bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Development and Characterization of Compliant Bioelectronic Devices for Gastrointestinal Stimulation
Authors:   , Chitrakar Chandani
Published: February 2024

In this research, we aimed to develop thin-film devices on a polymer substrate and an alternative 3D-printed device with macroelectrodes for treating gastrointestinal (GI) conditions. First, the fabrication of thin-film devices was demonstrated on a softening thiol-ene/acrylate polymer utilizing titanium nitride (TiN) as electrode material. This was achieved by utilizing cleanroom fabrication processes such as photolithography, wet and dry etching. The functionality of the device was shown by performing electrochemical characterization tests, mainly cyclic voltammetry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and voltage transient. We synthesized a novel thiol-ene/acrylate polymer based on 1,3,5-triallyl-1,3,5-triazine-2,4,6(1H,3H,5H)-trione (TATATO), trimethylolpropanetris (3-mercaptopropionate) (TMTMP), and polyethylene glycol diacrylate (PEGDA). We show that this stretchable shape memory polymer substrate is well suited for cleanroom processes. Finally, for the high throughput of the wearable devices with electrodes size 10 mm in diameter, we implemented single electrode fabrication using printed circuit boards (PCBs) and depositing gold (Au) and TiN on the plated side of PCBs utilizing the sputtering tool. This step was followed by the assembly of those single electrodes on the flexible 3D printed device. We showed that the TiN electrode material performed better in terms of charge storage capacity and charge injection capacity than the widely used stainless steel electrode material for wearables.
Factors Affecting MeHg Contamination of Spiders and Insect-Mediated MeHg Flux from Human-Made Ponds
Authors:   , Hannappel Madeline Pratt
Published: February 2024

The present study focused on methylmercury (MeHg) in emergent aquatic insects and spiders from human-made ponds. This dissertation addresses two main topics: (1) factors affecting variation in spider MeHg concentrations around human-made ponds and (2) the magnitude of MeHg transported out of human-made ponds by emergent aquatic insects (insect-mediated MeHg flux). Spiders were specifically targeted in this study because they have been proposed as sentinels of MeHg contamination (organism whose tissue concentrations reflect the level of MeHg in the environment). Spider MeHg concentrations were related to spider diet, size, and proximity to waterbody, but affected individual spider taxa differently. In a second study, I found that only "large" spiders within a taxa had tissue concentrations positively related to prey MeHg concentrations. These results indicate that the relationship between spider and prey MeHg could be size-dependent and that "large" spiders within a taxa may better reflect ambient MeHg contamination. Finally, I tested a conceptual model hypothesizing insect-mediated MeHg flux from human-made ponds is controlled by pond permanence and fish presence. In agreement with the conceptual model, insect-mediated MeHg flux from ponds was suppressed by the presence of fish, likely due to fish predation on emergent insect larvae. I found the mean aggregate MeHg flux was approximately 6 times higher from ponds without fish than from ponds with fish. The suppression of insect flux by fish was stronger for large insect taxa than small insect taxa. Results of this study indicate that community structure can influence the cross-system transport of contaminants, like MeHg, from ponds to terrestrial food webs.
Saxophone Instruction by Women: Experiences of Achieving the Rank of Full Professor at Post-Secondary Institutions in the United States
Authors:   , Heimann Christa Marie
Published: February 2024

Since the first saxophone professor at the Paris Conservatory in 1858, saxophone instruction has primarily been a male-dominated field. Numerous sources detail the experiences, lives, and influence of male post-secondary saxophone instructors. Women have made great strides in the performance and instruction of the saxophone at the post-secondary level, but sources discussing their lives and experiences are limited. Saxophone instruction at the post-secondary level in the United States began in the late 1800s. As the instrument grew in popularity through the 20th century, more and more higher education institutions began incorporating the saxophone as an instrument for primary study. This increased the need for saxophone professors in the United States. In 1994, Elizabeth Zinn Ervin, became the first woman full professor. This was 40 years after the the first man, Larry Teal, held this rank. As of 2023, 15 women have achieved the rank of full professor. This document is intended to highlight several women saxophone instructors throughout the history of the instrument, and detail the thoughts and experiences of women saxophonists who have achieved the rank of full professor in the United States.
Green Manufacturing of Lignocellulosic Fiber through Bacterial Degradation Process
Authors:   , Fu Yu
Published: February 2024

Lignocellulose is the most abundant biopolymer on earth and offers excellent potential for sustainable manufacturing. Because lignocellulose is structurally complex and resistant to decomposition, innovative degradation strategies are necessary to unlock its value. In this dissertation, a green manufacturing process through enzyme-triggered self-cultured bacteria retting for lignocellulosic fiber was developed and investigated. The mechanism of the lignocellulosic fiber retting at a controlled degradation strategy was studied. This enzymatic degradation strategy utilizes a small amount of enzyme to trigger a large aggregation of specific bacteria to obtain clean fibers. Industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) fiber was successfully retted with this strategy. The degradation of pectin was proved through an environmental scanning electron microscope and reducing sugar analysis. The bacterial successions were identified by 16S rRNA gene metagenomic sequencing. The results showed that Bacillaceae dominated the hemp retting conditions containing 1% pectinase, suggesting that pectinase can manipulate bacterial community succession by changing the nutrients available to bacteria through the degradation of pectin. This degradation strategy has 20-25% less environmental impact than the thermochemical degradation strategy, resulting in better fiber consistency and much shorter processing time (3-5 days) than the traditional water degradation strategy. The study on the degradation of lignin-rich lignocellulose also contributes to the understanding of the natural formaldehyde release mechanisms from wood.
"Google is my friend": An Exploration of Older Adult Media Literacy
Authors:   , Williams Mikaela Anne
Published: February 2024

The advancement and incorporation of media in daily life continue to grow exponentially as the median age of humanity continues to rise. While there are media literacy education programs targeted toward children and adolescents, older adults are often left out of these initiatives. Based on ethnographic research conducted at two senior centers in Denton, TX, this thesis explores the way older adults analyze and interact with media. Data collection methods include participant observation and semi-structured interviews with senior center members over the age of 65. The research findings highlight how older adults navigate an expanding information society and how they lean on their community for support. These findings laid the foundation for the creation of a media literacy educational seminar given at both senior centers.
Investigating Novel Streptomyces Bacteriophage Endolysins as Potential Antimicrobial Agents
Authors:   , Maneekul Jindanuch
Published: February 2024

As antibiotic resistance has become a major global threat, the World Health Organization has urgently called scientists for alternative strategies for control of bacterial infections. Endolysin, a protein encoded by a phage gene, can degrade bacterial peptidoglycan (PG). Currently, there are three endolysin products in the clinical phase. We, thus, are interested in exploring novel endolysins from Streptomyces phages as only a few of them have been experimentally characterized. Using bioinformatics tools, we identified nine functional domain groups from 250 Streptomyces phages putative endolysins. NootNoot gp34 (transglycosylase; Nt34lys), Nabi gp26 (amidase; Nb26lys), Tribute gp42 (PGRP; Tb42lys), and LazerLemon gp35 (CHAP; LL35lys) were selected for experimental studies. We hypothesized that (1) the proteins of interest will have the ability to degrade PG, and (2) the proteins will be potential antimicrobial agents against ESKAPE safe relatives. The results showed that LL35lys, Nb26lys and Tb42lys exhibit PG-degrading activity on zymography and hydrolysis assay. The enzymes (400 µg/mL) can reduce PG turbidity to 32-40%. The killing assay suggested that Tb42lys possess a boarder range (Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas putida, Acinetobacter baylyi and Klebsiella aerogenes). While Nb26lys can attack Gram-negative bacteria, LL35lys can only reduce the growth of the Gram-positive strains with an MIC90 of 2 µg/mL. A higher concentration (≥300 µg/mL) of Nb26lys is needed to treat P. putida and K. aerogenes. Therefore, endolysins from Streptomyces phage have potential as possible antimicrobial agents against ESKAPE bacteria.
The Idiomatic Techniques and Procedures of Composer Kevin Walczyk (b. 1964) that Define a Unique Musical Language
Authors:   , Wollam Seth Frederick
Published: February 2024

Award winning composer Kevin Walczyk's describes himself as a "musical storyteller," using all musical elements of structure, melody, harmony, and counterpoint to convey programmatic content. A variety of subjects are conveyed that include historical events, people, physical objects or locations, and literary texts. Deeper matters, such as spiritual themes, are also often incorporated in his music that enhance the musical program. The technical procedures employed—pertaining particularly to the expression of programmatic content—has produced a unique musical language that stands out in the modern compositional landscape. What are these inherent idiomatic features, and how are they exhibited? The purpose of this dissertation is to provide a detailed examination of Walczyk's distinct musical language. A critical analysis of the technical procedures used to convey his programmatic content, as well as insights into his influences and writing process, illuminate the attributes of this a posteriori musical language. The two works selected for this study to demonstrate this are Symphony No. 2: Epitaphs Unwritten and Talking Winds, both written for wind band.
Experimental and Numerical Investigation of a Novel Cold-Formed Steel Long Span Truss
Authors:   , Nalla Sai Kumar
Published: February 2024

This thesis describes the experimental and numerical investigation of a novel cold-formed steel 48ft and 54ft long span truss. The truss we designed was to be used as the roofs of large buildings, such as warehouses, hangars, sports arenas. The investigation includes both experimental and numerical testing, the experimental testing of the truss under uniform loads (increasing loads) to determine its deflection and load carrying capacity. The numerical test included developing a finite element model of the truss in SolidWorks and using a finite element model of the truss in ABAQUS to simulate the experimental tests. The findings of this study can be used to improve the design of cold-formed steel long span trusses. The study also provides valuable information for future studies on the modeling of trusses with different cold-formed steel members and the behavior of trusses under load.
Exact Solution of the Single-Picker Routing Problem with Scattered Storage
Authors: Heßler Katrin , Irnich Stefan
Published: February 2024

We present a new modeling approach for the single-picker routing problem with scattered storage (SPRP-SS) for order picking in warehouses. The SPRP-SS assumes that an article is, in general, stored at more than one pick position. The task is then the simultaneous selection of pick positions for requested articles and the determination of a minimum-length picker tour collecting the articles. It is a classical result of Ratliff and Rosenthal that, for given pick positions, an optimal picker tour is a shortest path in the state space of a dynamic program with a linear number of states and transitions. We extend the state space of Ratliff and Rosenthal to include scattered storage so that every feasible picker tour is still a path. The additional requirement to make consistent decisions regarding articles to collect is not modeled in the state space so that dynamic programming can no longer be used for the solution. Instead, demand covering can be modeled as additional constraints in shortest-path problems. Therefore, we solve the resulting model with a mixed-integer (linear) programming (MIP) solver. The paper shows that this approach is not only convenient and elegant for single-block parallel-aisle warehouse SPRP-SSs but also generalizable: the solution principle can be applied to different warehouse layouts (we present additional results for a two-block parallel-aisle warehouse) and can incorporate further extensions. Computational experiments with other approaches for the SPRP-SS show that the new modeling approach outperforms the available exact algorithms regarding computational speed.

History: Accepted by Andrea Lodi, Area Editor for Design and Analysis of Algorithms—Discrete.

Supplemental Material: The e-companion is available at https://doi.org/10.1287/ijoc.2023.0075 .
Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in a Child Presenting with Acute Hemiparesis as a Rare Neurologic Manifestation
Authors: YILDIZ Nihal , GAYRETLİ AYDIN Zeynep Gökçe , DİLBER Beril , YEŞİLBAŞ Osman
Published: February 2024

Coronavirus pandemic has become one of the most important illness affecting all over the world and causing the death of millions of people. Because it started at the end of 2019 it named as coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19). Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C), which is a new disease definition, that has emerged as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Although it is known that MIS-C causes many different symptoms, our knowledge will increase exponentially as more articles and case reports continue to published to the literature. Although MIS-C affects many systems, various neurological involvement has also been reported. But, according to literature, no case with hemiparesis in MIS-C has been reported so far. To the best of our knowledge this is the case presenting with hemiparesis without intracranial pathology in the diagnosis of MIS-C.
CONTROLE JURISDICIONAL DE CONVENCIONALIDADE:
Authors: Jochem Pereira João Vitor , Schulze Clenio Jair
Published: February 2024

Este artigo trata sobre o controle de convencionalidade de tratado de Direitos Humanos de caráter supralegal no âmbito do Supremo Tribunal Federal. O problema observado está centrado na possibilidade do STF, em via difusa, realizar a compatibilização de normas infraconstitucionais ou de norma constitucional tendo como parâmetro norma internacional de Direitos Humanos não internalizada pelo rito do parágrafo terceiro do artigo quinto da Constituição Federal. A hipótese é que, em razão do caráter materialmente constitucional dos tratados de Direitos Humanos, e da não exclusão do âmbito dos direitos fundamentais dessas normas, pelo exposto no parágrafo segundo do artigo quinto da Constituição, o STF pode realizar o chamado controle de convencionalidade, utilizando-se dessas normas como paradigma. Por fim, constata-se que os Direitos Humanos são normas de caráter materialmente constitucional e merecem a proteção da Suprema Corte. O método de abordagem utilizado foi o dedutivo e a técnica de pesquisa a bibliográfica.
Palavras-chave: Controle de Convencionalidade; Supremo Tribunal Federal; Direitos Humanos; Supralegalidade; Direito Internacional.
ERA UMA ESCOLA MUITO ENGRAÇADA
Authors: Silva Luiza Helena Oliveira da
Published: February 2024

Orientado pelos estudos da semiótica discursiva destinados ao espaço, este trabalho analisa três dissertações do PROFLETRAS – Programa de Mestrado Profissional em Rede Nacional – defendidos por docentes que atuam nos estados do Pará e Acre, nos anos de 2017 e 2019. O objetivo foi o de analisar os sentidos que se produzem sobre o espaço da escola onde atuam e/ou desenvolveram práticas interventivas. Buscou-se observar a possível reiteração de imagens de escolas públicas caracterizadas pela privação, a serem depreendidas das narrativas e escolhas enunciativas projetadas nos textos. As dissertações analisadas explicitam performances realizadas no espaço utópico (GREIMAS, 1985), o da sala de aula, ou a construção de utopias a serem alcançadas pela formação teórico-prática ofertada pelo referido programa de mestrado.  Inserido no âmbito de uma pesquisa em desenvolvimento, o recorte apresentado privilegiou imagens que seriam produzidas por escolas situadas na região Norte.
Frailty and nutrition
Authors: Wilson Neil , Mullaney William
Published: February 2024

As the ageing population grows and forms a significant category of over 65s in many societies, along with it comes the risk of developing physical and psychological degenerative changes. This presents many challenges for health and social care services in not only identifying those at risk but also managing that risk to try to preserve health and independence for as long as possible. Screening for frailty has supported services to identify those that may be at risk of hospitalisation, requiring long term care or support services at home in older age. Frailty can be exacerbated by the risk of nutritional deficiencies and more severe malnutrition. Therefore, screening for frailty should also include a nutritional assessment, which can be supported by a recognition of the need for nutritional support along with other holistic frailty management.
Clinical characteristics of testicular torsion and factors influencing testicular salvage in children: A 12-year study in tertiary center
Authors: Gang Xiang-Hui , Duan Yuan-Yuan , Zhang Bin , Jiang Zheng-Gan , Zhang Rong , Chen Jun , Teng Xiang-Yu , Zhang Duo-Bing
Published: February 2024

BACKGROUND

Testicular torsion is the most common acute scrotum worldwide and mainly occurs in children and adolescents. Studies have demonstrated that the duration of symptoms and torsion grade lead to different outcomes in children diagnosed with testicular torsion.

AIM

To predict the possibility of testicular salvage (TS) in patients with testicular torsion in a tertiary center.

METHODS

We reviewed the charts of 75 pediatric patients with acute testicular torsion during a 12-year period from November 2011 to July 2023 at the Suzhou Hospital of Anhui Medical University. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to determine independent predictors of testicular torsion. The data included clinical findings, physical examinations, laboratory data, color Doppler ultrasound findings, operating results, age, presenting institution status, and follow-up results.

RESULTS

Our study included 75 patients. TS was possible in 57.3% of all patients; testicular torsion occurred mostly in winter, and teenagers aged 11-15 years old accounted for 60%. Univariate logistic regression analyses revealed that younger age (P = 0.09), body mass index (P = 0.004), torsion angle (P = 0.013), red blood cell count (P = 0.03), neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (P = 0.009), and initial presenting institution (P < 0.001) were associated with orchiectomy. In multivariate analysis, only the initial presenting institution predicted TS (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

The initial presenting institution has a predictive value for predicting TS in patients with testicular torsion. Children with scrotal pain should be admitted to a tertiary hospital as soon as possible.
Schiff’s Base Imidazole Derivatives Synthesis and Evaluation for their Anti-Inflammatory Activity
Authors: Singh Divya , Kharb Rajeev , Sharma Satish Kumar
Published: February 2024

This study is focused on the synthesis and exploration of Schiff’s base imidazole derivatives with the aim of assessing their anti-inflammatory activity. A series of compounds were synthesized and characterized using spectroscopic techniques. In-silico docking analysis was employed to identify potential active ingredients. The anti-inflammatory properties of these derivatives were then investigated using paw edema model induced by carrageenan followed by assessment of TNF-α and IL-1β as inflammatory cytokines. Results showed that specific Schiff’s base Imidazole derivatives, notably C1IN, C2IN, C4IN, C5IN, and C11IN, demonstrate significant effectiveness in alleviating paw edema and reducing the level of IL-1β and TNF-α. The findings emphasize the potential of these developed derivatives as viable options for anti-inflammatory intervention. The observed reduction in paw edema and cytokine levels signifies a promising anti-inflammatory profile, positioning these compounds as candidates for further exploration and development. The study contributes valuable insights into the anti-inflammatory properties of imidazole derivatives, suggesting their potential therapeutic applications in inflammatory conditions. Future research should delve deeper into mechanistic aspects and conduct additional preclinical studies to validate the translational potential of these derivatives in anti-inflammatory pharmacotherapy. This research opens avenues for the development of novel anti-inflammatory agents with potential clinical relevance.
Aqueous Medium Synthesis and Characterization of Mixed-Ligand Molecular Complexes of Manganese(III).
Authors: Bhowmik Kanti Ranjan Nath
Published: February 2024

A fluoride-aided stabilization of manganese(III) was demonstrated by the preparation of unique complexes of the molecular mixed ligand fluoromanganate(III) from an aqueous medium. Complexes of mixed ligand fluoromanganate(III) were synthesized by reacting MnO(OH), 40% HF with nitrogen donor ligands that may function as neutral ligands, such as pyridine, ethylene diamine, or imidazole. The molecular complexes that were generated are stable and may be kept in polythene bags for extended periods of time without losing their properties. Consistency may be determined in a number of ways, including chemical analysis of the manganese oxidation state and periodic estimation of manganese and fluoride levels. The compounds dissolve slowly in water and partly in polar organic solvents. Element analyses, chemical oxidation state determination, FT-IR, electronic spectra, magnetic moment measurements at room temperature, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA/DTA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and cyclic voltammetry studies were used to characterize the complexes. The complexes produced probably have a distorted octahedral shape.
Synthesis, Characterization, and In silico Assessment of Novel Pyrazole Carbaldehyde for Antidepressant activity
Authors: Malaviya Arun R , Gadhawala Zakir Husen , Panchal Viswas
Published: February 2024

This research delves into the uncharted territory of pyrazole derivatives as potential antidepressants, despite their versatile biological activities. The study primarily focuses on a novel antidepressant designed as a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) and involves the synthesis of six new pyrazole derivatives through a conventional heating method. These compounds were then subjected to pharmacokinetic prediction and molecular docking studies at the active site of the human serotonin transporter protein enzyme (PDB ID: 5I73) using AutoDock Vina 1.2.3. SwissADME software was utilized to forecast pharmacokinetics, while PreADMET software assessed toxicity. The findings suggest that these derivatives exhibit promising antidepressant properties in comparison to established drugs. The convergence of docking, SwissADME, and toxicity results implies potential avenues for the development of effective antidepressants based on pyrazole derivatives, thereby shedding light on a novel class of compounds with potential applications in mental health treatment.
Spectroscopic Identification of Isolated Bioactive Compounds from Methanolic Extract of Psychotria dalzellii leaves
Authors: Tallur Preeti N , M Abhishek , Nayik Vinayak M , S Bhat Shivanand , A Pragasam
Published: February 2024

Plant sources plays vital role in the medicinal field as new bioactive compounds are found to be isolated. Present work was focused on isolation and structure elucidation of compounds from Psychotria dalzellii(family-Rubiaceae) leaves in methanol extract. The extract was fractionated through thin layer chromatography followed by column chromatography. Spectroscopic technique like FT-IR, NMR and LC-MS has been used to identify the fractionated compounds. Spectral data supports the structural elucidation of compounds like Harmaline, Emetine, Dimethyltryptamine and Psychollatine. These lead molecules are responsible for high anti-diabetic property and antioxidant property. The lead molecules are conspicuous in showing bioactivity and have future scopes.
Validity assessment for competency development in clinical dental hygiene education based on dental hygiene process of care
Authors: Choi Jin-Sun , Shin Sun-Jung , Shin Bo-Mi , Lee Hyo-Jin , Yoon Hye-Young , Bae Soo-Myoung
Published: February 2024

Objectives: Before implementing a competency-based clinical dental hygiene curriculum, it is essential to establish competency development as a foundational educational objective. Therefore, this study aimed to develop the competency of clinical dental hygiene with secured validity using the Delphi survey method. Methods: Dental hygiene competencies were categorized within the dental hygiene process stages, and questions were formulated accordingly. A Delphi survey involving ten qualified experts was conducted to refine the final items based on their review opinions. Results: The expert Delphi survey confirmed that all items met stability criteria, with CVI values of 0.80 or higher, CVR values of 0.60 or higher, and a CV coefficient of variation of 0.5 or less. In total, 42 items were derived. Conclusions: Clinical dental hygiene can contribute to developing specialized dental hygienists if the competencies derived from this study are well applied to the standardized curriculum and operations.
What Are Retail Ruins?
Authors: Miller Jacob C.
Published: February 2024

This chapter introduces concepts and theories for understanding retail ruins and ruination, including recent research on industrial ruins, ‘new ruins’ and specific forms like ‘ruins in reverse’. The chapter introduces the complexities of these emerging conversations, as well as the thought of Walter Benjamin, who was not only one of the first theorists of spectacle, but also one of the first to study retail ruins with his unfinished master work The Arcades Project. His work presages both the construction of the society of the spectacle in the post-war period and its demise at the turn of the new century. The chapter draws on lines of connection between his work and other recent approaches to the study of ruins and ruination, specifically approaches in contemporary archaeology that link space, subjectivity and the passage of time in unique and powerful ways. Lastly, these trends overlap and correspond with the ‘spectral turn’ and hauntology as a deconstructive practice that guides a way through some of the difficulties found in this emerging body of work. The final section is on methodology and the ‘question of context’ that situates the fieldwork site of Newcastle upon Tyne.
Retail Ruins
Authors: Miller Jacob C.
Published: February 2024

This chapter examines vacant sites around Newcastle upon Tyne’s city centre to consider the possibility of retail ruins. Using photographs taken by the author, the chapter fuses them with other observational data collected over a 12-month period (2021–22). Using a montage approach, this material weaves together a photo essay with a philosophical arch between Benjamin’s dialectics and Derridean hauntology. This move can help us avoid pitfalls in understanding dialectics as an appropriate framework for analysis, particularly for issues concerning consumption and retail. The chapter focuses a microscope on these void-like spaces whose negative energies seep into the urban atmosphere. Their qualities deserve attention as unwitting agents in the production of atmosphere, tinging it all with a spookiness that runs down our spines when confronted with the ghost. For that reason, a montage approach allows for a consideration of specific ideas and themes, though without synthesizing them into a singular summary of what they might mean. As an anti-totalitarian methodology, it leaves space for readers to think for themselves.
The impact of service-learning on university teachers. A part of a systematic review
Authors: Kulberg Mikol
Published: February 2024

This article shows a specific result about the impact of Service-Learning (SL) on academic teachers, highlighted by a systematic review, coming from larger doctoral research, still in progress, concerning the decade 2011-2021, regarding the transformation of in service and future teachers, which corresponds to the main research question of the study. The review of 60 studies, focused both on teachers still employed and future teachers, showed a substantial imbalance between the studies including pre-teachers and in-service teachers. After a general framework of the theoretical background, the development of SL in the higher education in Italy has taken in consideration as main reference. The article describes the methodology used for the study of the four articles, that involved both quantitative and qualitative approaches. Results show an effective impact of SL in the development of professional and personal teacher’s competences, but the low number of the population involved in the studies does not allow to a generalization of the findings.
Inter-Imperial Entanglement: The British Claim to Portuguese Delagoa Bay in the Nineteenth Century
Authors: Webster Anjuli
Published: February 2024

Abstract: Over the nineteenth century, England and Portugal contested the possession of Delagoa Bay in south eastern Africa. Using documents from a British hydrographical survey mission of the east coast of Africa, and British Parliamentary Papers recording the dispute over possession of the bay in the 1870s, I demonstrate that bordermaking in the region was rooted in interimperial claims and disputes reaching back to the 1820s. The English claim to Delagoa Bay highlights how hydrography and cartography were used as tools of empire in the new imperial expansion and land appropriation of the nineteenth century. The production of the colonial border between Portuguese Mozambique and British South Africa interrupted and disconnected indigenous networks of relation, trade, and movement, while simultaneously entangling imperial projects of white worldmaking through racialized dispossession.
"written with the heart's blood": An Unpublished Novel by Black Activist James Samuel Stemons, 1900
Authors: Patterson Cynthia
Published: February 2024

Abstract: This article traces the efforts of Philadelphia Black activist James Samuel Stemons to publish his 1900 autobiographical novel, "Jay Ess." The novel depicts the challenges faced by its protagonist to leave his subsistence-level farming life in Nicodemus, Kansas—founded during the Exoduster movement of the 1880s—to seek industrial employment in a major city. Stemons's copious correspondences with his sister, Mary Stemons Johnson; editors; publishers; and Progressive Era luminaries trace his attempt to position his arguments about industrial labor as a corrective to both Booker T. Washington's emphasis on vocational training and W. E. B. Du Bois's insistence on higher education for the talented tenth. However, the novel's lack of an Horatio Alger-like "rags to riches" trajectory—typified in Washington's Up From Slavery narrative—and its lack of the empirical evidence characteristic of Du Bois's published work led to repeated rejections by would-be publishers.
Who Invented the Possum? What Historians Can Learn from Disabled Innovation in Britain's Responaut Communities
Authors: McGuire Coreen
Published: February 2024

abstract: This article provides a new exploration of disabled innovation that transforms our understanding of collective contributions to the history of science and technology. It does so by showing how a user network galvanized individual inventions into disabled expertise by tracking the development of two technologies—the Selectascan/Possum and the adapted Loudspeaking Telephone. Hamraie and Fritsch's 2019 "Crip Technoscience Manifesto" defined "disabled expertise" by exploring how disabled technology modification has been devalued. This article takes up their manifesto's challenge to combine disability history with science and technology studies by analyzing the technologies discussed in Responaut , a British quarterly magazine published between 1963 and 1989. Responauts were people who depended on respirators to breathe. This technological interdependence meant that users adapted an extraordinary variety of technologies to live well with respirators and modify their personal environment.
Visit to a Familiar Planet: Some Questions to Ask Before Season Selection
Authors: Syler Claire
Published: February 2024

Abstract: This Note from the Field uses the travel metaphor and inquiry format of Elinor Fuchs's well-known pedagogical essay, "EF's Visit to a Small Planet: Some Questions to Ask a Play," to pose questions about a related object of dramatic analysis: the familiar world in which you live. The questions posed in this Note invite readers to imagine their regional, institutional, and local world as a social text that is worth reading before (or alongside) selecting plays for a theatrical season. It is the interplay between familiar and distant planets that can yield, as so many socially engaged artists and educators have found, meaningful choices of plays for local audiences.
Developmental hourglass: Verification by numerical evolution and elucidation by dynamical-systems theory
Authors: Kohsokabe Takahiro , Kuratanai Shigeru , Kaneko Kunihiko
Published: February 2024

Determining the general laws between evolution and development is a fundamental biological challenge. Developmental hourglasses have attracted increased attention as candidates for such laws, but the necessity of their emergence remains elusive. We conducted evolutionary simulations of developmental processes to confirm the emergence of the developmental hourglass and unveiled its establishment. We considered organisms consisting of cells containing identical gene networks that control morphogenesis and evolved them under selection pressure to induce more cell types. By computing the similarity between the spatial patterns of gene expression of two species that evolved from a common ancestor, a developmental hourglass was observed, that is, there was a correlation peak in the intermediate stage of development. The fraction of pleiotropic genes increased, whereas the variance in individuals decreased, consistent with previous experimental reports. Reduction of the unavoidable variance by initial or developmental noise, essential for survival, was achieved up to the hourglass bottleneck stage, followed by diversification in developmental processes, whose timing is controlled by the slow expression dynamics conserved among organisms sharing the hourglass. This study suggests why developmental hourglasses are observed within a certain phylogenetic range of species.
Sequestrase chaperones protect against oxidative stress-induced protein aggregation and [PSI+] prion formation
Authors: Carter Zorana , Creamer Declan , Kouvidi Aikaterini , Grant Chris M.
Published: February 2024

Misfolded proteins are usually refolded to their functional conformations or degraded by quality control mechanisms. When misfolded proteins evade quality control, they can be sequestered to specific sites within cells to prevent the potential dysfunction and toxicity that arises from protein aggregation. Btn2 and Hsp42 are compartment-specific sequestrases that play key roles in the assembly of these deposition sites. Their exact intracellular functions and substrates are not well defined, particularly since heat stress sensitivity is not observed in deletion mutants. We show here that Btn2 and Hsp42 are required for tolerance to oxidative stress conditions induced by exposure to hydrogen peroxide. Btn2 and Hsp42 act to sequester oxidized proteins into defined PQC sites following ROS exposure and their absence leads to an accumulation of protein aggregates. The toxicity of protein aggregate accumulation causes oxidant sensitivity in btn2 hsp42 sequestrase mutants since overexpression of the Hsp104 disaggregase rescues oxidant tolerance. We have identified the Sup35 translation termination factor as an in vivo sequestrase substrate and show that Btn2 and Hsp42 act to suppress oxidant-induced formation of the yeast [PSI+] prion, which is the amyloid form of Sup35. [PSI+] prion formation in sequestrase mutants does not require IPOD (insoluble protein deposit) localization which is the site where amyloids are thought to undergo fragmentation and seeding to propagate their heritable prion form. Instead, both amorphous and amyloid Sup35 aggregates are increased in btn2 hsp42 mutants consistent with the idea that prion formation occurs at multiple intracellular sites during oxidative stress conditions in the absence of sequestrase activity. Taken together, our data identify protein sequestration as a key antioxidant defence mechanism that functions to mitigate the damaging consequences of protein oxidation-induced aggregation.
Current practice of hospital-based palliative care teams: Advance care planning in advanced stages of disease: A retrospective observational study
Authors: van Doorne Iris , Willems Dick L. , Baks Nadine , de Kuijper Jelle , Buurman Bianca M. , van Rijn Marjon
Published: February 2024

Background

Specialist palliative care teams are consulted during hospital admission for advice on complex palliative care. These consultations need to be timely to prevent symptom burden and maintain quality of life. Insight into specialist palliative care teams may help improve the outcomes of palliative care.

Methods

In this retrospective observational study, we analyzed qualitative and quantitative data of palliative care consultations in a six-month period (2017 or 2018) in four general hospitals in the northwestern part of the Netherlands. Data were obtained from electronic medical records.

Results

We extracted data from 336 consultations. The most common diagnoses were cancer (54.8%) and organ failure (26.8%). The estimated life expectancy was less than three months for 52.3% of all patients. Within two weeks after consultation, 53.2% of the patients died, and the median time until death was 11 days (range 191) after consultation. Most patients died in hospital (49.4%) but only 7.5% preferred to die in hospital. Consultations were mostly requested for advance care planning (31.6%). End-of-life preferences focused on last wishes and maintaining quality of life.

Conclusion

This study provides detailed insight into consultations of palliative care teams and shows that even though most palliative care consultations were requested for advance care planning, consultations focus on end-of-life care and are more crisis-oriented than prevention-oriented. Death often occurs too quickly after consultation for end-of-life preferences to be met and these preferences tend to focus on dying. Educating healthcare professionals on when to initiate advance care planning would promote a more prevention-oriented approach. Defining factors that indicate the need for timely palliative care team consultation and advance care planning could help timely identification and consultation.
Asymmetric and time-frequency co-movements among innovation-themed investments and carbon emission efficiency: Thematic investing and hedging opportunities
Authors: Huo Chunhui , Ferreira Paulo , Ul Haq Inzamam
Published: February 2024

This study is aimed at investigating the asymmetric and time-frequency co-movements and the hedge or safe-haven properties of carbon efficient indices, the MSCI ACWI Sustainable Impact, and MSCI World EGS indices, in relation to technology and innovation-themed investments. In doing so, the ADCC-GJR-GARCH and wavelet coherence techniques are applied to a daily return series ranging from January 2019 to January 2023. Findings of the ADCC-GJR-GARCH model show negative and insignificant asymmetric linkage among underlying indices during the sample period. The S&P 500 carbon efficient index (CEI) acts as a strong hedge or safe-haven for technology and innovation-themed indices during tranquil and tumultuous periods. The MSCI ACWI Sustainable Impact, MSCI World EGS, and carbon efficient indices except for S&P 500 CEI exhibit weak hedge or safe-haven attributes. Wavelet coherence reveals negative (positive) co-movements between the thematic and carbon efficient indices in short-term (medium-term and long-term) horizons with consistent leading behavior of thematic indices to carbon efficient indices outcomes. It justifies the presence of short-lived hedging or safe-haven characteristics in the thematic domain for investors. These strong and weak hedge or safe-haven characteristics of low carbon and sustainability indices reveal that adding low carbon efficient and sustainable investments to a portfolio result in considerable diversification benefits for investors who tend to take minimal risk in both tranquil and tumultuous periods. The current findings imply that financial institutions, thematic investing companies, and governments need to encourage carbon efficient technology transfer and innovation-themed investments by increasing the fund allocations in underlying asset classes. Policy-making and regulatory bodies can encourage investors to make carbon-efficient and thematic investments and companies to issue carbon-efficient stocks or investments to safeguard social and economic risks during fragile periods. These investments can offer greater opportunities to combat the intensity of economic shocks on portfolios for responsible or sustainable investors.
Fuzzy cognitive maps for municipal governance improvement
Authors: Parreño Lenin , Pablo-Martí Federico
Published: February 2024

This paper applies Fuzzy Cognitive Maps (FCMs) to understand the diverse behavior of municipal governments in Ecuador to find common elements that influence the well-being of citizens in the short and long term. Information gathering was conducted in two stages: in the first one, a group of 16 national experts was consulted to develop the initial FCM; in the second stage, local experts from 220 municipalities were interviewed to collect information on the general validity of initial FCMs and specific values given to concepts and relationships in their municipalities. Results show the importance of certain concepts for long-term municipal performance, such as the need for a competitive entrepreneurial sector, improving human resources in the municipality, and, particularly, having a competent mayor with leadership skills and a forward-looking vision that enables the development of municipal projects required to reach an efficient and equitable coverage of goods and services throughout the city. Through the application of genetic algorithms, the FCM was calibrated to ascertain the long-term dynamics of municipal development and the optimal values of the concepts that would optimize the attainment of the set objectives. The derived outcomes suggest the desirability of the maintenance of, in principle, unwanted structures like financial transfers from the central government and the need to exploit natural resources to attain urban development.
Development strategy of early childhood music education industry: An IFS-AHP-SWOT analysis based on dynamic social network
Authors: Yue Yuanyang , Shen Xiaoyan
Published: February 2024

Early childhood music education has garnered recognition for its unique contribution to cognitive, emotional, and social development in children. Nevertheless, the industry grapples with numerous challenges, including a struggle to adapt traditional educational paradigms to new curriculum reforms, and an excessive emphasis on skill training at the expense of nurturing a love for music and aesthetics in children. To navigate these challenges and explore growth strategies for the early childhood music education industry, we initiated a comprehensive approach that involved distributing surveys to practitioners and parents and engaging experts for insightful discussions. Consequently, we proposed an analytical method based on dynamic social networks in conjunction with Intuitionistic Fuzzy Sets (IFS), Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), and Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) analysis, collectively referred to as IFS-AHP-SWOT. This integrated methodology synergizes the capabilities of dynamic social networks, IFS, AHP, and SWOT analysis to offer a nuanced perspective on industry development strategies. The findings underscore that institutions within the early childhood music education industry need to adopt a development strategy that leverages their strengths and opportunities to foster sustainable growth. Ultimately, this research aims to provide critical decision-making support for industry practitioners, policymakers, and researchers, contributing significantly to the ongoing discourse on strategic development in the early childhood music education industry.
Influence of altered torsional stiffness through sole modification of air pressure shoes on lower extremity biomechanical behaviour during side-step cutting maneuvers
Authors: Arefin Md Samsul , Chieh Hsiao-Feng , Lin Chien-Ju , Lin Cheng-Feng , Su Fong-Chin
Published: February 2024

Directional changes in cutting maneuvers are critical in sports, where shoe torsional stiffness (STS) is an important factor. Shoes are designed based on different constructions and movement patterns. Hence, it is unclear how adjustable spacers into the sole constructions of air pressure chambers (APC) affect the STS in side-step cutting. Therefore, this study investigated the effects of altered STS through adjustable sole spacers on ground reaction force (GRF) and ankle and knee joint moments in side-step cutting. Seventeen healthy recreational athletes performed side-step cutting with experimental conditions including (i) barefoot (BF), (ii) unaltered shoes (UAS): soles consisting of APC, and (iii) altered shoes (AS): modified UAS by inserting elastomeric spacers into cavities formed by APC. Mechanical and biomechanical variables were measured. Significant differences were revealed across shoe conditions for impact peak (p = 0.009) and impulse (p = 0.018) in vertical GRF, time to achieve peak braking (p = 0.004), and peak propulsion (p = 0.025) for anterior-posterior GRF in ANOVA test. No significant differences were observed in GRF peaks and impulses between UAS and AS except for a trend of differences in impact peak (p = 0.087) for vertical GRF. At the ankle and knee joint, peak ankle power absorption (p = 0.019), peak knee internal rotation moment (p = 0.042), peak knee extension moment (p = 0.001), peak knee flexion moment (0.000), peak knee power absorption (p = 0.047) showed significant difference across three shoe conditions. However, no significant differences between the UAS and AS were noticed for peak joint moments and power. Altered shoe torsional stiffness did not significantly affect the peak forces and peak ankle and knee joint moments or powers; hence sole adjustment did not influence the cutting performance. This study might be insightful in sports footwear design, and adjusting shoe torsional stiffness by sole modification might be advantageous for athletes playing sports with cutting maneuvers to reduce the risk of injuries by controlling the twisting force at the ankle that frequently happens during cutting maneuvers.