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The article focuses on surfing to consider the attractiveness of using the sublime to describe experiences and emotions in nature sports. The sublime is shown to be a red herring in scholarship as it fails to account for many of the valuable experiences available to nature sports enthusiasts. The article draws on the work of Genevieve Lloyd to propose that wonder is a more suitable concept that gets to the heart not only of the terror and awe that nature can inspire, but also to the orientation towards our finitude, difference, and the stimulation of growth and practical knowledge that nature sports also inspire (and that are not accounted for in the sublime). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Daniel Brennan's book, "Surfing and the Philosophy of Sport," combines his research in political philosophy with his personal experience as a surfer to explore the philosophical aspects of surfing. The book delves into topics such as the aesthetic qualities of surfing, the distinction between recreational and competitive surfing, the lifestyle aspects of the sport, and the impact of technological advancements on surfing. Brennan also examines the inclusion of surfing in the Olympics and addresses issues of gender and motility in the sport. While the book offers a comprehensive exploration of surfing, there is room for further discussion on topics such as the negative aspects of surf culture and the hybrid nature of surfing in the Olympics. Overall, the book provides valuable insights for researchers and readers interested in the philosophy of sport and surf studies. [Extracted from the article]

In response to recent calls for promoting the contextual intelligence of sport psychology practitioners, the aim of the current study was to obtain the first-person competitive experiences of kendo fighters (i.e., kenshi). Existential phenomenological interviews were conducted with eight competitive Japanese-American kenshi residing in the United States. The findings of thematic analysis indicated that the participants possessed a strong commitment to earning ippon (i.e., a valid point), which was achieved by a subjective synchronization of mind, sword, and body in the execution of a strike against an opponent. They considered this to be a transformative experience, which elevated them perceptually out of the sporting context to a momentary sense of "cutting" the opponent with a real sword. The current findings also offer sport psychology consultants possible context-specific insights (e.g., importance of seme) and strategies (e.g., management of attentional focus, self-regulation techniques) for assisting kenshi in preparing for competitive situations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

"The Philosophy of Mixed Martial Arts: Squaring the Octagons" is an academic book that explores philosophical ideas and concepts related to mixed martial arts (MMA) and combat sports. The book covers a wide range of topics, including the history and nature of MMA, ethical aspects, cognitive and aesthetic aspects, violence and constraints in combat sports, and the gender debate in MMA. The authors come from diverse academic backgrounds and include practitioners and former athletes, providing a range of perspectives. While the book primarily focuses on MMA, it also extends to other martial arts and combat sports. It is a valuable resource for understanding the social and moral issues surrounding MMA and boxing, and it can be used for teaching and research purposes in various disciplines. [Extracted from the article]

This article explores and displays some of the literacy events taking place in the context of early childhood education in Sweden. More specifically, the literacy events are part of the educational practices in the atelier of Reggio Emilia inspired preschools in Sweden. As parts of an ethnographic study of aesthetic activities, including digital technology, these literacy events awoke the researcher's interest. The literacy events are analysed from a sociocultural perspective reinforced by the use of multimodal theory. The results show how the literacy events in the ateliers become playful explorations. The children use the atelier's specific cultural and social potentiality to explore and develop written and oral language as part of the visual and aesthetic literacy practices taking place there. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

After the events of autumn 1938, the Hlinka's Slovak People's Party (Hlinkova slovenská ľudová strana; HSĽS) engaged in mythmaking to legitimize its regime in people's eyes. This included making a legend about the 'capital of the movement', a city linked to the party's political struggle leading to 'ultimate victory'. Ružomberok was naturally chosen, where chairman Andrej Hlinka lived and worked as a priest, and the party's influential Ružomberok group came from. Using a creative destruction lens, this study follows the transformation of Ružomberok's image from a provincial, politically insignificant town to the Slovak State's spiritual metropolis and fascist Neueuropa's progressive model city. We focus on the dynamics of reshaping: from initial plans, unimplemented reconstruction projects to politically motivated interventions in the public space to remodel Ružomberok corresponding to the new national ideology into a polis politicus highlighting the new aesthetics and values. Finally, we analyse political iconoclasm's specific manifestations based on examples of political interference in architecture. We also reflect on the collapse of the old, 'decadent' to the construction of the new, 'progressive' on a societal level as targeted attempts by political elites to prove their system's vitality through modernization compared to its predecessors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article provides a summary of two books on intellectual history. The first book, "A philosophy of beauty: Shaftesbury on nature, virtue, and art" by Michael B. Gill, explores the philosophy of beauty as presented by the third Earl of Shaftesbury. The second book, "The religious innatism debate in early modern Britain: intellectual change beyond Locke" by Robin Mills, challenges the traditional framework of intellectual history by examining the shift in intellectual climate regarding the concept of religious innatism in seventeenth and eighteenth-century England and Scotland. Both books offer valuable insights into their respective topics and challenge common misconceptions about intellectual change. [Extracted from the article]

Departing from the relationship between the texts of the Ghanaian poet and novelist Kojo Laing and a recent international art exhibition, this article traces the relationship between style and the multivalent activity of flight across Laing's work. Drawing upon an intercontinental range of philosophers – from Deleuze and Guattari to contemporary Akan thinkers – it analyses the intersections between gender, geography, and language in Laing's texts, and demonstrates their value within the context of discussion of contemporary literature's investment in possible futures. Laing's transnational aesthetic foregrounds lines of flight across and between different linguistic and cultural communities, and traces relentlessly emerging or possible constellations of relation. Situating Laing in the context of his interdisciplinary reception, this article seeks to explore the aesthetic and ethical ramifications of the unusual networks of affiliation and response of one of West Africa's most important, yet critically undervalued, contemporary writers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) involves patients breathing 100% oxygen in a pressurized chamber, above 1 atmosphere. Many centers are now promoting the use of HBOT for skin rejuvenation. However, the current indications for HBOT do not encompass aesthetic applications. Aim: The aim of this evidence‐based review was to assess the existing literature regarding the utilization of HBOT in medical aesthetics and rejuvenation, evaluate its effectiveness and safety, and conduct a cost analysis. Materials and Methods: PubMed Interface, Cochrane Library, Google Scholar, and Embase searches were carried out. The Best Bets methodology was used, and the risk of bias was appraised using the Quality Assessment Tool for Quantitative Studies. Results and Main Findings: This review included a total of 17 human studies with a total of 766 participants. Three studies were classified as level II evidence, three studies were of level III evidence, and 11 were of level IV evidence. All the included studies were judged at high risk of bias. The most relevant findings supported by level II evidence were that HBOT decreased the shedding rate post‐FUE hair transplant (27.6 ± 2.6% vs. 69.1 ± 2.4%) but this did not affect the final outcome between HBOT (96.9 ± 0.5%) and the control (93.8 ± 0.6%). Moreover, level III evidence demonstrated that following HBOT, there was a significant increase in elastic fiber length (p ≤ 0.0001, effect size = 2.71) and a significant decrease in fiber fragmentation (p = 0.012). There was also a significant increase in collagen fiber density following HBOT (p = 0.0001, effect size = 1.10). However, there was no significant effect of antioxidant vitamins A, C, and E with HBOT. The inflammatory response significantly decreased after 7 days of HBOT with a decreased expression of IL‐12p40, MIP‐1β, and PDGF‐BB and a higher expression of IL‐1Ra. Moreover, HBOT was used prophylactically prior to abdominoplasty to decrease the risk of complications. In this study, complications were decreased from 32.6% (89 patients) to 8.4% (7 patients) with a p < 0.001, and in a multivariate analysis, preoperative HBOT was an independent protective factor against postoperative complications (p < 0.001). Conclusion and Recommendations: There is conflicting evidence on how the method of action of HBOT can have a beneficiary effect in aesthetic and whether the treatment is justifiable. To our knowledge, this is the first comprehensive review discussing the available evidence regarding the use of HBOT in many aesthetic clinical scenarios, including preventive, medical, and surgical settings. However, randomized clinical trials with longer follow‐up and better patient selection are needed to be able to generate a reliable conclusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article interrogates the role of retrieval practices in an urban, multicultural London classroom. With the advent of cognitive science-based approaches in recent years, retrieval has become a central tenet for testing foundational knowledge in English literature. I consider the implications of retrieval for classroom discourses concerning feeling, experience and aesthetics. I ask whether it is possible to conceptualise 'retrieval' differently to encompass the funds of knowledge offered by our students and contexts that lie beyond the classroom. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While we are familiar with socialist and fascist aesthetics, liberalism is not usually thought to permit a political role for literature. Nussbaum has attempted to fill this lacuna. She sketches a "liberal aesthetics" by linking three aspects of literature to her normative proposal. The representation of suffering is connected to the capability approach; the presentation of ethical dilemmas to political liberalism; and the reaction of pity to legal and political judgment. Literature is thus hoped to contribute to the stability of liberal democracies. For over 25 years, individual works by Nussbaum on the value of literature have been critiqued on aesthetic grounds: for not dealing with form, for denying the polyphony of texts, for having a limited conception of readerly identification, and for using an elitist and generically limited selection of material. As of yet, no criticisms have, however, considered the full oeuvre of Nussbaum's defense of literature, and none have examined this aspect of her work in light of her political philosophy. By placing the aesthetic and political aspects of Nussbaum's work in conversation, this article investigates the proposed relationship between literature and liberalism. It argues that each component of Nussbaum's liberal aesthetics contains a political danger: foreclosing discussion of intergenerational responsibility; obscuring questions about which doctrines are permissible in the public sphere; and encouraging stereotypes of marginalized people. Literature, understood like this, may risk exacerbating present tensions within liberalism, rather than bolstering its stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The present study was designed to investigate whether acellular dermal matrix (ADM) grafts could prevent Frey's syndrome (FS) and improve esthetic scores following parotidectomy. Methods: From January 2015 to December 2019, 175 patients underwent parotidectomy. We divided the patients into two groups: the ADM group and the control group. We included in each group 30 patients according to a propensity score matched analysis. Results: FS was subjective in 1 patient (3%) from the ADM group and 9 patients (30%) from the control group (P =0.015). Patients in the ADM group had a subjective esthetic score of 6.1 + 1.7 compared with 5.2 + 1.7 in the control group. The subjective esthetic score for patients in the ADM group was higher than that for patients in the control group (P =0.040). Conclusion: The present clinical study suggests that ADM grafts are effective in preventing FS and improving esthetic scores after parotidectomy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

in translating the writing of Hughes and McKay, among others, Soviet intelligentsia conceived of Black poetry as an example of "socialist modernism"—a revolutionary poetry that made no compromises between aesthetic and political radicalism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Foodwork is a political matter, and baking is no exception. Many messages are associated with the symbolic significance of baking, such as idealised notions of white, middle-class domesticity, femininity and visibility. The rise in home-baking during the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a surge in social media content, which conveys much about the different meanings ascribed to baking. Relatedly, scholarship on 'COVID-19 foodwork, race, gender, class and food justice' highlights that intersecting oppressions are implicated in such matters. Drawing on different lines of research that specify and address structural power relations (e.g. gendered whiteness), I analyse the aesthetics and accompanying attitudes conveyed via Instagram posts about #pandemicbaking and #quarantinebaking. In doing so, I draw and build on critical studies of whiteness and digital food media, and connections between consumerism and COVID-19. This work considers what such online content suggests about the relationship between a 'feminised, white, aestheticised ethos' and digital discourse and depictions regarding food, family, domesticity, work and rest. Consequently, this research ponders over whether the labour and framing involved in documenting #pandemicbaking and #quarantinebaking on Instagram reflects a neoliberal form of entrepreneurial 'freelance feminism', which is animated by the tension between the 'frequently polarized figures of "the feminist" and "the housewife"'. I examine the significance of three key themes related to #pandemicbaking and #quarantinebaking: (1) Gendered domestic labour and digital depictions and discourses of motherhood; (2) productivity, pausing and so-called 'soulfulness'; and (3) domestic minimalism and aesthetics of whiteness. In turn, this article critically reflects on the relationship between mediated constructions of gendered whiteness and baking, while echoing calls for more research that explicitly addresses dynamics between digital whiteness, class, aesthetics, gendered racial capitalism, foodwork, feminism and online content creation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brazilian writer Carolina Maria de Jesus (1914–1977) was born in a rural community and spent most of her life in a slum. Despite this, her literary work achieved remarkable editorial success, having its value recognized by critics and academic circles. This paper analyzes Carolina Maria de Jesus's autobiographical narratives in the light of John Dewey's aesthetic theory, with the purpose of investigating the factors responsible for the development of her aesthetic sensitivity – intellectual and emotional dispositions favorable to involvement with artistic practices. The results suggest that Carolina Maria de Jesus's literary skills, which express not only individual but also collective yearnings, resulted from the incentive she received to think about things that do not exist and from her relationship with people who favored the formation of a personality open to varied experiences. Such results are presented as requirements for a democratic and humanist education that aims at the flowering of aesthetic sensitivity and encourages educators and students to believe in their creative potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The UEFA Europa League group stage clash on 24 October and 7 November 2019 between Celtic FC of Glasgow and SS Lazio of Rome offers fascinating insight into ultra social movements as forms of leadership. This exploratory research paper conceptualizes this tie as an Event that provides both a pivotal point of cross-cultural reflection on ultra fan groups as emergent social movements, and a means for the examination of forms of social leadership in contemporary society. In such terms, the paper initiates a critical consideration of The Green Brigade, a self-styled ultra fan group of Celtic FC as an emerging social movement, characterizes the group in terms of the differentiated ultra/ultraS binary, begins to qualitatively address the question as to levels of support for the group among the wider constituency of Celtic supporters, and as such, tentatively explores the groups' leadership and organizational characteristics. The research concludes that a creative and action-oriented leadership style can be discerned. While organizational characteristics require further examination, intimations of a logic of development emerge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A cross-sectional survey among religious brothers and sisters (n = 250) with their specific lifestyle and related spiritual practices stated moments of awe perceptions. They responded to both the Awe/Gratitude scale and to free text fields to substantiate their quantitative responses. Qualitative content analysis of their free text responses resulted in six main categories of awe triggers: (1) Nature, (2) Special Moments, (3) Transcendence Perceptions, (4) Religious practices, (5) Distinct People, and (6) Aesthetics, Art and Culture. Awe perceptions can be an immediate feeling and the outcome of a process of reflection in response to admiration, inspiration, and elevation. As these perceptions are related to psychological well-being and prosocial behaviors, their training can generate positive effects on quality of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the intersection of art history and AI technology. Special attention is paid to Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs), a machine learning technology widely used in AI art. This technology is particularly interesting to art history and the philosophy of art because it raises enduring questions about the creative process of artmaking, especially what constitutes a new and original work of art. While this is a relatively new area, it is possible to discern emerging directions where art and AI intersect. One pressing issue concerns the use (or misuse) of algorithmically enabled technologies and datasets to perpetuate longstanding art-historical biases. The critical position adopted in this paper shares this concern. I examine a notable example of GAN technology that claims to create original art styles. While such experiments in computational creativity are technically interesting, their artistic aims can be questionable. I argue a mechanical model of artistic development based solely on the autonomy of style is problematic for at least two reasons: 1) it uncritically reinstates a formalist view of art history; 2) it recreates a narrow style-centric ‘historical modernism.’ However, despite voicing these reservations, I also discuss the potential of this technology to engage with topics of critical relevance to art history and the philosophy of art. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polyurethanes are among the most significant types of polymers in development; these materials are used to produce construction products intended for work in various conditions. Nowadays, it is important to develop methods for fire load reduction by using new kinds of additives or monomers containing elements responsible for materials' fire resistance. Currently, additive antipyrines or reactive flame retardants can be used during polyurethane material processing. The use of additives usually leads to the migration or volatilization of the additive to the surface of the material, which causes the loss of the resistance and aesthetic values of the product. Reactive flame retardants form compounds containing special functional groups that can be chemically bonded with monomers during polymerization, which can prevent volatilization or migration to the surface of the material. In this study, reactive flame retardants are compared. Their impacts on polyurethane flame retardancy, combustion mechanism, and environment are described. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Methods Results Conclusions Lip volumization and perioral rejuvenation with hyaluronic‐acid (HA) based dermal fillers are generating increasing interest and demand. However, this topic is still having many unmet needs nowadays. This document aimed to provide tips and recommendations that may help clinicians to achieve optimal and more predictable aesthetic outcomes.A multidisciplinary group of aesthetic medicine doctors from Spain and Portugal reviewed the tools used for assessing the patient and aesthetic outcomes, as well as the different techniques and products used in lips/perioral rejuvenation.The consensus panel provided specific recommendations focusing on the basic information to collect before performing the aesthetic procedure; comprehensive approach to lips/perioral region rejuvenation; clinical and aesthetic assessment tools; product and technique selection; patient profile and needs; and safety issues (complications/adverse‐events).The rapid evolution of techniques and tools for assessing the patient and aesthetic outcomes, as well as the development of new HA‐based fillers makes it necessary to update the clinical recommendations that guide the daily practice of clinicians, particularly those who have less experience with these procedures. This document addressed relevant subjects related to lip/perioral‐region rejuvenation to perform the correct procedure, with the appropriate HA‐based, on the right patient; to help specialists to obtain optimal and predictable aesthetic outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage, the aesthetic value of bronze artifacts from the Shang and Chow Dynasties has had a profound influence on Chinese traditional culture and art. To facilitate the digital preservation and protection of these Shang and Chow bronze artifacts (SCB), it becomes imperative to categorize their decorative patterns. Therefore, a SCB pattern classification method of differential evolution called Shang and Chow Bronze Convolutional Neural Network (SCB-CNN) is proposed. Firstly, the original bronze decorative patterns of Shang and Chow dynasties are collected, and the samples are expanded through image augmentation technology to form a training dataset. Secondly, based on the classical convolutional neural network structure, the recognition and classification of bronze patterns are implemented by adjusting the network parameters. Then, the initial parameters of the convolutional neural network are optimized by differential evolution algorithm, and the optimized SCB-CNN is simulated. Finally, comparative experiments were conducted between the optimized SCB-CNN, the unoptimized model, VGG-Net, and GoogleNet. The experimental results indicate that the optimized SCB-CNN significantly reduces training time while maintaining fast prediction speed, convergence speed, and high accuracy. This study provides new insights for the inheritance and innovation research of SCB patterns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims Materials and Methods Results Conclusions The aim of this retrospective clinical study was to compare the 5‐year radiological and clinical outcomes of patients undergoing immediate implantation with or without the modified socket‐shield technique.Patients who underwent anterior tooth replacement via the modified socket‐shield technique (MSST) or the conventional immediate implantation technique (CIIT) between 2016 and 2017 were included. The labial bone thickness was assessed at different measurement levels (0, 2, 4 and 6 mm apical to the implant shoulder (IS)) postoperatively (T1), 6 months postoperatively (T2) and 5 years postoperatively (T3). The pink aesthetic score (PES) was evaluated before surgery (T0) and at T2 and T3. Implant success, complications and patient satisfaction were evaluated at every visit.Thirty‐six patients (18 in the MSST group) underwent follow‐up for 5 years, with no cases of implant failure. Two cases of exposure were detected in the MSST group, but there were no significant effects on hard or soft tissue. Patients in the MSST group showed less and more stable bone resorption than did those in the CIIT group at any measurement level and any time. A higher PES was achieved in the MSST group. Patient satisfaction was similar in both groups.The MSST is a reliable immediate implantation method because of its ability to preserve the alveolar bone and provide superior recovery of aesthetics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As one of the most exteriorized architectural elements, façades are significant features of the urban image and important contributors to the aesthetic and other urban experiences. However, discussions on the subject have lost relevance in academic and professional circles following arguments about physical determinism, façadism, beautification, and aestheticisation practices. Reflecting on the multiple contributions of façades to contemporary urban life, this article re-engages with the debate on façade design and the aesthetic and other urban experiences it affords from a political perspective to interrogate the impact of individualistic design practices in an era dominated by capitalist place-making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: According to social-ecological models, the built and natural environment has the potential to facilitate or hinder physical activity (PA). While this potential is well researched in urban areas, a current systematic review of how the built and natural environment is related to PA in rural areas is lacking. Methods: We searched five databases and included studies for adults (18–65 years) living in rural areas. We included quantitative studies investigating the association between any self-reported or objectively measured characteristic of the built or natural environment and any type of self-reported or objectively measured PA, and qualitative studies that reported on features of the built or natural environment perceived as barriers to or facilitators of PA by the participants. Screening for eligibility and quality assessment (using the Standard Quality Assessment Criteria for Evaluating Primary Research Papers from a Variety of Fields) were done in duplicate. We used a narrative approach to synthesize the results. Results: Of 2432 non-duplicate records, 51 quantitative and 19 qualitative studies were included. Convincing positive relationships were found between the availability and accessibility of places for exercise and recreation and leisure-time PA as well as between the overall environment and leisure-time PA. Possible positive associations were found between the overall environment and total and transport-related PA, between greenness/natural environment and total PA, between cycling infrastructure and aesthetics and MVPA, and between pedestrian infrastructure and total walking. A possible negative relationship was found between safety and security and total walking. Qualitative studies complemented several environmental facilitators (facilities for exercise and recreation, sidewalks or streets with low traffic, attractive natural environment) and barriers (lack of facilities and destinations, lack of sidewalks, speeding traffic and high traffic volumes, lack of street lighting). Conclusions: Research investigating the relationship between the built and natural environment and PA behaviors of adults living in rural areas is still limited and there is a need for more high-quality and longitudinal studies. However, our most positive findings indicate that investing in places for exercise and recreation, a safe infrastructure for active transport, and nature-based activities are possible strategies that should be considered to address low levels of PA in rural adults. Trial registration: PROSPERO: CRD42021283508. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This essay examines how Sebald exploits the time-honored literary theme of illness to maintain his dialectics of literary historiography. On the one hand, Sebald exhorts writers and readers to involve creative imagination when trying to approach a traumatic past. On the other hand, he warns about the peril of mistaking imagination for historical truths. Readers should understand that what literature offers are aesthetic truths, not historical ones. Sebald demonstrates a balanced attitude toward the power of literature in understanding history through his literary representation of illness. On the one hand, Sebald uses Austerlitz's speech loss to illustrate the danger of abstention from imaginative investment and overreliance on the archive. On the other hand, Sebald employs mental breakdowns as a strategy to create an impasse whereby he refrains from offering overarching meaning to the past he is reconstructing. The impasse indicates the impossibility of attaining historical truths through literary imagination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Preaching is one of the most creative things a pastor does. This essay explores how a theology of creativity, the imagination, and the arts can encourage preachers to embrace proclamation as creative work. The invitation to preachers to engage their creativity and imagination in preaching rests on the theological claim that creativity is intrinsic to human beings as made in the image of God the Creator. To create is to realize a core human vocation and to deepen knowledge of God. The imagination is a primary avenue to such knowledge, since the imagination is a faculty that allows for a holistic grasp of realities both seen and unseen. An artistic approach to preaching is appropriate in that art functions in similar ways to preaching: like preaching, art explores the depths of human existence, creates wholes out of fragments, and makes connections between seemingly disparate phenomena. The dispositions of the artist are vital for preachers, especially the courage and risk-taking required in art-making as a venture into the unknown. These functions of art and qualities of the artist lead to reflections concerning the particular challenges involved in being a Christian artist, and to the role of beauty in the knowledge of God and hence in preaching. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aesthetic evaluation of increasingly complex and personalized human–computer interaction interfaces serves as a critical bridge between humans and machines, fundamentally enhancing various interaction factors. This study addresses the challenges in aesthetic evaluation by adjusting existing methodologies to incorporate seven aesthetic metrics: density, symmetry, balance, proportionality, uniformity, simplicity, and sequence. These metrics were effectively integrated into a composite evaluation metric through both multiple regression analysis and entropy methods, with the efficacy of both fitting methods validated. Leveraging automatic segmentation and recognition technology for interface screenshots, this research enables rapid, automated acquisition of evaluations for the seven metrics and the composite index, leading to the development of a prototype system for interface layout aesthetic assessment. Aimed at reducing the time, manpower, and resources required for interface evaluation, this study enhances the universality, compatibility, and flexibility of layout assessments. It promotes integration at any stage of the design process, significantly benefiting lightweight rapid evaluation and iterative design cycles, thereby advancing the field of interface aesthetic evaluation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Oral disorders such as Traumatic Dental Injury (TDI) and Early Childhood Caries (ECC) can significantly impact the functional, social, and psychological well-being of growing children and their families. The Early Childhood Oral Health Impact Scale (ECOHIS) serves as a proxy assessment of Oral Health-Related Quality of Life (OHRQoL) in children, developed to evaluate the effects on the quality of life of preschool children. Aim: To assess the impact of oral disorders on the OHRQoL of children aged two to six years and their families. Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, a total of 1000 children aged 2 to 6 years from various preschools in South Bangalore were selected. All children underwent examinations for caries, stains, and fractures. A modified questionnaire survey based on ECOHIS, consisting of 26 questions, was completed by the parents of the children. The answered questionnaire was then evaluated to assess the impact of dental conditions on the quality of life of both children and parents. Kruskal-Wallis Test, Dunn's post-hoc Test, and Mann-Whitney Test were used to compare the mean scores of different domains of the OHRQoL scale based on ECC and dental trauma, respectively. Results: The severity of ECC demonstrated an adverse effect on the symptom domain (p<0.001), function domain (p=0.002), psychology domain (p=0.03), and the entire score of the Child Impact Section (CIS) (p<0.001). In the Family Impact Section (FIS), the mean scores of the family distress domain and the overall FIS were statistically significant (p<0.001). Dental trauma also showed an adverse effect on the symptoms domain (p<0.001) and the entire scores of the CIS (p=0.001). Additionally, the mean scores of the family distress domain and the overall FIS were statistically significant (p<0.001). Conclusion: The presence of ECC and dental trauma is likely to have a negative impact on the physical, psychological, and emotional well-being of preschool-aged children and their families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In pursuing advancing solar energy systems, this research uniquely occupies a position at the intersection of photovoltaic (PV) efficiency, innovative design and aesthetic integration into urban landscapes. This study explores the potential of thin solar cells applied to spherical and hemispherical surfaces and the influence of temperature variations throughout the day. By conducting a comprehensive analysis of voltage–current diagrams, the study deciphers the intricate interconnections of spherical geometries and their response to external thermal impacts, elucidating their subsequent effects on energy conversion efficiency. Moreover, it delved into the dynamics of connecting multiple spherical modules, unveiling their potential to form artistic and utilitarian constructs such as solar trees and architectural embellishments. The findings indicate that while spherical configurations provide superior aesthetics and a power generation profile comparable to solar tracking systems, hemispherical configurations offer a 32% increase in efficiency compared with the spherical configuration and a notable reduction in land footprint. This research underscores the importance of striking a balance between aesthetic appeal, efficiency and land utilization, providing valuable insights for the future of PV technology integration into urban and agricultural landscapes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Describe a new, safe, technique that uses titanium mesh to partially cover skull defects immediately after decompressive craniectomy (DC). This study is a retrospective review of 8 patients who underwent DC and placement of a titanium mesh. The mesh partially covered the defect and was placed between the temporalis muscle and the dura graft. The muscle was sutured to the mesh. All patients underwent cranioplasty at a later time. The study recorded and analyzed demographic information, time between surgeries, extra-axial fluid collections, postoperative infections, need for reoperation, cortical hemorrhages, and functional and aesthetic outcomes. After craniectomy, all patients underwent cranioplasty within an average of 112.5 days (30–240 days). One patient reported temporalis muscle atrophy, which was the only complication observed. During the cranioplasties, no adhesions were found between temporalis muscle, titanium mesh, and underlying dura. None of the patients showed complications in the follow-up computerized tomography scans. All patients had favorable aesthetic and functional results. Placing a titanium mesh as an extra step during DC could have antiadhesive and protective properties, facilitating subsequent cranioplasty by preventing adhesions and providing a clear surgical plane between the temporalis muscle and intracranial tissues. This technique also helps preserve the temporalis muscle and enhances functional and aesthetic outcomes postcranioplasty. Therefore, it represents a safe alternative to other synthetic anti-adhesive materials. Further studies are necessary to draw definitive conclusions and elucidate long-term outcomes, however, the results obtained hold great promise for the safety and efficacy of this technique. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: The population of the United States continues to grow in diversity, particularly within sex and gender. In recent years, there has been a surge in aesthetic procedures in the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual (LGB) community. Herein, we discuss a tailored approach to these patient populations and offer guidance to address their concerns both safely and effectively based on a comprehensive review of the literature as well as a roundtable series focusing on diversity in aesthetics. METHODS: A literature search was conducted on PubMed using the following terms: "aesthetics," "cosmetics," "lesbian," "gay," and "bisexual." Additionally, an eight-part roundtable series focusing on diversity in aesthetics was conducted from August 2021 to August 2022. RESULTS: The results of the literature search as well as the discussion from the roundtable series addressing the LGB community are reviewed within. LIMITATIONS: We are limited by the paucity of data available in the existing literature. We also acknowledge differences within LGB subgroups and a need for individualization. CONCLUSION: A tailored approach to the LGB patient with regards to fillers, neuromodulators, and energy-based devices may offer improved patient satisfaction and safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Moving from embarkation to casting off to end finally in distress, does Michel Serres in The Natural Contract speak of the world or of himself? The work of a postmodern Rousseau, this book treats as much nature as law, geopolitics as aesthetics, ecology as autobiography. While attempting to detach from its very self or reorient human nature, thought as inherently parasitical, Serres nonetheless remains haunted by the aesthetic imperative of putting into words the beauty of the World and the splendour of the Earth—an insuperable task which leaves the author as well as Earth and his readers at a loss, in a state of désemparement, and reveals thus one of the main paradoxes of the natural contract: the blurred identity of its signatories as well as its advocate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the intersection of found footage horror and documentary cinema, highlighting their shared esthetic features and narrative effects. Topic include examines irony and sarcasm in the preface and opening paragraphs, explores the symbolic significance of characters, and analyzes how the evidentiary effect is exploited to heighten suspense in the genre.

In Late Antiquity, as today, women's veiling was a contentious topic. Early Christian churchmen wrote about it at length, exhorting women to cover and criticizing those they considered were not veiling appropriately. According to these writers, veils were an essential garment tied to Christian modesty and religious ideas about female submission to male authority. Modern scholarship has tended to side with these clergymen, often claiming that with the rise of Christianity came the social expectation that adult women cover their heads. However, veiling had been a part of life in the Mediterranean for centuries, and the frustration and frequency with which churchmen urged women to veil suggests that contemporary practices often diverged significantly from their expectations. This article examines veiling and head-covering as a complex social practice shaped by numerous intersectional and situational factors beyond religion, including status, practicality, fashion and social context. It explores a wide range of visual and material culture to illuminate the diversity of veiling beyond the diatribes of churchmen. Throughout, how we understand veiling in the past is brought into dialogue with scholarship on modern Islamic veiling to address biases towards veiled women and to find new ways of centring women's experiences and everyday practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the history of Chinese embroidery, Gu's Embroidery in the late Ming Dynasty and Ding Pei's Principles of Embroidery can be considered the pinnacle of embroidered painting's practice and texts. Nowadays, there are many studies of the unique position and artistic value of "embroidered painting." It is in this context that this paper offers a particular consideration of the technical aspects of embroidered painting in the Ming and Qing dynasties. With a series of specific questions, this paper is designed to examine embroidered painting from the perspective of stitching technique and gender, as well as its dual status as both an independent art form and a stitching technique. However, due to its nature as a women-exclusive art, embroidery suffered discriminatory treatment and was unable to acquire its privileged status in a male-dominated imperial society. As a result, embroidered painting had to win discourse power by not emphasizing its sophisticated technique. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Supplemental Digital Content is Available in the Text. BACKGROUND: The field of aesthetic medicine has expanded substantially in the past decade, with significant practitioner diversification and departure from core-specialty supervision. The increased autonomy of nonphysician practitioners in a rapidly evolving field has raised accentuated the importance of scientific literacy and practice-based learning standards in the delivery of aesthetic medical care. OBJECTIVE: To assess the degree of scientific literacy among aesthetic medicine practitioners of different educational and training backgrounds in the United States and abroad. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional survey of 52 national and international aesthetic medicine practitioners employing a validated, 28-item, scientific literacy tool. RESULTS: The average score for all participants was 76% (SD = 18%, range = 43%–100%). Physician practitioners scored higher in all competencies compared non-physicians (86% vs 68%, p < 0.001), with a greater discrepancy among US practitioners (95% vs 71%, p < 0.001). Competencies relating to identification of bias/confounding variables, graphical data representation, and statistical inference/correlation showed the lowest proficiency. Practitioners with a doctorate or equivalent degree were significantly more likely to report frequent engagement with medical literature than non-physicians (p = 0.02). CONCLUSION: There exists a significant disparity in scientific literacy between physician and nonphysician aesthetic medicine practitioners. This gap underscores the need for enhanced educational programs and continuous professional development to ensure safe and effective patient care in the evolving field of aesthetic medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aimed to propose a systematic approach for managing thick-skinned rhinoplasty patients. Methods: A retrospective review of the treatment of 26 thick-skinned patients with aesthetic and/or functional problems over a period of three years from January 2018 to January 2021 with a follow up for one year. A presurgical evaluation of skin was carried out initially. Skin thickness due to sebaceous overactivity was treated with retinoic acid derivatives, and skin thickness due to increased adipose tissue or hypertrophic fibrofatty layers was treated surgically. Open rhinoplasty was performed in all patients and a strong osseocartilaginous framework was created with the skin stretched as much as the aesthetic tolerance allowed. Results: Post-operative outcomes were based on subjective assessment, photographic evaluation and the Rhinoplasty Outcome Evaluation questionnaire, which indicated significant patient satisfaction. Conclusion: Using this systemic approach for treating thick-skinned rhinoplasty patients, predictable results with improved aesthetic satisfaction in patients were achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The color painting of ancient buildings has high historical and artistic value but is prone to aging due to long-term outdoor exposure. The purpose of this study is to develop a new type of sealing coating to mitigate the impact of ultraviolet (UV) light on color painting. Design/methodology/approach: The new coating was subjected to a 500-h UV-aging test. Compared with the existing acrylic resin Primal AC33, the UV aging behavior of the new coating, such as color difference and gloss, was studied with aging time. The Fourier infrared spectra of the coatings were analyzed after the UV-aging test. Findings: Compared with AC33, the antiaging performance of SF8 was substantially improved. SF8 has a lower color difference value and better light retention and hydrophobicity. The Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy results showed that the C-F bond and Si-O bonds in the resin of the optimized sealing coating protected the main chain C-C structure from degradation during the aging process; thus, the resin maintained good stability. The hindered amine light stabilizer TN292 added to the coating inhibited the antiaging process by trapping active free radicals. Originality/value: To address the problem of UV aging of oil-decorated colored paintings, a new type of sealing coating with excellent antiaging properties was developed, laying the foundation for its demonstration application on the surface of ancient buildings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The Restylane portfolio of soft tissue fillers spans a wide range of indications, due in part to their complementary manufacturing technologies [non‐animal stabilized hyaluronic acid (NASHA) and Optimal Balance Technology (OBT/XpresHAn)]. Using an array of products, injectors can achieve a holistic, natural looking effect for their patients. However, with a wide range of products it may be difficult to choose an optimal combination. Aim: Simplify and align global use recommendations for NASHA versus OBT products. Methods: Two pre‐meeting surveys were completed by 11 key opinion leaders with international representation, with the goal of collecting information regarding their current injection practices for various anatomical regions of the face (i.e., temporal region, forehead, tear trough, lateral zygoma, anteromedial cheek, nose, pyriform aperture, nasolabial fold, perioral area, lips, labiomental crease, marionette lines, chin, and jawline). The data collected from these surveys was subsequently discussed in a consensus group meeting involving 11 voting members and 3 nonvoting members. Results: Top product recommendations were identified for each anatomical area, along with secondary and tertiary recommendations that can also be used under defined circumstances. Recommendations were provided based on a consideration of elements such as patient features (e.g., skin thickness, bone structure), the desired aesthetic outcome, experience of the injector, and the preferred injection technique. Conclusion: A majority consensus regarding the top NASHA versus OBT product choice for each anatomical region of the face was reached. These recommendations represent international agreement regarding the use of Restylane products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Does context influence our appreciation of beauty? To answer this question, two experiments were conducted to determine the effect of contextual aesthetics on the recognition of moral behavior. Experiment 1 demonstrated that individuals in a high-aesthetic context had a quicker recognition time for moral behavior than those in a low-aesthetic context. In a low-aesthetic context, individuals recognize immoral behavior more quickly than in a high aesthetic context. Individuals showed greater recognition rates for moral behavior in a high aesthetic context and higher recognition for immoral behaviors in a low aesthetic context for behavior with unclear information. Experiment 2 revealed that individual fixation counts were smaller under the conditions of high aesthetic context and moral behavior than under the conditions of low aesthetic context and moral behavior, indicating a correlation between low aesthetic context and immoral behavior. This study shows that high aesthetic context facilitates the recognition of moral behavior, which has implications for moral education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Artists based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are pressured by international art elites to critique the illiberal regime under which they live. But doing so is illegal. It can lead the state to retaliate with harassment, detention, cancellation of residency visas, and expulsion. Nonetheless, gatekeeping curators and critics validate UAE‐based artists' work as worthwhile and good if these artists critique the UAE state. How do these artists balance the perils of retaliation and deportation with an exhortation to critique the state for the sake of career success and international visibility? They do so by deploying a form of critique predicated on omission and ambiguity; I term it conspicuous omission. This practice reveals norms of critique, and the normative expectations placed on contemporary artists based on their place of residence or origin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study investigates the influence of visual complexity and color harmony, two important aspects of visual esthetics in the online context, on customer engagement and word-of-mouth (WOM) transmission. We further examine whether consumer expectations and self-concept congruence operate as critical boundary conditions for the effect of these esthetic factors. The study uses an experimental design in which 402 respondents viewed researcher manipulated Instagram brand pages with varying levels of visual complexity and color combinations. The results show that independently, high levels of visual complexity, and complementary color combinations evoked greater consumer engagement and positive WOM intentions. Engagement levels declined when analogous color combinations were used on Instagram pages with high visual complexity and complementary colors on low visual complexity pages. Additionally, consumer engagement mediated the relationship between the visual esthetic elements and WOM transmission. Consumer expectations emerged as an important moderator of the effect of visual complexity on engagement but our prediction regarding the moderating effect of self-concept congruence was not supported. The results of this study contribute to a deeper understanding of the underlying process by which visual esthetic elements on image-centric platforms, like Instagram, interact to influence customer engagement and WOM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the last century, beauty has not often found itself enlisted in struggles for justice. As Alexander Nehemas recounts, beauty's severance from goodness and truth in the modern period renders beauty dangerous, its charm easily wielded as an instrument of oppression in the hands of the powerful. While some scholars have argued for a return to the pre-modern metaphysics that binds beauty to truth and goodness, the abuse of beauty is not simply a modern phenomenon, and its resistance requires more than a pre-modern solution. Beauty is eschatological; thus its abuse points to a failure to order it properly to its eschatological end. This article will argue that the abuse of beauty can be resisted not by spiritualising beauty, but by ordering physical beauty to its eschatological end. This end is most clearly seen in the ascended Christ, with his beautiful body that is human, wounded and hidden. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is well-known that digital learning materials influence the classroom curriculum and didactics. At the same time, few studies examine the role of the data visualizations offered by digital learning materials. Data visualizations signpost the emergence of students as data subjects who can be observed and compared on a computer screen. They thus shape teachers’ socio-technical ways of seeing student learning and are likely to influence student assessments. Drawing inspiration from Science and Technology Studies (STS), this paper advances an analytical framework for eliciting the politics of data visualizations, focusing on automation, agencies, and aesthetics. The framework is exemplified through a case study of a popular Danish digital mathematics platform. In a concluding discussion, the paper considers the importance of addressing unsettled and ethical questions about the role of automated digital systems in teachers’ knowledge practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Nowadays, multimodal cancer therapy results in very high survival rates of early-stage breast cancer and microsurgical flap-based breast reconstruction has become safe and reliable, with gradually increasing demand because of its durable and aesthetically pleasing results. This study aimed to explore the impact of different flap shaping and inset techniques on patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) with regard to the aesthetic result in abdominal flap-based breast reconstruction. Methods: A systematic review was performed screening Pubmed, Cochrane Library and Web of Science for original articles reporting flap inset strategies, concomitantly providing PROMs on the aesthetic result. Results: Of 319 studies identified, six met the inclusion criteria. The studies described different flap rotation options according to the patient's morphology, different inset planes, and avoidance of the monitoring skin paddle, and suggested that a higher flap-to-mastectomy mass ratio was associated with better aesthetic results. In two comparative studies, according to the PROMs (BREAST-Q, Likert scale) and independent observer judgement, both higher patient satisfaction and superior aesthetic results were observed with the newly described techniques. Conclusions: Emphasis on the aesthetic outcome in terms of breast shape and symmetry, providing an individualized approach of flap inset, considering the contralateral breast's shape and volume, results in higher satisfaction scores. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Virtual reality (VR) supports audiences to engage with cultural heritage proactively. We designed an easy-to-access and guided VR reconstruction of the murals in Mogao Grottoes, Pilgrimage To Pureland, to offer the general public an accessible and engaging way to experience the Dunhuang murals. We explored an immersive VR reconstruction approach that can efficiently convert complex 2D mural art into 3D digital VR content while maintaining its originality. Specifically, we reconstructed the Mt. Wutai pilgrimage mural in Cave 61 into a plot-based interactive VR environment that offers users a more accessible and immersive narrative to visit and appreciate Dunhuang murals' complex religious, historical, and artistic value. We conducted a user study with twenty participants to further investigate how this reconstruction approach and the interactive narratives would affect users' immersive experiences and knowledge acquisition, compared with other forms of virtual access as the control group. Findings from our user study revealed that participants from the VR experimental group reported a significantly higher level of immersion and understanding of the knowledge. To conclude, our 2D-to-VR reconstruction methods provided a VR reconstruction approach and insights for creating engaging user experiences and improving users understanding of cultural and historical concepts while preserving the originality of the cultural heritage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scholars who mention the turn to Aristotelian virtue ethics in the Mid-Twentieth Century tend to cite G. E. M. Anscombe’s famous ‘complaint’, and sometimes Alasdair MacIntyre’s After Virtue. It is less usual to write of Roger Scruton. Placed in the context of Bernard Williams and John Casey’s works – at the intersection of moral philosophy and the philosophy of the emotions – Scruton’s theory of the imagination is shown to concern the rationality of moral attitudes. In short, it concerns virtue ethics. Of broader interest, following Scruton’s arguments, his aesthetics may be conceived as concerning stores of moral knowledge; this is by virtue of the sensuous conditioning of the thought-content of moral judgement. The centrality of imitation to Aristotelian ethics, in other words, finds its concomitant in the object of imitation as the artwork. It is my view that Scruton’s work, Art and Imagination (his PhD thesis of 1973), is an attempt to provide a framework for the judgement involved in virtue ethics, concerning both intentionality and object. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]