bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Towards work-life balance or away? The impact of work from home factors on work-life balance among software engineers during Covid-19 pandemic
Authors: Weerarathna Ranitha , Rathnayake Nilmini , Yasara Inuri , Jayasekara Piyumi , Ruwanpura Dewni , Nambugoda Sachindra
Published: December 2022

The paradigm shifts of conventional office spaces for virtual workspaces which practiced Work from Home (WFH) due to Covid-19, created a serious change in the lifestyles of employees, due to the overlap of ‘work’ and ‘life’ domains in one’s life. Since software engineers have a possibility of permanently adapting into WFH, the objective of this study is to unveil factors which would have a significant impact on the work-life balance of software engineers in Sri Lanka, while WFH. Only a very limited researches have shed light on this context, thereby this study would contribute to fill the empirical gap. The study undertook a quantitative approach by collecting primary data through a questionnaire from 384 participants, based on simple random sampling, and analyzing collected data based on Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM), using Smart PLS 3.3.9 software. Study results revealed that ‘supervisor’s trust and support’ and the ‘individual workspace,’ have a significant impact on work-life balance, while ‘working conditions,’ ‘possibility to access the organization’s networks’ and ‘number of children’ have no such significant impact. Thereby the study infers that, sound support and trust extended by supervisors and a designated distraction-free workspace; as measures to demarcate the boundary of work and life. Distinctive findings of this study would primarily be fruitful for software engineers to dive into a balanced state of work and life not only during Covid-19 but in future too. Study findings will also contribute to software industry personnel and policymakers in Sri Lanka as well as other developing countries, to establish effective strategies in favor of software engineers who WFH. Further, considering IT industry’s significant contribution towards Sri Lanka’s economic growth amidst Covid-19, results of this study would be high-yielding to indirectly succor IT-services-supported economic growth amidst the pandemic-driven hardships in Sri Lanka.
Association between lack of sexual interest and all-cause mortality in a Japanese general population: The Yamagata prospective observational study
Authors: Sakurada Kaori , Konta Tsuneo , Murakami Narumi , Kosugi Naoko , Saito Takafumi , Watanabe Masafumi , Ishizawa Kenichi , Ueno Yoshiyuki , Kayama Takamasa
Published: December 2022

Background

Sexual interest is essential for maintaining positive sexual relationships and sexual function, which have recently been recognized as important indicators of good health and quality of life. Here, we prospectively investigated associations between sexual interest and mortality in a community-based population.

Methods

This study enrolled 20,969 subjects (8,558 males and 12,411 females) aged ≥ 40 years who participated in annual health check-ups in Yamagata Prefecture. Sexual interest was assessed by a self-report questionnaire. Associations between sexual interest and increased all-cause mortality, cardiovascular disease mortality, and cancer mortality were investigated by Cox proportional hazards modeling.

Results

During follow-up (median: 7.1 years), 503 subjects died; 67 deaths were due to cardiovascular disease, and 162 were due to cancer. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that all-cause mortality and cancer mortality were significantly elevated among men who lacked sexual interest (log-rank P<0.0001, P<0.05). Cox proportional hazards model analysis with adjustment for age, hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, smoking, alcohol drinking status, BMI, education, marital status, frequency of laughter, and psychological distress showed that the risk of all-cause mortality was significantly higher among men who lacked sexual interest than men who had sexual interest (hazard ratio [HR] 1.69; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.17–2.44).

Conclusion

Lack of sexual interest is suggested to be a risk factor for all-cause mortality in Japanese males over 40 years old. This finding has implications for the importance of sexual interest in increasing longevity in this population.
Public support for global vaccine sharing in the COVID-19 pandemic: Evidence from Germany
Authors: Geissler Ferdinand , Hartmann Felix , Humphreys Macartan , Klüver Heike , Giesecke Johannes
Published: December 2022

By September 2021 an estimated 32% of the global population was fully vaccinated for COVID-19 but the global distribution of vaccines was extremely unequal, with 72% or more vaccinated in the ten countries with the highest vaccination rates and less than 2% in the ten countries with the lowest vaccination rates. Given that governments need to secure public support for investments in global vaccine sharing, it is important to understand the levels and drivers of public support for international vaccine solidarity. Using a factorial experiment administered to more than 10,000 online survey respondents in Germany in 2021, we demonstrate that the majority of German citizens are against global inequalities in vaccine distribution. Respondents are supportive of substantive funding amounts, on the order of the most generous contributions provided to date, though still below amounts that are likely needed for a successful global campaign. Public preferences appear largely to be driven by intrinsic concern for the welfare of global populations though are in part explained by material considerations—particularly risks of continued health threats from a failure to vaccinate globally. Strategic considerations are of more limited importance in shaping public opinion; in particular we see no evidence for free riding on contributions by other states. Finally, drawing on an additional survey experiment, we show that there is scope to use information campaigns highlighting international health externalities to augment public support for global campaigns.
Aspirin mediates protection from diabetic kidney disease by inducing ferroptosis inhibition
Authors: Wu Ziyu , Li Dan , Tian Dingyuan , Liu Xuejun , Wu Zhongming
Published: December 2022

Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) progression can be predicted by abnormalities in the tubulointerstitial lining, and their treatment may be useful for preventing the disease. DKD is a progressive disease that contributes to renal tubular cell death, but its underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Ferroptosis is a novel term linked to lipid hydroperoxidation, and it plays an important role in the pathogenesis of DKD. Overexpression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX2), an enzyme of the proximal tubule, causes cellular redox damage in DKD. It remains unknown whether COX2 exacerbates tubular damage by accelerating ferroptosis in the kidneys of diabetic mice. HK-2 cells cultured in high glucose exhibited ferroptosis, which was inhibited by ferroptosis inhibitors. Additionally, alterations in the sensors of ferroptosis metabolism, such as glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) activity, lipid hydroperoxidation, reduced glutathione (GSH) levels and changes in mitochondrial morphology, were observed in high glucose-cultured HK-2 cells. Diabetic mice manifested tubular injury and deranged renal physiological indices, which were mitigated by ferrostatin-1 (Fer-1). Importantly, these perturbations were ameliorated by downregulating COX2. In addition, the increased COX2 was observed to be elevated in the daibetic kindney. To explore the relevance of COX2 to ferroptosis, HK-2 cells that knocked down from COX2 exhibited decreased ferroptosis sensitivity under high glucose conditions. In RSL-3-treated HK-2 cells, ferroptosis was improved by downregulating COX2 by treatment with aspirin, which was confirmed in high glucose-cultured HK-2 cells. Furthermore, the ferroptosis changes were also suppressed by decreasing COX2 in diabetic mice treated with aspirin, which retarded DKD progression. In conclusion, our results demonstrated that ferroptosis in renal tubular cells contributes to DKD development and that diabetes-related ferroptosis was inhibited through the downregulation of COX2 by aspirin, thus retarding the progression of DKD. Our findings support a renoprotective mechanism by which aspirin inhibits COX2 activation, identify COX2 as a potential target of ferroptosis, and establish that ferroptosis in renal tubular cells is an integral process in the pathogenesis of DKD regulated by COX2 expression profiles.
Advancing antimicrobial resistance monitoring in surface waters with metagenomic and quasimetagenomic methods
Authors: Ottesen Andrea , Kocurek Brandon , Ramachandran Padmini , Reed Elizabeth , Commichaux Seth , Engelbach Gunnar , Mammel Mark , Saint Fleurant Sanchez , Zhao Shaohua , Kabera Claudine , Merrill Amy , Bonin Nathalie , Worley Hannah , Noyes Noelle , Boucher Christina , McDermott Patrick , Strain Errol
Published: December 2022

The National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System (NARMS) has monitored antimicrobial resistance (AMR) associated with pathogens of humans and animals since 1996. In alignment with One Health strategic planning, NARMS is currently exploring the inclusion of surface waters as an environmental modality for monitoring AMR. From a One Health perspective, surface waters function as key environmental integrators between humans, animals, agriculture, and the environment. Surface waters however, due to their dilute nature present a unique challenge for monitoring critically important antimicrobial resistance. Selective enrichments from water paired with genomic sequencing effectively describe AMR for single genomes but do not provide data to describe a broader environmental resistome. Metagenomic data effectively describe a broad range of AMR from certain matrices however, depth of coverage is usually insufficient to describe clinically significant AMR from aquatic matrices. Thus, the coupling of biological enrichments of surface water with shotgun NGS sequencing has been shown to greatly enhance the capacity to report an expansive profile of clinically significant antimicrobial resistance genes. Here we demonstrate, using water samples from distinct sites (a creek in close proximity to a hospital and a reservoir used for recreation and municipal water), that the AMR portfolio provided by enriched (quasimetagenomic) data is capable of describing almost 30% of NARMS surveillance targets contrasted to only 1% by metagenomic data. Additionally, the quasimetagenomic data supported reporting of statistically significant (P< 0.05) differential abundance of specific AMR genes between sites. A single time-point for two sites is a small pilot, but the robust results describing critically important AMR determinants from each water source, provide proof of concept that quasimetagenomics can be applied to aquatic AMR surveillance efforts for local, national, and global monitoring.
CERN Large Hadron Collider (LHC) Radiation Source for Magnetic Resonance Biospectroscopy in Metabolic and Molecular Imaging and Diagnosis of Cancer
Authors: Heidari Alireza , Iorgulescu Sophia , Robinson Olivia , Hu Lin , Vauclin Charlotte , Schiltz Ntalie , Sondermann Scarlett , MacLennan Lucy , Smith Julia , Williamson Lydia , Heidari Alireza , Iorgulescu Sophia , Robinson Olivia , Hu Lin , Vauclin Charlotte , Ntalie Schiltz Ntalie , Sondermann Scarlett , MacLennan Lucy , Smith Julia , Williamson Lydia , Heidari Alireza , Iorgulescu Sophia , Robinson Olivia , Williamson Lydia , Hu Lin , Vauclin Charlotte , Schiltz Ntalie , Sondermann Scarlett , MacLennan Lucy , Smith Julia , Heidari Alireza , Torfeh Zahra
Published: December 2022

Molecular imaging is a new method in examining physiological studies in molecular dimensions. Among the various methods that have been introduced for this purpose, the magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) method has made it possible to more accurately study the activities of the brain region as well as tumors in different parts of the body. MRS imaging is a type of non– invasive imaging technique that is used to study metabolic changes in the brain, stroke, seizure disorders, Alzheimer's disease, depression and also metabolic changes in other parts of the body such as muscles. In fact, since metabolic changes in the human body appear faster than anatomical and physiological changes, the use of this method can play an important role in the early detection and diagnosis of cancers, infections, metabolic changes and many other diseases. (Graphical Abstract)

Graphical Abstract. CERN Large Hadron Collider (LHC) radiation source for magnetic resonance biospectroscopy in metabolic and molecular imaging and diagnosis of cancer.
[Review] Lynn Turner, Undine Sellbach and Ron Broglio, editors. The Edinburgh Companion to Animal Studies. Edinburgh University Press, 2018, 2019. 559 pp.
Authors: Woodward Wendy
Published: December 2022

[Review] Lynn Turner, Undine Sellbach and Ron Broglio, editors. The Edinburgh Companion to Animal Studies. Edinburgh University Press, 2018, 2019. 559 pp.
[Review] Antoinette Burton and Renisa Mawani, editors. Animalia: An Anti-Imperial Bestiary for Our Times. Durham: Duke University Press, 2020. 240pp.
Authors: Tait Peta
Published: December 2022

[Review] Antoinette Burton and Renisa Mawani, editors. Animalia: An Anti-Imperial Bestiary for Our Times. Durham: Duke University Press, 2020. 240pp.
Tribological and mechanical properties of lubricant filled microcapsules in thermoplastic composites
Authors: Grünewald Moritz , Latnikova Alexandra , Hohmann Katrin , Sänger Anne , Rudloff Johannes , Bosse Michael , Hochrein Thomas , Bastian Martin
Published: December 2022

Polymeric materials with long lifetime and low frictional energy loss are frequently required for a broad range of applications. Microencapsulation of lubricating oils by in-situ polymerization (melamine-formaldehyde) and interfacial polymerization (polyurethane/polyurea) was used to obtain free-flowing powders, which can be used as additive for thermoplastic materials resulting in microcapsule-containing self-lubricating composites. The specific functionality of such composites is achieved via portioned and localised release of the lubricant in the areas of the interface, which experiences the highest degrees of stress and wear due to the friction. Friction-triggered on-demand release of the lubricating oil results in materials with higher wear resistance and potentially leading to new products with prolonged lifetime. In this study, different ratios of microcapsules were added in polyoxymethylene (POM) and polybutylterephthalat (PBT) matrices by using laboratory scale twin-screw extruder resulting in self-lubricating composite materials. The effect of such modification on the tribological and mechanical properties of the thermoplastic composites were investigated. Rotational ball on disc tests were used to investigate the wear loss and coefficient of friction for the composites with varied microcapsule concentrations. Tensile tests revealed decreased mechanical stability for the composites with higher microcapsule content regardless of microcapsule wall material composition. Addition of 5 wt.- % of encapsulated lubricant oil led to the substantial decrease of the frictional and wear coefficients. Further increase of encapsulated lubricant oil content to 10 wt.-% had a major decreasing impact on the mechanical properties, whilst the effect on the tribological performance was rather small.
GEÇMİŞİN MİRASI: ÖRGÜTSEL DAMGALAMA ARAŞTIRMALARINA İLİŞKİN BİR LİTERATÜR İNCELEMESİ (2013-2022)
Authors: ÖZTÜRK Deniz
Published: December 2022

Örgütsel damgalama kısa bir hassas dönemde örgütün, çevrenin öne çıkan özelliklerini yansıtan özellikler geliştirdiği ve bu özelliklerin sonraki dönemlerde önemli çevresel değişikliklere rağmen devam ettiği bir süreç olarak tanımlanır. Bu çalışmanın amacı, örgüt çalışmaları alanında 2013-2022 yılları arasında damgalama kavramının seyrini ortaya koymaktır. Bu doğrultuda örgütsel kolektifler, örgüt yapı taşları, örgütler ve bireylerin farklı analiz düzeyleri olarak ele alındığı 58 çalışma; ekonomik, teknolojik, kurumsal ve bireysel damgalama etkilerine göre tartışılmaktadır. Bu çerçeveyle gerçekleştirilen sistematik literatür incelemesi sonucunda damgalama yazınının mevcut durumu ve örgütsel damgalama ile ilgili gelecekte çalışılabilecek konular tartışılmaktadır. Bulgular, ilgili yazında oluşum, başkalaşım ve tezahürler olarak ifade edilen örgütsel damgalama süreçleri ve mekanizmalarının, çoklu hassas dönemlerin, damgaların kalıcılığı ve bozulmasına dair dinamiklerin bağlama özgü kavramsallaştırılmasında önemli bir araştırma potansiyeli taşıdığını göstermektedir.
Waste Management and Its Contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals at Dhurakij Pundit University, Thailand
Authors: Phdungsilp Aumnad
Published: December 2022

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) provide the guidance for the society moving to the sustainability pathways. University is a second home for staffs, students and future leaders and play a key role in achieving the SDGs. This study aims to assess the contribution of waste management in the achievement of the SDGs and their relevant targets. The assessment was performed using the contribution scoring matric that consists of five points and five scoring magnitudes. Using a case study of Dhurakij Pundit University (DPU) in Thailand, the results found that waste management is directly contributed to the SDG 11 (Sustainable cities and communities), SDG 12 (Responsible consumption and production) and SDG 14 (Life below water). The analysis revealed that waste management has direct positive contributions on reducing the environment impact of cities (Target 11.6), enhancing resource use efficiency (Target 12.2), reducing food waste and losses (Target 12.3), reducing waste generation and promoting recycling and reuse (Target 12.5), and preventing and reducing marine pollution from land-based activities (Target 14.1). Waste management is not only having the positive impact of the SDGs but it also contributes to a healthy university during the COVID-19 pandemic and afterward.Keyword: Living Lab, Waste management, Sustainable Development Goals, UI GreenMetric
Implementation of Environment-Friendly Strategies for Energy Conservation and Mitigation of Climate Change – A Holistic Approach in Mangalagangotri Campus
Authors: Yadapadithaya P. Subrahmanya , Naik Prashantha , Nayak K. Kishori
Published: December 2022

The harnessing of renewable energies and mitigation of climate change are like two faces of a coin. Decentralized implementation and individual-level practices of eco-friendly strategies contribute a lot on a global scale. In this context, Mangalore University on its headquarters Mangalagangotri campus, adopted and implemented many eco-friendly activities, technologies, and policies for sustainable development. Installation of solar power panels for electricity generation, of the current estimated value of 23,13,311 kWh/month; replacement of incandescent bulbs with LED bulbs with an energy saving of around 62% and procurement of most energy-efficient electronic & electrical appliances (47%) are some of the technologies that have been implemented for energy conservation. Implementation of e-Governance and e-Office program of Govt of Karnataka, and campus management system, social media, and email-based official communications have significantly reduced the usage of papers (>70% ); a complete ban on single-use plastics; recycling of organic wastes through vermicomposting, pot-composting, biogas production; encouraging electric vehicles are some of the adopted strategies. Altogether these strategies have significantly reduced the release of greenhouse gases in and around the campus in our efforts to join with global efforts to drop carbon footprint below 2 tons by 2050. The rainwater harvesting through the rooftop catchments and check-dams contributed to ≈ 50% water conservation. The campus comprises 32.4% of its total area with natural vegetation (463192 m2) and currently with 30.8% planted vegetation (439670 m2) of the total area (1428540 m2). The campus biodiversity was further enriched by periodical tree plantation drives with special reference to the planting of fruit-yielding saplings. As an Institutional Social Responsibility (ISR), the university has been making efforts to disseminate the knowledge of eco-friendly practices, by conducting public awareness programs and publishing popular articles in regional language. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic and government-imposed lockdown to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus, the University has continued eco-friendly activities and setting up of infrastructures, by strictly following safety guidelines. Overall, our continued holistic approaches of various eco-friendly strategies, in terms of the utility of advanced technologies, eGovernance, solar energy, and rainwater harvesting, organic wastes management, recycling of solid wastes, and many others, have been implemented since its inception have significantly helped in saving energy and reduction in the emission of greenhouse gases.Keyword: Climate change; Eco-friendly strategies; Carbon footprint; Greenhouse gases
Waste Management of Ege University during the COVID-19 period
Authors: Daglioglu S. Tugce , Sertkaya Simge , Kinal Armagan , Bor Melike , Ayaz Dincer
Published: December 2022

Ege University manages packaging wastes, hazardous wastes, electronic wastes and organic wastes within the scope of integrated waste management and has been awarded the Ministry of Environment and Urbanization Zero Waste Certificate. For packaging waste, recycled and non-recyclable wastes are collected separately. Recycled wastes are collected in blue boxes and gray boxes are used for non-recyclable wastes. Along with the pandemic period, with the directive of the Ministry of Environment and Urbanization, extra gray boxes were added and used to collect waste materials such as masks, gloves, etc. The first COVID case in Turkey started in March 2020 and these studies came into effect in April. In this context, all staff and students are informed and the health of the community and the environment is protected.Keyword: waste management, mask and glove waste management, COVID-19
Climate Change Adaptation and Integrated Waste Management in the time of Pandemic in Ondokuz Mayıs University
Authors: Ardalı Yüksel , Köksal Özge
Published: December 2022

In this study, consumption data for 2020 were obtained from the Administration Activity Reports published annually by Ondokuz Mayıs University (OMU). Waste data were also taken for the 2020 period as the amounts recorded within the scope of the Zero Waste Project carried out by the university. With the collected data, in the second part, the changes in waste types and amounts will be mentioned in addition to the approximate carbon footprint calculation with the effect of the pandemic process experienced with the year 2020, within the scope and limits determined by the university. The amount of waste per person as students and faculty members of the wastes originating from the units of the university was also calculated. By using the amounts of glass, paper, metal and plastic waste types collected separately by the Ministry of Environment and Urbanization, the amount of gains to be obtained against parameters such as energy, raw material use and emission reduction was calculated with the help of zero waste counter. In order to evaluate the zero waste studies carried out by the University. Within the scope of Zero Waste studies of Ondokuz Mayıs University, the types and amounts of waste coming from the units during the 2020 pandemic period were evaluated. Considering the data obtained from the different units of the university, a decrease was observed in the amount of waste, as in the consumption data. In addition to the harmonization of integrated waste management and transfer mechanisms in our university, carbon capture gardens have been designed to be implemented in our university.Keyword: integrated waste management, carbon release, carbon footprint, carbon capture garden
Metoda szacowania rzeczywistej liczby ludności w strefie podmiejskiej. Przykład gminy Czernica (powiat wrocławski)
Authors: Kuzara Katarzyna , Szmytkie Robert
Published: December 2022

Jednym z procesów zachodzących intensywnie w otoczeniu dużych miast jest suburbanizacja rezydencjonalna. Nie inaczej jest w przypadku obszarów podmiejskich Wrocławia, gdzie obserwowany jest dynamiczny napływ ludności i wzmożony ruch budowlany. Celem artykułu była identyfikacja skali procesów suburbanizacji rezydencjonalnej na przykładzie gminy Czernica, stanowiącej część strefy podmiejskiej Wrocławia. Publikacja porusza problematykę niedoszacowania wielkości ruchu migracyjnego w otoczeniu dużych miast, wynikającą z niezgodności ewidencji ludności w odniesieniu do faktycznego miejsca zamieszkania. Wynika to z braku obowiązku meldunkowego przez co faktyczna liczba ludności różni się od tej wykazywanej w statystykach publicznych. Niniejszą analizę, ukazującą faktyczną liczbę mieszkańców gminy Czernica, przeprowadzono z zastosowaniem autorskiej metody szacowania rzeczywistej liczby ludności, wykorzystując zagregowane dane statystyczne o zameldowaniach z bazy Powszechnego Elektronicznego Systemu Ewidencji Ludności (re-jestr PESEL) oraz dane przestrzenne z Bazy Danych Obiektów Topograficznych (BDOT).
Powiat – potencjalny podmiot planowania przestrzennego
Authors: Gorzym-Wilkowski Waldemar A.
Published: December 2022

Polskie zagospodarowanie przestrzenne dotknięte jest wieloma problemami, wśród których najważniejszy jest chaos zabudowy. Przyczyny tych problemów leżą głównie w wadach sytemu planowania przestrzennego. Gmina, która jest kluczowym podmiotem planowana przestrzennego, działa w uwarunkowaniach organizacyjnych, ekonomicznych i społeczno-politycznych obniżających standard planowania. Jednocześnie samorząd powiatowy, funkcjonujący na marginesie planowania przestrzennego, jest wolny od tych uwarunkowań, Celem artykułu jest zatem wskazanie, dlaczego i w jaki sposób silniejsze zaangażowanie powiatu może ułatwić realizację zasadniczych celów planowania przestrzennego.
Aristophanes in Antiquity: Quotations and Testimonia in Papyri
Authors: Nocchi Macedo Gabriel
Published: December 2022

This article examines the seventeen Greek literary and documentary papyri, in which Aristophanes is quoted or mentioned, and asks how these fragments contribute to our understanding of the early reception of the comedic poet, especially in the Roman and Late Antique periods.
Poll Tax Rates in Roman Egypt
Authors: Minnen Peter van
Published: December 2022

Discussion of the various poll tax rates in Roman Egypt, which can be reduced to a simple scheme drawn up by the Romans upon their conquest of Egypt. This scheme suggests that in 30 BC the distribution of the population in Egypt was roughly uniform except for the Fayyum (underpopulated) and the western oases (overpopulated), possibly also Thebes (overpopulated). It also suggests that in 30 BC the distribution of the Greek population was uneven, with virtually no Greeks in Upper Egypt, possibly also the oases, and fewer Greeks in Oxyrhynchus than in other metropoleis in Lower and Middle Egypt.
BnF Copte 129 (20) fol. 178: Three Healing Prescriptions
Authors: Preininger Markéta
Published: December 2022

BnF Copte 129 (20) fol. 178 is a codex sheet containing several healing prescriptions. The first text is a fumigation recipe for a gynaecological issue including a prayer to be spoken during this procedure, the second is a prayer for healing deafness referring to Malchus, and the third is an unknown prescription. Editions of these texts are produced and contextualized in this paper, with some older Egyptian, Greek, and later Arabic healing texts taken into consideration.
Occurrence, sources, and potential risk of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in southern Xinjiang, China
Authors: Abudureheman Mukadasi , Ailijiang Nuerla , Maihemuti Balati , Mamat Anwar , Mamitimin Yusuyunjiang , Zhong Naifu , Li Nanxin
Published: December 2022

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are environmental pollutants of global concern, mainly originating from industrial activities, biomass combustion, and vehicle emissions. With the acceleration of industrialization, the surrounding environment of the industrial area may have potential health effects on the population. Therefore, we focused on the occurrence, source, and health risk assessment of PAHs in soil, plants, and water near industrial areas in southern Xinjiang, China. The occurrence of PAHs in different soil layers (0–10, 10–30, and 30–50 cm) was studied, with PAHs mainly concentrated in the topsoil (11.50–34.68 ng/g). In plants, PAHs varied from 56.63 to 597.28 ng/g, with the highest concentrations in reed (267.29–597.28 ng/g). Total PAHs in water ranged from 4183.85 to 24803.45 ng/L, with an average of 10,240 ng/L. 3-ring PAHs were the dominant species in soil, plants, and water with 55, 69, and 59%, respectively. PAHs isomer ratio results indicated that PAHs in soil, plants, and water mainly came from fossil fuels and biomass combustion. Incremental lifetime cancer risk estimation results demonstrated that adults might face higher potential health risks than children. Adults’ dermal contact was the dominant route of exposure, while oral ingestion was the dominant exposure pathway for children. The total carcinogenic risk value of corn is much higher than that of walnuts and red dates, indicating that PAHs pollution in corn must be taken seriously. The results can clarify the local pollution situation, and provide suggestions for improving pollution prevention and control measures.
Individual variation in performing reading-aloud speech among deaf speakers
Authors: Wan Tsung-Lun Alan
Published: December 2022

The study examines the stylistic variation (interview vs. passage-reading) of socially meaningful variables among orally educated deaf speakers of Mandarin in Taipei, Taiwan. I examine the use of the retroflex and alveolar fricatives across two groups: deaf persons who received speech therapy or training, and those who did not receive speech medicalization. The two groups acquire the metalinguistic awareness of sibilant variation in different ways. Results show that the former group utilize the variables in the same way as hearing persons do – increasing the degree of retroflexion in reading-aloud speech. The latter group engage with the variable in an opposite way – decreasing the degree of retroflexion, which nevertheless also indexes able-bodiedness, possibly via the embodied link between a stronger hiss and a fronted sibilant. I argue that we need to carefully look at what different linguistic variants index through locating the variants in each speaker’s personal history.
The crystal structure of trans-[bis(4-methylpyridine-κN)bis(quinoline-2-carboxylato- κ
2
N,O)cadmium(II)], C32H26CdN4O4
Authors: Kukovec Boris-Marko , Sokol Vesna , Popović Zora
Published: December 2022

C32H26CdN4O4, tetragonal, P41212 (no. 92), a = 13.7308(6) Å, c = 15.1806(7) Å, V = 2862.1(3) Å3, Z = 4, R
gt(F) = 0.0359, wR
ref(F
2) = 0.0693, T = 296(2) K.
Neolithisation in the Northern French Alps: First Results of the Lithic Study of the Industries of La Grande Rivoire Rockshelter (Isère, France)
Authors: Dallaire Marc-André
Published: December 2022

The “transition” period from the end of the Second Mesolithic to the Early Neolithic is a singular phase in the prehistory of Western Europe. The first signs of neolithisation will be observed in the Northern French Alps between 5500 and 5350 cal. BC, after having experienced an arrhythmic progression from the Mediterranean sphere. The presence of numerous imprecisions in the North Alpine chronocultural sequence makes it difficult to understand the rhythms and mechanisms of its implantation. The subject is all the more complex in that there seems to be a temporal and geographical proximity between the last indigenous hunter-gatherer-collector groups and the arrival of the first agropastoralists in the regions, which could have led to the acculturation of one or the other community. Some sites thus provide assemblages presenting industries described as “mixed sets,” where characteristic materials of the Second Mesolithic and the Early Neolithic are jointly revealed. Generally judged unreliable, they are considered to be the result of asynchronous mixtures of occupations. The study of lithic industries from recent excavations at La Grande Rivoire rockshelter offers a new perspective on this particular neolithisation context. This site of the Vercors massif is especially promising in this matter, displaying almost uninterrupted occupations from the First Mesolithic to the Protohistoric periods and having revealed a significant number of material productions. Oriented mainly on the observation of possible behavioural changes within the reduction sequences, the first results of this study already allow us to note the presence of a certain evolutionary sequence of lithic industries.
An Atypical, Staged Cell Death Pathway Induced by Depletion of SNARE-Proteins MUNC18-1 or Syntaxin-1
Authors: Feringa Femke M. , van Berkel Annemiek A. , Nair Anushka , Verhage Matthijs
Published: December 2022

The presynaptic proteins MUNC18-1, syntaxin-1, and SNAP25 drive SNARE-mediated synaptic vesicle fusion and are also required for neuronal viability. Their absence triggers rapid, cell-autonomous, neuron-specific degeneration, unrelated to synaptic vesicle deficits. The underlying cell death pathways remain poorly understood. Here, we show that hippocampi ofmunc18-1null mice (unknown sex) express apoptosis hallmarks cleaved caspase 3 (CC-3) and phosphorylated p53, and have condensed nuclei. However, side-by-sidein vitrocomparison with classical apoptosis induced by camptothecin uncovered striking differences to syntaxin-1 and MUNC18-1 depleted neurons. First, live-cell imaging revealed consecutive neurite retraction hours before cell death in MUNC18-1 or syntaxin-1 depleted neurons, whereas all neurites retracted at once, directly before cell death in classical apoptosis. Second, CC-3 activation was observed only after loss of all neurites and cellular breakdown, whereas CC-3 is activated before any neurite loss in classical apoptosis. Third, a pan-caspase inhibitor and a p53 inhibitor both arrested classical apoptosis, as expected, but not cell death in MUNC18-1 or syntaxin-1 depleted neurons. Neuron-specific cell death, consecutive neurite retraction, and late CC-3 activation were conserved in syntaxin-1 depleted human neurons. Finally, no indications were observed for involvement of other established cell death pathways, including necroptosis, Wallerian degeneration, autophagic cell death, and pyroptosis. Together, these data show that depletion of presynaptic proteins MUNC18-1 or syntaxin-1 triggers an atypical, staged cell death pathway characterized by consecutive neurite retraction, ultimately leading to, but not driven by, apoptosis.

SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENTNeuronal cell death can occur via a multitude of pathways and plays an important role in the developing nervous system as well as neurodegenerative diseases. One poorly understood pathway to neuronal cell death takes place on depletion of presynaptic SNARE proteins syntaxin-1, SNAP25, or MUNC18-1. The current study demonstrates that MUNC18-1 or syntaxin-1 depleted neurons show a new, atypical, staged cell death that does not resemble any of the established cell death pathways in neurons. Cell death on MUNC18-1 or syntaxin-1 depletion is characterized by consecutive neurite retraction, ultimately involving, but not driven by, classical apoptosis.
Inside the Hip-Hop Moment
Authors: McNally James G.
Published: December 2022

Given the relative paucity of scholarship on hip-hop as live experience, how can extraordinary hip-hop liveness be thought of as a zone of collective experience and feeling? How might such thought draw on existing scholarship on the ecstatic in Black performance, and on related metaphysical freedom concepts from Black cultural studies? And how can the fleeting freedoms won in these live experiences be envisaged as historically contingent? Exploring a rare archival recording featuring rappers Tricky, Krissy Kriss, and Willie Wee—made in a party in Bristol, England, in 1987—this essay proposes the idea of ‘the hip-hop moment’: a means to address the remarkable, oceanic collective experiences that sometimes unfold around brilliance in the hip-hop jam, party or concert. Analyzing this sonic artefact as durational, collectively generated, and the product of particular historic circumstances, the essay asks what might its collective paroxysm of joy have meant for the community that produced it? The essay looks to how Bristol hip-hop’s multicultural but Black-led party scene forged an outlaw cultural space around such moments during the 1980s; to the historically constrained contexts of working-class Black life in this small, largely white city during the 1970s and 1980s; and to the new possibilities hip-hop’s arrival was seen to open in the years immediately before the recording was made. The more analytic aspects are braided with extracts from interviews conducted with Krissy Kriss in Bristol in 2018, highlighting his own empirically rich view on hip-hop as a source of metaphysical freedom, collective identity, and self-affirmation.
Natural polymers as alternative adsorbents and treatment agents for water remediation
Authors: Gomez-Maldonado Diego , Erramuspe Iris B. Vega , Peresin Maria S.
Published: December 2022

This review examines the roles of different natural polymers, composites, and nanoengineered materials that have been studied in the last 10 years for their use in water treatment. As water quality is a global concern, the use of natural and sustainable materials is fundamental to obtain high value products that can remediate water systems without generating other pollution sources or require extra energy inputs or high side costs. Filtration systems often can provide an ideal alternative to conventional water treatment. Herein the attention is focused on polysaccharides, as these can be easily obtained from green processes and can be sourced from what nowadays are considered as agricultural waste. The inherent variety of functional groups that they have provides a better interaction with certain types of pollutants. Thus, biomaterials have been harnessed to generate filtration systems and other water treatment options.
Modal Sosial pada Usaha Mikro Kecil dan Menengah Berbasis Primordial dan Franchise
Authors: Anugrah Eggy , Prasetyo Hendro
Published: December 2022

Abstract. This study discusses a comparative study of social capital in primordial and franchise-based Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) with a case study of the Roti Chilma and Roti Kepo business groups. The discussion of this article is focused on the pattern and process of social capital formation in the two groups of bakery businesses, then compares the implementation of social capital in the two business groups. Through a qualitative comparative study approach by dissecting the three main elements of Francis Fukuyama's social capital, namely norms, networks, and trust, this article finds that there are similarities and differences in utilizing the potential of social capital in the two business groups. In the norm aspect, the similarities between the two groups are found in the implementation of informal norms and the consequences for violators of the rules, while the differences are in the member recruitment system, group structure, and product marketing methods. In the network element, the two business groups have differences in the formation of social group identity, the network in the Roti Chilma group is formed because of a shared identity (ethnicity, fate, and area of origin) while the Roti Kepo group is formed on a formal consensus. The aspect of trust acts as a lubricant for cooperative activities in groups as well as preventive actions in dealing with difficulties that arise in the process of achieving their goals.Keywords: MSMEs, social capital, primordial, franchise. Abstrak. Penelitian ini membahas mengenai studi perbandingan modal sosial pada Usaha Mikro, Kecil, dan Menengah (UMKM) berbasis primordial dan franchise dengan studi kasus kelompok usaha Roti Chilma dan Roti Kepo. Pembahasan artikel ini difokuskan pada pola dan proses terbentuknya modal sosial pada kedua kelompok usaha roti tersebut, kemudian melakukan perbandingan mengenai implementasi modal sosial pada kedua kelompok usaha tersebut. Melalui pendekatan studi komparatif kualitatif dengan membedah tiga unsur utama modal sosial Francis Fukuyama yakni norma, jaringan, dan kepercayaan, artikel ini menemukan bahwa terdapat persamaan dan perbedaan dalam memanfaatkan potensi modal sosial pada kedua kelompok usaha tersebut. Pada aspek norma persamaan kedua kelompok tersebut terdapat pada diberlakukannya norma informal dan konsekuensi bagi pelanggar aturan, sedangkan perbedaan terdapat pada sistem rekrutmen anggota, struktur kelompok, dan cara pemasaran produk. Pada unsur jaringan kedua kelompok usaha tersebut memiliki perbedaan pada pembentukan identitas kelompok sosial, jaringan dalam kelompok Roti Chilma terbentuk karena adanya identitas bersama (suku, nasib, dan daerah asal) sementara kelompok Roti Kepo terbentuk atas konsensus yang bersifat formal. Adapun aspek kepercayaan berperan sebagai pelumas aktivitas kerja sama dalam kelompok serta tindakan preventif dalam menghadapi kesulitan yang muncul dalam proses mencapai tujuannya.Kata Kunci: UMKM, modal sosial, primordial, franchise.
Politik Kebijakan Limbah Energi: Analisis Kebijakan Penghapusan Limbah Faba dari Daftar Limbah Berbahaya di Indonesia
Authors: Aisyana Maulana Raja
Published: December 2022

Abstract. The state has an important role in managing the energy management needed by the community. But no less important is the regulation of the impact of energy management, namely energy waste. One of Indonesia's largest energy sources comes from coal with the resulting waste called Fly Ash and Bottom Ash (FABA) waste. Initially the government determined FABA waste as hazardous waste (B3), but a new policy emerged that made FABA waste as waste that could be utilized. What are the factors that caused the change? This question is interesting because the policy change invites debate in various perspectives, such as political economy and environmental politics. Through a qualitative approach and a political policy approach, this article finds that policy change is a long process based on factual findings and actual experiences in other countries. The debate arose because there were no convincing steps that became the basis for the seriousness of implementing the previous policy, so it was feared that the new policy would not have a positive impact, or even a destructive impact on the interests of the community.Keywords: Policy Politics, Hazardous Waste, FABA Waste (Fly Ash and Bottom Ash), Utilization and Management. Abstrak. Negara mempunyai peran penting dalam menata pengelolaan energi yang dibutuhkan oleh masyarakat. Namun tidak kalah pentingnya adalah pengaturan dampak dari pengelolaan energi tersebut, yaitu limbah energi. Salah satu sumber energi Indonesia yang terbesar adalah berasal dari batu bara dengan limbah yang dihasilkan yang disebut dengan limbah Fly Ash dan Bottom Ash (FABA). Awalnya pemerintah menetapkan limbah FABA sebagai limbah berbahaya (B3), namun muncul kebijakan baru yang menjadikan limbah FABA sebagai limbah yang bisa dimanfaatkan. Apa faktor yang menyebabkan perubahan tersebut. Pertanyaan ini menarik karena perubahan kebijakan tersebut mengundang perdebatan dalam beragam perspektif, seperti ekonomi politik dan politik lingkungan. Melalui pendekatan kualitatif dan pendekatan politik kebijakan, artikel ini menemukan bahwa perubahan kebijakan tersebut merupakan proses panjang berdasarkan temuan faktual dan pengalaman actual di negara-negara lain. Perdebatan muncul karena belum adanya langkah yang meyakinkan dan menjadi pijakan bagi keseriusan implementasi kebijakan sebelumnya, sehingga kebijakan baru dikhawatirkan tidak memiliki dampak positif, atau malah sebaliknya dampak destruktif bagi kepentingan masyarakat.Kata Kunci: Politik Kebijakan, Limbah B3, Limbah FABA (Fly Ash and Bottom Ash), Pemanfaatan dan Pengelolaan.
Pericardial Effusion Causing Cardiac Tamponade in a 10-Year-Old Male
Authors: Hall Jordan , Rosado Melanie , Wohrley Julie D. , Bandi Sindhura , Kent Paul M. , Jandeska Sara E. , Murphy Joshua , Wilkerson Marylouise K.
Published: December 2022

A 10-year-old male with a past medical history of premature pubarche, mild persistent asthma, and eczema presented to the emergency department with progressive dyspnea and chest pain. On examination, he was found to be tachycardic and tachypneic. Chest radiograph demonstrated cardiomegaly, bilateral pleural effusions, and scattered atelectasis. Echocardiogram revealed a large pericardial effusion with right atrial collapse. The patient was admitted to the pediatric ICU for pericardiocentesis and drain placement. As he later became hypertensive and febrile, we will discuss how our patient’s hospital course guided our differential diagnosis and how we arrived at a definitive diagnosis using a multidisciplinary approach.
A new stage of experimental surgery for organoid based intestinal regeneration – A review of organoid research and recent advance
Authors: Eiji Kobayashi
Published: December 2022

Small intestinal transplantation has emerged as an essential treatment for intestinal failure, but its relatively high graft rejection rate and mortality rate when compared to those of other transplanted organs has led to difficulties in post-transplantation treatment management. The recently-developed technique of creating organoids from somatic stem cells has created a challenging opportunity to develop a treatment that involves the creation of a substitute small intestine using autologous cells instead of transplanting another individual's small intestines. The remaining partial large intestine is then used as a segmental graft, and autologous small intestinal organoid transplantation is conducted on its epithelium in order to create a pedunculated hybrid graft. This is a new surgical technique for interposing with the original ileocecal region. The hybrid large intestine acquires both the lymphatic vessels that are involved in nutrient absorption and the original peristaltic function of the large intestine.

This lecture touches upon the history of the development of organoid medicine, after which an introduction is provided of the revolutionary surgical technique in which a functional small intestine is created by regenerating autologous cells.

The content here was introduced in a special lecture (online) at the 29th Congress of the Experimental Surgical Session of the Hungarian Surgical Society (Host: Dr. Norbert Nemeth, 9/9/2022, Budapest).
Tuning structural, electrical, linear, and nonlinear optical properties of cadmium zinc telluride quantum dot thin films
Authors: Mahdy Iman A. , Mahmoud Sara A. , Mahdy Manal A.
Published: December 2022

Quantum dots of Cd0.18Zn0.14Te0.68thin films of various thicknesses are deposited on a glass substrate using inert gas condensation and characterized using many techniques. Structural analysis confirms the cubic polymorph of the thin films. The particle size increased from 5.7 to 10.35 nm as the film thickness increased from 10 to 100 nm. Bandgap calculations show two direct allowed transitions, one of which is 1.8 eV for different thicknesses. The other transition changes from the ultra-violet region (3.7 eV) for 10 nm thickness to yellow (2 eV) for 100 nm thickness, depending on the particle size. This result suggests that this material is suitable for use in multiple absorption layers of the same material rather than multilayers of different materials in tandem solar cells. The optical linear and nonlinear parameters highly depend on the particle size. Electrical conductivity shows intrinsic conduction with low activation energies from ambient temperature to 336 K.

Graphical abstract