bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Characterization of vaccine confidence among teachers in British Columbia, Canada: A population-based survey
Authors: Racey C. Sarai , Donken Robine , Fox Ellie , Porter Imogen , Bettinger Julie A. , Mark Jennifer , Bonifacio Lizl , Dawar Meena , Gagel Mike , Kling Rakel , Mema Silvina , Mitchell Hana , Roe Ian , Ogilvie Gina , Sadarangani Manish
Published: July 2023

Objectives

Teachers are an important occupational group to consider when addressing vaccine confidence and uptake for school-aged children due to their proximate role within school-based immunization programs. The objectives of this study were to characterize and identify sociodemographic factors associated with vaccine confidence and describe teachers’ knowledge of and perceived role in the school-based immunization program, with the aim of informing public health policy and identifying opportunities for supporting teachers in their role in school-based immunization programs.

Methods

A cross-sectional survey of elementary and secondary public-school teachers in British Columbia was completed from August to November 2020. Respondents provided sociodemographic information, as well as past vaccination experience, vaccine knowledge, and perceived role in the school-based immunization program. Vaccine confidence was measured using the Vaccine Hesitancy Scale (VHS). Characteristics associated with the VHS sub-scales ‘lack of confidence in vaccines’ and ‘perceived risk of vaccines’, were explored using ANOVA. Descriptive analysis was completed for teachers’ perceived role in the immunization program.

Results

5,095 surveys were included in this analysis. Overall vaccine confidence was high, with vaccine hesitancy being related to the perceived risk of vaccines rather than a lack of confidence in the effectiveness of vaccines. ANOVA found significant differences for both VHS-sub-scales based on sociodemographic factors, however, the strength of the association was generally small. High general vaccine knowledge and never having delayed or refused a vaccine in the past were associated with higher vaccine confidence. Overall, teachers reported a lack of clarity in their role within the school-based immunization program.

Conclusions

This large population-based observational study of teachers highlights a number of key engagement opportunities between public health and the education sector. Using a validated scale, we found that overall, teachers are highly accepting of vaccines, and well situated as potential partners with public health to address vaccine hesitancy.
Heterogeneity of variance and genetic parameters for milk production in cattle, using Bayesian inference
Authors: Júnior Raimundo Nonato Colares Camargo , Fernandes Luane da Silva , do Carmo Panetto João Cláudio , Barbosa da Silva Marcos Vinicius Gualberto , de Araújo Cláudio Vieira , Maciel e Silva André Guimarães , Felipe Marques José Ribamar , Silva Welligton Conceição da , de Araújo Simone Inoe , Castro Sâmia Rubielle Silva de , Silva Lilian Kátia Ximenes , Castro Simone Vieira , Júnior José de Brito Lourenço
Published: July 2023

The goal of this study was to verify the effect of heterogeneity of variance (HV) on milk production in up to 305 days of lactation (L305) of daughters of Girolando, Gir and Holstein sires, as well as in the genetic evaluation of these sires and their progenies. in Brazil. The model included contemporary groups (consisting of herd, year and calving season) as a fixed effect, cow age at calving (linear and quadratic effects) and heterozygosity (linear effect) as covariates, in addition to the random effects of direct additive genetic and environmental, permanent and residual. The first analysis consisted of the single-trait animal model, with L305 records (disregarding HV). The second considered classes of standard deviations (SD): two-trait model including low and high classes (considering HV), according to the standardized means of L305 for herd-year of calving. The low SD class was composed of herds with SD equal to or less than zero and the high class with positive SD values. Estimates of (co)variance components and breeding values were obtained separately for each scenario using Bayesian inference via Gibbs sampling. Different heritability was estimated. Higher for the high DP class in the Gir (0.20) and Holstein (0.15) breeds, not occurring the same in the Girolando breed, with a lower value among the classes for the high DP (0.10). High values of genetic correlations were also found between low and high SD classes (0.88; 0.85 and 0.79) for the Girolando, Gir and Holstein breeds, respectively. Like the order correlations (Spearman) which were also high for the three breeds analyzed (equal to or above 0.92). Thus, the presence of HV had a smaller impact for L305 and did not affect the genetic evaluation of sires.
Gaussian hierarchical latent Dirichlet allocation: Bringing polysemy back
Authors: Yoshida Takahiro , Hisano Ryohei , Ohnishi Takaaki
Published: July 2023

Topic models are widely used to discover the latent representation of a set of documents. The two canonical models are latent Dirichlet allocation, and Gaussian latent Dirichlet allocation, where the former uses multinomial distributions over words, and the latter uses multivariate Gaussian distributions over pre-trained word embedding vectors as the latent topic representations, respectively. Compared with latent Dirichlet allocation, Gaussian latent Dirichlet allocation is limited in the sense that it does not capture the polysemy of a word such as “bank.” In this paper, we show that Gaussian latent Dirichlet allocation could recover the ability to capture polysemy by introducing a hierarchical structure in the set of topics that the model can use to represent a given document. Our Gaussian hierarchical latent Dirichlet allocation significantly improves polysemy detection compared with Gaussian-based models and provides more parsimonious topic representations compared with hierarchical latent Dirichlet allocation. Our extensive quantitative experiments show that our model also achieves better topic coherence and held-out document predictive accuracy over a wide range of corpus and word embedding vectors which significantly improves the capture of polysemy compared with GLDA and CGTM. Our model learns the underlying topic distribution and hierarchical structure among topics simultaneously, which can be further used to understand the correlation among topics. Moreover, the added flexibility of our model does not necessarily increase the time complexity compared with GLDA and CGTM, which makes our model a good competitor to GLDA.
Profile of phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity of organically and conventionally grown black-grain barley genotypes treated with biostimulant
Authors: Nowak Rafał , Szczepanek Małgorzata , Kobus-Cisowska Joanna , Stuper-Szablewska Kinga , Dziedziński Marcin , Błaszczyk Karolina
Published: July 2023

Beneficial dietary and pro-health values, have resulted in the increasing consumption importance of barley. Therefore, genotypes and cultivation methods are sought that guarantee high functional value of grain. The aim of the study was to assess the content of phenolic acids, flavonoids, chlorophylls, anthocyanidins, phytomelanin and antioxidant activity of grain of three barley genotypes depending on agricultural technology. Two of them are primary genotypes with dark grain pigmentation Hordeum vulgare L. var nigricans and H. vulgare L. var. rimpaui, the third is a modern cultivar ’Soldo’ H. vulgare with yellow grain, which is the control sample. Evaluated the effect of foliar application of a amino-acids biostimulant on the functional properties of grain under the conditions of organically and conventionally cultivations. The results indicated a higher antioxidant activity and the concentration of phenolic acids, flavonoids and phytomelanin in the black-grain genotypes. Organic cultivation and application of amino acids had increased the content of phenolic compounds in grain. The antioxidant activity was correlated with the content of syringic acid, naringenin, quercetin, luteolin and phytomelanin. Organically cultivation and the foliar application of an amino acid biostimulant improved the functional properties of barley grain, in particular the original, black-grained genotypes.
Evaluating the role of MEN1 gene expression and its clinical significance in breast cancer patients
Authors: Massey Sheersh , Khan Mohammad Aasif , Rab Safia Obaidur , Mustafa Saad , Khan Asifa , Malik Zoya , Shaik Rahimunnisa , Verma Mohit Kumar , Deo SVS , Husain Syed Akhtar
Published: July 2023

Background

Breast cancer is a multifactorial disease which involves number of molecular factors that are critically involved in proliferation of breast cancer cells. MEN1 gene that is traditionally known for its germline mutations in neuroendocrine tumors is associated with high risk of developing breast cancer in females with MEN1 syndrome. However, the paradoxical role of MEN1 is reported in sporadic breast cancer cases. The previous studies indicate the functional significance of MEN1 in regulating breast cells proliferation but its relevance in development and progression of breast cancer is still not known. Our study targets to find the role of MEN1 gene aberration and its clinical significance in breast cancer.

Methods

Breast tumor and adjacent normal tissue of 142 sporadic breast cancer patients were collected at the time of surgery. The expression analysis of MEN1 mRNA and protein was done through RT-PCR, immunohistochemistry and western blotting. Further to find the genetic and epigenetic alterations, automated sequencing and MS-PCR was performed respectively. Correlation between our findings and clinical parameters was determined using appropriate statistical tests.

Results

MEN1 expression was found to be significantly increased in the breast tumor tissue with its predominant nuclear localization. The elevated expression of MEN1 mRNA (63.38% cases) and protein (60.56% cases) exhibited a significant association with ER status of the patients. Most of the cases had unmethylated (53.52%) MEN1 promoter region, which can be a key factor responsible for dysregulated expression of MEN1 in breast cancer cases. Our findings also revealed the significant association of MEN1 mRNA overexpression with Age and lymph node status of the patients.

Conclusion

Our results indicate upregulated expression of MEN1 in sporadic breast cancer patients and it could be critically associated with development and advancement of the disease.
The left can meme
Authors: Greenwalt Dustin A. , McVey James Alexander
Published: July 2023

While the use of memes as a persuasive strategy by the alt-right in the 2016 election gave rise to the notion that the left had been thoroughly outflanked in the meme wars, this project argues that the left can meme. Attending to the mimetic practices of anti-fascist, anti-capitalist and anti-racist online publics reminds scholars and practitioners that reactionary forces do not monopolize memetic persuasion. We are interested in how left-wing publics constitute themselves and gain adherents through memetic labour or the work of inventing, sharing, remixing and commenting on images, objects and slogans. This exploratory essay charts a nascent rhetorical research agenda on leftist meme culture, tracking previous interventions such as the anti-fascist meme Gritty and speculating on generative terrain for scholars interested in examining the memetic labour of the left. This essay posits that if we are interested in actualizing more democratic and egalitarian futures, providing assessments of left-wing publics’ strategies might be one useful contribution to the struggle.
The labyrinth: A Platonic dialogue on what’s next, featuring ChatGPT as Phaedrus
Authors: Richards Isaac James
Published: July 2023

If all the world is a stage, then the most recent stage direction might be: ‘enter Artificial Intelligence’. OpenAI’s ChatGPT has made headlines ever since its release in late November 2022. ‘It’s like talking to God’, said a friend of mine, who first introduced me to the interface. The seeming omniscience of the thing is startling and overwhelming. Those who have played with it have found it addicting, astonishing and frustrating all at once. What follows is a conversation with ChatGPT performed in the style of a Platonic dialogue. ChatGPT is programmed as human conversation and that sparked this genre subversion, which is intended to resonate on multiple layers. Socrates was terrified by the advent of writing – the newest technology of his day. Plato’s Phaedrus is a foundational text for communication studies and has been called the first media critique. In short, this conversation with artificial intelligence (AI) honours the exigence of ChatGPT while also commemorating the tradition of communication scholarship back to Plato and Socrates. In the penultimate paragraph, I attempt to probe AI’s deepest weakness; supposedly, AI cannot create anything new – it can only remix the corpus of texts it has been trained on. That said, I believe ChatGPT’s (err, Phaedrus’s) concluding metaphor of media ecology as a labyrinth to be a provocative one. Recent technological advances seem to suggest that we are not so much on the ‘frontier’ of knowledge as in the depths of a maze. That connotes a different type of exploration, where not every advance is progress. Perhaps scholarship is nothing but a hand to the wall, thread unspooling, taking steps into the darkness as we ‘venture deeper into the labyrinth’. If so, we ought to think about which threads we are holding on to and where they might lead us.
‘Significant errors of fact’? A response to Simon Bright on nationalism, colonialism and anti-essentialism in Zimbabwe’s Cinematic Arts
Authors: Thompson Katrina Daly
Published: July 2023

This response article addresses the misinterpretations, misrepresentations and disparagements of my research by filmmaker Simon Bright. Drawing from my book, Zimbabwe’s Cinematic Arts, which is rooted in my doctoral research conducted in 2001, this response aims to rectify factual errors and clarify the nuanced arguments that were misread by Bright. While acknowledging the importance of continuously reshaping and reforming identities, as highlighted by both Bright and myself, this response underscores that my book primarily focuses on the process of identity formation rather than treating identity as a fixed entity. I emphasize the potential overlaps in our perspectives and call for a collaborative approach that builds upon existing scholarship. My response aims to foster a productive dialogue and invites Bright and other filmmakers to contribute further to the transnational history of Southern African filmmaking. By drawing on their years of experience, it is my hope that future works on this subject will enrich the field, serving to enhance and expand upon existing scholarship rather than detract from it.
Refashioning Muslim femininity: YouTube as the facilitator of entrepreneurial motherhood
Authors: M. Shabana
Published: July 2023

This article analyses YouTube channels of two Muslim women from Kerala – Silu Talks Salha and Zehera & Samseer – which have created a virtual space of sorority among Muslim women users of internet and smartphones, by way of a discourse of contemporary modernity embedded in the everyday domestic space. I engage critically with the ways in which these channels generate a discourse of entrepreneurial identity in negotiating with one’s lived realities. This discourse simultaneously makes appeal to be dutiful to conventional domestic roles, while being innovative and enterprising in them. Such modes of self-expression, which platforms such as YouTube enable, present conceptual challenges with regard to the categories of the individual and community. Arguing that the videos on these channels complicate the figure of the ‘conventional Muslim woman’ through their constant invocations of modernism and entrepreneurialism, this article illustrates how they produce an Islamic ‘mother community’ virtually. I show how these channels transform into a public yet intimate space, providing an online platform for Muslim women from Kerala to be seen and heard.
Gestión lingüística en Argelia: sesenta años de pragmatismo
Authors: Elimam Abdou
Published: July 2023

Las decisiones políticas sobre la cuestión lingüística argelina se han guiado por un pragmatismo orientado al mismo tiempo por una ideología arabista y por referencias históricas que pueden considerarse parciales y sesgadas. En este tipo de contexto, el árabe se impuso como un idioma único, lo que conlleva una ambigüedad intrínseca entre lo “clásico” y lo “dialectal”. Sólo se permitió una brecha en esta rigidez glotopolítica, la de la institucionalización, en 2002, del tamazight, que pretendía sustituir a las variantes nativas bereberes (taqbaylit, tachawit, tamasheq, etc.). Junto a estas lenguas institucionalizadas, la única lengua de comunicación consensuada y motivada por la historia, el magrebí o dariya, sigue siendo rechazada por los responsables políticos y queda relegada a los márgenes de la vida institucional. Sin embargo, es innegable que lo habla y lo entiende más del 85% de la población. Es revaluando los fundamentos mismos de estas decisiones glotopolíticas como podremos normalizar la realidad lingüística. Tal vez haya llegado el momento de que la nueva generación se aleje del pragmatismo vacilante y se embarque en una glotopolítica informada y fiel a las lenguas nativas de la nación.
Implementasi Diplomasi Pendidikan dan Diplomasi Budaya melalui Program Indonesian International Student Mobility Awards (IISMA)
Authors: Kristiana Caroline , Benito Ronaldo
Published: July 2023

Amidst the rapid influx of technology, the Indonesian government must prepare for the future evolution of culture and job skills. One of the realizations of this preparation is through the implementation of the Merdeka Belajar — Kampus Merdeka (MBKM) policy. This research discusses how educational diplomacy and cultural diplomacy are implemented through the Indonesian International Student Mobility Awards (IISMA), one of the flagship programs of MBKM. Using a descriptive qualitative method based on literature review, in-depth interviews, and observation, the authors describe this phenomenon through the concepts of soft power and public diplomacy. The results of this research indicate that the implementation of IISMA aims to build nation branding and a positive image of Indonesia in the eyes of the world, as well as to accelerate the improvement of education quality in Indonesia and promote cultural diversity. This program is a correct step towards achieving peaceful foreign policy goals and prioritizing human resource investment, although overall results require a long-term process.
Perubahan Penutupan/Penggunaan Lahan dalam Perspektif Perkembangan Wilayah dan Pengelolaan Taman Nasional Kepulauan Togean
Authors: Dali Irvan , Ardiansyah Muhammad , Soekmadi Rinekso
Published: July 2023

Taman Nasional Kepulauan Togean (TNKT) ditunjuk pada tahun 2004 dengan fungsi utama sebagai area perlindungan sistem penyangga kehidupan, mempertahankan keanekaragaman jenis tumbuhan dan satwa endemik, pemanfaatan secara lestari sumberdaya alam hayati dan ekosistemnya sekaligus mendukung perekonomian wilayah. Pesatnya pertumbuhan penduduk, tingginya ketergantungan masyarakat terhadap sumberdaya alam dan meningkatnya aktivitas perekonomian memberikan tekanan terhadap kawasan. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk: 1) menganalisis perubahan penutupan/penggunaan lahan, 2) menganalisis hirarki perkembangan wilayah, 3) menganalisis tingkat tekanan penduduk, 4) menganalisis kesesuaian penutupan/penggunaan lahan dengan zonasi TNKT, dan 5) menyusun arahan pengendalian perubahan penutupan/penggunaan lahan. Penelitian dilakukan dengan teknik interpretasi citra, analisis skalogram, analisis indeks tekanan penduduk, dan tumpang susun peta. Hasil interpretasi menunjukkan 9 (sembilan) jenis penutupan/penggunaan lahan. Dalam periode tahun 2003-2017, penyusutan luas terbesar dialami hutan primer yaitu sebesar 6.157 ha (62,61%), sementara perkebunan mengalami peningkatan luas yang signifikan yaitu 5.497 ha (30,74%). Dalam perspektif perkembangan wilayah, luas perubahan penutupan/penggunaan lahan terbesar terjadi pada wilayah hirarki III. Hasil analisis tingkat tekanan penduduk menunjukkan 15 desa di daerah penyangga TNKT dengan tekanan penduduk tinggi. Terdapat ketidaksesuaian penutupan/penggunaan lahan eksisting dengan zonasi TNKT. Arahan pengendalian perubahan penutupan/penggunaan lahan antara lain melalui: 1) model desa konservasi, 2) revisi zonasi, dan 3) pemulihan ekosistem.
Analisis Pola Spasial dan Sebaran Penduduk Miskin di Kabupaten Mandailing Natal
Authors: Naldi Arif , Siregar Hermanto , Mulatsih Sri
Published: July 2023

Kemiskinan di Kabupaten Mandailing Natal merupakan masalah yang sangat krusial di Daerah Tapanuli Selatan (TABGSEL) karena Kabupaten Mandailing Natal merupakan salah satu daerah yang memiliki angka kemiskinan yang tinggi dan merupakan salah satu penyumbang kemiskinan yang tinggi di Provinsi Sumatera Utara. Keberagaman dan keluasan karakteristik wilayah yang dapat menyebabkan permasalahan dan kondisi kemiskinan menjadi kompleks dan berbeda-beda, sehingga menarik untuk ditelaah secara spasial karena karakteristik sosial dan ekonomi masyarakat terkait dengan karakteristik spasial. Tujuan penelitian ini adalah untuk mengkaji sebaran penduduk miskin secara umum (Indeks Moran) dan pola spasialnya di 377 desa. Nilai data hasil penelitian sebesar 0,152434, menunjukkan adanya autokorelasi positif atau mengelompok antar desa. Autokorelasi tersebut menggambarkan bahwa desa-desa yang berdampingan memiliki karakteristik yang sama. Berdasarkan uji Lisa, 45 desa dengan kriteria tinggi-tinggi, 48 desa dengan kriteria rendah-rendah, 8 desa dengan kriteria rendah-tinggi, dan 10 desa dengan kriteria tinggi-rendah.
Spatial position recognition method of semi-transparent and flexible workpieces: A machine vision based on red light assisted
Authors: Bi Q.L. , Lai M.L. , Chen K. , Liu J.M. , Tang H.L. , Teng X.B. , Guo Y.Y.
Published: July 2023

In the automatic sorting process, overlapping translucent and flexible workpieces on the conveyor belt, blurring the imaging edge features of translucent and flexible workpieces is a challenge to locate the upper and lower workpieces spatially, we propose a method for locating translucent and flexible workpieces spatially under the overlapping environment in conjunction with the most common automatic sorting of translucent and flexible workpieces such as infusion tube drip buckets. Firstly, we propose a rectangular surface light source based on 650 nm band and monocular CCD for imaging translucent workpieces such as infusion tube drip buckets and optimize the imaging parameters. Secondly, we study a feature matching recognition algorithm for flexible workpieces that are prone to deformation, construct a mapping relationship between the position of overlapping layers and imaging quality of translucent and flexible workpieces such as infusion tube drip buckets based on clarity and information entropy, and establish The mapping relationship between the position of the overlapping layers and the imaging quality of translucent and flexible workpieces such as infusion tube drip buckets is constructed based on clarity and information entropy, and a local spatial coordinate conversion model is established. Finally, the spatial positioning coordinates of overlapping and non-overlapping translucent and flexible workpieces in the local coordinate system are identified, and the results show that the imaging method and theory can be effectively applied to the identification of overlapping and spatial positioning coordinates in the automatic sorting of translucent workpieces such as infusion tube drip buckets.
Hierarchical hybrid simulation optimization of the pharmaceutical supply chain
Authors: Altarazi S. , Shqair M.
Published: July 2023

In this paper, a global simulation optimization approach is developed to imitate and optimize the performance of the Pharmaceutical Supply Chain (PSC). Firstly, a hierarchical hybrid simulation model is developed in which aggregate and detailed data levels are addressed simultaneously. The model consists of two types of interdependent paradigms: the system dynamics paradigm, which depicts the echelons of pharmacies and wholesalers in the PSC, and the discrete event paradigm, which simulates the manufacturers with their detailed production operations, as well as the echelons of suppliers. Secondly, the "As is" scenario analysis and a screening process are performed to extract significant input parameters as well as sensitive outputs of the model. The final step optimizes the performance of PSC. The proposed approach validity is appraised by being applied to the PSC of a leading pharmaceutical company in Jordan. As a result, the opportunity loss cost has considerably decreased for both the manufacturer and wholesalers’ echelons and the service level has improved throughout the PSC.
ÇEVRİMİÇİ SOSYAL SERMAYE ÖLÇEĞİNİ TÜRKİYE’DE UYARLAMA ÇALIŞMASI
Authors: MUMCU Artür Yetvart , ATAMAN BERK Göksel , KONUK Hızır
Published: July 2023

Kişilerarası ilişki kapsamında ortaya çıkan sosyal sermaye kavramı sosyolojide ortaya konulmuş olup, zaman içerisinde birçok bilim dalında incelenmiştir. Son dönemde ise özellikle işletme alanında birçok boyutuyla ele alınmaya başlanmıştır. Sosyal sermayenin temel yapıtaşlarından biri olan iletişim, teknolojideki gelişim doğrultusunda köklü değişim yaşamış, sosyal sermayenin ele alınma yöntemlerinde farklı yaklaşım ihtiyaçları doğurmuştur. Çevrimiçi sosyal sermaye de bu değişimin etkilerini ortaya koymaya çalışan bir kavram olarak karşımıza çıkmaktadır. Bu araştırmada çevrimiçi sosyal sermayenin kavramsallaşmasına katkıda bulunmak amacıyla; Williams’ın (2006) geliştirdiği ölçeğin Türkiye örnekleminde güvenirlik ve geçerlik testleri yapılmıştır. Çalışanlar ve işletme sahipleri olarak iki farklı örneklemde toplam 805 kişiye ölçek uygulanmıştır. Güvenirlik katsayıları çalışanlarda 0,951, işletme sahiplerinde ise 0,936 olarak tespit edilmiştir. Yapılan açımlayıcı ve doğrulayıcı faktör analizleri ve diğer testler neticesinde ölçeğin orijinal iki boyut olan aracı çevrimiçi sosyal sermaye ve dayanışmacı çevrimiçi sosyal sermaye doğrulanmış, Türkiye’ de işletme sahipleri ve çalışanlar üzerinde uygulanabileceği sonucuna ulaşılmıştır.
Neonatal hyperoxia leads to white adipose tissue remodeling and susceptibility to hypercaloric diet
Authors: Deprez Alyson , Lukaszewski Marie‐Amélie , De Sousa Do Outeiro Coraline , Poletto Bonetto Jéssica H. , He Ying , Cloutier Anik , Ravizzoni Dartora Daniela , Monique Nuyt Anne
Published: July 2023

Individuals born preterm are at higher risk of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases in adulthood, through mechanisms not completely understood. White adipose tissue in humans and rodents is a dynamic endocrine organ and a critical player in the regulation of metabolic homeostasis. However, the impact of preterm birth on white adipose tissue remains unknown. Using a well‐established rodent model of preterm birth‐related conditions in which newborn rats are exposed during postnatal days 3–10 to 80% of oxygen, we evaluated the impact of transient neonatal hyperoxia on adult perirenal white adipose tissue (pWAT) and liver. We further assessed the effect of a second hit with a high‐fat high‐fructose hypercaloric diet (HFFD). We evaluated 4‐month‐old adult male rats after 2 months of HFFD. Neonatal hyperoxia led to pWAT fibrosis and macrophage infiltration without modification in body weight, pWAT weight, or adipocyte size. In animals exposed to neonatal hyperoxia vs. room air control, HFFD resulted in adipocyte hypertrophy, lipid accumulation in the liver, and increased circulating triglycerides. Overall, preterm birth‐related conditions had long‐lasting effects on the composition and morphology of pWAT, along with a higher susceptibility to the deleterious impact of a hypercaloric diet. These changes suggest a developmental pathway to long‐term metabolic risk factors observed clinically in adults born preterm through programming of white adipose tissue.
From “wet” matrices to “dry” blood spot sampling strategy: a versatile LC-MS/MS assay for simultaneous monitoring caffeine and its three primary metabolites in preterm infants
Authors: Dai Hao-Ran , Guo Hong-Li , Wang Wei-Jun , Shen Xian , Cheng Rui , Xu Jing , Hu Ya-Hui , Ding Xuan-Sheng , Chen Feng
Published: July 2023

Objectives

To update traditional “wet” matrices to dried blood spot (DBS) sampling, based on the liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) technique, and develop a method for simultaneous analyzing caffeine and its three primary metabolites (theobromine, paraxanthine, and theophylline), supporting routine therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) for preterm infants.

Methods

DBS samples were prepared by a two-step quantitative sampling method, i.e., volumetric sampling of a quantitative 10 μL volume of peripheral blood and an 8 mm diameter whole punch extraction by a methanol/water (80/20, v/v) mixture containing 125 mM formic acid. Four paired stable isotope labeled internal standards and a collision energy defect strategy were applied for the method optimization. The method was fully validated following international guidelines and industrial recommendations on DBS analysis. Cross validation with previously developed plasma method was also proceeded. The validated method was then implemented on the TDM for preterm infants.

Results

The two-step quantitative sampling strategy and a high recovery extraction method were developed and optimized. The method validation results were all within the acceptable criteria. Satisfactory parallelism, concordance, and correlation were observed between DBS and plasma concentrations of the four analytes. The method was applied to provide routine TDM services to 20 preterm infants.

Conclusions

A versatile LC-MS/MS platform for simultaneous monitoring caffeine and its three primary metabolites was developed, fully validated, and successfully applied into the routine clinical TDM practices. Sampling method switching from “wet” matrices to “dry” DBS will facilitate and support the precision dosing of caffeine for preterm infants.
Damping performance analysis of carbon black/lead magnesium niobite/epoxy resin composites
Authors: Chen Ming , Cheng Shuang , Wang Yanbing , Huang Zhixiong
Published: July 2023

Piezoelectric damping composites with excellent damping properties were prepared from carbon black (CB), lead magnesium niobate (PMN), epoxy resin, and polyether amine D-400. The

tan
δ

{\rm{\tan }}\delta

area (TA) analysis method is used to evaluate the leading factors of damping enhancement. This method clearly shows the influence of the maximum loss factor (

tan
δ

{\rm{\tan }}\delta

max) and effective damping temperature range on damping performance, and the damping enhancement factors are quantitatively analyzed by TA values. When CB content is less than 8 wt%, viscoelastic damping and frictional energy dissipation are the main factors affecting polymer properties. When CB content reaches 8 wt%, the conductive network gradually forms, and the electric energy generated by PMN through the piezoelectric effect is dissipated by the conductive network, and the piezoelectric effect of PMN becomes the dominant factor. In this case, the maximum

tan
δ

\tan \delta

max and TA values of the composite are 1.93 and 27.58, respectively. The damping contribution of PMN and CB reaches 40.21% and 34.41%, respectively.
Early pregnancy exposure of maternal triglyceride levels and its effects on birth weight
Authors: Huang Ou , Wu Dandan , Ji Min
Published: July 2023

Objectives

The aim of this study was to evaluate the early pregnancy exposure of maternal triglyceride (mTG) and its effects on birth weight, which was an important indicator for nutritional status of newborns, and even its long-term health.

Methods

A retrospective cohort study was designed to investigate the relationship between mTG in early pregnancy and birth weight. Totally 32,982 women who had a singleton pregnancy and underwent serum lipids screening during early pregnancy were included in this study. Logistic regressions were used to evaluate the correlations between mTG levels and small for gestational age (SGA) or large for gestational age (LGA), and the restricted cubic spline models were applied to explore the dose-response relationship.

Results

The increased mTG levels during early pregnancy decreased the risk of SGA and increased the risk of LGA. The high mTG (>90th, 2.05 mM) was showed associated with higher risk of LGA (AOR, 1.35; 95 %CI, 1.20 to 1.50), and lower risk of SGA (AOR, 0.78; 0.68 to 0.89). Lower risk of LGA (AOR, 0.81; 0.70 to 0.92) was found in those cases of low mTG (<10th, 0.81 mM), but no correlation was found between low mTG levels and the risk of SGA. The results remained robust after excluding women with high or low body mass index (BMI) and pregnancy complications.

Conclusions

This study suggested that early pregnancy exposure of mTG were related to the occurrence of SGA and LGA. mTG levels higher than 2.05 mM (>90th) were suggested to be avoid because of its risk for LGA, while mTG lower than 0.81 mM (<10th) showed its benefits for ideal birthweight range.
Freiheitsrechte, Freiheitspflichten
Authors: Macho Thomas
Published: July 2023

Im Ausgang von der Unterscheidung zwischen Freiheit als passivem Schutzbegriff (etwa gegen Diskriminierung) und aktiver Freiheit (etwa der Meinungs- und Versammlungsfreiheit) werden Verfassungen, philosophische Positionen und literarische Referenzen verglichen. Ein Schwerpunkt wird auf das Gewicht und die Bedeutung der Gewaltenteilung, etwa unter Bezug auf Montesquieu und seine Untersuchung Vom Geist der Gesetze (1748), gelegt.
Politische Freiheit – Überlegungen im Anschluss an Adorno
Authors: Schwarte Ludger
Published: July 2023

Mein Beitrag geht von der Beobachtung aus, dass in deliberativen und in partizipativen Demokratietheorien das Moment kollektiver Entscheidung kaum analysiert wurde, obschon es zu den wesentlichen Kennzeichen politischer Freiheit zählt. Nicht nur die Entscheidungsregeln, sondern grundsätzlicher noch die Arrangements, die festlegen, wer teilzunehmen qualifiziert ist, was zur Sprache kommen kann und wie interagiert wird, gilt es neu zu entwerfen, wenn politische Freiheit, mit Adorno, vom Impuls der Befreiung her begriffen werden soll.
Freedom, Democracy and Science
Authors: Raina Dhruv
Published: July 2023

The development of democracy and the development of science are not in a simple causal relationship. Rather, history shows that science can also develop in non-democratic and autocratic societies. Given the production conditions of scientific knowledge, the natural and technical sciences, for example, need well-equipped laboratories and technical equipment. Scientists in many disciplines can only do their work in institutions that provide them with access to the facilities necessary for their research. The freedom of scientific research and its protection from political interference can only be guaranteed by democratic conditions. Universities continue tobe among the most important sites of knowledge production. In the humanities and social sciences in particular, the freedom of research is often threatened. The importance of freedom in the sciences can only be understood if it is related to the fundamental value of scientific freedom. It is the responsibility of universities to safeguard this value and to protect the freedom of research. They can only fulfill their task of generating and developing knowledge if the freedom of critical research is guaranteed.
Freiheit und Entanglement: Kulturelle Resilienz als relationale Bildungstheorie
Authors: Klepacki Leopold , Jörissen Benjamin
Published: July 2023

Die Frage nach der Quelle von Freiheit ist, angesichts einer wesentlich durch neoliberalistische Lebens- und Wirtschaftsmodelle ausgelösten planetarischen Krise, zu einer Herausforderung der vorwiegend individualistischen Grundlage pädagogischer Theorie geworden. Wir stellen dieser unter dem Titel der „kulturellen Resilienz“ einen relational-transformatorischen bildungstheoretischen Ansatz gegenüber, in dessen Zentrum eine relationale Freiheitstheorie steht. Im Rahmen einer agentiell-realistischen (Barad 2012) Reinterpretation soziologischer Resilienztheorie (Brown 2015) verorten wir Freiheit im Spannungsfeld aufeinander bezogener Momente der Rootedness als Praxis eines sinnlich-leiblichen und zugleich kritisch-ästhetischen Gewahrwerdens von Entanglement (versus desengagierte Rationalität), Resourcefulness als diffraktionale (versus reflexive) umgestaltende Praxis der Hervorbringung von Welt, sowie „Resistance“ als performative und strukturbildende intra-aktionale, d.h. aus Relationierungen (versus abstrahierende Distanz) hervorgehende Praxis der Kritik. „Freiheit“ wird demnach bildungstheoretisch wie pädagogisch nicht durch eine Position außerhalb von Bindungen verwirklicht, sondern durch die Möglichkeit, bindende Strukturen innerhalb materieller Kollektive und kultureller Apparate neu zu konfigurieren.
Investigations on the Fracture Properties of the Full-Graded Dam Concrete under Increasing Amplitude Cyclic Loading
Authors: Liu Zhiheng , Chen Xudong , Meng Qingxiang , Guo Shengshan
Published: July 2023

Cracking of full-graded dam concrete (FGDC) is a significant challenge for high arch dams, and such cracking is a substantial risk of damage and failure in an earthquake. To investigate the fracture properties of FGDC, increasing amplitude cyclic fracture tests were conducted. The results indicate that the failure load of FGDC increases with increasing frequency. The evolution of crack mouth opening displacement at maximum load can be divided into three stages. Acoustic emission (AE) and digital image correlation (DIC) were used to characterize the fracture process. A three-stage characteristic is also noted in the distribution of AE hits, and the transition times are identified by the Akaike information criteria picker. With increasing frequency, the first transition time increases, whereas the second transition time decreases. Furthermore, AE events are classified into four levels according to their absolute energy and localized. DIC is employed to trace the cracking process and reveal its brittle failure characteristic. Finally, it is verified that the b-value can be used to characterize the failure process of FGDC under cyclic fracture tests at different frequencies.
Functional Capacity of Patients Operated on Due to Lumbar Discopathy in the Early Postoperative Period
Authors: Królikowska Agnieszka , Słomińska Małgorzata , Furtak Jacek
Published: July 2023

Introduction. The main symptom of lumbar disc herniation is pain, which particularly hinders the functioning of the patient. Functional capacity should be understood as the ability to be independent of other people in meeting basic needs, such as: movement, nutrition, controlling the body’s physiological activities or performing hygiene activities.

Aim. The aim of the study was to assess the functioning of patients after lumbar spine surgery in the early postoperative period.

Material and Methods. The study included a group of 52 adult patients after lumbar spine surgery performed at the Department of Neurosurgery of the 10th Military Clinical Hospital with the Polyclinic of the SP ZOZ in Bydgoszcz. The method of diagnostic survey was used, the tools were: interview questionnaire, VAS scale, Roland-Morris Low Back Pain Questionnaire, Oswestry Questionnaire and Beck Depression Scale.

Results. More than half of the examined patients after lumbar spine surgery felt the intensity of pain at the average level, very strong pain affected nearly 10% (mean 4.44; SD 2.03). According to the Roland-Morris Low Back Pain Questionnaire, nearly 60% of patients showed a moderate level of disability and 35% a high level of disability (mean 15.33; SD 3.85). According to the Oswestry Questionnaire, 53% of patients had moderate disability, 31% had severe disability (mean 54.7%, SD 11.3%). 83% of respondents did not show symptoms of depression (mean 6.98; SD 5.63).

Conclusions. The functional capacity of patients after surgery of the lumbar spine turned out to be low, a large part of the respondents showed a medium and high degree of disability. The degree of disability increased with the severity of pain. (JNNN 2022;11(4):147–153)
Genetic Profile of Primary Brain Tumours and the Degree of Their Resection Versus Survival of Patients Undergoing Surgery and Complementary Oncological Treatment
Authors: Grzelak Lech , Grzyb Sebastian , Fiał Wiktoria
Published: July 2023

Introduction. Recently, the incidence of brain glial tumours has increased significantly worldwide. Gliomas are among the most malignant types of tumours of the central nervous system. Patients diagnosed with glial tumours have a very unfavourable prognosis leading to death, and the course of the disease itself has a negative impact on their physical, mental and social condition.
Aim. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of the results of histological and genetic tests as well as the degree of resection of primary CNS tumours on the survival of patients undergoing neurosurgery and complementary oncological treatment — pharmacology and radiotherapy.
Material and Methods. The research was carried out on the basis of an analysis of medical records (2019–2021) of 63 adult patients from the Department of Neurosurgery of the Specialist Municipal Hospital of Nicolaus Copernicus in Toruń. The study group included patients who had been diagnosed with a primary brain tumour and had undergone neurosurgery and complementary oncological treatment. The analysis of medical documentation consisted in comparing the results of histopathological tests with the results of specialized molecular tests and correlating them with the survival time of patients. The statistical analysis was carried out using the Pearson correlation, statistical inference was made at the significance level of p=0.05.
Results. Based on the obtained results, it was found that the presence of MGMT gene promoter methylation (r=0.30, p=0.018) and IDH mutation (r=0.38, p=0.002) correlated positively with survival. The extent of resection also had a significant impact on patient survival (r=0.55, p<0.001). Patients who underwent complete tumour resection survived an average of 19.34 months, while those who underwent biopsy survived for 7.94 months.
Conclusions. The data collected during the conducted analyses may be important for the prognosis perspective and the selection of the optimal treatment strategy for both current and future patients. (JNNN 2022;11(4):162–166)
LEGOfied Sound
Authors: Ogden Malcolm
Published: July 2023

This paper argues that the album/playlist LEGO White Noise, released on Spotify in 2021, can be understood in relation to various other kinds of self-care oriented audiovisual media that have proliferated online in recent years, such as ambient, sound-healing, and ASMR. Beginning with the making of LEGO White Noise, this paper also looks at several non-LEGO-affiliated examples of these various categories on YouTube, tracing a common suggested mode of use characterized by creative, embodied, playful experimentation. Drawing on the work of post-Autonomist Marxist theorists, this paper interprets this underlying orientation via the concepts of free labor and immaterial labor, arguing that LEGO’s attempt to strategically situate itself relative to this broader trend on audiovisual platforms emphasizes the central role of networked and computational media as the common means by which individuals living in postindustrial settings not only perform different kinds of labor but also pursue different forms of self-care, comfort, and pleasure. What LEGO White Noise also demonstrates is the unique propensity of audiovisual platforms to produce aesthetic forms that, in their more ambiguous and indeterminate aspects, resist easy categorization, which therefore complicates any attempts to capitalize on or appropriate them. In addition to tracing a number of common habits, behaviors, and orientations between LEGO users of various ages and audiovisual platform users, this paper also stresses the need for more nuanced critical appraisals of the latent social and political potentials surrounding similar platform-based content.
Development of A Kahoot Application-Based Module In NKPI Courses To Improve Student's Learning Interest In SMKN 2 Rembang
Authors: Sukristiyo Sukristiyo , Samsudi Samsudi , Utanto Yuli
Published: July 2023

Implementation in the learning process in the Covid 19 pandemic era at SMKN 2 Rembang showed a decrease in learning achievement due to lack of student interest in learning, this is based on a survey of researchers at the end of the semester showing that the average value of students decreased from 2020 during remote/online learning. This study aims to develop a teaching material based on Kahoot evaluation to increase students' interest in learning. This study uses the RnD research method with the ADDIE model consisting of analysis, design, development, implementation and evaluation. The results of the material validation carried out obtained an average of the three aspects of material validation (feasibility of the material, presentation and language) which was 4.26 and was in the "very good" criteria. Likewise with the results of product validation, the average of the three aspects of the validation of teaching/media materials (display, presentation, and effectiveness) is 4.4 and has the criteria of "very good". Furthermore, the results of students' interest in learning from the categories of feeling happy, students' attention, interest in student learning and aspects of involvement were also in the very good category.