Respective Values Research Articles

Ethnic cosmopolitanism, cultural identity and conflict dynamics in the Kusaug Traditional Area of Northern Ghana

ABSTRACT This study investigates the perceptions of ethnicity and their impact on conflict dynamics and cultural identity with the aim of proposing a pathway towards the building of an ethnic cosmopolitan worldview for peaceful coexistence. The research adopted a qualitative methodological approach with interviews and focus group discussions involving 50 purposively sampled participants from the Kusaasi, Mamprusi, Mossi, Busanga, and Hausa ethnic groups resident in the Kusaug Traditional Area of northern-eastern Ghana. Participants recognize the possibility of developing a cosmopolitan worldview that respects divergent identities and values but also acknowledge the challenges and complexities involved. The study argues that the development of ethnic cosmopolitanism that integrates all the core values of the differentiated ethnic groups in Kusaug holds the potential to de-escalate conflicts and to promote peaceful coexistence. Public sensitization, education, and awareness programmes are recommended to promote tolerance, respect, and appreciation of unity in diversity.

Comparison of competing-risks model with angiogenic factors in midgestation screening for preterm growth-related neonatal morbidity.

First, to evaluate the predictive performance for preterm growth-related neonatal morbidity of a high soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase-1 (sFlt-1)/placental growth factor (PlGF) ratio or low PlGF at midgestation and, second, to compare the performance of a high sFlt-1/PlGF ratio or low PlGF with that of the competing-risks model for small-for-gestational age (SGA), utilizing a combination of maternal risk factors, sonographic estimated fetal weight and uterine artery pulsatility index. This was a prospective observational study in women attending for a routine hospital visit at 19-24 weeks' gestation in two maternity hospitals in England. The visit included recording of maternal demographic characteristics and medical history, carrying out an ultrasound scan and measuring serum PlGF and sFlt-1. The primary outcome was delivery < 32 and < 37 weeks' gestation of a SGA neonate with birth weight < 10th or < 3rd percentile, combined with neonatal unit (NNU) admission for ≥ 48 h or a composite of major neonatal morbidity. The detection rates in screening by PlGF < 10th percentile, sFlt-1/PlGF ratio > 90th percentile and the competing-risks model for SGA were estimated and then compared using McNemar's test. In the study population of 40 241 women, prediction of preterm growth-related neonatal morbidity provided by the competing-risks model for SGA was superior to that of screening by low PlGF concentration or high sFlt-1/PlGF ratio. For example, at a screen-positive rate of 10.0%, as defined by the sFlt-1/PlGF ratio > 90th percentile, the competing-risks model predicted 70.1% (95%CI, 61.0-79.2%) of SGA < 10th percentile and 76.9% (95%CI, 67.6-86.3%) of SGA < 3rd percentile with NNU admission for ≥ 48 h delivered < 32 weeks' gestation. The respective values for SGA with major neonatal morbidity were 73.8% (95%CI, 64.4-83.2%) and 77.9% (95%CI, 68.0-87.8%). These were significantly higher than the respective values of 35.1% (95%CI, 25.6-44.6%), 35.9% (95%CI, 25.3-46.5%), 38.1% (95%CI, 27.7-48.5%) and 39.7% (95%CI, 28.1-51.3%) achieved by the application of the sFlt-1/PlGF ratio > 90th percentile (all P < 0.0001). At midgestation, the prediction of growth-related neonatal morbidity by the competing-risks model for SGA is superior to that of a high sFlt-1/PlGF ratio or low PlGF. © 2023 International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology.

The Non-Arbitrary Link between Feeling and Value: A Psychosemantic Challenge for the Perceptual Theory of Emotion

This essay raises a challenge for the perceptual theory of emotion. According to the perceptual theory, emotions are perceptual states that represent values. But if emotions represent values, something should explain why. In virtue of what do emotions represent the values they do? A psychosemantics would answer this, and that’s what the perceptual theorist owes us. To date, however, the only perceptual theorist to attempt a psychosemantics for emotion is Jesse Prinz. And Prinz’s theory, I argue, faces an important difficulty: It makes the pairing of any given emotion with its respective value entirely arbitrary. But that’s a problem. It seems—and this is a major contention of this essay—that an emotion, in virtue of how it feels, bears a natural or non-arbitrary link to the value it represents. And this datum makes it all the more difficult to provide a viable psychosemantics for the evaluative content of emotion.

Why mothers with midwifery-led vaginal births recommend that mode of birth: a qualitative study

ABSTRACT Objective This study aimed to examine why mothers with midwifery-led vaginal births recommend giving birth vaginally. Method This qualitative study was conducted with 14 mothers who had a vaginal birth with midwives and recommended it to other women. The data were collected using an in-depth interview form and analysed with the thematic analysis technique. Results The reasons why these mothers recommend vaginal birth (VB) are discussed under five main themes: ‘positive birth experience, postpartum comfort, beliefs and values, body image, and sexual life’. VB is mainly recommended to other women for emotional, medical, religious, and socio-cultural reasons, including pleasure/excitement related to the birth, newborn, and maternity, birth satisfaction, absence of interventions, early physical activity, early discharge from the hospital, beliefs and values, body image (easy weight loss, no incision, etc.), and early and safe sex life in the postpartum period. Conclusion Vaginal birth is mainly recommended to other women for emotional, medical, religious, and socio-cultural reasons. To support similar favourable views of vaginal birth, it is necessary to prioritise midwifery care that upholds the physiology of childbirth, minimises unnecessary medical interventions, ensures ongoing physical and emotional support, and respects socio-cultural beliefs and values.

Start-Up Rotation of a Porous Colloidal Sphere in a Cavity

The starting rotation of a porous sphere induced by the sudden application of a continuous torque about its diameter at the center of a spherical cavity filled with an incompressible Newtonian fluid at low Reynolds numbers is analyzed. The unsteady Stokes and Brinkman equations governing the fluid velocities outside and inside the porous particle, respectively, are solved via the Laplace transform, and an explicit formula of its dynamic angular velocity as a function of the pertinent parameters is obtained. The behavior of the start-up rotation of an isolated porous particle and the cavity wall effect on the particle rotation are interesting. The angular velocity of the particle grows incessantly over time from an initial zero to its final value, while the angular acceleration declines with time continuously. In general, the transient angular velocity is an increasing function of the porosity of the particle. A porous sphere with higher fluid permeability rotates at higher angular velocity and acceleration relative to the reference particle at any elapsed time but lags behind the reference particle in the percentage growth of angular velocity towards the respective terminal values. The transient angular velocity decreases with increasing particle-to-cavity radius ratio, but it is not a sensitive function of the radius ratio when the resistance to fluid flow inside the porous particle or the radius ratio itself is small.

Assessment of Nitrogen and Sulphur Nutrition to Optimize the Yield and Quality of Groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.)

A field experiment was conducted during February 2023 to June 2023 at Kerala Agricultural University, College of Agriculture, Padannakkad, Kasargod with the objective of formulating a nutrient schedule for groundnut, consisting different sources of nutrients (especially nitrogen and sulphur), time and method of application. The experiment was laid out in randomized block design with 9 treatment combinations of 2 factors, viz., Nutrient Schedule (S) and Foliar Nutrition (F), with 3 treatments each, viz., S1: nitrogen (10 kg ha-1) and sulphur (20 kg ha-1) as per package of practices as basal, S2: nitrogen and sulphur each @ 10 kg ha-1 in 2 equal splits (one as basal and the other at 20 days after sowing), S3: control (without nitrogen and sulphur), F1: foliar application of urea and potassium sulphate @ 1% each at 10 and 30 days after sowing, F2: foliar application of nano urea @ 3 ml 1-1 and nano sulphur @ 1 ml 1-1 each at 10 and 30 days after sowing, F3: control (without foliar application). The main effects of the treatments were significant with S1 recording taller plants at 20 (8.16 cm), 40 (18.05 cm) and 60 (30.34 cm) days after sowing and S2 at 80 days after sowing (37.61 cm). Foliar nutrition was found effective with application of nano fertilisers (F2), recording 11.17%, 27.02% and 18.75% taller plants than control at 40, 60 and 80 days respectively after sowing. The treatment combination S1F2 recorded the tallest plants at different growth stages with heights 18.61 cm, 34.50 cm and 41.50 cm respectively at 40, 60 and 80 days after sowing. The leaf area of groundnut varied significantly with treatments and their combinations. Application of nitrogen and sulphur @ 10 kg ha-1 each in 2 splits (S2) was superior to other treatments in recording higher leaf areas at 40, 60 and 80 days after sowing with respective values of 747.16 cm2, 1435.60 cm2 and 1216.20 cm2. Foliar nutrition with conventional urea and potassium sulphate (F1) recorded significantly higher leaf area at 40 (734.87 cm2) and 60 (1382.70 cm2) days after sowing and it was at par with foliar application of nano fertilisers (F2) at 40 days after sowing (716.70 cm2). Application of nitrogen and sulphur in 2 splits and foliar spray of nano urea and nano sulphur (S2F2) recorded maximum leaf area at 60 (1543.83 cm2) and 80 (1341.51 cm2) days after sowing. The plants which received nitrogen and sulphur in two equal splits (S2) and foliar application of nano urea and nano sulphur (F2) or their combination (S2F2) were superior in terms of kernel yield of groundnut with values 1925.87 kg ha-1, 1801.70 kg ha-1 and 2109.80 kg ha-1 respectively. The highest oil content was obtained with the treatment S2 (48.01 %) and it was on par with S1 (47.73 %). The effect of foliar nutrition was also significant and the treatments F2 and F1 were on par and they recorded 48.04 % and 47.81 %, respectively. Integrated application of nitrogen and sulphur each @10 kg ha-1as basal and foliar spray of nano fertilisers (S1F2) recorded the highest (49.30 %) oil content and it was on par with S2F1 (49.10 %) and S2F2 (48.4 %).

Development of novel high anti-pollution polyamide/polysulfate disk tubular reverse osmosis membrane modules and their application in simulated space bathing wastewater

Water is a precious resource in space stations, and wastewater recycling is necessary to meet the needs of astronauts. In that respect, applying the high anti-pollution disk tubular reverse osmosis (DTRO) technique is a reliable way to remove pollutes from wastewater. Thin film composite (TFC) membrane treatment is the most frequently employed solution for purifying wastewater in industry; however, the intrinsic weaknesses of polymer membrane substrates, e.g., poor mechanical property, foulant adsorption and low resistance to acidic/basic conditions, greatly hamper their applications. In this study, the novel polysulfate (PSE) membrane substrates were prepared via non-solvent induced phase separation (NIPS) method. The microstructure and performance of PSE membrane substrates were comprehensively investigated at varying polymer concentration and nanoparticle types. The results showed that adding nanosilver to the support layer significantly enhanced the TFC- PSE/Ag membrane performance (up to 57 %) and tensile strength (by 4.57 ± 0.13). According to computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations, the optimized geometric design of deflectors would have noticeably improved the flow field distribution and strength, which was consistent with experimental data. The DTRO modules enabled the effective management of wastewater using simulated space bathing wastewater. The effluent met the water reuse criteria in terms of COD concentration, NH3-N concentration, conductivity and turbidity whose respective values were 15 mg/L, 0.21 mg/L, 60 μS/cm, and 0.9 NTU. The proposed DTRO modules own antifouling and acid/alkaline-resistance, indicating their remarkable application potential in the large-scale recovery of bathing wastewater from the earth or space station.

Psychometric performance of EQ-5D-5L and SF-6Dv2 in patients with lymphoma in China.

To assess and compare the measurement properties of EQ-5D-5L and SF-6Dv2 among lymphoma patients in China. A face-to-face survey of Chinese lymphoma patients was conducted at baseline (all types) and follow-up (diffuse large B-cell). EQ-5D-5L and SF-6Dv2 health utility scores (HUSs) were calculated using the respective Chinese value sets. Ceiling effect was assessed by calculating the percentage of respondents reporting the optimal health state. Convergent validity of EQ-5D-5L and SF-6Dv2 was assessed using the Spearman rank correlation coefficient (r) with QLQ-C30 as a calibration standard. Known-groups validity of the two HUSs was evaluated by comparing their scores of patients with different conditions; and their sensitivity was further assessed in the known-groups using relative efficiency (RE). Test-retest reliability and responsiveness was tested using ICC and standardized response mean (SRM), respectively. Altogether 200 patients were enrolled at baseline and 78 were followed up. No ceiling effect was found for SF-6Dv2 compared to 24.5% for EQ-5D-5L. Correlation between the two HUSs and with QLQ-C30 score was strong (r > 0.5). Each dimension of EQ-5D-5L and SF-6Dv2 had moderate or greater correlations with similar dimensions of QLQ-C30 (r > 0.35). Both EQ-5D-5L and SF-6Dv2 could only a minority known-groups, and the latter may have better sensitivity. EQ-5D-5L had better test-retest reliability (ICC = 0.939); while both of them were responsive to patients with worsened and improved clinical status. EQ-5D-5L and SF-6Dv2 were found to have good convergent validity and responsiveness, while EQ-5D-5L had better test-retest reliability and higher ceiling effect. Not enough evidence indicates which of the two measures has better known-group validity and sensitivity.

Menyelami Makna dan Filosofis Budaya Tumpeng sebagai Simbol Identitas Kearifan Lokal Bagi Masyarakat

The focus of this research is on the meaning of cultural and philosophical purity of tumpeng for the people of Kalisongo as an identity of local wisdom in cultural diversity. For the people of Kalisongo, tumpeng culture is a formal rite of thanksgiving that is held once a year. So, the author in this study wants to elaborate the meaning and philosophy of tumpeng in Kalisongo society. This reveals that tumpeng culture is a great thanksgiving because all families are also present to thank God for all the fortune and results received in their lives every day. Tumpeng culture for the Kalisongo people has become a local tradition that is carried out formally. That tumpeng culture is a means to give thanks to others and God who has shared abundant fortune and results. So in this culture contains several values, namely the value of human dignity, respect, kinship, solidarity, and social values. The purpose of this study also elaborates on understanding how the Kalisongo people interpret the cultural and philosophical purity of tumpeng as a distinctiveness for them to build relationships with others and God.

Anti-Trichomonas vaginalis Activity of Marine Ascidians (Tunicates; Ascidiacea) from the Bushehr Province, Iran.

The aim of the current research is to evaluate the antiparasite effects of compounds isolated from marine ascidian tunicates on Trichomonas vaginalis. Ascidian tunicates after collection were cut into small pieces, freeze-dried, and powdered. The resulting material was subjected to extraction in double-distilled water, ethanol, n-hexane, and dichloromethane. To fractionate the extracts and identify the most bioactive compound, silica gel column chromatography and GC-M/S analysis were used. Fraction 18 of silica gel column chromatography of ethanol extract was the most effective against T. vaginalis. The respective IC50, CC50, and SI values for fraction 18 were 28.62 μg/mL, ˃800 μg/mL, and ˃27.95. GC-M/S analysis of this fraction identified a major phenolic compound (2, 4-bis (1, 1-dimethyl ethyl), whose toxicity against vero cells was only 10.15%. The ethanolic fraction containing phenol-2,4-bis (1,1-dimethylethyl), which has a potent lethality effect on T. vaginalis, may be considered as an antiparasite drug candidate.

Effect of ball milling on the structure and electrochemical hydrogen storage properties of a RE-Mg-Ni alloy

RE-Mg-Ni alloy is considered a highly promising anode material for the next generation of MH-Ni batteries. However, the low cycle life, fast performance, and high manufacturing cost of this ideal MH-Ni battery anode material have become obstacles to its optimization. In this work, an as-cast La0.7Sm0.3MgNi3.6Co0.4 superlattice alloy was prepared by vacuum medium frequency induction melting. Then, La0.7Sm0.3MgNi3.6Co0.4 + 10 wt% Ni (0–2 h) composite hydrogen storage alloys with excellent properties were prepared by adding a catalyst (Ni) and conducting ball milling. XRD, SEM, and HRTEM were conducted to analyse the phase compositions, microstructures and macrostructures of the samples. The experimental results showed that with the increase in ball milling time, the microstructural characteristics of the alloy changed, such as the phase abundance, grain refinement, particle size reduction, and amorphous structure increase, directly leading to the change in electrochemical performance. The discharge capacity (Cmax) of the sample decayed from 264.0 mAh/g to 219.1 mAh/g, the cycle stability (Sn) gradually increased with the extension of the grinding time, and the rate discharge performance first increased and then decreased. When the grinding time was 1 h, the best performance was HRD900 = 36.53%. The critical factors affecting the dynamic performance, such as the charge transfer resistance (Rct), limiting current density (IL), and hydrogen diffusion coefficient (D), all exhibited the same trend and reached their respective optimal values at 1 h.

Uptake and translocation of brominated flame retardants in tomato plants (Solanum lycopersicum L.): Results from a standard soil-based biotest

The uptake and translocation of four polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and four novel brominated flame retardants (NBFRs) in tomato plants (Solanum lycopersicum L.) were investigated via the RHIZOtest, a standard soil-based biotest, optimized for organic compounds. Tomato plants were exposed to soil samples spiked with 0 (i.e. control), 5.00 or 50.00 ng g−1dw of each compound. Compared of those of the control, exposure to increasing spiking concentrations resulted in average reductions of 13% and 26% (w/w) in tomato plant biomass. Higher concentrations of NBFRs were analyzed both in roots, ranging from 0.23 to 8.01 ng g−1dw for PBDEs and from 1.25 to 18.51 ng g−1dw for NBFRs, and in shoots, ranging from 0.09 to 5.58 ng g−1dw and from 0.47 to 7.78 ng g−1dw for PBDEs and NBFRs, respectively. This corresponded to an average soil uptake of 5% for PBDEs and 9% for NBFRs at the lower soil-spiking level, and 3% for PBDEs and 6% for NBFRs at the higher soil spiking level. Consequently, among both initial spiking levels, the soil-root concentration factor (RCF) values were lower on average for PBDEs (0.13 ± 0.05 g dw soil g−1dw roots) than for NBFRs (0.33 ± 0.16 g dw soil g−1dw roots). Conversely, nondifferent values of the root-shoot transfer factor (TF) were calculated for both PBDEs (0.54 ± 0.13 g dw roots g−1dw shoots) and NBFRs (0.49 ± 0.24 g dw roots g−1dw shoots). The differences and similarities reported in the RCF and TF between and within the two groups of compounds can be explained by their properties. The calculated RCF and TF values of the PBDEs exhibited a decreasing trend as the number of bromine atoms increased. Additionally, a robust negative linear correlation was observed between RCF values and the respective logKow values for the PBDEs, at both soil-spiking levels. The root uptake of NBFRs exhibited a negative correlation with their hydrophobicity; however, this was not observed in the context of root-to-shoot transfer. The presence of a second aromatic ring appears to be the key factor influencing the observed variations in NBFRs, with biphenyl NBFRs (BTBPE and DBDPE) characterized by lower uptake and reduced translocation potential than monophenyl PBEB and HBB. Understanding the transfer of these compounds to crops, especially near plastic recycling waste sites, is crucial for understanding the risks of their potential inclusion in the human food chain.

Predicting the in vivo developmental toxicity of fenarimol from in vitro toxicity data using PBTK modelling-facilitated reverse dosimetry approach

In vitro methods are widely used in modern toxicological testing; however, the data cannot be directly employed for risk assessment. In vivo toxicity of chemicals can be predicted from in vitro data using physiologically based toxicokinetic (PBTK) modelling-facilitated reverse dosimetry (PBTK-RD). In this study, a minimal-PBTK model was constructed to predict the in-vivo kinetic profile of fenarimol (FNL) in rats and humans. The model was verified by comparing the observed and predicted pharmacokinetics of FNL for rats (calibrator) and further applied to humans. Using the PBTK-RD approach, the reported in vitro developmental toxicity data for FNL was translated to in vivo dose-response data to predict the assay equivalent oral dose in rats and humans. The predicted assay equivalent rat oral dose (36.46 mg/kg) was comparable to the literature reported in vivo BMD10 value (22.8 mg/kg). The model was also employed to derive the chemical-specific adjustment factor (CSAF) for interspecies toxicokinetics variability of FNL. Further, Monte Carlo simulations were performed to predict the population variability in the plasma concentration of FNL and to derive CSAF for intersubject human kinetic differences. The comparison of CSAF values for interspecies and intersubject toxicokinetic variability with their respective default values revealed that the applied uncertainty factors were adequately protective.

INFLUENCE OF THE AGRO-ECOLOGICAL ZONES IN SENEGAL ON DIETARY CONSUMPTION OF PEANUT

Peanutisa valuable source of nutrients, but the patterns of peanut consumption, consumption frequencies and factors influencing peanut consumption in Senegal are poorly understood.This study surveyed the populations of four agroecological zones of Senegal:The Peanut Basin (BA), the Lower and Middle Casamance (BMC), the Eastern Senegal and Upper Casamance (SOHC) and the Senegal River Valley (VFS) with the aim of generating data on the consumption of peanut to fill this lack of knowledge and information on this food which represents a good part of the diet of the Senegalese population. The survey sampling plan is designed according to the principles of simple random sampling (SAS) combined with prior stratification. The results of the study showed that peanut-based dishes such as Nieleng in the BA use approximately 1048g of peanut during its preparation. In the VFS, the preparation of Dakhine requires an intake of 692g of peanut. The frequency of consumption of peanut-based dishes also varies according to agro-ecological zones. In the Peanut Basin, Mafe using approximately 465.7g per dish is consumed once or twice a week as is Mbaxalu Saloum in the BMC where 222.8g of peanut are used for a prepared dish. Individual peanut consumption varies depending on the agro-ecological zones. The highest average consumption is noted in the BA with 50.57g. It is followed by the SOHC, the VFS and the BMC with respective values of 41.38g, 25.18g. and 24.73g. People headed by a man in households consume an average of 50g of peanut per day per dish and those headed by a woman, around 40g.Polygamous families consume on average 55.4g of peanut per day per peanut dish. People in families whose chef did not attend school consume on average 51.6g of peanut per dish followed by those whose chef attended Koranic school with 50.9g of peanut per dish per day.

A Study on the Make-up Trends using Unstructured Big Data: Focusing on Make-up Keyword Changes in the Last 10 Years

This study utilized Textom, optimized for big data analysis using unstructured data, to examine the changes in makeup trends over the past decade. It collected various texts from news, blogs, and cafe media on portal sites, spanning a total of ten years from January 2013 to December 2022. The research was conducted in five stages, each covering two years, to observe keyword trends. The results showed that makeup trends have continuously evolved through the integration and interaction with various fields such as digital technology, the beauty industry, art, and healthcare. Digital technology has created new forms and methods of makeup, and makeup has contributed to the utilization and development of digital technology. Additionally, the interaction between digital technology and makeup has enhanced their respective values and influenced consumers' makeup-related behaviors and preferences. This study analyzed the changes and developments in makeup trends over the last decade using unstructured big data, examining various factors and relationships related to makeup trends to predict future trends. This has academic and practical significance in product development and marketing in the beauty industry, consumers' access to makeup information and purchasing behavior, and makeup education and culture. However, such data can suffer from sample bias or lack representativeness, and there can be difficulties in accurately measuring makeup trend information. Therefore, future research should select a variety of platforms or channels, and analyze differences and changes in makeup trends according to users' demographic characteristics. Additionally, it is necessary to collect and analyze structured data on makeup trends to integrate with or complement unstructured data.

A STUDY OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE OCTANE NUMBER AND THE CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF REGULAR, MIDGRADE, AND PREMIUM GASOLINE

The present study was conducted at Zakho City in Northern Iraq to evaluate three different types of gasoline: Regular, Midgrade, and Premium. These types of gasoline are categorized based on their octane rating, which was measured to verify their classification. The results showed that the initial classification was accurate, with respective values of 87.5, 89.8, and 91.1. The study evaluated the three grades of gasoline available at Zakho Gas Stations in Northern Iraq, including Regular, Midgrade, and Premium. The study also compared the chemical composition of the three gasoline grades in terms of aromatics, olefin, sulfur content, and oxygen content. All the three gasoline grades met the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) standard for chemical composition, and all had acceptable specific gravities. However, Midgrade gasoline is not recommended for use during the summer due to its high Reid vapor pressure (RVP) value, low Initial boiling point (IBP), and final boiling point( FBP). In general, the study showed that the Regular and Premium gasoline types sold in North of Iraq meet international quality standards. However, Midgrade gasoline is not recommended for use during the summer due to its high RVP value, low IBP, and FBP, which can lead to increased volatility and environmental pollution, Moreover, using this type of gasoline may cause problems with the car engine.

A Birthmother’s Counter-Story of Racism and Oppression in Children’s Social Work: Carving an Afro-Centric Space for Sawubona in Euro-Centric Social Work Education, Practice, and the Safeguarding System

Abstract In this article, I ask ‘What are the specific challenges and controversies that birth mothers of ethnic minorities (EM) experience in the safeguarding context’? The aim is to examine safeguarding practices and ascertain how power, racism and gender oppression are understood and experienced by mothers of EMs in social work. The literature highlighted complexities and ethical concerns regarding child protection services with EMs in England. Undertaking qualitative research, a case study approach was used, and purposive sampling was applied to recruit and interview six mothers of EM backgrounds. This article provides an empowering space for Miriam, an Asian mum recounting her lived experiences of statutory social work. Critical theory, critical race theory and intersectionality were the theoretical frameworks, and a framework approach was utilised for data analysis. Key findings revealed the insidious nature of racism, oppression and White dominance, constructing devastating, adversarial work practices that oppressed, excluded, and deprived Miriam. There was an urgent need for change. Drawing on my African heritage, I theorise that the Afro-centric philosophy of Sawubona could make a profound contribution to British social work. Elucidating, ‘I see the whole of you’, the Sawubona practice model illustrates social work values of equality, empathy, dignity, tolerance and respect.

Hydroclimatic changes in eastern China during the Holocene based on pollen data and climate modeling

The Asian monsoon system represents one of the world's most dynamic interactions of the cryosphere-continent-ocean-atmosphere system. Understanding and responding to changes in monsoonal precipitation is a major component of environmental management in this region, given its profound influence on socioeconomic activity in monsoonal Asia. In particular, characterizing the spatiotemporal variability of the East Asian summer monsoon (EASM) is critical for comprehensively understanding its dynamics and future impacts. Although substantial progress has been made in reconstructing past changes in the EASM, the spatial pattern of EASM intensity in China on the orbital-scale remains controversial. This is mainly because of uncertainties in the climatic interpretation of EASM-related proxies. Here, we present a quantitative seasonal precipitation reconstruction for monsoonal China during the Holocene, using the Modern Analog Technique (MAT) based on pollen data. The results show that during the Holocene both the annual and summer precipitation in monsoonal China increased gradually and reached a peak during the early mid-Holocene, with respective values that were ∼ 170 mm and 60 mm higher than today, followed by a decrease in the late Holocene. On the regional scale, the temporal pattern of monsoon rainfall was discrepant: a decrease from the early through late Holocene in northern China, and an increase from the early through late Holocene in southern China.To investigate the possible forcing mechanisms of these phenomena, we used the full TraCE-21 k simulation and single-forcing transient simulations to analyze spatial and temporal rainfall patterns. The results suggest that the north-south pattern is the product of orbital forcing. Intensified summer insolation during the early Holocene enhanced the land-sea thermal contrast, which strengthened the EASM along with the northward extension of the west Pacific subtropical high. Both factors caused the increased withdrawal of oceanic water vapor and the northward advance of the EASM rain belt, delivering more rainfall to northern China and less rainfall to southern China, and vice versa. Overall, our results indicate that insolation variations were the dominant factor determining the spatial pattern of EASM precipitation during the Holocene. Our findings are relevant to the calibration of palaeoclimate models and they contribute to an improved understanding of the Asian monsoon sub-systems.

Mineralogical and geochemical characterization of coal debris from major coal fields in India: Implications on respirable dust hazards

Coal mining activities have major impact on the surrounding regions through flying coal dust particles. In this study, we investigate the differences in mineralogy and geochemistry between the deposited coal dust and the respirable fractions of coal dust samples collected from the coal mining regions of Jharia and Raniganj coalfields in India. The coal dust samples were investigated in detail through various analytical techniques including FE-SEM, TGA, and particle size analyzer. The proximate analysis of the coal dust indicated that the ash content is 75%, moisture 0.5%, volatile matter 8.4%, and fixed carbon 16% in the Jharia coal fields, while the respective values of Raniganj coal values are 68.3%, 2.8%, 14.6%, and 14.2%. The average carbon content in the Raniganj coal dust particles is higher than that of Jharia (22.62 vs. 21.50%) and suggest that the coal dust particles were transported from the coal mining areas. The scanning electron microscopy images suggest that the coal dust samples have spherical and irregular morphologies. The carbon and sulphur in these samples were possibly derived from the organic matter of the coal materials, which were transported by air as dust particles. The particle size distribution of the coal dust samples revealed that 75–95% of these by volume are in the fraction of <600 μm. It can be inferred that the relatively fine particles of the coal dust samples contained 70% of ash comprising of mostly silica and clay as maximum respirable dust, which is hazardous to both human life and the environment. Our study provides insights into the air pollution and health risks around mining areas.

Development of single point prediction model using artificial neural network and experimental validation for pump as turbine applications

This paper proposed a new approach based on artificial neural networks (ANNs) to select the most appropriate centrifugal pumps for reverse operation i.e. pump as turbines (PAT), by predicting parameters at Best Efficiency Point from pump mode data. Both, exhaustive experimental data of 49 pumps (specific speeds 9−104) collected from open literature and by in-house experimentation data, considered input data-set as pump and target data-set as PAT are used for training the ANN models with two different training functions: Levenberg–Marquardt and Bayesian regularisation. The proposed ANN prediction model shows a deviation lower than 10% compared to the respective experimental value. Additionally, the trained ANN model tested with four pumps (not included in training data sets of proposed models) shows maximum absolute deviation in head number, flow number, and efficiency within the 10%, 7%, and 6% range, respectively, compared to the experimental values. Furthermore, the efficiency of reverse mode evaluated for variation in rotational speed shows a maximum of 3.3% (within 5%) absolute deviation compared to respective experimental results. Overall, the ANNs based prediction model of PAT parameters is recommended compared to conventional models available in the literature as it gives superior results (less than 10% deviation) for practical application.