bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Rhynchophylline promotes microglia phenotypic transformation and repair of cerebral ischaemic injury through the JAK2/STAT3 pathway
Authors: Bai Peng , Li Caixia , Yin Luwei , Li Yao , Ju Meng , Wang Laicang
Published: February 2025

Background

Rhynchophylline (RIN) is an alkaloid known for its ability to effectively block signal transduction related to various neurodegenerative diseases. However, the specific mechanism by which RIN regulates microglial activation and cerebral ischemia remains unexplored. This study aims to investigate the function and molecular pathways through which RIN activates the JAK2/STAT3 signaling cascade, promoting the transformation of microglial phenotypes that contribute to recovery from cerebral ischemic injury.

Methods

By establishing a microglia oxygen glucose deprivation/reoxygenation (OGD/R) model and a middle cerebral artery occlusion animal model, we assessed changes in the expression of phenotype-specific marker factors for M1 and M2 microglia, as well as key proteins in the JAK2/STAT3 pathway, utilizing ELISA and Western blot techniques. Histological examination, including HE staining, TUNEL assay, and immunofluorescence, was employed to evaluate pathological changes in brain tissue, along with cell apoptosis and proliferation.

Results

The results indicated that microglial activity was significantly reduced and shifted towards the M1 phenotype following OGD/R. However, RIN treatment reversed these changes. When JAK2/STAT3 inhibitors were combined with RIN, it inhibited RIN’s protective effect. Animal studies have shown that RIN reduces histopathological changes associated with cerebral ischemia. Additionally, RIN inhibited microglial proliferation in ischemic cortical tissue and increased the expression of M2-type marker proteins, as well as the levels of phosphorylated JAK2 and STAT3 in the ischemic tissue.

Conclusion

In conclusion, this study indicates that RIN may protect against cerebral ischemic injury by activating the JAK2/STAT3 pathway, which promotes the transition of microglia to the M2 phenotypic.
Infant feeding experiences of women with systemic lupus erythematosus: A qualitative study
Authors: Lieber Sarah B , Stamm Bessie C , Young Sarah R , Rose-Smith Jillian , Kleinman Juliette , Smole Amaya , Vega JoAnn , Siegel Caroline H , Barbhaiya Medha , Mandl Lisa A , Lockshin Michael D , Sammaritano Lisa R
Published: February 2025

Background/Objective

Although breastfeeding is safe in women with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) who take breastfeeding-compatible medications, rates of breastfeeding are inconsistent, and little is known about the lived experiences surrounding infant feeding among women with SLE. In this qualitative study, we identified factors that influence infant feeding practices of these women.

Methods

Using a phenomenological approach, we conducted and thematically analyzed semi-structured interviews on infant feeding practices with adult women with SLE evaluated at a single tertiary care musculoskeletal center who had given birth within the last 6 years. We collected and summarized maternal, SLE disease, and pregnancy characteristics using descriptive statistics.

Results

Semi-structured interviews were conducted among 19 women with SLE with mean age of 36.1 years at delivery. We identified four overarching themes: general considerations related to infant feeding, medical considerations related to infant feeding, perspectives on infant feeding, and messages to peers with SLE and healthcare providers.

Conclusions

We identified both SLE-specific and disease-agnostic factors impacting infant feeding behaviors in women with SLE. SLE-specific factors influencing infant feeding practices should be viewed holistically within the context of individuals’ personal preferences, which in turn may be shaped by interpersonal and cultural factors. Our findings can inform shared decision-making related to infant feeding practices in women with SLE, as well as tailored educational strategies to meet their unique needs.
Development of a New Simulator for Training Nelore Artificial Insemination
Authors: Azuaga Filho Heitor , Colaço Bruno , Payan-Carreira Rita
Published: February 2025

Background

Regular training is crucial for student and novice operators conducting artificial insemination to ensure successful cattle reproduction. Standardized repetitions help generate autonomy and self-confidence. It is also essential for proficiency in the technique, assuring consistency and success in the procedure. Training live animals for AI procedures raises ethical concerns and requires a regular supply of animals. Alternatives have been developed, either as manikins or simulators, usually based on Bos taurus genital tracts.

Aims

This work aimed to describe the development process of an artificial insemination simulator for Nelore cattle named “Training Artificial Insemination for Nelore” (TrAI4Nel). This simulator enables the effective training of professionals and reduces the number of animals used for this purpose.

Methods

The TrAI4Nel simulator was developed using 3D modeling and printing techniques that accurately reproduce the anatomical characteristics of the Nelore reproductive tract. Electronic components were incorporated to provide a realistic simulation and allow real-time procedure evaluation.

Results

Throughout the development of this simulator, two main shortcomings have been detected and corrected. Compared with commercially available products, TrAI4Nel incorporates significant innovations. The implemented electronic system provides greater precision in training, simulating the ideal moment for semen deposition, and allowing real-time assessment of the trainee.

Conclusions

This simulator can become a valuable tool in professional training. It allows interactive learning and provides a realistic, affordable experience. It also reduces trainees’ emotional stress and animal injuries, emphasizing ethical aspects and efficiency in training in this area.
Conducting a Fine-Grained Spelling Analysis to Intensify Reading Interventions for Elementary Students
Authors: Williams Kelly J. , Novelli Christina
Published: February 2025

There is a strong connection between word reading and spelling development. Students’ spelling can provide insights into their word-level reading skills and inform intensive reading interventions delivered within a data-based individualization framework. The purpose of this article is to describe the linguistic knowledge bases that connect word reading and spelling and to provide a step-by-step guide that describes how special educators can use a fine-grained analysis of students’ diagnostic spelling assessment data to make adaptations to intensify reading intervention for elementary students with word-level reading disabilities.
“We Have a Long Ways to Go”: The Growing Pains of a Consent Decree in a Municipal Police Department
Authors: Powell Zachary A. , Fix Rebecca L.
Published: February 2025

In recent years, US police departments have drawn significant attention due to widely publicized events involving police misconduct. The Department of Justice (DOJ), taking notice of public discontent, has compelled several police departments to institute multiple reforms to correct long-standing police misbehavior by issuing consent decrees. Using 26 semi-structured interviews with policing personnel in a police agency in the middle of a consent decree, we observed an arduous experience reflected through the stigma associated with the consent decree, the perception of organizational hyper-surveillance, and new policy requirements. Yet, our findings also demonstrated the consent decree improved knowledge of appropriate procedures, and discontinued harmful practices. Our findings clarify the strains and benefits of consent decrees, and further suggest the consent decree requirements create an ever-changing organizational environment for policing personnel as the department works to meet the terms of a consent decree.
Party system nationalization, party centralization and legislative de/centralization in federal democracies
Authors: Mendoza Gómez Joel
Published: February 2025

Federal systems have centralized at a rapid pace since the second half of the twentieth century. Subnational legislatures tend to legislate less and on fewer policy matters. Legislative competencies shift to the federal legislature through constitutional amendments or enactment of federal laws. I argue that this is due to the nationalization and centralization of parties and party systems. In federations with highly nationalized and centralized party systems, transaction costs of reforming the constitutional federal pact will be lower than in federations with regionalized systems and decentralized parties. I test this argument with data on federal elections and federal de/centralization between 1945 and 2010 in 11 federal countries. I use a two-way fixed effects strategy to confirm my argument that party-system nationalization is the main driving factor behind legislative centralization in federal systems. I test my causal mechanism through a multilevel linear model and find that it is Party Nationalization that causes legislative centralization in federal democracies.
“Que Dieu facilite l’aventure!”. Ivorian women confronting border regulations and intimate relationships on European adventures
Authors: Marzola Gianmarco
Published: February 2025

This article investigates the migration stories of four Ivorian women who arrived in Europe irregularly. After claiming asylum in Italy, these women managed to cross internal European borders and settle in Paris, where they started new family lives. In the lived experience of these women, their exhausting “adventures” across and against European borders are described through the intimate relationships that they experienced during their journeys. I argue that affective labour carried out through friendship and marital and reproductive care allows migrant women to disrupt the spatial containment enforced by asylum and border regulations. I address migration from a phenomenological perspective that sees intimacy and border mechanisms as powerful forces that shape my interlocutors’ bodies and subjectivities.
Application of mixed integer programming and simulated annealing algorithm in sustainable logistics network design
Authors: Wang Nana
Published: February 2025

This article integrates mixed integer programming and the simulated annealing algorithm to enhance both the economic efficiency and environmental sustainability of logistics networks. A multi-objective optimization model is first developed, incorporating economic costs, carbon emissions, and social service levels to address the diverse needs of stakeholders. A solution approach combining the precision of mixed integer programming with the global search capabilities of the simulated annealing algorithm is then proposed. This hybrid approach effectively overcomes the limitations of traditional optimization methods, particularly in managing complex constraints and large-scale problems. Through practical case studies, the proposed method demonstrated superior optimization performance. The average total cost after optimization was $52,444.61, outperforming solutions derived from using either mixed integer programming or simulated annealing alone. Furthermore, the service satisfaction rate exceeded 90%, indicating the model’s effectiveness in balancing multiple objectives. The findings of this study not only offer a novel theoretical framework for logistics network design but also provide valuable support for enterprises striving to achieve sustainable development in their operations. The research highlights the potential to strike a harmonious balance between economic, environmental, and social responsibilities, paving the way for more sustainable and efficient logistics practices.
Pluralism and the culture of education in Thailand: A bibliometric analysis
Authors: Treve Mark
Published: February 2025

The term pluralism in the culture of education relates to the acknowledgment, incorporation, and celebration of various cultural, ethnic, social, and ideological perspectives within educational settings. This study employs a bibliometric analysis to map the trend of pluralism in the culture of education in Thailand in its 500 publications since from the year of publication between 2000 and 2024 Literature data in this article collected from Scopus, web of science, and Google Scholar. Publication output saw a major increase, growing from 15 articles in 2000–2005 to 257 in 2021–2024—a period that then had a greater number of citations, 12.3 per article in 2000–2005 to 26.9 for 2020–2024. There was also an increase in the mean journal impact factor (IF) from 2.7 to 4.6, which reflects the increased academic attention towards and exposure of pluralism research in Thai education. In terms of institutional output, Chulalongkorn University ranks highest at 45 publications and 1450 citations (32.4 citations/article) followed by Mahidol University (38 publications, 1090 citations, 28.7 citations/article). National wise, Thailand leads in sheer number, with 320 publications, while international publishing takes with the United States, Malaysia, and the United Kingdom scoring similar citation per article (15.3 to 19.8) Keyword analysis: “pluralism,” “education policy” In regression analysis, institutional collaboration (β = 0.78, p = 0.002) and journal IF (β = 0.45, p = 0.025) were also significant predictors of citation impact. Citations are also elevated by open access publication (β = 0.56, p = .012). The study found that pluralism studies on Thai education are very extensive, indicating an increasing opportunity for international cooperation for the development of pluralism education with the contributions from Thai universities or centers in recent years. This study provides practical implications for policy, curriculum design, and teacher training, promoting inclusive, equitable, and culturally responsive education in Thailand and beyond.
Developing a Critical Imagination for How Researchers can use Artificially Intelligent Tools Reflexively and Responsibly During Qualitative Literature Reviews
Authors: Foley Kristen , McLean Caitlan , De Zylva Reece , Asa Gregorius , Maio Jordana , Batchelor Samantha , Dzando Gideon , Dimassi Ahmad
Published: February 2025

Artificially intelligent (AI) tools hold significant potential for researchers during the processes of qualitative literature review. Beyond only literature retrieval, some AI tools describe their use-value as being able to appraise and synthesise contrasting evidence within and across papers; work like ‘Spotify’ to cultivate a personalised ecosystem of research articles that evolves via algorithmic learning; and suggest new directions for research based on existing evidence about a topic and an assessment of knowledge gaps. It is critical to explore how the emergence and evolution of tools which apply artificial intelligence might nuance processes and possibilities for qualitive thinking and knowledge development. Our manuscript engages with this critical challenge by using multi-layered forms of reasoning to develop a critical imagination for qualitative researchers integrating novel forms of AI into their literature review methodology. We outline the roles and functions of ten AI tools that identify their role in supporting researchers map, synthesise, and appraise knowledge – using the citation environment (i.e., Citation Tree, Semantic Scholar, Open Knowledge, Connected Papers, Inciteful), article content (i.e., Litmaps, VosViewer), and those suggested capable of assessing the literature to summarise key terrain or suggest next steps for inquiry (i.e., SciteAI, Elicit, Research Rabbit). We situate our critical imagination reflexively within the intellectual and lived histories which contour qualitative thinking and theorisation. We further elucidate how the evolving social construction of knowledge as a cultural good, in which AI tools and qualitative research/ers are both imbricated, requires a critical consciousness capable of illuminating how AI might nuance knowledge systems in which the interpretive work of qualitative research is also enfolded. From this juncture, we discuss ethical implications of the uncritical use of AI tools during review of literature and delineate essential reflexive responsibilities for researchers who integrate AI tools into their methodology for qualitative literature review.
EXPRESS: Does collaborative remembering serve a directive function? Examining the influence of collaborative remembering on subsequent decision making
Authors: Abel Magdalena
Published: February 2025

Remembering together with others can facilitate memory for previously encountered contents, but can also prompt social contagion with information not previously encountered. This study examined whether these effects of collaborative remembering might serve a directive function and guide subsequent individual decisions. Participants were tested in groups of three and completed an adapted version of a prisoner’s dilemma. They initially encountered faces of different players on a screen, who cooperated with them or acted as cheaters. Some of these players were encountered by all three participants, others by single participants only. An interpolated memory test on all players was completed individually or collaboratively. During a final decision game, participants were asked to decide whether to cooperate with each player or not. Three experiments were conducted, which additionally varied encoding, the retention interval before the interpolated memory test, and format and instructions for the interpolated memory test. The results consistently showed adaptive decision making. Participants were more likely to cooperate with players who had previously cooperated with them, relative to both new players and cheaters. Interpolated collaborative remembering had no benefit, however; neither for decisions towards directly encountered players, nor for decisions towards players encountered by other participants. Effects of collaborative remembering may thus not serve a directive function and guide future behavior, or at least they may not do so in this adapted version of a prisoner’s dilemma.
Implementing a novel strategy to mitigate the risk associated with stock market investments: An examination of the KOSPI instance
Authors: Chen Qiaoqiao
Published: February 2025

A stock market is a market where people buy and sell shares of public companies. This index acts as a measure of the economic well-being of a country and shows the performance of companies and the general business environment. Stock prices are influenced by the relationship between supply and demand. Forecasting the stock market is a formidable undertaking due to the presence of unpredictable factors that impact price fluctuations. Rapid advances in AI and machine learning (ML) approaches, the availability of vast data, and the increasing processing power of machines provide opportunities to develop advanced methods for stock price prediction. The daily data of the Korea Stock Price Index was analyzed as part of this investigation. This study utilizes an enhanced Gated Recurrent Unit (GRU) in conjunction with Battle Royal Optimization (BRO) to forecast stock prices. Additionally, two other optimizers, namely Grey wolf optimization (GWO) and Moth flame optimization (MFO), have been used to optimize the hyperparameters of the model. Every model undergoes assessment based on certain criteria, revealing that the suggested model achieves the highest coefficient of determination value of 0.9963. This study used 5-fold cross-validation to BRO-GRU for stock price prediction to ensure generalizability across datasets. Wilcoxon-based statistical testing proved the model's superiority. The training time for GRU, GWO-GRU, MFO-GRU, and BRO-GRU methods was also measured. These findings show that the BRO-GRU model's predictive accuracy is higher than the compared methods and suggests competitive training efficiency and is better suited to accommodate the volatile nature of the stock market.
The stability of intraindividual means and standard deviations of affect
Authors: Shryock Ian , Condon David M. , Weston Sara J.
Published: February 2025

Dynamic characteristics like intraindividual means (iMs) and standard deviations (iSDs) reliably provide insight into the level and variability of emotions people experience within a given window of time. However, it is unclear the extent to which these measures characterize capture stable individual differences rather than transient states and, if so, how many observations are necessary to ensure reliable measurement. In the current study, we use data from two experience sampling studies that use burst designs to test the effect that the number of within-person observations has on the one-week and one-year stability of iMs and iSDs for various measures of emotion. We find that a modest one-year of stability of r = .50 could be reached for iMs with an average of 14 observations per person, while for iSDs an average of 42 observations were necessary, with many items failing to reach r = .50 at the maximum number of observations available. These findings suggest that in typical experience sampling designs iMs capture stable individual differences but iSDs may not, even with many within-person observations.
Natural Product Use for Chronic Pain: A New Survey of Patterns of Use, Beliefs, Concerns, and Disclosure to Providers
Authors: Seal Karen H. , Feinberg Termeh , Moore Liliana , Woodruff Nicole A. , Purcell Natalie , Bertenthal Daniel , McCamish Nicole , Becker William R.
Published: February 2025

Background

“Natural products” (NPs), including dietary supplements, are widely used, yet little is known about NP use for chronic pain and related conditions.

Objective

To develop a new NP survey to better understand reasons for NP use, beliefs, concerns, medication substitution, and provider disclosure.

Methods

Based on similar surveys and input from veteran focus groups and subject matter experts, a new brief NP survey was developed. The survey was piloted among 52 veterans with chronic pain enrolled in Veterans Health Administration (VA) primary care who endorsed NP use at baseline in a pragmatic trial comparing non-drug pain management approaches. Survey data was enriched with sociodemographic and clinical data from a parent trial. Descriptive frequencies and means were calculated.

Results

Of 55 surveys, 52 were completed (response rate, 94.5%). Respondents’ mean age was 57.6 (SD+/−12.5); 42% were women, 21% identified as Black/African American, and 10% Hispanic/Latinx ethnicity. All had chronic pain; 80% experienced disabling pain daily; 67% were prescribed non-opioid pain medication; 15% were prescribed opioids. In the prior 3 months, the mean number of NPs used was 4.6 (SD+/−3.2); 90% reported daily use. Most frequently used NPs were vitamins/minerals (94%), herbals/botanicals (60%); and cannabis (40%); one-third reported substituting NPs for pain medications. The majority endorsed safety concerns about interactions of NPs either with pain medications (55%) or other NPs (52%). Nearly all (98%) believed providers should discuss NP use with their patients, though only 52% had disclosed NP use to their providers.

Conclusions

Among veterans with chronic pain in VA primary care enrolled in a pragmatic trial, a new NP survey revealed prevalent use of multiple NPs concurrently, and in some cases, as substitutes for prescribed medications. Most veterans expressed safety concerns, yet a significant proportion reported not discussing NP use with their providers.
Effects of non-linear slip and magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) on the coating thickness of web using viscoplastic nanofluid model in the blade coating process
Authors: Ghaffari Abuzar , Javed Muhammad Asif , Majeed Komal , Nawaz Rab , Mustafa Irfan
Published: February 2025

Blade coating involves applying a fluid to a surface with a fixed blade, offering economic benefits compared to other coating technologies. It’s widely used in producing paper, preserving information, applying coloring agents, and manufacturing photographic films and magnetic storage devices. This article presents a theoretical two-dimensional study of the blade coating process using a viscoplastic material with slip and magnetohydrodynamics (MHD). The viscoplastic material’s rheology is characterized by the Bingham plastic model. The fundamental fluid dynamics equations are used to model the problem mathematically. These nonlinear partial differential equations are then transformed into ordinary differential equations using lubrication approximation theory and normalized variables. The simplified equations are solved using Matlab’s built-in function “bvp4c” in conjunction with the Regula-Falsi Method. Through graphical analysis, the effects of various parameters on physical quantities are investigated. The theoretical results indicate that, with a fixed MHD parameter value ( M = 4), the coating thickness and blade load increase by 57% and 594%, respectively, for plane coaters. For exponential coaters, these values are 55% and 592% higher than those for Newtonian fluid.
Effect of garlic powder supplementation on rumen microbiota and histology, and blood metabolites in Barki lambs
Authors: Rabee Alaa Emara , El Shereef Afaf A. , Nassar Mahmoud S. , El-Rayes Mohammed A. H. , Mohammed Rasha S. , Bakr Salah Abo
Published: February 2025

Background

Garlic (Allium sativum) contains different bioactive compounds that have antimicrobial activities, which might modify rumen fermentation and improve animal performance. This study investigated the effect of garlic powder supplementation on growth performance, rumen fermentation and microbiota, blood metabolites, and immunity in Barki lambs. Twelve Barki lambs were assigned into two dietary treatments (n = 6): basal diet (control group) or basal diet supplemented with garlic powder as 2% of dry matter (DM) intake. The basal diet consisted of alfalfa hay and a concentrate feed mixture.

Results

The results showed that garlic supplementation enhanced the growth performance, blood immunoglobulins IgG and IgA, rumen pH, and the proportions of propionic, isobutyric, and isovaleric (P < 0.05). Moreover, the rumen ammonia, predicted methane, and microbial alpha diversity were declined due to garlic supplementation (P < 0.05). Principal Co-ordinate analysis (PCoA) revealed that microbial communities were clustered according to dietary treatments. The bacterial community was dominated by phyla Bacteroidota and Firmicutes. The supplementation improved the relative abundance of the family Ruminococcaceae, genus Prevotella and Butyrivibrio which were correlated positively with growth performance and blood immunity (P < 0.05).

Conclusions

The results explain that garlic powder could modify rumen microbiota to improve rumen fermentation, immunity, and growth performance in growing lambs.
Structural, optical, electrical and photocatalytic properties Ce-doped SnO2 nanoparticles for photoelectrochemical applications
Authors: Khan Hamid , Khan Muhammad Noman , Khan Matiullah , Iqbal Yaseen , Ahsan Syed Muhammad , Ullah Hafeez
Published: February 2025

SnO2 nanoparticles accompanied by various concentrations of Ce as dopant material were prepared to extend the optical absorption spectrum near the visible spectrum. The Ce-doped SnO2 NPs at 0.5% (w/w) exhibit significantly higher photocatalytic ability compared to pure SnO2. This enhancement has potential applications in environmental remediation, energy storage, and optoelectronic devices. The microstructures and optical properties of the prepared samples were characterized by XRD, FTIR, EDS, SEM, and UV–vis DRS. The results showed that the nanoparticles are in the tetragonal rutile SnO2 phase. Increasing Ce concentration (over 0.5% (w/w)) shifted the absorption edge towards higher wavelengths and the band gap energy drops from 3.620 to 3.031 eV. The FTIR spectrum confirmed the O–Sn–O bond information in the synthesized samples. The SEM images showed the formation of nearly spherical nanoparticles. Ce-doped SnO2 NPs have smaller primary particles than SnO2 NPs. Reduction in the band gap due to an increase in defects by Ce doping is found and confirmed by the UV–Vis spectra. The existence of Sn and O elements was confirmed by the observed EDS spectra. A plausible photocatalytic mechanism was proposed for the degradation of Methylene blue under UV light to examine the photocatalytic activity of SnO2 and Ce-doped SnO2 NPs photocatalyst. The Ce-doped SnO2 NPs display improved photocatalytic activity compared to SnO2. The influence of Ce concentration doping on the electrical properties was observed at room temperature. Impedance decreases with the frequency and Ce concentration while ac conductivity is increases with the frequency and Ce concentration. The dielectric constant and the dielectric loss rise up with the Ce doping and decrease with the frequency. Among the synthesized samples, the Ce-doped SnO2 depict improved ability of photodegradation and the optimal ability of SnO2 nanoparticles was achieved at 0.5% Ce doping.
Challenges to environmental sustainability and circular economy practices of Nigerian small and medium enterprises
Authors: Adesua-Lincoln Adebimpe
Published: February 2025

This study explores sustainability and circular economic practices of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Nigeria. The research investigates the experiences and challenges faced by SMEs as they seek to navigate the implementation of circular and sustainable practices. Drawing on an integrated theoretical framework, the study combines the sustainability, entrepreneurship and strategic orientation literature to evaluate the interrelationship between these concepts. Through the use of questionnaire surveys conducted with entrepreneurs in Lagos Nigeria, the research helps fill the gap in the literature on circular economy practices of SMEs and makes recommendations to policymakers for the effective development of policy initiatives that promote a responsive approach to the SME sector. The research also proposes several strategies and policy initiatives to assist SMEs in developing requisite skills and knowledge to enable them to confidently implement environmental sustainability and circularity practices.
Global dominance of non-institutional delivery and the risky impact on maternal mortality spike in 25 Sub-Saharan African Countries
Authors: Oyedele Oyewole K. , Lawal Temitayo V.
Published: February 2025

Background

Despite 70% of global maternal death occurring in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and the high rate of non-institutional delivery (NID), studies that inspect the connections are needed but lacking. Thus, we investigated the urban–rural burden and risk factors of NID and the correlate with maternal mortality to extend strategies for sinking the mortality spike towards sustainable development goal (SDG-3.1) in SSA.

Methods

Secondary analysis of recent (2014–2021) cross-sectional demographic-health-survey (DHS) were conducted across 25-countries in SSA. Primary outcome was institutional versus non-institutional delivery and secondary outcome was maternal-mortality-ratio (MMR) per 100,000 livebirths and the lifetime risk (LTR), while predictors were grouped by socio-economic, obstetrics and country-level factors. Data were weighted to adjust for heterogeneity and descriptive analysis was performed. Pearson chi-square, correlation, and simple linear regression anlyses were performed to assess relationships. Multivariable logistic regression further evaluated the predictor likelihood and significance at alpha = 5% (95% confidence-interval ‘CI’).

Results

Prevalence of NID was highest in Chad (78.6%), Madagascar (60.6%), then Nigeria (60.4%) and Angola (54.3%), with rural SSA dominating NID rate by about 85%. Odds of NID were significantly lower by 60% and 98% among women who had at least four antenatal care (ANC) visits (aOR = 0.40, 95%CI = 0.38–0.41) and utilized skilled birth attendants (SBA) at delivery (aOR = 0.02, 95%CI = 0.01–0.02), respectively. The odds of NID reduces by women age, educational-level, and wealth-quintiles. Positive and significant linear relationship exist between NID and MMR (ρ = 0.5453), and NID and LTR (ρ = 0.6136). Consequently, 1% increase in NID will lead to about 248/100000 and 8.2/1000 increase in MMR and LTR in SSA respectively.

Conclusions

Only South Africa, Rwanda and Malawi had achieved the WHO 90% coverage for healthcare delivery. ANC and SBA use reduced NID likelihood but, MMR is significantly influenced by NID. Hence, strategic decline in NID will proportionately influence the sinking of MMR spike to attain SDG-3.1 in SSA.
Therapy for Stage IV Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer Without Driver Alterations: ASCO Living Guideline, Version 2024.3
Authors: Leighl Natasha B. , Ismaila Nofisat , Durm Greg , Florez Narjust , Freeman-Daily Janet , Pellini Bruna , Mishra Deebya Raj , Schenk Erin L. , Sequist Lecia , Singh Navneet , Bazhenova Lyudmila
Published: February 2025

Living guidelines are developed for selected topic areas with rapidly evolving evidence that drives frequent change in recommended clinical practice. Living guidelines are updated on a regular schedule by a standing expert panel that systematically reviews the health literature on a continuous basis, as described in the

ASCO Guidelines Methodology Manual

. ASCO Living Guidelines follow the

ASCO Conflict of Interest Policy Implementation for Clinical Practice Guidelines

. Living Guidelines and updates are not intended to substitute for independent professional judgment of the treating clinician and do not account for individual variation among patients. See appendix for disclaimers and other important information (
Appendix 1
and
2
). Updates are published regularly and can be found at

https://ascopubs.org/nsclc-non-da-living-guideline

.
Erich Auerbach’s Figural Interpretation and the Uncanny Jew
Authors: Elsky Martin
Published: February 2025

The German Jewish scholar Erich Auerbach comments with uncharacteristic candor about his feelings regarding Jews in a 1941 letter to his fellow expatriate in Turkish exile Alexander Rüstow. Auerbach describes Jews as “uncanny” (unheimlich): after their ancient exile, Jews became a homeless, ghostly people and fell out of historical temporality. The language of the letter suggests that Auerbach recasts his essay “Figura” (1938) to highlight “figural interpretation” as a form of Jewish uncanniness by connecting the figural interpretation of Jewish scripture to a history of anti-Jewish tropes of cultural moribundity and homelessness. The letter places Auerbach and his most influential essay in dialogue about the uncanny with Sigmund Freud, Walter Benjamin, and, proleptically, Jacques Derrida. It especially reveals Auerbach grappling with his older contemporary Franz Rosenzweig about uncanny, particularist, and universal identity and suggests that Auerbach’s cosmopolitanism verges on a disaffiliation that challenges our notion of the committed intellectual.
Death Writes: Franz Kafka, Tubercular Soundscapes, and the Place of Literature
Authors: Engelstein Stefani
Published: February 2025

Analyzing previously unexplored medical records of Franz Kafka, this article reveals the significance of tubercular lung sounds—internal yet inaudible to the patient—for his penultimate story, “The Burrow.” Modern audio recordings of the sounds described for Kafka’s lungs are included. The asymmetrical access to sound is transformed in “The Burrow” into a narrative technique for exploring the relationship between the incommensurable positionalities of fictional and authorial worlds. Created as an external eavesdropper on its author’s breathing, the burrowing animal protagonist responds to the sound not only with anxiety but also with an expanded imaginative capacity, inventing in turn a creator god in its own image—a portrait of the author as a great beast. The text thus becomes a reflection on the legacy an author leaves behind, one that refuses presence in favor of strange representation. The involuted structure and the temporal paradox that result allow the text to mark proleptically the death of its own author. Drawing on sound studies, medical humanities, and text-immanent critique, this article traces the unequal access to the sound of the author’s breath by author, narrator, and, ultimately, reader as a series of encounters and provocations that transform capacities and faculties and perturb time and space.
Out on a Limb: Brian Evenson's Last Days
Authors: De Boever Arne
Published: February 2025

Brian Evenson's horror detective novel Last Days demonstrates an exhaustion with epistemology—the desire to know, and the cultic schisms between guardians of knowledge that it produces—and a turn toward ontology—specifically, a consideration of worlds in which things might not be the same from one moment to the next and a certain kind of knowledge therefore becomes impossible. In such worlds, in which “the future constancy of the real is not guaranteed” and moreover “contingency is necessary” (to recall the work of philosopher Quentin Meillassoux), the project of detection evidently comes under pressure—as do the literary practices of representation and narration. In this article, I develop a close reading of Evenson's novel in order to pursue the philosophical, political, and ultimately literary critical consequences of such a situation.
Integrating ChatGPT into the Exercise Industry: A Disruptive Shift for Industry Professionals
Authors: Vickey Ted
Published: February 2025

Apply It!

• Use ChatGPT to automate client communication, freeing up time for direct client interactions.

• Create personalized workout plans based on client data using ChatGPT’s advanced capabilities.

• Enhance client retention by leveraging ChatGPT for consistent engagement and feedback loops.

• Streamline administrative tasks such as scheduling and client follow-ups, increasing efficiency.
Money (Not) to Burn: Payments for Ecosystem Services to Reduce Crop Residue Burning
Authors: Jack B. Kelsey , Jayachandran Seema , Kala Namrata , Pande Rohini
Published: February 2025

We test whether payments for ecosystem services (PES) can curb the highly polluting practice of crop residue burning in India. Standard PES contracts pay participants after verification that they met a proenvironment condition (clearing fields without burning). We randomize paying a portion of the money up front and unconditionally to address liquidity constraints and farmer distrust, which may undermine the standard contract’s effectiveness. Incorporating partial up-front payment into the contract increases compliance by 10 percentage points, which is corroborated by satellite-based burning measurements. The cost per life saved is $3,600–$5,400. The standard PES contract has no effect on burning. (JEL D86, O13, Q12, Q15, Q18, Q53, Q58)
Induced Innovation, Inventors, and the Energy Transition
Authors: Dugoua Eugenie , Gerarden Todd D.
Published: February 2025

We study how individual inventors respond to incentives to work on “clean” electricity technologies. Using natural gas price variation, we estimate output and entry elasticities of inventors and measure the medium-term impacts of a price increase mirroring the social cost of carbon. We find that the induced clean innovation response primarily comes from existing clean inventors. New inventors are less responsive on the margin than their average contribution to clean energy patenting would indicate. Our results strengthen the rationale for government intervention to expedite the energy transition. (JEL L94, O31, O34, Q35, Q42, Q55)
Community Engagement with Law Enforcement after High-Profile Acts of Police Violence
Authors: Ang Desmond , Bencsik Panka , Bruhn Jesse , Derenoncourt Ellora
Published: February 2025

We document a sharp rise in gunshots coupled with declining 911 call volume across 13 major US cities in the aftermath of the murder of George Floyd. National survey data also indicate that victims of crime became less likely to report their victimization to law enforcement due to mistrust of police. Our results suggest that high-profile acts of police violence may erode community engagement with law enforcement and highlight the call-to-shot ratio as a natural measure of attitudes toward the police. (JEL H76, K42)
When Big Data Enables Behavioral Manipulation
Authors: Acemoglu Daron , Makhdoumi Ali , Malekian Azarakhsh , Ozdaglar Asuman
Published: February 2025

We build a model of online behavioral manipulation driven by AI advances. A platform dynamically offers one of n products to a user who slowly learns product quality. User learning depends on a product’s “glossiness,” which captures attributes that make products appear more attractive than they are. AI tools enable platforms to learn glossiness and engage in behavioral manipulation. We establish that AI benefits consumers when glossiness is short-lived. In contrast, when glossiness is long-lived, behavioral manipulation reduces user welfare. Finally, as the number of products increases, the platform can intensify behavioral manipulation by presenting more low-quality, glossy products. (JEL C55, D83, D91, L86)
Practical Tips for Starting a Student-Run Free Eye Clinic
Authors: Porter Robert , Leone Adam , Reinisch Cameron , Murphy Alec , Linne Courtney , Regenold Jonathan , Kim Hyun Jun , Kelly Lisa
Published: February 2025

Student-run free clinics serve three primary functions: 1) providing basic medical services for the uninsured and underserved in our communities, 2) supporting the training of medical providers, and 3) advocating for medically underserved communities. Despite the multiple benefits that student-run free clinics can provide, the process of founding a clinic is a significant challenge, even for highly motivated students. Here, we present 12 tips generated by students and residents at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine based on their combined experience in founding the Bearcat Eye Service (BES), a clinic that provides basic ophthalmic screenings. These tips were developed to provide a framework for those interested in founding a student-run free clinic or expanding ophthalmic care in their communities.
Influence of late Holocene climate and wildfire on mammalian community composition in the northern Rocky Mountains (USA)
Authors: Stegne M. Allison , Hadly Elizabeth A.
Published: February 2025

Over the last half century, the Rocky Mountains have experienced increasing temperatures, more frequent droughts, and remarkable increases in wildfire: trends that are expected to continue. While the consequences of ongoing climate and fire regime change for this region are uncertain, previous research suggests that the combination of more frequent fire with changing climate may lead to abrupt changes in vegetation, causing downstream effects including altering mammal communities. Small mammals, in particular, are more habitat-specific and less able to move great distances in response to habitat disturbance. Reconstructing how these ecosystems have responded to climate and fire regime change in the past can reveal underlying dynamics that enable us to anticipate how they will react to future changes. Although there has been substantial research on fire-climate-vegetation relationships, the long-term impacts of fire on small mammal communities are not well characterized. Here, we use mammalian fossils from Waterfall Locality, a fossil packrat midden in northeastern Yellowstone National Park spanning ~3,400 to 250 calendar years before present (cal YBP), to reconstruct mammal diversity (species richness, evenness, and relative abundance) through time and to explore whether changes in diversity and community composition were related to climate and fire regime. We evaluate reconstructed wildfire activity from sedimentary charcoal as well as seven modeled climate variables (mean annual temperature, minimum winter temperature, maximum summer temperature, temperature seasonality, mean annual precipitation, mean summer precipitation, and precipitation seasonality). We find evidence that both summer precipitation and wildfire contributed to small mammal community turnover. Higher summer precipitation was associated with higher proportions of closed-habitat mammals and lower proportions of open habitat mammals. Elevated levels of wildfire activity near the site from ~2,200 – 1,800 cal YBP likely also contributed to this change in closed- versus open-habitat mammals around 1,600 cal YBP. Waterfall Locality represents a ~3,400-year record of mammal diversity in lower montane forests of the northern Rockies, analyses of which provide context for predicting future changes to the mammal community in this region.
Mamíferos del valle de Perote: endemismos y extinciones
Authors: Montero-Bagatella Sandra H. , González-Gallina Alberto
Published: February 2025

Los mamíferos del valle de Perote enfrentan continuas e intensas presiones antrópicas que comprometen su existencia. Algunas de sus especies se encuentran en riesgo de desaparecer mientras que otras no han logrado persistir.
Microorganismos fantásticos y dónde encontrarlos
Authors: Arellano-Hernández Hanya D. , Montes-Carreto Leslie M. , Guerrero José Antonio
Published: February 2025

Detrás de la vida de los mamíferos, hay un mundo oculto que la moldea. Billones de microorganismos que incluyen bacterias, virus, hongos y arqueas, pueden habitar en el cuerpo de un enorme elefante, de un pequeño murciélago e inclusive de ti, que estás leyendo esto.
A VIDA APÓS O LUTO PELA PERSPECTIVA PSICANALÍTICA: UM ESTUDO DE CASO
Authors: dos Santos Maia Yaná , Da Silva Cruz Edson Júnior
Published: February 2025

Resumo:  A morte de um ente querido tende a se apresentar como um evento inesperado para os demais enlutados, podendo gerar importantes repercussões sociais e emocionais. Dessa maneira, o atendimento psicoterápico ao enlutado é importante para que este possa expressar seus sentimentos e desenvolver uma elaboração de luto saudável. O objetivo da presente pesquisa é apresentar um estudo descritivo, do tipo estudo de caso, sobre uma mulher adulta enlutada atendida por um serviço de Psicoterapia Regular em uma Clínica-Escola, utilizando os conceitos da Psicanálise como embasamento teórico. Inicialmente, a paciente estava apresentando importante sofrimento psíquico diante da morte de seus familiares, fator que estaria interferindo no funcionamento habitual de diversas áreas em sua vida. Com o processo psicoterápico, ela pôde elaborar com maior facilidade o luto que estava vivenciando, reorganizando sua rotina e fortalecendo vínculos interpessoais. Freud (1914/1980) aponta que a retirada das conexões com o objeto amado perdido requer um processo gradativo e lento, sendo necessário o acompanhamento psicológico para facilitar a elaboração da perda e, assim, possibilitar a celebração da vida após o luto.
Palavras-Chave: Morte. Luto. Estágio Clínico. Psicanálise. Psicologia.