bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The 2024 Lifetime Achievement and Emerging Leader in Chromatography Awards
Authors: Workman Jr. Jerome
Published: March 2024

Wolfgang F. Lindner and Martina Catani are the winners of the 17th annual LCGC Lifetime Achievement and Emerging Leader in Chromatography Awards, respectively. These awards honor the work of talented separation scientists at different stages in their career. The award winners will be honored in March in an oral symposium at the Pittcon 2024 conference in San Diego, California.
GRAFİK TASARIMDA YARATIMIN DİJİTAL EVRİMİ: TRANSHÜMANİZM VE YAPAY ZEKA
Authors: Artut Uğur , Kanat Sevtap
Published: March 2024

İnsan zekâsının, tasarlanarak bilişsel yeteneklerinin artırılması düşüncesi, Antik Yunan kadar eskiye dayanan bir tartışmanın ürünüdür. Bu düşünceleri merkezine alan transhümanizm felsefesi, insanın teknolojiyi içselleştirerek kendi potansiyelini aşması; daha güçlü, daha zeki ve daha sağlıklı, bir birey ve toplumun inşasını savunan post-modern bir entelektüel harekettir. Algoritmik sistemlere dayalı yapay öğrenme modelleri ve yapay zekâ kavramı, insan zihninin bilişsel yeteneklerini "arttırma" konusunda fayda sağlayabilecek gelişimi, son zamanlarda göstermektedir. Bu çalışmada nitel araştırma yöntemlerinden faydalanılmıştır. Alanla ilgili literatür taraması yapılarak birçok güncel modeller incelenmiş ve karşılaştırmalar yapılarak bir değerlendirme ortaya çıkarılmıştır. Transhümanizm ve yapay zekâ, arasındaki temel bağlantı noktalarından hareketle, grafik tasarım alanlarına etkisini incelemiştir. Yapay zekâ modelleri, tasarımcı ile etkileşimi sonucunda günümüzün tüketim hızını yakalayabilecek, hızlı grafik ürünler üretirken; tasarımın aşamalarında kullanılan farklı modellerin nasıl yarar sağlayabileceğinden bahsedilmiştir. İnsan ve makine zekâsının ortak üretimi ile ortaya çıkmış grafik tasarımları; “Nutella” etiket tasarımları, “Netflix” için kişiselleştirilmiş afiş tasarımları, “Alibaba Luban” ticari banner tasarımları, “The Economist” dergisinin kapak tasarımı ve “Ülker, Albeni” ambalaj tasarımı gibi güncel grafik ürünler üzerinden örneklendirilmiştir.
CROSS-DRESSING IN CONTEMPORARY BRITISH FEMINIST THEATRE
Authors: Şentürk Tatar Gamze
Published: March 2024

Sex and gender are two concepts that are often unconsciously used interchangeably, but they have distinct meanings. They are crucial in understanding the gender hierarchy or the distinction between man and woman created by the patriarchal order. While sex refers to a biological difference or an innate existence based on signs such as chromosomes and genitals, gender is a socio-cultural identity subsequently acquired through a social interaction. While the biology-oriented approach reduces femininity and masculinity to the body based on an essentialist approach, the socio-culture oriented approach underlines that femininity and masculinity are culturally constructed, fluid, and changeable. The gender roles assigned to man and woman in the patriarchal society bring along certain expectations based their sexes and their society’s values and beliefs about gender. The fact that both woman and man are expected to wear appropriate dresses for their gender roles is the reflection of this expectation. When a man wears clothing traditionally associated with women or when a woman wears clothing traditionally associated with men, they might face ridicule or criticism because these clothing choices challenge established gender norms, and because the clothes are reminders of roles, symbols that favour social roles. Contrary to this, cross-dressing is described as an act of wearing clothing and accessories that belong to the opposite sex, and it is possible to see its examples as a deconstructive strategy in contemporary British feminist theatre. This article aims at discussing the functions of cross-dressing as a body memory in contemporary British feminist theatre over selected plays such as Caryl Churchill’s Cloud Nine (1979) and Top Girls (1982), Timberlake Wertenbaker’s New Anatomies (1984), and Moira Buffini’s Silence (1999).
Long COVID in a highly vaccinated but largely unexposed Australian population following the 2022 SARS‐CoV‐2 Omicron wave: a cross‐sectional survey
Authors: Woldegiorgis Mulu , Cadby Gemma , Ngeh Sera , Korda Rosemary J , Armstrong Paul K , Maticevic Jelena , Knight Paul , Jardine Andrew , Bloomfield Lauren E , Effler Paul V
Published: March 2024

Objective

To estimate the prevalence of long COVID among Western Australian adults, a highly vaccinated population whose first major exposure to the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) was during the 2022 Omicron wave, and to assess its impact on health service use and return to work or study.

Study design

Follow‐up survey (completed online or by telephone).

Setting, participants

Adult Western Australians surveyed 90 days after positive SARS‐CoV‐2 test results (polymerase chain reaction or rapid antigen testing) during 16 July – 3 August 2022 who had consented to follow‐up contact for research purposes.

Main outcome measures

Proportion of respondents with long COVID (ie, reporting new or ongoing symptoms or health problems, 90 days after positive SARS‐CoV‐2 test result); proportion with long COVID who sought health care for long COVID‐related symptoms two to three months after infection; proportion who reported not fully returning to previous work or study because of long COVID‐related symptoms.

Results

Of the 70 876 adults with reported SARS‐CoV‐2 infections, 24 024 consented to contact (33.9%); after exclusions, 22 744 people were invited to complete the survey, of whom 11 697 (51.4%) provided complete responses. Our case definition for long COVID was satisfied by 2130 respondents (18.2%). The risk of long COVID was greater for women (v men: adjusted risk ratio [aRR], 1.5; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.4–1.6) and for people aged 50–69 years (v 18–29 years: aRR, 1.6; 95% CI, 1.4–1.9) or with pre‐existing health conditions (aRR, 1.5; 95% CI, 1.4–1.7), as well as for people who had received two or fewer COVID–19 vaccine doses (v four or more: aRR, 1.4; 95% CI, 1.2–1.8) or three doses (aRR, 1.3; 95% CI, 1.1–1.5). The symptoms most frequently reported by people with long COVID were fatigue (1504, 70.6%) and concentration difficulties (1267, 59.5%). In the month preceding the survey, 814 people had consulted general practitioners (38.2%) and 34 reported being hospitalised (1.6%) with long COVID. Of 1779 respondents with long COVID who had worked or studied before the infection, 318 reported reducing or discontinuing this activity (17.8%).

Conclusion

Ninety days after infection with the Omicron SARS‐CoV‐2 variant, 18.2% of survey respondents reported symptoms consistent with long COVID, of whom 38.7% (7.1% of all survey respondents) sought health care for related health concerns two to three months after the acute infection.
Effect of low level laser therapy versus pulsed ultrasound on postpartum carpal tunnel syndrome
Authors: Abd Elmonem Mai M. , Botla Afaf M. , Abd Elrahman Amr A. , El-Shafei Manal A.
Published: March 2024

Background. Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is a major health issue that can impede postpartum women's activities and skills in both their personal and professional lives. Purpose. To compare the effectiveness of low-level laser therapy (LLLT) and pulsed ultrasound (US) in relieving postpartum CTS. Methods. Forty-eight women with mild to moderate CTS were divided into three groups. In addition to wrist exercises, Group (A) (n = 16) received LLLT, Group (B) (n = 16) received pulsed US, and Group (C) (n = 16) performed wrist exercises alone. For all groups, the treatment sessions were applied to the affected hand, 3 sessions weekly for four weeks. All postpartum women were evaluated pre- and post-treatment via a visual analogue scale (VAS) for pain intensity, the Boston Questionnaire of CTS (BCTS) for diagnosing CTS symptoms, electromyography for measuring motor conduction velocity (MCV), sensory conduction velocity (SCV), motor distal latency (MDL), and sensory peak latency (SPL), and a hand grip dynamometer for assessing hand grip strength. Results. All measured variables were significantly improved in the three groups post-treatment compared to pre-treatment. Between-groups comparison showed a highly significant decrease in the VAS, BCTS, and SPL and a significant increase of SCV and hand grip strength between groups A and C in favor of group A and between groups B and C in favor of group B, while the significant change in MDL and MCV was found between groups A and C only in favor of group A (p < 0.05), with no significant change in all outcome measures between groups A and B (P > 0.05). Conclusion. Either LLLT or pulsed US are useful modalities that can be used as an effective conservative therapy for alleviating postpartum CTS.
The role of perception-action coupling in badminton-specific vision training: A narrative review
Authors: Gogoi Lakshyajit , Mili Anil , Borah Poli , Minu Tadang , Govindasamy Karuppasamy , Gogoi Hemantajit
Published: March 2024

Background and Study Aim. Badminton is a sport characterized by intense competition and rapid pace, necessitating exceptional hand-eye coordination, mental sharpness, and visual acuity from its players. Rapid interchanges and complex shot combinations highlight the imperative for players to maintain heightened concentration and exhibit quick decision-making capabilities. Given these demands, visual training has emerged as an indispensable tool for enhancing athletic ability in badminton.
Aim. The study aims to examine the underlying theories of perception-action coupling, investigates various vision training methods for badminton, and evaluates research on their effects on players’ perception-action coupling.
Material and Methods. This study employs a narrative review methodology. We conducted an extensive literature search across diverse sources, using keywords like “badminton,” “perception-action coupling,” and “vision training.” The selection of studies was based on relevance to our research objectives, encompassing various study designs, including primary research, reviews, and expert opinions, facilitating a flexible and coherent synthesis of findings, enabling the exploration of context, significance, and implications within the area of the review while highlighting key insights and emerging trends.
Results. Several factors can influence a player’s perception-action coupling abilities in badminton, such as their level of expertise and training background. Expert players exhibit better perception-action coupling abilities than their less skilled counterparts. Additionally, several studies have investigated the impact of vision training techniques on perception-action coupling in badminton, revealing improvements in various visual skills crucial for performance.
Conclusions. The study explored the pivotal role of perception-action coupling in the context of vision training tailored for badminton players.
Evaluating Bitcoin Price Volatility Forecasting Models: A Comparative Analysis
Authors: CHINAZZO Cristina , JELESKOVIC Vahidin
Published: March 2024

This paper conducts an extensive analysis of Bitcoin return series, with a primary focus on three volatility metrics: historical volatility (calculated as the sample standard deviation), forecasted volatility (derived from GARCH-type models), and implied volatility (computed from the emerging Bitcoin options market). These measures of volatility serve as indicators of market expectations for conditional volatility and are compared to elucidate their differences and similarities. The central finding of this study underscores a notably high expected level of volatility, both on a daily and annual basis, across all the methodologies employed. However, it's important to emphasise the potential challenges stemming from suboptimal liquidity in the Bitcoin options market. These liquidity constraints may lead to discrepancies in the computed values of implied volatility, particularly in scenarios involving extreme money or maturity. This analysis provides valuable insights into Bitcoin's volatility landscape, shedding light on the unique characteristics and dynamics of this cryptocurrency within the context of financial markets.© 2024 The Author(s). Published by RITHA Publishing. This article is distributed under the terms of the license CC-BY 4.0., which permits any further distribution in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Technological Approaches in Food Systems
Authors:   Kenya Methodist University Nairobi, Kenya, Musau Violet
Published: March 2024

Introduction: Sustainable agriculture is directly linked to food sustainability. Sustainable agriculture is an integrated system of animal and plant production practices to provide enough human food, use resources efficiently, and effective farm operations. Food systems are a combination of all factors that are important for food security. The demand for sustainable, healthy produced food is greater than ever before. Technological approaches can help for the alignment of various issues such as availability, organization, and distribution of the current food. Technological innovations and advancements are essential in promoting sustainable food systems in Kenya. Scope: Technologies like precision farming which involve the combination of artificial technologies, the Internet of things and drones helps to collect, monitor and analyze big data. This helps farmers optimize land productivity and improve land productivity. The Food sector has been experimenting with novel ways to improve food production on existing land. For example, countries that are densely populated and lack fertile agricultural lands, like Singapore, Qatar, and UAE are considering other techniques like indoor farming. Methods like vertical farming require limited or no pesticide. The technology involves entirely insulated indoor operations. Crops are produced at multiple levels using electrical lighting, like light emitting diodes (LEDs). Technologies such as alternative proteins include plant-based or lab-grown meat. These methods offer sustainable ways of meat production. Personalized nutrition and diets are also an emerging trend. This is because the scientific community has revealed that different people’s bodies react differently to the same type of food. Some organizations use continuous monitoring devices to track blood levels of vitamins, glucose, and more. Objective: This study aims to address the question of how technological innovations can impact and transform food systems. Findings: Alternative proteins can help manage the rising meat demand in a sustainable manner. Mobile applications monitor and can creating personalized diet plans based on different types of health, and genetics. These applications can also connect the farmer to the market and the expected weather forecasts. Technological approaches in food systems offer solutions for many challenges faced in the value chain and agriculture. They also have great potential to improve our food systems. Conclusion: It is imperative that the government and various organizations work together to incorporate technology in finding solutions to creating a sustainable food system.
Effects of application of edible coatings and fungicides on the flavor of avocado
Authors:   The Kisumu National Polytechnic,Kisumu Kenya, Otieno James , Ochieng Stephen ,   Mawego Technical Training Institute
Published: March 2024

Climacteric fruits like avocado (Persea americana), are very economical in the global markets and contain numerous nutrients that are beneficial to humans. Avocados have a yellowish or greenish flesh and possess a nutty flavor with buttery consistency. The flavor tends to deteriorate due to biochemical changes that takes place in the fruit. This study will therefore delve to examine the effects of commercial packhouse treatments such as application of wax coatings and fungicides on the flavor quality of avocados. Previous studies have shown that application of edible wax coatings imparts shine and attractive appearance, reduce water and weight loss and minimize shrinkage of fruit. Furthermore, the use of fungicides and other additives prevent fruit decay and attack by diseases. Despite these postharvest treatments, the quality of avocado tends to diminish as a result of improper handling and management, long-distance shipping and fruit decay due a lengthy food supply chain. Although the use of wax coatings helps to maintain the quality and prolong the shelf life of avocado, it is still not clear whether permeable and nonpermeable wax coatings have similar or different effects on the flavor of avocados. To elucidate on this phenomenon, this study will explore how the use of non-permeable natural wax (candela) and permeable wax as well as the use of imazalil (fungicide) affects the flavour of avocado. Furthermore, biochemical analysis of total soluble solids (TSS) and titratable acidity (TA) will explain the changes in flavor. The study expects that TSS and TA of fruit will decrease after very long storage as compared to non-waxed fruit. Keywords: waxing, fungicide, avocado, offflavor
The Country’s Water Resources and Issues
Authors:   National Academy of Science and Technology, Philippines. DOST Complex, Bicutan, Taguig City 1631, Philippines The Marine Science Institute, University of the Philippines Diliman, Quezon City, Siringan Fernando
Published: March 2024

The Philippines is endowed with freshwater resource mainly due to the high amount of rainfall. As or 2009. 57% of the country's freshwater resource is used for power generation. 34% for irrigation, 4% for industrial use. and just about 3% is for household use. Groundwater is the main source of potable water for most municipalities, surface and groundwater are tapped by a considerable number, and a few rely solely on surface water. Salt water intrusion. lowering of the piezometric level and ground subsidence are some of the effects of over-exploitation of groundwater, which has been occurring in several places in the country. In Metro Manila, Bulacan and Pampanga, over-extraction of groundwater has led to subsidence that can be several centimeters per year. Subsidence has enhanced the frequency and magnitude of 0oods in those areas. Pronounced seasonal variations and geographic distribution often result in water shortages in urban areas especially during the dry season. During droughts, when the amount of rainfall is less than what is expected, the problem expands and may become severe. Deforestation and land conversions have certainly contributed to the decline in groundwater and consequently of river discharge during the dry season. Pollution caused mainly by untreated wastewater from agricultural. industrial, and municipal sources is the major reason for the decreased availability and access to safe water for drinking fom both surface-and groundwater resources. In addition to the above issues, population growth will certainly put greater pressure to the potable water resources of the country; some projections indicate doubling of the present population by 2050. As such, management of the freshwater resource will become even more critical. A direction that should be considered by the local and national government is increasing the use of surface water as source of potable water. This will give the country a greater motivation in the cleaning up of our rivers and lakes, and in protecting our watersheds. Efforts should include increasing our ability to store surface-and rainwater. Given the potential of more acute droughts and the possibility or disruptions in water conveyances, the groundwater reserve can be set aside as emergency supply. This would require extraction not exceeding the safe yield. increasing recharge, and protecting it from contamination. Strategies can also be put in place to reduce the demand for freshwater by other uses such as having more efficient power generating plants and irrigation practices. Lastly, water conservation should also become part of our culture.
Tingkat Pengetahuan Wajib Pajak di Kota Bandung tentang Integrasi NVWP dan NIK
Authors: Bestari Armitha Putri
Published: March 2024

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui tingkat pengetahuan wajib pajak yang ada di kota Bandung tentang Integrasi Nomor Pokok Wajib Pajak dan Nomor Induk Kependudukan. Penelitian ini menggunakan jenis penelitian kualitatif .Populasi dalam penelitian ini adalah Wajib Pajak yang terdaftar di kota Bandung. Jumlah sampel yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini sebanyak 33 sampel. Data yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini berupa data primer yang langsung didapat dari sumbernya. Teknik pengumpulan data menggunakan kuesioner dengan teknik penyebaran purposive sampling. Pengumpulan data dilakukan melalui kuesioner. Berdasarkan tingkat pengetahuan wajib pajak tentang Integrasi Nomor Pokok Wajib Pajak dan Nomor Induk Kependudukan.
Attitude towards Using Mobile Financial Services: A Study on University Students in Bangladesh
Authors: Kabir Shahria Bin , Alam Jahangir
Published: March 2024

Mobile financial services (MFS) are steadily increasing in developing countries, especially among young users. However, limited research addresses the perspectives and intentions of young individuals toward MFS adoption. This study investigates the attitudes and intentions of Bangladeshi university students to MFS usage. Data was obtained from 317 individuals of university students and analyzed using descriptive statistics, reliability tests, and exploratory factor analyses (EFA). A structured questionnaire was used for data collection via Cochran’s sampling techniques. The study used a deductive approach to prove its validity, applying the technology acceptance model 2. The study revealed five key factors: knowledge adequacy, transaction indicators, current and potential usage, satisfactory impact, and individual usefulness.Findings revealed a positive perception of MFS, its usefulness, and ease of use, which promoted MFS acceptance among students. Finally, a substantial association was found between students’ positive perceptions of MFS and its usefulness and usability.
EKSPRESI MnSOD PADA BREAST CANCER CELL LINE MENGGUNAKAN TEKNIK qRT-PCR (QUANTITATIVE REVERSE TRANSCRIPTASE-POLYMERASE CHAIN REACTION)
Authors: Wideani Gita
Published: March 2024

MnSOD memiliki peran penting dalam meregulasi konsentrasi O2·- seluler yang merupakan oksidan kuat dan berbagai produk samping lain dari metabolisme sel. Perubahan konsentrasi MnSOD dikaitkan dengan berbagai penyakit neurodegeneratif. Overekspresi MnSOD dapat mensupresi tumorigenisitas sel kanker payudara sehingga diduga MnSOD adalah gen suppresor tumor pada berbagai jenis kanker. Melalui percobaan secara in vitro diketahui bahwa sel MDA-MB-231 digunakan sebagai indikator transformasi sel dan tumorigenisitas. Real time quantitative PCR (qRT-PCR) merupakan metode kuantitasi asam nukleat yang sensitif, spesifik dan reprodusible. Sejak awal pengembangannya, qRT-PCR menjadi revolusioner di bidang diagnostik molekuler dan tekniknya digunakan dalam berbagai aplikasi yang membutuhkan waktu analisa singkat. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk melihat ekspresi MnSOD pada sel line breast cancer MDA-MB-231 dengan menggunakan teknik qRT-PCR. Sampel pada penelitian ini adalah mRNA dari kultur sel line MDA-MB-231. Berdasarkan hasil penelitian terjadi penurunan ekspresi gen MnSOD pada sel MDA-MB-231 sebesar 0,320 dibandingkan dengan sel punca CSA-ALDH.
Historical Dictionary of Jazz
Authors: Davis John  S.
Published: March 2024

Jazz is a music formed from a combination of influences. In its infancy, jazz was a melting pot of military brass bands, work songs and field hollers of the United States slaves during the 19th century, European harmonies and forms, and the rhythms of Africa and the Caribbean. Later, the blues and the influence of Spanish and French Creoles with European classical training nudged jazz further along in its development. Jazz has always been a world-music in the sense that music from around the globe has been embraced and incorporated.

The Historical Dictionary of Jazz covers the history of Jazz through a chronology, an introductory essay, and an extensive bibliography. The dictionary section has over 1,500 cross-referenced entries on significant jazz performers, band leaders, bands, venues, record labels, recordings, and the different styles of jazz. This book is an excellent access point for students, researchers, and anyone seeking a broader understanding of the history of jazz and the connections within the genre.
Then We'll Sing a New Song
Authors: Clark Mary Ann
Published: March 2024

Then We'll Sing a New Song is a fascinating examination of how African religions have shaped belief and practices in America. Not just the story of the development of African American religions or the black church, this book tells the often-unrecognized, but important story of how African religions have shaped religion in America more broadly.

Mary Ann Clark introduces readers to the cultures of three African kingdoms that contributed significant numbers of their population to the African slave trade, and also profoundly shaped religion in America—the Kingdom of Kongo, the Oyo Empire, and the Kingdom of Dahomey. Each of these groups has a unique history within the long history of the Atlantic slave trade and interacts with the Americas at a specific point in history. Clark shows how each may have had an influence on contemporary American beliefs and culture, sometimes in surprising ways. The book features a glossary, timeline, and maps.
Islam and America
Authors: Majid Anouar
Published: March 2024

Islam and America argues that the current animosity between the U.S. and Muslim world should be understood through the often-overlooked history between the two. Tracing the genealogy of this conflicted relationship from the Pilgrims to the present, author Anouar Majid weaves personal stories with historical narratives to offer a critical view of both cultures and to suggest a path towards future peace.

The book shows how America’s current conflict with Islam is rooted in a long and complicated history of prejudice and missed opportunities, as well as a history of benevolence and fruitful exchange on both sides. While historically Americans have generally regarded Islam as a despotic religion that needed to be overcome, the military and educational establishments that Americans built through their attempts at converting Muslims became sources of national pride in the Middle East. And while Muslims have often distrusted Americans, they, too, have made significant contributions to American culture.

Majid contends that knowing this history of both conflict and collaboration can help promote the mutual goodwill and appreciate that will be necessary to tackle the challenges facing Islam and America. Majid makes a provocative argument against faith-inspired prejudices and offers suggestions for the future.
Escape into Danger
Authors: Williams Sophia Orlovsky
Published: March 2024

Escape into Danger tells the remarkable story of a young girl’s perilous adventures and coming of age during World War II. Born in Kiev to a Catholic mother and a Jewish father, Sophia Williams chose to be identified as Jewish when she was eligible for a Soviet passport, mandatory at the age of sixteen, little realizing the life-changing consequences of her decision. Only seventeen when Germany invaded Russia in 1941, Sophia left Kiev, unwittingly escaping the Babi Yar massacre. On her journey into Russia, she fled from flooding, dodged fires and bombs, and fell in love. At Stalingrad, Sophia turned back in a futile attempt to return home to her mother. Stranded in a Nazi-occupied town, accepted as a Russian, she found work with a sympathetic German officer and felt secure until a local girl recognized her as a Jew. Within days, Sophia’s boss spirited her to safety with his family in Poland. Soon, though, Sophia was on the run again, this time to Nazi Germany, where, befriended by Germans and Hungarians, she somehow escaped detection through the rest of the war. She met and married a like-minded German soldier and started a family and business. The business thrived in post-war Germany, but the marriage deteriorated. She divorced her adulterous husband, but the vindictive, even homicidal Guido continued to dog her steps. Throughout, Sophia maintained her grit, charm, and optimism, the qualities that saved her as she time and again made her “escape into danger.”
Bound to Emancipate
Authors: Chin Angelina
Published: March 2024

Emancipation, a defining feature of twentieth-century China society, is explored in detail in this compelling study. Angelina Chin expands the definition of women’s emancipation by examining what this rhetoric meant to lower-class women, especially those who were engaged in stigmatized sexualized labor who were treated by urban elites as uncivilized, rural, threatening, and immoral. Beginning in the early twentieth century, as a result of growing employment opportunities in the urban areas and the decline of rural industries, large numbers of young single lower-class women from rural south China moved to Guangzhou and Hong Kong, forming a crucial component of the service labor force as shops and restaurants for the new middle class started to develop. Some of these women worked as prostitutes, teahouse waitresses, singers, and bonded household laborers.

At the time, the concept of“women’s emancipation” was high on the nationalist and modernizing agenda of progressive intellectuals, missionaries, and political activists. The metaphor of freeing an enslaved or bound woman’s body was ubiquitous in local discussions and social campaigns in both cities as a way of empowering women to free their bodies and to seek marriage and work opportunities. Nevertheless, the highly visible presence of sexualized lower-class women in the urban space raised disturbing questions in the two modernizing cities about morality and the criteria for urban citizenship. Examining various efforts by the Guangzhou and Hong Kong political participants to regulate women’s occupations and public behaviors, Bound to Emancipate shows how the increased visibility of lower-class women and their casual interactions with men in urban South China triggered new concerns about identity, consumption, governance, and mobility in the 1920s and 1930s. Shedding new light on the significance of South China in modern Chinese history, Chin also contributes to our understanding of gender and women’s history in China.
Your Baby's Best Shot
Authors: Herlihy Stacy  Mintzer , Hagood E. Allison
Published: March 2024

Parents can easily be bombarded by conflicting messages about vaccines a dozen times each week. One side argues that vaccines are a necessary public health measure that protects children against dangerous and potentially deadly diseases. The other side vociferously maintains that vaccines are nothing more than a sop to pharmaceutical companies, and that the diseases they allegedly help prevent are nothing more than minor annoyances. An ordinary parent may have no idea where to turn to find accurate information.

Your Baby’s Best Shot is written for the parent who does not have a background in science, research, or medicine, and who is confused and overwhelmed by the massive amount of information regarding the issue of child vaccines. New parents are worried about the decisions that they are making regarding their children’s health, and this work helps them wade through the information they receive in order to help them understand that vaccinating their child is actually one of the simplest and smartest decisions that they can make.

Covering such topics as vaccine ingredients, how vaccines work, what can happen when populations don’t vaccinate their children, and the controversies surrounding supposed links to autism, allergies, and asthma, the authors provide an overview of the field in an easy to understand guide for parents.

In an age when autism diagnoses remain on the rise, when a single infectious individual can help spark an epidemic in three countries, when doctors routinely administer an often bewildering array of shots, and when parents swear their babies were fine until their first dosage of the MMR, the authors hope this book will serve as a crucial resource to help parents understand this vitally important issue.
Sound the Trumpet
Authors: Haas Lawrence J.
Published: March 2024

In Sound the Trumpet, Lawrence J. Haas examines the effort by America’s leaders and its people, its government and private institutions, to use the force of our ideals, the strength of our economy, the power of our military, and the influence of our culture to advance freedom and democracy around the world. Focused on the period since World War I1 – when human rights promotion became a central feature of U.S. foreign policy – Haas explores what Presidents and Congresses have done, the tools they have used, the results they have achieved, and the obstacles that have stood in their way. Writing in a concise, accessible style that will engage all readers interested in U.S. foreign policy, he tells a story of dramatic success that is somewhat offset by tragic errors and missed opportunities; of idealism and its practical limits; of clashes between America’s long-term goal of advancing freedom and democracy and such short-term goals as protecting national security, ensuring regional stability, and guaranteeing access to natural resources. Most strikingly, this story demonstrates America’s unique and enduring power to shape the course of history and make the world a safer, more prosperous place. Haas argues forcefully that, for all of our missed opportunities and tragic errors, the world is a better place because of our efforts.
American Evangelicals Today
Authors: Smidt Corwin E.
Published: March 2024

American Evangelicals Today assesses the contemporary social, religious, and political characteristics of evangelical Protestants today, and it does so in light of (1) whether these characteristics are similar to, or different from, the corresponding characteristics of adherents of other major faith traditions in American religious life, and (2) the extent which these particular characteristics among evangelicals may have changed over the past four decades. In addition, it analyzes the extent which evangelicals are divided today, and it does so within the framework of four potential factors that might shape such divisions -- racial/ethnic differences, generational differences, educational differences, and religious differences.

American Evangelicals Today is designed to serve as an accessible, but scholarly, overview of American evangelicals, one that is appealing to all scholars, students, and laity alike. Smidt offers a discussion of the nature of evangelical Protestantism, highlights the particular analytical issues at play when one seeks to determine just who are to be classified as evangelicals, and reveals some of the contradictory findings that can emerge through the use of these different analytical frameworks for defining evangelicals. The volume not only analyzes the current characteristics of evangelicals in light of those exhibited by other religious traditions as well as how evangelicals have changed over time, but it looks toward the future, addressing generational differences and other possible factors for change among evangelical Protestants.
The Search for the Beautiful Woman
Authors: Kyo Cho
Published: March 2024

While a slender body is a prerequisite for beauty today, plump women were considered ideal in Tang Dynasty China and Heian-period Japan. Starting around the Southern Song period in China, bound feet symbolized the attractiveness of women. But in Japan, shaved eyebrows and blackened teeth long were markers of loveliness.

For centuries, Japanese culture was profoundly shaped by China, but in complex ways that are only now becoming apparent. In this first full comparative history of the subject, Cho Kyo explores changing standards of feminine beauty in China and Japan over the past two millennia. Drawing on a rich array of literary and artistic sources gathered over a decade of research, he considers which Chinese representations were rejected or accepted and transformed in Japan. He then traces the introduction of Western aesthetics into Japan starting in the Meiji era, leading to slowly developing but radical changes in representations of beauty. Through fiction, poetry, art, advertisements, and photographs, the author vividly demonstrates how criteria of beauty differ greatly by era and culture and how aesthetic sense changed in the course of extended cultural transformations that were influenced by both China and the West.
Heart of the Nation
Authors: Bridgeland John M.
Published: March 2024

Heart of the Nation traces America’s volunteer tradition—the golden thread of American democracy—and how Presidents from Washington to Obama have called on citizens to serve neighbor and nation. From the bunker below the White House on 9/11 to villages in Africa, John Bridgeland shares his own experiences inside and outside of government to spark more Americans to volunteer to meet urgent needs. He compellingly argues that such service is fundamental to our own happiness and to what the Founding Fathers envisioned when they talked about the “pursuit of Happiness” in the Declaration of Independence. Bridgeland helps the reader discover their own volunteer service mission and issues a rallying cry to the nation to heal our partisan divisions by joining together across party lines to address our toughest challenges.
An Intriguing Life
Authors: Helms Cynthia
Published: March 2024

From wartime England to Nixon’s America and beyond, Cynthia Helms was witness to some of the seminal events of our time—Vietnam, Watergate, and especially the demoralization of the CIA in the 1970s for political purposes. Opening with her feminist “epiphany” in 1968 (the annus horribilus as she describes it) that led her to end her first marriage of 24 years, this memoir reveals a world where appearances always had to be questioned, where rumors and gossip carried the weight of intrigue.

Helms grew up on a farm in Maldon, England and served as one of the original Boat Crew Wrens during World War II. She came to the United States after the war with her first husband, a physician. Her later marriage to Richard Helms introduced her to a world previously known only to her in books, not just the physical world from Mexico to Fiji to Iran, but also the world of a spymaster who enjoyed the confidence of some of the most important leaders of the late twentieth century. Her time as the ambassador’s wife in Tehran on the eve of the Iranian Revolution is especially telling, as she witnesses the charming but deeply flawed Shah slowly lose his way with his own people. Her “inside the beltway” observations are no less captivating, especially when her husband was being vilified by ambitious congressmen for events that happened long ago and far away and in a completely different national security context. Fascinating and highly readable, An Intriguing Life is a window to our most recent history.
Death, American Style
Authors: Samuel Lawrence R.
Published: March 2024

The notion of one day disappearing from the earth forever is contrary to many of America’s defining cultural values, with death and dying viewed as “un-American” experiences. Arguing that death and dying may be our last major taboo, this book shows how death and dying became almost unmentionable words over the course of the last century. Although we have recently made some progress in reconciling the fact that life is a finite resource, we remain very unprepared for the approaching tsunami of death as the largest generation in history begins to age and die in great numbers. DEATH, AMERICAN STYLE is thus highly timely and relevant, suggesting that Americans need to individually and collectively come to terms with mortality if we are to learn to treat death as an inevitable part of life, and to prepare accordingly. As more and more Americans face end of life decisions, it will be vital for us to radically change the current view of death and dying. The alternative, the author argues, is that the emerging “death-centric” society may bring with it a period of turmoil equivalent to that of the countercultural 1960s and 1970s.
Silent Conflict
Authors: Carley Michael Jabara
Published: March 2024

This deeply informed book traces the dramatic history of early Soviet-western relations after World War I. Michael Jabara Carley provides a lively exploration of the formative years of Soviet foreign policy making after the Bolshevik Revolution, especially focusing on Soviet relations with the West during the 1920s. Carley demonstrates beyond doubt that this seminal period—termed the “silent conflict” by one Soviet diplomat—launched the Cold War. He shows that Soviet-western relations, at best grudging and mistrustful, were almost always hostile. Concentrating on the major western powers—Germany, France, Great Britain, and the United States—the author also examines the ongoing political upheaval in China that began with the May Fourth Movement in 1919 as a critical influence on western-Soviet relations.

Carley draws on twenty-five years of research in recently declassified Soviet and western archives to present an authoritative history of the foreign policy of the Soviet state. From the earliest days of the Bolshevik Revolution, deeply anti-communist western powers attempted to overthrow the newly formed Soviet government. As the weaker party, Soviet Russia waged war when it had to, but it preferred negotiations and agreements with the West rather than armed confrontation. Equally embattled by internal struggles for power after the death of V. I. Lenin, the Soviet government was torn between its revolutionary ideals and the pragmatic need to come to terms with its capitalist adversaries. The West too had its ideologues and pragmatists. This illuminating window into the overt and covert struggle and ultimate standoff between the USSR and the West during the 1920s will be invaluable for all readers interested in the formative years of the Cold War.
Understanding Fibromyalgia
Authors: Ali Naheed
Published: March 2024

Fibromyalgia is a chronic disorder associated with overall body pain and discomfort. Although the condition is not a variety of other neurological disorders or even arthritis, it possesses some of the same symptoms. There are an estimated 10 million Americans suffering with fibromyalgia, and estimates suggest that three to six percent of the world's population have symptoms of fibromyalgia. The medical costs of treatment coupled with lost productivity have been estimated in the billions of dollars. The good news is that fibromyalgia is not progressive and is not fatal. Many sufferers report that the symptoms can improve with treatment and time.

This accessible introduction to the disorder helps educate both sufferers and caregivers alike to the symptoms, potential causes, treatments, and outcomes of fibromyalgia. Addressing both traditional and alternative approaches, Naheed Ali offers hope and guidance for those seeking both understanding and possible paths to recovery. He focuses not just on the science and medicine behind fibromyalgia, but also on living well with it after diagnosis. Offering tips for lifestyle modifications as well as advice for caregivers, family, and friends, he ultimately provides a responsive and hopeful guide to this often misunderstood condition.
Peace making and transitional justice after a non-international armed conflict
Authors: Villagran Rodrigo
Published: March 2024

Transitional Justice can be defined as the group of processes and mechanisms that address the problems caused by large-scale human rights violations that were committed during conflicts or by repressive regimes. This book analyses the efforts made in the implementation of the peace accords in Guatemala and the main problems encountered in this process through the lens of the transitional justice framework. It discusses the mechanisms put in place to prevent the recurrence of violence, to make reparations, to guarantee the right to truth and to restore the democratic order. In addition, it covers the most important trials conducted against those accused of the most serious crimes.
Repotrectinib (Augtyro) for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
Authors:   Editors from The Medical Letter
Published: March 2024

The FDA has approved the oral tyrosine kinase inhibitor repotrectinib (Augtyro – BMS) for treatment of locally advanced or metastatic ROS1-positive non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in adults. Repotrectinib is the third oral tyrosine kinase inhibitor to be approved for this indication in the US; crizotinib (Xalkori) and entrectinib (Rozlytrek) were approved earlier.
Drugs for Menopausal Symptoms
Authors:   Editors from The Medical Letter
Published: March 2024

The primary symptoms of menopause are genitourinary and vasomotor. The genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM) includes symptoms such as burning, irritation, dryness, dyspareunia, dysuria, and recurrent urinary tract infection. Vasomotor symptoms (VMS; hot flashes, night sweats) often disrupt sleep.
Factors associated with anaesthetic complications in bariatric surgery at the Delafontaine Saint-Dénis Hospital
Authors: Mbombo Wilfrid
Published: March 2024

Background and objective. Anaesthesia during bariatric surgery is a high-risk procedure. This study investigated factors associated with anaesthetic complications in patients undergoing this type of surgery at Delafontaine hospital. Methods. This cross-sectional study was conducted at the Delafontaine Hospital from 01/01/2021 to 01/06/2022 in patients who underwent anaesthesia for bariatric surgery for all indications. Sociodemographic, clinical, anaesthetic and evolutionary data were collected and analysed with SPSS 25.0 using Student's t test, Pearson's Chi-square test or Fischer's exact test and logistic regression for p<0.05. Results. One hundred and thirty-five patients were enrolled. Females predominated (sex ratio M/F: 0.35). The mean age was 39.41 (range: 20 to 57 years). The median BMI was 43.25kg/m². All patients underwent surgery under general anaesthesia with tracheal intubation. Complications were present in 44% of patients: arterial hypotension (28.8%), difficult orotracheal intubation (28.1%), desaturation (22.9%), postoperative nausea and vomiting (16.2%), bronchospasm (7.4%), arterial hypertension (6.6%) and anaphylactic shock (3.3%). No deaths were recorded. Older age, the presence of comorbidities and Mallampati, Cormack and ASA scores ≥ 3 were associated with the occurrence of complications. Conclusion. The incidence of peri-anaesthetic complications in bariatric surgery is high in this series. Advanced age (> 40 years), the presence of comorbidities and Mallampati, Cormack and ASA scores ≥ 3 were associated with the occurrence of complications.