bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Improving conceptual understanding of gas behavior through the use of screencasts and simulations
Authors: Martinez Brianna L. , Sweeder Ryan D. , VandenPlas Jessica R. , Herrington Deborah G.
Published: January 2021

Background

Engagement with particle-level simulations can help students visualize the motion and interactions of gas particles, thus helping them develop a more scientifically accurate mental model. Such engagement outside of class prior to formal instruction can help meet the needs of students from diverse backgrounds and provide instructors with a common experience upon which to build with further instruction. Yet, even with well-designed scaffolds, students may not attend to the most salient aspects of the simulation. In this case, a screencast where an instructor provides narrated use of the simulation and points students towards the important observations may provide additional benefits. This study, which is part of the larger ChemSims project, investigates the use of simulations and screencasts to support students’ developing understanding of gas properties by examining student learning gains.

Results

This study indicates that both students manipulating the simulation on their own and those observing a screencast exhibited significant learning gains from pre- to post-assessment. However, students who observed the screencast were more than twice as likely to transition from a macroscopic explanation to a particle-level explanation of gas behavior in answering matched pre- and post-test questions. Eye-tracking studies indicated very similar viewing and usage patterns for both groups of students overall, including when using the simulation to answer follow-up questions.

Conclusion

Significant learning gains by both groups across all learning objectives indicate that either scaffolded screencast or simulation assignments can be used to support student understanding of gas particle behavior and serve as a first experience upon which to build subsequent instruction. There is some indication that the initial use of the screencast may better help students build correct mental models of gas particle behavior. Further, for this simulation, watching the instructor manipulate the simulation in the screencast allowed students to subsequently use the simulation on their own at a level comparable to those students who had manipulated the simulation on their own throughout the assignment, suggesting that the screencast students were not disadvantaged by not initially manipulating the simulation on their own.
Macular edema after rhegmatogenous retinal detachment repair: risk factors, OCT analysis, and treatment responses
Authors: Pole Cameron , Chehaibou Ismael , Govetto Andrea , Garrity Sean , Schwartz Steven D. , Hubschman Jean-Pierre
Published: January 2021

Purpose

To investigate risk factors, imaging characteristics, and treatment responses of cystoid macular edema (CME) after rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) repair.

Methods

Consecutive, retrospective case–control series of patients who underwent pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) and/or scleral buckling (SB) for RRD, with at least six months of follow-up. Clinical and surgical parameters of patients with and without CME (nCME), based on spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (OCT), were compared.

Results

Of 99 eyes enrolled, 25 had CME while 74 had nCME. Patients with CME underwent greater numbers of surgeries (P < 0.0001). After adjusting for number of surgeries, macula-off RRD (P = 0.06), proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR) (P = 0.09), surgical approach (PPV and/or SB, P = 0.21), and tamponade type (P = 0.10) were not statistically significant, although they all achieved significance on univariate analysis (P = 0.001 or less). Intraoperative retinectomy (P = 0.009) and postoperative pseudophakia or aphakia (P = 0.008) were more frequent in the CME group, even after adjustment. Characteristics of cCME on OCT included diffuse distribution, confluent cysts, and absence of subretinal fluid or intraretinal hyperreflective foci. Macular thickness improved significantly with intravitreal triamcinolone (P = 0.016), but not with anti-vascular endothelial growth factor agents (P = 0.828) or dexamethasone implant (P = 0.125). After adjusting for number of surgeries and macular detachment, final visual acuities remained significantly lower in the CME vs nCME group (P = 0.012).

Conclusion

Risk factors of CME include complex retinal detachment repairs requiring multiple surgeries, and pseudophakic or aphakic lens status. Although this cCME was associated with poor therapeutic response, corticosteroids were the most effective studied treatments.
Statins in patients with COVID-19: a retrospective cohort study in Iranian COVID-19 patients
Authors: Peymani Payam , Dehesh Tania , Aligolighasemabadi Farnaz , Sadeghdoust Mohammadamin , Kotfis Katarzyna , Ahmadi Mazaher , Mehrbod Parvaneh , Iranpour Pooya , Dastghaib Sanaz , Nasimian Ahmad , Ravandi Amir , Kidane Biniam , Ahmed Naseer , Sharma Pawan , Shojaei Shahla , Bagheri Lankarani Kamran , Madej Andrzej , Rezaei Nima , Madrakian Tayyebeh , Los Marek J. , Labouta Hagar Ibrahim , Mokarram Pooneh , Ghavami Saeid
Published: January 2021

Background

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection has profoundly affected the lives of millions of people. To date, there is no approved vaccine or specific drug to prevent or treat COVID-19, while the infection is globally spreading at an alarming rate. Because the development of effective vaccines or novel drugs could take several months (if not years), repurposing existing drugs is considered a more efficient strategy that could save lives now. Statins constitute a class of lipid-lowering drugs with proven safety profiles and various known beneficial pleiotropic effects. Our previous investigations showed that statins have antiviral effects and are involved in the process of wound healing in the lung. This triggered us to evaluate if statin use reduces mortality in COVID-19 patients.

Results

After initial recruitment of 459 patients with COVID-19 (Shiraz province, Iran) and careful consideration of the exclusion criteria, a total of 150 patients, of which 75 received statins, were included in our retrospective study. Cox proportional-hazards regression models were used to estimate the association between statin use and rate of death. After propensity score matching, we found that statin use appeared to be associated with a lower risk of morbidity [HR = 0.85, 95% CI = (0.02, 3.93), P = 0.762] and lower risk of death [(HR = 0.76; 95% CI = (0.16, 3.72), P = 0.735)]; however, these associations did not reach statistical significance. Furthermore, statin use reduced the chance of being subjected to mechanical ventilation [OR = 0.96, 95% CI = (0.61–2.99), P = 0.942] and patients on statins showed a more normal computed tomography (CT) scan result [OR = 0.41, 95% CI = (0.07–2.33), P = 0.312].

Conclusions

Although we could not demonstrate a significant association between statin use and a reduction in mortality in patients with COVID19, we do feel that our results are promising and of clinical relevance and warrant the need for prospective randomized controlled trials and extensive retrospective studies to further evaluate and validate the potential beneficial effects of statin treatment on clinical symptoms and mortality rates associated with COVID-19.
Role of MRI evaluation in acute secondary inability to walk in children
Authors: Sedeek K. H. , Aboualfotouh K. , Hassanein S. M. , Osman N. M. , Shalaby M. H.
Published: January 2021

Background

Acute bilateral lower limb weakness is a common problem in children which necessitates a rapid method for diagnosis. MRI is a non-invasive imaging technique that produces high-quality images of the internal structure of the brain and spinal cord.

Results

MRI was very helpful in reaching rapid and prompt diagnosis in children with acute inability to walk. Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM), Guillain–Barré syndrome (GBS), and acute transverse myelitis (ATM) were the most common causes in our study. MRI proved to be of high sensitivity in detecting the lesions and reaching the diagnosis in ADEM and GBS; however, there was no significant relation between the lesions’ size, enhancement pattern, and severity of the disease or prognosis, yet in ATM the site of the lesion and number of cord segment affection were significantly related to the severity of the disease and prognosis.

Conclusion

MRI is a quick tool to reach the diagnosis of children with acute secondary inability to walk, and to eliminate other differential diagnosis which is essential for proper treatment and rapid full recovery. It is highly sensitive in detecting the lesions, their site and size.
Intracapsular coblation tonsillotomy versus extracapsular coblation tonsillectomy
Authors: Abdelmaksoud Aida A. , Abdelreheem Ahmed G. , Tayee Usama K
Published: January 2021

Background

Recently, coblation technique is used in many neck surgeries; there are few studies dealing with coblation in the field of tonsillectomy either intracapsular or extracapsular tonsillectomy. The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of using coblation in extracapsular tonsillectomy (preserving the capsule) over using it in intracapsular tonsillectomy (total).

Results

There is statistically difference between results of extracapsular tonsillectomy and intracapsular tonsillectomy as regards postoperative pain according VAS scale (4.36 ± 2.413 vs 3.6 ± 2.041 with p value 0.0001). Also postoperative dietary intake and daily activity all are significantly different in extracapsular tonsillectomy and these differences were recorded after the fifth day.

Conclusion

Extracapsular coblation tonsillectomy has less morbidity than intracapsular coblation tonsillectomy.
Three-dimensional supervirtual seismic refraction interferometry: A case study in western Saudi Arabia
Authors: Edigbue Paul , Al-Shuhail Abdullatif , Hanafy Sherif M.
Published: January 2021

The semiautomatic seismic refraction supervirtual interferometry (SVI) algorithm has been developed to improve the conventional SVI method. The conventional SVI method uses convolution techniques and involves the raw trace, which reintroduces noise back into the enhanced trace. However, the semiautomatic method uses a first-arrival reference picked from a raw trace to compute the arrival times of all enhanced virtual traces. The semiautomatic SVI method has been extended recently from 2D to 3D geometry and applied on a synthetic 3D seismic data set using the raw traces of only one inline. We have developed a case study of the semiautomatic 3D SVI method by applying the algorithm on an active seismic refraction data set that consists of 82,944 raw traces from 288 shot gathers that use an accelerated weight drop source. Due to possible differences in the source wavelet among shots, the semiautomatic 3D SVI method is applied on the 288 raw traces from each shot gather separately. The SVI technique generates 41,328 distinct correlograms from one shot, which results in the production of a trace with a much better signal-to-noise ratio.
A laboratory study of the effect of clay, silt, and sand content on low-field nuclear magnetic resonance relaxation time distributions
Authors: Peng Yonghui , Keating Kristina
Published: January 2021

We have developed a laboratory nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) study to investigate the effect of clay, silt, and sand content on the NMR relaxation time distribution. Transverse NMR relaxation times ([Formula: see text]) are determined for water-saturated unconsolidated sediment mixtures of 1%–60% kaolinite clay, 5%–85% silt-size glass beads, and 8%–94% quartz sand by mass. Nearly all of the mixtures are characterized by a unimodal [Formula: see text] distribution. When clay is present in quantities greater than 10%, the clay content dominates the response. For these samples, the mean-log relaxation times ([Formula: see text]) range from 0.03 to 0.06 s, regardless of silt or sand content. For mixtures with [Formula: see text] clay, [Formula: see text] decreases with increasing clay content. When the clay content is kept the same, [Formula: see text] decreases with increasing silt content and increases with the increasing sand content. The strong effect of the clay content on the NMR response is due to the high specific surface area of the clay and the distribution of clay throughout the samples. These results will help improve the interpretation of NMR field data in soils and unconsolidated sediments.
Optimal Supportive Care for Patients With Metastatic Breast Cancer According to Their Disease Progression Phase
Authors: Kida Kumiko , Olver Ian , Yennu Sriram , Tripathy Debu , Ueno Naoto T.
Published: January 2021

The clinical progression patterns of metastatic breast cancer (MBC) are heterogeneous; patients experience acute and stable phases at different time points. The acute phase consists of rapid progressive symptomatic changes, whereas in the stable phase, patients have relatively low symptom burden. Therefore, personalized interdisciplinary care is essential. The optimal palliative or supportive care in MBC is to provide comprehensive care that is individually prioritized to the patient's disease status. The purpose of this review is to provide a practical guide for oncologists to understand the priorities for supportive care for patients with MBC in the two phases. We note that for better decision making in patient care, performance status should be broadened to consider not only physical status but also psychosocial needs and cognitive condition. We summarize the clinical importance of physical symptom control, psychosocial support, physical activity, nutrition support, and advance care planning. For optimal care, we present palliative or supportive care checklists according to the disease progression phase, combining the limited evidence with expert input. In the acute phase, close monitoring of the patient's status and symptom management take priority. In the stable phase, the focus can shift to maintenance or improvement of physical strength and emotional condition. Finally, we discuss future directions and unmet needs in providing the best supportive care for patients with MBC.
Evaluating Mental Health–Related Symptoms Among Cancer Survivors During the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Analysis of the COVID Impact Survey
Authors: Islam Jessica Yasmine , Vidot Denise C. , Camacho-Rivera Marlene
Published: January 2021

PURPOSE:

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the mental health of adults in the United States because of recommended preventive behaviors such as physical distancing. Our objective was to evaluate mental health symptoms and identify associated determinants among cancer survivors during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States.

METHODS:

We used nationally representative data of 10,760 US adults from the COVID-19 Impact Survey. We defined cancer survivors as adults with a self-reported diagnosis of cancer (n = 854, 7.6%). We estimated associations of mental health symptoms among cancer survivors using multinomial logistic regression. We estimated determinants of reporting at least one mental health symptom 3-7 times in the 7 days before survey administration among cancer survivors using multivariable Poisson regression.

RESULTS:

Cancer survivors were more likely to report feeling nervous, anxious, or on edge (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.42; 95% CI, 1.07 to 1.90); depressed (aOR, 1.57; 95% CI, 1.18 to 2.09); lonely (aOR, 1.42; 95% CI, 1.05 to 1.91); and hopeless (aOR, 1.51; 95% CI, 1.11 to 2.06) 3-7 days per week in the last 7 days when compared with adults without cancer. Among cancer survivors, adults of age 30-44 years (adjusted prevalence ratio [aPR], 1.87; 95% CI, 1.18 to 2.95), females (aPR, 1.55, 95% CI, 1.12 to 2.13), adults without a high school degree (aPR, 1.79; 95% CI, 1.05 to 3.04), and adults with limited social interaction (aPR, 1.40, 95% CI, 1.01 to 1.95) were more likely to report at least one mental health–related symptom in the last 7 days (3-7 days/week).

CONCLUSION:

Cancer survivors are reporting mental health symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly young adults, adults without a high school degree, women, and survivors with limited social support.
Impact of pregnancy on cancer survival: Experience at a tertiary care hospital
Authors: Shahwar Dur-e- , Ahmed Sheikh Irfan , Islam Zaheena Shamsul , Sheikh Lumaan
Published: January 2021

Objectives: To assess the overall survival of pregnant women diagnosed with cancer during pregnancy or became pregnant thereafter.

Methods: A retrospective medical record review of 90 patients who were diagnosed with cancer when pregnant or who became pregnant thereafter between 1996 and 2015 in Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi.

Results: A total of 90 patients were analyzed. The malignancies that expectant mothers had were, breast cancer 38 (42.2%), hematological cancers 29 (32.2%), brain cancer 10 (11.1%), and other malignancies 13 (14.4%) that included thyroid cancers, gestational trophoblastic disease and synovial tumor of foot. We observed only four deaths out of 90 patients and mean survival time in pregnant patients with malignancies was 17.98 years [CI 16.35-19.31].

Conclusions: The diagnosis of most cancer types before or during pregnancy does not influence on overall survival of patients.

doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.37.2.3525

How to cite this:Dur-e-Shahwar, Irfan S, Islam ZS, Sheikh L. Impact of pregnancy on cancer survival: Experience at a tertiary care hospital. Pak J Med Sci. 2021;37(2):335-338. doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.37.2.3525

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Figures of Chance and Contingency in Albert Kahn's Planetary Project
Authors: Picker Marion
Published: January 2021

The Archives de la Planète is a collection of visual material – about 100 hours of film, 72000 autochromes and 4000 stereoscopic images – established between 1908 androughly 1932. While the project was of Kahn’s inspiration (and also financed by him),the human geographer Jean Brunhes served as its scientific director. Its purpose was to document the diversity, but even more so, the underlying unity of human life and activity all over the globe. It seems thus fitting that Brunhes used a cartographic logicin mapping the “positive facts” of his science, relying on visual documentation. Thisarticle examines some of the temporal complexities and contingencies of representation inherent in the autochrome part of the collections. As archives within the archive, they upset the cartographic logic of the project.
“Poethic” Particulars: Anne Waldman’s Poetics of Detail in Manatee/Humanity
Authors: Bécel Laurence
Published: January 2021

In Manatee/Humanity (2009), Anne Waldman investigates our world through a poetics of detail that records diversity in what Édouard Glissant calls the ‘totality- world,’ against the threat of ‘monolithic’ representations of the world that, inWaldman’s terms, are shaped by totalitarian discourses. The poet’s language engagesher own relationship with the world. As Waldman asks: “What is poetry’srelationship to the composite world, /in the relative world?” In Manatee/Humanity, Waldman deals with relativity through a Buddhist conception of time. Besides, her poetic quest echoes Édouard Glissant’s definition of a poetics of Relation and challenges the ability of poetic writing to account for a Glissantian relationship with the world. Waldman’s interrogation also entails a questioning of the relation betweenthe ‘particulars’ of the world and the world as structure. This essay argues that Waldman uses detail as an epistemological standpoint for herpoetics of interconnected particulars which is entwined with an ethical approach to our contingent world, and may be defined as a poetics of Relation.
Before Us Is The Salesman’s House: Exploring the Contingent Aesthetic of eBay
Authors: Rudrum David
Published: January 2021

In 2012, data artist Jer Thorp and statistician Mark Hansen collaborated on an installation called Before Us Is The Salesman’s House. Commissioned by theeBay/PayPal corporation, and inspired by Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman, thisdata art project has been described variously as “an investigation of eBay as a cultural artefact,” “a kind of fly-over of [eBay’s] rich data landscape,” and “a portrait ofhumanity in the purchases we make.” Based on big data from eBay and ProjectGutenberg, it uses sheer random contingency to show the interweavings of literary texts with everyday commodities. This essay seeks to read the challenging project that is Before Us Is The Salesman’s House variously as literary text, a piece of corporate art,an opening for social critique, and an example of Nicolas Bourriaud’s relationalaesthetics.
On Rereading Homer’s Iliad in the Twenty-first Century
Authors: Bassnett Susan
Published: January 2021

No abstract
New Voices on Anglophone Antiquity: Contemporary Women’s Writing and Modernist Translation
Authors: Jansen Laura
Published: January 2021

Review.
Editorial: A new direction for the College Journal
Authors: Gilkison Andrea , Dixon Lesley
Published: January 2021

2020: the Year of the Midwife, and the year of Covid-19…what a year it has been for midwives in every role and every part of Aotearoa, and throughout the world. In Aotearoa, midwives have shown incredible dedication, innovation and flexibility to continue providing quality care for women and babies throughout the pandemic. Midwifery educators have continued to teach, midwifery researchers have continued to research – everything has needed to be adapted to virtual consultations, virtual teaching and virtual research. This is the 56th issue of the College Journal and, for 28 years, the Journal has continued to publish original research and other articles, and has been printed and posted to all College members, libraries and other organisations who have subscribed.
Why does the ground shake?
Authors: Amaral Ferreira Mónica
Published: January 2021

This manual is designed to sup-port the training of primary school teachers, instructors and technicians, who want to improve their knowledge and develop activities about seismic and tsunami risk. The contents and information of this document come from researches carried out at present, and also as the continuation of other projects in which the author has participated, such as the game "Treme-Treme".
The Winding Ways of Poetry: Ratnaśrījñāna on Daṇḍin’s mārgas
Authors: Wojtczak Lidia
Published: January 2021

One of the earliest Sanskrit poeticians, Daṇḍin, dedicates an entire chapter of his Kāvyādarśa to the investigation of mārgas or the ‘ways’ of poetry. These are based on adaptable configurations of poetic qualities and faults and, although there seems to be an infinite number of ‘ways’, Daṇḍin characterises only two, Vaidarbha and Gauḍīya. In this paper, I show how the earliest known commentator of the Kāvyādarśa, Ratnaśrījñāna, uses philosophical discussions and archetypes to expand on Daṇḍin’s rather cursory engagement with the methodology of the ‘ways’ to create a truly śāstric schema.
Cryopreservation of Indonesian native chicken semen by using dimethyl sulfoxide and various level of ethylene glycol as cryoprotectants
Authors: KHAERUDDIN KHAERUDDIN , JUNAEDI JUNAEDI , HASTUTI HASTUTI
Published: January 2021

Abstract. Khaeruddin, Junaedi, Hastuti. 2020. Cryopreservation of Indonesian native chicken semen by using dimethyl sulfoxide and various level of ethylene glycol as cryoprotectants. Biodiversitas 21: 5718-5722. Imported purebred chickens are becoming more popular and a regular staple in Indonesia. Therefore, it is necessary to strengthen conservation efforts to preserve Indonesian chickens, one of which is by means of sperm cryopreservation. This study aimed to determine the effects of the addition of DMSO and different concentrations of ethylene glycol to a Ringer’s lactate egg yolk (RLY)-or coconut water egg yolk (CWY)-based extender on the quality of frozen-thawed Indonesian chicken sperm. This study was used nine Indonesian native roosters about 20 months of age. The semen extenders used in this study were RLY + DMSO 7%, RLY + ethylene glycol 3%, RLY + ethylene glycol 5%, RLY + ethylene glycol 7%, CWY + DMSO 7%, CWY + ethylene glycol 3%, CWY + ethylene glycol 5% and CWY + ethylene glycol 7%. Liquid semen was packaged in 0.25 mL straw, then cooled at 5oC for 2 hours, frozen at 5 cm above liquid nitrogen for 10 minutes, following stored in a liquid nitrogen container for 24 hours. The semen straws were thawed at 37oC for 30 seconds. Statistical analysis for multiple comparisons was performed as a completely randomized design with eight treatment levels and seven replications. The results showed that there were no differences in sperm motility, recovery rate, and abnormality between extenders after the freeze-thaw process. Whereas, RLY + DMSO 7% was the highest sperm viability.
Yield performance of several peanut cultivars grown in dryland with semi-arid climate in Sumba Timur, Indonesia
Authors: Rahmianna Agustina Asri , Wijanarko Andy , Purnomo Joko , Baliadi Yuliantoro
Published: January 2021

Abstract. Rahmianna A, Wijanarko A, Purnomo J, Baliadi Y. 2020. Yield performance of several peanut cultivars grown in dryland with semi-arid climate in Sumba Timur, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 21: 5747-5757.  Peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) is the fourth major food crops in Indonesia after rice, maize, and soybean. The seeds contain oil, protein, and carbohydrate which are beneficial to human health. Despite its health benefit, farmers sell all pods for cash. The dryland areas with semi-arid climates, where there is only one growing season, are the potential areas for peanut cultivation. The experiment was conducted to assess the performance of improved cultivars grown in dryland with low rainfall at Sumba Timur District of East Nusa Tenggara Province, Indonesia during February-May 2017. Ten improved peanut cultivars and one local cultivar were grown in two sites: Laipori and Palakahembi Villages. A randomized block design with three replicates was applied in each site. The treatment was peanut cultivar, i.e., Local Sandel, Bison, Gajah, Hypoma 1, Hypoma 2, Kancil, Kelinci, Takar 1, Talam 1, Talam 2, and Tuban that belonged to Spanish type except Kelinci that was a Valencia type. A 100 kg ha-1 of composite NPK fertilizer was applied at sowing time, and the water source was merely from rainfall. Captan fungicide was applied as seed treatment, and Deltamethrin insecticide were applied two times during the growing period. The results indicated that the improved cultivars performed better than the local cultivar, i.e., their pod yields were 1.75-2.57 times higher than that of Local Sandel. Hypoma 1 cultivar gave the highest yield with 2.313 t ha-1 of dry pod yields or 257% higher than that of Local Sandel. In addition to high pod yield production, Hypoma 1 also produced 6.1 t ha-1 fresh haulms, and those of improved cultivars were 5.3-7.2 t ha-1. In summary, the improved cultivars, especially Hypoma 1 is highly recommended for cultivation by the farmers in Sumba Timur because of their high pod yields and organic matter content in soils after the plants harvested.
Genetic variability of Begonia longifolia Blume from Indonesia based on Nuclear DNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequence data
Authors: Ningrum Wahyu Dewi Astuti , Atmaja Muhammad Bima , Daryono Budi Setiadi , PURNOMO Purnomo
Published: January 2021

Abstract.Ningrum WDA, Atmaja MB, Daryono BS, Purnomo. 2020. Genetic variability of Begonia longifolia Blume from Indonesia based on Nuclear DNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequence data. Biodiversitas 21: 5778-5785. Begonia longifolia Blume is a member of the Begoniaceae family which has the widest distribution in Asia including Indonesia. Diversity studies on B.longifolia from Indonesia were mainly based on morphological characters. The genetic diversity analysis of this pantropical species in Indonesia has never been reported yet. This research aimed to study genetic variability of B. longifolia in Indonesia based on nuclear DNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequence data. Twelve living specimens were from Sumatra (Lampung), Java (Sukabumi, Purwokerto), Bali (Buleleng, Gianyar, Jembrana, Tabanan), and Lombok. The 831-839 length sequence was aligned using Mesquite software. Reconstruction of the phylogenetic tree was done by MEGA7 software using Neighbor-Joining method with Kimura-2-Parameter. The 827 fixed sites showed a genetic distance ranged from 0 to 1.6%. Among the 827 sites compared, 802 sites were invariable, 19 sites were variable (11 singleton variable sites and 8 parsimony informative sites) and 6 sites were gaps. The phylogenetic tree showed 1 clade and 6 sub-clades. Specimens from Sumatra and Java formed a single sub-clade, separate with five sub-clades from Bali. Specimen from Lombok belong to one of the sub-clades of the Bali specimens. All specimens can be divided into 2 groups: Sumatra-Java and Bali-Lombok group.
Diversity of mollusks (bivalves and gastropods) in degraded mangrove ecosystems of Kolaka District, Southeast Sulawesi, Indonesia
Authors: Hasidu Fajar , Jamili Jamili , Gaby Nanda Kharisma  , Prasetya Arif , Maharani Maharani , Riska Riska , La Ode Adi Parman Rudia  , Ibrahim Akhmad Fadli , Mubarak Azhar Aras , La Ode Muhsafaat  , Luthfi Anzani
Published: January 2021

Abstract. Hasidu LOAF, Jamili, Kharisma GN, Prasetya A, Maharani, Riska, Rudia LOAP, Ibrahim AF, Mubarak AA, Muhasafaat LO, Anzani L. 2020. Diversity of mollusks (bivalves and gastropods) in degraded mangrove ecosystems of Kolaka District, Southeast Sulawesi, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 21: 5884-5892. Mollusks are one of the mangrove organisms whose classes are bivalves and gastropods. It plays an important role in mangrove and marine ecosystems as filter feeders, predators, and herbivores. This study aims to knows the diversity and abundance of mollusks (bivalves and gastropods) in several mangrove ecosystems in the Kolaka coastline as well as the similarity of these locations. This study was conducted in mangrove ecosystems of Induha Village, Mangolo Village, Tahoa Village, and Towua Village of Kolaka District, Southeast Sulawesi, Indonesia, from July to August 2019. This is a transect method stretched along a 100 m line perpendicularly from the seaward. The size of the mollusks subplot was 1 m2 and placed along the line transect. Each line transect comprises 10 subplots. To analyze the diversity index, evenness index, and its abundance, Kaleida Graph 4.0 version was used. This research indicates that the mollusks consist of 4 families of bivalves with 6 species and 10 families of gastropods with 182 species. It also found out 23 species of mollusks scattered to each location. The molluscan species which spread in all four mangrove ecosystems were Terebralia sulcata, Nerita planospira, and Batillaria multiformis. In Induha, the mollusks species were Anadara notabilis and Drupella margariticola. Meanwhile, Saccostrea cucullata, Pirenella incisa, Clithon oualaniensis, and Clithon pulchellum were only found in Towua. The diversity index of bivalves in each location was categorized as low diversity index category, as well as gastropods were categorized as medium diversity index. The highest diversity index of gastropods was in Induha (H' = 1.96). It was supported by the good mangrove ecosystem for mollusks' habitat. The lowest diversity index of gastropods was in Towua (1.41). This research depicts that three kinds of species with high abundance rate whose rates were >1 ind/m2are located in two different locations namely; P. incisa (3.9 ind/m2) and S. cucullata (3.2 ind/m2) in Towua and followed by B. multiformis (2 ind/m2) and Isognomon ephippium (1.2 ind/m2) in Mangolo.
The ultrastructure changes of Haemonchus contortus exposed to bamboo leaves (Gigantochloa apus) aqueous extract under in vitro condition
Authors: Widiarso Budi Purwo , NURCAHYO WISNU , KURNIASIH KURNIASIH , PRASTOWO JOKO
Published: January 2021

Abstract. Widiarso, Nurcahyo W, Kurniasih, Prastowo J. 2021. The ultrastructure changes of Haemonchus contortus exposed to bamboo leaves (Gigantochloa apus) aqueous extract under in vitro condition. Biodiversitas 22: 1-5. The ultrastructural changes induced in adult Haemonchus contortus in vitro using the aqueous extract of bamboo leaves were assessed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The H. contortus adult females were obtained from three groups and treatment was repeated thrice. The first group (T0) was not treated with bamboo leaves; 100% of the worms lived. The second group (T1), treated with 0.1% bamboo leaf-extract, had 50% mortality 4 h after examination. The third group (T2), treated with 1% bamboo leaf-extract, had 100% mortality 4 h after examination. Five worms used per treatment were submerged in ethanol and incubated for 24 hours. The ultrastructural changes observed by SEM revealed structural alteration of the worm surface after in vitro contact with the bamboo leaf aqueous extract and compared to the control worms. The main changes concerned the anterior end or cephalic region, cuticle surface, and vulva flap area. The structural modification of the external part of the female reproductive system was found only in vitro. The structural changes found in the worms exposed to the bamboo leaves might affect their motility and nutrition with possible consequences on their reproduction. Transmission electron microscopy may help to understand the external changes observed in H. contortus.
Experimental Study And Modeling Of Water Retention Curve Of A Silty Soil Compacted And Treated With Cement
Authors: Tewfik Belal , Smaine Ghembaza Moulay , Zoheir Bellia
Published: January 2021

The evaluation of unsaturated soils' fundamental properties is ensured by the characteristic water retention curve for a wide range of soil suction values. However, a minimal number of research works have focused on studying the water retention properties of natural soils and treated with hydraulic binders using soil-water characteristic curves (SWCC). The present work is motivated by the lack of experimental evidence of this type. Firstly, experimental measurements of soil-water characteristic curves of a natural loam soil from the region of Sidi Bel Abbes (Algeria), treated with cement and compacted at Standard Optimum Proctor at an ambient temperature of 20 °C, Were carried out using the methods of the imposition of suction, namely the osmotic method ranging from 0 to 0.05 MPa and the method of saline solutions over a suction range from 0.05 MPa to about 343 MPa respectively. The suction used were applied to four studied mixtures (natural soil, + 2%, + 4% and + 6% cement). At the end of the tests on the drainage-humidification path, the water retention curves for the treated soil at different cement dosage allow us to determine the different state parameters of the treated soil: Degree of saturation (Sr), dry weight (d), void ratio (e) and water content (w). The suction imposition range and the cement dosage significantly influence the water behavior of the material studied. On the other hand, we develop a model of the water behavior of soils treated with cement. This model makes it possible to correctly predict the retention curves at different cement dosage from the experimental measurements performed on samples compacted at Standard Optimum Proctor represented in the plans [suction, degree of saturation] and [suction, moisture content].
Femtosecond Welding of Glasses and Crystalline Materials to Metals
Authors: Lafon Robert E. , Li Steven , Micalizzi Frankie , Lebair Stephen
Published: January 2021

The use of epoxies in space-based instruments is often unavoidable in situations where the bonding of dissimilar materials such as glass and metal is required. While there are epoxies that exhibit low total mass loss (TML) and collected volatile condensable materials (CVCM) in vacuum, in some applications they can still be a source of problematic contamination. Epoxies can also be incompatible with exposure to chemical environments some space instrumentation may be exposed to. In high power laser instruments such as LIDAR systems where optical components must be securely bonded to metal mounts, the impact of epoxy outgassing can be especially acute. Even with very low outgassing levels, the intense laser can break down the outgassed material and preferentially deposit it on optics that handle high optical power. This laser induced contamination in turn leads to laser induced damage, leading to degradation of optical components and reducing the reliability and operational lifetime of laser instruments [1-6]. Alternative bonding methods that avoid introducing additional contaminants could greatly improve reliability and operational lifetime of space instruments. We present the results of our investigations of the use of femtosecond laser welding as an alternative to epoxies in the construction of spaceflight optical instruments. Unlike conventional laser welding, femtosecond laser welding uses extremely short (~100fs) low energy (10’s of micro-Joules) pulses- as a result there is negligible heating of the materials being welded. The bond is not created by melting of materials, instead it is created by the extremely rapid formation of a plasma in which the two materials being bonded are mixed and rapidly recombine. The process we used to create these bonds will be describes as well as analysis of the bond strength. Electron microscope images take of the resulting bonds show significant mixing between the metal and crystalline materials being welded. We have demonstrated that the bonds created via femtosecond welding can have strengths comparable to epoxy and can be hermetic. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the femtosecond laser welding process allows bonds that are not possible using traditional methods. We have bonded Calcium Fluoride to stainless steel, diamond to Invar, sapphire to titanium, sapphire to Invar, Zerodur to Invar and fused silica to copper to name just a few combinations. We plan to pursue this technique and demonstrate its utility in the fabrication of space-flight instrumentation.
Comparison of several nonlinear crystals for phase-matched nonlinear generation in the TeraHertz range
Authors: Bernerd Cyril , Segonds Patricia , Debray Jérôme , Roux Jean-François , Hérault Emilie , Coutaz Jean-Louis , Shoji Ichiro , Minamide Hiroaki , Ito Hiromasa , Lupinski Dominique , Zawilski Kevin , Schunemann Peter , Zhang Xinyuan , Wang Jiyang , Hu Zhanggui , oulanger Benoît
Published: January 2021

Based on Terahertz time-domain spectroscopy, we calculated the coherence lengths and phase-matching conditions of THz difference-frequency generation between 0.5 and 2.0 THz of the nonlinear crystals YCOB, BNA, LBO, CSP, AGS, CdSe, ZnO and GaP.
Experimental study of neuromorphic node based on a multiwaveband emitting two-section quantum dot laser
Authors: Sarantoglou George , Skontranis Menelaos , Bogris Adonis , Mesaritakis Charis
Published: January 2021

In this work, we present experimental results concerning excitability in a multiband emitting quantum-dot-based photonic neuron. The experimental investigation revealed that the same two-section quantum dot laser can be tuned through a simple bias adjustment to operate either as a leaky integrate and fire or as a resonate and fire neuron. Furthermore, by exploiting the inherent multiband emission of quantum-dot devices revealed by the existence of multiple lasing thresholds, a significant enhancement in the neurocomputational capabilities, such as spiking duration and firing rate, is observed. Spike firing rate increased by an order of magnitude that leads to an enhancement in processing speed and, more importantly, neural spike duration was suppressed to the picosecond scale, which corresponds to a significant temporal resolution enhancement. These new regimes of operation, when combined with thermal insensitivity, silicon cointegration capability, and the fact that these multiband mechanisms are also present in miniaturized quantum-dot devices, render these neuromorphic nodes a proliferating platform for large-scale photonic spiking neural networks.
Characterization of a VLC system in real museum scenario using diffusive LED lighting of artworks
Authors: Seminara Marco , Meucci Marco , Tarani Fabio , Riminesi Cristiano , Catani Jacopo
Published: January 2021

Visible light communication (VLC) is currently recognized as a relevant technology for a wealth of possible application scenarios. New classes of services can be designed in both outdoor and indoor environments, exploiting the directionality of the optical channel and the low attainable latencies. Such features allow VLC to offer both spatial localization of users and wireless communication by using widespread high-power LEDs as simultaneous illumination and information sources. In the indoor scenario, one of the most promising deployments is expected in museums, where digital data can be cast by the specific illumination system of each artwork and received by visitors placed nearby. This would enable a full set of services, aiming, e.g., at an immersive experience in the augmented reality approach or at real-time localization of visitors. In this work, we characterize for the first time the performance of a photodiode-based VLC system in a real museum environment, performing an extensive measurement campaign on several masterpieces (wall, canvas, and wood paintings) in the Basilica of Santa Maria Novella in Florence, Italy. In particular, we demonstrate the possibility of using indirect (diffused) illumination light to deliver specific information on each artwork to a visitor. We characterize the quality of such non-line-of-sight VLC links by performing packet error rate measurements as a function of angle and distance from the artwork, and we measure the effective field of view (FoV) of our receiving stage, as well as the influence of side displacements of the receiver on the transmission quality, demonstrating that diffusive VLC links can also be used for efficient localization of users in front of each artwork in museum applications. With observed baud rates up to 28 kbaud and FoV values up to 60° for realistic distances up to 6 m, we believe our work could pave the way for future studies involving VLC in a wealth of indoor applications, beyond the cultural heritage sector.
Chirality-selective transparency induced by lattice resonance in bilayer metasurfaces
Authors: Zhao Shuxia , Shao Lei , Wang Jianfang , Lin Hai-Qing , Zhang Wei
Published: January 2021

Chiral optical responses of bilayer metasurfaces made of twisted metallic nanorods are investigated in detail with focus on the collective effect due to lattice resonance (LR). Using an analytical approach based on the coupled dipole method (supported by full wave simulation), we find optical chirality is dramatically increased by the coupling between localized surface plasmon resonances and LR. The collective effect results in significant chiral signal even for metasurfaces made of achiral unit cells. The interlayer coupling generally destroys the Wood’s anomaly and the associated transparency. While making use of Pancharatnam–Berry (PB) phase and propagation phase, one can modulate the optical activity effectively and achieve chirality-selective transparency induced by LR in a designed structure with a g-factor of absorption as high as 1.99 (close to the upper limit of 2). Our studies not only reveal a new mechanism of modulating chiral optical response by combination effects from PB phase, propagation phase, and LR, but also give a quantitative relationship between the geometry configuration and chiral optical properties, thus providing helpful guidance for device design.
Episodic evolution of coadapted sets of amino acid sites in mitochondrial proteins
Authors: Neverov Alexey D. , Popova Anfisa V. , Fedonin Gennady G. , Cheremukhin Evgeny A. , Klink Galya V. , Bazykin Georgii A.
Published: January 2021

The rate of evolution differs between protein sites and changes with time. However, the link between these two phenomena remains poorly understood. Here, we design a phylogenetic approach for distinguishing pairs of amino acid sites that evolve concordantly, i.e., such that substitutions at one site trigger subsequent substitutions at the other; and also pairs of sites that evolve discordantly, so that substitutions at one site impede subsequent substitutions at the other. We distinguish groups of amino acid sites that undergo coordinated evolution and evolve discordantly from other such groups. In mitochondrion-encoded proteins of metazoans and fungi, we show that concordantly evolving sites are clustered in protein structures. By analysing the phylogenetic patterns of substitutions at concordantly and discordantly evolving site pairs, we find that concordant evolution has two distinct causes: epistatic interactions between amino acid substitutions and episodes of selection independently affecting substitutions at different sites. The rate of substitutions at concordantly evolving groups of protein sites changes in the course of evolution, indicating episodes of selection limited to some of the lineages. The phylogenetic positions of these changes are consistent between proteins, suggesting common selective forces underlying them.
Natural variation in temperature-modulated immunity uncovers transcription factor bHLH059 as a thermoresponsive regulator in Arabidopsis thaliana
Authors: Bruessow Friederike , Bautor Jaqueline , Hoffmann Gesa , Yildiz Ipek , Zeier Jürgen , Parker Jane E.
Published: January 2021

Temperature impacts plant immunity and growth but how temperature intersects with endogenous pathways to shape natural variation remains unclear. Here we uncover variation between Arabidopsis thaliana natural accessions in response to two non-stress temperatures (22°C and 16°C) affecting accumulation of the thermoresponsive stress hormone salicylic acid (SA) and plant growth. Analysis of differentially responding A. thaliana accessions shows that pre-existing SA provides a benefit in limiting infection by Pseudomonas syringae pathovar tomato DC3000 bacteria at both temperatures. Several A. thaliana genotypes display a capacity to mitigate negative effects of high SA on growth, indicating within-species plasticity in SA—growth tradeoffs. An association study of temperature x SA variation, followed by physiological and immunity phenotyping of mutant and over-expression lines, identifies the transcription factor bHLH059 as a temperature-responsive SA immunity regulator. Here we reveal previously untapped diversity in plant responses to temperature and a way forward in understanding the genetic architecture of plant adaptation to changing environments.