Permanent Movement Research Articles

EFFECT OF STATIC STRETCHING AND MYOFASCIAL RELEASE THERAPY ON MUSCLE SPASTICITY AND RANGE OF MOTION IN CHILDREN WITH CEREBRAL PALSY: RANDOMISED CLINICAL TRIAL

Background: Cerebral palsy (CP) encompasses a group of permanent movement and posture disorders caused by early brain damage. It is commonly associated with muscle spasticity, impaired range of motion (ROM), and reduced mobility. While various pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments exist, the evidence regarding the effectiveness of myofascial release (MFR) alone or in combination with static stretching (SS) in reducing muscle spasticity and improving ROM in children with CP remains limited. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the combined effects of static stretching and myofascial release therapy on reducing muscle spasticity and improving the range of motion in children with cerebral palsy. Methods: This randomized clinical trial included 30 children with CP, divided equally into three groups: the static stretching group (SS), the myofascial release group (MFR), and the combined therapy group. The SS group underwent 20 repetitions of 30-second stretches, while the MFR group received 7 minutes of foam rolling therapy, both performed 5 days per week for 24 weeks. The combined therapy group received 12 repetitions of 30-second stretches and 5 minutes of MFR at a cadence of three to four rolls per minute, 5 days per week for 24 weeks. Outcomes included ankle dorsiflexion ROM, assessed with a goniometer, and spasticity, evaluated with the Modified Ashworth Scale, measured at baseline and after 24 weeks. Results: The combined therapy group achieved significant improvements in ankle dorsiflexion ROM (83%) and a 61% reduction in spasticity compared to the SS group (ROM: 61%; spasticity: 35%) and the MFR group (ROM: 75%; spasticity: 37%) (p<0.05). The MFR group demonstrated superior outcomes over static stretching in isolation. Conclusion: The combination of static stretching and myofascial release therapy is an effective treatment approach for reducing muscle spasticity and improving the range of motion in children with cerebral palsy.

To stay or grow? Migration patterns and child growth in rural Bihar, India.

While the dominant patterns of migration for livelihood among the poor in India are rural-to-rural and circular, literature on the health implications of child migration has largely focused on rural-to-urban, permanent movement. We compared child growth across three migration typologies rural Bihar: circular migrant families that repeatedly migrate to rural destination sites with accompanying young children, rural households with male migrants, and rural households that do not engage in migration. We integrated network theory based on caste and tribe geography to inform our analytical approach. Our results demonstrate complex associations between nutrition status and repeated movement of children between home and destination spaces. In addition to the policy imperative of multilocational strategies for migrant families, households that do not engage in migration yet are located in high outmigration regions also require targeted livelihood and health interventions.

Demographic and Sociocultural Characteristics of the Ukrainian Diaspora

The article explores the concepts of diaspora and migration, demonstrating their close interrelation as they describe the movement of people from their traditional places of residence. It is noted that migration involves the permanent or temporary movement of people from one location to another for various reasons, such as wars, economic opportunities, or personal circumstances. The term "diaspora" refers to groups of people living outside their native territory, often preserving their culture, language, and traditions. Migration can lead to the formation of diasporas that impact the cultural and social landscape both in host countries and countries of origin. The Russia-Ukraine war since 2022 has significantly increased the number of Ukrainian migrants and has given rise to a new Ukrainian diaspora. The Ukrainian diaspora is characterized as a powerful social segment with deep cultural, humanitarian, and organizational roots, spread across the globe. Its activities encompass numerous organizations, cultural centers, educational institutions, and non-governmental associations that support the national identity and cultural heritage of Ukrainians. Key coordinating bodies, such as the Ukrainian Canadian Congress, the World Congress of Ukrainians, and the Union of Ukrainian Organizations of Australia, play a crucial role in organizing cultural events, maintaining connections among Ukrainians in various countries, and coordinating humanitarian initiatives. The diaspora is actively involved in cultural and educational activities, organizing schools, cultural centers, and language courses, as well as providing significant humanitarian aid, especially in times of conflict. Social activities of the diaspora include participation in international issues and supporting national ties in new regions such as Montenegro, Japan, Morocco, UAE, and South Africa. As of early 2024, approximately 4.4 million Ukrainian refugees have temporary protection status in the EU, with an additional 380,000 in the UK, Norway, and Switzerland. Globally, there are about 6.5 million refugees, with the European Commission extending temporary protection until March 2025. However, refugee reception conditions in Europe are becoming stricter, driving many towards economic independence. Active volunteer organizations, established before the war, play a key role in supporting newly arrived refugees and assisting their integration into new countries.

Level of Participation in Daily Activities and its Association with Scoliosis among Hemiplegic Cerebral Palsy

Background: Cerebral palsy (CP) encompasses a spectrum of permanent movement disorders that originate in early childhood, leading to lifelong physical disabilities. Hemiplegic CP, the most prevalent subtype, features notable mobility but poses significant challenges in daily function and adaptation to everyday activities. Objective: This study aims to evaluate the level of daily activity participation and its association with scoliosis in children with hemiplegic CP. Methods: In this correlational study, data were gathered through non-probability convenient sampling from 110 hemiplegic CP children aged 4-18 years across various private and government hospitals and special education centers. The study excluded children with severe pain, impaired mobility, other neuromuscular diseases, or recent orthopedic surgery. Assessments included the Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS), Manual Ability Classification System (MACS), and KIDSCREEN-10 for quality of life. The association of scoliosis with GMFCS and MACS was analyzed using the chi-square test on SPSS-22 software. Results: The majority (60.9%) of participants were classified as GMFCS level II, while 46.4% ranked at MACS level I. There was a significant association between GMFCS levels and scoliosis presence (p < 0.05), but no significant relationship between MACS levels and scoliosis (p > 0.05). Scoliotic children exhibited poorer health outcomes, with 52% reporting poor health status. Conclusion: While most children with hemiplegic CP were capable of handling objects, they faced limitations in mobility affecting their daily activities. Scoliosis was relatively uncommon but significantly associated with reduced gross motor function.

Hybrid Clustering Approach (SG-MFOA) using Multipath Cross-Layer Design in MANET Network

Mobile Ad-hoc Networks (MANETs) are used in a wide range of applications because of their unique capabilities. The routing in MANET is regarded as a main challenge on account of its permanent movement and nodes' randomness that can cause a continual change of network topology, thus finding correct paths among the nodes is the fundamental task of routing protocols. There is a rise in protocols that depend on cross-layer communication across several layers to increase the MANET performance. In this manuscript, a Hybrid Clustering Approach (SG-MFOA) using a Multipath Cross-Layer Design in a MANET Network is proposed. Here, multiple routes are selected for data packet transmission with the help of hybrid routing. Furthermore, a cross-layer metric is acquired depending upon Expected Transmission Time (ETT), Residual Energy and Load Balancing Factor. It is necessary to select a Cluster Head (CH) depending on this trade for proficient routing. So, the cluster head is optimally chosen to utilize SG-MFOA. Thus, the multipath route selection is performed by the multi-objective functions containing bandwidth, congestion delay, transmission delay and to ensure the prolonging of network lifetime, queue delay at each connection Access Category from the available routes to a destination. When compared with the existing methods, like a proficient self-attention-based conditional variational auto-encoder generative adversarial networks-based multipath cross-layer design routing paradigm for MANET (SCVAGAN-MCDR-MANET), Energy Aware Cross Layer Routing Protocol to Increase Route Reliability in MANETs (EACLRP-RR-MANET), Cross-layer Adaptive Fuzzy-based Ad hoc On-Demand Distance Vector Routing Protocol for MANET (CLAF-DVRP-MANET), respectively.

The Impact of Group Psychoeducation for Mothers of Children with Cerebral Palsy: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Background: Cerebral palsy (CP) describes a group of permanent movement and posture disorders resulting from injury to the developing brain, affecting muscle movement and coordination. It causes lifelong physical and cognitive impairments. Objectives: This study examined the effects of a group psychoeducational intervention on anxiety, depression, and quality of life in mothers of children with CP. Methods: This quasi-experimental study involved 50 mothers (25 in the intervention group and 25 in the control group) of children with CP aged 2 - 11 years. Mothers in both groups completed the Beck Depression Inventory, Beck Anxiety Inventory, and Short Form-36 health survey before and after the interventions. The intervention group received a 5-session (1 hour per session), weekly psychoeducational program that provided information about CP, stress management techniques, problem-solving skills, and social support. The control group received no intervention during this period. Follow-up assessments were conducted at 2 months post-intervention to evaluate outcomes. Results: Psychoeducation significantly reduced anxiety and depression and improved quality of life compared to the control group (P < 0.001). Also, group × time interactions were significant for all dependent variables (P < 0.001). Conclusions: A brief group psychoeducational intervention effectively decreased anxiety and depression and enhanced the quality of life in mothers of children with cerebral palsy.

Contemporary Slavery and Inequality in Brazil Pureza’s Complaint and Struggle

This article briefly presents the feature film Pureza, which is based on a true story, to help analyse the contemporary forms of slavery in Brazil that reveal the permanent movements of capital expropriation, noticeable in the exploitation and oppression of a race-based labour force characterized by patriarchy, that migrates in order to survive. In this sense, we examine regional inequalities, social polarization and the particular aspects of the Brazilian social formation for the discussion of contemporary slavery, which is seen as the most visible expression of superexploitation, as well as the result of the reinvention of hybrid forms of exploitation of the labour force.

Memoria, Contuitus, et Expectatio : Revisiting Augustine of Hippo

Abstract: Since the Middle Ages, Augustine and the wealth of his writings have had an enormous impact on Western philosophical thinking. His approach to time and memory, which he sets out in his eleventh book of the Confessions , is one of the most important sources for research about the philosophy of time. Augustine describes time as a permanent movement in which the future passes unceasingly through an unrelated present into the past. Only the very present moment exists, but this present moment is infinitely short. If the past is no more, the future is not yet, and the present is indivisibly brief, memoria becomes the determining factor of human consciousness. Augustine’s theory of memory and time reveals an epistemological connection with the functioning of human consciousness. Since his understanding of time and memory is already of great relevance in many interdisciplinary approaches, it can also become important to the philosophy of music education. Revisiting Augustine’s concept of memoria can give us new impetus on questions about aesthetic education, cancel culture, and utopian thinking.

Apagamento editorial e manipulação epistemológica: um fetiche do capital mineral sobre o livro Noir Canada

Considering that Sociology is the science of the social, whose object is diverse, alive, historical and in permanent movement, and that conflicts constitute a privileged locus for analyzing the social, since it is in them that contradictions appear most explicitly, this article discusses the legitimacy of a process of editorial erasure by withdrawing from circulation a book published and produced as a result of scientific research in Critical Theory. The book focuses on conflicts in African countries expropriated by Canadian mining projects. The analysis is based on the case of the 2008 book Noir Canada, translated into Spanish as Negro Canada in 2012, whose authors and publisher were sued by two large Canadian mining companies, which used epistemological manipulation of the social sciences as one of their strategies to disqualify the book and criminalize its authors through judicial and extrajudicial proceedings in Canada.

Comparison of neurological assessment and general movements of infants at risk at different time points

Background: Brain development is a constant interaction between genetic, biological, and environmental factors. Its maturation process is extremely sensitive, and if it does not occur in sync, brain damage can occur in the immature brain, triggering a set of permanent movement and posture disorders. Thus, early diagnosis of developmental changes is essential for intervention to begin as soon as possible, optimizing results, improving functional skills, and reducing the damage to the future life of these babies, and serve as a basis for the actions of professional teams dedicated to stimulation and monitoring of child development. Objectives: To compare the neurological assessment and general movements of infants at risk at 40, 52, and 64 weeks of gestational age (GA). Methods: Infants at risk born in a reference maternal and child hospital were assessed for their neuromotor behavior using the "Hammersmith Neonatal Neurological Examination (HNNE)", "Hammersmith Infant Neurological Examination (HINE)" and "General Movements Assessment (GMA)" scales at 40, 52, and 64 weeks gestational age. Data will be correlated and analyzed descriptively. Results: 33 infants at risk were assessed at 40, 52 and 64 weeks, i.e., up to six months of corrected age. Male gender (75.8%), a cesarean delivery (51.5%), and white race (60.6%) predominated. The Median Apgar score was nine, mean of five prenatal visits, and a mean GA of 35.8 weeks. Prematurity and congenital syphilis were the main diagnoses found. 30.3% of the patients underwent neuroimaging exams, especially brain ultrasounds, with normal results. There was a predominance of "altered evaluation" in HNNE and HINE at the three evaluative moments for term babies, especially for babies with congenital syphilis, and "adequate" for premature babies. In the GMA evaluation and regarding the presence of fidgety, there was a higher frequency of the "suboptimal" classification and most presented fidgety. In the longitudinal comparison between the three moments assessed using the HNNE/HINE scales, it was found that there was a significant difference between the first and the third evaluative moment (p = 0.029), where babies improved their classification. There were positive associations of results between the HNNE/HINE scales with scores in different variables. Conclusion: Infants at risk had altered scores on neurological assessments, indicating developmental delay. Children at risk or with delayed neurological development may present restrictions in activities and participation with compromised quality of life and even school learning. Therefore, it is extremely important to include standardized scales during neonatal screening in the routine of the Neonatal Intermediate Care Unit (NICU), as they are highly reliable and low-cost, so that early identification of neurological changes can be enabled, and thus intervene early, enhancing development.

SAR-Transformer-based decomposition and geophysical interpretation of InSAR time-series deformations for the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge

Time-series interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) provides a unique tool for measuring large-scale and long-term land surface deformation. Under the assumption of a single linear deformation model in conventional InSAR, it is difficult to quantify and interpret the impacts of multiple environmental factors that presumably induce nonlinear deformations. In this paper, we propose a SAR-Transformer method to decompose InSAR time-series signals into various physics-related components and apply the method to evaluate the deformation of the world's longest cross-sea bridge, the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HZMB). We first developed an improved bridge geometry-based InSAR network to monitor the deformation of the HZMB using Sentinel-1 and COSMO-SkyMed images from 2019 to 2022, which were validated using the leveling and GPS data. The SAR-Transformer model was trained using synthetic InSAR time-series samples and applied to decompose the monitored InSAR measurements. Compared with that of conventional curve-fitting and seasonal-trend decomposition using LOESS, SAR-Transformer reduced the mean absolute error at least by 58.32% and mean absolute percentage error at least by 8.84% for time-series signal reconstruction. We evaluated the decomposed patterns according to the geotechnical, meteorological, and marine processes, and found that: 1) Seasonal thermal expansion owing to temperature changes was significant in all parts of the bridge, and deflection due to concrete shrinkage and creep was observed on cable-stayed bridges. 2) The artificial islands experienced evident ground subsidence with a decelerating trend. In particular, the newly adopted non-dredged reclamation method resulted in a lower decelerated settlement than that of fully-dredged reclamation areas. 3) The seawall showed linear horizontal movement from the outward stretching of the reclaimed soil consolidation and periodic displacement related to sea tidal loading. Furthermore, typhoons and coastal earthquakes had limited effects on the permanent movement of the bridge. These results improve the understanding of the interactions between artificial super-infrastructures and environmental factors, and provide valuable guidelines for the maintenance and management of the HZMB.

Methodical Principles and of Digital Education: from the Experience of Teaching Philosophical Disciplines

The article is devoted to the study of digital education. The features of various forms of teaching academic and university disciplines, including philosophical ones, based on information technologies that enable distance learning are considered. The article analyses the peculiarities of cooperation between teachers and students in the digital education system, where living, real individuals function as media personages. It is revealed that such personages exist on the basis of digital visual anthropology, rather than the anthropology of bodily presence, which is the basis of traditional academic education. The article examines the methodical principles of digital, distance education – mediation, representativeness, and reflexivity – which make it possible to teach academic disciplines effectively at a distance. It has been found that the application of these methodical principles involves compliance with specific laws of digital education – proper digital behavior, legitimation of digital presentation, permanent digital movement as well as digital feedback. Both the advantages and disadvantages of digital education, especially for teaching philosophical disciplines, such as the history of philosophy and philosophical anthropology, are identified. It is revealed how teaching philosophical disciplines can be effective if the principles and laws of digital education are observed, but taking into account the requirements of the anthropology of presence, remains a basic prerequisite for any variant of the modern educational process. It is argued that overcoming this anthropology requires a radical «dematerialization» of participants in online education, which is not yet an achievable goal.

Seismic evaluation of buried gas pipelines based on the fault slip tendency in South Korea

As numerous earthquakes occur worldwide, securing the seismic performance of infrastructure is important because the damage to buried gas pipelines during an earthquake can cause significant secondary damage. Buried gas pipelines are subject to damage owing to permanent ground movements, one of which is faulting. In this study, the expected displacement of faults caused by earthquakes is predicted by introducing the concept of slip tendency. Using approximately 14,000 fault segments obtained from fault surveys, we calculated the slip tendency based on the Korean Stereonet by region. Thus, the maximum displacement by region that could be triggered by fault reactivation was calculated. A finite-element model of a pipeline passing through a fault zone was developed by varying the actual pipeline used in Korea and various types of geotechnical information. Using this model, a structural analysis of the pipe during fault displacement was performed, and structural integrity evaluation results were derived. The strain value increased as the angle between the pipe and the fault plane increased and as the dense ground and compression-dominated movement increased, confirming this with an application example. Finally, a process capable of evaluating all regions of Korea was established using the displacement values of the predicted fault occurrence by region based on the slip tendency.

Impact of Soil Properties’ Spatial Correlation Lengths and Inclination on Permanent Slope Displacements Due to Earthquake Excitation

Natural disasters, when and where they occur, often cause serious social and economic consequences, which require an urgent solution to the problem. In particular, Greece, which is characterized by a complex geological structure and intense tectonic stress, has suffered and continues to suffer the consequences of such catastrophic phenomena. Among the various destructive phenomena recorded on the Earth’s surface, two of the most important problems are landslides and land subsidence. The above phenomena may cause, in addition to the serious case of loss of human life, a threat to the social and economic fabric affecting sustainability in general, i.e., the quality of life of an area (destruction of property, filling of reservoirs, blockage of streams and rivers, etc.). In fact, landslides are a phenomenon with enormous social and economic consequences, since apart from the financial burden due to the collapse of a technical project or the interruption of transportation, they are accompanied by the loss of human life. This research examines the stochastic characteristics of a slopes’ stability to investigate the variation range of permanent earthquake movements. More specifically, the influence of inclination as well as the lengths of the spatial correlation of ground are investigated. The method in the present study follows the development of arbitrary fields of soil properties, which follow the Gaussian distribution characterized by autocorrelation lengths lx and ly in the horizontal and vertical directions, respectively, mean value μ, standard deviation σ, and cross-correlation coefficients ρij. The estimation of permanent displacements is performed by the combination of the Local Average Subdivision algorithm and the FLAC software (Fast Lagrangian Analysis of Continua) used in the parametric investigation of this work. The results of this research showed that the spatial correlation of the properties has an important impact on the permanent displacements of slopes caused by strong earthquake excitations.

The effect of zinc sulphate in a cerebral palsy child: A Case Report

Cerebral palsy (CP) is a prevalent neurodevelopmental condition characterized by permanent movement and posture disorders, affecting young children worldwide. Zinc, an essential trace element with crucial roles in immune function and neuronal development, has shown potential neuroprotective effects in preclinical studies. Despite this evidence, human trials investigating the effect of zinc in children with CP remain limited. This case study examines the impact of zinc supplementation in a four-year-old child diagnosed with moderate spastic quadriplegic CP. The patient received standard physiotherapy alongside oral zinc supplementation and a balanced diet for six months. Significant improvements were observed in motor function, muscle tone, balance, concentration, and fatigue within two weeks of zinc intervention. Continued progress was seen at four and eight weeks, indicating potential benefits of zinc as an adjunct therapy in managing CP. However, further research and larger clinical trials are warranted to validate these findings and determine optimal dosages. This study contributes to the growing body of knowledge in pediatric neurology and suggests the potential role of zinc in improving outcomes for children with cerebral palsy.

Evaluation of fault rupture propagation through earth dams subjected to reverse faulting: Outcomes from centrifuge simulation

Although permanent ground movement can cause devasting damages to the infrastructures, contributions assessing the effect of faulting on earth dams are limited with no notable experimental outcomes. This paper aims to provide conceptual information by investigating the response of earth dams with a clayey core subjected to reverse fault rupture using centrifuge experiments. The influence of the earth dam's location on the fault tip and the effect of alluvial foundation thickness beneath the dam was addressed by eight centrifuge tests at 60-g centrifugal acceleration. One model also explored the fault rupture-earth dam interaction considering a soil-cement cut-off wall beneath the center of the core. Distortion, sliding, and rotation of cores were observed as consequences of reverse faulting depending on the point of intersection between the dam body and fault trace. An increase in the core deformation was also captured for dams on thinner foundation layers. The freeboard height of the dam also decreases by 48%–90% of the vertical fault throw and should be considered in the design phase to avoid overtopping.

The concept of social transformations and their impact on political culture


 The concept of social transformations refers to the permanent movement that leads to the transition from one situation to another in which the overall features of all aspects of social life change. It is linked to the radical changes that take place in the social system and its internal structure, and there are no societies devoid of social transformations, whether in their economic, intellectual, or cultural levels. These transformations often occur gradually, as they are constantly changing and new systems, other traditions, and cultures different from those that prevailed in them arise. Political culture is part of the general culture that exists in every society, and it consists of a group of elements that are defined by an organized framework and operate in the political field that links individuals to the political system. It is directly affected by the changes that occur in society, which lead as a whole to comprehensive transformations in the economic, social, political, and intellectual structure because it includes all the political orientations of the members of society that affect the different levels of political life, and there is a link between the orientations of individuals and their political positions and their social and economic conditions.
 

La experiencia de la marginalidad urbana: el caso del Conglomerado Oriente en Cali, Colombia

This article proposes a route through the narratives about identity and territorialization of nine young inhabitants of the Eastern Cluster in Cali, Colombia. This research sought to understand the urban marginality experience and the elements that compose it. As a result, we found four core meanings in these narratives: a permanent movement; territorial malleability; the domestication of uncertainty, and the silencing of ethnicity. In addition, this research explores the richness and contemporary validity within the concept of marginality, as well as the need to deepen the research on this phenomenon from the lived experience.

A systematic review and cross-sectional survey of rehabilitation resources for injury patients in the Kilimanjaro Region of Tanzania

Purpose An estimated 10 million people across Tanzania have a condition that would benefit from rehabilitative care. However, access to rehabilitation remains inadequate to meet the needs of Tanzania’s population. The goal of this study was to identify and characterize rehabilitation resources available to injury patients in the Kilimanjaro region of Tanzania. Methods We used two approaches to identify and characterize rehabilitation services. First, we conducted a systematic review of peer-reviewed and gray literature. Second, we administered a questionnaire to rehabilitation clinics identified through the systematic review as well as through staff at Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre. Results Our systematic review identified eleven organizations offering rehabilitation services. Eight of these organizations responded to our questionnaire. Seven of the surveyed organizations provide care to patients with spinal cord injuries, short term disability, or permanent movement disorders. Six offer diagnostic and treatment procedures to injured and disabled patients. Six offer homecare support. Two require no payment. Only three accept health insurance. None offer financial support. Conclusions There is a sizable portfolio of health clinics offering rehabilitation services to injury patients in the Kilimanjaro region. However, there remains an ongoing need to connect more patients in the region to long-term rehabilitative care. IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATION Injury is a leading cause of death and disability worldwide and disproportionately affects populations in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Rehabilitation is an essential component of injury care, yet an estimated 50% of patients in LMICs who need rehabilitation do not receive it. This study offers insight into the availability and use of rehabilitative services in an LMIC with a substantial injury burden.

Digital Animism: Towards a New Materialism

With the advent of ‘the virtual world,’ we have naturally gauged the ‘reality’ of the virtual in terms of how close it comes to empirical experience. However, the common association of the virtual to simulation depends on a representational dualism that reduces it to a simulacrum of reality and prevents us from seeing its real import. Virtuality, rather than related to simulation, refers instead to potentiality. Far from being something that first appears with the digital-virtual as a technological simulation, the virtual constitutes the bare potentiality intrinsic to human experience, always subject to technological modulation. Despite the path of increasing abstraction marked by the evolution of the technologies of communication, I argue that the virtual world, paradoxically, reveals matter as ineluctably vital and in permanent movement and transformation. The digital thus does away with the dualism responsible for the modern disenchantment of nature and—decentering the human, placing it as equally part of a rhizomatic and entangled nature—lays the groundwork for an animistic ontology that is consonant with a new materialism.