bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Impact of systematic diabetes screening on peri-operative infections in patients undergoing cardiac surgery
Authors: Mattina Alessandro , Raffa Giuseppe Maria , Giusti Maria Ausilia , Conoscenti Elena , Morsolini Marco , Mularoni Alessandra , Fazzina Maria Luisa , Di Carlo Daniele , Cipriani Manlio , Musumeci Francesco , Arcadipane Antonio , Pilato Michele , Conaldi Pier Giulio , Bellavia Diego
Published: June 2024

Detection of high glycated hemoglobin (A1c) is associated with worse postoperative outcomes, including predisposition to develop systemic and local infectious events. Diabetes and infectious Outcomes in Cardiac Surgery (DOCS) study is a retrospective case–control study aimed to assess in DM and non-DM cardiac surgery patients if a new screening and management model, consisting of systematic A1c evaluation followed by a specialized DM consult, could reduce perioperative infections and 30-days mortality. Effective July 2021, all patients admitted to the cardiac surgery of IRCCS ISMETT were tested for A1c. According to the new protocol, glucose values of patients with A1c ≥ 6% or with known diabetes were monitored. The diabetes team was activated to manage therapy daily until discharge or provide indications for the diagnostic-therapeutic process. Propensity score was used to match 573 patients managed according to the new protocol (the Screen+ Group) to 573 patients admitted before July 2021 and subjected to the traditional management (Screen−). Perioperative prevalence of infections from any cause, including surgical wound infections (SWI), was significantly lower in the Screen+ as compared with the Screen− matched patients (66 [11%] vs. 103 [18%] p = 0.003). No significant difference was observed in 30-day mortality. A1c analysis identified undiagnosed DM in 12% of patients without known metabolic conditions. In a population of patients undergoing cardiac surgery, systematic A1c evaluation at admission followed by specialist DM management reduces perioperative infectious complications, including SWI. Furthermore, A1c screening for patients undergoing cardiac surgery unmasks unknown DM and enhances risk stratification.
Bone microstructural characteristics or positional changes of condyle head affect short-term condyle head resorption after orthognathic surgery
Authors: Miyagawa Kazuaki , Arikawa Chihiro , Hayashi Koichi , Seki Soju , Yokota Yusuke , Harada Kazuma , Tanaka Susumu , Isomura Emiko Tanaka
Published: June 2024

Condylar resorption occurs in some cases after orthognathic surgery, and the risk factors associated with postoperative condylar head resorption have been extensively described. Nevertheless, even in cases with a combination of risk factors, postoperative condylar resorption may not appear. This study analyzed the microstructure and three-dimensional positional change of the condylar bone via imaging in patients who have undergone bimaxillary orthognathic surgery to determine whether the microstructure or condylar position differs between patients with and without postoperative condylar resorption. Among asymptomatic patients who underwent bimaxillary surgery between April 2021 and March 2022 at our department, 17 patients were analyzed, limited to “female,” “skeletal Class II,” and “high-angle cases,” which are known risk factors for mandibular head resorption. Multidetector computed tomography was performed on these patients before and 6 months after surgery, and the bone microstructure of the condylar head and the three-dimensional positional changes of the condylar bone and the proximal bony fragments were compared with the presence of postoperative condyle resorption using the bone morphology software TRI/3D-BON. Patients with condylar bone abnormalities before surgery and those with high trabecular bone density can develop postoperative resorption if the condyle is misaligned by surgery.
Computational evaluation and benchmark study of 342 crystallographic holo-structures of SARS-CoV-2 Mpro enzyme
Authors: Khachatryan Hamlet , Matevosyan Mher , Harutyunyan Vardan , Gevorgyan Smbat , Shavina Anastasiya , Tirosyan Irina , Gabrielyan Yeva , Ayvazyan Marusya , Bozdaganyan Marine , Fakhar Zeynab , Gharaghani Sajjad , Zakaryan Hovakim
Published: June 2024

The coronavirus disease 19 pandemic, caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has led to a global health crisis with millions of confirmed cases and related deaths. The main protease (Mpro) of SARS-CoV-2 is crucial for viral replication and presents an attractive target for drug development. Despite the approval of some drugs, the search for effective treatments continues. In this study, we systematically evaluated 342 holo-crystal structures of Mpro to identify optimal conformations for structure-based virtual screening (SBVS). Our analysis revealed limited structural flexibility among the structures. Three docking programs, AutoDock Vina, rDock, and Glide were employed to assess the efficiency of virtual screening, revealing diverse performances across selected Mpro structures. We found that the structures 5RHE, 7DDC, and 7DPU (PDB Ids) consistently displayed the lowest EF, AUC, and BEDROCK scores. Furthermore, these structures demonstrated the worst pose prediction results in all docking programs. Two structural differences contribute to variations in docking performance: the absence of the S1 subsite in 7DDC and 7DPU, and the presence of a subpocket in the S2 subsite of 7DDC, 7DPU, and 5RHE. These findings underscore the importance of selecting appropriate Mpro conformations for SBVS, providing valuable insights for advancing drug discovery efforts.
Bioluminescent aptamer-based microassay for detection of melanoma inhibitory activity protein (MIA)
Authors: Bashmakova Eugenia E. , Kudryavtsev Alexander N. , Tupikin Alexey E. , Kabilov Marsel R. , Sokolov Aleksey E. , Frank Ludmila A.
Published: June 2024

Novel solid-phase microassay involving aptamers as sensing elements and NLuc luciferase as a bioluminescence reporter allow detection of MIA (melanoma biomarker) in serum with high sensitivity.
Digital transformation of the agricultural sector and its impact on productivity in Georgia
Authors: Kharaishvili Eter , Gechbaia Badri , Tsiklashvili Natela , Katamadze Giorgi
Published: June 2024

The study assesses the role of digitalization in boosting corporate competitiveness, attaining food security goals, and promoting sustainable development, and justifies necessity for digital transformation in Georgia's agricultural sector. Based on bibliographic research, it summarizes many scientists' perspectives on digitization concepts and methodologies; Investigates the process of digital transformation in Georgia's agricultural industry, and the goals of adopting digital technologies as well as the impediments to digitization; defines the state’s involvement in the digital transformation of the agricultural sector; offers the needs of the digital transformation of the agricultural sector. The impact of the number of internet and social media users on productivity has been determined by the linear multiple regression model. The study represents conclusions on the challenges of digital transformation of the agricultural sector of Georgia, along with the recommendations for future areas of digitization development.
Impact of the priorities in the European environmental policy on the development of the tourist ecosystem
Authors: Ilieva Lyubka , Todorova Lyubomira , Ismailov Taner
Published: June 2024

With the European Green Deal, the EU aims to implement new growth models that are climate neutral. Industry and ecosystems in the EU are undergoing a rapid green and digital transition. Cooperation between industry, public authorities, social partners, and stakeholders is envisaged in European policies,along the transition path of each ecosystem. In the tourism ecosystem, eco-entrepreneurship plays a crucial role in promoting responsible travel and ensuring the preservation of local ecosystems and cultures. One of the key strategies for eco-entrepreneurs in the travel industry is to constantly innovate and look for new ways to reduce travel's environmental footprint. To achieve the set goals, the EU focuses on the implementation of policies that promote the conservation of natural resources, the preservation of cultural heritage and support for local communities, activities also important for the development of tourism. The aim of the present study is to present the potential of European eco-policies and indicators for measuring the effect of their implementation to achieve the priorities set in European policies and their impact on the tourism ecosystem.
Local population, tourism, hotel and restaurant enterprises as the main producers of municipal solid waste
Authors: Sushchenko Olena , Mitkov Milen , Olshanska Olexandra , Kozubova Natalia
Published: June 2024

The study analyzed the state of municipal solid waste management in Ukraine and found that the coverage of separate waste collection is low. There is an insufficient supply of different types of containers for separate waste collection. Less than 20% of the population is covered by separate collection and most settlements have containers for separate collection of PET bottles only. Only 31% of the population expressed their intention to participate in sorting. The reasons for the low level of sorting are not surprising, as in addition to the low level of environmental awareness among Ukrainians, municipalities, with the exception of large regional centres, have not yet created the right conditions for sorting. A sociological survey was carried out and the results analysed using Spearman's rank correlation in order to identify the most effective measures for influencing the population's environmental behaviour.
Antenatal prophylaxis of acute digestive disorders in calves
Authors: Todorov Mykola , Kushnir Volodymyr , Franchuk-Kryva Liubov , Ulyzko Serhii
Published: June 2024

Among the diseases of young cattle of non-contagious aetiology, an important place is occupied by the pathology of the digestive system. In particular, dyspepsia, casein-bezoar disease, colostrum toxicosis, and diarrhoea are characteristic of the above pathologies. A familiar name, acute digestive disorders, unites these diseases. That is why it is essential to correct the metabolism of calves. The aim of the study is to investigate the effectiveness of antenatal prophylaxis for acute digestive disorders in calves of the neonatal period with the addition of propylene glycol to the diet of cows during the transient period, which increases the amount of propionic acid in the rumen and chlorophyll, which affects lipid metabolism and prevents fatty liver infiltration and ketosis. It was determined that the addition of propylene glycol and Cholin-Chloridum to the diet of cows during the transient period influenced the change in the content of β-hydroxybutyrate (HTA) and the amount of ketone bodies in the blood of animals in the experimental group of animals. In the experimental group of animals, these indicators were lower in the control group, by 35% of β-hydroxybutyrate and 44% by the sum of ketone bodies. During the transient period, especially in the first months after calving, cows experience an energy deficit, so ketone bodies are formed to compensate for glucose deficiency. Since propylene glycol and Cholin- Chloridum increased the glucose concentration in the blood, the need for synthesising ketone bodies decreased.
Logistic model for forecasting the growth of Ukrainian dairy exports
Authors: Popko Olena , Malchyk Mariana , Tolchanova Zoia , Salamakha Oleh , Illin Vadym
Published: June 2024

A logistic model has been proposed for forecasting the growth of Ukrainian dairy exports. The model takes into account the growth rates of consumption, imports, and domestic production of the importing country. It can be considered a decision-making tool for operators of the Ukrainian dairy market when developing an export strategy for future periods. To evaluate the potential attractiveness of sales markets for dairy product exports, we propose an analytical toolkit based on the taxonomy method. This toolkit facilitates the assessment of the potential attractiveness of foreign markets through sequential stages. These stages include identifying key criteria for determining the prospects of countries for the supply of dairy products, forming a matrix of input indicators, standardizing key factors for assessing market prospects, and calculating the integral coefficient of potential attractiveness for importing countries. This ranking system allows for a reasonable assessment of countries importing dairy products. The analytical tools developed for assessing the potential attractiveness of foreign markets and the logistic model for forecasting the growth of Ukrainian dairy exports enable practical monitoring of the prospects of potential foreign markets on an annual basis. They also facilitate timely and informed decisions on changing the export strategy and diversifying markets.
Analysis and assessment of environmental responsibility management for SMEs in the context of sustainable development
Authors: Taran-Lala Olena , Kalashnyk Olena , Moroz Svitlana , Naumenko Oleksandr
Published: June 2024

The research is devoted to the analysis and assessment of environmental responsibility management for SMEs in the context of sustainable development. The main environmental problems that arose with the beginning of the development of industrialization are identified and their impact on the life of Ukrainian society is characterized. That is why a theoretical and practical analysis of the above-mentioned problems is necessary, which will comprehensively reflect the state of environmentalization of SMEs in Ukraine. The main problems of pollution of the territory of Ukraine as a result of Russian aggression. Thus, according to the rating of The Environmental Performance Index, which is updated on average every 2 years, Ukraine currently ranks 52 second in terms of environmental friendliness. For a comprehensive approach in the field of changing the attitude to the environmentalization of SMEs, first of all, it is necessary to implement a number of measures, as well as to strengthen the motivation system for enterprises that fulfill all obligations to the state in the field of ecology. Under the condition of transformation towards the greening of SMEs, Ukraine may be able to present itself on the international arena as an ecological and agrarian country.
Is Hyperoxia in Early Pediatric Veno-veno Extracorporeal Life Support Associated with Mortality?
Authors: Ghaith Beshish Asaad , Rodriguez-Morales Paola , Shamah Rebecca , Qian Joshua , Keane-Lerner Kasey , Zinyandu Tawanda , Nayi Pranay , Davis Joel , Rosenblum Joshua , Viamonte Heather
Published: June 2024

Background: Data is limited regarding the effects of supraphysiologic blood oxygen tension (hyperoxia) in patients requiring extracorporeal life support (ECLS). We sought to evaluate the association between hyperoxia and outcomes in pediatric patients requiring veno-venous (VV) ECLS.
 
Methods: Retrospective single-center study at an academic children’s hospital that included all patients 0–18 years who required VV-ECLS between 01/2014–12/2019. 
 
Results:  During the study period 110 VV-ECLS runs occurred in 110 patients. Using a receiver operating characteristic curve, a mean PaO2 of 122 mmHg in the first 48-hours of ECLS was determined to have the optimal discriminatory ability with regard to mortality (sensitivity 41% and specificity 86%). Of the VV-ECLS runs, 68 (61.8%) had PaO2 > 122 mmHg (hyperoxia group). The hyperoxia group tended to be older (105.4 vs 1.6 months, p=0.001), had higher rates of hemorrhagic complications (69.6% vs 25.3%, p=0.0001), and higher mortality rate (57.9% vs 19.5%, p=0.002). Adjusting for confounders, the hyperoxia group had higher odds of mortality (OR 7.97, 95% CI 1.72 – 36.86, p=0.0079).
 
Conclusion: Children exposed to hyperoxia during the first 48-hours of VV-ECLS were 8 times more likely to die than those who were not after adjusting for confounders (age group, BSA, and indication for ECLS). Multicenter and prospective evaluation of this modifiable risk factor is imperative to improving the care of this high-risk cohort.
Carbon emissions cap or energy technology subsidies? Exploring the carbon reduction policy based on a multi-technology sectoral DSGE model
Authors: Gu Jianping , Li Yi , Hong Jingke , Wang Lu
Published: June 2024

As global climate change becomes increasingly severe, energy technology innovation has become a key means of coping with the climate crisis and realizing green and low-carbon development. However, existing literature rarely examines the effects of carbon emission reduction policies based on the perspective of energy technology progress for both short-term economic fluctuations and long-term equilibrium. This paper introduces the fossil energy technology sector and the renewable energy technology sector into the dynamic stochastic general equilibrium (DSGE) model, and compares the effectiveness of the carbon emission cap policy, the fossil energy technology subsidy policy, and the renewable energy technology subsidy policy under the framework of China’s carbon trading market in promoting macroeconomic growth and controlling pollutant emissions. We found that in long-term, the emission reduction effect of the carbon emission cap policy falls short of the other two policies, and subsidizing fossil fuel technologies is more cost-efficient comparatively. The government expenditure shock can all stimulate macroeconomic growth with crowding out of private investment and household consumption, whereas the energy technology research productivity shock leads to a decline in total output and an increase in renewable energy technology demand. In addition, pollutant emissions are pro-cyclical under the impact of total carbon policies and counter-cyclical under the impact of energy technology subsidy policies. This article constructs a multi-technology sectoral dynamic stochastic general equilibrium model, expanding the research perspective and theoretical framework for evaluating carbon emission reduction policies. At the same time, it proves the importance of the government to implement the phased energy technology subsidy policy while implementing the carbon emission cap policy, which provides important enlightenment for the implementation and adjustment of carbon emission reduction policy.
Effects of extra potassium supply and rootstocks indicate links between water, solutes and energy in Shiraz grapevines (Vitis vinifera) pericarps
Authors: Liu Yin , Tyerman Stephen , Schmidtke Leigh , Rogiers Suzy
Published: June 2024

Potassium (K) is essential for the development of grapevines (Vitis vinifera), accumulating into berries during maturation. Elevated K has been associated with high sugar and low acidity in juice. Characterising the accumulation patterns of K and other components in pericarps treated with various experimental factors may indicate potential regulators of berry K levels. A soil fertiliser trial using nutrient solutions with two K supply rates was conducted on potted Shiraz vines during berry ripening. Doubled-K supply increased L-malic acid content in the early-ripening phase, and increased K and magnesium concentrations in the late-ripening phase. Doubled-K supply reduced the ratio of K to sodium in later ripening phases, suggesting that the accumulation of K relative to sodium was limited in more mature berries supplied with extra K. Pericarp water percentage, sugar, K and ATP were correlated in both treatments, indicating links between hydration, solute transport and energy in maturing berries. In a separate rootstock trial over the two growing seasons, Shiraz scions grafted onto 420-A rootstock produced berries with lower K concentration and content than those grafted onto Ramsey or Ruggeri-140 rootstocks and own-rooted vines. This study demonstrated that the K supply and berry ripening phase impacted the berry K level.
Acclimation mechanism of microalgal photosynthetic apparatus under low atmospheric pressures – new astrobiological perspectives in a Mars-like atmosphere
Authors: Gritsi Charalampia-Stavroula , Sarmas Evangelos , Daskalakis Vangelis , Kotzabasis Kiriakos
Published: June 2024

This study reveals a new acclimation mechanism of the eukaryotic unicellular green alga Chlorella vulgaris in terms of the effect of varying atmospheric pressures on the structure and function of its photosynthetic apparatus using fluorescence induction measurements (JIP-test). The results indicate that low (400 mbar) and extreme low (<10 mbar) atmospheric pressure decreases the density and thus increases the fluidity of the thylakoid membrane, possibly facilitating plastoquinone (PQ) movement within the membrane and resulting in enhanced photosynthetic electron flow and photochemical quenching. Molecular dynamic simulations of different light harvesting complexes within thylakoid membrane models confirm this mechanism and reveal the associated atomic scale details. The exposure of microalga to an extremely low pressure (<10 mbar) in a 100% CO2 atmosphere (simulating the Mars atmosphere), reveals that the impact of extremely low atmospheric pressure on PQ mobility within the photosynthetic membrane, coupled with the low density of an almost 100% CO2 Mars-like atmosphere, results to a similar photosynthetic efficiency to that on Earth. These findings pave the way for the identification of novel functional acclimation mechanisms of microalgae to extreme environments that are vastly distinct from those found on Earth.
Efficiency of embryo complementation and pluripotency maintenance following multiple passaging of in vitro-derived bovine embryos
Authors: McGraw Maura S. , Bishman Jordan A. , Daigneault Bradford W.
Published: June 2024

Context Current methods to obtain bovine embryos of high genetic merit include approaches that require skilled techniques for low-efficiency cloning strategies. Aims The overall goal herein was to identify the efficacy of alternative methods for producing multiple embryos through blastomere complementation while determining maintenance of cell pluripotency. Methods Bovine oocytes were fertilised in vitro to produce 4-cell embryos from which blastomeres were isolated and cultured as 2-cell aggregates using a well-of-the-well system. Aggregates were returned to incubation up to 7 days (Passage 1). A second passage of complement embryos was achieved by splitting 4-cell Passage 1 embryos. Passaged embryos reaching the blastocyst stage were characterised for cell number and cell lineage specification in replicate with non-reconstructed zona-intact embryos. Key results Passage 1 and 2 embryo complements yielded 29% and 25% blastocyst development, respectively. Passage 1 embryos formed blastocysts, but with a reduction in expression of SOX2 and decreased size compared to non-reconstructed zona-intact embryos. Passage 2 embryos had a complete lack of SOX2 expression and a reduction in transcript abundance of SOX2 and SOX17, suggesting loss of pluripotency markers that primarily affected inner cell mass (ICM) and hypoblast formation. Conclusions In vitro fertilised bovine embryos can be reconstructed with multiple passaging to generate genetically identical embryos. Increased passaging drives trophectoderm cell lineage specification while compromising ICM formation. Implications These results may provide an alternative strategy for producing genetically identical bovine embryos through blastomere complementation with applications towards the development of trophoblast and placental models of early development.
Physical modeling of nucleosome clustering in euchromatin resulting from interactions between epigenetic reader proteins
Authors: Wakim Joseph G. , Spakowitz Andrew J.
Published: June 2024

Euchromatin is an accessible phase of genetic material containing genes that encode proteins with increased expression levels. The structure of euchromatin in vitro has been described as a 30-nm fiber formed from ordered nucleosome arrays. However, recent advances in microscopy have revealed an in vivo euchromatin architecture that is much more disordered, characterized by variable-length linker DNA and sporadic nucleosome clusters. In this work, we develop a theoretical model to elucidate factors contributing to the disordered in vivo architecture of euchromatin. We begin by developing a 1D model of nucleosome positioning that captures the interactions between bound epigenetic reader proteins to predict the distribution of DNA linker lengths between adjacent nucleosomes. We then use the predicted linker lengths to construct 3D chromatin configurations consistent with the physical properties of DNA within the nucleosome array, and we evaluate the distribution of nucleosome cluster sizes in those configurations. Our model reproduces experimental cluster-size distributions, which are dramatically influenced by the local pattern of epigenetic marks and the concentration of reader proteins. Based on our model, we attribute the disordered arrangement of euchromatin to the heterogeneous binding of reader proteins and subsequent short-range interactions between bound reader proteins on adjacent nucleosomes. By replicating experimental results with our physics-based model, we propose a mechanism for euchromatin organization in the nucleus that impacts gene regulation and the maintenance of epigenetic marks.
A selective and sensitive mercury sensor for drinking water based on fluorescence quenching of pure rhodamine B
Authors: Radiul Seikh Mustafa , Hazarika Simanta
Published: June 2024

The escalating threat of industrial pollutants, particularly heavy metals, in water sources poses a significant risk to global populations. Among these heavy metals, mercury stands out as a severe contaminant with detrimental health implications. This paper introduces a novel and efficient method for the selective detection of mercury ions in drinking water, employing laser-induced fluorescence with pure rhodamine B as the sensing probe. The method achieves a low detection limit of 7 ppb, closely approaching the World Health Organization’s maximum permissible limit. The simplicity of the procedure, coupled with the use of pure rhodamine B, distinguishes this approach from others relying on complex chemical procedures and derivatives of rhodamine B. The sensing mechanism involves the fluorescence quenching of rhodamine B due to complex formation with tetraiodomercurate. Noteworthy is the method’s selectivity, demonstrated by its resistance to interference from common ions present in water (e.g. Magnesium, calcium, sodium, and potassium), ensuring accurate detection of mercury ions. Extensive testing with tap water samples, considering potential interference, validates the robustness of the sensor, with recovery percentages of 99.25% and 109.2%. In summary, this study contributes a practical solution to the critical challenge of mercury detection in drinking water, addressing issues of sensitivity, selectivity, and on-site applicability. The proposed method holds promise for widespread implementation, enhancing efforts to safeguard public health and ensure the safety of water resources.
Pollution acceleration before braking: Evidence of environmental deterioration from the anticipated steel restriction policy in China
Authors: Qiang Will W , Luo Chen , Shi Shuai , Lyu Huaiqian , Wen Tianzuo , Yim Steve H L , Lee Harry F
Published: June 2024

This research employs China’s steel restriction policy as a backdrop to investigate environmental policies’ unintended and counterproductive effects. Using high-resolution satellite-derived data and panel Difference-in-Differences regression, we found that the air pollution concentration in cities implementing the steel restriction policy is 5.688 μg/m3 higher than in control group cities. Additionally, the growth rate of air pollution in these cities is 6.577% faster. This quantitative evidence substantiates the backfire effect of the anticipation of environmental policy, where the delay between a policy’s announcement and its enforcement leads to a short-term surge in pollution levels. For China and other emerging economies, the development of a thorough and deliberate intergovernmental cooperation strategy is critical when formulating environmental policies. It involves synchronizing the efforts of different government levels in applying pollution controls and diminishing the interval of potential intense pollution in the pre-implementation phase.
Glorification of Terrorist Violence at the European Court of Human Rights
Authors: Sobol Ilya
Published: June 2024

This article examines the European Court of Human Rights’ approach towards restrictions on expression glorifying terrorist violence. This is done by situating the Court’s case law against two objections to respective criminal offences: their inherent overbreadth and their incompatibility with the restraining demands of the ‘harm principle’. In doing so, the article discusses how the ‘harm principle’ relates to the proportionality test and how the Court’s categorisation of expression glorifying violence responds to the objection of overbreadth. In arguing that the tool of categorisation has not been determinative in driving the outcomes in relevant decisions, the article suggests that engaging the existence of a competing public interest and reviewing the admissibility of reasons for such restrictions would appropriately elevate the Convention standard. Finally, the article argues that inconsistencies across decisions are best explained by the Court’s deference-giving practices, particularly in cases involving claims about the recency of terrorist violence.
Tiny Amphibious Insects Use Tripod Gait for Traversal on Land, Water, and Duckweed
Authors: O’Neil Johnathan N , Yung Kai Lauren , Difini Gaetano , Walker Holden , Bhamla Saad
Published: June 2024

Synopsis

Insects exhibit remarkable adaptability in their locomotive strategies in diverse environments, a crucial trait for foraging, survival, and predator avoidance. Microvelia americana, tiny 2–3 mm insects that adeptly walk on water surfaces, exemplify this adaptability by using the alternating tripod gait in both aquatic and terrestrial terrains. These insects commonly inhabit low-flow ponds and streams cluttered with natural debris like leaves, twigs, and duckweed. Using high-speed imaging and pose-estimation software, we analyze M. americana movement on water, sandpaper (simulating land), and varying duckweed densities (10%, 25%, and 50% coverage). Our results reveal M. americana maintain consistent joint angles and strides of their upper and hind legs across all duckweed coverages, mirroring those seen on sandpaper. Microvelia americana adjust the stride length of their middle legs based on the amount of duckweed present, decreasing with increased duckweed coverage and at 50% duckweed coverage, their middle legs’ strides closely mimic their strides on sandpaper. Notably, M. americana achieve speeds up to 56 body lengths per second on the deformable surface of water, nearly double those observed on sandpaper and duckweed, which are rough, heterogeneous surfaces. This study highlights M. americana’s ecological adaptability, setting the stage for advancements in amphibious robotics that emulate their unique tripod gait for navigating complex terrains.
Friedrich Schleiermacher
Authors: Mariña Jacqueline
Published: June 2024

Friedrich Schleiermacher (b. 1768–d. 1834) was a German philosopher and Protestant theologian. His magnum opus in systematic theology, The Christian Faith (1822, 1830–1831), ranks alongside the work of Augustine, Aquinas, Luther, and Calvin in its caliber and importance. He is particularly significant for having re-envisioned the method of systematic theology given the groundbreaking work of Immanuel Kant, who had argued that theoretical knowledge of the supersensible is impossible, and thereby challenged all speculative metaphysics. For Schleiermacher, the self’s relation to the God is given at the ground of self-consciousness, in the feeling of absolute dependence, and all dogmatic assertions must be referred to the experience of the believer—that is, the Christian religious affections. Influenced by Romanticism and its reception of Kant, his book On Religion (1799) is one of the most significant in philosophy of religion in the German philosophical tradition. The importance of his thought on Continental philosophy has been significantly underestimated in the English-speaking world, as he had a profound impact on existentialist thinkers such as Heidegger and Kierkegaard. Also a clergyman well-known for his powerful sermons, he advocated the union of the Lutheran and Reformed denominations of the Old Prussian Union. A polymath, he also made groundbreaking contributions to hermeneutics, dialectic, ethical theory, and the translation of Plato. He contributed greatly to the founding of the University of Berlin, where he was professor and four-time dean of the theological faculty between 1810 and 1834, and was a member of the Berlin Academy of Sciences.
Philosophy in the Eastern Roman Empire
Authors: Trizio Michele
Published: June 2024

Philosophy in the Eastern Roman Empire, also known as Byzantine philosophy, refers to the social and intellectual practices connected to the meanings of the word philosophy in medieval Greek texts. According to Byzantine sources, philosophy refers to (a) monastic life, (b) pagan Greek philosophy, (c) philosophical wisdom compatible with Christianity and guided by revelation, and (d) philosophical expertise within the framework of institutionalized teaching activities. For various reasons, the relevance and existence of a philosophical tradition in the Eastern Roman Empire have been questioned and challenged. These reasons are: (i) the common prejudice harking back to the Enlightenment, which conceives of medieval Greek intellectuals as mere transmitters of classical philosophy and literature to the later generations of Renaissance scholars; (ii) the inveterate Eurocentric approach to medieval intellectual history that sees the roots of modern European identity in the Latin Middle Ages—medieval Arabic, Hebrew, and Greek philosophy are only incidentally considered concerning their contribution to forming the Latin tradition; and finally, (iii) the current-day prejudiced view of medieval philosophy as a mere offshoot of theology. In recent times, a more nuanced approach has suggested a comprehensive and inclusive attitude to the material, including what the Byzantines themselves understood as philosophy and what modern scholars regard as philosophically relevant. The chronological boundaries of the period are disputed. In general, scholars acknowledge the existence of three phases: early, middle, and late. The late Byzantine period spans from the Byzantine reconquest of Constantinople after the Latin conquest of the city in 1204 to 1453. The middle Byzantine period spans from the end of the Iconoclastic Controversy (843) to the sack of Constantinople during the Fourth Crusade (1204). As to the early Byzantine period, the boundaries are less clear. According to some, the early period includes Late Antiquity until the Arab conquest of Syria, Mesopotamia, and Egypt (around 730s). Others consider Justinian’s anti-pagan legislation, issued around 529, as the turning point. Finally, quite a few scholars avoid considering the early Byzantine period as part of the picture and see the beginning of the Iconoclastic Controversy in 726 or its end in 843 as the beginning of the Greek Middle Ages and Byzantine intellectual history.
Women in the Byzantine Empire
Authors: Constantinou Stavroula
Published: June 2024

In premodern societies, such as Byzantium where the dominant ideology was male-centered, there was much discussion in various texts—moralist, legal, philosophical, religious, medical, and literary—about women’s weakness and inferiority, their “right” social and cultural place, and their responsibilities and rights. At the same time, epigraphic evidence and non-textual sources have much to say about actual women’s daily lives and worlds. However, systematic research on premodern women—in this case Byzantine women—did not start earlier than the 1970s, that is, the time when women’s studies emerged as an independent field. Earlier, Byzantinists (mostly male) did not consider women’s social and cultural roles as historically important. Now women’s studies have been largely replaced by gender studies, yet we are far from achieving a good understanding of Byzantine women’s roles, activities, behavior, treatment, and ideologies as determined by their origin, class, financial status, profession, and familial and health situation within a large period lasting more than a millennium and a huge territory that was changing through time. Most studies on Byzantine women concern urban and particularly Constantinopolitan wealthy women. These are chiefly individual elite women (empresses and women of the aristocracy) and nuns (mostly associated with the upper classes of Byzantine society) of the middle Byzantine period. What unifies all non-slave Byzantine women irrespective of origin and status was their responsibility to become wives, mothers, and caregivers of their children—either on their own or with the help of nurses and servants. All women were also responsible for the household and its invalid or sick members. However, Byzantine women’s familial lives have not yet received systematic scholarly attention. Even though there are many research gaps in the study of Byzantine women, existing scholarship has provided important information about their many achievements: they acted as rulers of the empire; they sustained the economy of a highly military society by running factories, mills, rural estates, and commercial enterprises; they founded monasteries and churches; they built hospitals and orphanages; they commissioned the creation of important monuments, artworks, and manuscripts; they organized literary circles; and they composed texts and music. Although they were acting in an androcentric society, Byzantine women often achieved much more than their male counterparts, a reality that renders their work even more noteworthy. The bibliography provided here constitutes an overview of studies, mostly in English, focusing on various aspects of the lives, representations, and ideologies of Byzantine women.
Consumer Credit and Debt
Authors: Pellandini-Simanyi Lena
Published: June 2024

Consumer debt refers to (1) household (as opposed to corporate or sovereign) debt that is (2) acquired with the purpose of purchasing consumer goods or services (as opposed to, for instance, micro-credit for business purposes) and (3) owed towards financial institutions and retail entities (as opposed to, for instance, family members, the state, or universities) (4) through a credit contract (as opposed to unpaid bills or overdue rent). In the legal sense, consumer credit only refers to unsecured debt (e.g., payday loans, credit card debt, car purchase loans, consumer loans); however, in the sociological literature, it is used more broadly to include also secured debt, such as home equity loans and mortgages. The social studies of consumer credit and debt draw on economic sociology, economic geography, political economy, organization theory, cultural sociology, and economic anthropology to examine the social, political, and cultural causes and consequences of indebtedness. The wider theoretical concern of this inquiry is not debt per se, but to understand how debt changes our answers to long-standing sociological questions relating to inequality, social relations, cultural change, power, and the connections between economy and society. This review starts with general-scope sociological (General Overviews) and social history (Social History of Credit and Debt) studies on debt, which explicate the broader sociological and cultural significance of widespread indebtedness. The review then covers the two main strands of the social study of credit and debt. The first focuses on the institutional causes of indebtedness, examining macropolitical and cultural shifts (Debt and Cultural Theory), economic policy and institutional differences across countries (Political Economy of Credit and Debt), meso-level, institutional processes (Making of Credit Markets: Institutions and Fields), and the development of credit products and credit scoring within financial institutions (Inside Financial Institutions: Banks and the Lending Process). The second angle focuses on borrowers, looking at the consequences of indebtedness on social inequalities (Credit, Debt, and Inequality); at the credit process—how households borrow, how it changes their everyday life, how they are affected by payment difficulties—unpacking the way debt impacts subjectivities, social relationships, and oppression through lived experiences (Borrowers and the Credit Process); and at opportunities for resistance (Debt Resistance, Financial Dissent, and the New Politics of Finance). This review does not include student debt and microfinance because they are technically not consumer credit; nor does it include mortgage-backed securities, which are not credit products in themselves, but credit derivatives.
China and World Trade Organization Law
Authors: Kong Qingjiang , Xu Mengqi
Published: June 2024

China had a complex engagement with the General Agreement of Tariffs and Trade (GATT) and the World Trade Organization (WTO) which reflected both its drastic political changes through the decades as well as its shifting attitudes toward economic integration and trade. China was an original signatory to the GATT in 1947 under the Kuomintang government. Upon losing control of mainland China to the Communists in the civil war, the Kuomintang government withdrew from GATT in 1950, severing China’s ties with global trade system for decades. China had observer status at GATT from 1982 until 1986, during which period the country started making efforts to reconnect with global trade. It first applied to resume its status as a GATT contracting party in 1986 and the GATT Working Party on China’s Status as a Contracting Party was established in 1987 to negotiate the terms for China’s accession. Major issues in the negotiations included the scope and pace of market access concessions from China, trading rights, transparency of trade policies and regulations, as well as whether China would regain its original 1947 contracting party status. China made substantial commitments to reduce tariffs, open up services for foreign investment, reform its trade policies and overhaul its legal framework in its Accession Protocol. On 11 December 2001, China officially became the 143rd member of the World Trade Organization (WTO), the successor of GATT, as a new member instead of resuming its 1947 status. This was a milestone demonstrating China’s deeper integration into global trade. Since then, China has amended considerable national laws, regulations, and policies to comply with WTO agreements. Its WTO membership facilitated its domestic reform agenda and aided its rapid growth in international trade and investment, as evidenced by its rise to be the largest trading nation (first exporter and second importer) in the world, and one of the most active players in the WTO. However, there are still frictions over China’s compliance with WTO rules related to intellectual property protection, industrial subsidies, and state-owned enterprises. The problems that were expected upon its accession to arise from its special economic structure failed to phase out during the transitional period set in the Accession Protocol, which turned out to have cast in-depth influence on WTO legal regime. As WTO reform has been put on the table, it is likely that China continues to advance the WTO regime toward a multilateral and multipolar end; meanwhile, managing China’s role within the evolving global trade system remains an important issue.
Audre Lorde
Authors: Rutter Emily Ruth
Published: June 2024

Born in Harlem to Caribbean immigrant parents, Audrey Geraldine Lorde (b. 1934–d. 1992) dropped the “y” on her first name early in her career so that her printed name achieved poetic symmetry; late in her career, Lorde also adopted Gamba Adisa (meaning warrior: she who makes her meaning clear) in an African naming ceremony. A self-proclaimed “Black lesbian feminist mother warrior poet,” Lorde refused to privilege one part of her experience at the expense of another, embracing the multiple aspects of her being and self. Her professional achievements include being a co-founder of Kitchen Table: Women of Color Press, the first press operated by and expressly for women of color, poetry editor for the influential feminist quarterly Chrysalis: A Magazine of Female Culture, a longtime professor at both John Jay College for Criminal Justice and Hunter College, New York poet laureate (1991–1992), and mentor and namesake in Hunter College’s Audre Lorde Women’s Poetry Center. Perhaps most importantly, Lorde had a profound impact on the landscape of American poetry, Black feminist praxis, and the literature of illness and healing. Before the term was coined, Lorde was practicing the art of the auto-theoretical text, braiding the personal, theoretical, and political, in her prose and poetry alike. As an artist-activist, Lorde also engaged in a range of interconnected struggles for liberation. During the 1960s and 70s, she was part of the movements for civil rights, lesbian and gay rights, and women’s rights. She was a staunch Black feminist, and collaborated with the Combahee River Collective and ThirdWorld and postcolonial feminist activists and writers. She advocated for the establishment of a Black Studies department at John Jay College, for educational equity at City College of New York, and against institutionalized racism in New York City public schools. As she battled cancer in the last decade of her life, Lorde turned her attention to health-care inequities and environmental injustices while continuing to militate against systemic racism, drawing connections between racial apartheid in South Africa and similar racial hierarchies in the United States and across the African diaspora. Indeed, whether living in the United States, Europe, or the Caribbean, Lorde’s activism and community work were never separated from her prose and poetry but instead the fulcrum around which her writing pivoted. The thread that best characterizes Lorde’s capacious corpus is her steadfast refusal of the “master’s tools,” or the doxas that serve to divide and conquer and, therefore, stymie coalition-building and progressive change.
Learning to Perform Music in the Hadhrami Arab Community
Authors: Hilarian Larry Francis
Published: June 2024

The aim of this study is to explore the significance of learning to perform music and dance in the Hadhrami Arab society mainly in Singapore and the wider Malay world. More specifically, this research focuses on the proliferation of a specific music and dance genre known as sharah and its associated musical instruments, focusing on it as an important symbolic expression of the Hadhrami Arab consciousness. Sharah musical practices retain a strong Hadhrami Arabian cultural identity. Musical instruments such as the gambu, marwas, jidur, tabl fakhar, tombak, and kompang are specifically of Arabian origins and are commonly deployed in this musical genre. The author surveys the fundamental philosophical aspects of music and discuss the perceptions held about music in some Islamic tenets. This leads to an exploration of the delicate balance between the philosophies of music and the functionality of music in contemporary Muslim society.