bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Assessing the effectiveness of greater occipital nerve block in chronic migraine: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Mustafa Muhamad Saqlain , bin Amin Shafin , Kumar Aashish , Shafique Muhammad Ashir , Fatima Zaidi Syeda Mahrukh , Arsal Syed Ali , Rangwala Burhanudin Sohail , Iqbal Muhammad Faheem , Raja Adarsh , Haseeb Abdul , Jawed Inshal , Hussien Mohamed Ahmed Khabab Abbasher , Muhammad Sinaan Ali Syed , Varrassi Giustino
Published: September 2024

Background & aims

Chronic migraine poses a global health burden, particularly affecting young women, and has substantial societal implications. This study aimed to assess the efficacy of Greater Occipital Nerve Block (GONB) in individuals with chronic migraine, focusing on the impact of local anesthetics compared with placebo.

Methods

A meta-analysis and systematic review were conducted following the PRISMA principles and Cochrane Collaboration methods. Eligible studies included case-control, cohort, and randomized control trials in adults with chronic migraine, adhering to the International Classification of Headache Disorders, third edition (ICHD3). Primary efficacy outcomes included headache frequency, duration, and intensity along with safety assessments.

Results

Literature searches across multiple databases yielded eight studies for qualitative analysis, with five included in the final quantitative analysis. A remarkable reduction in headache intensity and frequency during the first and second months of treatment with GONB using local anesthetics compared to placebo has been reported. The incidence of adverse events did not differ significantly between the intervention and placebo groups.

Conclusion

The analysis emphasized the safety and efficacy of GONB, albeit with a cautious interpretation due to the limited number of studies and relatively small sample size. This study advocates for further research exploring various drugs, frequencies, and treatment plans to enhance the robustness and applicability of GONB for chronic migraine management.
Positional plagiocephaly: results of the osteopathic treatment of 424 infants. An observational retrospective cohort study
Authors: Panza Raffaella , Piarulli Filippo , Rizzo Valentina , Schettini Federico , Baldassarre Maria Elisabetta , Di Lorenzo Antonio , Tafuri Silvio , Laforgia Nicola
Published: September 2024

Background

Positional plagiocephaly is an asymmetrical flattened skull deformity whose incidence increased significantly in the last decades. Osteopathic treatment has been suggested to tackle early deformational sequences, in order to ensure the correct development of the child.

The aim of the study was to assess the effectiveness of osteopathic treatment of positional cranial deformities in infants.

Methods

Retrospective observational study carried out at the Section of Neonatology and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of the Department of Interdisciplinary Medicine of University of Bari, Italy in collaboration with a specialized pediatric osteopath.

Results

424 infants were enrolled. Isolated positional plagiocephaly affected the vast majority of infants (n. 390, 91.98%); 34 patients (8.02%) were diagnosed with positional brachycephaly. Both infant groups (positional plagiocephaly and positional brachycephaly) had a median severity score of 3 (IQR: 3 – 3 and 2 – 3, respectively) and benefited from a median of 3 osteopathic sessions (IQR 3–4 and 2–4, respectively). Higher severity scores of positional asymmetries were significantly more common in preterm neonates (Pearson chi2: 11.58; p-value: 0.021) and in males (Pearson chi2: 10.06; p-value: 0.039).

Conclusions

Significant improvements in positional cranial deformations of children were obtained after only five osteopathic treatments provided in the first months of life. The osteopathic treatment could positively impact the clinical history of patients with positional plagiocephaly and positional brachycephaly.

Implication for practice

• Positional plagiocephaly is increasingly common among infants and may cause moderate to severe neurodevelopmental adverse effects.

• Osteopathic treatment may tackle early deformational sequences, in order to ensure the correct development of the child.

• Our study reveals that cranial asymmetry of infants with positional plagiocephaly is significantly reduced after only five osteopathic treatments provided in the first months of life.

• Osteopathic treatment should be offered as a first line approach to young infants diagnosed with positional plagiocephaly.
A nationwide survey on the management of neonatal respiratory distress syndrome: insights from the MUNICH survey in 394 Chinese hospitals
Authors: Chen Long , Ji Yong , Ju Rong , Liu Jiang-Qin , Liu Ling , Shi Jingyun , Wu Hui , Wang Lili , Xu Falin , Yang Chuanzhong , Zhang Huayan , Shi Yuan ,   MUNICH Study Group
Published: September 2024

Background

At present, preterm infants with respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) in China present higher mortality and morbidity rates than those in high-income countries. The aim of this nationwide survey was to assess the clinical management of RDS in China.

Methods

A nationwide cross-sectional survey to assess adherence to RDS management recommendations was performed. One neonatologist per hospital was randomly selected. The primary outcome was the key care of RDS management.

Results

Among the 394 participating hospitals, 88·3% were birthing centres. The number of doctors and nurses per bed were 0·27 and 0·72, respectively. Antenatal corticosteroids (any dose) were administered to 90% of the women at risk of preterm birth at < 34 weeks of gestation (90·0% inborn vs. 50·0% outborn, p < 0·001). The median fraction of inspired oxygen (FiO2) for initial resuscitation was 0·30 for babies born at ≤ 32 weeks of gestation and 0·25 for those born at > 32 weeks. T-piece resuscitators were available in 77·8% of delivery rooms (DRs) (tertiary hospitals: 82·5% vs. secondary hospitals: 63·0%, p < 0·001). Surfactant was used in 51·6% of the DRs. Less invasive surfactant administration (LISA) was used in 49·7% of the hospitals (tertiary hospitals: 55·3% vs. secondary hospitals: 31·5%, p < 0·001). Primary non-invasive ventilation was initiated in approximately 80·0% of the patients. High-frequency oscillation ventilation was primarily reserved for rescue after conventional mechanical ventilation (MV) failure. Caffeine was routinely used during MV in 59·1% of the hospitals. Bedside lung ultrasonography was performed in 54·3% of the health facilities (tertiary hospitals: 61·6% vs. secondary hospitals: 30·4%, p < 0·001). Qualified breast milk banks and Family Integrated Care (FICare) were present in 30·2% and 63·7% of the hospitals, respectively.

Conclusions

Significant disparities in resource availability and guidelines adherence were evident across hospitals. Future strategies should address DR facilities and medication access, technical training, staff allocation, and ancillary facility development for a better management of RDS patients in China.
A phase 3, randomized, double-blind, active-controlled clinical trial to compare BAT1806/BIIB800, a tocilizumab biosimilar, with tocilizumab reference product in participants with moderate-to-severe rheumatoid arthritis with inadequate response to methotrexate: treatment period 2 analysis (week 24 to week 48)
Authors: Leng Xiaomei , Leszczyński Piotr , Jeka Slawomir , Liu Shengyun , Liu Huaxiang , Miakisz Malgorzata , Gu Jieruo , Kilasonia Lali , Stanislavchuk Mykola , Yang Xiaolei , Zhou Yinbo , Dong Qingfeng , Mitroiu Marian , Addison Janet , Rezk Mourad F. , Zeng Xiaofeng
Published: September 2024

Background

Equivalent efficacy and comparable pharmacokinetic, immunogenicity, and safety profiles of the biosimilar BAT1806/BIIB800 and reference tocilizumab (TCZ) in participants with moderate-to-severe rheumatoid arthritis (RA) have been reported up to week 24 (treatment period [TP] 1) of the phase 3 study. Here we present results for TP2 (study weeks 24–48).

Methods

In this phase 3, multicenter, multiregional, double-blind, active-controlled, equivalence study, participants with active RA despite methotrexate were randomized (1:1:2) to intravenous administration of 8 mg/kg TCZ every 4 weeks to week 48 (TCZ group), or TCZ to week 24 followed by BAT1806/BIIB800 to week 48 (TCZ to BAT1806/BIIB800 group), or BAT1806/BIIB800 to week 48 (BAT1806/BIIB800 group). Efficacy in TP2 was evaluated using American College of Rheumatology (ACR) response criteria (ACR20/50/70) and change from baseline in Disease Activity Score on 28 joints (DAS28). Pharmacokinetics (trough levels), safety, and immunogenicity were also evaluated.

Results

Of 621 randomized participants, 577 (92.9%) completed TP1 and entered TP2 (TCZ: N = 145 [93.5%]; TCZ to BAT1806/BIIB800: N = 142 [92.2%]; BAT1806/BIIB800: N = 290 [92.9%]). Proportions of ACR20 responders were similar between treatment groups throughout TP2 (87.8%, 90.3%, and 90.4%, respectively, at week 48), as were proportions of ACR50 and ACR70 responders, and reduction in DAS28. Drug trough levels and antidrug antibody incidences were comparable between the treatment groups. Adverse events were balanced across the treatment groups and no fatal events were reported.

Conclusion

In TP2, efficacy, safety, immunogenicity, and pharmacokinetic profiles were comparable between the TCZ, TCZ to BAT1806/BIIB800, and BAT1806/BIIB800 groups.

Trial registration

NCT03830203 and EudraCT 2018-002202-31.
Histological observations and transcriptome analyses reveal the dynamic changes in the gonads of the blotched snakehead (Channa maculata) during sex differentiation and gametogenesis
Authors: Zhang Xiaotian , Wu Yuxia , Zhang Yang , Zhang Jin , Chu Pengfei , Chen Kunci , Liu Haiyang , Luo Qing , Fei Shuzhan , Zhao Jian , Ou Mi
Published: September 2024

Background

Blotched snakehead (Channa maculata) displays significant sexual dimorphism, with males exhibiting faster growth rates and larger body sizes compared to females. The cultivation of the all-male population of snakeheads holds substantial economic and ecological value. Nonetheless, the intricate processes governing the development of bipotential gonads into either testis or ovary in C. maculata remain inadequately elucidated. Therefore, it is necessary to determine the critical time window of sex differentiation in C. maculata, providing a theoretical basis for sex control in production practices.

Methods

The body length and weight of male and female C. maculata were measured at different developmental stages to reveal when sexual dimorphism in growth initially appears. Histological observations and spatiotemporal comparative transcriptome analyses were performed on ovaries and testes across various developmental stages to determine the crucial time windows for sex differentiation in each sex and the sex-related genes. Additionally, qPCR and MG2C were utilized to validate and locate sex-related genes, and levels of E2 and T were quantified to understand sex steroid synthesis.

Results

Sexual dimorphism in growth became evident starting from 90 dpf. Histological observations revealed that morphological sex differentiation in females and males occurred between 20 and 25 dpf or earlier and 30–35 dpf or earlier, respectively, corresponding to the appearance of the ovarian cavity or efferent duct anlage. Transcriptome analyses revealed divergent gene expression patterns in testes and ovaries after 30 dpf. The periods of 40–60 dpf and 60–90 dpf marked the initiation of molecular sex differentiation in females and males, respectively. Male-biased genes (Sox11a, Dmrt1, Amh, Amhr2, Gsdf, Ar, Cyp17a2) likely play crucial roles in male sex differentiation and spermatogenesis, while female-biased genes (Foxl2, Cyp19a1a, Bmp15, Figla, Er) could be pivotal in ovarian differentiation and development. Numerous biological pathways linked to sex differentiation and gametogenesis were also identified. Additionally, E2 and T exhibited sexual dimorphism during sex differentiation and gonadal development. Based on these results, it is hypothesized that in C. maculata, the potential male sex differentiation pathway, Sox11a–Dmrt1–Sox9b, activates downstream sex-related genes (Amh, Amhr2, Gsdf, Ar, Cyp17a2) for testicular development, while the antagonistic pathway, Foxl2/Cyp19a1a, activates downstream sex-related genes (Bmp15, Figla, Er) for ovarian development.

Conclusions

This study provides a comprehensive overview of gonadal dynamic changes during sex differentiation and gametogenesis in C. maculata, establishing a scientific foundation for sex control in this species.
Lactated Ringers, albumin and mannitol as priming during cardiopulmonary bypass reduces pulmonary edema in rats compared with hydroxyethyl starch
Authors: Beukers Anne M. , van Leeuwen Anoek L. I. , Ibelings Roselique , Tuip-de Boer Anita M. , Bulte Carolien S. E. , Eberl Susanne , van den Brom Charissa E.
Published: September 2024

Background

Endothelial disorders with edema formation and microcirculatory perfusion disturbances are common in cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) and contribute to disturbed tissue oxygenation resulting in organ dysfunction. Albumin is protective for the endothelium and could be a useful additive to CPB circuit priming. Therefore, this study aimed to compare organ edema and microcirculatory perfusion in rats on CPB primed with lactated Ringers, albumin and mannitol (LR/albumin/mannitol) compared to 6% hydroxyethyl starch (HES).

Results

Male rats were subjected to 75 min of CPB primed with either LR/albumin/mannitol or with 6% HES. Renal and lung edema were determined by wet/dry weight ratio. Pulmonary wet/dry weight ratio was lower in rats on CPB primed with LR/albumin/mannitol compared to HES (4.77 [4.44–5.25] vs. 5.33 [5.06–6.33], p = 0.032), whereas renal wet/dry weight ratio did not differ between groups (4.57 [4.41–4.75] vs. 4.51 [4.47–4.73], p = 0.813). Cremaster microcirculatory perfusion was assessed before, during and after CPB with intravital microscopy. CPB immediately impaired microcirculatory perfusion compared to baseline (LR/albumin/mannitol: 2 [1–7] vs. 14 [12–16] vessels per recording, p = 0.008; HES: 4 [2–6] vs. 12 [10–13] vessels per recording, p = 0.037), which persisted after weaning from CPB without differences between groups (LR/albumin/mannitol: 5 [1–9] vs. HES: 1 [0–4], p = 0.926). In addition, rats on CPB primed with LR/albumin/mannitol required less fluids to reach sufficient flow rates (0.5 [0.0–5.0] mL vs. 9 [4.5–10.0], p < 0.001) and phenylephrine (20 [0–40] µg vs. 90 [40–200], p = 0.004). Circulating markers for inflammation (interleukin 6 and 10), adhesion (ICAM-1), glycocalyx shedding (syndecan-1) and renal injury (NGAL) were determined by ELISA or Luminex. Circulating interleukin-6 (16 [13–25] vs. 33 [24–51] ng/mL, p = 0.006), interleukin-10 (434 [295–782] vs. 2120 [1309–3408] pg/ml, p < 0.0001), syndecan-1 (5 [3–7] vs. 15 [11–16] ng/mL, p < 0.001) and NGAL (555 [375–1078] vs. 2200 [835–3671] ng/mL, p = 0.008) were lower in rats on CPB primed with LR/albumin/mannitol compared to HES.

Conclusion

CPB priming with LR, albumin and mannitol resulted in less pulmonary edema, renal injury, inflammation and glycocalyx degradation compared to 6% HES. Furthermore, it enhanced hemodynamic stability compared with HES. Further research is needed to explore the specific role of albumin as a beneficial additive in CPB priming.
Genome-wide identification of cannabinoid biosynthesis genes in non-drug type Cannabis (Cannabis sativa L.) cultivar
Authors: Sng Benny Jian Rong , Jeong Yu Jeong , Leong Sing Hui , Jeong Jae Cheol , Lee Jiyoung , Rajani Sarojam , Kim Cha Young , Jang In-Cheol
Published: September 2024

Background

Cannabis sativa cultivars can be classified as marijuana or hemp, depending on its amount of the psychoactive cannabinoid Δ9‐tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (THCA). Hemp Cheungsam is a non-drug type Cannabis sativa that is characterized by low THCA content. However, the transcripts and expression profile of cannabinoid biosynthesis pathway genes of hemp Cheungsam have not been investigated.

Methods

RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) was performed on three different tissue types (flower, leaf, and stem) of hemp Cheungsam to understand their transcriptomes. The expression of cannabinoid biosynthesis pathway genes was further analyzed in each tissue type. Multiple sequence alignment and conserved domain analyses were used to investigate the homologs of cannbinoid biosynthesis genes.

Results

We found that the cannabinoid biosynthesis pathway was mainly expressed in the flowers of hemp Cheungsam, similar to other Cannabis cultivars. However, expression of cannabidiolic acid (CBDA) synthase was much higher than THCA synthase and cannabichromenic acid (CBCA) synthase, suggesting that the transcription profile favors CBDA biosynthesis. Sequence analysis of cannabinoid biosynthesis pathway genes suggested the identity of orthologs in hemp Cheungsam.

Conclusions

Cannabinoid biosynthesis in hemp Cheungsam mostly occurs in the flowers, compared to other plant organs. While CBDA synthase expression is high, THCA and CBCA synthase expression is considerably low, indicating lesser THCA biosynthesis and thus low THCA content. Sequence analysis of key genes (CBDA, THCA, and CBCA synthases) of the cannabinoid biosynthetic pathway indicates that orthologs are present in hemp Cheungsam.
Proposed Denosumab Biosimilar SB16 vs Reference Denosumab in Postmenopausal Osteoporosis: Phase 3 Results Up to Month 12
Authors: Langdahl Bente , Chung Yoon-Sok , Plebanski Rafal , Czerwinski Edward , Dokoupilova Eva , Supronik Jerzy , Rosa Jan , Mydlak Andrzej , Rowińska-Osuch Anna , Baek Ki-Hyun , Urboniene Audrone , Mordaka Robert , Ahn Sohui , Rho Young Hee , Ban Jisuk , Eastell Richard
Published: September 2024

Context

SB16 is a proposed biosimilar to reference denosumab (DEN; brand name: Prolia).

Objective

This phase 3 randomized, double-blind, multicenter study evaluated the biosimilarity of SB16 to DEN in women with postmenopausal osteoporosis (NCT04664959).

Design

The study included 457 postmenopausal osteoporosis patients who had a lumbar spine or total hip T-score between −2.5 and −4. Patients were randomized in a 1:1 ratio to receive either 60 mg of SB16 or DEN subcutaneously at month 0 and month 6. At month 12, patients were rerandomized to continue with the assigned treatment or switch from DEN to SB16 up to month 18. This report includes results up to month 12.

Methods

The primary endpoint was the percent change from baseline in lumbar spine bone mineral density (BMD) at month 12. Secondary endpoints including the percent change from baseline in BMD of the lumbar spine (except for month 12), total hip, and femoral neck; pharmacokinetic, pharmacodynamic (serum C-telopeptide of type I collagen, and procollagen type I N-terminal propeptide), safety, and immunogenicity profiles were measured up to month 12.

Results

The least-squares mean differences in percent change from baseline in lumbar spine BMD at month 12 were 0.33% (90% CI, −0.25 to 0.91) in the full analysis set and 0.39% (95% CI, −0.36 to 1.13) in the per-protocol set; both within the predefined equivalence margin. The secondary endpoints were comparable between the 2 treatment groups.

Conclusion

The reported efficacy, pharmacokinetic, pharmacodynamic, safety, and immunogenicity data support the biosimilarity of SB16 to DEN.
Hematologic Malignancies: Two Cases of a Rare Cause of Hypopituitarism
Authors: Lauzon Brian , Abu-Hijleh Tala , McInnes Natalia , Prebtani Ally
Published: September 2024

Hematologic malignancies are rare causes of sellar masses and hypopituitarism. We report 2 cases of hypopituitarism due to sellar masses from hematologic malignancies. The first patient was found to have hypopituitarism but initial non-gadolinium-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) sella did not demonstrate a mass. Subsequent gadolinium-enhanced MRI and transsphenoidal biopsy confirmed a diagnosis of intravascular lymphoma. Treatment with systemic chemotherapy resulted in resolution of abnormalities on MRI. The second patient had a known diagnosis of chronic lymphocytic leukemia, and sellar involvement contributing to hypopituitarism was confirmed on biopsy. Treatment with ibrutinib, acalabrutinib, and stereotactic radiosurgery resulted in resolution of abnormalities on MRI. Both patients were treated with hormone replacement for hypopituitarism. These cases highlight that hematologic malignancies should be suspected as causes of sellar masses/hypopituitarism in patients with concurrent symptoms atypical for a pituitary adenoma (eg, constitutional symptoms), known diagnoses of hematologic malignancies, or rapid tumor growth and invasion on imaging. Gadolinium-enhanced MRI should be pursued if nonenhanced MRI is nondiagnostic. Transsphenoidal biopsy can be considered for diagnosis. Malignancy-directed systemic therapy may improve hypopituitarism and radiographic abnormalities on MRI.
Risk factors in international rail-system projects
Authors:   Cukurova University, Engineering Faculty, Civil Engineering, Adana, Turkey, Telmaç Ali , Tantekin-Çelik Gözde ,   Cukurova University, Engineering Faculty, Civil Engineering, Adana, Turkey
Published: September 2024

Construction projects carry many risks due to their long-term, changeable, and dynamic structures. When these risks are transferred to the international environment, they may give rise to new risks and increase the effects of existing risks. International railway-system projects, involve many project-specific risks due to their long duration and high volume of technological manufacturing. Opening completed rail lines for use requires the anticipation of risks that may arise during the warranty period. This study conducted a survey with construction-sector employees working on rail-system projects in Turkey, Italy, and India regarding the risks they face within the scope of the project. Based on the exploratory factor analysis, the risks encountered in international rail-system projects were grouped under three factors: "management-related risks,” "time- and cost-related risks,” and "product quality-related risks.” The results showed that time and cost risks differed by country.
Friendship and Its Logics in Amis and Amiloun
Authors: Kendall Elliot
Published: September 2024

Abstract: The poet of Amis and Amiloun took a well-known story of lasting friendship and inflected it as one about a naive sworn brotherhood which matures into a bond of reciprocated obligations. Against the grain of existing criticism, this article argues for a poem skeptical of the friendship's early incarnation and reformative in its handling of the pair's crisis and recovery. This puts Amis and Amiloun on a tangent in relation to analogues and other narratives of promises and loyalty but aligns the poem with mainstream political concerns about confederacy and interference with justice in late medieval England.
Towards the Condition of Birdsong
Authors: Mueller Julia Laurel
Published: September 2024

Abstract: Walter Pater's much-studied, suggestive statement, "All art constantly aspires towards the condition of music," is rooted in "Anders-streben" or "other-striving." In passing, contemporary poet John Bevis ventures a mischievous mishearing of Pater's dictum: What could it mean to aspire towards the condition of birdsong—other-striving of another order? In a heterodox history of ideas from Charles Darwin through Charles Hartshorne, birdsong reintegrates music and language. Listening to birdsong, Anglophone poets have heard echoes of an analogous human capacity, all but lost. In birdsong poems by John Clare, Robert Frost, Edward Thomas, and Elizabeth Bishop, a poetics of radical other-striving emerges.
The Reliability of Sensational Interpretation
Authors: Ong Yao
Published: September 2024

Abstract: In this essay, I observe that scholarly attention towards sensation fiction has heavily relied on historicist readings while overlooking sensation fiction's status as a properly aesthetic phenomenon that immanently theorizes the act of novel reading. I argue that the absorbed reading that is commonly assumed to attend a sensation novel like Lady Audley's Secret (1862) is, paradoxically, sustained by the novel's self-consciously mediative qualities that hold the reader at bay from identification and immersion, instead of plunging her into sensational immediacy. What makes sensation fiction so gratifyingly readable is not the thrills of narrative suspense, but the reliability of the conventions by which it has been read over and again.
Satire vs Sentiment: Mark Twain, Bella Z. Spencer, and the Subscription Book Market
Authors: Jordan Jessica Camille
Published: September 2024

Abstract: This essay argues that Mark Twain has been overrepresented in scholarship on subscription bookselling, resulting in a corresponding failure to account for fiction's relationship to this popular nineteenth-century practice. Though Twain's The Gilded Age (1873) is often described as the first novel sold by subscription, I recover an earlier example: Tried and True (1866), a Civil War romance by Bella Zilfa Spencer. Reading the novel's mode of distribution as integral to its treatment of gender, race, and geography, I demonstrate the potential for literary study which gets lost somewhere between subscription bookselling's bad reputation and Mark Twain's good one.
"A Strange and New Knowledge": James Joyce's "Epiphany Process" and Richard Wright's "Innocent Guilt" in The Man Who Lived Underground
Authors: Berardino Christopher Seiji
Published: September 2024

ABSTRACT: Eighty years after its composition, Richard Wright's The Man Who Lived Underground was published in its entirety for the first time in April 2021. Indeed, one of the major surprises afforded by this recent publication is Wright's curious decision to imbue his protagonist, Daniels, with a revelatory "strange and new knowledge" that "he was all people and they were he ." While much of the existent criticism on the short story version has asserted the narrative is one of existential solipsism, I contend the unexpunged novel is rooted in a collective possibility, or what Wright terms in "Memories of My Grandmother" as "one meaningful whole." By considering James Joyce's "epiphany process," Wright strategically leverages Joycean epiphany into a narrative technique uniquely his own, what Wright himself terms as "innocent guilt."
A Fallen Sutpen and a Fallen World: The Concept of the Fall in Absalom, Absalom!
Authors: Papadimitriou Stylianos
Published: September 2024

ABSTRACT: Thomas Sutpen's descent from the mountains in William Faulkner's Absalom, Absalom! (1936), a fall from the mountain paradise to the evils of slaveholding society, has long been considered comparable to the biblical Fall of Man. Surprisingly, however, the social, moral, and political overtones of Sutpen's Fall have been critically overlooked to a certain extent. This article explores Sutpen's descent from the mountains as well as the innocence that informs his design in order to showcase the full extent of Faulkner's metaphor of the Fall. I contend that the examination of Sutpen's Fall from a moral and sociological standpoint establishes an ideologically profound context in which the ethical and socioeconomic implications of Thomas Sutpen's story can be thoroughly investigated. Specifically, the article identifies Sutpen's commitment to his self-interest at the expense of others as his major transgression. For this reason, it maintains that the implications of Sutpen's story transcend the literary boundaries of the novel's nineteenth century timeframe and also comment insightfully on the moral and socioeconomic situation of the Great Depression, the devastating period within which Absalom, Absalom! was authored.
The Right Man and the Wrong Man: Similarities with a Difference in Chesnutt's The Marrow of Tradition
Authors: Barry Michael
Published: September 2024

ABSTRACT: The ironic juxtapositions of similar scenes and characters in The Marrow of Tradition show that people in comparable life situations will experience different outcomes depending on their race. For example, whether a person is Black or White determines the consequences that ensue if that person resorts to violence, even if it can be justified as self-defense. This novel, by Charles W. Chesnutt, is based on the political insurrection of 1898 in which White supremacists overthrew the municipal government of Wilmington, North Carolina. The workings of the plot suggest an endorsement of the viewpoint of Josh Green, a Black dock worker who believes in the need for retaliatory violence. Green's position is contrasted with, and in novelistic terms gets the better of, the pacifist and more intellectual view of William Miller, the town's prominent Black doctor. Though less explicitly so, Green's and Miller's views may also be interpreted as representative of a contest between the merits of race consciousness and assimilation, respectively. In his essays, Chesnutt speaks clearly in favor of "sameness" and color-blindness as a principle, so he is closer to Miller on this issue. However, in his later literary career and even in certain aspects of this novel, one can see sympathy for characters who define themselves in part by their membership in the Black community.
Frequent Icing Stimulates Skeletal Muscle Regeneration Following Injury With Necrosis in a Small Fraction of Myofibers in Rats
Authors: Kawashima Masato , Nagata Itsuki , Terada Erika , Tamari Asano , Kurauchi Mami , Sakuraya Tohma , Sonomura Takahiro , Oyanagi Eri , Yano Hiromi , Peake Jonathan M. , Arakawa Takamitsu
Published: September 2024

Icing interventions on the injured skeletal muscle affect the macrophage-related regenerative events and muscle repair. However, despite its importance for the practice in sport medicine, the influence of different icing protocols on muscle regeneration remains unclear. Here, using a rodent model of mild muscle injury with necrosis in a small fraction of myofibers, the injured animals were allocated to four groups: non-icing control (Con) and a single treatment (Ice-1), three treatments (Ice-3), or nine treatments (Ice-9) with a 30-min icing each time within two days following injury. Muscle regeneration was compared between the groups on post-injury days 1, 3, 5, and 7. The results showed that compared with the Con group, muscle regeneration was faster in the Ice-9 group (but not in the Ice-1 and Ice-3 groups), as indicated by more rapid accumulation of satellite cells within the regenerating area and enlarged size of regenerating myofibers ( p<0.05, respectively). There was also less macrophage accumulation ( p<0.05) and a trend toward early removal of necrotic myofibers in the damaged/regenerating area in the Ice-9 group ( p=0.0535). These results demonstrate that in the case of mild muscle damage, more frequent icing treatment is more effective to stimulate muscle regeneration.
Plant extracts and commercial products for controlling black spot and inducing resistance in rose bushes
Authors: Simon Janaina Myashiro , Alencar Mariana Santos Rodrigues , Oliveira Juliana Batista , Schwan-Estrada Katia Regina Freitas , Jardinetti Virlene do Amaral , Maia Aline José
Published: September 2024

Rose is one of the most appreciated flowers in the world; however, fungal diseases can affect its production, decreasing its commercial value. Thus, the objective of this work was to assess the potential of extracts of medicinal plants and commercial products based on plant extracts, plant oils, and potassium phosphite to control black spot (Diplocarpon rosae) in roses by evaluating the activation of plant defense mechanisms. The treatments consisted of using crude aqueous extract (CAE) of Rosmarinus officinalis leaves; CAE of Equisetum arvense stems; CAE of Moringa oleifera seeds; commercial product (CP) based on fermented plant extracts; CP based on potassium phosphite; CP based on plant oils; CP based on citrus mass; and fungicide. Severity of black spot disease, and yield, biometry, chlorophyll contents, and enzyme activity of peroxidase, catalase, and polyphenoloxidase in rose plants were evaluated. The treatments presented no difference from the control (water) for disease incidence and severity and yield. However, the longest stem was found in rose plants in the treatment with potassium phosphite-based commercial product, whereas the thickest stems were found in the three treatments with commercial products. The highest enzyme specific activities of peroxidase, catalase, and polyphenoloxidase were found in plants treated with potassium phosphite, CAE of M. oleifera, and CAE of R. officinalis. The results found showed that the tested natural products did not control black spot in rose bushes, despite their positive effect on plant physiology.
Pengupah dalam Perspektif Hukum Islam
Authors: Novi Nur Hidayati Ika
Published: September 2024

Manusia diciptakan Allah SWT untuk selalu berusaha memenuhi kebutuhan hidupnya, salah satunya adalah dengan bekerja. Bekerja berarti pembayaran yang diterima pekerja selama ia melakukan pekerjaan atau dipandang melakukan pekerjaan. Manusia diperintahkan berperan aktif dalam mencari dimana rizki itu bisa didapat, bahkan sampai ke segala penjuru dunia. Antara pengusaha dengan pekerja saling membutuhkan. Pengusaha membutuhkan pekerja untuk menjalankan usahanya agar tetap eksis, sedangkan pekerja membutuhkan pekerjaan tersebut untuk memenuhi kebutuhan hidupnya. Dari itulah kemudian timbul hubungan kerja antara pengusaha dengan pekerja. Hubungan kerja pun tidak terlepas dari masalah upah. Masalah pengupahan merupakan hal yang sensitif bagi para pekerja. Bagi pengusaha upah itu adalah biaya produksi yang harus ditekan serendah-rendahnya agar harga barangnya nanti tidak terlalu tinggi atau keuntungannya menjadi lebih tinggi. Bagi pekerja, upah adalah jumlah uang yang diterimanya pada waktu tertentu atau lebih penting lagi, jumlah barang kebutuhan hidup yang ia dapat beli dari upah itu.
Perilaku Ekonomi dan Dampak Risikonya Bank Syariah di Yogyakarta dalam Pembiayaan Mudarabah dan Murabahah bagi Dana Deposan
Authors: Mughits Abdul
Published: September 2024

This research tries to check the potency of risk of Islamic bank in defrayal of muḍārabah and murābaḥah. This research was inspired from ascription of whereas one who said that the Islamic banks have not been risk because they have owned the guidance of risk management published by Bank Indonesia (BI). One way to assess the existence of potency of risk of Islamic bank in its defrayal product is using the theory of behavioral economics which’s in general differentiated to two categories, that is rational that which tends to be risk and irrasional that which tend to be not risk. Rational behavior is presented by the approach of efficiency market hyphotesis (EMH) and irrational behavior is presented by the approach of adaptive market hypothesis (AMH) And behavioral finance (BF). This research objects are four Islamic banks in Yogyakarta. After conducting by tracing of field data then found that four Islamic banks affirm still face the risk in their operational, especially operational risk, risk of credit and risk of liquidity. Four banks show that their behaviors are irrasional because tend to show the behavior of AMH and BF, than EMH. Thereby its risk potency tends to minimizes to rate of return of clients of deposan or third party lenders (DPK).
 
Penelitian ini mencoba untuk melihat potensi risiko bank syariah dalam pembiayaan muḍārabah dan murābaḥah. Penelitian ini terinspirasi dari anggapan yang mengatakan bahwa bank syariah tidak memiliki risiko karena telah memiliki pedoman manajemen risiko yang diterbitkan oleh Bank Indonesia (BI). Salah satu cara untuk melihat adanya potensi risiko bank syariah dalam produk pembiayaan adalah dengan menggunakan teori ekonomi perilaku yang secara umum dibedakan menjadi dua kategori, yaitu perilaku rasional yang cenderung berisiko dan perilaku irasional yang cenderung tidak berisiko. Perilaku rasional dipresentasikan dengan pendekatan efficiency market hyphotesis (EMH) dan perilaku irasional dipresentasikan dengan pendekatan adaptive market hyphotesis (AMH) dan behavioral finance (BF). Objek penelitian ini adalah empat bank syariah di Yogyakarta. Setelah melakukan penelusuran data lapangan maka ditemukan bahwa keempat bank syariah tersebut menegaskan masih menghadapi risiko dalam operasionalnya, terutama risiko operasional, risiko kredit dan risiko likuiditas. Keempat bank tersebut menunjukkan bahwa perilakunya tidak rasional karena cenderung menunjukkan perilaku AMH dan BF dibandingkan EMH. Dengan demikian potensi risikonya cenderung meminimalkan tingkat pengembalian nasabah deposan atau dana pihak ketiga (DPK).
Problematika Produksi di Indonesia dan Solusinya (Suatu Tinjauan Etika Bisnis Islam)
Authors: Mughits Abdul
Published: September 2024

Produksi merupakan sektor yang menentukan roda ekonomi-bahkan pembangunan-suatu negara, meskipun dalam prakteknya juga harus diimbangi dengan sektor lainnya, seperti distribusi. Tujuan fundamental produksi adalah memenuhi kebutuhan masyarakat (secara praktis) dan menciptakan kesejahteraan ekonomi (secara makro). Ada lima prinsip dalam produksi, yaitu (1) Unity (keesaan Tuhan/Tauhid), integritas vertikal, interaksi sistem sosial yang bermuara kepada keesaan Tuhan. (2) Equilibrium, keseimbangan (keadilan). (3) Free will atau bebas berkehendak (ikhtiar). (4) Responsibility (pertanggunganjawab) terhadap lingkungan sosial, politik, ekonomi, budaya, fisik, pemerintah, stake holders, manusia dll.. dan (5) Kebenaran: Kebijakan dan kejujuran. Sementara faktor yang menentukan produksi ada empat, yaitu (1) tanah; (2) tenaga kerja; (3) modal dan; (4) organisasi, termasuk dalam organisasi (lembaga) ini adalah manajemen.
Sultan Ground dan Pakualaman Ground dalam Kajian Hukum Islam dan Hukum Positif
Authors: Wahyudi Epri
Published: September 2024

Pasal 32 Undang-Undang Nomor 13 Tahun 2012 tentang Keistimewaan Daerah Istimewa Yogyakarta mengamanatkan bahwa Kasultanan dan Kadipaten Pakualaman sebagai badan hukum khusus dan subjek hak yang dapat memiliki tanah. Tanah-tanah tersebut kemudian lebih dikenal dengan istilah Sultan Ground dan Pakualaman Ground. Kepemilikan dan penguasaan atas tanah Sultan Ground dan Pakualaman Ground adalah melebihi dari batas yang telah ditentukan, sehingga kemudian corak kepemilikan dan penguasaan atas tanah Sultan Ground dan Pakualaman Ground tidak jauh beda atau bahkan lebih sama seperti halnya yang ditentukan dalam Rijksblad Kasultanan Tahun 1918 nomor 16 dan Rijksblad Pakualaman Tahun 1918 Nomor 18. Padahal dengan lahirnya UUPA, Keppres Nomor 33 Tahun 1984 tentang Pemberlakuan Sepenuhnya UUPA di DIY, Kepmendagri Nomor 66 Tahun 1984 Tentang Pelaksanaan Pemberlakuan UUPA di DIY dan Perda DIY Nomor 3 Tahun 1984 tentang Pelaksanaan Berlakunya UU Nomor 5 Tahun 1960 di Provinsi Yogyakarta konsekuensinya adalah menghapuskan semua peraturan lama yang menggambarkan sistem feodalistik di seluruh daerah yang ada di Indonesia, termasuk ketentuan Rijksblad Kasultanan dan Rijksblad Kadipaten Pakualaman. Tulisan ini memotret Sultan ground dan Pakualaman ground dalam perspektif hukum positif yang berlaku di Indonesia dan hukum Islam
Keadilan bagi Mustahiq Studi Penerapan Ketentuan Ashnaf di Badan Amil Zakat Nasional (BAZNAS) Kabupaten Magelang
Authors: Azma Fadila
Published: September 2024

Tulisan ini membahas keadilan bagi mustahiq dengan melakukan studi terhadap penerapan ketentuan ashnaf di badan amil zakat nasional (BAZNAS) kabupaten Magelang. Tulisan ini menguji apakah ketentuan Ashnaf di Badan Amil Zakat Magelang sudah memenuhi unsur keadilan dalam menentukan siapa saja di antara mustahiq zakat yang diberikan dana distribusi zakat. Hasilnya sistem yang dipakai sudah proporsional dan mengacu kepada keadilan sosial
Heterochromatin Density (Condensation) During Cell Differentiation and Maturation Using the Human Granulocytic Lineage of Chronic Myeloid Leukaemia as a Convenient Model
Authors: Smetana Karel , Mikulenková D. , Klamová H.
Published: September 2024

The present study was undertaken to provide complementary data on the heterochromatin condensation in both central and peripheral nuclear regions during the cell differentiation and maturation using computer-assisted density measurements at the single-cell level. The lineage of neutrophilic granulocytes in the bone marrow of patients suffering from chronic myeloid leukaemia was very convenient for such study because the increased number of granulocytes in all developmental stages was satisfactory for heterochromatin density measurements. The morphology of leukaemic and non-leukaemic neutrophilic granulocytes is similar and each differentiation or maturation stage is easily identified. Amarkedly increasing heterochromatin density – condensation – in the peripheral nuclear region at the nuclear envelope accompanied both the differentiation and maturation of these cells. Thus, peripheral chromosomal territories at the nuclear envelope are important for both the differentiation and maturation process. In contrast, the heterochromatin density of nuclear central regions was already high in early differentiation stages and exhibited a less distinct increase during the differentiation, but was more apparent in late maturation stages representing the terminal differentiation. A limited number of maturing cells with persisting large heterochromatin density in central nuclear regions without markedly increased heterochromatin condensation at the nuclear periphery might represent a further maturation abnormality – asynchrony – during the granulocytic development. From the methodological point of view, both, the cytochemical method for the DNA demonstration and the panoptic May-Grünwald – Giemsa staining, are convenient for computer-assisted chromatin densitometry at the single-cell level.
Scouting rice (Oryza sativa L.) landraces for moisture stress tolerance using morphometric diversity analysis
Authors: Kathiresan Pravin Kumar , Binodh Asish Kanagaraj , Thankappan Sugitha , Francis Neethu , Selvaraj Ramchander , Ramasamy Naveen Kumar , Alagarsamy Senthil
Published: September 2024

Climate-change is a major threat to sustainable agriculture. Rice is one of the staple food grains that sustain 2/3rd of global population. Therefore, developing climate-resilient rice genotypes to combat moisture stress and other climate change factors are most important to address the challenges posed by climate change. The vast availability of genetic variance among the rice genotypes for different traits favours the selection of desirable donor parents. A field investigation was carried out to characterize 21 traditional rice landraces under induced moisture stress in 2 environments including induced moisture stress (S) and non-stress (NS). The response to the varied level of environments was observed in terms of biometric and yield parameters followed by multivariate analysis and variability analysis. The study revealed higher phenotypic-coefficient of variation (PCV) and genotypic-coefficient of variation (GCV) for plant height and single plant yield in both environments. High heritability was also recorded in the moisture stressed environment for plant height (98.63 %), single plant yield (98.19 %) and productive tillers (95.12 %), whereas under NS, the heritability is more for single plant yield only (99.56 %). The genotypes formed nine clusters under the S environment, based on the Euclidean distance, of which the three CMS lines segregated in cluster III distinctly. The principal component analysis exhibited three principal components with a cumulative variance of 86.13 % and 86.40 % in the NS and S environments respectively. The traits such as days to 50 % flowering, panicle height, panicle length, grains per panicle, productive tillers, thousand-grain weight and single plant yield were the positive contributors. Spikelet fertility (%) and harvest index were positively correlated with seed yield per plant. Path-coefficient analysis was significant for grain yield, harvest index, spikelet fertility, pollen fertility and plant height and positively influenced by productive tillers plant-1. The study concluded the prospect of using Mattaikar, Rajalakshmi, Mallikar and Kuliyadichan as potential donors for developing upland rice with moisture stress resilience.
Optimizing Cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata) Production through Integrated Nutrient Management: Enhancing Yield, Quality, and Sustainability
Authors: Rangu Tharun , Rout Sanghamitra , Gupta Archi , Chauhan Charupriya , Thakur Vandana , Kumar Mukesh , Yadav SK , Narayana G. Veera , kaur Harpreet
Published: September 2024

This study explores the synergistic effects of integrated nutrient management (INM) on the growth, yield, and quality attributes of cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata). The present study was conducted during the Rabi season of 2022-23 at Lovely Professional University at a vegetable research farm in Punjab, India. The experiment was laid out in a completely randomized block design with ten treatments replicated three times. Various combinations of organic and inorganic fertilizers, including vermicompost and neem cake were evaluated alongside the recommended dose of fertilizers (RDF). Results indicated significant enhancements in most horticultural traits of cabbage across different treatments. Notably, the combination of RDF with vermicompost and neem cake (75% RDF: 5 t/ha: 2 t/ha) exhibited the most promising results, including increased head weight (125%), head formation percentage (22.17%), enhanced head yield (65.33%), improved compactness (98.60%), elevated ascorbic acid content (24.48%), and higher dry matter content (27.56%) than of control. These findings underscore the efficacy of integrated nutrient management strategies in optimizing cabbage production, emphasizing their potential for sustainable and high-quality vegetable cultivation.
Cypriot Fabrics? White Slip Pottery and Élite Linen Clothes of the Late Bronze Age
Authors: Yasur-Landau Assaf , Spinazzi-Lucchesi Chiara
Published: September 2024

In this article we will point to the similarity between the decoration on Cypriot White Slip (WS) I and II pottery and contemporary 15th–14th-century BCE “Syrian” elite garments shown in 18th Dynasty Egyptian tombs. Depiction of men and women in the tombs of Rekhmire (TT100), Sobekhotep (TT63), Menkheperraseneb (TT86), and Anen (TT120) show white clothes decorated with both vertical and horizontal elements, with dotted and wavy additions. Such elements find direct parallels in the WS I decorative “vocabulary.” We will examine the possibility that the Cypriot WS pottery imitates elite linen clothing produced during the international Late Bronze Age, some even on Cyprus, as indicated by the mention of “linen of Alashiya” (gad

uru

Alašiya) in Hittite inventory texts.