bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Where was 1821?
Authors: Sotiropoulos Michalis , Hadjikyriacou Antonis , Dialla Ada
Published: January 2024

The aim of this special issue of Historein is to offer a new and fresh perspective on the 1821 Greek Revolution by drawing on the insights that the spatial turn has brought to the study of the Age of Revolutions. Our point of departure was that although the revolution took place in time and space, it is questions of temporality and of situating the revolution in a temporal context that have mainly preoccupied historians. This can hardly be said about space. In fact, as we argue, the spatial categories that historians have used have had a “natural” and self-evident character that required little or no probing. We wanted to interrogate this character, and what we consider as a lacuna in our understanding of the revolution. Thus, the aim of the introduction is threefold. The first part briefly discusses the historiography on space, and the ways in which this has been used in the study of Age of Revolutions. It also explains why the revolution provides a rich setting to think through space and pose questions about spatiality. The second part introduces the articles that comprise the issue. In this part, we also attempt to bring the contributions together by showing that they can be seen as falling into three very broad categories depending on the type of space they feature (space as place, space as territory, and space as an imagined category). The last part considers other possibilities, other vistas of research, where a “spatial” perspective can take us, if we want to better understand the 1821 Revolution.
Vitamin D supplementation in patients with Hashimoto’s disease
Authors: Kasprzak Amelia , Mańkowska Aleksandra , Truchta Monika , Kolano Agata , Jabłońska Wiktoria , Wardęszkiewicz Marta , Markowiak Szymon , Świercz Maciej , Pejas Anna
Published: January 2024

Introduction : Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (HT) is the most common autoimmune disease and the leading cause of hypothyroidism in the world. The condition results in damage to the thyroid gland, brought about by the infiltration of lymphocytes. For the majority of individuals with Hashimoto's thyroiditis, a lifelong requirement for levothyroxine substitution is required. The potential contribution of diet and supplements to the management of HT is frequently overlooked. Low vitamin D levels are said to play a significant role in occurrence and severity of autoimmune thyroiditis. Currently, there is a continuing discussion regarding the optimal plasma concentration of 25-hydroxyvitamin D necessary for preventing or treating autoimmune diseases.

 

Aim of the study : The purpose of this literature review is to evaluate the influence of vitamin D supplementation on the course of Hashimoto’s thyroiditis in the light of most up to date research.

 

Materials and methods. This article is a review of publications obtained from the PubMed database, published between 2017-2023, based on the keywords "Hashimoto thyroiditis" "vitamin D" and "autoimmune thyroid disease".

 

Conclusions. The correlation of vitamin D supplementation and Hashimoto’s disease still remains unclear due to conflicting results from numerous studies. Further research is necessary to accurately determine the effect of vitamin D supplementation on Hashimoto’s thyroiditis.
Exploring the Efficacy of Omega-3 Fatty Acid Supplementation in Dry Eye Disease: A Comprehensive Review
Authors: Martyka Anna , Kubicka-Figiel Martyna , Taborska Nina
Published: January 2024

Introduction

Dry eye syndrome, as defined by TFOS, is a multifactorial ocular surface disease with tear film instability, hyperosmolarity, inflammation, and neuro-sensory abnormalities. With a prevalence between 6.5% and 52.4%, it poses a substantial public health challenge, significantly affecting patients' quality of life. Omega-3 fatty acid supplementation is often suggested by clinicians as an adjunctive treatment, offering potential benefits across various levels.

 

Aim of the study

The purpose of the study was to investigate the effect of oral supplementation of omega-3 fatty acids on the treatment of dry eye syndrome.

Materials and methods

Literature selections of PubMed and Google Scholar databases from the last seven years (2016-2023) were performed. Articles were searched in English using the following keywords: dry eye disease; omega-3; fatty acid.

Results

Omega-3 fatty acids may have benefits in the treatment of dry eye syndrome, as argued by a number of potential mechanisms of action. However, the literature does not agree on the efficacy of their use in the treatment of dry eye syndrome, and thus there is insufficient evidence to bring omega-3 acids into the standard of treatment for dry eye syndrome.

Conclusion

Studies on the effect of oral supplementation of omega-3 fatty acids on the treatment of dry eye syndrome are at an early stage and need to be continued to improve knowledge. There is a need for further long-term studies to standardize conclusions about the efficacy of these acids in reducing dry eye symptoms.
(Ne)izobražaemoe – èsse o poèzii i vojne na osnove dvuh poèm Marii Stepanovoj
Authors: Corrado Florence
Published: January 2024

This article tries to prove that Maria Stepanova’s poetry shows on the one hand, in the poem The War of Beasts and Animals (2015), that war blows up the language system, thereby absorbing humans into the unimaginable, and on the other hand that the poem The Body Returns (2018) shows a life-giving power of the poetic word, which can create anew an ethical and poetic system that restores the connection between people and culture.
Dramat doświadczeń modernizacyjnych, czyli historia Rosji w ujęciu Nikołaja Rozowa
Authors: Kuryłowicz Michał
Published: January 2024

At least since the 19th century when the idea of a nation-state began to gain momentum in Europe, a properly constructed historical narrative became the focus of attention of the rulers. By its nature, it remained doubly systemic. On the one hand, it was supposed to speak on behalf of the system of state power: specific political forces aimed at consolidating or maintaining power. On the other hand, it was to remain a systemic historical lecture which logically combines individual historical moments, constructing and at the same time completing the whole. The difficult 20th century brought the popularization of alternative (anti-system) historical interpretations, created either from the perspective of groups hitherto excluded from exercising power, or from the point of view of contestants of the nationalist idea, which got contaminated in the meantime by its totalitarian version. From today’s perspective, both proposals form two opposite poles of the same systemic way of thinking about the past. They are also perfectly visible in contemporary Russia in the form of an unequal rivalry between two currents: the conservative one, affirming Russia’s imperial past, supported by the current rulers, and the liberal one, inspired by opponents of authoritarianism and at the same time critical of the country’s superpower or even totalitarian past. The article analyses the concept of Nikolai Rozov, which seems to be an alternative proposal to the aforementioned “major” historical narratives. The Siberian historian, driven by discussions on the uniformity of teaching history in Russia (one textbook, historical standard), inspired as he is by the rich instrumentation of the theory of cycles, avoids defining them as development cycles in relation to the history of Russia. The analysis of his texts is intended to see whether Rozov’s concept actually breaks the known interpretation patterns in relation to Russian history, and whether the free discussion about the past he proposes allows for the deconstruction of the systemic nature of the historical lecture.
„Etyka horyzontalności”: Michaiła Ugarowa myślenie o (anty)teatrze
Authors: Lechowska Marta
Published: January 2024

The article discusses the issue of anti-systemicity in Russian culture in the context of Russian theatre. The text presents theory of the theatre by Mikhail Ugarov, the spiritus movens of the Moscow Theatre.doc—the theatre that opposes Putin’s regime and is not financed by the state. However, the basic category for the analysis presented in the article is not merely opposition to the policies of the Russian state, but the concept of horizontality, proposed for a general classification of art by Mikhail Ugarov after Marina Razbezhkina. The concept acts as a theoretical foundation of the discussion in this article. According to Ugarov, a cultural phenomenon meeting the criteria of horizontality is any phenomenon where the proposed vision of the world does not involve a strict, clearly vertical hierarchy of values which aspires to categorial universality in its categoricality. In the proposed approach, verticality—an inseparable attribute of a culture with distinct ideological features subordinated to a political regime and/or adhering to traditional cultural values—is considered a synonym of systemicity. The latter is usually associated with “aggressively dominant” order of values (usually political-social, but also aesthetic) and with what Levinas calls “totality” built around this order; in contrast, what is characteristic for the horizontal way of being and constructing the world (both real and represented one) is breaking this totality, which is somehow unintentional as it positively evokes the principle of autonomy and not merely negates the system. The paradigm of horizontality was presented in the article by contrasting it (following Ugarov) with the Barthesian proposal of zero degree writing.
La cartografía social en clave de educación ambiental para comprender la escuela-territorio
Authors: Bustamante Toro César Augusto , López Castaño Carlos Eduardo
Published: January 2024

La investigación buscó emplear la cartografía social como una mediación didáctica de la educación ambiental para comprender la interacción aula-escuela-territorio, como estrategia de enseñanza y aprendizaje de los temas socioambientales con población estudiantil de básica primaria y media de cuatro instituciones educativas del sector público del departamento del Quindío (Colombia). Según los principales hallazgos, en la mayoría de las representaciones cartográficas, los estudiantes expresan la importancia del paisaje natural y cultural de sus localidades y reflejan las principales problemáticas ambientales y las dinámicas económico-productivas. Todo ello da cuenta de có­mo los estudiantes hacen sus propias lecturas socioespaciales de las realidades cotidianas y cómo habitan el territorio. En efecto, dicha experiencia permitió un acercamiento de los estudiantes a la comprensión de su entorno y las interacciones entre la escuela y el territorio, donde se apuesta por un enfoque educativo más participativo y contextualizado de los contenidos curriculares.
DE UMA ESTÓRIA SOBRE CORPOS, TERRITÓRIOS E R-EXISTÊNCIAS: O ALEGRE CANTO DA PERDIZ, DE PAULINA CHIZIANE
Authors: De Freitas Sávio Roberto Fonseca , Ramos Joranaide Alves
Published: January 2024

A literatura moçambicana é um lugar de resistência contra as práticas colonizadoras e neocoloniais porque inscreve a luta anticolonial do seu povo por meio de temas como ancestralidade, memórias africanas, colonização, violências. Pensando sobre isso, selecionamos O alegre canto da perdiz (2008), de Paulina Chiziane (1955), que narra a saga de Serafina, Delfina e Maria das Dores, três gerações marcadas pela prostituição em um contexto tomado pela colonização portuguesa. O texto, dividido em quatro momentos, é um estudo exploratório, com procedimento bibliográfico e com natureza qualitativa, baseado, principalmente, em Haesbaert (2021), Calligaris (2006), Hudson-Weems (2020), Secco (2010) e Ballestrin (2013). Entendemos, com isso, que os corpos das personagens elencadas e sua terra são territórios que simbolizam múltiplas e complexas formas de resistências e de existências dos grupos subalternizados.
MEMÓRIA E IDENTIDADE EM TORNADO, DE TERESA NORONHA
Authors: Aires e Castro Ana , Mafalda Leite Ana
Published: January 2024

Este ensaio apresenta um breve estudo acerca de Tornado (2021), de Teresa Noronha, assente na exploração das identidades individual, coletiva e pós-colonial que podem ser encontradas na obra. Partindo da área dos Estudos de Memória, contemplando conceitos como “trauma”, “memória coletiva”, “contramemória feminina” e “guerras de memória” – que constituirão a base teórica deste trabalho – o objetivo é recontextualizar estas ferramentas conceptuais na esfera além-Holocausto, demonstrando a sua pertinência para o estudo que aqui se propõe. Pretende-se, portanto, oferecer uma leitura crítica, feminista e feminina, que se concentrará na personagem principal do romance de Noronha.
TENDÊNCIAS CONTEMPORÂNEAS: A PROSA DE PEDRO PEREIRA LOPES
Authors: Pires Tigre Maiane , Jona Laisse Sara
Published: January 2024

Este estudo tem como objetivo central investigar, nas obras do escritor Pedro Pereira Lopes, um dos representantes da nova geração de escritores moçambicanos, os embates que apresenta em relação à tradição literária do país, reconhecendo-se as marcas de transição e ruptura presentes no conjunto da sua prosa contemporânea. O segundo objetivo consiste em examinar as características fundamentais de suas produções literárias destinadas ao público adulto, quais sejam, o romance policial Mundo grave[1] (2018) e a antologia de contos A invenção do cemitério (2019). Partindo deste escopo, de caráter bibliográfico, com dados qualitativos, a investigação deriva, principalmente, do seguinte quadro teórico-crítico: Laisse, 2020; Cabrita, 2018; Connor, 1996; Chaves, 2005; Leite, 1998 e Lauriti, 2012. Em levantamento preliminar, verificamos que tal escrita constitui uma proposta estética alinhada à manutenção de alguns aspectos da tradição, além de expressar a própria fragmentação e ruptura, ao demonstrar as novas configurações estilísticas, composicionais e temáticas, implementadas na cena literária atual. Vale salientar que o respectivo autor tem contribuído, de modo significativo, para a internacionalização da literatura e da cultura de Moçambique, reverberando a sua presença no mundo.

 

[1] O escritor inova ao adotar o uso regular de letras minúsculas no início das frases, nomes próprios, inclusive, no título da obra, e após o ponto de continuação, visando garantir maior dinamismo e fluidez à narrativa.
A NARRATIVA INSÓLITA E O REALISMO ANIMISTA DE PEDRO PEREIRA LOPES EM MUNDO GRAVE
Authors: Giacomolli Diorgi , Helena Soares da Silva Giacomolli Doris
Published: January 2024

Pretende-se realizar um breve e, em certa medida, superficial percurso por Mundo Grave (2018), de Pedro Lopes Pereira, destacando, em sua composição narrativa, momentos em que se verifiquem procedimentos discursivo-textuais próprios a diferentes categorias, modos, subgêneros e gêneros que se possam inscrever no vasto e amplo universo do insólito ficcional. Este artigo oferece, ainda, um breve olhar sobre o estilo único de escrita do autor, bem como sobre aspectos do romance que o encaixem no realismo animista, de acordo com as teorias de Pepetela.
ELEMENTOS HISTÓRICOS E FICCIONALIDADE EM SAGA D’OURO
Authors: Zhu Anqi , Mafalda Leite Ana
Published: January 2024

Este artigo apresenta uma análise do romance Saga d'Ouro (2019), do escritor moçambicano Aurélio Furdela. Neste romance, a ficção e a história são habilmente combinadas. A narrativa tem lugar em Mwenemutapa, atual Zimbabwe, que abrangia algumas terras que hoje são Moçambique. Através das diferentes histórias das personagens, o autor retrata a vida de diferentes grupos a partir de diversas perspetivas, incluindo políticas, econômicas e culturais. Seguindo H.R. Jauss e a teoria da recepção, o objetivo da nossa análise éperceber a possível intenção e relação crítica entre passado e presente, considerar o estado atual da sociedade moçambicana e o seu modelo de desenvolvimento e compreender a importância do romance histórico na preservação da recordação do passado, evitando a repetição de erros no presente.
O INSÓLITO FICCIONAL NA NARRATIVA MOÇAMBICANA CONTEMPORÂNEA: LEITURAS DE SAGA D’ OURO, DE AURÉLIO FURDELA
Authors: Olinto João
Published: January 2024

Este artigo busca abordar alguns elementos da prosa de Antônio Furdela, por meio da leitura da obra Saga d’Ouro. Recorrendo a elementos da história como fonte de sua escrita, em conjunto com a experimentação ficcional característica de uma tradição de escritores que subvertem a matéria histórica, o escritor apresenta a história do Império do Mwenemutapa, bem como as relações entre a região e os portugueses. O escritor representa uma das proeminentes vozes da literatura moçambicana que tem ganhado destaque na atualidade, sendo um dos ganhadores do prêmio literário Eugênio Lisboa. Sua escrita faz coro a uma tradição de escritores que, no decorrer das últimas décadas, procurou desenvolver um projeto literário em uma Moçambique pós-colonial.
SUBVERSÃO DO ROMANCE POLICIAL E QUESTÕES DE MEMÓRIA EM A ILHA DOS MULATOS
Authors: Jeremias Raphael , Mafalda Leite Ana
Published: January 2024

Este artigo apresenta um estudo acerca de A Ilha dos Mulatos (2020), de Sérgio Raimundo, assente na estrutura do romance policial, que é subvertido e ampliado para o plano da narração, criando um jogo de máscaras a fim de se encobrirem as vozes narrativas. Discute as teorias da memória e a forma como a memória é tratada no romance, desdobrando-se na noção de pós-memória. Articulando a memória como um dos elementos necessários para a descoberta do culpado no quadro do romance policial, verificamos que também ela acaba por ser subvertida na escrita deste romance.
A ILHA DOS MULATOS, DE SERGIO RAIMUNDO: TEMAS, VOZES E CONSTRUÇÃO ESTÉTICA
Authors: Geralda de Miranda Maria
Published: January 2024

Este ensaio tem como objeto refletir sobre a obra A ilha dos mulatos, do escritor moçambicano, Sergio Raimundo. O ensaio está organizado em duas partes. Na primeira, buscou-se entender o sistema narrativo do romance, como espaço, tempo, enredo, personagens, e como estas últimas se inserem no espaço-tempo. Na segunda parte, a partir do diálogo com alguns estudos de Literatura e, especialmente, da Literatura de Moçambique, buscou-se pensar sobre a temática, bem como sobre as vozes e a construção estética do romance. Concluiu-se que, quanto às temáticas tratadas na obra, a questão ambiental, a intolerância às minorias e às pessoas especiais se destacam, entre os outros temas. E que o saber comunicado na obra, por meio de várias vozes, é realizado com muita criatividade pelo escritor.
CRIMES E VIOLÊNCIA NO ÍNDICO MOÇAMBICANO: RABHIA DE LUCÍLIO MANJATE E A ILHA DOS MULATOS DE SÉRGIO RAIMUNDO
Authors: Falconi Jessica
Published: January 2024

Neste artigo analisam-se dois romances moçambicanos contemporâneos, nomeadamente, Rabhia de Lucílio Manjate, publicado em 2017 e A Ilha dos mulatos de Sérgio Raimundo, publicado em 2020. Embora com estruturas e opções narrativas distintas, como se verá ao longo do artigo, ambos os romances debruçam-se sobre a sociedade moçambicana contemporânea pelo prisma do crime e do mistério, proporcionando um retrato multifacetado da pós-colonialidade neste país africano. Como se verá, nestas narrativas, a pós-colonialidade surge marcada por memórias conflituosas e relações de género, raça e inter-geracionais complexas, fruto das múltiplas situações de violência vividas pelo país em suas transições históricas, políticas e económicas. Por outro lado, será analisada, em ambas as narrativas, a representação da relação histórica e identitária milenar entre Moçambique e o universo do Oceano Índico, abordando-se os tópicos das migrações, das mestiçagens raciais e culturais, bem como da difusão do Islão enquanto elemento religioso e cultural transnacional.
A CATEGORIA DE POÉTICO E A MEDITAÇÃO SOBRE A ESCRITA EM MARIZZA DE MÉLIO TINGA
Authors: Jeremias Raphael , Mafalda Leite Ana
Published: January 2024

Este ensaio apresenta um breve estudo acerca do romance Marizza (2021), de Mélio Tinga, assente no estudo e concepção de registo poético que a narrativa testemunha, bem como na sua organização metanarrativa, de meditação sobre a escrita. A recomposição do mito de Orfeu no romance, bem como um conjunto de intertextos fragmentários que o compõem, permite ao leitor entender a dimensão reflexiva e algo filosófico que o autor e narrador fazem sobre a beleza, amor, paixão e vida literária enquanto instituição (realização, edição, revisão, recepção e circulação do livro).
MODELOS DE CONSTRUÇÃO DO ROMANCE AFRICANO EM NYEMBÊTE OU AS CORES DA LÁGRIMA
Authors: Jona Laisse Sara
Published: January 2024

Este estudo baseia-se na proposta de Calane da Silva, enquanto ensaísta, sobre a escrita do novo romance africano para o século XXI, que a meu ver, carece ainda de debate, mas que já pode ser analisado a partir da proposta do próprio autor, no seu romance Nyembête ou as cores da lágrima. Demonstro, com esta pesquisa, as características que nos permitem aceitar a obra enquanto romance de formação, designação que peço emprestado a Puga (2016). Defendo que é uma narrativa com elementos neo-românticos, a saber a polifonia e a morte com possibilidade de retorno, encontráveis, factualmente, nas Cultura Tradicional Banto e na Tradição Católica Apostólica e considero ainda a sua perspectiva de romance autoficcional (Faedrich (2015), portador de marcas biográficas do seu autor. Ao desenvolver esta pesquisa, faço-o na ciência de se tratar de uma concepção de escrita diferente da que é habitual encontrar em Calane da Silva - prosador e contista (porque também era poeta). Acrescente-se ainda que neste artigo observo que o autor faz uma abordagem da espiritualidade, centrada nos seus estudos sobre Antropologia espiritual.
O RECENTE CENÁRIO LITERÁRIO DE MAPUTO: NOTAS DE CAMPO
Authors: Gallo Fernanda
Published: January 2024

Valendo-se da ferramenta etnográfica do “Diário de Campo”, resultante da observação participante e de registro fotográfico, realizada em Maputo entre setembro e outubro de 2022, o objetivo principal do texto é articular o atual cenário literário da cidade a sua geografia, analisando permanências e transformações que se estabelecem na constante disputa entre memória e esquecimento.
Sexuality in Emerging Translated Modern Arabic Literature
Authors: Abu Elrob Ibrahim
Published: January 2024

This article addresses the question of how The Corpse Washer (2013) by Sinan Antoon employs the translation of sexually explicit language to present a “resistant and hybrid cultural identity.” Adopting a postcolonial framework, the article explores the kinds of literary, linguistic, and translation-related interventions Antoon exerts to provide a hybrid-discourse to the hegemonic Anglo-American discourse of Arab sexuality, particularly through the creative and conscious self-translation of his novel.
Nationalism Revisited and the State
Authors: Rothschild Emma
Published: January 2024

Abstract: The paper examines the political and economic circumstances in which Frank Knight wrote "Economic Theory and Nationalism" in 1934–1935 and the changing politics of state power in relation to economic life. It points to new possibilities for an economic history of the state and of government in economic life.
Milton’s Early Modern English Protestant Paradise Lost in a Modern Mexican Christmastide Civic Drama
Authors: Duran Angelica
Published: January 2024

Abstract: This article discusses a Mexican pastorela —a genre of short, civic drama celebrating the Nativity typically staged in December—that instantiates a significant intersection of global literatures and global Christianities: El Paraíso perdido: Drama en 4 actos arreglado por Ambrosio Nieto, sobre la inspiración del inmortal Milton [ Paradise Lost: Drama in 4 Acts Arranged by Ambrosio Nieto, Upon the Inspiration of the Immortal Milton ] (ca. 1920–1950). Nieto incisively adapts Milton’s epic to produce a delightful drama that integrates features specific to Mexico’s rich literary and cultural traditions and to foster a modern ecumenical Christianity.
Genetic Relationships between Mesoamerican Ancient Populations and with American Greater Southwest and Caribbean Populations Close to Mesoamerican Borders
Authors: González-Oliver Angélica , Garfias-Morales Ernesto , Bravo-López Miriam Jetzabel , De La Cruz-Laina María Isabel
Published: January 2024

abstract: Mesoamerica is a cultural and geographic region with a northern boundary adjacent to the American Greater Southwest and a southeastern boundary that includes the Maya area, which is adjacent to the Caribbean. These regions are of interest to analyze genetic structure, ancestry, and gene flow between the ancient populations. We identified the mitochondrial DNA haplogroups and haplotypes in 19 colonial and 10 pre-Columbian Maya from Xcaret and 6 Paquimé individuals. We analyzed our data together with 603 ancient individuals and with 95 colonial and 502 pre-Columbian individuals. The results show clear genetic differences among Mesoamerica, American Greater Southwest, and Caribbean regions. High frequency of haplogroup A in Paquimé and Mine Canyon and the distribution of its haplotypes in the networks suggest these populations are probably genetically related with both Mesoamerican and the American Greater Southwest populations. The genetic structure of the Maya is due to common ancestry, and it was maintained by geographic isolation and gene flow mostly between Mayan populations. The Spanish conquest did not change this structure in the Maya from Xcaret, Quintana Roo. Although populations from Central Mexico are not genetically homogeneous, they are clearly different from Maya. Teotihuacan and Cholula were contemporary cities that allied to control the region, but they show genetic differences that could be related to a distant common ancestry; they probably descended from the same group but separated very early, before their arrival in Central Mexico.
Paternal Origins of Mongolic-Speaking Populations: A Review of Studies from Recent Decades (1999–2019) and Their Implications for Multidisciplinary Research in the Future
Authors: Sharengaowa Sharengaowa , Ma Peng-Cheng , Yang Wen-Jiao , Ochirbat Altangoo , Zhabagin Maxat , Sun Na , Xie Yong-Mei , Li Yong-Lan , Wei Lan-Hai
Published: January 2024

abstract: The activities of Mongolic-speaking populations, a large group of people in eastern Eurasia, have important impacts on the history of East Asia and other parts of Eurasia. Most previous genetic research of East Asian populations, including ancient DNA studies, has involved samples from Mongolic-speaking populations or their ancient relatives. This review summarizes frequency data of paternal Y-chromosome haplogroups from all available literature about Mongolic-speaking populations from 1999 to 2019. Fourteen paternal components were identified, and six of them are proposed as major and common components in ancestor groups of Mongolic-speaking populations. The article thoroughly discusses the possible origin, migration patterns, and the roles of these six components in the evolutionary history of Mongolic-speaking populations, as well as implications of present achievements in human genetics for future multidisciplinary research in ethnology, history, archaeology, and linguistics.
Engraved Legacies: Bringing Phillis Wheatley’s Idle Pose to the Classroom
Authors: Von Cannon Jordan L.
Published: January 2024

Abstract: This essay considers Scipio Moorhead’s 1773 portrait of Phillis Wheatley, Wheatley’s poem “To S.M. A Young African Painter” and the mutual legacy of these two artists. Focusing on the idle pose, I argue that Wheatley explores the relationship between the critic and poet in connection with literary reputation. I draw on theories of idleness (as affect, suspended action) as well as gender, labor, and race in order to argue that Wheatley’s writing reveals her active role in image-making by paradoxically capturing an idle moment, allowing students to contextualize her intellectual labor within the legacy of her authorship.
“There Were Some Things That Did Not Change”: Postcolonial Reckonings with Gender in The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency Series
Authors: Major Laura
Published: January 2024

Abstract: Though seemingly romanticized, Alexander McCall Smith’s popular No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series reckons with the gendered realities of postcolonial Botswana by creating a paradox that resists a simple reading of gender and feminism in the locale it inhabits. The series’ heroine, though traditional, defies gender roles, practicing a situated and culturally specific version of women’s empowerment. Indeed, when discussing gender in postcolonial Africa, we should not apply Western notions of feminism. Homi Bhabha’s notion of hybridity, which recognizes locality, fluidity, and mutual influence in the construction of postcolonial identity, is a useful lens through which to understand the series’ paradoxes.
For Democratic Governance of Universities: The Case for Administrative Abolition
Authors: Missé Blanca , Martel James
Published: January 2024

Abstract: In this essay, we argue for administrative abolition, that is, the elimination of all college presidents, provosts, deans and other top level administrators who we argue form a parasitical group that was developed over time in order to exercise both political and financial control over faculty, staff and students. We examine the way that the idea of "shared governance" disguises the de facto dictatorship of administration over faculty self-governance, explore the history of how this power grab took place and furthermore explore alternative forms of faculty self-management in both US history and abroad (especially in Latin America).
Balfour on Morrison: On Witness as Repair
Authors: Syedullah Jasmine
Published: January 2024

Abstract: These brief notes in response to Balfour's reading of Morrison's Paradise explore narrative as an analytic means by which to hold the contradictions constituting democratic crises of injustice and desires for freedom within a shared practice of mutual witness and the possibilities of repair.
Wideband synchronization of two quantum dot mode-locked laser frequency combs using optical injection
Authors: Bita Daniel , Simos Iraklis , Simos Christos
Published: January 2024

We experimentally investigate the unidirectional coupling between two semiconductor frequency combs generated by two passively mode-locked quantum dot lasers. We show that synchronization of the combs in terms of repetition rate and phase locking is possible for a wide range of detuning between the combs. Repetition rate locking of the combs leading to reduced phase noise operation for the slave comb can occur independently of phase locking. Furthermore, we study the synchronization with respect to specific features of the two lasers, such as the optical bandwidth, the peak wavelength mismatch, and the injected power levels.
30-day in-hospital stroke case fatality and significant risk factors in sub-Saharan–Africa: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Ackah Martin , Ameyaw Louise , Appiah Richard , Owiredu David , Boakye Hosea , Donaldy Webster , Yarfi Comos , Abonie Ulric S.
Published: January 2024

Existing studies investigating 30-day in-hospital stroke case fatality rates in sub-Saharan Africa have produced varying results, underscoring the significance of obtaining precise and reliable estimations for this indicator. Consequently, this study aimed to conduct a systematic review and update of the current scientific evidence regarding 30-day in-hospital stroke case fatality and associated risk factors in sub-Saharan Africa. Medline/PubMed, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), APA PsycNet (encompassing PsycINFO and PsychArticle), Google Scholar, and Africa Journal Online (AJOL) were systematically searched to identify potentially relevant articles. Two independent assessors extracted the data from the eligible studies using a pre-tested and standardized excel spreadsheet. Outcomes were 30-day in-hospital stroke case fatality and associated risk factors. Data was pooled using random effects model. Ninety-three (93) studies involving 42,057 participants were included. The overall stroke case fatality rate was 27% [25%-29%]. Subgroup analysis revealed 24% [21%-28%], 25% [21%-28%], 29% [25%-32%] and 31% [20%-43%] stroke case fatality rates in East Africa, Southern Africa, West Africa, and Central Africa respectively. Stroke severity, stroke type, untyped stroke, and post-stroke complications were identified as risk factors. The most prevalent risk factors were low (<8) Glasgow Coma Scale score, high (≥10) National Institute Health Stroke Scale score, aspiration pneumonia, hemorrhagic stroke, brain edema/intra-cranial pressure, hyperglycemia, untyped stroke (stroke diagnosis not confirmed by neuroimaging), recurrent stroke and fever. The findings indicate that one in every four in-hospital people with stroke in sub-Saharan Africa dies within 30 days of admission. Importantly, the identified risk factors are mostly modifiable and preventable, highlighting the need for context-driven health policies, clinical guidelines, and treatments targeting these factors.
Preterm birth and neonatal mortality in selected slums in and around Dhaka City of Bangladesh: A cohort study
Authors: Razzaque Abdur , Rahman Anisur , Chowdhury Razib , Mustafa A. H. M. Golam , Naima Shakera , Begum Farzana , Shafique Sohana , Sarker Bidhan Krishna , Islam Mohammad Zahirul , Kim Minjoon , Jahangir Margub Aref , Matin Ziaul , Ferdous Jannatul , Vandenent Maya , Reidpath Daniel D.
Published: January 2024

Background

Although under-five mortality has declined appreciably in Bangladesh over the last few decades, neonatal mortality still remains high. The objective of the study is to assess the level and determinants of preterm birth and the contribution of preterm birth to neonatal mortality.

Methods

Data for this study came from selected slums in and around Dhaka city, where; since 2015, icddr,b has been maintaining the Health and Demographic Surveillance System (HDSS). The HDSS data were collected by female Field Workers by visiting each household every three months; however, during the visit, data on the Last Menstrual Period (LMP) were also collected by asking each eligible woman to ascertain the date of conception. Gestational age was estimated in complete weeks by subtracting LMP from the date of the pregnancy outcome. In this study, 6,989 livebirths were recorded by HDSS during 2016–2018, and these births were followed for neonatal survival; both bivariate and multivariate analyses were performed.

Results

Out of total births, 21.7% were born preterm (before 37 weeks of gestation), and sub-categories were: 2.19% for very preterm (28 to 31 weeks), 3.81% for moderate preterm (32 to 33 weeks), and 15.71% for late preterm (34 to 36 weeks). The study revealed that preterm babies contributed to 39.6% of neonatal deaths; however, the probability of death was very high on the 1st day of birth (0.124 for very preterm, 0.048 for moderate preterm, 0.024 for late preterm, and 0.013 for term birth), and continued until the 3rd day. In the regression analysis, compared to the term neonates, the odds of neonatal mortality were 8.66 (CI: 5.63, 13.32, p<0.01), 4.13 (CI: 2.69, 6.34, p<0.01) and 1.48 (CI: 1.05, 2.08, p<0.05) respectively for very, moderate, and late preterm birth categories. The population attributable fraction for neonatal mortality was 23%, and sub-categories were 14% for very preterm, 10% for moderate preterm, and 6% for late preterm.

Conclusions

Although urban slums are in proximity to many health facilities, a substantial proportion of preterm births contribute to neonatal deaths. So, pregnant women should be targeted, to ensure timely care during pregnancy, delivery, and post-partum periods to improve the survival of new-borns in general and preterm birth in particular.
The role of medicines and therapeutics committees structure in supporting optimal antibacterial use in hospitals in Uganda: A mixed method study
Authors: Kimbowa Isaac Magulu , Ocan Moses , Mukonzo Jackson , Nakafeero Mary , Eriksen Jaran , Stålsby Lundborg Cecilia , Ogwal-Okeng Jasper , Obua Celestino , Kalyango Joan
Published: January 2024

Although the roles of Medicines and therapeutic committees (MTCs) have been expanding, there is limited information on the role of their structure in optimal antibacterial use in hospitals, especially in low-and-middle-income countries. Our study explored the structure and role of MTC in supporting antibacterial use in regional referral, general hospitals and tertiary private not-for-profit (PNFP) hospitals in Uganda. We conducted an explanatory sequential mixed-method approach with triangulation to explore the structure and functional role of MTCs from August 2019 to February 2020 in hospitals in Uganda. Quantitative data was collected using an interviewer-administered questionnaire among chairpersons or secretaries of MTCs and was analysed using descriptive statistics. We conducted key informant interviews using an interview guide among long-term serving members of MTCs to collect qualitative data which triangulated the quantitative data. The study revealed that sixteen hospitals had successfully established MTCs with an average duration of the MTCs’ existence of 5.6 (+2.7) years. The membership of the MTCs varied between 7 and 14, with a median value of 10, and the majority of members in MTCs were pharmacists (15 out of 16) and clinical specialists (13 out of 16). The most frequent subcommittees of the 16 hospitals MTC were supply chain (n = 14), antimicrobial stewardship (n = 13), and infection control (n = 12). Majority (14 out of 16) of the MTCs supported availability and access of antibacterial use by selecting and evaluating antibacterials agents for their formulary lists using established criteria. Additionally, 15 out 16 MTCs conducted antimicrobial stewardship activities to support optimal antimicrobial use. In our study, MTC membership and subcommittees were critical structural components that aided the selection and evaluation antibacterials on hospital formulary lists and they supported optimal antibacterial use through implementing various antimicrobial stewardship activities. There is a need for the Ministry of Health to conduct more training on operationalising MTCs structures in all hospitals.
Identity leadership and adherence to COVID-19 safety guidance in hospital settings
Authors: Smith Kayleigh , Templeton Anne
Published: January 2024

COVID-19 presents unique and complex challenges to the Scottish National Health Service (NHS). As COVID-19 preventative measures are effective at reducing disease spread, promoting staff adherence in high-risk workplaces is vital. The present research explored the role of identity leadership on (a) staff’s appraisals of leadership and (b) staff’s adherence to and attitudes towards COVID-19 guidance. Semi-structured interviews (N= 25) were conducted with NHS staff across two Scottish hospitals. Using Reflexive Thematic Analysis, two over-arching themes were generated: leadership presence and approachable leadership who act on group concerns, where both created positive appraisals of leadership and were seen to facilitate adherence. Guidance from present leaders was perceived as both practical and applicable. Approachable leaders were viewed to facilitate information sharing, clarify guidance, and allow staff to raise concerns. Leaders who were seen to act on group concerns provided resources or updated guidance to promote adherence. The present study provides theoretical and practical advancements to (a) expand the known role of identity leadership in promoting safety in workplaces and (b) facilitate routes for adherence to safety guidance beyond COVID-19.
Estimating subnational excess mortality in times of pandemic. An application to French départements in 2020
Authors: Bonnet Florian , Camarda Carlo-Giovanni
Published: January 2024

The COVID-19 pandemic’s uneven impact on subnational regions highlights the importance of understanding its local-level mortality impact. Vital statistics are available for an increasing number of countries for 2020, 2021, and 2022, facilitating the computation of subnational excess mortality and a more comprehensive assessment of its burden. However, this calculation faces two important methodological challenges: it requires appropriate mortality projection models; and small populations imply considerable, though commonly neglected, uncertainty in the estimates. We address both issues using a method to forecast mortality at the subnational level, which incorporates uncertainty in the computation of mortality measures. We illustrate our approach by examining French départements (NUTS 3 regions, or 95 geographical units), and produce sex-specific estimates for 2020. This approach is highly flexible, allowing one to estimate excess mortality during COVID-19 in most demographic scenarios and for past pandemics.
Does intellectual capital efficiency measured by modified value-added intellectual coefficient affect the financial performance of insurance companies in Ethiopia?
Authors: Ayinaddis Samuel Godadaw , Tegegne Habtamu Getachew , Belay Nitsuh Alemayehu
Published: January 2024

Insurance company managers and shareholders should be conscious of the effect of intellectual capital efficiency and its components on financial performance. The purpose of this study is to examine the role of intellectual capital efficiency and its components on the financial performance of insurance companies. To achieve study objectives Modified value-added intellectual coefficient is adopted to measure the effect of intellectual capital efficiency. The study adopted an explanatory research design with an arrangement of secondary data analysis via document analysis, quantitative approach, and deductive method of inquiry. Panel data was used with a sample of 14 insurance companies from 2012–2022. Descriptive and regression analyses were performed to analyze the data using STATA version 15.0. Econometric model estimation procedures and multiple regression assumptions were tested accordingly. The random effect regression result revealed that the value-added intellectual capital and its component human capital and capital employed efficiency have a positive significance association with financial performance. Whereas, relational capital efficiency and structural capital efficiency do not have a significant contribution to the financial performance of insurance sectors in Ethiopia. The findings of this study contribute to the theoretical and practical understanding of the relationship between intellectual capital efficiency and financial performance in the context of insurance companies in Ethiopia.
Digital transformation and innovation output of manufacturing companies—An analysis of the mediating role of internal and external transaction costs
Authors: Meng Xiangpeng , Gong Xinshu
Published: January 2024

Digital transformation, based on digital technologies, has triggered economic growth in many industries and brought about production and service transformation in the manufacturing sector. As an important source of innovation output and a driving force for national economic development, it is of great significance to study the impact of digital transformation on innovation output in manufacturing companies. This study analyzes the effects of digital transformation on the quality, quantity, and overall innovation output of manufacturing companies from both the macro provincial-level digital transformation and micro enterprise-level digital transformation perspectives. Additionally, using data from manufacturing companies listed on the Shanghai and Shenzhen stock exchanges from 2012 to 2022, this study empirically tests the mechanism through which digital transformation affects innovation output from the perspectives of internal transaction costs and external transaction costs. The results show that digital transformation promotes overall improvement in innovation output of manufacturing companies and leads to improvements in both the quality and quantity of innovation output. Furthermore, the study finds that the effect of digital transformation on innovation output has a nonlinear characteristic under different levels of market competitiveness and market freedom. The mediation analysis reveals that the influence of digital transformation on innovation output can be attributed to the reduction of internal transaction costs and the enhancement of external transaction efficiency. In terms of digital policy formulation, it is necessary to coordinate the development of diverse and innovative digital infrastructure at the macro level with the micro-level ecosystems of enterprises, in order to reduce transaction costs within and outside innovative entities. Ultimately, it is essential for the government to foster a conducive free market environment that enhances transaction efficiency and timely regulates the excessive competition resulting from oligopolistic monopolies, thus maximizing the potential of digital transformation in promoting innovation output.
Management of rifampicin-resistant tuberculosis in conflict-affected areas: The case of Iraq
Authors: Tesfahun Hiwot Melak , Al-Salihi Layth , Abdulkareem Al-Ani Nadia , Mankhi Ahmed Asmer , Mohammed Ammar , Lim Chenery Ann E. , Al-Hilfi Riadh Abdulameer , Jouego Christelle G. , Decroo Tom , Moussally Krystel , Ferlazzo Gabriella , Isaakidis Petros
Published: January 2024

Since December 2019, the World Health Organization (WHO) has encouraged National Tuberculosis Programs to deprioritize the use of injectable-containing regimens and roll-out all-oral bedaquiline-containing regimens for rifampicin-resistant tuberculosis (RR-TB) treatment. Consequently, Iraq gradually replaced the injectable-containing regimen with an all-oral regimen, including bedaquiline. To assess treatment enrolment and outcomes of both regimens during a transitioning phase in Iraq, where health system services are recovering from decades of war, we conducted a nationwide retrospective cohort study using routinely collected programmatic data for patients enrolled between 2019–2021. We describe treatment enrolment and use logistic regression to identify predictors of unfavorable treatment outcomes (failure, death, or lost to follow-up), including regimen type. Nationwide, a total of 301 RR-TB patients started treatment, of whom 167 concluded treatment. The proportion of patients enrolled on the all-oral regimen increased from 53.2% (50/94) in 2020, to 75.5% (80/106) in 2021. Successful treatment was achieved in 82.1% (32/39) and 63.3% (81/128), for all-oral and injectable-containing regimens respectively. Moreover, the proportion of lost to follow-up was lower among those treated with the all-oral versus the long injectable-containing regimen; respectively 2.6% (1/39) versus 17.9% (23/128: p = 0.02). Unfavorable treatment outcome was associated with male gender (aOR 2.12, 95%CI:1.02–4.43) and age <15 years (vs 30–49 years, aOR 5.80, 95%CI:1.30–25.86). Regimen type (aOR 2.37, 95%CI: 0.91–6.13) was not significantly associated with having an unfavorable treatment outcome. In Iraq, the use of bedaquiline-containing all-oral regimen resulted in a high treatment success and reduced lost to follow-up.