bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Interventions to reduce opioid use for patients with chronic non-cancer pain in primary care settings: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Cai Qian , Grigoroglou Christos , Allen Thomas , Chen Teng-Chou , Chen Li-Chia , Kontopantelis Evangelos
Published: October 2024

Objective

This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to assess interventions to reduce opioid use for patients with chronic non-cancer pain (CNCP) versus usual care or active controls in primary care settings.

Methods

In this registered study (PROSPERO: CRD42022338458), we searched MEDLINE, Embase PsycInfo, CINAHL, and Cochrane Library from inception to December 28th 2021, and updated on Dec 14th 2023 for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and cohort studies with no restrictions. Methodological quality was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool for RCTs and Newcastle Ottawa Scale for cohort studies. Primary outcomes included mean reduction in morphine equivalent daily dose (reported as mean differences [MDs] mg/day; 95% confidence intervals [95%CIs]) and/or opioid cessation proportion. Secondary outcomes were mean changes in pain severity (reported as standardized mean difference [SMDs]; 95%CIs) and (serious) adverse events. Meta-analyses were performed using random-effects models.

Results

We identified 3,826 records, of which five RCTs (953 participants) and five cohort studies (901 participants) were included. Overall, opioid dosage was significantly reduced in intervention groups compared to controls (MD: -28.63 mg/day, 95%CI: -39.77 to -17.49; I2 = 31.25%; eight studies). Subgroup analyses revealed significant opioid dose reductions with mindfulness (MD: -29.36 mg/day 95%CI: -40.55 to -18.17; I2 = 0.00%; two trials) and CBT-based multimodalities (MD: -41.68 mg/day; 95%CI: -58.47 to -24.89; I2 = 0.00%; two cohort studies), respectively, compared to usual care. No significant differences were observed in opioid cessation (Odds ratio: 1.10, 95%CI: -0.48 to 2.67, I2 = 58.59%; two trials) or pain severity (SMD: -0.13, 95%CI: -0.37 to 0.11; I2 = 33.51%; three trials). Adverse events were infrequently examined, with withdrawal symptoms commonly reported.

Conclusions

The studied interventions were effective in reducing opioid dosage for people with CNCP in primary care. They highlighted the importance of multidisciplinary collaboration. Large-scale RCTs measuring the long-term effects and cost of these interventions are needed before their implementation.
Enhanced thermal stability enables human mismatch-specific thymine–DNA glycosylase to catalyse futile DNA repair
Authors: Manapkyzy Diana , Joldybayeva Botagoz , Ishchenko Alexander A. , Matkarimov Bakhyt T. , Zharkov Dmitry O. , Taipakova Sabira , Saparbaev Murat K.
Published: October 2024

Human thymine-DNA glycosylase (TDG) excises T mispaired with G in a CpG context to initiate the base excision repair (BER) pathway. TDG is also involved in epigenetic regulation of gene expression by participating in active DNA demethylation. Here we demonstrate that under extended incubation time the full-length TDG (TDGFL), but neither its isolated catalytic domain (TDGcat) nor methyl-CpG binding domain-containing protein 4 (MBD4) DNA glycosylase, exhibits significant excision activity towards T and C in regular non-damaged DNA duplex in TpG/CpA and CpG/CpG contexts. Time course of the cleavage product accumulation under single-turnover conditions shows that the apparent rate constant for TDGFL-catalysed excision of T from T•A base pairs (0.0014–0.0069 min−1) is 85–330-fold lower than for the excision of T from T•G mispairs (0.47–0.61 min−1). Unexpectedly, TDGFL, but not TDGcat, exhibits prolonged enzyme survival at 37°C when incubated in the presence of equimolar concentrations of a non-specific DNA duplex, suggesting that the disordered N- and C-terminal domains of TDG can interact with DNA and stabilize the overall conformation of the protein. Notably, TDGFL was able to excise 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC), but not 5-methylcytosine residues from duplex DNA with the efficiency that could be physiologically relevant in post-mitotic cells. Our findings demonstrate that, under the experimental conditions used, TDG catalyses sequence context-dependent removal of T, C and 5hmC residues from regular DNA duplexes. We propose that in vivo the TDG-initiated futile DNA BER may lead to formation of persistent single-strand breaks in non-methylated or hydroxymethylated chromatin regions.
Pb-resistant Pantoea rwandensis promotes maize’s growth by altering Pb accumulation in biomass and soil Pb immobilization
Authors: Jiang Runhai , Zhu Chengqiang , Wen Shaofu , Zhang Mei , Zhang Yani , Hou Xiuli
Published: October 2024

In lead (Pb)-contaminated soil, inoculating phosphate-solubilizing bacteria (PSB) to reduce the phytoavailability of Pb and to change the soil nutrients is an important way to inhibit the Pb uptake by plants. In this study, we isolated the native Pb-resistant Pantoea rwandensis from a tailings site. We employed broth culture and pot experiments to investigate the effect of the inoculation of P. rwandensis on Pb immobilization in the soil, the soil nutrients, the microbial community, and Pb accumulation in the biomass of maize (Zea mays L.). The results showed that P. rwandensis not only tolerated Pb2+ but also dissolved Ca3(PO4)2 by secreting oxalic acid, tartaric acid, lactic acid, and acetic acid, which significantly increased the amount of dissolved P, up to 567.50 mg.L-1. In the pot experiment, the application of culture filtrate, an inoculation with P. rwandensis, or a mixture of culture filtrate and P. rwandensis increased the soil residual Pb by 49.57%, 89.81%, and 41.69%, respectively, compared to the control. Consequently, the increase in the residual Pb in the soil inhibited its uptake by maize, and an inoculation of P. rwandensis or a mixture of culture filtrate and P. rwandensis decreased the accumulation of Pb in the shoot biomass of maize by 61.65% and 72.48% and in the roots of maize by 26.00% and 39.59%, respectively. Meanwhile, P. rwandensis and the mixture of culture filtrate and P. rwandensis increased the shoot biomass of maize by 54.39% and 17.86% and the root biomass of maize by 108.77% and 17.86%, respectively. A P. rwandensis inoculation increased the biodiversity of the fungal community and the abundance of Proteobacteria, Mortierella, and Sphingomonas. Our results demonstrate that an inoculation with P. rwandensis could promote the transformation of Pb fractions and a functional change in the soil bacterial community, ultimately decreasing Pb accumulation in the biomass and promoting the development of maize.
The curious case of the Dana platypus and what it can teach us about how lead shotgun pellets behave in fluid preserved museum specimens and may limit their scientific value
Authors: Lauridsen Henrik , Johansson Daniel Klingberg , Pedersen Christina Carøe Ejlskov , Hansen Kasper , Krols Michiel , Gregersen Kristian Murphy , Jæger Julie Nogel , Williams Catherine Jane Alexandra , Sandgreen Ditte-Mari , Alstrup Aage Kristian Olsen , Bertelsen Mads Frost , Møller Peter Rask
Published: October 2024

Fluid preserved animal specimens in the collections of natural history museums constitute an invaluable archive of past and present animal diversity. Well-preserved specimens have a shelf-life spanning centuries and are widely used for e.g. anatomical, taxonomical and genetic studies. The way specimens were collected depended on the type of animal and the historical setting. As many small mammals and birds were historically collected by shooting, large quantities of heavy metal residues, primarily lead, may have been introduced into the sample in the form of lead shot pellets. Over time, these pellets may react with tissue fluids and/or the fixation and preservation agents and corrode into lead salts. As these chemicals are toxic, they could constitute a health issue to collection staff. Additionally, heavy element chemicals interfere with several imaging technologies increasingly used for non-invasive studies, and may confound anatomical and pathological investigations on affected specimens. Here we present a case-study based on platypus (Ornithorhynchus anatinus) and other small mammals containing lead pellets from the collection of The Natural History Museum of Denmark.
Optimising co-design processes in telemedicine innovation–developing a telemedical solution for emergency medical services
Authors: Klager Elisabeth , Lintschinger Josef Michael , Teufel Anna , Schaden Eva , Manschein Valerie , Reischmann-Senoner Lena , Ulbing Stefan , Willschke Harald , Frimmel Christoph , Renner Reinhold , Grill Christiane , Hafner Christina
Published: October 2024

Background

Stakeholder engagement plays a vital role in driving advancements in product development. This imperative now extends to the healthcare domain, driven by the scarcity of healthcare professionals and the pressing demand for effective solutions. Through the application of design thinking and co-design methodologies, this study endeavours to promote comprehensive stakeholder involvement, creating streamlined processes and adaptable templates geared towards fostering innovative solutions for tele-emergency medicine.

Methods

In this study design thinking and co-design methods are developed, adapted, and tested, to create effective tools and demonstrate their application. This is part of a process involving stakeholders and lead users to develop a telemedicine solution for emergency medical services. This research is descriptive in kind, offering a transparent and holistic portrayal of the co-design process. The rural region of Burgenland in Austria was chosen for this study, with the challenges of its weak infrastructure offering valuable insights. The tools were tested in co-design workshops, with the participants continuously observed by the research team.

Results

Seventeen healthcare professionals, emergency medical technicians and academics participated in a co-design process to develop a telemedicine solution for emergency medical services. The results section presents practical co-creative healthcare innovation tools and templates that have been shown to facilitate the co-design process.

Conclusions

The study developed and applied co-design elements for the creation of a prototype concept for telemedicine in emergency medicine and offers valuable insights for similar projects involving diverse stakeholders. It shows that structured co-design activities help all stakeholders to jointly create solutions that meet the overall needs.
Impulse control disorders and other non-motor symptoms in Sri Lankan patients with Parkinson’s disease
Authors: Herath H. M. M. T. B. , Wijayawardhana K. W. S. M. , Wickramarachchi U. I. , Senanayake Sunethra , Rodrigo Chaturaka , Senanayake Bimsara
Published: October 2024

The impact of non-motor symptoms is often overlooked in favour of the motor symptoms when managing Parkinson’s disease resulting in suboptimal patient outcomes. This study aimed to characterise the non-motor symptoms of Parkinson’s disease in a cohort of Sri Lankan patients with a special focus on the impulsive control disorders and other compulsive behaviours (ICDs-CB) that had not been previously studied in this population. All patients with idiopathic Parkinson’s disease followed up at the National Hospital of Colombo, Sri Lanka were included. The presence or absence of non-motor symptoms and their perceived impact was recorded with an interviewer administered questionnaire. Symptoms of anxiety and depression were assessed with Hamilton Anxiety and Depression scales. Presence of ICDs-CB was assessed with the questionnaire for Impulsive-Compulsive Disorders in Parkinson’s Disease. Of 192 patients 97% (186) reported at least 2 non-motor symptoms. About 83% (160/192) screened positive for anxiety, 40% (76/192) for depression, and 17% (32/192) for an ICDs-CB. A lower Barthel index, history of past psychiatric disorders and family history of alcohol abuse were independent predictors of ICDs-DB. Managing both motor and non-motor symptoms are important to preserve the quality of life of patients with Parkinson’s disease. They should be screened for symptoms for anxiety and depression regularly during follow up and educated about the possibility of ICDs-CB soon after diagnosis.
Resistance to Cry14A family Bacillus thuringiensis crystal proteins in Caenornabditis elegans operates via the nhr-31 transcription factor and vacuolar-type ATPase pathway
Authors: Kim Youmie , Nguyen Thanh-Thanh , Durning Daniel J. , Ishidate Takao , Aydemir Ozkan , Mello Craig C. , Hu Yan , Kahn Theodore W. , Aroian Raffi V.
Published: October 2024

Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) has been successfully used commercially for more than 60 years for biocontrol of insect pests. Since 1996, transgenic plants expressing Bt crystal (Cry) proteins have been used commercially to provide protection against insects that predate on corn and cotton. More recently, Bt Cry proteins that target nematodes have been discovered. One of these, Cry14Ab, has been expressed in transgenic soybean plants and found to provide significant protection against the soybean cyst nematode, Heterodera glycines. However, to date there has been no description of high-level resistance to any Cry14A family protein in nematodes. Here, we describe forward genetic screens to identify such mutants using the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. Although non-conditional screens failed to identify highly resistant C. elegans, a conditional (temperature-sensitive) genetic screen identified one mutant, bre-6(ye123) (for Bt protein resistant), highly resistant to both Cry14Aa and Cry14Ab. The mutant comes at a high fitness cost, showing significant delays in growth and development and reduced fecundity. bre-6(ye123) hermaphrodites are only weakly resistant to copper intoxication, indicating that the mutant is not highly resistant to all insults. Backcrossing—whole genome sequencing was used to identify the gene mutated in ye123 as the nuclear hormone receptor nhr-31. RNAi, DNA rescue, and CRISPR analyses confirm that resistance to Cry14Aa intoxication in bre-6(ye123) is due to mutation of nhr-31 and was renamed nhr-31(ye123). As predicted for a mutation in this gene, nhr-31(ye123) animals showed significantly reduced expression of most of the subunits of the C. elegans vacuolar ATPase (vATPase). Mutants in the vATPase subunits unc-32 and vha-7 also show resistance to Cry14Aa and/or Cry14Ab. These data demonstrate that nhr-31 and the vATPase play a significant role in the intoxication of C. elegans by Cry14A family proteins, that reduction in vATPase levels result in high resistance to Cry14A family proteins, and that such resistance comes at a high fitness cost. Based on the relative difficulty of finding resistant mutants and the fitness cost associated with the vATPase pathway, our data suggest that transgenic Cry14Ab plants may hold up well to resistance by nematode parasites.
Smartification of punishment: AI, criminal justice and the future of carceral communication
Authors: Canlı Ece
Published: October 2024

This article critically examines the implementation of artificial intelligence (AI) in the criminal justice system, which is praised for its potential to increase operational efficiency, provide rehabilitative services, reduce recidivism and improve communication with(in) the prison context. However, critics highlight significant human rights concerns in smart prisons, noting that AI-driven technologies amplify carceral surveillance, invade privacy and perpetuate biased profiling, exacerbating the psychological, mental and physical conditions of both prisoners and their communities. Drawing on emerging literature, global trends and practical examples, the article investigates how AI gradually changes the dynamics of both carceral communication and the future of penal justice at large.
Googling it: While news search results can affect newsrooms’ perception of social issues, journalists mainly rely on it for complementary information
Authors: Rupar Verica , Myllylahti Merja , Jones Haley-Georgia , Li Weihua , Mohaghegh Mahsa , Parisa Prunella
Published: October 2024

This article investigates the ramifications of search engine algorithms for journalism practice and its professional commitment to serving the public interest. Taking a discipline-transcending approach that combines quantitative data analysis with an exploration of the social forces shaping knowledge production in journalism, we examine a case study involving New Zealand media’s coverage of economic recession. This inquiry addresses the question of how journalists navigate the terrain of algorithms and respond to the challenges posed by programme-based news production in relation to their professional norms. Our study highlights the significant role of search engines, particularly Google, in shaping the journalistic newsgathering process and, consequently, public understanding of social issues. The computer-assisted analysis of Google’s ‘recession’ news selection revealed distinct patterns in the distribution of news content and geographical bias towards the United States within the selection algorithm. Ethnographic research at one Auckland newsroom revealed that Google Search is a fundamental tool for journalists, albeit used primarily for basic information-gathering and fact-checking rather than in-depth investigative work.
AI, the storyteller: Content analysis of disability representation in stories created for children
Authors: Gogolushko Luda
Published: October 2024

This study explored the disability representations found in Google’s artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot from January to March 2024. The content analysis examined Google’s Bard and Gemini’s story structure – which evolved over the weeks – in creating stories with disabled main characters. Findings discovered themes such as supercrip, inspiration porn and pity. Disabled boys tended to be associated with the supercrip stereotype, centring on adventure-type stories. Disabled girls were more commonly portrayed as sources of inspiration, tasked with improving the world. Physical disabilities (e.g. using a wheelchair, crutches or a donkey) were prominent in 71 per cent (n = 55) of all stories.
Re-examining the Past and Envisioning the Future of Italian Cinema and Media: Journal of Italian Cinema & Media Studies – fourth international conference, The American University of Rome, 13–15 June 2024
Authors: Bonnici Glen
Published: October 2024

The fourth international conference of the Journal of Italian Cinema & Media Studies (JICMS) was held at The American University of Rome on 13–15 June 2024. The co-organizers were Flavia Laviosa (Wellesley College) and Catherine Ramsey-Portolano (The American University of Rome) and this year’s title was Re-examining the Past and Envisioning the Future of Italian Cinema and Media. Participants from five continents and various countries, with diverse academic backgrounds, including film studies, Italian studies, media studies, social sciences and industry practice, came together for three days of stimulating discussions and productive exchanges of ideas and perspectives. The keynote address ‘Non-fiction filmmaking in contemporary Italy’ was delivered by Áine O’Healy from Loyola Marymount University. The conference was further enriched by the presence of directors Paolo Benvenuti, Monica Guerritore and Liliana Cavani. This report provides an overview of the conference.
“It is the best Tool we have, but that doesn’t mean it’s a Good Tool”: Czech Civically Engaged Youth Actors on Tackling the Ambiguity of Using Digital Media
Authors: Šimková Karolína , Kárníková Lydie
Published: October 2024

This paper explores the ambiguities of using digital media in youth’s civic engagement, acknowledging the unprecedented transformation of the senses of public and private, and the pivotal role of the digital context in shaping citizenship. It presents results from a thematic analysis of post-sorting interviews conducted within a Q research among civically engaged youth actors aged 13-18 (n=20) from Czechia, mapping their experiences with digital media. The study identifies six key themes that point to the ever- present balancing of the risks and opportunities in pursuing the participants’ agendas online. The results reveal a high level of online resilience and digital literacy of the participants, exposing coping strategies they adopt while navigating the online spaces. The study also reports on the transformed notion of sociality, pointing to the glocal implications for active engagement in the digital age, which allows garnering support from peer groups and communities on a transnational basis.
The potential role of extremophiles as food supplements in extraterrestrial bioscience engineering
Authors: Ellena Gabriele , Santomartino Rosa , Mazzoli Arianna , Spacova Irina , Leys Natalie , Lebeer Sarah , Mastroleo Felice
Published: October 2024

In Situ food production is being evaluated by space agencies to lead humans beyond Earth.This food production must be efficient, require as little energy as possible, and be simple toinitiate. The strategy considered multiple options, leveraging extraterrestrial in situ resources,the utilization of Bioregenerative Life Support Systems (BLSS), or a combination of thesemethods. In all cases, the provision of micronutrients from a mostly vegan diet does notcover the daily needs of astronauts, leading to deficiencies. In this work, the use of ediblemicroorganisms is evaluated to provide micronutrients lacking in current predominantlyvegan space diets. Numerous challenges exist in space conditions, necessitating the use ofmicroorganisms with robust DNA repair systems able to survive constant exposure to spaceradiation. As a result, radioresistant, osmotolerant, and acidophilic microorganisms, whichhave been listed for Qualified Presumption of Safety (QPS) or registered as Novel Food by theEuropean Food Safety Authority (EFSA), were selected. These extremophiles have thepotential to produce micronutrients absent from the current space diet. The selectedextremophiles will undergo testing in space conditions to assess their survival under ionizingradiation, reduced gravities, and utilizing in-situ resource techniques such as lysate fromcyanobacterium grown on Martian simulant. This work presents the results of a modeldeveloped to evaluate nutritional gaps in an exemplar space diet and explores the potentialof extremophiles to address these gaps. Results from the first screening show that theextremophilic non-conventional yeast Debaryomices hansenii can produce unsaturatedfatty acids and Ergosterol, which can be converted into Vitamin D2 by UV irradiation. Sporesof the halotolerant Bacillus subtilis have been studied for resistance to ionizing radiation andMartian surface conditions; it is widely studied for vitamin B2 production. Strains of theacidophilic Limosilactobacillus reuteri have been proven to produce Vitamin B12 and Folate.
The Flabby Flesh and Flaccid Bodies of Idiots
Authors: Spill Frédérique
Published: October 2024

This chapter considers the bodily architecture of Faulknerian idiots, which creates unusual compositions in the interplay between shape and shapelessness. In Faulkner, the idiot’s outer appearance or shape does not have a neat and clearly definable shape. The bodies of idiots, with an overabundance of flaccid flesh that distorts the skeletal structure, contrasts with the descriptions of “normal” bodies, which are readily described as rigid and inflexible.
The Exacerbation of Sensation
Authors: Spill Frédérique
Published: October 2024

This chapter explores how the writing of Faulknerian idiocy emanates from a gaze that is both the metaphor and the crucible for singular narrative choices; it is a writing of feeling, which decomposes how the idiot’s external and internal stimulations cause specific modifying effects on his perception and its affects. The writing of idiocy therefore marks a decisive stage in Faulkner’s writing: it is striking that the development of an aesthetics of idiot sensation should involve one of the most striking characteristics of Faulkner’s style, namely the systematic primacy of sensations over sentiments.
Focus 32 - octobre 2024
Authors: De la Croix David , Gobbi Paula Eugenia , Schnor Christine
Published: October 2024

En janvier dernier, le Président français Emmanuel Macron a parlé de "réarmement démographique" lors d'une intervention télévisée. Son discours s'est inscrit dans le contexte des défis démographiques en Europe, soulignant le désir de rajeunir et de stabiliser la taille de la population par le biais d'une série de politiques pro-natalistes. Ce focus de Regards économiques vise à discuter de l’efficacité de ces politiques au regard d’autres leviers d’action possibles comme les mesures visant à promouvoir l’égalité des hommes et des femmes.
Pluralita identit v kultuře afroamerického ghetta
Authors: Procházková Eva
Published: October 2024

Identity research is the subject of many scientific disciplines. In the most general terms, identity can be perceived as a certain ability to become aware of and to define one’s self. The main objective of the paper is a comprehensive overview of a theoretical study addressing the diverse identities that arise, form, and overlap in the specific environment of the African-American ghetto. It is based on the findings of significant ethnographic studies, fieldwork, autobiographies, interviews, and other sources that deal with the subject. In the introduction, I will focus on the etymology of the concept, history, and well-known theories defining ghetto culture. The main focus will be on the different perceptions of territorial belonging and the formation of ethnic identity throughout history. On the basis of selected literary sources, I will present some individual and group identities that have been formed in the environment in relation to lifestyle, to ways of livelihood, and to local subcultures. In the conclusion, I will highlight some contemporary ghetto issues, such as the consequences of globalization, gentrification and touristification.
Zdvořilý řečový habitus jako sociokulturní regulativ vztahové sítě
Authors: Slowik Miroslav
Published: October 2024

The article aims to monitor the functional range of communication and speech based on the essence of language markets in geographically and politically different social configurations. Speech behavior, which is part of all human interaction with other people, is a very broad phenomenon, and one of its modularities is the specific area that we call speech courtesy or politeness. Speech politeness is one of the characteristics of human behavior in society, and arises from the need to respond to the structure of this society, to relationships between individuals, to social stratification, and to archetypal standards of behavior; all of this is then reflected in the language by coded entities that reveal trends in social mobility, as well as in the type of social modalities of linguistic ethnicity. However, this is not just a phenomenon that arises as a reaction, reflecting the aforementioned cultural and social facts in merely one way; it is also a phenomenon that shapes and maintains the structure of society, its stratification, and the relationships between individuals itself. Speech politeness is thus an immanent part of all linguistic behavior of man, and one can observe its characteristic aspects, which are either i) common for the studied linguistic communities or ii) different, which then appear as distinctive features of two culturally linguistic formulas.
Sociální pozice romského žáka v prestižní základní škole
Authors: Vorlíček Radek
Published: October 2024

This article focuses on the social position of Roma pupils at Prestige Elementary School, whose pupil population is predominantly homogeneous in terms of ethnicity and class. Special attention is paid to the boundary constructions within the groups of children. Drawn from an ethnographic study, data shows that in the school classroom, there is a strong feeling of dislike among the pupils of different ethnic groups. In addition, the article implicitly points out the factors that influence the ethnic and membership identity of Roma pupils within the particular context of Prestige School. To some degree, the text also offers new insight into the limits of the school success of Roma children.
Wilfrid J. Harrington: Kniha Zjevení
Authors: Kružík Josef
Published: October 2024

A review of the book by Wilfrid J. Harrington.
Interlocking of Urbanity and Rurality in the Popular Culture of East Central Europe
Authors: Nebřenský Zdeněk , Šíma Karel
Published: October 2024

The historical narrative of nation building in East Central Europe has highlighted how national movements have linked the city and the village (see e.g. Hroch 2000: 156–161). The linear process of urbanization as a part of modernization has relied on a logic that interlocks rural and urban spaces in this region (Jemelka 2014, Brzostek 2014). Whilst on the one hand, both capitalist and state socialist modernization have brought an influx of rural migrants from the countryside to urban centers, this has, on the other hand, given rise to numerous artistic and social activities that have fostered an interest in rural space and culture (e.g. folklorism, (agro-)tourism, rural sentimentalism). It is only from this perspective that we see the emergence of tensions between popular culture rooted in traditional folk culture, cultural activities stimulated by new technologies, and the everyday life strategies of urban communities and subcultures. During the 20th century, different political regimes brought to the fore either rural or urban segments of the population, which in turn had a significant impact on popular culture. Taking this as a starting point, this thematic issue is focused on the question of an in-betweenness that could be dubbed “rurbanity”, comprising such phenomena that challenge the simple urban/rural split (Todorova 2009: 47–48, cf. Halstead 2008: 2–4).
Olivia Angé – David Berliner (eds.). Anthropology and Nostalgia
Authors: Seidlová Veronika
Published: October 2024

A review of the book by Olivia Angé and David Berliner.
Proč je křesťanský uprchlík lepší uprchlík
Authors: Lukášová Eva
Published: October 2024

Media in the Czech Republic covers the issue of refugees and migration from various approaches. Emphasizing religion is one of these. During the period of 2015 and at the beginning of the year 2016, the concept of Christianity often appeared in connection with the acceptance of refugees in the Czech Republic. This text aims to analyze the role that the religious determination of refugees plays in Czech media. For this purpose, articles found by the Anopress media database were analyzed. Findings show that when speaking about refugees in the Czech Republic, borders between “us” and “them” are, in general, quite obvious. However, Christianity is used as a tool to, if we apply Richard Alba’s concept, blur these boundaries. In this particular situation, Czech society, which is usually not in favor of institutionalized religions, understands Christianity as a significant factor. The picture which the media provides us about this issue also indicates how Czech people define the so-called integration process. We can see that the fears that are associated with refugees are handled by the objective to assimilate them, instead of integrating such incomers into society.
Idea univerzity Karla Jasperse
Authors: Bojda Martin
Published: October 2024

This study focuses on the nature, basis, changes, and reception of the concept of the “idea of university” by one of the leading German philosophers of the 20th century, Karl Jaspers, who ranked for over half a century among the sharp, and often controversial, widely accepted analysts of political life in Germany and Europe, and that namely in relation to the theory, development, and institutional and social integration of science and philosophical thought. The study concentrates on the ideological sources and limits of the impact and validity of Jasper’s concept of university reform, and on the mission and essence of science in the period after the First and Second World Wars in the contexts of German social-political discussions in the sixties, i. e. especially in the contexts of the three versions of his work “The Idea of University” (1923, 1946, and 1961). Attention is paid to Jasper’s foundation of the specifics and of the efforts of scientific knowledge and research in his philosophy of existence and epistemology, as well as to his differentiation of science and philosophy and of science and faith. The thematisation of Jaspers’ definition of rationality and of freedom as the fundamentals of a specific European culture tries to take into consideration the importance and topicality of such reflections, as well as showing together with Jaspers the necessity of its systematic-theoretical anchoring.
„V normálním životě bychom se nikdy dohromady nedali.“
Authors: Beláňová Andrea
Published: October 2024

Arranged marriages, together with mass weddings, are not the only remarkable practices of the Unification Church. Arranged marriages can also be viewed as the central point of the Unification Church members’ life histories. These biographies are continuously being created, shared, and retold within the group. Currently, three main generations meet in the Unification Church: the first generation, the second generation, and the neophytes. Members of each generation form their life-stories in a slightly different way. However, as I argue in this article, all of these biographies follow a four-stage structure when speaking about the “matching process”, which leads to the creation of a couple. All three of the generations also incorporate several “more powerful actors” in their narratives, who assist with accepting the chosen life partner and help keep the life trajectory going in the expected and accepted direction. Moreover, humor is always present to relieve any drama in the story. For the analysis, interviews from the Czech, the Slovak, and the American communities of the Unification Church were used, together with the author’s field notes and with Unification Church publications.
Pavel Pospěch: Od veřejného prostoru k nákupním centrům: svět cizinců a jeho regulace
Authors: Bernard Josef
Published: October 2024

A review of the book by Pavel Pospěch.
Editorial
Authors: Ezzeddine PETRA , Havelková Hana
Published: October 2024

Our original aim in preparing this monothematic issue was to focus on a “blank spot” in migration studies – the issue of ageing in the process of migration. This is an area that has long remained empirically unresearched. In the field of migration studies, academic interest has focused more on the connection between migration and the ageing of the recipient societies (demographic studies) and the influence of migration on the ageing of the population in the country of origin, in other words on situations where those migrating are mostly of productive age. A further issue that arises during study of the connection between gender, ageing and migration is the field of care practices. This in the end proved to be the thematic axis of all the studies included in our monothematic issue. In this issue of Urban People we present selected empirical studies from the field of social anthropology and sociology. They use qualitative data from surveys of male and female migrants concerning, from various perspectives, the theme of old age.
Adéla Souralová: New Perspectives on Mutual Dependency in Care-Giving
Authors: Svobodová Andrea
Published: October 2024

A review of the book by Adéla Souralová.
Konrad Paul Liesmann: Hodina duchů: praxe nevzdělanosti
Authors: Kružík Josef
Published: October 2024

A review of the book by Konrad Paul Liesmann.
Práce v kotli
Authors: Pařízková Alena , Šusta David
Published: October 2024

Professional football as a globalised sport is increasingly shaped by the processes of McDonaldisation. Specific places in football stadiums known as the “kotel” became the last asylum for opposition to this development. We grasp the interconnection of sites and individuals in the contexts of different ideologies, and power relations through the perspective of those football fans known as the ultras. Based on the ethnographic research of the fans of the AC Sparta Football Club, the article shows that Spartan ultras are formed mainly around three basic points: carnival, “kotel”, and traditions. Carnival is a way of cheering, “kotel” is a place of practice, and tradition means authenticity, community and continuity. The declared principles of cheering assist in shaping the fans’ authenticity and tribal belonging, thus creating a basis for sovereignty. They define their position in the unequal power hierarchy of professional football in terms of tradition, authenticity and independence, which stands as dichotomous and contradictory to modern consumerism. However, many of their activities are modern and glocal.
Misie a smysl misijní činnosti v raně koloniální Brazílii optikou kroniky História do Brasil Vicenteho ze Salvadoru
Authors: Kalenda František
Published: October 2024

While Jesuit missions and missionary activities in early Colonial Brazil have been thoroughly studied both in the Czech Republic and elsewhere, Franciscan missionaries hailing from the period leading up to the 1630 destruction of the Olinda Centre are often forgotten or left for the historians of the Franciscan Order to deal with. A striking lack of primary Franciscan period sources on the subject is partially responsible for this state; the vast majority of available Franciscan primary sources date from a much later period, to the 18th century. The completely preserved and not thoroughly studied História do Brasil by Vicente of Salvador, a Franciscan custodian and historiographer from 1630, is therefore a unique source of information on the Franciscan order in Brazil and its missionary activities in this Portuguese colony. Although missions and not even Vicente’s order itself are not in the epicentre of the chronicle, it contains both practical information on the Franciscan activities on Brazilian soil and, maybe even more importantly, a specific point of view on the meaning of missions to the indigenous population. Unlike his Jesuit contemporaries and Franciscan colleagues from a later period, Vicente of Salvador does not provide a particularly successful narrative of missionary activities, and remains rather sceptical about the potential of christianising “gentiles”. Instead, he sees indigenous Brazilians as widely incapable of becoming Christians, and favours force and even defends enslavement as an alternative to “peaceful” missions. These views, differing from the other contemporary Jesuit sources and the later Franciscan chroniclers, being much closer to the view of colonists, make his account even more fascinating and attention-worth.
Eva Hahnová: Od Palackého k Benešovi. Německé texty o Češích, Němcích a českých zemích.
Authors: Brabačová Marcela
Published: October 2024

A review of the book by Eva Hahnová.
Katarína Popelková a kol.: Čo je to sviatok v 21. storočí na Slovensku?
Authors: Salner Peter
Published: October 2024

A review of the book by Katarína Popelková.
Grigorij Mesežnikov – Zora Bútorová – Miroslav Kollár (eds.): Desať rokov v Únii: slovenská a česká cesta.
Authors: Kroupa Jan
Published: October 2024

A review of the book by Grigorij Mesežnikov, Zora Bútorová and Miroslav Kollár.
Theorizing Diaspora and Music
Authors: Solomon Thomas
Published: October 2024

This article sketches out a synthesis of issues that have emerged in the study of diaspora and music. The author identifies two broad approaches in the literature: 1) diaspora as social formation and 2) diaspora as metaphor. By “diaspora as social formation” is meant approaches that stress a sociological definition of diaspora and that emphasize the historical facts and material conditions of diasporas, with empirical enquiry focused on the social networks that maintain diasporic communities and the role of music in articulating such networks. In contrast, approaches that evoke “diaspora as metaphor” emphasize the interpretive possibilities that the idea of diaspora enables in regard to the historical and contemporary global flows of music. The article ends with a brief discussion of the metaphor of the rhizome as a way of thinking about the non-hierarchical nature of diasporic networks, and of the way music may articulate the different nodes of these networks while providing a vehicle for the imagination and performance of diasporic consciousness.
Transit Migration
Authors: Hikmet Öğüt Evrim
Published: October 2024

As a result of the expanding human mobilization in the today’s world due to wars, workforce markets, etc., the scope of migration and diaspora studies has increased in many areas. This is also true for musical studies, where a growing body of literature has been produced about these issues. However, by focusing mainly on settled communities and their musical productions, such as hybrid genres and forms created in the destination land, this literature does not adequately cover “transit migration”. Transit migration, being a particular type of human mobility, refers to the migration that includes at least three or more steps. This means that transit migrants do not permanently inhabit the land they firstly enter as migrants, but are supposed to stay in this transit country for a while and then continue their journey in order to reach a final destination point. In this article, I deal with this specific type of migration based on my intense field study on the Chaldean-Iraqi migrant community in Istanbul. The Chaldean community in Iraq, as a religious minority, is one of the most affected groups in the ongoing situation in Iraq, especially after the US invasion in 2003. Turkey functions as a transit country on their way to their prospective destination points, mainly including the US, Canada, and Australia. While dealing with the role of music during the indefinite time period that the participants are in the process of being temporary inhabitants in a foreign land, the applicability of the theoretical concepts of permanent migration to temporary migration is also discussed.
Czech Bluegrass in Play
Authors: Bidgood Lee
Published: October 2024

Drawing from scholarship on play, ritual, and performance, I propose that Czech bluegrass thrives – as does my fieldwork – in a state of in-betweenness, in a territory that is between work, play, here and there, self and other. Being comfortable with this kind of in-between state is important for fieldwork, and for music-making – play, I find, is both a central activity and metaphor in both. The bluegrass play I discuss in this essay can become a response to the encroachment of Americanization in economic and cultural globalization, but also a way of being “Americanist” – and entirely Czech.
Across the Cultural Divide
Authors: Burstyn Shai
Published: October 2024

Many songs created in pre-State Israel incorporated certain Oriental elements, but their overall stylistic slant, like that of other contemporaneous local cultural products, was largely Occidental. The radical demographic change caused by a massive immigration of Jews from Middle Eastern and North African countries to the new state created enormous pressure to absorb the newcomers both physically and culturally. The ensuing melting pot policy declared by the young state as its supreme national task proved unsuccessful. This failure had many reasons, not least of them the condescending attitude of the absorbing establishment and its inability to fathom the sociocultural processes involved in such a colossal national project. Against this background, I examine in this article the encounter of immigrant Oriental children with Israeli folksong, mainly from the perspective of musical perception and cultural conditioning. In the 1930s and 1940s, ingrained musical perceptual habits made European-oriented audiences insert variants into the newly composed modal, mildly Oriental songs they used to sing. In the 1950s, however, the musical perceptual habits of immigrant Oriental children hindered them from embracing Israeli folksongs created mainly by composers of Eastern European origin.
Genderové aspekty nucené migrace
Authors: Masníková Helena
Published: October 2024

This case study focuses on a variety of adaptation strategies responding to the economic uncertainty caused by forced migration in the post-Soviet Azerbaijan and their impact on gender. Liminal form of forced migration process contributes to the transformation of the ways of making a living and causing a negotiation of gender boundaries. These become more flexible and permeable but they are still constrained by socially shared and reproduced images of the ideal division of gender roles. I will illustrate longterm consequences of forced migration and negotiation of gender roles in three stories of households living in the rural foothills of Nagorno-Karabakh, where I conducted repeated long-term ethnographic research.
Irena Kašparová: Politika romství – romská politika
Authors: Pospíšil Filip
Published: October 2024

A review of the book by Irena Kašparová.
The EuroFlow PIDOT external quality assurance scheme: enhancing laboratory performance evaluation in immunophenotyping of rare lymphoid immunodeficiencies
Authors: Neirinck Jana , Buysse Malicorne , Brdickova Naděžda , Perez-Andres Martín , De Vriendt Ciel , Kerre Tessa , Haerynck Filomeen , Bossuyt Xavier , van Dongen Jacques J.M. , Orfao Alberto , Hofmans Mattias , Bonroy Carolien , Kalina Tomas
Published: October 2024

Objectives

The development of External Quality Assessment Schemes (EQAS) for clinical flow cytometry (FCM) is challenging in the context of rare (immunological) diseases. Here, we introduce a novel EQAS monitoring the primary immunodeficiency Orientation Tube (PIDOT), developed by EuroFlow, in both a ‘wet’ and ‘dry’ format. This EQAS provides feedback on the quality of individual laboratories (i.e., accuracy, reproducibility and result interpretation), while eliminating the need for sample distribution.

Methods

In the wet format, marker staining intensities (MedFIs) within landmark cell populations in PIDOT analysis performed on locally collected healthy control (HC) samples, were compared to EQAS targets. In the dry format, participants analyzed centrally distributed PIDOT flow cytometry data (n=10).

Results

We report the results of six EQAS rounds across 20 laboratories in 11 countries. The wet format (212 HC samples) demonstrated consistent technical performance among laboratories (median %rCV on MedFIs=34.5 %; average failure rate 17.3 %) and showed improvement upon repeated participation. The dry format demonstrated effective proficiency of participants in cell count enumeration (range %rCVs 3.1–7.1 % for the major lymphoid subsets), and in identifying lymphoid abnormalities (79.3 % alignment with reference).

Conclusions

The PIDOT-EQAS allows laboratories, adhering to the standardized EuroFlow approach, to monitor interlaboratory variations without the need for sample distribution, and provides them educational support to recognize rare clinically relevant immunophenotypic patterns of primary immunodeficiencies (PID). This EQAS contributes to quality improvement of PID diagnostics and can serve as an example for future flow cytometry EQAS in the context of rare diseases.
State-of-art review of beyond design basis evaluation approach of a generic nuclear power plant in the UK
Authors: Filipov Svetlin , Tan Ming , Ford Peter , Zhuo Xunjia
Published: October 2024

The Fukushima accident prompted rapid development in the appreciation and codification of BDB methodology into regulatory guidance and this is still continuing, especially at IAEA, which has recently and is due to publish several new standards documents directly relevant to BDB analysis. The objective of this paper is to provide a state-of-art review on how BDB evaluations are undertaken in the UK nuclear industry. Then, using the work undertaken for the Generic Design Assessment (GDA) in the UK for UK HPR1000, this paper proposed a more systematic approach for “cliff-edge” evaluation based on a generic nuclear power plant design currently being developed in the UK.