bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Case Report: A rare presentation and diagnosis of gingival melanoacanthoma caused by teeth whitening strips
Authors: Albagieh Hamad , Aloyouny Ashwag , Alharthi Shatha
Published: December 2020

Background: Oral melanoacanthoma is not common. It occurs mostly on the buccal mucosa. Since it happens suddenly and progresses rapidly, it clinically resembles melanoma. Melanoacanthoma occurs in regions susceptible to trauma. The clinical presentation of the lesion is not enough to diagnose it; therefore, tissue biopsy is necessary to exclude malignancy.

Case report: We report a case of oral melanoacanthoma in a rare mucosal location in a 21-year old female patient. The generalized gingival melanoacanthoma was caused as a result of using teeth whitening strips. This irritating factor increased melanocyte activity in the gingival tissues and labial mucosa.

Discussion: Oral melanoacanthoma is a rarely encountered pigmented lesion in the oral cavity and is especially uncommon in the gingiva. It is a reactive lesion affecting the mucous membranes with no risk of malignant transformation. This case report shows that teeth whitening strips may trigger oral melanoacanthoma in susceptible individuals. Long-term irritation of the oral tissues may increase the number of dendritic melanocytes throughout the epithelium and accordingly increase the brown pigmentation of the oral cavity.  Eliminating all possible local sources of irritation and ruling out other causative factors are the standard first steps in the oral melanoacanthoma therapy.

Conclusions: This case shows the importance of including oral melanoacanthoma in the differential diagnosis of diffuse gingival pigmented lesions.
Religia w przestrzeni życia publicznego w regionach Europy Środkowej
Authors: Moddelmog-Anweiler Emilia
Published: December 2020

Religion in the public life in the regions of Central Europe. Features of the Central European model For post‑communist states, which experienced programmative secularization of society, and are currently building civil society, the Western models of determining the place and role of religion in public sphere seem to be inadequate and simplistic. On the one hand, freedom of religion in this region symbolizes success of a new democratic order. On the other, the rapid pace of social, cultural and political changes causes dilemmas regarding the place of religion in public life, where religion is part of cultural, national and social identities. People are stretched between the freedom to be religious publicly, return to traditional religion and freedom of other choices. It therefore seems that, despite religious diversity and the presence of specific historical circumstances in individual countries, these societies share the perspective of determining the place of religion in the public sphere today, which is the basis of the specific features of religion in public life. The article presents an ovierview of observations and interpretations of characteristics of social practice to the presence of religion in the public sphere, which were distinquished on the basis of qualitative research conducted in Poland, Slovakia and Ukraine.
Biały Orzeł i Złota Chryzantema
Authors: Baziur Grzegorz
Published: December 2020

White Eagle and Golden Chrysanthemum. Polish‑Japanese cooperation: myth or historical possibility or necessity?

This article deals with the historical and contemporary Polish‑Japanese relations in various aspects of cooperation: political, military, economic and cultural types. Author discusses the traditions of Polish‑Japanese military cooperation since the Russo‑Japanese War to 1944 year, which is important in the context of the fact that during the Second World War, Poland and Japan fought on the opposite side. Despite this, two countries work together, as a common opponent was the Stalinist Soviet Union. In the following section discusses the renewal of the Polish‑Japanese relations after 1957 and their development, including the attitude of the Japanese authorities to “Solidarity” movement in 1980‑1981 to Polish‑Japanese relations after 1989. The author ends the with text summary and an attempt to outlook mutual the cooperation both countries.
Analysis of the phase-locking dynamics of a III-V-on-silicon frequency comb laser
Authors: Verschelde A. , Van Gasse K. , Kuyken B. , Giudici M. , Huyet G. , Marconi M.
Published: December 2020

We present the detailed characterization of the phase dynamics of a telecom hybrid III-V-on-silicon passively mode-locked laser with a ring cavity. We explore the various regimes of operation as a function of gain current and saturable absorber bias voltage. We use a stepped-heterodyne measurement to quantify the spectral chirp and reconstruct the pulse envelope. With this technique, we are able to identify regimes of near-transform-limited operation, and we assess the degradation of mode-locking in the comb phase relationship when saturable absorber bias voltage is changed. Finally, we present a preliminary study of the phase-locking in hybrid mode-locked operation and demonstrate transform-limited pulses.
Proteostasis is adaptive: Balancing chaperone holdases against foldases
Authors: de Graff Adam MR , Mosedale David E. , Sharp Tilly , Dill Ken A. , Grainger David J.
Published: December 2020

Because a cell must adapt to different stresses and growth rates, its proteostasis system must too. How do cells detect and adjust proteome folding to different conditions? Here, we explore a biophysical cost-benefit principle, namely that the cell should keep its proteome as folded as possible at the minimum possible energy cost. This can be achieved by differential expression of chaperones–balancing foldases (which accelerate folding) against holdases (which act as parking spots). The model captures changes in the foldase-holdase ratio observed both within organisms during aging and across organisms of varying metabolic rates. This work describes a simple biophysical mechanism by which cellular proteostasis adapts to meet the needs of a changing growth environment.
A functional theory of bistable perception based on dynamical circular inference
Authors: Leptourgos Pantelis , Bouttier Vincent , Jardri Renaud , Denève Sophie
Published: December 2020

When we face ambiguous images, the brain cannot commit to a single percept; instead, it switches between mutually exclusive interpretations every few seconds, a phenomenon known as bistable perception. While neuromechanistic models, e.g., adapting neural populations with lateral inhibition, may account for the dynamics of bistability, a larger question remains unresolved: how this phenomenon informs us on generic perceptual processes in less artificial contexts. Here, we propose that bistable perception is due to our prior beliefs being reverberated in the cortical hierarchy and corrupting the sensory evidence, a phenomenon known as “circular inference”. Such circularity could occur in a hierarchical brain where sensory responses trigger activity in higher-level areas but are also modulated by feedback projections from these same areas. We show that in the face of ambiguous sensory stimuli, circular inference can change the dynamics of the perceptual system and turn what should be an integrator of inputs into a bistable attractor switching between two highly trusted interpretations. The model captures various aspects of bistability, including Levelt’s laws and the stabilizing effects of intermittent presentation of the stimulus. Since it is related to the generic perceptual inference and belief updating mechanisms, this approach can be used to predict the tendency of individuals to form aberrant beliefs from their bistable perception behavior. Overall, we suggest that feedforward/feedback information loops in hierarchical neural networks, a phenomenon that could lead to psychotic symptoms when overly strong, could also underlie perception in nonclinical populations.
HOX paralogs selectively convert binding of ubiquitous transcription factors into tissue-specific patterns of enhancer activation
Authors: Bridoux Laure , Zarrineh Peyman , Mallen Joshua , Phuycharoen Mike , Latorre Victor , Ladam Frank , Losa Marta , Baker Syed Murtuza , Sagerstrom Charles , Mace Kimberly A. , Rattray Magnus , Bobola Nicoletta
Published: December 2020

Gene expression programs determine cell fate in embryonic development and their dysregulation results in disease. Transcription factors (TFs) control gene expression by binding to enhancers, but how TFs select and activate their target enhancers is still unclear. HOX TFs share conserved homeodomains with highly similar sequence recognition properties, yet they impart the identity of different animal body parts. To understand how HOX TFs control their specific transcriptional programsin vivo, we compared HOXA2 and HOXA3 binding profiles in the mouse embryo. HOXA2 and HOXA3 directly cooperate with TALE TFs and selectively target different subsets of a broad TALE chromatin platform. Binding of HOX and tissue-specific TFs convert low affinity TALE binding into high confidence, tissue-specific binding events, which bear the mark of active enhancers. We propose that HOX paralogs, alone and in combination with tissue-specific TFs, generate tissue-specific transcriptional outputs by modulating the activity of TALE TFs at selected enhancers.
The PP2A/4/6 subfamily of phosphoprotein phosphatases regulates DAF-16 and confers resistance to environmental stress in postreproductive adult C. elegans
Authors: Rivard Rebecca S. , Morris Julia M. , Youngman Matthew J.
Published: December 2020

Insulin and insulin-like growth factors are longevity determinants that negatively regulate Forkhead box class O (FoxO) transcription factors. InC.elegansmutations that constitutively activate DAF-16, the ortholog of mammalian FoxO3a, extend lifespan by two-fold. While environmental insults induce DAF-16 activity in younger animals, it also becomes activated in an age-dependent manner in the absence of stress, modulating gene expression well into late adulthood. The mechanism by which DAF-16 activity is regulated during aging has not been defined. Since phosphorylation of DAF-16 generally leads to its inhibition, we asked whether phosphatases might be necessary for its increased transcriptional activity in adultC.elegans. We focused on the PP2A/4/6 subfamily of phosphoprotein phosphatases, members of which had been implicated to regulate DAF-16 under low insulin signaling conditions but had not been investigated during aging in wildtype animals. Using reverse genetics, we functionally characterized allC.elegansorthologs of human catalytic, regulatory, and scaffolding subunits of PP2A/4/6 holoenzymes in postreproductive adults. We found that PP2A complex constituents PAA-1 and PPTR-1 regulate DAF-16 transcriptional activity during aging and that they cooperate with the catalytic subunit LET-92 to protect adult animals from ultraviolet radiation. PP4 complex members PPH-4.1/4.2, and SMK-1 also appear to regulate DAF-16 in an age-dependent manner, and together with PPFR-2 they contribute to innate immunity. Interestingly, SUR-6 but no other subunit of the PP2A complex was necessary for the survival of pathogen-infected animals. Finally, we found that PP6 complex constituents PPH-6 and SAPS-1 contribute to host defense during aging, apparently without affecting DAF-16 transcriptional activity. Our studies indicate that a set of PP2A/4/6 complexes protect adultC.elegansfrom environmental stress, thus preserving healthspan. Therefore, along with their functions in cell division and development, the PP2A/4/6 phosphatases also appear to play critical roles later in life.
Reanalysis of the 2000 Rift Valley fever outbreak in Southwestern Arabia
Authors: Tucker Compton J. , Melocik Katherine A. , Anyamba Assaf , Linthicum Kenneth J. , Fagbo Shamsudeen F. , Small Jennifer L.
Published: December 2020

The first documented Rift Valley hemorrhagic fever outbreak in the Arabian Peninsula occurred in northwestern Yemen and southwestern Saudi Arabia from August 2000 to September 2001. This Rift Valley fever outbreak is unique because the virus was introduced into Arabia during or after the 1997–1998 East African outbreak and before August 2000, either by wind-blown infected mosquitos or by infected animals, both from East Africa. A wet period from August 2000 into 2001 resulted in a large number of amplification vector mosquitoes, these mosquitos fed on infected animals, and the outbreak occurred. More than 1,500 people were diagnosed with the disease, at least 215 died, and widespread losses of domestic animals were reported. Using a combination of satellite data products, including 2 x 2 m digital elevation images derived from commercial satellite data, we show rainfall and potential areas of inundation or water impoundment were favorable for the 2000 outbreak. However, favorable conditions for subsequent outbreaks were present in 2007 and 2013, and very favorable conditions were also present in 2016–2018. The lack of subsequent Rift Valley fever outbreaks in this area suggests that Rift Valley fever has not been established in mosquito species in Southwest Arabia, or that strict animal import inspection and quarantine procedures, medical and veterinary surveillance, and mosquito control efforts put in place in Saudi Arabia following the 2000 outbreak have been successful. Any area with Rift Valley fever amplification vector mosquitos present is a potential outbreak area unless strict animal import inspection and quarantine proceedures are in place.
Missing value imputation in proximity extension assay-based targeted proteomics data
Authors: Lenz Michael , Schulz Andreas , Koeck Thomas , Rapp Steffen , Nagler Markus , Sauer Madeleine , Eggebrecht Lisa , Ten Cate Vincent , Panova-Noeva Marina , Prochaska Jürgen H. , Lackner Karl J. , Münzel Thomas , Leineweber Kirsten , Wild Philipp S. , Andrade-Navarro Miguel A.
Published: December 2020

Targeted proteomics utilizing antibody-based proximity extension assays provides sensitive and highly specific quantifications of plasma protein levels. Multivariate analysis of this data is hampered by frequent missing values (random or left censored), calling for imputation approaches. While appropriate missing-value imputation methods exist, benchmarks of their performance in targeted proteomics data are lacking. Here, we assessed the performance of two methods for imputation of values missing completely at random, the previously top-benchmarked ‘missForest’ and the recently published ‘GSimp’ method. Evaluation was accomplished by comparing imputed with remeasured relative concentrations of 91 inflammation related circulating proteins in 86 samples from a cohort of 645 patients with venous thromboembolism. The median Pearson correlation between imputed and remeasured protein expression values was 69.0% for missForest and 71.6% for GSimp (p = 5.8e-4). Imputation with missForest resulted in stronger reduction of variance compared to GSimp (median relative variance of 25.3% vs. 68.6%, p = 2.4e-16) and undesired larger bias in downstream analyses. Irrespective of the imputation method used, the 91 imputed proteins revealed large variations in imputation accuracy, driven by differences in signal to noise ratio and information overlap between proteins. In summary, GSimp outperformed missForest, while both methods show good overall imputation accuracy with large variations between proteins.
Healthy lifestyle behaviors are major predictors of mental wellbeing during COVID-19 pandemic confinement: A study on adult Arabs in higher educational institutions
Authors: Kilani Hashem A. , Bataineh Mo’ath F. , Al-Nawayseh Ali , Atiyat Khaled , Obeid Omar , Abu-Hilal Maher M. , Mansi Taiysir , Al-Kilani Maher , Al-Kitani Mahfoodha , El-Saleh Majed , Jaber Ruba M. , Sweidan Ahmad , Himsi Mawaheb , Yousef Iyad , Alzeer Faten , Nasrallah Monther , Al Dhaheri Ayesha S. , Al-Za’abi Abdulsalam , Allala Osama , Al-Kilani Laila , Alhasan Asma M. , Ghieda Mohamed , Najah Yasir , Alsheekhly Saad , Alhaifi Ahmad , Shukri Raghda , Al Adwani Jamal , Waly Mostafa , Kilani Laila , Kilani Leen H. , al Shareef Ahmad S. , Kilani Areej
Published: December 2020

Background

In the past infectious diseases affected the quality of lifestyle during home confinement. The study conducted examines the influence of home confinement during the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak on lifestyle, mental wellbeing, nutritional status, and sleeping pattern.

Method

An online multicategorical questionnaire was distributed to collect demographic information combined with the following tools: Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ), International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), WHO-5 wellbeing score, and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). A snowball non-discriminate sampling procedure was conducted to collect data from people attending or working at higher institutions from March 1, 2020 to April 24, 2020. A total of 1723 completed responses (917 males, 37.4 ±13.4 years old and 806 females 32.2 ± 11.5 years old) were collected.

Results

The female participants had significantly lower mental health scores than males (53.9% vs. 46.1%). The mental wellbeing scores were higher among participants with medium and high physical activity (PA) levels (p < 0.00). Additionally, the mental wellbeing scores were significantly improved by dietary quality and it’s sleeping score (p < 0.001). However, PA was by far the major determinant of the mental health scores.

Conclusion

Factors such as PA, diet, and sleeping patterns were associated with mental wellbeing during the COVID-19 confinement among Arab participants.
Geographic distribution of hospice, homecare, and nursing home facilities and access to end-of-life care among persons living with HIV/AIDS in Appalachia
Authors: Hutson Sadie P. , Golden Ashley , Odoi Agricola
Published: December 2020

Background

Access to healthcare services, from diagnosis through end of life (EOL), is important among persons living with Human Immunodeficiency Syndrome (HIV) and Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) (PLWHA). However, little is known about the availability of hospice services in Appalachian areas. Therefore, the objective of this study is to describe the geographic distribution of hospice, homecare and nursing home facilities in order to demonstrate current existence of and access to resources for EOL care among PLWHA in the Appalachian regions of Tennessee and Alabama.

Methods

This paper reports on the second aim of a larger sequential, mixed methods qualitative-quantitative (qual→quan) study. Data from advance care planning (ACP) surveys were collected by both electronic (n = 28) and paper copies (n = 201) and, among other things, obtained information on zip codes of residence of PLWHA. This enabled assessment of the geographic distribution of residences of PLWHA in relation to the distribution of healthcare services such as hospice and home healthcare services. Hospice and Home Healthcare data were obtained from the Tennessee and Alabama Departments of Health. The street addresses of these facilities were used to geocode and map the geographic distributions of the facilities using Street Map USA. Travel times to Hospice and Home Healthcare facilities were computed and mapped using ArcGIS 10.3.

Results

We identified a total of 32 hospice and 69 home healthcare facilities in the Tennessee Appalachian region, while the Alabama Appalachian region had a total of 110 hospice and 86 home healthcare facilities. Most care facilities were located in urban centers. The distribution of care facilities was worse in Tennessee with many counties having no facilities, requiring up to an hour drive time to reach patients. A total of 86% of the PLWHA indicated preference to die at home.

Conclusions

Persons living with HIV/AIDS in Appalachia face a number of challenges at the end of life that make access to EOL services difficult. Although respondents indicated a preference to die at home, the hospice/homecare infrastructure and resources are overwhelmingly inadequate to meet this need. There is need to improve access to EOL care in the Appalachian regions of both Tennessee and Alabama although the need is greater in Tennessee.
Patient perceptions of phage therapy for diabetic foot infection
Authors: Macdonald Katherine E. , Stacey Helen J. , Harkin Gillian , Hall Lesley M. L. , Young Matthew J. , Jones Joshua D.
Published: December 2020

Infections of diabetic foot ulcers are common, generally recalcitrant and often complicated by antibiotic resistance. Alternative antimicrobial strategies are needed. Phage therapy is a promising alternative that is being rediscovered. Despite phage therapy’s 100-year history, there have been no investigations into patient thoughts and concerns. This study aimed to explore patient awareness of and concern about antibiotic resistance and gain insight into the perceptions of phage therapy among a patient group that could potentially benefit from phage therapy. Patients with an active or resolved (healed or amputated) diabetic foot ulcer were eligible to participate. A survey was distributed digitally to eligible patients across Scotland via the NHS Research Scotland Diabetes Network and hard copies were available in diabetic foot clinics at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh and Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, Glasgow. A focus group of five survey respondents was held in Glasgow. Fifty-five survey responses were obtained. There was a high level of awareness (76.4%; N = 55) and concern (83.3%; N = 54) about antibiotic resistance. While largely aware of viruses, most patients had not heard of phage or phage therapy. Patients were no more concerned about phage than antibiotic therapy, with most suggesting more information could alleviate any concerns. Patient acceptability of phage therapy was high, a finding confirmed by the focus group. Patients are concerned about antibiotic resistance and supportive of ‘new’ antimicrobials. We have demonstrated that patients are supportive, enthusiastic and accepting of phage therapy. Although ‘Western’ phage therapy remains in its infancy, an understanding of patient ideas, concerns and expectations will be important in eventually shaping and successfully reintroducing phage therapy.
S100A4+ macrophages facilitate zika virus invasion and persistence in the seminiferous tubules via interferon-gamma mediation
Authors: Yang Wei , Wu Yan-Hua , Liu Shuang-Qing , Sheng Zi-Yang , Zhen Zi-Da , Gao Rui-Qi , Cui Xiao-Yun , Fan Dong-Ying , Qin Zhi-Hai , Zheng Ai-Hua , Wang Pei-Gang , An Jing
Published: December 2020

Testicular invasion and persistence are features of Zika virus (ZIKV), but their mechanisms are still unknown. Here, we showed that S100A4+ macrophages, a myeloid macrophage subpopulation with susceptibility to ZIKV infection, facilitated ZIKV invasion and persistence in the seminiferous tubules. In ZIKV-infected mice, S100A4+ macrophages were specifically recruited into the interstitial space of testes and differentiated into interferon-γ-expressing M1 macrophages. With interferon-γ mediation, S100A4+ macrophages down-regulated Claudin-1 expression and induced its redistribution from the cytosol to nucleus, thus increasing the permeability of the blood-testis barrier which facilitated S100A4+ macrophages invasion into the seminiferous tubules. Intraluminal S100A4+ macrophages were segregated from CD8+ T cells and consequently helped ZIKV evade cellular immunity. As a result, ZIKV continued to replicate in intraluminal S100A4+ macrophages even when the spermatogenic cells disappeared. Deficiencies in S100A4 or interferon-γ signaling both reduced ZIKV infection in the seminiferous tubules. These results demonstrated crucial roles of S100A4+ macrophages in ZIKV infection in testes.
The Hakawati’s Daughter: How the Syrian revolution inspired a rewrite
Authors: Kazkaz Rana
Published: December 2020

In 2009, I was living in Damascus, Syria, writing The Hakawati’s Daughter. The film told the story of the last remaining hakawati, oral storyteller, in Damascus. Like many traditions in the Arab world, the hakawati profession is an inherited one, passed on through the generations since 600 AD from father to son and so on. But in my film, the last hakawati has only one child, a daughter, and rather than adapting/modernizing this tradition and passing it on to her, he allows it to die. Two years later, the Syrian revolution broke out and the story, along with the country, fell apart. I have spent the years since reimagining what the story could be instead. Prior to the revolution, what interested me was how the film would explore the battle between tradition and modernity. What interests me today is ‘who has the right to tell the narrative of what is happening in Syria?’ Sadly, it is mostly men. This is the theme The Hakawati’s Daughter now wishes to explore. This article is an account of how the Syrian revolution inspired the rewriting of The Hakawati’s Daughter.
La historiografía reciente sobre el primer carlismo (2006-2018)
Authors: Caridad Salvador Antonio
Published: December 2020

El objetivo de este artículo es analizar las últimas publicaciones sobre el primer carlismo y conocer cuál es el estado de la cuestión en la actualidad. Para ello se han consultado más de 300 obras y se han analizado tanto los autores como los temas de estudio y las interpretaciones. De esta manera vemos que hay tres tipos de historiadores del carlismo y que el grupo al que se pertenece influye en el tipo de publicaciones, en los temas y en las interpretaciones de cada uno. En cuanto a los temas, hay una gran variedad de ellos, siendo los más frecuentes las biografías, los relatos militares y los estudios locales, comarcales e historiográficos. Por otra parte, aunque hay enfoques nuevos y se han llenado algunas lagunas, siguen quedando campos y espacios geográficos poco estudiados. También hay que destacar que la mayoría de las publicaciones son meramente descriptivas y que menos de la mitad de los autores tratan de explicar el fenómeno carlista. Los que lo hacen se dividen en varias corrientes, siendo las más numerosas la carlista de derechas (más frecuente entre aficionados) y la ecléctica (que predomina entre profesores de universidad). Por último, cabe destacar que continúan los viejos debates y que en los últimos años no ha habido apenas novedades en la interpretación del carlismo.
Royal Jelly and Aliskiren mutually annul their protective effects against gentamicin-induced nephrotoxicity in rats
Authors: Alaraj Mohd
Published: December 2020

Background and Aim: Gentamicin (GM) is one of the most effective antibiotics for severe, life-threatening Gram-negative infections. Nevertheless, its clinical use has been restrained because of its nephrotoxic potential. Royal jelly (RJ) and aliskiren (ALK) can individually prevent such toxic effects. The aim of this study was to explore the protective effects of a combination treatment of RJ and ALK on GM-mediated nephrotoxicity.

Materials and Methods: Thirty-two adult female Wistar rats were divided equally into four groups: (I) Receiving normal saline; (II) GM (100 mg/kg, intraperitoneal [i.p.] injection); (III) GM (100 mg/kg, i.p. injection) plus ALK (50 mg/kg, i.p. injection); and (IV) GM (100 mg/kg, i.p. injection) plus ALK (50 mg/kg, i.p. injection) in combination with RJ (150 mg/ kg, orally). All treatments were administered daily for 10 days. The blood levels of creatinine, urea, uric acid, albumin, and total protein were measured. Then, the animals were sacrificed, and the kidneys were taken for histopathology.

Results: Compared to normal control rats, GM-injected rats showed significantly (p<0.001) higher serum concentrations of uric acid, urea, and creatinine as well as evidently (p<0.001) lower blood levels of albumin and total protein. Moreover, GM administration was associated with significant renal histopathological changes. All these alterations were considerably (p<0.05) improved in GM-injected rats receiving ALK compared to rats receiving GM alone. However, when RJ was given in combination with ALK to GM-injected rats, it lessened the beneficial nephroprotective effects of both agents.

Conclusion: The combination treatment of RJ and ALK is not desirable for GM-induced nephrotoxicity. Further studies are crucial to accurately explore the precise mechanism of RJ antagonistic interaction with ALK.
Working class in post-socialist transformation: Serbia and Croatia compared
Authors: Lazic Mladen , Cvejic Slobodan
Published: December 2020

Serbia and Croatia, both actors in civil wars during the 1990s, started their transformation by emerging from the same model of "liberal socialism". The two countries had authoritarian regimes with nationalistic mobilization, and their respective transformations developed under the control of their political oligarchies. In addition to many similarities, there are also important differences which influenced their transformations. Croatia embarked upon its modernization earlier than Serbia, and was more developed economically. In contrast to Serbia, which suffered international political and economic isolation during the 1990s, Croatia enjoyed external support (making it more susceptible to external influences, to some extent) and moreover, was more opened to the world economically. This resulted in a faster economic recovery for Croatia, and accounts for the country's substantially more favorable position in the EU integration processes. Based on joint research carried out in 1989 and 2003, this paper tries to establish the degree of influence of the stated similarities and differences on changes in position of the working class in these countries, and moreover, on class homogeneity (measured in terms of economic differentiation, vertical mobility, value orientations, and trade union and political organization).
On the peculiar relevance of a fundamental dilemma of minimum-wage regulation in post-socialism – apropos of an international investigation
Authors: R. Gábor István
Published: December 2020

To the extent minimum-wage regulation is effective in fighting against excessive earnings handicaps of those at the lower end-tail of earnings distribution, it may have the side-effect of worsening their employment prospects. A demand-and-supply interpretation of data on the relative employment rate and earnings position of the least educated in the EU27 suggests that the resulting dilemma might be particularly relevant for minimum-wage policies in post-socialist countries.
Youth at risk in the Russian Federation: problems of social protection
Authors: Trofimova Irina , Kliucharev Grigory
Published: December 2020

This study is a part of pilot project under aegis of the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and with assistance of the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada (AUCC) for improving services to Youth at Risk (YAR services) in the Russian Federation. The project was performed from October 2006 to March 2007in six regions of Russia – Bryansk Oblast, South–Western Administrative Okrug (Moscow), Rostov Oblast, Republic of Chuvashia, Stavropol Territory, Mozhaisk District (Moscow Oblast), – where a number of models are being validated for supporting youth who experience difficult life situation. Data received during the study will be used as a basis for analysis of objective conditions in which project are implemented in order to make them more effective and dynamic.
The challenges of girl-child education and alternative jobs in Nigeria
Authors: Femi Tinuola
Published: December 2020

Real life experiences indicate that the current Global Economic Crisis (GEC) have worsened the state of Nigerian-girl-child. This study examines the effects of GEC on the education of girl-child and engagement in alternative jobs. Data were obtained from 1200 female children between 6–14 years selected on purposive random sampling-technique engaged in hawking from three States in Nigeria. About 20 selected parents went through sessions of in-depth interview. They responded to a semi-structured questionnaire. Findings show that 45 percent recently dropped out of school and engaged hawking to enhance self and family economy, make an average of USD1 gains daily. They hawk in crowded markets, hotels and busy road junctions. There are reported cases of child-sexual abuse for fee. Four percent in paid housework were impregnated resulting in clandestine abortion. An improvement in socio-economic conditions of parents and social protection policy for girl-child are recommended.
Optimization of Partial Epoxidation on Jatropha curcas Oil Based Methyl Linoleate Using Urea-hydrogen Peroxide and Methyltrioxorhenium Catalyst
Authors: Lye Yan Ni , Salih Nadia , Salimon Jumat
Published: December 2020

Natural epoxy fatty acids such as Coronaric acid (9,10-epoxy-12Z-octadecenoic acid) and vernolic acid (12,13-epoxy-9Z-octadecenoic acid) are rich in of Vernolia galamensis, Vernolia anthelmintica and Chrysanthemums coronanium. The two fatty acids each contains an oxirana ring and a double bond C = C. The oil or its derivatives are suitable for industrial usage as reactive diffluent of alkyd resins, plasticizers and stabilizers, surface coatings, surfactants and lubricants, as intermediates in chemical reactions for making linear epoxides of composite materials and polymers. However, the use of such oils on an industrial scale is impossible due to limited resources. Therefore, epoxidation reactions need to be carried out to overcome the demand for partial epoxide fatty acids. Partially epoxidation of methyl linoleate at room temperature (30°C) in the presence of pyridine, methyltrioxorhenium (MTO) as catalyst and urea-hydrogen peroxide (UHP) as oxidant was studied by using response surface methodology (RSM). A five-level-four-factors central composite rotatable design (CCRD) was used to optimize the partially epoxidation conditions and study the effect of MTO, UHP, pyridine and reaction time on relative conversion to oxirane (RCO). Quadratic polynomial model was employed to generate response surface plots for RCO. At optimal condition, 79.05% monoepoxide was formed at the RCO of 58.15% under condition of 0.75 mol% mole ratio of MTO, 300 mol% mole ratio of UHP and 9 mol% of pyridine at 120 min reaction time. It can be concluded that the effect of UHP mole ratios was the dominant factor to control the degree of partial epoxidation of methyl linoleate followed by mole ratio of MTO, reaction time and mole ratio of pyridine to formed methyl 12,13-epoxy-9Z-octadecenoate or/and methyl 9,10-epoxy-12Z-octadecenoate.
Application of Chitosan in Plant Defense Responses to Biotic and Abiotic Stresses
Authors: Pongprayoon Wasinee , Siringam Thanapoom , Panya Atikorn , Roytrakul Sittiruk
Published: December 2020

Chitosan, a copolymer of N-acetyl-D-glucosamine and D-glucosamine, which possesses properties that make it useful in various fields, is produced by the deacetylation of chitin derivatives. It is used in agriculture as a biostimulant for plant growth and protection, it also induces several responsive genes, proteins, and secondary metabolites in plants. Chitosan elicits a signal transduction pathway and transduces secondary molecules such as hydrogen peroxide and nitric oxide. Under biotic stress, chitosan can stimulate phytoalexins, pathogenesis-related proteins, and proteinase inhibitors. Pretreatment of chitosan before exposure to abiotic stresses (drought, salt, and heat) induces plant growth, production of antioxidant enzymes, secondary metabolites, and abscisic acid (ABA). It also causes changes in physiology, biochemistry, and molecular biology of the plant cells. However, plant responses depend on different chitosan-based structures, concentrations, species, and developmental stages. This review collects updated information on chitosan applications, particularly in plant defense responses to biotic and abiotic stress conditions.
Familia y escuela, un mismo equipo
Authors: Santos Torrejón Alexandra de
Published: December 2020

Ser maestro implica estar abierto a la adaptación y al aprendizaje constantemente, en nuestra práctica diaria. Pero lo cierto es que la vorágine muchas veces nos aleja de la necesidad de parar a escuchar. La COVID-19 está siendo nuestra gran oportunidad para echar el freno y mirar con más atención que nunca a nuestros alumnos y sus familias. Este artículo pretende recoger mi experiencia de adaptación a mis alumnos y sus familias para trabajar con ellos de acuerdo a sus intereses, necesidades y experiencias de motivación.
UNINPSI: cerca de las familias en la incertidumbre
Authors: Cagigal de Gregorio Virginia
Published: December 2020

Este artículo presenta la experiencia de acompañamiento a las familias llevada a cabo por los profesionales de la Unidad Clínica de Psicología UNINPSI de la Universidad Pontificia Comillas, ante la crisis de la COVID-19, acompañamiento centrado en los miedos, la vulnerabilidad, los duelos, la tensión y estrés de la intensa convivencia en casa, los ajustes de pareja y la resiliencia familiar. Se destaca la capacidad de afrontamiento positivo por parte de una gran mayoría de las familias atendidas.
El olivo
Authors: Gutiérrez Moar M.ª del Carmen , Pereira Domínguez Carmen
Published: December 2020

Ramón es un abuelo que desde hace años dejó de hablar. Alma es su nieta de veinte años, trabaja en una granja y siente adoración y afecto por su abuelo pues ha aprendido y disfrutado a su lado desde que era niña apreciando los valores de la naturaleza. En este momento su abuelo es lo más importante para Alma y está preocupada al percibir que también se niega a comer. Ella sabe que desde que la familia vendió el árbol milenario en contra de su voluntad, hace doce años, la salud de su abuelo ha ido empeorando y ahora solo desea que vuelva a ser como antes. Gracias a la ayuda de su tío, a un compañero de trabajo, a dos amigas y a la colaboración del pueblo emprende una proeza por Europa con el ánimo de localizar y recuperar el árbol milenario, el olivo, tan añorado por su abuelo porque es su raíz, su infancia, su tierra, y plantarlo de nuevo en el campo familiar.
An Examination of Translingual Practices on a Mobile Application
Authors: Ahn Yoo Young
Published: December 2020

This article reports Korean speakers’ experiences with naturally occurring translingual transliterations in a noneducational online contact zone to support improvement of English pronunciation. Use of the Korean and English alphabets in pronunciation transliterations and application users’ meaning-making are analyzed using Canagarajah’s (2013) macrotranslingual strategies for negotiation. Findings show that the nonstandard transliterations could easily deliver pronunciations to a broad audience and stimulate the participation of users, who draw on diverse resources to strategically negotiate their footings to make meaning, often referring to their linguistic knowledge or experiences in certain countries. Patterns around transliteration and negotiation suggest two major implications for classroom pronunciation instruction: using students’ existing resources to address crucial features of intelligibility such as vowel quality and suprasegmental features in transliterations, in addition to segmentals, and eliciting students’ active involvement in meaning construction. Furthermore, English teachers might challenge their students’ acceptance of prevalent monolingual standards in pronunciation and establish their translingual sensitivity to cultural/linguistic diversity.
Leading with score study: changing priorities in undergraduate conducting curricula
Authors: Kaufman Brian , Flanders Nell
Published: December 2020

The purpose of this study was to examine student learning in an introductory conducting course in which score study was the primary foundational focus; gesture was viewed as part of a larger conducting process and a secondary learning goal to score study. Research has indicated a need for greater emphasis on score study in introductory conducting courses (Silvey, Springer, & Eubanks, 2016; Stewart, 2011). Student reflection is often used to guide students in understanding the relationship of their gesture to the sound of a live ensemble; however, within the studied course, reflection was expanded to focus on the score study process – developing score study skills, practice habits, and concepts. Researchers analyzed student reflections (N = 25) in order to understand student learning and identify potential improvements to the course. Student reflections were coded using a general inductive approach. In their reflections, students discussed evaluating, revising, refining, and integrating approaches; making connections between conducting and other coursework; analyzing the conducting process; and developing their own conducting philosophy. A model that captures the students’ collective learning process is described. Focusing on score study in this introductory conducting course resulted in substantial student learning about an array of conducting skills and concepts in relation to score study. Reflection assisted students in developing a score study process and a growth mindset, both of which support future learning. Findings provide a springboard for future research that examines how a comprehensive and integrated score study process occurring over time can best contribute to the learning of beginning conducting students.
Complicating leadership: choral conducting training through movement theatre practice
Authors: Galbreath Daniel , Thatcher Gavin
Published: December 2020

Conductors are typically presumed to possess the physical, interpretative control in choral performance. Questioning that presumption, this article explores how student conductors might be encouraged to engage physically with the musical sound – and sounding bodies – of a choir. It argues that singers’ vocal performance directly and fruitfully impacts on a conductor’s gestural leadership. Borrowing techniques from established physical/movement-based performance and theatre, it explores how conductors might act as the embodied nexus of the poietic and esthesic dimensions of interpretation (Nattiez, 1990), thus collaboratively constructing a performance. To frame the discussion, a conceptualisation of the overlap between body and voice is set out. This conceptualisation emerged during the development of vocal-physical performance projects (2015-16) and was subsequently developed into a broader philosophical orientation. Focusing on issues of embodiment and empathy, this orientation is enlisted to re-examine choral conducting training practices. The influence of these explorations on Daniel Galbreath’s choral conducting teaching is outlined. Additional action-research with theatre practitioner and teacher Gavin Thatcher is then detailed to demonstrate further developments and disruptions to Galbreath’s practice. As a result, a conducting training practice emerges from these practical enquiries that exploits performers’ mutual, direct physical contact via sound.
Decision Support Systems (DSS) Applied to the Formulation of Agricultural Public Policies
Authors: Sánchez Céspedes Juan Manuel , Rodríguez Miranda Juan Pablo , Ramos Sandoval Olga Lucia
Published: December 2020

Context: The process of formulating agricultural public policies is very complex due to the large number of variables involved in the process. That is why the development of decision support systems (DSS) help to improve this process. The article reviews the developments that have been made regarding the subject.

Method: The method was to conduct a bibliographic review in several scientific databases, looking for developments of DSS systems applied to the process of formulating agricultural policies. When determining which DSS systems have been developed, a qualitative and descriptive analysis of the systems was carried out.
Applying MULTIPOL to Determine the Relevance of Projects in a Strategic IT Plan for an Educational Institution
Authors: Martelo Gomez Raul Jose , Fontalvo Herrera Tomás José , Severiche Sierra Carlos Alberto
Published: December 2020

Context: The purpose of this research was to determine the relevance of the projects defined in a strategic information plan of an educational institution through the application of MULTIPOL. The implementation of this technique facilitates the participation of the actors involved in the evaluation of the projects, in order to objectively define those with the greatest relevance to improve the academic and administrative processes of the institution.

Method: The research carried out was quantitative with a descriptive non-experimental design, where a documentary review and interviews with teachers and administrators of the Fourth Poza de Manga Educational Institution were applied, in order to determine the parameters required to apply MULTIPOL and evaluate the projects with aspects relevant to the institution.

 

Results: It was established that the most relevant projects for the institution were: Improvement of computer infrastructure, Incorporation of an online learning management system to support teaching processes, Use of social networks to disseminate relevant information to the educational community of the institution.of the users.

Conclusions: There are projects that must be taken into account for the development of the institution, which were the incorporation of an online learning management system to support teaching processes, in the same way, the use of social networks to disseminate relevant information to the educational community of the institution, the implementation of a software to support the management of the academic area of the institution and formal planning of the organizational structure of the academic unit.
Placing blame or a call to action? An analysis of Uwezo in the Kenyan press
Authors: Monk Jeremy
Published: December 2020

Citizen-led assessments were developed in the mid-2000s to gather evidence on children’s learning outcomes following the rapid increase in primary student enrolment in the developing world. Integral to their philosophy is social accountability and community engagement. While most large-scale assessments focus on test-based accountability to promote policy shifts, citizen-led assessments, utilizing the information-accountability causal chain, theorize that information of low learning outcomes, disseminated widely, will engage stakeholders in activities and debates, ultimately leading to improvements in education quality and service delivery. This paper examines Uwezo, the oldest citizen-led assessment in East Africa, and its portrayal in the Kenyan print media. I explore whether discourse concerning Uwezo exposes education quality issues while promoting citizen engagement and how Uwezo’s social accountability philosophy is used in public discourse through the lens of political evolutionary mechanisms. I find that Uwezo’s findings were prominently discussed beginning in 2013, but that shock value of low learning levels has since decreased. Moreover, public discourse has highlighted cross-national and provincial/county comparisons in achievement levels while focusing on blaming teachers and the education system’s culture. Although Uwezo has succeeded in disseminating its findings widely in Kenya, there is minimal engagement in public discourse with its social accountability and community engagement philosophy and discourse does not promote citizen action on a national level. As Uwezo has become a respected education policy player in East Africa, and globally, it must find ways to engage communities to act upon its findings to directly improve education quality.