bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Follow-up outcome analysis of 324 cases of early-onset and late-onset mild fetal ventriculomegaly: a retrospective cohort study
Authors: Wang Xuemei , Zhang Shanlong , Wang Jingjing , Zhang Simin , Feng Li , Wu Qingqing
Published: February 2024

Background

Mild fetal ventriculomegaly (VM) is a nonspecific finding common to several pathologies with varying prognosis and is, therefore, a challenge in fetal consultation. We aimed to perform a constant, detailed analysis of prenatal findings and postnatal outcomes in fetuses with early-onset and late-onset mild ventriculomegaly, and provide a new evidence basis and new perspective for prenatal counseling.

Methods

This is a retrospective cohort study of women with a diagnosis of mild fetal VM between January 2018 and October 2020. The population was divided into two groups according to the gestational ages (GAs) at initial diagnosis: the early-onset group (diagnosed at/before 24+6 weeks) and the late-onset group (diagnosed after 24+6 weeks). Clinical data and pregnancy outcomes were obtained from hospital records. The children’s neurodevelopment status was assessed using the Ages and Stages Questionnaire, Third Edition (ASQ-3) and telephone interviews.

Results

Our study cohort comprised 324 fetuses, out of which 94 (29%) were classified as early-onset group and 230 (71%) late-onset group. Early-onset group was more likely to have concurrent additional abnormalities, whereas in the late-onset group, isolated enlargement was more common (P = 0.01). Unilateral enlargement was more common in the late-onset group (P = 0.05), and symmetrical enlargement in the early-onset group (P < 0.01). In addition, early-onset mild VM cases were more likely to have intrauterine progression (P = 0.03), and many had a higher proportion of complex multisystem abnormalities. Compared with the late-onset group, the early-onset group was more often associated with congenital brain structure malformations. Approximately 11% of fetuses with mild VM had postnatal neurodevelopmental delay/disorders, and the risk was higher in the early-onset group (19.4% vs. 7.4%). Regression analysis showed that the GA at first diagnosis, non-isolated, and intrauterine progression significantly correlated with neurodevelopmental abnormalities.

Conclusions

Early-onset and late-onset mild VM had significantly different ultrasound features and outcomes. Early-onset mild VM may have more complex potential abnormalities and are more likely to predict poor prognosis than the late-onset.
Venetoclax-based therapy for relapsed or refractory acute myeloid leukemia: latest updates from the 2023 ASH annual meeting
Authors: Gong Xubo , He Xin , Wang Lin , Yu Teng , Liu Weiwei , Xu Huiying , Jin Lan , Li Xiang , Zhang Bin , Tao Zhihua , Qian Wenbin
Published: February 2024

Patients with relapsed or refractory (R/R) acute myeloid leukemia (AML) often exhibit limited responses to traditional chemotherapy, resulting in poor prognosis. The combination of venetoclax (VEN) with hypomethylating agents has been established as the standard treatment for elderly or medically unfit AML patients unable to undergo intensive chemotherapy. Despite this, the availability of novel VEN-based therapies specifically tailored for those with R/R AML remains scarce. Here, we provide a comprehensive overview of the latest data presented at the 65th American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting, shedding light on the progress and efficacy of VEN-based therapies for R/R AML.
Digital reactivation of territories through geospatial cultural itineraries: the VIDA-HTL web application
Authors: Hidalgo-Sánchez Francisco M. , Merino-del-Río Rebeca , Mascort-Albea Emilio J. , Ruiz-Moreno Ignacio , Linares-GómezDelPulgar Mercedes , Tejedor-Cabrera Antonio
Published: February 2024

The significant imbalances between human settlements and their surrounding environments, stemming from sector-specific policies and urban regional planning tools, constitute a primary factor in the resilience and responsiveness of territories in crisis scenarios. Within this context, the promotion of territorial heritage values emerges as a crucial means for the reactivation of vulnerable areas. Furthermore, the utilisation of technological resources, such as Geographic Information Systems (GIS), has proven to be highly effective in managing cultural landscape areas. This contribution aims to enhance the valorisation of territorial heritage through the geolocation of a system of architectural and archaeological assets of public interest, and by enabling the flexible design of cultural itineraries within the framework of slow tourism. For this purpose, a replicable methodology for the construction of a WebGIS application has been proposed. This methodology has been put into practice in the territorial area of the lower Guadalquivir River in Spain, which encompasses 73 municipalities and one UNESCO World Heritage Site, all interconnected by rural areas. A four-stage plan has been followed for the construction of the VIDA-HTL web application: (1) conceptualisation; (2) development; (3) technical verification; and (4) social viability. The fundamental approach of the web application is based on the comprehensive integration of subsystems related to cultural heritage on one hand, and to tourist and environmental services on the other. Two main functions for the exploration of cultural assets and designing cultural routes have been designed, which complement other capabilities implemented in the web application. As a result of a detailed standardisation process, 981 cultural assets and 43 supplementary data layers have been georeferenced and included in the web application, with customised itineraries available for planning within the study area. Additionally, 49 thematic cultural itineraries are proposed. Finally, the web application is complemented with the development of a collaborative hub, which encourages its use and enhances its capabilities. It is concluded that digital tools, such as that proposed, foster knowledge and valorisation of territorial cultural heritage, while contributing to greater local development. In this way, they function as a counterbalance to the development of metropolises and the global economy, thereby improving levels of regional resilience.
Metabolites from a global regulator engineered strain of Pseudomonas lurida and their inducement of trap formation in Arthrobotrys oligospora
Authors: Sun Yong-Xiang , Zhou Zhi-Fan , Guan Xu-Kang , Deng Jing-Shi , Li Guo-Hong
Published: February 2024

Background

Plant parasitic nematodes (PPNs) cause serious harm to agricultural production. Nematode-trapping fungi (NTF) can produce traps to capture nematodes and are the main resource for controlling nematodes. The number of traps determines the capturing ability of NTF.

Results

Pseudomonas lurida is widely existed in different habitats, which produces active metabolites to induce trap formation of Arthrobotrys oligospora, a famous NTF. To further identify the active substances, metabolic regulation was carried out in the strain by molecular biological methods. A mutant strain P. lurida araC-PoprL with abundant secondary metabolites was constructed, and 19 metabolites (1–19) including a new compound, 1,1-dimethyl-1,3,4,9-tetrahydropyrano[3,4-b]indole-3-carboxylic acid (1), were isolated and identified. The activity assay showed that 1-methylhydantoin (9) could effectively induce A. oligospora to produce traps.

Conclusions

P. lurida and the metabolite 1-methylhydantoin effectively induced trap formation in A. oligospora. Both provide sources for the screening of inducing active materials and show potential use in controlling plant parasitic nematodes.

Graphical Abstract
The impact of ECPELLA on haemodynamics and global oxygen delivery: a comprehensive simulation of biventricular failure
Authors: Matsushita Hiroki , Saku Keita , Nishikawa Takuya , Yokota Shohei , Sato Kei , Morita Hidetaka , Yoshida Yuki , Fukumitsu Masafumi , Uemura Kazunori , Kawada Toru , Yamaura Ken
Published: February 2024

Background

ECPELLA, a combination of veno-arterial (VA) extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) and Impella, a percutaneous left ventricular (LV) assist device, has emerged as a novel therapeutic option in patients with severe cardiogenic shock (CS). Since multiple cardiovascular and pump factors influence the haemodynamic effects of ECPELLA, optimising ECPELLA management remains challenging. In this study, we conducted a comprehensive simulation study of ECPELLA haemodynamics. We also simulated global oxygen delivery (DO2) under ECPELLA in severe CS and acute respiratory failure as a first step to incorporate global DO2 into our developed cardiovascular simulation.

Methods and results

Both the systemic and pulmonary circulations were modelled using a 5-element resistance‒capacitance network. The four ventricles were represented by time-varying elastances with unidirectional valves. In the scenarios of severe LV dysfunction, biventricular dysfunction with normal pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR, 0.8 Wood units), and biventricular dysfunction with high PVR (6.0 Wood units), we compared the changes in haemodynamics, pressure–volume relationship (PV loop), and global DO2 under different VA-ECMO flows and Impella support levels.

Results

In the simulation, ECPELLA improved total systemic flow with a minimising biventricular pressure–volume loop, indicating biventricular unloading in normal PVR conditions. Meanwhile, increased Impella support level in high PVR conditions rendered the LV–PV loop smaller and induced LV suction in ECPELLA support conditions. The general trend of global DO2 was followed by the changes in total systemic flow. The addition of veno-venous ECMO (VV-ECMO) augmented the global DO2 increment under ECPELLA total support conditions.

Conclusions

The optimal ECPELLA support increased total systemic flow and achieved both biventricular unloading. The VV-ECMO effectively improves global DO2 in total ECPELLA support conditions.
Pericardial effusion in oncological patients: current knowledge and principles of management
Authors: Mori S. , Bertamino M. , Guerisoli L. , Stratoti S. , Canale C. , Spallarossa P , Porto I. , Ameri P.
Published: February 2024

Background

This article provides an up-to-date overview of pericardial effusion in oncological practice and a guidance on its management. Furthermore, it addresses the question of when malignancy should be suspected in case of newly diagnosed pericardial effusion.

Main body

Cancer-related pericardial effusion is commonly the result of localization of lung and breast cancer, melanoma, or lymphoma to the pericardium via direct invasion, lymphatic dissemination, or hematogenous spread. Several cancer therapies may also cause pericardial effusion, most often during or shortly after administration. Pericardial effusion following radiation therapy may instead develop after years. Other diseases, such as infections, and, rarely, primary tumors of the pericardium complete the spectrum of the possible etiologies of pericardial effusion in oncological patients.

The diagnosis of cancer-related pericardial effusion is usually incidental, but cancer accounts for approximately one third of all cardiac tamponades. Drainage, which is mainly attained by pericardiocentesis, is needed when cancer or cancer treatment-related pericardial effusion leads to hemodynamic impairment. Placement of a pericardial catheter for 2-5 days is advised after pericardial fluid removal. In contrast, even a large pericardial effusion should be conservatively managed when the patient is stable, although the best frequency and timing of monitoring by echocardiography in this context are yet to be established. Pericardial effusion secondary to immune checkpoint inhibitors typically responds to corticosteroid therapy. Pericardiocentesis may also be considered to confirm the presence of neoplastic cells in the pericardial fluid, but the yield of cytological examination is low.

In case of newly found pericardial effusion in individuals without active cancer and/or recent cancer treatment, a history of malignancy, unremitting or recurrent course, large effusion or presentation with cardiac tamponade, incomplete response to empirical therapy with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory, and hemorrhagic fluid at pericardiocentesis suggest a neoplastic etiology.
Bulbar-onset amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in a patient with genetically confirmed Huntington’s disease: a case study
Authors: Bozovic Ivo , Gluscevic Sanja , Kezic Ivana , Ivanovic Vukan , Palibrk Aleksa , Peric Stojan , Basta Ivana , Stevic Zorica
Published: February 2024

Background

The rationale for this paper is a description of a patient from Southeast Europe with genetically confirmed Huntington’s disease (HD), coexisting with sporadic, bulbar-onset amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). To the best of our knowledge, the total number of reported cases with confirmed coexistence of HD and ALS is less than 20. Thus, it is an extremely rare condition speculated to be in a range from 2 to 6 per billion, and data from this part of the World are completely missing.

Case presentation

Here we report a 72-year-old female with a family history of HD who had generalized chorea and hyperreflexia. Using the PCR-based test for the detection of the CAG triplet repeat expansion, the presence of HD was confirmed. After several months, our patient had progressively developed dysarthria and dysphagia, followed by spastic quadriparesis, generalized muscle wasting, spontaneous fasciculations and sialorrhea. The diagnosis of definite ALS was established based on the patient’s neurological status, electromyography findings and current El Escorial criteria.

Conclusions

Our study emphasizes the need for the recognition of the co-occurrence of clinically distinct and rare genetic disorders, such as HD and ALS. New insights from the studies dealing with these rare topics could significantly contribute to the contest of new gene therapy trials.
Return-to-work after interlaminar endoscopic sequestrectomy: case series
Authors: Bozkurt Ismail , Canbolat Cagri , Paksoy Kemal , Senturk Salim , Yaman Onur
Published: February 2024

Background

Considering the epidemiology of single-level lumbar disc herniations (LDH) in the young and active patients, the impact on working capacity is highly relevant. The timing of return-to-work after lumbar surgery through various modalities differs greatly. This may be partly due diverse disparate surgical approaches along with differences in patient and surgeon. The purpose of this paper is to provide evidence for a return-to-work policy after endoscopic sequestrectomy and discuss possible clues to a faster recovery of patients that did not receive a sick-leave report via a case series.

Case presentation

The sample comprises fourteen cases of single-level LDH that underwent endoscopic interlaminar sequestrectomy and did not receive a sick-leave report and were advised to return-to-work whenever they felt fit so. Time until return-to-work, pre- and post-operative leg VAS pain scores and amount of analgesic used post-operatively were retrospectively analyzed. Fourteen patients were operated on using the same technique and on average returned to work after 6.6 ± 1.8 days, used 3.7 ± 2.5 analgesic tablets before returning to work and had a postoperative leg VAS pain score of 1.4 ± 1.2. No patient requested a sick-leave report during the follow-up period of 1 month.

Conclusions

The patients in this case series had a remarkably short period of sick-leave and a low number of analgesic usage. These findings may be due to selection of patients who were operated on specifically for leg pain with the absence of lower back pain suggesting integrity of annulus fibrosus. We can postulate that intraoperative preservation of lamina, facet joint and annulus fibrosus along with reassurance of the surgeon suggesting to return-to-work whenever fell fit so were the key factors in the swifter recovery of the patients.
Is trypophobia real?
Authors: Cole Geoff G.
Published: February 2024

Approximately 10–18% of the adult population experience some form of anxiety when viewing clusters of small holes. ‘Trypophobia’ has been the subject of much discussion within the peer-reviewed literature, news outlets, health-related websites and social media. However, there is some scepticism surrounding the phenomenon. It is often stated that the condition is not recognised by the American Psychiatric Association, and not listed as a phobia in the DSM-5. It has also been claimed that trypophobia is no more than a particularly successful internet meme. In this editorial, I argue that such criticisms are misplaced. There is, for instance, no list of phobias in the DSM-5; only criteria that determine phobia classification. Using these criteria, as well as personal testimonials, trypophobia is clearly a phobia. Furthermore, the meme hypothesis cannot account for the fact that the phenomenon existed long before the internet.
3-D circulation, impact of the terrestrial loading and atmospheric conditions on seasonal and climatic time scales in Eastern Mediterranean Gulfs
Authors: Σπυροπούλου Αλεξάνδρα-Ελένη
Published: February 2024

Προκειμένου να διερευνηθούν τα διάφορα ζητήματα που τέθηκαν στην παρούσα μελέτη, ορίστηκαν και προσεγγίστηκαν ορισμένοι στόχοι σε διαφορετικά κεφάλαια. Η έρευνα αρχικά εστιάζει σε μια προσέγγιση συνοπτικής κλίμακας μελετώντας τα in-situ δεδομένα, συνεχίζει ανεβάζοντας την κλίμακα σε εποχιακή μελέτη και στο τελευταίο κεφάλαιο η μελέτη εστιάζει σε μεγαλύτερη κλίμακα με τη μελέτη της απόκρισης του οικοσυστήματος στην κλιματική αλλαγή. Καθιερώθηκαν οι κλιματικές τάσεις για την περιοχή μελέτης και εφαρμόστηκε ένα μοντέλο ισοζύγιο νερού σε επίπεδο λεκάνης απορροής με στόχο να αναδείξει την επίδραση των κλιματικών τάσεων στο οικοσύστημα του κόλπου της Καλλονής.
Impact of contingent rewards and punishments on employee performance: the interplay of employee engagement
Authors: Layek Debika , Koodamara Navin Kumar
Published: February 2024

Background This paper investigated the connection between transactional leadership styles, contingent rewards, punishments, and employee performance while emphasizing employee engagement’s mediating role. Existing research has predominantly focused on isolated associations between contingent rewards, punishment, and employee performance, leaving gaps in the empirical exploration of these mediating mechanisms. To address this research gap, our study has introduced a conceptual framework to understand the multifaceted connection between contingent rewards, punishment, and their effects on employee performance, with a specific emphasis on the mediating function of employee engagement. Methods We involved 273 full-time non-clinical healthcare professionals employed in NABH-accredited hospitals in Jharkhand, India. A structured survey instrument was employed for data collection from the specific survey participants, with the investigation of the research hypotheses conducted through the application of partial least squares-structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). Results Preliminary findings suggested that contingent rewards and punishment do not directly influence employee performance. Instead, our study highlighted the critical mediating role of employee engagement, particularly its dimensions of Vigor, absorption, and dedication. Conclusions This research has underscored rewards and punishments as essential tools for influencing employee behaviour, motivation, and performance. Employee engagement, as a multifaceted construct, not only benefits individual employees but also significantly impacts overall organizational performance and success.
Hepatocellular carcinoma: Advances in systemic therapies
Authors: Wu Trevor Kwan-Hung , Hui Rex Wan-Hin , Mak Lung-Yi , Fung James , Seto Wai-Kay , Yuen Man-Fung
Published: February 2024

Advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is traditionally associated with limited treatment options and a poor prognosis. Sorafenib, a multiple tyrosine kinase inhibitor, was introduced in 2007 as a first-in-class systemic agent for advanced HCC. After sorafenib, a range of targeted therapies and immunotherapies have demonstrated survival benefits in the past 5 years, revolutionizing the treatment landscape of advanced HCC. More recently, evidence of novel combinations of systemic agents with distinct mechanisms has emerged. In particular, combination trials on atezolizumab plus bevacizumab and durvalumab plus tremelimumab have shown encouraging efficacy. Hence, international societies have revamped their guidelines to incorporate new recommendations for these novel systemic agents. Aside from treatment in advanced HCC, the indications for systemic therapy are expanding. For example, the combination of systemic therapeutics with locoregional therapy (trans-arterial chemoembolization or stereotactic body radiation therapy) has demonstrated promising early results in downstaging HCC. Recent trials have also explored the role of systemic therapy as neoadjuvant treatment for borderline-resectable HCC or as adjuvant treatment to reduce recurrence risk after curative resection. Despite encouraging results from clinical trials, the real-world efficacy of systemic agents in specific patient subgroups (such as patients with advanced cirrhosis, high bleeding risk, renal impairment, or cardiometabolic diseases) remains uncertain. The effect of liver disease etiology on systemic treatment efficacy warrants further research. With an increased understanding of the pathophysiological pathways and accumulation of clinical data, personalized treatment decisions will be possible, and the field of systemic treatment for HCC will continue to evolve.
Assessment of the state of synergies between the structural and functional characteristics of the kidneys and liver during external use of a seaweed product Laminaria algae
Authors: Smirnov I. , Nasibullin B. , Gushcha S.
Published: February 2024

The authors conducted studies to study the relationship between the functional activity of the kidneys, the detoxification activity of the liver and the structural features of the parenchymatous tissue of these organs under normal conditions and with external use of the laminar algae product “Lamidan”. The work was performed on 164 white outbred Wistar rats weighing 180-200 g. The work was carried out in accordance with current standards for working with laboratory animals. The results of many years of research have shown that normally the indicators of detoxification activity of the liver and functional activity of the kidneys practically do not change, and they correspond to the structural organization of the parenchymatous tissue of these organs, corresponding to the descriptions given in well-known manuals on the activities of these organs. The use of "Lamidan" activates the detoxification function of the liver by 28 % and the functional activity of the kidneys by 28.5 %, i.e. changes are unidirectional and proportionate. In the parenchyma of both organs, changes in the structural organization are recorded, characteristic of an increase in functional activity. Thus, there is a strictly interrelated set of stereotypical changes in the indices of the two organs under study, reflecting between the organs interrelations of functional systems.
Spowiedź Sadyka
Authors: Pezda Janusz
Published: February 2024

CONFESSION OF SADYK: THE LAST LETTER OF MICHAŁ CZAYKOWSKI TO HIPOLIT BŁOTNICKIMichał Czaykowski (Sadyk Pasha) is a figure whose assessment remains challenging to this day. His path to national and religious apostasy was complex and winding. At the beginning of his emigration, his dedication to the Polish cause earned him applause and recognition among fellow emigrants. He tirelessly worked in emigrant diplomacy, establishing the extensive Eastern Agency of the Hotel Lambert as a Polish agent in the East. After the Crimean War, he gradually distanced himself from Polish affairs. He deemed the January Uprising unnecessary and increasingly leaned towards Pan-Slavic ideals. Upon returning to Russia and his original name, he lost his old friends and failed to find new ones. It’s hard not to notice that he became a pawn in the hands of the Russians. The published letter from July 17, 1874, is addressed to Hipolit Błotnicki, whom he regarded as a friend, often signing letters to him as his cousin. This is the last preserved letter in their long-standing correspondence. In it, he attempts to justify his actions to his former friend, explaining his attitude towards Polish identity, the shift in his feelings towards the recently hated Muscovites, and the reigning autocrat. He tries to convince and argue why he chose Christianity again and joined the Orthodox Church. The letter seems to be an attempt to convince not only H. Błotnicki but also to justify himself to Władysław Czartoryski, to whom this letter was undoubtedly shown.
Walka o Lwów w Pamiętnikach z lat 1916-1918 Ludomiła Germana
Authors: Biedrzycka Agnieszka
Published: February 2024

THE STRUGGLE FOR LVIV IN THE “DIARIES FROM THE YEARS 1916-1918” BY LUDOMIŁ GERMANThis edition covers the final section of the diary of Ludomił German (1851-1920), a Galician teacher and school inspector, playwright, translator, politician, and activist in the National-Democratic Party and the Polish Democratic Party. He served as a member of the Imperial Council in Vienna (1907-1918) and the Regional Sejm in Lviv (1912-1914), vice president of the Austrian Chamber of Deputies, and vice president of the Polish Circle. In his diary, kept from July 1914 to January 1919, German documented his activities in the Supreme National Committee, the Polish Circle, and the Imperial Council. He also chronicled the history of the Polish Legions, the struggle for their leadership, and the aspirations of politicians from Galicia and the Kingdom of Poland aiming to establish a more or less independent Polish state. The diary, now divided into two parts, is preserved in the Jagiellonian Library in the manuscript collection under the signature 8537 I (‘Notes from Great Times,’ the original written by Ludomił German) and in the Lviv National Scientific Library of Ukraine named after V. Stefanyk (fond 5, signature 6415, vol. 1-3, ‘Diaries from the Years 1916-1918,’ a copy made in 1935-1936 by Ludomił’s son, Juliusz German). The presented fragment covers almost three months (from November 1, 1918 to January 24, 1919), during which the author was in Lviv during the Polish-Ukrainian battles for the city, initially occupied and later besieged by Ukrainian forces. The author describes, based on his own experiences and information from other sources, the course of military actions, the difficulties of daily life associated with them, attempts by both sides to end the fighting, and the establishment of new municipal authorities and their initial political decisions. As much as possible, he tries to track events in other parts of the re-emerging Poland (critically evaluating the actions of the new state authorities) and throughout Europe, especially within the former Austro-Hungarian borders.
Infant 2 School: A structured health promotion programme for community nursery nurses
Authors: Baldwin Sharin , Sumpton Wendy , Hook Beulah , Kemp Lynn
Published: February 2024

Infant 2 School (I2S) is a new, individualised family-centred early intervention, and health and development promotion programme that is designed to be delivered by community nursery nurses (CNN) from within health visiting teams. The programme aims to address identified service gaps by supporting and complimenting the work that health visitors do so that vulnerable families needing additional help have access to evidence-based interventions in a timely manner. I2S was recently launched in the UK and this paper provides an overview of the programme including its origin, structure, content, benefits and anticipated outcomes for children and families.
Research roundup: February 2024
Authors: Mendes Aysha
Published: February 2024

In this section, a range of brief synopses of recently published articles that may be of interest to health visitors is presented. The aim of this roundup is to provide an overview, rather than a detailed summary, of the research papers selected. Should you wish to look at any of the papers in more detail, a full reference is provided.
Maize Evapotranspiration Estimates Using Planet Dove Mini-Satellites and Field-Level InfraRed Thermometers
Authors: Chávez José Luis , Zhang Huihui , Brown Ansley Joseph , Andales Allan , Costa-Filho Edson
Published: February 2024

Highlights

Multispectral images from mini-satellites can be used in a reflectance-based crop coefficient model to estimate crop water use.

Surface reflectance from mini-satellites and temperature from in-situ infrared thermometers can be used in a land surface energy balance model to more accurately estimate maize actual evapotranspiration.

It is feasible to monitor daily maize actual evapotranspiration using Planet Dove mini-satellites on cloud-free days.

Abstract.
Water scarcity, climate change, and the need to sustain irrigated agriculture demand improved methods to manage irrigation water. Irrigation scheduling can be improved when remote sensing (RS) images are used because RS captures the actual crop field conditions. Mini-satellites (mS) are small spaceborne RS platforms that can provide high spatial and temporal resolution multispectral (MS) images. These multispectral images can be used to estimate maize actual evapotranspiration (ETa) on a daily basis. Thus, the main objective of this study was to assess the accuracy of maize ETa estimates when mS MS images were used in two different ETa algorithms. This study was conducted at two research sites in northern Colorado, USA. A reflectance-based crop coefficient and a one-source surface energy balance (OSSEB) models were applied, using MS Planet Dove images, to map maize ETa. An Eddy Covariance energy balance system was used to assess the accuracy of distributed ETa estimates. Results indicate that the reflectance-based crop coefficient method can be used with mS MS images yielding acceptable estimates. Both ETa models performed better in the case of the sub-surface irrigated maize. Further, OSSEB-based estimates of ETa model were more accurate over the surface irrigated maize and homogeneous soils; when surface reflectance images were paired with radiometric surface temperature data from ground-based infrared thermometers. These results imply that potentially maize ETa could be mapped, on a daily basis with good accuracy, using Planet Dove mS-based MS reflectance images and ground-based radiometric surface temperatures. Keywords: Agricultural water management, Crop water use, Irrigation, Land surface energy balance, Reflectance-based crop coefficients, Remote sensing.
Contaminants of Emerging Concern in Minnesota Subsurface Sewage Treatment Systems
Authors: Heger Sara , Boor Elizabeth , Distel Jack , Wheeler Daniel , Larson Sondra , Reider Neile
Published: February 2024

Highlights

CEC are quantified in septic tank effluent, soil, and groundwater within septic systems.

The success of septic system treatment of specific CEC is discussed.

Treatment of CEC is compared between wastewater in septic systems and land-applied septage.

Advanced treatment impact on CEC levels is analyzed.

Abstract. Contaminants of Emerging Concern (CEC) are gaining attention as they continue to attract public awareness and more environmental and health consequences are recognized. This study showcases CEC concentrations within Minnesota’s Subsurface Sewage Treatment Systems (SSTS). The study identifies a broad range of CECs associated with subsurface sewage treatment at four sites. Three sites are Minnesota Department of Transportation rest area SSTS with high user inputs, and one site is a septage land application field that receives septage from residential and septic commercial tanks. The studied CEC include antibiotics, chronic disease prescriptions, veterinary medicine, stimulants, hormones, antihistamines, pain and fever relief prescriptions, and a plasticizer. CEC were quantified in the septage, septic tank effluent, advanced treatment effluent, soil, and shallow groundwater. The samples were analyzed via mass spectrometry coupled with light chromatography, revealing that CEC concentrations decrease as they move through the SSTS system. Septage had the highest concentrations of CEC, followed by septic tank effluent. Groundwater had the third highest concentrations, and soils had the lowest concentrations of CEC. CEC concentrations are being reduced through SSTS, but some persist in shallow groundwater. Keywords: Decentralized wastewater system, Groundwater, Pharmaceuticals, Septage, Septic system, Septic tank, Wastewater.
Cultural Robbery, the Carceral System and the Settler Coloniality of Multiculturalism in Moroccan-Occupied Western Sahara
Authors: Allan Joanna
Published: February 2024

Cultural appropriation or exploitation in settler colonial studies occurs when a settler group adopts the cultural practices of the Indigenous group. Appropriation often compounds the marginalization and silencing of the Indigenous group, and therefore overlaps with, and facilitates, the settler colonial tactic of cultural domination. The latter seeks to eliminate the Indigenous group by way of forced assimilation into the dominant settler culture. In this article, I focus on the purpose and intended effect of the parallel pursuit of cultural exploitation and cultural domination. I argue that the side-by-side enactment of such settler colonial strategies amounts to cultural robbery: the settler state ensures exclusive use or possession of Indigenous cultural practices, markers and heritage. It adopts the latter as its own whilst simultaneously prohibiting—through the carceral system—the use and practice of the culture by the Indigenous community. Using the case of Moroccan-occupied Western Sahara, I focus on the evolution of Morocco’s settler colonial strategies in the cultural realm from its 1975 invasion of Western Sahara until today. I argue that Morocco’s policy of cultural domination over the Indigenous Saharawi population, initially enacted alongside other settler colonial genocidal policies, has made way for cultural appropriation alongside domination. This is, I argue, part of a wider Moroccan regime effort to mobilize “multiculturalism” to quell political opposition.
Women's Studies Information-Seeking: A State of the Union Address
Authors: Gilley Jennifer
Published: February 2024

As the explosion of feminist knowledge production of the last 40 years encounters the expansive potential of the digital age, the outlook for ease of access to women's studies research materials seems bright indeed. However, this bright new picture for women's studies information-seeking remains complicated. Too many choices have brought women's studies researchers confusion over the most efficient ways to find relevant material. Commercial database vendors dictate the subject headings assigned to articles that are therefore frequently too broad to be of use. And new feminist forms of publication, such as zines, have created challenges for librarians in collecting these materials for future researchers. Issues such as these make it imperative that the women's studies community as a whole step back and examine the current structure of women's studies information-seeking in order to more effectively influence its future. This paper outlines seven major areas in need of critical reflection and further research.
Composing a Life in Twenty-first Century Academe: Reflections on a Mother's Challenge
Authors: Allison Juliann Emmons
Published: February 2024

Faculty women who are mothers experience overwhelming pressures associated with meeting their institutions' standards for tenure and fulfilling their responsibilities as parents. In this article, I draw on personal experience and scholarly debate to demonstrate that while many academic institutions have made considerable progress in accommodating academic parents' practical concerns—i.e., accessibility to quality childcare and reduced time for teaching and research—they still fail to recognize how thoroughly motherhood can alter a female academic's career. I argue that the psychological adjustment to motherhood required of female academics who bear children early in their careers calls for serious reconsideration of the timing and requirements associated with the tenure process. In response to this psychological and emotional consideration, I suggest a triplet of modifications to the standard research-driven tenure model intended to emphasize individual academics' experiences and interests, in general, and the ways in which the experiences of academic mothers, in particular, might positively transform academe.
The 13+ Club: An Index for Understanding, Documenting, and Resisting Patterns of Non-Promotion to Full Professor
Authors: Geisler Cheryl , Kaminski Debbie , Berkley Robyn A
Published: February 2024

Despite increasing access to some faculty ranks, women faculty members continue to encounter a glass ceiling when it comes to achieving the rank of full professor. In this article, we introduce the 13+ Club Index as a way to understand, document, and resist patterns of non-promotion for women. Despite the utility of metrics for documenting issues in women's advancement, many are difficult to come by and hard to interpret. As a result, women at an institution may feel that they can make no real progress because they do not have access to the data required to make their case. Using the concept of the 13+ Club—the faculty cohorts at an institution who are thirteen or more years past degree—we have developed an index to document patterns of non-promotion that overcomes these difficulties by relying exclusively on publicly accessible data. In the first part of this article, we introduce and describe the 13+ Club Index and detail some of the logistics of acquiring and constructing an index of non-promotion. Then we describe the way we have used this index at Rensselaer first to initiate and then to monitor change. We conclude with thoughts about how the 13+ Club Index can challenge institutions to examine the full scope of improving women's advancement.
Sometimes, It’s a Child and a Choice: Toward an Embodied Abortion Praxis
Authors: Ludlow Jeannie
Published: February 2024

Feminist analyses of recent abortion politics in the United States note that the “abortion debate” has settled into a system of dichotomies, such as the dichotomy between women’s autonomy on the abortion rights side and the value of unborn life on the anti-abortion side. This article posits that these dichotomizations contribute to the erosion of women’s access and rights to abortion through loss of credibility for abortion rights discourse and loss of access to abortion praxis that can handle more complex situations. Maintenance of the dichotomies requires denial or erasure of more complicated situations, like late-second-trimester abortion and situations in which women grieve their aborted fetuses. Drawing on her experiences working in an abortion clinic, the author argues that a more complete consideration of these more complex abortion experiences could interrupt the erosion of our reproductive rights.
Gracious Submission: Southern Baptist Fundamentalists and Women
Authors: Shaw Susan M.
Published: February 2024

In 1979, fundamentalists began a movement to take control of the sixteen million-member Southern Baptist Convention. At the heart of their social agenda was the appropriate place of women in church, home, and society. Using rhetorical analysis, this article examines the resolutions and other key documents produced by the Convention since the 1970s and finds that under fundamentalist leadership, the Convention has developed an ideology that narrowly circumscribes gender roles for women around issues of women’s sexuality, reproduction, homes, and careers. Additionally, the resolutions suggest that fundamentalists have particularly targeted women pastors in these resolutions as a singular threat to patriarchal control.
The Cost of Being a Girl: Gender Earning Differentials in the Early Labor Markets
Authors: Besen-Cassino Yasemin
Published: February 2024

The gender wage gap is among the most persistent and durable characteristics of labor markets and women’s lives. Despite differences in focus, almost all studies of the gender wage gap focus on the adult labor market; however, almost every teenager in the United States works before adulthood. Therefore, an overwhelming majority of the population experiences the labor market, and possibly the gender wage gap, well beforehand. This article focuses on the early labor market experiences of youth and analyzes the gender differentials in earning in the youth labor market. The findings show there are no gender differences in wages for twelve- to thirteen-year-old youths. However, we see the emergence of the gender wage gap around fourteen, which widens with age. The wage differential in the early labor market is explained mostly by occupational factors such as types of jobs in which boys and girls are employed. In this way, the “cost of being a girl” still remains.
Theorizing Activism, Activizing Theory: Feminist Academics in Indian Punjabi Society
Authors: Grewal Jyoti
Published: February 2024

The focus of this paper is on the activism of the faculty of the Centre for Women’s Studies and Development (CWSD), Panjab University, Chandigarh, India. Several feminists of India challenge the academy-centered interpretation of feminism. They believe that attention solely to theorizing feminism reinforces the privilege still existing in the wealthy, sanitized, and disassociated model present among many university professionals of the West. Academic feminists in India with whom I have been acquainted know themselves as “organic intellectuals.” The changing face of feminism in India includes the activism of academics challenging the patriarchal structures at the grassroots level as well as among the personnel of the institutions perpetuating such structures. This paper demonstrates the efficacy of fusing activism with theory by the faculty of the Centre in their efforts to work with the local government in Panjab villages, and to attempt to record the incidence of female feticide and advocate for its end by changing law. The paper will also illustrate the role of the Centre’s attempts to build coalitions even as it influences changes among law enforcement officers via gender sensitivity training of law enforcement agencies of three provincial governments.
Mobilization Among Women Academics: The Interplay Between Feminism and Professionalization
Authors: Hart Jeni
Published: February 2024

Semi-structured individual interviews and document and observational analyses from two feminist faculty grassroots networks provide an understanding of how faculty confront an inequitable campus climate. From these data, the author shows that two subtly different strategies emerge to help women mobilize and address issues of discrimination and bias. One organization is a professional organization of feminists while the other is an activist organization of professionals, which in both cases help define academic feminism and the faculty profession.
Student Responsiveness to Women’s and Gender Studies Classes: The Importance of Initial Student Attitudes and Classroom Relationships
Authors: Stake Jayne E. , Sevelius Jeanne , Hanly Sarah
Published: February 2024

We explored responsiveness to women’s and gender studies (WGS) in a large sample of students (519 women and 143 men) enrolled in one of 48 WGS classes offered at one of six colleges in a large Midwestern urban area. Our results revealed that, as a group, students felt far more empowered by their classes than distressed or angry, developed positive relationships with their WGS teachers and fellow students, and changed during their classes toward greater awareness of sexism. Women began their classes with greater awareness of sexism and openness to diversity in gender roles than men, but men showed as much change toward feminist attitudes as did women by the end of the semester-long classes. Although women reported more positive classroom relationships and greater feelings of empowerment from their WGS experience than men, men were not more distressed or angry about their classes. African Americans had greater awareness of sexism than Asian Americans or Euro-Americans as they began their classes, but the latter groups had caught up to the African Americans by the end of class. Asian Americans were less open to gender diversity than Euro-Americans and African Americans, but Euro-American, Asian American, and African American students changed equally over time on this dimension. Students who began their classes with more feminist attitudes experienced by the end of class more feelings of empowerment and, when ceiling effects were minimized, showed more change toward awareness of sexism and flexibility in gender roles than students who began with less feminist attitudes. The development of positive classroom relationships served as a medium through which these changes came about. Pedagogical and research implications of the findings are discussed.
Displacement, Gender, and the Challenges of Parenting after Hurricane Katrina
Authors: Peek Lori , Fothergill Alice
Published: February 2024

In emergency situations and in the aftermath of disaster, parents are essential in caring for children. Yet very little has been written explicitly about the experiences of mothers and fathers—either as individuals or partners—in postdisaster contexts. With the understanding that parenting is a gendered endeavor that occurs in a society stratified by race and class, this article focuses on the responses of mothers and fathers to Hurricane Katrina. This article draws on data gathered in Louisiana through observations, focus groups, and in-depth interviews with parents and other adults responsible for the care of children. Through a qualitative analysis, this research examines the strategies that mothers and fathers used to deal with the challenges of parenting in the aftermath of Katrina, the role of advocates who worked on behalf of families, the importance of kin networks, and the uniqueness of New Orleans and what the city means for families struggling to recover after the storm.
Mother's Care?: Models of Motherhood and their Ethical Implications in Post–WWII German Literature
Authors: Mattson Michelle
Published: February 2024

This article compares early texts from feminist ethicists (Nel Noddings and Sara Ruddick) that focus on care and/or mothering as the basis for ethical models with literary works by two German authors (Christa Wolf and Ingeborg Drewitz) that challenge these models and reveal their structural problems. Although the literary works appeared generally shortly before the feminist scholarship, they all participate in a discussion of how women's experiences as mothers and caregivers can and/or should factor into the construction of ethical models. Furthermore, the conflicts that come to the fore in the literary texts foreshadow the directions that feminist ethicists themselves went in a continuing dialogue about feminist contributions to the study of ethics. Specifically, the article 1) explores how these two authors illustrate the potential problems with an ethics based either on "maternal thinking" or on a more abstract notion of caring; 2) discusses the directions in which their work points us; and 3) uses feminist scholarly discussions on ethics as conceptual tools to illuminate more fully the central conflicts in the literary texts themselves.
Not Avoiding a "Sensitive Topic": Strategies to Teach about Women's Reproductive Rights
Authors: Deeb-Sossa Natalia , Kane Heather
Published: February 2024

In this article we share teaching strategies that feminist teachers can use to respond to anti-abortion and anti-choice arguments. We also provide teaching techniques that feminist instructors can adopt in their classroom to teach about abortion and reproductive health. The paper identifies common students' arguments and enumerates possible responses. We address religious arguments against abortion (for example, legal abortions increase sexual promiscuity, abortion is morally wrong) and students' view of abortion as racial genocide.