bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Developing cultural – based English textbook based on total physical response method for elementary school students
Authors: Hikmawati Agci , Handayani Rindu
Published: March 2021

This study aimed to develop and provide an enjoyable, meaningful, and cultural – based English textbook for elementary school students on the coast of Kurau village, Bangka Belitung Province. The observation and interview were undertaken to acknowledge the needs of the students in improving and advancing their understanding of English as well as to afford them an expedient textbook to be explored. Lee and Owens (2004) model has been used for this research and development study in designing the book. Total physical response method was also implemented in some exercises within the book to engage students’ attention and comprehension towards English learning. The data gathered in this study were collected through questionnaires, pre-test, and post-test. Based on the data analysis, the research finding shows that the cultural-based English textbook for elementary students is feasible. Feasibility obtained from the book was very good. Percentage of assessment by the content expert reached 82 % and the media expert was 87%. The calculation of T-paired test showed that there was a difference in learning achievement between the pre-test and the post-test score, which was 70.00 to 78.00 or increased 15%. Thus, there is an increasing score and this cultural – based textbook is effective to be used by the elementary students.
Keeping the buzz
Authors: Francis Emily
Published: March 2021

In the first of a new series, Emily Francis reviews her working month and shares her latest ‘to do’ list. Planning for children's return to school means thinking about how they can be supported to settle in.
Tall tales
Authors: Hewson Claire
Published: March 2021

Making up a story orally can sometimes be more powerful than reading out loud from a book. Claire Hewson suggests ways to improvise on a classic fairy story and encourage children to create and tell their own exciting narratives.
Treatment of COVID-19: a review of current and prospective pharmacotherapies
Authors: Quek Eleanor , Tahir Hasan , Kumar Poornima , Hastings Robert , Jha Rajeev
Published: March 2021

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) continues to spread and have grave health and socioeconomic consequences worldwide. Researchers have raced to understand the pathophysiological mechanisms underpinning the disease caused by SARS-CoV-2 so that effective therapeutic targets can be discovered. This review summarises the key pharmacotherapies that are being investigated for treatment of COVID-19, including antiviral, immunomodulator and anticoagulation strategies.
IT Usage in Logistics and Supply Chain of Thai Industry Toward Industry 4.0
Authors: Ramingwong Sakgasem , Yaibuathet Tippayawong Korrakot , Sopadang Apichat , Santiteerakul Salinee , Limcharoen Alonggot , Manopiniwes Wapee
Published: March 2021

The paper aims at exploring the level of Information Technology usage in managing logistics and supply chain of Thai industry. The paper investigates the level of IT usage in managing logistics and supply chain of nine industry groups, based on the database of Logistics/ Supply Chain Scorecard (LSC). Of interest are (1) data interchange coverage, (2) open standards and unique identification codes and (3) logistics and supply chain IT capacity building. By mapping the logistics potential expectation of each industry, the paper can identify the levels of IT usage in each industry. The finding is suggestive of whether any policy be made to promote or support each of these industries.
Medien, Kommunikationsformen, kommunikative Gattungen
Authors: Dürscheid Christa
Published: March 2021

The aim of this paper is to draw the necessary terminological distinction between media, communication forms and communication genres, and to use this distinction to compare specific communication genres belonging to chat communication. After some preliminary remarks, the following two sections deal with the definition of media and communication forms and the most important characteristics of communication forms, which are illustrated with examples of chat communication. Section 4 introduces the concept of communication genre, and section 5 shows the way communication genres, especially the expert chat and the information chat, can be analyzed within this framework and why it is not possible to do it in the same way with emails and short text messages. In this context the distinction between communication genres and text genres will also be discussed.
An Acoustical Study of the Fricative /s/ in the Speech of Palestinian-speaking Broca's Asphasics – Preliminary Findings
Authors: Adam Hisham
Published: March 2021

This study was conducted with four Palestinian-speaking Broca's aphasics and four normal speakers to examine the production of the fricative /s/ and to analyze the difference in acoustic patterns between the two groups. The acoustic analysis revealed that the Broca's aphasics were able to maintain the phonetic distinction between voiced and voiceless fricatives and did not exhibit voicing or devoicing errors. This result is inconsistent with findings from other languages. The spectral peak of the alveolar /s/ was lower for the aphasic subjects than for the control speakers. The Broca's aphasics displayed a longer duration for /s/ than the control subjects did. The /s/ spectra for the Broca's aphasics were "flatter" than the /s/ spectra for the control speakers and were characterized by a relatively low-frequency energy peak. Substitution errors predominated. In most cases, a one-distinctive-feature error occurred that primarily involved the place of articulation. Generally, the findings of the study suggest that the errors exhibited by Broca's aphasics reflect articulatory movements and articulatory implementation deficits rather than a selection of inappropriate speech segments.
Dialogizität in der chinesischen und deutschen SMS-Kommunikation – eine kontrastive Studie
Authors: Günthner Susanne , Kriese Saskia
Published: March 2021

This article presents a dialogical approach to Chinese and German SMS communication. SMS- interactions have frequently been studied from a 'monological point of view', looking at single SMS-messages. In this article, we will develop a dialogically grounded perspective on the interactive dynamics and the social activities constructed in everyday SMS dialogues. Based on SMS data from Chinese and German students, we will argue that - even though production and reception of SMS messages are removed in time and space - SMS communication represents dialogically oriented social activities. Furthermore, as communicative practices, Chinese as well as German SMS-dialogues reveal features of routinization, grounded in technical prerequisites, in the particular writing systems and linguistic conventions as well as in culture specific forms of handling particular social activities.
Developing the Writing Ability of Intermediate Language Learners by Blogging
Authors: Hajiannejad Mohsen
Published: March 2021

Considering the widespread use of blogs during recent years, the present study explored how blogging can affect the writing skill of Iranian language learners. Besides, the learners' perception of blogging was evaluated qualitatively and quantitatively to see whether learners showed enthusiasm to blogging and how it motivated them to write. Two intermediate English classes were selected as the Control and Experimental Groups. Six writing topics were selected and were assigned to both groups. The writing activities in the Control Group were done on paper-based method while the Blogging Group used a selected website to do so. To evaluate the writing activities, four criteria were taken into account: a) length of the writing activities, b) use of verb forms, c) use of articles, and d) use of prepositions. Based on the results of the chi-square tests, in terms of the frequency of missed articles and prepositions the performances of both groups were significantly different. Also the compositions in the Blogging Group were longer than those of the Control Group. However, the qualitative and quantitative evaluation of the learners' perception towards blogging revealed that students believed blogging had encouraged them to write more accurately. They also considered that blogging had remarkably improved their writing ability as compared to the time they did not use blogging.
Three-focal-spot terahertz diffractive optical element-iterative design and neural network approach
Authors: Komorowski Paweł , Czerwińska Patrycja , Surma Mateusz , Zagrajek Przemysław , Piramidowicz Ryszard , Siemion Agnieszka
Published: March 2021

The redistribution of an incoming radiation into several beams is necessary in telecommunication to demultiplex data signals. In the terahertz spectral range, it can be realized by easy-to-manufacture diffractive optical elements (DOEs) allowing to focus the radiation into multiple focal spots in a single plane. In this article, we present diffractive optical elements focusing THz radiation into three focal spots. Different focal spot distributions (symmetric and asymmetric) are designed using an iterative algorithm. The phase distribution forming asymmetric focal spots can be realized by iterative design, which is a novel approach, to our knowledge. Then, the structures are manufactured using a sintering-based 3D-printing method from polyamide 12 (PA 12) and measured in an experimental setup for 150 GHz frequency. A novel approach based on neural networks (NNs) is proposed to optimize the phase delay maps of the structures to further improve their performance – the higher efficiency and the lower unwanted background noise.
Superdirective leaky radiation from a PT-synthetic metachannel
Authors: Hajizadegan Mehdi , Zhu Liang , Chen Pai-Yen
Published: March 2021

Spectral singularities appearing in parity-time (PT)-symmetric non-Hermitian optical systems have aroused a growing interest due to their new exhilarating applications, such as bifurcation effects at exceptional points and the coexistence of coherent perfect absorber and laser (so-called CPAL point). We introduce here how the concept of CPAL action provoked in PT-symmetric metasurfaces can be translated into practical implementation of a low-loss zero/low-index open channel supporting a nearly undamped fast-wave propagation. Such a PT-synthetic metachannel shows the capability to produce a high-directivity leaky radiation, with a tunable beam angle that depends on the gain-loss parameter. The proposed structure may enable new kinds of super-directivity antennas, as well as many applications that demand extreme dielectric properties, such as epsilon-near-zero (ENZ).
Inverse design of a single-frequency diffractive biosensor based on the reporter cleavage detection mechanism
Authors: Chung Haejun , Boriskina Svetlana V.
Published: March 2021

Vertically interrogated porous silicon (PSi) interferometric biosensors have shown high potential for sensing bio-molecules as they combine high detection sensitivity with simplicity of fabrication, functionalization, optical coupling, and interfacing with microfluidic systems. However, most interferometric sensor designs require either broadband or wavelength-tunable light sources as well as wide-angle detection schemes, increasing their complexity and cost for point-of-care biosensing applications. The limit of detection of such sensors is also constrained by the small size and low refractive index of biological molecules, making it hard to detect very low concentrations of pathogens. In this work, we use a large-scale computational “inverse design” technique to demonstrate a single-frequency, fixed-angle PSi-based biosensor, which exploits a recently developed high-contrast reporter cleavage detection (HCCD) technique. The HCCD sensors detect high-index reporter cleavage events instead of low-index target analyte capture events as typical for traditional label-free optical biosensors. We use the inverse design approach to discover an optimal configuration of a PSi biosensor that makes use of the extended achievable range of cleavage-induced PSi effective index variations and can be interrogated at a single frequency and at a fixed angle. The optimized design in the form of a one-dimensional PSi grating exhibits the change in the reflectance up to 55 % at the interrogation angle of

12

∘

and wavelength of 600 nm, which is caused by cleavage of Au nanoparticle reporters initially occupying 2% of the sensor surface area. The maximum possible change in reflectance is predicted to be 222 % (for a two-dimensional freeform design not amenable to fabrication). This demonstration may pave the way for developing new or redesigned conventional interferometric and colorimetric point-of-care biosensor systems in combination with the cleavage-based detection schemes.
Astigmatic dual-beam interferometric particle imaging for metal droplet 3D position and size measurement
Authors: Wu Yingchun , Zhuo Zhu , Lin Zhiming , Wen Botong , Wu Xuecheng , Cen Kefa
Published: March 2021

We propose astigmatic dual-beam interferometric particle imaging (ADIPI) to simultaneously measure the three-dimensional (3D) position and size of spherical metal droplets. A theoretical model reveals that the orientation and spacing of the ADIPI fringes generated from the two reflections propagating through an astigmatic imaging system relate to the depth position and size, respectively. Proof-of-concept experiments on micron-sized gallium droplets are performed, and the tilted fringes in elliptical patterns are observed in the ADIPI interferogram, confirming theoretical predictions. Droplet 3D position and size are determined with ADIPI, and the relative discrepancies are within 5% and 2% compared to those with a dual-view digital inline holography system, demonstrating the feasibility and high accuracy of ADIPI.
Modelling the impact of clot fragmentation on the microcirculation after thrombectomy
Authors: El-Bouri Wahbi K. , MacGowan Andrew , Józsa Tamás I. , Gounis Matthew J. , Payne Stephen J.
Published: March 2021

Many ischaemic stroke patients who have a mechanical removal of their clot (thrombectomy) do not get reperfusion of tissue despite the thrombus being removed. One hypothesis for this ‘no-reperfusion’ phenomenon is micro-emboli fragmenting off the large clot during thrombectomy and occluding smaller blood vessels downstream of the clot location. This is impossible to observe in-vivo and so we here develop an in-silico model based on in-vitro experiments to model the effect of micro-emboli on brain tissue. Through in-vitro experiments we obtain, under a variety of clot consistencies and thrombectomy techniques, micro-emboli distributions post-thrombectomy. Blood flow through the microcirculation is modelled for statistically accurate voxels of brain microvasculature including penetrating arterioles and capillary beds. A novel micro-emboli algorithm, informed by the experimental data, is used to simulate the impact of micro-emboli successively entering the penetrating arterioles and the capillary bed. Scaled-up blood flow parameters–permeability and coupling coefficients–are calculated under various conditions. We find that capillary beds are more susceptible to occlusions than the penetrating arterioles with a 4x greater drop in permeability per volume of vessel occluded. Individual microvascular geometries determine robustness to micro-emboli. Hard clot fragmentation leads to larger micro-emboli and larger drops in blood flow for a given number of micro-emboli. Thrombectomy technique has a large impact on clot fragmentation and hence occlusions in the microvasculature. As such, in-silico modelling of mechanical thrombectomy predicts that clot specific factors, interventional technique, and microvascular geometry strongly influence reperfusion of the brain. Micro-emboli are likely contributory to the phenomenon of no-reperfusion following successful removal of a major clot.
Assessing the contribution of tumor mutational phenotypes to cancer progression risk
Authors: Tao Yifeng , Rajaraman Ashok , Cui Xiaoyue , Cui Ziyi , Chen Haoran , Zhao Yuanqi , Eaton Jesse , Kim Hannah , Ma Jian , Schwartz Russell
Published: March 2021

Cancer occurs via an accumulation of somatic genomic alterations in a process of clonal evolution. There has been intensive study of potential causal mutations driving cancer development and progression. However, much recent evidence suggests that tumor evolution is normally driven by a variety of mechanisms of somatic hypermutability, which act in different combinations or degrees in different cancers. These variations in mutability phenotypes are predictive of progression outcomes independent of the specific mutations they have produced to date. Here we explore the question of how and to what degree these differences in mutational phenotypes act in a cancer to predict its future progression. We develop a computational paradigm using evolutionary tree inference (tumor phylogeny) algorithms to derive features quantifying single-tumor mutational phenotypes, followed by a machine learning framework to identify key features predictive of progression. Analyses of breast invasive carcinoma and lung carcinoma demonstrate that a large fraction of the risk of future clinical outcomes of cancer progression—overall survival and disease-free survival—can be explained solely from mutational phenotype features derived from the phylogenetic analysis. We further show that mutational phenotypes have additional predictive power even after accounting for traditional clinical and driver gene-centric genomic predictors of progression. These results confirm the importance of mutational phenotypes in contributing to cancer progression risk and suggest strategies for enhancing the predictive power of conventional clinical data or driver-centric biomarkers.
IgY antibodies against Ebola virus possess post-exposure protection in a murine pseudovirus challenge model and excellent thermostability
Authors: Zhang Yuan , Wei Yanqiu , Li Yunlong , Wang Xuan , Liu Yang , Tian Deyu , Jia Xiaojuan , Gong Rui , Liu Wenjun , Yang Limin
Published: March 2021

Ebola virus (EBOV) is one of the most virulent pathogens that causes hemorrhagic fever and displays high mortality rates and low prognosis rates in both humans and nonhuman primates. The post-exposure antibody therapies to prevent EBOV infection are considered effective as of yet. However, owing to the poor thermal stability of mammalian antibodies, their application in the tropics has remained limited. Therefore, a thermostable therapeutic antibody against EBOV was developed modelled on the poultry(chicken) immunoglobulin Y (IgY). The IgY antibodies retaining their neutralising activity at 25°C for one year, displayed excellent thermal stability, opposed to conventional polyclonal antibodies (pAbs) or monoclonal antibodies (mAbs). Laying hens were immunised with a variety of EBOV vaccine candidates and it was confirmed that VSVΔG/EBOVGP encoding the EBOV glycoprotein could induce high titer neutralising antibodies against EBOV. The therapeutic efficacy of immune IgY antibodiesin vivowas evaluated in the newborn Balb/c mice who have been challenged with the VSVΔG/EBOVGP model. Mice that have been challenged with a lethal dose of the pseudovirus were treated 2 or 24 h post-infection with different doses of anti-EBOV IgY. The group receiving a high dose of 106NAU/kg (neutralising antibody units/kilogram) showed complete protection with no symptoms of a disease, while the low-dose group was only partially protected. Conversely, all mice receiving naive IgY died within 10 days. In conclusion, the anti-EBOV IgY exhibits excellent thermostability and protective efficacy. Anti-EBOV IgY shows a lot of promise in entering the realm of efficient Ebola virus treatment regimens.
The blood-brain barrier studied in vitro across species
Authors: Thomsen Maj Schneider , Humle Nanna , Hede Eva , Moos Torben , Burkhart Annette , Thomsen Louiza Bohn
Published: March 2021

The blood-brain barrier (BBB) is formed by brain capillary endothelial cells (BECs) supported by pericytes and astrocytes. The BBB maintains homeostasis and protects the brain against toxic substances circulating in the blood, meaning that only a few drugs can pass the BBB. Thus, for drug screening, understanding cell interactions, and pathology,in vitroBBB models have been developed using BECs from various animal sources. When comparing models of different species, differences exist especially in regards to the transendothelial electrical resistance (TEER). Thus, we compared primary mice, rat, and porcine BECs (mBECs, rBECs, and pBECs) cultured in mono- and co-culture with astrocytes, to identify species-dependent differences that could explain the variations in TEER and aid to the selection of models for future BBB studies. The BBB models based on primary mBECs, rBECs, and pBECs were evaluated and compared in regards to major BBB characteristics. The barrier integrity was evaluated by the expression of tight junction proteins and measurements of TEER and apparent permeability (Papp). Additionally, the cell size, the functionality of the P-glycoprotein (P-gp) efflux transporter, and the expression of the transferrin receptor were evaluated and compared. Expression and organization of tight junction proteins were in all three species influenced by co-culturing, supporting the findings, that TEER increases after co-culturing with astrocytes. All models had functional polarised P-gp efflux transporters and expressed the transferrin receptor. The most interesting discovery was that even though the pBECs had higher TEER than rBECs and mBECs, the Papp did not show the same variation between species, which could be explained by a significantly larger cell size of pBECs. In conclusion, our results imply that the choice of species for a given BBB study should be defined from its purpose, instead of aiming to reach the highest TEER, as the models studied here revealed similar BBB properties.
An objective approach to assess colonic pain in mice using colonometry
Authors: Qiao Liya Y. , Madar Jonathan
Published: March 2021

The present study presents a non-surgical approach to assess colonic mechanical sensitivity in mice using colonometry, a technique in which colonic stretch-reflex contractions are measured by recording intracolonic pressures during saline infusion into the distal colon in a constant rate. Colonometrical recording has been used to assess colonic function in healthy individuals and patients with neurological disorders. Here we found that colonometry can also be implemented in mice, with an optimal saline infusion rate of 1.2 mL/h. Colonometrograms showed intermittent pressure rises that was caused by periodical colonic contractions. In the sceneries of colonic hypersensitivity that was generated post 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS)-induced colonic inflammation, following chemogenetic activation of primary afferent neurons, or immediately after noxious stimulation of the colon by colorectal distension (CRD), the amplitude of intracolonic pressure (AICP) was markedly elevated which was accompanied by a faster pressure rising (ΔP/Δt). Colonic hypersensitivity-associated AICP elevation was a result of the enhanced strength of colonic stretch-reflex contraction which reflected the heightened activity of the colonic sensory reflex pathways. The increased value of ΔP/Δt in colonic hypersensitivity indicated a lower threshold of colonic mechanical sensation by which colonic stretch-reflex contraction was elicited by a smaller saline infusion volume during a shorter period of infusion time. Chemogenetic inhibition of primary afferent pathway that was governed by Nav1.8-expressing cells attenuated TNBS-induced up-regulations of AICP, ΔP/Δt, and colonic pain behavior in response to CRD. These findings support that colonometrograms can be used for analysis of colonic pain in mice.
Integrated analysis of RNA-binding proteins in thyroid cancer
Authors: Zhen Jing , Song Zhe , Su WenJie , Zeng Qing-Cui , Li JiaCen , Sun Qin
Published: March 2021

Recently, the incidence of thyroid cancer (THCA) has been on the rise. RNA binding proteins (RBPs) and their abnormal expression are closely related to the emergence and pathogenesis of tumor diseases. In this study, we obtained gene expression data and corresponding clinical information from the TCGA database. A total of 162 aberrantly expressed RBPs were obtained, comprising 92 up-regulated and 70 down-regulated RBPs. Then, we performed a functional enrichment analysis and constructed a PPI network. Through univariate Cox regression analysis of key genes and found that NOLC1 (p = 0.036), RPS27L (p = 0.011), TDRD9 (p = 0.016), TDRD6 (p = 0.002), IFIT2 (p = 0.037), and IFIT3 (p = 0.02) were significantly related to the prognosis. Through the online website Kaplan-Meier plotter and multivariate Cox analysis, we identified 2 RBP-coding genes (RPS27L and IFIT3) to construct a predictive model in the entire TCGA dataset and then validate in two subsets. In-depth analysis revealed that the data gave by this model, the patient’s high-risk score is very closely related to the overall survival rate difference (p = 0.038). Further, we investigated the correlation between the model and the clinic, and the results indicated that the high-risk was in the male group (p = 0.011) and the T3-4 group (p = 0.046) was associated with a poor prognosis. On the whole, the conclusions of our research this time can make it possible to find more insights into the research on the pathogenesis of THCA, this could be beneficial for individualized treatment and medical decision making.
Genome-wide identification and expression profiling of basic leucine zipper transcription factors following abiotic stresses in potato (Solanum tuberosum L.)
Authors: Kumar Pankaj , Kumar Pankaj , Sharma Dixit , Verma Shailender Kumar , Halterman Dennis , Kumar Arun
Published: March 2021

Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) is an important food crop that is grown and consumed worldwide. The growth and productivity of this crop are severely affected by various abiotic stresses. Basic leucine zipper (bZIP) transcription factors (TFs) in plants are well known for their function during growth and development. However, systematic and in-depth identification and functional characterization of the bZIP gene family of potato is lacking. In the current study, we identified a total of 90 bZIPs (StbZIP) distributed on 12 linkage groups of potato. Based on the previous functional annotation and classification of bZIPs in Arabidopsis, wheat, and rice, a phylogenetic tree of potato bZIPs was constructed and genes were categorized into various functional groups (A to I, S, and U) as previously annotated in Arabidopsis thaliana. Analyses of the transcript sequence (RNA-seq) data led to identifying a total of 18 candidate StbZIPs [four in roots, eight in the tuber, six in mesocarp and endocarp] that were expressed in a tissue-specific manner. Differential expression analysis under the various abiotic conditions (salt, mannitol, water, and heat stress) and treatment with phytohormones (ABA, GA, IAA, and BAP) led to the identification of forty-two [thirteen under salt stress, two under mannitol stress, ten under water stress, and eighteen under heat stress], and eleven [eight and three StbZIPs upon treatment with ABA, and IAA, respectively] candidate StbZIPs, respectively. Using sequence information of candidate StbZIPs, a total of 22 SSR markers were also identified in this study. In conclusion, the genome-wide identification analysis coupled with RNA-Seq expression data led to identifying candidate StbZIPs, which are dysregulated, and may play a pivotal role under various abiotic stress conditions. This study will pave the way for future functional studies using forward and reverse genetics to improve abiotic stress tolerance in potato.
Fungal GH25 muramidases: New family members with applications in animal nutrition and a crystal structure at 0.78Å resolution
Authors: Moroz Olga V. , Blagova Elena , Taylor Edward , Turkenburg Johan P. , Skov Lars K. , Gippert Garry P. , Schnorr Kirk M. , Ming Li , Ye Liu , Klausen Mikkel , Cohn Marianne T. , Schmidt Esben G. W. , Nymand-Grarup Søren , Davies Gideon J. , Wilson Keith S.
Published: March 2021

Muramidases/lysozymes hydrolyse the peptidoglycan component of the bacterial cell wall. They are found in many of the glycoside hydrolase (GH) families. Family GH25 contains muramidases/lysozymes, known as CH type lysozymes, as they were initially discovered in the Chalaropsis species of fungus. The characterized enzymes from GH25 exhibit both β-1,4-N-acetyl- and β-1,4-N,6-O-diacetylmuramidase activities, cleaving the β-1,4-glycosidic bond between N-acetylmuramic acid (NAM) and N-acetylglucosamine (NAG) moieties in the carbohydrate backbone of bacterial peptidoglycan. Here, a set of fungal GH25 muramidases were identified from a sequence search, cloned and expressed and screened for their ability to digest bacterial peptidoglycan, to be used in a commercial application in chicken feed. The screen identified the enzyme from Acremonium alcalophilum JCM 736 as a suitable candidate for this purpose and its relevant biochemical and biophysical and properties are described. We report the crystal structure of the A. alcalophilum enzyme at atomic, 0.78 Å resolution, together with that of its homologue from Trichobolus zukalii at 1.4 Å, and compare these with the structures of homologues. GH25 enzymes offer a new solution in animal feed applications such as for processing bacterial debris in the animal gut.
Research on multi-path dense networks for MRI spinal segmentation
Authors: Liang ShuFen , Liu Huilin , Chen Chen , Qin Chuanbo , Yang FangChen , Feng Yue , Lin Zhuosheng
Published: March 2021

Accurate and robust segmentation of anatomical structures from magnetic resonance images is valuable in many computer-aided clinical tasks. Traditional codec networks are not satisfactory because of their low accuracy of edge segmentation, the low recognition rate of the target, and loss of detailed information. To address these problems, this study proposes a series of improved models for semantic segmentation and progressively optimizes them from the three aspects of convolution module, codec unit, and feature fusion. Instead of the standard convolution structure, we apply a new type of convolution module for the feature extraction. The networks integrate a multi-path method to obtain richer-detail edge information. Finally, a dense network is utilized to strengthen the ability of the feature fusion and integrate more different-level information. The evaluation of the Accuracy, Dice coefficient, and Jaccard index led to values of 0.9855, 0.9185, and 0.8507, respectively. These metrics of the best network increased by 1.0%, 4.0%, and 6.1%, respectively. Boundary F1-Score reached 0.9124 indicating that the proposed networks can segment smaller targets to obtain smoother edges. Our methods obtain more key information than traditional methods and achieve superiority in segmentation performance.
HUIL-TN & HUI-TN: Mining high utility itemsets based on pattern-growth
Authors: Wang Le , Wang Shui
Published: March 2021

In recent years, high utility itemsets (HUIs) mining has been an active research topic in data mining. In this study, we propose two efficient pattern-growth based HUI mining algorithms, called High Utility Itemset based on Length and Tail-Node tree (HUIL-TN) and High Utility Itemset based on Tail-Node tree (HUI-TN). These two algorithms avoid the time-consuming candidate generation stage and the need of scanning the original dataset multiple times for exact utility values. A novel tree structure, named tail-node tree (TN-tree) is proposed as a key element of our algorithms to maintain complete utililty-information of existing itemsets of a dataset. The performance of HUIL-TN and HUI-TN was evaluated against state-of-the-art reference methods on various datasets. Experimental results showed that our algorithms exceed or close to the best performance on all datasets in terms of running time, while other algorithms can only excel in certain types of dataset. Scalability tests were also performed and our algorithms obtained the flattest curves among all competitors.
Ultrasound-guided puncture reduces bleeding-associated complications, regardless of calcified plaque, after endovascular treatment of femoropopliteal lesions, especially using the antegrade procedure: A single-center study
Authors: Fukuda Kentaro , Okazaki Shinya , Shiozaki Masayuki , Okai Iwao , Nishino Akihisa , Tamura Hiroshi , Inoue Kenji , Sumiyoshi Masataka , Daida Hiroyuki , Minamino Tohru
Published: March 2021

Background

A common complication of endovascular treatment for femoropopliteal lesions is bleeding at the vascular access site. Although risk factors of bleeding-associated complications at the approach site have been reported, the results have been inconclusive. Hence, this study aimed to assess the predictors of bleeding-associated complications at the approach site in patients undergoing endovascular treatment for femoropopliteal lesions.

Methods

This retrospective, single-center, observational study included consecutive patients who underwent endovascular treatment (n = 366, 75% male, 72.4±9.9 year) for peripheral arterial disease with claudication and critical limb ischemia in our hospital from January 2010 to December 2017. We divided the patients into bleeding and non-bleeding groups, depending on whether bleeding-associated complications occurred at the approach site. Bleeding-associated complications were defined according to the Bleeding Academic Research Consortium criteria types 2, 3, and 5.

Results

Altogether, 366 endovascular treatment procedures and 404 arterial accesses were performed for femoropopliteal lesions in 335 peripheral arterial disease patients with claudication and 69 critical limb ischemia patients. We recorded 35 postprocedural bleeding-associated complications at the approach site (9%), all of which were hematomas. The predictors of increased bleeding-associated complications were age ≥ 80 years (bleeding vs. non-bleeding group, 43% vs. 25%, p<0.05) and antegrade cannulation of the common femoral artery (48% vs. 69%, p<0.05). Ultrasound-guided puncture reduced bleeding-associated complications (odds ratio, 0.28; 95% confidence interval, 0.004–0.21; p<0.05). In contrast, there was no significant difference in puncture site calcification between the groups (bleeding vs. non-bleeding groups, 29% vs. 21%, p = 0.29).

Conclusion

Ultrasound-guided puncture is associated with a decrease in bleeding-associated complications at the approach site, regardless of the presence of calcified plaque. It is particularly effective and should be more actively used in patients aged ≥80 years and for antegrade cannulation of the common femoral artery.
Microvascular changes on optical coherence tomography angiography after rhegmatogenous retinal detachment vitrectomy with silicone tamponade
Authors: Lee Ji Hye , Park Young Gun
Published: March 2021

Purpose

We aimed to evaluate microvascular changes on optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) in patients with rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) who underwent silicone oil (SO) tamponade and compare changes according to macular involvement.

Methods

This retrospective study included 48 patients with unilateral RRD who underwent vitrectomy and SO tamponade and were stable after SO removal. Control data were obtained from the fellow healthy eye. Ophthalmic examinations, including best corrective visual acuity (BCVA) and OCTA, were conducted. Differences in vascular density (VD) in different sections of the macula and differences in the foveal avascular zone (FAZ) were analyzed between the affected eyes and control eyes. Subgroup analyses according to macular involvement were performed.

Results

Baseline BCVA and duration of SO tamponade were associated with postoperative BCVA (p<0.001, p = 0.03, respectively). The average VD in the deep capillary plexus (DCP) and the VD of the nasal parafoveal area in both the superficial capillary plexus (SCP) and the DCP decreased relative to those in the control eyes (p = 0.026, p = 0.028, and p = 0.031, respectively). The FAZ area in the DCP and in the SCP also increased when compared with that in the controls (p = 0.043, p = 0.002, respectively). In addition, the macular-off RRD group had lower VD in the nasal parafoveal area of the DCP than the macular-on RRD group.

Conclusion

SO tamponade could cause microvascular changes, especially in the nasal parafoveal area. The macular-off RRD group were affected more than the macular-on RRD group.
Towards sustainable transport policy framework: A rail-based transit system in Klang Valley, Malaysia
Authors: Yusoff Imran , Ng Boon-Kwee , Azizan Suzana Ariff
Published: March 2021

This study examines the sustainable transport policy framework in the case of railway development in Klang Valley, Malaysia. It is guided by the main principle that sustainable transport policy is a result of the integration of broad policy instruments that range from infrastructure provision and management, technological improvements, regulation, information, awareness, education, and pricing and taxation. Although this study is mainly qualitative, performance data available at the ASEAN Statistics Division, World Bank Open Data and Global Competitiveness Reports. This is followed by in-person interviews with experts who have vast knowledge, experience, and direct participation in sustainable railway development in Malaysia, especially those related to the Klang Valley development. The main findings have indicated that the current framework in Malaysia meets the criteria of sustainable development policy framework, which are essentially constituted within environmental protection. It also constitutes the pursuance of long-term growth in terms of economic and societal needs. Nonetheless, the rail-based transit system in Malaysia is highly driven by the Government and there is no clear sign indicating that the public is shifting from the road and private transport to rail-based services.
A novel cell culture system modeling the SARS-CoV-2 life cycle
Authors: Ju Xiaohui , Zhu Yunkai , Wang Yuyan , Li Jingrui , Zhang Jiaxing , Gong Mingli , Ren Wenlin , Li Sai , Zhong Jin , Zhang Linqi , Zhang Qiangfeng Cliff , Zhang Rong , Ding Qiang
Published: March 2021

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) causes the global pandemic of COVID-19. SARS-CoV-2 is classified as a biosafety level-3 (BSL-3) agent, impeding the basic research into its biology and the development of effective antivirals. Here, we developed a biosafety level-2 (BSL-2) cell culture system for production of transcription and replication-competent SARS-CoV-2 virus-like-particles (trVLP). This trVLP expresses a reporter gene (GFP) replacing viral nucleocapsid gene (N), which is required for viral genome packaging and virion assembly (SARS-CoV-2 GFP/ΔN trVLP). The complete viral life cycle can be achieved and exclusively confined in the cells ectopically expressing SARS-CoV or SARS-CoV-2 N proteins, but not MERS-CoV N. Genetic recombination of N supplied in trans into viral genome was not detected, as evidenced by sequence analysis after one-month serial passages in the N-expressing cells. Moreover, intein-mediated protein trans-splicing approach was utilized to split the viral N gene into two independent vectors, and the ligated viral N protein could function in trans to recapitulate entire viral life cycle, further securing the biosafety of this cell culture model. Based on this BSL-2 SARS-CoV-2 cell culture model, we developed a 96-well format high throughput screening for antivirals discovery. We identified salinomycin, tubeimoside I, monensin sodium, lycorine chloride and nigericin sodium as potent antivirals against SARS-CoV-2 infection. Collectively, we developed a convenient and efficient SARS-CoV-2 reverse genetics tool to dissect the virus life cycle under a BSL-2 condition. This powerful tool should accelerate our understanding of SARS-CoV-2 biology and its antiviral development.
Teacher Training for Effective Teaching
Authors: MELARA GUTIÉRREZ Francisco José , GONZALEZ LÓPEZ Ignacio
Published: March 2021

This paper identifies the training needs of primary and secondary school teachers related to their daily work so that it may be understated as effective professional practice. To this end, a questionnaire has been compiled, completed by teachers from Spain, China, and South Korea, to determine the discrepancies between the aspirational ideal and the actual reality of classroom instruction, with a view to achieving quality teaching. The shared training requirements detected among the informants pertain to learning goals, the curriculum, expectations, autonomy, and formative and responsible evaluation.
Percepciones de alumnos y docentes de 5.º y 6.º de Educación Primaria sobre la modalidad de educación a distancia implantada temporalmente en España por COVID-19
Authors: Martín Arántzazu de las Morenas
Published: March 2021

El objetivo de este estudio ha sido analizar la modalidad de educación a distancia implantada en España durante el periodo de confinamiento por Covid-19 a través de la percepción de alumnos y docentes. Se analiza una muestra de 99 estudiantes y 31 docentes de 5.º y 6.º curso de Educación Primaria de centros públicos, concertados y no concertados en el municipio de Alcalá de Henares (Comunidad de Madrid). La investigación alterna la metodología cuantitativa y cualitativa complementando el análisis de cuestionarios, entrevistas y preguntas abiertas como instrumentos principales del estudio. Los resultados generales muestran que los alumnos han continuado trabajando en sus tareas escolares durante el confinamiento, así como manteniendo contacto con sus maestros/as, siendo los dispositivos digitales más recurridos para la búsqueda de información, la revisión del correo electrónico y la entrega y recepción de tareas, correcciones y puntuaciones el smartphone y el ordenador portátil en el caso de los estudiantes de centros públicos y el portátil y la tablet en el caso de los concertados y no concertados. Los docentes, por su parte, coinciden en afirmar que los alumnos no estaban preparados para este cambio repentino en la modalidad educativa, apuntando como dificultades detectadas la competencia digital del alumnado, la escasez de medios y la falta de proximidad que complica el feedback docente-discente
Digitális transzformáció a telekommunikációs szolgáltatások piacán
Authors: Horváth József György
Published: March 2021

Jelenleg drámai módon változó digitalizálódó társadalomban élünk, ahol minden és mindenki változáson esik át. A telekommunikációs szolgáltatások piaca rohamosan fejlődik. Hogyan reagáljon a telekommunikációs inkumbens iparág a digitális kihívások által okozott versenyre, amelynek elterjedése csökkenti a bevételeket és a profitot? Milyen marketing eszközöket vessen be a felhasználói szokásokkal és kapcsolat-tartási elvárásaival való lépéstartás érdekében. A HOT Telecom, Izrael telekommunikációs szolgáltatási piacának meghatározó szereplője. Piaci helyzetének megőrzése érdekében a vállalat különféle marketing stratégiákat alkalmaz. Jelen esettanulmányban tükröződnek – a digitális kihívásokra való válaszként - ezen marketing stratégiai elemek alkalmazása, valamint azok kihatása és eredményessége.
Hogyan készül?
Authors: Nagy Vivien Ágnes , Kozma Tímea , Gyenge Balázs
Published: March 2021

2019-ben, amikor egy átlagos vásárló ellátogat egy szupermarketbe, nem az az első gondolata, hogy vajon a kezében tartott csoki vagy joghurt hogyan, milyen technológiával, milyen körülmények között lett előállítva, mert az esetleges fizikai szükséglete felülír minden további filozofálást a megvásárolni kívánt termékről. Ezzel szemben, ha megvásároljuk a különböző gyógyszeripari termékeket, melyeket már különféle bevonatokkal látnak el, hamarabb eszünkbe jut az, vajon hogyan készült? Tanulmányunkban egy hazai vállat gyártási folyamatába nyerhetünk bepillantást, ahol megvizsgáljuk azt, hogy milyen minőségbiztosítási tanúsítványok vannak érvényben, hogyan történik a gyártás és mi az alapja (push vagy pull). Kutatásunk rávilágít arra, hogy az évek során milyen technológiai újítások történtek a vállalatnál, valamint melyek azok, amiket még alkalmazni terveznek. Megvizsgáljuk, hogyan kerüli el a vállalat a gyártás előtt, alatt és után keletkező veszteségeket, illetve a keletkezett selejtet hogyan kezeli.
Attitűdök és élményelvárások az „Alföld szíve” belföldi turistáinak utazási döntéseiben
Authors: Kóródi Márta , Mondok Anita , Szabó Attila
Published: March 2021

A turisztikai teljesítmény növelése az Alföld jelentős részén a belföldi turisták utazási hajlandóságának függvénye, ezért mind a termékfejlesztés, mind a desztinációmenedzsment szempontjából fontos az utazási motivációk beazonosítása. A célterületi belföldi turizmusban résztvevők körében végzett (2019) nagymintás (n=1037) felmérés a képzeteket, ismereteket, motivációkat, mint a turisztikai fogyasztói szokásokat meghatározó tényezőket tárja fel, összefüggéseket keres a belföldi utazási jellemzők, a desztináció ismertsége és az utazási döntés befolyásolhatósága között. A kapott eredmények, főként a belföldi utazások iránt megnyilvánuló általános nyitottság segítenek abban, hogy a térség egyedi adottságainak kihasználásával, a turizmus minél több szegmensének érintésével komplex élménycsomagokat nyújtó összetett turisztikai fejlesztés induljon el a desztinációban.
A visegrádi országok jelenlegi fiskális keretrendszere
Authors: Sávai Marianna
Published: March 2021

A visegrádi országok közös jellemzője, hogy a fiskális politika „húzd meg, ereszd meg” politikájának köszönhető GDP ingadozás és a látszólag magas növekedési potenciál az uniós szabályoknak való megfeleléssel párosult a rendszerváltozásuk óta. Ezen hasonlóságok és az esetleges különbségek fiskális keretrendszerre gyakorolt hatásának kirajzolása a célja a tanulmánynak. Kiemelve az időszak azon eseményeit és az országok sajátos gazdaságpolitikai helyzetét, amely a jelenlegi fiskális keretrendszer kialakulására hatással volt. A keretrendszer időbeli fejlődésének alakulását összegzem, melyben nemcsak a fiskális szabályok, hanem a független fiskális intézmények kialakítására is kitérek. Az országok fiskális keretrendszerét az Európai Unió értékelési rendszerében elfoglalt helyezések alapján is összehasonlítom.
Munkaerő-piaci kompetencia-igény prognózis
Authors: Szilágyi Roland , Molnár László , Lengyel Levente , Fodor Kitti , Tóthné Kiss Anett
Published: March 2021

A duális képzés célja, hogy a hallgatók kompetenciái minősített partnervállalatok segítségével kerüljön fejlesztésre. A cél elérése érdekében fontos tudni, hogy hogyan ítéli meg a munkaerőpiac a hallgatók kompetenciáit, illetve ahhoz, hogy a képzés versenyképes maradjon fontos, megismerni, hogy milyen jövőbeli elvárásokkal kell szembenéznie a duális képzésben résztvevőknek, milyen kompetenciákra lesz szükség az elkövetkezendő években. A kérdések megválaszolására készült felmérés célja a duális képzésben résztvevőkkel szemben támasztott munkaerő-piaci igények prognosztizálása. A felmérés alapján láthatóvá válik, hogy melyek azok a kompe-tenciák, amik fejlesztésében a vállalatok nagyobb szerepet tudnak vállalni, illetve melyek azok, amelyek fejlesztésében a partnerek nem tudnak segíteni, azonban mindenképpen szükség van rá, így ebben az esetben a fejlesztés feladata az oktatási intézményre hárul.