bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Different effects of soybean isoflavone genistein on transforming growth factor levels during orthodontic tooth movement among young and old rabbits
Authors: Indriasari Verastuti , Suparwitri Sri , Christnawati Christnawati , Alhasyimi Ananto Ali
Published: December 2019

Background: Orthodontic treatment to improve aesthetics and for health reasons is performed in children and adults. Elderly individuals have low levels of estrogen, this results in alveolar bone resorption being greater than alveolar bone apposition. Isoflavones present in soybeans may be able to improve the remodeling process through the induction of osteoblastogenesis by increasing transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) levels. This study aimed to assess the comparative effect of soybean genistein isoflavone to TGF-β1 during orthodontic tooth movement among juvenile and adult rabbits.

Methods: In this study, 12 healthy female rabbits were used. Subjects were divided into four groups (n=3); YG group (young rabbits), YGI group (young rabbits + isoflavones genistein), OG group (old rabbits), and OGI group (old rabbits + isoflavones genistein). Two lower incisors of the rabbit were moved distally using an orthodontic force (50 grams force) delivered by an open coil spring, which was inserted between two brackets. During active movements, the genistein isoflavones were given from the initial installation of the device until days 21, at a dose of 1.2 mg/kg BW once a day. Measurement of TGF-β levels were performed on days 1, 7, 14, 21 after appliance installation. TGF-β1 expression was analyzed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and the optical density (OD) of the sample quantifed using a standard curve. The data obtained were analyzed using one-way Anova followed by Tukey HSD test.

Results: The TGF-β1 levels were found to highest in the YGI group, and the TGF-β levels were significantly lower in the OG group (p<0.05). ELISA analysis also revealed that TGF-β1 levels of the OGI group were significantly higher when compared with the OG group (p<0.05).

Conclusion: The administration of soybean genistein isoflavones could improve TGF-β1 levels in old rabbit’s during active orthodontic tooth movement.
Functional group and diversity analysis of BIOFACQUIM: A Mexican natural product database
Authors: Sánchez-Cruz Norberto , Pilón-Jiménez B. Angélica , Medina-Franco José L.
Published: December 2019

Background: Natural product databases are important in drug discovery and other research areas. Their structural contents and functional group analysis are relevant to increase their knowledge in terms of chemical diversity and chemical space coverage. BIOFACQUIM is an emerging database of natural products characterized and isolated in Mexico. Herein, we discuss the results of a first systematic functional group analysis and global diversity of an updated version of BIOFACQUIM.

Methods: BIOFACQUIM was augmented through a literature search and data curation. A structural content analysis of the dataset was done. This involved a functional group analysis with a novel algorithm to identify automatically all functional groups in a molecule and an assessment of the global diversity using consensus diversity plots. To this end, BIOFACQUIM was compared to two major and large databases: ChEMBL 25, and a herein assembled collection of natural products with 169,839 unique compounds.

Results: The structural content analysis showed that 16.1% of compounds, 11.3% of scaffolds, and 6.3% of functional groups present in the current version of BIOFACQUIM have not been reported in the other large reference datasets. It also gave a diversity increase in terms of scaffolds and molecular fingerprints regarding the previous version of the dataset, as well as a higher similarity to the assembled collection of natural products than to ChEMBL 25, in terms of diversity and frequent functional groups.

Conclusions: A total of 148 natural products were added to BIOFACQUIM, which meant a diversity increase in terms of scaffolds and fingerprints. Regardless of its relatively small size, there are a significant number of compounds, scaffolds, and functional groups that are not present in the reference datasets, showing that curated databases of natural products, such as BIOFACQUIM, can serve as a starting point to increase the biologically relevant chemical space.
Widespread use of the “ascidian” mitochondrial genetic code in tunicates
Authors: Pichon Julien , Luscombe Nicholas M. , Plessy Charles
Published: December 2019

Background:Ascidians, a tunicate class, use a mitochondrial genetic code that is distinct from vertebrates and other invertebrates. Though it has been used to translate the coding sequences from other tunicate species on a case-by-case basis, it is has not been investigated whether this can be done systematically. This is an important because a) some tunicate mitochondrial sequences are currently translated with the invertebrate code by repositories such as NCBI GenBank, and b) uncertainties about the genetic code to use can complicate or introduce errors in phylogenetic studies based on translated mitochondrial protein sequences.

Methods:We collected publicly available nucleotide sequences for non-ascidian tunicates including appendicularians such as Oikopleura dioica, translated them using the ascidian mitochondrial code, and built multiple sequence alignments covering all tunicate classes.

Results:All tunicates studied here appear to translate AGR codons to glycine instead of serine (invertebrates) or as a stop codon (vertebrates), as initially described in ascidians. Among Oikopleuridae, we suggest further possible changes in the use of the ATA (Ile → Met) and TGA (Trp → Arg) codons.

Conclusions:We recommend using the ascidian mitochondrial code in automatic translation pipelines of mitochondrial sequences for all tunicates. Further investigation is required for additional species-specific differences.
Population parameters of the pontic shad, Alosa immaculata Bennett, 1835 in the Fatsa coast of the south-eastern Black Sea
Authors: Balık İsmet
Published: December 2019

The aim of this study is to estimate population parameters of pontic shad, Alosa immaculata Bennett, 1835 in the Fatsa coast of the south-eastern Black Sea. A total of 314 pontic shad specimens were collected from study area using artisanal fishing gears from March 2013 to February 2014. In the study, parameters of the von Bertalanffy growth equation were found as L∞=43.05 cm; k=0.430 per year and t0=-0.451 year. The growth performance index (Φ') was estimated as 2.90. The total mortality (Z), natural mortality (M), fishing mortality rates (F) were calculated as 1.33 year-1, 0.75 year-1 and 0.58 year-1, respectively. The annual instantaneous fishing mortality rate was greater than both the target (Fopt=0.375 year-1) and limit (Flimit=0.50 year-1) biological reference points. Similarly, the present level of exploitation rate (E=0.43) was higher than the exploitation ratio for maximum yield per recruit (Emax=0.375) suggesting that overexploitation occurred. These results showed that this species has been over-exploited in the Fatsa coast of the south-eastern Black Sea. Measures should be taken to reduce the current exploitation rate for sustainable fishing of pontic shad in the Fatsa coast of the south-eastern Black Sea.
Putting On and Removing the Mask: Layers of Performance Pretence
Authors: Butterworth Philip
Published: December 2019

Donning and removing the performer’s mask in full view of spectators creates an instant transformation between performer and spectator. Layers of pretence are created or changed which inform or obscure spectator and/or personage understanding. These moments turn and develop the action of the play in performance. Revelations of the personage are created by both donning the mask and removing it. In mumming practices, removal of the mask takes place in order to reveal the 'participant'. In plays, the moment of transformation reveals changed characteristics or identity of the personage. Not only do these kinds of turning points change performer/audience relationships, but they also affect and condition the structure of the performed event whether this be a play or sequence of mumming. Such pivotal moments are the subject of this article.
Review: Tom Rutter, Shakespeare and the Admiral’s Men: Reading Across Repertories on the London Stage, 1594-1600.
Authors: Hamilton Donna B.
Published: December 2019

This review considers Tom Rutter's Shakespeare and the Admiral's Men: Reading Across Repertories on the London Stage, 1594-1600 (2017).
Review: Richard Preiss and Deanne Williams (eds), Childhood, Education and the Stage in Early Modern England.
Authors: McCarthy Harry R.
Published: December 2019

This review considers Richard Preiss and Deanne Williams (eds), Childhood, Education and the Stage in Early Modern England (2017).
Review: Kirk Melnikoff (ed.), Edward II: A Critical Reader.
Authors: Packard Bethany
Published: December 2019

This review considers Kirk Melnikoff (ed.), Edward II: A Critical Reader (2017).
Scoping review: a relevant methodological approach for knowledge synthesis in Brazil’s health literature
Authors: Barbosa Filho Valter Cordeiro , Tricco Andrea C.
Published: December 2019

A methodologically robust approach to synthesize relevant knowledge in health literature is the scoping review, which is used to answer broader questions (e.g., “What is known about this concept?”) and can be used to map evidence for research and practice decision-making. This paper discussed the importance of scoping reviews as a methodological approach for knowledge synthesis in Brazil’s health literature. Definitions and methodological steps were discussed. We examined 45 scoping reviews that were published in Brazil’s journals or available as thesis or dissertations to discuss their content and methodological characteristics. Recommendations for authors were presented in order to improve the planning, executing and reporting of further scoping reviews in Brazil. This will help Brazilian researchers and health professionals to understand when and how scoping reviews can be helpful for knowledge synthesis on health topics, including for physical activity and health research area.
Broadly tunable and low power penalty radio frequency phase shifter using a coupled silicon microcavity
Authors: Pandey Awanish , Selvaraja Shankar Kumar
Published: December 2019

We present a continuously tunable silicon photonics assisted radio frequency (RF) phase shifter using a coupled microring resonator. Using the coupled cavity, we demonstrate a sub-1 dB power penalty for a RF bandwidth of 34.5 GHz (9–43.5 GHz) and a phase shift of

π

over the reported frequency range. Rigorous optimization of the cavity design using the coupled-mode theory is carried out to realize ultranarrow resonance peaks with a low-extinction ratio and large phase shift. Thermal tuning of the cavity is used to tune the phase while all-optical tuning is exploited to achieve broadband operation. We present a detailed simulation and experimental study of the proposed configuration. The proposed device configuration exhibits a configurable resonance linewidth and extinction ratio that allows for a broad bandwidth and an extremely low power penalty microwave phase shifter. We believe the demonstration would allow better integration of the on-chip functional elements of integrated microwave photonics.
Instrument response effects on the retrieval of oceanic lidar
Authors: Shen Xue , Liu Zhipeng , Zhou Yudi , Liu Qun , Xu Peituo , Mao Zhihua , Liu Chong , Tang Longhua , Ying Na , Hu Miao , Liu Dong
Published: December 2019

Seawater properties can be retrieved from oceanic lidar returns. However, the actual returns include the ideal returns convolved by the instrument response, which inevitably introduces retrieval error. In this paper, instrument response effects on the retrieval of oceanic lidar are analyzed from different aspects. The results demonstrate that the retrieval of the lidar attenuation coefficient near the water surface is affected by the instrument response in homogeneous water. Considering the ratio of the signal distortion region (relative error of attenuation

>

10

%

) to the maximum detection depth (three dynamic ranges) is less than 20%, the pulse width of the instrument response should be less than

10

−
0.042

(

K
d

)

−
2

+
0.709

(

K
d

)

−
1

+
1.136

n
s

. In addition, an average relative error of 55% will be introduced to the retrieval of phytoplankton layer thickness in the stratified water, which can be reduced to 6% after correcting for the influence of the instrument response. However, a relative error greater than 20% still exists when the instrument response length is two times larger than the layer thickness. These conclusions provide guidelines to a future design of oceanic lidar.
Spectrum trading between virtual optical networks with time-varying traffic in an elastic optical network
Authors: Ding Shifeng , Bose Sanjay K. , Shen Gangxiang
Published: December 2019

Network virtualization can improve the utilization of a physical network by enabling the coexistence of multiple virtual networks supporting different services. For an elastic optical network, network virtualization would create a number of virtual optical networks (VONs) embedded in the same physical optical network. Conventionally, each of these VONs is allocated with a fixed amount of network resources. However, the traffic demand on a VON is usually dynamic, varying over time. This leads to a mismatch between the fixed resource assigned and the actual resource required by users. Therefore, some user services may be blocked and the quality of service provided by each VON may be degraded. To overcome the disadvantage caused by this mismatch, we propose a network resource-sharing scheme, called spectrum trading (ST), which trades spectrum resources between different VONs based on their actual capacity requirements, for better overall spectrum utilization. Integer linear programming (ILP) models are developed to model the different ST scenarios, and heuristic algorithms are developed to tackle ST in large networks. Simulation studies show that the proposed ST scheme is effective in significantly improving the total traffic demand carried by VONs by up to 20% in the test networks considered, while not bringing in any additional hardware cost.
The vector Durnin–Whitney beam
Authors: Julián-Macías Israel , Sosa-Sánchez Citlalli Teresa , de Jesús Cabrera-Rosas Omar , Espíndola-Ramos Ernesto , Silva-Ortigoza Gilberto
Published: December 2019

We show that

(

E

,

H

)
=
(

E

0

,

H

0

)

e

i
[

k
0

S
(

r

)
−
ω
t
]

is an exact solution to the Maxwell
equations in free space if and only if

{

E

0

,

H

0

,
∇
S
}

form a mutually perpendicular,
right-handed set and

S
(

r

)

is a solution to both the eikonal and
Laplace equations. By using a family of solutions to both the eikonal
and Laplace equations and the superposition principle, we define new
solutions to the Maxwell equations. We show that the vector Durnin
beams are particular examples of this type of construction. We
introduce the vector Durnin–Whitney beams characterized by locally
stable caustics, fold and cusp ridge types. These vector fields are a
natural generalization of the vector Bessel beams. Furthermore, the
scalar Durnin–Whitney–Gauss beams and their associated caustics are
also obtained. We find that the caustics qualitatively describe,
except for the zero-order vector Bessel beam, the corresponding maxima
of the intensity patterns.
Broadband and flat near-infrared emission from Er3+/Tm3+ codoped tellurite glass for amplifier applications
Authors: Shen Xinjie , Zhu Yarui , Zhou Yaxun , Li Jun
Published: December 2019

E
r

3
+

/

T
m

3
+

codoped tellurite glasses have been synthesized using the melt-quenching technique; they are characterized by measurements of absorption spectrum, luminescence spectrum, fluorescence decay, Raman spectrum, and differential scanning calorimeter curve. Under the excitation of an 808 nm laser diode (LD), an extremely flat and broadband near-infrared emission with the full width at half-maximum of

∼

160

n
m

has been obtained in tellurite glass doped with optimized

E
r

3
+

−

T
m

3
+

concentrations. This broadband and flat fluorescence emission is located in the region of 1350–1650 nm and covered the E, S, C, and L bands, which originate from the spectral overlapping of 1.53 µm band emission of

E
r

3
+

:

4

I

13

/

2

→

4

I

15

/

2

transition and 1.47 µm band emission of

T
m

3
+

:

3

H

4

→

3

F

4

transition. The Judd-Ofelt theory was applied to the absorption spectrum, and the radiative properties such as transition probability, branching ratio, and radiative lifetime of

E
r

3
+

and

T
m

3
+

ions have been determined to evaluate the potential luminescence characteristics. The time-resolved fluorescence decay of

E
r

3
+

and

T
m

3
+

ions demonstrated the existence of energy transfers between them, and the energy transfer micromechanism was further investigated quantitatively. The results indicate that tellurite glass codoped with appropriate amounts of

E
r

3
+

−

T
m

3
+

ions is promising for applications in broadband optical fibers and photonic devices.
Blind optical modulation format identification assisted by signal intensity fluctuation for autonomous digital coherent receivers
Authors: Jiang Lin , Yan Lianshan , Yi Anlin , Pan Yan , Hao Ming , Pan Wei , Luo Bin
Published: December 2019

A novel and blind optical modulation format identification (MFI) scheme assisted by signal intensity fluctuation features is proposed for autonomous digital coherent receivers of next generation optical network. The proposed MFI scheme needn’t to pre-know OSNR value of incoming signal, even though it is well known that the intensity dependent features of the incoming signal changes as the change of OSNR performance. Here, the proposed scheme firstly utilizes two kinds of signal intensity fluctuation features, Godard’s criterion error and intensity noise variance, to construct a two-dimensional (2D) plane where three different regions which consist of QPSK region, 8QAM region, mixed 16/32/64QAM region can be found. Thus, we can firstly identify QPSK and 8QAM from the 2D plane, and then partition Godard’s criterion error method is introduced to further identify 16QAM, 32QAM and 64QAM in our proposed scheme. The performance of the proposed scheme is firstly verified by a series of numerical simulations in 28GBaud PDM-QPSK/-8QAM/-16QAM/-32QAM/-64QAM coherent optical communication systems. The results show that the lowest required OSNR values to achieve 100% recognition rate for all modulation format signals are even lower than or close to their corresponding theoretical 20% FEC limits (BER = 2.4 × 10−2). Finally, the feasibility is further demonstrated via a series of proof-of-concept experiments among 28GBaud PDM-QPSK/-8QAM/-16QAM, and 21.5GBaud PDM-32QAM systems under back-to-back and long-haul fiber transmission links (from 320 km to 2000km). Experiment results show that the proposed scheme is robust to both linear and nonlinear noise.
High-contrast, intense single-cycle pulses from an all thin-solid-plate setup
Authors: Seo Meenkyo , Tsendsuren Khurelbaatar , Mitra Sambit , Kling Matthias , Kim Dongeon
Published: December 2019

High-contrast, intense single-cycle pulses are highly desirable tools in ultrafast science, enabling highest temporal resolution, pushing matter to extreme conditions, and serving as drivers in petahertz electronics. In this Letter, we use thin solid plates in a double multi-plate supercontinuum configuration, delivering a broadband spectrum spanning from

∼

400

to

∼

1000

n
m

at the

−

20

d
B

intensity level to produce a single-cycle pulse. We show that the spectral broadening by self-phase modulation with few-cycle pulses is more suitable for compression than the single-cycle limit than with multi-cycle pulses. The pulses are compressed to 2.6 fs pulses, close to the transform limit of 2.55 fs, with an energy of 0.235 mJ. They exhibit an excellent power stability of 0.5% rms over 3 h and a beam profile. The obtained single-cycle pulses can be utilized in many applications, such as generation of isolated attosecond pulses via high-order harmonic generation, investigation of ultrafast phenomena with extreme temporal resolution, or high-intensity laser-solid experiments.
Deterministically fabricated spectrally-tunable quantum dot based single-photon source
Authors: Schmidt Marco , Helversen Martin V. , Fischbach Sarah , Kaganskiy Arsenty , Schmidt Ronny , Schliwa Andrei , Heindel Tobias , Rodt Sven , Reitzenstein Stephan
Published: December 2019

Spectrally-tunable quantum light sources are key elements for the realization of long-distance quantum communication. A deterministically fabricated single-photon source with a photon extraction efficiency of η =(20 ± 2) %, a maximum tuning range of ΔE =  2.5 meV and a minimum g(2)(τ = 0) = 0.03 ± 0.02 is presented. The device consists of a single pre-selected quantum dot (QD) monolithically integrated into a microlens that is bonded onto a piezoelectric actuator via gold thermocompression bonding. Here, a thin gold layer simultaneously provides strain transfer and acts as a backside mirror for the QD-microlens to maximize the photon extraction efficiency. The QD-microlens structure is patterned via 3D in-situ electron-beam lithography (EBL), which allows us to pre-select and integrate suitable QDs based on their emission intensity and energy with a spectral accuracy of 1 meV for the final device. Together with strain fine-tuning, this enables the scalable realization of single-photon sources with identical emission energy. Moreover, we show that the emission energy of the source can be stabilized to µeV accuracy by closed-loop optical feedback. Thus, the combination of deterministic fabrication, spectral-tunability and high broadband photon-extraction efficiency makes the QD-microlens single-photon source an interesting building block for the realization of quantum communication networks.
Two-dimensional γ-graphyne for ultrafast nonlinear optical applications
Authors: Zhang Xiaoyan , Wang Hongqiang , Wu Kan , Li Qiaodan , Shao Zhengpeng , Yang Qi , Chen Chenduan , Cui Xiaoli , Chen Jianping , Wang Jun
Published: December 2019

In this work, γ-graphyne (γ-GY), a novel two-dimensional (2D) carbon allotrope, is demonstrated to have excellent ultrafast saturable absorption properties superior to that of graphene in the near infrared region. For practical application, the γ-GY nanosheets were directly dispersed in toluene in the existence of polymer, and were easily fabricated into flexible thin films. As proof-of-concept, the performances of γ-GY as a saturable absorber in passively Q-switched lasers and in all-optical switches were investigated. A minimum pulse width of 241 ns with the maximum pulse energy of 0.76 µJ and the corresponding peak power of 3.15 W was achieved for a γ-GY Q-switched solid-state laser at 1.06 µm. The γ-GY all-optical switching shows a rising/falling time of 1.46 ms/ 2.13 ms.
Multifunctional 2.5D metastructures enabled by adjoint optimization
Authors: Mansouree Mahdad , Kwon Hyounghan , Arbabi Ehsan , McClung Andrew , Faraon Andrei , Arbabi Amir
Published: December 2019

Optical metasurfaces are two-dimensional arrays of meta-atoms that
modify different characteristics of light such as phase, amplitude,
and polarization. One intriguing feature that distinguishes them from
conventional optical components is their multifunctional capability.
However, multifunctional metasurfaces with efficiencies approaching
those of their single-functional counterparts require more degrees of
freedom. Here we show that 2.5D metastructures, which are stacked
layers of interacting metasurface layers, provide sufficient degrees
of freedom to implement efficient multifunctional devices. The large
number of design parameters and their intricate intercoupling make the
design of multifunctional 2.5D metastructures a complex task, and
unit-cell approaches to metasurface design produce suboptimal devices.
We address this issue by designing 2.5D metastructures using the
adjoint optimization technique. Instead of designing unit cells
individually, our technique considers the structure as a whole,
accurately accounting for inter-post and inter-layer coupling. As
proof of concept, we experimentally demonstrate a double-wavelength
metastructure, designed using adjoint optimization, that has
significantly higher efficiencies than a similar device designed with
a simplified approach conventionally used in metasurface design. The
2.5D metastructure architecture empowered by the optimization-based
design technique is a general platform for realizing high-performance
multifunctional components and systems.
Distributed cladding mode fiber-optic sensor
Authors: Bashan Gil , London Yosef , Hagai Diamandi H. , Zadok Avi
Published: December 2019

The analysis of substances outside the cladding has challenged the optical fiber sensors community for decades. A common solution relies on the propagation of light in cladding modes. However, the coupling of light to/from these modes is typically based on permanent gratings in specific locations, which restrict the sensors to point measurements only. In this work, we present dynamic, random-access coupling of light between core and cladding modes of standard fibers, in arbitrarily located short sections. Coupling is based on the stimulation of Brillouin dynamic gratings by two coded pump waves and intermodal scattering of a third optical probe wave. All waves are launched and collected in the core mode. No permanent gratings are inscribed. Distributed sensing of surrounding media is demonstrated with 2 m range and 8 cm resolution. Measurements distinguish between water and ethanol outside the fiber. The measurement accuracy of the local index outside the cladding is 0.004–0.0004 refractive index units.
The 16th Venice Architecture Biennale celebrates the triumph of the ancient régime, but la lutte continue
Authors: Somma Paola
Published: December 2019

In 1968 many intellectuals took to Piazza San Marco to express solidarity with the students of the Venice Academy of Fine Arts who were demonstrating against the Biennale and had been attacked for four hours by the police. In 2018 the same square was patrolled by armed troops deployed to 'protect the tourists' who occupied the city and there was no sign of protests against the Biennale. On the day of inauguration, the only voice of dissent was that of some citizens claiming their right 'to live here'. No trace of intellectuals. Many of the old protesters have made a comfortable career while the invited artists to the international exhibition have uncritically responded to the call of this year's Architecture Biennale, whose title is 'FREESPACE', without questioning the prevailing paradigm in which 'free' means 'space cleared from citizens and offered as a gift to financial investors'. Only a few national pavilions have adopted a more articulate attitude that might recall some of the May '68 aspirations. Retracing the events that transformed a public cultural institution into an enterprise at the service of the art market and a powerful agent of the gentrification and Disneyfication of Venice over the last 50 years, this article focuses on the role played by the Architecture Biennale in the process. It also highlights the few contributions that in 2018 challenged the dominant narrative by explicitly referring to the notion and practice of conflict.
Effects of the #MeToo campaign in media, social and political spheres: The case of Mexico
Authors: Nicolas-Gavilan Maria T. , Baptista-Lucio María P. , Padilla-Lavin Maria A.
Published: December 2019

This article focuses on the case of Mexico, by analysing the media coverage of #MeToo in Mexico and the public response in the social media (SM) and other spheres of society such as the Mexican state and universities. Two aspects of Mexico’s social context are considered for the study: (1) a country where women’s sexual harassment has deep roots in gender inequality and (2) the fact that during 2017–18 very notorious political campaigns contending for the country’s presidency were occurring; hence the study evaluates the presence of women’s sexual harassment topics in the candidates’ political proposals. The results show that in Mexico the #MeToo movement had the expected effect of thousands of women expressing themselves about this problem, highlighting the multiple work scenarios where sexual harassment occurs. It shows the impact of the #MeToo movement in local # social movements extending their influence from the entertainment industry to universities and other professions. The issue was covered in the candidates’ discourse for the 2018 presidential elections. In general, it can be affirmed that SM in Mexico are public places where different grassroots communities denounce injustices, participate and promote a more egalitarian culture.
Social media and power in the Arab world: From dominant ideology to popular agency
Authors: Al-Zo’by Mazhar
Published: December 2019

Conceptualizing the social and political possibilities of digital mass-mediated communication in modern societies has generated a critical debate, ranging from proponents who conceive of its promising profound potential to sceptics who dismiss it as a trivial sociopolitical vacuity. For some observers in the field, social media has been mobilized to maintain hegemonic structures through a ‘weaponization’ of popular narratives on behalf of the dominant political elite. For others, social media discourse has signalled the end of grand narratives of political ideology, and has ultimately ushered in the age of subjective digital narcissism not unlike that of consumer culture in late capitalist societies. Beyond these two broader frameworks of inquiry, this article seeks to investigate the critical agency, popular sovereignty and transformative possibilities in socio-digital discourse in the modern Arab Gulf region. Recognizing the dominant and residual ideology within social media narratives, the article deploys Raymond Williams’ critical and insightful concept of ‘structures of feeling’ in order to critically assess the alternative emergent collective expressions that diverge from, yet respond to, hegemonic and dominant discourse. One of the main goals of this article, therefore, is to go beyond the conventional analysis of ‘utopian versus dystopian’ binary instrumentalization of social media in the region, to challenge the claim that media (both as technology and as technique) determine social and political consciousness. More specifically, and in contrast to McLuhan’s famed dictum that ‘the medium is the message’, this article contends that digital and social media virtues and contributions are not confined to the instrumental communication that serves practical purposes. Rather, and more fundamentally, digital and social media involve the practices and lived experiences of individuals, culture and society, especially those that constitute the formations of collective and emergent identities.
Redefining #YourAverageMuslim woman: Muslim female digital activism on social media
Authors: Islam Inaash
Published: December 2019

Orientalist discourses have largely shaped how Muslim women have come to be represented in western visual media as oppressed, subjugated or foreign. However, with the advent of social media platforms, Muslim women are utilizing social media spaces to rearticulate the controlling images promulgated through orientalist narratives. This article examines the complex relationship visual media shares with Muslim women and demonstrates that the lens of orientalism continues to structure the imaginaries that shape visual representations of Muslim women in art, news and film. This article addresses how visual platforms and social media spaces such as YouTube are being utilized by Muslim women to undertake digital activism that seeks to subvert essentialist narratives. At the centre of this discussion is YouTuber Dina Tokio’s (2017) documentary, titled ‘#YourAverageMuslim’, which tackles western preconceived notions, and instead offers a redefined version of the ‘Muslim woman’ predicated on resisting three narratives: (1) Muslim-Woman-As-Oppressed, (2) Muslim-Woman-As-Subjugated and (3) Muslim-Woman-As-Foreign-Other. This documentary clearly demonstrates how Muslim women are using social media platforms in specific ways to shape the discourses around Muslim women. In doing so they are demonstrating their agentic capabilities, taking control of their representations, and speaking for themselves instead of being spoken for by others.
Ikhwanweb: A digital archive for a post-Islamist movement?
Authors: d’Urbano Paolo
Published: December 2019

The article looks at Ikhwanweb, the English website of the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood (MB), from its early days and through the years before the 25th January revolution. The archive is used as a theoretical concept to capture both the symbolic and material struggles that the MB faced while trying to articulate its political vision. As a nodal point where power and knowledge intersect, the concept of the archive was first theorized by Foucault and Derrida. Ikhwanweb is examined as a digital archive, a site for both knowledge and memory production. The first section deals with the main analytical concept; the second tells the troubled history of the material infrastructure required to run the website. Then two main threads are identified and examined. The need to distantiate the organization from political violence and that of reaching out ‘the West’ shaped the content of Ikhwanweb. The website also allowed the group to interact directly with policy-making circles and research institutions. Can this be said to be part of that process Bayat calls post-Islamism? The concluding section reflects on this question and suggests a more ambivalent picture.
Back to the future? Chinese artistic tradition and topologies of urban modernity
Authors: Becher Angela
Published: December 2019

The radical nature of China's urban transformation has become a key subject in contemporary Chinese art. The ruthless eradication of material remnants of the past, moreover, has reinvigorated an urgency in Chinese art to look to the past for inspiration in the envisioning of a better future. This article examines three works that combine these two important strands of artistic production in China as they negotiate contemporary urban transformation via a return to China´s artistic tradition. This article will look at the imaginary and fantastical topologies of modernity in both analogue and new media, including the installation and oil painting of Shen Yuan and Wang Mingxian, respectively, and the digital ink painting of Miao Xiaochun. In examining closely the artists' choices of medium and their representations of architecture and urban space, this article probes some of the key social, environmental and aesthetic predicaments that underlie China's developmental process. It will argue that responses in Chinese art counter the officially sanctioned grand narrative that equates urbanization, urban renewal and modernization with unequivocal social betterment. Instead, these works create in-between spaces that lie between the material and the idealistic.
Which tradition is mine? Chinese women artists and cultural identity
Authors: Furmanik-Kowalska Magdalena
Published: December 2019

References to native culture are frequently in the foreground of works by Chinese women artists. When they make contact with different cultures, although not necessarily connected with leaving their place of birth thanks to the transfer of information and cultural heritage that has developed extremely efficiently in the era of globalization (Gordon Mathews), they see their own entanglement in the cultural tradition. In the process of constructing their identity they try to find answers to the following question: which part of the cultural tradition is mine? Which one do I identify with? In the case of Chinese women artists, is it the legacy of literati? Classic ink painting and calligraphy? Or perhaps women's crafts that bear no name? Or perhaps a mixture of inspirations? Such questions about material heritage might also be augmented by others that consider aspects of the immaterial heritage of China. This article explores how Chinese women artists such as Chen Qingqing, Qin Yufen, Shi Hui, Wang Xiaohui, Cheng Caroline, Lin Tianmiao, Zhang Yanzi, Man Fung-yi, Liu Liyun, Peng Wei, Chen Lingyang, Chen Qiulin, Zhang Ou and Liu Ren refer to their cultural tradition.
¿Pueden contribuir los fondos de conocimiento a la participación de las familias gitanas en la escuela? Bases para un proyecto educativo
Authors: Lorenzo Moledo Mar , Míguez Salina Gabriela , Cernadas Ríos Francisco
Published: December 2019

El enfoque de los Fondos de Conocimiento, cuyo origen antropológico se remonta al estudio de las relaciones de confianza entre hogares mexicanos constituidos en la frontera con los EE. UU., se ha consolidado en muchos países como un modelo efectivo para el trabajo con familias en riesgo de exclusión social. Se trata de recoger los recursos culturales familiares para convertirlos en saberes susceptibles de ser incorporados en la escuela. El presente trabajo tiene como objetivo estudiar los Fondos de Conocimiento como marco teórico para el diseño de programas socioeducativos, que fomenten la implicación de las familias gitanas en la educación de sus hijos. Para ello, utilizamos una metodología de carácter descriptivo a partir del análisis de los principales estudios teóricos llevados a cabo sobre esta temática tanto a nivel nacional como internacional, concretamente en Norteamérica, donde este enfoque ya cuenta con una trayectoria reconocida. De los resultados se deriva la idoneidad de los Fondos de Conocimiento de las familias gitanas como base para el diseño de propuestas de educación inclusiva que promuevan la implicación de estas en la educación de sus hijos favoreciendo con ello sus posibilidades de éxito educativo. Bajo esta lógica, ha de tenerse en cuenta el respeto por la historia y la incorporación de sus voces en el ideario político y social, en aras de mejorar las relaciones entre familia y escuela, y con ello, el rendimiento académico del alumnado, reconociendo su papel como sujetos de derechos, con la finalidad de fomentar una mayor inclusión de la comunidad gitana en los centros escolares.
Strategic flexibilities: valuation of a company with the application of the Real Options Theory
Authors: Martinez Izabelle Martinez , Batistela Gislaine Cristina , Simões Danilo
Published: December 2019

Goal: In this paper, a binomial model is proposed to evaluate the option of deferring an investment and expanding the operational scale of a forest-based company that will perform the de-duplication of Pinus sp. and will market packaging for storage and transportation of vegetables.

Design/Methodology/Approach: The proposed model measured the options of deferring an investment and expanding the operational scale of the forest-based company. In this perspective, the model of evaluation used was the binomial model in discrete time using the Real Options.

Results: It was observed that the inclusion of management flexibilities in the decision making process has added value to the investment project; therefore, the project of investments in real assets proved to be economically feasible.

Limitations of the investigation: The studies that address the corporate finance framework based on real data are a restrictive factor, due to the lack of collaboration of companies, that is, the availability of information that is usually classified.

Practical implications: The study was based on the real data of a company; therefore, it can be adopted as a stimulus to the Real Options approach to the decision making of entrepreneurs or researchers.

Originality/value: The focus of the study was to contemplate the managerial flexibilities of an industry of the secondary sector of the Brazilian economy, which performs the unfolding of wood, demonstrating the innovation of the technique approach used in this market segment.
Blockchain technology applications: a literature review
Authors: Meiriño Marcelo Jasmim , Méxas Mirian Picinini , Faria Alexandre Do Valle , Méxas Rodrigo Picinini , Meirelles Geisa Drumond
Published: December 2019

Goal: The objective of this article is to raise the state of the art of the applications of  blockchain described in the scientific literature.

Design/methodology/approach: A bibliographic research on the Scopus database was carried out from November, 2017 to May, 2018, supported by the scientific research technique called Bibliometry. The compilation of 102 articles found in the scientific literature were presented in the Blockchain context, providing a reference for the fields of blockchain applications.

Results: The results indicate a large increase in the number of articles published since 2017, the largest number of publications were written by authors affiliated with institutions located in China, as well as the most referenced applications are related to cryptocurrencies, smart contracts and IoT.

Limitations of the investigation:  The limitation lies in using only the Scopus database for bibliometry, despite being a renowned scientific base.

Practical implications:  This study can serve as a bibliographic reference with a global view of the main Blockchain applications that can be applied by different types of organizations

Originality/value: Blockchain is a technology that aims to securely store data, such as financial data, contracts, proof of identity, documents of possession, medical information, etc. To do so, a framework based on laws of mathematics and cryptography is used to ensure the security of transactions of different applications, such as Bitcoin, which is a digital currency that guarantees the safe transfer of financial data. However, being a new technology, there is still little research on the subject. On the other hand, there are different types of applications that are already benefiting from the blockchain structure.
The real options method applied to decision making – an investment analysis
Authors: Benitez Guilherme Brittes , Ferreira Lima Mateus José do Rêgo
Published: December 2019

Goal: This study aims to assess the impact of using the method of real options in investment analysis through a case study on a retail firm.

Design / Methodology / Approach: It was targeted the applications of the real options method in a different type of environment and it was compared to another method more commonly used, the discounted cash flow method (DCF). The implementation and assessment of the real options method was investigated by means of a case study conducted in an investment analysis in a retail units firm.

Results: The use of the real options method showed a more concise applicability over the DCF method. The results show that the project’s value, after the inclusion of managerial flexibility, increased significantly, which indicates that the analysis of the discounted cash flow undervalued the investment in question, since it disregarded the flexibility to expand or abandon the project.

Limitations of the investigation: The presented method is proper to long-term processes where it is possible to make changes during the project. Investments in this sector usually are more related to short and medium-term decisions, making the application difficult due to the short decision-making period available to the managers.

Practical Implications: The study provided the incorporation of flexibility through different pathways during the building project in a retail units firm. It was showed different scenarios where practitioners could decide among expanding, proceeding, reducing or abandoning the retail units based on the characteristics of their investments.

Originality/value: The results obtained are an indication of this methodology to industrial businesses that are relatively volatile and that need a certain degree of flexibility in order to burgeon, such as the case of the retailing sector.
The investigation of the relationship between sustainable supply chain management and sustainable competitive advantage according to the mediating role of innovation and sustainable process management
Authors: Vafaei Sajad , Bazrkar Ardeshir , Hajimohammadi Mohammad
Published: December 2019

Goal: The present study examines the mediating role of innovation and sustainable process management on the relationship between sustainable supply chain management and sustainable competitive advantage.

Design / Methodology / Approach: The statistical population consists of 20 companies involved in the production of banking equipment. Since the size of the statistical population is very small, structural equations model and partial least squares approach were used to analyze the research data and to test the hypotheses of the research.

Results: The results showed that there is a positive and significant relationship between sustainable supply chain management and sustainable competitive advantage. Moreover, it was found that innovation and sustainable process management variables play a mediating and moderating role on the relationship between sustainable supply chain and sustainable competitive advantage.

Limitations of the investigation: The most important limitation in this study was the long-time collection of research data.

Practical implications: According to the results obtained, organizations should focus on applying the principles of sustainable process management to achieve coordination between the departments and resources of the organization.

Originality / Value: It is recommended that organizations emphasize innovative and creative activities to achieve sustainable competitive advantage through sustainable supply chain activities.
ELECTRONIC WORD OF MOUTH SEBAGAI STRATEGI PUBLIC RELATION DI ERA DIGITAL
Authors: Hasna Safira , Irwansyah Irwansyah
Published: December 2019

Tujuan dari penulisan ini adalah untuk mengembangkan dan memberikan pengertian mengenai strategi public relations (PR) di era digital dengan memanfaatkan media sosial yaitu electronic word of mouth. Dengan adanya pergesaran WOM tradisional, yaitu komunikasi dari mulut-ke mulut yang dapat dilakukan secara langsung, menjadikanWOM baru yaitu eWOM dengan menggunakan media sosial dan platform online lainnya secara luas, kapanpun, dan dimanapun. Tulisan ini juga berupaya melihat keakuratan bagaimana eWOM dapat menjangkau khalayaknya secara luas dan memberikan dampak positif bagi organisasi atau perusahaan. Metode penelitian yang digunakan adalah tinjauan literatur, dimana penulis mengumpulkan informasi tentang objek tertentu dari banyak sumber, ditulis dengan baik dan ditambah dengan pendapat penulis. Penulis menemukan bahwa selain eWOM dapat digunakan dalam industri marketing, eWOM juga dapat menjadi salah satu strategi PRdalam mencapai tujuannya yaitu citra dan reputasi yang baik di mata publik. Penelitian ini menemukan bahwa eWOM menjadi salah satu toolskomunikasi yang masih dianggap baru dan terus berkembang. Komunikasi eWOM bukan sekedar pesan yang disampaikan pada banyak orang tetapi suatu praktisi PR juga dapat menciptakan eWOMsendiri dengan menekankan pada kredibilitas sumber, konten / pesan, sehingga tercipta penyebaran pesan yang positif yang berdampak bagi citra dan reputasi perusahaan.