bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Gas Fields of Rock Springs Uplift, Sweetwater County, Wyoming
Authors: Reese Douglas L.
Published: May 2021

Seven gas fields have been developed on the Rock Springs uplift in southwestern Wyoming— North Baxter Basin, Middle Baxter Basin, South Baxter Basin, Little Worm Creek, Joyce Creek, Salt Wells, and Nitchie Gulch. Production from these fields has amounted to 214 billion cu ft of gas from the Frontier, Dakota, and Morrison Formations, and the Nugget Sandstone. Minor oil production has been established from the Dakota Formation at Joyce Creek and the Morrison Formation at Little Worm Creek. Most of these fields have prospects of additional gas in untested fault blocks and new zones in the deeper Paleozoic formations. Remaining proved reserves are estimated to be 102 billion cu ft of gas. Hydrothermal alteration possibly may explain areal variations in the composition of gas found in certain formations
Pre-Mancos Gas Fields in Northwest Colorado
Authors: Aaker Robert , Jedlicka John
Published: May 2021

Pre-Mancos gas fields of northwestern Colorado are on the north-plunging Douglas Creek arch and east-west-trending Axial uplift (Fig. 1). Most of the fields produce from sandstone in the Lower Cretaceous Dakota Group and the Upper Jurassic Morrison Formation. Gas also is produced from the Frontier, Entrada, Shinarump, and Weber, of Late Cretaceous, Jurassic, Triassic, and Permian ages, respectively. Dakota and Morrison gas accumulations are controlled primarily by stratigraphic variations of the sandstone reservoirs. Most of the gas being sold is from fields on the Douglas Creek arch because of the availability of pipelines. The total volume of gas sold in 1964 was 1,993 million cu ft amd cumulative production was 33,789 million cu ft.
Informe de la secuencia de innovación didáctica para la enseñanza-aprendizaje del inglés en Educación Básica: "Lets clean my school"
Authors: Sola Prado Alicia , Suárez Baque Junior Stalin , Rebutti Jaramillo Evelin Jadira
Published: May 2021

En el marc del Projecte d’Innovació: Didáctica de la Interacción Oral de Lenguas no Maternas de la UNAE (Universidad Nacional de Educación del Ecuador), dissenyem, implementem i avaluem una experiència pilot per part d’una parella pedagògica d’alumnes de 6è cicle en pràctiques docents preprofessionals per a l’ensenyament/aprenentatge d’ELE a l’educació general bàsica. Aquesta experiència, una investigació acció participativa, la dissenyem d’acord a les línies metodològiques del projecte, que principalment posen de relleu la importància en el procés d’aprenentatge de la llengua oral i de la competència estratègica, a través del treball per tasques i l’enfocament oral; amb activitats que promouen la interacció entre parells per al desenvolupament de les competències comunicatives. Les activitats s’emmarquen dins dels principis institucionals del Buen Vivir, recollits pel model pedagògic de la UNAE.La seqüència didàctica s’implementa en la institució educativa d’educación general bàsica Daniel Córdova Toral: una institució rural de la parròquia de Zhullín, que al moment de les pràctiques de les alumnes no comptava amb docent especialista en la matèria d’anglès.
Avaluació i intervenció d'un infant amb dificultats articulatòries i adquisició fonològica retardada
Authors: Farré Secall Marc , Solà Serra Gemma
Published: May 2021

Les dificultats articulatòries en la producció o ús dels diversos fonemes del llenguatge poden mostrar-se com una manifestació d’un trastorn fonològic quan advertim la presència de processos de simplificació propis d’etapes evolutives lingüístiques cronològicament inferiors a la del subjecte, comprometent la intel·ligibilitat de la parla, la comunicació i desenvolupament social. En aquest sentit, el propòsit del present estudi és il·lustrar el procés d’avaluació i intervenció d’un infant amb mostres de dificultats articulatòries i adquisició fonològica retardada, descrivint-ne en profunditat les característiques, així com el procés d’avaluació i intervenció efectuats, amb la intenció de millorar la intel·ligibilitat de la seva parla i avaluar, finalment, l’efectivitat del procés en base a la consecució d’aquest objectiu. A tals efectes es presenta el cas d’una nena de 38 mesos, sense alteracions neurològiques ni dèficits motors ni perceptius, i s’avaluen les seves habilitats funcionals, fonètiques, fonològiques i discriminatives, per posteriorment desenvolupar-ne la intervenció, basada en entorns significatius d’aprenentatge, mitjançant estratègies mixtes d’estimulació, imitació i discriminació. Posant l’accent en la necessitat d’estimular el context tant com la comunicació i el llenguatge oral, els resultats d’aquest procés ens revelen que l’ús combinat d’aquestes estratègies es tradueix en un increment lineal del domini de vocabulari expressiu; un increment percentual en l’ús correcte dels fonemes treballats; i un increment percentual en l’ús correcte d’estructures bisil·làbiques, la qual cosa suposa, de forma pràctica, millores en el desenvolupament de les habilitats fonètiques i fonològiques i, com a conseqüència, la millora efectiva de la intel·ligibilitat de la parla de la pacient.
Anàlisi de la qualitat de la veu dels Mestres d'Educació Infantil i Primària
Authors: Segura Huguet Assumpció , Elgström Misol Edmon
Published: May 2021

S'ha realitzat una anàlisi objectiva sobre el grau de salut vocal dels mestres d’educació infantil i primària que treballen en els centres públics de Catalunya. Les dades de l'estudi han estat analitzades i processades fent servir els paràmetres acústics de la qualitat vocal: Jitter, Schimmer i HNR. En conjunt, es detecta una clara presència de problemes de veu entre el col.lectiu docent (especialment, disfonia) que aconsella implantar una formació específica en els estudis de formació de mestres.
Educación contra la pobreza legal para la consecución de los ODS
Authors: Bueno Salinas Marta
Published: May 2021

Los últimos años han visto proliferar distintos estudios empíricos sobre el acceso a la Justicia, bajo el impulso de las metas generadas a partir de los Objetivos de Desarrollo Sostenible. Los datos muestran cuán alejados estamos de conseguir hacer efectivo el derecho a una Justicia para todos, tanto en su sentido estricto (derecho a obtener una resolución judicial), como en un sentido amplio de acceso a los derechos. Los Estados garantizan dicho acceso asumiendo los costes de la llamada ‘justicia gratuita’, si bien ello es manifiestamente insuficiente, pues solo una mínima parte de las cuestiones jurídicas son fruto de una controversia y/o requerirán un pronunciamiento judicial. Una educación jurídica básica puede contribuir a reducir los supuestos de pobreza o analfabetismo legal, supuestos que actúan como factores de riesgo para la exclusión social.
AC:DC – Agiles und kollaboratives digitales Klassenzimmer
Authors: Grogorick Linda , Lamprecht Jens
Published: May 2021

Die Möglichkeiten zur Gestaltung digitaler Lehr- und Lernkonzepte sind vielfältig und mit verschiedenen Potenzialen verbunden. Trotz zahlreicher Bestrebungen digitale Bildungsangebote vermehrt an Hochschulen, Schulen und im Arbeitskontext zu etablieren, hat erst die rasante Ausbreitung von Covid-19 zu einem weitrechenden Umdenken geführt. In diesem Beitrag wird daher das Konzept AC:DC zum digitalen, agilen und kollaborativen Lernen vorgestellt, welches im Sommersemester 2020 erstmals in einer Mastervorlesung eingesetzt wurde. Die Evaluation der Lehrveranstaltung hat überwiegend positive Resultate gezeigt, vor allem in Hinblick auf den erreichten Lernerfolg.
Isotopic evidence for geographic heterogeneity in Ancient Greek military forces
Authors: Reinberger Katherine L. , Reitsema Laurie J. , Kyle Britney , Vassallo Stefano , Kamenov George , Krigbaum John
Published: May 2021

Increased mobility and human interactions in the Mediterranean region during the eighth through fifth centuries BCE resulted in heterogeneous communities held together by political and cultural affiliations, periodically engaged in military conflict. Ancient historians write of alliances that aided the Greek Sicilian colony Himera in victory against a Carthaginian army of hired foreign mercenaries in 480 BCE, and the demise of Himera when it fought Carthage again in 409 BCE, this time unaided. Archaeological human remains from the Battles of Himera provide unique opportunities to test early written history by geochemically assessing the geographic origins of ancient Greek fighting forces. We report strontium and oxygen isotope ratios of tooth enamel from 62 Greek soldiers to evaluate the historically-based hypothesis that a coalition of Greek allies saved Himera in 480 BCE, but not in 409 BCE. Among the burials of 480 BCE, approximately two-thirds of the individuals are non-local, whereas among the burials of 409 BCE, only one-quarter are non-local, in support of historical accounts. Although historical accounts specifically mention Sicilian Greek allies aiding Himera, isotopic values of many of the 480 BCE non-locals are consistent with geographic regions beyond Sicily, suggesting Greek tyrants hired foreign mercenaries from more distant places. We describe how the presence of mercenary soldiers confronts prevailing interpretations of traditional Greek values and society. Greek fighting forces reflect the interconnectedness and heterogeneity of communities of the time, rather than culturally similar groups of neighbors fighting for a common cause, unified by “Greekness,” as promoted in ancient texts.
Laughter and smiling facial expression modelling for the generation of virtual affective behavior
Authors: Mascaró Miquel , Serón Francisco J. , Perales Francisco J. , Varona Javier , Mas Ramon
Published: May 2021

Laughter and smiling are significant facial expressions used in human to human communication. We present a computational model for the generation of facial expressions associated with laughter and smiling in order to facilitate the synthesis of such facial expressions in virtual characters. In addition, a new method to reproduce these types of laughter is proposed and validated using databases of generic and specific facial smile expressions. In particular, a proprietary database of laugh and smile expressions is also presented. This database lists the different types of classified and generated laughs presented in this work. The generated expressions are validated through a user study with 71 subjects, which concluded that the virtual character expressions built using the presented model are perceptually acceptable in quality and facial expression fidelity. Finally, for generalization purposes, an additional analysis shows that the results are independent of the type of virtual character’s appearance.
Age estimation based on 3D post-mortem computed tomography images of mandible and femur using convolutional neural networks
Authors: Pham Cuong Van , Lee Su-Jin , Kim So-Yeon , Lee Sookyoung , Kim Soo-Hyung , Kim Hyung-Seok
Published: May 2021

Age assessment has attracted increasing attention in the field of forensics. However, most existing works are laborious and requires domain-specific knowledge. Modern computing power makes it is possible to leverage massive amounts of data to produce more reliable results. Therefore, it is logical to use automated age estimation approaches to handle large datasets. In this study, a fully automated age prediction approach was proposed by assessing 3D mandible and femur scans using deep learning. A total of 814 post-mortem computed tomography scans from 619 men and 195 women, within the age range of 20–70, were collected from the National Forensic Service in South Korea. Multiple preprocessing steps were applied for each scan to normalize the image and perform intensity correction to create 3D voxels that represent these parts accurately. The accuracy of the proposed method was evaluated by 10-fold cross-validation. The initial cross-validation results illustrated the potential of the proposed method as it achieved a mean absolute error of 5.15 years with a concordance correlation coefficient of 0.80. The proposed approach is likely to be faster and potentially more reliable, which could be used for age assessment in the future.
Character configuration, major depressive episodes, and suicide-related ideation among Japanese undergraduates
Authors: Takanobu Keisuke , Mitsui Nobuyuki , Watanabe Shinya , Toyoshima Kuniyoshi , Fujii Yutaka , Kako Yuki , Asakura Satoshi , Kusumi Ichiro
Published: May 2021

Aim

To enable early identification of university students at high risk for suicide, we examined personality as a predictive factor for major depressive episodes and suicide-related ideation.

Methods

From 2011 to 2013, we administered the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) and the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) to 1,997 university students at enrollment (T1). We previously conducted a study using the same data set; this is a re-analysis of the dataset. To prevent contamination of data, participants diagnosed with a depressive episode were excluded at T1. Three years after enrollment (T2), we re-administered the PHQ-9 to the same students. We statistically compared TCI scores at T1 among depressive episode groups and suicide-related ideation groups. Two-way ANOVA and Cochran-Armitage trend tests were used to analyze the relationships between personality traits, depressive episodes, and suicide-related ideation.

Results

The PHQ-9 summary scores at baseline (T1) were 3.0 (±2.7), with female students scoring 4.6 (±2.9) and male students 2.9 (±2.6, p = 0.025). The major depressive episode group at T2 had lower self-directedness (SD) scores at T1 than the non-depressive episode control group. The suicide-related ideation (SI) group at T2 also had higher harm avoidance (HA), lower SD, and lower cooperativeness (C) scores than the non-SI group at T1. The Cochran-Armitage trend tests revealed significant associations between character configurations composed of SD and C, and both depressive episodes at T2 and SI at T2.

Conclusion

The temperament feature of high HA at baseline and character configurations of low SD and low C at baseline are the most contributory predictors for the novel development of depressive episodes and SI among Japanese university students.
Unite, Proletarian Brothers! Radicalism and Revolution in the Second Spanish Republic, Matthew Kerry (2020)
Authors: Cleminson Richard
Published: May 2021

Review of: Unite, Proletarian Brothers! Radicalism and Revolution in the Second Spanish Republic, Matthew Kerry (2020)

London: University of London Press and Royal Historical Society, 252 pp.,

ISBN 978-1-91270-250-3, p/bk, £25.00
Hepatic biomarkers and coprology as indicators of clinical bovine fasciolosis in Chad
Authors: Elshahawy Ibrahim I. , Elshanat Sherif , Arab Mayo Mahamat , Nayel Mohamed , Salama Akram , El-Sify Ahmed , Aly Mahmoud
Published: May 2021

Background and Aim: Fasciolosis is a cosmopolitan parasitic disease of food-producing animals and is typically caused by digenetic trematodes, Fasciola gigantica and Fasciola hepatica. It has a direct negative impact on the liver and consequently affects liver metabolism. It has indirect effects, including lowered milk production and effects on quality and general health conditions leading to extensive economic losses. This study aimed to focus on the link between clinical fasciolosis and some biochemical analysis of the hepatic profile of cattle in Chad.

Materials and Methods: This study was initiated in response to emerging complaints from dairy cattle owners detecting a bitter milk cream and butter taste. Furthermore, those animals had shown poor health conditions by presenting with diarrhea. Preliminary surveillance for possible causes was performed, including fecal and serum biochemical analyses and clinical observation to diagnose the possible disease.

Results: The results obtained, including the finding of parasite stages during the coprological examination, confirmed the role of fasciolosis. The independent sample t-test indicated highly significantly altered values of all biochemical liver indicators in the infected animals. All animals were treated with two doses of rafoxanide (3 mg/kg b.w.) S/C, at 21 days intervals, with vitamin supplements, mineral mixtures, and food additives. Surprisingly, the main complaint was restored after treatment. This is another evident clue of fasciolosis. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first recent study that diagnosed fasciolosis in Chad.

Conclusion: This study emphasized the importance of fasciolosis, its negative impact on milk taste, and the necessity for veterinary advice regarding routine examination and prophylactic measures, especially before autumn, to minimize economic losses. However, regardless of the small sample size, this study could serve as a cornerstone for future studies on evaluating the accurate epidemiological status of fasciolosis in Chad. This study reported a close association between the alteration of liver enzymes and total protein levels in fasciolosis and the bitter milk cream taste, which could be used as a diagnostic tool for fasciolosis.
Urinary NGAL as a Diagnostic and Prognostic Marker for Acute Kidney Injury in Cirrhosis: A Prospective Study
Authors: Allegretti Andrew S. , Parada Xavier Vela , Endres Paul , Zhao Sophia , Krinsky Scott , St. Hillien Shelsea A. , Kalim Sahir , Nigwekar Sagar U. , Flood James G. , Nixon Andrea , Simonetto Douglas A. , Juncos Luis A. , Karakala Nithin , Wadei Hani M. , Regner Kevin R. , Belcher Justin M. , Nadim Mitra K. , Garcia-Tsao Guadalupe , Velez Juan Carlos Q. , Parikh Samir M. , Chung Raymond T. ,   on behalf of the HRS-HARMONY study investigators
Published: May 2021

INTRODUCTION:

Urinary neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) has shown promise in differentiating acute tubular necrosis (ATN) from other types of acute kidney injuries (AKIs) in cirrhosis, particularly hepatorenal syndrome (HRS). However, NGAL is not currently available in clinical practice in North America.

METHODS:

Urinary NGAL was measured in a prospective cohort of 213 US hospitalized patients with decompensated cirrhosis (161 with AKI and 52 reference patients without AKI). NGAL was assessed for its ability to discriminate ATN from non-ATN AKI and to predict 90-day outcomes.

RESULTS:

Among patients with AKI, 57 (35%) had prerenal AKI, 55 (34%) had HRS, and 49 (30%) had ATN, with a median serum creatinine of 2.0 (interquartile range 1.5, 3.0) mg/dL at enrollment. At an optimal cutpoint of 244 μg/g creatinine, NGAL distinguished ATN (344 [132, 1,429] μg/g creatinine) from prerenal AKI (45 [0, 154] μg/g) or HRS (110 [50, 393] μg/g; P < 0.001), with a C statistic of 0.762 (95% confidence interval 0.682, 0.842). By 90 days, 71 of 213 patients (33%) died. Higher median NGAL was associated with death (159 [50, 865] vs 58 [0, 191] μg/g; P < 0.001). In adjusted and unadjusted analysis, NGAL significantly predicted 90-day transplant-free survival (P < 0.05 for all Cox models) and outperformed Model for End-Stage Liver Disease score by C statistic (0.697 vs 0.686; P = 0.04), net reclassification index (37%; P = 0.008), and integrated discrimination increment (2.7%; P = 0.02).

DISCUSSION:

NGAL differentiates the type of AKI in cirrhosis and may improve prediction of mortality; therefore, it holds potential to affect management of AKI in cirrhosis.
Estudio descriptivo transversal: Asma en niños de 2 a 5 años identificados con los criterios API en dos hospitales de la ciudad de Cuenca en el periodo Junio 2015 – Enero 2016
Authors: Sempértegui  Moscoso Rodrigo  Javier , Bautista  Pambi Paúl  Andrés
Published: May 2021

BACKGROUND: Asthma is a chronic disease, which impacts in the patient’s life quality, it is generally diagnosed from six years of age; however it has been reported that asthma manifests itself even in preschool age with recurrent wheezing, but due to difficult diagnosis at this age, several index have been developed as useful diagnostic tools. The main purpose of this research is to characterize sibilant patients from 2 to 5 years according to the API(Asthma Predictive Index) criteria. METHODS: A descriptive, cross-sectional and correlational study was carried out with all the patients from 2 to 5 years who attended to a medical appointment at Pediatrics department from Hospital Monte Sinaí and Hospital Militar from June 2015 to January 2016 with recurrent wheezing as the inclusion criteria. The Castro – Rodríguez Asthma Predictive Index questionnaires were applied, it contained major criteria (medical diagnosis of eczema, history of asthma in pa-rents and relatives) and minor criteria (medical diagnosis of allergic rhinitis, wheezing not associated with colds, eosi-nophilia> 4%). We also included the variables: age, sex, height, weight and body mass index. RESUlTS: A total population of 105 children was obtained, 92.4% of them were API positive and 7.6% negative. 60% of the patients had medical diagnosis of eczema, 36.2% had familiar history of asthma. Recurrent wheezing not associated with colds was the most frequent minor criteria with 93.3%, 85.7% had medical diagnosis of allergic rhinitis, and 45.71% had eosinophilia > 4%. We found statistical significant association between age and eczema diagnosis, and between age and eosinophilia > 4%. There was not association between nutritional conditions and being API positive. There was statistical significant association between sex and allergic rhinitis, and between sex and not cold related wheezing. CONClUSION: The API index is an easy application tool to characterize and identify preschool sibilant children with high risk of developing asthma later in childhood. KEYWORDS: ASTHMA, WHEEZING, PRESCHOOL CHILDREN, ECZEMA, ALLERGIC RHINITIS
Caso Clínico: Paciente VIH positivo con Coroideoretinits por Citomegalovirus
Authors: Arcos Marisa , Arias Deidán Juan , Carrera Vélez Bolívar Adrián , Vivar Chica Esteban Renato , Toral Sánchez Guido Andrés , Tulcanaza Ochoa Galo Fernando , Vásquez Moscoso Genaro Daniel , Abad Fernández de Córdova José Martín
Published: May 2021

BACKGROUND: CMV retinitis is a viral opportunistic ocular infection that affects more frequent-ly HIV positive- AIDS patients. HIV virus infects cells that express CD4, like: lymphocytes, monocytes, macrophages, dendritic cells; as a consequence the patient gets immunosuppressed, increasing its susceptibility to opportunist infections. CMV retinitis is the most frequent cause of opportunist infections in AIDS patients; but only 8% of the patients present with CMV retinitis a an initial sign. CASE REPORT: 26 year old male patient, being evaluated for fever of unknown origin, was diagnosed of HIV infection. Complementary tests showed CMV positive PCR test. At the oph-thalmological examination a perimacular exudate was evident on the right eye, the patient was asymptomatic at the moment of the diagnosis. EVOlUTION: After being diagnosed of HIV infection and CMV retinitis, patient started taking HAART and Valganciclovir. The ourtcome was good, perimacular exudate disappeared in pos-terior follow up. CONClUSIONS: CMV retinitis is frequent in HIV-AIDS patients. Sometimes the patients are asymptomatic, or missing diagnosis of HIV, therefore it is important to standarize early detection and treatment measures, to improve life quality for this patients. KEYWORDS: RETINITIS, CYTOMEGALOVIRUS, HIV, AIDS
From training to improving classroom practices: Learning from school improvement program intervention in a mountainous public secondary school in Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan
Authors: KHAN Abdul Wali
Published: May 2021

This study reports learning from a professional development (PD) session and classroom action research from an English class conducted in the mountainous northern part of Pakistan. The researcher got training from Professional Development Centre North (PDCN) as a member of the Quality Assurance Team and then conducted a five-day workshop for teachers on various general teaching techniques, lesson planning, writing reflections/portfolios and classroom management. After the sessions, the teachers applied these knowledge and skills in their respective classes, and English teachers did action research with the researcher to improve the language skills of grade 7 students for three cycles. Pre- and post-intervention tests, teachers’ reflective diaries, lesson plans, portfolio books and discussions with teachers were sources of data collection. The present study shows that there is a thirst amongst teachers for professional grooming. Also, students gradually benefit from new teaching techniques. This study suggests including various PD models in the school development plan to improve teachers’ pedagogical content knowledge, which will result in improved learning outcomes for students. The sustainability of these initiatives is a challenge due to the lack of proper mechanisms and policies in the government schools of Gilgit-Baltistan. Therefore, there is a need for a school policy for English teachers’ PD at the classroom level to improve teaching practices and students’ learning.
Signs of music, intertextuality, and narrative strategy
Authors: Gamrat Małgorzata
Published: May 2021

The musical culture of modern Europe has produced numerous extra-linguistic elements which constitute a kind of code making transmission of content possible between sender and receiver. These elements also permit a kind of narrative strategy which organizes this communication. One of the codes most important for this field of European culture is musical rhetoric, made up of dozens of signs such as rhetorical figures or the symbolism of musical keys. I demonstrate the functioning of these elements on the example of funeral music, whose topoi, signs, and codes have developed in European culture for several centuries, along with characteristic musical and literary genres, and their mutual interactions. My methodological approach is mainly based on the tools of cultural and musical semiotics, and of narratology combined with analyses of musical rhetoric, supported by elements of literary analysis. I discuss this subject using the example of Karol Kurpiński’s Elegy on the Death of Tadeusz Kościuszko (1818), which perfectly illustrates the signs typical of European culture in the first half of the 19th-century and of nascent Romanticism, with its complex nationalisms and its quest for signs typical of a given nation or region, as well as for individual solutions. All of my analyses point to the power and versatility of cultural semiotics, which allows us to study human creativity in a highly comprehensive manner, exploring areas which are inaccessible to other research methodologies.
Constraint andli, work andqi: Deacon and Zhu Xi
Authors: Ott Margus
Published: May 2021

In this article, I bring together the famous American semiotician Terrence Deacon and the most famous proponent of Neo-Confucianism, Zhu Xi 朱熹 (1130–1200). I focus on two of Deacon’s central concepts, constraints and work. All systems are constrained in some way, i.e. they behave in certain ways, but not in all ways. And “work” means that in their existence they make some difference: a gas in thermal equilibrium does not produce work. I bring these notions together with Zhu Xi’s concepts ofli理 andqi氣.Lican be understood as internal articulation of a system or an event, its “veins.” Andqiis the power of existence of a system or an event, its “energy.” In this light, I discuss the topics of the priority ofli, the coagulation ofqi, the normativity implied in theli, and self-cultivation. A connection to Deacon can give us new tools to make sense of those ancient topics of Chinese philosophy, and a connection to Zhu Xi can give semiotics in general and Deacon’s theory in particular an extension to certain fields that have been underdeveloped in Western thought, for instance self-cultivation.
Sampling and interpolation of cumulative distribution functions of Cantor sets in [0, 1]
Authors: Byars Allison , Camrud Evan , Harding Steven N. , McCarty Sarah , Sullivan Keith , Weber Eric S.
Published: May 2021

Cantor sets are constructed from iteratively removing sections of intervals. This process yields a cumulative distribution function (CDF), constructed from the invariant Borel probability measure associated with their iterated function systems. Under appropriate assumptions, we identify sampling schemes of such CDFs, meaning that the underlying Cantor set can be reconstructed from sufficiently many samples of its CDF. To this end, we prove that two Cantor sets have almost-nowhere intersection with respect to their corresponding invariant measures.
Ethyl acetate fraction of Spathodea campanulata (Bignoniaceae) attenuates lead acetate induced testicular toxicity in male Wistar rats
Authors: Adesiyan Glory Olubusayo , Talabi Temitope Olaoluwa , Kale Oluwafemi Ezekiel , Ogundare Temitope Funmi
Published: May 2021

Objectives

The use of Spathodea campanulata in folklore medicine for the management of reproductive disorders has been poorly reported. We sought to investigate the protective potential of the ethyl acetate fraction of S. campanulata stem bark extract (EFSC) on lead acetate-induced (LA) testicular toxicity in male rats.

Methods

Animals during a 28 days treatment received dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO, 0.1%), LA (20 mg/kg), and EFSC (200 mg/kg). Others received EFSC only (100, 200, and 400 mg/kg) or vitamin E (100 mg/kg) 1 h prior to LA (20 mg/kg) administration.

Results

LA administration decreased sperm counts and motility by 36.39 and 40.69% respectively in rats. Also, LA-untreated rats showed elevated malondialdehyde (MDA) and decreased total proteins in testis (260, 33%) and epididymis (62, 29%) respectively. However, EFSC (100, 200, or 400 mg/kg) administrations improved sperm morphological characteristics as well as antioxidant status in LA-treated rats. EFSC (400 mg/kg) showed improved testis seminiferous tubules that were almost normal in the LA-treated rats. Further, EFSC contains a high 9-octadecenoic acid methyl ester.

Conclusions

Overall, evidence by LA-induced testicular toxicity, EFSC provides chemopreventive roles via antioxidant mechanisms.
Critical review of the analytical methods for determining the mycotoxin patulin in food matrices
Authors: Notardonato Ivan , Gianfagna Silvia , Castoria Raffaello , Ianiri Giuseppe , De Curtis Filippo , Russo Mario Vincenzo , Avino Pasquale
Published: May 2021

This manuscript is a critical review of the analytical methods reported in the existing literature for the determination of mycotoxin patulin at trace/ultra-trace levels in food matrices. The article starts focusing on what mycotoxins are, their “analytical history” (more than 21,000 articles published in Scopus database): each mycotoxin is specific for a given fungus and shows toxic effects, some even being carcinogenic. Most International regulations on mycotoxins are also reported, which pertain official controls in the food chain as well as the sampling methods and the maximum tolerable limits of mycotoxins. Then the manuscript is focused on patulin, a mycotoxin that is mainly produced by the fungal species Penicillium expansum. The main characteristics and properties of patulin are discussed, including its biosynthesis, especially on stored fruits infected by P. expansum and derived products, its toxicology, and some strategies aiming at preventing and/or reducing its presence. The description of the analytical procedure for patulin starts from sampling: the extraction and analytical methods reported are based on the official protocol of the Association of Official Analytical Chemists, which relies on the high-performance liquid chromatography-ultraviolet/diode array detector (HPLC-UV/DAD). Furthermore, an in-depth discussion of the most suitable analytical methods is reported. The first analytical step regards the analyte(s) extraction from the sample, followed by a clean-up phase, and by a final quantitative determination. This last section is divided into reference or confirmation methods, rapid screening and new methods and expected results, i.e., qualitative, quantitative, or semi-quantitative. Reference methods include TLC, GC, HPLC, and MS, whereas rapid methods include enzyme immunoassay tests, dipsticks, and lateral flow tests. Novel analytical methods include fluorescence, near infrared spectroscopy, capillary electrophoresis, and biosensors. Finally, the official method is compared with others present in the literature allowing a multi-target analysis, and its use in combination with other techniques of molecularly imprinted polymers is discussed.
Novel study on microbial fuel cells via a comprehensive bibliometric and dynamic approach
Authors: Ni Jin , Steinberger-Wilckens Robert , Jiang Shanxue , Xu Mingyue , Wang Qunhui
Published: May 2021

Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) are eco-friendly and useful bioelectrical devices that harness the natural metabolisms of microbes to produce electrical power directly from organic materials. In this study, a bibliometric analysis is conducted to evaluate MFC research from 2001 to 2018 on the basis of the Science Citation Index Expanded database. Overall, MFC research has experienced a dramatic increase over last 18 years, with an exponential growth in the accumulated number of publications. Most publications are closely related to the industrialization and commoditization of MFCs, along with environmental issues, which are currently the biggest global challenges in MFC studies. A small proportion (4.34%) of the scientific journals published more than half (54.34%) of the total articles in the MFC field. Articles from the top 10 countries/regions accounted for the majority (83.16%) of the total articles, clearly indicating that advanced MFC technologies are currently dominated by these countries/regions. Moreover, an increasing number of MFC researchers are considering two-chamber and three-chamber MFC reactions. In particular, they are focusing on environmental technology instead of merely improving the efficiency of electricity generation. Materials research in the MFC field is still a popular area worldwide, and many researchers have focused on novel and eco-friendly cathode and anode developments. Meanwhile, only a few MFC studies are concerned with biological research.
Factores ambientales y su relación con el nitrógeno contenido en proteínas solubles totales (PST) en Carya illinoinensis
Authors: Núñez-Colima Juan Antonio , García-De la Peña Cristina , Valenzuela-Núñez Luis Manuel , Torres Anselmo González , Esparza-Rivera Juan Ramón , Martínez Rafael Rodríguez
Published: May 2021

El nitrógeno es uno de los elementos nutritivos más importantes para el crecimiento y desarrollo de las plantas. Este se almacena en los órganos perennes en forma de proteínas durante el otoño e invierno y se moviliza hacia los brotes durante la primavera. El presente estudio pretendió determinar qué variables ambientales tienen un efecto en el contenido de nitrógeno proteico almacenado en el tallo de nogal pecanero. Se seleccionaron cuatro árboles de cada variedad, y se extrajeron muestras de tronco mensualmente durante un ciclo anual productivo. Se realizó un análisis de regresión lineal múltiple para observar la influencia de las variables ambientales. Los resultados obtenidos sugieren que se puede predecir significativamente el contenido de nitrógeno proteico a partir de las variables temperatura, irradiación y humedad relativa.
Input-Independent Homeostasis of Developing Thalamocortical Activity
Authors: Riyahi Pouria , Phillips Marnie A. , Colonnese Matthew T.
Published: May 2021

The isocortex of all mammals studied to date shows a progressive increase in the amount and continuity of background activity during early development. In humans the transition from a discontinuous (mostly silent, intermittently bursting) cortex to one that is continuously active is complete soon after birth and is a critical prognostic indicator. In the visual cortex of rodents this switch from discontinuous to continuous background activity occurs during the 2 d before eye-opening, driven by activity changes in relay thalamus. The factors that regulate the timing of continuity development, which enables mature visual processing, are unknown. Here, we test the role of the retina, the primary input, in the development of continuous spontaneous activity in the visual cortex of mice using depth electrode recordings from enucleated micein vivo. Bilateral enucleation at postnatal day (P)6, one week before the onset of continuous activity, acutely silences cortex, yet firing rates and early oscillations return to normal within 2 d and show a normal developmental trajectory through P12. Enucleated animals showed differences in silent period duration and continuity on P13 that resolved on P16, and an increase in low frequency power that did not. Our results show that the timing of cortical activity development is not determined by the major driving input to the system. Rather, even during a period of rapid increase in firing rates and continuity, neural activity in the visual cortex is under homeostatic control that is largely robust to the loss of the primary input.
Effect of wood species, adhesive type, and annual ring directions on the stiffness of rail to leg mortise and tenon furniture joints
Authors: Záborský Vladimír , Borůvka Vlastimil , Kašičková Václava , Ruman Daniel
Published: May 2021

The effects of selected factors, wood species (Fagus sylvatica L. and Picea abies L.), type of joint (haunched mortise and tenon, and haunched dovetail mortise and tenon), tenon thickness (one-third and half-joint thickness), type of adhesive (polyvinyl acetate and polyurethane adhesive), loading type (compressive and tensile), and direction of the annual rings were evaluated relative to the elastic stiffness. The testing samples were loaded by bending moment with tensile and compressive forces in the angular plane. The wood species, type of joint, tenon dimension, and type of adhesive all had a statistically significant effect on the elastic stiffness. However, the interaction of those factors was statistically insignificant. The loading type and direction of the annual rings did not have a significant effect on the elastic stiffness. For spruce, the use of mortise and tenon with a toothed feather (MTTF) was found to be disadvantageous, whereas the use of a toothed feather was favorable for beech. Half thickness of the joint was always an advantage, such that the stiffness increased. For spruce joints, the type of glue was not important, whereas for beech, the stiffness of joints glued with PVAc was significantly higher than with PUR adhesive.
Rheology of nanocellulose-rich aqueous suspensions: A Review
Authors: Hubbe Martin A. , Tayeb Pegah , Joyce Michael , Tyagi Preeti , Kehoe Margaret , Dimic-Misic Katarina , Pal Lokendra
Published: May 2021

The flow characteristics of dilute aqueous suspensions of cellulose nanocrystals (CNC), nanofibrillated cellulose (NFC), and related products in dilute aqueous suspensions could be of great importance for many emerging applications. This review article considers publications dealing with the rheology of nanocellulose aqueous suspensions in the absence of matrix materials. In other words, the focus is on systems in which the cellulosic particles themselves – dependent on their morphology and the interactive forces between them – largely govern the observed rheological effects. Substantial progress in understanding rheological phenomena is evident in the large volume of recent publications dealing with such issues including the effects of flow history, stratification of solid and fluid layers during testing, entanglement of nanocellulose particles, and the variation of inter-particle forces by changing the pH or salt concentrations, among other factors. Better quantification of particle shape and particle-to-particle interactions may provide advances in future understanding. Despite the very complex morphology of highly fibrillated cellulosic nanomaterials, progress is being made in understanding their rheology, which supports their usage in applications such as coating, thickening, and 3D printing.
Age-related changes of some chemical components in the leaves of sweet chestnut (Castanea sativa Mill.)
Authors: Turfan Nezahat , Ayan Sezgin , Yer Celik Esra Nurten , Ozel Halil Baris , Onat Saadettin Murat
Published: May 2021

The aim of this study was to investigate the developmental physiology of sweet chestnut trees (Castanea sativa Mill.) of different age groups (≥ 25, ≥ 50, ≥ 100, ≥ 200, and ≥ 400) in the Catalzeytin district of Kastamonu, Turkey. For this purpose, photosynthetic pigments, proline, total soluble protein, glucose, sucrose, total soluble carbohydrate and starch values, malondialdehyde (MDA) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) concentration, and also ascorbate peroxidase (APX), catalase (CAT), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities were measured in leaf samples. Hence, significant differences were found in the amounts and concentrations of all types of chlorophyll, carotenoid, proline, total soluble protein, glucose, sucrose, total soluble carbohydrate, starches, MDA, H2O2, APX, CAT, and SOD among the trees of different age groups. While the chlorophyll a value was low in young trees, the chlorophyll b value was low in older trees. It was determined that the MDA content was high in old trees, whereas it was low in young trees. While the amounts of glucose, sucrose, total soluble carbohydrate, and starch were highest in ≥ 400-year-old trees, they were lowest in the young trees. Both APX and CAT activities were high in young trees, whereas SOD activity was lowest in ≥ 400-year-old trees.
Abordagens teóricas relacionadas à escrita da história e da literatura
Authors: Abramchuk Mônica
Published: May 2021

SOARES, Fabrício Antônio Antunes; SILVA, Ricardo Oliveira da. História e literatura: abordagens interdisciplinares. Criciúma, SC: UNESC, 2019.
O que é história, o sentido da história e a historiografia
Authors: Duarte Marcelo Barboza
Published: May 2021

Um dos grandes problemas das ciências em geral, é a constante busca por universalizações, generalizações e sistematizações dos seus objetos, dados, conteúdos e resultados. Talvez sejam ainda vestígios ou resquícios do positivismo ou a identificação com um possível cientificismo. Porém, ao se fazer isso, nega-se o próprio caráter, o papel, o sentido e a função da ciência, que é ser provisória, e não permanente ou eterna. Mesmo havendo em certos casos, a possibilidade de universalizações, generalizações e sistematizações, no qual também ainda permanecerão abertas e não fechadas em si. Logo, neste trabalho se procura debruçar e refletir sobre o que é história, o sentido da história e a historiografia por abordagens, aspectos e instrumentos da filosofia, da sociologia, da antropologia, da filosofia da história, da historiografia, da teoria da história, da escrita da história e dentre outros. Isso para que deste modo talvez possamos nos desvencilhar de certos mitos, conteúdos e produções de certa história e historiografia universalista. Uma vez que, em tal narrativa e escrita da história, produziram-se muitas interpretações equivocadas, míticas e generalizantes da história do mundo e dos povos em geral, onde, de modo arbitrário, o eurocentrismo, o europeísmo e o ocidentalismo assumiram a apresentação e representação da produção histórica e cultural do mundo, quase uma aculturação e homogeneização dos povos, culturas e etnias, descaracterizando-os nas suas próprias narrativas e processos históricos, isso dentro de um “pacote e produto histórico ocidental”. No qual a história foi colocada e reduzida a determinismos de diversos tipos e modos. Logo, um dos objetivos cruciais aqui, é justamente desconstruir tais narrativas, percepções e procedimentos de sorrateira aculturação e etnocentrismo da história mundial. Portanto, é necessário superar toda e qualquer narrativa, escrita e produção histórica que coloca grupos, etnias e culturas entre superiores e inferiores na produção histórica e na história, no qual os grupos superiores fazem a história e são os protagonistas dela, enquanto os grupos inferiores são os meros coadjuvantes no mundo, bem como na produção histórica. Isso ocorre porque a história e a produção da mesma são campos de disputas, conflitos e embates de ideais, mesmo pela produção científica.
Incertidumbre asociada a la indicación de los instrumentos para pesar verificados
Authors: Becerra Santiago Luis Omar , Peña Luis Manuel
Published: May 2021

En el presente trabajo se estima la incertidumbre asociada a la indicación en uso de los instrumentos para pesar de funcionamiento no automático el cual ha sido verificado acorde a la recomendación internacional OIML R76. Esta recomendación de la Organización Internacional de Metrología Legal (OIML) de sirve de base para la verificación de los instrumentos para pesar de funcionamiento no automático para la gran mayoría de los países, sin embargo, no se conoce de manera explicita el valor de incertidumbre asociada a los resultados de los instrumentos verificados durante su uso.
MODELLING AND MONITORING OF STRUCTURAL SAFETY OF UNIQUE UNDERGROUND STRUCTURES OF THE SEWAGE SYSTEM OF LARGE CITIES IN DIFFICULT GROUND CONDITIONS
Authors: Perminov N. A
Published: May 2021

Anthropogenic and dynamic impacts on facilities of underground urban infrastructure increase at intensive development of megacities. The unique long-operating underground structures of sewage system require special protection against anthropogenic influence as their wear degree in difficult soil conditions reaches 70 % and more. Therefore, providing structural (mechanical) safety of underground structures of excessive level of danger and responsibility defines sustainable operation and future development of geotechnical infrastructure of the megacity in general. Long-term studying dynamics of changes of technical state of underground sewage structures of the megacity, long operating (for more than 70 years) in soft soils, allowed establishing regularities of influence of intensive anthropogenic and dynamic impacts on this process. For the first time, based on developed continuous models of defective structures potentially dangerous sections have been identified, they are subjected to manifestation of critical failures; ways of their correction are presented. Numerical simulation has defined borders of defectless joint operation of the system “target area - geomassif - underground structure". Scientific substantiation of boundaries of areas with potentially dangerous sections of underground sewage facilities with account of external anthropogenic and dynamic impacts constitutes the basis for elaborating regulations on safe development of geotechnical infrastructure of the historical area of St. Petersburg. The proposed methods of monitoring and protection of geotechnical infrastructure have been successfully used for many years by St. Petersburg Vodokanal in areas of influence of anthropogenic factors and objects under construction on underground structures, they ensure an optimal combination of sustainable operation and development of geotechnical infrastructures of megacities.