bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Far-IR emission from bright high-redshift quasars
Authors: Vasiliev Evgenii O. , Shchekinov Yuri A. , Nath Biman B.
Published: March 2023

The majority of quasars detected at high redshifts (

z
≳
6

z\gtrsim 6

) strongly emit ultraviolet radiation with absolute magnitudes at rest-frame

M

1450
Å
,
A
B

∼

−

(

29

–

27

)

{M}_{1450\mathring{\rm A} ,AB}\hspace{0.33em} \sim \hspace{0.33em}-\left(29\hspace{0.1em}\text{–}\hspace{0.1em}27)

. Some of them have high luminosities in [CII]

158

μ
m

158\hspace{0.33em}{\rm{\mu }}{\rm{m}}

line and in far-infrared (FIR) continuum, which leads to the expectation of a large amount of much cold dusty gas in these quasars. We have studied the relation between luminosities in the [CII]

158

μ
m

158\hspace{0.33em}{\rm{\mu }}{\rm{m}}

and the FIR continuum for a slightly absorbed supermassive black hole (SMBH) obscured by an ensemble of dense clouds with a low covering factor. We have found that dense clouds with a low covering factor can give sufficient luminosities in [CII]

158

μ
m

158\hspace{0.33em}{\rm{\mu }}{\rm{m}}

line and the underlying FIR continuum to reproduce the [CII]-FIR ratio observed in high-redshift quasars for a reasonable SMBH mass of

M

•

∼

1

0

9

M

⊙

{M}_{\bullet }\hspace{0.33em} \sim \hspace{0.33em}1{0}^{9}{M}_{\odot }

. We note that many distant mildly/heavily obscured active galactic nuclei are to avoid detection in near-infrared (IR) wavelengths; if this is the case, blind IR/FIR surveys are needed.
HiPerMAb: a tool for judging the potential of small sample size biomarker pilot studies
Authors: Al-Mekhlafi Amani , Klawonn Frank
Published: March 2023

Common statistical approaches are not designed to deal with so-called “short fat data” in biomarker pilot studies, where the number of biomarker candidates exceeds the sample size by magnitudes. High-throughput technologies for omics data enable the measurement of ten thousands and more biomarker candidates for specific diseases or states of a disease. Due to the limited availability of study participants, ethical reasons and high costs for sample processing and analysis researchers often prefer to start with a small sample size pilot study in order to judge the potential of finding biomarkers that enable – usually in combination – a sufficiently reliable classification of the disease state under consideration. We developed a user-friendly tool, called HiPerMAb that allows to evaluate pilot studies based on performance measures like multiclass AUC, entropy, area above the cost curve, hypervolume under manifold, and misclassification rate using Monte-Carlo simulations to compute the p-values and confidence intervals. The number of “good” biomarker candidates is compared to the expected number of “good” biomarker candidates in a data set with no association to the considered disease states. This allows judging the potential in the pilot study even if statistical tests with correction for multiple testing fail to provide any hint of significance.
A microanalysis study of EFL teacher self-regulation in COVID-19 emergency remote teaching
Authors: Dong Li
Published: March 2023

Teacher self-regulation is under-studied yet important especially for teachers of English as a foreign language (EFL) who need to conduct remote teaching over the internet due to COVID-19, known as emergency remote teaching (ERT). In light of the teacher development and self-regulation model that consists of the three phases of forethought, performance and self-reflection, this qualitative study applies the microanalysis method to explore how one novice-level and two master-level Chinese university EFL teachers self-regulated their ERT teaching. After synthetical term frequency analysis using jiebaR, we summarised a total of 14 teacher self-regulation strategies corresponding to the three phases and categorised them into ERT goals (three strategies), motivation for ERT (three strategies), self-control in ERT (three strategies), self-observation in ERT (one strategy), self-judgment from the ERT class (two strategies) and self-reaction from the ERT class (one strategy). We ended by proposing a tentative EFL teacher self-regulation model for ERT context. Implications are provided.
Asymmetric tetramer metasurface sensor governed by quasi-bound states in the continuum
Authors: Zhou Yi , Luo Man , Zhao Xuyang , Li Yuxiang , Wang Qi , Liu Zhiran , Guo Junhong , Guo Zhihe , Liu Junjie , Wu Xiang
Published: March 2023

Asymmetric metasurfaces supporting quasi-bound states in the continuum (BICs) with high Q-factors and strong light–matter interaction properties are attractive platforms for label-free biosensing applications. Recently, various meta-atom geometries have been exploited to support sharp high-Q quasi-BIC resonance. However, which meta-atom design may be a better practical choice remains unclear. Here, we compared several established meta-atom designs to address this issue by conducting an extensive theoretical discussion on sensing capability and fabrication difficulty. We theoretically revealed that the tetramer meta-atom geometry produces a higher surface sensitivity and exhibits a larger size-to-wavelength ratio than other meta-atom schemes. Furthermore, we found that metasurfaces with a higher depth considerably enhance surface sensitivity. The performance of two asymmetric tetramer metasurfaces (ATMs) with different heights was demonstrated experimentally. Both shallow and thick ATM structures exhibit sharp high Q-factor resonances with polarization-insensitive features. Notably, the surface sensitivity is 1.62 times for thick ATM compared to that for shallow ones. The combination of properties opens new opportunities for developing biosensing or chemical-sensing applications with high performance.
Experimental study on hydraulic fracture behavior of concrete with wedge-splitting testing
Authors: Zhao Wenhu , Fang Tao , Chen Xiaocui , Sun Liguo
Published: March 2023

The aim of this paper is to investigate the water pressure effects on hydraulic fracture behavior of concrete with wedge-splitting testing under dynamic loading. Five waterproof strain gauges are stuck along the crack path to observe the fracture process during the experiments. Four silicon water pressure sensors successfully measured the water pressure value on concrete face. The results show that the water pressure on crack faces accelerates the crack propagation of the concrete. The critical values of the splitting force decrease 26.7 and 25.6%, respectively, with the external applied water pressure of 0.2 and 0.4 MPa. Moreover, the hydraulic crack propagation speed increases at the beginning and tends to reach a peak value finally. The peak value of cracking speed is 11.08 m/s, which is high. Under dynamic loading, the water fails to fill the crack and only the trapped water interacts with the crack face. The water pressure is mainly a parabolic curve distribution along the crack path and the peak value decreases with the increase in the crack length.
A Preliminary Study of the Interactive Effect of Avoidant Personality Disorder Symptoms and Expressive Suppression on the Outcome of a Psychodynamically Oriented Day Treatment Program
Authors: Ogrodniczuk John S. , Kealy David , Cox Daniel W. , Mielimąka Michał , Joyce Anthony S.
Published: March 2023

Introduction: Patients with avoidant personality disorder (AvPD) pathology tend to have poor prognosis in psychotherapy, yet there has been little research conducted to better understand why their outcomes are limited, making it difficult to improve treatments for them. Expressive suppression is a dysfunctional emotion regulation strategy that may exacerbate avoidant tendencies, further complicating the therapeutic process. Methods: Using data from a naturalistic study (N = 34) of a group-based day treatment program, we examined whether there was an interactive effect of AvPD symptoms and expressive suppression on treatment outcome. Results: Findings revealed a significant moderating effect of expressive suppression on the association between AvPD symptoms and treatment outcome. The outcome for patients with more severe AvPD symptoms was particularly poor when they engaged in high levels of expressive suppression. Discussion: The findings suggest that the combination of significant AvPD pathology and high expressive suppression is associated with poorer responsiveness to treatment.
When the Psychiatrist Morally Disapproves
Authors: Soh Keng Chuan , Liao Jocelyn Siling , Tay Yi Hang
Published: March 2023

The understanding of concepts like moral distress and countertransference in mental health settings has advanced over time. While organizational constraints and the clinician's moral values are conventionally thought to play a part in evoking such responses, certain behavioral transgressions might be universally deemed as morally unacceptable. The authors present case scenarios that took place during forensic assessments and routine clinical care. Clinical interactions evoked a diverse range of negative emotional reactions, including anger, disgust, and frustration. The clinicians struggled with moral distress and negative countertransference, which resulted in difficulty mobilizing empathy. Such responses could affect a clinician's ability to best work with the individual and could even affect the clinician's well-being adversely. The authors put forth several suggestions on how to manage one's own negative emotional reactions in similar settings.
Reflections on Losing My Office during the Pandemic
Authors: Tillinghast Elizabeth
Published: March 2023

Reflections on loss, grief, and the possibility of recovery after losing my office, my analyst's office, and my analyst during the pandemic. The role of an office in consolidating a sense of analytic identity and the usefulness of sadness in catalyzing change are discussed.
Multiple and Dissociable Effects of Sensory History on Working-Memory Performance
Authors: Hajonides Jasper E. , van Ede Freek , Stokes Mark G. , Nobre Anna C. , Myers Nicholas E.
Published: March 2023

Behavioral reports of sensory information are biased by stimulus history. The nature and direction of such serial-dependence biases can differ between experimental settings; both attractive and repulsive biases toward previous stimuli have been observed. How and when these biases arise in the human brain remains largely unexplored. They could occur either via a change in sensory processing itself and/or during postperceptual processes such as maintenance or decision-making. To address this, we tested 20 participants (11 female) and analyzed behavioral and magnetoencephalographic (MEG) data from a working-memory task in which participants were sequentially presented with two randomly oriented gratings, one of which was cued for recall at the end of the trial. Behavioral responses showed evidence for two distinct biases: (1) a within-trial repulsive bias away from the previously encoded orientation on the same trial, and (2) a between-trial attractive bias toward the task-relevant orientation on the previous trial. Multivariate classification of stimulus orientation revealed that neural representations during stimulus encoding were biased away from the previous grating orientation, regardless of whether we considered the within-trial or between-trial prior orientation, despite opposite effects on behavior. These results suggest that repulsive biases occur at the level of sensory processing and can be overridden at postperceptual stages to result in attractive biases in behavior.

SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENTRecent experience biases behavioral reports of sensory information, possibly capitalizing on the temporal regularity in our environment. It is still unclear at what stage of stimulus processing such serial biases arise. Here, we recorded behavior and neurophysiological [magnetoencephalographic (MEG)] data to test whether neural activity patterns during early sensory processing show the same biases seen in participants' reports. In a working-memory task that produced multiple biases in behavior, responses were biased toward previous targets, but away from more recent stimuli. Neural activity patterns were uniformly biased away from all previously relevant items. Our results contradict proposals that all serial biases arise at an early sensory processing stage. Instead, neural activity exhibited mostly adaptation-like responses to recent stimuli.
Widespread fMRI BOLD Signal Overactivations during Cognitive Control in Older Adults Are Not Matched by Corresponding Increases in fPET Glucose Metabolism
Authors: Stiernman Lars , Grill Filip , McNulty Charlotte , Bahrd Philip , Panes Lundmark Vania , Axelsson Jan , Salami Alireza , Rieckmann Anna
Published: March 2023

A common observation in fMRI studies using the BOLD signal is that older adults, compared with young adults, show overactivations, particularly during less demanding tasks. The neuronal underpinnings of such overactivations are not known, but a dominant view is that they are compensatory in nature and involve recruitment of additional neural resources. We scanned 23 young (20-37 years) and 34 older (65-86 years) healthy human adults of both sexes with hybrid positron emission tomography/MRI. The radioligand [18F]fluoro-deoxyglucose was used to assess dynamic changes in glucose metabolism as a marker of task-dependent synaptic activity, along with simultaneous fMRI BOLD imaging. Participants performed two verbal working memory (WM) tasks: one involving maintenance (easy) and one requiring manipulation (difficult) of information in WM. Converging activations to the WM tasks versus rest were observed for both imaging modalities and age groups in attentional, control, and sensorimotor networks. Upregulation of activity to WM-demand, comparing the more difficult to the easier task, also converged between both modalities and age groups. For regions in which older adults showed task-dependent BOLD overactivations compared with the young adults, no corresponding increases in glucose metabolism were found. To conclude, findings from the current study show that task-induced changes in the BOLD signal and synaptic activity as measured by glucose metabolism generally converge, but overactivations observed with fMRI in older adults are not coupled with increased synaptic activity, which suggests that these overactivations are not neuronal in origin.

SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENTFindings of increased fMRI activations in older compared with younger adults have been suggested to reflect increased use of neuronal resources to cope with reduced brain function. The physiological underpinnings of such compensatory processes are poorly understood, however, and rest on the assumption that vascular signals accurately reflect neuronal activity. Comparing fMRI and simultaneously acquired functional positron emission tomography as an alternative index of synaptic activity, we show that age-related overactivations do not appear to be neuronal in origin. This result is important because mechanisms underlying compensatory processes in aging are potential targets for interventions aiming to prevent age-related cognitive decline.
Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors within Cells: Temporal Resolution in Cytoplasm, Endoplasmic Reticulum, and Membrane
Authors: Nichols Aaron L. , Blumenfeld Zack , Luebbert Laura , Knox Hailey J. , Muthusamy Anand K. , Marvin Jonathan S. , Kim Charlene H. , Grant Stephen N. , Walton David P. , Cohen Bruce N. , Hammar Rebekkah , Looger Loren , Artursson Per , Dougherty Dennis A. , Lester Henry A.
Published: March 2023

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are the most prescribed treatment for individuals experiencing major depressive disorder. The therapeutic mechanisms that take place before, during, or after SSRIs bind the serotonin transporter (SERT) are poorly understood, partially because no studies exist on the cellular and subcellular pharmacokinetic properties of SSRIs in living cells. We studied escitalopram and fluoxetine using new intensity-based, drug-sensing fluorescent reporters targeted to the plasma membrane, cytoplasm, or endoplasmic reticulum (ER) of cultured neurons and mammalian cell lines. We also used chemical detection of drug within cells and phospholipid membranes. The drugs attain equilibrium in neuronal cytoplasm and ER at approximately the same concentration as the externally applied solution, with time constants of a few s (escitalopram) or 200–300 s (fluoxetine). Simultaneously, the drugs accumulate within lipid membranes by ≥18-fold (escitalopram) or 180-fold (fluoxetine), and possibly by much larger factors. Both drugs leave cytoplasm, lumen, and membranes just as quickly during washout. We synthesized membrane-impermeant quaternary amine derivatives of the two SSRIs. The quaternary derivatives are substantially excluded from membrane, cytoplasm, and ER for >2.4 h. They inhibit SERT transport-associated currents sixfold or 11-fold less potently than the SSRIs (escitalopram or fluoxetine derivative, respectively), providing useful probes for distinguishing compartmentalized SSRI effects. Although our measurements are orders of magnitude faster than the therapeutic lag of SSRIs, these data suggest that SSRI–SERT interactions within organelles or membranes may play roles during either the therapeutic effects or the antidepressant discontinuation syndrome.

SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENTSelective serotonin reuptake inhibitors stabilize mood in several disorders. In general, these drugs bind to SERT, which clears serotonin from CNS and peripheral tissues. SERT ligands are effective and relatively safe; primary care practitioners often prescribe them. However, they have several side effects and require 2–6 weeks of continuous administration until they act effectively. How they work remains perplexing, contrasting with earlier assumptions that the therapeutic mechanism involves SERT inhibition followed by increased extracellular serotonin levels. This study establishes that two SERT ligands, fluoxetine and escitalopram, enter neurons within minutes, while simultaneously accumulating in many membranes. Such knowledge will motivate future research, hopefully revealing where and how SERT ligands engage their therapeutic target(s).
Monkey Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex Represents Abstract Visual Sequences during a No-Report Task
Authors: Yusif Rodriguez Nadira , McKim Theresa H. , Basu Debaleena , Ahuja Aarit , Desrochers Theresa M.
Published: March 2023

Monitoring sequential information is an essential component of our daily lives. Many of these sequences are abstract, in that they do not depend on the individual stimuli, but do depend on an ordered set of rules (e.g., chop then stir when cooking). Despite the ubiquity and utility of abstract sequential monitoring, little is known about its neural mechanisms. Human rostrolateral prefrontal cortex (RLPFC) exhibits specific increases in neural activity (i.e., “ramping”) during abstract sequences. Monkey dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) has been shown to represent sequential information in motor (not abstract) sequence tasks, and contains a subregion, area 46, with homologous functional connectivity to human RLPFC. To test the prediction that area 46 may represent abstract sequence information, and do so with parallel dynamics to those found in humans, we conducted functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in three male monkeys. When monkeys performed no-report abstract sequence viewing, we found that left and right area 46 responded to abstract sequential changes. Interestingly, responses to rule and number changes overlapped in right area 46 and left area 46 exhibited responses to abstract sequence rules with changes in ramping activation, similar to that observed in humans. Together, these results indicate that monkey DLPFC monitors abstract visual sequential information, potentially with a preference for different dynamics in the two hemispheres. More generally, these results show that abstract sequences are represented in functionally homologous regions across monkeys and humans.

SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENTDaily, we complete sequences that are “abstract” because they depend on an ordered set of rules (e.g., chop then stir when cooking) rather than the identity of individual items. Little is known about how the brain tracks, or monitors, this abstract sequential information. Based on previous human work showing abstract sequence related dynamics in an analogous area, we tested whether monkey dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), specifically area 46, represents abstract sequential information using awake monkey functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). We found that area 46 responded to abstract sequence changes, with a preference for more general responses on the right and dynamics similar to humans on the left. These results suggest that abstract sequences are represented in functionally homologous regions across monkeys and humans.
FORMATION OF PROFESSIONAL AND PEDAGOGICAL COMPETENCE FOR SPORTS AND ANIMATION ACTIVITIES IN AN EDUCATIONAL ENVIRONMENT
Authors: Zheleva-Terzieva Donka
Published: March 2023

The article provides an overview of training in the elective course "Sports animation in an educational environment" at the Faculty of Education at Trakia University - Stara Zagora. The ways of determination the necessary knowledge, skills and attitudes as components of the professional competence for the implementation of sports-animation activities with children of preschool and school age have been examined. An author's algorithm for creating a sports-animation product is schematically presented.
IMPACT OF THE COMBINED TEACHING IN PHYSICAL EDUCATION AND SPORT ON THE MOTION ABILITIES OF 11-12-YEAR-OLD
Authors: Kostova Nadezhda
Published: March 2023

Mankind is subjected during these last years to the aggressive influence of a virus, distributed all over the world, namely Covid-19. It impacted negatively not only the health of the people but provoked the income of economic, political and social crises on a global scale. The imposed social isolation has changed the habitual and introduced alternative and new decisions.
The educational system in all its measurements, proved to be one of the most affected spheres by the world pandemic. Teachers and students/pupils have continued their interaction by distance learning instead by the traditional way of attendance. The imposed social isolation and the transition of the students and pupils from education in attendance to online distance education has led to a majority of challenges set up both for the teachers and students/pupils.
Purpose of the study – to establish the impact of the combined teaching in physical education and sport on the motor abilities of 11–12-year-old-pupils.
Scientific study methods – the following scientific study methods have been used: literature sources analysis and sport-pedagogical tests by applying updated tests for studying the physical abilities of the secondary school pupils.
Conclusion: It can be defined that the combined teaching in physical education and sport impacts positively the development of 11–12-year-old-pupils motor abilities while increase is observed of all indications under study. The results from the present scientific study appear as a basis for creating possibilities for perfecting the combined teaching in physical education and sport and outline the necessity of future directions towards effective organization of the educational process within the conditions of such a type of teaching.
The impacts of the drug war on Indigenous Peoples in Latin America: An overview
Authors: Labate Beatriz Caiuby , Rodrigues Thiago
Published: March 2023

This paper aims at presenting an overview of the historic and current features concerning the relationship among original peoples, psychoactive drugs, and various forms of anti-drug practices in Latin America. The current expansion of extractivist capitalism in Latin America overlaps with Indigenous peoples' traditional lands, provoking new forms of violence and confrontation. The War on Drugs is being used as a justification to militarize these lands and to criminalize Indigenous populations. Thus, neo-extractivist initiatives in Latin America provoke renewed clashes between Indigenous peoples' interests and local and global elites' purposes. We seek to raise awareness about the relationship between the drug war and Indigenous people's human rights violations as an alert and an invitation for social scientists to engage in theoretical and empirical research on this issue.
Association between mystical-type experiences under psychedelics and improvements in well-being or mental health – A comprehensive review of the evidence
Authors: Kangaslampi Samuli
Published: March 2023

Background and aims

Ingestion or administration of classic psychedelics is sometimes associated with improvements in well-being or mental health. Acute mystical-type experiences that psychedelics occasion have been suggested to be related to such improvements. Meanwhile, other features of the psychedelic experience, such as psychological insights and emotional breakthroughs, are also increasingly being studied. This review aimed to collect and assess the available evidence for mystical-type experiences under psychedelics associating with medium-to-long term improvements in well-being or mental health, on their own and as compared with other features of the acute experience.

Methods

I conducted a pre-registered, comprehensive review of existing empirical studies on the topic, based on a systematic search of the literature.

Results

Forty-four eligible studies were found, with most reporting positive associations between mystical-type experiences and improvements in well-being or mental health. The current level of evidence appeared stronger among healthy people, in cross-sectional studies, and for links with positive changes in general well-being and life satisfaction, attitudes and behavior, and anxiety, than for depression or other aspects of well-being and mental health. A few studies suggested that psychological insights and emotional breakthroughs may be as or more closely associated with positive changes than mystical-type experiences.

Conclusions

Despite their significant limitations, the identified studies suggest that mystical-type experiences under psychedelics are associated with improvements in some areas of well-being. However, psychological insights and emotional breakthroughs might be at least as important and should also be measured in future studies.
Participation or eschewal? Final-year secondary school students’ attitudes towards participation in higher education in Cameroon
Authors: Zhao Tongtong , Xu Yuwei
Published: March 2023

In this article we examine students’ attitudes towards participation in higher education in Cameroon and consider the role of personal and socioeconomic factors in their post-school educational trajectories. The data were drawn from a questionnaire survey of 1,860 final-year secondary school students from Yaoundé, Cameroon, as well as supplementary interviews with 16 students. The findings show that the majority of respondents indicated a preference to continue their education after the end of secondary school and participate in some form of higher education. However, contrary to previous studies that identify gender or SES segregation in higher education participation, the findings in this study suggest that the influence of SES and gender on students’ attitudes was minimised in the later stage of secondary schooling. Among the relatively minor external influences, institutional factors surpass family influence, and fathers’ influence is stronger than that of mothers, echoing the patriarchal cultural background in Cameroon. Considering the positive attitudes revealed in this study, it is suggested that more external efforts could be made to respond to students’ optimistic attitudes and smooth their transition processes. Higher education institutions should improve their capability to enrol and accommodate more students and patriarchal culture should also be challenged to boost women’s educational opportunities.
STANISLAVSKI: UM DIÁLOGO ENTRE O TEATRO E A PEDAGOGIA
Authors: Souza Jacqueline Ellen de , Favoreto Aparecida
Published: March 2023

O presente artigo tem como objetivo discutir algumas das categorias pedagógicas encontradas no Sistema de Constantin Stanislavski e analisá-las em relação às concepções de educação formal e não formal. Para isto, pontua-se como estas categorias se situam dentro das obras do autor russo e quais objetivos estas categorias aspiram alcançar. Para entendermos como estas relações ocorrem utiliza-se os escritos de Gohn (2006) e Gadotti (2005) que discutem as características de cada uma das concepções de educação, definindo os seus objetivos educacionais para cada uma das concepções. Para discutirmos acerca das intenções do autor com o seu Sistema, contamos com a base teórica de Benedetti (2005) e para complementarmos as questões relativas ao contexto social e histórico do autor, apoia-se nos trabalhos de Freitas (2009), Favoreto (2008) e Serge (1993). Por fim, aponta-se que a obra de Stanislavski é permeada por categorias da pedagogia, as quais tem como objetivo desenvolver a capacidade interpretação e de apresentação do aluno-ator, podendo trazer contribuições para refletir sobre o processo de ensino e de aprendizagem na perspectiva de integração entre a educação formal e não formal.
Long-term behaviour of coir-fibre-reinforced soils
Authors: Reis Antonio F. S. M. , Freitas Thaís M. , Carvalho Míriam de Fátima , Machado Sandro L.
Published: March 2023

Despite their promising results as reinforcement material, the use of natural fibres often raises concerns about long-term performance and aspects related to biodegradation. This study carried out a comprehensive triaxial testing programme involving treated and non-treated and aged and non-aged specimens to elucidate some aspects of the mechanical behaviour of coir-fibre-reinforced soil. Considering the response of the non-aged composites in triaxial tests, the fibres increased the soil shear strength regardless of the applied surface treatment. However, hornification (cohesion and friction angle increments of 36 kPa and 5°, respectively) was the only treatment that improved the strength of composites compared with that of untreated natural fibres (cohesion and friction angle increments of 26 kPa and 5°, respectively). After 5 months, all the composites except those with coupled treatment (sodium hydroxide (NaOH) + hornification) had higher shear strength than natural soil and strengths similar to those of composites tested just after compaction. Hornificated fibre composites also had the highest shear strength among aged composite samples. The fibre tensile strength behaviour was consistent with mechanical response of the composites, and treated fibres helped prevent superficial soil cracking due to weathering exposure. The results encourage the use of coir-fibre-reinforced soils, mainly in temporary earthworks such as landfill cover layers.
Relationship among Food Intake, Dietary Habit and Immunity among Different Age People in West African Countries during the Covid-19 Pandemic
Authors: O Oluwole , O Ademuyiwa , B Kosoko , G Elemo
Published: March 2023

Poor dietary habits are one of the leading risk factors associated with morbidity, mortality, and disability in the world. Different regions/continents of the world have different dietary patterns which are based on environmental, cultural, technological and socio-economic factors. However, due to urbanization, there has been a steady nutrition transition in many West African countries including Nigeria, Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire and Senegal from their traditional diet made up of traditional staple foods like maize, yam, cassava, plantain, cocoyam, beans, and nuts with vegetables as soups to Westernized diet made up majorly of processed pre-packaged foods which are energy-dense foods or high-fat diet especially among urban dwellers. This transition has in turn had a negative effect on the health and well-being of the populace which can be seen in terms of susceptibility to infection and severity of infection. West Africa has also been reported to have a prevalence of people suffering from malnutrition either due to over-nutrition (over-consumption of high caloric foods with little micronutrients) or under-nutrition (inadequate consumption of both energy and micronutrients) based on nutritional status. This review attempts to show the role of good dietary habits as a means of protecting against Covid-19 infection across different age groups in four major West African countries.
Tea and Herbal Infusions, Psychological Stress, Anxiety & Sleep Health: A Systematic Review of Human Trials & Mechanistic Studies
Authors: E Derbyshire , T Bond , J Ellis
Published: March 2023

Tea is popular global beverage and abundant provider of biologically active plant molecules which have been attributed to its health properties. Relationships between tea drinking and certain aspects of health have been the subject of past reviews. The present systematic review focuses on tea consumption in relation to psychological stress and the challenges of stress and anxiety on sleep health. Publications were searched up to 21st September 2022, in the PubMed database along with references of original articles. Thirty-three publications were included in the main review-17 human trials and 16 mechanistic studies. Human trials were graded to assess quality using the Jadad scale. Overall, a growing body of evidence suggests that tea (including green and oolong) and herbal infusions, at relatively low intakes (around 1 to 2 cups daily), could help to facilitate sleep, alleviate psychological stress and anxiety, primarily by facilitating relaxation. Evidence for black tea, German Chamomile, Lavender, Rose, Jasmine, and Passionflower tea is emerging and looks promising. Ongoing research is needed in the form of randomised controlled trials to build on these provisional findings.
El humor y la ironía en Un mundo para Julius de Alfredo Bryce Echenique
Authors: Rivas Sucari Henry César
Published: March 2023

La obra del escritor peruano Alfredo Bryce Echenique ha sido objeto de múltiples investigaciones desde los estudios literarios y las ciencias sociales, tanto en Perú como en el extranjero. La narrativa peculiar que posee se caracteriza, fundamentalmente, por el tratamiento de temas con representación social peruana, principalmente, ambientados en la segunda parte del siglo XX. Otra línea temática que ejecuta es la que corresponde a las vivencias de los latinoamericanos en Europa. La trama argumental de sus obras trasciende hacia una crítica social desde la perspectiva de los individuos que no encajan en sus sociedades representadas. Para el tratamiento de esta narrativa, utiliza algunas estrategias novedosas, como la oralidad, la intertextualidad, la cultura popular, y el humor y la ironía. En este sentido, el presente artículo analiza la forma en que Bryce Echenique utiliza el humor y la ironía como estrategias efectivas para la articulación de su primera novela, Un mundo para Julius. Para ello, se indaga su propia concepción sobre el humor en la literatura[1].

 

[1]Esta investigación forma parte de la elaboración de la tesis Teoría de la novela en la narrativa de Alfredo Bryce Echenique en el Doctorado en Literatura Peruana y Latinoamericana de la UNMSM.
Buenas prácticas basadas en el nuevo metamodelo colaborativo ágil SKX para el desarrollo de software: un estudio de caso en una entidad bancaria
Authors: Milla-Flores Jose , Gamboa-Cruzado Javier , Sifuentes Damián Aníbal , Rodríguez Kong María
Published: March 2023

Las empresas del sector bancario que crean aplicaciones financieras han replicado productos y servicios, con altas tasas de crecimiento a nivel internacional; pero lamentablemente no lo hacen constantemente, lo que provoca una pérdida de productos innovadores, y no logrando satisfacer las necesidades de los usuarios. En este caso, la investigación tiene como objetivo principal implementar buenas prácticas, aplicando un nuevo metamodelo colaborativo ágil SKX, para mejorar el desarrollo de software en una entidad bancaria. En la investigación se tiene dos etapas: la investigación metodológica —que se ha permitido revisar y analizar las propuestas de XP, KANBAN y SCRUM— con lo cual se elaboró un nuevo metamodelo colaborativo ágil SKX; luego se realizó la investigación experimental aplicando las 5 fases de SKX: inicio, preparación, ejecución, control, y cierre. El diseño de investigación considera dos grupos: Grupo experimental (Ge) y Grupo de control (Gc); mientras que, para validar las hipótesis, se utilizó la prueba t de Student. Además, de las buenas prácticas, la solución ha logrado resultados importantes tales como: aumentar la cantidad despliegue, reducir el tiempo de despliegue, mejorar la exactitud de la información y aumentar la satisfacción de los usuarios.
Predicción de repitencias en estudiantes a nivel escolar usando Machine Learning: una revisión sistemática
Authors: Gamboa-Cruzado Javier , Alvarez-Cuellar Cinthya Y. , Martinez-Medina Shirley , Turpo Chaparro Josue Edison , Sifuentes Damián Aníbal , Rodríguez Kong María
Published: March 2023

El objetivo principal de la investigación es determinar el estado del arte de la investigación acerca de la Predicción de repitencias en estudiantes a nivel escolar usando Machine Learning. Los resultados obtenidos se han centrado en estudios relacionados a los algoritmos y herramientas de Machine Learning más eficientes para la predicción de repitencia estudiantil. Esto se llevó a cabo mediante una revisión sistemática de la literatura (RSL) en base a Machine Learning, para la predicción de estudiantes con repitencia escolar entre los años 2017-2021. La estrategia de búsqueda identificó 47,490 artículos de bibliotecas digitales como ACM Digital Library, ERIC, Google Scholar, IEEE Xplore, Microsoft Academic, Science Direct y Taylor & Francis Online; de las cuales 90 fueron identificados y seleccionados como adecuados para la revisión. En cuanto a las conclusiones, estas presentan respuestas sobre las categorías de variables más aplicadas en la predicción de repitencia escolar en estudiantes, las métricas utilizadas para evaluar los resultados de la predicción de repitencia escolar, autores con mayor productividad en la predicción de repitencia escolar, y los artículos más citados cuyas discusiones y conclusiones se caracterizan por su objetividad y polaridad en las investigaciones sobre la predicción de estudiantes con repitencia escolar usando Machine Learning.
Diseños de las tesis de posgrado de educación: un análisis bibliométrico
Authors: Hurtado Valenzuela Andrew Misael , Sedamano Ballesteros Manuel Alberto , Saavedra Jaramillo de Sedamano Milagritos Josefina , Valenzuela Tarazona Marianela
Published: March 2023

La presente investigación tuvo como objetivo identificar las características de la estructura y el diseño metodológico de las tesis de posgrado en educación desde una perspectiva del análisis bibliométrico. El estudio tuvo un enfoque cuantitativo, alcance descriptivo y corte retrospectivo. Empleó una muestra censal de 80 tesis presentadas por la Unidad de Posgrado de Educación durante el año 2021. Como resultado se obtuvo que la totalidad de las tesis presentaron una estructura completa; el enfoque más recurrente es el cuantitativo; el diseño más utilizado es el correlacional; la temporalidad más frecuente es la transversal y el muestreo más empleado es el no probabilístico. Finalmente, se concluye que estos trabajos para la obtención de grado muestran ser muy organizados; sin embargo, se recomienda fomentar la diversificación en las investigaciones y la elección de diseños de mayor profundidad.
Anti-synthetase syndrome with positive anti-PL-12 antibodies associated with autoimmune hepatitis: case report and literature review
Authors: Jose Octavio Gonzalez Enriquez , Carlos Abud Mendoza , David Alejandro Herrera Van Oostdam
Published: March 2023

Antisynthetase Syndrome (ASS) is a rare chronic autoimmune disorder, associated with interstitial lung diseases (the most important feature), such as Dermatomyositis (DM) and Polymyositis (PM). The cause of ASS is unknown. The hallmark of ASS is the presence of serum autoantibodies directed against aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (anti-ARS involved in protein synthesis). Anti -Jo1 is the most common (20% - 30%); anti-PL12 is present in 2% - 5% of SAS, associated with Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD) in 90%, mainly as Non-Specific Interstitial Pneumonia (NSIP). Autoimmune hepatitis is related to rheumatological diseases (2.7% - 20% in systemic lupus erythematosus, 6% - 47% in primary Sjögren’s syndrome), however, is rare in patients with inflammatory myopathies, and there is no previous reported association with SAS. A literature search was carried out using the PubMed and EMBASE databases in English and Spanish. Our case, a 62-year-old woman who developed polyarthritis, with progressive dyspnea, facial and lower limb edema, proximal muscle weakness, and Raynaud’s phenomenon; high-resolution chest CT, showing pulmonary interstitial disease, consistent with Nonspecific Interstitial Pneumonia (NSIP). She had elevated transaminases and a prolonged prothrombin time, with positive anti-nuclear and anti-smooth muscle antibodies, and was made a diagnosis with autoimmune hepatitis type 1 (HAI). According to this presentation and reports of the literature review, anti-PL12 patients are characteristically associated with a severe phenotype of lung inflammation, that does not necessarily require myositis manifestation. To our knowledge, there is not any case of the antisynthetase syndrome and autoimmune hepatitis reported previously in the literature.
Photolithography for microfluidics v1
Authors: Laohakunakorn Nadanai
Published: March 2023

Photolithography for microfluidic mold fabrication, successfully tested at the Scottish Microelectronics Centre. Produces rounded flow layer using positive resist SPR 220-7 with ~12um features, and rectangular control layer using negative resist SU-8-3035 with ~35um features). Adapted from dx.doi.org/10.17504/protocols.io.46wgzfe / Laohakunakorn et al. 2021 (https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-0716-1032-9_9).
Preparation of Encoding Probes SOP005.v1.5 (PCR, In-vitro Transcription, Reverse Transcription and USER ENZYME Digest) v2
Authors: Kruithoff Rory
Published: March 2023

Document Summary:This document, Preparation of Encoding Probes (SOP005), describes the procedure used to produce the final encoding probes used in multiplexed iterative FISH experiments, from commercially-derived, low-yield yet affordable oligo libraries. To prepare the ordered oligo pool into the final encoding probe set, oligos are amplified using limited-cycle PCR, then amplified again and shortened during in-vitro transcription. We follow the amplification steps with reverse transcription to convert our product back into the intended DNA-based, mRNA target complements and then digest away RNA using Uracil-Specific Excision Reagent (USER) enzyme digest to shorten the probes and alkaline hydrolysis to remove RNA nucleotides leaving single-stranded DNA-based encoding probes. Column purification is used to clean the products at various intermediate steps of the protocol and the final product is concentrated using ethanol precipitation prior to use in experiments. This protocol is strongly derived from Moffitt 2016 (https://doi.org/10.1016/bs.mie.2016.03.020) with some modifications with credit for a majority of this protocol due to Moffitt et al 2016.
Genetic and epigenetic characteristics of non-muscle invasive and muscle invasive bladder cancer in patients infected by human papillomavirus: literature review
Authors: Pulatova A. A. , Dimitriadi S. N. , Kutilin D. S. , Zykova T. A. , Shevchenko A. N. , Goncharov S. I. , Khvan V. K.
Published: March 2023

Infectious diseases and chronic inflammation are important risk factors for the development of malignant tumors in humans. One of the key infectious agents involved in human oncogenesis is the human papillomavirus (HPV). Non-muscle invasive bladder cancer is defined as a superficial neoplasia limited to the mucosa, aggravated by recurrence in 80 % of cases and progression in 30 % of cases. The development of this disease is associated with the influence of various carcinogenic agents, including HPV. Currently, a direct relationship has been revealed between the presence of viral DNA in the tumor tissue of the bladder and markers of proliferative activity, angiogenesis, and apoptosis factors. More and more researchers believe in the involvement of the virus in the development of recurrent forms of bladder cancer and the emergence of its invasive/poorly differentiated forms. Improving the diagnosis and postoperative monitoring of non-muscle invasive and muscle invasive bladder cancer is not possible without the improvement of minimally invasive molecular methods, which requires an understanding of the molecular mechanisms of HPV-associated carcinogenesis.

Therefore, this review focuses on the analysis of the molecular mechanisms of HPV effect on progression of non-muscle invasive and muscle invasive bladder cancer. The features of miRNA expression in patients with papillomavirus infection of high oncogenic risk types and non-muscle invasive or muscle invasive bladder cancer are considered in detail. In particular, the role of miR-34а, -218, -20a, -424, -200a, -205-5p, -944, -100, -99a, -202, -30a, -145-5p, -195 and -199a-5 is described in the development and progression of bladder cancer. The mechanisms of disruption in the functioning of key cell signaling pathways during HPV integration in patients with bladder cancer, including changes in gene copy number and methylation level, are also considered.

However, the number of HPV-positive tumor specimens that have been comprehensively analyzed using genome-wide studies in the literature remains small. Larger patient cohorts would be useful to further refine HPV-associated integration events and genomic changes, as well as to study clinical manifestations of the consequences of these alterations. Further research on the clinical implications of the observed genomic changes is needed to accurately stratify patients for targeted therapy, radiation and chemotherapy.
Study of the action of peripheral blood T-lymphocytes on renal cell carcinoma cells in model systems
Authors: Kuzevanova A. Yu. , Khalmurzaev O. A. , Borunova A. A. , Apanovich N. V. , Zabotina T. N. , Alimov A. A. , Matveev V. B. , Karpukhin A. V.
Published: March 2023

Background. The introduction of immunotherapy based on immune checkpoint inhibitors has significantly improve the effectiveness of kidney cancer treatment. Nevertheless, not all patients respond to such treatment and there are no reliable predictive markers. Therefore, the development of a model system for assessing the cellular immune response to a tumor seems to be an urgent task.

Aim. Development of a model to assess the T-cell immune response was the focus of this study.

Materials and methods. Primary tumor cell culture and peripheral blood T-cell fraction were obtained under standard sterile conditions. T-cell activation were perform via anti-CD3 and anti-CD28 antibodies. The cell index was assessed using the RTCA xCELLigence biosensor technology (ACEA Biosciences, USA).

Results. Tumor and T-cells from the same patient were cultured together to assess the growth rate of the tumor cell population. Measurements were taken at 30-minute intervals. The duration of observation was 24 hours. It has been shown that non-activated T-cells do not affect the proliferative properties of cultured cancer cells. On the contrary, activated T-cells suppressed the proliferative properties of cancer cells, which was associated with an increase in the proportion of Т-cells carrying the HLA-DR receptor (CD3+HLA–DR+) because of activation. Tumor-specific T-cell activity can lead to three consequences: lack of effect, partial suppression of proliferative properties, and complete death of tumor cells. In the latter case, the absence of such cells was determined by flow cytometry.

Conclusion. The developed approach makes it possible to evaluate the cytotoxic properties of T cells in relation to tumor cells in a particular patient. The advantage of this method is that the measurement can be carried out in the presence of immune checkpoint inhibitors. The proposed method may be useful for evaluating the treatment regimen within the framework of personalized therapy.