Collection Volume Research Articles

The Science and Myth of Galileo between the Seventeenth and Nineteenth Centuries in Europe by Massimo Bucciantini

This volume contains the proceedings of an international conference held in Florence at the Museo Galileo, 29–31 January 2020. There are 31 essays, including the editor’s preface. Although the subtitle indicates that the conference was “international”, the vast majority of essays are by Italian scholars. This puzzling fact is not just an item of information concerning the statistics of the volume but is important in that it may help the reader contextualize the overarching ideological and political project that gave birth to the conference. It was, in fact, a collaborative undertaking shared by five Italian universities and the Museo Galileo, which was sponsored by the Italian government (defined as a Progetto di ricerca di interesse nazionale [viii]). In the remainder of the review, I will selectively discuss some of questions raised by the essays and highlight what I see as the major strengths and weaknesses of this collective volume. I am a historian and philosopher of science. Hence, my review will be concerned mostly with historical and philosophical aspects of the science and myth of Galileo.

A-189 Volume Matters: Continuous Improvement to Reduce Blood Collection Volumes and Collection Tube Utilization

Abstract Background Clinical laboratories are constantly changing with automated analyzers and total lab automation (TLA) implemented and replaced over time. Some benefits of newer technologies include decreased specimen volume requirements, less need for repeat testing, and greater throughput. Recent implementation of new analyzers and replacement of TLA in the Central Clinical Laboratory (CCL) at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, prompted the laboratory to reassess blood collection volumes for commonly ordered tests. Objectives The aim of this study was to evaluate whether updating the blood collection volumes for clinical chemistry and immunoassay tests performed in the CCL could reduce the volume of blood collected from patients and the number of blood collection tubes utilized. Methods Nearly 100 different serum assays from the CCL test menu were reviewed including the basic and comprehensive metabolic, hepatic function, renal function, electrolyte, and lipid panels as well as thyroid function tests, enzymes, hormones, electrolytes, and iron status tests. Cortisol, ferritin, folate, and Vitamin B12 testing were performed on the Beckman DxI800; all other testing was on Roche Diagnostics Cobas 8000 chemistry (ISE, c701, c502) and immunoassay (e801) analyzers. Updated blood volumes for each assay were calculated utilizing manufacturer’s analytical volumes and “dead volume” requirements. Baseline data retrieved from the laboratory information system (LIS) included blood collection volumes and number of tubes collected for 128 patients with physician-orders for laboratory testing on 5/2/21. The collection logic was then updated in the test LIS environment using the new blood volumes requirements and applied to the same 128 orders. Blood volumes and number of tubes collected per order were compared before and after the volume updates. Results Baseline data from 128 unique orders showed that 414 total tubes were collected with a median(range) of 3 (2–6) tubes per order and 5 (1–18) tests per tube. The total volume of blood requested at baseline was 2065 mL. Post-intervention, 197 tubes were needed with a median(range) of 2 (1–3) tubes per order and 13 (1–30) tests per tube. The total volume of blood requested after updating volumes was 851 mL. Conclusions The practice of reviewing and updating specimen volume requirements when replacing or implementing new analyzers or TLA can greatly reduce the volume of blood collected from patients and the number of blood collection tubes per order. In this study of 128 physician orders for common laboratory tests, updating blood collection information in the LIS reduced the requested blood collection volumes by 59% and decreased the number of blood collection tubes required by 52%. This not only benefits patients because less blood is collected but also conserves blood collection tubes and reduces supply chain demands. Additionally, fewer tubes on the TLA system has the potential to improve throughput and test turnaround time.

Development, validation and application of a capillary microsampling LC–MS/MS method for the quantification of BIIB131 (SMTP-7) in rat plasma

Capillary microsampling (CMS) is a technique that can significantly reduce the blood collection volume compared to conventional sampling methods, and thus is much preferred for studies in rats and mice. BIIB131 (SMTP-7) is a novel thrombolytic drug candidate currently under Phase 2 clinical development for the treatment of acute ischemic stroke. To support the safety studies in rats, an accurate and reliable CMS LC–MS/MS assay for the quantification of BIIB131 in rat plasma was developed and validated. This method utilized stable-isotope labeled [13C515N2]-BIIB131 as the internal standard. The samples were extracted using acid-assisted liquid–liquid extraction with methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) and formic acid. The chromatographic separation was achieved on an ACE Excel 3 Super C18 analytical column (2.1 mm × 50 mm, 3.0 µm) using a gradient elution. The mass spectrometric detection of BIIB131 and its internal standard was achieved using positive ion electrospray multiple reaction monitoring (MRM). The standard curve ranged from 0.50 to 300 ng/mL for BIIB131 and was fitted to a 1/x2 weighted linear regression model. For regular QCs, the intra-assay precision was 1.7–6.1 % CV, the inter-assay precision was 2.7–11.0 % CV, and the intra-assay and inter-assay accuracy (%Bias) were –20.0–10.6 % and –7.8–6.3 %, respectively. For CMS QCs, the intra-assay and inter-assay precision were 2.2–13.6 % and 6.7–12.9 % CV, and the intra-assay and inter-assay accuracy (%Bias) were –13.2–15.0 % and –7.8–4.2 %, respectively. The validated CMS LC–MS/MS method has been successfully applied to a safety study in rats.

Enhancement of water collection efficiency by optimizing hole size and ratio of hydrophilic-superhydrophobic area on hybrid surfaces

The scarcity of freshwater resources has had a significant impact on human life and wildlife survival. Fog harvesting has emerged as one of the most effective solutions to alleviate water scarcity in arid areas. At present, researchers have focused on optimizing hybrid surface designs to capture fog from the air and convert it into water droplets. Here, we prepared a hybrid surface for fog harvesting by a combination of chemical etching and surface modification with mechanical drilling. By adjusting the hole size and the ratio of hydrophilic-superhydrophobic area of the hybrid surfaces, the water collection efficiency was improved. The results indicated that the hole size affected the critical size of sliding water droplets, and the ratio of hydrophilic-superhydrophobic area affected the water droplet sliding speed and water collection frequency, thereby affecting the water collection efficiency per unit time. Therefore, by matching a specific hole size and ratio of hydrophilic-superhydrophobic area, the water collection volume and mobility of water droplets on the hybrid surfaces reached a dynamic equilibrium, achieving the optimal water collection efficiency. When the hole size was 1.0 mm, and the ratio of hydrophilic-superhydrophobic area was 1:4, the highest water collection rate was 805 mg/cm2/h, and the water collection efficiency was 17.5 %. By optimizing the hole size and the ratio of hydrophilic-superhydrophobic area, the water collection efficiency of the hybrid surface was maximized. This lays a solid foundation for promoting the practical applications of hybrid surfaces for fog harvesting.

Evaluation of ion chamber response for applications in electron FLASH radiotherapy.

Ion chambers are required for calibration and reference dosimetry applications in radiation therapy (RT). However, exposure of ion chambers in ultra-high dose rate (UHDR) conditions pertinent to FLASH-RT leads to severe saturation and ion recombination, which limits their performance and usability. The purpose of this study was to comprehensively evaluate a set of commonly used commercially available ion chambers in RT, all with different design characteristics, and use this information to produce a prototype ion chamber with improved performance in UHDR conditions as a first step toward ion chambers specific for FLASH-RT. The Advanced Markus and Exradin A10, A26, and A20 ion chambers were evaluated. The chambers were placed in a water tank, at a depth of 2cm, and exposed to an UHDR electron beam at different pulse repetition frequency (PRF), pulse width (PW), and pulse amplitude settings on an IntraOp Mobetron. Ion chamber responses were investigated for the various beam parameter settings to isolate their dependence on integrated dose, mean dose rate and instantaneous dose rate, dose-per-pulse (DPP), and their design features such as chamber type, bias voltage, and collection volume. Furthermore, a thin parallel-plate (TPP) prototype ion chamber with reduced collector plate separation and volume was constructed and equally evaluated as the other chambers. The charge collection efficiency of the investigated ion chambers decreased with increasing DPP, whereas the mean dose rate did not affect the response of the chambers (±1%). The dependence of the chamber response on DPP was found to be solely related to the total dose within the pulse, and not on mean dose rate, PW, or instantaneous dose rate within the ranges investigated. The polarity correction factor (Ppol ) values of the TPP prototype, A10, and Advanced Markus chambers were found to be independent of DPP and dose rate (±2%), while the A20 and A26 chambers yielded significantly larger variations and dependencies under the same conditions. Ion chamber performance evaluated under different irradiation conditions of an UHDR electron beam revealed a strong dependence on DPP and a negligible dependence on the mean and instantaneous dose rates. These results suggest that modifications to ion chambers design to improve their usability in UHDR beamlines should focus on minimizing DPP effects, with emphasis on optimizing the electric field strength, through the construction of smaller electrode separation and larger bias voltages. This was confirmed through the production and evaluation of a prototype ion chamber specifically designed with these characteristics.

Clinical application of a fully automated blood collection robot and its assessment of blood collection quality of anticoagulant specimens.

To investigate the application of intelligent puncture blood collection robots in anticoagulated blood specimens, the satisfaction of subjects with the two blood collection methods, and the feasibility of intelligent blood collection devices to replace manual blood collection methods in clinical work. A total of 154 volunteers from Zhongshan Hospital Fudan University were recruited to compare the test results of anticoagulant blood samples between blood collection robot and manual blood collection, a questionnaire was used to inquire about the volunteers' feelings about the two blood collection methods; the blood collection data of 6,255 patients willing to use the robot for blood collection were collected to analyze the success rate of blood collection. The blood collection robot is superior to manual specimen collection in terms of volume and pain of specimen collection, and the puncture success rate is 94.3%. The anticoagulated blood specimens collected by the robot had 11 indexes statistically different from the results of manual blood collection, but the differences did not affect the clinical diagnosis and prognosis. The intelligent robotic blood collection is less painful and has better acceptance by patients, which can be used for clinical anticoagulated blood specimen collection.

Abstract 17 Umbilical Cord Blood Collection. How Do Different Factors Affect CD45 Cell Viability in Our Experience?

Abstract Introduction Umbilical cord blood (UCB) is an important source of hematopoietic stem cells for transplantation in some hematological diseases. One of the main factors influencing sample quality and transplantation success, in addition to histocompatibility, is the number of viable CD34+ cells. Over the years, different factors that could directly affect viability have been studied and evaluated. It is important to be able to define favorable ranges for obtaining high viabilities and optimal samples for their use. Objectives The aim of our study is to evaluate the incidence of three factors temperature during transport, volume and time between collection and process of UCB over cellular viability previous to cryopreservation. Methods We analyzed 10483 UCB samples collected between 2018 and 2022. Cell viability values were analyzed in total CD45 using flow cytometry with 7-AAD and Annexin V. We evaluated the relationship between cell viability with the three factors mentioned above. Results We observed a tendency for viability to decrease as the blood volume collected decreases, and as the temperature and elapsed hours increase. In concordance, we found that viability is dependent on the 3 factors analyzed (p <<0.001), observing that its variability can be explained in 4% by the variation of elapsed hours as well as the collection volume, while temperature explains this variation in 1%. Discussion With our samples we can assume that the variations in the ranges analyzed would not affect them to a great extent, since they are not determinant for obtaining an average viability lower than that established as acceptable in our bank (75%). On the other hand, we also conclude that viability cannot be explained from the variation of a single factor, so it would be important to analyze the interactions between them. For the time being, and in order to improve the quality of the samples, we consider it necessary to emphasize the collection of a good volume of blood and the rapid transport of the samples for processing.

Abstract 12 Evaluating the Properties of the Donor to Determine the Quality of Cord Blood

Abstract Introduction Cord blood is a valuable source of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) that offer advantages over other sources, but the volume and the absolute number of stem cells in cord blood are limited. Objectives The study aimed to analyze the influence of the factors relating to mothers, babies, and collection on the quality of cord blood units before cryopreservation in Vinmec Tissue Bank, Vietnam. This provides a thorough insight into available predictors that can inform the potential recipients. Methods This study, conducted at Vinmec Tissue Bank in Vietnam between January 2019 and December 2021, collected, processed, and analyzed 2,668 cord blood samples. The study evaluated the impact of donor and collection factors, including maternal age, delivery mode, gestational age, infant weight, gender, blood group, geography, season, collection volume, viability, TNC, and CD34+ cell components on cord blood characteristics. Results Results showed that maternal age, gestational age, delivery mode, and infant weight significantly affected TNC and CD34+ cells, while infant gender only has a significant impact on TNC. Additionally, the collection features such as cord blood volume, geography, the season of delivery, and waiting time associated with cord blood outcomes. Discussion In virtue of its superior matching probability, lower incidence of GVHD, and reduced recurrence rates, cord blood is considered a favorable option for HSC transplantation. However, the limited number of HSCs available from cord blood for bigger patients can be addressed through global cooperation. The possibility of using multiple cord blood units for hematologic cancers has been made feasible through inter-unit HLA matching 29,30. As global cooperation between cord blood banks expands, there is a growing opportunity to find matching samples for recipients. Our large-scale analysis of cord blood throughout Vietnam has highlighted the significance of baby weight and volume in determining cord blood quality. This report represents the first-ever study in Asia to investigate the impact of geography and demography on cord blood. Further evaluation is necessary for a comprehensive understanding of these factors, which would enable more appropriate counseling for patients. Figure 1. Elements that impact the quality of hematopoietic stem cells in cord blood.

The influence of the method of harvesting seeded hemp on the yield and quality of seeds in the conditions of the Middle Volga region

In the conditions of the Penza region in 2014-2022, field studies of various methods of harvesting seeded hemp were conducted. We compared the separate harvesting with the use of a hemp harvester LCD-1,9 followed by threshing with a threshing machine MLK-4,5 and harvesting with combine harvesters of various modifications. Practical studies on the use of direct harvesting on seed hemp have shown positive results in solving the problem of harvesting seed crops without manual labor. The introduction of combine harvesters in the process of harvesting hemp for seeds contributed to a gradual increase in the acreage in Russia, so, in 2010, the area occupied by this crop was at the level of 1.1 thousand hectares, by 2022 it reached 14.3 thousand hectares, and in the future it is planned to expand the acreage. The Penza Research Institute also has a positive trend in the expansion of acreage, so, in 2014, the acreage occupied 9 hectares, in 2022, the acreage increased to 102 hectares. The volume of collection of original seeds has increased from 2 to 60 tons. When comparing seeds obtained after different harvesting methods, a difference was found in the amount of damage, the amount of laboratory germination, the development of pathogenic microflora, and therefore it is necessary to further improve the technology of harvesting cannabis.

MELLODDY: Cross-pharma Federated Learning at Unprecedented Scale Unlocks Benefits in QSAR without Compromising Proprietary Information.

Federated multipartner machine learning has been touted as an appealing and efficient method to increase the effective training data volume and thereby the predictivity of models, particularly when the generation of training data is resource-intensive. In the landmark MELLODDY project, indeed, each of ten pharmaceutical companies realized aggregated improvements on its own classification or regression models through federated learning. To this end, they leveraged a novel implementation extending multitask learning across partners, on a platform audited for privacy and security. The experiments involved an unprecedented cross-pharma data set of 2.6+ billion confidential experimental activity data points, documenting 21+ million physical small molecules and 40+ thousand assays in on-target and secondary pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics. Appropriate complementary metrics were developed to evaluate the predictive performance in the federated setting. In addition to predictive performance increases in labeled space, the results point toward an extended applicability domain in federated learning. Increases in collective training data volume, including by means of auxiliary data resulting from single concentration high-throughput and imaging assays, continued to boost predictive performance, albeit with a saturating return. Markedly higher improvements were observed for the pharmacokinetics and safety panel assay-based task subsets.

A subsidized reverse supply chain in the Chinese electronics industry

We study a special environmental producer responsibility policy for the Chinese electronics industry that is based on awarding a per unit subsidy to qualified returned electronic products and ensuring a minimum producer collection volume while allowing larger collection volumes. Based on a real application from a Chinese electronics company that produces LCD TVs, our paper studies the optimal design of the product’s reverse supply chain when there is flexibility in settling the inspection locations of the returned products and flexibility in the volume of returned products collected. The problem is modeled as a nonlinear mixed-integer program and an efficient outer approximation-based solution approach is proposed. Analytical results and extensive numerical experiments based on this real application are conducted. Observations novel to the reverse logistics literature are related to the testing location decisions (upstream or downstream) and the optimal collection volumes of returned products. Particularly, we show how the government can stimulate the collection amount of returned products by increasing the unit subsidy and we also find that the company’s marginal benefit from improving the subsidy increases in a superlinear fashion. Furthermore, the highest collection volumes may not occur at the highest quality level of returned products for capacitated remanufacturers. The company can also be incentivized to increase the collection of returned products by permitting flexible testing locations. We also observe how the optimal testing locations vary for different levels of unit subsidy and different ratios of qualified and non-qualified returned products. Finally, conclusions and future research directions are provided.

Bone Marrow Quality Index: A Predictor of Acute Graft-versus-Host Disease in Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation for Thalassemia

Bone marrow continues to be the preferred source of stem cells in allogenic transplantations for non-malignant disorders. Granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF)-primed bone marrow (BM) is associated with low rates of acute GVHD and allows reduced collection volumes while ensuring speedy engraftment. However, variability in bone marrow harvest quality is a concern. This report analyses the utility of a novel indicator - Bone Marrow Quality Index (BMQI), which is a ratio of marrow cell count to peripheral blood cell counts, to predict acute GVHD. We analysed 184 consecutive first matched related donor bone marrow transplants for thalassemia using G-CSF-primed bone marrow over 6 years from March-2017 to April-2023 across 2 centres in India. Bone Marrow Quality Index (BMQI) was defined as the ratio of WBC count of G-CSF primed bone marrow to Peripheral WBC count within 24 hours of harvest. EBMT criteria were used for grading GVHD. Log-rank test was used to assess the impact of BMQI on GVHD. Chi-squared test was used to compare categorical data and Wilcoxon test was used to compare the numeric data. Cox proportional-hazards model was used to investigate the association of BMQI vis-à-vis other factors on acute GVHD. Of the 184 patients, 19 had a BMQI <0.9 and 18 between 0.9 and 1. The remaining 147 had BMQI >1. The proportion of patients with acute GVHD grade II-IV was 37%, 22% and 12% respectively for patients who received BMQI <0.9, 0.9-1 and >1 (p= 0.018). Patients who received BMQI <0.9 had a 3.1 times higher chance (95% CI being 0.9 to 10.6) of developing aGVHD II-IV and in those with BMQI 0.9-1 this was 2 times (95% CI being 0.5 to 6.6) higher. BMQI was the significant predictor associated with GVHD hazard (p=0.014). BMQI seems to be the most relevant and controllable predictor of acute GVHD. BMQI is a novel, informative, and very simple indicator which could influence GVHD prophylaxis decision-making. Our indicator is accurately measurable, inexpensive, precise, and timely; further it does not involve any sophisticated equipment, thus may be widely applicable. Prior knowledge of poor marrow quality may help intensify prophylaxis and monitoring for acute GVHD besides triggering review of collection procedures.

Concentration of ignitable liquid residue from simulated fire debris by dynamic vapor microextraction: Sensitivity to instrument settings and debris characteristics

Dynamic vapor microextraction (DVME) is a potential method for the extraction and concentration of ignitable liquid (IL) residue in fire debris. This low flow rate, purge-and-trap headspace concentration method collects IL vapors onto a chilled adsorbent capillary and recovers them by elution with acetone. As an emerging method for fire debris analysis, the sensitivity of DVME performance to instrument settings has yet to be established and, additionally, the effect of variability inherent in authentic fire debris (e.g., water content) has not yet been explored. In this work, we quantitatively evaluate the effect of 11 factors via a sensitivity analysis with simulated fire debris. The factors studied included six controllable instrument settings and five reflecting debris characteristics. We quantified performance by covariance mapping between gas chromatography – mass spectrometry (GC–MS) retention time – ion abundance matrices for the recovered eluates and corresponding reference samples. Six factors were found to be significant. IL volume, IL weathering, and debris quantity significantly affected the recovered eluates, whereas water content did not. As related to recovering IL residue from simulated fire debris, recommended instrument settings include a higher oven temperature, longer equilibration time, larger volume of extracted headspace (collection volume), and a lower inlet flow rate. Together with the covariance mapping metric, the fractional factorial design successfully addressed questions about the effect of instrument factors, debris factors, and their interactions with an efficient number of experiments.

An applied mathematical model based on discrete regression algorithm for computational prediction of blood collection volume

Abstract To make blood collection more accurate, we propose a dynamic model of blood collection based on a discrete regression algorithm. This paper proposes a dynamic model of blood collection based on a discrete regression algorithm mathematical model. By defining the data parameters of the collection model and using the blood collection example data as a reference, we analyze the factors affecting the blood collection process, including blood inventory control, blood demand fluctuation, safety stock, and target stock level, to obtain the required blood collection volume. The analysis of the case data shows that moderately increasing the target stock level and safety stock is conducive to reducing the shortage, thus understanding that the current blood collection volume is not in high demand. Improving blood demand forecasting can improve blood security and can have a significant impact on the value of blood collection. Therefore, before blood collection, a blood collection dynamic model can be used to make correct and reasonable inventory control parameters and calculate a clear blood collection volume.

Unknown drawings of archaeological objects from the collection of D.G. Messerschmidt in the engravings of the «Atlas» by N.G. Le Clerc

The article analyzes 4 engravings with two tables on each print from the so-called “Atlas” by N. G. Le Сlerc with drawings of archaeological objects from the documentary heritage of D.G. Messerschmidt, which have been considered unknown so far. “Atlas” is an appendix to the work of N. G. Le Clerc “Histoire physique, morale, civile et politique de la Russie modern”. Based on a comparison of one of the survived drawings with an engraving from the “Atlas”, and a comparison with of descriptions of the drawings given in the manuscript of D.G. Messerschmidt with those in the engraved tables in the third volume of Le Clerc’s book “Histoire… de la Russie modern” it can be argued that the engraved drawings belonged to one of the volumes of the archival collection of D.G. Messerschmidt. A comprehensive study of this visual source in combination with already known drawings, and other sources (“The Painted Museum of the St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences”, published and handwritten catalogs of the Kunstkamera) will allow us to give a scientific description of the archaeological collection, determine its place in the collection of the Kunstkamera, which is important for the history of archeology and history of the Kunstkamera of the 18th century, when the base of scientific knowledge was being formed.

Alexandre Kostov, ed. Contemporary Balkans. The Challenges of the 21st Century

Alexandre Kostov, ed. <i>Contemporary Balkans. The Challenges of the 21st Century</i>

METAL, PAPER, AND RUBBER WASTE MANAGEMENT SCENARIO A CASE STUDY OF KHULNA CITY

Because of modern day overpopulation, rapid industrial and lifestyle growth, and Khulna citys geographic location, natural resource consumption is rising while their availability is deteriorating. This paper has been designed with an attempt to inform the policymakers of Bangladesh regarding the potential of waste management and recycling as a renewable source of energy. Due to economic and environmental initiatives, metal, paper, and rubber waste recycling rates continue to rise.The total daily waste collection volume considering four areas of the city (Fulbarigate, Khalishpur, Sheikhpara, and Zero Point) was found to be9.91tons. Its daily output is made up of metal (7.1tons), paper (2.2tons), and rubber (0.59tons). The substantial amount of these components in Khulnas waste composition emphasizes the significance of frequent collection and disposal.The current daily market value of this waste has been estimated to be BDT 4,36,879 in total. Each year, the income is close to BDT 160million.

Discussion notes on “classical‐Keynesians”

AbstractThis article aims at stimulating a discussion on “the nine building blocks presented by Pasinetti to define the main methodological characteristic features of the classical‐Keynesian school” and chosen as the guidelines of a recent collective volume. The discussion notes are tripartite. Part I presents a list of short annotations at the margin of the nine blocks for possible debate. Part II starts the discussion by focusing on “an appropriate analytical framework for dealing with technical change and economic growth” and, in particular, on the theoretical approach in terms of vertically integrated sectors. Part III deals briefly with the blocks on normal states, causality and macroeconomics versus microeconomics.

Sounds Senses. Edited by yasser elhariry

This richly inventive collective volume begins with a poignantly rhythmed ‘Prelude’ by Raphaël Sigal on the poetry of Ghérasim Luca, whose ‘French is a Silent, Buried, Dead Yiddish’ (p. 10) inspires questions such as the following: ‘Is there a francophone sound? Some sort of francophonics?’ (p. 6). Like an echo to this first piece, the final chapter, by Edwin Hill, is set apart; its vibrant analyses of the ‘diasporic frequencies’ of the tchip — a sound that has become ‘inseparable from French (linguistic) facts of life’ despite attempts to ban it — reveal that this recurring sonic performance has resoundingly been ‘heard and felt in institutional contexts of power’ (pp. 257, 262, 280). Between these two bookends lie stimulating chapters composed by scholars profoundly aware of sound. Edwige Tamalet Talbayev plunges into the work of Moncef Ghachem, the ‘Tunisian fisherman-turned-poet noted for his marine lyric and strong Mediterranean inspiration’, for whom the ‘language to be crafted is one held in suspense, […] ensconced in silence’ (pp. 62, 65). Thomas C. Connolly immerses himself in the ‘secret music’ of the Moroccan poet Mohammed Khaïr-Eddine, ‘one of Maghrebi literature’s most (in)famous iconoclasts’, whose work participates in ‘rhythmic reterritorializations’ that may be akin to a scream (p. 80, 87), especially when the poet shouts them, but that also may be likened to flutes, interrupted instruments with much to say if they are not drowned out. Martin Munro evokes sound, space, music, and identity in a convincing exhortation to listen to both nineteenth-century Haitian poetry and ‘broader Caribbean history’ in order ‘to sound some of the forgotten parts, the silences that are no less important to understanding that history’ (p.117). Vlad Dina juxtaposes Ousmane Sembène’s Black Girl (1966) and Djibril Diop Mambéty’s Touki Bouki (1973) in an investigation of how voice, both on and off screen, offers characters with ‘hollowed bodies’ a chance at ‘aural “fullness”’ (p. 137), and Maya Boutaghou examines three films set in Algiers at different periods in a comparative cinematic ‘listening back’ to the reverberations of this pulsing city (p. 161), while Jill Jarvis turns to Abderrahmane Sissako’s Timbuktu (2014) in an invigorating study of ‘sonic mapping’, an ‘alternative form of place-making’ that underscores the role of the titular location as a ‘center, not a periphery’ wherein ‘French sounds and syllables’ are part of an ‘intricate acoustical ecology’ (p. 158). In ‘Sounds of Palestine’, Olivia C. Harrison eloquently calls for — and enacts — careful analyses of sound, this crucial element that has often been obscured in critiques that focus on ‘textual and visual representation’ (p. 206). Grappling with ‘aural exoticism’ and plumbing performances of ‘sounds and accents’ in Franco-Chinese literature are compelling gestures in Shuangyi Li’s contemplation (pp. 232, 212). They are complemented by Jennifer Solheim’s dynamic delineation of a ‘performance of listening’ in Marjane Satrapi’s Persepolis (p. 239), in a chapter that elucidates a fascinating narrative strategy. In a deeply attuned set of reflections, yasser elhariry provides a ringing Introduction to this impressive collection of texts exploring ‘sounds and senses’ that possesses the potential to resonantly reconfigure ‘our sensorial and critical receptions and perceptions of francophone postcolonial cultures’ (p. 37).

Przestrzenie życia i śmierci. O Pismach czasu wojny (1939–1942) Janusza Korczaka

The article presents volume 15 of Janusz Korczak’s collected works entitled Wartime Writings (1939–1942) (published in 2021). This collection volume is a unique historical publication containing 86 texts written by the famous educator and writer during his stay in a ‘closed district’, also referred to as ‘death territory’ of the Warsaw Ghetto. The book is a dramatic testimony of Korczak’s heroic and determined struggle for the right of a child to live, even in a borderline situation. It is also a memoir of Korczak’s own search for answers to the question about the meaning of the human world during the Holocaust.