bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
IL-2 enhances ex vivo–expanded regulatory T-cell persistence after adoptive transfer
Authors: Furlan Scott N. , Singh Karnail , Lopez Christina , Tkachev Victor , Hunt Daniel Joel , Hibbard James , Betz Kayla M. , Blazar Bruce R. , Trapnell Cole , Kean Leslie S.
Published: April 2020

As regulatory T cell (Treg) adoptive therapy continues to develop clinically, there is a need to determine which immunomodulatory agents pair most compatibly with Tregs to enable persistence and stabilize suppressor function. Prior work has shown that mechanistic target of rapamycin inhibition can increase the stability of thymic Tregs. In this study, we investigated the transcriptomic signatures of ex vivo–expanded Tregs after adoptive transfer in the setting of clinically relevant immunosuppression using a nonhuman primate (NHP) model as a prelude to future transplant studies. Here, we found that adding interleukin-2 (IL-2) to rapamycin in vivo supported a logarithmic increase in the half-life of adoptively transferred carboxyfluorescein diacetate succinimidyl ester–labeled, autologous NHP Tregs, effectively doubling the number of cells in the peripheral blood Treg compartment compared with Treg infusion when rapamycin was given alone. Using single-cell transcriptomics, we found that transferred ex vivo–expanded Tregs initially exhibit a gene expression signature consistent with an activated state. Moreover, those cells with the highest levels of activation also expressed genes associated with p53-mediated apoptosis. In contrast, transferred Tregs interrogated at day +20 posttransfer demonstrated a gene signature more similar to published profiles of resting Tregs. Together, these preclinical data further support combining IL-2 and rapamycin in vivo as adjunctive therapy for ex vivo–expanded adoptively transferred Tregs and suggest that the activation status of ex vivo–expanded Tregs is critical to their persistence.
Association between incident delirium and 28- and 90-day mortality in critically ill adults: a secondary analysis
Authors: Duprey Matthew S. , van den Boogaard Mark , van der Hoeven Johannes G. , Pickkers Peter , Briesacher Becky A. , Saczynski Jane S. , Griffith John L. , Devlin John W.
Published: April 2020

Background

While delirium prevalence and duration are each associated with increased 30-day, 6-month, and 1-year mortality, the association between incident ICU delirium and mortality remains unclear. We evaluated the association between both incident ICU delirium and days spent with delirium in the 28 days after ICU admission and mortality within 28 and 90 days.

Methods

Secondary cohort analysis of a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial conducted among 1495 delirium-free, critically ill adults in 14 Dutch ICUs with an expected ICU stay ≥2 days where all delirium assessments were completed. In the 28 days after ICU admission, patients were evaluated for delirium and coma 3x daily; each day was coded as a delirium day [≥1 positive Confusion Assessment Method for the ICU (CAM-ICU)], a coma day [no delirium and ≥ 1 Richmond Agitation Sedation Scale (RASS) score ≤ − 4], or neither. Four Cox-regression models were constructed for 28-day mortality and 90-day mortality; each accounted for potential confounders (i.e., age, APACHE-II score, sepsis, use of mechanical ventilation, ICU length of stay, and haloperidol dose) and: 1) delirium occurrence, 2) days spent with delirium, 3) days spent in coma, and 4) days spent with delirium and/or coma.

Results

Among the 1495 patients, 28 day mortality was 17% and 90 day mortality was 21%. Neither incident delirium (28 day mortality hazard ratio [HR] = 1.02, 95%CI = 0.75–1.39; 90 day mortality HR = 1.05, 95%CI = 0.79–1.38) nor days spent with delirium (28 day mortality HR = 1.00, 95%CI = 0.95–1.05; 90 day mortality HR = 1.02, 95%CI = 0.98–1.07) were significantly associated with mortality. However, both days spent with coma (28 day mortality HR = 1.05, 95%CI = 1.02–1.08; 90 day mortality HR = 1.05, 95%CI = 1.02–1.08) and days spent with delirium or coma (28 day mortality HR = 1.03, 95%CI = 1.00–1.05; 90 day mortality HR = 1.03, 95%CI = 1.01–1.06) were significantly associated with mortality.

Conclusions

This analysis suggests neither incident delirium nor days spent with delirium are associated with short-term mortality after ICU admission.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov, Identifier NCT01785290 Registered 7 February 2013.
A molecular survey of vector-borne pathogens and haemoplasmas in owned cats across Italy
Authors: Latrofa Maria Stefania , Iatta Roberta , Toniolo Federica , Furlanello Tommaso , Ravagnan Silvia , Capelli Gioia , Schunack Bettina , Chomel Bruno , Zatelli Andrea , Mendoza-Roldan Jairo , Dantas-Torres Filipe , Otranto Domenico
Published: April 2020

Background

Feline vector-borne pathogens (FeVBPs) have been increasingly investigated for their impact on cat health and their zoonotic potential. The aim of the present study was to assess the prevalence of FeVBPs and haemoplasmas in cats across Italy and to identify potential risk factors linked to their occurrence.

Methods

Blood samples from 958 owned cats living in the North (n = 556), Centre (n = 173) and South (n = 229) of Italy were tested for Babesia spp., Hepatozoon spp., Ehrlichia spp., Anaplasma spp. and filarioids by conventional PCR (cPCR) and for haemoplasmas and Bartonella spp. by SYBR green real-time PCR. Cats included in the study represent a sub-sample from a larger number of animals enrolled in a previous study, which were selected based on the geographical origin. Data on cats’ positivity for Leishmania infantum, feline leukaemia virus (FeLV) and for feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV), available from the previous study, were included and examined. Potential risk factors for pathogen infection were assessed in relationship to categorical variables including sex, geographical origin, breed, neutering status and age of cats.

Results

Out of the 958 cats, 194 (20.2%) were positive for at least one of the tested pathogens, 89 (16%) from the North, 32 (18.5%) from the Centre and 73 (31.9%) from the South of Italy. A high prevalence of FeVBPs was detected in male cats (n = 125, 27.8%), living in the southern part of the country (n = 73, 31.9%), younger than 18 months of age (n = 24, 22.4%) and not neutered (n = 39; 27.5%). In particular, 24 cats (2.5%) tested PCR-positive for Bartonella spp., of which 1.6% for B. henselae and 0.9% for B. clarridgeiae. A total of 111 cats scored PCR-positive for haemoplasmas (11.6%), specifically “Candidatus Mycoplasma haemominutum” (n = 95, 9.9%), M. haemofelis (n = 14, 1.5%) and “Candidatus Mycoplasma turicensis” (n = 2, 0.2%). Moreover, 39, 31 and 8 cats were positive for FeLV (4.1%), L. infantum (3.2%) and FIV (0.8%), respectively. Co-infections were registered for 19 (9.8%) cats.

Conclusions

These results confirm the occurrence of haemoplasmas and FeVBPs throughout Italy. Preventive measures to protect both animal and human health should be carried out also for owned cats, even if no health status of animals has been assessed in this study.
A new piroplasmid species infecting dogs: morphological and molecular characterization and pathogeny of Babesia negevi n. sp.
Authors: Baneth Gad , Nachum-Biala Yaarit , Birkenheuer Adam Joseph , Schreeg Megan Elizabeth , Prince Hagar , Florin-Christensen Monica , Schnittger Leonhard , Aroch Itamar
Published: April 2020

Introduction

Babesiosis is a protozoan tick-borne infection associated with anemia and life-threatening disease in humans, domestic and wildlife animals. Dogs are infected by at least six well-characterized Babesia spp. that cause clinical disease. Infection with a piroplasmid species was detected by light microscopy of stained blood smears from five sick dogs from Israel and prompted an investigation on the parasite’s identity.

Methods

Genetic characterization of the piroplasmid was performed by PCR amplification of the 18S rRNA and the cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (cox1) genes, DNA sequencing and phylogenetic analysis. Four of the dogs were co-infected with Borrelia persica (Dschunkowsky, 1913), a relapsing fever spirochete transmitted by the argasid tick Ornithodoros tholozani Laboulbène & Mégnin. Co-infection of dogs with B. persica raised the possibility of transmission by O. tholozani and therefore, a piroplasmid PCR survey of ticks from this species was performed.

Results

The infected dogs presented with fever (4/5), anemia, thrombocytopenia (4/5) and icterus (3/5). Comparison of the 18S rRNA and cox1 piroplasmid gene sequences revealed 99–100% identity between sequences amplified from different dogs and ticks. Phylogenetic trees demonstrated a previously undescribed species of Babesia belonging to the western group of Babesia (sensu lato) and closely related to the human pathogen Babesia duncani Conrad, Kjemtrup, Carreno, Thomford, Wainwright, Eberhard, Quick, Telfrom & Herwalt, 2006 while more moderately related to Babesia conradae Kjemtrup, Wainwright, Miller, Penzhorn & Carreno, 2006 which infects dogs. The piroplasm forms detected included tetrads (Maltese cross), merozoite and trophozoite stages whose average size was larger than stages of other canine Babesia spp. belonging to the Babesia (s.l.) and B. gibsoni Patton, 1910, and smaller than other canine Babesia (sensu stricto) spp. Of 212 O. tholozani ticks surveyed, 11 (5.2%) harbored DNA of the new species of Babesia.

Conclusions

Babesia negevi n. sp. is described based on morphological and genetic characterization and phylogenetic analyses. The species is named after the Negev desert of southern Israel, where the first infected dog originated from. Despite co-infection in four dogs, the fifth dog had fatal disease attesting that B. negevi n. sp. infection requires clinical attention. Incriminating O. tholozani or another tick species as the vector of Babesia negevi n. sp., would require additional studies.
Sedimentary organic matter from a cored Early Triassic succession, Georgetown (Idaho, USA)
Authors: Schneebeli-Hermann Elke , Bagherpour Borhan , Vennemann Torsten , Leu Marc , Bucher Hugo
Published: April 2020

The plant fossil record from Lower Triassic sedimentary successions of the Western USA is extremely meager. In this study, samples from a drill core taken near Georgetown, Idaho, were analyzed for their palynological content as well as their stable carbon isotope composition. The concentration of palynomorphs is generally low. The lowermost part of the drilled succession represents Dinwoody/Woodside Formation and contains spore and pollen assemblages with Permian and Early Triassic affinity. Representatives of lycophytes (Densoisporites spp., Lundbladisporites spp.) were found in the overlying Meekoceras Limestone, in agreement with middle Smithian assemblages elsewhere. Ammonoids and conodonts are extremely rare, but confirm a middle Smithian age. Bulk organic and carbonate carbon isotope composition provide a stratigraphic framework. Carbonate carbon isotope compositions are compatible with the Smithian–Spathian global trend, with a middle Smithian shift towards lower δ13C values followed by a late Smithian shift towards higher values. Bulk organic carbon isotope compositions have been influenced by changes in the constitution of organic matter. A comparison with other paired carbon isotope datasets from the same basin is difficult due to lithostratigraphic inconsistencies (Hot Springs, ID) or biochemical mediated disturbance of isotope signals (Mineral Mountains, UT).
Health and well-being literacy initiatives focusing on immigrant communities: an environmental scan protocol to identify "what works and what does not"
Authors: Turin Tanvir C. , Chowdhury Nashit , Ferdous Mahzabin , Vaska Marcus , Rumana Nahid , Dahal Rudra , Rahman Nafiza , Chowdhury Mohammad Z. I.
Published: April 2020

Introduction

Most of the major cities in the developed western countries are characterized by an increasing multiculturalism brought by the immigrant population. The immigrant communities face challenges in the new environment with their health and wellness related unmet needs. It is imperative to find sustainable ways to empower these diverse communities to champion their health and wellness. Community-based health and wellness literacy initiatives (CBHWLI) focusing on immigrant communities can be an important step towards citizen empowerment in this regard. The aim of the present environmental scan is to identify the key factors that might impact a CBHWLI in immigrant communities in Canada in order to facilitate the process in practice and identify the competencies and training required for its implementation.

Methods

This study will gather information from existing literature and online sources as well as will capture expert and lay perspectives on the factors that can impact the effectiveness and sustainability of CBHWLIs through conducting a comprehensive environmental scan: (i) a systematic scoping review of published literature and grey literature, (ii) a comprehensive Internet search, (iii) key informant interviews, and (iv) community consultation. Specific methodological and analytical frameworks will guide each step.

Ethics and dissemination

This study is the first step in establishing a practical base for developing CBHWLI implementation research. Once the initial findings have been generated, the second step will involve inviting experts to provide their input. We first plan to disseminate the results of our scoping review and Internet scan through meetings with key stakeholders, to be followed by journal publications and conference or workshop presentations. Ethical approval is not required for the scoping review or Internet scan; however, approval to conduct interviews with key informants and community consultations in the second stage of the study will be sought from the Conjoint Health Research Ethics Board.
The Grand Tour: Keynes and Goodwin go to Greece
Authors: Haddad Eduardo Amaral , Cotarelli Natalia , Simonato Thiago Cavalcante , Vale Vinicius Almeida , Visentin Jaqueline Coelho
Published: April 2020

The impact of the crisis in the Greek economy was not uniform among the regions, threatening socioeconomic cohesion. In this paper, we explore the concept of the income multiplier in a multi-regional input–output setting, in the context of the Greek recession, showing empirical evidence for the increasing magnitude of the multiplier during the recession period. The main results reveal a complex system of interregional relations on some of whose structural characteristics the cyclical reaction paths of the regions depends. In this case, the use of fiscal instruments to stimulate local activity in the regions may bring about important implications for regional inequality in Greece.
Revisiting incremental product innovations in the food-manufacturing industry: an empirical study on the effect of intellectual property rights
Authors: Yoshioka-Kobayashi Tohru , Miyanoshita Tomofumi , Kanama Daisuke
Published: April 2020

The highly competitive and mature food industry has long been process innovation-oriented while largely neglecting product/technological innovation. However, recent innovation debates have raised two issues. First, imitations of product innovations likely underestimate the value of innovation in this industry; second, exaggerations of new product development neglect incremental product innovations, which facilitate branding. Using intellectual property rights data as indicators of exclusive innovation outcomes, this study empirically examined these issues. The distinction of consumer communication channel-related designs from other industrial designs utilizing the advantage of the simple structure of foods has realized highly fitted proxies of distinctive innovation activities. Investigating the firm performance of 192 Japanese food manufactures between 2009 and 2013 revealed the dominance of incremental innovations in product packaging over other exclusive innovations. This study provides practical insights regarding innovations for the industry and evidence of the effectiveness of consumer communication-related designs of patents, especially as novel innovation proxies.
Correction to: Ophiostomatoid fungi associated with Ips subelongatus, including eight new species from northeastern China
Authors: Wang Zheng , Liu Ya , Wang Huimin , Meng Xianjing , Liu Xuewei , Decock Cony , Zhang Xingyao , Lu Quan
Published: April 2020

Following publication of the original article [1], the authors reported that Table 1 contained some errors in the GenBank number of BT gene. The correct Table 1 is presented below.
Effective Use of Angiotensin II in Coronavirus Disease 19–Associated Mixed Shock State: A Case Report
Authors: Bobeck Kevin A. , Holtzclaw Arthur W. , Brown Tara E. , Clark Paul A.
Published: April 2020

The rapid spread of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) has sparked a search for effective therapies. The discovery that the virus binds the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor has led to investigation of the renin–angiotensin system for possible therapeutic targets. We present a case of an elderly woman with multiple comorbidities who developed severe acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), a cardiomyopathy, and vasodilatory shock secondary to COVID-19 and was treated with exogenous angiotensin II. She rapidly demonstrated significant hemodynamic improvement without noted adverse effects. Thus, we propose further investigation into possible benefits of angiotensin II in shock secondary to COVID-19.
Comment on Raine (2019) ‘The neuromoral theory of antisocial, violent, and psychopathic behavior’
Authors: Han Hyemin
Published: April 2020

Raine (2019) reviewed previous research on the neural correlates of antisocial, violent, and psychopathic behavior based on previous studies of neuroscience of morality. The author identified neural circutries associated with the aforementioned types of antisocial behaviors. However, in the review, Raine acknowledged a limitation in his arguments, the lack of evidence supporting the presence of the neural circutries. In this correspondence, I intend to show that this limitation can be addressed with additional evience from recent neuroimaging research and the evidence can support the presence of the neural circutiries of antisociality proposed by Raine.
Orthostatic hypotension: the last 20 years
Authors: Cowan Helen
Published: April 2020

In the second article of the new Neurocardiology series, Helen Cowan looks at the history of orthostatic hypotension
Recalling my time in the intensive care unit post-cardiac ablation
Authors: Smith Lowri
Published: April 2020

In the latest in the Patient Story series, Lowri Smith recounts her experiences in an intensive care unit
On Modelling for Bias-Aware Sentiment Analysis and Its Impact in Twitter
Authors: Mahmood Ahsan , Khan Hikmat Ullah , Ramzan Muhammad
Published: April 2020

Sentiment Analysis (SA) is an active research area for the last ten years. SA is the computational treatment of opinions, sentiments, and subjectivity of text. Twitter is one of the most widely used micro-blog and considered as an important source for computation of sentiment and of data analysis. Therefore, companies all over the world analyze Twitter data using SA and extract knowledge which has potential applications in diverse areas. Although SA is the successful way of finding the people’s opinion, the bias in the tweets affects the results of the SA and reflects inaccurate analysis that may mislead users to take erroneous decisions. The biased tweets are shared by valid, but biased human users as well as the social bots to propagate the biased opinions on certain topics. To counter this, this research study proposes a statistical model to identify such users and social bots who share the biased content in the form of tweets in the Twitter social media. For experiment purpose, we use annotated twitter dataset and argue the results of SA with and without the biased tweets and explored the effects of biased users at micro-level and macro level. The empirical results show that the proposed approach is effective and properly identifies the biased users and bots from other authentic users using sentiment analysis.
A ‘hot clinic’ for cold limbs: the benefit of urgent clinics for patients with critical limb ischaemia
Authors: Khan A , Hughes M , Ting M , Riding G , Simpson J , Egun A , Banihani M
Published: April 2020

Introduction

The national reconfiguration of vascular surgery means that arterial centres serve larger populations with increased demand on resources. Emergency general surgery ambulatory clinics facilitate timely review and intervention, avoiding admission; a critical limb ischaemia (CLI) ‘hot clinic’ (HC) was implemented to achieve similar for vascular patients. The aim of the study was to determine HC efficacy.

Methods

This was a prospective cohort study comparing HC patients with emergency admission (EA) patients between 1 May and 1 December 2017. Age, sex, comorbidities, CLI severity and smoking status were noted. HC patients were provided with satisfaction surveys. Primary outcome measures were freedom from reintervention and major amputation. Secondary outcome measures included time to procedure, length of stay, returns to theatre and 30-day readmission.

Results

A total of 147 patients (72 HC, 75 EA) were enrolled in the study. No statistical difference was found in age, sex, smoking status, severity of CLI or prevalence of comorbidities between the groups except that diabetes was more prevalent in EA patients (p=0.028). The median length of stay for the HC cohort was shorter (3 days vs 17 days, p<0.001), with no difference between time to procedure, return to theatre or 30-day readmission. HC patients were nearly 6 times more likely to experience freedom from reintervention (odds ratio: 5.824, p<0.001) and 2.5 times less likely to undergo amputation (odds ratio: 2.616, p=0.043). HC utilisation saved a total of 441 bed days. Over 90% of attendees responded with 100% positive feedback.

Conclusions

A vascular HC facilitates urgent review and revascularisation. It provides comparable in-hospital outcomes and better long-term outcomes, with greater efficiency than hospital admission, demonstrating its value in treating CLI.
Phytochemical screening and analysis of heavy metals of Nerium oleander (L.) leaves
Authors: Fliou Jamila , Riffi Ouassima , Amechrouq Ali , Elhourri Mohammed , El Idrissi Mostafa , Ahlafi Hammou , Lhachimi Zineb
Published: April 2020

The main objective of this research is studying phytochemical screening of the extracts of polluted Nerium oleander (L.), and unpolluted Nerium oleander (L.) collected from Meknes region (Morocco), and determination of metals concentration that can have harmful effects on human health. In addition, the study provides scientific data.

Studies have shown that the two extracts of polluted Nerium oleander (L.) and unpolluted Nerium oleander (L.) plant are rich in flavonoids, catechic and gallic tannins. In contrast, anthracene derivatives and flavonoids are absent. On the other hand, the comparative analysis of the results of atomic absorption spectrometry showed that the two plants of polluted Nerium oleander (L.) and unpolluted Nerium oleander (L.) contain a fairly high content of Na, Ca and Mg while the Pb concentration has exceeded the standard given by the WHO. While lithium and iron are present in low concentrations.
High-quality multiple-working-wavelength photonic crystal diodes based on the Fano resonance of nonlinear defects
Authors: Fan Haoran , Liu Kaizhu , Hong Xiaorong , Feng Shuai , Li Chuanbo , Guo Honglian
Published: April 2020

All-optical photonic crystal diodes based on the Fano resonance of nonlinear defects are studied. The diodes can achieve nonreciprocal transmission ratios of 31.7 dB and 33.9 dB at working wavelengths of 1534.83 nm and 1536.02 nm, respectively. The function of two defects’ coupling to the performance of unidirectional light transmission is also analyzed. When two Fano cavities are cascaded to form a two-branch-channel diode, unidirectional light propagation at 1536.88, 1538.76, 1612.80, and 1616.78 nm wavelengths is achieved along two opposite forward directions, and the nonreciprocal transmission ratios are 36.5, 30.3, 23.9, and 19.6 dB, respectively.
Nanosensitive optical coherence tomography to assess wound healing within the cornea
Authors: Lal Cerine , Alexandrov Sergey , Rani Sweta , Zhou Yi , Ritter Thomas , Leahy Martin
Published: April 2020

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a non-invasive depth resolved optical imaging modality, that enables high resolution, cross-sectional imaging in biological tissues and materials at clinically relevant depths. Though OCT offers high resolution imaging, the best ultra-high-resolution OCT systems are limited to imaging structural changes with a resolution of one micron on a single B-scan within very limited depth. Nanosensitive OCT (nsOCT) is a recently developed technique that is capable of providing enhanced sensitivity of OCT to structural changes. Improving the sensitivity of OCT to detect structural changes at the nanoscale level, to a depth typical for conventional OCT, could potentially improve the diagnostic capability of OCT in medical applications. In this paper, we demonstrate the capability of nsOCT to detect structural changes deep in the rat cornea following superficial corneal injury.
Accelerating recurrent Ising machines in photonic integrated circuits
Authors: Prabhu Mihika , Roques-Carmes Charles , Shen Yichen , Harris Nicholas , Jing Li , Carolan Jacques , Hamerly Ryan , Baehr-Jones Tom , Hochberg Michael , Čeperić Vladimir , Joannopoulos John D. , Englund Dirk R. , Soljačić Marin
Published: April 2020

Conventional computing architectures have no known efficient algorithms
for combinatorial optimization tasks such as the Ising problem, which
requires finding the ground state spin configuration of an arbitrary
Ising graph. Physical Ising machines have recently been developed as
an alternative to conventional exact and heuristic solvers; however,
these machines typically suffer from decreased ground state
convergence probability or universality for high edge-density graphs
or arbitrary graph weights, respectively. We experimentally
demonstrate a proof-of-principle integrated nanophotonic recurrent
Ising sampler (INPRIS), using a hybrid scheme combining electronics
and silicon-on-insulator photonics, that is capable of converging to
the ground state of various four-spin graphs with high probability.
The INPRIS results indicate that noise may be used as a resource to
speed up the ground state search and to explore larger regions of the
phase space, thus allowing one to probe noise-dependent physical
observables. Since the recurrent photonic transformation that our
machine imparts is a fixed function of the graph problem and therefore
compatible with optoelectronic architectures that support GHz clock
rates (such as passive or non-volatile photonic circuits that do not
require reprogramming at each iteration), this work suggests the
potential for future systems that could achieve orders-of-magnitude
speedups in exploring the solution space of combinatorially hard
problems.
Autoritarismo, política local y participación ciudadana en Latinoamérica: miradas cruzadas a los casos de Nicaragua y Venezuela
Authors: Chaguaceda Noriega Armando
Published: April 2020

El texto aborda los modos en que, dentro de los regímenes políticos de Nicaragua y Venezuela, el oficialismo y la oposición interactúan en el ámbito político local. Partiendo de un balance de coyunturas electorales recientes y del proyecto global V-Dem para el estudio y medición de la democracia, se identifican patrones de injerencia política y mecanismos de control social que disminuyen las opciones de la ciudadanía para votar a candidaturas opositoras, organizarse y participar autónomamente en el ámbito municipal. Adicionalmente, se discuten los efectos concretos que esta interacción ha tenido para la democracia de ambos países.
Investment in Ghana: An overview of FDI components and the impact on employment creation in the Ghanaian economy
Authors: Yeboah Evans , Anning Lucy
Published: April 2020

As foreign direct investment provides a new way for many countries to improve their economies with Ghana not being an exemption. The source of FDI countries looks on to give Ghana a new way of advancement. This study provides a general overview on the inflow of foreign direct investment to Ghana. By considering FDI component values, local currency values, the overall number of projects registered and employment creation to investigate their significance in Ghana’s economy. This study makes use of the descriptive statistical method that promote data analysis in a quantitative way. The results revealed that, FDI component contributes heavily to the total foreign direct investment values in Ghana. The outcome also shows that, of the whole number of registered projects, about 72.10% were wholly-foreign owned but in the aspect of the aggregate cost of these projects, the value of joint ventures (between Ghanaians and their foreign counterparts) weigh higher than that of wholly-foreign owned businesses. The result further indicates that, on the account of employment creation, Ghanaians enjoyed about 85% of the total jobs to be created. It is suggested that the government of Ghana should encourage its citizen to contribute more to investment.
CYBER TERRORISM AS A WEAPON IN A HYBRID WAR
Authors: Mazurov V.A. , Starodubtseva M.A.
Published: April 2020

The article discusses a new kind of terrorism operating in the virtual space. The thesis is advanced thattoday high-tech crime can be considered as a new type of weapon. The authors analyze the possibilitiesand directions of the impact of cyber terrorism on the most important infrastructure objects and thepsychophysiological state of citizens. It is concluded that under modern conditions cyber terrorism is actuallybecoming the global weapon of the so-called hybrid war in the information space.
BIOMEDICAL LAW OF RUSSIA: THE POSSIBILITY OF EXISTENCE AND DEVELOPMENT PROSPECTS
Authors: Kiryushina I.V. , Mezentsev A.O.
Published: April 2020

All issues related to the analysis are regulated sources that form its basis. Currently, biomedicaltechnologies cover such areas as genetic engineering, organ donation and transplantation, stem cells andbiomedical cell products, which are actively introduced into the field of medical services. In accordance withthe requirements of the federal law “On Biomedical Cellular Products”. The authors conclude that currentlythe issues of protecting the rights of patients in the field of biomedical technologies are not sufficiently settled.The existing normative legal acts, which form the basis of “biomedical law”, do not regulate such issues asthe quality and safety of the services provided, the rights of patients in the field of biomedical technologies,which significantly reduces the level of patient protection in the studied area. The possibility of applying theLaw of the Russian Federation “On the Protection of Consumer Rights’ to the legal relations under study doesnot fully protect the rights of patients who are consumers of services in the field of biomedical technologies,because does not reflect their specificity.
THE CONCEPT OF MODERNIZATION OF CRIMINAL LEGISLATION ON CRIMES IN THE SPHERE OF ECONOMIC ACTIVITY ON THE BASIS OF GENERAL PRINCIPLES OF CRIMINAL LAW
Authors: Poltarykhin V.A.
Published: April 2020

The purpose of this study is to develop a General concept of reforming criminal legislation on responsibilityfor crimes in the sphere of economic activity on the basis of fundamental provisions-the principles of criminallaw and criminal policy. The author proposes criteria for the allocation of certain principles, ideas of thecommon system of basic legal norms which can be applied to processes of criminalization and penalizationof acts that establish differentiated rules and procedures of exemption from criminal responsibility foreconomic crimes, and determine the areas of combating crime, which proposed the principle most popular.The main methods used by the author in the course of the study were the method of comparative research,system-historical, and integrative. As a result of the conducted research, the author comes to the conclusionthat the objectively existing need for a radical reform of the system of responsibility for crimes in the sphereof economic activity can not be realized without a sufficient level of theoretical study, in the theoreticalmodeling of the system of responsibility, of course, must lie fundamental ideas, which can include theprinciples of criminal law in refraction in relation to a specific, uncharacteristic for criminal law sphere ofinfluence.
Dictionnaire Étymologique Roman (DÉRom) 2
Authors: Maroneze Bruno Oliveira
Published: April 2020

Resenha do livro

BUCHI, É.; SCHWEICKARD, W. (org.) Dictionnaire Étymologique Roman (DÉRom) 2. Pratique lexicographique et réflexions théoriques. Berlim: De Gruyter, 2016.
Os hagiotopônimos de Xapuri
Authors: Souza de Oliveira Silva Sandra Mara
Published: April 2020

O presente artigo constitui um recorte de uma pesquisa maior, que apresenta a nomenclatura toponímica de quatro municípios do estado do Acre: Assis Brasil, Brasiléia, Epitaciolândia e Xapuri. Neste texto, objetivamos apresentar uma análise dos hagiotopônimos do município de Xapuri. Para tanto, analisamos e descrevemos os aspectos léxico-semânticos dos topônimos, apresentando a inter-relação entre os elementos linguísticos, sociais e culturais. Utilizamos, como base teórico-metodológica os estudos de Dick (1987, 1990, 1999) para analisar o corpus da pesquisa, cujos dados foram extraídos de mapas digitais do município de Xapuri, de escala 1:100,000 e 1:250,000 fornecidos pelo Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística- IBGE/AC; bem como de planilhas de projetos de assentamento do Instituto Nacional de Colonização e Reforma Agrária - Incra e da Secretaria de Meio Ambiente do Acre – Sema. Os resultados demonstram a proeminência dos hagiotopônimos dentre as demais taxionomias toponímicas, com 21,72%; em relação à etimologia, o latim prevaleceu com o percentual de 56,12% dentre os demais étimos, o que confirma a proeminência dos nomes de santas e de santos da igreja católica; quanto às estruturas morfológicas, a composição de sintagma toponímico mais proeminente foi a estrutura simples, com o percentual de 34,39%. Porém, a segunda mais recorrente foi a com os sintagmas compostos, cuja formação é adjetivo + substantivo, com 23,08%, o que confirma a proeminência dos hagiotopônimos, uma vez que a estrutura do hagiotopônimo segue o modelo sintagmático legado por Portugal, que é composto por “São”, por “Santa” e/ou por “Santo” seguido do substantivo/nome.
Desigualdade de gênero na toponímia
Authors: Sipavicius Seide Marcia , Nagai da Silva Bianca
Published: April 2020

O objetivo deste artigo é mostrar que a diferença entre os gêneros feminino e masculino também deixa suas marcas nos nomes de lugares. Para tanto foi constituída uma amostra de antrotopônimos na cidade de Marechal Cândido Rondon, localizada na região oeste do estado do Paraná. Para este estudo, foram analisados 4 antrotopônimos femininos extraídos de uma amostra que continha 61 topônimos constituídos por nome próprio de pessoa seguido ou não de um título. A análise procurou recuperar a história das mulheres homenageadas mediante pesquisa documental na biblioteca municipal, no acervo Memória Rondonense, em livros e artigos e também por entrevistas feitas a familiares das homenageadas. Por fim, esta pesquisa foi comparada com pesquisas anteriores desenvolvidas no estado do Paraná e no estado da Bahia cujos resultados convergiram com os desta pesquisa: em ambos os estados, há a invisibilização da figura feminina na escolha dos topônimos. Seria interessante realizar pesquisas mais amplas em nível nacional para que se saiba em que medida os resultados encontrados no Paraná e na Bahia também estão presentes no sistema toponímico de outras regiões do país.
Nome e cultura
Authors: Frai Patrícia
Published: April 2020

Nomear pessoas é um ato corriqueiro feito em toda comunidade existente, por isso fica evidente que diferentes localizações, países e culturas atribuem nomes próprios de sua região, podendo assim revelar marcas culturais e identitárias do povo que os utiliza. É nesse sentido que o presente trabalho expõe os resultados de uma dissertação de mestrado intitulada Motivação para a escolha de um segundo nome na antroponímia rondonense que teve como objetivo central investigar os modelos atributivos mais utilizados para a escolha do segundo prenome, na cidade de Marechal Cândido Rondon, Paraná, tendo em vista as possíveis influências socioculturais presentes na prática de nomeação. A pesquisa foi realizada tanto pelo viés quantitativo quanto qualitativo. Para isso, foram realizadas entrevistas semiestruturadas com portadores de nomes justapostos ou pais que atribuíram tais nomes aos filhos, totalizando 250 nomes distribuídos em um recorte temporal da década de 1930/1940 até 2014. Os resultados da investigação mostraram divergências entre a prática de nomeação de homens e mulheres; enquanto para mulheres prevalece o modelo atributivo religião; para os homens, sobressai a motivação homenagem à família, especificamente pais e avôs.
Way Finding Behavior of University Library Users in Mumbai an Explorative Study
Authors: Rakshikar Nidhi Niwant , Powdwal Sushama
Published: April 2020

Libraries often intimidate new or potential users through their size, complexity as well as unfamiliar tools and technology. Observing library users coping with the environment and perceiving their behavior, assists in planning and designing an ideal guidance system. The present article is based on an observation of university library users in Mumbai. The study provides narratives of variety of tasks completed by participants with average task completion time ATCT) and further explores users’ facial expressions and behavior and conducted cause analysis. Findings revealed that majority of participants in university libraries felt that wayfinding is complex and not self-oriented even after attending library orientation, due to the complexity of library buildings and lack of appropriate signage. The analysis of ATCT highlighted that maximum users of the university libraries in Mumbai require inordinate time to find their way and locate the required information source. Many participants experienced confusion, disorientation, indecisiveness and anxiousness while navigating and searching for information sources in libraries. It further revealed that major reasons behind prolonged time required in task completion were user specific such as user unawareness about library physical settings, classification schemes, floor-wise splits in stacking arrangement, availability of facilities, etc. The observational findings and recommendations lead to serve as a starting point in defining patron orientation needs.
Enhanced Production of Recombinant Extractable Antigen (EA1) an Extracellular Protein and its use in Detection of Spores of Bacillus anthracis the Causative Agent of Anthrax
Authors: Puranik Nidhi , Kumar Manoj , Tripathi Nagesh K , Pal Vijai , Goel A. K.
Published: April 2020

Detection of spores of Bacillus anthracis, the causative agent of anthrax in human and animals in environment is cumbersome due to the presence of spores of other closely related Bacillus species. The Extractable Antigen 1 (EA1), an extracellular protein is considered as a biomarker for detection of B. anthracis spores. In the present work, we have cloned and expressed the recombinant EA1 protein in soluble form in Escherichia coli. Optimisation of culture conditions and cultivation media was carried out to achieve enhanced soluble expression of recombinant EA1 protein. Further, the batch fermentation process was also developed using optimised conditions for scale up production of recombinant EA1 protein. The final yield of protein purified employing affinity chromatography was 42.64 mg/l of culture during batch fermentation process. The polyclonal antibodies were raised against recombinant EA in rabbit and mice and used to develop an ELISA for detection of B. anthracis spores. The specificity of the developed assay was ascertained with spores of other Bacillus species. The results corroborated that the EA1 could be a suitable biomarker for detection of B. anthracis spores.
Current Status and Species Diversity of Seagrass in Panjang Island, Banten
Authors: Sugianti Yayuk , Mujiyanto Mujiyanto
Published: April 2020

Damage to seagrass beds in Panjang Island, Banten, has increased every year. The most significant decline occurred at an interval of 2000-2005 with a decrease of about 22.9 ha. Seagrass damage continued to increase at the year between 1989-2002 as a result of natural stone mining and coastal reclamation activities to become industrial areas and ports. The objective of this study was to determine the characteristics of the species and current status of seagrass communities in Panjang Island waters, Banten. Analysis of seagrass data included identification of species, frequency, density, percent coverage, and important value index. Based on these results, it was found three species of seagrass on Panjang Island, Banten, including species of Enhalus acoroides, Cymodocea serrulata, and Syrongodium isoetifolium. The percentage of seagrass coverage at five different research stations, the highest percentage of seagrass coverage was at station IV with a percentage of coverage of 48.94% and the lowest coverage was obtained at station V of 10.28%. The calculation of the importance value index (INP) of seagrass in Panjang Island waters, Banten, showed that the highest INP value was found in the Cymodocea serrulata seagrass species which was 41.47 and the lowest was found in the Syrongodium isoetifolium seagrass species which was 16.81. PCA analysis was also conducted to determine the relationship of seagrass density with chemical physics parameters. The results obtained showed the condition of seagrass ecosystems in Panjang Island waters, Banten, which was at a level of moderate to severe damage. The results of PCA analysis showed that water temperature, nitrate concentration, DO, and TSS greatly influenced the density of seagrass in these waters.
Isolasi Bakteri Termofilik Sumber Air Panas Gedongsongo dengan Media Pengaya Minimal YT (Yeast Tripton) serta Identifikasi Genotipik dan Fenotipik
Authors: Rachma Annisa , Sarjono Purbowatiningrum Ria , Aminin Agustina L. N.
Published: April 2020

Eksplorasi mikroorganisme baru merupakan suatu hal yang penting, karena mikroorganisme mempunyai potensi yang sangat luas sebagai sumber biomolekul baru seperti enzim, antimikroba, antikanker, agen bioremediasi, dan penghasil bahan bakar hayati. Hingga saat ini, kurang dari 1% bakteri di alam yang berhasil dikultivasi. Kebutuhan industri terhadap biomolekul yang tahan terhadap kondisi ekstrem sangatlah tinggi. Salah satu sumber biomolekul yang potensial adalah bakteri termofilik. Indonesia kaya akan habitat termofilik, khususnya sumber air panas, namun eksplorasinya masih sangat terbatas. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mendapatkan isolat tunggal bakteri termofilik dari sumber air panas Gedong Songo dengan media minimal YT (Yeast Tripton) dalam kondisi anaerob serta melakukan identifikasi bakteri termofilik tersebut secara genotipik dan fenotipik. Pada penelitian ini dilakukan isolasi bakteri termofilik sumber air panas Gedongsongo dengan media pengaya minimal YT pada kondisi anaerob serta identifikasi bakteri secara genotipik dan fenotipik. Identifikasi genotipik dilakukan dengan menggunakan analisis urutan nukleotida gen 16S rRNA. Identifikasi fenotipik dilakukan melalui uji morfologi meliputi uji pewarnaan gram dan uji mikroskop. Selain itu dilakukan uji potensi enzim ekstraseluler termostabil, meliputi amilase, protease, β-galaktosidase, dan selulase. Hasil penelitian diperoleh isolat tunggal bakteri termofilik anaerob yang diberi nama isolat GS Ytan, dengan karakteristik bentuk batang, gram positif, dan memiliki kemiripan dengan bakteri kelompok Anoxybacillus sp. dengan tingkat kekerabatan sebesar 97-99 %. Isolat GS YTan memiliki hubungan terdekat dengan Anoxybacillus sp. AF/04 dan Anoxybacillus sp. HT14. Isolat GS YTan memiliki potensi enzim ekstraseluler termostabil amilase, protease dan β-galaktosidase.
Peningkatan dan Penguatan Partisipasi Masyarakat dalam Konteks Smart City
Authors: Arafah Yunita , Winarso Haryo
Published: April 2020

Konsep smart city telah digunakan secara meluas diberbagai bidang, namun secara umum masih mendominasi bidang-bidang yang berhubungan dengan teknologi informasi dan komunikasi, serta komputer dan keteknikan. Padahal tidak hanya itu, pembahasan smart city dalam bidang sosial juga merupakan sebuah prioritas. Hal ini juga dapat dilihat dari kecenderungan evolusi perkembangan konsep smart city dari tahun ke tahun yang terus mengarah dan fokus kepada aspek manusia dan masyarakat di dalamnya, salah satunya yaitu bagaimana manusia sebagai pengguna smart city dapat ikut berpartisipasi dalam menyelesaikan permasalahan kota dan ikut berpartisipasi dalam pembangunan. Tulisan ini bertujuan untuk melihat sejauh mana tingkat partisipasi masyarakat dalam konsep smart city yang telah berjalan, khususnya pada kasus kota-kota di Indonesia, selanjutnya melihat faktor-faktor apa saja yang menjadi prioritas dalam usaha peningkatan dan penguatan partisipasi masyarakat dalam konteks smart city. Studi ini akan fokus pada teori smart city, partisipasi, smart community, smart people, dan smart governance sebagai salah satu karakter pembentuk smart city. Analisa dan pembahasan dilakukan berdasarkan studi literatur, dan menggunakan metodologi systematic literature review melalui rangkuman hasil penelitian-penelitian sebelumnya dengan teknik deskriptif kualitatif.
Analisis Kemiskinan Spasial dan Kaitannya dengan Sertifikasi dan Penggunaan Lahan Pertanian di Kabupaten Mamuju
Authors: Irawadi Ade , Juanda Bambang , Munibah Khursatul
Published: April 2020

The poverty is still a strategic issue in Mamuju Regency, West Sulawesi. In 2015 the poverty rate is 6.7%, but the decline of every year is still very slow. Understanding the relationship between poverty and the factors that influence it is important to determine the right policies for poverty alleviation in Mamuju Regency. This study aims to: (1) analyze spatial patterns of poverty; and (2) analyze the relationship of poverty with factors that influence spatially. This study used cross sectional village level data of 97 villages/kelurahan in the Mamuju Regency. The data used are poverty, land certification, agricultural land use, labor in industrial sector, distance to capital and village fund. A spatial analysis of poverty uses Moran Index approach to find out spatial pattern of poverty in Mamuju Regency. Analysis of the relationship between the poverty level of each village/kelurahan with the factors influence it using the Geographically Weighted Regression (GWR) approach. The result of spatial analysis of poverty indicates that the poverty level of the village/kelurahan in Mamuju Regency is clustered. The result of GWR analysis shows that the land certificates, the percentage of land area of plantation, paddy field, fields area, and fishpond, percentage of labor in micro and small industry sector, distance to the capital and village fund proved to have significant effect varying to village poverty level.