bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
From Pariah Image to Partner and Back Again: The EU’s Complicated Relationship with Myanmar
Authors: Heiduk Felix
Published: December 2020

To make sense of the EU’s rocky relationship with Myanmar, we need to consider how Myanmar’s political leadership is imagined in Europe. For decades, this image was bifurcated: on the one hand a military junta with its disdain for democracy and human rights. On the other hand, Aung San Suu Kyi (ASSK), ‘our’ saint-like Burmese ‘Nelson Mandela’, detained but still fighting for democracy and human rights. As a result, Brussels implemented a tough sanction regime and essentially assigned Myanmar pariah status. When Suu Kyi re-joined the formal political process in 2012 and won the 2015 elections, Myanmar rapidly transitioned from pariah to partner. Fast forward to 2017 and relations between the EU and Myanmar had soured again because of the Rohingya crisis and Suu Kyi’s ‘deafening silence’ on the issue. The article argues that to understand this rollercoaster ride of EU–Myanmar relations one must turn to the imagery of Suu Kyi in Europe. The strong cognitive dissonances, created by the widening gap between the imagined ‘saint’ ASSK and the realpolitik ‘sinner’, have impacted on the EU’s relations with Myanmar and can help us make sense of the recent turbulences in the relationship.
Sleeping Well: The Gateway to Employee Wellness
Authors: Palo Sasmita , Das Moitrayee
Published: December 2020

Our study of 419 white-collar professionals and 275 rotating shift workers indicates that 79.2 per cent of the white-collar participants and 11 per cent of the rotating shift workers endured poor sleep quality. Forty-eight per cent of white-collar participants and 18 per cent of the shift workers reported suffering from excessive daytime sleepiness. Poor sleep quality has been associated with obesity, hypertension, diabetes and a host of other adverse health outcomes including poor mental health. Studies show that among organisations offering lifestyle management programme as part of their employee wellness programmes, the most targeted behaviours encompass nutrition/weight control activities (79%), smoking (77%) and fitness (72%). However, there is hardly any organisation that offers a well-planned intervention to promote healthy sleep behaviour. Sleep appears to represent a neglected dominion of health behaviour in terms of employee wellness. If sleep health and wellness programmes are endorsed in the workplace, there are several positive outcomes such as productivity enhancement, less work injury, increasing employee satisfaction, good physical and mental health that are likely to supervene, all of which generate a better working environment.
Precise single base substitution in the shibire gene by CRISPR/Cas9-mediated homology directed repair in Bactrocera tryoni
Authors: Choo Amanda , Fung Elisabeth , Chen Isabel Y. , Saint Robert , Crisp Peter , Baxter Simon W.
Published: December 2020

Background

Pest eradication using the Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) involves high-density releases of sterilized males that mate with wild females and ultimately suppress the population. Sterilized females are not required for SIT and their removal or separation from males prior to release remains challenging. In order to develop genetic sexing strains (GSS), conditional traits such as temperature sensitive lethality are required.

Results

Here we introduce a known Drosophila melanogaster temperature sensitive embryonic lethal mutation into Bactrocera tryoni, a serious horticultural pest in Australia. A non-synonymous point mutation in the D. melanogaster gene shibire causes embryonic lethality at 29 °C and we successfully used CRISPR/Cas9 technology to recreate the orthologous shibire temperature sensitive-1 (shits1) mutation in B. tryoni. Genotypic analyses over three generations revealed that a high fitness cost was associated with the shits1 mutant allele and shits1 homozygotes were not viable at 21 °C, which is a more severe phenotype than that documented in D. melanogaster.

Conclusions

We have demonstrated the first successful use of CRISPR/Cas9 to introduce precise single base substitutions in an endogenous gene via homology-directed repair in an agricultural pest insect and this technology can be used to trial other conditional mutations for the ultimate aim of generating genetic sexing strains for SIT.
Identification and characterization of four Drosophila suzukii cellularization genes and their promoters
Authors: Yan Ying , Jaffri Syeda A. , Schwirz Jonas , Stein Carl , Schetelig Marc F.
Published: December 2020

Background

The spotted-wing Drosophila (Drosophila suzukii) is a widespread invasive pest that causes severe economic damage to fruit crops. The early development ofD. suzukiiis similar to that of other Drosophilids, but the roles of individual genes must be confirmed experimentally. Cellularization genes coordinate the onset of cell division as soon as the invagination of membranes starts around the nuclei in the syncytial blastoderm. The promoters of these genes have been used in genetic pest-control systems to express transgenes that confer embryonic lethality. Such systems could be helpful in sterile insect technique applications to ensure that sterility (bi-sex embryonic lethality) or sexing (female-specific embryonic lethality) can be achieved during mass rearing. The activity of cellularization gene promoters during embryogenesis controls the timing and dose of the lethal gene product.

Results

Here, we report the isolation of theD. suzukiicellularization genesnullo, serendipity-α, bottleneckandslow-as-molassesfrom a laboratory strain. Conserved motifs were identified by comparing the encoded proteins with orthologs from other Drosophilids. Expression profiling confirmed that all four are zygotic genes that are strongly expressed at the early blastoderm stage. The 5′ flanking regions from these cellularization genes were isolated, incorporated intopiggyBacvectors and compared in vitro for the promoter activities. TheDsnullopromoter showed the highest activity in the cell culture assays usingD. melanogasterS2 cells.

Conclusions

The similarities in the gene coding and 5′ flanking sequence as well as in the expression pattern of the four cellularization genes betweenD. melanogasterandD. suzukii, suggest that conserved functions may be involved in both species. The high expression level at the early blastoderm stage of the four cellularization genes were confirmed, thus their promoters can be considered in embryonic lethality systems. While theDsnullopromoter could be a suitable candidate, all reported promoters here are subject to further in vivo analyses before constructing potential pest control systems.
Geographic distribution of sex chromosome polymorphism in Anastrepha fraterculus sp. 1 from Argentina
Authors: Giardini María Cecilia , Nieves Mariela , Scannapieco Alejandra Carla , Conte Claudia Alejandra , Milla Fabián Horacio , Schapovaloff María Elena , Frissolo Maria Soledad , Remis María Isabel , Cladera Jorge Luis , Lanzavecchia Silvia Beatriz
Published: December 2020

Background

Anastrepha fraterculus is recognized as a quarantine pest in several American countries. This fruit fly species is native to the American continent and distributed throughout tropical and subtropical regions. It has been reported as a complex of cryptic species, and at least eight morphotypes have been described. Only one entity of this complex, formerly named Anastrepha fraterculus sp. 1, is present in Argentina. Previous cytogenetic studies on this morphotype described the presence of sex chromosome variation identified by chromosomal size and staining patterns. In this work, we expanded the cytological study of this morphotype by analyzing laboratory strains and wild populations to provide information about the frequency and geographic distribution of these sex chromosome variants. We analyzed the mitotic metaphases of individuals from four laboratory strains and five wild populations from the main fruit-producing areas of Argentina, including the northwest (Tucumán and La Rioja), northeast (Entre Ríos and Misiones), and center (Buenos Aires) of the country.

Results

In wild samples, we observed a high frequency of X1X1 (0.94) and X1Y5 (0.93) karyomorphs, whereas X1X2 and X1Y6 were exclusively found at a low frequency in Buenos Aires (0.07 and 0.13, respectively), Entre Ríos (0.16 and 0.14, respectively) and Tucumán (0.03 and 0.04, respectively). X2X2 and X2Y5 karyomorphs were not found in wild populations but were detected at a low frequency in laboratory strains. In fact, karyomorph frequencies differed between wild populations and laboratory strains. No significant differences among A. fraterculus wild populations were evidenced in either karyotypic or chromosomal frequencies. However, a significant correlation was observed between Y5 chromosomal frequency and latitude.

Conclusions

We discuss the importance of cytogenetics to understand the possible route of invasion and dispersion of this pest in Argentina and the evolutionary forces acting under laboratory conditions, possibly driving changes in the chromosomal frequencies. Our findings provide deep and integral genetic knowledge of this species, which has become of relevance to the characterization and selection of valuable A. fraterculus sp. 1 strains for mass rearing production and SIT implementation.
A multi-pronged scoping review approach to understanding the evolving implementation of the Smallpox and Polio eradication programs: what can other Global Health initiatives learn?
Authors: Schleiff Meike , Olateju Adetoun , Decker Ellie , Neel Abigail H. , Oke Rasheedat , Peters Michael A. , Rao Aditi , Alonge Olakunle
Published: December 2020

Background

Previous initiatives have aimed to document the history and legacy of the Smallpox Eradication Program (SEP) and the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI). In this multi-pronged scoping review, we explored the evolution and learning from SEP and GPEI implementation over time at global and country levels to inform other global health programs.

Methods

Three related reviews of literature were conducted; we searched for documents on 1) the SEP and 2) GPEI via online database searches and also conducted global and national-level grey literature searches for documents related to the GPEI in seven purposively selected countries under the Synthesis and Translation of Research and Innovations from Polio Eradication (STRIPE) project. We included documents relevant to GPEI implementation. We conducted full text data analysis and captured data on Expert Recommendations for Implementing Change (ERIC) implementation strategies and principles, tools, outcomes, target audiences, and relevance to global health knowledge areas.

Results

200 articles were included in the SEP scoping review, 1885 articles in the GPEI scoping review, and 963 documents in the grey literature review. M&E and engagement strategies were consistently translated from the SEP to GPEI; these evolved into newer approaches under the GPEI. Management strategies including setting up robust record systems also carried forward from SEP to GPEI; however, lessons around the need for operational flexibility in applying these strategies at national and sub-national levels did not. Similarly, strategies and lessons around conducting health systems readiness assessments prior to implementation were not carried forward from SEP to GPEI. Differences in the planning and communication strategies between the two programs included fidelity to implementation blueprints appeared to be higher under SEP, and independent monitoring boards and communication and media strategies were more prominent under GPEI.

Conclusions

Linear learning did not always occur between SEP and GPEI; several lessons were lost and had to be re-learned. Implementation and adaptation of strategies in global health programs should be well codified, including information on the contextual, time and stakeholders’ issues that elicit adaptations. Such description can improve the systematic translation of knowledge, and gains in efficiency and effectiveness of future global health programs.
Lessons learned from the polio eradication initiative in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Ethiopia: analysis of implementation barriers and strategies
Authors: Deressa Wakgari , Kayembe Patrick , Neel Abigail H. , Mafuta Eric , Seme Assefa , Alonge Olakunle
Published: December 2020

Background

Since its inception in 1988, the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) has partnered with 200 countries to vaccinate over 2.5 billion children against poliomyelitis. The polio eradication approach has adapted to emerging challenges and diverse contexts. Knowledge assets gained from these experiences can inform implementation of future health programs, but only if efforts are made to systematically map barriers, identify strategies to overcome them, identify unintended consequences, and compare experiences across country contexts.

Methods

A sequential explanatory mixed methods design, including an online survey followed by key informant interviews (KIIs), was utilized to map tacit knowledge derived from the polio eradication experience from 1988 to 2019. The survey and KIIs were conducted between September 2018 and March 2019. A cross-case comparison was conducted of two study countries, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Ethiopia, which fit similar epidemiological profiles for polio. The variables of interest (implementation barriers, strategies, unintended consequences) were compared for consistencies and inconsistencies within and across the two country cases.

Results

Surveys were conducted with 499 and 101 respondents, followed by 23 and 30 KIIs in the DRC and Ethiopia, respectively. Common implementation barriers included accessibility issues caused by political insecurity, population movement, and geography; gaps in human resources, supply chain, finance and governance; and community hesitancy. Strategies for addressing these barriers included adapting service delivery approaches, investing in health systems capacity, establishing mechanisms for planning and accountability, and social mobilization. These investments improved system infrastructure and service delivery; however, resources were often focused on the polio program rather than strengthening routine services, causing community mistrust and limiting sustainability.

Conclusions

The polio program investments in the DRC and Ethiopia facilitated program implementation despite environmental, system, and community-level barriers. There were, however, missed opportunities for integration. Remaining pockets of low immunization coverage and gaps in surveillance must be addressed in order to prevent importation of wild poliovirus and minimize circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus. Studying these implementation processes is critical for informing future health programs, including identifying implementation tools, strategies, and principles which can be adopted from polio eradication to ensure health service delivery among hard-to-reach populations. Future disease control or eradication programs should also consider strategies which reduce parallel structures and define a clear transition strategy to limit long-term external dependency.
The French general population's attitudes toward lockdown against COVID-19: a fragile consensus
Authors:   the COCONEL Study Group, Peretti-Watel Patrick , Verger Pierre , Launay Odile
Published: December 2020

Background

In March 2020, as the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID− 19) pandemic was spreading across the globe, many countries have implemented unprecedented lockdown measures. But how populations did react to these measures? We examined the case of France. Our aims were threefold: assessing some aspects of their impact on French’s daily living conditions; investigating their attitudes toward the lockdown; investigating the factors associated with these attitudes.

Methods

A cross-sectional online survey was carried out 10 days after the nationwide lockdown (from March 27th to March 29th 2020), among a representative sample of the mainland French population aged 18 and over. A quota sampling method was applied to achieve a sample of 1012 respondents. We used a cluster analysis to obtain contrasted attitudinal profiles, and logistic regressions to investigated which factors were associated to these profiles.

Results

After 10 days of lockdown, there were already significant consequences regarding respondents’ living conditions and mental health. Most respondents supported the current lockdown. However, it appeared as a stopgap measure due to a lack of alternatives, and a large majority acknowledged its heavy drawbacks. We found three contrasted attitudinal profiles:full support(38%),strong but critical support(31%),limited support(31%). Regarding respondents’ SES, low-income and low-education respondents were more likely to display critical or limited support to the lockdown, as well as those who reported deteriorated living conditions or psychological distress.

Conclusions

In France, the large public support to the lockdown was fragile. First, it was a critical consensus anchored in current controversies and recent social struggles. Second, it was weaker among people with a lows SES, especially since the lockdown have exacerbated preexisting social inequalities.
Surgical site infections after distal radius fracture surgery: a nation-wide cohort study of 31,807 adult patients
Authors: Rundgren Johanna , Enocson Anders , Järnbert-Pettersson Hans , Mellstrand Navarro Cecilia
Published: December 2020

Background

Surgical site infections (SSI) after distal radius fracture (DRF) surgery have not previously been studied as the primary outcome in a large population with comparative data for different surgical methods. The aims of this study were 1) to compare SSI rates between plate fixation, percutaneous pinning and external fixation, and 2) to study factors associated with SSI.

Methods

We performed a nation-wide cohort study linking data from the Swedish national patient register (NPR) with the Swedish prescribed drug register (SPDR). We included all patients ≥18 years with a registration of a surgically treated DRF in the NPR between 2006 and 2013. The primary outcome was a registration in the SPDR of a dispensed prescription of peroral Flucloxacillin and/or Clindamycin within the first 8 weeks following surgery, which was used as a proxy for an SSI. The SSI rates for the three main surgical methods were calculated. Logistic regression was used to study the association between surgical method and the primary outcome, adjusted for potential confounders including age, sex, fracture type (closed/open), and a dispensed prescription of Flucloxacillin and/or Clindamycin 0–8 weeks prior to DRF surgery. A classification tree analysis was performed to study which factors were associated with SSI.

Results

A total of 31,807 patients with a surgically treated DRF were included. The proportion of patients with an SSI was 5% (n = 1110/21,348) among patients treated with plate fixation, 12% (n = 754/6198) among patients treated with percutaneous pinning, and 28% (n = 1180/4261) among patients treated with external fixation. After adjustment for potential confounders, the surgical method most strongly associated with SSI was external fixation (aOR 6.9 (95% CI 6.2–7.5, p < 0.001)), followed by percutaneous pinning (aOR 2.7 (95% CI 2.4–3.0, p < 0.001)) (reference: plate fixation). The classification tree analysis showed that surgical method, fracture type (closed/open), age and sex were factors associated with SSI.

Conclusions

The SSI rate was highest after external fixation and lowest after plate fixation. The results may be useful for estimation of SSI burdens after DRF surgery on a population basis. For the physician, they may be useful for  estimating the likelihood of SSI in individual patients.
Viva la VOSCE?
Authors: Boyle J. G. , Colquhoun I. , Noonan Z. , McDowall S. , Walters M. R. , Leach JP.
Published: December 2020

Background

The COVID-19 pandemic lockdown precluded face-to-face final Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCE) in the UK.

Results

In response, we rapidly developed and then successfully implemented a novel Virtual Objective Structured Clinical Examination (VOSCE).

Conclusions

In this article we both describe and reflect on our experience as well as discuss the implications for future undergraduate assessment as the situation evolves.
Late-onset myocardial infarction and autoimmune haemolytic anaemia in a COVID-19 patient without respiratory symptoms, concomitant with a paradoxical increase in inflammatory markers: a case report
Authors:   IDTM UMG COVID-19 Group, Pelle Maria Chiara , Tassone Bruno , Ricchio Marco , Mazzitelli Maria , Davoli Chiara , Procopio Giada , Cancelliere Anna , La Gamba Valentina , Lio Elena , Matera Giovanni , Quirino Angela , Barreca Giorgio Settimo , Trecarichi Enrico Maria , Torti Carlo
Published: December 2020

Background

In December 2019, a new coronavirus (named severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, SARS-CoV-2) spread from China, causing a pandemic in a very short time. The main clinical presentation of SARS-CoV-2 infection (COVID-19, coronavirus disease-2019) is pneumonia, but several cardiovascular complications may also occur (e.g., acute coronary syndromes, pulmonary embolism, stroke, arrhythmias, heart failure and cardiogenic shock). Direct or indirect mechanisms induced by SARS-CoV-2 could be implicated in the pathogenesis of these events.

Case presentation

We report herein the third case of COVID-19 autoimmune haemolytic anaemia (AIHA) reported so far, which occurredwithout any other possible explanations in a Caucasian patient. The patient also suffered from ST-elevation myocardial injury.

Conclusions

Both complications occurred quite late after COVID-19 diagnosis and were probably precipitated by systemic inflammation, as indicated by a significant delayed increase in inflammatory markers, including interleukin-6 (IL-6).
Caring for Labor History
Authors: Amador Emma
Published: December 2020

This essay charts how the author’s interest in labor history and the history of care work were inspired by her own family history of migrations from Puerto Rico to the United States. It considers how her grandmother’s stories about being a child needle worker in Puerto Rico and a migrant domestic worker in New York led her to think critically about the connections and overlap between the home and workplace in the lives of Puerto Rican women. As a student, investigating her personal history led her to discover a rich tradition of Puerto Rican feminist labor history that raised questions about reproductive politics and caring labor that remain pressing in our contemporary moment.
In vitro anticoccidial activity of Vitis vinifera extract on oocysts of different Eimeria species of Broiler Chicken
Authors: ABBAS R.Z. , ABBAS A. , IQBAL Z. , RAZA M.A. , HUSSAIN K. , AHMED T. , SHAFI M.U.
Published: December 2020

In the current experiment, the in vitro anticoccidial effect of Vitis venifera (grape seed) extract was evaluated. For this purpose, an in vitro sporulation inhbition assay was used. Collected oocysts of four Eimeria species (E. tenella, E. necatrix, E. brunetti and E. mitis) were exposed to six different concentrations (w/v) of Vitis vinifera extract (VVE) in 10% Dimethylsulphoxide solution (DMSO), while Dimethylsulphoxide (DMSO) and Potassium dichromate solution (K2Cr2O7) served as control groups. The results of the present study revealed that V. vinifera extract showed inhibitory effect on sporulation (%) and damage (%) of Eimeria oocysts in a dose dependent manner as compared to both control groups. V. vinifera extract also damaged the morhology of oocysts in terms of shape, size and number of sporocysts.
Concurrent occurrence of Anaplasma phagocytophilum and A. marginale in bovine peripheral blood samples from southwest of Iran
Authors: BAHRAMI S. , HAMIDINEJAT H. , HAJI HAJIKOLAEI MR , KAVIANIFAR S.
Published: December 2020

Anaplasma phagocytophilum and A. marginale are the most important tick-borne bacteria of veterinary and public health significance. Anaplasma phagocytophilum causes febrile disease in humans (human granulocytic-HGA) and animals. Anaplasma marginale is the aetiological agent of acute anaplasmosis, a bovine syndrome characterized by progressive hemolytic anemia associated with fever, weight loss, abortion, decreased milk production, and in some cases, death of the infected cattle. The present study was designed to investigate the prevalence of A. phagocytophilum and A. marginale in cattle from Khuzestan province, southwest of Iran. Samples were collected between March to August 2016. Farmed cattle were selected from the four geographic regions of Khuzestan province with the highest population of cattle herds: Behbahan; Dezful; Shushtar; and Ahvaz. Blood samples were collected from the jugular vein of 200 cattle Species specification was accomplished by specific Nested PCR according to amplification of the 16SrRNA gene. To identify A. marginale, semi-nested PCR product was cut with restriction endonucleases Bst 1107 I. The prevalence of the A. marginale infection (21.5 %) was higher than that of A. phagocytophilum (7.5 %), which was found in a mixed infection with A. marginale. Overall, in the present study 7.5% of cattle were infected with both A. phagocytophilum and A. marginale. Despite the healthy appearance of infected cattle, they can transmit Anaplasma to ticks and are potential continuous sources for maintaining and disseminating the organisms to the human and animals’ population. More epidemiological studies are needed to determine the vectors and reservoir animals for the Anaplasma species and to clarify the pathogenicity of A. marginale and A. phagocytophilum for humans and animals in Iran.
Effect of N-acetyl cysteine on the quality of blastocyst formation rate using cultured vitrified murine embryos
Authors: SIGÜENZA S. , ÁLVAREZ I.S. , MATILLA E.
Published: December 2020

Vitrification is the best method for embryo cryopreservation although it increases endogenous reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. N-acetylcysteine (NAC) a free radical scavenger may be used for reducing ROS toxic effects. The aim of the present study is to investigate potential beneficial effects of NAC on the developmental embryo competence applying different culture conditions in vitrified-warmed 2-cell embryos derived in vivo or in vitro. Thus, 2-cell embryos were vitrified or cultured fresh in presence or absence of 1 mM of NAC during: a) the entire embryo culture, b) for 24 hours with NAC at days 1.5 (G1) or 2.5 (G2) and returned to basal embryo culture (KSOM) or c) cultured in the presence of NAC for 12 hours at day 3.5 (G3). Despite NAC addition to fresh or vitrified embryos produced in vivo or by IVF, blastocyst rates remained unchanged. In vitrified-warmed IU or IVF-derived embryos, total cell number varied when NAC was added at day 1.5 although differences were not significant (60.1 ± 1.9 vs. 59.4 ± 1.3 for IU G1 and control respectively; and 59.3 ± 1.6 and 52.6 ± 3.0 IVF G1 and control respectively; mean cell number ± SEM, p > 0.05). It seems that the embryo culture medium supplementation with 1 mM of NAC in the first day after vitrification of development improves blastocyst quality of murine embryos and does not exert any beneficial effect at oyher culture points.
Neosporosis and toxoplasmosis are two prevalent and important protozoses in dairy cows in small farms from Thessaly, Central Greece
Authors: LEFKADITIS M. , EVAGELOPOULOU G. , SOSSIDOU A. , SPANOUDIS K.
Published: December 2020

Neosporosis and toxoplasmosis are two significant protozoan parasitoses that can cause infertility and abortions in dairy cows worldwide. Those parasites, in contrary of other coccidia, are adapted to infect hosts by several routes of transmission. These include the consumption of sporulated cysts that have contaminated the environment, transplacental infection and accidental consumption of row meat infected with bradyzoites. Infertility, abortions, neonatal mortality and other clinical symptoms in cattle in both parasitoses can cause severe financial losses, especially when these diseases acquire an endemic or epidemic manner. The aim of this study was to report the prevalence of neosporosis and toxoplasmosis in dairy cattle as detected by ELISA technique, under the correlation with the age of infected animals. Blood samples were collected by venipuncture of the tail vein of 627 Holstein–Friesian dairy cows raised in 7 small farms (ranging from 55 the smaller to 137 the larger farm) from the region of Thessaly, central Greece. All farms have recorded a variety of infertility problems in the past. Animals were separated in three age groups; under 3 years old, between 3 and 6 years and over 6 years old. In a total of 627 cows from which the samples were taken and examined, 131 (20.89 %) of them were found positive for N. caninum while 51 (8.13 %) were positive for T. gondii. The prevalence in the three different age groups was recorded at 16.36%, 23.51% and 26.17% respectively for neosporosis and in the same age groups it was 5.20%, 9.16% and 13.08% respectively for toxoplasmosis. From the above results it becomes clear that preventative measures should be suggested to and adapted by the farmers, in order to decrease their financial losses.
Social structures to tackle poverty in Greece: A quantitative interpretation
Authors: Pantazopoulos Stavros
Published: December 2020

The present article focuses on the Social Structures to Tackle Poverty in Greece (hereinafter under the term “SSTPG”) and their implementation during the period 2012-2017. On the one hand, the article sheds light on the results of the quantitative research conducted and, on the other hand, on the evaluation of the performance indicators of the program. The question that arises concerns the impact of SSTPG on the immediate beneficiaries, still also the degree to which the intended goals of the program were successfully met. The main conclusion reached in this article is that the SSTPG’s contribution to the local communities of the respective Municipal areas has been significant. This fact alone is further justified via the evaluation of the indicators as well as through the genuine answers provided by the beneficiaries themselves, in the context of the quantitative research.
«Dialectics» of European Disarmament: Lessons and Prospects
Authors: Mizin V. , Sevost'yanov P. , Matyukhin A.
Published: December 2020

The purpose of this work is to identify a set of measures for creating a European security system. The authors used such methods as system and comparative analysis, historical, problem and logical research methods, as well as the methodological approach of "structural realism" by the American political scientist K. Waltz. Despite serious difficulties, the European Union remains the main integration system and an important strategic partner of Russia. At the moment, in the development of its General and security policy, it is also trying to become a significant global player, a European pillar of NATO. European countries ' military preparations are also increasing, especially after the beginning of the Ukrainian crisis in 2014. In this regard, to understand the ongoing processes, it is necessary to consider not only the EU strategy in the field of security and military construction within the European segment of NATO, but also the policy in the field of ensuring security by non-military and political-diplomatic means, including through participation in arms control processes. The article examines in detail all directions of this approach of the EU and the Russian Federation. The paper makes specific proposals on how Russia can build interaction and cooperation with the EU on this issue. According to the authors, despite the ongoing pressure, Russia needs to maintain diplomatic calm and persistently promote initiatives to correct and stabilize the security situation in the region, reverse current negative trends - to greater predictability, transparency, and strengthen mutual respect and trust. In conclusion, the authors conclude that it is important to stop the growing trends in the interpretation of EU relations with Russia in the spirit of the cold war, and suggest concrete steps in this direction. The practical and theoretical significance of the work consists in a systematic vision and analysis of a set of measures in the field of disarmament and security on the European continent.
ESPAÑOL COMO LENGUA EXTRANJERA EN BRASIL: CÓMO ENSEÑAR COLOCACIONES CON LAS TIC
Authors: J. de Mogendorff Ivonne
Published: December 2020

RESUMOEste trabalho insere-se no âmbito da Fraseologia, e trata do ensino-aprendizagem das colocações (Corpas Pastor, 1996; Koike, 2000) formadas por verbo+substantivo quando uma de suas partes difere entre o espanhol e o português, como "mirar televisión" e "assistir televisão". Estas combinações léxicas não se trabalham de forma clara e explícita e, por desconhecimento, os aprendizes brasileiros de espanhol as transferem de sua língua materna para esta língua na produção oral e escrita. Para orientar e promover nos aprendizes, uma prática significativa no uso das tecnologias da informação e comunicação (TIC), elaboramos um material didático digital com colocações divergentes destinado a estudantes brasileiros da Educação Básica, com um nível de espanhol próximo de A2.
The Serapion Brothers in the assessment of the critics of the russian diaspora
Authors:   State Institution Luhansk Taras Shevchenko National University, Kryzhanovska O. O.
Published: December 2020

The author of the article studied the assessment of the literary group Serapinovy brothers by the critics of the Russian diaspora – Georgy Adamovich and Alexander Yashchenko. Adamovich was called the best critic of emigration, he enjoyed a well-deserved prestige. All critical articles by Georgy Adamovich are distinguished by their objectivity. He deeply understood the essence of works of art. This allowed the critic to accurately predict the further paths of the creative development of the author, about whom he wrote. The article reconstructs the presence of Georgy Adamovich at the meetings of the Serapion brothers in those years when he was still in Russia. The critic's articles also indicate his rejection of folklore, the stylization of that part of the serapions who called themselves „eastern” and followed the folk tradition. The critic gives a positive assessment to the writers who were guided by Western literature. In his articles, Georgy Adamovich gives an objective assessment to the poets of the literary group Nikolai Tikhonov and Elizaveta Polonskaya. The fate of these poets testifies to the fact that the critic understood exactly the prospects of their development. The author of the article investigated the reception by Alexander Yashchenko of the Russian literary group. Alexander Yashchenko was the publisher and main critic of the New Russian Book magazine, which was published in Berlin. The author of the article determined that Yashchenko was interested in the literary life of Russia and understood the laws of the literary process of the 1920s. Alexander Yashchenko, in an article on the development of Russian literature from 1917 to 1922, calls the writers of the Serapion Brothers literary group as an important phenomenon of this period. The critic examines the work of Vsevolod Ivanov, Mikhail Zoshchenko and Konstantin Fedin. He objectively evaluates their works, points out the possibilities of creative development. The author of the article notes that criticism of Alexander Yashchenko is characterized by depth and objectivity. Back in 1922, the critic saw that the work of Yevgeny Zamyatin influenced the writers of the Serapion Brothers literary group. Scientists drew attention to this only at the end of the twentieth century.
Some features of teaching translation in regional higher education institutions
Authors:   State Institution Luhansk Taras Shevchenko National University, Demchenko N. A. , Rudenko N. S. ,   Higher Educational Establishment of Union of Consumer Associations of Ukraine "Poltava University of Economics and Trade”
Published: December 2020

The article discusses some of the features of teaching translation in regional higher educational institutions. The factors influencing the organization of the learning process are considered, and the possibilities of using modern approaches in the preparation of professional translators are analyzed. Today, life itself dictates the need to create a new system of personal and professional development of modern specialists in the field of intercultural communication. The following factors can be identified as the main ones affecting the efficiency and success of the educational process: geographical, social and economic and educational. Geographic refers to the growing number of universities that train translators not in the capital but in regional higher educational institutions. Higher educational institutions, which yesterday were technical, economic and even agricultural have recently received the status of universities and today are actively engaged in the training of future translators. Under the socio-economic component, the problem of the material and technical base of the university and the provision of such faculties and departments with qualified specialists is considered. Educational factor means the level of foreign language proficiency and it should be mentioned that it is not enough profound for translation activity. The training of translators is based on the position that training in translation and interpretation should be carried out by different methods. It is necessary to provide practice in this activity to each student Practice shows that significant difficulties in teaching translation arise due to a lack of understanding of the textual nature of the translation process, due to the inability to isolate nationally specific features, and also due to insufficient knowledge of the algorithm of translation actions. Therefore, from the very beginning, the training of future translators should be aimed at the formation of professional translation competence. The inclusion of the educational process in real life, allows the teacher to demonstrate clearly what the knowledge and training in the classroom turned out to be successful and useful, and what needs correction and improvement for successful work.
The concept of instruction, its communicative tasks
Authors:   Poltava Institute of Economics and Law, Ryabokin N. O. , Shatkovsky Y. M. ,   Poltava Institute of Economics and Law
Published: December 2020

This article deals with the concept of instructions, its types and communication tasks. It was found that the instruction can be characterized as an official business document of technical content and its design at all levels has a high degree of standardization, which ensures the economy in writing and perception of this text. The instructional discourse is investigated and its features are determined: the presence of different speech genres, in particular, the operation manual, the memo, the user manual, the prescription, the service directive; certain speech tactics, namely, informing, shifting responsibility, prompted to action; minimal change in communicative roles. Analyzed four standard types of instructions: 1) instructions for goods (household appliances, food, vehicles, etc.); 2) annotation to medicines; 3) departmental instructions (rules for filling out documents, customer behavior: customs declaration, fire instructions, etc.) 4) job description (rules of behavior for employees in a certain position) and six new types were added: audio / video instructions, interactive instructions, pop-up hints, hypertext knowledge base, hypertext online resource, electronic document. It was also found that the communicative tasks of the instructions are the message of information and the prescription of actions and for the design of the texts of the instructions of the product the optimal system of language means. It was determined that the compositional structure of the text of a typical instruction contains, as a rule, the following sections: introduction, general information, technical data, delivery set, safety requirements, the procedure for installing and preparing the product for work, the procedure for operating the product, product care, maintenance, rules storage and transportation, possible malfunctions and methods of their elimination, warranty obligations.
Ten simple rules for creating a brand-new virtual academic meeting (even amid a pandemic)
Authors: Rich Scott , Diaconescu Andreea O. , Griffiths John D. , Lankarany Milad
Published: December 2020

The increased democratization of the creation, implementation, and attendance of academic conferences has been a serendipitous benefit of the movement toward virtual meetings. The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has accelerated the transition to online conferences and, in parallel, their democratization, by necessity. This manifests not just in the mitigation of barriers to attending traditional physical conferences but also in the presentation of new, and more importantly attainable, opportunities for young scientists to carve out a niche in the landscape of academic meetings. Here, we describe an early “proof of principle” of this democratizing power via our experience organizing the Canadian Computational Neuroscience Spotlight (CCNS; crowdcast.io/e/CCNS), a free 2-day virtual meeting that was built entirely amid the pandemic using only virtual tools. While our experience was unique considering the obstacles faced in creating a conference during a pandemic, this was not the only factor differentiating both our experience and the resulting meeting from other contemporary online conferences. Specifically, CCNS was crafted entirely by early career researchers (ECRs) without any sponsors or partners, advertised primarily using social media and “word of mouth,” and designed specifically to highlight and engage trainees. From this experience, we have distilled “10 simple rules” as a blueprint for the design of new virtual academic meetings, especially in the absence of institutional support or partnerships, in this unprecedented environment. By highlighting the lessons learned in implementing our meeting under these arduous circumstances, we hope to encourage other young scientists to embrace this challenge, which would serve as a critical next step in further democratizing academic meetings.
A comparison of several media types and basic techniques used to assess outdoor airborne fungi in Melbourne, Australia
Authors: Black Wesley D.
Published: December 2020

Despite the recent increase in interest in indoor air quality regarding mould, there is no universally accepted standard media for the detection of airborne fungi, nor verification of many commonly used techniques. Commonly used media including malt-extract agar (MEA), Sabouraud dextrose agar (Sab), potato dextrose agar (PDA) with and without antibiotics chloramphenicol & gentamycin (CG) were compared for their suitability in detecting a range of airborne fungi by collecting 150 L outdoor air on a number of different days and seasons via an Anderson 400-hole sampler in suburban Melbourne, Australia. There was relatively little variation in mean numbers of colony forming units (CFU) and types of fungi recovered between MEA, PDA, Sab media groups relative to variation within each group. There was a significant difference between Sab, Dichloran-18% glycerol (DG18) and V8® Original juice agar media, however. Antibiotics reliably prevented the growth of bacteria that typically interfered with the growth and appearance of fungal colonies. There was no significant evidence for a growth enhancing factor from potato, mineral supplements or various vegetable juices. Differing glucose concentrations had modest effects, showing a vague ideal at 2%-4% with peptone. Sanitisation of the aluminium Andersen 400-hole sampler top-plate by flame is possible, but not strictly required nor advisable. The use of SabCG as a standard medium was generally supported.
Genetic analysis reveals an east-west divide within North American Vitis species that mirrors their resistance to Pierce’s disease
Authors: Riaz Summaira , Tenscher Alan C. , Heinitz Claire C. , Huerta-Acosta Karla G. , Walker M. Andrew
Published: December 2020

Pierce’s disease (PD) caused by the bacteriumXylella fastidiosais a deadly disease of grapevines. This study used 20 SSR markers to genotype 326 accessions of grape species collected from the southeastern and southwestern United States, Mexico and Costa Rica. Two hundred sixty-six of these accessions, and an additional 12 PD resistant hybrid cultivars developed from southeastern US grape species, were evaluated for PD resistance. Disease resistance was evaluated by quantifying the level of bacteria in stems and measuring PD symptoms on the canes and leaves. Both Bayesian clustering and principal coordinate analyses identified two groups with an east-west divide: group 1 consisted of grape species from the southeastern US and Mexico, and group 2 consisted of accessions collected from the southwestern US and Mexico. The Sierra Madre Oriental mountain range appeared to be a phylogeographic barrier. The state of Texas was identified as a potential hybridization zone. The hierarchal STRUCTURE analysis on each group showed clustering of unique grape species. An east-west divide was also observed for PD resistance. With the exception ofVitis candicansandV.cinereaaccessions collected from Mexico, all other grape species as well as the resistant southeastern hybrid cultivars were susceptible to the disease. Southwestern US grape accessions from drier desert regions showed stronger resistance to the disease. Strong PD resistance was observed within three distinct genetic clusters ofV.arizonicawhich is adapted to drier environments and hybridizes freely with other species across its wide range.
Disparate impact pandemic framing decreases public concern for health consequences
Authors: Yildirim Ugur
Published: December 2020

It is known that the new coronavirus (COVID-19) is disproportionately affecting the elderly, those with underlying medical conditions, and the poor. What is the effect of informing the public about these inequalities on people’s perceptions of threat and their sensitivity to the outbreak’s human toll? This study answers this question using a novel survey experiment and finds that emphasis on the unequal aspect of the pandemic, especially as it relates to the elderly and those with medical conditions, could be causing the public to become less concerned about the outbreak and its human toll. Discussion situates this finding in the literature on scientific communication and persuasion and explains why language that emphasizes the impact of the virus on all of us—rather than singling out certain groups—could be more effective in increasing caution among the general public and make them take the situation more seriously.