bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A DIMENSÃO SAGRADA DO PATRIMÔNIO FLORESTAL EM COMUNIDADES DE MATRIZ AFRICANA EM JOINVILLE/SANTA CATARINA/ BRASIL
Authors: Martins Borba Denisia , Ferreira de Melo Júnior João Carlos
Published: October 2022

Nossa relação com a natureza tem sido alterada ao longo da existência humana. No Brasil, desde meados do século XVI, a floresta tem sido ocupada e cotidianamente transformada pelo homem. A floresta aqui é interpretada como patrimônio ambiental e cultural, território sagrado do Candomblé, considerada o território fundamental de ações culturais e habitat dos Òrisà, divindades cultuadas por esse segmento religioso. O Candomblé é uma sociedade que mantém todo a sua história baseada na oralidade, reconhecendo na fala sua forma de comunicação e mecanismo de preservação de conhecimentos ancestrais, envoltos em uma tradição que é transmitida verbalmente de geração em geração. Joinville, cidade que se fundou com a presença e força imigrante é, desde o início dos anos de 1980, território marcado pela presença do Candomblé. A pesquisa se deu por meio de entrevistas orais.
Effect of chromatin structure on quantitative ultrasound parameters
Authors: Pasternak Maurice , Doss Lilian , Farhat Golnaz , Al-Mahrouki Azza , Kim Christina Hyunjung , Kolios Michael , Tran William T. , Czarnota Gregory  J.
Published: October 2022

High-frequency ultrasound (~20 MHz) techniques were investigated using in vitro and ex vivo models to determine whether alterations in chromatin structure are responsible for ultrasound backscatter changes in biological samples. Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cells and their isolated nuclei were exposed to various chromatin altering treatments. These included 10 different ionic environments, DNA cleaving and unfolding agents, as well as DNA condensing agents. Raw radiofrequency (RF) data was used to generate quantitative ultrasound parameters from spectral and form factor analyses. Chromatin structure was evaluated using electron microscopy. Results indicated that trends in quantitative ultrasound parameters mirrored trends in biophysical chromatin structure parameters. In general, higher ordered states of chromatin compaction resulted in increases to ultrasound paramaters of midband fit, spectral intercept, and estimated scatterer concentration, while samples with decondensed forms of chromatin followed an opposite trend. Experiments with isolated nuclei demonstrated that chromatin changes alone were sufficient to account for these observations. Experiments with ex vivo samples indicated similar effects of chromatin structure changes. The results obtained in this research provide a mechanistic explanation for ultrasound investigations studying scattering from cells and tissues undergoing biological processes affecting chromatin.
Theoretical and Experimental Gas Volume Quantiﬁcation of Micro- and Nanobubble Ultrasound Contrast Agents
Authors: Abenojar Eric C. , Bederman Ilya , de Leon Al C. , Zhu Jinle , Hadley Judith , Kolios Michael , Exner Agata A.
Published: October 2022

 The amount of gas in ultrasound contrast agents is related to their acoustic activity. Because of this relationship, gas volume has been used as a key variable in normalizing the in vitro and in vivo acoustic behavior of lipid shell-stabilized bubbles with different sizes and shell components. Despite its importance, bubble gas volume has typically only been theoretically calculated based on bubble size and concentration that is typically measured using the Coulter counter for microbubbles and nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA) for nanoscale bubbles. However, while these methods have been validated for the analysis of liquid or solid particles, their application in bubble analysis has not been rigorously studied. We have previously shown that resonant mass measurement (RMM) may be a better-suited technique for sub-micron bubble analysis, as it can measure both buoyant and non-buoyant particle size and concentration. Here, we provide validation of RMM bubble analysis by using headspace gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) to experimentally measure the gas volume of the bubble samples. This measurement was then used as ground truth to test the accuracy of theoretical gas volume predictions based on RMM, NTA (for nanobubbles), and Coulter counter (for microbubbles) measurements. The results show that the headspace GC/MS gas volume measurements agreed well with the theoretical predictions for the RMM of nanobubbles but not NTA. For nanobubbles, the theoretical gas volume using RMM was 10% lower than the experimental GC/MS measurements; meanwhile, using NTA resulted in an 82% lower predicted gas volume. For microbubbles, the experimental gas volume from the GC/MS measurements was 27% lower compared to RMM and 72% less compared to the Coulter counter results. This study demonstrates that the gas volume of nanobubbles and microbubbles can be reliably measured using headspace GC/MS to validate bubble size measurement techniques. We also conclude that the accuracy of theoretical predictions is highly dependent on proper size and concentration measurements.  
PMMA-Fe3O4 for internal mechanical support and magnetic thermal ablation of bone tumors
Authors: Yu Kexiao , Liang Bing , Zheng Yuanyi , Exner Agata , Kolios Michael , Xu Tiantian , Guo Dajing , Cai Xiaojun , Wang Zhigang , Ran Haitao , Chu Lei , Deng Zhongliang
Published: October 2022

Background: Minimally invasive modalities are of great interest in the field of treating bone tumors. However, providing reliable mechanical support and fast killing of tumor cells to achieve rapid recovery of physical function is still challenging in clinical works. 

Methods: A material with two functions, mechanical support and magnetic thermal ablation, was developed from Fe3O4 nanoparticles (NPs) distributed in a polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) bone cement. The mechanical properties and efficiency of magnetic field-induced thermal ablation were systematically and successfully evaluated in vitro and ex vivo. CT images and pathological examination were successfully applied to evaluate therapeutic efficacy with a rabbit bone tumor model. Biosafety evaluation was performed with a rabbit in vivo, and a cytotoxicity test was performed in vitro. 

Results: An NP content of 6% Fe3O4 (PMMA-6% Fe3O4, mFe: 0.01 g) gave the most suitable performance for in vivo study. At the 56-day follow-up after treatment, bone tumors were ablated without obvious side effects. The pathological examination and new bone formation in CT images clearly illustrate that the bone tumors were completely eliminated. Correspondingly, after treatment, the tendency of bone tumors toward metastasis significantly decreased. Moreover, with well-designed mechanical properties, PMMA-6�3O4 implantation endowed tumor-bearing rabbit legs with excellent bio-mimic bone structure and internal support. Biosafety evaluation did not induce an increase or decrease in the immune response, and major functional parameters were all at normal levels. 

Conclusion: We have presented a novel, highly efficient and minimally invasive approach for complete bone tumor regression and bone defect repair by magnetic thermal ablation based on PMMA containing Fe3O4 NPs; this approach shows excellent heating ability for rabbit VX2 tibial plateau tumor ablation upon exposure to an alternating magnetic field (AMF) and provides mechanical support for bone repair. The new and powerful dual-function implant is a promising minimally invasive agent for the treatment of bone tumors and has good clinical translation potential.
Determination of cell nucleus-to-cytoplasmic ratio using imaging flow cytometry and a combined ultrasound and photoacoustic technique: a comparison study
Authors: Moore Michael
J. , Sebastian Joseph A. , Kolios Michael
Published: October 2022

While the nucleus-to-cytoplasmic (N:C) ratio has traditionally been used for assessing cell malignancy, most N:C measurement techniques are time-consuming and performed on thin histological sections, which prohibit assessment of three-dimensional cell structure. A combined ultrahigh frequency ultrasound (US) and photoacoustic (PA) technique was used to assess the size and N:C ratio of cultured cancer cells in three dimensions (3D). The diameters of the cells and their stained nuclei were obtained by fitting the power spectrum of backscattered US pulses and emitted PA waves, respectively, to well-established theoretical models. For comparison, an imaging flow cytometer (IFC) was also used to determine the two-dimensional cell and nucleus sizes from large cell populations using brightfield and fluorescence images, respectively. An N:C ratio was calculated for each cell using the quotient of the measured nucleus diameter and the total cell diameter. The mean N:C ratios calculated using the sound-based approach were 0.68, 0.66, and 0.54 for MCF-7, PC-3, and MDA-MB-231 cells, respectively, and were in good agreement with the corresponding values of 0.68, 0.67, and 0.68 obtained using the IFC. The combined US and PA technique, which assesses cellular N:C ratio in 3D, has potential applications in the detection of circulating tumor cells in liquid biopsies. 
Advances and Future Directions in the Clinical Utility of Food Addiction
Authors: Cassin Stephanie , Sockalingam Sanjeev
Published: October 2022

"The body of research examining the validity of food addiction and eating addiction far exceeds the research examining their clinical utility. Although neither food addiction nor eating addiction are officially recognized diagnoses, many individuals self-identify as “food addicts” and/or exceed the cut-offs on measures of addictive-like eating. To be clinically useful, a diagnosis should inform the treatment plan and predict clinical outcomes. This special issue presents a collection of articles, contributed by renowned experts, researchers, and clinicians spanning different disciplines, that adds to the knowledge on the clinical utility of food addiction and eating addiction. The articles in this collection include reviews as well as original research utilizing a variety of methodologies and study designs such as clinical trials, cross-sectional studies, and surveys." -- from p1
Foreign Direct Investment as an Indicator of Environmental Policy
Authors:   Department of Economy, Entrepreneurship, Trade and Exchange Activities, Higher Educational Institution «Podillia State University», st. Shevchenko, 13, Kamianets-Podilskyi, Ukraine 32300.  Email: dom.alla@meta.ua, Pecheniuk Alla , Mushenyk Iryna ,   Department of Mathematics, Informatics & Academic Writing, Higher Educational Institution «Podillia State University», st. Shevchenko, 13 Kamianets-Podilskyi, Ukraine 32300.  Email: mushenik77@ukr.net, Korzh Nataliia ,   Department of Management and Administration, Vinnytsia Institute of Trade and Economics of KNTEU, Vinnytsia, Ukraine. Email: n.korzh@vtei.edu.ua, Mazurkevych Iryna ,   Vinnytsia Institute of Trade and Economics of State University of Trade and Economics, Vinnytsia, Ukraine.  Email: i.mazurkevych@vtei.edu.ua, Oliinuk Nadiia ,   Department of Management, Kamianets-Podilskyi Ivan Ohiienko National University, st. Ivan Ohiienko, 61 Kamianets - Podilskyi, Ukraine 32300. Email: oliynuknu@gmail.com
Published: October 2022

This article examines the problem of direct foreign investment in the context of the environmental policy of different countries of the world. Today, science has quite contradictory conclusions regarding the assessment of the effectiveness of direct foreign investments and its links with ecology. In Ukraine, direct foreign investment is largely believed to originate from offshore zones. Ukrainian companies are very often the "investors". This significantly narrows down both the innovative component of the country’s environment and the changes expected to be brought by direct foreign investment, including in terms of ecological development. Based on the data of the State Statistics Service of Ukraine, the direction of the rational policy of direct foreign investments was determined from the standpoint of identifying its connections with environmental indicators. It is empirically substantiated that the policy of regulating waste generation, the policy of spending on environmental protection, and the level of innovativeness of the country are promising. This article presents forecast models of the development of the areas of foreign direct investment policy formation identified in the study.
Pengaruh Health Education Tentang Pijat Bayi Usia 3-6 Bulan Terhadap Sikap Ibu
Authors: Syaroh Maya , Jayatmi Irma , Septiawan Catur
Published: October 2022

Setiap tahun, 4,8 juta anak lahir di Indonesia, dimana tingginya angka kelahiran ini menempatkan Indonesia pada urutan ke empat setelah Negara Cina, India, dan Amerika Serikat dengan populasi 270 juta jiwa. Pelaksanaan pijat bayi di Indonesia masih di pegang oleh dukun bayi. Sekitar 35 % ibu yang memijatkan bayinya ke Klinik Baby Spa dengan usia 3-6 bulan berpengetahuan cukup mengenai pemijatan bayinya ke Klinik Baby Spa. di Indonesia terdapat lebih dari 150 tempat yang menyediakan untuk baby spa, selain itu di Jawa Barat terdapat 60 tempat. Tujuan penelitian ini adalah untuk mengetahui pengaruh health education tentang pijat bayi usia 3-6 bulan terhadap sikap ibu di PMB T tahun 2021. Jenis penelitian ini berupa pre-eksperimen dengan rancangan one grup pre test-post test. Sampel penelitian berjumlah 62 responden dengan menggunakan teknik total sampling. Instrumen yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah kuesioner tentang sikap ibu. Berdasarkan hasil uji statistik T-Test menunjukkan nilai p value sebesar 0,010 ≤ 0,05, berarti adanya pengaruh yang signifikan health education tentang pijat bayi usia 3-6 bulan terhadap sikap ibu di PMB T tahun 2021. Kesimpulan dari penelitian ini adalah adanya pengaruh yang signifikan health education tentang pijat bayi usia 3-6 bulan terhadap sikap ibu di PMB T tahun 2021.
Estrategias de cobranza y morosidad en la Asociación Educativa Adventista Centro Oeste del Perú
Authors: Romero-Carazas Rafael , Vásquez-Campos Salomón Axel , Bernedo-Moreira David Hugo , Rodríguez Llave Celia María , Belleza Chavez Andres David
Published: October 2022

La inmovilización social por la pandemia del COVID-19 provocó el traslado de muchos estudiantes de instituciones privadas a estatales, debido a que sus responsables financieros evidenciaron dificultades para solventar sus gastos corrientes y, adicionalmente, los gastos de pensiones de enseñanza; en ese contexto, el presente estudio justificó su elaboración en la necesidad de conocer las estrategias de cobranza y su relación con la morosidad, por consiguiente, el objetivo general del presente trabajo de investigación fue determinar en qué medida se relacionan las estrategias de cobranza y la morosidad en la Asociación Educativa Adventista Centro Oeste del Perú; a través de un estudio de tipo básico, y utilizando el enfoque cuantitativo, de diseño no experimental, de corte transversal y de tipo correlacional, se aplicó un cuestionario a una muestra conformada de 82 participantes, integrantes de la plana contable, administrativa, y docente de las instituciones conformantes de la unidad de análisis. Luego de aplicar los estadígrafos respectivos, los resultados evidenciaron un coeficiente Rho de (-0.958) y un p valor (0.000). Se concluyó que existe una relación fuerte e inversa entre las variables de estudio; por lo que se infiere que, a mayor presencia de las estrategias de cobranza, menor será la presencia de morosidad y viceversa.
PENINGKATAN PRESTASI BELAJAR SISWA MELALUI PENERAPAN MODEL PEMBELAJARAN KOOPERATIF TIPE STAD PADA POKOK BAHASAN LUAS BANGUNAN DATAR DI KELAS VI A SDN 9 AMPENAN
Authors: Apriani Baiq Karni
Published: October 2022

Proses pembelajaran yang didominasi dan terpusat pada guru sehingga siswa menjadi pasif. Untuk Mengarasi hal ini, peneliti menerapkan model pembelajaran kooperatif tipe Student Teams Achievement Division (STAD) yang dapat membantu siswa untuk memahami konsep matematika yang abstrak serta dapat mengajak siswa untuk aktif dalam mengikuti pembelajaran. Oleh karena itu, penelitian ini bertujuan untuk meningkatkan prestasi belajar pokok bahasan luas bangun datar melalui penerapan pembelajaran kooperatif tipe STAD. Jenis penelitian ini adalah penelitian tindakan kelas yang dilaksanakan dalam 2 siklus dan masing-masing siklus melalui tiga kali pertemuan. Setiap siklus terdiri dari tahap perencanaan, pelaksanaan tindakan, observasi, evaluasi, dan refleksi. Subjek penelitian ini adalah siswa kelas VI.A SDN 9 Ampenan yang berjumlah 37 orang siswa terdiri dari 20 orang siswa laki-laki dan 17 orang siswa perempuan. Pengumpulan data diperoleh dari lembar obsevasi, tes hasil belajar siswa dan hasil kerja kelompok dengan menggunakan LKS. Penelitian ini dikatakan berhasil jika terjadi peningkatan rata-rata prestasi belajar siswa ditiap siklusnya dan sekurang-kurangnya siswa dapat nilai 65 dan ketuntasan belajar mencapai 85 %. Berdasarkan hasil penelitian pada siklus I, diperoleh nilai rata-rata kelas 72,7 dengan persentase ketuntasan klasikal 70,27%. Pada siklus II rata-rata kelas meningkat menjadi 77,29 dengan persentase ketuntasan klasikal 89,18% dan sudah tercapai ketuntasan belajar klasikal yang telah ditetapkan yaitu 85%. Berdasrkan hasil penelitian dan ketercapaian indikator dapat disimpulkan bahwa penerapan model pembelajaran kooperatif STAD pada pokok bahasan luas bangun datar dapat meningkatkan prestasi belajar siswa kelas VI.A SDN 9 Ampenan.
PENGARUH LAYANAN INFORMASI KARIR TERHADAP SELF EFFICACY PADA SISWA KELAS XI SMKN 3 MATARAM
Authors: Muzdallifah Putri Ilvia , Suarti Ni Ketut Alit , Rayani Dewi
Published: October 2022

Berdasarkan kondisi yang terjadi di SMKN 3 Mataram bahwa ada sedikit siswa mengambil jurusan yang ditempuh saat ini dikarenakan mengikuti pilihan teman atau memilih jurusan hanya sekedar memilih tanpa mempertimbangkan bakat dan minatnya. Rumusan masalah dalam penelitian ini adalah apakah ada pengaruh layanan informasi karir terhadap self efficacy siswa kelas XI SMKN 3 Mataran. Tujuan yang ingin dicapai dalam penelitian ini adalah untuk mengetahui pengaruh layanan informasi karir terhadap self efficacy siswa kelas XI SMKN 3 Mataran. Metode pengumpulan data yang digunakan adalah angket sebagai metode utama, observasi, wawancara, serta dokumentasi sebagai pelengkap dengan menggunakan rancangan one group pre-test dan post-test design. Dalam penelitian ini populasi penelitian berjumlah 131 siswa dan 5 yang memiliki self efficacy rendah. Teknik sampling yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah purposive random sampling dan untuk analisis data menggunakan rumus t-test, dimana hasil analisis data t hitung sebesar 10,677 dengan nilai t tabel pada taraf signifikansi 5% dengan db (N-1) = 4 sebesar 2,776. Dengan demikian nilai t hitung lebih besar daripada nilai t pada tabel (10,677 > 2,776), sehingga dapat disimpulkan ada pengaruh layanan informasi karir terhadap self efficacy siswa kelas XI SMKN 3 Mataram, maka hasil penelitian ini dinyatakan Signifikan.
EFEKTIVITAS KONSELING KELOMPOK COGNITIVE BEHAVIOR THERAPY TEKNIK COGNITIVE RESTRUCTURING UNTUK MENINGKATKAN MOTIVASI BELAJAR SISWA
Authors: Adi Bimantara Wahyu , Prasetya Akhmad Fajar , Gunawan I Made Sonny
Published: October 2022

Penelitian dilakukan untuk mengetahui efektivitas konseling kelompok cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) teknik cognitive restructuring untuk meningkatkan motivasi belajar siswa kelas XI SMK Negeri 6 Yogyakarta. Penelitian ini menggunakan quasi eksperimen dengan desain penelitian nonequivalent control group design. Sampel penelitian dipilih dengan teknik nonprobability sampling design menggunakan purposive sampling. Pemilihan sampel didapatkan 12 siswa dari kelas XI Tata Busana 2 dan XI Tata Busana 3 yang berkategori nilai angket motivasi belajar rendah. Teknik pengumpulan data yang digunakan adalah angket motivasi belajar dan wawancara. Peneliti menggunakan teknik analisis data dengan uji wikcoxon yang termasuk dalam analisis non parametrik. Hasil penelitian menunjukan konseling kelompok cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) teknik cognitive restructuring efektif untuk meningkatkan motivasi belajar siswa.
Arterial Stiffness and Coronary Artery Disease
Authors: Kim Hack-Lyoung
Published: October 2022

Although there have been marked improvements in both diagnostic and therapeutic interventions over several decades, coronary artery disease (CAD) remains the leading cause of death worldwide. Intensive modification of classic risk factors such as hypertension, diabetes mellitus, dyslipidaemia, and cigarette smoking has significantly reduced the development of CAD. The high prevalence of residual cardiovascular events does however require improvements in identification and risk stratification strategies. In this context, arterial stiffness, which reflects arterial ageing, damage, and arteriosclerosis has emerged as an important risk factor for cardiovascular disease. The measurements of arterial stiffness are easy to make using several non-invasive methods such as pulse wave velocity. The clinical utility of the measures has been validated in many prior studies. Recent evidence has suggested that the measures of arterial stiffness are correlated with the presence and extent of CAD. More importantly, increased arterial stiffness is an independent predictor of CAD-related morbidity and mortality beyond classic risk factors. Considering its non-invasiveness, simplicity, and reliability, arterial stiffness could serve as a useful marker of CAD and help identify high-risk patients who may benefit from more aggressive management.
Hydrophysical conditions for the formation of coccolithophorid blooms in the waters of the Abkhaz sector of the northeastern part of Black Sea in March 2011
Authors: Yakubenko Valeriy G. , Vostokov Sergey V. , Silkin Vladimir A. , Pautova Larisa A. , Vostokova Anastasia S.
Published: October 2022

In March 2011 in the Abkhazian sector of Black Sea bloom of the coccolithophorid Emiliania huxleyi was recorded, the number of which exceeded 2x106 cells / liter. The goal of this paper was to identify hydrophysical conditions for the formation of bloom of this alga. For this purpose, hydrophysical parameters and their spatial distribution are studied at 15 stations of the water area located. It is shown that the vertical hydrological structure is typical for this time of year. Spatial variability of main hydrophysical parameters along the water surface was insignificant: temperature – 10.04 ± 0.39 оС, salinity – 17.8 ± 0.26 ‰, conditional density – 13.554 ± 0.231. It is shown that, in contrast to hydrological conditions during the period of typical bloom in Black Sea in June and during the period of March bloom seasonal thermocline is not sharply gradient. Coccolithophorid bloom in March developed with insolation at half the value of characteristic of summer bloom. The average velocity of the northwestern geostrophic current was about 25 cm/sec. The bloom develops both in the areas of anticyclonic vorticity and in the regions of cyclonic vorticity.
Musique concrète and the Aesthetic Regime of Art
Authors: Bertrand Loïc
Published: October 2022

The use of noise, defined as an indeterminate complex of sound, initiated a radical shift of the field of “music.” Between Pierre Schaeffer and John Cage there is a common point : against the hierarchical principals that rule music, they both pose equality of all sound material. Examining the case of Pierre Schaeffer and musique concrète, this essay asks how noise, as a raw material, breaks the logic of mimesis. How does this material imply new ways of composing or listening, a new “partage du sensible”?
Rancière, Resistance and the Problem of Commemorative Art: Music Displacing Violence Displacing Music
Authors: Collins Sarah
Published: October 2022

Sarah Collins engages what Lydia Goehr has presented as an intractable set of problems – art’s ability to function as a means to ‘memorialise, mourn or resist’ acts of violence – by exploring the commemorative implications of (and possibilities for) art from Rancièrean perspectives. Specifically, she explores the Rancièrean paradoxical space in which the politics of aesthetics and the aesthetics of politics inflect one another without coming fully into contact.
Developing a Rule-Based Machine-Translation System, Ewondo–French–Ewondo
Authors: Ngué Um Emmanuel , Eliette Émilie , Assembe Caroline Ngo Tjomb , Tyers Francis Morton
Published: October 2022

Machine translation (MT) significantly contributes to democratizing access to textual information across multiple languages and is established as a dynamic language service in the global multilingual society. Not surprisingly, the attractiveness of the MT market has stirred up spectacular innovations, driven by artificial intelligence in the digital technology industry. The commercial stakes of the industry has led to massive investments in the development of automatic translation systems for languages of wider communication and an increased marginalization of minority languages in this avenue. This article reports on the on-going development of a low-tech, rule-based MT system for Ewondo, a Bantu low-resourced language spoken in Cameroon. The project aims to fill the gap in access to MT services in the target minority language community and to generate parallel corpora from and into the Ewondo language.
A Text-Mining Research Based on LDA Topic Modelling: A Corpus-Based Analysis of Pakistan’s UN Assembly Speeches (1970–2018)
Authors: Khan Sabahat , Ahmed Fasih , Mubeen Muhammad
Published: October 2022

The UN General Assembly is a forum that conveys a country’s contributions or concerns. Pakistan, being a South Asian country, has echoed multiple concerns that have affected the peace process in Pakistan and South Asia. Hence, it is vital to understand the nature of these issues and the preferences raised at the General Assembly. The present research is underpinned by computational grounded theory, 1 which relies on the fact that meaning is hidden inside data. A total of nine topics emerged from the data. The results reveal that support for the war against terrorism, peace and security, terrorist attacks, the urging of the world community, diffusion of the nuclear threat, terrorism as a threat to prosperity, economic development, peace as an international challenge, and the Afghan peace process are the main issues concerning Pakistan. The analysis reveals that most of these relate to challenges linked to peace and security, economic problems and Afghan issues. The investigation concludes that the nation’s priority-setting is based on peace and security, economic development, and the Afghan peace process.
Numerical study of the porosity-permeability evolution due to chmically-active fluid injection
Authors: Khachkova T. S. , Lisitsa V. V. , Prokhorov D. I. , Bazaikin Ya. V.
Published: October 2022

The paper presents a numerical algorithm for simulation of the reactive transport at the pore scale. The algorithm allows simulating pore space evolution, porosity, absolute permeability, and form factor changes due to core matrix dissolution or precipitation. We also, introduce the topological measure; the persistence diagrams of independent cycles in pore space to classify different dissolution scenarios. Using derived classification, we constructed the statistically reliable porosity-permeability relations for different dissolution scenarios.
Diffraction identification in data domain: influence on diffraction imaging
Authors: Protasov M. I.
Published: October 2022

Scattered waves are used to construct diffraction seismic images. There are various algorithms for their extraction, which can be divided into three classes regarding the data processing steps: data domain procedures, migration-based methods, and image processing. The presented paper provides an investigation of the influence of the data domain extraction of scattered waves on the migration procedure based on the construction of selective images. Numerical experiments were performed using synthetic data got for a realistic model with fractures for the field in Eastern Siberia.
The first experience of studying the folded structure of coal seams by seismic exploration in the Gorlovsky anthracite basin
Authors: Kanareykin B. A. , Salnikov A. S. , Napreev D. V. , Mosyagin E. V. , Goshko E. Yu.
Published: October 2022

The results of experimental and methodological seismic and electrical exploration of near-field time-domain electromagnetic sounding (NFTDES) along the profile crossing the productive formation of сoal seams in the Gorlovsky anthracite basin (Doroginskoye deposit, Shadrinsky block) are presented. The possibility of studying coal-bearing series at depths up to 300-350 m is noted. The obtained CDP time cross sections indicate the possibility of displaying some elements of the structure of thick anthracite seams in the wave field, that allowing for reconstruction of their folded features. Using the first arrivals of longitudinal waves (at distances up to 800 m), seismic tomography allows scientists to reconstruct in detail the velocity structure of the near-surface part of the section to depths of 120-150 m and to identify low-velocity local objects corresponding to the upper edges of the thickest coal members in the weathering crust and in the upper part of Permian deposits. The resolution of velocity profile decreases at a given length of the traveltime graph with a further increase in depth to 300 m.
More Than Brown: How Race and Skin Tone Matter for Latino Group Identity
Authors: Clealand Danielle , Gutierrez Angela
Published: October 2022

The U.S. Census showed that the number of Latinos responding as some other race continues to increase. How can we more accurately measure racial identity among Latinos? Do Latinos’ self described race and/or skin color influence feelings of closeness with racial rather than ethnic groups? This article seeks to challenge the notion of Latinos as racially homogenous, what we call the browning effect, or as a racial category rather than an ethnic category to examine how racial identity and skin color may play a role in self-identification and group closeness. Using a survey of Puerto Ricans living in the United States conducted in 2020 by the Center for American Progress, we examine both racial self identification and skin color arguing for new racial categories that include mixed race options.
Biomechanical evaluation of a novel repair strategy for intervertebral disc herniation in an ovine lumbar spine model
Authors: Page Mitchell I. , Easley Jeremiah T. , Bonilla Andres F. , Patel Vikas V. , Puttlitz Christian M.
Published: October 2022

Following herniation of the intervertebral disc, there is a need for advanced surgical strategies to protect the diseased tissue from further herniation and to minimize further degeneration. Accordingly, a novel tissue engineered implant for annulus fibrosus (AF) repair was fabricated via three-dimensional fiber deposition and evaluated in a large animal model. Specifically, lumbar spine kinetics were assessed for eight (n = 8) cadaveric ovine lumbar spines in three pure moment loading settings (flexion-extension, lateral bending, and axial rotation) and three clinical conditions (intact, with a defect in the AF, and with the defect treated using the AF repair implant). In ex vivo testing, seven of the fifteen evaluated biomechanical measures were significantly altered by the defect. In each of these cases, the treated spine more closely approximated the intact biomechanics and four of these cases were also significantly different to the defect. The same spinal kinetics were also assessed in a preliminary in vivo study of three (n = 3) ovine lumbar spines 12 weeks post-implantation. Similar to the ex vivo results, functional efficacy of the treatment was demonstrated as compared to the defect model at 12 weeks post-implantation. These promising results motivate a future large animal study cohort which will establish statistical power of these results further elucidate the observed outcomes, and provide a platform for clinical translation of this novel AF repair patch strategy. Ultimately, the developed approach to AF repair holds the potential to maintain the long-term biomechanical function of the spine and prevent symptomatic re-herniation.
New self-sexing Aedes aegypti strain eliminates barriers to scalable and sustainable vector control for governments and communities in dengue-prone environments
Authors: Spinner Siân A. M. , Barnes Zoe H. , Puinean Alin Mirel , Gray Pam , Dafa’alla Tarig , Phillips Caroline E. , Nascimento de Souza Camila , Frazon Tamires Fonseca , Ercit Kyla , Collado Amandine , Naish Neil , Sulston Edward , Ll. Phillips Gwilym C. , Greene Kelleigh K. , Poletto Mattia , Sperry Benjamin D. , Warner Simon A. , Rose Nathan R. , Frandsen Grey K. , Verza Natalia C. , Gorman Kevin J. , Matzen Kelly J.
Published: October 2022

For more than 60 years, efforts to develop mating-based mosquito control technologies have largely failed to produce solutions that are both effective and scalable, keeping them out of reach of most governments and communities in disease-impacted regions globally. High pest suppression levels in trials have yet to fully translate into broad and effective Aedes aegypti control solutions. Two primary challenges to date–the need for complex sex-sorting to prevent female releases, and cumbersome processes for rearing and releasing male adult mosquitoes–present significant barriers for existing methods. As the host range of Aedes aegypti continues to advance into new geographies due to increasing globalisation and climate change, traditional chemical-based approaches are under mounting pressure from both more stringent regulatory processes and the ongoing development of insecticide resistance. It is no exaggeration to state that new tools, which are equal parts effective and scalable, are needed now more than ever. This paper describes the development and field evaluation of a new self-sexing strain of Aedes aegypti that has been designed to combine targeted vector suppression, operational simplicity, and cost-effectiveness for use in disease-prone regions. This conditional, self-limiting trait uses the sex-determination gene doublesex linked to the tetracycline-off genetic switch to cause complete female lethality in early larval development. With no female progeny survival, sex sorting is no longer required, eliminating the need for large-scale mosquito production facilities or physical sex-separation. In deployment operations, this translates to the ability to generate multiple generations of suppression for each mosquito released, while being entirely self-limiting. To evaluate these potential benefits, a field trial was carried out in densely-populated urban, dengue-prone neighbourhoods in Brazil, wherein the strain was able to suppress wild mosquito populations by up to 96%, demonstrating the utility of this self-sexing approach for biological vector control. In doing so, it has shown that such strains offer the critical components necessary to make these tools highly accessible, and thus they harbour the potential to transition mating-based approaches to effective and sustainable vector control tools that are within reach of governments and at-risk communities who may have only limited resources.
Sodium butyrate treatment and fecal microbiota transplantation provide relief from ulcerative colitis-induced prostate enlargement
Authors: Dong Weimin , Zheng Jiefang , Huang Yiqiao , Tan Huijing , Yang Shengbang , Zhang Zhiming , Liang Xue , Liu Hao , Zeng Guohao , Xu Haoming , Jiang Xianhan , Zhong Weide
Published: October 2022

The ability to regulate the gut environment has resulted in remarkable great breakthroughs in the treatment of several diseases. Several studies have found that the regulation of the gut environment might provide relief from the symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia. However, the correlation between the gut microenvironment and the colon and prostate glands is still unknown. We found that ulcerative colitis (UC) induced an increase in prostate volumes that could be reversed by sodium butyrate (NaB) and fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT). The mechanism by which UC induced changes in the prostate gland was examined via RNA-Seq. The results show that the expression level of GPER was significantly lower in the prostate gland of UC mices than in normal mices. The expression of GPER could be increased via treatment with NaB or FMT. We found that prostate tissues exhibited higher butryic acid levels after they were treated with NaB or FMT. In experiments conducted in vitro, NaB or the fecal filtrate (FF) from healthy mice up-regulated of the expression of GPER, inhibited cell growth, and induced apoptosis in BPH-1 cells. These changes could be alleviated by treatment with the G15 or in GPER-silenced cells.
The relationships between cholesterol crystals, NLRP3 inflammasome, and coronary atherosclerotic plaque vulnerability in acute coronary syndrome: An optical coherence tomography study
Authors: Xue Chao , Chen Qizhi , Bian Ling , Yin Zhaofang , Xu Zuojun , Zhang Huili , Zhang Qingyong , Zhang Junfeng , Wang Changqian , Du Run , Fan Li
Published: October 2022

Background

Cholesterol crystals (CCs) in lesions are the hallmark of advanced atherosclerotic plaque. Previous studies have demonstrated that CCs could activate NLRP3 inflammasome, which played an important role in atherosclerotic lesion progression. However, the relationship between CCs, NLRP3 inflammasome pathway, and plaque vulnerability in patients with ACS is still not elucidated.

Methods

Two hundred sixty-nine consecutive acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients with 269 culprit lesions were included in this study. CCs and other plaque characteristics within the culprit lesion segment were evaluated by optical coherence tomography (OCT) before percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). The NLRP3 mRNA expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and the serum levels of interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-18, and other biological indices were measured.

Results

Cholesterol crystals were observed in 105 (39%) patients with 105 culprit lesions. There were no significant differences in baseline clinical characteristics between the patients with CCs (CCs group, n = 105) and the patients without CCs (non-CCs group, n = 164) within the culprit lesion segment except for lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)]. The CCs group had a higher level of NLRP3 mRNA expression in PBMCs and higher levels of serum cytokine IL-1β and IL-18. OCT showed that the CCs group had longer lesion length, more severe diameter stenosis, and less minimum luminal area (MLA) than the non-CCs group (all p < 0.05). The frequency of thin-cap fibroatheroma (TCFA), thrombus, accumulation of macrophages, plaque rupture, micro-channel, calcification, spotty calcification, and layered plaque was higher in the CCs group than in the non-CCs groups (all p < 0.05). Multivariate logistic analysis revealed that the level of NLRP3 expression (OR = 10.204), IL-1β levels (OR = 3.523), IL-18 levels (OR = 1.006), TCFA (OR = 3.593), layered plaque (OR = 5.287), MLA (OR = 1.475), macrophage accumulation (OR = 2.881), and micro-channel (OR = 3.185) were independently associated with CCs.

Conclusion

Acute coronary syndrome patients with CCs in culprit lesions had a higher expression of NLRP3, IL-1β, and IL-18, and had more vulnerable plaque characteristics than patients without CCs. CCs might have interacted with NLRP3 inflammasome activation in patients with ACS, which could contribute to plaque vulnerability in culprit lesions.
Spatial and temporal variation of aseismic creep along the dilational jog of the West Valley Fault, Philippines: Hazard implications
Authors: Rimando Rolly E. , Kurita Katsumi , Kinugasa Yoshihiro
Published: October 2022

Accelerated creep, primarily through vertical displacement, has been occurring along 15 en-echelon faults belonging to a 15 km-long and 1.5 km-wide, N-S-trending dilational jog of the active West Valley Fault (or West Marikina Valley Fault), on the southeastern part of Metro Manila, Philippines. The much-larger-than-known tectonic slip rates had been the only reliable evidence in support of excessive groundwater withdrawal as the trigger of creep in the 1990s. Recently available groundwater extraction data (1977–2019) could more directly and consistently link groundwater withdrawal to accelerated creep in the 1990s. Twenty years (1999–2019) of precise displacement measurements could also reveal significant spatial and temporal links between slip rate changes and patterns of groundwater extraction. Our analysis shows that greater rates of vertical displacement are related to the timing of faster extraction rates. Variations in slip rates between the northern and southern measurement sites are primarily due to regional differences in groundwater extraction, which are influenced by differences in the implementation of water extraction reduction regulations. Proximity to the key source of groundwater recharge (Laguna Lake) is also an influencing factor. Although there are many unknowns inherent to this type of study, continued depressurization could induce static stress changes that could modulate the timescale of earthquake occurrence due to the natural course of stress loading driven by regional tectonics. The current and potential effects of continued depressurization in the areas with high slip rates and surrounding regions are paramount considerations in crafting and implementing tighter and extended groundwater extraction regulations.
A systematic review of doctoral graduate attributes: Domains and definitions
Authors: Senekal Janine S. , Munnik Erica , Frantz Jose M.
Published: October 2022

Doctoral graduate attributes are the qualities, skills, and competencies that graduates possess, having completed their doctorate degree. Graduate attributes, in general, lack conceptual clarity, making the investigation into and quality assurance processes attached to doctoral outcomes challenging. As many graduate attributes are “unseen” or implicit, the full range of attributes that doctoral graduate actually possess needs to be synthesized, so that they may be recognized and utilized by educational stakeholders. The aim of this study was to establish and describe what attributes graduates from doctoral degrees possess. A systematic review of peer-reviewed, primary literature published between January 2016 and June 2021 was conducted, identifying 1668 articles. PRISMA reporting was followed, and after screening and full text critical appraisal, 35 articles remained for summation through thematic synthesis. The doctoral graduate attribute domains identified included knowledge, research skills, communication skills, organizational skills, interpersonal skills, reputation, scholarship, higher order thinking skills, personal resourcefulness, and active citizenship. Many of the domains were conceptualized as transferable or interdisciplinary, highlighting the relevance of the attributes doctoral graduates possess. The review findings align with existing frameworks yet extend those that tend to focus on generic “seen” attributes, and include a range of “unseen”, intrinsic qualities as outcomes of the doctoral degree. The review contributes to the conceptual development of doctoral graduate attributes, by synthesizing actual outcomes, as opposed to prospective attributes or attributes-in-process. Doctoral graduate attributes should be conceptualized to integrate both generic attributes alongside intrinsic qualities that are important for employability. Increased awareness as to the scope of doctoral graduate attributes among stakeholders, such as doctoral supervisors, students, graduates and employers, may facilitate improved educational outcomes and employability. Future research into the contextual relevance of the domains identified and how they are developed may be beneficial. Future research could involve the development of context-relevant scales to empirically measure doctoral graduate attributes among alumni populations, as a quality assurance outcome indicator. Such findings could inform program reform, improving the relevance of doctoral education and the employability of doctoral graduates.
Plant blindness: A focus on its biological basis
Authors: Achurra Ainara
Published: October 2022

Plant blindness or the inability to notice plants in one’s everyday life is a complex phenomenon in the field of science education. Although plant blindness is well documented in the literature, the underlying factors, whether biological or cultural, are still under research. Here I focus on its biological basis. That is, I review and discuss how plants’ own inherent characteristics cause effects on human visual and cognitive processes. Animals versus plant differences in human attention and memory are also addressed. Grounded on that knowledge, some recommendations for effective practice in plant science education emerge. I conclude that only when we understand human-plant relationships will we know how to enhance teaching and learning about plants.
Neutrophil gelatinase–associated lipocalin as an immunomodulator in endocrine hypertension
Authors: Araos Patricio , Amador Cristián A.
Published: October 2022

In recent studies, primary aldosteronism (PA) has been reported as the most common etiology for secondary hypertension of endocrine origin, accounting for approximately 10% of cases. In PA, excess aldosterone production can lead to deleterious effects at the cardiovascular (CV) and renal levels by activating mineralocorticoid receptors, which involves an increase in pro-inflammatory and pro-fibrotic mediators. Among these mediators, neutrophil gelatinase–associated lipocalin (NGAL), a secretion glycoprotein belonging to the lipocalin superfamily, has been closely linked to CV and renal damage in several pathological conditions. Because NGAL can be detected in biofluids such as plasma and urine, it has been proposed as a damage biomarker for target tissues and has also been studied for its role in hypertension and associated with PA. NGAL is produced by many different cell types, can be carried on extracellular vesicles, and is modulated by microRNAs, which would support its use as a biomarker for endocrine hypertension due to PA. Over the last decade, studies have shown that NGAL is necessary for the development of aldosterone-induced hypertension and that is associated with end-organ damage. In addition, it has been proposed that some mechanisms are dependent on the activation of immune cells, such as dendritic cells and macrophages, where the release of specific cytokines (i.e., interleukin [IL]-23) or chemokines (i.e., CCL-5) induced by aldosterone would depend on NGAL. Subsequently, this activates the T helper (Th) lymphocytes, such as Th17 and Th2, resulting in CV and renal fibrosis due to the high aldosterone levels. Although the immune system has been closely associated with essential hypertension, its participation in endocrine hypertension has not been fully elucidated. This review discusses the link between NGAL and endocrine hypertension, particularly in the context of PA, and their possible regulators and mechanisms, with a focus on its role as an immunomodulator.