bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
North Korean defectors with PTSD and complex PTSD show alterations in default mode network resting-state functional connectivity
Authors: Kim Byung-Hoon , Baek Jiwon , Kim Ocksim , Kim Hokon , Ko Minjeong , Chu Sang Hui , Jung Young-Chul
Published: January 2024

Background

North Korean defectors (NKDs) have often been exposed to traumatic events. However, there have been few studies of neural alterations in NKDs with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and complex PTSD (cPTSD).

Aims

To investigate neural alterations in NKDs with PTSD and cPTSD, with a specific focus on alterations in resting-state functional connectivity networks, including the default mode network (DMN).

Method

Resting-state functional connectivity was assessed using brain functional magnetic resonance imaging in three groups of NKDs: without PTSD, with PTSD and with cPTSD. Statistical tests were performed, including region of interest (ROI)-to-ROI and ROI-to-voxel analysis, followed by post hoc correlation analysis.

Results

In the ROI-to-ROI analysis, differences in functional connectivity were found among the components of the DMN, as well as in the thalamus and the basal ganglia. Right hippocampus–left pallidum and right amygdala–left lingual gyrus connectivity differed between groups in the ROI-to-voxel analysis, as did connectivity involving the basal ganglia. The post hoc analysis revealed negative correlations between Coping and Adaptation Processing Scale (CAPS) score and left posterior cingulate cortex–right pallidum connectivity and between CAPS score and right putamen–left angular gyrus connectivity in the control group, which were not observed in other groups.

Conclusions

The results suggest that there are alterations in the functional connectivity of the DMN and the limbic system in NKDs with PTSD and cPTSD, and that these alterations involve the basal ganglia. The lower correlations of CAPS score with right basal ganglia–DMN functional connectivity in patients compared with controls further implies that these connectivities are potential targets for treatment of PTSD and cPTSD.
Enhancing Angioinvasion Assessment in Papillary Thyroid Cancer Via a Biomarker Panel Involving TAC, 8-OHdG, and Sortilin
Authors: Buczyńska Angelika , Kościuszko Maria , Sidorkiewicz Iwona , Wiatr Aleksandra Anna , Adamska Agnieszka , Siewko Katarzyna , Dzięcioł Janusz , Szelachowska Małgorzata , Krętowski Adam Jacek , Popławska-Kita Anna
Published: January 2024

Context

Papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) aggressiveness and metastatic potential are closely associated with angioinvasion. Identifying angioinvasion accurately is imperative for treatment planning and prognosis.

Objective

This study explores serum biomarkers, including 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) and oxidative status markers (total oxidative capacity, total antioxidant capacity [TAC], and sortilin), as potential indicators of angioinvasion in PTC.

Design

A cross-sectional study involving 50 angioinvasive patients with PTC (study group) and 30 patients with PTC with low-risk features (reference group). Serum levels of biomarkers were analyzed to determine their association with angioinvasion.

Setting

Patients were recruited from Department of Endocrinology, Diabetology, and Internal Diseases, Medical University of Bialystok, Poland, ensuring representation from a diverse clinical context.

Patients or Other Participants

Participants included patients with PTC, with 50 in the study group and 30 in the reference group. Selection criteria, matching characteristics, and participant completion rates were duly recorded.

Intervention(s)

Serum biomarkers were measured to evaluate their association with PTC angioinvasion.

Main Outcome Measure(s)

Primary outcome measures included serum levels of 8-OHdG, total oxidative capacity, TAC, and sortilin.

Results

Serum levels of 8-OHdG and sortilin were significantly elevated in angioinvasive PTC, whereas TAC showed a notable decrease (all P < .01). A regression panel combining TAC, 8-OHdG, and sortilin demonstrated a high area under the curve value (0.963) for angioinvasion discernment.

Conclusion

Measuring TAC, 8-OHdG, and sortilin levels may serve as potential biomarkers for identifying angioinvasion in PTC. The combined assessment of these biomarkers enhances angioinvasion discernment, aiding risk stratification and personalized treatment decisions. Further validation studies are required before integrating these biomarkers into routine clinical practice. The study adheres to the provided structure, providing concise and supported conclusions based on the results.
The influence of carbon dioxide on cerebral metabolism and oxygen consumption: combining multimodal monitoring with dynamic systems modelling
Authors: Highton David , Caldwell Matthew , Tachtsidis Ilias , Elwell Clare E. , Smith Martin , Cooper Chris E.
Published: January 2024

Hypercapnia increases cerebral blood flow. The effects on cerebral metabolism remain incompletely understood although studies show an oxidation of cytochrome c oxidase, Complex IV of the mitochondrial respiratory chain. Systems modelling was combined with previously published non-invasive measurements of cerebral tissue oxygenation, cerebral blood flow, and cytochrome c oxidase redox state to evaluate any metabolic effects of hypercapnia. Cerebral tissue oxygen saturation and cytochrome oxidase redox state were measured with broadband near infrared spectroscopy and cerebral blood flow velocity with transcranial Doppler ultrasound. Data collected during 5-min hypercapnia in awake human volunteers were analysed using a Fick model to determine changes in brain oxygen consumption and a mathematical model of cerebral hemodynamics and metabolism (BrainSignals) to inform on mechanisms. Either a decrease in metabolic substrate supply or an increase in metabolic demand modelled the cytochrome oxidation in hypercapnia. However, only the decrease in substrate supply explained both the enzyme redox state changes and the Fick-calculated drop in brain oxygen consumption. These modelled outputs are consistent with previous reports of CO2 inhibition of mitochondrial succinate dehydrogenase and isocitrate dehydrogenase. Hypercapnia may have physiologically significant effects suppressing oxidative metabolism in humans and perturbing mitochondrial signalling pathways in health and disease.
Empowering tomorrow's leaders: the impact of the 15th Network of Young Researchers in Andrology (NYRA) meeting on male reproductive health and interdisciplinary collaboration
Authors: Marcu Daniel , Egeberg Dorte L. , Richer Guillaume , Houston Brendan , Delgouffe Emily , Saritas Gülizar , Ammar Omar , Wehrli Lydia , Djari Cyril , de la Iglesia Alberto
Published: January 2024

The 15th Network of Young Researchers in Andrology (NYRA) meeting, held at the Palace de Caux, Switzerland, served as a valuable platform to disseminate cutting-edge research and facilitate interactions among early-career researchers and trainees in andrology from around the world. Preceding the 22nd European Testis Workshop, the 2-day event brought together participants from a variety of countries to discuss a range of topics pertaining to men's reproductive health and biology. Specific focuses included piRNAs in mammalian reproduction, biomolecules enhancing sperm physiology, advances in in vitro spermatogenesis, reproductive strategies across species, and career development. A dedicated ‘scientific speed-dating’ social event also stood out, encouraging cross-disciplinary collaborations and strengthening ties within the scientific community. The high participation rate of the meeting highlighted its value in connecting the andrology community. Finally, the announcement of NYRA's merger with the European Academy of Andrology (EAA) marked a pivotal moment, enabling NYRA to support young researchers while collaborating with the EAA to advance andrology research. The 15th NYRA meeting played a crucial role in enhancing knowledge dissemination and andrology research, empowering young researchers, and addressing key challenges in male infertility.
Cadence Modulation during Eccentric Cycling Affects Perception of Effort But Not Neuromuscular Alterations
Authors: MATER ADRIEN , BOLY ADRIEN , MARTIN ALAIN , LEPERS ROMUALD
Published: January 2024

Introduction

A recent study showed that cadence modulation during short eccentric cycling exercise affects oxygen consumption (V̇O2), muscular activity (EMG), and perception of effort (PE). This study examined the effect of cadence on V̇O2, EMG, and PE during prolonged eccentric cycling and exercise-induced neuromuscular alterations.

Methods

Twenty-two participants completed three sessions 2–3 wk apart: 1) determination of the maximal concentric peak power output, familiarization with eccentric cycling at two cadences (30 and 60 rpm at 60% peak power output), and neuromuscular testing procedure; 2) and 3) 30 min of eccentric cycling exercise at a cadence of 30 or 60 rpm. PE, cardiorespiratory parameters, and vastus lateralis and rectus femoris EMG were collected during exercise. The knee extensors’ maximal voluntary contraction torque, the torque evoked by double stimulations at 100 Hz (Dt100) and 10 Hz (Dt10), and the voluntary activation level were evaluated before and after exercise.

Results

V̇O2, EMG, and PE were greater at 30 than 60 rpm (all P < 0.05). Maximal voluntary contraction torque, evoked torque, and Dt10/Dt100 ratio decreased (all P < 0.01) without cadence effect (all P > 0.28). Voluntary activation level remained constant after both eccentric cycling exercises (P = 0.87).

Conclusions

When performed at the same power output, eccentric cycling exercise at 30 rpm elicited a greater PE, EMG, and cardiorespiratory demands than pedaling at 60 rpm. Exercise-induced fatigability was similar in both eccentric cycling conditions without neural impairments, suggesting that eccentric cycling seemed to alter more specifically muscular function, such as the excitation–contraction coupling process. In a rehabilitation context, eccentric cycling at 60 rpm seems more appropriate because it will induce lower PE for similar strength loss compared with 30 rpm.
Development of a magneto-optical Kerr microscope using a 3D printer
Authors: Uebo Koki , Shiokawa Yuto , Takahashi Ryunosuke , Nakata Suguru , Wadati Hiroki
Published: January 2024

Background Magneto-optical Kerr effect (MOKE) microscopes are powerful experimental tools to observe magnetic domains in magnetic materials. These devices are, however, typically large, unportable, and expensive (∼ several million yen), and therefore prevent many researchers in the field of materials science from easy access to study real-space images of magnetic domains. Methods To overcome these issues, we utilized data from “The OpenFlexure Project” developed by the University of Bath and the University of Cambridge. The purpose of this project is to make high-precision mechanical positioning of the studied sample available to anyone with a 3D printer, especially for use in microscopes. We built a low-cost and portable MOKE microscope device with a 3D printer. We redesigned the 3D modeling data of an ordinary optical microscope provided by The OpenFlexure project and incorporated additional elements, such as optical polarizers and an electromagnetic coil into the primarily designed microscope that did not originally have these elements. Results We successfully observed magnetic domains and their real-space motions induced by magnetic fields using the palm-sized low-cost MOKE microscope, which costs approximately 30,000 yen in raw materials to construct. Conclusions Our methodology to assemble a low-cost MOKE microscope will enable researchers working in the field of materials science to observe magnetic domains more easily without commercial equipment.
Case Report: Iatrogenic trauma of the bladder due to long-term unidentified intrauterine device malposition inside the bladder with rectovesical fistula
Authors: Agil Ahmad , Tjahjodjati Tjahjodjati , Atik Nur , Rachmadi Dedi , Zahrina Tengku Tania
Published: January 2024

According to reports, there are 1.9–3.6 incidences of IUD migration and uterine perforation for every 1000 IUD insertions. It is important to note that bladder perforation caused by a misplaced IUD is uncommon and is thought to happen most frequently during insertion. Here, we describe a patient who presented with symptoms related to the malposition of IUD inside the bladder. It is feasible to draw the conclusion that the cystoscopy technique should be taken into consideration as a suitable therapy option for such injuries in this organ. When a problem cannot be effectively treated by cystoscopy alone, laparotomy should be considered.
Data-Driven Minimax Optimization with Expectation Constraints
Authors: Yang Shuoguang , Li Xudong , Lan Guanghui
Published: January 2024

The realm of data-driven optimization has garnered substantial attention in recent years. However, there remains a paucity of research addressing challenges posed by intricate data-driven constraints. In their paper titled “Data-Driven Minimax Optimization with Expectation Constraints,” Shuoguang Yang, Xudong Li, and Guanghui Lan concentrate on the realm of data-driven minimax optimization while considering expectation constraints. To grapple with these complex models, the authors introduce a novel class of optimal primal-dual algorithms. Their work showcases the practical efficacy of these algorithms through the resolution of real-world problems, including data-driven robust pricing and the maximization of the area under the ROC curve (AUC) while adhering to fairness constraints.
Artificial intelligence will transform healthcare: considerations for adoption and scale
Authors: Grandal Nora Sangvik , Muzumdar Siddhant , Khan Nasir , Ahmed Naeem
Published: January 2024

Artificial intelligence has become a major ‘buzzword’ in healthcare and wider UK society. In this article, Nora Sangvik Grandal and colleagues discuss the current and potential uses of artificial intelligence in the NHS, along with key considerations and recommendations for implementing this technology.
Technology in healthcare: do you need to know it all?
Authors: Clough Isobel
Published: January 2024

The editor discusses the broad use of the term ‘technology’ in healthcare, and suggests a golden rule for healthcare managers.
Febrile seizure management and effectiveness of prevention with antipyretics
Authors: Dra'gon Victoria L , Jadzinski Patryk
Published: January 2024

Background:

Before reaching the age of 5, 2–5% of children will have had a febrile seizure. Most are categorised as simple but they can be complex and carry the risk of complications. They can be frightening for parents. UK guidelines advise against the use of antipyretic drugs to prevent febrile seizure recurrence while being mindful of parental sensitivities.

Aim:

This systematised literature review aimed to appraise the global body of evidence in relation to current guidelines on using conventional antipyretics for the prevention of febrile seizures and explore factors that influence their management.

Method:

A research question was developed using the PICO (population/participant(s); intervention(s); comparison/control; outcome) framework and two databases were searched for primary research, and abstracts were screened for relevance.

Results:

Thirty-four articles were identified, or which three were relevant to the research aim. These were critically appraised using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool and five themes were identified.

Conclusion:

One study found that paracetamol may prevent recurrent febrile seizures, one found a small reduction in febrile seizure recurrence when treated with an antipyretic and one found antipyretics ineffective at reducing febrile seizure recurrence. Similar contemporary studies conducted in the UK population may help to improve understanding of the factors influencing febrile seizure management and the effectiveness of antipyretics.
Classroom to escape room: an innovative experience to prepare and test students
Authors: Colthup Rebecca , Ross Amanda
Published: January 2024

Paramedicine is a rapidly evolving profession and teaching strategies need to be creative and forward thinking to meet the ever-changing demands of the role. Educational escape rooms incorporate a variety of learning environments in which students participate in a range of simulation-based activities based on solving puzzles and retrieving codes, which result in finding a prize. A mixed methods action research study was undertaken to ascertain whether an escape room approach can increase engagement and attainment in year-one paramedic science degree students at a UK university. The results showed that 100% (n=52) stated they would recommend this activity, 100% (n=52) agreed it helped them to review their teamwork skills and 98% (n=51) said that it improved their communication techniques. Non-technical skills enable the development of technical skills and knowledge within the workplace and are an overarching factor in providing good practice and reducing errors. An escape room approach is arguably an effective teaching method when the activities are based on learning outcomes.
Grappling with research
Authors: Wyatt Dan
Published: January 2024

Choosing a research topic and approaching paramedic research can be a daunting prospect. In this issue, Dan Wyatt offers readers some tips on approaching a final year project and grapples himself with how to hone in on a single research topic of interest
Learning curves
Authors: Sofield Katy
Published: January 2024

Katy Sofield describes intense learning curves as she prepares to become operational
Variation in patient gender and sexual identity recording within ambulance records
Authors: Groom Nicholas
Published: January 2024

Background:

Health inequality among lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people has been highlighted in several reports. Ambulance services have been advised to record the gender identity and sexuality of all patients treated to support monitoring of health equity.

Method:

Four NHS ambulance services in England were asked for their data showing whether the completed patient record for each incident included gender identity and sexuality.

Results:

All services responded; data from three were used in the analysis. Only one service had the means to record a patient's sexual orientation. Gender identity was recorded by all services but the rate of data capture as well as potential responses varied between organisations.

Discussion:

There was little consistency between the three services regarding rates of data being captured, responses and potential answers. These variations could not be explained, although introduction of electronic patient records may impact data capture and quality.
Diagnostic Value of CRP, H-FABP, PCT, Lp-PLA2 and Cytokines in Stable Angina
Authors: Hussein Amer Muayad , Samia Ernez Hajri , Esmail Al-Snafi Ali
Published: January 2024

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a significant cause of worldwide mortality and morbidity. This study aims to evaluate the levels of serum H-FABP (fatty acid-binding protein), hs-CRP (high sensitivity- CPR), Lp-PLA2 (lipoprotein PLA2), PCT (procalcitonin) and cytokines, in addition to routinely used diagnostic tests, Troponin I (Trop I), Myoglobin (MYO) and Creatine kinase MB (CK-MB) in patients with stable angina to determine their sensitivity in diagnosing stable angina and facilitating faster decision-making in the emergency unit. The current study was performed on 86 patients complaining stable angina, at Nasiriyah Heart Center from October 2021 to October 2022. Eighty-six, healthy subjects (age-matched) were taken as a control group. Blood samples were collected in the emergency department. Serum levels of hs CRP, H-FABP, CK-MB, Trop I, MYO, Lp-PLA2 and PCT were determined using electro-chemiluminescence immunoassay. Blood sugar and serum total cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL, VLDL and HDL were determined using Cobas C311 photometric assays. Serum IL-6 was determined by using electro-chemiluminescence immunoassay, while, IL-9, IL-1β and TNF-α were assayed by ELISA. The study showed that the level of troponin I didn’t significantly change in patients with stable angina. However, compared with healthy controls, patients showed a significant increase in serum levels of CK-MB, myoglobin, hs-CRP, H-FABP, Lp-PLA2 and PCT. Significantly elevated levels of serum IL-6, IL1β, IL-9 and TNF-α were also recorded in patients with stable angina compared to healthy controls. The results also revealed that patients with stable angina had significantly elevated serum levels of serum triglycerides, total cholesterol, LDL and VLDL with a significant decline of serum HDL compared to healthy controls. We can concluded that, in addition to cTnI, CK-MB and MYO, other biomarkers such as hs-CRP, H-FABP, Lp-PLA2 and PCT are sensitive; and can serve as diagnostic indicators of stable angina pectoris for fast treatment. Furthermore, the detection of inflammatory biomarkers was found to be an additional diagnostic parameter in stable angina.
The PJI-TNM classification for periprosthetic joint infections
Authors: Baertl Susanne , Rupp Markus , Kerschbaum Maximilian , Morgenstern Mario , Baumann Florian , Pfeifer Christian , Worlicek Michael , Popp Daniel , Amanatullah Derek F. , Alt Volker
Published: January 2024

Aims

This study aimed to evaluate the clinical application of the PJI-TNM classification for periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) by determining intraobserver and interobserver reliability. To facilitate its use in clinical practice, an educational app was subsequently developed and evaluated.

Methods

A total of ten orthopaedic surgeons classified 20 cases of PJI based on the PJI-TNM classification. Subsequently, the classification was re-evaluated using the PJI-TNM app. Classification accuracy was calculated separately for each subcategory (reinfection, tissue and implant condition, non-human cells, and morbidity of the patient). Fleiss’ kappa and Cohen’s kappa were calculated for interobserver and intraobserver reliability, respectively.

Results

Overall, interobserver and intraobserver agreements were substantial across the 20 classified cases. Analyses for the variable ‘reinfection’ revealed an almost perfect interobserver and intraobserver agreement with a classification accuracy of 94.8%. The category 'tissue and implant conditions' showed moderate interobserver and substantial intraobserver reliability, while the classification accuracy was 70.8%. For 'non-human cells,' accuracy was 81.0% and interobserver agreement was moderate with an almost perfect intraobserver reliability. The classification accuracy of the variable 'morbidity of the patient' reached 73.5% with a moderate interobserver agreement, whereas the intraobserver agreement was substantial. The application of the app yielded comparable results across all subgroups.

Conclusion

The PJI-TNM classification system captures the heterogeneity of PJI and can be applied with substantial inter- and intraobserver reliability. The PJI-TNM educational app aims to facilitate application in clinical practice. A major limitation was the correct assessment of the implant situation. To eliminate this, a re-evaluation according to intraoperative findings is strongly recommended.

Cite this article: Bone Joint Res 2024;13(1):19–27.
A Study on the Photocatalytic and Antimicrobial Activities of Chitosan–ZnO Nanocomposites
Authors: K. Jothivenkatachalam  , A. Nithya  , S. Karthikeyan
Published: January 2024

ZnO nanoparticles can have their size, crystalline phase and aggregation inhibited by the biocompatible polymer chitosan. The production of ZnO nanoparticles with chitosan assistance was carried out using Sol-gel methodology. The nanoparticles have been studied using XRD, TGA, Surface analysis and HR-TEM. According to the findings, ZnO nanoparticles have a hexagonal shape and a particle size of roughly 91 nm. The synthesized nanoparticles exhibit improved photocatalytic activity for reactive dyes for Congo red when exposed to sunlight. The Langmuir-Hinshelwood (L-H) model revealed that the kinetics followed a pseudo-first-order. Additionally, the antibacterial activity was tested against the gram-negative Escherichia coli bacteria.
Investigation of Dielectric Properties of Potato, Tomato and Onion Juices at Microwave Frequencies
Authors: V. Ravika  , K. S. Sharma
Published: January 2024

The dielectric properties of fresh juices of Solanum tuberosum (potato), Solanum lycopersicum (tomato) and Allium cepa (onion) were measured in terms of the dielectric constant and dielectric loss factor, over a frequency range from 1 to 50 GHz and at temperatures ranging from 30 to 60 °C, by using the PNA network analyzer model E8364C and open-ended coaxial probe 85070E. A prediction of relaxation frequencies of molecules for the three different juices was done and their molecular behavior was then studied by plotting dielectric constant vs. frequency and dielectric loss factor vs. frequency curves in the frequency range from 1 to 50 GHz at four different temperatures from 30 to 60 °C. The dielectric properties of food products play a crucial role in determining their heating behavior when subjected to an electromagnetic field. Understanding these properties is essential for the development of microwave pasteurization and sterilization processes tailored to various food products.
Evaluation of Groundwater Chemistry and Multivariate Statistical Studies in Parts of Tirupur District, India
Authors: S. Vikashini  , K. Raja  , R. Malathy  , S. Anandaraj
Published: January 2024

Groundwater quality at any location depends on the mutual possessions of several progressions beside the subsurface flow path. The natural history and degree of infectivity in a particular region can be ascertained by hydro-chemical statistics. In order to assess the groundwater chemistry and its appropriateness for consumption purposes, sixty-three subsurface water samples were analyzed. Based on the perceptive of the hydro-geological and groundwater environment, the chemical characteristics of the groundwater were evaluated.  The favored parameters for the quality assessment were major anions and cations along with pH, turbidity, total dissolved solids, total hardness, fluoride and iron as trace metals.  Total dissolved solids distribution, hydro-chemical facies, Piper diagram, factor analysis, correlation studies and cluster analysis were done to monitor the study zone. The total dissolved solids (TDS) were clustered independently. It was concluded from the assessment that the groundwater of the Tirupur region was critically deteriorated by different anthropogenic activities.
Optimization for Removal of COD and BOD through RSM-CCD by Activated Sludge Treatment Process for Pharmaceutical Wastewater
Authors: K. Anil Kumar  , Sunil Shrivastava  , Aliya Tabassum  , Sumit Roy  , Rohit Raikwar  , Isha Katare  , S. Ashok Kumar  , Sarita Sharma
Published: January 2024

Wastewater generated from home and commercial operations is a polluting component of water. One of the main contributors for the production of wastewater by various manufacturing processes is the pharmaceutical industry. The commercial operations of industry are causing an increase in the amount of organic and inorganic contaminants, such as total suspended solids, chemical oxygen demand (COD) and biological oxygen demand (BOD). Activated sludge process reduces COD, BOD and Total Suspended Solids (TSS), with three input variables: pH, time and Mixed Liquor Suspended Solids (MLSS). The Central Composite Design-Response Surface Methodology (CCD-RSM) is used to optimize responses for COD and BOD removal efficiency. To achieve optimization results, numerous sets of trials were conducted for the input variables - pH (4.2–6.5), time (12–30 h) and MLSS (2520–4310 mg/l). The analyzed models were shown to be quadratic and highly significant by the F-value and P-value. The regression coefficients (R2) for the quadratic models developed for removal efficiency, COD, and BOD5 are 0.9996, 0.9995 and 0.9996, respectively. According to CCD-RSM, the optimal matching input factors for the greatest removal efficiency of BOD and COD were: MLLS = 3415 mg/l, time = 21 h and pH = 5.35. Using the traditional method, the maximum removal (95%) of BOD and COD was seen at pH = 6.5, time = 12 h and MLLS = 4310 mg/l.
“Ten Thousand Pardons”: Accusations of Clerical Misconduct in St. Peter’s Parish, 1806–1809
Authors: O’Donnell Catherine
Published: January 2024

Abstract: This essay reconstructs accusations of clerical misconduct in one of the new nation’s most prominent parishes, St. Peter’s Parish, Manhattan. This episode, which unfolded from the fall of 1806 through the spring of 1809, offers a window onto painful histories. We see the way that the rumors and reality of clerical violations of celibacy concatenated with existing tensions among clergy, trustees, and prelate and between national-origin groups. We see how a prelate’s determination to treat accused clergy fairly and charitably created the possibility of additional misconduct. By witnessing accused priests defending themselves from accusations that threatened their status, livelihood, and sense of self—while fellow clergy worked to unearth evidence against them and lay leaders took an expansive view of their temporal authority—we gain insight into the world of parish priests. Finally, the crisis also offers glimpses of how a woman caught up in these accusations tried to defend her interests.
Developing HESA Graduate Student Critical Consciousness in a Diversity in HIED Course
Authors: Camargo Elsa , Shelton Leslie Jo , Thompson Charles J
Published: January 2024

Abstract: This study uses a critical consciousness framework to understand the experiences of higher education and student affairs (HESA) graduate students in an elective Diversity in HIED course. We drew from narrative inquiry to analyze data from selected student coursework in online discussion board conversations and journal entries. Students demonstrated building a foundation for engagement with critical consciousness, particularly through themes of interest in the emotions that surfaced during the course, reconceptualizing “diversity,” and how to apply their learning to HESA practice. Participant learning reflected that HESA graduate programs can foster an important foundation for personal and professional development in this area. This knowledge can help faculty and supervisors support HESA graduate students’ learning and preparation for active engagement regarding critical consciousness in HESA practice.
Reparations, Time, and Decolonizing Postcolonial Violence towards Global Gender Justice
Authors: Agathangelou Anna M. , Baekova Aibakyt , Bengezi Khaoula
Published: January 2024

Abstract: Reparations are emerging as a world-making project, as a political goal that moves us beyond models of responsibility that come primarily in the form of bombs and sexual violence as we have seen in the United Nation's Responsibility to Protect (R2P). In this paper, we argue that reparations are a world-making project which challenges simultaneously colonization and enslavement in their newer incarnations of capital and gendered violence in war. We first engage with the debates on violence and postcoloniality. Second, we engage with the politics of reparations and gender. To do so we focus on feminist transformative reparations and repair debates. Some of the mainstream literature of liberal and progressive orientations remain within the realm of integrating survivors of violence within racial-national compacts, thereby evading the inter-related forms of violence and extractions that underwrite such integration and social compacts. Third, we turn to reparations, gender, and time. Fourth, we work towards a definition of radical repair. Fifth, we consider reparative practices as decolonization movement in its multiple registers—as acts of undoing structures of violence and its incarnation/s in war, and as acts of justice—moving beyond the dominant juridical or financial definitions of reparations (as established by the colonial state, or by capitalist legal systems) to think reparation as an active process oriented towards futures that does not lose sight of the ongoing 'liveness' of the colonial. Finally, in the concluding section, we discuss reparations as abolition. We argue that transformative reparations are not mere restitutions but attempts to challenge presuppositions about the world and its making as well as abolish this "simple" and death world, while envisioning reparations as solidarity and love, in the heterogeneity of bodies, words, affects, sounds, movements, and intensities.
Lifting as We Climb: The Development of a Support Group for Underrepresented Minority Medical Students
Authors: Isaac Kathleen
Published: January 2024

Abstract: Structural racism affects health care systems and leads to disparities that impact medical treatment. The lack of multiracial and multiethnic representation among health care professionals negatively impacts outcomes for patients, who often distrust medical treatment across racial and ethnic lines. This article discusses the origin and development of an affinity psychotherapy group for racial and ethnic minority medical students at a medical school. To address the mental health needs of those who are underrepresented in medicine, the group supported students while offering interventions to address the impact of institutional racism on their lives and careers. The author draws on some of her personal experiences in describing the group’s development and process to illustrate the fostering of support.
"These Small Sumptomes of My Obediense": Negotiating Father-Son Conflict through Letter-Writing in Early Modern England
Authors: Benzaquén Adriana
Published: January 2024

Abstract: This article explores the fraught relationship between an English adolescent, Edward Clarke, and his father through analysis of close to two hundred letters written between 1667 and 1672, while Edward—who would grow up to be John Locke's closest friend and a Whig MP—was a student at Oxford and the Inner Temple. I focus on money and health, the two topics that preoccupied Edward and his father the most, to show how they negotiated the terms of their relationship and grappled with issues of authority, status, duty and obligation, affection, and trust as the son's condition shifted gradually from dependence toward independence.
"We Are Making Good under the Honor System": The Social Rehabilitation of Juvenile Males through Militarism, Moral Reform, and Enforced Work Routines at the British Columbia Boy's Industrial School, 1919–1934
Authors: Thomson Gerald
Published: January 2024

Abstract: Industrial schools were the dominant mechanisms for the social rehabilitation of wayward juveniles in North America from the late nineteenth to mid-twentieth century. The research concerning such schools in shaping young lives is scattered within the historiography of youth. Girls were taught domestic skills and boys were trained in trades such as agriculture. Forced labor was not punishment but seen as moral uplift for troubled youth. This article studies the British Columbia Boy's Industrial School from 1919 to 1934 under David Blackwood Brankin, whose "honor system" combined discipline, strict work routines, regimented leisure, and a minimum of compulsory schooling. Brankin's court missionary work in Great Britain and military career shaped his vision of juvenile social rehabilitation until his retirement in 1934. His replacement was an educator trained in psychology and mental hygiene methods of youth reclamation.
From Discipline Power to Pastoral Care: "Tattare," "Gypsies," and Education in Sweden, 1923–1960
Authors: Axelsson Thom
Published: January 2024

Abstract: In the context of compulsory schooling in Sweden, this article discusses the shift from what was often called "the Tattare problem" to, later, "the Gypsy question." The article frames the discussion with reference to Michel Foucault and his concepts of discipline power and pastoral power. The central question addressed is how the schools dealt with students from these groups. Children, especially their care and handling, were an important focus of welfare politics in Sweden. This meant that childhood was a significant field of governance, which became obvious in schools' work with "Tattare" and "Gypsy" children. This article highlights how the tone towards these groups changed, especially in the 1940s. Over time, these students were seen as more malleable by institutions and their agents, which exerted pastoral power by guiding and leading them in order to shape the minds of these future citizens.
The Self-Education of Rae Spiegel (Raya Dunayevskaya): Child Radicalism and Abolitionist Pedagogies at the Crossroads of Great Migrations
Authors: Johnson W. Chris
Published: January 2024

Abstract: This essay explores pedagogies of abolition in the wake of World War I through the intellectual biography of Rae Spiegel, the child revolutionary who became economist, feminist, and Marxist-Humanist philosopher Raya Dunayevskaya. Anchoring her work in the tradition of nineteenth-century abolitionists, Dunayevskaya co-constructed schools of insurgency and outlets for the creative expression of subjugated peoples, including youth, for over sixty years. Offering critical and contextual readings of Dunayevskaya's archives of girlhood, this study locates the roots of her abolitionist pedagogies in Black study, cross-racial and cross-generational collaborations, and "Baby Red" revolts against schooling across two empires. It argues that Dunayevskaya deployed story, personal history, and the archive as pedagogical invitations to self-teaching and radical forms of collectivity.
The Brethren of Purity on Justice for Animals and the Moral Demands of Rational Hierarchy
Authors: Somma Bligh
Published: January 2024

abstract: This paper intervenes in a contemporary debate on the animal ethics of the Brethren of Purity's (Iḫwān al-Ṣafāʾ) epistle on animals. I argue that they present a case for justice for animals by rejecting the fallacious link between ontological superiority and moral superiority. Since human beings are vice-regents of God and since the rational soul is the vice-regent, the Brethren's account of human beings as superior in virtue of their rationality establishes a moral obligation toward animals. The Brethren develop this account partially under the influence of the Muʿtazilī theological tradition, and as a result, their position falls in line with other positions on justice for animals found during their time. Even on the issue of animal use, the Brethren maintain that the human need for animal labor emphasizes the obligation to treat animals justly. In the end, the greater rational capacity of human beings entails greater moral responsibility toward animals, not moral impunity.
The Boundaries of Existence: Mendelssohn's Proof in Light of Wolff and Boscovich
Authors: Camposampiero Matteo Favaretti
Published: January 2024

abstract: By revisiting the Phädon 's proof of the indestructibility of the soul, this paper casts light on the sources that lie in the background of Mendelssohn's dialogue. After discussing Wolff's use of the Law of Continuity against the possibility of natural annihilation as a precedent for Mendelssohn's argument, I show that the latter is also heavily indebted to Boscovich's argument against the possibility of contiguity in the continuum. I contend that Mendelssohn's appropriation of Boscovich's argument is influenced by Wolff's treatment of the hypothesis of the soul's transformation. I conclude with some remarks on Kant's refutation of the Phädon 's proof in light of his possible acquaintance with Boscovich's natural philosophy.
Sainte-Beuve's Quixotic Response to Hugo's Shakespeare
Authors: Navas-Solé Roger
Published: January 2024

ABSTRACT: This article studies Charles-Augustin Sainte-Beuve's and Victor Hugo's clashing perspectives on Don Quijote in texts written in 1864, namely, the former's review of Doré's illustrations for the novel and the latter's Shakespeare . Considering the intellectual history between the two, the article argues that they use Don Quijote to promote their different literary and political agendas, which leads to overly complicated readings of the novel. They both interpret Sancho's way of dealing with Quijote as a metaphor for the attitude that the French nation should have towards Napoleon III, but they fundamentally disagree in their descriptions of that relationship.
Narrative Beginnings: Relations between First Full-Fledged Scenes and the Beginning of the Main Action
Authors: Segal Eyal
Published: January 2024

ABSTRACT: This essay focuses on two important phenomena in the context of narrative “beginnings”: the beginning of the action proper and the first full-fledged scene (FFS), namely, the first time-section in the text that the author finds to be of consequence enough to deserve full scenic treatment. The point of departure for my discussion is Meir Sternberg’s claim that the FFS always signals the beginning of the action proper (and the end of the exposition) in the fabula. To refute this as an absolute claim, I examine several types of openings where the FFS either succeeds or precedes chronologically the beginning of the action proper. I thereby also try to demonstrate it is instructive to consider the FFS more generally as significant on aesthetic and rhetorical grounds within the narrative whole; it can perform various and possibly alternative functions to the one Sternberg attributes to it as necessary and constant. Moreover, regarding the question of establishing the beginning point of the action proper, I suggest as an alternative signpost another full-fledged scene—the first in what I call the “main linear sequence” of the work (the application of both criteria often leads to the same result, but not always). This alternative indicator is not without its limitations either, but these limitations are methodologically useful since they help us identify and explain cases where the demarcation between exposition and action proper is genuinely problematic (when it is difficult to identify a main linear sequence in the work).
“Nothing was solved, only accelerated”: Contemporary Berlin Novels as Gentrifictions
Authors: Henryson Hanna , Sulimma Maria
Published: January 2024

ABSTRACT: As a contribution to the growing scholarly debate on literary representations of gentrification, this article explores a tendency of contemporary, Berlin-set fiction to depict accelerating gentrification processes as an imminent apocalypse. While earlier gentrification fiction frequently centered on the struggles of a male character, this article turns to recent female-authored and female-centered narratives of gentrification, thus highlighting the relevance of gender for literary gentrification studies. Based on readings of four novels by German and US-American authors, the main contribution of the article is the delineation of a new hybrid subgenre of gentrification fiction and dystopian fiction—the accelerated gentrifiction . A further major finding is the identification of a standardized female gentrifier character type as an essential feature of this subgenre. The relative flatness of these protagonists results from their shared lack of action and emotional response when facing the consequences of complex social and ecological issues such as accelerated gentrification.
Bibliographic Metaparatexts and the Author Function of Librarians
Authors: King Rob E.
Published: January 2024

ABSTRACT: Through subject heading analysis of a popular culture franchise’s bibliographic records across its transmedia, library catalogers as well as metadata librarians are shown as authors of impactful metaparatext. In terms of reception studies, metaparatext intervenes in readers’ receptions of sought narratives. In this study, the Hellraiser franchise is chosen for rich subject analysis, providing one narrative mediated in books, VHS, DVD, Blu-ray, and graphic novels temporally across decades and assigned descriptive metadata, such as subject headings, by librarians. The subject analysis produces an accumulated narrative of metaparatext authored by cataloging and metadata librarians that attempts to describe the “aboutness” of the narrative text from the satellite positionality of bibliographic records—outside of the text, a paratext of aboutness. When it is acknowledged that librarians’ bibliographic services fulfill a paratextual author function in the process of text-to-reader reception, value is added to the field of bibliographic librarianship, and its impact on theories of reception and narratology is established. In this study, the analysis of Hellraiser ’s accumulated narrative produces a three-narrative structure, that of the patron’s narrative, the cataloger’s narrative, and the popularity and audience narrative. These three narratives mirror the messaging and reception process exhibited in the rhetorical triangle, producing the context for reader, author, and historicity or “the where” of reception. In situating bibliographic metadata as impactful metaparatext that intervenes in a reader’s reception of a narrative, this paper extends the research of library experts Jack Andersen, Rachel Sagner Buurma, Jon Shaw, and Roswitha Skare in its inclusion of reception studies and subject analysis lens of accumulated narrativity.
Misreadings, Self-Misprisions, and Fabricated Resolutions in Joyce’s “The Dead”
Authors: Richardson Brian
Published: January 2024

Abstract: Joyce’s “The Dead” contains a number of partial and misleading narratives related in an unexpected manner, and as such greatly rewards a narrative- centered analysis. Misinterpretation is general in this work; one might argue that the text is primarily a record of Gabriel’s repeated misinterpretations of the people and narratives around him. This is true of the women he interacts with; most egregiously, he does not even imagine that his wife has a story independent of her life with him. An attention to narrative and interpretation in turn leads to a different reading of the ending of the text. Far from being a definitive epiphany that finally reveals the bitter truth about himself and his marriage, Gabriel’s closing convictions are yet additional misinterpretations about his marriage, his situation, and his life, and rather Romantic ones at that, which the reader trained by this text would be wise to question and reject in favor of a more skeptical conclusion. In addition, the kind of third-person narration with a single focalizer for nearly all of the text lends itself to the kind of misleading conclusions which Margot Norris has identified; this strategy reproduces and even re-enacts the text’s larger hermeneutical dramas, as the reader is challenged to see through a rhetoric that naturalizes an ideological perspective that seems untroubled by imperial rule.
Transferring Power to Maintain Control: Decentralization as a National-Level Electoral Strategy in Western Europe
Authors: Meguid Bonnie M.
Published: January 2024

abstract: Why do national governments choose to transfer some of their administrative, political, and fiscal powers to regional authorities? This article develops and tests a nationally focused strategic account: decentralization is a targeted means to bolster a governing party's national-level electoral strength by appeasing the voters of threatening ethnoterritorial parties in national parliamentary elections. Statistical analyses of decentralization across the subnational regions of Western European countries confirm that governing parties transfer additional competencies to regions in which an ethnoterritorial party threat exists, when the government is legislatively vulnerable. In contrast, if a government is not dependent on a region for maintaining national parliamentary control, the presence of a strong ethnoterritorial opponent will not motivate the government to decentralize. These findings help to explain patterns of asymmetrical decentralization across regions within a country and why governing parties decentralize competencies to subnational governments that they do not expect to control.