bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Antitrypanosomal Potential of Chalcone‐Based Ursolic Acid Derivatives via Ligand‐Based Virtual Screening, DMPK Analyses, Molecular Dynamics Simulation, and MM/GBSA Binding Energy
Authors: Nunes João Victor Serra , da Rocha Matheus Nunes , de de Oliveira Victor Moreira , Roberto Caio Henrique Alexandre , dos Santos Hélcio Silva , Marinho Emmanuel Silva , Marinho Márcia Machado , Martins Alice Maria Costa
Published: November 2024

Chagas disease, caused by the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi and transmitted mainly by triatomine insects, represents a significant challenge to public health, especially in impoverished regions. Current treatments, such as benznidazole and nifurtimox, have limitations, including serious side effects and reduced efficacy in the chronic phase. This work aims to evaluate the antitrypanosomal activity of ursolic acid‐derived chalcones (UACD) using a ligand‐based virtual screening approach. To this end, a series of independent molecular docking simulations were carried out (via AutoDock Vina code) with the parasite proliferation cycle enzymes TcGAPDH and cruzain. The most favorable candidates underwent drug metabolism and pharmacokinetics (DMPK) analyses and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to estimate the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic profile. Molecular docking simulations showed that the UACD derivatives showed better specificity for the TcGAPDH enzyme, emphasizing the ursolic acid and UACD3 derivatives (affinity energy = −9.4 kcal/mol for each). The DMPK prediction showed that the derivatives present viable apparent permeability (Papp) that promotes an excellent absorbed fraction (in 10⁻⁶ cm/s). MD simulations showed that the UACD3 derivative showed better free energy when binding to the TcGAPDH enzyme (−13.27 ± 1.87 kcal/mol) and interacting with the active site residues Cys166 and Thr167. However, both ligands appear to be alternative therapies in treating Chagas disease.
Sowing Clean‐Release Salt Catalyst for the Synthesis of Contamination‐Free Single‐walled Carbon Nanotube Arrays
Authors: Wang Xiuxia , Yu Yi , Li Jianan , Zhang Xinyu , Zhu Linxi , Lin Sizhe , Gao Jin , Du Ran , Lin Dewu , Hu Yue
Published: November 2024

Horizontal arrays of single‐walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) have shown immense potential for application in emerging devices due to their excellent electrical and thermal properties. The direct growth of SWCNT arrays using high‐activity metal catalysts is one of the promising methods to approach the mass production of dense SWCNT arrays. However, an inevitable obstacle lies in the post‐purification of metal residual. Herein, a sowing strategy to prepare size‐tunable potassium chloride (KCl) catalysts for the efficient growth of the SWCNT array with a density of 10 tubes per micron is reported. Through a controllable etching process, numerous surface defects (e.g., vacancies and kinks) are uniformly generated on the substrate as seed pit‐like sites for the accommodation and anchoring of catalysts. The well‐distributed KCl catalysts with a homogeneous size of ≈1.4 nm enable the growth of ≈1.3 nm SWCNTs through a vapor‐liquid‐solid mechanism. Importantly, 94 at.% KCl catalysts can be dramatically removed through a simple water‐washing process, thus leaving contamination‐free SWCNT arrays behind. Interestingly, 85% of nanotubes show metallic properties, which is demonstrated by the combination of electrical characterization and the multi‐laser Raman spectroscopy. This sowing strategy contributes to the direct growth of uncontaminated high‐density SWCNT arrays.
Efficient Photocatalytic Hydrogen Production Using In‐Situ Polymerized Gold Nanocluster Assemblies
Authors: Bera Debkumar , Mahata Sukhendu , Biswas Maitrayee , Kumari Komal , Rakshit Surajit , Nonappa  , Ghosh Srabanti , Goswami Nirmal
Published: November 2024

Gold nanoparticles (NPs) are widely recognized as co‐catalysts in semiconductor photocatalysis for enhancing hydrogen production efficiency, but they are often overlooked as primary catalysts due to the rapid recombination of excited‐state electrons. This study presents an innovative gold‐based photocatalyst design utilizing an in situ dopamine polymerization‐guided assembly approach for efficient H2 generation via water splitting. By employing gold superclusters (AuSCs; ≈100 nm) instead of ultra‐small gold nanoclusters (AuNCs; ≈2 nm) before polymerization, unique nanodisk‐like 3D superstructures consisting of agglomerated 2D polydopamine (PDA) nanosheets with a high percentage of uniformly embedded AuNCs are created that exhibit enhanced metallic character post‐polymerization. The thin PDA layer between adjacent AuNCs functions as an efficient electron transport medium, directing excited‐state electrons toward the surface and minimizing recombination. Notably, the AuSCs@PDA structure shows the largest potential difference (26.0 mV) compared to AuSCs (≈18.4 mV) and PDA NPs (≈14.6 mV), indicating a higher population of accumulated photo‐generated carriers. As a result, AuSCs@PDA achieves a higher photocurrent density, improved photostability, and lower charge transfer resistance than PDA NPs, AuSCs, or AuNCs@PDA, with the highest hydrogen evolution rate of 3.20 mmol g−1 h−1. This work highlights a promising in situ polymerization strategy for enhancing photocatalytic hydrogen generation with metal nanoclusters.
Exploring Ion Transmission Mechanisms in Clay‐Based 2D Nanofluidics for Osmotic Energy Conversion
Authors: Wang Shiwen , Tang Jiadong , Liu Bing , Xia Lingzhi , Liu Jingbing , Jin Yuhong , Wang Hao , Zheng Zilong , Zhang Qianqian
Published: November 2024

Clay‐based 2D nanofluidics present a promising avenue for osmotic energy harvesting due to their low cost and straightforward large‐scale preparation. However, a comprehensive understanding of ion transport mechanisms, and horizontal and vertical transmission, remains incomplete. By employing a multiscale approach in combination of first‐principles calculations and molecular dynamics simulations, the issue of how transmission directions impact on the clay‐based 2D nanofluidics on osmotic energy conversion is addressed. It is indicated that the selective and rapid hopping transport of cations in clay‐based 2D nanofluidics is facilitated by the electrostatic field within charged nanochannels. Furthermore, horizontally transported nanofluidics exhibited stronger ion fluxes, higher ion transport efficiencies, and lower transmembrane energy barriers compared to vertically transported ones. Therefore, adjusting the ion transport pathways between artificial seawater and river water resulted in an increase in osmotic power output from 2.8 to 5.3 W m−2, surpassing the commercial benchmark (5 W m−2). This work enhanced the understanding of ion transport pathways in clay‐based 2D nanofluidics, advancing the practical applications of osmotic energy harvesting.
A Multifunctional MXene/PVA Hydrogel as a Continuous Ionic Thermoelectric Generator and a Strain/Temperature Sensor
Authors: Ji Dezhuang , Li Baosong , Zhang Dawei , Raj Balamurugan Thirumal , Rezeq Moh'd , Cantwell Wesley , Zheng Lianxi
Published: November 2024

This research reports a continuous output ionic thermoelectric (i‐TE) system based on MXene/PVA (polyvinyl alcohol) hydrogel, by utilizing thermo‐diffusion of Cu2+ and Cl− ions and the redox reaction involving Cu/Cu2+ at the electrode interfaces. The thermopower of the i‐TE system can be independently tuned to a value of −3.13 mVK−1 by adjusting the ion diffusivity via MXene (Ti3C2Tx). The i‐TE system demonstrates a rapid response time of less than 100 s, outperforming any other polyelectrolyte‐based system. Crucially, the i‐TE system achieves continuous current output when equipped with copper electrodes, facilitated by the redox reaction involving Cu/Cu2+, and maintains stable long‐term outputs across a range of resistances from 1 kΩ to 1 MΩ. A three‐serial‐connected i‐TE module demonstrates an output voltage of 26 mV with 6 °C temperature difference, confirming the feasibility of creating an array of i‐TE devices for substantial energy output. Beyond energy harvesting, the MXene/PVA hydrogel serves as multifunctional strain/temperature sensors, capable of detecting mechanical strains via the piezoresistive effect and locating finger contact points via the ionic thermoelectric effect.
When is a student considered ‘in attendance’?
Authors: Lyerly Eric
Published: November 2024

The Student Privacy Policy Office recently updated a resource addressing when a student is considered “in attendance” at a postsecondary institution under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act. FERPA generally prohibits the disclosure of an eligible student's personally identifiable information in an education record to a third party without consent.
Examining A Light in the Tower: A New Reckoning with Mental Health in Higher Education
Authors: Boon Sarah
Published: November 2024

Mental health is a somewhat taboo topic in academia. As Katie Rose Guest Pryal, a bipolar and autistic author and academic, writes in her new book A Light in the Tower: A New Reckoning with Mental Health in Higher Education (available now from University Press of Kansas), “Based on the logic of academia, if my brain is wrong, then everything about me is wrong.” She argues that mental disability is stigmatized in higher education and pushed into the shadows and that the key solution to the mental disability crisis — Pryal's preferred terminology — is to increase accessibility overall rather than just provide accommodations for faculty and students. This can decrease the stigma around their illnesses.
Civil Society and Elites in Italy
Authors: Santilli Cecilia , Scaramuzzino Roberto
Published: November 2024

This chapter examines the elite structure of Italian civil society, tracing its historical roots in the Catholic Church and socialist movements, and how it mirrors broader national elite patterns and societal inequalities. It tracks the third sector’s development from its political party origins to its expansion and institutionalisation in the 1990s, following the collapse of the post-war system. The analysis covers the sector’s evolving relationship with the state, from fragmented pluralism to a “golden age” of institutionalisation, followed by de-institutionalisation and then the recent re-institutionalisation marked by the 2017 reform. Current challenges include public mistrust, the rise of new conservative actors, and conflicts with populist governments over shrinking civic space. Insights are provided into the formation of the third-sector elite, its characteristics, and the societal forces shaping its role. The chapter explores how political developments, especially the rise of populist actors, have impacted upon state–civil society relations and the third-sector elite, and how this has led to de-legitimation processes and power shifts within the civic sphere. It underscores the interdependence between civil society’s leadership and the broader Italian elite, reflecting broader societal dynamics and shifts.
The Organisational Landscape
Authors: Santilli Cecilia , Scaramuzzino Roberto
Published: November 2024

This chapter examines the organisational landscape of elite civil society organisations in Italy at the national level, revealing a clear hierarchical structure dominated by a few top-tier organisations. These elite CSOs control the majority of resources and are primarily engaged in service provision, solidarity efforts, volunteering, and international aid, reflecting the broader orientation of the civil society sector. Two longstanding, broad-spectrum organisations stand out due to their historical significance, ideological roots, decision-making roles, public funding, and involvement in policy consultation. The next tier down includes influential networks representing the sector, major associations with national reach, Catholic service-oriented groups, and international organisations. A larger and more diverse group of CSOs focuses on narrower policy areas such as human rights, disability, international aid, solidarity/volunteering, and Catholic values, combining both service and advocacy roles. The ideological divide between Catholic and secular leftist groups remains prominent, echoing historical societal divisions. Elite organisations engage with various policy domains, integrating service provision with efforts towards systemic change. Their accumulation of economic and political resources creates a stratified organisational landscape, characterised by a distinct hierarchy.
Biomarkers of systemic treatment response: MR images of intratumoral fat deposition in colorectal liver metastases (CRLM) after chemotherapy
Authors: Morawska Irmina , Pasicz Katarzyna , Cieszanowski Andrzej
Published: November 2024

Purpose

Colorectal cancer cells containing mobile lipids are said to be an early indicator of chemotherapy effects. The objective of the study was to examine the frequency and clinical relevance of intratumoral fat deposition in colorectal liver metastases (CRLM) post-chemotherapy using dual-echo chemical shift gradient-echo magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Methods

A retrospective analysis of 98 patients with CRLM diagnosed between 2017 and 2022 (69 M, mean age 62.87 ± 10.73 years old) who had an MRI after chemotherapy was performed. On dual-echo chemical shift gradient-echo MRI, intratumoral fat deposition of CRLM was evaluated. A signal intensity drop of ≥ 12% in opposed-phase images vs. in-phase images indicated intratumoral fat. After chemotherapy, the presence of fat deposition was correlated with patients’ overall survival.

Results

Before and after chemotherapy, 0 (0%) and 29 (29.59%) patients exhibited intratumoral fat. The number of CRLM ranged from 1 to 25 with a median of 3 and a mean size of 32.58 ± 22.95 mm. The groups had statistically different survival times. Overall survival was shorter for patients with intratumoral fat deposition in CRLM (32 months (24–60, 95% CI)) than for patients without fat deposition in CRLM (48 months (36–NA, 95% CI)).

Conclusion

In our group, nearly 30% of CRLM patients exhibited intratumoral fat after chemotherapy. Patients with intratumoral fat deposition in CRLM have a shorter overall survival time. The presence of fat in CRLM correlates with a poor long-term prognosis.
Zur gesellschaftlichen Abwehr von Vernichtungsängsten
Authors: Degel Alexander
Published: November 2024

Am Beispiel einer Jugendhilfeorganisation wird dargestellt, wie psychoanalytische Methoden und Theorien auch außerhalb des klinischen Settings angewendet werden können. Omnipotenzfantasien und primitive Ängste vor Vernichtung bei Mitarbeiter*innen sind nicht nur Ausdruck individueller oder gruppendynamischer Prozesse, sondern psychosozial induziert, das heißt aus einem Zusammenspiel aus individuellem Unbewussten, Gruppenprozessen, der zu verrichtenden Arbeit mit schwer bedürftigen Klient*innen, der Organisation sowie dem sozialen und gesellschaftlichen Kontext. Diese Perspektivierung ermöglicht zusammen mit szenischem Erleben das Herausarbeiten einer zentralen szenischen Figuration mit zwei Elementen: dem omnipotent-destruktiven „Hilfsengel“ und dem „Abschaum“. Diese Figuren schützen die Sozialarbeiter*innen nicht nur vor dem Erleben eigener primitiver Ängste, sondern führen auch zu einem Nicht-wissen-Wollen und Nicht-hinschauen-Wollen (−K), wodurch die Gefahr besteht, Klient*innen und Kolleg*innen zu entindividualisieren und ein empathisches Einfühlen zu erschweren. Auf gesellschaftlicher Ebene sind diese szenischen Figuren Teil eines „Hilfsengel-Abschaum-Phantasmas“. Dieses verhindert ein Erleben der ungeheuren (und vielleicht unerträglichen) Destruktivität, die unserer Kultur innewohnt und deren Teil wir sind, indem wir selbst „Abschaum“ produzieren. Die Institution der Sozialen Arbeit hilft dabei, diesen Gedanken nicht denken und erleben zu müssen.
Technical challenges and outcomes of stereotactic biopsies in the posterior fossa: Experience with ZD-inomed and leksell vantage frames
Authors: Prilop Insa , Sobottka Stephan B. , Buszello Clara , Eyüpoglu Ilker Y. , Polanski Witold H.
Published: November 2024

Introduction

Stereotactic brain biopsies are essential for obtaining tissue samples from brain lesions, crucial for comprehensive histological analysis and subsequent adjuvant therapies. While most biopsies target supratentorial lesions, those involving the posterior fossa are less frequent but pose significant technical and surgical challenges, necessitating careful patient management.

Methods

We present our experience with stereotactic biopsies of the posterior fossa using the Leksell Vantage frame (Elekta, Stockholm, Sweden) and the ZD Inomed frame (Inomed Medizintechnik GmbH, Emmendingen, Germany). For the ZD frame, we either mounted it upside down or employed a frontal approach, while for the Leksell Vantage frame, we utilized a reverse x-axis orientation. Planning was based on 3-T MRI scans and preoperative MRI merged with stereotactic CT for coordinate generation.

Results

From 2006 to 2023, we performed 25 stereotactic biopsies of the posterior fossa in our department—9 with the ZD Inomed frame and 16 with the Leksell Vantage frame. The cohort included 14 male and 11 female patients, with an average age of 60.6 years (range 36—80 years). The average surgery duration was shorter with the Leksell Vantage frame (32.6 min vs. 44.8 min, p = 0.05). The average length of the planned trajectory was 41.7 mm for the Leksell Vantage frame and 52.2 mm for the ZD Inomed frame. Postoperativ bleeding occurred in two cases—one managed conservatively, the other required surgical intervention. Additionally, two other cases presented new postoperative focal neurological deficit. The overall mortality rate was 34.8% and a 40-day postoperative mortality rate of 13.0%.

Conclusion

Our experience demonstrates that stereotactic biopsies of lesions in the posterior fossa can be effectively managed with different frame systems, though they present a higher degree of complexity. Notably, the Leksell Vantage frame was associated with a significantly shorter surgery duration. This technical note provides valuable insights and detailed technical guidance for neurosurgeons facing similar challenges.
Safety and pharmacokinetics of vepdegestrant in Japanese patients with ER+ advanced breast cancer: a phase 1 study
Authors: Iwata Hiroji , Naito Yoichi , Hattori Masaya , Yoshimura Akiyo , Yonemori Kan , Aizawa Mana , Mori Yuko , Yoshimitsu Junichiro , Umeyama Yoshiko , Mukohara Toru
Published: November 2024

Background

Vepdegestrant (ARV-471) is an oral PROteolysis TArgeting Chimera (PROTAC) estrogen receptor (ER) degrader.

Methods

This phase 1 study (NCT05463952) investigated safety, pharmacokinetics, and antitumor activity of vepdegestrant in Japanese patients with ER-positive (ER+)/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2–negative (HER2-) advanced breast cancer at the 200-mg once daily (QD) recommended phase 3 dose. Eligible patients had ER+/HER2- advanced breast cancer resistant to standard therapy, with no standard therapy available, or had received two or more prior endocrine therapies in any setting. The primary endpoint was dose-limiting toxicities (DLTs) in cycle 1; secondary endpoints included safety, pharmacokinetics, and antitumor activity.

Results

Six female patients (median age, 58 [range: 47–62] years) were treated. For advanced disease, three (50.0%) patients received three or more prior regimens and five (83.3%) patients received prior cyclin-dependent kinase 4/6 inhibitors. At data cutoff, median treatment duration was 9.8 (range: 6–28) weeks; two patients remained on treatment. No DLTs were observed. Four (66.7%) patients experienced adverse events; none led to dose reduction or discontinuation. Four (66.7%) patients had treatment-related adverse events; all were grade 1 except anemia (grade 2). Geometric mean maximum plasma concentration and 24-h area under the plasma concentration–time curve of vepdegestrant were 630.9 ng/mL and 10,400 ng∙hr/mL after a single dose and 1056 ng/mL and 18,310 ng∙hr/mL after multiple doses. Two (33.3%) patients demonstrated stable disease at week 24.

Conclusion

Vepdegestrant 200 mg QD was well tolerated in Japanese patients with ER+/HER2- advanced breast cancer with no notable differences in pharmacokinetics from Western patients.

Clinical trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT05463952 (date of registration: July 19, 2022).
Blood ammonia concentration measurement – effects of sampling site and cirrhosis during induced hyperammonaemia
Authors: Djernes Lars , Vilstrup Hendrik , Ott Peter , Eriksen Peter Lykke
Published: November 2024

Background

Ammonia is implicated in hepatic encephalopathy (HE) and prognostic in cirrhosis. Venous ammonia concentration, yielding similar correlation with HE grades as arterial, has become the preferred practise but comparative data are limited.

Aim

To quantify effect of sampling site on ammonia concentration in healthy persons and patients with cirrhosis.

Methods

Ammonia concentrations were measured by arterial and femoral venous blood sampling in ten healthy men and ten male patients with cirrhosis before and during hyperammonaemia induced by ammonia infusion. Cubital vein samples were included during the infusion.

Results

At baseline, arterial-venous concentration gaps were similar (p = 0.15) in healthy persons [14 (10–19) and 8 (4–12) µmol/L] and patients with cirrhosis [53 (32–74) and 40 (23–57) µmol/L]. Ammonia infusion increased arterial-venous concentration gaps in both groups [115 (97–133) and 61 (31–90) vs. 175 (123–227) and 134 (65–203) µmol/L]. Mean ammonia concentration difference between groups during hyperammonaemia was 72 (42–103) µmol/L (p < 0.001) and independent of sampling site. Cubital and femoral vein concentrations were comparable (p = 0.26). In cirrhosis, calculated upper limit normal values (ULN) were comparable for arterial and venous blood at baseline [2.0 (1.2–2.8) and 2.1 (1.2–3.0), p = 0.74] and during hyperammonaemia [6.7 (4.7–8.7) and 6.2 (4.4– 8.1), p = 0.44].

Conclusions

We found clinically meaningful intra-individual arterial-venous concentration gaps in both healthy persons and patients with cirrhosis at any ammonia concentration. Inter-group concentration differences after induced hyperammonaemia were relatively constant across sampling sites which supports clinical use of venous sampling. ULN-normalised ammonia concentrations were valid for both arterial and venous sampling.
Fluorine/bromine/selenium multi-heteroatoms substituted dual-asymmetric electron acceptors for o-xylene processed organic solar cells with 19.12% efficiency
Authors: Zhou Yibo , Qi Guangyu , Liu Han , Bai Hairui , Li Tengfei , Maqsood Muhammad Hamza , Liu Chang , Song Bohao , Chen Na , Lu Guanghao , Gao Chao , Liu Yuhang , Su Wenyan , Du Huiling , Ma Ruijie , Ma Wei , Fan Qunping
Published: November 2024

The development of high-performance near-infrared (NIR) absorbing electron acceptors is a major challenge in achieving high short-circuit current density (JSC) to increase power conversion efficiency (PCE) of organic solar cells (OSCs). Herein, three new multi-heteroatomized Y-series acceptors (bi-asy-Y-Br, bi-asy-Y-FBr, and bi-asy-Y-FBrF) were developed by combining dual-asymmetric selenium-fused core and brominated end-groups with different numbers of fluorine substitutions. With gradually increasing fluorination, three acceptors exhibit red-shift absorption. Among them, bi-asy-Y-FBrF presents planar molecular geometry, the maximum average electrostatic potential, and the minimum molecular dipole moment, which are conducive to intramolecular packing and charge transport. Moreover, D18:bi-asy-Y-FBrF active layer presents higher crystallinity, more suitable phase separation, and reduced charge recombination compared to D18:bi-asy-Y-Br and D18:bi-asy-Y-FBr blends. Consequently, among theses binary OSCs, D18:bi-asy-Y-FBrF device achieves a higher PCE of 15.74% with an enhanced JSC of 26.28 mA cm−2, while D18:bi-asy-Y-Br device obtains a moderate PCE of 15.04% with the highest open-circuit voltage (VOC) of 0.926 V. Inspired by its high VOC and complementary absorption with NIR-absorbing BTP-eC9 as acceptor, bi-asy-Y-Br is introduced into binary D18:BTP-eC9 to construct ternary OSCs, achieving a further boosted PCE of 19.12%, which is among the top values for the reported green solvent processed OSCs.
Integrating Circular Economy Principles in the Electric Motor Industry: A Comprehensive Framework and Case Study for Sustainable Supply Chain Management
Authors: de Souza Andrade Guilherme , Pereira M. Teresa , Pinto Viviana Correia , Campos Lucila Maria , Fonseca Luis Miguel
Published: November 2024

This study develops and validates an innovative assessment framework designed to integrate circular economy principles into the operations and supply chain of the electric motor industry. Given the rising demand for electric motors across various sectors, effective end-of-life management has become critical for enhancing sustainability. The primary objective of the proposed framework is to create a holistic approach that improves motor sustainability by addressing all stages of the product life cycle, from material sourcing and production to utilization and end-of-life management. The study employs a case study methodology, focusing on an electric motor company, to validate the framework’s applicability and effectiveness. Key findings reveal that emphasizing motor recovery significantly prolongs product lifecycles, reducing waste and conserving resources. The framework’s adaptability suggests its potential application across various business contexts, though it requires customization to fit specific production, logistics, and resource allocation needs. Recommendations include further research to refine the framework for other industries and the potential for policy changes that support circular economy practices. The article provides practical insights into overcoming barriers to CE adoption, emphasizing the need for strategic management capabilities, policy support, and industry-specific customization. This comprehensive approach not only addresses current sustainability challenges within the electric motor industry but also serves as a model for other sectors seeking to implement circular economy principles.
Anjin - The Life and Times of Samurai William Adams, 1564-1620
Authors: Rogers Hiromi T.
Published: November 2024

The year is 1600. It is April and Japan's iconic cherry trees are in full flower. A battered ship drifts on the tide into Usuki Bay in southern Japan. On board, barely able to stand, are twenty-three Dutchmen and one Englishman, the remnants of a fleet of five ships and 500 men that had set out from Rotterdam in 1598. The Englishman was William Adams, later to be known as Anjin Miura by the Japanese, whose subsequent transformation from wretched prisoner to one of the Shogun's closest advisers is the centrepiece of this book. As a native of Japan, and a scholar of seventeenth-century Japanese history, the author delves deep into the cultural context facing Adams in what is one of the great examples of assimilation into the highest reaches of a foreign culture. Her access to Japanese sources, including contemporary accounts offers us a fuller understanding of the life lived by William Adams as a high-ranking samurai and his grandstand view of the collision of cultures that led to Japan's self-imposed isolation, lasting over two centuries. This is a highly readable account of Adams' voyage to and twenty years in Japan and that is supported by detailed observations of Japanese culture and society at this time. New light is shed on Adams' relations with the Dutch and his countrymen, the shipbuilding skills that enabled Japan to advance its international maritime ambitions, and the scientific and technical support Adams provided in the refining process of Japan's gold and silver.
What are the priority welfare issues facing parrots in captivity? A modified Delphi approach to establish expert consensus
Authors: Chalmers Rhianne , Cooper Jonathan , Ventura Beth
Published: November 2024

Parrots (Psittaciformes) are widely kept in captivity, yet their welfare is under-researched in comparison to other captive species. This study aimed to determine key welfare issues affecting parrots through a modified Delphi approach. Twenty-eight welfare issues were first compiled via a preliminary literature review. Parrot welfare experts and sector professionals (n = 26) were then recruited to participate in an online survey to rank the identified welfare issues on a six-point scale according to severity, duration and prevalence of each issue. Participants could provide commentary on their ranking and propose additional welfare issues of concern. Items with a mean score of 4 or above progressed to a second survey, where participants (n = 14) indicated whether they agreed or disagreed with the current ranking of the welfare issue. Finally, two online workshops were held, where participants (n = 7) discussed the rankings from the second survey and sought to establish a consensus on the top ten welfare issues in each category and overall. Six of the seven final participants agreed with the final rankings, achieving a consensus rate of 86%. The top welfare issues overall were lack of owner knowledge and support; social isolation; housing; environmental opportunity to express behaviours; nutrition; development of normal behaviour; lack of a ‘life plan’ for birds; abnormal behaviours; lack of parrot-specific veterinary training; and insufficient application and enforcement of legislation. It is hoped that identification and recognition of these priority areas will be useful in directing future efforts in research, owner and veterinary education, and policy initiatives to improve parrot welfare.
Uniformity aspects of
${\mathrm {SL}}(2,{\mathbb R})$
cocycles and applications to Schrödinger operators defined over Boshernitzan subshifts
Authors: DAMANIK DAVID , LENZ DANIEL
Published: November 2024

We consider continuous

${\mathrm {SL}}(2,{\mathbb R})$

valued cocycles over general dynamical systems and discuss a variety of uniformity notions. In particular, we provide a description of uniform one-parameter families of continuous

${\mathrm {SL}}(2,{\mathbb R})$

cocycles as

$G_\delta $

-sets. These results are then applied to Schrödinger operators with dynamically defined potentials. In the case where the base dynamics is given by a subshift satisfying the Boshernitzan condition, we show that for a generic continuous sampling function, the associated Schrödinger cocycles are uniform for all energies and, in the aperiodic case, the spectrum is a Cantor set of zero Lebesgue measure.
Measuring Ideological Polarization on the Circuit Courts of Appeals 1953-2022
Authors: Badas Alex
Published: November 2024

Attention to ideological polarization in the Circuit Courts of Appeals has surged in recent years. However, no valid cross-circuit cardinal measure of polarization has been established. The lack of a valid cross-circuit measure of polarization has limited scholar’s ability to evaluate broad trends in judicial polarization and address how ideological polarization influences judicial decision-making. To address this, I develop a new measure of ideological polarization for each of the Circuit Courts of Appeals between 1953 and 2022 using the polarization framework established by Esteban and Ray (1994). I then theorize that in order to uphold the norms of collegiality, more polarized courts are likely to take strategic actions to avoid breaking consensus. I show that polarized courts deliberate longer before releasing opinions, are less likely to give cases with a full hearing, and are less likely to publish justified and signed opinions. These results have implications for the efficiency, efficacy, and authority of the Circuit Courts of Appeals.
The Role of Judge Gender and Ideology in Hiring Female Law Clerks
Authors: Badas Alex , Sanders Bailey K. , Stauffer Katelyn E.
Published: November 2024

Federal law clerks play a vital role in the development and implementation of the law. Yet, women remain underrepresented in these positions. We suggest that one reason for this underrepresentation may be differences in hiring practices among judges in the federal judiciary. Specifically, we hypothesize that male judges and conservative judges may be less likely to hire female law clerks than female judges and liberal judges for two reasons. First, gendered attitudes held by judges may make some judges prone to hire women and/or others more resistant to these hires. Second, due to ideological asymmetries between the law clerk pool and judges in the federal judiciary, conservative judges and male judges may be less likely to hire women law clerks. Using data on clerks hired in the federal judiciary between 1995 and 2005, we find support for both mechanisms.1
The relationships between group-affect tone, transactive memory system, and teams’ incremental creativity
Authors: Huang Chiung-Yi , Huang Jia-Chi
Published: November 2024

This study explores the relationships between group-affect tone, teams’ transactive memory systems (TMSs), and teams’ incremental creativity. Data were collected from 334 team members and 70 team leaders across 70 teams. Results indicate that positive group-affect tone enhances TMS, while negative group-affect tone impedes it. TMS positively impacts team incremental creativity. Additionally, both types of group-affect tone influence incremental creativity through TMS mediation. This research advances TMS theory and group-affect tone, substantiating the affect-cognition model and deepening the understanding of TMS’s role in incremental creativity.
Driven by Clients: A Variant of Clientelism and Its Consequences for Democracy
Authors: Ordóñez Martín
Published: November 2024

Clientelism is traditionally viewed as a mechanism through which patrons exert control over clients. Drawing on qualitative data from three municipalities in Santiago, Chile, and building on literature that emphasizes client agency, this article explores a variant of clientelism in which clients initiate and enforce clientelistic relationships. The findings suggest that these two forms of clientelism can differently impact a crucial aspect of democracy: horizontal accountability. Client-driven clientelism compels patrons to seek resources for distribution, rendering them susceptible to influence by those who can grant them access to these resources. When patrons are tasked with accountability roles and the resource providers are subject to their oversight (as in the relationship between municipal councilors and mayors), the providers can deter these accountability functions. In contrast, patrons with independent access to resources can better preserve their autonomy.
Differential embeddings into algebras of topological stable rank 1
Authors: Kania Tomasz , Maślany Natalia
Published: November 2024

We identify a class of smooth Banach *-algebras that are differential subalgebras of commutative C*-algebras whose openness of multiplication is completely determined by the topological stable rank of the target C*-algebra. We then show that group algebras of Abelian groups of unbounded exponent fail to have uniformly open convolution. Finally, we completely characterize in the complex case (uniform) openness of multiplication in algebras of continuous functions in terms of the covering dimension.
Yield and quality of potato starch depending on genotype, selenium fertilization and storage time
Authors: Pobereżny Jarosław , Wszelaczyńska Elżbieta , Retmańska Katarzyna , Tobiášová Erika , Ducsay Ladislav
Published: November 2024

For the proper development of the potato (Solanum tuberosum L.), it is essential to provide the plant with micronutrients, including selenium. The availability of the potato for starch industry after harvest is determined by proper storage conditions. Research was undertaken to determine tuber yield, starch yield and quality characteristics of potato starch in relation to cultivar and foliar feeding of plants with selenium during cultivation. Two-factor field experiment was conducted in 2018–2019: I factor – cultivar (Albatros, Jumbo, Maxilla Terrana, Transit), II factor – selenium fertilization (0, 10, 20 g Se/ha). The tests were carried out directly after harvest and after 6 months of tubers storage under constant conditions: temperature 4°C, 95% RH. The highest total tuber and starch yields were obtained by potatoes after application of 20 g Se/ha: 39.42 and 7.94 Mg/ha, respectively. Proportion of large starch grains (>20 μm) was significantly higher for cv. Maxilla – 24.5%. The highest sticking temperature was demonstrated by starch from cv. Maxilla, 69.9°C, while the lowest for the starch of cv. Terrana, 63.3°C. The largest natural losses resulting from transpiration and respiration after long-term storage of tubers received the cv. Transit – 5.0%, and the smallest losses were characterized by the cv. Albatros – 3.9%. Selenium applied during cultivation at dose of 20 g/ha reduced natural losses (−4.3%) and yield starch (−6.2%) and starch content (−1.7%) in tubers. The quality parameters of starch were changed after storage from 0.8 to −3.0%.
Crossing Collaborative Borders: The Making and Becoming of ÓRALE! by David Herrera Performance Company and El Vez, the Mexican Elvis
Authors: Martinson Karen Jean , Chacón Julia E.
Published: November 2024

Your time has come to fly

You have no borders

—El Vez, “Órale,” sung to the tune of “Bridge over Troubled Waters”

With brightly colored papel picado (cut paper banners), tissue flowers, and Latin American flags festooning the performance area at San Francisco's Z Space, David Herrera Performance Company's September 2023 event, ÓRALE!, promised fun and festivity. On its surface, the performance resembled a typical dance program, with an ensemble of ten dancers performing eleven separate pieces choreographed to songs from the catalog of El Vez, the Mexican Elvis, but an exciting hybrid form of movement theatre emerged through the interplay of live music, dance, and El Vez. Built around the music and performances of Robert Lopez, who has performed as El Vez for more than thirty years, ÓRALE! offered an opportunity for an intergenerational community of artists to find themselves in El Vez's work, and for Lopez to see his own vision reflected in the interpretations of the young dancers and choreographers involved. This article considers how ÓRALE! harnesses the creative possibilities of resisting the implied disciplinary borders that too often separate music, dance, and theatre performance. We begin by discussing the creative invitation that El Vez offers, to make clear how he uses his art as a form of world building, using popular culture to critique US American society, make visible the disparate cultural traditions that exist within US American cultural forms, and to envision new ways of being. We then discuss ÓRALE! following two different through lines: process and product. The collaborative process of ÓRALE! was a site of cultural, intergenerational, and geographic exchange, inviting both performers and audience into a genre-defying performance that raised critical questions around intermediality and transtemporality in the arts. As a process very much in development, the collaboration experimented with learning through doing that led to a performance event that was at times messy and at times magical. Following Elizabeth Ellsworth, ÓRALE! was an example of “knowledge in the making,” a fluid experience through which “the self is understood as a becoming, an emergence, and as continually in the making. This . . . moves us beyond a contemporary politics of difference based in semiotics and linguistics toward an experimental ‘pragmatics of becoming’ based on making and doing.” The event embodied a Muñozian process of disidentification to bring into being a utopian present, residing in this space of becoming and of knowledge in the making to reveal the complexities of Latinx subjectivity while rejecting essentialist understandings of race, ethnicity, and culture.
Integrating social innovation and public policy: lessons from early childhood education and care in Barcelona, Spain
Authors: Gallego Raquel , Maestripieri Lara
Published: November 2024

Social innovation has broadly been defined as citizen-led initiatives aimed at improving community welfare through collaborative relationships. However, numerous studies demonstrate that social innovation might actually create new inequalities. In this paper, we address the following questions: how might socially innovative projects influence public policy? How can we understand a policy shift leading to institutions not only giving support to social innovation projects but even promoting their own social innovation schemes? Is institution-led social innovation different from citizen-led efforts? If so, how? We provide evidence of local public policy change occurring in 0–3 education and care in Barcelona between 2015 and 2021. We explain how this happened, examining who redefined the issue and how, how the policy domain was reorganized, and how the policy subsystem was restructured. Our conclusions show how and why citizens and institutions define social innovation differently and how innovative 0–3 policy in Barcelona was adopted.
Revisiting the ‘stability–instability paradox’ in AI-enabled warfare: A modern-day Promethean tragedy under the nuclear shadow?
Authors: Johnson James
Published: November 2024

This article contributes to the empirical and theoretical discourse on the ‘stability–instability paradox’, the idea that while possessing nuclear weapons deters cataclysmic all-out war, it simultaneously increases the likelihood of low-level conflict between nuclear dyads. It critiques the paradox’s dominant interpretation (red-line model), which places undue confidence in the nuclear stalemate – premised on mutually assured destruction – to prevent unintentional nuclear engagement and reduce the perceived risks associated with military actions that fall below the nuclear threshold. Recent scholarship has inadequately examined the unintentional consequences of the paradox in conflicts below the nuclear threshold, particularly those relating to the potential for aggression to escalate uncontrollably. The article employs empirically grounded fictional scenarios to illustrate and critically evaluate, rather than predict, the assumptions underpinning the red-line model of the stability–instability paradox in the context of future artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled warfare. It posits that the strategic cap purportedly offered by a nuclear stalemate is illusory and that low-level military aggression between nuclear-armed states increases the risk of unintentional nuclear detonation.
A genuine need or nice to have? Understanding HTA representatives’ perspectives on the use of patient preference data
Authors: Germeni Evi , Fifer Simon , Hiligsmann Mickaël , Stein Barry , Tonkinson Mandy , Joshi Maya , Hanna Alissa , Liden Barry , Marshall Deborah A.
Published: November 2024

Objectives

The roles and potential value of patient preference (PP) data in health technology assessment (HTA) remain to be fully realized despite an expanding literature and various efforts to establish their utility. This article reports lessons learned through a series of collaborative workshops with HTA representatives, organized by the Health Technology Assessment International’s Patient Preferences Project Subcommittee.

Methods

Five online workshops were conducted between June 2022 and June 2023, seeking to facilitate collaborative learning and reflection on ways that PP data can be integrated into HTA. Participants included nine HTA representatives from the United States, Canada, Australia, England, and the Netherlands. Workshops were recorded, transcribed, and thematically analyzed.

Results

Despite appreciating the value of PP data, participants were ambivalent about their use in HTA. Some felt that they were already getting the information they needed from the cost-effectiveness analysis or existing patient involvement processes. Others thought that PP data would be very helpful at the initial and final stage of the decision-making process and, particularly, in the following cases: (a) when technology has important non-health benefits; (b) when the clinical and/or cost-effectiveness evidence is marginal; and (c) when treatment is indicated for a large and heterogeneous population. Issues related to the validity and reliability of PP studies were frequently raised, with preference heterogeneity at the core of these concerns.

Conclusions

Collaborating with HTA representatives in the “co-creation” of PP research can help address their concerns and facilitate mutual learning about how PP data can be used in HTA.
A Roadmap of Noninstitutional Living Options for People with Dementia: “Don’t Fence Me In”
Authors: Lévesque Maude , Oldfield Margaret
Published: November 2024

Canadians overwhelmingly do not want to live in long-term care institutions (LTCIs) when they age; yet many end up there for lack of home care, because family care partners burn out, or because they and their professional advisors are unaware of alternatives to institutions. Not only is institutional dementia care riven with problems, it segregates disabled people, thereby abrogating human rights. Because systemic ageism and ableism cloud seniors’ care, institutions remain the default option for Canadians with dementia. Yet, decades of deinstitutionalization enabled younger disabled Canadians to live in the community with supports. Why not seniors? We describe a plethora of noninstitutional dementia-care alternatives. We then present a roadmap for considering all relevant care options in service plans, one that incorporates supported decision making by people with dementia. We propose a paradigm shift in how Canada serves its senior citizens – not just the current generation, but those to come, including ourselves.
Fractional order for the transmission dynamics of coffee berry diseases (CBD)
Authors: Fantaye Abayneh Kebede
Published: November 2024

Coffee berry diseases (CBD) pose significant threats to coffee production worldwide, affecting the livelihoods of millions of farmers and the global coffee market. Fractional calculus provides a powerful framework for describing non-local and memory-dependent phenomena, making it suitable for modelling the long-range interactions inherent in CBD spread. This study aims to formulate and analyse fractional order model for CBD transmission dynamics in the sense of Atangana–Baleanu–Caputo. Fixed point theorems were utilised to test the existence and uniqueness of the model’s solutions using fractional order. The basic reproduction number was calculated utilising the next-generation matrix. The model has locally asymptotically stable equilibrium positions (disease-free and endemic). Furthermore, the Lyapunov function was used to conduct a global stability analysis of the equilibrium locations. A numerical simulation of the CBD model was created using the fractional Adam–Bashforth–Moulton approach to validate the analytical findings. Our findings contribute to the development of more accurate predictive models and inform the design of targeted interventions to mitigate the impact of CBD on coffee production systems.
Authenticity and its Discontents: Abdallah Laroui on the Moroccan and Arab Subject
Authors: Hassanzadeh Navid
Published: November 2024

This article examines the topic of postcolonial subject formation in the work of Moroccan historian and theorist Abdallah Laroui (1933–) by analyzing his evaluation of the notion of authenticity. I trace understandings of self-identity for Moroccans and other Arab populations that Laroui articulates in his work from the 1960s through the 2000s, and situate his interventions in relation both to relevant political developments and to contributions of other Arab intellectuals on this question, across this time period. Rather than interpret Laroui as a proponent of undifferentiated universalism in his reading of modern history, as many of his critics and commentators do, I demonstrate how he departs from such an approach by calling attention to the notion of particularism, which he defends as a counterpoint to authenticity. The article concludes with a discussion of Laroui's abandonment of a positive, alternative conception of cultural and political subjectivity by the late twentieth century, and considers what the implications of this shift in his thought are.