bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Characteristics and in vitro properties of potential probiotic strain Fructobacillus tropaeoli KKP 3032 isolated from orange juice
Authors: Mikołajczuk-Szczyrba Anna , Wojtczak Adrian , Kieliszek Marek , Sokołowska Barbara
Published: November 2024

Fructobacillus, a Gram-positive, non-spore-forming, facultative anaerobic bacterium, belongs to the fructophilic lactic acid bacteria (FLAB) group. The group’s name originates from fructose, the favored carbon source for its members. Fructobacillus spp. are noteworthy for their distinctive traits, captivating the interest of scientists. However, there have been relatively few publications regarding the isolation and potential utilization of these microorganisms in the industry. In recent years, F. tropaeoli has garnered interest for its promising role in the food and pharmaceutical sectors, although the availability of isolates is rather limited. A more comprehensive understanding of Fructobacillus is imperative to evaluate their functionality in the industry, given their unique and exceptional properties. Our in vitro study on Fructobacillus tropaeoli KKP 3032 confirmed its fructophilic nature and high osmotolerance. This strain thrives in a 30% sugar concentration, shows resistance to low pH and bile salts, and exhibits robust autoaggregation. Additionally, it displays significant antimicrobial activity against foodborne pathogens. Evaluating its probiotic potential, it aligns with EFSA recommendations in antibiotic resistance, except for kanamycin, to which it is resistant. Further research is necessary, but preliminary analyses confirm the high probiotic potential of F. tropaeoli KKP 3032 and its ability to thrive in the presence of high concentrations of fructose. The results indicate that the isolate F. tropaeoli KKP 3032 could potentially be used in the future as a fructophilic probiotic, protective culture, and/or active ingredient in fructose-rich food.
Teachers’ motivation to teach Aboriginal perspectives in the curriculum: links with their Aboriginal students’ academic motivation
Authors: Martin Andrew J. , Bostwick Keiko C. P. , Durksen Tracy L. , Amazan Rose , Lowe Kevin , Weuffen Sara
Published: November 2024

Teaching Aboriginal perspectives is a cross-curriculum priority aimed at supporting Aboriginal school students’ beliefs about themselves and promoting mutual respect and understanding between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal members of society. Many teachers feel they lack the efficacy to teach Aboriginal perspectives, and this may have implications for their Aboriginal students’ academic development. The present study of 293 Australian school teachers investigated their motivation (self-efficacy and valuing) to teach Aboriginal perspectives, the predictive roles of intrapersonal (adaptability) and interpersonal (teacher-student relationships) agency, and links between their motivation and the academic motivation (academic self-efficacy and valuing of school) of Aboriginal students in their class. We found that adaptability and relational connections with Aboriginal students were associated with greater motivation to teach Aboriginal perspectives that in turn was positively associated with perceptions of their Aboriginal students’ academic motivation. These results provide insight into the motivational dimensions of teaching Aboriginal perspectives and the factors that may be targeted to better support this motivation, with a view to better supporting Aboriginal students’ own motivation to learn at school.
Sensors: future tools for detecting young patient’s stress during a dental invasive versus a non-invasive dental treatment—a pilot study
Authors: Jaldin C. , Jonasson C. , Fagrell T. , Robertson A. , Krekmanova L.
Published: November 2024

Aim

A reliable tool to visualise children’s early stress signs to prevent dental fear development is needed. The aim was to evaluate the commercially available, CE marked, Shimmer3 GSR + unit’s ability to indicate for stress as a reaction of fear or pain for a non-invasive dental treatment (NI) and an invasive dental treatment (I).

Methods

Patients 14–16 years old were invited to undergo an oral check-up (NI) or an orthodontic premolar extraction (I), respectively. Digital data, measured via electrodes and optical pulse probe, placed on the wrist and fingers, monitored by the Shimmer3 GSR + unit, was transferred via Bluetooth to the HP-laptop. The observed digital parameters were: heart rate based on photoplethysmography (PPG), galvanic skin response (GSR), and 3-axis gyroscope and accelerometer signals for hand movements. Protocols for patient self-report scales were used: coloured analogue scale for pain intensity, facial analogue scale for the mood, and a dental fear scale. Descriptive statistics was performed.

Results

The NI-group: 20 patients, (14.6 ± 0.5 years), underwent 20 oral check-ups. The I-group: 14 patients, (15.3 ± 0.5 years), underwent 28 premolar extractions. All patients tolerated the Shimmer3 GSR + unit well. The GSR signal increased significantly, at start and during the oral injection, in the I-group. The GSR amplitudes persisted throughout and post the dental injection. No general uniform pattern or high GSR amplitudes were produced regarding NI-group.

Conclusions

Considering the limitations of this study, the following conclusions can be made: the invasive treatment resulted in a specific unison GSR pattern, while the non-invasive procedure showed individually scattered GSR reactions. The commercially available CE-marked Shimmer3 GSR + device indicated the patient's stress response triggered by the invasive anaesthetic procedure.
Dysmagnesemia with acute kidney injury among older adults: clinical characteristics and prognostic importance
Authors: Li Qinglin , Hu Xin , Li Guanggang , Li Dawei , Ao Qiangguo , Zhou Feihu
Published: November 2024

Purpose

The relationship between dysmagnesemia and all-cause mortality probability in individuals with acute kidney injury (AKI) have not been investigated. In this study, we evaluated the correlation of varying magnesium levels with mortality in older adults undergoing AKI.

Patients and methods

Older adults receiving treatment at the Chinese PLA General Hospital between 2007 and 2018 were retrospectively recruited. All-cause mortality was evaluated at four preset magnesium concentrations: <0.8, 0.8–0.9, 0.9–1.0, and ≥ 1.0 mmol/L. Using multivariable-adjusted Cox assessment, the all-cause mortality risk was approximated by setting the reference magnesium concentration at 0.8–0.9 mmol/L.

Results

Totally 744 participants were enrolled, whose median age was 88 years, with most of them being male (94.2%). Among them, 184 patients were assigned into the < 0.8 mmol/L group, 156 into the 0.8–0.9 mmol/L group, 206 into the 0.9–1.0 mmol/L group, and 198 into the ≥ 1.0 mmol/L group. After 28 days, the mortality rates in the four strata were 26.6, 17.9, 17.5, and 37.4%, respectively. The corresponding mortalities after 90 days were 42.4, 23.7, 26.7, and 45.5%, respectively. Compared with patients who had magnesium levels of 0.8–0.9 mmol/L, those with magnesium levels < 0.8 mmol/L (P = 0.048), and ≥ 1.0 mmol/L (P < 0.001) exhibited higher 28-day mortalities. Significant correlations also showed that patients with magnesium levels < 0.8 mmol/L (P = 0.017) and ≥ 1.0 mmol/L (P < 0.001) were significantly related to the increased 90-day mortality.

Conclusion

Magnesium levels outside the interval of 0.8–1.0 mmol/L were related to the higher risks of 28- and 90-day mortalities among older adults with AKI.
Assessing the Effect of Field Disturbances On Biomass Estimation in Grasslands Using UAV-Derived Canopy Height Models
Authors: Bazzo Clara Oliva Gonçalves , Kamali Bahareh , Behrend Dominik , Hueging Hubert , Schleip Inga , Mosebach Paul , Behrendt Axel , Gaiser Thomas
Published: November 2024

Accurate estimation of biomass in grasslands is essential for understanding ecosystem health and productivity. Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) have emerged as valuable tools for biomass estimation using canopy height models derived from high-resolution imagery. However, the impact of field disturbances, such as lodging and molehills, on the accuracy of biomass estimation using UAV-derived canopy height models remains underexplored. This study aimed to assess the relationship between UAV-derived canopy height and both reference canopy height measurements and dry biomass, accounting for different management systems and disturbance scenarios. UAV data were collected using a multispectral camera, and ground-based measurements were obtained for validation. The results revealed that UAV-derived canopy height models remained accurate in estimating vegetation height, even in the presence of disturbances. However, the relationship between UAV-derived canopy height and dry biomass was affected by disturbances, leading to overestimation or underestimation of biomass depending on disturbance type and severity. The impact of disturbances on biomass estimation varied across cutting systems. These findings highlight the potential of UAV-derived canopy height models for estimating vegetation structure, but also underscore the need for caution in relying solely on these models for accurate biomass estimation in heterogeneous grasslands. Future research should explore strategies to enhance biomass estimation accuracy by integrating additional data sources and accounting for field disturbances.
The Impact of Transferring Embodiment and Work Efficiency Between Natural Body and Modular Body Systems
Authors: Vimolmongkolporn Vitvasin , Iwasaki Yukiko , Kato Fumihiro , Iwata Hiroyasu
Published: November 2024

Human augmentation technology, particularly supernumerary robotic limbs, has seen rapid growth and offers promising applications. However, the cognitive aspects of supernumerary robotic limbs, such as the sense of embodiment, remain underexplored in the context of modular body systems that which provide the part of one’s own body feeling, especially when detached, and how this might impact work efficiency. This study aims to investigate the impact of experience of synchronizing Sense of Embodiment and work efficiency between the user’s innate body and a modular body system. The experiment was conducted using a modular body prototype and compared between with wearing experience (the user is more likely to perceive this robot as a part of their body) and without wearing experience (the user is more likely to perceive this robot as a separate, standalone robot). Objective evaluations included task completion time and accuracy, while the sense of embodiment questionnaire was employed for subjective evaluations. The results suggested that after having experience of wearing modular arm for a while, this experience can influence the work efficiency even if it was used without wearing it.
Fuzzy logic as a method of analysis of hot forging process of 80MnSi8-6 steel
Authors: Wojtaszek Marek , Korpała Grzegorz , Zyguła Krystian , Cichocki Kamil , Kowalczyk Karolina , Skonieczna Wiktoria , Mrzygłód Barbara , Prahl Ulrich , Jabłońska Magdalena Barbara
Published: November 2024

A novel approach was proposed, based on the application of the fuzzy logic (FL) method for the fast analysis of the hot deformation process of 80MnSi8-6 steel. In the first stage, the curves developed from plastometric tests and the results of studies of the microstructure of the deformed samples were used as input data for the analysis. Input and output variables were adopted and a set of rules based on cause-and-effect relationships was defined, defining the interactions between the variables. A fast FL-controller was designed, and the correctness of its operation was verified by comparison with experimental results and the results of finite element method (FEM) analysis, carried out taking into account the evolution of the microstructure. The process of hot compression under isothermal conditions of 80MnSi8-6 steel specimens was simulated on the Warmumformsimulator (WUMSI), assuming such parameters and other conditions as were used in real tests. It was confirmed that the proposed method, based on the analysis of flow curves and prior austenite grain size using a fuzzy controller, gave satisfactory results. Subsequently, a novel FL-controller was developed to analyze the kinetics of dynamic recrystallization (DRX), using data obtained from the author’s model of this phenomenon for its construction and calibration. The correctness of the controller was confirmed by comparing the results of its DRX volume fraction calculations with the distributions of this value determined by the model and the model-based FEM analysis method, respectively. It was shown that FL is applicable also when a model of the analyzed phenomenon is available. Unlike model-based calculations, a properly designed controller allows the indication of deviations from general trends that can be pointed out and interpreted by a human expert, but significantly faster. It can also serve as a component of a system analyzing complex processes, such as hot multi-stage forging. Fuzzy controller can be used in parallel with modeling or replace models in calculations.
Digital Sovereignty: A Descriptive Analysis and a Critical Evaluation of Existing Models
Authors: Fratini Samuele , Hine Emmie , Novelli Claudio , Roberts Huw , Floridi Luciano
Published: November 2024

Digital sovereignty is a popular yet still emerging concept. It is claimed by and related to various global actors, whose narratives are often competing and mutually inconsistent. This article offers a mapping of the types of national digital sovereignty that are emerging, while testing their effectiveness in response to radical changes and challenges. To do this, we systematically analyse a corpus of 271 peer-reviewed articles to identify descriptive features (how digital sovereignty is pursued) and value features (why digital sovereignty is pursued), which we use to produce four models: the rights-based model, market-oriented model, centralisation model, and state-based model. We evaluate their effectiveness within a framework of robust governance that accounts for the models’ ability to absorb the disruptions caused by technological advancements, geopolitical changes, and evolving societal norms. We find that none of the models fully combine comprehensive regulation of digital technologies with a sufficient degree of responsiveness to fast-paced technological innovation and social and economic shifts. This paper’s analysis offers valuable lessons to policymakers who wish to implement an effective and robust form of digital sovereignty.
Altermagnetic topological insulator with $\mathcal{C}$-paired spin-valley locking
Authors: Ma Hai-Yang , Jia Jin-Feng
Published: November 2024

Altermagnetism emerges as the third fundamental collinear magnetism recently. Associating nontrivial topology and quantum orders to this newly established magnetism is an important physical topic and may lead to interesting physics such as unusual quantum spin Hall effect with time-reversal-symmetry breaking, topological superconductivity and spin-valley locking. Here, we first generalize the spinless Haldane model from the usual honeycomb lattice to the otherwise simpler square lattice. We then restore the doublet spin degree of freedom, the resulted spinful model resembles the Kane-Mele model and is able to describe the unprecedented physics which intertwine $\mathcal{C}$
C
-paired spin-valley locking, Dirac physics, nontrivial band topology and altermagnetism. Our works shed lights on future studies and applications in spintronics and valleytronics for altermagnetic materials, the lattice theories developed in this article may also find their broad applications to optical lattice with ultra cold atoms, photonic lattice, etc. other than the usual electronic systems.
Utilizing virtual communities of practice in the national campaign of wheat in Egypt: action research
Authors: Kassem Mohamed , Habaa Laila , Aly Fekry , Shabana Rasha , Farag Mohamed , Imaraa Naglaa , Atwa Atwa
Published: November 2024

Background

Virtual Community of Practices (VCoP) simply is a method to use social media in extension, yet its roots depend on a combination of four concepts: community of practice, social media, social learning theory, and pluralistic extension. The technical action research design was followed to put the VCoP into action and explore its profile. This study aimed to introduce a community of practice using social network applications to policy makers in the agricultural sector.

Methodology

Action research was conducted to validate the use of a VCoP in the National Campaign of Wheat in Egypt. A baseline survey, a content analysis of VCoP conversations, and an assessment study were used to collect the data. The frequency, range, percentage, mean, and average score were used for statistical analysis.

Results

The VCoP reached 22.22% and 10.40% of the wheat farmers in the two target villages, respectively. A high degree of knowledge exchange was detected among members, while messages crossed the VCoP borders as friends were invited to join the group. The VCoP helped its members establish new relationships with other stakeholders, and they expressed their need to expand membership to include other stakeholders. The media used in the VCoP was satisfactory; however, the need for more video messages and internet links was expressed. Extension agents believe that the VCoP complements other extension methods. Farmers see greater potential for cooperation than conflict, while bias is minimal among research, extension, traders, and company agents.

Conclusions

Farmers and other service providers in a village can be aggregated in a VCoP. This approach has proven to be valid as an extension community method for generating and sharing information with high “reach”. Coordination and training are essential for running and managing groups. Yearly programs, rather than seasonal programs, are more suitable for sustainability.
The Fading Light of Democratic Capitalism
Authors: Salter Malcolm S.
Published: November 2024

This Element discusses how pervasive cronyism and restricted suffrage are destroying democratic capitalism as a national ideal and offers suggestions on how the promise of US-style democratic capitalism can be restored. To this end, the author draws on the work of political philosopher and democracy advocate Danielle Allen in calling attention to the principle of political equality, as well as the two related sub-principles of reciprocity and power sharing, as essential guides. Based on these ideas, a series of practical steps is suggested to make economic and political markets more democratic by curbing cronyism and expanding citizens' access to the political processes governing the nation. The author also discusses how private corporations can become more 'democracy supporting.' The Element ends with some reflections on the moral culture required to restore and sustain public trust and confidence in democratic capitalism as a system of economic and political governance.
Nonlinear unsteady behaviour study for jet transport aircraft response to serious atmosphere turbulence
Authors: Jiang W. , Guo H. , Li Z. , Chang R.C.
Published: November 2024

The main purpose of this article is to present the nonlinear unsteady behaviour for jet transport aircraft response to serious atmosphere turbulence in cruise flight and to provide the appropriate mitigation concepts for pilots in the pilot training course of the IATA – Loss of Control In-flight (LOC-I) program. The flight data of a twin-jet and a four-jet transport aircraft encountered serious atmosphere turbulence are the study cases for this article. This study uses flight data mining and fuzzy-logic modeling of artificial intelligence techniques to establish nonlinear unsteady aerodynamic models. Since the rapid change of aerodynamic characteristics in turbulence, so the study uses decoupled longitudinal and lateral-directional motion to identify various eigenvalue motion modes of nonlinear unsteady behaviour through digital 6-DOF flight simulation. It is found that the changes of the main flight variables in the aerodynamic scene and flight environment of the two aircraft are different, but the profiles of five eigenvalue motion modes are actually similar. Those similar eigenvalue motion modes can formulate preventive actions related to the flight handling quality for safe and efficient control by pilots to execute the flight tasks. The one with a large drop height during the ups and downs motion between the two is chosen to construct the movement mechanism of nonlinear unsteady behaviours. The assessments of dynamic stability characteristics of nonlinear unsteady behaviour based on the approaches of oscillatory motion and eigenvalue motion modes related to loss of control will be demonstrated in this article. To develop preventive actions, the situation awareness response to the induced mutation of nonlinear unsteady behaviour on the pilot’s operations will be a further research task in the future.
Exact dimension functions of the prime continued fraction Cantor set
Authors: DAS TUSHAR , SIMMONS DAVID SAMUEL
Published: November 2024

We study the exact Hausdorff and packing dimensions of the prime Cantor set,

$\Lambda _P$

, which comprises the irrationals whose continued fraction entries are prime numbers. We prove that the Hausdorff measure of the prime Cantor set cannot be finite and positive with respect to any sufficiently regular dimension function, thus negatively answering a question of Mauldin and Urbański (1999) and Mauldin (2013) for this class of dimension functions. By contrast, under a reasonable number-theoretic conjecture we prove that the packing measure of the conformal measure on the prime Cantor set is in fact positive and finite with respect to the dimension function

$\psi (r) = r^\delta \log ^{-2\delta }\log (1/r)$

, where

$\delta $

is the dimension (conformal, Hausdorff, and packing) of the prime Cantor set.
SHEA practice update: infection prevention and control (IPC) in residential facilities for pediatric patients and their families
Authors: Guzman-Cottrill Judith A. , Blatt Daniel B. , Bryant Kristina A. , McGrath Caitlin L. , Zerr Danielle M. , Rosenthal Ayelet , Kociolek Larry K. , Murphy Catherine , Ravin Karen A.
Published: November 2024

In 2011, the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA) and Ronald McDonald House Charities® (RMHC®) established a formal collaboration to develop the first IPC guideline. Both organizations agreed that RMH programs staff and other organizations operating similar programs would benefit from a standardized approach. In 2023, the collaboration was re-established to revise and update the original IPC guideline. This SHEA Practice Update on “Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) in Residential Facilities for Pediatric Patients and Their Families” addresses preventing transmission of infectious agents in “home away from home” residential settings, of which the Ronald McDonald Houses (RMHs) serve as a prototype.
Effect of rotation on wake vortices in stratified flow
Authors: Liu Jinyuan , Puthan Pranav , Sarkar Sutanu
Published: November 2024

Stratified wakes past an isolated conical seamount are simulated at a Froude number of

$Fr = 0.15$

and Rossby numbers of

$Ro = 0.15$

, 0.75 and

$\infty$

. The wakes exhibit a Kármán vortex street, unlike their unstratified, non-rotating counterpart. Vortex structures are studied in terms of large-scale global modes, as well as spatially localised vortex evolution, with a focus on rotation effects. The global modes are extracted by spectral proper orthogonal decomposition (SPOD). For all three studied

$Ro$

ranging from mesoscale, submesoscale and non-rotating cases, the frequency of the SPOD modes at different heights remains coupled as a global constant. However, the shape of the SPOD modes changes from slanted ‘tongues’ at zero rotation (

$Ro=\infty$

) to tall hill-height columns at strong rotation (

$Ro=0.15$

). A novel method for vortex centre tracking shows that, in all three cases, the vortices at different heights advect uniformly at approximately

$0.9U_{\infty }$

beyond the near wake, consistent with the lack of variability of the global modes. Under system rotation, cyclonic vortices and anticyclonic vortices (AVs) present considerable asymmetry, especially at

$Ro = 0.75$

. The vorticity distribution as well as the stability of AVs are tracked downstream using statistics conditioned to the identified vortex centres. At

$Ro=0.75$

, intense AVs with relative vorticity up to

$\omega _z/f_{c}=-2.4$

(where

$\omega_z$

is the vertical vorticity and

$f_c$

is the Coriolis frequency) are seen with small regions of instability and they maintain large

$\omega _z/f_{c}$

magnitude in the far wake. Recent stability analysis that accounts for stratification and viscosity is found to improve on earlier criteria and show that these intense AVs are stable.
Basic solutions to Taylor–Maccoll equations
Authors: Han Tianyixing , Hu Shuyao , Jiang Chongwen , Lee Chun-Hian
Published: November 2024

The Taylor–Maccoll (T–M) equations are the governing equations for steady inviscid irrotational axisymmetric conical flow, and have been widely applied to the design of waveriders and intakes. However, only four classic solutions have been reported: external conical flow (ECF), Busemann flow and internal conical flow of types A and B (ICFA and ICFB). In this work, the analysis of the T–M equations clarifies all possible solutions and reveals their relations. The domain where elementary solutions exist is divided into four domains. The classic Busemann and ICFB solutions share the same elementary solution as the template in a domain called the pre-shock domain, while the classic ECF and ICFA solutions belong to a domain named the ECF domain. Two new solutions, the inner flow of ECF (IECF) and degenerate conical flow (DCF), are found in the domains named after the corresponding solutions, namely the IECF and DCF domains. The IECF behaves as the mass injection supporting the classic ECF on an imaginary cone surface, while the DCF behaves as the conical expansion of a uniform flow. Furthermore, possible combinations of pre-shock solutions and supersonic post-shock solutions are clarified. The classic solutions are special cases where the pre-/post-shock solutions are combined with uniform flows. In general, the Busemann and ICFB solutions can be combined with any post-shock solutions in accord with the shock relations, including the ECF, ICFA, IECF and DCF solutions. In addition, numerical analyses are conducted to verify the validity of the two new solutions, DCF, IECF and one combined solution Busemann–ECF.
Bubble dissolution in Taylor–Couette flow
Authors: Gennari Gabriele , Jefferson-Loveday Richard , Pickering Stephen J. , George Michael W.
Published: November 2024

We perform direct numerical simulations of soluble bubbles dissolving in a Taylor–Couette (TC) flow reactor with a radius ratio of

$\eta =0.5$

and Reynolds number in the range

$0 \leq Re \leq 5000$

, which covers the main regimes of this flow configuration, up to fully turbulent Taylor vortex flow. The numerical method is based on a geometric volume-of-fluid framework for incompressible flows coupled with a phase-change solver that ensures mass conservation of the soluble species, whilst boundary conditions on solid walls are enforced through an embedded boundary approach. The numerical framework is validated extensively against single-phase TC flows and competing mass transfer in multicomponent mixtures for an idealised infinite cylinder and for a bubble rising in a quiescent liquid. Our results show that when bubbles in a TC flow are mainly driven by buoyancy, theoretical formulae derived for spherical interfaces on a vertical trajectory still provide the right fundamental relationship between the bubble Reynolds and Sherwood numbers, which reduces to

$Sh \propto \sqrt {Pe}$

for large Péclet values. For bubbles mainly transported by TC flows, the dissolution of bubbles depend on the TC Reynolds number and, for the turbulent configurations, we show that the smallest characteristic turbulent scales control mass transfer, in agreement with the small-eddy model of Lamont & Scott (AIChE J., vol. 16, 1970, pp. 513–519). Finally, the interaction between two aligned bubbles is investigated and we show that a significant increase in mass transfer can be obtained when the rotor of the apparatus is operated at larger speeds.
Putting the client to work: power dynamics in the family lawyer-client relationship
Authors: Bessière Céline , Mille Muriel , Schütz Gabrielle
Published: November 2024

In a context promoting partners’ active participation in their divorce or dissolution, family lawyers often put their clients to work – from stating goals and supplying information for the written file, to embodying the case at the hearing. This article focuses on the coproduction of legal work between family lawyers and their clients, based on long-term collective research on family law in mainland France: interviews with attorneys, observations of encounters between lawyers and clients in lawyer offices and in courts, as well as a “3,000 family cases” database. Using a relational, materialist, structural, and intersectional theoretical approach, we show that coproduction of legal work and its meaning varies greatly depending on the power dynamics between lawyers and clients, – on a spectrum that goes from exploitation to empowerment of the client. Coproduced legal work varies according to configurations of class, race, gender, and age on both side of the desk, as well as according to the structure of the legal market. Interactions between lawyers and their clients thus contribute to shape inequality before the law.
On the formation of cores in accreting filaments and the impact of ambient environment on it
Authors: Anathpindika Sumedh Vinayak , Di Francesco James
Published: November 2024

Results from some recent numerical works, including ours, lend credence to the thesis that the ambient environment, that is, the magnitude of external pressure, affects the star-forming ability of clouds and filaments. In continuation with our series of papers on this subject, we explore this thesis further by developing new hydrodynamic simulations of accreting filaments confined by external pressures in the range

$10^{4 -7}$

K cm

$^{-3}$

. Our principal findings are – (i) irrespective of linemass, filament-fragmentation generally yields spheroidal cores. The initially sub-critical filaments in low to intermediate external pressure environments form broad cores suggesting that weakly self-gravitating filaments must fragment via the collect – and- collapse mode to form broad cores. Transcritical filaments, by contrast, become susceptible to the Jeans-type instability and form pinched cores; (ii) the ambient environment bears upon the physical properties of filaments including their FWHM

$_{fil}$

. Only the filaments initially suffused with subsonic turbulence in Solar-Neighbourhood-like environments, however, have FWHM

$_{fil}$

$\sim$

0.1 pc. In high pressure environs such filaments not only have much smaller widths, but also become severely eviscerated. On the contrary, filaments suffused with initially supersonic turbulence are typically broader; (iii) the quasi-oscillatory nature of velocity gradients must be ubiquitous along filament lengths and its magnitude generally increases with increasing pressure. The periodicity of the velocity gradients approximately matches the fragmentation lengthscale of filaments; (iv) oscillatory features of the radial component of the velocity gradient are a unreliable proxy for detecting signatures of accretion onto filaments; and (v) filaments at either extreme of external pressure are inefficient at cycling gas into the dense phase which could reconcile the corresponding inefficiency of star-formation in such environments.
Comparison of weight loss induced by dietary and pharmaceuticals in individuals with overweight and obesity: a retrospective study
Authors: Wang Lei-lei , Wang Ling-ling , Liu Xiao-chen , Hu Hai-ying , Li Hong-xia , Wei Wei , Du Qin , Yan Hui-hui
Published: November 2024

This study aims to evaluate the impact of low-carbohydrate diet, balanced dietary guidance and pharmacotherapy on weight loss among individuals with overweight or obesity over a period of 3 months. The study involves 339 individuals with overweight or obesity and received weight loss treatment at the Department of Clinical Nutrition at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University, School of Medicine, between 1 January 2020 and 31 December 2023. The primary outcome is the percentage weight loss. Among the studied patients, the majority chose low-carbohydrate diet as their primary treatment (168 (49·56 %)), followed by balanced dietary guidance (139 (41·00 %)) and pharmacotherapy (32 (9·44 %)). The total percentage weight loss for patients who were followed up for 1 month, 2 months and 3 months was 4·98 (3·04, 6·29) %, 7·93 (5·42, 7·93) % and 10·71 (7·74, 13·83) %, respectively. Multivariable logistic regression analysis identified low-carbohydrate diet as an independent factor associated with percentage weight loss of ≥ 3 % and ≥ 5 % at 1 month (OR = 0·461, P < 0·05; OR = 0·349, P < 0·001). The results showed that a low-carbohydrate diet was an effective weight loss strategy in the short term. However, its long-term effects were comparable to those observed with balanced dietary guidance and pharmacotherapy.
Novel sequence types and low levels of antimicrobial resistance associated with clinical mastitis in sheep flocks across Scotland
Authors: Ballingall Keith T. , Tassi Riccardo , Gordon Jane , Currie Carol , Dun Kath , Miller Nigel , Silva Nuno
Published: November 2024

This research paper aimed to demonstrate that mammary secretions provided by sheep farmers across Scotland from cases of clinical mastitis are free from environmental contamination, as well as to provide information on the major bacterial causes of disease and levels of antimicrobial resistance. Mastitis represents one of most significant diseases of small ruminant production worldwide. Staphylococcus aureus, Mannheimia haemolytica, Streptococcus uberis and coagulase-negative Staphylococcal species are common pathogens isolated from cases of sheep mastitis. Sampling kits supplied to 23 farms provided 33 samples for bacteriology, antimicrobial susceptibility testing and genetic analysis. Of the bacterial isolates identified, 60% were S. aureus, 23% M. haemolytica and 7% coagulase-negative staphylococci. Low levels of antimicrobial resistance were identified in the S. aureus isolates which provided novel multi-locus sequence types. In conclusion, this proof-of-concept survey demonstrated that mammary secretions free from environmental contamination may be provided by sheep farmers. It also provided data on the prevalence of antimicrobial resistance associated with clinical mastitis in sheep and will inform on the scale required for larger surveys aiming to improve current strategies for mastitis control in sheep flocks across the UK.
Tilly Reversed? Another Cycle of Labor and Socialism Is Possible
Authors: Kalb Don
Published: November 2024

As labor in the capitalist system practically tripled to some three billion workers, solidary organizations of labor simultaneously dwindled in relative size and power. This is true globally but also for the historical core countries. While this is a paradox, it is not a contradiction. Capital is a (spatialized) social relationship. The globalization of capital since the 1970s has shifted the power relations with localized labor fundamentally in favor of capital, as Charles Tilly noted in this journal almost thirty years ago. Over time, power balances within capitalist states, and between capitalist states and transnationalizing capital, have reflected that basic class-relational shift. This article explains why the globalizing cycle of weakened labor may now be reversing.
Characteristics and Trajectory of Older Adults Supported by a Patient Navigator Program in a Hospital Setting: A Cohort Observational Study
Authors: Liu Grace , Kokorelias Kristina M. , Knoepfli Amanda , Dasgupta Tracey , Ziegler Naomi , Guilcher Sara J.T. , Hitzig Sander L.
Published: November 2024

To improve transitions in care, a new patient navigation (PN) program was introduced to support older adults with complex care needs transition from hospital to home. The patient navigator is a community social worker embedded in the hospital’s care teams. A cohort observational design was used to conduct the study by analysing the patient navigator’s clinical notes and hospital’s administrative data to describe the characteristics of patients, scope of the patient navigator’s activities, and patient outcomes. Ninety patients were assigned to the patient navigator’s caseload (November 2019–November 2021) in which the average age was 78.9 (range 55–95). The most frequent PN intervention types were referrals to community services (66%, n = 59) and discharge planning (61%, n = 55). The patient navigator supported 66% patients (n = 59) in returning home and provided follow-up care for 74 days (average). This study provides important insights into the patient navigator’s role to guide decision makers in implementing PN programs for older adults in a hospital setting.
‘Du Paradis Rêvé’: Parodies of Japonisme in Saint-Saëns's La princesse jaune
Authors: Kavanagh Emma
Published: November 2024

The debut of a Japanese exhibit at the 1867 Exposition Universelle prompted a new enthusiasm for Japan (dubbed japonisme) that soon gripped artistic and literary circles in Paris. Camille Saint-Saëns's one-act opera La princesse jaune, which premiered at the Opéra-Comique in 1872, emerged at the height of this fervour. At first glance, it might seem that La princesse jaune simply followed the trend. Yet, on closer examination it is possible to understand its story of an infatuated young artist as a playful, subversive commentary on japonisme. This article thus poses the question: How might we understand La princesse jaune as a parody? To answer this, I begin by considering its protagonist as a mockery of the elitist and exclusive japoniste subcultures that emerged in the wake of the Exposition. Borrowing from William Cheng's concept of ‘opera en abyme’, I then consider the opera's dream sequence, examining how its shifting diegesis highlights the fragile and ephemeral nature of the Orientalist dream. Ultimately, I argue that reading La princesse jaune as a parody allows us not only to reframe the work within Saint-Saëns's œuvre, but also to reassess its place within the wider contexts of nineteenth-century operatic Orientalism.
The nutritional composition and in-store marketing of processed and packaged snack foods available at supermarkets in South Africa
Authors: Solomon Sharna Lee , Frank Tamryn , Ng Shu Wen , Swart Elizabeth C
Published: November 2024

Objectives:

Over recent decades, the commercial ultra-processed food industry has grown, making snacks high in energy, added sugar, saturated fat and sodium affordable and accessible to consumers. Dietary patterns high in ultra-processed snacks are concerning as this can result in negative health outcomes. This study aims to provide insight into available snack products in South African supermarkets, and the marketing thereof, which can be used to support policy development aimed at improving the healthfulness of the food supply and consumption patterns.

Design:

This was an observational cross-sectional, mixed-method study.

Setting:

Secondary data from six major supermarket chains (eight stores) in three different suburbs in Cape Town, South Africa was analysed to evaluate the nutritional composition of snack products (n 3837). The same eight supermarkets were revisited to obtain information on marketing via an observational checklist. Qualitative interviews were also conducted with store managers.

Results:

Majority (89 %) of the products assessed either contained non-sugar sweeteners or were high in sugar, saturated fat or sodium. These snack items that are high in nutrients of concern to limit were available at checkout areas in all stores and were found in high-traffic areas, and several in-store promotional strategies such as branded displays, special offers and combo-deals were commonly found.

Conclusion:

The current South African supermarket environment encourages consumers to purchase unhealthy snacks. Most snacks assessed in this study cannot be recommended for regular consumption due to the nutritional composition being high in nutrients linked to poor health outcomes. There is a need for regulation of the in-store marketing of unhealthy snacks in South Africa. Retail settings are potential intervention points for limiting exposure to these unhealthy products.
A new species of Mesolepis (Actinopterygii) from the Late Carboniferous of Scotland, with especial reference to Mesolepis wardi Young
Authors: ELLIOTT Francis M. , GILES Sam
Published: November 2024

A new species, Mesolepis arabellae, is described from material recently recovered from the shales of the Scottish Lower Coal Measure Formation. Up until now, three British species of Mesolepis have been named: Mesolepis scalaris Young, Mesolepis wardi Young, and Mesolepis micropterus Traquair. A fourth member of the genus, Mesolepis pustulosa Pruvost from the coalfields of Northern France, was named on scale description alone, though the validity of this taxon is uncertain. The new material described here varies from other Mesolepis species in its caudal peduncle morphology and overall body shape. Micro-computed tomography of the new species reveals the presence of teeth on the premaxilla and dentary and a splint-like fused prearticular and coronoid element, with implications for a possible feeding behaviour of Mesolepis. Additional information on the homogeneous Mesolepis wardi is also presented.
Predicting Professional Psychological Help-Seeking Intentions for Indians Through Envisioning Counseling and Psychotherapy as Western Cultural Healing Practices
Authors: Bedi Robinder , Ahn Jessica Y. , Choubisa Rajneesh , Ruparel Namita
Published: November 2024

Abstract: There remains considerable ambiguity in predicting which Indians seek professional psychological services during times of distress and which do not. This study expands past research on predicting professional psychological help-seeking attitudes of Indians to help-seeking intentions. Drawing on variables previously examined as predictors of help-seeking attitudes from a frame of psychotherapy as a manifestation of Western culture, this study aimed to investigate the predictive ability of six cultural variables (Asian values, European American values, importance of one’s ethnic group to their identity, commitment to one’s ethnic group, westernization, and cultural mistrust). Participants were 377 university students from India. The results can be taken to suggest that a highly westernized lifestyle and greater adherence to European American values are best predictive of professional psychological help-seeking intentions among Indians. Assessing these two variables will enable practitioners to direct prospective clients to culturally congruent treatment methods that they are most likely to attend and perhaps benefit more from. Overall, the findings of this study are in line with conceptualizing professional psychological treatment as a manifestation of Western culture.
Knowledge and Attitudes of Filipino Community Healthcare and Service Providers Toward Drug Addiction and Persons Who Use Drugs
Authors: Yusay Camille Therese C. , Hechanova Ma. Regina M. , Perez Amihan R.
Published: November 2024

Abstract: Healthcare and service providers (HSPs) are crucial in reaching persons who use drugs (PWUDs) to get them screened and treated. Because of their crucial role in the recovery of PWUDs and the dearth of evidence about attitudes of HSPs in community settings and in countries with a punitive approach to drug use such as the Philippines, this study aimed to assess and determine HSP’s knowledge, attitudes, and level of stigma and discrimination towards PWUDs. Using a mixed-method approach, 36 HSPs were interviewed and 276 were surveyed to determine attitudes toward drug use and PWUDs across five regions in the Philippines. The results show that HSPs still subscribe to three myths about drug users and addiction that need to be broken, specifically majority of users become addicted to drugs, all an addict needs to do to recover is the will to stop, and addiction is a sign of moral and character weakness. Moreover, the results showed that faith-based workers are more likely to view drug use as a moral issue compared to other HSPs. However, those with greater exposure to PWUDs report greater understanding and comfort in dealing with PWUDs. The results suggest the need for experiential approaches in training of HSPs to improve knowledge and attitudes toward PWUDs.
A Statistical Examination of the Spatial Correlations of HF Ionospheric Absorption Signatures Using the GO‐Canada Riometer Network
Authors: Gillies R. G. , Spanswick E. , Skone S.
Published: November 2024

A network of 30‐MHz riometers distributed across Canada have been monitoring auroral absorption for decades. Electron precipitation can cause enhanced densities to develop below ∼100 km where the higher neutral density can cause absorption of High Frequency (HF) signals. Modeling D‐region absorption accurately can be challenging due to the large distances between riometer monitoring sites. It is of interest to develop an understanding of the typical scale sizes of these regions for assimilation in ionospheric models. Using the entire network of GO‐Canada riometers, auroral absorption events may be monitored as they develop through a wide MLT sector. By examining correlations between sites, proxies for the scale sizes of absorption regions may be estimated. It was found that the sizes of the absorbing regions in the zonal direction are on the order of 900 km. Conversely, the characteristic scale sizes of the regions in the meridional direction were ∼700 km. These results are consistent with the general magnetospheric structure which sees higher energy electrons primarily present in the nightside transition region, and ring current. This creates a natural limit in latitudinal correlations, while the spread in longitude is likely connected to the size of precipitation regions in MLT. Our results also show significant spread in scale sizes in both directions from a few hundred to several thousand km. In this paper, we summarize these results in terms of the observed trends in high energy electron precipitation spatial and temporal scales and discuss future work to connect these scales to magnetospheric drivers.
Influence of Foehn‐Like Winds on Near‐Surface Temperature at Jang Bogo Station, Terra Nova Bay, East Antarctica
Authors: Ahn Seohee , Seo Won‐Seok , Kwon Hataek , Lee Min‐Hee , Kim Seong‐Joong , Lee Bang Yong , Park Sang‐Jong , Choi Taejin
Published: November 2024

The coast of Terra Nova Bay (TNB) is known as one of the intense katabatic wind confluence zones in Antarctica. Strong westerly winds with topography‐specific foehn effects (foehn‐like winds, FLWs) could have influenced surface temperatures in this area downwind of the Transantarctic Mountains, yet their impact remains unstudied. Jang Bogo Station (JBS) in TNB has weak winds year‐round, with occasional strong winds causing significant winter temperature increases. This study aims to investigate the FLWs and their recent variability in occurrence at JBS in terms of surface temperature variability. During the strong wind events, the surface warms due to foehn effects such as adiabatic heating and vertical mixing. FLWs occur approximately 16% (10%) of the time in winter (annually). FLWs are caused by cyclones in the eastern Ross Sea. Meteorological records for 2015–2022 revealed an increased FLW frequency, particularly in winter, which has increased temperatures in recent years.