When Conscious Consumerism Backfires:A Critical Study on Social Exclusion,Partnerships,and White Saviorism

Purpose:What factors influence conscious consumerism,especially related to race and gender identities?This scholarship explores three white women-led social responsibility organizations’(SROs)aspirations to encourage conscious consumerism as well as factors that influence conscious consumerism.Design/methodology/approach:Using the Black feminist thought and sustainability development theory,the data were analyzed using a thematic analysis to explore the activation of the white savior industrial complex(WSIC)in SROs.Interviews provided in-depth knowledge of the SRO culture including,but not limited to,insight on social exclusion and partnerships.Findings:Noonday Collection,Sseko Designs,and Trades of Hope,all SROs,aspire to be dedicated to people,planet,and profit and encourage conscious consumerism as a means for their customer base and sales consultants to“do their part”,and yet,an unintended consequence of the SROs’work is social exclusion and white saviorism.Originality:This scholarship investigates what can be done to dismantle the overreliance of conscious consumerism in an effort to finally strip white saviorism,and its role in the white savior industrial complex(WSIC),of its power.

Ship-YOLOv8:一种轻量级高分辨遥感图像船舶细粒度检测算法

针对高分辨率影像的船舶细粒度目标检测分类任务中类内差异大、类间相似性高、物体和场景的尺度变化范围大、特征提取困难、样本小等特点,提出了一种基于YOLOv8为基础的改进算法。首先,在骨干网络中引入SimAM注意力机制,使得模型在复杂背景中更加聚焦船舶对象;其次,在颈部引入SPD-Conv模块,改善复杂背景下船舶尺度变化大和小目标检测的问题;最后针对细粒度船舶目标检测的特点,替换Mish激活函数和Focal-Loss损失函数,加快模型收敛,提高模型精度。经对比实验可知,改进的算法在保证检测速度和模型参数量的同时,在FAIR1M_Ship数据集取得了94.49%的检测精度,与目前流行的目标检测算法相比,在检测精度上有一定的提升。

In vivo 3-photon fluorescence microscopy of white matter in mouse brain excited at the 1700 nm window

White matter,a densely packed collection of myelinated axons,plays an essential part in neural networks.With high spatial resolution and deep penetration,multi-photon microscopy(MPM)is promising for white matter imaging in animal models in vivo.The third harmonic generation(THG)signal can be generated from white matter,but the bottom part of the white matter layer generates weak THG due to its high scattering.Here,we demonstrate an in vivo labeling and imaging technology,capable of visualizing the white matter layer in the mouse brain,combining°uorescence labeling with MitoTracker Red and three-photon°uorescence(3PF)microscopy excited at the 1700 nm window.3PF signals are several times higher than THG signals,resulting in deeper imaging of the white matter layer with the former.Our results indicate that 3PF microscopy is a promising technology for white matter imaging in the deep brain in vivo.

A Literary Darwinist Interpretation of Jane and Hogo’s Romantic Relationship in Snow White

In Snow White,Donald Barthelme subversively rewrites the Grimm’s fairy tale“Snow White”with a postmodern sense.One significant adaptation is the parody of the wicked stepmother-figure into Jane-a semi-witch who bemoans the passing of her youth and tries to keep the love of the opposite sex desperately.Jane as the female antagonist with her caddish lover Hogo forms a romantic relationship which constructs a main conflict in the novel,and their romance works like a distorting mirror,dramatically reflecting the states of American in the 1960s.This paper is intended to interpret Jane and Hogo’s romantic relationship by profiling Jane and Hogo in romance,analyzing the conflicts between their mating strategies and Jane’s consequent sexual jealousy from the perspective of Literary Darwinism.Through the analysis,the carnalism,individualism,and the unbroken gender shackle depicted in the novel are revealed and criticized,facilitating the understanding of human nature and Barthelme’s attitude towards the postmodern world.

Premature axon-oligodendrocyte interaction contributes to stalling of experimental axon regeneration after injury to the white matter

Studies from nearly 3 decades ago suggested that,in the central nervous system(CNS),myelination of axons by oligodendrocytes not only helps improve axonal conductivity but also stabilizes circuitry(Colello and Schwab,1994).Over the years,myelin sheaths produced by oligodendrocytes have been found to contain multiple molecules that are inhibitory to axonal growth(e.g.,MAG,NogoA,OMgp,Semaphorins)(Yiu and He,2006;Silver et al.,2014).After white matter injury in the adult CNS,myelin debris from damaged axons and dead oligodendrocytes accumulates in the forming glial scar and exposes these myelin-associated axon growth-inhibitory molecules to the injured axonal stumps,thereby contributing to the inhibition of axonal regrowth.During development,CNS axons reach their postsynaptic targets and stop growing before oligodendrocytes appear and myelinate them(Foran and Peterson,1992;Dangata et al.,1996).Therefore,myelin-associated axon growth-inhibitory molecules interacting with already grown axons during myelination were thought to block axons from promiscuous sprouting and miswiring,thereby stabilizing neural circuitry in the CNS(Colello and Schwab,1994).

Vascular endothelial growth factor:a double-edged sword in the development of white matter lesions

As the population ages,the burden of age-related diseases becomes greater.Currently,over 55 million people suffer from dementia worldwide,with Alzheimer’s disease being the most common form.However,it is becoming clearer that underlying vascular pathology such as cerebral small vessel disease(cSVD)may be a more detrimental cause for dementia(Cuadrado-Godia et al.,2018).It is estimated that 10%-30%of the elderly population and 35%-90%of all dementia patients exhibit signs of cSVD.The term cSVD refers to pathology affecting the small vessels of the brain,which can lead to lacunar cerebral infarcts,enlarged perivascular spaces,and cortical hemorrhages(Cuadrado-Godia et al.,2018).CSVD is often associated with cognitive decline,gait problems,and dementia(Cuadrado-Godia et al.,2018).

Correlation of Microbiological Stability with Redox Processes in White Wines

In this paper, the authors analyzed the correlation between the microbiological stability of white wines and the content of sulfur dioxide, which influences the main redox processes that take place in the technological stages of the wine. The consecutive, parallel and spontaneous development of several redox processes and their impact on the quality, microbiological and crystalline stability of white wines were examined. The reduction of additive and subtractive technological interventions, of the amounts of adjuvants (sulphurous anhydride) is essential for the production of organic wines.

Clinical features and possible pathogenesis of multiple evanescent white dot syndrome with different retinal diseases and events:a narrative review

●Multiple evanescent white dot syndrome(MEWDS)is a rare fundus disease,characterized by acute vision loss and visual field defects.Many previous studies have explained the possible pathogenesis and clinical features of primary MEWDS.However,as the number of reported cases increases,secondary MEWDS occurs in other related retinal diseases and injuries,exhibiting some special characteristics.The associated retinal diseases include multifocal choroiditis/punctate inner choroidopathy(MFC/PIC),acute zonal occult outer retinopathy,best vitelliform macular dystrophy,pseudoxanthoma elasticum,and ocular toxoplasmosis.The related retinal injury is laser photocoagulation,surgery,and trauma.Although primary MEWDS often have a self-limiting course,secondary MEWDS may require treatment in some cases,according to the severity of concomitant diseases and complications.Notably,MEWDS secondary to MFC/PIC that is prone to forming choroidal neovascularization and focal choroidal excavation,needs positive treatment with corticosteroids.The possible underlying pathogenesis of secondary MEWDS is the exposure of choroidal antigen after the disruption of Bruch’s membrane.The MEWDS-related features in secondary MEWDS are still evanescent under most circumstances.Its prognosis and treatment depend on the severity of complications.Current studies propose that the etiology is associated with immune factors,including viral infection,inflammation in choroid and Bruch’s membrane,and antigen exposure caused by retinal and/or choroidal insults.More pathogenic studies should be conducted in the future.Accurate diagnosis for secondary MEWDS could benefit patients in aspects of management and prognosis.

Barley chitinase genes expression revamp resistance against whitefly (Bemisia Tabaci) in transgenic cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.)

Background Chitinase is an enzyme that hydrolyzes chitin,a major component of the exoskeleton of insects,including plant pests like whiteflies.The present study aimed to investigate the expression of chemically synthesized barley ch1 and chi2 genes in cotton(Gossypium hirsutum)through Agrobacterium-mediated transformation.Fifty-five putative transgenic cotton plants were obtained,out of which fifteen plants successfully survived and were shifted to the field.Using gene-specific primers,amplification of 447 bp and 401 bp fragments confirmed the presence of the ch1 and chi2 genes in five transgenic cotton plants of the T0 generation.These five plants were further evalu-ated for their mRNA expression levels.The T0 transgenic cotton plants with the highest mRNA expression level and better yield performance in field,were selected to raise their subsequent progenies.Results The T1 cotton plants showed the highest mRNA expression levels of 3.5-fold in P10(2)for the ch1 gene and 3.7-fold in P2(1)for the chi2 gene.Fluorescent in situ hybridization(FISH)confirmed a single copy number of ch1 and chi2(hemizygous)on chromosome no.6.Furthermore,the efficacy of transgenes on whitefly was evaluated through an insect bioassay,where after 96 h of infestation,mortality rates of whitefly were calculated to be 78%–80%in transgenic cotton plants.The number of eggs on transgenic cotton plants were calculated to be 0.1%–0.12 per plant compared with the non-transgenic plants where egg number was calculated to be 0.90–1.00 per plant.Conclusion Based on these findings,it can be concluded that the chemically synthesized barley chitinase genes(ch1 and chi2)have the potential to be effective against insects with chitin exoskeletons,including whiteflies.The transgenic cotton plants expressing these genes showed increased resistance to whiteflies,resulting in reduced egg numbers and higher mortality rates.

Unmanned Ship Identification Based on Improved YOLOv8s Algorithm

Aiming at defects such as low contrast in infrared ship images,uneven distribution of ship size,and lack of texture details,which will lead to unmanned ship leakage misdetection and slow detection,this paper proposes an infrared ship detection model based on the improved YOLOv8 algorithm(R_YOLO).The algorithm incorporates the Efficient Multi-Scale Attention mechanism(EMA),the efficient Reparameterized Generalized-feature extraction module(CSPStage),the small target detection header,the Repulsion Loss function,and the context aggregation block(CABlock),which are designed to improve the model’s ability to detect targets at multiple scales and the speed of model inference.The algorithm is validated in detail on two vessel datasets.The comprehensive experimental results demonstrate that,in the infrared dataset,the YOLOv8s algorithm exhibits improvements in various performance metrics.Specifically,compared to the baseline algorithm,there is a 3.1%increase in mean average precision at a threshold of 0.5(mAP(0.5)),a 5.4%increase in recall rate,and a 2.2%increase in mAP(0.5:0.95).Simultaneously,while less than 5 times parameters,the mAP(0.5)and frames per second(FPS)exhibit an increase of 1.7%and more than 3 times,respectively,compared to the CAA_YOLO algorithm.Finally,the evaluation indexes on the visible light data set have shown an average improvement of 4.5%.

Efficient Ship:A Hybrid Deep Learning Framework for Ship Detection in the River

Optical image-based ship detection can ensure the safety of ships and promote the orderly management of ships in offshore waters.Current deep learning researches on optical image-based ship detection mainly focus on improving one-stage detectors for real-time ship detection but sacrifices the accuracy of detection.To solve this problem,we present a hybrid ship detection framework which is named EfficientShip in this paper.The core parts of the EfficientShip are DLA-backboned object location(DBOL)and CascadeRCNN-guided object classification(CROC).The DBOL is responsible for finding potential ship objects,and the CROC is used to categorize the potential ship objects.We also design a pixel-spatial-level data augmentation(PSDA)to reduce the risk of detection model overfitting.We compare the proposed EfficientShip with state-of-the-art(SOTA)literature on a ship detection dataset called Seaships.Experiments show our ship detection framework achieves a result of 99.63%(mAP)at 45 fps,which is much better than 8 SOTA approaches on detection accuracy and can also meet the requirements of real-time application scenarios.

Fine-Grained Ship Recognition Based on Visible and Near-Infrared Multimodal Remote Sensing Images: Dataset,Methodology and Evaluation

Fine-grained recognition of ships based on remote sensing images is crucial to safeguarding maritime rights and interests and maintaining national security.Currently,with the emergence of massive high-resolution multi-modality images,the use of multi-modality images for fine-grained recognition has become a promising technology.Fine-grained recognition of multi-modality images imposes higher requirements on the dataset samples.The key to the problem is how to extract and fuse the complementary features of multi-modality images to obtain more discriminative fusion features.The attention mechanism helps the model to pinpoint the key information in the image,resulting in a significant improvement in the model’s performance.In this paper,a dataset for fine-grained recognition of ships based on visible and near-infrared multi-modality remote sensing images has been proposed first,named Dataset for Multimodal Fine-grained Recognition of Ships(DMFGRS).It includes 1,635 pairs of visible and near-infrared remote sensing images divided into 20 categories,collated from digital orthophotos model provided by commercial remote sensing satellites.DMFGRS provides two types of annotation format files,as well as segmentation mask images corresponding to the ship targets.Then,a Multimodal Information Cross-Enhancement Network(MICE-Net)fusing features of visible and near-infrared remote sensing images,has been proposed.In the network,a dual-branch feature extraction and fusion module has been designed to obtain more expressive features.The Feature Cross Enhancement Module(FCEM)achieves the fusion enhancement of the two modal features by making the channel attention and spatial attention work cross-functionally on the feature map.A benchmark is established by evaluating state-of-the-art object recognition algorithms on DMFGRS.MICE-Net conducted experiments on DMFGRS,and the precision,recall,mAP0.5 and mAP0.5:0.95 reached 87%,77.1%,83.8%and 63.9%,respectively.Extensive experiments demonstrate that the proposed MICE-Net has more excellent performance on DMFGRS.Built on lightweight network YOLO,the model has excellent generalizability,and thus has good potential for application in real-life scenarios.

SAR-LtYOLOv8:A Lightweight YOLOv8 Model for Small Object Detection in SAR Ship Images

The high coverage and all-weather capabilities of Synthetic Aperture Radar(SAR)image ship detection make it a widely accepted method for maritime ship positioning and identification.However,SAR ship detection faces challenges such as indistinct ship contours,low resolution,multi-scale features,noise,and complex background interference.This paper proposes a lightweight YOLOv8 model for small object detection in SAR ship images,incorporating key structures to enhance performance.The YOLOv8 backbone is replaced by the Slim Backbone(SB),and the Delete Medium-sized Detection Head(DMDH)structure is eliminated to concentrate on shallow features.Dynamically adjusting the convolution kernel weights of the Omni-Dimensional Dynamic Convolution(ODConv)module can result in a reduction in computation and enhanced accuracy.Adjusting the model’s receptive field is done by the Large Selective Kernel Network(LSKNet)module,which captures shallow features.Additionally,a Multi-scale Spatial-Channel Attention(MSCA)module addresses multi-scale ship feature differences,enhancing feature fusion and local region focus.Experimental results on the HRSID and SSDD datasets demonstrate the model’s effectiveness,with a 67.8%reduction in parameters,a 3.4%improvement in AP(average precision)@0.5,and a 5.4%improvement in AP@0.5:0.95 on the HRSID dataset,and a 0.5%improvement in AP@0.5 and 1.7%in AP@0.5:0.95 on the SSDD dataset,surpassing other state-of-the-art methods.

A Time-Domain Numerical Simulation for Free Motion Responses of Two Ships Advancing in Head Waves

The constant panel method within the framework of potential flow theory in the time domain is developed for solving the hydrodynamic interactions between two parallel ships with forward speed.When solving problems within a time domain framework,the free water surface needs to simultaneously satisfy both the kinematic and dynamic boundary conditions of the free water surface.This provides conditions for adding artificial damping layers.Using the Runge−Kutta method to solve equations related to time.An upwind differential scheme is used in the present method to deal with the convection terms on the free surface to prevent waves upstream.Through the comparison with the available experimental data and other numerical methods,the present method is proved to have good mesh convergence,and satisfactory results can be obtained.The constant panel method is applied to calculate the hydrodynamic interaction responses of two parallel ships advancing in head waves.Numerical simulations are conducted on the effects of forward speed,different longitudinal and lateral distances on the motion response of two modified Wigley ships in head waves.Then further investigations are conducted on the effects of different ship types on the motion response.

Finely regulated luminescent Ag-In-Ga-S quantum dots with green-red dual emission toward white light-emitting diodes

Ag-In-Ga-S(AIGS)quantum dots(QDs)have recently attracted great interests due to the outstanding optical properties and eco-friendly components,which are considered as an alternative replacement for toxic Pb-and Cd-based QDs.However,enormous attention has been paid to how to narrow their broadband spectra,ignoring the application advantages of the broadband emission.In this work,the AIGS QDs with controllable broad green-red dual-emission are first reported,which is achieved through adjusting the size distribution of QDs by controlling the nucleation and growth of AIGS crystals.Resultantly,the AIGS QDs exhibit broad dual-emission at green-and red-band evidenced by photoluminescence(PL)spectra,and the PL relative intensity and peak position can be finely adjusted.Furthermore,the dual-emission is the intrinsic characteristics from the difference in confinement effect of large particles and tiny particles confirmed by temperature-dependent PL spectra.Accordingly,the AIGS QDs(the size consists of 17 nm and 3.7 nm)with 530 nm and 630 nm emission could successfully be synthesized at 220°C.By combining the blue light-emitting diode(LED)chips and dual-emission AIGS QDs,the constructed white light-emitting devices(WLEDs)exhibit a continuous and broad spectrum like natural sunlight with the Commission Internationale de l’Eclairage(CIE)chromaticity coordinates of(0.33,0.31),a correlated color temperature(CCT)of 5425 K,color rendering index(CRI)of 90,and luminous efficacy of radiation(LER)of 129 lm/W,which indicates that the AIGS QDs have huge potential for lighting applications.

Proton Decay Reaction in Massive White Dwarfs

Two magnetic monopole models (i.e., model (I, II)) are presented to discuss the energy resources problem based on magnetic monopole catalytic nuclear decay in massive white dwarfs. We find that the luminosities for most of massive white dwarfs increase as the temperature increases. The luminosities of model (II) are agreed well with those of the observations at relativistic high temperature (e.g., T6=1,10), However, the luminosities of the observations can be five orders of magnitude larger than those of model (I).

The Infiuence of Velocity-dependent Correction Factor on Proton Decay Reactions in Massive White Dwarfs

Twenty-five typical massive white dwarfs(WDs)are selected and the proton decay reaction catalyzed by magnetic monopoles(MMs)for these WDs is discussed.A velocity-dependent correction factor strongly affects the cross-section.We find that a strong suppression controls the monopole catalysis of nucleon decay by the correction factor.The maximum number of MMs is captured and the luminosity can be 2.235×10^(21)and 1.7859×10^(32)erg s^(-1)(e.g.,for the O+Ne core mass WD J055631.17+130639.78).The luminosities of most massive WDs agree well with the observations at relatively low temperatures(e.g.,T_(6)=0.1),but can be three and two orders of magnitude higher than those of the observations for model(Ⅰ)and(Ⅱ)at relatively high temperatures(e.g.,T_(6)=10),respectively.The luminosities of model(Ⅰ)are about one order of magnitude higher than those of model(Ⅱ).Since we consider the effect of the number of MMs captured on the mass–radius relation and the suppression of the proton decay by the correction factor,the study by model(Ⅱ)may be an improved estimation.

Ash removal from inferior coal via ammonium fluoride roasting and simultaneous yield of white carbon black

The quality upgrading and deashing of inferior coal by chemical method still faces great challenges.The dangers of strong acid,strong alkali,waste water and exhaust gas as well as high cost limit its industrial production.This paper systematically investigates the ash reduction and desilicification of two typical inferior coal utilizing ammonium fluoride roasting method.Under the optimal conditions,for fat coal and gas coal,the deashing rates are 69.02%and 54.13%,and the desilicification rates are 92.64%and 90.27%,respectively.The molar dosage of ammonium fluoride remains consistent for both coals;however,the gas coal,characterized by a lower ash and silica content(less than half that of the fat coal),achieves optimum deashing effect at a reduced time and temperature.The majority of silicon in coal transforms into gaseous ammonium fluorosilicate,subsequently preparing nanoscale amorphous silica with a purity of 99.90%through ammonia precipitation.Most of the fluorine in deashed coal are assigned in inorganic minerals,suggesting the possibility of further fluorine and ash removal via flotation.This research provides a green and facile route to deash inferior coal and produce nano-scale white carbon black simultaneously.

White Matter Lesions in Young-Middle Aged Migraineurs with Patent Foreman Ovale: A Case-Control Study

Background:White matter lesion(WML)is common in aging brain and is associated with cognitive impairment and dementia.However,recent studies reported an association between patent foramen ovale(PFO)and WML in migraineurs,especially in young,middle-aged migraineurs.Our retrospective,case-control study aims to describe the clinical characteristics of WML in this population and to explore potential risk factors.Methods:226 patients with migraine and PFO were consecutively initially screened.Relevant factors were selected by the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator(LASSO)regression and multivariable logistic regression model.A Nomogram was employed to visualize the prediction model conveniently.The discrimination and calibration abilities were evaluated using the Receiver Operating Characteristic(ROC)curve,the Hosmer-Lemeshow test,and calibration curves.Results:One hundred and nineteen participants were ultimately enrolled in our study,with a median age of 36.9±12.7 years and 80.7%of females.Brain magnetic resonance imaging MRI showed 67(56.3%)patients had WML,whereas 52(43.7%)patients were categorized into the non-WML group.LASSO regression screened out potential variables and subsequent multivariate analysisfinally identified age,mean platelet volume,andfibri-nogen(FIB)as independent predictive factors of WML.The area under the ROC curve(AUC)was 0.807.Hos-mer-Lemeshow test and calibration curve verified a consistency between the predicted and actual probability.Conclusion:The predictive nomogram established and validated in our study may assist clinicians in screening WML among young middle-aged migraineurs with PFO and developing individualized preventive and treatment strategies.

Structural Characteristics and Evolution of a Weighted Sino-US Container Shipping Network

This study selected the Sino-US route data from the top 30 global container liner companies between December 1,2019,and December 29,2019,as the data source utilizing the complex network research methodology.It constructs a Sino-US container shipping network through voyage weighting and analyzes the essential structural characteristics to explore the network’s complex structural fea-tures.The network’s evolution is examined from three perspectives,namely,time,space,and event influence,aiming to comprehens-ively explore the network’s evolution mechanism.The results revealed that:1)the weighted Sino-US container shipping network exhib-its small-world and scale-free properties.Key hub ports in the United States include NEW YORK NY,SAVANNAH GA,LOS ANGELES CA,and OAKLAND CA,whereas SHANGHAI serving as the hub port in China.The geographical distribution of these hub ports is uneven.2)Concerning the evolution of the weighted Sino-US container shipping network,from a temporal perspective,the evolution of the regional structure of the entire Sino-US region and the Inland United States is in a stage of radiative expansion and de-velopment,with a need for further enhancement in competitiveness and development speed.The evolution of the regional structure of southern China and Europe is transitioning from the stage of radiative expansion and development to an advanced equilibrium stage.The shipping development in Northern China,the Western and Eastern United States,and Asia is undergoing significant changes but faces challenges of fierce competition and imbalances.From a spatial perspective,the rationality and effectiveness of the improved weighted Barrat-Barthelemy-Vespignani(BBV)model are confirmed through theoretical derivation.The applicability of the improved evolution model is verified by simulating the evolution of the weighted Sino-US container shipping network.From an event impact per-spective,the Corona Virus Disease 2019(COVID-19)pandemic has not fundamentally affected the spatial pattern of the weighted Sino-US container shipping network but has significantly impacted the network’s connectivity.The network lacks sufficient resilience and stability in emergency situations.3)Based on the analysis of the structural characteristics and evolution of the weighted Sino-US con-tainer shipping network,recommendations for network development are proposed from three aspects:emphasizing the development of hub ports,focusing on the balanced development of the network,and optimizing the layout of Chinese ports.