bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Ideology, Agency, and the Federal Acknowledgement Process
Authors: Barron Nicholas
Published: April 2021

In June of 2013, the Assistant Secretary-Indian Affairs, Kevin Washburn, began holding tribal consultations in an attempt to reform the Federal Acknowledgement Process (FAP) with the input of recognized and unrecognized indigenous peoples. Between June and September of 2013, unacknowledged Californian Indian groups, including the Amah Mustun Tribal Band of Ohlone/Costanoan Indians (Amah Mutsun), the Ohlone/Costanoan Esselen Nation (Esselen), and the Muwekma Ohlone Indian Tribe (Muwekma), submitted separate letters in an attempt to voice their concerns and recommendations. This situation offers a useful case study for anthropologists attempting to study the role of ideology within the context of federal recognition. Using Phil Abrams theorization of the state as a historically determined and processual formation in conjunction with Louis Althusser’s discussion of ideology and Sherry Ortner’s conceptualization of agency, I discursively analyze each comment letter with special attention paid to discourses of history. With this approach, I make three interrelated arguments. First, the FAP is an inherently contradictory ideological project of the state that produces a paradoxical narrative of indigenous history. Second, the historical narratives within these letters reflect an incomplete and contested process of interpellation that seeks to reify state power through the reproduction of hegemonic ideas. Third, these historical discourses reflect the different political strategies of representation that unacknowledged peoples formulate to contest the process of interpellation as they navigate a paradoxical state ideology. Ultimately, these conclusions point towards the incomplete, dialectical, and contested nature of state ideology within the system of federal recognition.
Mis/representation & Silence: Gendered Sex Work Discourse in the London Free Press
Authors: Dawthorne Nathan
Published: April 2021

In December 2014, despite the Supreme Court of Canada finding Canada's prostitution laws unconstitutional, the Conservative government passed a bill criminalizing the buying of sex and the advertisement of sex for sale. Sex work has a long history as a hot-button topic, and it continues to remain newsworthy throughout the country. This public discussion in some contexts has privileged certain lobbyists and so-called advocates, disregarding or distorting the voices of sex workers themselves. This territory is starkly heteronormative, reinforcing gendered stereotypes and naturalizing certain types of heterosexual behaviour while ignoring a spectrum of other realities. By analysizing depictions of sex work published for 2013 in the London Free Press, a politically centre-right newspaper printed in a midsized Canadian city, this paper provides analysis of articles about sex work in the local-regional context of London, Ontario (Canada). Exposing a Foucauldian rarefaction of discourse, the analysis works to unveil ideological underpinnings, fleshing out a distorted gendered discourse.
Capital Conversion in the Organized Crime of the Favelas
Authors: Gutierrez Adriana
Published: April 2021

Segregated in the hills of Rio de Janeiro, favelas are socially and economically marginalized slums, with pervasive drug crime. As a result of limited government intervention, drug lords assume the mandate in these sectors, reinforcing poverty and social exclusion.Traditional approaches to poverty analyze this context with capital scarcity as a point of reference.  Moreover, the concept of capital has been used to denounce structural inequalities that are reproduced in social classes. By the same token, it is argued that the accumulation of capital may lead to social mobility. Low-income neighborhoods have their own resources and forms of mobilization.  Conditions of precariousness can be explored without focusing on the absence of resources, but rather on the ways in which local capital gets mobilized and converted.  In the favelas, drug gangs have their own capital dynamics that make them acquire and retain control over the territory.  In this paper, I examine how capital conversion and mobilization among members of organized crime in these districts of Rio de Janeiro reinforce structural inequalities by perpetuating social exclusion.
Humanitarian aid policy changes following the 2010 cholera outbreak in Haiti
Authors: Saini Gagandeep
Published: April 2021

The current cholera outbreak in Haiti arose as a result of inadequate humanitarian aid management by the United Nations following the 2010 earthquake in the country. Nepalese peacekeepers spread the water-borne disease through improper sanitation and waste disposal, resulting in re-emergence of the infection after 150 years. In 2016, the United Nations formally apologized for its role in the spread of the cholera epidemic that has killed more than nine thousand Haitians to date. Though many studies discuss the origin of the epidemic, there is a lack of comparison between initial response practices and current practices. Therefore, it is difficult to understand how disaster relief has evolved as a result of the Haiti epidemic. This paper argues that the training of humanitarian aid workers to avoid spreading infectious diseases like cholera in areas receiving disaster relief has not sufficiently improved. Specifically, this paper will analyze what recommendations were put forth following the 2010 Haitian earthquake and to what extent those recommendations have been implemented. By comparing past and current humanitarian aid practices in areas requiring disaster relief, this paper will outline the ways in which humanitarian practices need to change to prevent the spread of infections from emergency workers.
The Application of a Normalizing Statistic to the Dental Metricies of the South African Australopithecines
Authors: Sullivan Norman C.
Published: April 2021

This study assesses the utility of T-scores for discerning taxonomic categories in Plio-Pleistocene hominids by analysis of the dental metrics of the South African australopithecines. The hominids are divided into robust and gracile samples and T-scores and correlations between these samples are determined. Following a limited comparison of correlations between two non-human primate species the australopithecine T-scores and correlations are suggested to be close to the levels expected if the differences between samples were explained by sexual dimorphism.
Viral Infections among the Huron: An Ecological Approach
Authors: Magliore Sam
Published: April 2021

The introduction of viral diseases such as smallpox, during the European contact period, had a profound demographic effect on Amerindian groups. Given what we know today about the natural histories of smallpox and other viral infections (i.e., mode of transmission, incubation period, etc.), I examine a number of sociocultural factors that may have contributed to the spread and/or severity of these diseases among the Huron during the 1634-1640 period.
Obstetrical Forceps: Symbols of Power and Professionalism in Victorian Britain
Authors: Nagy Doreen Evenden
Published: April 2021

An examination of British medical journals and texts from 1795 to 1882 reveals a trend from a relatively conservative use of obstetrical forceps to a more frequent and radical use of forceps in childbirth. This trend not only paralleled the efforts of the doctors to establish themselves in an increasingly competitive profession, but it reflected the efforts of the doctors to take midwifery from the midwives and "professionalize" it as a branch of medicine under the control of male practioners.
Considerations for Chemotherapy Treatment in Platinum Resistant High-Grade Serous Ovarian Cancer
Authors: Reintjes Caitlin Marie
Published: April 2021

Ovarian cancer is considered to be the most fatal type of any gynecological cancer. Prognosis for the disease is poor, with a median survival of only thirty-two months following diagnosis and a five-year survival rate of only 39%. Many of the most lethal ovarian cancer cases are classified as part of the high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC) subtype, which is the most aggressive form of the disease. The primary concern with regards to treatment is that nearly 30% of patients will develop a resistance to forms of platinum chemotherapy, which is the main method of treatment. This suggests that a one-size fits all approach cannot be taken to treat ovarian cancer, and that further research must be done to understand how to treat the patients who present with platinum resistance. This literature review examines the mutations within two susceptible loci, specifically, the p53 and BRCA1/2 genes, in order to understand how platinum resistance develops and why it is present in some patients. The objectives of this review are  to characterize the underlying genetic mechanisms affecting platinum resistance, specify the biomarkers associated with those mechanisms, and describe alternative methods for approaching the treatment of ovarian cancer on an individual scale.
Determining the Rate of Development of Antibiotic Resistance to Streptomycin and Doxycycline in Escherichia coli
Authors: Tertigas Dominique , Barber Gemma
Published: April 2021

Antibiotic resistance is a pressing issue in the medical field today. It is important to understand the development of bacterial resistance to implement effective preventative measures against antibiotic resistant bacteria. This study investigated the rate at which Escherichia coli (E. coli), a common pathogen, developed resistance to streptomycin and doxycycline, as Oz et al. (2014) showed differing levels of resistance in E. coli to these two antibiotics. The development of antibiotic resistance was measured by adding E. coli to 96-well plates in the presence of increasing doses of doxycycline, streptomycin, or a combination treatment. Successive generations were added to the same treatments to see whether they would grow at higher concentrations of antibiotic. The change in minimum inhibitory concentration for streptomycin and doxycycline was determined as the bacteria became increasingly resistant to each antibiotic. The fastest rate of antibiotic resistance was observed for streptomycin, with doxycycline resistance exhibiting a slower rate of development. The rate of resistance development for the combination treatment was the slowest, potentially due to small differences in target domains. Some cross-resistance was also observed. This study provides a small-scale methodological basis and preliminary insight on antibiotic resistance trends for two antibiotic classes and a combination treatment.
The Value of Manifold Learning Algorithms in Simplifying Complex Datasets for More Efficacious Analysis
Authors: Amjad Muhammad
Published: April 2021

Advances in manifold learning have proven to be of great benefit in reducing the dimensionality of large complex datasets. Elements in an intricate dataset will typically belong in high-dimensional space as the number of individual features or independent variables will be extensive. However, these elements can be integrated into a low-dimensional manifold with well-defined parameters. By constructing a low-dimensional manifold and embedding it into high-dimensional feature space, the dataset can be simplified for easier interpretation. In spite of this elemental dimensionality reduction, the dataset’s constituents do not lose any information, but rather filter it with the hopes of elucidating the appropriate knowledge. This paper will explore the importance of this method of data analysis, its applications, and its extensions into topological data analysis.
Roller-Integrated Compaction Assessment of Earth-Rock Dam Materials Considering Operation Modes
Authors: Liu Donghai , Wang Youle , Chen Junjie , Liang Jianyu
Published: April 2021

An earth-rock dam is composed of multiple materials compacted by rollers with complex operation modes, which can easily lead to the abnormal fluctuation of harmonic-ratio-based roller-integrated compaction measurement values (HR-RICMVs). Without proper handling, the abnormal fluctuation would result in unreliable assessment of compaction quality. As an attempt to address the issue of abnormal fluctuation, this study presented an improved regression model for roller-integrated compaction assessment of earth-rock dam materials. The proposed model considered the effect of vibration frequency on HR-RICMVs under different operation modes. The applicability of the improved model was verified by an analysis of correlation and reliability in different earth-rock dam materials. The results indicate that the model has significant merits in the assessment of compaction quality under complex operation modes. This research provides a potential way for the compaction quality control of earth-rock dam materials based on HR-RICMVs in future studies.
Predictive Visual Motion Extrapolation Emerges Spontaneously and without Supervision at Each Layer of a Hierarchical Neural Network with Spike-Timing-Dependent Plasticity
Authors: Burkitt Anthony N. , Hogendoorn Hinze
Published: April 2021

The fact that the transmission and processing of visual information in the brain takes time presents a problem for the accurate real-time localization of a moving object. One way this problem might be solved is extrapolation: using an object's past trajectory to predict its location in the present moment. Here, we investigate how a simulatedin silicolayered neural network might implement such extrapolation mechanisms, and how the necessary neural circuits might develop. We allowed an unsupervised hierarchical network of velocity-tuned neurons to learn its connectivity through spike-timing-dependent plasticity (STDP). We show that the temporal contingencies between the different neural populations that are activated by an object as it moves causes the receptive fields of higher-level neurons to shift in the direction opposite to their preferred direction of motion. The result is that neural populations spontaneously start to represent moving objects as being further along their trajectory than where they were physically detected. Because of the inherent delays of neural transmission, this effectively compensates for (part of) those delays by bringing the represented position of a moving object closer to its instantaneous position in the world. Finally, we show that this model accurately predicts the pattern of perceptual mislocalization that arises when human observers are required to localize a moving object relative to a flashed static object (the flash-lag effect; FLE).

SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENTOur ability to track and respond to rapidly changing visual stimuli, such as a fast-moving tennis ball, indicates that the brain is capable of extrapolating the trajectory of a moving object to predict its current position, despite the delays that result from neural transmission. Here, we show how the neural circuits underlying this ability can be learned through spike-timing-dependent synaptic plasticity and that these circuits emerge spontaneously and without supervision. This demonstrates how the neural transmission delays can, in part, be compensated to implement the extrapolation mechanisms required to predict where a moving object is at the present moment.
Memory Destabilization and Reconsolidation Dynamically Regulate the PKMζ Maintenance Mechanism
Authors: Bernabo Matteo , Haubrich Josue , Gamache Karine , Nader Karim
Published: April 2021

Useful memory must balance between stability and malleability. This puts effective memory storage at odds with plasticity processes, such as reconsolidation. What becomes of memory maintenance processes during synaptic plasticity is unknown. Here we examined the fate of the memory maintenance protein PKMζ during memory destabilization and reconsolidation in male rats. We found that NMDAR activation and proteasome activity induced a transient reduction in PKMζ protein following retrieval. During reconsolidation, new PKMζ was synthesized to re-store the memory. Failure to synthesize new PKMζ during reconsolidation impaired memory but uninterrupted PKMζ translation was not necessary for maintenance itself. Finally, NMDAR activation was necessary to render memories vulnerable to the amnesic effect of PKMζ-antisense. These findings outline a transient disruption and renewal of the PKMζ memory maintenance mechanism during plasticity. We argue that dynamic changes in PKMζ protein levels can serve as an exemplary model of the molecular changes underlying memory destabilization and reconsolidation.

SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENTMaintenance of long-term memory relies on the persistent activity of PKMζ. However, after retrieval, memories can become transiently destabilized and must be reconsolidated within a few hours to persist. During this period of plasticity, what happens to maintenance processes, such as those involving PKMζ, is unknown. Here we describe dynamic changes to PKMζ expression during both destabilization and reconsolidation of auditory fear memory in the amygdala. We show that destabilization induces a NMDAR- and proteasome-dependent loss of synaptic PKMζ and that reconsolidation requires synthesis of new PKMζ. This work provides clear evidence that memory destabilization disrupts ongoing synaptic maintenance processes which are restored during reconsolidation.
Engram Size Varies with Learning and Reflects Memory Content and Precision
Authors: Leake Jessica , Zinn Raphael , Corbit Laura H. , Fanselow Michael S. , Vissel Bryce
Published: April 2021

Memories are rarely acquired under ideal conditions, rendering them vulnerable to profound omissions, errors, and ambiguities. Consistent with this, recent work using context fear conditioning has shown that memories formed after inadequate learning time display a variety of maladaptive properties, including overgeneralization to similar contexts. However, the neuronal basis of such poor learning and memory imprecision remains unknown. Using c-fos to track neuronal activity in male mice, we examined how these learning-dependent changes in context fear memory precision are encoded in hippocampal ensembles. We found that the total number of c-fos-encoding cells did not correspond with learning history but instead more closely reflected the length of the session immediately preceding c-fos measurement. However, using a c-fos-driven tagging method (TRAP2mouse line), we found that the degree of learning and memory specificity corresponded with neuronal activity in a subset of dentate gyrus cells that were active during both learning and recall. Comprehensive memories acquired after longer learning intervals were associated with more double-labeled cells. These were preferentially reactivated in the conditioning context compared with a similar context, paralleling behavioral discrimination. Conversely, impoverished memories acquired after shorter learning intervals were associated with fewer double-labeled cells. These were reactivated equally in both contexts, corresponding with overgeneralization. Together, these findings provide two surprising conclusions. First, engram size varies with learning. Second, larger engrams support better neuronal and behavioral discrimination. These findings are incorporated into a model that describes how neuronal activity is influenced by previous learning and present experience, thus driving behavior.

SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENTMemories are not always formed under ideal circumstances. This is especially true in traumatic situations, such as car accidents, where individuals have insufficient time to process what happened around them. Such memories have the potential to overgeneralize to irrelevant situations, producing inappropriate fear and contributing to disorders, such as post-traumatic stress disorder. However, it is unknown how such poorly formed fear memories are encoded within the brain. We find that restricting learning time results in fear memories that are encoded by fewer hippocampal cells. Moreover, these fewer cells are inappropriately reactivated in both dangerous and safe contexts. These findings suggest that fear memories formed at brief periods overgeneralize because they lack the detail-rich information necessary to support neuronal discrimination.
Communal Motives Towards Parents and Perceived Self-Parent Agreement
Authors: Locke Kenneth D , MacDonald Geoff , Barni Daniela , Reyes Jose Alberto S , Morio Hiroaki , Vargas-Flores José de Jesús , Ibáñez-Reyes Joselina , Mastor Khairul A , Kamble Shanmukh
Published: April 2021

Associations have been found between communal motives to feel warmly connected with others and perceiving similarities between self and others, presumably because perceived self-other similarity helps satisfy those motives. The current research examined the phenomenon in a novel and consequential context: Young adults’ perceived self-parent agreement regarding the values or preferences the young adult should prioritize in making life decisions. First, we describe an unregistered study in which 2,071 undergraduates from eight countries reported the qualities (e.g., attractive, outspoken) they prioritized when evaluating a potential spouse and the qualities they believed their parents would want them to prioritize. Second, we describe a registered study in which 1,141 undergraduates from five countries reported their basic values (e.g., security, hedonism) and the values they believed their parents would want them to prioritize. As hypothesized, stronger communal motives towards parents predicted greater self-parent agreement (regardless of the order in which students completed the measures). We also introduce a method for differentiating sources of individual differences in perceived agreement reflecting covariation between normative (average) and/or distinctive (non-normative) components of participants’ profiles of self- and other-ratings. Analyzing these distinct components of agreement suggested that communal motives were associated more strongly with students projecting their values onto their parents than with students introjecting parents’ values onto themselves, although both mechanisms—projection and introjection—likely played a role.
Incentivizing Groundwater Recharge in the Pajaro Valley Through Recharge Net Metering (ReNeM)
Authors: Miller Kathleen , Fisher Andrew T. , Kiparsky Michael
Published: April 2021

Decades of groundwater overuse in the Pajaro Valley have contributed to an estimated groundwater overdraft of 12,100 acre-feet per year (AFY) in the basin. In response, the Pajaro Valley Water Management Agency adopted a pilot groundwater recharge program, called Recharge Net Metering (ReNeM). ReNeM encourages development of infiltration projects on private or public land by offering a rebate on groundwater pumping fees based on the net increase in infiltration. The rebate uses the following equation: Rebate = W50x (Inftot − Infinc), where Infinc is the incidental infiltration that would have occurred without the project, Inftot is total measured infiltration, and W50 represents the proportion (50%) of the pumping fee assessed to the landowner based on location. The goal of Pajaro Valley’s ReNeM pilot program is to infiltrate 1,000 AFY to the aquifer by creating and operating infiltration projects at multiple sites. This effort will help reduce groundwater overdraft and associated undesirable consequences (seawater intrusion, disconnection with surface water, and degradation to water quality). This case study analyzes the local conditions and institutions that make the ReNeM pilot program feasible, including previously established groundwater pumping fees, metered wells, and the existence of third-party certifiers able to verify the results of project sites. The ReNeM pilot has enabled increased recharge by creating new incentives that have drawn PV Water, landowners, and tenant farmers to develop recharge projects. The ReNeM pilot is the first and thus far only application of this approach, but the methods used by ReNeM may have potential applicability elsewhere. This potential will hinge on whether the pilot can prove the effectiveness of the rebate scheme and demonstrate measurable benefits in the Pajaro Valley.
Bridge Organizations and New England Fisheries Management During the Trump Presidency
Authors: Tirrell Andrew
Published: April 2021

Fisheries management is both an ecological and a social venture. After all, to achieve sustainable fish stocks, fisheries managers must gain the compliance, if not cooperation, of industry stakeholders. In New England (United States), this process is further complicated by sociocultural and political institutions around individual choice and mistrust of government. These challenges have been especially evident during Donald Trump’s candidacy and presidential administration, since a significant part of his political appeal is based on anti-government, anti-elite, and individualist ideologies. At the same time, a number of fishing communities in New England have side-stepped mistrust of the government and science through the creation of bridge organizations that connect industry stakeholders directly to sustainable practices. This article explores both the particular challenges posed by American norms around governance and individualism and the success of bridge organizations in overcoming the sustainability limitations set by those norms. Based on interviews with fisheries stakeholders like Ole, Stevie, and Jim (conducted between 2015 and 2019), this research explores identity built around individualism against the backdrop of the Trump administration and considers whether sustainability can once again be a part of what it means to be a “good fisherman” in New England. Ultimately, the paper contends that, in spite of deeply rooted norms around individualism and distrust of political and scientific authority, organizations that bridge fisheries stakeholders and fisheries managers can help to integrate sustainability practices into New England fishing communities.
Playing It Straight
Authors: Corcoran Christopher , Frieler Klaus
Published: April 2021

The most recognizable features of the jazz phrasing style known as “swing” is the articulation of tactus beat subdivisions into long-short patterns (known as “swing eighths”). The subdivisions are traditionally assumed to form a 2:1 beat-upbeat ratio (BUR); however, several smaller case studies have suggested that the 2:1 BUR is a gross oversimplification. Here we offer a more conclusive approach to the issue, offering a corpus analysis of 456 jazz solos using the Weimar Jazz Database. Results indicate that most jazz soloists tend to play with only slightly uneven swing eighths (BUR = 1.3:1), while BURs approaching 2:1 and higher are only used occasionally. High BURs are more likely to be used systematically at slow and moderate tempi and in Postbop and Hardbop styles. Overall, the data suggests that a stable 2:1 swing BUR for solos is a conceptual myth, which may be based on various perceptual effects. We suggest that higher BURs are likely saved for specific effect, since higher BURs may maximize entrainment and the sense of groove at the tactus beat level among listeners and performers. Consequently our results contribute with insights relevant to jazz, groove, and microrhythm studies, practical and historical jazz research, and music perception.
Effects of 8 years of growth hormone treatment on scoliosis in children with Prader–Willi syndrome
Authors: Grootjen Lionne N , Rutges Joost P H J , Damen Layla , Donze Stephany H , Juriaans Alicia F , Kerkhof Gerthe F , Hokken-Koelega Anita C S
Published: April 2021

Objective

Scoliosis is frequently seen in children with Prader–Willi syndrome (PWS). There is still concern that growth hormone (GH) treatment might increase the risk of onset or progression of scoliosis. Short-term data suggested no adverse effects of GH on scoliosis, but long-term effects of GH treatment on development of scoliosis in PWS are unknown. This study investigated the effects of 8 years of GH treatment on scoliosis in children with PWS.

Design

Open-label, prospective cohort study in 103 children with PWS receiving GH for 8 years was analyzed. Prevalence and severity of scoliosis were compared to a group of 23 age-matched GH-untreated children with PWS.

Methods

Spine X-rays and DEXA-scans were performed, and Cobb angel was measured by two independent observers.

Results

After 8 years of GH treatment, at median age of 10.8 years, prevalence of scoliosis was 77.7%. No difference in prevalence or severity of scoliosis was found between GH-treated and age-matched untreated children with PWS (P = 0.409 and P = 0.709, respectively). Height SDS and trunkLBM were significantly higher in GH-treated children. Higher bone mineral density of the lumbar spine was found in children without scoliosis after 8 years of GH. Bone mineral apparent density of lumbar spine (BMADLS) SDS was associated with lower Cobb angle (r = −0.270, P = 0.008).

Conclusions

Eight years of GH treatment has no adverse effects on the prevalence and severity of scoliosis in children with PWS until 11 years of age. As BMADLS SDS is inversely associated with Cobb angle, it is pivotal to optimize the BMD status in children with PWS.
Some fixed point theorems on $\alpha$-$\beta$-$G$-complete $ G $-metric spaces
Authors: Chary V.S. , Reddy G.S.M. , Isik H. , Aydi H. , Chary D.S.
Published: April 2021

In this manuscript, we initiate the concept of rectangular $\alpha$-$G$-admissible mappings with respect to $\beta$ and we consider related type contractions in the setting of $G$-metric spaces. We provide some fixed point results. Also, some examples are given to support the obtained results.
The Impact of Globalization on European Airline Market
Authors: Kuz Anastasiia , Miskinis Algirdas
Published: April 2021

Airline industry is very important for modern society as the biggest player in the globalization process by connecting regions, promoting global trade and tourism, facilitating economic and social development. However, here is a lack of research on relationship between globalization and airline industry in Europe. It remains unclear how to measure the impact of globalization on performance of airline companies and industry. The article aims at investigation of the impact of globalization on operational and financial performance of European airlines before pandemics.The authors applied a nonexperimental quantitative research design to analyze the relationship between independent globalization variables (level of globalization in Europe, globalization opportunity, globalization threat) and dependent airlines’ operational and financial performance indicators. Research is done using secondary data from annual reports of 19 European airlines members of European Common Aviation Area (ECAA). The panel data analysis was applied for 2007–2017 with multiple regression analysis using STATA. The results show that globalization exerts a significant positive effect on operational performance. On financial performance only revenue per passenger kilometers is positively influenced by globalization. Globalization affects low-cost airlines and full-service airlines performance differently.
Enzymatic Activity of Psychrotolerant Antarctic Bacteria
Authors:   Zabolotny Institute of Microbiology and Virology, NAS of Ukraine, Borzova N.V. , Gladka G.V. ,   Zabolotny Institute of Microbiology and Virology, NAS of Ukraine, Gudzenko O.V. ,   Zabolotny Institute of Microbiology and Virology, NAS of Ukraine, Hovorukha V.M. ,   Zabolotny Institute of Microbiology and Virology, NAS of Ukraine, Tashyrev О.B. ,   Zabolotny Institute of Microbiology and Virology, NAS of Ukraine
Published: April 2021

The Antarctic region has significant potential to study the biodiversity of microorganisms and to search for bacterial producers of glycolytic and proteolytic enzymes with new properties. The aim was to study the extracellular glycosidase and proteolytic activity of four bacteria strains isolated from black lichens of the cliffs of Galindez Island in the Antarctic. Methods. Cultures of bacteria were grown in submerged conditions at a temperature of 15 and 26oC for 48 h. The synthetic and natural substrates such as p-nitrophenyl-glycosides, soluble starch, gelatin, casein and Elastin-Congo red were used to study the enzymatic activity of bacteria. Results. All studied strains showed α-fucosidase activity. Microbacterium foliorum, Sporosarcina aquimarina and Rothia sp. exhibited α-, β-xylosidase, β-glucosidase or β-N-acetylglucosaminidase activity in different ratios. That may indicate the presence of the enzymatic complex of hydrolysis of lichenan and xylan, which are part of polysaccharides of plants and lichens. P. fluorescens and M. foliorum also showed gelatinase activity. The enzymatic activity of bacteria was noted to be higher in the case of cultivating at 15oC compared to 26oC. The α-xylosidase of M. foliorum was optimally active at pH 6.0 and 35oC, the α-xylosidase of Rothia sp. – at pH 6.5 and 35oC. High level of stability was shown for these enzymes in the pH range from 4.0 to 7.0 and temperature from 15 to 35оС during 24 h. Conclusions. Antarctic lichens can be a source of bacterial producers of polysaccharide degrading enzymes with new properties and low temperature optimum. The Antarctic cold environment provides the great opportunities to study the adaptive mechanisms of microorganisms and their enzymatic systems in order to develop new biotechnologies.
Biosynthesis of Polyene Antibiotics and Phytohormones by Streptomyces netropsis IMV Ac-5025 under the Action of Exogenous Isopentenyladenosine
Authors:   Zabolotny Institute of Microbiology and Virology, NAS of Ukraine, Loboda M.I. , Biliavska L.O. ,   Zabolotny Institute of Microbiology and Virology, NAS of Ukraine, Iutynska G.O. ,   Zabolotny Institute of Microbiology and Virology, NAS of Ukraine
Published: April 2021

Streptomyces are active producers of a wide range of metabolites with multidirectional biological activity. Streptomyces netropsis IMV Ac-5025 synthesizes a polyene antibiotic complex in which two fractions were identified: heptaene candidine and a new tetraene fraction of unknown structure. The influence of secondary metabolites on the polyene antibiotics biosynthesis by soil streptomycetes is insufficiently explored. The aim of this work was to research the effect of exogenous isopentenyladenosine on the biosynthesis of polyene antibiotics and cytokinins by S. netropsis IMV Ac-5025. Methods. The strain was cultured in submerged cultivation condition in organic (soy) and synthetic (starch-ammonia) liquid nutrient media. The studies of biomass accumulation (gravimetric method), glucose consumption (glucose oxidase method), pH changes of culture media (ionometric method), biosynthesis of polyene antibiotics, and phytohormones (quantitative and qualitative thin layer chromatography spectrodensitometric method) were conducted. The results were analyzed in Statisticav.6.0 program. Results. It was found that polyene antibiotics are synthesized after the first day of cultivation, which indicates their role in the metabolism of streptomycetes. The biggest amount of the polyene antibiotics was accumulated in the stationary phase of producer growth (on the 7th day). It was found the decrease of polyene antibiotics and cytokinins accumulation in the producer’s biomass with the increase of exogenous cytokinin concentration from 25 ng/mL to 500 ng/mL. The bioproduction of the tetraene fraction was suppressed to a greater extent – up to 92% in the synthetic and up to 23% – in organic nutrient media. However, the amount of producer biomass increased under the action of the exogenous substance that confirming the positive effect of exogenous cytokinin on cell division of S. netropsis IMV Ac-5025. Exogenous isopentenyladenosine reduced the accumulation of endogenous cytokinins in streptomycetes biomass. Conclusions. The obtained results indicate an indirect metabolic relationship between the biosynthesis of polyene antibiotics and cytokinins in soil streptomycetes and provide a basis for the regulation of the biotechnological process for bioproduct formation with the appropriate quantitative composition of its components.
Anti-Adenovirus Activity of the Medical Intranasal Drug Nazoferon
Authors:   Zabolotny Institute of Microbiology and Virology, NAS of Ukraine, Povnitsa O.Yu. , Biliavska L.O. ,   Zabolotny Institute of Microbiology and Virology, NAS of Ukraine, Pankivska Yu.B. ,   Zabolotny Institute of Microbiology and Virology, NAS of Ukraine, Zagorodnya S.D. ,   Zabolotny Institute of Microbiology and Virology, NAS of Ukraine, Borshchevskaya M.I. ,   JSC Farmak
Published: April 2021

Currently, 90 different types of human adenoviruses (HAdV) are known, which have been classified into seven species from A to G and new adenovirus types continue to emerge. Antigenic diversity of viruses inhibits the process of creating universal vaccines and causes the development of resistance to direct-acting antiviral drugs. In addition to the rapid development of drug resistance, too narrow a range of existing drugs and a significant number of side effects limits the treatment of adenoviral infections. There is currently no specific etiotropic antiviral drug. Therefore, the development of new effective drugs and the selection of the optimal drug for the treatment of infections caused by adenoviruses remain relevant. The aim of the study was to investigate the antiviral properties of the drugs Nazoferon spray and Nazoferon drops in a model of human adenovirus serotype 3. Methods. Determination of cytotoxicity and antiviral action of drugs was performed by standard colorimetric method using MTT. The titer of the virus, synthesized in the presence of drugs was determined by the end point of dilution of the virus, which causes 50% development of the cytopathic effect of the virus on cells (СPE). Results. Low cytotoxicity of Nazoferon spray and Nazoferon drops (manufactured by JSC Farmak, Ukraine) was shown, CC50 is 53854 IU/ml and 54357 IU/ml, respectively. Quantitative and qualitative composition of excipients had no cytotoxic effect. In prophylactic regimens, interferon preparations did not inhibit the reproduction of adenovirus in vitro. Taking into account that most of the virions remain associated with the cells during the reproduction of adenovirus in the cell, we used test to determine infectivity lysates of infected and treated cells. The infectious titer of the synthesized HAdV3 was reduced by 3.2 log10 and 3.7 log10 for Nazoferon spray and drops, respectively. Conclusions. Nazoferon spray and drops can be recommended as anti-adenoviral drugs that block the reproduction of adenovirus, and due to their bioavailability and low cost have significant advantages in the treatment of acute respiratory infections (ARIs) caused by human adenoviruses.
INFLUENCE OF AN EXCITATION SOURCE ON THE POWER INDICATORS OF A LINEAR PULSE ELECTROMECHANICAL CONVERTER OF INDUCTION TYPE
Authors:   National Technical University ", Bolyukh V.F. ,   Kharkiv Polytechnic Institute",   , st. Kirpicheva, 2, Kharkov, 61002, Ukraine, Shchukin I.S. ,   Company «Firm "TETRA, LTD", st. Gudanova, 18, Kharkiv, 61024, Ukraine
Published: April 2021

The purpose of the article is to evaluate the efficiency of an induction-type linear pulse electromechanical converter (LPEC) when operating in shock-power mode and excitation from an alternating voltage source (AVS) in comparison with excitation from a capacitive energy storage (CES). A mathematical model of an induction-type LPEC has been developed both when excited by a unipolar pulse from a CES and from an AVS using lumped parameters of the windings, which takes into account the interrelated electromagnetic, mechanical and thermal processes. It has been found that when the LPEC is excited from the AVS with a voltage frequency of 50 Hz, the electrodynamic force takes on a periodic decaying character with a significant prevalence of positive components of forces over negative ones. The maximum value of the force is much less, and the value of its impulse is much greater than in the LPEC, excited from the CES. With an increase in the frequency of the AVS voltage from 50 to 150 Hz, the highest value of the current density of the inductor winding decreases, and in the armature winding it increases. The greatest values of force and impulse of force are realized at a voltage frequency of 150 Hz. With an increase in the AVS frequency, the relative indicator of the efficiency of the LPEC increases. References 15, figures 4.
New and Rare Spider Species (Arachnida, Araneae) from Ukraine
Authors: Polchaninova N , Gnelitsa V. , Terekhova V. , Iosypchuk A.
Published: April 2021

An annotated list of 31 spider species of 12 families collected in Northeasten, Easten and Southern Ukraine is presented. Four speceis, Marinarozelotes manychensis (Ponomarev & Tsvetkov, 2006), Turkоzelotes kazachstanicus (Ponomarev et Tsvetkov, 2006), Zelotes atrocaeruleus (Simon, 1878), and Z. puritanus Chamberlin, 1922, are recorded for the first time from Ukraine. For Micaria coarctata (Lucas, 1846), this is the first record from the East European Plain. Nine species were recorded for the first time from Left-Bank Ukraine. To date, 1081 spider species are known from Ukraine and 757 species from Left-Bank Ukraine. Bsed on recent data, the northern boundaries of the geographic ranges of Drassyllus crimeaensis Kovblyuk, 2003 and Bassanioides caperatus (Simon, 1875) run along the northern coast of the Sea of Azov. For Marinarozelotes manychensis and Turkоzelotes kazachstanicus the northwestern coast of the Sea of Azov is the westernmost known limits of their distiribution. The range of Heriaeus horridus Tyschchenko, 1965 is delimited in the west by the right bank of the Dnieper estuary. Thirteen species are illlustrted.
The Diversity and Composition of Assemblages of Water Beetles (Gyrinidae, Dytiscidae, Hydrophilidae) in a Peat Bog in Belarus
Authors: Shatarnova O.
Published: April 2021

The diversity and species composition of the water beetles in peat bog lakes, streams and hollows in Belarus were studied. In total, 45 species of water beetles belonging to 3 families (Gyrinidae, Dytiscidae, Hydrophilidae) were sampled by entomological net. Hydroporus tristis, Ilybius aenescens, Enochrus affinis, and E. ochropterus are the most abundant species A rather high diversity was recorded (Shannon-Wienner diversity index H′ = 2.037–2.912). Shannon-Wienner indexes indicated higher values in the lakes, whereas the lowest values in the hollows were recorded. In addition, in hollows water beetle species composition was the most different from the other peat bog water bodies.
First Report of Arthropod Fauna in Flooded Plains of Northern Patagonia (38° S, Araucania Region Chile)
Authors: De los Rios-Escalante P. , Correa-Araneda F.
Published: April 2021

In northern Patagonia, there is a kind of water body characterized as flooded plains (vegas), resulting from heavy rains. They have submerged vegetation that sustains aquatic insects and crustaceans, including burrowing crayfish of the genus Parastacus. The object of the present study was to present the first description of the community structure of three such water bodies. The results revealed the existence of seven species in the only site with Parastacus pugnax Poeppig, 1835, whereas in the sites where P. pugnax was absent there were one and three species respectively. The niche-sharing null model revealed the absence of niche-sharing due to interspecific absence. This kind of habitat presents marked heterogeneity, attributable to specific micro-environmental variations.
Record of the Loggerhead Sea Turtle, Caretta caretta (Testudines, Cheloniidae), in the Black Sea with the Review of the Species Occurrence in the Region
Authors: Zinenko O. , Vishnyakova K. A. , Stoyanov L. , Gol’din P. E.
Published: April 2021

A rare live record of the loggerhead sea turtle Caretta caretta (Linnaeus, 1758) is reported from the Dzharylgach Gulf in the north-western Black Sea. This is the first record from Ukrainian waters since 1962 and the northernmost record of the species in the Black Sea. The loggerhead sea turtles of the east Mediterranean origin are increasingly often seen in the Marmara and the Black Sea during the latest decade, which is an evidence for potential expansion of this species range, at least partly due to climate changes. Key words: sea turtles, Caretta caretta, Black Sea, Ukraine, range expansion.
On the Maximal Operators of T Means with Respect to Walsh–Kaczmarz System
Authors: Gogolashvili Nata , Tephnadze George
Published: April 2021

In this paper we prove and discuss some new (Hp, Lp,∞) type inequalities of the maximal operators of T means with monotone coefficients with respect to Walsh–Kaczmarz system. It is also proved that these results are the best possible in a special sense. As applications, both some well-known and new results are pointed out. In particular, we apply these results to prove a.e. convergence of such T means.
Molecular Analysis and Phytochemical Profiling to Explore the Diversity of Garcinia Species Collected from Western Ghats of India
Authors: Anerao J. , Sharangi G. , Jha V. , Pardhi V. , Chavan S. , Desai N. , Mangaonkar K.
Published: April 2021

Hydroxycitric acid made the genus Garcinia economically important. Genetic and chemical diversity has been studied in Garcinia species using molecular markers, HCA and antioxidant activity. Nine species were collected and screened for molecular diversity and six were subjected to analyse antioxidant and HCA content and its interspecies variability. A total of 129, 125 and 89 bands with polymorphism of 78.74%, 78.4% and 93.36% were obtained using ISSR, RAPD and EST-SSR, respectively. The average PIC value obtained with ISSR, RAPD and EST-SSR markers was 0.9161, 0.9440 and 0.8903, respectively. Determined HCA content by HILIC-HPLC system using 0.1% orthophosphoric acid and acetonitrile (30:70) as mobile phase in fruit powder of various Garcinia species was found to be significantly different. G. gummi-gutta, G. indica and G. xanthochymus are rich of HCA containing 12.44±1.04%, 7.92±0.83% and 6.3±0.286%, respectively. G. morella, G. talbotii and G. celebica contained very negligible amount of HCA, 0.023±0.012%, 0.083±0.034% and 0.34±0.013%, correspondingly. G. talbotii showed high antioxidant capacity (95.40±0.720). Below that G. indica and G. xanthochymus were showing significant amount of total phenols (1.23±0.015 and 1.07±0.008), flavonoids (11.17±0.075 and 12.35±0.219) and antioxidant activity (90.73±0.976 and 91.37±0.854). Correlation analysis found significant association between molecular and chemical variation indicating influence of genetic background on the observed HCA and antioxidant profiles. The conducted analysis showed the most distinct species at the genetic and chemical levels were G. gummi-gutta, G. indica and G. xanthochymus. This study signifies the utility of molecular and chemical fingerprints for commercial exploitation of HCA from Garcinia species.
The African Species of Drepanolejeunea Vesiculosa Group with Description of Drepanolejeunea Vanderpoortenii Spec. Nova (Jungermanniopsida) from Madagascar
Authors: Pócs T.
Published: April 2021

Drepanolejeunea clavicornis and D. friesii were previously synonymised with D. physaefolia or all of them with D. vesiculosa. In the meantime, Drepanolejeunea vandenberghenii was described from the same species group, as new. In this paper many African specimens are compared with the original descriptions of the above species. Morphological investigations of these and their distributional patterns suggested that the former synonymisation was not justified. In addition, a new, rheophytic species from the same group: Drepanolejeunea vanderpoortenii, is described, as new to science. As a result, from the taxa related to Drepanolejeunea vesiculosa, now six species are recognised from Africa, including its Indian Ocean islands. For these 6 morphotaxa an identification key is provided. The results need confirmation by a future molecular analysis.