bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Drained Residual Shear Strength Power Function Coefficients a and b
Authors: Stark Timothy D. , Idries Abedalqader
Published: April 2021

Drained residual strength is the controlling shear strength for slopes that have experienced prior movement, contain colluvium, or have a continuous zone of slickensided material. This study provides correlations between power function coefficients a and b and soil index properties, e.g., liquid limit, plastic limit, and clay-size fraction, to represent the drained residual strength envelope. These correlations provide a prediction of the residual secant friction angle, ϕ’r, at any desired effective normal stress, which can be used to establish the residual strength envelope for stability analyses. The standard deviation of a and b coefficients and the corresponding trendlines were found using two statistical methods, with the Graphical Three-Sigma Rule Method providing a better representation of the data scatter than the Computational Method. Data from the literature were compiled and compared to the proposed a and b coefficients and there is favorable agreement.
Gynecomastia as a presenting symptom of Graves’ disease in a 49-year-old man
Authors: Mohammadnia N , Simsek S , Stam F
Published: April 2021

Gynecomastia is a symptom with a potential high disease burden. It has a variety of underlying causes, such as malignant, drug-related or hormonal. The presence of gynecomastia can be explained in thyrotoxicosis due to a concomitant disbalance of sex hormones. Interestingly, it rarely is the presenting symptom of Graves’ disease. A 49-year-old man presented to our outpatient clinic with right-sided gynecomastia. After thorough history taking, more symptoms of thyrotoxicosis were present. Treatment was started with thiamazole and later levothyroxine. Three months after this treatment the gynecomastia and other symptoms resolved completely. A disbalance of sex hormones due to an increased expression of the protein sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) caused by thyrotoxicosis could result in gynecomastia. In vitro and in vivo research in mice suggest that the pathophysiology of thyrotoxicosis-associated gynecomastia is due to upregulation of hepatocyte nuclear factor-4α (HNF4A) in liver cells. Subsequent increase of SHBG results in a decrease of free testosterone levels.

Learning points

Gynecomastia is a common finding (up to almost 40%) on physical examination in patients with hyperthyroidism.

In gynecomastia, thyroid function tests should be examined on initial presentation because of the relative simple treatment.

The pathophysiology of thyrotoxicosis-associated gynecomastia is well understood by a sex-hormonal disbalance due to an increased expression of SHBG.

Due to the well explainable pathophysiology, reduction of symptoms can be expected after treatment.

The underlying mechanism of an increased expression of SHBG is not well understood. However, in vitro and in vivo research in mice suggests that thyrotoxicosis causes an increased expression of HNF4A in liver cells. Thus, upregulating the expression of SHBG.

Interestingly, HNF4A is suspected to play an important role in MODY. Future research will clarify the importance of this gene and might open up new insights for therapy.
Impact of Oral Health on Quality of Life in Relation to Dental Caries and Social Determinants in Venezuelan Migrants Lima-2019
Authors: Quintanilla-Cohello Marco I. , García-Rupaya Carmen R.
Published: April 2021

Objective: To evaluate the results of the impact of oral health on quality of life through the OHIP-14 in relation to dental caries and social determinants in Venezuelan migrants. Methodology: A cross-sectional study was carried out in a population of 350 Venezuelan migrants (30.1±7.4 years; 52% Men). Where to evaluate the impact of oral health on quality of life, the “Oral Health Impact Profile Spanish version Lima” questionnaire (OHIP-14sp Lima) was used, contrasting with both clinical (DMFT index) and sociodemographic factors, in order to determine the influence of these on the instrument. The impact of oral health on quality of life (OHIP-14) was determined, according to the average general score and by dimensions. Subsequently, a clinical examination was carried out evaluating the presence of dental caries lesions (DMFT Index) and sociodemographic data were collected through a survey. Results: The average of the OHIP-14sp Lima generated a negative impact of 10.6% on the migrant population. The dimension of "Psychological Discomfort" was the one that showed a higher frequency of negative impact with a percentage of 38.3%. Conclusion: The results of the OHIP-14 sp Lima in the total of evaluated migrants were low in percentage terms, generating mostly an average of a positive impact. However, it cannot be ruled out that sociodemographic factors such as sex and levels of education; they were factors that did generate a negative impact, significantly affecting the results observed in one or more of the dimensions evaluated using the OHIP-14 instrument in the present study.
A Panorama of Polish Guitar Concertos
Authors: Gurgul Wojciech
Published: April 2021

The present article constitutes an attempt at outlining the musical oeuvre of Polish composers in the field of concertos for guitar and orchestra. Since the 1940s, when the first concerto with a guitar part was created, more than 100 concertos have been composed in Poland. In an effort to write such a piece of music, composers discovered different creative paths, which often revealed various new colours of the guitar. The article discusses a proposal to divide the concertos created in Poland according to the specificity of the pieces, introduces the history of the first Polish concertos and paints a picture of guitar literature created by 2020.
Pharmacogenetics of new classes of antidiabetic drugs
Authors: Imamovic Kadric Selma , Kulo Cesic Aida , Dujic Tanja
Published: April 2021

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) has a continuously rising prevalence worldwide. Pharmacogenetics has been recognized as a promising concept for pharmacological treatment of T2D, as antidiabetic drugs are not equally effective and safe for all patients, and the costs of diabetes treatment are increasing. The latest published guidelines on T2D treatment firmly endorse the use of newer antidiabetic drugs, sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT2i), dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors (DPP-IVi), and glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RA), considering their satisfactory pharmacological effect and good safety profile. Furthermore, SGLT2i and GLP-1RA show protective effects in patients with established atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and chronic kidney disease. However, there has been growing evidence that the effectiveness and safety of these drug classes could depend on genetic variability. Here we summarized the results of the published studies on the pharmacogenetic biomarkers for the three drug classes. A number of genetic variations have been investigated so far. The explored candidate genes mostly encode drug targets, drug-metabolizing enzymes, and genes linked to T2D risk. Although many of the results are promising, it is still necessary to obtain more information from larger controlled studies to confirm their clinical significance. This approach may lead towards more personalized treatment for patients with T2D.
HTAPP_OCT-embedded frozen tissue sectioning and mounting on Visium specialized slides v1
Authors: Segerstolpe Asa , Rozenblatt-Rosen Orit , Regev Aviv
Published: April 2021

Visium Spatial Gene Expression is a next-generation molecular technology from 10x genomics to enable whole gene expression visualization in intact tissues. For the Human Tumor Atlas Project (HTAPP) we utilized this technology to profile OCT-fresh frozen lung cancer and ovarian cancer tissue samples. This protocol describes how the OCT-blocks were sectioned and the tissue sections mounted on the Visium slides for downstream processing. Links for all 10x genomics downstream protocols followed for our HTAPP work are provided in Step 17. In addition, this protocol describes how hematoxylin and eosin stained sections were generated for the lung and ovarian cancer OCT-blocks for quality review and pathology annotation in preparation for Visium profiling.
High Throughput SARS-COV-2, PMMOV, and BCoV quantification in settled solids using digital RT-PCR v1
Authors: Topol (Verily Life Sciences) Aaron , White (Verily Life Sciences) Brad , Wigginton Krista , B B Boehm Alexandria , not provided marlene.wolfe
Published: April 2021

This process instruction describes the steps for quantitative analysis of nucleic acid from SARS-CoV-2 with a triplex Reverse Transcriptase droplet digital Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-ddPCR) assay targeting the N Gene, S Gene and ORF1a and a duplex assay targeting Bovine Coronavirus Vaccine (BCoV) and Pepper Mild mottle virus (PMMoV) in extracted and purified RNA samples from solid wastewater samples for population level SARS-CoV-2 community surveillance. RT-ddPCR is a modified version of conventional RT-PCR workflows which involves separating the reaction mixture into many partitions (~20,000) before thermal cycling which allows for direct absolute quantification of the target RNA molecules. This protocol uses RNA extracted using this protocol: High Throughput RNA Extraction and PCR Inhibitor Removal of Settled Solids for Wastewater Surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 RNA. That RNA is generated from samples subjected to pre-analytical steps outlined in: High Throughput pre-analytical processing of wastewater settled solids for SARS-CoV-2 RNA analyses. This protocol describes 2 separate PCR reactions, one containing primer/probe mixtures targeting the three SARS-CoV-2 targets and one containing primer/probe mixtures targeting BCoV and PMMoV. BCoV is spiked into samples before nucleic acid extraction and serves as a process control as well as an indicator of PCR inhibition. PMMoV is an enveloped virus which is abundant in human fecal waste and serves as an endogenous control for data normalization. PMMoV RNA is abundant at such high levels in wastewater samples that the samples must be diluted by a factor of 100 before quantification. The readout of this assay is a concentration of each target in the extracted RNA samples (copies/uL). Scope This process instruction applies to quantitative analysis of nucleic acid from SARS-CoV-2 RNA from solid wastewater samples with ddPCR using a Bio-Rad AutoDG Droplet Digital PCR system consisting of the AutoDG Automated Droplet Generator and the QX200 droplet reader.
Efficient third generation lentiviral particle production v2
Authors: Newbery Michelle , Maksour Simon , Hulme Amy , S Ng Neville , Dottori Mirella , Ooi Lezanne
Published: April 2021

The overexpression of a gene of interest by third generation lentiviral particle generation systems is a critical process in molecular biology, cell biology and gene therapy research. While many lentiviral protocol production methods have been discussed in literature, this protocol takes into account previously established optimisations with the aim to minimise user handling time, cost, and maximise practical yield. This protocol allows for at least 6 days of consecutive viral particle collection without compromising HEK293T cell culture or viral production efficiency, and can be easily and cost effectively reproduced in basic cell culture laboratories.
Pharmacological treatment of herpes zoster and factors associated with its recurrence v1
Authors: E Machado Alba Jorge , Valladales Restrepo Luis , Velasquez-Quimara Santiago
Published: April 2021

Introduction: The treatment of herpes zoster involves antivirals, various analgesics, and pain modulators. There is a risk of recurrence among patients, especially women, who have certain pathologies and use certain medications. Objective: To determine the pharmacological management of herpes zoster and identify factors associated with recurrence. Materials and methods: A longitudinal study identifying the pharmacological management of patients with herpes zoster and the factors related to the first recurrence using a population database. Sociodemographic, pharmacological and comorbidity variables were considered. A Cox proportional hazards regression was performed. Results: A total of 2978 patients with herpes zoster were identified, with a median age of 58.9 years [interquartile range: 44.0-69.3 years]; 65.2% were women. A total of 2.3% of patients had a first recurrence. The treatment mainly involved acyclovir, and corticosteroids were used in greater proportion for recurrence than for the initial herpes episode (18.8% vs. 9.8%, respectively). Being female (HR: 2.49; 95% CI: 1.29-4.80), having liver cirrhosis (HR: 6.93; 95% CI: 1.65-29.05), having hypothyroidism (HR: 1.87; 95% CI: 1.09-3.21) and having received corticosteroids for the initial episode (HR: 2.22; 95% CI: 1.20-4.08) were associated with a greater probability of a first recurrence. Conclusions: The antiviral and analgesic management of patients with herpes zoster is in accordance with clinical practice guidelines. The proportion of patients with herpes zoster recurrence is not high, but clinical conditions that increase this risk were identified, particularly the use of corticosteroids, a pharmacological group that to date does not have clear evidence of efficacy and safety for this group of patients.
A SHORT HISTORY OF PALEONTOLOGY IN TURKEY, PART I: FROM THE NINETEENTH CENTURY TO THE COLLAPSE OF OTTOMAN TURKEY
Authors: SARIGÜL VOLKAN
Published: April 2021

Modern paleontology in Turkey appeared in the early nineteenth century, together with the first modern geological studies. The fossils collected in these studies were initially used to establish biostratigraphy and to make the first geological maps of the country. Paleontologists were involved in these studies from the beginning; the earliest identifications of new animal and plant taxa from Turkey occurred in the same century along with the detailed descriptions of the rich and diverse Turkish fossil record. Aside from the academic studies, some paleontologists also took part in the economic side by contributing to stratigraphic analysis of coal beds or participating in petroleum exploration. All these pioneering works on the geology and paleontology of Turkey were done by foreigners; however, the outcomes of this newly introduced science were quickly appreciated by Ottoman Turkey. During the middle of the nineteenth century, the first text mentioning geological processes was written by the head scholar of the Imperial School of Military Engineering, while the first geology classes began to be taught under the Imperial Medical School in Istanbul, in which the first natural history collection was also established. Unfortunately, not a single original study in paleontology was produced by Ottoman citizens, with the notable exception of an Austrian immigrant of Hungarian descent, possibly because of a lack of a real interest in earth sciences.
TOURISTS PLAY WITH LAVA AND VOLCANIC HEAT: KĪLAUEA VOLCANO’S EARLY CONTRIBUTIONS TO HAWAI‘I’S TOURISM INDUSTRY
Authors: KIM ALICE , LAUTZE NICOLE C.
Published: April 2021

Kīlauea Volcano has attracted visitors to Hawai‘i throughout the history of Hawai‘i’s tourism industry. From the 1870s to the 1910s, Kīlauea offered the experience of using volcanic heat and molten lava to cook food, melt postcards onto cavern walls, enflame items, and obtain souvenirs including scorched postcards, rocks, olivine, and Pele’s hair. Writers shared their experiences in publications, and traveling presentations showed American audiences images of visitors scorching postcards at Kīlauea. Marketing campaigns on the U.S. Mainland promoted Hawai‘i as a tourist destination and promoted cooking with Kīlauea’s heat. In 1907, U.S. Congressmen toured Kīlauea Caldera, ate dinner cooked with Kīlauea’s heat, and learned about Kīlauea’s geodiversity. These experiences likely influenced Congress to establish the Kīlauea, Haleakalā, and Mauna Loa Volcanoes as the Hawaii National Park (now known as the Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park). Today, the U.S. National Park Service maintains the Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, and it offers geological, biological, and cultural resources for recreation and education. For destination marketing, Kīlauea provided Hawai‘i a comparative advantage for tourism.
“She Did Not Find One That Was for Me”: The College Pathways of the Mexican and Central American Undocumented 1.25 Generation
Authors: DIAZ-STRONG DAYSI XIMENA
Published: April 2021

In this article, Daysi Ximena Diaz-Strong draws on interviews with Mexican and Central American 1.25 generation undocumented young adults to examine what shaped their access to financial resources in their college-going transitions. Although scholars have demonstrated that school agents and peers are critical to accessing resources and that stratified schools create unequal access to resources, this knowledge derives from the experiences of the 1.5 generation, and little is known about the college pathways of the undocumented 1.25 generation. Through a social capital lens, Diaz-Strong shows how undocumented 1.25 generation immigrants encounter structural disadvantages in accessing resources and how, arriving in adolescence, they experience below-level course placement and have little time to learn the US system. This article extends our understanding of the factors shaping the college pathways of undocumented youth and shows how immigrants’ life stage on arrival interacts with school sorting mechanisms to create differential access to financial resources.
Introduction: Impact of and Response to the Pandemic
Authors: Akee Randall , Carroll Stephanie R. , Ford Chandra
Published: April 2021

In a two-volume, special edition, AICRJ volume 44, issues 2 and 3, we examine COVID-19’s unique implications for Indigenous Peoples, nations, and communities. Within the United States, African Americans, Hispanics, and American Indians have experienced substantially higher levels of COVID-19 infection and death. The impact of COVID-19 on Indigenous Peoples residing in other countries differs according to the overall national strategy for dealing with the pandemic. The structural racism of colonialism is the driver of myriad negative outcomes for Indigenous Peoples, and the effects of COVID-19 are no exception. The articles in this first special issue take a granular and intersectional look at the impact of the pandemic, the resilience of Indigenous communities, and the relevance of self-determination in public responses. These articles document specific programs and methods to combat and cope with COVID-19 effects in Indigenous communities and nations.
Urban American Indian Caregiving during COVID-19
Authors: Cordova-Marks Felina M. , Badger Terry A. , Harris Robin B.
Published: April 2021

This study examined the experience of caregiving during a pandemic by asking five questions about how COVID-19 was impacting twenty American Indian caregivers providing care to a family member who was disabled, elderly, or had a chronic health condition. Interviews were conducted via Zoom. Themes identified were concern about the care recipient contracting COVID-19, increased caregiving intensity, increased Medical care issues, changes to caregiver health and health behaviors, and support received and increased need for support during the pandemic (material and emotional). Responses indicate that tribes and American Indian health organizations should initiate services that can support caregivers during the pandemic or make changes to their caregiver programs.
COVID-19, Intersectionality, and Health Equity for Indigenous Peoples with Lived Experience of Disability
Authors: Jones Bernadette , King Paula Toko , Baker Gabrielle , Ingham Tristram
Published: April 2021

As Māori and tāngata whaikaha (Māori with lived experience of disability) of the nation-state known as New Zealand, we are deeply concerned about the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. In this commentary, we invoke intersectionality as an analytical tool for understanding critical issues tāngata whaikaha face in the context of the universal approach encompassing New Zealand’s pandemic response. We propose a “call to action” framework comprising four elements: (1) guaranteeing self-determination for tāngata whaikaha; (2) addressing all forms of racism, ableism, and other structural forms of oppression; (3) rectifying historical injustices; and (4) allocating resources for the pandemic and beyond in alignment with need.
First Nations’ Survivance and Sovereignty in Canada during a Time of COVID-19
Authors: Rowe Robyn K. , Rowat Julia , Walker Jennifer D.
Published: April 2021

First Nations people in Canada have demonstrated and continue to demonstrate persistent and resilient cultural, linguistic, and traditional endurance: survivance. The devastation resulting from centuries of health pandemics such as smallpox, influenza, cholera, tuberculosis, measles, and scarlet fever reinforce the ongoing resilience of First Nations people, cultures, and traditions in Canada. Despite the history of pandemic-related trauma and a myriad of social, political, environmental, and health challenges, as well as the added burden that COVID-19 is placing on the healthcare system in Canada, First Nations’ organizations and leadership are enacting their inherent rights to sovereignty and governance. While First Nations are bracing for the expected negative impacts of COVID-19, they are doing so in ways that respect and honor their histories, cultures, languages, and traditions. First Nations are acting to protect some of the most vulnerable people in their communities including elders, knowledge keepers, and storytellers who carry with them irreplaceable traditional and cultural knowledges.
Çoklu Zekâ Temelli Eğitimin Yedinci Sınıf Öğrencilerinin Matematik Başarıları ve Matematiğe Yönelik Tutumları Üzerindeki Etkisi
Authors: İRMAK Lokman , ÇELİK Halil Coşkun
Published: April 2021

Bu araştırmanın amacı Çoklu Zekâ temelli eğitimin yedinci sınıf öğrencilerinin matematik başarıları ve matematiğe yönelik tutumları üzerindeki etkisini incelemektir. Çalışmada öntest-sontest kontrol gruplu yarı deneysel desen kullanılmıştır. Araştırma, Batman ilindeki bir devlet okulunun yedinci sınıfına devam eden, iki farklı sınıftaki 76 öğrenci ile yürütülmüştür. Deney grubunda Çoklu Zekâ temelli eğitim, kontrol grubunda mevcut öğretim programına göre eğitim verilmiştir. Araştırma sonuçları Çoklu Zekâ temelli eğitimin, mevcut öğretim programına göre matematik başarısını ve matematiğe yönelik tutumu olumlu yönde daha çok geliştirdiğini göstermiştir. Bu çalışma, matematik öğretiminde Çoklu Zekâ Kuramının pedagojik bir yaklaşım olarak uygulanması durumunda öğrencilere sınıflarda öğretim sonuçlarından büyük kazanımlar sağlayacağını göstermektedir.
Assessment of knowledge and perceptions in relation to COVID-19 pandemic among dental professionals during the first 40 days of national lockdown in India
Authors: Ansari Nazreen , Paul Jose , Prakash D’Lima Johnson , Parackal Senny Thomas , Thomas Deepak , Roy Jenny Susan
Published: April 2021

The coronavirus disease 2019 (“COVID-19”) is an emerging, rapidly spreading disease which was first detected in December 2019 in China. This was declared a public health emergency of international concern by the WHO in January 2020. In connection with this, the Government of India ordered a nationwide lockdown on March 24, 2020 for 21 days initially, which was extended later.

To assess the knowledge and perceptions in relation to COVID-19 pandemic among dental professionals during the first 40 days of national lockdown in India.

A web-based cross-sectional study. Convenient sampling design was used.

The survey application Google forms was used for the study. A self-constructed 22-item questionnaire in English language was provided to the participants which required approximately 5 minutes to complete.

SPSS version 24 was used.A chi square test was used to investigate the level of association among variables at significance level p<0.05.

Out of the 670 participants, 53% were females, 56.1% were aged 25-34 years, and more than half of them were post graduates. A significant proportion of dentists had a good knowledge of its incubation period (70.4%) and modes of transmission (61.8%) and showed positive perceptions of COVID-19 prevention and control. Most participants predicted a change in post lockdown practice.

As the global threat of COVID-19 continues unabated, there lies a greater responsibility with the dental professionals in India to educate themselves and the general population regarding the risks and preventive measures of COVID-19.
FEMALE UNIVERSITY STUDENTS’ REFLECTIONS ON THEIR SOCIAL AND EDUCATIONAL FUTURE IN PAKISTAN
Authors: Buzdar Muhammad Ayub , Ikram Hamid , Perveen Shahnaz
Published: April 2021

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the perceptions of female university students about their social and educational careers and factors that may promote or hinder their efforts to achieve their targets.

Method: Mixed method research design was followed to achieve the research objectives. Three thousand female university students were selected following a multiphase sampling technique to participate in the close-ended questionnaire that was used to collect the quantitative data in the first phase of data collection. Forty female students were randomly selected from the already selected pool of students in the second phase of data collection. An interview schedule was used to collect qualitative data from these 40 students. The qualitative data were analyzed with the help of NVivo following a thematic analysis approach

Main Findings: The results showed that the female university students are ready to move forward in their education and contribute effectively in the social spheres of life. Various educational, social, academic, and financial factors that hinder achieving their goals are also identified.

Applications of the Study: The results help to make educational activities more systematic, modern, and target-oriented.

Novelty/Originality of the Study: The activity contributes to identifying solutions to problems that are associated with the female students’ empowerment and engagement in social and economic activities.
Seasonal Dynamics of Internode Length of Salix triandra L. (Salicaceae) Against the Background of Short-Term Atmospheric Drought
Authors: Afonin Alexey A.
Published: April 2021

Almond willow (Salix triandra L.) is a valuable basket species that is used to create plantings for various purposes. He occupies a special place in the system of the genus Salix. He can be used as a model object to identify patterns of morphogenesis of shoots. Object of research: model inbred population of almond willow in culture. Subject of research: seasonal dynamics of internode length on annual shoots of three-year-old seedlings willow of almond willow. The purpose of the research: to identify the seasonal dynamics of the length of internodes on annual shoots of almond willow against the background of a sharp change in early summer drought by cold rainy weather. Empirical methods for obtaining initial data: comparative-morphological. The obtained data were processed using the methods of analysis of dynamics series. It is found that seasonal trends in the dynamics of internode length are described by second-order regression equations with varying reliability. The configuration and topology of nonlinear seasonal trends are determined by individual differences between seedlings. The dynamics of deviations of internode length from seasonal trends correlates with the dynamics of hydrothermic conditions. Deviations in the length of internodes from seasonal trends are cyclical. The empirical series of deviations of the internode length from seasonal trends with high reliability are approximated by the sums of harmonic oscillations. The maximum contribution to the cyclical deviations of the internode length from seasonal trends is made by the rhythm with a period of fluctuations of 54 days. On most shoots, the influence of rhythms with a period of fluctuations of 36 and 27 days can be traced. Short-period rhythms detected on different shoots are irregular. In most observations, the specific rhythms of seasonal dynamics of internode length are determined by differences between shoots. The identified rhythms do not depend on hydrothermic conditions, on the length of shoots, on the length of internodes, or on seasonal trends in the dynamics of internode length. The hypothesis that the relationship between the dynamics of deviations in the length of internodes from seasonal trends and the dynamics of hydrothermic conditions is random is substantiated. Cyclicity deviations of internode length from seasonal trends are determined by endogenous rhythms of development.
Geochemical Features of the Tulallar Gold Ore Field
Authors: Baba-zadeh Vasif Mamad Aga oglu , Ismayilova Narmina Nazim kyzy , Imamverdiyev Nazim Ajdar oglu , Abdullaeva Shakhla Faig kyzy
Published: April 2021

The article discusses the geochemical features of the Tulallar gold field in the Lesser Caucasus. Distributions of gold and accompanying elements (Ag, As, Hg, Bi, Cu, Zn) in metasomatically altered rocks taken from mine workings (ditches, adits, etc.) and wells are considered. The results of analyzes of furrow samples showed that the content of Au ranges from 0.4 ppm to 37.5 ppm, Ag - from 0.5 ppm to 48.4 ppm. In strongly kaolinized, weakly limonitized quartzites, the Au content ranged from 0.4 to 1.2 ppm, Ag - from 4.0 to 8.8 ppm. In the well drilled in the Central Block, closer to the surface, the siliceous breccias contain Au 309-363 ppm, Ag 132-250 ppm, and high As, Bi and Hg contents are also noted. A similar picture is observed in the silicified rocks of the wells of the Western block. Correlations between Au, Ag and other impurity elements were determined using the STAT program. A direct positive correlation has been established between Au and Ag, Au and Bi, Au and Hg. A positive relationship was also found between Ag and Bi, Ag and Hg. Cluster analysis revealed two different mineral associations: 1) native elements and their compounds - minerals and 2) polysulfide. The closest connection is observed between Ag, Hg and Au. Mineralogically, the Ag-Hg-Au-Bi cluster apparently corresponds to an early ore association - electrum, bismuth tellurides, possibly with inclusions of finely dispersed gold. The second, polymetallic cluster is characterized by a weak correlation bond Аs-Сu-Zn, which indicates that polysulfides were deposited later. The largest amount of Au was deposited in the early mineral association.
COVID-19 May Change Modern Companies Forever—A Brief Outlook
Authors: Cao Gerui
Published: April 2021

The future is a big word. It can be composed of uncertainties that make us all fear for. However, it is also filled with opportunities that one can grasp vast amount of optimism. We, as the human species, have always been fascinated with our imagination about the future. In the past, we besought witches to tell us about our fortunes. Nowadays, we form risk management entities and consulting firms that help clients identify opportunities and dangers, while attempting to “shape” the future for each one’s favor if possible. If you ask any one at the New Year Eve party about their predictions of the year 2020 on December 31st, 2019, no one would have believed what was bound to take place—in the same fashion as one from 1700s would have never believed the establishment of European Union. While the virus halted our daily routines and is enforcing humans to change their social behaviors, the very reality of this current pandemic COVID-19 is indeed unprecedented. Humans cannot rewind the reality to the past—we should analyze the current situation and predict the future trends in the hope of a more adequate preparation. COVID-19 can be perceived as a catalyst that boosts the progress of various occurring long-term trends in business conducts. Hence, these key long-term trends can shape up companies’ future structures and behaviors forever.
Research on Risk Control Strategies of Consumer Finance Based on Big Data Technology
Authors: Wang Ziwei
Published: April 2021

China’s economic development is from high speed to high quality. Developing consumer finance has become a new growth point of China’s economic development and one of the important ways to expand domestic demand. Consumer finance is based on the development of new generation Internet technology and big data, becoming a new trend of China’s financial development and attracting the attention of various industries.
Research on the Impact of Green Credit on the Financial Performance of Commercial Banks
Authors: Yin Xingbang
Published: April 2021

From the perspective of green credit, this paper makes a theoretical analysis of the impact of green credit on the financial performance of commercial banks. Based on the panel data of 15 commercial banks from 2012 to 2018, this paper makes an empirical analysis on the impact mechanism is empirically analyzed. The results show that in the short-term, green credit has a negative impact on the financial performance of commercial banks, and the adverse impact faced by small and medium-sized commercial banks is significantly higher than that of large commercial banks, showing a heterogeneous effect. This also reveals the effect of commercial banks in implementing green credit in commercial banks and reasons for low initiative and enthusiasm. In view of this, it puts forward specific policy recommendations for different types of commercial banks, and believes that they should effectively promote green credit business in terms of differentiated policy guidelines and increasing the training of interdisciplinary talents.
Investigação de vieses de gênero para brinquedos em adultos de duas faixas etárias por meio do Implicit Relational Assessment Procedure (IRAP)
Authors: Bortoloti Renato , Pinho Bianca B. M. , Oliveira Bruna S. , Andrade Christopher D. P. , Pacífico Larissa , Huziwara Edson M.
Published: April 2021

Brinquedos infantis são objetos amplamente disponíveis nas sociedades modernas. É geralmente reconhecido que existem diferenças relacionadas ao gênero nas preferências por brinquedos, embora a origem e o desenvolvimento dessa preferência constituam um tópico ainda controverso. Assumindo que a visão de adultos sobre o que é apropriado para cada gênero possa influenciar diferencialmente a preferência de crianças por brinquedos, este estudo exploratório investigou se existiriam diferenças nas direções e magnitudes de vieses de gênero para brinquedos em adultos de duas faixas etárias distintas por meio do Implicit Relational Assessment Procedure (IRAP). Um grupo de jovens entre 18 e 25 anos e um grupo de adultos entre 40 e 60 anos foram submetidos a um IRAP programado para investigar vieses acerca da adequação, para meninos e meninas, de brinquedos normalmente tipificados como “masculinos” ou “femininos”. O desempenho do grupo de pessoas mais velhas pareceu revelar que brinquedos tipificados como masculinos são adequados para meninos e inadequados para meninas. Além disso, o desempenho desse grupo também sugere que brinquedos tipificados como femininos são adequados para meninas e inadequados para meninos. Em contraste, o desempenho do grupo de pessoas mais jovens sugere apenas que brinquedos tipificados como masculinos são adequados para meninos e brinquedos tipificados como femininos são adequados para meninas; nenhuma inadequação de qualquer desses brinquedos para meninos ou meninas pôde ser inferida a partir dos dados produzidos por esse grupo. Discute-se que mensagens de movimentos sociais a que pessoas mais jovens são expostas com mais frequência podem ter contribuído para a diferença encontrada entre os participantes dos dois grupos pesquisados.
Functional Skills for Moodle Administrators and Course Developers
Authors: Nkwenti Sir Michael N.
Published: April 2021

As many institutions embrace e-learning, one of the technologies highly solicited is the use of the Modular Object-Oriented Dynamic Learning Environment (Moodle) platform. Moodle is a very flexible learning management system that is based on open-source software used by millions of people around the world to host and offer online education and training programmes. As an open-source learning management system, it offers a wide array of activities, themes, and resources made available for free by developers. The use of the platform and its resources in the creation and delivery of learning often challenged users who have not been previously trained to explore the tools in a productive manner.

As a practitioner with over 15 years in the use of Moodle and cognisance of the need for teachers at all levels of education to quickly develop functional skills in Moodle that will enable them administer the platform, build and deliver courses, I opted to write this book entitled Functional Skills for Moodle Administrators and Course Developers: A Step-by-Step Guide for Beginners.

The book is designed based on hands-on activities that will help teachers to explore the different features of the platform and create courses that are ideal for any category of learner. The book also offers possibilities to learn how to structure courses in different formats, select the best resources, activities, create assessments for specific purposes and grade learning outcomes. The book structured into seven chapters is flexible, paving the way for each chapter to be exploited independently without necessarily following the chronological order. The book also takes into consideration, the desire of innovative teachers who teach in schools that do not have a Moodle platform but are willing to explore the tool in the delivery of learning.
Consumer behavior in e-tourism services: a case of Taiwan
Authors: Bajpai Akansha , Lee Cheng-Wen
Published: April 2021

The purpose – The prompt and efficient changes in technology during the past few decades have affected tourism industry. With new emerging technologies (internet) the method of doing business has changed; which makes it a very important factor to understand the consumer behavior and perception in order to recognize, captivate, and retain the customers in the internet based travelling industry. This paper examines the determinants which influence the consumer behavior of the potential customers to use e-tourism services and to show their interrelationship in the perspective of Taiwan. Design/Methodology – Empirical research is been used to determine the findings of this research. A questionnaire was designed based on the past studies related to the variables of the study. The questionnaire consisted of four sections each consisting of four to five statements. The demographic section was also included. A total of 402 completed questionnaires were taken into consideration. Findings – The result of this study shows that determinants considered in this study; generation of stimulus, information search and service quality have a major impact over the loyalty of the consumer which determines the consumer behavior towards the e-tourism services for travel planning purposes. Originality of the research – This is the first kind of research done over consumer behavior of youth specifically in e-tourism industry in Taiwan’s perspective and secondly as the data is collected directly from Taiwan’s youth and is empirically evaluated so we believe its results will help the organizations for making the e-tourism industry more consumer oriented in case of Taiwan.
Parametric Analysis of the Dome of the Sports Palace of Mexico City
Authors: Gonzalez Edwin , Di Marco Giancarlo , Gonzalez Cynthia , Galindo Jessica
Published: April 2021

The Sports Palace of Mexico City was built in 1968 and became a turning point in the design and construction of laminar shells, leading the transition from reinforced concrete to metallic grid structures. Felix Candela observed that the use of concrete in designing laminar structures
was limited to achieve great spans for sport spaces; he thus changed his first proposal for using a concrete laminar shell to a metallic structure. However, in the first architectural conception of the metallic structure, a lighter cable structure was proposed respecting the built geometry,
with the intent of using high-strength wires in the upper and lower chords of the arches. In this paper, three different proposals are modeled. The first uses a 3D modelled concrete shell for understanding the geometry. The others use the final geometry and are analyzed using advanced NURBS
(Non-uniform rational Bspline) modeling techniques with Rhinoceros and a parametric design with Grasshopper, where the parameters and results obtained in previous tests are compared with the results obtained in the simulations. Paneling plugins, forces simulation add-ons, finite elements analysis
and environmental design simulation tools in Grasshopper are used to compare the results under normal design conditions.
Fisheries in the Context of Attaining Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Bangladesh: COVID-19 Impacts and Future Prospects
Authors: Sunny Atiqur Rahman , Prodhan Shamsul Haque , Ashrafuzzaman Md. , Mithun Mahmudul Hasan , Hussain Monayem , Alam Md Tariqul , Rashid Aminur , Hossain Mohammad Mosarof
Published: April 2021

Bangladesh has achieved tremendous progress in the fisheries sector that is making evidential contribution to food security, nutrition and livelihoods. Based on secondary data collected from the Department of Fisheries, Bangladesh and related un-published grey literature, this paper highlights the performance and challenges of the fisheries with emphasis on COVID-19 impact as well as the significance of this sector for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The total fish production is increased more than six times over the last three decades (7.54 to 43.84 lakh MT) due to the dissemination of improved culture techniques and extension services. Inland closed water contributions have been increasing to 16.24%, while inland open water have declined 10.23% and marine fisheries have dropped 6.27% over the past 18 financial years (2000-2001 to 2018-2019). COVID-19, a major health crisis has also affects various issues associated with aquatic resources and communities. Transportation obstacles and complexity in the food supply, abstraction to start production, labour crisis, sudden illness, poor consumer demand, commodity price hike, creditor's pressure and reduced income were identified as affecting COVID-19 drivers. The combined effect of these drivers poses a significant threat to people’s income (SDG1- eliminate poverty), nutrition (SDG2- erase hunger), food security (SDG3- good health and wellbeing, and SDG12- responsible consumption and production) that demands comprehensive actions. Several recommendations have been elicited, which are important to implement for the achievement of SDGs as well management and imprvement of the aquatic sector (SDG14- life below and SDG16- life above water) .
Role of Information Technology in COVID19 Vaccination Drive: An Analysis of the COVID-19 Global Beliefs, Behaviors, and Norms Survey
Authors: Talukdar Debjyoti , Stojkovski Kire , Suarez Daniel
Published: April 2021

With the onset of the COVID19 pandemic, information technology has played a critical role in healthcare. A broad spectrum of information technology tools and applications played an essential role to create awareness of the COVID19 vaccination drive and its health benefits. We use the COVID-19 Global Beliefs, Behaviors, and Norms Survey for analysis of prevalence and factors associated with vaccination drives among men and women aged 20-80 years in 60 countries worldwide. Our analysis of the global survey offers a unique perspective about the role of information technology associated with vaccination drives involving social norms and human behavior among 437,236 respondents. The international survey was organized using a pre-registered randomized experiment demonstrating the role of technology in reaching out to people based in diverse communities and evaluating their beliefs, behavior, and social norms. The study shows that vaccine acceptance can vary due to descriptive norms. Our analysis shows 65.06% of people all over the globe are willing to get vaccinated and a large proportion of the population thinks that the COVID19 pandemic is a viable threat to the community and preventive measures need to be taken including vaccination drives.
Magneto-Plasmonic Nanoparticle Grid Biosensor with Enhanced Raman Scattering and Electrochemical Transduction for Development of Nanocarriers for Targeted Delivery of Protected Anticancer Drugs
Authors: Ilkhani Hoda , Zhong Chuan-Jian , Hepel Maria
Published: April 2021

Safe administration of highly cytotoxic chemotherapeutic drugs is a challenging problem in cancer treatment due to the adverse side effects and collateral damage to non-tumorigenic cells. To mitigate these problems, new promising approaches, based on the paradigm of controlled targeted drug delivery (TDD), utilizing drug nanocarriers with biorecognition ability to selectively target neoplastic cells, are being considered in cancer therapy. Herein, we report on the design and testing of a nanoparticle-grid based biosensing platform to aid in the development of new targeted drug nanocarriers. The proposed sensor grid consists of superparamagnetic gold-coated core-shell Fe2Ni@Au nanoparticles, further functionalized with folic acid targeting ligand, model thiolated chemotherapeutic drug doxorubicin (DOX), and a biocompatibility agent, 3,6,-dioxa-octanethiol (DOOT). The employed dual transduction based on electrochemical and enhanced Raman scattering detection have enabled efficient monitoring of the drug loading onto the nanocarriers, attached to the sensor surface, as well as the drug release under simulated intracellular conditions. The grid’s nanoparticles serve here as the model nanocarriers for new TDD systems under design and optimization. The superparamagnetic properties of the Fe2Ni@Au NPs aid in nanoparticles’ handling and constructing a dense sensor grid with high plasmonic enhancement of the Raman signals due to the minimal interparticle distance.
Super-Resolution of Sentinel-2 Images at 10m Resolution without Reference Images
Authors: Li Yunhe , Li Bo
Published: April 2021

Sentinel-2 can provide multi-spectral optical remote sensing images in RGBN bands with a spatial resolution of 10m, but the spatial details provided are not enough for many applications. WorldView can provide HR multi-spectral images less than 2m, but it is a commercial paid resource with relatively high usage costs. In this paper, without any available reference images, Sentinel-2 images at 10m resolution are improved to a resolution of 2.5m through super-resolution (SR) based on deep learning technology. Our model, named DKN-SR-GAN, uses degradation kernel estimation and noise injection to construct a dataset of near-natural low-high-resolution (LHR) image pairs, with only low-resolution (LR) images and no high-resolution (HR) prior information. DKN-SR-GAN uses the Generative Adversarial Networks (GAN) combined of ESRGAN-type generator, PatchGAN-type discriminator and the VGG-19-type feature extractor, using perceptual loss to optimize the network, so as to obtain SR images with clearer details and better perceptual effects. Experiments demonstrate that in the quantitative comparison of the non-reference image quality assessment (NR-IQA) metrics like NIQE, BRISQUE and PIQE, as well as the intuitive visual effects of the generated images, compared with state-of-the-art models such as EDSR8-RGB, RCAN and RS-ESRGAN, our proposed model has obvious advantages.