bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Ground Response due to Construction of Shallow Pipe-Jacked Tunnels in Sandy Soil: Laboratory Investigation
Authors: Yuan Yao , Xu Ye-Shuang , Arulrajah Arul , Yuan Da-Jun
Published: December 2018

Pipe jacking is a microtunneling construction technique that is widely used as a trenchless technology in infrastructure and can be adopted in various geological conditions. Ground responses, such as displacements and soil fracturing, will occur during pipe jacking. In order to reduce disturbance to the surrounding soils, factors resulting in ground responses should be evaluated prior to construction. This article presents a series of laboratory tests to investigate the ground response that is due to shallow buried pipe jacking in sandy soil. Single and parallel pipe-jacked tunnel tests were conducted to simulate different construction conditions. Vertical soil displacements and corresponding jacking forces for various cases were observed and discussed. The results indicate that factors such as the existing pipes, the thickness of overburden soil, and the grouting slurry used have significant effects on the ground responses during pipe jacking. Slurry with a proper ratio is proposed for pipe jacking construction. Soil fracturing and grouting overflow can easily occur in the shallow buried tunnels when slurry injection points are opened at the upper side of the pipe. The jacking parameters should also be controlled within a range to reduce the risk of soil fracture and grouting overflow.
Localizing Proton-Mediated Inhibitory Feedback at the Retinal Horizontal Cell–Cone Synapse with Genetically-Encoded pH Probes
Authors: Beckwith-Cohen Billie , Holzhausen Lars C. , Wang Tzu-Ming , Rajappa Rajit , Kramer Richard H.
Published: December 2018

Lateral inhibition in the vertebrate retina depends on a negative feedback synapse between horizontal cells (HCs) and rod and cone photoreceptors. A change in pH is thought to be the signal for negative feedback, but its spatial profile in the synaptic cleft is unknown. Here we use three different membrane proteins, each fused to the same genetically-encoded pH-sensitive Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP) (pHluorin), to probe synaptic pH in retina from transgenic zebrafish (Danio rerio) of either sex. We used the cone transducin promoter to express SynaptopHluorin (pHluorin on vesicle-associated membrane protein (VAMP2)) or CalipHluorin (pHluorin on an L-type Ca2+channel) and the HC-specific connexin-55.5 promoter to express AMPApHluorin (pHluorin on an AMPA receptor). Stimulus light led to increased fluorescence of all three probes, consistent with alkalinization of the synaptic cleft. The receptive field size, sensitivity to surround illumination, and response to activation of an alien receptor expressed exclusively in HCs, are consistent with lateral inhibition as the trigger for alkalinization. However, SynaptopHluorin and AMPApHluorin, which are displaced farther from cone synaptic ribbons than CalipHluorin, reported a smaller pH change. Hence, unlike feedforward glutamatergic transmission, which spills over to allow cross talk between terminals in the cone network, the pH change underlying HC feedback is compartmentalized to individual synaptic invaginations within a cone terminal, consistent with private line communication.

SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENTLateral inhibition (LI) is a fundamental feature of information processing in sensory systems, enhancing contrast sensitivity and enabling edge discrimination. Horizontal cells (HCs) are the first cellular substrate of LI in the vertebrate retina, but the synaptic mechanisms underlying LI are not completely understood, despite decades of study. This paper makes a significant contribution to our understanding of LI, by showing that each HC–cone synapse is a “private-line” that operates independently from other HC–cone connections. Using transgenic zebrafish expressing pHluorin, a pH-sensitive GFP variant spliced onto three different protein platforms expressed either in cones or HCs we show that the feedback pH signal is constrained to individual cone terminals, and more stringently, to individual synaptic contact sites within each terminal.
Why is a new journal dedicated to vascular biology required?
Authors: Madeddu Paolo
Published: December 2018

The year 2018 marked the 110th anniversary of Goldmann’s discovery that vascularization is an active process in tissues1 and the 50th anniversary of the concomitant reports from Greenblatt and Shubik2 and Ehrmann and Knoth3 that soluble morphogenic factors are required for cancer angiogenesis. Many other radically transformative paradigms have been introduced in the last decades. To name a few, the molecular search for the identity of master regulators of vascular tone led to the discovery of the Endothelium-Derived Relaxing Factor (EDRF; i.e., NO4), while clinically inspired investigations led to the recognition of the pathophysiological relevance of neoangiogenesis in cancer and tissue healing. This brought about the proposal of blocking angiogenesis to halt tumor growth and stimulating angiogenesis to treat myocardial ischemia and heart failure5-7.
Identification of a novel large CASR deletion in a patient with familial hypocalciuric hypercalcemia
Authors: García-Castaño Alejandro , Madariaga Leire , Azriel Sharona , Pérez de Nanclares Gustavo , Martínez de LaPiscina Idoia , Martínez Rosa , Urrutia Inés , Aguayo Aníbal , Gaztambide Sonia , Castaño Luis
Published: December 2018

Familial hypocalciuric hypercalcemia type I is an autosomal dominant disorder caused by heterozygous loss-of-function mutations in theCASRgene and is characterized by moderately elevated serum calcium concentrations, low urinary calcium excretion and inappropriately normal or mildly elevated parathyroid hormone (PTH) concentrations. We performed a clinical and genetic characterization of one patient suspected of familial hypocalciuric hypercalcemia type I. Patient presented persistent hypercalcemia with normal PTH and 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels. TheCASRwas screened for mutations by PCR followed by direct Sanger sequencing and, in order to detect large deletions or duplications, multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA) was used. One large deletion of 973 nucleotides in heterozygous state (c.1733-255_2450del) was detected. This is the first large deletion detected by the MLPA technique in theCASRgene.

Learning points:

Molecular studies are important to confirm the differential diagnosis of FHH from primary hyperparathyroidism.

Large deletions or duplications in theCASRgene can be detected by the MLPA technique.

Understanding the functional impact of the mutations is critical for leading pharmacological research and could facilitate the therapy of patients.
Procedimientos, métodos y/o buenas prácticas para diseñar nubes privadas
Authors: García-Perellada Lilia Rosa , Garófalo-Hernández Alain Abel
Published: December 2018

El modelo de despliegue de Nube Privada, perteneciente al paradigma de la computación en la nube, constituye para la mayoría de las pequeñas y medianas empresas una solución costo-efectiva-segura para satisfacer ágilmente la demanda de infraestructura de computación. Su adopción hoy se ve frenada debido a la carencia de métodos que permitan afrontar el diseño de nubes privadas bajo las perspectivas del negocio; y los altos requerimientos de cómputo que como mínimo imponen las soluciones comerciales con mayor presencia en el mercado, en relación con los bajos requerimientos de recursos de cómputo que presentan estas entidades para el soporte de los servicios de las tecnologías de la información y las comunicaciones que requieren para cumplir con su misión y hacer realidad su visión; todo lo cual puede originar impactos económicamente negativos. El presente trabajo muestra un estudio del estado del arte referente al tema evidenciando la problemática expuesta.
Efficient Homologous Recombination in Mice Using Long Single Stranded DNA and CRISPR Cas9 Nickase
Authors: Ge Xi A , Hunter Craig P
Published: December 2018

The CRISPR/Cas9 nickase mutant is less prone to off-target double-strand (ds)DNA breaks than wild-type Cas9 because to produce dsDNA cleavage it requires two guide RNAs to target the nickase to nearby opposing strands. Like wild-type Cas9 lesions, these staggered lesions are repaired by either non-homologous end joining or, if a repair template is provided, by homologous recombination (HR). Here, we report very efficient (up to 100%) recovery of heterozygous insertions in Mus musculus produced by long (>300 nt), single-stranded DNA donor template-guided repair of paired-nickase lesions.
A New Tool for Inducible Gene Expression in Caenorhabditis elegans
Authors: Monsalve Gabriela C , Yamamoto Keith R , Ward Jordan D
Published: December 2018

Controlling protein activity and localization is a key tool in modern biology. Mammalian steroid receptor ligand-binding domain (LBD) fusions have been used in a range of organisms and cell types to inactivate proteins of interest until the cognate steroid ligand is applied. Here, we demonstrate that the glucocorticoid receptor LBD confers ligand-gated control of a heterologous gene expression system (Q system) and the DAF-16 transcription factor in Caenorhabditis elegans. These experiments provide a powerful tool for temporal control of protein activity, and will bolster existing tools used to modulate gene expression and protein activity in this animal.
Robust CRISPR/Cas9-Mediated Tissue-Specific Mutagenesis Reveals Gene Redundancy and Perdurance inDrosophila
Authors: Poe Amy R , Wang Bei , Sapar Maria L , Ji Hui , Li Kailyn , Onabajo Tireniolu , Fazliyeva Rushaniya , Gibbs Mary , Qiu Yue , Hu Yuzhao , Han Chun
Published: December 2018

The CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing system continues to push the boundaries of genetic analysis. Here, papers from Farboud, Severson, and Meyer and Poe et al. describe cutting-edge advances for CRISPR use. Farboud, Severson, and Meyer....

Tissue-specific loss-of-function (LOF) analysis is essential for characterizing gene function. Here, we present a simple, yet highly efficient, clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-mediated tissue-restricted mutagenesis (CRISPR-TRiM) method for ablating gene function in Drosophila. This binary system consists of a tissue-specific Cas9 and a ubiquitously expressed multi-guide RNA (gRNA) transgene. We describe convenient toolkits for making enhancer-driven Cas9 lines and multi-gRNAs that are optimized for mutagenizing somatic cells. We demonstrate that insertions or deletions in coding sequences more reliably cause somatic mutations than DNA excisions induced by two gRNAs. We further show that enhancer-driven Cas9 is less cytotoxic yet results in more complete LOF than Gal4-driven Cas9 in larval sensory neurons. Finally, CRISPR-TRiM efficiently unmasks redundant soluble N-ethylmaleimide–sensitive factor attachment protein receptor gene functions in neurons and epidermal cells. Importantly, Cas9 transgenes expressed at different times in the neuronal lineage reveal the extent to which gene products persist in cells after tissue-specific gene knockout. These CRISPR tools can be applied to analyze tissue-specific gene function in many biological processes.
Granulomatous Mastitis - A Case Report
Authors: Babahabib Abdellah , Arsalane Adil , Aitelfadl Fatimazohra , Chahdi Hafsa
Published: December 2018

Granulomatous mastitis is indeed a rare affliction, but it can constitute a veritable diagnosis and treatment predicament for several reasons. The etiology of this disease remains shrouded in mystery and the treatment depends on the gravity and extension of the lesions, ranging from corticosteroids to surgical excision with an important recurrence rate. We present the case of a 40-year-old woman with granulomatous mastitis for which clinical and radiological remission was obtained via medical treatment.
Kikuchi-Fujimoto Disease in a 24-Years Old Saudi Female in Saudi Arabia
Authors: Ashour Abdolrahman , Albeshri Marwan , Marzouki Hani , Al-Khayyat Shadi
Published: December 2018

Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease (KFD) is a very rare, self-limited and benign inflammatory disorder. It was first reported in Japan in 1972. Diagnosis of Kikuchi disease is confirmed by histopathological investigation of lymph node (LN) biopsy under ultrasound guidance. Computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) help in the diagnosis of Kikuchi cervical lymphadenopathy but don’t provide a definitive diagnosis. We describe a case of KFD affecting the cervical lymph nodes of a 24-year old Saudi female.
Propagation of edible honeysuckle (Lonicera edulis Turcz) in in vitro conditions
Authors: Zapolsky Ya. , Medvedeva T. , Natalchuk T. , Bublyk M.
Published: December 2018

Aim. To propagate edible honeysuckle (Lonicera edulis Turcz) in in vitro conditions; to study the impact of sterilization agents on honeysuckle explants; to investigate the impact of the culture medium composition on the coeffi cient of propagation and rooting; to study the capability to adapt to in vivo conditions. Methods. Laboratory, mathematical, estimation and comparison. Results. The impact of sterilizing substances on obtain- ing the aseptic culture of edible honeysuckle in in vivo conditions was studied. The experiments were con- ducted on the following species: Alicia, Spokusa, Chaika, Nimfa, Doch Velikana, Karina. Lisoformin 3000 and mercury chloride were used as sterilizing agents. In the variant with Lisoformin 3000 it was studied in three exposures – 5, 7, and 10 minutes. In terms of explant regeneration effi ciency after sterilization with Lisofor- min 3000, three groups of edible honeysuckle species were isolated: 1 – with high regeneration capacity (94– 96 %) – Alicia, Karina and Spokusa; 2 –
medium capacity (86–87 %) – Chaika and Doch Velikana, 3 – low capacity (80 %) – Nimfa. The experiments aimed at studying the impact of culture medium components on the propagation effi ciency determined the increase in the latter in case of rotating media with different quantitative and qualitative composition. Permanent application of uniform media leads to a sharp decrease in the prolif- eration coeffi cient in all the investigated species. Both hormone-free medium and the medium with growth regulators are effi cient for rooting. High indices of rooting were achieved in both variants. The use of auxins promoted the formation of a larger amount of plant roots (from 3.09 in Spokusa to 4.21 in Alicia) which in its turn impacted the survivability of plants in in vivo conditions. Conclusions. It was established that Lisoformin 3000 in the concentration of 3 % and at the exposure duration of 5 min ensured optimal effi ciency of steriliza- tion and regeneration of edible honeysuckle explants and did not decrease
their propagation coeffi cients. With corresponding concentrations and sterilization duration, this preparation may be recommended for obtaining the aseptic culture of honeysuckle. It was demonstrated that the rotation of media, rich and poor in macro- and microsalts was effi cient for obtaining high indices of proliferation: the plants had a larger amount of tillering even in case of using not high concentrations of cytokinin. The introduction of rhizogenesis inducer, IBA, (1 mg/l) into the culture medium did not increase the percentage of rooted plants compared to hormone-free medium, but stimulated the formation of a larger amount of roots, which had further positive impact on the adaptation properties.
Studying the conditions of assembling traction-drive soil-processing aggregates with tractors of traction-energy concept
Authors: Adamchuk V. , Bulgakov V. , Holovach I. , Kuvachov V.
Published: December 2018

At present the appearance of novel energy-saturated tractors of traction-energy concept requires not only new principles of their aggregating but also the method of assembling aggregates on their basis. Aim. To increase the effi ciency of assembling soil-processing aggregates with traction and drive working units based on energy- saturated tractors of traction-energy concept. Methods. The study involved the use of the methods of tractor theory, use of machines, fi eld experimental investigations, statistical methods of processing study results, as well as methods of composing programs and numerical computations on PC. Results. The method of assem- bling soil-processing aggregates with traction and drive working units was suggested on the basis of technical information, available for a wide audience of specialists. Conclusions. The problem of assembling soil-pro- cessing aggregates with traction and drive working units on the basis of energy-saturated tractors of tractor- energy concept should be solved with
the consideration of the suggested condition of useful power via traction, determined by the friction properties of a tractor, and the power which the tractor can actually transmit via a power take-off shaft or a hydrosystem.
Sequestration of carbon oxide in different fertilization systems in agrocenoses
Authors: Demydenko O. , Zapasna Yu. , Velychko V.
Published: December 2018

Aim. To substantiate the agroecological estimation of the performance of a short crop rotation in conditions of intense and organic system of fertilization on the basis of restoring normative parameters of emission and se- questration of С-СО 2 circulation while using by-products as organic fertilizers in conditions of modern climatic system of the Forest-Steppe of Ukraine. Methods. Field, statistical, laboratory. Results of Investigations. The performance of short crop rotations is determined by the capacity of С-СО 2 balance. Strong inverse correla- tion was found between the capacity of N and the ratio between C and N in the agrocenosis, which demon- strated that enhancing the humifi cation processes (ratio constriction) led to the increase in the capacity of С org balance and the decrease in the capacity level of С-СО 2 balance (enhancing mineralization), related to the reduction in the performance of crops in the agrocenosis of a crop rotation compared to the organic system of fertilization. The
capacity of С-СО 2 and С org balance correlates at the medium level of inverse direction, and the yield of the main products, feed units and digestible protein correlates at the level of strong direct correlation. Conclusions. General mineralization of by-products and humus in the agrocenosis and humifi cation processes are antagonists, so extending the ratio between С and N at the intense fertilization system stimulates the in- crease in performance and reducing С to N similar to the organic fertilization system enhances the humifi cation process due to binding of С org into humus and limits mineralization which leads to the reduction in agrocenosis performance at the organic fertilization system.
Investigation of properties of biologically active substances and their content in cones of ukrainian hop varieties
Authors: Protsenko L. , Liashenko M. , Vlasenko A. , Hryniuk T. , Dobrovolny O.
Published: December 2018

Introduction. According to the data of foreign studies, prenyl fl avonoids and bitter substances of hop have signifi cant antioxidant, antiviral, antimicrobial, anti-infl ammatory and anti-carcinogenic properties. Methods. A complex of the following methods was used: a monographic method, analysis, synthesis and comparison, mathematical-statistical and modern physical-chemical methods of determining qualitative indices of hop, special and common in hop-growing industry, which allowed obtaining scientifi cally valid results. Results. The modern level of knowledge about biologically active compounds of hop and their properties was analyzed, in particular, bitter substances and xanthohumol. The quantitative and qualitative content of bitter substances, essential oil and xanthohumol in hop varieties of Ukrainian, European and American breeding was studied. Among the Ukrainian varieties, the highest amount of xanthohumol was found in Ruslan and Xanthus varie- ties – 1.16 % and 1.06 % against dry substances
respectively, and its minimal amount was detected in the cones of the bitter Alta variety. Among the European varieties, the highest amount of this substance is contained in the German variety HallertauerTaurus – 0.9–1.0 %, up to 1 % in the Czech variety Agnus and the English va- riety Admiral, with the content of 0.95 %–1.09 %. There is a strong correlation between the accumulation of xanthohumol and alpha acids in the formation and ripening of the cones. The maximal amount of xanthohumol is formed in the hop cones in the phase of complete technical ripeness. The content of this substance in hop cones depends on the breeding variety and is a varietal trait, genetically fi xed for each variety. The quantitative amount of xanthohumol may be one of biochemical criteria of identifying the variety. Conclusions. By their characteristics, the Ukrainian hop varieties correspond to the world’s analogues, namely, according to their bio- chemical and technological indices, hop varieties Klon-18 and Zlato Polissia
correspond to the characteristics of the hop of the Czech Saaz variety, the biochemical indices of the bitter Alta variety correspond to the Ger- man variety Magnum, and such varieties as Slovianka and Zahrava exceed the world’s analogues considerably in the composition and quality of bitter substances and essential oils and are unique.
Estimation of the effi ciency of applying nanocomposites as environmentally safe nanofertilizers to stimulate biometric indices of agricultural crops
Authors: Savchuk M. , Starodub M. , Bisio C. , Guidotti M. , Lisovyy M.
Published: December 2018

Aim. To estimate the possibilities of applying nanocomposites on the basis of saponite to increase biomet- ric indices of corn hybrid Kharkivsky 340 MV. Methods. laboratory (method of scanning electronic micros- copy, method of fl uorescence induction of chlorophylls, spectrophotometric method of determining the num- ber of green pigments, methods of determining biometric indices of plants), statistical. Results. This article presents the results of investigating the impact of nanocomposites on biometric indices of corn hybrid Kharkivsky 340 MV. It was established that presowing treatment of corn seeds with aqueous solutions of nanocomposites on the basis of saponite in the concentration of 300 mg/l stimulated growth indices of plants. Presowing soaking of seeds in nanocomposite solutions increased the energy of germination, sprouting and length of hybrid corn seedlings. The action of nanocomposite Nb-saponite (Et) in the concentration of 300 mg/l leads to the increase in the germination energy by 10.6 %,
the length of a stem part – 2-fold, root system – by 30.3 % and the laboratory germination of seeds is 100 %. The height of a stem of corn plants in the phase of three leaves after presowing treatment of seeds with nanocomposites Saponite (H), Nb-Saponite (Cl) and Nb-Saponite (Et) in the concentration of 300 mg/l exceeded the control by 31.7, 26.2 and 42.7 %, and the length of the root system increased twice. The action of Saponite (H) and Nb-Saponite (Cl) led to the increase in the number and length of the main roots of corn, and Nb-Saponite (Et) stimulated the development of additional roots and formation of root fi brilla. The presowing treatment of corn seeds with the solutions of nanocomposites Saponite (H), Nb-Saponite (Cl), Nb-Saponite (Et) in the concentration of 300 mg/l promoted the increase in the vegetative mass by 35, 27.9 and 56.4 % compared to the control. At the impact of nanocomposites, the area of the leaf plate of plants increased by 20.4 % on average. There was an increase in the sum of
chlorophylls (a + b) in plants, whose seeds were previously treated with nanocomposites Nb-Saponite (Cl) and Nb-Saponite (Et) in the concentration of 300 mg/l by 41.2 and 40.6 % compared to the control. Conclusions. The application of nanocomposites on the basis of saponite in the concentration of 300 mg/l for presowing treatment of corn seeds of hybrid Kharkivskyi 340 MV promoted the activation of growth indices and improved the process of photosynthesis.
Development and evaluation of 12-lead electrocardiogram in the left free wall of accessory pathway localization in patients with typical Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome
Authors: Chu Si Dung , Pham Khanh Quoc , Tran Dong Van
Published: December 2018

Objectives: This study was designed to characterize 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) for localization of the left free wall lateral accessory pathway (AP) in patients with typical Wolff-Parkinson-White (WPW) syndrome, to develop a new algorithm ECG for localizing APs, and to test the accuracy of the algorithm prospectively.

Method: We studied 129 patients; 84 patients had typical WPW syndrome with single anterograde AP identified by successful radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA), and were enrolled to build a new ECG algorithm for localizing left free wall APs. Then, the algorithm was tested prospectively in 45 patients and compared with the location of APs successfully ablated by RFCA.

Results: We found that the 12-lead ECG parameters in typical WPW syndrome, such as delta wave polarity in V1, R/S ratio in V1, transition of the QRS complex, and delta wave polarity in inferior, lead to diagnosis and localization of APs, with highest accuracy predicted from 74.5%-100%, and for development of a new ECG algorithm. From the 45 patients who were prospectively evaluated by the newly derived algorithm for the left free wall pathways, the sensitivity and specificity was high (from 75-100%).

Conclusion: The 12-lead ECG parameters in typical WPW syndrome are closely related to left free wall AP localization and can be used to develop a new ECG algorithm by the parameters above. Moreover, the new ECG algorithm can predict the location of APs with high accuracy.
Proposal for a new reading of a line in the Tuńuquq inscription
Authors: Yildiz Hülya
Published: December 2018

This paper is written in order to reread the sequence of signs 〈ẄzčI〉 and 〈TSN〉 occurring in the sentence 〈ẄzčI : TSN : TWTmstgbIz〉, in the 13th line of the Tuńuquq Inscription. It is proposed that the sequence 〈ẄzčI〉, which has been hitherto transcribed as *üzäči, *üzüči, *özäči, *öz [i]či, *özčä and *üzči, may be transcribed as öz äči ‘(someone’s) own (paternal) uncle’. As is known, the sign 〈S〉 represents both š and s which have been used beside back vowels in the Tuńuquq Inscription. However, the sign 〈S〉 in the 〈TSN〉 sign group has been uniformly transcribed as š by all previous researchers (*tašïn), and they attempted to interpret that lexeme either through the meanings ‘stone’ or ‘outside’. The present paper proposes that the 〈TSN〉 sign group may also be read as atïsïn ‘his nephew (+acc.)’. Furthermore, the meaning ‘to capture’ of the Old Turkic verb tut- is particularly emphasised in the interpretation of the mentioned sentence. Finally, the whole sentence is transcribed and interpreted as öz äči atïsïn tutmïš täg biz ‘We look as if (someone’s) own uncle has captured his own nephew’.
Political reality and cultural superiority: Song China’s attitude toward the Khitan Liao
Authors: Lin Hang
Published: December 2018

In the 10th century, the nomadic Khitan, with their Liao dynasty, became the most dominant power in East Asia, posing enormous threats to the Chinese Song dynasty in the south. Based on an analysis of the traditional Chinese world view, this paper examines the two opposing views of the Song Chinese about their Khitan neighbours in the north. The Song Chinese acknowledged the military prowess of the Khitan and thus advocated flexible diplomatic policies based on realistic observation and careful assessment, demonstrated by the diplomatic parity set by the Treaty of Chanyuan in 1005. In the meantime, many held firm belief in their cultural superiority over the “barbarians”, which derived from the tradition of a cultural sino-centrism. The Song looked for Confucian sources to justify their concession by turning their attention to the cultivation of virtue and were confident that they were the centre of culture and civilisation.
Becoming shamans to be healed: reasons for contemporary proliferation of horchin shamanism
Authors: Ujeed Uranchimeg
Published: December 2018

Healing through ritual has often been a common facet of shamanic traditions. Catching “shamanic illness” is recognised as a sign of a candidate in many cultures. However, among the Horchin Mongols in China, this phenomenon has taken on a modern twist. Many individuals, who are afflicted by so-called “incurable” illness, are turning to shamanism. What is interesting is that they do not do this to get healed by shamans, but rather seek self-heal through initiation as a shaman themselves. Horchin shaman masters take on hundreds, and even thousands, of “disciples” who would cure themselves in this way. This occurs among more rural folk. Key reasons appear to be the negative effects of industrialisation, urbanisation and technological advancement, coupled with the failure of medicine and health services to catch up with social change and growing expectations in China, and particularly in Horchin Mongolia. This paper investigates the reasons for the dramatic increase in “shamanic illness”, i.e. how people become shamans to heal themselves.
Majāz ῾aqlī “intellectual trope” and the description of wine in a poem by abū dhu᾿ayb al-hudhalī
Authors: Ahmad Hussein Ali
Published: December 2018

An important rhetorical figure has been called the majāz ῾aqlī (lit. “intellectual trope”) by some classical rhetoricians, mainly by ῾Abd al-Qāhir al-Jurjānī (d. 471/1078). Despite its importance, which will be clarified below, the intellectual trope has been ignored in modern research in comparison to other rhetorical figures such as the metaphor and simile which are frequently in the spotlight. In this paper, I will analyse the notion of the majāz ῾aqlī as used by ῾Abd al-Qāhir al-Jurjānī who was the first rhetorician to deal with this figure of speech in detail; then I will discuss its semantic aspects in classical Arabic poetry as manifested in an episode on wine composed by Abū Dhu᾿ayb al- Hudhalī (d. 28/649).
Al-waṭwāṭ’s description of Jewish festivals – Probing the sources of his knowledge
Authors: Mazuz Haggai
Published: December 2018

The Egyptian historian Jamāl al-Dīn Muḥammad b. Ibrāhīm b. Yaḥyā.al-Kutubī, known as al-Waṭ- wāṭ (1235 – 1318 CE), in hisMabāhij al-Fikar wa-Manāhij al-ʿIbar, describes seven Jewish festivals. This paper references these descriptions and attempts to trace their provenance. It is found that many of his descriptions are sourced to two earlier Muslim scholars. Some apparent analogies and allusions, however, are found between al-Waṭwāṭ’s accounts and a broad array of Jewish sources.
Nabataean agricultural terminology
Authors: Alzoubi Mahdi
Published: December 2018

This research is an analytical study of the agrictural terms that occur on Nabataean inscriptions. It is an attempt to explore their linguistic derivation, meanings and indications seeking to reach a better understanding of the Nabataean agricultural system and activities. We will also try to compare these terms to their parallels in other Semitic languages and dialects.
Phenolic contents and in vitro antioxidant activity of four commonly consumed nuts in algeria
Authors: Chaalal M. , Ouchemoukh S. , Mehenni C. , Salhi N. , Soufi O. , Ydjedd S. , Louaileche H.
Published: December 2018

This study was carried out to determine the phenolic contents and the antioxidant activity of four nuts with different solvent extract. Total phenolic compounds, flavonoids, and proanthocyanidin were quantified. Antioxidant activity was evaluated by various in vitro tests, including ferric reducing power, phosphomolybdenum method assay, and free radical scavenging activity. The results showed that the total phenolic contents varied between 0.30 g GAE/100 g (peanuts) and 1.65 g GAE/100 g (walnuts); the flavonoid contents varied between 0.17 g QE/100 g (peanuts) and 0.41 g QE/100 g (hazelnut). The phenolic contents of four nut extracts exhibit potent antioxidant activity. Indeed, walnuts were the richest in total phenolic content and demonstrated the highest potential for overall antioxidant capacity using ferric reducing power assay (FRP), phosphomolybdenum method assay, and free radical scavenging activity (FRSA). Phenolic amounts positively correlated with antioxidant activity tested.
Wychowanie do życia wspólnotowego jako zadanie szkolnej lekcji religii w świetle polskich dokumentów oświatowych i katechetycznych
Authors: Kielian Andrzej
Published: December 2018

Upbringing is a task of both school education and catechesis. The purpose of this article is to answer the following questions: do the general aims of school education in Poland go hand in hand with the tasks of catechesis? To what extent it is possible to educate for community life (cf. GDC 86) at school religion classes in Poland? In order to find answers to these questions it is necessary to present the aims of general education in Poland according to the new core curriculum (based on the Regulation by the Minister of National Education of 23 December 2008 on Core Curricula for Pre-school and General Education in particular types of schools) along with methods for entering its records into school curricula.The general aims of upbringing, that the documents of the Church put before religious instruction at school are shown against this background, in order to find points of contact with the school curricula. The possible implementation of education for community life in the school environment is discussed on the base of the Core Curriculum for the Catechesis of the Catholic Church in Poland (approved by the Polish Bishops’ Conference in 2010).In conclusion it can be stated that the aims of both religion education at school and general education in Poland, in relation to education for community life, are similar: creation and strengthening of local communities, rooting students in natural communities, such as the family and the nation, creating a climate for dialogue between representatives of different cultures and beliefs. All these aims are focused on development of attitudes necessary for the sustainability of the community of the state. Furthermore, education for community life as the task of catechesis goes beyond the scope of school education. It calls for completion in extracurricular activities, to bring pupils to the Eucharistic community and active participation in the life and activities of the Church.
Matki Izraela typem Matki Kościoła
Authors: Życiński Wojciech
Published: December 2018

The Bible very little attention pays to the Mother of God. Apart from the Gospels of Childhood there are only two known mentions from the public period of Jesus’ activity. These are the wedding in Cana and the description of Christ’ crucifixion. The beloved disciple does not even mention Mary’s name. He replaces it with such words as: Mother of Lord, Jesus’ Mother, His Mother. The Old Testament does not refer to Mary directly. There are many texts though that according to the symbolic sense and prophets’ predictions refer to Mary’s motherhood towards expected Messiah and Her participation in His redemptive act.It refers especially to the Old Testament ”Mothers” of Israel who played a crucial role in history of this nation both through its religious formation during the periods of unfaithfulness to Covenant and through the participation in the liberation from slavery and alien invasion, when the history of Israel at the same time the history of redemption and became the theology of Israeli Nation. Through a place and a role of these Mothers in the liberation of Israel the Christian exegesis, following the patristic tradition, defines the place and the role of Mary in the redemption of man fulfilled by Christ.
Doświadczenie jako przedmiot wymiany rynkowej – refleksje teoretyczne i metodologiczne na przykładzie turystyki sportowej
Authors: Szczechowicz Bartosz
Published: December 2018

The paper examines whether approaches and methods developed in economics can be effective in recognising consumer assessments of experience-based products that provide intense and memorable impressions. It assesses the theoretical foundations of product evaluation and their methodological consequences, formulated within mainstream economics (neoclassical economics) and beyond (behavioural economics, experimental economics). Sports tourism was used to exemplify the difficulties that arose in choosing this path to examine the issue. It was found that while mainstream economics can form the theoretical and methodological basis of empirical research on the issue of consumer perception of experience-based products, schools of heterodox economics can provide a greater increase in knowledge in this field.
Turystyka miejska mieszkańców wsi (na przykładzie turystów odwiedzających Kraków)
Authors: Seweryn Renata , Niemczyk Agata
Published: December 2018

The combination of the terms „countryside” and „tourism” is usually associated with the use of rural areas or activating them for the purpose of tourism. However, the tourist activity of rural dwellers is rarely analysed. The purpose of this article is to try to answer the following question: How do tourists coming from rural areas to cities differ from visitors who come from urban areas? With the use of information obtained from the study of tourist traffic in Kraków, Poland, statistically significant differences in the behaviour of these two groups visiting the city in 2017 were determined. The empirical analyses are preceded by a review of Polish and foreign literature on tourist activity and its determinants, on urban tourism and on the functioning of the modern countryside. The results show that rural dwellers, more frequently than their urban counterparts, take shorts visits to cities and use the services of tour operators.
Znaczenie członkostwa w lokalnych organizacjach turystycznych dla budowania współpracy dwustronnej
Authors: Czernek-Marszałek Katarzyna
Published: December 2018

One of the ways to compete for tourists is to create local tourist organisations in tourist areas. Their goal, apart from promoting tourism, is to create opportunities to establish bilateral economic cooperation between the entities associated in them. No research has been done to indicate whether affiliation in such organisations actually serves to build cooperation, how it builds cooperation or, alternatively, why it does not. This article seeks answers to these questions, and does so with the help of a case study on the Wisla Tourism Organisation (WOT) and semi-structured interviews conducted in 2013–2014 with 48 WOT members. The results of the research show that the WOT, to only a limited degree, enables the establishment of bilateral cooperation between members associated in this organisation. The reasons for this include the fact that the organisation’s members have diversified needs and interests, largely fail to actively participate in WOT meetings, suffer from a lack of clearly perceptible, measurable benefits of participating in the organisation. At the same time, the organisation charges a membership fee. The article concludes with recommendations that could be used to change the situation.
Aplikacje mobilne jako element systemu informacji turystycznej
Authors: Zawadzki Piotr
Published: December 2018

In tourism, as in other areas of the economy, a rapid increase in the use of ICT has occurred. This development has been influenced by the dynamic development of mobile devices and the Internet, as well as changes in tourists’ needs and behaviours. Tourist information plays an important role in selecting a tourist destination, so entities responsible for creating it must use modern tools to support marketing activities, with a particular emphasis on promotion. These tools include mobile applications that extend the functionality of mobile devices and facilitate everyday activities. This causes a change in how cities and regions interact with tourists who use their products. The aim of the article is to organise the theoretical and practical aspects of the use of mobile applications in the tourist information system and to identify the advantages and disadvantages associated with the use of this tool.
Zróżnicowanie poziomu sprawności fizycznej oraz parametrów somatycznych studentów kierunku turystyki i rekreacji wybranych krakowskich szkół wyższych
Authors: Lipecki Krzysztof , Kukla Paweł
Published: December 2018

The aim of the study was to identify the level of physical fitness and somatic parameters of students of tourism and recreation programmes at selected universities in Cracow. The merger examined 194 students (female – 151 and male – 43) from the Cracow University of Economics (female – 63, male – 17), the Pedagogical University of Cracow (female – 42) and the University of Physical Education in Krakow (female – 46, male – 26) in Cracow. The students’ height, weight and the circumference of their waist and hips were measured, and the percentage of water and fat in the body was estimated (the weight of TANITA model BC-1000). Their level of physical fitness was determined using the European Fitness Test (EUROFIT).The research showed that the students generally have adequate somatic parameters for BMI, hydration (percentage of water), amount of adipose tissue (percentage of adipose tissue) and its distribution (WHR indicator). In addition, students present good and perfect levels of balance and explosive lower limb strength and medium levels of movement speed in their upper limbs, flexibility, torso muscle strength and cardiorespiratory endurance.The type of university significantly differentiates the universities in terms of the students’ physical fitness, with the University of Physical Education in Krakow students usually presenting a higher level of physical fitness than their counterparts at the Pedagogical University of Cracow and Cracow University of Economics.
Współczesne zmiany narzędzi badań statystycznych
Authors: Pociecha Józef
Published: December 2018

Many changes are observed in statistical tools for research in the field of analysis and the forecasting of socio-economic processes. The starting point of the considerations carried out is a classic scheme of statistical investigations in the economic sciences. Particular attention is paid to its limitations. Modern methods of data analysis, based on artificial intelligence, can help eliminate the limitations of the classical statistical investigations. These methods can be counted among supervised learning procedures. The paper next goes on to discuss the basic methods of data classification, including LDA and logit. Supervised learning methods that may have wider application in socio-economic studies are then presented. These include: the Naïve Bayes Classifier, Bayesian Networks, k-nearest neighbours, vector support machines, kernel classifiers, artificial neural networks, decision trees, and a multi-model approach (random forests, bagging, boosting). However, these methods are also subject to certain restrictions.The article is an overview and contains references to works in which supervised learning methods have been applied in socio-economic studies.
Modelowanie dynamicznych zależności pomiędzy bezpośrednimi inwestycjami zagranicznymi i handlem wewnątrzgałęziowym w Polsce
Authors: Salamaga Marcin
Published: December 2018

In the economic literature there are numerous theories explaining the relationship between the inflow of foreign direct investment (FDI) and foreign trade. The most frequently discussed issue is whether direct investment strengthens or restricts foreign trade. Similar questions can be formulated with regard to direct foreign investment and intra-industry trade and its types: vertical and horizontal intra-industry trade. The relationships between these variables are relatively rarely studied, but they can provide additional insights into the influence of FDI on the structure and competitiveness of foreign trade. The paper proposes to examine the relationship between FDI and different types of intra-industry trade using the vector error correction model (VECM). To investigate the feedback between these variables, the results of the impulse response functions and forecast error variance decomposition are analysed. The results will be presented using the example of Poland.
Miara ryzyka estymacji parametrów modelu VaR
Authors: Mercik Aleksander R.
Published: December 2018

Value at risk is one of the most common measures of financial risk. There are many approaches to validating value-for-value models. In addition to ex post tests, ex ante models must also be validated. The risk of model estimation is particularly important in finance due to the limited number of historical data that is available to estimate the parameters. The aim of this paper is to propose a measure of the risk of estimating the VaR model based on the interval of the value at risk.
Traz a deformidade de orelha impacto negativo na qualidadede vida em indivíduos com síndrome de Treacher Collins?
Authors: Lodovichi Fernando Felipe , Oliveira Jessica Pereira , Denadai Rafael , Raposo-Amaral Cesar Augusto , Ghizoni Enrico , Raposo-Amaral Cassio Eduardo
Published: December 2018

Resumo A Síndrome de Treacher Collins (STC) é uma síndrome craniofacial de padrão autossômico dominante e expressão clínica variada, em que a orelha pode ou não estar ausente ou malformada. Indivíduos com STC sofrem estigmas podendo repercutir na interação com pares. Instrumentos de qualidade de vida obtidos por meio de questionários de autopercepção são ferramentas de identificação de estigmas e podem permitir o ajuste social desses indivíduos. Objetiva-se avaliar e mensurar a qualidade de vida em indivíduos com STC, aferindo os impactos da deformidade de orelhas na qualidade de vida. Doze voluntários com diagnóstico clínico e genético de STC responderam ao questionário de qualidade de vida da OMS, divididos em grupos com orelhas normais (n = 6) versus orelhas afetadas (n = 6) e seus resultados foram comparados. A escala de Siviero foi usada para estratificar a qualidade de vida em satisfatória, intermediária e insatisfatória. A pontuação geral do grupo com orelhas normais foi de 73,13; a do grupo com orelhas afetadas de 71,81, ambos classificados como níveis intermediários de qualidade de vida e sem diferença significativa entre si. A deformidade de orelha não representa um ônus na qualidade de vida dos indivíduos que já se apresentam com outras deformidades e com escores de qualidade de vida intermediários.
Fatores de Risco e Proteção Associados à Depressão Pós-Parto no Pré-Natal Psicológico
Authors: Arrais Alessandra da Rocha , Araujo Tereza Cristina Cavalcanti Ferreira de , Schiavo Rafaela de Almeida
Published: December 2018

Resumo: Esta investigação teve por objetivos gerais: a) identificar fatores de risco e de proteção associados à Depressão Pós-Parto (DPP); e b) avaliar a contribuição do Pré-Natal Psicológico (PNP) como programa de prevenção em Saúde da Mulher. Para tanto, empreendeu-se uma pesquisa-ação organizada em três fases, reunindo um total de 198 gestantes. Na última fase, as participantes foram distribuídas em Grupo Intervenção – GI (n = 47) e Grupo Controle – GC (n = 29). Para coleta de dados, utilizaram-se: Questionário Gestacional, BAI, BDI-II e EPDS. Os dados foram submetidos a análises estatísticas descritivas e comparativas. Não foi possível relacionar variáveis socioeconômicas, participação no PNP e desejo de gravidez com maior risco de DPP. Em contrapartida, verificou-se tal associação quanto a gravidez não planejada e a falta de apoio do pai do bebê. Contrariamente ao GC, não se constatou associação entre ansiedade e depressão gestacionais com a DPP no GI. Nesse grupo, 10,64% das puérperas revelaram tendência para DPP, ao passo que, em GC, 44,83% mostraram tal propensão. Em suma, considera-se que o PNP, somado a fatores de proteção, constitui ação preventiva a ser desenvolvida pelo profissional de Psicologia no contexto do acompanhamento pré e pós-natal.