bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Does melatonin protect fetal brain during maternal hypothyroidism? An experimental study
Authors: Hidayat Mariyah , Saleemi Munir Akhtar
Published: April 2022

Objectives: To study the effects of melatonin in preventing neonatal neuronal apoptosis induced by maternal hypothyroidism.

Methods: Twelve healthy female Wistar rats, 12-16 weeks, were divided equally into three groups. Group-A was labelled as control. Group-B was made hypothyroid by giving 15mg/kg of propylthiouracyl (PTU) daily whereas Group-C was given PTU along with melatonin (10mg of melatonin/kg/day) in drinking water. After one week of treatment, the female rats were allowed to mate and conceive. The treatment of all groups continued throughout the period of pregnancy and lactation. After delivery, a total of 30 pups, 10 from each group, were labelled and sacrificed on 22nd day of life. The serum levels of TSH, T3 and T4 of the pups were measured. The brains were extracted from the skull and homogenized for isolation of mitochondria to determine the levels of cytochrome c oxidase and for isolation of RNAs to measure the levels of gene expressions of caspases 3, 9 and 8.

Results: Group-B pups showed a significant increase in serum levels of TSH (21 ± 3.7 mg/dl), and gene expression levels of caspase 3 (0.85±0.02) and 9 (0.69±0.02) where as in Group-C, there was visible reduction in concentration of TSH (15 ± 2.4 mg/dl), caspase 3 (0.50±0.02) and 9 (0.25±0.01) expressions. Increase in cytochrome c oxidase enzyme concentration (3.416 ± 0.001) in Group-B was the result of mitochondrial outer membrane rupture, causing decrease in the number of neurons by accelerating apoptosis. A decrease in its level in Group-C (2.100 ± 0.001) indicated inhibition of apoptosis.

Conclusion: Intake of melatonin during pregnancy and lactation protected the brains of offspring from extensive apoptosis during maternal hypothyroidism.

doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.38.5.5536

How to cite this:Hidayat M, Saleemi MA. Does melatonin protect fetal brain during maternal hypothyroidism? An experimental study. Pak J Med Sci. 2022;38(5):---------. doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.38.5.5536

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Sociocultural Functional Literacy As a Planned Learning Outcome of a Primary Schoolchild
Authors: Gudilina S.
Published: April 2022

The article emphasizes the expediency of introducing modern technologies and teaching aids into the educational process of elementary school, in particular, the creation and use of an information and educational environment based on multimedia resources. The design of a media library according to the modules of the exemplary work program "Fine Arts", intended for primary school students, is considered. Existing catalogs of multimedia resources or a thematic media library created by the teacher himself as an actual educational component are able to provide active artistic and creative visual activity of younger students, support their successful mastering of spatial and visual arts.
Pedagogical Diagnostics of the Level of Learning and Development of First-Graders: Approaches to Design and Results
Authors: Rydze Oxana , Kuznetsova M.
Published: April 2022

The implementation of the goals set by the Federal State Educational Standard for Primary General Education requires not only subject testing, but also pedagogical diagnostics, which makes it possible to establish the cause of the difficulties that children have in the course of education. The results of the diagnostics enable the teacher to provide timely and targeted assistance and support to each younger student, to eliminate the individual difficulties that arise for him. The article discusses the problem of obtaining reliable information about the level of educational achievements of first-graders, approaches to the selection of assessment objects and the design of tasks.
The Use of Creative Works of Younger Schoolchildren to Improve the Success of Their Educational Activities
Authors: Nikitina E.
Published: April 2022

The article proposes for consideration the problem of using creative works as an effective way to implement an individually differentiated approach in teaching successful younger schoolchildren. The author relies on the idea that difficulties in the learning process can occur in children who demonstrate different levels of educational activity, in particular, also in excellent schoolchildren and "good schoolchildren", therefore, providing them with different levels of creative tasks allows for the successful prospective intellectual and creative development of such schoolchildren. Examples of the use of differentiated creative tasks in the lessons of the Russian language and literary reading are given.
Didactic Word Games As a Means of Developing Communicative Universal Educational Activities in Younger Schoolchildren
Authors: Kreslavskaya T.
Published: April 2022

The article discusses the problem of implementing the requirements of the Federal State Educational Standard of Primary General Education for the formation of universal educational activities for younger students. The influence of didactic word games on the formation of the ability of younger students to communicate productively with peers is considered: to raise questions, discuss joint actions, take into account the characteristics and interests of partners in the game. Examples of didactic word games are given that contribute to the formation of three types of communication: interaction with a partner; taking into account the position of the interlocutor or partner in activities; communication aimed at ensuring cooperation.
Improving the Models of Kondratyev Cycles in Economic Dynamics
Authors: Basovskiy Leonid , Basovskaya Elena
Published: April 2022

The modeling of Kondratiev cycles in economic dynamics in the form of Fourier series has been improved. Models have been developed that allow, by varying the reference points and the duration of the periods, to obtain estimates of these parameters with high accuracy and give estimates of accuracy in the form of dispersion. On the basis of the obtained models and algorithms, estimates of the beginnings of the formation of the duration of the periods of Kondratiev cycles in developed countries were obtained and models of the productivity of technological structures in the developed countries of the modern world were built. The productivity of the fourth technological order was determined by the per capita income of 2,500 US dollars in 1990. The productivity of the fifth technological order was determined by the per capita income of 12,200 US dollars in 1990. The productivity of the sixth technological order was determined by the per capita income of 25,300 US dollars in 1990. Modeling made it possible to predict the end of the downward wave of the modern Kondratiev cycle in world economic dynamics, the systemic global economic crisis associated with the transition to the dominance of the sixth technological order in 2049–2055. Intensification of crises associated with business cycles, financial and investment cycles associated with the downward half-wave of the Kondratiev cycle is predicted starting from 2024-2027.
Startup Studio As a Key Element of Youth Entrepreneurship Support Infrastructure
Authors: Radygina S.
Published: April 2022

Issues of support and formation of a system for the development of youth entrepreneurship in Russia in modern conditions are subject to active discussion and research, including at the federal level. The article considers the role of youth entrepreneurship in the economic structure of the country and startups as a key element of it, analyzes the reasons why startups do not achieve economic effect. The solution to the problem of low entrepreneurial activity of young people and the failure of their projects is the creation of specialized platforms for technological entrepreneurship. Various models of startup studios, their advantages and the possibility of integration into the university system are evaluated. The scheme of organization of technological entrepreneurship platform in Udmurt state university and forms of involvement of students and teachers in entrepreneurial activity are described. It is concluded about the role of the platform of technological entrepreneurship in the ecosystem of the university.
Express Assessment of the Attractiveness of the Region's Territories in Planning Its Development
Authors: Polyakov V. , Fomicheva I. , Yudina O.
Published: April 2022

The proposed methodology is based on an expert assessment of the region's macroeconomic factors and their processing using the mathematical method of T. Saaty's analysis of hierarchies. The material of the study allows, with sufficient reliability, to carry out a numerical assessment of the attractiveness of individual territories of the region, to build a scale of their priority based on the purpose of assessing the territory. The stages of assessing the investment attractiveness of places in the territory by the analysis of hierarchies are considered. The main criteria for assessing the territory of the region are proposed. Examples of construction of pairwise comparison matrices are shown. Conclusions are presented from the analysis of matrices by an integral indicator, a rating scale of priority territories is built based on the goal set.
The Engineering Infrastructure Actual Role in the Industrial Parks Development Based on Russian Plant Facilities
Authors: Lomovcev D. , Vinichenko A. , Potvorov A.
Published: April 2022

The article considers the trends of the domestic branch industrial parks explored. The authors establish the engineering infrastructure condition as the development constraint, which elimination is suggested as the priority direction of the chemical industry government assistance.
bebês, materialidade e objetos técnicos na primeira infância no brasil e na frança
Authors: Tebet Gabriela Guarnieri de campos , Caetano Sabrina De oliveira , Souza Lidiane Cristina loiola , Impedovo Maria Antonieta , Costa Julia
Published: April 2022

The main objective of this work is to discuss the materiality of relationships and experiences of infants in early childhood education, based on a dialogue with the Brazilian curriculum guidelines for Early Childhood Education in 3 municipalities in the state of São Paulo, and with the concepts of technical objects and individuation developed by Simondon. This is a qualitative research that uses bibliographic and documentary research as a methodology and the production of cartographies of scenes in which relationships between babies and objects are observed. The cartography used here is inspired by the records developed by Fernand Deligny (2015) and its appropriation for research with babies, as proposed by Julia Oliveira (2016). Research was carried out on this topic in the field of education, going through scientific articles and guiding documents for early childhood education. The authors  mapped the paths and affections of babies and their relationships with objects in two distinct scenes that were collected within the scope of a collective project. It is a work that contributes to early childhood education in general and, specifically, to baby studies (Infantology, Babyhood studies).
crianças, pandemia e escola: recomeçar é um ato político
Authors: De menezes Flávia Maria , Gil Marcia De oliveira gomes
Published: April 2022

This article is an invitation to consider Paulo Freire’s Pedagogy of the Question as a text that leads the reader to consider the possibilities offered by the post-Covid 19 resumption of daily school life with children as a political act. Based on a conversation that Freire had with Antônio Faundez in 1985, this text encourages researchers and educators to consider ways of returning to school life in ways that are welcoming, responsive and loving in the wake of  the experience of “almost-exile” undergone during the covid-19 pandemic. It becomes necessary to think school life again from where the children truly are, restarting in full awareness of the adventures, the pains, the losses they have undergone, encouraging them to ask the questions that the pandemic experience has produced them, and to recognize  the new forms of consciousness it has inaugurated. This paper explores the implications of the ideas found in the Freire-Faundez dialogue  for this moment of reconstruction.
a comicsophy approach to teaching philosophy
Authors: Cerić Haris , Cerić Elmana
Published: April 2022

The paper presents an innovative approach to teaching philosophy, which the authors name as a comicsophy approach to teaching philosophy. Such creative application of comics in the teaching of philosophy fully corresponds to the skandalonic and dialogical character of philosophy itself. The methodical value of using comics in philosophy teaching is manifested exactly in comics’ distinctly skandalonic character. The skandalon is a methodical process that seeks to provoke students' curiosity by questioning something that otherwise seemed unquestionable, self-evident, to present it in a new light, in order to make it the subject of critical questioning and reflection. Given the visuality of the comics, its fun and root in popular culture, it is an excellent motivational tool for philosophical reflection and understanding of reality, philosophical issues, ideas and concepts in teaching philosophy. By introducing comics as recognizable products of pop culture close to students' reading interest and experience in teaching philosophy, it is easier for them to connect what they learn in school with real life, ie to apply what they have learned in everyday life situations. Comics can be used as a source of information, a form of learning new content, as well as a basis for encouraging dialog and discussion in the classroom. Also, students can individually or in pairs/groups create comics on specific philosophical topics, thus developing creative, critical and collaborative thinking. The paper presents specific criteria for evaluating comics on philosophical issues that students create in philosophy classes.
Dilemas corporais: a situação carcerária de mulheres transexuais no Estado de Sergipe - Brasil
Authors: Britto Fernanda Lacerda Chagas , Espinoza Fran , Carvalho Grasielle Borges Vieira de
Published: April 2022

ResumoAo pesquisar o contexto carcerário, percebemos que o valores sociais de discriminação são reflexo da sociedade fora das grades. O presente artigo tem por objetivo analisar a situação carcerária de mulheres transexuais e travestis, com o intuito de entender o porquê de elas preferirem manter-se em prisões masculinas ainda quando existe determinação legal para que possam ser transferidas para as penitenciárias femininas. Com esse intento, apresenta-se uma pesquisa qualitativa a fim de descrever o fenômeno, utilizando-se como método o estudo de caso, no qual se inicia com uma revisão conceitual, abrangendo a literatura clássica e atual, no que se refere a identidade de gênero, transgeneridade e cárcere. Ainda, utiliza-se de fontes secundárias como o levantamento de dados do Ministério da Mulher, da Família e dos Direitos Humanos e análise do pedido de transferência feito pelo Ministério Público de Sergipe através de ação civil pública. Ao final do estudo, observa-se que a ala LGBT, instituídas nos presídios masculinos, revela-se como uma medida válida para efetivação e proteção dos direitos dessas mulheres.Palavras-chave: Mulheres transexuais. Travestis. Cárcere. Invisibilidade. Transgeneridade. AbstractWhen researching the prison context, we realized that the social values of discrimination are a reflection of society outside the prisons. This article aims to analyze the prison situation of transsexual and transvestite women, in order to understand the possible reasons why they still prefer to remain in male prisons, when there is a legal determination that they can be transferred to female penitentiaries. With this intent, a qualitative research is presented in order to describe the phenomenon, using the case study as a method, which begins with a conceptual review, covering the classic and current literature, regarding the identity of gender, transgender and imprisonment. Still, it uses secondary sources such as data collection from the Ministry of Women, Family and Human Rights and analysis of the transfer request made by the Public Ministry of Sergipe through public civil action. At the end of the study, it is observed that the LGBTQIA+ wing, established in male prisons, reveals itself as a valid measure for the realization and protection of these women's rights.Keywords: Transgender women. Transvestites. Prison. Invisibility. Transgender.
"Nada sobre nós sem nós": movimentos sociais e a ruptura do paradigma moderno de deficiência
Authors: Fracaro Beatriz , Maliska Marcos Augusto
Published: April 2022

ResumoO presente artigo objetiva analisar a relevância e influência dos movimentos sociais, a nível nacional e internacional, na consolidação do modelo social, que opera uma ruptura na definição tipicamente moderna de deficiência. Para tanto, enfatizou-se o processo de transição do modelo médico de integração ao modelo social de inclusão no Brasil. Desenvolvida através do método dedutivo e procedimento bibliográfico, a pesquisa permitiu concluir que a participação social das pessoas com deficiência na Constituinte, bem como na elaboração da Convenção da ONU sobre Direitos das Pessoas com Deficiência, contribuiu de maneira expressiva para os progressos no tratamento inclusivo dessas pessoas, sobretudo pela abertura da Constituição Federal de 1988 ao pluralismo e pela positivação do paradigma social na Convenção, internalizada no ordenamento jurídico pátrio com status constitucional. Entretanto, faz-se a ressalva de que a inclusão plena ainda não é uma realidade, e que sua concretização requer o empreendimento de esforços mútuos entre a Sociedade e o Estado.Palavras-chave: Modelo médico e social. Direitos humanos e fundamentais. Movimentos sociais. Pessoas com deficiência. Abertura constitucional. AbstractThe objective of this article is to analyze the relevance and influence of social movements, at national and international levels, in the consolidation of the social model, which operates a break in the typically modern definition of disability. For this, the transition process from the medical model of integration to the social model of inclusion in Brazil was emphasized. Developed through the deductive method and bibliographic procedure, the research allowed the conclusion that the social participation of people with disabilities in the Constituent, as well as in the elaboration of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, contributed in an expressive way to the progress in the inclusive treatment of these people, especially by the opening of the Federal Constitution of 1988 to pluralism and by the positivation of the social paradigm in the Convention, internalized in the country's legal system with constitutional status. However, it is noted that full inclusion is not yet a reality, and that its implementation requires the undertaking of mutual efforts between society and the State.Keywords: Medical and social model. Human and fundamental rights. Social movements. People with disabilities. Constitutional pluralism.
Sumatran tiger identification and phylogenetic analysis based on the CO1 gene: Molecular forensic application
Authors: ASHRIFURRAHMAN ASHRIFURRAHMAN , SIMAMORA SARUEDI , RITONGA RUSDIYAN , NOVARINO WILSON , TJONG DJONG HON , RIZALDI RIZALDI , SYAIFULLAH SYAIFULLAH , ROESMA DEWI IMELDA
Published: April 2022

Abstract. Ashrifurrahman, Simamora S, Ritonga R, Novarino W, Tjong DH, Rizaldi, Syaifullah, Roesma DI. 2022. Sumatran tiger identification and phylogenetic analysis based on the CO1 gene: molecular forensic application. Biodiversitas 23: 1788-1794. Wild animal hunting, especially in the Sumatran tiger (Panthera tigris sumatrae), has been caused the population decline. Regulation and law enforcement have been implemented even though it does not affect optimal because of the trickery of poachers and illegal traders. Sometimes, the evidence of P. t. sumatrae derivative products, for example, bones, nails, skins, hair, and other body parts, cannot be properly identified to raise the cases. However, genetic markers, such as the CO1 gene, have successfully identified illegal trafficking samples. This study used 20 samples, consisting of seven samples (four preserved hairs, two claws, one bone) that were suspected of P. t. sumatrae collected from illegal wildlife trade cases in West Sumatra, Indonesia. Other thirteen samples were twelve blood and one hair of P. t. sumatrae samples were collected from the Dharmasraya Sumatran Tiger Rehabilitation Center (PR-HSD). All samples were isolated, Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), sequenced, and 999 base pairs (bp) of the CO1 gene sequences were analyzed. In addition, National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) data sequences including two P. t. sumatrae sequences, four P. t. altaica sequences, one P. t. amoyensis sequence, one P. t. corbetti sequence, three P. pardus sequences, and one Felis catus sequence were collected for comparison and supporting data. The result confirmed that all samples in this study were P. t. sumatrae. We determined those depending on similarity value which was 99.60%-99.70% with P. tigris reference sequence (NC_010642.1) and 99.90%-100% with P. t. sumatrae (JF357969.1). Phylogenetic analysis supported species identification with average intraspecies sequence divergence was 0 to 0.4% and presented the monophyletic group. This study was the first and most recent report to use seized samples to identify P. t. sumatrae based on the CO1 gene in West Sumatra, Indonesia.
Visual soil structure quality and its correlation to quantitative soil physical properties of upland rice site in Falcataria moluccana agroforestry system
Authors: BRILIAWAN BAGASTAMA DIPA , WIJAYANTO NURHENI , WASIS BASUKI
Published: April 2022

Abstract. Briliawan BD, Wijayanto N, Wasis B. 2022. Visual soil structure quality and its correlation to quantitative soil physical properties of upland rice site in Falcataria moluccana agroforestry system. Biodiversitas 23: 1894-1903. Sengon and upland rice are plants that have the potential to be combined in the agroforestry system. However, its development often results in poor quantitative soil physical properties. Measuring the soil’s physical properties is expensive and complicated to do by some people. This study aims to measure the visual soil structure quality from different land covers and calculate its correlation to the parameters of the soil’s physical properties. The research was conducted in the Cikabayan forest and used the purposive sampling method to take soil samples. The research was conducted by comparing nine land covers in the form of agroforestry and monoculture developed in organic and conventional agriculture with tropical rainforests as natural vegetation. Three samples were taken for each land cover type and analyzed with a completely randomized design. The research showed that the vegetation of tropical rainforest generated the best score on all visual soil structure quality measurement methods (VESS, GrassVESS Sq and GrassVESS Rm). The measurement of soil physical properties at natural vegetation of tropical rainforests generated the highest score on the porosity (57.303%). Meanwhile, monoculture-conventional land generated the highest bulk density (1.373 g.cm-3). The VESS method had the highest correlation with soil physical properties compared to other visual soil structure quality measurement methods. Thus, natural vegetation is the best type of land cover compared to all cultivated land and the VESS method is the most appropriate method for estimating soil physical properties.
Diversity report of freshwater gastropods in Buton Island, Indonesia
Authors: Purnama Muhammad Fajar , Sirza La Ode Muhammad Junaidin , Sari Sri Fatma , Salwiyah Salwiyah , Haslianti Haslianti , Abdullah Abdullah , Suwarjoyowirayatno Suwarjoyowirayatno , Findra ‪Muhammad Nur , Nurhikma Nurhikma , Agriansyah Ahdiat , Hidayat Herlan , Syukur Syukur , Anwar Khoirul
Published: April 2022

Abstract. Purnama MF, Sirza LOMJ, Sari SF, Salwiyah, Haslianti, Abdullah, Suwarjoyowirayatno, Findra MN, Nurhikma, Agriansyah A, Hidayat H, Syukur, Anwar K. 2022. Diversity report of freshwater gastropods in Buton Island, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 23: 1938-1949. This study was located in Buton Island consisted of 5 administrative districts/cities (Baubau City, Buton District, South Buton District, Muna District and North Buton District) and was conducted for 1 year (August 2019-August 2020). The output is to reveal the potential richness of the biodiversity of freshwater gastropods as a first step to optimize the utilization of freshwater gastropod resources in the Buton Islands. Determination of sampling location for gastropods was carried out by purposive sampling method and the selection of gastropod samples using simple random sampling method at a predetermined location based on the presence of gastropods. Gastropod samples (epifauna/infauna) were collected manually without special fishing gear with gloves, paralone pipes (3.5 inches), and filter (1 mm). The gastropods found in Buton Island consist of 18 genera and 40 species. Freshwater gastropods spread over 8 families, namely Cyclophoridae, Planorbidae, Lymnaeidae and Thiaridae. Among the species, there are several invasive alien species (IAS) such as Tarebia granifera, Melanoides tuberculata and Achatina fulica. These three species always dominate the habitat space where they are found. Most gastropod communities in 5 districts/cities live in fast-flowing rivers with rock, gravel and sand substrates. Only a few of them are found in artificial inland waters such as rice fields, embankments, dams and drainage. This study became a first step to optimize the utilization of gastropod resources and sustainable management, especially related to the conservation of native species from the threat of IAS.
Diversity and use of medicinal plants for traditional women's health care in Northern Banyumas, Indonesia
Authors: UTAMININGRUM WAHYU , NOFRIANTI NOFRIANTI , HARTANTI DWI
Published: April 2022

Abstract. Utaminingrum W, Nofrianti, Hartanti D. 2022. Diversity and use of medicinal plants for traditional women's health care in Northern Banyumas. Biodiversitas 23: 1970-1976. This study aimed to record the diversity and utilization of medicinal plants for maintaining women's health in Northern Banyumas (Central Java, Indonesia) using qualitative and quantitative approaches. Semi-structured interviews with 97 informants were conducted to collect data on local plant names, plant parts, herbal preparation, and application of plants used for traditional women's health care. The value and importance of the plants to the people in the surveyed areas were quantitatively determined by the species use-value (SUV), the relative frequency of citation (RFC), and fidelity level (FL). The local community cited 21 plant species belonging to 10 families. The most frequently used plant part, preparation, and application were fruits and rhizomes (32.6% each), infusion (83.7%), and oral (88.4%), respectively. There were four use-category of the plants, i.e., post-partum, pre-menstrual syndrome, lactation stimulant, and leukorrhoea. The most valuable plants were Curcuma longa L., Piper betle L., and Kaempferia galanga L. with SUV of 0.41, 0.34, and 0.21, respectively. The C. longa and P. betle were also recorded as the most important plants with RFC values of 0.63 and 0.40. These findings confirm the status of Zingiberaceae as the main component of jamu (traditional medicine) to maintain women's health.
Assessment of insects diversity with the influence of industrial pollutants in agricultural zones of District Sialkot, Pakistan
Authors: ASGHAR AYESHA , QADEER OMEMA , MUSHTAQ SAJIDA , MAALIK SADIA , MAJEED WAQAR , BANO NAHEED , NARGIS SHAHLA
Published: April 2022

Abstract. Asghar A, Qadeer O, Mushtaq S, Maalik S, Majeed W, Bano N, Nargis S. 2022. Assessment of insects diversity with the influence of industrial pollutants in agricultural zones of District Sialkot, Pakistan. Biodiversitas 23: 2047-2053. Insects are the most important creatures on earth due to their multifunctional role in the environment by providing different services such as biological indicators, decomposers, pollinators, scavengers, pests, and predators agroecosystem. However, with time due to anthropogenic activities such as environmental pollution, industrial waste, and the use of effluents for agriculture, insect fauna has been facing a dramatic threat to their diversity, particularly in most polluted areas. The present study was designed to find insects diversity variation under polluted environments (heavy metals) in agriculture fields having brassica and Rice crops. Two different sites, the tannery and non-tannery areas were selected to sample insects. The total number of insects found in tannery area fields were 2195 and 3753 from the non-tannery area. The abundance of Melanoplus bivittatus (Say, 1825) was highest in the non-tannery area, and Acrida exaltata (Walker, 1859) was highest in tannery area fields. From the tannery area and non-tannery area, the maximum abundance of 32% and 37% were found for order orthoptera. The cadmium concentration in tannery rice crops was 0.626 ppm, and brassica concentration was 0.315 ppm. The cadmium concentration in non-tannery area samples was 0.115 ppm for rice and 0.101 ppm for brassica plants, while 0.1231 ppm for rice and 0.104 ppm for brassica insects. The lead concentration in tannery areas of rice crops was 0.637 ppm, and brassica concentration was 0.672 ppm. The lead concentration in non-tannery area samples was 0.324 ppm for rice and 0.267 ppm for brassica plants, while 0.214 ppm for rice and 0.266 ppm for brassica insects. The diversity and richness were recorded at 3.11 and 3.525 for rice and 3.124 and 3.913 for brassica fields. The species maximum was seen in the non-tannery area, and less abundance was recorded in the tannery area. It is further suggested that preventive measures should be taken to protect insect diversity from balancing nature's ecological balance.
Model applicability to predict growth rate of insects throughout storage of corn grain (Zea mays L.)
Authors: Faria Igor Lopes de , Silva Luís Cesar da , Zeymer Juliana Soares , Araujo Marcos Eduardo Viana de , Oliveira Gabriel Henrique Horta de
Published: April 2022

Insect pest infestation in stored grains can cause several losses during storage, in addition to promoting the spread of fungi, changing the temperature of the grain mass, and reducing the value of the final product. Knowing the behavior of these insect pests and how they reproduce in the grain mass is essential to design more efficient control strategies and ensure a quality final product. Thus, this work aimed to accomplish modeling and simulation of the population growth of insects Rhyzopertha dominica, Sitophilus oryzae, Oryzaephilus surinamensis and Tribolium castaneum throughout the storage of corn grain, using data retrieved from digital sensors of temperature installed in three Brazilian storage facilities in different regions. Data were collected through managing system CERES (company Procer Automação e Sistemas) and retrieved from 1st of July to 29th September 2019. In each one of the facilities, a silo equipped with the aforementioned sensors was used. Mean weekly values of temperature of the grain mass and the intergranular relative humidity were used, calculated using the Modified Henderson equation. The silos evaluated in facilities 1, 2, and 3 have a static capacity of 2,100; 6,304, and 93 tones, respectively, considering soybean with a bulk density of 750 kg m-3. Higher growth rates of all assessed species were observed for the storage facility number 2; and lowest values for storage facility number 1. Storage facilities that presented a higher potential for the growth rate of insects are subjected to elevated levels of insect populations throughout time.
Macrobenthos as an indicator of water quality assessment in Kutaraja Fishing Port, Indonesia
Authors: Chaliluddin Makwiyah A , Yusnita Shella , Rizwan Thaib , El Rahimi Sayyid Afdhal , Rusydi Ichsan , Nellyana Roesa
Published: April 2022

Water quality is influenced by the high activity in the port area, resulting in decreasing water quality. The biological parameters based on the structure of the aquatic community of organisms that act as bioindicators could be indicated as changes in water quality around the port. Bioindicators are a group of living organisms susceptible to environmental changes due to human activities and natural damage. One of the aquatic organisms that can be used as an indicator of water quality is Benthos because of its sedentary nature. This study aims to determine the quality of the water environment seen from the benthic community structure, namely density, diversity index, uniformity and dominance index, to embody the clean and pollution-free Kutaraja Fishing Port. The research shows that the aquatic environment of Kutaraja Fishing Port is included as the less stable category with a moderate diversity value (H' 1) but has high benthic individual uniformity (E 0.6), which means that individuals are evenly distributed a low dominance value or C is close to 0.Keywords:Water qualityBio-indicatorBenthosKutarajaBanda Aceh
Speaking out, ‘speaking in’ and safety work in the digital sphere: understanding online disclosures in the aftermath of sexual violence
Authors: O’Neill Tully
Published: April 2022

This article examines why victim-survivors of sexual violence disclose their experiences online. Drawing on findings from qualitative interviews conducted with victim-survivors, the discussion expands upon scholarly framings of ‘speaking out’ in digital spaces. The proliferation of the #MeToo movement has led to significant interest in digital activism surrounding sexual and gender-based violence, and disclosures are often articulated within feminist scholarship as constituting a political act. Findings reveal that victim-survivors understand their own digital practices with nuance and complexity, and their disclosures address a range of needs that are often apolitical. Participants primarily saw their disclosures as a way to connect with peers, to provide and receive support, and to share their stories ‘safely’. These motivations influence how and where victim-survivors disclose online, and complicate scholarly notions of digital activism as a response to sexual violence. The discussion presents important implications for how digital space and disclosure practices are understood, highlighting the significance of considering the diverse needs that victim-survivors have when speaking about their experiences online.
Performance optimisation of a holographic Fourier domain diffuse correlation spectroscopy instrument
Authors: James Edward , Powell Samuel , Munro Peter
Published: April 2022

We have previously demonstrated a novel interferometric multispeckle Fourier domain diffuse correlation spectroscopy system that makes use of holographic camera-based detection, and which is capable of making in vivo pulsatile flow measurements. In this work, we report on a systematic characterisation of the signal-to-noise ratio performance of our system. This includes demonstration and elimination of laser mode hopping, and correction for the instrument’s modulation transfer function to ensure faithful reconstruction of measured intensity profiles. We also demonstrate a singular value decomposition approach to ensure that spatiotemporally correlated experimental noise sources do not limit optimal signal-to-noise ratio performance. Finally, we present a novel multispeckle denoising algorithm that allows our instrument to achieve a signal-to-noise ratio gain that is equal to the square root of the number of detected speckles, whilst detecting up to ∼1290 speckles in parallel. The signal-to-noise ratio gain of 36 that we report is a significant step toward mitigating the trade-off that exists between signal-to-noise ratio and imaging depth in diffuse correlation spectroscopy.
Bioactivity assessment of natural compounds using machine learning models trained on target similarity between drugs
Authors: Periwal Vinita , Bassler Stefan , Andrejev Sergej , Gabrielli Natalia , Patil Kaustubh Raosaheb , Typas Athanasios , Patil Kiran Raosaheb
Published: April 2022

Natural compounds constitute a rich resource of potential small molecule therapeutics. While experimental access to this resource is limited due to its vast diversity and difficulties in systematic purification, computational assessment of structural similarity with known therapeutic molecules offers a scalable approach. Here, we assessed functional similarity between natural compounds and approved drugs by combining multiple chemical similarity metrics and physicochemical properties using a machine-learning approach. We computed pairwise similarities between 1410 drugs for training classification models and used the drugs shared protein targets as class labels. The best performing models were random forest which gave an average area under the ROC of 0.9, Matthews correlation coefficient of 0.35, and F1 score of 0.33, suggesting that it captured the structure-activity relation well. The models were then used to predict protein targets of circa 11k natural compounds by comparing them with the drugs. This revealed therapeutic potential of several natural compounds, including those with support from previously published sources as well as those hitherto unexplored. We experimentally validated one of the predicted pair’s activities, viz., Cox-1 inhibition by 5-methoxysalicylic acid, a molecule commonly found in tea, herbs and spices. In contrast, another natural compound, 4-isopropylbenzoic acid, with the highest similarity score when considering most weighted similarity metric but not picked by our models, did not inhibit Cox-1. Our results demonstrate the utility of a machine-learning approach combining multiple chemical features for uncovering protein binding potential of natural compounds.
MiR172-APETALA2-like genes integrate vernalization and plant age to control flowering time in wheat
Authors: Debernardi Juan M. , Woods Daniel P. , Li Kun , Li Chengxia , Dubcovsky Jorge
Published: April 2022

Plants possess regulatory mechanisms that allow them to flower under conditions that maximize reproductive success. Selection of natural variants affecting those mechanisms has been critical in agriculture to modulate the flowering response of crops to specific environments and to increase yield. In the temperate cereals, wheat and barley, the photoperiod and vernalization pathways explain most of the natural variation in flowering time. However, other pathways also participate in fine-tuning the flowering response. In this work, we integrate the conserved microRNA miR172 and its targets APETALA2-like (AP2L) genes into the temperate grass flowering network involving VERNALIZATION 1 (VRN1), VRN2 and FLOWERING LOCUS T 1 (FT1 = VRN3) genes. Using mutants, transgenics and different growing conditions, we show that miR172 promotes flowering in wheat, while its target genes AP2L1 (TaTOE1) and AP2L5 (Q) act as flowering repressors. Moreover, we reveal that the miR172-AP2L pathway regulates FT1 expression in the leaves, and that this regulation is independent of VRN2 and VRN1. In addition, we show that the miR172-AP2L module and flowering are both controlled by plant age through miR156 in spring cultivars. However, in winter cultivars, flowering and the regulation of AP2L1 expression are decoupled from miR156 downregulation with age, and induction of VRN1 by vernalization is required to repress AP2L1 in the leaves and promote flowering. Interestingly, the levels of miR172 and both AP2L genes modulate the flowering response to different vernalization treatments in winter cultivars. In summary, our results show that conserved and grass specific gene networks interact to modulate the flowering response, and that natural or induced mutations in AP2L genes are useful tools for fine-tuning wheat flowering time in a changing environment.
Acceptability of government measures against COVID-19 pandemic in Senegal: A mixed methods study
Authors: Ridde Valéry , Kane Babacar , Gaye Ibrahima , Ba Mouhamadou Faly , Diallo Amadou , Bonnet Emmanuel , Traoré Zoumana , Faye Adama
Published: April 2022

While the first case of COVID-19 was declared on March 2 2020 in Senegal, the government banned the attendance of places of worship on 14 March, as a first measure. On March 23, it introduced a curfew, a ban on movement between regions, and the closure of markets. The objective of this study is to measure and understand the acceptability of these four governmental measures as well as the level of public trust in the state to fight the pandemic. We carried out a mixed-method research. The acceptability variables were defined using the theoretical framework of acceptability (TFA). At the quantitative level, we carried out a telephone survey (June/July 2020) at the national level (n = 813) with a sampling strategy by marginal quotas. We conducted a qualitative survey (August/September 2020) with a nested sample (n = 30). The results show a relatively high acceptability of the measures but a heterogeneity of responses. People considered curfews to be much more important (85.7% [83.2%; 88.0%]) than the closure of places of worship (55.4%; [51.9%; 58.7%]), which is least in line with the values and positive affective attitude. Several positive unintended effects of the curfew were stated (security and social/family cohesion). People over the age of 60 have more confidence in the government to fight the pandemic than people under the age of 25, although not significant (7.72 ± 3.12 vs. 7.07 ± 3.11, p = 0.1); and they are more in favour of the closure of places of worship. The more regions are affected by the pandemic, the less confidence respondents report in the government and the less they perceive the measures as effective. The results confirm the importance of government communication and trust in the state to strengthen the acceptability of pandemic measures. Important differences in acceptability show the need to adapt measures and their explanations, instead of unqualified universal action.
Infection intensity-dependent accuracy of reagent strip for the diagnosis of Schistosoma haematobium and estimation of treatment prevalence thresholds
Authors: Grolimund Carla M. , Bärenbold Oliver , Hatz Christoph F. , Vennervald Birgitte J. , Mayombana Charles , Mshinda Hassan , Utzinger Jürg , Vounatsou Penelope
Published: April 2022

Background

Reagent strip to detect microhematuria as a proxy for Schistosoma haematobium infections has been considered an alternative to urine filtration for individual diagnosis and community-based estimates of treatment needs for preventive chemotherapy. However, the diagnostic accuracy of reagent strip needs further investigation, particularly at low infection intensity levels.

Methods

We used existing data from a study conducted in Tanzania that employed urine filtration and reagent strip testing for S. haematobium in two villages, including a baseline and six follow-up surveys after praziquantel treatment representing a wide range of infection prevalence. We developed a Bayesian model linking individual S. haematobium egg count data based on urine filtration to reagent strip binary test results available on multiple days and estimated the relation between infection intensity and sensitivity of reagent strip. Furthermore, we simulated data from 3,000 hypothetical populations with varying mean infection intensity to infer on the relation between prevalence observed by urine filtration and the interpretation of reagent strip readings.

Principal findings

Reagent strip showed excellent sensitivity even for single measurement reaching 100% at around 15 eggs of S. haematobium per 10 ml of urine when traces on reagent strip were considered positive. The corresponding specificity was 97%. When traces were considered negative, the diagnostic accuracy of the reagent strip was equivalent to urine filtration data obtained on a single day. A 10% and 50% urine filtration prevalence based on a single day sampling corresponds to 11.2% and 48.6% prevalence by reagent strip, respectively, when traces were considered negative, and 17.6% and 57.7%, respectively, when traces were considered positive.

Conclusions/Significance

Trace results should be included in reagent strip readings when high sensitivity is required, but excluded when high specificity is needed. The observed prevalence of reagent strip results, when traces are considered negative, is a good proxy for prevalence estimates of S. haematobium infection by urine filtration on a single day.
‘Variations on a scale’: British Music Hall and instances of adaptation as performance
Authors: Krebs Katja
Published: April 2022

This article explores and extends the capacity of the framework of inclusion and exclusion as adhered to and cultivated by the core of the field of adaptation studies. Investigating the focus on the textual, this article is a consideration of the role and position of the textual in the discourse of adaptation studies before considering three different types of adaptation in performance in Victorian Music Hall where the adaptation of the textual as well as the non-textual form a common base for a variety, if not majority, of performances. Considering popular performance outside of the confines of the theatre offers examples of adaptations based on textualities and those beyond textualities as well as a combination of the two. Examples analysed include the singer Marie Lloyd, who is probably most widely known as a Music Hall star outside of the confines of theatre history, the magician William Elsworth Robinson aka Chung Ling Soo and monkey-man Harvey Teasdale. Such opening-up of adaptation studies’ textual focus will subsequently allow a flexing, a keeping supple of any framework of inclusion and exclusion constructed.
Ben Hur Live as post-cinematic adaptation
Authors: Whitby Richard
Published: April 2022

Ben Hur Live was a live, arena-based version of the story from Lew Wallace’s novel Ben-Hur (1880), best known via the 1959 film version directed by William Wyler, that premiered at London’s O2 Arena in 2009. Meant as the start of a world tour, the show was a financial flop and its run was cut short. I argue that this show was in fact an early example of a small genre of oversized productions – Arena Spectaculars – that bring together live versions of screen material in a specifically post-cinematic way. Since Ben Hur Live’s financial failure there have been financially successful shows such as Batman Live and Walking with Dinosaurs: The Arena Spectacular; their very titles showing their contingent and intertextual nature. Although seemingly niche, aberrant or even ridiculous, the arena spectacular can actually illuminate many things about the contemporary consumption of texts in a post-cinematic, networked and franchised economy of images.
Theatre and Translation, Margherita Laera (2020)
Authors: De Francisci Enza
Published: April 2022

Review of: Theatre and Translation, Margherita Laera (2020)

London: Macmillan International, 92 pp.,

ISBN 978-1-13761-161-1, p/bk, £7.99