bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Presence of a mouse mammary tumour virus-like in feline lymphomas: a preliminary study
Authors: Parisi Francesca , Lessi Francesca , Menicagli Michele , Civita Prospero , Liotti Romano , Millanta Francesca , Freer Giulia , Pistello Mauro , Mazzanti Chiara Maria , Poli Alessandro
Published: June 2022

The mouse mammary tumour virus (MMTV) is implicated in the aetiology of murine mammary carcinomas and a variant of it, the type B leukemogenic virus, can cause murine thymic lymphomas. Interestingly, a MMTV-like virus is suspected to be involved in human breast cancer and feline mammary carcinomas. However, to date, no cases of MMTV-like sequence amplifications have been described in lymphoid neoplasms in veterinary literature. The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of env nucleotide sequences and protein 14 (p14) of a MMTV-like virus in fifty-three feline lymphoma samples. Our results show that MMTV-like sequences were detected in 5/53 tumours (9.4%): three gastrointestinal lymphomas (one B-type diffuse large, one B-type small non-cleaved, and one T-type diffuse mixed lymphoma); and two nasal lymphomas (one B-type diffuse small cleaved lymphoma and one B-type diffuse mixed lymphoma). P14 expression was detected in the cytoplasm, and rarely in nuclei, exclusively of neoplastic cells from PCR-positive tumours. The correlation between the presence of the MMTV-env like sequences (MMTVels) and p14 antigen was statistically significant in nasal lymphomas. All cats with MMTVels-positive lymphoma had a history of contact with the outdoor environment and/or catteries, and two deceased subjects shared their environment with cats that also died of lymphoma. In conclusion, this study succeeds in demonstrating the presence of MMTVels and p14 in feline lymphomas. The characterization of the immunophenotype of MMTVels-positive lymphomas could contribute to the understanding of a possible role of a MMTV-like virus in feline tumour aetiology. The significant association between the presence of the viral sequences in lymphoid tumours and their nasal localization, together with the data collected through supplementary anamnesis, should be further analysed in order to understand the epidemiology of the virus.
Mental health stigma and discrimination in Ethiopia: evidence synthesis to inform stigma reduction interventions
Authors: Girma Eshetu , Ketema Bezawit , Mulatu Tesfahun , Kohrt Brandon A. , Wahid Syed Shabab , Heim Eva , Gronholm Petra C. , Hanlon Charlotte , Thornicroft Graham
Published: June 2022

Background

People with mental illnesses are at an increased risk of experiencing human rights violations, stigma and discrimination. Even though mental health stigma and discrimination are universal, there appears to be a higher burden in low- and middle-income countries. Anti-stigma interventions need to be grounded in local evidence. The aim of this paper was to synthesize evidence on mental health stigma and discrimination in Ethiopia to inform the development of anti-stigma interventions.

Methods

This evidence synthesis was conducted as a part of formative work for the International Study of Discrimination and Stigma Outcomes (INDIGO) Partnership research program. Electronic searches were conducted using PubMed for scientific articles, and Google Search and Google Scholar were used for grey literature. Records fulfilling eligibility criteria were selected for the evidence synthesis. The findings were synthesized using a framework designed to capture features of mental health stigma to inform cultural adaptation of anti-stigma interventions.

Results

A total of 37 records (2 grey literature and 35 scientific articles) were included in the evidence synthesis. Some of these records were described more than once depending on themes of the synthesis. The records were synthesized under the themes of explanatory models of stigma (3 records on labels and 4 records on symptoms and causes), perceived and experienced forms of stigma (7 records on public stigma, 6 records on structural stigma, 2 records on courtesy stigma and 4 records on self-stigma), impact of stigma on help-seeking (6 records) and interventions to reduce stigma (12 records). Only two intervention studies assessed stigma reduction— one study showed reduced discrimination due to improved access to effective mental health care, whereas the other study did not find evidence on reduction of discrimination following a community-based rehabilitation intervention in combination with facility-based care.

Conclusion

There is widespread stigma and discrimination in Ethiopia which has contributed to under-utilization of available mental health services in the country. This should be addressed with contextually designed and effective stigma reduction interventions that engage stakeholders (service users, service providers, community representatives and service developers and policy makers) so that the United Nations universal health coverage goal for mental health can be achieved in Ethiopia.
A Trying Time: Problematic Internet Use (PIU) and its association with depression and anxiety during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Lakkunarajah Sinduja , Adams Keisha , Pan Amy Y. , Liegl Melodee , Sadhir Mandakini
Published: June 2022

Background

The prevalence of problematic Internet use (PIU) among adolescents and young adults (AYA) was approximately 9–11% before the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of PIU among AYAs (especially younger adolescents) during the COVID-19 pandemic using the Problematic and Risky Internet Use Screening Scale (PRIUSS). Additionally, we examined the relationship between PIU, depression and anxiety among AYAs during the same period.

Methods

A descriptive-analysis survey study was completed over a 6-month period from January 4, 2021, to June 30, 2021. It was conducted at a tertiary care Adolescent Medicine Clinic with AYAs age 12–21. The PRIUSS screened for PIU, the PHQ-9A [Patient Health Questionnaire-9A] screened for depression, and the GAD-7 [General Anxiety Disorder-7] screened for generalized anxiety. Fisher’s exact test, the Mann–Whitney test and Spearman correlations were performed.

Results

A positive PRIUSS score was observed in 18% of the 447 participants. Of these participants, 44% had a pre-existing diagnosis of depression, 39% had a pre-existing diagnosis of anxiety and 29% had a pre-existing diagnosis of depression and anxiety. There was a positive correlation between PRIUSS, PHQ-9A and GAD-7 total scores. A higher PRIUSS score was associated with a higher PHQ-9A and GAD-7 score (p < 0.001). There was also a positive correlation between a positive PRIUSS score and a pre-existing diagnosis of depression (p < 0.001).

Conclusions

This study showed a higher prevalence of PIU during the COVID-19 pandemic using the PRIUSS. In addition, a positive correlation between PRIUSS scores and pre-existing diagnosis of depression, positive GAD-7 and PHQ-9A scores was noted. In conclusion, medical providers should consider screening for PIU in AYAs with positive mental health screens.
Diversity-aware unmanned vehicle team arrangement in mobile crowdsourcing
Authors: Li Yu , Feng Haonan , Peng Zhankui , Zhou Li , Wan Jian
Published: June 2022

With the continuous development of mobile edge computing and the improvement of unmanned vehicle technology, unmanned vehicle could handle ever-increasing demands. As a significant application of unmanned vehicle, spatial crowdsourcing will provide an important application scenario, which is about to organize a lot of unmanned vehicle to conduct the spatial tasks by physically moving to its locations, called task assignment. Previous works usually focus on assigning a spatial task to one single vehicle or a group of vehicles. Few of them consider that vehicle team diversity is essential to collaborative work. Collaborative work is benefits from organizing teams with various backgrounds vehicles. In this paper, we consider a spatial crowdsourcing scenario. Each vehicle has a set of skills and a property. The property denotes vehicle’s special attribute (e.g., size, speed or weight). We introduce a concept of entropy to measure vehicle team diversity. Each spatial task (e.g., delivering the take-out, and carrying freight) is under the time and budget constraint, and required a set of skills. We need to assure that the assigned vehicle team is diverse. To address this issue, we first propose a practical problem, called team diversity spatial crowdsourcing (TD-SC) problem which finds an optimal team-and-task assignment strategy. Moreover, we design a framework which includes a greedy with diversity (GD) algorithm and a divide-and-conquer (D&C) algorithm to get team-and-task assignments. Finally, we demonstrate efficiency and effectiveness of the proposed methods through extensive experiments.
A review of national action plans on antimicrobial resistance: strengths and weaknesses
Authors: Willemsen Angela , Reid Simon , Assefa Yibeltal
Published: June 2022

Background

The World Health Organization developed the Global Action Plan on Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) as a priority because of the increasing threat posed to human health, animal health and agriculture. Countries around the world have been encouraged to develop their own National Action Plans (NAPs) to help combat AMR.

The objective of this review was to assess the content of the NAPs and determine alignment with the Global Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance using a policy analysis approach.

Body

National Action Plans were accessed from the WHO Library and systematically analysed using a policy analysis approach for actors, process, context and content. Information was assessed using a ‘traffic light’ system to determine agreeance with the five WHO Global Action Plans objectives.

A total of 78 NAPs (70 WHO approved, eight not approved) from the five global regions were analysed. National action plans which provided more information regarding the consultative process and the current situation regarding AMR allowed greater insight to capabilities of the country. Despite the availability of guidelines to inform the development of the plans, there were many differences between plans with the content of information provided. High income countries indicated greater progression with objectives achievement while low and middle-income countries presented the need for human and financial resources.

Conclusion

The national action plans provide an overview of activities underway to combat AMR globally. This analysis reveals how disconnected the process has been and how little information is being gathered globally.
Extraordinary quasi-16-day wave activity from October 2013 to January 2014 with radar observations at mid-latitudes and MERRA2 reanalysis data
Authors: Huang Xiansi , Huang Kaiming , Zhang Shaodong , Huang Chunming , Gong Yun , Cheng Hao
Published: June 2022

Combining two meteor radar observations at mid-latitudes and MERRA2 reanalysis data, we report an extraordinary quasi-16-day wave (Q16DW) activity in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere (MLT) from about October 2013 to January 2014. The Q16DW is not only active for a long period, but also unrelated to stratospheric sudden warming (SSW), while 7-year radar observations indicate that strong waves and oscillations in the MLT at mid-latitudes occur generally in winter, and are almost always associated with SSW and stratospheric final warming (SFW), except the extraordinary Q16DW. Meanwhile, during the SSW and SFW in February and March 2014, the observation and reanalysis data show that an intense Q16DW arises in the stratosphere but is not present in the MLT. The two Q16DWs are obviously distinguished from each other. The exceptional Q16DW shows a slowly downward phase progression from the MLT to the troposphere with predominant wavenumber 1, while the second Q16DW has a steeper vertical phase in the stratosphere with predominant wavenumber 2. Although the eastward winds prevail, these Q16DWs are weakened and evanescent in the region with the westward wind and negative refractive index. EP flux vector indicates that these waves originate mainly from the lower atmosphere at mid- and high-latitudes, and are intensified in the middle stratosphere. The first Q16DW may make a little contribution to polar vortex intensification due to small EP flux divergence. However, the Q16DW in the SSW has a strong negative divergence almost in the whole polar stratosphere, implying an important role in the stratospheric zonal wind reduction in the SSW.

Graphical Abstract
Sex determination based on morphometric measurements in yellow-legged gulls (Larus michahellis) around Istanbul
Authors: Pazvant Gülsün , İnce Nazan Gezer , Özkan Ermiş , Gündemir Ozan , Avanus Kozet , Szara Tomasz
Published: June 2022

Background

Yellow-legged gulls (Larus michahellis), commonly found in Istanbul and their surroundings, have a monomorphic plumage, like other gull species. For this reason, sex determination cannot be made externally. In this study, a total of 60 adult Yellow-legged gulls, 33 males, and 27 females, collected from the coastal areas of Istanbul, were examined. Discriminating functions were developed to classify males and females using birds that were previously sexed by DNA analysis and abdominal dissection.

Results

Head length and bill depth were selected to build the discriminant function by the stepwise analysis. The function classified male gulls with an accuracy of 97.0% and females with an accuracy of 92.6%. Head length alone is the most accurate predictor in terms of the percentage of correct sex determination (90.9% for males, 92.6% for females).

Conclusions

Functions that can easily determine sexual dimorphism for the population ofLarus michahellisgulls around Istanbul have been put forward for the first time.
ARG1 as a promising biomarker for sepsis diagnosis and prognosis: evidence from WGCNA and PPI network
Authors: Zhang Jing-Xiang , Xu Wei-Heng , Xing Xin-Hao , Chen Lin-Lin , Zhao Qing-Jie , Wang Yan
Published: June 2022

Background

Sepsis is a life-threatening multi-organ dysfunction caused by the dysregulated host response to infection. Sepsis remains a major global concern with high mortality and morbidity, while management of sepsis patients relies heavily on early recognition and rapid stratification. This study aims to identify the crucial genes and biomarkers for sepsis which could guide clinicians to make rapid diagnosis and prognostication.

Methods

Preliminary analysis of multiple global datasets, including 170 samples from patients with sepsis and 110 healthy control samples, revealed common differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in peripheral blood of patients with sepsis. After Gene Oncology (GO) and pathway analysis, the Weighted Gene Correlation Network Analysis (WGCNA) was used to screen for genes most related with clinical diagnosis. Also, the Protein-Protein Interaction Network (PPI Network) was constructed based on the DEGs and the hub genes were found. The results of WGCNA and PPI network were compared and one shared gene was discovered. Then more datasets of 728 experimental samples and 355 control samples were used to prove the diagnostic and prognostic value of this gene. Last, we used real-time PCR to confirm the bioinformatic results.

Results

Four hundred forty-four common differentially expressed genes in the blood of sepsis patients from different ethnicities were identified. Fifteen genes most related with clinical diagnosis were found by WGCNA, and 24 hub genes with most node degrees were identified by PPI network. ARG1 turned out to be the unique overlapped gene. Further analysis using more datasets showed that ARG1 was not only sharply up-regulated in sepsis than in healthy controls, but also significantly high-expressed in septic shock than in non-septic shock, significantly high-expressed in severe or lethal sepsis than in uncomplicated sepsis, and significantly high-expressed in non-responders than in responders upon early treatment. These all demonstrate the performance of ARG1 as a key biomarker. Last, the up-regulation of ARG1 in the blood was confirmed experimentally.

Conclusions

We identified crucial genes that may play significant roles in sepsis by WGCNA and PPI network. ARG1 was the only overlapped gene in both results and could be used to make an accurate diagnosis, discriminate the severity and predict the treatment response of sepsis.
Development of an interdisciplinary early rheumatoid arthritis care pathway
Authors: Gukova Xenia , Hazlewood Glen S. , Arbillaga Hector , MacMullan Paul , Zimmermann Gabrielle L. , Barnabe Cheryl , Choi May Y. , Barber Megan R. W. , Charlton Alexandra , Job Becky , Osinski Kelly , Hartfeld Nicole M. S. , Knott Marlene W. , Pirani Paris , Barber Claire E. H.
Published: June 2022

Background

To develop an interdisciplinary care pathway for early rheumatoid arthritis (RA) including referral triage, diagnosis, and management.

Methods

Our process was a four-phase approach. In Phase 1, an anonymous survey was electronically distributed to division rheumatologists. This provided data to a small interprofessional working group of rheumatology team members who drafted an initial care pathway informed by evidence-based practice in Phase 2. In Phase 3, an education day was held with approximately 40 physicians (rheumatologists and rheumatology residents), members of our interprofessional team, and two clinic managers to review the proposed care elements through presentations and small group discussions. The care pathway was revised for content and implementation considerations based on feedback received. Implementation of the care pathway and development of strategies for evaluation is ongoing across multiple practice sites (Phase 4).

Results

Our care pathway promotes an approach to patient-centered early RA care using an interdisciplinary approach. Care pathway elements include triage processes, critical diagnostics, pre-treatment screening and vaccinations, and uptake of suggested RA pharmacologic treatment using shared decision-making strategies. Pathway implementation has been facilitated by nursing protocols and evaluation includes continuous monitoring of key indicators.

Conclusion

The ‘Calgary Early RA Care Pathway’ emphasizes a patient-centered and interdisciplinary approach to early RA identification and treatment. Implementation and evaluation of this care pathway is ongoing to support, highest quality care for patients.
Risk-based management framework for microplastics in aquatic ecosystems
Authors: Mehinto Alvine C. , Coffin Scott , Koelmans Albert A. , Brander Susanne M. , Wagner Martin , Thornton Hampton Leah M. , Burton Allen G. , Miller Ezra , Gouin Todd , Weisberg Stephen B. , Rochman Chelsea M.
Published: June 2022

Microplastic particles (MPs) are ubiquitous across a wide range of aquatic habitats but determining an appropriate level of risk management is hindered by a poor understanding of environmental risk. Here, we introduce a risk management framework for aquatic ecosystems that identifies four critical management thresholds, ranging from low regulatory concern to the highest level of concern where pollution control measures could be introduced to mitigate environmental emissions. The four thresholds were derived using a species sensitivity distribution (SSD) approach and the best available data from the peer-reviewed literature. This included a total of 290 data points extracted from 21 peer-reviewed microplastic toxicity studies meeting a minimal set of pre-defined quality criteria. The meta-analysis resulted in the development of critical thresholds for two effects mechanisms: food dilution with thresholds ranging from ~ 0.5 to 35 particles/L, and tissue translocation with thresholds ranging from ~ 60 to 4100 particles/L. This project was completed within an expert working group, which assigned high confidence to the management framework and associated analytical approach for developing thresholds, and very low to high confidence in the numerical thresholds. Consequently, several research recommendations are presented, which would strengthen confidence in quantifying threshold values for use in risk assessment and management. These recommendations include a need for high quality toxicity tests, and for an improved understanding of the mechanisms of action to better establish links to ecologically relevant adverse effects.
Ethics Consultation Requests After Implementation of an Electronic Health Record Order
Authors: Marathe Priya H. , Zhang Hao , Blackler Liz , Stetson Peter D. , Voigt Louis P. , Friedman Danielle Novetsky
Published: June 2022

PURPOSE:

As the role of clinical ethics consultation in health care advances, there are calls to standardize the process of consultation. The Ethics Committee at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) hypothesized that the process of requesting an ethics consultation could be improved by instituting an electronic health record (EHR) order for consultation requests. This report summarizes the impact of adopting an EHR order for ethics consultation requests at MSK.

METHODS:

This retrospective review of all clinical ethics consultations requested at a tertiary cancer center from May 2017 to February 2020 spans 17 months before and after implementation of an electronic order for consultation requests. Summary statistics are presented using Pearson chi-square analyses with a significance level of 0.05.

RESULTS:

There was a significant increase in the total number of consultation requests placed after implementation of the EHR order (n = 165, 0.08% of total patients) compared with before (n = 108, 0.05% of total patients; P = .007). The number of consults requested by providers from inpatient ( P = .02) and outpatient ( P = .04) settings significantly increased. The proportion of consults placed by medical versus nonmedical providers remained unchanged ( P = .32).

CONCLUSION:

In this large single-institution retrospective study, implementation of an EHR order for ethics consultation requests was associated with a significant increase in the number of consultation requests. Implementation of an electronic order may decrease barriers to ethics consultation in diverse practice settings. Further longitudinal, multicenter studies are needed to assess strategies to improve access to clinical ethics consultation for oncology patients.
Disparities in Biomarker Testing and Clinical Trial Enrollment Among Patients With Lung, Breast, or Colorectal Cancers in the United States
Authors: Bruno Debora S. , Hess Lisa M. , Li Xiaohong , Su Eric Wen , Patel Monaliben
Published: June 2022

PURPOSE

Comprehensive tumor biomarker testing is a fundamental step in the selection of highly effective molecularly driven therapies for a variety of solid tumors. The primary objective of this study was to examine racial differences in biomarker testing and clinical trial participation in the United States using a real-world database.

METHODS

Patients in a real-world deidentified database diagnosed with advanced/metastatic non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC), or metastatic breast cancer were eligible. Biomarker testing and clinical trial participation was compared between Black and White racial groups using chi-squared test and stepwise logistic regression controlling for baseline covariates.

RESULTS

A total of 23,488 patients met eligibility criteria. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) testing rates differed significantly between White versus Black race before first-line therapy (36.6% v 29.7%, P < .0001) and at any given time (54.7% v 43.8%, P < .0001) in the nonsquamous NSCLC cohort. Similar disparities in NGS testing rates at any time during the study were observed among patients with CRC (White 51.6%; Black 41.8%, P < .0001). No differences were observed in the breast cancer cohort. Patients of Black race were less likely to be treated in a clinical trial in the overall NSCLC cohort when compared with White counterparts (3.9% v 2.1%, P = .0002). A statistically significant relationship between biomarker/NGS testing and clinical trial enrollment was observed in all cohorts ( P < .003) after adjusting for covariates.

CONCLUSION

In a real-world database, significant disparities in NGS-based testing rates were observed between Black and White races in NSCLC and CRC. NGS and any biomarker testing were both associated with trial enrollment in all cohorts. There is a need for interventions to promote access to comprehensive testing for patients with advanced/metastatic tumors.
Comparison of 3 Different AMH Assays With AMH Levels and Follicle Count in Women With Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
Authors: Moolhuijsen Loes M E , Louwers Yvonne V , Laven Joop S E , Visser Jenny A
Published: June 2022

Context

Anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) levels strongly correlate with the number of antral follicles (total follicle count, TFC) in the ovary. In women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), this is reflected by significantly increased serum AMH levels. Different assays have been developed to measure AMH. However, little is known about the interassay correlation in women with increased AMH levels.

Objective

To investigate the correlation of AMH values between different AMH assays and with TFC in PCOS patients.

Methods

AMH levels were measured in 1660 PCOS patients, using 3 different AMH assays: Gen II (Beckman Coulter); picoAMH (Ansh Labs); and Elecsys (Roche). Passing Bablok regression was used to compare assay methods. Spearman’s correlation was used to correlate AMH levels and TFC.

Results

Strong interassay correlations were present over the total range of AMH levels (0.81-0.94). Stratification in subgroups, revealed an AMH level–dependent interassay correlation with strong interassay correlations in the low (<2.80 ng/mL) and high (>7.04 ng/mL) subgroups (0.62-0.86). However, the correlation in the mid-AMH subgroup (2.80-7.04 ng/mL) was only moderate (0.28-0.56). A strong correlation was present between the total range of AMH levels and TFC (0.57-0.62). However, in all 3 AMH subgroups the correlation became moderate at best, independently of assay method (0.11-0.45).

Conclusion

In conclusion, both the interassay correlation and the correlation between AMH level and follicle count depend on the range of serum AMH levels. This once more emphasizes the need of a standardization of AMH measurement for an accurate interpretation of AMH in clinical practice.
Thyrotropin Receptor Antibodies in Early Pregnancy
Authors: Uldall Torp Nanna Maria , Bruun Niels Henrik , Christensen Peter Astrup , Handberg Aase , Andersen Stig , Andersen Stine Linding
Published: June 2022

Context

Thyrotropin (TSH) receptor antibodies (TRAb) are important when distinguishing between Graves’ and gestational hyperthyroidism, but sparse evidence exists on the recommended cutoff during pregnancy.

Objective

This work aimed to establish a method- and pregnancy-specific cutoff for TRAb, to describe the frequency of TRAb positivity in early pregnancy, and to follow up the women in the years after pregnancy.

Methods

This cohort study used the North Denmark Region Pregnancy Cohort and Danish nationwide registers of women in the North Denmark Region who had a blood sample drawn in early pregnancy, 2011 to 2015, that was stored in a biobank for assessment of thyroid function and thyroid autoantibodies. A cutoff value for TRAb was established in a reference cohort (n = 524) and used to identify TRAb-positive and TRAb-negative hyperthyroidism in early pregnancy for evaluation of frequency and follow-up.

Results

The method- and cohort-specific cutoff for TRAb in early pregnancy was 0.98 IU/L (95% CI, 0.96-0.99 IU/L). Among women with low TSH in early pregnancy and no known thyroid disease (n = 414), 21 women (5.1%) were TRAb positive and 393 (94.9%) were TRAb negative. Follow-up in the years following the pregnancy (median 8.1 years) revealed that 52.4% of women with TRAb-positive hyperthyroidism and 8.4% of the women with TRAb-negative hyperthyroidism were diagnosed with hyperthyroidism.

Conclusion

This is the first study to measure TRAb in a large group of women in early pregnancy and to establish a pregnancy-specific cutoff. Results reveal that TRAb-negative hyperthyroidism is predominant in early pregnancy and rarely associated with later development of hyperthyroidism.
Treaty on Open Skies in a regional context: The implications of the US and the Russia’s decisions to withdraw from the treaty for the security of South Caucasus and Georgia
Authors: Suwara Ewa M.
Published: June 2022

The Treaty on Open Skies has been an important legal instrument contributing to global arms control in recent years. Signed in 1992, the Treaty on Open Skies allows the monitoring and collection of data on military potential through observation flights over one another’s territories, thus becoming a confidence-building and transparency measure among its signatories. The recent decisions by the US and Russia to withdraw from this agreement impact the security situation globally and regionally. They reflect a gradual erosion of the architecture of arms control that has been introduced since the end of the Cold War. Georgia remains the only state in the South Caucasus to be a signatory to this Treaty. It is also the only state in the region to remain (since 2008) in a conflict with Russia. While striving to join the EU and NATO, it lies on the land of strategic importance to Russia and other regional and global players.

The main objective of this publication is to discuss the importance of the Treaty on Open Skies, considering its specificity from a regional perspective, and to assess the implications of the withdrawals of the US and Russia from the Treaty on security in Georgia and in the South Caucasus. Using a descriptive approach and legal-political analysis, the author discusses the creation, functioning, and causes of the breakdown of this legal-institutional system, while looking at its importance for global arms control and security related consequences it may trigger for the region.

A closer look at the South Caucasus highlights the author’s belief in the Treaty’s critical role in the region and the importance of preserving its existence.
Prensa, poder y autonomismo andaluz: el caso de la Asamblea Regional Andaluza (1933)
Authors: Hijano del Río Manuel , Ruiz Romero Manuel
Published: June 2022

Esta investigación tiene como objetivos examinar si la prensa estudiada pretende determinar, influir, orientar o dirigir el debate público ante una situación política novedosa y única en la Historia de Andalucía y, con ello, marcar la actuación política del poder y, en segundo lugar, en caso positivo, identificar las estrategias usadas para conseguir esos fines. Este artículo focaliza su objeto de investigación en la prensa editada en Andalucía entre los años 1931 y 1934, donde se incluyen cabeceras tanto de ámbito local como las de carácter general. En total, se han analizado 35 periódicos, elegidos bajo los criterios de abarcar todo el espectro ideológico -desde los conservadores- hasta la extrema izquierda, incluyendo la prensa nacionalista/regionalista andaluza- así como, en el caso de la prensa local, las ocho provincias que componen la región andaluza. Se confirma que la prensa escrita jugó un papel destacado a la hora de perfilar una posición frente al proceso autonomista andaluz durante la Segunda República. En el caso que nos ocupa, los intereses de cada enfoque se vieron reflejados en todos los números y utilizaron diferentes estrategias tanto dilatorias como dinamizadoras.
La pluralidad lingüística en la transición: ¿una cuestión prioritaria para los semanarios españoles?
Authors: García Martín Juan Andrés
Published: June 2022

El periodo transcurrido entre la muerte de Franco y la aprobación de la Constitución constató varias reclamaciones por parte de la sociedad española. La democratización del país solo sería posible mediante unas elecciones libres, una amnistía y el reconocimiento de los particularismos regionales. En este sentido, la nueva prensa surgida al calor de las liberalizaciones ejecutadas por el régimen franquista entre 1966 y 1974 potenció estas peticiones, pero al mismo tiempo estableció un orden de prioridades. El presente artículo analiza los contenidos de las principales publicaciones semanales de información (Cambio16, Doblón, Posible y Guadiana) ante la pluralidad lingüística y su posible reconocimiento. A partir de ello, este texto plantea un triple objetivo: demostrar que la reivindicación territorial ocupó un papel secundario en los contenidos editoriales de estas publicaciones; demostrar cómo estas publicaciones prefirieron los informes y reportajes como fórmula para reclamar el reconocimiento lingüístico; y concretar su postura ante la pluralidad idiomática y conocer las diferencias de opinión.
Andalucía en campaña: opinión publicada y política durante las primeras elecciones autonómicas (1982)
Authors: Reguero Sanz Itziar , Herrero Izquierdo Jacobo
Published: June 2022

La campaña electoral de mayo de 1982 en Andalucía contó con varios elementos que la colocaron en el centro político y mediático del país. En primer lugar, se trataba de las primeras elecciones autonómicas en la región, la cual había conquistado excepcionalmente su derecho al autogobierno por la vía constitucional del artículo 151. En segundo lugar, estos comicios eran una prueba para analizar el pulso político del conjunto del país, ya que poco después se celebrarían unas elecciones generales que se adelantaron a octubre de ese mismo año. Por último, la propaganda de la Confederación de Empresarios Andaluces y su ataque al PSOE destapó un debate cuyo eco en los diarios no pasó desapercibido. El presente artículo analiza la prensa a través de las opiniones y los editoriales publicados por El País, ABC y Diario 16. Se pretende examinar cómo estas voces mediáticas trasladaron a la opinión pública lo sucedido en aquella campaña inserta en los episodios finales de la Transición y en Andalucía, una autonomía que había sido clave en el proceso de descentralización territorial.
Local Value Chains in European MNEs
Authors: Thomas Catherine
Published: June 2022

Ghemawat’s work in international business strategy demonstrates that Multinational Enterprises (MNEs) create value both by overcoming and by exploiting the price differences that exist at country borders. This paper evaluates the investment strategies of MNEs with subsidiaries in the 10 Central and Eastern Europe countries (CEEs) that had joined the European Union by 2007 through the lens of this insight. The data show that subsidiaries’ activities vary with the parent MNE’s home location. The CEE subsidiaries of Western European MNEs are more likely to be producing output that can be traded across country borders, particularly when their output differs from the main product of their parent company. The findings suggest Western European MNEs tend to invest in CEE countries to fragment value chains across the region, exploiting factor cost arbitrage opportunity in a semiglobalized world.
A educação de mulheres e o imaginário contemporâneo
Authors: Esquinsani Rosimar Serena Siqueira
Published: June 2022

O texto aponta resultados de pesquisa que prescrutou alguns dos (muitos) discursos de ódio publicizados atualmente pelas redes sociais, apontando representações coetâneas acerca da educação feminina e o ódio às mulheres na internet.  O texto foi aportado em uma metodologia analítico-reconstrutiva, estruturada pela descrição e ilustração de formas atuais de imaginário em relação a mulher, capturadas de reportagens que mencionam a educação de mulheres nos tempos atuais.  Para tanto, foi constituído um corpus empírico de 12 (doze) reportagens publicadas entre 2017 e 2021, com destaque para os comentários do leitor produzidos para cada uma das reportagens.  Dos achados da pesquisa, destacamos a representação de manifestações de ódio específicas à educação feminina, desnudando compreensões e imaginários acerca da mulher, dos seus direitos e dos processos de educação a ela destinados a partir de dois aspectos pronunciados: a) o espaço doméstico como espaço feminino e b) a mulher e o direito a verdade. Concluímos pela presença, ainda que condensada aos limites metodológicos do presente texto, de elementos do imaginário ou das representações acerca da educação de mulheres no mundo contemporâneo que, de fato, assinalam discursos de ódio contra a mulher, os seus direitos e os processos de educação a ela destinados.
UMA PERSPECTIVA CONTEMPORÂNEA DA MENTE HUMANA
Authors: Klimiuk Sinigaglia Bárbara
Published: June 2022

Resumo: A ciência cognitiva, é um campo de estudo não homogêneo e repleto de debates frutíferos. Contemporaneamente as teses originais cognitivistas estão sendo revistas, especialmente em relação às noções de representação interna enquanto melhor ferramenta explicativa do que caracteriza a cognição. Abordagens recentes postulam cognição humana enquanto um processo não exclusivo do cérebro, ou dos processos de ativação das redes neurais, mas um sistema que para além dos aspectos cerebrais também inclui a estrutura corporal do agente, a condição desse no espaço e no tempo, o ambiente e os andaimes disponíveis para o uso atento na resolução dos desafios cognitivos. Um dos filósofos da atualidade com maior envolvimento com a ciência cognitiva é Andy Clark, que foi por nós eleito para uma abordagem cuidadosa de suas propostas sobre a mente e a cognição humana. Especialmente por sua postura interdisciplinar, compatibilista e integradora sobra a qual desenvolveu sua interpretação sobre a razão e o pensamento humano enquanto um processo dinâmico e em continua transformação. Neste artigo apresentamos um panorama das diferentes áreas nas quais o filósofo e investigador da cognição buscou fundamentação para sua própria abordagem reconhecida como a mente estendida, uma vez que não limitada aos processos cerebrais.
REDES SOCIAIS E AGIR COMUNICATIVO
Authors: Cândido da Silva Josué
Published: June 2022

O objetivo deste artigo é analisar como o fenômeno das chamadas redes sociais atuam de forma a produzir aquilo que Habermas denomina de patologias do mundo da vida, ou seja, como elas interferem na reprodução simbólica do mundo da vida através do uso performativo da linguagem. Nossa análise terá como foco a teoria do agir comunicativo de Habermas, de um ponto de vista filosófico, sem a pretensão de uma análise aprofundada dos impactos políticos e sociais das redes sociais, embora estes não possam ser simplesmente ignorados. Basicamente, defendemos a tese de que as redes sociais se pautam pelo uso estratégico da linguagem e tendem a ocupar espaços que antes eram o lócus da reprodução do mundo da vida através do uso comunicativo da linguagem. Este novo fenômeno é resultado de mudanças estruturais no capitalismo que transformam as pessoas não só em consumidores de informação e entretenimento, mas também em produtores dessas mercadorias que são apropriadas, na maioria das vezes, de forma gratuita pelas empresas do setor e utilizadas como forma de ampliar a manipulação, vigilância e controle sobre os usuários.
Spatial Transformation in the Context of Refunctioning and Sustainability; Nicosia Eagle Eye Boutique Hotel
Authors: ABBASOĞLU ERMİYAGİL M. Selen , SUNALP GÜRÇINAR Cemaliye
Published: June 2022

Günümüzde toplumların yaşamış olduğu sosyo-kültürel, ekonomik ve salgınlara bağlı değişimler, insanların ihtiyaçlarını değiştirmektedir. Tarihi yapılar toplumların ekonomik, sosyal ve kültürel birikimleri ile inşa edildikleri dönemin kentsel ve mimari üslubunu yansıtmaktadır. Yapıların korunarak, yeni bir işlevle kullanılması ve gelecek nesillere aktarılması sosyo-kültürel sürdürülebilirlik açısından önemlidir. Lefkoşa-Suriçi kenti tarihi yapıların yoğun olarak bulunduğu alanlardan biridir. Bu alan içerisinde konumlanan birçok tarihi konut yapısı yeniden işlevlendirilerek kullanılmaktadır. Bu yapıların bir veya birkaçı bir araya getirilerek ve/veya yapılan yeni eklemelerle; butik otel, restoran, kafe… vb. gibi yeni işlevlere dönüşerek kentsel yaşama katılmaya başlamıştır. Buna bağlı olarak yeniden işlevlendirilerek kullanılan, No: 16 Celaliye Sokak’ta bulunan Nicosia Eagle Eye Butik otel çalışma kapsamına alınmıştır. Çalışmanın amacı yeniden işlevlendirilen tarihi bir konutun mimari, yapısal ve mekânsal özellikleri ele alınarak yeni işlevinde yapılan mekânsal dönüşümlerin (yerinde) analiz edilerek değerlendirilmesidir. Mekânsal dönüşüm analizleri sonucunda Nicosia Eagle Eye Butik Otel’in korunma, sosyo-kültürel sürdürülebilirlik, yeni işleve adaptasyon ve kent dokusuna olan katkıları ortaya çıkartılmıştır. Sonuç olarak, yapılmış ve yapılacak olan yeni işlev değişikliklerinin hem koruma hem de sürdürülebilirlik açısından daha verimli kullanılabilmesi için öneriler geliştirilmiştir.
Theoretical and experimental study of a highly sensitive SPR biosensor based on Au grating and Au film coupling structure
Authors: Cai Haoyuan , Wang Mengwei , Liu Jing , Wang Xiaoping
Published: June 2022

A high-sensitivity surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensor based on the coupling of Au grating and Au film is investigated through simulations and experiments. The SPR sensor is designed by using a hybrid method composed of genetic algorithm (GA) and rigorous coupled wave analysis (RCWA). The numerical results indicate the sensor has an angular sensitivity of 397.3°/RIU (refractive index unit), which is approximately 2.81 times higher than the conventional Au-based sensor and it is verified by experiments. Theoretical analysis, by finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method, demonstrates the co-coupling between surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) propagating on the surface of Au film and localized surface plasmons (LSPs) in the Au grating nanostructure, improving the sensitivity of the SPR sensor. According to the optimized structural parameters, the proposed sensor is fabricated using e-beam lithography and magnetron sputtering. In addition, the proposed sensor is very sensitive to the detection of small molecules. The limit of detection (LOD) for okadaic acid (OA) is 0.72 ng/mL based on an indirect competitive inhibition method, which is approximately 38 times lower than the conventional Au sensor. Such a high-sensitivity SPR biosensor has potential in the applications of immunoassays and clinical diagnosis.
Intelligent evaluation for lens optical performance based on machine vision
Authors: Ren Zhonghe , Fang Fengzhou , Li Zihao , Niu Rui
Published: June 2022

Optical performance evaluation is a critical process in the production of collimating lenses. However, the current visual inspection of lens light-spot images is inefficient and prone to fatigue. Intelligent detection based on machine vision and deep learning can improve evaluation efficiency and accuracy. In this study, a dual-branch structure light-spot evaluation model based on deep learning is proposed for collimating lens optical performance evaluation, and a lens light-spot image dataset is built, containing 9000 images with corresponding labels. Experimental results show that the proposed model achieves accurate classification of lens optical performance evaluation. Combined with the proposed weighted multi-model voting strategy, the performance of the model is further improved, and the classification accuracy successfully reaches 98.89%. Through the developed application software, the proposed model can be well applied to the quality inspection in collimating lens production.
Temporal contrast enhancement via nonlinear elliptical polarization rotation in a solid thin plate
Authors: Song Jiajun , Shen Liya , Sun Jianyu , Peng Yujie , Leng Yuxin
Published: June 2022

We demonstrate the simultaneous temporal contrast enhancement and spectral broadening via nonlinear elliptical polarization rotation in a solid thin plate. The efficiency, temporal contrast enhancement, spectral broadening, pulse compression and power stability are experimentally investigated. With this simple and efficient scheme, the temporal cleaned pulses with energy of 325 µJ and total efficiency of 30% are obtained. The temporal contrast and spectral bandwidth of the filtered pulse are 1011 and 104 nm, respectively. The pulse compressed from 180 fs to 45.8 fs is realized by utilizing chirped mirrors, corresponding to a compression factor of 3.93. With stable output power, presented scheme could be implemented in the ultra-intense femtosecond laser facilities.
Multiresonant analysis improves the limit of detection of tilted fiber Bragg grating refractometers
Authors: Kelly-Richard Alexandre , Albert Jacques
Published: June 2022

A multiresonant approach based on tracking 27 cladding mode resonances of tilted fiber Bragg grating refractometers is shown to improve the limit of detection by a factor of 3 to 4 relative to the conventional approach of tracking the single-most sensitive resonance. Limits of detection below 2 × 10−5 in index change are achieved for dilutions of ethanol in water in repeated experiments. In all cases, wavelengths are referenced to the core mode resonance which eliminates the effect of small temperature changes during and between experiments.
Femtosecond laser point-by-point Bragg grating inscription in BDK-doped step-index PMMA optical fibers: erratum
Authors: Hu Xuehao , Chen Zhen , Cheng Xin , Min Rui , Qu Hang , Caucheteur Christophe , Tam Hwa-Yaw
Published: June 2022

An erratum is presented to correct the laser pulse energy applied on
the fiber during grating fabrication in Opt. Lett.
47(2), 249
(2022)10.1364/OL.450047.
Modeling cortical synaptic effects of anesthesia and their cholinergic reversal
Authors: Eniwaye Bolaji P. , Booth Victoria , Hudetz Anthony G. , Zochowski Michal
Published: June 2022

General anesthetics work through a variety of molecular mechanisms while resulting in the common end point of sedation and loss of consciousness. Generally, the administration of common anesthetics induces reduction in synaptic excitation while promoting synaptic inhibition. Exogenous modulation of the anesthetics’ synaptic effects can help determine the neuronal pathways involved in anesthesia. For example, both animal and human studies have shown that exogenously induced increases in acetylcholine in the brain can elicit wakeful-like behavior despite the continued presence of the anesthetic. However, the underlying mechanisms of anesthesia reversal at the cellular level have not been investigated. Here we apply a computational model of a network of excitatory and inhibitory neurons to simulate the network-wide effects of anesthesia, due to changes in synaptic inhibition and excitation, and their reversal by cholinergic activation through muscarinic receptors. We use a differential evolution algorithm to fit model parameters to match measures of spiking activity, neuronal connectivity, and network dynamics recorded in the visual cortex of rodents during anesthesia with desflurane in vivo. We find that facilitating muscarinic receptor effects of acetylcholine on top of anesthetic-induced synaptic changes predicts the reversal of anesthetic suppression of neurons’ spiking activity, functional connectivity, as well as pairwise and population interactions. Thus, our model predicts a specific neuronal mechanism for the cholinergic reversal of anesthesia consistent with experimental behavioral observations.