bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Association of genetic variations in ACE2, TIRAP and factor X with outcomes in COVID-19
Authors: Traets Marissa J. M. , Nijhuis Roel H. T. , Morré Servaas A. , Ouburg Sander , Remijn Jasper A. , Blok Bastiaan A. , de Laat Bas , Jong Eefje , Herder Gerarda J. M. , Fiolet Aernoud T. L. , Verweij Stephan P.
Published: January 2022

Background

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), can manifest with varying disease severity and mortality. Genetic predisposition influences the clinical course of infectious diseases. We investigated whether genetic polymorphisms in candidate genes ACE2, TIRAP, and factor X are associated with clinical outcomes in COVID-19.

Methods

We conducted a single-centre retrospective cohort study. All patients who visited the emergency department with SARS-CoV-2 infection proven by polymerase chain reaction were included. Single nucleotide polymorphisms in ACE2 (rs2285666), TIRAP (rs8177374) and factor X (rs3211783) were assessed. The outcomes were mortality, respiratory failure and venous thromboembolism. Respiratory failure was defined as the necessity of >5 litres/minute oxygen, high flow nasal oxygen suppletion or mechanical ventilation.

Results

Between March and April 2020, 116 patients (35% female, median age 65 [inter quartile range 55–75] years) were included and treated according to the then applicable guidelines. Sixteen patients (14%) died, 44 patients (38%) had respiratory failure of whom 23 required endotracheal intubation for mechanical ventilation, and 20 patients (17%) developed venous thromboembolism. The percentage of TIRAP polymorphism carriers in the survivor group was 28% as compared to 0% in the non-survivor group (p = 0.01, Bonferroni corrected p = 0.02). Genotype distribution of ACE2 and factor X did not differ between survivors and non-survivors.

Conclusion

This study shows that carriage of TIRAP polymorphism rs8177374 could be associated with a significantly lower mortality in COVID-19. This TIRAP polymorphism may be an important predictor in the outcome of COVID-19.
A deep hybrid learning pipeline for accurate diagnosis of ovarian cancer based on nuclear morphology
Authors: Sengupta Duhita , Ali Sk Nishan , Bhattacharya Aditya , Mustafi Joy , Mukhopadhyay Asima , Sengupta Kaushik
Published: January 2022

Nuclear morphological features are potent determining factors for clinical diagnostic approaches adopted by pathologists to analyze the malignant potential of cancer cells. Considering the structural alteration of the nucleus in cancer cells, various groups have developed machine learning techniques based on variation in nuclear morphometric information like nuclear shape, size, nucleus-cytoplasm ratio and various non-parametric methods like deep learning have also been tested for analyzing immunohistochemistry images of tissue samples for diagnosing various cancers. We aim to correlate the morphometric features of the nucleus along with the distribution of nuclear lamin proteins with classical machine learning to differentiate between normal and ovarian cancer tissues. It has already been elucidated that in ovarian cancer, the extent of alteration in nuclear shape and morphology can modulate genetic changes and thus can be utilized to predict the outcome of low to a high form of serous carcinoma. In this work, we have performed exhaustive imaging of ovarian cancer versus normal tissue and developed a dual pipeline architecture that combines the matrices of morphometric parameters with deep learning techniques of auto feature extraction from pre-processed images. This novel Deep Hybrid Learning model, though derived from classical machine learning algorithms and standard CNN, showed a training and validation AUC score of 0.99 whereas the test AUC score turned out to be 1.00. The improved feature engineering enabled us to differentiate between cancerous and non-cancerous samples successfully from this pilot study.
Baseline clinical features of COVID-19 patients, delay of hospital admission and clinical outcome: A complex relationship
Authors: Dananché Cédric , Elias Christelle , Hénaff Laetitia , Amour Sélilah , Kuczewski Elisabetta , Gustin Marie-Paule , Escuret Vanessa , Saadatian-Elahi Mitra , Vanhems Philippe
Published: January 2022

Introduction

Delay between symptom onset and access to care is essential to prevent clinical worsening for different infectious diseases. For COVID-19, this delay might be associated with the clinical prognosis, but also with the different characteristics of patients. The objective was to describe characteristics and symptoms of community-acquired (CA) COVID-19 patients at hospital admission according to the delay between symptom onset and hospital admission, and to identify determinants associated with delay of admission.

Methods

The present work was based on prospective NOSO-COR cohort data, and restricted to patients with laboratory confirmed CA SARS-CoV-2 infection admitted to Lyon hospitals between February 8 and June 30, 2020. Long delay of hospital admission was defined as ≥6 days between symptom onset and hospital admission. Determinants of the delay between symptom onset and hospital admission were identified by univariate and multiple logistic regression analysis.

Results

Data from 827 patients were analysed. Patients with a long delay between symptom onset and hospital admission were younger (p<0.01), had higher body mass index (p<0.01), and were more frequently admitted to intensive care unit (p<0.01). Their plasma levels of C-reactive protein were also significantly higher (p<0.01). The crude in-hospital fatality rate was lower in this group (13.3%versus27.6%), p<0.01. Multiple analysis with correction for multiple testing showed that age ≥75 years was associated with a short delay between symptom onset and hospital admission (≤5 days) (aOR: 0.47 95% CI (0.34–0.66)) and CRP>100 mg/L at admission was associated with a long delay (aOR: 1.84 95% CI (1.32–2.55)).

Discussion

Delay between symptom onset and hospital admission is a major issue regarding prognosis of COVID-19 but can be related to multiple factors such as individual characteristics, organization of care and severe pathogenic processes. Age seems to play a key role in the delay of access to care and the disease prognosis.
The mediation of perceived risk’s impact on destination image and travel intention: An empirical study of Chengdu, China during COVID-19
Authors: Jiang Xiufang , Qin Jianxiong , Gao Jianguo , Gossage Mollie G.
Published: January 2022

Perceived risk clearly impacts travel behavior, including destination selection and satisfaction, but it is unclear how or why its effect is only significant in certain cases. This is because existing studies have undervalued the mediating factors of risk aversion, government initiatives, and media influence as well as the multiple forms or dimensions of risk that can mask its direct effect. This study constructs a structural equation model of perceived risk’s impact on destination image and travel intention for a more nuanced model of the perceived risk mechanism in tourism, based on 413 e-questionnaires regarding travel to Chengdu, China during the COVID-19 pandemic, using the Bootstrap method to analyze suppressing effect. It finds that while perceived risk has a significant negative impact on destination image and travel intention, this is complexly mediated so as to appear insignificant. Furthermore, different mediating factors and dimensions of perceived risk operate differently according to their varied combinations in actual circumstances. This study is significant because it provides a theoretical interpretation of tourism risk, elucidates the mechanisms or paths by which perceived risk affects travel intention, and expands a framework for research on destination image and travel intention into the realms of psychology, political, and communication science. It additionally encourages people to pay greater attention to the negative impact of crises and focuses on the important role of internal and external responses in crisis management, which can help improve the effectiveness of crisis management and promote the sustainable development of the tourism industry.
Combined application of zinc and iron-lysine and its effects on morpho-physiological traits, antioxidant capacity and chromium uptake in rapeseed (Brassica napus L.)
Authors: Zaheer Ihsan Elahi , Ali Shafaqat , Saleem Muhammad Hamzah , Yousaf Hafiza Sana , Malik Afifa , Abbas Zohaib , Rizwan Muhammad , Abualreesh Muyassar H. , Alatawi Aishah , Wang Xiukang
Published: January 2022

Environmental contamination of chromium (Cr) has gained substantial consideration worldwide because of its high levels in the water and soil. A pot experiment using oil seed crop (rapeseed (Brassica napus L.)) grown under different levels of tannery wastewater (0, 33, 66 and 100%) in the soil using the foliar application of zinc (Zn) and iron (Fe)–lysine (lys) has been conducted. Results revealed that a considerable decline in the plant growth and biomass elevates with the addition of concentrations of tannery wastewater. Maximum decline in plant height, number of leaves, root length, fresh and dry biomass of root and leaves were recorded at the maximum level of tannery wastewater application (100%) compared to the plants grown without the addition of tannery wastewater (0%) in the soil. Similarly, contents of carotenoid and chlorophyll, gas exchange parameters and activities of various antioxidants (superoxidase dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), catalase (CAT) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX)) were also reduced significantly (P < 0.05) with the increasing concentration of tannery wastewater (33, 66 and 100%) in the soil. In addition, a combined application of Zn and Fe-lys reduced the accumulation and uptake of toxic Cr, while boosting the uptake of essential micronutrients such as Zn and Fe in different tissues of the plants. Results concluded that exogenous application of micronutrients chelated with amino acid successfully mitigate Cr stress in B. napus. Under field conditions, supplementation with these micronutrient-chelated amino acids may be an effective method for alleviating metal stress in other essential seed crops.
Reference centiles based on year-to-year changes for a longitudinal evaluation of motor performance in children and adolescents
Authors: Wessela Sven , Meigen Christof , Poulain Tanja , Sobek Carolin , Vogel Mandy , Möller Siegfried , Kiess Wieland
Published: January 2022

Objectives

The aim was to evaluate the longitudinal course of motor skills development in children with a view to improve the understanding of intra-individual variance. Previous publications have been based on cross-sectional data or analyzed longitudinal studies in a cross-sectional manner.

Design

Longitudinal. Year-to-year change.

Methods

The present study is based on motor function data collected in the LIFE Child study (Germany). The participants (6 to 17 years) completed parts of the motor tests according to the standard of the German Motor Performance Test 6–18 (DMT). For a total of 1653 participants, 4616 motor tests with an annual interval in the period 2011 to 2019 were included in the evaluation.

Results

We were able to produce gender and age-specific change centiles for the test items standing long jump, jumping sideways, push-ups, stand and reach and balancing walking backwards. Each set of centiles revealed a range of variability in motor development in children and adolescents, with distinct progressive patterns in the different test items and different genders. The supplied tables offer an indication of expected year-to-year change for each test item depending on age and gender. Depending on the test item and the mean age, a deterioration in test results after a one-year interval was observed, despite cross-sectional centiles showing an upward trend.

Conclusion

We present a user-friendly tool as a way to assess individual dynamic changes in motor development of children and adolescents. In combination with the well-known cross-sectional centiles as baseline, this can be helpful for the scientific evaluation of motor skills tests and can also be used in school settings.
A deep neural network model for multi-view human activity recognition
Authors: Putra Prasetia Utama , Shima Keisuke , Shimatani Koji
Published: January 2022

Multiple cameras are used to resolve occlusion problem that often occur in single-view human activity recognition. Based on the success of learning representation with deep neural networks (DNNs), recent works have proposed DNNs models to estimate human activity from multi-view inputs. However, currently available datasets are inadequate in training DNNs model to obtain high accuracy rate. Against such an issue, this study presents a DNNs model, trained by employing transfer learning and shared-weight techniques, to classify human activity from multiple cameras. The model comprised pre-trained convolutional neural networks (CNNs), attention layers, long short-term memory networks with residual learning (LSTMRes), and Softmax layers. The experimental results suggested that the proposed model could achieve a promising performance on challenging MVHAR datasets: IXMAS (97.27%) and i3DPost (96.87%). A competitive recognition rate was also observed in online classification.
Assessing the efficacy of an integrated intervention to create demand for fishermen’s schistosomiasis and HIV services (FISH) in Mangochi, Malawi: Study protocol for a cluster randomized control trial
Authors: Conserve Donaldson F. , Kayuni Sekeleghe , Kumwenda Moses K. , Dovel Kathryn L. , Choko Augustine Talumba
Published: January 2022

Background

Both HIV and schistosomiasis are major public health problems worldwide with 1.8 million new HIV infections, and up to 110 million untreated schistosomiasis cases globally. Although a causal link has not been established, there are strong suggestions that having schistosomiasis increases onward transmission of HIV from co-infected men to women. With both HIV and schistosomiasis treatment readily available in Malawi, there is a need to investigate the feasibility, acceptability and health impacts of joint management of these two hazards, with special focus on health education and demand-creation for fishermen. The aim of this project is to identify optimal models of delivering integrated HIV and schistosomiasis services for fishermen, particularly investigating the effect of using social networks, HIV self-test kits and beach clinic services in Mangochi, Malawi.

Methods

We have mapped 45 boat teams or landing sites for a 3-arm cluster randomized trial using “boat team” as the unit of randomization. The three arms are: 1) Standard of care (SOC) with leaflets explaining the importance of receiving presumptive treatment for schistosomiasis (praziquantel) and HIV services for fishermen, and two intervention arms of 2) SOC + a peer explaining the leaflet to his fellow fishermen in a boat team; and 3) arm 2 with HIV self-test kits delivered to the boat team fishermen by the peer. The primary outcomes measured at 9 months of trial delivery will compare differences between arms in the proportions of boat-team fishermen: 1) who self-report starting antiretroviral therapy or undergoing voluntary medical male circumcision; and 2) who have ≥1 S. haematobium egg seen on light microscopy of the filtrate from 10mls urine (“egg-positive”).

Discussion

This is the first evaluation of an integrated HIV and schistosomiasis services intervention for fishermen, particularly investigating the effect of using social networks, HIVST kits and beach clinic services. The findings will support future efforts to integrate HIVST with other health services for fishermen in similar settings if found to be efficacious.

Trial registration

This trial is registered in the ISRCTN registry: ISRCTN14354324; date of registration: 05 October 2020. https://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN14354324?q=ISRCTN14354324&filters=&sort=&offset=1&totalResults=1&page=1&pageSize=10&searchType=basic-search.

Linked to protocol version number 1.4 of 11 January 2021.
Fibrolytic rumen bacteria of camel and sheep and their applications in the bioconversion of barley straw to soluble sugars for biofuel production
Authors: Rabee Alaa Emara , Sayed Alahl Amr A. , Lamara Mebarek , Ishaq Suzanne L.
Published: January 2022

Lignocellulosic biomass such as barley straw is a renewable and sustainable alternative to traditional feeds and could be used as bioenergy sources; however, low hydrolysis rate reduces the fermentation efficiency. Understanding the degradation and colonization of barley straw by rumen bacteria is the key step to improve the utilization of barley straw in animal feeding or biofuel production. This study evaluated the hydrolysis of barley straw as a result of the inoculation by rumen fluid of camel and sheep. Ground barley straw was incubated anaerobically with rumen inocula from three fistulated camels (FC) and three fistulated sheep (FR) for a period of 72 h. The source of rumen inoculum did not affect the disappearance of dry matter (DMD), neutral detergent fiber (NDFD). Group FR showed higher production of glucose, xylose, and gas; while higher ethanol production was associated with cellulosic hydrolysates obtained from FC group. The diversity and structure of bacterial communities attached to barley straw was investigated by Illumina Mi-Seq sequencing of V4-V5 region of 16S rRNA genes. The bacterial community was dominated by phylum Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes. The dominant genera were RC9_gut_group,Ruminococcus,Saccharofermentans,Butyrivibrio,Succiniclasticum,Selenomonas, andStreptococcus, indicating the important role of these genera in lignocellulose fermentation in the rumen. Group FR showed higher RC9_gut_group and group FC revealed higherRuminococcus,Saccharofermentans, andButyrivibrio. Higher enzymes activities (cellulase and xylanase) were associated with group FC. Thus, bacterial communities in camel and sheep have a great potential to improve the utilization lignocellulosic material in animal feeding and the production of biofuel and enzymes.
The association between geriatric treatment and 30-day readmission risk among medical inpatients aged ≥75 years with multimorbidity
Authors: Wang-Hansen Marte Sofie , Kersten Hege , Benth Jūratė Šaltytė , Wyller Torgeir Bruun
Published: January 2022

Background

Readmission to hospital is frequent among older patients and reported as a post-discharge adverse outcome. The effect of treatment in a geriatric ward for acutely admitted older patients on mortality and function is well established, but less is known about the possible influence of such treatment on the risk of readmission, particularly in the oldest and most vulnerable patients. Our aim was to assess the risk for early readmission for multimorbid patients > 75 years treated in a geriatric ward compared to medical wards and to identify risk factors for 30-day readmissions.

Methods

Prospective cohort study of patients acutely admitted to a medical department at a Norwegian regional hospital. Eligible patients were community-dwelling, multimorbid, receiving home care services, and aged 75+. Patients were consecutively included in the period from 1 April to 31 October 2012. Clinical data were retrieved from the referral letter and medical records.

Results

We included 227 patients with a mean (SD) age of 86.0 (5.7) years, 134 (59%) were female and 59 (26%) were readmitted within 30 days after discharge. We found no statistically significant difference in readmission rate between patients treated in a geriatric ward versus other medical wards. In adjusted Cox proportional hazards regression analyses, lower age (hazard ratio (95% confidence interval) 0.95 (0.91–0.99) per year), female gender (2.17 (1.15–4.00)) and higher MMSE score (1.03 (1.00–1.06) per point) were significant risk factors for readmission.

Conclusions

Lower age, female gender and higher cognitive function were the main risk factors for 30-day readmission to hospital among old patients with multimorbidity. We found no impact of geriatric care on the readmission rate.
Control of β-glucan exposure by the endo-1,3-glucanase Eng1 in Candida albicans modulates virulence
Authors: Yang Mengli , Solis Norma V. , Marshall Michaela , Garleb Rachel , Zhou Tingting , Wang Daidong , Swidergall Marc , Pearlman Eric , Filler Scott G. , Liu Haoping
Published: January 2022

Candida albicans is a major opportunistic pathogen of humans. It can grow as morphologically distinct yeast, pseudohyphae and hyphae, and the ability to switch reversibly among different forms is critical for its virulence. The relationship between morphogenesis and innate immune recognition is not quite clear. Dectin-1 is a major C-type lectin receptor that recognizes β-glucan in the fungal cell wall. C. albicans β-glucan is usually masked by the outer mannan layer of the cell wall. Whether and how β-glucan masking is differentially regulated during hyphal morphogenesis is not fully understood. Here we show that the endo-1,3-glucanase Eng1 is differentially expressed in yeast, and together with Yeast Wall Protein 1 (Ywp1), regulates β-glucan exposure and Dectin-1-dependent immune activation of macrophage by yeast cells. ENG1 deletion results in enhanced Dectin-1 binding at the septa of yeast cells; while eng1 ywp1 yeast cells show strong overall Dectin-1 binding similar to hyphae of wild-type and eng1 mutants. Correlatively, hyphae of wild-type and eng1 induced similar levels of cytokines in macrophage. ENG1 expression and Eng1-mediated β-glucan trimming are also regulated by antifungal drugs, lactate and N-acetylglucosamine. Deletion of ENG1 modulates virulence in the mouse model of hematogenously disseminated candidiasis in a Dectin-1-dependent manner. The eng1 mutant exhibited attenuated lethality in male mice, but enhanced lethality in female mice, which was associated with a stronger renal immune response and lower fungal burden. Thus, Eng1-regulated β-glucan exposure in yeast cells modulates the balance between immune protection and immunopathogenesis during disseminated candidiasis.
Novel Hemostatic Gel As Rescue Therapy for Postsphincterotomy Bleeding Refractory to Self-Expanding Metallic Stent Placement
Authors: Gagliardi Mario , Oliviero Giovanni , Fusco Michele , Napoli Marco , Sica Andrea , Maurano Attilio , Sica Mariano , Zulli Claudio
Published: January 2022

Endoscopic sphincterotomy (ES) is commonly performed during endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography, and bleeding is a severe adverse event. PuraStat is a peptide developed as a hemostatic agent for endoscopy. We report its use as a hemostatic strategy in post-ES bleeding refractory to combined hemostasis. A patient with choledocholithiasis underwent endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography for stone removal. After the ES, severe bleeding refractory to the injection of diluted epinephrine around the bleeding source and metal stent placement occurred. Hemostasis was achieved with the application of the hemostatic gel. We reported the use of novel self-assembling hemostatic gel as an effective therapeutic tool for post-ES refractory bleeding.
Analyzing Health Information Technology and Electronic Medical Record System-Related Patient Safety Incidents Using Data from the Korea Patient Safety Reporting and Learning System
Authors: Cho Dan Bi , Lee Yu-Ra , Lee Won , Lee Eu Sun , Lee Jae-Ho
Published: January 2022

Purpose: At present, there are a variety of serious patient safety incidents related to problems in health information technology (HIT), specifically involving electronic medical records (EMRs). This emphasizes the need for an enhanced electronic medical record system (EMRS). As such, this study analyzed both the nature of and potential to prevent incidents associated with HIT/EMRS based on data from the Korea Patient Safety Reporting and Learning System (KOPS).Methods: This study analyzed patient safety incidents submitted to KOPS between August 2016 and December 2019. HIT keywords were used to extract HIT/EMRS incidents. Each case was reviewed to confirm whether the contributing factors were related to HIT/EMRS (HIT/EMRS-related incidents) and if the incident could have been prevented (HIT/EMRS-preventable incidents). The selected reports were summarized for general clarity (e.g., incident type, and degree of harm).Results: Of the 25,515 obtained reports, 2,664 incidents (10.4%) were HIT-related, while 2,525 (9.9%) were EMRS-related. HIT/EMRS-related incidents were the third largest type of incident followed by 'fall' and 'medication incidents.' More than 80% of HIT/EMRS-related incidents were medication-related, accounting for approximately one-third of the total number of medication incidents. Approximately 10% of HIT/EMRS-related incidents resulted in patient harm, with more than 94% of these deemed as preventable; further, sentinel events were wholly preventable.Conclusion: This study provides basic data for improving EMR use/safety standards based on real-world patient safety incidents. Such improvements entail the establishment of long-term plans, research, and incident analysis, thus ensuring a safe healthcare environment for patients and healthcare providers.
Tradução para dublagem de autor, controle autoral e de performance nas versões dubladas dos filmes de Stanley Kubrick
Authors: Zanotti Serenella , Esqueda Marileide Dias , Gomes Fernando Franqueiro
Published: January 2022

Stanley Kubrick foi um dos poucos diretores de cinema que desempenhou um papel ativo na criação de versões fílmicas em língua estrangeira. Após a produção e direção de Laranja Mecânica, ele escolheu pessoalmente o diretor de dublagem para todas as versões dubladas e desempenhou um papel ativo na escolha do elenco de vozes (CHIARO, 2007; NORNES, 2007). Analisando uma variedade de fontes, este capítulo visa ilustrar a gênese das versões dubladas dos filmes de Kubrick, enfatizando o papel do diretor de cinema e seu nível de intervenção no processo de produção. Argumentar-se-á que, ao supervisionar todos os aspectos do processo de dublagem, Kubrick conferiu um status especial aos lançamentos em língua estrangeira de seus filmes, que devem ser considerados como versões autorizadas, às quais foi imposta uma marca autoral extraordinariamente inequívoca.
Modalização e argumentação
Authors: Oliveira André Silva
Published: January 2022

Neste trabalho, objetivamos descrever e analisar as diferentes modalizações (epistêmica, deôntica, volitiva e facultativa) e seus usos distintivos (sobremodalização, remodalização e comodalização) como estratégias argumentativas nos livros de autoajuda do Papa Francisco. Para isso, recorremos à tipologia das modalidades de Hengeveld (2004) e aos trabalhos relativos aos usos distintivos da modalização, no caso, Corbari (2016), Valentim (2017) e Gasparini-Bastos e Brunelli (2019). Após a análise dos livros, concluímos que as diferentes modalizações servem para confirmar informações pragmáticas já compartilhadas entre o líder religioso e os fiéis (epistêmica), instaurar avaliações subjetivas de regras e normas de conduta (deôntica), expressar capacidades e habilidades com o poder do divino (facultativa) e manifestar o que é desejável por parte da divindade (volitiva). Em relação aos usos distintivos, a comodalização é empregada para asseverar ou mitigar os conteúdos modais engendrados no discurso, enquanto a sobremodalização busca sobrepor a subjetivação de um conteúdo modal sobre o outro. Por seu lado, a remodalização pretende asseverar os valores modais expressos, mostrando a necessidade de concretização do evento descrito pelos predicados que estão sob a incidência do modalizador.
Roots of V-to-C Movement in Romance
Authors: Antonelli André
Published: January 2022

The paper investigates the syntactic structure of wh-clauses in late Latin. The results show that, in sentences with a wh-phrase as direct object, the interrogative operator reaches FocP in the left periphery, with the finite verb raising to the Foc head. This spec-head relation accounts for why subjects and dislocated XPs (like topics or focus elements) can not be intervening constituents between the object wh-phrase and the verb. For wh-clauses in which the interrogative operator is an adjunct, the hypothesis is that the wh-phrase occupies [Spec,IntP]. Here, the verb does not move to the CP-field, thus explaining the possibility of intervening subjects and interpolated XPs between the adjunct wh-element and the verb. These results show that the verb second (V2) property of V-to-C movement, as seen in several old Romance languages, can be derived from late Latin, and not exclusively from a supposed influence of Germanic languages, as is assumed in the literature.
Competência leitora em espanhol
Authors: Moraes Gisele Benck de , Silveira Mariane Rocha
Published: January 2022

O presente estudo tem como objetivo principal examinar o desempenho de universitários de uma instituição de ensino localizada no interior do estado do Rio Grande do Sul a respeito de questões de leitura em língua espanhola, de nível básico, e ponderar os estilos de questões propostas, assim como os requisitos mínimos esperados que devem ser atingidos pelos alunos ao realizar a prova e responder cada questão. Para tanto, em primeiro lugar, expõe-se um recorte teórico sobre as proposições de leitura e seus distintos níveis sob a perspectiva de Kleiman (2000, 2007) e de Platão e Fiorin (2002). Em seguida, são levantadas algumas questões acerca da coesão textual, especificamente sobre a coesão por referência e por uso de conectores, com o auxílio teórico de Koch (2003, 2006) e Halliday e Hasan (1976). E, por fim, realiza-se a análise da avaliação, a qual estava composta por dois textos escritos em língua espanhola e por questões de compreensão textual escritas em língua materna. Os resultados apontam que os alunos mostram dificuldade, principalmente, para a assimilação de seus conhecimentos linguísticos, o que pode comprometer seu desempenho em instrumentos avaliativos, como no caso da prova de competência escolhida para a análise.
Continuous Encapsulation of Vitamin E Using Polycaprolactone and Tween 20 in a Micro-Channel
Authors: Kaewchada Amaraporn , Chongcharoen Rotsaman , Tangpromphan Preuk , Nakkong Khwanchanok , Jaree Attasak
Published: January 2022

Encapsulation of vitamin E is the preservation of the biological activities of vitamin E for various applications. In the first part of this research, factors affecting the batch encapsulation of vitamin E, including PCL concentration, the concentration of Tween 20, and the volumetric ratio of aqueous phase to organic phase were experimentally investigated. The Box-Behnken experimental design and response surface methodology were implemented to determine the optimal operating conditions of the batch encapsulation. At the optimal conditions, the percentage of vitamin E encapsulation (%EC) was 98.69%, using the PCL concentration, the Tween 20 concentration, and the volumetric ratio of aqueous phase to organic phase of 3.6 g/L, 0.6 g/L, and 0.9 mL: 1 mL, respectively. The second part is to enhance the productivity by applying the optimized formulation of vitamin E encapsulation in a continuous process using a micro-channel encapsulator. The effect of residence time was investigated. At the residence time of 1 s, the percentage of vitamin E encapsulation of 97.28% and the productivity of 153.61 mg/(mL∙min) were achieved.
Editorial Board
Authors: Werner Marta
Published: January 2022

The editorial board for Textual Cultures.
Printers of the Kosmos
Authors: Cohen Matt , Gray Nicole
Published: January 2022

This essay describes the editorial logic behind a recently released variorum of the 1855 edition of Walt Whitman’s Leaves of Grass. The history of the composition, printing, binding, distribution, and reading of this set of books informs the design and apparatus of the variorum, which attempts to represent something of the fundamental textual and material instability of the copies that make up the edition.
Metalepsis in a Narrative Piece by M. S. Lourenço
Authors: Dionísio João
Published: January 2022

This article is focused on the role performed by metalepsis in a short narrative piece by the Portuguese writer and philosopher M. S. Lourenço (1936–2009). In the first section an explanation of the ways metalepsis and leitmotif interact is provided, whereas the second section turns to the metaleptic short circuit between fiction and reality. In the discussion of these issues the analysis of textual variation, which is carried out according to textual genetics, plays a fundamental part.
HAYLES, N. Katherine. 2021. Postprint: Books and Becoming Computational.
Authors: Vechinski Matthew James
Published: January 2022

Review.
CONTI, Fulvio. 2021. Il Sommo italiano. Dante e l'identità della nazione.
Authors: Pecchiari Beatrice
Published: January 2022

Review.
Dampak Sosial, Ekonomi dan Lingkungan Pertambangan Pasir di Desa Luragung Landeuh Kuningan, Jawa Barat
Authors: Waniatri Wina , Muslihudin Muslihudin , Lestari Sri
Published: January 2022

Permasalahan dan isu strategis daerah pada bidang energi dan sumber daya mineral yang mempengaruhi kerusakan lingkungan hidup berdasarkan pada Rancangan Primer RPJMD 2018-2028 Kabupaten Kuningan  yaitu kegiatan penambangan pasir ilegal dan perubahan lahan. Salah satu lokasi pertambangan di Kabupaten Kuningan berada di Desa Luragung Landeuh. Penelitian ini dilakukan untuk mengetahui proses  kegiatan  pertambangan pasir;  serta mengetahui dampak negatif pertambangan pasir terhadap kualitas lingkungan. Penelitian ini menggunakan metode analisis deskriptif kualitatif. Kesimpulan penelitian ini adalah proses  kegiatan  pertambangan  pasir PT. Anggun Jaya Mandiri di  Desa  Lurangung  Landeuh Kecamatan Luragung Kabupaten Kuningan terdiri dari tahap pra-kontruksi, kontruksi, operasi, produksi, dan rencana pasca tambang. Dampak negatif kegiatan pertambangan pasir terhadap lingkungan adalah kebisingan, debu yang bertebaran, kerusakan infrastruktur jalan; Dampak positif kegiatan pertambangan pasir PT.AJM memberikan peningkatan peluang kerja, memperbaiki fasilitas desa, serta meningkatkan kas Desa Luragung Landeuh. Pandemi Covid-19 pada awal tahun 2020 telah mempengaruhi dalam penyelesaian konflik antara masyarakat dan pihak perusahaan pertambangan.ABSTRACTRegional strategic problems and issues in the field of energy and mineral resources that affect environmental damage based on the Primary Draft RPJMD 2018-2028 Kuningan Regency, namely illegal sand mining activities and land changes. One of the mining locations in Kuningan Regency is in Luragung Landeuh Village. This research was conducted to determine the process of sand mining activities; as well as knowing the negative impact of sand mining on environmental quality. This study uses a qualitative descriptive analysis method. The conclusions of this study are: (1) The process of sand mining activities of PT. Anggun Jaya Mandiri in Lurangung Landeuh Village, Luragung District, Kuningan Regency consists of pre-construction, construction, operation, production, and post-mining planning stages. The negative impacts of sand mining activities on the environment are noise, scattered dust, damage to road infrastructure; (2) The positive impact of PT.AJM's sand mining activities provides increased job opportunities, improves village facilities, and increases the cash flow of Luragung Landeuh Village. The Covid-19 pandemic at the beginning of 2020 has affected the resolution of conflicts between the community and the mining company.
МОТИВ БЕЗСМЕРТЯ У РОМАНІСТИЦІ ЛЕОНІДА ГОРЛАЧА
Authors: FEDKO OLHA
Published: January 2022

The article deals with the analysis of functioning of the immortality motif in L. Horlach’s poetic novels (Mamay, Ruin, Open Field, Askold’s Finger, Slavic Island). Based on the works of P. Bargar, A. Veselovskij, I. Dziuba, J. Morgan, I. Silantev and S. Thompson, the scecific nature of the motif as a literary element is presented. The relevance of the study is determined by the mythological origin of the invariant motif of immortality, its unique role in Ukrainian (and world-wide) culture and the lack of studies on this topic, all based on L. Horlach’s works. This paper shows the writer’s use of pagan and Christian traditions in describing the afterlife, the understanding of immortality as a feature of a deity or as a reward and punishment for people. The motif of immortality is also connected to the concept of memory, fame and the contribution of personalities to the common goal. The motif is analyzed using mythologies, symbols and allegories (the thread of Moirai, fire, garden, bee).
The effect of retirement on social relationships
Authors: Comi Simona Lorena , Cottini Elena , Lucifora Claudio
Published: January 2022

We analyze the causal effect of retirement on individual social relationships using data from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe. We find that retirement changes the composition of the individual’s social network, inducing a substitution between weak (friends or colleagues) and strong ties (family), along with an increase in the intensity of the surviving ties, and there is no effect on the network’s size. These changes in the social network’s composition are associated with a higher satisfaction and stronger relationships. Interestingly, females reduce the share of friends while males that of colleagues.
Quality of life and academic resilience of Filipino nursing students during the COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Berdida Daniel Joseph E. , Grande Rizal Angelo N.
Published: January 2022

Objectives

Studies on quality of life (QoL) and academic resilience among nursing students during the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic remain underreported. This study investigated the relationship between nursing students’ QoL and academic resilience and their predictors during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods

A descriptive survey, cross-sectional study that used two self-reported questionnaire scales to evaluate the QoL and academic resilience of Filipino nursing students (n=924). Chi-squared test and multiple regression were used to analyze the data.

Results

There was no significant association between the QoL and academic resilience to participants’ profile variables. Gender and year level of nursing students were significant predictors of QoL and academic resilience.

Conclusions

Our study concludes that a better understanding of the QoL and academic resilience, which are two distinct concepts critical in developing a student’s mental well-being, will help stakeholders in nursing education establish effective psychoeducation programs for nursing students.
Antibody-dependent enhancement of virus infection and disease: implications in COVID-19
Authors: Shukla Ajay Kumar , Misra Saurav
Published: January 2022

Antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE) can be seen in a variety of viruses. It has a deleterious impact on antibody treatment of viral infection. This effect was first discovered in the dengue virus, and it has since been discovered in the coronavirus. Over 213 million people have been affected by the rapid spread of the newly emerging coronavirus, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The new coronavirus offers a significant threat and has sparked widespread concern. ADE in dengue virus and other viruses are discussed with possible effect on COVID-19 treatment and vaccine development will need to consider this phenomenon to ensure it is mitigated and avoided altogether. In these case scenarios, the role of ADE and its clinical consequences remains to be explored for this newly detected virus.
Cranial manipulation affects cholinergic pathway gene expression in aged rats
Authors: Anandakrishnan Ramu , Tobey Hope , Nguyen Steven , Sandoval Osscar , Klein Bradley G. , Costa Blaise M.
Published: January 2022

Context

Age-dependent dementia is a devastating disorder afflicting a growing older population. Although pharmacological agents improve symptoms of dementia, age-related comorbidities combined with adverse effects often outweigh their clinical benefits. Therefore, nonpharmacological therapies are being investigated as an alternative. In a previous pilot study, aged rats demonstrated improved spatial memory after osteopathic cranial manipulative medicine (OCMM) treatment.

Objectives

In this continuation of the pilot study, we examine the effect of OCMM on gene expression to elicit possible explanations for the improvement in spatial memory.

Methods

OCMM was performed on six of 12 elderly rats every day for 7 days. Rats were then euthanized to obtain the brain tissue, from which RNA samples were extracted. RNA from three treated and three controls were of sufficient quality for sequencing. These samples were sequenced utilizing next-generation sequencing from Illumina NextSeq. The Cufflinks software suite was utilized to assemble transcriptomes and quantify the RNA expression level for each sample.

Results

Transcriptome analysis revealed that OCMM significantly affected the expression of 36 genes in the neuronal pathway (false discovery rate [FDR] <0.004). The top five neuronal genes with the largest-fold change were part of the cholinergic neurotransmission mechanism, which is known to affect cognitive function. In addition, 39.9% of 426 significant differentially expressed (SDE) genes (FDR<0.004) have been previously implicated in neurological disorders. Overall, changes in SDE genes combined with their role in central nervous system signaling pathways suggest a connection to previously reported OCMM-induced behavioral and biochemical changes in aged rats.

Conclusions

Results from this pilot study provide sufficient evidence to support a more extensive study with a larger sample size. Further investigation in this direction will provide a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms of OCMM and its potential in clinical applications. With clinical validation, OCMM could represent a much-needed low-risk adjunct treatment for age-related dementia including Alzheimer’s disease.
High-performance near-infrared photodetectors based on gate-controlled graphene–germanium Schottky junction with split active junction
Authors: Kim Cihyun , Yoo Tae Jin , Kwon Min Gyu , Chang Kyoung Eun , Hwang Hyeon Jun , Lee Byoung Hun
Published: January 2022

The structure of a gate-controlled graphene/germanium hybrid photodetector was optimized by splitting the active region to achieve highly sensitive infrared detection capability. The strengthened internal electric field in the split active junctions enabled efficient collection of photocarriers, resulting in a responsivity of 2.02 A W−1 and a specific detectivity of 5.28 × 1010 Jones with reduced dark current and improved external quantum efficiency; these results are more than doubled compared with the responsivity of 0.85 A W−1 and detectivity of 1.69 × 1010 Jones for a single active junction device. The responsivity of the optimized structure is 1.7, 2.7, and 39 times higher than that of previously reported graphene/Ge with Al2O3 interfacial layer, gate-controlled graphene/Ge, and simple graphene/Ge heterostructure photodetectors, respectively.
Critical discourse analysis of BBC and CNN political news’ headlines on the Christchurch Mosque Massacre in New Zealand
Authors: Al-Badawi Mohammed , Al Najjar Ibrahim
Published: January 2022

This study aims at investigating the language of politics in news headlines regarding the Christchurch massacre in New Zealand from a Critical Discourse Analysis perspective to examine how power and ideology reside in texts. The data of this study consist of 39 headlines extracted from the BBC and CNN online news agencies. The data were analyzed utilizing the socio-cultural approach of Fairclough (2013). Representative examples were discussed in terms of the three stages of Fairclough’s approach. The results of the study revealed that the reporters tended to use the passive voice structure in headlines that describe the attacker in conformance with the New Zealand policy, which states that his identity should not be revealed. However, they used the active voice structure while referring to the victims, their families, and the New Zealanders at large in order to emphasize their way of dealing with the attack. In addition, the role of Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern in her legal capacity was highlighted by shedding light on her pronouncements to fight against terrorism. It was also found that the use of the metaphor as a figurative device entails that terrorism is a rare phenomenon in New Zealand.
Is a Strategic Partnership Between Turkey and Russia Feasible at the Expense of Turkey’s Relations with the EU and NATO?
Authors: Bardakçı Mehmet
Published: January 2022

The article mainly contends that since the real and expected benefits from the European Union (EU) and NATO were not delivered sufficiently from Turkey’s perspective, Turkey looked for alternatives and collaborated with Russia more intensely in recent years. Turkey’s cooperation with Russia was also facilitated by several global, political, economic, conjectural, security-related, and individual-level factors. Another argument of the study is that despite Turkey’s intensive collaboration with Russia, it is not feasible for Turkey to build a strategic partnership with it in the short- and medium-term at the expense of its relations with NATO and the EU. The main reasons for this are, in addition to the institutional and social shortcomings, geostrategic divergences, Russia’s inadequacy as an economic actor, the pitfalls of an asymmetric relationship with Russia, the security risks posed by Russia, NATO’s continuing importance for Turkey’s security needs, and the incompatibility of Russia’s and Turkey’s political systems.
Whose Minority? The Resistant Identity of the Moldavian Csangos
Authors: Şerban Stelu
Published: January 2022

The article is based on my fieldwork in 2002 in a village in Eastern Romania with a multi-confessional population made up mostly of Roman Catholics/Csangos and Orthodox Christians. The core premise of the analysis is that the collective identity manifested here transcends ethnic and confessional divides. The field data about the village’s cross-cultural life fall into the following categories: the oral history of the village, the performing of rituals, and the local history of modernization. These topics inform a single collective identity that is grounded in an expressive culture (Fredrik Barth) and as such requires critical reflection on the cultural complexity of collective identities as the Csangos, which have been formed within multiple and overlapping social and historical contexts. The subject is the different temporalities that emerge during political modernization. In conclusion, in the Csangos’ case, the constructivist concept of ethnicity should be revisited and complemented with an acknowledgment of Csangos’ benign self-identification, which sheds light on their discrete or hidden identity.