bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Women empowerment domains and unmet need for contraception among married and cohabiting fecund women in Sub-Saharan Africa: A multilevel analysis based on gender role framework
Authors: Habte Aklilu , Tamene Aiggan , Bogale Biruk
Published: September 2023

Background

Low women empowerment, is a known contributing factor to unmet needs for contraception by limiting access to health services through negative cultural beliefs and practices. However, little is known about the association between unmet needs and domains of women empowerment in Sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries. Hence, this study aimed at assessing the influence of women empowerment domains on the unmet need for contraception in the region using the most recent Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) data (2016–2021).

Methods

The data for the study was derived from the appended women’s (IR) file of eighteen SSA countries. A weighted sample of 128,939 married women was analyzed by STATA version 16. The Harvard Institute’s Gender Roles Framework, which comprised of influencer, resource, and decision-making domains was employed to identify and categorize the covariates across three levels. The effects of each predictor on the unmet need for spacing and limiting were examined using a multivariable multilevel mixed-effect multinomial logistic regression analysis. Adjusted relative risk ratio (aRRR) with its corresponding 95% confidence interval was used to declare the statistical significance of the independent variables.

Results

The pooled prevalence of unmet needs for contraception was 26.36% (95% CI: 24.83–30.40) in the region, with unmet needs for spacing and limiting being 16.74% (95% CI: 16.55, 17.02) and 9.62% (95% CI: 9.45, 12.78), respectively. Among variables in the influencer domain, educational level, family size of more than five, parity, number of children, attitude towards wife beating, and media exposure were substantially linked with an unmet need for spacing and limiting. Being in the poorest wealth quintile and enrollment in health insurance schemes, on the other hand, were the two variables in the resource domain that had a significant influence on unmet needs. The overall decision-making capacity of women was found to be the sole significant predictor of unmet needs among the covariates in the decision-making domain.

Conclusion

Unmet needs for contraception in SSA countries were found to be high. Reproductive health program planners and contraceptive service providers should place due emphasis on women who lack formal education, are from low-income families, and have large family sizes. Governments should collaborate with insurance providers to increase health insurance coverage alongside incorporating family planning within the service package to minimize out-of-pocket costs. NGOs, government bodies, and program planners should collaborate across sectors to pool resources, advocate for policies, share best practices, and coordinate initiatives to maximize the capacity of women’s decision-making autonomy.
Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocols following emergency intra-abdominal surgery: A systematic review and meta-analysis protocol
Authors: McKechnie Tyler , Parpia Sameer , Bhandari Mohit , Dionne Joanna C. , Eskicioglu Cagla
Published: September 2023

Objective

The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to evaluate whether the implementation of Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocols for adult patients undergoing emergency intra-abdominal surgery decreases postoperative length of stay, postoperative morbidity, and mortality compared to conventional perioperative care.

Methods

A systematic review and meta-analysis will be performed and reported in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). It has been registered on the International Prospective Register for Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO; CRD42023391709). A comprehensive, electronic search strategy will be used to identify studies published and indexed in MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science, CENTRAL, and Pubmed databases since their inception. Trial registries and references of included studies and pertinent previous systematic reviews will also be searched. Studies will be included if they are randomized controlled trials or cohort studies evaluating adult patients undergoing emergency intra-abdominal surgery and comparing ERAS or modified ERAS protocols to conventional perioperative care and report one of the following outcomes: postoperative length of stay, overall 30-day morbidity, 30-day mortality, 30-day infectious morbidity, prolonged postoperative ileus, return of bowel function, and 30-day readmissions. A meta-analysis will be performed using a random effects model for all comparative data using Cochrane Review Manager 5.3 (London, United Kingdom).

Discussion

ERAS protocols have become standard of care for patients undergoing elective surgery. Their use in the setting of emergency surgery is far less common. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to assess whether there are benefits in patient important outcomes with the implementation of ERAS protocols for patients undergoing emergency intra-abdominal surgery. Ultimately, we hope to promote their use and further large randomized controlled trials evaluating emergency surgery ERAS programs.

Prospero registration number

CRD42023391709.
Effects of Gryllus bimaculatus and Oxya chinensis sinuosa extracts on brain damage via blood-brain barrier control and apoptosis in mice with pentylenetetrazol-induced epilepsy
Authors: Tran Ngoc Buu , Lee Sook-Jeong
Published: September 2023

The demand for environmentally friendly foods with high nutritional value and low carbon emissions is increasing with the aging of the global population and the crisis of food resources. Edible insects are becoming increasingly well-known as such foods. This study evaluated the effects and mechanisms of Gryllus bimaculatus (Cricket) (Gb) and Oxya chinensis sinuosa (Grasshopper) (Ocs) extracts on epilepsy. A pentylenetetrazol (PTZ)-induced seizure mouse model was used for the study, and Gb and Ocs extracts were administered for 29 days on alternate days at concentrations of 8 g/kg and 16 g/kg. The integrity of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and brain edema was measured using the perfusion of Evans blue dye and brain water content. Gb and Ocs extracts prevented BBB permeabilization and cerebral edema through increasing the expression of tight junction-associated proteins in the endothelial cells and reducing water content in PTZ-treated mice. Additionally, Gb and Ocs extracts protected neurons from oxidative stress and apoptosis in different brain areas. These protective effects were demonstrated through the restoration of the expression of neuronal nuclear protein and postsynaptic density protein-95, thus increasing the levels of glutathione and superoxide dismutase, decreasing lipid peroxidation, and recovering apoptosis-associated proteins, such as Bax, cleaved PARP, and cleaved caspase-3, in epileptic mice. In addition, Gb and Ocs extracts rescued PTZ-induced hyperexcitable neurons to control mice level, as supported by the restored expression of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) transporter 1, the metabotropic glutamate receptors–GRM2/3, and BDNF. This study suggested that Gb and Ocs extracts are novel medicinal candidates that can help ameliorate epilepsy by improving BBB health and preventing oxidative stress-mediated apoptosis.
Repurposing of approved drugs for targeting CDK4/6 and aromatase protein using molecular docking and molecular dynamics studies
Authors: yousif Fatima A. , Alzain Abdulrahim A. , Alraih Alhafez M. , Ibraheem Walaa
Published: September 2023

Breast cancer is a leading cause of cancer-related morbidity and mortality worldwide, with the highest incidence among women. Among the various subtypes of breast cancer, estrogen-receptor positive (ER+) is the most diagnosed. Estrogen upregulates cyclin D1, which in turn promotes the activity of CDK4/6 and facilitates cell cycle progression. To address this, the first-line treatment for ER+ breast cancer focuses on inhibiting estrogen production by targeting aromatase, the enzyme responsible for the rate-limiting step in estrogen synthesis. Thus, combining CDK4/6 inhibitors with aromatase inhibitors has emerged as a crucial treatment strategy for this type of breast cancer. This approach effectively suppresses estrogen biosynthesis and controls uncontrolled cell proliferation, significantly improving overall survival rates and delayed disease progression. This study aimed to identify compounds that are likely to inhibit CDK4/6 and aromatase simultaneously by using a structure-based drug design strategy. 12,432 approved and investigational drugs were prepared and docked into the active site of CDK6 using HTVS and XP docking modes of Glide resulting in 277 compounds with docking scores ≤ -7 kcal/mol. These compounds were docked into aromatase enzyme using XP mode to give seven drugs with docking scores≤ -6.001 kcal/mol. Furthermore, the shortlisted drugs were docked against CDK4 showing docking scores ranging from -3.254 to -8.254 kcal/mol. Moreover, MM-GBSA for the top seven drugs was calculated. Four drugs, namely ellagic acid, carazolol, dantron, and apomorphine, demonstrated good binding affinity to all three protein targets CDK4/6 and aromatase. Specifically, they exhibited favourable binding free energy with CDK6, with values of -51.92, -53.90, -50.22, and -60.97 kcal/mol, respectively. Among these drugs, apomorphine displayed the most favourable binding free energy with all three protein targets. To further evaluate the stability of the interaction, apomorphine was subjected to a 100 ns molecular dynamics simulation with CDK6. The results indicated the formation of a stable ligand-protein complex. While the results obtained from the MM-GBSA calculation of the binding free energies of the MD conformations of apomorphine showed less favourable binding free energy compared to that obtained post-docking. All these computational findings will provide better structural insight for the development of CDK4/6 and aromatase multi-target inhibitors.
Wearables for running gait analysis: A study protocol
Authors: Mason Rachel , Godfrey Alan , Barry Gillian , Stuart Samuel
Published: September 2023

Quantitative running gait analysis is an important tool that provides beneficial outcomes to injury risk/recovery or performance assessment. Wearable devices have allowed running gait to be evaluated in any environment (i.e., laboratory or real-world settings), yet there are a plethora of different grades of devices (i.e., research-grade, commercial, or novel multi-modal) available with little information to make informed decisions on selection. This paper outlines a protocol that will examine different grades of wearables for running gait analysis in healthy individuals. Specifically, this pilot study will: 1) examine analytical validity and reliability of wearables (research-grade, commercial, high-end multimodal) within a controlled laboratory setting; 2) examine analytical validation of different grades of wearables in a real-world setting, and 3) explore clinical validation and usability of wearables for running gait analysis (e.g., injury history (previously injured, never injured), performance level (novice, elite) and relationship to meaningful outcomes). The different grades of wearable include: (1) A research-grade device, the Ax6 consists of a configurable tri-axial accelerometer and tri-axial gyroscope with variable sampling capabilities; (2) attainable (low-grade) commercial with proprietary software, the DorsaVi ViMove2 consisting of two, non-configurable IMUs modules, with a fixed sampling rate and (3) novel multimodal high-end system, the DANU Sports System that is a pair of textile socks, that contain silicone based capacitive pressure sensors, and configurable IMU modules with variable sampling rates.

Clinical trial registration: Trial registration: NCT05277181.
Risk factors for the progression to multimorbidity among UK urban working-age adults. A community cohort study
Authors: Stagg Anne L. , Harber-Aschan Lisa , Hatch Stephani L. , Fear Nicola T. , Dorrington Sarah , Madan Ira , Stevelink Sharon A. M.
Published: September 2023

Objectives

The progression of long-term conditions (LTCs) from zero-to-one (initiation), and from one-to-many (progression)are common trajectories that impact a person’s quality of life including their ability to work. This study aimed to explore the demographic, socioeconomic, psychosocial, and health-related determinants of LTC initiation and progression, with a focus on work participation.

Methods

Data from 622 working-age adults who had completed two waves (baseline and follow-up) of the South-East London Community Health survey were analysed. Chi square tests and multinomial logistic regression were used to describe the associations between self-reported demographic, socioeconomic, psychosocial, and health-related variables, and the progression of LTCs.

Results

Small social networks, an increased number of stressful life events, low self-rated health, functional impairment, and increased somatic symptom severity were all associated with both the progression from zero-to-one LTC and from one LTC to multimorbidity (two or more LTCs). Renting accommodation (RRR 1.73 [95% CI 1.03–2.90]), smoking (RRR 1.91 [95% CI 1.16–3.14]) and being overweight (RRR 1.88 [95% CL 1.12–3.16]) were unique risk factors of developing initial LTCs, whereas low income (RRR 2.53 [95% CI 1.11–5.80]), working part-time (RRR 2.82 ([95% CL 1.12–7.10]), being unemployed (RRR 4.83 [95% CI 1.69–13.84]), and making an early work exit (RRR 16.86 [95% CI 3.99–71.30]) all increased the risk of progressing from one LTC to multimorbidity compared to being employed full-time. At follow-up, depression was the most prevalent LTC in the unemployed group whereas musculoskeletal conditions were the most prevalent in those working.

Conclusions

The journey to multimorbidity is complex, with both common and unique risk factors. Non-full-time employment was associated with an increased risk of progression to multimorbidity. Future research should explore the risk and benefit pathways between employment and progression of LTCs. Interventions to prevent progression of LTCs should include mitigation of modifiable risk factors such as social isolation.
Commercial hatchery processing may affect susceptibility to stress in laying hens
Authors: Van Poucke Enya , Suchánková Hedvika , Jensen Per
Published: September 2023

Directly upon hatching, laying hen chicks are exposed to multiple stressful events during large-scale hatchery processing, which may affect their later coping abilities. Commercial hatchery chicks (HC) were compared to chicks that were incubated and hatched simultaneously under calm conditions (CC). After being raised under similar, non-stressful conditions for 36 days, all chicks were exposed to a series of stressors: transportation and introduction into a novel environment followed by a regrouping event in order to characterize long-lasting consequences of hatchery treatment. Tonic immobility, corticosterone levels, and peripheral body temperature were used to assess reactions to the stress events. Tonic immobility was not affected by treatment but was significantly reduced in CC after transport. Corticosterone levels did not differ between treatments when assessed two days before and two days after regrouping. Comb temperature was significantly higher in HC following regrouping, indicating stress-induced hyperthermia. Furthermore, comb temperature dropped more following blood sampling in HC than in CC, indicating a stronger autonomic response to acute stress. In conclusion, the results suggest possible long-term negative effects of commercial hatchery processing, compared to hatching under silent and less stressful conditions, on the coping ability of laying hens to later stressful experiences.
Copulatory courtship, body temperature and infection in Tenebrio molitor
Authors: Cargnelutti Franco , Castillo-Pérez Ulises , Reyes-Ramírez Alicia , Rocha-Ortega Maya , Córdoba-Aguilar Alex
Published: September 2023

Ectothermic animals can raise their body temperature under varying circumstances. Two such situations occur during sexual activity (as metabolic rate rises during copulatory movements) and during infection (to control pathogens more effectively). We have investigated these two situations using Tenebrio molitor males. We recorded the copulatory courtship behavior of sick (= infected with Metharizium robertsii fungus) vs healthy males and its link with body temperature. We predicted a positive relation between copulatory courtship (measured as antennal and leg contact behavior) and body temperature, especially in sick males. We found that the intensity of contacts correlated with increased body temperature in sick males. Previous studies in this species indicated that partner females laid fewer eggs after mating with sick males above a certain male body temperature threshold. Thus, our present findings suggest that females may detect male infection via intensity of antennal-mediated courtship, body temperature or their combination. If this is the case, females may assess male cues directly related to health status such as body temperature.
A qualitative exploration of internet forum discussions surrounding female sexual function for individuals with Sjögren’s syndrome
Authors: McCready Jemma L. , McCarty Kristofor , Deary Vincent , Collins Tracy L. , Hackett Katie L.
Published: September 2023

Sexual dysfunction is a common experience for women with the autoimmune rheumatic disease, Sjögren’s syndrome (SS); however, the lived experience of how the disease affects sexual functioning and the sexual environment remains unexplored. This qualitative study explores the conversations pertaining to female sexual function and the sexual environment that individuals with SS have on an internet forum. Qualitative data posted on one publicly accessible, worldwide, internet forum was extracted using an automated web scraping tool. A total of 247,694 posts across 23,382 threads were scraped from the forum in July 2019 and June 2022 (from the United Kingdom). A predetermined and theoretically informed keyword search strategy was used to screen the captured data for content relevant to the study aim. The dataset was cleaned to remove duplication and identifying information and screened for topic relevance. The Computer-Assisted Qualitative Data Analysis software tool, ATLAS.ti, was used to facilitate the data analysis process. Thematic analysis was conducted on 1443 female-oriented posts, and four key themes were identified: the symptoms of SS and their impact on the sexual environment; the emotional responses that are commonly evoked in response to sexual difficulties; the strategies that users have implemented to manage sexual problems; and the impact that a partner’s behavior may have on the sexual environment. Together these themes provide an insight into the nature of sexual difficulties for females with SS. Our findings provide novel insights to inform clinical discussions between practitioners and patients whilst further outlining the importance of undertaking qualitative research with this population.
Antimicrobial mitochondrial reactive oxygen species induction by lung epithelial immunometabolic modulation
Authors: Wang Yongxing , Kulkarni Vikram V. , Pantaleón García Jezreel , Leiva-Juárez Miguel M. , Goldblatt David L. , Gulraiz Fahad , Vila Ellis Lisandra , Chen Jichao , Longmire Michael K. , Donepudi Sri Ramya , Lorenzi Philip L. , Wang Hao , Wong Lee-Jun , Tuvim Michael J. , Evans Scott E.
Published: September 2023

Pneumonia is a worldwide threat, making discovery of novel means to combat lower respiratory tract infection an urgent need. Manipulating the lungs’ intrinsic host defenses by therapeutic delivery of certain pathogen-associated molecular patterns protects mice against pneumonia in a reactive oxygen species (ROS)-dependent manner. Here we show that antimicrobial ROS are induced from lung epithelial cells by interactions of CpG oligodeoxynucleotides (ODN) with mitochondrial voltage-dependent anion channel 1 (VDAC1). The ODN-VDAC1 interaction alters cellular ATP/ADP/AMP localization, increases delivery of electrons to the electron transport chain (ETC), increases mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm), differentially modulates ETC complex activities and consequently results in leak of electrons from ETC complex III and superoxide formation. The ODN-induced mitochondrial ROS yield protective antibacterial effects. Together, these studies identify a therapeutic metabolic manipulation strategy to broadly protect against pneumonia without reliance on antibiotics.
Adaptive evolution in virulence effectors of the rice blast fungus Pyricularia oryzae
Authors: Le Naour—Vernet Marie , Charriat Florian , Gracy Jérôme , Cros-Arteil Sandrine , Ravel Sébastien , Veillet Florian , Meusnier Isabelle , Padilla André , Kroj Thomas , Cesari Stella , Gladieux Pierre
Published: September 2023

Plant pathogens secrete proteins called effectors that target host cellular processes to promote disease. Recently, structural genomics has identified several families of fungal effectors that share a similar three-dimensional structure despite remarkably variable amino-acid sequences and surface properties. To explore the selective forces that underlie the sequence variability of structurally-analogous effectors, we focused on MAX effectors, a structural family of effectors that are major determinants of virulence in the rice blast fungus Pyricularia oryzae. Using structure-informed gene annotation, we identified 58 to 78 MAX effector genes per genome in a set of 120 isolates representing seven host-associated lineages. The expression of MAX effector genes was primarily restricted to the early biotrophic phase of infection and strongly influenced by the host plant. Pangenome analyses of MAX effectors demonstrated extensive presence/absence polymorphism and identified gene loss events possibly involved in host range adaptation. However, gene knock-in experiments did not reveal a strong effect on virulence phenotypes suggesting that other evolutionary mechanisms are the main drivers of MAX effector losses. MAX effectors displayed high levels of standing variation and high rates of non-synonymous substitutions, pointing to widespread positive selection shaping the molecular diversity of MAX effectors. The combination of these analyses with structural data revealed that positive selection acts mostly on residues located in particular structural elements and at specific positions. By providing a comprehensive catalog of amino acid polymorphism, and by identifying the structural determinants of the sequence diversity, our work will inform future studies aimed at elucidating the function and mode of action of MAX effectors.
Ask forgiveness, not permission: Busking, community and contempt
Authors: Williams Joseph
Published: September 2023

Who would choose to be a busker and why? How are buskers positioned by, and in relation to, state, commercial and social formations that configure public spaces and public selves? I approach busking through the concept of micropolitics, developed by Gilles Deleuze and Félix Guattari, which argues that life and politics are immanent: inseparable from and coextensive with one another. I take Zygmunt Bauman’s pessimistic vision of ‘liquid modernity’ – a chimeric analysis that maps the coercive and alienating conditions of postmodernism and neo-liberalism – as a fitting backdrop for highlighting the significance of street music. To facilitate this discussion, I draw on memories of my background as a busker, documentary sources and autoethnographic fieldwork conducted in ten locations across regional New South Wales (Australia) between June and August 2022. I adopt a storytelling approach, foregrounding the experience of busking for the busker, and combine this with documentary analysis of regulatory frameworks and quantitative analysis of my busking sessions and earnings in different locations. In contrast to recent studies that applaud the efficacy of regulations, and that represent buskers as rational agents pursuing commercial and artistic interests, I argue that busking, as a way of life, makes little sense except as micropolitical resistance to the alienating conditions of liquid modernity. Moreover, expressions of state, economic and social power frequently manifest contempt for buskers and busking, sometimes to the point of precluding buskers from effectively conducting their livelihoods within the scope of the law. I draw on Macalester Bell’s theorization of contempt as an indispensable ethical position that manifests disregard for its object, to consider the ways in which busking appeals to the humanity of state, commercial and social agents. ‘Ask forgiveness, not permission’ is an idiom of conventional wisdom for buskers, signalling, on the one hand, an internalization of the contempt they are accustomed to receiving from those in a position to facilitate ‘permission’ and, on the other, the ideal that, if things go well, they might inspire human agents to condemn the regulatory pedantry that would proscribe their livelihoods.
The story of a busker, and his dad
Authors: Angus Fionn Crombie , Angus Jonathan
Published: September 2023

This article explores the working relationship between a son–father busking partnership. Fionn is a man in his mid-20s, a violinist and busker, with Down’s Syndrome. His dad, Jonathan, is Fionn’s support and manager. In this article they detail the genesis and nature of their working relationship, the places they have travelled, aspects challenging the busking profession (including economics and technology) and the day-to-day business of busking, as well as the unique role they play in community music and interaction.
Busking in the neo-liberal city: A critical inventory of a selection of street art ordinances in Austria
Authors: Chaker Sarah
Published: September 2023

The conditions under which buskers pursue their art have never been easy, but their situation has become even more complicated recently, as public spaces worldwide have been transformed under rampant neo-liberal conditions. Street music today often takes place against the backdrop of globally oriented urban planning, which is frequently shaped by neo-liberal considerations that ascribe specific qualities and functions to public outdoor places and spaces. By subjecting these spaces, which remain central for street music activities even in the digital age, to increasing official control and regulation, street musicians are often exposed to a regulatory frenzy – enacted by local politics and executed by local authorities – that makes it difficult or even impossible for many of them to perform in public in a manner of their choosing. Moreover, under such conditions the creative potential of street music is not allowed to unfold in its breadth and heterogeneity, but only in a limited manner. An analysis of the street art ordinances of the cities of Vienna, Salzburg and Innsbruck exemplifies the status quo in Austria in this regard and demonstrates how different the political strategies for dealing with street music are in this self-proclaimed country of music. Rather than being seen as a nuisance to be controlled, it is argued that a rich and diverse street music landscape has a significant democratic potential, which would flourish under a more sensitive approach to public spaces on the part of politics and city planning.
Buskers as agents of change in Hong Kong
Authors: Lam Chi Ying , Cheng Lee , He Sunnie Yang
Published: September 2023

While busking can provide entertainment and contribute to community development, it can also stimulate discussions and debates within the community, prompting individuals to reflect on political and social crises. This is the case of post-pandemic Hong Kong, where citizens’ lives are tightly controlled; following a series of social movements, public gatherings have been prohibited due to questionable social distancing measures and the closure of pedestrian zones. This article presents a case study that examines the role of buskers as agents of change through community music engagement. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with three buskers, participant observation and field notes taken during busking events. The findings from the conversation analysis revealed that buskers and citizens’ participation in busking activities helped cultivate their creative expression of ideas, empowering them to transcend the rigid societal structure and unequal power relations between authorities and citizens, enabling social advocacy efforts such as reclaiming lost public space, expanding the community into the online realm, and fostering a cultivated mindset of ‘becoming’ that sustains the possibilities of autonomy within the community.
La metáfora del amante domesticado en Florencio Conde de José María Samper
Authors: Herrera Ruiz Juan Carlos
Published: September 2023

El artículo analiza el modo en que en la novela Florencio Conde. Escenas de la vida colombiana (1875) de José María Samper, se ensaya una imagen del esclavo liberto en el periodo post-Independencia neogranadino; primero como sujeto económico, que ejercita su individualidad y ciudadanía bajo el influjo de una organización republicana, donde se pondera el librecambismo, y después como «amante racializado», al que le es sustraída nuevamente la libertad, sobre cuya corporeidad se restaura el régimen esclavista y se reconstruye el deseo del amo. Se analiza la tentativa estética de construir en el personaje Segundo Conde un carácter de ciudadano racionalista, aunque de índole dócil y discreta, que sirva de afortunado ejemplo de mestizaje, en el marco de la fundación de la nación y de una nueva estructura de relaciones de producción, metamorfoseadas por la lógica individualista de la ganancia y la acumulación de capital. Hay un énfasis en la composición de cuadros, delicadamente dibujados, escrupulosamente eróticos, en los que se verifica el encuentro del hombre negro y la mujer blanca, suponiendo esto una variable, sino transgresiva para la época, por lo menos inusual; de ahí que en la novela también se moldea ágilmente la imagen de un sujeto afectivo, capaz de amar a pesar de negro, en un contexto en el que la idea de la inferioridad racial y moral podía conjurarse solo por medio del futuro blanquimiento, o de la generosa promesa que viene implícita tras la aprobación social del desigual romance. En su conjunto, el análisis confirma la tesis de que Florencio Conde. Escenas de la vida colombiana se corresponde con aquel tipo de novela artefacto por medio de la cual, basándose en un patrón ideológico evolucionista, pero con remanentes del pasado, las élites letradas hispanoamericanas del siglo xix dieron los primeros pasos hacia una tradición literaria nacional, que refractase la feliz convergencia de razas, culturas y clases sociales.
Ramón F. Llorens García, Mónica Ruiz Bañuls y José Rovira Collado (eds.). Educación literaria y América Latina: retos en la formación lectora. Madrid: Visor Libros, 2022
Authors: Pérez-García Carmen
Published: September 2023

Reseña de Carmen Pérez-García sobre Educación literaria y América Latina: retos en la formación lectora (Visor Libros, 2022) de Ramón F. Llorens García, Mónica Ruiz Bañuls y José Rovira Collado (eds.). 420 p. ISBN: 978-84-9895-621-4
Tramas da hospitalidade “hosteleira”: dádiva ou exercício cênico?
Authors: Gomes Christianne L. , Pereira Joyce Kimarce do Carmo
Published: September 2023

O objetivo deste artigo é compreender as possibilidades e os limites para que a hospitalidade genuína se concretize em hostels, segundo a visão de anfitriões que trabalham neste meio de hospedagem em Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brasil. O tema proposto é, ainda, incipiente no contexto brasileiro, do ponto de vista dos estudos acadêmicos, das iniciativas governamentais e dos investimentos mercadológicos nesse meio de hospedagem. A metodologia foi de abordagem qualitativa e envolveu pesquisa de campo em três hostels selecionados mediante critérios preestabelecidos, nos quais foram realizadas observações e entrevistas com seis anfitriões que trabalham nesse segmento. As informações recolhidas foram sistematizadas pela análise de conteúdo, contando com o suporte do software NVivo. Os principais resultados evidenciam que os atos de receber/acolher e hospedar são regados por um calor humano dedicado aos hóspedes por parte dos anfitriões dos hostels estudados. Tal constatação coloca em realce aspectos como o sacrifício de si, em prol do bem-estar da pessoa acolhida, revelando a linha tênue existente entre o ato de servir e o servilismo na trama hospitaleira. A hospitalidade em hostels é regida pela tônica comercial, mas as observações e entrevistas evidenciaram que os anfitriões abrem possibilidades para que a hospitalidade genuína se manifeste nesse contexto, não se resumindo, portanto, a um mero exercício cênico. A presente pesquisa pretende, desse modo, contribuir com os estudos sobre a hospitalidade, tendo em vista o embrionário debate, no que se refere à manifestação da dádiva em contextos comerciais, que para a sua concretização, entram em cena sentidos e significados que são, constantemente, desafiados por limites e possibilidades presentes na trama hospitaleira.
Notes from the Editors, September 2023
Authors: Editors -
Published: September 2023

buy this issueWhat is the New Washington Consensus? In this month’s Notes from the Editors, MR editors discuss Washington’s fundamental shift in its approach to China, moving from an emphasis on neoliberal globalization toward a new, more aggressive policy pursuing U.S. military and industrial supremacy.
Driving Behaviors Recognition Using Deep Neural Networks
Authors: Darwish Karam , Ali Majd
Published: September 2023

Road accidents are skyrocketing, and traffic safety is a severe problem around the world. Many road traffic deaths are related to drivers’ unsafe behaviors. In this paper, we propose two different deep-learning models which classify the driver’s actions in a 60-second time frame into two main categories: Normal and Aggressive driving based on GPS data collected at 1 Hz, which is later preprocessed and passed to the proposed models to identify dominant driving behavior in each time frame. The models achieved an accuracy of 93.75 percent in real-world tests, which proves the efficiency of this method in driving behavior recognition.
Vision-based Propeller Damage Inspection Using Machine Learning
Authors: Harras Mohamed Salim , Saleh Shadi , Battseren Batbayar , Hardt Wolfram
Published: September 2023

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) play an increasingly pivotal role in day-to-day rescue operations, offering crucial aerial support in challenging terrain and emergencies, such as drowning. Drone hangars are strategically deployed to ensure swift response in remote locations, overcoming range-limiting constraints posed by battery capacity. However, the UAV's airworthiness, typically ensured through conventional inspections by a technical individual, is paramount to guarantee mission safety. Over time, UAVs are prone to degradation through contact with the external environment, with propellers often being the cause of flight instability and potential crashes. This paper presents an innovative approach to automate UAV propeller inspection to avert incidents preemptively. Leveraging visual recordings and deep learning methodologies, we train a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) model using both passive and active learning strategies. Our approach successfully detects physical damage on propellers with an impressive accuracy of 85.8%, promising a significant improvement in maintaining UAV flight safety and effectiveness in rescue operations.
Study for the Development Needs of Professional Teachers at Vocational Education and Training Institution in Mongolia
Authors: Boloo Nyamsuren , Baljinnyam Gerelmaa
Published: September 2023

This paper describes an importance of development needs of professional teachers at vocational education and training institutions in Mongolia. Study group consisted of 14 public and private vocational education institutions and 285 professional teachers participated in the survey. The purpose of this study was to determine the needs of teacher training and professional development at vocational education and training institutions. In particular, the relationship between the needs of teachers and the factors that influence them have been analyzed within the framework of the survey. For statistical analyses, variation value, reliability analysis, KMO and Bartlett’s test, commonality of variables, correlation analysis were performed. The findings indicated that it is necessary to implement various policies and activities to support and develop school-based activities and support them financially in order to ensure the professional development of teachers. Also, it is required to consider the teacher development of training content and improvement of training courses to support the development of teachers of vocational education and training. Moreover, there is need to operate the content of training for teacher development. The paper concludes with recommendations for further investigation.
Relevansi Penerapan Prinsip Mengenali Pengguna Jasa Terhadap Kewenangan Notaris
Authors: Puspareni Annisa Septia , Wisnaeni Fifiana
Published: September 2023

AbstractThe Notary besides having the authority to make an authentic deeds, they also have the authority to identify their service users. This study aims to know the relevancy between implementation’s principle of recognizing service users, based on Permenkumham No. 9 of 2017 with the Notary’s authority and the legal consequences for a Notary who does not apply this principle. The method in this study is used normative research. The results of the study indicate the Notary’s authority to apply the principle of recognizing service users is the attribution authority obtained from Permenkumham No. 9 of 2017 and the legal consequences for a Notary who does not apply this principle, may be subjected to an administrative sanctions based on the UUJN.Keywords: notary; authority; service userAbstrakNotaris selain memiliki kewenangan untuk membuat akta otentik juga memiliki kewenangan untuk mengenali pengguna jasanya. Artikel ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui relevansi penerapan prinsip mengenali pengguna jasa berdasarkan Permenkumham No. 9 Tahun 2017 terhadap kewenangan Notaris dan akibat hukumnya bagi Notaris yang tidak menerapkan prinsip tersebut. Metode penelitian yang digunakan adalah penelitian normatif. Hasil menunjukkan bahwa kewenangan Notaris untuk menerapkan prinsip mengenali pengguna jasa merupakan kewenangan atribusi yang diperoleh dari Permenkumham No 9 Tahun 2017 dan akibat hukum bagi Notaris yang tidak menerapkan prinsip tersebut adalah Notaris dapat dikenakan sanksi administrasi berdasarkan UUJN.Kata kunci: notaris; kewenangan; pengguna jasa
Jangka Waktu HGB Di Atas HPL Pasca PP No 18 Tahun 2021
Authors: Alviola Bella Krisita , Silviana Ana
Published: September 2023

AbstractThe period and arrangements regarding the procedure for extending HGB above HPL are currently regulated in PP No. 18 of 2021. Any changes in the procedure for extending the term of HGB above HPL are considered to be out of sync and harmony. The purpose of the study was to determine the arrangement of the period of HGB over HPL after the enactment of PP No. 18 of 2021 and the suitability of setting the term of HGB above HPL in PP No. 18 of 2021 with the UUPA. The results obtained from this study are firstly the regulation regarding the period of HGB over HPL which is now regulated in PP No. 18 of 2021. Second, there is no synchronization between UUPA, UUCK, and PP No. 18 of 2021.Keywords: HGB; HPL; synchronization; harmonizationAbstrakJangka waktu dan pengaturan mengenai tata cara perpanjangan HGB diatas HPL saat ini diatur dalam PP No 18 Tahun 2021. Adanya perubahan mengenai tata cara perpanjangan jangka waktu HGB diatas HPL dianggap tidak sinkron dan harmonis. Tujuan penelitian untuk mengetahui pengaturan jangka waktu HGB di atas HPL pasca berlakunya PP No 18 Tahun 2021 dan kesesuaian pengaturan jangka waktu HGB di atas HPL dalam PP No 18 Tahun 2021 dengan UUPA. Hasil yang diperoleh dari penelitian ini adalah pertama pengaturan mengenai jangka waktu HGB di atas HPL yang sekarang diatur dalam PP No 18 Tahun 2021. Kedua tidak ada sinkronisasi antara UUPA, UUCK, dan PP No 18 Tahun 2021Kata kunci: HGB; HPL; sinkronisasi; harmonisasi
Both Caspase and Calpain are Involved in Endoplasmic Reticulum-Targeted BNIP3-Induced Cell Death
Authors: Zeng J. , Huang Y. Y. , Xu X. M. , Li S. H. , Zuo Dongchuan
Published: September 2023

Bcl-2/E1B-19K-interacting protein 3 (BNIP3) is a member of the apoptotic B-cell lymphoma-2 family that regulates cell death. Although BNIP3 targeted normally to the mitochondrial outer membrane by its transmembrane domain was originally considered to be essential for its pro-apoptotic activity, accumulating evidence has shown that BNIP3 is localized to endoplasmic reticulum at physiological conditions and that forced expression of BNIP3 can initiate cell death via multiple pathways depending on the subcellular compartment it targets. Targeting BNIP3 to endoplasmic reticulum has been shown to participate in cell death during endoplasmic reticulum stress. However, the molecular events responsible for BNIP3-induced cell death in the endoplasmic reticulum remain poorly understood. In the present study, the transmembrane domain of BNIP3 was replaced with a segment of cytochrome b5 that targets BNIP3 into endoplasmic reticulum, which induced cell death as effectively as its wild-type molecule in the SW480 cell line (colon carcinoma). Furthermore, a pan-caspase inhibitor, z-VAD-fmk, and PD150606, a specific calpain inhibitor, both significantly suppressed the endoplasmic reticulum-targeted BNIP3- induced cell death. These results suggest that endoplasmic reticulum-targeted BNIP3 induced a mixed mode of cell death requiring both caspases and calpains.
Caregiver Burden of Patients With Huntington’s Disease in South Korea
Authors: Lee Chan Young , Shin Chaewon , Hwang Yun Su , Oh Eungseok , Kim Manho , Kim Hyun Sook , Chung Sun Ju , Sung Young Hee , Yoon Won Tae , Cho Jin Whan , Lee Jae-Hyeok , Kim Han-Joon , Chang Hee Jin , Jeon Beomseok , Woo Kyung Ah , Koh Seong-Beom , Kwon Kyum-Yil , Moon Jangsup , Kim Young Eun , Lee Jee-Young
Published: September 2023

Objective This is the first prospective cohort study of Huntington’s disease (HD) in Korea. This study aimed to investigate the caregiver burden in relation to the characteristics of patients and caregivers.Methods From August 2020 to February 2022, we enrolled patients with HD from 13 university hospitals in Korea. We used the 12-item Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI-12) to evaluate the caregiver burden. We evaluated the clinical associations of the ZBI-12 scores by linear regression analysis and investigated the differences between the low- and high-burden groups.Results Sixty-five patients with HD and 45 caregivers were enrolled in this cohort study. The average age at onset of motor symptoms was 49.3 ± 12.3 years, with an average cytosine-adenine-guanine (CAG)n of 42.9 ± 4.0 (38–65). The median ZBI-12 score among our caregivers was 17.6 ± 14.2. A higher caregiver burden was associated with a more severe Shoulson–Fahn stage (p = 0.038) of the patients. A higher ZBI-12 score was also associated with lower independence scale (B = -0.154, p = 0.006) and functional capacity (B = -1.082, p = 0.002) scores of patients. The caregiving duration was longer in the high- than in the low-burden group. Caregivers’ demographics, blood relation, and marital and social status did not affect the burden significantly.Conclusion HD patients’ neurological status exerts an enormous impact on the caregiver burden regardless of the demographic or social status of the caregiver. This study emphasizes the need to establish an optimal support system for families dealing with HD in Korea. A future longitudinal analysis could help us understand how disease progression aggravates the caregiver burden throughout the entire disease course.
“I’m not angry!”: language ideologies, misunderstanding, and marginalization among North Korean refugees in rural South Korea
Authors: Park Mi Yung
Published: September 2023

This qualitative study examines the language attitudes and language use of two North Korean refugees living in the Gyeongsang provincial region of South Korea and actively trying to assimilate into mainstream Korean society. In interviews, the participants expressed a hierarchical view of three varieties of Korean (their North Korean Hamgyong dialect, the South Korean Gyeongsang dialect, and standard South Korean). They discussed how their North Korean accents exacerbated their marginalization, described the Gyeongsang dialect as “ignorant” and “rude,” and explained how and why they were trying to acquire standard South Korean. They also described how their North Korean accent continued to affect their communication with local South Korean speakers, who often perceived them as sounding angry and commanding. The participants had developed diverse communicative strategies in response to these language-related challenges, including smiling so as to not appear aggressive, remaining silent to avoid being outed by their speech, speaking carefully to appear more South Korean and avoid potential misunderstandings, and proactively revealing their North Korean background and seeking their interlocutors’ understanding in advance. Based on the findings, the study offers practical implications for language-support programs designed for North Korean refugees.
Secure bootstrapping for next-gen industrial automation systems
Authors: Finster Sören , Dawoud Abdallah , Kohnhäuser Florian , Karaagac Abdulkadir
Published: September 2023

The digitalization of industry and the convergence of IT and OT bring about the next generation of industrial automation systems which are expected to work with an orchestration of physical and virtualized components using a single converged network. The increase of complexity in such systems must be managed by an increase in automation for orchestration and management. However, bootstrapping such a complex system from out-of-the-box components is still a manual and error-prone process. We present a bootstrapping concept that brings up a system from out-of-the-box components to an operational solution with physical and virtualized components. The concept combines incremental network discovery with secure incremental bootstrapping of discovered physical components. The gained trust in the physical components of the network is then used to translate this trust into virtualized components. By attesting the trustworthiness of hosting infrastructure, the concept allows for virtualized components to be securely assigned a cryptographically secure identity that can be used in further application onboarding. Such securely bootstrapped systems are then capable to deliver the required adaptable, modular, and secure automation solutions of the future.