bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Effect of Entrepreneurship Education, Masculinity, and Femininity on the Entrepreneurial Intention of Students
Authors: Vercruysse Davy
Published: May 2022

In the last decade, a lot of studies have focused on the effects of entrepreneurship education on entrepreneurial intentions of students. However, various conclusions are seen in previous literature regarding the impact of entrepreneurship education on the entrepreneurial intentions of students. In a lot of papers regarding the relation between entrepreneurship education and entrepreneurial intentions and behavior, the variable sex (being male or female) is a control variable or studied as moderator. Since sex is not always seen as a sufficient moderator, some researchers split the total test group into two subgroups, based on the gender role orientation of people (masculinity and femininity) rather than the sex differences, although research in this area is quite scarce. This book chapter tackles this research gap and examines the effects of entrepreneurship education on student’s entrepreneurial intention, when emphasizing not only on sex but also on masculinity and femininity. Two different empirical studies are integrated. The first study demonstrates that male students have higher entrepreneurial intention compared with female students, and people with high masculinity also score higher in entrepreneurial intention, compared with people with low masculinity. The second study reveals that an elective, lecture-based course especially suited the students with high masculinity.
Urban Agglomeration and the Geo-Political Status of the Municipality of Portmore, Jamaica
Authors: Archer Carol , Jackson Anetheo
Published: May 2022

This chapter will attempt to shed light on the relevant explanations for designating or creating urban agglomeration for the purpose of administration and governance in the case of largest urban space in Jamaica. The main objective of this chapter is to provide an in-depth look at the case of Portmore with specific emphasis on the socio-economic, political, legislative, and relevant policy arrangements that influence the change in sub-national geo-political status from municipality to parish. The researchers explore the literature on local government reform, public financing, urban economics, and urban planning which provided a basis for objectively interrogating the proposed change. From the analysis of existing legislations, policies, and international conventions such as the New Urban Agenda, the proposal to change the geo-political designation of the Municipality of Portmore raises several questions about the economic profile of the area and the capacity to enjoy the benefits of urban agglomeration given its location attributes. Understanding the evolution of the theoretical discourse in urban planning can provide clarity on the relevance of this geo-political designation, the intergovernmental relationship associated with the geo-political designation, particularly as it relates to autonomy, and the allocation of resources for the provision of local government services. This understanding will help to direct the decision makers as to the best designation for Portmore given its current realities and importance of implementing measures to support decentralization and autonomy at the local level for major urban areas. The researchers found that the economic viability of the proposition is at best questionable as the economic base of the municipality is limited and its capacity to generate linkages demand serious considerations. Attention should be given to local government reform in the face of emerging trends and current realities rather than changing status of an urban areas which is the direct result of the principles of urban agglomeration.
Soilless Cultivation to Secure the Vegetable Demand of Urban and Peri-Urban Population
Authors: Kalaivanan Duraisamy , Selvakumar Govindan , Carolin Rathinakumari Arockiasamy
Published: May 2022

Globally, more people live in urban areas than in rural areas, with 54% of the world’s population residing in urban areas in 2014. It is estimated that by the year 2050, the world’s population would increase to 10 billion, and close to 80% of human settlements would be concentrated in and around urban locations. This growing urban population will need access to healthy and nutritious food. To provide food to these urban-based inhabitants, vast areas of cultivable land might be required. But then again due to competition from sectors other than agriculture, researchers, experts, and planners are skeptical about the accessibility of such spread-out land parcels, particularly those around the prevailing and futuristic metropolitan agglomerations. This strong worldwide urbanization also puts a demand for producing vegetables in close proximity to the consumers. This gives us one of today’s major challenges. Land, water, chemical fertilizers, and energy are vital resources for food production. Only 1% of freshwater found on the earth is accessible or available for human usage. Nearly 70% of that water is used in agriculture mainly for irrigation. Reserves of fertilizers, that are crucial for the production of food, are running out. With agricultural land becoming scarcer and the need for producing closer to or even in the cities to shorten the supply chain, not always the best soil can be chosen for producing crops. In this critical condition, we have to identify some alternatives to produce the vegetable crops without using soil medium in urban and peri-urban areas where rooftop/terrace space is available abundantly. When grown on the substrate, the quality of underlying soil is not a consideration, since plants do not root in the underlying soil; water and nutrients are delivered directly to the crop via the substrate. Substrate cultures can even take place without soil, for example, on concrete floors in buildings.
Magnesium Alloys for Sustainable Weight-Saving Approach: A Brief Market Overview, New Trends, and Perspectives
Authors: D’Errico Fabrizio , Tauber Martin , Just Michael
Published: May 2022

In the transportation sector, weight-saving strategies emphasize greenhouse gas reductions by improving fuel efficiency. Furthermore, it is a fact that consumers appreciate less-consuming vehicles. Lighter battery electric vehicles (BEV) mean higher travel distance covered with the same battery charge. Still, the fuel range of BEV is today not a secondary issue for choosing an e-vehicle as a unique family vehicle. Weight-saving strategies are also a priority for hydrogen gas-fuelled vehicles. Until hydrogen fuel for the transport sector is not produced at affordable costs in fully renewable pathways, increased fuel efficiency is critical for the product appeal. Magnesium is an environmentally compatible and biodegradable material with a similar density to structural plastics. On the contrary, plastics are responsible for nonbiodegradable microplastics in deep-marine environments when not recycled or correctly treated at their end of life. Due to the costly usage of lightweight materials, priority is given to activities to reduce costs by developing new materials and increasing the affordability of manufacturing costs. In this chapter, magnesium is presented from much perspective point of view: we will base it on comprehension of the past, considering the present, but with some ambition to propel hearts over today’s obstacles.
Pharmacological, Biopesticide, and Post-Harvest Loss Management Application of Jimsonweed (Datura stramonium)
Authors: Tafese Awulachew Melaku
Published: May 2022

Datura stramonium is one of the most intriguing, in part because of its well-known therapeutic and psychoactive properties in the treatment of many diseases. Datura species have been found to exhibit a variety of biological activity. Insecticide, fungicide, antioxidant, antibacterial, hypoglycemic, and immune response boosting properties have been linked to the genus’ species. These effects are linked to the existence of secondary metabolites such as terpenoids, flavonoids, with anolides, tannins, phenolic compounds, and tropane alkaloids, which are the most prevalent atropine and scopolamine in the genus Datura. Ingestion of Jimson weed produces the toxidrome of anticholinergic intoxication. Understanding and recognizing the classic signs and symptoms of anticholinergic intoxication can help clinicians evaluate persons presenting with Jimson weed poisoning. Moreover, this review is to identify the most important phytochemical substances extracted from the Jimsonweed and to characterize their biological activity for health effect and biopesticide application. Biopesticides are less harmful than chemical pesticides because they do not leave harmful residues, generally target one specific pest or a small number of related pests rather than broad spectrum chemical pesticides that affect other beneficial insects, birds, mammals, or non-target species, are effective in smaller quantities, decompose quickly and do not cause environmental problems, and are often cheaper. In conclusion, Datura stramonium, beside its medicinal value, can applicable for biopesticide application and for postharvest loss control of insects such as weevil.
Encapsulation of Essential Oils and Their Use in Food Applications
Authors: A. Shaaban Hamdy , Farouk Amr
Published: May 2022

Due to the modern lifestyle and consumers’ interests, demands toward healthy foods and nutraceuticals were increased, among them essential oils (EOs) characterized by different biological activities. However, the use of EOs in foods and pharmaceuticals may be limited due to the hydrophobicity nature in addition to the instability and cause of degradation upon exposure to environmental conditions, e.g., oxygen, temperature, and light. Therefore, encapsulation in various colloidal systems such as microcapsules, nanospheres, nanoemulsions, liposomes, and molecular inclusion complexes, seem to be the solution for such issues. New trends in food packaging have also been focused on exploiting capsulated bioactive EOs constituents for extending foods’ shelf life due to their potent antimicrobial agents and the great activity against pathological bacteria. Micro and nanoencapsulation of EOs may affect their biological activities based on the technique used. In the current chapter, different subjects have been discussed, like techniques used for the encapsulation of EOs, potential applications in food, and their behaviors/trends after encapsulation.
Quantum Biometrics
Authors: Kominis Iannis , Loulakis Michail , E. Müstecaplıoğlu Özgur
Published: May 2022

It was recently proposed to use the human visual system’s ability to perform efficient photon counting in order to devise a new biometric authentication methodology. The relevant “fingerprint” is represented by the optical losses light suffers along different paths from the cornea to the retina. The “fingerprint” is accessed by interrogating a subject on perceiving or not weak light flashes, containing few tens of photons, thus probing the subject’s visual system at the threshold of perception, at which regime optical losses play a significant role. The name “quantum biometrics” derives from the fact that the photon statistics of the illuminating light, as well as the quantum efficiency at the light detection level of rod cells, are central to the method. Here we elaborate further on this methodology, addressing several aspects like aging effects of the method’s “fingerprint,” as well as its inter-subject variability. We then review recent progress towards the experimental realization of the method. Finally, we summarize a recent proposal to use quantum light sources, in particular a single photon source, in order to enhance the performance of the authentication process. This further corroborates the “quantum” character of the methodology and alludes to the emerging field of quantum vision.
Blending Climate Action and Rural Development in Africa’s Sahel
Authors: L. Woomer Paul , Roobroeck Dries , Yelognisse Alia Didier
Published: May 2022

This paper describes the opportunity for combining climate action and improved food and nutritional security as mutual elements of rural development projects, with particular reference to the situation in the African Sahel. This progress is achieved by identifying climate-smart agricultural production technologies and bundling them into solutions for inclusion within larger projects and programs. Seventeen (17) such technologies are offered in this chapter that represent genetic innovations, improved soil and water management, and directed improvement across landscapes. Examples of the efficacy of these technologies are presented based on results from the African Agricultural Transformation Program (TAAT) with specific reference to improved cereal production. An example of the deployment of TAAT technologies for millet and sorghum involving 83,620 households managing 123,863 ha led to nearly 200,000 MT of increased food production worth about $42 million. This effort led to an estimated annual increase of 177,279 MT CO2e in biomass and soil worth $3.9 million, assuming buyers could be found. The relationship between three principal drivers of agricultural transformation, the public, private, and farming sectors, is considered in terms of how these different technologies are mobilized and deployed. The potential for increasing food supply and carbon gains under current agricultural investment levels across the Sahel by International Financial Institutions, about $683 million per year, is described. This chapter then offers recommendations in how improved rural development projects combining climate action and food security in the Sahel may be designed in the future.
The Kinetics of Autoxidation in Wine
Authors: E. Coleman Robert , A. Stuchebrukhov Alexei , B. Boulton Roger
Published: May 2022

The kinetics of autoxidation in wine begins with Fenton (1876) who observed that tartaric acid could be oxidized in the presence of iron without peroxide if left in air. Rodopulo (1951) demonstrated that iron tartrate complexes added to wine promoted more extensive oxygen consumption than the molar equivalent of inorganic ferrous or ferric salts. The role of iron complexes in the activation of oxygen, the formation of reactive oxygen species and the initiation of autoxidation are crucial for understanding wine oxidation kinetics. Mechanisms based on hydroxyl radicals versus the ferryl species are likely to have different oxidation products of wine components based on pH effects. The ferryl ion, hydroxyl radical, and tartaric acid radical are proposed as key intermediates in the proposed general mechanism for hydrogen peroxide formation and the autoxidation of wine components. A quantitative kinetic description is presented for the autoxidation of tartaric acid and extended to other acid components as potential ligands. This chapter explores the theoretical considerations of iron complexes formation, oxygen activation, an autoxidative mechanism, and experimental measurements of tartaric acid oxidation as the basis of autoxidation in wine.
Solar Proton Activity over the Solar Cycle 24 and Associated Space Radiation Doses
Authors: Rukundo Wellen
Published: May 2022

The least number of proton events and ground-level enhancements was recorded in the solar cycle 24 which corresponds with the least smoothed sunspot number compared to the last three previous solar cycles. This was attributed to the weak sun’s polar field and decreasing strength of the interplanetary magnetic field at the start of the solar cycle. The majority contribution to background radiation dose within our earth’s atmosphere is galactic cosmic rays and trapped particles in the Van Allen Belts. However, solar proton events cause sudden spikes in radiation doses, and this depends on the fluence and energy spectra of the events. While these doses are least detected in the lower atmosphere, they have significant radiation damage to spacecraft electronic components and astronauts on long space missions and at higher atmospheric altitudes. Therefore, the prediction of such events and estimation of their effective radiation damage is an important consideration for planning long space missions and spacecraft design materials.
Danaparoid Sodium: A Review of Its Use in Hepatic Thrombotic Disorders
Authors: N. Magnani Harry
Published: May 2022

Danaparoid sodium is an antithrombotic isolated from porcine mucosa. Its main constituent is a mixture of heparan sulphates that inhibits thrombin generation and also possesses anti-inflammatory and immune-modulatory activity. It has shown safety and efficacy in its main indications of deep venous thrombosis prophylaxis, heparin-induced thrombocytopenia treatment and disseminated intravascular thrombosis treatment. In addition, there are reports of its off-label use for the treatment of portal vein thrombosis in adults and for prevention of the hepatic thrombotic microangiopathies haematogenous that complicate recovery after stem cell transplantation in adults and children. The results of these studies provide further support for its safety and efficacy even in subjects with cirrhosis and/or severe hepatic dysfunction. In this chapter the rationale for danaparoid use is presented and the collated results of comparative studies and case reports are compared with those of other pharmaceutical options for managing these hepatic thrombotic disorders.
Using Genetic Algorithm to Optimize Controllers of Thermal Load System in Thermal Power Plant
Authors: Ly PhamThi , Quoc Khanh Bui
Published: May 2022

This chapter presents the sequence of implementing the genetic algorithms using the programming language in the Mfile application of MATLAB Simulink software to optimize the two controller parameters of the coordinated control system structure of the thermal load system in coal-fired thermal power plants: electric power controller and steam pressure controller. Optimal standards are determined to be fast-tracking and fuel-saving. Operational data at a thermal power plant in Vietnam have been used to simulate the operation of a thermal load control system with a coordinated control structure in a thermal power plant to test controller parameters found from the genetic solution. To clarify the superiority of the genetic algorithm method in control of the thermal load system of a thermal power plant, the authors give an evaluation of the original control system compared to the control system using the parameters found from the genetic algorithm method. The results show that the thermal load control system in the thermal power plant using controller parameters found from the genetic algorithm method is much more optimal in terms of fuel consumption and the ability to follow the set amount.
Green Synthesis of Chalcone Derivatives Using Chalcones as Precursor
Authors: Dhadda Surbhi , Giri Goswami Prakash , Sharma Himanshu
Published: May 2022

Recently, the use of green methodologies like sonication, use of ionic liquids, etc. attracted the attention of researchers in the field of organic synthesis as they have advantages such as mild reaction conditions, environmentally benign procedures, etc. Herein, this chapter highlights some recyclable ionic liquids (ILs) catalyzed ring closure reactions of chalcones to obtain several heterocyclic rings viz.; pyrazoles, pyrans, pyrimidines under ultrasonification. These reactions have very important features i.e., short routine, high yields, being environmentally friendly, high functional group tolerance, formation of a single product, high atom economy, high yielding, no need for column purification, etc. The various synthesized compounds were prepared in optimized reaction conditions in good to efficient yields. Analytical and spectral (FTIR, 1H, and 13C NMR) techniques were employed for the structural elucidation of the synthesized compounds. The ionic liquids used in the synthesis are recycled and reused several times.
Redox Transitions in Pseudocapacitor Materials: Criteria and Ruling Factors
Authors: N. Pronkin Sergey , Yu. Shokina Nina , Pham-Huu Cuong
Published: May 2022

Pseudocapacitance is a phenomenon of charge storage involving redox transitions at the electrode/electrolyte interface. As the result of an electrode potential modulation, one or few components of the electrode and/or electrolyte change its/their oxidation states. The redox reaction may be confined to the interface or propagate into the bulk of the electrode material, thus significantly increasing the charge (and energy) capacitance of the material. The rate and the reversibility of the interfacial redox reaction are the key factors determining the efficiency of charge storage due to pseudocapacitance phenomena. The influence of the characteristics of the interfacial redox reaction on the efficiency of charge storage in pseudocapacitive materials is considered in the current chapter. In particular, the similarities and the differences between the charge storage in batteries and pseudocapacitors are discussed. The analysis of the pseudocapacitive behavior of electrode material using the impedance spectroscopy is presented.
General Three-Component Structural-Dynamic Theory of Psychotherapy and Its Implementation in Method of Positive-Dialog Psychotherapy
Authors: Tukaev Rashit
Published: May 2022

On the base of analysis of psychotherapeutic practice, archaic therapeutic systems and basic methods of psychotherapy the author formulates the general three-component structural-dynamic theory of psychotherapy, describes its components, formulates the connecting scrip’s concept for psychotherapy. The description of sociopsychological component of psychotherapy is based on “models of the disease and therapy” of the mass consciousness, its structure and dynamics. The psychological component includes the learning and intrapsychic subcomponents. The intrapsychic subcomponents contain the mechanisms of reactivation and the formation of the personal system of psychological adaptation. The biological component of psychotherapy is discussed from the perspective of mechanisms of learning, readaptation and neurogenesis. The method of positive-dialog psychotherapy (PDP) of anxiety disorders is based on the above theory of psychotherapy and describes the process of psychotherapy as a multidimensional staged dialog between the psychotherapist and the patient. PDP is realized as a serial resolution of the patient’s systemic request for psychotherapy, which presents a set of consistently manifested, resolving stage requests of the patient (reflects in reverse order the history and biopsychosocial mechanisms of the formation of the disorder). PDP includes the method of universal hypnotherapy, which demonstrates mindfulness effect, and is effective in evidence-based research.
Bioinspired Smart Surfaces and Droplet Dynamics-A Brief Review
Authors: Gulfam Raza
Published: May 2022

Mimicking the topographic structures and designs of living surfaces (e.g., lotus leaf, pitcher plant and beetle) onto the non-living surfaces (e.g., metallic plates, glass wafers, wood and fabrics) is known as bioinspiration. Consequently, the pristine topography of the non-living surfaces is robustly modified, known as bioinspired smart surfaces, providing novel surface regimes, i.e., wetting regimes and droplet dynamic regimes. Herein, factors affecting the droplet dynamics and its applications in bioinspired smart surfaces are presented. The droplet dynamics is a complicated phenomenon being affected by the various factors, encompassing the surface roughness, axial structural interspacing (ASI), structural apex layer (SAL), surface positioning, structural alignment, liquid droplet-surface interaction (LD-SI), and various stimuli, etc. Further, the droplet dynamics can be seen many applications, such as droplet manipulation, self-cleaning effect, design of controllable chemical reactors and electric circuits, water harvesting and condensation heat transfer, and oil/water separation, amongst others. The chapter has been mainly divided in three sections enclosed between the introduction and conclusion, comprehensively elaborating the classification of surface regimes, factors affecting the droplet dynamics and the applications at lab and industrial scales. In all, the contents are expected to serve as the guideline to accelerate advancement in the surface science.
Perspective Chapter: Mixed-Mode Chromatography
Authors: Thi Nguyen Ngoc-Van
Published: May 2022

In this chapter, we present mixed-mode stationary phases and their applications in the determination of nonpolar, polar, and charged compounds, as well as larger molecules such as peptides or proteins using a single column. Mixed-mode chromatography (MMC) has been growing rapidly in recent years, owing to the new generation of mixed-mode stationary phases and a better understanding of multimode interactions. Mixed-mode chromatography provides a wide range of selectivities and adequate retention of a variety of compounds, especially polar and charged molecules. In summary, this technique is particularly useful in the pharmaceutical analysis of drugs, impurities, biopharmaceuticals, and polar compounds in natural products.
The Data Representations of a Building Project: BIM Model, and IFC or IFCXML Data Standard
Authors: Aydın Murat
Published: May 2022

Building regulations in the construction industry are legal documents written in human language. These are interpreted and implemented by people and generally controlled by local governments. Traditional building regulation control and supervision methods emerge as a time-consuming and error-prone process for architects, engineers, and public authorities. Therefore, BIM\'s effective building regulation control is considered a promising field of study in the construction industry. Automated Code Compliance Checking (ACCC) method is a rule-based method that provides simultaneous control of the computer’s building regulations. ACCC takes into account the characteristics of the building elements and related building regulations. BIM is recognized as the most effective platform for information exchange of building projects in the construction industry. It supports the development of various software. It facilitates automated or semi-automated ACCC of the building projects for compliance with building regulations and standards for the participants involved in the building production process. The data of the building project are represented in two ways in the ACCC. These are BIM Model, and IFC or IFCXML Data Standard. In this study, the BIM, IFC, and IFCXML representations of the building project data were explained over the sample housing project in the ACCC process.
African and Lakota Ecological Perspectives
Authors: Ibhakewanlan John-Okoria
Published: May 2022

This chapter presents a general background of the traditional and religious cultures of Africans and the Lakota of North America. Relying on pertinent works such as Black Elk Speaks and Things Fall Apart, the author shows parallels between both religious traditions. The Lakota and the Africans represent people who had learnt to live in harmony with nature before the advent of colonialism. Evident in the two religious traditions are important ecological themes or ideas that need to be revisited. These ideas are conceptualized in terms of the anthropocentric, theocentric and cosmic/environmental. These three ‘realms’, described by the author as Costheanthropic, represent the emphases on community, God, and the physical environment, respectively. All three exist in a unity of relationship. The author laments the hitherto misrepresentation of this type of relationship to the physical and non-human world as animism, nature worship or earth cult. The ecological relevance of the Costheanthropic worldview is rather compared to Pope Francis’ emphasis, in the encyclical Laudato Si′, on the theme of human relationship with the rest of creation. Both the African and Lakota traditions, as well as other indigenous traditions, deserve further in-depth study towards a worldview that invites humanity to greater ecological consciousness.
Systems Biology Approaches towards Immunity against Plasmodium
Authors: Patgiri Himangshu , Khataniar Ankita , Boro Pitimoni , Baishnab Sushmita , Rajkhowa Sanchaita
Published: May 2022

Malaria is one of the most devastating infectious diseases known to humans. It is caused by unicellular protozoan parasites belonging to the genus Plasmodium. Till date, over 200 species of Plasmodium have been formally described, and each species infects a certain range of hosts. However, the human infection is limited to only five of the species, of which P. falciparum is the most responsible. Due to the emergence of parasite resistance to frontline chemotherapies and mosquito resistance to current insecticides which threaten the control programmes, new antimalarial therapeutics or approaches capable of predicting useful models of how different cells of the innate immune system function, is the need of the hour. Systems Immunology is a relatively recent discipline under Systems Biology to understand the structure and function of the immune system and how the components of the immune system work together as a whole. Thus, this chapter aims to give insight into the approaches of Systems Biology for investigating the immune factors that are formed during Plasmodium falciparum infection in the human body. Here, the numerous experimental and computational works with the ongoing methodologies using Systems Biology approaches along with the interactions of host and pathogen will be discussed.
Effects of Psychological Capital and Sport Anxiety on Sport Performance in Collegiate Judo Athletes
Authors: Lee Ting-I , Wang Ming-Yueh , Huang Bo-Ruei , Hsu Chi-Yueh , Chien Chun-Yu
Published: May 2022

Objectives: In this paper, we explore the relationship between the psychological capital, sport anxiety, and sport performance of collegiate judo athletes. Methods: The research object is the collegiate first-division judo athletes in Taiwan. Convenience sampling was used
to conduct an online survey. A total of 106 questionnaires were issued, 102 valid questionnaires were returned, and the effective response rate was 96.23%. The data were analyzed by using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and structural equation modeling (SEM). Results: The psychological
capital of collegiate judo athletes has a significant positive impact on sport performance; moreover, the sport anxiety of collegiate judo athletes has a significant negative impact on psychological capital. Through psychological capital, sport performance can be improved. Therefore, psychological
capital has an intermediary effect. Conclusion: This study shows the higher the level of mental capital of collegiate judo athletes, the better the positive impact on sport performance; in addition, the higher the sport anxiety, the lower the psychological capital. However, sport anxiety
can improve sport performance through psychological capital; therefore, we recommend that the training plan of collegiate judo athletes focus on strengthening the athletes' mental skills to improve their sport performance.
The Clockwork Man
Authors: Odle E. V.
Published: May 2022

In the first-ever novel about a cyborg, a machine-enhanced man from a multiverse of the far future visits 1920s England.

In 1920s England, a strange being crashes a village cricket game. After some glitchy, jerky attempts to communicate, this creature reveals that he is a machine-enhanced human from a multiverse thousands of years in the future. The mechanism implanted in his skull has malfunctioned, sending him tumbling through time onto the green grass of the cricket field. Apparently in the future, at the behest of fed-up women, all men will be controlled by an embedded “clockwork,” camouflaged with hats and wigs. Published in 1923, The Clockwork Man—the first cyborg novel—tells the story of this odd time traveler's visit.

Spending time with two village couples about to embark upon married life, the Clockwork Man warns that because men of the twentieth century are so violent, sexist, and selfish, in the not-too-distant future they will be banned from physical reality. They will inhabit instead a virtual world—what we'd now call the Singularity—in which their every need is met, but love is absent. Will the Clockwork Man's tale lead his new friends to reconsider technology, gender roles, sex, and free will?

Overshadowed in its own time by Karel Čapek's sensational 1923 play R.U.R., about a robot uprising, The Clockwork Man is overdue for rediscovery.

Annalee Newitz is the author of Four Lost Cities (2021), the novels The Future of Another Timeline (2019) and Autonomous (2017), which won the Lambda Award, and the novel The Terraformers (forthcoming). As a science journalist, they are a contributing opinion writer for the New York Times, and have a column in New Scientist. They are also the co-host of the Hugo Award-winning podcast Our Opinions Are Correct. Previously, they were the founder of io9, and served as the editor-in-chief of Gizmodo.
Eye movements reveal spatiotemporal dynamics of visually-informed planning in navigation
Authors: Zhu Seren , Lakshminarasimhan Kaushik J , Arfaei Nastaran , Angelaki Dora E
Published: May 2022

Goal-oriented navigation is widely understood to depend upon internal maps. Although this may be the case in many settings, humans tend to rely on vision in complex, unfamiliar environments. To study the nature of gaze during visually-guided navigation, we tasked humans to navigate to transiently visible goals in virtual mazes of varying levels of difficulty, observing that they took near-optimal trajectories in all arenas. By analyzing participants’ eye movements, we gained insights into how they performed visually-informed planning. The spatial distribution of gaze revealed that environmental complexity mediated a striking trade-off in the extent to which attention was directed towards two complimentary aspects of the world model: the reward location and task-relevant transitions. The temporal evolution of gaze revealed rapid, sequential prospection of the future path, evocative of neural replay. These findings suggest that the spatiotemporal characteristics of gaze during navigation are significantly shaped by the unique cognitive computations underlying real-world, sequential decision making.
Utility of estimated pulse wave velocity for assessing vascular stiffness: comparison of methods
Authors: Möstl Stefan , Hoffmann Fabian , Hönemann Jan-Niklas , Alvero-Cruz Jose Ramon , Rittweger Jörn , Tank Jens , Jordan Jens
Published: May 2022

Background:

Pulse wave velocity (PWV) independently predicts cardiovascular risk. Easy to use single-cuff oscillometric methods are utilized in clinical practice to estimate PWV. We applied the approach in master athletes to assess possible beneficial effects of lifelong exercise on vascular health. Furthermore, we compared single-cuff measurements with a two-cuff method in another cohort.

Methods:

We obtained single-cuff upper arm oscillometric measurements thrice in 129 master athletes aged 35–86 years and estimated PWV using the ArcSolver algorithm. We applied the same method in 24 healthy persons aged 24–55 years participating in a head down tilt bedrest study. In the latter group, we also obtained direct PWV measurements using a thigh cuff.

Results:

Estimated pulse velocity very highly correlated with age (R2 = 0.90) in master athletes. Estimated PWV values were located on the same regression line like values obtained in participants of the head down tilt bed rest study. The modest correlation between estimated and measured PWV (R² 0.40; p<0.05) was attenuated after adjusting for age; the mean difference between PWV measurements was 1 m/s.

Conclusions:

Estimated PWV mainly reflects the entered age rather than true vascular properties and, therefore, failed detecting beneficial effects of lifelong exercise.

Funding:

The AGBRESA-Study was funded by the German Aerospace Center (DLR), the European Space Agency (ESA, contract number 4000113871/15/NL/PG), and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA, contract number 80JSC018P0078). FH received funding by the DLR and the German Federal Ministry of Economy and Technology, BMWi (50WB1816). SM, JT and JJ were supported by the Austrian Federal Ministry for Climate Action, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation, and Technology, BMK (SPACE4ALL Project, FFG No. 866761).
Microevolution of Trypanosoma cruzi reveals hybridization and clonal mechanisms driving rapid genome diversification
Authors: Matos Gabriel Machado , Lewis Michael D , Talavera-López Carlos , Yeo Matthew , Grisard Edmundo C , Messenger Louisa A , Miles Michael A , Andersson Björn
Published: May 2022

Protozoa and fungi are known to have extraordinarily diverse mechanisms of genetic exchange. However, the presence and epidemiological relevance of genetic exchange in Trypanosoma cruzi, the agent of Chagas disease, has been controversial and debated for many years. Field studies have identified both predominantly clonal and sexually recombining natural populations. Two of six natural T. cruzi lineages (TcV and TcVI) show hybrid mosaicism, using analysis of single-gene locus markers. The formation of hybrid strains in vitro has been achieved and this provides a framework to study the mechanisms and adaptive significance of genetic exchange. Using whole genome sequencing of a set of experimental hybrids strains, we have confirmed that hybrid formation initially results in tetraploid parasites. The hybrid progeny showed novel mutations that were not attributable to either (diploid) parent showing an increase in amino acid changes. In long-term culture, up to 800 generations, there was a variable but gradual erosion of progeny genomes towards triploidy, yet retention of elevated copy number was observed at several core housekeeping loci. Our findings indicate hybrid formation by fusion of diploid T. cruzi, followed by sporadic genome erosion, but with substantial potential for adaptive evolution, as has been described as a genetic feature of other organisms, such as some fungi.
The response of geophytes to continuous human foraging on the Cape south coast, South Africa and its implications for early hunter-gatherer mobility patterns
Authors: Botha M. Susan , Cowling Richard M. , De Vynck Jan C. , Esler Karen J. , Potts Alastair J.
Published: May 2022

Current ecological understanding of plants with underground storage organs (USOs) suggests they have, in general, low rates of recruitment and thus as a resource it should be rapidly exhausted, which likely had implications for hunter-gatherer mobility patterns. We focus on the resilience (defined here as the ability of species to persist after being harvested) of USOs to human foraging. Human foragers harvested all visible USO material from 19 plots spread across six Cape south coast (South Africa) vegetation types for three consecutive years (2015–2017) during the period of peak USO apparency (September–October). We expected the plots to be depleted after the first year of harvesting since the entire storage organ of the USO is removed during foraging, i.e. immediate and substantial declines from the first to the second harvest. However, over 50% of the total weight harvested in 2015 was harvested in 2016 and 2017; only after two consecutive years of harvesting, was there evidence of significantly lower yield (p = 0.034) than the first (2015) harvest. Novel emergence of new species and new individuals in year two and three buffered the decline of harvested USOs. We use our findings to make predictions on hunter-gatherer mobility patterns in this region compared to the Hadza in East Africa and the Alyawara in North Australia.
The association of plasma osteoprotegerin levels and functional outcomes post endovascular thrombectomy in acute ischemic stroke patients: a retrospective observational study
Authors: Park Moo-Seok , Park Jin-Hee , Joo Ahran , Chang Yoonkyung , Song Tae-Jin
Published: May 2022

Background

Osteoprotegerin (OPG), also known as osteoclastogenesis inhibitory factor, is a tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily component. There is an established relationship between OPG and cardiovascular disease. We hypothesized that plasma OPG levels are associated with functional outcomes in acute ischemic stroke patients who have undergone endovascular thrombectomy (EVT).

Methods

From April 2014 through December 2020, a total of 360 acute ischemic stroke patients who underwent EVT were prospectively included in this retrospective observational study. Plasma OPG was measured after fasting for 12 postoperative hours after EVT. A modified Rankin Scale (mRS) was used to assess functional outcomes 3 months after index stroke occurrence. Univariate and multivariate binary logistic regression and ordinal logistic regression analyses were performed to investigate the association of plasma OPG levels with poor functional outcomes.

Results

Overall, 145 (40.2%) patients had poor (mRS > 2) outcomes. The mean ± standard deviation plasma OPG level was 200.2 ± 74.4 pg/mL. Multivariate analysis after adjusting for sex, body mass index, and variables with p < 0.1 in the preceding univariate analysis revealed high plasma OPG levels were independently associated with poor functional outcomes (highest tertile vs. lowest tertile of OPG; odds ratios (OR) 2.121, 95% confidence interval (CI) [1.089–4.191], p = 0.037 in binary logistic regression, OR 2.102, 95% CI [1.301–3.412], p = 0.002 in ordinal logistic regression analysis).

Conclusions

This study demonstrated that higher plasma OPG levels were associated with poor functional outcomes in acute ischemic stroke patients who underwent EVT.
Feature tuning improves MAXENT predictions of the potential distribution of Pedicularis longiflora Rudolph and its variant
Authors: Bao Ru , Li Xiaolong , Zheng Jianghua
Published: May 2022

Pedicularis longiflora Rudolph and its variant (P. longiflora var. tubiformis (Klotzsch) Tsoong) are alpine plants and traditional Chinese medicines with important medicinal value, and future climate changes may have an adverse impact on their geographic distribution. The maximum entropy (MAXENT) model has the outstanding ability to predict the potential distribution region of species under climate change. Therefore, given the importance of the parameter settings of feature classes (FCs) and the regularization multiplier (RM) of the MAXENT model and the importance of add indicators to evaluate model performance, we used ENMeval to improve the MAXENT niche model and conducted an in-depth study on the potential distributions of these two alpine medicinal plants. We adjusted the parameters of FC and RM in the MAXENT model, evaluated the adjusted MAXENT model using six indicators, determined the most important ecogeographical factors (EGFs) that affect the potential distributions of these plants, and compared their current potential distributions between the adjusted model and the default model. The adjusted model performed better; thus, we used the improved MAXENT model to predict their future potential distributions. The model predicted that P. longiflora Rudolph and its variant (P. longiflora var. tubiformis (Klotzsch) Tsoong) would move northward and showed a decrease in extent under future climate scenarios. This result is important to predict their potential distribution regions under changing climate scenarios to develop effective long-term resource conservation and management plans for these species.
Strategic Management and Social Responsibility Practices of Lending Institutions
Authors: Eroy – Tortola Domely
Published: May 2022

This study aimed to determine the strategic management and social responsibility practices of lending institutions in Zamboanga del Norte during the year 2018. The descriptive method of research was used with 372 respondents. Frequency counts, percentages, and Pearson Product Moment Correlation (r) were used. Results revealed that the majority of lending institutions were in operation for three years and below. The lending institutions often did strategic management in terms of strategic analysis, strategic decision-making, strategy formulation, strategy implementation, and strategic control. Economic, legal, ethical, and philanthropic responsibilities were often manifested by the lending institutions involved in the study. A significant relationship was noted between strategic management and social responsibility practices. It is recommended that most of the lending industries need to monitor and review the strategic management practiced by their employees. Further, lending institutions are a neophyte in the service and not very familiar with how they play the field of competition; they should assess the competition and potential threats that can affect operation in the market. The top management needs to monitor and review the strategic management practiced by its employees. Further, lending institutions are enjoined to sustain or improve their social responsibility with regards to philanthropic responsibility as this would create a long-lasting impression better image towards their stakeholders.
Preparedness and Participation in Disaster Risks Mitigation among Public Elementary Schools of 3rd District in Zamboanga del Norte
Authors: Napallaton Marife , Antone June Michael
Published: May 2022

As reported in the early days of November 2013, more than 6,000 people died, millions of people were displaced and affected in the central part of the Philippines which were hit by Typhoon Yolanda which would enter into historical records and the minds of people in the Philippines. Thus, every individual must be aware of the importance of knowing the nature of this disaster. This study aimed to determine the natural and man-made disasters that occurred and was experienced by the elementary schools’ faculty, staff, and the LDRRMC personnel of the selected areas of Leon B. Postigo, Godod, Salug, Liloy, Gutalac, Kalawit, Tampilisan and, Lebanon, Zamboanga del Norte. The level of preparedness and participation of these municipalities are at risk by the Local Disaster Risk Reduction, and Management plans were determined as prescribed by the R.A.10121. Respondents considered by random sampling were from the local government units, particularly the faculty and staff of the elementary schools of the 3rd district. A self-made questionnaire checklist was used in gathering the data. Findings disclosed that earthquake, flood, vehicular, and fire incidents appeared as the most prevalent. They lacked monitoring and thorough implementations of the programs prescribed by the NDRRMC. They purchased some important facilities, however, some necessary equipment was not procured and people are less participative in mitigating disaster risk reduction.
Teachers’ Compliance with the Use of English as Medium of Instruction in the Liberal Arts Department
Authors: Fernandez Vicente
Published: May 2022

The use of English as a medium of instruction is growing so fast. This institutional research determined the teachers’ compliance with the use of English as a medium of instruction. The researcher made use of the questionnaires as the primary source and main data gathering instrument. The statistical tools used were the frequency count, percentage, weighted mean and average mean. The total population of the respondents was utilized.  The findings revealed that the respondents failed to comply with the use of English as the medium of instruction due to several factors, such as, majority of the faculty members were not motivated to initiate the use of English, no cooperation among subject teachers that they used mother tongue in communication instead of English, did not create a friendly environment in learning English, and failed to explore ways to improve and enhance their teaching. As recommended, the compliance should be elevated at all times, the faculty should find ways to enhance their knowledge and skills about the English language, and the administration should spearhead to conduct seminars and workshops on language training, and create policies to oblige the faculty to use English as the medium of instruction and communication.