bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Court Poet/Praise Singer in Wole Soyinka’s Death and the King’s Horseman and Ola Rotimi’s Ovonramwen Nogbaisi: A Critical Appraisal
Authors: Afolayan Bosede Funke
Published: September 2021

Oral artists are a common sight in traditional African societies and were most prominent in old empires such as Oyo, Benin, Songhai and Mali. They also existed in the Zulu empire, northern Nigeria and among the Akan in Ghana. Their place is integral to the social and political well-being of these empires. In the Oyo empire, court poets are known as Olohun-Iyo. They are called griots in Senegal and Mali and among the Akan of Ghana, they are called Kwadwumfo. Modern Nigerian dramatists such as Wole Soyinka and Ola Rotimi have appropriated the image and roles of the court poet in Death and The King’s Horseman and Ovonramwen Nogbaisi respectively. This paper defines who a court poet is, his role as a maker and wordsmith, and the nature of his work and patronage. It examines the qualities he must possess and the content of his poetry. In examining the place of memory and remembering in the discharge of the poet´s duties, the paper investigates the various mnemonic and retrieval systems used by the poet to recall past accounts and great deeds of the kings. The roles of traditional court poets will be compared with the roles played by Olohun-iyo and Uzazakpo in the selected plays. The paper will also discuss what has become of oral artists in modern African societies. How viable is the art-form in the modern world with the advent of technology? Has civilization and modernity eroded their importance in society? While affirming their traditional advisory, prophetic, warning, motivational roles and as repositories of customs and culture, this paper concludes by stating the poet employs linguistic, para-linguistic and “medicinal” strategies to recall events at a given performance.
Identification of Drought Tolerant Mutant Lines of Tef [Eragrostis Tef (Zucc.) Trotter]
Authors: Blösch Regula , Rindisbacher Abiel , Plaza-Wüthrich Sonia , Röckel Nora , Weichert Annett , Cannarozzi Gina , Tadele Zerihun
Published: September 2021

Introduction: Tef [Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter] is the major food crop in Ethiopia where it is annually cultivated on about 30% of the total area allocated to cereals. The productivity of tef is, however, significantly reduced by drought which can occur at either the early or the late developmental stage of the crop.

Methodology: A total of 10,000 EMS (ethyl methane sulfonate) mutagenized M2 tef populations were screened first for early and second for terminal drought tolerance. The performance of candidate lines was investigated using diverse agronomical and physiological parameters.

Results and discussion: Several promising lines were obtained for both early and terminal drought tolerance. Among these, genotypes with outstanding performance were found for two drought tolerant tef lines targeting early drought tolerance (dtt2 and dtt13) and three terminal drought tolerant lines targeting terminal drought tolerance (tdt9, tdt15 and tdt19).

Conclusions: Candidate lines for both early and terminal drought tolerance will play vital roles in developing drought tolerance in tef improvement.
The Role and Contribution of Plant Breeding and Plant Biotechnology to Sustainable Agriculture in Africa
Authors: Kyetere D. , Okogbenin E. , Okeno J. , K.  , Munyaradzi J. , Nangayo F. , Kouko E. , Oikeh S. , Abdourhame I.
Published: September 2021

Africa’s economy is driven by agriculture, a sector that constitutes 32% of the continent’s GDP. The ongoing Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA) in Africa hinges on a system change (from subsistence farming to agribusiness) approach that explores high productivity to strengthen the African economy. During the “Green Revolution” period, increased global yields of cereal crops were achieved through the interactions of breeding and agronomy. However, in the face of current challenges, such as climate change and need for new market niches, there is an increasing exigency to explore modern plant breeding (including biotechnology) to develop new varieties with the capacity for high yields in reduced chemical-input systems and with the genetic diversity needed to maintain yield stability in Africa´s fluctuating climatic conditions. Biotechnology has significantly shortened the time required for the development of new cultivars, varieties and hybrids. Modern breeding tools include Double Haploid technology, marker assisted breeding, genomics, genetic engineering and genome editing. It is these tools that help accelerate the development of market responsive varieties needed for sustainable agriculture in Africa that will be highlighted.
Toward a revision of the bamboo corals: Part 3, deconstructing the Family Isididae
Authors: SAUCIER ESPRIT HEESTAND , FRANCE SCOTT C. , WATLING LES
Published: September 2021

Bamboo corals are distinguished from most other octocorals by an articulated skeleton. The nodes are proteinaceous and sclerite-free while the internodes are composed of non-scleritic calcium carbonate. This articulation of the skeleton was thought to be unique and a strong synapomorphy for the family Isididae. Our phylogeny, based on the amplification of mtMutS and 18S, shows an articulating skeleton with sclerite-free nodes has arisen independently at least five times during the evolutionary history of Octocorallia rather than being a synapomorphy characteristic of a monophyletic bamboo coral clade. The family Isididae is currently composed of four subfamilies (Circinisidinae, Isidinae, Keratoisidinae, and Mopseinae). Not only is the family polyphyletic, but our genetic analyses suggest also the subfamily Isidinae is polyphyletic based on current taxonomic classifications, and Mopseinae is not monophyletic. The type, Isis, is found outside of the well-supported Calcaxonia – Pennatulacea clade where the other members of Isididae cluster. The current classification of the family Isididae does not reflect the evolutionary history of an articulated skeleton. To better reflect the evolutionary history of these taxa we propose that three of the four the subfamilies, the genus Isidoides, and genera within the subfamily Isidinae, be elevated to family level to produce a classification with five families with a bamboo-like skeleton: Chelidonisididae, Isididae, Isidoidae, Keratoisididae, and Mopseidae.
Documenting trumpet leaf-miner moths (Tischeriidae): new Neotropical Coptotriche and Astrotischeria species, with notes on Sapindaceae as a host-plant family
Authors: STONIS JONAS R. , DIŠKUS ARŪNAS , REMEIKIS ANDRIUS , FERNÁNDEZ-ALONSO JOSÉ L. , BARYSHNIKOVA SVETLANA V. , SOLIS M. ALMA
Published: September 2021

Four new species of trumpet leaf-miner moths (Tischeriidae) are described from the Neotropics: Coptotriche serjaniphaga Remeikis & Stonis, sp. nov., feeding on Serjania Mill. (Sapindaceae), Astrotischeria mystica Diškus & Stonis, sp. nov., feeding on Verbesina L. (Asteraceae), A. yungasi Diškus & Stonis, sp. nov., feeding on Oyedaea DC. (Asteraceae), and A. parapallens Diškus & Stonis, sp. nov., feeding on Baccharis L. (Asteraceae). Records on Sapindaceae-feeding Tischeriidae are very rare and Serjania is a novel host-plant genus for Tischeriidae. It is hypothesized that Serjania, a diverse genus in the tropical and subtropical Americas, may be a host for many undiscovered species of specialized stenophagous Tischeriidae. The new species are illustrated with photographs of the adults, male and, if available, female genitalia, and the leaf mines. We briefly discuss the importance of new species descriptions as a part of biodiversity assessment.
Genus Diplectrona Westwood 1840 (Insecta: Trichoptera) in India
Authors: PANDHER MANPREET SINGH , KAUR SIMARJIT , GARIMA DEEPTI , PAREY SAJAD H.
Published: September 2021

This paper is another contribution to knowledge of the caddisfly fauna of India. We redescribe and illustrate Diplectrona marginata Betten 1909 based on previously collected material as well as from fresh collections. The status of D. marginata is validated after Betten (1909) and Martynov (1935) and a neotype is designated for D. marginata because the remaining syntype has been damaged and is not identifiable. Furthermore, D. kinulta Oláh et al. 2020 is considered a synonym of D. marginata based on the similarity of male genitalia. Diplectrona aurovittata (Ulmer 1906) is reported for the first time from India, bringing the number of Indian species of Diplectrona to 10.
Two new species and a new combination in the genus Ricanula Melichar, 1898 for Ricaniidae from China (Hemiptera: Fulgoromorpha)
Authors: ZHANG HUAN , WANG WEN-QIAN , STROIŃSKI ADAM , QIN DAO-ZHENG
Published: September 2021

Two new species of the genus Ricanula Melichar, 1898 within the family Ricaniidae (Hemiptera: Fulgoromorpha) from China are described and illustrated: R. curva sp. nov. and R. peronata sp. nov. Ricania cacaonis Chou et Lu, 1977 is redescribed and transferred to genus Ricanula. Ricanula pulverosa (Stål, 1865) is re-illustrated.
Tax Raj: Koyas, migration and adivasi frontiers in the central provinces
Authors: Krishnan Rakesh M.
Published: September 2021

This article examines an incident of tax-avoidance migration by the adivasis in the Central Provinces during the colonial period. Using this incident, the article reflects on two interrelated questions: the colonial attitude towards adivasis and adivasi engagement with the colonial state. The reflection on these questions centres on the notion of belonging. By exploring ‘belonging’ as a concept on the register of sedentary-nomadic metaphysics, the article offers insights into the idea of being adivasi. Ultimately, by navigating the ontological and historical–political grounds, this article attempts to recover a history from the colonial period that is often seen to be marginal, both in terms of the social group involved and the nature of the event. Whether it would yield a non-violent history of adivasis or not is a question that is left open for further debate and discussion.
Re-examining Social Mobility: Migrants’ Relationally, Temporally, and Spatially Embedded Mobility Trajectories
Authors: Boese Martina , Moran Anthony , Mallman Mark
Published: September 2021

Social mobility research mainly investigates directional change in socio-economic circumstance. This article contributes to the strand of social mobility research that examines subjective experiences of economic movement. It analyses social mobility as a set of relationally, temporally and spatially embedded social practices, subjectively experienced and interpreted. The interactive nexus between social and spatial mobility is a fruitful line of inquiry, and the experiences of international migrants are distinctly suited for developing this analysis. Drawing on a qualitative study of migrants’ mobilities, both social and spatial, post-arrival in Australia, we argue that social mobility is experienced as sets of contingent social practices. These in/variably co-exist with aspirations for a sense of belonging and connectedness, a sense of security and other non-economic needs and desires and are also always adjusted over time. In addition, migrants’ status as legal, cultural or social Others shapes the experience of social mobility in distinctive ways.
Analyzing the output performance of the knitted triboelectric nanogenerator based on the fish-scale shape using fast Fourier transform
Authors: Niu Li , Zhao Shuqiang , Liu Qing , Wu Guangjun , Chen Chaoyu , Ma Pibo
Published: September 2021

Knitted textiles as one kind of outstanding flexible substrate that have been universally applied in smart wearables. Structural design and output performance analysis of knitted-based triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) is significant research points. It is essential to provide inspiration in the TENGs applications. In this study, we designed and fabricated a fish-scale-based triboelectric nanogenerator using a formed knitted textile composed of commercial threads as a pair of contact areas. The deformation of the scale-shaped fabric was from the three-dimensional structure, which provided an effective contact area. We investigated the elastic yarn specification and scale-shaped distribution and analyzed their output performance in the frequency domain using fast Fourier transform. The result illustrated that the amplitude, phase, and power spectrum had obvious differences and can reflect the working states during the motions. The power spectrum could reach the maximum value of 280, which showed the potential for applications in the low-frequency motion.
Seasonal variations and source apportionment of carbonaceous aerosol in PM2.5 from a coal mining city in the North China Plain
Authors: Xue Fanli , Niu Hongya , Hu Sihao , Wu Chunmiao , Zhang Chongchong , Gao Nana , Ren Xiulong , Li Shujiao , Hu Wei , Wang Jinxi , Fan Jingsen
Published: September 2021

Handan is one of the most polluted coal mining cities in the North China Plain (NCP). There is a lack of research on the pollution characteristics and sources of carbonaceous components in PM2.5 in Handan city. Atmospheric PM2.5 samples were collected from Handan City during 2018 and the organic carbon (OC) and elemental carbon (EC) in PM2.5 were analyzed with a carbon analyzer. The annual average mass concentrations of PM2.5 and total carbon (TC = OC + EC) in Handan were (101.88 ± 79.01) μg/m3 and (28.03 ± 23.28) μg/m3, respectively. The annual average ratio of TC/PM2.5 was (28.29% ± 7.95%), indicating that carbonaceous components made a major contribution to PM2.5. The seasonal variations of OC and EC concentrations in PM2.5 were consistent with PM2.5, which was higher in winter and lower in summer. The annual average OC/EC ratio was (10.33 ± 5.83), and the (OC/EC)min ratio for each season was greater than 2, suggesting that there was probably secondary organic carbon (SOC) formation all around the year. The correlations between OC and EC during spring and winter were much more significant than during summer and autumn, which indicated that the sources of OC and EC in summer and autumn were more complex. Principal component analysis (PCA) displayed that the main sources of carbonaceous components in PM2.5 were coal combustion emission, road dust and vehicle exhaust, which may be related to coal-fired power generation and steelmaking, and coal transportation in Handan city. The potential source contribution function (PSCF) analysis demonstrated that PM2.5 and carbonaceous components in Handan city were significantly influenced by both local emissions and regional transport during the observation period.
Book review: Sudhir Chella Rajan, A Social Theory of Corruption: Notes from the Indian Subcontinent
Authors: George Noel Mariam
Published: September 2021

Sudhir Chella Rajan, A Social Theory of Corruption: Notes from the Indian Subcontinent (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2020), 384 pp.
Book review: Sujata Mukherjee, Gender, Medicine, and Society in Colonial India: Women’s Health Care in Nineteenth and Early Twentieth-Century Bengal
Authors: Das Bikash
Published: September 2021

Sujata Mukherjee, Gender, Medicine, and Society in Colonial India: Women’s Health Care in Nineteenth and Early Twentieth-Century Bengal (New Delhi: Oxford University Press, 2017), xxxv + 223 pp.
Parent–student relational turbulence, support processes, and mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Worley Timothy R. , Mucci-Ferris Madison
Published: September 2021

In Spring 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic introduced unexpected transitions for college students and their families. Informed by Relational Turbulence Theory, we examined associations among relational turbulence processes in students’ relationships with parents, social support seeking and reception, and mental health. Seven hundred forty-seven college students living at home with a parent completed an online survey during June 2020. Students’ self uncertainty, interference from parents, and relational turbulence were negatively associated with their support seeking and perceptions of support from parents, whereas facilitation from parents predicted increased support seeking and perceptions of support. In turn, support seeking and perceived support were negatively associated with students’ anxiety, depression, and stress. Finally, support processes mediated the association of turbulence with depression.
A rare case of type II negative pressure pulmonary edema following extraction of inhaled peanuts in a 21-month-old boy
Authors: Li Qin , Zhou Liang
Published: September 2021

To date, only one case of pediatric type II negative pressure pulmonary edema (NPPE) caused by removal of an endobronchial foreign body has been documented. We report another case of type II NPPE that developed after extraction of inhaled peanuts. A 21-month-old boy who presented with wheezing and intermittent cough for 1 month after eating peanuts was admitted to our department. A chest computed tomographic scan showed foreign bodies lodged in the right main bronchus. Fiberoptic bronchoscopy was performed, and three pieces of peanuts were removed. Fifteen minutes after this procedure, the child grew restless and started coughing with frothy pink sputum. Tachypnea and rales were observed. A chest radiograph showed patchy opacification in both lungs, especially in the right lower zone, leading to the diagnosis of type II NPPE. Intravenous furosemide and dexamethasone were immediately administered, followed by non-invasive continuous positive airway pressure ventilation. Twelve hours later, the patient recovered uneventfully and was discharged home the following day. In conclusion, pediatric type II NPPE rapidly occurs following the relief of upper airway obstruction. Clinicians need to be aware of the acuteness and manifestations of type II NPPE to make an early diagnosis and initiate prompt treatment.
Quantifying the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Passenger Vehicle Drivers’ Willingness to Pay for Travel Time Savings and Reliability
Authors: Cherry Tristan , Fowler Mark , Goldhammer Claire , Yun Kweun Jeong , Sherman Thomas , Soroush Alireza
Published: September 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic has fundamentally disrupted travel behavior and consumer preferences. To slow the spread of the virus, public health officials and state and local governments issued stay-at-home orders and, among other actions, closed nonessential businesses and educational facilities. The resulting recessionary effects have been particularly acute for U.S. toll roads, with an observed year-over-year decline in traffic and revenue of 50% to 90% in April and May 2020. These disruptions have also led to changes in the types of trip that travelers make and their frequency, their choice of travel mode, and their willingness to pay tolls for travel time savings and travel time reliability. This paper describes the results of travel behavior research conducted on behalf of the Virginia Department of Transportation before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in the National Capital Region of Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Northern Virginia. The research included a stated preference survey to estimate travelers’ willingness to pay for travel time savings and travel time reliability, to support forecasts of traffic and revenue for existing and proposed toll corridors. The survey collected data between December 2019 and June 2020. A comparison of the data collected before and during the pandemic shows widespread changes in travel behavior and a reduction in willingness to pay for travel time savings and travel time reliability across all traveler types, particularly for drivers making trips to or from work. These findings have significant implications for the return of travelers to toll corridors in the region and future forecasts of traffic and revenue.
Life cycle assessment of the food waste management with a focus on the collection bag
Authors: Dolci Giovanni , Rigamonti Lucia , Grosso Mario
Published: September 2021

The organic fraction (mainly food waste) is typically the most abundant of the separately collected waste streams. The research aims at investigating the influence of different types of collection bag on the environmental performances of the food waste management chain in Italy. A comparative life cycle assessment (LCA) between two alternative systems based on paper or bioplastic collection bags was carried out. It included the collection bags manufacturing and distribution, their use at the household, the transportation of collected food waste and its subsequent anaerobic digestion, including the valorisation of useful outputs and the management of residues. The two systems were modelled mainly with primary data related to the current management system and to tests performed on bags. The LCA was performed with two different modelling approaches applied in the environmental product declaration (EPD) system and in the product environmental footprint (PEF) studies, respectively. In the scenario representing the average conditions, higher environmental impacts are shown by the use of bioplastic bags compared to paper ones with the EPD approach (+257%/+576%). With the PEF approach, the differences between the two systems are lower (−55%/+133%). Moreover, paper bags could allow for further impact reductions assuming a decrease of the food waste collection frequency, allowed by higher weight losses and a lower generation of leachate and odour during the household storage.
Supports to Improve Academic Outcomes With Racially and Ethnically Minoritized Youth: A Review of Research
Authors: Fallon Lindsay M. , DeFouw Emily R. , Berkman Talia S. , Cathcart Sadie C. , O’Keeffe Breda V. , Sugai George
Published: September 2021

For decades, racially and ethnically minoritized youth have been subject to unequal distributions of access and opportunity in school, leading to inequities in academic outcomes. Educators require knowledge and skills to provide relevant instruction and create a more supportive, effective classroom environment. This systematic review includes 24 qualitative and quantitative studies in which researchers investigated a culturally responsive classroom intervention or practice to promote academic outcomes for racially and ethnically minoritized youth. Within these studies, authors described several approaches to promote academic success: (a) developing authentic partnerships with families, (b) using effective pedagogy with students’ culture infused, and (c) accessing rigorous professional development. In addition, studies were assessed for methodological quality, and qualitative works met design standards more often than the quantitative studies reviewed. Implications include the need for additional research to inform comprehensive support for educators to design effective instructional environments for all students, especially those who have historically encountered systemic barriers in school.
Progress on error propagation and correction of long-range rockets in disturbing gravity field
Authors: Wang Lei , Lin Zhiqiang , Peng Yongjun
Published: September 2021

Disturbing gravity field is becoming an important factor leading to impact error of long-range rockets. In this paper, the influence mechanism of deflection of the vertical and spatial disturbing gravity on inertial navigation and guidance system are firstly introduced, respectively. Then, the navigation error propagation methods due to disturbing gravity field are reviewed. The fast assignment models of disturbing gravity field, which are available for compensating navigation errors in engineering, are also summarized. After that, the unpowered trajectory error propagation methods and the corresponding guidance correction strategies, as well as potential directions for future efforts, are discussed.
The Role of Specialty Palliative Care for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
Authors: Sethi Anish , Everett Elyse , Mehta Ambereen , Besbris Jessica , Burke Christa , Pedowitz Elizabeth , Kilpatrick Molly , Foster Laura , Maiser Sam
Published: September 2021

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive and incurable neurodegenerative disease resulting in the loss of motor neurons, eventually leading to death. ALS results in complex physical, emotional, and spiritual care needs. Specialty Palliative Care (SPC) is a medical specialty for patients with serious illness that provides an extra layer of support through complicated symptom management, goals of care conversations, and support to patients and families during hard times. Using MEDLINE, APA Psychinfo, and Dynamed databases, we reviewed the literature of SPC in ALS to inform and support an expert opinion perspective on this topic. This manuscript focuses on several key areas of SPC for ALS including insurance and care models, advance care planning, symptom management, quality of life, caregiver support, and end-of-life care. Recommendations to improve specialty palliative care for patients with ALS are reviewed in the discussion section.
Changing the date: Local councils, Australia Day and cultures of national commemoration
Authors: Busbridge Rachel
Published: September 2021

In recent years, a small but growing number of Australian local councils have emerged as major actors in the movement to change the date of Australia Day by electing to replace or cancel local events held on 26 January. This article draws on Lyn Spillman’s analysis of the 1988 Australia Bicentenary to make sense of these developments and their implications for cultures of national commemoration in Australia. For Spillman, the Bicentenary marked a shift towards a thinner conception of national identity which was intended to increase buy-in for Australia Day but risked fostering fragmentation. Arguing that local council actions to ‘Change the Date’ can be understood within these fragmentary dynamics, the article shows how the federal politicisation of Australia Day has seen these councils present local vernacular commemorations as preferable to official ones and promote an alternative moral vision of the place of Indigenous peoples in the nation.
Network Pharmacology-Based Dissection of the Comprehensive Molecular Mechanisms of the Herbal Prescription FDY003 Against Estrogen Receptor-Positive Breast Cancer
Authors: Lee Ho-Sung , Lee In-Hee , Kang Kyungrae , Park Sang-In , Jung Minho , Yang Seung Gu , Kwon Tae-Wook , Lee Dae-Yeon
Published: September 2021

Estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer (ERPBC) is the commonest subtype of breast cancer, with a high prevalence, incidence, and mortality. Herbal drugs are increasingly being used to treat ERPBC, although their mechanisms of action are not fully understood. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to analyze the therapeutic properties of FDY003, a herbal anti-ERPBC prescription, using a network pharmacology approach. FDY003 decreased the viability of human ERPBC cells and sensitized them to tamoxifen, an endocrine drug that is widely used in the treatment of ERPBC. The network pharmacology analysis revealed 18 pharmacologically active components in FDY003 that may interact with and regulate 66 therapeutic targets. The enriched gene ontology terms for the FDY003 targets were associated with the modulation of cell survival and death, cell proliferation and growth arrest, and estrogen-associated cellular processes. Analysis of the pathway enrichment of the targets showed that FDY003 may target a variety of ERPBC-associated pathways, including the PIK3-Akt, focal adhesion, MAPK, and estrogen pathways. Overall, these data provide a comprehensive mechanistic insight into the anti-ERPBC activity of FDY003.
Evaluation of Enzyme Inhibition and Anti-Quorum Sensing Potentials of Melaleuca alternifolia and Citrus sinensis Essential Oils
Authors: Alfred Ngenge Tamfu , Kucukaydin Selcuk , Ceylan Ozgur , Duru Mehmet Emin
Published: September 2021

In this study, Melaleuca alternifolia (Maiden and Betche) Cheel (tea tree) oil and C. sinensis (L.) Osbeck (orange) oil was procured, and their chemical compositions were characterized by gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry, with co-injection using authentic samples. The oils were rich in monoterpene hydrocarbons making up 84.5% of C. sinensis and 48.9% of M. alternifolia oils. High amounts of oxygenated monoterpenoids were also identified in C. sinensis (9.6%) and M. alternifolia (49.3%) oils. The three most abundant compounds were limonene (71.2%), linalool (5.5%), and β-myrcene (5.1%) in C. sinensis, and terpinen-4-ol (45.6%), γ-terpinene (19.4%) and α-terpinene (9.3%) in M. alternifolia. Enzyme inhibitions (anticholinesterase, antiurease, antityrosinase) of both essential oils were evaluated. In acetylcholinesterase assay, M. alternifolia and C. sinensis had inhibition concentration (IC50) values of 153.7 ± 1.25 and 96.4 ± 1.0 µg/mL, respectively as compared to 5.42 ± 0.11 µg/mL for galantamine, while in butyrylcholinesterase assay, M. alternifolia (IC50 = 85.6 ± 0.7 µg/mL) and C. sinensis (IC50 = 127.8 ± 0.6 µg/mL) exhibited moderate activities compared to galantamine (IC50 = 45.8 ± 0.8 µg/mL). In the urease inhibitory activity, essential oils of C. sinensis and M. alternifolia showed 48.4% ± 0.9% and 30.6% ± 0.7% inhibitions at 200 µg/mL concentration, respectively. Quorum sensing (QS) mediated violacein production in Chromobacterium violaceum CV12472 was inhibited by 100% at minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values for both oils while showing QS inhibition diameter zones in C. violaceum of 22.5 ± 0.4 mm and 14.3 ± 0.5 mm for C. sinensis and M. alternifolia oils, respectively at MIC concentration. The good quorum-sensing potential indicates that these oils can suppress microbial resistance and severity of infections.
Analysis of the Active Components and Mechanism of Three Prescriptions in the Treatment of COVID-19 Via Network Pharmacology and Molecular Docking
Authors: Wang Fei , Chen Jia-Hui , Liu Bo , Zhang Ting
Published: September 2021

Purpose: Prescriptions of Han-Shi-Yu-Fei (HSYF), Han-Shi-Zu-Fei (HSZF), and Yi-Du-Bi-Fei (YDBF) were effective in treating COVID-19. Based on network pharmacology and molecular docking, overlapping Traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs), their active components, and core targets were explored in this study. Methods: First, the overlapping TCMs and their active components were collected from the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform (TCMSP) by evaluating Oral Bioactivity (OB) and Drug Likeness (DL). The overlapping targets of potential components and COVID-19 were collected by SwissTargetPrediction, Gene Cards, and Venn 2.1.0 databases. Gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment were analyzed via DAVID6.8.1 database. Through comprehensive analysis of the “prescriptions-TCMs-components” (P-T-C), “components-targets-pathways” (C-T-P) and “protein–protein interaction” (PPI) networks constructed by Cytoscape 3.7.1 software, the active components and core targets were obtained. Finally, the binding energies of these components with ACE2 and SARS-CoV-2 3CL were analyzed by AutDockTools-1.5.6 and PyMOL software. Results: In all, five overlapping TCMs, 40 potential active components, and 47 candidate targets were obtained and analyzed in these prescriptions. There were 288 GO entries ( P < 0.05), including 211 biological process (BP), 40 cell composition (CC), and 37 molecular function (MF) entries. Most of the 105 KEGG pathways ( P < 0.05) were involved with viral infection and inflammation. Through “PPI” and “C-T-P” networks, the core targets (EGFR, PTGS2, CDK2, GSK3B, PIK3R1, and MAPK3) and active components (Q27134551, acanthoside B, neohesperidin, and irisolidone) with high degrees were obtained. Molecular docking results showed that the above-mentioned four components could inhibit the binding of ACE2 and SARS-COV-2 3CL to protect against COVID-19. Conclusion: In this study, the active components and core targets of three prescriptions in the treatment of COVID-19 were elaborated by network pharmacology and molecular docking, providing a reference for their applications.
Addicted to Self-esteem: Understanding the neurochemistry of narcissism by using cocaine as a pharmacological model
Authors: Kastner-Bosek Alina , Dajic Irena , Mikus Nace , Weidenauer Ana , Willeit Matthäus
Published: September 2021

There are pronounced behavioural and neuroimaging parallels between cocaine abuse and narcissism. Although the observed commonalities are not specific to cocaine as opposed to other types of addiction, we argue that the relatively constrained molecular actions of cocaine and, more importantly, the covariance of narcissism-like behaviours with cocaine use build a strong case for taking the known effects of cocaine as a starting point for addressing the hitherto underinvestigated neurophysiology of narcissism. In this review, we discuss the potential relevance of cocaine abuse as a pharmacological model of narcissism. We outline previous research on the role of monoamines across several domains affected in narcissistic personality disorder and subclinical narcissism, namely, selected personality traits, social behaviour, emotional empathy and self-referential processing. We propose that dysregulation in dopamine signalling might underlie addiction-like features of narcissism and that altered serotonergic signalling may account for affective components of narcissism and, in particular, explain the differences between grandiose and vulnerable subtypes. In conclusion, we provide recommendations for future research.
Multisystem IgG4-related disease involving the abdomen and coronary arteries and causing chronic abdominal pain
Authors: Lee Nam Ju , Glockner James F
Published: September 2021

IgG4-related disease was originally discovered in patients with autoimmune pancreatitis accompanied by elevated serum IgG4 levels and has subsequently been described in almost every organ system. IgG4-related disease presents with a variety of symptoms according to the organ affected and may be accompanied by serious complications such as organ dysfunction associated with IgG4-positive cell proliferation. We report a case of IgG4-related abdominal disease in a patient who also had involvement of the coronary artery.
Wood Utilization During the Late Bronze to Early Iron Age in the Turpan Basin of Xinjiang, China, With Special Emphasis on Betula (Betulaceae)
Authors: Jiang Hongen , Li Cheng-Sen , Cao Hongyong , Shading Palidanmu , Cheng Ye-Ming
Published: September 2021

As a very important plant resource, wood played varied and important roles in the lives of ancient people. In the present study, wood was discovered in the Yanghai cemetery of the Turpan Basin, which belonged to the Subeixi culture (~1300BC–200AD). By using traditional classification techniques of wood anatomy, four taxa of wood, viz. Populus sp., Salix sp., Picea sp., as well as Betula sp., were identified. Woods of Populus, Salix, and Picea were mainly used for tomb construction, with Poplus sp. also used for tub and plate-making. Furthermore, the wood of Betula sp. was selected for dipper-making. Previous studies have shown that the ancient Yanghai people once led an agro-pastoral lifestyle, engaging in both agricultural activities in the local oasis and animal husbandry practices in the Tianshan Mountains. As trees adapted to the cold, wood of Picea sp. and Betula sp. could have been cut in the Tianshan Mountains during transhumance. Conversely, wood of Populus sp. and Salix sp. could have been cut either locally in the oasis of the Turpan Basin or in the river valleys of the northern slopes of the Tianshan Mountains far from Yanghai settlements.
Children’s Dialogic Aesthetics in the Chronotopes of Drama, Drawing, and Telling
Authors: Tam Po Chi
Published: September 2021

This paper aims to draw on Bakhtin’s theory of dialogic aesthetics and chronotope to address the thorny issue of data interpretation regarding using draw-and-tell as a research method in studying children’s lived and arts experiences. We argue that drawing and telling enframe children in different but successive chronotopes in which they are charged with opportunities for engagement in complex dialogues with their previous experiences and others. Two children from the groups of actors and spectators were sampled from a drama lesson to illustrate their becoming aesthetic across a succession of drama and post-performance activities due to the chronotopic factors. A microanalysis of their drawing and telling reveals the possibility of outsideness and complexity of dialogues varied with their participation as spectator or actor in the drama lesson. With all this understanding, I argue for a holistic and integral application of field observation, and drawing and telling to trace the trajectory of children’s becoming dialogic aesthetic. The study could also provide valuable insights into the research methodology of draw-and-tell, its pedagogical implications for children’s theatre participation, as well as drama teaching and learning.
Whole-body and muscle responses to aerobic exercise training and withdrawal in ageing and COPD
Authors: Latimer Lorna E. , Constantin-Teodosiu Dumitru , Popat Bhavesh , Constantin Despina , Houchen-Wolloff Linzy , Bolton Charlotte E. , Steiner Michael C. , Greenhaff Paul L.
Published: September 2021

Background

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients exhibit lower peak oxygen uptake (V′O2peak), altered muscle metabolism and impaired exercise tolerance compared with age-matched controls. Whether these traits reflect muscle-level deconditioning (impacted by ventilatory constraints) and/or dysfunction in mitochondrial ATP production capacity is debated. By studying aerobic exercise training (AET) at a matched relative intensity and subsequent exercise withdrawal period we aimed to elucidate the whole-body and muscle mitochondrial responsiveness of healthy young (HY), healthy older (HO) and COPD volunteers to whole-body exercise.

Methods

HY (n=10), HO (n=10) and COPD (n=20) volunteers were studied before and after 8 weeks of AET (65%V′O2peak) and after 4 weeks of exercise withdrawal.V′O2peak, muscle maximal mitochondrial ATP production rate (MAPR), mitochondrial content, mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) copy number and abundance of 59 targeted fuel metabolism mRNAs were determined at all time-points.

Results

Muscle MAPR (normalised for mitochondrial content) was not different for any substrate combination in HO, HY and COPD at baseline, but mtDNA copy number relative to a nuclear-encoded housekeeping gene (mean±sd) was greater in HY (804±67) than in HO (631±69; p=0.041). AET increasedV′O2peakin HO (17%; p=0.002) and HY (21%; p<0.001), but not COPD (p=0.603). Muscle MAPR for palmitate increased with training in HO (57%; p=0.041) and HY (56%; p=0.003), and decreased with exercise withdrawal in HO (−45%; p=0.036) and HY (−30%; p=0.016), but was unchanged in COPD (p=0.594). mtDNA copy number increased with AET in HY (66%; p=0.001), but not HO (p=0.081) or COPD (p=0.132). The observed changes in muscle mRNA abundance were similar in all groups after AET and exercise withdrawal.

Conclusions

Intrinsic mitochondrial function was not impaired by ageing or COPD in the untrained state. Whole-body and muscle mitochondrial responses to AET were robust in HY, evident in HO, but deficient in COPD. All groups showed robust muscle mRNA responses. Higher relative exercise intensities during whole-body training may be needed to maximise whole-body and muscle mitochondrial adaptation in COPD.
Violence-related distress and lung function in two longitudinal studies of youth
Authors: Gaietto Kristina , Han Yueh-Ying , Forno Erick , Bacharier Leonard B. , Phipatanakul Wanda , Guilbert Theresa W. , Cabana Michael D. , Ross Kristie , Blatter Joshua , Acosta-Pérez Edna , Miller Gregory E. , de la Hoz Rafael E. , Rosser Franziska J. , Durrani Sandy , Canino Glorisa , Wisniewski Stephen R. , Celedón Juan C.
Published: September 2021

Background

Exposure to violence has been associated with lower lung function in cross-sectional studies.

Methods

We examined whether increasing violence-related distress over time is associated with worse lung function and worse asthma control or quality of life in a secondary analysis of a 48-week randomised clinical trial in 98 youth with asthma (aged 9–16 years) treated with low-dose inhaled corticosteroids (Vitamin D Kids Asthma Study (VDKA)). We then replicated our findings for lung function in a prospective study of 232 Puerto Rican youth followed for an average of 5.4 years. Violence-related distress was assessed using the Checklist of Children's Distress Symptoms (CCDS) scale. Our outcomes of interest were percent predicted lung function measures and (in VDKA only) asthma control (assessed using the Asthma Control Test) and asthma-related quality of life (assessed using the Pediatric Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire (PAQLQ)).

Results

In a multivariable analysis in VDKA, each 1-point increment in CCDS score was associated with decrements of 3.27% in forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) % pred (95% CI −6.44– −0.22%; p=0.04), 2.65% in forced vital capacity (FVC) % pred (95% CI −4.86– −0.45%; p=0.02) and 0.30 points in the overall PAQLQ score (95% CI −0.50– −0.10 points; p<0.01). Similar findings for FEV1and FVC were obtained in the prospective study of Puerto Rican youth.

Conclusions

Our findings suggest that violence-related distress may worsen lung function and quality of life in youth with asthma (even those treated with low-dose inhaled corticosteroids), and further support policies to reduce exposure to violence among children in the USA and Puerto Rico.
High-flow oxygen therapyversusnoninvasive ventilation: a randomised physiological crossover study of alveolar recruitment in acute respiratory failure
Authors: Artaud-Macari Elise , Bubenheim Michael , Le Bouar Gurvan , Carpentier Dorothée , Grangé Steven , Boyer Déborah , Béduneau Gaëtan , Misset Benoit , Cuvelier Antoine , Tamion Fabienne , Girault Christophe
Published: September 2021

High-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) oxygen therapy has recently shown clinical benefits in hypoxaemic acute respiratory failure (ARF) patients, while the value of noninvasive ventilation (NIV) remains debated. The primary end-point was to compare alveolar recruitment using global end-expiratory electrical lung impedance (EELI) between HFNC and NIV. Secondary end-points compared regional EELI, lung volumes (global and regional tidal volume variation (VT)), respiratory parameters, haemodynamic tolerance, dyspnoea and patient comfort between HFNC and NIV, relative to face mask (FM).

A prospective randomised crossover physiological study was conducted in patients with hypoxaemic ARF due to pneumonia. They received alternately HFNC, NIV and FM.

16 patients were included. Global EELI was 4083 with NIV and 2921 with HFNC (p=0.4). Compared to FM, NIV and HFNC significantly increased global EELI by 1810.5 (95% CI 857–2646) and 826 (95% CI 399.5–2361), respectively. Global and regionalVTincreased significantly with NIV compared to HFNC or FM, but not between HFNC and FM. NIV yielded a significantly higher pulse oxygen saturation/inspired oxygen fraction ratio compared to HFNC (p=0.03). No significant difference was observed between HFNC, NIV and FM for dyspnoea. Patient comfort score with FM was not significantly different than with HFNC (p=0.1), but was lower with NIV (p=0.001).

This study suggests a potential benefit of HFNC and NIV on alveolar recruitment in patients with hypoxaemic ARF. In contrast with HFNC, NIV increased lung volumes, which may contribute to overdistension and its potentially deleterious effect in these patients.
Spirometric phenotypes from early childhood to young adulthood: a Chronic Airway Disease Early Stratification study
Authors: Wang Gang , Hallberg Jenny , Charalampopoulos Dimitrios , Sanahuja Maribel Casas , Breyer-Kohansal Robab , Langhammer Arnulf , Granell Raquel , Vonk Judith M. , Mian Annemiek , Olvera Núria , Laustsen Lisbeth Mølgaard , Rönmark Eva , Abellan Alicia , Agusti Alvar , Arshad Syed Hasan , Bergström Anna , Boezen H. Marike , Breyer Marie-Kathrin , Burghuber Otto , Bolund Anneli Clea , Custovic Adnan , Devereux Graham , Donaldson Gavin C. , Duijts Liesbeth , Esplugues Ana , Faner Rosa , Ballester Ferran , Garcia-Aymerich Judith , Gehring Ulrike , Haider Sadia , Hartl Sylvia , Backman Helena , Holloway John W. , Koppelman Gerard H. , Lertxundi Aitana , Holmen Turid Lingaas , Lowe Lesley , Mensink-Bout Sara M. , Murray Clare S. , Roberts Graham , Hedman Linnea , Schlünssen Vivi , Sigsgaard Torben , Simpson Angela , Sunyer Jordi , Torrent Maties , Turner Stephen , Van den Berge Maarten , Vermeulen Roel C.H. , Vikjord Sigrid Anna Aalberg , Wedzicha Jadwiga A. , Maitland van der Zee Anke H. , Melén Erik
Published: September 2021

Background

The prevalences of obstructive and restrictive spirometric phenotypes, and their relation to early-life risk factors from childhood to young adulthood remain poorly understood. The aim was to explore these phenotypes and associations with well-known respiratory risk factors across ages and populations in European cohorts.

Methods

We studied 49 334 participants from 14 population-based cohorts in different age groups (≤10, >10–15, >15–20, >20–25 years, and overall, 5–25 years). The obstructive phenotype was defined as forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1)/forced vital capacity (FVC) z-score less than the lower limit of normal (LLN), whereas the restrictive phenotype was defined as FEV1/FVC z-score ≥LLN, and FVC z-score <LLN.

Results

The prevalence of obstructive and restrictive phenotypes varied from 3.2–10.9% and 1.8–7.7%, respectively, without clear age trends. A diagnosis of asthma (adjusted odds ratio (aOR=2.55, 95% CI 2.14–3.04), preterm birth (aOR=1.84, 1.27–2.66), maternal smoking during pregnancy (aOR=1.16, 95% CI 1.01–1.35) and family history of asthma (aOR=1.44, 95% CI 1.25–1.66) were associated with a higher prevalence of obstructive, but not restrictive, phenotype across ages (5–25 years). A higher current body mass index (BMI was more often observed in those with the obstructive phenotype but less in those with the restrictive phenotype (aOR=1.05, 95% CI 1.03–1.06 and aOR=0.81, 95% CI 0.78–0.85, per kg·m−2increase in BMI, respectively). Current smoking was associated with the obstructive phenotype in participants older than 10 years (aOR=1.24, 95% CI 1.05–1.46).

Conclusion

Obstructive and restrictive phenotypes were found to be relatively prevalent during childhood, which supports the early origins concept. Several well-known respiratory risk factors were associated with the obstructive phenotype, whereas only low BMI was associated with the restrictive phenotype, suggesting different underlying pathobiology of these two phenotypes.