bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Exploring the association between precipitation and hospital admission for mental disorders in Switzerland between 2009 and 2019
Authors: Lee Sujung , Salvador Coral , Tuel Alexandre , Vicedo-Cabrera Ana Maria
Published: April 2023

While several studies proved the relationship between increasing temperatures and poor mental health, limited evidence exists on the effect of other weather factors, such as precipitation. This study assessed the impact of precipitation on hospital admissions for mental disorders in Switzerland between 2009–2019. We defined different precipitation events based on the duration (daily precipitation ≥1mm for 2, 3, or 4 days; PP.2/PP.3/PP.4) and intensity (≥90th percentile for 2 consecutive days; PEP90.2). First, we conducted aggregated time-stratified case-crossover analysis in eight main Swiss cities with distributed lag models to assess the association up to 3 days after the exposure. Then, we pooled the estimates in each city using a multivariate random effects meta-analysis for all hospital admissions and by subgroups (sex, age, diagnosis). Evidence of an association between precipitation and hospital admission for mental disorders was not found in Switzerland (PP.2: 1.003[0.978–1.029]; PP.3: 1.005[0.985–1.026]; PP.4: 0.994[0.960–1.030]; PEP90.2: 1.000[0.953–1.050]). Although the results were highly uncertain, we found an indication of increasing risks of hospital admission with increasing intensity of precipitation in warmer seasons (PP.2: 1.001[0.971–1.032] vs PEP90.2: 1.014[0.955–1.078]), while the risks of hospital admission slightly increased by the duration in colder season (PP.2: 1.009[0.981–1.039]; PP.3: 1.008[0.980–1.036]; PP.4: 1.017[0.956–1.081]). Overall, risks tend to be higher in people aged < 65 years. Duration of the events may influence more than intensity in females, while opposite patterns were observed in males. Risks tended to be larger but still uncertain for schizophrenia, mood disorders, and adult personality disorders. An indication of a negative association was found in neurotic disorders and null risks in the remaining groups. Although our findings did not show a clear association between precipitation and mental disorders, further research is required to clarify the role of precipitation and the potential implications of climate change and extreme precipitation events on mental health.
Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on bone and soft tissue tumor treatment: A single-institution study
Authors: Ban Yoshitaka , Hoshi Manabu , Oebisu Naoto , Shimatani Akiyoshi , Takada Naoki , Iwai Tadashi , Nakamura Hiroaki
Published: April 2023

Objective

The spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has caused a great deal of damage to daily medical care. We investigated the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on bone and soft tissue tumor treatment at our hospital.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective comparative study of two groups of patients at Osaka City University Hospital during the period of increasing COVID-19 infections (February-December 2020, group C) and the same period the previous year (February- December 2019, group NC). Clinical data, including patient’s age, gender, type of tumor, neoplasms, number of surgical cases for inpatients and outpatients, operation time, use of implants, length of hospital stay, inpatient hospital costs, number of inpatients receiving anticancer drugs, and postoperative complications in these two groups were retrospectively evaluated.

Results

The number of cases of malignant bone and soft tissue tumors that were resected during hospitalization was predominantly higher in group C than in group NC (P = 0.01). There were no significant differences in operation time, use of implants, and postoperative complications between group C and group NC, but there were significant differences in the length of hospital stay and hospital costs (P<0.001).

Conclusions

The COVID-19 pandemic has been recognized throughout the world to have adverse effects in a variety of areas. It had a negative impact on hospital costs and the length of hospital stay in the field of bone and soft tissue tumor treatment.
Kindled emotions: Commemoration and the importance of meaning making, support and recognition
Authors: Mitima-Verloop Huibertha B. , Mooren Trudy T. M. , Boelen Paul A.
Published: April 2023

Commemorative events, organized in the aftermath of war or large-scale violence, can have an emotional impact on those who are attending. We examined several characteristics that might influence this impact. In a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest study, participants (n = 307) watched footage of the broadcast of the Dutch National Commemoration, in which World War II is remembered. A control group of 48 participants watched the commemoration broadcast live on Remembrance Day. They were matched for age, gender, war experience and migration background with 48 participants from the study group who watched the footage, to conduct a comparability check. We found some evidence that watching the footage was comparable to watching the commemoration live on Remembrance Day in terms of emotional response and experience of psychosocial factors. Participants in the footage sample (n = 307) responded with an increase of negative and decrease of positive emotions. Individual characteristics were limitedly related to the emotional response; posttraumatic stress symptom severity predicted increased negative emotions. Experiencing meaning making, support and, to a lesser extent, recognition through commemorating was related to experiencing more positive emotions. The findings indicate these psychosocial factors may buffer the emotional distress elicited by commemoration and contribute to important cognitive and social benefits. Practical implications are discussed.
Visual communication has always been political
Authors: Aiello Giorgia
Published: April 2023

This article is an invitation to engage with the small ‘p’ politics of visual political communication by highlighting the importance of both culture and history, in order to gain greater understanding of how images and the visual more broadly may ‘work’ on us and contribute to our imaginaries as well as our understanding of political messages and political life as a whole. Specifically, the article aims to encourage scholars in this field to engage less with strategy and tactics or persuasion and effects to delve more deeply into why and how visual meanings become politically powerful over time and in particular contexts. In doing so, the article foregrounds the work of two major scholars of the visual, Stuart Hall and Michel Pastoureau, and promotes an approach focusing on the more seemingly mundane, taken-for-granted and everyday meanings and practices underlying visual political communication. To demonstrate this approach, the article offers an in-depth discussion of the photograph used in the ‘Breaking Point’ poster at the centre of the political campaign which was launched by UKIP leader Nigel Farage in the run-up to the 2016 Brexit referendum.
Astrología, religión y escatología astral en el mundo antiguo: el testimonio de Cicerón y Macrobio
Authors: Macías Villalobos Cristóbal
Published: April 2023

El mundo griego y romano imaginó distintos escenarios escatológicos, entre ellos, un Más Allá asociado a los astros, surgido en el ámbito del pitagorismo, con posibles influjos orientales, que platonismo, estoicismo y neoplatonismo hicieron suyo. La creencia en una trascendencia vinculada a los astros se desarrolló sobremanera en el periodo comprendido entre el siglo I a.C. y finales de la Antigüedad, como atestiguan el Somnium ciceroniano y el comentario que sobre el mismo elaboró Macrobio, textos que analizaremos detenidamente en este artículo. Este desarrollo, que también atestigua la epigrafía funeraria, no fue ajeno a la creciente astrolatría, fruto de la práctica astrológica, sobre todo en el culto al Sol Invictus y en los populares cultos mistéricos, que, con cada vez mayor presencia de elementos astrales, prometían a sus adeptos una supervivencia del alma tras la muerte.
Marked Bodies: Skin as Communicative Entity in Late Antique Hagiography
Authors: Boada Benito Aitor
Published: April 2023

This article analyses the communicative function of the skin, taking a Christian hagiographic text written in the early seventh century in the Sassanid Empire as a case study. The aim is to illustrate the creation of speech codes in Christian communities in the Sassanid Empire and their expression in the hagiographic literature, focusing on the representation of one aspect: the presence or absence of marks on the skin. By analysing these references and comparing them with other hagiographic testimonies, I shall explore how Christian communities in late antiquity constructed systems of meaning around the skin and used them to articulate their religious identity in relation to other communities. The Speech Codes Theory developed by Greg Philipsen is of relevance here, helping to elucidate how Christian communities, embedded in an agonistic socio-cultural, political, legal, and religious context where Zoroastrianism occupied the hegemonic spheres, developed a constellation of very specific meanings around the skin that enabled a perpetual process of creating, negotiating and defining a message of religious affiliation.
Dos nuevos grafitos ibéricos procedentes de La Corona (Fuentes de Ebro, Zaragoza)
Authors: Herrera Rando Javier
Published: April 2023

En este artículo presentamos dos grafitos ibéricos hallados durante las excavaciones de 1998 en el yacimiento ibero-romano de La Corona, en la localidad zaragozana de Fuentes de Ebro. El primero, realizado sobre una pátera campaniense B, contiene un antropónimo mientras que el segundo, grabado en una esquirla de cerámica muy deteriorada, presenta al menos un signo legible.
Celso Rodríguez Cao, La domus del Mitreo. Un enclave singular en Lucus Augusti
Authors: Calonge Miranda Adrián
Published: April 2023

Reseña a Celso Rodríguez Cao, La domus del Mitreo. Un enclave singular en Lucus Augusti, Philtáte 4, Deputación de Lugo y Concello de Lugo, Museo Universitario A domus do Mitreo, Lugo 2021, 365 páginas. ISBN: 978-84-8192-577-7
M.ª Dolores Dopico Cainzos & Manuel Villanueva Acuña (eds.), Aut oppressi serviunt… La intervención de Roma en las comunidades indígenas
Authors: Calonge Miranda Adrián
Published: April 2023

Reseña al libro Mª Dolores Dopico Caínzos y Manuel Villanueva Acuña (Eds.), Aut oppressi serviunt… La intervención de Roma en las comunidades indígenas, Philtáte 5, Deputación de Lugo y Concello de Lugo, Museo Universitario A domus do Mitreo, Lugo 2022, 447 páginas. ISBN: 978-84-8192-578-4
Antonio Duplá, Christian Núñez & Grégory Reimond (eds.), Pasión por la Historia Antigua. De Gibbon a nuestros días
Authors: Larequi Fontaneda Javier
Published: April 2023

Reseña del libro Pasión por la Historia Antigua. De Gibbon a nuestros días
Perceptual Disturbances in Relation to Perceptual and Electrical Noise
Authors: Titleman Mark
Published: April 2023

This proposal incorporates three experiments concerning perceptual disturbances: one analyzing eye movement and associated electrical activity in hallucinating patients, another assessing dream recall in patients exposed to weak pulsed electromagnetic fields (EMF), and finally the examination of phosphene induction via transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and associated electrical activity. The direct link between perceptual noise, noise in the brain’s electrical activity, and perceptual disturbancescan be established via the analysis of eye movement and EEG readings and the examination of their differences between the treatment and control groups. Another direct link can be uncovered between the generation of electrical noise via pulsed EMF and perceptual disturbances in the form of improved dream recall. Finally, the effects of TMS on reducing perceptual disturbancesand inducing phosphenes can be compared within the treatment group and related to the control group.
CHECKING THE ACCURACY OF LABORATORY TESTS
Authors: Dvořák Otto , Wald František
Published: April 2023

In fire engineering, the quality of results of crucial test methods is key for validation of advanced numerical models. Therefore, it is important that the correct functioning of the test equipment and test procedures is achieved. This contribution is an assessment of the accuracy respectively the precision of the test methods based on the knowledge of the repeatability r and the reproducibility R determined by the round robin test (inter laboratory comparison) with reference testing materials.
THE EFFECT OF CONCRETE-STEEL INTERFACE MODEL ON FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS OF CONCRETE FILLED SQUARE STEEL TUBE BEAM
Authors: Effendi Mahmud Kori
Published: April 2023

Three-dimensional nonlinear finite element (FEA) is developed to predict the experimental behaviour of concrete filled square steel tubular member. The FEA is conducted to determine moment carrying capacity at ultimate load for simple beam. The concrete-steel interface model is the important parameter affecting the result of FEA simulation. Based on the experimental result, there is a local buckling near the loading contact point. To investigate the local buckling phenomenon, concrete-steel interface model is studied by using contact analysis between concrete and steel elements, by using rigid bar element (rbe2 element) and by using interface elements. The geometrical non-linearity, material non-linearity, loading, boundary conditions is the same for all analysis models. To account for all of these properties, FEA model by means MSC Marc Mentat software is developed. The proposed model can predict the ultimate strength with difference only 5-30%. The collapse modes by FEA model are also compared. Based on the numerical analysis, it can be seen that the local buckling is clearly shown in the FEA model with the concrete and steel interface by using interface elements.
PERFORMANCE ANALYSIS OF HIGH STEEL TUBE LATTICE SUPPORT SYSTEM IN TYPHOON AREA
Authors: Wang Shijie , Sun Quansheng , Yang Jianxi
Published: April 2023

Research on safety of high steel tube lattice support systems in typhoon areas is still in the preliminary stage. The purpose of this paper is to study the overall buckling and overturning stability of the high steel tube lattice support systems in typhoon area. By constructing the spatial finite element model of the high steel tube lattice support system via MIDAS Civil, the optimal design of the steel tube lattice support system is carried out through the analysis of the main influencing parameters. The stability of steel pipe lattice support system is calculated theoretically, and the optimal design of steel pipe lattice support system is studied by finite element numerical method in Typhoon area. The calculation results show that Critical buckling load coefficient increases with the increase in diameter of the steel tube when the δ/d ratio of steel pipe structure is fixed. The critical load factor of the six-limb support system is slightly larger than that of the four-limb support system. When the transverse space of the support system is from 5 m to 7 m, stability increases rapidly. The best stability of the support system is obtained when the transverse space is approximately 7 m. The diagonal brace can significantly improve the stability of the steel tube lattice falsework.
STABILITY ANALYSIS OF A ROCKY SLOPE CONSIDERING EXCAVATION UNLOADING EFFECT
Authors: Zhao Chuan , Jiang Linlin , Li Xiaopeng , Luo Simin
Published: April 2023

The rock mass encountered in actual geotechnical engineering usually undergoes long-term digenesis and geological tectonic action, and also subjected to repeated actions of loading and unloading repeatedly. This paper aims to study the influence of excavation unloading on the stability of a rocky slope, and the slope excavation process of Jinping Grade I Hydroelectric Station was selected as a case, and the 2D finite element software PLAXIS was used to evaluate the effect for the slope stability of without considering unloading and considering unloading, including stress, safety factor, plastic deformation zone and slip surface of the slope. The results show that the slope excavation unloading has a significant influence on the stress, stability safety factor, plastic deformation zone and slip surface, the stability of slope with considering unloading is far less than without considering unloading significantly. Therefore, the numerical method used to simulate the excavation of rocky slopes should consider the effect of unloading fully to service the engineering design and ensure the safety of engineering construction.
ENVIRONMENTAL LEAKAGE POLLUTIONS EVALUATIONS IN URBAN WATER DISTRIBUTION NETWORK USING UNACCOUNTED WATER PRINCIPLES (SHOKUHIEH INDUSTRIAL TOWN IN IRAN)
Authors: Boudaghpour Siamak , Sabooteh Saeideh
Published: April 2023

Consideration of non-revenue water in urban water distribution networks is of special importance in planning urban water distribution network and in water consumption. Water loss, especially in the distribution networks, forms a large part of the unaccounted for water (UFW). Considering the serious crisis in water resources, and taking into account the existing limitations of supplying hygienic drinking water, increasing attempts must be made at reducing the volume of water loss. The present study evaluated the environmental effects of pollution leakage from broken pipes into the water distribution network in the Shokuhieh. General principles and concepts of UFW, apparent loss was reviewed. Based on these concepts, probable pipe break points, and the resulting contaminants entering the network were considered. A software model of the water distribution network in the study area was then used to investigate qualitative and quantitative results related to intrusion of contaminants into the water distribution network and diffusion of pollutants into the network. Results of the present study and physicochemical tests performed on water revealed that BOD and COD concentrations increased from 5-10 to 10-20 mg/L and the coliform count rose from zero to 20 MPN as a result of pipe breaks in the distribution network.
FILTRATION VELOCITY OF WATER IN COARSE PLASTIC PARTICLES
Authors: Svoboda Lukáš , Picek Tomáš , Zrostlík Štěpán , Kesely Mikoláš
Published: April 2023

Experimental investigation of the effect of particle geometry on the values of hydraulicconductivity using 5 plastic particle fractions of different shapes and sizes is presented in thispaper. Conducted experiments serve as a background for ongoing research focused on sedimenttransport of erodible bed in tilting flume. When a flowing mixture of water and particles evolvesabove a stationary bed, the determination of flow rate of water filtered through stationary bed isvery important in order to estimate the inaccuracy of total flow rate trough the flume. In order toevaluate the amount of infiltrate water, experiments were carried out in both laminar and turbulentflow regimes. The transition area was identified, and the results show only small effect of particlegeometry on the transition between regimes. Experimentally identified values of hydraulicconductivity were used to calculate the amount of infiltrate water in the tilting flume for differentinclination angles. Experimentally identified values of hydraulic conductivity are, for example,useful in designing industrial water filters, as the materials used to conduct experiments and thosein filters are similar.
DESIGN OF HIGH-SPEED RAILWAY (HSR) LONG-DISTANCE TUNNEL INDEPENDENT CONTROL NETWORK
Authors: Mohamed Alhossein , Qiyuan Peng
Published: April 2023

Establishing a high-speed railway long-distance tunnel independent control network according to “one point and one direction” will often produce lateral deviation and long and short chains in the joint section. It is necessary to take technical measures such as control network rotation or long and short chain to solve. Combined with the case of a network of independent control network for a long-distance tunnel of a high-speed railway in China, based on the results of the original reference ellipsoid and line control points, the central meridian (L 0) of the tunnel project center with the longitude of the tunnel is plotted, and the average tunnel elevation of the tunnel is Projection earth height (H 0), coordinate transformation calculation and relative stability and reliability analysis of existing line plane control points; select one stable control point of tunnel entrance and exit as starting point, in new projection parameters (L0 Under H0), the overall adjustment is carried out to establish an independent control network for the long tunnel. The results show:(1) The tunnel independent control network established by the method has high precision and uniform error, which can meet the requirements of network construction precision and improve the tunnel penetration accuracy;(2) “One point one direction” Compared with this method, the joint segment control point (S = 9.1 km) with the same baseline file, starting point and projection parameters, the maximum coordinate difference Δx is -63.4 mm, Δy is 85.3 mm, requiring technical processing;(3) The method can solve the problems of large lateral deviation and long and short chain of the connecting section, and ensure the smooth connection between the tunnel and the adjacent structure.
Forgery detection of low quality deepfake videos
Authors: Sohaib Muhammad , Tehseen Samabia
Published: April 2023

The rapid growth of online media over different social media platforms or over the internet along with many benefits have some negative effects as well. Deep learning has many positive applications like medical, animations and cybersecurity etc. But over the past few years, it is observed that it is been used for negative aspects as well such as defaming, black-mailing and creating privacy concerns for the general public. Deepfake is common terminology used for facial forgery of a person in media like images or videos.The advancement in the forgery creation area have challenged the researchers to create and develop advance forgery detection systems capable to detect facial forgeries. Proposed forgery detection system works on the CNN-LSTM model in which we first extracted faces from the frames using MTCNN then performed spatial feature extraction using pretrained Xception network and then used LSTM for temporal feature extraction. At the end classification is performed to predict the video as real or fake. The system is capable to detect low quality videos. The current system has shown good accuracy results for detecting real or fake videos on the Google deepfake AI dataset.
Mobility, Gender, and Experiences of Familyhood Among Migrant Families in Tsholotsho, Zimbabwe
Authors:   National University of Science and Technology, Zimbabwe, Maviza Gracsious , Núñez Carrasco Lorena ,   University of the Witwatersrand
Published: April 2023

Migration has a long-standing history in Southern Africa. This paper aims to understand how ongoing contextual transformations due to migration actively shape narratives about families. Specifically, how families and familial relationships have been constructed through the everyday interactions and roles within the family. Through the family histories method, we generated novel data that shows how family accounts transcend normative boundaries of familyhood and how they change in time and across place, which, we argue, are required to understand migrant families. We adopt a multi-sited and gendered approach to gather data from left-behind women in Tsholotsho and migrant men in Johannesburg. The findings show that the meaning of family for left-behind women has remained confined to the normative parameters of kinship, biological, and marital ties. In the past, with husbands and fathers who migrated, families invoked substitute authority in decision-making, where power was conferred onto other men, perpetuating patriarchal dominance and gender inequality. Furthermore, the findings reveal that in the past, while away, migrant men’s family-linking practices were very minimal, limited by distance. For migrant men, migration invoked a reconceptualization of family that differs from the normative assumptions of family composition. These assumptions notwithstanding, migrant men still thrived on maintaining links with their families to retain their dignity and legitimacy.
SOFTWARES DE INTELIGÊNCIA ARTIFICIAL SUAS VERDADES, FALHAS E POSSÍVEIS IMPACTOS NO MEIO SOCIAL, CIENTÍFICO E EDUCACIONAL
Authors: Oliveira Anselmo Gomes de , Silveira Damaris
Published: April 2023

SOFTWARES DE INTELIGÊNCIA ARTIFICIAL SUAS VERDADES,FALHAS E POSSÍVEIS IMPACTOS NO MEIO SOCIAL, CIENTÍFICOE EDUCACIONAL
IMPACTOS DA COVID-19 NA SAÚDE MENTAL DE ESTUDANTES DE PÓS-GRADUAÇÃO DA ÁREA DA SAÚDE DE UMA UNIVERSIDADE NO CEARÁ, BRASIL
Authors: Neves Kelly Rose Tavares , Martins Sophia de Oliveira , Tavares Karisia Caldas , Aragão Gislei Frota
Published: April 2023

Estudantes de pós-graduação vivenciam um ambiente de intensas demandas e cobranças. A pandemia de COVID-19 provocou a suspensão das atividades acadêmicas presenciais, afetando o cotidiano dessas pessoas. O objetivo deste estudo foi analisar o impacto da COVID-19 na saúde mental de estudantes de pós-graduação stricto sensu da área da saúde de uma universidade pública do Ceará, quanto ao padrão de utilização de medicamentos antidepressivos e ansiolítico. Trata-se de um estudo transversal, descritivo, utilizando um questionário remoto, no período de agosto de 2021 a fevereiro de 2022. Foram coletadas variáveis sócio demográficas, clinicas, sobre uso de medicamentos e dados provenientes de teste “Self-Report Questionnaire”. Participaram do estudo 217 estudantes de mestrado e doutorado, a maioria do sexo feminino (71%), entre 21 e 30 anos (55,3%) e sem filhos (76,5%). Os resultados mostraram um aumento do número de pós-graduandos com sintomas de ansiedade e/ou depressão após a pandemia (23,4%). Entre os principais sintomas destacam-se forte indício de sofrimento mental (60,4%), nervosismo, tensão ou preocupação (77,9%), tristeza (55,3%), dificuldades para realizar atividades diárias com satisfação (55,4%) e cansaço (65%). Estes sintomas foram mais prevalentes entre as mulheres. Em relação ao uso de medicamentos (ansiolíticos/antidepressivos) 38,2% responderam positivamente; 40,9% aumentaram a posologia e 79,5% sentiram reações adversas. Desta forma, a pandemia de COVID-19 provocou efeitos negativos na saúde mental dos pós-graduandos, o que reforça a necessidade de as universidades desenvolverem estratégias de enfrentamento a fim de atenuar o sofrimento emocional desses estudantes.
Tauroursodeoxycholic Acid (TUDCA) Regulates Inflammation and Hypoxia in Autonomic Tissues of Rats with Seizures
Authors: Üner Arda Kaan , Okan Aslı , Akyüz Enes , Köklü Betül , Eroğlu Ece , Yilmaz Seher , Ünalmiş Demet , Kaymak Emin , Aslan Feyza Şule , Qureshi Muhammad Zahid , Doğanyiğit Züleyha
Published: April 2023

Inflammation and hypoxia have an effect on the molecular mechanism of cardiovascular and respiratory pathologies accompanying seizures. Against this, Tauroursodeoxycholic Acid (TUDCA) can regulate oxidative stress, inflammation and cellular survival by suppressing endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. We evaluated the expression changes of NF-κB p65, TNF-α, HIF1α and Kir6.2 proteins associated with seizures in brain stem, heart and lung tissues representing the autonomous network. Additionally, we examined the protective effects of TUDCA administration against damage caused by seizures in terms of immunohistochemistry and pathology. 4 groups of Wistar Albino male rats (250-300 g, n=32) were formed as control, pentylenetetrazole (PTZ), TUDCA and PTZ+TUDCA. The epilepsy kindling model was created by intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of PTZ chemical (35 mg/kg, every 2 days) for one month. TUDCA (500 mg/kg; every 2 days) treatment was given intraperitoneally 30 minutes before seizures for 1 month. Brain stem, heart (atria, ventricle) and lung tissues of rats were isolated. NF-κB p65, TNF-α, HIF1α and Kir6.2 proteins in the obtained tissues were evaluated by immunohistochemical staining. The immunoreactivity of the investigated proteins in the brainstem heart and lung tissues of rats with chronic PTZ administration was significantly increased. Recurrent seizures led to accumulation of inflammatory cells in tissues, hemorrhage, vasodilation, and apoptosis. Following TUDCA administration, expression of NF-κB p65, TNF-α and Kir6.2 was significantly reduced in all tissues (except the atrium of the heart) compared to control rats. HIF-1α levels were significantly suppressed in ventricular and lung tissues of epileptic rats given TUDCA. However, TUDCA pretreatment improved histopathological changes due to chronic seizures and partially reduced apoptosis. We showed that epileptic seizures may cause tissue damage with the development of inflammatory and hypoxic conditions in the brainstem and organs that represent the autonomic network. TUDCA therapy could be an effective agent in the treatment of cardiac and respiratory problems associated with seizures.
Drivers, Challenges, and Support of Student Entrepreneurship at the University of Lagos, Nigeria
Authors: Aladejebi Olufemi , Amao-Taiwo Bukola
Published: April 2023

Universities have been known to declare the intention to graduate students who are entrepreneurial and innovative in ways that spur socio-economic development. However, the outright increase in the rate students pursue white-collar jobs and delist from active entrepreneurial life has become alarming. There is more to student entrepreneurship development than teaching courses and setting up entrepreneurship centres. This study adopted a mixed-method approach to explore the drivers, challenges, and support available for student entrepreneurs at the University of Lagos. The study employed qualitative and quantitative methods to gather data from 15 students (*10 randomly selected through the university entrepreneurship centre and five students yet to engage with the university entrepreneurship centre). A researcher-designed open-ended questionnaire and key informant interview guide were used to gather data from the respondents. Responses from the questionnaire were synthesized and converted to quantitative data manually. In contrast, responses from the key informant interviews were coded into themes and stated verbatim in line with the study's objectives. The results showed that the craving for financial independence was the top of the reasons why students engage in entrepreneurship. In contrast, the inability to combine entrepreneurship with school activities served as one of the major challenges for student entrepreneurs. However, student entrepreneurs also need help with significant challenges, such as lack of funding, lack of support from the University, and difficulty balancing academic demands with entrepreneurial pursuits. The study also recommends that the university timetable and yearly schedule be designed to allow student entrepreneurs to balance their academic responsibilities with the demands of their businesses. Overall, the findings of this study have implications for universities, policymakers, and other stakeholders.
Making Dents in the Paradigm of a Perfect Wife: Parvati’s Negotiations with Patriarchy in Indian Mythology
Authors: Sahgal Smita , Malik Vinita
Published: April 2023

Pārvatī is a fascinating figure in Indian mythology and generally what stands out is her absolute love for Śiva who, too, could not ignore her. Popular folklore reiterates the notion of their timeless love and rituals concretize it. Purāṇas do mention her as a goddess of mountains in her own right, but her character gets principally demarcated by her closeness to her husband, Śiva, for whom she could die to avenge humiliation meted out to him by her father in her Satī form. Subsequently, she was reborn as Pārvatī to seek that proximity again.  Historically if she was a mother goddess in her own right, we are curious to know how her cult got amalgamated within that of Śiva. Purāṇas give us clues about this process of assimilation and in the course raise a litany of issues that we would attempt to answer in our paper.
Daniela Rea, Valeria Luiselli and Jazmina Barrera: The Joy of Motherhood
Authors: Vivero Elizabeth
Published: April 2023

In Mexican literature, young female writers refer to motherhood from a critical stance, featured as an incident that negatively alters and transforms the lives of the main characters. Amidst this maternal universe, nonetheless, some voices poise a different perspective, conceiving motherhood as a condition that entails joy and bliss. Such is the case of Daniela Rea in “Mientras las niñas duermen”, Valeria Luiselli in Los ingrávidos, and Jazmina Barrera in Línea Nigra, where the writers accomplish setting forth a maternal-filial relationship that is more pleasant, inclined towards a balance between the family and professional life, without setting aside motherhood’s exhaustive aspects. This article will study such texts from a feminist perspective, aiming to demonstrate there is a paradigm shift on how Mexican female writers born from 1980 onwards conceive motherhood.
DFT investigation of nonlinear optical response of organic compound: acetylsalicylic acid
Authors: Rana Meenakshi , Yadav Pooja , Chowdhury Papia
Published: April 2023

Nonlinear optical studies of organic compounds have been widely conducted because of its great scope in molecular engineering. In the present work, we have chosen an organic compound acetylsalicylic acid due to its non-centrosymmetric structure and presence of extended conjugated π-system. Nonlinear optical response of the probe system has been explored computationally by using density functional theory with B3LYP/6-311G++(d,p) basis set. To explore the nonlinear optical response, Mulliken charge analysis, Raman, UV–vis, nuclear magnetic resonance, molecular electrostatic potential analysis, polarizability, first order hyperpolarizability etc., have been applied for the probe molecule. Observed high value of dipole moment of optimized structure, charge transfer in the system, high Raman activity, and high value of polarizability, first order hyperpolarizability validate the strong candidature of acetylsalicylic acid to be used as a nonlinear optical active material in the future.
How outward FDIs affect income: experiences from Chinese city-regions
Authors: Yang Ruilin , Bathelt Harald
Published: April 2023

While outward foreign direct investments (OFDIs) shift resources from a home economy to foreign destinations, increased market and resource access as well as technological and knowledge effects in return have positive impacts on the home region. Such effects may be especially important in emerging contexts, such as that of China. Analyzing data of 285 Chinese city-regions, this paper investigates the impact of OFDIs on home-region income. We show that foreign investment activity positively and significantly impacts income levels in the home region, with differentiated effects depending on the knowledge characteristics of investments and regional absorptive capacity.
Correlated Somatosensory Input in Parvalbumin/Pyramidal Cells in Mouse Motor Cortex
Authors: Goz Roman U. , Hooks Bryan M.
Published: April 2023

In mammalian cortex, feedforward excitatory connections recruit feedforward inhibition. This is often carried by parvalbumin (PV+) interneurons, which may densely connect to local pyramidal (Pyr) neurons. Whether this inhibition affects all local excitatory cells indiscriminately or is targeted to specific subnetworks is unknown. Here, we test how feedforward inhibition is recruited by using two-channel circuit mapping to excite cortical and thalamic inputs to PV+ interneurons and Pyr neurons to mouse primary vibrissal motor cortex (M1). Single Pyr and PV+ neurons receive input from both cortex and thalamus. Connected pairs of PV+ interneurons and excitatory Pyr neurons receive correlated cortical and thalamic inputs. While PV+ interneurons are more likely to form local connections to Pyr neurons, Pyr neurons are much more likely to form reciprocal connections with PV+ interneurons that inhibit them. This suggests that Pyr and PV ensembles may be organized based on their local and long-range connections, an organization that supports the idea of local subnetworks for signal transduction and processing. Excitatory inputs to M1 can thus target inhibitory networks in a specific pattern which permits recruitment of feedforward inhibition to specific subnetworks within the cortical column.
Brief Growth Mindset and Mindfulness Inductions to Facilitate Task Persistence After Negative Feedback
Authors: Nagy Tamás , Sik Kata , Török Lilla , Bőthe Beáta , Takacs Zsofia K. , Orosz Gábor
Published: April 2023

Negative feedback in academic settings is often unavoidable, although it may directly interfere with the ultimate goal of education, as setbacks can diminish motivation, and may even lead to dropping out of school. Previous research suggests that certain predispositions, inductions, and interventions might mitigate the harmful effects of negative feedback. Among others, growth mindset beliefs and mindfulness meditation were proposed as the most promising candidates that may help students to retain motivation. In a pre-registered, randomized experiment, we gave a disappointing evaluation to 383 university students in a bogus laboratory IQ test situation. Half of the participants previously received a growth mindset induction referring to intelligence as a malleable characteristic, while the other half received a fixed mindset induction referring to intelligence as a stable characteristic that cannot be changed. Then participants had a brief mindfulness meditation session or a control condition. Subsequently, they could choose to complete practice tasks before the final IQ assessment. The number of completed optional tasks was used as a behavioral proxy for task persistence. The results showed no difference in task persistence for the growth mindset or the mindfulness induction groups, compared to the other conditions. However, those who reported having higher pre-induction growth mindset beliefs or dispositional mindfulness completed more optional tasks after the mindset or mindfulness induction, respectively. We concluded that our brief inductions may not be adequate for everyone to rectify the demotivating effects of negative feedback, but can enhance task persistence for people with a stronger disposition towards a growth mindset or mindfulness.
Preparation, surface characterization and dielectric studies of hydrogen irradiated Cu/PANI polymer composites
Authors:   Physics Department, College of Science, Jouf University, P.O. Box: 2014, Sakaka, Saudi Arabia, Atta A. , Alotaibi B. M. ,   Physics Department, College of Science, Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Al-Yousef H. A. ,   Physics Department, College of Science, Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Abdel-Reheem A. M. ,   Radiation Physics Department, National Center for Radiation Research and Technology, Egyptian Atomic Energy Authority (EAEA), Egypt
Published: April 2023

In this study, a PANI/Cu nanocomposite films are prepare using ion sputtering technique. Then PANI/Cu nanocomposite films are irradiated by different fluence of low energy hydrogen ion (1x1016, 4x1016, and 8x1016 ion/cm2 ). The changes in crystallite structure are studied using XRD diffractometer. The dielectric properties and the energy density of the blank and irradiated films are obtained at room temperature in the frequency range of 100 to 5MHz. The measurements indicated significant changes in these parameters after hydrogen ion irradiation. The dielectric constant 𝜀𝜀′ improved from 1.5 for PANI/Cu to 6, 10 and 23 after exposed to 1x1016, 4x1016, and 8x1016 ion/cm2 . Moreover, the conductivity energy density is improved from 1.6x10-5 for unirradiated to 2.1x10-5 , 4.8x10-5 , and 1.5x10-4 for irradiated films. The results confirmed an improving in electric properties and energy density of the irradiated PANI/Cu nanocomposite films, which can using these films in wide range of application such as super-capacitor and microelectronic devices.
Kinetics of Imbibition and Light Quality in Echinocactus Platyacanthus LK & O Germination
Authors:   College of Higher Education, United Nations University, México, Sierra María Elena Quintana
Published: April 2023

Given that germination is a crucial stage in the development of plants, it is essential to carry out studies on the factors that affect this phase. The optimal conditions for each species should also be defined, especially those that, by their nature, present such problems in their propagation and conservation that render them vulnerable. Many species of the cacti family belong to this group, so this research aims to contribute to the knowledge of some factors that impact the germination of Echinocactus platyacanthus. The first purpose of this work was to describe the kinetics of scarified seeds imbibition at 25, 30, and 35°C and their impact on the germination response. The evaluation of the effects of red light on the germinative response was established as a second purpose. The results showed that the imbibition process in scarified seeds fits a curve of the Weibull model, with 15.03, 15.62, and 18.84 hours α coefficients, and 0.08, 0.09, and 0.45 β coefficients for temperatures of 25, 30, and 35°C, respectively. In non-scarified seeds, the coefficients were 10.85, 13.11, and 13.06 hours α, and 0.12, 0.10, and 0.08 β for temperatures of 25, 30, and 35°C, respectively. Scarification and temperature favor rapid water uptake. The imbibition behavior is similar under both conditions, unlike the final germination percentage. Temperature influences the imbibition percentage and favors germination since the temperature of 35°C registered over 90%. The seeds irradiated with red light recorded 96% germination at 144 and 168 hours, confirming that light quality influences this response. A possible physical latency and mechanical dormancy are ruled out, demonstrating positive photodormancy. Key words: photodormancy, cactus, red light, scarification, germination
Data at the Diocesan Level: Common Data Practices and Challenges Among U.S. Catholic School Superintendents
Authors:   University of Notre Dame, Dallavis Julie
Published: April 2023

Accountability pressures in education have risen steadily over the last two decades and public schools and districts now track school- and student-level data in response to state and federal mandates. Catholic schools and dioceses have not faced the same level of regulation over this period, and less is known about data access and use in the Catholic sector. This descriptive and exploratory research draws on survey and interview data from a national sample of Catholic school superintendents to examine data practices in diocesan central offices as well as barriers faced in the use of data. Findings suggest that although considerable variation exists among dioceses, common data efforts include working toward data centralization, developing tools to monitor the operational health of schools, and finding ways to foster the data culture within dioceses. These practices were present in close to half of all dioceses, but several common challenges related to governance, resources, and data systems hindered progress in and toward these efforts.
Assessing the Costs and Benefits of Principal Time Usage and Ohio's EdChoice Scholarship
Authors:   Diocese of Columbus, Dufault Adam
Published: April 2023

This study explored the experience of Catholic school principals in Ohio whose schools have participated in the EdChoice Scholarship program. The researcher employed the lens of principal time usage to examine the experiences of Ohio Catholic school principals with EdChoice, with a focus on the direct experiences of principals participating in the program, the principal’s role in the supervisory aspects of operating the program at a school, and on the connections between workload and principal perceptions of the EdChoice program. The research questions were explored through semi-structured interviews with eight Catholic school principals and three administrative designees at those schools. The study concluded that no significant and direct administrative burden was created by the program on the study participants, but that secondary effects are present, such as the potential need for the hiring of a staff member to manage the program and the importance of communication with stakeholders. Additionally, this study illustrated the need for Catholic school principals to remain aware of and engaged in the legislative process in Ohio, as changes made by the government can have a direct effect on the operation of a school.
The use of technology in dispute resolution; A framework for the study of ODR
Authors: Beretta Rachele
Published: April 2023

During the Covid-19 Pandemic, the term “Online Dispute Resolution” has become a buzzword to indicate dispute resolution procedures that variously employ Information and Communication Technology. Against this backdrop, doubts arise regarding the function and degree of involvement of technology necessary to label certain dispute resolution processes as ODR. Scholars and regulators across the world have provided several definitions of ODR so as to include a wide range of dispute resolution procedures. While examining different doctrinal orientations and approaches of international ODR institutions, this contribution will propose a definition of ODR, outline a theoretical framework for the systemic study of ODR processes, and identify areas of interest for future research.
All we need to know about the provisional measures of the international court of justice in allegations of genocide (Ukraine v Russian Federation), but the media reports inaccurately
Authors: Gapsa Miłosz
Published: April 2023

On 27 February 2022, Ukraine filed the application instituting proceedings against Russia before the International Court of Justice to obtain provisional measures protecting its rights. It resulted from Russia‘s launch of the “special military operation” against Ukraine on 24 February 2022, in response to the alleged genocide of Donbass communities by the Kyiv regime. The Courted delivered its Order on 16 Marco 2022 and indicated provisional measures. Unfortunately, the Polish media coverage distorted the content of the Order. This article aims to present how the Order was covered and to demystify its content.