bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Process Integration of Hydrogen Production Using Steam Gasification and Water‐Gas Shift Reactions: A Case of Response Surface Method and Machine Learning Techniques
Authors: Okoji Anthony Ikechukwu , Taiwo Abiola Ezekiel , Adeoye John Busayo , Musonge Paul , Makinde David Olamide , Okoji Comfort Nneka
Published: May 2024

An equilibrium‐based steady‐state simulator model that predicts and optimizes hydrogen production from steam gasification of biomass is developed using ASPEN Plus software and artificial intelligence techniques. Corn cob’s chemical composition was characterized to ensure the biomass used as a gasifier and with potential for production of hydrogen. Artificial intelligence is used to examine the effects of the significant input variables on response variables, such as hydrogen mole fraction and hydrogen energy content. Optimizing the steam‐gasification process using response surface methodology (RSM) considering a variety of biomass‐steam ratios was carried out to achieve the best results. Hydrogen yield and the impact of main operating parameters were considered. A maximum hydrogen concentration is found in the gasifier and water‐gas shift (WGS) reactor at the highest steam‐to‐biomass (S/B) ratio and the lowest WGS reaction temperature, while the gasification temperature has an optimum value. ANFIS was used to predict hydrogen of mole fraction, 0.5045 with the input parameters of S/B ratio of 2.449 and reactor pressure and temperature of 1 bar and 848°C, respectively. With the steam‐gasification model operating at temperature (850°C), pressure (1 bar), and S/B ratio of 2.0, an ASPEN simulator achieved a maximum of 0.5862 mole fraction of hydrogen, while RSM gave an increase of 19.0% optimum hydrogen produced over the ANFIS prediction with the input parameters of S/B ratio of 1.053 and reactor pressure and temperature of 1 bar and 850°C, respectively. Varying the gasifier temperature and S/B ratio have, on the other hand, a crucial effect on the gasification process with artificial intelligence as a unique tool for process evaluation, prediction, and optimization to increase a significant impact on the products especially hydrogen.
Drug-Induced and Malignancy-Associated Neutrophilic Dermatoses in Patients with Hematologic Malignancies: A Single Institution Experience
Authors: deCampos-Stairiker Mallory , Kody Shannon , Meyers Gabrielle , Maxson Julia , Ortega-Loayza Alex G.
Published: May 2024

Introduction: Neutrophilic dermatoses (NDs) often occur secondary to inflammatory conditions, medication exposure, and hematologic malignancy. While malignancy-associated NDs (MA-NDs) have been well reported among those with hematologic cancers, little is known about drug-induced NDs (DI-NDs) within this population. The objective of this study was to compare the presentations and outcomes of patients with hematologic malignancies who developed MA-NDs and DI-NDs. Methods: Cases of ND occurring between 2013 and 2023 among those with hematologic malignancies were identified from the electronic medical records of our institution. Patient characteristics, recent medication exposures, cancer mutations, and disease outcomes were reviewed. Patients were categorized with DI-ND if they were recently exposed to one of four medications known to be commonly associated with ND or were otherwise categorized with MA-ND. We report a descriptive analysis of cases of DI-ND and MA-ND. Results: We identified 52 patients with ND and co-occurring hematologic malignancy including 16 cases of DI-ND (30.8%) and 36 cases of MA-ND (69.2%). The most common ND in both groups was Sweet’s syndrome. Chronic underlying conditions including solid tumors, inflammatory disorders, chronic viral infection, and tobacco use were more common among those with MA-ND. Among those with DI-ND, tyrosine kinase inhibitors were the most commonly associated drugs (43.8%). The most common cancer mutation among those with DI-ND was FLT3 (43.8%), while the most common mutation among those with MA-ND was TP-53 (19.4%). Among those who had died at the time of data collection, 90.0% of those with DI-ND and 66.7% of those with MA-ND died within 1 year of ND diagnosis. Conclusion: Most cases of ND occurring with hematologic malignancies develop secondary to cancer rather than drug exposure. Different cancer mutations may predispose to DI-ND and MA-ND. Further research is needed to establish diagnostic criteria for DI-ND and to determine the pathogenic role of specific cancer mutations, particularly FLT3, in the development of ND.
"Homeopathy is not placebo effect": proof of scientific evidence for homeopath
Authors: Teixeira Marcus Zulian
Published: May 2024

Homeopathy is a medical practice recognized worldwide for more than two centuries that employs a clinical approach based on heterodox and complementary scientific principles (principle of therapeutic similarity, homeopathic pathogenetic experimentation, use of individualized medicines and dynamized or potentiated doses), with the aim of awaken a healing response in the body. Based on premises different from those used by conventional medical practice, homeopathy is often the target of criticism. With the aim of clarifying doctors, researchers, health professionals and the general public, demystifying any dogmatic positions, this work aims to update and clarify knowledge in the area. In addition to elucidating in detail the epistemological premises of the homeopathic model, the work describes the various aspects of basic and clinical research, which endorse homeopathic practice and treatment in a continuum of information, data and bibliographic references. The work discusses several topics related to research in homeopathy, ranging from “homeopathic clinical epidemiology” to “pseudosceptic and pseudoscientific strategies used in attacks on homeopathy”, including “pharmacological bases of the principle of similarity”, “experimental studies in biological models”, “ randomized controlled clinical trials”, “systematic reviews, meta-analyses and global reports” and “observational studies”, among others. Acting as an integrative and complementary therapy to other specialties, homeopathy can add efficacy, effectiveness, efficiency and safety to medical practice, acting in a curative and preventive manner, reducing symptomatic manifestations and the predisposition to illness, with low cost and minimal adverse events.
Estratégias participativas direcionadas às pessoas com necessidade de internação psiquiátrica: revisão integrativa
Authors: Tavares Izabella de Góes Anderson Maciel , Peres Maria Angélica de Almeida , Cardoso Rosane Barreto , Menescal Livia Lopes , Barroso Tereza Maria Mendes Dinis de Andrade
Published: May 2024

Objetivo: analisar as evidências científicas sobre estratégias para promover a participação dos usuários no cuidado durante a internação psiquiátrica. Metodologia: revisão integrativa com busca nas bases de dados Biblioteca Virtual de Saúde, PubMed, Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online; Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, PsycInfo e Scientific Electronic Library Online. Resultados: foram analisados 9 estudos. Destes, 2 abordaram os cuidados orientados para a recuperação, 2 o envolvimento do usuário na troca de turnos, seguido por um artigo sobre cada um dos temas: Programa Tomada de Decisão Compartilhada, Programa Star Wards, terapia para o ambiente, utilização do Tidal Model e Posto de Enfermagem aberto. Conclusão: a prática na internação em saúde mental tem avançado no cuidado centrado no usuário, todavia, esse contexto detém desafios maiores atribuídos aos comprometimentos e manifestações das psicopatologias e, ainda, ao modelo biomédico que reverbera nesses espaços. Entende-se ser necessário o investimento em estratégias que alinhem o envolvimento do usuário, preconizado na contemporaneidade e as particularidades ambientais e sindrômicas da enfermaria psiquiátrica.
O partido da incerteza e as células combatentes: tons e políticas do ensaio na crítica latino-americana
Authors: Miranda Gabriel Fernandes de
Published: May 2024

This article tries to define some tendencies of use and conceptualization of the essay in Latin-American literary criticism, more specifically in the intercession between Argentina and Brazil. Through the reading of some seminal texts on the essay as a genre and some Latin-American texts published on the last two decades, we argue that there is an “uncertainty party” that insists on the indetermination as a defining feature of the essay form. We argue, however, that an unlimited potentiality of the essay, when institutionalized, can lead to a loss of political potential for this form. Therefore, we will try to point to some possible relations between essay and politics that reappear even in those discourses that try to push away the essay form from the political dispute.
Influence of dietary mulberry leaf on the nutritional composition of mulberry silkworm, Bombyx mori L. at different developmental stages
Authors: Pongworn S. , Wongsa J. , Vatanyoopaisarn S. , Thumthanaruk B. , Uttapap D. , Lamsal B. , Rungsardthong V.
Published: May 2024

The distribution of mulberry leaf nutrients and trace elements into silkworm larvae over its development into pupa was investigated for potential novel food applications. Four stages of chronologically collected silkworm larvae, fed with mulberry leaves, were sampled. Proximate composition, vitamin A, β-carotene, mineral, fatty, and amino acid profiles were analyzed. The highest protein content was 63.68% in the fourth instar, whereas lipid was markedly highest at 31.85% in pupa. Magnesium and potassium were found to exceed the Thai recommended daily intake standard (RDI) in almost all stages, except for the potassium in the pupa. Vitamin A in the third to fifth instar was also found to be more than Thai RDI. The distinct highest zinc and fatty acid content were detected in the pupa. Monounsaturated fatty acids were detected at the highest levels in all stages. Sulfur-containing amino acids were abundant in the fifth instar. The fourth instar, the fifth instar, and the pupa are recommended as sources of protein, amino acids, fatty acids, and lipids in developing suitable food products.
The first Asian record of Pogonatum capense (Hampe) A. Jaeger (Polytrichaceae) from the Western Ghats of India
Authors: DANIELS D.T.T. , BEN C.P. , DANIELS A.E.D.
Published: May 2024

N/A
Eriosema magnum (Leguminosae), a new species from cerrado region of Goiás, Brazil
Authors: FORTUNA-PEREZ ANA PAULA , PAVAN CAMPOS RENAN , SOARES GISSI DANILO , DA SILVA MARCOS JOSÉ
Published: May 2024

During a floristic study in Legado Verdes Cerrado region in Goiás state (Niquelândia municipality), Brazil, a new species of Eriosema genus was discovered. Eriosema magnum is here described and illustrated and its morphological similarities with its closest relatives are presented. The geographical distribution, conservation status, and information about flowering and fruiting are provided. Additionally, a dichotomous key to the taxa of Eriosema that occurs in the Legado Verdes do Cerrado was done.
A review of Coelopoetinae (Lepidoptera, Gelechioidea, Pterolonchidae), a moth subfamily confined to western North America, with descriptions of seven new species
Authors: KAILA LAURI
Published: May 2024

Systematics and taxonomy of the gelechioid subfamily Coelopoetinae are reviewed. Following the current classification, this group is considered to form its own monotypic subfamily in Pterolonchidae with one recognized genus, Coelopoeta, after a convoluted and, in part, arguably conjectural, historical systematic treatment. On morphological basis (appearance, male genitalia) and with support from DNA barcodes, the genus is divided into two discrete units probably meriting recognition as separate genera. The species groups are informally treated as the nominate C. glutinosi species group, and the C. fissurina species group. In the absence of knowledge of females or the biologies of any of the species of the C. fissurina group, species of both groups are here provisionally included in Coelopoeta. In total, 10 species are recognized, seven of which are here described as new: C. glutinosi species group: C. alboflava Kaila, sp. nov., C. aprica Kaila, sp. nov., C. aurora Kaila, sp. nov., C. fulminea Kaila, sp. nov. and C. sariae Kaila, sp. nov.; C. fissurina species group: C. fissurina Kaila, sp. nov. and C. valalbui Kaila, sp. nov. The three previously known species, C. glutinosi Walsingham, 1907, C. maiadella Kaila, 1995 and C. phaceliae Kaila, 1995 are redescribed. All three of these species belong to the glutinosi species group. A lectotype is designated for C. glutinosi Walsingham, 1907. Some southwestern Coelopoeta species are potentially under threat of decline or even extinction due to the apparently increasingly intense and frequent forest fires. This threat is significant as the species with known life histories spend their entire life cycles above ground in low vegetation.
A potentially endangered new species of the genus Rowlandius (Arachnida: Schizomida: Hubbardiidae) from Northeastern Brazil
Authors: SILVA IARA SIQUEIRA SANTOS , SANTOS ADALBERTO J. , CARVALHO LEONARDO SOUSA
Published: May 2024

A new species of schizomid, Rowlandius ufpi sp. nov., is described based on individuals collected in gallery and riverine forests in a Cerrado-Caatinga ecotone in northeastern Brazil. Rowlandius ufpi sp. nov. is the sixth species of the genus found in Brazil and raises to 62 the number of described species of genus Rowlandius. This is also the first epigean species of Rowlandius inhabiting a Brazilian dry forest leaf litter. Males of Rowlandius ufpi sp. nov. can be easily distinguished from other conspecifics by the presence of three depressions in the dorsal region of the flagellum, with the posteromedian depression located in the posterior third part of the dorsal surface. The females of Rowlandius ufpi sp. nov. are recognized by the sub-square shaped spermathecae with short median lobes.
A new species of Janiralata Menzies, 1951 (Isopoda: Asellota, Janiridae) from Korea
Authors: KIM JEONGHO , LEE TAEKJUN
Published: May 2024

A new isopod species, Janiralata kwangsooi sp. nov., from Dokdo Island located in the East Sea off the Korean Peninsula is described here. This species is distinguished from its congeners by the number of antennular articles, setation of mouthparts and pereopods, length and width ratio of appendages, and shape of male pleopods I and II. To aid species identification, a taxonomic key to species of Janiralata Menzies, 1951 in the Japanese and Korean waters is provided. A partial sequence of mitochondrial cytochrome-c-oxidase (COI) of this new species is also provided for DNA barcoding and compared with those of congeners publicly available in GenBank.
Curtara DeLong & Freytag, 1972 (Cicadellidae: Iassinae: Gyponini) from Parque Nacional do Itatiaia, Southeastern Brazil: description of six new species and new species records
Authors: LARANJEIRA VANESSA CRISTINA , GONÇALVES CLAYTON CORRÊA , TAKIYA DANIELA MAEDA
Published: May 2024

Six new species of Curtara are described, all with type-locality at Parque Nacional do Itatiaia, Itatiaia municipality, Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil: (1) Curtara (Curtara) andresi sp. nov. with the posterodorsal margin of the male pygofer forming a slightly sclerotized triangular projection and curved internally, style with apex rounded with dorsal spine, aedeagus with a pair of elongated falcate atrial processes, and shaft with a pair of short lateral subapical processes, directed ventrally; (2) Curtara (C.) dilatata sp. nov. with style with apex hook-shaped, aedeagus with a pair of elongated and apically expanded atrial processes, apical portion of shaft with a pair of short spiniform lateral asymmetrical processes, directed dorsally; (3) Curtara (C.) itatiaia sp. nov. male pygofer with posterodorsal margin forming an inner serrated lobe, style with apex foot-shaped, aedeagus with a pair of elongated falcate atrial processes, and shaft with a pair of preapical bifurcated ventrolateral processes; (4) Curtara (C.) maculosa sp. nov. male pygofer posterodorsal margin forming a digitiform process serrated along inner margin, style slender with acute apex, aedeagus with a pair of elongated falcate atrial processes, and shaft sinuous with an apical pair of bifurcated processes; (5) Curtara (C.) monteiroi sp. nov. male pygofer posterodorsal margin forming an inner serrated lobe, style slender with acute apex, aedeagus with a pair of delicate and long atrial processes, and shaft with a pair of long apical processes directed ventrally; and (6) Curtara (C.) umbra sp. nov. male pygofer posterodorsal margin forming a slightly sclerotized triangular projection and curved internally, style with apex rounded with dorsal spine, aedeagus with a pair of elongated acute bilobed atrial processes, and shaft with a pair of short lateral apical processes, directed ventrally. In addition, nine species of Curtara were recorded for the first time from the National Park and five species represent new state records: Curtara antica (Stål, 1862), Curtara atomaria (Stål, 1862), Curtara patula (Delong & Freytag, 1974) [new record for RJ], Curtara (Curtara) concava DeLong & Freytag, 1976 [new record for RJ], Curtara (Curtara) diagonala DeLong & Freytag, 1976, Curtara (Curtara) mejdalanii Coelho & Da-Silva, 2002, Curtara (Curtara) pagina DeLong & Freytag, 1976 [new record for MG], Curtara (Curtara) tupy Coelho & Da-Silva, 1996 [new record for RJ and MG], and Curtara (Curtarana) luda DeLong & Freytag, 1976 [new record for RJ].
3. The Case of Japan
Authors: Mehl Margaret
Published: May 2024

Chapter 3, ‘The Case of Japan’ briefly outlines the process that led to Japan’s extreme course is outlined briefly in The main intention with this chapter is to position Japan in the wider field of musical encounters, and to provide readers unfamiliar with Japan with the necessary context for what follows in the other parts of the book. No comprehensive survey is attempted, as this would fill a book in its own right (although the chapter includes a brief survey of developments after the period treated in the book). Particular attention is given to effects of the social transformations after 1868 on indigenous musics and the relationship between Japanese and Western music.
4. From Rites and Music to National Music
Authors: Mehl Margaret
Published: May 2024

Chapter 4, ‘From Rites and Music to National Music’, shows how both in Europe and in the Sinosphere (East Asian Cultural Sphere), of which Japan was a part, concepts of music were intimately linked to concepts of civilization. When Japan embarked on re-inventing itself as a modern nation, modelled on the most powerful Western nations, Eastern and Western conceptions of civilization became intertwined. A remarkable example of this process is Konakamura Kiyonori’s book Kabu ongaku ryakushi (A concise history of singing, dancing and music in Japan, 1888), the first work of its kind. It includes two prefaces, one written in Sinitic (kanbun) – unlike the work itself –, by a leading scholar of Chinese learning, and one in English by Basil Hall Chamberlain, recently appointed the first professor of Japanese philology at the Imperial University of Tokyo. Together with these, the work, in effect, straddles two epistemes. Most significantly, it served to both elevate the music of the common people of Japan to a national asset while simultaneously legitimizing musical borrowing, whether from China in the past or the West in the present.
The Role of Temperature and Rainfall in Traffic Congestion: Evidence from 98 Chinese Cities
Authors: Wu Jingwen , Zhang Chen
Published: May 2024

Improving the performance and resilience of the transportation system in cities is an important way to combat climate change. However, the relationship between weather conditions and traffic congestion remains unclear. This study investigates the association between weather conditions and traffic congestion [congestion delay index (CDI)] using a dataset encompassing 98 cities in China from 2015 to 2019. The results reveal that temperature exerts a significant negative effect on CDI, particularly during weekends. Conversely, rain, wind speed, and relative humidity exhibit significant positive effects on CDI. Specifically, traffic congestion would decrease by 6% when the temperature exceeds 25°C, while it increases by 2%–5.6% with rainfall increases on workdays. Besides, the precipitation–CDI relationship shows an inverse U shape, especially on weekends. Although subways could mitigate the impact of temperature on cities compared to those without subways, the supplementary effect is mild on rainy days.

Significance Statement

The increasing frequency of extreme weather events poses great threats to cities’ transport systems, and understanding the association between weather conditions and traffic congestion is insightful for future transport planning. The results show that traffic congestion would decrease by 6% when the temperature exceeds 25°C, while it increases by 2%–5.6% with rainfall increases on workdays and the association becomes nonlinear on weekends. Besides, cities equipped with subway systems demonstrate greater resilience to hot weather conditions, although rainfall’s impact remains challenging to mitigate.
On the Logic of the Unconscious Conception of Causation Part I: The Oedipal Meta-Wish and the Sexualization of Asymmetric Time
Authors: Saad Amit
Published: May 2024

The direction of time is often defined by describing asymmetries between past and future events, referred to as “time-arrows.” Two important time-arrows are the mutability time-arrow, which specifies that the past is unalterable, while the future is not; and the causal time-arrow, which stipulates that past events may cause future events, but not vice versa. The author argues that the unconscious conception of causation expressed in both the oedipal myth and certain oedipal wishes negates the mutability and causal time-arrows. The author suggests, therefore, distinguishing between oedipal phantasies that undermine the ordinary conceptions of causation and time (such as the wish of being one’s own parent), and classical content that is in line with our time perception (such as sexual and aggressive wishes toward parents). Analyzing clinical examples suggests that some patients’ oedipal phantasies are combined with unconscious sexual satisfaction from the asymmetric conception of time. When this sexual satisfaction is analyzed, they might expose the oedipal phantasies founded on the symmetric conception of time.
A SARS-CoV-2 minimum data standard to support national serology reporting
Authors: Urwin Esmond , Martin Joanne , Sebire Neil , Harris Andy , Johnson Jenny , Masood Erum , Milligan Gordon , Mairs Lucy , Chuter Antony , Ferguson Michael , Quinlan Philip , Jefferson Emily
Published: May 2024

Background

Healthcare laboratory systems produce and capture a vast array of information, yet do not always report all of this to the national infrastructure within the United Kingdom. The global COVID-19 pandemic brought about a much greater need for detailed healthcare data, one such instance being laboratory testing data. The reporting of qualitative laboratory test results (e.g. positive, negative or indeterminate) provides a basic understanding of levels of seropositivity. However, to better understand and interpret seropositivity, how it is determined and other factors that affect its calculation (i.e. levels of antibodies), quantitative laboratory test data are needed.

Method

36 data attributes were collected from 3 NHS laboratories and 29 CO-CONNECT project partner organisations. These were assessed against the need for a minimum dataset to determine data attribute importance. An NHS laboratory feasibility study was undertaken to assess the minimum data standard, together with a literature review of national and international data standards and healthcare reports.

Results

A COVID serology minimum data standard (CSMDS) comprising 12 data attributes was created and verified by 3 NHS laboratories to allow national granular reporting of COVID serology results. To support this, a standardised set of vocabulary terms was developed to represent laboratory analyser systems and laboratory information management systems.

Conclusions

This paper puts forward a minimum viable standard for COVID-19 serology data attributes to enhance its granularity and augment the national reporting of COVID-19 serology laboratory results, with implications for future pandemics.
The Launch of Massachusetts Community Health Worker Certification: Findings From the Massachusetts Community Health Worker Workforce Surveys
Authors: Nielsen Victoria M. , Ursprung W.W. Sanouri , Song Glory , Hirsch Gail , Mason Theresa , Santarelli Claire , Guimaraes Erica , Marshall Erica , Allen Caitlin G. , Lei Pei-Pei , Brown Diane , Behl-Chadha Bittie
Published: May 2024

Objectives:

The launch of state certification for community health workers (CHWs) in Massachusetts in 2018 aimed to promote and champion this critical workforce. However, concerns exist about unintentional adverse effects of certification. Given this, we conducted 2 cross-sectional surveys to evaluate this certification policy.

Methods:

We conducted surveys of CHW employers and CHWs in 3 sample frames: community health centers and federally qualified health centers, acute-care hospitals, and community-based organizations. We administered the surveys in 2016 (before certification launch) and 2021 (after certification launch) to answer the following questions: Was certification associated with positive outcomes among CHWs after its launch? Did harmful shifts occur among the CHW workforce and employers after certification launch? Was certification associated with disparities among CHWs after its launch?

Results:

Certification was associated with higher pay among certified (vs noncertified) CHWs, better perceptions of CHWs among certified (vs noncertified) CHWs, and better integration of certified (vs noncertified) CHWs into care teams. We found no adverse shifts in CHW workforce by sociodemographic variables or in CHW employer characteristics (most notably CHW employer hiring requirements) after certification launch. After certification launch, certified and uncertified CHWs had similar demographic and educational characteristics. However, certified CHWs more often worked in large, clinical organizations while uncertified CHWs most often worked in medium-sized community-based organizations.

Conclusions:

Our evaluation of Massachusetts CHW certification suggests that CHW certification was not associated with workforce disparities and was associated with positive outcomes. Our study fills a notable gap in the research literature and can guide CHW research agendas, certification efforts in Massachusetts and other states, and program efforts to champion this critical, grassroots workforce.
Data infrastructuring in schools: New forms of professional edu-data expertise and agency
Authors: Grant Lyndsay
Published: May 2024

The digitalisation and datafication of education has raised profound questions about the changing role of teachers’ educational expertise and agency, as automated processes, data-driven analytics and accountability regimes produce new forms of knowledge and governance. Increasingly, research is paying greater attention to the significant role of digital intermediaries, ‘in-between’ edtech or State authorities and the classroom itself, in educational transformations. School data infrastructures, understood as comprising diverse sociomaterial elements including teachers, data, software, standards and pedagogical practices, is one such intermediary through which teacher expertise and agency is reconfigured. In this paper, I focus on teachers’ involvement in processes of data infrastructuring in which people, platforms, systems and tools come together to create, enable and maintain data flows. Drawing on a sociomaterial ethnography of a secondary school in England, I analyse the work of a school data office in the behind-the-scenes work of data infrastructuring. The findings detail the significant labour and expertise involved in data infrastructuring, the dynamic, expanding and bespoke nature of the school data infrastructures that emerged, and processes of decontextualising and recontextualising numbers. The paper argues that the work of data infrastructuring undertaken by and through the school data office was an intermediary process which worked to both de-professionalise and re-professionalise teachers in new ways. In the process, this created new kinds of educational data experts and expertise, who gained significant influence and power within and beyond the school, both challenging and reinforcing existing organisational and governing power flows.
Evaluation of the effect of enriched hydrogen saline solution on distant organ (lung) damage in skeletal muscle ischemia reperfusion in rats
Authors: Özer Abdullah , Erel Selin , Küçük Ayşegül , Demirtaş Hüseyin , Sezen Şaban Cem , Boyunağa Hakan , Oktar Gürsel Levent , Arslan Mustafa
Published: May 2024

Introduction

Ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury is a major concern that frequently occurs during vascular surgeries. Hydrogen-rich saline (HRS) solution exhibits antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. This study aimed to examine the effects of HRS applied before ischemia in the lungs of rats using a lower extremity IR model.

Material and Methods

After approval was obtained from the ethics committee, 18 male Wistar albino rats weighing 250–280 g were randomly divided into three groups: control (C), IR and IR-HRS. In the IR and IR-HRS groups, an atraumatic microvascular clamp was used to clamp the infrarenal abdominal aorta, and skeletal muscle ischemia was induced. After 120 min, the clamp was removed, and reperfusion was achieved for 120 min. In the IR-HRS group, HRS was administered intraperitoneally 30 min before the procedure. Lung tissue samples were examined under a light microscope and stained with hematoxylin-eosin (H&E). Malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, total sulfhydryl (SH) levels, and histopathological parameters were evaluated in the tissue samples.

Results

MDA and total SH levels were significantly higher in the IR group than in the control group ( p < 0.0001 and p = 0.001, respectively). MDA and total SH levels were significantly lower in the IR-HRS group than in the IR group ( p < 0.0001 and p = 0.013, respectively). A histopathological examination revealed that neutrophil infiltration/aggregation, alveolar wall thickness, and total lung injury score were significantly higher in the IR group than in the control group ( p < 0.0001, p = 0.001, and p < 0.0001, respectively). Similarly, alveolar wall thickness and total lung injury scores were significantly higher in the IR-HRS group than in the control group ( p = 0.009 and p = 0.004, respectively). A statistically significant decrease was observed in neutrophil infiltration/aggregation and total lung injury scores in the IR-HRS group compared to those in the IR group ( p = 0.023 and p = 0.022, respectively).

Conclusion

HRS at a dose of 20 mg/kg, administered intraperitoneally 30 min before ischemia in rats, reduced lipid peroxidation and oxidative stress, while also reducing IR damage in lung histopathology. We believe that HRS administered to rats prior to IR exerts a lung-protective effect.
Difficult texts: the Our Father or Lord’s Prayer
Authors: Lindley Richard
Published: May 2024

Couplets have long been recognized as a feature of Hebrew literature and of the Our Father (the Lord’s Prayer). However, their use in the Our Father may be greater than has previously been noted. In addition, concepts such as kingdom, Father and evil can have wider connotations in this context.
Scottish softwood biochar for water remediation targeting selected persistent organic pollutants
Authors: Jamal Mohammad Umair , Fletcher Ashleigh , Baby Alan , Maso Isaac , Šiller Lidija
Published: May 2024

A Scottish wood biochar sample was investigated for water remediation against persistent organic pollutants as a potential renewable material for adsorption processes. Textural characterisation gave a high surface area (588 m2/g) and a mix of microporous and mesoporous nature with an average pore width of 4 nm. Morphological analysis revealed a layered carbon structure and spectroscopic analysis showed the presence of oxygen and nitrogen-based functionalities alongside 80% atomic carbon. The biochar had an average point of zero charge of 7.44 ± 0.2. 3,4-Dichloroaniline kinetic rates were rapid (<5 min), restricting kinetic analysis, while a pseudo-second-order kinetic model was best suited to represent the kinetic data for acetaminophen and carbamazepine, suggesting chemical control. The adsorption equilibria were most appropriately described by the Sips isotherm model, further supporting the chemical control theory for a multilayer system. Maximum adsorption capacity was 126 mg/g for acetaminophen removal, 40 mg/g for carbamazepine and 83 mg/g for 3,4-dichloroaniline. The biochar demonstrated good removal efficiency against all target species, showing potential as an adsorbent for water remediation.
In Search of Fundamental Fairness and Equal Protection: The Role of the U.S. Supreme Court in Shaping American Democracy
Authors: Rubin Ellen V. , Baker Keith P. , Song Youjung , Kellough J. Edward
Published: May 2024

In July 2023, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled on two cases: Students for Fair Admissions vs. the University of North Carolina and Students for Fair Admissions v. President and Fellows of Harvard College, effectively prohibiting the use of race as one of many factors in college or university admissions decisions. To explore these two cases, we conducted a content analysis of the legal briefs, the final court ruling, concurrences, and dissents. In its ruling, the Court did not overturn precedents upholding affirmative action, but the majority interpreted those prior cases in such a way that makes it impossible to justify the use of race in college admissions. Although these cases are from the context of higher education, the ruling highlights the fragility of affirmative action generally and may challenge the legal and regulatory structure that underpins many other important civil rights issues.
Fatigue-resistant design of carbon/epoxy composites based on a failure tensor polynomial model by particle swarm optimization-sequential quadratic programming algorithm
Authors: Deveci Hamza Arda , Artem Hatice Seçil , Güneş Mehmet Deniz , Tanoğlu Metin
Published: May 2024

This article introduces a design procedure to find the optimum fiber orientations of carbon/epoxy composite laminates for fatigue life advancement. The approach incorporates a fatigue failure tensor polynomial model and employs a hybrid algorithm, combining particle swarm optimization and sequential quadratic programming. Firstly, material properties of quasi-static and fatigue of the carbon/epoxy composites, fabricated by the vacuum-assisted resin transfer molding method, were determined to be used in the model. Various design problems involving two optimization scenarios were then solved using the hybrid algorithm. The algorithm’s performance was also evaluated by specific test problems, confirming its speed and robustness. The optimally fiber-oriented carbon/epoxy composite laminates having maximum fatigue lives were obtained for many critical in-plane cyclic loading cases. To validate the proposed design procedure, two optimum designs were experimentally verified under uniaxial loading conditions. The results indicated a good correlation between the estimated fatigue life of the optimally designed laminates and experimental data. This methodology offers a promising approach for the design of carbon/epoxy composite laminates with superior fatigue strength, particularly significant in specific industrial applications.
Building Breastfeeding Research Relations and Beyond: An Interview With Fiona Dykes
Authors: Cassidy Tanya M. , Dykes Fiona
Published: May 2024

Professor Fiona Dykes is Professor Emerita of Maternal and Infant Health at the University of Central Lancashire in the United Kingdom (UCLAN). Fiona has a particular interest in the global, sociocultural, and political influences upon infant and young child feeding practices; her methodological expertise is in ethnography and other qualitative research methods. She founded the Maternal and Infant Nutrition and Nurture Unit (MAINN) in 2000 which she led until she retired from her full-time professorship in 2020. Fiona established the associated MAINN Conference in 2007. The MAINN conference is a 3 day, international, peer reviewed event held bi-annually in the United Kingdom and, more recently, in alternate years overseas (Sydney, Australia; Falun, Dalarna, Sweden; and Florida, United States). The conference draws together key researchers in the field of infant and young child feeding from around the world. Fiona was a founding member of the journal Maternal and Child Nutrition. She is author of Breastfeeding in Hospital: Mothers, Midwives and the Production Line (Routledge) and co-author, with Dr Tanya Cassidy, of Banking on Milk: An Ethnography of Donor Human Milk Relations (Routledge). She is also joint editor of several books including Infant and Young Child Feeding: Challenges to Implementing a Global Strategy (Wiley-Blackwell) and Ethnographic Research in Maternal and Child Health (Routledge). This interview was conducted on April 20, 2023, by Dr. Tanya Cassidy, and is based on a verbatim transcription and edited for readability.

TC = Tanya Cassidy; FD = Fiona Dykes
Optimizing Finerenone in People With Diabetes and Chronic Kidney Disease: An Opportunity for the Pharmacist
Authors: Goldman Jennifer D.
Published: May 2024

Objective: This review aims to emphasize the role of pharmacists for optimization of evidence-based outcomes of finerenone in multidisciplinary kidney care teams during the early detection process of CKD patients. Data Sources: A PubMed literature search was performed using keywords pharmacists, chronic kidney disease (CKD), type 2 diabetes (T2D), and finerenone. Study Selection and Data Extraction: All English-language studies on the role of pharmacists in managing CKD patients or finerenone prescriptions were evaluated. Data Synthesis: CKD is a major health problem affecting millions worldwide, especially those with T2D. In recent years, new drugs have been added to the treatment options for patients with T2D and CKD, which have been shown to reduce the risk of cardiovascular and renal complications in large clinical trials. Conclusions: Pharmacists can help detect and treat CKD in patients with T2D. They may use indicators to identify potential candidates for appropriate finerenone therapy, such as stage of CKD, albuminuria level, serum potassium concentration, and use of RAAS inhibitors. Pharmacists can provide education on the benefits and usage of finerenone, monitor response to therapy, adjust the medications and doses, prevent drug interactions, help with adherence and tolerability issues, and coordinate with other healthcare providers.
Exploring Psychedelics for Alleviating Existential and Spiritual Suffering in People With Serious Illnesses: Links to the Theory of Self-Transcendence
Authors: Garcia Ana Cláudia Mesquita , Maia Lucas Oliveira , Reed Pamela G.
Published: May 2024

The fields of palliative and holistic Nursing are dedicated to providing comprehensive care for the person, emphasizing special attention to the existential and spiritual aspects of care. Psychedelic-assisted therapy has emerged as a promising approach for symptom management in individuals with serious illnesses, particularly those of existential and spiritual origin. People who undergo challenging experiences, as is the case with serious illnesses, often undergo an identity crisis and question the purpose of their lives. Psychedelic therapy, when conducted properly by trained professionals, can facilitate self-exploration and self-transcendence, opening doors to states of expanded consciousness and fostering a profound connection with oneself. This experience can help patients develop a greater sense of self-awareness and a deeper understanding of their existential and spiritual issues, enabling them to find meaning and inner peace. The Theory of Self-Transcendence theory provides a Nursing framework for understanding how psychedelic-assisted therapy can facilitate, through self-transcendence, the journey of spiritual and existential healing, offering the possibility of achieving wellbecoming from a state of vulnerability.
Crediting or blaming theories or auxiliary assumptions for empirical victories or defeats
Authors: Trafimow David , St Quinton Tom , Weber Mallory
Published: May 2024

There is no direct way for researchers to test theories. One reason is that theories contain nonobservational terms that refer to unobservable entities. Consequently, researchers add auxiliary assumptions to aid in traversing the distance between theories and empirical hypotheses. The results may confirm the empirical hypothesis, an empirical victory, or the results may disconfirm the empirical hypothesis, an empirical defeat. Either way, it is not clear whether to make an attribution to the theory, the auxiliary assumptions, or both. The present goal is to review techniques researchers have employed, or could employ, that aid in assessing the weight of the evidence with respect to crediting or blaming theories or auxiliary assumptions for empirical victories or defeats.
Trichotillomania: A perspective from bibliometric analysis
Authors: Ertürk Emre , Aktepe Evrim , Eroğlu Doğan Havvanur
Published: May 2024

Aim: Trichotillomania, an obsessive-compulsive-related disorder, is defined by the recurrent act of pulling out one’s own hair from different areas of the body. Despite the considerable body of research dedicated to the subject of trichotillomania, the overarching trends that unify these studies remain obscure. The purpose of the present bibliometric analysis was to ascertain these trends.

Method: To achieve this objective, we conducted a thorough search of publications in the Web of Science database and subsequently evaluated the acquired data using VOSviewer software.

Results: The most cited article on trichotillomania was written by Simonoff et al. The most prolific writer on trichotillomania is Grant JE. The most publications on the subject of trichotillomania were published in the “Journal of Obsessive Compulsive and Related Disorders” and the most frequently repeated keyword is trichotillomania. Trichotillomania studies have focused on treatment, clinical features, and other accompanying psychiatric conditions.

Conclusion: Potential areas of research could include treatment methods in addition to the psychiatric and physical comorbidities of trichotillomania, and efforts to enhance international collaborations in this domain should be intensified.
European Homicide Monitor: Research, New Developments, and Future
Authors: Kivivuori Janne , Liem Marieke , Markwalder Nora
Published: May 2024

Homicide as the most serious form of lethal violence has always represented an important research focus in criminology. Much of the existing research, however, is based on aggregated homicide data and is limited to macrolevel analyses. The European Homicide Monitor (EHM) is an initiative promoting standardized international data collection, with the aim of collecting disaggregated and detailed data on homicide. Originally developed by researchers from the Netherlands, Sweden, and Finland, the EHM coding scheme is currently applied in several European countries. In this article, we take stock of the use of the EHM approach by describing its key principles and aims. We also review research conducted within the EHM framework and identify the most significant developments in its use, such as expanding to the Global South, to the historical past, and to more accurate measurement of drug-related incidents. We conclude this investigation by discussing the challenges facing future research in this domain.
Ophthalmologists’ awareness of geographic atrophy: An Italian survey including 365 participants
Authors: Arrigo Alessandro , Aragona Emanuela , Allamprese Michele , Battaglia Parodi Maurizio
Published: May 2024

Purpose

Geographic atrophy (GA) is a severe complication of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and leads to irreversible visual decline. To date, no effective treatment is available for GA patients. However, a number of new therapies have recently been approved and several others are in the pipeline. This rapid evolution of prospects for GA patients requires constant updating of ophthalmologists’ understanding of GA and its management so as to provide the appropriate treatment. For this reason, Società Italiana di Scienze Oftalmologiche (S.I.S.O.) has designed a specific survey to gauge the position of Italian ophthalmologists in this regard.

Methods

The three hundred and sixty-five Italian ophthalmologists who agreed to take part received a seventeen-part questionnaire guaranteeing privacy and anonymity. The survey was compiled through an online portal and the results were sent directly to S.I.S.O. ETS. Two graders analyzed the data and recorded the results.

Results

The results showed a high level of self-assessed awareness and understanding of GA, as well as considerable willingness to further improve knowledge of the disease. Most of the participants claimed to have effective rules of conduct in place for managing GA patients, including prompt response, involving a high prevalence of nutraceutical prescriptions and lifestyle recommendations.

Conclusions

This survey provided an overview of how GA patients are managed in Italy. The Italian ophthalmology community appears to be ready to adopt the upcoming treatments for GA.
Efficacy of Treatments in Reducing Inflammatory Lesion Count in Rosacea: A Systematic Review
Authors: Geng Ryan S. Q. , Sood Siddhartha , Hua Nicholas , Chen Jennifer , Sibbald Ronald G. , Sibbald Cathryn
Published: May 2024

Introduction:

Rosacea is a chronic inflammatory skin condition affecting approximately 5.5% of the global population. Patients present heterogeneously with a mix of features in the central facial region, of which papules and pustules are considered to be a major feature. The identification of effective treatments for reducing inflammatory lesions in rosacea can alleviate the psychosocial burden that many rosacea patients experience, including reduced self-esteem, anxiety, and social withdrawal. The objective of this systematic review is to determine the effectiveness of topical and systemic therapies in reducing lesion count in rosacea patients.

Methods/Results:

Medline, Embase, and Cochrane CENTRAL databases were searched, resulting in the inclusion of 43 clinical trials reporting on a total of 18,347 rosacea patients. The most well-studied treatments include ivermectin, metronidazole, azelaic acid, minocycline, and doxycycline. Oral isotretinoin was the most effective treatment in reducing inflammatory lesions and may be recommended for severe recalcitrant cases of rosacea.

Conclusions:

Several topical and systemic therapies have demonstrated efficacy in reducing inflammatory lesion count in rosacea patients, with mechanisms of action centred around suppressing inflammation and killing Demodex folliculorum mites. Additional research is required to determine effective combination therapies in rosacea.