International Interest Research Articles

Adatom controlled emergence of high hardness in biocompatible beta-Ti3Au intermetallic thin film surfaces

There is growing international interest in hard biocompatible thin film surface coatings to extend the lifetime of medical implants. Parameters of the physical vapour deposition technique can be utilized to fine tune the microstructure and resulting properties of the growing thin film surface by modifying the adatom mobility of the incoming species. This work investigates the evolution of high hardness and biocompatibility of sputter deposited beta-Ti3Au intermetallic thin film surfaces as a function of growth temperature and pressure. Titanium and gold are sputtered in an optimised 3:1 ratio over glass and Ti6Al4V substrates at varying pressures of 0.3 to 1.2 Pa and temperatures of 25 to 450°C. The microstructure and crystallinity of the deposited films improved with reduction in pressure from 1.2 to 0.3 Pa but development of the β-Ti3Au intermetallic compound occurred at temperatures above 350˚C. The density of the films also increased with reducing pressure, whereas improvement in their columnar structure was observed with increasing substrate temperature. These microstructural changes caused by adatom mobility variation, led to the emergence of superior mechanical surface hardness, reaching a peak value of 12.5 GPa for films grown at 0.3 Pa and 450°C. All thin film surfaces were highly biocompatible with ion leaching levels below 1 ppm, and films deposited at lower pressure exhibited much safer cytotoxic profiles against L929 mouse fibroblasts. This work demonstrates the emergence of high hardness and biocompatibility in Ti3Au thin film surfaces with potential as next generation medical implant coating materials.

Soil potentially toxic element contents in an area under different land uses in the Brazilian Amazon

Soil pollution with potentially toxic elements (PTE) from incipient basic sanitation, dumps and industrial activities developed in the Amazon has been of international interest due to health and environmental issues. This study aimed to evaluate the concentration of PTE in five adjacent land occupations (a dump, a alumina refinery area and three residential centers) in the municipality of Barcarena, Amazon Region, Brazil. In a total area of 912 ha, 274 soil samples were collected at a depth of 0–0.2 m. Afterwards, the concentrations of As, Ba, Pb, Co, Cu, Cr, Hg, Ni and Zn were determined. The results were explored using descriptive and multivariate statistics, as well as geostatistical. Considering the data by location, maximum concentrations exceeding the prevention values of Brazilian soils were found for Cu, Ni and Zn in Dump (148; 42.8 and 356 mg kg−1), for Cu and Hg in Bom Futuro (333 and 1.99 mg kg−1) and for Cu in Itupanema (91.2 mg kg−1). Cu, Hg, Pb and Zn were grouped in the same principal component and showed the highest similarity measure in the cluster analysis. The interpolation point maps of the two principal components and of the individual concentrations of the PTEs showed the area of influence of the dump as the main reason for the increase in soil contamination. These results show the need for public policies aimed at the proper disposal of solid waste, in order to promote the reduction of pollutants in the soil, health and well-being for the local population, and also the environmental quality of the study area.

Indonesia's Maritime Strategy in Achieving National and International Interests in The Southeast Asia Region

Indonesia's Maritime Strategy in Achieving National and International Interests in The Southeast Asia Region

Effect of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Global Interest in Plastic Surgery

Due to the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic, many elective surgeries were canceled, including most aesthetic plastic surgery procedures. Although studies have shown COVID-19's effect on plastic surgery in the United States, no study to date has examined the international interest in plastic surgery procedures after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Thus, we sought to find this effect using the Google Trends tool. The most common cosmetic procedures and top countries with the highest plastic surgery volume were selected from the International Society of Plastic Surgeons report and used as the search terms for Google Trends. Weekly search data from each procedure and country were collected from March 18, 2018 to March 13, 2022, split into 2 periods according to the start of the US COVID-19 lockdown, and compared. Among the countries, the United States had the most plastic surgery interest after the COVID-19 pandemic, with India and Mexico closely following. On the other hand, Russia and Japan had the fewest changes in procedure interest. Regarding specific procedures, interest in breast augmentation, forehead lift, injectable filler, laser hair removal, liposuction, microdermabrasion, and rhytidectomy increased in all countries after the COVID-19 pandemic. After COVID-19, there has been increasing interest in almost all plastic surgery procedures globally, especially nonsurgical procedures and facial plastic surgery, with the greatest increases in the United States, India, and Mexico. These results can help inform plastic surgeons which procedures to focus on and which devices or technologies to invest in that are specific to their country.

Consensus Guidelines for Teledermatology: Scoping Review.

Consensus guidelines and recommendations play an important role in fostering quality, safety, and best practices, as they represent an expert interpretation of the biomedical literature and its application to practice. However, it is unclear whether the recent collective experience of implementing telemedicine and the concurrent growth in the evidence base for teledermatology have resulted in more robust guidance. The objective of this review was to describe the extent and nature of currently available guidance, defined as consensus guidelines and recommendations available for telemedicine in dermatology, with guidance defined as consensus or evidence-based guidelines, protocols, or recommendations. We conducted a single-reviewer scoping review of the literature to assess the extent and nature of available guidance, consensus guidelines, or recommendations related to teledermatology. We limited the review to published material in English since 2013, reflecting approximately the past 10 years. We conducted the review in November and December of the year 2022. We identified 839 potentially eligible publications, with 9 additional records identified through organizational websites. A total of 15 publications met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The guidelines focused on varied topics and populations about dermatology and skin diseases. However, the most frequent focus was general dermatology (8/15, 53%). Approximately half of the telemedicine guidance described in the publications was specific to dermatology practice in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. The publications were largely published in or after the year 2020 (13/15, 87%). Geographical origin spanned several different nations, including Australia, the United States, European countries, and India. We found an increase in COVID-19-specific teledermatology guidance during 2020, in addition to general teledermatology guidance during the period of the study. Primary sources of general teledermatology guidance reported in the biomedical literature are the University of Queensland's Centre for Online Health and Australasian College of Dermatologists E-Health Committee, and the American Telemedicine Association. There is strong evidence of international engagement and interest. Despite the recent increase in research reports related to telemedicine, there is a relative lack of new guidance based on COVID-19 lessons and innovations. There is a need to review recent evidence and update existing recommendations. Additionally, there is a need for guidance that addresses emerging technologies.

Exploring barriers to and facilitators of the implementation of home rehabilitation care for older adults with disabilities using the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR)

BackgroundWith global aging on the rise, the number of older adults with disabilities was also increasing exponentially. There has been growing international interest in home rehabilitation care as a new method for older adults with disabilities.MethodThe current study is a descriptive qualitative study. Guided by the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR), semistructured face-to-face interviews were performed to collect data. The interview data were analyzed using a qualitative content analysis method.ResultSixteen nurses with different characteristics from 16 cities participated in the interviews. The findings highlighted 29 implementation determinants of home-based rehabilitation care for older adults with disabilities, including 16 barriers, and 13 facilitators. These influencing factors aligned with all four CFIR domains that were used to guide the analysis and 15 of the 26 CFIR constructs. More barriers were identified in the CFIR domain of characteristics of individuals, intervention characteristics, and the outer setting, while fewer barriers were identified in the inner setting.ConclusionNurses from the rehabilitation department reported many barriers related to the implementation of home rehabilitation care. They reported facilitators to the implementation of home rehabilitation care despite the barriers, which provided practical recommendations for directions to be explored by researchers in China and elsewhere.

Hydrocarbon potential assessment of the lacustrine fan delta reservoirs in the Lower Cretaceous syn-rift Xing’anling Formation in the Beier Sag, Hailar Basin, Northeast China

Efficient exploration and development of oil and gas resources in complex geological environments continue to pose significant challenges for the energy industry. The localization and extraction of reservoirs in basins with complex structures, developed faults, and scattered sedimentary sand bodies are topics of international interest. One such basin, the Hailar Basin in northeastern China, represents a complex geological environment with heterogeneous distributions of oil and gas reserves, along with variable reservoir conditions, leading to challenges in hydrocarbon exploration and extraction. The Sudeert oil field, situated within this basin, is known for its high productivity; nevertheless, the underlying factors responsible for its success are not yet fully comprehended. Based on seismic, logging, and core data from the Sudeert oil field, as well as previous research, this study comprehensively analyzed the sedimentary environment, sedimentary facies characteristics, sand body distribution patterns, vertical stacking relationships of sand bodies, and hydrocarbon accumulation potential of the oil reservoirs in the Lower Cretaceous Xing’anling Formation in the Sudeert oil field. The Xing’anling Formation I and II oil reservoirs are deposited in a fan-delta front sedimentary environment, and the sedimentary microfacies that are conducive to the development of reservoir sand bodies include underwater distributary channels, underwater natural levees, estuary dams, front silt beds, and turbidite sands. Among them, the underwater distributary channel microfacies is the main depositional facies for the development of reservoir sand bodies. Three major depositional patterns of fan lobes can be identified within this depositional system: 1) isolated, 2) contact, and 3) superimposed lobes. Different combinations of lobes developed in different blocks and resulted in different sand body depositional patterns. The isolated lobes mainly developed in the western oil-producing (B28 block) due to the scarcity of sand and slowly increasing accommodation space. The contact lobes mainly developed in the central oil-producing block (B14 block) due to sufficient sediment supply and steadily increasing accommodation space across a wide area. The superimposed lobes mainly developed in the southeast oil-producing block (B16 block) due to sufficient sediment input and steadily increasing accommodation space within a restricted area. In the whole study area, the superimposed lobe pattern is the most favorable depositional pattern and forms the highest-quality reservoirs because of the high degree of sand body connectivity. These results also highlight the utility of sedimentary patterns and sand body assemblage studies for the oil exploration and development of similar rifted basins.

Achieving a tobacco-free Bangladesh by 2040: a qualitative analysis of the tobacco advertising environment and prohibitions in Bangladesh

ObjectivesThis paper explores the Bangladeshi tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship (TAPS) legislative environment, to highlight any potential policy loopholes and to facilitate the identification of additional provisions for inclusion. The...

Monkeypox virus infection and myocarditis: A review of current evidence and possible pathogenesis.

The recent spread of the monkeypox virus (MPXV), causing monkeypox (mpox), to non-endemic areas, and the atypical and unusual clinical manifestations observed during its 2022 outbreak has focused international interest on the clinical features of the disease. Mpox is usually a self-limiting disease with mild symptoms with common manifestations, including fever and skin lesions; however, severe manifestations could occur in some vulnerable groups (children and those with impaired immune systems) and may present multisystem complications and fatal outcomes. In most cases, a fever is the first sign of disease, followed by the development of various inflammatory lesions on the skin, such as vesiculopustular rashes and ulcers. Pneumonitis, encephalitis, keratitis, secondary bacterial infections, acute kidney injury, and myocarditis are all possible outcomes of the infection. Myocarditis has been reported to be caused by orthopoxviruses, and it is a serious condition of which its pathophysiology is little understood. Recent reports have indicated myocarditis with cardiac involvement as a possible atypical and unusual consequence of the MPXV infection during present outbreak. This review provides an overview of the clinical manifestations of mpox with a special focus on its effects on the heart, including myocarditis. The evidence of the myocarditis in mpox patients and its possible pathogenesis are discussed.

(Un)doing Feminisms Their Own Way

This article examines women's activism and feminism in Bosnia and Herzegovina, focusing on marginalised women's groups and organisations that are often excluded from academic research and international donor interests. The theoretical section presents the main characteristics of the development of women's organisations in post-war BIH, addressing the problem of NGO-isation of activism and feminism, which marginalises groups of women and organisations that do not belong to prominent liberal feminist organisations that pursue gender mainstreaming. Qualitative research based on in-depth interviews and analysis shows that these organisations mostly focus on the local level to meet diverse, specific, and sometimes urgent needs of women (e.g., Roma women, rural women, impoverished as well as women in small local communities) facing particular challenges while doing so. Although most of them do not clearly profess a feminist identity, they are aware of the patriarchal context, especially in their local communities, and their interpretations are mostly in line with the feminist ethics of care. However, the lack of organisational capacity, sustainable funding, and a clear feminist agenda in their work undermine their critical potential to be triggers for social change.

Assessment of the Effects of Monetary Policy Shocks from ECOWAS Member Countries to Nigeria

The paper evaluated the effects of monetary policy shocks from ECOWAS Member Countries to Nigeria using a combination of quarterly, annual time-series and panel data spanning from 1995–2021. The Standard Global Vector-Autoregressive (GVAR) Model of analysis was used to draw structural inference for the study using data on: consumer prices, international commodity prices (oil, agricultural raw material and metal ore), exchange rate, interest rate (short and long run), real output, money supply, and export diversification index. The result of the Impulse Response Function (IRF) revealed that shocks resulting from monetary policy transmission from the ECOWAS member Countries to Nigeria has diverse effects on Nigeria and is largely determined by the extent of monetary policy accommodative stance. The shock that may occur is likely to be country-specific because ECOWAS is an economic union that hardly has the foundation to share common economic or monetary risk. Additionally, the extent of trade flow between Nigeria and the rest of ECOWAS, determines the tendency that such shocks affect Nigeria. Finally, whether ECOWAS is a shock source, or a channel of transmission determines how much of an impact shocks from that region will have.

The Need to Engage with African Experiences in the United Nations Sanctioning Process: A Case Study of the Central African Republic

The United Nations (UN) can impose sanctions by means of regional and other arrangements. History has demonstrated that during the Cold War era in Europe, the UN has imposed fewer sanctions than in the post-Cold War era. Although the UN Charter originally did not provide for the use of sanctions to protect democracy, it did protect international peace and security. However, the UN Security Council (UNSC) and other regional arrangements and communities like the EU and the AU are currently imposing sanctions even on undemocratic regime change, which should be an internal matter of a state. This development shows increased international commitment in favour of democracy. Further, the UNSC and the EU use different approaches than the AU, when removing sanctions. The AU’s approach in removing sanctions is more realistic and pragmatic. A case study of the Central African Republic shows that the UNSC and the EU approaches on sanctions towards African states could be counter-productive. It is advisable that the UNSC should consider African perspectives, by taking AU opinion into account, when imposing, modifying, or removing sanctions on the African continent. It would further increase local acceptance of sanctions, rendering them more effective. It is necessary to understand that problems in African states could have had local origins, but external factors such as international business interests could have aggravated these problems. Therefore, the targeted and smart sanctions will be more effective if international business interests, that help rebels, are also included in sanctions.

A Review of Conceptual Design and Self Health Monitoring Program in a Vertical City: A Case of Burj Khalifa, U.A.E.

Burj Khalifa, a notable landmark in a growing landscape of skyscrapers, along with other tall structures, has dramatically transformed the morphology of Dubai and elevated it to global prominence. This masterpiece was designed to attract international interest, as it diversifies the economy from an oil-based one towards one that is tourist-and servicebased. However, the foremost design input and major challenges of the super-tall building are associated with the increase in height, which put them at risk of wind- and earthquake-induced lateral loads and user satisfaction. Consequently, it was essential to study both the design and construction phases of the tallest towers in the context of the wind and earthquake impact. This study aims to revalidate the three structural design phases; conceptual, schematic, and detailed design of this vertical city to confirm that the requirements are achieved. The methodology is a theoretical and analytical elaboration of the case study that obtains and confirms the basic requirements through a review of the existing survey, drawings, literature, and archived documents. Finally, the study validates the presumed structural behaviour and the insitu determined response, which are outstanding. The study further unveils the development of the structural health monitoring programme that gives an instant and direct response to the real structural performance of the building from the commencement of the construction and throughout its lifespan.

State of world politics and economics

The actions that countries take or could take based on their international interests are exposed. The main themes in international politics are: Security and World Balance; Access to Resources and Markets; Human rights; Foreign Assistance; and Environmental Protection. It is not considered appropriate to separate these actions, for example, to take into account only economic issues, since they are intertwined. It is established that the interests and actions of the countries depend on their political situation at the international level, state and economic interests, human rights and the environment.

The Conundrum of Defining and Prosecuting Terrorism: A Review of United Kingdom and International Reponses

Terrorism presents one the biggest criminal justice postmodern challenges worldwide. The way criminal justice systems proact and react to mitigate and prevent such criminality raises a plethora of legal, socio-political, and strategic hurdles relating to how terror crime is defined, the human rights of the accused, protecting due process when using secret courts, the use of special advocates, the use of national security courts, civil rights i.e., freedom of association, cross-jurisdictional information sharing, and the requirement or right to prosecute etc. In this article, which is influenced by criminological theory, the definition of terror crime in the United Kingdom and at an International level is examined to ascertain whether common definitional elements exist, and the complex and competing local and International interests that are being balanced in preventing and/or prosecuting such crime.

Imperialism and Neoliberal Redeployment in Post-uprising Tunisia

: Since the early 1970s, neoliberalism has not spared Tunisia’s subordinate integration into the global capitalist system. This process strengthened a dominant ruling class, closely connected to international capital interests, while leading to growing social polarization and rising socio-economic inequalities. Faced by popular resistance, authoritarianism, with the support of imperialist powers, became the needed political response to consolidate the neoliberal project. Beyond some democratic achievements, the 2011 uprising has failed to undo the development model at work. The imperialist powers, with the complicity of the ruling classes, were able to hijack the movement and direct it towards what I call an orderly transition, whose strategies entailed the use of financial aid and military assistance.

“Nationalism and Internationalism”: The Construction of Anarchism between the Local and the International in Brazil (1890–1930)

Anarchism has been routinely studied as a political element in the defence of the working class and subaltern groups. One of the goals of its ideology was the removal of the rulers and the holders of the means of production on a global scale, uniting the exploited groups in an internationalist movement. Nevertheless, anarchist activists, even theoretically anti-nationalists, did not fail to perceive and absorb nationalisms as environments of dispute and spaces for their political dissemination. This article aims to study anarchism in the midst of its debates to mediate the construction of a movement that corresponds to local, national, and international interests, as well as its influence on the labour and revolutionary movement in the period known as the “First Republic” in Brazil.

Assessment of Potential Inscription of Wadi El-Natroun Monasteries in World Heritage List and the Possibilities of Development its Religious and Heritage Tourism

Objectives: The primary objective of this study is to evaluate the tourism potentials of the site of Wadī el-Natroun monasteries in Egypt, which holds religious and historical significance. Currently, only four monasteries remain intact: St. Macarius, Anba Bishoi (or Bishoy), Baramus and Surian. They date back to the 4th and 5th centuries AD when monasticism was initiated in Egypt. These monasteries comprise valuable artistic treasures such as icons, murals, manuscripts, unique books, etc. Additionally, the area holds importance as it is part of The Holy Family Journey in Egypt, with the desert of Scété in Wadi el-Natroun playing a role. The Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities has made several efforts to nominate this site for inclusion on UNESCO's World Heritage list.
 Methodos: The study employed various approaches, with the most important being historical and descriptive analytical approaches. Field studies were conducted to assess the cultural heritage of Wadi El-Natroun Monasteries according to UNESCO's criteria.
 Results :The study revealed the outstanding universal value of both the monasteries and the contiguous area. However, there are threats jeopardizing the site, such as some lakes drying up as a result of pollution and waste disposal.
 Conclusions: The study concludes that inscribing Wadi El-Natroun Monasteries on the World Heritage List would significantly increase international and local tourism interest in the site, preserve it, and attract a greater number of visitors. This would contribute to the development of the local community by improving the area and increasing the number of tourists.

Soursop (Annona muricata) Properties and Perspectives for Integral Valorization

The increased international interest in the properties of soursop (Annona muricata) alerts us to the sustainability of productive chain by-products, which are rich in phytochemicals and other properties justifying their industrial application in addition to reducing the environmental impact and generating income. Chemical characteristics of soursop by-products are widely known in the scientific community; this fruit has several therapeutic effects, especially its leaves, enabling it to be used by the pharmaceutical industry. Damaged and non-standard fruits (due to falling and crushing) (30-50%), seeds (3-8.5%), peels (7-20%), and leaves, although they constitute discarded waste, can be considered as by-products. There are other less cited parts of the plant that also have phytochemical components, such as the columella and the epidermis of the stem and root. Tropical countries are examples of producers where soursop is marketed as fresh fruit or frozen pulp, and the valorization of all parts of the fruit could represent important environmental and economic perspectives. Based on the chemical composition of the fruit as well as its by-products and leaves, this work discusses proposals for the valorization of these materials. Soursop powder, bioactive compounds, oil, biochar, biodiesel, bio-oil, and other products based on published studies are presented in this work, offering new ideas for opportunities for the regions and consumers that produce soursop.

How to self-examine for tender and swollen joints: co-producing a training video for people with rheumatoid arthritis.

This paper describes the co-production of a training video to support people with RA to self-examine for tender and swollen joints. The patient and public involvement and engagement (PPIE) group supporting a remote monitoring study elected to develop a video to train people with RA how to self-examine for tender and swollen joints, because nothing appropriate was publicly available to fulfil their needs. A core team of PPIE group members and clinicians developed the video, with input from conception to dissemination from the PPIE group. The video was posted, open access, on a YouTube website in February 2021, alongside supporting materials. The number of monthly hits was tracked and a survey developed to ascertain feedback. The video received 1000 hits in the first week, and >40 000 at 10 months. The top three countries viewing the video were India, the USA and the UK, with a range of ages and gender profile broadly corresponding to those of RA patients. Forty-eight survey responses were received (26 patients and 22 clinicians). Patients reported an improvement in their ability to self-examine after watching this video. Eighty-six per cent of patients and 71% of clinicians would recommend the video. It has been used and disseminated by a number of national organizations within the UK. This co-produced, open-access training video for people with RA, originally intended to support a research study into remote monitoring, has been well received, reflecting an international interest in self-examination.