Present Day Research Articles

Revisitando a trajetória histórica do Museu Botânico “Dr. João Barbosa Rodrigues” do Jardim Botânico de São Paulo

This study delves into the historical journey of the “Dr. João Barbosa Rodrigues” Botanical Museum, a space of memory located within the São Paulo Botanical Garden. It discusses its historical origins and material, institutional, and contextual transformations up to the present day. This space has seen advancements, setbacks, challenges, and potentialities as a small museum of natural history. It has undergone three reconfigurations of its physical and internal structures, gradually modernizing its museum concept while retaining its identity as a museum with a unified focus on botany. It reopened in early 2020 and is currently operating within a subtle boundary established between the public and private sectors due to the concession of the São Paulo Botanical Garden’ operation to private initiatives, although it remains under public control. In this renewed museum, one can observe its contribution as a space of social responsibility, imbued with meanings and functions that evoke imagery by its memory spacesrelated to the concerns of its founder, the botanist Frederico Carlos Hoehne. Over its 80 years of existence, this museum has evolved from a neutral space to one engaged in the conservation of nature and contemporary environmental issues. Its exhibition now contextualizes these themes, becoming a narrative museum that responds to everchanging local challenges. Its pedagogical role is vital in an inclusive and equitable society, promoting education and learning. The museum constitutes a contemporary space, transcending its traditional functions of preservation, conservation, and research, serving society by educational initiatives on botany, nature conservation, and environmental sustainability.

1152 Soft Tissue Infections of the Hand – Reducing Inpatient Cost and Duration of Stay in a London Plastic Surgery Department

Abstract Introduction Soft tissue infections of the upper limb referred to plastic surgery units often require hospital admission for intravenous antibiotics, irrespective of surgical intervention. Aim We explored approaches to reducing the cost and duration of inpatient admission for antibiotic treatment for soft tissue infections. Method We sampled data over a two-month period in 2023 to explore the number, type, and severity of soft tissue infections of the upper limb seen in London Plastic Surgery department. Results 35 patients with soft tissue infections of the upper limb were included. We found no correlation between age; white cell counts or c-reactive protein levels on day of presentation with duration of inpatient stay. Our studies showed that 78% of patients were discharged within 72 hours of admission or procedure, with a greater number of inpatient bed-days for patients receiving intravenous antibiotics without surgery, compared to patients receiving antibiotics and discharge within 3 days of receiving surgical intervention (36 days vs 25 days). 84% of patients were not located within post-codes accessible to existing outpatient antibiotic therapy (OPAT) services. By extending outpatient antibiotic cover for these patients, we projected a total 568 bed-day saving through 202 bed days annual avoidable inpatient bed-stay savings (3+ days, non-OPAT post-codes) and 366 bed days for additional annual avoidable short inpatient bed-stay savings (≤3 days admission, all post-codes), with projected annual cost savings of £319,558. Conclusions Our study projects a possible reduction in inpatient cost and duration of stay through extended OPAT cover in patients requiring intravenous antibiotics for soft-tissue infections of the upper limb.

EXPERT’S INSIGHTS Veto Challenge in EU Decision-making

Complex geopolitical developments demonstrate the need for the European Union to reform internally and enlarge externally. Both processes are interlinked and relate to making the Union an active global player. Most European policies are decided by large consensus, which effectively means qualified majority. There are several areas considered sensitive for Member States and subjected to unanimity in decision making. Historically deepening and widening of the Union have been done by revisions of the Treaty with gradual transfer of policy areas from unanimity to qualified majority. The article explores present day challenges on further transformations for the next political cycle to rebalance the decision-making power between Member States and EU institutions.

Thermal Tolerance and Preferred Temperature in the Critical Endangered Montseny Brook Newt (Calotriton arnoldi).

Climate change, driven by increased human greenhouse gas emissions since the beginning of the industrial revolution up to the present day, is considered one of the major threats to biodiversity in the twenty-first century. One of the most affected groups is the ectotherms due to their direct dependence on environmental temperatures. In recent years, several studies have analysed the effects of temperature and thermal tolerance on several species of ectotherms. However, there are species whose thermal tolerances are still unknown. Such is the case of the critically endangered species, the Montseny Brook Newt (Calotriton arnoldi), endemic to the Montseny massif in Spain and whose thermal biology is unknown. Its critical situation makes it essential to know its tolerance to cooling, warming and thermopreferendum in water environments where the newt lives. Three experimental procedures were conducted from the western and eastern subspecies of C. arnoldi, considering four classes separately (males, females, juveniles and larvae). The results obtained showed that the CTmax of the species exceeded 31 °C, with a significant difference between the two subspecies. We found that the species tolerates low temperatures (<1 °C) well because the genera Calotriton is adapted to live in cold waters with temperatures below 15 °C. Although the thermopreference of the species was expected to trend to cold temperatures, some individuals chose relatively high temperatures, obtaining a range of 11.7 °C to 21.6 °C. The results presented in this study are an advance in the knowledge of the thermal physiology of this species and support the importance of the temperature of the torrent on its survival. Knowing their thermal limits and their preferred temperature range will help to propose management measures that promote the conservation of streams and riparian forest cover to mitigate temperature increases due to climate change.

Food and beverage rituals at the period of birth, marriage, and death in Shamanist Turks and its modern reflections

It is known that the Turks have adopted many religions in history. Shamanism is also among the ancient beliefs of the Turks. Shamanism; Tengrism is also known by names such as the religion of the Sky God. This study examines the food and drink habits of Turks who believe in Shamanism during the mythological rituals they perform on the occasions of birth, marriage, and death. It also investigates how food and beverages were consumed during these occasions in Turkish mythology. The study emphasizes the reflections of the eating and drinking rituals in Turkish mythology to the present day. . In this context, a compilation article was made by using the literature review method, one of the qualitative research methods, by making use of secondary data sources. Various Turkic peoples and Turkic tribes were examined by scanning the relevant academic literature, and a conceptual framework was tried to be created. The research shows that Turks often use plant foods (barley, wheat, and oats) grown in their geographical area and horse meat in their rituals because it has an essential function in their lives. In addition, milk has an important place and is often consumed.

Variability in the prevalence of inappropriate medication use among older adults: A review highlighting the importance of screening methods and database types.

The global older population is growing rapidly, and the rise in polypharmacy has increased potentially inappropriate medication (PIM) encounters. PIMs pose health risks, but detecting them automatically in large medical databases is complex. This review aimed to uncover PIM prevalence in individuals aged 65 years or older using health databases and emphasized the risk of underestimating PIM prevalence due to underutilization of detection tools. This study conducted a broad search on the Medline database to identify articles about the prevalence of PIMs in older adults using various databases. Articles published between January 2010 and June 2023 were included, and specific criteria were applied for study selection. Two literature reviews conducted before our study period were integrated to obtain a perspective from the 1990s to the present day. The selected papers were analysed for variables including database type, screening method, adaptations and PIM prevalence. The study categorized databases and original screening tools for clarity, examined adaptations and assessed concordance among different screening methods. This study encompassed 48 manuscripts, covering 58 sample evaluations. The mean prevalence of PIMs within the general population aged over 65 years was 27.8%. Relevant heterogeneity emerged in both the utilized databases and the detection methods. Adaptation of original screening tools was observed in 86.2% (50/58) of cases. Half of the original screening tools used for assessing PIMs belonged to the simple category. About a third of the studies employed less than half of the original criteria after adaptation. Only three studies used over 75% of the original criteria and more than 50 criteria. This extensive review highlights PIM prevalence among the older adults, emphasizing method intricacies and the potential for underestimation due to data limitations and algorithm adjustments. The findings call for enhanced methodologies, transparent algorithms and a deeper understanding of intricate rules' impact on public health implications.

Does international trade promote economic growth? Europe, 19th and 20th centuries

In this paper, we analyse the relationship between international trade and economic growth in an unbalanced panel of 20 European countries in a long-term perspective, since the mid-19th century to present days, differentiating between the periods before and after the start of the Second World War. To this end, we perform Granger-causality tests between exports and GDP, and between imports and GDP, following the novel methodology of Juodis et al. (2021) for panel data models with large cross-sectional and time series dimensions. Our results support the existence of a bi-directional relationship between both trade variables and GDP, for the whole period and across subperiods.

A bibliometric analysis of publications on emergency medicine in Türkiye.

Publications and literature related to emergency medicine (EM) have been consistently increasing. There are 4048 studies in total in the EM journals published until the present day in Türkiye in the Web of Science (WoS) database. Our aim is to define the bibliometric features of scientific studies published in EM journals in Türkiye, to gain insights into the trends of the literature. We retrospectively analyzed the bibliometric data of scientific studies published in EM journals in Türkiye until today on the WoS database related to the EM field. The bibliometrix package of R statistical software was used in the bibliometric analyses in the study. A total of 4048 scientific studies from Türkiye indexed on the WoS database from 10,263 authors in four different journals were analyzed. Among these, 3681 (90.9%) were articles, 188 (4.7%) were reviews, 97 (2.4%) were editorial material, 60 (1.5%) were letters, and 5 (0.1%) were corrections. Average number of citations per study was 3.6, with the most cited study having 2016 citations. The most frequent title's words were emergency, patient, and acute. This study shows that there is an increasing trend in the number of EM publications and citations in Türkiye with the first most cited study having 2016 citations, and the top contributing countries were Türkiye, Iran, and India. The results of this study may be useful in understanding the historical and prospective development of EM, including the identification of general information about its publications, differentiation of the top-cited ones, and presentation of a bibliometric analysis of scientific activity to date.

Design of Oscillatory Helical Baffled Reactor and Dual Functional Mesoporous Catalyst for Oxidative Desulfurization of Real Diesel Fuel

Enhancing real diesel fuel properties by expelling pollutants using a new design has received considerable interest in the present day. This work investigates the conversion of sulfur compounds via oxidation reaction with peracetic acid as an oxidant. For this purpose, a dual functional mesoporous catalyst was synthesized via loading active metal (iron oxide) nanoparticles over mesopore γ-alumina-anatase titanium oxide prepared via the impregnation procedure (IWI) and precipitation methods, respectively. The novel design of the mesoporous catalyst represents the dual functional catalyst in the oxidative desulfurization process (ODS). The mesoporous catalyst that was formulated underwent a comprehensive analysis using various characterization techniques such as physical adsorption-desorption under N2, X-ray diffraction-XRD, Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy-FTIR, Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy-FESEM, Energy dispersive X-ray analyzer-EDX, and thermogravimetric analysis-TGA. A newly designed laboratory pilot plant for an oscillatory helical baffled reactor (OHBR) was developed and utilized for the ODS process to evaluate the performance of the synthesized mesopore catalyst. The investigated rapid conversion for sulfur removal was found to be 98.42% under ambient operating conditions such as oscillation of frequency 2Hz, oscillation of amplitude 8mm, temperature of oxidation 80°C, and residence time of 9min. It is clearly observed that the new design of OHBR and mesoporous catalyst highly affected sulfur removal, resulting in a clean diesel.

Propagating Neotethys slab break-off beneath Iran following Arabia-Eurasia collision

The closure of the Paleo- and Neotethys resulted in a long history of subduction of oceanic crust and production of a large variety of Phanerozoic magmatic rocks in the region occupied by present day Iran. Adakitic rocks of varying ages are common in this area and have distinctive geochemical signatures that have been variably linked to slab break-off or melting of the lower continental crust. The geographic distribution and age of the adakitic rocks indicates a potential younging trend from northwest to southeast Iran, but this trend was interrupted by an older outlier in the area of Tafresh, in the central part of the Neotethys arc. We obtained new geochemical and U-Pb geochronological data for Eocene volcanic and Miocene intrusive rocks from this anomalous locality. Our results show that adakitic signatures are only present in younger Miocene intrusive porphyritic bodies and not in the main calc-alkaline Eocene volcanic succession as previously thought. The Tafresh adakitic porphyritic bodies have an age of 15.7 ± 0.1 Ma (n = 183, 2σ SE), which fits well with a regional younging of the adakites towards the southeast of Iran. The Tafresh adakitic rocks are classified as the high-silica variety, and show trace element signatures and isotopic values that are consistent with melting of the lower continental crust. We hypothesise that progressive slab break-off provided a mechanism for the formation of high-silica adakitic rocks along the former Neotethys arc.

Factors Contributing to Slab Locations and Geometries in Reconstructions of Past Mantle Flow

AbstractIndividual sinking slabs present markedly different geometries between 410 and 660 km depths, from vertical slabs penetrating the lower mantle to slabs stagnating above the lower mantle. The proposed factors determining these contrasted geometries include mantle viscosity and the magnitude and evolution of trench retreat. Here, we assess the success of paleo‐geographically driven global mantle flow models in matching slabs in tomographic models between 400 km and 1,000 km depth. We quantify the spatial match between predicted present‐day mantle temperature anomalies and vote maps of tomographic models. We investigate the sensitivity of the spatial match to input parameters of the mantle flow model: imposed tectonic reconstruction, model start age, and viscosity contrast between the upper and lower mantle. We evaluate the visual match between model slabs and tomographic vote maps for three circum‐Pacific regions with contrasted slab dip angles between 400 km and 1,000 km depth. Predicted model slabs better match slabs inferred from tomography when there is an increase in viscosity at 660 km depth. The temporal evolution of the models and the global match at present day suggest that the subduction history could be refined in the global tectonic reconstructions that we considered. For example, we suggest that the subduction to the east of Japan should be offset by approximately 100 km to the west at ∼80 Ma to match the anchoring of a continuous slab into the lower mantle suggested by tomography.

Emotional reactions and stigmatization after a parricide in South Tyrol, Italy, among mental health professionals and the general population, including persons with mental disorders, relatives, and persons with no direct or indirect contact.

This study was conducted on the occasion of the parricide in Bolzano (South Tyrol, Italy) in January 2021. The psychological impact of parricide on the general population and on mental health professionals has scarcely been investigated to the present day. Studies on stigmatization show differences between various groups. The aim was to analyze the emotional reactions to the parricide and the stigmatization of persons with mental disorders in the South Tyrolian population. In September 2022, 121 mental health professionals of the Department of Psychiatry in Bolzano were surveyed using an online questionnaire. In addition, from January to March 2023, the general population of South Tyrol was invited to take part in the survey through an online-link and was divided into three groups: 267 persons with mental health problems, 855 relatives and 1,019 persons with no direct or indirect contact to people with mental problems. The validated Reported and Intended Behavior Scale (RIBS) was used together with questions on the emotional reactions to the parricide and the perceived dangerousness of psychiatric patients. Descriptive statistics, one-way Anovas as well as regressions were carried out. All groups experienced sadness the most. Relatives experienced more sadness and anger than the other groups. Over 80% of the professionals stated that psychiatric patients were not at greater risk of committing parricide. The population with no contact rated the risk higher than those affected and had the lowest level of openness (RIBS). There were no differences between genders, but there were age differences, with younger people being more stigmatizing. The results suggest that personal contact, appropriate information, and education are associated with less stigmatization.

Factors Contributing to Slab Locations and Geometries in Reconstructions of Past Mantle Flow

AbstractIndividual sinking slabs present markedly different geometries between 410 and 660 km depths, from vertical slabs penetrating the lower mantle to slabs stagnating above the lower mantle. The proposed factors determining these contrasted geometries include mantle viscosity and the magnitude and evolution of trench retreat. Here, we assess the success of paleo‐geographically driven global mantle flow models in matching slabs in tomographic models between 400 km and 1,000 km depth. We quantify the spatial match between predicted present‐day mantle temperature anomalies and vote maps of tomographic models. We investigate the sensitivity of the spatial match to input parameters of the mantle flow model: imposed tectonic reconstruction, model start age, and viscosity contrast between the upper and lower mantle. We evaluate the visual match between model slabs and tomographic vote maps for three circum‐Pacific regions with contrasted slab dip angles between 400 km and 1,000 km depth. Predicted model slabs better match slabs inferred from tomography when there is an increase in viscosity at 660 km depth. The temporal evolution of the models and the global match at present day suggest that the subduction history could be refined in the global tectonic reconstructions that we considered. For example, we suggest that the subduction to the east of Japan should be offset by approximately 100 km to the west at ∼80 Ma to match the anchoring of a continuous slab into the lower mantle suggested by tomography.

Geochemical characterization and paleo-burial history modelling of unconventional resources: A case study from the Kimmeridge Clay Formation (KCF) in the UK North Sea

For several decades the UK North Sea has been a prolific oil and gas province, with numerous conventional oil and gas discoveries sourced predominantly by the Upper Jurassic to Lower Cretaceous Kimmeridge Clay Formation (KCF). In this study, we have combined the analysis of total organic carbon/pyrolysis and vitrinite reflectance geochemical data from KCF samples with 1D basin modelling to investigate the potential for shale oil and gas plays in the Outer Moray Firth region. The results of geochemical evaluation show that most of the samples have very good to excellent hydrocarbon generation potential and contain predominantly oil-prone Type-II kerogen. A few samples show a significant oil saturation index above 100 mgHC/gTOC, which indicate a good potential for producible shale oil. The modelling results suggest that vitrinite reflectance values for the KCF vary mainly between 0.51-1.15%Ro, with kerogen transformation of up to 86%. This is indicative of early-oil to late-oil/early-gas maturity window at present day, and within the range reported for proven shale oil plays. The KCF shows good oil saturation in most of the modelled well locations of up to 6.4 mg/g rock, indicating potentially producible shale oil. Predictions from modelling support the interpretations from geochemical data.

Modular narratives and visual digital culture in contemporary cinema. The case of Open Windows (Nacho Vigalondo, 2014)

In the present day, digital visual and convergence culture permeate the modes of production, circulation, and consumption of audiovisual representations, following the postulates of authors such as A. Darley or H. Jenkins. In this context, A. Cameron defines modular narratives as those in which classical narrative causality is replaced by a database aesthetic, dividing the narrative into discrete elements subject to manipulations of order, frequency, and duration. Focusing on the case of Open Windows (Nacho Vigalondo, 2014), this study aims to explore the imprints of digital visual culture on contemporary Spanish cinema incorporating modular narratives. The methodology employs an analysis model adapted to this narrative and aesthetic specificity within the framework of Computational Media Aesthetics. The film's mechanisms of representation are scrutinized through a multi-screen interface, where simultaneous events are juxtaposed within the same visual field. Finally, the discussion encompasses the necessity of applying such models to the analysis of audiovisual content associated with digital visual culture, as well as their potential utility for future research.

Designing Living Spaces That Trigger Creativity Through The Senses: An Architectural Design Studio Experience

Architecture emerged with the basic need for shelter and has been shaped within the framework of life and sociocultural needs from the first human being to the present day. Houses, as living spaces, are shaped by human life.Houses can directly affect the lives and emotions of individuals. Many studies on this subject have shown that houseshave a great influence on individuals. Based on this context, Kocaeli University Department of Architecture, secondyear, first semester Architectural Design 1 course was shaped by the question of whether the spaces that will triggerthe creativity that an artist and his/her family need within the framework of their needs can be designed through thesenses. Within the scope of the study, it is aimed to discuss and evaluate three projects worked on during a semesterand to present a multisensory design approach to the artist’s residence.

Congregation Building, but how and According to What Standards/Values? A Brief Overview of Some Congregation Building Models from the Middle of the 20th Century to the Present Day

Congregation building is one of the disciplines of practical theology. Its goal is to offer congregation models that are attractive and inspiring Christian congregations for today’s people. In this work, I review the models in the field of congregation building that I believe can meet this objective today. Keywords: church, community, goals, opportunities, considerations

Comparative Assessment of Asartepe/Konya Hellenistic Period Settlement and Contemporary Urban Fabric

The village of Yeniceköy (Amblada), located in the Seydişehir/Konya provience, has a history dating back approximatelyten tousand years. It is estimated that the nearby city of Ververit has a history older than Çatalhöyük. The remains ofthe city wall, found to the east of Asartepe, are from the Hellenistic Period and indicate the presence of a large templein that era. Additionally, the wide plain to the west of Asartepe, referred to as the marketplace by the villagers, isbelieved to have been the city's agora during the Hellenistic period. Interaction between the ancient settlement andthe current one is observed, with many building materials from the ancient period being used in current buildings.Many of these materials contain decorative elements and embellishments from the Hellenistic period. Historicalresearch has been conducted on this region, which holds significant cultural depth, comparing the settlement fromancient times to the present day. Evaluations have been made considering the relationship between a Hellenisticperiod city and a modern city, with a focus on urban conservation.

A Evolution and Impact of Web Search Engines: A Comprehensive Review

Web search engines have become indispensable tools in our daily lives, revolutionizing the way we access and navigate the vast expanse of information available on the internet. This research paper provides an in-depth analysis of the evolution, functioning, and impact of web search engines. Beginning with a historical overview, it traces the development of search engines from their inception to the present day. The paper explores the underlying technologies that power search engines, including crawling, indexing, and ranking algorithms. Furthermore, it examines the socio-economic implications of search engines, discussing their influence on information retrieval, online advertising, user behavior, and societal dynamics. Finally, the paper discusses current trends and future prospects in the field of web search engines.

The Family as a Place of Experiencing Critical Events – Case Study

RESEARCH OBJECTIVE: The main aim is to show the narrative of a woman who experienced critical events in her personal life. THE RESEARCH PROBLEMS AND METHODS: 1. How does the narrator describe critical events based on her family experience? 2. What meaning does she ascribe to the events experienced in retrospect? The presented research is situated in the interpretative research tradition. A descriptive‑theoretical type of case study was used. Empirical data was collected using Fritz Schütze’s narrative interview technique. THE PROCESS OF ARGUMENTATION: The interview began by presenting the narrator’s life story from her childhood to the present day. Attention was paid to her understanding of herself and her life, her relationship with her parents, and critical events that occurred in her family. The empirical material was then interpreted based on Schütze’s process structures, which revealed her current life course, critical events in the family and landmark events in the narrator’s individual biography. RESEARCH RESULTS: The interpretation of the empirical material showed the narrator in the process of change, internal metamorphoses. It revealed poor intra‑family relations, which became the cause of illness, lack of self‑acceptance, and depressive and anxious states. The therapy that she underwent, satisfying professional work and mutual feelings of love allowed the narrator to overcome her limitations, weaknesses and take a critical look at the family relationships that were the cause of her pain and suffering. CONCLUSIONS, RECOMMENDATIONS AND APPLICABLE VALUE OF RESEARCH: The narrative presented in the paper can become a stimulus for change in people who are currently struggling with family problems, illness or suffering: all those people who experience anxiety and loneliness in the space of family life.