bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Role of MicroRNAs upon Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition in Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Authors: Boros Éva , Nagy István
Published: November 2019

Increasing evidence suggest the significance of inflammation in the progression of cancer, for example the development of colorectal cancer in Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) patients. Long-lasting inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract causes serious systemic complications and breaks the homeostasis of the intestine, where the altered expression of regulatory genes and miRNAs trigger malignant transformations. Several steps lead from acute inflammation to malignancies: epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and inhibitory microRNAs (miRNAs) are known factors during multistage carcinogenesis and IBD pathogenesis. In this review, we outline the interactions between EMT components and miRNAs that may affect cancer development during IBD.
RETRACTED: Acetylshikonin Sensitizes Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells to Apoptosis through ROS-Mediated Caspase Activation
Authors: Hong Ming , Li Jinke , Li Siying , M.Almutairi Mohammed
Published: November 2019

The tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) has shown strong and explicit cancer cell-selectivity, which results in little toxicity toward normal tissues, and has been recognized as a potential, relatively safe anticancer agent. However, several cancers are resistant to the apoptosis induced by TRAIL. A recent study found that shikonin b (alkannin, 5,8-dihydroxy-2-[(1S)-1-hydroxy-4-methylpent-3-en-1-yl]naphthalene-1,4-dione) might induce apoptosis in TRAIL-resistant cholangiocarcinoma cells through reactive oxygen species (ROS)-mediated caspases activation. However, the strong cytotoxic activity has limited its potential as an anticancer drug. Thus, the current study intends to discover novel shikonin derivatives which can sensitize the liver cancer cell to TRAIL-induced apoptosis while exhibiting little toxicity toward the normal hepatic cell. The trypan blue exclusion assay, western blot assay, 4′,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) staining and the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay as well as the ‘comet’ assay, were used to study the underlying mechanisms of cell death and to search for any mechanisms of an enhancement of TRAIL-mediated apoptosis in the presence of ASH. Herein, we demonstrated that non-cytotoxic doses of acetylshikonin (ASH), one of the shikonin derivatives, in combination with TRAIL, could promote apoptosis in HepG2 cells. Further studies showed that application of ASH in a non-cytotoxic dose (2.5 μM) could increase intracellular ROS production and induce DNA damage, which might trigger a cell intrinsic apoptosis pathway in the TRAIL-resistant HepG2 cell. Combination treatment with a non-cytotoxic dose of ASH and TRAIL activated caspase and increased the cleavage of PARP-1 in the HepG2 cell. However, when intracellular ROS production was suppressed by N-acetyl-l-cysteine (NAC), the synergistic effects of ASH and TRAIL on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell apoptosis was abolished. Furthermore, NAC could alleviate p53 and the p53 upregulated modulator of apoptosis (PUMA) expression induced by TRAIL and ASH. Small (or short) interfering RNA (siRNA) targeting PUMA or p53 significantly reversed ASH-mediated sensitization to TRAIL-induced apoptosis. In addition, Bax gene deficiency also abolished ASH-induced TRAIL sensitization. An orthotopical HCC implantation mice model further confirmed that co-treated ASH overcomes TRAIL resistance in HCC cells without exhibiting potent toxicity in vivo. In conclusion, the above data suggested that ROS could induce DNA damage and activating p53/PUMA/Bax signaling, and thus, this resulted in the permeabilization of mitochondrial outer membrane and activating caspases as well as sensitizing the HCC cell to apoptosis induced by TRAIL and ASH treatment.
The Development and Decay of the Circadian Clock in Drosophila melanogaster
Authors: Zhao Jia , Warman Guy , Cheeseman James
Published: November 2019

The way in which the circadian clock mechanism develops and decays throughout life is interesting for a number of reasons and may give us insight into the process of aging itself. The Drosophila model has been proven invaluable for the study of the circadian clock and development and aging. Here we review the evidence for how the Drosophila clock develops and changes throughout life, and present a new conceptual model based on the results of our recent work. Firefly luciferase lines faithfully report the output of known clock genes at the central clock level in the brain and peripherally throughout the whole body. Our results show that the clock is functioning in embryogenesis far earlier than previously thought. This central clock in the fly remains robust throughout the life of the animal and only degrades immediately prior to death. However, at the peripheral (non-central oscillator level) the clock shows weakened output as the animal ages, suggesting the possibility of the breakdown in the cohesion of the circadian network.
Genome-Wide Association Study of Body Mass Index and Body Fat in Mexican-Mestizo Children
Authors: Costa-Urrutia Paula , Colistro Valentina , Jiménez-Osorio Angélica Saraí , Cárdenas-Hernández Helios , Solares-Tlapechco Jacqueline , Ramirez-Alcántara Miryam , Granados Julio , Ascencio-Montiel Iván de Jesús , Rodríguez-Arellano Martha Eunice
Published: November 2019

Background: Childhood obesity is a major health problem in Mexico. Obesity prevalence estimated by body mass index (BMI) is almost half than that estimated by percent body fat (%BF) in the Childhood Obesity pediatric cohort (COIPIS). Objective. We performed a genome-wide association study (GWAS) of BMI and %BF in 828 children from the COIPIS to identify markers of predisposition to high values for both phenotypes used for obesity classification. Methods: For the GWAS we used the LAT Axiom 1, Affymetrix and 2.5 million single loci from the 1000 Genomes Phase 3 imputation panel. We used a linear model, adjusted by age, sex, and Amerindian ancestry assuming an additive inheritance model. Results. Genome-wide significance (p ≤ 5.0 × 10−8) and 80% of statistical power was reached for associations of two loci in two genes (CERS3 and CYP2E1) to BMI. Also, 11 loci in six genes (ANKS1B, ARNTL2, KCNS3, LMNB1, SRGAP3, TRPC7) reached genome-wide significance for associations to %BF, though not 80% of statistical power. Discussion: None of the SNPs were previously reported as being associated to BMI or %BF. In addition, different loci were found for BMI and %BF. These results highlight the importance of gaining deeper understanding of genetic markers of predisposition to high values for the phenotypes used for obesity diagnosis.
Discrete Mutation Hopfield Neural Network in Propositional Satisfiability
Authors: Mohd Kasihmuddin Mohd Shareduwan , Mansor Mohd. Asyraf , Md Basir Md Faisal , Sathasivam Saratha
Published: November 2019

The dynamic behaviours of an artificial neural network (ANN) system are strongly dependent on its network structure. Thus, the output of ANNs has long suffered from a lack of interpretability and variation. This has severely limited the practical usability of the logical rule in the ANN. The work presents an integrated representation of k-satisfiability (kSAT) in a mutation hopfield neural network (MHNN). Neuron states of the hopfield neural network converge to minimum energy, but the solution produced is confined to the limited number of solution spaces. The MHNN is incorporated with the global search capability of the estimation of distribution algorithms (EDAs), which typically explore various solution spaces. The main purpose is to estimate other possible neuron states that lead to global minimum energy through available output measurements. Furthermore, it is shown that the MHNN can retrieve various neuron states with the lowest minimum energy. Subsequent simulations performed on the MHNN reveal that the approach yields a result that surpasses the conventional hybrid HNN. Furthermore, this study provides a new paradigm in the field of neural networks by overcoming the overfitting issue.
Influence of Waterproof Films on the Atomization Behavior of Surface Acoustic Waves
Authors: Huang Qing-Yun , Hu Hong , Han Jun-Long , Lei Yu-Lin , Yang Xiao-Qing
Published: November 2019

One of the reasons why commercial application of surface acoustic wave (SAW) atomization is not possible is due to the condensation of aerosol droplets generated during atomization, which drip on the interdigitated transducer (IDT), thereby causing electrodes to short-circuit. In order to solve this problem, a SU-8-2002 film coating on an IDT is proposed in this paper. The waterproof performance of the film coating was tested on a surface acoustic wave (SAW) device several times. The experimental results reveal that the film coating was robust. The experiment also investigated the effects of the SU-8-2002 film on atomization behavior and heating.
ENPP1, an Old Enzyme with New Functions, and Small Molecule Inhibitors—A STING in the Tale of ENPP1
Authors: Onyedibe Kenneth I. , Wang Modi , Sintim Herman O.
Published: November 2019

Ectonucleotide pyrophosphatase/phosphodiesterase I (ENPP1) was identified several decades ago as a type II transmembrane glycoprotein with nucleotide pyrophosphatase and phosphodiesterase enzymatic activities, critical for purinergic signaling. Recently, ENPP1 has emerged as a critical phosphodiesterase that degrades the stimulator of interferon genes (STING) ligand, cyclic GMP–AMP (cGAMP). cGAMP or analogs thereof have emerged as potent immunostimulatory agents, which have potential applications in immunotherapy. This emerging role of ENPP1 has placed this “old” enzyme at the frontier of immunotherapy. This review highlights the roles played by ENPP1, the mechanism of cGAMP hydrolysis by ENPP1, and small molecule inhibitors of ENPP1 with potential applications in diverse disease states, including cancer.
Antioxidant System and Biomolecules Alteration in Pisum sativum under Heavy Metal Stress and Possible Alleviation by 5-Aminolevulinic Acid
Authors: El-Amier Yasser , Elhindi Khalid , El-Hendawy Salah , Al-Rashed Sarah , Abd-ElGawad Ahmed
Published: November 2019

Environmental pollution is the most serious problem that affects crop productivity worldwide. Pisum sativum is a leguminous plant that is cultivated on a large scale in the Nile Delta of Egypt as a winter crop, and many of the cultivated fields irrigated with drainage water that contained many pollutants including heavy metals. The present research aimed to investigate the impact of Cd and Ni on the biochemical and physiological processes in P. sativum and evaluate the potential alleviation of their toxicity by 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA). Seedlings of P. sativum were grown in Hoagland solution treated with CdCl2 or NiCl2 for 72 h in the growth chamber. Hydrogen peroxide, lipid peroxidation, protein carbonylation, reduced glutathione, oxidized glutathione, proline, phenolics, antioxidant enzymes, as well as Cd and Ni concentrations were measured at 0, 12, 24, 36, 48, 72 h. An experiment of alleviation was conducted where ALA was added to the growth solution at a concentration of 200 µM coupled with 100 µM of either CdCl2 or NiCl2. Hydrogen peroxide, lipid peroxidation, protein carbonylation, reduced glutathione, oxidized glutathione, proline, and phenolics were induced due to the toxicity of Cd and Ni. The activities of antioxidant enzymes [NADH-oxidase (EC: 1.6.3.1), ascorbate peroxidase (EC: 1.11.1.11), glutathione reductase (EC: 1.6.4.2), superoxide dismutase (EC: 1.15.1.1), and catalase (EC: 1.11.1.6)] were induced under the treatments of both metals. On the other hand, the soluble protein decreased gradually depending upon the time of exposure to the heavy metals. The concentration of Cd and Ni in the leaves treated plants increased in time of exposure dependent manner, while their contents remained within the acceptable limits. The addition of ALA decreased the oxidative stress in treated P. sativum plants. The results revealed the significance of using ALA in the cultivation of P. sativum might improve its tolerance against heavy metal stress.
Marine Collagen Peptides Promote Cell Proliferation of NIH-3T3 Fibroblasts via NF-κB Signaling Pathway
Authors: Yang Fei , Jin Shujie , Tang Yunping
Published: November 2019

Marine collagen peptides (MCPs) with the ability to promote cell proliferation and migration were obtained from the skin of Nibea japonica. The purpose of MCPs isolation was an attempt to convert the by-products of the marine product processing industry to high value-added items. MCPs were observed to contain many polypeptides with molecular weights ≤ 10 kDa and most amino acid residues were hydrophilic. MCPs (0.25–10 mg/mL) also exhibited 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), hydroxyl, superoxide anion, and 2′-azino-bis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) radical scavenging activities. Furthermore, MCPs promoted the proliferation of NIH-3T3 cells. In vitro scratch assays indicated that MCPs significantly enhanced the scratch closure rate and promoted the migration of NIH-3T3 cells. To further determine the signaling mechanism of MCPs, western blotting was used to study the expression levels of nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) p65, IκB kinase α (IKKα), and IκB kinase β (IKKβ) proteins of the NF-κB signaling pathway. Our results indicated protein levels of NF-κB p65, IKKα and IKKβ increased in MCPs-treated NIH-3T3 cells. In addition, MCPs increased the expression of epidermal growth factor (EGF), fibroblast growth factor (FGF), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and transforming growth factor (TGF-β) in NIH-3T3 cells. Therefore, MCPs, a by-product of N. japonica, exhibited potential wound healing abilities in vitro.
Evaluation of the Nutritional Quality of Breakfast Cereals Sold on the Italian Market: The Food Labelling of Italian Products (FLIP) Study
Authors: Angelino Donato , Rosi Alice , Dall’Asta Margherita , Pellegrini Nicoletta , Martini Daniela
Published: November 2019

Breakfast cereals are present on the market as different types and, in general, are one of the food categories in which voluntary information, such as nutrition or health claims (NHC) or gluten free (GF) declarations, have the largest distribution. The aims of the present study were to compare (i) the nutritional declaration among different types of breakfast cereals, as well as among products with and without NHC or GF declarations; and (ii) the salt and sugar contents with the “Italian shared objectives for the improvement of the nutritional characteristics of food”. To this aim, the nutrition declarations of 371 different breakfast cereal items, available in 13 retailers present on the Italian market, were analysed. Data showed an elevated inter-product variability, with cereal bars and muesli having the highest energy, total fat, and saturate contents per 100 g. Limited differences were found comparing products with and without NHC, as well as those with GF declaration. Most of the breakfast cereals were compliant to the shared objectives, although some items with NHC or GF declaration still have sugar or salt contents higher than these objectives. In conclusion, these data suggest that the different characteristics and the regulated information reported on the food label should not be considered as a marker of the overall nutritional quality. Thus, this study supports the importance of reading and understanding the information made on food label.
Poor Dietary Polyphenol Intake in Childhood Cancer Patients
Authors: Liu Ashly , Cohen Jennifer , Vittorio Orazio
Published: November 2019

Emerging research demonstrates polyphenol-rich diets like the Mediterranean diet may play a role in improving the outcomes of adult cancer therapy. To date, there are no trials assessing the intake or efficacy of polyphenol-rich diets in childhood cancer patients. In this study we collected dietary data on 59 childhood cancer patients on treatment using a three-pass 24-h dietary recall (24-HDR), which is based on a validated and structured three-part methodology. Polyphenol consumption was calculated by matching the food consumption data with polyphenol content extracted from the most updated Phenol-Explorer database. The mean total polyphenol intake was 173.31 ± 141.02 mg/day. The major food sources of polyphenols were fruits, beverages, and cereals. There were no significant associations with time since diagnosis, body mass index (BMI) z-score, types of cancer, treatment intensity, food-related symptoms, relapse, and total daily polyphenol intake. Further investigation with larger studies will facilitate the steps in assessing the value of polyphenol-rich dietary patterns in future nutritional interventions for childhood cancer patients.
Photodetector Spectral Response Estimation Using Black Body Radiation
Authors: Liberati Riccardo Maria , Del Paggio Alessio , Rossi Massimiliano
Published: November 2019

We propose a method for the estimation of the spectral response of a photodetector, using only the variation of the temperature of a black body source without the need of an expensive monochromator or a circular filter. The proposed method is suitable especially for infrared detectors in which the cut-off wavelength and the responsivity vs. wavelength is not exactly known. The method provides a rough estimation of the spectral response solving a Fredholm integral equation of the first kind. The precision of this technique depends on the temperatures at which the detector output is measured. Some examples are given for illustration.
Comparison of Different Measures of Religiousness and Spirituality: Implications for Neurotheological Research
Authors: Newberg Andrew , Wintering Nancy , Waldman Mark
Published: November 2019

The neuroscientific study of religious and spiritual phenomena requires the development of methodologies that can target both the biological as well as the subjective dimensions of such phenomena. The purpose of the current study was to compare various subjective questionnaires evaluating neuropsychological dimensions of religiosity. Many scales and questionnaires have been developed over the years, but they have rarely been compared to each other. As part of an online survey of peoples’ spiritual experiences, we had individuals complete several questionnaires including the Quest Scale, the Religiousness Measure, the INSPIRIT, the Death Anxiety Measure, and the Intrinsic Motivation Scale. Some of these scales also have subcomponents which can be evaluated separately. We compared these scales to each other, and also to a variety of demographic variables such as age, gender, religion, and socioeconomic status. Importantly, these scales have neurological correlates that can be the targets of future studies in the field of neurotheology. The evaluation of such qualitative data has important implications for methodological challenges in future neurotheological research.
Urban Land Use and Land Cover Classification Using Multisource Remote Sensing Images and Social Media Data
Authors: Shi Yan , Qi Zhixin , Liu Xiaoping , Niu Ning , Zhang Hui
Published: November 2019

Land use and land cover (LULC) are diverse and complex in urban areas. Remotely sensed images are commonly used for land cover classification but hardly identifies urban land use and functional areas because of the semantic gap (i.e., different definitions of similar or identical buildings). Social media data, “marks” left by people using mobile phones, have great potential to overcome this semantic gap. Multisource remote sensing data are also expected to be useful in distinguishing different LULC types. This study examined the capability of combined multisource remote sensing images and social media data in urban LULC classification. Multisource remote sensing images included a Chinese ZiYuan-3 (ZY-3) high-resolution image, a Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager (OLI) multispectral image, and a Sentinel-1A synthetic aperture radar (SAR) image. Social media data consisted of the hourly spatial distribution of WeChat users, which is a ubiquitous messaging and payment platform in China. LULC was classified into 10 types, namely, vegetation, bare land, road, water, urban village, greenhouses, residential, commercial, industrial, and educational buildings. A method that integrates object-based image analysis, decision trees, and random forests was used for LULC classification. The overall accuracy and kappa value attained by the combination of multisource remote sensing images and WeChat data were 87.55% and 0.84, respectively. They further improved to 91.55% and 0.89, respectively, by integrating the textural and spatial features extracted from the ZY-3 image. The ZY-3 high-resolution image was essential for urban LULC classification because it is necessary for the accurate delineation of land parcels. The addition of Landsat 8 OLI, Sentinel-1A SAR, or WeChat data also made an irreplaceable contribution to the classification of different LULC types. The Landsat 8 OLI image helped distinguish between the urban village, residential buildings, commercial buildings, and roads, while the Sentinel-1A SAR data reduced the confusion between commercial buildings, greenhouses, and water. Rendering the spatial and temporal dynamics of population density, the WeChat data improved the classification accuracies of an urban village, greenhouses, and commercial buildings.
Study on Environment Regulation of Residential in Severe Cold Area of China in Winter: Base on Outdoor Thermal Comfort of the Elderly
Authors: Jin Hong , Wang Bo , Han Bingbing
Published: November 2019

Overwhelming evidence shows that the harsh climate conditions are affecting urban residents who are living in severe cold areas of China in winter, particularly affecting the frequency and length of outdoor space usage of the elderly. This study aims (1) to establish the modified model which is suitable for the harsh climate region, (2) to verify whether the physiological equivalent temperature (PET) index can be evaluated for the outdoor thermal comfort of older adults in severe cold areas of China in winter, (3) to draw the thermal comfort map that is based on the former conclusions. In this study, the outdoor environments in typical residential areas for the elderly of Changchun, China, has been investigated by using field measurement, questionnaire survey, and Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulation. The results show that the wind direction is the important aspects of model modification and quite possibly one of the most neglected. In addition, it is convenient to evaluate outdoor thermal comfort of the elderly on the basis of the PET index and the neutral PET temperature of elderly people who live in severe cold areas of China in winter is −0.5 degrees Celsius. According to the thermal comfort map, the park green land of urban residential is the best area for the elderly.
The Review of Biomass Potential for Agricultural Biogas Production in Poland
Authors: Koryś Katarzyna Anna , Latawiec Agnieszka Ewa , Grotkiewicz Katarzyna , Kuboń Maciej
Published: November 2019

Adequate management of biomass residues generated by agricultural and food industry can reduce their negative impacts on the environment. The alternative use for agricultural waste is production of biogas. Biomass feedstock intended as a substrate for the agricultural biogas plants may include energy crops, bio-waste, products of animal and plant origin and organic residues from food production. This study reviews the potential of selected biomass residues from the agri-food industry in terms of use for agricultural biogas production in Poland. The most common agri-food residues used as substrates for biogas plants in Poland are maize silage, slurry, and distillery waste. It is important that the input for the agricultural biogas installations can be based on local wastes and co-products that require appropriate disposal or storage conditions and might be burdensome for the environment. The study also discusses several limitations that might have an unfavourable impact regarding biogas plants development in Poland. Given the estimated biomass potential, the assumptions defining the scope of use of agricultural biogas and the undeniable benefits provided by biogas production, agricultural biogas plants should be considered as a promising branch of sustainable electricity and thermal energy production in Poland, especially in rural areas.
Pre-Harvest Survival and Post-Harvest Chlorine Tolerance of Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli on Lettuce
Authors: Tyagi Deepti , Kraft Autumn L. , Levadney Smith Sara , Roof Sherry E. , Sherwood Julie S. , Wiedmann Martin , Bergholz Teresa M.
Published: November 2019

In the field, foodborne pathogens such as enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) are capable of surviving on produce over time, yet little is known about how these pathogens adapt to this environment. To assess the impact of pre-harvest environmental conditions on EHEC survival, we quantified survival on romaine lettuce under two relative humidity (75% and 45%) and seasonal conditions (March and June). Greenhouse-grown lettuce was spray-inoculated with EHEC and placed in a growth chamber, mimicking conditions typical for June and March in Salinas Valley, California. Bacteria were enumerated on days 0, 1, 3, and 5 post-inoculation. Overall, we found that the effect of relative humidity on EHEC survival depended on the seasonal conditions. Under June seasonal conditions, higher relative humidity led to lower survival, and lower relative humidity led to greater survival, five days post-inoculation. Under March seasonal conditions, the impact of relative humidity on EHEC survival was minimal over the five days. The bacteria were also tested for their ability to survive a chlorine decontamination wash. Inoculated lettuce was incubated under the June 75% relative humidity conditions and then washed with a 50 ppm sodium hypochlorite solution (40 ppm free chlorine). When incubated under June seasonal conditions for three to five days, EHEC strains showed increased tolerance to chlorine (adj. p < 0.05) compared to chlorine tolerance upon inoculation onto lettuce. This indicated that longer incubation on lettuce led to greater EHEC survival upon exposure to chlorine. Subsequent transcriptome analysis identified the upregulation of osmotic and oxidative stress response genes by EHEC after three and five days of incubation on pre-harvest lettuce. Assessing the physiological changes in EHEC that occur during association with pre-harvest lettuce is important for understanding how changing tolerance to post-harvest control measures may occur.
Identification of B-Cell Epitopes with Potential to Serologicaly Discrimnate Dengue from Zika Infections
Authors: Versiani Alice F. , Rocha Raissa Prado , Mendes Tiago A. O. , Pereira Glauco C. , Coelho dos Reis Jordana Graziella A. , Bartholomeu Daniella C. , da Fonseca Flávio G.
Published: November 2019

Dengue is currently one of the most important arbovirus infections worldwide. Early diagnosis is important for disease outcome, particularly for those afflicted with the severe forms of infection. The goal of this work was to identify conserved and polymorphic linear B-cell Dengue virus (DENV) epitopes that could be used for diagnostic purposes. To this end, we aligned the predicted viral proteome of the four DENV serotype and performed in silico B-cell epitope mapping. We developed a script in Perl integrating alignment and prediction information to identify potential serotype-specific epitopes. We excluded epitopes that were similarly present in the yellow fever and zika viruses’ proteomes. A total of 15 polymorphic and nine conserved peptides among DENV serotypes were selected. Peptides were spotted on cellulose membranes and tested against sera from rabbits that were monoinfected with each DENV serotype. Although serotype-specific peptides failed to recognize any sera, three conserved peptides were recognized by all anti-dengue sera and were included on an ELISA test employing a well-characterized human sera bank. Of the three peptides, one was able to efficiently identify sera from all four DENV serotypes and to discriminate them from Zika virus positive sera.
On the Aperture Problem of Binocular 3D Motion Perception
Authors: Lages Martin , Heron Suzanne
Published: November 2019

Like many predators, humans have forward-facing eyes that are set a short distance apart so that an extensive region of the visual field is seen from two different points of view. The human visual system can establish a three-dimensional (3D) percept from the projection of images into the left and right eye. How the visual system integrates local motion and binocular depth in order to accomplish 3D motion perception is still under investigation. Here, we propose a geometric-statistical model that combines noisy velocity constraints with a spherical motion prior to solve the aperture problem in 3D. In two psychophysical experiments, it is shown that instantiations of this model can explain how human observers disambiguate 3D line motion direction behind a circular aperture. We discuss the implications of our results for the processing of motion and dynamic depth in the visual system.
Experimental Research on the Rotating Stall of a Pump Turbine in Pump Mode
Authors: Xue Peng , Liu Zhiping , Lu Li , Gao Zhongxin , Meng Xiaochao
Published: November 2019

The rotating stall is an unstable flow phenomenon of pump turbines in pump mode, which is of increasing concern to scientists and engineers working on pump turbines. However, at present, various studies are carried out based on CFD (computational fluid dynamics) simulation, while directly measured data and experimental research on flow fields are seldom reported. By utilizing PIV (particle image velocimetry) measuring equipment, the flow field within the guide vane zone of a low specific speed pump turbine in pump mode was measured. By measuring and analyzing the transient flow field, the evolutionary process of the rotating stall within the guide vane passages was determined. We found that for all three tested guide vane openings, regardless of whether the positive slope appeared or not, a pre-stall operating point was found for each opening in the process of decreasing the flow rate. The analysis of the loss within the flow field indicated that the dissipation-induced loss increased greatly after the rotating stall appeared. The pump performance curves at the three guide vane openings showed an inflection at the pre-stall point. When the flow rate is larger than that of the pre-stall point, the head of the pump turbine dramatically increases as the flow rate decreases. However, when the flow rate is smaller than the pre-stall point, such increases noticeably slows down. The research results showed that whether the positive slope on the pump performance curve occurred or not, instability caused by the rotating stall should be of great concern.
The Ethical Significance of the Infinity and Otherness of God and the Understanding of Man as »Inspired Subject«. Emmanuel Levinas as a Challenge for Christian Theology
Authors: Dirscherl Erwin
Published: November 2019

The thinking of E. Levinas deeply influences the actual debates in Christian systematic theology. In catholic thinking, we know the norm of the Lateran Council in 1215: You cannot discern a similarity between God and man without discerning a greater dissimilarity between them. Do we take this norm seriously in our metaphysical ontology and theology? The otherness and goodness of God is the main problem in Levinas's philosophy and with regard to the catastrophes of the two world wars and the Shoa in the twentieth century he asks, what the significance of the talking about God in present times could be. Ethics has to become the »prima philosophia« because all our thinking and acting has an ethical significance and thus we may not forget this. Therefore, infinity and otherness receive an ethical meaning and constitute our responsibility as »inspired subjects« for the whole world. In the tradition of Jewish thinking, Levinas combines the unicity of each man and the universality of human responsibility for all people. In the face of the other, who is suffering, we are confronted with the face of God himself. What can we learn from Levinas today?
Transcendence and Acknowledgment. Questioning Marion's Reversal in Phenomenology
Authors: Klun Branko
Published: November 2019

Marion gives a new interpretation to the phenomenological notion of givenness (of a phenomenon) by attributing to this phenomenon a »self« which is, in a certain sense, independent from and prior to its reception by the subject (as »the gifted one«, adonné). In this way, Marion pleads for a phenomenological turn which can also be described in terms of counter-intentionality and counter-method. However, this turn is not a logical necessity, but a (rationally grounded) decision which the subject, or adonné has to make. In this paper I would like to interrelate this decision to the notion of acknowledgement. The adonné, by acknowledging the priority of givenness over its own receiving capacities, adopts the attitude of humility in every relation to reality (not understood ontologically, but in its »saturated« phenomenality). This attitude is of fundamental importance with regard to (the possibility of) the phenomenon of revelation.
On two Unpleasant Gestures: Rethinking Marion's Critique of Nietzsche and Heidegger in The Idol and Distance
Authors: Škof Lenart
Published: November 2019

This paper deals with an analysis of Jean Luc Marion's The Idole and Distance in light of his criticism of Nietzsche and Heidegger. Two unpleasant remarks of [should this be »by« or »about«] Marion are critically confronted and discussed from the point of view of his idea of the distance and idolatry. We argue for a different genealogy of the fatherly distance, one that is more attuned to the original Nietzschean thought and sensitive to the idea of the child. On the other hand, from Marion's criticism of »elemental« ontology of Being in Heidegger we try to argue for another possibility of onto(theo)logy in light of the proximity of the elements and God-Being within the Heideggerian ontological field of Fourfold and Ereignis. In our elaborations, we also invoke contemporary Mormon philosophical theology as an example of a post-Christian thought, being able to address some of the key questions that were haunting Marion in his criticism of both philosophers. From the Fatherly distance in Marion and his charges of idolatry towards various thinkers we thus aim to arrive to the newly coneptualized material and elemental onto(theo)logy of God-Being.
Between Secularity and Post-Secularity: Critical Appraisal of Charles Taylor's Account
Authors: Žalec Bojan
Published: November 2019

The article deals with Charles Taylor's account of the secular age. In the first part, the main constituents of Taylor's narrative account are presented: the central concepts, distinctions, definition of the subject, the aims etc. The author pays special attention to the notions of secularity, secular age, religion, and transcendence. In the second part, Taylor's genealogy of the secular age is outlined and comparatively placed in the context of other main relative forms of genealogical account. Because our age is an age of authenticity, a special section is devoted to it. The final section presents some reproaches to Taylor and evaluates their strength and the value of Taylor's contribution. Besides, some speculative »forecasts« about secularity and post-secularity in Europe, the USA, and at the global scale are presented (by reference to Taylor's account). The author concludes that despite some (serious and cogent) reproaches and second thoughts about Taylor's account, it is doubtless one of the major achievements in the area that manifests features of a paradigmatic work. It helps us a lot to understand the condition of religion not only in the past and today, but also gives us directions and guidelines, conceptual and methodological tools, and ideas to more clearly discern the forms and condition of religion in the future.
Effect of extracts of luffa cylindrica, xanthosoma sagittifolium and momordica charantia on saprolegnia spp. Mycelial growth
Authors: Bertan Gabriela Aparecida Pereira , Carlotto Alessandro Henrique , Da Silva Vanessa Gomes , De Brito Jeislane Camila Sampietro Klack , Giesel Alexandre , Siqueira Amanda Keller
Published: November 2019

Among the major infectious diseases in fish, those caused by zoosporic organisms are important, especially saprolegniasis. These diseases can affect few animals or even the entire population of the production environment. The use of alternative treatments for infectious diseases in aquatic animals has proven to be effective. It prevents the mortality of part of the crop, as well as the contamination of water by chemical components. Within this scenario, the use of plants stands out, mainly unconventional food plants (UFPs). The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of the aqueous extracts of Luffa cylindrica, Xanthosoma sagittifolium and Momordica charantia on the mycelial growth of Saprolegnia spp. The extracts obtained from the maceration of dry and ground leaves were incorporated into the potato agar dextrose (PDA), at concentrations of 0, 5, 15, 25 and 50%. Later, filter paper disks containing the mycelium of Saprolegnia spp. were applied on the agar and incubated at 25°C. Evaluations were performed every 24 hours, for 10 days. In the study, all concentrations of M. charantia extract had an inhibitory action on the mycelial growth in the order of 75% of Saprolegnia spp. and can be considered a promising alternative for controlling this pathogen.
Introducción
Authors: Copertari Susana
Published: November 2019

-
LA GOBERNABILIDAD UNIVERSITARIA EN ARGENTINA Y LOS NUEVOS DESAFÍOS: EL ROL DE LOS GREMIOS DOCENTES EN LA DEFINICIÓN DE LA CARRERA ACADÉMICA
Authors: Nosiglia María Catalina , Trippano Sergio , Mulle Verónica Patricia
Published: November 2019

Históricamente, el gobierno del sistema universitario en Argentina estuvo atravesado por las tensiones producidas por la autonomía que gozan las universidades nacionales en el país. En materia de carrera académica, las diversas normas legales que fueron sancionadas por el Estado para regular las universidades establecieron -con diferentes alcances y características- criterios para definir cómo se estructuraba el ingreso, la selección, la renovación y permanencia de los docentes en estas instituciones.En la actualidad, la aprobación reciente del Convenio Colectivo de Trabajo para Docentes de las Instituciones Universitarias Nacionales, homologado por Decreto N° 1246/15, significó un cambio respecto de la tradicional forma en que se reguló la carrera académica en Argentina, ya que implicó una negociación colectiva a nivel nacional en la que participaron el Consejo Interuniversitario Nacional –integrado por rectores de universidades nacionales- como representación unificada de la parte empleadora, y las entidades sindicales, federaciones que nuclean a los gremios docentes de todo el país, como representantes de los empleados.El objetivo de este trabajo es caracterizar el proceso de aprobación del Convenio Colectivo de Trabajo y analizar el rol de los gremios docentes en la definición de la carrera académica, considerando las tensiones que genera esta nueva regulación frente a la autonomía de las universidades.
UN LABORATORIO A CIELO ABIERTO EN LA ESCUELA. EXPERIENCIA INTERDISCIPLINARIA EN EDUCACIÓN AMBIENTAL EN EL NIVEL MEDIO TÉCNICO PROFESIONAL
Authors: García María Fernanda , Díaz Nora Gabriela , Skindzier Nélida Elda
Published: November 2019

En los ambientes urbanos los problemas asociados al actual modelo de producción y consumo están aumentando exponencialmente y promover su cuidado es el mayor reto del presente siglo. En este contexto, la educación ambiental es protagonista a la hora de afrontar ese desafío, por la necesidad de fomentar aprendizajes que rompan esquemas tradicionales y permitan comprender e involucrase en proyectos socio-ambientales. El presente artículo da a conocer el desarrollo de la 2da etapa de la terraza verde en el Instituto Politécnico Superior Gral. San Martín –UNR. Proyecto interdisciplinario destacado por ser único, hasta el momento construido por los estudiantes en una escuela pública rosarina. Sin dejar de lado la etapa inicial de refuncionalización de un espacio en desuso, pretendemos mostrar los resultados en términos espaciales, ambientales y educativos, como aquellos alcanzados por los estudiantes siendo el grupo experimental, indicadores de aprendizajes signiﬁcativos, de cambios actitudinales y de comportamientos. Ponemos a disposición de otras comunidades educativas, la posibilidad de replicar con proyectos similares que puedan impactar en otras escuelas, colaborando a concientizar alumnos, docentes, autoridades y comunidad en general, al permitir transferir conocimientos específicos a otros ámbitos, siendo prioritario el asesoramiento profesional, como en nuestro caso, brindado por docentes y empresas.
DIVERSAS PERSPECTIVAS DE FORMACIÓN CIUDADANA EN BACHILLERATO Y UNA PROPUESTA DESDE LA CULTURA CIUDADANA
Authors: García Reyes Jesús
Published: November 2019

En este trabajo se presenta un panorama acerca de la formación ciudadana en estudiantes de bachillerato en México. El propósito es analizar algunas de las posturas y proponer la adhesión de la cultura ciudadana como un  concepto integral que busca que los estudiantes pasen de meros observadores a participantes activos. En la primera parte, se abordan diversos enfoques sobre la formación ciudadana en el bachillerato; en la segunda, se expone la perspectiva de la cultura ciudadana desde los postulados que señala el sociólogo Alain Touraine (1995, 2006a, 2006b, 2002), quien expone que pasar de la pasividad de los individuos hacia la conformación de ciudadanos se logra mediante el reconocimiento de su subjetividad y del sí mismo, para fomentar una intervención reflexiva y crítica de su medio.
Aprendizaje en el primer año de estudios universitarios: motivaciones, estrategias y enfoques
Authors: Salim Raquel , Lotti de Santos Margarita
Published: November 2019

Este trabajo comunica parte de los resultados del proyecto de investigación “Una cuestión pendiente: estudios de la incidencia del modelo de capacitación en Biología (Articulación UNT-Escuela Media) en el desempeño académico estudiantil universitario. II Parte”. El objetivo del presente estudio es conocer las motivaciones y estrategias de aprendizaje más frecuentes del ingresante universitario que cursa el primer año de estudios de la carrera de Odontología. El instrumento de recolección de datos utilizado es el Cuestionario de Evaluación de Procesos de Estudio y Aprendizaje –CEPEA‒ que se administró en forma individual y colectiva a 98 alumnos voluntarios. El análisis de los resultados posibilita evaluar los enfoques de aprendizaje que adopta un estudiante universitario en su proceso de estudio. Encontramos que predominan los estudiantes con enfoque superficial (57/98), que se muestran motivados extrínsecamente, sin embargo, utilizan tanto estrategias de aprendizaje memorístico como de comprensión. Un 25% adopta un enfoque profundo y 9% no coinciden en ninguna de las dos categorías de enfoques mencionados.Estas características de aprendizaje aportan claves importantes para comprender las peculiaridades del aprendizaje académico de los alumnos indagados. Los resultados sugieren la necesidad de continuar nuestros estudios en esta línea de investigación.
La formación docente desde la perspectiva de profesores y directivos. Caso Fe y Alegría 25 de marzo
Authors: Castellanos Gómez Rebeca , Ríos Mariela
Published: November 2019

En este estudio se categorizaron y analizaron los resultados obtenidos de las percepciones que poseen docentes de la Tercera Etapa y directivos pertenecientes a la Unidad Educativa Colegio Fe y Alegría 25 de Marzo en San Félix, estado Bolívar (Venezuela), acerca de su formación docente. Para ello se realizó una investigación inscrita en el paradigma interpretativo, con una metodología cualitativa basada en el método hermeneútico-dialéctico. Los resultados permitieron conformar cinco categorías generales: 1. Naturaleza y Fines de la Formación, 2. Aplicación de lo aprendido en las actividades de formación, 3. Seguimiento permanente, 4. Aspectos institucionales de la formación, 5. Percepción acerca del involucramiento del personal directivo. Entre las conclusiones se destacan: la necesidad de concebir un Programa Formativo en el que sean sujeto y objeto los docentes, que sea colaborativo, según lo planteado por Imbernón (1994), la existencia de una configuración de subcategorías que inciden negativamente en la formación: a) diferentes percepciones en el rol de los directivos, b) la necesidad de una evaluación y seguimiento de corte formativo no punitivo, c) la necesidad de espacios destinados a la reflexión. Finalmente, se evidenció una valoración y actitud positiva de los educadores hacia los eventos formativos.
Formación del profesorado universitario en el uso y manejo de herramientas multimedia bajo sistemas e-learning
Authors: Muñoz Carril Pablo César , González Sanmamed Mercedes
Published: November 2019

Con la pretensión de contribuir al estudio de aquellos procesos relevantes mediados por la virtualidad, que influyen directamente en el nivel de formación del profesorado universitario en el uso y manejo de herramientas multimedia bajo sistemas de e-learning, hemos realizado un estudio cuantitativo de carácter transversal (desarrollado a finales del curso académico 2006-2007) y retrospectivo (contextualizado en la Universidad de A Coruña). En la investigación participó una muestra representativa y significativa compuesta por docentes de primer, segundo y tercer ciclo que utilizaban sistemas de e-learning como complemento a sus clases presenciales. Los resultados obtenidos evidenciaron que cuanto mayor es el nivel de formación del profesorado, relativo a herramientas y aplicaciones de tipo multimedia, tanto mayor es el grado de aplicación y uso de dichos programas, existiendo una correlación significativa y positiva.Asimismo, se pudo constatar a través de pruebas estadísticas no paramétricas, que existen variables personales y profesionales que se relacionan de forma significativa con el nivel de formación mostrado por los docentes.
Educación artística y estudios de la masculinidad. Desde ‘la investigación sobre chicos y hombres’ hacia ‘el estudio con chicos y chicas en torno a las masculinidades’
Authors: Herraiz García Fernando
Published: November 2019

El artículo está realizado desde una doble dimensión. Por una parte, muestra algunas de las investigaciones que se han desarrollado sobre hombres y chicos dentro de los diferentes ámbitos disciplinares en torno a la construcción de las masculinidades, haciendo especial hincapié en aquellos trabajos realizados en el ámbito de la Educación y los Estudios de la Cultura Visual. Por otra parte, el texto habla sobre la necesidad, desde la Educación Artística, y dentro del espacio curricular de la escuela, de trabajar temáticas y cuestiones en torno a la representación de las masculinidades. En esta dirección, se plantea una educación artística basada en la comprensión crítica y performativa de las representación de la cultura visual con el fin de desarrollar trabajos con chicos y chicas en torno a los aprendizajes de los géneros y sexos, teniendo la imagen visual de la masculinidad como elemento de estudio.