bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
ANALISIS PENCAHAYAAN DAN PELUANG PENGHEMATAN ENERGI LISTRIK DI GEDUNG REKTORAT UNIVERSITAS KATOLIK SOEGIJAPRANATA
Authors: Nugrahadi Rino , Farizky M. Daffa A. , Dewantari Theresia N. , Karnoto Karnoto , Zahra Ajub Ajulian
Published: December 2023

Penggunaan energi listrik di Indonesia setiap tahun semakin meningkat pertumbuhannya. Tindakan konservasi dan analisis terhadap penghematan energi di sisi konsumen perlu dilakukan guna mencegah pemborosan energi listrik. Gedung Rektorat Universitas Katolik Soegijapranata dipilih menjadi objek audit dan analisis penghematan karena sebelumnya belum pernah ada yang meneliti penghematan energi listrik. Audit energi dilakukan dengan metode IKE (Intensitas Konsumsi Energi) dan PES (Pengguna Energi Signifikan). IKE digunakan untuk menentukan efisiensi suatu gedung berdasarkan Permen ESDM No 13 tahun 2012 yang mempertimbangkan data tagihan listrik. Sedangkan PES digunakan untuk menentukan distribusi konsumsi daya di seluruh yang terpasang di lapangan sehingga PHE (Peluang Hemat Energi (PHE) dapat dihitung. Hasil perhitungan IKE, Gedung Rektorat Universitas Katolik Soegijapranata Semarang masuk ke dalam kategori Efisien, dengan nilai IKE ber-AC dan non-AC berturut-turut di tahun 2022 sebesar 12,4 dan 2,7 sehingga bisa ditingkatkan menjadi Sangat Efisien. Langkah penghematan dilakukan dengan menggunakan kategori No/Low Cost dengan penghematan sebesar Rp48.239.226/tahun, kategori Medium Cost sebesar Rp3.486.240/tahun, dan kategori High Cost sebesar Rp17.280.000/tahun. Penghematan tersebut meliputi setting temparatur AC, pengurangan jam operasional, pergantian lampu ke jenis LED, dan pergantian PC konvensional ke AiO PC. Serta dilakukan analisis dan simulasi terhadap sistem pencahayaan di Gedung Rektorat Universitas Katolik Soegijapranata yang bertujuan agar seluruh ruangan mencapai lux yang sesuai dengan SNI 6197-2020. Hasil penghematan ini akan digunakan sebagai laporan rekomendasi penghematan energi listrik untuk pengelolaan energi yang lebih baik supaya mampu menekan biaya tagihan listrik. Kata kunci: IKE, PES, audit energi, penghematan, lux
Kondycja posthistoryczna. Rzecz o telewizji, nowych mediach i polityce
Authors: Wiatr Przemysław
Published: December 2023

In the text, the author deals with extensive issues of media-politics relations. Using the conceptual apparatus developed by Vilém Flusser, he shows through specific examples (the Romanian revolution, the presidential elections in the United States) the transformations in the social imagination that have occurred as a result of technological changes – primarily the transition from “television reign” to “taking control” by the so-called new media. He also looks to the future, forecasting how an autonomous technology (e.g. artificial intelligence) may soon further complicate the social and political context of the contemporary times.
El Lissitzky’s Red Wedge as the Hebrew letter Yud
Authors: Kamczycki Artur
Published: December 2023

The analysis undertaken in this paper sets out with El Lissitzky’s 1919 revolutionary poster entitled Beat the Whites with the Red Wedge. This artwork, composed of simple geometric figures, in which an acute-angled red triangle splits the form of a white circle, was used by Soviet propaganda to affirm the so-called ‘October events’. However, a thorough analysis of the poster, i.e. its sources, inspirations, borrowings and contexts, supports the hypothesis that the principal motif (the wedge) also constitutes a graphic equivalent of a letter of the Hebrew alphabet, the letter yud, represented as a small comma or, significantly, an acute-angled triangle. Such a premise yields further consequences with regard to meanings, encompassing aspects related to the Jewish iconic tradition that involve mysticism, magic, and the kabbalah.
Nie.Przedstawialne. Uwagi o ciałach boskim, zwierzęcym i ludzkim w komiksie Roberta Crumba Księga Genesis
Authors: Kaźmierczak Marek
Published: December 2023

The paper refers to the comics entitled The Book of Genesis illustrated by Robert Crumb. The main hypothesis relates to the following statement: Robert Crumb’s visual interpretation of The Book of Genesis is dominated by an anthropocentric perspective. The article consists of three main parts: remarks about the body of God, about the body of animals and about the body of humans. The representations of the body show how the process of desacralization of The Book of Genesis becomes real. Crumb’s style seems to put the dominant religious interpretation of the Book into brackets.
Miłość, wybaczenie i ofiara. Obraz chrześcijaństwa w komiksowych wersjach Quo vadis
Authors: Górecka Ewa
Published: December 2023

Quo Vadis, thanks to its plot structure, favours transformations – even into comic books, where the image of Christianity as an important aspect of the story is challenging to depict. It is therefore worth determining how religious issues are manifested in comic books related to the novel and how the culture in which they were conceived affected them. I reflect on the image of Christianity, recognising religion as a personal experience of each individual (W. James), especially one of love, forgiveness, and sacrifice. These values were given more attention by the Polish writers, and in both adaptations, the sequences and frames were formulated differently, they differed in terms of composition (different perspectives, plans, and use of text), and finally, both offered different interpretations of Sienkiewicz’s novel. The authors of the French adaptation read the book as a vibrant, adventure-history-love story, while the Polish authors saw it as a story dedicated to a moment in history in which one world ends and another one begins, as a new religion emerges. These interpretations confirm that culture plays an important role in how literary works are adapted into the comic book format.
Człowiek i superbohater – Marvelowskie spojrzenie na Jana Pawła II
Authors: Kowalczyk Marcin
Published: December 2023

The subject of interest in the paper is the comic book biography The Life of Pope John Paul II. In the 1980s, John Paul II was not only treated as the head of the Catholic Church, but held a place in popular culture. The article points out that the Marvel comic book was one of the works that positioned the Pope within an axiological community of superheroes who, in the most general perspective, showed what a life full of heroism should look like. Thus, the paper analyses the elements of the superhero rhetorical model and features typical of the comic medium that highlight the uniqueness of John Paul II’s biography. Furthermore, to fully reveal the persuasiveness of the creative solutions employed in this work, situating the Pope between a man and a superhero, the author refers to the analytical propositions of Roland Barthes and Michał Rusinek concerning the rhetoric of visual representations.
RTIndeX: Exploiting Hardware-Accelerated GPU Raytracing for Database Indexing
Authors: Henneberg Justus , Schuhknecht Felix
Published: December 2023

Data management on GPUs has become increasingly relevant due to a tremendous rise in processing power and available GPU memory. Similar to main-memory systems, there is a need for performant GPU-resident index structures to speed up query processing. Unfortunately, mapping indexes efficiently to the highly parallel and hard-to-program hardware is challenging and often fails to yield the desired performance and flexibility. Instead of proposing yet another hand-tailored index, we investigate whether we can exploit an indexing mechanism that is already built into modern GPUs: The raytracing hardware accelerator provided by NVIDIA RTX GPUs. To do so, we re-phrase the database indexing problem as a raytracing problem, where we express the dataset to be indexed as objects in a 3D scene, and point/range lookups as rays across the scene. In this combination, coined RX in the following, lookups are performed as intersection tests in hardware by dedicated raytracing cores. To analyze the pros, cons, and usefulness of the raytracing pipeline for database indexing, we carefully evaluate RX along
fourteen
dimensions and demonstrate its competitiveness and potential in a large variety of situations.
Morphology, molecular phylogeny and toxicity of Fukuyoa paulensis (Dinophyceae) from the Bay of Bengal, North Indian Ocean
Authors: Oyeku Oyeshina G. , Mandal Subir K.
Published: December 2023

Fukuyoa species are potential producers of polyether neurotoxins that are toxic to aquatic biota and humans. A strain of Fukuyoa (CSIRCSMCRI 004) was isolated from India’s Bay of Bengal coast. The clonal culture was identified using light and scanning electron microscopy and molecular phylogenetic analysis of the LSU rRNA gene and ITS (ITS1-5.8S gene-ITS2) sequences. Its toxicity was assessed using a 48 h Artemia bioassay. The morphological features observed included globular shape, descending cingular displacement, broad pentagonal 1′ plate, and large second apical plate (2′). The identity of the strain was confirmed to be F. paulensis based on the LSU rRNA gene and ITS sequences phylogenies. Strain CSIRCSMCRI 004 shared an identical sequence with the type strain of F. paulensis and other strains reported from different locations, based on the LSU rRNA gene and ITS sequences phylogenies. Exposure of brine shrimp larvae to its cellular lysate resulted in lethality (48 h LC50 = 0.256 mg ml−1) and behavioral abnormalities. The current study provides the first evidence of F. paulensis in the Bay of Bengal. It also reveals that CSIRCSMCRI 004 is toxic to susceptible biota like the brine shrimp and could produce ciguatera-associated toxins. The findings of this study highlight the need for sampling and screening of ciguatera-related species in the Bay of Bengal region to understand the associated public and environmental health risks.
TidyGEO: preparing analysis-ready datasets from Gene Expression Omnibus
Authors: Mecham Avery , Stephenson Ashlie , Quinteros Badi I. , Brown Grace S. , Piccolo Stephen R.
Published: December 2023

TidyGEO is a Web-based tool for downloading, tidying, and reformatting data series from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO). As a freely accessible repository with data from over 6 million biological samples across more than 4000 organisms, GEO provides diverse opportunities for secondary research. Although scientists may find assay data relevant to a given research question, most analyses require sample-level annotations. In GEO, such annotations are stored alongside assay data in delimited, text-based files. However, the structure and semantics of the annotations vary widely from one series to another, and many annotations are not useful for analysis purposes. Thus, every GEO series must be tidied before it is analyzed. Manual approaches may be used, but these are error prone and take time away from other research tasks. Custom computer scripts can be written, but many scientists lack the computational expertise to create such scripts. To address these challenges, we created TidyGEO, which supports essential data-cleaning tasks for sample-level annotations, such as selecting informative columns, renaming columns, splitting or merging columns, standardizing data values, and filtering samples. Additionally, users can integrate annotations with assay data, restructure assay data, and generate code that enables others to reproduce these steps.
Diagnostic model based on multiple factors for girls with central precocious puberty
Authors: Liu Ziqin , Song Qinwei
Published: December 2023

Objectives

The GnRH stimulation test has been used as the gold standard for the diagnosis of central precocious puberty (CPP), but it has some practical barriers. This study intends to build a diagnostic model of CPP in girls based on the population in northern China.

Methods

A total of 163 girls with precocious puberty (PP) were included from December 2018 to December 2019. Multifactor logistic regression analysis was conducted. Based on the results of multivariate logistic regression analysis, a nomogram was established for clinical application.

Results

A multi logistic regression model showed that LH (OR=1.238, 95 % CI: 1.067–1.436, p=0.005), inhibin B (OR=1.066, 95 % CI: 1.032–1.100, p<0.001), bone age (OR=1.563, 95 % CI: 1.037–2.358, p=0.033), and uterine length (OR=1.180, 95 % CI: 1.034–1.348, p=0.014) were diagnostic factors for CPP. The prediction model AUC was 0.906 (95 % CI: 0.852–0.959, p<0.001).

Conclusions

We successfully developed a nomogram model for CPP patients based on clinical data. The diagnostic prediction model included four indicators: basal LH, inhibin B, bone age, and uterine body length.
Liquid biopsies and those three little words: finding the perfect match for the MTB
Authors: Wahida Adam , Buschhorn Lars
Published: December 2023

Monitoring ctDNA by liquid biopsies seems to represent the perfect match for precision oncology and its cornerstone clinical framework: the molecular tumour board (MTB). Detecting and scrutinising the success of targeted therapies or tracking and, for that matter, addressing the therapy with the evolutive nature of a tumour are some of the main advancements one considers to be important for the MTB. One challenge is correlating the estimated allele frequency of each identified genetic alteration determined by analysing the ctDNA sequencing results and matching these with the range of suitable drugs, which may limit the simultaneous treatment of all tumour variations. This limitation arises because a new biopsy would typically be required to evaluate the response to treatment. As a result, evaluating the success of MTB recommendations relies on traditional staging methods, highlighting an existing diagnostic gap. Thus, optimising liquid biopsy technology could enhance the efficacy of MTB treatment recommendations and ensuing tailored therapies. Herein, we discuss the prospect of ctDNA analyses in the molecular tumour board.
Zur Wahrnehmung des generischen Maskulinums in Erstgliedern von Komposita und maskuliner Epizöna
Authors: Bross Fabian , Kurz Lea-Sophie
Published: December 2023

Most German nouns that can be used to refer to people or groups of people have a masculine (e.g., Lehrer ‘male teacher’) and a derived feminine (e.g., Lehrerin ‘female teacher’) form. The grammatically masculine nouns are typically viewed as being ambiguous between a reading which can only be used to refer to men and a reading which can be used to refer to mixed-gender groups (the so-called “generic masculine“). The main question of the present article is whether this generalization also holds for the first elements of nominal compounds (e.g., Lehrer- in Lehrerzimmer ‘teachers’ room’) and for inherently masculine nouns from which no feminine form can be derived (e.g., Gast which is inherently masculine). The empirical data discussed suggest that generic masculine forms used as the first elements of N-N compounds as well as inherently masculine nouns are interpreted rather generically, i.e., not as referring to male individuals only.
An approach without partial wave expansion to calculate scattering of spin-0 and spin-
1
2

$\frac{1}{2}$

particles in high energy regions and those governed by long range interactions
Authors: Fachruddin Imam , Salam Agus
Published: December 2023

Scattering of spin-0 and spin-

1

2

$\frac{1}{2}$

particles is formulated in momentum space based on basis states being not expanded in partial waves. No sequential calculations with increasing angular momentum are performed to reach physical convergence, which depends on the scattering energy and the interaction range. Both nonrelativistic and relativistic cases are described. We put forward for consideration the utilization of this approach. By taking some simple interaction models we show some advantages in calculations representing those of high energy scattering as well as those of scattering governed by long range interactions.
Hydrothermal implementation with Zirconia: synthesis, characterization and investigation of biocidal activity of Ag/ZrO2 nanocomposites
Authors: Kaliyaperumal Raja , Nagaraj Karuppiah , Poovan Vijaya Kumar , Sakthikumar Karunganathan , Govindasamy Chandramohan , Sivakumar Allur Subramaniyan
Published: December 2023

In the present work, silver-doped zirconium oxide nanocomposites were synthesized by hydrothermal method and characterized by XRD, FTIR, FESEM and EDX techniques. The existence of zirconium and silver in the finished nanocomposites from the produced material is investigated using XRD and FTIR. The estimated particle diameter size range for crystallites is 10–16 nm. In addition, the obtained Ag/ZrO2 nanocomposites were analyzed the biocidal activity of two separate bacteria Escherichia coli (E. coli), Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), and two separate fungal Aspergillus niger (A. niger), Candida albecans, pure AgO, ZrO2 and Ag doped ZrO2 nanocomposites were also examined. This Ag doped ZrO2 (10 %) nanocomposites have a larger zone of inhibition than other human diseases, according to the results of the biocidal activity.
COVID-19 exposure, mental health, and self-reported academic outcomes in undergraduates during the spring 2020 lockdown
Authors: Petersen Julie M. , Snow Janice , Stone Lindsey , Levin Crissa
Published: December 2023

The present study explores the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on undergraduates, mental health distress, and changes in self-estimated grades during the start of the pandemic. A national sample of undergraduate students (N = 197) participated in an online survey during spring 2020. Undergraduate students were recruited for a survey during the initial lockdown in April-May 2020. Higher depressive symptoms, general anxiety, and academic distress were associated with significantly lower self-estimated grades. Perceived grade declines were also correlated with higher financial concerns and risk for COVID-19 complications or infection. These results suggest that COVID-19 and the resulting modifications to education impacted undergraduate achievement and mental health. It is imperative for colleges and universities to provide additional support for students and their mental health.
Stress and Anxiety in Neurosurgical Patients before Surgery
Authors: Ponczek Danuta , Piątkowska Aleksandra
Published: December 2023

Introduction. Stress is an inevitable part of everyone’s life. It is the body’s response to unfamiliar and unpredictable situations that people often have to face. Hospitalisation and surgery are among the factors that contribute to stress and anxiety.

Aim. The aim of this study was to assess the severity of stress, anxiety and depression in neurosurgical patients before surgery and the factors affecting them.

Material and Methods. The study included 100 patients residing in the Department of Neurosurgery of the 10th Military Research Hospital with Polyclinic IP HCC in Bydgoszcz, who were qualified for surgery. The study was conducted using the author’s questionnaire, the PSS-10 scale, the anxiety and depression subscales of the HADS-M questionnaire.

Results. In the study group, the mean stress score was 6.07±1.31 points, anxiety 9.73±2.84 points and depression 4.76±3.15 points. An increase in stress levels resulted in an increase in anxiety and depression levels (p<0.001). Talking to hospital ward staff about the planned surgery reduced depression levels (p=0.045), but had no effect on levels of perceived stress and anxiety. Anxiety and depressive disorders increased with the age of the subjects.

Conclusions. Preoperative assessment of stress, anxiety and depression can help to identify patients with high levels of these disorders and take appropriate measures to reduce them. (JNNN 2023;12(2):55–62)
Developing a Scale to Evaluate the Fatalism of Epilepsy in Turkey
Authors: Yildiz Esra , Bingöl Nuray
Published: December 2023

Introduction. Many people believe that there is something predetermined in their life. Fatalism affects people’s adaptation to their diseases in epilepsy as well as in every disease.

Aim. The study was conducted methodologically to determine the fatalism towards epilepsy disease.

Material and Methods. “Information Form” and “Epilepsy Fatalism Scale” were used as data collection tools. With the literature review, a pool was created from the items of the previously developed fatalism scales. After removing the items with low factor load as a result of confirmatory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis was performed again.

The data of the research were collected through social media. Kaiser–Meyer–Olkin (KMO) and Bartlett test, Principal Component Analysis, and Varimax Rotation were used for exploratory factor analysis in the evaluation of the data. For construct validity, confirmatory factor analysis was performed within the scope of explanatory and structural equation modeling χ², χ²/SD, RMSEA, CFI, IFI compatibility tests were used for Confirmatory Factor analysis.

Results. The Cronbach’s alpha coefficient for the entire scale was found to be 0.768. It was determined with the results of the fit index analysis χ²/SD: 3.736, GFI, 0.922, AGFI 0.909, CFI 0.904, TLI 0.914, RMSEA: 0.062, RMR: 0.041 that the validity of the scale was ensured.

Conclusions. The scale consisted of 10 items and three dimensions. The scale is a valid and reliable measurement tool in evaluating epilepsy fatalism. (JNNN 2023;12(2):63–68)
Assessment of the Myasthenia Gravis Patients’ Quality of Life
Authors: Jung-Plath Weronika , Skrzypek-Czerko Marcelina , Bilińska Małgorzata , Zdun-Ryżewska Agata
Published: December 2023

Introduction. Myasthenia gravis is an immune-mediated disease associated with a disorder of the neuromuscular junction. MG belongs to the group of chronic diseases with variable clinical courses. Patients struggling with this disease must remain under the constant care of a neurologist and take medications regularly. Talking about myasthenia gravis, we can divide it into two forms: ocular and generalized. In patients with the generalized form, a lower level of quality of life can be observed. As patients age, their quality of life increases. This may be due to the fact that younger people, leading a more active life, find it more difficult to accept disabilities resulting from the disease.

Aim. The aim of the study is to present the specificity of the functioning of patients with myasthenia gravis.

Material and Methods. To write the above work, an analysis of the literature and a diagnostic survey were used, an original questionnaire consisting of three parts and six ready-made scales was used.

Results. The study showed that the quality of life of patients with myasthenia gravis is reduced. A lower level of quality of life can be observed among women, younger people and those suffering from the general form of this disease. Myasthenia gravis negatively affects the daily functioning of patients. The negative impact of physical, mental and general fatigue as well as the degree of everyday life difficulties due to fatigue on the quality of life of patients with MG was also demonstrated. In the case of myasthenia gravis, however, we must distinguish between fatigue and muscle fatigue.

Conclusions. Myasthenia gravis and the problems faced by people with this disease is a topic rarely discussed in scientific works. The quality of life of this group of patients is significantly reduced, which contributes to the occurrence of anxiety and depression among this group of patients. The biggest problem among MG patients is fatigue, which has a significant impact on their quality of life. More attention should be paid to the problem of quality of life and more research related to this topic should be carried out in the future. (JNNN 2023;12(2):74–83)
The Myth of Deglobalization: Definitional and Methodological Issues
Authors: Buhari Didem
Published: December 2023

This chapter first discusses the lack of consensus on how to define deglobalization, a term that is likely to become the buzzword of the mid-twenty-first century. There are at least three different accounts of deglobalization. First, deglobalization is defined as a series of processes that serve to “reverse” globalization. Second, deglobalization is celebrated as an emancipatory project decentering the West and aiming at reglobalization. Third, from a historical perspective, deglobalization is understood as a temporary phase or “wave” that is constitutive of global polity. Then, the chapter focuses on the popular indices and measurements of globalization that are employed to better grasp the current state of globalization and predict whether it will be replaced by deglobalization. While quantitative measurement and indices serve to provide the “big picture” in terms of comparing hundreds of nation-states across certain (economic, political, social, and technological) dimensions of globalizations, they attract much criticism, not only for their methodological nationalism, but also for overlooking the complex, nonmeasurable aspects of globalization.
Globalization and Health in the COVID Era
Authors: Youde Jeremy
Published: December 2023

In 2019, I published my book Globalization and Health, which looked at the relationship between these two key concepts. In it, I argued that globalization may increase our vulnerability to infectious disease outbreaks, but it also provides us with the tools and opportunities to stop disease outbreaks before they spread too quickly. A few months after the book was published, the global COVID-19 pandemic began. In this chapter, I reflect on how the book’s arguments hold up in light of our collective lived experience with the pandemic since 2019. I highlight three areas in which the interplay between health and globalization(s) deserves greater attention, and I take myself to task for not giving more direct and explicit attention to the international political economy of global health.
Is It All a Dream? Global Movement and the Gossamer of “Globalization”
Authors: Uperesa Lisa
Published: December 2023

Sedimented orientations to the concept of globalization today often rest on a technocratic triumphalism—“time-space compression”—made possible by emerging technologies, “flows” of various kinds transforming “-scapes” they transit and shape, capital straining toward unfettered freedom stalking new markets and shaping governance possibilities, the movement of humanity facilitated by infrastructure, and cities that serve as pulsating nodes of a global order. Not only does this triumphalist vision exclude vast swathes of the globe, it draws on a set of ideologies and ontologies from the West to represent global pasts, presents, and futures to all. These exclusions and focal points are not just coincidental, but mutually constituting. With attention to two topics often situated within globalization imaginaries—mobility discourses and sport ideologies—this chapter engages Pacific worldviews of movement to probe the limits of globalization as a conceptual framework. Focusing on strands of what becomes obscured as global movement, it suggests that adopting a kaleidoscopic approach attentive to historical contingency, transnational connections, place, and competing ontologies helps us to understand better the dynamics of our time.
Reimagining Globalization: Plausible Futures
Authors: Mittelman James H.
Published: December 2023

This chapter takes stock of the corpus of knowledge about reimagining globalization. It also proposes an analytical framework for discerning future globalizations. The framework consists of a set of dyadic markers: globalization and deglobalizaton. Between these rival narratives are four subnarratives: hyperglobalization, antiglobalization, alterglobalization, and reglobalization. Each subnarrative has moments when its appeal grows and then dips. In order to interrogate these powerful narratives, I examine historical trends, what explains them, and the extent to which they are objectified. This is a matter of who gets their story told. Whose and which knowledge comes into play? Empirical evidence reveals that the levels of global connectedness lie somewhere between what the enthusiasts of hyperglobalization claim and what the proponents of deglobalization seek, amid deep and shallow globalization. The slowdown in the global economy in the 2020s does not signify a retreat from globalization. The data rather show sustained interconnectedness of nations and dependence on overseas suppliers. The combined effects of the coronavirus pandemic, supply-chain disturbances, Brexit, and the Ukraine War have brought both barriers to cross-border flows and inefficiencies, but not a sizable withdrawal from globalization. By all indications, the tides of globalization will continue to tack back and wash forward.
Combustion synthesis and characterization of visible-light-driven La/Al co-doped ZnO nanoparticles used for wastewater treatment
Authors:   Division of Physical Science, Faculty of Science, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, Songkhla 90112, Thailand, Phuruangrat A. , Thongtem T. ,   Materials Science Research Center, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand, Thongtem S. ,   Materials Science Research Center, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand
Published: December 2023

Visible-light-driven LaxAl0.03-xZn0.97O (x = 0.01, 0.015 and 0.02) nanoparticles were synthesized by tartaric acid-assisted combustion method. Both ZnO and La/Al co-doped ZnO samples were indexed to the pure hexagonal wurtzite ZnO structure and were composed of nanoparticles with particle size ranges of 100-150 nm and 20-50 nm, respectively. The photocatalytic activities of ZnO and LaxAl0.03-xZn0.97O (x = 0.01, 0.015 and 0.02) nanoparticles were monitored through the degradation of methylene blue (MB) under visible light irradiation. The La0.02Al0.01Zn0.97O nanoparticles have the highest photocatalytic activity in degrading of MB under visible light irradiation because the La/Al co-dopant played the role in creating shallow energy level under the conduction band of ZnO.
ADOPTIVE PARENTS’ EXPERIENCES OF SUPPORT FROM SOCIAL WORKERS AND INFORMAL NETWORKS DURING THE ADOPTION PROCESS
Authors: Groger Roxanne , Bhagwan Raisuyah
Published: December 2023

Prospective adoptive parents require a considerable amount of support from social workers as well as from other support systems during the adoption process. The purpose of this study was to explore and describe adoptive families’ experiences of formal and informal support during the pre-adoption phase. There is a dearth of empirical research in the South African context on prospective adoptive parents' experiences of support from social workers, family and friends, and the adoption community, particularly in KwaZulu-Natal. Using a qualitative research methodology, this study sought to explore the experiences of sixteen adoptive parents in the eThekwini region with regards to the support they received from social workers and other support systems during the adoption process. Non-probability sampling, more specifically, snowball sampling, was used to recruit the participants through the Durban Adoptive Families group. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data. Several sub-themes emerged from the data analysis. The study found that the participants had varied experiences of support offered by social workers and organisations along with more positive experiences of informal support from family and friends and the adoption community. Keywords: adoption, adoptive parents, adoption process, social workers, support system
The tensions between culture and human rights: Emancipatory social work and Afrocentricity in a global world
Authors: Kang’ethe Simon Murote
Published: December 2023

Editors: Vishanthie Sewpaul, Linda Kreitzer and Tanusha Raniga (2021). The tensions between culture and human rights: Emancipatory social work and Afrocentricity in a global world. ISSN 1703-1826. Pages 312Although this collection foregrounds an interplay between Afrocentrism and emancipatory social work, virtually all the chapters unequivocally challenge social workers to fight the harmful cultural processes that pose serious human rights violations. These inter alia include female genital mutilation, female ritual bondage, etc. All the chapters have cogently addressed the tensions between cultural practices and human rights. But it needs to be pointed out that the human rights context used is hegemonically Western-centric rather than Afrocentric. This presents a glaring lacuna that may impede the process of indigenisation and decoloniality in Africa.
Comprendiendo la migración global: una perspectiva desde la transformación social
Authors: CASTLES Stephen
Published: December 2023

El propósito de este artículo es analizar algunas de las dificultades para la elaboración teórica en los estudios de las migraciones internacionales, así como sugerir una respuesta. Como punto de partida, se estudia la percepción dominante de la “migración como un problema”. A esto le sigue una discusión sobre algunos de los principales obstáculos para un avance teórico en los estudios migratorios. Defiendo de este modo que una teoría general de la migración no es posible ni deseable pero podemos alcanzar progresos significativos mediante el reenraizamiento de su investigación desde un entendimiento más general de la sociedad contemporánea, y vinculándola a teorías más amplias de cambio social desde varias disciplinas de las ciencias sociales. Un marco conceptual para los estudios migratorios debe tomar la transformación social como su categoría central, con el fin de facilitar la comprensión de la complejidad, interconectividad, variabilidad, contextualidad y mediaciones multinivel de los procesos migratorios en un contexto de cambio global acelerado. Esto implicaría examinar los vínculos entre la transformación social y la movilidad humana en diferentes niveles socio-espaciales, mientras se persiste en el propósito de entender cómo la agencia humana puede condicionar las respuestas a los factores estructurales. El argumento se demuestra a través del ejemplo de los cambios en las dinámicas de la fuerza laboral en los países más desarrollados.
El rol de la dirigencia política argentina en la promoción de un nuevo patrón de relaciones internacionales en la década de los noventa
Authors: MÍGUEZ María Cecilia
Published: December 2023

En este artículo se analiza el rol de la dirigencia política argentina en la adopción de las reformas neoliberales en los inicios de la década de los noventa. En especial,  estudia una etapa de transición (1987-1991) hacia un consenso entre los dos partidos mayoritarios del sistema político respecto de la adopción de las reformas neoliberales, que profundizaron una inserción internacional dependiente. Se analizarán las posiciones de la Unión Cívica Radical y del Partido Justicialista respecto de tres dimensiones de la política exterior y de la política económica doméstica en dicho período, y las condiciones de gestación de dicho consenso.
El programa nuclear iraní: estado de la cuestión y posibles escenarios
Authors: IBÁÑEZ Fernando
Published: December 2023

El programa nuclear de Irán comenzó en la década de 1950 bajo el Sha. Fue abandonado después de la Revolución de 1979, que llevó al poder a Jomeini. En 1989, se reinició, levantando las sospechas de la comunidad internacional. Irán insistió en que estaba cumpliendo con las obligaciones del Tratado de No Proliferación, pero en 2002 se supo la existencia de un programa clandestino. Teherán ha afirmado en repetidas ocasiones que su programa nuclear es estrictamente pacífico, pero las autoridades estadounidenses y europeas siguen siendo escépticas. El objetivo de este trabajo es analizar el contexto geopolítico y las posibles iniciativas (diplomáticas y militares) que pueden ser llevadas a cabo ante la profundización del programa nuclear iraní en los últimos años.
Introducción de “At War’s End: Building Peace after Civil Conflict”
Authors: PARIS Roland
Published: December 2023

El presente fragmento introduce los argumentos de Roland Paris acerca de la construcción de las paz postbélica. Paris critica la metodología empleada durante los noventa por las misiones de construcción de la paz que trataron de implementar reformas democráticas y liberales demasiado rápido. Aunque Paris sostiene que la meta principal todavía debe ser convertir países destrozados por la guerra en sistemas democráticos de mercado, mantiene que la introducción de tales reformas sin suficientes instituciones gubernamentales puede provocar la recaída de estos países en el conflicto. Por lo tanto, propone una nueva estrategia de “institucionalización antes que de liberalización”, que implica la construcción inicial de una base institucional para luego permitir la introducción de reformas democráticas y liberales que fomenten una paz duradera.
Derechos Humanos y Empresas: un enfoque radical
Authors: CAMPOS SERRANO Alicia
Published: December 2023

En los  últimos  años se han multiplicado las denuncias de empresas transnacionales por violar derechos humanos en los lugares donde tienen sus actividades productivas o comerciales. Y también han proliferado los códigos de conducta corporativos que incluyen referencias a estos derechos, así como documentos e iniciativas internacionales de distinto carácter relacionando derechos y procesos económicos. Este artículo recorre la historia de la creciente utilización de los derechos humanos, en conjunto o en conflicto con otros lenguajes, en el marco más amplio de los debates en torno a la regulación de las empresas transnacionales y de la economía mundial. Además, ensaya una reflexión sobre las implicaciones de este proceso para principios fundamentales de las actuales relaciones internacionales, como la soberanía y la libertad de mercado, y sobre el potencial de transformación social de los derechos humanos.
La socialización de las normas internacionales de los derechos humanos en las prácticas domésticas: introducción
Authors: RISSE Thomas , SIKKINK Kathryn
Published: December 2023

Thomas Risse y Kathryn Sikkink plantean en este texto la importancia del impacto de las normas internacionales en las políticas domésticas y proponen un “modelo en espiral” en cinco fases para comprender los cambios en la interiorización de los derechos humanos como norma por parte de los estados. Desarrollan una teoría que explica las etapas y los mecanismos a través de los cuales las normas internacionales generan cambios en el comportamiento de los actores internacionales y transnacionales, y que ayuda a comprender mejor el impacto general de las normas en la política internacional. Este proceso mediante el cual las normas internacionales son interiorizadas e implementadas domésticamente puede ser entendido según los autores como un proceso de socialización.
Los movimientos antigubernamentales en Yemen: ¿La revolución frustrada?
Authors: HAMAD ZAHORENO Leyla
Published: December 2023

Desde que comenzaron las revueltas antigubernamentales en Yemen, la llamada “revolución de los jóvenes” ha tenido que hacer frente a varios desafíos. La comunidad internacional, basándose en el carácter heterogéneo del movimiento, ha tratado de negar la validez del grupo como interlocutor. La participación tardía de la oposición partidista así como de los antiguos colaboradores e incluso miembros del régimen, está secuestrando el espíritu pacífico del movimiento y su carácter revolucionario. Además, la amenaza de una guerra civil que traería importantísimas consecuencias para la seguridad regional e internacional ha hecho que los actores internacionales hayan sido permisivos e incluso indulgentes con el gobierno de Saleh y sus veleidades a la hora de la firma del acuerdo del Golfo. Todos estos factores contribuyen a que exista una amenaza real de que, la actual revolución yemení, acabe siendo una revolución frustrada y que las ambiciones transformadoras de la sociedad queden en una transferencia de poder que, simplemente, opte por el continuismo.
Desear Muros
Authors: BROWN Wendy
Published: December 2023

Este fragmento es el capítulo de un libro de Wendy Brown que trata de ofrecer unas pautas teóricas para poder explicar la proliferación de los muros internacionales en las últimas décadas. Describe una de las contradicciones de la globalización liberal (un proceso de integración global provocado por la libre circulación de capital, bienes y personas), sosteniendo que estas construcciones representan un intento fracasado de revertir sus efectos para volver a imponer el poder del Estado-nación. Este texto explora las posibles explicaciones sobre por qué existe un deseo de tener muros en la modernidad tardía. En particular, Wendy Brown analiza si se podría relacionar este fenómeno con las nociones de defensa identitaria en el trabajo psicoanalítico de Sigmund y Anna Freud. Brown argumenta que los muros sirven para reforzar la identidad y la soberanía perdida por el estado-nación a causa de la globalización, y que ofrecen monumentos visuales que esconden la crisis del poder soberano fortaleciendo la idea de que estos pueden parar los efectos de la globalización.
La internacionalidad contemporánea a la luz de la historia global
Authors: FAZIO Hugo
Published: December 2023

A partir de una reflexión que invita a la historización del presente, procedimiento que permite descubrir algunas de las claves fundamentales de la contemporaneidad, el autor del artículo apela a los avances de la historiografía contemporánea para proponer una nueva forma de abordar el estudio de lo internacional en los inicios de este nuevo siglo. Con base en lo anterior, el artículo concluye con una reflexión sobre la historia global, novedosa perspectiva historiográfica que permite refrescar los estudios internacionales en nuestro presente.
Historia mundial y perspectiva mundial
Authors: HODGSON M.G.S.
Published: December 2023

La historia mundial es una forma particularmente adecuada para hacer frente al etnocentrismo. Los textos sobre historia general existentes hasta la fecha mencionan a China en uno o dos capítulos, mientras que dedican el resto de su tiempo a Europa. ¿Es esto debido a que solo Europa ha cambiado, a que solo han tenido lugar acontecimientos en Europa? Cualquiera que haya estudiado la historia de China le dirá que esto no es cierto. La historia de la cultura china es para la humanidad mundial moderna prácticamente tan importante, desde un punto de vista internacional, como lo es la historia de Europa. Sin embargo, cuando leemos “historia mundial”, leemos principalmente sobre Europa.
El mundo en recesión de balances: causas, cura y políticas
Authors: KOO Richard C.
Published: December 2023

Hay bastante confusión en los círculos políticos, académicos y también en los mercados con respecto a la situación económica internacional que se desencadenó por la crisis de 2007-2008. Y como hay tanta confusión, las respuestas de política económica han sido en gran parte inconsistentes, no solo en EEUU si no por todo el mundo, y esto puede estar prolongando innecesariamente la recesión. Sin embargo, lo que estamos viviendo actualmente ocurrió en Japón hace exactamente quince años. Lo que está pasando ahora, después del estallido de la burbuja, es que el sector privado se está desapalancando o reduciendo su deuda al mínimo. Esto se denomina recesión de balances. Y, en este tipo de recesión, recortar los tipos de interés al cero y aumentar la base monetaria no se traduce en una mejora del acceso al crédito del sector privado y en una recuperación de la actividad económica. La política monetaria se vuelve ineficaz. Tal y como muestra la experiencia japonesa, la respuesta para prevenir el colapso de la actividad económica reside en la política fiscal, esto es, el gobierno debe incrementar el gasto financiándose a si mismo con los ahorros que el sector privado genera al desapalancarse. Solo después de que los balances hayan sido saneados y el sector privado esté deseando, y pueda, endeudarse, puede empezar el gobierno a reducir su déficit presupuestario.
Conceptos en Relaciones Internacionales
Authors: CERVO Amado Luiz
Published: December 2023

Las teorías de las relaciones internacionales no son neutras ni imparciales, dado que están vinculadas a intereses, valores y patrones de conducta de las sociedades en las que se elaboran y descartan los de otras sociedades. Las teorías que sirven al primer mundo no son necesariamente convenientes para los países emergentes. El artículo propone substituir las teorías por los conceptos aplicados al estudio de las relaciones internacionales. Los conceptos exponen el acervo nacional y regional sobre el que se asientan. La experiencia brasileña corresponde al campo de observación de esta investigación. El conjunto de conceptos elaborados sugiere otros estudios de caso. El nuevo abordaje de las relaciones internacionales busca proveer una explicación, orientar proyectos de investigación y formar la inteligencia de los dirigentes.
Mitologías australianas contemporáneas: comunidad, seguridad, alteridad, territorialidad
Authors: ARGOUNÈS Fabrice
Published: December 2023

En la primera década del siglo XXI, los diferentes libros blancos de la defensa de Australia reflejan la evolución de la relación de fuerzas en la región asiática y del Pacífico, y notablemente el impulso de China como actor principal. Entre el final de los años noventa y el final de la década del 2000, las acciones australianas se inscriben en las prioridades marcadas por una definición de la seguridad que reposa en gran parte en una verdadera “mitología” de la identidad australiana y de la protección frente a la alteridad regional. La “seguridad ontológica” se convierte en un elemento de referencia de la relación de Australia con su vecindad asiática y del Pacífico, en nombre de  la necesaria protección del espacio nacional australiano. Las acciones australianas, como “gendarme” del Pacífico, como aliado de referencia en la lucha contra el terrorismo o al buscar la cooperación regional en la gestión de los refugiados, están guiadas por imperativos identitarios, construidos a partir de la alianza americana o de una supuesta responsabilidad particular en la región, tanto como por la voluntad de mantener una distancia con los riesgos supuestos de la vecindad. Este artículo busca remarcar esta evolución contemporánea, ligada a los acontecimientos internacionales y a la experiencia de otras acciones occidentales; y a poner en marcha un instrumento de análisis de la seguridad a partir de la identidad australiana y de las percepciones de los dirigentes sobre su entorno. Desde las evoluciones de la teoría de Relaciones Internacionales sobre la seguridad y de los estudios sobre la identidad y la relación entre el mismo y el otro, buscamos presentar las prioridades australianas en la región como consecuencia de las “racionalidades alternativas” llevadas por los dirigentes.
Seguridad y emancipación
Authors: BOOTH Ken
Published: December 2023

En este artículo Booth critica la lentitud con la que la disciplina de Relaciones Internacionales se adapta a los cambios contextuales después del fin de la Guerra Fría. Propone un giro en cómo se debería entender uno de los conceptos clave de la disciplina, la seguridad, apartándola de su vinculación con el estado-nación. Para Booth el estado-nación debería ser el medio pero no el fin de la seguridad. El concepto de seguridad debería equivaler a la emancipación entendida como la seguridad económica y física de los individuos y la justicia social. A esta perspectiva le da el nombre de realismo utópico.