bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Resisting Representation: Spanish Society in Valle-Inclán’s Late Theater
Authors: White Jared S.
Published: February 2024

Abstract: The later phase of Valle-Inclán’s theatrical work (1920–27) radically shifts its representational focus from antiquated aristocracy to ruthlessly plebeian figures scattered throughout rural Spain at the turn of the century. These caustic depictions eventually culminate in the esperpento , a socially corrosive theatrical technique that poignantly portrays the economic, spiritual, and moral decadence of fin-de-siècle Spain. Grotesquely deformed in both shape and conduct, the characters that occupy the stage in Valle-Inclán’s later theater defy traditional modes of representation and have created significant interpretative challenges for directors, actors, and audience members. Further, censorship and public prohibition have compounded these problems, significantly delaying the premiere of these plays. This study will revisit Valle-Inclán’s later theatrical works, describing the inherent difficulties associated with their representation, and propose that such complications derive from a complex dialectic between the playwright’s incisive focus on societal decadence and his own society’s resistance to such depictions. From the farcical to the fanatical, I consider Valle-Inclán’s stubborn devotion to his evolving esperpento aesthetic, the prohibitive measures taken by the Spanish government to censor his plays, and the curious restrictions applied by Valle-Inclán himself, all of which have created a form of theater that resists representation. Resumen: La última fase de las obras dramáticas de Valle-Inclán (1920–27) radicalmente cambia su enfoque representacional de una aristocracia anticuada a figuras despiadadamente plebeyas y esparcidas por la España rural durante el fin de siglo. Estas representaciones mordaces eventualmente culminan en el esperpento, una técnica teatral que deforma la sociedad y fatalmente figura la decadencia económica, espiritual y moral de España fin-de-siècle . Los personajes que ocupan el escenario durante la última fase del teatro de Valle-Inclán desafían los modos tradicionales de representación y han creado retos interpretativos muy significativos para directores, actores y el público. Además, la censura y prohibición pública han agravado estos problemas, dilatando el estreno de estas obras. Este estudio considera la última fase del teatro de Valle-Inclán al describir las dificultades inherentes de su representación y propone que estas complicaciones se derivan de una dialéctica compleja entre el enfoque del dramaturgo hacia la decadencia social y la resistencia de su propia sociedad de tales representaciones. De la farsa a lo fanático, considero la devoción de Valle-Inclán a la estética esperpéntica, las medidas prohibitivas del gobierno español para censurar sus obras y las restricciones implementadas por Valle-Inclán mismo, lo que resulta en un teatro que resiste representación.
Change or Empathy: Mexico’s #MeToo Between Catharsis and Transformative Performance
Authors: Dalton David S.
Published: February 2024

Abstract: Mexico’s #MeToo movement employed technology—particularly social media—to identify men in the country who had habitually abused women. In so doing, the movement helped to produce a paradigm shift in how Mexicans understood sexual violence. The movement created a framework conducive to identifying more cases of sexual harassment throughout the country. At the same time, Mexico’s #MeToo had mixed results in the realm of policy. In this article, I use Bertolt Brecht’s dichotomy of cathartic and transformative performance to analyze the methods—rather than the ideology—of the #MeToo activists. I argue that cathartic performances aimed at closure in individual cases tended to build what Robert Putnam calls a type of bonding social capital that brought activists together. Nevertheless, these performances often stifled the production of the bridging social capital necessary to legitimize the movement as a whole. When activists used their platform to foreground the need for structural change, they tended to enjoy greater successes in challenging the status quo. Resumen: El movimiento #MeToo en México utilizó la tecnología—sobre todo las redes sociales—para identificar hombres en el país que habían abusado habitualmente de mujeres. Al ha-cerlo, el movimiento ayudó a enmendar los paradigmas que se empleaban en el país para entender la violencia sexual. El movimiento proveyó los medios necesarios para identificar más casos de acoso sexual en todo el país. No obstante, #MeToo en México tuvo resultados mixtos en el ámbito de la política. En este artículo, utilizo la dicotomía de Bertolt Brecht de performance catártico y performance transformador para analizar no la ideología sino los métodos de los activistas. Sostengo que las acciones catárticas con un enfoque en casos individuales tendían a construir lo que Robert Putnam denomina “bonding social capital” que unía a los activistas. Sin embargo, tales acciones corrían el riesgo de sofocar la producción del “bridging social capital” necesario para legitimar el movimiento ante el público. Cuando los activistas utilizaban su plataforma para abogar por cambios estructurales, tendían a disfrutar de mayores éxitos al desafiar el statu quo.
William H. McNeill
Authors: McNeill John R.
Published: February 2024

Abstract: This biographical memoir commemorates the life, work, and professional legacy of eminent historian William H. McNeill (1917-2016), who was elected a member of the American Philosophical Society in 1977.
Philip Edward Gossett
Authors: Harris Ellen T.
Published: February 2024

Abstract: This biographical memoir commemorates the life, work, and professional legacy of eminent musicologist Philip Edward Gossett (1941-2017), who was elected a member of the American Philosophical Society in 2008.
Sidney Verba
Authors: Schlozman Kay Lehman , Brady Henry E.
Published: February 2024

Abstract: This biographical memoir commemorates the life, work, and professional legacy of eminent political scientist Sidney Verba (1932-2019), who was elected a member of the American Philosophical Society in 2003.
Embedded Classed and Raced Academic Capitalism in an Innovative “Solution” to College Costs: Income Share Agreements at two Public AAU Research Universities
Authors: Lee Alice , Salazar Karina , Rhoades Gary
Published: February 2024

College affordability concerns have led to new “solutions’’ for financing college costs, such as income share agreements (ISAs). Drawing on a racialized understanding of academic capitalism, we explore the intersection of higher education, markets, and the state in how ISAs are marketed by two public universities. We find ISAs are advertised as market-based solutions, framing universities as altruistic problem-solvers and students as philanthropic investors. Yet, we also find that institutions’ website promotion of ISAs is raced and classed, targeting current “traditional,” White, upper-middle class students. Finally, we compare institutional narratives to federal guidance regarding ISAs, revealing further blurring between the public sector and private marketplace.
Measures of retention in HIV care: A protocol for a mixed methods study
Authors: Rehman Nadia , Garcia Michael Cristian , Jones Aaron , Ma Jinhui , Mertz Dominik , Mbuagbaw Lawrence
Published: February 2024

Introduction

Retention in HIV care is necessary to achieve adherence to antiretroviral therapy, viral load suppression, and optimal health outcomes. There is no standard definition for retention in HIV care, which compromises consistent and reliable reporting and comparison of retention across facilities, jurisdictions, and studies.

Objective

The objective of this study is to explore how stakeholders involved in HIV care define retention in HIV care and their preferences on measuring retention.

Methods

We will use an exploratory sequential mixed methods design involving HIV stakeholder groups such as people living with HIV, people involved in providing care for PLHIV, and people involved in decision-making about PLHIV. In the qualitative phase of the study, we will conduct 20–25 in-depth interviews to collect the perspectives of HIV stakeholders on using their preferred retention measures. The findings from the qualitative phase will inform the development of survey items for the quantitative phase. Survey participants (n = 385) will be invited to rate the importance of each approach to measuring retention on a seven-point Likert scale. We will merge the qualitative and quantitative findings phase findings to inform a consensus-building framework for a standard definition of retention in care.

Ethical issues and dissemination

This study has received ethics approval from the Hamilton Integrated Research Ethics Board. The findings will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications, conference presentations, and among stakeholder groups.

Limitations

This study has limitations; we won’t be able to arrive at a standard definition; a Delphi technique amongst the stakeholders will be utilized using the framework to reach a consensus globally accepted definition.
Microgeographic differentiation in thermal and antipredator responses and their carry-over effects across life stages in a damselfly
Authors: Amer Nermeen R. , Stoks Robby , Antoł Andrzej , Sniegula Szymon
Published: February 2024

Global warming and invasive species, separately or combined, can impose a large impact on the condition of native species. However, we know relatively little about how these two factors, individually and in combination, shape phenotypes in ectotherms across life stages and how this can differ between populations. We investigated the non-consumptive predator effects (NCEs) imposed by native (perch) and invasive (signal crayfish) predators experienced only during the egg stage or during both the egg and larval stages in combination with warming on adult life history traits of the damselfly Ischnura elegans. To explore microgeographic differentiation, we compared two nearby populations differing in thermal conditions and predator history. In the absence of predator cues, warming positively affected damselfly survival, possibly because the warmer temperature was closer to the optimal temperature. In the presence of predator cues, warming decreased survival, indicating a synergistic effect of these two variables on survival. In one population, predator cues from perch led to increased survival, especially under the current temperature, likely because of predator stress acclimation phenomena. While warming decreased, predator cues increased larval development time with a proportionally stronger effect of signal crayfish cues experienced during the egg stage, indicating a negative carry-over effect from egg to larva. Warming and predator cues increased mass at emergence, with the predator effect driven mainly by exposure to signal crayfish cues during the egg stage, indicating a positive carry-over effect from egg to adult. Notably, warming and predator effects were not consistent across the two studied populations, suggesting a phenotypic signal of adaptation at a microgeographic scale to thermal conditions and predator history. We also observed pronounced shifts during ontogeny from synergistic (egg and early larval stage) toward additive (late larval stage up to emergence) effects between warming and predator stress. The results point out that population- and life-stage-specific responses in life-history traits to NCEs are needed to predict fitness consequences of exposure to native and invasive predators and warming in prey at a microgeographic scale.
Anthropometric parameters as a predictor for abdominal wall thickness in a patient with gastrostomy
Authors: Mahawongkajit Prasit , Saengwijit Autchariya , Wongvisavavit Poon , Havanond Chittinad , Orrapin Saritphat
Published: February 2024

Background

Enteral feeding tubes play essential roles in clinical management and nutritional support. Knowledge of the abdominal wall is beneficial in surgical practice and safe for gastrostomy. Anthropometric parameters are currently used for clinical assessment in many clinical applications. That might be beneficial if we applied anthropometric measurement for thickness prediction of the abdominal wall to the schedule of patients’ gastrostomy care. This study aimed to evaluate the anthropometric parameters of abdominal wall thickness (AWT).

Methods

We conducted a cross-sectional study with anthropometric parameters and CT-measured anterior AWT were assessed and analyzed.

Results

The data are collected from January 2020 to March 2021. Arm circumference and body mass index were strongly correlated with AWT at left upper quadrant area and anterior AWT at middle area. The data was created in an TAWT (Thammasat AWT) chart to represent body parameters to AWT.

Conclusions

Arm circumference is related to AWT. A TAWT chart is designed to help medical personnel evaluate the thickness of the abdominal wall and could guide estimating the gastrostomy tube length.
The relationship between climate change, globalization and non-communicable diseases in Africa: A systematic review
Authors: Siiba Alhassan , Kangmennaang Joseph , Baatiema Leonard , Luginaah Isaac
Published: February 2024

Climate change and non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are considered the 21st Century’s major health and development challenges. Both pose a disproportionate burden on low- and middle-income countries that are unprepared to cope with their synergistic effects. These two challenges pose risks for achieving many of the sustainable development goals (SDGs) and are both impacted by globalization through different pathways. While there are important insights on how climate change and or globalization impact NCDs in the general literature, comprehensive research that explores the influence of climate change and or globalization on NCDs is limited, particularly in the context of Africa. This review documents the pathways through which climate change and or globalization influence NCDs in Africa. We conducted a comprehensive literature search in eight electronic databases—Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, Global Health Library, Science Direct, Medline, ProQuest, and Google Scholar. A total of 13864 studies were identified. Studies that were identified from more than one of the databases were automatically removed as duplicates (n = 9649). Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, a total of 27 studies were eventually included in the final review. We found that the impacts of climate change and or globalization on NCDs act through three potential pathways: reduction in food production and nutrition, urbanization and transformation of food systems. Our review contributes to the existing literature by providing insights into the impact of climate change and or globalization on human health. We believe that our findings will help enlighten policy makers working on these pathways to facilitate the development of effective policy and public health interventions to mitigate the effects of climate change and globalization on the rising burden of NCDs and goal 3 of the SDG, in particular.
Arterial oxygen desaturation during moderate hypoxia hinders sensorimotor performance
Authors: Keeler Jason M. , Listman Jennifer B. , Hite M. Jo , Heeger David J. , Tourula Erica , Port Nicholas L. , Schlader Zachary J.
Published: February 2024

Introduction

Moderate hypoxia may impact cognitive and sensorimotor performance prior to self-recognized impairments. Therefore, rapid and objective assessment tools to identify people at risk of impaired function during moderate hypoxia is needed.

Purpose

Test the hypothesis that reductions in arterial oxygen saturation during moderate normobaric hypoxia (FiO2 = 14%) decreases gamified sensorimotor performance as measured by alterations of motor acuity.

Methods

Following three consecutive days of practice, thirty healthy adults (25 ± 5 y, 10 females) completed three bouts of the tablet-based gamified assessment (Statespace Labs, Inc.) of motor acuity at Baseline and 60 and 90 min after exposure to 13.8 ± 0.2% (hypoxia) and 20.1 ± 0.4% (normoxia) oxygen. The gamified assessment involved moving the tablet to aim and shoot at targets. Both conditions were completed on the same day and were administered in a single-blind, block randomized manner. Performance metrics included shot time and shot variability. Arterial oxyhemoglobin saturation estimated via forehead pulse oximetry (SpO2). Data were analyzed using linear mixed effects models.

Results

Compared to normoxia (99±1%), SpO2 was lower (p<0.001) at 60 (89±3%) and 90 (90±2%) min of hypoxia. Shot time was unaffected by decreases in SpO2 (0.012, p = 0.19). Nor was shot time affected by the interaction between SpO2 decrease and baseline performance (0.006, p = 0.46). Shot variability was greater (i.e., less precision, worse performance) with decreases in SpO2 (0.023, p = 0.02) and depended on the interaction between SpO2 decrease and baseline performance (0.029, p< 0.01).

Conclusion

Decreases in SpO2 during moderate hypoxic exposure hinders sensorimotor performance via decreased motor acuity, i.e., greater variability (less precision) with no change in speed with differing decreases in SpO2. Thus, personnel who are exposed to moderate hypoxia and have greater decreases in SpO2 exhibit lower motor acuity, i.e., less precise movements even though decision time and movement speed are unaffected.
Deciphering the structure of a multi-drug resistant Acinetobacter baumannii short-chain dehydrogenase reductase
Authors: Shahri Mahdi Abedinzadeh , Shirmast Paniz , Ghafoori Seyed Mohammad , Forwood Jade Kenneth
Published: February 2024

The rapidly increasing threat of multi-drug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii infections globally, encompassing a range of clinical manifestations from skin and soft tissue infections to life-threatening conditions like meningitis and pneumonia, underscores an urgent need for novel therapeutic strategies. These infections, prevalent in both hospital and community settings, present a formidable challenge to the healthcare system due to the bacterium’s widespread nature and dwindling effective treatment options. Against this backdrop, the exploration of bacterial short-chain dehydrogenase reductases (SDRs) emerges as a promising avenue. These enzymes play pivotal roles in various critical bacterial processes, including fatty acid synthesis, homeostasis, metabolism, and contributing to drug resistance mechanisms. In this study, we present the first examination of the X-ray crystallographic structure of an uncharacterized SDR enzyme from A. baumannii. The tertiary structure of this SDR is distinguished by a central parallel β-sheet, consisting of seven strands, which is flanked by eight α-helices. This configuration exhibits structural parallels with other enzymes in the SDR family, underscoring a conserved architectural theme within this enzyme class. Despite the current ambiguity regarding the enzyme’s natural substrate, the importance of many SDR enzymes as targets in anti-bacterial agent design is well-established. Therefore, the detailed structural insights provided in this study open new pathways for the in-silico design of therapeutic agents. By offering a structural blueprint, our findings may provide a platform for future research aimed at developing targeted treatments against this and other multi-drug-resistant infections.
Comprehensive characterization of the effect of mineralocorticoid receptor antagonism with spironolactone on the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system in healthy dogs
Authors: Masters Allison K. , Ward Jessica L. , Guillot Emilie , Domenig Oliver , Yuan Lingnan , Mochel Jonathan P.
Published: February 2024

Objective

To characterize the dose-exposure-response effect of spironolactone on biomarkers of the classical and alternative arms of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) in healthy dogs.

Animals

Ten healthy purpose-bred Beagle dogs.

Procedures

Study dogs were randomly allocated to 2 spironolactone dosing groups (2 mg/kg PO q24hr, 4 mg/kg PO q24hr). The dogs received 7-day courses of spironolactone followed by a 14-day washout period in a crossover (AB/BA) design. Angiotensin peptides and aldosterone were measured in serum using equilibrium analysis, and plasma canrenone and 7-α-thiomethyl spironolactone (TMS) were quantified via liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry/mass spectroscopy (LC-MS/MS). Study results were compared before and after dosing and between groups.

Results

Following spironolactone treatment, dogs had a significant increase in serum aldosterone concentration (P = 0.07), with no statistical differences between dosing groups. Significant increases in angiotensin II (P = 0.09), angiotensin I (P = 0.08), angiotensin 1–5 (P = 0.08), and a surrogate marker for plasma renin activity (P = 0.06) were detected compared to baseline following spironolactone treatment during the second treatment period only. Overall, changes from baseline did not significantly differ between spironolactone dosages. RAAS analytes were weakly correlated (R < 0.4) with spironolactone dosage and plasma canrenone or plasma TMS. There were no adverse clinical or biochemical effects seen at any spironolactone dosage during treatment.

Conclusions

Treatment with spironolactone increased serum aldosterone concentration in healthy dogs and impacted other biomarkers of the classical and alternative arms of the RAAS. There was no difference in effect on the RAAS between 2 and 4 mg/kg/day dosing. Dosage of 4 mg/kg/day was safe and well-tolerated in healthy dogs.
Professional relationships during crisis interventions: A scoping review
Authors: Steimle Larissa , von Peter Sebastian , Frank Fabian
Published: February 2024

Introduction

A crisis can be described as subjective experience that threatens and overwhelms a person’s ability to handle a specific situation. In dealing with crises some people are looking for support from professionals. The “professional relationship” between people experiencing a crisis and professionals plays an important role in the successful management of a crisis which has been widely researched in many contexts. However, regarding outpatient services (e. g. crisis resolution home treatment teams), yet empirical evidence remains limited.

Objective

We aim to explore descriptions of supportive professional relationships during outpatient crisis interventions in empirical literature. Accordingly, a scoping review was conducted to identify types of evidence, map the key concepts, and point out research gaps.

Methods

MEDLINE, PsycINFO, CINAHL and Social Science Citation Index were searched for studies reporting empirical data on the professional relationship between people experiencing a crisis (18+) and professionals (e. g. social workers, psychiatrists) during a crisis intervention, defined as a short-term, face-to-face, low threshold, time-limited, outpatient, and voluntary intervention to cope with crises. Studies were excluded if they were published before 2007, in languages other than English and German, and if they couldn’t be accessed. Included studies were summarized, compared, and synthesized using qualitative content analyses.

Results

3.741 records were identified, of which 8 met the eligibility criteria. Only one study directly focused on the relationship; the others addressed varied aspects. Two studies explored the perspectives of service users, five focused on those of the professionals and one study examined both. The empirical literature was categorized into three main themes: strategies used to develop a supportive professional relationship, factors influencing the relationship and the nature of these relationships.

Discussion

The results reveal a gap in understanding the nature of supportive professional relationships from the service users’ perspective, as well as how professionals construct these relationships.
Protection of prior SARS-CoV-2 infection, COVID-19 boosters, and hybrid immunity against Omicron severe illness: A population-based cohort study of five million residents in Canada
Authors: Wu Shishi , Li Yanhong , Baral Stefan , Mishra Sharmistha , Koh Maria , Golding Haley , Kwong Jeffrey C. , Wei Xiaolin
Published: February 2024

Background

Evidence on protection of different patterns of infection- and vaccine-acquired immunity against Omicron-associated severe illness is useful in planning booster vaccination strategies. We examined protection of prior SARS-CoV-2 infection, a third or a fourth COVID-19 vaccine dose, and hybrid immunity against Omicron-associated severe illness.

Methods and findings

This population-based cohort study followed five million individuals with at least one SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR test before November 21, 2021 until an Omicron-associatedhospitalization or death. We used Cox regression models to estimate risks of Omicron-associated hospitalization and a composite severe outcome (hospitalized and death), among individuals with infection- and/or vaccination-acquired immunity. Individuals who were unvaccinated and had no history of a prior infection severed as the reference group. Both adjusted hazard ratios (HR) and corresponding protection (one minus adjusted HR), with 95% confidence intervals (CIs), were reported. Three doses provided 94% (95%CI 93–95) and 93% (95%CI 91–94) protection against Omicron-associated hospitalization at 2–3 and ≥3 months post-vaccination respectively, similar to the protection conferred by three doses and a prior infection (2–3 months: 99%, 95%CI 97–100; ≥3 months: 97%, 95%CI 92–99) and four doses (1 month: 87%, 95%CI 79–92; 1–2 months: 96%, 95%CI 92–98). In individuals ≥65 years old, protection of four doses increased to 95% (95%CI 91–98) at 1–2 months, significantly higher than that of three doses over the follow-up period. Similar results were observed with the composite severe outcome.

Conclusion

At least three antigenic exposures, achieved by vaccination or infection, confers significant protection against Omicron-associated hospitalization and death in all age groups. Our findings support a third dose for the overall population, regardless of prior infection status, and a fourth dose for the elderly to maintain high level of immunity and substantially reduce risk of severe illness at individual level.
Tell it slant: Talking with Jane Yolen about poetry
Authors: Pazdziora John Patrick
Published: February 2024

Among her more than 400 books, Jane Yolen (b. 1939) has written or edited around 50 collections of poetry. In this new interview, Yolen discusses how her poetry developed throughout her writing life. We talk about her early desire in childhood to write poetry and about poets whose work she has admired. Yolen talks about her process in writing works such as the verse novel Finding Baba Yaga (2018) or the agonizing Radiation Sonnets (2003) and explains the difference between writing poetry for children and grown-ups, using her How Do Dinosaurs…? (2000–ongoing) series and Yuck, You Suck! Poems about Animals that Sip, Slurp, Suck (2022) as examples. She gives advice to teachers and suggestions to the poetically perplexed, as well as telling stories about encountering W. B. Yeats and reciting poetry to a wombat. Yolen’s poetic oeuvre is by turns whimsical and heart-wrenching, lyrical and conversational. She writes with a demotic lyricism that balances the formal requirements of prosody against the musicality of everyday speech. Her poetry begins from keen observation of everyday life and translates it into the mythic and the elemental, her words creating images that haunt the readers’ imaginations. What emerges is a glimpse of poetic truth—or, perhaps, the glimpse of the way to catch a glimpse.
The Complete Works of W. H. Auden: Poems, Volume I: 1927–1939, W. H. Auden (2022)
Authors: Gowar Mick
Published: February 2024

Review of: The Complete Works of W. H. Auden: Poems, Volume I: 1927–1939, W. H. Auden (2022)

Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 848 pp.,

ISBN 978-0691219295, h/bk, £48.0

The Complete Works of W. H. Auden: Poems, Volume II: 1940–1973, W. H. Auden (2022)

Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1120 pp.,

ISBN 978-0691219301, h/bk, £48.0
Doomsday libraries: Representations of libraries in post-apocalyptic video games
Authors: Fay Brendan
Published: February 2024

This article examines the depiction of libraries in post-apocalyptic games and the roles they play from a gameplay, storytelling and character development perspective. While the representation of libraries in film, fiction and other media has been the subject of considerable scholarly interest, there has been comparatively less attention on the representation of libraries in video games; this article fills a gap in the literature in its exclusive focus on the representation of libraries in post-apocalyptic settings. Libraries serve in two distinct roles in post-apocalyptic games: as storehouses of information and knowledge, and as sanctuaries from hostile and unforgiving worlds that emerge in the wake of an extinction-level event.
Life’s a Gamble: Penetration, the Invisible Girls and Other Stories, Pauline Murray (2023)
Authors: Alonso Maritxu
Published: February 2024

Review of: Life’s a Gamble: Penetration, the Invisible Girls and Other Stories, Pauline Murray (2023)

London: Omnibus Press, 192 pp.,

ISBN 978-1-91317-270-1, h/bk, £25
I Want You Around: The Ramones and the Making of Rock ‘N’ Roll High School, Stephen B. Armstrong (2023)
Authors: Makagon Daniel
Published: February 2024

Review of: I Want You Around: The Ramones and the Making of Rock ’N’ Roll High School, Stephen B. Armstrong (2023)

London: Backbeat Books, 394 pp.,

ISBN 978-1-49306-449-6, p/bk, $22.95
Bivariate analysis of short-duration extreme rainfalls. Application to the study of the debris floods (alluviums) in the Funchal region (Madeira Island)
Authors: Gomes Lucas , Portela Maria Manuela , Espinosa Luis
Published: February 2024

Intense rainfalls and debris floods are familiar occurrences in Madeira Island (Portugal); but, understanding how intense rainfall relates to this type of floods is limited. This research seeks to characterise extreme rainfall events measured at the Funchal rain gauge station and to analyse their relationship with the region’s debris flood records. Contrary to other studies, a multivariate approach was performed to describe those relationships. To identify the extreme hourly rainfall events, the annual maximum series (AMS) technique was applied to a record of hourly time-series data covering a period of 34 years. By applying bivariate copula analysis to coupled AMS and cumulative rainfall series, joint and conditional return periods were calculated. The results suggested that the extreme rainfall events causing debris flood events tend to have higher return periods than those with no debris flow generation. The exceptionality of the late February 2010 deadly event is reaffirmed. This work assists our understanding as to how intense rainfall events relate to debris flood events, and shows the benefit of copulas in providing new insights in hydrologic studies.
Análise de medidas estruturais de mitigação à erosão costeira no município de Belém, Pará, Brasil
Authors: Ferreira Lopes Walmira , Nogueira de Andrade Milena Marília
Published: February 2024

A presente pesquisa objetiva analisar as medidas estruturais de mitigação à erosão costeira adotadas no município de Belém, Pará, Brasil. Foram realizadas quatro visitas de campo para observação e preenchimento de uma ficha dividida em 3 secções: característica da estrutura, tipo da medida e estado da estrutura. Com o apoio de um GPS teve-se a coleta das coordenadas geográficas dos pontos analisados e com o uso de câmara fotográfica digital, foi realizado o registo da paisagem. Os resultados obtidos mostram que dos 42 pontos analisados, as medidas de mitigação frente a erosão costeira, caracterizadas em obras estruturais, possuem um total de 47 estruturas presentes. Dessas medidas, 19 são muros de proteção costeira de caráter convencional, 15 estruturas denominadas muro de arrimo com contrafortes, 5 do tipo gabiões, 4 do tipo enrocamento, 2 do tipo espigão, além da presença de 2 estruturas improvisadas. A análise de medidas compõe uma etapa de diagnóstico importante na gestão do risco e pode ser utilizadas para nortear ações estruturais futuras a partir da efetividade do funcionamento atual.
Análise sobre a tecnologia SMS em sistemas de alertas de risco de desastres no Brasil
Authors: Pugas André  Francisco , Saito Silvia Midori
Published: February 2024

Muito se discute a necessidade de reduzir a perda de vidas humanas, danos ao patrimônio e ao meio ambiente, causados por desastres associados a processos naturais. Medidas não-estruturais, como os sistemas de alerta, têm-se constituído em importante aliada na redução de danos humanos e materiais, em especial, de comunidades vulneráveis. Este artigo analisa o uso do serviço Short Message Service (SMS) como ferramenta de disseminação de alertas à população brasileira. O estudo realizou pesquisa exploratória sobre o uso de alertas SMS no Brasil, a partir de levantamento bibliográfico e consulta a documentos públicos. O serviço de comunicação à população por SMS em escala nacional é relativamente recente no Brasil, disponibilizado desde 2017. Os governos estaduais vem implantando esse serviço paulatinamente ao longo dos últimos anos. Mesmo diante de outras tecnologias mais modernas, os alertas SMS têm potencial significativo no alcance de pessoas vulneráveis aos desastres no Brasil. O acesso precário à Internet em um país de dimensões continentais, além dos diferentes contextos socioeconômicos da população brasileira, reforçam a necessidade de se ter diferentes meios de comunicação de risco.
Sport Spectacle, Billie Jean King, and the Battle of the Sexes Tennis Match in Public Memory
Authors: King Kyle
Published: February 2024

The 1973 Battle of the Sexes tennis match between Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs provides an example of what I call “sport spectacle.” I define “sport spectacle” as a staged encounter in which the institutions of sports and media conjoin with the activities of individual athletes and the gaze of interested audiences to co-produce narratives in which athletic endeavors reflect, shape, or intervene upon social will in material and symbolic ways. Sport spectacle involves a contested co-production of meaning about a sporting event's social importance that occurs before, during, and—through the rhetorical processes of public memory—after the sporting event. I analyze how King and Riggs understood the match within women's movement discourse and the cultural evolution of tennis, in addition to how King and others have treated the match as a cultural touchstone that can be redeployed in public memory. Recent films When Billie Beat Bobby (2001) and The Battle of the Sexes (2017) offer very different characterizations of King's role as a social movement actor and the Battle of the Sexes as a social movement act. While When Billie Beat Bobby credits King with wide-ranging transformation of women's lives in a universe largely devoid of political context, The Battle of the Sexes anachronistically champions King as a closeted LGBTQ+ icon with a more nuanced understanding of sport spectacle as a transformational gathering that prepares spectators for political contestation. This case study contributes to a growing body of scholarship that attends to the nuanced rhetorical dimensions and political contexts of spectacle.
Manifestasi Kebijakan Produk Dimethyl Ether dalam Skema Hilirisasi Batubara Sebagai Transformasi Peningkatan Kesejahteraan Rakyat
Authors: Kamala Rifka Asyifa , Ahsani Zakki Ardli , Rifaya Muhammad Ihzal , Siregar Zahra Elisa
Published: February 2024

Abstract: Indonesia is a country with the largest coal reserves in the world. As time goes by, the world's energy reserves will become increasingly depleted, which means it could damage the environment in the future. In response to this, several countries have started campaigns with the aim of saving the earth from damage and starting to switch to renewable energy. So that Indonesia as a coal exporting country will have reduced income, therefore a downstream project is needed to optimize coal output to prevent a reduction in state income from the mining export sector. This research uses the library research method as a systematic activity to answer the problems faced and collects data using a policy approach which is carried out with a more in-depth analysis of the problems. The role of government agencies in synergy in implementing policies is to make all parties involved in coal downstream projects. Basically DME products aim to improve the welfare of the people. There needs to be an important point so that people are not burdened by the substitution of LPG for DME, namely price adjustments as a product marketing strategy by exchanging LPG cylinders for DME, providing subsidies for DME supporting components, and the price of DME must be slightly below the price of LPG.Abstrak: Indonesia merupakan negara dengan kantong cadangan batubara terbesar di dunia. Seiring berjalannya waktu, cadangan energi dunia akan semakin menipis yang berarti dapat merusak lingkungan dalam beberapa kurun waktu mendatang. Dalam menyikapi hal tersebut, beberapa negara telah memulai kampanye dengan tujuan menyelamatkan bumi dari kerusakan dan mulai beralih ke energi terbarukan. Sehingga Indonesia sebagai negara pengekspor batubara akan berkurang pendapatannya, oleh karena itu diperlukan proyek hilirisasi guna mengoptimalkan hasil batubara untuk mencegah berkurangnya pendapatan negara dari sektor ekspor pertambangan. Penelitian ini menggunakan metode penelitian pustaka sebagai kegiatan sistematis dalam mejawab permasalahan yang dihadapi serta pengambilan data menggunakan pendekatan kebijakan yang dilakukan dengan analisis lebih mendalam terkait permasalahan. Peran instansi-instansi pemerintah yang bersinergi dalam melaksanakan kebijakan yakni menjadikan seluruh pihak terlibat dalam proyek hilirisasi batubara. Sejatinya produk DME bertujuan untuk mensejahterakan rakyat. Sehingga perlu adanya poin penting agar rakyat tidak terbebani dengan adanya substitusi LPG ke DME, yaitu penyesuaian harga sebagai strategi pemasaran produk dengan cara penukaran tabung LPG ke DME, pemberian subsidi komponen pendukung DME, dan harga DME harus sedikit lebih di bawah harga LPG.
Differences in urban daytime and night block vitality based on mobile phone signaling data: A case study of Kunming’s urban district
Authors: Wang Yang , You Youyang , Huang Jinyu , Yue Xiaoli , Sun Guiquan
Published: February 2024

Exploring the pattern of block vitality within cities and its influencing factors is an important topic in urban vitality research, which has great significance in promoting high-quality urban development. However, existing research has paid little attention to the spatial difference characteristics of daytime and night urban vitality and the differences in their influencing factors. Using the urban area of Kunming, China, as a case study, this study explores the differences in spatial patterns of daytime and night vitality at the intra-city block scale and analyses the differences in the main influencing factors of daytime and night block vitality using spatial regression models. The study obtains the following findings: (1) daytime block vitality in Kunming’s urban district (the urban Dist. of KM) is higher than night block vitality. The First Ring Area has the highest daytime block vitality, whereas the Second Ring Area has the highest night block vitality. (2) Block vitality in the urban Dist. of KM presents a polycentric structure. (3) There are obvious differences in the factors influencing urban vitality between daytime and night, with work accessibility, functional mixing, daily consumption accessibility, floor area ratio, and average building age, having different directions of influence on daytime and night urban vitality. (4) Daytime urban vitality in the urban Dist. of KM relies on work activities, while night urban vitality relies on residential activities. The results provide a scientific basis for urban land use layout, facility construction, and higher-quality urban planning and management, thus promoting sustainable urban development.
Interculturality and decision making: Pursuing jointness in online teams
Authors: de Oliveira Milene Mendes , Stevanovic Melisa
Published: February 2024

Current times call for continuous communication across countries, negotiations on several levels, and the creation of international relationships based on dialogue and participation. Those ideals are often pursued in intercultural communication contexts and written about, as a desideratum, in the Intercultural Communication literature. However, how can this be achieved concretely? In this article, we analyze how decisions are taken by newly founded intercultural teams of higher-education students playing a so-called intercultural game online via Zoom. The game revolves around the creation of a development plan for a fictitious city. In our study, we conducted a conversation-analytic investigation of decision-making processes by players oriented towards the ideal of ‘intercultural speakers’ as the ones mediating between different points of view and giving voice to all parties in an inclusive way. We illustrate our analysis with examples that range from unilateral decision making to decisions achieved through highly collaborative processes. We point to how expectations of inclusion-oriented interactional moves in intercultural situations are sometimes at odds with how these interactions and the related decision-making processes actually unfold.
Crystal structure of naphthalen-1-ylmethyl 2-(6-methoxynaphthalen-2-yl)propanoate, C25H22O3
Authors: Liang Di , Wu Shan-Shan , Wang Yan , Sun Wei , Zhou Xiao-Ping
Published: February 2024

C25H22O3, orthorhombic, P212121 (no. 19), a = 6.1768(2) Å, b = 11.2198(5) Å, c = 27.5938(11) Å, V = 1912.32(13) Å3, Z = 4, R
gt(F) = 0.0319, wR
ref(F
2) = 0.0872, T = 100(2) K.
Electrical Properties of Pulmonary Lymphatic Smooth Muscle Cells
Authors: Ahmadzai Mustafa
Published: February 2024

Mustafa Ahmadzai is a fourth-year student in the Honours Biology and Pharmacology (Co-op) Program. Mustafa spent this previous summer working at the Firestone Institute for Respiratory Health at St. Joseph’s Hospital in downtown Hamilton. His research focused on the electrophysiological properties of lymphatic smooth muscle cells in the lungs and how they participate in the etiology of asthma and other related pulmonary diseases. The work involved using a technique known as voltage clamping, wherein electrical probes are used to stimulate isolated cells and measure the resulting currents. Like pieces to a puzzle, these electrical responses may give us an insight into how the tissue behaves under complex disease states like asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD).
Hartley Jafine: The Role of Drama in the Health Sciences
Authors: Ostrovski Ilia , Chin Brian , Chopra Shelly
Published: February 2024

Hartley Jafine is an instructor of theatre and arts-based courses in the Bachelor of Health Sciences program. He has studied and used applied drama—a form of theatre that is now being used as a tool for social and interpersonal skill development—as an educational medium for many years. The Meducator recently had the opportunity to interview Jafine on the effectiveness of applied drama in helping students regain their passion and health professionals understand their patients.
A Gap Analysis of Mental Health and Addictions Support Services in Richmond, British Columbia — A Community-Based Research Study
Authors: Chopra Shelly
Published: February 2024

Across Canada, mental health and addictions (MHA) has become an area of concern for health providers: it is estimated that one in five adults is affected by a mental illness or addiction. In line with the provincial Ministries of Health Services and Child and Family Development ten-year plan to address MHA in BC, a community-based MHA service gap analysis was undertaken in the present study in Richmond, BC. The primary objectives of this research project were to identify and validate gaps in MHA support services in Richmond based on the informed perspectives of MHA community service providers. In addition to independent and consumer informants, a total of 22 administrators and frontline workers from 10 Richmond-based organizations were interviewed for the purposes of gap validation. Analysis of key informant responses for recurring themes elucidated four main areas of improvement: navigation of MHA services, continuum of support, personalized support, and outreach. Following a meeting among key informants to discuss the results of the current gap analysis, the expectation was raised of developing a strategic action plan to address gaps in MHA service in Richmond, BC.
Ubisol-QE as a Therapeutic Treatment for Paraquat Induced Neurodegeneration In Rat Model of Parkinson’s Disease
Authors: Leahy Samantha
Published: February 2024

The standard pathophysiology in neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson’s disease (PD), is caused by loss of dopaminergic neurons. Mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress have been implicated in these types of neuronal death. It has been shown that exposure to environmental toxins such as paraquat, a commonly used herbicide, can lead to an increase in the incidence of PD. So far, there is no effective therapeutic treatment that can halt the progression of the neurodegeneration. We have been conducting research on a water soluble formulation of CoQ10 (Ubisol-QE) and are testing its ability to protect neurons in vivo. It has previously been shown that Ubisol-QE prevents progression of neurodegeneration in rat models of PD post-injury. We wanted to determine the duration of Ubisol-QE treatment required to effectively sustain neuroprotection. Therefore, over the 8-week treatment portion of the experiment, one group of paraquat exposed rats were treated for the entire time with Ubisol-QE, while another had their treatment withdrawn after 4 weeks. We evaluated the neuroprotective effects by the number of tyrosine hydroxylase positive neurons in the substantia nigra region of the brain of animals who were given continuous treatment and those of whom who had their treatment withdrawn. The results suggest that Ubisol-QE has a significant effect after 8 weeks of treatment, indicating that longer duration of the treatment is needed. In observing the results from the neuromotor decline experiments, the treatment group had far less hind leg slips than the untreated groups, reflecting the protection that was seen in the immunohistochemical results. Consequently it can be suggested that Ubisol-QE could be an effective treatment to halt the neurodegeneration found in PD patients.
Community-based Interventions – International Development, Government and Community
Authors: Arora Nikita
Published: February 2024

Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are often criticized for their work in the healthcare sectors of developing countries. Recently, they have been moving from a projectized to sectoral support approach in an attempt to respond to this critique. Community-based intervention is a sectoral technique that can be used to exploit the community as a resource to provide the community itself with support in ways that the limited human resources in the healthcare sectors of developing countries currently cannot. The peer group intervention and community health worker are both tested strategies that have resulted in positive outcomes in the healthcare sectors of disadvantaged areas. Although community support systems may be limited in technical skill, a new body of research indicates that this intervention can nonetheless be a predictor of improved management of chronic illnesses that present high disease burden. By working with local stakeholders, NGOs may be able to effectively facilitate this intervention to promote sustainable positive health outcomes. By evaluating the effectiveness of the community-based intervention in Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS) management in Malawi, a greater understanding of its role can be gained in a more tangible manner.