth.
Analysis of factors influencing carbon emissions of urban households: A case study of old urban community in northern China
Authors: Xu Yue , Wang Qingsong , Tian Shu , Li Yue , Yuan Xueliang , Ma Qiao , Liu Mengyue , Zhang Yujie , Yang Shuo , Xu Yuan , Yang Yue , Liu Chengqing
Published: December 2023

CO2 emissions reduction of urban residents is one of the main ways to mitigate climate change. Clarifying the key factors of carbon emissions can provide a reference basis for the government to formulate carbon reduction policies. The old urban community that widely exist in most cities in northern China is taken as the research object. Based on the fuzzy interpretive structural model and structural equation model, a new method is proposed to explore the influencing factors of household carbon emissions (HCEs). It is found that behavior change attitude and low‐carbon personal cognition are the two most important factors affecting HCE. Elderly families, high‐income families, and low‐education families are the groups with higher per capita HCE. Different suggestions were proposed to promote HCE reduction for the high‐income young tenants and low‐income elderly local residents in the community. In addition, by introducing multi‐agent judgment, the coupling model proposed in this study reduces the subjectivity caused by excessive reliance on single agent judgment in previous studies. It enhances the credibility of research conclusions and provides a good methodological reference for research in similar fields.
Water‐Triggered Self‐Healing of Ti3C2Tx MXene Standalone Electrodes: Systematic Examination of Factors Affecting the Healing Process
Authors: Choi Jun Sang , Meena Jagan Singh , Choi Su Bin , Jung Seung‐Boo , Kim Jong‐Woong
Published: December 2023

MXenes, with their remarkable attributes, stand at the forefront of diverse applications. However, the challenge remains in sustaining their performance, especially concerning Ti3C2Tx MXene electrodes. Current self‐healing techniques, although promising, often rely heavily on adjacent organic materials. This study illuminates a pioneering water‐initiated self‐healing mechanism tailored specifically for standalone MXene electrodes. Here, both water and select organic solvents seamlessly mend impaired regions. Comprehensive evaluations around solvent types, thermal conditions, and substrate nuances underline water's unmatched healing efficacy, attributed to its innate ability to forge enduring hydrogen bonds with MXenes. Optimal healing environments range from ambient conditions to a modest 50 °C. Notably, on substrates rich in hydroxyl groups, the healing efficiency remains consistently high. The proposed healing mechanism encompasses hydrogen bonding formation, capillary action‐induced expansion of interlayer spacing, solvent lubrication, Gibbs free energy minimizing MXene nanosheet rearrangement, and solvent evaporation‐triggered MXene layer recombination. MXenes' resilience is further showcased by their electrical revival from profound damages, culminating in the crafting of Joule‐heated circuits and heaters.
The Zn Vacancy‐Mediated De‐Accumulation Based Process for Hydrogen Production Performance Promotion of 1D Zn─Cd─S Nanorods
Authors: Wang Shuang , Cheng Yuye , Huang Wenfei , Dou Minghao , Shao Hongyu , Yao Mengjie , Ding Kai , Ye Tongqi , Zhou Rulong , Li Shenjie , Chen Yanyan
Published: December 2023

Due to their anisotropy, 1D semiconductor nanorod‐based materials have attracted much attention in the process of hydrogen production by solar energy. Nevertheless, the rational design of 1D heterojunction materials and the modulation of photo‐generated electron–hole transfer paths remain a challenge. Herein, a ZnxCd1‐xS@ZnS/MoS2 core–shell nanorod heterojunction is precisely constructed via in situ growth of discontinuous ZnS shell and MoS2 NCs on the Zn─Cd─S nanorods. Among them, the Zn vacancy in the ZnS shell builds the defect level, and the nanoroelded MoS2 builds the electron transport site. The optimized photocatalyst shows significant photocatalytic activity without Platinum as an auxiliary catalyst, mainly due to the new interfacial charge transfer channel constructed by the shell vacancy level, the vertical separation and the de‐accumulation process of photo‐generated electrons and photo‐generated holes. At the same time, spectral analysis, and density functional theory (DFT) calculations fully prove that shortening difference of speed between the photogenerated electron and hole movement process is another key factor to enhance the photocatalytic performance. This study provides a new path for the kinetic design of enhanced carrier density by shortening the carrier retention time of 1D heterojunction photocatalysts with improved photocatalytic performance.
Photocrosslinked Co‐Assembled Amino Acid Nanoparticles for Controlled Chemo/Photothermal Combined Anticancer Therapy
Authors: Wang Tengfei , Qi Yun , Miyako Eijiro , Bianco Alberto , Ménard‐Moyon Cécilia
Published: December 2023

Nanostructures formed from the self‐assembly of amino acids are promising materials in many fields, especially for biomedical applications. However, their low stability resulting from the weak noncovalent interactions between the amino acid building blocks limits their use. In this work, nanoparticles co‐assembled by fluorenylmethoxycarbonyl (Fmoc)‐protected tyrosine (Fmoc‐Tyr‐OH) and tryptophan (Fmoc‐Trp‐OH) are crosslinked by ultraviolet (UV) light irradiation. Two methods are investigated to induce the dimerization of tyrosine, irradiating at 254 nm or at 365 nm in the presence of riboflavin as a photo‐initiator. For the crosslinking performed at 254 nm, both Fmoc‐Tyr‐OH and Fmoc‐Trp‐OH generate dimers. In contrast, only Fmoc‐Tyr‐OH participates in the riboflavin‐mediated dimerization under irradiation at 365 nm. The participation of both amino acids in forming the dimers leads to more stable crosslinked nanoparticles, allowing also to perform further chemical modifications for cancer applications. The anticancer drug doxorubicin (Dox) is adsorbed onto the crosslinked nanoparticles, subsequently coated by a tannic acid‐iron complex, endowing the nanoparticles with glutathione‐responsiveness and photothermal properties, allowing to control the release of Dox. A remarkable anticancer efficiency is obtained in vitro and in vivo in tumor‐bearing mice thanks to the combined chemo‐ and photothermal treatment.
Facile and Green Synthesis of Well‐Defined Nanocrystal Oxygen Evolution Catalysts by Rational Crystallization Regulation
Authors: Jiang Wulyu , Xia Lu , Ferreira Gomes Bruna , Haumann Michael , Dau Holger , Roth Christina , Lehnert Werner , Shviro Meital
Published: December 2023

The development of catalysts for an economical and efficient oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is critical for clean and sustainable energy storage and conversion. Nickel–iron‐based (NiFe) nanostructures are widely investigated as active OER catalysts and especially shape‐controlled nanocrystals exhibit optimized surface structure and electronic properties. However, the structural control from amorphous to well‐defined crystals is usually time‐consuming and requires multiple stages. Here, a universal two‐step precipitation‐hydrothermal approach is reported to prepare a series of NiFe‐based nanocrystals (e.g., hydroxides, sulfides, and molybdates) from amorphous precipitates. Their morphology and evolution of atomic and electronic structure during this process are studied using conclusive microscopy and spectroscopy techniques. The short‐term, additive‐free, and low‐cost method allows for the control of the crystallinity of the materials and facilitates the generation of nanosheets, nanorods, or nano‐octahedra with excellent water oxidation activity. The NiFe‐based crystalline catalysts exhibit slightly compromised initial activity but more robust long‐term stability than their amorphous counterparts during electrochemical operation. This facile, reliable, and universal synthesis method is promising in strategies for fabricating NiFe‐based nanostructures as efficient and economically valuable OER electrocatalysts.
Highly Efficient and Stable Mo‐CoP3@FeOOH Electrocatalysts for Alkaline Seawater Splitting
Authors: Zhao Depeng , Liu Xingyu , Zhang Wei‐chao , Wu Xiang , Cho Young‐Rae
Published: December 2023

The introduction of high‐valence state elements and highly active species is promisingly desired to design superior electrocatalysts for water electrolysis. Exploring scalable synthetic strategies is necessary for an in‐depth understanding of the mechanism of improving electrocatalytic performance. But it remains challenging. Herein, several electrocatalysts through element doping are prepared. The obtained Mo‐CoP3‐2@FeOOH samples show the overpotentials (OER) of 232 mV (alkaline seawater) and 262 mV (KOH electrolyte). As HER catalyst, it also presents an excellent electrocatalytic performance. The above electrocatalysts are utilized as anode/cathode to assemble devices for alkaline seawater/water electrolysis, which delivers a cell voltage of 1.58 V and durability of 350 h. Density functional theory calculations reveal that Mo ion doping and FeOOH significantly enhance the density states of the Fermi level and tune the position of the d‐band center. It expedites the charge transfer and decreases the adsorption energy of intermediates. It demonstrates that transition‐metal phosphides coated with highly active FeOOH offer an effective route to fabricate high‐performance and durable catalysts for seawater/water electrolysis.
Multi‐scale structure engineering of covalent organic framework for electrochemical charge storage
Authors: Zhang Xiaofang , Li Fangling , Yang Shuangqiao , Song Baiqi , Luo Richu , Xiong Rui , Xu Weilin
Published: December 2023

Covalent organic frameworks (COFs), which are constructed by linking organic building blocks via dynamic covalent bonds, are newly emerged and burgeoning crystalline porous copolymers with features including programmable topological architecture, pre‐designable periodic skeleton, well‐defined micro‐/meso‐pore, large specific surface area, and customizable electroactive functionality. Those benefits make COFs as promising candidates for advanced electrochemical energy storage. Especially, for now, structure engineering of COFs from multi‐scale aspects has been conducted to enable optimal overall electrochemical performance in terms of structure durability, electrical conductivity, redox activity, and charge storage. In this review, we give a fundamental and insightful study on the correlations between multi‐scale structure engineering and eventual electrochemical properties of COFs, started with introducing their basic chemistries and charge storage principles. The careful discussion on the significant achievements in structure engineering of COFs from linkages, redox sites, polygon skeleton, crystal nanostructures, and composite microstructures, and further their effects on the electrochemical behavior of COFs are presented. Finally, the timely cutting‐edge perspectives and in‐depth insights into COF‐based electrode materials to rationally screen their electrochemical behaviors for addressing future challenges and implementing electrochemical energy storage applications are proposed.
The Margins of Academia or Challenging the Official Ideology
Authors: Bozarslan Hamit
Published: December 2023

This chapter highlights two intellectuals, both “ethnic Turks,” who have challenged Turkey’s huge scientific machines. Their scholarship demolished the credibility of the official, extremely rigid, and radically nationalist “social sciences” as they are practiced, in the past and currently in Turkish universities and research centers. The impact of their work and their intellectual audacity gave birth to new intellectual traditions in Turkey and shook international Turcology and “Turkish studies,” which constitute an important branch of Middle Eastern Studies.

İsmail Besṃikçi earned a PhD in Sociology and seemed poised to obtain a position in the Turkish academic establishment. Through a series of sociological-ethnographic volumes published at the turn of the 1970s, however, he chose to show the centrality of the Kurdish issue in the very fabric of modern Turkey. In the second half of the 1970s, after he was fired from his university and spent several years in prison, he directly attacked the Kemalist academic establishment. Besṃikçi insisted that Kemalist power, far from being the initiator of modernity in Turkey, preserved, if not reinforced, pre- or profoundly anti-modern institutions, such as tribal leadership and religious brotherhoods, at least in the Kurdish region.

The second intellectual, Taner Akçam, one of the main figures of the radical left in Turkey of the 1970s, was obliged to flee the country. One of his largely unknown first books, published in 1992, was not on the Armenian issue, but on torture and cruelty in the national history. That same year, he also published a path-breaking book on the Armenian issue. Akçam had very few archival resources at his disposal, but he was able to see the deeper sense of what scholars shyly called the “Armenian question”: questioning “1915” meant questioning the very foundation of Turkey, as a state, but also as a country and a society, with all her components, including the Kurdish one, and all her political trends, including the liberal and left-wing ones. Scholars working on contemporary Tukey had to establish the facts, describe what happened in 1915 by taking their distance from official history-writing, and, more importantly, understand how such an act could take place and how such a massive taboo on the genocide could have been institutionalized.
Cohabitating in Captivity: Vartouhie Calantar Nalbandian (Zarevand) at the Women’s Section of Istanbul’s Central Prison (1915–1918)
Authors: Ekmekçioğlu Lerna
Published: December 2023

Vartouhie Calantar Nalbandian (1893–1978), the only Armenian woman known to have been arrested by the Ottoman Turkish authorities in Istanbul in the spring of 1915, was born in Bursa to a Russian Armenian father and an Ottoman Armenian mother. One of the first generation of Armenian girls who received a European university education, Vartouhie sent letters home from Lausanne that would change the course of her life. In 1915, the Ottoman police raided the family home as Tavit Kalantar had been a high-level educator in Armenian schools. They found Vartouhie’s letters to her parents and her father’s papers, which they claimed included incriminating evidence. In August 1915, a military tribunal convicted Vartouhie and her father of propagating Armenian separatist ideology. They served two-and-a-half years in Constantinople’s Central Prison and, thanks to their Russian citizenship, were released after the Bolsheviks signed the Brest-Litovsk Treaty with the Central Powers, requiring “prisoners of war” to be freed.

Vartouhie published her prison memoirs in 16 installments in the feminist journal Hay Gin (Armenian Woman), the first prison memoir by a woman in the Middle East and one of the very few for the Ottoman Empire. In 1921, Vartouhie emigrated to the US, where she married Zaven Nalbandian, a high-level Armenian Revolutionary Federation member who participated in Operation Nemesis. In 1926, they published an important book in Armenian on the pan-Turkic movement under the penname Zarevand. In 1971, the newly minted sociology professor Vahakn Dadrian translated their book into English as United and Independent Turania: Aims and Designs of the Turks. Their historical and political analysis, the first study of the Armenian Genocide in the United States, argues that Turkish irredentism had been a real threat for Armenians who stood in the way of the unification of Turkic peoples under one state. This chapter writes a hitherto unknown feminist and historian into Armenian, Turkish, and Ottoman historiographies as well as genocide and prison studies.
Contestation of Civil Society Elites: Targets, Sources, and Depths in Four National Contexts
Authors: Kalm Sara , Meeuwisse Anna
Published: December 2023

Civil society is currently marked by two major trends—one is the shrinking civic space, as civil society actors are increasingly met with ideological resistance, and the other is marketisation as New Public Management principles are introduced in civil society governance. This chapter explores how civil society leaders experience these macro-level trends through forms of contestation, which is a perspective that has so far been overlooked in research. The theoretical framework distinguishes between the target, the source, and the depth of the contestation. The empirical investigation is based on a new survey of civil society elites and compares leaders in Italy, Poland, Sweden, and the UK. Overall, the investigation finds less contestation than expected. Contestation of the leaders as individuals comes mostly from within their organisations and is more professional than ideological. More and deeper contestation is instead directed at the organisations, and its precise forms reflect the different civil society regimes that our four countries represent.
Michels, Mills and Civil Society Elites: Concluding Reflections and Avenues for Future Research
Authors: Johansson Håkan , Meeuwisse Anna
Published: December 2023

In this concluding chapter, we analyse the volume’s main findings and the paradoxical meaning of the concept of civil society elites using a classic debate in elite research, namely the difference between the ‘oligarchic elites’ identified by Michels and Mills’ theory of a ‘power elite’. We make use of these theories to distinguish between the elites of civil society (‘oligarchic elites’) and the elites in civil society (‘power elites’) and to analyse the composition, reproduction, integration, and contestation of civil society elites in different national contexts. The contributions to this volume demonstrate the significance of both a Michelsian and a Millsian approach to the exploration of civil society elites, although the results challenge some of the assumptions in these elite theories. Finally, we propose some themes for further research in order to achieve a deeper understanding of civil society elites.
The Orbit: Introduction to “CrossRoads”. Multidisciplinary Versus Solo Approach in Complex Cases
Authors: Mourits Maarten P. , Gooris Peter J. J. , Bergsma J. Eelco
Published: December 2023

Within the framework of established medical disciplines, “sub”-specializations have made their entrance during the past decades. The subspecialists, as they see more patients of the same kind, have a more focused skill set and deeper knowledge which has led to better patient care. On the other hand, they may lose general knowledge of their specialty and no longer be able to practice full scope. To preserve the advantages of subspecialization and still be able to maintain an overall, “holistic” view on the patient, “cooperation” is essential.
Applied Surgery of the Eyelids
Authors: Mourits Maarten P.
Published: December 2023

The anatomy of the eyelids is briefly outlined. The most common eyelid disorders, i.e., dermatochalasis, blepharoptosis, entropion, ectropion, and eyelid tumors—and their management are discussed.
Diagnosis and Clinical Presentation, Workup and Decision-Making of Orbital Fractures
Authors: Jansen Jesper , Maal Thomas J. J. , Sabelis Juliana F. , Schreurs Ruud , Dubois Leander
Published: December 2023

Management of orbital fractures has been a topic of controversy for the last 50 years. There is consensus on acute indications for orbital reconstruction and the need for surgery in large fractures with severe functional symptoms or early enophthalmos. Small fractures without complaints will generally be treated without surgery. There is a large grey area between these more obvious cases with no clear consensus about the indication and timing of treatment. It is difficult to predict which of the symptoms (diplopia and limited motility) will resolve spontaneously, and no clear predictors for the development of enophthalmos exist. This chapter describes the relevance of clinical symptoms and considerations for conservative or surgical treatment, based on the latest scientific evidence. A well-designed and generally accepted clinical protocol for orbital fractures ensures a uniform treatment approach, cooperation between different specialities, and adequate outcome evaluation. This facilitates the clinical decision-making and optimisation of the treatment.
New Kids on the Block: The Rise of NGO Mediators in Peace Mediation
Authors: Palmiano Federer Julia
Published: December 2023

In this chapter, I describe the emergence of NGO mediators in peace mediation. To avoid confusion regarding the unit of analysis, I focus on the normative frameworks and normative socializations of NGO mediators primarily as institutions, and not individuals. While the normative agency of NGOs as institutions and individuals may be closely interlinked, assessing the normative agency of individuals employed by NGOs require psychological and sociological methodologies that fall beyond the scope of this bookI view NGO mediators as private actors who take on discreet or public mediative or facilitative functions or activities among and between the negotiating parties in a peace process (Palmiano Federer, Rethinking Peace Mediation: Challenges of Contemporary Peacemaking Practice. Bristol University Press, 2021) The unit of analysis I focus on are international NGOs (INGOs) rather than local or national peacemaking organizations. While NGO mediators are seen to have little political power, they wield distinct characteristics such as moral authority, informality and the ability to partner within their institutional structure. These characteristics imbue them with an alternative type of legitimacy that lends to certain comparative advantages vis-à-vis other types of mediators. I also suggest that there are three types of NGO mediators, the “local-insider,” the “regional-outsider” and the “international modular.” All of these aspects contribute to NGO mediators’ “normative socializations” (Hellmüller et al. 2015), which are the highly subjective way that a mediation actor interprets a norm, based on their own personal view, which in turn affects their ability to promote norms to negotiating parties in peace processes.
Application of LAND-SUITE for Landslide Susceptibility Modelling Using Different Mapping Units: A Case Study in Croatia
Authors: Bernat Gazibara Sanja , Sinčić Marko , Rossi Mauro , Reichenbach Paola , Krkač Martin , Lukačić Hrvoje , Jagodnik Petra , Šarić Gabrijela , Mihalić Arbanas Snježana
Published: December 2023

LAND-SUITE software was applied to local-scale landslide susceptibility zonation in a study area (20 km2) located in NW Croatia, which is characterised by small and shallow landslides in engineering soils and hard soils-soft rocks. Landslide susceptibility models were prepared using a LiDAR-based landslide inventory, and causal factors derived and/or modified using high-resolution remote sensing data. The landslide susceptibility analysis was carried out using different statistical methods and mapping units. As a result, we obtained ten susceptibility maps, classified into five zones based on modelled landslide probability. The main objective of this paper is to analyse the use of LAND-SUITE for deriving susceptibility zonations, useful to support applications in a spatial planning system on a local scale. One of the most valuable advantage of LAND-SUITE is that the selection of the appropriate causal factor maps can be performed using simple decisions based on multiple analyses, including multicollinearity tables and correlograms. The evaluation of the susceptibility models allowed to conclude that the pixel-based map represents the best option for application in a local-level spatial planning system, although it requires “post-processing” of the susceptibility zones to produce clustered and homogeneous information. LAND-SUITE has proven to be a valuable tool for testing numerous landslide susceptibility hypotheses.
An Integrated Approach to Landslides Risk Management for Local and National Authorities
Authors: Abolmasov Biljana , Marjanović Miloš , Đurić Uroš , Krušić Jelka
Published: December 2023

The University of Belgrade, Faculty of Mining and Geology has been involved in landslide risk reduction activities at the national, regional, and site-specific levels in Serbia for decades. Since 2011 the Faculty has had several activities closely connected with the International Consortium on Landslides, including the International Programme on Landslides Projects 181, 210 and 248, as well as World Centre of Excellency (WCoE) from 2017. In the past decade the Faculty of Mining and Geology was involved in several national, regional and local projects funded by the People of Japan, UNDP and The World Bank on landslide risk reduction in Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and North Macedonia. They all closely involved many stakeholders from national to local authorities including Ministries, Local Self Governments, Public Enterprises, Emergency Offices and Civil Protection units. In this report, the activities of WCoE for national and local authorities on landslide risk reduction will be presented.
Remedial Measures Impact on Slope Stability and Landslide Occurrence in Small-Scale Slope Physical Model in 1 g Conditions
Authors: Arbanas Željko , Peranić Josip , Jagodnik Vedran , Vivoda Prodan Martina , Čeh Nina
Published: December 2023

Physical modelling of landslides by analysing the behaviour of small-scale landslide models subjected to artificial rainfall can be divided into modelling under 1 g conditions and under increased acceleration (ntimes gravity) in a centrifuge. Physical modelling of landslide initiation began in 1970s in Japan on scaled natural slope models and after initial experiences with field and laboratory research, the small-scale landslide modelling has found a wide application around the world in different aspects of landslide investigations, analysing different types of landslides, different types of slope materials and landslide movements. The main task of landslide physical modelling is research of initiation, motion and accumulation of fast flow-like slides caused by infiltration of surface water or by shaking on a shaking table. Studies that have included landslide mitigation measures into small-scale physical models are rare and have not established correlations with a behaviour of on-site mitigation constructions. This paper discusses the behaviour of small-scale slope models supported by remedial measures under artificial rain in 1 g loading conditions. Models of slope built of different materials, with and without applied remedial measures (gravity retaining wall, gabion wall, pile wall) were exposed to identical intensities of artificial rainfall. The results of the simulations indicated that the slopes supported by remedial measures retained stability of the slope in the same conditions in which the sandy slope collapsed, as well as under significantly prolonged precipitations. At the end of the simulations, significantly higher rainfall intensities were applied to the supported slopes, exceeding the infiltration capacity of the slope material and affecting surface runout. The combination of surface erosion and saturation of superficial layer of a slope caused initiations of flow processes, while complete saturation of a slope when ground water level reached slope surface caused forming of a surface of rupture and consequently movements of the formed landslide body. The data obtained from the geodetic and geotechnical monitoring system enabled understanding of the overall process of rainfall infiltration and soil strength reduction to the development of the surface of rupture in a slope.
Introduction: Universities and the Matter of Mattering
Authors: Mattsson Pauline , Perez Vico Eugenia , Salö Linus
Published: December 2023

In this introductory chapter, we provide insights into the debates that inspired this volume. Our aim is to extend the boundaries of the concept societal interaction and discuss the conditions for universities to undertake such endeavors. Within this context, we introduce the matter of “mattering” which serves as the central theme that runs through this volume. Mattering, we posit, can be comprehended through three key concepts: collaboration, engagement, and impact. We outline how each concept contributes to an increasing understanding of the manifold ways in which mattering can be grasped and achieved. Furthermore, we provide an overview of the coherent set of individual chapters that, separately or jointly, deal with the three concepts. Through these chapters, this volume aims to make a valuable addition to the evolving literature that explores how universities can expand their impact beyond conventional higher education missions. Collectively, these chapters cover the context of the mattering of universities and draw on various empirical data sources, mainly from Sweden but also internationally. Within this compilation of inquiries, we shed light on the multifaceted impact of universities on societies, exploring the mechanisms, contexts, and temporal dimensions of their contributions to advancing knowledge and addressing societal challenges.
Valorizing the Humanities: Impact Stories, Acting Spaces, and Meandering Knowledge Flows
Authors: Perez Vico Eugenia , Sörlin Sverker , Hanell Linnea , Salö Linus
Published: December 2023

Despite its proven societal value, humanities knowledge tends to be marginalized in research policy; this has been a topic of debate for some time. In this chapter, we focus on the valorization of humanities knowledge, with the aim of comprehending the way this process engenders societal impact. We argue that historical impact stories offer an effective methodological approach for a deeper understanding of such valorization and its subsequent impact. Drawing on three humanities research cases from Sweden, we propose that valorization and impacts of humanities knowledge should be seen as processual and as influenced by societal actors who determine the premises and condition the somewhat unpredictable nature of such impacts. We introduce two concepts: (i) acting space, which involves access to collaborators, audiences, and channels that enable knowledge valorization, and (ii) meandering knowledge flows, which provides insight into the uneven and hard-to-predict nature of valorization. Through these concepts, we wish to provide a better and more nuanced understanding of how knowledge valorization in the humanities unfolds. By doing so, we hope to support humanities scholars to find ways of articulating their own modes of mattering.
Engaging in Societal Collaboration Through Reflexivity: Experiences from a Cross-Disciplinary Pilot Course for Faculty
Authors: Jonsson Anna , Perez Vico Eugenia , Politis Diamanto
Published: December 2023

There is limited understanding of how education initiatives geared toward faculty and support staff can foster a capacity for long-term and integrated societal engagement and collaboration within higher education institutions. Using the experiences from a cross-disciplinary pilot course in Sweden, the current study aims to identify features that explicate how skills and academic rigor for engaging in societal collaboration can be developed toward a “reflexive scholarship of societal collaboration.” Based on a case study of the course, we identify the need for (i) theoretical orientation, (ii) collective reflections among diverse participants, and (iii) application of gained knowledge in real-world contexts. Building on the experiences from the pilot course, we explore and discuss the participants’ reflections on how their partaking in the course may support a reflexive scholarship of societal collaboration. Our study is relevant to managers and policymakers interested in nurturing long-term and integrated collaborations between academia and various societal actors.
Governing by Organizing: The Context of Universities in Sweden
Authors: Bjare Ulrika
Published: December 2023

The chapter provides an overview of how three significant educational reforms, dating back to the late 1970s, have shaped the policy agenda for higher education and research in Sweden. The concept of metagovernance through governing by organizing is applied as a conceptual framework for comprehending the steering mechanisms inherent in these three university reforms. The reforms serve as illustrations, revealing that the state’s governance capacity is strongly contingent upon organizational factors. The application of organizational theory helps uncover new aspects of the state’s role and governance within the domain of higher education and research policy. This mode of steering frequently manifests as the establishment of conditions or the facilitation of capacities for steering mechanisms within specific organizational structures, aimed at achieving policy objectives. The objectives are formulated around various, and often ambivalent, ideas of how to enforce and advance the means through which universities can matter to other parts of society and national development.