bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Joker in Iraq’s Tishreen [October] Protests
Authors: Mustafa Balsam
Published: December 2022

This article explores how the cultural symbol of the Joker, from the 2019 American movie Joker, first unfolded during the 2019 Iraqi Tishreen [October] Revolution as radical-gradual creative imagery both shocking and contested among Iraqi activists. Considering the visuals as modes, I argue that they first emerged as antenarrative, open to multiple interpretations. The antenarrative quickly transformed into a derogatory label perpetuating a dehumanizing anti-protest narrative by dominant powers and their militias. ‘Axis of Resistance’ media channels in Iraq and Iran have transformed the Joker label into a weapon, framing the protest movement as a narrative of grand conspiracy with the West and consequently justifying the violent crackdown by security forces. Iraqi activists then reclaimed the label in an attempt to defy that narrative. The linguistic reclamation could not erase the parties’ narrative. Instead, the two narratives have continued to compete, triggering another set of polarized labels.
The Persian Literary Tradition in Ottoman Bosnia and Its Environs
Authors: Gačanin Sabaheta
Published: December 2022

Numerous Bosnian intellectuals during the centuries of Ottoman rule were authors of works in the Persian language. Mostly, they produced poems and divāns (poetic anthologies) under the strong influence of the Persian literary canon. After a brief and introductory overview of the Persian literary canon, its origins, and its presence in the Ottoman realms, this article presents selections of verses (mostly translated into English for the first time) of selected poets, while contextualizing their work within Ottoman Bosnia. In addition, this study surveys Persian works in manuscript collections in the libraries of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It can clearly be seen that the Persian cultural ādāb (literature) of the past has continued to reverberate intellectually and culturally even today in Bosnia and its environs.
The International Maritime Organization’s Contribution to Regime Interaction: Past, Present, and Future
Authors: Argüello Gabriela
Published: December 2022

On the occasion of the 25th anniversary of The Max Planck Yearbook of United Nations Law, this article revisits the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) contribution to regime interaction in the fields of air pollution, climate change, ship waste management and rescue of migrants at sea. Particular attention is given to cooperation arrangements between international organizations and how their day-to-day activities contribute to or hinder legal development among legal regimes. These interactions are studied through the theoretical lenses of ‘relational interactions’ and ‘regime complexes’. The paper focuses on iterative and forward-looking cooperation arrangements and the characteristics of such interactions ranging from collaborative to conflictive. I illustrate how the IMO has made substantial contributions (beyond maritime law) to the law of the sea and international environmental law, but the contribution to refugee law has been more modest. While the IMO will continue to engage in regime interaction, legal scholarship should pay closer attention to institutional congestion in international law. Since the international legal system has no pre-established hierarchy, governance is horizontal and may be prone to conflicts. It is time to devise mechanisms that allow relational interactions while avoiding legal fragmentation and forum shifting risks.
Intervention in Inter-State Arbitration, including the Case of UNCLOS Annex VII Arbitration
Authors: Ivanova Elena
Published: December 2022

This article addresses the issue of intervention in inter-State arbitration, including arbitration under United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) Annex vii and tackles the question whether intervention in arbitral proceedings is only possible where the parties in dispute have expressly consented to it. It is maintained in this paper that international arbitration is not static and has undergone long evolution which has implications for the notions of party autonomy and confidentiality of proceedings. Nowadays inter-State arbitration is increasingly influenced by the practice of the ICJ and other international courts and tribunals engaged in State-to-State dispute resolution especially in the field of international procedural law. The article demonstrates that intervention in inter-State arbitrations is not as unthinkable as it was some decades ago. It does so by reference to the history of intervention in international arbitration and the practice of States in the field of intervention in international judicial and arbitral proceedings. While examining the function and purposes of the procedure of intervention in inter-State litigation and the forms of intervention known to it, the article assesses what the nature of the competence to permit intervention is. In this regard, it also examines the operation of the principle of consensual jurisdiction with a view to establishing whether intervention is subject to the consent of the parties in dispute. Finally, by way of comparison with other known forms of participation of non-litigants in the proceedings, it stresses the special function of the intervention procedure so as to justify the permissibility of intervention in inter-State arbitration.
Closing the Doors on Health Nationalism: The Non-emptiness of the Legal Duty to Cooperate in Pandemic Response under Lex Specialis
Authors: Essawy Rana Moustafa
Published: December 2022

No one is safe until everyone is safe. Although this phrase has received wide consensus during COVID-19, this pandemic has witnessed a surge in health nationalism. States have imposed export restrictions on COVID-19-related medical supplies and vaccines seeking to preserve them for their own populations. This has adversely affected the availability of those necessary tools in other countries undermining their efforts in fighting the pandemic. Thus, it could be argued that States have violated their obligation to cooperate under Art. 44 of the 2005 World Health Organisation (WHO) International Health Regulations (IHR). Nevertheless, States’ export restrictions have been legally justified under the General Agreement on Trade and Tariffs (GATT). Does this mean that the duty to cooperate is an empty obligation that fails to counter health nationalism? It is the purpose of this paper to demonstrate otherwise using the principle of lex specialis derogat legi generali. Under this principle, the duty to cooperate in pandemic response under Art. 44 of the IHR prevails over States’ rights under gatt, rendering health nationalism legally unjustified.
‘Mechanisms’ at the United Nations
Authors: Cogan Jacob Katz
Published: December 2022

‘Mechanisms’ abound in today’s United Nations. Yet ‘mechanism’s’ ubiquity represents more than the popularity of a word. Its use is broader, employed today not only as a name but also as a category. The term has come to be applied broadly to characterize organizational devices of all types, regardless of the names given to them, that are established and designed to achieve specified goals or to carry out distinct tasks. The proliferation of mechanisms at the United Nations and the trajectory in the development of their functions provide some insight into changes in the way the organization approaches the implementation of its policies.
The systematics of Dysmorphocerinae (Cantharidae) based on larvae
Authors: Biffi Gabriel , Leschen Richard A. B. , Hsiao Yun , Daniel Gimo M. , Casari Sônia A.
Published: December 2022

Dysmorphocerinae is a subfamily of Cantharidae erected for a group of genera with a mainly gondwanan distribution whose adult forms could not be reliably assigned to any other subfamily. The systematic position and monophyly of Dysmorphocerinae remains questionable, as recent molecular and morphological studies have produced conflicting results. Despite the importance of immature morphology for characterising lineages of Cantharidae, so far, the larvae of only two dysmorphocerine species had been briefly described: Neoontelus sp., from New Zealand, and Afronycha picta (Wiedemann), from South Africa. Their morphologies considerably differ from one another, and the larvae cannot be readily attributed to any subfamily, as usually occurs with cantharid larvae. Here, we fully describe for the first time the larvae of Asilis Broun (New Zealand) and Plectonotum laterale Pic (Brazil) and redescribe Neoontelus Wittmer (New Zealand). We also diagnose larvae of Heteromastix Boheman (Australia) and A. picta. Dysmorphocerinae cannot be clearly diagnosed because each genus has a unique combination of features, though Neoontelus is the most divergent. We conclude that the Dysmorphocerinae may not be monophyletic with Plectonotum laterale, Asilis, Neoontelus, Heteromastix showing a closer relationship to Malthininae and Afronycha more aligned with Silinae or Cantharinae. The double gland openings present on the body of Neoontelus reported by Crowson (1972) are reinterpreted as a complex character involving a single posterior pore linked to a gland and an anterior sensillum that may serve as a trigger for the release of defensive chemicals. These are also reported in Asilis and Heteromastix and may be a potential synapomorphy for part of the Dysmorphocerinae. Neoontelus has a series of unique features, including a cotyliform glandular pore on abdominal segment IX.
“Oh, My Beloved, Great Bull!” An Interdisciplinary Approach to Cattle as a Marker of Economic and Political Status in Medieval Sub-Saharan Societies
Authors: Osypinska Marta , Żurawski Bogdan , Belka Zdzislaw , Osypinski Piotr , Łopaciuk Roman
Published: December 2022

The historical, zooarchaeological and isotopic data concerning cattle breeding and management in the medieval Middle Nile Valley are considered in this paper in the first such comprehensive research for the region. The main source of data are the nearly 10,300 animal remains. The archaeozoological analyses focused primarily on cattle morphology. Strontium isotope analyses were used to indicate the local/non-local origin of animals encompassing the whole period studied. The empirical data indicate a developed central system of cattle management in medieval Makuria. Textual and iconographic sources additionally reflect an extensive set of values that have been experienced since prehistory in the Middle Nile and correspond to the anthropological definition of the “cattle centred behavior”. Comprehensive analysis of animal remains and the analysis of textual information enabled the formulation of a hypothesis about Makuria’s economic and cultural foundations rooted in the local tradition, constituting an important element of the Nubian identity.
Labiovelar loss and the rounding of syllabic liquids in Indo-Iranian
Authors: Clayton John
Published: December 2022

This paper analyzes and supports the claim that Vedic Sanskrit preserves traces of the contrast between the Indo-European labiovelars and plain velars—a striking archaism in the Indo-Iranian family, which otherwise collapsed the two velar series. These labiovelar vestiges emerge because of the pervasive labialization of syllabic and consonantal rhotics at all attested stages of the Indo-Iranian family. Two rhotic labialization environments are examined in Indo-Aryan and Iranian: after labial(ized) consonants or before syllables containing u or w. Furthermore, this paper explains the unexpected development of bimoraic Proto-Indo-European *ḶμHμ.C to trimoraic Vedic Ūμμrμ.C by examining the phonetic characteristics of the labializable Indo-Iranian rhotics.
The Impact of Singing on Visual and Multisensory Speech Perception in Children on the Autism Spectrum
Authors: Feldman Jacob I. , Tu Alexander , Conrad Julie G. , Kuang Wayne , Santapuram Pooja , Woynaroski Tiffany G.
Published: December 2022

Autistic children show reduced multisensory integration of audiovisual speech stimuli in response to the McGurk illusion. Previously, it has been shown that adults can integrate sung McGurk tokens. These sung speech tokens offer more salient visual and auditory cues, in comparison to the spoken tokens, which may increase the identification and integration of visual speech cues in autistic children. Forty participants (20 autism, 20 non-autistic peers) aged 7–14 completed the study. Participants were presented with speech tokens in four modalities: auditory-only, visual-only, congruent audiovisual, and incongruent audiovisual (i.e., McGurk; auditory ‘ba’ and visual ‘ga’). Tokens were also presented in two formats: spoken and sung. Participants indicated what they perceived via a four-button response box (i.e., ‘ba’, ‘ga’, ‘da’, or ‘tha’). Accuracies and perception of the McGurk illusion were calculated for each modality and format. Analysis of visual-only identification indicated a significant main effect of format, whereby participants were more accurate in sung versus spoken trials, but no significant main effect of group or interaction effect. Analysis of the McGurk trials indicated no significant main effect of format or group and no significant interaction effect. Sung speech tokens improved identification of visual speech cues, but did not boost the integration of visual cues with heard speech across groups. Additional work is needed to determine what properties of spoken speech contributed to the observed improvement in visual accuracy and to evaluate whether more prolonged exposure to sung speech may yield effects on multisensory integration.
Are populations less genetically diverse and more differentiated at the species range edges? Analysis of the quantitative trait and molecular variation in wild oat Avena sterilis
Authors: Volis Sergei , Ormanbekova Danara , Shulgina Irina
Published: December 2022

Although understanding factors determining the genetic makeup of natural populations has long been an important goal of evolutionary biology, the effect of population position within the species range (i.e., interior vs. edge) on species genetic variation is still unclear. According to the ‘abundant center’ hypothesis, the range edge populations are expected to exhibit lower genetic variation and higher differentiation than core populations because of their greater spatial isolation and smaller size. We tested these predictions by comparing the extent and structure of neutral (SSR) and quantitative trait genetic variation in 20 populations of an annual grass Avena sterilis hierarchically sampled at the species range core and two opposite edges. Within-population genetic diversity was reduced at the desert range edge compared to the range core as assessed by six SSR markers but not by eight quantitative traits; no reduction was detected at the mountain edge. Genetic differentiation among populations was higher at the desert range edge than the range core in both molecular markers and quantitative traits, but not at the mountain edge. Our results imply that the pattern of population genetic variation at the species range edges largely depends on the steepness of the environmental cline that has a major effect on species fitness. The more gradual the environmental cline from the species interior towards the edge, the higher the probability of detecting reduced genetic diversity and increased differentiation of peripheral populations as predicted by the ‘abundant center’ hypothesis.
Dostoevsky – Not a Defeated Idol in Akim Volynsky’s
Authors: Shalygina Olga V.
Published: December 2022

In Dostoevsky’s artistic quest, Volynsky saw general paths of development of culture and literature. In his last book on dance, Kniga likovanii: Azbuka klassicheskogo tantsa (1925)[The Book of Exaltations: The Alphabet of Classical Dance], Volynsky espouses a new ‘motor aesthetics’, in which the language and rules of ballet, as well as the connection of classical ballet with other arts is set out, whereby the technique of the emergence of the human spirit is reflected in the movements of the human body. The Book of Exaltations is proof that Dostoevsky never became a ‘defeated idol’ for Volynsky. In the article Infernal Woman (1900), answering the question why exactly beauty is undefinable, Volynsky gives the brief but exhaustive explanation that the undefined is in the “dualism of the span of beauty” (‘размах красоты’). In The Book of Exaltations, Volynsky already operates with this accidentally found image of ‘the span of beauty’, transposed into the term ‘coupé’, expanding it to a synthetic judgment in the Kantian sense.
Yevgeny Boratynsky as the Forerunner of Fyodor Dostoevsky: About One Topos in Literary Studies
Authors: Anokhina Yuliya Yu.
Published: December 2022

This article is intended to answer the question of why researchers of E.A. Boratynsky often call him F.M. Dostoevsky’s forerunner– despite the fact that Dostoevsky’s statements about the poet have not yet been found, nor evidence that unequivocally indicates which works of Boratynsky Dostoevsky was familiar with. The material for this study was the work of literary critics and philologists of the xx–xxi centuries such as I.L. Al’mi, S.G. Bocharov, E. Vinokurov, V.V. Kozhinov, D.S. Merezhkovsky, G.A. Meyer, S.V. Rudakova. The article shows that the research thought reveals similarities in the worldview and aesthetic attitudes of the poet and writer, in their artistic methods, as well as in the character of the depiction of the inner world of heroes. It is noted that, paradoxical as it may seem, scientists find similarities in the works of Boratynsky and Dostoevsky, even at the level of artistic and expressive means. Particular attention is paid to the analysis of the constructions of G.A. Meyer, who directly raised the question “Boratynsky and Dostoevsky” in the title one of his articles.
Dostoevsky’s View of Russian History and Assimilation of Hegel’s Concept of “Spirit”
Authors: Vladiv-Glover S. M.
Published: December 2022

What gave rise to this Roundtable is the invasion by the Russian Federation of the sovereign state of Ukraine. This unprovoked act on the pretext of protecting Russian national security from a nato threat (as a result of Ukraine seeking membership) has shaken the existing post-Cold War world order. The question which arose shortly after the 24 February 2022 and which is still valid is: how do we read Russian literature against the background of the daily pictures of arbitrary carnage and destruction in the Donbas region and elsewhere in Ukraine? Is this a performance of a regressive Russian history in what Hegel termed the “world-historical” process? The question is answered by looking at Dostoevsky’s assimilation of Hegel’s concept of “national spirit” and the contradictory views about Europe this yielded in Dostoevsky’s aesthetics and polemical articles. It is this split vision which characterizes the civilizational paradox of the Russian Federation’s attitude to its European neighbors.
Jerusalem’s Ottoman Municipality: an Actor in the Slow Transition from Communal Charity to Social Welfare?
Authors: Naïli Falestin
Published: December 2022

As a privileged site for individual and collective acts of charity, Jerusalem witnessed an important increase in charity and poor relief institutions in the nineteenth century, many of them European-backed and related to missionary ambitions. Partly in response to the perceived threat of the latter, the municipality of Jerusalem gradually became a crucial actor in poor relief, in the framework of an evolving legal framework defining the social responsibilities of municipalities and the rights of citizens. Drawing on the archives of the municipality, as well as diaries and memoirs of Jerusalemites, this article examines this transformation particularly in the realms of social welfare and health services.
Interpreting ‘Vital Human Needs’ under the UNWC
Authors: Liu Yang
Published: December 2022

In the context of water scarcity exacerbated by climate change, clarification of the concept of ‘vital human needs’ versus the right to water as found in General Comment No. 15 and SDG Target 6.1, is needed to determine who enjoys vital human needs for what and whether or not vital human needs are prioritized. The article concludes that parallel concepts in General Comment No. 15 and the SDG Target 6.1 can help clarify the meaning and scope of the highly obscure term ‘vital human needs’ for water under article 10(2) of the UN Watercourses Convention.
Rivers as Legal Personalities in India and Bangladesh from an Eco-Centric Perspective: Balancing Developmental Needs and Environmental Protection
Authors: Jolly Stellina , Naik Gayathri D.
Published: December 2022

Recognition of the right to the environment as a human right in several jurisdictions revolutionised the approach towards environmental protection. Nevertheless, the right to the environment has an anthropogenic dimension, and this recognition could not mitigate the environmental crisis faced by the planet. In response to this increasing ecological crisis, the concept of recognising the rights to nature evolved. The Indian judiciary propounded the river Ganges and Yamuna; Glaciers, Gangotri, and Yamunotri as legal personalities and granted them the rights commensurate with that of a human being. This trend gained attention in Bangladesh, which gave all its rivers rights and legal personhood in 2019. Though the decisions followed the more prominent global trend, these decisions differ from the worldwide movement and their decisions in the articulation of rights and implementation. This paper critically evaluates the legal developments in the rights to nature jurisprudence in India and Bangladesh, focusing on the right to rivers. A critical understanding of the judicial developments is essential in analysing the potential of giving the rights of rivers in improving environmental protection strategies. Considering the impact of these judgments in the transboundary context, the paper looks into the impacts and implications of this recognition on transboundary river governance in India and Bangladesh. The article articulates an eco-centric approach as the starting point for evolving a global perspective in recognising the rights of rivers.
Water Law Reforms in Central Asian Countries: Recent Trends and Developments
Authors: Ziganshina Dinara
Published: December 2022

Sound policies and enforceable water legislation are key to transforming water management under the increasing water demand and climate change. In recent years, diverse water regulatory frameworks have evolved in the Central Asian countries to regulate the management and development of water resources and the provision of water services. This paper provides an overview of the Central Asian countries’ water legislation with focus on water management institutions at national, basin and local levels, introduction of economic mechanisms in water use and management as well as provisions related to human right to water and the environmental protection. Based on the resultant insights, the paper identifies five recent trends and areas for further improvement, including the need to (1) strengthen water regulatory frameworks as a part and parcel of the overall political and economic transformations in the countries; (2) reform water institutions with a clear focus on the sector performance and foster coordination between different stakeholders; (3) enable context-specific arrangements for workable basin and local water management; (4) address the issues of human and environmental needs on water, which are becoming increasingly important under the impact of climate change, industrialization, and urbanization; and (5) expand the effectiveness of economic mechanisms in water use and regulation to ensure cost recovery and investment flow into the sector.
Happy Birthday: The Human Right to Water at 20
Authors: Thielbörger Pierre
Published: December 2022

The article reflects on 20 years of the human right to water since its recognition in the groundbreaking General Comment No. 15 of the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. It traces the right’s late and only indirect legal recognition in human rights law, and portrays its normative content along the lines of water availability, quality and accessibility. As two important trends, the paper points to the growing link between water security and the human right to water as a consequence of climate change, as well as to the responsibility of corporations for the human right to water. It concludes that, while the two last decades were focused on the recognition of the right, the coming decades should concentrate on the right’s realization which is lagging behind, for instance in the field of groundwater protection.
Crawford, TWAIL, and Sovereign Equality of States: Similarity and Differences
Authors: Bhardwaj Chhaya , Mehrotra Abhinav
Published: December 2022

This article draws parallel between Crawford and Third World Approach of International Law (TWAIL)’s position of “sovereign equality of states” that has been the defining characteristic of the international system. Both TWAIL and Crawford have underscored the importance of “sovereign equality of states” in international law, specifically for states who may not have equitable resources or power in comparison to the most powerful states that can be seen through the abject poverty faced by these states. The core of the issue being the concentration of power with the powerful states in the international legal, political, and economic order.

Both TWAIL and Crawford have repeatedly highlighted the legacy like negative consequences of colonization and de-colonization on states and the individuals residing within these states as their responsibility gets shifted to the government and the legal system of the new state. As a result, their ability to effectively practice “sovereignty and equality” gets affected as it is contingent upon the acceptance by other states or the international community.

However, Crawford puts away this intersectionality during his work at the International Law Commission (ILC), when “sovereign equality of states” does not make it to the ILC’s list of peremptory norms. Similarly, TWAIL, call for the need for dialogue to establish content of the universally accepted norms like sovereign equality to fully represent the voices of the non-state; non-governmental, rural, and urban poor residing in the third world countries. In this context, the authors attempt to identify whether this similarity is real or circumstantial?
The Genius Universal: a Comparison among Dongba, Ancient Greek, and Archaic Roman Religions
Authors: Xu Duoduo
Published: December 2022

This study compares Shu (god of nature) and See (god of life) in Dongba culture. The two gods could be hypostases of the same ancestral deity. Shu and See are comparable to the Genius in ancient Roman tradition and the god Pan in ancient Greece. These apparently unrelated spirits accompany humans and are possibly connected with representations of deities of life. According to Joseph Rock’s studies, Shu in Dongba culture corresponds to Nāga in Hinduism, which infers the cultural interchange between Shu and See and archaic Indo-European beliefs. The snake-shaped Shu is widely recognizable as an archetypal icon in different cultures, which could be linked to primitive worship of chthonic deities.
Between Globes and Cones
Authors: Oklopcic Zoran
Published: December 2022

Abstracts

Increasingly preoccupied with the imaginative dimension of contemporary constitutionalism its theorists are yet to offer an analytically sophisticated, conceptually illuminating, and practically useful account of constitutional imagination – not as a historical phenomenon, but as an ongoing, professional activity. The aim of this essay is to contribute to this objective by exploring how theoretical definitions, observations, figurations, representations, narrations, justifications, and aspirations shape – and may yet to shape – our understandings of constitutionalism, constitution-making, constitutional authorship, constituent power, democratic decision-making, sovereign will, institutional hierarchy, legitimate authority, and the role of constitutional norms in political contestation around the world.
The Political Imaginary, or the Democratic Transformation Domain
Authors: Profumi Emanuele
Published: December 2022

Cornelius Castoriadis’ entire work is shot through with reflections on the political imaginary, but it is rarely named explicitly and is not considered as a central, stand-alone, privileged idea within the social imaginary. This is why it is important to develop this idea in the domain of philosophy of politics. Moreover, for each contemporary democratic movement it is crucial to understand what “Political Imaginary” exactly is, to develop an effective change in politics in itself, as some Latin American countries (Brazil, Colombia and Chile) show us. In these countries, there are contemporary socio-historical examples of what is an effective transformation in the political imaginary domain. They allow us to enrich the meta-theoretical reflection through the historical identification of the political imaginary carried out by peculiar instituting movements that generated important transformations in the social self-representation and in the practice of collective power in the countries where they took place.
Biobased Polyamide Blends (PA610/PA1010)—A Miscibility Analysis
Authors: Polkowski Rodrigo Denizarte de Oliveira , Ueki Marcelo Massayoshi
Published: December 2022

In the present work, blends of biobased polymers were formulated using two polyamides made from biorenewable resources. Polyamide 610 (PA610) and polyamide 1010 (PA1010) were meltmixed in different compositions, producing polymer blends with renewable carbon content from 74 to 89%. Physical properties of the PA610/PA1010 blends were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA) and impact strength testing. From the DMTA results, it was possible to identify a single glass transition temperature (Tg) for each PA610/PA1010 blend. The measurements of the impact testing show intermediate values compared to the pure polymers. The DSC thermograms show melting point depression for the PA610 crystals with increasing PA1010 content. All those results indicate the two polyamides are fully miscible in the melt in the composition range investigated.
Monitoring Wheat Leaf Nitrogen Content Using HJ-CCD Images and Ridge Regression
Authors: Liu Xuefang , Liu Wentao , Wei Haitao , Zhu Quanwen
Published: December 2022

Remote sensing has long been used in agricultural applications, especially crop growth monitoring. Leaf nitrogen content (LNC) of field crop It is an important indicator of crop quality final grain yield. Many studies have used remote sensing technology to estimate the LNC of various
crops. However, the performances of these estimations vary. To further improve the estimation accuracy, this research investigated the quantifiable relationships between satellite remote sensing variable images acquired from the Chinese four-band HJ-CCD sensor and wheat LNC. The ridge regression
algorithms were used to build and verify multivariate remote sensing modelling of wheat LNC estimation. Results revealed that collinearities existed between wheat LNC and most of the chosen remote sensing variables. The ridge regression model for monitoring of wheat LNC adopted NDVI, GNDVI,
NRI, SIPI, PSRI, DVI, RVI and EVI as independent variables and obtained optimal regularization coefficient (lambda, λ) 0.024 and RMSE 0.128 using cross validation method. Through validation from data sets of different years and regions, the coefficients of determination (R2)
of wheat LNC monitoring model were 0.701 and 0.641, respectively, while its RMSE were 0.114 and 0.121, respectively. The results demonstrated that this model could be used for monitoring wheat LNC with high accuracy and confirmed that model was not limited by years and regions of wheat planting.
Hearing Reconstruction of Patients with Otitis Media Based on Hydroxyapatite Nanomaterials
Authors: Jiao Yuenong , Lin Ying , Yu Feng
Published: December 2022

In this study, we conducted experiments on surgical methods and selection of osseous bone materials to study the hearing reconstruction of otitis media patients. The use of complete Bi mastoid mastectomy in patients with combined tympanoplasty was revealed for the pure tone air conduction
valve, bone auditory valve and air bone conduction difference, which were 63.5, 32.5 and 34.9 respectively in preoperative values, and 27.6, 21 and 8.3 in the postoperative values. In addition, it was shown by the results that the artificial osseous material is better for the postoperative
hearing reconstruction. In conclusion, our data suggests that hydroxyapatite nanomaterials have a tremendously positive effect on hearing reconstruction in patients with otitis media, and will certainly become one of the best choices for artificial osseous bone materials.
Liposome Nanoparticles Carrying miR-22 Suppress Proliferation, Invasion and Epithelial–Mesenchymal Transition (EMT) of Laryngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma by Targeting Wingless-Related Integration Site (WNT) Pathway
Authors: Yuan Xingzhong , Zhu Li , Wang Yue , Zhang Tian , Jin Ying , Li Yangsong , Zeng Mengting , Yu Guodong
Published: December 2022

Abnormal miR-22 level is related to laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) progression. This study mainly assessed its role in proliferation, invasion and EMT of LSCC and their possible mechanisms of action. HN4 was collected, and corresponding groups were set as; blank group, positive
control group, miR-22 group and MIRNA-22 NC group. Pathway inhibitor group and pathway agonist group were also set. The expressions of miR-22, EMT-related genes, cell proliferation rate, invasion rate, β-catenin and Cyclin D1 were observed. Results revealed that, expressions of
miR-22 and e-cadherin were higher in the blank group and miR-22 NC group, while N-cadherin and Vimentin levels were lower. Moreover, miR-22 and EMT-related genes in the positive control group and miR-22 group were opposite (P <0.05). The proliferation rate and invasion rate of blank
and miR-22 NC groups were also lower, while positive control and miR-22 groups showed different changes (P <0.05). β-catenin and Cyclin D1 expressions in the blank group and miR-22 NC group were increased compared to other two groups. The proliferation rate, invasion
rate, expression of N-cadherin and Vimentin were higher and E-cadherin was lower in blank and pathway agonist group, which was opposite in the pathway inhibitor group (P < 0.05). β-catenin and Cyclin D1 protein levels in blank and pathway agonist groups were higher than
pathway inhibitor group (P < 0.05). A binding region between miR-22 gene sequence and 3′UTR 215-229 sequence of Wnt gene was found and Wnt was found to be the target gene for miR-22. The fluorescence intensity of mutant plasmid was higher than wild-type plasmid (P <0.05).
miR-22 can inhibit LSCC proliferation, invasion and EMT and the main mechanism of action is related to the Wnt signaling pathway. MiR-22 targeted Wnt gene and inhibited Wnt signaling pathway activity, lower key factor beta catenin expression Wnt pathways, thereby inhibiting factor laryngeal
squamous cancer cells proliferation, Cyclin D1 expression, resulting in inhibition of cell proliferation, and EMT process at the same time, reducing the cell invasion ability, inhibiting the growth of laryngeal squamous cancer cells. Eventually, the Wnt pathways or miR-22 all can be used as
targets for laryngeal squamous carcinoma.
Enhancement of Salmonella Enteritidis Detection Using Nanoparticle-Assisted Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction
Authors: Khnouf Ruba , Al Shami Farah , Albiss Borhan A. , Salem Nida’ , Ababneh Haneen , Mahasneh Amjad
Published: December 2022

Improved; fast; and specific detection of pathogens has always been of great importance; more so with the increase of human population and human interaction. In this work we investigate the application of metal oxide nanoparticles (ZnO; Fe2O3; and TiO2)
in the detection of the pathogen Salmonella enteritidis using real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR). The nanoparticles were synthesized and characterized; and then they were added at different concentrations to qPCR for Salmonella enteritidis detection. qPCR provides numerical data such
as threshold cycle (Ct); efficiency; and DNA yield which make comparing the different tested conditions easier and more accurate. It has been observed that adding all three types of NPs at an optimum concentration 4×10−11 M for ZnO NPs, and 4×10−9
for Fe2O3 and TiO2 nanoparticles has led to increasing the efficiency of the reaction to 100% and to lowering the threshold cycle value by up to 6.6 for ZnO nanoparticles; hence increasing the DNA yield of the reaction; and lowering the detection time of the
pathogen by up to 50%.
Aristolochic Acid Nephropathy: A Novel Suppression Strategy of Carbon Dots Derived from Astragali Radix Carbonisata
Authors: Dong Li-Yang , Cao Tian-You , Guo Ying-Hui , Chen Rui , Zhao Yu-Sheng , Zhao Yan , Kong Hui , Qu Hui-Hua
Published: December 2022

Despite strict restrictions on the use of aristolochic acids (AAs)-containing merchandise or drugs in many countries, a substantial amounts of occurrences aristolochic acid nephropathy (AAN) had been accounted worldwide. Clinically, there is no effective incurable therapy regimen to
reverse the progression of AAN. Although carbon dots have shown surprising bioactivity, research on the acute kidney injury caused by AAs is lacking. Here, a novel biomass-carbon dots from Astragali Radix (AR) as precursors was synthesized through one-step pyrolysis treatment. The ARC-carbon
dots (ARC-CDs) was demonstrated in detail for its inhibitory effect on aristolochic acid nephropathy in a mice model. The indexes of inflammatory cytokines as well as oxidative stress were significantly reduced by the ARC-CDs in kidney tissue cells. Additionally, the ARC-CDs administration
resulted in a large decrease in positive apoptotic cells according to TUNEL labeling and western blotting, which may be connected to the ARC-CDs’ modulation of the protein in the Akt/Mdm2/p53 signaling pathway. These findings show that ARC-CDs have remarkable anti-inflammatory, antioxidant,
and anti-apoptotic capabilities against acute kidney injury spurred by aristolochic acids via the AKT/Mdm2/p53 signaling pathway.
Structured Aptamers: A Flourishing Nanomaterial for Tumor Targeting
Authors: Han Li-Ting , Sun Ge-Ge , Ruan Luo-Shan , Li Xin
Published: December 2022

Structured aptamers are nucleic acid systems produced using DNA nano self-assembly technology and can be constructed in a programmable manner. These aptamers are widely used in biomedical fields because of their low biological toxicity, weak immunogenicity, good cytocompatibility and
biocompatibility, stability, and facile modification ability. Additionally, structured aptamers achieve nano precision in spatial configuration and can be directly internalized into targets without the assistance of transfection reagents. They exhibit higher stability, rigidity, and binding
efficiency than aptamers alone. Therefore, structured aptamers have been universally applied in the tumor-targeting field and have emerged as a current research hotspot. Here, we introduce the assembly principle, assembly methods, and characterization methods of structured aptamers. Moreover,
the application status of structured aptamers for tumor detection and targeted therapy is summarized to provide new research directions for early diagnosis and drug research in the field of oncology.
A Study of Glutathione-Responsive Dual-Drug-Loaded Nanoparticles in Anti-Osteosarcoma Treatment
Authors: Ye Jia , Yi Yangfei , Wang Hongyi , Wang Guowei , Sun Yuting , Liu Enze , Tao Xiaojun , He Chunlian
Published: December 2022

We connected polyglutamic acid and methotrexate (MTX) through disulfide bonds to prepare glutathione-responsive nanoparticles (MTX NPs) and encapsulated doxorubicin (DOX) to obtain dual drug-loaded NPs (DOX/MTX NPs) (Fig. 1). The appearance of the carbonyl stretching vibration peak
at approximately 1640 cm−1 in the results of the infrared spectrum proved the successful synthesis of three kinds of nanoparticles (NPs) with different feeding ratios. The particle sizes of NPs with different feeding ratios were 100–200 nm, and the encapsulation of DOX
slightly increased the size, while the surface charge was always negative. The release of MTX at 10 mM glutathione (GSH) was as high as 91.45%, and that of DOX was 89.44%, suggesting that the breakage of disulfide bonds leads to the disintegration of NPs. The results of the cell experiment
showed that the encapsulation of DOX effectively increased toxicity and side effects in 143B cells and significantly induced cell apoptosis, and the inhibition of the migration rate increased as the feeding ratio increased. In animal experiments, DOX/MTX NPs significantly induced tumor cell
apoptosis and inhibited cell proliferation and tumor growth. The nanoparticles had excellent tumor-targeting properties. Tumor-targeted NPs with the combined action of the two drugs provided a good strategy for the efficient and precise treatment of osteosarcoma.
Lipid Membrane-Wrapped Zeolitic Imidazolate Framework-8 for Synergistic Chemotherapy and Photothermal Therapy to Target Prostate Cancer
Authors: Xu Yingtian , Zhang Zhaokun , Zhang Ying , Yang Dicheng , Liang Yuan , Xu Yan
Published: December 2022

Endocrine therapy is often used for advanced prostate cancer. However, with cancer progress, prostate cancer gradually resistant to hormone which lead to serious threatens to life of patients. Herein, a multifunctional synergistic core–shell nanoplatform is reported for improving
the therapeutic effect of chemotherapy for advanced or metastatic prostate cancer, and reducing the risk of leakage of chemotherapy drugs. Particularly, Zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8) is chosen as inner core to load doxorubicin, and the of liposomes which are embedded with IR780
iodide are used as outer shell, and further modified with target ligand that binds to luteinizing hormone releasing hormone receptor. The prepared nanocarrier exhibit satisfactory photothermal effect under near infrared laser irradiation, and the temperature increases to 60.8 °C within
6 min. Meanwhile, the elevated temperature accelerates the degradation of lipid shell, releasing ZIF-8 core to acidic microenvironment of tumor, and resulting in the release of doxorubicin. Moreover, in vivo and in vitro studies have shown the ZIF-D@ALIP core–shell nanoparticles
can achieve targeted drug delivery, pH and NIR dual stimuli-responsive drug release, as well as chemotherapy and photothermal therapy synergistically on the tumor site. In addition, the problem of premature leakage and changes in the physicochemical properties of anticancer drugs are avoided
under the protection of the outer shell structure. Therefore, the core–shell nanostructure proposes a new lipid membrane coating strategy to promote the effective targeting of prostate cancer cells or tissues and provides some insights in clinical treatment for advanced prostate cancer.
Enhanced vertical alveolar bone augmentation by restoring the endogenous electrical microenvironment
Authors: Wang Yijun , Yuan Shenpo , Bai Yunyang , Guo Yusi , Sun Xiaowen , Gao Min , Heng Boon Chin , Yu Huajie , Zhang Xuehui
Published: December 2022

Insufficient alveolar bone height is a major problem in implant restoration surgery. Here, the therapeutic strategy of restoring the electrical microenvironment to enhance alveolar bone augmentation was investigated in a standardized large-size beagle dog pre-clinical model. A biomimetic
charged nano-BaTiO3/poly(vinylidene fluoridetrifluoroethylene) (nano-BTO/P(VDF-TrFE)) composite membrane was used to restore the endogenous electrical microenvironment of alveolar bone. The charged membrane exhibited excellent electrical stability. Upon implantation with bone grafts
and covering with the charged membrane in alveolar bone defect sites for three months, there were significant improvements in the bone height, bone mineral density (BMD) and bone volume, as assessed by micro-CT analysis. Histological analysis further confirmed that restoration of the electrical
microenvironment significantly promoted alveolar bone regeneration and maturation. These findings thus provide an innovative strategy for restoring the electrical microenvironment to enhance alveolar bone augmentation, which could further advance prosthodontics implant technology.
Surface amorphization and nanocrystallization of the gradient-structured copper by explosive impact treatment
Authors: Wang Hu-he , Yaer Xinba , Tong Zheng
Published: December 2022

In this study, surface treatment on pure copper plates is carried out by an explosive impact technique. The gradient structures were successfully produced along the depth of plates near the impacted surface. It is found that both amorphous state and nano-grains with an approximate size
of 10 nm are generated at the topmost surface after explosive impact treatment. The corresponding microhardness at the topmost surface is 4.35 times that of the annealed sample. Moreover, it is found that the microhardness decreases along depth of the specimen gradually. The calculation results
demonstrate that amorphization and nanocrystallization on the topmost surface are closely related to the rapid temperature rise and cooling rate. This work provides experimental evidence that the explosive impact treatment is a potential technology of surface treatment to produce a surface
amorphous state.
Effects of sinomenine on apoptosis of human hepatoma cell line SMMC-7721 and its molecular mechanism in vitro
Authors: Yu Miao , Yu Miao , Ji Yubin
Published: December 2022

Evidence suggests that Sinomenine (SIN) has an excellent anticancer potential against hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs), the apoptotic pathway genes affected by SIN and the mechanism of SIN that inhibits HCC are still unclear. Thus, the expression of apoptotic RNA and the early apoptosis
in human HCC cells (SMMC-7721) caused by SIN need to be further investigated. In this study, to study the anti-tumor effect of SIN in vitro, human hepatoma cell line SMMC-7721 was treated with 0, 0.5, 1, 2 mM of SIN and 6.5 μM hydroxycamptothecin (HCPT) for 48 h. In addition,
MTT assay, morphological observation and flow cytometry were used to detect the apoptosis of tumor cells, the changes of [Ca2+] and mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) were detected by fluorescence microscopy. Moreover, the expression of tumor cell apoptosis-related genes was
detected by real-time PCR, the anti-tumor mechanism of SIN was analyzed by bioinformatics methods including KEGG pathway graph was rendered by Pathview and heat map of three apoptosis pathways, including mitochondrial pathway, endoplasmic reticulum pathway (ER pathway), and death receptor
pathway (DR pathway). In the results, significant inhibition of SMMC-7721 cell proliferation was found after SIN treatment. Under inverted microscopy, SIN-treated cells showed typical morphological alterations associated with apoptosis. A dose-dependent increase was observed in cytoplasmic
Ca2+ in SIN-treated SMMC-7721 cells, while MMP levels decreased. The up-regulation and down-regulation of 47 apoptotic genes related to three apoptotic pathways were more clearly expressed by heat map analysis. Then the main pathways were analyzed, and the KEGG pathway graph was
used to clearly express the expression of 92 apoptosis-related genes. Bid and Caspase-12 may be the main regulatory genes through mRNA expression. According to the previous changes in [Ca2+], SIN may affect the expression of caspase-12 through the change of [Ca2+], and
then affect the expression of other related genes of Caspase family and Bcl-2 family. Finally, it affects the change of MMP of SMMC-7721 cell, leading to apoptosis of tumor cells.