bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Contamination of the marine environment by Antarctic research stations: Monitoring marine pollution at Casey station from 1997 to 2015
Authors: Stark Jonathan S. , Johnstone Glenn J. , King Catherine , Raymond Tania , Rutter Allison , Stark Scott C. , Townsend Ashley T.
Published: August 2023

The contamination of the marine environment surrounding coastal Antarctic research stations remains insufficiently understood in terms of its extent, persistence, and characteristics. We investigated the presence of contaminants in marine sediments near Casey Station, located in the Windmill Islands of East Antarctica, during the period spanning from 1997 to 2015. Metals, hydrocarbons, PBDEs, PCBs, and nutrients were measured in sediments at anthropogenically disturbed sites, including the wastewater outfall, the wharf area, two former waste disposal sites, and various control locations. Sampling was carried out at three spatial scales: Locations, which were generally kilometres apart and formed the primary scale for comparison; Sites, which were 100 meters apart within each location; and Plots, which were 10 meters apart within each site. Consistently higher concentrations of most contaminants, and in some cases nutrients, were observed at disturbed locations. Some locations also exhibited an increase in contaminant concentrations over time. The spatial distribution of sediment properties (such as grain size and organic matter) and contaminants displayed intricate patterns of variation. Variation in grain size depended on the size category, with fine grains (e.g., <63 μm) showing the greatest variation at the Location scale, while coarse grains exhibited minimal variation at this scale. Contaminant levels demonstrated significant differences between Locations, accounting for approximately 55% of the overall variation for metals, while the variation within the 10-meter scale generally exceeded that within the 100-meter scale. Residual variation among replicate samples was also very high, demonstrating the need for adequate replication in studies of sediments and contaminants around stations. Some contaminants exceeded international guidelines for sediment quality, including metals, hydrocarbons, and PCBs. We conclude that Antarctic research stations such as Casey are likely to pose a moderate level of long-term ecological risk to local marine ecosystems through marine pollution. However, contamination is expected to be confined to areas in close proximity to the stations, although its extent and concentration are anticipated to increase with time. Raising awareness of the contamination risks associated with Antarctic stations and implementing monitoring programs for marine environments adjacent to these stations can contribute to informed decision-making and the improvement of environmental management practices in Antarctica.
10-channel phased-array coil for carotid wall MRI at 3T
Authors: de Buck Matthijs H. S. , Jezzard Peter , Frost Robert , Randell Chris , Hurst Katherine , Choudhury Robin P. , Robson Matthew D. , Biasiolli Luca
Published: August 2023

Background

Accurate assessment of plaque accumulation near the carotid bifurcation is important for the effective prevention and treatment of stroke. However, vessel and plaque delineation using MRI can be limited by low contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) and long acquisition times. In this work, a 10-channel phased-array receive coil design for bilateral imaging of the carotid bifurcation using 3T MRI is proposed.

Methods

The proposed 10-channel receive coil was compared to a commercial 4-channel receive coil configuration using data acquired from phantoms and healthy volunteers (N = 9). The relative performance of the coils was assessed, by comparing signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), noise correlation, g-factor noise amplification, and the CNR between vessel wall and lumen using black-blood sequences. Patient data were acquired from 12 atherosclerotic carotid artery disease patients.

Results

The 10-channel coil consistently provided substantially increased SNR in phantoms (+77 ± 27%) and improved CNR in healthy carotid arteries (+62 ± 11%), or reduced g-factor noise amplification. Patient data showed excellent delineation of atherosclerotic plaque along the length of the carotid bifurcation using the 10-channel coil.

Conclusions

The proposed 10-channel coil design allows for improved visualization of the carotid arteries and the carotid bifurcation and increased parallel imaging acceleration factors relative to a commercial 4-channel coil design.
Adherence to hemophilia patients with prophylaxis: Veritas-Pro and psychometric properties adapted to Turkish
Authors: Mehrekula Demirci Zuhal , Demiral Yilmaz Nilufer , Bulbul Hale , Keklik Karadag Fatma , Atilla Fatos Dilan , Saydam Guray , Sahin Fahri
Published: August 2023

The Validated Hemophilia Regimen Treatment Adherence Scale—Prophylaxis (VERITAS-Pro) assesses adherence to prophylaxis treatment recommendations in hemophilia patients. This study aimed to adapt the VERITAS-Pro into Turkish and evaluate its reliability and validity. The research design used is a psychometric study. A convenience sample of 102 patients with hemophilia A or B was followed by the Aegean Adult Hemophilia and Thrombosis Center. The VERITAS-Pro was adapted to Turkish in six steps, including forward- and back-translation, committee review, and reliability and validity analysis. Based on the confirmatory factor analysis, modification indices suggested discrepancies amongst items, which were improved upon the removal of items 11 and 15. Findings from this alternative model are: χ2/df = 1.34; RMSEA = 0.05; SRMR = 0.09; and IFI = 0.92. The alternative model showed high adherence rates. Cronbach’s alpha value for the Turkish version was found to be 0.83. The test-retest reliability of the Turkish scale ranged from 0.31 to 0.78. All items discriminated significantly between participants who were more adherent and those who were less adherent (t = 23.53; p<0.01). Translation of the VERITAS-Pro into local languages enables more accurate measurement of treatment adherence among people with hemophilia and facilitates cross-cultural comparison studies. According to the validity and reliability evidence obtained, the psychometric properties of the Turkish version of the VERITAS-Pro are suitable.
Integrated analysis of human DNA methylation, gene expression, and genomic variation in iMETHYL database using kernel tensor decomposition-based unsupervised feature extraction
Authors: Taguchi Y-h. , Komaki Shohei , Sutoh Yoichi , Ohmomo Hideki , Otsuka-Yamasaki Yayoi , Shimizu Atsushi
Published: August 2023

Integrating gene expression, DNA methylation, and genomic variants simultaneously without location coincidence (i.e., irrespective of distance from each other) or pairwise coincidence (i.e., direct identification of triplets of gene expression, DNA methylation, and genomic variants, and not integration of pairwise coincidences) is difficult. In this study, we integrated gene expression, DNA methylation, and genome variants from the iMETHYL database using the recently proposed kernel tensor decomposition-based unsupervised feature extraction method with limited computational resources (i.e., short CPU time and small memory requirements). Our methods do not require prior knowledge of the subjects because they are fully unsupervised in that unsupervised tensor decomposition is used. The selected genes and genomic variants were significantly targeted by transcription factors that were biologically enriched in KEGG pathway terms as well as in the intra-related regulatory network. The proposed method is promising for integrated analyses of gene expression, methylation, and genomic variants with limited computational resources.
Systematically uncovering the absorbed effective substances of Radix Scutellaria-licorice drug pair in rat plasma against COVID-19 using a combined UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS analysis and target network pharmacology
Authors: Wen Xuqing , Xie Weiwei , Gao Juan , Zhang Dedong , Yang Mengxin , Zhang Zhiqing , Du Yingfeng , Jin Yiran
Published: August 2023

Radix Scutellaria-Licorice drug pair (RSLDP), a frequently used herbal pair with the effect of clearing heat and detoxifying, is the commonly employed drug pair in TCM prescriptions for the treatment of COVID-19. Until now, the metabolism feature and anti-COVID-19 mechanism of RSLDP have not been fully elucidated. In this study, a sensitive and rapid method was developed for the separation and identification of the absorbed constituents of RSLDP in the rat plasma by UHPLC-QTOF-MS. Additionally, we optimized the conventional methodologies of network pharmacology and proposed a new concept called target network pharmacology (T-NP). It used the absorbed constituents and the corresponding targets to generate a compound-target network, and compared to conventional network pharmacology, it could reduce false-positive results. A total of 85 absorbed constituents were identified or tentatively characterized in dosed plasma, including 32 components in the group of Radix Scutellaria, 27 components in the group of Licorice, and 65 components in the group of RSLDP. The results showed that the compatibility of Radix Scutellaria and Licorice increased the number of components in vivo. We found that 106 potential targets among the 61 active compounds in RSLDP were related to COVID-19. And 12 targets (STAT3, AKT1, EGFR, HSP9AA1, MAPK3, JUN, IL6, VEGFA, TNF, IL2, RELA, and STAT1) could be core targets for RSLDP in treating COVID-19. Results from these targets indicate that RSLDP treatment of COVID-19 mainly involves response to chemical stress, response to oxygenates, positive regulation of cytokines, PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, AGE-RAGE signaling pathway for diabetic complications, virus-related pathways such as novel coronavirus and human cytomegalovirus infection, inflammatory immune-related pathways, and so on. The metabolism feature of RSLDP in vivo was systematically uncovered. The combined use of the T-NP method could discover potential drug targets and disclose the biological processes of RSLDP, which will clarify the potential mechanisms of RSLDP in the treatment of COVID-19.
Theoretical and semi-analytical simulation for a two-predator-one-prey model during the mating period
Authors: Aljahdaly Noufe H.
Published: August 2023

The article introduces a new application which is a system of equations of two predators and one prey with the term of interaction between male and female of predators and prey. Such term appears when male and female of predators feed on the same prey during their mating period. The mathematical model has been studied theoretically and semi-analytically. The positivity, boundedness, local and global stability are proved for the system. The logarithm of multistage differential transform method (MsDTM) is used to study this new application. The MsDTM is used because it globally converges to the solution, it is a highly accurate, fast and simple approach. The stability analysis as well as semi-analytical solutions of the system are obtained to understand the dynamic of the model. Moreover, the effects of several parameters in the system are presented. As a results, we obtain the periodic solution when when the growth rate of prey is larger than the growth rate of both type of predators.
REFLEKSI DUA PULUH TAHUN PEMBANGUNAN PENDIDIKAN DI TANAH PAPUA (2001-2021)
Authors: Afriansyah Anggi
Published: August 2023

Pasca terbit Undang-Undang No. 21 Tahun 2001 mengenai Otonomi khusus bagi Provinsi Papua, pembangunan  pendidikan masih menghadapi berbagai situasi problematik dan kompleks. Situasi tersebut menyebabkan anak-anak Papua belum mendapatkan hak yang utuh untuk mendapatkan pendidikan yang bermutu dan berkualitas, pendidikan yang responsif terhadap kondisi geografis, demografis, sosial, dan budaya. Dalam artikel ini, saya berargumen bahwa pendidikan sebagai bagian dari hak asasi manusia dan janji pencerdasan bagi anak-anak bangsa belum sepenuhnya ditunaikan di Tanah Papua. Hal tersebut tampak dari implementasi kebijakan yang belum memberi prioritas kepada peningkatan kapasitas dan berpihak kepada orang asli papua.  Artikel ini bertujuan untuk, pertama, memaparkan janji pendidikan di masa otonomi khusus.  Kedua, ketimpangan antara amanat kebijakan pendidikan dan implementasi kebijakan di masa otonomi khusus. Dan ketiga, imaji manusia papua masa depan melalui konstruksi pendidikan. Berdasar ketiga tujuan tersebut artikel ini berupaya untuk memaparkan refleksi dua puluh tahun Pembangunan pendidikan di Tanah Papua.
PENGUASAAN DAN MELUMPUHKAN PERLAWANAN POLITIK PAPUA ‘SOAL HAM DIATUR DARI BELAKANG’
Authors: Den Broek Theo Van
Published: August 2023

Dalam refleksi ini kami menguraikan ciri-ciri situasi kemasyarakatan di Papua pada akhir 2022. Situasi dewasa ini sebenarnya adalah hasil dari pola ‘strategi pendekatan keamanan’ yang diterapkan Pemerintah Indonesia selama 3 ½ tahun terakhir ini. Harapan pemerintah, supaya dengan ‘pendekatan keamanan’ konflik di Papua dapat diselesaikan. De facto, yang tercapai: penerapan strategi itu menghasilkan situasi yang sebaliknya, yakni: konflik tidak diselesaikan, melainkan menjadi jauh lebih kompleks dan sulit diatasi. Strategi pendekatan keamanan ternyata disertai dengan suatu eskalasi kekerasan yang tidak saja mengancam hidup fisik banyak warga, namun juga mempunyai dampak sangat negatif atas sejumlah sektor hidup bermasyarakat (termasuk: sektor penerapan hukum, sektor kebebasan pengungkapan pendapat dan berkumpul, sektor demokrasi, dan sektor kependudukan). Setelah 3 ½ tahun mengungguli pendekatan keamanan, ternyata masyarakat Papua, secara khusus masyarakat asli Papua, merasa diantar memasuki jalan buntu. Suatu suasana di mana tidak ada titik terang lagi akan suatu penyelesaian permasalahannya secara bermartabat. Untuk membuka jalan menuju suatu penyelesaian permasalahan dengan baik dan damai, perlu kita [1] menghilangkan dampak negatif dari kebijakan selama 3 ½ tahun itu, dan [2] kesediaan semua pihak untuk menunjukkan suatu ‘political will’ yang betul dan membuka diri untuk berdialog,  termasuk pembahasan aspek politik yang sebenarnya merupakan akar utama permasalahan di Papua.
KONTESTASI NASIONALISME INDONESIA PADA TIGA DAERAH PENYEMAIAN DI PAPUA
Authors: Meteray Bernarda
Published: August 2023

Walapun proses integrasi 1969 sesuai dengan norma internasional dan diakui badan PBB dan perwakilan orang  Papua dalam Dewan Musyawarah Pepera memilih tetap berada dalam Indonesia, gerakan Papua Merdeka masih ada hingga saat ini. Maka yang masih menjadi  polemik saat ini   adalah apakah  orang Papua yang menghendaki berintegrasi atau pemerintah Indonesia yang menginginkan? Kajian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui siapa  actor perdana  dan bagaimana proses awal nasionalisme  Indonesia di tiga daerah penyemaian yaitu Jayapura, Serui   dan Boven Digul. Hasil kajian ini menunjukkan  bahwa  sekalipun para aktor ada yang merupakan kelompok nasionalis yang diasingkan dan ada yang menjadi  pegawai pemerintah Belanda namun masih berjiwa nasionalis, ironisnya  mereka tidak dipersiapkan untuk mengindonesiakan orang Papua. Akibatnya proses membangun keindonesiaan di Papua sangat singkat tanpa perencanaan yang matang.
PERAN INDONESIA SEBAGAI KEKUATAN MENENGAH DALAM G20 DI TENGAH DISRUPSI GEOPOLITIK KONFLIK RUSIA-UKRAINA
Authors: Sudjatmiko Totok , Yayusman Meilinda Sari , Budianto Firman , Syafarani Tri Rainny
Published: August 2023

Dalam struktur jaringan global, kondisi menyusutnya dunia telah menjadikan interaksi negara-negara di dunia semakin meningkat. Hal ini menjadikan aktor-aktor negara semakin saling terhubung dan saling bergantung. Pada kondisi tersebut, tiga kondisi global yang patut menjadi perhatian dunia saat ini, yaitu: (1) dampak konflik Rusia-Ukraina, yang telah menjadi perang berkepanjangan dan berdampak global; (2) keberadaan G20; (3) peran negara kekuatan menengah, khususnya Indonesia, dalam melindungi kepentingan nasional. Sebagai kekuatan menengah dan pemegang Presidensi G20 tahun ini, Indonesia mempunyai kesempatan besar untuk dapat berperan dan berkontribusi dalam kondisi global tersebut dengan tetap memprioritaskan kepentingan nasionalnya di tengah kondisi global saat ini. Menggunakan metode kualitatif, penelitian ini melihat peran Indonesia di tengah disrupsi geopolitik konflik Rusia-Ukraina dalam posisinya sebagai kekuatan menengah di G20. Hasil studi menunjukkan bahwa Indonesia, sebagai kekuatan menengah dan pemegang presidensi G20, telah memainkan peran sebagai mediator dalam merespons konflik Rusia-Ukraina dan pembangun jembatan interaksi (bridge builder) antara negara berkembang dan negara maju melalui forum G20 sebagai forum multilateral. Hal ini dilakukan oleh Indonesia guna memperjuangkan kepentingan nasional dan global di tengah disrupsi geopolitik. Kata Kunci: G20, Disrupsi Geopolitik, Indonesia, Konflik Rusia-Ukraina, Kekuatan Menengah
‘Dear Epsom’: a poetic autoethnography on campus as home of an international doctoral student in Aotearoa New Zealand
Authors: Phan Anh Ngoc Quynh
Published: August 2023

This article delineates my place attachment and sense of home in my Epsom campus, University of Auckland, in Aotearoa New Zealand, where I studied for my PhD in two periods of time: during the first year of my PhD programme, when my sense of home was established; and when I returned to Vietnam for my six-month research trip and was stranded due to the Covid-19 pandemic, leading to my sense of home in my campus being weakened and disrupted. Using poetic autoethnography as the methodology, I recount my personal experiences of how I grew attached to my university campus as a physical place, and social spaces of cultural diversity, friendship, and academic and PhD student identity development. The article offers an analysis of my unique emotional experience of being on and off campus involuntarily, which is hardly found in extant literature on international student mobility and students’ lived experiences.
Mentoring Programs in Organizations: An Online Graduate-Level Course Design Case
Authors: Giacumo Lisa A.
Published: August 2023

In this article, I present the design case of a fully online graduate-level course intended to prepare instructional designers and human performance improvement practitioners with an introduction to the knowledge and skills that are foundational for the design and implementation of mentoring systems to improve individuals’ and organizational performance. In addition, the course design case provides an opportunity for instructional designers and faculty instructors to observe how learners can engage in an organizational mentoring systems feasibility study and as mentees in a mentoring relationship, in a fully asynchronous online course. The purpose of these two projects is to provide learners with an experience to reflect upon their personal mentoring systems experiences thereby becoming better informed for future engagement in the design, development, implementation, and maintenance, of an organizational mentoring system that would deliver desired results. Further, the political environment in which the design case took place, the theoretical framework, and instructional sequencing, are made transparent so that other professional instructional designers and instructors can “observe” the decision inputs and immediate outcomes of the design to add to their store of design knowledge.
A avaliação escolar como mo(vi)mento de (form)ação da professora pesquisadora em diálogo com a escola pública popular
Authors: Esteban Maria Teresa
Published: August 2023

Ao revisitar minha trajetória profissional, a experiência que emerge com nitidez e vigor é estar em sala de aula, vivendo as belezas e tensões de ser professora. Teço a docência na relação que estabeleço com os diferentes coletivos de que participo, com fios que recolho em meu percurso. Laços, fios soltos, esgarçamentos, rupturas que me desafiam e me indicam a pesquisa como movimento necessário à continuidade dessa tecelagem em que constituo. Assim, entendo o tornar-me professora e tornar-me professora do ensino superior e pesquisadora com o cotidiano da escola pública como resultado de uma constelação de movimentos coletivos que me (trans)formam e que podem ter, na minha presença, um dos elementos de sua composição.
Nesta narrativa, que poderia ter muitos princípios e trilhar diferentes caminhos, escolho um modo de contar uma história. Ao escrevê-la me dou conta de que não sei contá-la de modo linear, porque os fios se misturam e preciso voltar a alguns deles para entretecê-los a outros e seguir o meu percurso, enlaçando contextos da vida universitária que me (com)formam como professora, sempre em diálogo com outros contextos.
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On the Happening of “Frank’s Place”: A Neo-Heideggerian Psychogeographic Appreciation of an Enchanted Locale
Authors: Urie Andrew
Published: August 2023

In this experimental article, I employ what I term a neo-Heideggerian approach that entails harnessing a selective amalgamation of the thought of Martin Heidegger (1889–1976) as a hermeneutical energy, which I direct towards my account of a series of personal psychogeographic experiences that have entailed encounters with an enchanted social space otherwise obscured within the working-class suburb of Scarborough, Ontario (Canada). I engage this neo-Heideggerian hermeneutical energy not as a professional philosopher but rather as a working culturalist interested in exploring how Heidegger’s thought can be made “to do” in the contemporary multicultural world. Accordingly, I seek to redeem his thinking from crass accusations of being commensurate with a white-inflected blood and soil nationalism.
Spatial variation of soil nutrients and evaluation of cultivated land quality based on field scale
Authors: Wang Lishu , Jia Yanhui , Cheng Dongjuan , Zhao Zhi , Tao Tao
Published: August 2023

The current cultivated land quality (CLQ) evaluation method fails to consider the determination of soil nutrients, resulting in the low efficiency of soil nutrient message extraction. In an effort to effectively solve the above problems, combined with the spatial variation of soil nutrients (SVSN) at the field scale, a CLQ evaluation method is proposed. The soil nutrients were determined according to the soil spatial variation analysis, and the soil color was standardized. The characteristic bands were determined by soil fertility and nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, and the soil nutrient message was preprocessed. On this basis, the soil nutrient message extraction model was constructed. According to the damage principle of subsoiling shovel, the limit value of the membership function of the CLQ exponent is determined, and the weighted sum method is used to calculate the CLQ exponent, so as to realize the SVSN and the evaluation of CLQ at the field scale. The experimental results show that the dimensional autocorrelation of soil bulk density and soil water content in different soil layers is high and that of capillary porosity, non-capillary porosity, and total porosity in different soil layers is strong.
Lignin analysis of sediments from around 2,000 to 1,000 years ago (Jiulong River estuary, southeast China)
Authors: Jin Fang-Fang , Chen Xue-Gang , Loh Pei Sun , Chang Yuan-Ping , Yang Chin-Wen
Published: August 2023

In this work, a sediment core collected from the Jiulong River estuary in southeastern China was subjected to 14C dating of foraminifera, as well as lignin, total organic carbon, and stable carbon isotope (δ13C) analyses in order to determine the impacts of climate change and human activities on the sedimentary organic matter in this area from around 2,000 to 1,000 years ago. The ratios of lignin parameters syringyl/vanillyl and cinnamyl/vanillyl ranged from 1.60 to 8.63 and 0.11 to 0.45, respectively, and the lignin phenol vegetation index ranged from 25.14 to 1740.14, indicating the presence of non-woody angiosperms. The ratio of vanillic acid/vanillin ranged from 0.42 to 2.04, indicating medium to high degrees of oxidative degradation. The vertical distribution profile showed a similar historical sedimentary trend with locations at higher latitudes along the Zhejiang-Fujian Mud Area, with the lower abundance of total lignin from around 2400 to 2000 BP being attributed to the decreasing temperature during this period. However, all the lignin parameters showed higher values and greater fluctuations due to increasing temperatures after 2000 BP, and human activity has probably had the greatest impact in the most recent 1,000 years.
Investigation of microstructural evolution in a hybrid additively manufactured steel bead
Authors: Ali Anshari Md. Anwar , Mishra Rajnish , Imam Murshid
Published: August 2023

Motivated by the beneficial effects of friction stir processing (FSP) for microstructural grain refinement, equiaxed grain production, and minimizing metallurgical defects, additive bead (AB) produced by the gas metal arc welding-wire arc additive manufacturing (GMAW-WAAM) technique was subjected to FSP. This was because deposited additive bead often develops defects such as shrinkage, voids, solidification cracking, during liquid to solid transformation. In this study, a low carbon steel double pass additive bead with 32 % lateral overlap was fabricated by the GMAW-WAAM technique followed by hybridization through FSP in the overlapped region (OR). The peak temperature estimation during bead deposition and FSP on bead was done through modeling by using ABAQUS. The microstructural analysis was carried out by using optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, electron backscattered diffraction, and transmission electron microscopy. The microstructure of OR of deposited additive bead is dominated by a combination of ferrite and bainite while that of hybrid additive bead (HAB) is dominated by a combination of ferrite and martensite. Further, the analysis revealed the effects of FSP on the OR in the form of grain refinement from 5.56 µm to 3.50 µm and a decrease in the low angle grain boundaries from 35.4 % to 10.6 %. The continuous dynamic recrystallization is observed since the bainitic fraction in the overlapped region decreased along with an increase in the fraction of martensite in the friction stir processed zone. The kernel average misorientation is observed to decrease after FSP from 1.001 of AB to 0.608. The microhardness test reveals the decrease in the hardness after FSP.
Crystal structure of chlorido-(5-nitro-2-phenylpyridine-κ2
N,C)-[(methylsulfinyl)methane-κ1
S]platinum(II), C13H13ClN2O3PtS
Authors: Zou Hao , Tan Wei , Zhang Jian-Guo
Published: August 2023

C13H13ClN2O3PtS, monoclinic, C2/c (no. 15), a = 7.9405(8) Å, b = 18.0744(18) Å, c = 21.513(2) Å, β = 98.781(1)∘, Z = 8, V = 3051.3(5) Å3, R
gt(F) = 0.0535, wR
ref(F
2) = 0.0233, T = 296 K.
Studies on Information Users and Non-Users: An Alternative Proposal
Authors: Rabello Rodrigo
Published: August 2023

Studies on non-users are often neglected in the area of information. Such research studies face challenges to obtain diagnostics. This article defends the realization of studies comprehending both information users and non-users, approaching different focuses and conceptions. The theoretical frameworks approached contributions and limitations of these concepts. The term “information non-user” can be employed to approach subjects ignored or out of interest in the area of information. Public policies on information, education, and culture seek to convert such non-users into users, as they promote the “socially” valued culture. However, mediating institutions may also acknowledge the culture of non-users and appreciate their informational needs and situations in context. Considering the studies on users and non-users bring benefits for the field and the society, working with a wide, inclusive conception. Yet, such studies may not include other processes, such as information reading and appropriation in certain contexts, or even disregard informational behaviors and practices in everyday life. It is important to reflect on epistemological and theoretical–methodological choices to perform such studies. These decisions reflect, politically and ethically, a worldview from professors, researchers, and professionals in the field of information, which can give voice and a leading role for such, while rendering others silent and invisible.
A cognitive-semiotic approach to impoliteness: Effects of conventionality and semiotic system on judgements of impoliteness by Russian and Swedish speakers
Authors: Zlov Vladislav , Zlatev Jordan
Published: August 2023

The field of (im)politeness studies has been steadily growing and developing but the role of conventionality and the type of semiotic system (e.g., language vs. gesture) for impoliteness perception has not been sufficiently explored. We used a cognitive-semiotic framework combining a reaction-time experiment and in-depth interviews with sixty participants to explore how Russian and Swedish native speakers evaluate and describe highly and less conventional impolite behaviour expressed either through speech or through gesture. The results showed a positive correlation between the conventionality of expressions and how impolite they are judged to be, and that highly conventional expressions lead to faster judgements. Few differences were found between impolite expressions in the experiment, but some were reflected in the interviews. Further, we found that Swedish participants evaluated language and gestures as very impolite more often than Russian participants did. We discuss these findings through the lens of the proposed framework and offer a three-dimensional analysis of the concept of conventionality in terms of frequency, normativity, and encodedness.
Propuesta de un instrumento para evaluar la disposición al cambio respecto al covid-19
Authors: Limón - Castillo Cindya , Cossío - Torres Patricia Elizabeth , Padrón - Salas Aldanely , Nieto - Caraveo Amado , Aguilera - Díaz de León Frida Hosana
Published: August 2023

El objetivo fue diseñar y validar un instrumento para evaluar la disposición al cambio conductual durante la pandemia por covid-19 en población mexicana. La muestra la integraron 214 participantes (73.3% [n = 157] mujeres y 26.6% [n = 57] hombres). La edad media de los participantes fue de 32.01 (DE = 13.48). Se les aplicó una adaptación de la escala URICA (University of Rhode Island Change Assessment), de la cual se evaluó la confiabilidad con el coeficiente de alfa de Cronbach y la estructura interna de las dimensiones con un análisis factorial exploratorio. La escala final resultó en 17 ítems con confiabilidad moderadamente aceptable: precontemplación α = 0.501, explicando el 19.27% de la varianza total; contemplación α = 0.586, explicando el 34.94%; acción α = 0.658, explicando el 46.17%; y mantenimiento α =0.672, explicando el 30.95%. Se demostró que la propuesta es válida y confiable, con una estructura que evalúa la disposición al cambio conductual en la pandemia por covid-19 en población mexicana.
READY-TO-EAT CHICKPEA PURÉE POWDER BY DRUM DRYING; PHYSICOCHEMICAL AND RHEOLOGICAL PROPERTIES OF POWDER PRODUCT
Authors: SELÇUK Esin , AKÇAY SALIK Rabia , ALTAY Özgül , KÖPRÜALAN Özgün , ERTEKİN Figen
Published: August 2023

This study aims to convert raw chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) into dried chickpea puree powder form using a drum dryer having a high rehydration ratio and for ready-to-use consumption form maintaining its healthy properties. The effects of the drying conditions on the physical, chemical, and rheological properties of chickpea puree powders were investigated. Before drying, raw chickpeas were soaked in water at 25°C for 12 hours and boiled at 100°C for 55 minutes. In the drying process, saturated steam pressures (2, 3, and 4 bar) and drum rotation speeds (2.0, 3.0, 4.0, and 5.0 rpm) were chosen as process variables. The most appropriate process conditions were determined as 3 bar of steam pressure and 2 rpm of drum rotation speed targeting the maximum protein content (30.35±0.18%), maximum rehydration ratio (515±0.01%), and as low as possible browning index (BI)(59.28±4.90) values. It was determined that chickpea puree had the appropriate rheological characteristics when the shear stress and shear rate values for chickpea puree powders with various dry matter contents (%25, %26, %27.5, %30) produced under suitable process parameters were examined.
“Nothing Less Than Justice”
Authors: Narrow Stephanie , Marcello Haleigh , Wu Judy Tzu-Chun
Published: August 2023

This article analyzes the significance of the 1977 California International Women’s Year (IWY) Conference, one of fifty-six state and territorial meetings held ahead of the 1977 National Women’s Conference (NWC) in Houston, Texas. The NWC was the first and only time that the U.S. federal government funded and authorized an event focused on women’s rights. Utilizing primary and oral history sources, we examine the political mobilization of women of color and lesbians from California. We focus on the efforts of these minoritized women to reach their respective communities and to form coalitions with one another, before and during the state meeting, in order to make collective impacts at the NWC. We make three arguments. First, these California activists built upon a longer tradition of political mobilization within and across communities defined in terms of race, indigeneity, and sexuality. Second, the timing of political engagement by women of color and lesbian-identified activists with the NWC, namely in the late 1970s, challenges the temporal understanding of so-called second-wave feminism, which tends to focus on the 1960s and early 1970s. Finally, the range of political ideas and strategies expressed at the California IWY Conference and the NWC reveals the intertwining of various ideologies and approaches to creating change. The NWC was a state-sponsored political event, but the grassroots mobilization that occurred at the local, state, and national levels enabled women of diverse backgrounds and beliefs to articulate and advocate for their political vision.
Disease in History
Authors: Gutierrez-Romine Alicia
Published: August 2023

In this essay, Alicia Gutierrez-Romine describes how she connected her interest in science and medicine to California history in her “Disease in History” course. She describes the course, how she developed the syllabus, and the ways her students responded. While difficult in some respects, she explains that the course worked well post-COVID. She ends by encouraging historians to think of diseases as historical actors and agents of change.
The Invention of Legacy
Authors: Gel′man Vladimir , Obydenkova Anastassia
Published: August 2023

According to elite and mass surveys, the late-Soviet sociopolitical and economic order was largely perceived as the only viable alternative to domestic political and economic status quo in Russia before 2022. Political elites invested significant efforts and funds into deliberative promotion of a complex of ideational legacies through different tools (including cinematography). This complex, labeled a “Good Soviet Union,” is an imagined sociopolitical and economic order, which somehow resembles that of the late-Soviet past, while lacking its inherent flaws. Elements of the Soviet legacy were selectively chosen for the sake of preservation of the politico-economic status quo. They include the hierarchical mechanism of governance, low circulation of elites and their privileged status, state control over media, and repressions toward organized dissent. Meanwhile, other elements of the late-Soviet past, such as relatively low inequality and certain state social guarantees, have been discarded. A “Good Soviet Union” model includes not only market economy and no shortages of goods and services, but also a lack of institutional constraints on rent-seeking and legalization of wealth and status of elites. In this article, we consider a “Good Soviet Union” as a socially constructed legacy of the past and focus on mechanisms of translation of this legacy into Russia’s current agenda through the use of modern Russian cinematography and analysis of policy preferences on the part of political elites. We further consider its effects on politics and policy-making, as well as its limitations and constraints. Some implications of the social construction of Soviet legacies are discussed in the conclusion.
Multiple Brasilidades
Authors: Wolbert Jacob
Published: August 2023

This article explores the practices and strategies of three groups of musicians, each in a different city in Brazil, in order to understand how musicians and the markets in which they operate co-construct present-day musical careers. Depending on their musical and geographic histories, as well as their career goals, these artists navigate a national music industry that takes interest in and rewards representations of national music, regional identity, and genre hybridity, often in combination with one another. While these market pressures occasionally intersect with the artists’ aesthetic demands, this article focuses on the way such pressures are negotiated and reflected in the music of these midstream musicians. The article centers on the interactions between musicians and a competitive bidding process known as an edital, with a particular focus on Natura Musical, the edital administered by the cosmetics company Natura. Within such interactions, Brazilian-ness (or brasilidade) is considered as a pluralistic, market-driven notion and less a strict aesthetic choice or sonic characteristic.
The Western Delta in Late Antiquity
Authors: López Ariel G.
Published: August 2023

This article reviews recent archaeological work—in particular archaeological surveys, excavations, and analysis of pottery—in the western Egyptian Delta. The goal is to present a synthesis and to elucidate patterns of settlement in this region that can be of value in a historical reconstruction. The article argues that in the fifth and sixth centuries the western Delta was booming and was deeply integrated into the economy of the Eastern Roman Empire. Settlement was at an all-time high point for the area. The desert margins were colonized with vineyards, saints, and monks; the northern swamps were filled with new villages. The western Delta had been a most important region of Egypt since the Saite period, yet it is argued here that the Roman period (including much of the fourth century) shows a contraction of settlement and economic activity. This contraction separates two periods of remarkable growth: the Ptolemaic and late antique periods. The western Delta is therefore another example of the widespread growth of the rural economy in the eastern Mediterranean in the last centuries of antiquity.
ANALYSIS OF VARIATION OF SOUND CHANGES IN ARABIC LANGUAGE PHONEMES IN JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS IN JAVA, INDONESIA
Authors: Qosim Muhammad Nanang , Bin AlMuhsin Muhammad Anas
Published: August 2023

The purpose of this study was to determine the variation of Arabic sounds pronounced by 8th-grade junior high school students in Java, Indonesia. The method used in this study uses a qualitative method with descriptive analysis with the research subject of 8th-grade junior high school children in Java, Indonesia. The results of the study found variations in sound changes in 8th-grade middle school children in Java, Indonesia.
TRANSLATION ANALYSIS OF THE STORY BOOK “AL QIROATU AR ROSYIDAH” FOR 10th GRADE STUDENTS OF RIYADHUSSHOLIHIN HIGH SCHOOL PANDEGLANG BANTEN
Authors: Al Hafidz Mirza Ghulam Akbar , Supriadi Rinaldi , Shihab Iqbal , Al Farisi Muhammad Zaka
Published: August 2023

A student has many difficulties understanding, translating, and reading Arabic texts. This study aims to develop Arabic language skills, especially in translating, writing, reading, expanding Arabic vocabulary, and understanding the experienced phenomena. This qualitative descriptive research aims to discover the translation techniques for translating Arabic storybooks. Qualitative research produces descriptive data about the observed object in words or spoken words. The analysis findings show that seven of the twelve translation techniques suggested by Newmark are used in translating the Arabic text of the storybook “Al Qiroah Ar Rasyidah.” It is found fifteen data from the Arabic text in the storybook “Al Qiroah Ar Rasyidah,” which has been classified into types of translation techniques. Those synonymous translation techniques consist of four data (26.7%). Then, the modulation translation techniques consist of three data (20%). Two data are found using literal translation techniques (13.3%). The transference translation technique is applied in the two data (13.3%) who used the two data expansion translation techniques (13.3%). It also used transposition translation techniques in one data (6.7%). Then, the reduction translation technique is applied to one data 6.7%).
Successful Strategy of Pre-implantation Genetic Testing for Beta-Thalassemia (c.17A>T Mutation)-Hb E Disease Using Multiplex Fluorescent PCR and Mini-Sequencing
Authors: Lattiwongsakorn Worashorn , Jansaka Natpat , Piyamongkol Sirivipa , Pantasri Tawiwan , Tongsong Theera , Suriya Wanwisa , Piyamongkol Wirawit
Published: August 2023

Objectives: Hemoglobin E disease, c.26G>A variant of beta-globin gene, is the most common hemoglobinopathy in Asia. Compound heterozygotes inheriting Hb E disease and beta-thalassemia generate beta-thalassemia-Hb E disease with severe anemia. This study aimed to develop a pre-implantation genetic testing for monogenic disorders (PGT-M) protocol for beta–thalassemia (c.17A>T mutation)-Hb E disease (c.26G>A mutation) using multiplex fluorescent polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and mini-sequencing. Materials and Methods: bthalw1 primers were used to amplify a beta-globin gene fragment covering both mutations, i.e. beta– thalassemia (c.17A>T) and Hb E disease. D21S11 microsatellite marker was included for contamination detection. Novel mini-sequencing primers were designed and tested for detection of both mutations. Results: Pre-clinical work up of the optimized PGT-M protocol using 20 single buccal cells of a heterozygous subject showed 100% amplification efficiency and 0% allele drop out (ADO) rate for both primers. In clinical PGT-M cycle, 15 embryos were subjected to biopsy. The results showed two normal, one heterozygous for beta-thalassemia, six heterozygous for Hb E disease, one affected for beta-thalassemia-Hb E disease and five with ambiguous results. Two normally diagnosed embryos were chosen for transfer, one singleton pregnancy was obtained. A healthy baby boy was resulted. Postnatal testing confirmed PGT results. Conclusions: Novel PGT-M protocols for beta-thalassemia-Hb E disease using multiplex fluorescent PCR and mini-sequencing were developed and described here. The protocol was applied in a clinical PGT-M cycle and gave rise to one successful pregnancy and consequently a healthy baby boy. Mini-sequencing was proved to be rapid, accurate and cost-effective protocol for PGT-M.
Clinical Integration of Patients’ Preferences in Treatment Decision Making Among Women With Infertility: A Cross-sectional Study
Authors: Alshrouf Mohammad Ali , Karam Abdulrahman Mahmoud , Azzam Muayad Imad , Muhaidat Nadia
Published: August 2023

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate infertile women’s treatment-seeking behavior and to determine the factors that impact the treatment method choices while assessing patients’ views regarding infertility management. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional survey was distributed anonymously online and targeted infertile females seeking infertility treatment and included participants from all the 12 governorates in Jordan. An electronic questionnaire was designed, which was then distributed on several social media platforms during January 2021. This study included 429 participants seeking in vitro fertilization (IVF), and 52 were seeking intrauterine insemination (IUI) as a treatment modality. The study aimed to examine the aspects that influence infertile women’s treatment-seeking behavior and technique selection. Results: A total of 481 infertile females aged 21-50 years were included in the study. There was a statistically significant relationship between treatment modality and the number of children (P = 0.012), years of trying to conceive (P = 0.006), and causes of infertility (P = 0.017). Participants who wanted to use the IUI method had a significantly higher average number of children (IUI vs. IVF: 0.88 ± 1.11, 0.46 ± 0.96). Calculating the binary logistic regression to predict the selection of a treatment method based on prior trials of IVF and IUI indicated that the IVF prior trial is a significant predictor method of treatment selection (P < 0.001). Conclusions: The decisions regarding infertility treatment should be shared between the patient and the treating physician. Socioeconomic status, past gynecological, and infertility history should be evaluated to better understand the patient’s preference.
The Regulatory Effect of Eugenol on FSHR, LHCGR, and ER Expression during Follicular Development in Female Rats With Ovarian Torsion
Authors: Baradaran Bagheri Ramesh , Salami Seyedeh Sara , Mohammadzadeh Boukani Linda , Khaki Amir Afshin
Published: August 2023

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the role of Eugenol in regulating the expression of FSH receptor (FSHR), human luteinizing hormone choriogonadotropin receptor (LHCGR), and estrogen receptor (ER) during follicular development in female rat ovarian torsion. Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, 48 female rats were randomly assigned to 4 groups, including G1 (i.e., sham), G2 (i.e., ovarian torsion/detorsion group), G3 (i.e., ovarian torsion/detorsion group treated with 30 mg/kg of eugenol), G4 (i.e., healthy group treated with 30 mg/kg of eugenol). After covering a treatment period of ten days, the ovarian tissue was collected for the histological analysis, the measurement of ER, FSHR, and LHCGR expression, as well as the assessment of testosterone, LH, FSH, and estrogen levels in blood serum. Results: Histological evaluation revealed the damage to ovarian tissue, the reduced oocyte, and the granulosa cell diameter in the torsion/detorsion group. However, the treatment with eugenol mitigated this damage. Eugenol administration increased the levels of estrogen, LH, and FSH, but it decreased the testosterone levels in the treated group. Moreover, the expression of ER, FSHR, and LHCGR was upregulated in the treated groups. Administration of eugenol was associated with an enhanced fertility. Conclusions: It was concluded that eugenol administration may have been effective in protecting the ovarian tissue from the damage caused by torsion/detorsion. Furthermore, eugenol was found to have the potential to modulate hormonal profiles and regulate the expression of ER, FSHR, and LHCGR, thereby contributing to an increased fertility.
Discapacidad y género, un necesario tratamiento interseccional en nuestra legislación
Authors: Alcázar Maria Angustias
Published: August 2023

La vulnerabilidad que provoca la violencia de género en las mujeres se agrava si estas sufren algún tipo de diversidad funcional. Una doble discriminación: por ser mujer y discapacitada, triple si es intelectual, multiplicándose según el grado o concurrencia de distintas discapacidades. Es necesario examinar los factores que hacen más vulnerables a estas mujeres desde la perspectiva de interseccionalidad de discapacidad y género, cuando ambas actúan simultáneamente. En este contexto, nuestra legislación penal no contempla estos rasgos de mayor vulnerabilidad en condiciones de igualdad con las mujeres sin discapacidad, ya que las trata junto a la minoría de edad o como persona vulnerable digna de protección, provocando una distinta “categoría de mujer” relegándola a su papel de víctima especialmente tutelada sin considerar sus circunstancias especiales y específicas que deberían incidir en una mayor protección penal o sobreprotegiéndola limitando, aun sin querer, sus derechos en relación al resto de mujeres.