bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Male-sterile induction method in foxtail millet (Setaria italica)
Authors: Bagus Nugroho Rizki , SUWARNO WILLY BAYUARDI , KHUMAIDA NURUL , ARDIE SINTHO WAHYUNING
Published: September 2020

Abstract. Nugroho RB, Suwarno WB, Khumaida N, Ardie SW. 2020. Male-sterile induction method in foxtail millet (Setaria italica). Biodiversitas 21: 4325-4330. Male-sterile induction is one technique that can be used to prevent selfing in self-pollination plants, especially for plants with small floret. This study aimed to identify an effective male-sterile induction method that can kill pollen while keeping the stigma receptive in foxtail millet (Setaria italica L. Beauv). The experiment was conducted in a greenhouse at the Cikabayan Experimental Station and the Biology and Biophysics Seed laboratory, Dept. of Agronomy and Horticulture, IPB University, Indonesia from October 2018 to February 2019. The experiment consisted of two sub-experiments that were carried out with a split-plot design with four replications. The male-sterile induction method was the main plot, and the genotype was the subplot. The results from the first experiment showed that alcohol, warm water, and maleic hydrazide treatments were effective for killing pollen in the upper panicle and pollination zones. These treatments were also effective in developing unproductive rachis with different effect patterns on panicles. The results from the second experiment showed that warm water treatment and maleic hydrazide could keep the stigma receptive. From both experiments, warm water treatment was recommended for male-sterile induction in foxtail millet because it was effective in killing pollen, inflicting unproductive rachis in the upper panicle and pollination zones, and kept the stigma receptive.
Folk name and lore of birds from the Sundanese of West Java, Indonesia: An ethno-ornithological survey
Authors: MULYANTO DEDE , ISKANDAR JOHAN , MADANI ALIYA , GUNAWAN RIMBO , Partasasmita Ruhyat
Published: September 2020

Abstract. Mulyanto D, Iskandar J, Madani A, Gunawan R, Partasasmita R. 2020. Folk name and lore of birds from the Sundanese of West Java, Indonesia: An ethno-ornithological survey. Biodiversitas 21: 4384-4395. Since last time, research on birds in West Java had been undertaken by ornithologists. The ethnoornithology research, however, has been rarely employed. The study aims were to account for vernacular or folk names, folk classification, and folkloric birds based on case of the mountain people of Keratasari, West Java, Indonesia. The method in this study was qualitative with the ethnoornithological approach. The field data were collected by focus group discussion and deep interviews with informants of 12 groups of independent village people of four villages of Kertasari sub-district. The naming of collected data was by systematic elicitation of names from pictorial representations of birds and organized here to facilitate analysis of various aspects of folk taxonomy about the scientific one. Folklore about birds that were collected in natural contexts is also included to indicate the birds' role and their names in symbolic processes that exceed the limits of literal reference. The result of the study showed that it was recorded 222 bird species, representing 170 vernacular names, 93 of them were recorded by Koningsberger (1901-1909). The taxonomic and folkloric mode of knowledge in this paper presents that birds play important roles in villagers' lives of Sundanese people, particularly in the study area. Generally, birds have been an important role in socio-cultural aspects, including in folklore of Sundanese people who reside in rural mountain areas of West Java.
The growth of Shorea leprosula at various planting distances and slopes in Gunung Dahu Research Forest, Bogor, Indonesia
Authors: Pamoengkas Prijanto , Rachmat Henti Hendalastuti , Khalifa Nadya
Published: September 2020

Abstract. Pamoengkas P, Rachmat HH, Khalifa N. 2020. The growth of Shorea leprosula at various planting distances and slopes in Gunung Dahu Research Forest, Bogor, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 21: 4396-4404. Shorea leprosula Miq. is one of the species of Dipterocarpaceae family which has great potential to be developed as plantation forestry. This research aimed to investigate the effect of planting distance and slope on the growth of S. leprosula in Gunung Dahu Research Forest, Bogor, Indonesia. Growth variables in terms of height and diameter, and environmental factors were observed in S. leprosula stands at various planting distances and slopes. Analysis results showed that plot with planting distance of 4x6 m produced the best growth of S. leprosula than other planting distances, with the largest increment of diameter and height of 1.49 cm/year and 0.82 m/year, respectively. Slope class did not affect the diameter growth, but it affected the height growth. Slope class flat (0-8%) exhibited height growth of S. leprosula of 0.81 cm/year, which was better compared to other slope classes. Interaction between planting distance of 4x6 m and slope class of rather steep (15-25%) produced the best growth of S. leprosula compared to other interactions with diameter and height increment of 1.64 cm/year and 0.83 m/year, respectively.
Membrane activity detection in cultured cells using phase-sensitive plasmonics
Authors: Sohrabi Foozieh , Jahani Yasaman , Sanchez-Mut Jose Vicente , Mohammadi Ershad , Barzegar Zahra , Li Xiaokang , Glauser Liliane , Gräff Johannes , Hamidi Seyedeh Mehri
Published: September 2020

Despite the existence of various neural recording and mapping techniques, there is an open territory for the emergence of novel techniques. The current neural imaging and recording techniques suffer from invasiveness, a time-consuming labeling process, poor spatial/ temporal resolution, and noisy signals. Among others, neuroplasmonics is a label-free and nontoxic recording technique with no issue of photo-bleaching or signal-averaging. We introduced an integrated plasmonic-ellipsometry platform for membrane activity detection with cost-effective and high-quality grating extracted from commercial DVDs. With ellipsometry technique, one can measure both amplitude (intensity) and phase difference of reflected light simultaneously with high signal to noise ratio close to surface plasmon resonances, which leads to the enhancement of sensitivity in plasmonic techniques. We cultured three different types of cells (primary hippocampal neurons, neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells, and human embryonic kidney 293 (HEK293) cells) on the grating surface. By introducing KCl solution as a chemical stimulus, we can differentiate the neural activity of distinct cell types and observe the signaling event in a label-free, optical recording platform. This method has potential applications in recording neural signal activity without labeling and stimulation artifacts.
High-gain harmonic generation with temporally overlapping seed pulses and application to ultrafast spectroscopy
Authors: Wituschek Andreas , Bruder Lukas , Allaria Enrico , Bangert Ulrich , Binz Marcel , Callegari Carlo , Cinquegrana Paolo , Danailov Miltcho , Demidovich Alexander , Di Fraia Michele , Feifel Raimund , Laarmann Tim , Michiels Rupert , Mudrich Marcel , Nikolov Ivaylo , Piseri Paolo , Plekan Oksana , Charles Prince Kevin , Przystawik Andreas , Rebernic Ribič Primož , Sigalotti Paolo , Stranges Stefano , Uhl Daniel , Giannessi Luca , Stienkemeier Frank
Published: September 2020

Collinear double-pulse seeding of the High-Gain Harmonic Generation (HGHG) process in a free-electron laser (FEL) is a promising approach to facilitate various coherent nonlinear spectroscopy schemes in the extreme ultraviolet (XUV) spectral range. However, in collinear arrangements using a single nonlinear medium, temporally overlapping seed pulses may introduce nonlinear mixing signals that compromise the experiment at short time delays. Here, we investigate these effects in detail by extending the analysis described in a recent publication (Wituschek et al., Nat. Commun., 11, 883, 2020). High-order fringe-resolved autocorrelation and wave packet interferometry experiments at photon energies > 23 eV are performed, accompanied by numerical simulations. It turns out that both the autocorrelation and the wave-packet interferometry data are very sensitive to saturation effects and can thus be used to characterize saturation in the HGHG process. Our results further imply that time-resolved spectroscopy experiments are feasible even for time delays smaller than the seed pulse duration.
50X five-group inner-focus zoom lens design with focus tunable lens using Gaussian brackets and lens modules
Authors: Liu Yunpeng , Yang Bo , Gu Pengxiang , Wang Xingqi , Zong Hui
Published: September 2020

This study presents a 50X five-group zoom lens design with two moving groups and one focus tunable lens (FTL) by applying Gaussian brackets and lens modules. After qualitative analysis of the paraxial properties, the initial structure is obtained by solving the power equations consisting of five groups by numerical analysis method. The optimized nearly 60X lens has a focal length of 5.1-300mm and f-number of 1.8-5.0 in wide and tele positions, with a total length of 160mm. The lens achieves a maximum FOV of 63° at short focal length. The tolerance analysis indicates that the design is suitable for mass production. The method eases the difficulty in initial structure design of the zoom lens with high zoom ratio, improves its optical design efficiency, and can be applied to the fields such as customs security cameras, military detecting devices, machine vision and industrial inspection, etc.
О социологических индексах с нормальным законом распределения
Authors: Зотьева Анна Дмитриевна
Published: September 2020

В социологии широко применяются индексы, выраженные линейно через доли положительных и отрицательных ответов респондентов. Например, индексы социальных и потребительских настроений, индекс ожиданий безработицы, публикуемые «Левада-центром», индексы социальных оценок от ВЦИОМ. Подобные показатели применяются в различных областях знания помимо социологии (экономика, медицина и т.д.). Вопрос о нормальности их распределений имеет важное значение для анализа и прогнозирования, так как методы математической статистики наиболее эффективны и доступны применительно к нормальным величинам.
В статье выдвинута и теоретически обоснована гипотеза о том, что такие индексы имеют нормальные законы распределения на тех промежутках времени, где они являются квазистационарными. Это условие проявляет себя в том, что сезонная компонента индекса отсутствует, а его тренд является (приблизительно) стационарным. Полученный результат можно использовать для предварительных оценок размеров выборок при опросах, что могло бы снизить расходы на социальный мониторинг.
Patterns of Healthy Aging and Household Size Dynamics in Western Europe
Authors: Шиповская Валентина Ивановна
Published: September 2020

The diversity of family structures and the quality of social relationships are closely tied to one another. Individual characteristics such as parenting, grandparenting, partnership, cohabitation, living apart together, living solo and other contextual factors (for instance intergenerational help and care) shape partnership histories related to health dynamics; these histories vary greatly depending on gender and country. Over the last 20 years, researchers have considered the Northern Europe as a region of weak family ties and the Southern Europe as a region of strong family ties. This study interprets the household size as an age-related factor and focuses on two empirical questions: (1) Are there gender differences related to health patterns, and how do they change over time? (2) What kind of country-specific differences in the household size dynamics can be observed among West European men and women in the second part of life?
The study uses descriptive elements of sequence analysis and regression analysis based on the panel data from seven waves of the SHARE project (Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe) collected between 2004 and 2017. The study shows that there are gender differences in the life-course transition to a single-person household.  This type of household become more common with time and with individual’s increasing age. The statistical patterns can be helpful in identifying those life stages that are crucial to stabilization of functional health within the context of demographic change.
Ethics statement.  The SHARE project has been running since 2002. It was originally established at the Mannheim Research Institute for the Economics of Aging (MEA) of the University of Mannheim. Since 2011, it is being operated under the umbrella of the Max Planck Society at the Max Planck Institute for Social Law and Social Policy and is centrally coordinated by the Munich Center for the Economics of Aging. The SHARE study was subject to several ethics reviews: The Ethics Committee of the University of Mannheim, Ethics Council of the Max Planck Society and by national ethics committees. This study was conducted in full accordance with the World Medical Association (WMA) (Declaration of Helsinki, last revised at the 64th WMA Meeting held in Fortaleza, Brazil in October 2013). Written consents from all participants involved in this study were obtained.
Соотношение административного и финансового ресурсов в ходе избирательных кампаний в современной России: региональная специфика
Authors: Барсукова Светлана Юрьевна , Левин Сергей Николаевич
Published: September 2020

В статье обсуждается вопрос о соотношении административного и финансового ресурсов как условий победы на выборах, а также о степени подконтрольности и автономии российских предпринимателей в их электоральной активности. На основе интервью с лицами, причастными к проведению избирательных кампаний в разных регионах страны (политтехнологи, чиновники, предприниматели), выявлены три модели выборов (жесткая, мягкая и конфликтная) в зависимости от того, какую роль играет финансовый ресурс по отношению к административному — комплементарную или субсидиарную. Административный ресурс представляет собой использование властных полномочий как через избирательное применение формальных норм, так и через формирование специальных внелегальных практик, связанных с контролем над избирательным процессом. Однако одним административным ресурсом кампании не выигрываются. Для этого необходим финансовый ресурс, основным поставщиком которого выступают предприниматели. В статье анализируются особенности региональных моделей с различным соотношением влияния административного и финансового ресурса на результаты выборов. Показано, что финансовые возможности бизнеса могут быть комплементарны административному ресурсу или, наоборот, составлять ему конкуренцию.
Благодарность. Работа выполнена в рамках проекта «Неформальные практики организации и проведения избирательных кампаний в современной России» при поддержке Фонда социальных исследований «Хамовники» (рук. С.Ю. Барсукова).
Investigating the Causal Linkage Among Economic Growth, Energy Consumption and CO2 Emissions in Thailand: An Application of the Wavelet Coherence Approach
Authors: Adebayo Tomiwa Sunday , Akinsola Gbenga Daniel
Published: September 2020

The study aims to explore the causal linkage between CO2 emissions, economic growth and energy consumption in Thailand utilizing the wavelet coherence approach, conventional Granger and the Toda-Yamamoto causality techniques. In this study, In this study, time-series data spanning the period between 1971 and 2018 were used. No prior study has used the wavelet coherence approach to collect information on the association and causal interrelationship among these economic variables at different frequencies and timeframes in Thailand. The study objectives are structured to answer the following question: Does economic growth and energy consumption lead to CO2 emissions in Thailand?. The findings revealed that: (a) Changes in economic growth led to changes in CO2 emissions in Thailand at different frequencies (different scales) between 1971 and 2018. (b) A bidirectional causal relationship between CO2 emissions and energy consumption. (c) A positive correlation between CO2 emissions and energy usage in the short and long-run between 1971 and 2018. (d) A positive correlation between GDP growth and CO2 emissions in the short and long-run between 1971 and 2018. The study suggested that Thailand should initiate stronger policies towards enhancing the efficiency of energy and energy-usage programs to minimize unnecessary energy waste.
SARS-CoV-2: una nueva amenaza
Authors: López Rodríguez Cristina A. , Boigues Pons Marc , Quirant Sánchez Bibiana , Teniente Serra Aina , Climent Martí Joan , Martínez Cáceres Eva Ma
Published: September 2020

Objetivos

Aportar una breve revisión del conocimiento actual sobre el virus SARS-CoV-2, cuya irrupción ha causado un gran impacto en la sociedad a escala mundial.

Contenido

Esta revisión aporta una visión general de diversos aspectos del virus y de la respuesta inmunitaria que desencadena, así como aproximaciones diagnósticas y terapéuticas que se están llevando a cabo.

SARS-CoV-2 es un virus RNA con características peculiares que lo diferencian de sus predecesores SARS-CoV y MERS. Dada sus características estructurales y su patogenia, es capaz de provocar diversas manifestaciones clínicas según avanza la enfermedad. Se ha demostrado que el sistema inmunitario juega un papel importante en la respuesta frente a este virus y, por ende, es crucial el estudio de los anticuerpos y las poblaciones linfocitarias durante los distintos estadios de la enfermedad.

Perspectiva

El conocimiento del efecto del virus y la respuesta inmunitaria es determinante para el desarrollo de vacunas, terapias y técnicas diagnósticas de calidad, esenciales para el control y la erradicación de la enfermedad.
Falso hipertiroidismo por interferencia en inmunoanálisis
Authors: Jiménez García Clara , Ortega Fernández Piedad , Torregrosa Quesada María Eugenia , González Bueno Victoria , Botella Belda María Teresa , Alfayate Guerra Rocío
Published: September 2020

Objetivos

Los inmunoensayos utilizados para evaluar la función tiroidea son vulnerables a diferentes tipos de interferencias que pueden afectar a las decisiones clínicas.

Caso clínico

Presentamos el caso de una mujer de 37 años que acudió a nuestro hospital para su revisión médica anual por presentar hipotiroidismo iatrogénico tras tratamiento con radioiodo. La paciente se encontraba asintomática, sin signos sugestivos de enfermedad tiroidea. Sin embargo, en el estudio analítico destacó el resultado de su perfil tiroideo: TSH 7,75 mU/L, FT4 > 7,7 ng/dL.

Conclusiones

Ante resultados discordantes entre la clínica y el patrón bioquímico obtenido, se consideró la posibilidad de una interferencia metodológica. Se realizó una revisión detallada de las principales causas de interferencias y se realizaron una serie de procedimientos por parte del laboratorio para descartar la presencia de interferencias en la TSH y la FT4, comprobándose finalmente que había distintos agentes interferentes que estaban afectando a las mediciones de las hormonas tiroideas libres y a la TSH de la paciente.
Attractiveness of Constant States in Logistic-Type Keller–Segel Systems Involving Subquadratic Growth Restrictions
Authors: Winkler Michael
Published: September 2020

The chemotaxis-growth system

($\star$)

{

u
t

=

D
⁢
Δ
⁢
u

-

χ
⁢
∇

⋅

(

u
⁢

∇
⁡
v

)

+

ρ
⁢
u

-

μ
⁢

u
α

,

v
t

=

d
⁢
Δ
⁢
v

-

κ
⁢
v

+

λ
⁢
u

{}\left\{\begin{aligned} \displaystyle{}u_{t}&\displaystyle=D\Delta u-\chi% \nabla\cdot(u\nabla v)+\rho u-\mu u^{\alpha},\\ \displaystyle v_{t}&\displaystyle=d\Delta v-\kappa v+\lambda u\end{aligned}\right.

is considered under homogeneous Neumann boundary conditions in smoothly bounded domains

Ω
⊂

ℝ
n

{\Omega\subset\mathbb{R}^{n}}

,

n
≥
1

{n\geq 1}

. For any choice of

α
>
1

{\alpha>1}

, the literature provides a comprehensive result on global existence for widely arbitrary initial data within a suitably generalized solution concept, but the regularity properties of such solutions may be rather poor, as indicated by precedent results on the occurrence of finite-time blow-up in corresponding parabolic-elliptic simplifications. Based on the analysis of a certain eventual Lyapunov-type feature of ($\star$), the present work shows that, whenever

α
≥

2
-

2
n

{\alpha\geq 2-\frac{2}{n}}

, under an appropriate smallness assumption on χ, any such solution at least asymptotically exhibits relaxation by approaching the nontrivial spatially homogeneous steady state

(

(

ρ
μ

)

1

α
-
1

,

λ
κ

⁢

(

ρ
μ

)

1

α
-
1

)

{\bigl{(}\bigl{(}\frac{\rho}{\mu}\bigr{)}^{\frac{1}{\alpha-1}},\frac{\lambda}{% \kappa}\bigl{(}\frac{\rho}{\mu}\bigr{)}^{\frac{1}{\alpha-1}}\bigr{)}}

in the large time limit.
Towards a compact, optically interrogated, cold-atom microwave clock
Authors: Elvin Rachel , Wright Michael W. , Lewis Ben , Keliehor Brendan L. , Bregazzi Alan , McGilligan James P. , Arnold Aidan S. , Griffin Paul F. , Riis Erling
Published: September 2020

A compact platform for cold atoms opens a range of exciting possibilities for portable, robust and accessible quantum sensors. In this work, we report on the development of a cold-atom microwave clock in a small package. Our work utilises the grating magneto-optical trap and high-contrast coherent population trapping in the lin

⊥

$\perp $

lin polarisation scheme. We optically probe the atomic ground-state splitting of cold 87Rb atoms using a Ramsey-like sequence whilst the atoms are in free-fall. We have measured a short-term fractional frequency stability of

5
×

10

−
11

/

τ

$5{\times}{10}^{-11}/\sqrt{\tau }$

with a projected quantum projection noise limit at the

10

−
13

/

τ

${10}^{-13}/\sqrt{\tau }$

level.
Probing Bloch oscillations using a slow-light sensor
Authors: Kuan Pei-Chen , Huang Chang , Lan Shau-Yu
Published: September 2020

We implement slow-light under electromagnetically induced transparency condition to measure the motion of cold atoms in an optical lattice undergoing Bloch oscillation. The motion of atoms is mapped out through the phase shift of light without perturbing the external and internal state of the atoms. Our results can be used to construct a continuous motional sensor of cold atoms.
Some kinematics of halo coronal mass ejections
Authors: Verma Virendra Kumar , Mittal Nishant , Chandra Ramesh
Published: September 2020

We present an investigation of halo coronal mass ejections (HCMEs) kinematics and other facts about the HCMEs. The study of HCMEs is very important because HCMEs are regarded as the main causes of heliospheric and geomagnetic disturbances. In this study, we have investigated 313 HCMEs observed during 1996-2012 by LASCO, coronal holes, and solar flares. We find that HCMEs are of two types: accelerated HCMEs and decelerated HCMEs. The mean space speed of HCMEs is 1283 km/s while the mean speed of decelerated HCMEs and accelerated HCMEs is 1349 km/s and 1174 km/s, respectively. The investigation shows that 1 (0.3%) HCME was associated with class A SXR, 14 (4.7%) HCMEs were associated with class B SXR-flares, 87 (29.4%) HCMEs were associated with class C SXR-flares, 125 (42.2%) HCMEs were associated with class M SXR-flares and 69 (23.3%) HCMEs were associated with class X SXR-flares. The speed of HCMEs increases with the importance of solar SXR-flares. The various results obtained in the present analysis are discussed in the light of the existing scenario of heliospheric physics.
Modeling transportation routes of the pick-up system using location problem: a case study
Authors: Stopka Ondrej , Ľupták Vladimír , Droździel Pawel , Rybicka Iwona
Published: September 2020

In today’s increasingly globalizing world, the demand for the transport of more and more specific kinds of goods is constantly growing. Greater diversity of the objects of transport extends the range of consignees and consignors, which implies the reduction of the number and volume of consignments. Modern enterprises are no longer interested in mass supplies of large quantities of the same material but strive for flexible supplies of smaller quantities of specific materials out of more suppliers. This manuscript deals with the streamlining of specific transport-logistics processes, including a detailed analysis of the existing pick-up system in relation to transport serviceability of the certain territory starting in the city of České Budějovice (Czech Republic) and a determination of more effective variants for supply. The primary objective will be to find and analyze specific options for streamlining the processes being optimized using the selected method of the graph theory, namely the location problem. In the context of optimization, a specific case study is elaborated with the aim to increase the efficiency of the current pickup system, i.e. serviceability of a particular territory.
Solvable Lie and Leibniz superalgebras with a given nilradical
Authors: Camacho Luisa María , Fernández Barroso José Manuel , Navarro Rosa María
Published: September 2020

Throughout this paper we show that under certain conditions the method for describing solvable Leibniz (resp. Lie) algebras with given nilradical by means of non-nilpotent outer derivations of the nilradical is also applicable to the case Leibniz (resp. Lie) superalgebras. Moreover, after having established the general method for Lie and Leibniz superalgebras, we classify all the solvable superalgebras on a very important class of each of them, that is, those with nilradical of maximal nilindex. Note that for

(

n
+
m

)

{(n+m)}

-dimensional superalgebras this maximal nilindex is

n
+
m

-
1

{n+m-1}

in the Lie case and

n
+
m

{n+m}

in Leibniz.
Eco-synthesis and characterization of titanium nanoparticles: Testing its cytotoxicity and antibacterial effects
Authors: Eisa Nada E. , Almansour Shaffa , Alnaim Ibtessam A. , Ali Amira M. , Algrafy Eman , Ortashi Khalid M. , Awad Manal A. , Virk Promy , Hendi Awatif A. , Eissa Fahd Z.
Published: September 2020

In recent years, green synthesis of nanoparticles has been the cornerstone of development of nanotechnology and its applications, as it emphasizes on promoting environmental sustainability. The aim of the present study was to investigate the potential health benefits of the green-synthesized titanium nanoparticles (TiO2NPs). TiO2NPs were synthesized using titanium(iv) isopropoxide and lupin bean extract. The synthesized particles were characterized to assess the average particle size by dynamic light scattering, and X-ray diffraction method was used to study the crystalline nature. The average particle size recorded was 9.227 nm with a polydispersity index (PDI) of 0.382. The morphology of the particles was assessed by scanning electron microscope and transmission electron microscopy which showed varied shapes of the nanoparticles, uniform spherical and crystallite rod shaped. Further, the cytotoxic efficacy of the nanoparticles was assessed against the breast cancer (MCF-7) cell line using 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromidefor (MTT) assay. The antibacterial activity of the nanoparticles was evaluated against clinical pathogens via the disc diffusion assay. The key findings showed that the TiO2NPs exhibited potent cytotoxicity against the MCF-7 cell line with an IC50 of 41.1 µg. It also showed profound antibacterial activity. Thus, the synthesized nanoparticles could have potential biomedical applications owing to their therapeutic efficacy.
Key components of successful transition for adolescents born with anorectal malformations–a Nordic focus group study
Authors: Tofft Louise , Hoel Anders Telle , Håkansson Carita , Zawadzki Antoni , Gjone Helene , Øresland Tom , Bjørnland Kristin , Stenström Pernilla
Published: September 2020

Objectives

Transitional care for adolescents with congenital malformations, such as anorectal malformations (ARM), is described sparsely in the literature and referred to as being inadequate. In order to organize future successful healthcare structures, knowledge of patient-reported important aspects of transition is required. The aim of the study was therefore to explore the needs and expectations of transitional- and adult healthcare among adolescents and adults born with ARM.

Methods

Two tertiary paediatric surgical centres, in collaboration with two tertiary pelvic floor centres, in Sweden and Norway, conducted a qualitative study, involving adolescents and adults born with ARM in focus group discussions regarding transitional care. Discussions were analyzed by qualitative content analysis. Ethical approval was obtained.

Results

Sixteen participants (10 women) with a median age of 24 (19–47) years, born with mixed subtypes of ARM were included in gender-divided focus groups. Participants emphasized a need for improved knowledge of ARM, both among patients and adult care providers. Participants identified a need for support with coping strategies regarding challenging social- and intimate situations due to impaired bowel function. Participants pin-pointed well-functioning communication between the patient and the paediatric- and adult care providers as a key factor for a successful transitional process. Further, participants emphasized the importance of easy access to specialized adult healthcare when needed, suggested to be facilitated by appointed patient navigators.

Conclusion

Adolescents and adults born with ARM identify improved knowledge of ARM, well-functioning communication and easy access to specialized adult care as key components of a successful transition.
A national guideline for youth-friendly health services developed by chronically ill young people and health care professionals – a Delphi study
Authors: Thomsen Ena Lindhart , Hertz Pernille Grarup , Blix Charlotte , Boisen Kirsten A.
Published: September 2020

Objectives

Significant variation in cultural and socio-economic factors across different countries means that modification of existing guidelines for youth-friendly health services are needed. Furthermore, including the views and perspectives of young people in developing health services add significant value. The aim of this study was to develop a national guideline for youth-friendly health services using the Delphi method.

Methods

We invited young people with chronic conditions, managers of paediatric, psychiatric and relevant adult departments and health care professionals with experience and interest in adolescent medicine to participate. The initial list of elements was constructed based on international guidelines and systematic reviews. The study consisted of three electronic questionnaire rounds assessing relevance, importance and whether the elements were essential/very important, respectively. We used 70% agreement as cut-off.

Results

More than 70% of participants agreed that only one element was essential: ‘Young people should be actively involved in decisions about their treatment and encouraged and supported to ask questions about their illness and treatment’. Additionally, 18 elements reached more than 70% agreement, when the ‘essential’ was combined with the ‘very important’ category. We grouped these 19 elements into five themes: 1) staff competences and workflow, 2) developmentally appropriate communication, 3) focus on youth life, including mental health 4) youth participation and shared decisions, and 5) autonomy and transitional care.

Conclusion

This guideline for a youth-friendly health care system may serve as inspiration for concrete changes, both locally and internationally, as it was developed together by young people, staff, and management.
Music training and the use of songs or rhythm: Do they help for lexical stress processing?
Authors: Degrave Pauline
Published: September 2020

Previous studies revealed that musicians outperformed non-musicians in different language tasks and that the use of music or rhythm in teaching material can benefit language learning. Here, we examined whether music, as a learner’s characteristic (musicians/non-musicians) or as a characteristic of the task (use of music or beat) can facilitate foreign language lexical stress processing. 25 non-musician and 21 musician French native speakers performed a discrimination task in which stimuli were either naturally spoken, spoken with a beat on the lexical stress, or sung. The participants heard 96 stimuli of three Dutch (non)words varying in the lexical stress position and mentioned which of the last two words was pronounced as the first. The results show that musicians outperformed non-musicians, that the accuracy rate is higher for sung stimuli and spoken stimuli with a beat than for spoken stimuli and that music training interacts with the musical characteristics of the stimuli.
The influence of subventricular zone involvement in extent of resection and tumor growth pattern of glioblastoma
Authors: Ahmadipour Yahya , Krings Julie-Inga , Rauschenbach Laurèl , Gembruch Oliver , Chihi Mehdi , Darkwah Oppong Marvin , Pierscianek Daniela , Jabbarli Ramazan , Sure Ulrich , El Hindy Nicolai
Published: September 2020

Objectives

Isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH1/2) mutations and O6-alkylguanine DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) promoter methylations are acknowledged survival predictors in patients with glioblastoma (GB). Moreover, tumor growth patterns like multifocality and subventricular zone (SVZ) involvement seem to be associated with poorer outcomes. Here, we wanted to evaluate the influence of the SVZ involvement and the multifocal tumor growth on the extent of surgical resection and its correlation with overall survival (OS) and molecular characteristics of patients with GB.

Methods

Adult patients with primary GB who underwent surgery at our department between 2012 and 2014 were included. Preoperative magnetic resonance imaging findings were analyzed with regard to tumor location, presence of multifocality and SVZ involvement. The extent of surgical resection as well as clinical and molecular parameters was collected from electronic patient records. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed.

Results

Two hundred eight patients were retrospectively analyzed, comprising 90 (43.3%) female individuals with a mean age of 62.9 (±12.26) years and OS of 10.2 months (±8.9). Unifocal tumor location was a predictor for better OS with a mean of 11.4 (±9.4) months (vs. 8.0 [±7.4] months, p=0.008). Affection of the SVZ was also associated with lower surgical resection rates (p<0.001). SVZ involvement revealed with 7.8 (±7.0) months a significant worse OS [vs. 13.9 (±10.1) months, p<0.001]. All six IDH1/2 wildtype tumors showed an unifocal location (p=0.066). MGMT promoter methylation was not associated with multifocal tumor growth (p=0.649) or SVZ involvement (p=0.348). Multivariate analysis confirmed independent association between the SVZ involvement and OS (p=0.001).

Conclusion

The involvement of the SVZ appears to have an influence on a lower resection rate of GB. This negative impact of SVZ on GB outcome might be related to lesser extent of resection, higher rates of multifocality and greater surgical morbidity but not inevitably to IDH1/2 mutation and MGMT promoter methylation status.
Geospatial Analysis in Responding to a Nuclear Detonation Scenario in NYC: The Gotham Shield Exercise
Authors: Lowe Luis , Salame-Alfie Adela , Neurath Bob , Quinn Celia , Ansari Armin , Whitcomb Robert , Dopson Stephanie
Published: September 2020

In April 2017, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) participated in the Gotham Shield Exercise, led by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and in collaboration with other federal agencies to test the federal, state and local government’s ability to respond to an improvised nuclear device (IND). With active engagement from CDC leadership, 266 scientific and support staff from across the agency participated in the Gotham Shield exercise. The scenario involved a 10-kiloton detonation near the Lincoln Tunnel in New Jersey. This nuclear detonation scenario provided CDC with the opportunity to test some of the all-hazards tools the agency uses during response to other national or international emergencies, such as Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and mapping tools, and apply these tools to a nuclear emergency. Geospatial analysis associated with real time data can provide near real time information for individuals and entities associated with response and recovery activities. This type of analysis can provide timely data in regard to maps and information used to properly place staging areas for Community Reception Centers (CRC), mass care locations, and other medical care and countermeasure related services. Maps showing locations of power loss, such as locations of lost or inoperable main electrical grid and substations, combined with real time data on where power is available provides valuable information for first responders and emergency managers as well as responders engaged in communicating critical public messages to affected populations in these areas. By using real-time information, response officials can direct the response, allocate scarce resources, aid in coordination efforts, and provide a more efficient means of providing critical public health and medical services. The results of the exercise highlight the importance of using geospatial analysis for response planning and effect mitigation before, during, and after a public health event of this magnitude, and the value they represent in informed decision making.
Anxiety and depression symptoms in the same pregnant women before and during the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Ayaz Reyhan , Hocaoğlu Meryem , Günay Taner , Yardımcı Oğuz devrim , Turgut Abdulkadir , Karateke Ateş
Published: September 2020

Objectives

With clinical experience from previous coronavirus infections, public health measures and fear of infection may have negative psychological effects on pregnant women. This study aimed to compare the level of anxiety and depression in the same pregnant women before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods

The pregnant women continuing pregnancy who participated in the first study which was undertaken to clarify the factors associated with mental health of pregnant women before the COVID-19 pandemic, were included for the current study during the outbreak. Anxiety and depression symptoms of the same pregnant women were evaluated by using the Inventory of Depression and Anxiety Symptoms II and Beck Anxiety Inventory twice before and during the pandemic.

Results

A total of 63 pregnant women completed questionnaires. The mean age of the women and the mean gestational age was 30.35±5.27 years and 32.5±7 weeks, respectively. The mean total IDAS II score was found to increase from 184.78±49.67 (min: 109, max: 308) to 202.57±52.90 (min: 104, max: 329) before and during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. According to the BAI scores the number of patients without anxiety (from 10 to 6) and with mild anxiety (from 31 to 24) decreased and patients with moderate (from 20 to 25) and severe anxiety (from 2 to 8) increased after SARS-CoV-2 infection. Multivariate linear regression analysis revealed that obesity and relationship with her husband are the best predictors of IDAS II scores.

Conclusions

This study indicated that COVID-19 outbreak affects the mental health of pregnant women negatively which leads to adverse birth outcomes. The level of anxiety and depression symptoms of pregnant women during the COVID-19 infection significantly increased. Healthcare professionals should establish comprehensive treatment plans for pregnant women who are highly vulnerable population to prevent mental trauma during the infectious disease outbreaks.
Shari’a Law and Its Impact on the Development of Muslim and Non-Muslim Business Relations in the United Arab Emirates
Authors: Nurmohamed Rehanna
Published: September 2020

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is situated near the Persian Gulf in the North Eastern part of the Arabian Peninsula. Established in 1971 by the late Sheikh Zayed Al Nahyan, the UAE forms a federation of seven Emirates consisting of Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al-Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah (The Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah had officially joined the federation on the 11th of February 1972.), and Fujairah. Because of its diversity and cosmopolitan nature, the country has always been a crossroad and prime location for people and trade. As Islam and Islamic principles have influenced Gulf societies in the very core of its existence, the Islamic way of conduct in trade relations and dispute resolutions are an element of paramount significance. This Article explores the role of Shari’a Law and its impact on the economic development of Muslim and non-Muslim business relations in the UAE and in particular in the Emirate of Dubai. The law and development from an Islamic perspective introduces a new vision on the theories of law and development by addressing the influence of Shari’a Law in economic development. In international trade relations and dispute resolution mechanisms such as formal contract enforcements in the Dubai International Finance Centre (DIFC) and the Dubai International Arbitration Centre (DIAC) the plurality of laws leads to the adoption of Shari’a Law over the Civil and Common Law regimes.
NANOG regulates the proliferation of PCSCs via the TGF-β1/SMAD pathway
Authors: Liu Changming , Sheng Mingxiong , Lin Liheng , Li Huizhang , Guo Shanming , Zhang Jiabin , Chen Guangbing , Chen Huihong
Published: September 2020

Purpose

In prostate cancer, castration resistance is a factor that frequently leads to death in individuals with this disease. Recent studies have suggested that prostate cancer stem cells (PCSCs) are pivotal regulators in the establishment of castration resistance. The nanog homeobox (NANOG) and the transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1/drosophila mothers against decapentaplegic protein (SMAD) signaling pathways are involved in several cancer stem cells but are not involved in PCSCs. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of NANOG on the proliferation of PCSCs regulated by the TGF-β1/SMAD signaling pathway.

Methods

In this study, we used flow cytometry to isolate CD44+/CD133+/NANOG+ PCSCs from DU145 prostate cancer cells. Then we used short hairpin RNA to silence NANOG and observed the biological behavior and the TGF-β1/SMAD signal of PCSCs.

Results

NANOG decreased PCSC proliferation, increased apoptosis, and blocked cell cycling at G0/G1. Furthermore, reduction in the TGF-β1, p15, and p-SMAD2 expression was observed.

Conclusion

These findings suggest that NANOG positively regulates the growth of PCSCs through the TGF-β1/SMAD signaling pathway.
Selective excitation of individual nanoantennas by pure spectral phase control in the ultrafast coherent regime
Authors: Accanto Nicolò , de Roque Pablo M. , Galvan-Sosa Marcial , Hancu Ion M. , van Hulst Niek F.
Published: September 2020

Coherent control is an ingenious tactic to steer a system to a desired optimal state by tailoring the phase of an incident ultrashort laser pulse. A relevant process is the two-photon–induced photoluminescence (TPPL) of nanoantennas, as it constitutes a convenient route to map plasmonic fields, and has important applications in biological imaging and sensing. Unfortunately, coherent control of metallic nanoantennas is impeded by their ultrafast femtosecond dephasing times so far limiting control to polarization and spectral optimization. Here, we report that phase control of the TPPL in resonant gold nanoantennas is possible. We show that, by compressing pulses shorter than the localized surface plasmon dephasing time (<20 fs), a very fast coherent regime develops, in which the two-photon excitation is sensitive to the phase of the electric field and can therefore be controlled. Instead, any phase control is gone when using longer pulses. Finally, we demonstrate pure phase control by resorting to a highly sensitive closed-loop strategy, which exploits the phase differences in the ultrafast coherent response of different nanoantennas, to selectively excite a chosen antenna. These results underline the direct and intimate relation between TPPL and coherence in gold nanoantennas, which makes them interesting systems for nanoscale nonlinear coherent control.
The Absolute as the Meeting Point Between Speculation and Fiction
Authors: Habdankaitė Daina
Published: September 2020

The article investigates Meillassoux’s notion of the absolute in relationship with the Kantian and Hegelian philosophical systems. The absolute, as independent of subjective consciousness, is showcased as the meeting point of speculation and fiction. By looking into Meillassoux’s notions of speculation and some works of weird fiction, it is argued that the significant role of imagination as well as a deferred temporality is what facilitates the discussion of both speculation and fiction as faculties able to transcend the limitations that are projected by the correlationist mind. Through a reading of Lovecraftian fiction, both the strong and weak points of Meillassoux’s argumentation in After Finitude and Science Fiction and Extro-Science Fiction are identified, proving the latter to be a less successful way of grasping the chaotic real.
Architectural Values, Political Affordances and Selective Permeability
Authors: Crippen Mathew , Klement Vladan
Published: September 2020

This article connects value-sensitive design to Gibson’s affordance theory: the view that we perceive in terms of the ease or difficulty with which we can negotiate space. Gibson’s ideas offer a nonsubjectivist way of grasping culturally relative values, out of which we develop a concept of political affordances, here understood as openings or closures for social action, often implicit. Political affordances are equally about environments and capacities to act in them. Capacities and hence the severity of affordances vary with age, health, social status and more. This suggests settings areselectively permeable, or what postphenomenologists call multistable. Multistable settings are such that a single physical location shows up differently – as welcoming or hostile – depending on how individuals can act on it. In egregious cases, authoritarian governments redesign politically imbued spaces to psychologically cordon both them and the ideologies they represent. Selective permeability is also orchestrated according to business interests, which is symptomatic of commercial imperatives increasingly dictating what counts as moral and political goods.
Talking with tradition: On Brandom’s historical rationality
Authors: Gazit Yael
Published: September 2020

Robert Brandom’s notion of historical rationality seeks to supplement his inferentialism thesis by providing an account for the validity of conceptual contents. This account, in the shape of a historical process, involves the same self-integration of Brandom’s earlier inferentialism and is similarly restricted by reciprocal recognition of others. This article argues that in applying the synchronic social model of normative discourse to the diachronic axis of engaging the past, Brandom premises a false analogy between present community and past tradition, which obscures the important differences between the two axes. This is explored by looking closely at how Brandom’s own engagements with the past exemplify his historical rationality. Taking its cue from Brandom’s critics, the article shows that Brandom’s own discourse with tradition is not, and cannot be, dialogical and, in accordance, that historical rationality is not, and cannot be, governed by the same social structure of inferentialism. The article concludes with the implications of such a claim on Brandom’s thesis as a whole and on the role of tradition in the process of normative change, in light of it.