bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Retention of zirconia crown to oxidized titanium base abutment: Experimental research
Authors: Krongvanitchayakul Rawikorn , Kunavisarut Chatchai
Published: October 2023

Statement of problem

To separate the crown from the titanium base abutment, by using heat, caused oxidization of the titanium base abutment. The effect of this procedure on the retention of a crown is unclear.

Purpose

To compare the resin bond strength and failure type between zirconia crowns and titanium base abutments utilizing four different surface treatments. Surface roughness and morphology of each surface treatment were also investigated.

Material and methods

Forty titanium base abutments (Variobase®) were divided into four groups, 1. Control, 2. Air abraded, 3. Oxidized, and 4. Oxidized-air abraded. Oxidized and oxidized-air abraded groups were debonded from zirconia crowns using constant dry heat at 500 ˚C. For air abraded and oxidized-air abraded groups (after oxidization), the titanium base abutments were air abraded with Al3O2. After cleaning, one specimen of each group was investigated under a non-contact profilometer (50x), then the same samples were investigated under SEM at 25,300,500,1000 magnification and EDS at 30kV of accelerated voltage. All specimens were then cemented (RelyX Ultimate). After aging, with thermocycling under 5C° to 55C°,120 seconds dwell time for 5,000 cycles, bond strength was tested and statistical differences were calculated with One-way ANOVA (p-value <0.05) follow by Tukey test. All separated crowns and titanium base abutments were investigated under a light microscope (20x), using fisher’s exact test for correlation of the failure types.

Results

There was a significant difference in the mean value of tensile bond strength among the control and test groups. Comparisons between control(237.6±46.3N) and oxidized(241.7±46.3N) showed statistically different values from air abraded(372.9±113.2N) when assembled using different surface treatments of the titanium-based abutments. (p-value<0.005) As for failure type, there were statistically significant differences between control versus air abraded, control versus oxidized-air abraded, oxidized versus air abraded, and oxidized versus oxidized-air abraded. (p-value<0.001) The titanium surface morphology shown from the profilometer and SEM was coordinated. Control (Ra 333.8nm) and oxidized (Ra 321.0nm) groups surfaces showed smooth, corrugated surfaces, meanwhile air abraded (Ra 476.0nm) and oxidized-air abraded (Ra 423.8nm) groups showed rough, rugged surfaces.

Conclusion

Heat oxidization of titanium-based abutments did not adversely affect tensile bond strength or the failure mode and surface roughness between titanium base abutments and zirconia crowns. However, air abrasion of the titanium surface increased surface roughness and retentive strength.

Clinical implications

The titanium base abutments that were oxidized under heat treatment did not have an effect on crown retention. Thoroughly air abraded the titanium abutment prior to cementation can increase cement bond strength.
A machine learning approach to graduate admissions and the role of letters of recommendation
Authors: Zhao Yijun , Chen Xiaoyu , Xue Haoran , Weiss Gary M.
Published: October 2023

The graduate admissions process is time-consuming, subjective, and complicated by the need to combine information from diverse data sources. Letters of recommendation (LORs) are particularly difficult to evaluate and it is unclear how much impact they have on admissions decisions. This study addresses these concerns by building machine learning models to predict admissions decisions for two STEM graduate programs, with a focus on examining the contribution of LORs in the decision-making process. We train our predictive models leveraging information extracted from structured application forms (e.g., undergraduate GPA, standardized test scores, etc.), applicants’ resumes, and LORs. A particular challenge in our study is the different modalities of application data (i.e., text vs. structured forms). To address this issue, we converted the textual LORs into features using a commercial natural language processing product and a manual rating process that we developed. By analyzing the predictive performance of the models using different subsets of features, we show that LORs alone provide only modest, but useful, predictive signals to admission decisions; the best model for predicting admissions decisions utilized both LOR and non-LOR data and achieved 89% accuracy. Our experiments demonstrate promising results in the utility of automated systems for assisting with graduate admission decisions. The findings confirm the value of LORs and the effectiveness of our feature engineering methods from LOR text. This study also assesses the significance of individual features using the SHAP method, thereby providing insight into key factors affecting graduate admission decisions.
Do deepfake videos undermine our epistemic trust? A thematic analysis of tweets that discuss deepfakes in the Russian invasion of Ukraine
Authors: Twomey John , Ching Didier , Aylett Matthew Peter , Quayle Michael , Linehan Conor , Murphy Gillian
Published: October 2023

Deepfakes are a form of multi-modal media generated using deep-learning technology. Many academics have expressed fears that deepfakes present a severe threat to the veracity of news and political communication, and an epistemic crisis for video evidence. These commentaries have often been hypothetical, with few real-world cases of deepfake’s political and epistemological harm. The Russo-Ukrainian war presents the first real-life example of deepfakes being used in warfare, with a number of incidents involving deepfakes of Russian and Ukrainian government officials being used for misinformation and entertainment. This study uses a thematic analysis on tweets relating to deepfakes and the Russo-Ukrainian war to explore how people react to deepfake content online, and to uncover evidence of previously theorised harms of deepfakes on trust. We extracted 4869 relevant tweets using the Twitter API over the first seven months of 2022. We found that much of the misinformation in our dataset came from labelling real media as deepfakes. Novel findings about deepfake scepticism emerged, including a connection between deepfakes and conspiratorial beliefs that world leaders were dead and/or replaced by deepfakes. This research has numerous implications for future research, societal media platforms, news media and governments. The lack of deepfake literacy in our dataset led to significant misunderstandings of what constitutes a deepfake, showing the need to encourage literacy in these new forms of media. However, our evidence demonstrates that efforts to raise awareness around deepfakes may undermine trust in legitimate videos. Consequentially, news media and governmental agencies need to weigh the benefits of educational deepfakes and pre-bunking against the risks of undermining truth. Similarly, news companies and media should be careful in how they label suspected deepfakes in case they cause suspicion for real media.
Development of a research mentorship guide and consensus statement for low- and middle-income countries: Results of a modified Delphi process
Authors: Kennedy Fiona , Steiner Annabel , Tucker Joseph D. , Kaba Mirgissa , Abdissa Alemseged , Fongwen Noah , Kpokiri Eneyi E.
Published: October 2023

Background

Institutional research mentorship is a form of mentorship whereby institutions foster mentor-mentee relationships. Research mentorship improves research effectiveness and supports relationships. However, resources are needed in order to institutionalize research mentorship tailored to low- and middle- income countries (LMICs). The aim of this study was to develop a consensus document on institutionalizing research mentorship through a modified Delphi process as part of the practical guide development process.

Methods

This study used a two-round modified Delphi process, which is an iterative, structured approach of consensus decision making. Each participant was asked about a series of items related to research mentorship using Likert scale questions. Agreement for each item was pre-defined as ≥80% of participants rating the item as “agree” or “strongly agree.” The items that reached agreement, were then discussed during round two at an in-person conference in Ethiopia. A separate group of individuals only participated virtually. For the final consensus survey, response rates and commenting rates (participants who wrote two or more comments) were compared among conference and non-conference participants.

Results

The Delphi process led to the inception of three main themes in terms of developing research mentorship: leveraging existing resources, measuring and evaluating institutional mentorship, and encouraging a research mentorship life cycle. During the virtual first round, 59% (36/61) participants who were emailed completed the survey. In the second round, conference participants had a response rate of 79% (11/14) compared to non-conference participants with a response rate of 45% (21/47). Conference participants had a 100% (11/11) commenting rate whereas non-conference participants had a 38% (8/21) commenting rate. This study achieved consensus in both survey rounds for all 35 items on the consensus document.

Conclusions

The data suggest that an in-person conference may increase participant engagement. The consensus developed through a modified Delphi method directly informed a practical guide on institutionalizing research mentorship in LMICs.
Subsurface fracturing of sedimentary stones caused by bullet impacts
Authors: Campbell Oliver , Blenkinsop Tom , Mol Lisa , Gilbert Oscar
Published: October 2023

The immovable nature of built heritage means that it is particularly vulnerable during times of armed conflict. Although impacts from small arms and shrapnel leave relatively inconspicuous impact scars, they elevate the risk of future stone deterioration. This study investigates the subsurface damage caused by bullet impacts, which is not apparent from surface inspection, in order to better understand the geometry and mechanics of this form of conflict damage to heritage. Controlled firearm experiments were conducted to simulate conflict damage to sandstone and limestone buildings. The bullet impacts created conical fractures or zones of increased fracture intensity below the impact, radial fractures, and spallation, in addition to a crater. Dynamic fracture distinguishes the formation of these features from quasi static cone crack experiments, while the lack of a shockwave differentiates these bullet impacts from hypervelocity experiments. Damage was created by momentum transfer from the bullet, so that differences in target properties had large effects on the nature of the damage. The crater in the limestone target was almost an order of magnitude deeper than the sandstone crater, and large open fractures formed in the limestone below the crater floor, compared with zones of increased fracture intensity in the sandstone target. Microstructural analysis of subsurface damage showed that fracture intensity decreased with increasing distance from the impact centre, suggesting that regions proximal to the impact are at increased risk of future deterioration. Conical subsurface fractures dipping away from the impact beneath multiple impact craters could link up, creating a continuous fracture network. By providing pathways for moisture and other weathering agents, fractures enlarge the region at increased risk of deterioration. Their lack of surface expression makes understanding their formation a vital part of future surveying and post conflict assessments.
The acoustical behavior of a bass guitar bridge with no saddles
Authors: Kemp Jonathan A.
Published: October 2023

The acoustics of a bass guitar bridge without saddles was tested experimentally and the results contextualised. Conclusions were obtained demonstrating that the bridge without saddles (where knot around the ball end of the string forms part of the sounding length) produced no measurable reduction in sustain and may increase the sustain for lower pitched strings, in comparison to a conventional bridge featuring saddles. The bridge without saddles showed a reduction in string inharmonicity, and produced a splitting of the frequency peaks associated within the resonances of the string. This peak splitting is explained as being due to differences in the frequency of vibrations parallel to and perpendicular to the body. Since the loop of core wire strongly resists vibration perpendicular to the body but vibrates freely as part of the sounding length for vibration parallel to the body, the relative length of the loop of core wire with respect to the sounding length of the string determines the fractional difference in frequency. The perceptual quality of the sound is similar to the beating due to multiple strings per note (as in piano) and to electronic chorus effects.
Modelling arts professionals’ wellbeing and career intentions within the context of COVID-19
Authors: Spiro Neta , Shaughnessy Caitlin , Waddell George , Perkins Rosie , Campbell Aifric , Williamon Aaron
Published: October 2023

The COVID-19 pandemic had a substantial effect on the creative and cultural industries in the United Kingdom (UK), as seen in our first snapshot of the HEartS Professional Survey (April–June 2020, Phase 1, N = 358). By analysing data collected one year later (April–May 2021, Phase 2, N = 685), the aims of the current study are to trace the contributors to (1) arts professionals’ mental and social wellbeing and (2) their expectations of staying in the arts. Findings show that artists continued to experience challenges in terms of finances, and mental and social wellbeing. Over half of the respondents reported financial hardship (59%), and over two thirds reported being lonelier (64%) and having increased anxiety (71%) than before the pandemic. Hierarchical multiple linear regression models, using the Mental Health Continuum-Short Form, Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale, Social Connectedness Scale, and Three-Item Loneliness Scale as outcome variables, indicate that perceived financial hardship continued to be associated with higher depression and loneliness scores. As in our first study, more physical activity before lockdown was associated with higher wellbeing and social connectedness scores, and higher self-rated health scores were associated with higher wellbeing and lower depression scores. Similarly, increases in physical activity during lockdown, as well as older age, were still associated with higher wellbeing and social connectedness scores and with lower depression and loneliness scores. An ordinal logistic regression model indicated three contributors to artists’ professional expectations of remaining in the arts: greater proportion of income from the arts pre-pandemic, continued maintenance of skills, and greater proportion of freelance work. The results suggest that the wellbeing patterns observed at the start of the pandemic remained consistent a year on. They point to possible strategies to support wellbeing and underline the importance of finances for expectations of remaining in arts professions.
Identification of the genetic basis of pediatric neurogenetic disorders at a tertiary referral hospital in Indonesia: Contribution of whole exome sequencing
Authors: Triono Agung , Iskandar Kristy , Hadiyanto Marissa Leviani , Nugrahanto Andika Priamas , Diantika Kania , Wijayanti Veronica Wulan , Herini Elisabeth Siti
Published: October 2023

Background

Neurogenetic disorders (NGDs) are complex Mendelian disorders that affect the neurological system. A molecular diagnosis will provide more information about pathophysiology, prognosis, and therapy, including future genetic therapy options. Whole-Exome Sequencing (WES) can rapidly discover the genetic basis in NGDs.

Objective

The purpose of this study was to assess the WES results and its value in diagnosing pediatric NGDs, especially those with unspecified clinical features.

Methods

A retrospective chart review was performed from May 2021- February 2023 in Dr. Sardjito General Hospital, a tertiary referral hospital in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. WES proband only was conducted on children aged 0 to 17 years old who met one or more of the following criteria: (1) epileptic encephalopathy and familial epilepsy; (2) complex neurodevelopmental phenotypes; (3) leukodystrophy; (4) movement disorders; and (5) neurocutaneous disorder. The WES was conducted in the certified laboratory, 3Billion, in Seoul, Korea.

Results

The diagnosis yield of WES in our study was 45% (9/20). We identified nine positive results, including eight pathogenic single nucleotide variants (SNVs) in 8 genes (KCNQ2, ARSA, UBE3A, IRF2BPL, ATM, MECP2, TSC2, and NF1), and one variant with uncertain significance (VUS) in the ADK gene that has not been able to explain the observed clinical features. Of the nine patients with positive WES results, five had missense mutations, three frameshift mutations, and one nonsense mutation. Additionally, we identified two suggestive copy number variants (CNVs) in 15q11.2q13.1 and 1p31.3.

Conclusions

Whole-Exome Sequencing is an essential diagnostic tool for pediatric NGDs, especially those with unspecified clinical features. It ends multi-year diagnostic odysseys, provides personalized medicine therapy, and optimizes genetic counselling for these families.
Substance use and pre-hospital crash injury severity among U.S. older adults: A five-year national cross-sectional study
Authors: Adeyemi Oluwaseun , Bukur Marko , Berry Cherisse , DiMaggio Charles , Grudzen Corita R. , Konda Sanjit , Adenikinju Abidemi , Cuthel Allison , Bouillon-Minois Jean-Baptiste , Akinsola Omotola , Moore Alison , McCormack Ryan , Chodosh Joshua
Published: October 2023

Background

Alcohol and drug use (substance use) is a risk factor for crash involvement.

Objectives

To assess the association between substance use and crash injury severity among older adults and how the relationship differs by rurality/urbanicity.

Methods

We pooled 2017–2021 cross-sectional data from the United States National Emergency Medical Service (EMS) Information System. We measured injury severity (low acuity, emergent, critical, and fatal) predicted by substance use, defined as self-reported or officer-reported alcohol and/or drug use. We controlled for age, sex, race/ethnicity, road user type, anatomical injured region, roadway crash, rurality/urbanicity, time of the day, and EMS response time. We performed a partial proportional ordinal logistic regression and reported the odds of worse injury outcomes (emergent, critical, and fatal injuries) compared to low acuity injuries, and the predicted probabilities by rurality/urbanicity.

Results

Our sample consisted of 252,790 older adults (65 years and older) road users. Approximately 67%, 25%, 6%, and 1% sustained low acuity, emergent, critical, and fatal injuries, respectively. Substance use was reported in approximately 3% of the population, and this proportion did not significantly differ by rurality/urbanicity. After controlling for patient, crash, and injury characteristics, substance use was associated with 36% increased odds of worse injury severity. Compared to urban areas, the predicted probabilities of emergent, critical, and fatal injuries were higher in rural and suburban areas.

Conclusion

Substance use is associated with worse older adult crash injury severity and the injury severity is higher in rural and suburban areas compared to urban areas.
Polymorphic variations and mRNA expression of the genes encoding interleukins as well as enzymes of oxidative and nitrative stresses as a potential risk of nephrolithiasis development
Authors: Wigner-Jeziorska Paulina , Grębowski Radosław , Saluk Joanna , Bijak Michał , Szemraj Janusz
Published: October 2023

Urolithiasis is one of the most common urological diseases worldwide with an unclear aetiology. However, a growing body of evidence suggests the potential role of molecular disturbances of the inflammation as well as oxidative and nitrative stresses, in the pathogenesis of urolithiasis. Therefore, we aimed to detect the potential association between six selected single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and the development of nephrolithiasis. Moreover, we verified the association of urolithiasis development and mRNA expression of IL-6, IL-8, SOD2, and NOS2 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Total genomic DNA and mRNA were isolated from the peripheral blood of 112 patients with urolithiasis and 114 healthy subjects. Using Taq-Man® probes, we genotyped the following SNPs: rs1800797 and rs2069845 in IL-6, rs2227307 in IL-8, rs4880 in SOD2, rs2297518 and rs2779249 in NOS2. In turn, the evaluation of mRNA expression was performed using real-time PCR and 2-ΔCt methods. We found that the C/T genotype of the c.47 T>C–SOD2 SNP increased the frequency of urolithiasis occurrence whereas the T/T homozygote of the same polymorphism decreased the risk of urolithiasis development in the Polish population. Moreover, our study confirmed that patients with urolithiasis were characterised by decreased IL-6, IL-8, and SOD2 mRNA expression levels compared to the controls. In conclusion, our results suggest that polymorphic variants and changes in mRNA expression of IL-6, IL8, SOD2, and NOS2 may be involved in the pathophysiology of urolithiasis.
Global transcriptional analysis of Geobacter sulfurreducens gsu1771 mutant biofilm grown on two different support structures
Authors: Jaramillo-Rodríguez Juan B. , Vega-Alvarado Leticia , Rodríguez-Torres Luis M. , Huerta-Miranda Guillermo A. , Hernández-Eligio Alberto , Juarez Katy
Published: October 2023

Electroactive biofilms formation by the metal-reducing bacterium Geobacter sulfurreducens is a step crucial for bioelectricity generation and bioremediation. The transcriptional regulator GSU1771 controls the expression of essential genes involved in electron transfer and biofilm formation in G. sulfurreducens, with GSU1771-deficient producing thicker and more electroactive biofilms. Here, RNA-seq analyses were conducted to compare the global gene expression patterns of wild-type and Δgsu1771 mutant biofilms grown on non-conductive (glass) and conductive (graphite electrode) materials. The Δgsu1771 biofilm grown on the glass surface exhibited 467 differentially expressed (DE) genes (167 upregulated and 300 downregulated) versus the wild-type biofilm. In contrast, the Δgsu1771 biofilm grown on the graphite electrode exhibited 119 DE genes (79 upregulated and 40 downregulated) versus the wild-type biofilm. Among these DE genes, 67 were also differentially expressed in the Δgsu1771 biofilm grown on glass (56 with the same regulation and 11 exhibiting counter-regulation). Among the upregulated genes in the Δgsu1771 biofilms, we identified potential target genes involved in exopolysaccharide synthesis (gsu1961-63, gsu1959, gsu1972-73, gsu1976-77). RT-qPCR analyses were then conducted to confirm the differential expression of a selection of genes of interest. DNA-protein binding assays demonstrated the direct binding of the GSU1771 regulator to the promoter region of pgcA, pulF, relA, and gsu3356. Furthermore, heme-staining and western blotting revealed an increase in c-type cytochromes including OmcS and OmcZ in Δgsu1771 biofilms. Collectively, our findings demonstrated that GSU1771 is a global regulator that controls extracellular electron transfer and exopolysaccharide synthesis in G. sulfurreducens, which is crucial for electroconductive biofilm development.
Between banjos, beaches and bending gender: Negotiating the queer rural space in Hannah Montana
Authors: Ben Mna Ilias
Published: October 2023

This article explores queer and non-heteronormative subtexts in connection with representations of rurality in the Disney family sitcom Hannah Montana (2006-2011). The multi-layered world, which the protagonist Hannah Montana/Miley Stewart inhabits, is shaped by sexual undercurrents closely linked to an imagined rural space. This space is constructed as the ‘sexual other’ in relation to the gender and body politics of the show’s main setting: Mailbu, California. In particular, the protagonist’s original home state of Tennessee forms a cultural repertoire in which dominant norms of gender performativity are ignored or subverted. Certain hints at queer codes and practices become identifiable when the rural space is invoked and contrasted with the perceived, sanitized ‘sexual normativity’ of Southern California. Projecting the non-normative onto the rural allows Disney to protect the show’s image as so-called wholesome family entertainment. The resulting play with queer practices, such as gender-bending and cross-dressing, is shown to connect with Disney’s attempts to queercode characters and spaces in order to facilitate the effective marketing of the show across multiple segments in an increasingly multi-sexual teen market. The role of the extratextual personae of Miley Cyrus and Billy Ray Cyrus complement this strategy, through their functioning as instructive models for ongoing negotiations of sexuality and gender among multi-generational audiences in the early twenty-first century.
Special Issue: ‘Lonely Are the Brave’
Authors: Bacon Helena , Jancovich Mark
Published: October 2023

The Western has been seen as a key genre for understanding both the American national character and the particulars of Hollywood, but there are now very few contemporary studies of this once foundational genre. The articles in this Special Issue, coming out of the Lonely Are the Brave conference of 2021, aim to revisit the Western, and the post-war Western specifically, in order to revive scholarship surrounding these texts, to interrogate existing models of understanding the history of the genre, and to examine how the genre treats ideas connected to time and its passing as attached to the American west and its depictions on-screen.
Modernity and the Pony Express Western
Authors: Corfield Christina
Published: October 2023

The telegraph and the railroad have remained among the most iconic technologies associated with the impending modernization of the United States as represented in the Western genre. However, the lesser-known but still iconic Pony Express – a short lived, horse-and-rider messenger service from the mid-nineteenth century which has enjoyed significant popular cultural representation – provides an alternative, anachronistic iconography for the same transitionary period that suggests a different path for American modernity through western expansion. Focusing on the Western as it appears in Hollywood and non-commercial film, as well as television shows, I consider how the Pony Express as a subject or character challenges antagonistic narratives and iconographies of American modernity in the Western that usually pit older modes of living against the encroachment of newer, mechanized modes of modernity. Appearing both old and new at the same time, I argue that Pony Express narratives instead emphasize and endorse co-operation between tradition on the one hand and innovation on the other hand.
‘What did we prove?’: William Wyler’s The Big Country (1958) and the revisionism of Westerns
Authors: Kinsella Andrew
Published: October 2023

The Western is widely seen as a cinematic means of embodying the American culture in which it was produced. The canonical dividing line between ‘classic’ and ‘revisionist’ Westerns coincides with the end of the Hays Code, when the Western genre, and American culture as a whole, underwent their most significant tonal shift. This article is primarily an analysis of a 1958 allegorical, classic and pacifist Western, The Big Country. This film promotes a revised attitude towards previously accepted moral conventions of violence within the genre and should thereby be understood as a revisionist work. Furthermore, The Big Country’s pacifistic revisionism creates a stark contrast with canonical revisionist Westerns and thereby calls into question the criteria for classifying films as ‘classic’ or ‘revisionist’. Ultimately, I argue that the drastic shift in tone and theme in New Hollywood Westerns has obscured the revisionism inherent to the genre and perpetuated a reductive view of the variations, shifts and nuances of the thematic arguments of Westerns from Classical Hollywood.
Between reverence and rejection: Age and youth in the Vietnam era Western
Authors: Holtz Martin
Published: October 2023

The Western’s central theme of historical progression, the transition from the old to the new, is often symbolically paralleled in the relationship between ageing and youthful characters. This contribution offers a cursory overview of Westerns that illustrate the range of relationships between young and old at a time in American history which was characterized by generational clashes over the Vietnam War and wider (counter-)cultural movements. The focus will be on three films in particular. The Cowboys (1972) is in many ways the culmination of John Wayne Westerns in which the star takes over the role of a tough but benevolent grandfather figure teaching the youngest generation the ways of violence so as to defeat a wayward middle generation (standing in for a radical counter-culture), thus signifying a conservative ideal. In Bad Company (1972), the youth is abandoned by their parent generation, victimized by their elders, and the ways of violence forced upon them to ensure their survival, thus signifying liberal disillusionment. In The Shootist (1976), finally, disillusionment and nostalgia are fused in a complex portrayal of the ageing protagonist’s simultaneous doggedness and recognition of his own outmodedness and the youth’s simultaneous rejection and veneration of his mythic status.
Made of Shadows: The Night Porter (1974) as Memory Text and Memory Work
Authors: Bain Sophia
Published: October 2023

Liliana Cavani’s 1974 film The Night Porter begins when Lucia (Charlotte Rampling), a death camp survivor, and Max (Dirk Bogarde), a former SS officer, begin to replay the sadomasochistic sexual relationship they had during Lucia’s internment. The past/present timelines that emerge are not separate, but interconnected and intermeshed. This article examines the film as a “memory text,” as defined by Annette Kuhn, to explore the way memory impacts Cavani’s ethical pursuits, which is directed by Kelli Fuery’s Beauvoirian analysis of moral ambiguity in the film. Sophia Bain argues film does not endorse the relationship, but rather presents the reality of women’s submission as an embodied memory of women’s past submission.
Barry Blaustein on the Evolution of Comedy Writing
Authors: Wolff Maxx
Published: October 2023

In this interview, American comedy writer Barry Blaustein discusses his time at SNL in the 1980s as well as the changes comedy and the film industry have undergone in the last fifty years. He also shares his opinion on the future of comedy and the integration of the woke movement.
A Life Fulfilled in Thirty-Two Years
Authors: Goodison Carrie
Published: October 2023

Review of: A Life Fulfilled in Thirty-Two Years

The Brief, Madcap Life of Kay Kendall, Eve Golden (2021)

Lexington, KY: University Press of Kentucky, 234pp., ISBN: 9780813180731 (pbk), $24.95
My Little Pony: A New Generation (2021)
Authors: Smith Yaakov “Jacob”
Published: October 2023

Review of: My Little Pony: A New Generation (2021)

Ireland/USA/Canada

Directors Robert Cullen and José Luis Ucha

Runtime 90 minutes
Nomadland (2020)
Authors: Verley Dan
Published: October 2023

Review of: Nomadland (2020)

USA

Director Chloé Zhao

Runtime 207 minutes
One Night in Miami (2020)
Authors: Shealey Chase
Published: October 2023

Review of: One Night in Miami (2020)

USA

Director Regina King

Runtime 114 minutes

Blu-ray

USA, 2021

Distributed by The Criterion Collection (region A/1)
Shaft: At the Start of Blaxploitation
Authors: Brajevich Nick
Published: October 2023

Review of: Shaft: At the Start of Blaxploitation

Shaft (1971)

USA

Director Gordon Parks

Runtime 100 minutes

Blu-ray

USA, 2022

Distributed by The Criterion Collection (region A/1)
Thunder Road (2018)
Authors: Holland Peyton
Published: October 2023

Review of: Thunder Road (2018)

USA

Director Jim Cummings

Runtime 92 minutes

DVD

USA, 2018

Distributed by Passion River (region 1)
Love Affair (1939)
Authors: Rogan Zoë
Published: October 2023

Review of: Love Affair (1939)

USA

Director Leo McCarey

Runtime 88 minutes

Blu-ray

USA, 2022

Distributed by The Criterion Collection (region A/1)
Pick a Pocket or Two, Ethan Mordden (2021)
Authors: Rigopoulou Faye
Published: October 2023

Review of: Pick a Pocket or Two, Ethan Mordden (2021)

New York: Oxford University Press, 248 pp.,

ISBN 978-0-19087-795-8, h/bk, $22.99
Unfinished Women Cry in No Man’s Land While a Bird Dies in a Gilded Cage, Aishah Rahman, directed by Chyna Michele
Authors: Garner Sloan Elle
Published: October 2023

Review of: Unfinished Women Cry in No Man’s Land While a Bird Dies in a Gilded Cage, Aishah Rahman, directed by Chyna Michele

Camden Repertory Theater, Camden, NJ, 25 February 2023
O impacto dos fogos florestais nos solos e no bacterioma de acacia longifolia: um caso de estudo em mira, Aveiro
Authors: Jesus Joana , Máguas Cristina , Trindade Helena
Published: October 2023

Os fogos florestais provocam perturbações nos ecossistemas, sendo cada vez mais frequentes nos climas Mediterrânicos. A introdução de espécies exóticas, que podem tornar-se invasoras, como o género Acacia, tem-se revelado impactante em regiões do nosso país, diminuindo a biodiversidade e alterando a composição dos solos. Atualmente, Acacia longifolia é uma das invasoras mais agressivas, e como leguminosa, é capaz de fixar azoto atmosférico por associação simbiótica com bactérias no interior de nódulos radiculares, com outras funções ainda desconhecidas. Neste trabalho foram amostradas áreas não ardidas e ardidas, onde se estudou (1) o impacto do fogo nas propriedades químicas dos solos e (2) a diversidade de bactérias cultiváveis isoladas do interior de nódulos radiculares de A. longifolia, por técnicas de microbiologia clássica, DNA fingerprinting e identificação por sequenciação de genes. Em zonas ardidas, verificou-se um aumento da matéria orgânica, fósforo e azoto nos solos e uma alteração do bacterioma de A. longifolia com Bradyrhizobium sp. mantendo-se como principal mutualista. Encontrou-se uma menor diversidade, associada a uma maior especificidade para os fixadores de azoto. Estas alterações podem potenciar a invasão de A. longifolia após o fogo.
Análise da exposição dos participantes em eventos trail-running ao risco de incêndio rural: contributos para o planeamento de segurança
Authors: Gonçalves José António Pinheiro , Romão Xavier
Published: October 2023

A caducidade do modelo económico rural, o consequente abandono das atividades a ele associadas e a migração das correspondentes populações, levaram ao crescente acumular de carga combustível favorável ao desenvolvimento de incêndios rurais (IR). Adicionalmente, estudos recentes sobre as possíveis consequências das alterações climáticas mostram existir uma tendência para o aumento da intensidade e dos impactos decorrentes dos incêndios rurais. Estes fatores, conjugados com o aumento da prática de atividades outdoor onde ele é mais crítico, resultam num aumento da exposição de pessoas ao risco de incêndio em ambiente rural. Neste contexto, propõe-se um indicador associado a uma matriz que avalia o Contexto de Exposição ao Risco (CER) de incêndio rural a que os praticantes de Trail-Running (TR) estão sujeitos. A metodologia proposta é aplicada a várias provas realizadas em Portugal continental de modo a ilustrar as suas potencialidades. Com base nas consequências previstas para um determinado nível de CER, são sugeridas medidas para mitigar os impactos da eventual ocorrência de um incêndio rural durante uma prova de TR. Atendendo à sua simplicidade, o indicador proposto é uma ferramenta útil para a gestão do risco de incêndio rural em provas de TR e é compatível com os condicionamentos legais recentemente vertidos em diploma legal.
Performance Measurement of a DMEWMA Control Chart on an AR(p) Model with Exponential White Noise
Authors: Phanthuna Piyatida , Areepong Yupaporn , Sukparungsee Saowanit
Published: October 2023

The double-modified exponentially weighted moving average (DMEWMA) control chart running an autoregressive (AR) process is proposed to detect unusual events. The AR equation and the DMEWMA statistic are combined to evaluate the control limit of the exponential residual term to obtain the explicit formula for the average run length (ARL). The ARLs computed using the explicit formula approach and the well-established numerical integral equation method were compared to validate the former. The efficiencies of the original EWMA, MEWMA, and DMEWMA control charts running AR processes based on simulation and real data were compared by using the results of ARL and relative mean index calculations. The results indicate that the explicit formula for the ARL of an AR process running on a double-modified EWMA control chart detected changes more quickly than on either of the other two control charts for small and moderate changes. Finally, real data on COVID-19 is provided to demonstrate the application of this explicit formula.
Integrating Traditional and Modern Educational Methods: An Analysis of Islamic Values in 'Aqīdatu Al-‘Awām and the Application of Problem-Based Learning
Authors: Zuhdi Mujahid
Published: October 2023

Purpose – This study was directed to analyze the Islamic values contained in the Book of ‘Aqīdatu Al-‘Awām and how these values can be taught in a modern context. In this study context, we sought to understand more about the history and context of the Yellow Book formation, specifically the Book of ‘Aqīdatu Al-‘Awām, and how they have influenced and can continue to influence Muslim education and society in Indonesia. This study is essential for understanding the history and role of the Yellow Book in shaping Islamic knowledge and identity in Indonesia, as well as helping the development of effective and relevant teaching methods that maintain these values in the context of modern education.
Design/methods/approach – This study has adopted an organized, structured, and systematic literature study research design, intending to explore Islamic values contained in the Book of ‘Aqīdatu Al-‘Awām, as well as offering a suitable learning model to teach it. Data was collected through documentation methods and analyzed using content analysis.
Findings – The study found that the Book of ‘Aqīdatu Al-‘Awām encompasses several values of Islamic education, including the value of aqidah, akhlaq, worship education, and Islamic history. We also found that traditional learning models, such as the sorogan or bandongan model, can be enriched by the integration of Problem-Based Learning (PBL) methods, providing opportunities to think critically, engage actively in learning, and develop problem-solving skills.
Research implications/limitations – Despite a significant contribution to Islamic education, this study has several limitations. For example, the subjective nature of our approach and data limitations. Therefore, further research needs to validate the effectiveness of PBL integration in the teaching of the book of ‘Aqīdatu Al-‘Awām.
Originality/value – This study is unique in analyzing the educational values in the Book of ‘Aqīdatu Al-‘Awām and proposing the integration of PBL in teaching it. These findings make an important contribution to the discourse of Islamic education, by showing how traditional Islamic educational institutions can adapt to modern educational paradigms, while still maintaining their unique identity and values at the same time. Future research is suggested to validate the effectiveness of this integration and explore the balance between traditional and innovative teaching methodologies in Islamic education.
Recent Advances in Hydroponic Culture Media Composition and Their Effect on Plant Growth
Authors: Aggarwal Akanksha , Mathur Ashwani
Published: October 2023

The growing demand for food resources is facing a shortage of supplies subject to the reduction in cultivable land globally, and a dire need for alternative cultivation strategies is the need of the hour.Scientists and researchers throughout the world are focusing onalternative cultivation strategies. However, this kind of cultivation is scarce in developing countries, including India, where the impact is paramount and will woo offthe growing population and reduce cultivable land, as per land census data (2020).Hydroponics isa robust solution forgrowing plants under controlled and regulated cultivation conditions.The term hydroponics means the water at work, which primarily focuses on giving specific nutrientsto support the growth and development of the plant.This opens floodgates for researchers to formulate and optimize novel nutrient growth media.Agricultural output has been duly enhanced with this multifaceted intensive technique.Marketing research data projects that thehydroponics market will be 12,000 million US dollars by 2025.The nutrient solutions are designed to provide all essential macro and micronutrients to plants.The well-aerated media with essential nutrients, crucial organic salts, and balance of ionic concentration, conductivity, and pH, is vitalfor hydroponic culture, a solution to redundant environmental concerns.The current review highlights recent advances in the optimization of hydroponic media compositions.The synergistic effects of a multitude of media on plant growth and product yield have been discussed.
Cultivation of Black Goji Berry (Lycium Ruthenicum Murr.) in the Trans Himalayan Region Ladakh Agro Technique Harvest, Yield and Cost Benefit Analysis
Authors: Qasim Abul , Rani Sushila , Puri Richa , Patel Manoj Kumar , Behera Rakesh Kumar , Chaurasia Om Prakash
Published: October 2023

The present study discusses the agro technique, harvesting, yield, and economics of less explored highly medicinal plant black goji berry (Lycium ruthenicum). It was observed that black goji berries can be easily cultivated through seed, pencil-thickness hardwood stem cuttings, and rootstock. Black goji berry harvesting is a very difficult and tedious task for goji growing farmers as the berries get easily ruptured during harvesting and lose their content. To address these obstacles, DIHAR-DRDO, Leh conducted several goji berry harvesting trials deploying various techniques. Collecting fruits/berries to their full potential requires careful planning and tactics, which involves the use of an appropriate harvesting method that minimizes damage. After performing various method of harvesting, the best outcome was reported in cutting the fruit-bearing branch method as its less expensive with minimum fruit damage (5 %), time-saving, and retain the quality of fruit as compared to the other harvesting methods. An approximate cost production and net profit calculation were performed for 1011.71 square meters (02 Kanal) plantations of L. ruthenicum to their average yield of fruit production per plant. The average yield of three-year-old hardwood stem cutting and uprooted plant is 500-600 gm of fresh berry per plant on average. The economic relation to the cost production of L. ruthenicum is highly beneficial and it has all the capabilities of enhancing the socio-economy of the fragile ecosystem.
Biofilm Formation in Acute and Chronic Infections with Special Emphasis on Common Chronic and Nosocomial Infections
Authors: Gupta Parama Das , Ghosh Upal Das , Roy Rini
Published: October 2023

Biofilm is defined as a community of microorganisms that are adhered to living or non-living solid surfaces and embedded in a common, self-made matrix, comprising of exopolysaccharide material. The role of biofilm in chronic diseases deserves special importance as these extracellular polymeric materials developed with quorum sensing support both the primary criteria of infection development namely adhesion and colonisation. Due to their structural and physiological changes, microorganisms present in the biofilm are difficult to treat or eradicate. The presence of a protective layer of extracellular polymers, changes in metabolic activity or a high rate of mutation make them tolerant or resistant to conventional treatment. The persistence of pathogenic microorganisms mostly renders biofilm to be associated with several acute and chronic infections and various nosocomial or healthcare-related infections. Furthermore, cancer development may also result due to biofilm formation. Biofilm may contribute to inflammation. This study deals with molecular aspects of biofilm formation and its role in different disease formations.
Delamination Buckling of Composite Conical Shells Under External Pressure
Authors: Nagendranath A , Khalane Sanjay Anandrao , Gupta Rajesh Kumar , C Lakshmana Rao
Published: October 2023

Airframe construction in conical form is the most desired shape of flight hardware due to their low drag profileand are located at the fore-end region of flight vehicles encountering high drag loads. Owing to their tailoringcapability, materials with orthotropic mechanical properties are preferred choice. Delamination defects formed inthem while manufacturing or when subjected to loads would unfavorably influence the mechanical performanceof the orthotropic airframe. In the current work, FE simulation of delamination which is embedded in orthotropiccone shaped shells under external pressure load is performed as per the method cited in published literature. A layer wise element based on shell theory has been used and the effect of delamination size and its through the thickness position on the mechanical performance of the cone shaped shell is investigated. Circumferential and rectangular shapes of defects have been simulated. The investigation is performed for metal and composite materials with 3 types of stacking sequences generally used in practical designs. Verification of the procedure is carried out by equating with the procedure cited in published studies on shells of thin orthotropic cylinders. The eigen value of the first mode is taken as the critical buckling factor under external pressure. The buckling factor of the delaminated cone is normalized with the buckling factor of the ideal cone. The normalized buckling factor is showed graphically with the normalised defect size. Global, as well as local buckling and also symmetric as well as asymmetric buckling shapes, are observed in the results of the simulation. Shift from global mode to local mode of buckling is also observed in certain cases. Drastic reduction in buckling capability with the local mode is observed when the defect location is close to the surface and more prominent for an outer surface case.