bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
UPAYA MENINGKATKAN HASIL BELAJAR KIMIA MELALUI PENERAPAN PROBLEM BASED LEARNING PADA SISWA KELAS XI SMAN 1 PARADO
Authors: Munandar Arif
Published: October 2021

Keterampilan abad 21 menitikberatkan kepada kemampuan untuk berpikir kritis, menyelesaikan masalah, komunikasi dan kerjasama yang merupakan bagian dari HOTS (High Order Thinking Skills) atau kemampuan berpikir tingkat tinggi yang sangat perlu dimiliki oleh peserta didik sebagai bekal dalam menghadapi tantangan global. Salah satu tujuan khusus Pendidikan Pancasila dan Kewarganegaraan (PPKn) dalam Kurikulum 2013 adalah mengembangkan peserta didik agar mampu berpikir secara kritis, rasional, dan kreatif serta memiliki semangat kebangsaan serta cinta tanah air yang dijiwai oleh nilai-nilai Pancasila, Namun masalah yang terjadi adalah peserta didik lebih banyak menerima begitu saja materi yang diberikan oleh guru tanpa mempertimbangkan dengan lebih cermat, sehingga kurang mendorong peserta didik berpikir kritis. Oleh karena itu pembelajaran kimia dibutuhkan model pembelajaran yang berorientasi pada peserta didik sehingga mampu mengembangkan kemampuan berpikir kritis dan memecahkan masalah yang dihadapi dalam kehidupan sehari-hari. Problem-Based Learning (PBL) merupakan salah satu model pembelajaran yang dapat diterapkan pada pembelajaran kimia Kurikulum 2013 karena dapat mendorong peserta didik untuk berpikir kritis, keterampilan menyelesaikan masalah, menghubungkan pengetahuan mengenai masalah-masalah, dan isu-isu dunia nyata.
PENGARUH MODEL PEMBELAJARAN INQUIRY TERBIMBING TERHADAP PEMAHAMAN KONSEP KIMIA SISWA DI MAN 2 KOTA BIMA TAHUNPELAJARAN 2019/2020
Authors: Annafy Nurfidianti , Perkasa Magfirah , Agustina Sry , Mutmainnah Putri Ayu , Sari Ela Purnama
Published: October 2021

Telah dilakukan penelitian tentang pengaruh model pembelajaran inquiry terbimbing terhadap pemahaman konsep kimia siswa di MAN 2 Kota Bima tahun pelajaran 2019/2020. Tujuan utama penelitian adalah apakah ada pengaruh model pembelajaran inquiry terbimbing terhadap pemahaman konsep kimia siswa di MAN 2 Kota Bima tahun pelajaran 2019/2020. Popoulasi dalam penelitian ini adalah seluruh kelas X IPA . sedangkan sampelnya kelas X IPA1 sebagai kelas kontrol dan X IPA2 sebagai kelas eksperimen dengan jumlah siswa 45 orang dan X IPA2 sebagai kelas kontrol dengan jumlah siswa 45 orang. Instrumen yang digunakan pada penelitian ini berupa tes (pretest dan posttest ). Untuk mengetahui tingkat kemampuan pemahaman konsep siswa dilakukan dengan menggunakan uji Mann Whitney U dengan bantuan SPSS versi 16. Berdasarkan hasil analisis data bahwa nilai rata-rata siswa kelas eksperimen adalah 89,67 sedangkan kelas kontrol sebesar 84,51. Perbandingan antara kedua nilai rata-rata tersebut terlihat jelas bahwa nillai rata-rata tersebut terlihat jelas bahwa nilai rata-rata kelas eksperimen jauh lebih besar dibandingkan kelas kontrol. Berdasarkan hasil data yang dihitung dengan menggunakan uji Mann Whitney U  dengan bantuan SPSS versi 16 dengan taraf signifikasi < 0,05 H0 ditolak sebaliknya jika nilai Asymp. Sig. > 0,05, maka Ha diterima dengan nilai signifikan Asymp. Sig. (2-tailed) sebesar -,557. Maka dapat disimpulkan dalam penelitian ini terdapat pengaruh model pembelajaran inquiry terbimbing terhadap pemahaman konsep kimia siswa di MAN 2 Kota Bima.
Pengaruh Model Pembelajaran Talking Stick Tehadap Hasil Belajar Matematis Siswa SMA
Authors: Cahyani Yeni , Sowanto Sowanto
Published: October 2021

Penelitian ini dilatarbelakangi oleh rendahnya hasil belajar matematika siswa kelas XI SMAN 1 Soromanti Kabupaten Bima-NTB tahun pelajaran 2020/2021. Untuk mengatasi hal tersebut, dikembangkan pembelajaran dengan talking stick dalam memfasilitasi siswa untuk meningkatkan hasil belajar matematikanya. Adapun tujuan dari penelitian ini  adalah untuk mengetahui pengaruh model pembelajaran talking stick terhadap hasil belajar matematika siswa pada materi persamaan trigonometi kelas XI SMAN 1 Soromanti tahun pelajaran 2020/2021. Penelitian ini merupakan penelitian quasi eksperimen dengan desain penelitian menggunakan nonequivalent control group design (desain kelompok kontrol non-ekuivalen) dengan teknik purposive sampling. Populasi dalam penelitian ini adalah seluruh siswa kelas XI SMAN 1 Soromandi Tahun Pelajaran 2020/2021, dengan sampel dua kelas yang dipilih secara acak. Instrumen dalam penelitian ini berupa tes hasil belajar matematika siswa dalam bentuk uraian. Analisis data dilakukan dengan mengunakan uji-t dan uji nonparametrik Mann-Whitney U. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan terdapat pengaruh penggunaan model pembelajaran talking stick terhadap hasil belajar matematika siswa di SMAN 1 Kabupaten Bima-NTB Tahun Pelajaran 2020/2021.
Kemampuan Berpikir Kreatif Matematika Materi Kubus Dan Balok Siswa MTsN 1 Makassar
Authors: Mutmainah Mutmainah -
Published: October 2021

This study aims to reveal students' mathematical creative thinking skills which include indicators of fluency, flexibility, and originality by describing students' answers in solving cube and block problems. This research was conducted on the superior grade VIII students of MTsN 1 Makassar, totaling 39 students. The research subjects were taken as many as 6 people using the criteria for high, medium, and low group levels, every 2 students at each level. The instrument used is a creative thinking ability test, which consists of 4 items of description with qualitative descriptive analysis. The results showed that the students' mathematical creative thinking skills including the three indicators were very good based on the percentage value of each indicator being above 50%. In the fluency indicator, the percentage value is 100% for item number 1 and 95.83% for question number 2, the percentage value of the flexibility indicator for item number 2 and 4 is 95.83% and 91.67%, respectively, and the percentage value of the novelty indicator is questions number 2 and 4 are 75% and 70.83%, respectively. From the three indicators above, the percentage value of students' creative thinking ability is low when compared to the other two indicators, this shows that students are less able to produce unusual answers/ideas and the suitability of the answers given is very irrelevant to the problem.
An Impossible Prayer: Ethics between Performative and Constative
Authors: Aldieri Eric
Published: October 2021

This article takes up the blurred distinction between performative and constative utterances in an effort to develop a quotidian and idiomatic conception of prayer as perjurious testimony. Focusing on a passage in the recently published Le parjure et le pardon seminars, I argue that a quotidian and idiomatic conception of prayer is one whose function interminably oscillates between constative and performative, rendering the distinction between these two uses of language indiscernible. This oscillation plays not to prayer's detriment, but instead serves as the animating force behind prayer and the impossible ethical desire prayer expresses. The impossibility of a prayer whose desire is rendered perjurious by the state of affairs from which it emerges opens onto a number of political, ethical, and theological concerns that the second half of the paper addresses. By reading Simone Weil's reflections on the ‘Our Father’ in light of Derrida's considerations above, I argue that prayer's impossibility is a condition of possibility for its ability to produce real effects in the world it betrays.
Drivetime
Authors: Pearce Lynne
Published: October 2021

What sorts of things do we think about when we’re driving – or being driven – in a car? Drivetime seeks to answer this question by drawing upon a rich archive of British and American texts from ‘the motoring century’ (1900-2000), paying particular attention to the way in which the practice of driving shapes and structures our thinking. While recent sociological and psychological research has helped explain how drivers are able to think about ‘other things’ while performing such a complex task, little attention has, as yet, been paid to the form these cognitive and affective journeys take. Pearce uses her close readings of literary texts – ranging from early twentieth-century motoring periodicals, Modernist and inter-war fiction, American ‘road-trip’ classics, and autobiography – in order to model different types of ‘driving-event’ and, by extension, the car’s use as a means of phenomenological encounter, escape from memory, meditation, problem-solving and daydreaming. The textual case-studies include: H.V. Morton and Edwin Muir; Jack Kerouac and Patricia Highsmith; Neil Young and Joan Didion; Elizabeth Bowen and Rosamund Lehmann.
Церковные праздники русского народа: от прошлого к настоящему
Authors:   Институт этнологии и антропологии Российской академии наук, Кириченко Олег , Шляхтина Наталья , Воронина Татьяна , Кремлева Ирина , Листова Татьяна , Тульцева Людмила , Фролова Александра , Цеханская Кира , Юренко Анастасия
Published: October 2021

Книга посвящена культуре проведения народом церковных праздников. Речь идет о нескольких феноменах: культуре заговления на пост и разговления; современном опыте проведения церковных праздников, в том числе на русско украинско белорусском пограничье, обетном празднике; реконструкции обрядности Средокрестного дня, описании религиозного пространства русских святок; о проблемах трансформации дореволюционного народного месяцеслова в советское время на примере Архангельского Севера; об особенностях народного участия в празднике Успения Богородицы; о приходском празднике в его современных формах на примере празднования прихожанами московских храмов важнейших двунадесятых праздников Церкви; и, наконец, о современном церковном празднике, проходящем в семейной обстановке. Для этнологов, антропологов, историков и широкого круга читателей.
Relaciones entre el desarrollo morfosintáctico y la Teoría de la Mente: Estudio de un caso de un niño con Síndrome de Asperger
Authors: Latorre Cosculluela Cecilia
Published: October 2021

La evidencia empírica recogida hasta la fecha ofrece argumentos a favor del indudable papel que desempeña la dimensión morfosintáctica del lenguaje en el desarrollo de habilidades de Teoría de la Mente. No obstante, un gran porcentaje de estas investigaciones se ha llevado a cabo con poblaciones de niños con desarrollo típico, por lo que se requieren más estudios que analicen estos aspectos en niños con síndrome de Asperger. El objetivo de este trabajo ha sido examinar el desarrollo morfosintáctico con relación a las habilidades de Teoría de la Mente de un niño Asperger. Se han estudiado además sus habilidades narrativas por ser un factor clave en el desempeño en tareas que implican directamente el desarrollo de capacidades de Teoría de la Mente, adoptándose para ello el método cualitativo de estudio de caso (n=1) con un enfoque interpretativo. Los datos extraídos indican que el mayor número de errores morfosintácticos detectados en este niño se relacionan con la construcción de complementos oracionales y la utilización de pronombres personales. La evaluación de estos aspectos utilizando secuencias narrativas ha permitido averiguar que un gran porcentaje de estos errores se localiza en las tareas que requieren la implicación directa de habilidades de Teoría de la Mente, mientras que las narraciones más ricas y completas se han producido en aquellas historias en las que no se han visto comprometidas estas habilidades.
Itch Beyond the Skin—Mucosal Itch
Authors: Lesslar Olivia J. Ly , Smith Peter K.
Published: October 2021

Itch is a nociceptive sensation linked with reflexes and cognitive motor actions. We traditionally think of itch as a sensation of the skin related to allergy, an insect sting or interestingly, anxiety and frustration. Less understood and considered are the physiological processes involved in the itching sensation that occurs at mucosal and junctional dermal sites, which is extraordinary as from an evolutionary point of view these sites serve important guardian roles, rich in sensory nerves and inflammatory cells. Despite itch being an ancient reflex and evolutionarily conserved phenomenon, better clinical understanding of the nuances between sites of itch sensation may lead to improved clinical outcomes. This review invites readers to appreciate itch beyond the skin by highlighting several specific itch patterns—nasal, oral, auricular, vulvovaginal, anal, and perineal itch—the pathophysiological mechanisms that underlie them, the clinical patterns these may cause, and some unique treatments.
Stack-Layer Dual-Element Ultrasonic Transducer for Broadband Functional Photoacoustic Tomography
Authors: Luo Xiaofei , Cai Yiqi , Chen Zeyu , Shan Han , Sun Xin , Lin Qibo , Ma Jianguo , Wang Bo
Published: October 2021

Current Photoacoustic tomography (PAT) approaches are based on a single-element transducer that exhibits compromised performance in clinical imaging applications. For example, vascular, tumors are likely to have complicated shapes and optical absorptions, covering relatively wide spectra in acoustic signals. The wide ultrasonic spectra make it difficult to set the detection bandwidth optimally in advance. In this work, we propose a stack-layer dual-element ultrasonic transducer for PAT. The central frequencies of the two piezoelectric elements are 3.06 MHz (99.3% bandwidth at –6 dB) and 11.07 MHz (85.2% bandwidth at –6 dB), respectively. This transducer bridges the sensitivity capability of ultrasound and the high contrast of optical methods in functional photoacoustic tomography. The dual-element transducer enabled multiscale analysis of the vascular network in rat brains. Using a multi-wavelength imaging scheme, the blood oxygen saturation was also detected. The preliminary results showed the great potential of broad-bandwidth functional PAT on vascular network visualization. The method can also be extended to whole-body imaging of small animals, breast cancer detection, and finger joint imaging.
Tet1 Regulates Astrocyte Development and Cognition of Mice Through Modulating GluA1
Authors: Xu Weize , Zhang Xicheng , Liang Feng , Cao Yuhang , Li Ziyi , Qu Wenzheng , Zhang Jinyu , Bi Yanhua , Sun Chongran , Zhang Jianmin , Sun Binggui , Shu Qiang , Li Xuekun
Published: October 2021

Tet (Ten eleven translocation) family proteins-mediated 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC) is highly enriched in the neuronal system, and is involved in diverse biological processes and diseases. However, the function of 5hmC in astrocyte remains completely unknown. In the present study, we show that Tet1 deficiency alters astrocyte morphology and impairs neuronal function. Specific deletion of Tet1 in astrocyte impairs learning and memory ability of mice. Using 5hmC high-throughput DNA sequencing and RNA sequencing, we present the distribution of 5hmC among genomic features in astrocyte and show that Tet1 deficiency induces differentially hydroxymethylated regions (DhMRs) and alters gene expression. Mechanistically, we found that Tet1 deficiency leads to the abnormal Ca2+ signaling by regulating the expression of GluA1, which can be rescued by ectopic GluA1. Collectively, our findings suggest that Tet1 plays important function in astrocyte physiology by regulating Ca2+ signaling.
The Novel Positive Allosteric Modulator of the GABAB Receptor, KK-92A, Suppresses Alcohol Self-Administration and Cue-Induced Reinstatement of Alcohol Seeking in Rats
Authors: Maccioni Paola , Kaczanowska Katarzyna , Lawrence Harshani , Yun Sang , Bratzu Jessica , Gessa Gian Luigi , McDonald Patricia , Colombo Giancarlo
Published: October 2021

Positive allosteric modulators (PAMs) of the GABAB receptor (GABAB PAMs) are of interest in the addiction field due to their ability to suppress several behaviors motivated by drugs of abuse. KK-92A is a novel GABAB PAM found to attenuate intravenous self-administration of nicotine and reinstatement of nicotine seeking in rats. This present study was aimed at extending to alcohol the anti-addictive properties of KK-92A. To this end, Sardinian alcohol-preferring rats were trained to lever-respond for oral alcohol (15% v/v) or sucrose (0.7% w/v) under the fixed ratio (FR) 5 (FR5) schedule of reinforcement. Once lever-responding behavior had stabilized, rats were exposed to tests with acutely administered KK-92A under FR5 and progressive ratio schedules of reinforcement and cue-induced reinstatement of previously extinguished alcohol seeking. KK-92A effect on spontaneous locomotor activity was also evaluated. Treatment with 10 and 20 mg/kg KK-92A suppressed lever-responding for alcohol, amount of self-administered alcohol, and breakpoint for alcohol. Treatment with 20 mg/kg KK-92A reduced sucrose self-administration. Combination of per se ineffective doses of KK-92A (2.5 mg/kg) and the GABAB receptor agonist, baclofen (1 mg/kg), reduced alcohol self-administration. Treatment with 5, 10, and 20 mg/kg KK-92A suppressed reinstatement of alcohol seeking. Only treatment with 80 mg/kg KK-92A affected spontaneous locomotor activity. These results demonstrate the ability of KK-92A to inhibit alcohol-motivated behaviors in rodents and confirm that these effects are common to the entire class of GABAB PAMs. The remarkable efficacy of KK-92A is discussed in terms of its ago-allosteric properties.
Advances in the Mechanisms Affecting Meniscal Avascular Zone Repair and Therapies
Authors: Yan Wenqiang , Dai Wenli , Cheng Jin , Fan Yifei , Wu Tong , Zhao Fengyuan , Zhang Jiahao , Hu Xiaoqing , Ao Yingfang
Published: October 2021

Injuries to menisci are the most common disease among knee joint-related morbidities and cover a widespread population ranging from children and the general population to the old and athletes. Repair of the injuries in the meniscal avascular zone remains a significant challenge due to the limited intrinsic healing capacity compared to the peripheral vascularized zone. The current surgical strategies for avascular zone injuries remain insufficient to prevent the development of cartilage degeneration and the ultimate emergence of osteoarthritis (OA). Due to the drawbacks of current surgical methods, the research interest has been transferred toward facilitating meniscal avascular zone repair, where it is expected to maintain meniscal tissue integrity, prevent secondary cartilage degeneration and improve knee joint function, which is consistent with the current prevailing management idea to maintain the integrity of meniscal tissue whenever possible. Biological augmentations have emerged as an alternative to current surgical methods for meniscal avascular zone repair. However, understanding the specific biological mechanisms that affect meniscal avascular zone repair is critical for the development of novel and comprehensive biological augmentations. For this reason, this review firstly summarized the current surgical techniques, including meniscectomies and meniscal substitution. We then discuss the state-of-the-art biological mechanisms, including vascularization, inflammation, extracellular matrix degradation and cellular component that were associated with meniscal avascular zone healing and the advances in therapeutic strategies. Finally, perspectives for the future biological augmentations for meniscal avascular zone injuries will be given.
New Analytical Method for Quantifying Flavoring Chemicals of Potential Respiratory Health Risk Concerns in e-Cigarette Liquids
Authors: Page Michelle K. , Goniewicz Maciej L.
Published: October 2021

Numerous flavoring chemicals are added to e-cigarette liquids to create various flavors. Flavorings provide sensory experience to users and increase product appeal; however, concerns have been raised about their potential inhalation toxicity. Estimating potential health risk of inhaling these chemicals has been challenging since little is known about their actual concentrations in e-cigarette products. To date, a limited number of analytical methods exist to measure the concentrations of flavoring chemicals in e-cigarette products. We have developed an analytical method that accurately and precisely measures the concentrations of 20 flavoring chemicals of potential inhalation risk concerns: 2,3,5-trimethylpyrazine, acetoin, benzaldehyde, benzyl alcohol, butanoic acid, dl-limonene, ethyl maltol, ethyl salicylate, ethyl vanillin, eucalyptol, eugenol, furaneol, isovanillin, l-menthol, maltol, methyl salicylate, pulegone, trans-cinnamaldehyde, triacetin, and vanillin. Calibration and QC solutions were prepared in 50:50 propylene glycol (PG):vegetable glycerin (VG) and 5% H2O and flavoring concentrations ranging from 0.02 to 10.00 mg/ml. Samples of commercial e-cigarette liquids, calibration and QC solutions were combined with 30 µL of an internal standard mix (benzene-d6, pyridine-d5, chlorobenzene-d5, naphthalene-d8 and acenaphthene-d10; 1 mg/ml each) and were diluted 100-fold into methanol. Analysis was performed on an Agilent 7890B/7250 GC/Q-TOF using a DB-624UI column (30 m x 0.25 mmID x 1.4 μm film thickness), with a total runtime of 13.5 min. Calibration curves were fit using a weighted quadratic model and correlations of determination (r2) values exceeded 0.990 for all chemicals. Bias and precision tests yielded values less than 20% and lower limits of quantitation (LLOQ) ranged from 0.02 to 0.63 mg/ml. Over 200 commercially available products, purchased or collected from adult e-cigarette users and spanning a range of flavor categories, were evaluated with this method. Concentrations of pulegone, a suspected carcinogen, varied from below limit of quantitation (BLOQ) to 0.32 mg/ml, while acetoin and vanillin, known precursors to more cytotoxic byproducts, ranged from BLOQ to 1.52 mg/ml and from BLOQ to 16.22 mg/ml, respectively. This method features a wide dynamic working range and allows for a rapid routine analysis of flavoring additives in commercial e-cigarette liquids.
Adventure Mode: A Speculative Rideshare Design
Authors: Sherman Stephanie , Smith Ash Eliza , Forster Deborah , Emmenegger Colleen
Published: October 2021

Most smart city projections presume efficiency, predictability, and control as core design principles for smart transportation. Adventure Mode is a speculative design proposal developed as part of a research project with a major automotive company that proposes uses and interactions for Autonomous Vehicles (AVs) and rideshare advancements that defy these normative presumptions. Adventure Mode reframes the focus of moving vehicles from destination-based experiences to journey-based ones. Adventure Mode pushes the probabilities for unexpected encounters and anonymous play in increasingly predictable and predicted urban environments. It embraces the submission to algorithmic decision and chance as a ludic modality in human-computer interactions and urban artificial intelligence.
Geodesic Uncertainty in Diffusion MRI
Authors: Sengers Rick , Florack Luc , Fuster Andrea
Published: October 2021

We study theoretical and operational issues of geodesic tractography, a geometric methodology for retrieving biologically plausible neural fibers in the brain from diffusion weighted magnetic resonance imaging. The premise is that true positives are geodesics in a suitably constructed metric space, but unlike traditional first order methods these are not a priori constrained to connect nongeneric points on subdimensional manifolds, such as the characteristics in traditional streamline methods. By virtue of the Hopf-Rinow theorem geodesic tractography furnishes a huge amount of redundancy, ensuring the a priori existence of at least one tentative fiber between any two points and permitting additional tractometric and data-extrinsic constraints for (fuzzy or crisp) classification of true and false positives. In our feasibility study we consider a hybrid paradigm that unifies existing ideas on tractography, combining deterministic and probabilistic elements in a way naturally supported by metric geometry. Particular attention is paid to an analytical prediction of geodesic deviation on numerically computed geodesics, a ‘tidal’ effect induced by small perturbations resulting from data noise. Taking these effects into account clarifies the inherent uncertainty of geodesics, while simultaneosuly offering a dimensionality reduction of the tractography problem.
Coronary Revascularization in Patients With Stable Coronary Artery Disease: The Role of Imaging
Authors: Neglia Danilo , Maroz-Vadalazhskaya Natallia , Carrabba Nazario , Liga Riccardo
Published: October 2021

In the last decades, the effective management of some cardiovascular risk factors in the general population has led to a progressive decrease in the prevalence of coronary artery disease (CAD). Nevertheless, coronary heart disease remains the major cause of death in developed and developing countries and chronic coronary syndromes (CCS) are still a major target of utilization of non-invasive cardiac imaging and invasive procedures. Current guidelines recommend the use of non-invasive imaging in patients with CCS to identify subjects at higher risk to be referred for invasive coronary angiography and possible revascularization. These recommendations are challenged by two opposite lines of evidence. Recent trials have somewhat questioned the efficacy of coronary revascularization as compared with optimal medical therapy in CCS. As a consequence the role of imaging in these patients and in in patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy is under debate. On the other hand, real-life data indicate that a consistent proportion of patients undergo invasive procedure and are revascularized without any previous non-invasive imaging characterization. On top of this, the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the sanitary systems caused a change in the current management of patients with CAD. In the present review we will discuss these conflicting data analyzing the evidence which has been recently accumulated as well as the gaps of knowledge which should still be filled.
Influence of Rainfall Conditions on Stability of Slope Reinforced by Polymer Anti-slide Pile
Authors: Wang Yuke , Han Musen , Lin Xiaoying , Li Dongbiao , Yu Hongliang , Zhu Lei
Published: October 2021

Traditional reinforced concrete piles have high strength and low cost in slope engineering, but the slow forming and long maintenance period make it difficult to meet the needs of emergency and disaster relief tasks, such as landslides caused by rainfall. In this paper, the influence of a new type of polymer anti-slide pile on slope stability under rainfall conditions is studied. With the advantages of fast forming, high strength, simple construction technology, and small disturbance to slope, the new type of anti-slide pile can meet the requirements of emergency and disaster relief tasks. The influence of different rainfall duration, rainfall form, location, and spacing of pile laying on the stability of rainfall slope is explored with fluid-solid coupling analysis. The results show that the slope stability gradually deteriorates with the increase of the peak duration of rainfall intensity. Without rainfall conditions, the reinforcement effect is optimal when the position of pile cloth is 1/2–3/4 L away from the foot of the slope (L is the horizontal length of the slope); with rainfall conditions, when the position of pile cloth is 1/4–1/2 L away from the foot of the slope, the reinforcement effect is optimal. Without rainfall conditions, the reduction of pile spacing can improve the reinforcement effect; with rainfall conditions, the reduction of pile spacing will affect the flow and discharge of seepage rainwater and reduce the reinforcement effect.
Continued STEM Commitment in Light of 2020 Events: A Perspective From the Illinois Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation
Authors: Botanga Christopher , Blanc Suzanne , Jones LeRoy , Day Michelle , Charles Mariel
Published: October 2021

We evaluated the impact of the current COVID-19 pandemic and systemic racism on Underrepresented Minority (URM) students pursuing higher education in the STEM fields. Given the ongoing pandemic and the wave of protests in response to a series of police brutalities and systemic racism, URM students were thrown into uncharted territory. We reached out to a group of Black and Latino students who were already engaged in STEM. We began surveys and interviews by asking participants how they were and how their family and communities were doing. Next, participants answered questions about academic progress, challenges, and what support would be helpful. Our framework was based on a mixed-methods approach that draws on the work of Michael Patton (Qualitative Research & Evaluation Methods: Integrating Theory and Practice, 2014) and Veronica Thomas (American Journal of Evaluation, 2016, 38 (1), 7–28). Qualitative data from interviews were collected to capture perceptions, experiences, and recommendations of the study participants. Survey data were collected to reach as many students as possible and to provide numerical self-assessments of student experience, progression, and obstacles. All qualitative data were coded thematically using Atlas. ti, with the goal of illuminating emerging themes, and quantitative data were reviewed using descriptive statistics. Themes emerging from both data sets were compared, contrasted, and integrated in order to develop consistent findings that would enhance URM student perseverance and persistence in the face of confounding adversities. This study shows that ILSAMP COVID-19 Study participants maintained a commitment to pursuing a career in STEM. The findings of this study also indicate that the participants are stressed by their immediate circumstances and by the ongoing racism of U.S. society. These students ask for additional financial, academic, and networking support during the disruptions caused by the pandemic. More specifically, students request continued advising and connection with STEM professionals who can help them envision and enact a pathway to their own careers in STEM during this tumultuous period. The study validates the importance of key elements of the national LSAMP model as reported by Clewell et al. (Revitalizing the Nation’s Talent Pool in STEM, 2006). These are: academic integration, social integration, and professional integration. In addition, it identifies several other factors that are key to student success, including interventions that directly address racial trauma and economic hardship.
Differences in the Seed Germination of Leymus chinensis (Poaceae) Ecotypes Reveal Distinct Strategies for Coping With Salinity Stress: A Common Garden Experiment
Authors: Ma Meng-Yao , Ma Hong-Yuan , Wang Lei , Qi Wen-Wen , Li Shao-Yang , Zhao Dan-Dan
Published: October 2021

Soil salinity is important abiotic stress affecting various ecosystems worldwide such as grassland. Distinct ecotypes often evolve within species by natural selection to facilitate adaptation to different types of environmental stress. Leymus chinensis is a perennial rhizomatous grass that is widely distributed in the eastern Eurasian steppe; it has two main ecotypes, namely, yellow-green (YG) and gray-green (GG), which differ in their strategy for coping with salinity stress. Few studies have examined the seed germination of the two ecotypes under salinity stress. In this study, the seed germination and seedling growth of two ecotypes of L. chinensis in response to different levels of salinity (NaCl) stress [0 (control), 20, 50, 100, and 200 mM] were examined. Then, ungerminated seeds were placed under normal conditions to evaluate seedling growth following exposure to salt stress (i.e., regermination). The germination percentage was significantly higher, and the mean germination time was significantly shorter in the GG ecotype than in the YG ecotype at all NaCl concentrations. As the salinity level increased, the radicle length of the two ecotypes decreased; however, GG had longer radicles and a higher number of radicles, even at 200 mM NaCl when no radicle protruding from the seed coat was detected in YG. The shoot length of GG was significantly longer than that of YG at all NaCl levels. After salinity stress was removed, the seed germination percentage increased as the original concentration of NaCl applied increased, but the total germination percentage did not significantly differ among NaCl concentrations. The total seed germination percentage of GG was approximately 80%, whereas that of the YG was approximately 20%. The seedling length of regerminated seeds for both GG and YG was similar. The thousand-grain weight of GG was significantly higher than that of YG. GG was more salt-tolerant than YG and might be better capable of surviving in harsher environments, suggesting that GG might be particularly useful for saline grassland restoration.
Progress in Gene Editing Tools and Their Potential for Correcting Mutations Underlying Hearing and Vision Loss
Authors: Botto Catherine , Dalkara Deniz , El-Amraoui Aziz
Published: October 2021

Blindness and deafness are the most frequent sensory disorders in humans. Whatever their cause — genetic, environmental, or due to toxic agents, or aging — the deterioration of these senses is often linked to irreversible damage to the light-sensing photoreceptor cells (blindness) and/or the mechanosensitive hair cells (deafness). Efforts are increasingly focused on preventing disease progression by correcting or replacing the blindness and deafness-causal pathogenic alleles. In recent years, gene replacement therapies for rare monogenic disorders of the retina have given positive results, leading to the marketing of the first gene therapy product for a form of childhood hereditary blindness. Promising results, with a partial restoration of auditory function, have also been reported in preclinical models of human deafness. Silencing approaches, including antisense oligonucleotides, adeno-associated virus (AAV)–mediated microRNA delivery, and genome-editing approaches have also been applied to various genetic forms of blindness and deafness The discovery of new DNA- and RNA-based CRISPR/Cas nucleases, and the new generations of base, prime, and RNA editors offers new possibilities for directly repairing point mutations and therapeutically restoring gene function. Thanks to easy access and immune-privilege status of self-contained compartments, the eye and the ear continue to be at the forefront of developing therapies for genetic diseases. Here, we review the ongoing applications and achievements of this new class of emerging therapeutics in the sensory organs of vision and hearing, highlighting the challenges ahead and the solutions to be overcome for their successful therapeutic application in vivo.
Single-cell RNA Sequencing Reveals Heterogeneity of Cultured Bovine Satellite Cells
Authors: Lyu Pengcheng , Qi Yumin , Tu Zhijian J. , Jiang Honglin
Published: October 2021

Skeletal muscle from meat-producing livestock such as cattle is a major source of food for humans. To improve skeletal muscle growth efficiency or quality in cattle, it is necessary to understand the genetic and physiological mechanisms that govern skeletal muscle composition, development, and growth. Satellite cells are the myogenic progenitor cells in postnatal skeletal muscle. In this study we analyzed the composition of bovine satellite cells with single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq). We isolated satellite cells from a 2-week-old male calf, cultured them in growth medium for a week, and performed scRNA-seq using the 10x Genomics platform. Deep sequencing of two scRNA-seq libraries constructed from cultured bovine satellite cells yielded 860 million reads. Cell calling analyses revealed that these reads were sequenced from 19,096 individual cells. Clustering analyses indicated that these reads represented 15 cell clusters that differed in gene expression profile. Based on the enriched expression of markers of satellite cells (PAX7 and PAX3), markers of myoblasts (MYOD1, MYF5), and markers of differentiated myoblasts or myocytes (MYOG), three clusters were determined to be satellite cells, two clusters myoblasts, and two clusters myocytes. Gene ontology and trajectory inference analyses indicated that cells in these myogenic clusters differed in proliferation rate and differentiation stage. Two of the remaining clusters were enriched with PDGFRA, a marker of fibro-adipogenic (FAP) cells, the progenitor cells for intramuscular fat, and are therefore considered to be FAP cells. Gene ontology analyses indicated active lipogenesis in one of these two clusters. The identity of the remaining six clusters could not be defined. Overall, the results of this study support the hypothesis that bovine satellite cells are composed of subpopulations that differ in transcriptional and myogenic state. The results of this study also support the hypothesis that intramuscular fat in cattle originates from fibro-adipogenic cells.
A Rapid Evolving microRNA Cluster Rewires Its Target Regulatory Networks in Drosophila
Authors: Lyu Yang , Liufu Zhongqi , Xiao Juan , Tang Tian
Published: October 2021

New miRNAs are evolutionarily important but their functional evolution remains unclear. Here we report that the evolution of a microRNA cluster, mir-972C rewires its downstream regulatory networks in Drosophila. Genomic analysis reveals that mir-972C originated in the common ancestor of Drosophila where it comprises six old miRNAs. It has subsequently recruited six new members in the melanogaster subgroup after evolving for at least 50 million years. Both the young and the old mir-972C members evolved rapidly in seed and non-seed regions. Combining target prediction and cell transfection experiments, we found that the seed and non-seed changes in individual mir-972C members cause extensive target divergence among D. melanogaster, D. simulans, and D. virilis, consistent with the functional evolution of mir-972C reported recently. Intriguingly, the target pool of the cluster as a whole remains relatively conserved. Our results suggest that clustering of young and old miRNAs broadens the target repertoires by acquiring new targets without losing many old ones. This may facilitate the establishment of new miRNAs in existing regulatory networks.
Chemical Stimulants and Stressors Impact the Outcome of Virus Infection and Immune Gene Expression in Honey Bees (Apis mellifera)
Authors: Parekh Fenali , Daughenbaugh Katie F. , Flenniken Michelle L.
Published: October 2021

Western honey bees (Apis mellifera) are ecologically, agriculturally, and economically important plant pollinators. High average annual losses of honey bee colonies in the US have been partially attributed to agrochemical exposure and virus infections. To examine the potential negative synergistic impacts of agrochemical exposure and virus infection, as well as the potential promise of phytochemicals to ameliorate the impact of pathogenic infections on honey bees, we infected bees with a panel of viruses (i.e., Flock House virus, deformed wing virus, or Sindbis virus) and exposed to one of three chemical compounds. Specifically, honey bees were fed sucrose syrup containing: (1) thyme oil, a phytochemical and putative immune stimulant, (2) fumagillin, a beekeeper applied fungicide, or (3) clothianidin, a grower-applied insecticide. We determined that virus abundance was lower in honey bees fed 0.16 ppb thyme oil augmented sucrose syrup, compared to bees fed sucrose syrup alone. Parallel analysis of honey bee gene expression revealed that honey bees fed thyme oil augmented sucrose syrup had higher expression of key RNAi genes (argonaute-2 and dicer-like), antimicrobial peptide expressing genes (abaecin and hymenoptaecin), and vitellogenin, a putative honey bee health and age indicator, compared to bees fed only sucrose syrup. Virus abundance was higher in bees fed fumagillin (25 ppm or 75 ppm) or 1 ppb clothianidin containing sucrose syrup relative to levels in bees fed only sucrose syrup. Whereas, honey bees fed 10 ppb clothianidin had lower virus levels, likely because consuming a near lethal dose of insecticide made them poor hosts for virus infection. The negative impact of fumagillin and clothianidin on honey bee health was indicated by the lower expression of argonaute-2, dicer-like, abaecin, and hymenoptaecin, and vitellogenin. Together, these results indicate that chemical stimulants and stressors impact the outcome of virus infection and immune gene expression in honey bees.
Blockade of IL-6/IL-6R Signaling Attenuates Acute Antibody-Mediated Rejection in a Mouse Cardiac Transplantation Model
Authors: Ma Maolin , Sun Qipeng , Li Xiujie , Deng Gengguo , Zhang Yannan , Yang Zhe , Han Fei , Huang Zhengyu , Fang Youqiang , Liao Tao , Sun Qiquan
Published: October 2021

Acute antibody-mediated rejection (AAMR) is an important cause of cardiac allograft dysfunction, and more effective strategies need to be explored to improve allograft prognosis. Interleukin (IL)-6/IL-6R signaling plays a key role in the activation of immune cells including B cells, T cells and macrophages, which participate in the progression of AAMR. In this study, we investigated the effect of IL-6/IL-6R signaling blockade on the prevention of AAMR in a mouse model. We established a mouse model of AAMR for cardiac transplantation via presensitization of skin grafts and addition of cyclosporin A, and sequentially analyzed its features. Tocilizumab, anti-IL-6R antibody, and recipient IL-6 knockout were used to block IL-6/IL-6R signaling. We demonstrated that blockade of IL-6/IL-6R signaling significantly attenuated allograft injury and improved survival. Further mechanistic research revealed that signaling blockade decreased B cells in circulation, spleens, and allografts, thus inhibiting donor-specific antibody production and complement activation. Moreover, macrophage, T cell, and pro-inflammatory cytokine infiltration in allografts was also reduced. Collectively, we provided a highly practical mouse model of AAMR and demonstrated that blockade of IL-6/IL-6R signaling markedly alleviated AAMR, which is expected to provide a superior option for the treatment of AAMR in clinic.
Land-Ocean Interaction Affected by the Monsoon Regime Change in Western Taiwan Strait
Authors: Yang Rick J. , Liu James T. , Su Chih-Chieh , Chang Yi , Xu Jimmy J. , Lui Hon-Kit
Published: October 2021

The Taiwan Strait is a conduit between East China Sea (ECS) and South China Sea (SCS). Seasonal monsoon winds drive the southbound Zhejiang-Fujian Coastal Current and northbound SCS Warm Current through the strait. Water masses carried by these major current systems also carry fluvial signals from two major rivers, the Changjiang (Yangtze) River in ECS and the Zhujiang (Pearl) River in SCS through the strait. Here we show a switch occurred to signify the monsoon regime change on the western side of this conduit around 10:00 on May 8, 2015. Our data came from water mass properties and environmental proxies of N/P ratio in the surface water and 7Be and 210Pbex isotopes in surface sediments. The timings of the demarcation were identical in the water column and on the water-sediment interface. Our findings put a specific time point in the monsoon regime change in 2015.
Proprioceptive Training for Knee Osteoarthritis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials
Authors: Wang Yi , Wu Zugui , Chen Zehua , Ye Xiangling , Chen Guoqian , Yang Jiaman , Zhang Peiming , Xie Fang , Guan Yingxin , Wu Jiatao , Chen Weijian , Ye Zixuan , Xu Xuemeng
Published: October 2021

Background:There is increased interest in proprioceptive training for knee osteoarthritis (KOA). However, little consensus supports the effectiveness of this intervention.

Objective:This meta-analysis aimed to assess the effects of proprioceptive training on symptoms, function, and proprioception in people with KOA.

Methods:The PubMed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and EMBASE databases were systematically searched from the inception dates to April 16, 2021 for relevant randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Data were pooled by calculating the standardized mean differences (SMDs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). A random-effects model was used for the analyses.

Results:A total of 24 RCTs involving 1,275 participants were included in our analysis. This study indicated that compared to no intervention, proprioceptive training significantly improved pain, stiffness, physical function, joint position sense (JPS), muscle strength, mobility, and knee ROM (P< 0.05) in people with KOA. When compared to other non-proprioceptive training, proprioceptive training provided better results in terms of JPS (SMD = −1.28, 95%CI: [−1.64, −0.92],I2= 0%,P< 0.00001) and mobility (timed walk over spongy surface) (SMD = −0.76, 95%CI: [−1.33, −0.18],I2= 64%,P= 0.01), and other results are similar. When proprioceptive training plus other non-proprioceptive training compared to other non-proprioceptive training, the two groups showed similar outcomes, but there was a greater improvement for JPS (SMD = −1.54, 95%CI: [−2.74, −0.34],I2= 79%,P= 0.01), physical function (SMD = −0.34, 95%CI: [−0.56, −0.12],I2= 0%,P= 0.003), and knee ROM (P< 0.05) in the proprioceptive training plus other non-proprioceptive training group. When proprioceptive training plus conventional physiotherapy compared against conventional physiotherapy, the two groups demonstrated similar outcomes, but there was a significant improvement for JPS (SMD = −0.95, 95%CI: [−1.73, −0.18],I2= 78%,P= 0.02) in the proprioceptive training plus conventional physiotherapy group.

Conclusions:Proprioceptive training is safe and effective in treating KOA. There is some evidence that proprioceptive training combined with general non-proprioceptive training or conventional physiotherapy appears to be more effective and should be considered as part of the rehabilitation program. However, given that the majority of current studies investigated the short-term effect of these proprioceptive training programs, more large-scale and well-designed studies with long-term follow up are needed to determine the long-term effects of these proprioceptive training regimes in KOA.

Systematic Review Registration:https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/#recordDetails, PROSPERO, identifier: CRD42021240587.
Genomic Epidemiology and Antimicrobial Susceptibility Profile of Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli From Outpatients With Diarrhea in Shenzhen, China, 2015–2020
Authors: Yang Chao , Li Yinghui , Zuo Le , Jiang Min , Zhang Xianglilan , Xie Li , Luo Miaomiao , She Yiying , Wang Lei , Jiang Yixiang , Wu Shuang , Cai Rui , Shi Xiaolu , Cui Yujun , Wan Chengsong , Hu Qinghua
Published: October 2021

Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) is the leading cause of severe diarrhea in children and the most common cause of diarrhea in travelers. However, most ETEC infections in Shenzhen, China were from indigenous adults. In this study, we characterized 106 ETEC isolates from indigenous outpatients with diarrhea (77% were adults aged >20 years) in Shenzhen between 2015 and 2020 by whole-genome sequencing and antimicrobial susceptibility testing. Shenzhen ETEC isolates showed a remarkable high diversity, which belonged to four E. coli phylogroups (A: 71%, B1: 13%, E: 10%, and D: 6%) and 15 ETEC lineages, with L11 (25%, O159:H34/O159:H43, ST218/ST3153), novel L2/4 (21%, O6:H16, ST48), and L4 (15%, O25:H16, ST1491) being major lineages. Heat-stable toxin (ST) was most prevalent (76%, STh: 60% STp: 16%), followed by heat-labile toxin (LT, 17%) and ST + LT (7%). One or multiple colonization factors (CFs) were identified in 68 (64%) isolates, with the common CFs being CS21 (48%) and CS6 (34%). Antimicrobial resistance mutation/gene profiles of genomes were concordant with the phenotype testing results of 52 representative isolates, which revealed high resistance rate to nalidixic acid (71%), ampicillin (69%), and ampicillin/sulbactam (46%), and demonstrated that the novel L2/4 was a multidrug-resistant lineage. This study provides novel insight into the genomic epidemiology and antimicrobial susceptibility profile of ETEC infections in indigenous adults for the first time, which further improves our understanding on ETEC epidemiology and has implications for the development of vaccine and future surveillance and prevention of ETEC infections.