Scientific Research Research Articles

Challenging the gender binary in occupation-based research: A feminist critical discourse analysis of sex differences

ABSTRACT Gender is a constitutive element of an oppressive system based on sexual differentiation. Making difference between the female and male sexes is an accepted practice that is particularly widespread in scientific research. Yet, this research practice can contribute to the construction of gender as an oppressive system with consequences for people’s occupations and health. The aim of the present study is to address the potential contribution of occupation-based scientific articles in the construction of a gendered social order through the taken-for-granted use of sex categories. A literature review resulted in the selection of 22 articles published in occupational therapy and occupational science journals that differentiate individuals based on female/male sex characteristics. A feminist critical discourse analysis was used to make visible how these texts contribute to the construction of gender and their occupational and health consequences. Three specific mechanisms were identified in the analysis: naturalization, banalization, and sacralization. Together, they show the specific process of naturalization of care work as ‘women’s work’ and how it further constitutes a basis towards indifference and banalization of women’s health and occupational issues. Sacralization illustrates how full authority is conferred to numbers within science to justify research based on sex categories and how this contributes to reproducing one gendered reality over another. In conclusion, this study aligns with feminist and critical occupational science theories and contributes to epistemological disruption of the scientific construction of binary sexes within occupation-based scholarship.

Factors in terrorist risk assessment: a rapid evidence assessment of the extremism risk guidance (ERG22+) factors

Purpose Since 2011, the Extremism Risk Guidance (ERG 22+) has been the primary risk assessment framework used for terrorist and violent extremist offenders in England and Wales. The aim of this study was to conduct a rapid evidence assessment to examine the research literature on the ERG22+ factors and to identify possible significant new and emerging knowledge around potential new factors. Design/methodology/approach Searches were conducted of the Google Scholar database to identify relevant literature published between 2012 and 2020. In total, 29 documents were identified, which examined new radicalisation models and frameworks, 339 were identified, which explored to some extent one or more of the current ERG factors, and a further 138 articles were identified, which focused on potentially relevant additional issues/factors. Findings Most of the ERG factors were the focus of substantial research activity between 2012 and 2020. Six factors, however, received very little research attention. Potential implications of these trends are considered. Ten research themes were identified with the potential to either form new factors or which could play a significant role in the updating or revision of some existing factors. Originality/value This paper is the first rapid evidence assessment on the ERG22+ risk factors. It provides an important picture of the published scientific research of potential relevance in this area and helps to inform the review process for the ERG22+.

The stray light induced redshift of absorption peaks of inorganic anions in the far ultraviolet region-an "artifact".

In the analytical process of spectrophotometry, the prerequisite for accurate qualitative and quantitative analysis is obtaining the intrinsic spectra of the analyte. However, the intrinsic properties of spectra can sometimes be masked by easily overlooked non-intrinsic factors, such as those from measuring instruments, leading to erroneous spectral identification. In this study, we documented an unusual redshift phenomenon in the far ultraviolet spectral region. With a spectrophotometer under the nitrogen atmosphere, we selected 14 representative inorganic anions and investigated their absorption spectral behaviors at different optical pathlengths and concentrations. It was intriguing to observe that the absorption peaks with maximum absorption wavelengths below a watershed wavelength of 200 nm underwent a redshift as pathlength and concentration increased, while those above 200 nm did not exhibit a significant redshift phenomenon. In-depth formula simulations and experimental verifications demonstrated that this peculiar spectral behavior was caused by unavoidable stray light in the spectrophotometer. Some methodological and instrumental recommendations are given in the paper. Our study results may serve as a reminder to carefully identify non-intrinsic phenomena when studying absorption spectra in the far ultraviolet region, and provide guidance on spectral corrections in scientific research and practical applications.

Chronic inflammation: Cross linking insights from Ayurvedic Sciences, a silver lining to systems biology and personalized medicine

Precision in personalized medicine is a crucial subject that needs comprehensive discussion and scientific validation. Traditional healthcare approaches like the Ayurvedic Sciences are often contextually linked with personalized medicine. However, it is unfortunate that this knowledge concerning Ayurveda and personalized medicine is restricted to applying systems biology techniques to 'prakriti' the phenotypic expression and characterization detailed in the literature. There are other significant constructs besides prakruti that interest an Ayurvedic physician, which accounts for crafting precision in evidence-based medicinal practices. There is this influential model of Ayurvedic healthcare practice wherein the physician maps specific personalized characters in addition to prakruti to deduce the host responses to endogenous and exposome conditions. Subsequently, tailored protocols are administered that bring about holistic, personalized outcomes.The review aimed to determine the effective methods for integrating Systems Biology, Ayurvedic Sciences, and Personalized Medicine (precision medicinebased). Ayurveda adopts a holistic approach, considering multiple variables and their interconnections, while the modern reductionist approach focuses on understanding complex details of smaller parts through rigorous experimentation. Despite seeming extremes, ongoing research on lifestyle, gut health, and spiritual well-being highlights the evolving intersection between traditional Ayurvedic practices and modern science. The current focus is on developing the fundamental concept of Ayurveda Biology by incorporating Systems Biology techniques.Challenges in this integration include understanding diverse data types, bridging interdisciplinary knowledge gaps, and addressing technological limitations and ethical concerns. Overcoming these challenges will require interdisciplinary collaboration, innovative methodologies, substantial investment in technology, and cultural sensitivity to preserve Ayurveda's core principles while leveraging modern scientific advancements. The focus of discussions and debates on such collaborations should be breakthrough clinical models, such as chronic inflammation, which can be objectively related to specific stages of disease manifestations described in Ayurveda. Validating patient characteristics with systems biology approaches, particularly in shared pathologies like chronic inflammation, is crucial for bringing prediction and precision to personalized medicine

Soft matter physics of the ground beneath our feet.

The soft part of the Earth's surface - the ground beneath our feet - constitutes the basis for life and natural resources, yet a general physical understanding of the ground is still lacking. In this critical time of climate change, cross-pollination of scientific approaches is urgently needed to better understand the behavior of our planet's surface. The major topics in current research in this area cross different disciplines, spanning geosciences, and various aspects of engineering, material sciences, physics, chemistry, and biology. Among these, soft matter physics has emerged as a fundamental nexus connecting and underpinning many research questions. This perspective article is a multi-voice effort to bring together different views and approaches, questions and insights, from researchers that work in this emerging area, the soft matter physics of the ground beneath our feet. In particular, we identify four major challenges concerned with the dynamics in and of the ground: (I) modeling from the grain scale, (II) near-criticality, (III) bridging scales, and (IV) life. For each challenge, we present a selection of topics by individual authors, providing specific context, recent advances, and open questions. Through this, we seek to provide an overview of the opportunities for the broad Soft Matter community to contribute to the fundamental understanding of the physics of the ground, strive towards a common language, and encourage new collaborations across the broad spectrum of scientists interested in the matter of the Earth's surface.

Generating open-source 3D phytoplankton models by integrating photogrammetry with scanning electron microscopy

The community structure and ecological function of marine ecosystems are critically dependent on phytoplankton. However, our understanding of phytoplankton is limited due to the lack of detailed information on their morphology. To address this gap, we developed a framework that combines scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with photogrammetry to create realistic 3D (three-dimensional) models of phytoplankton. The workflow of this framework is demonstrated using two marine algal species, one dinoflagellate Prorocentrum micans and one diatom Halamphora sp. The resulting 3D models are made openly available and allow users to interact with phytoplankton and their complex structures virtually (digitally) and tangibly (3D printing). They also allow for surface area and biovolume calculations of phytoplankton, as well as the exploration of their light scattering properties, which are both important for ecosystem modeling. Additionally, by presenting these models to the public, it bridges the gap between scientific inquiry and education, promoting broader awareness on the importance of phytoplankton.

Analysis of Factors Influencing Experimental Teaching Satisfaction Based on ISM-MICMAC

The satisfaction with experimental teaching is of utmost importance for improving educational quality, promoting student development, and fostering the professional growth of teachers. Researching the factors influencing satisfaction with experimental teaching, as well as the hierarchical relationships and mechanisms of action among these factors, provides significant theoretical foundations and practical guidance for conducting scientific and targeted reforms in experimental teaching. Based on literature research and questionnaire surveys, fifteen factors affecting experimental teaching satisfaction were selected across five dimensions: teachers, curriculum, students, environment, and interaction. The Interpretive Structural Modeling (ISM) was used to reveal the hierarchical relationships among these factors, and the Cross-Impact Matrix Multiplication Applied to a Classification (MICMAC) method was employed to validate the model’s scientific validity and assess the driving forces and dependencies of each factor. The research results indicate that self-efficacy, academic emotions, perceived course value, teacher-student interaction, and peer interaction are direct factors influencing experimental teaching satisfaction and exhibit a high level of interdependence. Teacher’s teaching competence, laboratory management, course content, course resources, and laboratory environment are deeper influencing factors with strong driving forces, positively impacting both the direct factors and intermediary factors such as teaching models and course assessment. Based on the analysis results, improvement strategies, and recommendations are proposed to enhance the quality of experimental teaching and the effectiveness of talent development.

“The Horror of It Made Me Mad”: Hysterical Narration in Richard Marsh’s The Beetle (1897)

This article analyzes the hysterical narration styles of two major characters in Richard Marsh’s The Beetle (1897) to reveal the ways late-Victorian discourses attempted (and often failed) to distance particular social anxieties from their modern origins. Attending to previous literary criticism regarding socially Othered groups of this period—racialized foreigners, New Women, and the urban poor—as well as (pseudo)scientific studies from the 1870s–80s, this reading notes the ways that Victorian cultural biases surrounding race, gender, and class could be projected onto Gothicized, Orientalized figures in literary texts. Pairing a postcolonial examination of the novel’s spatial and temporal elements with a psychoanalytic reading of this text, I argue that the slowing pace in Robert Holt’s narrative and the compulsive repetition of Marjorie Lindon’s both reflect the novel’s disruption of space and time and structurally parallel the symptoms of a “hallucinatory hysterical attack,” as conceived by Josef Breuer and Sigmund Freud. Together, these hysterical narratives reveal the failure of particular cultural and scientific discourses to completely bury Victorian anxieties about modernity into different, explicitly Othered spaces and times by collapsing both space and time in the narration of psychic trauma.

Acetaminophen removal using porous activated carbon derived from corn cob: optimization and mass transfer modelling

AbstractBACKGROUNDAcetaminophen, also known as paracetamol, has been notably detected in aquatic environments, including wastewater, surface water and drinking water, causing significant concern within the scientific and environmental research communities. This study focuses on two main objectives: (i) optimizing corn cob‐based activated carbon (CCAC) through response surface methodology for the adsorption of acetaminophen and (ii) simulating the acetaminophen adsorption process using the polymath mass transfer (PMT) model.RESULTSThe optimized CCAC was prepared via physiochemical activation under microwave radiation (265 W power) for 6 min, with a KOH impregnation ratio of 0.50 g g−1. This process resulted in a high Brunauer–Emmett–Teller surface area of 976.29 m2 g−1, accompanied by a corresponding pore volume of 0.39 cm3 g−1 and a pore diameter of 2.38 nm. The adsorption study, employing differential initial concentrations (ranging from 5 to 30 mg L−1) of acetaminophen, revealed a substantial adsorption capacity of 22.43 mg g−1 (74.77%) at 30 °C and 20.74 mg g−1 (69.13%) at pH 6. The PMT model indicated an adsorption capacity (Qm) of 21.14 mg g−1, with an error of 5.75%, demonstrating high precision compared to the experimental result. Additionally, the calculated R2 values equal to or above 0.90 indicated strong agreement between the PMT model and experimental data.CONCLUSIONThus, applying the PMT model proved to be economical and cost‐effective, providing accurate predictions on surface area during adsorption performance compared to the time‐consuming and costly process of conducting characterizations. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry (SCI).

COMPLEX USE OF PHYSICAL THERAPY MEANS IN THE REHABILITATION OF SCHOOL-AGE CHILDREN WITH POSTURE DISORDERS

Relevance of the research topic. The problem of using physical therapy means in rehabilitation of school-age children with posture disorders becomes especially relevant in the context of the threat of serious spinal diseases, which can negatively affect the health and physical development of children in the future.Purpose and methods of the study. The aim of the work is to reveal the essence of complex use of physical therapy means in rehabilitation of school- age children with posture disorders. The research consisted of the analysis of scientists' works and description of the use of therapy for correction of school-age children's posture. Research methods and statistical analysis. We used both general scientific and special methods of research, namely: analysis, synthesis, structural-functional, description, generalization.Results. The article presents an analysis of the integrated use of physical therapy in the rehabilitation of school-age children with postural disorders. Various methods and techniques of physical therapy aimed at restoring optimal physical functioning and correcting postural defects are described. It is described that the main methods of physical therapy used in rehabilitation are therapeutic physical culture, correction of body position, therapeutic massage, hardening, hydrokinesitherapy and physiotherapy. Particular attention is paid to physical exercises that specialize in correcting specific types of posture disorders. Key findings. It has been shown that symmetrical and asymmetrical exercises, known as corrective exercises, are used to equalize the tone of the trunk muscles and strengthen relaxed muscles, helping to return the spine to its correct position. It has been proven that therapeutic massage, as an effective means of functional therapy, is used at all stages of medical and physical therapy to treat various diseases and injuries. The article analyzes the effectiveness of these methods and their role in achieving positive results in the rehabilitation of children with postural disorders.

Cost accounting for the production of dairy cattle products in the context of digitalization: Internal control and management issues

Subject. This article discusses the issues of digital transformation and the internal control services’ work optimization at agricultural enterprises. Objectives. The article aims to assess opportunities to minimize the agricultural production cost and develop business in the context of digitalization. Methods. For the study, we used the general scientific research methods. Results. For the agro-industrial complex enterprises, reducing the production cost and achieving high profitability of production are of a great importance. Automation of internal control procedures will help identify errors, determine the most promising areas for the development of the enterprise, and provide access to a significant amount of information. Relevance. The results of the study can be taken into account by the heads of agricultural enterprises when choosing automated programs to optimize the costs of internal control.

Improving the system of social protection of self-employed citizens

Subject. This article considers the self-employed as a subject of economic activity, and it discusses the participation of the self-employed population in the system of social and pension insurance. Objectives. This article aims to analyze the development of the pension and social insurance system of the self-employed people. Methods. For the study, we used the general scientific research methods. Results. The article presents an author-developed algorithm of actions of the self-employed in terms of relations with government agencies on registration, taxation and insurance, and it offers certain approaches to the development of the system of voluntary social insurance of the self-employed. Conclusions and Relevance. Based on the analysis of the current regulatory documents, the article concludes that it is necessary to determine the legal status of the self-employed, the list of obligations to pay taxes and fees, and the specification of their social guarantees and rights. The practical application of the results of the study can improve the mechanism of employment management, which is important for the development of Russia as a social State.

Three dimensions of artificial intelligence in the system design of high-tech products

Subject. The article investigates the role and place of artificial intelligence in the system design of high-tech products. Objectives. The focus is on determination of artificial intelligence implementation stages in the system design of high-tech products. Methods. We apply general scientific research methods. Results. The study established that artificial intelligence in the system design of high-tech products should be considered as a single software-algorithmic, system-technological, and conceptual-terminological complex. It identified methodological and ideological problems of introducing artificial intelligence into system design. We defined the structure of hybrid intelligence and substantiated the need for its use. We proposed to use the modern methodology of program-target planning to organize a phased, planned, and coordinated introduction of artificial intelligence technologies in the system design of high-tech products. Conclusions. The findings can be used in the development of State scientific and technological programs and plans to create high-tech products for various purposes in the interests of ensuring the sustainability of innovative and technological development and national security of the Russian Federation, given the current geopolitical and economic situation in the world.

Evaluation of Urban Complex Utilization Based on AHP and MCDM Analysis: A Case Study of China

In the context of intensive urban development, urban complexes have emerged as crucial public spaces that address the needs of urban populations. However, current research on urban complexes is predominantly qualitative and lacks a rigorous scientific and quantitative analysis. Therefore, this study employs the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) to construct a standardized system encompassing five dimensions: spatial function, spatial perception, architectural style, surrounding environment, and energy-saving technology. The objective is to determine the weights of the indices that influence people’s use of urban complexes under the goal of “humanization”. Additionally, the study quantitatively analyzes key indices using spatial syntax and other analytical methods. Subsequently, we employ multi-criteria decision making (MCDM) analysis to examine three real-world cases in China, aiming to validate further the importance of the AHP + MCDM approach, which incorporates the TOPSIS method based on grey correlation. This methodology considers both the subjective factors of crowd evaluations of urban complex usage and the interrelationships among indicators, ensuring that the statistical calculations of the indicators remain objective and scientifically robust. The results indicate that (1) the degree of facility improvement has the greatest impact on the crowd’s use of urban complexes; (2) there is a discrepancy between the results of the TOPSIS method and the MCDM evaluation model, with the MCDM evaluation method aligning more closely with real-world scenarios; and (3) the Shanghai MOSCHINO received the highest evaluation score, while the Nanjing Central Emporium received the lowest. Finally, we discuss the experimental results and propose targeted strategies for optimizing the design of urban complexes to achieve the goal of “humanization”.

A Clinical Construct: Research, Experimentation, and Education at the Johns Hopkins Hospital

Background: The Johns Hopkins Hospital, the first U.S. institution to integrate medical education with practice, has served as a critical case study in understanding the evolution of American medical institutions in response to advancements in medical science, education, and technology. However, the role of architecture and design in informing those institutional practices has not been sufficiently explored. Aim: This study examines the intricate interplay between architecture and medicine in the late nineteenth century through a historical analysis of the design, construction, and early operation of the Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, focusing on how this interdisciplinary relationship shaped both the hospital’s physical environment and institutional practices. Methods: This paper utilizes historical analysis to investigate the design, construction, and operations of the Johns Hopkins Hospital. By examining primary archival materials, it details how architectural strategies addressed scientific, technological, and educational advancements. Results: The investigation reveals that the hospital’s architecture not only facilitated medical research, experimentation, and education but also embodied a novel blend of scientific inquiry and architectural design. Conclusions: The Johns Hopkins Hospital exemplifies the transformative potential of integrating architectural design with medical science. This case study underscores the enduring significance of interdisciplinary collaboration, offering insights into contemporary practices and the future of hospital design and medical education and practice in academic communities.

"I Heard of PrEP-I Didn't Think I Needed it." Understanding the Formation of HIV Risk Perception Among People Who Inject Drugs.

Uptake of pre-exposure prophylaxis medication (PrEP) to prevent HIV among people who inject drugs (PWID) remains extremely low in the United States. West Virginia's rising HIV incidence and highest drug overdose rate in the nation makes it an important locus for opioid use and HIV risk interaction. In this pilot study we pioneered the use of Cultural Theory among PWID to understand HIV-related risk perception arising from four contrasting modes of social organization. Carried out during an HIV outbreak, we explored PrEP uptake qualitatively as a window onto risk perception. Of the 26 interviewees, 18 were HIV- and despite the medication's free availability from the health center where recruitment took place, none had taken PrEP, half considering they were not at risk. Intimate couples who showed characteristics of 'enclaves' considered the boundary around themselves protective against HIV, creating a safe space or 'invisible risk group'. Higher HIV risk was perceived among those who were housed compared to those living homeless. Beliefs about the causation of the local HIV outbreak and the validity of scientific research corresponded with characteristics of the contrasting modes of social organization and the approach is promising for informing public health interventions among PWID.

Body Parts from Bioprinting

3D bioprinting not only represents the future of regenerative medicine, it can also facilitate more precise and more ethical scientific research.

Eosin Y Post-Decorated Metal-Organic Framework as a Selectivity Regulator for the Alcohols Oxidation.

The selective oxidation of alcohols into aldehydes is a basic and significant procedure, with great potential for scientific research and industrial applications. However, as an important factor in the C(sp3)-H activation process, high selectivity is generally difficult to achieve due to the fact that the more easily activated properties of aldehydes are compared to alcohols. Herein, by the ingenious decoration of eosin Y into a Zr-based metal-organic framework (MOF-808), EY@MOF-808 was prepared as a selectivity regulator for the aerobic oxidation of the benzyl alcohols into corresponding aldehydes, possessing applicability for the benzylic alcohols with various substituents. By anchoring eosin Y on Zr6O4(OH)4 clusters of MOF-808 and maintaining open metal nodes with selective binding effects, the benzyl alcohol substrates were selectively coordinated to the unsaturated metal clusters adjacent to eosin Y, which ensured that the excited eosin Y rapidly activated substrates to generate carbon radicals by the hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) process. The rapid electron transfer (ET) simultaneously produced reactive oxygen species (O2•-) and then a combination of both to further promote the generation of benzaldehydes. The weak interaction of benzaldehydes with the skeleton allowed it to dissociate rapidly, thus preventing overoxidation. Under the catalysis of EY@MOF-808, the selectivity of various benzaldehydes was more than 99%. In contrast, eosin Y gave only benzoic acid products under the same conditions, which demonstrated the superiority of regulatory selectivity of EY@MOF-808. Taking advantage of the heterogeneity of the MOF, EY@MOF-808 was recycled four times without a decrease in its selectivity and avoided the quenching effect of eosin Y. The organic functional units postdecorated MOF-based photocatalyst strategy exhibits a promising new perspective approach to sustainably regulating the selectivity of inert oxidation.

Content Validity Analysis of the PISA-Science Literacy Test for SMP Unismuh Makassar Students on the Topic of Optical Instruments

This research aims to analyse the content validity of the PISA-science literacy test on the topic of optical instruments. The design of this test aims to measure the scientific literacy abilities of eighth grade students at SMP Unismuh Makassar. The design of this test was developed based on core competencies and basic competencies and adapted to scientific literacy indicators, especially in science learning material on the topic of Optical Instruments which includes aspects of explaining scientific phenomena, evaluating and designing scientific research, as well as aspects of interpreting scientific data and evidence which are then formulated into 5 questions in the form of essay questions. The method used in this research is the descriptive analysis method as content validity analysis based on Lawshe’s formula calculations which have become known as the CVR and I-CVI coefficients. Content validity data was obtained from validation results from five experts with different expertise backgrounds in the field of science education. The expert validation results were then analysed to determine the level of content validity of the PISA-science literacy test which was developed using the Lawshe’s formula. The research results showed that the CVR coefficient value obtained was 0.99 with a total of five expert judgments, so it was declared accepted. Further analysis was obtained by obtaining an I-CVI coefficient value of 0.99 with the appropriate category. Based on the CVR and I-CVI coefficient values, it can be concluded that the content validity of the PISA-science literacy test developed is in the appropriate category and supports the entire content of the test as a whole.

Academician of medicine Z.V. Ermolyeva and the Department of Microbiology of the Central Institute for Advanced Medical Training: the main directions of scientific research in the early 1970s

The very difficult geopolitical situation of recent years has once again confirmed the need for our state to focus on its internal and self-sufficient development in its development. The story of the coronavirus pandemic that swept the whole world has shown a fairly high level of domestic virology, and microbiology in general. But, undoubtedly, we are still far from the Soviet level of science development today. In this regard, it seems advisable to pay attention to the generalization of the Soviet experience in the development of biomedical sciences. We have made an attempt to analyze the development of Soviet microbiology through an analysis of the scientific and organizational activities of the domestic scientist, Academician of Medicine Zinaida Vissarionovna Ermolyeva, carried out by her at the Department of Microbiology of the Central Institute of Advanced Medical Training in the first half of the 1970s. The source base of the publication was unpublished documents of the federal archives (the Russian State Archive of Scientific and Technical Documentation and the Russian State Archive of Economics), most of which are being introduced into scientific circulation for the first time. The article examines the scientific activity of Z.V. Ermolyeva herself, as well as those research areas that were developed by teachers and research staff of the department headed by her.