bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comparison of the efficacy and invasiveness of manual and automated gonioscopy
Authors: Takagi Yuki , Watanabe Mitsunori , Kojima Takashi , Sakai Yukihiro , Asano Ryo , Ichikawa Kazuo
Published: April 2023

Purpose

To compare the efficacy and invasiveness of manual gonioscopy and automated 360-degree gonioscopy.

Method

Manual and automated gonioscopy were performed on 70 patients with glaucoma. Manual gonioscopy was performed by a glaucoma specialist and an ophthalmology resident, and automated gonioscopy (GS-1) was performed by orthoptists. We compared the examination time for acquiring gonioscopic images (GS-1: 16 directions; manual gonioscopy: 8 directions). Furthermore, we compared the pain and discomfort scores during the examination using the Individualized Numeric Rating Scale. Among the images acquired by automated gonioscopy, we also evaluated the percentages of acquired images that could be used to determine the angle opening condition.

Results

The examination time was not significantly different between manual (80.2±28.7) and automated gonioscopy (94.7±82.8) (p = 0.105). The pain score of automated gonioscopy (0.22±0.59) was significantly lower than that of manual gonioscopy (0.55±1.11) (p = 0.025). The discomfort score was not significantly different between manual (1.34±1.90) and automated gonioscopy (1.06±1.50) (p = 0.165). Automated gonioscopy successfully acquired clear gonioscopic images in 93.4% of the total images.

Conclusion

Automated gonioscopy is comparable in examination time and invasiveness to manual gonioscopy and may be useful for 360-degree iridocorneal angle evaluation.
Prevalence of vertical movement asymmetries at trot in Standardbred and Swedish Warmblood foals
Authors: Zetterberg Ebba , Leclercq Anna , Persson-Sjodin Emma , Lundblad Johan , Haubro Andersen Pia , Hernlund Elin , Rhodin Marie
Published: April 2023

Many horses, just before and during their athletic career, show vertical movement asymmetries, to the same degree as clinically lame horses. It is unknown whether these asymmetries are caused by pain or have alternative explanations, such as inherent biological variation. In the latter case, movement asymmetries would be expected to be present at a very young age. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of movement asymmetries in foals. Motion analysis, using an inertial measurement unit-based system (Equinosis), was performed on 54 foals (31 Swedish Warmbloods, 23 Standardbreds) during straight-line trot. The foals were between 4–13 weeks old and considered sound by their owners. Differences between the vertical minimum and maximum values recorded for the head (HDmin, HDmax) and pelvis (PDmin, PDmax) between left and right stance were calculated for each stride and an average was computed for each trial. Thresholds for asymmetry were defined as absolute trial mean >6 mm for HDminand HDmax, and >3 mm for PDminand PDmax. These thresholds were exceeded for one or several parameters by 83% of Standardbred foals and 45% of Swedish Warmblood foals, demonstrating surprisingly high prevalence of asymmetries in young foals, although the risk of repetitive strain injuries and cumulative risk of trauma injuries was expected to be low in this age group. Standardbred foals showed similar prevalence of asymmetries to that reported previously for yearling Standardbred trotters, so relatively higher prevalence of movement asymmetries may be expected among trotters as a breed. In general, vertical head and pelvic movement asymmetries can be anticipated among foals considered sound by their owners. A better understanding of the aetiology of asymmetries is needed for correct interpretation of objective symmetry measurements in different populations of horses.
Open Science Drone Toolkit: Open source hardware and software for aerial data capture
Authors: Pereyra Irujo Gustavo , Bernaldo Paz , Velázquez Luciano , Pérez Antoni , Molina Favero Celeste , Egozcue Alejandrina
Published: April 2023

Despite the increased access to scientific publications and data as a result of open science initiatives, access to scientific tools remains limited. Uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs, or drones) can be a powerful tool for research in disciplines such as agriculture and environmental sciences, but their use in research is currently dominated by proprietary, closed source tools. The objective of this work was to collect, curate, organize and test a set of open source tools for aerial data capture for research purposes. The Open Science Drone Toolkit was built through a collaborative and iterative process by more than 100 people in five countries, and comprises an open-hardware autonomous drone and off-the-shelf hardware, open-source software, and guides and protocols that enable the user to perform all the necessary tasks to obtain aerial data. Data obtained with this toolkit over a wheat field was compared to data from satellite imagery and a commercial hand-held sensor, finding a high correlation for both instruments. Our results demonstrate the possibility of capturing research-grade aerial data using affordable, accessible, and customizable open source software and hardware, and using open workflows.
‘And may the best…thing win!’: Posthuman actor–networks in RuPaul’s Drag Race
Authors: Boselli Stefano
Published: April 2023

Over the past fourteen years, the highly successful reality TV competition series RuPaul’s Drag Race has popularized drag as the male performance of an idealized female form. Current scholarship on the show mostly investigates its human components in terms of race, body types or social networks, but the plethora of not necessarily gendered non-human actors that contribute to drag performance remains underappreciated. Drawing on actor–network and assemblage theories in a posthuman framework to acknowledge the shared and convergent agencies of humans and things, this article focuses on three major areas: first, the progressive opening of RuPaul’s Drag Race’s runway to creatures whose gender becomes less relevant because they can no longer be viewed as human or were not human to start with; second, drag performance that relies on crucial assemblages of human and non-human co-stars; third, the monetary incentive that pervades the show and becomes one of its most powerful actors.
The monumental body: Hungry and the performative posthuman
Authors: Cherryman Nick
Published: April 2023

This article looks at Berlin-based drag performer Hungry, who employs ‘distorted’ drag, primarily through digital documentation and recordings of performances. The displacement of the body within her drag performances and the understanding of this body as a ‘body’ by an audience becomes the focus of analysis: whilst Hungry remains human in some aspects of appearance, the aesthetic of the performance is ostensibly non-human. Viewers of the performance are aware of Hungry’s human nature and the attempt to reconcile the human and non-human facets of Hungry’s body itself becomes part of the performance. That is, the performance relies on the multiplicities between the recognizable and unrecognizable human body. This, in turn, acts as a lens for the reconsideration of what one recognizes as human in the first place, and allows us to ask questions regarding the conceptual limits of the human body, particularly in relation to what are perceived as its defining characteristics.
Drag in a Changing Scene, Volumes 1 & 2
Volume 1: Contemporary Drag Practices and Performers, Mark Edward and Stephen Farrier (Eds) (2020)
Volume 2: Drag Histories, Herstories and Hairstories, Mark Edward and Stephen Farrier (Eds) (2022)
Authors: Whitworth Colin
Published: April 2023

Review of: Drag in a Changing Scene, Volumes 1 & 2

Volume 1: Contemporary Drag Practices and Performers, Mark Edward and Stephen Farrier (Eds) (2020)

London: Methuen Drama, 248 pp.,

ISBN 978-1-35008-294-6, h/bk, $110.00

ISBN 978-1-35031-919-6, p/bk, $39.95

ISBN 978-1-35008-295-3, e-book, $35.95

Volume 2: Drag Histories, Herstories and Hairstories, Mark Edward and Stephen Farrier (Eds) (2022)

London: Methuen Drama, 256 pp.,

ISBN 978-1-35010-436-5, h/bk, $115.00

ISBN 978-1-35019-851-7, p/bk, $39.95

ISBN 978-1-35010-437-2, e-book, $35.95
The Boulet Brothers’ Dragula (2016–Present), Season 4, USA: Boulet Brothers Productions
Authors: Prins Kai
Published: April 2023

Review of: The Boulet Brothers’ Dragula (2016–Present), Season 4, USA: Boulet Brothers Productions
Reconstructing axons from sectioned brains through alignment and stitching
Authors: Bakker Rembrandt , Rubio-Teves Mario , Timonidis Nestor , García-Amado María , Clascá Francisco , Tiesinga Paul
Published: April 2023

Since the turn of this century, new and powerful cell labeling techniques have allowed the consistent and complete labeling of axonal arborizations of individual long range projection neurons (LRPNs) in mouse (Furuta et al, 2001). The prospect of creating a connectome at the cellular level, together with new developments in the automated scanning of whole (rodent) brain volumes, has resulted in a the release of thousands of fully reconstructed LRPNs (Peng et al. 2021, Winnubst et al. 2019).

In parallel with this number-driven ‘industrial’ approach, there are smaller scale, hypothesis-driven projects that focus on particular populations of neurons, perform targeted single-cell labeling experiments and explore the resulting data to the maximum possible extent. In this setting, axons are traced from a stack of brain slices, stained to highlight particular features and mounted on a glass slide. Tracing axons from this data is a two step process:

1. Find all pieces of axon in each individual section, carried out with microscope-attached software NeuroLucida (MBF Bioscience)

2. Connect pieces of axon across adjacent sections to create a full axonal reconstruction, a process that we refer to as alignment and stitching.

This work takes care of the second step, having sections with traced axonal fragments as input, and complete axons as output. Our approach consists of:

Preparation of a structured dataset that contains for each section all pieces of axon and a section image in a shared coordinate system. Implemented in Python.

Alignment of sections using two complementary methods:

For sections that contain only a few pieces of axon: use a tissue-based alignment tool that presents the user with the overlay of (a) a tissue section, (b) the contours of the adjacent section, and (c) all pieces of axon that are traced in the two sections. The user manually rotates and shifts the overlay to obtain the best possible match. Implemented as a web-based tool.

For sections with many pieces of axon: align sections to create a maximum number of matching pieces, using a modified version of the Dercksen et al. (2005) algorithm. Implemented in Python.

Stitching pieces of neuron using a greedy approach that starts with an initial segment (the soma), and at each iteration connects a piece from the set of unconnected pieces to one of the endings of the growing neuron, in such a way that the added axonal length is minimal, and permitting only stitches between adjacent sections. Implemented in Python.

Registration: combine slices into a volume by using the POSSUM pipeline of Majka et al. (2016) and use 3d warping to register to a reference space.
Depathologization as Healing Justice
Authors: Rodriguez S. M. , Rakes H , Healy Kennedy , Ben-Moshe Liat
Published: April 2023

Healing justice, as with disability justice, and transformative justice/abolition, has largely been a queer-, trans-, woman of color-led intervention into the rights-based, reform-based, and neo/liberal agendas of whitestream movements. We see each of these movements for justice as deeply intertwined with the others, where interdependence and leaving no one behind are key commitments that are not compatible with the individualism of rights and reforms. In this roundtable conversation, we define depathologization and its relation to (queering) anti-normativity; discuss it as an important coalitional site of liberation; an intervention of abolitionist worldmaking. We argue that healing need not be understood in a corrective, carceral (medical) or ableist lens. Rather, healing justice models a philosophy and praxis of anticolonial resistance, communal interdependence, and abolitionist care. We offer the conversation as praxis and a way of learning and unlearning from each other.
Color Blind: Political Realism, Epistemic Racism, And Rhetorical Salience
Authors: Hariman Robert , Beer Francis A.
Published: April 2023

The rhetoric of any academic discipline can involve epistemic distortions and blind spots, including a tendency to obscure systemic racism. The doctrine of political realism from the discipline of International Relations is an influential example. Realism relies on several rhetorical devices, including a structural distinction between rhetoric and reality, a modality of abstraction, and the trope of anarchy/hierarchy. These provide both a compelling theoretical framework and a discursive program that obscures race and racism. Realist discourse operates further through several dimensions of rhetorical salience that are modulated by changes in context. Foreground, background, ambient, and ontic salience provide multiple registers for inscribing realism. Realism's lack of reflexivity in disciplinary, governmental, and public arenas adds to its power and its defects. Exposing the rhetorical constitution of realism and its architecture of non-knowing raises challenges not only for realism but also for rhetoric. These include avoiding the inscription of realism and racism within rhetorical inquiry and avoiding epistemic hubris in the self-definition of rhetoric as a discipline.
Determination of Scattered Radiation to the Thyroid Gland in Dental Cone Beam Computed Tomography
Authors: Hrangkhawl Wilson , Dkhar Winniecia , Madhavan T. S. , Sharath S. , Vineetha R. , Chhaparwal Yogesh
Published: April 2023

Background: Cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) is a specialized medical equipment and plays a significant role in the diagnosis of oral and maxillofacial diseases and abnormalities; however, it is attributed to risk of exposure of ionizing radiation. The aim of the study was to estimate and determine the amount of scattered radiation dose to the thyroid gland in dental CBCT during maxilla and mandible scan.Materials and Methods: The average scattered radiation dose for i-CAT 17–19 Platinum CBCT (Imaging Sciences International) was measured using a Multi-O-Meter (Unfors Instruments), placed at the patient’s neck on the skin surface of the thyroid cartilage, with an exposure parameter of 120 kVp and 37.07 mAs. The surface entrance dose was noted using the Multi-OMeter, which was placed at the time of the scan at the level of the thyroid gland on the anterior surface of the neck.Results and Discussion: The surface entrance dose to the thyroid from both jaws scans was 191.491±78.486 μGy for 0.25 mm voxel and 26.9 seconds, and 153.670±74.041 μGy from the mandible scan, whereas from the maxilla scan the surface entrance dose was 5.259±10.691 μGy.Conclusion: The surface entrance doses to the thyroid gland from imaging of both the jaws, and also from imaging of the maxilla and mandible alone were within the threshold limit. The surface entrance dose and effective dose in CBCT were dependent on the exposure parameters (kVp and mAs), scan length, and field of view. To further reduce the radiation dose, care should be taken in selecting an appropriate protocol as well as the provision of providing shielding to the thyroid gland.
Evaluation of Radiological Effects on the Aptamers to Remove Ionic Radionuclides in the Liquid Radioactive Waste
Authors: Lee Minhye , Cha Gilyong , Kim Dongki , Yun Miyong , Jang Daehyuk , Lee Sunyoung , Kim Song Hyun , Kim Hyuncheol , Kim Soonyoung
Published: April 2023

Background: Aptamers are currently being used in various fields including medical treatments due to their characteristics of selectively binding to specific molecules. Due to their special characteristics, the aptamers are expected to be used to remove radionuclides from a large amount of liquid radioactive waste generated during the decommissioning of nuclear power plants. The radiological effects on the aptamers should be evaluated to ensure their integrity for the application of a radionuclide removal technique.Materials and Methods: In this study, Monte Carlo N-Particle transport code version 6 (MCNP6) and Monte Carlo damage simulation (MCDS) codes were employed to evaluate the radiological effects on the aptamers. MCNP6 was used to evaluate the secondary electron spectrum and the absorbed dose in a medium. MCDS was used to calculate the DNA damage by using the secondary electron spectrum and the absorbed dose. Binding experiments were conducted to indirectly verify the results derived by MCNP6 and MCDS calculations.Results and Discussion: Damage yields of about 5.00×10-4 were calculated for 100 bp aptamer due to the radiation dose of 1 Gy. In experiments with radioactive materials, the results that the removal rate of the radioactive 60Co by the aptamer is the same with the non-radioactive 59Co prove the accuracy of the previous DNA damage calculation.Conclusion: The evaluation results suggest that only very small fraction of significant number of the aptamers will be damaged by the radioactive materials in the liquid radioactive waste. Keywords: Aptamer, Liquid Radioactive Waste, Decommissioning, Decontamination, Radiological Damage
Validity and reproducibility of a whole‐room indirect calorimeter for the estimation of VO2, VCO2, and resting metabolic rate
Authors: Henriksen Hege Berg , Henriksen Christine , de Sousa Ana Rita Sequeira , Alavi Dena Treider , Augestad Elin Maria Sandstad , Rising Russell , Dörner Rebecca , Hägele Franziska Anna , Bosy‐Westphal Anja , Blomhoff Rune , Ulven Stine Marie , Olsen Thomas
Published: April 2023

Whole‐room indirect calorimeters (WRICs) provide accurate instruments for the measurement of respiratory exchange, energy expenditure, and macronutrient oxidation. Here, we aimed to determine the validity and reproducibility of a 7500 L WRIC for the measurement of ventilation rates and resting metabolic rate (RMR). Technical validation was performed with propane combustion tests (n = 10) whereas biological reproducibility was tested in healthy subjects (13 women, 6 men, mean ± SD age 39.6 ± 15.3) in two 60 min measurements separated by 24 h. Subjects followed a run‐in protocol prior to measurements. The coefficient of variation (CV) and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) were calculated for ventilation rates of O2 (VO2), CO2 (VCO2), the respiratory quotient (RQ; VCO2/VO2), and RMR. Technical validation showed good validity with CVs ranging from 0.67% for VO2 to 1.00% for energy expenditure. For biological reproducibility, CVs were 2.89% for VO2; 2.67% for VCO2; 1.95% for RQ; and 2.68% for RMR. With the exception of RQ (74%), ICCs were excellent for VO2 (94%), VCO2 (96%) and RMR (95%). Excluding participants that deviated from the run‐in protocol did not alter results. In conclusion, the 7500 L WRIC is technically valid and reproducible for ventilation rates and RMR.
Mechanisms of gas transfer impairment utilizing nitric oxide following severe COVID‐19 pneumonitis
Authors: Seccombe Leigh M. , Heath David , Farah Claude S. , Di Michiel James R. , Veitch Elizabeth M. , Peters Matthew J.
Published: April 2023

Reduced carbon monoxide diffusing capacity (DLCO) is common after recovery from severe COVID‐19 pneumonitis. The extent to which this relates to alveolar membrane dysfunction as opposed to vascular injury is uncertain. Simultaneous measurement of nitric oxide diffusing capacity (DLNO) and DLCO can partition gas diffusion into its two components: alveolar–capillary membrane conductance (DmCO) and capillary blood volume (VC). We sought to evaluate DmCO and VC in the early and later recovery periods after severe COVID‐19. Patients attended for post‐COVID‐19 clinical review and lung function testing including DLNO/DLCO. Repeat testing occurred when indicated and comparisons made using t‐tests. Forty‐nine (eight female) subjects (mean ± SD age: 58 ± 13, BMI: 34 ± 8) who had severe COVID‐19 pneumonitis, WHO severity classification of 6 ± 1, and prolonged (21 ± 22 days) hospital stay, were assessed 2 months (61 ± 35 days) post discharge. DLCOadj (z‐score −1.70 ± 1.49, 25/49 < lower limit of normal [LLN]) and total lung capacity (z‐score −1.71 ± 1.30) were both reduced. DmCO and VC and were reduced to a similar extent (z‐score −1.19 ± 1.05 and −1.41 ± 1.20, p = 0.4). Seventeen (one female) patients returned for repeat testing 4 months (122 ± 61 days) post discharge. In this subgroup with more impaired lung function, DLCOadj improved but remained below LLN (z‐score −3.15 ± 0.83 vs. −2.39 ± 0.86, p = 0.01), 5/17 improved to >LNN. DmCO improved (z‐score −2.05 ± 0.89 vs. −1.41 ± 0.78, p = 0.01) but VC was unchanged (z‐score −2.51 ± 0.55 vs. −2.29 ± 0.59, p = 0.16). Alveolar membrane conductance is abnormal in the earlier recovery phase following severe COVID‐19 but significantly improves. In contrast, reduced VC persists. These data raise the possibility that persisting effects of acute vascular injury may contribute to gas diffusion impairment long after severe COVID‐19 pneumonitis.
The End of the Print Era
Authors: Askey Dale
Published: April 2023

By 2040, libraries will transit from viewing print books as the standard form for preservation to using digital editions as the copy of record. Libraries will pulp most of their print collections and retain mostly small special collections. Climate change and the resulting political and social instability will drive this transition, but there are potential gains for readers and research if we choose as libraries to pursue them.
Leptin ameliorates Aβ1-42-induced Alzheimer’s disease by suppressing inflammation via activating p-Akt signaling pathway
Authors: Lu Lin , Fu Zijuan , Wu Bing , Zhang Dongsen , Wang Ying
Published: April 2023

Background

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is characterized by progressive neuronal loss, cognitive disorder, and memory decline. Leptin has been reported to have a neuroprotective effect on neurodegenerative diseases.

Objective

Our aim was to investigate whether intraperitoneal injection of leptin has a neuroprotective effect and to explore its underlying mechanisms in the AD mouse model.

Methods

Aβ1-42 was injected into male C57BL/6J mice to construct an AD mouse model, and leptin was injected intraperitoneally to cure AD. The Morris water maze test was used to investigate spatial learning ability. Neuronal loss was tested by tyrosine hydroxylase expression in the hippocampus, and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase mediated dUTP nick-end labeling assay was applied to detect neuronal apoptosis. Pro-inflammatory cytokine levels were monitored by RT-PCR and western blotting was selected to explore which signaling pathway leptin acted on.

Results

Leptin ameliorated spatial learning impairment, restored neuronal loss and apoptosis, and inhibited pro-inflammatory cytokine expression by activating the p-Akt signaling pathway in Aβ1-42-induced AD mice.

Conclusion

Leptin ameliorates Aβ1-42-induced AD by suppressing inflammation via activating the p-Akt signaling pathway.
Prediction methodology for wood compression strength based on particle-filtered near-infrared spectroscopy
Authors: Shi Guangyu , Zhang Yizhuo , Zhao Yinong , Chao Li , Cao Jun
Published: April 2023

The measurement of wood mechanical properties is important for engineering design and applications. This study investigated near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy coupled with particle filter (PF) and partial least-squares (PLS) methods to predict wood compression strength. Three structural timbers (Acer mono, birch, and toothed oak) were studied. The NIR spectra were collected from 900 to 1700 cm-1 and preprocessed by a standard normal variate transformation combined with Savitzky-Golay filtering. The prediction model coefficient matrix and standard variance were obtained by a PF iterative process, and their ratio was used to select the NIR feature wavelength points. A PLS prediction model based on NIR spectroscopy was established to predict the wood compression strength. Compared with the successive projection algorithm (SPA) and Kalman filtering (KF), the PF-PLS prediction model outperformed the other models in all three wood samples, resulting in a high correlation coefficient (r) of 0.89, 0.92, and 0.90, a low root-mean-square error of prediction (RMSEP) of 6.30, 10.60, and 9.71, and a fast average detection speed of 0.28 s, 0.46 s, and 0.33 s, respectively. The optimal PF selection can effectively reduce the redundant information of the NIR matrix and improve the accuracy and efficiency of the prediction model.
Upgrading of bio-oil via microwave-assisted pyrolysis of corncob over CaO and HZSM-5 mixed catalysts to promote the formation of aromatic hydrocarbons
Authors: Wang Xinyun , Li Chuan , Yang Jiliang , Chen Mingqiang , Wang Jun
Published: April 2023

Bio-oil upgrading via microwave-assisted pyrolysis of corncob over CaO and HZSM-5 mixed catalysts to promote the formation of aromatic hydrocarbon was investigated in this study. Results showed that with an increased ratio of HZSM-5 catalyst, the bio-oil yield was decreased; however, the proportion of aromatic hydrocarbons increased at first and then decreased. The maximum proportion of aromatic hydrocarbons was 35.8%, which was obtained with an optimal ratio of CaO to HZSM-5 of 1:2. This study showed the effects of CaO and HZSM-5 mixed catalysts under microwave-assisted pyrolysis in terms of improving the formation of aromatic hydrocarbons in bio-oil.
Adsorption effect of added powder graphite on reduction of volatile organic compounds emissions from expanded polystyrene
Authors: Bubeníková Tatiana , Bednár Martin , Gergeľ Tomáš , Igaz Rastislav
Published: April 2023

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were evaluated with application of a thermal load of thermal insulation boards made of expanded polystyrene (EPS). Samples of commercially produced polystyrene EPS 100S and EPS GreyWall were tested at 60 °C. For qualitative and quantitative analyses, headspace gas chromatography mass spectrometry (HS-GC-MS) was used. To reduce VOC emissions, the chemically non-bound powder graphite was added to the EPS 100S in experiments. The aim of this research was to analyse the effects of graphite bound in EPS structure and of added free powder graphite on the VOC emissions, especially styrene. The research revealed that the graphite bounded in the GreyWall EPS structure had an effect on the reduction of VOCs emissions, and reduced styrene emissions by 14.6%. The addition of powder graphite resulted in a reduction in VOCs emissions below the detection limit.
The effect of the refining intensity on the progress of internal fibrillation and shortening of cellulose fibers
Authors: Przybysz Piotr , Dubowik Marcin , Małachowska Edyta , Kucner Marta , Gajadhur Marta , Przybysz Kazimierz
Published: April 2023

The utility properties of paper are dependent on the modification of the structure of the cellulose fibers, which is achieved via refining. The most important outcomes of the refining process are changes in the internal fibrillation and the shortening of the cellulose fibers. There are numerous opinions published in literature describing the relationship of these parameters and their impact on the final paper properties. These publications have been primarily based on the results of measurements conducted using insufficiently precise methods and simple speculations. The authors of this work decided to determine the effect of the refining intensity on the progress of internal fibrillation and shortening of cellulose fibers and the interrelation between these effects. Refining was performed with a laboratory Hollander beater, which was able to apply different refining loads. Utilizing additional control equipment, the specific edge load was also calculated. Finally, the impact of the refining effects (fibrillation and shortening) on the final properties of the paper were investigated.
Fabrication of naturally derived wood products by thermal flow molding of wood powder with sucrose and citric acid
Authors: Kajikawa Shohei , Horikoshi Masaya , Kuboki Takashi , Tanaka Soichi , Umemura Kenji , Kanayama Kozo
Published: April 2023

Thermal flow molding of wood powder was carried out with a natural binder consisting of sucrose and citric acid (SC binder) for fabricating wood products without synthetic resins. The testing of thermal flow and molding of the wood powder with SC binder was done to analyze the effect of added SC binder, as well as to optimize the molding conditions, such as temperature, binder content, and mixture ratio of the sucrose and citric acid. The wood powder with SC binder flowed successfully at an optimum temperature of 180 °C in the thermal flow test. In addition, it was possible to form a composite wood plate by molding with thermal flow, and the moldability was improved by increasing the sucrose ratio in the SC binder. Density, bending strength, and thickness swelling after water immersion of the plate molded under the optimum molding conditions were 1.4 g/cm3 to 1.5 g/cm3, 28 MPa to 37 MPa, and 7% to 10%, respectively. These results indicated a possibility
Investigation of the mechanical properties in the production process of biomass fuel pellets
Authors: Wang Yu , Sun Yu , Wu Kai
Published: April 2023

The compacting force in the biomass pelletizing process has remarkable effects on energy consumption, equipment life, and pellet quality. This paper presents an experimental study on the mechanical behavior for the pelletizing process of rice straw, wheat straw, and wood shavings, under different levels of technological parameters, including moisture content, compacting velocity, and particle size. Effects of these parameters on the constant coefficients in the three equations were analyzed. The relationship between the coefficients and the pelletizing process was considered. Results showed that Peiyun Huang equation was more suitable for the whole compacting process compared with the other two equations, which meant it was feasible to estimate the required input of the pelletizing system by measuring the product density based on the Peiyun Huang equation. No specific relationships between the coefficients and pellet quality and energy consumption were observed. It is infeasible to predict the pellet quality and energy consumption only by the mechanical properties of the biomass in densification process.
A survey study on the Genetically Modified Organism (GMO) knowledge levels and attitudes of the consumers
Authors: Göncü Serap , Harmankaya Yasin
Published: April 2023

This research was conducted in the form of a survey study to determine the knowledge levels and attitudes of consumers towards genetically modified organism (GMO). The study was carried out in a 4-month period between September and December 2022. As a data collection tool in the research, questions were asked to determine the knowledge level and attitudes of consumers towards GMO products. The findings of the study revealed that the participants were aware of genetically modified products and the majority of them thought that genetically modified foods were harmful. As a result of the data obtained, it is understood that consumers have some misconceptions about GMO and that important awareness trainings are needed to eliminate these misconceptions. In other words, it has been understood that consumers confuse issues such as GMO, pesticide and antibiotic residue from hormone application, and they have wrong information or prejudice on the subject. Another important issue that consumers will face in the future and somehow need to be informed about the features of the products offered for sale in the market.
Potential of biological invasion for carbon sequestration in a protected area: the case of the Limbe Botanic Garden (LBG) forest, Cameroon
Authors: Felenou I Tchinmegni , Stelle Vartant Djeukam Pougoum
Published: April 2023

The Limbe Botanical Garden (LBG) is a relict urban forest located in the heart of the city of Limbe. This forest has many ecological, economic, social and tourist functions and is the green lung of the city of Limbé. Unfortunately, this forest has always been threatened by various anthropic pressures and more recently by invasive exotic species. These threats make us fear the progressive disappearance of this massif, which would be a threat to the plant and animal populations, the riparian communities and the ecosystem services such as carbon regulation. The general objective of our study is to assess the validity of the hypothesis of increased carbon sequestration of invasive species compared to native species. For the floristic inventory, twenty 100 m2 (10 m x 10 m) plots were set up in this LBG urban forest. We recorded information such as the number of adult and juvenile individuals and the diameter of trees greater than or equal to 10 cm. The inventory recorded 349 plant species. The most frequent species is Cyathea camerooniana with 92.3% presence. Cedrela odorata has a frequency of occurrence of 76.9% in this urban forest and a frequency of 60% in the LBG. This taxon has a very high above-ground biomass (187.4 tC/ha) and therefore the highest carbon storage capacity (93.7 tC/ha). It is followed by Diospyros crassifolia and Dialium pachyphyllum, both native species. Cedrela odorata has a positive impact on carbon sequestration and therefore contributes to the well-being of the people. However, the conclusion needs to be qualified because invasive species can influence the functioning of forests in the long term.
Corporate Social Responsibility Practices during COVID-19 Crisis: a Critical Review
Authors: Sekkiou Amani , Azouaou Lamia
Published: April 2023

Purpose: This article aims to identify CSR activities undertaken by companies during Covid-19 in terms of environmental, social, and economic dimensions as well as the responsibility toward employees and customers, using a “systematic literature review method” in order to outline the perceived challenges in terms of companies’ organizational practices.
Findings: This study shows that the Covid-19 pandemic has forced a redefinition of the norms of social responsibility and created significant challenges to companies that required difficult decisions to be made regarding the safety of employees, the economic viability of the company, and its dedication to CSR efforts. Materially, the pandemic directs researchers towards different ways of conceptualizing CSR, yet the existing literature on CSR and the Covid-19 pandemic has focused on the social responsibility without taking into account the challenges faced by companies during this transition in terms of companies’ organizational practices.
Theoretical Implications: This study provides a comprehensive framework of CSR practices in times of the crisis and underlines the changes in companies’ organizational practices in order to implement a sustainable business model not only to tackle this ongoing crisis but also to resist future crises by balancing economic performance and social responsibility.
Practical Implications: The article reflects the importance of delimitating the major factors that help companies overcome new challenges such as resilience, supply chains, public health and corporate responsibility at a new juncture.
Originality/Value: The relevance of this study is the discussion of CSR during the Covid-19 pandemic and its Impact on the organizational practices that have been changed and which should exist to ensure future effective CSR practices.
Research Limitations/Future Research: As in all studies, this research has some limitations. The most important one is that it addresses the topic by referring to a defined literature base. It would be more useful for future comparative research to use other literature bases to assess the robustness of our results. In addition, this paper offers important implications for future empirical researches in order to investigate the impact of each factor highlighted in our study and to explore how CSR can help to address challenges such as public health, supply chains, corporate governance, and corporate responsibility at a new juncture.
Paper Type: Conceptual
JEL Classification: M140, I1, D23
Медійні можливості коміксів: сучасні інструменти формування та представлення організаційної культури
Authors: Hudoshnyk Oksana V. , Krupskyi Oleksandr P.
Published: April 2023

Мета роботи: Сучасний розвиток масової культури характеризується зростанням ринку графічних наративів, стрімким збільшенням сегмента цифрових коміксів, активним використанням коміксу як інструменту комунікації в різних галузях і дисциплінарних напрямах. Мета дослідження: визначити медійні можливості коміксу  в представленні освітньо-навчального, кроскультурного та проблемно-етичного контенту сучасної організаційної культури.
Дизайн / Метод / Підхід дослідження: Оглядовий характер статті передбачає залучення традиційних загальнонаукових методів (опис, порівняння, абстрагування та конкретизація). Міждисциплінарність дослідження актуалізувала компаративний метод у представленні крос-культурних особливостей організаційних/офісних/корпоративних коміксів.
Результати дослідження: Вплив візуальної масової культури та поширення міждисциплінарних інструментів дослідження уможливили в межах заявленої проблематики аналіз трьох напрямів: адаптивні та аудиторноспрямовані коміксові техніки популяризували їх використання з навчальною та освітньою метою; можливість зіставлення типології світових коміксів з кроскультурними глобальними дослідженнями (ми спиралися на методику та результати проєкту GLOBE (Global Leadership and Organizational Behavior Effectiveness); можливості коміксу відтворювати, підтримувати та поширювати традицію певної організаційної культури.
Теоретична цінність дослідження: Робота розширила: (1) можливості різновекторного підходу до коміксової культури з метою уточнення міждисциплінарної методики; (2) уявлення щодо формування та підтримки автентичної організаційної культури за допомогою коміксових технік; (3) можливості використання графічних наративів в процесі навчально-освітньої та професійної комунікації.
Практична цінність дослідження: Можливості використання коміксу в сучасній організаційній культурі на рівні самопрезентації, навчання та підтримки традицій.
Оригінальність/цінність дослідження: Презентовано різновекторний аналіз впливу масової культури (коміксової як її частини) на представлення повсякдення сучасних бізнес-процесів.
Обмеження дослідження / Майбутні дослідження: Аналіз бізнес-процесів мовою графічної культури вимагає валідних методів. Подальші дослідження потребують більшої статистичної вибірки та вдосконалення міждисциплінарних методик.
Islamic Financial Management Student Skill Development Training in Developing a Profit and Loss Information System
Authors: Mashudi Mashudi , Sari Nadia Roosmalita
Published: April 2023

Students of the Sharia Financial Management Study Program still use the manual calculation method in financial management, such as bookkeeping. This model is less effective when used in financial management because students have to think about entering several formulas to produce output in each calculation operation. This will be done repeatedly by students. This method will make students bored and even reduce the level of concentration in the learning process. The use of the internet as a means of supporting learning on campus is still not optimal because once again learning in this course uses conventional methods. The purpose of the service is to provide education about the importance of financial management by utilizing internet-connected technology and providing additional skills to students through training in developing a website-based financial management information system. The service implementation method used is by briefing on the importance of information systems for financial management as well as practices in developing simple information systems. The result of this activity is students are able to develop a simple information system such as for profit and loss calculation system.
INTERNAÇÃO DE IDOSOS POR CONDIÇÕES SENSÍVEIS À ATENÇÃO PRIMÁRIA NO ESTADO DE SANTA CATARINA
Authors: Dynkoski Marcos Antônio , Probst Guilherme Humberto Schmidt , Ferraz Lucimare , Ferretti Fátima , Lutinski Junir Antonio , Busato Maria Assunta
Published: April 2023

Objetivo: analisar a prevalência das Internações por Condições Sensíveis à Atenção Primária (ICSAP) e suas principais causas em idosos segundo as macrorregiões de saúde no Estado de Santa Catarina. Métodos: trata-se de um estudo ecológico descritivo dos dados do Sistema de Internações Hospitalares (SIH – DATASUS), com base, no período de 2008 a 2014. Resultados: Foram avaliadas 262.104 internações. As enfermidades mais frequentes foram a Insuficiência Cardíaca (23,76%), as Doenças Pulmonares (18,89%), Doenças Cerebrovasculares (14,84%), Angina (8,92%) e Diabetes Mellitus (6,75%). As regiões do estado que mais registraram internações foram a Sul (20,33%) e a Oeste (16,55%). Contudo, constatou-se que houve diminuição no número de internações em idosos no período estudado, sugerindo uma boa resolutividade da atenção primária à saúde no Estado. Conclusão: as ICSAP em idosos são relevantes (37,33%) quando comparado ao total de internações feitas pelo Sistema Único de Saúde, nessa população, no estado de Santa Catarina.
The effects of mental games on third graders’ reading comprehension skills in Turkish classes
Authors: Erdem Yasemin , Gök Bilge
Published: April 2023

With the study reported on here we set about to reveal the effects of mental games on third graders’ reading comprehension skills in Turkish classes. The study group comprised 71 students, 35 of whom were included in the experimental group, and 36 in the control group. The experimental group played simple to difficult mental games selected by the researcher for 2 hours per week for 10 weeks. In the control group, the students continued with the traditional teaching process which excluded the playing of mental games until the end of the semester. Mental games like Whatzizz, detective, Q-bitz, Target 5, six, 3 stone, 9 stone, Skippity, Reversi, Kulami, that correspond to skills such as attention-concentration, reasoning, logical inference, and strategic thinking, were used. The study was conducted as a quasi-experimental pre-test/post-test control group design. The quantitative data were collected through the reading comprehension skill test. The pre-test data and the post-test-data collected through the test constituted the research data. The research data were analysed by using the 2-factor ANOVA test for mixed designs. The post-test scores of the students in the experimental group were higher than those of the students in the control group. The findings obtained from the quantitative analysis indicate that mental games had a positive effect on the Turkish reading comprehension of students in the experimental group as well as positive effects on students’ skills such as strategic thinking, logical inference and reasoning.
Dramas of Time in the Space of Emotions
Authors: Soboleva Larisa
Published: April 2023

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A Personal History of the Civil War in Alexander Valevsky’s Drawings
Authors: Alekseev Evgeny
Published: April 2023

The analysis of graphic works by the amateur artist A. N. Valevsky (1896–1938) from the collection of the Ulyanovsk Regional Art Museum makes it possible to get a subjective view of the events of the Civil War in Russia. An officer of Kolchak’s army and later a commander of the Red Army, in his drawings, Valevsky recorded not only the everyday realities of the era but also his own experiences and feelings. The famous Soviet painters of the 1920s‑1930s (M. B. Grekov, A. A. Deineka, K. S. Petrov-Vodkin, B. V. Johanson, etc.) avoided any personal interpretation of the events and independent assessments of the revolutionary cataclysms in their epic paintings dedicated to the Civil War. Such a thing is rare in the works of White émigré artists. On the other hand, amateur artists, for whom the documentation of events happening around and internal experiences was a vital need, more often allowed themselves to interpret the history of the “Russian troubles”. Valevsky created his drawings between 1921 and 1925, after the artist’s return to peaceful life and, thus, they can be perceived as memories of what he had experienced. The manner of his graphic works is diverse; they combine grotesque techniques with an attempt to capture reality, and tragic episodes go hand in hand with romantic and comical. In many compositions, the author includes examples of urban and military folklore, lines from poems, romances, and ditties popular among ordinary people. This technique gives the plots both the “spirit of the times” and metaphoricism important for a work of art – the meaningfulness of images. According to the article, the examination of the material also gives a feeling of the autobiographical nature of the entire graphic cycle.
Language Game in Ergonymic Nominations: Provocativeness and Emotional and Communicative Reception
Authors: Gridina Tatiana
Published: April 2023

The problem field of this article lies in the examination of the mechanisms of modelling and reading the codes of language game in the aspect of their emotional and evaluative impact (including negative) on an individual’s consciousness. The author refers to game nominations of different objects in Yekaterinburg. She proceeds from the theoretical provisions on the complex polycode (multimodal) nature of human emotions, which determines the need for a comprehensive (linguistic, psychological, and psycholinguistic) approach to the analysis of discursive practices of speech activity. The author focuses on the phenomenon of language game understood as a form of lingua-creative thinking based on associative mechanisms of destruction and switching of perception stereotypes, modelling, and using verbal signs. The decoding of the linguistic game unit involves the identification of its prototype and the awareness of a special linguistic technique for its transformation. From this point of view, decoding game ergonyms appears as a reflexive act in which emotional and evaluative projections of their perception manifest themselves. In the light of linguistic technique, the author distinguishes ergonymic linguistic createmes emphasising the emotional and evaluative charge of the motivators used, and game ergonyms modelled using the principles of associative provocation, associative identification, associative derivability, and associative overlay. The article considers ergonymic game units and linguistic createmes, respectively, in the light of pragmatic attitudes and emotional-evaluative vectors of influence on the consciousness of various urban population groups. Additionally, the author pays special attention to emotional-evaluative negative attitudes as planned or unplanned reactions of the nominee to the game ergonym or ergonymic linguistic createmes. Examples of the first type are provocative ergonyms that intentionally cause emotional shock (at primary perception); the second type of game ergonyms and ergonymic linguistic createmes does not imply a negative reaction of the addressee, but their perception encounters communicative barriers – linguistic, social, role-playing, psychological, ideological, aesthetic, etc. To check the positive or negative assessment of the respective nominations, the analysis uses data from psycholinguistic experiments conducted by the author by interviewing random respondents of different gender and age and social and professional status among urban residents. Finally, the author makes a conclusion regarding the zones of negative emotions in the game ergonymic continuum and outlines the prospects of an in-depth experimental study of the psychological reality of the perception of such nominations by bearers of urban culture.