bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cultural Adaptation, Manipulation and Creativity in Translation
Authors: Bołtuć Marta Izabela
Published: May 2021

This article not only discusses the concept of translation from the point of view of manipulation, creativity, and cultural adaptation, but it also provides examples of translations or adaptations in English and in Polish. I compare various definitions of manipulation, and conclude that manipulation seems to be the defining feature of translation, especially in the case of texts that do not require lexical precision and in which the choice of vocabulary may be, to a certain extent, random. In addition, manipulation should not be analyzed without reference to wider ideological and socio-cultural contexts in which it takes place. At the word level, however, manipulation often takes the form of simple, conscious or not, lexical substitutions meant to produce a faithful translation.
Mowa nienawiści w środowisku szkolnym i akademickim w Polsce: Definicja, cechy charakterystyczne oraz wybrane przykłady z implikacjami (glotto-)dydaktycznymi
Authors: Szczepaniak-Kozak Anna , Adamczak-Krysztofowicz Sylwia
Published: May 2021

W obliczu zmian społecznych, powiązanych z nasilającymi się ruchami migracyjnymi w Polsce i Europe, nauczyciele i osoby zarządzające oświatą już prawie na co dzień uczą i pracują w środowisku, które w różnym stopniu charakteryzuje się interkulturowością. W literaturze pedagogicznej, zwłaszcza w tej dotyczącej interkulturowości i kompetencji, najczęściej pomija się fakt, iż wielokulturowa edukacja oznacza nie tylko same pozytywy. Niestety kontakt na gruncie szkolnym i uniwersyteckim między uczącymi się czy nauczycielami pochodzącymi z różnych kultur często prowadzi do nieporozumień, z których tylko część można wytłumaczyć brakiem dostatecznej świadomości czy też kompetencji językowej osób w nim uczestniczących. Coraz więcej badań dowodzi, że niekiedy uczący się lub nauczający świadomie formułują wypowiedzi o charakterze rasistowskim i w kontaktach z przedstawicielami innych kultur, narodów lub krajów, do których są uprzedzeni, ich zachowanie przybiera formę ataków fizycznych, słownych, niewerbalnych czy też graficznych. Ataki werbalne, u podłoża których może leżeć między innymi agresywny nacjonalizm, nietolerancja lub dyskryminacja, określa się metaforycznym mianem „mowy nienawiści”. Ten rodzaj wypowiedzi z reguły ma na celu rozpowszechnianie lub usprawiedliwianie nienawiści rasowej bądź ksenofobii. Nasza prezentacja stanowi próbę omówienia wybranych cech charakterystycznych mowy nienawiści w Polsce, ze szczególnym uwzględnieniem tych badań, które dotyczą środowiska szkolnego i uniwersyteckiego.
Społeczna dyskursywizacja terminów naukowych na przykładzie wybranej nomenklatury z zakresu Gender Studies. Przypadki polski a rosyjski. Część 1
Authors: Woźniak-Wrzesińska Ewelina , Zakrzewska-Verdugo Magdalena
Published: May 2021

Celem niniejszego, dwuczęściowego, artykułu jest scharakteryzowanie wpływu społecznej (polskiej i rosyjskiej) dyskursywizacji na treści neutralnych terminów naukowych. Przedmiotem rozważań czynimy wybraną nomenklaturę z zakresu Gender Studies: (gender (гендер), homoseksualizm (гомосексуализм / гомосексуальность), LGBT (ЛГБТ)). Po zarysowaniu ramy metodologicznej (analiza dyskursu) krótko opisujemy badania genderowe oraz neutralne znaczenia interesujących nas określeń. Na tym tle sprawdzamy, jak – na poziomie leksykalnym – kształtowało się nienaukowe zainteresowanie zjawiskami z zakresu badań genderowych. W drugiej zaś części wskażemy głównych aktorów debaty wokół Gender Studies oraz podstawowe schematy argumentacyjne, którymi się posługują. Na końcu rozważamy wpływ społecznej dyskursywizacji na dyskurs naukowy. Nasze badania mają charakter raczej zestawienia niż porównania.
Problemy odbioru i odbiorcy w pracach Jurija Łotmana. Część 1
Authors: Żyłko Bogusław
Published: May 2021

The article presents Yuri Lotman’s reflections on the reception of a literary work in the context of contemporary theories of reading. The first part of the article demonstrates Lotman’s approach in an evolutionary perspective from Lectures on structural poetics (1964) to Culture and explosion (1992). The second part considers Lotman’s approach with reference to numerous contemporary conceptions of reception and indicates a close resemblance to Umberto Eco’s ideas, which were developed in his book Lector in fabula.
Pamięć historyczna w powieści Suhbata Aflatuniego "Raj na ziemi"
Authors: Tyszkowska-Kasprzak Elżbieta
Published: May 2021

This article presents the problem of historical memory in Paradise on Earth, a novel by Suhbat Aflatuni. Its plot revolves around the NKVD executing a group of Poles during the Great Purge (1937-1938) and contemporary attempts to commemorate the victims. The anti-Polish actions carried out by the NKVD exemplify the murders of citizens committed by the Soviet Union, while the protagonists’ efforts to honor the victims illustrate the views and actions of those Russians who believe infamous moments in their history should be revealed. The author shows how divided the Russian society is over these historic events and exposes the huge role that state institutions play in shaping public opinion on the issue.
Why “Dissident” Irish Republicans Haven’t Gone Away
Authors: White Robert W.
Published: May 2021

When considering “terrorists” and “terrorism,” the focus tends to be on violence—the threat of violence, its aftermath, the ideology and belief systems that lead to it, and so forth. Political violence, however, represents only a portion of the repertoire of collective action that is available to “terrorists.” Images from “dissident” Irish Republican events and photo-elicitation interviews with activists who participated in these events show that: (1) the repertoire of “violent” organizations includes nonviolent political activity; and (2) the organizational structures and affective incentives that sustain activism in nonviolent voluntary associations and social movement organizations also sustain activism in organizations that embrace physical force or “terrorism.” In combination, these findings show that “dissident” Irish Republicans are likely to persist into the foreseeable future. More generally, the findings also show that our understanding of “terrorists” and “terrorist organizations” will be enhanced if we focus less on their violent activities and more on their similarities with nonviolent activists and organizations.
Osteoporosis among Postmenopausal Women Attending the Orthopedics Department of a Tertiary Care Hospital: A Descriptive Cross-sectional Study
Authors: Panta Sunil , Neupane Madhu , Thapa Shrawan Kumar , Sapkota Kalyan
Published: May 2021

Introduction: Osteoporosis and resulting fracture is a major public health concern worldwide. With increase in life expectancy, osteoporosis and fragility fracture is expected to be more prevalent. It is associated with high patient morbidity, while hip and vertebral fractures have high mortality. The real burden of the problem is yet to be established in developing countries like Nepal. This study aims to find out the prevalence of osteoporosis among postmenopausal women visiting a tertiary care hospital.
Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 89 postmenopausal women attending at Orthopedic Outpatient Department of Bharatpur Hospital from 1st January 2019 to 30th December 2019 with postmenopausal status. The ethical clearance was taken from the Institutional Review Committee of Bharatpur Hospital. Convenience sampling technique was used. Bone Mineral Density was estimated with dual energy x-ray absorptiometry scan Statistical Package for Social Science was used for analysis. Point estimate at 95% Confidence Interval was calculated along with frequency and proportion for binary data.
Results: Out of 89 postmenopausal women, 29 (32.58%) (Confidence Interval = 32.48-32.68) women had osteoporosis. The mean age and Bone Mineral Density were 62.16±8.17 years and 0.968±0.14 g/cm² respectively.
Conclusions: Prevalence of osteoporosis was high. Women with history of fragility fracture are at increased risk of another fragility fracture. It is hence necessary to have awareness programs and early screening to minimize the magnitude of morbidity and mortality associated with osteoporosis.
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in Nepal
Authors: Shrestha Lok Bahadur , Syangtan Gopiram , Basnet Ajaya , Acharya Krishna Prasad , Chand Arun Bahadur , Pokhrel Khilasa
Published: May 2021

Staphylococcus aureus is both a frequent commensal and a leading cause of endocarditis, bacteremia, osteomyelitis and skin and soft tissue infections and device-related infections. We performed this minireview to summarize the prevalence of Staphylococcus aureus among clinical samples and estimate the proportion of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. The prevalence of Staphylococcus aureus among clinical isolates in Nepal is 34.5%. On average, the proportion of multi-drug resistance in Staphylococcus aureus is 57.1%. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus accounts for a total of 41.7%. Inducible clindamycin resistance was detected in about 35% of the isolates. A regular antimicrobial resistance surveillance mechanism is necessary to mitigate the development of resistance among organisms and further spread of superbugs like methicillin-resistance Staphylococcus aureus.
Onychomycosis among Clinically Suspected Cases Attending the Dermatology Out-patient Department of a Tertiary Care Centre: A Descriptive Cross-sectional Study
Authors: Jha Beena , Sharma Manisha , GC Sagar , Sapkota Jyotshna
Published: May 2021

Introduction: Onychomycosis is a fungal disease of the nail apparatus caused by dermatophytes, non-dermatophytes and yeasts. Although onychomycosis is rarely life threatening, its high incidence and the associated morbidity makes it an important public health problem. This study was aimed to find the prevalence of onychomycosis among clinically suspected patients attending the outpatient department of Dermatology and Venereology.
Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was done in a total of 200 clinically suspected cases of onychomycosis attending the Dermatology outpatient department of a tertiary care hospital within the period of one year from 1st September 2019 to 31st August 2020. Ethical approval (Reference: 150320196) was taken and convenience sampling was done. Data were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 19. Point estimate at 95% Confidence Interval was calculated along with frequency and proportion for binary data.
Results: Out of 200 clinically suspected cases prevalence of onychomycosis was found to be 40 (20%) (Confidence Interval = 19.94-20.06) by both direct microscopy and culture. Onychomycosis was commonest among age group of 21-40 years and more predominant among male patients 60 (65.21%). The fingernails were frequently involved i.e., 58 (63%) cases followed by toenails 34 (21%). Dermatophytes were the most common type of fungal infection accounting for 25 (62.5%).
Conclusions: The study highlighted dermatophytes as the most common clinical pattern of onychomycosis and Trichophyton rubrum as the most common aetiological agent causing onychomycosis.
Unleashing Potential of a Medical Student in a Medical Journal: Dual Full-time Responsibilities
Authors: Neupane Asmita
Published: May 2021

“Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go”-TS Elliot. Joining the editorial support as a medical student, at the Journal of Nepal Medical Association, full-time responsibilities, were challenging to perform. Applying and getting into the Journal of Nepal Medical Association team was only the start of a very vast learning experience. Learning leadership qualities, time management skills, communication skills and technical skills, helped me to excel in my duty as assistant editor and a medical student. Involving in the training and working with authors and the editorial team, I have learned about the actual research and its scenario in Nepal.
Les Constitutions provisoires: Des outils de maintien de la paix et de renforcement de la démocratie
Authors: Zulueta-Fülscher Kimana
Published: May 2021

Ce document d’orientation a pour objectif de combler une lacune importante dans la littérature politique et universitaire concernant les processus d’élaboration et le contenu des constitutions provisoires dans des contextes de conflit. Il explique que, à la différence des accords de paix et des dispositifs provisoires, les constitutions provisoires tirent leur force de leur caractère exécutoire. Il se penche sur la diversité des constitutions provisoires post-1990 en termes de structure et de rôle joué dans les processus de paix. Une des principales conclusions que l’on peut tirer est que, malgré des différences majeures liées à la relation entre le contexte national et les choix en matière de procédure et de conception, les constitutions provisoires peuvent offrir le temps ou l’opportunité pour parvenir, à terme, à un consensus. Elles sont susceptibles de contribuer à une culture de constitutionnalisme participatif et traitent les questions de séquencement des élections et de renforcement des institutions clés dans la mise en place de cadres institutionnels.
IDENTIFICATION OF SOME CUCURBITACEOUS ROOTSTOCKS FOR VEGETABLE CROPS IN ROMANIA
Authors: Doltu Mădălina , Sora Dorin , Bogoescu Marian , Tănasă Veronica
Published: May 2021

This study aimed to identification of some rootstocks for cucurbitaceous vegetables and their influence on cultures. These vegetables (cucumber, watermelon, melon) are very popular crops in Romania. Vegetable crops are very sensitive to climatic vagaries, so fluctuation in climatic parameters at any phase of growth can affect the yield. Grafting on Cucurbitaceae is a method which has improved and spread quickly during the past years, a similar approach to crop rotation, a practice meant to increase productivity, resistance or tolerance to soil diseases and pests, as well as to abiotic factors and at increasing fruit quality. The research was conducted at the Horting Institute, Bucharest, Romania. Several aspects are taken into account in the use of rootstocks: environmental adaptability, quality fruit, resistance/tolerance for soil diseases and pests, drought, floods, soil salinization, heavy metal content, organic pollutants. Some resistant rootstocks have been identified worldwide (PS1313, RS841, bottle-gourd, NUN-9075, Argentario, PI296341 and others). Several rootstocks are very used in Romania for conventional and ecological crops (UG 29A, Shintoza, Emphasis, Cobalt and others). Following the studies undertaken on research trials in the greenhouses, many rootstock genotypes were selected and tested in the Horting Institute and some results are presented in this paper.
SUSTAINABILITY CHALLENEGES IN METROPOLITAN FARMING: FROM MULTI-FUNCTIONALITY TO ORGANIC. A SHOWCASE OF BUCHAREST METROPOLITAN AREA
Authors: Grigorescu Ines , Popovici Elena-Ana , Dumitrașcu Monica , Mitrică Bianca , Sima Mihaela , Damian Nicoleta
Published: May 2021

The continuous population growth and built-up areas expansion requires an increasing urban demand for goods and services and a high pressure on land resources. As a result, farming adaptation around cities in a multifunctional way is a must in their effort to reach resilience, sustainability and food security. In Romania, agriculture in metropolitan areas is still dominated by small family households owned by undertrained aged people, practicing subsistence agriculture, most of them with little financial resources. Thus, the paper aims to identify and analyze the ways multi-functionality can contribute to sustainable farming by addressing some of the key sustainability solutions in southern Romania (i.e. Bucharest Metropolitan Area) – a region characterized by extended and fertile agricultural land resources, significantly transformed during the post-communist period through land abandonment and fragmentation, but also by land concentration and grabbing to the detriment of traditional farming. By combining quantitative (spatial and statistical analyses) and qualitative (questionnaires & interviews to key actors) approaches, the authors pinpointed critical issues of metropolitan farming (e.g. type of agricultural activities, agro-support services, urban pressures, market access, networking, survival strategies) to support sustainability.
ANALYSIS OF REMOTE SENSING DATA FOR DETERMINATION OF SPATIAL CHANGES IN ORCHARDS
Authors: Celmina Vita , Pukite Vivita
Published: May 2021

Aim of the paper is to explore the application possibilities of remote sensing data for determination of spatial changes in orchards from 1995 to 2019. In Latvia, many fruit-growing companies have been established around the turn of the century and today have established a solid production base. Although many farms achieve good yields, the average level of productivity in orchards is insufficient. Often the yields are different in the same garden in different places. Remote sensing technology provides tree crown size data. Evaluating garden data would identify sectors with lower increments. When you see specific sectors on the map, they will be surveyed by gardeners looking for factors that have influenced tree growth (soil nutrient content, moisture content, abundant fruit yield, etc.). As a result, average productivity may increase by at least 10%, but in the longer term (5-6 years) by 20-30% Using Latvian Geospatial Information Agency’s available orthophoto and digital surface model (DSM) data, were examined three land units - orchards, where the spatial changes could be observed. The spatial changes can be observed over a longer period of time, therefore there were compared several orthophoto maps, each taken in different period of time. This study is an initial analysis of the data to determine the spatial changes. Future research will further investigate orchards with aerial laser scanning to determine accurate tree crown volumes and develop digital surface models.
ENERGY POVERTY IN THE CONTEXT OF SMOG AS EXEMPLIFIED BY POLAND
Authors: Michalak Aneta
Published: May 2021

This article is aimed at analysing the most important facts and patterns concerning energy poverty as well as at attempted verification of the hypothesis connecting this poverty type and smog. First, the problem of smog in Poland is presented. Next, the work analyses energy poverty, reviewing the adopted measures of that phenomenon and specifying its scale and geographical distribution. It is shown that the areas struggling with the problem of smog are also the ones with the highest quantity of energy-poor households. Those are the most urbanized and heavily populated regions of Poland. According to the analysis, solutions to the problem of smog should be connected directly with liquidating energy poverty of households. The adopted methodology is based on the “Low Income High Costs” (LIHC) index. This index considers modifications proposed by the Institute for Structural Research (ISR), adapting it to the Polish conditions and the level of details of data available for Poland
ASSESSMENT OF WOODEN BUILDINGS IN TERMS OF CONSTRUCTION WASTE GENERATION
Authors: Spišáková Marcela , Kozlovská Mária , Švajlenka Jozef
Published: May 2021

Construction industry creates an environment for people's lives. On the other hand, construction activities have a negative impact on various aspects of the environment. It consumes natural raw materials, significantly contributes to carbon footprint, waste, etc. Appropriate choice of constructional, material, technical, technological and environmental parameters of buildings can partially reduce this negative impacts. By designing, implementing and using wood-based constructions it is possible to reduce the negative impact in the area of construction waste generation. Currently, the construction market offers a large number of construction systems of wooden buildings, which have both strengths and weaknesses. In this paper are identified construction systems of wooden buildings offered on the Slovak construction market. The aim of the paper is a detailed identification of construction waste generation during the realization of particular wooden structures and monitoring of waste generation in production factory (off site) and on construction site (on site) during the construction of wooden buildings. Based on the obtained information, the individual construction systems of wood-based constructions are compared in terms of construction waste generation
NEW EXPERIMENTAL METHOD FOR POLLUTANTS ELIMINATION IN INDOOR ENVIRONMENT BY USING PLANTS
Authors: Franek Ondřej , Kravcov Alexander , Jarský Čeněk
Published: May 2021

The present paper deals with pollutants in the building’s indoor environment and possibilities of their elimination, carbon dioxide (CAS 124-38-9), further from volatile organic compounds were investigated trichlorethylene (CAS 79-01-6), toluene (CAS 108-88-3) and benzene (CAS 71-43-2). A new experimental method for effectively reducing the concentration of pollutants in the indoor environment of buildings is presented, which is based on the placement of plants into the research area and has the potential to bring operating costs savings in the field of building ventilation. The issue is closely related to the increasing requirements for the healthiness of the indoor environment of building. Quality of the indoor environment is also assessed according to the quality of indoor air. Increased concentrations of pollutants in the indoor environment can have a negative impact on the human health for the building’s users. In the paper, the modelling of indoor ventilation is shown, where one model case examines the theoretical quantity requirement of ventilated indoor air without plants and the other model case examines the requirement for the amount of ventilated air in plant environment. For both models cases the same final value of pollutant concentrations was required. After the computational modelling, the results were compared to determine the percentage difference of the supply air demand. Based on the computational model, it was shown that selected plants can favourably influence the pollutant concentration in the indoor environment. The model environment for research was determined as an office area, initial concentrations of pollutants were determined before the arrival of persons, also was determined the constant production of pollutants during working hours, and reduction of pollutants by plants This is a completely new perspective on the issues of building ventilation and improving the quality of the indoor environment, and according to the achieved calculation, the costs of building operations on a global scale can be significantly reduced.
GREEN BUILDING CERTIFICATION SYSTEMS: COMPARISON OF TURKEY AND BULGARIA
Authors: Geçimli Meryem , Yamaçlı Ruşen
Published: May 2021

Sustainability is defined as it meets the needs of present without compromising the ability of future generation’s needs. Today the topic of sustainability has the urgent importance. Especially buildings consume large amount of energy and resources. Construction sector has great impact on environment. During construction process, occupancy, renovations and/or restorations and demolition, buildings consume energy, water and sources. They are also generating waste and emit harmful atmospheric emissions. Since 1990’s countries had issued a series green building assessment scheme. Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) developed by United States of America, Building Research Establishment’s Assessment Method (BREEAM) developed by United Kingdom and German Sustainable Building Council (DGNB) developed by Germany are the most commonly used. There is now a proliferation of standards, rating and certification systems to assistance in order to deliver sustainable building in the marketplace. It is estimated that there are nearly 600 green certifications around the world. Green building rating programs vary in their approach with some outlining prerequisites and optional credits. Turkey and Bulgaria have some historical partnerships. So it can be useful to compare current situation of two countries in terms of green building certification. The comparison includes certification systems used in two countries. Bulgaria mainly depends on DGNB which is originally German evaluation system. Besides this some projects took LEED and BREEAM, as in Turkey. But the important difference in two countries is that Turkey has been developing its local system that is called Turkish Green Building Council (BEST). Thus in this paper the comparison mainly depends on BEST and DGNB. And also the certified projects in two countries are compared quantitatively. The benchmarks of two systems are compared in terms of similarities and differences. The characteristics of either standard system were summarized and some suggestions for improving Turkey’s evaluation standard for green building were proposed
NATURE-BASED SOLUTIONS FOR CLIMATE RESILIENT BUILDINGS AND CITIES
Authors: Widera Barbara
Published: May 2021

The paper addresses the topic of nature-based solutions applied in the architectural and urban design. These ideas are analyzed in the context of the opportunities they create for the humanity in terms of the sustainable growth and environmental protection. Nature-based solutions are inherently taken from nature. The first part of the paper presents their tremendous potential to be energy and resource-efficient, and resilient to change. In the second part of the research particular concepts driven from nature (copied form nature or inspired by nature) proposed for the buildings and cities are described and evaluated. The author discusses their functional usefulness, spatial appropriateness, adaptation to local conditions, end-user comfort, environmental benefits and the possibility of duplication. Nature-based solutions applied in urban planning can make cities more climate resilient and contribute to ecosystems restoration. The paper describes how sustainable urbanization can stimulate economic growth, make cities more attractive and enhance well-being of the inhabitants. It is also explained how particular buildings can benefit from the concepts driven from nature e.g. by increasing their energy efficiency and performance in terms of raw material consumption. In purpose to properly response to the climate challenge, humanity has to establish a new kind of partnership with nature. Using nature-based solutions should be considered as an important part of this approach. The concepts presented in this paper show some of the most promising options, such as integration of living systems with built systems and innovative combinations of soft and hard engineering. In conclusion some of the most promising nature-based solutions for climate resilient buildings and cities are indicated
TAM Signaling in the Nervous System
Authors: Burstyn-Cohen Tal , Hochberg Arielle
Published: May 2021

Tyro3, Axl and Mertk are members of the TAM family of tyrosine kinase receptors. TAMs are activated by two structurally homologous ligands GAS6 and PROS1. TAM receptors and ligands are widely distributed and often co-expressed in the same cells allowing diverse functions across many systems including the immune, reproductive, vascular, and the developing as well as adult nervous systems. This review will focus specifically on TAM signaling in the nervous system, highlighting the essential roles this pathway fulfills in maintaining cell survival and homeostasis, cellular functions such as phagocytosis, immunity and tissue repair. Dysfunctional TAM signaling can cause complications in development, disruptions in homeostasis which can rouse autoimmunity, neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration. The development of therapeutics modulating TAM activities in the nervous system has great prospects, however, foremost we need a complete understanding of TAM signaling pathways.
The impact of contextual factors on talent management practices in SMEs
Authors: Pocztowski Aleksy , Pauli Urban
Published: May 2021

BACKGROUND:

Despite the fact that there is a rising number of publications on TM, research on implementing such practices in SMEs and on the impact of contextual factors on TM is scarce. This article focuses on the impact of contextual factors on talent management (TM) practices in small and medium enterprises (SMEs).

OBJECTIVE:

The main aim of the research was to evaluate the impact of contextual factors on TM practices in SMEs. This paper presents the results of the analyses verifying whether there is a dependence between contextual factors (be they internal or external) and scope of TM practices introduced in SMEs.

METHODS:

The data was gathered from 200 randomly selected SMEs. The respondents were questioned about the characteristics of TM practices they run and asked about factors impacting upon their approach to TM.

RESULTS:

The results prove that there are some statistically significant dependences between the context and TM, but due to the heterogeneity of such enterprises, the complexity of contextual factors and the manager/owner attitude to HRM, no coherent patterns could be found.

CONCLUSIONS:

It can be concluded that the short-term perspective and reactive actions dominate in the group of investigated companies. However, almost all respondents claimed to pay high attention to employees’ expectations towards such practices, which can be portrayed as a way of building sustainability on the basis of human capital.
Predicting performance on the NFL-225 bench press test using bar velocity
Authors: dos Santos Marcel Lopes , Mann James Bryan , Lockie Robert George , Berton Ricardo , Jacobson Bert Hans , Dawes James Jay
Published: May 2021

BACKGROUND:

Bar velocity has been proved to accurately predict performance in several exercises.

OBJECTIVE:

To estimate the total number of repetitions during the NFL-225 Bench Press Test (NFL-225) based on bar velocity in collegiate football players.

METHODS:

Forty-six NCAA Division I football players performed as many bench press repetitions as possible with a standard load of 225 lbs. The variables used to estimate the total number of repetitions were: mean velocity of the fastest repetition achieved in the test (FR); mean velocity of the first repetition (V1); mean velocity of the first three repetitions (MV3); mean velocity of the first five repetitions (MV5); and mean velocity of the first 10 repetitions (MV10). Linear regression analyses were conducted to predict NFL-225 performance based on bar velocity.

RESULTS:

The prediction of the total number of repetitions was similar between the five mean velocities (FR: [Formula: see text] 0.64, SEE [Formula: see text] 3.87, V1: [Formula: see text] 0.65, SEE [Formula: see text] 3.80, MV3: [Formula: see text] 0.70, SEE [Formula: see text] 3.52, MV5: [Formula: see text] 0.71, SEE [Formula: see text] 3.48, and MV10: [Formula: see text] 0.62, SEE [Formula: see text] 3.37).

CONCLUSION:

The mean velocities allowed the production of general regression equations for the estimation of the total number of repetitions in the NFL-225. V1 and MV3 presented as the best options due to their accuracy, time-efficiency, and reduced musculoskeletal stress.
In Vivo Amyloid, Neurodegeneration, and Verbal Learning in Late Middle-Aged Hispanics
Authors: Tahmi Mouna , Rippon Brady , Palta Priya , Sherwood Greysi , Hernandez Gabriela , Soto Luisa , Ceballos Fernando , Pardo Michelle , Laing Krystal , Igwe Kay , He Hengda , Teresi Jeanne A. , Moreno Herman , Razlighi Qolamreza , Brickman Adam M. , Luchsinger José A.
Published: May 2021

Background: The National Institute on Aging (NIA)/Alzheimer’s Association (AA) 2018 framework conceptualizes Alzheimer’s disease (AD) biologically. Evidence of brain amyloid by biomarkers defines AD pathologic change and the Alzheimer’s continuum. The presence of tau or neurodegeneration in the absence of amyloid defines non-AD pathologic change. Objective: To examine the relation of in vivo amyloid and neurodegeneration with verbal learning, one of the cognitive abilities affected early in AD, in late middle age. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study of amyloid and neurodegeneration biomarkers in a community-based cohort of 350 late-middle aged Hispanics without dementia (mean age: 64.15±3.34; 72.0%women). Amyloid (A) was measured as global standardized uptake value ratio (SUVR) with 18F-Florbetaben positron emission tomography (PET). Neurodegeneration (N) was ascertained as cortical thickness (CT) in AD signature areas using brain magnetic resonance imaging. We examined A/N continuously, categorically, by A/N profiles, and profile categories. The amyloid threshold for positivity was defined using the K means method. The CT threshold was defined as 2 standard deviations below the mean CT. Verbal learning was ascertained using total recall and delayed recall in the Buschke Selective Reminding test (SRT). Results: Higher cortical thickness was associated with higher performance in SRT delayed recall. Amyloid SUVR was not related to SRT performance. The low CT category was associated with lower performance in SRT delayed recall, while Amyloid categories were not related to any SRT score. The non-AD pathologic change group (A-N+) performed worse in SRT delayed recall compared to the Normal A/N profile group (A-N-). Conclusion: In late middle-aged Hispanics without dementia, non-AD pathologic change, but not the Alzheimer’s continuum, was related to verbal learning.
Language Network Connectivity Increases in Early Alzheimer’s Disease
Authors: Pistono Aurélie , Senoussi Mehdi , Guerrier Laura , Rafiq Marie , Giméno Mélanie , Péran Patrice , Jucla Mélanie , Pariente Jérémie
Published: May 2021

Background: Language production deficits occur early in the course of Alzheimer’s disease (AD); however, only a few studies have focused on language network’s functional connectivity in mild cognitive impairment (MCI) due to AD. Objective: The current study aims to uncover the extent of language alteration at the MCI stage, at a behavioral and neural level, using univariate and multivariate analyses of structural MRI and resting-state fMRI. Methods: Twenty-four MCI due to AD participants and 24 matched healthy controls underwent a comprehensive language evaluation, a structural T1-3D MRI, and resting-state fMRI. We performed seed-based analyses, using the left inferior frontal gyrus and left posterior temporal gyrus as seeds. Then, we analyzed connectivity between executive control networks and language network in each group. Finally, we used multivariate pattern analyses to test whether the two groups could be distinguished based on the pattern of atrophy within the language network; within the executive control networks, as well as the pattern of functional connectivity within the language network and within the executive control networks. Results: MCI due to AD participants had language impairment during standardized language tasks and connected-speech production. Regarding functional connectivity, univariate analyses were not able to discriminate participants, while multivariate pattern analyses could significantly predict participants’ group. Language network’s functional connectivity could discriminate MCI due to AD participants better than executive control networks. Most notably, they revealed an increased connectivity at the MCI stage, positively correlated with language performance. Conclusion: Multivariate analyses represent a useful tool for investigating the functional and structural (re-)organization of the neural bases of language.
Association of Midlife Depressive Symptoms with Regional Amyloid-β and Tau in the Framingham Heart Study
Authors: Gonzales Mitzi M. , Samra Jasmeet , O’Donnell Adrienne , Mackin R. Scott , Salinas Joel , Jacob Mini E. , Satizabal Claudia L. , Aparicio Hugo J. , Thibault Emma G. , Sanchez Justin S. , Finney Rebecca , Rubinstein Zoe B. , Mayblyum Danielle V. , Killiany Ron J. , Decarli Charlie S. , Johnson Keith A. , Beiser Alexa S. , Seshadri Sudha
Published: May 2021

Background: Depressive symptoms predict increased risk for dementia decades before the emergence of cognitive symptoms. Studies in older adults provide preliminary evidence for an association between depressive symptoms and amyloid-β (Aβ) and tau accumulation. It is unknown if similar alterations are observed in midlife when preventive strategies may be most effective. Objective: The study aim was to evaluate the association between depressive symptoms and cerebral Aβ and tau in a predominately middle-aged cohort with examination of the apolipoprotein (APOE) ɛ4 allele as a moderator. Methods: Participants included 201 adults (mean age 53±8 years) who underwent 11C-Pittsburgh Compound B amyloid and 18F-Flortaucipir tau positron emission tomography (PET) imaging. Depressive symptoms were evaluated with the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) at the time of PET imaging, as well as eight years prior. Associations between depressive symptoms at both timepoints, as well as depression (CES-D≥16), with regional Aβ and tau PET retention were evaluated with linear regression adjusting for age and sex. Interactions with the APOE ɛ4 allele were explored. Results: Depressive symptoms and depression were not associated with PET outcomes in the overall sample. However, among APOE ɛ4 allele carriers, there was a significant cross-sectional association between depressive symptoms and increased tau PET uptake in the entorhinal cortex (β= 0.446, SE = 0.155, p = 0.006) and amygdala (β= 0.350, SE = 0.133, p = 0.012). Conclusion: Although longitudinal studies are necessary, the results suggest that APOE ɛ4 carriers with depressive symptoms may present with higher susceptibility to early tau accumulation in regions integral to affective regulation and memory consolidation.
Relationship Between General Cognition, Visual Assessed Cortical Atrophy, and Cerebrospinal Fluid Biomarkers in Alzheimer’s Disease: A Cross-Sectional Study from a Chinese PUMCH Cohort
Authors: Mao Chenhui , Sha Longze , Li Jie , Huang Xinying , Chu Shanshan , Lei Dan , Wang Jie , Dong Liling , Liu Caiyan , Xu Qi , Peng Bin , Gao Jing
Published: May 2021

Background: Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers are widely accepted as manifestations of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) pathogenesis and incorporated into biological definition of AD. However, the correlations between CSF and other biomarkers such as neuroimaging and neuropsychiatric evaluation are complicated and inconsistent. Objective: We aimed to better interpreting CSF biomarkers results accompanying with other indexes in improving accurate diagnosis of AD. Methods: 112 AD patients and 30 cognitive normal controls were selected. Commercial accessible ELISA kits were introduced for measurement of CSF t-tau, p-tau181, Aβ1–42, and NfL based on standard protocol. MRI examinations were performed using a 3-T MRI scanner and visual rating scales including medial temporal atrophy score and Koedam’s scale were used to evaluate medial temporal atrophy and posterior region atrophy. Results: CSF biomarkers’ profile including decreased concentration of Aβ1–42, increased concentration of t-tau, p-tau181, t-tau/Aβ 1–42, and NfL were diagnostic between AD and control. CSF biomarkers profile was not influenced by the APOE genotype. Increased concentration of t-tau and NfL, as well as ratio of t-tau/Aβ 1–42 were related to decrease of Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score while concentration of Aβ1–42 not. Visual assessed cortical atrophy was related to MMSE score, but most of the CSF biomarkers were not related to atrophy, except that increased concentration of p-tau181 was significantly associated with atrophy of posterior cortical region. Conclusion: Our results supported CSF biomarkers were helpful in diagnosis of AD. However, CSF biomarkers were cross-sectional reflection of pathogenesis, which did not correlate well with clinical progression. CSF biomarkers should be interpreted in combination with MRI and cognitive evaluation in clinical use.
Associations Between Neighborhood Park Access and Longitudinal Change in Cognition in Older Adults: The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis
Authors: Besser Lilah M. , Chang Lun-Ching , Evenson Kelly R. , Hirsch Jana A. , Michael Yvonne L. , Galvin James E. , Rapp Stephen R. , Fitzpatrick Annette L. , Heckbert Susan R. , Kaufman Joel D. , Hughes Timothy M.
Published: May 2021

Background: Preliminary evidence suggests associations between neighborhood park access and better late-life cognition and reduced Alzheimer’s disease (AD) risk. Objective: Examine associations between neighborhood park access and longitudinal change in cognition among U.S. older adults without dementia. Methods: We used 2000–2018 observational data from the population-based, multi-site Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (n = 1,733). Measures included proportion of neighborhood park space (park access), distance to nearest park, and 6-year dichotomous and continuous change in scores on the Cognitive Abilities Screening Instrument (CASI; global cognition) and Digit Symbol Coding task (processing speed). Multivariable random intercept models tested main associations and mediation by depressive symptoms, physical activity, and PM2.5 exposure. Effect modification by race (African Americans/Blacks versus Whites) was tested using interaction terms. Results: Greater park access (equivalent to 10%more in 1/2-mile around home) was associated with maintained/improved CASI score over six years independent of several covariates including individual- and neighborhood-level socioeconomic status (Odds ratio: 1.04; 95%confidence interval: 1.00–1.08). No other associations were observed with the dichotomous or continuous measures of cognitive change and no mediators were found. While a borderline association was seen between greater park access and maintained/improved CASI for African Americans/Blacks but not for Whites, effect modification was not confirmed by testing interaction terms. Conclusion: Neighborhood park access may help maintain/improve late-life global cognition. However, our findings need replication in other population-based studies and regions. Additionally, studies are needed to determine if associations between park access and change in cognition vary by race/ethnicity to inform intervention efforts.
Research trends in computerized cognitive training contents with text network
Authors: Lee Hyeok-Min , Shin Sung-Wook , Moon Ho-Sang , Chung Sung-Taek
Published: May 2021

Computerized Cognitive Training (CCT) contents used to improve patients’ cognitive ability with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) can provide customized training through individual data collection and analysis. However, studies on transfer effect of improving other untrained cognitive domains while performing the contents are insufficient. The present paper intended to collect literature published by PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science until December 2019 and analyze the trends of CCT and the transfer effect in each training area. Studies on CCT (82/891) have been increasing each year, and universities (60/82) in the United States (17/82) have published the most. In the literature that reported clinical effect (18/82), the cognitive domain mostly studied was memory (14/18), and the N-Back (3/14) method accounted for most of the training contents. Moreover, the contents that showed the highest degree, closeness, and betweenness centrality (BC) indices were the memory area, and video accounted for the highest among the intervention methods. In particular, the closeness centrality (CC) index of the memory and attention contents showed similar results. It can be interpreted that the possibility of the transfer effect occurring from memory and attention areas is the highest since the semantic distance (i.e. the similarity of the training process) between the attention contents and memory contents was the closest. The effectiveness of the actual transfer effect between the memory and attention should be verified.
A fuzzy multi-objective programming optimization model for emergency resource dispatching under equitable distribution principle
Authors: Tang Zhaoping , Li Wenda , Yu Shijun , Sun Jianping
Published: May 2021

In the initial stage of emergency rescue for major railway emergencies, there may be insufficient emergency resources. In order to ensure that all the emergency demand points can be effectively and fairly rescued, considering the fuzzy properties of the parameters, such as the resource demand quantity, the dispatching time and the satisfaction degree, the railway emergency resources dispatching optimization model is studied, with multi- demand point, multi-depot, and multi-resource. Based on railway rescue features, it was proposed that the couple number of relief point - emergency point is the key to affect railway rescue cost and efficiency. Under the premise of the maximum satisfaction degree of quantity demanded at all emergency points, a multi-objective programming model is established by maximizing the satisfaction degree of dispatching time and the satisfaction degree of the couple number of relief point - emergency point. Combined with the ideal point method, a restrictive parameter interval method for optimal solution was designed, which can realize the quick seek of Pareto optimal solution. Furthermore, an example is given to verify the feasibility and effectiveness of the method.
Hybrid and dynamic clustering based data aggregation and routing for wireless sensor networks
Authors: Dhanaraj Rajesh Kumar , Lalitha K. , Anitha S. , Khaitan Supriya , Gupta Punit , Goyal Mayank Kumar
Published: May 2021

In Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs), effective transmission with acceptable degradation in the power of sensor nodes is a key challenge. In a large network, holdup is bound to occur in communicating superfluous data. The aforementioned issues namely, energy, delay and data redundancy are interdependent on each other and a tradeoff needs to be worked out to improve the overall performance. The extant methods in the literature employ either centralized or distributed approach to select a cluster head (CH). In this paper, sink originated hybrid and dynamic clustering with routing technique is proposed. The proposed routing algorithm works based on node handling capability of each sensor node in the selection of CH and also helps in identifying the forwarder node. In addition, processing load of a sensor node is also considered for selecting the forwarder. Both space and time correlation is used to collect data from the clusters and then aggregated to provide a proficient communication. The introduced method is evaluated with the performance of the previously available techniques like, Data Routing for In-Network Aggregation (DRINA), Efficient Data Collection Aware of Spatio-Temporal Correlation (EAST), Cluster-Based Data Aggregation (CBDA), Energy-Efficient Data Aggregation and Transfer (EEDAT), and Distributed algorithm for Integrated tree Construction and data Aggregation (DICA). Simulation parameters considered for assess ing the performance of the proposed algorithm are aggregation ratio, routing overhead, packet delivery fraction, throughput, packet delay and consumed energy. The experimental analysis of the introduced algorithm generates paramount outcome of finest aggregation quality with diverse key characteristics and circumstances as required by a sensor network.