bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Okinawa Agriculture and the Sterile Insect Technique
Authors: Mizuno Hiromi 
Published: December 2024

Abstract
Bitter melon is a popular gourd vegetable native to Okinawa in Japan. However, because of the melon fly, a very damaging pest on the quarantine list, bitter melon could not be sold in mainland Japan until the fly was eradicated from Okinawa Prefecture in 1993 by using the nuclear-derived sterile insect technique (SIT). This essay examines the SIT project in Okinawa that began in 1972 when the United States returned Okinawa to Japan. The twenty-year-long project required the irradiation and release of fifty-three billion melon flies. Its success helped Okinawa's troubled agricultural sector and made theoretical contributions to the SIT with sophisticated models to gauge the sexual competitiveness of sterile flies. Commemorative publications and scientific reports, however, are silent about Okinawa's status as a US military-base island. Rather than seeing the SIT as the solution to the pest problem, this article situates Okinawan agriculture and the SIT project in the deeper context of colonialism, overdependence on pesticides, and the nuclearization of Japan, by taking seriously the fact that the entomologist who led the project felt profound ambivalence toward “peaceful” atomic technology.
In Pursuit of “Man-Made Evolution”
Authors: Patil Kapil 
Published: December 2024

Abstract
The use of radiation techniques in agriculture held great promise in postcolonial India's quest to put agriculture on a “scientific basis.” Unpacking its epistemic debates, and the dynamics of international technical assistance, this article contends that the pursuit of atomic agriculture constituted a dominant sociotechnical imaginary among Indian elites to modernize the country's traditional agrarian system. Inducing desirable changes in crops via irradiation occurred against the backdrop of Cold War competition among great powers to woo developing countries through technical aid and assistance, coupled with New Delhi's imperative to become self-sufficient in food-grain production. For Indian scientific elites, the possibility of “man-made evolution” through radiation-induced mutations was institutionally promising. Indian scientists became the standard-bearers of atomic agriculture in the developing world through the effective use of “mutation breeding” as a “complementary” crop improvement technique. However, global epistemic and organizational divides often cast a shadow on the utility of nuclear techniques for India's food sufficiency needs. The use of radiation techniques also became contentious for eclipsing alternate policy pathways in India's agriculture and food systems. India's tryst with atomic agriculture nonetheless embodied its combined desire to attain scientific modernity, strategic autonomy, and self-reliance in food production.
Atomic Spaghetti”
Authors: Cassata Francesco 
Published: December 2024

Abstract
Established in 1960 near Rome and supported by the US Atomic Energy Commission and the International Atomic Energy Agency, the Casaccia Center for Nuclear Studies played a fundamental role in transforming what became known as “mutation breeding” from an uncertain set of technologies into a robust area of research and development at both the national and international levels. At the time, there was a struggle for authority over plant breeding between the advocates of using nuclear energy and those advocating more cost-effective methods such as pedigree selection or hybridization. The Casaccia Center strategically implemented a research program based on two crucial elements: first, the use of the “gamma field,” a circular area with a retractable gamma-ray source in the middle, where growing plants could be exposed to chronic irradiation; and second, the launch of a broad mutation breeding program of durum wheat, typically used for pasta making. Drawing from a variety of archival sources, this article shows how both programs were instrumental in legitimizing and bolstering the use of the “peaceful atom” in agriculture on a national and global scale.
Diet-induced plasticity modifies relationships between larval growth rate and post-metamorphic behavior and physiology in spadefoot toads
Authors: Shephard Alexander M. , Jacobsen Sydney , Ledón-Rettig Cristina C. 
Published: December 2024

ABSTRACT
It has frequently been hypothesized that among-individual variation in behavior and physiology will correlate with life history traits, yet the nature of these correlations can vary. Such variability may arise from plasticity in trait development, which can amplify or attenuate trait correlations across different environments. Using the Mexican spadefoot toad (Spea multiplicata), we tested whether relationships between larval growth rate and post-metamorphic behavior or physiology are influenced by a key mediator of developmental plasticity: larval diet type. Spea multiplicata larvae develop on two alternative diets, with slower growing omnivores feeding on detritus and faster growing carnivores consuming live fairy shrimp. We found that correlations between larval growth rate and post-metamorphic behavior and physiology differed by diet type. Among detritus feeders, faster growing larvae developed into juvenile frogs that were not only bolder but also had higher hypothalamic–pituitary–interrenal axis reactivity (an indicator of stress responsiveness) and longer telomeres, suggesting greater somatic maintenance. In contrast, among shrimp feeders – which exhibited faster growth overall – larval growth rate was less strongly correlated with juvenile behavior and physiology, indicating that a shift from omnivory to carnivory can attenuate trait correlations among individuals. Overall, our study suggests that developmental plasticity induced by different diet types can modify relationships between life history traits and individual behavior or physiology.
The Impact of Probiotic Supplementation on Sports Achievement - Literature Review
Authors: Basiak Aneta , Suława Adrian , Fedorowicz Sebastian , Targoński Oskar , Targońska Marta , Furgalska Julia , Ptasiński Aleksander , Niekurzak Rafał , Buczek Agnieszka 
Published: December 2024

INTRODUCTION: According to the official definition provided by the Expert Consultation of the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations and the World Health Organization (FAO/WHO), probiotics are "Live microorganisms that, when administered in adequate amounts, confer a health benefit on the host”. Currently, science focuses on understanding the physiological and metabolic mechanisms occurring during intense physical activity. Research has begun on supporting the intestinal microbiome to achieve better results in sports.
PURPOSE OF THE WORK: This work aims to present interesting research on the potential role of probiotics in athletes. It illustrates how probiotics act on the body through many different mechanisms, which result in what is most important: homeostasis. The main intention is to demonstrate the potential power of probiotics, which will allow us to compose personal probiotics to achieve better results in sports in the future thanks to the design of personalized probiotics.
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF KNOWLEDGE: Recent research has shown the positive effect of probiotics on the processes occurring in the body. They reduce inflammatory parameters and oxidative stress, improve the tightness of the intestinal barrier, have immunomodulatory properties, and regulate the functioning of skeletal muscles, bones and other groups of organs. Thanks to the use of appropriately composed probiotics containing specific bacterial strains, the body's regeneration is shorter and the effectiveness of exercises is greater.
CONCLUSIONS: The presenting research results may be a turning point in researching probiotics’ mechanism of action. Further probiotic research should optimize supplementation composition, dose, and duration to obtain maximum safety and health benefits.
Optimal Match Recommendations in Two-sided Marketplaces with Endogenous Prices
Authors: Shi Peng 
Published: December 2024

Many two-sided marketplaces rely on match recommendations to help customers find suitable service providers at suitable prices. This paper develops a tractable methodology that a platform can use to optimize its match recommendation policy to maximize the total value generated by the platform while accounting for the endogeneity of transaction prices, which are set by the providers based on supply and demand and can depend on the platform’s match recommendation policy. Despite the complications of price endogeneity, an optimal match recommendation policy has a simple structure and can be computed efficiently. In particular, an optimal policy always recommends the providers who deliver the highest conversion rates. Moreover, an optimal policy can be encoded simply in terms of the frequency of recommending each provider to each customer segment, without the need to encode which subsets of providers are to be recommended together. On the other hand, if the platform were to optimize its match recommendations without accounting for price endogeneity, then the resultant policy would be more complex, and the market is likely to get stuck at a strictly suboptimal outcome, even if the platform were to continually reoptimize its match recommendations after prices re-equilibrate. This paper was accepted by Omar Besbes, revenue management and market analytics. Supplemental Material: The online appendices and data files are available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2022.02691 .
Ecologías insumisas. Antagonismos al geontopoder de la extracción petrolera (2023). Reseña del libro de Mauricio González González
Authors: Romero Laura 
Published: December 2024

Reseña del libro Ecologías insumisas. Antagonismos al geontopoder de la extracción petrolera (2023). Reseña del libro de Mauricio González González.
Graduación oportuna para estudiantes de derecho: un estudio de caso en Chile
Authors: Sanhueza Olivares Guillermo , Anfossi-Albornoz María G. 
Published: December 2024

De acuerdo con datos entregados por SIES, la duración formal de las carreras es sobrepasada por la duración real de éstas para gran parte del sistema de educación superior en Chile, situación que incide directamente en la titulación oportuna de los estudiantes. En el ámbito del Derecho, la situación es aún más preocupante pues tanto las tasas de graduación como los tiempos de graduación están por fuera de los rangos promedio del sistema universitario. Este artículo, utilizando datos administrativos facilitados por la propia Universidad de las Américas en Santiago, analiza la situación actual en términos de tiempos y perfiles de los titulados, estableciendo asimismo algunos predictores detrás de una titulación oportuna para los estudiantes de la carrera de Derecho. Nuestros resultados muestran que, de un total de 1.557 casos totales para el periodo de observación 2005-2014 (ambos, inclusive), solo 175 se titularon oportunamente (asumiendo que titulación oportuna = 6 años máximo), equivalentes a 11,2% de la cohorte, o bien a un 19,8% de los 883 que se titularon. El tiempo promedio de los 883 titulados fue de 7,69 años (desviación = 2,27 años). Este estudio puede servir para la propia Facultad de Derecho UDLA para determinar estrategias de aumentar los porcentajes de titulación oportuna; establecer qué perfil de estudiantes necesitan más apoyo durante la carrera; y, asimismo, ofrecer una contribución empírica a la literatura sobre educación superior en Chile, especialmente dentro de Derecho, donde los estudios empíricos son escasos (Carvajal, 2018).
Nomogram for predicting early death in elderly patients with laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma: A population-based SEER study
Authors: Liang Qi-Wei , Gao Xi-Lin , Zhang Jun-wei 
Published: December 2024

Background
The disease and mortality rates of patients with laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) stabilize after peaking at the age of 60 years. This study aimed to identify risk factors associated with early death (death within 6 months) in elderly (≥60 years) patients with LSCC and to establish predictive nomograms to aid clinicians in developing individualized treatment plans.

Methods
Data pertaining to elderly patients with LSCC between 2004 and 2015 was obtained from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database (version 8.4.0). Multiple logistic models were used to identify the independent risk factors associated with early mortality. The overall risk of early death was predicted using a web-based probability calculator and predictive nomogram. The cohort underwent decision curve analysis (DCA), calibration, and receiver operating characteristic curves to evaluate the clinical applicability and predictability of the models during the training and validation stages.

Results
This study included 10,031 patients, of which 1,711 (17.0%) experienced all-cause early death, and 1,129 died from cancer-specific causes. Patients with LSCC who had overlapping laryngeal lesions, advanced age, unmarried status, high tumour and node stages, presence of distant metastases, and lack of treatment were at risk for early death. According to the nomograms, the risk of all-cause death and cancer-specific early death had an area under the curve of 0.796 and 0.790, respectively. Internal validation and DCA revealed that the prediction model was accurate and could be applied clinically.

Conclusion
The study provides an overview of the characteristics of early death in patients with LSCC. Among the prognostic factors, T stage and radiotherapy demonstrated the strongest predictive value for early mortality, while marital status and tumor grade had the worst prognostic value. Two nomogram plots were constructed to facilitate accurate prediction of all-cause and cancer-specific early mortality within 6 months in elderly patients with LSCC, thereby helping clinicians in providing more personalised treatment plans.
Dietary lipids shape cytokine and leptin profiles in obesity-metabolic syndrome implications: A cross-sectional study
Authors: Poosri Sakawrut , Vimaleswaran Karani Santhanakrishnan , Prangthip Pattaneeya 
Published: December 2024

Background
Obesity, characterized by chronic energy imbalance and excessive adiposity, is a key component of metabolic syndrome and is associated with low-grade inflammation and altered adipokine secretion. This study aimed to evaluate the association between dietary fat consumption and its influence on interleukin (IL) and leptin levels in participants with obesity.

Methods
Using the Asian obesity classification criteria, a cross-sectional study was conducted on 384 adults (18–59 years). Anthropometric measurements by bioelectrical impedance analyzer (BIA), blood biochemistry by colorimetric assay, inflammatory markers and hormones by ELISA test, and dietary intake were assessed by Semi-FFQ.

Results
Obesity prevalence was 26.1% and 73.90% in males and females, respectively. Participants with obesity exhibited significantly higher inflammatory and hormonal marker levels. Positive correlations were observed between blood lipid, glucose, and tumor necrosis factor-α, IL-6, and leptin levels. Energy, carbohydrate, and sugar intake were positively correlated with leptin levels. High saturated fat intake was associated with increased IL-6 levels (odds ratio = 2.03, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.00–4.11, p < 0.047), whereas high total fat intake elevated leptin levels by 2.14-fold (95% CI = 1.12–4.10, p < 0.021) in participants with obesity.

Conclusions
This study demonstrates significant associations between dietary fat composition, inflammatory markers, and leptin levels in individuals with obesity. These findings suggest that modulating dietary fat intake can be a potential strategy for mitigating obesity-related inflammation and leptin resistance, highlighting the need for targeted nutritional interventions in obesity and metabolic syndrome management.
Organización y Estructura de las Buenas Tesis Doctorales en Educación
Authors: Murillo F. Javier , Rízquez Pilar , Martínez-Garrido Cynthia 
Published: December 2024

Esta investigación busca determinar la estructura y organización de las buenas tesis en Educación en España con el fin de proporcionar información clara, concreta y útil a quienes inician la elaboración de sus tesis doctorales. Para ello se analizan todas las tesis en modalidad de monografía que han obtenido el premio extraordinario entre los años 2018 y 2022 en la disciplina académica de Educación en las universidades públicas españolas y que estuvieran disponibles a texto completo en el momento de la recogida de datos. En total, se estudiaron en profundidad 71 tesis de 25 universidades. Entre otros resultados, se encontró que las tesis con premio extraordinario tienen una extensión promedio de 405,4 páginas, excluyendo anexos. La distribución interna es la siguiente: Introducción, con 12,0 páginas de promedio (3,0 % del total); Marco Teórico, con 108,9 (26,9 %); Métodos, con 49,1 páginas (12,1 %); Resultados, con 134,1 (33,1 %); Discusión y Conclusiones, con 33,2 (8,2 %); y, por último, Referencias, que ocupan 33,3 páginas (8,2 % del total), lo que supone un promedio de 394,7 referencias. Con todo ello se aporta una gran cantidad de datos para las personas que empiezan las tesis y para las que las dirigen, que puede contribuir ayudar a elaborar mejores tesis doctorales.
Heterotopic Moments of Being in Clarice Lispector’s The Besieged City
Authors: Kasima Tetyana 
Published: December 2024

The paper examines the novel A Cidade Sitiada, 1949 (The Besieged City, 2019) by Clarice Lispector, a work often overlooked yet rich in the exploration of urban transformation and subjective experience of city life. Through the character of Lucrécia Neves, Lispector presents a multifaceted view of São Geraldo, a fictional city undergoing significant change, and captures the psychological impact of these shifts on its inhabitants. The analysis focuses on what I term heterotopic moments of being, instances where the protagonist’s perception of her environment reveals the city’s layered and shifting nature. These moments draw on the Foucauldian concept of heterotopia, combining it with the notion of “moments of being” introduced by Virginia Woolf. By examining the moments, I aim to highlight how Lispector negotiates the boundaries between permanence and transience and fluidity and solidity in urban spaces. Methodologically, the study involves close reading and the concepts of literary urban studies in the examination of the passages from The Besieged City that vividly depict the transformations of the city. My study seeks to reveal how Lispector’s work contributes to the literary portrayal of urban space as an orienting and disruptive force, shaping characters’ perceptions of self, place, and the fluid boundaries between them.
The Needs and Experiences of Black Families in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
Authors: Ondusko Devlynne S. , Klawetter Susanne , Hawkins Carter Emily , Osborne Morinne , Peterson Jaime W. , Underwood Carrasco Veronica I. , Platteau Astrid , Suzette Hunte Roberta 
Published: December 2024

OBJECTIVES
To identify opportunities for improvement in quality of care, we explore Black families’ experiences of family support in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) during their infant’s hospital stay.

METHODS
Semistructured qualitative interviews or focus groups (FGs) were conducted to explore Black families’ experiences of NICU hospitalization. Inclusion criteria were self-identification as a Black family member and infant admission to our NICU between January 2020 and February 2022. We conducted reflexive thematic analysis of recorded transcripts using Dedoose software.

RESULTS
Three interviews and 2 FGs were conducted with 9 unique families (n = 13 individuals). We organized 10 key themes into “Experiences” and “Recommendations.” Experience themes included distrust and fear of the medical setting, hypervigilance and trauma trajectory formation, the myth of “Black hardiness,” policing and surveillance, and undermining of Black parenting. Recommendation themes implored NICU staff to earn rather than assume trust, respect family concerns, improve mental health support, provide compassionate care, and support the parenting role.

CONCLUSIONS
In this single-center qualitative study of Black families’ NICU encounters, families continue to experience differential treatment, which reinforces an untrustworthy medical system perpetuating structural racism. Family recommendations for improving care through transparent communication, advocacy and mental health support, increased engagement in their parental role, and decreasing biased treatment and provision of resources may improve their experience and mitigate hypervigilance and trajectory formation in our NICU.
Modified Periosteal Releasing Incision (MPRI) for Primary Closure: Visualization of the Mental Nerve
Authors: Hur Yong , Lee Po , Ogata Yumi , Jeong Y. Natalie , Sohn Dong-Seok 
Published: December 2024

ABSTRACT
Periodontal procedures often require flap advancement for adequate coverage of the surgical site, with tension-free primary closure essential for successful outcomes. Although the periosteal releasing incision is frequently performed, it may necessitate deeper or more incisions, which could result in consequences such as edema, bleeding, paresthesia, and discomfort for the patient. To address these issues, the modified periosteal releasing incision was proposed to minimize trauma into the submucosa. In this paper, we update the technique, emphasizing its application in visualizing the mental nerve to avoid nerve damage during significant flap advancement in the posterior mandible. The technique provides an alternative approach to traditional techniques, ensuring patient safety and improving surgical outcomes. Future research is needed to explore its benefits and applications in various clinical scenarios.
EDUCAÇÃO ESCOLAR QUILOMBOLA E O CURRÍCULO
Authors: Silva Maisa Eveline Duarte da , Sousa Neide Maria Fernandes Rodrigues de 
Published: December 2024

A pesquisa visa compreender o currículo escolar e as práticas pedagógicas de uma escola quilombola com classe multisseriada. O currículo escolar agrega um conjunto de significados, com critérios de seleção de produção de conhecimento. O desenho curricular em escolas do quilombo tem como característica valorização histórica de suas terras e cultura. As classes multisseriadas, comuns em comunidades rurais e ou do campo caracterizam-se por reunir em um mesmo espaço físico diferentes séries que são gerenciadas por um mesmo. Nesse contexto, é importante refletir sobre as orientações curriculares e as práticas pedagógicas destinadas a educação escolar quilombola com classes multisseriada. No levantamento de campo adotou-se uma abordagem qualitativa; no qual participaram da pesquisa duas professoras de uma escola em uma comunidade quilombola com classe multisseriada; como instrumento de levantamento utilizou-se a entrevista semi-estruturada. Nos resultados as participantes em seus relatos sinalizam para a necessidade de construir políticas curriculares em conformidade com as demandas escolares em que prevalece a Educação Quilombola, assim também indicam a falta de comprometimento de políticas públicas direcionadas para escolas em comunidades quilombolas. E atentam para a construção e valorização de uma educação mantenedora dos saberes culturalmente construídos e legitimados.