bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Consumption patterns, perceptions and total carotenoids, iron and zinc contents of yellow flesh cassava
Authors: DUAH ELIZABETH AFRIYIE , STEINER-ASEIDU MATILDA , DANQUAH ANGELINA O.
Published: May 2021

Abstract. Duah EA, Steiner-Aseidu M, Danquah AO. 2018. Consumption patterns, perceptions, and total carotenoids, iron, and zinc contents of yellow flesh cassava. Biofarmasi J Nat Prod Biochem 18: 13-28. The main objective was to investigate consumption patterns of white cassava, knowledge, perceptions and the nutritive profiles of yellow flesh cassava roots and leaves and its relationship to the recommended daily allowance for vitamin A. Total carotenoids, iron and zinc contents in fresh yellow cassava leaves, roots and products (gari, konkonte, boiled cassava roots and leaves), antioxidant activity and the in vitro bioaccessibility of the carotenoids were determined using standard methods. A cross-sectional survey was carried out to identify the consumption patterns of white cassava, the knowledge, and the perception of yellow flesh cassava among Ghanaians. Total carotenoids (T.C), iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn) for fresh roots ranged from 4.73±0.11 to 10.11±0.18 µg/g; 87.35±3.18 to 146.25±1.20 mg/100g; 0.30± 0.01 to1.55±0.07 mg/100g, respectively. T.C, Fe and Zn for fresh leaves ranged from 792.93±0.98 to 2649.20±29.10 µg/g; 118.35±0.070 to 07182.05± mg/100g; 3.75±0.64 to 15.50±0.14 mg/100g respectively. T.C for gari was between 3.21±2.79 and 7.39±1.06 µg/g, iron 118.75±0.64 to 181.85±2.05 mg/100g and zinc, 0.25±0.07 to 0.80±0.14 mg/100g. Iron and zinc contents for the kokonte samples ranged from 101.45±0.64 to 116.30± 0.14 mg/100g and 0.15±0.07 to 0.70±0.01 mg/100g, however, T.C was not detectable. T.C for boiled roots were between 1.22±0.05 and 2.14±0.11µg/g. Iron content for the samples ranged from 118.75±0.64 to 181.85±2.05 mg/100g and for zinc, 0.60±0.01 to 1.30±0.01 mg/100g. T.C for boiled leaves was between 524.39±9.89 and 1323.5±15.6 µg/g, iron; 95.90±0.01 and 148.75±2.76 mg/100g and zinc 0.60±0.01-1.30±0.01mg/100g. In vitro bio-accessibility of carotenoids for boiled roots had the highest of 104.42±0.88%, gari had the highest value of 57.22±9.01%, and boiled leaves 0.28±0.01%. Gari recorded the highest frequency of consumption. 36.6% of the respondents knew yellow flesh cassava. 51.2% were willing to accept yellow flesh cassava. Fermentation, drying, roasting, and boiling retained some carotenoids after processing, but solar drying over a long period completely degraded carotenoids in yellow cassava roots. Cassava leaves had higher retention of carotenoids, but cassava roots had more bio-accessible carotenoids. Carotenoids in yellow flesh cassava leaves had antioxidant properties that have the potential to help combat free radicals in the body. The knowledge and “willingness to accept” yellow cassava was low among Ghanaians. Yellow cassava will serve as a promising source of provitamin A.
Alignment of Supplementary Aids and Services With Student Needs and Placement
Authors: Toews Samantha Gross , Johnston Russell , Kurth Jennifer A. , Ruppar Andrea L. , McQueston Jessica A. , McCabe Katie M.
Published: May 2021

Trends in the supplementary aids and services (SAS) written in individualized education programs (IEPs) for students with significant disabilities (a) in different educational placements, (b) with and without behavior support plans (BSP), and (c) with and without complex communication needs (CCN) are examined using multivariate analysis of variance. Results show no significant differences in SAS for students across separate, resource, and inclusive placements. Students with BSPs had significantly more collaborative and behavior SAS than those without BSPs. Students with CCN had significantly more social-communication SAS than those whose IEPs indicated little to no communication support needs; however, 51.1% of students with CCN had no social-communication SAS. Findings raise concern around the extent to which SAS are considered before placement decisions, the high frequency of paraprofessional support for students with BSPs, and the low frequency of social-communication SAS written for students with CCN. Implications for policy, practice, and future research are provided.
Community Capacity to Provide Mental/Behavioral Health Services for People With IDD Transitioning From State-Operated Developmental Centers
Authors: Lulinski Amie , Heller Tamar
Published: May 2021

The study's aim was to explore the capacity of community-based providers of residential supports and services to support people with intellectual and developmental disabilities who transitioned out of state-operated institutions into community-based settings. Receiving agency survey results from 65 agencies and individual-level variables of 2,499 people who had transitioned from an institution to a community-based setting indicated that people who returned to an institution post-transition tended to be younger, have a higher IQ score, were more likely to have a psychiatric diagnosis, tended to have shorter previous lengths of stay at an institution, transitioned to larger settings, and received services from an agency receiving behavioral health technical assistance as compared to those who remained in their transition settings.
Quantum ghost imaging using asynchronous detection
Authors: Pitsch Carsten , Walter Dominik , Grosse Simon , Brockherde Werner , Bürsing Helge , Eichhorn Marc
Published: May 2021

We present first results of a novel type of setup for quantum ghost imaging based on asynchronous single photon timing using single photon avalanche diode (SPAD) detectors. This scheme enables photon pairing with arbitrary path length difference and does, therefore, obviate the dependence on optical delay lines of current quantum ghost imaging setups [Nat. Commun. 6, 5913 (2015)NCAOBW2041-172310.1038/ncomms6913]. It is also, to our knowledge, the first quantum ghost imaging setup to allow three-dimensional imaging.
Optimization of copper detection based on polarization-resolved laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy
Authors: Xu Jiang , Wang Xiao , Yao Mingyin
Published: May 2021

In order to obtain stable spectral data of copper plasma, a detection platform of polarization-resolved laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (PRLIBS) was built. The PRLIBS characteristic function of copper was constructed by combining the spectral path of plasma discrete spectrum and contact spectrum. The system can not only measure the original data, but also obtain the polarization information in the spectral data. By analyzing the extraction method of spatial polarized light information, the characteristic model of S-wave intensity information in PRLIBS was derived. The results show that in the decay process of plasma energy, the anisotropy of plasma recombination under local thermal equilibrium makes the number of deflected particles of atoms and electrons different in unit time, which leads to the polarization of radiation. The polarization characteristics of the plasma spectrum decreased with the increase of laser energy density. The S-wave was very active, and the polarization of continuous media was much stronger than that of discrete line emission. The advantages were helpful to obtain more stable characteristic peak signals. As a plasma element identification method, PRLIBS makes up for the deficiency of plasma detection technology, and can provide a scientific basis for the safety and non-destructive detection of heavy metals.
Computational multi-directional optical coherence tomography for visualizing the microstructural directionality of the tissue
Authors: Oida Daisuke , Tomita Kiriko , Oikawa Kensuke , Wang Tai-Ang , Makita Shuichi , Tsai Meng-Tsan , Yasuno Yoshiaki
Published: May 2021

We demonstrate computational multi-directional optical coherence tomography (OCT) to assess the directional property of tissue microstructure. This method is the combination of phase-sensitive volumetric OCT imaging and post-signal processing. The latter comprises of two steps. The first step is an intensity-directional analysis, which determines the dominant en face fiber orientations. The second step is the phase-directional imaging, which reveals the sub-resolution depth-orientation of the microstructure. The feasibility of the method was tested by assessing muscle and tendon samples. Stripe patterns with several sizes were visualized in the phase-directional images. In order to interpret these images, the muscle and tendon structures were numerically modeled, and the phase-directional images were generated from the numerical model. The similarity of the experimental and numerical results suggested that the stripe patterns correspond to the muscle fiber bundle and its crimping.
Design considerations of photonic lanterns for diffraction-limited spectrometry
Authors: Lin Jonathan , Jovanovic Nemanja , Fitzgerald Michael P.
Published: May 2021

The coupling of large telescopes to astronomical instruments has historically been challenging due to the tension between instrument throughput and stability. Light from the telescope can either be injected wholesale into the instrument, maintaining high throughput at the cost of point-spread function (PSF) stability, or the time-varying components of the light can be filtered out with single-mode fibers (SMFs), maintaining instrument stability at the cost of light loss. Today, the field of astrophotonics provides a potential resolution to the throughput-stability tension in the form of the photonic lantern (PL): a tapered waveguide that can couple a time-varying and aberrated PSF into multiple diffraction-limited beams at an efficiency that greatly surpasses direct SMF injection. As a result, lantern-fed instruments retain the stability of SMF-fed instruments while increasing their throughput. To this end, we present a series of numerical simulations characterizing PL performance as a function of lantern geometry, wavelength, and wavefront error (WFE), aimed at guiding the design of future diffraction-limited spectrometers. These characterizations include a first look at the interaction between PLs and phase-induced amplitude apodization (PIAA) optics. We find that Gaussian-mapping beam-shaping optics can enhance coupling into 3-port lanterns but offer diminishing gains with larger lanterns. In the

y

and

J

band (0.97–1.35 µm) region, with moderately high WFE (

∼

10
%

Strehl ratio), a 3-port lantern in conjunction with beam-shaping optics strikes a good balance between pixel count and throughput gains. If pixels are not a constraint, and the flux in each port will be dominated by photon noise, then larger port count lanterns will provide further coupling gains due to a greater resilience to tip-tilt errors. Finally, we show that lanterns can maintain high operating efficiencies over large wavelength bands where the number of guided modes at the lantern entrance drops, if care is taken to minimize the attenuation of weakly radiative input modes.
High-resolution and compact serpentine integrated grating spectrometer
Authors: Brand Michael , Zhang Bohan , Onural Deniz , Al Qubaisi Kenaish , Popović Miloš , Dostart Nathan , Wagner Kelvin
Published: May 2021

Integrated astrophotonic spectrometers are integrated variants of
conventional free-space spectrometers that offer significantly reduced
size, weight, and cost and immunity to alignment errors, and can be
readily integrated with other astrophotonic instruments such as
nulling interferometers. Current integrated dispersive astrophotonic
spectrometers are one-dimensional devices such as arrayed waveguide
gratings or planar echelle gratings. These devices have been limited
to

10
4

resolving powers and

<

1000

spectral bins due to having limited
total optical delay paths and 1D detector array pixel densities. In
this paper, we propose and demonstrate a high-resolution and compact
astrophotonic serpentine integrated grating (SIG) spectrometer design
based on a 2D dispersive serpentine optical phased array. The SIG
device combines a 5.2 cm long folded delay line with grating couplers
to create a large optical delay path along two dimensions in a compact
integrated device footprint. Analogous to free-space
crossed-dispersion high-resolution spectrometers, the SIG spectrometer
maps spectral content to a 2D wavelength-beam-steered folded-raster
emission pattern focused onto a 2D detector array. We demonstrate a
SIG spectrometer with

∼

100

k

resolving power and

∼

6750

spectral bins, which are
approximately an order of magnitude higher than previous integrated
photonic designs that operate over a wide bandwidth, in a

0.4

m
m

2

footprint. We measure a Rayleigh
resolution of

1.93
±
0.07

G
H
z

and an operational bandwidth from
1540 nm to 1650 nm. Finally, we discuss refinements of the SIG
spectrometer that improve its resolution, bandwidth, and throughput.
These results show that SIG spectrometer technology provides a path
towards miniaturized, high-resolution spectrometers for applications
in astronomy and beyond.
Amplified frequency double-shifting loop enabled frequency-stepped pulse train for direct time domain CO2 measurement
Authors: Chen Xin , Chen Tao , Kong Wei , Huang Genghua , He Zhiping , Shu Rong
Published: May 2021

We have developed an amplified frequency double-shifting loop with a bidirectionally operated acousto-optic modulator as the in-loop frequency shifter to generate a frequency-stepped pulse train (FSPT) with frequency spacing twice as much as its operation frequency. Based on this configuration, a FSPT with 51 equidistant optical frequencies and 800 MHz frequency spacing around 1572 nm was generated, covering the whole R16 absorption peak of

C
O

2

for direct spectral measurement in the time domain. The retrieved transmission curve from a

C
O

2

gas cell with concentration of 4.02% is in good agreement with the calculated Voigt lineshape from the HITRAN database. The maximal relative errors between the measured and calculated results are within 0.5% for each optical frequency, indicating its great potential for practical

C
O

2

monitoring.
Fiber-dispersive Raman spectrometer with single-photon sensitivity
Authors: Sidorova M. , Pavlov S. G. , Semenov A. D. , Gensch M. , Hübers H.-W.
Published: May 2021

The two major challenges in Raman spectroscopy are the low intensity of spontaneous Raman scattering and often accompanying luminescence. We overcome these two issues with a novel fiber-dispersive Raman spectrometer utilizing pulsed excitation and a superconducting nanowire single-photon detector (SNSPD). By exploiting chromatic dispersion in the fiber material, we stretched propagation times of Raman photons and performed correlated measurements in the time domain, where the two emission processes, Raman scattering and luminescence, can be effectively separated. The spectrometer greatly benefits from SNSPD metrics, i.e. broad spectral sensitivity (from UV to near-IR wavelength range) on a single-photon level and high timing resolution (small timing jitter), which outperform those of competing avalanche single-photon detectors. The spectral resolution achievable with a fiber-dispersive spectrometer for the optimized components is estimated to be as good as 3 - 10 cm−1 over the Stokes shifted range up to 4400 cm−1 with an excitation wavelength of 785 nm and below 5 cm−1 covering the same range with an excitation wavelength of 532 nm.
Integrated photonic high extinction short and long pass filters based on lateral leakage
Authors: Boes Andreas , Nguyen Thach G. , Chang Lin , Bowers John E. , Ren Guanghui , Mitchell Arnan
Published: May 2021

In this contribution we present a new approach to achieve high extinction short and long pass wavelength filters in the integrated photonic platform of lithium niobate on insulator. The filtering of unwanted wavelengths is achieved by employing lateral leakage and is related to the bound state in the continuum phenomenon. We show that it is possible to control the filter edge wavelength by adjusting the waveguide dimensions and that an extinction of hundreds of dB/cm is readily achievable. This enabled us to design a pump wavelength suppression of more than 100 dB in a 3.5 mm long waveguide, which is essential for on-chip integration of quantum-correlated photon pair sources. These findings pave the way to integrate multi wavelength experiments on chip for the next generation of photonic integrated circuits.
Tunable polarization mode conversion using thin-film lithium niobate ridge waveguide
Authors: Yang Guang , Sergienko Alexander V. , Ndao Abdoulaye
Published: May 2021

Lithium niobate on insulator (LNOI) waveguides, as an emerging technology, have proven to offer a promising platform for integrated optics, due to their strong optical confinement comparable to silicon on insulator (SOI) waveguides, while possessing the versatile properties of lithium niobate, such as high electro-optic coefficients. In this paper, we show that mode hybridization, a phenomenon widely found in vertically asymmetric waveguides, can be efficiently modulated in an LNOI ridge waveguide by electro-optic effect, leading to a polarization mode converter with 97% efficiency. Moreover, the proposed device does not require tapering or periodic poling, thereby greatly simplifying the fabrication process. It can also be actively switched by external fields. Such a platform facilitates technological progress of photonics circuits and sensors.
Synthesis of vector nonuniformly correlated light beams by a single digital mirror device
Authors: Zhu Xinlei , Yu Jiayi , Wang Fei , Chen Yahong , Cai Yangjian , Korotkova Olga
Published: May 2021

We present a stable and flexible way to generate the vector nonuniformly correlated (NUC) beams with a compact optical system that involves only a single digital mirror device and a common-path interferometer. The system provides near real-time generation and accurate control of the phase difference between the orthogonal field components of the vector NUC beams. We discuss the methodology based on the vectorial pseudo-mode decomposition of the cross-spectral density matrix of the beam. The method is validated by experimentally generating a class of vector NUC beams, named electromagnetic cosh-Gauss NUC beams, which have not been previously synthesized. Such beams display self-focusing feature on propagation and can reduce to different types of scalar NUC beams by selecting out the linearly polarized components at different polarization angles.
Modeling nonlinear microscopy near index-mismatched interfaces
Authors: Morizet Josephine , Sartorello Giovanni , Dray Nicolas , Stringari Chiara , Beaurepaire Emmanuel , Olivier Nicolas
Published: May 2021

Nonlinear microscopy is widely used to characterize thick, optically
heterogeneous biological samples. While quantitative image analysis
requires accurately describing the contrast mechanisms at play, the
majority of established numerical models neglect the influence of
field distortion caused by sample heterogeneity near focus. In this
work, we show experimentally and numerically that finite-difference
time-domain (FDTD) methods are applicable to model focused fields
interactions in the presence of heterogeneities, typical of nonlinear
microscopy. We analyze the ubiquitous geometry of a vertical interface
between index-mismatched media (water, glass, and lipids) and consider
the cases of two-photon-excited fluorescence (2PEF), third-harmonic
generation (THG) and polarized THG contrasts. We show that FDTD
simulations can accurately reproduce experimental images obtained on
model samples and in live adult zebrafish, in contrast with previous
models neglecting field distortions caused by index mismatch at the
micrometer scale. Accounting for these effects appears to be
particularly critical when interpreting coherent and
polarization-resolved microscopy data.
Photonic extreme learning machine by free-space optical propagation
Authors: Pierangeli Davide , Marcucci Giulia , Conti Claudio
Published: May 2021

Photonic brain-inspired platforms are emerging as novel analog computing devices, enabling fast and energy-efficient operations for machine learning. These artificial neural networks generally require tailored optical elements, such as integrated photonic circuits, engineered diffractive layers, nanophotonic materials, or time-delay schemes, which are challenging to train or stabilize. Here, we present a neuromorphic photonic scheme, i.e., the photonic extreme learning machine, which can be implemented simply by using an optical encoder and coherent wave propagation in free space. We realize the concept through spatial light modulation of a laser beam, with the far field acting as a feature mapping space. We experimentally demonstrate learning from data on various classification and regression tasks, achieving accuracies comparable with digital kernel machines and deep photonic networks. Our findings point out an optical machine learning device that is easy to train, energetically efficient, scalable, and fabrication-constraint free. The scheme can be generalized to a plethora of photonic systems, opening the route to real-time neuromorphic processing of optical data.
Sub-diffraction dark spot localization microscopy
Authors: Li Chuankang , Li Yuzhu , Zhan Zhengyi , Li Yuhang , Liu Xin , Liu Yong , Hao Xiang , Kuang Cuifang , Liu Xu
Published: May 2021

Single molecular localization microscopy (SMLM) is a useful tool in biological observation with sub-10-nm resolution. However, SMLM is incapable of discerning two molecules within the diffraction-limited region unless with the help of a stochastic on–off switching scheme which yet entails time-consuming processes. Here, we produce a novel kind of focal spot pattern, called sub-diffraction dark spot (SDS), to localize molecules within the sub-diffraction region of interest. In our proposed technique nominated as sub-diffracted dark spot localization microscopy (SDLM), multiple molecules within the diffraction-limited region could be distinguished without the requirement of stochastic fluorescent switches. We have numerically investigated some related impacts of SDLM, such as detection circle diameter, collected photon number, background noise, and SDS size. Simulative localization framework has been implemented on randomly distributed and specifically structured samples. In either two- or three-dimensional case, SDLM is evidenced to have

∼
2
  
nm

localization accuracy.
Evaluation of residue-residue contact prediction methods: From retrospective to prospective
Authors: Zhang Huiling , Bei Zhendong , Xi Wenhui , Hao Min , Ju Zhen , Saravanan Konda Mani , Zhang Haiping , Guo Ning , Wei Yanjie
Published: May 2021

Sequence-based residue contact prediction plays a crucial role in protein structure reconstruction. In recent years, the combination of evolutionary coupling analysis (ECA) and deep learning (DL) techniques has made tremendous progress for residue contact prediction, thus a comprehensive assessment of current methods based on a large-scale benchmark data set is very needed. In this study, we evaluate 18 contact predictors on 610 non-redundant proteins and 32 CASP13 targets according to a wide range of perspectives. The results show that different methods have different application scenarios: (1) DL methods based on multi-categories of inputs and large training sets are the best choices for low-contact-density proteins such as the intrinsically disordered ones and proteins with shallow multi-sequence alignments (MSAs). (2) With at least 5L (L is sequence length) effective sequences in the MSA, all the methods show the best performance, and methods that rely only on MSA as input can reach comparable achievements as methods that adopt multi-source inputs. (3) For top L/5 and L/2 predictions, DL methods can predict more hydrophobic interactions while ECA methods predict more salt bridges and disulfide bonds. (4) ECA methods can detect more secondary structure interactions, while DL methods can accurately excavate more contact patterns and prune isolated false positives. In general, multi-input DL methods with large training sets dominate current approaches with the best overall performance. Despite the great success of current DL methods must be stated the fact that there is still much room left for further improvement: (1) With shallow MSAs, the performance will be greatly affected. (2) Current methods show lower precisions for inter-domain compared with intra-domain contact predictions, as well as very high imbalances in precisions between intra-domains. (3) Strong prediction similarities between DL methods indicating more feature types and diversified models need to be developed. (4) The runtime of most methods can be further optimized.
Detection of cutaneous leishmaniasis in three communities of Oti Region, Ghana
Authors: Akuffo Richard , Sanchez Carmen , Chicharro Carmen , Carrillo Eugenia , Attram Naiki , Mosore Mba-Tihssommah , Yeboah Clara , Kotey Nana Konama , Boakye Daniel , Ruiz-Postigo Jose-Antonio , Moreno Javier , Wilson Michael , Sarfo Bismark , Anto Francis
Published: May 2021

Background

Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is the most common type of leishmaniasis, a neglected tropical disease caused by parasites of the genus Leishmania. In Ghana, some studies in the Volta region have detected Leishmania parasites among persons with skin ulcers.

Methodology/Principal findings

Using a cross-sectional study design, the prevalence of CL in three communities of the Oti Region of Ghana was investigated. Demographic and epidemiological data were obtained by a structured interviewer administered questionnaire. A total of 426 (12.4%) out of 3,440 participants screened had at least one skin ulcer. Of 595 skin ulcers sampled and tested by PCR for Leishmania infection, 150 (25.2%) ulcers from 136 individuals tested positive, accounting for an overall CL prevalence of 31.9% among persons with skin ulcers. Individual community CL prevalence of 23.2%, 29.8%, and 36.8% was observed in Ashiabre, Keri, and Sibi Hilltop respectively among persons with skin ulcers.

Conclusions/Significance

Confirmation of CL in the study area suggests an active cycle of transmission of Leishmania infection. The observation of skin ulcers which tested negative to Leishmania infection suggests a need to test for additional causes of skin ulcers such as Treponema pallidum pertenue and Mycobacterium ulcerans in the study area.
Legacy of draught cattle breeds of South India: Insights into population structure, genetic admixture and maternal origin
Authors: Manomohan Vandana , Saravanan Ramasamy , Pichler Rudolf , Murali Nagarajan , Sivakumar Karuppusamy , Sudhakar Krovvidi , Nachiappan Raja K. , Periasamy Kathiravan
Published: May 2021

The present study is the first comprehensive report on diversity, population structure, genetic admixture and mitochondrial DNA variation in South Indian draught type zebu cattle. The diversity of South Indian cattle was moderately high. A significantly strong negative correlation coefficient of -0.674 (P<0.05) was observed between the effective population size of different breeds and their estimated FIS. The genetic structure analysis revealed the distinctness of Kangayam, Vechur and Punganur cattle from the rest of the zebu breeds. The results showed the influence of Hallikar breed in the development of most Mysore type cattle breeds of South India with the exception of Kangayam. Bayesian clustering analysis was performed to assess the taurine admixture in South Indian zebu cattle using purebred Jersey and Holstein-Friesian as reference genotypes. Relatively high levels of taurine admixture (>6.25%) was observed in Punganur, Vechur, Umblachery and Pulikulam cattle breeds. Two major maternal haplogroups, I1 and I2, typical of zebu cattle were observed, with the former being predominant than the later. The pairwise differences among the I2 haplotypes of South Indian cattle were relatively higher than West Indian (Indus valley site) zebu cattle. The results indicated the need for additional sampling and comprehensive analysis of mtDNA control region variations to unravel the probable location of origin and domestication of I2 zebu lineage. The present study also revealed major concerns on South Indian zebu cattle (i) risk of endangerment due to small effective population size and high rate of inbreeding (ii) lack of sufficient purebred zebu bulls for breeding and (iii) increasing level of taurine admixture in zebu cattle. Availability of purebred semen for artificial insemination, incorporation of genomic/molecular information to identify purebred animals and increased awareness among farmers will help to maintain breed purity, conserve and improve these important draught cattle germplasms of South India.
Composition of cutaneous bacterial microbiome in seborrheic dermatitis patients: A cross-sectional study
Authors: Sanders Martijn G. H. , Nijsten Tamar , Verlouw Joost , Kraaij Robert , Pardo Luba M.
Published: May 2021

Background

Seborrheic dermatitis (SD) is a chronic inflammatory skin disease with a multifactorial aetiology. Malassezia yeasts have been associated with the disease but the role of bacterial composition in SD has not been thoroughly investigated.

Objectives

To profile the bacterial microbiome of SD patients and compare this with the microbiome of individuals with no inflammatory skin disease (controls).

Methods

This was a cross sectional study embedded in a population-based study. Skin swabs were taken from naso-labial fold from patients with seborrheic dermatitis (lesional skin: n = 22; non-lesional skin SD: n = 75) and controls (n = 465). Sample collection began in 2016 at the research facility and is still ongoing. Shannon and Chao1 α- diversity metrics were calculated per group. Associations between the microbiome composition of cases and controls was calculated using multivariate statistics (permANOVA) and univariate statistics.

Results

We found an increased α-diversity between SD lesional cases versus controls (Shannon diversity: Kruskal-Wallis rank sum: Chi-squared: 19.06; global p-value = 7.7x10-5). Multivariate statistical analysis showed significant associations in microbiome composition when comparing lesional SD skin to controls (p-value = 0.03;R2 = 0.1%). Seven out of 13 amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) that were significantly different between controls and lesional cases were members of the genus Staphylococcus, most of which showed increased composition in lesional cases, and were closely related to S. capitis S. caprae and S. epidermidis.

Conclusion

Microbiome composition differs in patients with seborrheic dermatitis and individuals without diseases. Differences were mainly found in the genus Staphylococcus.
Characterizing missed identifications and errors in latent fingerprint comparisons using eye-tracking data
Authors: Busey Thomas A. , Heise Nicholas , Hicklin R. Austin , Ulery Bradford T. , Buscaglia JoAnn
Published: May 2021

Latent fingerprint examiners sometimes come to different conclusions when comparing fingerprints, and eye-gaze behavior may help explain these outcomes. missed identifications (missed IDs) are inconclusive, exclusion, or No Value determinations reached when the consensus of other examiners is an identification. To determine the relation between examiner behavior and missed IDs, we collected eye-gaze data from 121 latent print examiners as they completed a total 1444 difficult (latent-exemplar) comparisons. We extracted metrics from the gaze data that serve as proxies for underlying perceptual and cognitive capacities. We used these metrics to characterize potential mechanisms of missed IDs: Cursory Comparison and Mislocalization. We find that missed IDs are associated with shorter comparison times, fewer regions visited, and fewer attempted correspondences between the compared images. Latent print comparisons resulting in erroneous exclusions (a subset of missed IDs) are also more likely to have fixations in different regions and less accurate correspondence attempts than those comparisons resulting in identifications. We also use our derived metrics to describe one atypical examiner who made six erroneous identifications, four of which were on comparisons intended to be straightforward exclusions. The present work helps identify the degree to which missed IDs can be explained using eye-gaze behavior, and the extent to which missed IDs depend on cognitive and decision-making factors outside the domain of eye-tracking methodologies.
Cluster analysis of men undergoing surgery for BPH/LUTS reveals prominent roles of both bladder outlet obstruction and diminished bladder contractility
Authors: Schneider Andrew J. , Grimes Matthew , Lyon Will , Kemper Amanda , Wang Sijian , Bushman Wade
Published: May 2021

Lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) in aging men are commonly attributed to bladder outlet obstruction from benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) but BPH/LUTS often reflects a confluence of many factors. We performed a hierarchical cluster analysis using four objective patient characteristics (age, HTN, DM, and BMI), and five pre-operative urodynamic variables (volume at first uninhibited detrusor contraction, number of uninhibited contractions, Bladder Outlet Obstruction Index (BOOI), Bladder Contractility Index (BCI) and Bladder Power at Qmax) to identify meaningful subgroups within a cohort of 94 men undergoing surgery for BPH/LUTS. Two meaningful subgroups (clusters) were identified. Significant differences between the two clusters included Prostate Volume (95 vs 53 cc; p-value = 0.001), BOOI (mean 70 vs 49; p-value = 0.001), BCI (mean 129 vs 83; p-value <0.001), Power (689 vs 236; p-value <0.001), Qmax (8.3 vs 4.9 cc/sec; p-value <0.001) and post-void residual (106 vs 250 cc; p-value = 0.001). One cluster is distinguished by larger prostate volume, greater outlet resistance and better bladder contractility. The other is distinguished by smaller prostate volume, lower outlet resistance and worse bladder contractility. Remarkably, the second cluster exhibited greater impairment of urine flow and bladder emptying. Surgery improved flow and emptying for patients in both clusters. These findings reveal important roles for both outlet obstruction and diminished detrusor function in development of diminished urine flow and impaired bladder emptying in patients with BPH/LUTS.
Reduced CXCL1 production by endogenous IL-37 expressing dendritic cells does not affect T cell activation
Authors: Kouwenberg M. , Pulskens W. P. C. , Diepeveen L. , Bakker-van Bebber M. , Dinarello C. A. , Netea M. G. , Hilbrands L. B. , van der Vlag J.
Published: May 2021

The dendritic cell (DC)-derived cytokine profile contributes to naive T cell differentiation, thereby directing the immune response. IL-37 is a cytokine with anti-inflammatory characteristics that has been demonstrated to induce tolerogenic properties in DC. In this study we aimed to evaluate the influence of IL-37 on DC–T cell interaction, with a special focus on the role of the chemokine CXCL1. DC were cultured from bone marrow of human IL-37 transgenic (hIL-37Tg) or WT mice. The phenotype of unstimulated and LPS-stimulated DC was analyzed (co-stimulatory molecules and MHCII by flow cytometry, cytokine profile by RT-PCR and ELISA), and T cell stimulatory capacity was assessed in mixed lymphocyte reaction. The role of CXCL1 in T cell activation was analyzed in T cell stimulation assays with anti-CD3 or allogeneic DC. The expression of the co-stimulatory molecules CD40, CD80 and CD86, and of MHCII in LPS-stimulated DC was not affected by endogenous expression of IL-37, whereas LPS-stimulated hIL-37Tg DC produced less CXCL1 compared to LPS-stimulated WT DC. T cell stimulatory capacity of LPS-matured hIL-37Tg DC was comparable to that of WT DC. Recombinant mouse CXCL1 did not increase T cell proliferation either alone or in combination with anti-CD3 or allogeneic DC, nor did CXCL1 affect the T cell production of interferon-γ and IL-17. Endogenous IL-37 expression does not affect mouse DC phenotype or subsequent T cell stimulatory capacity, despite a reduced CXCL1 production. In addition, we did not observe an effect of CXCL1 in T cell proliferation or differentiation.
A cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) extract impairs the growth, virulence properties, and inflammatory potential of Fusobacterium nucleatum and improves oral epithelial barrier function
Authors: Ben Lagha Amel , Maquera Huacho Patricia , Grenier Daniel
Published: May 2021

Fusobacterium nucleatum is associated with many conditions and diseases, including periodontal diseases that affect tooth-supporting tissues. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of a cocoa extract (Theobroma cacao L.) on F. nucleatum with respect to growth, biofilm formation, adherence, and hydrogen sulfide (H2S) production. The anti-inflammatory properties and the effect on epithelial barrier function of the cocoa extract were also assessed. The cocoa extract, whose major phenolic compound is epicatechin, dose-dependently inhibited the growth, biofilm formation, adherence properties (basement membrane matrix, oral epithelial cells), and H2S production of F. nucleatum. It also decreased IL-6 and IL-8 production by F. nucleatum-stimulated oral epithelial cells and inhibited F. nucleatum-induced NF-κB activation in monocytes. Lastly, the cocoa extract enhanced the barrier function of an oral epithelial model by increasing the transepithelial electrical resistance. We provide evidence that the beneficial properties of an epicatechin-rich cocoa extract may be useful for preventing and/or treating periodontal diseases.
Fashion Stylists: History, Meaning and Practice, Ane Lynge-Jorlén (ed.) (2020)
Authors: Krause-Wahl Antje
Published: May 2021

Review of: Fashion Stylists: History, Meaning and Practice, Ane Lynge-Jorlén (ed.) (2020)

London: Bloomsbury Visual Arts, 272 pp.,

ISBN 978-1-35011-505-7, h/bk, £76.50
Análise sobre o programa tempo de aprender no Brasil: o direito à alfabetização ou a performatividade docente?
Authors: Amarante Lucilene , Da Silva Moreira Jani Alves , Dorneles Gonçalves Leonardo
Published: May 2021

O texto analisa o programa Tempo de Aprender apresentado como uma política para a alfabetização pelo Ministério da Educação do Brasil no ano de 2020. Trata-se dos resultados de uma pesquisa exploratória e de análise documental que analisa os pressupostos teórico-pedagógicos presentes no programa instituído pela Portaria n.º 280/2020 (Brasil, 2020), cujo propósito fundamenta-se na delimitação de metas para a área, bem como na performatividade docente para enfrentar os problemas da alfabetização no país. As discussões tangenciam aspectos sobre os limites e possibilidades do programa mediante o problema do analfabetismo no contexto das escolas públicas brasileiras. Os resultados indicam que o programa Tempo de Aprender focaliza a relação das práticas alfabetizadoras docentes com o desempenho dos professores e dos alunos.
Hacia una educación para el consumo responsable en Itapúa-Paraguay
Authors: Vallejo De Cuella Rosa María
Published: May 2021

El artículo expone las experiencias institucionales y preceptos legales en cuanto a la Educación en Consumo en Itapúa-Paraguay, sobre qué es Consumir, acción propia, natural y vital para el ser vivo, y la necesidad existente de que las instituciones, como la Universidad Nacional de Itapúa, una de las principales del país, desde su función sustantiva que es la educación, en colaboración con otros organismos, brinden una mirada humana, educadora y formativa hacia el sector del consumidor, avalada en la experiencia de buenas prácticas en Consumo responsable de la Universidad de Salamanca-España, institución pionera en la comunidad autónoma, y de otras instituciones salmantinas que acompañan a los entes educativos y a la sociedad en materia de consumo.

Como resultado de un abordaje exploratorio-descriptivo se observa que la Ley 1334/98 brinda un amparo legal a sus habitantes, que es una legislación bien enunciada pero poco divulgada, con una mayoría de ciudadanos en desconocimiento de sus derechos y deberes como también escaso compromiso de la mayoría de los municipios del país en adherirse al Sistema Nacional Integrado de Protección al Consumidor.

Esto demanda que la universidad sea centro de coordinación de actividades colaborativas interinstitucionales para el abordaje por medio de un diseño integral de Formación- Investigación-Extensión.
Un enfoque del aprendizaje basado en problemas (ABP) como metodología didáctica en las prácticas extracurriculares del grado en conservación-restauración
Authors: Sánchez Fernández Antonio J.
Published: May 2021

El presente artículo expone la experiencia práctica extracurricular en el Grado de Conservación y Restauración de Bienes Culturales de la Universidad de Sevilla, con la restauración del retablo de la ermita de la Virgen de Valme (Dos Hermanas, Sevilla). El objetivo fundamental de este programa fue la profundización de los conocimientos adquiridos en el aula y la aplicación de metodologías específicas de intervención en bienes culturales en un entorno laboral real y con un enfoque del Aprendizaje Basado en Problemas (abp). El desarrollo práctico de la intervención de restauración supuso el entrenamiento y mejora de las habilidades profesionales de los alumnos, asociadas a la superación de fases conectadas de forma dependiente, un aprendizaje autodirigido y unos resultados autosupervisados. Así, manifestamos la necesidad de recursos didáctic
Ecología integral y pacto educativo global. La educación integral del Papa Francisco
Authors: Mendes Vítor Hugo
Published: May 2021

Tras el cónclave realizado en marzo de 2013, Francisco se convirtió en el primer latinoamericano en ocupar el solio de Pedro. En noviembre de aquel año, él presentó su carta programática, la exhortación apostólica Evangelii gaudium, sobre el anuncio del Evangelio en el mundo actual. En mayo de 2015, publicó la carta encíclica Laudato si’, sobre el cuidado de la casa común. Según estimamos, este documento representa el culmen de la enseñanza social de Francisco, una propuesta de ecología integral que perfila un camino frente a la grave crisis ecológica que, a lo largo del siglo pasado, emergió como el gran reto global a ser enfrentado en el tercer milenio. Acompasada por esta reflexión emerge la cuestión educativa. Se trata de un ámbito temático que desde siempre ha merecido una especial atención de Jorge Mario Bergoglio. Como era de esperar, Francisco, además de reforzar la importancia de la educación, ha tratado de ir perfilando una propuesta educativa que, pari passu con su magisterio, adquirió una mayor relevancia a partir de su preocupación por el cuidado de la casa común. De ahí la necesidad de reconstruir el pacto educativo global. Con base en esto, en este trabajo, tratamos de presentar la educación integral de Francisco.
A página da educação. Uma publicação com passado, presente e futuro
Authors: Baptista Isabel
Published: May 2021

A Página da Educação es una publicación portuguesa editada, ininterrumpidamente, desde 1991. Con un amplio apoyo de la comunidad docente y, más en concreto, del Sindicato dos Professores do Norte, constituye uno de los principales referentes en la prensa pedagógica del país, proyectando sus logros en otros contextos y realidades. Con este artículo se pretende enfatizar sus señas de identidad como un proyecto editorial único, poniendo de relieve los momentos más significativos de su trayectoria histórica, vocacionalmente comprometida con la democracia, la educación, la ciencia y la cultura. Un pasado que mira al futuro con la intención ser más rica, relevante y –tanto como sea posible– en acceso abierto.
Effect of exposure to different light colors on embryonic development and neurophysiological traits in the chick embryo
Authors: Abdulateef S. M. , Al-Bayar M. A. , Majid A. A. , Shawkat S. S. , Tatar A. , Al-Ani M. Q.
Published: May 2021

Background and Aim: Many environmental factors exist that influence embryonic development which is missing in the poultry industry, such as light in incubation facilities or hatcheries. Light plays an important role in the growth and development of chick embryos, whereas dark environments can lead to hatching failure or embryo distortion. Therefore, this study aimed to demonstrate the importance of light and its various colors on the growth and development of broiler chick embryos. Materials and Methods: Four treatments were used to study the impact of various light colors on the growth of embryos and their neurophysiological traits: Dark without light (D), red light (RL), blue light (BL), and green light (GL), with three replicates per treatment (25 eggs/replicate) for a total of 300 fertile Ross 308 eggs. Each treatment was assigned to one incubator (75 eggs/incubator), whereas all other conditions were kept the same. Results: The results showed a significant increase (p<0.01) in embryonic development for embryo weight, chick body weight, hatchability, and embryo index for RL, BL, and especially GL. RL, BL, and especially GL significantly increased (p<0.01) neurophysiological traits of the neurons, brain weight, and brain index. Conclusion: The use of light during the embryonic period affects the development of the embryo and its neurophysiological traits.
SENTIMENTO CONSTITUCIONAL, PATRIOTISMO CONSTITUCIONAL E CONSTITUCIONALISMO POPULAR: POSSIBILIDADES PARA NOSSO PAÍS?
Authors: Machado Vitor Gonçalves , Fabriz Daury Cesar
Published: May 2021

Os fenômenos do sentimento constitucional, patriotismo constitucional e constitucionalismo popular, presentes nos estudos de Teoria da Constituição, são importantes para refletirmos acerca de sua aplicação à realidade jurídico-constitucional brasileira. Assim, precipuamente a partir do método dedutivo, pretende-se analisar, mesmo que de forma não exaustiva, tais movimentos, com o objetivo de verificar a aplicabilidade dos mesmos em nosso país rumo à construção de um sentimento próprio de Constituição. Ao final, pretende-se dar início a uma “teoria da educação constitucional” com o fim de, a médio e longo prazo, florescer em solo brasileiro o sentimento constitucional.
O PLURALISMO JURÍDICO E OS MEIOS EXTRAESTATAIS DE ADMINISTRAR CONFLITOS
Authors: Spengler Fabiana Marion
Published: May 2021

Diante do cenário de crise das funções estatais o artigo que agora se apresenta possui como tema central o pluralismo jurídico, questionando se é possível existir a regulação autônoma das relações por parte de grupos sociais e se essa pluralidade se origina na retração do Estado e na sua imobilidade face às grandes mudanças produzidas pela modernidade. O objetivo do presente texto é analisar o pluralismo jurídico como possibilidade de regulação autônoma dos grupos sociais, enquanto direito social produzido pela sociedade, muitas vezes alheio ao Estado. Para fins de cumprir com o proposto o método de abordagem utilizado foi o dedutivo e o método de procedimento foi o monográfico. Em linhas gerais, as principais conclusões apontam para o fato de que o pluralismo jurídico é uma das consequências da retração do Estado diante do surgimento de novas forças (paralelas) que fomentam a criação de um direito supra estatal. Então, a tendência é o aumento da organização e da aplicação de regras criadas pelo cidadão objetivando o tratamento de conflitos.
O PODER DE INFLUÊNCIA DOS ALGORITMOS NO COMPORTAMENTO DOS USUÁRIOS EM REDES SOCIAIS E APLICATIVOS
Authors: Parchen Charles Emmanuel , Freitas Cinthia Obladen de Almendra , Baggio Andreza Cristina
Published: May 2021

O presente artigo visa analisar o comportamento dos usuários da Internet, considerando sua inserção no mundo tecnológico. A ausência de proteção de dados e a mineração destes, a insubsistência da privacidade, hiperexposição de intimidade são efeitos nefastos observados na modernidade, decorrentes do acesso em massa à tecnologia e da busca incessante pela lucratividade. As circunstâncias ora vivenciadas são graves e denota-se que o Direito, dentro de suas limitações burocráticas e deliberativas sequer consegue acompanhar os fatos e as relações que demandam salvaguarda. Desta forma, a presente pesquisa será bibliográfica, de método hipotético-dedutivo, e buscará características das redes e seus principais modelos para permitir a identificação das redes sociais ao respectivo modelo de negócios. No tocante a relação usuário-empresa, será abordada a influência dos algoritmos nas tomadas de decisão dos usuários, para ao final, demonstrar a responsabilidade dos algoritmos nos impulsos de maus comportamentos dos usuários de redes sociais e aplicativos