bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Fabrication of Antibacterial and Flexible Hydrogels Based on Citric Acid Containing Tannic Acid for Wound Dressing
Authors: Seyedzadeh Zahra Sadat , Sabzevari Alireza , Kabiri Kourosh , Ansari Mojtaba , Eslami Hossein
Published: November 2024

In this research, a biomonomer based on hydroxyethyl methacrylate, citric acid, and polyethylene glycol (HEMA‐CA‐PEG) was synthesized. After confirming the reaction through 1H‐NMR and FT‐IR tests and obtaining the intended monomer, a flexible hydrogel was synthesized as a wound dressing, and its mechanical properties were evaluated using tensile strength, DMTA, and rheometry tests. This synthesized hydrogel exhibited sufficient mechanical properties. To enhance the efficiency of this hydrogel wound dressing and its effectiveness in facilitating wound healing, tannic acid (TA), as an antibacterial and antioxidant substance, was incorporated into it. In the second phase, antibacterial activity and animal studies were conducted. The comparison of the CA–based hydrogel with and without TA demonstrated that the TA–containing hydrogel achieved more than 99.9% inhibition and elimination of bacteria. The use of CA–based hydrogel with TA shown in treating burns on the backs of rats caused the wound to close after 17 days, and hair growth was observed by the 21st day. This synthesized flexible hydrogel wound dressing, along with suitable mechanical properties, exceptional antibacterial activity, increased granulation tissue formation, re‐epithelialization, angiogenesis, and collagen deposition, showed good performance in wound healing.
Mechanical properties of a laminated composite of aramid fabric and high‐density polyethylene films reinforced with calcium carbonate, montmorillonite, and graphene
Authors: Junior Celso Roman , Pereira Iaci Miranda , Dias Rafael Rodrigues , Junior Heitor Ornaghi , Romanzini Daiane , Zattera Ademir José
Published: November 2024

Nanofillers incorporated into polymeric matrices have gained attention for enhancing the properties of materials, particularly nanocomposites, with improvements observed in mechanical and dynamic mechanical thermal properties. Among the nanofillers, calcium carbonate (NCC), montmorillonite‐type clays (MMT), and graphene nanoplatelets (GNP) are prominent. The novelty of this study lies in investigating the dynamic compression behavior using the split‐Hopkinson pressure bar (SHPB) method on laminated composites prepared with reinforced High‐density polyethylene (HDPE) films, including the hybrid effect of calcium carbonate with montmorillonite and calcium carbonate with graphene. The objective of this research is to evaluate the influence of incorporating 1% by mass of nanofillers in laminated composites made with aramid fabric interspersed with nanoreinforced HDPE films. The laminated composites were assessed through bending tests, SHPB, and dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA). In addition to the samples containing NCC, MMT, and GNP, hybrid samples were prepared by intercalating films containing each nanofiller. The mechanical properties increased by 44%, 48%, and 55% in flexural strength and 46%, 69%, and 88% in flexural modulus for the composites prepared with calcium carbonate, graphene, and the hybrid graphene/calcium carbonate films, concerning the composite containing HDPE film. Moreover, the samples containing HDPE film with 1% GNP demonstrated a 79% increase in toughness, while the hybrid sample, which contained interspersed films of HDPE with 1% GNP and 1% NCC, exhibited a 46% increase in toughness. These results indicate a superior toughness response under high strain rates, contributing to enhanced energy dissipation. These two samples exhibited highly potential for ballistic industrial applications.

Highlights

Laminated composites reinforced with NCC, MMT, and GNP nanofillers.

Mechanical properties of laminated composites assessed using the Split‐Hopkinson pressure bar test and dynamic mechanical thermal analysis.

Impact strength improvement through the incorporation of nanofiller into laminated composites.

Enhanced energy dissipation in laminated composite materials.
Dual Assay Validation of Rosmarinus officinalis Extract as an Inhibitor of SARS‐CoV‐2 Spike Protein: Combining Pseudovirus Testing, Yeast Two‐Hybrid, and UPLC‐Q Exactive Orbitrap‐MS Profiling
Authors: Huang Yujing , Luo Rufeng , Tian Chenjing , Zu Duntao , Yang Jianni , Chen Wenlin , Huang Dingqiang , Duan Siyan , Yan Shunxin , Yuan Yujia , Li Shengrong , Zhou Haibo , Lin Fulong , He Qinghui , Zheng Junxia
Published: November 2024

Introduction

This study evaluates the effectiveness of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) extracts in blocking the interaction between the SARS‐CoV‐2 Spike protein and human ACE2 receptor, utilizing a dual‐method approach to explore the antiviral potential of natural compounds.

Objectives

This work aims to evaluate the capability of TCM extracts in inhibiting the SARS‐CoV‐2 Spike protein and ACE2 receptor interaction using advanced biochemical assays.

Methods

A dual‐method screening approach was utilized, beginning with a pseudovirus assay to assess the inhibition capabilities of TCM extracts in vitro, followed by a split‐ubiquitin yeast two‐hybrid (Y2H) system to validate interactions in live cells. Active compounds were characterized and quantified using UPLC‐Q‐Exactive‐Orbitrap‐MS.

Results

Among the 91 TCM extracts tested, Rosmarinus officinalis exhibited the most potent inhibition in both pseudovirus and Y2H assays, significantly reducing viral entry and disrupting the Spike–ACE2 interaction. Comprehensive chemical profiling via UPLC‐Q‐Exactive‐Orbitrap‐MS identified 132 compounds, including phenolics, flavonoids, and terpenoids.

Conclusion

This research validates the use of TCM extracts in viral inhibition strategies, demonstrating the utility of integrating traditional remedies with modern scientific approaches to discover new therapeutic agents.
Boosting Cost‐Efficiency in Robotics: A Distributed Computing Approach for Harvesting Robots
Authors: Xie Feng , Li Tao , Feng Qingchun , Zhao Hui , Chen Liping , Zhao Chunjiang
Published: November 2024

Multi‐arm harvesting robots offer a promising solution to the labor shortage in fruit harvesting, due to their ability to improve harvesting efficiency. However, multi‐arm harvesters necessitate additional visual sensors to acquire distribution information of fruits within larger working spaces. Greater demands are consequently imposed on graphics computation, leading to increased costs in computing hardware of robot system. To balance the graphics computing cost and reduce energy consumption, distributed graphics computation frameworks for multi‐arm robot vision system are proposed in this study. First, a host‐edge framework is proposed to assign the tasks of image inference and depth alignment to host computer and edge computing modules through a decentralized mode of local connection. Moreover, to increase the endurance time of robot in application, the edge computing modules are reduced and the fifth generation mobile communication is integrated into robot graphics computing system to transfer on‐board image processing to a remote computing server with MQTT protocol. To verify the effectiveness of the proposed framework, comprehensive experiments were performed, demonstrating that, compared with traditional computing framework, the proposed local distributed framework reduced 35.6% average time consumption, and over 20 FPS average processing speed can be achieve. The remote distributed framework has reduced the computational power consumption of the on‐board system by approximately 23.1% while ensuring the performance is not lower than the local distributed framework. Finally, by discussing the two frameworks in terms of stability and cost, we present the commercial viability for the application of multi‐arm harvesting robot.
Parametric Layers, Four-Wave Mixing, and Wave-Front Reversal
Authors: Simpson Harry J. , Marston Philip L.
Published: November 2024

This chapter describes two special cases of nonlinear acoustic interactions. In one, waves interact in a thin flat layer with high nonlinearity. The nonlinearity in the liquid layer can be enhanced using gas bubbles, and processes such as wave-front reversal and phase conjugation can be achieved. In the other case, four-wave mixing is mediated by a suspension of particles in the liquid. Acoustic radiation pressure acting on an initially uniform suspension of particles causes the particles to form layers, and this results in the Bragg reflection of sound. Both cases have analogies in nonlinear optics.
Biomedical Applications
Authors: Carstensen Edwin L. , Bacon David R.
Published: November 2024

This chapter discusses the acoustical properties of tissues and the impact of nonlinear propagation effects in medical ultrasound. Aspects of this discussion include characteristics of medical equipment as measured in water, the relationship of measurements in water to the levels in tissues, and the implications of these fields for biological effects. Expressions are provided for estimating the shock formation distance in sound beams, and the effective absorption coefficient for ultrasound containing shocks. Also discussed are heating associated with the formation of shocks, biomedical implications of radiation pressure and acoustic streaming, and disintegration of kidney stones with shock-wave lithotripsy.
Model Equations
Authors: Hamilton Mark F. , Morfey Christopher L.
Published: November 2024

The chapter begins with the full equations of fluid mechanics for viscous, heat conducting, homogeneous fluids. Exact implicit solutions are developed for plane waves in ideal fluids, as well as an exact nonlinear wave equation for nonplanar waves in a perfect gas. Ordering procedures are introduced that permit structured derivations of approximate wave equations accounting for quadratic nonlinearity in thermoviscous fluids. A second-order wave equation that includes both cumulative and local nonlinear effects is derived, from which are obtained the Westervelt, Burgers, and KZK equations, and a generalized Burgers equation for cylindrical and spherical waves and waves in horns.
Acoustic Streaming
Authors: Nyborg Wesley L.
Published: November 2024

Acoustic streaming is steady fluid flow produced by conservation of momentum associated with the absorption of sound. The basic equations are obtained by time-averaging the momentum equation with shear and bulk viscosity included. A volume integral for streaming in a free field produced by an arbitrary sound field is used to obtain a solution for streaming generated by a focused sound beam. Streaming produced by the viscous boundary layer acting on a plane traveling wave that grazes a wall is described. Distinctions are made between Eulerian, Lagrangian, and mass transport streaming velocities. The chapter concludes with applications of acoustic streaming.
The Incomplete Mother as Non-mother: A Study of Secondary Infertility in Helen Davies’ More Love to Give
Authors: Rodgers Julie
Published: November 2024

Secondary infertility is an incredibly common but largely undiscussed condition. It is every bit as difficult to traverse (physically, psychologically and emotionally) as primary infertility and gives rise to a similar sense of non-motherhood or being outside of motherhood. However, women suffering from secondary infertility report an overwhelming lack of empathy and understanding from society due to the fact that they already have a child/children. This, in turn, leads to feelings of guilt and shame on the part of these women who want another child but are failing to conceive, given that they are considered to have already succeeded in accessing motherhood. This chapter focuses on British writer Helen Davies’ little-known personal narrative of secondary infertility entitled More Love to Give (published in 2017). The chapter examines the consequences of secondary infertility for maternal subjectivity (most notably in terms of perceived failure) and explores the fraught experience of liminality that accompanies secondary infertility, in that one is simultaneously mother and non-mother. Finally, it argues that secondary infertility forces us to both nuance and expand our understanding of non-motherhood by revealing the latter to be a complex, multi-faceted and sometimes contradictory experience.
Pregnancy Loss in Contemporary Italophone Literature
Authors: Lazzari Laura
Published: November 2024

Over the course of the last number of years, there has been a notable emergence of autobiographical accounts dealing with pregnancy loss, a topic that previously had been absent from literary texts. This chapter investigates how miscarriage is experienced and narrated in Italian-speaking literature from Italy and Italian-speaking Switzerland by analyzing a selection of contemporary memoirs, hybrid genre texts, and novels written by Cozza, Mazzoni, Zerbini, and Notari, all of which address encounters with pregnancy loss. Through close textual reading, this chapter helps to build a more inclusive picture of how the experience of non-motherhood is negotiated by women who did not have children or did not have the desired number of alive children due to episodes of miscarriage and stillbirth. Moreover, the contribution highlights how recurrent topics emerge across different writings and experiences and shows how the authors aim to break taboos by acknowledging, validating, and normalizing personal experiences of loss and grief from a maternal and feminist standpoint.
Infertility, Desire for Motherhood and Surrogacy in Miguel de Unamuno’s Dos madres
Authors: Sebastià-Sáez María
Published: November 2024

The aim of this chapter is to explore infertility and the journey out of non-motherhood via surrogacy in a century-old text, namely Miguel de Unamuno’s novella-play Dos madres (Two Mothers, 1920). The plot of Dos madres employs the same core leitmotiv as the biblical passage it is inspired by, the story of Rachel and Jacob (Gn. 30: 1–6). There are three main characters: Raquel, don Juan and Berta. Raquel is a widow who could neither have a child with her husband nor with her younger lover, don Juan. Raquel is desperate to become a mother and makes a plan to achieve her goal. She encourages don Juan to marry a young woman, Berta—who is supposed to be fertile—and have a child with her but then give the child to Raquel, who will raise the baby as her own. This chapter examines, through a literary lens, the theme of non-motherhood, maternal desire and the potential for a solution via surrogacy. In addition to this, the chapter interrogates the possibility of imagining new and alternative family formations, thanks to surrogacy.
Autonomy, Autocreation and Agency: Radical Non-Motherhood in Amandine Gay’s Une poupée en chocolat (2021)
Authors: Cooper Jasmine D.
Published: November 2024

Amandine Gay’s book-length personal essay, Une poupée en chocolat (2021), first and foremost treats the politics and violences of transracial adoption. Yet, alongside her critique of transracial adoption both within and beyond France, Gay also speaks of her own lack of desire to become a biological mother or to partake in traditional family-making, culminating in her seeking out voluntary sterilisation at the age of thirty-five. Her fight to get a hysterectomy—accounts of which are rarely explored by literature or personal writings, especially among cisgender women of ‘reproductive’ age—is a radical act of defiance and self-determination. For Gay, it is as much an act of self-care as it is a reclamation of her body from the sexist and racist paternalism which underpins medical discourses. In this chapter, I argue that Une poupée en chocolat is a rageful reclaiming of autonomy, autocreation and agency for the (Black) non-mother and transracial adoptee. By refusing the glorification of biological or normative kinship, Gay imputes new ways of understanding care, ethical kinship and love grounded in Afrofeminist and radical Black feminist ethics, thus negotiating non-/other-motherhood beyond the colonial and racialised logics of traditional family-making.
Chest-CT-based radiomics feature of epicardial adipose tissue for screening coronary atherosclerosis
Authors: Wei Qin , Chen Yanling , Yuan Deqing , Nie Fumei , Li Jian , Yu KeBing , Zhang Chengwei
Published: November 2024

Background and aims

This study aims to investigate the diagnostic value of chest-CT epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) radiomics feature in coronary atherosclerotic stenosis.

Methods

Clinical data from 215 individuals who underwent coronary angiography and chest-CT scan from January to July 2022 at our institution were retrospectively analyzed. Based on the coronary angiography results, the total population, men, and women were divided into the CAD group and non-CAD group. radiomics feature of EAT at the level of the bifurcation of the left-main coronary artery on the transverse level of chest CT were measured. The features contain both first-order feature and shape-order feature.The differences between groups were analyzed using the t test or Chi-square test. The diagnostic efficacy of each parameter in diagnosing atherosclerotic stenosis of coronary arteries was assessed by plotting the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve.

Results

First-order features: Mean, IntDen, Median, and RawIntDen; shape-order features: Area, Perim, Round, and BSA index; and clinical index: HbA1c showed statistical significance between the CAD group and the non-CAD group. The ROC curve analysis demonstrated high diagnostic efficacy, with the best for diagnostic efficacy being Median for the first-order feature parameter (AUC, 0.753; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.689–0.817; t = 4.785, p < 0.001), Round for the shape-order feature (AUC, 0.775; 95% CI, 0.714–0.836; t = 7.842, p < 0.001), and HbA1c for the clinical index (AUC, 0.797; 95% CI, 0.783–0.856; t = 6.406, p < 0.001). After dividing the participants into male and female subgroups, the best diagnostic efficacy was observed with the BSA index for men (AUC, 0.743; 95% CI, 0.656–0.829; t = 5.128, p < 0.001) and Round for women (AUC, 0.871; 95% CI, 0.793–0.949; t = 7.247, p < 0.001).

Conclusions

Median, Round in radiomics feature of EAT on chest CT may play a role in the assessment of coronary atherosclerotic stenosis.
The role of dairy alternatives in just food system transitions: a scoping review
Authors: Hurst Georgie , Pant Laxmi Prasad
Published: November 2024

Alternatives to dairy products are becoming part of mainstream food culture in Western societies amidst growing concerns for more sustainable and healthy diets, and improved animal welfare. As more citizens opt for plant-based milks, markets have responded with an abundance of alternatives to facilitate the transition. Previous systematic reviews have examined the environmental and health impacts of plant-based products compared with dairy, yet a synthesis of empirical research on the social and environmental justice impacts of dairy alternatives is lacking. This systematic scoping review aims to explore the extent, range, and nature of peer-reviewed studies on dairy alternatives that address their outcomes for justice. Publications were sought through systematic search of two comprehensive electronic databases (Scopus and Web of Science) and screened by two independent reviewers following eligibility criteria. Included studies predominantly focused on consumer identities and values, and the market-led nature of dairy alternatives consumption. Gaps in the literature included impacts on nutritional equity and the innovation and adaptive capabilities of food producers and workers across geographies. We conclude that the heavy-handed regulation of dairy alternative terminology and the market-driven nature of this transition raise questions about injustices in governance and innovation in this sector.
Effects of temperature and salinity on the LC-PUFA biosynthesis and composition of the nereid polychaete Hediste diversicolor fed side streams
Authors: Villena-Rodríguez Andrea , Monroig Óscar , Hontoria Francisco , Malzahn Arne M. , Hagemann Andreas , Navarro Juan C.
Published: November 2024

The rapid growth of aquaculture has prompted the exploration of alternative and sustainable feed ingredients. Polychaetes, such as Hediste diversicolor, offer promise in the circular economy due to their ability to recycle waste materials from bioindustries and convert low nutritional value fatty acids (FA) into eicosapentaenoic (EPA) and arachidonic (ARA) acids. This study explored the combined effect of temperature and salinity on growth and LC-PUFA biosynthesis in H. diversicolor fed on a side stream diet (33% sludge from salmon aquaculture (AS) and 66% solid-phase digestate from biogas production (SBD)). Polychaetes were cultured for 28 days along a 5-step temperature and salinity gradient ranging from 7.7 to 17.9 °C and 5 to 40 psu, respectively. Growth was highest at high temperatures (≥ 14.3 °C) and salinities (≥ 35 psu). The FA composition remained relatively stable across different culture temperatures, while salinity exhibited higher levels of n − 3 PUFA and n − 3 LC-PUFA at lower salinities (5 and 15 psu) compared to higher salinity (35 psu), mainly driven by EPA. This suggests that salinity may exert a more pronounced effect than temperature on the FA profiles of H. diversicolor. Despite low temperature and high salinity (40 psu) significantly upregulating the expression of elongase and desaturase genes, this was not translated into higher LC-PUFA. Remarkably, polychaetes exhibited high levels of n − 3 and n − 6 LC-PUFA, even when fed a diet deficient in such FA. These findings highlight the potential of H. diversicolor for LC-PUFA biosynthesis, positioning this species as a promising candidate for producing high-nutritional-value ingredients for aquafeeds.
Impact of common interest group participation and aquaculture development programs on fish productivity and net returns: evidence from Nile tilapia farming
Authors: Gichuki Castro N. , Ndiritu S. Wagura , Emodoi Achom Barbara
Published: November 2024

Development programs have intensified support for the aquaculture sector to improve production and productivity, as well as food security and diet quality for smallholder farmers. This paper examines the impact of farmers’ participation in Common Interest Groups (CIGs) and the effects of aquaculture development support programs on the net returns and productivity of tilapia fish in Kenya. The study used household-level data of 506 members of the CIG who were randomly selected for the treatment group and benefited from Aquaculture Business Development Program (ABDP) interventions. The analysis employed an endogenous switching regression model to account for selection bias. The results reveal that membership in CIGs and receiving fish production interventions have resulted in a 32.3% increase in tilapia fish sales returns and a 6.6% increase in tilapia fish yields. Specifically, ABDP interventions are aimed at providing fish producers with ponds and cages had a significant and beneficial effect on fish yields and income returns. This finding suggests that policies with targeted interventions that support aquaculture infrastructure can play a significant role in increasing the incomes of smallholder farmers and reducing rural poverty in Kenya.
Multiple Informant Cluster Analysis Findings: Which Military-connected Preschool Aged Children Are Doing Well and Why?
Authors: Lester Patricia , Aralis Hilary , Hajal Nastassia , Bursch Brenda , Milburn Norweeta , Paley Blair , Sinclair Cortez Maegan , Barrera Wendy , Kiff Cara , Beardslee William , Mogil Catherine
Published: November 2024

Informed by models of resilience in military families, we explored factors theorized to be associated with social-emotional resilience and risk among young military-connected children. Our secondary analysis of cross-sectional data from 199 military-connected families (n = 346 parents) with at least one preschool-age child in the home (n = 199) led to the empirical identification of two distinct clusters: families with children demonstrating healthy social-emotional functioning and those showing indicators of less healthy social-emotional functioning when compared to the first group. We then identified factors associated with membership in each cluster to determine which deployment and parental well-being variables were salient for young child adjustment. Parent psychological symptoms, parenting, child behavior, and parent-child relationships were measured by parent report and observed interaction. Children with healthier social-emotional functioning were found to be residing with families experiencing less stress and distress. The importance of maternal trauma history is highlighted in our study, as elevated maternal symptoms across all three posttraumatic stress disorder symptom domains were associated with child social-emotional risk. Basic family demographic characteristics did not contribute significantly to the cluster distinctions, nor did military service factors such as active duty, reserve or veteran status, military rank or parent deployment history. These findings are important as the results deemphasize the importance of military service characteristics and highlight the importance of parent well-being when considering social-emotional risk and resilience of young children within military families.
Participatory Digital Mapping, Dynamic Data, and Children’s Emergent Science Argumentation About Local Socio-Ecological Systems
Authors: Lanouette Kathryn , Van Wart Sarah , Parikh Tapan S.
Published: November 2024

Over the last two decades, there has been an increasing focus on spatial technologies in teaching and learning, revealing the potential to support new forms of youth sensemaking across varied settings and modalities. Recent scholarship has shown the possibilities of participatory digital mapping technologies, enabling young people to collect data within community settings and create interactive data-rich maps about complex phenomena and processes that build from their local expertise and inquiries. Yet to date, these technologies and related pedagogies remain less researched within K-5 educational contexts. In this article, we examine the most recent iteration from a multi-year design research project that centered 5th grade students’ learning about socio-ecological systems by engaging in participatory digital mapping to study their schoolyard soil ecosystems underfoot. We examine the possibilities of centering digital participatory map making as a basis for modeling and argumentation in elementary science. Analyzing whole class discussion video within the 10-week curriculum, we show how children authored their collective maps in numerous ways, making visible their social and ecological knowledge of the schoolyard, as well as their experiences defining, producing and visualizing qualitative and quantitative data. As part of this broader design-based research project, we find that children were able to reason about complex socio-ecological systems across spatial, temporal, and relational dimensions in inventive ways, often considered out of reach for elementary aged students, while also expanding what could count as data and what ways of knowing were valued within the science classroom. Implications for science education, place-based education, and emerging geospatial technologies are discussed.
Snake venom toxins as potential therapeutic agents in the treatment of prostate cancer
Authors: Ochoa-Mosquera Jesika , Montoya-Gómez Alejandro , Jiménez‑Charris Eliécer
Published: November 2024

Prostate cancer is a significant global health concern and one of the leading causes of death from diseases in men. There is a growing interest in exploring new therapeutic approaches to enhance patient treatment outcomes and quality of life. Snake venom-derived compounds have emerged as promising candidates for anticancer treatment due to their potential to be selective and reduce adverse effects. In this article, we conduct a literature review on prostate cancer and discuss the investigation of snake venoms as potential alternatives in treatments to minimize toxicity and maximize efficacy. The potential of snake venom toxins in modulating key processes such as cell apoptosis, inhibition of cell migration, and angiogenesis is highlighted. This comprehensive exploration reaffirms the importance of advancing research into snake venom-based therapies to combat prostate cancer, transform treatment paradigms, and improve the well-being of affected individuals.
The slow clock is the master
Authors: Oliveira Henrique M. , Perestrelo Sara
Published: November 2024

We investigate the synchronization and stability of mutually coupled oscillators through small impacts and explore both master–master and master–slave synchrony. The synchronization behaviour between two oscillators, one operating at a frequency $$ \omega $$
ω
and the other at a frequency near a multiple of the first one, $$ n \omega $$

n
ω

where $$ n $$
n
is an integer greater than 1, is investigated. It is observed that such systems tend to exhibit a consistent pattern of master–slave relationship. This phenomenon is geometrically elucidated by considering the interaction dynamics: while the multiple bursts of the faster oscillator tend to cancel each other out upon impacting the slower oscillator, the single burst of the slower oscillator on the faster has a secular effect. We propose that this synchronization pattern, arising from perturbative impacts, is prevalent across various physical systems. Further experimental validation of these findings could contribute to a deeper understanding of synchronization phenomena and their implications in natural and technological domains.
Handling the open culture dilemma in museum management: an exploratory interdisciplinary study
Authors: Della Lucia Maria , Dore Giulia , Umar Rana Muhammad
Published: November 2024

As part of their evolving social and digital mission, museums are tasked with fostering sustainability and inclusion throughout the physical-digital continuum and increasingly focus on accessible, participatory and representative culture. While openness is key in the service of society, museums face an open culture dilemma as copyright complicates their decision-making. Despite the topic’s relevance, research is limited: little has been done to integrate the management and copyright domains, and the legal viewpoint predominates. This theoretical study adopts an interdisciplinary perspective to shed light on the open culture dilemma affecting museum strategies and practices. These aspects are closely intertwined with ethical issues and reveal contrasting perspectives within managerial and copyright frameworks. Building on convergence-divergence discourses on openness/closure of culture in these disciplines, the authors designed an exploratory matrix of approaches to open culture management in relation to copyright in museums to be operationalised and tested through empirical analysis.
Enhancing membrane performance for oily wastewater treatment: comparison of PVDF composite membranes prepared by coating, blending, and grafting methods using TiO2, BiVO4, CNT, and PVP
Authors: Santos Erika Nascimben , Fazekas Ákos Ferenc , Fekete Laura , Miklós Tímea , Gyulavári Tamás , Gokulakrishnan Sivasundari Arumugam , Arthanareeswaran Gangasalam , Hodúr Cecilia , László Zsuzsanna , Veréb Gábor
Published: November 2024

This comparative study investigates the modification of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) membranes with different nanoparticles (TiO2 or TiO2-based composites containing BiVO4 and/or CNT), using three distinct methods (blending, coating, and grafting) and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP). The objective was to enhance the photocatalytic and filtration performance for the separation of oil-in-water emulsions. Regarding the UV activity, the PVDF-TiO2/CNT/PVP-coated membrane presented the best performance. Overall, the addition of 2 wt.% CNT to the TiO2 notably enhanced the photocatalytic activity of the membranes for both UV and visible irradiations. Meanwhile, the presence of 2 wt.% BiVO4 was beneficial only for photocatalysis under visible light irradiation. Regarding the filtration of the oil-in-water emulsions, 2 wt.% CNT or BiVO4 addition resulted in the highest fluxes in the series of the PVDF-TiO2-grafted membranes. The presence of pore former PVP led to relatively high fluxes and photocatalytic activities for all series. Regarding the modification methods, coated membranes showed the highest photocatalytic efficiency and lowest fluxes. Grafted membranes showed relatively high photocatalytic efficiencies and the best filtration performances.
On the macro-political dynamics of conflict inflation
Authors: Proaño Christian R. , Galanis Giorgos , Peña Juan Carlos
Published: November 2024

In recent times, the notion that inflation may be the result of conflicting claims by workers and capitalists over the distribution of income has experienced a revival in the academic and policy debate. Against this background, we investigate in this paper the macrodynamics of conflict inflation without and with the additional influence of the political sphere in an extended version of the baseline model of behavioral political cycles proposed by Galí (J Econ Behav Organ 212:50–67, 2023). By means of numerical simulations, we illustrate the reaction of main macroeconomic variables to the emergence of conflicting claims over the distribution of income between workers and capitalists, as well as their possible effects at the political sphere.
Preferences: What We Can and Can’t Do with Them
Authors: Thoma Johanna
Published: November 2024

In her Choosing Well, Chrisoula Andreou puts forth an account of instrumental rationality that is revisionary in two respects. First, it changes the goalpost or standard of instrumental rationality to include “categorial” appraisal responses, alongside preferences, which are relational. Second, her account is explicitly diachronic, applying to series of choices as well as isolated ones. Andreou takes both revisions to be necessary for dealing with problematic choice scenarios agents with disorderly preferences might find themselves in. Focusing on problem cases involving cyclical preferences, I will first argue that her first revision is undermotivated once we accept the second. If we are willing to grant that there are diachronic rationality constraints, the preference-based picture can get us further than Andreou acknowledges. I will then turn to present additional grounds for rejecting the preference-based picture. However, these grounds also seem to undermine Andreou’s own appeal to categorial appraisal responses.
Calcium in plants: an important element of cell physiology and structure, signaling, and stress responses
Authors: Wdowiak Agata , Podgórska Anna , Szal Bożena
Published: November 2024

Calcium ions (Ca2+) are absorbed from the soil by the root cells before being distributed throughout the plant. The transport of Ca2+ to aboveground parts relies on the movement of xylem, which is influenced by the transpiration rate of individual organs. The final distribution of Ca2+ in tissues and cells depends on the effective function of channels and transporters that facilitate Ca2+ movement through plasma and specific intracellular membranes. Local fluctuations in free Ca2+ concentrations serve as a mechanism to elicit cellular responses, characterized by distinct calcium signatures, or to enable long-distance signaling in a cell-to-cell network. The specificity of individual Ca2+ transport proteins is primarily determined through studies in plants with induced changes in the expression of these proteins. Concurrently, it is recognized that plant cells contain significant reserves of Ca2+ both in the labile and in the permanently bound states, which influences various aspects such as biomechanical properties or the defensive capabilities of the cells. The diverse roles of Ca2+ in plant cells highlight the importance of a thorough understanding of Ca2+ metabolism.
Nurturing cultural identity: creating an inclusive school environment for Indigenous youths
Authors: Prehn Jacob , Guerzoni Michael , Graham-Blair Jamie
Published: November 2024

This article draws upon data from the Longitudinal Study of Indigenous Children to explore whether Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youth (n = 472) feel adequately supported within their cultural identity at school, and what they believe could enhance their sense of support. The confidence of Indigenous youth in their Indigeneity within educational environments has been reported as crucial for fostering positive self-esteem, and contributes to favourable school retention and success, positive relationships with peers and staff, alongside one’s overall health and well being. Our findings indicate that a majority of the sampled Indigenous students do not report having received sufficient support from their schools towards their cultural identity. Participant-identified areas of improvement from schools in this regard include more classes and in-school activities, increased presence and recognition of culture, and greater encouragement and support. These insights are useful for informing educators, schools, and policymakers in developing educational settings that are received as valuing and nourishing Indigenous students and their cultural identity.
Effects of regional network economies on industrial productivity in Japan: dynamic total factor productivity function approach
Authors: Otsuka Akihiro
Published: November 2024

Improving productivity performance is essential for achieving regional economic sustainability. With the advent of the network society, regional economic agents have benefited not only from local within-region interactions but also from external out-of-region economies. However, it remains unclear whether localized external economies or spillovers of externalities through inter-regional networks are more significant in improving productivity performance. Therefore, this study examined the relationships between productivity performance and geographical externalities from an industry perspective using regional economic data for Japan and employed a dynamic total factor productivity function approach. It also assessed the impact of high-quality transportation infrastructure improvements on productivity catch-up. The results revealed the long-run effects of inter-regional networks on the productivity performance of industries. Furthermore, it revealed that, as a geographical externality, the “borrowed size” effect contributed significantly to productivity improvements in both manufacturing and non-manufacturing industries. These findings suggest that enhancing both high-quality transportation infrastructure and inter-regional transportation networks is likely to improve industry productivity performance.
Pädiatrisches adrenokortikales Karzinom – Fallbericht und Überblick
Authors: Griss D. , Weber U. , Tatzreiter A. , Morell-Hofert D. , Steichen-Gersdorf E.
Published: November 2024

Ein testosteronproduzierender Tumor der Nebennierenrinde kann eine seltene Ursache für eine Virilisierung bei präpubertären Mädchen sein.

Typischerweise sind Nebennierenkarzinome im Kindesalter hormonaktiv und unterscheiden sich dadurch von den Tumoren im Erwachsenalter. Der Androgenexzess führt darüber hinaus zu rasch progredienten Symptomen einer Pseudopubertas praecox mit beschleunigtem Längenwachstum und deutlich akzeleriertem Knochenalter. In der Mehrheit der Fälle kann ein meist fortgeschrittenes Stadium eines adrenokortikalen Karzinoms nachgewiesen werden. Eine frühe Diagnose durch den pädiatrischen Endokrinologen kann zu einer Verbesserung der Prognose führen.
Zirrhosebedingte Veränderung des Hormonstatus und ihre therapeutischen Implikationen
Authors: Wolf Peter
Published: November 2024

Hormonelle Erkrankungen und Lebererkrankungen sind in der Allgemeinbevölkerung relativ häufig, demnach ist auch ein gleichzeitiges Auftreten beider Erkrankungen keine Seltenheit. Andererseits beeinflussen sich endokrine und hepatologische Erkrankungen gegenseitig. Auf die Auswirkungen hormoneller Über- und Unterfunktionen auf die Entwicklung von Lebererkrankungen, wie auch auf die Konsequenzen einer fortgschrittenen Lebererkrankung auf den Hormonhaushalt, soll in diesem Artikel eingegangen werden.
Determinants of smallholder wheat farmers’ participation in cluster farming in Lemu-Bilbilo and Hetosa Districts of Arsi Zone, Ethiopia
Authors: Degefu Sura , Demelash Melkamu , Tsegae Tamirat
Published: November 2024

Despite devoting significant efforts to develop and implement policies aimed at enhancing the sustainability of its food systems, promoting resilience, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions, Ethiopia encounters constraints with these approaches. Therefore, this study was conducted to identify the determinants of smallholder farmers’ participation in wheat cluster farming in the Lemu-Bilbilo and Hetosa Districts of Arsi Zone, Ethiopia. The study utilized cross-sectional data and a multistage sampling procedure to select a total of 381 respondents from the two districts of Arsi Zone, Ethiopia. The study employed a binary probit regression to achieve the research objectives. The study indicates that sex of household head, farm size, household head education level, access to credit, membership in farmer’s cooperative, access to information from government extension, access to information on climate, and farmers climate perception were significant and positively affecting cluster farming participation, whereas distance from the nearest market and off-farm activities participation had a negative relationship with cluster farming participation decision. Cluster farming practices provide a practical means of lessening the effects of stresses related to climate change. Therefore, to increase participation in cluster farming, it is essential to strengthen efforts to raise awareness about climate change and its impacts among farming communities. The study also recommends that institutional and governmental support is essential in the areas of cooperatives, education, extension services, credit availability, climate-related information, and infrastructure development, especially in the area of market accessibility. Furthermore, the issue of gender differences in CF involvement should be addressed by policy and development initiatives.
Bartolus of Sassoferrato
Authors: Bartolus of Sassoferrato
Published: November 2024

The medieval jurist Bartolus of Sassoferrato (d. 1357) has long been accorded seminal importance by historians of political thought. This volume provides the first complete English translation of his three most celebrated tracts: On Guelfs and Ghibellines, On the Government of a City, and On the Tyrant, which constituted the first consolidated response by a medieval lawyer to the problem of tyranny in the city republics of central and northern Italy. Crucial sections of Bartolus' academic commentaries on Roman law are also translated in an appendix. George Garnett and Magnus Ryan make the writings of Bartolus accessible to an expanded audience, situating his political theory in its original context and explaining his arguments. Footnotes to the translation explain all Bartolus' references to normative sources, legal and otherwise, and a detailed glossary of legal terms and institutions is provided. This translation allows readers to understand how Bartolus mobilised the Roman and canon laws to address immediate political developments, and why he was the most famous and enduringly influential medieval lawyer.
Population Balance of Particles in Flows
Authors: Rigopoulos Stelios
Published: November 2024

The population balance methodology provides a powerful framework for studying polydisperse entities such as aerosols, crystals and bubbles. This self-contained and accessible book explains how this theoretical framework can be employed across a wide range of scientific, engineering and environmental problems. The methodology is explained step-by-step, showing readers how to use these techniques by formulating the population balance problem, choosing models and implementing appropriate solution methods. Particular focus is given to the coupling of the population balance with fluid mechanics and computational fluid dynamics (CFD), in both laminar and turbulent flows. Applications of the population balance methodology are explored in case studies including nanoparticle synthesis, soot formation and crystallisation, and sample open-source code is provided. This book will be valuable to researchers across a range of disciplines including chemical and mechanical engineering, physics and environmental science, and can be used as a resource for advanced undergraduate and graduate courses.
Law and Jewish Difference
Authors: Riedel Mareike
Published: November 2024

After centuries of persecution and discrimination, Jews are today often seen as a successful and well-integrated religious minority group in a 'Judeo-Christian West'. This book qualifies this narrative by exploring the legacy of Christian ambivalence towards Jews in contemporary secular law. By placing disputes over Jewish practices, such as infant male circumcision and the construction of eruvin, within a longer historical context, the book traces how Christian ambivalence towards Jews and Christianity's narrative of supersession became secularised into a cultural repertoire that has shaped central ideas and knowledge underpinning secular law. Christian ambivalence, this book argues, continues to circumscribe not only the rights and equality of Jews but of other non-Christians too. In considering the interaction between law and Christian ambivalence towards Jews, the book engages with broader questions about the cultural foundations of Western secular law, the politics of religious freedom, the racialisation of religion, and the ambivalent nature of legal progress.
Quantum Models of Cognition and Decision
Authors: Busemeyer Jerome R. , Bruza Peter D.
Published: November 2024

Quantum Models of Cognition and Decision, Second Edition presents a fully updated and expanded version of this innovative and path-breaking text. It offers an accessible introduction to the intersection of quantum theory and cognitive science, covering new insights, modelling techniques, and applications for understanding human cognition and decision making. In it, Busemeyer and Bruza delve into such topics as the non-commutative nature of judgments, quantum interference as a general principle governing human decision making, contextuality in modelling human cognition, and thought-provoking speculation about what a quantum approach to cognition might reveal about the ultimate nature of the human mind. Additions include new material on measurement, open systems, and applications to computer science. Requiring no prior background in quantum physics, this book comes complete with a tutorial and fully worked-out applications in important areas of cognition and decision.
Contemporary Body Horror
Authors: Aldana Reyes Xavier
Published: November 2024

'Body horror', a horror subgenre concerned with transformation, loss of control and the human body's susceptibility to disease, infection and external harm, has moved into the mainstream to become one of the greatest repositories of biopolitical discourse. Put simply, body horror acts out the power flows of modern life, visualising often imperceptible or ignored processes of marginalisation and behavioural policing, and revealing how interrelations between different social spheres (medical, legal, political, educational) produce embodied identity. This book offers the first sustained study of the types of body horror that have been popular in the twenty-first century and centres on the representational and ideological work they carry out. It proposes that, thanks to the progressive vision of feminist, queer and anti-racist practitioners, this important subgenre has expanded its ethical horizons and even found a sense of celebratory liberation in fantastic metamorphoses redolent of contemporary activist movements.